Biodiversity and prevalence of parasites of domestic pigeons (Columba livia domestica) in a selected semiarid zone of South Khorasan, Iran

Five species of nematodes and cestodes were collected from alimentary canals of pigeons: the nematodes were two species: Ascaridia colombae (16.66%) and Hadjelia truncata (1.96%), while the cestodes were Cotugnia digonopora (13.79%), Raillietina magninumida (18.62%) and Raillietina achinobothridia (32.35%); fecal examination revealed: Eimeria spp. (40.19%) and Cryptosporidium oocysts (2.94%); and blood smears showed: Haemoproteus cloumbae (47/05%); in mouth, throat and larynx: Trichomonans gallinae (57.84%); four species of ectoparasites were collected from feathers and subcutaneous nodules as follows: feathers: Pseudolynchia canariensis (63.72%), Columbicola columbae (79.41%), Menopen gallinea (44.11%); subcutaneous nodules: Laminosioptes cysticola (1.96%). From the parasitic fauna identified in this study, it is imperative to institute an integrated parasitic control through constant changing of litter, regular use of antihelminthics, anticoccidials and dusting of birds with pesticides.     

Weed control and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield under application of 2,4-D plus carfentrazone-ethyl and florasulam plus flumetsulam: Evaluation of the efficacy

Three field experiments were conducted at the research fields of Plant Protection Research Institute, Iran, at different locations in 2004–2005 to study the efficacy of different broadleaved herbicides to control weeds in wheat. Treatments were the full-season hand weeded and weed-infested controls, and post-emergence applications of florasulam plus flumetsulam at 8.75, 10.50, and 12.25 g a.i./ha, 2,4-D plus carfentrazone-ethyl at 210, 245, 280, and 490 g a.i./ha, bromoxynil plus MCPA at 75, 100, and 150 g a.i./ha, 2,4-D at 560, 720, and 1120 g a.i./ha, tribenuron methyl, and 2,4-D plus MCPA. Herbicides were applied at wheat tillering stage. Naturally occurring broadleaved weed populations were used in experiments. Results indicated that bromoxynil plus MCPA at 150 g a.i./ha, 2,4-D plus MCPA, and 2,4-D plus carfentrazone-ethyl at 490 g a.i./ha were the best options to control weeds. Bromoxynil plus MCPA at 150 g a.i./ha and 2,4-D plus MCPA also resulted in the highest wheat yield. Overall, it could be concluded that rotational application of bromoxynil plus MCPA at 150 g a.i./ha, 2,4-D plus MCPA, and 2,4-D plus carfentrazone-ethyl at 490 g a.i./ha would be the best option to achieve satisfactory weed control, high grain yield and prevention of evolution of herbicide-resistant weeds.     

Human leukocyte antigen-G expression on dendritic cells induced by transforming growth factor-beta1 and CD4+ T cells proliferation

Background: During antigen capture and processing, mature dendritic cells (DC) express large amounts of peptide-MHC complexes and accessory molecules on their surface. DC are antigen-presenting cells that have an important role in tolerance and autoimmunity. The transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-Beta1) cytokine has a regulatory role on the immune and non-immune cells. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of TGF-Beta1 on the induction of human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) expression on the DC which is derived from monocyte. Methods: In this study, we evaluated the effect of TGF-Beta1 in induction HLA-G expression on the monocyte-derived DC by flowcytometry and then CD4+ T cell proliferative responses in the presence of DC-treated TGF-Beta1 was studied. Results: The results of this study showed that DC bearing HLA-G down-regulated activation of CD4+ T cells and production of IL-6 and IL-17 in comparison with control (P<0.05). Conclusion: It is concluded that TGF-Beta1 has an important regulatory role in CD4+ T cell proliferation by increasing HLA-G on DC and these cells can probably prevent unexpected immune responses in vivo.     

Exon Sequencing of PKD1 Gene in an Iranian Patient with Autosomal-Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

Introduction: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is one of the most common genetic kidney disorders with the incidence of 1 in 1,000 births. ADPKD is genetically heterogeneous with two genes identified: PKD1 (16p13.3, 46 exons) and PKD2 (4q21, 15 exons). Eighty five percent of the patients with ADPKD have at least one mutation in the PKD1 gene. Genetic studies have demonstrated an important allelic variability among patients, but very few data are known about the genetic variation among Iranian populations. Methods: In this study, exon direct sequencing of PKD1 was performed in a seven-year old boy with ADPKD and in his parents. The patient’s father was ADPKD who was affected without any kidney dysfunction, and the patient’s mother was congenitally missing one kidney. Results: Molecular genetic testing found a mutation in all three members of this family. It was a missense mutation GTG>ATG at position 3057 in exon 25 of PKD1. On the other hand, two novel missense mutations were reported just in the 7-year-old boy: ACA>GCA found in exon 15 at codon 2241 and CAC>AAC found in exon 38 at codon 3710. For checking the pathogenicity of these mutations, exons 15, 25, and 38 of 50 unrelated normal cases were sequenced. Conclusion: our findings suggested that GTG>ATG is a polymorphism with high frequency (60%) as well as ACA>GCA and CAC>AAC are polymorphisms with frequencies of 14% and 22%, respectively in the population of Southwest Iran. Key Words: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), Polycystic kidney diseases (PKD), PKD1 gene, Iran     

Mesenteric and mediastinal lymph node infection with <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Linguatula serrata</Emphasis> nymphs in sheep slaughtered in Kerman slaughterhouse,southeast Iran

This research was carried out in order to detect the prevalence of nymphal stages of Linguatula serrata in mediastinal and mesenteric lymph nodes of sheep slaughtered in Kerman slaughterhouse, southeast of Iran. For this purpose, mesenteric and mediastinal lymph nodes of 806 sheep of different sex and age were examined. One hundred and thirty out of 806 (16.1%) of the sheep were found positive for L. serrata infection. The infection rate increased with age (P < 0.001). Prevalence of L. serrata nymphs in males and females and different seasons was not significantly different (P > 0.05). Considering the results, it could be concluded that the prevalence of L. serrata in sheep of Kerman is high and plays an important role in epidemiology of linguatulosis. The zoonotic potential of this parasite to human health is discussed.     

Zinc deficiency in winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) is counteracted by N fertilization

Abstract

A two-year experiment was conducted on oilseed rape in 2004–2005 and 2005–2006 in north Iran. Treatments were 0, 50, 100, and 150 kg N ha^?1 as urea (F₀ to F₁₅₀, respectively), 100 kg N ha^?1 as urea +50 kg N ha^?1 as manure (F₁₀₀M₅₀), 50 kg N ha^?1 as urea +100 kg N ha^?1 as manure (F₅₀M₁₀₀), and 150 kg N ha^?1 as manure (M₁₅₀). Results indicated that seed yield in M₁₅₀ was significantly lower than in F₁₅₀ in both years. Seed protein content in the inorganic fertilization system (F₁₅₀) was significantly higher than in the organic (M₁₅₀) and integrated systems (F₁₀₀M₅₀ and F₅₀M₁₀₀). Seed oil content, however, was higher in the organic treatment than in the inorganic treatment. Less N uptake in F₁₀₀M₅₀ compared with F₁₅₀ in the first year and in F₅₀M₁₀₀ compared with F₁₅₀ in the second year did not result in similar differences in grain yield. Owing to the low content of soil-available Zn, the association between Zn and N concentration in shoot in the inorganic treatments was low. In spite of a significant increase in soil-available Zn under the organic and integrated treatments, no significant increase was observed in Zn concentration of shoot in these treatments compared with F₁₅₀. It appears that the excessive availability of P in M₁₅₀, F₅₀M₁₀₀, and F₁₀₀M₅₀ has reduced either Zn uptake or its translocation from root to shoot. Overall, it could be concluded that in order to increase Zn uptake under manure application in a Zn-deficient soil, N availability should increase.     

The impact of land afforestation on carbon stocks surrounding Tehran,Iran

The city of Tehran,like many polluted metropolises of the world,has higher emissions of greenhouse gases than other cities in Iran,due to heavy consumption of fossil fuel and landuse changes.To estimate carbon sequestration in two 40 year-old stands of planted Cupressus arizonica and Fraxinus rotundifolia in degraded lands surrounding Tehran,sampling of above-and below-ground biomass,soil(at two depths of 0-15 and 15-30 cm),and leaf litter was done by systematic random sampling.The total carbon stocks of C.arizonica and F.rotundifolia stands were respectively 328.20 and 150.69 Mg·ha-1.The aboveground biomass with 233.16(71%)Mg·ha-1 in C.arizonica and88.16(58.50%)Mg·ha-1 in F.rotundifolia contributed the most shares to carbon sequestration.The diameter at breast height,total height,basal area,total volume,and biomass of C.arizonica were significantly(p0.01)higher than those of F.rotundifolia.Also the depth of 0-30 cm of soil contributed between 18.29%and 32.15%of total ecosystem carbon,respectively.The economic value of carbon sequestration in the two stands in 2011 was calculated at 3.5 and 2.5 million dollars,respectively.Our results indicate that afforestation of the degraded land surrounding Tehran would sequester more carbon than would continuously degraded land,the current status quo.These stands can absorb atmospheric CO2 at different rates,thus tree species selection and stand development should be considered in planning future afforestation projects.     

Contribution of food deprivation to the immune response in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) vaccinated against Cryptobia salmositica and Aeromonas salmonicida

The aims of the present study were to determine (a) the effectiveness of an attenuated live Cryptobia salmositica vaccine; (b) the effects of food deprivation on the immune response and its duration in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) immunised with a live C. salmositica vaccine or with a killed Aeromonas salmonicida vaccine. The fish were divided into three groups (I, II and III; 14 fish per group), those in Groups I and II were under food deprivation (0.40% of body weight), while Group III fish were fed to satiety. The study showed that the attenuated strain of C. salmositica did not cause anaemia and disease, and the fish were protected from clinical disease when they were challenged with virulent parasites. Parasitaemia in all fish vaccinated and challenged with virulent C. salmositica fluctuated and was relatively low; however, fish in Group III had higher parasitaemia than those in Groups I and II between weeks 8 and 14. The numbers of activated neutrophils increased [nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) assay] after immunisation with both Cryptobia and Aeromonas vaccines and they remained high throughout the experiment. Antibody production (ELISA values) increased after vaccination and were slightly higher in Group III. ELISA titres against A. salmonicida increased after vaccination and decreased after 5 weeks. The titres increased again after the vaccinated fish were given booster, and they were higher than those in the first vaccinated fish.     

Investigating the genetic architecture of conception and non-return rates in Holstein cattle under heat stress conditions

Tropical Animal Health and Production - This study aimed to investigate the genetic variability of conception rate (CR) and non-return rate (NR) in Iranian dairy cows under heat stress conditions....     

Seasonal variation in semen characteristics of White Leghorn,New Hampshire and indigenous chicken in Iraq

1. The effects of season, temperature, humidity and light on semen volume, pH, concentration, motility and the proportions of dead and abnormal spermatozoa were investigated on White Leghorn, New Hampshire and Iraqi cockerels.

2. All semen characteristics, with the exception of pH, were significantly influenced by season.

3. The semen quality of the Iraqi breed was similar to that of the New Hampshire breed.