Biostratigraphy and paleoecology of the Oligo-Miocene succession in Fars and Khuzestan areas (Zagros Basin,SW Iran)

Paleontological and biostratigraphical studies on carbonate platform succession from southwest Iran documented a great diversity of shallow-water benthic foraminifera during the Oligocene–Miocene. Larger foraminifera are the main means for the stratigraphic zonation of carbonate sediments. The distributions of larger benthic foraminifera in two outcrop sections (Abolhayat and Lali) in the Zagros Basin, Iran, are used to determine the age of the Asmari Formation. Four assemblage zones have been recognized by distribution of the larger benthic foraminifera in the study areas. Assemblage 3 (Aquitanian age) and 4 (Burdigalian age) have not been recognized in the Abolhayat section (Fars area), due to sea-level fall. The end Chattian sea-level fall restricted marine deposition in the Abolhayat section and Asmari Formation replaced laterally by the Gachsaran Formation. This suggests that the Miocene part of the formation as recognized in the Lali section (Khuzestan area) of the Zagros foreland basin is not present in the Abolhayat outcrop. The distribution of the Oligocene larger benthic foraminifera indicates that shallow marine carbonate sediments of the Asmari Formation at the study areas have been deposited in the photic zone of tropical to subtropical oceans. Based on analysis of larger benthic foraminiferal assemblages and microfacies features, three major depositional environments are identified. These include inner shelf, middle shelf and outer shelf. The inner shelf facies is characterized by wackestone–packstone, dominated by various taxa of imperforate foraminifera. The middle shelf is represented by packstone–grainstone to floatstone with a diverse assemblage of larger foraminifera with perforate wall. Basinwards is dominated by argillaceous wackestone characterized by planktonic foraminifera and large and flat nummulitidae and lepidocyclinidae. Planktonic foraminifera wackestone is the dominant facies in the outer shelf.     

Mesenchymal stem cells contribute to endogenous FVIII:c production

Besides the liver, it has been difficult to identify which organ(s) and/or cellular component(s) contribute significantly to the production of human FVIII:c (FVIII). Thus far, only endothelial cells have been shown to constitute a robust extrahepatic source of FVIII, possibly explaining both the diverse presence of FVIII mRNA in the body, and the observed increase in FVIII levels during liver failure. Here, we investigate whether human mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), ubiquitously present in different organs, could also contribute to FVIII production. MSC isolated from human lung, liver, brain, and bone marrow expressed FVIII message as determined by quantitative‐RT‐PCR. Using an antibody specific for FVIII, confocal microscopy, and umbilical cord‐derived endothelial cells (HUVEC) as a negative control, we demonstrated that, in MSC, FVIII protein was not stored in granules; rather, it localized to the perinuclear region. Furthermore, functional FVIII was detected in MSC supernatants and cell lysates by aPTT and chromogenic assays. These results demonstrate that MSC can contribute at low levels to the functional FVIII pool, and advance the understanding of the physiology of FVIII production and secretion. J. Cell. Physiol. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Automated Characterization and Parameter-Free Classification of Cell Tracks Based on Local Migration Behavior

Cell migration is the driving force behind the dynamics of many diverse biological processes. Even though microscopy experiments are routinely performed today by which populations of cells are visualized in space and time, valuable information contained in image data is often disregarded because statistical analyses are performed at the level of cell populations rather than at the single-cell level. Image-based systems biology is a modern approach that aims at quantitatively analyzing and modeling biological processes by developing novel strategies and tools for the interpretation of image data. In this study, we take first steps towards a fully automated characterization and parameter-free classification of cell track data that can be generally applied to tracked objects as obtained from image data. The requirements to achieve this aim include: (i) combination of different measures for single cell tracks, such as the confinement ratio and the asphericity of the track volume, and (ii) computation of these measures in a staggered fashion to retrieve local information from all possible combinations of track segments. We demonstrate for a population of synthetic cell tracks as well as for in vitro neutrophil tracks obtained from microscopy experiment that the information contained in the track data is fully exploited in this way and does not require any prior knowledge, which keeps the analysis unbiased and general. The identification of cells that show the same type of migration behavior within the population of all cells is achieved via agglomerative hierarchical clustering of cell tracks in the parameter space of the staggered measures. The recognition of characteristic patterns is highly desired to advance our knowledge about the dynamics of biological processes.     

Mathematical modeling of cell growth in a 3D scaffold and validation of static and dynamic cultures

Tissue engineering, an immensely important field in contemporary clinical practices, aims at the repair or replacement of damaged tissues. The mathematical model proposed herein shows the distribution and growth of cells in their characteristic time in a 3D scaffold model. This study contributes to the progress of simulation techniques in static and dynamic cultures of bone tissue. Brinkman, nutrient transport, and cell growth equations are brought together to quantify the growth behavior of cells. However, when a static culture is being studied, the Brinkman equation is eliminated. The model was validated by experimental cell culture using 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and scanning electron microscopy. Then, static and dynamic cultures were compared to assess the cell density and cell distribution in the scaffold. Cell counting after 21 days of cell culture showed that the number of cells increased 42‐fold in static and 53.5‐fold in dynamic cultures, which was in good agreement with our model estimations (37‐fold increase in the number of cells in static and 49‐fold increase in dynamic cultures). In conclusion, our mathematical model could predict cell distribution and growth in the scaffold.     

Kinematics of human arm reconstructed from spatial tracking system recordings

The kinematics of the human arm in terms of angles of rotations in the joints is reconstructed from the spatial tracking system (Fastrack() Polhemus) recordings. The human arm is modeled by three rigid bodies (the upper arm, the forearm and the hand) with seven degrees of freedom (three in the shoulder, two in the elbow and two in the wrist). Joint geometry parameters (orientations of the axes relative to the arm segments, the angles and the distances between the axes) have been calculated on the basis of passive rotations in the joints. The calculated parameters have been used to solve the direct kinematics problem for the reaching movements in different directions. The difference between calculated and recorded positions and accelerations of the hand has been used to assess the accuracy of the proposed method of kinematics reconstruction. The error analysis showed that spatial tracking system recordings and human arm kinematics reconstruction could reliably be used to accurately analyze multijoint movement in humans.     

Mycorrhizal Limonium Sinuatum (l.) Mill. Enhances Accumulation of Lead and Cadmium

Heavy metals accumulation in soils poses a potential threat to ecosystems, which, in turn, threat human health through food chains. Therefore, remediating polluted sites is important to environment and humanity. In this investigation, statice (L. sinuatum) was exposed to Cd (0, 15, 30, 60 mg kg^?1 soil) or Pb (0, 100, 150, 300 mg kg^?1 soil) in a pot experiment to assess its tolerance to each metal and study its phytoaccumulation capability. The benefits of mycorrhization (mixture of Glomus mosseae and G. intraradices) were also studied simultaneously. Single exposure to Cd or Pb reduced the plant growth, but statice was still relatively tolerant to both metals. The plants accumulated both metals in their roots; little was translocated to the shoots. Total Pb and total Cd accumulated by the roots was approximately 2 and 3 times higher in mycorrhizal than non-mycorrhizal plants (49 versus 147 and 595 versus 956 μg plant^?1) respectively; however, mycorrhization alleviated metal phytotoxicity. The results suggest that statice is a potential candidate to be used as an ornamental plant in lead and cadmium polluted sites, mainly inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizae. Besides that, it would be useful as a Pb or Cd controlling agent by means of phytostabilization.     

Estimates of phenotypic and genetic parameters for reproductive traits in Kermani sheep

Phenotypic and genetic parameter estimates for reproductive traits in Kermani sheep were estimated using reproductive records of 860 ewes. Data were collected during 1995–2007 at the experimental breeding station of Kermani sheep, south-east of Iran. Investigated traits were litter size at birth (LSB), litter size at weaning (LSW), litter mean weight per lamb born (LMWLB) and litter mean weight per lamb weaned (LMWLW) as basic traits, total litter weight at birth (TLWB) and total litter weight at weaning (TLWW) as composite traits. Quantitative genetic analyses were performed applying restricted maximum likelihood (REML) procedure under repeatability models. Ewe age had significant effect on LMWLB, LMWLW, TLWB and TLWW (P < 0.01). However, LSB and LSW were not affected by age of the ewe. All the studied traits were significantly affected by lambing year (P < 0.01). Direct heritability estimates for LSB, LSW, LMWLB, LMWLW, TLWB and TLWW were 0.01, 0.03, 0.13, 0.22, 0.06 and 0.18, respectively, while the corresponding repeatabilities were 0.08, 0.10, 0.17, 0.29, 0.09 and 0.23, respectively. Genetic correlation estimates between the investigated traits ranged from ?0.94 for LSB–LMWLB and LSW–LMWLW to 0.99 for LSB–TLWW. Phenotypic and environmental correlations were generally lower than those of genetic correlations. Phenotypic correlations ranged from ?0.34 for LSB–LMWLB to 0.58 for TLWB-TLWW. Environmental correlations ranged from ?0.33 for LSB–LMWLB and LSW–LMWLB to 0.33 for LMWLB–LMWLW. The results suggested that selection based on TLWW could be more effective than the other traits on improvement of reproductive performance in Kermani ewes.     

Prevalence, risk factors for and impact of subclinical endometritis in repeat breeder dairy cows

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors for subclinical endometritis (SE) and its effects on fertility in repeat breeder dairy cows. Dairy cows of parity 1 to 5 that were artificially inseminated (AI) 3 or more times (selected cows were artificially inseminated an average of 3.9 times) were examined at 190 ± 40 days in milk, and clinically normal cows (n = 77) were selected based on the absence of abnormal discharges on external inspection and the absence of abnormal findings on transrectal palpation and ultrasonographic examination. Endometrial samples were collected from the uterus by using the lavage technique in the luteal phase of the estrus cycle. Collected samples were centrifuged and a drop of sediment was streaked on to a clean microscopic slide and stained with Giemsa. The percentage of polymorphonuclear cells (neutrophils) was counted for each specimen. The analysed data showed that the average amount of neutrophils was 3.1% (0-9) in the selected cows. Abnormal calving (dystocia, twin births, and abortion), retained placenta, and postpartum uterine infections were associated with an increase in prevalence of SE. Subsequently, SE was significantly associated with a decrease in conception rate in the next AI. Conception rate in the next AI was 5% for cows (n = 38) with SE (≥ 3% neutrophil), and 47% for cows (n = 34) without SE (< 3% neutrophil) (P = 0.001). The prevalence of cytologically diagnosed SE (≥ 3% neutrophil) was 52.7% (n = 38). In conclusion, abnormal calving, retained placenta, and postpartum uterine infections may be associated with an increase in prevalence of SE and subsequently, SE may decrease reproductive performance and increase the incidence of repeat breeder syndrome.