Determination of maximum allowable concentration and LC50 96h of Sefidroud River sediments for Persian sturgeon (Acipenser persicus) fingerlings

The impact of Sefidroud River sediments on the fingerlings of Persian Sturgeon (Acipenser persicus) was studied in 2005. The tests were done in 20 liter aquariums each containing 10 Persian Sturgeons fingerlings weighing 3-5 grams each. We devised 6 treatments and a control with 3 repetitions in the four day investigation through which the lethal concentration (LC50 96h) of Sefidroud sediments were studied. During the test, physicochemical parameters of water such as pH, oxygen and temperature were measured as 8, 8.5mg/1 and 25±1°C respectively. The results showed that LC5096h and LC50 24h of sediments on Persian sturgeon were 15367.39mg/1 and 124882.04mg/1 respectively. We determined the maximum allow-able concentration (M.A.C) of sediments to be I 536.74mg/l

Possibility study on using an Iranian cottonseed meal variety instead of soybean meal in the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) diet

This study was set up to investigate the nutritional value and the optimum inclusion level of one Iranian cottonseed meal i.e. var. Pak, (CSMP) as a substitute for soybean meal (SBM) in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) feed. Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) for these varieties were calculated in experiment 1 by using an indigestible marker (chromic oxide). Six formulated feeds consisting different substitution levels (0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100%) of SBM with CSMP, CSMS, and CSMA, respectively, were fed to a total of 540 rainbow trout with initial mean body weight of 50 ± 5 g. Fish were randomly stocked into eighteen 100 L. fiberglass tanks with 30 fish per tank and 3 tanks per diet and fed to satiation 3 times a day for 8 weeks. At the end of each separate experiment, 3 fish from each replicate for each dietary treatment were sacrificed to measure the whole fish body proximate compositions and liver gossypol content. After an 8 week feeding trail, the average weight gain, FCR, SGR, PER, DWG, PWG and CF of fish fed with different diets were measured separately. For all treatments, the survival percentage was more than 98%. Results showed that 100% and 80% CSMP showed in better growth in each experiment and 100% CSMP wasthe best in weight gain (104.3 g), FCR (1.5) and SGR (1.25%)

Investigation of breeding and culture in Iranian cichlid (Iranocichla hormuzensis) as endemic and ornamental species

Iranian Cichlid is an invaluable ornamental species which is domesticated in Iran and called Iranocichla hormuzensis scientifically, is living in the Hormoz zone, Shahou River (between Bandar Abbas and Haji Abad). The first phase of the research project started in September of 2012 and lasted about 18 months, focused on adapting the wild cichlids to cope with the aquarium environment. Therefore, about 63 male and female of Iranian cichlids collected from the natural habitat, Shahou River, then moved to the nearest city, Bandar Abbas to and released in aquariums which were filled by water of River where they were living. After few days they moved to “innovative aquaculture technologies research station” and reared in 100 liter glass tanks to monitor their behaviors. By initial days, the Cichlids seemed to be stressed out significantly, they were flashing, hitting them to the aquarium, trying to jump out and get discolored due to strange environment. By days, the stressful treats decreased and the experiments coped with the new environment. At the next step, schools of 5-7 fish organized to pear up. The mortality rate collected daily and accidental biometry recorded fortnightly. The rearing temperature adjusted and was stable at 37˚C. Finally, the Cichlids were completely adopted and prepared for mating and breeding

Comparison of neutral anolyte solution and malachite green efficiency on fungal contamination control of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) eggs in incubation stage

One of the important problems in Rainbow trout production industry is egg fungal infection especially saprolegniasis which is the most important mortality factor in Rainbow trout hatcheries. Controlling saprolegniasis in hatcheries was done using green malachite in the past years, which is a very effective fungicide. Nowadays, due to the prohibition of using green malachite, effort is done to replace it with other materials as an effective fungicide. Some of the most important materials which have been examined are formalin, sodium chloride and hydrogen peroxide etc. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of neutral anolyte on the mortality percent of rainbow trout eggs and produced larvae in point of view of growth indices and survival until yolk sac absorption and larvae active feeding in incubation phase comparing with green malachite to be able to introduce a suitable alternative. This study was carried out in a complete randomly plan with 7 treatments and 3 replications (21 troughs in general), in 20*35*70 cm (length*width*depth) Californian troughs containing an incubator. Treatments included anolyte solutions constant bathing with 0.5 and 0.25 ppm concentrations and periodic anolyte treatments with 2 ppm concentrations (every 2 days), positive control infected with fungus without any disinfectant and negative control without any infection or disinfectant. 300 grams of newly propagated green eggs of rainbow trout which were provided from one of the fish hatcheries in Haraz Road and acclimated with the trough’s water temperature, were distributed in one layer at the bottom of the trough basket. All treatments, except negative control, were infected with saprolegnia, taken from infected eggs of rainbow trout which were previously provided from one of the fish hatcheries of 2000 Road in Tonekabon. The treatments took one month to complete. The studied variables included hatching percent, percent of eyed eggs, abnormality percent and percent of unfertilized eggs, from which percent of eyed eggs was calculated and recorded in the middle and the rest of the variables at the end of the test. In this study Paired-sample T-student test, Levene’s test, one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni’s test was used. For examining egg abnormality, hatching, fungus infection and eyed eggs, first the percent of the variables were specified and then for comparing the rate of abnormality in one of the anolyte treatments (which had the least abnormality) and green malachite, Mann-Whitney test was carried out. This comparison was done to analyze the rate of hatching, fungus infections, eyed eggs, resulting from the materials used in different treatments, using one-way ANOVA Bonferroni’s tests. Results showed that in lower anolyte concentrations (0.5 and 0.25 ppm), the number of fungal colonies of hatchery water and the percent of egg fungus infection were significantly higher than higher concentrations of anolyte (100 ppm and 30 ppm) and green malachite. In other words with concentration increase, the fungicidal effect has also increased. In evaluating the percent of eyed eggs, statistical results showed that eyed eggs percent in 0.25 ppm treatment and green malachite treatment were significantly higher than the other three anolyte treatments. This result can explain egg hatching in 0.25 ppm concentrations and not seeing hatching in the (other) remaining three doses. Between the treatments of 0.25 ppm and green malachite, the group of 0.25 ppm anolyte can be a better disinfectant for rainbow trout eggs compared to green malachite, for fish farmers, due to the high percent of eyed eggs and the low total count of fungus. The results of this study showed that the amount of abnormality in 0.25 ppm treatment has been higher compared to the green malachite group. Because this study was the first research on using anolyte as a fungicide in rainbow trout hatcheries, therefore for more specific study of the concentrations, the timing of usage and the factors affecting these two, more vast and general research is needed

Gene Transfer to Chicks Using Lentiviral Vectors Administered via the Embryonic Chorioallantoic Membrane

The lack of affordable techniques for gene transfer in birds has inhibited the advancement of molecular studies in avian species. Here we demonstrate a new approach for introducing genes into chicken somatic tissues by administration of a lentiviral vector, derived from the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), into the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of chick embryos on embryonic day 11. The FIV-derived vectors carried yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) or recombinant alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) genes, driven by the cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter. Transgene expression, detected in chicks 2 days after hatch by quantitative real-time PCR, was mostly observed in the liver and spleen. Lower expression levels were also detected in the brain, kidney, heart and breast muscle. Immunofluorescence and flow cytometry analyses confirmed transgene expression in chick tissues at the protein level, demonstrating a transduction efficiency of ∼0.46% of liver cells. Integration of the viral vector into the chicken genome was demonstrated using genomic repetitive (CR1)-PCR amplification. Viability and stability of the transduced cells was confirmed using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (dUTP) nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, immunostaining with anti-proliferating cell nuclear antigen (anti-PCNA), and detection of transgene expression 51 days post transduction. Our approach led to only 9% drop in hatching efficiency compared to non-injected embryos, and all of the hatched chicks expressed the transgenes. We suggest that the transduction efficiency of FIV vectors combined with the accessibility of the CAM vasculature as a delivery route comprise a new powerful and practical approach for gene delivery into somatic tissues of chickens. Most relevant is the efficient transduction of the liver, which specializes in the production and secretion of proteins, thereby providing an optimal target for prolonged study of secreted hormones and peptides

Investigating the Mechanical Properties and Degradability of Bioplastics Made from Wheat Straw Cellulose and Date Palm Fiber

During the past two decades, the use of bioplastics as an alternative to regular plastics has received much attention in many different industries. The mechanical and degradable properties of bioplastic are important for their utilization. In this research cellulose of wheat straw and glycerol were mixed by different weight ratios and then reinforced by using date palm fibers. To prepare the bioplastic plates, the materials were poured in molds and pressed by means of a hydraulic press and simultaneously heating of the molds. The experiments were performed based on a 3×3 factorial design with three levels: 50%, 60% and 70% of wheat cellulose and three types of reinforcement methods, namely: no-reinforcement, network reinforcement and parallel string reinforcement. The effect of the two factors on tensile strength, tensile strain, bending strength, modulus of elasticity and modulus of bending were investigated. The results indicated that the two factors and their interactions had significant effects on the mentioned properties of bioplastics (at α=0.05 level) . The comparison of the means of the tests showed that the network reinforcement type with 50% cellulose had the highest tensile and bending strengths with 1992.02 and 28.71 MPa, respectively. The maximum modulus of elasticity and modulus bending were 40.4 and 2.3 MPa, respectively for parallel string arrangement and 70% of cellulose. The degradability tests of bioplastic using a fistulated sheep indicated that with increasing the percentage of cellulose, the degradability rate deceased. The maximum degradability rate, after 48 h holding in the sheep rumen, was 74% that belonged to bioplastics with 50% cellulose. The degradability data were well fitted to a mathematical model (R2=0.97)

Gas-Screen Slotted Quartz Tube Atomic Absorption Spectrometry: A Remedy for Reducing Interference Effects of Calcium and Chromium

A simple device for the reduction of nonspectral interferences in flame atomic absorption spectrometry is proposed. It has been reported that the use of a gas screen (GS) system together with a slotted quartz tube (SQT) enhances the residence time of analyte atoms in measurement zone even more than the SQT alone. This combination causes enhancement of sensitivity and improves the reproducibility of absorbance measurements. In addition, it protects the optical windows of the atomic absorption spectrometer. The operational mechanism of gas screen is simply applying two argon gas walls at both ends of SQT to provide an environment that is partly protected from air. This action enhances the sensitivity of measurement. In this study, interference effects of excess amounts of calcium and chromium on the measurements of Cd, Co, Cu, Pb, Mn, Ni, Se, and Zn were studied using flame AAS. The presence of both Ca and Cr cause higher absorbance values; it is suggested that this is due to formation of oxide species of Ca and Cr and as a result analyte oxide production is suppressed. Therefore, analyte free atom population and sensitivity are enhanced. This enhancement results in a positive error in measurements. For instance, presence of solely 8.0mgL1 of Cr or Ca for Pb as the analyte enhances the signals by 75% and 56%, respectively. When SQT or GS-SQT is used, this effect is significantly reduced