BACKGROUND microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in development and are associated with birth defects. Data are scant on the role of miRNAs in birth defects arising from exposure to environmental factors such as alcohol. METHODS In this study, we determined the expression levels of 509 mature miRNAs in fetal mouse brains with or without prenatal ethanol exposure using a miRNA microarray t...

Ethanol exposure during pregnancy is an established cause of birth defects, including neurodevelopmental defects. Most adult neurons are produced during the second trimester-equivalent period. The fetal neural stem cells (NSCs) that generate these neurons are an important but poorly understood target for teratogenesis. A cohort of miRNAs, including miR-153, may serve as mediators of teratogenes...

Gallic acid (3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid) (GA) and other flavanoids are extensively used in nutraceuticals because of their antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. While examining whether GA is effective in alleviating valproic-acid-induced teratogenesis in a chicken embryo model (CEM), we observed embryo hemorrhage and liposis in the musculi longissimus cervicis. We conducted this study ...

Aflatoxins (AF) are a major concern in poultry production and public health because of serious economic losses and health problems. AF contamination causes reduced feed quality and reduced animal efficiency either through poor conversion of nutrients or problems such as reproductive abnormalities. Aflatoxicosis in poultry also causes listlessness, anorexia with lowered growth rate, poor feed ut...

High nitrate and fluoride contamination in groundwater cause a variety of disorders, including methemoglobinemia, teratogenesis, dental skeletal fluorosis. The present work assesses the non-carcinogenic health risks posed by infants, children, adults using daily water intake (CDI), hazard quotient (HQ), index (HI). Groundwater samples were collected from 36 wells boreholes three central Saudi A...