Ultrastructure of cytoplasmic fragments in human cleavage stage embryos

Purpose: The goal of this study was to evaluate the ultrastructure of cytoplasmic fragments along with the effect of cytoplasmic fragment and perivitelline space coarse granulation removal (cosmetic microsurgery) from embryos before embryo transfer on ART outcomes. Methods: One hundred and fifty intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles with male factor infertility were included in this prospective study. Patients were divided into three groups of case (n = 50), sham (n = 50), and control (n = 50). Embryos with 10–50 % fragmentation were included in this study. Cosmetic microsurgery and zona assisted hatching were only performed in case and sham groups respectively. Extracted fragments were evaluated ultrastructurally by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Rates of clinical pregnancy, live birth, miscarriage, multiple pregnancies, and congenital anomaly in the three groups were also compared. Results: Micrographs from TEM showed that mitochondria were the most abundant structures found in the fragments along with mitochondria-vesicle complexes, Golgi apparatus, primary lysosomes, and vacuoles. There were no significant differences in demographic characteristics, laboratory and clinical data, or embryo morphological features between the groups. The rate of clinical pregnancy in control, sham, and case groups had no significant differences (24, 18, and 18 %, respectively). The rates of live birth, miscarriage, multiple pregnancy, and congenital anomaly were also similar between the different groups. Conclusions: Our data demonstrated that cosmetic microsurgery on preimplantation embryos had no beneficial effect on ART outcomes in unselected groups of patients. As mitochondria are the most abundant organelles found in cytoplasmic fragments, fragment removal should be performed with more caution in embryos with moderate fragmentation

Gene Diversity of Trichomonas vaginalis Isolates

Background: Trichomonas vaginalis is protozoan parasite responsible for trichomoniasis and is more common in high-risk behavior group such as prostitute individuals. Interest in trichomoni­asis is due to increase one's susceptibility to viruses such as herpes, human papillomavirus and HIV. The aim of this study was to find genotypic differences between the isolates.Methods: Forty isolates from prisoners' women in Tehran province were used in this study. The random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique was used to determine genetic differ­ences among isolates and was correlated with patient's records. By each primer the banding pat­tern size of each isolates was scored (bp), genetic differences were studied, and the genealogical tree was constructed by using NTSYS software program and UPGMA method.Results: The least number of bands were seen by using primer OPD8 and the most by using OPD3. Results showed no significant difference in isolates from different geographical areas in Iran. By using primer OPD1 specific amplified fragment with length 1300 base pair were found in only 8 isolates. All these isolates were belonged to addicted women; however, six belonged to asymptomatic patients and two to symptomatic ones.Conclusion: There was not much genetic diversity in T vaginalis isolates from three different geo­graphical areas

Positive emotion regulation strategies as mediators in depression and generalized anxiety disorder symptoms: A Transdiagnostic framework investigation

Positive emotion regulation (ER) strategies may contribute to the development and maintenance of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and depression; nonetheless, the underlying and transdiagnostic mechanisms are still unknown. To examine: 1) the mediating role of positive ER strategies in the relationship between ER deficits and experiential avoidance in GAD and depression symptoms; 2) differences in positive ER strategies among participants with elevated symptoms of GAD, depression, depression comorbid with GAD, and a nonclinical sample. 532 Tehran University students completed questionnaires assessing experiential avoidance, deficits in ER, positive ER strategies (dampening, positive rumination), and GAD and depression symptoms. Differences were assessed in four groups: GAD, depression, depression comorbid with GAD, and nonclinical. Data were analysed with path analysis and MANCOVA. Dampening and positive rumination mediated the relationship between deficits in ER and experiential avoidance in participants with depression and GAD symptoms. As for the between groups comparisons, the comorbid group obtained the highest scores on dampening and the nonclinical group the lowest. By contrast, nonclinical participants had the highest scores on positive rumination, whereas the comorbid group had the lowest. Positive ER strategies might be transdiagnostic variables. Dampening was more associated with psychopathology than positive rumination, suggesting that this strategy could be more clearly considered a transdiagnostic factor. Future studies with clinical samples must support this suggestion

Apanteles laspeyresiellus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a new record for Iran insect fauna

این تحقیق در سال 1385 به منظور شناسایی زنبورهای پارازیتویید لارو‌ کرم گلوگاه انار،Ectomyelois ceratoniae (Zeller) (Lep.: Pyralidae: Phycitinae) در روستای حسن‌آباد واقع در 50 کیلومتری جنوب شهر قم انجام شد. در نتیجه‌ی این تحقیق، دو گونه زنبور از خانواده‌ی Braconidae شامل Bracon (Habrobracon) hebetor (Say) و Apanteles laspeyresiellus Papp جمع‌آوری و شناسایی شد که گونه‌ی دوم برای اولین‌بار از ایران گزارش می‌شود

Cardiochiles fallax (Hym.: Braconidae), a new species record for Iran

در این تحقیق که در سال 1388 به‌منظور شناسایی زنبورهای پارازیتوئید شب‌پره‌ی دانه‌خوار سویا، Etiella zinckenella (Treitschke) (Lep.: Pyralidae)، در روستای حسن‌آباد استان فارس صورت گرفت، دو گونه زنبور از خانواده‌ی Braconidae شامل‌ Cardiochiles fallax Kokujev و Ascogaster quadridentata Wesmael جمع‌آوری و شناسایی شد که گونه‌ی اول برای اولین بار از ایران گزارش می‌شود. شب‌پره‌ی دانه‌خوار سویا نیز میزبان جدید برای هر دو گونه می‌باشد

The first report of Microplitis fulvicornis (Hym.: Braconidae: Microgastrinae) as a parasitoid of Spodoptera exigua (Lep.: Noctuidae) from Iran

طی انجام پژوهشی روی جدول زندگی صحرایی شب‌پره Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) در استان خراسان رضوی، زنبور پارازیتوئید Microplitis fulvicornis (Wesmael) متعلق به خانواده Braconidae جمع‌آوری شد. افراد این زنبور از داخل لاروهای سن سوم S. exigua خارج شدند. نام علمی این زنبور توسط نگارنده آخر تأیید شد. این گونه برای اولین‌بار از ایران گزارش می‌شود

Review of post-process optical form metrology for industrial-grade metal additive manufactured parts

The scope of this review is to investigate the main post-process optical form measurement technologies available in industry today and to determine whether they are applicable to industrial-grade metal additive manufactured parts. An in-depth review of the operation of optical three-dimensional form measurement technologies applicable to metal additive manufacturing is presented, with a focus on their fundamental limitations. Looking into the future, some alternative candidate measurement technologies potentially applicable to metal additive manufacturing will be discussed, which either provide higher accuracy than currently available techniques but lack measurement volume, or inversely, which operate in the appropriate measurement volume but are not currently accurate enough to be used for industrial measurement

Barium effect on germination, plant growth, and antioxidant enzymes in Cucumis sativus L. plants

Barium (Ba) is a nonessential element that can cause several deleterious effects in most organisms. Elevated Ba concentrations can be toxic for plants and may affect growth and disturbances in homeostasis. This study aimed to evaluate the Ba stress, the plant-tolerance limits, and the detoxification strategy adopted by Cucumis sativus L. The effect of Ba on seed's germination and vegetative development of this species was evaluated. For germination test, different Ba concentrations were used (0, 200, 500, 1,000, and 2,000 μM). Results showed that germination was stimulated with 500 and 2,000 µM of Ba. The toxicity effect on plant development was studied by treating the plants with increasing doses of Ba (100, 200, 300, and 500 μM) during 45 days. Shoot and root dry biomass production decreased significantly with elevated Ba concentrations, although water content enhanced in the roots. The concentration of Ba, 500 µM, induced high Ba accumulation in shoots and roots (9 times higher than in the control plants). Moreover, results showed that catalase, guaiacol peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase activities were stimulated in the different tissues of cucumber plants which highlight the occurring of an oxidative damage through Ba treatments and the involvement of the plant enzymatic antioxidant defense system

Low levels of fruit nitrogen as drivers for the evolution of Madagascar's primate communities

The uneven representation of frugivorous mammals and birds across tropical regions – high in the New World, low in Madagascar and intermediate in Africa and Asia – represents a long-standing enigma in ecology. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain these differences but the ultimate drivers remain unclear. Here, we tested the hypothesis that fruits in Madagascar contain insufficient nitrogen to meet primate metabolic requirements, thus constraining the evolution of frugivory. We performed a global analysis of nitrogen in fruits consumed by primates, as collated from 79 studies. Our results showed that average frugivory among lemur communities was lower compared to New World and Asian-African primate communities. Fruits in Madagascar contain lower average nitrogen than those in the New World and Old World. Nitrogen content in the overall diets of primate species did not differ significantly between major taxonomic radiations. There is no relationship between fruit protein and the degree of frugivory among primates either globally or within regions, with the exception of Madagascar. This suggests that low protein availability in fruits influences current lemur communities to select for protein from other sources, whereas in the New World and Old World other factors are more significant in shaping primate communities