[Effect of Nigella sativa oil against Bisphenol A induced toxicity on the tissue of male NMRI mice kidney: a stereological study]

Background and Objective: Bisphenol A [BPA] is an endocrine disruptor chemical and as an environmental pollutant is able to generate free radicals causing tissue damage. This study was done to investigate the effect of Nigella sativa oil against BPA induced toxicity on the tissue of male NMRI mice kidney by stereological method

Methods: In this experimental study 24 adult male NMRI mice [32 +/- 3 g] were randomly allocated into control, BPA [200 mg/kg/day], BPA [200 mg/kg/day] plus Nigella sativa oil [5 ml/kg/day] and Nigella sativa oil [5 ml/kg/day] groups and treated for 5 weeks, orally. At the end, animals were sacrificed, their left kidneys were removed, fixed, sectioned, processed and stained with Heidenhain' azan staining method. Then, the kidney tissue sections were evaluated using stereological method and serum malondialdehyde [MDA] level was also measured

Results: The total weight and volume of kidney, volume of cortex, volume of proximal and distal tubules and volume of their lumen, volume of interstitial tissue, volume of glomeruli, tuft, as well as serum MDA level significantly increased in BPA treated group compared to the controls [P<0.05]. These parameters were significantly reduced in BPA plus Nigella sativa oil group compared to BPA ones [P<0.05]

Conclusion: This study revealed that Nigella sativa oil can reduce the oxidative stress toxicity induced by BPA in the mice renal tissue

[Evaluation of the protective effect of curcumin on liver tissue in NMRI mice treated with sodium arsenite]

Background and Aim: arsenic [As] compounds are environmental toxicants which are among human carcinogens. Sodium arsenite exposure leads to its accumulation in the liver resulting in liver disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of curcumin, as an antioxidant, on the liver tissue in the mice exposed to sodium arsenite

Material and Methods: thirty NMRI mice with mean body weight of 31+/-2 g. were randomly divided into 5 groups: control, scheme [receiving DMSO], curcumin [15mg/kg/day], sodium arsenite [5mg/kg/day] and sodium arsenite+curcumin groups. Every group consisted of 6 mice. The exposure was by intraperitoneal injections and carried out for 5 weeks. Then the mice were killed and the liver tissue was removed and weighed. Histopathological and stereological analyses were performed and the incidence of hepatocyte cells apoptosis [by the TUNEL method] was determined. Data were analyzed using one way ANOVA, and the differences among mean values were considered significant at P<0.05

Results: a significant increase in the mean relative weight of liver, total volume of sinusoids, bile ductules [p<0.001] and total number of hepatocytes [p<0.03] and a significant decrease in the total volume of the central veins [p<0.001], the mean volume of the hepatocytes [p<0.04] and their nuclei [p<0.001] were observed in sodium arsenite group compared to those in control and scheme groups. Histopathological examination also revealed parenchymal disorganization, inflammatory cell infiltration, necrosis of hepatocytes and destruction of reticulin fiber scaffold in the mice liver treated with sodium arsenite. Most of sodium arsenite-induced liver damage improved in the sodium arsenite + curcumin group to the same extent as control group [p<0.05]

Conclusion: treatment with curcumin reduced liver damage induced by sodium arsenite

Effect of green tea extract [Camellia sinensis] on kidney toxicity induced by sodium arsenite: a stereological study

Background and Objective: Sodium Arsenite is an environmental pollutant which can generate free radicals causing tissue damage. This study was done to evaluate the effect of Green Tea [GTE], as a strong antioxidant, on kidney tissue in mice treated with Sodium Arsenite

Methods: In this experimental study 24 adult male NMRI mice were randomly allocated into four groups including: control, GTE [l00mg/kg/day], Sodium Arsenite [5mg/kg/day] and Sodium Arsenite + GTE, for 34 days, orally. Animals were scarified and left kidney was taken out, fixed, sectioned, processed and stained using Heidenhain'azan method. Using stereological technique the total volume of kidney, volume of cortex, medulla, proximal and distal tubule, renal corpuscle, gelomerelus, tuft and capillary, membrane and space of Bowman's capsule and length of proximal and distal tubule were determined. Creatinine, BUN and MDA serum samples were measured

Results: The mean of total volume of cortex, proximal tubule, distal tubule, renal corpuscle and gelomerolus, taft, Bowman's capsule space, size of epithelium and lumen of proximal and distal tubule were significantly reduced in Sodium Arsenite group compared to control [P<0.05]. These parameters were significantly increased in the Sodium Arsenite + GTE group in comparison with Sodium Arsenite group [P<0.05], The creatinine, Blood urea nitrogen [BUN] and MDA were significantly increased in the Sodium Arsenite group in compared to the control group [P<0.05]. These parameters were significantly reduced in the Sodium Arsenite + GTE group in comparison with Sodium Arsenite group [P<0.05]

Conclusion: Green tea has a protective role in Sodium Arsenite induced nephrotoxicity

Preparation of decellularized three dimentional scaffolds as the model for tissue engineering and their functional assessments in vitro application of blastema tissue

Tissue engineering is based on three main factors including scaffolds, cells and growth factors. Natural scaffolds derived from decellularized tissues and organs have been successfully used in tissue engineering. Decellularization studies have shown that natural scaffolds which maintain their main structure and properties could be a suitable tool for studying cellular behaviors and preparation of such scaffolds is an important part of future research in biology that may have extensive applications in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. Blastema tissue which is produced after injuries in some organisms has embryonic cell characteristics, and can be a suitable model for evaluation of cell behaviors in various tissues. In this review, the process of decellularization, process involved in preparation of 3D scaffolds derived from extracellular matrix of various tissues including cartilage, bone, gingiva, aorta and bladder, and assessment of their interactions with blastema tissue under in vitro conditions are discussed

[Protective effect of vitamin E on the para-nonylphenol induced-testicular toxicity in adult rats: a stereological study]

Para-nonylphen as an environmental pollutant has weak estrogenic activity and causes oxidative stress in different organs including testis. This study was done to determine the protective effect of vitamin E on the para-nonylphenol induced-testicular toxicity in adult rats. In this experimental study, 24 Wistar rats were randomly allocated into four groups including control, vitamin E [100 mg/kg/day, orally], para-nonylphenol [250mg/kg/day, orally] and finally para-nonylphenol [250mg/kg/day, orally] plus vitamin E [100mg/kg/day, orally]. After 56 days of treatment, removal of the right testis, tissue processing and staining with Heidenhain's Azan, the morphometric parameters of testicular tissue was evaluated using stereological method. The mean volume of seminiferous tubules, height of the germinal epithelium, seminiferous tubules diameter, thickness of the basement membrane, number of spermatocyte, spermatid and sertoli cells significantly reduced in para-nonylphenol group compared to the controls [P<0.05]. These parameters were significantly increased in the para-nonylphenol plus vitamin E group compared to para-nonylphenol group [P<0.05]. In the histopathological examination, atrophy of seminiferous tubules, germinal epithelium vacuolation and epithelial disarrangement were observed in para-nonylphenol group. Histopathological alterations reduced in para-nonylphenol plus vitamin E group compared to para-nonylphenol group. Co-administration of vitamin E with para-nonylphenol can prevent the adverse effects of para-nonylphenol on the testicular tissue in adult rats

[Investigating the underlying causes of mortality among less than one year old infants in pediatric hospital of Bandar Abbas, Iran]

Providing, maintaining and promoting health of infants as a vulnerable age group is essential in health-care services. The present research sought to investigate the underlying causes of mortality among infants who were below 1 year old in Bandar Abbas pediatric hospital in 2011. In this descriptive-analytic research the medical files of all deceased infants who maximally aged up to 11 months and died in Bandar Abbas pediatric hospital in 2011 comprised the research population. The data were gathered through a pre-designed checklist, phone call and face-to-face meetings [when required]. The data were later analyzed via SPSS 16. In the study period, 223 infants [65.2%], below one year of age, had died within their first month of life and 119 of them [34.85] had died within the next eleven months. The primary reason for the death of the first group was sepsis while for the second group was prematurity. Such variables as birth weight, delivery type, feeding type, birth type, birth age, pregnancy interval, child abnormalities and parents' educational level were found to be significantly correlated with infant mortality [P<0.05]. It appears that careful attention to low-birth weight infants, raising mothers' and families' medical awareness, promotion of family regulation programs as well as offering standard healthcare before and during pregnancy positively affect the reduction of mortality among very young infants

Assessment of risk factors of premanturity among neonates born in Bandar Abbas shariati hospital

Prematurity remains the main cause of mortality and morbidity in infants and a problem in the care of pregnant women world-wide. This study describes the risk factors for having a live preterm delivery in Bandar Abbas Shariati Hospital. In this case-control study, we studied 300 neonates who were borned in Shariati hospital in 2011 and divided them into two groups: case group [100 mothers with premature neonates] and control group [200 mothers with term infants]. Risk factors that were studied include maternal age and job, parent's knowledge, the history of preterm birth, uterine abnormality, maternal systemic and infectious disease, prenatal care, placental abnormality, trauma in pregnancy, maternal low weight gain in pregnancy, the number of previous pregnancy, inter pregnancies gap, maternal smoking, membrane abnormality, previous abortion, pregnancy with assisted reproductive therapy. Data collection and analysis were performed using SPSS 16 and t-test and Chi-Square were used to analyze the significance of the results. The results show that in mothers with preterm birth, prolong premature rupture of membrane 27.92 times, uterine and cervical anomaly about 15 times, preeclamcia 5.26 times, the history of preterm birth 4.96 times, family dependency 2.67 times, urinary tract infection 2.24 times and diabetes 2.18 time more exposed to prematurity than mothers with term birth [P<0.05]. According to this study prolong premature rupture of membrane, uterine and cervical anomaly, preeclamcia and history of preterm birth are the most important risk factors for preterm delivery

Translation of the test of childhood stuttering into Persian and investigation of validity and reliability of the test

The communicative functioning of children who stutter can be assessed in a variety of ways. Standardized tests are an important tool to assess communication skills particularly in stuttering children .The purpose of the present study was to translate the Test of childhood Stuttering [TOCS] into persian and investigation of validity and reliability of the test. In this research, 40 stutterers and 40 non-stutterer were evaluated. After the translation of the Test according to Protocol 1QOLA and its equalization to Persian Language, Content validity and Face validity of it were determined by the opinions of experts. Then, for concurrent validity determination 80 stutterer and non-stutterer children were examined by TOCS and SSI3 .In order to test reliability, test -retest and Cronbach's alpha were used. Entirely relevant items had simple translation. The translation items had content and face validity correlation between the marks of TOCS and SSI3 [p=0.000, r=%92]. TOCS has high Test-retest [p-0.000, ICC-%97] and internal reliability [p=0.000,a=%90]. Persian equalized TOCS [Test of childhood stuttering] have high validity and reliability, it might be useful to differentiate stuttering children among normal ones

[Comparison of triple and double phototherapy in neonatal hyperbilirubinemia]

Icterus is the most common medical problem in neonates. Phototherapy is standard treatment of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. This study aims to compare efficacy and length of hospitalization of double and triple phototherapy in term newborns with indirect hyperbilirubinemia. In a randomized clinical trial, 40 healthy term newborns [gestational age > 37 weeks] with weight >/= 2500 gr and bilirubin >/= 12 and >/= 15 mg/dl in the second and third day, respectively, were randomly assigned to triple [n=20] or double phototherapy [n=20] groups. Total and direct serum bilirubin was measured at admission, 8, 16 and 24 hours after beginning of phototherapy, and thus each 12 hours until discharge [when bilirubin reached

in vitro study of the effects of Yarrow, Chamomile and Rhubarb herbal extracts on candida albicans and common oral bacteria

Herbal mouth washes arc part of the broad spectrum of herbal medicine that is widely used in Iran, especially in recent years. The aim of this experimental study was to evaluate the antifungal and antibacterial effects of Yarrow, Chamomile and Rhubarb and to compare them with Iranian and foreign 0.2% chlorohexidine mouth washes. Microbial samples were purchased from PTCC and herbal extracts were obtained from Gol daroye lsfahan Co. Iranian chlorhexidine was bought from a pharmacy and foreign chlorhexidine [Made in UK] from the Noor center. Bacterial inhibition zone halo was measured and agar dilution was used to evaluate the herbal extracts. The minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] was determined for all specimens. A validity test was administered for each of the microorganisms and the dilution of the extracts were confirmed in the laboratory. Data were subjected to statistical analysis using repeated-measure ANOVA. The three extracts revealed different antifungal and antimicrobial effects. The highest to lowest antimicrobial effects were seen in Rhubarb, Yarrow and Chamomile, respectively. The antifungal effects were weak in all three tested extracts. A significant difference was observed between the antimicrobial and antifungal effects of the 3 extracts and the 2 chlorhexidine solutions [p<0.0l]. The antifungal effects of the UK-made chlorhexidine was higher than the Iranian chlorohexidine and both were higher than the 3 tested extracts, No significant difference in antifungal effects was found between the two studied chlorhexidines, The antibacterial effects of Rhubarb were higher than Yarrow and Chamomile. Further investigation, using more specific laboratory methods along with clinical evaluation is recommended