Polymorphism of P53‐Ets/AP1 transactivation region of MDM2 oncogene and its immunohistochemical analysis in canine tumours

Mouse Double Minute‐2 (MDM2) is an ubiquitin ligase which is overexpressed or its promoter polymorphism has been reported in different tumours. The objective of this study was to examine the MDM2 protein expression and its promoter polymorphism in some canine tumours. Twenty specimens were collected from 20 dogs with 15 mammary gland carcinomas, 3 lymphomas, 1 transmissible venereal tumour and 1 trichoblastoma. Samples were analysed immunohistochemically using human antibody against MDM2 protein. PCR and DNA sequencing were carried out to identify MDM2 promoter polymorphism. MDM2 gene was expressed in 13 of 20 samples including 11 mammary carcinomas, 1 lymphoma and 1 trichoblastoma. We found 94% homology between canine and human sequences. Four mutations including G169C, A177G, G291T and A177G were identified in different types of breast carcinomas. An extra p53 response element was found in a mixed mammary carcinoma.     

Synthesis and characterization of nanocrystalline CoWO4@silk fibers with antibacterial activity under ultrasound irradiation

The present investigation reports the novel synthesis of CoWO₄ nanoparticles@silk fiber under ultrasound irradiation. The effect of temperature, power of ultrasound irradiation and sequential dipping steps in growth of the CoWO₄ particles were studied. Results show a decrease in the particles size as the temperature and power of irradiation decreased. The fibers containing CoWO₄ nanoparticles were tested for their antibacterial efficacy against E. coli and S. aureus and were found to possess significant antibacterial activity. The results show the CoWO₄ nanoparticles@silk with strongest fluorescence characteristics can be obtained in this method. The physicochemical properties of the nanoparticles were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and fluorescence spectroscopy.     

Fine tuning of feeding practices for hatchery produced Persian sturgeon,Acipenser persicus and Beluga sturgeon,Huso huso

In this work, we investigated the effects of various feeding treatments on the survival and growth of Huso huso and Acipenser persicus larvae during a 20‐day culture period. Three replicate groups (250 fish/replicate) of first‐feeding larvae were fed according to four main feeding regimes: (1) live food (live nauplii of brine shrimp Artemia urmiana); (2) indirect transition (5–7 days live food followed by gradual transition to formulated diet); (3) direct transition (using different combinations of live and formulated diet from the start feeding onwards); and (4) formulated feed (FD) from the start of feeding. In H. huso larvae, combining live food and manufactured diets (co‐feeding) from the first feeding stage onwards (direct transition) resulted in significantly higher weight gain than the other regimes. Survival was significantly higher in H. huso larvae fed solely live food or the direct transition regimes compared with indirect transition and FD. In A. persicus larvae, growth and survival were higher in the indirect transition feeding regime than in the other regimes. On the basis of the results of this study, we recommend co‐feeding of H. huso immediately from the commencement of exogenous feeding, but co‐feeding of A. persicus should start 7 days after prior feeding with live food.     

Effect of apple peel extract as natural antioxidant on lipid and protein oxidation of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) mince

International Aquatic Research - The aim of this study was to use apple peel extract (APE) as antioxidant for inhibition of lipid and protein oxidation in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) mince...     

Modulating gut microbiota and digestive enzyme activities of Artemia urmiana by administration of different levels of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis on growth, gut microbiota, and digestive enzyme activities of Artemia urmiana. Three diets containing 10² (T₁), 10⁴ (T₂), 10⁶ (T₃) CFU of probiotics/g feed, and a control diet (C) without probiotic were used through a completely randomized design (treatments with triplicates). Twelve plastic tanks with the capacity of 60- l and density of 20 nauplii/ml were used and the trial continued for 15?days. Results showed that probiotics significantly increased the total length of A. urmiana (P?<?0.05). Although the total aerobic gastrointestinal bacteria count showed no significant differences among the treatments, the total Bacillus count significantly increased in experiments (P?<?0.05). The ratio of TCBS to total aerobic bacteria count was significantly lower in T₁ (0.31?±?0.05), T2 (0.27?±?0.15), and T₃ (0.25?±?0.05) compared to the control (0.76?±?0.34) (P?<?0.05). The probiotics were able to increase the protease and amylase activities (P?<?0.05). No significant effect on lipase activity. The study determined T₂ and T₃ as the most effective treatments for improving growth, bacterial flora, and digestive enzyme activities. As less probiotic needed in T₂, using 10⁴ bacteria per g diet is recommended for rearing Artemia up to the maturity stage.     

Na+ Retention in the Root is a Key Adaptive Mechanism to Low and High Salinity in the Glycophyte,Talinum paniculatum (Jacq.) Gaertn. (Portulacaceae)

Talinum paniculatum is an important leafy vegetable and medicinal plant, used in many parts of South America, Africa and Asia. Its adaptation to abiotic stress has received little attention and therefore worthy of interest, especially as environmental conditions are rendering arable lands increasingly unfavourable for agriculture. Therefore, this study was undertaken to examine the influence of salt stress on the vegetative growth of the plant by subjecting seedlings to 0, 25, 50, 100, 200 and 300 mm NaCl stress for 10 days. The dry weight, ion concentrations, relative water content, oxidative damage, proline, osmotic potential and some antioxidants were determined. The plants were found to retain Na⁺ mainly in the root, with less affected leaf K⁺ concentration, and consequently very low shoot Na⁺/K⁺ ratios (<0.2) under all the stress treatments. The proline content significantly increased under the 100–300 mm treatments (18‐ to 244‐fold), with a corresponding significant reduction in osmotic potential and hence high osmotic adjustment. The antioxidant enzyme activities and non‐enzyme antioxidants showed significant increase only under the highest salinity. Taken together, these results suggest that shoot Na⁺ exclusion is characteristic of this plant and is mainly responsible for its adaptation to low salinity.     

LHRHa‐induced ovulation of the endangered‐Caspian brown trout (Salmo trutta caspius) and its effect on egg quality and two sex steroids: testosterone and 17α‐hydroxyprogestrone

To induce synchronized ovulation, migrating wild Caspian brown trout (Salmo trutta caspius) females were treated with two interperitoneal injections of Des‐Gly¹⁰, d ‐Ala⁶ LHRH (LHRHa), given 3 days apart. Two injections of 100 μg kg^?1 body weight of this hormone effectively induced ovulation. Within 27 days from the second injection, all fish injected with 100 μg kg^?1 LHRHa had ovulated compared with 54.5% of the controls. The mean time to ovulation was reduced significantly (P<0.05) from 31.67±4.84 days in control fish and 28.83±7.31 days in sham‐treated fish to 16.36±1.61 days in fish injected with 100 μg kg^?1 LHRHa. The fertilization rate in 50 and 100 μg kg^?1 LHRHa‐injected fish was significantly lower than that in the control fish (P<0.05). In fish injected with 50 and 100 μg kg^?1 LHRHa, significant (P<0.05) changes in testosterone (T) and 17α‐hydroxyprogestrone (OHP) levels were observed. After the second LHRHa injection, the fish injected with 100 μg kg^?1 showed the highest serum levels of testosterone and OHP. These results demonstrate that the use of LHRHa can effectively reduce the mean time to ovulation and induce synchronized ovulation in Caspian brown trout.     

Dietary fatty acid profiling in plant protein‐rich diets affects the reproductive performance,egg fatty acid profile and haematological parameters in female rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

The influence of dietary fish oil (FO) substitution with blends of vegetal oils (VO: canola, linseed, olive, sunflower, corn and coconut oils) in plant protein‐rich diets on reproductive performance and fatty acid dynamics of embryos was evaluated in female rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) brooders (1.8 ± 0.1 kg). Four diets were formulated in which 20% (FO₈₀/VO₂₀), 50% (FO₅₀/VO₅₀), 75% (FO₂₅/VO₇₅) and 100% (VO₁₀₀) of FO were replaced by mixture of VO. The above‐mentioned diets were administered for a short period prior to spawning (3 months). Fish fed the VO₁₀₀ had the lowest fertilization rate (81.3 ± 2.3), whereas brooders fed the FO₈₀/VO₂₀ diet had the lowest survival rates at eyed embryo stage (83.7 ± 1.6%) and hatching rate (79.9 ± 3.1%). The fatty acid dynamics of embryos were not only affected by embryonic developmental stages, but also they were influenced by the dietary fatty acid profile. Our study confirmed that using blends of different VO sources and FM residual fat in the FO₂₅/VO₇₅ for the short‐term period prior to spawning seemed to be a good strategy in terms of successful reproduction for sparing high levels of FM and FO in diet of O. mykiss brooders.     

The influence of dietary fish oil replacement with mixture of vegetable oils on reproductive performance,immune responses and dynamic of fatty acids during embryogenesis in Oncorhynchus mykiss

A 90‐day feeding trial was carried out to examine the influence of fish oil (FO) substitution with blends of vegetable oils (VOs) on reproductive efficiency of female brooders and fluctuation in fatty acid (FA) profile of embryos in Oncorhynchus mykiss. A basal diet was formulated in which 20% (80FO/20VO), 50% (50FO/50VO), 75% (25FO/75VO) and 100% (100VO) of FO were replaced by mixture of VO. Reproductive performance of brooders was not affected by drastic alternations in FA profile of diets. The level of saturated and monounsaturated FAs (MUFAs) significantly increased, whereas the levels of long‐chain polyunsaturated FAs (LC‐PUFAs), mainly docosahexaenoic acid, profoundly decreased during embryogenesis. The concentrations of MUFA and n?6 PUFA increased in the eggs with increasing the incorporation of VO mixture in diets; however, the concentration of LC‐PUFA and n?3/n?6 PUFA ratio decreased. Haematological parameters and humoral immune responses including total immunoglobulin content, lysozyme and alternative complement pathway activities in brooders fed with the experimental diets did not statically different. In summary, incorporating mixture of various VO sources especially linseed and sunflower oils as good sources of α‐linolenic and linoleic acids, respectively, along with low levels of residual fat from fish meal in diet suggested a good strategy for providing the appropriate essential FA requirements of O. mykiss brooders for their successful reproduction.     

Assessment for salinity tolerance through intergeneric hybridisation: Triticum durum × Aegilops speltoides

Summary Triploid hybrid embryos (AABB × SS = ABS) were produced by crossing two moderately salt-tolerant wheats, namely Triticum turgidum durum and Aegilops speltoides subsp. speltoides. The embryos were rescued by culturing on agar No. 1. Chromosome doubling was achieved by using 0.05% colchicine. The resulting hexaploid plants grew to maturity, and produced a considerable amount of seed (≈40,000). The synthetic hexaploid (C₂) was tested for salinity tolerance, grown at 0, 100, 125, 150, 160, 170, 180 and 200 mM NaCl in a standard nutrient solution for 2 weeks. The criterion of salt tolerance was root growth in different NaCl concentrations. The amphidiploid material showed greater salinity tolerance than either parent, suggesting the presence of different genes for tolerance in the parents.