Effective factors on nest site location in the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) in Shidvar Island

Nest site location in reptiles is an important stage of their life cycle because environmental factors influence embryo survivorship, incubation quality and sex ratio. For studying effective factors on nest site location in the hawksbill turtle, we measured temperature, moisture, beach slope, particle size of sand and vegetation related to 35 nests in Shidvar Island. In this Island, most nests were in northern beach which has a relatively steep slope. In this slope energy costs and probability of females and hatchlings predation is low. In addition hawksbills preferred to nest amongst vegetation. Of the environmental evaluated, slope appears to have the greatest influence on nest site location, because it is associated with nest elevation and hatching success is higher from nests closest to suitable elevation. It is believed that sea turtles may use multiple cues for nest site location and use a threshold that must be reached for each environmental factor before the turtle initiates nest excavation

The prophylactic effect of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) fruit extract on testicular toxicity induced by formaldehyde: An experimental study

Background: Formaldehyde (FA) is one of the most widely used materials in industries and in sciences. Prolonged contact with FA might have harmful effects on fertility due to the increase in the reactive oxygen species level. On the other hand, date palm (Phoenix Dactilifera L.) fruit extract (DPFE) contains a high concentration of natural antioxidants that could scavenge free radicals. Objective: The aim was to investigate the prophylactic effects of DPFE, with strong antioxidant properties, on FA-induced testicular toxicity in male mice. Materials and Methods: Thirty-two adult NMRI male mice with a weight range of 25- 35 gr (9-10 wk old) were randomly divided into four groups: control group (distilled water, orally for 35 days), FA group (FA; 0.25 mg/kg intraperitoneally (i.p.) for 20 days), treatment group (Date (DT) + FA; DPFE, 4 mg/kg for 35 days followed by FA administration, 0.25 mg/kg, i.p., for 20 days), date fruit extract group (DT; DPFE, 4 mg/kg, orally for 35 days). After this, blood was collected and left epididymis and testis tissues were isolated to evaluate the sperm parameters and histological examination, respectively. Results: The FA administration increased the sperm morphological anomalies and reduced the sperm count, viability and motility, and also testosterone compared to the control group (p ≤ 0.001). In addition, histological studies of the testes showed that FA causes changes in the testis seminiferous tubules such as destruction of germinal epithelium and vacuolization of the tubules. The DPFE consumption before FA administration could partially ameliorate the reduced testosterone, sperm, and testicular parameters due to FA. Conclusion: The DPFE use might have discount effects on FA-induced testicular toxicity. Key words: Formaldehyde, Date fruit, Testis, Toxicity, Sperm, Testosterone

Gaining Insight into the Prevention of Maternal Death Using Narrative Analysis: An Experience from Kerman, Iran

Reduction in maternal mortality requires an in-depth knowledge of the causes of death. This study was conducted to explore the circumstances and events leading to maternal mortality through a holistic approach. Using narrative text analysis, all documents related to maternal deaths occurred from 2007 to 2011 in Kerman province/ Iran were reviewed thoroughly by an expert panel. A 93-item chart abstraction instrument was developed according to the expert panel and literature. The instrument consisted of demographic and pregnancy related variables, underlying and contributing causes of death, and type of delays regarding public health aspects, medical and system performance issues. A total of 64 maternal deaths were examined. One third of deaths occurred in women less than 18 or higher than 35 years. Nearly 95% of them lived in a low or mid socioeconomic status. In half of the cases, inappropriate or nonuse of contraceptives was seen. Delay in the provision of any adequate treatment after arrival at the health facility was seen in 59% of cases. The most common medical causes of death were preeclampsia/ eclampsia (15.6%), postpartum hemorrhage (12.5%) and deep phlebothrombosis (10.9%), respectively. Negligence was accounted for 95% of maternal deaths. To overcome the root causes of maternal death, more emphasis should be devoted to system failures and patient safety rather than the underlying causes of death and medical issues solely

Anthropometric Analysis of Cephalofacial Dimensions in Kerman, Iran

The human body dimensions are affected by ecological, biological, geographical, racial, sex, and age factors. Craniofacial measurements can be considered to be one of the important tools for determination of the morphological characteristics of the head and face. In this study, which was conducted on Persian adolescents living in Kerman/Iran, different forms of head and face were determined for using in various aspects of medicine. The study was conducted on 732 participants including 366 males and 366 females in the age of 18-20-year-old. In addition to the height and weight of the participants, cephalofacial sizes of them were measured and then cephalic, facial, and brain indices were calculated. Among the cephalofacial sizes, cranial length and breadth, cranial circumference, prosopic length and prosopic breadth were significantly greater in males compared to females (P<0.005). Also, volume and weight of brain were significantly greater in male comparing to female participants (P<0.005). The predominant type of head was meso-cephal, and the predominant type of face was meso-prosopic in both sexes

Evaluating the Correlation between Brain Ultra Sonographic, Brain MRI, and Electroencephalography Findings and the Severity of Asphyxia and Neurodevelopment in Infants with Hypoxic-ischemic Injury

ObjectiveHypoxia-ischemia-induced brain injury is a major cause of acute mortality and chronic neurological disability in infants and children.Imaging plays a vital role in diagnosing and treating hypoxicischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and as an adjunct to acute conditions and provides valuable information on long-term prognosis.Materials &amp; MethodsOur study was prospective with 50 neonates aged 34 weeks and older with HIE. Cerebral ultrasound and MRI were performed on the infants, and the pattern of lesions was recorded. A pediatric neurologist examined the infants, and their developmental status was assessed and recorded with electroencephalography (EEG) findings.The data were analyzed. ResultsThe sonography pattern was normal in 26 (76.5%) term neonates, and also, the PVL pattern was observed in 10 term neonates. The incidence of observing an edema pattern (17.6%) was significantly different between the term and pre-term infants (P-value = 0.001).MRI findings were normal in 20 (58.8%) term neonates and 11 premature neonates. However, the PVL pattern was observed in MRI performed in six term neonates (6.6%). The watershed pattern (17%) showed that these differences were significant between the term and pre-term infants (P-value = 0/001). ConclusionNormal sonography was significantly higher in neonates with normal neurodevelopment than in patients with normal MRI and EEG findings but with poor neurodevelopment. Also, the probability of having normal MRI results was lower in neonates with moderate to severe asphyxia compared to ultrasound and EEG. &nbsp

Isolation and primary culture of ES-like colonies from NMRI mouse embryos

Background: Embryonic stem (ES) cells are pluripotent cells conventionally isolated from early embryos. Studies have shown that ES cells serve as a practical model for biomedical studies. Objective: The aim of the present study was to optimize culture conditions for establishment of ES-like colonies from NMRI mouse blastocysts as well as 2-cell stage embryos. Materials and Methods: Both expanded blastocysts and 2-cell stage embryos were co-cultured on mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF). Plating capacity and formation of Inner cell mass (ICM) were examined daily. The differentiation and growth behavior of ICM cells were examined with various procedures. ICMs derived from initially cultured 2-cell or blastocyst embryos were disaggregated either mechanically or enzymatically, and seeded onto MEF with or without leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). The resulted colonies were disaggregated and reseeded onto MEF and the colonies that were morphologically similar to ES cells were evaluated for pluripotency using alkaline phosphatase (ALP) expression as a stem cell marker. Results: No morphologically good ES-like colony was isolated from 2-cell embryos after passages, while 273 (79%) good-looking ICMs were isolated from 352 blastocysts. Four sets of colonies remained undifferentiated following passages. Enzymatic method of ICM disaggregation was superior to the mechanical method. Besides, all ES-like colonies were obtained from the ICMs cultured in presence of MEF and LIF. Conclusion: Our results show that NMRI mouse ICMs could be isolated and cultured from blastocyst stage embryos with a suitable culture system and ES-like cell colonies remain undifferentiated when cultured with MEF and LIF

Hydrogel-integrated graphene superstructures for tissue engineering: From periodontal to neural regeneration

Hydrogel-integrated graphene superstructures (GSSs) represent a promising platform for applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Graphene, a two-dimensional carbon-based material, possesses remarkable mechanical, thermal, and electrical characteristics, making it a strong candidate for application in biomedicine. Researchers have pursued the integration of graphene with hydrogels, known for their biocompatibility and ability to provide a conducive environment for cellular growth, to craft sophisticated scaffolds tailored to tissue engineering needs. The integration of hydrogels and graphene enables the construction of 3D frameworks that closely mimic the natural extracellular matrix (ECM) found in biological tissues. Hydrogels furnish a biocompatible, well-hydrated environment, while the graphene component bolsters the scaffold's mechanical integrity and electrical conductivity. This amalgamation enhances cellular adhesion, differentiation, and proliferation, thereby facilitating tissue regeneration. A notable advantage of hydrogel-integrated GSSs lies in their capacity to support the growth and differentiation of a variety of cell types such as PC12, MG-63, U-87, and MC3T3-E1 cell lines. Overall, hydrogel-integrated GSSs exhibit great potential for advancing biomimetic tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The combination of the unique properties of graphene with the biocompatibility of hydrogels enables the development of advanced scaffold systems for tissue regeneration. Further research and development in this domain will play a crucial role in advancing regenerative medicine and the treatment of various diseases and injuries

Improvement in Cardiac Function following Transplantation of Human Umbilical Cord Matrix-Derived Mesenchymal Cells

Objectives: Human umbilical cord mesenchymal cells (hUCM) can be easily obtained and processed in a laboratory. These cells may be considered as a suitable source in the repair of heart failure diseases. We, therefore, examined whether these cells may contribute to heart regeneration following an acute experimental myocardial infarction (MI). Methods: MI-induced animals received 5 ! 10 6 hUCM cells, 5 ! 10 6 5-azacytidine-treated cells (dhUCM), or PBS alone, subepicardially. A group of animals with MI and no other former intervention served as controls. dhUCM cells were assessed for F-actin, myogenin and troponin-I expression. Re-sults: dhUCM cells appeared as binucleated cells with extensive cytoplasmic processes. These differentiated cells were F-actin and myogenin positive. Thirty days after LAD ligation, left ventricular ejection fraction and the percentage of fractional shortening improved significantly in cell-receiving animals. In addition, the amount of scar tissue was significantly reduced in hUCM and dhUCM groups compared to MI group (p ! 0.05). These parameters were comparable between hUCM and dhUCM groups. Histopathological evaluations revealed that some engrafted cells adjacent to and remote from the MI area expressed troponin-I, F-actin and connexin43. Conclusion: These findings demonstrated the potential therapeutic use of either differentiated or undifferentiated hUCM cells in treatment of heart failure conditions