Ameliorative effects of hydromethanolic extract of Citrullus lanatus (watermelon) rind on semen parameters, reproductive hormones and testicular oxidative status following nicotine administration in male Wistar rats

Summary: The present study examines the possible ameliorative effects of the hydromethanolic extract of Citrullus lanatus rind (HECL) on some reproductive function and oxidative indices of the testes in male Wistar rats following administration of nicotine. Twenty male rats were assigned into four groups: Group A to D of five rats each. Group A served as control and received 2ml/kg body weight of 10% extract vehicle; Group B received 1mg/kg body weight of nicotine; Group C were co-administered 1mg/kg body weight nicotine and 500 mg/kg body weight of HECL and Group D received only 500mg/kg body weight of HECL. The drugs and extracts were administered orally to the rats for 42days; blood samples were collected by direct cardiac puncture for determination of serum concentrations of testosterone, Follicle Stimulating Hormone and Luteinizing Hormone. The testes were also harvested for determination of semen parameters: motility, morphology, viability and count and testicular tissue processed for superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde concentration. Compared to Group A control rats, administration of HECL significantly increased sperm count and reproductive hormone concentrations amongst Group B rats (p<0.05). Treatment with nicotine caused a significant reduction in the levels of all reproductive hormones with significant diminution of some sperm parameters: motility, morphology and viability; and decrease in superoxide dismutase and increase in malondialdehyde concentration amongst Group B rats compared to Group A control rats (p<0.05). Co-administration of HECL with nicotine to Group C rats apparently reversed the effects of nicotine resulting in significant increases in sperm count and the reproductive hormones concentration as compared to Group A control rats (p<0.05). Amongst Group D rats, the extract also caused a significant increase in superoxide dismutase concentration and a significant decrease in malondialdehyde concentration compared with the Group A control rats (p<0.05). The findings suggest that the hydromethanolic extract of Citrullus lanatus rind possibly ameliorates the deleterious effects of nicotine on some reproductive indices in male Wistar rats.Keywords: Citrullus lanatus; nicotine, superoxide dismutase, lipid peroxidation, semen; reproductive hormone

Ameliorating potentials of antioxidants on the lead-induced immunotoxicity in male Wistar rats

Lead exposure is a significant environmental and public health concern, known for its detrimental effects on various physiological systems, including the immune system. The study was undertaken to establish the ameliorating action of antioxidants on lead-induced toxicity on immunoglobulins using male Wistar rats as experimental models. One hundred and sixty-two male Wistar rats with weights between 180 and 200 g were obtained from the Experimental Animal Farm of the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The Wistar rats were housed in wooden animal cages in a well-ventilated experimental room. Handling of the animals was in accordance with relevant institutional and ethical guidelines as approved for scientific study. The control group (group 1) was orally given 0.5 ml of distilled water, while the treatment groups (groups 2 to 9) were orally given different substances as follows: 10 mg/kg body weight (BW) of lead only, 200 mg/kg BW of vitamin C only, 1000 iu/kg BW of vitamin E only, 10 mg/kg BW of lead + 200 mg/kg BW of vitamin C, 10 mg/kg BW of lead + 1000 iu/kg BW of vitamin E, 10 mg/kg BW of lead + 40 mg/BW levamisole, 10 mg/kg BW of lead + 200 mg/kg BW of vitamin C + 40 mg/BW levamisole, and 10 mg/kg BW of lead + 1000 iu/kg BW of vitamin E + 40 mg/BW levamisole, respectively, once a day. The experiment was conducted in three phases (phases 1 to 3), which lasted for 7 days (acute phase), 30 days (sub-acute phase), and 60 days (chronic phase). At the end of the experimentation for each phase, five rats were sacrificed, and blood samples were collected from each rat and examined for immunological parameters. The effects of treatment with lead and antioxidants were compared with the control group. There was a significant decrease in the concentrations of the immunoglobulins in the lead group with respect to the control in all the phases. There was also a significant increase in the concentrations of the immunoglobulins in groups 3 and 4 with respect to the control in phases 1 and 2 and a significant increase in the concentrations of the immunoglobulins in groups 5 to 9 with respect to the lead group in all three phases. The antioxidants have, therefore, demonstrated the ability to ameliorate the lead-induced toxicity on the immunoglobulins

Integration of radiation oncology teaching in medical studies by German medical faculties due to the new licensing regulations: an overview and recommendations of the consortium academic radiation oncology of the German Society for Radiation Oncology (DEGRO)

The new Medical Licensing Regulations 2025 (Ärztliche Approbationsordnung, ÄApprO) will soon be passed by the Federal Council (Bundesrat) and will be implemented step by step by the individual faculties in the coming months. The further development of medical studies essentially involves an orientation from fact-based to competence-based learning and focuses on practical, longitudinal and interdisciplinary training. Radiation oncology and radiation therapy are important components of therapeutic oncology and are of great importance for public health, both clinically and epidemiologically, and therefore should be given appropriate attention in medical education. This report is based on a recent survey on the current state of radiation therapy teaching at university hospitals in Germany as well as the contents of the National Competence Based Learning Objectives Catalogue for Medicine 2.0 (Nationaler Kompetenzbasierter Lernzielkatalog Medizin 2.0, NKLM) and the closely related Subject Catalogue (Gegenstandskatalog, GK) of the Institute for Medical and Pharmaceutical Examination Questions (Institut für Medizinische und Pharmazeutische Prüfungsfragen, IMPP). The current recommendations of the German Society for Radiation Oncology (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Radioonkologie, DEGRO) regarding topics, scope and rationale for the establishment of radiation oncology teaching at the respective faculties are also included

Is prolonged infusion of piperacillin/tazobactam and meropenem in critically ill patients associated with improved pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic and patient outcomes? An observation from the Defining Antibiotic Levels in Intensive care unit patients (DALI) cohort

Objectives:We utilized the database of the Defining Antibiotic Levels in Intensive care unit patients (DALI) study to statistically compare the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic and clinical outcomes between prolonged-infusion and intermittent-bolus dosing of piperacillin/tazobactam and meropenem in critically ill patients using inclusion criteria similar to those used in previous prospective studies.Methods: This was a post hoc analysis of a prospective, multicentre pharmacokinetic point-prevalence study (DALI), which recruited a large cohort of critically ill patients from 68 ICUs across 10 countries.Results: Of the 211 patients receiving piperacillin/tazobactam and meropenem in the DALI study, 182 met inclusion criteria. Overall, 89.0% (162/182) of patients achieved the most conservative target of 50% fT(> MIC) (time over which unbound or free drug concentration remains above the MIC). Decreasing creatinine clearance and the use of prolonged infusion significantly increased the PTA for most pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic targets. In the subgroup of patients who had respiratory infection, patients receiving beta-lactams via prolonged infusion demonstrated significantly better 30 day survival when compared with intermittent-bolus patients [86.2% (25/29) versus 56.7% (17/30); P=0.012]. Additionally, in patients with a SOFA score of >= 9, administration by prolonged infusion compared with intermittent-bolus dosing demonstrated significantly better clinical cure [73.3% (11/15) versus 35.0% (7/20); P=0.035] and survival rates [73.3% (11/15) versus 25.0% (5/20); P=0.025].Conclusions: Analysis of this large dataset has provided additional data on the niche benefits of administration of piperacillin/tazobactam and meropenem by prolonged infusion in critically ill patients, particularly for patients with respiratory infections

Description exacte des isles de l’ Archipel, et de quelques autres adjacentes: dont les principales sont Chypre, Rhodes, Candie, Samos, Chio, Negrepont, Lemnos, Paros, Delos, Patmos, avec un grand nombre d’autres.

Preface: Dapper, O.Dedication:Content description: Side notesIllustration: (Maps ,Views ,varia ,)Pagination: PP16+556P+4PPVolumes: 1Text Genre:ProseIllustration: (χάρτες ,τοπία ,άλλα θέματα ,

Naukeurige Beschryving der eilanden, in de Archipel der Middelantsche zee en ontrent dezelve, gelegen: Waer onder de voornaemste Cyprus, Rhodus, Kandien, Samos, Scio, Negreponte, Lemnos, Paros, Delos, Patmos, en andere, in groten getale...

Preface: Dapper, O.Dedication: Nikolaes WitsenContent description: Side notesIllustration: (Maps ,Views ,varia ,)Pagination: PP18+92P+6PP, 320P,40P+4PPVolumes: 1Text Genre:ProseIllustration: (χάρτες ,τοπία ,άλλα θέματα ,

Naukeurige Beschryving van Morea, Eestijts Peloponnesus; En de Eilanden, Gelegen onder de kusten van Morea, en binnen en buiten de Golf van Venetien: Waer onder de voornaemste Korfu, Cefalonia, Sant Maura, Zanten, en andere in grooten getale. Behelzende d

Preface.Dedication:Content description: IndexIllustration: 18 (Maps ,Views ,varia ,)Pagination: PP6+[452P]+6PP (see Remarks)Volumes: 1Text Genre:ProseIllustration: 18 (χάρτες ,τοπία ,άλλα θέματα ,

Description Exacte des Iles de l'Archipel et de Quelques Autres Adjacentes; dont les principales sont Chypre, Rhodes, Candie, Samos, Chio, Negrepont, Lemnos, Paros, Delos, Patmos, avec un grand nombre d' autres. Comprenant leurs noms, leur situation, leur

Preface: by DapperDedication:Content description: Side notesIllustration: (Maps ,Views ,antiquities ,varia ,)Pagination: PP6+P556+3PPEdition:1stText Genre:ProseIllustration: (χάρτες ,τοπία ,αρχαιότητες ,άλλα θέματα ,

Umbständliche und eigenliche Beschreibung von Asia: In sich haltend die Landschaften Mesopotamien, Babylonien, Assyrien, Anatolien oder Klein Asien

Volumes: 1Text Genre:Pros

Aκριβής περιγραφή της Kρήτης μεταφρασθείσα από την Φλαμαντικήν εις την Γαλλικήν διάλεκτον κατά το 1703 παρά του Δ.O.Δάπερ, M.Δ. Eν η προσετέθη και το νομισματολόγιον αυτής εκ των του Mιονέττου. Mεταφρασθέντα και εκδοθέντα παρά του M. Bερνάρδου του Kρητός.

Appendix.Introduction: Bερνάρδος M.Dedication:Pagination: PP12+413P+3PPVolumes: 1Text Genre:Pros