JOURNAL OF ANIMAL BIOLOGY
Year:2010 | Volume:3 | Issue:1|Papers Count:9

Free living cephalobid nematodes are bacteriovorus and found in the most soils. During study of soil samples from Semnan Province two species of this group viz. Cephalobus persegnis Bastian, 1865 and Acrobeloides nanus (De Man, 1880) Anderson, 1968 were isolated and identified from rizosphere of weed and apricot, respectively. The first species lacks labial probolae, short lateral lips, short spermatheca and postuterine sac, tail cylindrical and in some population have mucro. In Acrobeloides nanus corpus fusiform and labial probolae are acute. Both species have smooth cuticle, stoma comprising cheilostome, gymnostome and stegostome, spermatheca and postuterine sac are short. Description, measurements and drawings were provided for both species. This is the first record of these species from Semnan Province and second record from Iran. Males of C. persegnis are found for the first time from Iran and are described here in.

Nitric oxide synthase has been detected in ventral tegmental area, which is a key brain region that seems mediate behavioral effect of morphine and nicotine. In the present study, the possible involvement of L-NAME, a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, in the ventral tegmental area in nicotine’s effect on morphine state-dependent learning was investigated. This experimental study was performed on 300 Adult male Wistar rats. Rats were anesthetized with ketamine hydrochloride, plus xylazine and then placed in a stereotaxic apparatus. Two stainless-steel cannuale were placed in the ventral tegmental area. The animals trained in a step-through type inhibitory avoidance task, and tested 24h after training to measure step-through latency for the assessment of memory in male Wistar rats. Post-training or pre-test injection of morphine (5 and 7.5 mg/kg) caused amnesia. The amnesia induced by post-training administration of morphine restored by pretest injection of morphine (5 and 7.5 mg/kg) or nicotine (0.5 and 1 mg/kg). Interestingly, pre-test co-administration of ineffective doses of nicotine (0.05 and 0.1 mg/kg) plus ineffective dose of morphine (2.5 mg/kg) reversed the amnesia induced by morphine. Pre-test injection of L-NAME (1 and 2 mg/rat, intra-VTA) by itself impairs memory and prevents the nicotine reversal of morphine effect on memory. The ensemble of these observations suggests that morphine-induced state-dependent learning can be modulated through the nicotinic and nitric oxide systems.

This study was conducted in order to characterize the different levels of dietary vitamin C and vitamin E on plasma cholesterol of sterlet in propagation center of Sturgeon Research Institute. Nine experimental diet including three levels of vitamin E, D-alpha-tocopherol, (0, 100 and 400 mg kg1- diet) and three levels of vitamin C, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, (0, 100 and 400 mg kg1- diet) were prepared and used for feeding fish in two replicates for 15 weeks. After fish adaptations with artificial food, 15 sterlets (Acipenser ruthenus) with the average weight of 350.92±14.28g were divided into 18 tanks. The fish were fed 2% their wet body weighs. Blood samples were obtained from three fish of each tank at the end of week 5 and week 15. The results of blood analysis showed that the highest amount of cholesterol at the end of week 5 was observed in E0 C100 mg/kg and E100 C400 mg/kg treatments (diets 2 and 6) and at the end of week 15 was observed in E100 C0 mg/kg treatment (diet 4) (P<0.05). On the other hand the lowest amount of cholesterol at the end of week 5 and week 15 was observed in E100 C100 mg/kg (diet 5) and E400 C100 mg/kg (diet 8), respectively (P<0.05). The results of this study revealed that different levels of vitamin C and vitamin E may have some effects on cholesterol fluctuations of sterlet.

Desmopressin acetate (DA) is one of the synthetic replacements of vasopressin. Considering the possible effects of this medication on the reproductive system, in the present study the effects of this medication during fetal and neonatal development of the hypothalamic pituitary gonadal (HPG) axis on sexual hormones of peripubertal male rat offspring was determined. In this experimental study fifty female and twenty adult male wistar rats were used. after becoming pregnant, females were divided into five groups of ten including the control group (no treatment), Sham group 1 and experimental group 1 which received intraperitoneal injection of distilled water and 6mcg/Kg/day DA, prenatally, and Sham group 2 and experimental group 2 that received nothing, but their offspring received intraperitoneal injection of distilled water and 6mcg/Kg/day DA, neonatally. At ninth weeks after birth, the concentration of sexual hormones was measured by Electrochemiluminescence. The results were statistically analyzed by one-way ANOVA test. The results indicate that the concentration of sexual hormones in prenatally and neonatally treated male rats was not significantly different than the control group. It is suggested that DA doesn’t cross the placenta and doesn’t interfere with fetal development of HPG axis of male rat offspring. Also, because of the stopped development of leydig cells and its inactivated receptors during neonatal period, the steroidogenesis of leydig cells during pripubertal period wouldn’t undergo the effects of DA which was injected at the first week of life.

Colon ulcer is an inflammatory chronic colon disease and free radicals play an important role in its pathogenesis. Free radicals increase the severity of the disease by decreasing the antioxidants. Silymarin is a flavonoid component that it's extracted of Silybum marianum. Silymarin contains antioxidants and inhibits the inflammatory reactions. The aim of this research is the investigation of anti- inflammatory effect of silymarin in the treatment of colon ulcer induced acetic acid in mice Balb/C spicies.In this study, 32 mice are divided into 4 groups (n=8).These groups include:control group with no colitis report, the Sham group with colitis report that are not treated and the groups with colitis report that received 10 20 mg/kg B.W. of silymarin orally.The treatment groups received silymarin daily, for 1 week after having the disease. The drugs are fed to the mice per oral using gaster tubes. To induce colitis, 1 ml of acetic acid (%4) is injected into the rectum. In the one week after induction of colitis, the animals sacrificed and the damages of the colon investigated in Morris and Murthy methods. The result of this study shown acetic acid causes severe inflammation and damages of the colon. Because colit ulcerative is an acute disease so, use of silymarin is effective in improving of the inflammation and repair of the colon ulcer induced acetic acid. So, use of silymarin can be considered as a way for the treatment.

Population control is an important problem in the society that performs by chemical contraceptive drugs. Today, using the safer methods with lesser side effects and the usability of them for men were concerned more than before. In this research, the effects of fenugreek seed were studied on the spermatogenesis. It's hopeful; this study could present a new drug in population control that use by men. In this study, the mature male mice, NMRI strain, 3 month old (30±3 g) were used. Animals were divided into the four experimental groups and the one control (8 mice in each group). Experimental groups were obtained 70, 140, 280 and 560 Ml/kg dosage of alcohol extracts of fenugreek seed during 16 days. In this period, control group was obtained physiological serum by intraperitoneal injection. Then in 17th day, animals' blood was taken for hormone assays of measuring the testosterone, LH and FSH hormones. After that, animals were morphometrically and histologically studied and testis weight and volume, epididym weight and the number of sperms in epididyms. Statistical results were analyzed by ANOVA, tukey test (p<0.05). There were no significant differences between testis weight and volume and epididym weight between experimental and control groups. There were no significant differences in testosterone and LH levels between experimental and control groups, but there was significant difference in FSH level between them. Significantly decrease was observed in the number of sperm in epididym between experimental and control groups. Obvious decreasing of sperms in the result of reduction of FSH level, confirm that the fenugreek seed extract effects on decreasing of male reproductive activities.

Epilepsy is one of the chronic disorders of nervous system in human being. Totally, this disease is distinguished by motor, sensory and psychic periodic attacks. This disease disrupts the brain function and it is accompanied by different, abrupt, transitory and returnable symptoms that usually, the conscious level gets disruptive. The goal of this research is the study of intraperitoneal injection effects of harmaline and PTZ on seizure threshold and its effect on serotonergic and gabaergic pathways. The experiments were carried out on male mice (NMRI) with approximate weigh of 25-30 gr. In this study, the animals divided into five groups of eight: experimental and sham. Sham groups received intraperitoneal injection of harmaline (dose of 5 mg/kg) and intraperitoneal injection of PTZ (dose of 45 mg/kg). Three experimental groups received synchronous injection of PTZ (dose of 45 mg/kg) and different doses of harmaline (5, 10, 20 mg/kg). After drug injection, seizure reflexes have been recorded through direct observation for 20 minutes. The obtained information was analyzed by applying statistical tests (Tukey and ANOVA). The results of this study have shown that in sham group seizure threshold of PTZ was a dose of 45 mg/kg and harmaline seizure threshold was a dose of 5mg/kg. Whereas, in pre-test applying of low doses has not shown any symptoms of tremor and seizure, also harmaline in case of dependent dose and significantly has reduced seizures threshold. The results of this study have shown that synchronous and intraperitoneal injection of harmaline and PTZ have reduced the seizure threshold and seizure symptoms have revealed earlier.

In order to find out diversity of Testudo graeca populations in the north western of Iran, 30 adult females were studied in East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan and Zanjan Provinces from April 2008 to April 2010. The natural history of specimens is presented. Forty morphometric characters in three populations have been measured. Principle Component Analysis (PCA) exploited three means components. The components expressed 80.32%, 4.38% and 3.22% changes, respectively. Dispersion of Specimens based on components showed that all populations are placed closed to each other. Discriminant Factor Analysis (DFA) educed two meaningful Factors that expressed 53.6% and 46.4% changes. Dispersion of Specimens based on Factor 1 and 2 demonstrated that all populations were separated, distinctly. It seems that habitat differences, geographical and ecological situation are the reason for this separation. Cluster analysis showed all of populations were placed in a same cluster, but one of specimens of West Azerbaijan was placed in separate branch. So this interesting finding can be inferred by new form.