A Study of Heavy Metal Status and its Relationship with Hematologic and Biochemical Indices in River Buffaloes in Southwest Iran.

Heavy metals are among the most important environmental pollutants which accumulate in various organs and are associated with several toxic effects. This study was performed to determine the status of heavy metals in river buffaloes in Khuzestan province, Iran, and its relationship with hematologic and serum biochemical parameters. A total of 103 apparently healthy buffaloes were sampled from the region. The concentration of heavy metals, including lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and cadmium (Cd), was determined in serum samples by atomic spectroscopy. In addition, complete blood counts and serum biochemical profiles were assessed. The serum concentration of Cd, Pb, and Hg in the sampled buffaloes, as mean±standard error, were 0.55±0.01, 6.51±0.10, and 6.28±0.09 µg/l, respectively, which are within the permissible serum levels in the livestock. Serum Cd and Hg levels showed no significant relationship with hematologic or biochemical analytes. However, there were significant negative correlations between Pb levels and phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, as well as potassium concentrations, while serum iron was positively correlated with lead (P<0.05). In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between Hg level and serum aspartate aminotransferase activity (P<0.05). Despite the fact that river buffaloes in Khuzestan spend a long time daily in the Karun River with high industrial pollution, no serum evidence of heavy metal toxicity was found in these animals. It can be suggested that river buffaloes in Khuzestan seem to be resistant to the environmental pollution caused by heavy metals. However, further studies are required to confirm this issue and identify its possible explanations.

Protective Effects of Bromelain against Cadmium-Induced Pulmonary Intoxication in Rats: A Histopathologic and Cytologic Study.

Bromelain is the active substance of pineapple with a variety of therapeutic properties. In this study, the possible protective effects of bromelain were assessed against cadmium acute intratracheal exposure and its bronchopulmonary cytologic and histopathologic consequences. For this purpose, the following treatments were performed on 11 groups of Wistar rats: group 1 was negative control; groups2 and 3 received Cadmium Chloride (CdCl2) 400 µg/rat intratracheally and sampled after 5 and 10 days, respectively; groups4 and 5received bromelain 20 mg/kg orally (PO) from 14 days before until 5 and 10 days after CdCl2 instillation, respectively; groups6 and 7received bromelain 40 mg/kg from 14 days before until 5 and 10 days after CdCl2 instillation, respectively; group 8received bromelain 40 mg/kg for 24 days; groups9 and 10: celecoxib 25 mg/kg PO from 1day before until 5 and 10 days after CdCl2 instillation, respectively; group 11 received celecoxib for 11 days. Cytologic evaluation of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid revealed that intratracheal cadmium administration resulted in a significant rise in total cell count, epithelial cells, neutrophils, and eosinophils, 5- and 10-days post-exposure. Treatment with bromelain either in low or high doses in cadmium-exposed rats resulted in a significant reduction of neutrophil count. Bromelain treatment could not completely prevent or recover interstitial pneumonia and fibrinous bronchopneumonia in cadmium exposed rats. However, administration of low doses resulted in a significant decrease of semi quantitative histopathologic scores, including pneumonia and cellular infiltration indices. In conclusion, bromelain may help to improve the cytological and histopathological complications following cadmium intoxication in the lungs.

Design and introduction of a rational mechanical eluting system for leukocyte recovery from leukoreduction filters: A cell differential approach.

OBJECTIVES: The use of leukoreduction filters has been highly increased in Iranian Blood Transfusion Centers within the last decade to provide sufficient leukoreduced blood products from healthy repeated donors for alloimmunized or sensitive recipients. Leucoflex LCR5, the dominant brand which procured by the Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization, is the most updated generation of the filters used around the world. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this study, we recovered trapped leukocytes from these filters using different buffer solutions and optimized elution method. The count of recovered cells assessed by cell counter, and cell viability was detected using trypan blue staining. The percent of leukocyte subpopulations was evaluated using a panel of monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometric analysis. RESULTS: It illustrated that a buffer solution consistent with PBS in pH 7.2 containing 2mM EDTA and 4% (w/w) Dextran 40 was the best buffer for LCR5 filter backflushing. The white cell counted as 4.56×108 Granulocytes, 3.34×108 Lymphocytes, and 0.64×108 Monocytes according to analysis with auto hemoanalysis and flow cytometric methods. CONCLUSION: The study guides and assists blood management systems in arranging a national blood profile database for future cell therapy strategies. Also, the recovered cells could be of significance in stem cell research, cellular interaction studies as well as novel molecular developments in drug discovery.

Evaluation of Local tissue oxidative stress and its possible involvement in the pathogenesis of toxoplasmosis in rats experimentally infected with Toxoplasma gondii.

Toxoplasmosis caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, is a zoonotic parasitic disease. Oxidative stress plays a dominant role in the host's defense against protozoan infection. In the present study the possible involvement of local oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of T. gondii were investigated. Twenty five female Wistar rats were infected with RH strain of Toxoplasma tachyzoites and twenty female rats were used as control group that only received sterile PBS. Tissue samples from liver, heart and brain on 0, 3, 5, 8 and 45 days post infection were collected. As biochemical markers of oxidative stress, endogenous concentrations of GSH, GPX and SOD activity, MDA level, protein carbonyl content and total antioxidant capacity were determined from the mentioned tissues of control and infected rats. Based on the results, on day 3, 5 and 8 post infection the level of hepatic glutathione were significantly decreased in infected rats when compared to control. There was a significant rise in hepatic glutathione peroxidase activity and malondialdehyde level on the third day post infection in comparison to uninfected rats. Significant elevation of superoxide dismutase activity and malondialdehyde level on 5 day post infection and protein carbonyls and total antioxidant capacity on 8 day post infection in infected livers were obtained. Significant changes of glutathione level, total antioxidant capacity and protein carbonyls contents were observed in cardiac homogenate on days 3, 5 and 45, respectively. Measured parameters were constant throughout all stages of experiment in brain of infected rats. Indeed increased production of reactive oxygen species accompanies Toxoplasma infection in liver and heart tissues of experimentally infected rats. Based on this study, antioxidant defense system can probably play a role in parasitic stage interconversion and shifting the toxoplasmosis into the chronic phase.

Protocol for a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Lithium, Anticonvulsive or atypical antipsychotic Drugs for Treatment of Refractory Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

INTRODUCTION: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a neuropsychiatric disorder that causes significant distress to the afflicted individual. About half of OCD patients treated with an adequate trial of serotonin reuptake inhibitors fail to fully respond to treatment and continue to exhibit significant symptoms. Therefore, there is a need for other agents to alleviate the symptoms of these disorders. In spite of considerable research including numerous randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews, there exists uncertainty regarding what treatments are effective. In this systematic review, we evaluated the efficacy of mood stabilizers in treatment-refractory OCD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a meta-analysis of all randomized clinical trials evaluating lithium, anticonvulsive agents or atypical antipsychotic drugs for OCD to determine which therapies show more effective than a placebo, in reducing obsessive-compulsive symptoms. We acquired eligible studies through a systematic search of Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Scopus, ProQuest and Google scholar. We conducted meta-analyses to establish the effect of lithium, anticonvulsive agents, or atypical antipsychotic drugs on patient-important outcomes when possible. To assess relative effects of treatments, we constructed a random effect model. DISCUSSIONS: Our review was the first to evaluate all treatments for OCD, to provide the relative effectiveness of lithium, anticonvulsive agents, or atypical antipsychotic drugs, and prioritize patient-important outcomes with a focus on functional gains. Our review facilitated the evidence-based management of patients with resistant OCD, and identified the key areas for future research.

Clinical, hematologic, and biochemical findings in cattle infected with lumpy skin disease during an outbreak in southwest Iran.

This study was performed to determine the clinical, hematologic, and biochemical findings in animals affected with lumpy skin disease (LSD) in southwest Iran. Sixty cattle with LSD were included in this study and compared with 20 healthy ones as the control group. The disease was diagnosed based on clinical examination and confirmed by polymerase chain reaction analysis of the blood samples. The major observed clinical signs included skin nodules, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, and edema. In hematologic assessment, the average numbers of leukocytes, lymphocytes, eosinophils, erythrocytes, and platelets, as well as the average level of hemoglobin in the infected animals were significantly lower than in the control group. Biochemical experiments showed that the serum glucose, total and direct bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase, and creatine phosphokinase activities in the infected group were significantly elevated. LSD also caused a significant reduction in the levels of serum creatinine, albumin, and iron. In total, LSD was associated with an overall decline in different blood cell types and significant changes in serum biochemical profile. These alterations could be related to the inflammatory disease processes and injuries in various organs, especially the liver. Hematologic and biochemical profiles can be utilized to better understand different aspects of LSD pathogenesis and ultimately improve its prognostic, management, and treatment methods.