A Dog with Multiple Infections of Enteric Parasitic Zoonosis in Mashhad City, North-East of Iran; a Case Report

Aims: In this study, we examined stool specimen from a 3-year-old domesticated dog, which was referred to a veterinary clinic with clinical signs such as nausea or vomiting, dysentery, cachexia and rash in Mashhad city, northeast of Iran. Patient & Methods: A 3-year-old pet dog was referred to veterinary clinic of Mashhad in February 2016 by symptoms including, nausea or vomiting, dysentery, cachexia and rash in Mashhad City, Northeast of Iran. For parasitological examination, formalin-ether concentration technique was used. Fecal smears were made from the sediment, stained with iodine and observed by light microscope. Modified Ziehl Neelsen method was used for the detection of Cryptosporidium spp. Findings: The animal was infected with 10 disease-causing parasites; Taenia spp., Fasciola spp., Dicrocoelium dendriticum, Acanthocephal spp., Trichuris vulpis, Hook worm, Giardia spp., Blastocystis spp., Eimeria spp., and Cystoisospora spp. Conclusion: Domestic and stray dog could be an important sources for distribution of zoonoses disease especially parasitic agents

Biological and predatory characteristics of Andrallus spinidens (Hem.: Pentatomidae) on fourth instar larvae of Spodoptera littoralis (Lep.: Noctuidae), under laboratory conditions

Biological and predatory characteristics of Andrallus spinidens (F.) on fourth instar larvae of Egyptian cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis (Bois.), were investigated, under laboratory condition, at 25 ± 1°C, 60 ± 5% RH and a photoperiod of 16: 8 L: D h. The analysis was based on an age-stage, two-sex life table. The intrinsic rate of increase (rm), finite rate of increase (λ), net reproductive rate (R0), gross reproductive rate (GRR) and mean generation time (T) of A. spinidens on S. littoralis were 0.0821 day-1, 1.0821 day-1, 102.77 offspring, 192.61 eggs and 58.68 day, respectively. The mean reproductive value of A. spinidens was estimated as 342.58 ± 48.18 eggs per female. The intrinsic birth rate (b) and intrinsic death rate (d) for A. spinidens on S. littoralis were 0.0894 and 0.0073, respectively. The first stage nymphs of A. spinidens live only on water but the second, third and fourth stage nymphs fed on 12.22, 26.22 and 41.28 of S. littoralis larvae, respectively. The fifth stage nymphs were more voracious and preyed on more than 70% of the larvae (94.36). At the adult stage, both male and female of A. spinidens were able to kill up to 85% of the larvae. In conclusion, the results prove that this predator pentatomid bug can be used as an efficient biological control agent against the noctuid pest, S. littoralis

Life history parameters of Thrips tabaci (Thys.: Thripidae) on cucumber, sweet pepper and eggplant under laboratory conditions

Onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman, is one of the most important pests of vegetables and ornamentals all over the world. Its role has been proved in the transmission of different viruses to several plants. In this study, life history parameters of T. tabaci were calculated on three host plants, cucumber, sweet pepper and eggplant. Experiments were conducted at 25 ± 1οC, 60 ± 10% R.H. and photoperiod of 16: 8 (L: D) hours. The results showed that host plants affect life history of onion thrips significantly. Intrinsic rate of population increase (rm) was 0.296, 0.158 and 0.234 female on female per day on cucumber, sweet pepper and eggplant respectively. Other parameters like λ (finite rate of increase) were 1.334, 1.171 and 1.264; T (mean generation time) were 14.879, 19.092 and 16.779; DT (doubling time) were 2.343, 4.384 and 2.956 days. Finally, R0 (net reproductive rate) was 81.581, 20.461 and 51.141 female/female in one generation. With regard to highly significant effect of host plants on life history parameters of onion thrips, it is probable that this problem could be used for control of onion thrips on sweet pepper more effectively than on cucumber and eggplant

BLM and RMI1 alleviate RPA inhibition of topoIIIα decatenase activity

RPA is a single-stranded DNA binding protein that physically associates with the BLM complex. RPA stimulates BLM helicase activity as well as the double Holliday junction dissolution activity of the BLM-topoisomerase IIIα complex. We investigated the effect of RPA on the ssDNA decatenase activity of topoisomerase IIIα. We found that RPA and other ssDNA binding proteins inhibit decatenation by topoisomerase IIIα. Complex formation between BLM, TopoIIIα, and RMI1 ablates inhibition of decatenation by ssDNA binding proteins. Together, these data indicate that inhibition by RPA does not involve species-specific interactions between RPA and BLM-TopoIIIα-RMI1, which contrasts with RPA modulation of double Holliday junction dissolution. We propose that topoisomerase IIIα and RPA compete to bind to single-stranded regions of catenanes. Interactions with BLM and RMI1 enhance toposiomerase IIIα activity, promoting decatenation in the presence of RPA

Residential energy use in Oman: a scoping study

The Authority for Electricity Regulation (AER) Oman is addressing the nationally important issue of energy efficiency in residential premises. Reducing energy use in Oman’s residential sector has the potential to reduce the cost of energy subsidies, the consumption of indigenous gas resources and the cost of constructing the infrastructure required to meet growing peak demand. Improving the efficiency of the residential stock may also create benefits for the Omani public through more comfortable living conditions and reduced energy costs. In order to deliver these benefits, it is first necessary to measure and evaluate the current state of the built stock to understand how energy is used. This is not a simple task because energy use at the residential level is driven by the complex interaction between the household’s demands for energy services, the building fabric and its systems. In recognition of this challenge, AER contracted PassivSystems (an innovative home energy management services company) and the Energy Institute, University College London (a world-leading centre of energy research) to carry out

Correction to: Isolated Human and Livestock Echinococcus granulosus Genotypes Using Real-Time PCR of cox1 Gene in Northeast Iran (Acta Parasitologica, (2019), 64, 3, (679-685), 10.2478/s11686-019-00117-w)

Unfortunately, the affiliation of Majid Fasihi-Harandi needs to be edited. The correct affiliation is Research Center for Hydatid Disease in Iran, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

The creation of genetic basic population of rainbow trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss) based on study of genetic variation in brood stocks using microsatellite

In order to perform the project, 446 samples of rainbow trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss) from 24 different regions in Iran were collected. About 2-3 g of caudal fin samples was collected from each specimen and preserved in absolute ethyl alcohol and then transferred to the genetic laboratory. Genomic DNA was extracted using the phenol-chloroform method and then DNA content and quality was determined using spectrophotometry and agarose gel electrophoresis, respectively. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) of genomic DNA fin samples was carried out using 10 pairs of microsatellite primers. All PCR products were electrophoresed on 6% polyacrylamide gel and stained with silver nitrate. Following the scoring of alleles, all parameters including allelic frequency, effective number of allele, observed and expected heterozygosity, shanon index, measurement of similarity and genetic distance and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, Fst , Rst and gene flow were calculated using AMOVA analysis in the GenAlex and Popgene programs. The results showed that 8 pairs of microsatellite primers were polymorphic. In total, 50 alleles were determined with the range size of 64-280 bp. The locus omyf had maximum number of allele (26) and loci OTSG 474 and Strurruta58 had minimum number of allele (5). The observed heterozygosity was between 0.86 and 0.964. Hardy-Weinberg departure was observed for all loci from farms 18, 15, 4, E20 and 21 and were disequilibrium (P<0.05). The farms 14, 8, 7 and 6 were equilibrium at 3 loci, but showed disequilibrium in other loci. The other farms were equilibrium at 1 or 2 loci and disequilibrium at 8 or 9 loci. The FST results showed that maximum FST (0.24) were between farms 1 and 11in which had minimum of gene flow (3.7). Minimum FST (0.04) were between farms 8 and 9 in which had maximum of gene flow (346). Based on the results of AMOVA analysis, significant differences were detected between all farms (P<0.01). Furthermore, based on Nei 's standard (1972) maximum genetic distance (0.89) were observed between farms 2 and 11 and maximum genetic similarity (0.15) were detected between farms 3 and 4. This result suggests that the unique genetic variation of rainbow trout in hatchery farms of Iran represents a highly valuable genetic resource and provide useful information for creating a based population in the future breeding programs

Collaboration of Werner syndrome protein and BRCA1 in cellular responses to DNA interstrand cross-links

Cells deficient in the Werner syndrome protein (WRN) or BRCA1 are hypersensitive to DNA interstrand cross-links (ICLs), whose repair requires nucleotide excision repair (NER) and homologous recombination (HR). However, the roles of WRN and BRCA1 in the repair of DNA ICLs are not understood and the molecular mechanisms of ICL repair at the processing stage have not yet been established. This study demonstrates that WRN helicase activity, but not exonuclease activity, is required to process DNA ICLs in cells and that WRN cooperates with BRCA1 in the cellular response to DNA ICLs. BRCA1 interacts directly with WRN and stimulates WRN helicase and exonuclease activities in vitro. The interaction between WRN and BRCA1 increases in cells treated with DNA cross-linking agents. WRN binding to BRCA1 was mapped to BRCA1 452–1079 amino acids. The BRCA1/BARD1 complex also associates with WRN in vivo and stimulates WRN helicase activity on forked and Holliday junction substrates. These findings suggest that WRN and BRCA1 act in a coordinated manner to facilitate repair of DNA ICLs