Soil moisture determination plays a major role in water and crop management. In this research, the accuracy of the Triangle Method (TM) was evaluated to predict surface soil moisture content using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro-radiometer (MODIS) satellite images with 1km resolution. The investigation was carried out within an area of 76 km² in Lighavn watershed in East Azerbaijan, North West of Iran. The analysis was based on ground measurements of soil moisture at 225 points (45 pixels) across the catchment on 2 different days. Ground measurements from the first day were used to train the models, while those from the second day were used for validation. A range of polynomial regressions from 1st to 4th orders were established between the ground measured soil moisture and MODIS Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Land Surface Temperature (LST). The best results were obtained for the 4th order polynomial of the TM with the efficiency error (ER) and adjusted determination coefficient (R²adj) criterions, respectively, equal to 11.0% and 0.63 for calibration and 15.9% and 0.60 for validation stage. Therefore, the TM was found to provide reliable estimates of soil moisture, without the need for prior information of the soil surface roughness or the vegetation type and water content.

ABSTRACT Introduction: The polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was employed for rapid detection of ethambutol (EMB) resistant clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Materials and Methods: From 182 clinical isolates of M tuberculosis collected from different regions, 103 strains were entered in the investigation. DNA was extracted by Chelex 100 method and PCR was performed using specific primers for embB gene. Polymerase chain reaction products were digested with HaeIII and NlaII restriction endonucleases and the patterns of restriction fragments were analysed. Some randomly selected samples were sequenced. Results: Out of 103 studied strains, 52 were resistant to EMB. The cases of secondary tuberculosis were 53 (51.50 ± 1.77%), and primary cases 50 (48.50 ± 1.77%; p > 0.05). From 63 extensively drug-resistant (XDR), pre-XDR and multidrug-resistant (MDR) isolates, 27 (87%), 18 (81.8%) and 7 (70%) strains were resistant to EMB, respectively. Results of PCR-RFLP method showed that from 27R EMB XDR isolates, 13 (sensitivity 48% with CI: 0.307, 0.66 and specificity 100%), from 18R EMB pre-XDR strains, 4 (sensitivity 22% with CI: 0.09, 0.45 and specificity 100%) and of 7R EMB MDR, 2 (sensitivity 28% with CI: 0.082, 0.64 and specificity 100%) had mutation in ATG-Met codon 306. Results of sequencing were concordant with RFLP method. Overall, sensitivity of the molecular method was 36.5% (CI: 0.09, 0.45) and specificity 100%. None of the 40 pansusceptible strains was embB306 mutants. Extensively drug-resistant strains had a higher proportion of embB306 mutants (43%) than pre-XDR and MDR isolates (odds ratio 6.78; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Fast detection of susceptibility to EMB drug is possible by PCR-RFLP. The embB306 locus is a candidate marker for rapid prediction of high resistance of MDR and XDR forms to anti-tuberculosis drugs using this method.

RESUMEN Introducción: El método de polimorfismo de la longitud de los fragmentos de restricción amplificados por reacción en cadena de la polimerasa (PCR-RFLP) fue empleado para la detección rápida de aislados clínicos de Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistentes al etambutol (EMB). Materiales y métodos: De 182 aislados clínicos de M. tuberculosis recogidos de diferentes regiones, 103 cepas fueron tomadas para la investigación. Se extrajo el ADN por el método de Chelex100 y se realizó el PCR usando iniciadores específicos para el gene embB. Los productos de la reacción en cadena de la polimerasa fueron digeridos con endonucleasas de restricción HaeIII y NlaII, y se analizaron los patrones de fragmentos de restricción. Algunas muestras seleccionadas al azar fueron secuenciadas. Resultados: De 103 cepas estudiadas, 52 fueron resistentes al EMB. Los casos de tuberculosis secundaria fueron 53 (51.50 ± 1.77%), y los casos de tuberculosis primaria 50 (48.50 ± 1.77%; p > 0.05). De 63 aislados (XDR), pre-XDR y multirresistentes (MDR) extremadamente resistentes a los medicamentos, 27 (87%), 18 (81.8%) y 7 (70%) cepas fueron resistentes al EMB, respectivamente. Los resultados del método PCR-RFLP mostraron que de 27 aislados XDRR EMB 13 (sensibilidad 48% con IC: 0.307, 0.66 y especificidad 100%); 18 cepas pre-XDRR EMB, 4 (sensibilidad 22% con IC: 0.09, 0.45 y especificidad 100%) y de 7 MDRR EMB, 2 (sensibilidad 28% con IC: 0,082, 0.64 y especificidad 100%) presentaron mutación en el codón 306ATG-Met. Los resultados de la secuenciación estuvieron en concordancia con el método RFLP. En general, la sensibilidad del método molecular fue 36.5% (IC: 0.09, 0.45), y la especificidad 100%. Ninguna de las 40 cepas pansusceptibles fue mutante embB306. Las cepas extremadamente fármacorresistentes tuvieron una mayor proporción de mutantes embB306 (43%) que los aislados pre-XDR y MDR (odds-ratio 6.78; p < 0.001). Conclusión: Mediante el PCR-RFLP, es posible la detección rápida de susceptibilidad al fármaco EMB. El locus de embB306 es un marcador candidato para la predicción rápida de alta resistencia de formas MDR y XDR a medicamentos contra la tuberculosis utilizando este método.

The relationship between sorghum grain color and tannin content was reported in several references. In this study, 33 phenotypes of sorghum grain differing in seed characteristics were collected and analyzed by Folin-Ciocalteu method. A computer image analysis method was used to determine the color characteristics of all 33 sorghum phenotypes. Two methods of multiple linear regression and artificial neural network (ANN) models were developed to describe tannin content in sorghum grain from three input parameters of color characteristics. The goodness of fit of the models was tested using R², MS error, and bias. The computer image analysis technique was a suitable method to estimate tannin through sorghum grain color strength. Therefore, the color quality of the samples was described according three color parameters: L* (lightness), a* (redness - from green to red) and b* (blueness - from blue to yellow. The developed regression and ANN models showed a strong relationship between color and tannin content of samples. The goodness of fit (in terms of R²), which corresponds to training the ANN model, showed higher accuracy of prediction of ANN compared with the equation established by the regression method (0.96 vs. 0.88). The ANN models in term of MS error showed lower residuals distribution than that of regression model (0.002 vs. 0.006). The platform of computer image analysis technique and ANN-based model may be used to estimate the tannin content of sorghum.

To clarify the effects of high (20 and 40% more than normal) and low (20% less than normal) daily feed allowance on egg and body parameters, ovarian morphology and plasma glucose, cholesterol, triacylglycerol, leptin-like hormone, nitrite/nitrate and gene expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the granulosa layer of F1 follicle, broiler breeder hens (30-week-old) were fed for 30 days. Egg and body parameters significantly changed between treatments (p<0.05). Effect of different level of feed intake on ovarian morphology parameters was significant (p<0.05), except for white follicles. After 30 days of experiment, plasma nitrite/nitrate (as a index of plasma nitric oxide) and leptin-like hormone increased in FI+20% and FI+40% groups as compared to controls (p<0.05). Plasma level of leptin-like hormone also significantly (p<0.05) increased in FI+40% group. The relative amount of iNOS mRNA expression in the granulosa layer of F1 follicles was significantly higher in FI-20% and FI+40% groups than in control group only after 4 weeks of experiment. The amount of these elevations in the FI-20% and FI+40% groups were 32.4% and 60.9% respectively. It was concluded that iNOS gene is normally expressed in follicular granulosa cells of F1 follicle of broiler breeder hens 2-4 hours before ovulation. However, over- and underfeeding of hens increased iNOS expression in F1 follicle, which may be one of the atresia-inducing factors in hierarchical follicles as shown by the significant (p<0.05) increase of shrunken follicles in the ovary of over- and under-fed broiler breeder hens after 30 days of feeding.

An experiment was conducted to study the effects of extruded cotton seed (ECOS) and canola seed (ECAS) in the diet of male Mehraban lambs on the concentration of unsaturated fatty acids in their plasma, erythrocytes and livers. The treatments were: (1) control (C); (2) diet C+6% ECAS, (3) diet C+6% ECOS, (4) diet C+12% ECAS, (5) diet C+12% ECOS, (6) diet C+6% ECAS+6% ECOS, (7) diet C+12% ECAS +6% ECOS, (8) diet C+6% ECAS +12% ECOS, (9) diet C+12% ECAS+12% ECOS, (10) diet C+18% ECAS+18% ECOS. A complete randomized experimental design was applied. Sixty lambs (5 - 6 months of age) were randomly allocated to the 10 dietary treatments in order to have six lambs (replicates) per diet. The lambs were housed in individual pens. The average weight of lambs at the onset of the study was 34.3 ± 2.12 kg. The experiment lasted for 90 days. Results indicated that the concentration of oleic acid (C18:1), linoleic acid (C18:2 n-6) and linolenic acid (C18:3 n-3) in the plasma and oleic acid and linolenic acid in erythrocyte lipids were higher in lambs fed diets containing oil seeds or a combination of the oil seeds compared to those receiving the control diet. The supplementation of 6% and 12% ECAS increased the linoleic acid concentration in the liver lipids significantly compared to those fed the diets containing ECOS. There was a linear correlation between linoleic acid content of the liver and levels of dietary ECAS and ECOS. This study provides evidence that dietary oleic acid, linoleic acid and linolenic acid might escape biohydrogenation in the rumen and showed that the type of dietary fat has a marked impact on lipid metabolism in the liver.