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.

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.

·AIM: To investigate the efficiency of limbal conjunctival autografting technique in patients with primary pterygium.·METHODS: Fifteen eyes of 15 patients with primary pterygium underwent surgery for the removal of pterygium with limbal conjunctival autograft. After the pterygium excision, the limbal portion of the graft was oriented and sutured to the limbus at the recipient bed with the epithelial surface upside. Recurrence was defined as fibrovascular tissue of more than 1 mm over the cornea in the area of previous pterygium excision.·RESULTS: With mean follow-up period of 8 months, neither recurrences nor serious complications were recorded among our patients.·CONCLUSION; Simple excision followed by limbal-conjunctival autograft transplantation is a safe and very effective way of treating primary pterygium.

Objective: To determine the presence of antibodies against phase II among slaughterhouse workers in Kerman, southeast of Iran.Methods:sorbent assay using phase II Coxiella burnetii as the antigen [kit (Virion\Serion, Wurzburg, Germany) according to the manufacturer’s protocol].Results:The antibody titers of the serum samples were measured by enzyme-linked immuno Conclusions: Our findings suggest that slaughterhouse workers in Kerman area have a higher risk of infection and should consider potential infection with Coxiella burnetii. The positive rate of IgG antibody was 68% in the slaughterhouse workers.

Purpose: Colorectal cancer is becoming an increasing concern in the middle-aged population of Iran. This study aimed to compare the preliminary results of short-course and long-course neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy treatment for rectal cancer patients. Materials and Methods: Patients in group I received three-dimensional conformational radiotherapy with a dose of 25 Gy/5 fractions in 1 week plus concurrent XELOX regimen (capecitabine 625 mg/m2 from day 1–5 twice daily and oxaliplatin 50 mg/m2 on day 1 once daily). Patients in group II received a total dose of 50–50.4 Gy/25–28 fractions for 5 to 5.5 weeks plus capecitabine 825 mg/m2 twice daily. Both groups underwent delayed surgery at least 8 weeks after radiotherapy completion. The pathological response was assessed with tumor regression grade. Results: In this preliminary report on complications and pathological response, 66 patients were randomized into study groups. Mean duration of radiotherapy in the two groups was 5 ± 1 days (range, 5 to 8 days) and 38 ± 6 days (range, 30 to 58 days). The median follow-up was 18 months. Pathological complete response was achieved in 32.3% and 23.1% of patients in the short-course and long-course groups, respectively (p = 0.558). Overall, acute grade 3 or higher treatment-related toxicities occurred in 24.2% and 22.2% of patients in group I and II, respectively (p = 0.551). No acute grade 4 or 5 adverse events were observed in either group. Within one month of surgery, no significant difference was seen regarding grade ≥3 postoperative complications (p = 0.333). Conclusion For patients with rectal cancer located 5 cm above the anal verge, short-course radiotherapy with concurrent and consolidation chemotherapy and delayed surgery is not different in terms of acute toxicity, postoperative morbidity, complete resection, and pathological response compared to long-course chemoradiotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: Optimizing in vitro maturation (IVM) media to achieve better outcomes has been a matter of interest in recent years. The aim of this prospective clinical trial was to investigate the effects of different media on the IVM outcomes of immature oocytes at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage. METHODS: A total of 400 immature oocytes at the GV stage with normal morphology were retrieved from 320 infertile women aged 31±4.63 years during stimulated intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. They were divided into groups of homemade IVM medium (I, n=100), cleavage medium (II, n=100), blastocyst medium (III, n=100), and Sage IVM medium (IV, n=100) and cultured for 24 to 48 hours at 37℃. ICSI was performed, and the rates of fertilization and embryo formation were compared across the four groups. RESULTS: In the 400 retrieved GV oocytes, the total maturation rates showed significant differences in groups I to IV (55%, 53%, 78%, and 68%, respectively, p<0.001). However, there were no significant differences in the fertilization, embryo formation, or arrest rates of metaphase II oocytes across these groups. In all groups, GV maturation was mostly completed after 24 hours, with fewer oocytes requiring 48 hours to mature (p<0.01). Moreover, the rate of high-quality embryos was higher in group IV than in the other groups (p=0.01). CONCLUSION: The quality of the IVM medium was found to affect clinical IVM outcomes. Additionally, blastocyst medium may be a good choice in IVM/ICSI cycles as an alternative IVM medium.
Blastocyst ; Embryonic Structures ; Female ; Fertilization ; Humans* ; In Vitro Techniques* ; Metaphase ; Oocytes* ; Prospective Studies ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic*

OBJECTIVE: It is widely accepted that aging decreases women’s fertility capacity. The aim of this study was to assess correlations between maternal age and the morphokinetic parameters and cleavage pattern of embryos. METHODS: The morphokinetics of embryos derived from women <30, 30–35, 36–40, and >40 years of age were compared retrospectively in terms of time of second polar body extrusion, time of pronuclei appearance, time of pronuclei fading, and time of two to eight discrete cells (t2–t8). Furthermore, abnormal cleavage patterns such as uneven blastomeres at the two-cell stage, cell fusion (Fu), and trichotomous mitoses (TM) were assessed. RESULTS: Only t5 occurred later in women aged 36–40 and >40 years when compared with those aged <30 and 30–35 years (p<0.001). Other morphokinetic timing parameters, as well the presence of uneven blastomeres, were comparable between the groups (p>0.05). However, Fu and TM were more common in women aged >40 years than in younger women (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Maternal age was correlated with the cleavage pattern of embryos. Therefore, evaluating embryo morphokinetics may contribute to optimal embryo selection, thereby increasing fertility in patients with advanced maternal age.
Aging ; Blastomeres ; Cell Fusion ; Embryonic Structures ; Female ; Fertility ; Humans ; Maternal Age ; Mitosis ; Polar Bodies ; Retrospective Studies ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic

Objective: Optimizing culture media for the incubation of immature oocytes is a vital strategy to increase the oocyte maturation rate during in vitro maturation (IVM) programs. This study evaluated the IVM and fertilization rates of human germinal vesicle (GV) and metaphase I (MI) oocytes using two different maturation media (commercial and homemade) with or without growth differentiation factor 9-β (GDF9-β). supplementation. Methods: Immature oocytes from intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles were collected and assigned to one of two IVM culture media (commercial or homemade; cleavage-stage base). After maturation, MII oocytes were examined under an inverted microscope for the presence of the polar body, zona pellucida (ZP) birefringence, and meiotic spindle (MS) visualization after maturation in four conditions (commercial or homemade medium, with or without GDF9-β. ICSI was done for matured oocytes, and fertilization was confirmed by the visualization of two distinct pronuclei and two polar bodies. Results: No significant differences were found between the two culture media in terms of the time and rate of oocyte maturation or the rate of fertilization (p>0.05). Growth factor supplementation increased the 24-hour maturation rate for both GV and MI oocytes only in homemade medium. The maturation rate after 24 hours was higher for MI oocytes (p<0.05). Similar results were observed for MS visualization and ZP structure in both types of media (p>0.05). Conclusion Higher rates of oocyte maturation and fertilization were observed after application of homemade medium supplemented with GDF9-β. Therefore, this combination may be recommended as an alternative for clinical IVM programs.

PURPOSE: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. It has been shown that memory deficits is common in patients with MS. Recent studies using experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) as an animal model of MS have shown that indicated that EAE causes hippocampal-dependent impairment in learning and memory. Thus far, there have been no in vivo electrophysiological reports describing synaptic transmission in EAE animals. The aim of the present work is to evaluate the synaptic changes in the CA1 region of the hippocampus of EAE rats. METHODS: To evaluate changes in synaptic transmission in the CA1 region of the hippocampus of EAE rats, field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) from the stratum radiatum of CA1 neurons, were recorded following Schaffer collateral stimulation. RESULTS: The results showed that EAE causes deficits in synaptic transmission and long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus. In addition, paired-pulse index with a 120 msec interstimulus interval was decreased in the EAE group. These findings indicate that EAE might induce suppression in synaptic transmission and LTP by increasing the inhibitory effect of GABAB receptors on the glutamate-mediated EPSP. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, influence of inflammation-triggered mechanisms on synaptic transmission may explain the negative effect of EAE on learning abilities in rats.
Animals* ; Central Nervous System ; Demyelinating Diseases ; Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental ; Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Learning Disorders* ; Learning* ; Long-Term Potentiation* ; Memory ; Memory Disorders ; Models, Animal* ; Multiple Sclerosis* ; Neurons ; Rats ; Synaptic Transmission*