In this study, maternal toxicity and developmental effects of exposure to Ascaris trypsin inhibitor were evaluated in mice. Pregnant BALB/c females were injected intraperitoneally by Ascaris inhibitor /AIT/ at 200, 300, and 400 mg/kg body weight/day, on days 12 to 15 of gestation (stage of fetal development). At day 19 of pregnancy, uterine contents were inspected for implantation sites, early resorptions (moles), living fetuses and dead fetuses. The living fetuses were weighed and examined for external, internal and skeletal abnormalities. The results showed that AIT induced maternal toxicity, evidenced by maternal deaths, abortions, bleeding from uterus and reduced body weight gain as compared to control (p <0.01). There were no differences between the control group and the rest of all groups investigated for total implantation sites and early resorptions. Fetotoxicity was observed as shown by the decrease in the number of living fetuses and mean fetal weight, a high rate of intrauterine fetal deaths, delayed skeletal ossification, occurrence of pathological changes of fetal organs and tissues. Only one type of congenital malformations (hydronephrosis) was noted in fetuses after injection of higher doses of AIT.
A CT study was performed on 8 foetuses aged between 20 and 38 weeks. In foetuses at the 20th week the semicircular canals, the spiral canal of the cochlea and the initial (labyrinthine) part of the facial canal are visible. At week 24 the tympanic part of the facial canal is observed. In the 31st week the cochlea is divided into 2 compartments, and in the 38th week the vestibular aqueduct and osseous labyrinth are seen.
The aim of the work was to make a systemic study of the variability of the human musculus peroneus tertius during the foetal period. Examination was made of 193 foetuses of ages ranging from 84 to 256 days after conception. The results obtained indicated that the musculus peroneus tertius was present in 83.16% of the human foetuses studied and that its intrauterine development was progressive and almost proportional. Previous studies have not revealed dimorphic or bilateral differences with respect to any of the features examined. On the basis of the examinations and bibliographical data a uniform typology of the musculus peroneus tertius variants was created and three final types were distinguished: the pithecogenic (44% cases), eugenic (34% cases) and progenic (22% cases).
In the present study, we aimed to gather morphometric data on the localisation and development of the pancreas during the foetal period. The study was carried out on 222 human foetuses aged 9–40 weeks of gestation with no external pathology or anomaly. The abdominal wall was dissected after general external measurements of the foetuses were carried out. Data on the localisation of the pancreas in the abdominal cavity and its localisation relative to the median plane, xiphoid process, and umbilicus were acquired and various morphometric parameters including the length of the pancreas and heights of the head and body of the pancreas were measured. It was found that, in the foetal period, the foetal pancreas was primarily accumulated on the transverse plane passing through the umbilicus, and on the other quadrants. Means and standard deviations of all morphometric parameters were calculated for each gestational week, month, and trimester. There were significant relations between the parameters and gestational age (p < 0.001). There were no differences in any of the parameters between sexes (p > 0.05). In conclusion, morphometric and location data on foetal pancreases acquired in the present study will contribute to other studies carried out in obstetrics, perinatology, forensic medicine, and foetal pathology departments, aimed at identifying anomalies, pathologies, and variations of the pancreas and treatment of such cases. (Folia Morphol 2010; 69, 4: 216–224)