Abstract Finite element analysis (FEA), CT based structural rigidity analysis (CTRA) and mechanical testing is performed to assess the compressive failure load of rat tibia with simulated lytic ...defects. Twenty rat tibia were randomly assigned to four equal groups ( n =5). Three of the groups included a simulated defect at various locations: anterior bone surface (Group 1), posterior bone surface (Group 2) and through bone defect (Group 3). The fourth group was a control group with no defect (Group 4). Microcomputed tomography was used to assess bone structural rigidity properties and to provide 3D model data for generation of the finite element models for each specimen. Compressive failure load calculated using CT derived rigidity parameters ( FCTRA ) was well correlated to failure load recorded in mechanical testing ( R2 =0.96). The relationships between mechanical testing failure load and the axial rigidity ( R2 =0.61), bending rigidity ( R2 =0.71) and FEA calculated failure loads, considering bone as an elastic isotropic ( R2 =0.75) and elastic transversely isotropic ( R2 =0.90) are also well correlated. CTRA stress, calculated adjacent to the defect, were also shown to be well correlated with yield stresses calculated using the minimum density at the weakest cross section ( R2 =0.72). No statistically significant relationship between apparent density and mechanical testing failure load was found ( P =0.37). In summary, the results of this study indicate that CTRA analysis of bone strength correlates well with both FEA and results obtained from compression experiments. In addition there exist a good correlation between structural rigidity parameters and experimental failure loads. In contrast, there was no correlation between average bone density and failure load.
To verify the hypothesis that the incidence of chromosomal abnormalities increases in babies conceived by different assisted reproduction procedures. The availability of the umbilical cord blood ...encouraged us to study this hypothesis via this method.
This is a descriptive study, umbilical cord blood samples of assisted reproductive technology (ART) children were analyzed with standard cytogenetic techniques (G banding). Karyotyping was possible in 109 cases.
The number of abnormal cases was four (3.7%), among which, three cases (2.8%) were inherited and only 1 case (0.9%) was a de novo translocation. In total, the incidence of de novo chromosomal abnormalities was in the range observed in all live births in the general population (0.7-1%).
No significant difference in the incidence of chromosomal abnormality was found between ART and naturally conceived babies. To date, several studies have examined the medical and developmental outcome of ART children and still have not reached a definite conclusion. Genetic counseling is recommended as an integral part of planning of treatment strategies for couples wishing to undergo ART.
There are growing numbers of recombinant proteins that have been expressed in milk. Thus one can consider the placement of any gene of interest under the control of the regulatory elements of a milk ...protein gene in a dairy farm animal. Among the transgene introducing techniques, only nuclear transfer (NT) allows 100 % efficiency and bypasses the mosaicism associated with counterpart techniques. In this study, in an attempt to produce a transgenic goat carrying the human coagulation factor IX (hFIX) transgene, goat fetal fibroblasts were electroporated with a linearized marker-free construct in which the transgene was juxtaposed to β-casein promoter designed to secret the recombinant protein in goat milk. Two different lines of transfected cells were used as donors for NT to enucleated oocytes. Two transgenic goats were liveborn. DNA sequencing of the corresponding transgene locus confirmed authenticity of the cloning procedure and the complementary experiments on the whey demonstrated expression of human factor IX in the milk of transgenic goats. In conclusion, our study has provided the groundwork for a prosperous and promising approach for large-scale production and therapeutic application of hFIX expressed in transgenic goats.
The essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation of three different stages of growth, per-flowering, flowering and post-flowering of Stachys inflata Benth. were analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Twenty-eight ...components were identified in the pre-flowering oil and flowering oil, and twenty-four components in the post-flowering oil, representing 98.3 %, 91.9 % and 90.1 % of their total oils, respectively. All three samples were characterized by higher amount of germacrene-D (30.3 %, 32.9 % and 15.4 %) and limonene (16.4 %, 15.6 % and 13.1 %), respectively. The other main component in the pre-flowering oil was α-pinene (18.5 %) and in the post-flowering oil, bicyclogermacrene (14.3 %), spathulenol (13.6 %) and α-pinene (12.1 %) were predominated.
The essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation of the aerial parts of Salvia persepolitana Benth., which is endemic to Iran, and Salvia rhytidea Benth. were analyzed by GC and GC/MS.
Manool (37.3%) ...was the main component among the twenty-three constituents characterized in the oil of S. persepolitana representing 90.0% of the total components detected.
The oil of S. rhytidea was characterized by higher amounts of terpinolene (27.0%), sabinene (17.5%) and limonene (14.9%) which were among the twenty-two components comprising 98.3% of the total oil detected.
Water-distilled essential oils from the aerial parts of Ferula szowitsiana DC. (syn. F. khorasanica Rech. F. et Aell. and F. microloba Boiss.), Artedia squamata L. and Rhabdosciadium petiolare Boiss. ...et Hausskn. ex Boiss., the last of which is endemic to Iran, were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Twenty-three components representing 100% of the oil of F. szowitsiana were identified of which alpha-pinene (12.6%), germacrene D (12.5%) and beta-pinene (10.1%) were found to be the major constituents. The oil of A. squamata was characterized by its richness in alpha-pinene (79.9%) among the 25 components comprising 99.6% of the total oil detected. Germacrene D (48.6%) was the main component among the 17 constituents characterized in the oil of R. petiolare representing 88.7% of the total components detected.
The essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from the stem, leaf, flower and root of Perovskia abrotanoides Karel. and flower, leaf and stem of Mentha longifolia L. were analyzed by GC and GC-MS. ...Camphor (41.6 %, 32.4 %, 26.2 % and 32.2 %) and 1,8-cineole (10.2 %, 32.1 %, 18.0 % and 24.5 %) were the main constituents in the stem, leaf, flower and root oils of P. abrotanoides, respectively. The other main component in the flower oil of the plant was α-pinene (16.0 %).
Piperitenone oxide (73.1 % and 52.5 %) and piperitenone (11.2 % and 27.2 %) were the main constituents in the flower and leaf oils of M. longifolia, respectively. The stem oil of the plant was characterized by higher amounts of cis-piperitone oxide (25.8 %) and borneol (13.5 %). All oils consisted mainly of oxygenated monoterpenes and small percentage of sesquiterpenes.
Colon cancer is one of the most common malignancies with significant importance. Recent theories believe that cancers are metabolic diseases. Therefore, the role of metabolism in the prevention and ...treatment of cancer has been considered and the ketogenic diet is one example. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of the ketogenic diet and a high carbohydrate diet on tumor size and number, histopathology, and insulin level as well as VEGF level in 1, 2 dymethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced colon cancer in rats. Forty adult male Wistar rats were divided into four groups as follows: control, colon cancer, ketogenic diet, and high carbohydrate diet groups. For induction of colon cancer, 30 mg/kg of 1,2 DMH solution was injected subcutaneously twice a week for 24 weeks. The results showed that the ketogenic diet reduced tumor size, number, and histopathological changes as well as VEGF level (P<0.01) compared to the colon cancer group. The ketogenic diet also increased the levels of beta hydroxyl butyrate (P<0.001) and decreased those of glucose, insulin and HbA1c (P<0.001). Furthermore, a high carbohydrate diet did not show any protective effects on colon cancer prevention. In conclusion, the ketogenic diet demonstrated prophylactic effects on colon cancer, and this anti-cancer effect could be partially attributed to the reduction in VEGF and insulin levels.
