Chorionic morphine, naltrexone and pentoxifylline effect on hypophyso-gonadal hormones of male rats.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge about harmful effects of morphine on hormone secretion seems to be necessary. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of pentoxifylline on side effects derived by morphine on hypophyso-gonadal hormones of male rats. METHODS: 32 male rats were divided into the 4 groups of OSS: control (received 40 g Sucrose/l drinking water and intraperitoneal injection of 1 l/kg normal saline), OMS: morphine group (received 0.4 mg/l + 40 g Sucrose/l in drinking water and intraperitoneal injection of 1 l/kg normal saline), NMS: morphine+naltrexane group (received 0.4 mg/l + 40 g Sucrose/l in drinking water and IP injection dose of 10 mg/kg/ml/day Naltrexane) and PMS: morphine + pentoxifylline group (received 0.4 mg/dl + 40 g Sucrose/l in drinking water and IP injection dose of 12 mg/kg/ml/day Pentoxifylline) for 56 days, respectively. RESULTS: Serum levels of testosterone, LH, FSH hormones were measured. Pentoxifylline increased serum levels of testosterone, LH, FSH hormones compared to control, morphine and morphine-naltrexane groups. CONCLUSION: Pentoxifylline has a significant efficacy for increasing serum levels of sexual hormones. Considering that Pentoxifylline is safe and cheap, with easy application, we suggest for the usage of this drug for improving semen parameter's quality before performing ART for the treatment of morphine addicts (Fig. 1, Ref. 31).

Computed tomography (CT) scan findings in calves with hydranencephaly.

BACKGROUND: Hydranencephaly is the unilateral or bilateral loss of cerebral hemispheres and their replacement by a cerebrospinal fluid-filled sac that is caused by some teratogenic viruses. This disorder can be recognized before death occurs, using computed tomography (CT) scan. Pathological findings are also useful for the confirmation of the diagnosis. AIMS: The aim of this study was to determine features of hydranencephaly in calves by CT. METHODS: In this study, CT images were obtained from the skulls of 7 same-age calves with neurological signs, affected by Akabane virus, after slaughter. To compare the Hounsfield unit (HU) obtained from each brain region with the normal one, a normal calf's (with the same age) CT images were considered. Then, HU was measured in different parts of the affected calves' brain and compared with the normal calf's brain. RESULTS: Computed tomography images of affected calves indicated a hypoattenuated density of cerebral hemispheres, and the mean value of HU significantly decreased in these parts of the brain compared to normal calves (P=0.0001). There was no statistically significant difference between the mean value of the brain stem HU of the affected calves and the normal ones (P=0.066). In the gross pathology, asymmetric fluid-filled sacs that replaced cerebral hemispheres were observed, but the brain stems were intact in all cases. CONCLUSION: The results showed a strong correlation between CT scan and pathology findings in calves with hydranencephaly. This is the first CT scan-mediated study of calves with hydranencephaly.

An abattoir survey on the frequency of fatty liver syndrome in dairy cows from the suburbs of Tehran.

One hundred and six Holstein and Holstein x native cows were inspected before and after slaughter, and liver samples were taken. The fat content of all the liver samples was estimated by an extraction method (Soxhlet). The livers of 29 cows (27%) were classified as fatty. Seventeen of the animals were newly calved, 47 were non-pregnant, 33 were pregnant and 9 were dry, the median values for the fat content of their livers being 60.6, 34.4, 34.7 and 33.8 mg/g, respectively. The median concentration of liver fat in the first group was significantly different from that in each of the other groups (p < 0.01).