Previous studies of spatial patterns among fossil assemblages have demonstrated the utility of gradient analysis as a n investigative tool inpaleobiology. However, because lateral samples in these studies have routinely been widely spaced (commonly tens of kilometers apart), there is little sense of the degree to which faunas vary locally, relative to variation observed a t larger scales along ...

background: the present study was carried out to track and calculate biomagnification factor (bmf) of total mercury (t-hg) between two different trophic levels (i.e., plankton and a planktivorous fish) in a fresh water grazing food chain. methods: experimental organisms were planktonic biomass and silver carp (hypophthalmichthys molitrix) as a planktivorous fish. silver carp samples were obtain...

AIM To assess short-term memory impairment in war veterans with combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). METHOD The study included 20 war veterans diagnosed with PTSD and 21 control subjects matched for age, sex, and education level. Both groups were tested with the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (ROCFT), consisting of Copy, Immediate Recall, and Delayed Recall steps, and Bent...

background: trichomonas vaginalis is a parasitic protozoan with a predilection for human urogenital tract and causative agent for vaginitis, cervicitis and urethritis in females. t. vaginalis is known as a cofactor in transmission of human immunodeficiency virus and may lead to adverse outcomes in pregnant women. the goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of t. vaginalis infection i...

ticks and tick-borne diseases, including theileriosis, constitute a major constraint to livestock production. two species, known as theileria lestoquardi and theileria ovis, are suspected to contribute to ovine theileriosis in iran. however, the epidemiological aspects of ovine theileriosis are poorly understood in this country. in a survey, designed to identify theileria species in sheep, 52 (...

Introduction For scanning electron microscopy, our ability to examine wet specimens continually improves thanks to advances in instrumentation; nevertheless, drying wet samples remains indispensable, particularly for high resolution or for a sample that needs to be imaged repeatedly. In many laboratories, the standard method for drying is critical-point drying. In this method, samples are dehyd...

BACKGROUND T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) and T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LL) and are often thought to represent a spectrum of a single disease. The malignant cells in T-ALL and T-LL are morphologically indistinguishable, and they share the expression of common cell surface antigens and cytogenetic characteristics. However, despite these similarities, differences in the clinic...

AIMS To obtain quantitative data on the human serological response to Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoite and bradyzoite antigens. METHODS Serum samples from 30 patients who had positive antibody titres against T gondii and from 14 who were seronegative, together with sequential serum samples from four infected individuals, were screened by FAST-ELISA. RESULTS Serum samples from the 30 seropositiv...

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite resulting in human infections and one of the infectious pathogens leading to uveitis and retinochoroiditis. The present study was performed to assess T. gondii infection in 20 ocular patients with chronic irregular recurrent uveitis (20 aqueous humor and 20 peripheral blood samples) using PCR. All samples were analyzed by nested PCR targeting a specific ...

BACKGROUND The tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system PCR (T-ARMS-PCR) is a fast and economical means of assaying SNP's, requiring only PCR amplification and subsequent electrophoresis for the determination of genotypes. To improve the throughput and efficiency of T-ARMS-PCR, we combined T-ARMS-PCR with a chimeric primer-based temperature switch PCR (TSP) strategy, and used capil...