Effect of plant seeds protein extract on the Sunn pest, Eurygaste integriceps Puton, growth and development and its gut serine protease activity

The sunn pest Eurygaster integriceps Puton (Hemiptera: Scutelleridae) is a major pest of wheat and barley in wide areas of the world that cause 100% crop loss when no control measures are taken. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the seed proteinous extract of different plant species including Chickpea Cicer arietinum (Fabaceae), bean Phaseolus vulgaris var. naz (Fabaceae), triticale Triticosecale wittmack (Poaceae), Celosia argentea (Amaranthaceae) in artificial diet against the Sunn pest growth and development as well as gut serine proteinase such as trypsin and chymotrypsin activities. The obtained results showed that protease inhibitors present in the seed extract affected nymphal development, adult weight and survivability to some extent. Mean developmental time of third and fourth instar nymphs were not significantly affected by the presence of seed extracts. However, developmental time of the fifth instar nymph was affected by seeds proteinous extracts. Bean proteinous extract increased developmental time significantly by almost two days followed by Chickpea that increased developmental time by one day (P < 0.01). Amaranthus seed proteinous extract caused slight increase in development time. Triticale extract did not affect nymph growth and development and there were no significant differences between developmental time of triticale extract and control. Azocaseinolytic activity of gut extract of E. integriceps was affected greatly by seed proteinous extracts. There were significant differences in general protease activity between control and all treatments. General protease activity dropped significantly low when treated with bean and cowpea extracts (P< 0.01). Almost the same trend was observed when trypsin and chymotrypsin activities were measured using BApNA and SAAPFpNA as substrates, respectively. It is concluded that seed extracts from non host plants of the Sunn pest caused significant reduction of general and specific protease activity in vitro.Key words: Sunn pest, growth, development, seed extracts, protease activity

Research Article Modified Noor iterations with errors for nonlinear equations in Banach spaces

We introduce a new three step iterative scheme with errors to approximate the unique common fixed point of a family of three strongly pseudocontractive (accretive) mappings on Banach spaces. Our results are generalizations and improvements of results obtained by several authors in literature. In particular, they generalize and improve the results of Mogbademu and Olaleru [A. A. Mogbademu and J. O. Olaleru, Bull

A novel method for detecting optimal location and parameters of power system stabilizer (PSS) based on intelligent techniques

ABSTRACT: This paper presents a new technique to design a Power System Stabilizer (PSS) in multi-machine power system. The method is based on the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm for tuning PSS parameters including lead-lag compensator time constants as well as the controller gain. For evaluating the particles evolution throughout the searching process, an eigenvalue-based multi-objective function is used. The DIgSILENT is used as tool for modelling test system and programming PSO algorithm. Then by using a fuzzy approach implemented in Matlab/fuzzy toolbox the optimal number and location for PSSs specified. Two-area (four-machine 11bus) Power system is considered as the case study in this paper. Simulation results for various operating conditions prove the capability of the proposed algorithm in damping improvement of power system

Gas plasma irradiation of breast cancers promotes immunogenicity, tumor reduction, and an abscopal effect in vivo

While many new and emerging therapeutic concepts have appeared throughout the last decades, cancer still is fatal in many patients. At the same time, the importance of immunology in oncotherapy is increasingly recognized, not only since the advent of checkpoint therapy. Among the many types of tumors, also breast cancer has an immunological dimension that might be exploited best by increasing the immunogenicity of the tumors in the microenvironment. To this end, we tested a novel therapeutic concept, gas plasma irradiation, for its ability to promote the immunogenicity and increase the toxicity of breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, this emerging medical technology is employing a plethora of reactive oxygen species being deposited on the target cells and tissues. Using 2D cultures and 3D tumor spheroids, we found gas plasma-irradiation to drive apoptosis and immunogenic cancer cell death (ICD) in vitro, as evidenced by an increased expression of calreticulin, heat-shock proteins 70 and 90, and MHC-I. In 4T1 breast cancer-bearing mice, the gas plasma irradiation markedly decreased tumor burden and increased survival. Interestingly, non-treated tumors injected in the opposite flank of mice exposed to our novel treatment also exhibited reduced growth, arguing for an abscopal effect. This was concomitant with an increase of apoptosis and tumor-infiltrating CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells as well as dendritic cells in the tissues. In summary, we found gas plasma-irradiated murine breast cancers to induce toxicity and augmented immunogenicity, leading to reduced tumor growth at a site remote to the treatment area

On the Stability of an -Variables Functional Equation in Random Normed Spaces via Fixed Point Method

At first we find the solution of the functional equation (1,…,)∶=∑=2(∑1=2∑+12=1+1⋯∑−+1=−+1)(∑=1,≠1,…,−+1−∑−+1=1)+(∑=1)−2−1(1)=0, where ≥2 is an integer number. Then, we obtain the generalized Hyers-Ulam-Rassias stability in random normed spaces via the fixed point method for the above functional equation

Bovine Leukemia virus (BLV) and risk of breast cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of case-control studies

Background: Breast cancer is reported as one of the most common cancers among females worldwide. Infectious agents especially viruses have been considered as role players in the development of breast cancer. Although some investigations suggest an association between bovine leukemia virus (BLV) and breast cancer, the involvement of this virus as a risk factor remains controversial. The present study aimed to find out any possible association between BLV and breast cancer through conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: Systematic literature search was performed by finding related case-control articles from the PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, and EMBASE databases. The heterogeneity and the multivariable-adjusted OR and corresponding 95 CI were applied by meta-analysis and forest plot across studies. All statistical analyses were performed using Stata 14.1. Result: Based on a comprehensive literature search, 9 case-control studies were included for meta-analysis. The combination of all included studies showed that BLV infection is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer summary OR (95% CI) 2.57 (1.45, 4.56). Conclusion: This is the first meta-analysis to analyze a potential association between BLV infection and the risk of breast cancer. Control of the infection in cattle herds and screening of the milk and dairy products may help to reduce the transmission of the virus to humans. © 2020 The Author(s)