The effects of short- and long-term diet supplementation with Iranian propolis on the growth and immunity in rainbow trout [Oncorhynchus mykiss]

Propolis, a resinous substance collected by Apis mellifera bees from various plant sources is transformed in the presence of bee enzymes. Short- and long-term effects of diet supplementation with ethanol extract of Iranian propolis [EEIP] was investigated on growth and immunity in juvenile rainbow trout. The fish [mean body weight 30 +/- 3.2 g] were fed a commercial diet supplemented with 0 [control], 1, 2 and 5 g/kg EEIP for 96 h and 0, 0.5, 1 and 2 g/kg EEIP for a 45-days. Rainbow trout growth performance significantly [P<0.05] increased by the dietary supplementation of Iranian propolis. Our results showed that significant increase in serum lysozyme activity, complement activity and total immunoglobulin were seen in all treatment groups during short- and longterm feeding trial when compared to the control group. On the basis of our findings, propolis improved rainbow trout growth performance and some immune parameters. Key words: Rainbow trout, Iranian propolis, Growth performance, Immunity

[Granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor as an adjuvant for hepatitis B vaccination]

Background: chronic dialysis patients often fail to produce protective antibodies to hepatitis B virus surface antigen after vaccination towards hepatitis B virus [HBV]. The aim of this study was to evaluate efficacy and safety of GM-CSF as adjuvant to hepatitis B vaccine in patients with ESRD

Materials and Methods: 41 consecutive patients with chronic renal failure [CRF], commenced on dialysis, were stratified to receive either 40 mg HBV vaccine at 0, 1, 2 and 6 months [group A, n = 19] or 3 mg kg-1 GM-CSF on day 1 followed by the vaccination schedule described above [group B, n = 22]. All patients were negative for Hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg], antibodies to hepatitis C virus [anti-HCV] and human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] serology. Titres of antibody to HBsAg [HBsAb] were quantitatively assayed, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA], at 1, and 7 months from the first dose of vaccination

Results: only 42.1% of the patients in group A developed protective antibody levels [mean HBsAb: 24.8 IU l-1] after first month and 63.2% of responders developed protective antibody levels [HBsAb >10 IU l-1] only after the senventh dose of vaccination. In contrast, 72.7% of patients in group B developed protective levels of HBsAb at the end of first month [mean HBsAb: 41.8 IU l-1] [P < 0.05]. 72.7% of the responders were protected after third dose of vaccination [P = 0.374]. No serious adverse effects of GM-CSF were observed in group B

Conclusion: our study showed improved seroprotection rates with HBV vaccine after GM-CSF administration

Evaluation of the effects ofcurcumin on palm inflammation and level of acute phase proteins in arthritic rats

Rheumatoid arthritis [RA] is a chronic inflammatory disease which is characterized by joint swelling, and synovial inflammation. C reactive protein [CRP] and ceruloplasmin [CP] are identified as important biomarkers of RA and various inflammatory diseases. Curcumin, a widely used yellow color spice is the most active component of Curcuma longa L [Turmeric]. Curcumin contains potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The goal of this study is evaluation of the anti-inflammatory effect of curcumin on arthritic palm of rats and levels of the CRP and CP in the blood samples of arthritis induced male albino Wistar rats. Arthritis was induced by subcutaneous injection of Freund's Complete Adjuvant [FCA] into the palm of right rear foot of 8 different male albino Wistar rats. The rats were randomly divided into five groups after the injection. These groups were as follow: Group I, control normal rats, Group II, carrier arthritic rats, Group III, arthritic rats which were given 30mg/ kg of curcumin orally seven days prior to FCA injection, Group IV, arthritic rats treated with 30mg/kg of curcumin, Group V, arthritic rats treated with 3 mg/kg of indomethacin. All the groups except group III received oral treatment with curcumin seven days after FCA injection and the treatment was continued fourteen days thereafter. The rear foot thicknesses of all the rats were measured on days 1, 5, 10, 15, 20 after FCA injection. The rats were destroyed after 20th day and their blood samples were collected. The results of this study indicate that curcumin significantly decreases swelling of the rats rear foot [p < 0.05], and levels of the CRP and CP as compared to carrier arthritic rats [p < 0.05]. One-way variance analysis by ANOVA program and post test analysis by Tukey were used for analysis of the collected data. Evaluation of the results of this experiment supports the anti-inflammatory, and possibly anti-arthritic properties of curcumin in the treatment of RA

Comparative sonographic fetometry in dairy cattle

The aim of this study was to compare crown-rump length [CRL], trunk diameter and number of heartbeats of embryos and fetuses in heifers and pluriparous cows and also to compare the growth pattern of these structures and their correlation with fetal age. Six nulliparous heifers and seven pluriparous cows [third to seventh of gestation] of the Holstein breed were selected and impregnated. Ultrasonographic measurements were performed twice weekly during days 26-80 of their pregnancies. By day 80, there was no significant difference in CRL and trunk diameter of embryos and fetuses of heifers and pluriparous cows. All of the measurements had a highly significant correlation with fetal age [P<0.0001] except for pluriparous cows in which the fetal heartbeat was significant at p<0.05. The correlation coefficients [CC] of the CRL, trunk diameter and number of heartbeats in the fetuses of heifers and cows were as follows: 0.97, 0.98, -0.74 and 0.97, 0.98, -0.23, respectively. The growth pattern of the CRL and trunk diameter was quadratic in heifers and cows. Also the heartbeat in the fetuses of heifers decreased progressively in a quadratic pattern from day 31 through day 80. However, heartbeat in the fetuses of cows changed in an approximately stable or intermittent range. Moreover, standard error of heartbeats in the fetuses of cows was high. It was concluded that all of the measurements in heifers and cows are suitable for estimation of fetal age, except for heartbeat in the fetuses of pluriparous cows. This measurement is not practically recommended, due to a low CC and high standard error. In addition, there was no significant difference between the CRL and trunk diameter in heifers and cows until day 80 and this difference probably will become more pronounced in late pregnancy

[Ultrasonographic study of normal structures of reproductive system in laying hens]

To evaluate the application of ultrasonography for studying normal reproductive system in laying hens and compare three ultrasonographic approaches.Observational study. Seventeen Hy-Line laying hens, aged 56 weeks. Ultrasonography was performed daily in each bird for 21 days at standing [St], lateral [Lt] and dorsal recumbent [Do] positions. Number of follicle and yolks, yolk-albumin diameter, albumin thickness, and egg dimension were measured, as well. One- way analysis of variance and Pearson correlation. Follicle, yolk, yolk - albumin, albumin and egg were detectable structures in the scans. There were no significant differences in the number of ovarian follicle and yolk, and diameter of yolk - albumin and albumin thickness among the above- mentioned positions. The mean number of follicle and yolk were 3.12 +/- 0.89 and 2.68 +/- 0.51, respectively. The mean diameter of yolk -albumin and albumin thickness were 4.45 +/- 0.15 cm and 0.29 +/- 0.04 mm, respectively. Correlation coefficient of small and large diameters between scanned and laid eggs were 0.48, 0.583, 0.456, 0.589, 0.605 and 0.522 in standing, lateral and dorsal recumbent positions, respectively. Since no significant difference was detected in dimension of studied structures between three examined approaches, birds felt comfort and also achievement of normal positions of reproductive system at standing position, it can be considered as the superior approach in comparison with two other ones