Dopamine-induced hypophagia is mediated by D1 and 5HT-2c receptors in chicken

The present study was designed to examine the effects of intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of Dopamine (10, 20 and 40 nmol), L-DOPA (dopamine precursor; 62.5, 125 and 250 nmol), 6-OHDA (dopamine inhibitor; 75, 150 and 300 nmol), SCH 23390 (D₁ antagonist; 2.5, 5 and 10 nmol), AMI-193 (D₂ antagonist; 2.5, 5 and 10 nmol), NGB2904 (D₃ antagonist; 3.2, 6.4 and 12.8 nmol), L-741 T742 (D₄ antagonist; 1.5, 3 and 6 nmol) on food intake in FD₃ chickens. At following, birds were ICV injected using 8-OH-DPAT (5-HT_1A agonist; 15.25 nmol) and SB242084 (5-HT_2C antagonist; 1.5 μg) prior dopamine (40 nmol) injection. Cumulative food intake was determined until 3 h post-injection. According to the results, dopamine significantly decreased food intake in chickens (p?<?0.05). The inhibitory effect of dopamine on food intake was decreased by SCH 23390 pretreatment (P?<?0.05), but AMI-193, NGB2904 and L-741, 742 had no effect on food intake induced by dopamine. In addition, hypophagic effect of dopamine was attenuated by SB242084 (P?<?0.05), but 8-OH-DPAT had no effect. These results suggest that dopamine decrease food intake via D₁ receptor and there is an interaction between dopaminergic and serotonergic systems via 5-HT_2C receptor in chickens.     

Modulatory function of NMDA glutamate receptor on MC<Subscript>3</Subscript>/MC<Subscript>4</Subscript> receptors agonist-induced hypophagia in neonatal meat-type chicken

Melanocortin 3 and 4 receptors (MC₃R and MC₄R) are known as the main receptors for melanocortin-induced hypophagia in mammalian and poultry. Also, central glutamatergic system has mediatory role on function of the melanocortin system in some brain areas. So, the aim of the current study was to determine the role of MC₃/MC₄ receptors agonist on food intake and its interaction with glutamatergic in 3-h food-deprived (FD₃) neonatal broilers. In experiment 1, chickens were intracerebroventricular (ICV) injected with control solution, MTII (MC₃/MC₄ receptors agonist; 2.45, 4.8 and 9.8 pmol). In experiment 2, control solution, SHU9119 (MC₃/MC₄ receptors antagonist; 0.5, 1 and 2 nmol) were ICV injected. In experiment 3, birds ICV injected with control solution, SHU9119 (0.5 nmol), MTII (9.8 pmol) and co-injection of the SHU9119 + MTII. Experiments 4–8 were similar to experiment 3, except birds injected with MK-801 (NMDA glutamate receptors antagonist, 15 nmol), CNQX (AMPA glutamate receptors antagonist; 390 nmol), AIDA (mGLUR₁ glutamate receptors antagonist; 2 nmol), LY341495 (mGLUR₂ glutamate receptors antagonist; 150 nmol) and UBP1112 (mGLUR₃ glutamate receptors antagonist; 2 nmol) instead of SHU9119. Then, cumulative food intake was recorded until 120 min after injection. According to the results, dose dependent hypophagia observed after ICV injection of the MTII (p < 0.05). ICV injection of SHU9119 significantly increased food intake in birds (p < 0.05). Co-injection of SHU9119 + MTII significantly inhibited MTII- induced hypophagia in neonatal chicks (p < 0.05). In addition, hypophagia- induced by MTII was significantly attenuated with co-injection of MTII + MK-801(p < 0.05). These results suggested MC₃ and MC₄ receptors have inhibitory role on food intake and this effect is probably mediated by NMDA glutamate receptors in neonatal chickens.     

The effect of melanocortin (Mc3 and Mc4) antagonists on serotonin-induced food and water intake of broiler cockerels

The current study was designed to examine the effects of intracerebroventricular injections of SHU9119 [a nonselective melanocortin receptor (McR) antagonist] and MCL0020 (a selective McR antagonist) on the serotonin-induced eating and drinking responses of broiler cockerels deprived of food for 24 h (FD24). For Experiment 1, the chickens were intracerebroventricularly injected with 2.5, 5, and 10 µg serotonin. In Experiment 2, the chickens received 2 nmol SHU9119 before being injected with 10 µg serotonin. For Experiment 3, the chickens were given 10 µg serotonin after receiving 2 nmol MCL0020, and the level of food and water intake was determined 3 h post-injection. Results of this study showed that serotonin decreased food intake but increased water intake among the FD24 broiler cockerels and that these effects occurred in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect of serotonin on food intake was significantly attenuated by pretreatment with SHU9119 and MCL0020. However, the stimulatory effect of serotonin on water intake was not altered by this pretreatment. These results suggest that serotonin hypophagia and hyperdipsia were mediated by different mechanisms in the central nervous system, and that serotonin required downstream activation of McRs to promote hypophagia but not hyperdipsia in the FD24 chickens.     

Postharvest polyamine application alleviates chilling injury and affects apricot storage ability

Fruit of two apricot cultivars 'Bagheri' and 'Asgarabadi' were treated with putrescine (Put) or spermidine (Spd) at 1 mM and then were stored at 1 °C for 21 days. Fruit were sampled weekly and stored 2 days at 20 °C for shelf-life study. The treatments reduced ethylene production and maintained the firmness and color of the fruit. Peroxidase (POX), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities and total phenol (TP) concentrations were measured during storage. Both cultivars showed chilling injury (CI) incidence, and the severity in control fruit was higher than either Put or Spd treatments. CI incidence in Spd-treated fruit was lower than that of Put-treated fruit. Polyamine (PA) treatment generally increased antioxidant enzyme activity of fruit during storage. PA treatments may help maintain the quality of apricot fruit during storage by inhibiting ripening and decreasing CI incidence.     

Growth,morphology and gas exchange responses of two-year-old Quercus castaneifolia seedlings to flooding stress

Tolerance to flooding is crucial when thinking in promissory species for restoration of ecosystems prone to suffer soil water excess. In this study, we tested the flooding tolerance of two-years-old seedlings of Chestnut-leaved oak (Quercus castaneifolia C.A.Mey.) to determine whether it can be recommended for use in wetland restoration programs. Seedlings of Q. castaneifolia were subjected to three treatments: (1) control (C), (2) flooding for 60 days followed by a 42-day recovery period (F?+?R) and (3) continuous flooding for 102 days (F). Physiological performance, plant morphological changes and biomass accumulation were assessed. Results showed that, although net photosynthetic rates, stomatal conductance and transpiration decreased with prolonged flooding, when flood waters were removed, plants were able to recover their physiological activity (49–80% compared to controls). By contrast, when plants were continually flooded, their physiological activity decreased as well as the leaves experienced precocious senescence and wilting. Biomass responses paralleled physiological responses: leaf and root biomass were 42–49% higher under F?+?R treatment than under continuous flooding, and all plants under the F?+?R survived. Therefore, Q. castaneifolia appears as a promising species to be further studied when thinking re-vegetation of riverine areas and other temporarily flooded wetlands.     

Interaction of Different Wheat Genotypes and Nitrification Inhibitor 3,4-Dimethylpyrazole Phosphate Using 15N Isotope Tracing Techniques

To investigate the effect of applying ¹⁵N-labeled ammonium sulfate with or without a nitrification inhibitor 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) on fertilizer use efficiency and crop productivity of different wheat genotypes, a field trial was conducted at the Nuclear Agricultural Department’s farm of Iran in 2013–2014. The treatments included five wheat genotypes with different 13 C isotope discrimination and three fertilizer treatments, an unfertilized control, ¹⁵N-labeled ammonium sulfate, and ¹⁵N-labeled ammonium sulfate with DMPP in three replications. Soil samples were taken after 2, 4, and 6 weeks after sowing and also at harvest time. Results from ¹⁵N experiment showed that DMPP delayed nitrification of ammonium for 42 days. Genotypes with lower discrimination index had greater uptake of ammonium ions which led to increase crop yield and nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency. The results also suggested that the use of DMPP may not be beneficial in some fast growing wheat genotypes.     

Nitrogen release dynamics of a slow release urea pellet and its effect on growth,yield, and nutrient uptake of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.)

Manure urea pellets were produced and their nitrogen release rate was evaluated in soil incubation at different water contents of 90, 75, and 60% soil filed capacity (FC). In another experiment, sweet basil growth was evaluated during eight months (with three shoot harvests) under the pellet application. The nitrogen release and pellet dispersion rates were slow after two months or at lower soil water content (60% FC), but they were significant after four months of soil incubation, or at higher soil water content (75 or particularly 90% FC). Application of pelleted urea reduced plant growth and yield at first harvest than urea treatment. However, at second and particularly at third harvest (and the average of three harvests) significant improvement in growth parameters of SPAD value, leaf area, plant height, shoot fresh weight, pot yield, and` leaf N and K concentrations were achieved by application of pelleted urea fertilization.     

Molecular and morphological characterization of Golestan (Iran) olive ecotypes provides evidence for the presence of promising genotypes

Unidentified olive plants naturally grow in the Golestan province of Iran, on different soils and under climates spanning from sub-temperate to desert conditions, represented by single trees or groups of few trees. We collected samples from representative sites and analyzed them by simple sequence repeat markers in order to determine their identity and their relationships to prominent Iranian and Mediterranean reference cultivars. Population structure analysis separated these ecotypes from Mediterranean and, surprisingly, from all Iranian cultivars, the parentage test excluded their direct contribution as candidate parents or offspring of cultivars, and they also showed a high level of admixture. Their differentiation from cultivated olives may be attributed to different factors: they could represent wild plants or could derive from natural dissemination of ancestral cultivated trees. Their survival up to now may be due to the fact that most of them are grown on sacred sites such as necropolis. Anyhow, the adaptation to strong environmental stresses, and their fruit size and oil content make the olive Golestan ecotypes a valuable source of genetic variation previously uncharacterized and currently threatened with extinction.     

The effect of composted municipal waste,sheep manure,and urea nitrogen on the growth and chemical composition of two rapeseed cultivars

Oil cultivars of Brassica napus L. were grown to compare the effects of composted municipal waste (CMW) and sheep manure (SM) to field soil (C0). To each soil group, one of three levels of urea nitrogen fertilizer (N) was added. SM grown plants had higher N than those grown in CMW with the Sarigol cultivar having a higher N content than the RGS cultivar. Field soil plants grown in control soil had lowest N levels. Organic amendments increased N content of both cultivars. SM grown plants produced more siliques, a higher seed yield, and greater 100 seed weight compared to those grown in CMW. Control soil plants had the lowest number of siliques, seed yield, and 100 seed weight. CMW-treated plants contained slightly more metals than SM plants. Field soil plants had the lowest metal levels. CMW and SM application had potential to improve the growth and chemical composition without adding urea.