Gibbsiella quercinecans and Brenneria roseae subsp. roseae associated to the canker disease of walnut trees in northwestern Iran

European Journal of Plant Pathology - A bacterial disease of walnut (Juglans regia) has been observed in northwestern Iran during the summer of 2018 with symptoms similar to the shallow bark canker...     

Molecular characterization of the surface glycoprotein genes of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza viruses detected in Iran in 2011

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus is causing the death of a large number of wild birds and poultry. HPAI H5N1 was reported in the north of Iran in 2011. In this study, two A/Chicken/Iran/271/2011 and A/Duck/Iran/178/2011 viruses were genetically characterized by sequence analysis of Hemagglutinin (HA) and Neuraminidase (NA) genes. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that these viruses were different from previous Iranian isolates (Clade 2.2) and belonged to the subclade 2.3.2.1. The results showed that the detected viruses are almost identical to each other and closely related to HPAI H5N1 strains isolated in Mongolia in 2010. Based on the amino acid sequence analysis, these viruses at their HA cleavage sites contained the multibasic amino acid motif PQRERRRK-R/GLF lacking a lysine residue compared with the previous reports of the same motif. There is also a 20-amino acid deletion (resides 49–69) in the NA stalk similar to other viruses isolated after 2000. It seems that introduction of HPAI H5N1 to Iran might have happened by wild birds from Mongolian origin virus.     

Chemical composition and some anti-nutrient content of raw and processed bitter vetch (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vicia ervilia</Emphasis>) seed for use as feeding stuff in poultry diet

An experiment was conducted to determine chemical composition of raw and treated bitter vetch seed for use in poultry diets. Processing methods were: soaked in water for 12 h, then autoclaved and dried (SA); coarsely ground, soaked in water for 24 h, autoclaved and dried (GSA); coarsely ground, soaked in water for 47 h with exchange of water every 12 h, cooked and dried (GSC); coarsely ground, soaked in solution of 1% acetic acid for 24 h at 60°C and dried (GAA). Raw bitter vetch seed was contained 94.52, 26.56, 0.4, 58.86, 3.38, 5.32, 12.28 and 14.20 percent DM, CP, EE, NFE, Ash, CF, ADF and NDF, respectively. Its GE, AME, AMEn, TME and TMEn values were 18.10, 13.15, 14.38, 14.10 and 14.69 MJ/kg, respectively. Results indicated that bitter vetch is a good source of Fe (340 ppm) and Cu (46.7 ppm). It s amino acid profile was suitable and methionine was the first limiting amino acid when compared with broiler and layer chicks requirements. Its canavanine and tannin content were 0.78 and 6.7 mg/kgDM, respectively. Processing methods improved CP and in some cases AMEn. All processing methods especially GSC resulted in a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in canavanine and tannin.     

Identifying invasive fish species threats to RAMSAR wetland sites in the Caspian Sea region—A case study of the Anzali Wetland Complex (Iran)

Risk screening tools play a crucial role in identifying potential high-risk non-native (NN) fish species. In this study, potentially invasive NN fish species in the Anzali Wetland Complex (AWC), which is located on the south coast of the Caspian Sea (Iran), were identified using the Aquatic Species Invasiveness Screening Kit (AS-ISK). Twenty-nine freshwater fish species were screened of which 13 exist in the AWC and 16 in close proximity to it (“horizon” species). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that AS-ISK could discriminate reliably between non-invasive and invasive fish species for the AWC. Mean threshold scores were 3.25 for the Basic Risk Assessment (BRA) and 11.75 for the BRA + CCA (BRA + Climate Change Assessment), and these, respectively, classified 89.7% and 86.2% of the species as high risk. The CCA resulted in an increase in the BRA scores for 86.2% of the species, suggesting the need to account in future NN species management for a likely increased invasiveness of those species under future climate conditions. These results suggest that AS-ISK could prove an effective tool for identifying potentially invasive NN freshwater fishes in other wetlands of the Caspian Sea basin.     

Synchronous feeding of liquid protein source with different grains on performance,digestibility, ruminal fermentation,blood metabolites,and carcass characters in growing lambs

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The effects of feeding corn steep liquor (CSL; 420&nbsp;g/kg crude protein, DM basis) along with different cereal grains on performance, digestibility,...     

Association of allelic polymorphisms of IGFALS gene with growth traits in Makouei and Ghezel sheep breeds

Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein acid-labile subunit (IGFALS) encodes a protein which binds to IGF1 and IGFBP-3 to regulate the growth, differentiation, and other physiological processes. The aim of this study was the identification of allelic polymorphisms of the IGFALS gene using the PCR-RFLP technique and evaluation of their association with growth traits. For this end, 120 blood samples were randomly collected from each breed. Following amplification of an 1113-bp fragment of exon 1 and a part of intron 1 of the IGFLAS gene, genotyping was conducted by three restriction enzymes including HinfI, MscI, and PvuII. The results showed that only one allele was observed in IGFALS-PvuII site, while in IGFLAS-MscI site, three AA, AB, and BB genotypes with the frequencies of 17.5%, 32%, and 50.5% and 11%, 37.5%, and 51.5% were observed in Makouei and Ghezel sheep breeds, respectively. Additionally, in the IGFLAS-HinfI site, two AB and BB genotypes with the frequency of 34.2% and 65.8% were observed in Makouei sheep and AA, AB, and BB genotypes with the frequency of 9%, 21%, and 70% were observed in Ghezel sheep. So that, Makouei sheep with AB genotype had more chest girth (CG) compared with other genotypes. Furthermore, a significant association was observed between the genotypes of IGFLAS-HinfI with birth weight (BW) in Ghezel and BW, weaning weight (BW3), and CG in Makouei sheep. Haplotype analysis revealed an association between paternal haplotypes and BW in both Ghezel and Makouei breeds. So that, AAB and ABB haplotypes showed more BW than others in Makouei and Ghezel sheep, respectively.

     

Standardization of the outbred BALB/c mice as a suitable animal model for <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Besnoitia caprae</Emphasis> studies

The Apicomplexan parasite Besnoitia caprae infects wild and domestic goats. Knowledge on Besnoitia caprae specially an optimized animal model is sparse. Experimental infections with tachyzoites of BC-Pars obtained from BALB/c mice were conducted in outbred mice to determine the infectivity and LD50 of Besnoitia caprae. Six groups of five mice were intraperitoneally infected with 12.5 × 10³, 25 × 10³, 5 × 10⁴, 1 × 10⁵ and 2 × 10⁵ tachyzoites and a control inoculum of DMEM, respectively. Although morbidity and mortality were observed in all groups, two mice in the 12.5 × 10³ group showed alopecia and skin lesions on 60 days post-infection (DPI). Histopathological and molecular examination of skins confirmed B. caprae infection. The LD₅₀ was calculated as 25 × 10^3.2 tachyzoites per mouse. The results indicate that outbred BALB/c mice can be used as a suitable model of besnoitiosis and to screen candidate treatments and to test the efficacy of vaccines for besnoitiosis.     

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.     

Enantiomeric discrimination and quantification of the chiral organophosphorus pesticide fenamiphos in aqueous samples by a novel and selective ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic method using cyclodextrins as chiral selector

A rapid, selective, and accurate quantitative 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (31P NMR) spectroscopy method was used for the chiral recognition of the racemic organophosphorus pesticide fenamiphos using chiral solvating agents (CSAs). Six neutral cyclodextrins (CDs) (α-CD, β-CD, methyl-β-CD, hydroxyethyl-β-CD, hydroxypropyl-β-CD, and hydroxypropyl-γ-CD) and two anionic CDs (carboxymethyl-β-CD and carboxyethyl-β-CD) were selected for these experiments. The shift displacement values (Δδ), after addition of each of the eight CDs in the highest possible molar ratio to a guest, were recorded. The results showed that β-CD and hydroxypropyl-β-CD were the best chiral solvating agents for the enantiomeric discrimination of fenamiphos. Two-dimension rotating frame nuclear Overhauser spectroscopy (ROESY) was used to investigate the structure of the β-CD-fenamiphos inclusion complex in aqueous solution. To determine the fenamiphos enantiomers, a calibration curve was drawn for two enantiomers over the range of 0.05-0.25 mg mL?1. The limits of detection (S/N = 3) were obtained as 0.0068 and 0.0060 mg mL?1 for fenamiphos enantiomers. The recovery studies were performed on aqueous real samples ranging from 94 to 107% with coefficients of variation of ≤ 9%.