Effects of mannan oligosaccharide and <i>Curcuma xanthorrhiza</i> essential oil on the intestinal morphologyand stress indicators of broilers subjected to cyclic heat stress

An experiment was carried out that was intended to explore the growth performance, nutrient retention, and heat stress biomarkers of finishing broilers under cyclic heat stress (HS) as modulated by the supplementation of mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) and <i>Curcuma xanthorrhiza</i> essential oil (CXEO). Two hundred and forty 21-day-old Ross 308 male broilers were allocated to four experimental treatments, each of which was replicated six times with 10 broilers per replicate. The diets included a control (CON), CON + 5 g of MOS kg⁻¹, CON + 400 mg of CXEO kg⁻¹ of feed, and CON + 5 g of MOS kg⁻¹ + 400 mg of CXEO kg⁻¹. From day 22 to 42, birds were subjected to cyclic HS by exposing them to 33 °C for 10 h (from 07:00 to 17:00 LT) and 22 °C from 17:00 to 07:00. Dietary treatments did not have an effect on average daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio, the duodenal histomorphology, and relative visceral weights. Body weight, average daily gain, villus length, crypt depth, and the villus-length-to-crypt-depth ratio in the jejunum were significantly increased in birds fed MOS or MOS + CXEO diets (<i>p</i>&thinsp;&lt;&thinsp;0.05). The relative bursa weight of the control birds was lower (<i>p</i>&thinsp;&lt;&thinsp; 0.05) compared to those fed the MOS diet. Compared with CON, dietary treatments reduced corticosterone and creatine kinase levels, the heterophile-to-lymphocyte ratio, and mRNA levels of heat shock protein 70 in the breast muscle and jejunum (<i>p</i>&thinsp;&lt;&thinsp;0.05). It was concluded that dietary supplementation of either MOS or CXEO alone or in combination may reduce some of the harmful effects of HS in broiler chickens

Heat shock protein 70 mRNA expression and immune response of heat-stressed finishing broilers fed propolis (bee glue) supplementation

This 2&times;2 factorial experiment investigated the efficacy of propolis (bee glue; BG) in ameliorating heat-stress-induced impairment of growth performance, the hematological profile, intestinal morphology, and biomarkers of heat stress in broilers. Two hundred and forty 21-day old Ross 308 male broiler chicks were allocated to four experimental treatments in six replicates of 10 birds each. The main factors were composed of diet (basal diet or addition of 3 g kg⁻¹ of BG) and temperature (thermoneutral or heat stress). Broilers subjected to heat stress had reduced average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI); a higher heterophil level and heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and a lower lymphocyte level; upregulated mRNA expression of 70 kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) levels in heart, kidney, and breast muscle; and shorter jejunal villus height, deeper crypt depth, and a lower ratio of villus-height-to-crypt-depth compared with those broilers raised in thermoneutral conditions. Supplemental BG increased ADG, jejunal villus height, and the villus-height-to-crypt-depth ratio and decreased the feed-to-gain ratio and creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase levels in breast muscle compared with the birds who received control diets. The inclusion of BG in diets significantly decreased the mRNA expression of HSP70 levels in heart, kidney, and breast muscle in birds subjected to heat challenge. These results indicate that the BG-supplemented diet was effective in partially ameliorating adverse effects in resistance to heat stress in broiler chickens

Comparative In silico Study of Sex-Determining Region Y (SRY) Protein Sequences Involved in Sex-Determining

Background: The SRY gene (SRY) provides instructions for making a transcription factor called the sex-determining region Y protein. The sex-determining region Y protein causes a fetus to develop as a male. In this study, SRY of 15 spices included of human, chimpanzee, dog, pig, rat, cattle, buffalo, goat, sheep, horse, zebra, frog, urial, dolphin and killer whale were used for determine of bioinformatic differences. Methods: Nucleotide sequences of SRY were retrieved from the NCBI databank. Bioinformatic analysis of SRY is done by CLC Main Workbench version 5.5 and ClustalW (http:/www.ebi.ac.uk/clustalw/) and MEGA6 softwares. Results: The multiple sequence alignment results indicated that SRY protein sequences from Orcinus orca (killer whale) and Tursiopsaduncus (dolphin) have least genetic distance of 0.33 in these 15 species and are 99.67% identical at the amino acid level. Homosapiens and Pantroglodytes (chimpanzee) have the next lowest genetic distance of 1.35 and are 98.65% identical at the amino acid level. Conclusion: These findings indicate that the SRY proteins are conserved in the 15 species, and their evolutionary relationships are similar

Molecular investigation of Y chromosome microdeletions in AZF regions of the non-obstructive azoospermic and oligospermic patients referred to Montaseriyeh infertility center in Mashhad

Background and Aim: The Y-chromosome azoospermic factor (AZF) regions consist of genes whose specific roles and functions in spermatogenesis and fertility have not been completely clarified. Hence, recognition of the association between AZF microdeletions and male infertility has suggestions for the diagnosis, treatment, and genetic counseling. The main objective of the present study was investigation of Y chromosome microdeletions in the non-obstructive azoospermic and oligospermic patients in Mashhad and identification of appropriate STS markers associated with azoospermia and oligospermia. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 45 infertile men with azoospermia and oligospermia with normal karyotypes referred to infertility center of Montaseriyeh hospital in Mashhad. Molecular screening technique was performed by using Multiplex PCR and sequence-tagged sites (STS) primers according to the EAA/EMQN guideline for detection of microdeletions in Y-chromosomal AZF regions and the Y specific sequences. Results: Three out of 45 infertile men had deletions in the AZFc and AZFa regions. Among every 3 infertile men, two patients (7.7%) and one patient (5%) had microdeletion in the AZFc region and in the AZFa, respectively. The results indicated that AZF microdeletions had a significant effect on azoospermia and oligospermia in infertile men. Conclusion: Y-chromosome microdeletion analysis can be recommended as an important molecular test for infertile males to obtain reliable genetic information before the administration of assisted-reproductive techniques. It will help to decrease the cost and technical difficulty of the procedure

Investigation of allelic frequency and forensic genetics parameter for 10 STR loci in Arab and Kurd ethnics of Iran

Background and Aim: Short tandem repeat (STR) markers, are conserved region in human genome and highly polymorphic between individuals. Nowadays, genotyping of STR marker is widely known and used for the genetic identification of individuals in forensic DNA analyses. Based on allelic frequencies of STR loci varies between populations, investigation of genetically and forensically parameters in each population and characterization of these markers is necessary. The objective of this study was to optimizing laboratory method for application of 10autosomal STR loci (TPOX، vWA، D7S820، D8S1179، D13S317، D16S539، D18S51، D5S818، THO1، D21S311) in Kurd and Arab ethnics of Iran and investigation of population and forensic genetics parameter of these markers in these populations. Materials and Methods: In this semi-experimental study, blood samples from 93 Arab and 94 Kurd individuals were collected. After DNA extraction, PCR amplification was carried out for 10 autosomal STR loci, individually. Then, acrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to determine the genotype of each individual in each site. Results: Deviation from Hardy Weinberg equilibrium even after Bonfferroni correction was seen in the locus of D13S317in both Populations. After D13S317 loci, the highest observed heterozygosity was seen in D21S311loci for Kurd population (94%) and in THO1, vWA and D5S818 locifor Arab population (84%). The lowest observed heterozygosity (0.71 and 0.72) was seen in TPOX loci for both populations form Arab and Kurd ethnics, respectively. Investigation of&nbsp; forensic genetic parameters (PI, PE, PD, and PIC) showed that in except of the D13S317 loci other remaining evaluated locus had proper properties for using in genetics fingertips in both of Kourd and Arab ethnics. Conclusion: &nbsp;The results of current study indicate that the necessity investigation of forensic genetics for rapid characterization of the different ethnicities which located in different geographic parts of Iran in order to choose the appropriate data set to calculate of forensic genetics parameters not only within each ethnic but also between them. &nbsp