Teratogenic effects of gabapentin on the skeletal system of Balb/C mice fetuses

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of gabapentin )GBP( administration on mice fetuses. Methods: This study was carried out in Birjand University of Medical Sciences during 2008. Thirty Balb/c pregnant mice were divided randomly into 3 groups: 2 experimental groups that received 25 mg/kg )I( and 50 mg/kg )II( of GBP intraperitoneally for the first 15 days of pregnancy, and a control group that received normal saline. External observations of day 18 fetuses and skeleton double staining were performed. Results: Both experimental groups showed similar disorders that can be categorized as the following: 1( decrease of fetal body weight and increase of fetal resorption, 2( macroscopic malformations, and 3( skeletal malformations. Fetal body weights were significantly lower, and fetus resorptions were significantly higher in both treated groups compared to the control group. Macroscopic malformations included exencephaly, limbs defects, brachygnathia, vertebral column deformity, and fetuses with severe retarded growth. Skeletal malformations included delayed ossification, scoliosis, calvaria deformity, and mandibular hypoplasia. Conclusion: This study revealed that GBP can induce previously unreported severe malformations if it is used continuously during the implantation, neurulation, and organogenesis stages of pregnancy. Therefore, it is suggested that great caution should be exercised in using GBP during the early stages of pregnancy until further studies are performed to better understand these effects

Plane Cremona maps: saturation and regularity of the base ideal

One studies plane Cremona maps by focusing on the ideal theoretic and homological properties of its homogeneous base ideal ("indeterminacy locus"). The {\em leitmotiv} driving a good deal of the work is the relation between the base ideal and its saturation. As a preliminary one deals with the homological features of arbitrary codimension 2 homogeneous ideals in a polynomial ring in three variables over a field which are generated by three forms of the same degree. The results become sharp when the saturation is not generated in low degrees, a condition to be given a precise meaning. An implicit goal, illustrated in low degrees, is a homological classification of plane Cremona maps according to the respective homaloidal types. An additional piece of this work relates the base ideal of a rational map to a few additional homogeneous "companion" ideals, such as the integral closure, the $\boldsymbol\mu$-fat ideal and a seemingly novel ideal defined in terms of valuations.Comment: New version only 36 pages, one typo correcte

Cochlear implantation in prelingually deaf persons with additional disability

Objectives: We aimed to identify the frequency with which the following conditions were present as a second disability in cochlear-implanted, prelingually deaf persons: mild and moderate mental retardation; learning disability; attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder; cerebral palsy; congenital blindness; and autism. We also aimed to document the development of auditory perception in patients having one of these additional disabilities. Study design: A retrospective study was designed to pursue the above aims. Methods: We examined the records of 398 cochlear-implanted, prelingually deaf patients who had received a cochlear implant at least one year previously. Patients were selected who showed a delay in motor, cognitive or emotional development. The selected cases were referred for psychological evaluation in order to identify patients with additional disabilities. We then compared these patients' auditory perception prior to and one year following cochlear implantation. Results: A total of 60 (15 per cent) cochlear-implanted, prelingually deaf patients were diagnosed with additional disabilities. These were classified as: mild mental retardation in eight cases (13.33 per cent); moderate mental retardation in five (8.33 per cent); learning disability in 20 (33.33 per cent); attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in 15 (25 per cent); cerebral palsy in five (8.33); congenital blindness in three (5 per cent); and autism in four (6.66 per cent). All patients showed significant development in speech perception, except for autistic and congenitally deaf-blind patients. Conclusion: Although cochlear implantation is not contraindicated in prelingually deaf persons with additional disabilities, congenitally deaf-blind and autistic patients showed limited development in auditory perception as a main outcome of cochlear implantation. These patients require unique rehabilitation in order to achieve more auditory development. © 2007 JLO (1984) Limited

Trends in 5-, 10-, 20-, and 30-year survival rates of beta-thalassemia patients in Southern Iran, 1995-2016: A retrospective cohort study

Background: There is currently lack of knowledge about survival trend analysis of thalassemia patients. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess 5-, 10-, 20-, and 30-year survival of thalassemia patients over a 20- year time period. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we analysed the data of 982 beta-thalassemia patients in Iran. Birth cohort and traditional cohort analyses were used to obtain the 5-, 10-, 20-, and 30-year survival rates in various time intervals between 1995 and 2016. Results: Five and 10-year survival rates remained unchanged since 1995-2016. Overall, 20- and 30-year survival rates were lower in younger birth cohorts than older ones. A declining trend was found in 20-year survival rate from 1995 to 2000 for all and also for thalassemia major patients, but was stable from 2001 to 2016. In addition, there was a declining trend in 30-year survival rate from 1995 to 2008 for all and also for thalassemia major patients, but was an increased trend from 2009 to 2016. Conclusion: Over the past two decades and in recent birth cohorts, the 20- and 30-year survival rates has declined. In other words, declining survival trends in the birth cohorts may be associated with some different causes of mortality such as exposure to the toxic effects of iron over time and the occurrence of disease-related mortality

Antioxidant Activity of Leaves and Fruits of Iranian Conifers

Cupressus semipervirens var. horizontalis, Cupressus semipervirens var. semipervirens, Cupressus semipervirens cv. Cereifeormis, Juniperus communis subsp. hemisphaerica, Juniperus excelsa subsp. excelsa, Juniperus excelsa subsp. polycarpos, Juniperus foetidissima, Juniperus oblonga, Juniperus sabina, Platycladus orientalis and Taxus baccata are Iranian conifers. The antioxidant activity of leaves and fruits of these 11 different taxons were evaluated. The leaves of both male and female, and fruits of these plants were collected from different areas of the country. Methanol extract of leaves and fruits of these taxons were prepared. Antioxidant activity of each extracts was measured using two different tests of the ferric thiocyanate method and thiobarbituric acid. Results indicated that the methanol extracts of leaves, of male and female, and fruits of all these species (27 samples) possessed antioxidant activity when tested with both methods. The antioxidant activity was then compared with those of α-tocopherol (a natural antioxidant) and butylated hydroxytoluene (a synthetic antioxidant). Methanol extract of fruits of C. semipervirens cv. Cereifeormis showed the highest antioxidant activity while the methanol extract of leaves of C. semipervirens var. semipervirens possessed the lowest antioxidant activity. However, our finding showed that most of the tested extracts were showing strong antioxidant activity even higher than α-tocopherol

Cochlear implantation in children with Waardenburg syndrome

Waardenburg syndrome is an autosomal-dominant trait resulting from mutations occurring in different genes. It is often characterized by varying degrees of: congenital hearing loss; dystopia canthorum; synophrys; broad nasal root; depigmentation of hair (white forelock), skin or both; and heterochromic or hypochromic irides. A retrospective case study was done to assess speech perception, speech production, general intelligence and educational setting in six profoundly hearing-impaired children with Waardenburg syndrome (four with type I, one with type II and one with type III) ranging in age from two years to 14 years, seven months (mean = six years, six months). None of the patients had malformation of the cochlea and were implanted using Nucleus 22/24 and Med-el combi40+. Five out of the six cases were of average intelligence and one had a borderline intelligence quotient. The follow-up period ranged from one year, 10 months to six years, six months (mean = three years, six months) after implantation. The evaluation of auditory perception in patients was accomplished using the Persian Auditory Perception Test for the Hearing-Impaired, a Persian Spondee words test and the Categories of Auditory Performance Index. The Speech Intelligibility Rating test was used to evaluate speech production ability. All the patients' speech perception and speech intelligibility capabilities improved considerably after receiving the implants, and they were able to be placed in regular educational settings. Patients used their cochlear-implant devices whenever awake, implying that they benefitted from the devices. We suggest that any further expansion of cochlear-implantation criteria in children include those with Waardenburg syndrome

Study of wear resistance and nanostructure of tertiary Al2O3/Y2O3/CNT pulsed electrodeposited Ni-based nanocomposite

Electrodeposition of tertiary Alumina/Yitria/carbon nanotube (Al2O3/Y2O3/CNT) nanocomposite by using pulsed current has been studied. Coating process has been performed in nickel sulphate bath and nanostructure of the obtained compound layer was examined with high precision figure analysis of SEM nanographs. The effects of process variables, i.e. Y2O3 concentration, treatment time, current density and temperature of electrolyte have been experimentally studied. Statistical methods were used to achieve the minimum wear rate and average size of nanoparticles. Finally the contribution percentage of different effective factors was revealed and confirmation run showed the validity of the obtained results. Also it has been revealed that by changing the size of nanoparticles, wear properties of coatings will change significantly. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis have confirmed smooth surface and average size of nanoparticles in the optimal coating.Вивчено електроосадження методом імпульсного струму потрійного композиту на основі вуглецевих нанотрубок, алюмінію та ітрію оксидів. Покриви наносили у нікелесульфатній ванні, а наноструктуру отриманого складного шару досліджували методом комп’ютерного аналізу знімків, одержаних на електронному мікроскопі. Вплив змінних параметрів процесу, зокрема, концентрації Y2O3, часу обробки, густини струму та температури електроліту вивчали експериментально. Для мінімізації впливу відхилень швидкості зношування та середнього розміру наночастинок на аналіз експериментальних даних використовували статистичні методи. Встановлено процентний вклад різних факторів і виконано підтверджувальний розрахунок, який показав достовірність одержаних результатів. Також виявлено, що зміна розміру наночастинок та зносотривкість покривів матиматимуть значною мірою однаковий тренд.Изучено электроосаждение методом импульсного тока тройного композита на основе углеродных нанотрубок, алюминия и иттрия оксидов. Покрытия наносили в никельсульфатной ванне, а наноструктуру полученного сложного слоя исследовали методом компьютерного анализа снимков, полученных на электронном микроскопе. Влияние изменяющихся параметров процесса, в частности, концентрации Y2O3, времени обработки, плотности тока и температуры электролита изучали экспериментально. Для минимизации влияния отклонений скорости изнашивания и среднего размера наночастиц на анализ экспериментальных данных использовали статистические методы. Установлен процентный вклад разных факторов и проведен подтверждающий расчет, который показал достоверность полученных результатов. Также установлено, что изменение размера наночастиц и износостойкость покрытий имеют в значительной степени одинаковый тренд

A novel pathogenic variant of SRD5A2 in an Iranian psuedohermaphrodite male

Deficiency of the 5-alpha-reductase may have an important role in 46,XY DSD in some cohorts. The prenatal ultrasonography and karyotyping can trigger the attention toward the presence of a DSD in fetus. © 2020 The Authors. Clinical Case Reports published by John Wiley & Sons Lt