The effect of reagents on selective flotation of smithsonite-calcite-quartz

In this paper the effects of sodium sulphide, sodium hexa methaphosphate (SH), sodium fluoric, starch and sodium silicate adsorption on smithsonite, quartz and calcite surfaces at various pH values, and using Armac C and oleic acid as collectors were investigated through microflotation. Also, the effects of various primary amine collectors (Armac C, Armac T, Flotigam SA, Flotigam TA and Armeen TD) were investigated for smithsonite flotation. The flotation tests were performed using purified samples from Angooran mine by the microflotation technique. The cationic flotation results showed that the maximum recovery of smithsonite could be improved to 92% using 400 g/t Armac C and 500 g/t sodium sulphide at pH 11. Also, the quartz and calcite recoveries reached 98% and 89%, respectively, at the above mentioned conditions. Moreover, using 1250 g/t SH and 1500 g/t sodium silicate as a depressant, the quartz and calcite recoveries decreased to 70% and 20%, respectively, and also the smithsonite recovery was reduced to 82%. Furthermore, the experiments showed that the behavior of sodium fluoric as a quartz depressant is similar to that of sodium silicate. Flotation results using oleic acid revealed that the maximum recovery of 90% occurs at pH 9 and 500 g/t oleic acid. Also, the quartz and calcite recoveries reached 26% and 87%, respectively, in the anionic flotation conditions. Increasing amount of sodium silicate to 2000 g/t caused a decrease in the smithsonite recovery to 87% and also decreased the calcite and quartz recoveries by 10% and 15%, respectively. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

The ulcerogenic effect of Indomethacin in diabetic rats

We have studied the ulcerogenic effect of indomethacin in stretozocin. Induced diabetic rats. Streptozocin (65 mg kg-1) was injected intraperitoneally to male wistar rats. The blood glucose concentration was determined continuously. Blood glucose level increased significantly (P<0.001) after 30 days. Gastric erosions were induced by intraperitoneal injection of indomethacin (50 mg kg-1) in fasted animals. A significant (P<0.001) increase in ulcer index was found in diabetic rat

Evaluation of the relationship between the gene expression level of orexin-1 receptor in the rat blood and prefrontal cortex, novelty-seeking, and proneness to methamphetamine dependence: A candidate biomarker

Background: previous studies have suggested that methamphetamine (METH) abuse may affect orexin regulation. However, the data regarding the relationship between the current level of orexin and the vulnerability to METH abuse are minimal. Here, we have investigated the correlation between the gene expression level of the orexin-1 receptor (OX1R) in the rat prefrontal cortex (PFC) and blood lymphocytes and susceptibility to METH dependence and its impact on novelty-seeking behavior. Methods: male Wistar rats were first examined for novelty-seeking behavior by the novel object recognition test, and the expression level of OX1R in their blood lymphocytes was evaluated by real-time PCR. Then, the susceptibility to METH abuse was investigated by voluntary METH oral consumption test. According to the amounts of METH consumption, the animals were divided into two groups of METH preferring and non-preferring. Half of the rats in each group were sacrificed, and the level of OX1R in their blood lymphocytes and PFC tissue was measured. The other half were sacrificed for the same reason after two weeks of drug abstinence. Results: The indexes of novelty-seeking behavior were significantly higher in the METH- preferring group compared to the non-preferring animals. Furthermore, the expression level of OX1R in the blood lymphocytes and PFC in the preferring group was considerably higher than the non-preferring group. Conclusion: Up-regulation of the mRNA expression level of OX1R in the lymphocytes and PFC may predict vulnerability to the METH consumption and novelty-seeking, which may serve as a potential biomarker for METH abuse. © 2020 Elsevier Inc

IN VITRO MEIOTIC MATURATION OF MOUSE OOCYTES: ROLE OF NITRIC OXIDE

In this experiment we used cultured mouse cumulus cell-enclosed oocytes (CEOs) and denuded oocytes (DOs) to study the function of nitric oxide (NO) in mouse oocyte meiotic maturation. CEOs and DOs were cultured in a medium containing 4 mM hypoxanthine (HX) to maintain meiotic arrest, in maturation medium (without HX) supplemented with different doses of sodium nitroprusside (SNP, a NO donor), and in N-omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (inhibitor of NO synthase). NOS inhibitor suppressed the formation of first polar body (PB1) of the oocytes in CEOs in a dose dependent manner, but no effect on germinal vesicle break down (GVBD) was observed. Treatments of low concentrations of SNP stimulated significantly the oocyte meiotic maturation of CEOs which were inhibited with HX, but had no effect on DOs in the same culture medium. The treatment with high concentrations of SNP (0.1-2 mM) during the CEOs cultured in maturation medium resulted in a lower percentage of oocytes at PB1 stage and a higher percentage of atypical oocytes. A dose of SNP at 1 mM exhibited significant inhibitory effect on the formation of PB1, and the number of atypical oocytes compared with control. The results showed that the treatment with 1 mM concentration of SNP could significantly delay GVBD during the first 5 h culture period. The concomitant addition of L-NAME with SNP did not reverse the inhibitory effect of SNP on CEOs. Pre-incubation use of SNP did not have any effect on oocyte maturation. These data support the idea that NO could act in mouse meiotic maturation depending on its concentration

The Neuroprotective Effect of Lithium in cannabinoid Dependence is Mediated through Modulation of Cyclic AMP, ERK1/2 and GSK-3β Phosphorylation in Cerebellar Granular Neurons of Rat

Lithium (Li), a glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) inhibitor, has used to attenuate the cannabinoid-induced dependence/withdrawal signs, but molecular mechanisms related to this are unclear. Recent studies indicate the involvement of upstream extracellular signal kinase1/2 (ERK1/2) and downstream GSK-3β pathways in the development of cannabinoid-induced dependence. This is mediated through cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) enriched in cerebellar granular neurons (CGNs). Accordingly, the present study aimed to investigate the mechanism of modulatory/neuroprotective effects of Li on a cannabinoid agonist (WIN 55,212-2 (WIN))-induced dependence, through quantitative analysis of some involved proteins such as ERK1/2, GSK-3β and related signaling pathways including their phosphorylated forms; and cAMP level as the other molecular mechanisms leading to dependence, in CGNs model. The CGNs were prepared from 7-day-old Wistar rat pup in a 12-well plate, pretreated with Li (1mM) and an ERK1/2 inhibitor SL327 (SL, 10 µM). The WIN (1 µM) was added 30 minutes prior to treatment and AM251 (AM, 1 µM), as a cannabinoid antagonist was co-treated with WIN. The cAMP level, as an indicator of cannabinoid-induced dependence, was measured by ELISA following forskolin (FSK) stimulation. Western blot analyses determined the phosphorylated forms of ERK1/2 (p-ERK1/2), GSK-3β (p-GSK-3β) as well as their total expressions in various treatment times and doses in CGNs. WIN alone could down regulate the cAMP/p-ERK1/2 cascade compared to AM treatment. However, P-GSK-3β was up-regulated with Li and WIN or with SL and Li pretreatment to AM-induced cellular response, which was the highest 60 minutes after CGNs exposure. Results further suggested the potential role of Li pretreatment to diminish the development of cannabinoid-induced dependence/neuronal injury through possible mechanisms of modulating the cAMP/p-ERK1/2 cascade independent of p-GSK-3β signaling pathway in-vitro

Co-occurrence of anxiety and depressive-like behaviors following adolescent social isolation in male mice; possible role of nitrergic system

Approximately more than 50 of patients with depression have the co-occurrence of anxiety, which complicates the treatment of disease. Recently, social isolation stress (SIS) paradigm has been suggested as an animal model to investigate the underlying mechanism involved in depression-anxiety co-occurrence. In this study, applying six weeks of SIS to adolescent mice, we tested whether nitrergic system plays a role in co-occurrence of depression and anxiety. In this study, comparisons between socially and isolated conditioned (SC and IC) animals showed that SIS induces behaviors relevant to depression and anxiety in IC mice and in addition, nitrergic system is involved in mediating the negative outcomes of SIS. Administration of subeffective doses of aminoguanidine (a specific inducible nitric oxide synthase inhibitor or iNOS, 50. mg/kg) and L-NAME (non-specific inhibitor of NOS, 10. mg/kg) significantly reversed the negative effects of SIS on behavioral profile as well as nitrite levels in the cortex of IC mice, Although administration of subeffective dose of 7-nitroindazole (a specific neuronal NOS inhibitor, 25. mg/kg) decreased the nitrite levels in the hippocampus, but had no effect on depressant and anxiogenic effects of SIS. Results of this study confirmed that SIS is an appropriate animal model to investigate the potential mechanisms in depression-anxiety co-occurrence. We also showed that nitrergic system has contributed to co-occurrence of depression and anxiety in IC mice as an underlying mechanism. © 2015