The development of English language connected speech perception skills: an empirical study on Chinese EFL children.

Connected speech processes (CSPs) occur randomly in everyday conversations of native speakers; however, such phonological variations can bring about challenges for non-native listeners. Looking at CSP literature, there seems to be very few studies that involved young foreign language learners. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the development of connected speech perception skills by focusing on 201 9- to 12-year-old Chinese EFL children. It also incorporated systematic error analysis to further probe into the specific perceptual difficulties. The results indicate that: (1) Despite a significantly ascending trend for the overall growth of perception skills, no significant differences were found between 11 and 12 year olds in elision and contraction, which suggests that the developmental trend varied depending on different CSP types; (2) Although random errors decreased with age, the number of lexicon and syntax errors gradually increased, and the distribution of perceptual errors shifted from the level of words and syllables to that of phonemes; (3) The primary types of errors resulting in the perception difficulties for elision and contraction were consonant errors, grammatical errors and morphology errors. Ergo, this study enhances the understanding of connected speech perception among EFL children and provides some implications for EFL/ESL listening instructions.

A systematic review of studies on connected speech processing: Trends, key findings, and implications.

Connected speech processing (CSP) is of great significance to individuals' language and cognitive development. It is particularly crucial not only for clinical detection and treatment of developmental disorders, but also for the Foreign/second language teaching instructions. However, given the importance of this field, there is a clear lack of systematic reviews that summarize the key findings of previous studies. To this end, through searching in the scientific databases PsycInfo, Scopus, PubMed, ERIC, Taylor and Francis, and Web of Science, the present study identified 128 core CSP articles with high reference values according to PRISMA guidance and the following results were obtained through quantitative analysis and qualitative comparative synthesis: (1) The number of studies on CSP published per year showed an upward trend; however, most focused on English language, whereas the studies on other languages were comparatively rare; (2) CSP was found to be affected by multiple factors, among which speech speed, semantics, word frequency, and phonological awareness were most frequently investigated; (3) the deficit in CSP capacity was widely recognized as a significant predictor and indicator of developmental disorders; (4) more studies were carried out on connected speech production than on perception; and (5) almost no longitudinal studies have ever been conducted among either native or non-native speakers. Therefore, future research is needed to explore the developmental trajectory of CSP skills of typically developing language learners and speakers with cognitive disorders over different periods of time. It is also necessary to deepen the understanding of the processing mechanism beyond their performance and the role played by phonological awareness and lexical representations in CSP.

Effectiveness of interventions based on lazarus and folkman transactional model on improving stress appraisal for hemodialysis patients in Tehran.

Today, we witness an increase in the prevalence of chronic kidney disease, which is a very stressful process. In order to cope with the stress caused by this disease, the first step is to appraise the stressful situation correctly. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of training on the basis of Lazarus and Folkman transactional model on stress appraisal for hemodialysis (HD) patients. The present quasi-experimental study was conducted on 116 filed HD patients in two dialysis centers in Tehran. The patients were randomly divided into two groups: experimental and control groups. The data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire whose validity and reliability were confirmed. After performing the intervention, the primary and secondary appraisals' scores were investigated before and three months after the intervention. The data were analyzed using independent /?-test, paired /-test, and covariance at a significant level of 0.05 using software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 16.0. The mean age of participants in the study was 52.86 years. In this study, the difference between the mean score of the primary appraisal and substructure of perceived susceptibility, motivational relevance, self-blame (casual focus), and secondary appraisal and self-efficacy substructure after the intervention was significant in the experimental group. However, these differences were not significant in the control group. According to the study results, it can be concluded that the use of training based on Lazarus and Folkman tran- sactional model can be useful for improving the correct appraisal of individuals for stressful situations.

Experiences of stress appraisal in hemodialysis patients: A theory-guided qualitative content analysis.

Chronic renal failure and prolonged hospitalization for the treatment of renal disease incur immense stress and anxiety in patients. Considering the increased prevalence of renal failure, the present study aimed to explain the experiences of stress assessment in hemodialysis (HD) patients based on the transactional model of Lazarus and Folkman. The data collection method was semi-structured interview with 22 patients from dialysis centers in Tehran. Sampling was purposive and continued until data saturation. Data were analyzed using the directed content analysis method. Data analyzed to the extraction of 80 codes that were classified into two predetermined categories of appraisal structures in the transactional stress model, including primary and secondary appraisal, and also seven subcategories (perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, motivational relevance, casual focus, perceived control over outcoms, perceived control over emotions, and self-efficacy). During this study, 15 sub-subcategories were obtained for the stress appraisal in HD patients. The results showed that the subcategories of perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, and casual focus were the most effective factors in the stress appraisal in HD patients. According to the results, an arrangement should be made so that HD patients can evaluate the stressful conditions properly. patients need help to improve their evaluation in subcategories of motivational relevance, perceived control over outcomes, perceived control over emotion, and self-efficacy. In this regard, one of the best models that can be used to identify the appraisals in HD patients and design appropriate interventions for them is the transactional model.

What Are the Hemodialysis Patients' Style in Coping with Stress? A Directed Content Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, the prevalence of chronic diseases, such as chronic renal failure, is rising. These patients need hemodialysis to continue their treatment, which is a stressful process. This research was conducted with the purpose of explaining coping styles in hemodialysis patients regarding stress factors based on the Lazarus and Folkman's transactional model. METHODS: This qualitative study was conducted as a content analysis. The data collection method was semi-structured interview with 22 patients from dialysis centers in Tehran. The data were collected from October to January 2017. Sampling was purposive and continued until data saturation. Data were analyzed using the directed content analysis method. The process of data analysis proposed by Hsieh and Shannon's was followed. RESULTS: 106 codes and 24 sub subcategories were obtained through this research and classified into 8 sub-categories of transactional stress model including: problem management, emotional regulation, social support, dispositional coping styles, positive reappraisal, revised goals, spiritual beliefs and positive events; and 3 categories of coping structures that included coping efforts, meaning-based coping and moderators. CONCLUSION: Dialysis patients are making efforts to cope with their stress in order to reduce their stress; in some cases, these efforts lead to reduction in stress, and in some cases, due to using unsound coping style, they are ineffective or even harmful. Therefore, the necessity of planning and proper interventions is felt by health care providers to control stress in dialysis patients.

Effects of exposure to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields on spatial and passive avoidance learning and memory, anxiety-like behavior and oxidative stress in male rats.

There are many controversies about the safety of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) on body health and cognitive performance. In the present study, we explored the effects of ELF-EMF on oxidative stress and behaviors of rats. Seventy-two adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into following groups, control, sham exposure group and the ELF-EMF exposure groups (1 µT, 100 µT, 500 µT, and 2000 µT). After 60 days exposure (2 h/day), elevated plus maze (EPM), Morris water maze (MWM) and Passive avoidance learning (PAL) tasks were used to evaluate the anxiety-like behavior, spatial and passive learning and memory, respectively. Some days after behavioral examination, oxidative stress markers were measured. During spatial reference memory test, animals in ELF-EMF exposure groups (100, and 2000 µT) spent more time in target zone (F (4, 55) = 5.699, P = 0.0007, One-way ANOVA). In PAL retention, the step through latency in the retention test (STLr) in ELF-EMF exposure groups (100,500, and 2000 µT) was significantly greater than control group (F (4, 55) = 29.13, P < 0.0001, One-way ANOVA). In EPM test, ELF-EMF exposure (500 and 2000 µT) decreased the percentage of the entries into the open arms (F (4, 55) = 26.31, P < 0.0001, one-way ANOVA). ELF-EMF exposure (100, and 500 µT) increased Malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration (F (4, 25) = 79.83, P < 0.0001, One-way ANOVA). Our results may allow the conclusion that exposure to ELF-EMFs can improve memory retention (but not acquisition) in the adult male rats. Although exposure to ELF-EMFs could be a factor in the development of anxious state or oxidative stress.

Cyclophosphamide-induced testicular toxicity ameliorate by American ginseng treatment: An experimental study.

BACKGROUND: Cyclophosphamide (CP) is one of the most invasive chemotherapeutic agents, which used commonly despite of its wide spectrum toxicity. Clinical evidence showed toxic side effects of CP in multiple organ systems. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of American ginseng on CP-induced testicular toxicity in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult male Wistar rats (220±30 gr) were randomly divided into four groups (n=7 in each). Group 1 as control received normal saline by gavage, group 2 received CP (6.1 mg/kg/day, i.p.) for a period of 50 days. Group 3 received American ginseng (500 mg/kg/day) by gavage. Group 4 received American ginseng (500 mg/kg/day) 1h prior to the administration of CP in the equal dose of group 2. The animals scarified one day after the last treatment and the effects of American ginseng on the sperm vital parameters, testicular functions, biochemical factors, and structural malformations evaluated. RESULTS: Serum testosterone concentration was significantly decreased whereas the level of malondialdehyde and DNA damage were significantly increased in animals of CP group (p<0.01). Co-administration of American ginseng reversed these parameters and improved recovery in CP+ginseng group. In addition, seminiferous tubules of testis severely damaged in the CP group but ginseng improved histologic changes in CP+ginseng group. CONCLUSION: The findings confirmed the protective effects of American ginseng on toxicity induced by CP in the reproductive system of male rats.

Flavonoids Fraction of Mespilus Germanica Alleviates Insulin Resistance in Metabolic Syndrome Model of Ovariectomized Rats via Reduction in Tumor Necrosis Factor-α.

OBJECTIVES: The rate of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in women diagnosed as they age is one of the main concerns of health cares. Recently new strategies used to prevent progressions of MetS toward the diagnosis of diabetes have focused on plant flavonoids. This study was aimed to investigate the beneficial effects of flavonoids fraction of Mespilus germanica leaves (MGL) on MetS in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. METHODS: Twenty-four adult female Wistar rats, weighing 200 to 250 g, were divided into 3 groups: Sham surgery, OVX + Salin, or OVX + Flavonoid. Three weeks after ovariectomy, animals displayed MetS criteria received flavonoid injection (10 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) for 21 days. Then the body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, visceral fat, fasting blood glucose, serum insulin, lipid profiles and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured. RESULTS: Treatment with flavonoids fraction of MGL significantly decreased serum level of insulin (P = 0.011), glucose (P = 0.024), TNF-α (P = 0.010), also MetS Z score (P = 0.020) and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (P = 0.007). Lipid profiles and visceral fat showed insignificant reduction. CONCLUSIONS: Flavonoids of MGL attenuates some of the MetS components possibly via reduction in TNF-α inflammatory cytokine.

Huge Renal Hydatid Cyst-an Unusual Presentation: A Case Report.

Isolated renal hydatid cyst is a rare entity accounting for only 2-4% of cases. A 60-year-old male presented to our clinic complaining of pain in right flank. He had a history of eating raw sheep liver. Imaging revealed an expansive cystic mass measuring approximately300×180 mm in the right side of abdomen. The patient was treated by open surgery in combination with perioperative chemotherapy with albendazol. In this case, we reported an unusual presentation of hydatid cyst disease. Physicians should be aware of its clinical presentations and complications.

Long-Term Follow-up After Right Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy and Inverted Kidney Transplant.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to investigate the long-term outcomes of inverted kidney transplant, an alternative easy and safe technique to overcome difficulties associated with short right renal vein anastomosis after laparoscopic donor nephrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-nine laparoscopic donor nephrectomies and intentionally inverted renal transplants were performed between 2004 and 2009. For these transplants, the renal artery was ligated by Hem-o-lok (Weck Surgical Instruments, Teleflex Medical, Durham, NC, USA) and titanium clips, and the vein was closed with 2 Hem-o-lok clips, resulting in a short renal vein. By inverting the recovered kidney to the ipsilateral pelvic side of he recipient, the short renal vein is placed posterior and adjacent to the external iliac vein; this made an easy and safe short renal vein anastomosis possible. RESULTS: All donor nephrectomies were completed laparoscopically, and no conversion to open surgery was required. The mean warm and cold ischemic times were 7.3 minutes (range, 3.2-17.5 min) and 37.5 minutes (range, 14.2-88 min). Only 6 patients (7.6%) had delayed graft function. At 5 years after transplant, patients showed excellent graft function, with mean serum creatinine level of 1.46 mg/dL and graft survival of 93.7%. There were no occurrences of vascular thrombosis or acute rejection. However, 5 years after transplant, 4 patients had died, with 3 patients still having functional transplanted kidneys and 1 patient experiencing graft rejection 1 month before death. CONCLUSIONS: Inverted kidney transplant is an easy and safe method to overcome the complications associated with short right renal vein anastomosis after laparoscopic donor nephrectomy. This simple modification might obviate the need to elongate a short renal vein.

The Effects of Chlorpromazine on Reproductive System and Function in Female Rats.

BACKGROUND: Chlorpromazine (CPZ), an antipsychotic drug, is associated with increased risk of sexual dysfunction through increasing prolactin levels. The current study evaluates the effect of CPZ-induced hyperprolactinemia on ovarian follicular growth, gonadotropins, and alteration of ovarian source hormones. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this experimental study, animals were divided into four groups, control and CPZ (n=8 per group). In the treated groups, CPZ was administered by gavage at doses of 3, 10 and 30 mg/kg per day for 28 days. On day 29 the animals were killed after which histopathological and histomorphometric analyses of the ovaries were performed. We evaluated the levels of prolactin serum, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2) and progesterone. RESULTS: The ovaries of the test groups showed numerous atretic follicles of various sizes. CPZ caused a significant difference between the test groups and the control group (P<0.05) on the amount of atresia and the size of the normal corpora lutea (CL). The increased dysfunction of the ovaries from the different groups depended on the amount of CPZ administered. The serum concentrations of prolactin and progesterone significantly increased (P<0.05), while the serum concentrations of estradiol, LH and FSH notably decreased (P<0.05), depending on the CPZ dose. CPZ-induced animals had unsuccessful mating and decreased pregnancy rate. CONCLUSION: The present findings suggest that CPZ-induced disturbances not only depend on prolactin level but the increased prolactin level is largely dose-dependent.

Chlorpromazine-Induced Hyperprolactinemia on Rat's Uterus.

BACKGROUND: Hyperprolactinemia is a common side effect of antipsychotic drugs that requires further investigation. The current study was designed to evaluate dose-dependent effect of chlorpromazine (CPZ) on hormonal changes and uterine horn histological structure in rats. Moreover, the mammary glands were analyzed to show hyperprolactinemia-induced histological changes. METHODS: Albino Wistar rats (n = 32) were divided into four groups. The first group was set as a control. In the three drug-treated groups (eight rats in each group), CPZ was administered by a gavage at doses of 3, 10, and 30 mg/kg/day for 28 days. One day after the last administration of the drug, the animals were sacrificed. Histopathological and histomorphometrical analyses of the uterine horns and mammary glands were carried out to evaluate dose-dependent effect of CPZ on histological structure. Serum levels of prolactin (PRL), estradiol, progesterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) were also evaluated. RESULTS: Remarkable (P < 0.05) elevation was observed in CPZ-administrated animals' uterine horn endometrium, myometrium, and perimetrium thicknesses, and the mammary glands were observed with galactorrhea features. The serum level of progesterone and PRL significantly (P < 0.05) increased, while the serum concentration of LH, FSH, and estradiol was notably (P < 0.05) decreased depending on administrated CPZ dose. No histological and biological changes were occurred in the control animals. CONCLUSION: The present findings suggest that CPZ-induced disturbances not only depend on PRL level and increased PRL level largely depends on administrated doses of the CPZ.

Preventive Effects of Aqueous Extract of Berberis integerrima Bge. Root on Liver Injury Induced by Diabetes Mellitus (Type 1) in Rats.

This study was conducted to assessthe preventive effect of aqueous extract of Berberis integerrima Bge. root (AEBIR) on liver damage and oxidative stress induced by diabetes mellitus in rats. Forty male rats were divided into 5 groups as follows: 1- normal (N); 2- normal + barberry (N+B) (they received barberry root extract for 6 weeks); 3- diabetic (D) (they received Streptozotocin (STZ), 65 mg/Kg BW /i.p.); 4- diabetic +barberry before (D+Bb) (they received barberry root extract for 3 weeks before STZ injection and continued for another three weeks); and 5- diabetic + barberry after (D+Ba) (three days after STZ injection, they received barberry root extract for 3 weeks). The experimental groups received barberry root extract (500 mg/Kg bw) intra gastric by gavage for 6 weeks. The treatment of diabetic rats with AEBIR showed a significant decreases(p<0.001) in levels of blood glucose, malondialdehyde (MDA), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin while body weight, total protein, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase(CAT) and reduced glutathione (GSH) increased (p<0.001) in comparison to diabetic control rats. Consumption of AEBIR in group D+Bb caused significant improvement in all these factors, compared to the group D+Ba. Also in this study, for the first time, we demonstrated that administration of AEBIR before diabetes induction resulted in enhanced amelioration of liver complications compared to the group receiving it after induction, indicating that AEBIR can play a preventive role in such patients.

Pediatric kidney transplant with laparoscopic donor nephrectomy.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate outcomes and complications with pediatric living-donor kidney transplant, mostly performed with laparoscopic donor nephrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the 25 years between February 1987 and December 2012, there were 493 children aged ≤ 17 years who received a kidney transplant. Demographic characteristics, graft and patient survival, rejection episodes, and complications were recorded. Analysis was performed for 3 sequential periods (1987-1994, 1995-2002, and 2003-2012). RESULTS: The mean patient age was 13 ± 4 years (age range, 2.5-17 y). There were 290 males (59%). Glomerulonephritis was the most common cause of end-stage renal disease. Preemptive kidney transplant was performed in 412 patients (84%). Donor nephrectomy was performed laparoscopically in 445 patients (90%). The 5-year graft and patient survival were improved from 1987-1994 to 2003-2012. The overall death-censored graft survival was 96% at 1 year, 78% at 5 years, and 66% at 10 years after transplant. The overall patient survival was 96% at 1 year, 83% at 5 years, and 75% at 10 years after transplant. CONCLUSIONS: Kidney transplant is available for most pediatric patients and has acceptable graft and patient survivals. Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy improves donor satisfaction and morbidity, and may provide excellent graft outcomes in children.

Sulpiride-induced hyperprolactinemia in mature female rats: evidence for alterations in the reproductive system, pituitary and ovarian hormones.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of hyperprolactinemia following administration of conven- tional antipsychotic drugs requires further investigation. The current study is designed to evaluate the effect of sulpiride (SPD)-induced hyperprolactinemia on alterations to ovarian follicular growth, gonadotropins, and ovarian hormones and to analyze the extent of potential problems in mammary glands. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 40 albino Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control (no treatment), control-sham (0.3 ml olive oil), low dose SPD (20 mg/kg) and high dose SPD (40 mg/kg). All compounds were intraperitoneally (IP) administered for a period of 28 days. RESULTS: After 28 days, we dissected the rats' ovarian tissues, uterine horns and mammary glands which were sent for histological analyses. We counted the numbers of normal, atretic follicles and corpora lutea (CL). Serum levels of prolactin (PRL), estradiol, progesterone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) were evaluated. SPD-administered animals showed sporadic follicular atresia in different sizes associated with higher numbers of CL on the ovaries. The mammary glands exhibited features of galactorrhea. There was remarkable (p<0.05) elevation in SPD-administered animals' uterine horn endometrium, myometrium and perimetrium thicknesses. The serum levels of PRL and progesterone significantly (p<0.05) increased, while the serum concentration of estradiol, LH and FSH notably (p<0.05) decreased according to the SPD administered dose. No histological and biological changes occurred in control-sham animals. SPD-induced animals had unsuccessful attempts at mating and decreased pregnancy rates. CONCLUSION: The present findings suggest that SPD-induced disturbances depend on PRL level. In addition, an increased PRL level is largely dependent on the administered doses of SPD.

Survival of patients with prostate cancer in Yazd, Iran.

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men worldwide. Several factors such as availability of screening tests, and dietary, other lifestyle, environmental and genetic influences contribute to worldwide disparities in prostate cancer incidence and mortality rates. Our aims were to investigate patient characteristics at the time of diagnosis, common treatment strategies employed and survival in an Iranian male population with prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Archives of Pathology Departments of five referral centers affiliated with the School of Medicine of Shahid Sadoughi University in Yazd province were reviewed. Paraffin-embedded blocks were reviewed by two independent pathologists to confirm the diagnosis. The latest modification of the Gleason Scoring System was adopted to determine pathological grading. Following pathological evaluation, patients were contacted via telephone to acquire information regarding their current status. RESULTS: Pathology blocks were available for 113 patients. However, upon phone contacts, we were unable to determine the survival status in 23 patients (response rate=83%). Therefore, 90 patients were enrolled in the final analysis. The median follow-up time was 6.0 years (ranging from 0.3 to 8.8 years). There were 30 death attributed to prostate cancer in the study group. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that patient age at the time of diagnosis was a significant predictor of survival. Another significant predictor of poorer survival was higher tumor grade. CONCLUSIONS: Our observations indicate that age and pathological grade can negatively affect survival of individuals with prostate cancer in Iran.

Mini-laparoscopic live donor nephrectomy: initial series.

PURPOSE: To present the safety and surgical outcomes of the initial series of mini-laparoscopic live donor nephrectomy and graft outcomes in related recipients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2012 through July 2012, fifty patients underwent minilaparoscopic live donor nephrectomy. Two 3.5 mm trocars were inserted above and lateral to the umbilicus for grasping and scissoring. One 5 mm trocar with a camera was inserted in the umbilicus and an 11 mm trocar was inserted through fascia from a 6-8 cm Pfannenstiel incision for bipolar coagulation, kidney extraction, and vascular clip applier. RESULTS: Mean age of donors was 28 ± 4.2 (range, 21-39) years. Mean operative time from trocar insertion was 145.8 (range, 85-210) minutes. No major perioperative or postoperative complications occurred. The average decrease in hemoglobin level was 1.14 (range, 0.32-1.8) mg/dL and no one required blood transfusion. Mean warm ischemia time was 4.41 (range, 2.35- 9) minutes. Mean hospital stay was 2.2 (range, 2-5) days. Mean follow-up time of the recipients was 215 (range, 130-270) days. The mean serum creatinine level of the recipients at discharge time and the last follow-up visit was 1.38 mg/dL and 1.22 mg/dL, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: While the primary purpose of this technique is to make donor nephrectomy less invasive and more cosmetic, it is also comfortable for the laparoscopist surgeons because it is nearly similar to standard laparoscopy. A randomized controlled trial with a large sample size, long-term follow-up, and comparison with standard laparoscopy are necessary to present more definitive data about this technique.

A new pharmacological role for donepezil: attenuation of morphine-induced tolerance and apoptosis in rat central nervous system.

BACKGROUND: Tolerance to the analgesic effect of opioids is a pharmacological phenomenon that occurs after their prolonged administration. It has been shown that morphine-induced tolerance is associated with apoptosis in the central nervous system and neuroprotective agents which prevented apoptosis signaling could attenuate tolerance to the analgesic effects. On the other hand donepezil, an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, has been reported to have neuroprotective effects. Therefore in this study, the effect of systemic administration of donepezil on morphine-induced tolerance and apoptosis in the rat cerebral cortex and lumbar spinal cord was evaluated. Various groups of rats received morphine (ip) and different doses of donepezil (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 mg/kg/day). Nociception was assessed using tail flick apparatus. Tail flick latency was recorded when the rat shook its tail. For apoptosis assay other groups of rats received the above treatment and apoptosis was evaluated by in situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end-labeling (TUNEL) method. RESULTS: The results showed that administration of donepezil (0.5, 1, 1.5 mg/kg, ip) delayed the morphine tolerance for 9, 12 and 17 days, respectively. Furthermore pretreatment injection of donepezil attenuated the number of apoptotic cells in the cerebral cortex and lumbar spinal cord compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, we found that systemic administration of donepezil attenuated morphine-induced tolerance and apoptosis in the rat cerebral cortex and lumbar spinal cord.

The long-term effects of neonatal morphine administration on the pentylenetetrazol seizure model in rats: the role of hippocampal cholinergic receptors in adulthood.

Early life exposure to opiates may affect neuropathological conditions, such as epilepsy, during adulthood. We investigated whether neonatal morphine exposure affects pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced seizures in adulthood. Male rats were subcutaneously injected with morphine or saline on postnatal days 8-14. During adulthood, each rat was assigned to 1 of the following 10 sub-groups: saline, nicotine (0.1, 0.5, or 1 µg), atropine (0.25 or 1 µg), oxotremorine M (0.1 or 1 µg), or mecamylamine (2 or 8 µg). An intrahippocampal infusion of the indicated compound was administered 30 min before seizure induction (80 mg/kg PTZ). Compared with the saline/oxotremorine (1 µg), saline/saline, and morphine/saline groups, the morphine/oxotremorine (1 µg) group showed a significantly increased latency to the first epileptic behavior. The duration of tonic-clonic seizures was significantly lower in the morphine/oxotremorine (1 µg) group compared to the saline/saline and morphine/saline groups. The severity of seizure was significantly decreased in the morphine/atropine (1 µg) group than in the saline/atropine (1 µg). Seizure severity was also decreased in the morphine/mecamylamine (2 µg) group than in the saline/mecamylamine (2 µg) group. Latency for death was significantly lower in the morphine/mecamylamine (2 µg) group compared with the saline/mecamylamine (2 µg) group. Mortality rates in the morphine/atropine (1 µg) and morphine/mecamylamine (2 µg) groups were significantly lower than those in the saline/atropine (1 µg) and saline/mecamylamine (2 µg) groups, respectively. Chronic neonatal morphine administration attenuated PTZ-induced seizures, reduced the mortality rate, and decreased the impact of the hippocampal cholinergic system on seizures and mortality rate in adult rats. Neonatal morphine exposure induces changes to µ-receptors that may lead to activation of GABAergic neurons in the hippocampus. This pathway may explain the anti-convulsant effects of morphine observed in our study.

Increased expression of transforming growth factor-ß and receptors in primary human airway fibroblasts from chemical inhalation patients.

The widespread use of sulfur mustard (SM) as a chemical warfare agent in the past century has proved its long-lasting toxic effects. Despite a lot of research over the past decades on Iranian veterans, there are still major gaps in the SM literature. Transforming growth factor (TGF-ß), a cytokine that affects many different cell processes, has an important role in the lungs of patients with some of chronic airway diseases, especially with respect to airway remodeling in mustard lung. Primary airway fibroblasts from epibronchial biopsies were cultured, and gene expression of TGF-ß1, TGF-ß2, TbR-I and TbR-II in fibroblasts of SM injured patients and controls were investigated. Expression of TGF-ßs and receptors was measured by RT-PCR. Protein level of TGF-ß1 was surveyed by western blot. Our findings revealed that expression levels of TGF-ß1, TGF-ß2, TbR-I and TbR-II were upregulated in the airway fibroblasts of SM exposed patients in comparison with control samples. TGF-ß1 expression was shown to be markedly increased in primary lung fibroblasts of chemically injured patients. Our novel data, suggested that over-expression of TGF-ß molecule and receptors in primary airway fibroblasts of mustard gas injured patients may be involved in progression of airway remodeling of these patients.