Journal of Basic and Applied Zoology最新文献

The ultrastructure and histopathological changes in the ovarioles were tested in normal adult females and in those developed from solar energy treated pupae (53 °C for 15 min) of Callosobruchus maculatus. The telotrophic ovarioles of C. maculatus contain germarium region followed by vitellarium region which constitutes the vitellarium.

The germarium houses trophocytes and the vitellarium consists of ovarian follicles.

At the germarium region of the ovariole, the trophocyte or nurse cell nucleus contains uniformly spaced clumps of heterochromatin. The cytoplasm contains numerous free ribosomes and mitochondria.

At the vitellarium region, follicular epithelial cells form a layer around the oocyte, each cell contains a large oval nucleus with abundant heterochromatin, and the cytoplasm contains mitochondria, free ribosomes and dark spherical globules. Also the vitellarium includes the previtellogenic oocyte which is the most anterior one and two last vitellogenic oocytes at the posterior end as the yolk was deposited.

Oocyte microvilli are interdigitated with those of the follicle cells. The ooplasm consists primarily of electron-dense yolk bodies and lipid droplets.

These phases could be identified in the ovarioles of normal females and to a less extent in those of females developed from the treated pupae. In the ovarian follicles of the treated generation, degeneration of the cell components of trophocytes, follicular epithelium and oocytes were the most obvious signs of damage. Also, lacking of yolk bodies and vacuolation in the border of the ooplasm were observed.

The damage was more pronounced in the ovarioles of (F.) progeny of the treated generation.

Fitness traits of Drosophila are believed to be expressed under genetic control and the environment. This study focuses on the interaction between the genotype (expressing high and low fitness level) of Drosophila melanogaster and the environment (diet and infection). The environmental factors are supposed to modify traits such as the survival rate, development time, adult dry weight and response to microbial infection. The results indicated that yeast species (nutrients), bacterial infection and the genotype of Drosophila affected the survival rates and the development time of Drosophila. The fit Drosophila produces more survivors and develops faster than the unfit one. The yeast, Pichia toletana induced the highest survival and the fastest development of Drosophila, while Metschnikowia pulcherrima induced the opposite. The origin also had an effect on the development time; the African lines developed faster than the European ones. The yeast species and its concentration appeared to affect the dry weight of Drosophila too. Following infection with Pseudomonas stutzeri, several antimicrobial peptides, such as drosomycin and metchnikowin have been activated in Drosophila adults when they feed on less nutritive yeast (M. pulcherrima). The above mentioned results support the capacity of genotype-by-environment interactions to shape the fitness of D. melanogaster, where the contribution of each factor may differ according to the trait observed and the population under investigation.

Female cotton leaf worm Spodoptera littoralis (Biosduval) is highly dependent on its antennal sensory structures for host location for feeding or oviposition. The external structure, number, and distribution of the antennal sensilla of female S. littoralis were examined with light and scanning electron microscopy. The antenna of adult female is filiform, composed of a scape, a pedicel and a flagellum. The flagellum has 65–80 segments densely packed with sensilla distributed on the ventral surface and lateral edges of the flagellum except the dorsal surface which is packed with scales. Eight types of sensilla; trichodea, basiconica, auricillica, coeloconica, uniporous peg, chaetica, styloconica, and squamiformia were detected. Total number of antennal sensilla varied among different antennal portions. Proximal segments showed significantly more short trichoid and basiconic sensilla than distal ones, while distal segments have the longest sensilla chaetica. Last antennal segment carries the higher number of sensilla chaetica than other segments and ends with an apical crown which has 1–3 branches, each is endowed with 4–6 apical aporous sensilla styloconica. The possible function of the antennal sensilla is discussed in relation to their morphology.

Introduction

Testicular sperm extraction (TESE) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) became the preferable techniques for solving the problem of azoospermic men. Non-invasive techniques are needed to predict sperm retrieval chance before TESE to avoid the psychological and physiological problems that may be developed.

Aim

To investigate the correlation between serum, seminal and testicular leptin levels and sperm retrieval in functional azoospermic men.

Methods

The study included 61 men classified into 4 groups; normozoospermia (NOR), obstructive azoospermia (OA), positive non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA (+)) and negative non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA (−)). Blood FSH, LH, Prolactin, Free and Total testosterone levels plus serum and seminal leptin levels were measured for all groups. For azoospermic groups, TESE and testicular leptin level were applied.

Main outcome measures

Both OA and NOR groups were used as control groups. The prediction accuracy for FSH and serum, seminal and testicular leptin was compared by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

Results

There were no significant differences in serum leptin levels among the four groups. Azoospermic groups showed higher seminal leptin levels than the NOR group. Seminal and Testicular leptin levels of NOA (−) men were significantly increased in comparison with OA and NOA (+) men. There was a significant negative correlation between serum leptin and total testosterone concentrations, and a significant positive correlation between testicular and seminal leptin concentrations. In ROC curve; for differentiation between positive and negative NOA, areas under the curve (AUC) of testicular and seminal leptin were greater than that of serum leptin. The combination of seminal leptin with FSH gave AUC greater than that of FSH alone.

Conclusion

There is a role for leptin in spermatogenesis, and seminal leptin can be used as a good assistant marker to increase the prediction accuracy for sperm retrieval in NOA men especially in combination with FSH.

The present study was designed to examine the effect of long-term treatment with the phytoestrogen soy isoflavone [(SIF); 43 mg/kg body weight/day] and/or the plastics component bisphenol-A [(BPA); 3 mg/kg body weight/day] on some monoamines in the forebrain and both serum thyroid hormones and cortisol levels of adult rats. Significant increases in serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE) level, and significant decreases in 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) level and 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio, were observed after treatment with SIF or BPA. Level of dopamine (DA) was increased in SIF-treated group and decreased in BPA-treated group. Activity of monoamine oxidase (MAO) was decreased in all treated groups. The level of serum thyroid hormones (fT₃ and fT₄) was increased after treatment with SIF and decreased after exposure to BPA, while cortisol level was increased in all treated groups. It may be concluded that long-term exposure to SIF or BPA disrupts monoamine levels in the forebrain of adult rats through alteration in the metabolic pathways of amines and disorders of thyroid hormones and cortisol levels.

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a well-established animal model of multiple sclerosis. This study aimed to investigate the protective and therapeutic effects of Nigella sativa (N. sativa) seeds (2.8 g/kg body weight) in EAE-induced rats. EAE-induced animals were divided into: (1) EAE-induced animals (“EAE” group). (2) “N. sativa + EAE” group received a daily oral administration of N. sativa 2 weeks prior to EAE induction until the end of the experiment. (3) “EAE + N. sativa” group received a daily oral administration of N. sativa after the appearance of the first clinical signs until the end of the experiment. All animals were sacrificed at the 28th day post EAE-induction. Disease pathogenesis was monitored using a daily clinical scoring, body weight, open field test, histopathological and ultrastructural examination and determination of some oxidative stress parameters in the cortex and hippocampus. N. sativa ameliorated the clinical signs and suppressed inflammation observed in EAE-induced rats. In addition, N. sativa enhanced remyelination in the hippocampus. However, protection of rats with N. sativa administered 2 weeks prior to EAE induction and its continuation until the end of the experiment resulted in a significant increase in the cortical lipid peroxide level with reference to control and “EAE” rats. In conclusion, N. sativa seeds could be used as a protective agent or an adjunct treatment for EAE even when the treatment started after the appearance of the first clinical signs. However, the dose and duration of N. sativa must be taken into consideration to avoid its probable pro-oxidant effect.

In the past two decades, calcium oxalate urolithiasis (COU) has been a frustrating problem worldwide. Several recent studies, indicate that the macromolecules are of greater importance to the inhibitory effects on crystal growth and aggregation. Various macromolecules modulate various steps of stone formation. Osteopontin and Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein are two important proteins involved in the process of retention of crystals and stone formation. Osteopontin is a potent inhibitor of crystallization of calcium phosphate and calcium oxalate, the most common crystals found in the urine and kidney stones. On the other side it is a multifunction protein. It is involved in divers’ biological processes. Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein modulates aggregation and growth of supersaturated salts and their crystals, respectively. It in addition contributes to the colloid osmotic pressure of urine, helping to prevent urinary tract infections. The aim of this review is to outline some important aspects of these two macromolecules especially regarding renal stone diseases.

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is a life-threatening disease in immunocompromised patients that requires aggressive therapy. Because of the widespread use of antibiotics, corticosteroids, antitumor drugs, and immunosuppressive drugs, the morbidity of IPA is currently increasing. The ink secretion of molluscan species was identified as one of the novel sources of bioactive compounds. So the present study designed to investigate the antifungal and antioxidant effects of Sepia officinalis ink extract against IPA in mice. Eighty neutropenic infected mice were randomly assigned into four main groups (20 mice/group). The 1st group was treated with saline, neutropenic infected, the 2nd group was treated with ink (200 mg/kg) and the 3rd group was treated with amphotericin B (150 mg/kg) and the 4th group was treated with ink plus amphotericin B (Ink 200 mg/kg and AMB 150 mg/kg). Treatment was started at 24 h after fungal inoculation and was administered for 3 consecutive days. The present study demonstrated good in vitro and in vivo antifungal activity of IE against Aspergillus fumigatus. Compared with IPA group; IE-treated, AMB-treated, and AMB + IE-treated animals had a 67.80%, 83.41%, and 72.68% reduction in the pulmonary fungal burden, respectively. Treatment with IE and/or AMB for one and three days significantly decreased MDA and increased GSH and SOD levels in the lung tissues as compared with the infected untreated group. In conclusion, the results of our in vivo and in vitro studies demonstrate that IE has therapeutic effect against invasive pulmonary aspergillosis via reducing oxidative stress.

Bile duct ligation (BDL) is a well established experimental model of extrahepatic cholestasis. Cholestasis leads to progressive liver injury culminating in cirrhosis and liver failure. Prolonged cholestasis, characterized by retention of bile compound, may cause renal damage, which sometimes leads to renal failure. The present study aimed to elucidate the curative effect of sepia ink extract against cholestasis induced renal and lipid metabolism disturbances. Fifty-four male Wistar albino rats (Rattus norvegicus) were divided into two main groups, the Sham-operated control (18 rats) and bile duct ligated (BDL) group (36 rats). BDL groups were treated orally with sepia ink extract (200 mg/kg body weight) for 7, 14, and 28 days. The underlying physiological studies were investigated using lipid profile, kidney function tests and histopathological examination. There was a significant decrease in total lipids, triglycerides, cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol in addition to kidney function tests; urea, uric acid and creatinine of BDL group after treated with ink extract. The histopathological examination of the kidney treated with ink extract revealed mild degeneration in renal tissue architecture, as compared to BDL groups. In conclusion, sepia ink extract provides an antioxidant capacity in vitro and curative strategy against the kidney dysfunctions induced by BDL.

Arthritis and related disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), are common diseases affecting millions of people. The present study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of lemon and hot pepper extracts on adjuvant induced arthritis (AIA) in mice. Arthritis was induced by injection of complete Freund adjuvant (CFA) subcutaneously at the planter surface of hind paw, the lemon and hot pepper extracts were administered subcutaneously at the same site twice weekly (100 mg/kg), for 2 weeks starting 2 days after CFA injection. Arthritic scores, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C reactive protein (CRP), anti-nuclear antibody (ANA), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and paw histopathology were assessed at the end of the experiment. The extract treatments reduced the severity of arthritic scores in the following order: lemon fruit peel (LFP) > lemon leaf (LL) > hot pepper leaf (HL) during the experimental period as compared with positive control (RA). LFP, LL and HL extracts significantly suppressed ESR, ANA, CRP and TNF-α as compared with RA group. HL, LFP and LL reduced the IL-1β by 63.02%, 47.22%, 44.92%, while IL-6 cytokine production significantly decreased by 29.74%, 28.96%, and 23.93% for IL 6 as compared with RA. Hot pepper fruit (HF) extract treated-group showed a significant decrease for ESR on the other hand there was non-significant difference for TNF-α, IL-6, IL1β, CRP and ANA as compared with RA. Histopathological examination indicated that LFP, LL and HL extracts alleviated infiltration of inflammatory cells and synovial hyperplasia as well as protected joint destruction. The data showed that all extracts except HF have significant anti-arthritic and anti-inflammation effects and suggest that these effects may be mediated via the suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines.