AIM: To evaluate the results and complications of LASIK surgery in Yazd, Iran.METHODS: In this descriptive study, cases were selected randomly and data from files of 230 operated eyes were filled in a questionnaire with special format. Data of patients who had been operated upon between March 2003 and March 2004 were gathered and evaluated by SPSS software program, in particular, Chi-square and Fisher statistical tests. Patients were followed up for 3 months. Residual refractive error in the range of±0.5 was considered as complete correction and more than±0.5 considered as relative correction.RESULTS: From the total of 230 eyes, 122 eyes were of women and 108 eyes belonged to men. 24 cases (10.4%)were myopic; 188 cases (81.8%) were myopic-astigmatism; 5 cases (2.2%) were hyperopic and 13 cases (5.6%) were hyperopic-astigmatism 204 eyes were in the age group of younger than 40 years and 26 eyes were in the age group of older than 40 years. Based on visual acuity recovering condition, 225 eyes (97.8%) were treated completely and 5 eyes (2.2%) were relatively corrected. Patients were followed up for 3 months after surgery. The rate for complete correction of refractive errors in myopia was 96.0%, myopic astigmatism 88.0%, hyperopia 60.0% and hyperopic astigmatism 62.0%. At 3 months after operation, 224 cases (97.4%) did not have any complications and the others had minor side effects.CONCLUSION: LASIK operation is a safe and effective procedure for correcting refractive errors with limited complications. Results are comparable with similar studies.

Objective: Bluetongue virus is an arthropod-borne Orbivirus in the family Reoviridae which infects both domestic and wild ruminants. Bluetongue disease is a List A disease of the Office of International Epizootics. To the best of our knowledge, no report has been published on bluetongue disease of sheep flocks of Southeast of Iran. The objective of this study was to describe the seroprevalence rates of BTV in sheep flocks in southeast of Iran. Methods: The blood samples were collected randomly from herds of Southeast of Iran. A total of 188 sera samples (94 male, 94 female) collected between 2009 and 2010, were available. Antibodies to BTV in sera were detected by using a commercial competitive ELISA (Institute Pourquier, Montpellier, France) according to manufacturer’s instructions. Results: The seroprevalence rates were 6.57 %for sheep herds. Within a herd, prevalence of BTV seropositive animals ranged from 0% to 42.85%. 33.3% sheep flocks were positive to BTV antibodies. Sex didn't affect the rate of seropositivity, but the rate of seropositivity was significantly changed in different age groups. Conclusion: This study describes the seroprevalence rates of Bluetongue virus (BTV) in sheep flocks in southeast of Iran for the first time.

To study the leaves of Adiantum philippense L. for their antioxidant, cytotoxicity and thrombolytic activities and to perform phytochemical evaluation. Methods: In-vitro antioxidant activity of extract was studied using DPPH radical scavenging, reducing power, total phenol and total flavonoid content determination assays. The cytotoxic activity was determined using brine shrimp lethality bioassay, thrombolytic activity by clot disruption and phytochemical potential by qualitative analysis. Results: The antioxidant activity of the extracts was found promising. The reducing power of this crude extract increase with the increase of concentration; IC50 values of DPPH scavenging activity was (140.00±0.86) μg/mL as compared to ascorbic acid [IC50 (130.00±0.76) μg/mL];Total phenol and total flavonoids content were (148.26±0.24) mg/mL and (163.06±0.56) mg/mL respectively. In cytotoxicity assay the LC50 values of the sample was (106.41±0.78) μg/mL where as for standard vincristin sulphate was (08.50±0.24) μg/mL as a positive control and the extract shows (12.86±1.02)% clot lytic whereas standard streptokinase shows (30.86±0.44% clot lytic activity in thrombolytic assay. The phytochemical evaluation indicates the presence of chemical constituents including carbohydrates, alkaloids, saponins, glycosides, flavonoids. Conclusions: This study shows that the methanol extract of leaves of Adiantum philippense L. has bioactivity but further compound isolation is necessary to confirm the activities of individual compounds.

· AIM: This study was conducted to compare the outcomes of amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) with conjunctival autograft transplantation (CAT) in primary and recurrent pterygium. The main outcome measurement was the recurrence rate after surgery.· METHODS: This study was designed as a prospective study on consecutive cases of pterygium from April 2004 to Feb2006. The cases were randomly divided into two groups of AMT (26 cases) and CAT (24 cases). All subjects were operated with an extensive excision of the fibro vascular tissues with AMT or CAT approach. Patients were followed for recurrence and complications for 24 months. The surgical procedures were performed by a single surgeon.The associations between demographic variables, surgical techniques (AMT, CAT), recurrences and postoperative complications were analyzed.· RESULTS: The patients' male to female ratio was 4:1. Involvement of right to left eye ratio was 3:2. Pterygium in70% of cases was primary and in 30% was recurrent. The most common clinical signs were red eye and reduced visual acuity while the most common complications were recurrence and corneal scar. In the first month of follow up, the recurrence rates in AMT and CAT approaches were 3.8% vs 8.3%respectively and these rates increased to 46.2% vs 25% respectively after 24 months of follow up.· CONCLUSION: The success rate of 2 years follow up was better in CAT technique. The AMT technique for pterygium surgery has an unacceptably high recurrence rate.

The main medical indications for botulinum toxin type A injections is to treat certain spasmodic muscle disorders. A 40-year-old Malay lady presented with a right lower motor neurone facial nerve palsy, and associated exposure keratitis and hypopyon, following excision of schwannoma. The keratitis resolved after treatment with lubricants and lateral tarsorraphy. Two months later, she presented with corneal ulcer and hypopyon, which did not respond to topical antibiotics. Complete ptosis was induced in the right eye using Botulinum Toxin type A trans-cutaneous injection to the superior palpebrae superiosis. Following the injection, the ulcer recovered gradually over a period of five weeks. This report illustrates an important role of Botulinum toxin A in the management of refractory exposure keratitis.

Objective: To analyse the two marker compounds lupeol (LP) and stigmasterol (ST) from methanolic extract of Hygrophila auriculata (H. auriculata). Methods: Separation was achieved on aluminium plates precoated with silica gel 60F254 with toluene-methanol-formic acid (7.0:2.7: 0.3 v/v/v) as mobile phase. Results: Densitometric analysis was performed at 530 nm in the reflectance mode. Compact bands for LP and ST were obtained at RF 0.52 ± 0.02 and 0.28 ± 0.05. Linearity (r2=0.998 5 and 0.993 7), limit of detection (45 and 18 ng/band) limit of quantification (135 and 54 ng/band), recovery (98.2%-99.7% and 97.2%-99.6%), and precision (<2.18 and 1.91) were satisfactory for LP and ST respectively. Linearity range for LP and ST were 100-1 000 and 50-500 ng/band and the contents estimated as (0.19±0.1)% and (0.47±0.1)% w/w respectively. Conclusion:The method demonstrated efficient analysis testing of LP and ST in samples; therefore it can be used for routine analysis.

Objective: A simple, accurate, and rapid high-performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method for simultaneous quantification of the two biologically active flavonoidal compounds, gallic acid and quercetin, in Hygrophila auriculata (K. Schum) Heine (HA) has been established and validated. Methods: Chromatography was performed on aluminium foil-backed silica gel 60 F254 HPTLC plates with the binary mobile phase toluene: ethyl acetate: formic acid (5:4:1, v/v/v). Ultraviolet detection was performed densitometrically at the maximum absorbance wavelength, 270nm. The method was validated for precision, recovery, robustness, specificity, and detection and quantification limits, in accordance with ICH guidelines. Results: The system was found to give compact spots for gallic acid (GA) and quercetin (QE) (Rf value of 0.31 and 0.50, respectively). The limit of detection (23 and 41 ng band-1) limit of quantification (69 and 123 ng band-1), recovery (99.4-99.9 and 98.7-99.4%), and precision (i.e ≤1.98 and 1.97) were satisfactory for gallic acid and quercetin respectively. Linearity range for GA and QE were 100-1000 (r 2= 0.9991) and 150-900 ng band-1 (r2= 0.9956) and the contents estimated as 0.28±0.01% and 0.41±0.01% w/w respectively.Conclusions:This simple, precise and accurate method gave good resolution from other constituents present in the extract. The method has been successfully applied in the analysis and routine quality control of herbal material and formulations containing Hygrophila auriculata (K. Schum) Heine.

Objective: To describe the seroprevalence rate of bluetongue virus (BTV) in goat flocks in southeast of Iran.Methods:93 sera samples were collected between 2011 and 2012. Antibodies to BTV in sera were detected by using a commercial competitive ELISA 3 according to manufacturer’s instructions. The blood samples were collected randomly from herds of southeast of Iran. A total of Results: The seroprevalence rates were 67.7% for goats. Within a herd, prevalence of BTV seropositive animals ranged from 33.3% to 100.0%. All goat flocks were positive to BTV antibodies.Conclusions:This study describes a high seroprevalence rate of BTV in goat flocks in southeast of Iran for the first time.

Q fever, caused by Coxiella burnetii, is a zoonosis with a worldwide distribution. This study is aimed to determine seroprevalence of Q fever and to identify the correlation between 8 risk factors for Q fever among students at Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in the study in Iran. In the present study, 121 blood samples (serum) were taken from students and tested using indirect diagnostic ELISA kit. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and 95% confidence interval, Chi-square statistical test, and logistic regression. Results showed that 34.7% were positive from all the serum samples. Results of the regression test showed that correlation only between age (P-Value = 0.038) and sex (in women; P-Value = 0.05, OR = 2.22 95% CI = [1.00 - 4.90]) with positive serum titer of acute Q fever. According to the results, high seroprevalence of Q fever was observed among the veterinary students. This problem can be solved by taking more careful preventive measures against this disease in the training centers and veterinary students.

·We report clinical manifestations,angiographic,and optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings of four cases with bilateral idiopathic cystoid rnacular edema (CME).All were male with age between 30 and 52 years.All of them had compliant of bilateral visual loss during the last week.Fundus examination of their eyes showed macular edema in the posterior pole bilaterally. Fluorescein angiography revealed no specific finding in one of them and "typical petaloid pattern" in others.OCT showed subretinal fluid in all of them.All patients were managed with diagnosis of idiopathic CME,and after 6 weeks they had improved visual acuity.