Natural Dyeing of Wool by Madder (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rubia tinctorum L</Emphasis>.) Root Extract Using Tannin-based Biomordants: Colorimetric,Fastness and Tensile Assay

In this work, the natural dyeing behavior of woollen yarn with madder (Rubia tinctorum L.) root extract was studied. The effects of different tannin-rich plants (Rhus coriaria, Eucalyptus, Terminalia chebula, Quercus castaneifolia, Pomegranate) extract as biomordants and alum (as a chemical mordant) with two mordanting procedures (pre- and metamordanting) on color characteristics of the dyed samples were also investigated. The CIEDE2000 values, color strength (K/S), washing fastness and tensile property of the mordanted and dyed samples were assessed. Visually, a range of hues from orange to brownish-red were obtained. In general, pre-biomordanted samples with Rhus coriaria (10 %owf), Eucalyptus (10 %owf), Terminalia chebula (5 %owf), Quercus castaneifolia (5 %owf) and Pomegranate (5 %owf) showed almost the same color difference (ΔE₀₀) and wash fastness values compared to those treated with 3 %owf alum. Finally, it was concluded from the comparative studies that the biomordants have good potential to be considered as alternatives to the common chemical mordants.     

Effects of Dietary Lipid Levels on Growth,Survival, and Molting of Yearling Narrow Clawed Crayfish,Astacus leptodactylus

The influence of dietary lipid level was evaluated on growth, survival, and molting of yearling narrow clawed crayfish, Astacus leptodactylus. Yearling crayfish were fed five isonitrogenous diets (35% protein), formulated to contain 4%, 7%, 10%, 13%, or 16% lipid. Crayfish (10.1 ± 1.6 g) were reared for 56 days in 60-L fiberglass tanks at 23 ± 1.7 °C, with flow-through water and continuous aeration. At the end of the trial, crayfish fed 13% lipid had the highest weight gain and specific growth rate, significantly different from crayfish fed 4% and 7% lipid (p < 0.05). Crayfish fed 13% lipid had a significantly higher survival rate (86.7%) than the animals fed 4% lipid (71%) (p < 0.05). Molting was not affected by lipid level (p > 0.05). We recommend 13% dietary lipid level for optimum growth and survival of Astacus leptodactylus in intensive cultivation.     

Investigation on the Biodegradability and Antibacterial Properties of Nanohybrid Suture Based on Silver Incorporated PGA-PLGA Nanofibers

Polyglycolic acid-poly lactic glycolic acid (PGA-PLGA) electrospun nanofibers containing silver nanoparticles have been produced and twisted into the nanofibrous yarn. The morphology of nanofibers and produced yarns, as well as the mechanical properties of the yarns, were investigated. Furthermore, in vitro antibacterial properties and in vitro degradation behavior of yarns containing various silver nanoparticles were studied. SEM images confirmed that the addition of the silver nanoparticles into the polymer solution increases the fiber diameters. The result of the mechanical test of the yarns alone and used in two different forms of the knots was measured and results showed that the strength of the yarns without the knot was significantly more than that of others. The biodegradability test showed that the mechanical properties and the weight of the yarns were quickly reduced after subjecting to in vitro condition. The result of the antibacterial test indicated that the nanofiber yarns containing %3 silver nanoparticles were the most appropriate sample with a considerably antibacterial activity against both gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative bacterium Escherichia Coli with inhibition zones of 8.1 and 9.5 mm, respectively; which demonstrated that silver nanoparticles retained their effectiveness after the electrospinning process. Therefore the nanofibrous yarns containing silver nanoparticles could be successfully produced by the electrospinning process with the proper antibacterial property as a candidate for the surgical sutures.     

Identification and characterization of a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Streptomyces</Emphasis> sp. isolate exhibiting activity against multidrug-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococci

The resistance of 220 coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CNS) (associated with animal disease) to 13 antibiotics were determined using the disk diffusion method. 35.9% of multidrug-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococci (MR-CNS) exhibited resistance to five or more than five antibiotics; all of these bacteria were resistant to methicillin too. The new Streptomyces sp. ABRIINW111 was isolated from the Zagros Mountains Hamadan, Iran. The 16S rDNA sequence of the isolate indicated that it has 98% similarity to S. levis, but some mutations in the alpha and gamma regions of the 16S rDNA sequence emphasize the probability of the existence of a new species. Preliminary and secondary antibacterial screenings revealed that the isolate is active against gram negative and positive bacteria. The diethyl ether extracted metabolite of the Streptomyces sp. ABRIINW111 showed an effective antibacterial activity against MR-CNS. So the diethyl ether extract of the new Streptomyces sp. strain ABRIINW111 can inhibit the MR-CNS in vitro, and it can offer a new approach to treat MR-CNS infectious patients.     

Dietary isoflavone absorption, excretion, and metabolism in captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus)

Dietary isoflavones, capable of influencing reproductive parameters in domestic cats (Felis catus), have been detected in commercial diets fed to captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus). However, the absorptive and metabolic capacity of cheetahs towards isoflavones has not yet been studied. Experiments were designed to describe the plasma concentration-time curve, metabolite profile, and urinary and fecal excretion of genistein and daidzein in cheetahs following consumption of isoflavones. Four adult cheetahs were administered a single oral bolus of genistein and daidzein, and five juvenile cheetahs consuming a milk replacer formula found to contain isoflavones were also included. Urine was collected from all animals, and blood and feces were also collected from adult cheetahs following isoflavone exposure. Samples were analyzed for isoflavone metabolite concentration by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-multiple reaction ion monitoring mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography. Sulfate conjugates were the primary metabolites detected of both genistein and daidzein (60-80% of total isoflavones present) in the plasma and urine of cheetahs. A smaller proportion of daidzein was detected as conjugates in the urine of juvenile cheetahs, compared to adult cheetahs. Other metabolites included unconjugated genistein and daidzein, O-desmethylangolensin, and dihydrodaidzein, but not equol. Only 33% of the ingested genistein dose, and 9% of daidzein, was detected in plasma from adult cheetahs. However, of the ingested dose, 67% of genistein and 45% of daidzein were detected in the feces of adults. This study revealed that cheetahs appear efficient in their conjugation of absorbed dietary isoflavones and only a small fraction of ingested dose is absorbed. However, the capacity of the cheetah to conjugate genistein and daidzein with sulfate moieties appears lower than reported in the domestic cat. This may confer greater opportunity for biologic activity of isoflavones in the cheetah than would be predicted from findings in the domestic cat. However, further investigation is required.     

Effects of sodium diformate on growth performance,gut microflora,digestive enzymes and innate immunological parameters of Asian sea bass (Lates calcarifer) juveniles

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary sodium diformate (NaDF) on growth performance, gut microflora, digestive enzyme activities and immune response parameters of Asian sea bass (Lates calcarifer) juveniles. Fish with initial weight of 12.5 ± 0.4 g were fed with five experimental diets contained 0.0 (control), 5, 10.0, 15.0 and 20 g NaDF kg^?1 in triplicate for 6 weeks. Fish fed diet containing 5 g NaDF kg^?1 had significantly the highest final body weight and feed intake among different treatments. The gut total viable bacterial counts gradually decreased with increasing dietary NaDF level. Specific activity of chymotrypsin improved in fish fed diets administered with NaDF compared to the control group. Fish fed 5 g NaDF kg^?1 diet showed the highest serum lysozyme level among different treatments. The serum classical pathway activity of complement showed higher level in fish fed diets contained 5 and 10 g NaDF kg^?1 than other groups. According to break‐point regression method analysis, the optimum inclusion of dietary NaDF in L. calcarifer juveniles was estimated between 4.6 and 5.1 g/kg, when specific growth rate and feed conversion ratio were plotted against dietary NaDF levels.     

The Effect of Vermicompost on Transformation Rate of Available P Applied as Chemical Fertilizer in a Calcareous Clay Soil

The effects of vermicompost (VC) (0% and 1% w/w) on treated calcareous clay soil with 0 and 50 mg phosphorus (P) kg^?1 as calcium phosphate [Ca(H₂PO₄)₂.H₂O] was investigated. The soil samples were incubated for 7, 30, 60, 120, and 150 d at 25 ± 1°C and Olsen-P was measured after each incubation time. Results showed that Olsen-P increased 36% and 38% after VC addition in treated soil with 0 and 50 mg P kg^?1, respectively. Recovery of Olsen-P in treated soils with VC, combined fertilizer VC + P, and fertilizer P was 42%, 42%, and 17%, respectively. The rate coefficient in treated soils with fertilizer, VC, and combined fertilizer VC + P was 0.033, 0.026, and 0.023 mg kg^?1 d^?1/2, respectively. It seems that the process that leads to the decrease in available P in amended soils, is controlled by P diffusion into sorption sites in micropores of aggregates.