comparison of the effects of commercial prebiotic [safmannan, biomos and fermacto] on performance, egg quality and antibody titer of Avian Influenza and Newcastle disease in laying hens

Effects of different sources of prebiotic on performance and immune response in laying hens were evaluated in this study. The aim of this experiment was to compare the effects of commercial prebiotics on performance, egg quality and antibody titer against Newcastle disease [ND] and Avian Influenza [AI] in laying hens. The experiment was performed for 11 weeks [from 33 to 44 weeks of age] on 240 laying hens [the LSL strain], in a completely randomized design with 4 treatments, and 5 replicate for each treatment and 12 birds for each replicate. Treatments were: 1] control; 2] control +Safmannan; 3] control +Bio-Mos and 4] control +Fermacto. The results showed that feed intake, feed conversion ratio and egg production percentage were not affected by different sources of prebiotic. However, egg weight and egg mass were significantly increased [p<0.05] by adding prebiotic, in comparison with control diet. Egg specific gravity and shell thickness were increased [p<0.05] by prebiotic addition. The results of experiment showed that antibody titers against AI and ND were significantly increased [p<0.05] by prebiotics compared with control group. The results showed that the effects of different sources of prebiotic on performance and immune response of laying hen are similar. However, inclusion of prebiotic in the diet results in improvement of the performance and antibody titer against Influenza and Newcastle

[Study of photodynamic effect of Zn [II] tetrapyridinoporphyrazine complex on HeLa cell line]

Photodynamic therapy is a treatment that uses photosensitizer and intense visible light. When photosensitizers get exposed to a specific light wavelength [preferentially in the red region], they produce reactive oxygen species that are toxic to cells. Recently, attention has been focused on porphyrins and their analogs as photosensitizers. Zn [II] tetrapyridinoporphyrazin complex is a water-soluble photosensitizer that has a good potential for application in photodynamic therapy. In this study, phototoxic effect of this complex on HeLa cancer cell line has been investigated. HeLa cell cultures were treated with different concentrations of Zn [II] tetrapyridinoporphyrazin. The cytotoxic effects were measured both in the presence and absence of light using the MTT assay. The light source was a 150W tungsten halogen lamp equipped with a red filter. Our data indicate that porphyrazine's photocytotoxicity is remarkably more significant than its cytotoxycity in the dark. Statistical analysis showed the effective dose [ED[50]] values in the dark and light conditions were 8.6 and 4.2 microM, respectively. In addition, the results imply that in the range of 0-12 microM, the increase in the complex concentration correlates with the increase in the cytotoxicity effect. However, the cytotoxicity decreases at the higher concentration [50microM], which is likely due to aggregation of the complex. Our results show that Zn [II] tetrapyridinoporphyrazin complex may be a promising photosensitizer for innovative photodynamic therapy and may have a high potential application in cancer treatment. Furthermore, it seems to have more benefits compared to other known photosensitizers

[Prevalence of hallucinations in patients with schizophrenia at Golestan hospital during 2006-7]

Among various diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia Hallucination is a main part of clinical features and presentation forms of disease. The present study is the first complete investigation that was designed to assess the frequency of Hallucinations in Schizophrenia. This cross-sectional investigation was done on fifty Schizophrenic patients admitted in Golestan Hospital. Schizophrenia was diagnosed on DSM_IV_TR criteria by psychiatrist and obtained data analyzed using MC_N. The results of this research demonstrated that 82% of patients suffered from auditory, 36% [visual], 24% [tactile], 12% [olfactory], 10% [pain and deep sensation], 6% [gustatory and the sense of presence], 4% [vestibular sensation] and 2% [functional and reflex] hallucination. Compared to previous studies, the results of our investigation provide additional information and have differences at some findings

Trichoblastoma [basal cell tumor] in a rabbit

Diagnosis of a subcutaneous mass in a rabbit. Case report. A 3-years-old female mixed shorthair black and white rabbit. The rabbit was referred to the Small Animal Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, with a 1-month history of a cutaneous mass. Clinical examinations, radiography of thorax and ultrasonography of abdominal cavity was carried out. The mass was removed surgically. Clinical examinations revealed a well circumscribed subcutaneous mass on left gluteal region. Macroscopically the mass was solid, ovoid [1.6x1.3 x 0.6 cm] with reddish cut surface and flesh-like consistency. Histopathologic examination revealed prominent, oval, basophilic nuclei, with single scant nucleolus and eosinophilic cytoplasm. The tumor cells morphologically resembled the normal basal cells of the epidermis and showed no epidermal or adenexal differentiation. This is the firstreport of rabbit trichoblastoma from Iran, [basal cell tumor]