Morphometric study of the testis in sheep embryos using unbiased design-based stereology

Sheep have been used as translational models of human postnatal testicular development. However, the morphometric features of the normal developing testis in sheep embryos have not been previously investigated using stereology. The objective of the present work was to establish normal quantitative parameters for fetal testicular tissue components in sheep, using unbiased design-based stereological methods. Twenty-four sheep embryos were divided into four gestational age groups (9–11, 12–14, 15–17 and 18–20 weeks of gestation) on the basis of the embryos’ crown-rump length. Isotropic, systematic uniform random sections of the left testes were obtained by employing the orientator method. Testicular total volume, the absolute and proportional volumes occupied by the seminiferous tubules and interstitial tissue, as well as the seminiferous tubule length, were estimated using the point-counting system and the unbiased counting frame principle. All the parameters, with the exception of the interstitial tissue's fractional volume, gradually increased along with gestational age, with the maximum increase especially seen in the late fetal stages. The proportional volume of the interstitial tissue, on the other hand, showed a decreasing trend along with increasing gestational age. The absolute volume of the testes, of the seminiferous tubules and of the interstitial tissue, and the length of the seminiferous tubules showed a significant (p< 0.05) positive linear correlation with gestational age. Several similarities were observed with human testicular embryogenesis. The stereological data emerging from the present study might prove useful as basic contribution to the fields of andrology and embryology and stimulate further research in these areas.     

Nickel supplementation effect on the growth,urease activity and urea and nitrate concentrations in lettuce supplied with different nitrogen sources

Effect of nickel (Ni) in the nutrient solution on yield, N metabolism, and nitrate content of leafy vegetables is poorly understood. The aim of this nutrient solution culture experiment was to investigate the effects of Ni supplementation on the nitrogen (N) metabolism and growth of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Baker) with either urea or nitrate as the N source. Nickel supplement at 0.04 μM reduced urea toxicity to the urea-fed plants. Addition of Ni to the nutrient solution significantly increased the leaves and root growth of the urea-fed lettuce plants while it increased the growth of lettuce plants fed with nitrate only at N level of 20 mM. At N level of 20 mM, the leaves fresh weight of the urea-fed plants promoted by Ni supplement was comparable with the nitrate-fed plants untreated with Ni. Nickel supplementation increased the leaf total N concentrations in the urea-fed plants, although the nitrate-fed plants accumulated greater N in their leaves compared with urea treated plants at without Ni treatment. Nickel addition decreased the concentrations of leaf urea-N in the urea-fed plants and NO₃-N in the nitrate-fed plants. Nickel addition enhanced urease activity in the leaves of urea-fed plants. The results indicated Ni supplementation enhances the growth of the urea-fed lettuce plants while it has role in decreasing leaf nitrate concentration and thus, improving the health quality of the nitrate-fed plants.     

Effects of superabsorbent polyacrylamide hydrogel and gypsum applications on colloidal phosphorus release from agricultural soils

Purpose

The present study aimed to assess the synergistic effects of superabsorbent polyacrylamide hydrogel (SPH) and gypsum on colloidal phosphorus (CP) release from different farmlands (i.e. tea, vegetable, and paddy soils).

Materials and methods

A laboratory experiment was carried out to examine the effects of SPH at different rates of 0.00, 0.01, 0.05, and 0.1% (w/w) and gypsum at the rates of 0 and 0.005% (w/w) on CP released from different farmland soils. For this purpose, CP, colloidal molybdate–reactive P (MRPc), and colloidal molybdenum–unreactive P (MUPc) were measured in soil solutions.

Results and discussion

The results revealed that the release of CP, MRPc, and MUPc ranged respectively from 5.20 to 56.65, 1.62 to 39.09, and 0.33 to 37.10% of total P (TP) in soil solutions across three farmland soils. Besides, the soils treated with SPH and gypsum (0.1%) mitigated CP release respectively by 51.75%, 62.64%, 24.13%, and 62.74% for tea, vegetable, silt loam paddy, and loam paddy soils. However, the MRPc release dropped respectively by 40.22%, 41.04%, 38.55%, and 63.70% in tea, vegetable, silt loam paddy, and loam paddy soils, and similar trends were observed in MUPc, namely, 43.72%, 49.37%, 35.71%, and 56.17% respectively in tea, vegetable, silt loam paddy, and loam paddy soils. The results indicated that gypsum could make a binding in the carboxyl group of polyacrylamide (PAM)/SPH and anion CP because of decreased CP release.

Conclusions

The major form of P was CP, and co-application of PAM/SPH and gypsum could be a promising management approach to moderate CP release from agricultural soils.

     

The effects of operating parameters on the fabrication of polyacrylonitrile nanofibers in electro-centrifuge spinning

Introduced recently, electro centrifuge is a new method for nanofiber production. In the electro-centrifuge method, fibers are produced by the simultaneous use of electrical and centrifugal forces. In this research, the effective parameters in the production of PAN nanofibers diameter and the influence of each of them have been discussed. These parameters are voltage, rotation speed, flow rate of exiting solution from nozzle and viscosity of solution. Also the capability of fiber production by this method is compared with the conventional electrospinning system. Results show that a significant enhancement can be achieved by proper adjustments of the polymer solution viscosity, applied voltage, and rotational velocity in fiber production rate. To exemplify, in a PAN polymer solution, the increased production rate of electro centrifuge varied from 193 to 1200 percent, as compared with a similar electrospinning method in which the polymer concentration and applied voltage varied in a range of 13 to 16 wt% and 15 to 10 kV, respectively.     

Manufacturing of twisted continuous PAN nanofiber yarn by electrospinning process

The development of a modified method to produce heat treated twisted nanofibrous yarns using two oppositely metallic spinnerets system is presented. This method allows the production of more uniform, stronger twisted poly acrylonitrile (PAN) yarns. The novelty of this system permits for in-situ heat treating of the nanofiber yarns. The average diameter of twisted nanofiber yarns is 340.65 μm with 5.8 CV%. The values of the initial modulus and stress of heat treated yarns increase from 1.90 GPa and 61.30 MPa in untreated one to 4.51 GPa and 116.56 MPa, respectively. In order to quantify the alignment of the nanofibers Fourier power spectrum (FPS) and image analysis were used. So the treated yarn shows more degree of nanofiber alignments than the untreated one.     

Effects of Cooking Methods on Proximate Composition and Fatty Acids Profile of Indian White Prawn (Fenneropenaeus indicus)

The effects of baking, boiling, microwaving, and frying on the proximate composition and fatty acid content of the edible portion of Indian white prawns (Fenneropenaeus indicus) were determined. Mean moisture, lipid, protein, and ash contents of raw prawns were 72.1, 4.32, 21.5, and 1.31%, respectively. For all cooking methods, moisture decreased and protein increased, while fatty acid compositions changed uniquely for each method. In fried prawns, the n3/n6 ratio was the lowest and significantly differed from the other treatments. The heat treatment significantly changed the proximate composition and fatty acid content. Baking and microwaving are the best methods of the four for cooking prawn while preserving their nutritional value, especially on the basis of recommended dietary intake of DHA and EPA.     

A comparative histopathological, immunohistochemical and nested-PCR study for diagnosis of infectious pancreatic necrosis in the naturally infected cultured rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

To confirm the diagnosis of the infectious pancreatic necrosis, the pancreas, liver, kidney and spleen specimens from 140 rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) of weight ranges from 15 to 250?g were processed for routine histopathological and immunohistochemical (IHC) studies together with a nested-PCR using primers that amplify a 164-bp product. Of the 140 fish samples, 37 (26.4%) had a final diagnosis of IPN on the basis of hematoxylin and eosin staining (H&E), while 39/45 (86.6%) were positive by IHC method. With the nested-PCR, 59/140 (42.1%) fish samples were positive. The IHC and nested-PCR showed higher prevalence than histopathology (P?<?0.05). Based on the nested-PCR, as the fish weight increased, IPN positive results decreased (P?<?0.05). However, IHC method detected IPNV constantly in these weight ranges. Only IPNV serotype Sp was identified by nucleotide sequencing and immunohistochemistry, and antiserum to IPNV serotype Ab and IHNV showed negative results in IHC. This is the first comparative diagnostic study of IPN at different weight ranges in cultured salmonids.     

The effects of altered ultrasound parameters on the recovery of sciatic nerve injury

Background: Initial studies have shown that low-energy ultrasound stimulates living tissue cells to reduce regeneration or speed up their recovery. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of various ultrasound parameters on the speed of recovery in injured sciatic nerves NMRI.Methods: NMRI mice (n = 200) with injured left paw, caused by crushing their sciatic nerves, were randomly selected. The animals were exposed to ultrasound radiation with various frequencies, intensities, and exposure time. They were allocated into 20 groups (19 treatment and 1 control groups). Sciatic functional index (SFI) test was used to evaluate the difference between the groups with respect to functional efficiency of the sciatic nerve and its recovery. SFI ، (P=0.000).Results: The results of SFI test obtained from the 14^th day showed a significant difference among the groups (P<0.05). On the 14^th day after treatment, one of the groups (US11) recovered up to 90%..Conclusion: Altered ultrasound exposure parameters had more favorable outcomes compared with our previous work.Key Words: Sciatic nerve, Ultrasonic therapy, Regeneration     

Age-Specific Gastric Cancer Risk Indicated by the Combination of Helicobacter pylori Sero-Status and Serum Pepsinogen Levels

Background:

Serologic screening of gastric cancer (GC) by serum pepsinogens (sPG) levels and Helicobacter pylori (Hp) sero-status, though highly informative, has provided heterogeneous results. Here, we have evaluated the modifying effects of demographic factors on the risk impact of Hp sero-status/sPG levels in gastric cancer, with particular emphasis on age.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was carried out on 1341 individuals (GC = 578, healthy = 763), who were stratified into two age groups: 35-59 years (middle-aged, n = 830) and ≥ 60 years (60 years-plus, n = 511). Demographic factors and serological states (Hp sero-staus and sPG levels) were recorded by subject interview and serum ELISAs, respectively. Covariate-specific odds ratios were calculated by multivariable logistic regression.

Results:

Hp infection was consistently associated with increased sPGI and sPGII levels in the 60 year-plus, but not the middle-aged group. The joint examination of the variable states of the three serum biomarkers (Hp serology, sPGI, and sPGI/II ratio), in the 60 year-plus age group, demonstrated a stepwise escalation of risk from the single (sPGI_low; OR = 2.6), to double (sPGI_low/sPGI/II_low; OR = 3.55, and Hp_positive/sPGI_low; OR = 5.0) and ultimately triple (Hp_positive/PGI_low/PGI/II_low; OR = 10.48) positive states, in reference to the triple negatives. However, this pattern was not exhibited in the middle-aged subjects.

Conclusion:

Age was clearly identified as a modifying factor on the risk projection of the combined states of Hp serology and sPG levels in gastric cancer screening, reflected by the augmented (~10.5 fold) risk of GC in the triple positive (Hp_positive/sPGI_low/sPGI/II_low) 60 year-plus subjects, which was not evident in the middle-aged group. Key Words: Biomarkers, Demography, Age Distribution