In fish, a complex set of mechanisms deal with environmental stresses including hypoxia. In order to probe the hypothesis that hypoxia-induced stress could be manifested in varieties of pathways, a model species, mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio), were chronically exposed to hypoxic condition (dissolved oxygen level: 1.80±0.6mg/l) for 21 days and subsequently allowed to recover under normoxic condition (dissolved oxygen level: 8.2±0.5mg/l) for 7 days. At the end of these exposure periods, an integrated approach was applied to evaluate several endpoints at different levels of biological organisation. These included determination of (i) oxidative damage to DNA in erythrocytes (using modified comet assay), (ii) lipid peroxidation in liver samples by measuring the malondialdehyde production using the 2-thiobarbituric acid [i.e. thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay] and (iii) histopathological changes in gills. In addition, transcriptional expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 α (HIF-1α) and genes involved in the repair of oxidative damage to DNA (i.e. ogg1) and base excision repair (i.e. xrcc1) using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in liver samples were also determined. The results suggested significantly enhanced expression of these genes in response to hypoxia compared to concurrent normoxic controls. While the expression of HIF-1α reverted to control values within 7 days exposure to normoxic condition (P < 0.05), the transcriptional expression of the two genes involved in DNA repair process remained significantly high under the recovery period, which complemented the induction of oxidative damage to DNA. Hypoxic groups showed significantly increased values for TBARS level (~2-fold) and histopathological changes in gill tissues compared to both normoxic and recovery groups. Overall, oxidative damage to DNA determined by modified comet assay reflected the observed biological responses in other tissues of the fish. Along with other parameters, this integrated experimental design further strengthens the applications of the comet assay as an important technique to assess stress-induced DNA damage in ecotoxicological studies. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the UK Environmental Mutagen Society.
To achieve optimal plant growth and production under salt stress, some products were added in adequate quantities to give a good yield, especially bean plants which are sensitive to salinity. For this purpose, this experiment was carried out during the spring growing season in 2022 in Baghdad, to study the effects of humic acid, cytokinin, arginine and their interaction with 9 parameters that reflect the overall traits of vegetative growth and yield of common bean plants Phaseolus vulgaris L. var. Astraid (from MONARCH seeds, China). The factorial design with 3 replicates was used, each with 7 plants treated via foliar spraying or by addition to the soil. The first factor included three groups; H0, H1 and H2 (0, 6, 12 Kg.h-1 H
... Show MorePhoenix dactylifera l. pinnae (the green leaves of dates palm) were used as natural reinforcing (strengthening) fibers to improve the mechanical properties of polyester as a matrix material, the fibers of the green leaves of dates palm were used in two lengths, 10 and 20mm with five rates of 0, 2.5, 5, 10, and 20% , where the reinforcing with the leaves fibers increases the hardness strength from 76.5 to be about 86.55 , the Impact value raised from about 0.313 to 0.461 , in addition to that the flexural strength from 2.66 to be about 55 , and the thermal conductivity increases from 2.54 𝑤∕𝑚.℃ to 5.41 𝑤∕𝑚.℃. The results of the present search explains that the composite samples reinforced at rate 20% and 10mm fiber length
... Show MoreThe purpose of this research was to prepare, characterize, and evaluate the new antimicrobial peptide KSL peptide encapsulated in poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA)composite microspheres. KSL was loaded in poly(acryloyl hydroxyethyl) starch (acHES) micropar-ticles, and then the peptide-containing microparticles were encapsulated in the PLGA matrix by a solvent extraction /evaporation method.
KSL-loaded PLGA microspheres were also prepared without the starch hydrogel microparticle microspheres for comparison study. KSL peptide microspheres were characterized for drug content, surface morphology, microspheres size determination, polymers stability , in vitro microspheres degradation and in vitro release. KSL peptide
... Show More2,2'-(1-(3,4-bis(carboxydichloromethoxy)-5-oxo-2,5-dihydrofuran-2-yl)ethane-1,2-diyl)bis(oxy)bis(2,2-dichloroacetic acid) a derivative of L-ascorbic acid was prepared by reaction of L-ascorbic acid with trichloroacetic acid (1:4) ratio, in the presence of potassium hydroxide. A series of new metal complexes of this ligand were prepared by a reaction with the chlorides of Cd(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II). The new ligand and its complexes were identified by C.H.N., IR, UV-visible spectra, Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), as well as 1H, 13C-NMR and Mass spectra for ligand L. The complexes were also identified by molar conductance, atomic absorption, magnetic susceptibility and X-ray diffraction for Cu (II) complex. FT-IR spectra
... Show MoreThe effect of gamma radiation at the doses (0 , 5 , 10 or 15 ) Gray on the callus of four Triticum aestivum immature embryos genotypes (AL-Hashmiya , AL-Noor AL-Zahraa and AL-Mellad ) were studied . The fresh and dry weight for callus and shoot tips beside numbers and lengths of the shoots were used as indicators after 8 weeks . Results revealed that (AL-Noor and AL-Zahraa ) was superior by giving highest fresh and dry weight reached 274.2 and 269.2 mg and 26 and 24.3 mg respectively as compared with AL-Hashmiya and AL-Mellad. Moreover, the control treatment and the dose 10 Gray gave highest fresh weight reached 277.4 and 259.1 mg while the dry weight was highest in the control treatment and the dose 5 Gray. addition 10 Gra
... Show MoreThe aim of this research is to study the effect of high concentrations of salts, pressure and temperature on the performance of the RO membrane with time. Four different (Na2CO3) concentrations (5000, 15000, 25000 and 35000) ppm and various pressures such as (1, 3 and 5) bars at different temperatures of the feed solution (i.e., 25, 35 and 45) ◦C were used in this work. It was found that, as the concentration of salt and feed temperatures increase, the rejection of the salt decrease. While the salt rejection of the membranes increases with increase of transmembrane pressure.
Nanofluids, liquid suspensions of nanoparticles (Np), are an effective agent to alter the wettability of oil-wet reservoirs to water-wet thus promoting hydrocarbon recovery. It can also have an application to more efficient carbon storage. We present a series of contact angle (θ) investigations on initially oil-wet calcite surfaces to quantify the performance of hydrophilic silica nanoparticles for wettability alteration. These tests are conducted at typical in-situ high pressure (CO2), temperature and salinity conditions. A high pressure–temperature (P/T) optical cell with a regulated tilted surface was used to measure the advancing and receding contact angles at the desired conditions. The results showed that silica nanofluids can alte
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