Improvement of reproductive indices,lysozyme activity,and disease resistance in live‐bearing ornamental fish,Poecilia latipinna using Artemia supplementation with treated yeast cell,Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In the present study, the effects of Artemia supplemented with 2‐β‐mercapto‐ethanol (β‐ME) treated yeast cell, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, on growth and reproductive performance, lysozyme activity, and disease resistance to Aeromonas hydrophila of freshwater ornamental species, Poecilia latipinna, were investigated. Within 60 days, molly fish were fed with three treatments including commercial food (T1), un‐supplemented Artemia (T2), and Artemia supplemented with β‐ME‐treated yeast cell (at concentration of 4 × 10⁷ CFU/L of water) (T3). After the feeding period, the fish were exposed to 100 μl of a suspension (1.1 × 10⁷ cells/ml) of A. hydrophila (BCCM5/LMG3279) and the cumulative mortality rates were recorded for 12 days. No significant difference was found between survival rate and growth performance of P. latipinna except for weight gain that was higher in fish fed through Artemia supplemented with β‐ME‐treated yeast cell compared to control group. Fecundity rate was significantly improved in fish fed using T3 with the maximum amount of 49.5 ± 2.29 per female (p < 0.05). Besides, lysozyme activity was significantly increased in group 3 (p < 0.05). Moreover, lowest fish mortality was significantly observed in this treatment (p < 0.05). In addition, the number of colonies formed by yeast cell in T3 (634 × 10³ CFU/g intestine) showed significant difference with other treatments (p < 0.05). In sum, Artemia enriched with β‐ME‐treated yeast improved reproductive indices, immune responses, and resistance against A. hydrophila of P. latipinna.     

Weed control and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield under application of 2,4-D plus carfentrazone-ethyl and florasulam plus flumetsulam: Evaluation of the efficacy

Three field experiments were conducted at the research fields of Plant Protection Research Institute, Iran, at different locations in 2004–2005 to study the efficacy of different broadleaved herbicides to control weeds in wheat. Treatments were the full-season hand weeded and weed-infested controls, and post-emergence applications of florasulam plus flumetsulam at 8.75, 10.50, and 12.25 g a.i./ha, 2,4-D plus carfentrazone-ethyl at 210, 245, 280, and 490 g a.i./ha, bromoxynil plus MCPA at 75, 100, and 150 g a.i./ha, 2,4-D at 560, 720, and 1120 g a.i./ha, tribenuron methyl, and 2,4-D plus MCPA. Herbicides were applied at wheat tillering stage. Naturally occurring broadleaved weed populations were used in experiments. Results indicated that bromoxynil plus MCPA at 150 g a.i./ha, 2,4-D plus MCPA, and 2,4-D plus carfentrazone-ethyl at 490 g a.i./ha were the best options to control weeds. Bromoxynil plus MCPA at 150 g a.i./ha and 2,4-D plus MCPA also resulted in the highest wheat yield. Overall, it could be concluded that rotational application of bromoxynil plus MCPA at 150 g a.i./ha, 2,4-D plus MCPA, and 2,4-D plus carfentrazone-ethyl at 490 g a.i./ha would be the best option to achieve satisfactory weed control, high grain yield and prevention of evolution of herbicide-resistant weeds.     

Gating Behavior of Endoplasmic Reticulum Potassium Channels of Rat Hepatocytes in Diabetes

Background: Defects in endoplasmic reticulum homeostasis are common occurrences in different diseases, such as diabetes, in which the function of endoplasmic reticulum is disrupted. It is now well established that ion channels of endoplasmic reticulum membrane have a critical role in endoplasmic reticulum luminal homeostasis. Our previous studies showed the presence of an ATP-sensitive cationic channel in endoplasmic reticulum. Therefore, in this study, we examined and compared the activities of this channel in control and diabetic rats using single-channel recording techniques. Method: Male Wistar rats were made diabetic for 2 weeks with a single dose injection of streptozotocin (45 mg/kg). Ion channel incorporation of rough endoplasmic reticulum of diabetic hepatocytes into the bilayer lipid membrane allowed the characterization of K⁺ channel. Results: Ion channel incorporation of rough endoplasmic reticulum vesicles into the bilayer lipid revealed that the channel current-voltage (I-V) relation with a mean slope conductance of 520 ± 19 pS was unaffected in diabetes. Interestingly, the channel Po-voltage relation was significantly lower in diabetic rats at voltages above +30 mV. Conclusion: We concluded that the endoplasmic reticulum cationic channel is involved in diabetes. Also, this finding could be considered as a goal for further therapeutic plans. Key Words: Endoplasmic reticulum, Diabetes, Ion channels, Bilayer lipid membrane, Liver     

Determining and mapping some soil physico-chemical properties using geostatistical and GIS techniques in the Naqade region,Iran

The distribution variability of soil electrical conductivity (EC), pH, clay, sand, CaCO₃, organic carbon (OC) and available potassium (K) in the Naqade region was investigated using a geostatistical method and Geographical Information System (GIS) technique. Two hundred and eighty-two topsoil (0–30 cm) samples were randomly collected and analyzed. pH and clay followed a normal distribution, whereas sand EC, CaCO₃, OC and K were log-transformed. The highest variation was observed for soil EC, and the lowest for soil pH. In the variography analysis, spherical, exponential and gaussian models were best fit on experimental semivariograms. The minimum effective spatial autocorrelation was 1500 m for OC and the maximum effective spatial autocorrelation was 4000 m for sand and K. Strong spatial correlations were noted with sand and CaCO₃ (<25%), whereas values were moderate for clay, EC, OC and K (25–75%). Ordinary kriging was utilized for the interpolation of estimated variable determinations in unsampled sites. It was found that soil properties in this study area were strongly influenced by both environmental and natural factors. The results can be used as a source of information for the development and implementation of any further land management and soil and water conservation plans.     

Culture‐based methods using low‐temperature incubation revealed cold‐adapted fungal endophytes from semiarid forests

Fungal endophytes are an important part of the plant microbiome and participate in maintaining the stability of ecosystems. Culture‐based methods are frequently considered in studying fungal communities because of their advantages in providing cultures for further experiments and their low cost. In comparison with next‐generation sequencing methods, their ability to assess fungal diversity is questionable. Here, we show how using two different incubation temperatures can improve the yield of fungal endophytes by culture‐based methods. Diversity, organ preference and spatiotemporal variability of endophytic fungal communities living within Quercus brantii L. were investigated using two different incubation temperatures. To test the effects of using low‐temperature incubation on diversity estimations, twigs and leaves of Quercus brantii were incubated under 25°C and 4°C conditions. Isolation rate and Hill's series of diversity were calculated for each sample. Model‐based analysis was used to evaluate the effects of (a) incubation temperature, (b) organ type and (c) spatiotemporal variations on fungal isolation rate, fungal diversity and community composition. Our results showed a strong organ specificity and temporal dynamics among endophytic fungal communities, but the location of the forest stand had only a limited effect on fungal community composition. Low‐temperature incubation enabled us to improve culture‐based methods by discovering the diversity of cold‐adapted fungal endophytes and a significantly different part of the endophytic communities that is usually missed by customary culturing temperature. The isolation of cold‐adapted endophytes from a semiarid environment opens a new window to further studies on this kind of fungi in such ecosystems.     

Acephalous lamb from an in vitro-produced sheep embryo

This is the first report of an acephalous lamb from the transfer of an in vitro-produced sheep embryo. Twelve in vitro-fertilized embryos were transferred to 4 recipient ewes (3 embryos/ewe). Two ewes remained pregnant: one delivered a normal female lamb, the other a male acephalous lamb. Possible contributing factors are discussed.     

Micropropagation and accumulation of essential oils in wild sage (Salvia fruticosa Mill.)

A protocol for in vitro propagation of the wild three-lobed sage (Salvia fruticosa Mill.) (Synonym, Salvia triloba L.) was developed. Shoot tips were excised from in vitro seedlings and established on MS, Nitch and Nitch (NN), or B5 medium. For shoot proliferation, in vitro nodal and apical explants were cultured on MS medium containing 0.25–2 μM 6-benzylaminopurine (BA), 6-furfurylaminopurine (kinetin), or thidiazuron (TDZ). Proliferated microshoots were rooted on MS medium supplemented with 2.7–11.4 μM indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), or α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Results indicated that shoots established at 100% regardless of media type, however, shoot height, nodes per shoot, and leaf number were highest for explants established on MS medium compared to NN or B5. Number and height of proliferated shoots, nodes per shoot, and leaf number were highest for nodal explants cultured on a medium containing 0.75 μM BA. Microshoots cultured on a medium supplemented with 2.7 μM IBA exhibited the highest rooting percentage compared to those cultured with IAA or NAA. Essential oil composition in microshoots and shoots of greenhouse-grown plants was determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The major essential oils detected in both plant materials were α-pinene, 1,8-cineole, camphor, and borneol. No α-thujone or β-thujone was detected. The content of essential oils, camphor, and borneol were higher in the microshoots than in shoots of greenhouse-grown plants.     

Biological Activities of Freshwater Algae,Spirogyra singularis Nordstedt

Spirogyra is commonly found as accessible algae in freshwater areas all over the world. Some medical uses have been reported from this genus. Biological activities of Spirogyra singularis were investigated employing eight in vitro assays. The extract showed different antioxidant activity. IC₅₀ for DPPH radical-scavenging was 4.71 ± 0.11 μg mL^?1. The extract showed very strong nitric oxide-scavenging activity with IC₅₀ = 77.3 ± 2.07 μg mL^?1, but its Fe²⁺ chelating ability was weak. The extract also exhibited high antioxidant activity in hemoglobin-induced linoleic acid peroxidation tests and scavenging of hydrogen peroxide. The extract also showed good antihemolytic activity. The total amount of phenolic content in the extract was determined as gallic acid equivalents, and total flavonoid content was calculated as quercetin equivalents. Biological activities may be attributed, at least in part, to the presence of phenol and flavonoid contents in the extract.