Histological and cytological examination of rat reproductive tissue after short-time intermittent radiofrequency exposure.

The unfavourable outcomes of mobile phone use on male fertility have still not been fully elaborated. To establish the potentially adverse effects of everyday exposure to radiofrequency radiation (RF) on humans, we performed a controlled animal study that aimed to investigate the influence of RF radiation on rat testis histology as well as the amount, mobility, and structure of epididymal free sperm cell population. Eighteen adult male rats were divided into two groups of nine.

Effect of polyoxyethylene and polyoxypropylene nonionic block copolymers on performance and recruitment of immune cell subsets in weaned pigs.

Background: Because European-wide directives are restricting the non-clinical use of antibiotics as in-feed growth promotors in swine production, there is an intensive search for alternative strategies for control and prevention of losses among young pigs. With the growing knowledge of the porcine immune system and its endogenous modulation, it has been clearly established that exogenous immunomodulation using adjuvants and immune response modifiers (IRMs) represents an important prophylactic/therapeutic approach in the prevention/treatment of both stress- and microbial-induced disorders that accompaning weaning. However, it is essential to select a fully evaluated agent which may act either as a nonspecific IRM or synergistically as an adjuvant with vaccines.

An in vitro study of the toxic effects of Stachybotrys chartarum metabolites on lung cells.

During a study of indoor fungal colonisation, several isolates of Stachybotrys chartarum were recovered, and the effects of metabolites from four isolates on lung epithelial Type II cells and alveolar macrophages were studied in vitro. All the isolates showed toxic effects on both cell types, and they differed only in the extent of the changes induced. In Type II cells, the number of alkaline phosphatase positive cells was reduced, the pattern of Maclura pomifera agglutinin (MPA) binding was changed, and acid phosphatase activity in alveolar macrophages was diminished.