Effect of fish oil supplementation on histological changes, apoptosis and oxidative stress of rat placenta against formaldehyde-induced toxicity.

Formaldehyde (FA) as a common organic compound has been shown to cause placental dysfunction and fetal defects. The potential benefits of fish oil (FOil) in protecting placental structures are attributed to its antioxidant properties. This study aimed to explore the preventive role of FOil in mitigating the adverse effects of FA in pregnant rats.

Anatomical study of arterial arrangement of the spinal cord in Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus).

This study aimed to investigate the arterial arrangement of the spinal cord in Syrian hamsters, and to identify differences and similarities to humans and experimental animals that are mostly used as models in studies into ischemic spinal cord injuries. This observational anatomical study was conducted on 20 adult Syrian hamsters using dissection and corrosion casting technique. The general anatomy of the arterial blood supply of spinal cord was obtained and noted as follows: (1) high variability in the level of the origin of right and left vertebral arteries, (2) the independent origin of dorsal intercostal arteries, (3) origin of lumbar arteries as a common trunk with right and left divisions, (4) presence of dorsal and ventral radicular branches in both sides of the cervical spinal cord with almost the same frequency, (5) greater presence of ventral and dorsal radicular branches in the left side of the thoracolumbar spinal cord, (6) two dorsal spinal arteries originating from the posterior inferior cerebellar arteries and extending to the caudal end of the thoracic spinal cord, (7) continuous ventral spinal artery originating from both vertebral arteries and extending to the conus medularis, and (8) presence of the artery of Adamkiewicz in the thoracic region of the spinal cord.

Morphology of the pattern of branching of the aortic arch (Arcus aortae) in Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus).

The branching patterns of the aortic arches of 28 adult male and female Syrian hamsters (SH) were thoroughly examined under a stereomicroscope for the first time by using latex injection and corrosion casting to determine their general arrangements and morphological variations as well as their differences and similarities to other rodents and rabbits. Three major arteries, namely, the brachiocephalic trunk (BC), left common carotid artery (CC) and left subclavian artery (SA), originating from the aortic arch (AR), were uniformly noted in SH. The BC was consistently divided into the right SA and the right CA.

Morphotopographic characteristics of the extrinsic innervation of the heart in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus).

Background: No reports have been made on the entire extrinsic innervation of the heart in small laboratory animals. Therefore, this study examined the detailed morphotopographic features of the extrinsic cardiac autonomic nervous system (ECANS) with its adjacent structures (1) to record the general morpho-topography and variations of the ECANS in guinea pigs, (2) to compare it with previous reports on common laboratory rodents (rats, mice, and Syrian hamsters), rabbits, domesticated animals (cats, dogs, sheep, goats, oxen, pigs, and horses), primates, and humans, and (3) to infer the macroscopic evolutionary changes they presented.

Methods: The sympathetic ganglia, vagi, and emitting cardiac nerves/branches in the cervical and thoracic regions were dissected in 24 sides of 12 formalin-fixed, arterially injected adult male and female guinea pigs under a stereomicroscope.

Detailed gross anatomy and topography of the sympathetic cardiac nerves and related ganglia in Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus).

Background: The detailed morphology and topography of the sympathetic cardiac nerves (SCNs) and ganglia with their surrounding structures in Syrian hamsters were examined to document the general topography and morphology and variations and to discuss the comparative anatomy between the SCNs and ganglia in Syrian hamsters and other rodents, as well as their comparative morphology and macroscopic evolutionary changes among rodents, rabbits, domestic animals (cats, dogs, sheep, goats, oxen, pigs and horses), primates, and humans.

Methods: The composition of the cervical and thoracic parts of the sympathetic trunks and ganglia was bilaterally microdissected in twenty-eight sides of 14 adult male and female Syrian hamsters under a stereomicroscope.

Results: The general morphology of the SCNs and related ganglia in Syrian hamsters was obtained and noted as follows: (1) the absence of the vago-sympathetic trunk, (2) the absence of the middle cervical ganglion (MG), (3) constant presence of the cervicothoracic ganglion (CT) comprising generally from the caudal cervical ganglion and 1-2 thoracic ganglia and locating over the lateral surface of the longus colli muscle ventral to the heads of the first two ribs and communicating to the eight cervical and first two thoracic spinal nerves (C8-T2) in addition to the vertebral nerve, (4) extensive coverage of the lateral surface of the CT by branches of the subclavian artery, (5) the cranial and caudal limbs of the ansa subclavia (AS) joining the CT to the caudal end of the cervical sympathetic trunk, (6) the presence of an independent thoracic ganglion from the 2nd or 3rd to the 13th and connecting by single interganglionic branches, and communicating to each thoracic spinal nerve, (7) close relationship between the caudal portion of the thoracic sympathetic trunk and the psoas minor muscle, (8) the primary cardiac nerves (CNs) arising from the CT, and (9) the absence of CNs originating generally from the cervical sympathetic trunk, AS, MG, or independent thoracic ganglia or their interganglionic branches.