Calcium, Zinc and Copper Levels in Clavicles of Human Foetuses

Background: Calcium, zinc and copper are essential minerals for growth. Methods: Twenty five human foetuses were divided into five groups i.e. group I (<17 wks), group II (17-20 wks), group III (21-25 wks), group IV (26-30 wks), group V (> 30 wks) having 5 foetuses each. Results: Fifty clavicles obtained after dissection were used to determine concentration of aforementioned minerals in each clavicle separately. Except a significant rise of calcium level in group II clavicles compared to group I ones, its deposition kept pace with matrix formation in clavicles of rest of the groups. Conclusion: Uniform concentration of zinc and copper and their constant ratio throughout in developing clavicles were unique observations.

Microscopic Studies on the Effects of Esomeprazole on the Gastric Mucosa: An Experimental Study in Albino Rat

Background: Detailed histopathological and histomorphometric analysis of gastric mucosa after long term treatment or ingestion of esomeprazole specifically is lacking in literature. Methods: 24 male and female rats, 12 each were divided into control and experimental groups (6 each for both sexes). Rats of experimental group got 15 mg/kg body weight of esomeprazole by oral intubation for 130 days. After perfusion fixation by Karnovsky’s solution, two pieces of gastric wall were procured from anterior aspect, 1 each from distal part of body and pyloric region respectively. Sections of 8 μm thickness, obtained by using wax embedding technique, were stained with haematoxylin and eosin. Results: In both the regions of stomach in two sexes of control rats, the mucosa showed 1/5th superficial layer of absorptive epithelial cells,3/5th parietal and deepest 1/5th layer of pepsin secreting glands. Parietal and pepsin gland layers were involved in body of male and pyloric region of female. Marked oedema, hypertrophy and hyperplasia were uniformly observed in experimental animals. Conclusion: Atrophic gastritis observed in female pyloric region is an alarming observation because it is the precursor of gastric carcinoma.

Scoring Of Central Neurotoxicities of Aminoglycoside Antibiotics – An Experimental Study in Albino Rats.

Background: Aminoglycoside antibiotics are still the drug of choice in variable conditions like resistant tuberculosis and septicaemia. Toxic effects are the greatest hurdle in their liberal use. Their central neuro-toxicities specially in terms of affinity are yet to be explored. Methods: Experimental rats received streptomycin, kanamycin and gentamycin in a dose of 30mg/kg, 400mg/kg and 135 mg/kg respectively, IMI, daily for 21 days. Total lipids, phospholipids, cholesterol and gangliosides were estimated in auditory cortex, medial geniculate body, inferior colliculus, cerebellum and spinal cord in both control and experimental rats. Results: On the basis of statistically significant alterations in aforementioned biochemical parameters, affinity of drugs was quantified by scoring. Streptomycin and kanamycin showed maximum toxicity in terms of scoring of 4 with preferential targets i.e. medial geniculate body and inferior colliculus respectively. Gentamycin showed affinity for higher centres only with equal scoring of 3 for toxicity at three locations i.e. auditory cortex, medial geniculate body and inferior colliculus. Conclusion: Such preferential toxicities might reflect some aspects of mechanism of toxicity of different drugs.

Morphometric Analysis of Appendicular and Spinal Ventral Horn Growth -A Correlative Study in Human Foetuses.

Background: Literature showing growth pattern of cervical and lumbar enlargements of spinal cord and the limbs to which they supply and their inter-relationships do not exist in literature in human samples. Methods: Spinal cords were dissected out from 30 normal human foetuses of different gestational ages, divided into five equal groups. Mean length of arm, forearm and thigh were determined in each group. Sections obtained from cervical and lumbar enlargements were stained with hematoxylin and eosin to determine mean transverse diameters of their ventral horns in each foetal group. Results: Length of the forearm was smaller than that of the arm till third trimester when a relative spurt in growth of forearm was noticed. Conclusion: Direct correlation exhibited in growth patterns between transverse diameters of ventral horn of cervical enlargement and forelimb measurements on one hand and that of lumbar enlargement and hind limb parameters on the other hand with a spurt of growth between second and third groups of foetuses.

Comparative Anatomy of Spleen: Histomorphometric Study in Human, Goat, Buffalo, Rabbit and Rat.

Background: Comparative histology not only provides information regarding tissues of different mammals but also gives insight to understand human features in the background of informations on tissue of lower mammals. Methods: Splenic tissues from five mammals i.e., human, buffalo, goat, rabbit and rat were processed for histomorphometric study on capsule, trabeculae, lymphoid follicle and central arteriole. Result: Buffalo was one mammal having highest values for all the parameters while rat having lowest. Values in human splenic tissues are in between aforementioned maximum and minimum readings. Conclusion: Teaching materials are available in histology labs from lower mammals in medical colleges might give an insight for understanding human tissues if literature on comparative histology is made available.

Densities of Foetal Clavicles during Second and Third Trimesters.

Background: Density of bone is directly affected by mineralization, which makes visualization by ultrasonography possible to follow foetal growth from early gestation to term. Clavicle being the first bone to ossify and the only bone to transmit upper limb weight to the axial skeleton, receives special attention by the scientists. Methods: Forty-nine foetal clavicles were divided into five groups. Statistically densities of the clavicles were measured and values between groups were compared. Results: Density was constant in all the groups and both in males and females. Conclusion: It was concluded that matrix formation in clavicles keeps pace with their mineralization during 2nd and 3rd trimesters.

Supraorbital Foramen - Morphometric Study and Clinical Implications in Adult Indian Skulls.

Introduction: Supraorbital foramen is an important site for various surgical and anesthetic procedures. Accurate localization of the foramen holds the key to success, although racial variations exist in various population groups. Th e study included the morphometry of supraorbital foramen and its location with respect to nearby anatomical landmarks. Methods: A total of 100 dry skulls (60 male and 40 female) were collected and observed for the study. Various parameters in the sagittal and transverse planes were noted from supraorbital foramen on both sides, together with its vertical and horizontal dimensions. In addition, the location of supraorbital foramen with respect to midline and frontozygomatic suture were noted. Results: Th e study of 100 adult skulls revealed that the SON (71% on right and 70% on left) was found more frequently than the SOF (29% on right and 30% on left).Th e distance between centre of SOF/SON and midline was found to be statistically signifi cant on right and left sides. Conclusions: Th is study makes possible the identifi cation of exact position of supraorbital foramen and also discuss its racial variation.

Morphometric analysis of lumbosacral canal in human foetuses / Análisis morfométrico del canal lumbosacro en fetos humanos

Lumbosacral part of the spinal canal requires special attention because this is the site commonly involved in spina bifida, tethered cord syndrome and some other pathologies like fatty tumours in the spine, cysts and syrinxes. The diagnosis as well as the treatment of neural tube defects mandates an accurate knowledge of morphometry of lumbosacral vertebral canal. There are various reports on radiological morphometric measurements in human foetuses by various authors but these possess inherent variability due to imaging techniques, patient positioning, observer's measuring techniques and normal and pathological variations. To overcome all these limitations, direct measurements by vernier calliper were preferred. 30 Formalin preserved human foetuses, of all age groups and both sexes, free of congenital craniovertebral anomalies, were obtained from the museum of Dept. of Anatomy, J. N. Medical College AMU Aligarh for the present study. Foetuses were divided into five groups (I-V) based on their gestational ages. Group I foetuses were of less than 17 weeks, II of 17-20 weeks, III of 21-25 weeks, IV of 26-30 weeks and V of more than 30 weeks. Each group contained 6 foetuses having both male and female, 3 each. Morphometric parameters taken into account were length of lumbar canal, maximum transverse diameters of lumbar vertebral canal at different vertebral levels, heights of the posterior surfaces of bodies of all lumbar vertebrae and length of sacral canal. Readings of adjacent groups were compared and results were analyzed by using Student's 't' test. Lumbar canal starts growing in length significantly in group III foetuses onward. There was consistency in the growth of lumbar canal diameters with gestational age at all levels. Heights of vertebral bodies of Ist two lumbar vertebrae showed variability in some adjacent groups. The same in the next three grew constantly with the growth of foetuses. Sacral canal showed variable growth in lengths in different grou...

La porción lumbosacra del canal espinal requiere una atención especial; es un sitio frecuentemente implicado en la espina bífida, el síndrome de médula anclada y algunas otras patologías como tumores de grasa en la columna vertebral, quistes y siringomelia. El diagnóstico y el tratamiento de los defectos del tubo neural requieren de un conocimiento preciso de la morfometría del canal vertebral lumbosacro. Existen diversos informes radiológicos sobre mediciones morfométricas en fetos humanos por parte de diversos investigadores, pero estos poseen una variabilidad inherente debido a las técnicas de imagen, posicionamiento del paciente, técnicas de medición del observador y, las variaciones normales y patológicas. Para superar todas estas limitaciones, para las mediciones directas se utilizó un caliper vernier. 30 fetos humanos conservados en formalina, de todas las edades y de ambos sexos, sin anomalías congénitas craneovertebrales, fueron obtenidos del museo del Departamento de Anatomía, J. N. Facultad de Medicina de la UMA, Aligarh. Los fetos fueron divididos en cinco grupos (I-V) sobre la base de su edad gestacional. El grupo I de fetos fueron los menores de 17 semanas, el II de 17-20 semanas, el III de 21-25 semanas, IV de 26 a 30 semanas, V de más de 30 semanas. Cada grupo contenía 6 fetos de ambos sexos (1:1/H:M)). Los parámetros morfométricos tomados en cuenta fueron la longitud del canal lumbar, el diámetro transversal máximo del canal vertebral lumbar en diferentes niveles, la altura de las superficies posteriores de los cuerpos de todas las vértebras lumbares y la longitud del canal sacro. Las mediciones de los grupos fueron comparadas y analizadas mediante el uso de la prueba de "t". El canal lumbar comenzó a aumentar en longitud significativamente desde el grupo de fetos III en adelante. No hubo consistencia en el crecimiento de los diámetros del canal lumbar con la edad gestacional en todos los niveles. Las alturas de los primeros dos cuerpos verte...

Bilateral variations and sexual dimorphism in morphometric parameters of infraorbital groove, canal and foramen in human foetuses / Variaciones bilaterales y dimorfismo sexual en los parámetros morfométricos del surco, canal y foramen infraorbitario en fetos humanos

Foetal anatomy seems to be highly promising developing speciality in the recent past. Maxilla is the key to facial skeleton. Its anatomy in general and bilateral variations along with sexual dimorphism in particular are of great surgical and forensic importance. Thirty two maxillae of sixteen human foetuses (21 wks to 34 wks) were considered to measure lengths of infraorbital groove and canal, widths of ends of infraorbital groove, diameters of infraorbital foramen and the distances of latter from infraorbital margin and nasal notch. Groups I (21-25 wks) and II (26-30 wks) foetuses were crucial for bilateral variations for most of the parameters. Distance between infraorbital foramen and nasal notch showed variations on two sides in maximum foetal groups. Infraorbital canal was found to be larger in groups II and III foetuses in females. Width of the posterior end of infraorbital groove was less in group I, equal in group II and more in group III in males. Sexual dimorphism was noticed in all the groups for the distance of infraorbital foramen from infraorbital margin. Distance of infraorbital foramen from nasal notch did not show sexual dimorphism in most of the groups except group I where value was more in males. Rule of generalized phenomenon of larger skeleton in male was not applicable in most of the groups.

La anatomía fetal, con su desarrollo en los últimos años, parece ser especialidad muy prometedora. El maxilar es la clave del esqueleto facial. Su anatomía en general y las variaciones bilaterales junto al dimorfismo sexual en particular, son de gran importancia quirúrgica y forense. Fueron estudiados 32 maxilares de 16 fetos humanos (21 semanas a 34 semanas) en los cuales se midió la longitud del surco y canal infraorbitario, anchos de los extremos de surco infraorbitario, diámetros del foramen infraorbitario y las distancias de este último desde el margen infraorbitario hasta la escotadura nasal. Las variaciones bilaterales en la mayoría de los parámetros fue en los grupos de fetos I (21-25 semanas) y II (26-30 semanas). La distancia entre el foramen infraorbitario y escotadura nasal mostró variaciones máximas en dos partes en los grupos de fetos. El canal Infraorbitario resultó ser más largo en los grupos II y III de fetos femeninos. El ancho del extremo posterior del surco infraorbitario fue menor en el grupo de fetos masculino I, igual en el grupo II y mayor en el grupo III. El dimorfismo sexual se observó en todos los grupos en la distancia desde el foramen infraorbitario hasta el margen infraorbitario. La distancia desde el foramen infraorbitario hasta la escotadura nasal no mostró dimorfismo sexual en la mayoría de los grupos a excepción del grupo I, donde el valor fue mayor en los hombres. La norma generalizada que el esqueleto más grande es del género masculino no fue aplicable en la mayoría de los grupos.