Glycine Supplementation Ameliorates Retinal Neuronal Damage in an Experimental Model of Diabetes in Rats: A Light and Electron Microscopic Study

Purpose: To investigate the potential neuroprotective effect of glycine supplementation on the retinal ultrastructure of streptozocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Methods: Adult male Wistar rats weighing 200–250 g (n = 40) were randomly divided into four groups of 10 each: normal group (C), glycine + normal group (G), STZ group (D), and glycine + STZ group (DG). The G and DG groups received glycine (130 mM and 1% w/v) freely in their drinking water seven days after the induction of diabetes for up to 16 weeks. Retinal samples for histopathology were examined using light and electron microscopy. Results: Diabetes-induced histological changes were attenuated in the retinas of rats in the DG group. The ultrastructural alterations produced by experimental diabetes in the inner nuclear layer, outer nuclear layer, and ganglion cell layer were significantly ameliorated by glycine supplementation. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that glycine supplementation effectively attenuates retinal neuronal damage in experimental diabetic rats, and thus may be a potential candidate to protect retinal ultrastructure against diabetes

Third eyelid in the small Indian mongoose (Herpestes javanicus): a morphological and histological study

The Indian mongoose (Herpestes javanicus) is native to parts of Asia, Iran. The purpose of this study was to describe the gross anatomy of the cartilage and histology of the superficial gland of the third eyelid of two adult mongooses. The animals, in terminal stages of disease and near death due to aging or unknown reasons, were referred from Park Zoo (Shiraz, Iran) to our center. By using a modified maceration technique, the morphological characteristics of the cartilage were examined. For histological examinations of the superficial gland of the third eyelid, the samples were stained with haematoxylin and eosin. Also, to detect the elastic fibers in the cartilage sections were stained with orcein and Weigert’s resorcin-fuchsin. The cartilage consisted of an ovoid appendix and a mild reverse sigmoid crossbar. Elastic fibers were scattered throughout the cartilage but were more concentrated in the center. The superficial gland of the third eyelid was compound tubuloacinar with serous acini.

Embedded Journalism and the Coverage of Iraq 2003 War: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Fox News Website

Noam Chomsky has discussed the bias of American media in covering events according to political economy interests and pro-Israeli position, for instance. Looking for the connections between public opinion and the media, focusing on the position of the American government during the first Gulf War, as Mueller, Seaver and Page stated, shows that the United States government has been trying to influence the media in critical situations like wartime. In this study, we are attempting to evaluate Embedded Journalism as a new method of coverage in the Iraq 2003 War. There are plenty of studies in the field of embedded journalism; however, this study is going to measure the objectivity of the Foxnews’ coverage, according to Mindich theory (2000). The study is concentrating on Americans invasion to Iraq in 2003 (from March 20 to April 9, 2003), that have been coined by journalists as “The Fall of Baghdad”. In this study 217 articles of clip descriptions and leads of live reports of embedded journalists have been analyzed

Intraspecific anatomical variations of the extensor tendons of the carpus and digits with a reexamination of their insertion sites in the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris): a cadaveric study

Abstract Background The aim of the current study was to investigate the frequency of variations of the extensor tendons of the carpus and digits in the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) with a reexamination of their insertions as well as the morphometric measurements of the tendons and the brachioradialis muscle. In total, we investigated 68 paired thoracic limbs of the domestic dog (16 females and 18 males) which were fixed in a 10% formalin solution. Results The extensor carpi radialis (ECR) tendons showed striking variations in both splitting and insertion sites. In 4.4% of dissections, ECR had three tendons. Of these tendons, the extra tendon either attached independently on the fourth metacarpal bone (one right) or joined its counterpart tendon at the distal end (cross-connections) (one bilateral). It is worth mentioning that one of the ECR tendons split into two or three slips which inserted on the first, second, third, or fourth metacarpal bone in 11 (16.2%) of the specimens. In addition, we found a long tendinous slip originating from the ECR tendons to digit II or III in 7.4% of the distal limbs. The most common type of contribution to digit III was a third tendon of the extensor digiti I et II (ED III) joining the extensor digitorum lateralis (EDL III) with a frequency of 17.6%. In other types of variations, the contribution to digit III was incomplete. A part of the abductor pollicis longus (APL) deep to the superficial part of the flexor retinaculum seemed to continue up to the flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) tendon. Conclusions The rare intraspecific variations of the extensor tendons of the manus described in the current research are valuable from both clinical and phylogenetic perspectives. Nonetheless, their functional importance needs more studies

Short-term effects of date palm extract (Phoenix dactylifera) on ischemia/reperfusion injury induced by testicular torsion/detorsion in rats

This find is registered at Portable Antiquities of the Netherlands with number PAN-0002772

Glycine Supplementation Ameliorates Retinal Neuronal Damage in an Experimental Model of Diabetes in Rats: A Light and Electron Microscopic Study

Purpose: To investigate the potential neuroprotective effect of glycine supplementation on the retinal ultrastructure of streptozocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Methods: Adult male Wistar rats weighing 200–250 g (n = 40) were randomly divided into four groups of 10 each: normal group (C), glycine + normal group (G), STZ group (D), and glycine + STZ group (DG). The G and DG groups received glycine (130 mM and 1% w/v) freely in their drinking water seven days after the induction of diabetes for up to 16 weeks. Retinal samples for histopathology were examined using light and electron microscopy. Results: Diabetes-induced histological changes were attenuated in the retinas of rats in the DG group. The ultrastructural alterations produced by experimental diabetes in the inner nuclear layer, outer nuclear layer, and ganglion cell layer were significantly ameliorated by glycine supplementation. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that glycine supplementation effectively attenuates retinal neuronal damage in experimental diabetic rats, and thus may be a potential candidate to protect retinal ultrastructure against diabetes

Correlation between Vocal Fatigue Index and Voice Handicap Index scores in persons with laryngeal pathologies

Background: Voice is the unique means of human’s verbal expression, which is produced in the larynx. Laryngeal pathologies can coexist with vocal fatigue and a feeling of voice handicap. The aim of this study was to determine descriptive statistics of males and females and compare the related means. Meanwhile, it was attempted to determine the correlation between Vocal Fatigue Index (VFI) and Voice Handicap Index (VHI).    Methods: This is a cross-sectional and descriptive-analytic study conducted on 110 patients with laryngeal pathologies. Fifty four participants were males with mean age of 43.7 years (SD=15.6), and 56 were females with mean age of 40.1 years (SD=11.1). Data was analyzed using SPSS 21 at a significance level of P<0.05. Descriptive statistics, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Spearman and Pearson’s co-efficient of correlation, paired t-test, and Mann-Whitney U test were used.    Results: There was significant correlation between the tiredness and physical discomfort factors of VFI and VHI in patients with laryngeal pathologies (P<0.05). In these patients only the correlation of third factor of VFI with factors of VHI was not significant.    Conclusion: The findings of this study indicated that the feeling of vocal fatigue, and especially tiredness, may lead to the feeling of vocal handicap in patients with laryngeal pathologies. According to the findings, females may have significantly more physical discomfort than males, which needs more attention in future studies

Quantitative Limbic System Mapping of Main Cognitive Domains in Multiple Sclerosis

Background and objectiveCognitive impairment (CI) is common in multiple sclerosis (MS), but underlying mechanisms and their imaging correlates are not completely understood. The gray and white matter structures of the limbic system (LS) play crucial roles in different aspects of cognition. To investigate their role in MS related CI, and since a detailed evaluations are lacking in the literature, we used a comprehensive neuroimaging approach to evaluate CI’s correlations with the main components of the LS.MethodsTen non-cognitively impaired MS patients and 30 MS patients with diagnosed CI, who underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation were included in the analysis. Microstructural integrity, volumetry of main limbic gray and white matter structures and cortical thickness were assessed for associations with CI.ResultsFornix and cingulum/cingulate cortices were found to be the strongest correlates of CI in MS. As expected, LS’ gray and white matter structures were involved in various cognitive functions. Uncinate fasciculi showed significant correlation with verbal and visuospatial learning and memory, phonemic and semantic fluency; hippocampi with visuospatial skills, phonemic and semantic fluency, executive functions, and processing speed; thalami with verbal learning, visuospatial skills, semantic fluency; and amygdala with verbal recognition discrimination.ConclusionThis comprehensive neuroimaging approach elucidated the role of the main limbic structures in cognitive functions associated with MS-related CI