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Maryam Balali,1,2 Behnam Kamalidehghan,3 Mohammad Farhadi,2 Fatemeh Ahmadipour,4 Mahmoud Dehghani Ashkezari,1 Mohsen Rezaei Hemami,2 Hossein Arabzadeh,2 Masoumeh Falah,2 Goh Yong Meng,5 Massoud Houshmand3 1Department of Biology, Islamic Azad University, Ashkezar Branch, Ashkezar, 2Department and Research Centre of ENT and Head & Neck Surgery, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 3Medical Genetics Department, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran, Iran; 4Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 5Department of Veterinary Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia Abstract: Mitochondrial DNA mutations play an important role in causing sensorineural hearing loss. The purpose of this study was to determine the association of the mitochondrial genes RNR1, MT-TL1, and ND1 as well as the nuclear genes GJB2 and GJB6 with audiological examinations in nonfamilial Iranians with cochlear implants, using polymerase chain reaction, DNA sequencing, and RNA secondary structure analysis. We found that there were no novel mutations in the mitochondrial gene 12S rRNA (MT-RNR1) in patients with and without GJB2 mutation (GJB2+ and GJB2-, respectively), but a total of six polymorphisms were found. No mutations were observed in tRNALeu(UUR) (MT-TL1). Furthermore, eight polymorphisms were found in the mitochondrial ND1 gene. Additionally, no mutations were observed in the nuclear GJB6 gene in patients in the GJB2- and GJB2+ groups. The speech intelligibility rating and category of auditory perception tests were statistically assessed in patients in the GJB2- and GJB2+ groups. The results indicated that there was a significant difference (P

Mojgan Allahdini,1 Behnam Kamalidehghan,2 Leila Akbari,3 Parisa Azadfar,3 Ali Rahmani,1 Fatemeh Ahmadipour,2 Goh Yong Meng,4 Abbas Masserrat,5 Massoud Houshmand6 1Department of Molecular Biology, Ahar Branch Islamic Azad University, Ahar, Iran; 2Pharmacy Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 3Department of Biology, Sciences and Research Branch, Azad University, Tehran, Iran; 4Department of Veterinary Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia; 5Department of Medical Genetics, Taban Clinic, 6Department of Medical Genetics, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Tehran, Iran Background: Pharmacogenetics is the study of genetic polymorphisms affecting responses to drug therapy. The common rs7903146 (C>T) polymorphism of the TCF7L2 gene has recently been associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D). In this study, prevalence of the rs7903146 (C>T) polymorphism in the TCF7L2 gene for prediction of T2D risk was examined in an Iranian population of different ethnicities.Methods: The prevalence of rs7903146 (C>T) and the predicted phenotypes, including extensive metabolizers, intermediate metabolizers, and poor metabolizers were investigated in blood samples of 300 unrelated healthy individuals in an Iranian population, including Fars, Turk, Lure, and Kurd, using polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism and direct genomic DNA sequencing.Results: The homozygous wild-type (C/C), heterozygous (C/T), and homozygous (T/T) allelic frequencies of rs7903146 (C>T) in the TCF7L2 gene were 29% (extensive metabolizers), 66.34% (intermediate metabolizers), and 4.66% (poor metabolizers), respectively. The C/C, C/T, and T/T genotypic frequencies of the rs7903146 (C>T) allele were significantly different (PT) allele was significantly low in the Lure (PT) allele in the South of Iran was the highest (PT) is required in drug research and routine treatment, where the information would be helpful for clinicians to optimize therapy and adverse drug reactions and predict drug response in individuals at risk of T2D. Keywords: pharmacogenetics of type 2 diabetes (T2D), transcription factor 7-like 2 gene, TCF7L2, rs7903146 (C>T) SNP, Fars Turk Lure and Kurd, Iranian populations of different ethnicities

Ali Bagheri,1 Behnam Kamalidehghan,2 Maryam Haghshenas,3 Parisa Azadfar,4 Leila Akbari,4 Mohammad Hossein Sangtarash,1 Faramarz Vejdandoust,5 Fatemeh Ahmadipour,2 Goh Yong Meng,6 Massoud Houshmand7,8 1Department of Biology, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran; 2Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 3Department of Biology, Pardis International Unit, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran; 4Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Azad University, Tehran, Iran; 5Department of Biology, Azad University, Ashkezar Branch, Yazd, Iran; 6Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia; 7Medical Genetics Department, Special Medical Center, 8Medical Genetics Department, National Institute for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Tehran, Iran Abstract: The presence of polymorphisms in the CYP2D6 gene may modulate enzyme level and activity, thereby affecting individual responses to pharmacological treatment. Here, we compared the prevalence of the CYP2D6*10, *4, and 14* alleles in an Iranian population of different ethnicities with those of other populations. Allele and genotype frequency distributions of CYP2D6*10 variants and predicted phenotypes including extensive metabolizers, intermediate metabolizers, and poor metabolizers were analysed in blood samples of 300 unrelated healthy individuals in an Iranian population using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism, PCR-single-strand conformation polymorphism, and direct genomic DNA sequencing. The CYP2D6*4 (G1846A) and *14 (G1758A) allelic frequencies were not detected in different ethnicities, demonstrating the absence of a significant contribution of these alleles in Iranian populations. However, the T/T, C/T, and C/C genotype frequencies of the CYP2D6*10 allele were significantly different (P

Background and Aim: In tropical conditions, modeling the predictive parameters of live weight, including those at birth, pre-weaning, post-weaning, finishing, and maturing, and the average daily gain, is challenging. The heat load significantly influences the growth rate and final mature weights in the tropics. The study compared the growth rates of Kedah-Kelantan (KK), Brahman (BRAH), and Belgian Blue (BB) crossbred calves., Materials and Methods: The study conducted growth analysis using the non-linear regression growth models as it approximates the sex, breed, and growth physiology changes in beef cattle. It is supported by the utility of the most common growth functions (Brody, Logistic, von Bertalanffy, and Richard's model) in normal-muscled tropical breeds and double-muscled crossbred beef cattle in the tropics., Results: The BB crossbreds outperformed the KK and BRAH breeds by 50%-100% in live weight gains under tropical conditions. The crossbreds display the double-muscled effect and highlight the advantages of heterosis, making them suitable for upgrading local herds. The study's findings on the growth characteristics of BB crossbred cattle were best described by the von Bertalanffy growth model, which had a high coefficient of determination (R 2 > 0.8) and yielded estimated mature weights of 527.5 kg for males and 518.5 kg for females., Conclusion: According to results, raising BB crossbreds in the tropics as a solution to ensure a sustainable beef supply could yield significant growth and economic benefits., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright: © Abdullah and Meng.)

Background: Microplastics (MPs) are an emerging global pollutant. Previous studies have revealed that chronic exposure to MPs can affect animal and human reproductive health, particularly by impairing the reproductive system's normal functions, which may increase the risk of infertility in both males and females. Kelulut honey (KH), an excellent source of antioxidants, has been used to counteract the disruptive effects of Polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) in the rat uterus. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the potential protective effects of Kelulut honey against PS-MPs-induced uterine toxicity in pubertal rats., Methods: Prepubertal female Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups (n = 8): (i) normal control group (NC: treated with deionized water), MPs-exposed group (M: exposed to PS-MPs at 2.5 mg/kg), (iii) Kelulut honey group (DM: pretreated with 1200 mg/kg of KH 30 minutes before they were administered with PS-MPs at 2.5 mg/kg), and (iv) Kelulut honey control group (DC: only treated with KH at 2.5 mg/kg). The rats were treated orally once daily for six consecutive weeks., Results: Uterine abnormalities in PS-MPs-exposed rats were significantly improved after concurrent treatment with Kelulut honey. Morphology improvement was observed and luminal epithelial cells seemed thicker with more goblet cells, glandular cells had a more regular and circular shape, stromal cell increased in size, interstitial gaps between stromal cells expanded, and the myometrium layer was thicker. Kelulut honey treatment also effectively normalized the suppressive effect of PS-MPs on the expression and distribution of sex steroid receptors (ERα and ERβ), as well as the level of serum gonadotropin (LH and FSH) and sex steroid (estradiol and progesterone) hormones., Conclusion: Kelulut honey can protect the female reproductive system against the disruptive effects of PS-MPs. The phytochemical properties of Kelulut honey might be responsible for these beneficial benefits. However, future studies are warranted to identify the mechanisms involved.

Th17 cells represent important immune cells. Ursolic acid (UA) can regulate immune cell activities. This study was aimed to explore the effects of UA on Th17 cell differentiation and Schwann cell(SCs)-mediated migration and the potential mechanism. Naïve CD4 + T cells were isolated from rat peripheral blood, induced for Th17 cell differentiation, and treated with UA. The proportion of Th17 cells was detected by flow cytometry assay. SCs were co-cultured with Th17 cells. Th17 cell migration was detected by Transwell assay. The molecule expression was determined by Western blot and qRT-PCR. UA inhibited the Th17 cell differentiation and suppressed the STAT3/RORγt pathway. STAT3 overexpression up-regulated p-STAT3 and RORγt expression and promoted Th17 cell differentiation under the UA treatment. In LPS- and IFN-γ-stimulated-SCs, UA suppressed the expression of chemokines CXCL9/10, but had no significant effect of CCL20 expression. The expression CXCL9/10 receptor CXCR3 was higher in Th17 cells than that in Treg cells, while the expression CCL20 receptor CCR6 was lower in Th17 cells than that in Treg cells. UA, anti-CXCR3, and anti-CCR6 treatment inhibited SCs-mediated Th17 cell migration, and anti-CXCR3 exerted stronger inhibitory effect than Anti-CCR6. UA inhibited Th17 cell differentiation through STAT3/RORγt pathway and suppressed Th17 cell migration through down-regulating CXCL9/10 expression in SCs.

Objective: To improve the understanding of the clinical characteristics of immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) with central nervous system (CNS) involvement, so as to contribute to the early diagnosis and treatment., Methods: In this study, 10 patients with IgG4-RD with CNS involvement were selected. Clinical data including demographic features, clinical manifestations, organ involvement, laboratory findings, radiological results, pathology, treatments and outcomes were collected retrospectively., Results: Among the 10 IgG4-RD patients complicated with CNS involvement, 6 cases manifested as pituitary involvement and 4 cases manifested as dural involvement. Only 2 patients had nervous system involvement alone, while the left patients were complicated with other organ involvement besides nervous system. Half of the patients presented nervous system involvement as the initial manifestation, and the main symptoms of nervous system included polydipsia, polyuria, headache, decreased vision and so on. In the laboratory examination, the serum IgG4 level was increased in 9 cases (90.0%), and the total serum IgE was increased in 7 cases (87.5%). At the same time, their IgG, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were increased, while complement (C) 3 and C4 were decreased in some patients. Eight patients underwent tissue biopsies in different parts, the pathological examination showed a large number of lymphocyte and plasma cell infiltration, accompanied by fibrous tissue proliferation in part. All the patients were treated with glucocorticoids, and 8 cases (80%) were given immunosuppressants at the same time, and 3 cases were treated with rituximab when they expe-rienced disease relapse. As a result, 2 cases (20%) achieved complete remission (CR), and 8 cases (80%) achieved partial remission (PR). The median follow-up time was 13.5 months, and 4 cases relapsed., Conclusion: Pituitary and dura are common affected organs of IgG4-RD with CNS involvement. Most IgG4-RD patients with CNS involvement are combined with other organ involvement, but half of them presented nervous system involvement as the initial manifestation, and the symptoms are not typical. In order to make an early diagnosis, laboratory, imaging examination and tissue biopsy should be taken into consideration in combination if necessary.

This study was designed to examine the potentials of telomere length, mitochondria, and acute phase protein genes as novel biomarkers of gastrointestinal (GI) tract pathologies and meat quality traits. Chickens were fed a diet containing corticosterone (CORT) for 4 weeks and records on body weight, telomere length, GI tract and muscle histopathological test, meat quality traits, mitochondria, and acute phase protein genes were obtained at weeks 4 and 6 of age. The body weight of CORT-fed chickens was significantly suppressed ( p < 0.05). CORT significantly altered the GI tract and meat quality traits. The interaction effect of CORT and age on body weight, duodenum and ileum crypt depth, pH, and meat color was significant ( p < 0.05). CORT significantly ( p < 0.05) shortened buffy coat telomere length. UCP3 and COX6A1 were diversely and significantly expressed in the muscle, liver, and heart of the CORT-fed chicken. Significant expression of SAAL1 and CRP in the liver and hypothalamus of the CORT-fed chickens was observed at week 4 and 6. Therefore, telomere lengths, mitochondria, and acute phase protein genes could be used as novel biomarkers for GI tract pathologies and meat quality traits.

The deposition and distribution of buffalo body fats play a vital role in the quality of the buffalo carcass and are of great commercial value, since the carcass quality influences the profitability and consumer acceptability of ruminant meat. The current study examined the effect a mixture of 4% bypass fat and 26% concentrate supplementations in buffalo basal diet had on both the carcass characteristics and the proximate and fatty acid composition in longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL), supraspinatus (SS) and semitendinosus (ST) muscles of Murrah cross and swamp buffaloes. In addition, profit and loss analyses were performed to determine the profitability. This study employed a completely randomized 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with two diets, two breeds and four replicates per treatment. A total of sixteen buffaloes (eight buffaloes per breed, bodyweight 98.64 ± 1.93 kg) were randomly assigned into two dietary groups. The first group was given Diet A, which consisted of 70% Brachiaria decumbens + 30% concentrate, whereas the second group was given Diet B, which consisted of 70% Brachiaria decumbens + 26% concentrate + 4% bypass fat. The buffaloes were fed for 730 days before slaughter. The results showed that supplemented bypass fat significantly ( p < 0.05) increased the pre-slaughter weight, hot and cold carcass weights, meat:fat ratio, pH at 24 h, moisture and crude protein of LTL, ST and SS, the ether extract of LTL and ST and the meat fatty acid of C16:0, C16:1, C18:1, PUFA n-6/n-3 and total MUFA. The carcass yield and carcass fat percentages, the ash content in ST, the EE in the SS muscle and the meat fatty acid of C18:3, total PUFA n-3, UFA/SFA and PUFA/SFA were significantly ( p < 0.05) decreased. Furthermore, Murrah cross showed a significantly ( p < 0.05) higher pre-slaughter weight, hot and cold carcass weights, carcass bone percentage and total fatty acid, but a lower ( p < 0.05) meat:bone ratio, ash of LTL and CP of LTL and ST when compared to swamp buffaloes. No significant changes were found in the proximate composition of different types of muscle, but the ST muscle revealed significantly high C14:0, C16:0 and C18:1, and the SS muscle had high C18:2 and total fatty acid ( p < 0.05). Supplementing using bypass fat increased the cost of buffalo feeding but resulted in a higher revenue and net profit. In conclusion, the concentrate and bypass fat supplementations in the buffalo diet could alter the nutrient compositions of buffalo meat without a detrimental effect on carcass characteristics, leading to a higher profit.

This study was designed to characterize telomere length and its regulatory genes and to evaluate their potential as well-being biomarkers. Chickens were fed a diet containing corticosterone (CORT) for 4 weeks and performances, organ weight, plasma CORT levels, telomere lengths and regulatory genes were measured and recorded. Body weights of CORT-fed chickens were significantly suppressed ( p < 0.05), and organ weights and circulating CORT plasma levels ( p < 0.05) were altered. Interaction effect of CORT and duration was significant ( p < 0.05) on heart and liver telomere length. CORT significantly ( p < 0.05) shortened the telomere length of the whole blood, muscle, liver and heart. The TRF1 , chTERT, TELO2 and HSF1 were significantly ( p < 0.05) upregulated in the liver and heart at week 4 although these genes and TERRA were downregulated in the muscles at weeks 2 and 4. Therefore, telomere lengths and their regulators are associated and diverse, so they can be used as novel biomarkers of stress in broiler chickens fed with CORT.

This study investigates the effects of supplementation of the basal diet with concentrate and rumen bypass fat on the dry matter intake (DMI), growth performance, blood metabolites and hormonal changes, and the feeding cost of feedlot water buffaloes. Thirty-six healthy, three- to four-month-old male Murrah crossbred (n = 18) and Swamp (n = 18) buffaloes with a similar average initial body weight of 98.64 ± 1.93 kg were each randomly allocated into three dietary experimental groups. Buffaloes were fed with Diet A, which consisted of 100% Brachiaria decumbens , Diet B, consisting of 70% Brachiaria decumbens and 30% concentrate, and Diet C, consisting of 70% Brachiaria decumbens , 26% concentrate, and 4% rumen bypass fat for a period of 730 days. Feed intake was measured daily, while blood samples were collected for every eight months. Furthermore, body scores were noted prior to and at the end of the experimental period. The results showed that the average daily gain for buffaloes fed with Diet C was the highest. The DMI, BCS, FI, and FCR for the three groups showed significant ( p < 0.05) differences, in the following order: Diet C > Diet B > Diet A. At the end of the two-year feeding trial, buffaloes fed with Diet B had significantly ( p < 0.05) higher cholesterol levels than Diet A and Diet C. In addition, buffaloes fed with Diet C had significantly ( p < 0.05) higher levels of serum total protein, growth hormone, and insulin-like growth factor-I hormone compared to Diet A and Diet B. On the other hand, buffaloes fed with Diet B and Diet C showed significant ( p < 0.05) decrease in glucose levels. Supplemented diet improved the buffalos' weight gain to achieve the market weight in a shorter period of time, thus, giving farmers a greater return. In conclusion, concentrate and bypass fat supplementations in the diet of water buffaloes improved the growth performance without adverse effect on the blood metabolites, which enabled better farmer profitability.

This study was conducted to compare the growth and economic performances between Swamp and Murrah crossbred buffaloes. The records of 108 Swamp and 276 Murrah crossbred buffaloes born between January 2010 and December 2015 were used in this study. The farm was practicing an extensive grazing system without supplementation from January 2010 to December 2011 (pre-intervention) and a new implementation of supplement in the feeding regime from January 2012 to December 2015 (post-intervention). The birth, weaning, and body weight at three monthly intervals, number of calves born, and mortality rate of calves at different years and during pre- and post-intervention were analyzed using a general linear model procedure. The interventions in 2012 had a positive effect on increasing the number of calves born for both breeds, average birth weight, economic performance, and reduce mortality calf rate. As a result, the birth weight of Murrah crossbred buffaloes was higher (36.63 ± 0.50 kg) than Swamp buffaloes (34.69 ± 0.40 kg) ( p < 0.05). The average pre-weaning daily weight gain for Swamp and Murrah crossbred buffaloes was 0.73 and 0.98 kg/day ( p < 0.05), while the average post-weaning daily weight gain was 0.39 and 0.44 kg/day, respectively ( p < 0.05). The Swamp and Murrah crossbred buffaloes achieved the targeted market weight of 250 kg at 18 and 15 months old, respectively, while the targeted breeding weight of 385 kg was achieved at 30 and 26 months old, respectively. In this farm, on average a total of 64 calves were born yearly, with the ratio number of born calves per number of mated dams recorded higher in Murrah crossbred buffaloes as compared to Swamp buffalo (0.64 vs. 0.37) ( p < 0.05). Furthermore, the average number of calves born in the post-intervention period (January 2012-December 2015) was significantly higher than in the pre-intervention period (January 2010-December 2011), respectively (Swamp: 23 vs. 8 and Murrah crossbred: 53 vs. 31, respectively) ( p < 0.05). Partial budget method was used to estimate the net gain or loss between the two breeds. The average annual revenue was 2304.14 MYR (566.13 USD) for Swamp buffaloes and 4531.50 MYR (1113.39 USD) for Murrah crossbred buffaloes. The average annual cost saving was 340.02 MYR (83.54 USD) for Swamp and 215.75 MYR (53.01 USD) for Murrah crossbred buffaloes. On the other hand, annual added cost was 84.95 MYR (20.87 USD) for Swamp and 96.76 MYR (23.77 USD) for Murrah crossbred buffaloes. Therefore, the annual net benefit was 2559.21 MYR (628.80 USD) for Swamp and 4650.49 MYR (1142.63 USD) for Murrah crossbred buffaloes. As a conclusion, this study had shown that the higher average daily weight gain contributes to better cost savings, as shown by the crossbred buffaloes.

A diet containing cholesterol is an essential component of biological function; however, cholesterol oxidation products (COPs) remain a major public health concern. This study investigated the effects of cooking methods (boiling and frying) on the production levels of COPs in processed foods. Samples, as represented by minced beef, chicken sausages, and fish fillets, were subjected to different cooking methods followed by COP extraction using a saponification method. Then, six common COPs, 5α-cholest, α-epoxy, β-epoxy, 25-HC, triol, and 7-keto, were quantified by triple quadrupole gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GS-MS/MS). A significantly high number of COPs were detected in minced meat, of which 7-keto and triol were detected as major oxidation products, followed by chicken sausages and fish fillets ( p ≤ 0.05). Compared to boiling, frying generated significantly more COPs, specifically triol (0.001-0.004 mg/kg) and 7-keto (0.001-0.200 mg/kg), in all samples. Interestingly, cholesterol level was found to be slightly (but not significantly) decreased in heat-treated samples due to oxidation during cooking, producing a higher number of COPs. Notably, the fish fillets were found to produce the fewest COPs due to the presence of a low amount of cholesterol and unsaturated fatty acids. In conclusion, adapting boiling as a way of cooking and choosing the right type of meat could serve to reduce COPs in processed foods.

Background: A number of factors are known to reduce fertility rate in animals and one of the important categories of such factors is chromosome anomalies. They can occur with or without causing phenotypic abnormalities on animals; in some cases, they may directly affect meiosis, gametogenesis and the viability of conceptus. In many instances, balanced structural rearrangements can be transmitted to offspring, affecting fertility in subsequent generations., Aim: This work investigated the occurrence of chromosome aberrations in Rusa timorensis , Rusa unicolor and Axis axis raised in a nucleus deer farm in Malaysia with a history of declining fertility of unknown origin., Materials & Methods: Blood samples were collected from 60 animals through venipuncture, cultured for 72 h and arrested at metaphase. SmartType ® and Ideokar ® software were used to karyotype the chromosomes., Results: We found 15 out of the 60 animals screened from both sexes harbor some form of chromosome aberration. Chromosomal aberrations exist at the rate of 25% and may not be unconnected with the observed reduced fertility on the farm. Further investigations should be carried out, especially on the offspring of the studied animals to transmission of these aberrations. The animals that are confirmed to transmit the chromosomal aberrations should be culled to arrest the propagation of their abnormalities., Competing Interests: Financial & competing interests disclosure This work is part of a PhD performed at Universiti Putra Malaysia and received a UPM grant (9617200). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. We want acknowledge Universiti Putra Malaysia for supporting the project “Improving deer fecundity through genome analysis: A study of three breeds of deer and their crosses raised at Pusat Ternakan Rusa, Lenggong, Perak (GP/2018/9617200)”, from which this publication is derived. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript., (© 2020 Universiti Putra Malaysia.)

Tryptophan (Trp) has been associated with the regulation of several behavioral and physiological processes, through stimulation of serotonergic activity. Tryptophan utilization at the metabolic level is influenced by the competitive carrier system it shares with large neutral amino acids (LNAA). This study was carried out using meat-type chicken as a model, to investigate the dose response effects of Trp/LNAA on fear response (tonic immobility; TI) and hormonal responses, including corticosterone (CORT), serotonin (5-HT), triiodothyronine (T 3 ) and thyroxine (T 4 ). A total of 12 cages (48 birds) were assigned to each of the six experimental groups at 29-42 days of age. Experimental diets were formulated to have incremental levels of Trp/LNAA (0.025, 0.030, 0.035, 0.040, 0.045, and 0.050). The results revealed that, Trp/NAA had no significant effect on growth performance and TI of the birds. However, elevation of Trp/LNAA was concurred with a linear reduction in CORT (P < .0001, r 2  = 0.819) and linear increases in 5-HT (P < .0001, r 2  = 0.945), T 3 (P = .0003, r 2  = 0.403) and T 4 (P < .0001, r 2  = 0.937) levels. In conclusion, the results from the current study demonstrated that, although incremental levels of Trp/LNAA did not affect bird growth performance or fearfulness, it increased 5-HT, T 3 and T 4, and decreased CORT levels in a linear dose-dependent manner. Manipulation of Trp feeding levels could be applied to manage stressful conditions in birds., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Polymorphisms in the cytochrome P (CYP) 450 family may cause adverse drug responses in individuals. Cytochrome P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) is a member of the CYP family, where the presence of the 681 G>A, 636 G>A and 806 C>T polymorphisms result in the CYP2C19*2, CYP2C19*3 and CYP2C19*17 alleles, respectively. In the current study, the frequency of the CYP2C19*2, CYP2C19*3 and CYP2C19*17 alleles in an Iranian population cohort of different ethnicities were examined and then compared with previously published frequencies within other populations. Allelic and genotypic frequencies of the CYP2C19 alleles (*2, *3 and *17) were detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)‑restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, PCR‑single‑strand conformation polymorphism analysis and DNA sequencing from blood samples of 1,229 unrelated healthy individuals from different ethnicities within the Iranian population. The CYP2C19 allele frequencies among the Iranian population were 21.4, 1.7, and 27.1% for the CYP2C19*2, CYP2C19*3 and CYP2C19*17 alleles, respectively. The frequency of the homozygous A/A variant of the CYP2C19*2 allele was significantly high and low in the Lur (P<0.001) and Caspian (P<0.001) ethnicities, respectively. However, the frequency of the homozygous A/A variant of the CYP2C19*3 allele was not detected in the Iranian cohort in the current study. The frequency of the heterozygous G/A variant of the CYP2C19*3 allele had the significantly highest and lowest frequency in the Fars (P<0.001) and Lur (P<0.001) groups, respectively. The allele frequency of the homozygous T/T variant of the CYP2C19*17 allele was significantly high in the Caspian (P<0.001) and low in the Kurd (P<0.05) groups. The frequency of the CYP2C19 alleles involved in drug metabolism, may improve the clinical understanding of the ethnic differences in drug responses, resulting in the advancement of the personalized medicine among the different ethnicities within the Iranian population.

Aqueous and methanol extracts of lemon Citrus limon peel, Euphorbia hirta (aerial parts), and fenugreek Trigonella foenum-graecum seeds were tested for their in vitro antimicrobial activities against the bacterium Aeromonas hydrophila. A swab paper disk method showed that the methanol extract of E. hirta (EHE) had the largest inhibition zone and the lowest minimal inhibitory concentration compared to all other herbal extracts. Based on these results, EHE was included in the diets of Sharptooth Catfish Clarias gariepinus at 0 (control), 2, 5, or 7 g/kg of diet (experiment 1). Each treatment was conducted in triplicate, with 30 fish (mean weight ± SE = 9.4 ± 0.4 g) in each replicate. After 30 d, the growth, feed intake, hepatosomatic index (HSI), and plasma biochemical parameters were measured. With a separate batch of Sharptooth Catfish, the efficacy of the EHE diets in conferring fish resistance to A. hydrophila over 30 d was compared to that of a diet containing oxytetracycline (OTC; experiment 2). Six treatments were conducted in triplicate groups of 30 fish (mean weight ± SE = 9.0 ± 0.3 g); the Control fish were fed the control diet and were not injected with A. hydrophila, while the Control-AH and OTC-AH groups were infected with A. hydrophila and were fed either the control diet or the diet containing OTC at 1 g/199 g. The other three treatments included fish that were injected with A. hydrophila but fed diets with increasing EHE at 2, 5, or 7 g/kg. Experiment 1 showed no change to growth, feeding efficiency, HSI, or plasma biochemical parameters. In experiment 2, however, fish that were fed dietary EHE at 5 g/kg had significantly lower mortality than the Control-AH group, with further resistance observed for fish fed EHE at 7 g/kg. Dietary OTC was more effective than EHE as a prophylactic to A. hydrophila infection in Sharptooth Catfish. Nevertheless, EHE can potentially be a valuable dietary supplement to improve the resistance of Sharptooth Catfish to A. hydrophila infection. Received May 3, 2017; accepted August 24, 2017.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a mixture of isomers of linoleic acid (C18:2 n-6), which is mostly found in the ruminant meat and dairy products. The CLA is known to have many potential health benefits, and considered a potent powerful fatty acid, which is linked to animal and human health. The present work aims to discuss the source and production, mechanism of action, and effects of CLA on humans, poultry, and ruminants by reviewing the recent studies carried out on CLA. Despite most of the recent studies indicating beneficial effects of CLA on improving body weight control parameters, its effects on reducing risk factors of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), inflammation, blood glucose, and insulin are still controversial, and need to be further studied in different hosts.

Platinum-based chemotherapy represents one of the most effective ways in combating human cancers. However, the cardiotoxicity subsequent severely limited its clinical application. Increased evidences indicate that oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the pathological process of platinum-induced cardiotoxicity. It is reported that apelin-13 a bioactive peptide has the scavenging capacity of free radical, and it has the potential to regulate the cardiovascular system. Hence, the potential of apelin-13 to antagonize cisplatin-induced cardiotoxicity was evaluated in H9c2 rat myocardial cells in vitro and in C57 mice in vivo. The results showed that cisplatin indeed caused DNA damage in H9c2 cells by promoting the accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and superoxide anion, which led to cell apoptosis and resulted in overt cardiotoxicity. However, apelin-13 pre-treatment effectively attenuated the cisplatin-induced ROS and superoxide anion generation, inhibited DNA damage, and suppressed the PARP cleavage and caspases activation. Further investigation revealed that apelin-13 blocked cisplatin-induced H9c2 cells apoptosis involving the regulation of MAPKs and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Importantly, apelin-13 co-treatment also significantly attenuated cisplatin-induced cardiotoxicity in vivo by inhibiting myocardial cells apoptosis and improving angiogenesis in mice heart. Taken together, our results suggest that the use of apelin-13 may be an effective strategy for antagonizing the cardiotoxicity-induced by platinum-based chemotherapy.

Revealing the ruminal fermentation patterns and microbial populations as affected by dietary n-6:n-3 PUFA ratio would be useful for further clarifying the role of the rumen in the lipid metabolism of ruminants. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of dietary n-6:n-3 PUFA ratios on fermentation characteristics, fatty acid (FA) profiles, and microbial populations in the rumen of goats. A total of twenty-one goats were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments with different n-6:n-3 PUFA ratios of 2.27:1 (low ratio, LR), 5.01:1 (medium ratio, MR), and 10.38:1 (high ratio, HR). After 100 days of feeding, all goats were slaughtered. Dietary n-6:n-3 PUFA ratios had no effect (P > 0.05) on rumen pH and NH 3 N concentration. Goats fed HR diet had lower (P < 0.05) propionate and total volatile fatty acids and higher (P < 0.05) butyrate compared with those fed the MR and LR diets. The proportion of C18:0 decreased (P < 0.05) as dietary n-6:n-3 PUFA ratios increased. The proportions of C18:1 trans-11, C18:2n-6, cis-9 trans-11 CLA, and C20:4n-6 were greater in the HR goats compared with the MR and LR goats. Lowering dietary n-6:n-3 PUFA ratios enhanced (P < 0.05) the proportion of C18:3n-3 and total n-3 PUFA in the rumen fluid of goats. The populations of R. albus and R. flavefaciens decreased (P < 0.05) as the n-6:n-3 PUFA ratios increased in diet. Diet had no effect (P > 0.05) on the ruminal populations of F. succinogenes, total bacteria, methanogens, total protozoa, Entiodinium, and Holotrich. The population of B. fibrisolvens was lower (P < 0.05) in the LR goats compared with the MR and HR goats. It was concluded that HR would increase the concentration of cis-9 trans-11 CLA and C18:1 trans-11 in the rumen. However, LR whould decrease the B. fibrisolvens population, which is involved in the BH process in the rumen. Further research is needed to evaluate the potential role and contribution of rumen microbiome in the metabolism of FA in the rumen.

Background: Hereditary multiple osteochondromas (HMO), previously named hereditary multiple exostoses (HME), is an autosomal dominant skeletal disorder characterized by the growth of multiple osteochondromas and is associated with bony deformity, skeletal growth reduction, nerve compression, restriction of joint motion, and premature osteoarthrosis. HMO is genetically heterogeneous, localized on at least three chromosomal loci including 8q24.1 ( EXT1 ), 11p11-p13 ( EXT2 ), and 19p ( EXT3 ). The median age of diagnosis is 3 years; almost all affected individuals are diagnosed by age 12. The risk for malignant degeneration to osteochondrosarcoma increases with age, although the lifetime risk of malignant degeneration is low (~1%)., Methods and Results: This study was performed on an Iranian family with nine affected individuals from three consecutive generations. Here, the proband was an affected woman who received genetic counseling prior to pregnancy. All exons of the three genes were examined in the proband using polymerase chain reaction and sequencing methods (the last member of this family is a male with severe deformities and lesions, especially around his large joints). Exon 4 of EXT1 (c.1235 G>A) was changed in affected individuals. This mutation alters tryptophan to a premature stop codon on amino acid position 412 (p.Trp412x)., Conclusion: The outcome of this study has extended the genotypic spectrum of Iranian patients with HMO, revealing a way for improving detection and genetic counseling in carriers., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Different solvents (hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, butanol, and water) were used to identify the effect of papaya leaf (PL) fractions (PLFs) on ruminal biohydrogenation (BH) and ruminal methanogenesis in an in vitro study. PLFs at a concentration of 0 (control, CON) and 15 mg/250 mg dry matter (DM) were mixed with 30 mL of buffered rumen fluid and were incubated for 24 h. Methane (CH4) production (mL/250 mg DM) was the highest (P < 0.05) for CON (7.65) and lowest for the chloroform fraction (5.41) compared to those of other PLFs at 24 h of incubation. Acetate to propionate ratio was the lowest for PLFs compared to that of CON. Supplementation of the diet with PLFs significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the rate of BH of C18:1n-9 (oleic acid; OA), C18:2n-6 (linoleic acid; LA), and C18:3n-3 (α-linolenic acid; LNA) compared to that of CON after 24 h of incubation. Real time PCR indicated that total protozoa and total methanogen population in PLFs decreased (P < 0.05) compared to those of CON.

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of glucocorticoid combined with ulinastatin in the treatment of Kawasaki disease (KD) in children., Methods: A total of 104 children who were admitted and diagnosed with typical KD between January 2011 and December 2013 were assigned to ulinastatin group (methylprednisolone+ulinastatin; n=46) and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) group (n=58) according to the severity of KD and the willingness of their parents. Observations for the two groups were performed to compare the changes in coronary artery diameter before and at 1 week, 3 months, and 6 months after treatment, fever clearance time, retreatment condition, changes in white blood cells (WBC), platelets (PLT), hemoglobin (HB), C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) at 1 week and 3 weeks after treatment, and total in-hospital cost., Resylts: There was no significant difference in the coronary artery diameter between the two groups before or at 1 week, 3 months or 6 months after treatment (P>0.05). All the patients (100%) in the ulinastatin group vs 83% in the IVIG group had a normal body temperature after 48 hours of treatment (P<0.01). Two patients (4%) in the ulinastatin group and 10 patients (17%) in the IVIG group received retreatment. Significant differences were observed in ESR, WBC, and HB between them (P<0.01). The total in-hospital cost in the ulinastatin group was significantly lower than that in the IVIG group (P<0.01)., Conclusions: For children with KD, methylprednisolone combined with ulinastatin does not increase the risk of coronary artery aneurysm, decreases in-hospital costs, is superior in controlling laboratory markers and shortening the duration of fever during the acute phase compared with the IVIG therapy.

Dietary omega-3 fatty acids have been recognized to improve brain cognitive function. Deficiency leads to dysfunctional zinc metabolism associated with learning and memory impairment. The objective of this study is to explore the effect of short-term dietary omega-3 fatty acids on hippocampus gene expression at the molecular level in relation to spatial recognition memory in mice. A total of 24 male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into four groups and fed a standard pellet as a control group (CTL, n = 6), standard pellet added with 10% (w/w) fish oil (FO, n = 6), 10% (w/w) soybean oil (SO, n = 6) and 10% (w/w) butter (BT, n = 6). After 3 weeks on the treatment diets, spatial-recognition memory was tested on a Y-maze. The hippocampus gene expression was determined using a real-time PCR. The results showed that 3 weeks of dietary omega-3 fatty acid supplementation improved cognitive performance along with the up-regulation of α-synuclein, calmodulin and transthyretin genes expression. In addition, dietary omega-3 fatty acid deficiency increased the level of ZnT3 gene and subsequently reduced cognitive performance in mice. These results indicate that the increased the ZnT3 levels caused by the deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids produced an abnormal zinc metabolism that in turn impaired the brain cognitive performance in mice.

Background: Types A and B Niemann-Pick disease (NPD) are autosomal-recessive lysosomal storage disorders caused by the deficient activity of acid sphingomyelinase due to mutations in the sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase 1 (SMPD1) gene., Methods: In order to determine the prevalence and distribution of SMPD1 gene mutations, the genomic DNA of 15 unrelated Iranian patients with types A and B NPD was examined using PCR, DNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis., Results: Of 8 patients with the p.G508R mutation, 5 patients were homozygous, while the other 3 were heterozygous. One patient was heterozygous for both the p.N385K and p.G508R mutations. Another patient was heterozygous for both the p.A487V and p.G508R mutations. Two patients (one homozygous and one heterozygous) showed the p.V36A mutation. One patient was homozygous for the c.1033-1034insT mutation. One patient was homozygous for the c.573delT mutation, and 1 patient was homozygous for the c.1417-1418delCT mutation. Additionally, bioinformatics analysis indicated that two new p.V36A and p.N385K mutations decreased the acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) protein stability, which might be evidence to suggest the pathogenicity of these mutations., Conclusion: with detection of these new mutations, the genotypic spectrum of types A and B NPD is extended, facilitating the definition of disease-related mutations. However, more research is essential to confirm the pathogenic effect of these mutations.

Background Aims: Dietary omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids have remarkable impacts on the levels of DHA in the brain and retina. Low levels of DHA in plasma and blood hamper visual and neural development in children and cause dementia and cognitive decline in adults. The level of brain-derived neurotrophic factors (BDNF) changes with dietary omega-3 fatty acid intake. BDNF is known for its effects on promoting neurogenesis and neuronal survival., Methods: In this study, we examined the effect of the oral consumption of α-Linolenic acid (ALA) on blood levels of BDNF and Malondialdehyde (MDA) in healthy adult humans. 30 healthy volunteers, 15 men and 15 women, were selected randomly. Each individual served as his or her own control. Before consuming the Flaxseed oil capsules, 5cc blood from each individual was sampled in order to measure the plasma levels of BDNF and MDA as baseline controls. During the experiment, each individual was given 3 oral capsules of flaxseed oil, containing 500mg of alpha linolenic acid, daily for one week. Then, plasma levels of BDNF and MDA were tested., Results: The plasma levels of BDNF and MDA significantly (P < 0.05) increased in individuals who received the oral capsules of ALA. Plasma levels of BDNF increased more in the women in comparison with the men., Conclusion: ALA treatment could be a feasible approach to reduce size of infarcts in stroke patients. Thus, ALA could be used in adjunction with routine stroke therapies to minimize brain lesions caused by stroke.

Effects of ketamine and lidocaine on electroencephalographic (EEG) changes were evaluated in minimally anaesthetized dogs, subjected to electric stimulus. Six dogs were subjected to six treatments in a crossover design with a washout period of one week. Dogs were subjected to intravenous boluses of lidocaine 2 mg/kg, ketamine 3 mg/kg, meloxicam 0.2 mg/kg, morphine 0.2 mg/kg and loading doses of lidocaine 2 mg/kg followed by continuous rate infusion (CRI) of 50 and 100 mcg/kg/min, and ketamine 3 mg/kg followed by CRI of 10 and 50 mcg/kg/min. Electroencephalogram was recorded during electrical stimulation prior to any drug treatment (before treatment) and during electrical stimulation following treatment with the drugs (after treatment) under anaesthesia. Anaesthesia was induced with propofol and maintained with halothane at a stable concentration between 0.85 and 0.95%. Pretreatment median frequency was evidently increased (P < 0.05) for all treatment groups. Lidocaine, ketamine, and morphine depressed the median frequency resulting from the posttreatment stimulation. The depression of median frequency suggested evident antinociceptive effects of these treatments in dogs. It is therefore concluded that lidocaine and ketamine can be used in the analgesic protocol for the postoperative pain management in dogs.

The competency of garlic and pennywort to improve broiler chicken growth and influence intestinal microbial communities and fatty acid composition of breast meat were studied. Two hundred forty, "day-old" chicks were randomly allocated to 4 treatment groups consisting of 6 replications of 10 chicks in each pen. The groups were assigned to receive treatment diets as follows: i) basal diet (control), ii) basal diet plus 0.5% garlic powder (GP), iii) basal diet plus 0.5% pennywort powder (PW) and iv) 0.002% virginiamycin (VM). Birds were killed at day 42 and intestinal samples were collected to assess for Lactobacillus and Escherichia coli. The pectoralis profundus from chicken breast samples was obtained from 10 birds from each treatment group on day 42 and frozen at -20°C for further analyses. Fatty acid profile of breast muscles was determined using gas liquid chromatography. Feed intake and weight gain of broilers fed with GP, PW, and VM were significantly higher (p<0.05) compared to control. Feeding chicks GP, PW, and VM significantly reduced Escherichia coli count (p<0.05) while Lactobacillus spp count were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the gut when compared to control group on day 42. Supplemented diet containing pennywort increased the C18:3n-3 fatty acid composition of chickens' breast muscle. Garlic and pennywort may be useful in modulating broiler guts as they control the enteropathogens that help to utilize feed efficiently. This subsequently enhances the growth performances of broiler chickens.

The object of this study was to determine the effect of prepartum supplementation of vitamin E with or without injective vitamin E and selenium (Se) on productive and reproductive performances and immune function in dairy cows. Sixty multiparous Holstein dairy cows were divided randomly into three groups at the end of gestation. Cows in each group received one of three treatments: (1) a single intramuscular (im) injection of vit. E + selenium 3 weeks prepartum; (2) daily supplementation of oral vit. E given from 3 weeks prepartum to parturition; (3) injective vit. E + Se with daily supplementation of oral vit. E. Blood samples were collected from cows at calving and from calves at 0 and 7 days of age. Concentration of IgG in serum of cows and calves as well as in colostrum was determined. No significant differences among treatments occurred in the concentrations of IgG, animal, and calf production and reproduction performance. Due to the lack of significant difference between injection and oral supplementation, it is recommended to replace the injection with oral supplementation.

Two experiments were simultaneously conducted with Morus alba (white mulberry) foliage extract (MFE) as a growth promoter and treatment of Aeromonas hydrophila infection in separate 60 and 30 days trail (Experiments 1 and 2, resp.) in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus). In Experiment 1, four diets, control and control supplemented with 2, 5, or 7 g MFE/kg dry matter (DM) of diet, were used. In Experiment 2, fish were intraperitoneally infected with Aeromonas hydrophila and fed the same diets as experiment 1 plus additional two diets with or without antibiotic. Results of experiment 1 showed that growth was unaffected by dietary levels of MFE. Treatments with the inclusion of MFE at the levels of 5 and 7 g/Kg DM had no mortality. Red blood cells (RBC), albumin, and total protein were all higher for the treatments fed MFE (5 and 7 g/Kg DM). Results of experiment 2 showed RBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit, globulin, albumin, and total protein improved with the increase in MFE in the infected fish. The dietary MFE at the level of 7 g/kg DM reduced mortality rate. In conclusion, MFE at the level of 7 g/kg DM could be a valuable dietary supplement to cure the infected fish.

The effects of feeding different levels of whole linseed on fatty acid (FA) composition of muscles and adipose tissues of goat were investigated. Twenty-four Crossed Boer bucks were assigned randomly into three treatment diets: L0, L10, or L20, containing 0%, 10%, or 20% whole linseed, respectively. The goats were slaughtered after 110 days of feeding. Samples from the longissimus dorsi, supraspinatus, semitendinosus, and subcutaneous fat (SF) and perirenal fat (PF) were taken for FA analyses. In muscles, the average increments in α-linolenic (ALA) and total n-3 PUFA were 6.48 and 3.4, and 11.48 and 4.78 for L10 and L20, respectively. In the adipose tissues, the increments in ALA and total n-3 PUFA were 3.07- and 6.92-fold and 3.00- and 7.54-fold in SF and PF for L10 and L20, respectively. The n-6 : n-3 ratio of the muscles was decreased from up to 8.86 in L0 to 2 or less in L10 and L20. The PUFA : SFA ratio was increased in all the tissues of L20 compared to L0. It is concluded that both inclusion levels (10% and 20%) of whole linseed in goat diets resulted in producing meat highly enriched with n-3 PUFA with desirable n-6 : n-3 ratio.

Conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) act as an important ligand for nuclear receptors in adipogenesis and fat deposition in mammals and avian species. This study aimed to determine whether similar effects are plausible on avian abdominal fat adipocyte size, as well as abdominal adipogenic transcriptional level. CLA was supplemented at different levels, namely, (i) basal diet without CLA (5% palm oil) (CON), (ii) basal diet with 2.5% CLA and 2.5% palm oil (LCLA), and (iii) basal diet with 5% CLA (HCLA).The content of cis-9, trans-11 CLA was between 1.69- and 2.3-fold greater (P < 0.05) than that of trans-10, cis-12 CLA in the abdominal fat of the LCLA and HCLA group. The adipogenic capacity of the abdominal fat depot in LCLA and HCLA fed chicken is associated with a decreased proportion of adipose cells and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). The transcriptional level of adipocyte protein (aP2) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) was downregulated by 1.08- to 2.5-fold in CLA supplemented diets, respectively. It was speculated that feeding CLA to broiler chickens reduced adipocyte size and downregulated PPARγ and aP2 that control adipocyte cellularity. Elevation of CLA isomers into their adipose tissue provides a potential CLA-rich source for human consumption.

Background: Pharmacogenetic studies on irinotecan treatment in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer have indicated that genetic polymorphisms in UGT1A1*6 can lead to decreased enzyme activity and accumulation of the toxic metabolite SN-38. Here, we compared the prevalence of UGT1A1*6 in an Iranian population of different ethnicities with those of other populations., Materials and Methods: A total of 300 healthy people of different ethnic groups including Persian, Azari, Lure, Kurdish, Arab, Baluch and Caspian in the Iranian population were enrolled. Genotyping of the UGT1A1*6 alleles (G/G, A/G, A/A) was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and direct genomic DNA sequencing., Result: The most predictive genotype among the Iranian ethnic groups, especially Persian, was the G/G genotype (wild-type genotype). The frequency of the A/G genotype among the Persian, Azari, Lure, Kurdish, Arab, Baluch and Caspian ethnicities were 15.69% (n = 27), 11.11% (n = 8), 5.88% (n = 1), 9.09% (n = 1), 10% (n = 1), 20% (n = 1) and 0% (n = 0), respectively. Only one person with Persian ethnicity was homozygous for the mutation in UGT1A1*6 (0.58%). Additionally, the frequency of the A and G alleles in Iranians was 6.83 and 93.16%, respectively., Conclusion: The identification of the UGT1A1*6 alleles is necessary among the different Iranian ethnic groups before irinotecan therapy, suggesting that genotyping would be helpful for clinicians to optimize chemotherapy or identify individuals at risk of adverse drug reactions before clinical trials., (© 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on fatty acid composition, lipoprotein content, lipid peroxidation, and meat colour of broiler chickens. A total of 180 broiler chickens were allocated to 3 dietary treatments (0, 2.5, and 5% Lutrell) and given a standard broiler starter diet and finisher diet. Body weight of chickens and feed intake were recorded weekly. After slaughter, the breast meat was aged at 4 °C for 0, 3, and 6 days. The fatty acid composition was measured in the breast meat. Body weight (BW) and feed efficiency were decreased by dietary CLA level (P < 0.05). Chicken fed with 2.5% Lutrell had the highest feed intake compared to the control (CON) group. The total CLA increased significantly (P < 0.05) in breast meat from birds supplemented with CLA. Propensity for lipid peroxidation was significantly higher after 6 days of meat storage (P < 0.05) and the redness in chicken breast meat was lower in CLA-fed birds (P < 0.05). It is also notable that a 5% Lutrell supplementation decreased the plasma total cholesterol (TC), low density protein (LDL), and HDL (high-density lipoprotein)/LDL ratio in chickens (P < 0.05).

In this study, control chevon (goat meat) and omega-3 fatty acid enriched chevon were obtained from goats fed a 50% oil palm frond diet and commercial goat concentrate for 100 days, respectively. Goats fed the 50% oil palm frond diet contained high amounts of α-linolenic acid (ALA) in their meat compared to goats fed the control diet. The chevon was then used to prepare two types of pellets (control or enriched chevon) that were then fed to twenty-male-four-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 10 in each group) for 12 weeks to evaluate their effects on plasma cholesterol levels, tissue fatty acids, and gene expression. There was a significant increase in ALA and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the muscle tissues and liver of the rats fed the enriched chevon compared with the control group. Plasma cholesterol also decreased (P < 0.05) in rats fed the enriched chevon compared to the control group. The rat pellets containing enriched chevon significantly upregulated the key transcription factor PPAR-γ and downregulated SREBP-1c expression relative to the control group. The results showed that the omega-3 fatty acid enriched chevon increased the omega-3 fatty acids in the rat tissues and altered PPAR-γ and SREBP-1c genes expression.

Background: This study examined the effects of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) as different n-6: n-3 ratios on spatial learning and gene expression of peroxisome- proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) in the hippocampus of rats. Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allotted into 3 groups of ten animals each and received experimental diets with different n-6: n-3 PUFA ratios of either 65:1, 22:1 or 4.5:1. After 10 weeks, the spatial memory of the animals was assessed using the Morris Water Maze test. The expression of PPARα and PPARγ genes were determined using real-time PCR., Results: Decreasing dietary n-6: n-3 PUFA ratios improved the cognitive performance of animals in the Morris water maze test along with the upregulation of PPARα and PPARγ gene expression. The animals with the lowest dietary n-6: n-3 PUFA ratio presented the highest spatial learning improvement and PPAR gene expression., Conclusion: It can be concluded that modulation of n-6: n-3 PUFA ratios in the diet may lead to increased hippocampal PPAR gene expression and consequently improved spatial learning and memory in rats.

Upper hinge is vulnerable to radical attacks that result in breakage of the heavy-light chain linkage and cleavage of the hinge of an IgG1. To further explore mechanisms responsible for the radical induced hinge degradation, nine mutants were designed to determine the roles that the upper hinge Asp and His play in the radical reactions. The observation that none of these substitutions could inhibit the breakage of the heavy-light chain linkage suggests that the breakage may result from electron transfer from Cys(231) directly to the heavy-light chain linkage upon radical attacks, and implies a pathway separate from His(229)-mediated hinge cleavage. On the other hand, the substitution of His(229) with Tyr showed promising advantages over the native antibody and other substitutions in improving the stability and function of the IgG1. This substitution inhibited the hinge cleavage by 98% and suggests that the redox active nature of Tyr did not enable it to replicate the ability of His to facilitate radical induced degradation. We propose that the lower redox potential of Tyr, a residue that may be the ultimate sink for oxidizing equivalents in proteins, is responsible for the inhibition. More importantly, the substitution increased the antibody's binding to FcγRIII receptors by 2-3-fold, and improved ADCC activity by 2-fold, while maintaining a similar pharmacokinetic profile with respect to the wild type. Implications of these observations for antibody engineering and development are discussed.

An experiment was conducted on broiler chickens to study the effects of different dietary fats (Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), fish oil, soybean oil, or their mixtures, as well as palm oil, as a more saturated fat), with a as fed dose of 7% for single fat and 3.5 + 3.5% for the mixtures, on Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors (PPARs) gene expression and its relation with body fat deposits. The CLA used in this experiment was CLA LUTA60 which contained 60% CLA, so 7% and 3.5% dietary inclusions of CLA LUTA60 were equal to 4.2% and 2.1% CLA, respectively. Higher abdominal fat pad was found in broiler chickens fed with a diet containing palm oil compared to chickens in the other experimental groups (P ≤ 0.05). The diets containing CLA resulted in an increased fat deposition in the liver of broiler chickens (P ≤ 0.05). The only exception was related to the birds fed with diets containing palm oil or fish oil + soybean oil, where contents of liver fat were compared to the CLA + fish oil treatment. PPARγ gene in adipose tissue of chickens fed with palm oil diet was up-regulated compared to other treatments (P ≤ 0.001), whereas no significant differences were found in adipose PPARγ gene expression between chickens fed with diets containing CLA, fish oil, soybean oil or the mixture of these fats. On the other hand, the PPARα gene expression in liver tissue was up-regulated in response to the dietary fish oil inclusion and the differences were also significant for both fish oil and CLA + fish oil diets compared to the diets with palm oil, soybean oil or CLA as the only oil source (P ≤ 0.001). In conclusion, the results of present study showed that there was a relationship between the adipose PPARγ gene up-regulation and abdominal fat pad deposition for birds fed with palm oil diet, while no deference was detected in n-3 and n-6 fatty acids, as well as CLA on PPARγ down regulation in comparison to a more saturated fat. When used on its own, fish oil was found to be a more effective fat in up-regulating hepatic PPARα gene expression and this effect was related to a less fat deposition in liver tissue. A negative correlation coefficient (-0.3) between PPARα relative gene expression and liver tissue fat content confirm the anti-lipogenic effect of PPARα, however, the change in these parameters was not completely parallel.

Objective: To investigate influence of electroacupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36) on pharmacokinetics after oral administration of Paracetamol in rats and explore the effect and mechanism of acupuncture combined with medicinal drugs., Methods: Forty-eight SD rats, in half respectively male and female, were randomly divided into 6 groups: Paracetamol groups of low, moderate, and high doses (oral dose of Paracetamol 300, 600 or 1200 mg/kg, respectively), and electroacupuncture plus Paracetamol groups of low, moderate, and high doses (electroacupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36) acupoint for 20 min after oral dose of Paracetamol 300, 600 or 1 200 mg/kg, respectively). Serum specimens of rats in each group were obtained at different time points to determine the concentrations of Paracetamol by RP-HPLC after oral administration of Paracetamol at different dosage, and the pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by software 3P87, so as to observe the influence of electroacupuncture on absorption and metabolism of Paracetamol., Results: Except in electroacupuncture plus Paracetamol groups of high doses group showing a non-linear dynamics model, the pharmacokinetics parameters of Paracetamol in the other fives groups were all fitted to first order grade absorption of two-compartment open model. Compared with the Paracetamol groups of low and moderate doses, the time to peak concentration (T(max)) was advanced (P < 0.01), the peak values of plasma concentration (C(max)) were significantly higher (P < 0.01), and the absorption half-life (T1/2ka) speeded up apparently (P < 0.01), but the elimination half-life (T1/2ke) remained basically unchanged (P > 0.05), and the area under the curve (AUC) increased significantly (P < 0.01), and plasma clearance (Cl(s)) was lower (P < 0.01) in the electroacupuncture plus Paracetamol groups of low and moderate doses. Compared with the Paracetamol group of high doses, the AUC also increased significantly (P < 0.01) and the mean residence time (MRT) postponed relatively (P < 0.05) in the electroacupuncture plus Paracetamol group of high doses., Conclusion: It indicates that clinical consideration must be given to the drug dosage and the possible influence of electroacupuncture on the metabolism of some drugs in order to avoid and reduce adverse reactions.

Treatment of high-concentration phosphorus-containing wastewater produced from automobile painting-industry using microfiltration with and without coagulation pretreatment was studied. The results show that the membrane fouling decreased by reducing the extent of pore plugging and improving the shape of cake layer formed on membrane surface and the permeate flux increased with coagulation as pretreatment. In comparison with direct microfiltration (without coagulation), pretreatment with lime improves removal of phosphate from 11.0% to 99.7%. The permeate obtained from coagulation and microfiltration can meet the national discharge standard and be reused under very safe conditions. With the same cleaning method, the recovery of permeate flux is approximately 18% greater than that of without coagulation pretreatment, which may be due to the differences in the shape of deposited cake and the extent of irreversible fouling.

The oily wastewater generated from pretreatment unit of electrocoating industry contains oils, phosphate, organic solvents, and surfactants. In order to improve the removal efficiencies of phosphate and oils, to mitigate the membrane fouling, coagulation for ceramic membrane microfiltration of oily wastewater was performed. The results of filtration tests show that the membrane fouling decreased and the permeate flux and quality increased with coagulation as pretreatment. At the coagulant Ca (OH)2 dosage of 900 mg/L, the removal efficiency of phosphate was increased from 46.4% without coagulation to 99.6%; the removal of COD and oils were 97.0% and 99.8%, respectively. And the permeate flux was about 70% greater than that when Ca(OH)2 was not used. The permeate obtained from coagulation and microfiltration can be reused as make-up water, and the recommended operation conditions for pilot and industrial application are transmembrane pressure of 0.10 MPa and cross-flow velocity of 5 m/s. The comparison results show that 0.2 microm ZrO2 microfilter with coagulation could be used to perform the filtration rather than conventional ultrafilter, with very substantial gain in flux and removal efficiency of phosphate.

Mitochondrial injury caused by cold preservation without oxygenation was studied polarographically. Respiration activity with glutamate as substrate was impaired after 6 hours preservation with Euro-Collin's solution at 4 degrees C, while that with succinate as substrate was maintained at the control level after 24 hours preservation. Membrane potential across mitochondrial membrane in state 4 was not damaged after 24 hours preservation. These results indicate that NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase is impaired during cold and simple preservation.