effect of gamma irradiation on In vitro total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of Ferula gummosa Bioss.

Background: Ferula gummosa Boiss. is a medicinal and economical plant belonging to Apiaceae family. It is a native herb of Iran and is in serious danger of extinction

Objective: Gamma irradiation is an environmental stress and can consider as a new tool to change the content of secondary metabolites in medicinal plants. The effect of gamma irradiation on phenolic content and radical scavenging activity of F. gummosa callus was investigated in this research

Methods: Embryogenic axes were removed from seed coats and were cultivated on ½ Murashige and Skoog medium. After 2 weeks, roots were used as source of plant material for callus induction. Root explants were transferred into MS medium containing NAA [1.5, 3 and 4.5 mg/L] and BA [0, 0.5, 1 and 2 mg/L], and the best medium of callus establishment was selected for gamma irradiation. Sub-cultured calli were irradiated at different doses of gamma irradiation from 0 to 25 Gray [Gy]

Results: The obtained data showed that MS medium supplemented with 1.5 mg/L NAA and 2 mg/L BA was the best medium for callus induction. Under gamma irradiation, a significant decline was observed in the fresh and dry weight of irradiated-calli as compared to control one. Phenolic content increased under gamma irradiation especially at 20 and 25 Gy, and the best dose was 20 Gy according to growth response. Aqueous extract showed higher phenolic content than methanol extract. The 50% inhibitory concentration [IC[50]] obtained in the DPPH radical test decreased significantly under gamma irradiation espacially at 20 and 25 Gy.

Conclusion: According to the obtained results, gamma radiation could increase radical scavenging activity by induction of phenolic compounds, and the aqueous extract identified as a proper extraction solvent for free radical scavenging activity in F. gummosa

[Effect of insulin and leptin on ram sperm capacitation for in vitro embryo production]

Improvement of sperm quality as a research field in reproductive biotechnology of domestic animal can be considered as a key element for in vitro fertilization. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of insulin and leptin on ovine sperm capacitation / acrosomal reaction, viability and fertilization. The semen samples of 10 Bakhtiari rams were collected by artificial vagina. Using dose response study, the most efficient doses of insulin and leptin were chosen. Each sample was assigned to four experimental groups including insulin [1nM], leptin [100nM], mixed of leptin-insulin and control [without hormone]. Sperm capacitation/acrosomal reaction, viability and fertilization were evaluated by chlortetracycline staining, eosin-negrosin and in-vitro fertilization methods, respectively. values were compared among groups by 1-way ANOVA. Values of capacitation/ acrosomal reaction rate showed significant increase in response to insulin and leptin at 30, 60 and 120 min time points. The sperm viability was significantly [p<0.05] increased in response to insulin when compared with the control group at 30 min time point, without any effect in the other time points. On the other hand, insulin and leptin did not show significant effect [p>0.05] on sperm fertilization. This study indicated that insulin and leptin improved ram sperm capacitation / acrosomal reaction and viability while their effects on in vitro embryo production were inconsiderable

Effects of long-term calcium deficiency on the electro-and echocardiography in laying hens

Ca is the most important minerals in the body that plays a key rols in the physiological activities, anzymatic reaction and the regulation of myocardial contraction and relaxation. Ca deficiency causes the heart failure and decrease cardiac contractility. To determine the effects of long-term dietary calcium deficiency on the heart function of layer hens based on the electro- and echocardiography. Ninety Hyline W36 hens were kept for 21 weeks and fed by rations with different amounts of calcium. At 20, 28 and 36 weeks of age, electrocardiographic, echocardiographic and post-mortem left ventricular parameters were assessed. S wave amplitude was significantly [p<0.05] increased in the Ca-deficient group II [in lead II] at 36 weeks of age in compared to control. There were also elevations of the QRS wave amplitudes in 28 and 36 weeks of age at two Ca-deficient groups [leads II, III, aVR, aVL and aVF] but were only significant [p<0.05] in Ca-deficient group II [leads II and aVF] in compared to control. Left ventricular free wall diameter at end-systole were significantly [p<0.05] increased in the Ca-deficient group II at 28 and 36 weeks of age compared to the control group. Inter-ventricular septal diameters at end-systole were decreased in two Ca-deficient groups at 28 and 36 weeks [p<0.05]. Left ventricular free wall diameter at post-mortem were significantly [p<0.05] increased in two Ca-deficient groups at 36 weeks of age compared to the control group. From these results, it can be suggested that long-term dietary calcium deficiency alters in electro- and echocardiographic parameters, which could reflect pathological left ventricular hypertrophy in the laying hens

[Developmental changes in Endothelin-1 and Endothelin type A receptor expression in the lungs of chickens [Broiler versus layer]]

BACKGROUND: Broilers lung mechanisms that regulate endothelin [ET] in the lung are complex and poorly understood

OBJECTIVES: METHODS: In this experiment lung ET-1 mRNA levels and lung mRNA expression for the ET[A] receptors were determined in lung tissue weekly [term = 42 days, intervals = 7 days] Serum endothelin concentration was also measured at these ages

RESULTS:The study showed that expression of endothelin in lungs of layers and broilers was similar during the first three weeks and the overall trend of ET-1 expression was increasing. However, there was a significant increase of ET-1 expression which started from the fourth week and gradually increased until the end of the commercial life of the chicken [day 42]. ET-A expression in the lungs of broilers was significantly higher than layers during the last three weeks of life. Overall, trends of serum ET-1 concentration increased in both layers and broilers, but serum ET-1 concentration in broilers was significantly higher than layers

CONCLUSIONS: The higher level of serum Endothelin and expression of ET-1 and ETAin broiler lungs may explain the higher sensitivity of broilers to the vasoconstrictions activity of endothelin and the higher sensitivity of these animals to pulmonary hypertension [PH]

Increasing of serum nitric oxide metabolites in chicken Eimeria infection

In order to determine the involvement of nitric oxide in the pathogenesis of coccidiosis induced by Eimeria, 30 chickens were challenged with mixed sporulated oocysts of four species of Eimeria [E. acervulina, E. maxima, E. necatrix, andE. tenelld] at 26 days of age. There was an increasing of oocyst shedding in the infected birds at 6, 10 and 14 days post-infection. Histopathological examination revealed a loss of epithelial tissue, congestion of blood vessels, severe muscular edema and necrosis of submucosa. The sum total of nitrite and nitrate was increased in the serum at 6,10 and 14 days post-infection progressively, but was only significant [P < 0.05] at 10 and 14 days post-infection compared to earlier days. The nitrate amounts were also significantly higher at days 10 and 14. It can be concluded that infection by four species of Eimeria stimulated NO production after infection. It is therefore possible that NO is involved in the pathogenesis of coccidiosis

Induction of general anaesthesia with intraosseous injection of thiopental in rabbits

The technique of intraosseous [IO] infusion has been reemerged as an alternative route of intravascular access for the delivery of fluids and some medications. Complications of IO infusion occur rarely and include fractures and osteomyelitis after long-term use of IO access. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficiency of induction of anaesthesia by a standard intravenous route and an intraosseous route. Ten healthy rabbits were assigned to one of two treatments: thiopental 20 mg/kg administered intravenously via marginal vein of ear and thiopental 20 mg/kg administered intraosseously into the bone marrow of proximal tibia. In each rabbit, the heart and respiratory rates and palpebral, corneal, pinch and withdrawal reflexes were recorded before and every 2 min, for 34 min after induction of anaesthesia. Neither the clinical parameters nor the reflexes showed any significant difference [P>0.05] between the treatment groups. In addition, no adverse reaction was seen in rabbits anaesthetized by intraosseous access. The results of this study showed that the intraosseous injection of thiopental is a rapid, simple, safe and effective alternative option for induction of general anaesthesia in rabbits

[Effect of nitric oxide and its intracellular signal [cGMP] in the progressive motility of human sperm]

Nitric oxide [NO], an active and non-stable compound, has been shown to regulate many sperm functions such as acrosome reaction and sperm chemotaxis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of NO and cGMP in the progressive motility of human sperm. After incubation of twenty normozoospermic samples for 90 minutes in the presence of ODQ [soluble guanylate cycles inhibitor], GSNO [NO donor], 8-br-cGMP [cGMP analogue] and ODQ+GSNO, the progressive motility were assessed by CASA system. Data were analyzed using paired t-test. Progressive motilities of sperm increased 4.1% in intubation with GSNO at min 90th [p<0.05] and 4% in intubation with 80bromo-cGMP at min 60 [p<0.05]. ODQ significantly [p<0.05] decreased progressive motility in the amounts of 10.7% at 30 minutes, 11.2% at 60 minutes and 12.2% at 90 minutes compared with their controls. ODQ+GSNO also significantly [p<0.05] caused to be decreased progressive motility in the amounts of 9.7%, 10.8% and 9.9% orderly at 30, 60 and 90 minutes in comparison of their controls [p<0.05]. NO regulates the progressive motility of human spermatozoa via cGMP synthesis

[Comparative studies of the electrocardiographic parameters, mean electrical axes [MEA] and cardiac index[RV/TV]in two groups of normal and experimentally ascitic broilers [using cold stress as a model]]

To evaluate the electrocardigraphic changes in the experimentally induced ascitis in broiler chickens using cold stress as a model. Experimental study.A total of 300 day-old male Ross 308 broiler chickes.Chickenswere randomly divided into two equal groups, [control and test], chicks were reared for six weeks. Gradually Temperature was gradually decreased in the test group to 30% of the standard program from 2 nd week of the rearing period. At the end of each week, 5 chicks from each group were selected and electrocardiographic recordings were performed. Also after autopsy right ventricle / total ventricular weight was measured and recorded. t- student Test and Bivariate correlation. There were significant elevation of the S wave amplitudes in 4th week [leads II, III, aVR]and 6th week [lead III] .S wave had a significant correlation with RV/TV in 4th week[lead II] and 5th week [leadsII, aVF] in the test group, too. There were also significant increase in the T wave amplitudes in 4[th] and 5[th] weeks [leadsII, aVF]and 6[th] week[leads aVF, aVR] in the test group.In this study, R waves did not show a significant variation with the exception of 4[th] week[lead II]. There were an elevation of MEA in test groups [with a right-cranial direction] but it just was significant in 4th week compared with control group. Electrocardiograms can be used effectively to evaluate the development of ascites syndrome in broiler chickens. The increase in the amplitude of S and T waves could be considered as the sign of ventricular hypertrophy in ascites syndrome resulted from cold condition