Spatial abundance patterns and recruitment of a virus‐affected commercial mollusc fishery

Infectious pathogens figure prominently among those factors threatening marine wildlife. Mass mortality events caused by pathogens can fundamentally alter the structure of wild fish stocks and depress recruitment rates and yield. In the most severe instances, this can precipitate stock collapses resulting in dramatic economic losses to once valuable commercial fisheries. An outbreak of a herpes‐like virus among commercially fished abalone populations in the south‐west fishery of Victoria, Australia, during 2006–2007, has been associated with high mortality rates among all cohorts. Long‐term records from fishery‐independent surveys of blacklip abalone Haliotis rubra (Leach) enabled abundance from pre‐ and post‐viral periods to be analysed to estimate stock density and biomass. The spatial distribution of abundance in relation to physical habitat variables derived from high‐resolution bathymetric LiDAR data was investigated. Significant differences were observed in both measures between pre‐ and post‐viral periods. Although there was some limited evidence of gradual stock improvement in recent years, disease‐affected reefs have remained below productivity rates prior to the disease outbreak suggesting a reduction in larval availability or settlement success. This was corroborated by trends in sublegal sized blacklip abalone abundance that has yet to show substantial recovery post‐disease. Abundance data were modelled as a function of habitat variables using a generalised additive model (GAM) and indicated that high abundance was associated with complex reef structures of coastal waters (<15 m). This study highlights the importance of long‐term surveys to understand abalone recovery following mass mortality and the links between stock abundance and seafloor variability.     

Production of monoclonal antibody against recombinant bovine sex-determining region Y (SRY) and their preferential binding to Y chromosome-bearing sperm

Separation of X and Y chromosome-bearing sperm is an appropriate method for the selection of desired sex of offspring to increase the profit in livestock industries. The purpose of this study was the production of a monoclonal antibody against recombinant bovine sex-determining region Y protein for separation Y sperm. The hybridoma cells from splenocytes of immunized female's balb/C mice and Sp2/0 cells were made. The binding affinity of our monoclonal antibody (mAbSRY2) was compared with mouse monoclonal SRY-15. The Western blot method indicated that mAbSRY2 successfully detected the rbSRY protein. The specificity and sensitivity of mAbSRY2 is comparable to SRY-15 commercially ones. The SRY gene in 100% of bull semen contains the Y chromosome that had the strongest binding affinity to mAbSRY2 was synthesized. In other words, the binding affinity of semen contains the X sperms near the negative control. In general, this immunological method can help to separate X from Y sperms. However, the mAbSRY2 is bind to Y-bearing sexed sperm, but in the future; the sexed sperms need to apply in farms.     

Effect of Rift Valley fever virus on pregnant and non-pregnant local Barki ewes after artificial infection

Studies were conducted into effects of Rift Valley fever virus on oestrous and vaginal cytology in non-pregnant ewes. 6 pregnant and 8 non-pregnant local Barki ewes were subcutaneously inoculated with different doses of virus isolated from Sharkia Province. Observed were irregularities in the oestrous cycle (20-28 days inoculation) and anoestrum. The anoestrum smears included large non-cornified epithelial cells with large well stains centrally located nuclei together with a large number of bacteria. Abortion and retention of placenta occurred in pregnant ewes with prolonged puerperal heat up to 70 days. Inoculation of virus was followed by thermal response. Re-isolation of virus in BHK cells was possible from aborted foetuses and placenta.     

Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated genetic transformation in Cichorium spp.: hairy root production,inulin and total phenolic compounds analysis

Chicory (Cichorium spp.) is a valuable vegetable crop worldwide for its edible leaves and for the production of coffee substitutes from roots. Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated genetic transformation of two species of chicory (C. intybus and C. endivia) was investigated using Agrobacterium strain K599 harbouring p35SGFPGUS+ plasmid and two types of explants: leave and leaf stalks. This Agrobacterium strain proved to be competent in the transformation with transformation rate about (23.1%) in leaf explants of C. intybus. However, the transformation rate with C. endivia was much lower (3.6%). Moreover, the hairy roots appeared from different infection sites of the leaf explants. Several hairy roots of the two species were acquired, out of them 11 clones (C. intybus) and two clones (C. endivia) were selected due to their fast-growing character. Growth of hairy roots was determined on the basis of total root biomass accumulation. It was found that the liquid MS-basal medium seems to be the most suitable for biomass production. PCR analysis revealed foreign DNA integration in the selected transgenic hairy root clones. Notable, the transgenic hairy roots exhibited substantially higher growth rates and accumulated higher amount of inulin than non transgenic roots (WT). Also, the total phenolic compounds were determined.     

Imposed starvation for in vitro maintenance and high regeneration of elite key lime (Citrus aurantifolia)

Preservation of elite key lime (Citrus aurantifolia) genotypes using efficient micropropagation and regeneration protocols is very important for new breeding programmes. The objective of the present study was to develop an efficient protocol for micropropagation and maintenance of elite genotypes of key lime based on slow growth and starvation strategy. To do this, regenerated shoots were starved, and the growth was compromised via avoiding subcultures for 4, 8, 12 and 24 months. The numbers of responsive explants and adventitious shoots per each explant were evaluated in the presence of benzylaminopurine (BAP). The results showed that the 12- and 24-month starved explants treated with 1 mg/l BAP were able to produce four times more shoots than the control. In addition, the influences of horizontal or vertical layering explants over medium were evaluated. The results indicated that all horizontally layered explants significantly produced 25% adventitious shoots more than vertical explants, most likely owing to more contact with the surface medium. Finally, it could be concluded that application of slow growth, starvation strategy and also horizontally layering of the explants could efficiently enhance micropropagation and maintenance of threatened elite key lime genotypes with a low cost.     

Effect of Lavandula angustifolia essential oil against lesser mulberry pyralid Glyphodes pyloalis Walker (Lep: Pyralidae) and identification of its major derivatives

The major constituents of the oil of Lavandula angustifolia Mill were estimated as borneoll (8.57%), alpha terpinene (6.22%), linolool (4.91%) geranyl proprionate (3.76%), butanoic acid hexyl ester (2.99%) and caryophyllene oxide (2.72%). LC₁₀, LC₃₀ and LC₅₀ were estimated as 0.31%, 0.705% and 1.24% respectively. The sublethal concentration (LC₃₀) of essential oil affected the nutritional indices of 4th instar larvae of Glyphodes pyloalis. The essential oil reduced total protein, carbohydrate and lipid when compared with the control. All concentrations (0.25%, 0.5%, 1%, and 2%) of essential oil affected the major macromolecules and activities of key enzyme in G. pyloalis.     

Effects of urea nitrogen and residual composted municipal waste and sheep manure on the growth and chemical composition of two triticale genotypes

In 2012, a greenhouse experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of field soil (C0), residual composted municipal waste (CMW), and residual composted sheep manure (SM) on the growth of triticale in pots previously growing oilseed rape in 2011. To each soil group, one of three levels of urea nitrogen (N) fertilizer was added. Results demonstrated that triticale grown in pots previously containing oilseed rape plants containing SM or CMW with 150 kg urea N ha^?1 had the highest N content. Plants grown in SM with 150 kg N ha^?1 had the greatest seed yield, but yield was not significantly different from plants grown in CMW receiving 150 kg N ha^?1. Triticale plants enriched by either SM or CMW had a higher amount of N, copper, zinc, and manganese compared to the field soil control.     

Monitoring pyrethroid insecticide resistance in major malaria vector Anopheles culicifacies: comparison of molecular tools and conventional susceptibility test

BACKGROUND: Anopheles culicifacies is a main malaria vector in southeastern part of Iran, bordring Afghanistan and Pakistan. So far, resistance to DDT, dieldrin, malathion and partial tolerance to pyrethroids has been reported in An. stephensi, but nothing confirmed on resistance status of An. culicifacies in Iran. METHODS: In current study, along with WHO routine susceptibility test with DDT (4%), dieldrin (0.4%), malathion (5%), permethrin (0.25%), lambadacyhalothrin (0.1%), and deltamethrin 0.025, we cloned and sequenced segment VI of domain II (SII6) in voltage-gated sodium channel (vgsc) gene of An. culicifacies specimens collected in Sistan and Baluchistan province (Iran). RESULTS: A 221-bp amplified fragment showed 91% and 93% similarity with exon I and exon II of An. gambiae. The size of intron II in An. culicifacies is 62 bp, while in An. gambiae is 57 bp. The major difference within An. culicifacies specimens and also with An. gambiae is in position 29 of exon I, which led to substitution of Leu to His amino acid. CONCLUSION: This data will act as first report on partial sequence of vgsc gene and its polymorphism in An. culicifacies. A Leu to His amino acid substitution detected upstream the formerly known knockdown resistance (kdr) mutation site could be an indication for other possible mutations related to insecticide resistance. However, the result of WHO susceptibility test carried out in Baluchistan of Iran revealed a level of tolerance to DDT and dieldrin, but almost complete susceptibility to pyrethroids in An. culicifacies. We postulate that the molecular diagnostic tool developed for detection and identification of kdr-related mutations in An. culicifacies, could be useful in monitoring insecticide resistance in Iran and neighbouring countries such as Pakistan and Afghanistan. A phylogenetic tree also constructed based on the sequence of exon I and II, which readily separated An. culicifacies populations from An. stephensi, An. fluviatilis and An. gambiae.     

Comparative effects of copper, iron, vanadium and titanium on low density lipoprotein oxidation in vitro

INTRODUCTION: Oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) has been strongly implicated in the phathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The use of oxidants in dietary food stuff may lead to the production of oxidized LDL and may increase both the development and the progression of atherosclerosis. The present work investigated the effects of some elements including: copper (Cu), iron (Fe), vanadium (V) and titanium (Ti) on in vitro LDL oxidation quantitatively. METHODS: The first LDL fraction was isolated from fresh plasma by single vertical discontinuous density gradient ultracentrifugation. The formation of conjugated dienes and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and increase in electrophoretic mobility of LDL were monitored as markers of the oxidation of LDL. RESULTS: It was demonstrated that Cu, Fe, V and Ti exhibited strong oxidant activity in this respect (P<0.001). Oxidation of LDL in the presence of Cu was more and appeared to be in this order Cu>Fe>V>Ti. DISCUSSION: Cu, Fe, V and Ti are redox-active transition metals that may cause oxidative damage to lipids, proteins and DNA molecules. We suggest that these elements may also influence the oxidation of LDL in vivo, which could increase both the development and progression of atherosclerosis.