Increase In Mineral Content Research Articles

Genetic Variation for Biofortifying The Maize Grain

The maize germplasm variation is valuable for breeders to develop elite hybrids with increased mineral contents in the maize grain to eliminate mineral malnutrition, which is referred as HIDEN HUNGER. Therefore, we aimed to determine mineral element diversity of maize landraces collected from different geographical regions of Turkey. There was huge diversity for all mineral traits and other quality traits. Turkish maize landraces showed high variation for Zn (17-41.34 mg kg-1), Fe (13.52-29.63 mg kg-1), Cu (0.77-3.34 mg kg-1), Mn (5.68-14.78 mg kg-1), Protein (6.6-11.6%), starch content (73.3-80.0%), oil content (3.15-4.7%) and thousand grain weight (177.0-374.9g). There were significant positive and negative associations among mineral elements and quality traits. The principal component analysis differentiated some maize landraces from the rest, and these diverse landraces could be used in the maize breeding program with biofortification purpose.

Genetic variation and association mapping of grain iron and zinc contents in synthetic hexaploid wheat germplasm

AbstractFe and Zn deficiency are widespread worldwide. As wheat is the primary food for the majority of the world people, producing wheat grains with high mineral content can ameliorate the problem of mineral hunger. However, the genetic variation available for breeders is limited. The aim of this study was to assess the genetic variation in grain Fe and Zn contents in 47 synthetic hexaploid wheats and to identify marker loci associated with Fe and Zn contents. We measured the grain Fe and Zn contents using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy and performed genotyping using SSR markers. The results showed considerable genetic variation for these minerals. We identified three lines with high Fe and Zn contents and six quantitative trait loci of which three were associated with Fe content and the other three with Zn content. The minerals showed positive phenotypic and genotypic correlation and high heritability (>60%). The ratio of theσ2gto theσ2g×ewas ≥1 for the two mineral contents indicating that breeding for increasing mineral content within the synthetic lines is possible. The synthetic wheat lines identified in this study are valuable genetic resources, and can be utilized for breeding wheat cultivars with high mineral content.

Conditional deletion of IGF-I in osteocytes unexpectedly accelerates bony union of the fracture gap in mice

This study evaluated the effects of deficient IGF-I expression in osteocytes on fracture healing. Transgenic mice with conditional knockout (cKO) of Igf1 in osteocytes were generated by crossing Dmp1-Cre mice with Igf1 flox mice. Fractures were created on the mid-shaft of tibia of 12-week-old male cKO mice and wild-type (WT) littermates by three-point bending. At 21 and 28days post-fracture healing, the increases in cortical bone mineral density, mineral content, bone area, and thickness, as well as sub-cortical bone mineral content at the fracture site were each greater in cKO calluses than in WT calluses. There were 85% decrease in the cartilage area and >2-fold increase in the number of osteoclasts in cKO calluses at 14days post-fracture, suggesting a more rapid remodeling of endochondral bone. The upregulation of mRNA levels of osteoblast marker genes (cbfa1, alp, Opn, and Ocn) was greater in cKO calluses than in WT calluses. μ-CT analysis suggested an accelerated bony union of the fracture gap in cKO mice. The Sost mRNA level was reduced by 50% and the Bmp2 mRNA level was increased 3-fold in cKO fractures at 14days post-fracture, but the levels of these two mRNAs in WT fractures were unchanged, suggesting that the accelerated fracture repair may in part act through the Wnt and/or BMP signaling. In conclusion, conditional deletion of Igf1 in osteocytes not only did not impair, but unexpectedly enhanced, bony union of the fracture gap. The accelerated bony union was due in part to upregulation of the Wnt and BMP2 signaling in response to deficient osteocyte-derived IGF-I expression, which in turn favors intramembranous over endochondral bone repair.

Silk fibroin scaffolds with inverse opal structure for bone tissue engineering.

How scaffold porosity, pore diameter and geometry influence cellular behavior is‐although heavily researched ‐ merely understood, especially in 3D. This is mainly caused by a lack of suitable, reproducible scaffold fabrication methods, with processes such as gas foaming, lyophilization or particulate leaching still being the standard. Here we propose a method to generate highly porous silk fibroin scaffolds with monodisperse spherical pores, namely inverse opals, and study their effect on cell behavior. These silk fibroin inverse opal scaffolds were compared to salt‐leached silk fibroin scaffolds in terms of human mesenchymal stem cell response upon osteogenic differentiation signals. While cell number remained similar on both scaffold types, extracellular matrix mineralization nearly doubled on the newly developed scaffolds, suggesting a positive effect on cell differentiation. By using the very same material with comparable average pore diameters, this increase in mineral content can be attributed to either the differences in pore diameter distribution or the pore geometry. Although the exact mechanisms leading to enhanced mineralization in inverse opals are not yet fully understood, our results indicate that control over pore geometry alone can have a major impact on the bioactivity of a scaffold toward stem cell differentiation into bone tissue. © 2016 The Authors Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B: Applied Biomaterials Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 2074–2084, 2017.

Flame Retardant Properties of Boric Acid and Antimony Oxide Accompanying with Huntite and Hydromagnesite in the Polymer Composites

In this study, boric acid and antimony oxide were used as auxiliary flame retardant materials accompanied by huntite and hydromagnesite. To avoid the deteroriation of mechanical properties, a reduced additive amount is required in polymer composites, and it can achieve improved flame resisting properties. The use of finer powders also helps to give better flame retardant properties. Hence, the minerals were utilized to produce polymer nanocomposites to investigate improved flame retardancy with synergetic effects. The ground minerals were added to an epoxy resin with different loading levels and sizes. The composites were characterized by using DTA-TG, FTIR, SEM-EDS and surface profilometry UL94-flame retardancy tests were undertaken as a main objective of this research. The size distribution and mineral type/content effects were measured. It was concluded that the flame retardant properties were improved with increasing mineral content and decreasing size. Boric acid and antimony oxide positively influenced the flame-retardance of flammable polymers when combined with huntite and hydromagnesite.

Numerical simulation of the electrical properties of shale gas reservoir rock based on digital core

In this paper we study the electrical properties of shale gas reservoir rock by applying the finite element method to digital cores which are built based on an advanced Markov Chain Monte Carlo method and a combination workflow. Study shows that the shale gas reservoir rock has strong anisotropic electrical conductivity because the conductivity is significantly different in both horizontal and vertical directions. The Archie formula is not suitable for application in shale reservoirs. The formation resistivity decreases in two cases; namely (a) with the increase of clay mineral content and the cation exchange capacity of clay, and (b) with the increase of pyrite content. The formation resistivity is not sensitive to the solid organic matter but to the clay and gas in the pores.

Mechanisms of osteocyte stimulation in osteoporosis

Experimental studies have shown that primary osteoporosis caused by oestrogen-deficiency results in localised alterations in bone tissue properties and mineral composition. Additionally, changes to the lacunar–canalicular architecture surrounding the mechanosensitive osteocyte have been observed in animal models of the disease. Recently, it has also been demonstrated that the mechanical stimulation sensed by osteocytes changes significantly during osteoporosis. Specifically, it was shown that osteoporotic bone cells experience higher maximum strains than healthy bone cells after short durations of oestrogen deficiency. However, in long-term oestrogen deficiency there was no significant difference between bone cells in healthy and normal bone. The mechanisms by which these changes arise are unknown. In this study, we test the hypothesis that complex changes in tissue composition and lacunar–canalicular architecture during osteoporosis alter the mechanical stimulation of the osteocyte. The objective of this research is to employ computational methods to investigate the relationship between changes in bone tissue composition and microstructure and the mechanical stimulation of osteocytes during osteoporosis. By simulating physiological loading, it was observed that an initial decrease in tissue stiffness (of 0.425GPa) and mineral content (of 0.66wt% Ca) relative to controls could explain the mechanical stimulation observed at the early stages of oestrogen deficiency (5 weeks post-OVX) during in situ bone cell loading in an oestrogen-deficient rat model of post-menopausal osteoporosis (Verbruggen et al., 2015). Moreover, it was found that a later increase in stiffness (of 1.175GPa) and mineral content (of 1.64wt% Ca) during long-term osteoporosis (34 weeks post-OVX), could explain the mechanical stimuli previously observed at a later time point due to the progression of osteoporosis. Furthermore, changes in canalicular tortuosity arising during osteoporosis were shown to result in increased osteogenic strain stimulation, though to a lesser extent than has been observed experimentally. The findings of this study indicate that changes in the extracellular environment during osteoporosis, arising from altered mineralisation and lacunar–canalicular architecture, lead to altered mechanical stimulation of osteocytes, and provide an enhanced understanding of changes in bone mechanobiology during osteoporosis.

Genetic improvement of two cultivars of Vicia faba L. using gamma irradiation and ethyl methanesulphonate mutagenesis

The present experiment was conducted to induce genetic variation using gamma irradiation and ethyl methanesulphonate mutagenesis and isolate and analyze the desirable mutant lines of Vicia faba L. var. Vikrant and PRT-12 in the M3 generation. The seeds of the mutant lines isolated from 3rd generation plants were analyzed for different parameters including total protein content, protein profiles and mineral content using Lowry method, Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and atomic absorption spectrophotometer, respectively. SDS-PAGE profile of mutants from variety Vikrant showed more polymorphism and expression of proteins than mutants isolated from variety PRT-12. Mutant seeds showed significantly higher protein content (0.18 to 1.29%) and mineral content (0.21 to 2.98 mg.g-1) compared to the controls. The mutants selected from variety Vikrant showed more increase in protein and mineral contents than the mutants selected from PRT-12. The selected mutant lines may serve as a valuable genetic material to breed for the improvement of protein and mineral contents in faba bean and other valuable crop plants.

Comparative study of mineral composition of beef steak and pork chops depending on the thermal preparation method

This study focuses on the effects of three different thermal preparation methods (roasting, boiling, and microwave cooking) on the mineral concentrations of beef and pork, as well as on the comparison of mineral levels between these two types of meat. In this study, raw and cooked beef and pork samples were selected and analyzed by ICP-OES in order to determine mineral concentrations. In general, thermal preparation clearly increased mineral concentrations in cooked samples compared to raw meat. The highest mineral concentration was identified in the roasted samples. Trace element concentrations in beef were significantly higher compared to pork. In pork, Na concentration decreased in all samples, suggesting that Na is lost with water. Zn mean content in cooked beef samples registered significant differences compared to pork cooked samples. The percentage of water loss during the microwave thermal preparation for beef samples was higher than the other two treatments.

The Role of Vitamin D in Obesity and Diabetes: Ca2+ Signaling, Insulin Secretion, Adipocyte Apoptosis, and Bone Mineralization

Vitamin D has been linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) in observational studies, and low vitamin D status is considered a risk factor for these interrelated diseases. However, mechanistic understanding of the role of vitamin D hormone, 1,25(OH)2‐vitamin D3, in obesity and T2D is lacking. We showed that 1,25(OH)2D3‐dependent cellular Ca2+ signals regulate apoptotic death of adipocytes and insulin secretion from pancreatic β‐cells (Sergeev, 2014, 2013, 2009, 2005, 2004). The anti‐obesity effects of 1,25(OH)2D3 in mature adipocytes are determined by its activity to generate, via multiple Ca2+ signaling pathways, a sustained increase in intracellular Ca2+ followed by activation of Ca2+‐dependent initiators and effectors of apoptosis. In pancreatic β‐cells, 1,25(OH)2D3 induces synchronous Ca2+ oscillations, which quantitatively, temporally and spatially pattern oscillatory insulin release from these cells. In recent studies, we examined the effects of increased intake of vitamin D and Ca in a mouse model of high fat diet‐induced obesity (DIO) on development of adiposity and diabetes. DIO mice were characterized by obese phenotype, elevated blood glucose and impaired glucose tolerance, increased insulin and decreased adiponectin concentrations in blood, decreased level of apoptosis in adipose tissue, and decreased Ca and P content in bone. Mice fed high fat diet (DIO) with high vitamin D3 and increased Ca content demonstrated a decreased weight of white adipose tissue depots and improved blood markers related to adiposity, T2D, and vitamin D status. Fasting plasma glucose and insulin concentrations in these mice were significantly decreased, approaching levels found in normal‐weight, non‐obese control, whereas adiponectin concentration demonstrated an increasing trend. DIO was accompanied by low vitamin D status (a decreased level of 25(OH)D) and a decreased plasma concentration of 1,25(OH)2D3. High vitamin D3 intake induced a significant increase in plasma concentrations of 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)2D3, indicating high vitamin D nutritional status and normal vitamin D hormonal status. High vitamin D3 and Ca intakes were associated with induction of apoptosis (oligonucleosomal fragmentation and ssDNA breaks) and activation of Ca2+‐dependent apoptotic proteases (calpain and caspase‐12) in adipose tissue of DIO mice. High vitamin D3 and Ca intakes were effective in normalization (an increase) of mineral (Ca and P) content in the growing bone of DIO mice via regulatory effects mediated by 1,25(OH)2D3 ‐ PTH axis. The major results obtained demonstrate that increased vitamin D and Ca intake is highly effective in decreasing blood glucose and insulin in DIO and that the hormonal mechanism of this effect can involve 1,25(OH)2D3. Increasing vitamin D and Ca intakes in obesity also activates Ca2+‐mediated apoptotic pathway in adipocytes resulting in a decreased mass of fat tissue and improved markers of adiposity. Moreover, high vitamin D and Ca intakes improve bone status in obesity by increasing bone mineralization via PTH/1,25(OH)2D3‐mediated regulation. The findings obtained strongly imply that increasing vitamin D and Ca intakes may contribute to prevention of obesity, T2D, and bone disorders associated with these diseases.Support or Funding InformationSupported by USDA 2009‐35200‐05008 and SD00H533.

Monotropein isolated from the roots of Morinda officinalis increases osteoblastic bone formation and prevents bone loss in ovariectomized mice

Monotropein is a natural iridoid glycoside enriched in Morinda officinalis and has been used for medicinal purposes in China. In the present study, we systematically examined its effects on ovariectomy (OVX)-induced osteoporosis in mice and osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells for the first time. Eight-week-old female C57/BL6 mice were used to evaluate the osteoprotective effect of monotropein. Results showed that administration of monotropein (40 or 80mg/kg/day) for four weeks exerted good bone protective effects as evidenced by the increase of bone mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD), bone volume fraction (BVF) and improvement of bone microstructure. Monotropein also enhanced the parameters of biomechanical properties, including maximum load, maximum stress and elastic modulus of femur in OVX mice. In addition, monotropein treatment decreased the serum levels of interleukin 1 (IL-1), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and soluble receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (sRANKL) in OVX mice. In this study, we also assessed the effects of monotropein on the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells in vitro. After incubation for 48h, the cell proliferation was increased at the concentration of 10μM, 25μM, 50μM and 100μM. ALP activities were significantly increased after treatment with monotropein for 72h. Quantitative analyses with alizarin red staining showed significantly increased mineralization of MC3T3-E1 cells after treatment with monotropein for 28days. Based on these results, monotropein may serve as a new candidate or a leading compound for antiosteoporosis.

AAV8-mediated expression of N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate transferase attenuates bone loss in a mouse model of mucolipidosis II.

Mucolipidoses II and III (ML II and ML III) are lysosomal disorders in which the mannose 6-phosphate recognition marker is absent from lysosomal hydrolases and other glycoproteins due to mutations in GNPTAB, which encodes two of three subunits of the heterohexameric enzyme, N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphotransferase. Both disorders are caused by the same gene, but ML II represents the more severe phenotype. Bone manifestations of ML II include hip dysplasia, scoliosis, rickets and osteogenesis imperfecta. In this study, we sought to determine whether a recombinant adeno-associated viral vector (AAV2/8-GNPTAB) could confer high and prolonged gene expression of GNPTAB and thereby influence the pathology in the cartilage and bone tissue of a GNPTAB knock out (KO) mouse model. The results demonstrated significant increases in bone mineral density and content in AAV2/8-GNPTAB-treated as compared to non-treated KO mice. We also showed that IL-6 (interleukin-6) expression in articular cartilage was reduced in AAV2/8-GNPTAB treated ML II mice. Together, these data suggest that AAV-mediated expression of GNPTAB in ML II mice can attenuate bone loss via inhibition of IL-6 production. This study emphasizes the value of the MLII KO mouse to recapitulate the clinical manifestations of the disease and highlights its amenability to therapy.

Synchrotron based high throughput screening method for mineral analysis in cereal and pulse grains meal

A rapid high throughput non-destructive method, using an X-ray microprobe beamline (Very Sensitive Elemental and Structural Probe Employing Radiation from Synchrotron, VESPERS, CLS Saskatoon), has been developed to screen multiple minerals in cereal and pulse meals. Starch spiked with commercial mineral standards cocktail at different concentrations was optimized to develop standard curve to determine mineral concentrations in grain meal samples. A grid sample holder to hold 84 samples was built for high precision and rapid analysis of multiple samples. The developed analytical method can be used for quantitative determination of eleven minerals including Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, Se, Rb and Mo at mgKg−1 or ppm concentrations. Method adaptability was assessed using a cereal crop wheat and pulse crop chickpea grain meal. The method was successfully used for Ca, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Rb and Mo determination in wheat and chickpea and measurements were cross analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy ICP-MS technique for the same samples. The method is highly sensitive (sensitivity at ppm level) and can be adapted to analyze mineral concentrations in grain meal from crops of interest. The precise and reproducible high throughput screening method can be used in crop improvement to develop bio-fortified grains with increased mineral concentrations.

A cooperative study on the standardized total-tract digestible phosphorus requirement of twenty-kilogram pigs1

A cooperative study comprising growth performance, bone mineralization, and nutrient balance experiments was conducted at 11 stations to determine the standardized total-tract digestible (STTD) P requirement of 20-kg pigs using broken-line regression analysis. Monocalcium phosphate and limestone were added to a corn-soybean meal-based diet at the expense of cornstarch to establish 6 concentrations of STTD P from 1.54 to 5.15 g/kg in increments of 0.62 g/kg at a constant Ca:total P of 1.52:1.0. Diets were fed to 936 pigs (average initial BW of 19 kg) in 240 pens for 20 replicate pens of barrows and 20 replicate pens of gilts per diet. As STTD P increased from 1.54 to 5.15 g/kg of the diet for d 0 to 14, 14 to 28, and 0 to 28, the ADG, ADFI, and G:F increased ( < 0.01). Barrows gained and ate more ( < 0.05) than gilts during d 14 to 28 and 0 to 28. There was no interaction between sex and STTD P concentration for any of the growth performance response criteria. There were both linear and quadratic increases ( < 0.05) in mineral density and content of ash, Ca, and P in the femur expressed as a percentage of dry, fat-free metacarpal as dietary STTD P increased. Furthermore, the maximum load of the femur and mineral density and content and maximum load as well as the Ca and P expressed as a percentage of metacarpal ash linearly increased ( < 0.01) with increasing dietary concentrations of STTD P. There were both linear and quadratic increases ( < 0.01) in apparent digestibility and retention of P with increasing concentrations of STTD P in the diets. Digestibility and retention of Ca linearly ( < 0.01) increased with increasing dietary concentrations of STTD P. Breakpoints determined from nonlinear broken-line regression analyses revealed estimates of 4.20 ± 0.102, 3.20 ± 0.036, or 3.87 ± 0.090 g/kg for ADG during d 0 to 14, 14 to 28, or 0 to 28, respectively. Corresponding estimates using G:F as the response criterion were 4.34 ± 0.146, 3.38 ± 0.139, or 4.08 ± 0.195 g/kg. When mineralization of the femur was used as criteria of response, estimates of STTD P requirement were 4.28, 4.28, or 4.34, g/kg for mineral density, mineral content, or maximum load, respectively. Using mineralization of the metacarpal as criteria of response, estimates of STTD P requirement ranged from 3.5 to 5.0 g/kg depending on the metacarpal response criteria. The study provided empirical estimates of STTD P requirements of 20- to 40-kg pigs.

Effect of aging on the microstructure, hardness and chemical composition of dentin

ObjectiveUnderstanding the effects of biological aging on human tissues has been a topic of extensive research. With the increase in healthy seniors and quality of life that topic is becoming increasingly important. In this investigation the effects of aging on the microstructure, chemical composition and hardness of human coronal dentin was studied from a comparison of teeth within “young” and “old” age groups. MethodsThe microstructure of dentin within three regions (i.e., inner, middle and outer) was analyzed using electron and optical microscopy. The mineral-to-collagen ratio in these three regions was estimated using Raman spectroscopy and the hardness was evaluated using microindentation. ResultsResults showed that there were significant differences in tubule density, tubule diameter and peritubular cuff diameter with depth. Although there was no difference in tubule density and diameter of the tubules between the age groups, there was a significant difference in the occlusion ratio. A significant increase in hardness between young and old patients was found for middle and outer dentin. An increase in mineral-to-collagen ratio from inner to outer dentin was also found for both groups. In old patients, an increase in mineral content was found in outer coronal dentin as a consequence of tubule occlusion. ConclusionsAn increase in occlusion ratio, hardness, and mineral content was found in the dentin of adult patients with age. This increase is most evident in the outer coronal dentin.

Development and evaluation of iron-rich meatloaves containing pork liver for schoolchildren

Iron deficiency is a highly prevalent nutritional problem worldwide and it impacts on the cognitive development of children. Therefore, the aim of this research was to develop meatloaf with high iron content by using in their formulations pork liver. Meatloaves were prepared with additions of 9.98% and 13.31% (formulations A and B) of pork liver in order to meet 15% and 20% of the daily requirement of iron (10 mg/day) for children. Samples were evaluated regarding their physicochemical, microbiological and sensory characteristics. The results were subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey test. Results of physicochemical analyses showed an increase in protein and mineral contents and a decrease in fat content. The iron and zinc contents were respectively 100.0% and 70.83% (formulation A) and 152.73% and 97.92% (formulation B) higher than that of the standard formulation. Regarding fat content, the reduction of 31.5% in formulation B makes it a light product. As for the microbiological aspect, all meatloaves were adequate for consumption. Regarding sensory analysis, all the attributes considered were not statistically different, but for purchase intention test formulation B was better accepted. Therefore, formulations A and B are good sources of iron and zinc.

Mathematical model for bone mineralization.

Defective bone mineralization has serious clinical manifestations, including deformities and fractures, but the regulation of this extracellular process is not fully understood. We have developed a mathematical model consisting of ordinary differential equations that describe collagen maturation, production and degradation of inhibitors, and mineral nucleation and growth. We examined the roles of individual processes in generating normal and abnormal mineralization patterns characterized using two outcome measures: mineralization lag time and degree of mineralization. Model parameters describing the formation of hydroxyapatite mineral on the nucleating centers most potently affected the degree of mineralization, while the parameters describing inhibitor homeostasis most effectively changed the mineralization lag time. Of interest, a parameter describing the rate of matrix maturation emerged as being capable of counter-intuitively increasing both the mineralization lag time and the degree of mineralization. We validated the accuracy of model predictions using known diseases of bone mineralization such as osteogenesis imperfecta and X-linked hypophosphatemia. The model successfully describes the highly nonlinear mineralization dynamics, which includes an initial lag phase when osteoid is present but no mineralization is evident, then fast primary mineralization, followed by secondary mineralization characterized by a continuous slow increase in bone mineral content. The developed model can potentially predict the function for a mutated protein based on the histology of pathologic bone samples from mineralization disorders of unknown etiology.

Bio-inspired mineralization of hydroxyapatite in 3D silk fibroin hydrogel for bone tissue engineering

To fabricate hard tissue implants with bone-like structure using a biomimetic mineralization method is drawing much more attentions in bone tissue engineering. The present work focuses in designing 3D silk fibroin hydrogel to modulate the nucleation and growth of hydroxyapatite crystals via a simple ion diffusion method. The study indicates that Ca2+ incorporation within the hydrogel provides the nucleation sites for hydroxyapatite crystals and subsequently regulates their oriented growth. The mineralization process is regulated in a Ca2+ concentration- and minerlization time-dependent way. Further, the compressive strength of the mineralized hydrogels is directly proportional with the mineral content in hydrogel. The orchestrated organic/inorganic composite supports well the viability and proliferation of human osteoblast cells; improved cyto-compatibility with increased mineral content. Together, the present investigation reports a simple and biomimetic process to fabricate 3D bone-like biomaterial with desired efficacy to repair bone defects.

Partial replacements of Stylosanthes scabra forage for lucerne in total mixed ration diet of Saanen goats.

The inclusion of Stylosanthes scabra cv. Seca forage in the total mixed ration (TMR) as partial replacement of lucerne (alfalfa) was evaluated for its effects on voluntary feed intake, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance in Saanen goats. Three experimental diets were formulated having 0 % Seca (T1), 15 % Seca (T2) and 30 % Seca (T3) as partial replacement of lucerne forage in the TMR diet for goats. Eighteen Saanen goats of about 7 months old were divided into three groups of six animals per group. Each group was randomly assigned to one of the three dietary treatments in a complete randomised design, and the study lasted for a period of 21 days. There was an increase in fibre and mineral content of the diets as Seca inclusion increased, but this resulted in the decrease of crude protein contents and in vitro organic matter digestibility. Animals that were fed 15 % Seca recorded higher voluntary dry matter and nutrient (organic matter and fibres) intake, but the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05) as compared to the other treatments. Nutrient digestibility as well as nitrogen balance was not significantly different across the three diets. The lack of significant differences in feed intake, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen utilisation following the inclusion of Seca in the TMR suggests that S. scabra forage can partially replace lucerne in the TMR diet of goats.

Effect of Organically Amended Growing Substrates on the Growth and Physiological Attributes of Citrus Plants

The present experiment was conducted to study the influence of growing substrates on the growth of citrus plants. Rough lemon and Kinnow mandarin were selected as rootstock and scion cultivars, respectively. Eleven potting mixes were assessed along with the control, mixed on a v/v basis. Citrus seedlings cultivated in potting mix growing substrate (GM11) (sand + silt + farm yard manure + compost, 1:1:1:1) exhibited better plant development followed by the plants grown in GM12 (sand + silt + farm yard manure + coconut husk, 1:1:1:1). The saplings cultivated in substrates containing compost and coconut husk having optimum pH of 5.5–7.5 resulted in substantial improvement in horticultural traits and physiological variables when compared with the control. In sum, the growing substrate GM11 significantly improved the growth and development of citrus saplings due to increased mineral contents, leaf area index, photosynthetic rate (PN), stomatal conductance (gs), and transpiration rate (E) of citrus plants.