The Influence of Age and Gender on the Serum XOR Activity, Leukocyte Gene Expression of XOR and MPO, and Biochemical Parameters in Newborn Foals.

One of the initial responses of the host's innate immunity of newborns against pathogens is the use of oxidative enzymes. This study aimed to evaluate changes in serum xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) activity, the leukocyte myeloperoxidase (MPO) and XOR genes expression, and some biochemical parameters in healthy Darehshuri newborn foals up to 60 days of life. Blood samples were collected from 16 foals at 1, 7, 15, 30, and 60 days and used for detecting XOR activity, biochemical parameters, and also gene expression by real-time RT-PCR. High activity of XOR was observed at birth, explained by physiologic hypoxia during the birth without sex difference. The significant decrease in XOR activity during the following days is probably related to the decreased levels of substrate and feedback inhibition of XOR by uric acid. No correlations were found between XOR activity and uric acid. A positive correlation was observed between XOR mRNA and serum XOR activity in 15 days. The results also indicate higher levels of MPO gene expression at 30 days, which may be associated with their capacity for neutrophil phagocytosis. The concentrations of creatinine, total protein, and albumin were higher at birth, whereas uric acid level was lower (P < 0.05). It can be concluded that XOR activity decreases with age and there is no significant change in its gene expression and MPO expression increases with age and is sex-dependent. There is an influence of age on XOR activity, leukocyte expression of MPO, and biochemical parameters in healthy newborn foals up to 60 days of life.

Effect of Selenium Nanoparticle Supplementation on Tissue Inflammation, Blood Cell Count, and IGF-1 Levels in Spinal Cord Injury-Induced Rats.

Selenium is known to be a neuroprotective agent in respect to a number of neuronal diseases and pain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of the oral administration of selenium nanoparticles in rats with spinal cord injury (SCI). Forty adult female rats were randomly assigned to two equal groups as experimental and control. Under general inhalation anesthesia, in both groups, SCI was created, at the T9-10 level of the column. On the third day after the operation, a supplement of selenium nanoparticle was administered to the experimental group at 0.2 mg/kg per day. The histology of the site of injury, IGF-1 serum concentrations, and changes in the white blood cells were examined in both groups at different pre-surgical and post-surgical times. The results of the current study showed a significant decrease in the total white blood cells, including lymphocyte, neutrophil, and monocyte in the experimental group compared to the control group. Histological evaluation showed that the inflammatory responses reduced significantly in the experimental group compared to the control group. In conclusion, we speculate that the decrease in the number of inflammatory cells after oral administration of the selenium nanoparticles is due to the neuroprotective effects of this nanoparticle.

Pathological findings of slaughtered camels' (Camelus dromedaris) kidneys in Najaf-Abad, Iran.

The kidney of camel is known to play a vital role in water conservation through the production of highly concentrated urine that may predispose animal to varieties of renal dysfunction. In camels renal disorders have received lesser attention in comparison with other animals, thus there is shortage of information in this area. The present study was conducted on 100 slaughtered camels (Camelus dromedaris) (200 kidneys) in Najaf-Abad district (Iran) to evaluate the frequency and types of renal disorders. Results demonstrated varieties of gross abnormalities in 14.00% of kidneys that out of them, 9.00% were confirmed by microscopic examination. Renal capsular pigmentation, medullary hyperemia, subcapsular calcification, cortical and medullar discoloration, hemorrhage in renal pelvis, nephrolithiasis and hydatidosis were recorded in 3, 6, 5, 6, 3, 2 and 3 cases, respectively. In addition, capsular melanosis, acute tubular necrosis, chronic interstitial nephritis, caseous necrosis, calcification, medullary hyperemia, and hydatid cyst were confirmed by histopathological examination in 3, 5, 1, 3, 2, 2, and 2 cases, respectively. Our findings indicate the presence of many types of renal disorders which may relate to dehydration, bacteremia or nephrotoxicosis. In addition capsular melanosis in male camel was recorded for the first time and its etiology remains to be addressed.

Blood electrolytes changes in peritonitis of cattle.

Peritonitis is an inflammation of the peritoneal cavity and is one of the main causes of animal deaths. It has been reported that many diseases such as peritonitis cause electrolyte imbalance in the body. The present study has been conducted to evaluate the serum electrolyte concentration in cattle with peritonitis. In order to perform this study, 45 cattle with peritonitis were selected in the Karaj area, and 20 healthy cattle were used as the control group. After diagnosis of peritonitis in the infected cattle, 10-ml blood samples were taken from the jugular vein, the concentrations of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and chloride were estimated using the spectrophotometric method, and sodium and potassium concentrations were assessed by a flame photometer device. The results showed that the concentrations of calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and chloride in cattle affected with peritonitis were reduced compared with the control group, but the differences were not statistically significant. The concentration of phosphorus in the peritonitis-infected cattle was significantly higher than in the healthy cattle. On the basis of the results of the present study, it can be concluded that inflammation of the peritoneal cavity in cattle causes blood electrolyte deterioration, and more attention needs to be focused on this factor in the treatment of infected animals.

The effects of oral consumption of selenium nanoparticles on chemotactic and respiratory burst activities of neutrophils in comparison with sodium selenite in sheep.

The present study was designed to compare the effects of nano-selenium and of sodium selenite on the chemotactic and respiratory burst activities of neutrophils in sheep. Fifteen sheep were randomly divided into three groups. Groups 1 and 2 received selenium nanoparticles (1 mg/kg) or sodium selenite (1 mg/kg) orally, respectively, for ten consecutive days, and the third group was considered as the control. To determine the chemotactic and respiratory burst activities of the neutrophils, the leading front assay and the NBT test were used on heparinized blood samples that were collected at different intervals (days 0, 10th, 20th, and 30th). The results obtained showed that the chemotactic activities in groups 1 and 2 increased significantly on the 10th, 20th, and 30th day, compared to day 0, and on the 20th day in comparison with the 10th day, while in group 2, there was a significant decrease on the 30th day compared to the 20th day. The chemotactic activities in group 1 were significantly higher than in group 2 on the 10th day and in the control group on the 10th, 20th, and 30th day, but the chemotactic activities in group 2 were significantly higher than those in the control group only on the 20th day. On the 30th day into the experiment, the respiratory bursts in groups 1 and 2 were significantly stronger in comparison with those at day 0. Overall, nano-selenium increased the chemotactic and respiratory burst activities more significantly than sodium selenite, which is suggestive of a stronger stimulatory effect of the Se nanoparticles on intracellular activities.

Effect of selenium supplementation with sodium selenite and selenium nanoparticles on iron homeostasis and transferrin gene expression in sheep: a preliminary study.

The present research aimed at evaluating the effects of sodium selenite and selenium nanoparticles (Se NPs) on iron homeostasis and the expression of transferrin and its receptor-binding protein genes. Twenty one Lori-Bakhtiary sheep were randomly allocated into 3 groups. Groups 1 and 2 orally received Se NPs and sodium selenite (1 mg kg(-1)) for 10 consecutive days, respectively. Group 3 served as the control. Blood and sternal bone marrow samples were collected at different supplementation intervals. Various factors such as serum iron concentration, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), and transferrin saturation percent were determined. The expression of transferrin and transferrin binding receptor genes was also studied. Results showed a decreasing trend in serum iron concentration particularly during the early and middle stages of supplementation (0-20 days) with Se NPs or selenium ions. Conversely, the TIBC level increased in sera especially during these periods (0-20 days) in animals that received selenium NPs or selenium ions. Our results also showed that expression of transferrin and its receptor genes was considerably increased during supplementation of the animals by both selenium compounds for 10 or 20 days. After this period, the expression of the mentioned genes significantly decreased, especially in animals that received selenium ions.

Nanoparticles of selenium as species with stronger physiological effects in sheep in comparison with sodium selenite.

The present study was designed to compare the effects of nano red selenium and sodium selenite on the antioxidative activities of neutrophils and the hematological parameters in sheep. Fifteen sheep were randomly allocated into three groups. Groups 1 and 2 received selenium nanoparticles orally at 1 mg/kg and sodium selenite at 1 mg Se/kg for 10 consecutive days; group 3 served as the control. To assess the degrees of oxidative stress and of lipid peroxidation of the cellular membranes, the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were determined in serum samples that were collected at different supplementation intervals, i.e., after 0, 10, 20, and 30 days. In addition, hematological parameters in the serum samples were measured by routine procedures. It was found that TBARS levels in groups 1 and 2 were significantly higher on days 20 and 30 compared to the basal level on day 0. It was also found that on day 30, the TBARS activities in both treated groups were significantly higher than those of the controls (P < 0.05). These findings may explain the seemingly paradoxical effects of supplemental selenium on the indicators of oxidative stress, as the levels of TBARS were generally expected to decrease in the presence of selenium. There were no significant differences between the PCV and RBC values in the three groups. The white blood cell count (WBC) in group 1 showed a significant increase on days 20 and 30 in comparison with the control group. However, in group 2, there was a significant increase of the WBC value just on day 20 in comparison with the control group. Also, there were significant increases of the neutrophil counts and significant decreases of the lymphocyte counts on day 10 in group 1, in comparison with those in group 2 and controls, and on days 20 and 30 in groups 1 and 2 in comparison with those in the control group.

Systemic dexamethasone and its effect on normal aerobic bacterial flora of cow.

This study was carried out on 17 Holestein, heifers, aged between 1 to 2 years for determining the normal aerobic bacterial flora and their changes after dexamethasone injection. Swab samples were taken from eye, ear, pharynx and vagina before and 5 days after twice dexamethasone treatment. Results indicated that Bacillus cereus and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis had higher frequency of isolations than the other bacterial flora in eye, ear and pharynx. Actinomyces pyogenes was isolated with considerable frequency from vagina. Klebsiella pneumoniae was also isolated from pharynx and its frequency was increased significantly after dexamethasone injection (p < 0.05).