Evaluating Beech Tree Phenology in a Deciduous Broadleaf Forest in Northern Iran Using Ground Observation and MODIS Images

We selected 15 beech trees (Fagus orientalis) from the study area in a mountainous region from 520 to 1310 m above sea level. Ground observations of the beech tree growth process from January to December 2004 in 7- to 15-day intervals were performed both visually and by measuring leaf chlorophyll concentration (chlorophyll meter SPAD-502). Results for the regression analysis showed that the leaved period positively correlated with the air temperature (r?=?.894). Anthesis and SPAD measurements have a negative relationship with air temperature and as temperature increases they appear earlier in the year. Anthesis and SPAD measurements had correlation coefficients of r?=??.883 and r?=??.855, respectively. The anthesis and bud bursting and leaf tip appearance have a negative relationship with increasing altitude from sea level and as altitude increases they appear later in the year. To make phenological events in deciduous broadleaf forests recognizable, we used a seasonal 8-day composite Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer/Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (MODIS/NDVI). Prior to leaf expansion, NDVI increased from the 109th day of the year or earlier. Existence of the evergreen plants (Ruscus hyrcanus) on the ground and snow-melting exert an influence on inconsistency of phenology monitoring of MODIS/NDVI images. Regression analysis showed that there is a positive relationship between NDVI and SPAD measurements (chlorophyll content) in beech trees.     

Assessment of Lactate Dehydrogenase,Alkaline Phosphatase and Aspartate Aminotransferase Activities in Cow’s Milk as an Indicator of Subclinical Mastitis

This study examined the activities of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the milk of lactating Holstein cows in association with subclinical mastitis (SCM). A total of 94 milk samples were collected from 58 lactating dairy cows representing stages of lactation from the second to the tenth week after calving. Those which were classified as positive by California mastitis test (CMT) were deemed to have subclinical mastitis. All the milk samples were skimmed by centrifugation at 10 000g at 0 degrees C and were used for enzyme activities estimations. The mean activities of LDH and ALP were higher in the milk from udders with SCM than in the milk from healthy udders (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in AST values. The maximum agreement rates between the CMT results and LDH and ALP values were seen at thresholds of > 180 IU/L and > 40 IU/L respectively (kappa values 0.65 and 0.79, respectively). However, the sensitivity of the tests for identifying SCM at these thresholds was higher for ALP (96.4%) than for LDH (68.5%). In this study, LDH and ALP tests were standardized for cow's milk and results showed that only the ALP test was reliable in the early diagnosis of subclinical mastitis.     

A novel biodegradable polyurethane based on hydroxylated polylactic acid and tung oil mixtures. I. Synthesis,physicochemical and biodegradability characterization

A novel biodegradable polylactic acid-based polyurethane (PU) was synthesized via a chain extension reaction between hydroxylated polylactic acid (PLA-OH) and hydroxylated tung oil (HTO) using 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) to link the two polyols and dibutyltin dilaurate (DBTDL) as a catalyst. Both PLA-OH and HTO, as polyols, were separately synthesized in our laboratory. Three different molecular weights of PLA-OH prepolymers were used, and the molar ratio of PLA-OH to HTO was also changed to investigate the effect of these two parameters on the structure and properties of the final PUs. Chemical structures of PLA-OH, HTO, and final PUs were investigated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Hydrogen-1 nuclear magnetic resonance (¹HNMR) spectroscopies. Thermal transitions and thermal stability of the final PUs were, respectively, studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The FTIR and ¹HNMR results showed that the chain-extension reaction of the two polyols with HDI was sufficiently achieved. The TGA results showed that the polyurethanes based on the lower molecular weight PLA segments were more thermally stable; it was not degraded up to 270 °C. DSC results showed that incorporating HTO in the PU chains led to formation of more flexible PU chains, while the glass transition temperatures of the PUs of higher PLA-OH molecular weights were higher than those of lower ones.     

Effect of diet composition on growth performance,hepatic metabolism and antioxidant activities in Siberian sturgeon (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Acipenser</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">baerii</Emphasis>, Brandt, 1869) submitted to starvation and refeeding

Many fish species undergo natural starvation periods. Adaptation to starvation is possible through the activation of behavioral, biochemical and physiological mechanisms. Knowledge of the effect of dietary nutrients on the intermediary metabolism during starvation and refeeding can be useful to improve fish health and optimize aquaculture production. To analyze the effect of dietary nutrients on liver metabolism of Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) submitted to starvation and refeeding, four isoenergetic diets differing in nutrient composition were designed: LP-St (38 % protein, 12 % lipid, 36 % carbohydrate), HP-St (44 % protein, 10 % lipid, 30 % carbohydrate), LP-L (38 % protein, 18 % lipid, 25 % carbohydrate) and HP-L (44 % protein, 16 % lipid, 22 % carbohydrate). Four groups of fish were fed 3 weeks to satiety with the corresponding diet, starved for 2 weeks and then refeed 5 weeks to satiety on the same diet. Starvation mobilized the hepatic lipid store to a greater extent than glycogen. Starvation increased superoxide dismutase activity irrespective of the diet, while low protein diets (LP-St and LP-L) increased catalase activity. The oxidative damage decreased after 5 weeks of refeeding. Refeeding the starved fish on the HP-St diet promoted the greatest growth performance. In addition to reporting for the first time the effect of diet composition on growth, liver composition and antioxidant activities in Siberian sturgeon submitted to starvation and refeeding, our findings suggest that refeeding on HP-St diet stimulated the use of dietary carbohydrates and allowed a protein sparing effect in Siberian sturgeon.     

Germination and growth response of flax (Linum usitatissimum) to salinity stress by different salt types and concentrations

This investigation was conducted to explore the effects of salt types with different concentrations on germination and growth parameters of flax seeds. The experiment was set out as a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with three replications. We used six kinds of salts (NaCl, CaCl₂, CaCO₃, Na₂SO₄, Na₂CO₃ and KCl) with concentrations of 0, 50, 100 and 200 mM. According to the results, the inhibitory effects of the five salt types differed substantially, especially in the case of CaCO₃, Na₂CO₃ and Na₂SO₄. Inhibitory effects of these salts were very strong compared to those of NaCl and CaCl₂. Germination of flax seeds by various salts was in the order of NaCl > CaCl₂ > KCl > Na₂CO₃ > Na₂SO₄ > CaCO₃. The effect of salt concentration was obvious, too. Seeds of flax were able to germinate even in 200 mM NaCl, but they only germinated in distilled water or at very low CaCO₃, Na₂CO₃ and Na₂SO₄ concentrations (50 mM).     

Common carotid intima-media thickness in patients with late rheumatoid arthritis; what is the role of gender?

This study aimed to evaluate color Doppler sonographic findings in carotid arteries in RA patients under pharmacological treatments and to compare them with normal population. Forty nine patients with late RA and 48 healthy age and sex-matched controls were recruited. The two groups were matched for other known risk factors of atherosclerosis including serum lipid abnormalities, smoking status, diabetes mellitus and hypertension. High resolution B-mode color Doppler ultrasound with a 7 MHZ transducer was used for measuring the Common Carotid Intima-Medial Thickness (CCIMT) in both sides in all subjects. Presence of atherosclerotic plaque was also investigated. The mean left and maximum CCIMT was significantly higher in the case group (0.72 vs. 0.62 mm for the left artery; p < 0.01; 0.72 vs. 0.64 mm for the maximum reading; p = 0.01). No atherosclerotic plaque was found in common carotid arteries. There were 3 (6.1), 7 (14.3) and 9 (18.4%) plaques in left internal carotid artery, right carotid bulb and left carotid bulb in the case group, respectively with no atherosclerotic plaques in the controls (p = 0.24, 0.01 and < 0.001, respectively). Comparing the findings by gender in the case group with the controls, the mentioned significant differences were only between the male patients and the controls. The process of atherosclerosis in RA patients is similar to that in normal population. However, it is apparently accelerated and more advanced in these patients.     

Morphological and oil content variations amongst Damask rose (Rosa damascena Mill.) landraces from different regions of Iran

Forty landraces of Damask rose were collected from 28 provinces (13 origin sites) in Iran and evaluated to determine the diversity among them. The investigated characters were: flower weight, flower diameter, peduncle length, number of petals, number of stamens and oil content. Pearson's coefficients showed that number of petals was positively correlated with flower weight (r = 0.642) and number of stamens (r = 0.630), while its correlation with peduncle length was negative (r = −0.53). A negative correlation was obtained between oil content and number of stamens (r = −0.60) which is useful for indirect selection of landraces with low number of stamens and therefore high amount of oil content. Cluster analysis based on five botanical characters and oil content separated the origin site 12, which included Guilan, Mazandaran and Golestan provinces with a specific climate condition of temperate humid, from other origin sites. This distinctiveness was already confirmed by the bi-plot of the principal components. The distribution of Damask rose landraces provided useful information for the future collection and for the genetic resource management in these origin sites.     

Effects of transplanted mesenchymal stem cells isolated from Wharton’s jelly of caprine umbilical cord on cutaneous wound healing; histopathological evaluation

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of transplanted Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stem cells (WJMSCs) of caprine umbilical cord on cutaneous wound healing process in goat. After collection of caprine pregnant uterus of mixed breed goats from abattoir, the Wharton’s jelly (WJ) of umbilical cord was harvested. The tissues were minced in ventilated flasks and explant culture method was used for separating mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The isolated cells were immunostained for Actin protein, histochemically assayed for the presence of alkaline phosphatase activity, and analyzed for detection of matrix receptors (CD44) and hematopoetic lineage markers (CD34), using flow cytometery. After The isolated cells, 3 × 10⁶ MSCs were stained with BrdU and prepared for transplantation to each wound. Four 3-cm linear full thickness skin incisions were made on both sides of thoracic vertebrate of four Raeini goats (two wounds on each side). The left wounds were implanted with MSCs in 0.6 ml of Phosphate buffer saline (PBS), and the right wounds considered as control group that received 0.6 ml of PBS. The samples were taken from the wounds 7 and 12 days after the wounding, and healing process was compared histologically between the two groups. Anti-BrdU staining showed that the transplanted cells were still alive in the wound bed during the study. The histopathological study revealed that re-epithelialization was complete at days 7 in treated wounds with WJMSCs, whereas in control wound the wounds still showed incomplete epithelialization 12 days after wounding. Also, microscopic evaluation showed less inflammation, thinner granulation tissue formation with minimum scar in the treated wounds in comparison with control wounds. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the beneficial effect of caprine WJMSCs in cutaneous wound healing in goat.     

Growth response,body composition,plasma metabolites,digestive and antioxidant enzymes activities of Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii,Brandt, 1869) fed different dietary protein and carbohydrate: lipid ratio

Knowing the effect of dietary nutrients on physiological parameters, especially oxidative stress, during fish rearing can be useful to improve fish health and optimize production in aquaculture. In this study, four iso‐energetic (2 × 2 factorial design) diets differing in nutrient composition were submitted to the Siberian sturgeon juveniles, to analyse biochemical and physiological responses. The juveniles were fed for as long as 10 weeks with the following diets: low protein–high carbohydrate (CHO): lipid ratio (LP‐St), high protein–high CHO: Lipid ratio (HP‐St), low protein‐low CHO: Lipid ratio (LP‐L) and high protein‐low CHO: Lipid ratio (HP‐L). It was shown that HP‐L diet significantly induced higher growth performance in the juveniles than LP‐L; however, there was not a significant difference between them with other treatments. HSI was increased by higher dietary CHO: L ratio. The result obviously showed the higher dietary fat led to an increase in sturgeon body fat content. In addition, dietary protein and CHO: lipid ratio significantly affected plasma metabolites (glucose, cortisol, cholesterol and triglyceride) but did not affect IGF‐1 and insulin levels. Based on enzyme activities results, incorporation of high protein (44%) in the diet induced lower amylase activity and carbohydrate digestion in the sturgeon juveniles. Moreover, antioxidant enzyme activities in this species were more influenced by lipid than other nutrients. In conclusion, using appropriate carbohydrates (~30%) in the sturgeon diet helps to spare protein. Furthermore, it is suggested to decrease the amount of lipid in high protein diet, to improve higher sturgeon fillet quality and less oxidative damage in liver.