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Age determination is one of the most important parameters for human identification. Radiographic changes during epiphyseal union provide an important means to estimate the age of adolescent and young adult skeletons. This study aims to investigate the relationship between stage of epiphyseal union at the wrist joint and chronological age in a Jordanian population. The study was carried out in a total of 101 antero-posterior radiographs of healthy subjects (45 girls and 56 boys) aging from 12 to 22 years. The obtained results from the radiographs enrolled in the current study revealed that the complete union of lower end of radius is seen at 20-21 years. The complete union of lower end of ulna is seen at 20-21 years. Females were consistently developing epiphyseal union at a younger age than their male counterparts, with a two years difference. The results suggested that the ages of epiphyseal union are found to vary greatly all over the world indicating the need for separate standards of ages of epiphyseal union for separate regions.

Myopathy is one of the side effects of colchicine, manifested as pain, dysfunction, and weakness of muscles. Ginseng extract antioxidant  and anti-inflammatory activities have been reported in muscular tissue. This study was conducted to investigate whether administration of ginseng ameliorates colchicine-induced skeletal muscles damage in adult male albino rats. Forty adult male albino rats were randomly  divided into four groups (ten/group) – Group I (control group): rats received normal diet and orally given normal saline, Group II: ginseng extract was administered via oral gavage daily for one month at the doses of 300 mg/kg, Group III (Colchicine treated group): rats were  given colchicine (50 μg/kg/day) via oral gavage for one month, and Group IV: concomitant administration of Ginseng and colchicine for one month. Serum creatine kinase (CK) levels were measured, and skeletal muscles specimens were processed for light and electron microscopic examination. Administration of colchicine (group III) showed elevated serum CK, and histologically myofibrillar disarray foci together with cellular infiltration and edema. Group IV showed reduction in most of those manifestations. Concomitant administration of ginseng with colchicine ameliorated most of the symptoms related to colchicine induced-myopathy.

BACKGROUND: Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) uptake may primarily cause adverse effects by inducing oxidative stress, resulting in cell damage, genotoxicity, inflammation, and immune response. To date, there are limited studies investigating the adverse effect of TiO2 NPs on liver health and no studies found a naturally occurring compound able to ameliorate such effect. Thus, this study investigated alpha lipoic acid (ALA) potential for reversing the biochemical and histopathological changes that TiO2 NPs exposure causes in rat liver.METHODS: Thirty adult male albino rats were divided into: control rats received distilled water, control rats treated with 50 mg/kg ALA, rats intoxicated with TiO2 NPs, and TiO2 NPs-intoxicated rats treated 50 mg/kg ALA. Rats were sacrificed before blood samples were collected to assess the liver function using parameters of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin, albumin and total protein. Liver tissue homogenates were prepared to assess hepatic antioxidant and oxidative stress using parameters of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA). Liver tissue sections were used for histopathological analysis and caspase-3 immunohistochemical analysis.RESULTS: TiO2 NPs produced deleterious effects on rat liver tissue, as confirmed through biochemical results, caspase-3 immunohistochemistry, and histological alterations. TiO2 NPs intoxication induced hepatocyte vacuolation, blood vessels congestion, biliary proliferation, apoptosis, and fibrosis. However, ALA treatment of TiO2 NPs-intoxicated rats significantly alleviated deleterious impact on the liver.CONCLUSION: Administration of 600 mg/kg TiO2 NPs to rats resulted in hepatic degenerative lesions, depletion of GSH, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. However, these changes were mitigated by ALA administration. Therefore, ALA offers protection against deleterious effects of TiO2 NPs intoxication.KEYWORDS: titanium dioxide nanoparticles, TiO2 NPs, hepatotoxicity, alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), rat