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Background: Adverse effects of synthetic pigments used in pharmaceutical andfoodindustriesand etc,have created a tendency toward the application of natural pigments. Environmental conditions are important factors in the growth and physiological function of different organisms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth rate of fungal biomass and production rate of black pigment (melanin) in fungus Exophialacrusticola under different incubation time, temperature, and light conditions to obtain an optimal condition for their production.
Materials and Methods: After obtaining an optimal incubation temperature, cultured fungus in potato dextrose agar and broth media was exposed to blue, yellow, white, red, green, and darknesslight conditions with 14-35 daysof incubation times. The averageamount of produceddry weight of fungal biomass and pigmentweremeasured, and the results were statistically analyzed with SPSS software ver.22.
Results:Suitable incubation temperature for fungal growthwas 22°C.The maximum average amount of fungal biomass (0.17 g)and pigment production (OD = 0.94) were after 35 days of incubation (p< .05) and under yellow light (0.135 g) (OD= 0.98), respectively (p< .05).
Conclusion: By optimization the incubation time, temperature, and light for the growth and production of pigmentinfungusE.crusticola, it is possible to produce a large amount of fungus and its related pigmentin order to be utilized in a variety of industrialand pharmaceutical use, and etc. Also, due to the fungus rapid growth in response to the yellow light, it is possible to use this feature in isolation and early diagnosis of this fungusin suspected pathogenesiscases.

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Theeffect of salt stress on the pysiological and biochemical responses of the seedlings of eight Eucalyptus species viz. E. kingsmillii, E. tetragona, E. salubris, E. occidentali, E. microtheca, E. camaldulensis, E. globules and E. sargentii was analyzed. Four month-old seedlings grown in greenhouse were watered by five levels of salt solution (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mM of NaCl) in five replications with a factorial experimental design. The results indicated that salinity delayed and inhibited the seedlings’ growth after one month, and induced gradual decline in most of the criteria such as leaf area, relative water content and specific leaf area. Moreover, a significant reduction of chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll content was observed. Salinity stress raised the content of soluble sugars, proline and glycine betaine. Eucalyptus sargentii as the most tolerant species had the optimum growth up to 200 mM NaCl but E. globulus presented the most sensitive speciesto salinity stress. At 200 mM NaCl, proline and glycine beatine raised to 10.57 and 27 µg g^-1 in the tolerant species (E. sargentii), respectively while proline in the sensitive species (E. globulus) dropped to 0.003 µg g^-1. These results suggest that high tolerance of E. sargentii to salinity stress is closely related to lower specific leaf area and enhancement of compatible solutions such as proline, soluble sugar, glycine beatine. This would encourage the possibility of propagating E. sargentii in the southern coastal area of Iran. Furthermore, these results provided further biochemical support for the specific abiotic stress tolerance mechanism of Eucalyptus species.

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Research subject: In this research we studied the anti-corrosion properties of epoxy coating containing anti-corrosion pigment zinc phosphate with hydrophobic nano silica with different percentage also for determine the optimal conditions for preparation of nanocomposite Taguchi experimental design method was used.
 
Research approach: Anti-corrosion properties of epoxy coating under the influence of very important factors such as the percentage of nano silica, anticorrosive pigment and pigment to resin ratio according to model L9 taguchi method was studied and analyzed. Anti-corrosion properties of epoxy coatings were studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy test (EIS) in 3/5% NaCl aqueous solution and salt fog test (salt spray). To investigate the distribution of nano silica particles in epoxy resin were analyzed by transmion electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results show that using from zinc phosphate and nano-silica was able to improve the corrosion resistances.
 
Main results:Results shows that addition of zinc phosphate and nano silica to epoxy resin caused a decrease in number of blisters and corrosion products after exposure to corrosion test based on the results in Nyquist and Bode plots, also the similarity in results was observed for the epoxy coating loaded according to the optimum conditions with 8% zinc phosphate, 3% nano silica and pigment to resin ratio of one according to salt spary. The significance levels of the experimental parameters, which indicate how the factors affect the compressive addition of zinc phosphate and nano silica to epoxy resin, were determined by using variance (Anova) method.

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In a completely randomized design, the effect of the extract from Trifolium alexandrium (0, 0.2 and 0.4%) on the germination, some morphological characteristics, photosynthetic pigments, and nutrients uptake of Prosopis cineraria was evaluated. The highest germination rate and percentage (9.16 and 21%, respectively) were recorded in the 0.2% treatment. The maximum and minimum lengths of radicle (6.58 and 3.16 cm) and pedicel (6.56 and 14.23 cm), and dry weight were recorded in the control and 0.4% treatments, respectively. The highest level of chlorophyll a (16.80 mg g^-1 fresh weight) was found in the control. The highest and lowest chlorophyll b (9.65 and 7.96 mg g^-1 fresh weight) were measured in the 0.2%and control, respectively. The extract adversely affected the nutrient uptake by P. cineraria, the minimum and maximum of which were recorded at the 0.4%and control treatments, respectively. In general, although the extract of T. alexandrium increased the P. cineraria germination in the 0.2% treatment, the increased concentrations led to its reduced growth and nutrient uptake. Therefore, the simultaneous cultivation of these two species in the dry lands is not recommended.

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A 30-day experiment was carried out to comparison the effect of carrot and beetroot as natural pigments and synthetic astaxanthin on growth performance, hematological parameters, and tissue color in rainbow trout fingerlings. 150 juvenile rainbow trout with initial mean weight of 21.44 ± 1.25g fed diets containing 50 and 100 mg/kg carrot; 100 mg/kg beetroot; 100 mg/kg synthetic astaxanthin and a control diet. Body weight increasing and specific growth rate were higher in fish fed the diet containing 100 mg beetroot than those of the control diet. Hematological study including red blood cell, white blood cell, hematocrit and hemoglobin showed significant differences between treatments (p<0.05). Carrot and beetroot had higher values of red blood cell, white blood cell, hematocrit and hemoglobin than those of the synthetic astaxanthin and control diet. Triglyceride and cholesterol value were significantly higher in diet containing 100 mg beet (p<0.05). Carotenoid content analysis from skin, tissue and blood revealed that inclusion of plant source of carotenoid including carrot and beetroot resulted in a significant increase in carotenoid concentration (p<0.05). The study concluded that plant source of carotenoid such as carrot and beetroot could improve immune systems in rainbow trout by increasing white and red blood cells and also, fish fed diet supplemented with natural carotenoid (carrot and beet) showed better coloration.

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Aims: Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is one of the biggest causes of vision loss after 50 years of age in the world. AMD disease destroys the retinal pigment cells. Retinal tissue engineering provides a suitable environment for the growth of retinal pigment epithelium cells using different scaffolds. These scaffolds may cause interior pressure changes in eyes and thus, causes disease of the separation of pigment and retinal epithelial cells. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to simulate gelatin, gelatin-chitosan and poly-caprolactone scaffolds in the retina and compare the pressure gradient and the effect of thickness on the pressure gradient.
Materials & Methods: In the present experimental study, in the first stage, three gelatin, gelatin-chitosan and poly-caprolactone scaffolds were simulated to examine the average scaffold pressure using COMSOL 5.1.1 software and Darcy law. In the next step, a gelatin-chitosan scaffold with thicknesses of 10 and 20 micron was simulated with Darcy law, to examine the effect of thickness on average pressure.
Findings: The output pressure of the gelatin scaffold was calculated as 308.800Pa Which was less than the pressure level of the caroid layer And it was less than the output pressure of other scaffolds. The average pressure of gelatin-chitosan scaffold with thicknesses of 10 and 20 micron was 1997.31 and 2003.13 respectively in the last step.
Conclusion: The gelatin scaffold produces a moderate lower pressure than the gelatin-chitosan scaffold and poly-caprolactone in the retina and it is more suitable than other scaffolds. In the simulation of gelatin-chitosan scaffold, increasing the thickness causes increased pressure and retinal impairment.

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In the present study, the effect of phytohormone gibberellin on some physiological parameters of Tetraselmis suecica microalgae was investigated. Algae culture was performed under standard conditions with Gillard culture medium, temperature 25 ± 2 C°, light intensity 16: 8 (light/dark), salinity 25 ± 2 mg / l, and 24-hour aeration for ten days. Concentrations of 10, 20, 40, and 60 mg / l were added to the algae culture medium. Growth factors, pigments, photosynthetic factors, and biochemical composition were measured in the log phase. Based on results,  the highest rate of cell growth was observed in the treatment of 60 mg / l, although in other treatments there was a significant difference with the control (P <0.05). The highest amount of protein and carbohydrates was observed in the treatment of 60 mg / l (P <0.05). ). Total lipid content increased from 15.23 in control to 18.53 in 60 mg / l (P <0.05). Antioxidant potential, pigments, photosynthetic factors, and dry weight also showed a significant difference in the concentration of 60 mg / l compared to the control (P <0.05). The highest amount of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b was observed at concentrations of 60 mg / l (P <0.05). Based on the results, gibberellin has a high potential for cell division, final density, antioxidant potential, cell size, and biochemical composition of Tetraselmis suecica. Also, Tetraselmis suecica can be a good candidate for marine aquatic larvae, drugs, antioxidants, and a rich source of compounds in biofuels.

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Wastewater treatment with microalgae and its reuse is an effective step toward reducing water consumption and preserving water resources. The possibility of growing spirulina microalga on cattle effluents and the possibility of purifying effluents using microalga were investigated. Different concentrations of standard culture medium (Zaruk)-wastewater were used to measure the optimal algal growth on wastewater and to determine the concentration of effluent-Zaruk for optimal algal growth. The treatments were T1 including 100% Zaruk and no wastewater, T2 including 75% Zaruk and 25% wastewater, T3 including 50% Zaruk and 50% wastewater, T4 including 25% Zaruk and 75% effluent and T5 including 100% effluent without Zaruk. Treatments that had more Zaruk, showed more optimal growth, and those that had a higher concentration of effluent often showed a relatively lower growth of algae biomass. The results showed the high growth of algae on the concentrated effluent. T1 with 0.35 and T2 with 0.3 g/liter of dry biomass had the highest biomass of microalgae. T1, T2, T4, T3, and T5 had the highest to the lowest amount of phycocyanin pigment production in microalgae, respectively. The highest removal of nitrate belonged to T5 and T4 with 82.57% and 78.21% removal respectively, and the lowest nitrate removal belonged to T1 and T2 with 57.17% and 70.94%, respectively. The highest removal of phosphate belonged to T1 and T2 with 94% and 92.11% removal, respectively. The lowest removal of phosphate belonged to T4 with 84% removal. Findings indicated the high potential of microalga for treating cattle wastewater.
 

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Shrimp by-products can be used as the cheapest raw material to extract bioactive compounds such as lipid extract rich in carotenoid pigments.  The aim of this study was to investigate the nutritional composition of shrimp by-product powder, maximize the extraction efficiency of carotenoid extract using ethanol, hexane, hexane/acetone, and hexane/isopropyl alcohol solvents, and also evaluate the effect of solvent type on the solubility and antioxidant properties of carotenoid extract. According to the results, the shrimp by-product powder contained 53.11% protein, 4.51% moisture, 28.58% ash, 3.45% fat, and 10.45% carbohydrate. The results also showed that using a mixed solvent of hexane/isopropyl alcohol (1:1 ratio) resulted in the highest extraction efficiency of 1.81 g/100 g of dry powder, while the extraction efficiency with ethanol, hexane, and hexane/acetone solvents was 1.53, 1.42, and 1.17 g/100 g of dry powder, respectively. The results of the extract solubility test also showed that the lipid extracted with ethanol solvent has the highest water solubility and the highest antioxidant property (up to 99.10%). In general, the results of this study showed that the use of polar solvents can increase the solubility of carotenoid extract extracted from shrimp by-products and facilitate one of the most important challenges of using this compound in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

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 In this experiment, a total of 128 Hy-line W₃₆ hens at 63 weeks of age were used. The hens were put at random into 4 treatment groups (4 replicates and 32 hens per treatment) and were fed four different diets: three diets with different levels of Spirulina (1.5, 2.0 and 2.5%) and one control group based on wheat and soybean meal. All birds were housed in commercial cages, had ad libitum access to water, and were fed 100 g bird^-1 per day. Egg production, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, egg weight, yolk index, Haugh unit, shell thickness, shell weight, specific gravity, egg yolk cholesterol, and yolk color were compared with the control group. Egg yolk color was measured by the BASF Ovo-color fan. Our results indicated that these traits did not show any significant changes with the Spirulina addition (P> 0.05), while a significant increase in egg yolk color was observed in the treatments that received the Spirulina (P< 0.0001). Yolk color scores of the control group and different levels of Spirulina (1.5, 2.0 and 2.5%) were 1.5, 10.5, 11.4 and 11.6 in BASF color fan, respectively. There were not significant differences between the treatments with 2.0 and 2.5% of Spirulina. In conclusion, this study can suggest use of 2.0~2.5% of Spirulina in diet to produce an aesthetically pleasing yolk color.

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Objective: Human retinal pigment epithelium (hRPE) is a cell monolayer located in the outer part of the retina that is in contact with photoreceptors. In many diseases RPE cells damage. One way for treating this disease is the implantation of intact instead of damaged cells. For this reason different types of substrates have been used for cell cultivation. This study has used alginate and a blend of alginate/gelatin (A/G) to study RPE cell growth. Methods: We prepared alginate solutions in concentrations of 1% and 2% (w/v) in water and DMEM/F12. The solutions were infused into each well of 6-well micro plates until a uniform culture substrate that had a 1 mm thickness was generated. Passage-4 hRPE cells were cultivated on the substrate and the cell characteristics studied. hRPE cells did not adhere to alginate in DMEM/F12 and did not exhibit interaction with alginate substrate. For this reason A/G solutions at concentrations of 1% and 2% (w/v) in water were prepared. We prepared A/G blends at weight ratios of: 20:80, 30:70, 40:60, 50:50, 60:40, 70:30, and 80:20. These blends were infused into each well of 6-well plates until the appropriate 1 mm thickness of A/G was achieved. Isolated hRPE cells were cultured on synthetic substrate after which we studied the cells' characteristics.   Result: hRPE cell generated adhesive colonies on the A/G substrate. In all studied combinations of A/G, the diffused hRPE cells formed a monolayer under the substrate sheets. However the A/G 20:80 ratio had cell growth in the upper face of the substrate. hRPE survived indefinitely on A/G substrate. After the cells were re-cultured on polystyrene, they showed general morphological features of normal hRPE cells. Conclusion: The A/G blend at a 20:80 ratio was chosen to be used for future studies.

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In this study, lutein Pigment (0.07, 0.13 and 0.2 %w/w ) and whey protein concentrate (0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 %w/w) were added to the milk.  Qualitative characteristics of yogurt samples were analysed regarding physico-chemical, microbiological, textural and sensory properties over 21 days. Adding whey protein concentrate and lutein, lowered the level of synersis and acidity but increased the amount of dry matter, fat, viscosity and pH of yogurt samples. According to the results of microbe analysis, there was not any evidence of the growth of mold, yeast and coliform bacteria in the samples. In the case of sensory properties, adding whey protein concentrate and lutein, raised the scores of texture, mouthfeel evaluation and lowered the scores of appearance evaluation. Among all treatments, yogurt containing 0.2 %, w/w whey protein concentrate and 0.07 %, pigment lutein earned the best score with respect to overall flavor and quality acceptability.   

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The use of nanotechnology can create new important applications in various fields of agricultural resulting in improvement of plant yield, and increase of growth and photosynthesis. Using this technology, the techniques in product management can be improved. The absorption rate of nanoparticles varies in plants, depending on type of plant, chemical composition and size of particles. Nanoparticles of titanium dioxide (TiO2) are widely used in agricultural industries to enhance plant growth properties. In this case, the aim of this study was to study the effect of titanium dioxide nanoparticles on photosynthetic pigments and some biochemical properties and antioxidant enzymes of Rosmarinus officinalis L. This research was carried out in a completely randomized design with three replications in the greenhouse of Sana Institute of Higher Education of Sari in 2017-2018. Different concentrations of titanium nanoparticles in seven levels (0, 20, 40, 80, 100, 200 and 400 ppm) were sprayed onto rosemary plants in three stages with a one-hour interval. The results showed that the contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll and carotenoids were increased by increasing the concentration of titanium nanoparticles, since the highest total chlorophyll content and carotenoids were related to 200 ppm nanoparticle titanium concentration. Also, the effect of titanium nanoparticle on the amount of soluble sugar indicated that by increasing the concentration of titanium nanoparticles as 100, 200 and 400 ppm nanoparticles, there was an increasing trend in this trait. In addition, there was a significant increase in the amount of antioxidant enzymes studied in high concentration of titanium nanoparticles (80, 100, 200 and 400 ppm).

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Pistachio is one of the most popular nuts in the world because of its taste and nutritional properties. Mostly, its consumed dry in harvest period. Major factors limiting for shelf life of pistachios are browning and water accumulation. In this study, the effects of citric acid (1, 1.5 and 2%) and ascorbic acid (15, 25 and 35 ppm) and two types of plastic packs (polyethylene and polystyrene) on storage life (days 0, 25 and 45), Ahmad aghaie pistachio was studied. According to panelists, the use of acid treatments for 25 day of storage was able to maintain the appearance and taste characteristics of pistachio and since then there was no significant difference between treatment and the control sample. Pistachios treated with 15 ppm ascorbic acid in polystyrene pack were more favorable in appearance and browning than polyethylene pack. The maximum of phenol was related to ascorbic acid treatments (15 ppm) in polyethylene pack. Anthocyanin and chlorophyll amount decreased during storage, but carotenoids first increased and then decreased. Pistachio pigments such as chlorophyll, anthocyanin and carotenoids were preserved in polyethylene packages than polystyrene. Citric acid treatment (1.5%) had the maximum percentage of fat. Overall, the polyethylene pack and ascorbic acid 15 and 25 ppm and citric acid 1.5% concentration maintained the qualitative and quantitative properties of pistachio.

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In order to determine the best growing media for Gerbera jamesonii under alkaline conditions, a factorial experiment was conducted with two factors, namely: (i) Growing medium, and (ii) Concentrations of bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) in nutrient solution. Results showed that increasing the concentration of NaHCO₃ from 0 to 40 mM in nutrient solution significantly decreased plant growth, maximal quantum yield of PSII photochemistry (F_v/F_m), photosynthesis Performance Index (PI), Glutamine Synthetase (GS) activity, Leaf Relative Water Content (LRWC), Chlorophylls (Chl a, b and total Chl) and carotenoids. Under alkalinity stress, reduction in vegetative growth, F_v/F_m, PI, LRWC, GS activity and photosynthesis pigments content was the lowest in Coconut Fiber (CF) substrate compared to the other substrates. Furthermore, plants grown in CF substrate had higher soluble sugars and proline content than those in other substrates. On the other hand, plants grown on Perlite (P) substrate had the highest reduction in growth and physiological characteristic in alkaline conditions. The alleviation of alkalinity-induced growth inhibition of plants by CF substrate may be related to improvement of photosynthesis, enhancement of GS enzyme activity and osmotic regulation. It is concluded that the use of CF substrate could provide a useful tool to improve alkalinity tolerance of gerbera plants under NaHCO₃ stress.

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In this research, two field crops(Zea mays L. and Phaseolus vulgaris L.), two medicinal plants(Hyssopus officinalis L. and Nigella sativa L.)and two weeds(Amaranthus retroflexus L. and Taraxacum officinale F. H. Wigg) were separately treated with three concentrations of SiO₂ nanoparticles (400, 2,000, and 4,000 mg L^-1). The effects of these treatments on morphological and biochemical characteristics of the plants were assessed, including germination, root and shoot length, root and shoot fresh weight, root and shoot dry weight, photosynthetic pigments, total carbohydrates, total protein, total amino acid, and proline content. In the crops and medicinal plants, 400 mg L^-1 SiO₂ NPs significantly increased seed germination, root and shoot lengths, fresh weights (except for H. officinalis) and dry weights, photosynthetic pigments, total protein, and total amino acid (except for H. officinalis). In weeds, as SiO₂ NP concentration increased from 400 to 4,000 mg L^-1, germination, root and shoot lengths, fresh and dry weights, and photosynthetic pigments as well as total protein decreased. Total carbohydrates in all plants decreased significantly, except for A. retroflexus at 400 mg L^-1 SiO₂ NPs. In all plant species, with increasing SiO₂ NP concentration, proline content increased significantly. According to these results, a lower concentration of SiO₂ NPs can have beneficial effects on morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics of plants.

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The toxic effects of chromium in plants, animals and human beings in the environment have been widely studied. In the present study, pot experiment was conducted to determine the effects of chromium on photosynthetic pigments, Nitrate Reductase (NR) activity and total amino acid, proline, total protein and leghaemoglobin content of Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Pers. The seedlings were treated with Chromium Cr (VI), concentrations ranging from 0.38-1.92 mM Kg^-1 of soil with 0.35 mM Ethylene Diamine Tetra Acetic acid (EDTA) and without EDTA. The efficacy of EDTA in its presence and absence was compared for periods of 30, 60 and 90 days. Our results in comparison with our control indicate the inhibitory effect of chromium to S.grandiflora. From the results it has been observed that, increasing concentrations of chromium in the presence of EDTA showed a significant increase in proline and total amino acid contents, while the total chlorophyll, leghaemoglobin content and total protein content decreased and the NR activity of the plant was also affected greatly.

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Today, biodegradable packaging materials have received a great deal of attention due to growing concerns about non-degradable materials; Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of betanine pigment on surfaces (0, 2/5, 5 W/V%) and CuO nanoparticles on surfaces (0, 2, 4 W/V%) in nanocomposite film based on whey protein isolated / pectin in the form of a central composite design on the mechanical properties and physicochemical properties of the film is produced. The results showed that with increasing the percentage of betanine pigment and CuO nanoparticles, the thickness and moisture of the samples increased and the solubility decreased (P­<0.05). Also, by adding high levels of betanin pigment, redness (a) increased and brightness (L) and yellowing (b) of the samples decreased. Addition of nanoparticles decreased b value while it had no significant effect on a value of the samples. Also, by adding pigments and nanoparticles, tensile strength and elongation of film samples increased significantly (P <0.05). According to all the results, the use of CuO nanoparticles and betanine pigment in nanocomposite film leads to the production of a film suitable for food packaging with desirable physicochemical and mechanical properties.