Determination of Chilling and Heat Requirements of Pistachio （Pistacia vera L.） Cultivars

Determination of chilling and heat requirements of pistachio （Pistacia vera L.） cultivars is important for satisfactory growth and development, particularly when large-scale commercial production is desired. This experiment was conducted to determine chilling requirement inducing vegetative and flower buds of Kalle-Ghuchi, Owhadi, Ahmad-Ahgaei, and Akbari pistachio. Shoots with enough vegetative and flower buds were taken from pistachio trees during autumn 2007 and 2008 when temperature reached to 15°C. Cuttings with flower buds were kept under （5 ± 1）°C for 0, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1 000, 1 050, 1 100, 1 150, 1 200, 1 250, and 1 300 h, respectively, and cuttings with vegetative buds were kept at 51°C until 1 500 h. The results indicated that pistachio cultivars requite chilling time between 750-1 400 h and heat requirements between 8 852-15 420 growing degree hours （GDH）. Consequently, Kalle-Ghuchi had the lowest chilling （750-950 h）, and heat （8 852-9 768 GDH） requirements, Ahmad-Aghaei and Owhadi had intermediate （1 000-1 250 h, 10 656- 13 320 GDH） and Akbari had the highest chilling （1 200-1 400 h） and heat （11 863-15 420 GDH） requirement.     

Field and controlled conditions screenings of some faba bean (Vicia faba L.) genotypes for resistance to the parasitic plant Orobanche crenata Forsk. and investigation of involved resistance mechanisms

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - The parasitic weed Orobanche crenata is a serious constraint to legumes crops in Mediterranean area. In Morocco, heavy O. crenata infestation level was...     

Suppression of telomerase activity by pyrimethamine: implication to cancer

BACKGROUND: Although pyrimethamine (Tindurin) appears to be effective in the prevention and treatment of some infectious diseases, very little information exists on its unpredictable properties. We design this study to evaluate its anti-tumoral effect on a model of cell line. METHODS: The cytotoxic influence of Pyrimethamine on prostate cell line was investigated using an in vitro colometric assay. The potential modulatory effects on metastasis, apoptosis, and immortality characteristics of cells were assessed with gelatin zymography, terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay and telomeric repeat amplification protocol, respectively. RESULTS: Cytotoxicity analysis of pyrimethamine revealed a dose-dependent fashion. An apoptotic influence of pyrimethamine was also confirmed by data obtained from TUNEL assay. Dose-dependent inhibitory effect on matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) was seen in pyrimethamine. A potent inhibitory effect of pyrimethamine was also established by data achieved from TRAPeze telomerase detection kit. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, as induction of apoptosis together with MMP and telomerase inhibition could be indicative of cancer treatment, pyrimethamine might be considered as a chemopreventative agent in cancer.     

Survey of the microbiological count of the milk collected from livestock ancient city of Garmsar,Semnan Province,Iran

Milk has a high nutritional value and can affect human health. Therefore, it is important to know the factors affecting its quality. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the raw milk microbial quality and factors affecting it. A total of 4260 raw cow milk samples, which were collected from villages around Garmsar city, Iran, and their microbial load were registered at Garmsar Dairy Cow Association between 2013 and 2014, was used in the present study. The total average ± SD of microbial load concentration was 3.02?×?10⁵?±?2.75?×?10⁵ (CFU/ml). The average concentration of total bacteria in 2013 was 2.73?×?10⁵?±?1.58?×?10⁵ (CFU/ml) and in 2014 it was 3.32?×?10⁵?±?3.93?×?10⁵(CFU/ml). Seasonally, it was 2.94?×?10⁵?±?1.72?×?10⁵ (CFU/ml), 3.69?×?10⁵?±?4.55?×?10⁵ (CFU/ml), 2.91?×?10⁵?±?1.62?×?10⁵ (CFU/ml), and 2.63?×?10⁵?±?1.67?×?10⁵ (CFU/ml) for spring, summer, autumn, and winter, respectively. There was a significant difference in seasonal average microbial concentration of milk samples (p?<?0.05). The present study concludes that microbial load of milk can be affected by environmental and hygienic conditions. Ranchers need to pay more attention to hygiene especially in warm seasons. Because in case of high microbial load in raw milk, even after milk pasteurization, it is not possible to have a high-quality and desirable product. Milk producers and distributors need also awareness in order to reduce the incidence of secondary contamination. But, the main correction is to establish direct supervision of the Ministry of Health onto the health of dairy cow farmers by structural integrity of Veterinary Medical Organization as the global one health.

     

Salvia officinalis hydroalcoholic extract improved reproduction capacity and behavioral activity in rats exposed to immobilization stress

This study was conducted to evaluate the Salvia officinalis hydroalcoholic extract on fertility capacity and behavioral features in rats exposed to immobilization stress. Male rats were randomly divided into five groups; Control; Stressed rats; and Stressed rats received 50, 100 and/or 200 mg/kg bw S. officinalis hydroalcoholic extract. To induce stress, rats were immobilized for 49 days and received S. officinalis extract orally. On day 56, we analyzed behavioral tests and evaluated reproduction capacity by measuring LH, FSH, and testosterone. Sperm parameters such as motility, viability, and total count were also determined. Bodyweight changes were also calculated on day 56. Male rats from different groups were mated with healthy female rats. Data showed that the use of 100 and 200 mg/kg bw S. officinalis extract in stressed rats increased bodyweight gain and improved behavioral disorders compared to control‐matched groups (p < .05). Besides, administration of 100 and 200 mg/kg bw S. officinalis extract had the potential to improve sperm parameters and fertility capacity in stressed rats (p < .05). Decreased testosterone levels were blunted in the stressed rats that received plant extract coincided with the reduction of LH and FSH compared to control‐matched stressed rats (p < .05). We found neutral effects in stressed rats that received 50 mg/kg bw plant extract. Collectively, the hydroalcoholic extract of S. officinalis could improve the fertility capacity and behavioral features under stressful conditions in a dose‐dependent manner.     

The genome of the African trypanosome Trypanosoma brucei

African trypanosomes cause human sleeping sickness and livestock trypanosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa. We present the sequence and analysis of the 11 megabase-sized chromosomes of Trypanosoma brucei. The 26-megabase genome contains 9068 predicted genes, including approximately 900 pseudogenes and approximately 1700 T. brucei-specific genes. Large subtelomeric arrays contain an archive of 806 variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) genes used by the parasite to evade the mammalian immune system. Most VSG genes are pseudogenes, which may be used to generate expressed mosaic genes by ectopic recombination. Comparisons of the cytoskeleton and endocytic trafficking systems with those of humans and other eukaryotic organisms reveal major differences. A comparison of metabolic pathways encoded by the genomes of T. brucei, T. cruzi, and Leishmania major reveals the least overall metabolic capability in T. brucei and the greatest in L. major. Horizontal transfer of genes of bacterial origin has contributed to some of the metabolic differences in these parasites, and a number of novel potential drug targets have been identified.     

Pre- and post-McDonald cerclage cervical length, width and funneling rate and their association with duration of pregnancy

Changes of cervical ultrasonographic physical parameters and their association with outcome of cerclage have not been fully elucidated. This study aimed at evaluating association between ultrasonographic physical cervical shapes before and after McDonald cerclage with the length of pregnancy. Cervical length, width and funneling rate were assessed by transvaginal ultrasonography before and after the procedure. Mean pre-cerclage cervical length, width and funneling rate were 29.28 +/- 5.54, 19.92 +/- 10.30 mm and 12.90 +/- 18.87%, respectively. The mean post-cerclage cervical length, diameter and funneling rate were 31.68 +/- 4.21, 9.78 +/- 13.86 and 4.32 +/- 10.89%, respectively (p < 0.001 for all pre- and post-cerclage changes). The mean post-cerclage duration of pregnancy was 19.78 +/- 5.94 weeks. There were significant direct correlations between the pre-and post-cerclage cervical lengths with pregnancy duration (r = 0.24, p = 0.04 and r = 0.44, p < 0.001, respectively). There were significant indirect correlations between the pre- and post-cerclage funneling rate with pregnancy duration (r = -0.30, p = 0.01 and r = -0.20, p = 0.01, respectively). Similar correlations were not significant for the cervical widths. This study showed that the pre- and post-cerclage ultrasonographically determined cervical length and funneling are good predictors of pregnancy duration.     

Investigation of TNF-α and IL-6 Levels in the Sera of Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Patients

Background:TNF-α and IL-6 are both pleiotropic cytokines playing major roles in cancer-associated cytokine networks. They have previously been investigated for their function in skin malignancies, mostly melanomas, and studies on NMSC patients are relatively rare. In this study, we aimed to assess the associations of serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-α with NMSCs and its clinicopathological features. Methods:This cases-control study was carried out to investigate the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in 70 NMSC patients, in comparison with 30 healthy individuals, by means of flow cytometric bead-based immuneoassay. Results:Serum levels of both TNF-α and IL-6 were significantly higher in NMSC patients (6.470 vs. 4.355 pg/ml; p = 0.0468, respectively), compared to healthy individuals (3.205 vs. 0.000 pg/ml; p = 0.0126, respectively). In the subgroup analysis, SCC patients had higher serum levels of IL-6 compared to healthy individuals (3.445 vs. 0.000 pg/ml; p = 0.0432). No other significant differences were observed in the serum levels of these two cytokines among different clinicopathological subgroups of the patients. Conclusion:The increased levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in NMSC patients can be introduced as an epiphenomenon of a complex cancer-induced cytokine cascade. Key Words: Biomarkers, Cytokines, Interleukin-6, Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha     

Genetic diversity and population structure of four Iranian alfalfa populations revealed by sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers

In the present study, genetic diversity of 48 individual plants from four Iranian cultivated populations of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) was evaluated using sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers. Fourteen SRAP primer combinations produced 193 fragments of which 95 were polymorphic. The number of polymorphic fragments detected per primer combination ranged from 3 to 10 bands with an average of 6.78 bands. Average polymorphic information content (PIC) was 0.343 for all primer combinations. Although the AMOVA (analysis of molecular variance) results showed a significant difference in the genetic diversity among the populations (P < 0.0001), the genetic variation mainly caused by the variation of intra population accounted for 93.17% of the total genetic variation. Unweighted pair-group method arithmetic average (UPGMA) analysis of the marker data clearly separated the populations of subtropical (Yazdi) and semi-cold (Hamadani and Nikshahri) as well as Kodi, an improved population. It can be concluded that SRAP markers are useful for studying diversity and relationships among and within alfalfa populations.