Diazinon has been widely used as a domestic and agricultural pesticide. This study examined the effects of diazinon on bone mineral density (BMD) of mature and immature rats. For this purpose, 24 ...adult Wistar rats (male; 8 weeks old) were initially divided into four groups (n = 6). Corn oil was used as the control while diazinon at 15, 30, and 45 mg/kg in corn oil was given to mature rats via gavage per day. Since these dosages were lethal for the immature rats, 12 immature Wistar rats (male; 4 weeks old) (n = 6) were gavaged with corn oil as control and 5 mg/kg of diazinon in corn oil. The animals were sacrificed on day 28 with their left femur bones removed for histomorphometric studies. BMD was measured in the right femur, using standardized radiographs in the femoral head, femoral neck, greater trochanter, and shaft. The Image J Program was used for measuring the bone lamellae and epiphyseal growth plates. The results of this study for the first time revealed that diazinon reduced BMD in both adults and immature rats. Diazinon exposure was associated with diminished trabecular and cortical bone density. Correspondingly, our results indicated that in immature rats, DZN led to the reduction in the epiphyseal growth plate width, both in the proliferation and hypertrophic zones. These results suggested that diazinon might be associated with impaired bone longitudinal growth as well as bone metabolism in adults.
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NUK, OILJ, SAZU, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
•Proposal of a novel cogeneration of power, cooling, and heating using solar energy.•Utilization of zeotropic mixtures for efficiency improvement.•Evaluation of the system performance from the energy ...and exergy viewpoints.•Highest exergy and energy efficiencies of 20.26% and 15.81%.
In this study, a novel power, cooling, and heating cogeneration system was devised. In the proposed system, parabolic trough solar collectors were used as the primary energy source. Also, the zeotropic mixtures were employed as the working fluid of the dual-pressure organic Rankine and ejector refrigeration cycles for efficiency improvement. The system was analyzed from the energy and exergy viewpoints in MATLAB software using library data of Refprop and Coolprop toolboxes for obtaining the thermodynamic properties of working fluids. The best performance of the system was obtained under some circumstances, including a constant rate of solar radiation (DNI) as 1000W·m-2 and using 410 solar collectors with an area of 28976m2, and employing Pentane (0.5)/Trans-2-Butene (0.5) and Isobutane (0.2)/Isopentane (0.8) as the zeotropic working fluids in the dual-pressure organic Rankine cycle and the ejector refrigeration cycle. In these conditions, the electrical power, cooling load, and heating capacity were calculated by 4082.6kW, 51.52kW, and 1 616.4kW. Also, total exergy loss of the system was obtained by 22.19MW, and the highest exergy and energy efficiencies were computed by 20.26% and 15.81%, respectively.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Our knowledge of mechanisms involved in the meiosis of chicken germ cells is very limited. In mammalian fetal ovaries, the onset of meiosis is dependent on retinoic acid and subsequent upregulation ...of the Stra8 gene. To clarify the mechanism of meiotic initiation in chicken germ cells, we investigated the role of Cyp26b1, a retinoic acid‐degrading enzyme. The Cyp26b1‐inhibitor, ketoconazole was used to treat the ex vivo‐cultured stage 36 gonads/mesonephroi. Then, the progression of meiosis was studied by histological and immunohistochemical analysis and the level of the transcript for Stra8 was evaluated by a quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction in individual ketoconazole‐treated gonads after 6 days in culture.
The results revealed that meiosis was induced in both testes and right ovary upon inhibition of Cyp26b1 in the ex vivo‐cultured gonads, despite downregulation of Stra8 messenger RNA in the treated gonads. Also, meiosis was observed only when mesonephros was cultured alongside the left ovary.
These findings demonstrate that in chicken, Stra8 is not the only factor for the entrance into meiosis, and Cyp26b1 and mesonephros play critical regulatory roles for the sex‐specific timing of meiotic initiation in birds.
Ketoconazole inhibition of Cyp26b1 in non‐meiotic gonads allows Stra8‐independent initiation of meiosis, only in the presence of mesonephros. The meiosis initiation occurs in the left ovarian cortex (where Cyp26b1 is absent) of ex vivo‐cultured female embryos (ZW), only when the mesonephros remains attached. This suggests that a factor or factors other than retinoic acid (the inducer of Stra8), are able to travel from the mesonephros to the ovary to induce meiosis. Ketoconazole inhibition of Cyp26b1, despite the reduction of Stra8 expression, led to the meiotic initiation (only in the presence of mesonephros) in non‐meiotic gonads (i.e., the two testes and the right ovary).
HIGHLIGHTS
Cyp26b1 inhibition initiates meiosis in the ex vivo‐cultured embryonic non‐meiotic gonads
Initiation of meiosis in Cyp26b1‐inhibited gonads is not associated with Stra8 upregulation
The presence of mesonephros is critical for meiosis initiation
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
In this study, the impact of thiamine (Thi), N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), and dexamethasone (DEX) were investigated in axotomized rats, as a model for neural injury.
Sixty-five axotomized rats were ...divided into two different experimental approaches, the first experiments included five study groups (n=5): intrathecal Thi (Thi.it), intraperitoneal (Thi), NAC, DEX, and control. Cell survival was assessed in L5DRG in the 4
week by histological assessment. In the second study, 40 animals were engaged to assess
,
,
, and
expression in L4-L5DRG in the 1
and 2
weeks after sural nerve axotomy under treatment of these agents (n=10).
Ghost cells were observed in morphological assessment of L5DRG sections, and following stereological analysis, the volume and neuronal cell counts significantly were improved in the NAC and Thi.it groups in the 4
week (
<0.05). Although
expression did not show significant differences,
was reduced in the Thi group (
=0.01); and the
ratio increased in the NAC group (1
week,
<0.01). Furthermore, the
and
expression decreased in the Thi and NAC groups, on the 1
week of treatment (
≤0.05 and
<0.01). However, in the 2
week, the
expression in both Thi and NAC groups (
<0.01), and the
expression in the DEX group (
=0.05) were significantly decreased.
The findings may classify Thi in the category of peripheral neuroprotective agents, in combination with routine medications. Furthermore, it had strong cell survival effects as it could interfere with the destructive effects of
by increasing
.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Objective： To investigate the effects of hydro-alcoholic extract of Launaea acanthodes, a blood glucose lowering plant in folk medicine of Iran, on the structure of seminiferous tubules and serum ...gonadotropin and testosterone levels in hyperglycemic rats. Methods： Twenty-four Wistar rats were randomly allocated into 4 groups （n=6）： control, streptozotocin （STZ）, STZ ＋ insulin STZ ＋ Ins, 5 IU/（kg·day）, and STZ ＋ Launaea acanthodes extract STZ ＋ Ext, 150 mg/（kg·day）. Blood samples were collected at the 2nd and 4th weeks for detection of testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone （FSH） and luteinizing hormone （LH） with enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay （ELISA）, and the dght testes of rats were removed at the 7th week for the evaluation of diameter and wall thickness of seminiferous tubules and number of Leydig cells using unbiased stereological techniques. Results： in comparison with the control group, at the 2nd week FSH （0.45 vs 0.03, 0.02, 0.02 lUlL in STZ, STZ ＋ Ins and STZ ＋ Ext groups, respectively） and LH （1.02 vs 0.37, 0.2, 0.29 IU/L） showed significant decreases （all P〈0.05） and testosterone （4.2 vs 8.37, 7.78, 11.8 ng/mL） showed a remarkable increase （all P〈0.05）. The levels of these hormones became closer in the STZ ＋ Ext and the STZ ＋ Ins groups to the control at the 4th week. A significant decrease in diameter and wall thickness of seminiferous tubules and number of Leydig cells were observed in the STZ group as compared with the control （P〈0.01）. Conclusions： Administration of Launaea extract demonstrated a beneficial impact on the protection of testis from pathogenic and degenerative effects of hyperglycemia which may be partly due to its potential antioxidative effects.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
We investigated the expression of OCC-1 at mRNA level during retinoic acid (RA) induced differentiation of mouse embryonic carcinoma P19 pluripotent cancer cells by quantitative real time PCR (qPCR). ...By employing four-fold serial dilutions of P19 cDNA, standard curves were generated for the reference gene (L37) and the gene of interest (OCC-1). PCR efficiencies for L37 and OCC-1 were calculated. Since the amplification efficiencies of these two genes were unequal, the standard curve method was used for the relative quantification of OCC-1. Data analysis revealed that the expression of OCC-1 was reduced by about 69% after 4-day treatment with RA, when significant down-regulation of key pluripotency factors, including OCT4 and Nanog was observed 1.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
In traditional medicine, extracts of polysaccharide-containing plants are widely employed for the treatment of cutaneus wounds. The brittle star, as one of marine organisms, encompasses bioactive ...compounds, which confer the healing potency of damaged arms. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of extracted polysaccharide from the Persian Gulf brittle star )Ophiocoma erinaceus( on male Wistar rat skin wound healing. In this experimental study, 60 male Wistar rats were divided randomly into 5 groups including control, positive control (treatment with honey), experimental 1 to 3 (treatment with 12.5, 25, 37.5 mg/kg body weight of extracted polysaccharide, respectively). In all groups, the wound was inflicted in the posterior part of the body of rats. Then, rats were treated locally. On the 3th, 7th, 10th and 14th days, samples were collected from the healing hole and histological changes were investigated by light microscopy. Then, quantitative data were analyzed by SPSS software, one-way ANOVA at the level of p<0.05. Microscopic results showed that, in treated wounds by 37.5 mg/kg of extracted polysaccharide, as well as positive control, the re-epithelialization, the angiogenesis and the attenuation of inflammatory cells were significantly improved in comparison with the control group. Maximum epithelium thickness (on the 7th day) and minimum inflammatory cells (on the 14th day) were observed in the experimental group 3 (treated with 37.5 mg/kg of extracted polysaccharide) and positive control, as compared with the control group (p≤0.05). The findings of this research indicated that the polysaccharide extracted from O. erinaceus accelerated the cutaneus wound healing in male rats, which can be used as a natural component in the development of natural source agents for the treatment of cutaneous wounds.
Mild to moderate-intensity endurance exercise training combined with hind-limb blood flow restriction (BFR) induces elderly heart rejuvenation and improves cardiac inotropy and resistance to ...ischemia. However, the mediators of these beneficial effects are still not well known. The present study investigated the possible role of some important molecules in the mediatory of this model of exercise training in the promotion of heart health in aged rats. Male old Wistar rats randomly were divided into control-sham (CTL), hind limbs blood flow restriction (BFR), sham-operated plus 10 weeks’ treadmill exercise training (Ex), and BFR plus exercise (BFR + Ex) groups. Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), contractility, and Tau indices were measured. ELISA and western blot tests were used for measuring determined cardiac biochemical factors. BFR + Ex displayed significantly lower LVEDP (
P
< 0.05 and
P
< 0.01 vs. Ex, and other groups, respectively), improved heart cardiac contractility (
P
< 0.01), and significantly reduced Tau index in comparison with other groups. BFR + Ex significantly reduced both BAX and BAX to BCL2 ratio (
P
< 0.05) and as well MDA to TAC ratio (
P
< 0.05, compared to the CTL group). Also, BFR + Ex significantly increased the level of klotho (
P
< 0.05) and PGC1-α (
P
< 0.001) proteins compared to the CTL group but had no significant effect on P-STAT3 expression. Exercise training alone increased Apelin protein (
P
< 0.05). Our findings suggest that mild to moderate BFR endurance training improves heart performance in the aging rat partly through ameliorating apoptosis, recovering redox balance, improving the longevity factor klotho, and increasing the key energy metabolism regulator PGC1-α.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
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