Search

Background and Objective: Compression or sciatic axotomy induces neuronal death in spinal cord alpha motor neuron. This study was carried out to determine the effect of Nigella sativa seed alcoholic extract on spinal motor neuron density in anterior horn after sciatic nerve compression in rat. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study 24 wistar rats were divided into four groups A: control, B: compression, C: compression+treatment with 75 mg/kg alcoholic extract, D: compression+treatment with 50 mg/kg alcoholic extract. In control group muscle was exposed without any injury to sciatic nerve. In compression and treatment group, the right leg sciatic nerve compressed for 60 sec. After four weeks of post operation, L2-L4 and S1, S2 and S3 segments of spinal cord were sampled, processed, serially sectioned and stained with toluidine blue. The number of alpha motor neurons was counted using dissector method. Results: Neuronal density in compression group (650±32) significantly decreased in comparison with control group (1803±24). Neuronal density in C treated group (1581±47) and D treated group (1543±49) significantly increased compare to compression group (P

Background: The incidence of riboflavin deficiency is high in women and children in developing countries and the deficiency almost invariably occurs in combination with deficiencies of other water soluble vitamins. The objective of this study was the assessment of riboflavin status of rural school children in Kerman province and its relationship with riboflavin, protein and energy intake. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 327 primary school children were randomly selected by the stratified multistage cluster sampling method. Variables for classifications were sex and socio-economic status (according to the educational level). This study was conducted by the Department of Nutrition and Biochemistry of School of Public Health in Tehran University in the winter of 2001. A twenty-four hour recall questionnaire was completed by and 5 cc of venous blood was taken from each student. Riboflavin status was assessed by measuring the glutathione reductase activity coefficient (EGR – AC) of the red blood cells. Chi-Square and Pearson’s correlation coefficient tests were used to determine correlations. Student’s t–test was used to show the differences in the mean of EGR – AC between the classifications of independent factors. Results: The relationship between riboflavin status and its independent variables including the status of riboflavin, protein and calorie intake were assessed. Outputs of the study indicated that 39.7% of the boys and 43.6% of the girls (41.8% together) were marginally riboflavin deficient. Furthermore, 37.7% of the boys, 33.4% of the girls (35.4% together) were frankly riboflavin deficient. An average of 67.2% of the children (70.1% boys, 63.7% girls) had enough intake of riboflavin, and 76.2% of the children (79.9%, boys, 72.5% girls) had adequate intake of protein. However, only 22% of the children (24.5% boys, 19.3% girls) had sufficient caloric intake. Outputs of this dietary evaluation reveal that there is a relationship between riboflavin status and protein intake status (P

Background: Abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) is a clinical entity that develops from progressive, acute increases in intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) and adversely affects all vital organ systems In this study, the development of intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) and ACS in a surgical ICU population is described and examined. Methods: Over a one-year period (2004), urinary bladder pressure (UBP) was measured prospectively in all surgical patients with abdominal problems admitted to the ICU of the Imam Hospital complex. UBP of >20 cm H2O indicated IAH. ACS was defined as the development of multiple organ dysfunction including peak airway pressure (PAP) >50 cm H2O, Horowitz quotient

Fasciolosis, or liver fluke disease, caused by parasites of the genus Fasciola is emerging as an important disease in man and animals, in the world and Iran, particularly in nortern parts. The economical losses in domestic animals are considerable. In the recent decade there were two major outbreaks of human fasciolosis in the Caspian region, northern part of Iran with 7000-10000 infected cases. Sicne it is impossible to diagnose fasciolosis in acute phase using coprological methods and even in chronic phases its sensitivity is low, evaluating and establishing a reliable and cost-effetive test is indispensable and notewortly.In the present survey, we produced and examined the sensitivity and specificity of liver fluke homogenate (LFH) , excretory-secetory (ES) and cysteine proteinase (CP) antigens of F. hepatica using IgG-ELISA test. A 25-27 kilo Dalton coomassie blue-stained band was observed and using of specific inhibitors indicated that this antigen belongs to the class of cysteine proteinase. The sensitivity of LFH, ES and CP antigen in IgG-ELISa was 100% for each, while their specificity was 97.8%, 98.8% and 98.8% respectively. There was a significant difference in mean OD values between cases of proven fasciolosis and other true negative cases, including healthy control individuals and patients with other parasitic diseases.This present report is the first to demonstrate the purification and evaluation of F. hepatica cysteine proteinase antigen by IgG-ELISA test for the diagnosis of fasciolosis in Iran. In conclusion, the IgG-ELISa using ES and CP show high sensitivity and specificity and would be a valuable tool to diagnose human fasciolosis in Iran, particularly in endemic areas.

The stink bugs Acrosternum arabicum Wagner and Brachynema germari Kolenati (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) damage developing pistachio nuts in Iran. Ooencyrtus egeria Huang and Noyes (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) parasitizes eggs of both species, alternating between them seasonally. We compared the biological and life history attributes of O. egeria reared for 3 generations on each host species with those that had been transferred to the alternate host for 2 generations. We also tested female responses to host egg density. Eggs of B. germari were parasitized at higher rates and yielded faster wasp development, heavier female progeny with greater fecundity, and a more female-biased sex ratio, than eggs of A. arabicum. Rearing on A. arabicum did not diminish wasp fitness on B. germari , and the F1 progeny of wasps switched to A. arabicum inherited some beneficial parental effects from rearing on B. germari. Regardless of host species, females parasitized fewer eggs in 8 h as density increased from 10 to 30 eggs, but progeny sex ratio (% female) increased. The anomalous response to host density appears to arise from a combination of behavioral and egg load constraints. Females mature only 10–12 eggs per day. Carefully inspect egg clusters before selecting the most suitable eggs for oviposition, a more time-consuming process for large clusters. Our results indicate that rearing O. egeria on eggs of A. arabicum , which are more convenient and cost-effective to produce than those of B. germari , will not diminish its performance on B. germari following augmentative release, beyond a slight reduction in female fecundity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychiatric disorders cause long‐lasting disabilities across different age groups. While various medications are available for mental disorders, some patients do not fully benefit from them or experience treatment resistance. The pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders involves multiple mechanisms, including an increase in the inflammatory response. Targeting inflammatory mechanisms has shown promise as a therapeutic approach for these disorders. Curcumin, known for its anti‐inflammatory properties and potential neuroprotective effects, has been the subject of studies investigating its potential as a treatment option for psychiatric disorders. This review comprehensively examines the potential therapeutic role of curcumin and its nanoformulations in psychiatric conditions, including major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and anxiety disorders. There is lack of robust clinical trials across all the studied psychiatric disorders, particularly bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. More studies have focused on MDD. Studies on depression indicate that curcumin may be effective as an antidepressant agent, either alone or as an adjunct therapy. However, inconsistencies exist among study findings, highlighting the need for further research with improved blinding, optimized dosages, and treatment durations. Limited evidence supports the use of curcumin for bipolar disorder, making its therapeutic application challenging. Well‐designed clinical trials are warranted to explore its potential therapeutic benefits. Exploring various formulations and delivery strategies, such as utilizing liposomes and nanoparticles, presents intriguing avenues for future research. More extensive clinical trials are needed to assess the efficacy of curcumin as a standalone or adjunctive treatment for psychiatric disorders, focusing on optimal dosages, formulations, and treatment durations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction In the poultry industry, reducing energy consumption is essential for reducing costs. Energy requirements in the poultry industry include heating, cooling, lighting, and power line energy. Identifying factors that increase energy usage is crucial, and providing appropriate solutions to reduce costs and energy consumption is inevitable. One of the major and expensive factors in the poultry industry is the use of fossil fuels, which also causes pollution. Energy costs directly impact the cost of production and increase the per capita cost of production in the meat and egg sectors. In Iran, poultry farms are among the most widely used energy consumers, especially for heating breeding halls, making them a significant subset of the agricultural sector. Materials and Methods The problem under study is the thermal simulation of a meat poultry farm located in Ardestan city, Isfahan province. Ardestan city is situated in a desert region in the north of Isfahan province, at a latitude of 33 degrees and 23 minutes north, and a longitude of 52 degrees and 22 minutes east. The dimensions of the poultry hall floor are 5 meters by 8 meters, and it has a capacity of 300 poultry pieces. There are two inlet air vents (windows), each with dimensions of 1.90 by 1.6 meters. The roof has an average height of 2.5 meters and is sloping, made from a combination of plastic carton, fiberglass, and sheet metal. To reduce energy consumption in this poultry farm, a solar heating system is designed and studied in this research. The farm is one of the functions of Isfahan province, with dimensions of 8 meters in length and 5 meters in width. The simulation is performed using TRNSYS software. Results and Discussion The results demonstrate that a collector surface area of 26 m² is necessary to reach the technically optimal point, where the sun's maximum production is achieved with no energy dissipation. Furthermore, the findings indicate that a balance of 16 m² is required to align the solar system with the auxiliary system. Conclusion By installing 2 square meters of solar collectors, 5.2% of the total energy demand can be met with solar energy. To fully meet the energy demand using solar energy, a collector area of 30 square meters is required. As the solar fraction increases, the system's ability to extract solar energy also increases. The maximum production of solar energy without any wastage is achievable with a collector area of 26 square meters. Moreover, to maintain a balance between the use of solar energy and the auxiliary system, a collector area of 16 square meters is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals are among the most important environmental pollutants which accumulate in various organs and are associated with several toxic effects. This study was performed to determine the status of heavy metals in river buffaloes in Khuzestan province, Iran, and its relationship with hematologic and serum biochemical parameters. A total of 103 apparently healthy buffaloes were sampled from the region. The concentration of heavy metals, including lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and cadmium (Cd), was determined in serum samples by atomic spectroscopy. In addition, complete blood counts and serum biochemical profiles were assessed. The serum concentration of Cd, Pb, and Hg in the sampled buffaloes, as mean±standard error, were 0.55±0.01, 6.51±0.10, and 6.28±0.09 µg/l, respectively, which are within the permissible serum levels in the livestock. Serum Cd and Hg levels showed no significant relationship with hematologic or biochemical analytes. However, there were significant negative correlations between Pb levels and phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, as well as potassium concentrations, while serum iron was positively correlated with lead (P<0.05). In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between Hg level and serum aspartate aminotransferase activity (P<0.05). Despite the fact that river buffaloes in Khuzestan spend a long time daily in the Karun River with high industrial pollution, no serum evidence of heavy metal toxicity was found in these animals. It can be suggested that river buffaloes in Khuzestan seem to be resistant to the environmental pollution caused by heavy metals. However, further studies are required to confirm this issue and identify its possible explanations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A lithography lab course has been developed that is applicable to students from the middle-school level up to college students. It can also be inserted into electronics technology or similar courses in two- and four-year colleges, or used to demonstrate applications of polymers in chemistry classes. Some of these techniques would enable research projects that involve photolithography for those who lack access to a research lab. The major contribution of this course is the innovative methodology, which allows students to have a hands-on experience of lithography without using expensive equipment typically found only in a clean room. Optical lithography, microcontact printing, and embossing can be performed using basic equipment. The appendix of this paper provides a comprehensive list of this equipment. The photolithography results are comparable to those obtained with standard research tools. (Contains 5 figures and 3 tables.)