Different plant species in different phenological stages don't have similar palatability. Therefore, in range management studying the palatability of forage species can help us select proper plant species with less palatability fluctuations in different stages and increase the potential of efficient utilization of rangelands. In this investigation, the palatability of 3 plant species from Gramineae in different phenological stages and its relationship with leaf: stem (WP) RATIO was studied. The palatability of 3 grass species existence in 2 plant types was measured by camera for sheep and goat in 3 phenological stages. Then analysis of variance and mean comparison (Tukey's test) were done on data. The results showed that in 3 species there is relationship between palatability and leaf:stem (WP) RATIO in second and third phenological stages and in both stages the grass species with the highest leaf:stem (WP) RATIO had the most palatability. In growth stages, Dactylis glomerata was more palatable despite of having lower leaf:stem (WP) RATIO than that of Bromus tomentellus. However, in mentioned stage, Agropyron trichophorum with the lowest leaf:stem (WP) RATIO had the least palatability. Therefore, with conducting more studies, we can find the relationship between leaf:stem (WP) RATIO and grazing time PERCENT in different climates.

The present study was conducted to determine the best feeding rates expressed as PERCENT of body WEIGHT in Persian sturgeon fingerlings at different body WEIGHTs. Eighteen fiberglass tanks each holding 30 fingerlings with an average initial body WEIGHT of 19.45 ± 0.5 g were used in this experiment. Six different feeding trials (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 PERCENT of body WEIGHT) were employed and each trial was run in three replicates through a period of 60 days (4 periods of 15 days). The results were analyzed using Statgragh software and compared using Duncan test. The optimum recommended feeding rate was 4 PERCENT of body WEIGHT for an increase of body WEIGHT from 19.5 to 31g and 3 PERCENT of body WEIGHT for an increase of body WEIGHT from 33 to 47g. For an increase in body WEIGHT from 47 to 90g the recommended feeding rate was 3 PERCENT of body WEIGHT. The recommended doses are subject to alteRATIOn with variation in water temperature.

Objective: large placental WEIGHT and a high placental to birth WEIGHT RATIO are both known predictors of higher adult blood pressure related to low maternal hemoglobin and a fall in mean cell volume. So we decided to study the association of maternal hemoglobin levels with placental WEIGHT, birth WEIGHT, and placental RATIO.Methods: this prospective study was performed on 500 pregnant women who were hospitalized in Amir- Almomenin Hospital in Semnan, Iran, for delivery from September 2001 to September 2002. Maternal hemoglobin concentRATIOn was measured at first trimester during prenatal care and before delivery using Coulter counters method. Birth and placental WEIGHTs were measured at delivery. The patients with systemic disease, history of smoking, poly or oligohydramnious, placental abnormality, twin or multiple pregnancies, high blood pressure and fetal congenital anomaly twin or multiple pregnancies, high blood pressure and fetal congenital anomaly were excluded from the study. Stepwise regression analysis was used to determine this association and p value<0.05 was significant.Results: krusskall wallis and ANOVA analysis showed that the lowest range of birth WEIGHT was associated with hemoglobin concentRATIOn of <10 gr/dl in pregnancy (p=0.1) and maternal age of less than 25 years old (p=0.007). The maximum of placental WEIGHT was in pregnant women with parity of 3 to 4 (p=0.005). The maximum of placental RATIO (placental WEIGHT / birth WEIGHT) was with hemoglobin concentRATIOn of 9-9.9 gr/dl in third trimester. (p=0.001).Conclusion: using multiple regression analysis, we detected a positive correlation between birth WEIGHT and late maternal hemoglobin levels (p=0.0179), between placental WEIGHT and parity (P=0.0008) and a negative association of placental RATIO with maternal hemoglobin concentRATIOn in first trimester (P=0.0034).  

In order to investigate the effect of inorganic selenium replacement with organic selenium from Spirulina algae on performance and breast meat quality of broilers, a total of 160 one-day-old chicks were used in a completely randomized design with four treatments, eight replicates and five birds per each replicate. The sources of selenium used included sodium selenite and organic selenium from Spirulina algae which were replaced at two levels of 50 and 100 PERCENT. The organic selenium was produced by the culture of Spirulina algae and its enrichment with selenium. The selenium content of different treatments was measured by ICP-Mass method. In this experiment, the feed intake and body WEIGHT gain parameters were measured weekly and feed conversion RATIO was calculated. At 42 day of age, one bird was slaughtered from each replicate and the WEIGHT of carcass ready to cook was measured. The breast meat was sampled for measurement of pH and selenium storage. The results showed that it was not observed any significant difference in performance traits and ready to cook carcass PERCENTage among different treatments. There was no significant difference in breast muscle pH at 0 and 24 hours after slaughtering. The amount of selenium deposited in breast muscle of birds fed organic selenium had significant increase when compared with other treatments (P<0.05). Generally, the results of this study showed that 100% replacement of sodium selenite with organic selenium from Spirulina algae led to increase in breast muscle selenium deposition without reduction in bird performance.

In order to study the activity of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans bacterium on bioleaching process and also to evaluate the optimum copper recovery from sulphidic ores, various w/v PERCENTs of this ore containing 0.62 PERCENT copper were applicated on basal medium of this bacterium. Every four days, the amount of copper, ferric ion and pH of the solutions were measured. The results of measuring showed that the pH on total solutions was decreased. Amounts of released copper by bacteria were increased on the total of treatments versus the time. The highest released copper was observed on 50 and 60 PERCENT w/v sulphidic ores which was 93.1 and 94.7 PERCENT respectively. The amount of ferric ion increased on 1-10 w/v PERCENT sulphidic ores versus the time. The highest ferric ion was observed on 20 PERCENT w/v sulphidic ores. The concentRATIOn of ferric ion was increased on 20-70 w/v PERCENTs during the first 20 days and then was decreased. The color of culture media changed more than 20 w/v PERCENT sulphidic ores. The results of this study are effective on bioleaching practical plan in order to optimize copper recovery from sulphidic ores.