Quinoa in Egypt - plant density effects on seed yield and nutritional quality in marginal regions

Grain quinoa is a halophyte crop with potentially increasing cultivation area. Yet, no standards exist for optimum plant density in arid-regions. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of planting density on Peruvian valley type of Chenopodium quinoa Willd. cv. CICA from the standpoint of yield and seed quality in marginal area. Two Field experiments were conducted over two consecutive seasons viz., 2015-2016 in a marginal land at El-Fayoum oasis, Egypt with one quinoa cultivar and two planting densities namely, 56.000 plant ha-1(Low) and 167.000 plant ha(High). A complete randomized block design with six replicates was used. Seed yield increased by 34.7% with increase of plant density from 56.000 plant ha-1 to 167.000 plant ha-1. The increase of plant density significantly decreased weight of 1000-seeds and weight of hectoliter. Protein and ash concentrations in seeds increased at low planting density, whereas carbohydrate concentration decreased. However, there were no significant differences between the two planting densities on the seed concentration of the crude fiber or total fat. Regarding effects of plant density on mineral content in quinoa seeds, the calcium and magnesium contents significantly increased at low density compared with high planting density. Meanwhile, no significant effects of plant density on phosphorus, potassium, iron and zinc content in quinoa seeds were detected. Thus, the present study concludes that the plant density that gives higher seed yield is associated with significant reduction in seed quality in terms of protein content. On the other hand, low plant density significantly increased weight of 1000-seeds and hectoliter, which is reflected on the grain size. The latter is considered as a very important parameter for quinoa global market preference.Fil: Eisa, Sayed S.. Faculty Of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Cairo; EgiptoFil: Abd El Samad, Emad H.. National Research Centre, Egypt; EgiptoFil: Hussin, Sayed A.. Faculty Of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Cairo; EgiptoFil: Ali, Essam A.. Desert Research Center, Egypt; EgiptoFil: Ebrahim, Mohamed. Faculty Of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Cairo; EgiptoFil: González, Juan Antonio. Fundación Miguel Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Ordano, Mariano Andrés. Fundación Miguel Lillo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Erazzú, Luis Ernesto. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: El Bordeny, Nasr E.. Faculty Of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Cairo; EgiptoFil: Abdel-Ati, Ahmed A.. Desert Research Center, Egypt; Egipt

TOXICOLOGICAL AND PHARMACOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF GOLD NANORODS IN NORMAL RATS

Objective: assessment of acute, subchronic and chronic toxicity of pegylated gold nanorods (PEG-gold NRs) in Wistar rats of both sex in three routes of administration {intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM) and subcutaneous (SC)}.Methods: in the acute toxicity study; PEG-gold NRs were injected once by three different routes, blood and tissue samples were collected after 14 d. In the subchronic and chronic studies; PEG-gold NRs were injected via three different routes, at 0.225, 0.45 and 0.9 mg/kg, once daily for 5 consecutive days, followed by a 23-day recovery period, for three and six months in the subchronic and chronic toxicity studies, respectively. Hematology, urinalysis, biochemical and histopathological examinations were conducted at the end of each study.Results: acute toxicity showed a significant decrease in serum triglycerides and cholesterol levels after single IV, IM and SC injection of PEG-gold NRs, while serum creatinine was significantly increased after IV and IM injection. Subchronic results revealed a significant decrease in serum triglycerides and cholesterol levels. The chronic study showed a significant decrease in serum triglycerides, sodium levels, total leukocytes count and significant increase in serum creatinine after IV injection. IM injection resulted in significant decrease in serum alkaline phosphatase, triglycerides, cholesterol, sodium levels and total leukocytes count. SC injection resulted in significant decrease in serum triglycerides, glucose, red blood cell count with increased creatinine and hematocrit.Conclusion: PEG-gold NRs at the three examined doses is apparently safe since no serious signs of toxicity were detected. IM and SC routes of injection were irritating, so we recommend the IV route.Â

Burnout among surgeons before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: an international survey

Background: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had many significant impacts within the surgical realm, and surgeons have been obligated to reconsider almost every aspect of daily clinical practice. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study reported in compliance with the CHERRIES guidelines and conducted through an online platform from June 14th to July 15th, 2020. The primary outcome was the burden of burnout during the pandemic indicated by the validated Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure. Results: Nine hundred fifty-four surgeons completed the survey. The median length of practice was 10 years; 78.2% included were male with a median age of 37 years old, 39.5% were consultants, 68.9% were general surgeons, and 55.7% were affiliated with an academic institution. Overall, there was a significant increase in the mean burnout score during the pandemic; longer years of practice and older age were significantly associated with less burnout. There were significant reductions in the median number of outpatient visits, operated cases, on-call hours, emergency visits, and research work, so, 48.2% of respondents felt that the training resources were insufficient. The majority (81.3%) of respondents reported that their hospitals were included in the management of COVID-19, 66.5% felt their roles had been minimized; 41% were asked to assist in non-surgical medical practices, and 37.6% of respondents were included in COVID-19 management. Conclusions: There was a significant burnout among trainees. Almost all aspects of clinical and research activities were affected with a significant reduction in the volume of research, outpatient clinic visits, surgical procedures, on-call hours, and emergency cases hindering the training. Trial registration: The study was registered on clicaltrials.gov "NCT04433286" on 16/06/2020

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Experimental Investigation of Self-Compacting Concrete with Recycled Concrete Aggregate

Due to the depletion of natural aggregates and raw materials for contemporary construction, the construction and demolition waste existing in old concrete structures is an imperative problem. Cutting down on exploiting natural aggregates and reusing construction and demolition waste in the concrete industry are solutions to this problem. This paper investigated the replacement of natural coarse aggregate (NCA) with recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) with different ratios (0%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) in producing self-compacting concrete (SCC). Different components of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), such as nano-silica (NS), fly ash (FA), and metakaolin (MK), as well as PVA fibers, were incorporated into the SCC mixtures. The fresh properties (slump flow, V-funnel, and L-box test) and hardened properties (compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and flexural strength), as well as the flexural behavior of SCC beams (load-carrying capacity, crack pattern, mid-span deflection, and flexural stiffness), were studied for all SCC mixes. The results of fresh and hardened concrete confirmed that it is possible to produce SCC with a 100% replacement of RCA with minimal effects on the concrete properties. The mixture of SCC with 100% RCA replacement, 20% MK, and 22% FA was the optimum mixture with acceptable fresh properties that complied with the EFNARC specifications. For 100% RCA replacement, the compressive strength was reduced by 8.20%, and the ultimate load and flexural stiffness increased by 3.20 and 16.25%, respectively, compared with the control mixture

Preparation, Characterization, DFT Calculations, Antibacterial and Molecular Docking Study of Co(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) Mixed Ligand Complexes

In the present work, complexes of cobalt(II), copper(II), and zinc(II), 2-amino-4-methylpyrimidineand, and 2,3-diaminopyridine were successfully prepared and characterized using elemental analysis, UV-visible, and FTIR spectroscopy, as well as magnetic susceptibility measurements, molar conductance, TGA analysis, and X-ray diffraction. From elemental and spectral data, the formulae [M(L1)(L2)Cl2(H2O)] (where L1 = AMPY (2-amino-4-methylpyrimidine) and L2 = DAPY(2,3-diaminopyridine)) and M = Co(II) (2), Cu(II) (2), and Zn(II)) for the metal complexes have been proposed. The geometric structures of the mixed-ligand complexes were found to be octahedral around the metal ions, and the XRD patterns showed monoclinic crystal systems with space group P21. The mode of bonding was pentacoordinate for Cu and hexacoordinate for Zn and Co. Different features may result from the fact that not all molecules have the same electron distribution. For example, Zn and Co have larger electron densities in at least one of the chlorides in the HOMO compared with pentacoordinate Cu, which has a small electron distribution on the chloride. Thermal analysis indicated that all metal complexes are stable up to about 88 °C with thermodynamically favored overlapped chemical reactions. Excellent antibacterial and antifungal activity was shown by the three synthesized forms of the complexes. The Zn(II) complex had a high level of antioxidant activity with a DPPH scavenging of 91.5%, whereas the Cu(II) complex had a low level of antioxidant potential (16.5%). The docking tests also showed that all compounds had good binding energy levels (7.2–7.9 kcal mol−1). For this reason, all molecules can easily fit in the receptor protein’s catalytic sites. However, the Co(II) complex is shown to be more active

A Long Journey of CICA-17 Quinoa Variety to Salinity Conditions in Egypt: Mineral Concentration in the Seeds.

Quinoa may be a promising alternative solution for arid regions, and it is necessary to test yield and mineral accumulation in grains under different soil types. Field experiments with Chenopodium quinoa (cv. CICA-17) were performed in Egypt in non-saline (electrical conductivity, 1.9 dS m−1) and saline (20 dS m−1) soils. Thirty-four chemical elements were studied in these crops. Results show different yields and mineral accumulations in the grains. Potassium (K), P, Mg, Ca, Na, Mn, and Fe are the main elements occurring in the quinoa grains, but their concentrations change between both soil types. Besides, soil salinity induced changes in the mineral pattern distribution among the different grain organs. Sodium was detected in the pericarp but not in other tissues. Pericarp structure may be a shield to prevent sodium entry to the underlying tissues but not for chloride, increasing its content in saline conditions. Under saline conditions, yield decreased to near 47%, and grain sizes greater than 1.68 mm were unfavored. Quinoa may serve as a complementary crop in the marginal lands of Egypt. It has an excellent nutrition perspective due to its mineral content and has a high potential to adapt to semi-arid and arid environments.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship, Buenos Aires, Argentina, partially supported this research through the South-South cooperation project “Development of quinoa crop in marginal areas of Egypt”, FO.AR-6429, and Fundación Miguel Lillo (Miguel Lillo 251, T4000, Tucumán, Argentina) under the Project B-0004-1 (“Ecophysiology of selected varieties of quinoa and others species with nutritional values in lab and field”).Peer reviewe

Chenopodium quinoa Willd. A new cash crop halophyte for saline regions of Egypt

Abstract A prerequisite for sustainable saline agriculture of cash crop halophytes in salt affected areas implies exact knowledge of their limits of salinity resistance. Hence, the first part of this study was carried out in pot experiment under greenhouse conditions to evaluate growth and seed yield of C. quinoa Willd. cv. Hualhuas to varying water salinity levels (0, 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 mM NaCl). The limit of salinity resistance was estimated at 200 mM NaCl (~20 dSm -1 ) based on seed yield production. Depending on the results obtained from pot experiment, field trials were conducted in saline soil location (ECe 17.9 dSm -1 ) and in non-saline soil location (ECe 1.9 dSm -1 ). Seed yield significantly decreased under saline soil by about 61.7% . Beside quantity, soil salinity led to reduce the percentage of moisture, total carbohydrate and total fat contents in seeds. Salinity did not significantly alter the protein content in quinoa seeds. Significant increases in the content of ash and fiber were detected in response to high soil salinity. The high er ash content in seeds under saline conditions was due to the increase of Na + as well as K + , P 3-and Fe ++ concentrations. By contrast, soil salinity led to significant decrease of Ca ++ and Zn ++ contents in seed. Energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis showed that most of Na + in the seeds produced at saline soil was mainly accumulated in the pericarp followed by embryo tissues, while, the interior reserving tissue (perisperm) exhibiting comparatively low concentration. Increasing most of essential minerals, especially Fe, in quino a seeds produced under high saline conditions given quinoa a distinctive value for human consumption. Quinoa can be grown and yielded successfully in salt-affected soils (ECe 17.9 dSm -1 ), where, most if not all of traditional crops cannot grow, although the yield was reduced however, the seed quality was not highly affected

COVID-19 and Diabetes Mellitus: A Complex Interplay

COVID-19 pandemic, which caused by the newly emerged severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS- CoV-2), puts the entire world in an unprecedented crisis, leaving behind huge human losses and serious socio-economical damages. The clinical spectrum of COVID-19 varies from asymptomatic to multi-organ manifestations. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic inflammatory condition, which associated with metabolic and vascular abnormalities, increases the risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection, severity and mortality. Due to global prevalence, DM effect on COVID-19 outcomes as well as the potential mechanisms by which DM modulates the host-viral interactions and host-immune responses are discussed in this review. This review also highlights the effects of anti-diabetic drugs on treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection and vice versa