Surgical treatment of scoliosis in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta: a single institution case series.

BACKGROUND: Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a connective tissue disorder characterized by skeletal deformities, bone fragility, and spinal complications. Various studies' insights underscored the impact of scoliosis on pulmonary function, positive outcomes with spinal fusion, and improved functional abilities post-surgery. However, partial loss of correction remains inevitable. METHODS: This study examines six surgically treated OI patients with scoliosis. Surgical intervention using a posterior approach with pedicle screws and hooks aimed to correct spinal deformities. Preoperative, postoperative, and follow-up radiological assessments were conducted, revealing significant reductions in scoliotic angles post-surgery. RESULTS: Complications included infections and proximal junctional kyphosis requiring revision surgeries. Despite the challenges posed by poor bone quality and implant stability, no implant failures occurred in this series. Ponte osteotomies at the apex of deformity aided in corrective maneuvers. CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment of scoliosis in patients affected by OI is challenging and may be associated with perioperative and postoperative complications. Ponte osteotomy may improve the correction and reduce necessary force at the time of correction.

Achievements and complications related to final fusion surgery in early onset scoliosis at the end of "traditional dual growing rod mission".

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE: Assess the outcomes of final fusion in early onset scoliosis patients treated with TDGR, particularly with acceptable coronal and sagittal alignment at the end of their growing age. Early onset scoliosis (EOS) poses challenges due to the need for managing spinal deformities while accommodating trunk growth. The dual growing rod (TDGR) technique, a traditional approach, aims to address these concerns by periodic lengthening until spinal growth ceases. Recent shifts propose observation without immediate implant removal after achieving spinal alignment, raising questions about the necessity of final fusion surgery. METHODS: This retrospective study included 22 EOS patients treated with TDGR who underwent final fusion surgery. Clinical and radiological data were analyzed, including pre- and post-surgery measurements, complications, surgical approaches, and screw density. RESULTS: Patients (average initial surgery age: 6.9 years) exhibited significant reductions in main curve angle (preoperative: 65.8°, pre-fusion: 49.1°, post-fusion: 36.3°) and thoracic kyphosis (preoperative: 47°, pre-fusion: 46.6°, post-fusion: 38.7°). Complications included one surgical site infection and four transient intraoperative neuro-monitoring Impairment. High screw density correlated with lower total correction. CONCLUSION: Final fusion surgery post-TDGR treatment shows promise in correcting EOS-associated deformities. Surgeons and parents should be aware of the procedure's complexity and potential complications.

Comprehensive view of the posterior mandibular ridge morphology.

The anatomy of the posterior mandibular ridge and the anatomical structures present in this region are important in the planning and execution of dental treatments. The aim of this study was to examine all forms of alveolar ridge in detail to provide a comprehensive description of the posterior mandibular ridge. This study included 1865 cross-sectional sections of cone beam computed tomography scans obtained from 511 Iranian patients with a mean age of 48.14 years (280 female, 231 male). The alveolar ridge was described based on the ridge shape, including the existence and location of convexity and concavity. The morphology of the posterior mandibular ridge was categorized into 14 types: straight, pen shape, oblique, D type, B type, kidney, hourglass, sickle, golf club, toucan beak, tear, cudgel, basal, and saddle. Among the alveolar ridge types, the straight type in the premolar region and toucan beak type in the molar region were most frequent in the female, male, dentulous, and edentulous ridges. This study found significant differences in alveolar ridge morphology according to sex, dental status, and region of the ridge (all P < 0.001). In conclusion, the morphology of the alveolar ridge varies significantly between the sexes and between dentulous and edentulous locations.

Solvent-particles interactions during composite particles formation by pulsed laser melting of α-Fe2O3.

This work thoroughly investigates chemical solvent-particles interactions during the formation of composite particles by pulsed laser melting of α-Fe2O3. Two solvents, with different dielectric constants, such as ethyl acetate (εr = 6) and ethanol (εr = 24.6), were examined in terms of their effect on the morphology, size, and phase composition of iron oxide composites. We calculated the laser fluence curves using the heating-melting-evaporation approach to identify the critical particle size that undergoes the phase changes first. We assessed the temperature of the particles irradiated with 390 mJ/pulse.cm2 in both solvents, including the heat dissipation between the particles and the liquid. The phase diagram of the Fe-O-C-H system was calculated to determine the temperature-pressure relationship of the system in equilibrium. We also employed an in situ GC-MS analysis to identify the volatile products during irradiation. Based on our experimental results, we concluded that the final diameter of the composites increases from 400 to 600 nm, along with the decreasing dielectric constant of the solvent, which is related to the different polarization of the organic liquid and the degree of particle agglomeration. The reduction of hematite in ethanol proceeded much faster, ending up with Fe/FeCx, while in ethyl acetate, it ended up with Fe3O4. Among all the particles, those with a diameter of 200 nm have the highest temperature and undergo the phase transition first. The temperature of a 200 nm composite particle in ethanol is slightly lower than in ethyl acetate, i.e. 1870 K as compared to 1902 K. Phase equilibrium diagrams proved the existence of Fe, FeO, and Fe3O4 as the preferred phases at about 1900 K. Our research provides a new insight into the process of submicron particle formation during pulsed laser irradiation and allows proposing a mechanism for the growth of particles of different size and phase composition depending on the solvent.

Improvement of in vitro proliferation of cockerel spermatogonial stem cells using different combinations of growth factors.

1. This study examined whether in vitro proliferation and maintenance of cockerel spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) could be improved by adding different combinations of growth factors (GFs), including glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) or leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) into the culture medium. 2. The SSCs were isolated from the testes of immature cockerels. For short-term cultures, a medium supplemented with different combinations of GFs for 7 d in 5 replicates was used. The groups were classified as follows: without GF (control group); with GDNF (G group); with GDNF and bFGF (GF group); and with GDNF, bFGF and LIF (GFL group). The number of colonies and cells per colony, as well as the transcript abundance of STRA8 and OCT4 genes, was determined 7 d after the initial culturing. Immunofluorescence staining of SSEA-1, SSEA-3 and VASA protein markers, besides periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining, was carried out. 3. The number of colonies and cells per colony increased in the G, GF and GFL groups, compared to the control group (P < 0.01); however, the highest proliferation and colony formation were observed in the GFL group. The positive immunofluorescence staining of SSEA-1, SSEA-3 and VASA protein markers, as well as PAS staining, confirmed the self-renewal and colonisation of cockerel SSCs. The proliferation results were supported by the increased STRA8 and OCT4 transcript abundance in the treated groups (G, GF and GLF), compared to the control group. The SSC proliferation was associated with the higher transcript abundance of STAR8 and OCT4 genes in the GFL group, compared to the G and GF groups (P < 0.01). 4. The results showed that proliferation and colony-forming capacity of cockerel SSCs were positively improved by GDNF, bFGF and LIF. However, the most significant effect was observed when the medium was supplemented with LIF in combination with GDNF and bFGF.

Effect of Glutathione Supplementation to Semen Extender on Post-thawed Rooster Sperm Quality Indices Frozen After Different Equilibration Times.

BACKGROUND: Avian sperm is susceptible to lipid peroxidation, compromising their fertility. The semen antioxidant system protects sperm plasma membrane against reactive oxygen species. OBJECTIVE: The study evaluates the effect of glutathione (GSH) addition to semen extender during different equilibration times (ET) on rooster sperm cryopreservation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Semen samples are weekly collected from 60-week-old broiler breeder roosters. Collected samples were pooled and divided to six equal parts and frozen according to a randomized design (2 × 3 factorial arrangement). Treatments included adding two levels of GSH [0 (GSH-0) or 1 (GSH-1) mM] to semen extender during three ET: 0 (ET-0), 4 (ET-4) or 8 (ET-8) hours. Post-thawed motility and velocity parameters, apoptotic like changes, plasma membrane functionality, and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were evaluated. RESULTS: Post-thawed total motility is improved in the GSH-1 compared to the GSH-0 group (P<0.10). Total motility responded quadratically to increasing levels of ET such that the highest value is recorded at ET-0. Although progressive motility (PM) is not affected by GSH or ET, the highest PM is obtained in the GSH-1×ET-0 group (P<0.05). The VAP and STR is improved in the GSH-1 compared to GSH-0 group; however, VAP decreases quadratically, and STR decreases linearly as ET is advanced (P<0.05). The interactive effect of GSH by ET tends (P<0.08) to affect the wobble coefficient (WOB), such that the highest value is recorded in the GSH-1×ET-0 group. Within both GSH supplemented and control groups, the amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH) is highest (P<0.05) in the ET-0 group. The percentage of live spermatozoa quadratically decreases and the percentage of dead sperm quadratically increases in response to graded levels of ET (P<0.01). The highest plasma membrane functionality is also noted in the GSH-1×ET-0 group (P<0.05). Mitochondrial membrane potential quadratically decreases in response to increasing levels of ET (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Generally, GSH supplementation to rooster sperm extender has some beneficial effects on post-thawed sperm motion characteristics, but does not positively interact with ET.

Effect of Different Irrigation Solutions on the Apical Sealing Ability of Different Single-cone Obturation Systems: An In Vitro Study.

AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of three root canal irrigants on the apical sealing ability of three single-cone obturation systems. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred maxillary central incisors were selected and their crowns were cut. The roots were divided into three experimental groups of 30 samples each, and one control group of 10 samples (5 positives and 5 negatives). Each experimental group was divided equally into three subgroups according to the obturation system. All root canals were instrumented using ProTaper Universal rotary system and irrigated with 3% sodium hypochlorite (Group 1), 2% chlorohexidine (Group 2), 3% hydrogen peroxide (Group 3). Finally, root canals were irrigated with 17% EDTA followed by distilled water, then obturated with a single-cone technique using gutta-percha/MTA Fillapex (Subgroup A), gutta-percha/ AH Plus (Subgroup B), and Resilon/Relseal SE (Subgroup C). The microleakage was assessed using linear dye penetration method and data were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Significant differences were found between all groups and subgroups (p < 0.005). When 3% of hydrogen peroxide was used, no leakage was observed with AH Plus sealer, and a high amount of leakage (5.82 ± 0.47 mm) was observed with Realseal SE. MTA Fillapex (0.49 ± 0.08 mm) and Realseal SE (1.11 ± 0.50 mm) showed the lowest amounts of leakage when 2% chlorohexidine and 3% sodium hypochlorite were used, respectively. CONCLUSION: The type of irrigating solution and obturation system could affect the apical leakage value when single-cone obturation technique was used. AH Plus/gutta-percha obturation system showed no apical leakage when root canals were irrigated with 3% hydrogen peroxide. The using of 2% chlorohexidine improved sealing ability of MTA Fillapex/gutta-percha. The apical sealing ability of Realseal SE/Resilon decreased when 3% hydrogen peroxide or 2% chlorhexidine was used. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Proper selection of irrigating solutions may positively influence the apical sealing ability of single-cone obturation systems.

Efficacy of nivolumab as checkpoint inhibitor drug on survival rate of patients with relapsed/refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma: a meta-analysis of prospective clinical study.

AIMS: The primary standard treatment for classic Hodgkin's lymphoma (cHL) is chemotherapy and radiation therapy. However, some patients get relapsed, or their diseases become resistant. PD1 blocking antibodies have been used to increase the response of treatment in solid tumors, and led to potentially stable responses that are acceptable. Our purpose in this study is to investigate the effect of nivolumab as a PD1 blocking antibody on the survival rate of patients with Hodgkin's cancer. METHODS: Databases were found in International Medical Sciences, Web of Science, Medline, Scopus, Index Copernicus, PubMed, DOAJ, Google Scholar, EBSCO-CINAHL, and Persian databases containing SID and Magiran using keywords such as: "checkpoint inhibitor", "nivolumab", "Hodgkin lymphoma", and "PD1 Blockade". The risk of bias was determined by two external observers using the Cochrane checklists. After the search, the data provided in 51 documents was independently evaluated. Duplicate papers were excluded. Assessing the full texts of the remaining papers, 7 papers were approved. RESULTS: Pooled data of these seven studies revealed that the overall objective response rate was 68% (CI 64.1% to 72.1%; heterogeneity; I2 = 40.19%; p = 0.123) with partial remission (52%; CI 46.5% to 57.6%; heterogeneity; I2 = 28.36%; p = 0.212). In the pooled analysis, complete remission was 16.8 (CI 11.1% to 26.4%). Pooled data of six studies showed that stable disease was averaged to 19% (CI 16% to 23%; heterogeneity; I2 = 30%; p = 0.209; fixed-effect model). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study indicate that nivolumab as a PD1 pathway inhibitor can be effective in treating relapsed and refractory cHL patients compared to other therapies, and lead to more effective treatment over the long term. Furthermore, the adverse effects of nivolumab are controllable and have a good safety profile.

Effects of live yeast dietary supplementation on hormonal profile, ovarian follicular dynamics, and reproductive performance in dairy cows exposed to high ambient temperature.

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with live yeast culture on hormonal profile, ovarian follicular dynamics and reproductive performance of lactating dairy cows exposed to high ambient temperature. In Expt. 1, Holstein cows were fed a diet with (n = 6) or without (n = 6) 4 g yeast/h/d from 21 d before expected calving date until 8 weeks postpartum. Concentrations of glucose, insulin, insulin like growth factor-I (IGF-I), estradiol-17ß (E-17ß) and progesterone (P4) were determined in plasma, and transrectal ultrasonography was used to monitor ovarian follicular dynamics. In Expt. 2, 150 Holstein cows (75/dietary group) received same diets as Expt. 1 with the exception that diets were fed from d 1 to d 70 postpartum. The effect of dietary treatments on reproductive performance was examined. In Expt. 1, plasma IGF concentrations during dietary treatment were higher (P = 0.05) in cows fed diets supplemented with yeast. On d 60 postpartum, average plasma concentrations of glucose (48.3 vs. 41.0 mg/dL) and insulin (0.90 vs. 0.23 µU/mL), were also greater in cows fed diets supplemented with yeast compared to that in cow fed diets without supplementation. Similarly, plasma concentrations of E-17ß at estrus (P = 0.016) and P4 on d 10 of the estrous cycle (P = 0.021) were greater in yeast-supplemented cows. Moreover, yeast supplementation resulted on average in an estrous cycle 2.6 d shorter (P = 0.05) and in the development of larger ovulatory follicles (18.4 vs. 17.2 mm in diameter; P < 0.01). In Expt. 2, days open were fewer and the proportion of pregnant cows at 120 and 150 d postpartum were greater (P < 0.01) in cows fed diets supplemented with yeast compared to those receiving diets without yeast. In summary, cows fed diets supplemented with yeast had greater plasma IGF-I, E-17ß and P4 concentrations, larger ovulatory follicles, shorter estrous cycles, and improved reproductive performance. Therefore, live yeast dietary supplementation could enhance lactating dairy cow's fertility during heat stress through improvement in hormonal profile and development of larger ovulatory follicles.

In-vitro Study of Photothermal Anticancer Activity of Carboxylated Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Multi-walled Carbon Nano Tubes (MWCNTs) as an important element of nanosciences have a remarkable absorption in the region of NIR window (650-900 nm) which can overcome the limitations of deep treatment in photothermal therapy. To disperse MWCNTs in water, it is proposed to attach carboxylated functional group (-COOH) to MWCNTs in order to increase dispersivity in water. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A stable suspension of MWCNTs-COOH with different concentrations (from 2.5 to 500 µg/ml) was prepared. Then, they were compared for their ability to increase temperature in the presence of 810 nm laser irradiation and through a wide range of radiation time (from 20 to 600 s) and three laser powers (1.5, 2 and 2.5 w). The temperature rise was recorded real time every 20 seconds by a precise thermometer. RESULTS: Absorption spectrum of MWCNTs-COOH suspension was remarkably higher than water in a wavelength range of 200 to 1100 nm. For example, using the concentrations of 2.5 and 80 µg/ml of MWCNTs-COOH suspension caused a temperature elevation 2.35 and 9.23 times compared to water, respectively, upon 10 min laser irradiation and 2.5 w. Moreover, this predominance can be observed for 1.5 and 2 w radiation powers, too. Our findings show that the maximum of temperature increase was obtained at 80 µg/ml concentration of MWCNT-COOH suspension for three powers and through all periods of exposure time. Our results show that the minimum required parameters for a 5°C temperature increase (a 5°C temperature increase causes cell death) were achieved through 2.5 w, 28 µg/ml concentration and 20 second irradiation time in which both concentration and radiation times were relatively low. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that MWCNTs-COOH can be considered as a potent photothermal agent in targeted therapies. New strategies must be developed to minimize the concentration, irradiation time and radiation power used in experiments.

Dietary supplementation of L-glutamine and L-glutamate in broiler chicks subjected to delayed placement.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary glutamine (Gln) + glutamic acid (Glu) supplementation on growth performance and physiological stress response in broiler chickens subjected to 24 h delay in placement. Equal number of day-old broiler chicks were assigned to either immediate placement or with 24 h delay in placement with no access to feed and water. Chicks from each placement group were fed either standard starter diet (control) or standard starter diet +1% AminoGut (AG; mixture of 10% Gln and 10% Glu) from 1 to 21 d. Blood and duodenal samples were collected at 21 d for analysis of serum levels of ceruloplasmin (CER), ovotransferin (OVT) and α-1 acid glycoprotein (AGP), duodenal heat shock protein (HSP) 70 expression, and villi length and crypt depth. Results showed that delayed placement for 24 h was detrimental to weight gain during the starter phase (1 to 21 d) but not thereafter. AG supplementation was not able to eliminate that reduction in weight gain and feed intake during the starter stage. However, the observed enhancement in villi length and crypt depth at d 21 resulted in improvement of FCR and weight gain during the finisher stage (22 to 42 d) and consequently the overall period (1 to 42 d). Broiler chickens supplemented with AG also showed lower mortality rate, and higher AGP, OVT, CER, and HSP 70 expression compared to their control counterparts. Based on AGP, OVT, CER, and HSP 70 expression, there is no indication that delayed placement was physiologically stressful to the broiler chickens at 21 d of age.

Incidence and Trend of Childhood and Adolescent Cancers in Yazd, Iran.

BACKGROUND: Data on childhood and adolescent malignant tumors incidence are skimp in developing countries. In this study, we analyzed the incidence and trend of childhood and adolescent cancers in Yazd city, center of Iran between Jan 2004 and Dec 2013. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The various types of malignant tumors were grouped pursuant to the International Classification for Cancer in Children. To analyze the data, descriptive and illative statistical methods were used. RESULTS: Two hundred twenty-two patients with a malignancy aged less than 18 years were studied with a male to female ratio of 1.36.The mean age of patients was 9.88 (±5.7) years. Leukemia with the frequency of 84 (37.8%) and after that lymphoid malignancies with the frequency of 49 (22.1%) were the most common cancers. There was a low range of oscillation in the incidence rate of malignancies during this period of time (P value= 0.081). Malignancies were mostly in males (P value=0.057) but the whole process of malignancy incidence had gone toward the higher rate of incidence in females. Incidence rate of cancers types was steady. Malignancy incidence was 3-7 cases in hundred of thousands except a year of which this incidence rate was estimated 13.4. CONCLUSION: Leukemias and lymphomas were the main cancers in the center of Iran. Childhood and adolescent malignancies may be considerably under-recorded in our province .A childhood and adolescent cancer registry is necessary for exact analysis of these types of malignancies.

Protective role of glutathione in buck semen cryopreservation.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of low levels of glutathione on post-thawed buck sperm quality. In this experiment, different concentrations of glutathione [0 (LG-0), 0.5 (LG-0.5), 1 (LG-1), 1.5 (LG-1.5), and 2 (LG-2) mM] were added in a soybean lecithin-based extender. A total of 16 ejaculates from four bucks were collected and pooled. Each pooled sample was divided into five equal parts and each part was diluted by one of the above mentioned groups. After freeze-thawing process, motility and velocity, plasma membrane integrity and functionality, and apoptosis features of spermatozoa were evaluated. The results of this experiment showed that total motility (50.75 ± 2.33), plasma membrane integrity (55.75 ± 3.01) and functionality (46.75 ± 2.79) were higher in LG-1 extender compared to other extenders (P<0.05). The percentage of live spermatozoa (53.23 ± 3.26) was higher in LG-1 extender compared to other extenders, with the exception of LG-1.5 extender (P<0.05). Also, the percentage of late apoptotic spermatozoa (21.33 ± 1.63) was lower in LG-1 extender compared to other extenders (P<0.05). In conclusion, our results showed that GL-1 extender resulted in higher post-thawed buck sperm quality compared to other extenders.

Comparative measurement of ghrelin, leptin, adiponectin, EGF and IGF-1 in breast milk of mothers with overweight/obese and normal-weight infants.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Obese infants are more susceptible to develop adulthood obesity and its related comorbidities. Previous studies have shown the presence of hormones and growth factors in maternal breast milk that may influence infant adiposity. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in concentrations of three hormones and two growth factors in the breast milk of mothers with obese and non-obese infants. SUBJECTS/METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 40 mothers with overweight or obese infants (weight for length percentile >97) and 40 age-matched mothers with normal-weight infant (-10 < weight for length percentile < 85) who were between 2 and 5 months of age were enrolled. Anthropometric indices of infants and mothers were measured by routine methods. Breast milk concentrations of ghrelin and adiponectin, leptin, epithelial growth factor (EGF) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methods. RESULTS: The mean breast milk concentration of ghrelin was higher in mothers with normal-weight infants, 137.50 pg/ml, than in mothers with obese infants, 132.00 pg/ml (P=0.001). This was also true regarding the concentration of EGF in mothers with (0/04 ng/ml) and without (0/038 ng/ml) normal-weight infants (P=0.01). No significant differences were observed in concentrations of leptin, adiponectin and IGF-1 between two groups (P > 0.05). There was also a significant positive correlation between EGF and ghrelin in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that there was a correlation between ghrelin and EGF level in breast milk of mothers with obese and non-obese infants, suggesting a possible regulatory effect of these two hormones on weight in infants.

Fatigue and quality of life of women with multiple sclerosis: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of aquatic exercise on fatigue and the quality of life in women with multiple sclerosis (MS). METHODS: This randomized controlled clinical trial was carried out in a multiple sclerosis clinic in Iran, where 37 outpatient women with MS were randomized into an exercise group (N.=18) and a control group (N.=19). In the exercise group, aquatic exercise was performed for 45 minutes, 3 times per week for 8 weeks. The control group did not receive any interventions (aquatic exercise) and were asked to maintain their normal treatments. The severity and perception of fatigue and quality of life (QoL) were measured using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), and Multicultural Quality of Life Index (MQLIM) questionnaires. RESULTS: The repeated measure ANOVA demonstrated significant effects of aquatic exercise on the changes in the scores of physical and psychosocial fatigue perception, QoL, and fatigue severity (P=0.001). However, its effect was not significant for cognitive fatigue perception (P>0.05). General linear models show that the percentages of variation, as explained by the aquatic exercises, were highest in the QoL and the physical and psychosocial fatigue perceptions. CONCLUSION: Aquatic exercise can improve the QoL and decrease fatigue severity and fatigue perception, specifically in the physical and psychosocial domain for MS patients. However, it was not effective in improving cognitive fatigue perception.

Response to dietary supplementation of L-glutamine and L-glutamate in broiler chickens reared at different stocking densities under hot, humid tropical conditions.

A study was conducted to determine whether supplementing AminoGut (a commercial dietary supplement containing a mixture of l-glutamine and l-glutamic acid) to broiler chickens stocked at 2 different densities affected performance, physiological stress responses, foot pad dermatitis incidence, and intestinal morphology and microflora. A randomized design in a factorial arrangement with 4 diets [basal diet, basal diet + 0.5% AminoGut from d 1 to 21, basal diet + 0.5% AminoGut from d 1 to 42, and basal diet + virginiamycin (0.02%) for d 1 to 42] and 2 stocking densities [0.100 m(2)/bird (23 birds/pen; LD) or 0.067 m(2)/bird (35 birds/pen; HD)]. Results showed that villi length and crypt depth were not changed by different dietary treatments. However, birds in the HD group had smaller villi (P = 0.03) compared with those of the LD group. Regardless of diet, HD consistently increased the serum concentrations of ceruloplasmin, α-1 acid glycoprotein, ovotransferin, and corticosterone (P = 0.0007), and elevated heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (0.0005). Neither AminoGut supplementation nor stocking density affected cecal microflora counts. In conclusion, under the conditions of this study, dietary supplementation of AminoGut, irrespective of stocking density, had no beneficial effect on growth performance, intestinal morphology, and physiological adaptive responses of broiler chickens raised under hot and humid tropical conditions. However, AminoGut supplementation from d 1 to 42 was beneficial in reducing mortality rate. Also, the increased serum concentrations of a wide range of acute phase proteins together with elevated corticosterone and heterophil to lymphocyte ratio suggested that high stocking density induced an acute phase response either indirectly as a result of increased incidence of inflammatory diseases such as foot pad dermatitis or possibly as a direct physiological response to the stress of high stocking density.

Effect of surface modification by nitrogen ion implantation on the electrochemical and cellular behaviors of super-elastic NiTi shape memory alloy.

The aim of this investigation was to enhance the biological behavior of NiTi shape memory alloy while preserving its super-elastic behavior in order to facilitate its compatibility for application in human body. The surfaces of NiTi samples were bombarded by three different nitrogen doses. Small-angle X-ray diffraction was employed for evaluating the generated phases on the bombarded surfaces. The electrochemical behaviors of the bare and surface-modified NiTi samples were studied in simulated body fluid (SBF) using electrochemical impedance and potentio-dynamic polarization tests. Ni ion release during a 2-month period of service in the SBF environment was evaluated using atomic absorption spectrometry. The cellular behavior of nitrogen-modified samples was studied using fibroblast cells. Furthermore, the effect of surface modification on super-elasticity was investigated by tensile test. The results showed the improvement of both corrosion and biological behaviors of the modified NiTi samples. However, no significant change in the super-elasticity was observed. Samples modified at 1.4E18 ion cm(-2) showed the highest corrosion resistance and the lowest Ni ion release.

Electrochemical and cellular behavior of ultrafine-grained titanium in vitro.

The electrochemical and cellular behavior of commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti) with both ultrafine-grained (UFG) and coarse-grained (CG) microstructure was evaluated in this study. Equal channel angular pressing was used to produce the UFG structure titanium. Polarization and electrochemical impedance tests were carried out in a simulated body fluid (SBF) at 37°C. Cellular behaviors of samples were assessed using fibroblast cells. Results of the investigations illustrate the improvement of both corrosion and biological behavior of UFG CP-Ti in comparison with the CG counterpart.

An investigation on low velocity impact response of multilayer sandwich composite structures.

The effects of adding an extra layer within a sandwich panel and two different core types in top and bottom cores on low velocity impact loadings are studied experimentally in this paper. The panel includes polymer composite laminated sheets for faces and the internal laminated sheet called extra layer sheet, and two types of crushable foams are selected as the core material. Low velocity impact tests were carried out by drop hammer testing machine to the clamped multilayer sandwich panels with expanded polypropylene (EPP) and polyurethane rigid (PUR) in the top and bottom cores. Local displacement of the top core, contact force and deflection of the sandwich panel were obtained for different locations of the internal sheet; meanwhile the EPP and PUR were used in the top and bottom cores alternatively. It was found that the core material type has made significant role in improving the sandwich panel's behavior compared with the effect of extra layer location.

The causes for lack of interest to blood donation in eligible individuals, mashhad, northeastern iran.

BACKGROUND: Donor recruitment and retention are significant problems in blood collection agencies around the world. The Aim of this study was to determine the causes of lack of interest to blood donation in eligible individu-als in Mashhad, Northeast of Iran. METHODS: This was a descriptive study. Cases were 1130 non-donor individuals. Participants were selected from eligible individuals in different regions of Mashhad. In this study, surveys included information about age groups, gender, residence area, marriage, education; living situation and job as background variables. RESULT: Less than 30% of the cases had enough knowledge about blood donation. There was a significant rela-tionship between location, age, education, occupation and social status with knowledge of blood donation, but there was not a correlation between gender and marital status. CONCLUSION: There are some factors which affect the decision for blood donation. There is a need to change the negative attitude by increasing the knowledge considering the individual and the social status.