Background: A large proportion of patients presenting with lumbar disc disease are opium addicts in our region. It was, therefore, hypothesized that morphine might affect the intervertebral disc. We investigated the histological findings of morphine dependency on intervertebral discs in rat. Methods: Forty NMRI adult male rats (230-250 g) placed on ordinary diet and received aqueous solution of...

This study investigated the effect of spirulina ethanolic extract (SEE) on quality ram semen during low-temperature liquid storage and relationship between sperm features. Ejaculates were collected from five Djallonké rams, pooled, extended with Tris-egg yolk (TEY) enriched 0 (control), 20 (SEE20), 40 (SEE40), 80 µg/mL (SEE80) SEE to reach concentration 200×106 spz/mL, stored at 4 °C for 72 h. ...

Events following which anti-D immunoglobulin should be given to all RhD negative women with no anti-D antibodies: First trimester indications (50 microg)--termination of pregnancy, spontaneous abortion followed by instrumentation, ectopic pregnancy, chorionic villus sampling, partial molar pregnancy; Second and third trimester indications (100 microg)--amniocentesis, cordocentesis, other invasi...

BACKGROUND Emerging evidence suggests that angiogenic and pro-inflammatory cytokine leptin might be implicated in ocular neovascularization. However, the potential of inhibiting leptin function in ophthalmic cells has never been explored. Here we assessed mitogenic, angiogenic, and signaling leptin activities in retinal and corneal endothelial cells and examined the capability of a specific lep...

Previous studies employing time-kill methods have observed synergistic effects against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) when a β-lactam is combined with vancomycin. However, these time-kill studies have neglected the importance of human-simulated exposures. We evaluated the effect of human simulated exposures of vancomycin at 1 g every 8 h (q8h) in combination with cefazolin a...

We examined the relationship between eosinophil migration into the bronchoalveolar space and change in FEV(1) after endobronchial allergen challenge (EBAC) in atopic asthmatic (AA) and atopic nonasthmatic (ANA) subjects. The purpose of this study was to obtain continuous, intrasubject controlled assessment of the relationship between cell migration in control and allergen-challenged segments in...

elicitation with middle-viscous chitosan (30 mg/50 ml) significantly stimulated silymarin synthesis in silybum marianum hairy root cultures. the root cultures established by infection with agrobacterium rhizogenes ar15834 showed a potential for production of silymarin. elicitation with medium molecular weight of chitosan (0, 5, 10, 20, and 30 mg/50 ml) was used in order to improve silymarin pro...

Schistosomiasis is a Neglected Tropical Diseases which can be prevented with mass deworming chemotherapy. The reliance on a single drug, praziquantel, is a motivation for the search of novel antischistosomal compounds. This study investigated the anthelmintic activity of the stem bark and roots of Rauwolfia vomitoria against two life stages of Schistosoma mansoni. Both plant parts were found to...

BACKGROUND Changing plasma protein concentrations may affect the protein binding and pharmacokinetics of drugs in the postoperative phase. Therefore, the authors evaluated the pharmacokinetics of ropivacaine, administered by 72-h epidural infusion to provide postoperative analgesia. METHODS Twenty-eight patients, scheduled for major orthopedic surgery during combined epidural and general anes...

Twelve moderately to severely involved chronic stroke survivors (>12 mo) were randomized to one of two treatments: robotics and motor learning (ROB-ML) or functional neuromuscular stimulation and motor learning (FNS-ML). Treatment was 5 h/d, 5 d/wk for 12 wk. ROB-ML group had 1.5 h per session devoted to robotics shoulder and elbow (S/E) training. FNS-ML had 1.5 h per session devoted to functio...