Population structure of Acipenser nudiventris in the south coast of Caspian Sea and Ural River using microsatellite method

Population structure of Ship sturgeon, Acipenser nudiventris, from the south coast of Caspian Sea and Ural River was investigated using Microsatellite method. For this reason, 73 specimens of the sturgeon were collected from five locations in two sampling regions the first consisted of Bandar Anzali, SefidRud River, Babolsar, and Gorgan, and the second was Ural River. Four SSR markers were used in this investigation, of which 5 loci produced DNA band, with three of them being polymorph. One primer showed two loci with one of them being polymorph and another was monomorphic). Average expected and observed heterozygosity was 0.86 and 0.75 respectively. Genetic variation was assessed through analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) that indicated almost all of the variance in data namely %94 (P less than or equal to 0.03) was within locations

Effect of age on reproductive performance in female Caspian brown trout (Salmo trutta caspious, Kessler 1877)

Caspian brown trout (Salmo trutta caspius) is one of the economically valuable species in the Caspian Sea.Artificial propagation and production of larvae are the main problems in the early culture of this species.The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of reproductive performance of female broods on opposition reproduction efficiency in Caspian brown trout in the breeding season of 2009. Three groups of female broods (4, 5 and 6 years old) were fertilized with 9 male fish individually. The results showed that,6 year old females have maximum body weight (2150.0 ± 86.6 g), total length (59±2 cm), eggs weight (255.0 ± 30.51 g), egg size (5.37 ± 0.058 mm) and absolute fecundity rate (3060 ± 366.15), while highest average number of ovules in each gram of body weight (16.33 ± 0.58) and relative fecundity (2.08 ± 0.12) belonged to 4 years old females. There were significant differences in mean fertilization rate and survival rate until absorption of yolk sack stage (p<0.05) among the treatments studied. The present study showed that the eggs produced from fertilization of 6 year old female eggs and male mixed milt showed maximum average fertilization percentage (97.5 %), survival rate until eyed stage (92%), hatching percentage (93%), and survival rate until absorption of yolk sack (94.5%)

Genetic relationships of Iranian coastline ship sturgeon (Acipenser nudiventris) samples and Ural population based on microsatellite DNA

Genetic relationships among 96 specimens of ship sturgeon, Acipenser nudiventris, collected from six locations along the Iranian coastline as well as 8 specimens from northern population (Ural River) were analysed by the restricted maximum likelihood method, as well as two distance analysis method (Nei's and Cavalli-Sforza's distance) of gene frequencies. We have used four SSR markers that produced three polymorphic and two monomorphic loci. Overall results showed that Iranian coastline samples form a monophyletic group (clade) which was different from the northern (Ural) samples. Iranian coastline samples are divided into two groups (clades): Anzali-Kiashahr clade and Sefidrud-Babolsar-Noushahr-Gorgan clade. Bootstrapping test showed monophyleticity of Sefidrud, Babolsar, Noushahr, Gorgan with high (Bootstrap support=93) and Anzali-Kiashahr with middle (Bootstrap support=65) confirmation. Topology of reconstructed trees was in correspondence with geographical distributions of samples

The effect of social media communication on consumer perceptions of brands

Researchers and brand managers have limited understanding of the effects social media communication has on how consumers perceive brands. We investigated 504 Facebook users in order to observe the impact of firm-created and user-generated social media communication on brand equity, brand attitude and purchase intention by using a standardized online survey throughout Poland. To test the conceptual model, we analyzed 60 brands across three different industries: non-alcoholic beverages, clothing and mobile network operators. When analyzing the data, we applied the structural equation modeling technique to both investigate the interplay of firm-created and user-generated social media communication and examine industry-specific differences. The results of the empirical studies showed that user-generated social media communication had a positive influence on both brand equity and brand attitude, whereas firm-created social media communication affected only brand attitude. Both brand equity and brand attitude were shown to have a positive influence on purchase intention. In addition, we assessed measurement invariance using a multi-group structural modeling equation. The findings revealed that the proposed measurement model was invariant across the researched industries. However, structural path differences were detected across the models

Primary fish cell culture phase 1: primary cell culture of the interior pituitary gland of the Acipenser gueldenstaedtii

Fish cell lines have been used to support many areas of research, beginning with fish viruses and extending into immunology, genetic studies, toxicology, environmental effects, aquaculture and seafood quality and it is the first step in the gene banking, to preserve gene materials. The present study we cultured cell of interior pituitary of the Acipenser gueldenstaedtii gland, as a first attempts in IRAN. FISH cell culture has widespread applications in virology, toxicology and as in vitro models in cytogenetic, biomedical, physiological researches. A cell line has been established from the Acipenser gueldenstaedtii interior pituitary and scales have been used to develop primary cell cultures. Recently, successful primary culture of the interior pituitary gland of Acipenser gueldenstaedtii has been developed by explants method. The present study evaluated the potential of several interior pituitary gland from different developmental stages for development of cell cultures using explants method. Pituitary gland from various stages of the adult Acipenser gueldenstaedtii was collected under standard aseptic conditions. Developing gonads from 15-20-year-old male and female sturgeon were collected during late April and early May2007. In all the cases the tissues were pooled in cold PBS antibiotic antimycotic solution (Sigma Chemicals, USA). The tissues were evaluated for attachment, growth and ability to undergo to produce suspension of cells. Primary cultures were initiated from the above tissues according to our earlier procedures, with certain modifications in the sub cultivation procedure. Briefly, tissues were cut into 1 mm3 size fragments which were seeded into 25 cm2 tissue culture flasks. After appropriate semidrying and addition of minimum essential medium (MEM) (Sigma, USA) supplemented with 15% fetal bovine serum (FBS) (Sigma, USA), cell growth was monitored. A seeding density of 1.5 105 cells as determined by a hemocytometer. The results have been showed the Acipenser gueldenstaedtii interior pituitary cells growth in incubator Co2 in 370 C, the cells adapted in this temperature. They were in Lag phase for 10 days, in log phase on 10- 22 days, and in stationary phase on 23- 28 days, after that they died. So we could produce sturgeon growth hormone from fish pituitary cells culture. By this study we can passage the cells on 21th day, for every week. In this way we can produce continued cell culture and store them for gene banking

Evidence for B cell exhaustion in chronic graft-versus-host disease

Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGvHD) remains a major complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). A number of studies support a role for B cells in the pathogenesis of cGvHD. In this study, we report the presence of an expanded population of CD19+CD21− B cells with features of exhaustion in the peripheral blood of patients with cGvHD. CD21− B cells were significantly increased in patients with active cGvHD compared to patients without cGvHD and healthy controls (median 12.2 versus 2.12 versus 3%, respectively; p < 0.01). Compared with naïve (CD27−CD21+) and classical memory (CD27+CD21+) B cells, CD19+CD21− B cells in cGvHD were CD10 negative, CD27 negative and CD20hi, and exhibited features of exhaustion, including increased expression of multiple inhibitory receptors such as FCRL4, CD22, CD85J, and altered expression of chemokine and adhesion molecules such as CD11c, CXCR3, CCR7, and CD62L. Moreover, CD21− B cells in cGvHD patients were functionally exhausted and displayed poor proliferative response and calcium mobilization in response to B-cell receptor triggering and CD40 ligation. Finally, the frequencies of circulating CD21− B cells correlated with cGvHD severity in patients after HSCT. Our study further characterizes B cells in chronic cGVHD and supports the use of CD21−CD27−CD10− B cell frequencies as a biomarker of disease severity

Broadband optical ultrafast reflectivity of Si, Ge and GaAs

Ultrafast optical reflectivity measurements of silicon, germanium, and gallium arsenide have been carried out using an advanced set-up providing intense subpicosecond pulses (35 fs FWHM, λ = 400 nm) as a pump and broadband 340–780 nm ultrafast pulses as a white supercontinuum probe. Measurements have been performed for selected pump fluence conditions below the damage thresholds, that were carefully characterized. The obtained fluence damage thresholds are 30, 20.8, 9.6 mJ/cm 2 for Si, Ge and GaAs respectively. Ultrafast reflectivity patterns show clear differences in the Si, Ge, and GaAs trends both for the wavelength and time dependences. Important changes were observed near the wavelength regions corresponding to the E1, E1+ Δ singularities in the joint density of states, so related to the peculiar band structure of the three systems. For Ge, ultrafast reflectivity spectra were also collected at low temperature (down to 80 K) showing a shift of the characteristic doublet peak around 2.23 eV and a reduction of the recovery times

Production of bio-compatible nanofiber from chitosan with electrospinning method for preservation and maintenance aquatic products

Chitin nanofibers are prepared from the exoskeletons of shrimp by a simple mechanical treatment after a series of purification steps. The nanofibers have fine nanofibers networks with a uniform width of approximately 10 nm. Grinders and highpressure water jet systems are effective for disintegrating chitin into nanofibers. Acidic conditions are the key factor to facilitate mechanical fibrillation. Ultrafine fibers were successfully fabricated chitosan and fish skinextracted gelatin via electrospinning (ES). Important ES parameters, such as concentration of aqueous acid and fish gelatin solutions, and electric field intensity were examined to investigate the effects on the morphology of the gelatin nanofibers. Due to the poor mechanical properties of the fish gelatin membranes, composite nanofibers made of fish gelatin and poly(L-lactide)(PLLA) were produced with a novel solution. The introduction of PLLA remarkably improved the mechanical properties of the gelatin membranes. With a combination of good biocompatibility and mechanical properties, fish gelatin/PLGA blending non-woven mats are considered to be very promising in fish fillet coating application.. in this study, we fabricated a novel nanofibers composed of fish collagen (FC) and polycaprolactone (PCL) blends by using the electrospinning method. Nanofibers were characterized using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and it was revealed that the diameter of nanofibers decreases as FC content was increased in the FC/PCL composite nanofibers. Several modifications to the chitin NF surface are achieved, including acetylation, deacetylation and maleylation. The results of this study revealed that: 1–It is possible to produce Nanofibers from chitosan and fish gelatin. 2– Covering and coating of processed fish by nanofibers are applicable and increasing the possibility of shell life for the processed fish. 3– Nanofibers which have been produced from chitosan and fish gelation not only is environmentally friendly but also it will be eatable while has been covered for fish fillets. biocompatible chitosan and gelatin made from fish, fresh fish fillets do not have the ability to cover and packaging, but is edible and used

Genetic national plan study in order to shrimp breeding and developing of shrimp culture technology

Sampling was done using 90 post larvae which were produced by reproduction of some broodstock of Penaeus indicus in one day and reared in the same situation for 4 month. Samples were classified in 3 group high growth, medium and low (according to their weight and length). Genomic DNA was extracted from a 1cm^2 piece of muscle using the phenol-chloroform method. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was done using 21 RAPD loci. And PCR products were separated on 3% Agarose gels. From 21 studied loci, 12 produced polymorphic bands. The most polymorphic band produced using OPAQ 9 and the least by OPAQ 7. According to Nei 1972, the highest distance (0.457) was between low growth group and medium and the lowest (0.091) between high growth group and medium, therefore the highest identity (0.912) was between high growth group and medium and the lowest (0.633) between low growth group and medium. Consensus neighbour-joining tree using Nei (1972 and 1978) resulted in two clades, the first including high and medium growth groups and the second low growth group, it appears that low growth group are depended on separated population of the two others. With considering of mean weight of F1(16.25±1.5), mean weight of 15 ±1.2 and mean weight of parent 31.6, response to selection (R) and heritability for growth in this species were estimated 1.2±0.2 and 0.07±0.01 respectively. In another part of this study Sequencing of specific bands and primer design were done and examining of them on the same age specimens is necessary in following

Rituximab-containing reduced-intensity conditioning improves progression-free survival following allogeneic transplantation in B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Background: In B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL), rituximab-containing reduced-intensity conditioning regimens (R-RIC) have been shown to provide favorable outcomes in single-arm studies; however, large multicenter studies comparing R-RIC and non-rituximab-containing reduced-intensity conditioning regimens (nonR-RIC) have not been performed. Using the CIBMTR database, we report the outcomes of R-RIC versus nonR-RIC regimens in B-NHL. Methods: We evaluated 1401 adult B-NHL patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT) who received nonR-RIC (n = 1022) or R-RIC (n = 379) regimens. Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis was limited to calcineurin inhibitor-based approaches. Results: Median follow-up of survivors in the R-RIC and nonR-RIC groups was 47 and 37 months, respectively. On multivariate analysis, no difference was seen between the R-RIC and nonR-RIC cohorts in terms of acute GVHD grade II-IV (RR = 1.14, 95% CI = 0.83-1.56, p = 0.43) or grade III-IV (RR = 1.16, 95% CI = 0.72-1.89, p = 0.54), chronic GVHD (RR = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.92-1.46, p = 0.22), non-relapse mortality (RR = 0.90; 95% CI = 0.67-1.22; p = 0.51), relapse/progression (RR = 0.79; 95% CI = 0.63-1.01; p = 0.055), and mortality (RR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.69-1.02, p = 0.08) risk. However, R-RIC was associated with a significantly improved progression-free survival (RR = 0.76; 95% CI 0.62-0.92; p = 0.006). On subgroup analysis, mortality benefit was noted in the R-RIC group patients not receiving busulfanbased RIC (RR = 0.76; 95% CI = 0.60-0.96; p = 0.02) and with the use of a higher cumulative rituximab dose (RR = 0.43; 95% CI = 0.21-0.90; p = 0.02). Conclusion: Our analysis shows that inclusion of rituximab in RIC regimens improves progression-free survival in patients with B cell NHL. These data supports the use of R-RIC in B-NHL patients undergoing allo-HCT