ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Estrogens has traditionally been known as the female hormone, but this idea has been challenged in early 1990’s and an essential physiological role for estrogen in male fertility was identified. Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring non-steroidal plant chemicals that can act like the female hormone estrogen. The herbs ( anise alfalfa and vervain ) chosen in this study contain phytoestrogens. OBJECTIVE: Previous studies demonstrated controversy of the effects of phytoestrogens on the rat testes .Hence, the present investigation was undertaken to investigate the influence of typical dose of herbs containing phytoestrogen on the rat testis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four apparently normal mature male rats were divided into four groups of 6 animals each. The first "control" group received only 4ml of distilled water as a placebo. The second group received 40mg/kg of anise seed; the third group received 53.3 mg/kg of dried herb of vervain and the fourth group received 400 mg /kg of alfalfa seeds. All experimental groups received the doses through orogastric tube daily for fourteen days. Testicular histology was evaluated by light and enzyme histochemistry. Plasma FSH and testosterone concentrations were taken to support our results. RESULTS: Histological examination of anise, alfalfa and vervain – treated groups showed an increase in the height of germinal epithelia. There was marked lipoprotein lipase activity in the whole of the interstitial tissue which is more in amount in experimental groups than that in control group. Acid phosphatase granules were infiltered the seminiferous epithelia mildly in control group , moderately in anise and vervain groups and markedly in alfalfa group. The number of interstitial cells showing marked acid phosphatase activity was higher in all experimental groups than that in control group. Alkaline phosphatase exhibited intense activity in the boundary tissue of the seminiferous tubules in testes of control and experimental groups but it appeared thicker in the latter. CONCLUSION: The low dose and short duration of treatment used in our study made these phytoestrogen – containing herbs to have a stimulatory effect on leydig cell steroidogenesis. This study also demonstrated that aniseed being the most potent of the three herbs followed by alfalfa in stimulating testosterone synthesis. This is possibly attributed to the coumarin constituent of aniseed and alfalfa. KEY WORDS: phytoestrogen-containing herbs, testis, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, lipoprotein lipase
The work was carried out in two stages. The first stage concerned
with study of silicon carbide (SiC) ratio (1.5, 2.5, 3.5, and 4.5 wt%)
effect on the Thermal conductivity of polyvinyl chloride (PVC); and
the second stage concerned with the UV – weatherizing (25, 50, and
75 hr), thermal aging (40, 50, and 60 °C), and rain- weatherizing (1,
2.5, and 4 hr) effect on the samples involved. Thermal conductivity
results proved that there was slight increase in thermal conductivity
by (SiC) loading; it increased from 0.17 W/m.K for PVC to 0.19
W/m.K for 4.5% SiC/PVC; where as it was systematically decreased
by UV- weatherizing, thermal aging, and rain- weatherizing. This
property is in a good agreement with gene
The effect of fiber volume fraction of the carbon fiber on the thermal conductivity of the polymer composite material was studied. Different percentages of carbon fibers were used (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25%). Specimens were made in two groups for unsaturated polyester as a matrix and carbon fibers, first group has parallel arrangement of fibers and the second group has perpendicular arrangement of fibers on the thermal flow, Lee's disk method was used for testing the specimens. This study showed that the values of the of thermal conductivity of the specimens when the fibers arranged in parallel direction was higher than that when the fibers arranged in the perpendicular direction
 
... Show MoreBackground: Alterations in the microhardness and roughness are commonly used to analyze the possible negative effects of bleaching products on restorative materials. This in vitro study evaluated the effect of in-office bleaching (SDI pola office +) on the surface roughness and micro-hardness of four newly developed composite materials (Z350XT –nano-filled, Z250XT-nano-hybrid, Z250-mico-hybrid and Silorane-silorane based). Materials and methods: Eighty circular samples with A3 shading were prepared by using Teflon mold 2mm thickness and 10mm in diameter. 20 samples for each material, 10 samples for base line measurement (surface roughness by using portable profillometer, and micro-hardness by usingDigital Micro Vickers Hardness Test
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Objectives: The present study designed to explore the genotoxicity through measurement of Mitotic index in bone marrow and the spleen cells, as possible mechanism of bone marrow and spleen toxicity that induced by irinotecan; and to describe the protective actions of omega 3 against irinotecan induced genotoxicity in bone marrow and the spleen of rats.
Methods: Twenty four (24) rats (Sprague-Dawley) were randomly divided into four groups: Group Ӏ, rats received single oral daily dose of distilled water (2 ml/kg) for 25 days (negative control group); Group ӀӀ (irinotecan-treated), receiv
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This work targeted studying organogel as a potential floating system. Organgel has an excellent viscoelastic properties, floating system posses a depot property. Different formulations of 12-hydroxyoctadecanoic acid (HOA) in sesame oil were gelled and selecting F1, F3 and F5 HOA organogels for various examinations: tabletop rheology, optical microscopy, and oscillatory rheology studies. Also, the floating properties studies were conducted at in vitro and in-vivo levels. Lastly, the in-vitro release study using cinnarizine (CN) was to investigate the organogel depot property. Based on the results, the selected concentrations of HOA in sesame oil organogels showed temperature transitions fr
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The emergence of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) or nanocomposite membranes embedded with inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) has opened up a possibility for developing different polymeric membranes with improved physicochemical properties, mechanical properties and performance for resolving environmental and energy-effective water purification. This paper presents an overview of the effects of different hydrophilic nanomaterials, including mineral nanomaterials (e.g., silicon dioxide (SiO2) and zeolite), metals oxide (e.g., copper oxide (CuO), zirconium dioxide (ZrO2), zinc oxide (ZnO), antimony tin oxide (ATO), iron (III) oxide (Fe2O3) and tungsten oxide (WOX)), two-dimensional transition (e.g., MXene), metal–organic framework (MOFs), c
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Zinc Oxide thin film of 2 μm thickness has been grown on glass substrate by pulsed laser deposition technique at substrate temperature of 500 oC under the vacuum pressure of 8×10-2 mbar. The optical properties concerning the absorption, and transmission spectra were studied for the prepared thin film. From the transmission spectra, the optical gap and linear refractive index of the ZnO thin film was determined. The structure of the ZnO thin film was tested with X-Ray diffraction and it was formed to be a polycrystalline with many peaks.
Background: Hypothyroidism is a clinical syndrome prevalent in women, even those of reproductive age. Ovarian reserve can be defined as the number and quality of follicles in the ovary at any given time. Evaluation of ovarian reserve is recommended for patients at risk of decreased ovarian reserve. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effect of hypothyroidism on ovarian reserve in Iraqi women by hormonal measurements of serum anti-mullerian hormones AMH, FSH, and LH. Subjects and methods: This case–control study was carried out at the Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Baghdad, in collaboration with Endocrinology and Diabetes Clinic, Baghdad Teaching Hospital, and National Center for Teaching Labo
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Widespread use of antihypertensive agents in clinical practice necessitates the knowledge of their pleiotropic effects. At the present time there are no sufficient evidences of positive effect of these medications on bone coming from randomized controlled trials; knowledge of additional effects of those drugs on the bone metabolism will allow doctors to choose optimal treatment of hypertension, taking into account the state of bone tissue. At the same time it will also allow to prevent osteoporosis in patients having osteoporosis risk factors or initial signs of bone loss.
Ten elderly hypertensive women age > 60 years old (64.2±3.6) treated with captopril for a 5-6 years ago while they attending Al Yarmouk Teaching Hospital i
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