Modulating gut microbiota and digestive enzyme activities of Artemia urmiana by administration of different levels of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis on growth, gut microbiota, and digestive enzyme activities of Artemia urmiana. Three diets containing 10² (T₁), 10⁴ (T₂), 10⁶ (T₃) CFU of probiotics/g feed, and a control diet (C) without probiotic were used through a completely randomized design (treatments with triplicates). Twelve plastic tanks with the capacity of 60- l and density of 20 nauplii/ml were used and the trial continued for 15?days. Results showed that probiotics significantly increased the total length of A. urmiana (P?<?0.05). Although the total aerobic gastrointestinal bacteria count showed no significant differences among the treatments, the total Bacillus count significantly increased in experiments (P?<?0.05). The ratio of TCBS to total aerobic bacteria count was significantly lower in T₁ (0.31?±?0.05), T2 (0.27?±?0.15), and T₃ (0.25?±?0.05) compared to the control (0.76?±?0.34) (P?<?0.05). The probiotics were able to increase the protease and amylase activities (P?<?0.05). No significant effect on lipase activity. The study determined T₂ and T₃ as the most effective treatments for improving growth, bacterial flora, and digestive enzyme activities. As less probiotic needed in T₂, using 10⁴ bacteria per g diet is recommended for rearing Artemia up to the maturity stage.     

Accidental salinomycin intoxication in calves

Twenty-four 10- to 16-week-old calves in a dairy herd in Birjand, Iran, inadvertently received an excessive dose of salinomycin mixed with barley grain. There was 58% mortality within 10 d. The calves had high serum AST, LDH, and CK activities; histopathologic lesions in myocardium, liver, and kidneys; and clinical signs associated with acute and congestive heart failure.     

Suitability of Immobilized Pseudomonas fluorescens SM1 Strain for Remediation of Phenols, Heavy Metals, and Pesticides from Water

Immobilized microbial cells for the biological treatment have the potential to degrade toxic chemicals faster than conventional wastewater treatment systems. In the present study, suitability of immobilized Pseudomonas fluorescens SM1 strain in calcium alginate beads for remediation of the major toxicants in Indian water bodies was tested by means of GC/HPLC and AAS techniques. Roughly 80% reduction in the concentration of phenols was observed by immobilized SM1 cells compared with 60% by the free cells. Also, in the case of the bioremediation of heavy metals, immobilized SM1 cells were found to be more efficient compared with the free cells. Suspension of P. fluorescens SM1 cells in the test model water for 24 h brought down the concentrations of Cu⁺⁺, Cd⁺⁺, Ni⁺⁺, and Pb⁺⁺ by more than 75% under free cell state and 7?C9% better efficiency under the immobilized conditions. However, Cr(VI) could show only 44% removal by the cell immobilized system, whereas a mere 35% reduction in the Cr(VI) levels was shown in the test model water by the free SM1 cells under the same conditions. Moreover, a model water containing 2,000 ppb of BHC, 1,248 ppb mancozeb, and 312 ppb 2,4-D passed through the cell immobilized column resulted in the decline in their concentrations up to 362 ppb, 750 ppb, and 126 ppb, respectively. Generally, AAS, HPLC, and GC analyses of treated test model waters with the free and immobilized SM1 cells exhibited high potential of immobilized SM1 in detoxification of test water. From the results, we conclude that immobilized cells of P. fluorescens SM1 strain were quite effective in bioremediation of major toxicants present in Indian water bodies, and we also recommend the use of immobilized bacterial cells rather than the free cells for the bioremediation/detoxification process.     

Compressive deformation of wood impregnated with low molecular weight phenol formaldehyde (PF) resin III: effects of sodium chlorite treatment

To obtain high-strength phenol–formaldehyde (PF) resin-impregnated compressed wood at low pressing pressure, we investigated the effects of sodium chlorite (NaClO₂) treatment on wood prior to low molecular weight PF resin impregnation. Sawn veneers of Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) were treated with 2% aqueous NaClO₂ solution at 45°C for 12 h to remove lignin, and the process was repeated up to four times, resulting in weight loss of 21%. NaClO₂ treatment has shown considerable potential for high compression of PF resin-impregnated wood at low pressing pressure, especially after adding moisture to a content of 10%–11%. This deformation is further enhanced during pressure holding by creep deformation. The density, Young’s modulus, and bending strength of PF resin-impregnated veneer laminated composites that were treated with NaClO₂ four times and compressed at 1 MPa, reached 1.15 g/cm³, 27 GPa, and 280 MPa, respectively. The values in untreated PF resin-impregnated wood reached 0.8 g/cm³, 16 GPa, and 165 MPa, respectively.     

Evaluation of microbial and chemical insecticides for the control ofSpodoptera exigua (Lep., Noctuidae) on soybean plants

Field experiments have been carried out to evaluate the potency of the biological control agentBacillus thuringiensis (Dipel), the pyrethroid Fenvalerate and their combinations for the control of the lesser cotton leafwormSpodoptera exigua on soybeans in Qualubia governorate. Molasses was combined with all treatments to enhance their effectiveness. One spray application with either Dipel or Fenvalerate showed an obvious reduction in larval counts ofS. exigua, associated with a significant increase in the crop yield but in varying degrees, in correlation with the tested dose. Treatments with combinations of both biological and chemical insecticides at the lowest tested doses (62 g ofB. t. +50 ml of Fenvalerate/feddan) showed to be highly potential, and caused 2.8 fold increase in the crop yield. It may be recommended that a combination of both preparations may be used for the control ofS. exigua.     

Identification and characterization of auto-anti-idiotypic antibodies specific for antibodies against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus envelope glycoprotein (GP5)

Auto-anti-idiotypic antibodies (Aab-2s) were detected from pigs experimentally infected with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). The Aab-2s were specific against the idiotypic antibodies (Ab-1s) to the envelope glycoprotein GP5 of PRRSV and were detected from serum samples collected between 21 and 98 days post-infection (DPI). Serological characterization indicated that the Aab-2s recognized the idiotype located within or near the antigen-combining sites of the anti-GP5 antibodies, which was shared by both mouse MAb anti-GP5 and swine polyclonal antibodies. The fact that the Aab-2 inhibited the anti-GP5 antibodies from binding to PRRSV and that they were detected at different time periods in pigs that cleared the infection prior to 98 DPI versus pigs in which virus was detected at 98 DPI suggests that Aab-2 antibodies may play a role in immunity to PRRSV infection.     

Comparison of two swine Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for detection of antibodies from vaccinated pigs and field serum samples.

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (Mhyo) causes mycoplasmal pneumonia, an economically important disease of swine. Serodiagnosis of Mhyo is based on the current available commercial enzyme immunoassays for detection of swine antibodies against Mhyo, which are the indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the blocking ELISA (B-ELISA). Because of the limited information available for these ELISAs, these 2 assays were compared by testing 347 serum samples collected from vaccinated pigs at 0, 13, 28, 43, and 62 days postimmunization (DPI), 50 samples from nonvaccinated pigs, and 1,013 field serum samples. The results of comparison study showed that the specificity for both ELISAs was 99.2% generated from 139 non-vaccinated negative samples. The sensitivities for indirect ELISA generated from samples collected from animals that received the vaccine at DPI 13, 28, 43, and 62 were 0%, 95.7%, 88.4%, and 92.6%, respectively, whereas the sensitivities for B-ELISA were 0%, 98%, 100%, and 97%, respectively. The overall agreement of 96.7% and 80.3% was generated between 2 ELISAs from negative and vaccinated pigs and from field samples, respectively.     

Linagliptin Protects Human SH-SY5Y Neuroblastoma Cells against Amyloid-β Cytotoxicity via the Activation of Wnt1 and Suppression of IL-6 Release

Background:Alzheimer’s disease is one of the neurodegenerative disorders typified by the aggregate of Aβ and phosphorylated tau protein. Oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, because of Aβ peptides, are strongly involved in the pathophysiology of AD. Linagliptin shows neuroprotective properties against AD pathological processes through alleviation of neural inflammation and AMPK activation. Methods:We assessed the benefits of linagliptin pretreatment (at 10, 20, and 50 nM concentrations), against Aβ1-42 toxicity (20 μM) in SH-SY5Y cells. The concentrations of secreted cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β, and signaling proteins, including pCREB, Wnt1, and PKCε, were quantified by ELISA. Results:We observed that Aβ led to cellular inflammation, which was assessed by measuring inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6). Moreover, Aβ1-42 treatment impaired pCREB, PKCε, and Wnt1 signaling in human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. Addition of Linagliptin significantly reduced IL-6 levels in the lysates of cells, treated with Aβ1-42. Furthermore, linagliptin prevented the downregulation of Wnt1 in Aβ1-42-treated cells exposed. Conclusion: The current findings reveal that linagliptin alleviates Aβ1-42-induced inflammation in SH-SY5Y cells, probably through the suppression of IL-6 release, and some of its benefits are mediated through the activation of the Wnt1 signaling pathway. Key Words: Alzheimer disease, Interleukin-6, Linagliptin, Wnt1 protein     

Rapid response of fish and aquatic habitat to removal of a tidal barrier

1. River barrier removal is used increasingly as a conservation tool to restore lotic habitat and river connectivity, but evidence of its efficacy is incomplete. This study used a before–after methodology to determine the effects of removing a tidal-limit barrier on the fishes, macroinvertebrates, and habitats of an English coastal stream.
2. Following barrier removal, habitat diversity increased immediately upstream and remained similar downstream. Mobilized silt altered the substrate composition immediately downstream, but this was temporary as silt was flushed out the following winter. Changes to macroinvertebrate communities occurred upstream and downstream of the former barrier but these were transient.
3. A dramatic and sustained increase in fish density occurred immediately upstream of the barrier after its removal, but effects downstream were minor. The fish community upstream changed, largely due to rapid recruitment and dispersal of endangered European eel (Anguilla anguilla). Eel density in the formerly impounded zone increased from 0.5 per 100 m² before barrier removal to 32.5 per 100 m² 5 months after removal. By 17 months after barrier removal there was no difference in eel density across the six sections sampled.
4. Although resident stream fishes such as bullhead (Cottus gobio species complex, protected under the European Habitats Directive) were abundant in middle and upper-stream sections, brown trout (Salmo trutta, a listed species for biodiversity conservation in England and Wales) density remained low during the study and recruitment was poor. This suggests that although colonization access for anadromous trout was available, habitat upstream may have been unsuitable for reproduction, indicating that wider catchment management is required to complement the restoration of connectivity.
5. These findings suggest that tidal barrier removal is an effective method of restoring lotic habitats and connectivity, and can be beneficial for resident and migratory fishes including those of conservation importance (e.g. European eel) in coastal streams.