Phosphate solubilizing bacteria and fungi in desert soils: species,limitations and mechanisms

Desert soils are infertile, and the ability to improve them by P-fertilization is limited by the solubility of phosphate. We aimed to understand the function of phosphate solubilizing bacteria and the mechanisms behind phosphate solubilization in desert soils. Vegetated and barren desert soils, mine spoil and a fertile temperate grassland loam were sampled. Bacteria and fungi were isolated and identified, and their phosphate-solubilizing abilities were measured in vitro. The release of plant available PO₄, SO₄, NO₃ and NH₄ from desert soils did not compare with that of a grassland soil. Desert soils had substantially lower solubilization than grassland, 162 and 99–121 µg PO₄-P g^?1 dry soil, respectively. Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria and fungi were inhabiting the soils. Si addition increased phosphate solubilization of fungi by 50%. The isolated microbes were shown, using ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis, to rapidly take-up both intracellular and extracellular phosphate during the phosphate solubilizing process. Desert soil had potentially active microbial populations that are capable to solubilize inorganic phosphorus; S and Si as the limiting factors. Acidification as the main mechanism to solubilize mineral phosphate was not as evident in our desert soils as in former studies dealing more fertile soils.     

Biofortification of onion bulb with selenium at different levels of sulfate

In this research experiment, two commercial onion cultivars (Allium cepa L., cvs. Dorrcheh and Cebolla Valenciana) were grown in sand culture and exposed to two levels of selenium (Se) (0 and 25?µM) and two levels of sulfate (1 and 3?mM). According to the results obtained, addition of 25?µM Se in combination with 3?mM sulfate was not only effective in significant increase of onion bulb yield, but it significantly increased Se concentration of bulb. By considering the average consumption of onion in central Iran, the daily intake of Se via consumption of Se-biofortified onion is estimated to be 68.4–77.2?µg in spring and summer and 72.6–117.1?µg in fall and winter. These amounts of daily intakes of Se is higher than the sufficient levels of Se recommended by world health organization (WHO) but less than the maximum tolerable level of Se (400?µg Se per day) for human.     

The effects of socio-economic status on BMI, waist:hip ratio and waist circumference in a group of Iranian women

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of socio-economic status (SES) on BMI, waist:hip ratio (WHR) and waist circumference (WC) in a group of Iranian women. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 888 women in Sistan and Baluchestan Province. SES was measured using level of education. In addition, parity, marital status and physical activity were assessed. Standardized measurements were taken, BMI and WHR were calculated. RESULTS: Low education level was a strong determinant of overweight and obesity among Iranian women. After controlling for age, women with higher education level had significantly lower BMI, WC and parity. Multiple linear regression analysis found a significant negative association of BMI and WC with education level and a significant positive association of BMI and WC with parity. Significant factors associated with obesity by a logistic regression model were education level (OR for university graduates v. illiterate or low literacy levels: 1.00 v. 3.70; P = 0.01), living with spouse (OR for married v. single subjects: 1.00 v. 0.15; P = 0.05), parity (OR for more than five v. less than two pregnancies: 1.00 v. 0.34; P = 0.03) and WC (OR for < 0.88 cm v. > or = 0.88 cm: 1.00 v. 11.20; P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The present study revealed that educational level, multiple pregnancies, marital status and lack of exercise are some possible explanations for the obesity among Sistan and Baluchestan women.     

Chemical and organic immobilization treatments for reducing phytoavailability of heavy metals in copper‐mine tailings

This study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of diammonium phosphate (DAP), agricultural limestone (lime), and green‐waste compost mixed with 30% treated sewage sludge (GCS) applied alone or in combination as chemical immobilization treatment using tomato as a test crop. Mine waste was collected from an abandoned copper‐mine tailing site at Mynydd Parys, Anglesey (UK). Lime was applied at the rate of CaCO₃ equivalent (CCE, pH = 7), DAP at the rate of 23 g P per kg substrate, and 10% by weight, GCS as sole application. Half rate of each amendment was also tested as a combined treatment and an untreated substrate (control). Plant‐available metals (Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn) were measured in substrate with conventional diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) and sequential Ca(NO₃)₂ extraction. Plant–dry biomass yield was significantly (p < 0.001) increased by the combined application of all the three amendments while sole application of DAP reduced yield by 4‐fold compared to unamended soil probably due to P toxicity. Addition of lime reduced the DTPA‐extractable Cu, Fe, and Zn by 75%, 81%, and 85%, respectively, while Pb availability was reduced by 88% in combined DAP + lime + GCS treatment compared to control. The extraction capacity of DTPA was higher than that of Ca(NO₃)₂ by 3‐fold for Cu and Fe, 8‐fold for Pb, and 2‐fold for Zn. The leaf‐tissue concentrations of Cu and Fe were reduced by 77% and 83% in the lime + GCS amendment, respectively, while both Pb and Zn were reduced by 89% and 33%, respectively, in substrate treated with the combined application of all three amendments. These results suggest that alkaline amendments (both lime and GCS) were effective in reducing the phytoavailability of Cu, Fe, and Zn while DAP mixed with either GCS or lime was effective in reducing Pb availability.     

Attribute selection and model evaluation for the maternal and paternal imprinted genes in bovine (Bos Taurus) using supervised machine learning algorithms

Imprinted genes display biased expression of paternal and maternal alleles in mammals. They are marked through epigenetic process during gametogenesis. Characterization of imprinted genes has expanded our understanding of the regulation and function of genes. In the current study, 22 experimentally validated imprinted genes in bovine (Bos Taurus) were analysed. Several supervised machine learning algorithms and attribute weighting methods were used to find characteristics of different types of imprinted genes and suggest a classification method for finding maternally and paternally expressed genes in bovine. For assessing the best model and comparing attributes in other organisms, we have also conducted a comparative analysis for human and sheep imprinted genes. According to the results of the present study, GC contents 10 and 100 kb upstream, Gly and Gln amino acids, Ile/ATC codon usage, LINE and SINE in 100kbup and length of first intron were significantly different between the maternal and paternal genes in cattle. Considering all species together, we found that GC content 100 kb up, LINE 100 kb up and the frequency of amino acids like Gly, Gln and Met were the most important attributes for identifying the paternal and maternal imprinted genes. These findings could imply conservation pattern in the attributes among these species.     

A Study on Chemical Composition of Atmospheric Precipitation at Savar,Joydevpur, Tongi and Narayanganj,Bangladesh

Precipitation was collected on an event basis from July 1994 to August 1995 at towns around the capital Dhaka of Bangladesh. The major chemical components were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, UV-Visible spectrophotometry and ion selective electrode method. The concentrations of nitrate and sulphate were found to be below the minimum detection limit of 1.0 mg L- 1; the concentrations of Cl-, Na+, K+, Ca+2, Mg+2 and NH4+ ranged from <1.0–3.03, 0.14–1.70, 0.04–0.37, 0.04–1.30, <0.02–0.20 and <0.10–2.33 mg L-1, respectively. The values of pH and conductivity ranged from 4.80–6.74 and 3.3–37.5 μS cm-1, respectively.     

Assessment of the Antibacterial Effect of Chitosan Coated with Heracleum persicum Oil on Rainbow Trout Quality

Today, due to the rapid spoilage of fish, the use of natural preservatives is a priority over those of synthetic varieties. Also, the natural antimicrobial effects of essential oils can help to increase shelf life. There are very few studies concerning the use of essential oils in this regard. In the present study, the antibacterial effect of chitosan coated with Heracleum persicum oil was investigated on the quality of rainbow trout. The control and the coated fish samples were analyzed periodically by generalized estimating equation (GEE) for total viable count (TVC), psychrophilic bacteria, total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), texture, taste, odor, and overall acceptance parameters. The results showed that by increasing the amount of chitosan, TVC, psychrophilic bacteria, and TVB-N decreased while PUFA, texture, taste, odor, and overall acceptance parameters increased.     

Evaluation of different dietary additives based on growth performance,innate immunity and disease resistance in juvenile Amur catfish,Silurus asotus

Three different dietary additives were evaluated based on growth performance, innate immune responses and disease resistance in juvenile Amur catfish Silurus asotus. Four diets were prepared by supplementing 0.4% Song-gang® stone (SG), 0.05% Yucca meal (YM), 0.05% β-glucan (BG) in combination with 0.04% SG and 0.05% BG (SG + BG) to a basal commercial diet (control; CONT). Triplicate groups of fish averaging 4.95 ± 0.05 g were fed one of the test diets between 3 and 5% body weight for 8 weeks. At the end of the feeding trial, weight gain, specific growth rate, feed efficiency and protein efficiency ratio of fish fed SG and SG + BG were significantly higher than those of fish fed the BG and CONT diets (P < 0.05). Lysozyme activity in fish fed the SG, YM, and SG + BG diets was significantly higher than those of fish fed the CONT diet. Super oxide dismutase (SOD) activity was significantly higher among fish fed the SG, YM, BG and SG + BG diets than fish fed the CONT diet. After 14 days challenge test with Edwardsiella tarda, cumulative survival rates of fish fed the SG and SG + BG diets were significantly higher than those of fish fed the BG and CONT diets. Results revealed that dietary SG or SG + BG diets had positive responses over other additives in juvenile Amur catfish. However, Song-gang® stone is proposed to be a cheaper dietary additive contributing 0.04 cents/kg of feed based on economic point of view.     

Effect of temperature and photoperiod on the reproductive condition and performance of a tropical damselfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chrysiptera cyanea</Emphasis> during different phases of the reproductive season

Effects of temperature and photoperiod on the reproductive activity of a reef associated tropical damselfish Chrysiptera cyanea were evaluated under three phases with different environmental patterns, phase I (April–May; increasing water temperature and photoperiod), phase II (June–July; increasing water temperature and peak/decreasing photoperiod), and phase III (August–September; peak/decreasing water temperature and decreasing photoperiod). When the fish were reared at 20, 25, or 30°C under natural photoperiod, the reproductive conditions differed within and among the phases depending on experimental temperature and environmental patterns. From phases I through III, ovaries with vitellogenic oocytes were notable only at 25°C, whereas regressing and immature oocytes were noticed at 20 and 30°C. The fish underwent active spawning at 25°C, whereas no or few spawnings were observed at other temperatures. In phase III, there was a resultant prevention of decrease in the gonadosomatic index and disappearance of vitellogenic oocytes in the ovaries of fish under a long photoperiod (LD14:10) compared to those under a short photoperiod (LD10:14). These results indicate that a long photoperiod with a suitable range of water temperature is a principal determinant in continuity of reproductive activity and performance, and that a high temperature has a negative impact on their ovarian development.     

Effects of supplemental dietary l‐carnitine and ractopamine on the performance of juvenile rainbow trout,Oncorhynchus mykiss

This study was carried out to investigate a possible protein‐sparing action of l ‐carnitine and ractopamine in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. An 8‐week feeding trial was carried out to evaluate the effects of supplementation of three levels of l ‐carnitine (0, 1 and 2 g kg^?1) and two levels of ractopamine (0 and 10 mg kg^?1) on growth performance, fillet fatty acid compositions and blood biochemical parameters in a 3 × 2 factorial experimental design. Ractopamine and 1 g kg^?1 carnitine improved the specific growth rate (1.03% and 1.05% day^?1), feed conversion ratio (FCR, 1.3 and 1.29), protein efficiency ratio (PER, 1.88 and 1.85) of fish and crude protein (73.5 and 73.8) content of fish fillet. l ‐carnitine and ractopamine increased the levels of albumin, total protein and globulin in the serum of fish. Apart from eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, other fatty acids of fish fillet were increased by ractopamine, while total saturated fatty acids were almost intact. However, the total n‐3 poly unsaturated fatty acids were reduced by l ‐carnitine supplementation (P<0.05). The present study showed that 1 g kg^?1l ‐carnitine and 10 mg kg^?1 ractopamine each can improve the performance of rainbow trout and their combination in diet could enhance the protein level and change the fatty acids profile in fillet muscle.