In fish, a complex set of mechanisms deal with environmental stresses including hypoxia. In order to probe the hypothesis that hypoxia-induced stress could be manifested in varieties of pathways, a model species, mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio), were chronically exposed to hypoxic condition (dissolved oxygen level: 1.80±0.6mg/l) for 21 days and subsequently allowed to recover under normoxic condition (dissolved oxygen level: 8.2±0.5mg/l) for 7 days. At the end of these exposure periods, an integrated approach was applied to evaluate several endpoints at different levels of biological organisation. These included determination of (i) oxidative damage to DNA in erythrocytes (using modified comet assay), (ii) lipid peroxidation in liver samples by measuring the malondialdehyde production using the 2-thiobarbituric acid [i.e. thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay] and (iii) histopathological changes in gills. In addition, transcriptional expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 α (HIF-1α) and genes involved in the repair of oxidative damage to DNA (i.e. ogg1) and base excision repair (i.e. xrcc1) using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in liver samples were also determined. The results suggested significantly enhanced expression of these genes in response to hypoxia compared to concurrent normoxic controls. While the expression of HIF-1α reverted to control values within 7 days exposure to normoxic condition (P < 0.05), the transcriptional expression of the two genes involved in DNA repair process remained significantly high under the recovery period, which complemented the induction of oxidative damage to DNA. Hypoxic groups showed significantly increased values for TBARS level (~2-fold) and histopathological changes in gill tissues compared to both normoxic and recovery groups. Overall, oxidative damage to DNA determined by modified comet assay reflected the observed biological responses in other tissues of the fish. Along with other parameters, this integrated experimental design further strengthens the applications of the comet assay as an important technique to assess stress-induced DNA damage in ecotoxicological studies. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the UK Environmental Mutagen Society.
Background: This research describes the methodology used for the preparation of selenium nanoparticles from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and their administration to lambs for lipid profile checking, administration of selenium nanoparticles as a medication in lambs results in hypolipidemia. Aim: The study aimed to investigate the potential of selenium nanoparticles in improving lipid profiles in lambs. Methods: Healthy lambs (n=10) of similar age and weight were selected for the study. The animals were housed in individual pens with free access to water and a standard diet. The lambs were randomly divided into two groups: the control group (n=5) and the treatment group (n=5). The control group received a standard diet, while the treatme
... Show MoreBackground and Aim: Canine parvovirus 2 (CPV-2) is a highly contagious virus that infects wild and domestic canines. Despite the use of a routine vaccination protocol, it is endemic in Iraq. The genetic drift of CPV-2 is a major issue worldwide because it abrogates virus control. In Iraq, there is a knowledge gap regarding the genetic sequences of asymptomatic and symptomatic CPV-2 cases. Therefore, this study aimed to perform a genetic analysis of viral capsid protein 1 (VP1) and viral capsid protein 2 (VP2), two major capsid-encoding genes, to demonstrate the possible role of certain mutations in triggering infection. Materials and Methods: Symptomatic and asymptomatic cases (n = 100/each) were tested by a polymerase chain reacti
... Show MoreWhat distinguishes human rights issues is their importance to the international community and their importance to democratic political regimes, because they are the axis of any political regime that seeks to achieve a successful democratic path and a stable state. So, countries that are interested in human rights try to enshrine those rights and freedoms in their constitutions and reinforce their concepts in their laws and legislations. Not to mention its involvement in international conventions and treaties concerned with human rights and freedoms, and this is what the Sultanate of Oman has worked on and confirm in the provisions of its 1996 constitution and its amendments
The research aims to find the impact of a proposed strategy according to the Luria model on realistic thinking among fifth-class scientific students and their achievement in mathematics. To achieve it, the experimental research method and the quasi-experimental design were used for two equal groups, one of them is a control group taught in traditional way and the other is an experimental one taught according to strategy based on Luria model. The research community represents the students of the fifth scientific class from the General Directorate of Education of Karkh First. The research sample (40) students were deliberately chosen and distributed equally between the two groups after making sure that they were equals in their previo
... Show MoreBackground: Infection with Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) leads to activation of T-helper cells (Th-1 and Th-2) which are involved in the synthesis and release of different cytokines which may lead to endothelial dysfunction. Objectives: To evaluate the endothelial function in patients with acute toxoplasmosis. Methods: This case-control study involved 31 patients with toxoplasmosis aged 19 - 47 years matched with 20 healthy subjects. Anti-T. gondii antibody (IgG, IgM, IgA) was determined by direct antigen-antibody reaction. Interleukin-6(IL-6), endothelin-1 (ET-1) and human malondialdehyde (MDA) serum levels were measured. Results: IgM, IgG and IgA levels were high in the infected patients compared with controls (P < 0.01). Furthermore, IL-
... Show MoreThis paper is concerned with the blow-up solutions of a system of two reaction-diffusion equations coupled in both equations and boundary conditions. In order to understand how the reaction terms and the boundary terms affect the blow-up properties, the lower and upper blow-up rate estimates are derived. Moreover, the blow-up set under some restricted assumptions is studied.
Introduction: This study aimed to investigate sex differences in age-related changes to the dentoskeletal and soft tissue profile between 12-62 years of age using a superimposition-based cephalometric method. Methods: A total of 60 subjects (27 males and 33 females) were followed longitudinally. Lateral cephalograms were obtained at ages 12 (T1), 15 (T2), 30 (T3), and 62 (T4). Of note, 46 angular and linear cephalometric variables were measured using a cranial base-registered superimposition method that corrected for age-related displacement of the Nasion and Sella landmarks. Sex differences in changes between time points were analyzed using independent-samples t tests. Results: During adolescence (12-15 years of age), males exhibited great
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