Development of chitosan-glucose and chitosan-citric complexes edible coating to improve tomatoes post-harvest quality

 The effect of different shrimp chitosan molecular weights as well as shrimp chitosan complexes (chitosan-glucose and chitosan-citric) on the quality characteristics of the stored (at 7°C±2°C and 90% RH) tomato fruits (Lycopersicum esculentum) was investigated.  Coating tomatoes with high molecular weight chitosan (H.M.C.G) significantly improved firmness and weight loss.  The lowest weight loss was found in high molecular weight chitosan-glucose (H.M.C.G) treatment followed by the fruits coated with high molecular weight chitosan (HMC) and then uncoated tomato fruits.  Both molecular weights was clear on retarding the total acidity loss especially for stored tomato fruit coated with low molecular weight chitosan, while control tomatoes exhibited a larger reduction (p ≤ 0.05) in total acidity over storage.  Meanwhile, the increasing of cold storage time significantly (p ≥ 0.05) increased the pH in all uncoated and coated tomatoes.  Generally, no significant (P > 0.05) difference was observed in pH, titratable acidity and total soluble solids (T.S.S.) as well as sensory attributes among the tomato fruits coated with chitosan, chitosan citric and chitosan glucose.  Meanwhile, the fruits coated with low molecular weight chitosan had a higher (p ≥ 0.05) T.S.S. compared with that coated by the high molecular weight chitosan.   Keywords: chitosan, edible coating, tomatoes, firmness and weight loss

Detection of Avian Influenza (H5N1) In Some Fish and Shellfish from Different Aquatic Habitats across Some Egyptian Provinces

Abstract: The global climatic changes impact on air, water and earth could extend scope of Avian Influenza (H5N1) virus to another broad sector of creatures including aquatic animals, especially those with direct relationship to aquatic birds. In the current study, Avian Influenza virus (H5N1) was detected in hemolymph of the Red Swamp crayfish (Procambrus clarkii) from three different provinces across the Nile Delta. Most of the positive cases were from the neighborhood of migratory bird natural stop stations. The virus was also detected in the Mediterranean Cone Shell (Conus mediterraneus) and the Pufferfish Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789) during its course of invasion to the Mediterranean Sea. Two out of three poultry manure samples collected prior to earthen pond fertilization at three different localities were proved to be positive for the H5N1 virus. Tissue / mucous samples collected from earthen pond raised tilapias were negative for the virus. Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) has presented a striking model for aquatic species carrying the virus in their blood. The current results are suggestive for an important epidemiological role played by aquatic animals in spread of avian influenza (H5N1) virus across the Egyptian aquatic habitat

An intelligent System for Diagnosis Schizophrenia and Bipolar Diseases based on Support Vector Machine with Different Kernels

Bipolar disorder and schizophrenia overlap in symptoms and may share some underlying neural substrates. The discrimination between the two diseases is one of the problems that face psychiatric experts. This paper will propose some solutions to this problem based on the artificial methods. The support vector machine (SVM) is used for discrimination based on measuring of the patient EEG rhythms. The large set of features included in the EEG rhythms is reduced into smaller set of features after Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) segmentation. Different kernels are applied on the SVM which are linear, polynomial, quadratic and radial basis function. The application of SVM with different kernels for the EEG discrimination of the patients suffering from schizophrenia and bipolar diseases is the core of this work. Experimental results have shown that the proposed algorithms will solve the discrimination between the two diseases using EEG rhythms and the support vector machine with linear and quadratic kernels have achieved a high performance rate equal to 98 % and 97.667% respectively compared to the other kernels

DGGE-RAPD analysis as a useful tool for cultivar identification

Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis-random amplified polymorphic DNA (DGGE-RAPD) was used to overcome the main drawbacks of RAPD (i.e., the low levels of reproducibility and polymorphism). As a model, six barley cultivars of known origin were tested for RAPD markers using DGGE methodology with 29 arbitrary primers. Among a total of 418 bands observed, as high as 99 were polymorphic. Comparison between agarose-RAPD and DGGE-RAPD revealed that the latter was highly reproducible and gave higher level of polymorphism and consequently more markers. The relationships among barley cultivars derived from this study based on DGGE-RAPD are consistent with the known lineage of these cultivars. In conclusion, we recommend the use of DGGE-RAPD as an alternative tool to the more costly DNA-based analysis in cultivar identification in laboratories with limited funds.Key words: Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis-random amplified polymorphic DNA, artificial heteroduplex, dendogram, lineage

The relationship between associative learning, transfer generalization, and homocysteine levels in mild cognitive impairment

Previous studies have shown that high total homocysteine levels are associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). In this study, we test the relationship between cognitive function and total homocysteine levels in healthy subjects (Global Dementia Rating, CDR = 0) and individuals with MCI (CDR = 0.5). We have used a cognitive task that tests learning and generalization of rules, processes that have been previously shown to rely on the integrity of the striatal and hippocampal regions, respectively. We found that total homocysteine levels are higher in MCI individuals than in healthy controls. Unlike what we expected, we found no difference between MCI subjects and healthy controls in learning and generalization. We conducted further analysis after diving MCI subjects in two groups, depending on their Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) scores: individuals with very mild cognitive decline (vMCD, GDS = 2) and mild cognitive decline (MCD, GDS = 3). There was no difference among the two MCI and healthy control groups in learning performance. However, we found that individuals with MCD make more generalization errors than healthy controls and individuals with vMCD. We found no difference in the number of generalization errors between healthy controls and MCI individuals with vMCD. In addition, interestingly, we found that total homocysteine levels correlate positively with generalization errors, but not with learning errors. Our results are in agreement with prior results showing a link between hippocampal function, generalization performance, and total homocysteine levels. Importantly, our study is perhaps among the first to test the relationship between learning (and generalization) of rules and homocysteine levels in healthy controls and individuals with MCI

Possible hypocholesterolemic effect of ginger and rosemary oils in rats

Background: Hypercholesterolemia is a major risk factor for development of atherosclerosis. The present study was conducted to evaluate the potential effect of ginger oil alone or combined with rosemary oil as hypocholesterolemic agent in rats fed high fat diet.Materials and methods: Healthy female albino rats (n=80) weighting about (150-180 g) were included in this study divided into two equal groups; Group (I): were fed on the basal diet. Group (I) were divided into 4 subgroups each 10: Group (Ia): negative control. Group (Ib): Rats received i.p 2.5 g/Kg b.w of ginger oil. Group (Ic): rats received i.p 2.5 g/Kg b.w of rosemary oil. Group (Id): Rats received i.p 5 g/Kg b.w mixture of ginger oil and rosemary oil (1:1). The second main groups; Group (II): high fat diet (HFD) were fed on the basal diet plus cholesterol (1%), bile salt (0.25%) and animal fat (15%) to induce hypercholesterolemia for six weeks. Group (II) was divided into 4subgroups: Group (IIa): HFD. Group (IIb): HFD were treated with i.p 2.5 g/Kg b.w ginger oil. Group (IIc): (n=10) HFD were treated with i.p 2.5 g/Kg b.w rosemary oil. Group (IId): (n=10) HFD were treated with i.p 5 g/Kg b.w mixture of oils.Results: It was found that HFD rats showed a significant elevation in glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, GOT, GPT, alkaline phosphatase and a reduction in serum HDL-c compared with negative control. Treatment with ginger oil, rosemary oil and their mixture modulated the elevation of these parameters. Histopathological examination of the liver tissue of HFD rats showed a lipid deposition and macrophage infiltration and stenosis of hepatic vein. Treatment with mixture oils preserves normal structure of liver.Conclusion: It was concluded that, hypocholesterolemic effect was related to the active oil content as Rosemary oil contain - α-pinene, Camphor, cineole, borneol and Ginger oil contain Linalool, Terpineol ,Borneol , Eucalyptol.Keywords: Ginger Oil, Rosemary Oil, Rats, Hypocholesterolemi

Molecular Characterization of Intraspecific Protoplast Fusion in Trichoderma Harzianum

Abstract: Protoplast was isolated from two fungicide tolerant mutants PTz-C and PTz-F of T. harzianum, obtained from 18 h old mycelium digested by Novozyme 234 and fused by polyethylene glycol (PEG). The frequency of fusion resulting in double fungicide tolerant isolates was about 0.32 % and seven fusants were selected for further studies. Fusion between the two fungicide tolerant mutants of T. harzianum developed some superior strains. The present study shows that it's possible to obtain temporary nuclear fusion in which recombination events can occur. The confirmation of occurrence of Intraspecific protoplast fusion using inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) technique was carried out using two primers. ISSR banding pattern indicated that protoplast fusion was done at molecular level and it was consistent with data obtained from the protoplast fusion identification as nuclear and cytoplasmic fusion. Results of the present study demonstrated the scope and significance of the protoplast fusion technique, which can be used to develop superior hybrid strains of filamentous fungi that lack inherent sexual reproduction

Dual-Band Transmitter and Receiver with Bowtie-Antenna in 0.13 μm SiGe BiCMOS for Gas Spectroscopy at 222 - 270 GHz

This paper presents a transmitter (TX) and a receiver (RX) with bowtie-antenna and silicon lens for gas spectroscopy at 222-270 GHz, which are fabricated in IHP’s 0.13 μm SiGe BiCMOS technology. The TX and RX use two integrated local oscillators for 222 – 256 GHz and 250 – 270 GHz, which are switched for dual-band operation. Due to its directivity of about 27 dBi, the single integrated bowtie-antenna with silicon lens enables an EIRP of about 25 dBm for the TX, and therefore a considerably higher EIRP for the 2-band TX compared to previously reported systems. The double sideband noise temperature of the RX is 20,000 K (18.5 dB noise figure) as measured by the Y-factor method. Absorption spectroscopy of gaseous methanol is used as a measure for the performance of the gas spectroscopy system with TX- and RX-modules