ABSTRACT
In this study, 54 five-year-old farmed female beluga at stage II of sexual maturation were treated with 0 [control], 0.2, 0.4, 0.8 and 1.6 g of dietary soy equol [EQ] and genistein [GE] per each kilogram [kg] of diet during a year. Blood samples were collected and ovarian biopsy was performed quarterly. Results showed that 64.4% of the Huso huso sexually matured at EQ 0.4 g/kg and reached stage IV of sexual maturation. Oocytes diameters increased significantly at all concentrations of EQ and 0.2, 0.4 and 0.8 concentrations of GE and reached a maximum [3 +/- 0.2 mm] at 0.4 g/kg EQ concentration at the end of experiment [P<0.05]. Blood plasma testosterone [T] level was 0.3 +/- 0.06 ng/ml at the beginning and reached a maximum [21.04 +/- 1.91 ng/ml] at EQ 0.4 g/kg at the end of the experiment [P<0.05]. 17a-estradiol [E2] levels increased significantly at some concentrations of GE and EQ at the end as compared to the beginning, reaching a maximum [12.6 +/- 1.04 ng/ml] at EQ 0.4 g/kg at the end of the experiment [P<0.05]. 17- hydroxy progesterone [17á-OHP] levels showed no significant difference [P>0.05]. In conclusion, EQ at a 0.4 g/kg concentration showed more powerful positive reproductive effects than other concentrations of EQ and GE in farmed female H. huso. Comparatively, EQ showed more estrogenic effects on ovary development in comparison to GE concentrations. Its use is therefore suggested as an additive to diets to induce ovary development in Huso huso
ABSTRACT
Immunostimulants play an important role in strengthening the immune system of fishes and prevention of various diseases. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of different levels of Immunoster [IS] and Immunowall [IW] immunostimulants on hematological, biochemical and immune indices in farmed juveniles great sturgeon [Huso huso] over 8 weeks. After one month acclimatization period to rearing conditions and basal diet, 450 farmed juveniles great sturgeon [95.58 +/- 9.38 g] were categorized as a completely randomized designing into five treatments [Control, IS 1%, IW 1%, IS 3% and IW 3%] in three replicates groups and kept at a density of 30 fish per tank. At the end of 8[th] week, blood samples were randomly collected [9 fish per treatment]. The values of hematocrit, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin [MCH], mean corpuscular value [MCV], mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration [MCHC], WBC, RBC, cell differentiation, total protein, albumin, IgM and lysozyme were determined. Hematocrit, hemoglobin [except IS 1%], WBC [except IW 3%], MCH, MCV [p<0.05] and percent of neutrophil showed an increase in both immunostimulant treated groups compared the control one. Meanwhile the maximum lymphocyte count was seen in IW 3%. It was also observed an increase in total protein, albumin [except IS 3%] and lysozyme concentrations of the treated groups compared the control one. It can be concluded that Immunoster and Immunowall can improve hematological, biochemical and immune indices in juvenile farmed great sturgeons
ABSTRACT
Leeches biting is of newfangled zoonosis parasitic disease that the most dangerous complication with their biting is incidence of anemia. There have not been found a drug for treatment the leech's complications in the pharmacopeia of different nations. Onion and Garlic are of the most widely used plants in the traditional medicine for treatment of antiparasite plants. This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of methanol extracts of Allium sativum L. and Allium cepa L. on Limnatis nilotica. In this experimental study the anti Limnatis nilotica effects of garlic methanol extract [Allium sativum L.] and onion methanol extract [Allium cepa L.] on leech, were investigated by anti leech assay. The anti leech assay was carried out in a container contain of 600 ml spring water and a leech in that. The time of paralysis and death was recorded for 720 minutes. Each experiment was repeated for 9 times. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA. The results showed that the garlic methanol extract with dose of 300 mg with the mean death time of 80.44 +/- 8.61 minutes and levamisole with the average death time of 8.77 +/- 2.72 minutes caused the leeches to death [P<0.05]. Treatments of onion methanol extract with dose of 300, 600 and 1200 mg and distilled water hadn't any effect on leeches [P<0.05]. Considering the normality of garlic extract and the short time that it causes the leeches to death, it might be used as an edible plant with the anti leech effect
ABSTRACT
This study examined the effect of different starvation periods on hematological parameters including hemoglobin[MCV], hematocrit [MCH], red and white blood cells count and corpuscle indices [MCHC], of cultured juvenile Beluga [Huso huso], with an initial body weight of 45 +/- 0.91g. After adaptation to a dry diet for 10 days group s, with 15 fish in each group, were used for this experiment. Each group was randomly distributed to twelve 500L fiberglass tanks. Each tank had a flow-through system. The fish were exposed to 4 different feeding regimes; Control Group [fed four times daily]; Group 1 [given 2 days of starvation]; Group 2 [given 4 days of starvation]; and, Group 3 [given 8 days of starvation]. Analysis was done at the end of each starvation period by collecting blood from the caudal vein and immediately transporting the samples to the laboratory. The results of the analysis indicated that the different starvation periods did not affect the red blood cell count. The hematocrit value in the Control Group was significantly lower [p<0.05] than the fish group starved for 8 days. MCHC value in the control group was significantly lower [p<0.05] than the fish group starved for 2 days. The hemoglobin concentration, MCV and MCH, did not show any significant difference between the treated groups and the Control Group. Those groups with longer starvation periods showed that the white blood cell count decreased significantly [p<0.05]. It could be concluded that short-term starvation periods weaken the immunological system of cultured juvenile Beluga
Subject(s)
Food Deprivation/physiology , Leukocyte Count , Erythrocyte Count , Beluga Whale , HematocritABSTRACT
Sexual cells in male fishes are microscopic and smaller than eggs in females. Due to the late maturation age in sturgeons, the biopsy of gonads and histological studies are one of the most important and reliable ways to detect and separate males and females from each other at early ages. The aim of the present study was to determine and divide the sexes in farmed Acipenser persicus reared under artificial conditions. In order to detect and determine sexual maturation stages, gonads of 81 farmed A. persicus were sampled by biopsy. Samples were fixed and studied by light microscope. Results showed that males and females were 30 [37%] and 51 [63%] individuals, respectively. The determination of sexual maturation stages in A. persicus showed that 16% were at stage I, 23.5% at stage I - II, 59.3% at stage II and 1.2% at stage III. The number of females was higher than that of males, but sexually mature females were at lower maturation stages than males in the same age and rearing conditions
Subject(s)
Animals , Biopsy , Sexual Maturation , FishesABSTRACT
Leeches are subcategory of hirudinea family with 650 species. Studies have shown that 50 species of them feed from mammalian blood. Leech infestation can lead to some side effects including: anemia, bleeding, subsequent biting infections, ache, itching, inflammation, high sensitivity and anaphylactic reactions. As no effective drug, without any side effect, has been offered for leeches, we decided to study the anti- leech effects of some herbal and chemical compounds. In this study, 100 Limnatis nilotica leeches were selected from spring waters from south region in Ilam province and the anti-leech effects of tobacco methanolic extract and also some other drugs such as mebendazole, succinyle-choline, metronidazole, triclabendazole, levamisol, niclosamide were investigated and compared with distilled water. First, leeches were put individually in a glass container with 600ml spring water. Then extract and drugs were added and their effects were screened for 720 min and time to paralyze kill and death of each leech was recorded. The results of this study showed that tobacco methanolic extract [600mg/ml] could kill the leaches in the average time of 17 minutes. Average death times for other drugs [triclabendazole, levamisole, niclosomide and metronidazole] were found 118.66, 7, 18.66 and 541.11 min, respectively. The low average paralysing and killing time of tabacco methanol extract, levamisol, niclosomide, triclabendazole reflect anti leech properties of these compounds and therefore they may be used in the treatment of infestation with limnatis nilotica in the future
ABSTRACT
To evaluated the correlation between intracranial pressure [ICP] and intraocular pressure [IOP]. This interventional case series included 90 patients undergoing lumbar puncture [LP] for neurologist evaluation. IOP was measured before and 1 hour after the LP by using Goldmann tonometer. Patients were compared into two groups: patients with normal ICP [<20 cmH2O] and patients with high ICP [>/=20 cmH2O]. Patients included 29 male and 61 female subjects with mean age of 32.9 +/- 11.4 [range 13-62] years. Thirty-three patients had normal ICP and 57 patients had high ICP. There was a significant correlation between ICP and IOP such that 71.9% of the high ICP group had high IOP [>/=21 mmHg] and 28.1% of them had normal IOP [P<0.001]. Significant decrease in IOP occurred after LP in the high ICP group [P< 0.001]. It seems that there is a significant correlation between IOP and ICP