Veterinary Research Forum
Volume:12 Issue: 4, Autumn 2021

In the present study the comprisal of brachial plexus and nerves springing from the brachial plexus in Günther’s vole has been determined. Ten adult voles (five males and five females) were used in this study. Nerves comprising the brachial plexus and the nerves arising from brachial plexus in vole were dissected and the findings were saved. The brachial plexus of the vole was comprised of the ventral root of cervical (C) 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th and thoracic (T) 1st spinal nerves. Also, the brachial plexus was consisted of three trunks including cranial (C5th and C6th), medial (C7th) and caudal (C8th and T1st) trunks. Nervus (n.) subclavius, n. suprascapularis, nervi (nn.) subscapularis, n. axillaris, n. musculocutaneus, n. thoracodorsalis, nn. pectorales craniales, n. pectorales caudales, n. thoracicus lateralis, n. thoracicus longus, n. ulnaris, n. medianus, and n. radialis were determined to be arising from brachial plexus. In conclusion, macroanatomical features of brachial plexus and its branches in Günther’s vole have been determined. It is thought that the findings will contribute to neuroanatomy of the rodents.

Global spread and emergence of the extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strains of P. aeruginosa have become a concern, thus, searching for new alternative treatment approaches are required. This study was aimed to isolate and characterize a novel lytic phage against P. aeruginosa. Seventy XDR isolates of P. aeruginosa were collected from May to September 2018. Wastewater samples were used for isolation of lytic phage against XDR P. aeruginosa isolates. Host range, thermal and pH stability, adsorption rate, latent period, burst size and morphology of phage were determined following the standard protocols. Morphological characteristics of the phage revealed that it belonged to Podoviridae family and it was named vB-PaeP-007. Although the phage had a narrow host range, 47 out of 70 XDR isolates were susceptible to it. The adsorption rate, latent period and burst size of vB-PaeP-007 were approximately 89.80% in 8 min, 10 min and 93 phages per cell, respectively. Its lysis activity remained at a wide range of pH (4 up to 12) and temperature (– 20.00 up to 70.00 ˚C). Regarding the physiological features and host range of the vB-PaeP-007 phage, it could be a promising candidate for phage therapy and bio-controlling of infections from XDR isolates of P. aeruginosa in human and livestock storage centers.

A total number of 62 clinically healthy dairy animals of three farms located in Kafr El Sheikh governorate, Egypt, were subjected to field screening surveys of subclinical mastitis (SCM) using California mastitis test (CMT). The obtained results revealed that 38.80% of quarter milk samples were positive to CMT. The most frequently major causative agents isolated from the positive CMT samples were Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and environmental streptococcus spp. Acute-phase proteins (APPs), as immunological biomarkers for SCM, including milk serum amyloid A (mSAA) and haptoglobin (Hp) were measured using ELISA. A significant positive correlation was found between the severity of the mammary infection of cow's quarter milk samples represented in somatic cell count (SCC) and each of APPs and pH values. The correlation coefficient (R) between SCC and mSAA, Hp and pH were 0.54, 0.38 and 0.73, respectively. On the other hand, there was a significant negative correlation between casein percentage in milk of SCM cases, and each of APPs, pH and the presence of bacterial pathogens in the milk samples. The obtained results threw light on the inter-relationship between SCC, mSAA, pH value and casein percentage in milk of cows and buffalo suffered from SCM. The percentage of casein in milk is considered a significant accurate tool for diagnosis of SCM and this finding offers the farmers a cheap and fast selection for diagnosis of such disease. These results presented a specific structured view on the efficacy of different diagnostic tools of SCM in dairy herds.

Currently, artificial oocyte activation has attracted wide attention in assisted reproduction due to extensive range of applications, particularly in somatic cell nuclear transfer and deriving pluripotent stem cell lines and it is the unique model to determine the role of paternal genome. Numbers of artificial activating agents have been used extensively to induce the oocytes activation; however, embryos developmental competency of artificially activated oocytes is still very low. In the present study, we determined the functional impact of strontium chloride supplementation with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in artificial oocytes activation and subsequent embryonic development. Oocytes were activated artificially in the culture medium containing 250 nM AuNPs with constant concentration of strontium chloride 10.00 mM. We found that adding 250 nM AuNPs with constant concentration of strontium chloride (10.00 mM for 3 hr) in culture medium improves the proportion of embryos reaching to the morula and blastocyst stages from 61.00% and 42.00% (controls) to 75.00% and 58.00% (250 nM AuNPs), respectively. In addition, foster mothers receiving AuNPs-treated embryos showed more implantation percentage and pregnancy rate relative to females received control embryos. Finally, embryos treated with 250 nM AuNPs concentration showed no toxic effect in term of blastocyst development. Collectively, our findings suggest the potential role of AuNPs in early embryonic development for mouse oocytes activated artificially and provide new insights in the field of animal biotechnology and assisted reproduction in humans.

Mastitis is the most important disease in dairy cattle industry because of its high economic losses both in herd management, milk and milk products. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of inactivated Parapoxvirus ovis (IPPVO) Para immune activator as a prophylaxis against mastitis and as the therapy for subclinical mastitis in dairy cattle. The prophylactic effects of IPPVO were investigated in California mastitis test (CMT). Healthy Holstein cows were divided into A1 (n = 30) and A2 (n = 30) subgroups. In addition, 90 subclinical mastitis Holstein cows were divided into subgroups of B1, B2, and B3 to investigate the efficacy of IPPVO treatment. A significant difference in CMT levels was observed (p ˂ 0.01) 30 day after treatment in A groups. The difference in somatic cell count (SCC) levels between the A groups 15, 30 day after treatment was significant (p ˂ 0.01). The results of the CMT among the B groups showed no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05). The results of the SCC tests showed no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) among the B groups on days 0, 9 and 15 after treatment. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (n = 53) and Escherichia coli (n = 30) were the most prevalent bacteria isolated in this study. In conclusion, IPPVO, although had no additional effect when used in combination with antibiotics could possibly be used instead of antibiotics and to protect cattle from subclinical mastitis, however, it is not known how long this prophylaxis effect could last.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of intra-ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) microinjection of histamine and thioperamide (a histamine H3 receptor antagonist/inverse agonist) on neuropathic pain. To explore the possible mechanism, naloxone was microinjected alone or in combination with histamine and thioperamide. Neuropathic pain was induced by the left sciatic nerve chronic constriction injury. Both the right and left sides of vlPAG of the brain were surgically cannulated. Cold allodynia and mechanical hyperalgesia were recorded by acetone evaporation and von Frey filament tests. Areas under curve of allodynia and hyperalgesia were calculated. Histamine (0.50 and 2.00 µg per site), thioperamide (4.00 µg per site) and thioperamide (4.00 µg per site) before histamine (2.00 µg per site) suppressed cold allodynia and mechanical hyperalgesia after microinjection into the vlPAG. Microinjection of naloxone (0.25 and 1.00 µg per site) into the vlPAG had no effect on cold allodynia and mechanical hyperalgesia. The anti-allodynic and anti-hyperalgesic effects induced by microinjection of histamine (2.00 µg per site) and thioperamide (4.00 µg per site) into the vlPAG were inhibited by prior microinjection of naloxone (1.00 µg per site) into the same site. The above-mentioned agents did not alter locomotor activity. Based on our present results, it was concluded that exogenous (by histamine microinjection) and endogenous (by thioperamide microinjection) histamine of the vlPAG might contribute to the descending pain control mechanisms through a naloxone-sensitive mechanism.

Carum copticum essential oil (CEO) is used to prevent the growth of food-borne pathogens. The Carum copticum essential oil nanoemulsion (CEON) was prepared using low energy sonication at 0, 2.50, 5.00 and 10 min based on surfactant to-oil ratio (SOR=1). Chemical composition, antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties of CEON were examined. Our data showed that the average diameter of the droplets of CEON was between 46.89 and 120.90 nm. The MICs of CEON and CEO against E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes were tested. L. monocytogenes was more sensitive than E. coli O157:H7. The sonication time and the total viable bacteria (TVC) in the study were inversely related to each other. Furthermore, CEON at the 4.00 × MIC concentration and contact time of 20 min caused 77.14% and 67.03% reduction of E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes biofilms, respectively. The antibiofilm activity of CEO was significantly lower than CEON and caused a 62.60% and 43.86% reduction of E. coli O157: H7 and L. monocytogenes biofilms, respectively. The results showed that CEON produced by low energy sonication would have a higher antibacterial efficiency than non-encapsulted essential oil.

Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) spp. are important vectors for Babesia and Anaplasma species causing severe economic losses in livestock. Chemical compounds are commonly used to control tick infestation; however, acaricides resistance in tick has led to move toward alternative strategies such as vaccination. In this study, we introduced a vaccine candidate, namely CaTro against Rh. microplus tick composing of immunogenic B-cell epitopes derived from Rh. microplus cathepsin L and tropomyosin proteins. To evaluate this vaccine candidate, firstly the CaTro sequence was inserted into the prokaryotic expression vector and the recombinant protein CaTro was expressed in Bl21 bacteria. Afterward, purification was performed by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. The quality of purified recombinant CaTro was also analyzed using sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis and western blotting. Moreover, to evaluate the induction of immune response, the rabbits were immunized with purified recombinant protein combined with Freund’s adjuvant. The findings of this study revealed molecular weight of expressed protein (CaTro) as 38.00 kDa. Furthermore, anti-CaTro antibody was detected in immunized rabbit's sera through dot blotting; while, there was not any response to the control rabbit's sera. The results suggest that CaTro is a potential candidate to develop an anti- Rh. microplus tick.

Skeletal muscle atrophy induced by denervation is one of the common disorders in traumatic nerve injuries. The aim of this study was the evaluation of histomorphometrical changes of extensor digitorum longus muscle after denervation and its regeneration by tissue engineering. Ninety adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six main groups (n = 15) in three time periods (2, 4 and 8 weeks; n = 5). Control group was treated without surgery, in transection (Tr) group left sciatic nerve was transected, in scaffold (S) group only collagen gel scaffold was used, in mast cell (MC) group mast cells were used, mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) group was treated with mesenchymal stem cells and in MC+MSC group, mast cells along with mesenchymal stem cells were used. In the cellular groups, the scaffold and cells were mixed and placed in the transected nerve gap. The average diameter of muscle fibers, ratio of the muscle fibers nuclei to the fibrocytes nuclei (mn/fn), ratio of the muscle fibers nuclei number to the muscle fibers number (mn/mf), the average ratio of blood vessels to muscle fibers number (v/mf) and muscles weight in Tr group were the lowest compared to the other groups; but, in cellular and S groups, amelioration was observed according to the time period. However, in MC+MSC group, there were the highest ameliorative results. This study revealed that simultaneous use of MCs and MSCs mixed with collagen gel scaffold can be considered as a suitable approach to improve denervated skeletal muscle atrophy associated with sciatic nerve injury.

The anti-diabetic effects of Ribes khorasanicum as a traditional remedy were investigated in diabetic rats. Thirty-five male rats were divided into five groups: control, diabetic, diabetic treated with metformin (300 mg kg-1; D+Met), diabetic treated with 250 and 500 mg kg-1 of Ribes khorasanicum hydro-ethanolic extract (D+Rib250 and D+Rib500). After six weeks of treatment, sera of overnight fasted animals were collected and used for measurement of glucose, insulin, lipid profile, urea, creatinine, and hepatic enzymes levels. Moreover, liver and kidney of rats were removed and used for measurement of oxidative stress including malondialdehyde (MDA), thiol content, and the activity of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes increased the levels of serum glucose, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and LDL-C, urea, creatinine, hepatic enzymes, and kidney and liver oxidative stress markers, while decreased insulin and HDL-C when compared to control group. In all treated groups serum levels of glucose, TC, LDL-C, TG, and urea were decreased, while liver SOD activity was increased compared to the diabetic group. The D+Rib500 group had lower Serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), creatinine, and kidney MDA levels, but higher insulin, HDL-C levels, liver CAT activity, and kidney thiol content, and CAT activity compared to diabetic group. In D+Met group, serum levels of serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), creatinine, and MDA of liver and kidney were decreased, while liver SOD activity was increased compared to the diabetic group. Based on our findings, treatment with Ribes khorasanicum improved diabetic complications, while the effect of a higher dose of the extract was comparable to metformin’s.

Using the cold surgical technique (CST) is the most common practice to accomplish embryo transfer (ET). However, it can lead to uncontrolled bleeding and mortality in laboratory animals. Electrosurgery technique (EST) has provided the opportunity to prevent such complications. This study was aimed to evaluate CST versus EST in terms of repeated use of surrogate mothers, litter size, implantation rate and post-surgical behavior. Virgin female NMRI mice were allocated into two different surgical groups (n = 40): 1) CST-ET (control) and 2) EST-ET. Results showed that the first ET in EST-ET and CST-ET groups did not affect litter size, pregnancy rate and survival of surrogate mothers. Following the second and the third ETs, litter size was significantly affected through CST compared to EST, pregnancy rate and survival of surrogate mothers. Litter size, pregnancy rate and surrogate mothers survival rate did not show any significant reduction following the first and the second ETs in EST group. On the other hand, the third ET showed dramatic reduction for all aforementioned parameters regardless of the chosen surgical method for ET. Mice in EST-ET group did not show any significant change in their behavior indicating reduced well-being during the first 24 hr following the first, the second and the third ETs compared to CST-ET group. In conclusion, using EST for ET in mouse made it feasible to reuse surrogate mothers with minimum animal mortality; this could be pivotal with regard to reproductive and animal welfare aspects and research costs. Also, the results indicated that bleeding has severe diverse effects on ET efficiency.

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) as stress-related factors play a fundamental role in innate and adaptive immune responses in fish, which can be considered as strong candidates for the development of new methods for fish disease prevention. It has been proven that Pro-Tex® as a heat shock protein inducer (HSPi) reduces harmful effects of cellular stress by increasing the Hsp70 protein production. We evaluated the effects of Pro-Tex® as an HSPi in a Persian sturgeon, (Acipenser persicus) exposed to a pathogenic bacterium. Therefore, A. persicus fries were pre-treated with 25.00, 50.00 and 100 mg L-1 of Pro-Tex® and then, injected with Streptococcus iniae ATCC29178. The Hsp70 gene expressions were determined in various organs including liver, gill and intestine and lysozyme (LYZ) activities along with supplemental levels of complement component 3 (C3) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) were also determined in sturgeon blood in days 3 and 7 after infection. Expression of Hsp70 gene was increased during the first three days of infection and then, it was found to be down-regulated during the infection process. Also, levels of LYZ activity, C3 and IgM increased in a concentration-dependent manner; but these parameters decreased after 7 days. Our data suggest that induction of Hsp70 is a promising approach in modulation of immune response in A. persicus and it might be employed to confer protection in fish against bacterial infections.

Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is one of prevalent cancer worldwide. In spite of various designed drugs, chemoresistance remains the main obstacle in cancer cure. Therefore, developing novel strategy for treatment of CML is an urgent need. Fragaceatoxin C (FraC) is novel protein toxin from a sea anemone called actinia fragacea with great impacts against cells by pore formation and disturbing cell membrane integrity. The aim of this study was evaluation of FraC toxin toxicity against K562. The bacteria cells harboring expression vector of FraC were induced by IPTG and purified by Ni2+-NTA sepharose affinity chromatography. Then, purified toxin activity was evaluated using RBC hemolytic test. Eventually, evaluation of FraC cytotoxicity and apoptosis were performed using MTT and flow cytometery assays, respectively. Our results revealed that FraC toxin decreased K562 cells viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner with a whole destroy of cancer cells at 35.00 μg mL-1 after 72 hr. Furthermore, flow cytometery analysis indicated that FraC toxin enhanced necrosis along with apoptosis in K562 cells in a dose dependent manner. We speculated that FraC toxin could be considered as a novel candidate for cancer cell researches and treatments provided that it should be turned into a specific agent by engineering and directing to cancer cell membrane.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the alterations in selected indicators of immune responses and oxidative stress of broilers fed with nano-manganese. One hundred-sixty 1-day-old broiler chicks were randomly assigned into four groups with three replicates. Birds were fed the same basal diet supplemented with nano-manganese oxide, as 0.00 (control group), 50.00, 100, or 150 mg kg-1 of diet. The birds were vaccinated against avian influenza (AI), Newcastle disease (ND), infectious bronchitis (IB) and infectious bursal disease (IBD) as the standard vaccination schedule. Blood sample was taken from the brachial vein of birds on 42th day. A significant decrease in antibody titer against sheep RBC was revealed in the nano-manganese 100 and 150 groups compared to the control group. In addition, the antibody titers against IB and ND were significantly lower in the all nano-manganese groups compared to the control group. No significant difference was observed for the antibody titer against AI and oxidative stress indices among the experimental groups. The findings in the present study suggested that nano-manganese at 50.00, 100 and 150 mg kg-1 levels might suppress humoral immune response in broilers which should be taken into consideration in supplementation.

Evaluation of pelvic diaphragm muscles in dogs merits clinical attention because of the anatomical importance and their involvement in perineal hernia. This study aimed to evaluate the normal pelvic diaphragm muscles (levator ani and coccygeus muscles) using the computed tomography (CT) scan. For this purpose, 10 male and 10 female clinically normal, adult intact mixed-breed dogs weighing 15.00 to 20.00 kg were selected randomly. All animals underwent CT examination under general anesthesia and positioned in sternal recumbency. All the CT images were taken and reconstructed with a same protocol. The measurements of the pelvic diaphragm muscles were performed based on the presented guideline to the observer. The results were presented descriptively. The mean lengths of the coccygeus muscle in CT images were evaluated 4.60 cm for males and 4.30 cm for females. The mean lengths of levator ani muscle in CT images were measured 4.90 cm in males and 4.50 cm in females. In conclusion, the results of the present study can be beneficial to clinicians and researchers for further evaluation of the supporting muscles in pelvic cavity and underlying anatomical changes in perineal hernia in dogs.

Diabetes in a long period can damage the testicular tissue and impair the male fertility potential. Recently, different herbal treatments have been used for the prevention of type I diabetes and its pathological effects. Methanolic extract of Equisetum arvense has anti-oxidant and hypoglycemic properties. Thus, the current study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of Equisetum arvense methanolic extract (EE) on diabetes-induced detrimental effects in mice testicular tissue. Thirty-two adult male mice were randomly divided into four groups including control-sham, diabetic (induced by streptozotocin, 50.00 mg kg-1 for five days), diabetic + EE 250 (250 mg kg-1) and diabetic + EE 500 (500 mg kg-1). After 45 days, all animals were euthanized and their testicles were dissected out and undergone histological analyses. Moreover, the serum level of testosterone was evaluated. Analyses showed that seminiferous tubules diameter, Leydig cells number per mm2 of the connective tissue, Sertoli cells number per tubule, serum level of testosterone and percentage of seminiferous tubules with positive tubular differentiation, repopulation and spermiogenesis indices were significantly decreased in the diabetic group in comparison with control-sham group. The administration of EE in test groups significantly decreased the adverse effects of diabetes (especially 500 mg kg-1). The results of this study revealed that diabetes disturbs spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis processes in mice. Meanwhile, the EE prevents diabetes-induced damages in mice testicular tissue, which may be associated with its hypoglycemic and antioxidative activities.

Escherichia coli associated infections are major threats in poultry industry owing to severe economic losses each year. This study was conducted to identify E. coli isolates, to evaluate their antibiotic sensitivity and to find out their virulence patterns from infected broilers of Sylhet city in Bangladesh. Using polymerase chain reaction, a total 20 isolates were identified as E. coli from 11 chickens, exhibiting symptoms like colibacillosis and/or diarrhea. All isolates were positive for type-1 fimbrial adhesion (fimH), followed by putative avian hemolysin (hlyF) in 17 isolates; while none of the isolates was amplified with intimin (eaeA). Among 10 tested antibiotics, 100% of the isolates (n = 20) showed resistance to ampicillin, amoxicillin and tetra-cycline; but they were 100% sensitive to gentamicin. Organ specific correlations of antibiotic sensitivity were obtained among the isolates through principal component analysis (PCA) and Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering (AHC). The 16S rRNA data of two multi-drug resistant isolates revealed closed clustering with clinical E. coli strains which could be indication of their zoonotic potential. In conclusion, the results depict higher prevalence of fimH and hlyF genes and drug resistance patterns of E. coli isolates from broilers in Sylhet city of Bangladesh.

Fowl adenoviruses (FAdVs) associated with inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) was identified in commercial broiler chickens in Palestine. Investigated birds showed primary clinical signs and lesions of IBH including growth retardation, congested and enlarged liver with necrosis, petechial hemorrhage and basophilic intra-nuclear inclusion bodies. The mortality rate was from 15.00%. The FAdV was detected and sequenced in the liver samples of infected chicken by polymerase chain reaction using hexon gene-specific primers. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that FAdVs belong to FAdV-D serotype 10, clustered within the European highly pathogenic isolates. The highest nucleotide sequence similarity was 99.48% with highly pathogenic FAdV-D serotype 10 detected from infected chicken in Poland (GenBank: LN907532.1) and FAdV-D from infected chicken in Sweden (GenBank: HE961828.1). The lowest similarity was 93.46% with Canadian FAdV-D (GenBank: EF685576.1). In conclusion, this is the first report describing the presence of IBH revealing that the causative virus is closely similar to the highly pathogenic FAdV-D serotype 10 of IBH in broiler chickens in Palestine.

In autumn of 2019 a three years old female parrot fish was referred to the veterinary hospital for diagnosis and treatment. The prominent symptom was inappetence and a large mass or unilateral distention in the abdominal cavity. Ultrasonography and radiology imaging with contrast media were done to evaluate the abdominal cavity. According to presumptive diagnosis by imaging, the fluid-filled mass was aspirated by a sterile syringe. No bacteria or other microorganisms were seen in the fluid using microscopy and culturing of the fluid on trypticase soy agar. The parrot fish died after three days because of imbalance and inappetence. Two fluid-filled masses were seen in necropsy. The ovarian structure of the cyst was proved based on the anatomical position, histopathology, ultrasonography and radiology of the cyst tissue. It could be concluded that prompt diagnosis and therapy of ovarian cyst may be necessary for saving the life of the fish.

A 2-year-old female Shih Tzu dog was submitted with the history of anorexia and depression for one week and no prior surgery. Fever and pale mucosa were noticed in physical examination. Microscopic examination of the Giemsa-stained blood smear disclosed large form of Babesia and single to four pear-shaped merozoites within erythrocytes (RBCs). Regenerative anemia characterized by a marked reticulocytosis, significant intra-vascular hemolysis, nucleated RBCs, left-shifted neutrophils, thrombocytopenia, azotemia, high serum creatinine and urea concentrations were recorded following hemato-biochemical analysis. Abundant bilirubin crystals and abnormal reddish color after centrifugation were observed in urinalysis. Molecular analysis was performed using specific primers for detection of Babesia canis. Diminazene aceturate, ciprofloxacin, ivermectin and phosphorus-vitamin B12 were prescribed and the clinical signs improved after four days. Two months follow-up showed no recurrence. Such studies would significantly contribute to the development of appropriate preventive strategies and successful treatment. This communication reports a clinical case of canine babesiosis caused by B. canis in a female Shih Tzu dog.