Teratogenic effects of gabapentin on neural tube and limb development in mice

[No abstract available

The effect of Urtica dioica extract on the number of astrocytes in the dentate gyrus of diabetic rats

Diabetes mellitus is associated with cerebral alterations in both human and animal models of the disease. These alterations include abnormal expression of hypothalamic neuropeptides and hippocampal astrogliosis. Urtica dioica (Nettle) is among several species listed for their use against diabetes in folk medicine. The aim of this study was the evaluation of the astrocyte number in the dentate gyrus of diabetic rats after treatment with nettle. A total of 21 male albino Wistar rats were used in the present study. The animals were divided into three groups: control, nettle-untreated diabetic, and nettle treated diabetic. Hyperglycaemia was induced by streptozotocin (80 mg/kg) in the animals of the diabetic and treatment groups. One week after injection of the streptozotocin, the animals in the treatment group received a hydroalcoholic extract of Urtica dioica (100 mg/kg/day) for 4 weeks intraperitoneally. After a 5-week survival period, all the rats were sacrificed and coronal sections were taken from the dorsal hippocampal formation of the right cerebral hemispheres. The area densities of the astrocytes were measured and compared between the three groups (p < 0.05). The number of astrocytes increased in the diabetic rats (24.06 ± 9.57) compared with the controls (17.52 ± 6.66). The densities in the treated rats (19.50 ± 6.16) were lower than in the diabetic rats. Furthermore, the control and treated rats showed similar densities. We concluded that U. dioica extract helped compensate for astrocytes in the treatment rats dentate gyrus in comparison with diabetic rats. Copyright © 2009 Via Medica

Epidemiologic aspects of neural tube defects in South East Iran

Objectives: To investigate the rate of neural tube defects (NTDs) and their relation to gender, maternal age, consanguineous marriage, season, and drug consumption in Birjand, Iran. Methods: This research was carried out on 16,785 live or stillborn newborns in Birjand, Iran from April 1997 to December 2001. Results: The rate of NTDs was 2.97 per 1000. This rate was 1.97 per 1000 in males, and 3.55 per 1000 in females. The rate of anencephaly was 1.37 per 1000, and spina bifida was 0.88 per 1000. We found that 32% of mothers with affected newborns had taken drugs during the first trimester of pregnancy, 90% of mothers did not consume folate before and during the first trimester, and 54% of parents had consanguineous marriage. Conclusion: We concluded that folate deficiency, usage of drugs during pregnancy, and consanguineous marriage may play a role of predisposition to NTD

Deficiencies of the microelements, folate and vitamin B12 in women of the child bearing ages in Gorgan, Northern Iran

Background: The deficiencies of folic acid, vitamin B12, and microelements during pregnancy may affect the health of newborns. Objectives: To assess the serum levels of folate, vitamin B12, iron, zinc and copper in healthy women of the childbearing ages in Gorgan, northern Iran. Methodology: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out on 100 women of childbearing ages in northern Iran during November 2007-March 2008. The serum levels of folate, vitamin B12, iron, copper and zinc were evaluated by laboratory tests. Results: Iron, copper, folate, vitamin B12 deficiencies and folate with vitamin B12 deficiency were detected in 13%, 32%, 13%, 32% and 11% women of the childbearing ages, respectively. According to the ethnicity, vitamin B12, folate and iron deficiencies in the Sistani group were observed in 38.3%, 12.9% and 12.9% of the women, respectively. In the native Fars group, the above mentioned deficiencies were found in 31.1%, 13.4% and 7.5% of the subjects. Folate and vitamin B12 deficiencies were observed in the urban habitant in 32.7% and 11.5% of the subjects as compared to those in the rural habitant (in 30.4% and 15.2%of the subjects respectively). The folate deficiencies in the under and above 18 years old subjects were 22.2% and 9.9%, respectively. Conclusions: This study showed that the deficiency of the micronutrients was considerable in women of the childbearing ages in Gorgan, northern Iran

Knowledge and practice of urban Iranian pregnant women towards folic acid intake for neural tube defect prevention.

To assess the knowledge and practice of urban Iranian pregnant women regarding periconceptional folic acid intake for neural tube defect (NTD) prevention. The population-based study was done on 676 primiparous women in an urban area in Golestan province in northern Iran from June to November, 2008. A questionnaire was completed by the subjects regarding their knowledge of folic acid. Questionnaires were administered to women who were seeking routine antenatal care at health centres, private gynaecological clinic and the Dezyani Gynaecologic and Obstetric Hospital. Questions covered knowledge and use of folic acid supplements and demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Out of the 676 women surveyed, 96.2% reported that they heard of folate. Of these, only 27.6% knew that folate was something important in the prevention of neural tube defects. Overall, 20.12% of the total women took folic acid during periconceptional period. The most common information sources on folate were healthcare service (54.5%). Besides, 37.6% of the subjects who heard about folate were aware that green leafy vegetables were fortified with folic acid. In univariate analysis, knowledge and intake of folic acid was not associated with education and the age of women. A healthcare plan for intervention to increase the knowledge and intake of folic acid by pregnant women during the protective period is required

Morphological evaluation of head in Turkman males in Gorgan-North of Iran

Cephalometry or measurement of human head is used in identification, forensic medicine, plastic surgery, orthodontics, archeology and examine the differences between races and ethnicities. This descriptive investigation was undertaken on 198 young Turkman males to determine the cephalic index and head phenotype among them in Gorgan, North of Iran. In this study cephalic index was determined by classic cephalometric method. Mean and standard deviation of cephalic index was 80.4 ± 4. Based on the cephalic index, the head shape of 42.4% of individuals were brachycephalic, 7.6% hyperbrachycephalic, 40.9% mesocephalic and 8.1% dolicocephalic. This research showed that Turkman individuals have typical brachycephalic phenotype. In comparison to other studies, we can conclude that the ethnic factor has an effective role on head phenotype in North of Iran

Effect of Vitamin E on Oocytes Apoptosis in nicotine-treated Mice

Objective(s): Cigarette and nicotine enhances embryogenesis, fertility, pregnancy loss and ultrastructure alterations of oocyte. This study was performed to determine the effect of daily supplementation of vitamin E on oocytes apoptosis in nicotine-treated mice. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 24 NMARI adult female mice were randomly allocated into four experimental groups. For 30 days, animals in control group (C) were received saline through subcutaneous injection, group I received vitamin E (60 mg/kg/day orally), group II received nicotine (5 mg/kg/day, subcutaneous) and animals of group III received nicotine with vitamin E (60 mg/kg/day orally). After 30 days, the animals were superovulated with PSMG (10 Units) and HCG (10 Units). Next day animals were sacrificed and oocytes were flushed. Collected oocytes were examined through TUNEL assay for the determination of apoptosis through the use of fluorescent microscope. Results: The number of retrieved oocytes was 139, 148, 97 and 127 in control, experimental group I, II and III, respectively. Nicotine treatment increased apoptosis in oocytes up to 13.4% whereas oocytes apoptosis was 3.6% in controls. Supplementation with vitamin E in nicotine-treated mice reduced the oocytes apoptosis to 5.5%. Conclusion: This study showed that nicotine exposure (5 mg/kg/day for 30 days) can increase apoptosis in oocytes, and supplementation with vitamin E (60 mg/kg/day orally) can reduce the oocytes apoptosis in nicotine-treated mice

The effect of ethnicity on facial anthropometry in Northern Iran

Introduction: The evaluation and measurement of human body dimensions are achieved by physical anthropometry. Cephalometery is a branch of anthropometry science in which the head and face anatomical dimensions are measured. This research was conducted in view of the importance of anthropometric indices of the face in forensic medicine, surgery, paediatrics and medical imaging. Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was set up to determine and compare the face shapes in Fars and Turkman ethnic groups of 808 normal 17- to 20-year-old males and females in Gorgon, North Iran (Fars group 407, male 200 and female 207; Turkman group 401, male 198 and female 203). The length and width of faces were determined by using classic cephalometery technique with Martin spreading callipers, and the shape of faces in the ethnic group of Fars and Turkman in both sexes was compared. Results: The dominant type of face shape in both the native Fars and Turkman females was euryprosopic (37.7 and 51.7 percent, respectively). The dominant type of face shape in the native Fars and Turkman males was mesoprosopic (44 and 38.4 percent, respectively). Conclusion: This study determined the possible effect of ethnicity on the diversity of face shapes in young males and females in this region

The variation of head and face shapes in female newborns in the South-East of the Caspian sea (Iran-Gorgan)

Anthropometric dimensions are the basis for the evaluation of the health of newborns. This research was conducted in view of the importance of anthropometric indices of the head and face in forensic medicine, surgery, pediatrics and medical imaging. The study was undertaken on 423 normal one - day old female newborns of the Pars and Turkman race (Turkman group: No=211, Pars group No=212). Means and SD of cephalic and prosopic indices in the native Pars group were 78.63±4.7, 74.3±11.5 and in the Turkman group they were 77.85±8.7, 81.6±9.8 respectively. The dominant and rare types of head shape in the native Pars group were mesocephalic (44.98%) and hyper-brachycephalic (8.96%) respectively, while in the Turkman group they were mesocephalic (38.86%) and hyperbrachycephalic (8.05%). The dominant type of face shape in the native Fars group was hypereuriprosopic (71%) and in the Turkman group it was mesoprosopic (39%). This research determines the possible effects of racial factor on the diversity of head and face shapes in normal female newborns in this region

The knowledge and the attitude of youth couples on/towards consanguineous marriages in the north of Iran

Aim: Consanguinity is an important risk factor in genetic diseases and in congenital malformations. This study was done to assess the knowledge and the attitude of youth couples on/towards consanguineous marriages in the north of Iran. Material and Methods: This descriptive-analytic study was carried out on 250 young people (125 couples) in Northern Iran during the year 2008. The information was obtained by a direct interview and the questionnaire included four sections which comprised of 39 closed questions. The data was analyzed by using SPSS, version 11.5 and the Chi-Square test. Results: Consanguineous marriages were observed in 32.5% of the couples. Consanguineous marriages were determined in 20.87% and 11.63% of the rural and the urban residents respectively. The knowledge of the youth was poor (49.2% of the females and 40% of the males) on the genetic consequences of inbreeding. The results on the attitude of youths showed that 38.8% of the subjects had agreed and that 61.2% of them had disagreed on consanguineous marriages. There was a significant association between the knowledge of the youths and their attitudes towards consanguineous marriages with their ethnicity, education and residency (p<0.05). Conclusions: This study showed that the knowledge of the youth couples towards consanguineous marriages was poor. Health education programs are needed to improve the knowledge of the youth couples on consanguineous marriages; that they are a potential risk factor in congenital malformations and in genetic diseases in the offspring