Journal of Basic and Applied Zoology最新文献

Valproic acid (VPA) is a widely used antiepileptic medication and has teratogenic effects in both animals and humans. The objective of the current study was to investigate the effects of vitamin E (Vit-E) on VPA induced cytogenotoxicity and hepatotoxicity in male albino mice (Mus musculus). Genotoxicity and cytotoxicity were evaluated by bone marrow chromosomal aberration assay and mitotic index respectively, while hepatic dysfunctions were evaluated by light and electron microscopy.

80 mice were used, they were divided into eight groups, group one (G1) served as negative control group and the other seven groups were administered VPA and Vit-E as follows: G2 received VPA (100 mg/kg) and G3–G5 received Vit-E at doses 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg respectively for 21 days. While the treated groups (G6–G8) were administrated with Vit-E in concomitant with VPA for 21 days. The positive control animals administered VPA alone showed toxic histological and genetical manifestations (at P < 0.05). All the histological alterations in liver were greatly abated using Vit-E with significant reduction in chromosomal aberrations and elevation in mitotic index (P < 0.05). On the basis of the present results, Vit-E at dose 100 mg/kg appeared more potent in exerting the ameliorative effect.

Hypercholesterolaemia (HPC) is a risk factor of cardiovascular disease. Synthetic medicines cause serious side effects that cause an imbalance in the body’s functions. Therefore utilization of natural compounds could be an alternative concept in the treatment of diseases, as they have no side effects on human health. The present work is designed to evaluate the immunomodulatory role of royal jelly (RJ) on the aorta in hypercholestrolaemic rats.

Cholesterol (30 mg/kg/day) administration for two months caused a significant increase of total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, CD4 and CD8 in serum and diminution in HDL levels. Aortic histopathological lesions are represented by deposition of fats, loss of smooth muscle fibres and an increase in CD3, CD86 and eNOS expression in the tunica intima.

RJ administration (300 mg/kg/day) with CH, produced a counteractive effect, represented in recompense of biochemical alteration, CD4 and CD8 expression. RJ intake also amended the histological picture. The immunohistochemical picture revealed a decrease in CD3, CD86 and eNOS in the aortic tissue. These findings attributed to the significant immunomodulatory effect of RJ remedy suppress deleterious effects of hypercholesterolaemia.

5-Fluorouracil is one of the most widely used chemotherapeutic agents in case of hepatic neoplasms. The object of this study was to determine the effectiveness of vitamin C in alleviating 5-fluorouracil-induced hepatotoxicity in male mice. Thirty male albino mice were divided equally into 3 groups, each of 10 animals; group 1, mice received normal saline solution (control group); group 2, mice received 5-fluorouracil 80 mg/kg b.wt./day intraperitoneally for 4 weeks (5-fluorouracil group); group 3, mice received 5-fluorouracil 80 mg/kg b.wt./day for 4 weeks with daily injection of vitamin C (12 mg/kg b.wt./day) for 4 weeks. Animals of all groups were sacrificed and tissue samples from the liver were taken and processed for both light and electron microscopical examination. Light microscopic observations revealed that administration of 5-fluorouracil causes variable signs of hepatotoxicity which are represented by focal areas of liver cell necrosis with distortion of normal hepatic architecture; the hepatocytes showed vacuolated cytoplasm and pyknotic nuclei together with inflammatory cell infiltration. Dilated, congested hepatic sinusoids with active kupffer cells were also seen. Ultrastructure examination confirmed the light microscopic findings and demonstrated vacuolated hepatocytes cytoplasm, dilated endoplasmic reticulum, increased lysosomes, electron-dense mitochondria and pyknotic nuclei. Treatment with vitamin C with 5-fluorouracil attenuated 5-fluorouracil-induced hepatotoxicity and reverted the abnormal structural changes to near normal. In conclusion, these results suggest that vitamin C has a protective potential in ameliorating 5-fluorouracil-induced hepatotoxicity.

Equine influenza is an infectious and contagious disease of horses. Studies on this topic are rare in the Maghreb countries. Therefore, the aim of this work is to present the various studies conducted on serological and molecular equine influenza virus since 1972 in the Maghreb region in particular in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.

A total of four equine influenza strains were isolated in the Maghreb Arab region. A/equine/Nador/1/1997(H3N8), A/equine/Essaouira/2/2004(H3N8), A/equine/Essaouira/3/2004(H3N8) and A/equine/Algiers/1/1972(H3N8).

The highest homology of HA nucleotide sequences of A/equine/Nador/1/1997(H3N8) with European strains: A/equine/Italy/1199/1992(H3N8) and A/equine/Brescia/1999(H3N8) clearly clustered A/equine/Nador/1/1997(H3N8) with the strains belonging to the European lineage. However, A/equine/Algiers/1/1972(H3N8), A/equine/Essaouira/2/2004(H3N8) and A/equine/Essaouira/3/2004(H3N8) were placed in the predivergent lineage indicating that like-Miami/63 strains infected equids in Morocco in 2004.

This finding does not corroborate the recent studies of the H3N8 subtype of equine influenza viruses which have demonstrated that the oldest equine H3N8 strains, circulating before 1990 apparently went extinct.

The present study provides descriptions on the morphological and histological structure of the tongue of the hooded crow (Corvus corone cornix) in relation to habitats and feeding habits. The tongue is a tall and arrow-shaped structure. Three parts are distinguished in the dorsal surface of the tongue: the apex, the body and the root. The lingual apex was bifurcated and many of acicular (needle-like) processes are found in both lateral sides of the anterior lingual part. These processes were mostly foliated. Moreover, a conical papillary crest with lateral giant papillae was located between the junction of the body and the root of the tongue. The histological structure of the caudal part of the tongue revealed numerous subepithelial mucous glands which extract their secretions on the dorsal surface of the tongue through narrow ducts. Numerous intraepithelial taste buds were reported in both rostral and caudal parts of the tongue. It was concluded that the morphological modification of the tongue of the hooded crow may be adaptations for the bird^’s mode of food and feeding habits.

The tongue of common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis, Alcedinidae, Aves) was investigated by means of light and scanning electron microscopy to elucidate its ultramorphological and histological features.

The tongue of the studied bird is an elongated, tubby and consistent organ of triangular shape of about 8.9 mm in length. It drops in the posterior quarter of the lower part of the very long bill. It is composed of three successive regions; blunt apex, stocky body and root. In addition to the giant conical papillae demarcating the tongue’s body from root, numerous caudally directed spiny conical papillae are differently distributed on the dorsal and lateral surfaces of the lingual body and root. Both papillae appears to help catching and directly swallowing preys, however the apex is covered with superposed foliate papillae. By light microscope, the dorsal lingual epithelium is composed of a keratinized stratified squamous epithelium. The stratum basale is followed by a thick stratum spinosum of polyhedral cells containing some deeply embedded taste buds and gives rise to the stratum corneum cell layer. The loose connective tissue core (lamina propria) which embraces some blood vessels and melanocytes forms finger-like dermal papillae of different heights under the epithelium. It also contains branched tubulo-alveolar salivary glands mainly of massive gelatinous mucus secreted on the epithelial surface to facilitate food-intake indicating a close relationship of the lingual structure with the common kingfisher feeding habit which feeds mainly on fishes and aquatic arthropods.

The present study in a controlled laboratory setting provided important insights into both the degree of plasticity and the proximal environmental cues operating in the response of green toad tadpoles to pond drying, food level. It was concluded that timing of metamorphosis and size at metamorphosis were highly affected by pond duration. The effects of pond desiccation are reflected by shorter developmental duration and smaller size at metamorphosis as a result of increased crowding in the shallow tanks than tadpoles in the deep tanks. Bufo viridis raised on high food supplements grew faster than those raised on low food in low or high population density. In the tanks with decreased water and food levels, the tadpoles accelerate development and metamorphose earlier than tadpoles in higher food and water levels. The obtained data revealed that tadpoles grew faster under conditions of high population density than low one in either high or low food levels. Actual density had limited but significant effects on tadpole size and development. It also suggested that density regulation, acting on the tadpole stage, may be present in the population but was of less short-term importance than abiotic factors. Environmentally induced variation in developmental rates translated to changes in relative hind leg length. Hind leg length plasticity was positively correlated with growth rate plasticity. Finally, documenting the recent results of this study, B. viridis breed in temporary ponds and exhibited plasticity in developmental duration and growth rate in response to a change in water level.

Morphological variability of Liza aurata (Risso, 1810), was studied in traditional morphometric measurements in 25 morphological characters from 90 specimens in three fishery areas in the southern Caspian Sea (Guilan, Mazandaran and Golestan). Univariate analysis of variance showed significant differences between the means of the three groups for 22 out of 25 standardized morphometric measurements. In discriminant function analysis (DFA), the proportion of individuals correctly classified into their original groups was 100%. Principal component analysis results (PCA) for morphometric data indicated that samples of Guilan and Mazandaran showed high degree of overlap and these two regions were highly different from Golestan. The dendrogram derived from cluster analysis showed that the samples of L. aurata from Guilan and Mazandaran had same clade while both were obviously distinct from Golestan.

The survival of land snails in an adverse environmental condition depends on the integral physiological, morphological and behavioural adaptations. These adaptations are essential in understanding the species-specific habitat requirements and in predicting their environmental responses. In this study, the monthly and the periodic patterns of eco-physiological adaptation of land snail, Achatina achatina in Nsukka tropical agro-ecosystem were assessed from December 2012 to July 2013. Standard methods were employed in sampling the land snail and determination of the water content, biochemical fuel reserves and enzyme concentrations of the samples. The present results showed that lipids were high at the beginning of aestivation and depleted as the aestivation progressed. Glycogen was significantly low throughout the aestivation months (December–March) and increased in the active months (April–July). Protein content recorded a definite pattern all through the months studied. Catabolism of lactate and a decrease in activity of LDH during aestivation and substantial increase upon activation were observed. Data showed that transaminase and aspartate enzymes depleted during the aestivation months indicating that the snails may have developed potential cell injury due to oxidative stress and thermal heat. A disassociation between the physiological responses and climatic data was recorded. The physiological adaptation of A. achatina ensures regular adjustment under extreme conditions and compensates for its metabolic regulation in the tropics. It is concluded that survival of A. achatina is not environmentally predicted; rather it depends on the species-specific inherent process in predicting responses for survival.

This experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of mixed algal diet on dietary profiles of copepods. The microalgae like Spirulina platensis, Chlorella vulgaris and Azolla pinnata were mass cultured in artificial medium for a period of 20 days, cells are harvested, dried, powdered and used as feed. The small freshwater cyclopoids Thermocyclops hyalinus were compared to Mesocyclops aspericornis a species of copepod genera commonly preferred by most of the fish larvae. Both species are easily maintained in culture, when fed with mixed algal diets of equal ratios (1:1:1). Biochemical composition, egg production ratios, growth performance and fatty acids profile of the two different species were analyzed after an experimental period of 15 days, all the nutritional values were found to be high and statistically variable. On the basis of biochemical composition, egg production ratio, growth performance, amino acids and fatty acids profile it is found that M. aspericornis was the suitable candidate for larval fish diets.