Induction of Asherman's syndrome in rabbit

Background: Uterine synechiae or Asherman's syndrome is a condition that can cause infertility. The present experimental study was designed to establish the rabbit as an animal model for human Asherman's syndrome using the endometrial curettage

Methods: In an experimental study, female adult rabbits [n=18] were randomly divided into intact and ovariectomized groups. One third of caudal part of both uteri was submitted to traumatic endometrial curettage. One group was simultaneously ovariectomized. The intact rabbits were artificially induced ovulation during 10 days after surgery. One third of cranial part of both uteri was selected as the control. Synechiae occurring, luminal area/total area [LA/TA], endometrial area/total area [EA/TA], myometrial and perimetrial area/total area [MPA/TA], endometrial area/uterine wall area [EA/UWA], and myometrial and perimetrial area/uterine wall area [MPA/UWA] ratios of both uteri in six subdivided groups [n=6] were analysed in curetted and intact control parts. On days 15, 30 and 45 following surgery by two-way ANOVA and LSD test [p<0.05]

Results: Histopathologic findings showed significant epithelial damage together with significant inflammatory reaction in the intact curettage group. The LA/TA ratios of the intact curettage group on days 15 and 45 were more than the intact control group on day 15. The EA/TA ratio of the intact curettage group on day 30 was less than the intact control group on day 30

Conclusion: Uterine fibrosis was observed in intact curettage group, and this modified animal model showed a pathogenesis condition similar to intrauterine adhesions observed in human

Topical olive leaf extract improves healing of oral mucositis in golden hamsters

Statement of the Problem: Oral mucositis [OM] is a common side effect of anticancer drugs and needs significant attention for its prevention

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the healing effects of olive leaf extract on 5-fluorouracil-induced OM in golden hamster

Materials and Method: OM was induced in 63 male golden hamsters by the combination of 5-fluorouracil injections [days 0, 5 and 10] and the abrasion of the cheek pouch [days 3 and 4]. On day 12, hamsters were received topical olive leaf extract ointment, base of ointment, or no treatment [control] for 5 days. Histopathology evaluations, blood examinations, and tissue malondialdehyde level measurement were performed 1, 3 and 5 days after treatments

Results: Histopathology score and tissue malondialdehyde level were significantly lower in olive leaf extract treated group in comparison with control and base groups [p= 0.000]. Significant decreases in white blood cell, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and mean corpuscular volume and an increase in mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration were observed in olive leaf extract treated group in comparison with control and base groups [p< 0.05]

Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated that daily application of olive leaf extract ointment had healing effect on 5-fluorouracil induced OM in hamsters. Moreover, the beneficial effect of olive leaf extract on OM might be due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties

Transplantation of Neural Stem Cells Cultured in Alginate Scaffold for Spinal Cord Injury in Rats

STUDY DESIGN: This study investigated the effects of transplantation of alginate encapsulated neural stem cells (NSCs) on spinal cord injury in Sprague-Dawley male rats. The neurological functions were assessed for 6 weeks after transplantation along with a histological study and measurement of caspase-3 levels. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to discover whether NSCs cultured in alginate transplantation improve recovery from spinal cord injury. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Spinal cord injury is one of the leading causes of disability and it has no effective treatment. Spinal cord injury can also cause sensory impairment. With an impetus on using stem cells therapy in various central nervous system settings, there is an interest in using stem cells for addressing spinal cord injury. Neural stem cell is one type of stem cells that is able to differentiate to all three neural lineages and it shows promise in spinal injury treatment. Furthermore, a number of studies have shown that culturing NSCs in three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds like alginate could enhance neural differentiation. METHODS: The NSCs were isolated from 14-day-old rat embryos. The isolated NSCs were cultured in growth media containing basic fibroblast growth factor and endothelial growth factor. The cells were characterized by differentiating to three neural lineages and they were cultured in an alginate scaffold. After 7 days the cells were encapsulated and transplanted in a rat model of spinal cord injury. RESULTS: Our data showed that culturing in an alginate 3D scaffold and transplantation of the NSCs could improve neurological outcome in a rat model of spinal cord injury. The inflammation scores and lesion sizes and also the activity of caspase-3 (for apoptosis evaluation) were less in encapsulated neural stem cell transplantation cases. CONCLUSIONS: Transplantation of NSCs that were cultured in an alginate scaffold led to a better clinical and histological outcome for recovery from spinal cord injury in a rat model.

Expression of RFamide-related peptide-3 [RFRP-3] mRNA in dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus and KiSS-1 mRNA in arcuate nucleus of rat during pregnancy

RFamide-related peptide-3 [RFRP-3] and kisspeptin [KiSS-1] are known to respectively inhibit and stimulate gonadotropin releasing hormone [GnRH] and luteinizing hormone [LH] secretion in rat. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relative mRNA expression of RFRP-3 and KiSS-1 in the hypothalamus of pregnant rats. In a randomized controlled experimental study, the exact pregnancy day of 18 Sprague-Dawley rats were confirmed using the vaginal smear method and were equally assigned to three groups of days 7, 14 and 21 of pregnancy. Four non-pregnant female rats were ovariectomized and assigned as the control group. All rats were decapitated, and the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus [DMH] and the arcuate nucleus [ARC] for detection of KiSS-1 mRNA were separated from their hypothalamus to detect RFRP-3 and KiSS-1 mRNA respectively. Then, their relative expressions were compared between control and pregnant groups using real-time polymerase chain reaction [PCR]. The relative expression of RFRP-3 mRNA in DMH did not change significantly during pregnancy [p>0.01]. However, the relative expression of KiSS-1 mRNA in ARC was at its highest in day 7 of pregnancy and decreased until day 21 of pregnancy [p<0.01]. Decrease in GnRH and LH secretion during the pregnancy of rat may be controlled by constant expression of RFRP-3 mRNA and reduced expression of KiSS-1 mRNA in hypothalamus

Healing effect of pistacia atlantica fruit oil extract in acetic acid-induced colitis in rats

Considering the anti-oxidant properties of Pistacia atlantica and lack of data regarding its efficacy in the treatment of ulcerative colitis, this study aims at investigating the effect of the Pistacia atlantica fruit extract in treating experimentally induced colitis in a rat model. Seventy male Sprague-Dawley rats [weighing 220 +/- 20 g] were used. All rats fasted 24 hours before the experimental procedure. The rats were randomly divided into 7 groups, each containing 10 induced colitis with 2ml acetic acid [3%]. Group 1 [Asacol], group 2 [base gel] and group 7 [without treatment] were assigned as control groups. Group 3 [300 mg/ml] and group 4 [600 mg/ml] received Pistacia atlantica fruit orally. Group 5 [10% gel] and group 6 [20% gel] received Pistacia atlantica in the form of gel as enema. Macroscopic, histopathological examination and MDA measurement were carried out. All groups revealed significant macroscopic healing in comparison with group 7 [P<0.001]. Regarding microscopic findings in the treatment groups compared with group 7, the latter group differed significantly with groups 1,2, 4 and 6 [P<0.001]. There was a significant statistical difference in MDA scores of the seven treatment groups [F[5,54]=76.61, P<0.001]. Post-hoc comparisons indicated that the mean +/- SD score of Asacol treated group [1.57 +/- 0.045] was not significantly different from groups 4 [1.62 +/- 0.024] and 6 fl.58 +/- 0.028]. Our study showed that a high dose of Pistacia atlantica fruit oil extract, administered orally and rectally can improve colitis physiologically and pathologically in a rat model, and may be efficient for ulcerative colitis

Evaluation of histological impacts of three types of orthodontic fixed retainers on periodontium of rabbits

Statement of the Problem: Fixed retainers were developed to maintain incisor alignments after orthodontic treatments. Although the effects of fixed retainers on periodontal health are clinically studied, no studies have still evaluated the histological changes in the periodontium after the placement of thefixed retainers

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of customised retainers on periodontium histologically

Materials and Method: Forty pairs of maxillary and mandibular central incisors of twenty rabbits were randomly divided into four equal groups: The first group was considered as the control and in the second group, Fiber Reinforced Composite [FRC], in the third group, 0.014 inch stainless steel [SS] wire and in the fourth group, 0.175 inch multistrand stainless steel [MSS] wire were bonded on the labial surfaces of the incisors. After sixty days; animals' periodontium were evaluated histologically

Results: The number of bone resorption lacuna in the control group was significantly less than FRC and 0.014 SS groups. The periodontal vessel count and their diameter in the control group was significantly lower than the other groups. The pulp vessel count and their diameter in controls were significantly more than the 0.014 SS and the 0.175 MSS groups

Conclusion: Findings of this study suggest that FRC fixed retainer might cause detrimental effects on the periodontal ligaments and supporting bone and the 0.014- inch and 0.175- inch fixed retainers can cause hyalinization and possibly the necrosis of the pulp