Objectives: This in vitro study aimed to investigate the possible mechanism underlying the protective effect of growth hormone (GH) on hippocampal function during periods of heightened glucocorticoid exposure. Methods: This study was conducted between January and June 2005 at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, in Huntington, West Virginia, USA. The effects of the co-application of GH and corticosterone (CORT) were tested at different concentrations on the field excitatory postsynaptic ...

Objectives: This in vitro study aimed to investigate the possible mechanism underlying the protective effect of growth hormone (GH) on hippocampal function during periods of heightened glucocorticoid exposure. Methods: This study was conducted between January and June 2005 at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, in Huntington, West Virginia, USA. The effects of the co-application of GH and corticosterone (CORT) were tested at different concentrations on the field excitatory postsynaptic ...

A commercially black hair dye widely used in Upper Egypt, traditionally known as “stone hair dye” was orally administered in different doses to four groups of albino rats. The clinical manifestations were observed and the light microscopical examination of the H&E sections of the vital organs was done. Most of the body organs showed severe congestion and lymphocytic infiltration. The results revealed that the target organs of P-phenylenediamine (PPD) were the liver and kidneys. The histological changes of the liver revealed severe vascular congestion of the blood sinusoids so that hepatocytes appeared smaller in comparison to those of the control liver. The hepatocytes showed vacuolated cytoplasm and irregular deeply stained nuclei. The kidney showed destruction of the renal tubules, congestion of the glomerular capillaries and narrowing of the filtration spaces. The cardiac muscle cells showed deeply stained nuclei and the muscle fibers were separated by wide spaces. The present study reveals the presence of a dose- effect relationship, the larger the dose; the earlier and more severe the effects. The study recommends that the sale and use of PPD containing dyes and henna should be prohibited. Certification and licensing program for cosmetics should be developed. The label should contain information about the ingredients, the manufacturer, the hazards and side effects of accidental exposure or misuse and the first aid measurements. Also it is essential to keep cosmetics and other chemicals away from the reach of children.

A commercially black hair dye widely used in Upper Egypt, traditionally known as “stone hair dye” was orally administered in different doses to four groups of albino rats. The clinical manifestations were observed and the light microscopical examination of the H&E sections of the vital organs was done. Most of the body organs showed severe congestion and lymphocytic infiltration. The results revealed that the target organs of P-phenylenediamine (PPD) were the liver and kidneys. The histological changes of the liver revealed severe vascular congestion of the blood sinusoids so that hepatocytes appeared smaller in comparison to those of the control liver. The hepatocytes showed vacuolated cytoplasm and irregular deeply stained nuclei. The kidney showed destruction of the renal tubules, congestion of the glomerular capillaries and narrowing of the filtration spaces. The cardiac muscle cells showed deeply stained nuclei and the muscle fibers were separated by wide spaces. The present study reveals the presence of a dose- effect relationship, the larger the dose; the earlier and more severe the effects. The study recommends that the sale and use of PPD containing dyes and henna should be prohibited. Certification and licensing program for cosmetics should be developed. The label should contain information about the ingredients, the manufacturer, the hazards and side effects of accidental exposure or misuse and the first aid measurements. Also it is essential to keep cosmetics and other chemicals away from the reach of children.

Lead is a natural element that is persistent in water and soil. Human exposure occurs primarily through diet, air, drinking water, and ingestion of paint chips. Absorption is increased in persons suffering from iron and calcium deficiency. Lead is a multitargeted toxicant, causing effects in the gasrtointestinal tract, hematopoitic system, cardiovascular system, central and peripheral nervous systems, kidneys, immune system, and reproductive system. The present study is medical and environmental assessment of some cases of residential lead poisoning appeared, on November 2003, in some rural communities in Assiut Governorate. The study included thirty eight persons of both sexes belonging to three rural families. One of these families was living in the North of Assiut City, while the other two families were living in two separate areas in the Western of Assiut City. Twenty one persons of these families were admitted to the Department of Tropical Medicine and Gastroenterology of Assiut University Hospital. They were complaining of severe intermittent abdominal pain and constipation. They were subjected to clinical and hematological examination in addition to blood and urine lead level estimation. The same was done to the other members of these families in addition to analysis of some environmental samples (drinking water, wheat and interior soil) by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Blood and urine analysis revealed high lead levels. There were significant relationship between these levels and the presence of anorexia, vomiting, colic and constipation, and highly significant relationship between these levels and the presence of Burton’s lines and basophilic stippling. The results of drinking water, soil and wheat analysis revealed very high lead levels exceeding the recommended levels. The results indicated that people in these communities are exposed to lead by ingesting contaminated water, food, dust and other materials or by inhaling airborne particulate matter that contains lead. Additional studies and interventions will be needed to address these situations. Many different organizations (both public and private) have to be involved in its abatement.

Lead is a natural element that is persistent in water and soil. Human exposure occurs primarily through diet, air, drinking water, and ingestion of paint chips. Absorption is increased in persons suffering from iron and calcium deficiency. Lead is a multitargeted toxicant, causing effects in the gasrtointestinal tract, hematopoitic system, cardiovascular system, central and peripheral nervous systems, kidneys, immune system, and reproductive system. The present study is medical and environmental assessment of some cases of residential lead poisoning appeared, on November 2003, in some rural communities in Assiut Governorate. The study included thirty eight persons of both sexes belonging to three rural families. One of these families was living in the North of Assiut City, while the other two families were living in two separate areas in the Western of Assiut City. Twenty one persons of these families were admitted to the Department of Tropical Medicine and Gastroenterology of Assiut University Hospital. They were complaining of severe intermittent abdominal pain and constipation. They were subjected to clinical and hematological examination in addition to blood and urine lead level estimation. The same was done to the other members of these families in addition to analysis of some environmental samples (drinking water, wheat and interior soil) by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Blood and urine analysis revealed high lead levels. There were significant relationship between these levels and the presence of anorexia, vomiting, colic and constipation, and highly significant relationship between these levels and the presence of Burton’s lines and basophilic stippling. The results of drinking water, soil and wheat analysis revealed very high lead levels exceeding the recommended levels. The results indicated that people in these communities are exposed to lead by ingesting contaminated water, food, dust and other materials or by inhaling airborne particulate matter that contains lead. Additional studies and interventions will be needed to address these situations. Many different organizations (both public and private) have to be involved in its abatement.

Lead is a natural element that is persistent in water and soil. Human exposure occurs primarily through diet, air, drinking water, and ingestion of paint chips. Absorption is increased in persons suffering from iron and calcium deficiency. Lead is a multitargeted toxicant, causing effects in the gasrtointestinal tract, hematopoitic system, cardiovascular system, central and peripheral nervous systems, kidneys, immune system, and reproductive system. The present study is medical and environmental assessment of some cases of residential lead poisoning appeared, on November 2003, in some rural communities in Assiut Governorate. The study included thirty eight persons of both sexes belonging to three rural families. One of these families was living in the North of Assiut City, while the other two families were living in two separate areas in the Western of Assiut City. Twenty one persons of these families were admitted to the Department of Tropical Medicine and Gastroenterology of Assiut University Hospital. They were complaining of severe intermittent abdominal pain and constipation. They were subjected to clinical and hematological examination in addition to blood and urine lead level estimation. The same was done to the other members of these families in addition to analysis of some environmental samples (drinking water, wheat and interior soil) by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Blood and urine analysis revealed high lead levels. There were significant relationship between these levels and the presence of anorexia, vomiting, colic and constipation, and highly significant relationship between these levels and the presence of Burton’s lines and basophilic stippling. The results of drinking water, soil and wheat analysis revealed very high lead levels exceeding the recommended levels. The results indicated that people in these communities are exposed to lead by ingesting contaminated water, food, dust and other materials or by inhaling airborne particulate matter that contains lead. Additional studies and interventions will be needed to address these situations. Many different organizations (both public and private) have to be involved in its abatement.

Lead is a natural element that is persistent in water and soil. Human exposure occurs primarily through diet, air, drinking water, and ingestion of paint chips. Absorption is increased in persons suffering from iron and calcium deficiency. Lead is a multitargeted toxicant, causing effects in the gasrtointestinal tract, hematopoitic system, cardiovascular system, central and peripheral nervous systems, kidneys, immune system, and reproductive system. The present study is medical and environmental assessment of some cases of residential lead poisoning appeared, on November 2003, in some rural communities in Assiut Governorate. The study included thirty eight persons of both sexes belonging to three rural families. One of these families was living in the North of Assiut City, while the other two families were living in two separate areas in the Western of Assiut City. Twenty one persons of these families were admitted to the Department of Tropical Medicine and Gastroenterology of Assiut University Hospital. They were complaining of severe intermittent abdominal pain and constipation. They were subjected to clinical and hematological examination in addition to blood and urine lead level estimation. The same was done to the other members of these families in addition to analysis of some environmental samples (drinking water, wheat and interior soil) by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Blood and urine analysis revealed high lead levels. There were significant relationship between these levels and the presence of anorexia, vomiting, colic and constipation, and highly significant relationship between these levels and the presence of Burton’s lines and basophilic stippling. The results of drinking water, soil and wheat analysis revealed very high lead levels exceeding the recommended levels. The results indicated that people in these communities are exposed to lead by ingesting contaminated water, food, dust and other materials or by inhaling airborne particulate matter that contains lead. Additional studies and interventions will be needed to address these situations. Many different organizations (both public and private) have to be involved in its abatement.

Lead is a natural element that is persistent in water and soil. Human exposure occurs primarily through diet, air, drinking water, and ingestion of paint chips. Absorption is increased in persons suffering from iron and calcium deficiency. Lead is a multitargeted toxicant, causing effects in the gasrtointestinal tract, hematopoitic system, cardiovascular system, central and peripheral nervous systems, kidneys, immune system, and reproductive system. The present study is medical and environmental assessment of some cases of residential lead poisoning appeared, on November 2003, in some rural communities in Assiut Governorate. The study included thirty eight persons of both sexes belonging to three rural families. One of these families was living in the North of Assiut City, while the other two families were living in two separate areas in the Western of Assiut City. Twenty one persons of these families were admitted to the Department of Tropical Medicine and Gastroenterology of Assiut University Hospital. They were complaining of severe intermittent abdominal pain and constipation. They were subjected to clinical and hematological examination in addition to blood and urine lead level estimation. The same was done to the other members of these families in addition to analysis of some environmental samples (drinking water, wheat and interior soil) by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Blood and urine analysis revealed high lead levels. There were significant relationship between these levels and the presence of anorexia, vomiting, colic and constipation, and highly significant relationship between these levels and the presence of Burton’s lines and basophilic stippling. The results of drinking water, soil and wheat analysis revealed very high lead levels exceeding the recommended levels. The results indicated that people in these communities are exposed to lead by ingesting contaminated water, food, dust and other materials or by inhaling airborne particulate matter that contains lead. Additional studies and interventions will be needed to address these situations. Many different organizations (both public and private) have to be involved in its abatement.

Poisoning is an important health hazard and one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. A five year retrospective study of poisoning cases in seven governorates of Upper Egypt investigated by Assiut Forensic Chemical Laboratory in the period from January 2002 to December 2006 was conducted to investigate the patterns, mode of poisoning, incidences and types of poisons. The total number of cases was 407. The geographical distribution was; 14.0% from Almenia, 44.0% from Assiut, 19.9% from Sohag, 16.5% from Qena, 2.7% from Aswan, 2.2% from Red sea and 0.7% from New Valley. The highest incidence of poisoning was found in 2006 (29%) followed by 2004 (20.4%) then 2002 (18.7) and 2005 (16.2%), lastly 2003 (15.7%). The highest incidence was in males (61.2%) and the maximum number of cases was found between 21 and 30 years (30.2%). Suicide cases represented 49.6% of total cases 59.9% of them were females while cases of abuse represented 32.7% and 95.5% of them were males. Pesticides were the commonest poisons detected (47.3 % of the total), where organophosphates represented (22.1%) and carbamates represented (20.6 %) of the total cases. Also they were the main killer used in suicide cases in addition to hair dye ingestion (18.4%). The use of hair dye for poisoning was common particularly in the south governorates (Qena 81.6% and Aswan 8.2%), either for suicide (83.7%) or trials of suicide (4.1%) also for murder in 10.2% of hair dye poisoning cases. Alcohol is the commonest substance of abuse followed by antipsychotics (60.9% and 20.3% respectively). Cannabis and hydrocarbons had semilar percentages (5%.3) followed by hypnotics, opoides and other drugs. On conclusion; this study revealed that there is annual increase in the number of poisoning cases particularly in young adults. Deliberate self- poisoning is a major problem, followed by drug abuse. Pesticides were the main killer followed by hair dye. Alcohol was the commonest abuse substance. There was male predominance except in suicide cases where females predominate.