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.     

Chemical control of weeds in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in Iran

Experiments were conducted in 2006–2007 at six research stations of the Iranian Plant Protection Research Institute to study the efficacy of different herbicides to control weeds in wheat. Treatments included mesosulfuron-methyl plus iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium plus mefenpyr-diethyl (WG) at 45 + 45 + 135 g a.i./ha, respectively, sulfosulfuron at 21, 31.5, 42 and 51 g a.i./ha, chlorsulfuron at 15 g a.i./ha, bromoxynil plus MCPA at 600 g a.i./ha with clodinafop propargyl at 64 g a.i./ha, sulfosulfuron plus metsulfuron-methyl at 36 g a.i./ha, mesosulfuron-methyl plus iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium plus mefenpyr-diethyl (OD) at 15 + 3 + 45 g a.i./ha, respectively, and a full season weed-free control. Herbicides were applied at wheat tillering. Results showed that sulfosulfuron plus metsulfuron-methyl, and bromoxynil plus MCPA with clodinafop propargyl resulted in satisfactory weed control and wheat grain yield at most locations. Weed control efficacy of both formulations of mesosulfuron-methyl plus iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium was variable across locations. Efficacy of the OD formulation appears to depend upon location, so that application of this herbicide at Shiraz and Gorgan resulted in better weed control compared to use of the WG. Satisfactory performance of the OD formulation at Gorgan and Shiraz could be attributed in part to the even pattern of rainfall distribution during the growing season and wheat cultivar used, respectively. With respect to grain yield, however, the OD formulation was better than WG formulation at most of the locations.     

The role of Na-montmorillonite on thermal characteristics and morphology of electrospun PAN nanofibers

Polymer organic-inorganic hybrid nanofibers constitute a new class of materials in which the polymeric nanofibers are reinforced by uniformly dispersed inorganic particles having at least one dimension in nanometer-scale. In the present study, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and PAN/Na-montmorillonite (PAN/Na-MMT) nanofibers were conducted via electrospinning process. Electrospun PAN and PAN/Na-MMT fibers with the respective mean fiber diameter of about 220 and 160 nm were prepared. The influence of the clay-montmorillonite on the morphology and diameter of nanofibers was investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) techniques. The microscopic techniques propose that the PAN/Na-MMT composite nanofibers show lower mean fiber diameter than the neat PAN nanofibers. Besides, the difference in nanoclay-content has a slight effect on the distribution of fibers diameter. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results suggest that introduction of clay-nanomaterials improves the thermal characteristics of fibers.     

Application of Glycerin and Polymer Coated Diammonium Phosphate in Alkaline Calcareous Soil for Improving Wheat Growth,Grain Yield and Phosphorus Use Efficiency

Low-use efficiency of phosphatic fertilizers in calcareous soils is a serious issue worldwide resulting in sub-optimal phosphorus (P) availability to plants. Polymer-coated fertilizers provide an effective solution to enhance P-use efficiency in such soils by reducing fixation and ensuring slow and consistent phosphate supply to growing plants. The present field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of commercial diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer and coated DAP with polymer and/or glycerin to improve plant growth, grain yield, and P-use efficiency of wheat crops. The results revealed that application of 100% recommended rate of glycerin + polymer coated DAP significantly enhanced plant height, number of fertile tillers m^-2, 1000-grain weight, grain yield, and P uptake in comparison with commercial DAP fertilizer. Moreover, polymer coated DAP produced comparatively better results than glycerin coated DAP alone. The sustainable yield index, P agronomic and recovery efficiencies were also improved and recorded higher with glycerin + polymer-coated DAP fertilizer at 100% of the recommended rate. Furthermore, higher P uptake, P recovery, and agronomic efficiencies in response to coated DAP were found responsible for sustainable wheat yield. Overall, the glycerin + polymer-coated DAP with 75% recommended rate showed statistically identical results to uncoated DAP with 100% recommended rate. The amount of applied P vulnerable to fixation was significantly reduced with the application of glycerin + polymer-coated DAP thereby resulting in improved plant growth, grain yield, and P-use efficiency of wheat crops.     

Development of a buried bag technique to study biochars incorporated in a compost or composting medium

Purpose

The purpose was to develop a netbag technique suitable for burying biochar in a compost or composting medium, followed by its collection in a clean state (i.e., free of compost debris) without loss or damage, for physicochemical analyses. Collection in a clean state is required to ensure that the analytical data of various biochars are representative and comparable. Five criteria were identified to evaluate the suitability of netbag.

Materials and methods

A small netbag (3.5?×?3.5 cm) was developed using nylon fabric (30-μm mesh) to contain ～1 g of biochar. A production system was developed to make 15 netbags per batch. Unlike commonly used litterbags, polypropylene was used to seal netbags. Two experiments were conducted in which three biochars, made from macadamia nutshell, hardwood shaving, and chicken litter, were co-composted with chicken manure and sawdust and also incubated with a chicken litter-based commercial compost. Biochars were added at the rates of 5 or 10 % in the co-composting and 10 or 20 % in the incubation experiments. The biochar-containing netbags were buried in the co-composting and incubation mediums for 133 days. Various physicochemical analyses were conducted with netbag-biochars and their compost mediums.

Results and discussion

The netbags collected after both experiments showed no visible sign of degradation. The weight of netbag-biochars from co-composting and incubation systems did not reduce significantly over the experimental period, thereby indicating no loss of biochar. No visible evidence of entry of solid particles from compost medium was found on the netbag-biochars. Pretests indicated that the netbag and biochars absorbed pore solution from the medium. Findings showed that elements translocated between the netbag-biochar and compost medium. A colony of coccus bacteria was found on the surface of composted chicken litter biochar, denoting probable entry of bacteria from compost medium. Unlike conventional litterbags, the netbags were suitable for burying and extracting biochar in compost/composting mediums due to smaller size, smaller mesh, and strong sealing with polypropylene.

Conclusions

The netbags addressed all the five criteria. Therefore, it was concluded that, in the co-compost or incubated-compost medium, the biochar retained in the netbag and the biochar mixed with the medium were exposed to a similar bio-oxidative environment, and netbag-biochar represents the biochar in the medium. This means that these netbags can be used as a convenient means to examine the effects of the composting process or incubation in compost on biochar.

     

Specific seroreactivity of Crohn's disease patients against p35 and p36 antigens of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that is similar to Johne's disease in ruminants. Recent data have strengthened the association of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis (M. paratuberculosis) with CD. To provide more evidence of an etiological association, antibody reactivities from CD patients were tested by immunoblotting against recombinant antigens that were identified previously from our M. paratuberculosis genomic library. Two clones (designated pMptb#40 (3.2-kb insert) and #48 (1.4-kb insert) expressing a 35K (p35)- and 36K(p36)-antigens showed specific reactivities with serum samples from CD patients.Serum samples from 75% of 53 CD patients, 14% of 35 normal individuals and 10% of 10 ulcerative colitis patients reacted to p35 antigen. Reactivities were also observed with serum samples from 89% of 89 CD patients, 14% of 50 normal controls and 15% of 29 ulcerative colitis patients reacted with p36 antigen. When the reactivity results from p35 and p36 were combined, the background from the controls was eliminated, i.e. only the CD patients reacted to both p35 and p36. The positive predictive value was 98% with specificity of 98% and the negative predictive value was 76% with sensitivity of 74% (39 positive out of 53). A statistical significance (p<0.0001) was observed when the results from CD serum samples reacting with either or both antigens were compared to the controls. The reactivity of anti-M. paratuberculosis (specifically against p35 and p36 antigens) antibodies in a significant proportion of CD patients would suggest a causal role for the organism in CD.     

In situ hybridization method for studies of cell wall deficient M. paratuberculosis in tissue samples

Cell wall deficient forms of mycobacteria may be important in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease and sarcoidosis. However, no method has been available to localize this type of organisms in tissue sections. We developed an in situ hybridization method for the demonstration of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis spheroplasts (cell wall deficient forms) in paraffin embedded tissue sections.M. paratuberculosis spheroplasts were prepared by treatment with glycine and lysozyme. Pieces of beef were injected with the prepared spheroplasts. The samples were fixed in buffered formalin and paraffin embedded. A M. paratuberculosis-specific probe derived from the IS900 gene was used. Specificity was controlled by using an irrelevant probe and by hybridizing sections with spheroplasts from other bacteria.Beef samples injected with M. paratuberculosis spheroplasts were the only samples that hybridized with the probe. Beef samples containing acid-fast or spheroplast forms of M. smegmatis and M. tuberculosis as well as the acid-fast forms of M. paratuberculosis did not hybridize with the probe. Unrelated bacterial controls, i.e. Helicobacter pylori and Escherichia coli were also negative in the assay. In situ hybridization with the IS900 probe provides a specific way to localize M. paratuberculosis spheroplasts in tissue sections and may be useful for studies of the connection between M. paratuberculosis and Crohn's disease and sarcoidosis. The assay may also be valuable for studies on Johne's diseased animals.     

Crystallization of PVDF in graphene-filled electrospun PVDF/PMMA nanofibers processed at three different conditions

In this study, the morphology and crystal polymorphism of electrospun blend nanocomposite of graphene filled-polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanofibers were investigated. The preparation of the nanofibers was carried out by synthesis of PMMA/graphene as a masterbatch through in-situ polymerization, and then followed by compounding with PVDF solution in the different ratios. The process of electrospinning was done at three selective conditions of temperature, moist and ordinary environment. Crystallinity, morphology and thermal properties of nanofibers were characterized by X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), differential scanning calorimetric (DSC), Transmittance Electron Microscopy (TEM), Thermogravimetric Analyses (TGA), and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopic (FE-SEM). The enhancement of β crystal formation in the electrospun graphene-filled blend nanofibers was confirmed by XRD and DSC results. This can be ascribed by the benefits of solution casting, mechanical stretching, high electric field, PMMA interactions and graphene restrictions, altogether in one simple process. Also, presence of water molecules during the electrospinning causes the orientation of fluorine atoms in PVDF due to polar-polar interactions which enhance the polar conformation even in the pure PVDF nanofibers.     

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.     

Molecular characterization of a pigeon paramyxovirus type 1 virus isolated from Eurasian collared doves in Iran, 2017

In September 2017, an outbreak with high mortality, which showed the typical signs of ND, occurred among a flock of more than 2000 Eurasian collared doves in Konarak, southeast of Iran. A confirmed pigeon paramyxovirus type 1 strain was isolated from the brain tissues of the dead doves. The isolate, which was called Pigeon/Iran/Konarak/Barin/2017, was classified as a highly velogenic NDV. Complete genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis showed that the isolate belonged to subgenotype XXI.2, which has never been reported from Iran before. The isolate had the highest homology (96.15%) with early 2010s Italian isolates. Further studies will be required to understand the diversity better.