A retrospective survey of liver fluke disease in livestock based on abattoir data in Shiraz, south of Iran

Meat-inspection records in an abattoir located in the Fars province (southern part of Iran) from 20 March 1999 to 19 March 2004 were used to determine the prevalence and long-term trend of liver fluke disease in sheep, cattle and goats in the region. A total of 844,039 animals (cattle 131,716; sheep 577,090; goats 135,233) slaughtered in the 5-year period and overall 34,856 (4.1%) livers were condemned. Fasciolosis and dicrocoeliosis were responsible for 54 and 21% of total liver condemnations, respectively. The prevalence of liver condemnations due to fasciolosis was decreased from 3.89, 3.20 and 2.63% in 1999-2000 to 1.07, 0.59 and 0.24% in 2003-2004 for cattle, sheep and goats, respectively. The corresponding features for dicrocoeliosis were similar, declining from 1.47, 1.76 and 2.10% in 1999-2000 to 0.69, 0.34 and 0.25% in 2003-2004, respectively. Drought climatic conditions in conjunction with a greater awareness among farmers could be responsible factors.     

The effects of onion and salt treatments on essential oil content and composition of Rosa damascena Mill

Due to the low oil content of Rosa damascena Mill., on one hand, and the wide spectrum of its application, on the other hand, it is desirable to find ways to increase the oil yield and also its quality. Therefore, in the present study the effects of chopped onion (1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 4.0 g per 220 g of rose flower) and sodium chloride (11.0, 15.5, 22.0 and 30.0 g per 220 g of rose flower) which were added to rose flowers before distillation, were investigated on the quality and quantity of the oil. The quantity was measured as the ratio of oil to rose flower (w/w, %) and the quality was evaluated using the oil composition especially the content of monoterpene alcohols and hydrocarbons. Compared with corresponding control sample, treating with 1.5 g of chopped onion increased the oil content by 41% but it resulted in a lower quality; whereas in the presence of 1.0 g of onion, an increase of 30% and a decrease of 18% were observed in the percentage of monoterpene alcohols and hydrocarbons, respectively without any considerable change in the oil content. However, the effect of sodium chloride was somehow different from that of onion; such that in the optimal amount (22.0 g), the salt had no considerable effect on the quality but an increase of 21% in the oil yield.     

Preventive factors related to brucellosis among rural population using the PRECEDE model: an application of path analysis

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The purpose of this model-based study was to identify behavioral and environmental prevention factors for brucellosis and to determine the causal linkage...     

Effects of probiotic lactic acid bacteria on growth performance,carcass characteristics,hematological indices,humoral immunity,and IGF-I gene expression in broiler chicken

The effects of screened lactic acid bacteria strains were evaluated on growth performance, humoral immunity, and IGF-1 gene expression in broiler chickens. The three dietary groups of negative control fed basal diet, the native LAB probiotic group (NP), and PrimaLac commercial LAB probiotic (PC) were studied. The results revealed that NP and PC diets significantly improved feed conversion ratio and increased body weight, as well as relative weight of carcass compared with group fed NC diet (P?<?0.05). Lymphocyte level was significantly increased in birds fed NP and PC (P?<?0.01), while serum triglycerides and total cholesterol levels were significantly decreased compared with the NC (P?<?0.05). Significant increases were observed in antibody titers against Newcastle disease virus of vaccinated birds (P?<?0.03), and morphological analysis of ileum revealed significant increases (P?<?0.05) in the villus height and villus height/crypt depth in birds fed NP and PC compared with the NC. The dietary significantly increased Lactobacillus spp. (P?<?0.05), while Escherichia coli (P?<?0.04) populations were significantly decreased, and also, the expression of IGF-1 gene in liver tissue of broilers fed NP and PC was significantly increased compared with the NC (P?<?0.05). These results indicated that the identified native LAB strains can be used commercially as a low-cost probiotic in poultry industry of Iran.

     

The frequency of eight common point mutations in CYP21 gene in Iranian patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia

BACKGROUND: Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH, the inherited inability to synthesize cortisol) is one of the most common (1 in 10000 to 1 in 15000) autosomal recessive disorders. More than 95% of cases of CAH are caused by 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21-OHD). Females with severe, classic 21-OHD are exposed to excess androgens prenatally and are born with virilized external genitalia. Most patients cannot synthesize sufficient aldosterone to maintain sodium balance and may develop potentially fatal salt wasting crisis if not treated. METHODS: We applied allele specific PCR to detect the eight common mutations in the CYP21 gene in patients. Fifty unrelated patients with symptoms of classical CAH were studied. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Seventy percent of our subjects had these mutations. The most frequent mutations were found to be I2G and del-8 bp (28% and 13%, respectively). The frequencies of other alleles were as following: I172N, 9%; V281L, 3%; exon 6 cluster (I236N, V237E and M239K), 4%; Q318X, 9%; R356W, 5%; and P30L, 0%. The frequency of mutations did not differ substantially from other ethnics, however, a higher rate of del-8 bp (13%) was found in our population. The aim of this study was to detect common mutations for setting up a molecular method for prenatal diagnosis.     

Effect of Metasystox-R on marine Nitrosomonas sp. as a nitrification inhibitor

Metasystox-R is a systemic soluble liquid insecticide for the control of aphids on brassica vegetable crops, cotton and lupins and it is possible enter to the marine environment and may be have a hazard effects for the marine organisms and nitrification processes. Effect of Metasystox-R on ammonia oxidizing activity by marine Nitrosomonas sp. was investigated by determining nitrification inhibitor assay in the cell suspension. Results showed that 8 microg mL(-1) of Metasystox-R with PI50 = 4.48 significantly inhibited nitrite production by marine Nitrosomonas sp. These results suggested marine Nitrosomonas sp. may be one of the target bacteria which was inhibitor and decreasing nitrification in the marine environment.     

Is there any association between overweight, obesity and symptoms of reflux disease?

The present study was aimed to identify the association of overweight and obesity with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This age- and sex-matched case-control study was carried out in a sample of subjects referred to the specialized clinic of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences from November 2006 to March 2007. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and a checklist to determine reflux symptoms. Weight and height were measured and Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between overweight, obesity and reflux symptoms. The study population included 106 cases (with reflux symptoms) and 111 controls with a mean age of 35.2 +/- 12.9 years. The mean BMI was 2.4 units greater in cases than controls (p = 0.0001). In unadjusted model, overweight (OR = 3.41, CI: 1.8-6.44) and obesity (OR = 2.84, CI: 1.38-5.82) were significantly associated with GERD. Results of multivariate logistic regression revealed significant association between overweight and GERD after adjusting for confounders (OR = 2.87, CI: 1.49-5.53). Given the increasing prevalence of patients with both overweight/obesity and GERD, Serious dietary intervention studies for weight loss as a therapeutic strategy should be carried out in GERD patients complicated with obesity.     

Effects of drought stress on the seedling growth,development, and metabolic activity in different cultivars of canola

ABSTRACT

The comparative effects of drought stress on seed performance, growth parameters, free proline content, lipid peroxidation, and several antioxidative enzymes activities were studied in both cultivars of Brassica napus L. Drought stress increased mean germination rate and mean of day germination in both cultivars, and its effect was more pronounced in RGS003. The length and dry weight of root increased significantly in both cultivars under drought. RGS003 was more tolerant and obtained more biomass under drought than that of Sarigol. Proline content and pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase expression increased in Sarigol under drought. Measurement of malondialdehyde content in seedlings showed that lipid peroxidation was lower in RGS003 than in Sarigol. Antioxidant enzyme activities showed different trends in the two cultivars under drought stress but were higher in RGS003 than in Sarigol. These results suggest that RGS003 is better protected against drought-induced oxidative damage. Lipoxygenase activity only induced under water deficit condition in RGS003. Changes of respiratory enzymes activities of RGS003 subjected to drought stress showed a pattern different with Sarigol. Drought stress induced aconitase activity in RGS003, but it reduced fumarase and succinate dehydrogenase activity in Sarigol. This study showed that RGS003 exhibits a better protection mechanism against oxidative damage and RGS003 is more drought-tolerant than Sarigol possibly by maintaining and/or increasing growth parameters, antioxidant enzyme activities, and respiratory enzymes activities.     

Role of selenium in mitigation of cadmium toxicity in pepper grown in hydroponic condition

Selenium (Se) is an essential element for humans but is not considered as essential for plants. However, its beneficial role in improving plant growth and stress tolerances is well established. In order to study the role of Se in cadmium (Cd) toxicity in pepper (Capsicum frutescens cv. Suryankhi Cluster), this experiment was carried out in greenhouse conditions. Treatments comprised Cd [0, 0.25, and 0.5 mM cadmium chloride (CdCl₂)] and Se [0, 3, and 7 µM sodium selenite (Na₂SeO₃)] with three replications. The result showed that Cd decreased chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids, whereas Se supplementation diminished Cd toxicity on photosynthetic pigment. Selenium at 7 µM significantly increased the leaf area in the plants grown at 0.25 mM Cd. The application of Se at 3 µM with 0.25 mM Cd and Se at 3 µM and Se at 7 µM with 0.5 mM Cd increased the activity of catalase (CAT). Selenium at 7 µM decreased the proline content of pepper leaves exposed to Cd at 0.5 mM (30%). Selenium significantly enhanced the antioxidant activity of leaves, which was diminished by Cd toxicity. In general, Se has a beneficial effect on plant growth and is an antioxidant enzyme of pepper cv. Suryankhi Cluster under Cd stress and non-stress conditions.