ABSTRACT
Subsequent to spinal cord injury [SCI], many pathological changes may occur that could lead to inappropriate conditions for repair. The most important of such changes include the death of neurons, cyst formation, glial scar, and ineffectiveness of monocytes. Adult stem cells and monocytes may provide new strategies to treat SCI. Among various types of candidate cells, bone marrow stromal cells [BMSC] and monocytes are promising because of their potential for neuronal differentiation and repair. In this study, we aimed to compare the effects of BMSC versus monocyte treatments in a rat SCI model. Rats were divided randomly into three groups of six. The SCI was inflicted using the weight dropping method. The BMSCs and monocytes were injected on the 4[th] day of post SCI. Group one included rats receiving normal saline, group two received BMSCs, and group three received monocytes. Following the injections, a Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan [BBB] score test was performed for a period of four weeks. Two weeks before the end of BBB, biotin dextran amine was injected intracerebrally followed by tissue staining at the end of the fourth week. There was not a significant difference in the BBB scores between the groups. There were significant differences in axon counting between group one and other groups [p<0.0001]. However, there were not significant differences in axon counting between groups two and three. BMSCs and monocytes are promising candidate cells for the repair of SCI. In this study, the scoring was carried out for 4 weeks. It might be better to continue the evaluation for a longer period
ABSTRACT
Background and Objective: fascioliasis is an important zoonotic disease that causes several health problems and economical losses in different parts of Iran including Zanjan. Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica are recognized as causative agents of the disease. The differential diagnosis between these two species is very important for planning and control of infection. This study was designed to identify the Fasciola species by molecular methods in Zanjan [Iran]
Methods and Materials: a number of 535 adult Fasciola worms were collected from the natural infected livers of cattles and sheep in local slaughterhouse. Living flukes were washed extensively in PBS at 37 degreeC and then anterior half of adult worms were stored at -20 degreeC in 70% ethanol. Total genomic DNA was extracted from individual flukes by modified phenol-chloroform method. Nucleotide polymorphism of ITS2 fragment of rDNA was investigated using PCR-RFLP assay and sequencing technique
Results: the results of PCR-RFLP and comparison of ITS2 sequences with the BLAST GenBank database clarified that all specimens were F. hepatica. The obtained sequences are available in the GenBank, with accession numbers EU391412 to EU391424
Conclusion: the results of this study showed no evidence of F. gigantica infection in sheep and cattles in Zanjan as all of the isolates were found to be F. hepatica