The effect of maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy as well as the neonatal period on allometric growth of skeletal muscles of fore and himdlimbs was studied in 252 rats (126 males and 126 females). At the inception of the study the dams of alcohol-exposed groups received 10% ethanol (v/v) in water for 2 weeks and 20% ethanol (v/v) for another 3 weeks. They were then bred overnight by introducing 1 male per 4 females into the cage. Following diagnosis of pregnancy, the two alcohol-exposed groups received 30% ethanol (v/v) till delivery. Neonatally the pre- and postnatal alcohol-exposed group continued to receive alcohol till weaning at 21 days of age. The offspring randomly selected (7 males and 7 females) from each group were killed at 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 14 weeks of age. The body weights, muscle weights and percentage of body weights contributed by each muscle were significantly smaller in the offspring of the alcohol-exposed groups as compared to the controls. These parameters were significantly higher in the group exposed to alcohol only prenatally as compared to those exposed both pre- and postnatally up to the 7th week of age, and thereafter were similar in the subsequent weeks. Although the alcohol-exposed groups grew faster than the controls from 9 to 14 weeks of age, they were, however, not able to catch up. This demonstrated that allometric growth of muscles of fetal and neonatal rats was adversely affected by maternal consumption of alcohol during pregnancy and neonatally.

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Purpose: To determine the macroscopic and microscopic ocular morphological characteristics of the African grass-cutter Materials and Methods: Ten male grasscutters of mean age 4.05 ± 1.44 months and mean weight 1.04 ± 0.56 kg were used for this study. Gross morphologic and light microscopic techniques were employed in the study of the eyes. Results: Grossly, the eye exhibited typical characteristics of the mammalian eye with a mean eye weight and mean corneal diameter of 0.47 ± 0.14 g and 0.73 ± 0.07 cm, respectively. The horizontal corneal diameter was significantly greater (p < 0.05) than the vertical corneal diameter, and the ratio of mean corneal diameter to mean eye diameter (MCD:MED) was 0.80. The sclera and corneal stroma were dense fibrous connective tissues and had thicknesses of 105.3 ± 25.8 µm and 201.4 ± 91.3µm, respectively, while the corneal epithelium was stratified squamous epithelium and measured 50.1 ± 15.1µm. The choroid, ciliary stroma, and iridal stroma were pigmented connective tissues, while the retina was a multi-layered neuro-epithelial tissue with scanty ganglion cells and a retinal pigment epithelium that was pigmented throughout its length. Conclusion: The high MCD:MED and scanty retinal ganglion cells observed are associated with nocturnal visual capability. However, the complete pigmentation of the retinal pigment epitheliumsuggest the absence of tapetum lucidum in this species. This could considerably lower its nocturnal visual capability and indicate a low reliance on vision for environmental perception. The biometrical measurements obtained have made data available for use in future ocular studies of the rodent.

Morphological development of the lamina epithelialis mucosae (LEM) of the ileum of broiler chicken was evaluated using light and transmission electron microscopic techniques. Ileal sections were collected on embryonic days (ED) 14, 17 and 19, as well as post-hatch days (PD) 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42 and 56. The result showed that the ileal LEM, which were poorly defined at embryonic days 14 and 17, consisted of enterocytes and some atypically shaped goblet cells. Apico-lateral tight junctions and irregularly shaped microvilli were associated with the enterocytes at ED 14 and 17.