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Abstract Background Tramadol provokes oxidative stress that gives rise to apoptosis with alterations in the cellular structure and adversely influences male fertility. A specific inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), has observable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics and enhances the improvement of organs damage caused by various agents. The impact of PDTC on testicular damage caused by tramadol has not been previously examined. Objective This study was designed to investigate the potential impact of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate on testicular damage provoked by chronic tramadol usage. Materials and methods Forty healthy adult male albino rats were included in this study. Rats were randomly and equally divided into 4 groups: group (I), control group; group (II), pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) group; group (III), tramadol (Tr) group; and group (IV), Tr + PDTC group. This study measured serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and free testosterone levels. Testicular malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels, and superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and caspase-8 and caspase-3 activities were also detected. Immuno-histochemical evaluation of inducible NOS (iNOS) expression in testicular tissue along with histopathological examination of testicular tissue has been studied. Results Tramadol caused a significant reduction in serum FSH, LH and testosterone levels, epididymal sperm count, and motility, as well as testicular GPX and SOD activities. On the other hand, a significant elevation of testicular MDA, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α levels and caspase-8 and caspase-3 activities were found. However, PDTC administration with tramadol showed significantly increased sperm production and motility and alleviated tramadol-induced disturbance in other measured parameters in the Tr + PDTC group compared to the Tr group. Moreover, co-administration of PDTC with tramadol significantly alleviated the histopathological structure of testicular tissue and the increased iNOS expressions noticed in the tramadol-treated group. Conclusion Considering the protective effects of PDTC against the reproductive toxicity induced by tramadol, this compound can be used as a possible protective and treating target for tramadol-induced reproductive toxicity.

It is crucial to ensure the suitable stocking density for Nile tilapia fry since Nile tilapia is among the most consumed fish species globally. In this study, fry were distributed at three stocking densities, 1000 fry/m3 (low density, LD), 2000 fry/m3 (middle density, MD), and 4000 fry/m3 (high density, HD). Then each stocking density was subdivided into two groups where three aquaria were supplied with fresh dechlorinated water (FW, 0.35 g saline/L), and the other three aquaria were fortified with underground brackish water (BW, ≈ 8 g saline/L). Subsequently, fry were kept under these experimental conditions and offered 40% crude protein thrice daily at 4–5% of the body mass for 15 days, then switched to 30% thrice daily at 3–4% of the body mass until the end of the trial (60 days). Except for the dissolved oxygen, salinity, and total ammonia nitrogen, the measured water characteristics (temperature and pH) were not markedly (P˃0.05) affected by the stocking density or water salinity. Stocking density was a significant factor in the case of final body weight, weight gain, specific growth rate, and survival rate (P<0.05). The water salinity and stocking density markedly affected the digestive enzyme activity (protease, lipase, and amylase) (P<0.05). The stocking density, water salinity, and their interaction were significant factors in the lysozyme activity. The stocking density significantly affected the superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase activity (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and fish fry in LD showed higher SOD, CAT, and GPx than fish in MD or HD in FW or BW (P<0.05). Malondialde-hyde (MDA) was affected by the stocking density, and fish fry in LD showed lower MDA than in MD or HD under FW or BW (P<0.05). Increased density to HD in the FW or BW induced slight degeneration of the intestinal mucosal lining. In conclusion, Nile tilapia fry can grow in brackish water (≈ 8 g saline/L) with 1000 to 2000 fry/m3 without affecting growth performance, feed utilization, digestive enzymes, intestinal histological features, and immune and antioxidative responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spermatozoa can experience negative changes when subjected to freezing and thawing, including lowered motility, viability and acrosome response. Herein, the effects of different concentrations of soybean lecithin nanoparticles on cryopreserved Holstein bull semen were examined. Semen was collected, cryopreserved and utilized for sperm kinetic parameter analysis following dilution, equilibration and thawing with 0.5% soybean lecithin (E1), the control extender, and 0.75% (E2), 0.5% (E3), 0.25% (E4) and 0.125% (E5) of lecithin nanoparticles. Results revealed that following dilution, the progressive motility (PM) at E3, E4 and E5 of lecithin nanoparticles was higher (p <.05) than it was for E2. After equilibration, compared to the E1, E2, and E3 values, the PM, vitality, normal morphology, membrane integrity and intact acrosome values at the E5 were consistently greater (p <.05). Comparing the percentages of intact acrosome and membrane integrity at E2 and E3 to E4 and E5, a substantial decrease (p <.05) was seen. Following thawing, the percentage of PM improved at E2 and E5, even though their mean PM values were similar (p >.05) compared to E1, E3 and E4. Vigour and progression parameters of sperm (DAP, DCL, DSL, VAP, VCL, VSL and STR) at E5 were higher (p <.05) than those at E1, E2, E3 and E4. In conclusion, the cryopreserved sperm from Holstein bulls revealed outstanding properties both after equilibration and after thawing with 0.125% lecithin nanoparticles, and they were sensitive to high dosages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Augmented Reality (AR) is the technology of adding virtual objects to real scenes through enabling the addition of missing information in real life. As the lack of resources is a problem that can be solved through AR, this paper presents and explains the usage of AR technology we introduce Augmented Reality Student Card (ARSC) as an application of AR in the field of education. ARSC uses single static markers combined in one card for assigning different objects, while leaving the choice to the computer application for minimizing the tracking process. ARSC is designed to be a useful low cost solution for serving the education field. ARSC can represent any lesson in a 3D format that helps students to visualize different learning objects, interact with theories and deal with the information in a totally new, effective, and interactive way. ARSC can be used in offline, online and game applications with seven markers, four of them are used as a joystick game controller. One of the novelties in this paper is that experimental tests had been made for the ARTag marker set for sorting them according to their efficiency. The results of those tests were used in this research to choose the most efficient markers for ARSC, and can be used for further research. The experimental work in this paper also shows the constraints for marker creation for an AR application. As we need to work in both online and offline application, merging of toolkits and libraries has been made, as presented in this paper. ARSC was examined by a number of students of both genders with average age between 10 and 17 years and it found great acceptance among them. (Contains 9 tables and 23 figures.)