The effect of pentoxifylline on malathion-induced mitochondrial damage in rat liver

زمینه و هدف: مالاتیون از حشره کش های ارگانوفسفره ای است که استرس اکسیداتیو را از طریق ‏تولید رادیکال های آزاد و تغییر سیستم آنتی ‏اکسیدانی ایجاد می نماید. هدف این مطالعه بررسی ‏اثرات حفاظت احتمالی پنتوکسی فیلین (PTX) در آسیب اکسیداتیو ‏القاء شده در اثر مالاتیون بر میتوکندری کبد موش صحرایی نر می باشد.‏ روش بررسی: در این مطالعه تجربی 20 سر موش صحرایی نر نژاد ویستار در محدوده وزنی 200 تا 250 گرم به طور تصادفی به 4 گروه تقسیم شدند. گروه اول (شاهد) نرمال سالین، گروه دوم مالاتیون به میزان ‏‎mg/kg/day‏200، گروه سوم پنتوکسی فیلین به میزان ‏day‏/‏mg/kg‏ 50 و گروه چهارم پنتوکی فیلین و مالاتیون با هم دریافت نمودند. بعد از دو هفته درمان، بافت ‏کبد و میتوکندری های آن جدا شدند. فعالیت ‏آنزیم های کاتالاز (CAT)، سوپراکسیددیسموتاز (SOD)‏‏‎‏،‌ میزان پراکسیداسیون ‏لیپیدی (LPO) و درصد بقاء‏ میتوکندری کبد اندازه گیری شد. داده ها با آزمون های آماری آنالیز واریانس یک طرفه و توکی در نرم افزار SPSS تحلیل شدند. یافته ها: فعالیت آنزیم سوپراکسیددیسموتاز در گروه مالاتیون به همراه پنتوکسی فیلین، نسبت به گروهی که فقط مالاتیون دریافت کردند، در کبد کاهش معنی داری نشان داد (05/

Local scour due to free fall jets in non-uniform sediment

AbstractThe results of experiments on the local scour due to free fall jets are presented in this paper. Experiments were conducted for various values of the densimetric Froude number, the relative tailwater depth, the relative drop height and the relative sediment size. It has been found that by increasing the sediment non-uniformity parameter the scour hole parameters decrease. Moreover, in non-uniform sediment, d90 can be used instead of d50 in the densimetric Froude number of the jet. By using the present and previous experimental data, new equations for the scour parameters were developed. The validity of the developed equations was checked by available prototype data on the scour depth

Neural network models for solving the maximum flow problem

In this paper, two new neural network models for solving the maximum flow problem are presented. The maximum flow problem in networks is formulated as a special type of linear programming problem and it is solved by appropriately defined neural networks. The nonlinear neural networks are able to generate optimal solution for maximum flow problem. We solve neural network models by one of the numerical method. Finally, some numerical examples are provided for the sake of illustration

Somatic embryogenesis and plantlet regeneration from protoplast culture of Muscari neglectum Guss

A protocol has been developed for plant regeneration from protoplast culture of Muscari neglectum using regenerable embryogenic calli obtained from bulb culture on Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) plant growth regulators (PGR)-free or containing lower 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 6- benzylaminopurine (BA) concentrations and 30 g/l sucrose. Protoplasts were isolated directly from embryogenic calli, embedded in Ca-alginate beads and cultured with nurse cells in MS medium supplemented with 1 mg/l each of NAA and BA, 100 mg/l ascorbic acid and 0.5 M mannitol at 25°C in darkness. After 4 weeks of culture, microcalli appeared on the surface of the Ca-alginate beads. Growth of microcalli in the medium with nurse cells (33.3%) was much better than those in the medium without nurse cells (6.5%). Transferring beads onto MS medium supplemented with 0.1 mg/l BA increased the growth of embryogenic calli. Somatic embryo development was observed either on half strength MS medium PGR-free or with 1 mg/l abscisic acid at 25°C under continuous illumination with fluorescent light. Maturated embryos germinated and then converted to plantlets on half strength MS medium containing 1 mg/l BA after 3 months. The plantlets left in the medium produced bulbs after 5 months.Key words: Ca-alginate beads, Muscari neglectum, nurse culture, plantlet regeneration, protoplast culture, somatic embryogenesis

Short communication: Survey of Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) toxicity using bioassay on Daphnia magna

In this study, the toxicity of MTBE on the crustacean Daphnia magna (Cladocera) has been studied. At the beginning, for finding the range of sensitivity of D. magna to MTBE, a test had been conducted at 24h. The initial and final tests with synthetic MTBE has been done with containing solutions of water accommodated fractions (WAFs) in periods of 24 and 48h and then static bioassay was calculated in two phases of tests and the data were obtained and analyzed by SPSS 13 by using probit analysis. In 24h, lc10, lc50 and lc90 for MTBE on D. magna were 345, 646 and 941mg/l and for 48h, they were 361, 476 and 893mg/l, respectively. Also, the maximum allowable concentration (MAC) of MTBE (WAFs) on D. magna was determined in 24 and 48h, 64.6 and 47.6mg/l, respectively. Results indicated that D. magna could be used for toxicity tracing MTBE in surface and ground water, because these crustaceans have perfect resistance against pollution of MTBE. It is also concluded that after 24 and 48h exposure time, there was no significant difference observed in the activity and mortality of D. magna

The effect of 12 weeks Anethum graveolens (dill) on metabolic markers in patients with metabolic syndrome; A randomized double blind controlled trial

Background: The clustering of metabolic abnormalities defined as metabolic syndrome is now both a public health and a clinical problem .While interest in herbal medicine has greatly increased, lack of human evidence to support efficacies shown in animals does exist. This clinical trial study designed to investigate whether herbal medicine, Anethum graveolens (dill) extract, could improve metabolic components in patients with metabolic syndrome. Methods: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial using a parallel design was conducted. 24 subjects who had metabolic syndrome diagnostic criteria (update of ATP III) were randomly assigned to either dill extract (n = 12) or placebo (n = 12) for 3 months. Results: Across lipid component of metabolic syndrome, no significant differences in triglyceride (TG) concentration and high density lipoprotein cholesterol were seen between the two groups. However TG improved significantly from baseline (257.0 vs. 201.5p = 0.01) with dill treatment but such a significant effect was not observed in placebo group. Moreover, no significant differences in waist circumference, blood pressure and fasting blood sugar were seen between two groups after 3 months follow up period. Conclusion: In this small clinical trial in patients with metabolic syndrome, 12 weeks of dill extract treatment had a beneficial effect in terms of reducing TG from baseline. However dill treatment was not associated with a significant improvement in metabolic syndrome related markers compared to control group. Larger studies might be required to prove the efficacy and safety of long-Term administration of dill to resolve metabolic syndrome components. © 2012 Mansouri et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

Effect of plasmin and heparin on in vitro ovine spermoocyte interaction

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of plasmin and heparin on in vitro ovine spermoocyte interaction. Different concentrations of plasmin (0, 1, 10, 100 ng/ml) and heparin (0, 5, 10 IU/ml) were added alone or simultaneously into fertilization medium. After sperm and oocyte co-culture, binding and penetration of sperm to zona pellucida (ZP) were assayed. Treatment with 1 and 10 ng/ml plasmin resulted in higher sperm binding to ZP than those in control. The rates of sperm binding to ZP were increased with highest heparin concentrations (10 IU/ml). Heparin had no effect on penetration rate of sperm to ZP. Simultaneously effects of plasmin and heparin were not significant on penetration rate of sperm to ZP. But, 5 or 10 IU/ml heparin in the present of 1 ng/ml plasmin had higher effect on sperm binding to ZP than that in the other groups. These results suggest that plasmin and heparin (alone/simultaneously) might play a role in events related to fertilization in ovine

Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infections in symptomatic women by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) immunofluorescence and Giemsa stain

Chlamydia trachomatis is a ubiquitous human pathogen that is responsible for the most prevalent bacterial sexually transmitted disease worldwide. Studies show that polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is more sensitive than cellular culture for detection of C. trachomatis infections. The aim of this study is to compare different laboratory methods, including Giemsa staining, direct immunofluorescence assay (DFA) and PCR for detection of C. trachomatis in women with urethral symptoms. In this study, 130 women with urethral symptoms admitted in the gynecology clinic, were used and specimens were obtained with endocervical swab for Giemsa staining, DFA and PCR. All the cases underwent these three techniques. Demographic data and the medical history of patients were obtained by direct interview; however, the mean age of cases was 33.8±9.06. Clinical symptoms included abnormal vaginal discharge in 101 cases (77.7%), spotting in 14 cases (10.8%), dysmenorrheal in 7 cases (5.4%), irritation in 6 cases (4.6%) and dysuria in 2 cases (1.5%). In DFA technique, 5 cases (3.8%) were positive and 3 (2.3%) were suspicious, while in the PCR technique, 6 cases (4.6%) were positive for C. trachomatis. However, 3 suspicious cases with DFA were negative in PCR. There was no positive case for C. trachomatis in Giemsa staining. In conclusion, C. trachomatis was not frequent in this study and it can be concluded that this infection was not a major hygienic problem in the same populations that were previously studied. Consequently, the causes that necessitate monogamy could be related to religious causes. Frequency of Chlamydia detection of DFA and PCR was same in the two groups. Nonetheless, Giemsa staining is not a reliable method for evaluating C. trachomatis.Key words: Chlamydia trachomatis, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), direct immunofluorescence assay (DFA)