Background: Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious and economically important disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals worldwide. In recent years, a series of outbreaks of FMD have occurred in many countries. Recombinant protein synthesis incorporating protective B- and T-cell epitopes are candidates for new safer and more effective (FMD) vaccines that have potential to provide protective immunity against diverse FMDV strains and to protect against future epidemics. Objectives: The aim of this study was to produce Recombinant Hepta-epitope peptide for detecting FMD O, A , Asia1 serotypes ,which can be used as a tool for diagnostic kits. Methods: In the present study, we designed and produced a Recombinant Hepta-epitopic peptide from FMDV epitopes of the viral proteins VP1, VP2, VP3, 3C (seven epitopic regions, amino acid residues VP1 140-160, Vp1 200-213, VP2 68-75 ,VP2 179-198 ,VP3129-148 ,VP3 190-199 , 3C121-135). Results: It was shown that the mentioned recombinant peptide could recognize the serum collected from cattle infected with FMD serotype A and O. Conclusion: Therefore we believe that this recombinant Hepta-epitopic peptide can be used for diagnostic serological assays. Furthermore this Recombinant peptide may be a potential candidate as an alternative vaccine against FMDV epidemic variants.

The study of myology is relevant for both functional understanding and distinguishing different species. The pine marten (Martes martes) is a small carnivore found in Europe and Western Asia and belongs to the Mustelidae family. For the purpose of this study, fresh a carcass which was found in the hunters' trap, was brought to the anatomy hall of veterinary faculty, for anatomical studies. After the routine preparation of the specimen, extrinsic muscles of forelimbs and intrinsic muscles situated on the shoulder and brachium regions were studied by gross dissection. Here we aim to describe the morphology of extrinsic as well as shoulder and brachium muscles of pine marten forelimb and compare them to the other carnivores. Overall, our findings indicated that forelimb muscles, in pine marten is highly conservative. However, some significant differences in origin, insertion and the number of sections were observed in some muscles. These results will be useful for comparative myological studies of Mustelidae family and other carnivores. Meanwhile, further studies with more samples are need to present a clear information for Mustelidae family.

Background: Growth plate is responsible for bone elongation and its injury could result in severe orthopedic problems. OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed to investigate the radiographic changes after transplanting the fresh autogenous ear cartilage impregnated with PRP and MSc in treatment of growth plate injury in lamb. METHODS: Cranial half (½) in length in full depth of the right hind limb growth plate was resected with bone oscillator and  was transplanted  with  autogenous fresh  harvested  ear cartilage  at the time of surgery  in  all of the 15  male lambs. Subsequently they were divided into 3 subgroups of 5 lambs in each group, control, PRP and MSCs. Radiographs were obtained from operated limbs at surgery time and 60 post-operative. RESULTS: Clinically, all lambs showed same lameness degree and mostly apparent after cast removal but gradually improved in the treated group which showed normal weight bearing after one month. Early physeal closure was seen in growth plate injured site only in control group without limb shortening or angular deformity. Lambs with MSCs showed mild bone bridge formation (1.4b ± 0.4b) as compared with   PRP group (1.8 ± 0.37ab) and control group (2.8 ± 0.2 a) (P<0.05).On 60 days postoperatively control group showed significant mineralization (by 2.8±0.2a) while less mineralization was detected in MSCs and PRP groups  (by 1.4± 0.4b and 2.4± o.4 ab). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that MSCs &amp; PRP can quite effective in preventing bone bridge formation and mineralization besides convergence of the transplanted tissue into growth plate cartilage. Keywords:

Background: Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is one of the best characterized genetic regions controlling immune responses against vaccines. Identifying the association between MHC haplotypes and improved immune responses would be useful in genetic breeding strategies in animals. OBJECTIVES: MHC class II B genetic diversity and its association with humoral immune responses against Newcastle vaccine (NDV) were evaluated in commercial turkey poults (meleagris gallopavo). METHODS: A total of 92 turkey poults were vaccinated with live VG/GA strain of Newcastle disease vaccine at age of 10 and 20 days. Serum NDV specific IgY was assessed by indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and MHC II B polymorphism was determined using high resolution melting curve (HRM) technique and DNA sequencing method. Effects of alleles on humoral immune responses were evaluated by multivariate regression analysis and GLM procedures. RESULTS: A total of 8 HRM profiles and 10 alleles were identified in this population. B1-1*3, B1-1*4 and B1-1*5 alleles were significantly associated with lower antibody responses against vaccine in commercial turkey poults. CONCLUSIONS: Three alleles reported in this study were associated with reduced immune responses against NDV vaccine in turkey population. Due to such negative associations, molecular breeding programs based on specific genetic markers should be implemented with great caution.

A carcass of a Persian leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor) that was inadvertently killed in a car accident in Golestan National Park, North-Iran, was referred to the laboratory of the Department of Environment in Golestan Province. The carcass was infested with hard ticks. Five ticks were collected and identified as Ixodes ricinus (one female) and Rhipicephalus turanicus (four males).  These hard ticks are major vectors of some important microorganisms of veterinary and medical significance. This is the first detection of I. ricinus and R. turanicus in the Persian leopard.

Backgrounds: Canine parvovirus (CPV) has been incriminated as a primary pathogen related to acute hemorrhagic enteritis in dogs. Three major antigenic variants of CPV (CPV-2a/2b/2c) have so far been identified. Objectives: This study was carried out to investigate the frequency of CPV-2 and its variants (CPV-2a/2b/2c) in a population of healthy and diarrheic dogs in the north west of Iran. Methods: A total of 35 stool samples from healthy (n=16) and diarrheic (n=19) dogs were screened for all variants (2a, 2b, and 2c) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primer pair 555for/555rev resulting in a PCR product of 583 bp in length. The resulting fragments were further digested by MboII endonuclease that selectively recognizes the restriction site “GAAGA” unique to CPV2c only. All undigested samples were subjected to PCR assays with primer pair Pab (which detects both CPV-2a and CPV-2b types) and primer pair Pb (which detect only CPV-2b type) primer pairs. The relationship of health status, breed, age, sex and vaccination status with PCR results were analyzed using statistical tests. Results: From a total of 35 samples, 10 samples were found to be positive by 555for/555rev primers that were further analyzed by MboII digestion of PCR products. One sample was characterized as CPV-2c and nine samples were categorized as CPV-2a or CPV-2b. All nine undigested samples resulted positive by PCR using Pab primers, out of which 7 resulted positive by PCR using Pb primer pairs, indicating that they are of CPV-2b variant. Conclusions: It seems that CPV-2b is prevalent variant circulating in the North West of Iran. Results also indicated that CPV-2a and CPV-2c are affecting dogs, suggests constant surveillance and monitoring of CPV variants.

BACKGROUND: Glucocorticoids are the steroidal drugs which are very widely used in large animal medicine. These agents have advantages in large animals but they have been also associated with many potential adverse effects especially at high doses or prolonged use. OBJECTIVES: The present experimental study was designed to clarify the effects of dexamethasone (DEXA) and isoflupredone (ISO), as the most common glucocorticoids in large animal medicine, on bovine thyroid hormones. METHODS: Ten clinically healthy Holstein calves (6-8 months old) were assigned into 2 equal groups. Dexamethasone (1 mg/kg) and isoflupredone (1 mg/kg) were administered intramuscularly in DEXA and ISO groups, respectively, for two consecutive days. Blood samples were taken at days 0 (before the 1st dose), 1 (before the 2nd dose), 2, 3, 5 and 7, from all studied animals and serum concentrations of T3, T4, fT3 and fT4 were determined in all specimens. RESULTS: Levels of T3 and T4 were decreased significantly after both drugs administrations. The concentrations of T3 and T4 in Iso group were significantly lower than DEXA one (P<0.05). There were no significant changes in serum fT3 and fT4 levels following drugs administrations. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacological doses of dexamethasone and isoflupredone have suppressive actions on the circulating levels of thyroid hormones in Holstein calves possibly via inhibition of TSH production at hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid level.

BACKGROUND: The use of antibiotics as feed additive in animal feeds due to the appearance of residues in milk and meat and their effects on human health has restricted. Two of essential oils with high potential for use in ruminant diet are Mentha piperita (peppermint) and Mentha pulegium (pennyroyal) essential oil. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of essential oils of peppermint and pennyroyal on performance, ruminal microbial population and some blood parameters of sheep. METHODS: For this purpose, 9 Dallagh sheep were used in a change over design experiment at three 21-d periods (14 days as adaptation and 7 days for sample collection). Experimental treatments were 1) basal diet without additive (control), 2) basal diet + 110 mg/d Mentha piperita essential oil and 3) basal diet +110 mg/d Mentha pulegium essential oil. Sheep were kept in individual cages and had free access to food and water. Rumen fluid was collected before, 4 h and 8 h after morning feeding and a blood sample was obtained 3 h after morning feeding at last day of each period. RESULTS: Essential oils had no effect on performance, blood parameters, pH, ammonia, protozoa, and total viable bacterial count of rumen. Coliforms of rumen fluid significantly decreased at 4 h and increased 8 h after morning feeding following peppermint and pennyroyal supplementation, respectively (P<0.05). Acid lactic bacteria count was significantly higher at before and 4 h after morning feeding in pennyroyal treatment compared with other treatments. CONCLUSION: although essential oils of Mentha piperita and Mentha pulegium had some effects on rumen microbial population but had no significant effects on performance and blood metabolites of Dallagh sheep.

BACKGROUND: It is important to understand the efficacy of immunoregulatory materials, herbal remedies or probiotics, in different parts of immune system following vaccination with different tropism. OBJECTIVES: Aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Echinacea purpurea and a probiotic (protexin) on systemic and mucosal immune response in turkey. METHODS: A total of 288 1-day-old male turkey poults were randomized into 6 groups as follow: Group T1: Turkeys received Echinacea purpurea at the rate of 1 ml /1 liter water and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) vaccine, Group T2: Turkeys received probiotic at the rate of 1 g /1 liter water and NDV vaccine, Group T3: Positive control that turkey received NDV vaccine without any additives. Group T4: Turkeys received Echinacea purpurea at the rate of 1 ml /1 liter water without NDV vaccine. Group T5: Turkeys received probiotic at the rate of 1 g /1 liter water without NDV vaccine, Group T6: Negative control group, neither vaccinated against NDV vaccine nor given additives. At age of 10 and 20 days, poults were vaccinated with Villegas_Glisson/University of Georgia (VG/GA) strain of Newcastle disease vaccine by eye dropper method. For systemic and mucosal antibody analyses, blood samples and tracheal lavages were collected at different ages. The titers of antibody against NDV were measured using ELISA and HI tests. RESULTS: Addition of Echinacea to the water increased the systemic IgG, IgA and HI compared to the positive control group. Protexin supplementation to the water of T2 turkeys increased serum IgG and both total and specific IgA compared to the T3 group turkeys. Generally, turkeys that were supplemented with probiotic had higher specific and total tracheal IgA antibody levels than the other vaccinated groups. Among vaccinated turkeys only T1 group showed significantly higher HI antibody titers on day 42. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicated that systemic and mucosal immunity of turkeys following vaccination against Newcastle disease (ND) could be improved by supplementation of Echinacea and probiotic. The effect of Echinacea purpurea on systemic immunity of turkeys seemed more pronounced than on mucosal immunity; further, the effect of probiotic on mucosal immunity was more obvious.

BACKGROUND: The tongue, which plays a very important role in food intake by vertebrates, exhibits significant morphological variations that appear to represent adaptation to the current environmental conditions of each respective habitat. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present investigation was to investigate lingual structure in adult budgerigar. METHODS: Tongues of 12 adult budgerigars were used in the investigations. Samples of the apex, body and root of the tongue were studied using light and electron microscopy. RESULTS: The tongue in budgerigar is about 5 mm in length. The deep concave rostral portion of the lingual apex is devoid of any glandular structure and is continuous with a semicircular caudal portion. The caudal portion of the lingual apex is divided into two symmetrical halves by a median longitudinal fissure. The rostral part of the lingual corpus is distinctly divided by fissures of varying depth into many irregular raised areas with different sizes. Several large caudally directed conical papillae are situated on the posterior end of the lingual corpus and along the thick border region between the lingual body and root. There are also some giant conical papillae on the laryngeal mound. According to their positions, the PAS-positive compound tubuloalveolar salivary glands can be classified as dorsal and dorsolateral salivary glands. The dorsal lingual salivary glands are situated beneath the dorsal lingual epithelium. They extended from the caudal end of the fissure on the caudal lingual apex to the front of the laryngeal cleft. The dorsolateral salivary glands on each side extend from the beginning of the body of the tongue to the level of the laryngeal cleft. The ventral side of the tongue is devoid of any glandular structure. Neither the morphology nor the dimensions of the tongue show sex-specific differences. CONCLUSIONS: lingual structure shows considerable differences in budgerigars in comparision to other birds studied so far.