Effects of a single intraperitoneal administration of cadmium on femoral bone structure in male rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Exposure to cadmium (Cd) is considered a risk factor for various bone diseases in humans and experimental animals. This study investigated the acute effects of Cd on femoral bone structure of adult male rats after a single intraperitoneal administration.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Ten 4-month-old male Wistar rats were injected intraperitoneally with a single dose of 2 mg CdCl₂/kg body weight and killed 36 h after the Cd had been injected. Ten 4-month-old males served as a control group. Differences in body weight, femoral weight, femoral length and histological structure of the femur were evaluated between the two groups of rats. The unpaired Student's t-test was used for establishment of statistical significance.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A single intraperitoneal administration of Cd had no significant effect on the body weight, femoral weight or femoral length. On the other hand, histological changes were significant. Rats exposed to Cd had significantly higher values of area, perimeter, maximum and minimum diameters of the primary osteons' vascular canals and Haversian canals. In contrast, a significant decrease in all variables of the secondary osteons was observed in these rats.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results indicate that, as expected, a single intraperitoneal administration of 2 mg CdCl₂/kg body weight had no impact on macroscopic structure of rat's femora; however, it affected the size of vascular canals of primary osteons, Haversian canals, and secondary osteons.</p

Effects of dietary supplementation of nickel and nickel-zinc on femoral bone structure in rabbits

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Nickel (Ni) and zinc (Zn) are trace elements present at low concentrations in agroecosystems. Nickel, however, may have toxic effects on living organisms and is often considered as a contaminant. This study reports the effect of peroral administrated Ni or a combination of Ni and Zn on femoral bone structure in rabbits.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>One month-old female rabbits were divided into three groups of five animals each. Group 1 rabbits were fed a granular feed mixture with addition of 35 g NiCl₂per 100 kg of mixture for 90 days. In group 2, animals were fed a mixture containing 35 g NiCl₂and 30 g ZnCl₂per 100 kg of mixture. Group 3 without administration of additional Ni or Zn served as control. After the 90-day experimental period, femoral length, femoral weight and histological structure of the femur were analyzed and compared.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The results did not indicate a statistically significant difference in either femoral length or weight between the two experimental groups and the control group. Also, differences in qualitative histological characteristics of the femora among rabbits from the three groups were absent, except for a fewer number of secondary osteons found in the animals of groups 1 and 2. However, values for vascular canal parameters of primary osteons were significantly lower in group 1 than in the control one. Peroral administration of a combination of Ni and Zn (group 2) led to a significant decreased size of the secondary osteons.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The study indicates that dietary supplementation of Ni (35 g NiCl₂per 100 kg of feed mixture) and Ni-Zn combination (35 g NiCl₂and 30 g ZnCl₂per 100 kg of the mixture) affects the microstructure of compact bone tissue in young rabbits.</p

Testing of IDS model using several intrusion detection tools

The aim of this work is to provide set of selected tests on IDS model that would enlarge the functionality of intrusion detection systems. Designed model is using several IDS, which allows it to investigate larger bandwidth and capture more attacks. This system consists of central master node and devices on which the intrusion detection systems are. The tests were designed with the attribute of repeatability and universality. They are divided into five categories which explore specific attributes of intrusion detection system

Lifetime prediction of propellants according to NATO standards

This work presents the process of lifetime prediction of propellants according to new NATO standards. It shows the examples of lifetime prediction of selected nitrocellulose based propellants that are used in the ammunition of Armed Forces of Slovak republic

Sex differences in radioulnar contrasts of the finger ridge counts across 21 human population samples

Aim: The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the existence of uniform sexual dimorphism in some radioulnar contrasts between different finger ridge counts within the same hand in a large set of populations, thus confirming the universal nature of this dimorphism in humans.Subjects and methods: We analysed individual finger ridge counts (10 values on each hand) of both hands from archival sources (mainly the Brehme-Jantz database). In total, these included 4412 adults from 21 population samples covering all permanently inhabited continents and encompassing very different and geographically distant human populations. We calculated the contrasts (differences) of all pairs of ridge counts (45 per hand) and used diverse methods to assess the direction and degree of dimorphism of them across all population samples.Results: The highest sexual dimorphism was observed for nine contrasts involving the ridge count of the dermatoglyphic pattern on the radial side of the second finger of the right hand (R2r). Among these contrasts, we then found four that had the same direction of dimorphism in all 21 populations. The most dimorphic was the contrast R1rR2r – the difference between the ridge count of the radial side of the thumb and the radial side of the index finger.Discussion: Thus, these dermatoglyphic traits can be further investigated as potential markers of prenatal sex differentiation from ca. 10th week of intrauterine development. However, it will be useful to address the detailed factors and mechanisms for differences in the degree of dimorphism of these traits in different populations

Research of individual factors affecting the engine power while a passenger car operation

Power of any kind of a car engine is considered to be one of the basic factors in order to choose or assess vehicles equipment or its appropriateness. It influences several operation properties including car maximum velocity, car acceleration, etc. A car producer shall issue the data about an engine power of a car in a form of its technical attributes, nevertheless an engine power specification is also stated in a car registration certificate. Engine power may be defined as the maximum engine output at given revolutions of an engine, i.e. maximum engine power. In most of cases of cars operation, various situations may occur in order to specify the maximum engine power value. This study addresses the issue of determining individual factors affecting the engine power while a passenger car in operation, i.e. testing the engine power on the single roller bench and related particular analysis

New data on helminth fauna of birds of prey (Falconiformes, Accipitriformes, Strigiformes) in the Slovak Republic

In the years 2012-2014, carcasses of 286 birds of prey from the territory of Slovakia were examined for the presence of helminth parasites. The number of bird species in the study was 23; five belonging to the Falconiformes order, eleven to Accipitriformes, and seven to Strigiformes. A finding of Cestoda class comprehended 4 families: Paruterinidae (4), Dilepididae (2), Mesocestoididae (2) and Anoplocephalidae (1). Birds of prey were infected with 6 families Nematoda species of the Secernentea class: Syngamidae (1), Habronematidae (2), Tetrameridae (3), Physalopteridae (1), Acuariidae (1), and Anisakidae (2). Out of the Adenophorea class, the Capillariidae family (1) was confirmed. The Acanthocephala group was represented by the Paleacanthocephala class, the Centrorhynchidae family (3). Out of the Trematoda class, 12 different species of flukes were found, belonging to the Diplostomidae (5), Cyathocotylidae (1), Strigeidae (4), Opistorchidae (1), and Plagiorchidae (1) families. The most frequent helminth species infecting diurnal birds of prey was Strigea falconis. This fluke was confirmed in one bird species from the Falconiformes order and in eight species from the Accipitriformes order. In nocturnal birds of prey, the most common finding was the acanthocephalan Centrorhynchus aluconis, identified in four different host species of the Strigiformes order. In total, 23 helminth species were recorded for the first time in Slovakia