In Vitro and In Situ Degradation Characteristics and Rumen Fermentation Products of Moringa oleifera Harvested at Three Different Ages

Besides the beneficial agronomic properties such as drought tolerance and high biomass production, the high crude protein content of Moringa oleifera (Moringa) makes it comparable to the other high quality forages. This study aimed to evaluate whether Moringa can be an appropriate substitute for alfalfa as a ruminant feed. The study consisted of 4 treatments, namely Moringa leaves harvested at 30 (M30), 40 (M40), and 50 (M50) days after pruning, and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) hay as a control. Simultaneously, their organic matter digestibilities and fermentation characteristics were analyzed by in vitro gas production technique and rumen dry matter and protein degradability kinetics were analyzed by using the nylon bags (in situ) procedure. The results of in vitro study revealed that the potential cumulative gas production for Moringa sample harvested at 30 days after pruning was higher than that of alfalfa while the rate of gas production and the concentrations of ammonia and volatile fatty acids (VFA) in Moringa were similar to alfalfa. Moringa harvested at different times had higher in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) and metabolizable energy (ME) content as compared with alfalfa. Despite the apparent higher soluble fraction (a) and the fractional degradation rate (c) in the Moringa samples of various ages than those for alfalfa, the differences were not significant. However, in situ potentially degradable fraction (b) for DM and CP of Moringa harvested at different ages were higher than those of alfalfa (P<0.05). The in vitro fermentation and in situ degradation parameters suggested high similarities in the kinetics of gas production (i.e. a, b, and c) and DM degradation pattern among the three different cutting ages of Moringa and nutritionally they were comparable to alfalfa. In conclusion, alfalfa could be replaced with Moringa leaves in diet of ruminant animal without any adverse effect

Risk factors for delayed graft function in deceased donor kidney transplantation; A potential preventive role for intraoperative thymoglobulin

Introduction: Delayed graft function (DGF) is associated with significant adverse outcomes in deceased donor kidney transplantation (KT) including lower graft survival. However, risk factors and potential preventive strategies like intraoperative rabbit antithymocyte globulin (rATG; thymoglobulin) have not yet been fully evaluated. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate DGF risk factors and determine the association of intraoperative rATG with the risk of DGF in deceased donor kidney recipients. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively examined medical records of 163 first time deceased donor kidney transplant recipients at two major kidney transplant centers from 2014 to 2016. All the donors were standard heart-beating, brain death donors. Risk factors for DGF in recipients were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: The mean recipients' age was 43±13 years and the majority of participants were male (64). The overall rate of DGF was 27. Intraoperative rATG was significantly associated with a lower rate of DGF (adjusted odds ratio AOR, 0.33, 95% CI, 0.11-0.95). Intraoperative transfusion (AOR, 3.7, 95% CI, 1.4-9.9) and diabetes mellitus (AOR, 3.7, 95% CI, 1.5-8.9) were significantly associated with higher risk of DGF. Conclusion: This study showed that intraoperative blood transfusion and diabetes mellitus were associated with increased risk of DGF. Meanwhile, administration of intraoperative rATG was associated with reduced odds ratio of DGF. Future studies are needed to evaluate the potential role of rATG in DGF-related renal outcomes. © 2019 The Author(s)

Characterization of the lignin polymer in Brassicaceae family

Background and objectives: Residues of medicinal plants after extraction and weeds are suitable candidates for bioethanol production. Significant barriers exist to make the conversion of lignocellulosic feedstock to biofuel cost effective and environmentally friendly; one of which is the lignin polymer. Brassicaceae family is one of the potential targets for biofuel production. The structural characteristics of lignin from Hirschfeldia incana, Sisymbrium altissimum and Cardaria draba were studied in comparison to that of Brassica napus. Methods: Lignin deposition was observed by phloroglucinol and Mäule staining. The total lignin content was determined by Klason method. Maximum UV absorbance and FT-IR spectra were compared. Ratio of syringyl to guaiacyl lignin (S/G ratio) as a metric of lignin digestibility was determined by DFRC followed by GC-MS analysis. 1H-NMR spectra of the total lignin was compared with other spectroscopic methods. Results: Staining of thestem cross sections of C. draba showed higher G units in contrast to the higher S units in S. altissimum which was in agreement with 1H-NMR analysis. Total lignin content for H. incana, C. draba and S. altissimum was 27.10%, 23.8% and 24.5%, respectively. The specific maximum UV absorbance appeared between 230-260 nm. FT-IR analysis confirmed the presence of more aromatic structures in the seed maturation stage than the flowering stage. S/G ratio was 0.26, 0.10 and 0.22 for H. incana, C. draba and S. altissimum, respectively.  Conclusion: Except Cardaria draba with the predominance of G subunits in lignin polymer, Hirschfeldia incana and Sisymbrium altissimum are suitable candidates for bioethanol production

Anti-diabetic effects of Amygdalus lycioides spach in streptozocin-induced diabetic rats

Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by elevated blood sugar and abnormalities in insulin secretion and action. There are many anti-diabetic plants, which might supply useful sources for developing new medicines that can be used in treatment of diabetes mellitus. The primary objective of the present investigation is to evaluate the antidiabetic properties of the aerial parts of Amygdalus lycioides in streptozocin-induced diabetic rats. Sixty rats were divided into 6 groups: streptozocin-induced diabetic control, insulin-treated diabetic group, and four Amygdalus lycioides-treated diabetic groups (125, 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg/day). After 2 weeks of plant extract administration, the effects of extracts on blood glucose, body weight, BUN, creatinine, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglyceride, total protein, Na, K, and plasma enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase) were analyzed. The pancreas of rats was also stained for stereological studies. Phytochemical evaluation of this extract showed the presence of flavonoids and tannins compounds. Glucose serum levels and glucose tolerance test showed a decrease in treatment with Amygdalus lycioides (1000 mg/kg). Serum total cholesterol, LDL, triglyceride, creatinine and alkaline phosphatase levels were decreased significantly by the extract but aspartate aminotransferase found to be increased after treatment. The total number and numerical density of beta cells increased in the Amygdalus lycioides group (1000 mg/kg). It seems that Amygdalus lycioides may act as a potential drug to treat diabetes and its complications. However, more investigations should be done to more clarify these results. © 2018 by School of Pharmacy Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and Health Services

Effect of slurry dilution, structural carbohydrates, and exogenous archaea supply on in vitro anaerobe fermentation and methanogens population of swine slurry

© 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Artificial slurry (4% dry matter) was prepared using fresh feces and urine obtained from four pregnant sows fed with commercial diet. Freeze-dried dairy cattle feces were used (external archaea) as co-inoculum (Co-i) and structural carbohydrates (CHO: apple pulp; sugar beet pulp; and wheat straw) as substrates. Bottles were incubated (39 ± 1°C for 56 days), and the gas production was measured (mbar) and converted to the volume. A sample of produced gas was taken and analyzed for methane concentration using a gas chromatography. Bottles were opened at days 0, 25, and 56 to determine total bacteria, total, and hydrogenotrophic methanogens archaea (HMA) concentrations using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and population biodiversity using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Incubation time reduced the titers of total bacteria and archaea (P 0.05), whereas at 10% Co inoculation, titers decreased constantly. Most of the archaeal DGGE bands were observed in all samples, suggesting a common microbial population origin but Co-i supply altered the DGGE structure of archaea populations.This work was supported by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain and the European Union Regional Development Funds (AGL2010‐20820). Ahmad Reza Seradj is a recipient of grant from the Government of Catalunya (FI‐DGR 2011) and Henris Morazan was a recipient of grant from MAEC‐AECID 2009–2011.Peer Reviewe

Experiment on inter- and intra-specific phenotypic plasticity of three phytoplankton species in response to ocean acidification

Phenotypic plasticity describes the phenotypic adjustment of the same genotype to different environmental conditions and is best described by a reaction norm. We focus on the effect of ocean acidification (OA) on inter - and intraspecific reaction norms of three globally important phytoplankton species (Emiliania huxleyi, Gephyrocapsa oceanica, Chaetoceros affinis). Despite significant differences in growth rates between the species, they all showed a high potential for phenotypic buffering (no significant difference in growth rates between ambient and high CO2 condition). Only three coccolithophore genotypes showed a reduced growth in high CO2. Largely diverging responses to high CO2 of single coc-colithophore genotypes compared to the respective mean species responses, however, raise the question if an extrapolation to the population level is possible from single genotype experiments. We therefore compared the mean response of all tested genotypes to a total species response comprising the same genotypes, which was not significantly different in the coccolithophores. Assessing species reac-tion norm to different environmental conditions on short time scale in a genotype-mix could thus reduce sampling effort while increasing predictive power