Inducing salt tolerance in strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch) plants by acetate application

Abstract

Acetate, can be considered as an appropriate interface for increasing tolerance to salinity stress in strawberries. Strawberry plants were exposed to different treatments including control (Hoagland solution), salinity (40?mM NaCl), acetic acid (AA) (1?mM), acetic acid (1?mM) + salinity (AAS), ammonium acetate (AA) (1?mM), ammonium acetate (AM) (1?mM) + salinity (AMS), ammonium carbonate (AC) (0.5?mM), and ammonium carbonate (0.5?mM) + salinity (ACS) and put them in hydroponic system. The results indicated that salinity reduced shoot dry weight about 80.12% when compared with untreated control plants. That in comparison to acetate treatments, this reduction was 47.13 and 48.77% in AAS and AMS, respectively. Leaf area was decrease 59% in salinity treatment but this reduction was 14% in AAS. The AAS and AMS were most effective in increasing fruit yields (35.93 and 52.16?g per plant, respectively) in comparison to salinity treatment alone (27.23?g per plant) condition. In saline conditions, the highest amount of soluble carbohydrate was observed in AMS treatment (9.67?mg g^?1 DW) that there was no significant difference with AAS treatment. Increase in Na⁺ and Cl^? accumulation in shoots and decreased in K⁺ in saline condition were observed. The highest amount of potassium was observed in acetate treatments. The present results have demonstrated that acetate could improve tolerance to the salinity, yield and plants growth in strawberry. But, in comparison to AA and AM treatments, better results were observed in AA treatment in both salinity and non-salinity conditions.     

Transplanting P75-Suppressed Bone Marrow Stromal Cells Promotes Functional Behavior in a Rat Model of Spinal Cord Injury

Background: Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) have been successfully employed for movement deficit recovery in spinal cord injury (SCI) rat models. One of the unsettled problems in cell transplantation is the relative high proportion of cell death, specifically after neural differentiation. According to our previous studies, p75 receptor, known as the death receptor, is only expressed in BMSC in a time window of 6-12 hours following neural induction. Moreover, we have recently reported a decreased level of apoptosis in p75-suppressed BMSC in vitro. Therefore, our objective in this research was to explore the functional effects of transplanting p75:siRNA expressing BMSC in SCI rats. Methods: Laminectomy was performed at L1 vertebra level to expose spinal cord for contusion using weight-drop method. PBS-treated SCI rats (group one) were used as negative controls, in which cavitations were observed 10 weeks after SCI. pRNA-U6.1/Hygro- (group two, as a mock) and pRNA-U6.1/Hygro-p75 shRNA- (group three) transfected BMSC were labeled with a fluorescent dye, CM-DiI, and grafted into the lesion site 7 days after surgery. The Basso-Beattie-Bresnehan locomotor rating scale was performed weekly for 10 weeks. Results: There was a significant difference (P≤0.05) between all groups of treated rats regarding functional recovery. Specifically, the discrepancy among p75 siRNA and mock-transfected BMSC was statistically significant. P75 siRNA BMSC also revealed a higher level of in vivo survival compared to the mock BMSC. Conclusion: Our data suggest that genetically modified BMSC that express p75:siRNA could be a more suitable source of cells for treatment of SCI. Key Words: Spinal cord injury (SCI), Apoptosis, Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC)     

Association Study of rs1333040 and rs1004638 Polymorphisms in the 9p21 Locus with Coronary Artery Disease in Southwest of Iran

Background:

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a multifactorial and heterogenic disease. Recently, genome-wide association studies have reported that rs1333040 (C/T) and rs1004638 (A/T) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the 9p21 locus have very strong association with CAD. This study aimed to examine these associations in Southwest of Iran.

Methods:

Blood samples were collected from 200 CAD patients and 110 healthy individuals with no CAD. The association of two SNPs with CAD was evaluated by PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism.

Results:

Chi-square test showed no association between rs1333040 SNP and CAD (X²: 4.66, df: 2, P=0.09). Also, there was no association between rs1004638 SNP and CAD (X²: 0.27, df: 2, P=0.88).

Conclusion:

No association was observed between rs1333040 and rs1004638 SNPs in the 9P21 region and CAD in Southwest of Iran. Key Words: Coronary artery disease, Single nucleotide polymorphisms, Genetic association study, Iran     

Molecular characterization of a Squalene epoxidase gene in dermatophyte pathogen Trichophyton tonsurans

BACKGROUND: Trichophyton tonsurans is one of the dermatophyte fungi which invades the skin and hair of human. Several properties of this fungus have been investigated so far. However a few studies were carried out in the field of molecular biology of this fungus. In the present study, we tried to identify the Squalene epoxidase gene which is related to synthesis of ergosterol in this fungus. METHODS: Pairs of 23 and 24 nucleotides primers were designed from highly conserved regions of the similar genes in other fungi. Mentioned primers were utilized in PCR by using isolated genomic DNA of T. tonsurans whereas the PCR fragments were then sequenced. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Nucleotides (n = 558) have been sequenced from this new gene which encodes a polypeptide with 186 amino acids. Sequences comparison in gene data banks (NCBI, NIH) for this part of DNA and its deduced amino acid revealed significant homology with members of the eukaryotic Squalene epoxidase.     

Investigation of physico-chemical properties and antioxidant activity of twenty Iranian pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cultivars

Pomegranate is one of the native fruits of Iran which contains high genetic resources, but there are insufficient information regarding properties of the fruit. The objective of the present study was to investigate the physcio-chemical characteristics and antioxidant activity of twenty pomegranate cultivars grown in Iran. This study showed that there were significant differences among the cultivars in all measured factors except the length/diameter ratio of fruit. The fruit weight, skin percentage, aril percentage and juice percentage were within the range of 196.89–315.28 g, 32.28–59.82%, 37.59–65% and 26.95–46.55%, respectively. The total soluble solids content varied from 11.37 (°Brix) to 15.07 (°Brix), pH values from 3.16 to 4.09, titratable acidity content from 0.33 g 100 g⁻¹ to 2.44 g 100 g⁻¹ and total sugars content from 13.23 g 100 g⁻¹ to 21.72 g 100 g⁻¹. The results also showed that the values of ascorbic acid ranged from 9.91 mg 100 g⁻¹ to 20.92 mg 100 g⁻¹. The total anthocyanins content was observed in pomegranate cultivars between 5.56  mg 100 g⁻¹ and 30.11 mg 100 g⁻¹. The level of total phenolics was varied from 295.79 mg 100 g⁻¹ to 985.37 mg 100 g⁻¹. The antioxidant activity of pomegranate cultivars was found between 15.59 and 40.72%. These data demonstrated that the cultivar was the main parameter which influences the physico-chemical properties and antioxidant activity in pomegranates.     

The effect of different biochars on the growth and water use efficiency of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.)

In two identical pot trials, we investigated the effect of different biochars on the growth and water use efficiency (WUE) of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) grown with and without water stress. Plants were grown in pots with and without biochar. Rice husk (RH), standard rice husk (SRH), standard wheat straw (SWS) or standard oilseed rape straw (SOS) biochars were added at a rate of 2% by weight. Irrigation was reduced from 80% of field capacity to 40% in half of the pots to create water stress when 50% of the plants flowered. No significant interaction was observed between irrigation and biochar treatments. Water stress resulted in smaller plants (11.5%), fewer pods (16.1%) and reduced 100-seed weight (12.6%), seed yield (20.1%) and plant dry weight (55.0%). All standard biochars increased plant dry weight in a range of 18%−25% compared with the controls. There was no significant effect of biochar on the number of pods and seed weight. Only RH, SWS and SOS biochar increased the number of seeds pod⁻¹ by 9.0%−14.5% compared with the controls regardless of water stress. RH and SOS biochars increased seed yield by 16.7 and 21.6%, respectively. RH, SWS and SOS biochar increased the WUE by 17.3%, 10.1% and 16.2% regardless of water stress, respectively. Based on the experiment, we recommend farmers to add biochar whatever type they have available. However, RH and SOS seem to be better than the others are, as they seem to be able to increase seed yield and WUE considerably.     

Determination of antibiotic resistance pattern and virulence genes in Escherichia coli isolated from bovine with subclinical mastitis in southwest of Iran

The aims of the present study were to investigate the prevalence of some virulence genes and also determine the antimicrobial resistance pattern of E. coli isolated from bovine with subclinical mastitis. The milk of 502 cows was collected from 8 dairy herds in the southwest of Iran. Conventional biochemical tests were used for identification of E. coli at the species level. Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of E. coli isolates were determined by disc agar diffusion method and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for detection of seven virulence genes including f17A, afaE-8, afaD-8, eaeA, cnf1, cnf2, and iucD. Seventy (13.94%) isolates of E. coli were identified in 502 milk samples. The highest rate of resistance was observed against tetracycline (18.6%), while none of the isolates were resistant to streptomycin. Eight (11.5%) out of 70 E. coli isolates carried at least one of the virulence genes. The afaD-8 was the most prevalent gene detected in 5 (7.1%) isolates. The afaE-8, iucD, and eaeA were detected in 3, 3, and 2 isolates respectively. Low prevalence of virulence factors may be indicating that most of the E. coli isolates originated from the commensal flora of cows and enter to the udders via environment contamination with feces.

     

Values,technologies, and epistemology

The aim of this paper is to make possible dialogue between those who claim that technologies are coded with social, political, or ethical values and those who argue that they are value-neutral. To demonstrate the relevance of this bridge-building project, the controversy regarding agrifood biotechnology will be used as a case study. Drawing on work by L. H. Nelson about the nature of human knowledge-building enterprises and E. F. Kittay’s account of the relationally-constituted self, the argument will be made that all technologies embody the values of the communities that created them. Zahra Meghani is an assistant professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Rhode Island. Her research interests are philosophy of technology, feminist theory (especially feminist epistemology and feminist philosophy of science), normative ethics, practical ethics (especially health care ethics), disability issues, and political theory.     

Rutin from different parts of Capparis spinosa growing wild in Khuzestan/Iran

A qualitative and quantitative analysis of rutin from leaves, fruits and flowers of Capparis spinosa growing wild in Khuzestan was achieved. After soxhelet extraction of fats in diethyl ether, rutin was extracted by maceration using 50% EtOH. The ethanol extracts of these parts were separated by preparative TLC on silica gel precoated plate with a mixture of butanol: acetic acid (4:1, by volume) as the developing solvent. The spots were visualized under ultraviolet light (254 nm). Rutin was qualified by comparison of its R(f) value with that of standard. UV/Vis spectrum of separated rutin was also compared with those of standards and showed characteristic wavelengths at 260 and 360 nm. Purified rutin was quantified by UV/Vis spectrophotometric determination at 360 nm. The calibration curve was linear in the range of 0.156-2.5 microg mL(-1) with detection limit of 0.0731 microg mL(-1). The purity of extracted rutin from leave, flower and fruit determined by high performance liquid chromatography were 90.41, 87.25 and 64.56%, respectively. The amounts of rutin in leaves, fruits and flowers were 61.09, 6.03 and 43.72 mg per 100 g of dried powder, respectively. By analyzing the spiked samples of leave, flower and fruit the recovery of the UV/Vis method was in the range of 102-107.6%.