Deleterious Biological Effects of Endocrine Disruptors: An Insight into Human Health Risks.

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are environmental pollutants. Since EDCs are present in various consumer products, contamination of human beings is very common. EDCs have deleterious effects on various systems of the body, especially the endocrine and reproductive systems. EDCs interfere with the synthesis, metabolism, binding, or cellular responses of natural estrogens and alter various pathways. Biological samples such as blood, saliva, milk, placental tissue, and hair are frequently used for biomonitoring and the detection of EDCs. Early detection and intervention may help in preventing congenital anomalies and birth defects. The common methods for determining the presence of EDCs in body fluids include gas chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, and mass spectrometry. Understanding the health effects and dangers of EDC is important, given their widespread use. This mini-review aims to summarize the adverse biological effects of several important classes of EDCs and highlights future perspectives for appropriate control.

Prevalence of cervical ribs and elongated transverse processes in Omani population: a computed tomography-based study.

INTRODUCTION: Cervical ribs are the supernumerary ribs that usually arise from the seventh cervical vertebra. Ethnic and geographical variations in cervical ribs and elongated transverse processes have been reported. Therefore, we aimed to study the prevalence of cervical ribs and elongated transverse processes and morphometry of cervical ribs in Omani subjects using computed tomography (CT). METHODS: A total of 1165 consecutive patients' CT scans of the cervical spine who had visited the tertiary care hospital from January 2016 to December 2020 were included in the study. The CT scans were screened for cervical ribs and elongated C7 transverse processes. Fisher's exact test was used to determine the gender influence. RESULTS: Cervical ribs were identified in 0.94% of patients with a male-to-female ratio of 0.37:1. Most cervical ribs were unilateral (54%). The elongated C7 transverse process was identified in 18.45% of patients, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.36:1. Female patients are more likely to have cervical ribs (effect size = 5.98, 95% CI = 1.58-22.6, p = 0.005) than male patients. In contrast, the elongated C7 transverse process is more frequent in males (effect size = 1.82, 95% CI = 1.34-2.47, p < 0.001). The length and width of the cervical ribs are presented. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of cervical ribs in Omani subjects is close to that of accepted prevalence worldwide. However, the elongated C7 transverse process prevalence is comparatively high and close to the Saudi population.