Marine Microbial Fibrinolytic Enzymes: An Overview of Source,Production, Biochemical Properties and Thrombolytic Activity

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have emerged as a major threat to global health resulting in a decrease in life expectancy with respect to humans. Thrombosis is one of the foremost causes of CVDs, and it is characterized by the unwanted formation of fibrin clots. Recently, microbial fibrinolytic enzymes due to their specific features have gained much more attention than conventional thrombolytic agents for the treatment of thrombosis. Marine microorganisms including bacteria and microalgae have the significant ability to produce fibrinolytic enzymes with improved pharmacological properties and lesser side effects and, hence, are considered as prospective candidates for large scale production of these enzymes. There are no studies that have evaluated the fibrinolytic potential of marine fungal-derived enzymes. The current review presents an outline regarding isolation sources, production, features, and thrombolytic potential of fibrinolytic biocatalysts from marine microorganisms identified so far.     

Improving productivity of steviol glycosides in Stevia rebaudiana via induced polyploidy

Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology - The polyploidy induction using mutagenic chemicals is one of the breeding approaches to improve enhancing productivity of yield and secondary metabolites...     

Investigating the effects of temperature on seed germination of cutleaf geranium (Geranium dissectum L.) and determination of its cardinal temperatures

Phytoparasitica - Cutleaf geranium is a weed infesting crop fields in various parts of the world. The present study was conducted to determine the cardinal temperatures of germination for its seeds...     

Effects of drip irrigation regimes on potato tuber yield and quality

To evaluate the effects of drip irrigation regimes on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tuber yield and quality, an experiment was conducted in 2009 and 2010. Experimental factors were the irrigation regimes including: FI, providing 100% of the water requirement of potato; IR1, providing 70% of the water requirement of potato by reducing the applied irrigation water between planting and tuber initiation by 30%; and IR2, providing 70% of the water requirement of potato by reducing the applied irrigation water during the whole growing season by 30%; and three potato cultivars Agria, Almera and Sinora. The results indicated that cultivars Agria and Almera were much better than Sinora in terms of tuber yield under all irrigation regimes. For Agria and Almera, the experiments show that the full irrigation regime had the highest yield and water productivity. For Sinora, however, deficit irrigation yields higher water productivity than the full irrigation regime. Consequently, deficit irrigation IR1 and IR2 should be applied to Sinora, but not to Agria and Almera.     

Changes in plant growth substances,contents and flower quality of rose cv. ‘Dolce Vita’ in response to nitrogen sources under soilless culture conditions

The aim of this study was to investigate the biochemical responses and vase life of rose cut flowers under different ratios of NO₃:NH₄:urea in soilless culture. In this study, urea was used as the source of nitrogen (N) in solution cultures. For this purpose, an experiment was conducted as completely randomized design with seven ratios of N forms and three replications. The rooted cuttings of rose cv Dolce Vita were supplied with seven different ratios of NO₃^?:NH₄⁺:urea (100:0:0, 70:15:15, 50:25:25, 50:0:50, 0:0:100, 50:50:0 and 0:100:0). Results showed that with the increase in urea and ammonium concentrations, the amounts of cuttings IAA, GA₃, zeatin, ABA and polyamines contents decreased significantly. Plants fertigated with nutrient solution containing NO₃^?:NH₄⁺:urea (50:25:25) had the highest concentrations of growth regulators, the highest stalk length and flower vase life. As the ammonium ratios in the nutrient solution increased, the flower vase life decreased significantly. It was concluded that using NO₃^?:NH₄⁺:urea at the ratio of 50:25:25 had the highest effects on improving the rose cut flowers quality by affecting plants growth regulators and can be recommended for cut rose production in soilless culture systems.     

Dietary patterns among pregnant women in the west-north of Iran

This study was conducted to assess the food consumption pattern and nutrient intakes of pregnant women residing in Maku-the west north of Iran. In this cross-sectional study, 284 pregnant women (142 from urban area and 142 from rural areas) participated. Subjects were interviewed privately, face-to-face. Dietary intake data was collected using two 24 h recalls and a food frequency questionnaire for 3 months. Mean consumption of grains and dairies was higher in rural women compared to their counterparts in urban areas. Women in urban areas consumed 140 g fruits compared to 248 g consumed by rural women. There were no significant differences regarding consumption of vegetables, pulses, fat and oils between these two groups. All women consumed adequate amount of energy, protein, thiamin and niacin (> 75% RDA). Intake of vitamin B6, folate, vitamins A and D, iron, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and zinc was not sufficient in these women. Inadequate intake of vitamin C and riboflavin was also reported in urban women. Percentage of energy from carbohydrate, fat and protein was 66, 23 and 11% for urban women, respectively and 68, 20 and 12% for rural women, respectively. Iron intake was lower in urban women compared to rural women. The findings indicated that rural women have better nutritional status than urban women. Future studies should determine factors associated with food consumption pattern in these women.     

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.     

Changes in carbohydrate contents in shoot tips,leaves and roots of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) during flower-bud differentiation

Flowering is an important step in crop production. Under flower-inducing conditions, biochemical or physiological changes can be recognized. Changes in carbohydrates have an important role in flower development in plants; however, carbohydrate changes during flower bud differentiation in strawberry have not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, runner plants potted in 18 cm diameter pots and grown under non-inducing conditions (28 ± 3/22 ± 3 °C day/night; 16 h day length). When the plants were established, half of the plants then were put under inducing conditions (23 ± 3/13 ± 3 °C day/night; 8 h day length). After the induction period of 21 short-day cycles, plants were brought to non-inductive conditions again. In order to evaluate the carbohydrate changes during flower differentiation, shoot tips, leaves and roots were sampled from four replicated plants collected weekly for the period of 7 weeks. Sucrose, glucose and fructose contents were determined by HPLC, and starch by the anthrone method. The results obtained indicated that the most abundant soluble sugar in all organs tested was sucrose. Sucrose in the shoot tips of induced plants at 42, 56 and 70 days after the start of the short-day treatment were significantly higher than corresponding time in non-induced plants. However, the glucose, fructose and starch contents in shoot tips, leaves and roots of non-induced plants in most sampling dates were greater than those of induced plants. In other words, the shoot tips (bud) of induced plants acted as strong ‘utilizing sink’ and preferentially metabolized carbohydrates rather than storing them. It seems that non-structural carbohydrate contents in shoot tips, leaves and roots of strawberry may have an important role in flower-bud differentiation.     

Comparing the effects of ginger and metoclopramide on the treatment of pregnancy nausea

This study assesses the effects of ginger on nausea and vomiting caused by pregnancy and compares it with metoclopramide medicine. This study was a randomized double-blind controlled trial. Metoclopramide, Ginger and placebo were putted in similar capsules. The medicines were administered three times a day. Then the Rhodes questionnaire was completed and its score were calculated. Data were analyzed by Chi square test, ANOVA and Repeated measurement. The intensity of changes in nausea, vomiting and Rhodes during study were statistically different in two groups of ginger and metoclopramide compared with placebo (p < 0.05), but it was not statistically significant between two groups of ginger and metoclopramide. According to our study, ginger is less effective than metoclopramide in reducing nausea and vomiting but it could be a good alternative for metoclopramide.     

The effect of silver nanoparticle on Fenugreek seed germination under salinity levels

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect s of silver nanoparticles for ameliorating negative effects of salinity on germination and growth of Fenugreek seeds. In order to investigate salinity stress on Fenugreek germination indices, an experiment was carried out in Iran from October 2014 to November 2014 at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, in the biotechnology Laboratory, to create salinity stress, sodium chloride (NaCl) at the levels of 0 (as control), 5, 10, 15 and 20 dS/m and Five levels of silver nanoparticles (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 μg mL^–1) on Fenugreek seed (Trigonella foenum-graecum); were tested Germination characteristics such as total germination (GT), Germination Speed Index (GSI), Shoot and Root of seedling long, Fresh Mass and Dry Mass were measured. Results showed the great effects of silver nanoparticles to improve salinity stress on Fenugreek seed germination. Results showed a significant reduction in germination percent and seedling growth due to the salinity stress while significantly increased with silicon nano-particles application. In without silver nanoparticle low level of salinity (0 dS/m) increased seed germination percentage, while the high levels (5, 10, 15 and 20 dS/m) inhibited the seed germination significantly. The results showed that the effect of AgNPs was significant on germination percentage in P ≤ 0.05. Overall, application of AgNPs was beneficial in improving salinity tolerance in the Fenugreek seedling and its application may stimulate the differences defense mechanisms of plants against salt toxicity.