Background: White button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) is one of the most sensitive agricultural crops after harvesting and its antioxidant properties tend to decrease during post-harvest storage with the passage of time. OBJECTIVES: The possible role of exogenous application of malic acid as dipping treatment on bioactive components and antioxidant properties of sliced white button mushroom during storage was investigated. METHODS: The mushrooms were soaked in chilled malic acid solution at desired concentrations (1%, 3% and 5%) for 10 minutes or were dipped in chilled distilled water as control and were refrigerated (4°C) for 15 days. On each designated day (every 5 days) mushroom samples were taken out for further analysis. Total phenolic, chelating ability, and DPPH assay, as well as assay of reducing power, were evaluated as markers of bioactive components and antioxidant properties of sliced button mushroom. RESULTS: Malic acid treatment effectively maintained higher levels of bioactive components and antioxidant properties (as depicted by higher retention of phenolic and lower EC50 values for DPPH and reducing power) as compared to control during the whole storage period. On the other hand, chelating ability of mushrooms was not influenced by the malic acid treatment and a weak correlation was found between malic acid treatment and chelating ability retention. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that dipping in 3% malic acid solution prior to storage can serve the purpose of maintenance of bioactive components and antioxidant properties of sliced button mushroom during storage.

Background: Clostridium chauvoei is the etiological agent of blackleg as an endogenous infection in cattle.  Flagella have been known to play a critical role in the protective immunity of animals to clostridial infections. C.chauvoei has two copies of fliC gene, namely fliA and fliB. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was the determination and nucleotide sequence analysis of both copies of fliC genes in vaccinal strain and Iranian C. chauvoei isolates. METHODS: Six specific primers for amplification of fliA, fliB, and flagellin (fliC) genes were designed by Oligo software. Polymerase chain reaction was performed to amplify a fragment of 700 bp for both copies of flagellin (fliA and fliB) genes. The nucleotide percentage identity and divergence among isolates were deduced using BlAST and MegAlign softwares. RESULTS: It was found that divergence in fliB was more than fliA by sequence alignment analysis.  Six highly conserve regions, thirty-one SNPs and 13 amino acid polymorphisms were found in fliC gene (between fliA and fliB sequences) of Iranian C. chauvoei isolates. In comparative analysis, genomic similarity of the fliA and fliB genes between the vaccinal strain and examined field isolates was proved to be as high as 97.3 % and 98.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The fliC copies were identified as excellent biomarkers to study the molecular epidemiology and strain diversity among C. chauvoei isolates. The existence of genetic variation between two alleles of fliC gene in C. chauvoei is reported for the first time in Iran. In spite of some genetic variations, the immunologic cross protection test showed a high protection power of the local vaccine (produced by Razi Institute) against homologous and heterologous challenge.

Background: Recognition of pain is challenging in veterinary medicine due to lack of verbal communication and universal pain assessment system. Increase in biochemical parameters have been shown to have direct correlation with level of postoperative pain. Objectives: The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the serum levels of CPK and investigate any correlation in serum levels of CPK and postoperative pain following ovariohysterectomy in feline. Methods:  Conventional midline ovariohysterectomy was performed in 24 healthy female queens. Serum levels of cortisol, CPK and glucose were measured prior to surgery and at 1 and 3 and 24 hours after the surgery. Also, VAS was used to assess level of post-operative pain. Data was analyzed using repeated measure ANOVA. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used to identify any correlation between level of pain and CPK after the surgery. Results: The score of pain significantly increased at 1 and 3 hours after the surgery in all of the cats (p=0.001).The concentration of cortisol and CPK significantly increased after the surgery in comparison  to the values prior to surgery (p<0.001). Also, the concentrations increased significantly at 3 hours after the surgery compared to the values at 1 hour after the surgery (p<0.001). In 24 hours after the surgery results revealed that serum level of cortisol returned to its normal values but CPK  was still higher compared to the values prior to surgery. Significant correlation was detected between the level of pain and CPK after surgery (p<0.05). Conclusions: It is concluded that there is a correlation with VAS score of pain and serum levels of Cortisol and CPK at early hours after the surgery. CPK might be used as an indicator of pain in early hours after the surgery in feline. However, the assessment of pain in cats is not possible based on its values alone.

Background: Although Escherichia coli (E. coli)is a part of intestinal normal microflora of warm-blooded animals, includingpoultry, outbreaks occur in poultry raised below standard sanitation and duringthe course of respiratory or immunosuppressive diseases. Avian pathogenic E.coli (APEC) harbors several genes associated with virulence andpathogenicity. APEC strains are responsible for some diseases in poultryincluding colibacillosis, swollen head syndrome, yolk sac infection, omphalitisand coli granuloma. OBJECTIVES:  Theaim of this study was examination of the presence and frequency of threeimportant virulence genes in intestinal and extra-intestinal (liver) E. coliisolates from chicken of Khuzestan province in the southwest of Iran. METHODS:Totally 120 (60 intestinal and 60 liver) E. coli isolates were examinedby polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of aerobactin (iutA),temperature sensitive hemagglutinin (tsh) and fimbriae type 1 (fimH )genes.  RESULTS: The results showedthat tsh, iutA and fimH are respectively present in 78.3%, 70% and 61.7% ofliver isolates while in intestinal ones the frequency of these genes was 21.7%,41.7% and 41.7% respectively. The most prevalent genotypes in extra intestinaland intestinal isolates were tsh+fimH+iutA+ and tsh-fimH-iutA-respectively. CONCLUSIONS: It seems that these sets of virulence genes are significantly moreprevalent (P<0.05) in extra intestinal isolates and probably these genesplay an important role in the pathogenesis of APEC isolates in the southwest ofIran. Although these virulence genes were not present in all APEC isolates  their frequencies were high and using theproducts of these genes in vaccines may be effective in protecting againstinfections caused by this bacterium

Background: Foodborne outbreaks associated with shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) have been well documented worldwide. STECs are major causative agents of gastroenteritis in humans that may be complicated by hemorrhagic colitis (HC), hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), and thrombotic thrombocytopenia purpura (TTP). OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of virulence-associated genes including eaeA, hlyA, stx1 and stx2 in Escherichia coli strains isolated from broiler’s Colibacillosis in the northeast of Iran. METHODS: From a total of 78 E.coli strains isolated from yolk sac infection, hepatitis and pericarditis, that were referred to educational veterinary clinic during 2011-2014,  subculturing of the isolates was performed using selective media and a typical colony from each sample was subjected to multiplex PCR assay for identification of the presence of STEC important virulence-associated genes (eaeA, hlyA,stx1 and stx2) causing shiga toxin-mediated diseases.                                                                                                                                       RESULTS: Of 78 E.coli isolates, one isolate was positive for both eaeA and hlyA genes while negative for stx1 and stx2 genes. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed low prevalence of STEC virulence genes associated with human infections in avian pathogenic E.coli (APEC) strains isolated from different flocks of broilers affected with colibacillosis.

Background: Most leptospiral infections in sheep and goat are asymptomatic but may result in high fever, abortion, stillbirth, agalactiae. There is a different foraging behavior between sheep and goat that may cause the different prevalence of Leptospira interrogans infection in sheep and goats. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the present study was to compare the prevalence of L. interrogans antibodies in sheep and goats. METHODS: Blood samples were taken from 246 sheep and 210 goats in 12 herds from 8 areas of Ahvaz where the  animals were kept together. Sera were initially screened at dilution of 1:100 against 8 live serovars of L. intrrogans: pomana, canicola, hardjo, ballom, ictrohaemorrhagiae, grippotyphosa, tarasovi and australis using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). RESULTS: The prevalence of leptospiral infection was 8.53% in sheep and 10.95% in goats. The highest reacting leptospira in both species was L.i. Pomona with a reactor rate of 68.18% in sheep and 56% in goats, followed in descending order by ictrohaemorrhagiae (18.8%), canicula, hardjo and grippotyphosa (each of them 4.54%), in sheep and ictrohaemorrhagiae (28%), canicula (16%) in goats. Statistical analysis showed that were no significant differences between sheep and goat (P=0.428). There were no significant differences among age groups in sheep (p=0.301) and goats (p= 0.363), but there was a tendency in adults sheep and goats (≥3years) to be more seropositive than young sheep and goats. Seroprevalence of leptospiral infection among various areas in sheep (p= 0.464) and goats (p= 0.710) was also not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that there is no difference between sheep and goats in terms of leptospiral infection when they are kept together in the same herd and husbandry condition.

Background: Green iguana (Iguana iguana) is one of the newly imported exotic pets which has been observed with increasing regularity in veterinary clinics in Iran. Despite their popularity, information about their diseases is scarce. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the pathogenic agents in green iguanas with skin disorders. METHODS: The animals were brought to Small Animal Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Tehran, Iran, with chronic pruritic dermatitis, scabs, loss of spines and deep ulcerative dermatitis located over the body. During physical exam, deposits of dry seborrhea were taken and processed for diagnosis. The clinical specimens were cultured on sabouraud dextrose agar containing chloramphenicol and cycloheximide and mycosel agar. RESULTS: Microscopic examination revealed fungal elements as Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes and psoroptid mites as Geckobiella donnae. CONCLUSIONS: This was the first report of the presence of fungal and parasitic agents as the etiological agents of dermatological disorders in green iguanas.

Background: Heart valve diseases are considered a common disease in human and animals, and valve replacement is an option for treatment of valvular diseases. Objectives: In this study efficacy of a tissue engineered valve in thoracic aorta was evaluated with transthoracic echocardiography. Methods: This study was undertaken on 6 male sheep. Echocardiography was performed on all sheep 24 hours before surgery and repeated  24 hours (D1), 2 weeks (W2) and 4 weeks (W4) after surgery. Right parasternal long axis view of left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) was used to assess hemodynamic across new valve. Results: Velocity time integral (VTI) significantly decreased from 18.98±2.88 before surgery to 12.55±2.48 one day after surgery (D1) (p<0.05). Mean Velocity (Vmean) decreased significantly from 52.56±12.01 to 39.72±12.30 at D1 (p<0.05). But maximum velocity (Vmax) was constant during study. There was not any statistical difference between mean Pressure gradient (Pgmean) or maximum pressure gradient (Pgmax) in comparison with pre-surgery and D1, W2 and W4. At D1, W2 and W4, time to peak (TTP) differed significantly from previous time. Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that this tissue engineered aortic valve (TEAV) could change some hemodynamic parameters, but heart could compensate some of them. Valve movement remained normal but the major complication was aneurism which seems to be the result of poor scaffold.

Background:Ghrelin, an endogenous ligand for the growthsecretagogue receptor is predominantly produced in the stomach and anexpression of ghrelin has recently been identified in placenta and ovary. OBJECTIVES: Therefore, we decited to measure ovarian ghrelin as quantitative andevaluate the correlation between ghrelin and estrogen during second half ofovine pregnancy. METHODS: The ovarian samples were collected from 40pregnant sheep in 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5 and 5 months of pregnancy in a local abattoir.Follicles and active corpora lutea (CL) were dissected from surroundingtissues, separately. The samples were homogenized with phosphate buffer (0.1 M,pH=7.4) on liquid nitrogen to provide fluid samples. Ghrelin and estrogenconcentrations were measured by ELISA method and expressed as milligram (mg)and picogram (pg) per mg of tissue protein, respectively. RESULTS:There was a linear correlation between ghrelin and estrogen in ovarian follicles(r=0.97 and p=0.004), but not in CL. Follicular ghrelin significantly increasedin 4, 4.5 and 5 months (p<0.001) but CL ghrelin significantly decreased inthe 4.5 month of ovine pregnancy (p<0.01). Estrogen concentration was alsosignificantly higher in 4-5 months of pregnancy in ovarian follicles(p<0.001) but potent CL indicated higher estrogen level only in the 5thmonth of pregnancy (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS:These results emphasize the role of ghrelin inthe reproductive system and open a new window to future studies

Background: The Endothelial PAS domain-containing protein 1 (EPSA1) is the key transcriptional regulator of hypoxic response and Vascular Permeability Factor (VPF) is an important growth factor for vascular development and angiogenesis. OBJECTIVES: In the present study, the levels of the EPSA1 coding gene and VPF transcripts were evaluated during Larval development of Beluga, Huso huso. METHODS: Samples at 12 developmental time-points including 1, 2, 4 days before hatch (eyed eggs), fresh hatched larvae (0), and larvae 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 50 days post-hatching were collected and  stored in a −80 °C freezer until RNA extraction. Changes in EPSA1 and VPF mRNA expression were studied and differences in normalized mRNA expression levels among the different developmental stages of H. huso were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS: The transcripts of EPSA1 and VPF were detected in all developmental time-points of H. huso from embryos to fingerling fish. Our results revealed that the mRNA expression of EPSA1 and VPF was low during embryonic development and then upregulated significantly at the time of hatch and early larval time-points, whereas in the late larval development stages they started to decline. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that there is an association between the EPSA1 and VPF mRNA expression during larval development of H. huso. The up regulation of EPSA1 and VPF transcripts at the time of hatch and during yolk sac fry development of H. huso is likely tied to the role of them in vasculogenesis and angiogenesis.