فهرست مطالب maryam ansari-lari

Conventional ultrafiltration (CUF) during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is utilized to minimize hemodilution. However, removing high volumes leads to tissue hypoperfusion by activating the anaerobic glycolysis pathways.  This study aimed to determine the association between weight-indexed CUF volumes and lactate in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). In this single-center retrospective study, 641 CABG patients, who were referred to Al-Zahra Hospital (Shiraz, Iran) and underwent CPB, during 2019-2021, were recruited. Peri-operative parameters were extracted from the patient’s records. The patients with non-elective status, pre-existing liver and renal diseases, ejection fraction<35%, and repeated sternotomy were excluded from the study. An increase in post-operative lactate level≥4 mmol/L after 6 hours was defined as hyperlactatemia (HL). To predict HL, univariable and multiple logistic regression modeling, while controlling confounding factors, were employed. The patients’ mean age was 58.8±11.1 years, and 39.2% were women. The incidence of HL was 14.5% (93 patients). There was a significant association between weight-indexed CUF volume and HL. The volume removed in the HL patients was almost doubled (43.37±11.32 vs. 21.41±8.15 mL/Kg, P<0.001), and the higher the weight-indexed CUF volume, the more likely to develop an HL at a rate of 1.38 (Odds ratio=1.38 [1.27-1.49], 95% CI, P<0.001). Furthermore, the multiple logistic regression model showed that HL was associated with the lowest mean arterial pressure (MAP) during CPB. A higher volume of ultrafiltration was associated with increased post-operative serum lactate levels.

In the present study, aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in bulk milk (n=72) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in concurrent rations (TMRs; n=48) and feed ingredients (n=230) were assessed in 12 dairy farms in winter and summer. Bulk milk was sampled on days 1, 15 and 30 of the study. Feeds were sampled at days 1 and 30. Aflatoxin was measured using ELISA kits (detection ranges: 1-81 ngkg−1 for milk, 1.25-101.25 ngkg−1 for feeds). AFM1 was identified in all milk samples (range: 2.03 to >81 ngkg−1; median: 70 ngkg−1). Overall, 76% of milk samples (n=55/72) had AFM1 levels <81 ngkg−1 (Iranian limit:100 ngkg-1). Contaminations >81 ngkg−1 (n=17/72; 24%) were more frequent in winter (n=15/36 vs. 2/36). Sixty-nine percent of winter (n=25/36) and 31% of summer samples (n=11/36) had contaminations above the median. The chance of contaminations above the median was higher in winter (OR=5.33, P=0.007). All TMRs and ingredients had higher contaminations in summer. Seventy percent of summer and 30% of winter TMRs had contaminations above median (716 ngkg-1). The chance of TMR contamination above median was higher in summer (OR=5.57, P=0.002). The lower AFM1 levels in summer could be due to reduced hepatic AFB1 metabolism and lower dry matter intake induced by heat stress. Grain mix (rs=0.90; P=0.001), corn silage (rs=0.66; P=0.001) and wet beet pulp (rs=0.68; P=0.005) were the most prominent contaminants of TMRs. Due to the limitations of the diagnostic kit and different year-round nutritional conditions, higher or lower AFM1 contaminations are probable. With the current nutritional practices, higher summer contamination may happen if heat stress is efficiently controlled.

One important issue in using antibiotics in veterinary medicine is the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Understanding farmers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices could highlight the factors that influence decision-making in using antibiotics on the farm. Ninety-four poultry farmers from Fars province, southern Iran, were asked to complete a structured questionnaire regarding AMR. A high proportion of farmers (> 90%) acknowledged the association between antibiotic use and AMR in poultry, while one-third of farmers failed to recognize the relationship between antibiotic use in poultry and AMR in humans. Most farmers (66%) appreciated that using antibiotics for the treatment of diseases is very important in inducing AMR. However, the majority failed to acknowledge the high importance of antibiotic usage for growth promotion (71%) or diseases prophylaxis (61%) in inducing AMR. Less than half always adhered to using the recommended dosage of drugs and selecting the antibiotics without culture and susceptibility testing was practiced to some extent by 52% of farmers. Statistical analyses using logistic regression showed that farmers with a history of completing official training for poultry production had more positive attitudes (OR = 4.0, P = 0.02) and better practices (OR =3.1, P = 0.03) toward AMR compared with farmers who had not the history of training. Most farmers cited veterinarians as their main favorite source of information to learn more about the concept of AMR. This study establishes baseline estimates for knowledge, attitudes, and practices of poultry farmers toward AMR. Program planning for the transfer of relevant information to farmers, in particular association of antibiotic use in poultry and AMR in humans and importance of antibiotic use for growth promotion in inducing AMR, as well as instructing them about the prudent use of antibiotics are highly warranted. These tasks are preferentially better to be implemented by veterinary practitioners.

L-carnitine (LC) has been shown to protect cardiac metabolism in diabetes patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Apelin, a newly discovered adipocytokines, is an important regulator of cardiac muscle function; however, the role of the level of expression of Apelin axis in improvement of cardiac function by LC in diabetic patients, is not clear. In the present study, obese insulin-resistant rats were used to determine the effect of LC, when given orally with a high-calorie diet, on Apelin and Apelin receptor (Apj) expression in cardiac muscle.
In this experimental study, rats were fed with high-fat/high-carbohydrate diet for five weeks and subsequently were injected with streptozotocin 30 mg/kg for induction of obesity and insulin resistance. After confirming the induction of diabetes (serum glucose above 7.5 mmol/L), the animals received LC 300 mg/kg in drinking water for 28 days. On days 0, 14 and 28 after treatment, cardiac Apelin and Apj gene expression was evaluated by real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. Serum levels of insulin, Apelin, glucose, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were also measured using commercial kits.
Cardiac Apelin and Apj expression and serum Apelin were increased in obese rats, while LC supplementation decreased the serum levels of Apelin and down-regulated Apelin and Apj expression in cardiac muscle. These changes were associated with reduced insulin resistance markers and serum inflammatory factors and improved lipid profile.
We concluded that LC supplementation could attenuate the over-expression of Apelin axis in heart of diabetic rats, a novel mechanism by which LC improves cardiovascular complications in diabetic patients.

There is no prospective study from Iran to estimate the direct risk of Neospora caninum for pregnancy loss or reproductive factors. In addition, there is no report in the literature concerning the association of N. caninum with dystocia and sex of calves. Therefore, this study was conducted on a group of dairy cows in a large intensive production system during 2011 to 2013 in southern Iran to evaluate the impact of neosporosis on reproductive performance. A total of 253 cows which were diagnosed as pregnant during the first six months of the study were followed until calving or abortion. Reproductive data were collected and N. caninum serostatus was determined using ELISA. To investigate the association of abortion with N. caninum,survival analysis was performed using Cox proportional hazard model. The N. caninum seroprevalence in the study group was 30.40% (95% CI: 27.40, 36.10). The overall abortion rate was 12.25%, significantly higher in seropositive animals (20.80%) than seronegative ones (8.50%). Results of Cox model showed that serostatus of animal for N. caninum and season had significant associations with abortion (p

Salmonella spp. are important food borne pathogens worldwide that frequently infect poultry flocks. This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Salmonella spp. colonization in broiler flocks in Shiraz (southern Iran) and to find the possible association of infection status with some potential risk factors including vaccination program and use of antibiotics. During October 2009 to April 2010, a total of 40 broiler flocks were selected in slaughterhouse and 20 cloacae contents were collected from each flock. Every five cloacae contents were pooled and investigated for Salmonella spp. using appropriate culture methods. The flock was considered positive if any of the pooled samples turned positive in culture. Statistical analysis was performed using multiple logistic regression. Nine out of 40 flocks (22.50%, 95% CI: 9-36) were positive for Salmonella spp. colonization. Nearly 75.00% of flock owners reported that they used antibiotics during production period, more frequently fluoroquinolones, combination of trimethoprim-sulfonamides (TMP/SU) and tetracycline. Nearly 60.00% of the flocks which had used TMP/SU were positive for Salmonella spp. compared with 10.00% of the flocks which did not use this antibiotic (p = 0.006). Increasing flock age was associated with a decreased chance of Salmonella spp. detection (p = 0.003). In flocks which received infectious bronchitis vaccine, 36.00% were positive for Salmonella spp. whereas this was 15.00% for flocks which did not receive this vaccine (p = 0.08). Careful monitoring of antibiotics use and further studies to determine the most appropriate vaccination program in the field is recommended.

The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between histopathological lesions and tissue enzymes in chickens affected by Marek's disease.Five apparently healthy chickens(as control group)and 25 chickens affected by Marek's disease were selected. After consideration of history and gross lesions, tissue samples were collected from kidney, liver, heart, ovary, pectoral muscle, spleen, crop, proventriculus and bursa of fabricius for histopathological and tissue enzyme studies. In tissue samples, the activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), superoxide dismutase (SOD)and glutathione peroxidase (GPX)was measured. Histopathologically, lymphomatous lesions in visceral organs were included in local or diffuse ple omorphic small to medium lymphocytes, lymphoblasts,marek cells and rarely plasma cells. The results indicated that the activities of AST, LDH, CK, SOD and GPX were decreased in the crop of affected chickens. The activities of CK, LDH and AST in the liver tumors and the activities of LDH, AST, ALP, SOD, CK and GPX in pectoral muscles were increased. In proventriculus, the activities of AST, ALP, LDH and SOD were shown to be increased,but the activity of CK was decreased. The activities of AST and SOD in the ovary lesions and the activities of SOD, AST, CK and LDH in the heart lesions showed an increase. Fluctuations in the activity of enzymes in different tissues showed that measurement of these enzymes can not be used as a tumor marker in the diagnosis of Marek's disease.