This study compared two methods of estrus induction between dogs (using vitagnus and vitagnus-estradiol). A total of 10 adult cyclic female Shih tzu Terrier mix breed dogs at anestrus stage were selected and divided into two groups. The first group (VAC) received vitagnus for five weeks (90 mg daily, PO). The second group (VAC-E2) was treated with vitagnus and estradiol benzoate. Estradiol benzoate was injected at the beginning of each week (0.01 mg/kg, IM). Blood sampling for evaluation of steroid hormones and vaginal smears were taken weekly. The sings and return to the estrus with the number of puppies were recorded. In the VAC group, 60%, and in the VAC-E2 group, 80% of dogs returned to the follicular phase after five weeks. In the VAC-E2 group, signs of estrus appeared 7 to 10 days and a mating process started 4 to 6 days earlier than those in the VAC group. The average number of delivered puppies was 4. These symptoms were confirmed by the cytology of the vagina. There was no significant difference in the estradiol and progesterone levels between groups. The mean concentration of estradiol significantly changed between weeks 1 and 4, 1 and 5, and 2 and 5 (p < 0.05). The progesterone level in the VAC-E2 group on week five was higher than that in other weeks. In conclusion, the administration of estradiol benzoate before  vitagnus improved induction of estrus in dogs.

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) virus, Goat-poxvirus (GPV), and Sheep-poxvirus (SPV) are members of genus capripoxvirus (CaPV) and have close genetic similarity. The use of CaPV-vaccine strains would be useful to protect the cattle against LSD. This study aimed to compare the neutralizing antibody titer of Iranian heterologous sheep pox and goat pox vaccines against LSD in cattle. A total of 100 calves was vaccinated with Gorgan-GPV and Ramyar-SPV vaccines on separate farms. Neutralizing antibody titer and side effects of vaccines were evaluated at days 14, 28, 45, 90, and 180 post-vaccination. The mean of rectal temperature in SPV was higher than GPV and persisted for up to 3 days. Also during the onset time of fever, ocular and nasal discharge were observed, whereas in the GPV and control group no clinical signs were observed. In each vaccinated group, the first detectable antibody titer was after 14 days and rose to peak at 28-45 days post-vaccination, then it decreased in the following days. Although, the mean of the neutralizing index (NI) titer between GPV and SPV was relatively similar and there was no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) at all days of the experiment, but in GPV the titer appeared slightly higher than SPV and reached to protective level (NI ≥ 1.5) on day 45 post-vaccination. There was a high antibody titer (Log101.07) in the day 180 post-vaccination. The results showed that GPV vaccine because of the induction of the protective level of antibody titer, and persisting within  a long period for up to 180 day post-vaccination, has a good immunogenic response, so is considered a suitable vaccine to control LSD.

Staphylococcal infections and contaminations have elicited a growing and perennial concern in the medical and food industries. Meanwhile, the manifestation of antibiotic-resistant strains such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) beside the production of disinfectant-resistant biofilms makes the confrontation with the bacteria more cumbersome and challenging. Pomegranate peel as a waste product of juicing factories is a natural antibacterial agent. The pomegranate peel hydro-extract (PPHE), as a bio-friendly material, was prepared from an Iranian pomegranate cultivar, Rabab, and its phenolic compounds and antioxidant (via DPPH and FRAP assays) and anti-staphylococcal (anti-planktonic and anti-biofilm) properties were assessed. The Rabab PPHE inhibited planktonic cells and biofilm formation of three S. aureus. The Rabab PPHE produced large and obvious staphylococcal inhibition zones in which their diameters were significantly dose-dependent for the milk isolated S. aureus (p < 0.05). Despite the resistance of MRSA (ATCC 33591) to beta-lactam antibiotics, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of PPHE against its planktonic cells was only 3.75mg mL-1. Furthermore, Rabab PPHE inhibited bacterial biofilms formation in a dose-dependent manner. The MIC of Rabab PPHE against planktonic milk-isolated S. aureus, S. aureus (ATCC 29737), and MRSA prevented 47, 36, and 26% of their biofilm formation, respectively. This addresses the differences between the anti-planktonic and anti-biofilm activity of Rabab PPHE. The anti-planktonic and to a lesser extent the anti-biofilm forming activity of this water-based extract supports the notion of its effectiveness and salubrious application in food and pharmaceutical industries.

Quorum sensing (QS) is a cell density dependent mechanism used by many pathogenic bacteria for regulating virulence gene expression. Inhibition or interruption of QS by herbal remedies has been suggested as a new strategy for fighting against antibiotic resistant bacteria. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of Satureja sahendica hydroalcoholic extract (SSHE) against Salmonella Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) isolates, and to assess the impact of sub-inhibitory concentrations of this extract on the QS-associated gene (sdiA) expression. Using the Soxhlet method, hydroalcoholic extract of S. sahendica leaves was prepared and antimicrobial effects of the SSHE were determined by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) methodS. The reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) assay was used to analyze the expression of sdiA in 20 S. Typhimurium isolates from poultry flocks in response to the treatment of sub-inhibitory concentrations of SSHE at 60-min time point. The MIC values of SSHE against S. Typhimurium isolates were ranged from 0.29-4.68 mg/ml-1 and MBC values were ranging from 75-150 mg/ml-1. The results also indicated that the expression of sdiA gene was reduced in S. Typhimurium isolates triggered by the treatment of SSHE comparatively with those from the control cultureS. Findings suggest that SSHE possess the antibacterial and anti-QS activity and can be used to control the expression of virulence genes in pathogenic bacteria, such as S. Typhimurium.

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a severe, highly contagious viral disease of cloven-hoofed ruminants caused by an aphthovirus of the family Picornaviridae. The disease in cattle is clinically characterized by fever and vesicles on the foot, in the oral cavity and on the mammary gland.This study was carried out to determine the changes in some serum biochemical parameters of cattle naturally infected with FMD O in Shahrekord district, Iran. For this purpose, blood samples were obtained from 23 Holsteins with clinical signs of FMD, as well as 22 blood samples from healthy animals. Serum analysis revealed significantly higher levels of AST, CK, CK-MB and LDH activities as well as MDA, troponin I, glucose and triglycerides concentrations in FMD-affected cattle compared to healthy control group (p < 0.05). Serum GPx and SOD activities in cattle with FMD were significantly lower than those in normal animals (p < 0.05), while there was no significant difference in serum CAT activity between 2 groups of animals. It is concluded that oxidative stress and some degrees of myocardial and pancreatic lesions develop in FMD-affected cattle. These findings provided information to better understand the pathogenesis of the disease and gives further insight to improve supportive treatment procedures in FMD virus infection in cattle.

Equine congenital or acquired flexor tendon deformity can occur immediately after birth or at any stage in the first 24 months of life. The long term prognosis after treating a severe flexor tendon deformity in horses may be poor. Although unfavorable prognosis of flexion deformities is a concept, but results of this presented case reveals that performing an appropriate treatment without any complications, will result in a functional improvement even in older patients, such as in this very case. The aim of this report is to present the long-term outcomes after the surgical treatment and  postoperative supports of a congenital flexor tendon deformity in a pony.

The only branch that detaches from the aortic arch of adult horses is the common brachiocephalic trunk. This report describes a rare case of the unusual arterial arrangement of the aortic arch in a female adult horse. The aortic arch was found to lack a common brachiocephalic trunk and had instead two branches, the first being a brachiocephalic trunk and the second being a left subclavian artery. The direct origin of the left subclavian artery from the aortic arch is very rare in horses and a similar case has not been reported previously. The potential embryologic and phylogenetic aspects of this variation are discussed.

Sheep satellite cells more than satellite cells of the rat and mouse are similar to human satellite cells. These cells are widely used in the modeling and treatment of diseases like heart insufficiency, neurological diseases, muscular dystrophy, cerebral cell transplantation for the treatment of migraines, screening, and the production of new drugs. This study was aimed to isolate and culture primary satellite cells (PSCs) obtained from sheep fetus, and perform clonal expansion of transfected PSCs. Skeletal muscle tissues of hind limbs were collected from sheep fetuses obtained from a local abattoir. After enzymatic digestion, flasks were replaced after 3 hours to isolate non-myogenic cells, such as fibroblasts. After six days, the cells were differentiated to myoblasts. Using a differentiation medium containing the horse serum, myotube cells were observed in the flask, indicating that the cultured cells were satellite cells. The mRNA expression of the PAX7 gene was used to confirm the presence of satellite cells. In addition, the results showed that satellite cells grow in a culture medium containing 5% FBS without differentiation, while 10% FBS initiates their differentiation.

Many diseases, including renal disorders in ruminants, appear in subclinical form and lead to reduced production without causing clinical signs. In this research, blood and tissue samples of kidney were taken from 102 buffaloes from Ahvaz industrial abattoir and sent to the laboratory for biochemical and histopathological analysis. After preparing the pathological sections from kidney specimens, conventional and specific staining and microscopic examination, 41 samples had no kidney lesion was considered as control and 61 specimens as the lesion group. The samples with renal lesions were divided into 4 subgroups including acute tubulointerstitial nephritis, chronic tubulointerstitial nephritis, Urinary tubular inflammation, and Congestion. The samples were also divided and compared to males and females. In blood samples, serum biochemical tests including parathyroid hormone, erythropoietin, and vitamin D3 were measured by using ELISA-specific commercial kits. After statistical analysis, the results of vitamin D3 in the studied groups did not show any significant difference. However, erythropoietin and parathormone values in buffaloes with renal lesions were significantly lower and higher than those in control animals respectively. The results of this study showed that most of the kidney lesions in the studied buffaloes including the mentioned above have led to a decrease in the production of erythropoietin hormone following the occurrence of these lesions and its functional effects on the kidneys. Naturally, the effects of this hormone deficiency are expected to be reflected in the hemogram and eventually, anemia resulting from it may affect overall body health.

This study aimed to isolate bacteriophages specific to Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains, particularly EHEC O157:H7, in order to develop a collection of phages against different E. coli pathotypes isolated from northeast of Iran. Eighteen samples were screened without any preliminary enrichment and also with small scale enrichment using E. coli 12900, which did not result in the phage recovery. Seven samples were prepared with an extensive enrichment. Of them, 5 samples produced plaques. Eventually, seven phages out of thirteen isolated phages were selected for phage host range investigation. Results of the spotting host range assay demonstrated that 22 pathogenic E. coli strains and isolates (54%) were susceptible to at least one of the phages. Phage Ecol-MHD1 was polyvalent against E. coli and Salmonella isolates. The other phages were specific to E. coli pathotypes. In conclusion, the phages isolated in this study can be suggested as preventive or therapeutic candidates against foodborne E. coli infections in humans.