BACKGROUND: Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal cellscan transdifferentiate into Cardiomyocyte cells and improveheart function after transplantation. Since biomaterials canimprove the cell retention in the site, cell survival and differentiation,heart tissue engineering is now being explored as anapplied solution to support cell-based therapies and increasetheir efficacy for myocardial diseases. Chitosan in combinationwith Glycerol Phosphate (GP) can produce a thermo sensitivematerial that in body temperature can form a jellylike material.OBJECTIVES:The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects ofa combination of autologous undifferentiated bone marrowmesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and injectable scaffold on cardiacfunction improvement in rabbits after inducing myocardialinfarction. METHODS: The Left Anterior Descending (LAD)coronary artery was ligated by No. 6-0 polyamide suturematerial, and autologous MSCs with injectable scaffold wereinjected into the margins of the infarcted zone at the time ofsurgery. At 4 weeks after transplantation, the cardiac functionand structure was detected using echocardiography. RESULTS:There was no significant difference among the three groups (MIonly, MI Scaffold, and MI+Scaffold+MSCs) in the Echocardiographicparameters including, heart rate (HR), Ejection Fraction(EF), Fractional Shortening (FS), Left Ventricular Diameter(LVD) and Left Ventricular Parietal Wall Diameter (LVPW).CONCLUSIONS: A combination of autologous undifferentiatedbone marrow MSCs and injectable scaffold made of Chitosan+Glycerol Phosphate in echocardiographic evaluation did nothave a positive influence on achieving functional improvement.

BACKGROUND: Salmonellosis is one of the most importantzoonotic diseases throughout the world. OBJECTIVES: Thepurpose of this study was to characterize a large collection ofSalmonella isolates from different poultry sources in Iran.METHODS: A total of 123 Salmonella isolates from differentpoultry sources were subjected to drug susceptibility test,hemolysin production, motility test, and plasmid profile (50isolates). RESULTS: Seventy-one resistance patterns were foundto 29 antimicrobial agents among 123 Salmonella isolates, inwhich 81% of isolates were resistant to more than oneantibacterial agent. The resistance patterns of 123 isolates to 10commonly used antibacterials in Iranian poultry industry werealso quite variable and included 31 patterns. Four differentplasmid patterns were found among 50 Salmonellaisolates. Fiftyfour percent of Salmonella isolates harbored one or threeplasmids with approximate molecular size ranging from 2.3 to68 kb. No plasmid was detected in 46% of isolates. Aband of 68kb size was detected in all isolates that harbored plasmid. Allisolates were motile but no isolate showed hemolysinproduction. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of resistance toantibacterial agents among avian Salmonella isolates is a majorpublic health concern.

BACKGROUND: Brucellosis is a febrile zoonotic infectionand has worldwide distribution among humans as well asanimals. Although the seroprevalence of brucellosis in variousanimals has been described in Iran, there is only one report onequine brucellosis in the region. OBJECTIVES: This study wascarried out to determine the seroprevalence of brucellosis inracing clubs and private horse owners in the south of Iran and riskfactors associated with the disease in horses. METHODS: 312randomly selected equine serum samples were investigated forthe presence of antibodies against Brucella genus, using slideagglutination by Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT), serum agglutinationtest (SAT) and 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) test, usingwhole cell antigen. PCR assay was also used for detection ofclinically suspected cases. RESULTS: Most seropositive horsesin this study were asymptomatic. The true seroprevalence ofbrucellosis was found to be 9.9, 8 and 7% by RBPT, SAT and 2-mercaptoethanol tests, respectively. All horses with history ofclinical signs (3.2% of all samples) had RBPT, SAT and 2-mercaptoethanol positive results. It was also revealed that age,sex and a history of contact with ruminants had no effect onacquiring the infection in positive cases. In the PCR, one of thethree horses with fistula withers produced amplicon of 450 bpfragment of wbo sequences specific to Brucella spp. field strain.CONCLUSIONS: This study showed the seroprevalence ofbrucellosis in horses of Fars province and it was indicated thatthe PCR assay may be helpful in detection of clinically suspectedhorses.

Black leg has been reported in a variety of animals, but is ofthe most importance in cattle and sheep. A20 days old Holsteindairy calf was examined because of anorexia and lameness from2 days ago. The calf was depressed, tachypneic, tachycardic, andhad a body temperature of 38.5ºC. Both hind limbs proximal tothe tarsal joint were markedly swollen, firm and painful. Nocrepitation was noted on palpation. The calf had bruxism, stiffnessof gait and unwillingness to move. At necropsy, massivenecrosis of thigh muscles which caused dark discolorated tissuewith metallic sheen, large amount of thin sanguineous exuda andabundant gas bubbles were evident in the underlying tissues.Histopathologic examination revealed extensive degenerationand coagulative necrosis of muscle fibers and supported adiagnosis of black leg. No vaccination against Clostridiumchauvoei was applied in the herd and the calf did not receivenotable maternal antibody. Providing sufficient maternalantibody or early vaccination of the susceptible newborn calvesshould be considered in the endemic regions.

BACKGROUND: The degree to which the amount of aningested nutrient is absorbed and available to the body is calledbioavailability. OBJECTIVES: Relative effectiveness of herbalmethionine (H-Met®) compared to DL-methionine (DL-Met)was investigated in this experiment. METHODS: Exponentialregression analysis was used to determine bioefficacy of H-Met®based on body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion. DLMetand H-Met® were added to a basal diet in 3 and 4 levels,respectively, in starter, grower and finisher periods. Therefore,that met the nutrient and energy requirements of broiler chickens,with the exception of Met+Cys. RESULTS: In the 42-d trial,broilers growth increased significantly (p<0.05), relative tothose broilers fed basal diet, regardless of Met sources. Carcasscharacteristics did not respond significantly to the supplementalMet. CONCLUSIONS: Regression analysis revealed that H-Met®was 52% (body weight gain), 72% (feed intake) and 77% (feedconversion ratio) as efficacious as DL-Met. H-Met® can beadministered as a new and a natural source of Met in poultryindustry.

A5.2 year-old Holstein cow was presented with lameness andabnormal weight bearing in a slaughterhouse. Widening of theperiople and swelling of the heel area in the lateral claw was morepermanent than the medial claw. Vertical fissure (VF) involvingthe coronary band to the middle of the dorsal wall of the medialhind claw was observed. It was also extended to the bearingsurface in the inner surface of the claw wall. White line disease 2(WLD2) was seen in the length of VF on the bearing surface. Thehorn of the bulb apex of the lateral hind claw was hypertrophic.There was a groove in the footpad between the apex and base ofthe bulb too. Grosspathologically, the digital bones showed awide range of bone changes such as new bone formation, pedalosteolysis and bony ankylosis. The hind leg was amputated at thetarsus immediately after slaughter. The lower limbs of lame cowswere examined and the type and distribution of digital lesionswere tabulated. An x-ray machine was used in this study to takeradiographic images. The radiographic images taken from theinvolved digits of the affected case depicted a quite wide rangeof radiographic signs. After the first review of the X-ray film,samples were selected for further procedures throughputrefaction. Laminitis may have affected this case at someprevious time. Routine trimming seems to have prevented thepremature culling in the cows with claw lesion.

BACKGROUND: The H9N2 subtype of avian influenzaviruses (AIVs) has been isolated in multiple avian species inmany European, Asian, African and American countries. Sincethe first outbreak of H9N2 virus in Iran in 1998, this virus haswidely circulated throughout the country, resulting in majoreconomic losses in chicken flocks. Several amino acids in thevirus ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex including the nucleoprotein(NP) and polymerase (PB2, PB1 and PA) proteins areassociated with host range and virulence. OBJECTIVES: Our aimwas to understand the molecular characterization of RNPcomplex proteins of Iranian H9N2 subtype isolates. METHODS:The full length nucleotide sequences of RNP complex genes oftwo strains designated as Ck/IR/ZMT-101/98 and Ck/IR/EBGV-88/10 were amplified and sequenced. RESULTS: The phylogeneticanalysis revealed that both strains were located indifferent sub-lineages. However, based on the genetic similarities,PB1, PAand NP genes of Ck/IR/EBGV-88/10 strain had aclose relationship with a H7N3 subtype strain, isolated fromPakistan. Most positions of RNP proteins contained amino acidstypical of avian determinants of host range. The results showedthat the Iranian RNP complex genes have undergone geneticreassortment. CONCLUSIONS: Continuous AIV monitoring inpoultry industry would help to obtain more information aboutgenetic variation of H9N2 viruses and possible emergence ofvirulent and/or pandemic viruses.

BACKGROUND: Information regarding serum biochemicalprofile can reflect cardiovascular performance in animals.Although studies have evaluated the inter-relationship amongcardiovascular biomarkers in animals and human beings, thereare no reports of such a probable relationship in camelids.OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to provide dataon the correlations among cardiovascular biomarkers indifferent ages of clinically healthy male dromedary camels toprovide a basis for assessing cardiac muscle healthiness in thisspecies. METHODS: Thirty clinically healthy dromedary camels(Camelus dromedarius) were selected and divided into four agegroups including 1-3 (n=7), 4-6 (n=7), 7-9 (n=8), and above 10(n=8) years old. Blood samples were collected and sera wereseparated. Serum concentrations of homocysteine (Hcy),cardiac troponin I (cTnI), creatine kinase-myocardial specificisoenzymes (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alanineaminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST)were evaluated. RESULTS: The results of the present studyshowed that there were significant correlations among cTnI andCK-MB (r=-0.853; p=0.015) and Hcy (r=0.916; p=0.004) in the4 to 6-years-old group of clinically healthy male dromedarycamels. LDH was significantly correlated with CK-MB in the 7to 9-year-old group (r=-0.710; p=0.045). There were nosignificant correlations among different factors of 1-3 and above10-year-old groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS:The data providedhere is the first report on cardiac health assessment parameters indromedary camels. Moreover, the data is valuable in camelracing clubs, when an overall cardiac health and fitness is to beassessed. The correlation reported here might also be helpful foreasier analysis of cardiac health status in dromedary camels. Thedata may be useful for assessing suspected cases of myocardialdiseases and its changes maybe of prognostic value.

Anaplasma platys, previously known as Ehrlichia platys,which causes infectious canine cyclic thrombocytopenia, has notbeen extensively studied in Southeast Asia. Recent reports in theregion have been limited to ticks and dogs in Thailand, and toticks in the Philippines. In this report, DNAfragments of A. platyswere molecularly detected in a dog in the Philippines. Apitbullpuppy exhibited pancytopenia (WBC: 3.5 x103/μL, PCV:11.5%, RBC: 1.2 x106/μL, HGB: 3.7 g/dL, platelet count: 24x103/μL), hepatitis, elevated alanine amino transferase (127u/L), and splenomegaly. Inclusion bodies in the platelets werealso seen in the blood smears of this case. A. platys sequencesobtained in the present study revealed 100% homology with A.platys previously detected in a Rhipicephalus sanguineus tick inthe country. This study documents the first reported case of A.platys infection in dogs in the Philippines, and adds knowledgeto the current vector-borne disease epidemiology in SoutheastAsia.

BACKGROUND: Colibacillosis is one of the most prevalentdiseases in the world that causes multimillion-dollar annuallosses. OBJECTIVES: In order to evaluate molecular epidemiologyof some virulence associated factors in Escherichia coli,isolated from poultry, the presence of iut A, iss, hly F, omp T, iroN, afa, sfa (S)and pap G (II) were investigated by multiplex PCRassay. METHODS: Two hundred thirty four Escherichia coliisolated from avian colibacillosis (APEC) and fifty four fecal E.coli isolates from the feces of apparently healthy birds (AFEC)were investigated for presence of some virulence associatedgenes by two panel of multiplex PCR. Statistical analysis wasperformed using |c2 test. the p-value was |£|0.05. RESULTS:Among 234 E. coli strains associated with colibacillosis and 54AFEC strains, 85% of isolates were positive for at least one of thevirulence gene. The three most prevalent genes in E. coli isolatedfrom colibacillosis were hly F (77.3%), omp T(73%) and iss(68.2%). Iut A, iro Nand pap G (II) were detected in 157 (67.4%),152 (65.2%) and 41(17.6%) respectively. None of isolatesharbored sfa (s) and afa genes. Several combination patterns ofvirulence genes were detected. Combination of hly F, omp T(70.8%) was the most prevalent pattern. CONCLUSIONS: theprevalence of iss, hly F, omp T, iro N genes in APEC isolates wassignificantly more than AFEC strains and probably these genesplay an important role in the pathogenesis of APEC strains.