Leaf Morpho–physiology and Leaf-Fe Content of Selected Quince Genotypes from Different Parts of Iran

The objectives of this study were to compare genotype variability of leaf morphophysiology and leaf-Fe content, as well as to select quince genotypes possessing desirable characteristics for possible use in breeding projects. Leaves were sampled from 28 quince genotypes that were selected from different parts of Iran. Selected genotypes were grown under the same environmental conditions in nursery of Seed and Plant Improvement Institute. The results suggest that estimated variations of studied leaf chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were slight, but statistically significant. The highest variability was estimated for the leaf area, and somewhat lower for the specific leaf area. The leaves of genotype KM1 had the smallest amount of leaf area and leaf laminar length. Leaf chlorophyll (SPAD-Values) and leaf laminar petiole were the highest for the genotype NB2. The genotype SHAI had the highest minimum chlorophyll fluorescence (F0). The highest value of fluorescence variable (FV) and chlorophyll fluorescence (FM) belonged to Moghavem2. The lowest minimum chlorophyll fluorescence (F0) and the highest value of photochemical capacity of photosystem 2 (FV/FM) belonged to the Khosro. The highest amount of leaf laminar width, leaf dry weight and leaf area belonged to sahelborgmoghavem. The leaves of genotype KVD1 had the highest amount of specific leaf area. Simple correlation analysis showed significant negative and positive correlations for some important characteristics. Factor analysis revealed that chlorophyll fluorescence (FM), fluorescence variable (FV), minimum chlorophyll fluorescence (F0) and leaf area were related to the main factor components. Cluster analysis for selective factors divided quince genotypes to five main groups

Optimisation of regeneration and maintenance of morphogenic callus in pear (Pyrus communis L.) by simple and double regeneration techniques

The purpose of our work was to improve the regeneration capacity of leaf explants and the maintenance of shoot morphogenesis in callus of six pear cultivars: Abate Fetel, Conference, Dar Gazi, Harrow Sweet, Kaiser and Williams, by altering the composition of both regeneration and proliferation media of explant donor shoots, and choosing the right type of explant. Regeneration capacity of leaf explants collected from in vitro shoots has been improved in the majority of cultivars also due to shoot preconditioning. For the first time, long term morphogenic callus production and maintenance have been established in some cultivars by a “double regeneration”. Using this technique, morphogenic callus of two cultivars, ‘Dar Gazi’ and ‘Conference’, was maintained for several subcultures but only when they were initiated from small leaflets – less than 2–3 mm long – which had been collected from the neoformed adventitious buds. MS medium [Murashige, T., Skoog, F., 1962. A revised medium for rapid growth and bioassay with tobacco tissue culture. Physiol. Plant. 15, 473–497] proved to be an efficient regeneration medium by stimulating adventitious buds, while the explants of all cultivars, except for Kaiser, showed a high regeneration capacity when they were collected from shoots proliferated on modified QL medium [Quoirin, M, Lepoivre, P., Boxus, P., 1977. Un premier bilan de dix annees de recherche sur les cultures de meristemes et la multiplication in vitro de fruitiers ligneux. Compte rendu des recherches, Station des Cultures Fruitieres et Maraicheres de Gembloux (1976–1977), 93–117]. This medium conferred leaf expansion, overcoming 90% of regeneration in explants of cv Dar Gazi and Williams. Well expanded leaves were obtained and collected by rooting the shoots, while regeneration percentage was not improved and the number of adventitious shoots was increased in most cultivars, reaching up to 10 shoots per explant. When cefotaxime at 200 mg/l, which is normally effective in controlling Agrobacterium, was used for genetic transformation, regeneration percentage and number of shoots per explant (in leaf explants collected from rooted shoots) were increased and a uniform bud regeneration on all the leaf surface was promoted.L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore http://www.sciencedirect.co

Leaf Morpho–physiology and Leaf-Fe Content of Selected Quince Genotypes from Different Parts of Iran

The objectives of this study were to compare genotype variability of leaf morphophysiology and leaf-Fe content, as well as to select quince genotypes possessing desirable characteristics for possible use in breeding projects. Leaves were sampled from 28 quince genotypes that were selected from different parts of Iran. Selected genotypes were grown under the same environmental conditions in nursery of Seed and Plant Improvement Institute. The results suggest that estimated variations of studied leaf chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were slight, but statistically significant. The highest variability was estimated for the leaf area, and somewhat lower for the specific leaf area. The leaves of genotype KM1 had the smallest amount of leaf area and leaf laminar length. Leaf chlorophyll (SPAD-Values) and leaf laminar petiole were the highest for the genotype NB2. The genotype SHAI had the highest minimum chlorophyll fluorescence (F0). The highest value of fluorescence variable (FV) and chlorophyll fluorescence (FM) belonged to Moghavem2. The lowest minimum chlorophyll fluorescence (F0) and the highest value of photochemical capacity of photosystem 2 (FV/FM) belonged to the Khosro. The highest amount of leaf laminar width, leaf dry weight and leaf area belonged to sahelborgmoghavem. The leaves of genotype KVD1 had the highest amount of specific leaf area. Simple correlation analysis showed significant negative and positive correlations for some important characteristics. Factor analysis revealed that chlorophyll fluorescence (FM), fluorescence variable (FV), minimum chlorophyll fluorescence (F0) and leaf area were related to the main factor components. Cluster analysis for selective factors divided quince genotypes to five main groups

Conventional diverting techniques and novel fibr-assisted self-diverting system in carbonate reservoir acidizing with successful case studies

Conventional diverting techniques may not be useful, and the use of the advanced and well-documented diverting technique is needed to overcome the complexity and heterogeneity of carbonate reservoirs. Nowadays, there have been a lot of materials and techniques utilized for acid diversion. This paper aimed to consider various utilization of fiber-assisted self as the diverting system in acidifying carbonate reservoirs. One of the main reasons for its ability to overcome uncertainty is that the fiber itself is an inherent property, allowing for an automatic diversion adjustment downhole. When a media with infinite permeability, such as a perforation tunnel or natural fracture, is filled and bridged with a material of finite permeability such as degradable fiber, this creates a temporary skin to injectivity in that zone. This is a powerful concept, as it is a way, despite uncertainty from a lack of logging data or uncertainty in the data itself, of dampening the reservoir’s natural permeability contrast. It does not rely on petrophysical certainty to design a successful treatment

Socioeconomic Status and Coronary Heart Disease

Background: Iran has undergone a remarkable demographic transition over the last threedecades. Socioeconomic status (SES) indicators including education, income, and occupationare associated with coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors, morbidity, and mortality. Theaim of the present study was to describe demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, theirassociation to the diseases, and to explore the predictive risk of CHD in Tabriz, the fourthlargest city in Iran and the capital of East Azerbaijan Province.Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out to explore and analyze thecurrent SES status of CHD patients. The study was conducted in Tabriz and all patients(n=189) refereed to the Central Referral Hospital for cardiac patients (Shahid Madani Hospital)from 2009 to 2010 were considered. A researcher structured questionnaire with 15 questionswas used to collect data. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the basic SES featuresof the CHD patients and data analysis was done using SPSS ver. 16.Results: Less educated participants were more susceptible to CHD. Regarding to occupationalstatus, housewives and retired men were in higher risk of CHD than the rest of the people.Studied patients also reported to be mostly from urban areas that were living in apartmentcomplexes.Conclusion: In line with some international research evidence the study results suggested thatpeople from lower/middle social classes were in greater CHD risk than higher social classes.This epidemic might be halted through the promotion of healthier lifestyles and the support ofenvironmental and policy changes

The effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Nigella Sativa seed on dehydroepiandrosterone-induced polycystic ovarian syndrome in rats: An experimental study

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders among women. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Nigella sativa (N. sativa) seed as a plant, the consumption of which has been recommended in Islam, on dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)-induced PCOS rats. Materials and Methods: This experimental study was carried out on 36 Wistar female rats (3 wk, 60 ± 10 gr). Then rats were divided into 6 groups (n = 6/each): control; PCOSinduced (DHEA 60 mg/kg/sc); PCOS + Metformine (30 mg/kg); and three experimental groups receiving DHEA + hydroalcoholic extract of N. sativa seeds in doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, respectively. Blood samples were taken for the evaluation of sexual hormones, oxidative stress, glucose, and insulin after 30 days of treatment. Ovarian tissue was used for histopathological study. Results: The serum levels of luteinizing hormone, testosterone, glucose, insulin resistance, malondialdehyde, and insulin (p ≤ 0.001) and estrogen increased while the levels of progesterone (p = 0.01) and antioxidant enzymes in the PCOS group decreased (p ≤ 0.001). Conclusion: The administration of the N. sativa extract to the PCOS rats resulted in remarkable changes in the serumic factors relative to the PCOS group. In addition, the extract improved the structure of the ovarian tissue in the PCOS rat. The histopathological results which are in accordance with biochemical findings imply that N. sativa seed could be useful in the treatment of PCOS, the higher doses of the extract being more effective. Key words: Nigella sativa seed, Oxidative stress, Insulin resistance, Polycystic ovary syndrome, Rat

Simultaneous detection of Aeromonas hydrophila, and Escherichia coli in Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) by Duplex PCR

Rapid and accurate identification of microorganisms have a significant impact on strategies and fish health management programs. Hence, in this study a duplex PCR assay based on the 16s rRNA gene for simultaneous detection of Aeromonas hydrophila RTICC 1032 and Escherichia coli RTICC 2325 from pure cultures, and challenged fish tissues was performed and their results were compared with the results of single PCR assays for each bacterium. For this purpose, an experiment with three treatments including artificially infected with A. hydrophila, E. coli and a mixture of them with a control group was designed. Fish were injected intraperitoneally with 1 ml of sterile physiological saline containing 106CFU/ml of the corresponding bacteria. Samples were collected from liver, kidney and spleen 48 hrs post-injection. A duplex PCR based 16S rRNA genes was developed for the simultaneous detection of A. hydrophila and E. coli. The PCR reaction conditions were optimized to permit detection of organisms from agar plates and fish tissues in less than 8 hrs. Each of the two pairs of oligonucleotide primers exclusively targeted 16S rRNA gene of the specific microorganism. When duplex PCR assay was used to simultaneous detection of the pathogens in asymptomatic fish, spleen and liver were negative for A. hydrophila, whereas kidney was positive for two bacteria. Samples that were duplex PCR negative were also negative by the culture method. On the whole, the duplex PCR has advantages in terms of its accuracy, sensitivity, ease of use, time of length analysis and cost-effectiveness compared to the single PCR and traditional method

Comparing the effectiveness of Braitonic and Yoga exercises in perceptual and motor skills of Multiple sclerosis children

Background: Today, due to the increase in the number of children with Multiple sclerosis (MS) compared to previous years and the difference in severity of the disease in each child, new methods and appropriate exercises are required to help them have a better life. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of braitonic and Yoga exercises and rhythmic movements on the perceptual and motor skills of children with MS.Methods: The present study was a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental applied research. The study sample included 45 MS children referring to Qazvin Pishgaman Rehabilitation Center, who were selected voluntarily. To evaluate the conditions of the participants before and after the intervention, a short form of the Bruininks-Oseretsky motor proficiency test (BOMP), consisting of eight components of sprinting and agility, balance, two-way coordination, strength, response speed, visual-motor control, upper limb speed and agility, and upper limb coordination tests was used.Results: Braitonic and Yoga exercises had a positive and significant effect on increasing the level of perceptual and motor skills (static balance, dynamic balance, strength, speed, accuracy and coordination) of children with MS (p>0.05). The effect of braitonic exercises on increasing the perceptual motor skills of children with MS was greater than that of the Yoga exercises (p>0.05).Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, it is possible to increase the perceptual-motor skills among MS children with very simple, low-cost and joyful method

TQM and market orientation's impact on SMEs' performance

This paper presents an empirical investigation to study the impact of total quality management (TQM) as well as market orientation on organizational performance on some Iranian small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The study designs a questionnaire in Likert scale and distributes it among some experts in city of Shiraz, Iran. Using structural equation modeling, the study determines that three components of market orientation including intelligence generation, intelligence dissemination, and responsiveness through TQM influences on organizational performance components including financial and non-financial performance as well as efficiency. In addition, TQM components including training, process management, supplier quality management, employee relationships, quality of data and reports and top management commitment influence positively on organizational performance in SMEs