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Toxic heavy metal lead enters in the environment due to industrial and anthropogenic activity threatens ecosystems and public health. Natural garlic extract (GE) exhibits antioxidant properties and various applications against several ailments. Therefore, this study scrutinized the protective effects of tocopherol polyethylene glycol succinate-coated garlic selenium (TPGS-GSNP) against lead acetate (LA) toxicity in rabbits. Sixty-four mature male rabbits were involved and divided into 8 equal groups. They received distilled water (negative control; T1), 30 mg/kg bw of LA (positive control; T2), 800 mg/kg bw of GE (T3), GE + LA (T4), 1 mg/kg bw of TPGS-Selenium (T5), TPGS-S + LA (T6), 1 mg/kg bw of TPGS-GSNP (T7), and TPGS-GSNP + LA (T8). Consequently, treatments were administered three times a week for 12 weeks. Following the treatment period, serum oxidant-antioxidant, protein, and lipid profiles, liver and kidney function, histopathological findings of the adrenal, liver, and kidneys, femur bone marrow chromosomal aberrations, and mitotic activity were collected and analysed. LA exposure showed significant reductions in antioxidant levels, organ weights, and mitotic activity while increasing oxidative stress, corticosteroid levels, and chromosomal aberrations. Importantly, TPGS-GSNP administration significantly improved these markers compared to the LA group. In addition, histological analysis revealed structural improvements of the studied organs in the TPGS-GSNP group compared to the LA group, which displayed high cellular necrotic and degenerative changes. In conclusion, synthetic TPGS-GSNP demonstrated higher protective efficacy against LA-induced toxicity compared to natural GE or selenium alone. However, more future studies could be conducted to explore the potential of TPGS-GSNP as an anticancer or immunomodulatory agent.

The goal of this study was to document the toxic effects of aflatoxin B1 (AfB1) on the testis, epididymis, liver, and kidneys of adult male rats, and to employ camel milk as a natural antidote to neutralize these effects. For these purposes, 120 adult male Wister rats (90 days old) were divided into four groups (30 males each); control (C) group (drinking water was supplied), Cm group (camel milk was supplied at 10ml/kg bw/day), Af group (AfB1 was supplied at 0.3mg/kg bw/day), and CmAf group (combination treatment were supplied). The males were weighed and sacrificed on days 21 and 42 of the treatment to evaluate the histological changes of the liver, kidneys, testes, and epididymis. The body weight and testicular, epididymal, prostate, and seminal vesicle weights in the Af group decreased significantly, however this was improved in AfCm group. At day 21, histological findings of AF group revealed a decline of testicular germ layers and spermatogenesis arrest, necrotic and degenerative changes of hepatocytes and renal tubules, epididymal epithelial hyperplasia with cytoplasmic vacuolation, and depletion of sperms from the epididymis' lumen. At day 42, the severity of the histopathological changes were time-dependet. At both experimental periods, AfCm group reported substantial reduction in the degree of germ epithelium with normal seminiferous tubules epithelia with active spermatogenesis, necrosis of some hepatocytes beside infiltration of some inflammatory cells, most glomeruli and tubules were normal but some with sloughing tubular epithelia, and normal epididymalpseudostratified columnar epithelium with sperms in the lumen.

In this study, biocompatible electrospun nanofiber scaffolds were produced using poly(-caprolactone (PCL)/chitosan (CS) and Nigella sativa (NS) seed extract, and their potential for biomedical applications was investigated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), total porosity measurements, and water contact angle measurements were used to evaluate the electrospun nanofibrous mats. Additionally, the antibacterial activities of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were investigated, as well as cell cytotoxicity and antioxidant activity, using MTT and DPPH assays, respectively. The obtained PCL/CS/NS nanofiber mat was observed by SEM to have a homogeneous and bead-free morphology, with average diameters of 81.19 ± 4.38 nm. Contact angle measurements showed that the wettability of the electrospun PCL/Cs fiber mats decreased with the incorporation of NS when compared to the PCL/CS nanofiber mats. Efficient antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. coli was displayed, and an in vitro cytotoxic assay demonstrated that the normal murine fibroblast cell line (L929 cells) remained viable after 24, 48, and 72 h following direct contact with the produced electrospun fiber mats. The results suggest that the PCL/CS/NS hydrophilic structure and the densely interconnected porous design are biocompatible materials, with the potential to treat and prevent microbial wound infections.

Objective: The present study was conducted to investigate the impacts of active and passive immunization against synthetic inhibin and steroid-free bovine follicular fluid, respectively, on reproductive fecundity out of breeding season in Iraqi Awassi ewes. Methods: Follicular fluid was aspired from mature bovine follicles, treated with activated charcoal, and used for immunization of male rabbits for obtaining steroid free bovine follicular fluid (SFBFF) antiserum. Forty non-pregnant Awassi ewes were allocated into 4 groups (n = 10 each). At day 38 of experiment, ewes were treated with intra-vaginal MPA sponge (60 mg for 12 days). At days 0, 28, and 50, ewes were treated with 4, 2, and 2 mL of normal saline (control; C-ve), 400, 200, and 200 μg of ovalbumin (C+ve), 400, 200 and 200 μg of inhibin (SI group), respectively, and 4 mL of normal saline at day 0, and 4 and 2 mL of SFBFF antiserum at days 28 and 50, respectively, (AI group). After mating with Awassi rams, pregnancy and embryo number were diagnosed, at day 38 of pregnancy, using ultrasonography. Blood samples were collected at days 30, 60, 90, and 120 of pregnancy, for assessment of estradiol-17β (E2) and progesterone (P4) levels. After parturition, numbers of delivered lambs were recorded. Results: The results revealed significant increase of P4 and significant decrease of E2 levels in SI and AI pregnant ewes than controls at days 30, 60, 90, and 120. Newborn number increased significantly in SI and AI treated than control ewes. Conclusion: Active or passive immunization against endogenous inhibin could augment reproductive fecundity out of breeding season in Iraqi Awassi ewes. KCI Citation Count: 6

The present study was conducted to evaluate the role of age in the effectiveness of intravaginal progestin-impregnated sponges (IPIS) along with equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) on the multiple birth rates of Awassi ewes. One hundred mature ewes (live weight was 35–40 kg and age 2–5 years) were allocated to three groups according to their ages (n = 29, 2-3 years;n = 34, 3-4 years; and n = 37, 4-5 years). All ewes were impregnated with IPIS, injected with 20 mg cronolone, for 14 days, and eCG (400 IU, i.m.) at sponges withdrawal. All treated ewes came to estrus (100%); the highest twining rate was recorded in ewes aged 2-3 years, while the highest triple rate were found in those aged 3-4 years. A negative correlation coefficient was recorded between the age of treated ewes and the multiple births. In conclusion, the best age of Awassi ewes for estrus synchronization programs and multiple birth outcomes using IPIS along with eCG is 2–4 years.