Clinical and Para-clinical Findings of a Recent Outbreaks of Peste des Petits Ruminants in Iran

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious and infectious viral disease of domestic and wild small ruminants characterized by fever, erosive stomatitis, conjunctivitis, gastroenteritis and pneumonia. Goats are usually more severely affected than sheep. Peste des petits ruminants is caused by a paramyxovirus of the Morbillivirus genus. In March 2004, a flock of sheep in Tehran province with 430 deaths was visited. According to the history taken from the owner, at disease onset most of the deaths were recorded from adult sheep, 3 weeks later lambs (2 weeks to 4 months of age) showed the highest death rate. All animals from 3 months age received rinderpest vaccine 1 month after onset. Many of the lambs died just a few hours after their first sucking of the colostrum from infected mothers. Most of them showed very acute form of disease and died a few hours after onset of clinical signs. In clinical examinations most of the cases showed severe depression, high fever (41 degrees C), anorexia, mocopulurent nasal discharge, erosive and necrotic stomatitis (dental path, hard palate and cheeks), diarrhoea and dehydration. Para-clinical findings including histopathological, serological and haematological examinations also confirmed the presence of PPR in this flock. PPR outbreaks have been frequent in Iran in recent years. Further, we suggest that PPR is not a recent invader of Iran. The main difference in clinical signs between this outbreak and the same in other reports is that goats did not show any obvious signs of PPR. This might be due to the number of the goats (>1% of the flock) and keeping them separate from the sheep. The present article reviews the details of this outbreak in Iran.     

Application of bio-desalinization for reclamation of salt-affected soil under composted cow manure and deficit irrigation with saline water

Paddy and Water Environment - Application of common leaching and flushing methods is often impractical due to freshwater scarcity, groundwater pollution and a lack of suitable drainage systems. To...     

Forest Road Detection Using LiDAR Data

We developed a three-step classification approach for forest road extraction utilizing LiDAR data. The first step employed the IDW method to interpolate LiDAR point data （first and last pulses） to achieve DSM, DTM and DNTM layers （at 1 m resolution）. For this interpolation RMSE was 0.19 m. In the second step, the Support Vector Machine （SVM） was employed to classify the LiDAR data into two classes, road and non-road. For this classification, SVM indicated the merged distance layer with intensity data and yielded better identification of the road position. Assessments of the obtained results showed 63% correctness, 75% completeness and 52% quality of classification. In the next step, road edges were defined in the LiDAR-extracted layers, enabling accu- rate digitizing of the centerline location. More than 95% of the Li- DAR-derived road was digitized within 1.3 m to the field surveyed nor- rnal. The proposed approach can provide thorough and accurate road inventory data to support forest management.     

Effect of vermicompost on some morphological,physiological and biochemical traits of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) under salinity stress

Vermicompost can play an effective role in plant growth and development and also in reducing harmful effects of various environmental stresses on plants due to its porous structure, high water storage capacity, having hormone-like substances and plant growth regulators and also high levels of macro and micro nutrients. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of vermicompost and salinity interactions on some morphological and physiological features and concentration of mineral elements of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Light Red Kidney) cultivar. A factorial experimental with five different volumetric ratios of vermicompost and sand, including to: 0:100; 10:90; 25:75; 50:50 and 75:25 and four levels of salinity [20, 40, 60 and 80 mmol l^?1 sodium chloride (NaCl)], and control was conducted base on Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Bean seeds were sowed in plastic pots, the seedlings being sampled 42 days old (flowering stage).The results showed that vermicompost had significant effect on all studied traits under stress and non-stress (p ≤ 0.05).In this experiment, the vermicompost significantly increased the photosynthetic rate and concentrations of potassium (K⁺) and calcium (Ca²)⁺in leaf and root tissues. In salinity levels of 20, 40 and 60 mmol l^?1NaCl, all subjected ratios of vermicompost and in 80 mmol l^?1NaCl the ratios of 10% and 75% vermicompost, significantly ameliorated negative effects of salinity. In both stress and non-stress conditions, using 10% volume of vermicompost is recommended to improve the growth of bean plants.     

Soil and water conservation in ethiopia

The article shows results of an international and interdisciplinary project with the title ‘Rainfall and its Erosivity in Ethiopia’. The article contains information about the traditional soil conservation practices, the reasons for intervention with traditional soil conservation technologies, the historical background of instutionalized soil conservation activities, the institutional frame work for soil conservation activities and their achievements, and the different departments and organisations for soil and water conservation as far as soil erosion in Ethiopia is concerned. As a conclusion and recommendation, the major constraints of the past activities and the current situation including future trends were discussed.     

Potassium isotherm partitioning based on modified quantity‐intensity relation and potassium buffering characterization of soils of North India

Background : Potassium (K) availability in soil and plant uptake is restrained by the dynamic interactions among the different pools of K. Aims : To understand these interactions, a study was undertaken to assess the quantity–intensity (Q/I) and buffering characteristics of rainfed maize (Zea mays L.) growing soils. Ten contrasting soils were evaluated for K partitioning changes in exchangeable K (ΔEK) and non‐exchangeable K (ΔNEK) pools in the soil‐solution phase and buffering characteristics using a modified version of Q/I approach. Results : The partitioned Q/I isotherms showed strong adsorption with the increase in K concentration ratio (CR^K) and the changes due to ΔEK were higher than changes due to ΔNEK. Total buffering capacity (PBC^K) significantly correlated (r = 0.92, p <0.01) with clay content with a major share contributed by buffering capacity owing to non‐exchangeable K ( ${\mathrm{PBC}}_{\Delta \mathrm{NEK}}^K$) rather than exchangeable K ( ${\mathrm{PBC}}_{\Delta \mathrm{EK}}^K$). The fixation capacity (β) factor, the magnitude of added K converted into a non‐exchangeable pool, ranged from 41 to 63%, whereas release (α) factor, the magnitude of added K converted to the exchangeable pool, ranged from 19 to 36%. Both threshold solution K (CK_r) and threshold exchangeable K (EK_r) values were found to be high in Satran clay loam (S2) and lower in Doon silty clay loam (S3) soils. The equilibrium exchangeable K (EK_o) was found close to minimum exchangeable K (E_min) in Doon silty clay loam (S3) and Babaweyl sandy clay loam (S1) soils and overall E_min constituted about 8.94 to 0.57% of the EK_o. Conclusion : It may be concluded that K Q/I isotherm partitioning provides a valuable insight to assess the dynamic relations. The ratio of α/β (K recharge index) could be used to evaluate the K enrichment capacity of soil to K additions while EK_r and E_min can be potentially useful in the elucidation of exchangeable K as K fertility index especially in soils with poor K fertilizer management.     

Interaction of water and nitrogen on maize grown for silage

Water scarcity and environmental pollution due to excessive nitrogen (N) applications are important environmental concerns. The Varamin region, which is located in the central part of Iran, is one of the locations where farmers apply 250-350 kg N ha⁻¹ for silage maize without any concerns with respect to the available water for irrigation. The objective of this study was to quantify the response of the silage maize (Zea mays L.) to variable irrigation and N fertilizer applications under arid and semi-arid conditions and to determine the optimum amount of N fertilizer as a function of irrigation. The maize Hybrid 704 single-cross was planted on 3 August 2003 and on 25 June 2004. The experimental treatments consisted of three N rates (0, 150, and 200 kg N ha⁻¹) and four levels of irrigation, including two deficit irrigation levels 0.70 SWD (soil water depletion) and 0.85 SWD, a full-irrigation level (1.0 SWD) and an over-irrigation level (1.13 SWD). Twelve treatments were arranged in a strip-plot design in a randomized complete block with three replicates. Gravimetric soil samples were collected in 2003 and a neutron probe was used in 2004 to measure soil water content. Leaf area index, total aboveground biomass (TB), plant height, stem diameter, and leaf, stem, and ear dry weight were measured during the growing seasons and at final harvest. Total aboveground biomass was affected by irrigation (P < 0.0001) during both years and was also affected by N fertilizer in 2003 (P = 0.0001) and 2004 (P < 0.0001). However, there was no irrigation and N fertilizer interaction for both years (P > 0.5). Total aboveground biomass and biomass of the crop components increased as a function of the amount of water and N applied. For each of the irrigation levels, there was an associated optimum amount of N, which increased as the amount of irrigation water that was applied increased. Among the four irrigation levels that were studied, 0.85 SWD was the optimum level of irrigation for the conditions at the experimental site. The results also indicated that an increase in N applications is not a good strategy to compensate for a decrease of TB under drought stress conditions. We concluded that the effect of N fertilizer on TB depends on the availability of water in the soil, and that the amount of N fertilizer applied should be decreased under drought stress conditions. Further research will combine these results with a crop simulation model to help optimize nitrogen and water management for silage maize.     

Potassium Fixation and Release in Some Calcareous Soils under Orange Cultivation

Eurasian Soil Science - Arid and semiarid soils of southern Iran may fix a large content of applied potassium (K), but the fixed K may be gradually supplied to plants. Sixteen representative soils...     

Association Study of rs1333040 and rs1004638 Polymorphisms in the 9p21 Locus with Coronary Artery Disease in Southwest of Iran

Background:

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a multifactorial and heterogenic disease. Recently, genome-wide association studies have reported that rs1333040 (C/T) and rs1004638 (A/T) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the 9p21 locus have very strong association with CAD. This study aimed to examine these associations in Southwest of Iran.

Methods:

Blood samples were collected from 200 CAD patients and 110 healthy individuals with no CAD. The association of two SNPs with CAD was evaluated by PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism.

Results:

Chi-square test showed no association between rs1333040 SNP and CAD (X²: 4.66, df: 2, P=0.09). Also, there was no association between rs1004638 SNP and CAD (X²: 0.27, df: 2, P=0.88).

Conclusion:

No association was observed between rs1333040 and rs1004638 SNPs in the 9P21 region and CAD in Southwest of Iran. Key Words: Coronary artery disease, Single nucleotide polymorphisms, Genetic association study, Iran     

Optimization of elecrospinning process of zein using central composite design

Biodegradable edible sub-micron electrospun zein fibers were prepared using acetic acid as solvent. The solution concentration at three levels: 22, 26 and 30 w/v %, the electrospinning voltage at three levels: 10, 20 and 30 kV, the solution flow rate at three levels: 4, 8 and 12 ml/h and the distance between needle tip and collector at three levels: 10, 15 and 20 cm were studied. Central composite design (CCD) was utilized to modeling the effect of electrospinning parameters of zein solution on average fiber diameters and the data were analyzed using response surface methodology (RSM). Coefficient of determination, R², of fitted regression model was higher than 0.9 for response. The analysis of variance table showed that the lack of fit was not significant for response surface model at 95 %. Therefore, the model for response variable was highly adequate. Results also indicated that the solution concentration had significant influence (P<0.0001) on morphology and diameter of fibers. By increasing the solution concentration, uniform and bead-free fibers were obtained. As the solution concentration was increased, the average fiber diameters were also increased. Furthermore, the electrospinning voltage had significant effect (P<0.0001) on average fiber diameters. By increasing the electrospinning voltage, the average fiber diameters increased. The solution flow rate and the distance between needle tip and collector had no significant influence on the average fiber diameters. According to model optimization, the minimum average fiber diameter of electrospun zein fiber is given by following conditions: 24 w/v % zein concentration, 10 kV of the applied voltage, 10 cm of needle tip to collector distance, and 4 ml/h of solution flow rate.