The potential gonadoprotective effects of grape seed extract against the histopathological alterations elicited in an animal model of cadmium-induced testicular toxicity

Background: Grape seed extract (GSE) is a powerful antioxidant containing high levels of bioflavonoids, vitamin C and vitamin E. The aim of the work is to study the possible protective and ameliorative effects of grape seed extract in an animal model of cadmium (Cd)-induced testicular toxicity in rats.Materials and methods: A thirty-day oral gavage study in adult male albino rats was performed using 32 animals, randomly divided into four equal groups; negative control, Cd (5 mg/k/day), GSE (100 mg/k/day), and Cd + GSE. Testicular weights were measured. Haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and proliferating nuclear cell antigen (PCNA) immunohistochemistry, as a marker for proliferation were done. Morphometric parameters were assessed and subjected to statistical analysis.Results: The H&E results showed atrophy and distortion of the seminiferous tubules (STs) with sloughing of the spermatogenic epithelium in cadmium group. The interstitial spaces were widened and showed oedema and mononuclear cell infiltrations. No remarkable changes were observed in the GSE-only group when compared to the control group. In Cd + GSE group, maintaining of the STs and their lining cells was evident. The immunohistochemical results showed marked positive PCNA immunoreactivity in both control and GSE groups, while negative immunoreaction was noticed in Cd group. Limited positive PCNA immunoreactivity was ameliorated in Cd + GSE group.Conclusions: Grape seed extract protected against cadmium-induced testicular toxicity in rats, reducing induced histopathological changes, and maintaining testicular histoarchitecture

EXTRACTION, FRACTIONATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF COWPEA (VIGNA UNGUICULATA) GLOBULINS

The proteins were extracted from cowpea seeds by buffered saline solution and the globulins were separated by dialyzing the protein extract against distilled water. Fractionation of the total globulins on Sephacryl S-200 column produced two major and one minor components. The molecular weight of the major globulin components were estimated to be greater than 250000 and 178 000 for the globulin component (a) and (b) respectively and the latter component was the predominant globulin. The two major globulin components were free from contamination of other proteins as shown by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Spectrophotometry and amino acid analyses were used as tools for characterizing the globulin components

Control of root rot and wilt disease complex of some evergreen fruit transplants by using plant growth promoting rhizobacteria in the New Valley Governorate, Egypt

Root rot and wilt disease complex were detected in several guava, lemon and olive transplant nurseries and new orchards at El-Kharga, Baris, ballet, El-Dakhla and El-Farafrah districts, the New Valley Governorate, Egypt. The average percentage of root rot/wilt incidence and severity in surveying districts were 37.7, 26.5%in guava; 41.7, 34.0%;in lemon and 41.2, 29.5% in olive transplants, respectively. The most frequently isolated fungi from rotted roots of the guava, lemon and olive transplants were Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani, Macrophomina phaseolina and Rhizoctonia solani. In pathogenicity tests, all the tested fungi were pathogenic to guava, lemon and olive transplants. The effect of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) individually and/or mixed when used as a soil drench treatment were varied in reducing root rot/ wilt incidence and severity under greenhouse conditions compared with control. The mixed of PGPR gave the highest protection against root rot/wilt diseases compared with the use of PGPR individually. All treatments significantly increased plant height (cm), number of leaves transplanting-1, leaf area (cm2), fresh and dry weights transplanting-1 (gm) compared with control treatment

Propositional calculus for adjointness lattices

Recently, Morsi has developed a complete syntax for the class of all adjointness algebras $\left( L,\leq ,A,K,H\right)$. There, $\left( L,\leq \right)$ is a partially ordered set with top element $1$, $K$ is a conjunction on $\left( L,\leq \right)$ for which $1$ is a left identity element, and the two implication-like binary operations $A$ and $H$ on $L$ are adjoints of $K$. In this paper, we extend that formal system to one for the class $ADJL$ of all 9-tuples $\left( L,\leq ,1,0,A,K,H,\wedge ,\vee \right)$, called \emph{% adjointness lattices}; in each of which $\left( L,\leq ,1,0,\wedge ,\vee \right)$ is a bounded lattice, and $\left( L,\leq ,A,K,H\right)$ is an adjointness algebra. We call it \emph{Propositional Calculus for Adjointness Lattices}, abbreviated $AdjLPC$. Our axiom scheme for $AdjLPC$ features four inference rules and thirteen axioms. We deduce enough theorems and inferences in $AdjLPC$ to establish its completeness for $ADJL$; by means of a quotient-algebra structure (a Lindenbaum type of algebra). We study two negation-like unary operations in an adjointness lattice, defined by means of $0$ together with $A$ and $H$. We end by developing complete syntax for all adjointness lattices whose implications are $S$-type implications

Management of root rot and wilt diseases of date palm offshoots using certain biological control agents and its effect on growth parameters in the New Valley Governorate, Egypt

Root Rot and wilt diseases were observed on different date palm offshoots in nurseries and new orchards in New Valley Governorate, Egypt. Pathogenicity tests showed that Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani and F. moniliforme were the causal agents of root rot and wilt diseases on date palm offshoots (cv. Saidy). In addition, the isolates of the three Fusarium spp. differed in their pathogenic capabilities. The effect of Bacillus subtilis (BSM1), B. megaterium (BMM5), B. cereus (BCM8), Trichoderma viride (TVM2), T. harzianum (THM4) as bioagents against root rot/wilt disease complex of date palm offshoots under natural infection in nursery cultivated in two location (Al-Kharga and El-Dakhla) and also, on growth of the tested pathogenic fungi under laboratory were evaluated. Under laboratory conditions, all the tested bioagents inhibited the growth of the pathogenic fungi with different percentages. Bacillus megaterium and B. subtilis showed the highest percentage of fungal growth inhibition, while T. harzianum gave the lowest ones. At the field level, the application of bioagents significantly reduced the disease severity compared with untreated offshoots (control) in both locations. Bacillus megaterium and T. viride showed the highest protection against fungal causal agents, while B. cereus and T. harzianum gave the lowest ones in this respect. Moreover, the bioagents significantly improved the growth parameters of offshoots viz. plant height, number of leaves plant-1, leaflet number leaf-1, and leaf thickness. Bacillus megaterium and T. viride recorded the highest values of all growth parameters in El-Kharga and El-Dakhla locations, while B. cereus and T. harzianum gave the lowest ones.

Antimikrobno djelovanje nekih glukopiranozil-pirimidin karbonitrila i fuzioniranih pirimidinskih sustava

3-Amino-5-(4-chlorophenylamino)-4-cyanofuran-2-carboxamide (2) was used as the key molecule for preparation of various furo- pyrimidines 3-9 and formation of spiro-cycloalkane furopyrimidines 10, 11. Also, poly fused heterocyclic compounds 13-17 were prepared from compound 2. The synthesized compounds were screened for their antimicrobial activity.3-Amino-5-(4-klorfenilamino)-4-cijanofuran-2-karboksamid (2) upotrebljen je kao ključni spoj za pripravu različitih furo-pirimidina 3-9 i spiro-cikloalkane furopirimidina 10 i 11. Fuzionirani heterociklički spojevi 13-17 pripravljeni su također polazeći iz spoja 2. Sintetizirani spojevi ispitani su na antimikrobno djelovanje

Molecular Biomarkers of Vascular Dysfunction in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Untreated and long-lasting obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may lead to important vascular abnormalities, including endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction, hypertension, and atherosclerosis. We observed a correlation between microcirculatory reactivity and endothelium-dependent release of nitric oxide in OSA patients. Therefore, we hypothesized that OSA affects (micro)vasculature and we aimed to identify vascular gene targets of OSA that could possibly serve as reliable biomarkers of severity of the disease and possibly of vascular risk. Using quantitative RT-PCR, we evaluated gene expression in skin biopsies of OSA patients, mouse aortas from animals exposed to 4-week intermittent hypoxia (IH; rapid oscillations in oxygen desaturation and reoxygenation), and human dermal microvascular (HMVEC) and coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC) cultured under IH. We demonstrate a significant upregulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced protein 3 (TNFAIP3; A20), hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α?? and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in skin biopsies obtained from OSA patients with severe nocturnal hypoxemia (nadir saturated oxygen levels [SaO2]<75%) compared to mildly hypoxemic OSA patients (SaO2 75%–90%) and a significant upregulation of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) expression compared to control subjects. Gene expression profile in aortas of mice exposed to IH demonstrated a significant upregulation of eNOS and VEGF. In an in vitro model of OSA, IH increased expression of A20 and decreased eNOS and HIF-1α expression in HMVEC, while increased A20, VCAM-1 and HIF-1αexpression in HCAEC, indicating that EC in culture originating from distinct vascular beds respond differently to IH stress. We conclude that gene expression profiles in skin of OSA patients may correlate with disease severity and, if validated by further studies, could possibly predict vascular risk in OSA patients

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background: There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low-and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods: Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results: Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion: For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially