Treatment of Cr(VI)-spiked soils using sulfur-based amendments

The objective of this research was to assess the hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) reducing efficiency of sulfur-based inorganic agents including calcium polysulfide (CPS), iron sulfide (FeS), pyrite (FeS₂) and sodium sulfide (Na₂S) in three soils. An alkaline soil (soil 1), a neutral soil (soil 2) and a slightly acid soil (soil 3) constituted the investigated soils. The soils were spiked with two levels of Cr(VI) (100 and 500 mg Cr(VI) kg^?1 soil) and incubated at field capacity (FC) for one month. Then, CPS, FeS, FeS₂ and Na₂S were added at 0, 5 and 10 g kg^?1 and the concentrations of exchangeable Cr(VI) were measured after 0.5, 4, 48 and 168 h in a batch experiment. The pH and organic carbon content of the soils played predominant role in Cr(VI) self-reduction by the soil itself. Complete self-reduction of Cr(VI) from soils 1, 2 and 3 was achieved at maximum Cr(VI) levels of 1, 50 and 500 mg kg^?1, respectively. Therefore, the concentration of Cr(VI) should not exceed the given levels in order to ensure that Cr(VI) is not released into the environment from contaminated sites. Moreover, decreasing pH in the alkaline soil caused significant increase of Cr(VI) reducing efficiency. Na₂S, CPS and FeS, in contrast to FeS₂, were efficient Cr(VI) reducing agents in all three soils. For all added amendments the following order of Cr(VI) reducing capacity was observed: Na₂S > CPS > FeS > FeS₂ in soil 1, Na₂S ? CPS ~ FeS > FeS₂ in soil 2 and Na₂S ? FeS > CPS ~ FeS₂ in soil 3.     

Brassinosteroid (BR) and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi alleviate salinity in wheat

This study was conducted to assess the impacts of brassinosteroide (BR), arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, Glomus mosseae and their interactions on salt stress tolerance in Triticum aestivum L. After foliar spraying of mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal plants by 5 µM epibrassinolide, they were subjected to 0 and 150 mM sodium chloride (NaCl) for 2 weeks. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design, replicated 4 times. Our results showed a probable potential of BR and/or AM fungi in improving salt tolerance of plants. Total phenol and proline content increased in BR and/ or AM treatments. AM fungi promoted plant growth, including leaf area, shoot and root dry weights, and lengths under saline condition. Moreover, BR improved growth parameters except root dry weights and lengths. This study indicated that BR and/or AM fungi may contribute to improve salt tolerance of the plant.     

Effects of nano Fe/SiO2 fertilizers on germination and growth of barley and maize

Iron (Fe) nanoparticles (NPs), with 30–40 nm diameter, were stabilized on sand. The resulting synthesized Fe/SiO₂ NPs, with different Fe contents (0–25 mg kg^?1) were employed as fertilizers in probing the mean germination time (MGT), growth and dry matter of barley and maize and their comparison with common Fe/SiO₂ in a completely randomized design (CRD) experiment. The results showed that our fertilizers had significant effects on MGT, with the lowest of 0.58 day for barley and 0.79 day for maize; at 15 and 5 mg kg^?1 nano Fe/SiO₂, respectively. Application of 15 mg kg^?1 of nano Fe/SiO₂ increased the shoot length: 8.25% and 20.8% for barley and maize, respectively. However, the concentration of 25 mg kg^?1 had a negative impact on shoot length in barley. Increasing the concentrations of both nano and common Fe/SiO₂ particles, increased the root lengths in both plants, however this increase was higher with the application of nano Fe/SiO₂. Likewise, seedling length enlarged with the concentration increase of both Fe/SiO₂ particles and was more pronounced with nano Fe/SiO₂. The application of nano Fe/SiO₂ was more effective compared with the common Fe/SiO₂ in encouraging barley and maize growth. The positive impact was higher in maize than barley.     

Genetic screening of FecB,FecXG and FecXI mutations and their linkage with litter size in Barki and Rahmani sheep breeds

Characterization of fecundity genes offers the opportunity to improve production efficiency, and the consequent increase in litter size in livestock industry, through utilizing them in breeding programs. The main objective of this study was to detect the BMPR‐IB, BMP15 and GDF9 gene mutations and to investigate whether these mutations are associated with litter size in Egyptian sheep breeds. To achieve this goal, 73 adult ewes representing Barki (n = 33) and Rahmani (n = 40) breeds were used. Polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP) screening approach was used to detect the presence of FecB, FecX^G and FecX^I mutations in the two selected breeds. Results of this study showed that the three different candidate gene mutations, namely FecB, FecX^G and FecX^I are not present among these selected populations of the Egyptian breeds. Further studies regarding other mutations and/or other genes, which may influence ovulation rate, should be carried out to determine the type and mode of inheritance of such genes in Egyptian sheep breeds.     

Lactation Weight Loss in Primiparous Sows: Consequences for Embryo Survival and Progesterone and Relations with Metabolic Profiles

Our objective was to study reproductive consequences of lactation bodyweight loss occurring in primiparous sows with mild feed restriction and to relate these lactation weight losses and its consequences to metabolic profiles during lactation and subsequent early gestation. After weaning, 47 first‐litter sows were retrospectively assigned to a high– (HWL, >13.8%, n = 24) or low (LWL, ≤13.8%, n = 23)–weight loss group. Thirty‐six animals received an indwelling jugular vein catheter to determine lactational and gestational profiles of insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1), non‐esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and urea and gestational profiles of progesterone. At day 35 after insemination, sows were euthanized and their reproductive tract collected. Pregnancy rate was 75% (18/24) for HWL and 96% (22/23) for LWL sows. High–weight loss sows had a lower number of implantation sites (17.2 ± 0.8 vs 19.5 ± 0.7, respectively, p = 0.03) and a lower embryonic survival (65.6 ± 3.4 vs 77.4 ± 2.9%, p = 0.02), resulting in fewer vital embryos (14.9 ± 0.9 vs 16.8 ± 0.7, p = 0.07) than LWL sows. Progesterone peak values were reached later in HWL than in LWL sows (day 13.4 ± 0.5 vs 12.0 ± 0.5, respectively, p = 0.05). Gestational concentrations of IGF‐1, NEFA and urea were almost identical for HWL and LWL sows, whilst numerical differences were seen during lactation. The current study shows negative consequences of lactational weight loss in mildly feed‐restricted primiparous sows for embryonic survival and shows that these consequences seem only mildly related with metabolic alterations during lactation and not with metabolic alterations during subsequent gestation.     

Synthesis of urethane polycarboxylate as a novel adsorbent and its binary system dye removal ability from aqueous solution

In this paper, urethane polycarboxylate (UPC) as a novel adsorbent was synthesized and characterized. Dye removal ability of UPC from aqueous solution of single and binary systems was studied. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) was used to characterize UPC. Basic Blue 41 (BB41), Basic Red 18 (BR18), and Basic Violet 16 (BV16) were used as cationic dyes. Dye removal isotherm and kinetic were evaluated. The effect of UPC dosage, initial dye concentration, and inorganic anions on dye removal was investigated. The capacity of UPC to remove BB41, BR18, and BV16 were 333 mg/g, 278 mg/g, and 222 mg/g, respectively. Dye removal kinetics and isotherm using UPC were fitted with the pseudo-second order and Langmuir model, respectively. The results showed the UPC might be used as a dye adsorbent to treat multicomponent systems containing cationic dyes.     

Administration of Thyroxine Affects the Morphometric Parameters and VEGF Expression in the Uterus and Placenta and the Uterine Vascularization but does Not Affect Reproductive Parameters in Gilts During Early Gestation

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of thyroxine administration on morphometric parameters, expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and vascularization in the uterus and placenta and reproductive parameters in gilts at 70 days of gestation. At 150 days of age, i.e., before first heat, 20 gilts were randomly divided into two experimental groups: treated (n = 10) and control (n = 10). The treated group received a daily dose of 400 μg of l ‐thyroxine (T₄) in their diet until slaughter and the control group received only typical meals. Before artificial insemination, blood was collected to determine plasma total T₄. The gilts were inseminated in the second oestrus and slaughtered at 70 days of gestation. The foetal thyroid follicular epithelium height, number, size and weight of foetuses; foetal myogenesis, corpora lutea number, embryonic mortality rate, uterine weight, placental weight and placental fluid volume were measured. Histomorphometric and immunohistochemical analysis of uterus and placenta were determined. The averages of all variables were compared by the Student’s t‐test. The gilts treated with thyroxine showed significant increase of plasma total T₄. At 70 days of gestation, the heights of the trophoblastic epithelium, endometrial epithelium and endometrial gland epithelium were significantly higher in the group treated with T₄. The expression of cytoplasmatic and nuclear VEGF in trophoblastic cells and the number of blood vessels per field in endometrial stroma were significantly higher in the gilts treated with T₄. No other significant differences between groups were obtained with respect to other parameters (p > 0.05). We conclude that oral administration of T₄ up to 70 days of pregnancy in gilts affects the morphometric parameters, the expression of placental VEGF and the uterine vascularization but does not affect reproductive parameters in gilts during early gestation.     

Effects of daily consumption of probiotic yoghurt on inflammatory factors in pregnant women: a randomized controlled trial

Previous studies have shown that inflammatory factors increases in pregnancy and is associated with several complications of pregnancy. The aim of this study was to assess effects of daily consumption of probiotic yoghurt on inflammatory factors in pregnant women. In a randomized clinical trial, seventy primigravid (the first pregnancy) and singleton pregnant women aged 18-30 years were assigned to two groups. Subjects consumed daily 200 g probiotic yoghurt containing Lactobacillus acidophilus La5 and Bifidobacterium animalis BB12 (10(7) CFU g(-1) for each) or 200 g conventional yoghurt for 9 weeks. Fasting blood samples were collected at baseline (28 weeks of gestation) and after intervention (37 weeks of gestation). Inflammatory factors, hs-CRP and TNF-alpha, were measured by Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Independent t-test was used to compare the two groups after intervention and paired-sample t-test compared variables before and after treatment. The results showed that the probiotic yogurt brought about a decrease in the serum hs-CRP level, from 10.44 +/- 1.56 to 7.44 +/- 1.03 microg mL(-1) (p = 0.041). There was no significant change in the conventional yogurt group in the serum hs-CRP level (12.55 +/- 1.57 to 14.51 +/- 1.62 microg mL(-1), p = 0.202). The probiotic yogurt had no effect on TNF-alpha (from 73.75 +/- 6.59 to 77.91 +/- 5.61 pg mL(-1), p = 0.633). Serum TNF-alpha did not change in the conventional yogurt group (p = 0.134). In conclusion probiotic yogurt significantly decreased hs-CRP in pregnant women but had no effect on TNF-alpha.