BACKGROUND: The widespread use of electromagnetic waves in communication has led to the consideration of their biological effects. According to valid scientific findings, these waves can entail changes in the cell function, there by causing or accelerating some diseases.OBJECTIVES: Since the amount of liver enzymes in the blood can be a sign of liver damage, this study was performed to evaluate these enzymes.METHODS: This experiment was done on 120 six-month-old pigeons. After adaptation to laboratory settings, they were divided into six random groups of distance from BTS and daily exposure time. G1: 50 cm/30 minutes, G2:100 cm/30 minutes, G3: 150 cm/30 minutes, G4: 50 cm/60 minutes, G5:100 cm/60 minutes, and G6:150 cm/60 minutes.Each group was exposed to waves for one month daily and blood tests were measured to determine the amount of liver enzymes before and one month after exposure; the results were processed by SPSS software.RESULTS: The findings of this study revealed a statistically significant relationship between BTS waves and liver damage after the increase in the level of liver enzymes in all six groups. Therefore, it is safe to assume that electromagnetic waves, depending on the frequency, energy, duration and distance, can have destructive effects on body tissues, including the liver. The mean changes of ALP and ALT were the highest and the lowest, respectively. Also, the most changes in liver enzymes occurred in the first and fourth groups, which had the shortest distance to the wave source.CONCLUSIONS: Increasing the exposure time and reducing the distance to the wave source changed the amount of liver enzymes. This study showed that "distance to the source of wave propagation" was more important than "exposure time".

BACKGROUND: Nucleotides (NT) are known as semi- or conditionally essential nutrients which might occasionally become essential in pathological and stress conditions that demand intense nucleic acid and protein synthesis.OBJECTIVES: A feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of NT supplementation on growth performance and stress resistance of fry kutum (Rutilus kutum).METHODS: A basal diet was supplemented with 0 (control), 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7 g NT kg-1 to formulate four experimental diets. After eight weeks of feeding trial, the growth parameters were evaluated and then fish exposed to osmotic stress. To elucidate the underlying physiological mechanisms, cortisol and HSP70 levels were measured at selected times of 0, 2h, 8h, and 24h after the osmotic shock.RESULTS: According to the results of growth parameters after eight weeks of feeding trial, fish fed diet with 0.7 g NT kg-1 had the highest final weight and DGR compared with the other treatments (P<0.05). However, no significant differences were observed concerning FCR, SGR, CF, and PER between the treatments (P>0.05). The results of HSP70 revealed that fish fed with NT had higher levels of HSP70 expression. Additionally, the levels of HSP70 at 2h increased significantly by 3-7-folds over the baseline levels (0h), and then decreased significantly at 24h; however, HSP70 levels at 24h was 1-3-fold over the baseline levels. The findings of cortisol showed that Cortisol values were significantly affected by dietary NT levels (P<0.05) and lower stress-induced cortisol and glucose elevation were observed in all the NT groups compared to the control group. Moreover, plasma cortisol levels reached a significant peak 2h after the salinity stress. This value decreased significantly after 8h, returning to the pre-stress levels by 24h (P>0.05).CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicated that NT administration promoted growth performance and increased the ability of resistance to osmotic stress during freshwater to seawater transfer in fry kutum.

Clinical and pathological findings were described in stillborn kids affected with congenital goiter in a goat flock of Beetle breed in Garmsar Iran.The observations involved seven stillborn kids with goiter, including one case with triplet fetuses and two cases with twine fetuses. The thyroid glands were clearly visible, enlarged, and palpable in all the dead kids. The fetuses had a large swelling in the cranio-ventral neck region. Upon cutting skin in each fetus, the swelling revealed the extremely enlarged thyroid gland with two almost symmetrical lobes with both lobes approximately 15 × 8 × 5 cm in size.Histopathological hyperplastic goiter was observed in four kids and colloid goiter was diagnosed in three.Twins or triplets were observed to be predisposed to congenital goitre. All the stillborn kids were twins or triplets. On the other hand, single-born kids survived and showed a normal growth rate.

BACKGROUND: Impingement of the dorsal spinous processes is a common cause of pain and poor performance in sport horses.OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to evaluate the prevalence of impingement in dorsal spinous processes and the correlation between the occurrence of this complication and certain parameters, such as age, height, weight, discipline, breed, neck length, and clinical signs.METHODS: In this study, radiographic examination of the spine of 50 horses were performed. The information about height, weight, discipline, breed, neck length, and clinical signs were also collected. Radiographic grading was based on the degree of the changes in inter spinous spaces and their densities (0-4 degrees). The clinical examinations were carried out to evaluate the pain in the spine. Statistical analysis was performed to investigate the correlation between the collected data.RESULTS: The highest incidence of impingement was seen in the middle thoracic area. There was a significant correlation between the occurrence of impingement and age and the breed of the studied horses. There was no correlation between the incidence of impingement and sex, height, neck length, and weight of the studied horses.  Increased radiographic grade often leads to an increase in the severity of clinical signs. A higher grade of radiographic sign in each horse was indicative of more involved inter spinous spaces.CONCLUSIONS: According to the results of this study, Grade 3 and 4 had high specificity with clinical signs; therefore, preparation of a radiograph of the spine before purchasing a horse could be highly recommended.

BACKGROUND: Brucellosis or Malta fever is one of the most prevalent zoonotic diseases considered as a health and economic concern.OBJECTIVES: The current study aimed to employ several methods to detect Brucella in blood and milk samples of saanen goat and use a safe and definitive method to diagnose this disease.METHODS: In this study, 122 blood samples and 122 milk samples were collected from saanen goats. After culture and serological-based isolation methods (RBPT, Wright, 2ME, and Ring test), DNA was extracted from all the blood and milk samples. PCR was carried out using B4 and B5 primers on all the extracted DNAs in order to detect the B. abortus and B. melitensis; PCR was carried out with Br.a and Br.m primers.RESULTS: The results of all the blood samples were negative, but bacterial growth was observed in three milk samples, which was detected in biotyping, biovar 1 melitenensis. The PCR results for detection of Brucella spp. of nine blood samples and nine milk samples were positive. Using mPCR primers, B. melitensis were identified through all the nine milk and blood samples.CONCLUSIONS: Herein, we found that better bacterial diagnostic system and choosing an appropriate technique for rapid detection, such as PCR and Real Time PCR, in addition to popular awareness and other functions of national veterinary medicine institute could control the diseases and decrease their incidence successfully.

BACKGROUND: Vanadium and zinc are identified as low-concentration elements in the body of living organisms with a wide range of activities. Their insulin-like activity, through regulating the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, and eliminating the secondary symptoms of the disease, clearly demonstrates the ability of these elements to improve diabetes.OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of vanadium-zinc complex on the structural, functional, and oxidative stress changes in liver tissue in adult diabetic male rats.METHODS: Herein, we recruited 40 adult male rats with the same weight range. They were randomly divided into four groups of 10, namely control, diabetic, healthy mice receiving vanadium-zinc complex, diabetic mice receiving vanadium-zinc complex) and received this combination at the rate of 10 mg / kg once a day for 60 days by oral gavage. At the end of the course, following blood sampling, part of the liver tissue was removed from the body to measure oxidative stress and the rest for stereological and histological studies. The serum isolated from the animals was also used to measure liver tissue functional enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase).RESULTS: The results of this research revealed that vanadium-zinc complex has no side effects on liver tissue in most case, but can greatly prevent structural damage to liver tissue by lowering blood glucose levels in diabetic rats and improving oxidative stress.CONCLUSIONS: Vanadium-zinc complex can be utilized with a certain mechanism in order to control blood sugar and inhibit oxidative stress. It could be regarded as an appropriate approach to preventing liver damage following chronic hyperglycemia in diabetic patients.

BACKGROUND: Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) encodes for highly variable molecules, most of which are responsible for foreign antigen recognition and activation of immune responses in the host. LEI0258 microsatellite, located in the poultry MHC region, is a suitable genetic marker for determining MHC haplotypes and genetic diversity in poultry.OBJECTIVES: Considering the fact that there is no report on the frequency and types of MHC alleles and population genetic analysis in Ross 308 poultry in Iran, the present study aimed to investigate the diversity of MHC haplotypes of Ross 308 broilers by LEI0258 microsatellite.METHODS: A total of 216 blood samples were collected from two productive herds of Ross 308 broilers. After extracting DNA of the blood samples and amplifying LEI0258 microsatellite alleles, genotyping of MHC haplotypes was performed using agarose gel electrophoresis and fragment analysis techniques.RESULTS: A total of seven alleles and 21 genotypes were identified for LEI0258 microsatellite in these two groups. the highest and the lowest frequencies belonged respectively to allele 385 bp (42.86 %) and allele 300 bp (4.33 %). Heterozygous 207/385 was found to be the dominant genotype in both populations. According to the similarity matrix analysis, there was an 84.56 % similarity between the two groups.CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained in this study revealed a high level of heterozygosity (85.71 % and 91.35 %) and deviation from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (P<0.0001) in these two Ross populations. Ross 308 broiler chickens had lower allelic diversity and higher genetic similarity compared to the native ones. These findings provided additional information on the use of MHC as a candidate gene marker in genetic improvement and resource conservation in broiler populations.

BACKGROUND: There is growing evidence that resistance to antibiotics is increasing, and because of their wide range of negative impacts on the environment and humans, also accumulative effects in fish meat and hazards for humans, there have been numerous studies conducted using medicinal plants as a healthier alternative to antibiotics.OBJECTIVES: This study examined the antibacterial effect of two native medicinal herbs (oregano and echinacea mixed essential oil) on Lactococcus garvieae compared with some commercial antibiotics used in fish farms.METHODS: The antibacterial activities against a fish bacterial pathogen (Lactococcus garvieae) were tested using the disk diffusion method, followed by the determination of minimum inhibitory (MIC) and bactericidal (MBC) concentrations via sequential dilution of essential oil by Broth Micro Dilution method.RESULTS: The results showed antimicrobial activities of mentioned mixed essential oil with MIC ≥ 6.25 μL/mL and MBC ≥ 12.5 μL/mL. Also, the measurements of the diameter of inhibitory zones are consistent with the results of MIC and MBC, indicating the positive effect of this plant mix oil Lactococcus garvieae. However, the Lactococcus garvieae was more sensitive to Enrofloxacin (NFX 5), and Sulfamethoxazole &amp; Trimethoprim (SXT) (P<0.05), but the combination of Oregano and Echinacea essential oils performed better than Florfenicol (FF) despite the weaker effects against mentioned two antibiotics.CONCLUSIONS: The results approved the antibacterial activity of the mixed essential oil of oregano and Echinacea against Lactococcus garvieae on the laboratory scale. Using these compounds as a possible substitute for antibiotic compounds requires more clinical studies.

BACKGROUND: Subclinical mastitis plays an important role in the economic losses of dairy cattle farms. Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most important causes of this disease. Treatment of this disease with synthetic antibiotics has complications like antibiotic resistance. Using herbal antibiotics can be an excellent way to reduce these side effects.OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration of alcoholic extract of olive leaf on Staphylococcus aureus isolated from milk of cows with subclinical mastitis to achieve herbal treatment.METHODS: This study was conducted on 175 Holstein female cattle. The milk samples of 60 cows were obtained with the sterilized method, and Subclinical mastitis-positive cases were determined using the California mastitis test. Staphylococcus aureus bacteria were isolated from positive samples by culture method, and the minimum inhibitory concentration of olive (Olea europaea L.) leaves alcoholic extract on isolated bacteria was determined by microdilution method.RESULTS: From 175 cows under study, 60 cows had a positive California mastitis test, and Staphylococcus aureus separated from milk samples of 14 cows. The minimum inhibitory concentration of olive (Olea europaea L.) leaves extract on this bacterium was 12000 ppm.CONCLUSIONS: Alcoholic extract of olive (Olea europaea L.) leaves has an antimicrobial effect on Staphylococcus aureus as a cause of mastitis. The minimum concentration required for this effect was 12000 ppm. Further studies on the impact of this plant on other bacterial causes of subclinical mammary inflammation in cows and investigation of the effective substances in the extract are needed.

BACKGROUND: Storing semen at a temperature of 4 degrees Celsius reduces its motility and quality.OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the effect of adding calcium compounds, including calcimaphor (CMP), calcium gluconate (CG), and calcium chloride (CaCl2), on the motility and progressive motility of rooster sperm kept at refrigerator temperature.METHODS: This research used five pieces of 45-week-old Lari breed roosters. The liquid diluent added different calcium compounds at 0.56, 0.056, and 0.0056 mM concentrations. After treatment, the diluted seminal samples were cooled at the storage temperature to avoid thermal doubt and then transferred to the refrigerator at 4 degrees Celsius. Parametric factors that were more important such as the percentage of laterality and progressive mobility, were measured visually using the lens of a 40-light microscope, survival was checked using the eosin-nigrosin staining method, acrosome health percentage by formalin citrate method, cell membrane health with hypoosmotic test, lipid peroxidation level, fertility was evaluated using perivitelline membrane sperm reaction 72 hours after storing at 4 degrees Celsius.RESULTS: Based on the results, different calcium compounds in most concentrations could significantly affect the parameters of survival, mobility, and progressive mobility (P<0.05).CONCLUSIONS: Most of the sperm-related parameters in the control group decreased after this period of storage in the refrigerator, but the addition of calcium gluconate (0.56, 0.056, and 0.0056), Calcimaphor (0.56, 0.056, and 0.0056) and calcium chloride (0.56, 0.056 and 0.0056) to the semen thinner maintained the quality indicators of rooster sperm.