Action of the insect growth regulator fluazuron,the active ingredient of the acaricide Acatak®, in Rhipicephalus sanguineus nymphs (Latreille, 1806) (Acari: Ixodidae)

The present study evaluated the efficacy of fluazuron (active ingredient of the acaricide Acatak^®) and its effects on Rhipicephalus sanguineus nymphs fed on rabbits exposed to different doses of this insect growth regulator. Three different doses of fluazuron (20 mg/kg, 40 mg/kg, and 80 mg/kg) were applied on the back of hosts (via “pour on”), while distilled water was applied to the Control group. On the first day of treatment with fluazuron (24 h), hosts were artificially infested with R. sanguineus nymphs. Once fully engorged, nymphs were removed and placed in identified Petri dishes in Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) incubator for 7 days. After this period, engorged nymphs were processed for ultramorphological analysis. The results revealed alterations in the ultramorphology of many chitinous structures (smaller hypostome and chelicerae, less sclerotized scutum, fewer sensilla, fewer pores, absence of grooves, marginal and cervical strips and festoons in the body, even the anal plaque was damaged) that play essential roles for the survivor of ticks and that can compromise the total or partial development of nymphs and emergence of adults after periodic molting. Our findings confirm the efficacy of fluazuron, a more specific and less aggressive chemical to the environment and human health, and that does not induce resistance, in nymphs of the tick R. sanguineus in artificially infested rabbits treated with this arthropod growth regulator (AGR), indicating that it could be used in the control of this stage of the biological cycle of the tick R. sanguineus. Microsc. Res. Tech. 76:1177–1185, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Aged garlic extract ameliorates the oxidative stress,histomorphological, and ultrastructural changes of cisplatin‐induced nephrotoxicity in adult male rats

Aim: Aged garlic extract (AGE) is a natural dietary substance having different antioxidant free‐radical‐scavenger compounds that ameliorates the toxicity of the oxidative stress. This study aimed to investigate the effect of AGE on cisplatin (CP)‐induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Materials and Methods: Twenty‐four, adult male Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into four groups namely control, AGE‐treated (a single oral dose of 250 mg/kg/day for 21 days), CP‐treated (a single intraperitoneal dose of 7.5 mg/kg on Day 16), and AGE + CP‐treated (AGE at a dose of 250 mg/kg/once daily for 21 days and a single dose of CP of 7.5 mg/kg intraperitoneally on Day 16). Body weight and absolute and relative kidney weights of each rat were calculated. Serum creatinine, uric acid, and urea levels were determined. Level of malondialdehyde and reduced glutathione and activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase of renal tissues were measured. Renal specimens from each rat were prepared for both light and electron microscopic examinations. Results: Interstitial cell infiltration, hemorrhage, glomerular atrophy, necrosis, and tubular degeneration were observed after CP treatment. Superoxide dismutase and catalase activities and glutathione level were significantly decreased and malondialdehyde level was significantly increased in CP‐treated rats compared with AGE + CP‐treated animals. A remarkable improvement in the histopathological and ultrastructural changes induced by CP in renal tissues was observed in AGE + CP‐treated rats. Conclusion: AGE exhibited antioxidant effect that could ameliorate the nephrotoxic effects of CP. Microsc. Res. Tech. 78:452–461, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

20(R)-ginsenoside Rg3, a product of high-efficiency thermal deglycosylation of ginsenoside Rd,exerts protective effects against scrotal heat-induced spermatogenic damage in mice

Heat stress (HS) reaction can lead to serious physiological dysfunction associated with cardiovascular and various organ diseases. Ginsenoside Rg3 (G-Rg3) is a representative component of ginseng rare saponin and can protect against multiple organs, also used as functional food to adjust the balance of the human body, but the therapeutic effect and molecular mechanism of G-Rg3 on male diseases under HS are underexplored. The aim of the present study, G-Rg3 was prepared through the efficient conversion of ginsenoside Rd and investigate the contribution of G-Rg3 to testicular injury induced exposure to HS. All mice were divided into four groups as follows: normal group, HS group, and HS+G-Rg3 (5 and 10 mg/kg) groups. G-Rg3 was administered orally for 14 days, then exposed to a single scrotal heat treatment (43°C, 18min) on the 7th day. After HS treatment, the morphology of testis and epididymis changes, and caused a significant loss of multinucleated giant cells, desquamation of germ cells in destructive seminiferous tubules, and degenerative Leydig cells, further destroying the production of sperm. After administration G-Rg3 (5 and 10 mg/kg/day) for 2 weeks, the spermatogenic-related indexes of testosterone levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, glutathione (GSH) content significantly (p < 0.01) increase compared with the HS group. Moreover, G-Rg3 treatment effectively ameliorated the production of malondialdehyde (MDA) (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). Importantly, G-Rg3 exhibited the protective potential against HS-induced injury not only suppressing the protein levels of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) but also modulating the Bcl-2 family (p < 0.01 or p < 0.001) and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways (p < 0.01). For most of the parameters tested, the HS+G-Rg3 (10 mg/kg) group exhibited potent effects compared with those exhibited by the low dose (5 mg/kg) group. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that G-Rg3 exerted protective effects against HS-induced testicular dysfunction via inhibiting the MAPK-mediated oxidative stress and apoptosis in mice.     

Ultrastructural and immunohistochemical study of early repair of alveolar sockets after the extraction of molars from alendronate‐treated rats

The aim of the present research was to analyze ultrastructural and immunohistochemical aspects of the alveolar repair after the extraction of molars of alendronate (ALN)‐treated rats. Wistar rats received 2.5mg/kg body wt/day of ALN during 14 days previously and 7, 14 and 21 days after the extraction of the second mandibular molar. Specimens were fixed in 2% glutaraldehyde + 2.5% formaldehyde under microwave irradiation, decalcified in 4.13% EDTA and paraffin embedded for TRAP histochemistry and immunohistochemistry for OPN, BSP and endoglin, or embedded in Spurr epoxy resin for TEM analysis. Additional specimens had their soft tissues removed and were processed for scanning electron microscopy. The ALN group presented latent TRAP‐positive osteoclasts and nonresorbed alveolar crests with bacterial infection. Mild bone necrosis signs were observed at all time points studied. Ultrastructurally, empty osteocyte lacunae were observed and bone trabeculae surface presented hyalinized aspect. A significant delay in alveolar repair occurred, as well as decreased angiogenesis. ALN treatment provoked mild signs of bone necrosis, despite the high dose employed. The present findings add new information about the ultrastructural aspect of the early repair of rats under ALN treatment and highlight for giving attention when oral surgeries are performed in patients using this drug. Microsc. Res. Tech. 76:633–640, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Cyclosporine improves remyelination in diabetic rats submitted to a gliotoxic demyelinating model in the brainstem

The use of cyclosporine (CsA) has shown to induce an increase in density of oligodendrocytes near remyelinating areas following the injection of ethidium bromide (EB), a demyelinating agent, in the rat brainstem. It is also known that diabetes mellitus was capable of delaying remyelination by both oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells in this gliotoxic model. This study was designed to assess whether CsA had the capacity to improve remyelination in streptozotocin‐induced (50 mg/kg, intraperitoneal route) diabetic rats. Diabetic Wistar rats were divided in different groups receiving 10 microlitres of 0.1% EB or 0.9% saline solution into the cisterna pontis and were treated or not with CsA. During 7 days and, thereafter, three times a week, 10 mg/kg/day of CsA were given by intraperitoneal route. The rats were euthanized from 7 to 31 days after EB or saline injection and brainstem sections were collected and processed for light and transmission electron microscopy studies. Results from different groups were compared by using a semi‐quantitative method developed for documenting the extent and nature of remyelination in semithin sections following gliotoxic lesions. Results showed that CsA administration to diabetic rats after EB injection stimulate both oligodendroglial and Schwann cell remyelination (mean remyelination scores of 3.15 ± 0.5 for oligodendrocytes and 1.36 ± 0.58 for Schwann cells) compared to untreated animals (2.52 ± 0.71 for oligodendrocytes and 0.73 ± 0.47 for Schwann cells, respectively). CsA given to diabetic rats was capable of reversing some of the deleterial effects of diabetes on remyelination. Microsc. Res. Tech. 76:714–722, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Thyme oil and thymol abrogate doxorubicin-induced nephrotoxicity and cardiotoxicity in Wistar rats <i>via</i> repression of oxidative stress and enhancement of antioxidant defense mechanisms

This study aimed to assess the preventive effects of thyme oil and thymol on doxorubicin (DOX)-induced renotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, and oxidative stress in Wistar rats. Thyme oil was subjected to GC-MS analysis, which indicated that thymol was the major constituent representing 33.896%. Rats intraperitoneally injected with DOX at a dose of 2 mg/kg b.w./one per week for 7 weeks were co-treated with thyme oil and its major constituent, thymol, at doses 250 and 100 mg/kg b.w./every other day, respectively, by oral gavage for the same period. Thyme oil and thymol markedly ameliorated the raised levels of serum urea, uric acid, and creatinine in DOX-administered rats. They also reduced the elevated activities of serum CK-MB and LDH. Thyme oil was more effective than thymol in decreasing the elevated serum creatinine level and serum CK-MB activity in DOX-administered rats, thereby reflecting its more potent effect on kidney and heart functions. Lipid peroxidation significantly decreased while GSH level and GST and GPx activities significantly increased in kidney and heart of DOX-administered rats treated with thyme oil and thymol. The DOX-induced perturbed kidney histological changes including congestion of glomerulus tuft, inflammatory cells infiltration, protein cast in lumina of the renal tubule, and thickening of the parietal layer of Bowman’s capsule were remarkably ameliorated as a result of treatment with thyme oil and thymol; thyme oil was more effective. In addition, DOX-induced deleterious heart histological alterations, including intramuscular infiltration of inflammatory cells, focal necrosis of cardiac myocytes, and edema, were remarkably reduced by treatment with thyme oil and thymol. Thus, it can be concluded that DOX could induce marked toxicity in kidney and heart, and the treatment with thyme oil or thymol produced potential improvement of kidney and heart function and histological integrity via repression of oxidative stress and enhancement of antioxidant defense mechanisms.     

Dose–response and histopathological study,with special attention to the hypophysis,of the differential effects of domoic acid on rats and mice

The effects of the neurotoxin domoic acid (DA) in the central nervous system of rodents (essentially rats and mice) after intraperitoneal administration have been profusely studied in the past. These observations have shown that the toxin induces similar symptoms and pathology in both species, but the lethality varies greatly. This article addresses the common and specific histopathological effects in rats and mice and the difference in sensitivity of these species to DA. Various sublethal and lethal doses were employed in mice (from 3 mg/kg to 8 mg/kg) to observe their neurotoxicity by using different histological techniques, and these results were compared with the pathological effects after the administration of LD50 in rats (2.5 mg/kg). Additionally we also detected the presence of this toxin in various tissues by means of immunohistochemistry. Our results showed that rats are more vulnerable than mice to the neurotoxic effects of DA after intraperitoneal inoculation: lethality was extremely high in rats and the toxin produced hippocampal damage in rats surviving the intoxication, while lesions were not observed in DA‐inoculated mice. As for similarities between rats and mice, both displayed similar clinical signs and in both the toxin was detected in the hypophysis by immunohistochemistry, a brain region not reported to date as target of the toxin. Microsc. Res. Tech. 78:396–403, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Influence of calcitonin administration on ultimobranchial and parathyroid glands of pigeon,Columba livia

Pigeons were divided into two numerically equal groups (A and B) containing 30 specimens each. Birds from group A were intraperitoneally injected daily with 0.1 mL/100 g body wt of vehicle (0.1 M acetate buffer, pH 4.3 containing 0.1% gelatin). Specimens from group B were intraperitoneally injected daily with 1 μg/100 g body wt of salmon calcitonin. Six birds were sacrificed from each group 2 h after the last injection on 1st, 3rd, 5th, 10th, and 15th day of the experiment. After collection of blood samples, ultimobranchial and parathyroid glands were fixed for histological studies. In calcitonin-treated C. livia, the plasma calcium levels exhibit a progressive decline from day 1 till day 5. On day 15, the levels become more or less similar to the control value. No change has been noticed on day 1 in the plasma phosphate levels of calcitonin-treated C. livia. The levels decrease progressively from day 3 to day 5; thereafter, it exhibits an elevation so that on day 15, normal plasma phosphate levels is achieved. The ultimobranchial gland of C. livia exhibits no change up to day 5 following calcitonin treatment. The nuclear volume of ultimobranchial cells exhibits a decrease on day 10. This response progresses up to day 15. Few degenerating cells are also discerned following 15 days calcitonin treatment. The parathyroid gland of calcitonin-treated C. livia exhibits no histological alteration up to day 3. The nuclear volume of parathyroidal cells exhibits a progressive increase from day 3 till the close of the experiment (day 15). Moreover, the gland exhibits more compactness on day 10 and day 15. Few degenerating cells are encountered after day 15 following calcitonin treatment. Microsc. Res. Tech. 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Combinatory effect of hesperetin and mesenchymal stem cells on the deteriorated lipid profile,heart and kidney functions and antioxidant activity in STZ-induced diabetic rats

This study aimed to assess the effect of hesperetin and/or bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) on disturbed lipid profile, heart and kidney functions, oxidative stress and antioxidant defense system in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) was induced in male Wistar rats by injecting 40 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) STZ dissolved in citrate buffer (pH 4.5). The diabetic rats were treated with hesperetin orally administered at dose 20 mg/kg b.w., BM-MSCs intravenously injected at a dose of 1 x 106 cells/ rat/week and their combination for 6 weeks. The diabetic rats exhibited lipid abnormalities manifested by elevated serum levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol and VLDL-cholesterol and lowered HDL-cholesterol as well as elevated liver cholesterol and triglycerides content in association with the resultant fasting and postprandial hyperglycemia and insulin deficiency. The heart function biomarkers including CK-MB, AST and LDH activities as well as levels of kidney function parameters, creatinine, and urea, were significantly raised in the serum of diabetic rats. These changes were concomitant with abnormal redox balance represented by elevated lipid peroxidation, decreased glutathione content, and suppressed antioxidant enzyme activities in both heart and kidney of diabetic rats. The previous deleterious alterations were significantly ameliorated after the treatment of diabetic rats with hesperetin and BM-MSCs singly or in combination; the treatment with hesperetin together with BM-MSCs was the most potent. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that the use of hesperetin with BM-MSCs may have more additive therapeutic value than their uses singly in T1DM. In addition, the ameliorative effects of hesperetin and BM-MSCs on lipid profile and heart and kidney functions in diabetic rats may be mediated, at least in part, via their suppressive effects on oxidative stress and ameliorative effects on the antioxidant defense system secondary to improvement in the hyperglycemia and insulin secretory response.     

Physiological and histopathological responses of Porcellio laevis (Isopoda,Crustacea) as indicators of metal trace element contamination

This study was designed to assess the impact of the mixture of cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) on the bioaccumulation and the ultrastructural changes in the hepatopancreas of Porcellio laevis (Latreille, 1804) after 4 weeks of exposure to contaminated Quercus leaves under laboratory conditions. For each metal, four concentrations were used with four replicates for each concentration. Metal concentrations in the hepatopancreas and the rest of the body were determined using atomic absorption spectrometry. From the first week until the end of the experiment, a weight gain in P. laevis was observed particularly between the first and the end of exposure from 93.3 ± 18.22 mg fw to 105.22 ± 16.16 mg fw and from 106.4 ± 22.67 mg fw to 125.9 ± 23.9 mg fw for Mix1 and Mix4, respectively. Additionally, the determined metal trace elements (MTE) concentrations in the hepatopancreas were considerably higher compared to those in the rest of the body and seem to be dose‐dependent. Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), some alterations were highlighted in the hepatopancreas. The main observed alterations were (a) the destruction of the microvilli border in a considerable portion of cells, (b) the increase of the lipid droplets with different shapes and sizes, (c) the increase in the number of the mitochondria, and (d) the appearance of TE in the form of B‐type granules. The obtained results confirmed the ability of P. laevis to deal with high amounts of MTE, suggesting its possible use in future soil's biomonitoring programs.     

Effects of propentofylline on CNS remyelination in the rat brainstem

Propentofylline (PPF) is a xanthine derivative with pharmacological effects distinct from those of the classical methylxanthines. It depresses activation of microglial cells and astrocytes which is associated with neuronal damage during neural inflammation and hypoxia. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether PPF had the capacity of affecting glial cells behavior during the process of demyelination and remyelination following ethidium bromide (EB) gliotoxic injury. EB injection into the CNS is commonly used as an experimental demyelinating model inducing local oligodendroglial and astrocytic death, which results in primary demyelination, blood–brain barrier and glia limitans disruption and Schwann cells invasion. Sixty Wistar rats were divided into four different groups receiving 10 microlitres of 0.1% EB or 0.9% saline solution into the cisterna pontis and treated or not with the xanthine. PPF treatment was done using 12.5 mg/kg/day by the intraperitonial route for 31 days of the experimental period. The rats were euthanized from 7 to 31 days after EB injection and brainstem sections were collected and processed for light and transmission electron microscopy studies. Results from both groups were compared by using a semi‐quantitative method developed for documenting in semithin sections the extent and nature of remyelination of demyelinating lesions. Results showed that PPF administration after EB injection significantly increased both oligodendroglial and Schwann cell remyelination at 31 days (mean remyelination scores of 3.67 ± 0.5 for oligodendrocytes and 1.27 ± 0.49 for Schwann cells) compared to untreated animals (scores of 3.19 ± 0.57 and 0.90 ± 0.33, respectively). Microsc. Res. Tech. 77:23–30, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Maternal dexamethasone treatment reduces ovarian follicle number in neonatal rat offspring

Elevated glucocorticoid levels in the gravid female circulation affect a number of endocrine functions in the fetuses and neonates. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of maternal dexamethasone (Dx) administration during late pregnancy on the ovaries of neonatal offspring. On the 16th day of pregnancy, experimental dams received subcutaneously 1.0 mg Dx/kg b.w., followed by 0.5 mg Dx/kg b.w./day on the 17th and 18th days of gestation. The control gravid females received the same volume of saline vehicle. Left ovaries from 5‐day‐old female pups were stereologically analyzed. The ovary volumes were estimated using Cavalieri's principle. The number of healthy and atretic primordial and primary follicles was estimated using a fractionator–physical disector method. The number of secondary follicles was determined by exact counts of every fourth section encompassing whole cross‐sections of the ovary. The ovary volume was significantly decreased (by 44.4%; P < 0.05) in the group of female pups from Dx‐treated mothers comparing to the controls. The numbers of healthy primordial and atretic follicles were 38.8% (P < 0.05) and 50.9% (P < 0.05), respectively, reduced in the ovaries of pups from the Dx‐treated mothers, when compared with the control values. There were 53.4% (P < 0.05) fewer healthy primary and 41.8% (P < 0.05) fewer healthy secondary follicles as well. The numbers of atretic primary and secondary follicles were reduced by 60.0% (P < 0.05) and 61.7% (P < 0.05), respectively. It can be concluded that fetal exposure to glucocorticoids decreased the pool of non‐growing follicles in the neonatal ovary, whereas the processes of folliculogenesis and atresia remained unaffected.     

Protective effect of aqueous suspension of dried latex of <i>Calotropis procera</i> against oxidative stress and renal damage in diabetic rats

Calotropis species have been used in the traditional medicinal system for the treatment of diseases of the liver and abdomen. In view of the antioxidant and anti-hyperglycemic properties of an aqueous suspension obtained from the dried latex of Calotropis procera, the present study was carried out to evaluate its efficacy in affording protection against alloxan induced changes in rat kidney. A single intraperitoneal injection of alloxan (150 mg/kg) in rats produced hyperglycemia within 3 days and altered kidney functions over a period of 90 days. Daily oral administration of the aqueous suspension (100 and 400 mg/kg) in diabetic rats produced anti-hyperglycemic effect that was comparable to that of glibenclamide (10 mg/kg). Unlike glibenclamide, the aqueous suspension did not increase the serum insulin levels in diabetic rats. However, it produced a marked reduction in the levels of urinary glucose and protein and normalized the renal tissue levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and glutathione (GSH) in diabetic rats and the effect was comparable to that of glibenclamide. The protection afforded by the aqueous suspension was also evident from the histological analysis of the renal tissue. Our study shows that by exhibiting antioxidant and anti-hyperglycemic property the aqueous suspension of dried latex of C. procera affords protection against the complications associated with diabetes.     

Cytopathological and ultrastructural changes in the male reproductive organs of freshwater crab Paratelphusa jacquemontii (Rathbun) exposed to nurocombi

Accumulation of pollutants in the aquatic system has a high impact on the reproductive physiology of crustaceans. The objective of the present study was to assess the possible histopathological effects of combined chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin (nurocombi) exposure on reproductive tissue in male freshwater crab Paratelphusa jacquemontii using light and electron microscopy. The testis of experimental crabs showed disorganization of testicular lobules, increased inters cellular space, necrosis, and cellular damage in both germinal cells and Sertoli cells. The treated vas deferens exhibited epithelial degeneration, misshaped spermatophores, decline in the number of spermatophores, and dehiscence of spermatophore wall. These clinical manifestations expressed in crabs following the exposure of nurocombi significantly reduce the testicular activity and substantially inhibits the seminal secretions, which ultimately lead to impairment of reproduction.     

Effects of sublethal doses of imidacloprid in malpighian tubules of africanized Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera,Apidae)

In Brazil, imidacloprid is a widely used insecticide on agriculture and can harm bees, which are important pollinators. The active ingredient imidacloprid has action on the nervous system of the insects. However, little has been studied about the actions of the insecticide on nontarget organs of insects, such as the Malpighian tubules that make up the excretory and osmoregulatory system. Hence, in this study, we evaluated the effects of chronic exposure to sublethal doses of imidacloprid in Malpighian tubules of Africanized Apis mellifera. In the tubules of treated bees, we found an increase in the number of cells with picnotic nuclei, the lost of part of the cell into the lumen, and a homogenization of coloring cytoplasm. Furthermore, we observed the presence of cytoplasmic vacuolization. We confirmed the increased occurrence of picnotic nuclei by using the Feulgan reaction, which showed the chromatin compaction was more intense in the tubules of bees exposed to the insecticide. We observed an intensification of the staining of the nucleus with Xylidine Ponceau, further verifying the cytoplasmic negative regions that may indicate autophagic activity. Additionally, immunocytochemistry experiments showed TUNEL positive nuclei in exposed bees, implicating increased cell apoptosis after chronic imidacloprid exposure. In conclusion, our results indicate that very low concentrations of imidacloprid lead to cytotoxic activity in the Malpighian tubules of exposed bees at all tested times for exposure and imply that this insecticide can alter honey bee physiology. Microsc. Res. Tech. 76:552–558, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Evaluation of testicular tissue of adult rats treated with cisplatin incorporated into the liposome

Cisplatin (CPL) is one of the most widely used and effective chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of several human malignancies. However, it causes serious side effects, especially on reproduction. In order to reduce the undesirable effects caused by many drugs, liposomes have been used as a good system for drug delivery. The aim of this study was to investigate, for the first time, the effects of CPL incorporated into the dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine liposome (DPPC) on the testicular tissue of adult Wistar rats. The animals (n = 20) were distributed into four experimental groups: (a) control (distillated water); (b) liposome (DPPC, 1 mL), (c) cisplatin incorporated into liposome (CPL/DPPC), and (d) CPL (8 mg/kg body weight). The animals received a single intraperitoneal injection and were killed 10 days after each treatment for histopathological analysis of testes. The results showed that the testicular histomorphometric parameters in rats of DPPC and CPL/DPPC groups were similar to those of the control group. Meanwhile, rats of the CPL‐treated group showed a variety of morphological alterations, including atrophy of seminiferous tubules and presence of multinucleated cells in the germinal epithelium. The incorporation of CPL into the liposome had no influence on the testicular weight or any other stereological parameters, but it was beneficial in maintaining the body weight of the animals. In conclusion, the liposome suppressed the cytotoxic effects caused by cisplatin in the testes of rats, suggesting a possible use in chemotherapy against cancer to reduce the side effects seen on reproduction. Microsc. Res. Tech. 78:323–329, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Pressure-dependence of dielectric relaxation time in poly(propylene glycol) and its application to high-pressure viscosity estimation

Dielectric permittivity and loss of poly(propylene glycol) with different molecular weights (400–3000) and terminal groups (OH and CH₃) have been measured in the frequency range of 100 Hz to 1.5 MHz. Measurements were conducted over the temperature range 202–293 K under atmospheric pressure and 283–320 K under pressure up to 600 MPa. Two relaxation processes, one with strong absorption in the high-frequency region (α-relaxation) and the other a weak process in the low-frequency region (α′-relaxation), were observed for the OH-terminated samples having molecular weights above 2000 and for all the CH₃-terminated samples. Most of the experimental data under high pressure showed a nonlinear decrease in the logarithm of the frequency of maximum dielectric loss with increasing pressure. The pressure-dependence of the dielectric relaxation time of the α-process was analyzed by several models based on the free-volume concept. The regression results of dielectric relaxation time as a function of pressure were applied to the estimation of high-pressure viscosity. The predicted viscosity showed relatively good agreement with viscosity data obtained from a falling-sphere viscometer.     

Evaluation of the hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of <i>Tegillarca granosa</i> flesh body extract against potassium bromide toxicity via targeting the histomorphometry,chromosomal and expressions of TGF-β1, VEGF and COX-2 genes in rats

The hepatotoxic effect of potassium bromide (KBr) on rat liver tissues were determined, as well as the potential protective effect of Tegillaraca granosa (T. granosa) flesh body extract. Twenty adult male albino rats were equally distributed into four groups; Group (I) treated with physiological saline (control group), Group (II) was orally gavaged by 200 mg/kg of T. granosa body extract day after day, Group (III) was intoxicated by KBr (150 mg/kg bwt day after day orally) and finally, Group (IV) was given a combination of T. granosa flesh body extract plus KBr with similar doses in the second and third groups. At the end of one month, blood, liver tissue and bone marrow samples were collected to be used for the required laboratory examinations. In response to KBr toxicity, there was a significant increase in serum antioxidant biomarkers, which was accompanied by a significant change in hepatocyte ultrastructure and a significant change in carbohydrate and protein levels within the liver organ. In addition, KBr intoxication resulted in a substantial increase in the incidence of chromosomal aberrations such as holes, splits, deletions, fragments, ploidy, and ring chromosomes, as well as significant upregulation of TGF-1, VEGF, and COX-2 gene expression. The hepatotoxic effect of KBr was counteracted by treatment with T. granosa flesh body extract. T. granosa flesh body extract has a curative antioxidant and numerous protective effects against KBr hepatotoxicity.