Potential Use of 3D CORAGRAF-Loaded PDGF-BB in PLGA Microsphere Seeded Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Enhancing the Repair of Calvaria Critical-Size Bone Defect in Rat Model

Our previous study evidenced that the 3D CORAGRAF loaded with PLGA microsphere constitutes PDGF-BB can support cell attachment and proliferation and can induce an osteogenic commitment of mesenchymal stromal cells in the in vitro condition. However, how this construct can perform in pathophysiological conditions in terms of repairing critical bone defects is yet to be understood. A study was therefore conducted to investigate the regeneration potential of calvaria critical-size defects using CORAGRAF + PLGA with PDGF-BB + mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in a rat model. A 5 mm critical bone defect was created on calvaria of 40 male Sprague-Dawley rats. CORAGRAF incorporated either with or without PDGF-BB and seeded with rat bone-marrow-derived MSCs was implanted at the defect region. The bone regeneration potential of implanted constructs was assessed using micro-CT imaging and histological staining in weeks 4 and 8. The micro-CT images indicated a significant closure of defects in the cranial bone of the rats treated with 3D CORAGRAF + PLGA with PDGF-BB + MSCs on week 4 and 8 post-implantation. This finding, further supported with the histology outcome where the rat cranial defect treated with CORAGRAF + PLGA with PDGF-BB + MSCs indicated neo-bony ingrowth with organized and mature bone-like morphology as compared with other groups. The previous in vitro results substantiated with our pre-clinical findings demonstrate that the combination of CORAGRAF + PLGA with PDGF-BB + MSCs could be an ideal construct to support bone regeneration in critical bone defects. Hence, this construct can be further investigated for its safety and efficacy in large animal models, or it can be skipped to human trial prior for commercialization.     

Fish meal replacement with rice protein concentrate in a practical diet for the Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei Boone, 1931

Replacement of fish meal (FM) with rice protein concentrate (RPC) as a practical diet for the Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, was evaluated. Five isonitrogenous (36.6% protein) diets, formulated by replacing 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% of FM by RPC, were fed to shrimp (initial weight of 6.99 ± 0.08 g) five times daily to satiation for 60 days. Relatively high final weight (FW 17.64–18.25 g) and weight gain (WG 10.81–11.39 g) were obtained in treatments up to 50% of the plant protein inclusion. Above this inclusion level, FW (14.93–14.35 g) and WG (7.68–7.23 g) were reduced. Survival was high (≥95%) and similar for all diets. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in tail-muscle composition (moisture, protein, lipid, and ash) among different dietary treatments. Dispensable and indispensable amino acids of the tail muscle of shrimp fed with 25, 50, and 75% RPC were significantly higher than the FM (0%) and 100% RPC diets. A decreasing trend in apparent digestibility coefficient (excluding dry matter) for crude protein (90.52–52.41), ether extract (94.11–80.03), organic matter (87.25–50.16), and gross energy (89.41–55.24) was observed at higher RPC inclusion rates. The results suggest that RPC meal can be a potential candidate for FM replacement up to 50% of the protein in shrimp diets.     

Pesticide and Heavy Metals Residue in Wastewater, Soil and Plants in Wastewater Disposal Site Near Al-Lajoun Valley, Karak / Jordan

Disposal of raw wastewater and sludge creates thepotential for pesticides and heavy metal contamination. Afield study was conducted to determine the residueconcentration level of chlorinated pesticides and four heavymetals (Zn, Pb, Cu and Ni) in raw wastewater, soils andplants at Karak raw wastewater disposal site. The resultsindicated that the investigated area was heavily contaminatedwith various types of pesticides. The distribution of different pesticides in soils and wastewater was influencedby the solubility of these pesticides such that the higherthe solubility the more is present in water phase and viceversa. Vinclozoline was the dominant pesticide in most of thesamples. Some pesticides of which application is restrictedto be used in Jordan, such as DDT and its metabolites, weredetected in the investigated area.Heavy metals existed in relatively higher concentrationsin soils than in wastewater, which was due to the high pH ofthe wastewater enhancing its precipitation. Zinc was thehighest among the analyzed heavy metals in both wastewaterand soils.The residue level of both heavy metals and chlorinatedpesticides were highest at the emission source decreasinggradually with distance.     

绿洲区不同灌溉方式及灌溉量对苜蓿田土壤盐分运移的影响

为探讨绿洲区不同灌溉方式及灌溉量对苜蓿田土壤盐分空间分布及运移的影响,在苜蓿生长第2年设滴灌和漫灌2种灌溉方式,每种灌溉方式设3个灌溉梯度,对土壤电导率进行了测定与分析。结果表明,随生育进程的推进及灌水次数的增加,整个苜蓿生育期内土壤盐分含量呈波动式递减的变化趋势。滴灌方式下0～40 cm 土层、漫灌方式下0～30 cm 土层在灌溉后土壤处于脱盐状态;滴灌方式下在50～60 cm 土层、漫灌方式下在40～60 cm土层土壤处于积盐状态。在水平及垂直方向上,随灌水量的增加,2种灌溉方式下土壤盐分峰值位均呈下移趋势,灌溉后土壤盐分含量随土壤深度的增加而增大,土壤盐分主要集中于土壤40～60 cm 土层,且滴灌方式下的“驱盐”效果要好于漫灌。在考虑成本、产出等综合经济效益时,当灌水量达到某种定额（滴灌下3000 m3／hm2,苜蓿干草产量为1406 kg／667 m2,漫灌下5250 m3／hm2,其干草产量为1504 kg／667 m2）后即可达到最佳的“驱盐”及高产效果,在绿洲区苜蓿田过多的灌溉量只会导致水资源的更多浪费。对绿洲区盐渍化较重的农田进行灌溉时,应尽量选取合理的灌溉制度及适宜的灌水量,以达到土壤盐分淋洗和经济效益最大化的双赢。     

Isolation of Nanocellulose from Water Hyacinth Fiber (WHF) Produced via Digester-Sonication and Its Characterization

The successful isolation and characterization of water hyacinth fiber (Eichornia crassipes) (WHF) nanocellulose is presented in this study. The novelty was in exploring a wider range of properties of highly purified samples of WHF after each stage of production in more depth. The isolation was accomplished by pulping in a digester and sonication. Morphological changes before and after treatment were demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The lignin and hemicellulose content decreased during chemical treatment. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and particle size analyzer (PSA) were used to determine the morphology of WHF after sonication for 1 h. TEM shows that the diameter and length of nanocellulose WHF were 15.61 and 147.4 nm, respectively. The crystallinity index and crystalline domain area significantly increased after chemical treatment. The highest crystallinity index was 84.87 % after an acid hydrolysis process. The increase in crystallinity leads to good thermal stability. Moisture absorption tests of WHF were carried out before and after treatment. The lowest moisture absorption was in the cellulose fiber after sonication (nanocellulose).     

Challenges in organic component selection and biochar as an opportunity in potting substrates: a review

Plant production in potting substrates provides maximum profit on the applied inputs, and hence, directly improving the socio-economic condition of the grower/nurserymen. The main challenge in this industry is sourcing of materials for their potting substrates. Peat and perlite have been widely preferred materials. However, recently higher prices, more restrictive legislation of many countries and wetland ecosystem destruction through its extraction has limited peat use. Nowadays, producers focus towards peat alternatives that provide good performance, are readily available, inexpensive and environment friendly to attain sustainability in potted plant production. In an effort to grasp sustainability during the last few decades, many industrial and agricultural waste materials were reviewed for their use in potting substrates. In these studies, the major focus remained on material characterization, neglecting their economics, technical aspects and environmental impacts. Thus, switching from peat and perlite to alternatives requires material exploration. In the present review, we summarize a clearer and practical approach for substituting different materials especially biochar to fulfill the need of modern potting substrate industry. Biochar has the potential to sustain the substrate production on a long-term basis.     

In vitro plant regeneration system for <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cassia siamea</Emphasis> Lam., a leguminous tree of economic importance

A method for rapid in vitro propagation of Cassia siamea Lam. using cotyledonary node explants, excised from 14-day old aseptic seedlings, has been established. Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with different concentrations of 6-benzyladenine (BA), kinetin (Kn) and thidiazuron (TDZ) singly or in combination with auxins was used for regeneration studies. Among the single treatment of three cytokinins BA at 1.0 μM was found to be optimum for direct shoot regeneration as it induced an average of 8.20 ± 0.66 shoots per explant. The regeneration frequency further enhanced with the application of auxin along with optimal BA concentration. The highest frequency for shoot regeneration (90%), the maximum number of shoots per explant (12.20 ± 0.73) and the maximum shoot length (6.40 ± 0.07) cm were obtained on the medium consisted of MS + 1.0 μM BA + 0.5 μM NAA. Successful in vitro rooting was induced from cut end of the microshoots when placed on half-strength MS + IBA (2.5 μM). The regenerated shoots with well developed root system were successfully acclimatized and established in pots containing sterilized garden soil and garden manure (1:1) and grown under greenhouse conditions with 85% survival rate.     

新疆阿尔泰山两河源国家级自然保护区树附生地衣群落物种分布与环境关系的研究

为了查明阿尔泰山两河源国家级自然保护区树附生地衣物种组成成分,以及探讨影响该地区树附生地衣群落分布格局与环境因素之间的关系,以附生地衣覆盖度为指标,应用除趋势对应分析(DCA)对样点进行分组,运用典范对应分析(CCA)分析附生地衣分布与环境因素的关系,结果表明:1)阿尔泰山两河源自然保护区树附生地衣共有49种隶属于15科30属。2)根据DCA分析将该地区树附生地衣划分为3个样点组,样点组1共有地衣22种,总盖度为2.639%,物种多样性指数为1.603;样点组2共有地衣27种,地衣总盖度为3.717%,物种多样性最大为1.972;样点组3:共有地衣12种,地衣总覆盖度为1.036%,物种多样性最小量为0.871。3)CCA排序结果表明:低海拔区,人为干扰强度高,地衣多样性较低;中海拔区,森林郁闭度高,湿度适中,干扰较少,地衣多样性较高;高海拔区,森林郁闭度较低,树种较少,光强度较强,干扰较少,主要以壳状地衣为主,多样性较低。     

Effect of an immunomodulator on the efficacy of an attenuated vaccine against avian pneumovirus in turkeys

Since 1997, avian pneumovirus (APV) has caused estimated annual losses of $15 million to the Minnesota turkey industry. In order to develop an attenuated live vaccine against APV, we serially passaged a Minnesota isolate of APV (APV/MN/turkey/1-a/97) in vitro in cell cultures for 41 passages. Laboratory experiments with this high-passage virus (P41) indicated that the attenuated virus provided immunogenic protection to turkeys against challenge with virulent APV, although some birds showed mild to moderate dinical signs after inoculation. To reduce the residual pathogenicity of P41, while maintaining its immunogenicity, we decided to vaccinate turkeys with P41 in the presence of an immunomodulator, S-28828 (1-n-butyl-2-ethoxymethyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-4-amine-hydrochloride), which is a potent cytokine inducer. The combined inoculation of S-28828 (5 mg/kg body weight) and P41 resulted in a significant reduction in the incidence of virus-induced clinical signs in comparison with birds that received P41 without immunomodulator (P < 0.05). Only 17% of birds inoculated with S-28828 + APV P41 showed mild respiratory symptoms at 5 days postinoculation as compared with 46% of the vaccinated turkeys that did not receive S-28828. Vaccination with either P41 or with P41 + S-28828 protected turkeys against dinical signs and viral replication after challenge with virulent APV. These results indicate that immunomodulators, such as S-28828, may act as good vaccine adjuvants that can reduce the pathogenicity but maintain the immunogenicity of partially attenuated vaccines.