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Background and Objective: Onosma dichroanthum Boiss. is one of the most important mountainous medicinal plants in Iran. This study was done to determine the biomechanical evaluation of root extract ointment of Onosma dichroanthum Boiss. on wound healing in rats. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 18 male adult Wistar rats were randomly allocated into control (I), vehicle (II) and treated group with ointment containing of extract 1% of root of Onosma dichroanthum Boiss., (III). 20 mm vertical skin incision wound were made on rats back side. The assessment of the wound healing was carried out at day 14. At the end of study, rats were sacrificed, skin sample were extracted and evaluated by biomechanical method (maximum force, elastic stiffness, energy absorption). Results: There was no significant difference in biomechanical parameters among the treated, vehicle and control groups. Conclusion: Topical application of Onosma dichroanthum Boiss. root have no effect on healing of skin wound in animal model.

This study was conducted to compare the effect of organic versus inorganic sources of trace elements (Zn, Cu, Mn and Co) on nutrient digestibility in lambs and in vitro gas production parameters. In experiment 1, 18 Zandi male lambs (initial body weight (BW), 28.5±1.4 kg) were randomly assigned to either a basal diet with no trace mineral supplement (control diet), basal diet supplemented with trace minerals sulfates, basal diet supplemented with mineral-amino acid complex. In experiment 2, in vitro gas production was used to estimate in vitro fermentation parameters of the experimental treatments. The digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, and crude protein (CP) were not affected by treatments. However, supplementation with either mineral supplements decreased digestibility of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) (P<0.05). Organic mineral supplementation decreased rate of gas production (P<0.05), however asymptotic gas production (b) and effective digestibility were not different among the groups. Results of this study show that supplementation of trace elements does not affect the in vitro ruminal fermentation parameters and nutrients digestibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new class of contraction pairs in uniformly convex metric spaces is introduced. The coincidence and best proximity points of this class of mappings is studied, and finally, illustrative examples are given to support the new results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An in vitro gas production technique was used to evaluate the effects of different adsorbents on the gas production parameters of lead-exposed diet. Ruminal fluid, obtained from fistulated sheep (3-4 years of age and 40±5 kg BW), and experimental diets samples, 200 ± 0.2 mg DM, were incubated in 100 mL glass bottles. To each bottle, one of the following treatments was applied: 1) control (no Pb and adsorbent), 2) 15 mg/kg DM Pb as Pb acetate and no adsorbent, 3) 15 mg/kg DM Pb as Pb acetate and 3% activated carbon, 4) 15 mg/kg DM Pb as Pb acetate and 3% nanoclay and 5) 15 mg/kg DM Pb as Pb acetate and 3% bentonite. Supplementation of ruminal medium with 15 ppm Pb significantly (P<0.01) decreased total and rate of gas production at all incubation times. Rate and total gas production were significantly (P<0.05) higher for nanoclay compared to control and the other adsorbents treatments. Lead inclusion decreased organic matter digestibility (OMD), net and metabolizable energy contents and short chain fatty acids production (P<0.01). Among the adsorbents, nanoclay showed to be more effective on ruminanl fermentation parameters and improved rate and total gas production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of supplemental bentonite on performance, blood, and fermentation characteristics in Zandi lambs. In experiment 1, 20 Zandi male lambs (initial BW, 17.5 ± 1.6 kg and 110 ± 5 days old) were randomly assigned into four groups of five animals in each. The experimental treatments were (1) control (no Pb and bentonite), (2) 15 mg/kg DM Pb as Pb acetate and no bentonite, (3) 15 mg/kg DM Pb as Pb acetate and 1.5% bentonite, and (4) 15 mg/kg DM Pb as Pb acetate and 3% bentonite. The dietary treatments had no significant effect on dry matter intake of experimental lambs. Feed required per unit of weight gain was more ( P < 0.05) in lead-exposed lambs in group 2 compared to the control and bentonite supplemented groups. Serum glucose, urea nitrogen, cholesterol, HDL, and LDL concentrations was similar among the treatments. In experiment 2, an in vitro gas production technique was used to evaluate the effects of bentonite supplementation on the gas production parameters of lead-polluted diets. The rate and amount of gas production was higher for bentonite supplemented groups ( P < 0.01). Asymptotic gas production ( b), metabolizable energy, and concentration of short chain fatty acids were lower ( P < 0.05) for lead-polluted non-supplemented diet (group 2) as compared to the bentonite supplemented and control groups. It was concluded that bentonite supplementation favorably modified ruminal fermentation pattern and improved feed conversion ratio in growing lead-exposed lambs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comparative study of artificial neural network (ANN) and multiple regression is made to predict the fat tail weight of Balouchi sheep from birth, weaning and finishing weights. A multilayer feed forward network with back propagation of error learning mechanism was used to predict the sheep body weight. The data (69 records) were randomly divided into two subsets. The first subset is the training set comprising of 75 percent data (52 records) to build the neural network model and test data set comprising of 25 percent (17 records), which is not used during the training and is used to evaluate performance of different models. The mean relative error was significantly (P<0.01) lower for ANN than the MLR model. The coefficient of determination (R²) values computed for the body measurements were generally higher (0.93) using ANN model than the multiple linear regression (MLR) model (0.81). The ANN model improved the mean squared error (MSE) of the MLR model by 59% and R² by 15% that the ANN represents a valuable tool for predicting of lamb fat tail weight from birth, weaning and finishing weights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was conducted to evaluate effects of age at weaning on various growth characteristics and stress measures of Zandi lambs. The lambs were weaned at 45 and 90 days of age. The body weights and average daily gain (ADG) were monitored during the experimental period and 5 months of age. Cortisol, glucose, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and lamb behavior (agitation, vocalization) were recorded before and after weaning. After separation, lambs weaned at 45 d of age had greater agitation scores and bleats. Furthermore, serum cortisol, glucose and BUN concentration were higher for lambs at a weaning age of 45 d. The ADG and weaning and 5-months weights were similar. The results of the present study indicated that there is no significant difference in the growth traits of Zandi lambs, weaned at 45 or 90 days of age, and suggested that lamb could be weaned at 45 days of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of parenteral supplementation of cobalt, copper and iron in late pregnancy on ewe hematology parameters and lamb vigour. Twenty ewes were allocated to one of two groups (n=10). In the test group, on day 120 of pregnancy, cobalt, copper and iron were injected at a dose of 0.1 mL/kg BW (Fercobsang, France, cobalt gluconate 5 mg/100 mL, copper gluconate 0.5 mg/100 mL and ferrous citrate 1000 mg/100 mL). Ewes in the control group received equal amounts of normal saline as placebo. Group had no significant effect on ewe hematological parameters (P>0.05). There were no significant effects of parenteral mineral supplementation on lamb birth weight, rectal temperature and weaning weight after birth. Lamb viabilities are reported as scores as these gave a true representation of the effects of treatment on underlying measurements. However, there were no differences between groups in lamb vigour and sucking assistance score. It seems that using of additional trace elements in late pregnancy could be effective only in deficiency situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of Rumex Sc (commercial product which includes of Saccharomyces cervisiae, saponin and essential oils) on rumen fermentation, blood glucose, urea, milk yield and milk composition. Animals were offered a basal diet containing alfalfa hay (15.5%), corn silage (24%), beet pulp (7%) and concentrate (53.5%). Additionally, Rumex Sc was included in the experimental diet at a rate of 5 g/day/cow. Sampling of milk, ruminal liquid and blood was conducted for determination of milk composition, fermentation parameters and blood metabolites. Milk yield was significantly increased for the experimental group when compared to the control group (P<0.05), but milk composition was not affected by Rumex Sc. The number of protozoa, ammonia nitrogen concentration and pH in the rumen were decreased in the experimental group (P<0.05). Concentrations of volatile fatty acids in the rumen were affected to some extent by inclusion of Rumex Sc in the diet. Molar proportion of acetate was decreased and propionate was increased with a corresponding decrease in acetate: propionate ratio. In this study, blood glucose was significantly increased and urea decreased with the addition of Rumex Sc (P<0.05). It was concluded that using Rumex Sc can improve the milk yield performance of dairy cows, however further studies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thirty six male Chall lambs (four-month old and 26 ± 1.5 kg body weight) were randomly assigned into four treatments (nine lambs per treatment) to study the effect of Powerfeed® (a commercial mixture made from wheat processing by-product and wheat bran) on weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, serum sodium and potassium concentration and urine pH. Lambs in control group were fed with a total mixed ration based of alfalfa and barley grain. Barley grain was replaced with Powerfeed® (PF) at levels of 4, 8 and 12 in treatments 2, 3 and 4, respectively. The experiment lasted for 105 days comprising 15 days of adaptation period and 90 days finishing period. No significant differences were observed in weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, serum sodium and potassium concentration and urine pH of lambs in control group when compared to other treatments. In conclusion, Powerfeed® can be used as partial replacement of barley grain in total mixed rations of finishing lambs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychotropic stimulants like methamphetamine (METH) have an impact on the physiology, behavior, and psychology of human beings and can damage the reproductive and neuroendocrine systems in them. These deleterious impacts include a temporary drop in the relative weight of the testis along with adverse effects on spermatogenesis. Sambucus nigra, also known as elderberry (EB) or sweet elder, is a source of bioactive compounds that has drawn growing attention for its potential beneficial impact in preventing and treating several diseases. In this experimental research, 36 adult male rats were classified into three groups: (1) control, (2) METH, and (3) METH receiving the EB diet. The rats were injected with METH at a dose of 20 mg/kg for 28 days during treatment with the EB diet. Then, the rats were euthanized, and their sperm samples were collected for sperm parameters analysis. Afterward, the testis samples were taken for histopathological experimentations, immunohistochemistry against TNF-α and caspase-3, and serum testosterone levels. Our findings indicated largely improved sperm and stereological parameters, like spermatogonia, primary spermatocyte, round spermatid, and Leydig cells, and an increased serum testosterone level in the METH group receiving the EB diet compared to the other METH group. The results also revealed a significantly decreased TNF-α and caspase-3 expression in the METH+EB group compared to the METH group. In conclusion, the EB diet is regarded as an alternative treatment for improving the spermatogenesis process in reproductive toxicity induced by METH exposure., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Scrotal hyperthermia poses a significant threat to spermatogenesis and fertility in mammalian species. This study investigated the effects of vitamin B12 and vitamin C on spermatogenesis in adult male mice subjected to long-term scrotal hyperthermia. The rationale is based on the sensitivity of germ cells and epididymal sperm to increased scrotal temperatures. While various factors, both internal and external, can raise the testicular temperature, this study focused on the potential therapeutic roles of vitamins B12 and C., Methods: After inducing scrotal hyperthermia in mice, vitamin B12 and vitamin C were administered for 35 days. We assessed sperm parameters, serum testosterone levels, stereological parameters, the percentage of apoptotic cells, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and glutathione (GSH) levels. Additionally, real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to analyze the expression of the c-kit, stimulated by retinoic acid gene 8 (Stra8), and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (Pcna) genes., Results: Vitamin C was more effective than vitamin B12 in improving sperm parameters and enhancing stereological parameters. The study showed a significant decrease in apoptotic cells and a beneficial modulation of ROS and GSH levels following vitamin administration. Moreover, both vitamins positively affected the expression levels of the c-kit, Stra8, and Pcna genes., Conclusion: This research deepens our understanding of the combined impact of vitamins B12 and C in mitigating the effects of scrotal hyperthermia, providing insights into potential therapeutic strategies for heat stress-related infertility. The findings highlight the importance of considering vitamin supplementation as a practical approach to counter the detrimental effects of elevated scrotal temperatures on male reproductive health.

A zoonotic disease called brucellosis can cause flu-like symptoms and heart inflammation. The bacteria responsible for this disease can also enter the brain, causing a condition called neurobrucellosis that can result in long-term neurological problems. In this study, researchers aimed to determine the changes in the hippocampal cells of rats infected with Brucella. For the study, 24 adult male albino rats were inoculated with 1 × 10 6 CFU Brucella abortus 544. The rats were then deeply anesthetized, and their hippocampus samples were taken for stereological, histological, and molecular studies. The results showed that the infected rats had increased microgliosis and astrogliosis. Furthermore, a high level of caspase-3 in their hippocampal tissue indicated their susceptibility to apoptosis. Additionally, there was a decrease in expression of Ki67, which further supported this. Sholl's analysis confirmed a significant failure in glial morphology. The study demonstrated that the pathogen has the ability to destroy the hippocampus and potentially affect its normal physiology. However, more research is needed to clarify various aspects of neurobrucellosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest, (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)