Induction of pollen sterility in grapes (Vitis vinifera)

The morphology of the grape flower renders hand emasculation very tedious and hence hinders large scale hybridisation work. Chemical induction of male sterility which has been successfully achieved in some crops may likewise aid in grape breeding, if the method proves practicable. This paper deals with an experiment designed to achieve this object.Three varieties of grapes, Bhokri, Hussaini and Rosem-T-Lahore (all belonging to Vitis vinifera) were tested with three different chemicals, viz. maleic hydrazide, tri-iodobenzoic acid and FW-450, using various concentrations. In the first two varieties the dosages of maleic hydrazide 500 ppm, tri-iodobenzoic acid 400 ppm and FW-450 0.30% was found to induce complete pollen sterility. However, the third variety needed higher concentrations. In all cases two applications of the chemicals were necessary to induce comp1ete pollen sterility. In addition to inducing pollen sterility, FW-450 prevented anthesis and anther dehiscence. Considering the fruit set and seed set obtained in the male sterile flowers (induced by various chemicals) rby using good pollen, maleic hydrazide appears to be most promising. The chemical treatments did not influence seed germination. The most important factors with regard to the use of this method were  (1) the variety used, (2) the chemical applied, (3) the number of applications of the chemical and(4) the stage at which the chemical treatments are made. The implications of these results have been discussed

Development of a microprocessor-based biochemical sampler

Modern medicine requires patients to be treated on the basis of precise data, which are often obtained from electronic equipment. An inexpensive and portable microprocessor-based sampler developed by the authors is described. It is comprised of the following units: sample plate assembly, probe-drive linkage system, wash fluid receptacle, timing system and 8085A microprocessor

Skin sensitization by misonidazole: a demonstration of uniform mild hypoxia.

Skin reactions on irradiated mouse feet were used to measure the radiosensitization of normal tissues by misonidazole (MISO). Fractionation schedules of 1, 2, 5 and 10 daily doses of X-rays were combined with either 100 mg/kg or 670 mg/kg MISO. When unanaesthetized mice were irradiated in air, significant sensitization was observed with both the high and low drug doses, in all fractionation schedules. There was no decrease in sensitization with fractionation, even using fractions as small as 5 Gy. This indicates that many of the cells in mouse skin may be marginally hypoxic, and that sensitization at low doses is possible. Irradiation in O2 without MISO rendered the skin more sensitive to X-rays than in air. MISO given 30 min before single doses of radiation further sensitized the skin, but for 10 fractions in O2 no MISO sensitization was detected. There was little evidence for cytotoxic killing in skin by MISO. Repair of radiation damage was slightly reduced when MISO was present, during or after irradiation

Prevalence of overweight and obesity among Libyan men and women

Libya is following the trend observed in developing countries of steadily becoming more obese, such that obesity in Libya has reached epidemic proportions in the twenty-first century. The prevalence of obesity in Libya has more than doubled in the last three decades, with the numbers of overweight and obese adults being continuing to grow. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate and describe the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Libyan men and women. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to examine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among the Libyan population. A multistage sampling technique was employed to select 401 Libyan adults randomly from the Benghazi electoral register. Qualified nurses were allocated to take anthropometric measurements (including visceral fat and Body Mass Index (BMI)) from participants using the Segmental Body Composition Analyser and a portable Stadiometer. The response rate achieved in this cross-sectional study was 78%. Four hundred and one Libyan adult, aged 20-65 years, participated; 253 were female (63%). The prevalence of obesity, overweight, and normal weight among Libyan adults was 42.4%, 32.9%, and 24.7%, respectively. The results also revealed that approximately 75.3% of Libyan adults were overweight and obese, and the prevalence of overweight and obesity in women was significantly higher than that in men (the prevalence of overweight was 33.2% in women compared to 32.4% in men, while the prevalence of obesity was 47.4% in women compared to 33.8% in men, respectively). The findings of this study confirmed that obesity and overweight are the fastest growing issues and have become one of the most serious public health challenges confronting the Libyan authorities. As the obesity epidemic in Libya continues to escalate, with a complete absence of prevention interventions to reduce obesity, more research is desperately needed to follow the trend of gender difference in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Libyans adults across the Libyan state to improve the effective interventions for preventing obesity

Development of a heating reactor for a continuous flow-through application in urea measurement

In most biochemical analyses, a flow-through heating arrangement is needed to reduce the reaction time or maintain a constant temperature. A rectangular reactor is described that is constructed of aluminium, is hollow inside and is filled with silicone oil. The glass coil through which the solution flows is immersed in the silicone oil. The heater, a Peltier-effect heat pump, on one side and the temperature sensor on the other side of the reactor body are embedded for heating and temperature control. The brief performance evaluation of the reactor is discussed by measuring the absorbance of urea concentration at different temperatures