Structural Study of Basins Configuration in Mesopotamian Area

Mesopotamian Zone is a foreland basin formed by a collision between Arabian and Iranian plates. A subsurface structural study made for Mesopotamian area based on the information of the oil wells, which were used in the construction of five structural cross-sections. The sections reveal information about the difference in thickness of sedimentary formations in the basin during the geological time of Mesozoic and Cenozoic Era. As well as studied the most important reasons for the formation of surface and subsurface structures, which are attributed to three main reasons: the basement rocks and their longitudinal and transverse faults, tectonic movements that happened to the region as well as the role of salt layers or structures and their rush to the top

The Archaeological Sites along the Ancient Course of Euphrates River

Many of archaeological sites within Al Hammar Marsh and surrounded area were selected to the current study. Multispectral QuickBird images(2006), characterized by high (0.6 m) spatial resolution, used to draw a detailed map for an especially prominent relict course of the Euphrates and for the archaeological sites, these maps used to describe these  sites and to identify their temporary relationships with the ancient course of the Euphrates. The random distribution of archaeological sites near the ancient courses confirmed that these sites associated with river courses as a basic reason for their presence. Also, Repetition of settlements in several archaeological sites, and the synchronization of historical periods indicated to continue habitation in the south of Mesopotamian plain from the oldest period about 5000 BC until Islamic period

Diaryl hydroxylamines as pan or dual inhibitors of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-1, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-2 and tryptophan dioxygenase

Tryptophan (Trp) catabolizing enzymes play an important and complex role in the development of cancer. Significant evidence implicates them in a range of inflammatory and immunosuppressive activities. Whereas inhibitors of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-1 (IDO1) have been reported and analyzed in the clinic, fewer inhibitors have been described for tryptophan dioxygenase (TDO) and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-2 (IDO2) which also have been implicated more recently in cancer, inflammation and immune control. Consequently the development of dual or pan inhibitors of these Trp catabolizing enzymes may represent a therapeutically important area of research. This is the first report to describe the development of dual and pan inhibitors of IDO1, TDO and IDO2

Effects of luteectomy in early pregnancy on the maintenance of gestation and plasma progesterone concentrations in the viviparous temperate lizard Barisia imbricata imbricata

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Several studies have shown that the corpus luteum is the principal source of progesterone during the gravidity period in reptiles; however, its participation in the maintenance of gestation in the viviparous squamata is in dispute. The effects of ovariectomy or luteectomy vary according to the species and the time at which the procedure is performed. In this paper, we describe the effects of luteectomy during early pregnancy on the maintenance of gestation and progesterone concentrations in the temperate Mexican viviparous lizard <it>Barisia imbricata imbricata.</it></p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Twenty-four lizards were subjected to three different treatments: luteectomy, sham luteectomy or non-surgical treatment, and blood samples were obtained before and after surgical treatment at different stages of gestation to determine the effects of luteectomy on the maintenance of gestation and progesterone concentrations.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Spontaneous abortion was not observed in any of the females. However, luteectomy provoked abnormal parturition and a significant reduction in the number of young born alive. Parturition was normal in untreated females as well as those submitted to sham luteectomy. The surgical treatment also caused a significant reduction in progesterone concentrations in luteectomised females during early and middle gestation. However, no significant differences in hormone concentrations were observed among the three groups during late gestation or immediately post-parturition.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our observations indicate that the presence of the corpus luteum is not necesary for the maintenance of gestation, but that it does participate in parturition control. Moreover, the corpus luteum of the viviparous lizard <it>B. i. imbricata</it> produces progesterone, at least during the first half of pregnancy, and that an extra-ovarian source of progesterone must maintain gestation in the absence of luteal tissue.</p

In Vivo Evaluation of Cervical Stiffness Evolution during Induced Ripening Using Shear Wave Elastography, Histology and 2 Photon Excitation Microscopy: Insight from an Animal Model

Prematurity affects 11% of the births and is the main cause of infant mortality. On the opposite case, the failure of induction of parturition in the case of delayed spontaneous birth is associated with fetal suffering. Both conditions are associated with precocious and/or delayed cervical ripening. Quantitative and objective information about the temporal evolution of the cervical ripening may provide a complementary method to identify cases at risk of preterm delivery and to assess the likelihood of successful induction of labour. In this study, the cervical stiffness was measured in vivo in pregnant sheep by using Shear Wave Elastography (SWE). This technique assesses the stiffness of tissue through the measurement of shear waves speed (SWS). In the present study, 9 pregnant ewes were used. Cervical ripening was induced at 127 days of pregnancy (term: 145 days) by dexamethasone injection in 5 animals, while 4 animals were used as control. Elastographic images of the cervix were obtained by two independent operators every 4 hours during 24 hours after injection to monitor the cervical maturation induced by the dexamethasone. Based on the measurements of SWS during vaginal ultrasound examination, the stiffness in the second ring of the cervix was quantified over a circular region of interest of 5 mm diameter. SWS was found to decrease significantly in the first 4–8 hours after dexamethasone compared to controls, which was associated with cervical ripening induced by dexamethasone (from 1.779 m/s ± 0.548 m/s, p < 0.0005, to 1.291 m/s ± 0.516 m/s, p < 0.000). Consequently a drop in the cervical elasticity was quantified too (from 9.5 kPa ± 0.9 kPa, p < 0.0005, to 5.0 kPa ± 0.8 kPa, p < 0.000). Moreover, SWE measurements were highly reproducible between both operators at all times. Cervical ripening induced by dexamethasone was confirmed by the significant increase in maternal plasma Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), as evidenced by the assay of its metabolite PGEM. Histological analyses and two-photon excitation microscopy, combining both Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) and Two-photon Fluorescence microscopy (2PF) contrasts, were used to investigate, at the microscopic scale, the structure of cervical tissue. Results show that both collagen and 2PF-active fibrillar structures could be closely related to the mechanical properties of cervical tissue that are perceptible in elastography. In conclusion, SWE may be a valuable method to objectively quantify the cervical stiffness and as a complementary diagnostic tool for preterm birth and for labour induction success