Evaluating the effect of foeniculum vulgar on scopolamin-induced memory impairment in Male Mice

Background: Estrogen is a steroid that regardless of its obvious effects on females’ reproductive functions shows beneficial effects on cognition. Foeniculum vulgar (fennel) has phytoestrogen compounds that might be beneficial in memory performance. This research was performed to understand if this plant can improve memory. Methods: To evaluate memory, novel object recognition task was used in male Balb-c mice, which comprised of three sections: habituation, learning trial (T1) and the test trial (T2). In this method, the difference in the exploration time between a familial (F) and a novel (N) object is taken as an index of memory performance [recognition index (RI) = (N – F)/(N + F) × 100]. Findings: Memory was harmed using 0.5 mg/kg subcutaneous scopolamine [RI (%) = -16.0 ± 3.0]. 50 mg/kg intraperitoneal fennel considerably prevented memory impairment of scopolamine [RI (%) = 35.0 ± 7.1] and this was parallel with the memory index in normal animals [RI (%) = 50.0 ± 5.8]. In addition, 0.2 mg/kg intraperitoneal 17-β estradiol showed similar results as fennel on memory protection [RI (%) = 36.0 ± 6.6]. However, the beneficial effects of fennel were impaired by prior intraperitoneal injection of 1 mg/kg tamoxifen [RI (%) = -29.0 ± 7.1]. Conclusion: The beneficial effect of fennel on memory is achieved by estrogenic receptors present in the brain; by stimulating these receptors, they could cause an increase in acetylcholine release. Therefore, it can competitively prevent the antagonizing effect of scopolamine on cholinergic receptors. © 2015, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved. Evaluating the effect of foeniculum vulgar on scopolamin-induced memory impairment in Male Mice. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282273930_Evaluating_the_effect_of_foeniculum_vulgar_on_scopolamin-induced_memory_impairment_in_Male_Mice [accessed Jul 29, 2017]

Evaluating the analgesic effect of Cucurbita maxima Duch hydro-alcoholic extract in rats

Background and aims: Cucurbita maxima Duch (CMD) is used as sedative for tooth and ear pain, but its analgesic effect has not been research in experimental studies. The aim of this study was to investigate the analgesic effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of CMD was studied using formalin model in rats. Methods: In this experimental study, 60 Rats were randomly divided into 6 equal groups. Control group was injected distilled water and three experimental groups were injected CMD extracts (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg). Group 5 received ibuprofen and group 6 received naloxone with the most effective dose of the extract. Extract or drugs were injected 15 minutes before formalin injection. The responses of animals to pain were recorded for 30 min. after the formalin injection. Responses of first 0-5 min. were considered as acute pain and responses of 15-30 min. as chronic pain. Results: CRM extracts reduced acute pain in doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg (P<0.001). In addition, the extract decreased chronic pain in all used concentrations compared to the control group (P<0.001). Naloxone inhibited analgesic effect of the extract (P<0.05). Conclusion: CRM extracts reduce acute and chronic pains in formalin test through opioid system and it might be used as an analgesic drug

Evaluation of Carbon sequestration in pure and mixed plantations of Cupressus arizonica

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of tree mixture on Carbon sequestration in cupressus arizonica plantations. Emission of carbon dioxide via human activities is known as the main cause of global warming. Therefore, in this study, soil carbon sequestration in mixed and pure stands was measured in order to compare the effect of tree mixture on the amount of carbon stored in the top mineral soil layer. The study site was Khargosh Valley Forest Park, located in Tehran province. This study included 4 different type of stands, the pure Cupressus arizonica, the pure Pinus eldarica, the mixed Cupressus arizonica and Pinus eldarica and the mixed Cupressus arizonica with deciduous hardwoods. Sampling method was done with a Systematic random network with dimensions 75 × 75 m. Samples parts were Square with dimensions of 20 x 20 m. At each plot center, forest floor was sampled from the first 10 cm of soil. To analyze the data one way analyses of variance (ANOVA) in SPSS v.20 was used to assess the Soil parameters. Tukey’s tests were used to test significant effects (p ≤ 0.05). Our results showed that the mean Carbon sequestration in the mixed plantations of Cupressus arizonica with deciduous hardwoods trees soils was greater than the other stands which in the standing mixed Cupressus arizonica and Pinus eldarica was lower than the pure stands. Our results Recommended for establishment ofconifer plantation, used mixed culture of Conifers with broadleaf Instead of pure cultures conifers.Keywords: Carbon sequestration, Cupressus arizonica, Iran, mixed, Plantations, pur

A Bio-inspired and Altruistic-Based Framework to Support Collaborative Healing in a Smart Manufacturing Shop-Floor

This research is supported by the Digital Manufacturing and Design Training Network (DiManD) project funded by the European Union through the Marie Skl odowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (H2020-MSCA-ITN-2018) under grant agreement no. 814078. Publisher Copyright: © 2023, The Author(s).Biologicalisation defines the analysis of biological patterns as a source of inspiration to model intelligent manufacturing systems. Due to their inherent adaptability, these design representations are highly desirable considering the increasing complexity of modeling current manufacturing solutions. Contributing to the idea of self-organizing and autonomous shop floors, we present a framework that aims to support the collaborative healing of manufacturing resources. This has been inspired on the altruistic behavior of bats in which social care is demonstrated (e.g., in bat colonies) even at the cost of individuals’ fitness/health. These ideas are conceptually showcased in an emergent automation manufacturing application, i.e., peer-to-peer energy sharing in automated guided vehicles. Some conclusions, and potential future research are discussed at the end of the paper.publishersversionpublishe

Background, Systematic Review, Challenges and Outlook

Publisher Copyright: © 2013 IEEE. This research is supported by the Digital Manufacturing and Design Training Network (DiManD) project funded by the European Union through the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (H2020-MSCA-ITN-2018) under grant agreement no. 814078The concept of smart manufacturing has attracted huge attention in the last years as an answer to the increasing complexity, heterogeneity, and dynamism of manufacturing ecosystems. This vision embraces the notion of autonomous and self-organized elements, capable of self-management and self-decision-making under a context-aware and intelligent infrastructure. While dealing with dynamic and uncertain environments, these solutions are also contributing to generating social impact and introducing sustainability into the industrial equation thanks to the development of task-specific resources that can be easily adapted, re-used, and shared. A lot of research under the context of self-organization in smart manufacturing has been produced in the last decade considering different methodologies and developed under different contexts. Most of these works are still in the conceptual or experimental stage and have been developed under different application scenarios. Thus, it is necessary to evaluate their design principles and potentiate their results. The objective of this paper is threefold. First, to introduce the main ideas behind self-organization in smart manufacturing. Then, through a systematic literature review, describe the current status in terms of technological and implementation details, mechanisms used, and some of the potential future research directions. Finally, the presentation of an outlook that summarizes the main results of this work and their interrelation to facilitate the development of self-organized manufacturing solutions. By providing a holistic overview of the field, we expect that this work can be used by academics and practitioners as a guide to generate awareness of possible requirements, industrial challenges, and opportunities that future self-organizing solutions can have towards a smart manufacturing transition.publishersversionpublishe

Agricultural growth linkages in Sub-Saharan Africa:

How much extra net income growth can be had in rural areas of Africa by increasing the spending power of local households? The answer depends on how rural households spend increments to income, whether the items desired can be imported to the local area in response to increased demand, and, if not, whether increased demand will lead to new local production or simply to price rises. For every dollar in new farm income earned, at least one additional dollar could be realized from growth multipliers, according to Agricultural Growth Linkages in Sub-Saharan Africa.Income Rural areas Africa., Agricultural development Africa., Agricultural policy Economic aspects., Households Zimbabwe., Social accounting., Africa sub-Saharan,

Ambiguous Tests of General Relativity on Cosmological Scales

There are a number of approaches to testing General Relativity (GR) on linear scales using parameterized frameworks for modifying cosmological perturbation theory. It is sometimes assumed that the details of any given parameterization are unimportant if one uses it as a diagnostic for deviations from GR. In this brief report we argue that this is not necessarily so. First we show that adopting alternative combinations of modifications to the field equations significantly changes the constraints that one obtains. In addition, we show that using a parameterization with insufficient freedom significantly tightens the apparent theoretical constraints. Fundamentally we argue that it is almost never appropriate to consider modifications to the perturbed Einstein equations as being constraints on the effective gravitational constant, for example, in the same sense that solar system constraints are. The only consistent modifications are either those that grant near-total freedom, as in decomposition methods, or ones which map directly to a particular part of theory space

Probing hot gas around luminous red galaxies through the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect

We construct the mean thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (tSZ) Comptonization y profile around Luminous Red Galaxies (LRGs) in the redshift range 0.16 < z < 0.47 from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 7 (DR7) using the Planck y map. The mean central tSZ signal for the full sample is y ~ 1.8 * 10^(-7) and we detect tSZ emission out to ~30 arcmin, which is well beyond the 10 arcmin angular resolution of the y map and well beyond the virial radii of the LRGs. We compare the measured profile with predictions from the cosmo-OWLS suite of cosmological hydrodynamical simulations. This comparison agrees well for models that include feedback from active galactic nuclei (AGN), but not with hydrodynamic models without this energetic feedback mechanism. This suggests that an additional heating mechanism is required over SNe feedback and star formation to explain the y data profile. We also compare our results with predictions based on the halo model with a universal pressure profile (UPP) giving the y signal. The predicted profile is consistent with the data, but only if we account for the clustering of haloes via a two-halo term and if halo masses are estimated using the mean stellar-to-halo mass (SHM) relation of Coupon et al. (2015) or Wang et al.(2016) estimated from gravitational lensing measurements. We also discuss the importance of scatter in the SHM relation on the model predictions

Randomised prospective trial to assess the clinical utility of multianalyte assay panel with complement activation products for the diagnosis of SLE.

Objective: We compared the physician-assessed diagnostic likelihood of SLE resulting from standard diagnosis laboratory testing (SDLT) to that resulting from multianalyte assay panel (MAP) with cell-bound complement activation products (MAP/CB-CAPs), which reports a two-tiered index test result having 80% sensitivity and 86% specificity for SLE. Methods: Patients (n=145) with a history of positive antinuclear antibody status were evaluated clinically by rheumatologists and randomised to SDLT arm (tests ordered at the discretion of the rheumatologists) or to MAP/CB-CAPs testing arm. The primary endpoint was based on the change in the physician likelihood of SLE on a five-point Likert scale collected before and after testing. Changes in pharmacological treatment based on laboratory results were assessed in both arms. Statistical analysis consisted of Wilcoxon and Fisher\u27s exact tests. Results: At enrolment, patients randomised to SDLT (n=73, age=48±2 years, 94% females) and MAP/CB-CAPs testing arms (n=72, 50±2 years, 93% females) presented with similar pretest likelihood of SLE (1.42±0.06 vs 1.46±0.06 points, respectively; p=0.68). Post-test likelihood of SLE resulting from randomisation in the MAP/CB-CAPs testing arm was significantly lower than that resulting from randomisation to SDLT arm on review of test results (-0.44±0.10 points vs -0.19±0.07 points) and at the 12-week follow-up visit (-0.61±0.10 points vs -0.31±0.10 points) (p Conclusion: Our data suggest that MAP/CB-CAPs testing has clinical utility in facilitating SLE diagnosis and treatment decisions

A new approach to cosmological perturbations in f(R) models

We propose an analytic procedure that allows to determine quantitatively the deviation in the behavior of cosmological perturbations between a given f(R) modified gravity model and a LCDM reference model. Our method allows to study structure formation in these models from the largest scales, of the order of the Hubble horizon, down to scales deeply inside the Hubble radius, without employing the so-called "quasi-static" approximation. Although we restrict our analysis here to linear perturbations, our technique is completely general and can be extended to any perturbative order.Comment: 21 pages, 2 figures; Revised version according to reviewer's suggestions; Typos corrected; Added Reference