Background: Cancer is amongst the leading causes of death all over the world. Breast cancer is responsible for the largest number of deaths among women. Several studies confirm that Bifidobacterium bifidum as a probiotic significantly inhibits breast cancer development. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of B. bifidum supernatant on the cell growth inhibition of the breast cancer 4T1 cell line in vitro. Materials and Methods: The present experimental work was conducted at Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari City, Iran. B. bifidum was cultured in the de Man Rogosa, and Sharpe broth at 37° C for 72 h anaerobically and the B. bifidum Supernatant (BS) was prepared by the freezingthawing procedure. The cell growth inhibition of the probiotic strain was assessed using the MTT assay through breast cancer (4T1) cell line. Results: The results showed that the supernatant extracted from B. bifidum strain had good antiproliferative effects against 4T1 cancer cell line, compared with the control group. The inhibitory effects are enhanced by passing the time. Conclusion: B. bifidum supernatant could be a potential probiotic candidate for the treatment of breast cancer. However, further in vitro and in vivo studies are required to support our initial findings.

Despite the long history of artificial insemination, its widespread use in many species, including the poultry, sheep, and goat, has been faced with many challenges especially when frozen semen is used. The freezingthawing process results in physical and chemical insults on the sperm which subsequently decrease the fertility of the sperm. The decrease in fertility is much greater in most species compared with the species such as cattle. Many factors affect the fertility of the frozen-thawed sperm, and different procedures, including the use of various extenders, have been investigated to improve the quality of frozen-thawed sperm. Glycerol and egg yolk are traditionally used as the protective components in many extenders. Despite the positive effects of the egg yolk (mainly as a result of its low-density lipoproteins), there have been concerns with the use of animal products in semen extenders. Therefore, attempts have been made to substitute the egg yolk with other sources such as lecithin. There are reports that several additives such as disaccharides, antioxidants, and essential oils may have beneficial effects on the fertility of frozen-thawed sperm. Variable success rates were reported, and a small number of publications contained fertility data. In this paper, I shall review the most recent research findings on frozen-thawed sperm in sheep and goats, supplemented with data on other mammals when appropriate.

Ganjnameh area is considered an important historical-cultural and touristic place in the west of Iran, seriously threatened by rockfall problems. Attractions of this area yearly attract several thousand visitors from all over the world. Several rockfall events have occurred in the area in the past. Rockfalls occurrences will threaten the life safety of visitors during visiting and surveying of the place. The primary purpose of this research was a preliminary analysis of rockfall potential for the cultural heritage site. For this purpose, an investigation based on three phases was done, which are included: site investigation, laboratory testing, and rockfall simulation. Unstable blocks size, the geometry of slopes, weathering conditions, joint study, and sampling were measured and done during the site investigation phase. Physico-mechanical properties of granite were determined in the laboratory. Total kinetic energy, bounce height, and translational velocity of fallen blocks were determined as rockfall simulation outputs. Based on the obtained result, different mechanisms were found on the left side and right side of the study area. The rockfall problems on the right side could be related to jointing and freezingthawing action, whereas on the left side, steep slope, weathering, and saturating are the main controlling factors. The results indicated that the footpath between Ganjnameh inscriptions and waterfall, which has a dense concentration of visitors, is subjected to severe problems of rockfall occurrences from both sides, especially the left side. Eventually, for the reduction of rockfall potential and its risk, remedial works are suggested.

Background: Due to their self-renewal and differentiation ability, the mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been studied extensively. However, the MSCs lifespan is restricted; they undergo several divisions in vitro that cause several alternations in cellular features and relatively lessens their application. Thus, this study was aimed to assess the effect of platelet-derived microparticles (PMPs), a valuable source of proteins, microRNAs (miRNAs), and growth factors, on the expression of hTERT, c-MYC, p16, p53, and p21 as the most important aging and cell longevity genes alongside with population doubling time (PDT) of PMP-treated cells in comparison to a control group. Methods: Umbilical cord MSCs (UC-MSCs) were used in this study, whereby they reached a confluency of 30%. MSCs were treated by PMPs (50 µ g/mL), and then, PDT was determined for both groups. Quantitative expression of hTERT, c-MYC, p16, p53, and p21 was examined through quantitative real-time PCR at various intervals (i. e. after five and thirty days as well as freezingthawing process). Results: Our results demonstrated that the treated group had a shorter PDT in comparison to the control group (P < 0. 050). The real-Time PCR data also indicated that PMPs were able to remarkably up-regulate hTERT and c-MYC genes expression while down-regulating the expression of p16, p21, and p53 genes (P < 0. 050), especially following five days of treatment. Conclusion: According to these data, it appears that PMPs are a safe and effective candidate for prolonging the lifespan of UCMSCs; however, further investigations are needed to corroborate this finding.