BACKGROUND: Spermatogonial Stem Cells (SSCs) are the only stem cells in adults that can transfer genetic information to future generations. Considering that a single SSC gives rise to a vast number of spermatozoa, genetic manipulation of these cells is a potential novel technology with practical application to various animal species. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein (EGFP) gene transfection into bovine spermatogonial colonies via liposome carrier and assess the best incubation day in uptake exogenous gene by spermatogonial colonies. METHODS: Transfection efficiency EGFP gene through lipofection was determined different in three days (day 4, 6 and 8) after the beginning of the culture by fluorescent microscope. Immunofluorescent staining against OCT4 and vimentin led to the confirmation of the nature of both SSCs and sertoli cells. RESULTS: Results showed that the transfected colonies through lipofection increased significantly (p<0.05) in each three days of transfection in comparison with those of the control groups. The transfection colonies were higher (significant) in comparision with those of the free exogenous gene carrier groups. The rate of infected colonies was higher when transfection proceed day 4. CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that lipofectamine can be used safely for direct loading of exogenous DNA to spermatogonila colony, particularly during the fourth day of culture.

BACKGROUND: In traditional medicine in some Asian countries, including Iran, there is a belief that camphor is a suppressor of sexual activity. Not only has the validity of this hypothesis not been established, but also studies in this field are very limited.  OBJECTIVES: In this study, we investigated the effects of camphor on sperm quality in mice, and to protect sperm damage vitamin E as an antioxidant was used. METHODS: This study was conducted on 30 adult male mice (balb/c) with weight range 20-25 gr in 5 groups. First group was control (CO) and treated with normal saline,  groups  2 and 3 were sham groups treated respectively with Olive oil (OL) and the combination of olive oil and vitamin E (OL+E), and finally, two experimental groups were treated using camphor (CA) and camphor with vitamin E (CA+E). Camphor at doses of 30 mg/kg/day and vitamin E at doses of 100 mg/kg/day were prepared. All materials were administered orally (gavage). After 35 days semen were collected from tail of epididymis, and then total count, motility, viability, nuclear maturity, and DNA damage were examined. RESULTS: Results showed significant reduction in sperm total count, percentage of viability, increase in  the number of immature sperms and  no significant difference in rate of motile sperms and sperms with damaged DNA in groups that received Camphor was observed. Vitamin E as a strong antioxidant administered lightly was able to reduce the effects of  Camphor on viable and mature sperms (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded that Camphor could affect on mice sperm quality and vitamin E as an antioxidant,  was able to slightly reduce Camphor effects in sperm quality.

BACKGROUND: Salmonella Enteritidis in poultry is one of the main causes of illness that can be controlled effectively by some plant compounds, antibiotics and probiotics. OBJECTIVES: This study compares the effect of rosemary, thyme, propolis, antibiotic and probiotic on the immune system and blood parameters of broilers challenged with Salmonella Enteritidis.  Methods: Four hundred and twenty 1-day- old male broiler chicks Cobb strain were divided into seven groups: including rosemary ethanol extract, ethanol extract of propolis, ethanol extract of thyme, and probiotics, virginiamycin (10%) and positive and negative controls, and were reared for 6 weeks. At the end of experiment chickens were sampled and slaughtered. RESULTS: The results showed that plant extracts with probiotics can improve the immune system, reduce serum lipids, reduce harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and E.coli and increase the beneficial bacteria such as lactic acid bacteria. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the herbal extracts and probiotics can be used as an alternative to antibiotics in broiler diets.

BACKGROUND: Increase in aquatic production is dependent on raw materials, quality of diet, feed manufacture technology and optimum feed formulation. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was investigation and quality control feed of FFT, GFT1 and GFT2 of rainbow trout in farm and fish feed factory producers in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province. METHODS: In this study samples of FFT, GFT1 and GFT2 of diets were randomly taken from farm and fish feed factory producers in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province. Samples were analyzed for moisture, crud protein (CP), ether extract (EE), ash, phosphorous, TVN, Total count and coliform count. RESULTS: The results showed, diet CP was differs significantly (p<0.05) from many of the feeds. In addition nutrients of CP, phosphorous and EE of diets were differed slightly from rainbow trout requirement and in some cases were lower than instance requirement. The index of TVN that shows free nitrogen, was higher than standard in all samples. Total count and coliform count were different  between some of the other feed factories. CONCLUSIONS: Better management in fish feed factories  must be applied to balance the nutrient requirements  of the rainbow trout diet in different stages of growth, by using fresh, suitable and special feed materials.

BACKGROUND: Lactococcus lactis is one of the lactic acid bacteria that can be considered as a probiotic in Persian sturgeon. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to increase the resistance to Aeromonas hydrophila after feeding the L. lactis JF831150. METHODS: In the present study, first 60 fish were fed different doses of L.lactis JF831150 for 56 days. The bacterial flora were counted with  TSA and MRS. Resistance of fish against A. hydrophila were considered after feeding. RESULTS: The use of L. lactis JF831150 for 56 days in P. sturgeon showed significant improvement in decreasing heterotrophic aerobic bacteria flora and increasing the lactic acid bacteria in the intestine. In the face of fish against A. hydrophila in third treatment (108 CFU/g), the survival rate was shown to be significantly higher than the control and other treatments. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that consumption of L. lactis JF831150 (108 CFU/g) could improve the intestinal flora and increase resistance to A. hydrophila, and therefore has  potential for use  with P. sturgeon.

BACKGROUND: Foot -and- mouth disease (FMD) is endemic in Iran. Molecular techniques for diagnosis of persistent infection or carrier animals have shown a potential ability to improve the detection of a low genome copy number in samples. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the frequency of foot and mouth disease viral carriers in slaughtered sheep in Mashhad industrial abattoir using RT-PCR. Methods: Samples were isolated from tonsil of 94 slaughtered sheep analyzed by RT-PCR experiment for the detection of FMD, identification of FMD virus serotypes and at the end nucleic acid sequencing were performed. Results: The results showed that the 23 samples (24/5 percent) were positive for the presence of FMD virus RNA, of which 89.9% of cases are type O and 3 cases of FMD samples did not respond. The results of the 1D genome sequencing of the nucleic acid virus showed that FMD virus of sheep (O/IRN/100/2010Sheep), has 92/02% similarity with the virus (O/IRN/67/2001-2005) and 88/42% similarity with the virus (O/IRN/15/2004-2008). Conclusions: This study showed that the percentage of FMDV sheep carriers in Mashhad slaughterhouse was remarkable. Estimation of the frequency of carrier state in cattle and small ruminants is recommended as a monitor of control plan in the region.

BACKGROUND: Haemobartonella (also known as Mycoplasma) is a blood organism of cats and can cause many anemia and many clinical signs in the infected cats. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the present study is to calculate the incidence rate of haemobartonellosis in pet cats of Tehran and study its relationship with certain factors. Moreover, some blood parameters in the infected cats were compared with non-infected ones. METHODS: 0.5 ml blood samples from cephalic veins of 120 pet cats in Tehran were prepared and after sending to parasitology laboratory and slide preparing, were stained with Giemsa. Finally, all of the prepared slides were studied with photomicroscope for presence of Haemobartonella. Meanwhile, the relationship between the infection and some factors including age, sex, breed, animal maintenance type, and color of their coats were studied with Chi square method. Moreover, some blood parameters in the infected cats were compared with non-infected by Mann Whitney test. RESULTS: Results showed that out of 120 pet cats in Tehran, 14(11.67%) were infected to Haemobartonella. Statistical analyses didn't show any significant relationship between the infection and the above-mentioned factors. Also, the results showed significant decrease in number of RBC, MCH, MCHC, NRBC, and number of Band cells compared with non-infected cats. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed that haemobartonellosis is one of the probable diagnoses, when we have anaemia in pet cats of Tehran.

BACKGROUND: In nature, there are herbal extracts, while capable of reducing aflatoxin B1 in agricultural product by different mechanisms, may also act as growth promoters. OBJECTIVES: In this study, aqueous extract of T. daenensis was evaluated to detoxify contaminated feed with aflatoxin B1 and to determine the effect of growth promoters in Japanese quail. METHODS: To this purpose, at 24 d of age, quails were separated by sex and 80 male quails were randomly divided into experimental units with equal weight and number. The dietary treatments were as follows: 1. basal diet (B), 2. B + AFB1 (500 mg/kg of feed), 3. B + aqueous extract of T. daenensis (2000 mg/kg of feed), 4. B + AFB1 (500 mg/kg of feed) + aqueous extract of T. daenensis (2000 mg/kg of feed). Feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio and serum total protein were determined at day 45. RESULTS: The results showed that aflatoxin significantly decreased feed intake, body weight gain and total blood protein but increased FCR (p<0.05). The extract significantly increased feed intake and body weight gain, but decreased FCR (p<0.05). The extract did not have any effect on total blood protein. There was an interaction effect between aflatoxin and extract (p<0.05), so that feed intake, body weight gain, FCR and total blood protein were improved in birds offered diet with aflatoxin and extract. CONCLUSIONS: According to the study, the extract has improved the performance in birds and the negative effect of aflatoxin on performance was significantly decreased in birds offered diet with the extract.

BACKGROUND: Considering differences in head size and shape of different Equine breeds, biometric parameters can be an attribute to a particular race. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the present paper is to give a numerical definition of morphological characteristics of head region of the Darehshori horse. METHODS: Twenty mature Darehshori horses were studied biometrically. The ear length, ears distance, eyes distance, head length, lateral head length, head width, rostrum length, distance between two mandibles and lateral face length were measured and the averages were calculated. RESULTS: The average of the related characters were as follow; ear length 16.89, ears distance 12.12, eyes distance 15.79, head length 55.26, lateral head length 49.33, head width 20.42, rostrum length 23.68, distance between two mandibles 10.82 and lateral face length 39.88 centimeter. CONLUSIONS: The coefficient of variation of these characters showed that the head length, lateral face length and lateral head length are more reliable characters than the other indices in characterizing the Darehshori horse.

BACKGROUND: The hazardous nature of aflatoxins to human and animals necessitate the establishment of control measures. ObjectiveS: The effect of two medicinal plants, Satureja khozistanica and Satureja macrosiphon, was studied on inhibiting Aspergillus flavus growth and reducing aflatoxin B1-content in the liquid medium. Methods: Essential oils were isolated by hydrodistillation method, using a Clevenger-type apparatus. Various extracts of plant materials were macerated with various extraction solvents (ethanol, ethanol70% and water extracts). Essential oils (0, 62/5, 125, 250, 375 and 500 mg/l) and various extracts (0, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000 and 6000 mg/l) of S. khozistanica and S. macrosiphon were examined for reducing A. flavus growth and it’s AFB1-content in the liquid medium. Amount of aflatoxinB1 was evaluated by high performance thin layer chromatographymethod. Results: Essential oil of S. khozistanica at the concentration of 375 mg/l as well as its ethanol and ethanol 70% extracts at 4000 and 6000 mg/l  respectively caused complete inhibition of fungus mycelial growth, whereas essential oil and extracts of S. macrosiphon couldn’t inhibit Aspergillus growth completely even at the maximum concentration. Essential oils of S. khozistanica and S. macrosiphonia at the concentration of 250 mg/l reduced AFB1-production 98 and 33.52% respectively. Various Extracts of S. khozistanica exhibited stronger anti-AFB1-biosyntesis activity than those of S. macrosiphon, so that, ethanol, ehanol70% and aqueous extracts of S. khozistanica at 4000 mg/l reduced 100, 96 and 32.37% of AFB1-production, respectively. On the contrary, essential oils, ethanol and ehanol70% extracts of both plants couldn’t significantly degrade AFB1-contamination, whereas aqueous extractsof S. khozistanica and S. macrosiphonia at the concentration of 4000 mg/l resulted in degradation of 25 and 32.16% AFB1-content, respectively. ConclusionS: In general, Essential oil and ethanol extract of S. khozistanica considerably inhibited A. flavus growth as well as AFB1-biosynthesis while aqueous extract of S. macrosiphon showed strong AFB1-degradation activity.