Female reproductive tract anatomy of the endangered Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx) in Jordan

Female reproductive anatomy of the Arabian oryx is unknown. In this study, reproductive tracts of seven female Arabian oryx (aged 2 to 7 years) were examined to characterize their reproductive anatomy. Observations and measurements were obtained in situ from dead animals during necropsy. Animals were allocated into two groups: cycling (n=3; follicles or corpora lutea present) and not-cycling (n=4; follicles or corpora lutea absent). Different reproductive tract segments for each animal in both groups were measured using a digital caliper. The mean, SD and range for each reproductive tract segment were generated and compared between groups. Female oryx reproductive anatomy share some anatomical characteristics with that of domestic ruminants except that the oryx uterus has no distinct uterine body and the cervix has two internal openings for each respective uterine horn. In addition, there were more than 8 rows of caruncles within each uterine horn. There were significant differences in the length and width (P<0.05), but not in height, of both the right and left ovaries between cycling and not-cycling animals (P>0.05). Posterior and anterior vaginal lengths varied between cycling and not-cycling groups (P<0.05). Length of right and left oviducts, left and right uterine horns, cervix and vulva did not vary between cycling and not-cycling groups (P>0.05). Defining this unique morphology of female Arabian oryx reproductive anatomy will help in the development of appropriate reproductive techniques in order to propagate this endangered species and control its reproduction

Differential Regulation of the Period Genes in Striatal Regions following Cocaine Exposure

Several studies have suggested that disruptions in circadian rhythms contribute to the pathophysiology of multiple psychiatric diseases, including drug addiction. In fact, a number of the genes involved in the regulation of circadian rhythms are also involved in modulating the reward value for drugs of abuse, like cocaine. Thus, we wanted to determine the effects of chronic cocaine on the expression of several circadian genes in the Nucleus Accumbens (NAc) and Caudate Putamen (CP), regions of the brain known to be involved in the behavioral responses to drugs of abuse. Moreover, we wanted to explore the mechanism by which these genes are regulated following cocaine exposure. Here we find that after repeated cocaine exposure, expression of the Period (Per) genes and Neuronal PAS Domain Protein 2 (Npas2) are elevated, in a somewhat regionally selective fashion. Moreover, NPAS2 (but not CLOCK (Circadian Locomotor Output Cycles Kaput)) protein binding at Per gene promoters was enhanced following cocaine treatment. Mice lacking a functional Npas2 gene failed to exhibit any induction of Per gene expression after cocaine, suggesting that NPAS2 is necessary for this cocaine-induced regulation. Examination of Per gene and Npas2 expression over twenty-four hours identified changes in diurnal rhythmicity of these genes following chronic cocaine, which were regionally specific. Taken together, these studies point to selective disruptions in Per gene rhythmicity in striatial regions following chronic cocaine treatment, which are mediated primarily by NPAS2. © 2013 Falcon et al

Modelling the human epidermis in vitro: tools for basic and applied research

Culture models of tissues and organs are valuable tools developed by basic research that help investigation of the body functions. Modelling is aimed at simplifying experimental procedures in order to better understand biological phenomena, and consequently, when sufficiently characterized, culture models can also be utilized with high potential in applied research. In skin biology and pathology, the development of cultures of keratinocytes as monolayers has allowed the elucidation of most functional and structural characteristics of the cell type. Beside the multiple great successes that have been obtained with this type of culture, this review draws attention on several neglected characteristics of monolayer cultures. The more sophisticated models created in order to reconstruct the fully differentiated epidermis have followed the monolayers. The epidermal reconstruction produces all typical layers found in vivo and thus makes the model much less simple, but only this kind of model allows the study of full differentiation in keratinocyte and production of the cornified barrier. In addition to its interest in basic research, the reconstructed epidermis is currently gaining a lot of interest for applied research, particularly as an alternative to laboratory animals in the chemical and cosmetic industry. Today several commercial providers propose reconstructed skin or epidermis, but in vitro assays on these materials are still under development. In order to be beneficial at long term, the validation of assays must be performed on a material whose availability will not be interrupted. We warn here providers and customers that the longevity of in vitro assays will be guaranteed only if these assays are done with well-described models, prepared according to published procedures, and must consider having a minimum of two independent simultaneous producers of similar material

Socializing One Health: an innovative strategy to investigate social and behavioral risks of emerging viral threats

In an effort to strengthen global capacity to prevent, detect, and control infectious diseases in animals and people, the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Emerging Pandemic Threats (EPT) PREDICT project funded development of regional, national, and local One Health capacities for early disease detection, rapid response, disease control, and risk reduction. From the outset, the EPT approach was inclusive of social science research methods designed to understand the contexts and behaviors of communities living and working at human-animal-environment interfaces considered high-risk for virus emergence. Using qualitative and quantitative approaches, PREDICT behavioral research aimed to identify and assess a range of socio-cultural behaviors that could be influential in zoonotic disease emergence, amplification, and transmission. This broad approach to behavioral risk characterization enabled us to identify and characterize human activities that could be linked to the transmission dynamics of new and emerging viruses. This paper provides a discussion of implementation of a social science approach within a zoonotic surveillance framework. We conducted in-depth ethnographic interviews and focus groups to better understand the individual- and community-level knowledge, attitudes, and practices that potentially put participants at risk for zoonotic disease transmission from the animals they live and work with, across 6 interface domains. When we asked highly-exposed individuals (ie. bushmeat hunters, wildlife or guano farmers) about the risk they perceived in their occupational activities, most did not perceive it to be risky, whether because it was normalized by years (or generations) of doing such an activity, or due to lack of information about potential risks. Integrating the social sciences allows investigations of the specific human activities that are hypothesized to drive disease emergence, amplification, and transmission, in order to better substantiate behavioral disease drivers, along with the social dimensions of infection and transmission dynamics. Understanding these dynamics is critical to achieving health security--the protection from threats to health-- which requires investments in both collective and individual health security. Involving behavioral sciences into zoonotic disease surveillance allowed us to push toward fuller community integration and engagement and toward dialogue and implementation of recommendations for disease prevention and improved health security

Chitosan microchannel scaffolds for tendon tissue engineering characterized using optical coherence tomography.

Tendon tissue engineering requires the generation of a uniaxially orientated collagen type I matrix with several organization scales that confer mechanical functionality upon the tendon. A combination of factors in a dose- and time-dependent manner, such as growth factors and mechanical environment, may be the key to an in vitro-engineered tendon. To define the progress of tissue development within a scaffold, on-line systems need to be applied to monitor the newly generated matrix. To address this challenge, we designed a new porous chitosan scaffold with microchannels (diameter: 250 microm), which allows primary porcine tenocytes to proliferate in a bundle-like structure. The cell proliferation and extracellular matrix (ECM) production within the microchannels were successfully assessed under sterile conditions using optical coherence tomography (OCT). A semi-quantitative method that calculated the microchannel occupation ratio (the degree of cell proliferation and tissue turnover based on the total backscattered intensity in the microchannels) was developed. We further investigated the effect of different culture conditions on tendon cell matrix formation. Using a perfusion bioreactor, we demonstrated how fluid flow can increase (p < 1e(3)) ECM production within the microchannels significantly more than static culture. Our study illustrates how using a guiding scaffold in combination with the fast and non-destructive assessment of the microstructure using OCT allows discrimination between the parameters affecting the production and the organization of the ECM

Prevalence of chronic pain with neuropathic characteristics: a randomized telephone survey among medical center patients in Kuwait

Nadia Zghoul,1 Edgar L Ross,2 Robert R Edwards,2 Adel Ahmed,1,3 Robert N Jamison2 1Clinical Research Department, Dasman Diabetes Institute, Kuwait&nbsp;City, Kuwait; 2Department of&nbsp;Anesthesiology, Pain Management Center, Brigham and Women&rsquo;s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA; 3Faculty of&nbsp;Medicine, Kuwait University, Safat,&nbsp;Kuwait Background: Chronic pain with neuropathic characteristics is considered to be an international health problem. However, surveys on the actual incidence of neuropathic pain have not been conducted in many Middle East countries, including Kuwait. The aim of this study was to examine the incidence of pain and medical comorbidities among a random sample of patients treated at a large medical center in Kuwait. Methods: A list of 1,000 patients was created from the hospital medical record system, and a telephone survey was conducted on 759 patients who responded to the phone call, of which 67.2% (N=510) participated. Those who stated that they had pain every day for the past 3&nbsp;months were invited to answer additional questions about their pain. Results: Fifty-six percentage of those surveyed (N=283) reported experiencing chronic pain. Total average age was 49.2 years (SD=14.5), 45.5% were female, and 70.5% were Kuwaiti nationals. Most (74.3%) reported having diabetes and one-third (32.2%) showed evidence of neuropathic pain characteristics (mean DN4=2.8, SD=1.7). Other comorbid medical conditions were prevalent (48.4% hypertension, 30.4% arthritis, 22.6% heart disease, and 20.4% asthma) with an average of 2.3 (SD=1.3) medical problems per person. Those with pain tended to be older, female, unemployed, and overweight (p&lt;0.01). The pain was mostly located in the lower extremities and those with neuropathic pain tended to report a higher intensity of pain and a higher frequency of seeking treatment for their pain in a clinic or hospital (p&lt;0.05). Most relied on over-the-counter medications for their pain (38.1%). Very few were taking prescription medication for their pain. Conclusion: This survey suggests that chronic pain is more prevalent in a medical population in Kuwait than previously anticipated. Health care services and behavioral interventions to improve lifestyle changes in Kuwait and other Arab countries are needed to positively impact pain and reduce other comorbidities. Keywords: chronic pain, medical comorbidities, gender differences, Kuwait, weight, diabetes mellitus, health behavio

Prevalence of chronic pain with neuropathic characteristics: a randomized telephone survey among medical center patients in Kuwait

Background: Chronic pain with neuropathic characteristics is considered to be an international health problem. However, surveys on the actual incidence of neuropathic pain have not been conducted in many Middle East countries, including Kuwait. The aim of this study was to examine the incidence of pain and medical comorbidities among a random sample of patients treated at a large medical center in Kuwait. Methods: A list of 1,000 patients was created from the hospital medical record system, and a telephone survey was conducted on 759 patients who responded to the phone call, of which 67.2% (N=510) participated. Those who stated that they had pain every day for the past 3 months were invited to answer additional questions about their pain. Results: Fifty-six percentage of those surveyed (N=283) reported experiencing chronic pain. Total average age was 49.2 years (SD=14.5), 45.5% were female, and 70.5% were Kuwaiti nationals. Most (74.3%) reported having diabetes and one-third (32.2%) showed evidence of neuropathic pain characteristics (mean DN4=2.8, SD=1.7). Other comorbid medical conditions were prevalent (48.4% hypertension, 30.4% arthritis, 22.6% heart disease, and 20.4% asthma) with an average of 2.3 (SD=1.3) medical problems per person. Those with pain tended to be older, female, unemployed, and overweight (p<0.01). The pain was mostly located in the lower extremities and those with neuropathic pain tended to report a higher intensity of pain and a higher frequency of seeking treatment for their pain in a clinic or hospital (p<0.05). Most relied on over-the-counter medications for their pain (38.1%). Very few were taking prescription medication for their pain. Conclusion: This survey suggests that chronic pain is more prevalent in a medical population in Kuwait than previously anticipated. Health care services and behavioral interventions to improve lifestyle changes in Kuwait and other Arab countries are needed to positively impact pain and reduce other comorbidities

Alu-repeat Polymorphism in the Tissue Plasminogen Activator (T-PA) Gene, Seminal T-PA Concentration, and Male Fertility Impairment: A Case-control Study

Background: Tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) is a protein involved in the fibrinolytic system that catalyzes the conversion of plasminogen into the active plasmin. The activity of t-PA is controlled by plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. t-PA has crucial functions during spermatogenesis. One polymorphism was reported for t-PA gene, either the presence of a 300-bp Alu-repeat (Alu+) or its absence (Alu−). Objective: The current work aimed at studying the association between Alu polymorphism in the t-PA gene and male infertility. Materials and Methods: Using polymerase chain reaction on genomic DNA isolated from the blood of 79 participants, a region polymorphic for Alu element insertion in t-PA gene was amplified. In addition, total t-PA concentration, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1/t-PA complex concentration, and t-PA activity in seminal plasma were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The results indicate that the percentage of infertile participants (n = 50) who were homozygous for t-PA Alu insertion (Alu+/+), heterozygous Alu+/− or homozygous for t-PA Alu deletion (Alu−/−) did not change significantly (p = 0.43, 0.81, and 0.85, respectively) when compared with the control participants (n = 29). On the other hand, a significant decrease (p = 0.0001) of t-PA total concentration in seminal plasma was observed in the infertile group in comparison with the control group. However, the results indicate that there is no association between the t-PA Alu different genotypes and the total t-PA seminal concentration in the infertile group when compared to the control group (p = 0.63). Conclusion: Data obtained from the current study does not support an association between t-PA Alu polymorphism and t-PA seminal concentration or male infertility. Key words: Alu element, Male infertility, Semen, Spermatogenesis, t-PA