Evaluation of bone healing in canine tibial defects filled with cortical autograft,commercial-DBM,calf fetal DBM,omentum and omentum-calf fetal DBM

The present study was conducted to compare the effects of xenogenic bovine fetal demineralized bone matrix (DBM), commercial DBM, omentum, omentum-calf fetal DBM, cortical autograft and xenogenic cartilage powder on the healing of tibial defects in a dog model to determine the best material for bone healing. Seven male adult mongrel dogs, weighing 26.2 ± 2.5 kg, were used in this study. Seven holes with a diameter of 4-mm were created and then filled with several biomaterials. Radiographs were taken postoperatively on day 1 and weeks 2, 4, 6, 8. The operated tibias were removed on the 56th postoperative day and histopathologically evaluated. On postoperative days 14, 42 and 56, the lesions of the control group were significantly inferior to those in the other group (p < 0.05). On the 28th postoperative day, the autograft group was significantly superior to the control and omentum groups (p < 0.05). Moreover, calf fetal DBM was significantly superior to the control group. There was no significant difference between the histopathological sections of all groups. Overall, the omentum and omentum-DBM groups were superior to the control group, but inferior to the autograft, commercial-DBM, calf fetal DBM and calf fetal cartilage groups.     

Assessment of irrigation practices at the tertiary canal level in an improved system—a case study of Wasat area, the Nile Delta

Egypt faces great challenges due to its limited water resources by enforcement policies to improve the performance of the existing delivery system and its development. The improvement of irrigation systems in the Nile Delta is one of the most important attempts in Egypt to implement more effective irrigation technologies. This study was carried out to evaluate improved tertiary canal level and farmers’ practices by comparing with other unimproved systems to understand the farmers’ practices in their farms after modifying the existing irrigation system. This study area applied to the Wasat command area’s most commonly used to the cultivation of a paddy field in Egypt, which contributes 40 % of production. The overall results indicate that the water-use application at the improved system level improved. This was due to the role of water user association in the successful management and operation of the water-supply system on the private level of water distribution network. So, water users’ association has the positive effect on managing of the improved tertiary canal. Although, there are main problems of water delivery in the irrigation networks that was a water shortage in the main canal owing to its location at the tail of the feeder canal system in the Nile Delta, and other reasons include the absence of crop production planning by farmers, especially rice farmers in summer, and the greater demand of some fields than supply.     

Biofortification of onion bulb with selenium at different levels of sulfate

In this research experiment, two commercial onion cultivars (Allium cepa L., cvs. Dorrcheh and Cebolla Valenciana) were grown in sand culture and exposed to two levels of selenium (Se) (0 and 25?µM) and two levels of sulfate (1 and 3?mM). According to the results obtained, addition of 25?µM Se in combination with 3?mM sulfate was not only effective in significant increase of onion bulb yield, but it significantly increased Se concentration of bulb. By considering the average consumption of onion in central Iran, the daily intake of Se via consumption of Se-biofortified onion is estimated to be 68.4–77.2?µg in spring and summer and 72.6–117.1?µg in fall and winter. These amounts of daily intakes of Se is higher than the sufficient levels of Se recommended by world health organization (WHO) but less than the maximum tolerable level of Se (400?µg Se per day) for human.     

An efficient in vitro shoot regeneration through direct organogenesis from seedling-derived petiole and leaf segments and acclimatization of Ficus religiosa

Prolific and rapid in vitro plant organogenesis via direct regeneration has been obtained from axenic seedling-derived petiole and leaf explants of Ficus religiosa in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing different concentrations of cytokinins in combination with indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). MS medium with 1.5 mg/l 6-benzylaminopurine plus 0.15 mg/l IBA produced the highest shoot induction frequency with an average of 6.26 and 10.13 shoots per leaf and petiole explants, respectively. After 4 weeks, the highest root formation frequency (96.7%), root number (5.73), and root length (4.76 cm) were with MS medium containing 2.0 mg/l IBA plus 0.1 mg/l α-naphthalene acetic acid. In addition, the effect of four sodium nitroprusside (SNP) treatments on acclimatization was also studied. Highest morphological traits such as survival rates, fresh and dry root weights as well as antioxidant enzymatic activities such as superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase was achieved with 125 ppm SNP. The α-amino acid, proline, content was highest with this treatment while the highest H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) was in the controls. This study introduces a cost-effective, prolific, and efficient in vitro multiplication system to supply pharmaceutical and ornamental needs. It is the first report of an in vitro organogenesis protocol for F. religiosa by direct regeneration through axenic seedling-derived petiole and leaf explants, which can be efficiently employed for the utilization of active biomolecules.     

Ability of sorption–desorption experiments to predict potassium leaching from calcareous soils

When potassium (K⁺) fertilizers are applied to the soil, K⁺ is subject to displacement through the soil profile. Leaching can play an important role in agricultural K⁺ losses that can decrease groundwater quality. To avoid overfertilization, estimation of K⁺ leaching from soil is important. The ability of the soils to retain K⁺ against leaching varies according to the adsorption coefficient of the soils. The aim of this study was to relate the K⁺ leaching from a wide range of calcareous soils to the values obtained from a sorption–desorption experiment. The soil columns were leached with 10 mM CaCl₂ solution and the leachate was analyzed for K⁺. The breakthrough curves for K⁺ were different, and the amounts of K⁺ leached varied considerably between different soils. In these calcareous soils where crops are irrigated with water containing significant concentrations of Ca²⁺ and other cations, large amounts of K⁺ will be leached. Cumulative K⁺ leached after five pore volumes leaching with 10 mM CaCl₂ was significantly (r = 0.776, p < 0.01) related to the equilibrium K⁺ concentration. The results of this study enabled us in many cases to estimate the K⁺ leaching from soil without conducting column experiments, minimizing the laborotary work.     

Quercetin attenuates H2O2‐induced toxicity of rooster semen during liquid storage at 4°C

Current study was carried out to examine the protective effects of quercetin against toxicity induced by hydrogen peroxide in rooster semen in vitro. Semen samples were collected from ten roosters (Ross 308 broiler breeder males, 32 weeks old) twice a week by abdominal massage method. Samples with ≥70% progressive motility were selected, pooled, diluted and used for the study. Experimental groups consisted of negative control, control that received solvent of quercetin, H₂O₂ (40 μM) and combination groups which incubated with constant dose of H₂O₂ (40 μM) plus various levels of quercetin (20, 40 and 80 μM). Measurement of total hydroperoxide (HPO), malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and superoxide dismutase activity as well as routine sperm tests were done at 0, 24 and 48 hr of storage at 4°C. Results revealed that exposure to hydrogen peroxide significantly increased HPO (138.43 ± 7.32 vs. 66.08 ± 3.97 μmol/g protein), MDA (7.21 ± 0.08 vs. 5.71 ± 2.16 μmol/g protein) and NO (0.367 ± 0.013 vs. 0.215 ± 0.011 μmol/g protein) levels and decreased sperm progressive motility (27.28 ± 1.21 vs. 47.49 ± 1.29%), and amounts of TAC (11.49 ± 0.39 vs. 15.70 ± 0.79 mmol/g protein) compared to control at 24 hr (p < 0.05). Changes at mentioned variables were repeated at 48 hr of storage. Also, co‐administration of quercetin (especially at 40 and 80 μM) with hydrogen peroxide restored the toxic effects of hydrogen peroxide on rooster semen parameters such as primary and secondary lipid peroxidative indicators and other evaluated variables. The study concluded that rooster semen enrichment with quercetin would protect lipid peroxidative and nitrosative hydrogen peroxide‐mediated damage during cold liquid storage of rooster semen.     

In ovo injection of flavanone on bone quality characteristics,biochemical parameters and antioxidant enzyme status of blood in daily chicks

In ovo injection (IOI) of Naringin (N), flavanone was examined on post‐hatch blood biochemical parameters, antioxidant status and bone characteristics. Fertile eggs (n = 700) were distributed in seven groups with 100 eggs. On 14th and 17.5th days of incubation, four groups were injected using 15 or 30 mg active ingredient levels of naringin/0.5 ml saline/egg, low and high level, into amnion sac. Controls include sham (injected normal saline, 0.5 ml/egg on day 14 and 17.5th) and un‐injected group. IOI of high naringin and saline on 14th day of incubation resulted in lower hatchability and then higher mortality in last week of embryonic life. On day hatch, high levels of injected groups more body weight compared to the control. Chick length was increased at high levels of naringin on day 17.5th compared to control and saline injected. Quality traits of bones were improved in naringin‐injected groups compared to control. IOI of naringin influenced thyroid hormones on 14th day of incubation. Naringin groups influenced the Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Calcium (Ca), superoxide dismutase (SOD), blood biochemical and lipids. Totally, amniotic IOI of naringin in last days of developing embryo may be useful for hatched chick, development of leg long bone or effect on biochemical metabolites by levels of flavanone that it needs more research.     

Abscisic acid alleviates the deleterious effects of cold stress on ‘Sultana’ grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) plants by improving the anti-oxidant activity and photosynthetic capacity of leaves

The effects of exogenous application of abscisic acid (ABA) on anti-oxidant enzyme activities and photosynthetic capacity in ‘Sultana’ grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) were investigated under cold stress. When vines had an average of 15 leaves, 0 (control), 50, 100, or 200 µM ABA was sprayed to run-off on all leaves of each plant. Twenty-four hours after foliar spraying with ABA, half (n = 5) of the water-only control vines and half (n = 5) of each group of ABA-treated plants were subjected to 4°C for 12 h, followed by a recovery period of 3 d under greenhouse conditions (25°/18°C day/night). The remaining plants in each treatment group were kept at 24°C. Cold stress increased H₂O₂ and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations in vine leaves, whereas all foliar ABA treatments significantly reduced their levels. Chilled plants showed marked increases in their total soluble protein contents in response to each ABA treatment. ABA significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase in cold-stressed grapevine leaves. In contrast, cold stress markedly decreased the rates of leaf photosynthesis (A) and evaporation (E), stomatal conductance (g_s), and chlorophyll concentrations in leaves, but increased intercellular CO₂ concentrations (C_i) in leaves. Treatment with all concentrations of ABA resulted in lower leaf A, E, and g_s values, but higher C_i values at 24°C. However, following cold stress, ABA-treated vines showed higher leaf A, E, and g_s values, but lower C_i values compared to control vines without ABA treatment. The application of 50–200 µM ABA allowed chilled vines to recover more quickly when re-exposed to normal temperatures, enabling the vines to resume their photosynthetic capacity more efficiently following cold stress. These results showed that, by stimulating anti-oxidant enzyme systems and alleviating cold-induced stomatal limitations, ABA reduced the inhibitory effect of cold stress on the rate of CO₂ fixation in ‘Sultana’ grapevine plants.     

Stress Relaxation and Oscillatory Tests to Distinguish Between Doughs Prepared from Wheat Flours of Different Varietal Origin

The relaxation properties of flour-water-salt doughs prepared from four different flour types (weak, medium, strong, and extra strong) at different water absorption levels from 58 to 66% with protein contents of 10.0, 10.9, 13.2, and 11.8%, respectively, were studied by imposing varying strain amplitudes of 0.1–29%. Oscillatory tests in the linear viscoelastic region of the 66% absorption strong and weak dough cannot distinguish between the two types of dough. The inability to differentiate between dough types also applied to oscillatory tests on 58% absorption weak and 66% absorption strong doughs. However, the relaxation modulus of dough (extending over time) behaved quite distinctively at high strains, where dough samples experience large deformations. At strain amplitudes of ≤0.1% (i.e., in the linear viscoelastic region), different dough types behaved similarly. Likewise, the relaxation modulus completely relaxed at sufficiently long times. The magnitude of the modulus at intermediate- and high-strain amplitudes were in the order: extra strong > strong > medium > weak, indicating a higher level of elasticity in the extra strong dough samples despite its lower protein content. The relaxation times spectrum of the weak flour, extracted from the relaxation modulus data, reveals a broad relaxation process. The stress relaxation data are very reproducible at high-strain amplitudes (≈1–15% for up to 3 × 10³ sec). This work demonstrated, for the first time, the consistency in oscillatory and relaxation measurements for dough. It also clearly showed that linear viscoelastic data, although important in the characterization of time scales in dough, are largely irrelevant in differentiating between dough types. Furthermore, without proper care, a false steady-state behavior can be obtained with standard viscometric measurements due to slippage at the dough-plate interface.