Yield stability and relationships among parameters in maize

Producing high yielding maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids well-adapted to many environments is the most important goal of the National Maize Research Program in Egypt. Genotype x environment interaction (GEI) continues to be a major challenging issue to plant breeders and production agronomists. The objective of this study was to identify maize hybrids with stable and high yield performance across different location under Egyptian conditions. Five yellow single crosses (SC Sk-149, SC Sk-150, SC Sk-151, SC Gm-111 and SC Gz-312); three red single crosses (SC Sk-1 Red, SC Sk-2 Red and SC Sk-3 Red); and two yellow commercial hybrids (SC 162 and SC 168) were evaluated at five sites in Egypt. Stability parameters for grain yield were performed to estimate both regression coefficient (bi), deviation from regression (S2di) and coefficient of determination (R2). Results showed that mean squares due to environments (E), hybrids (H) and their interaction (H × E) were significant, or highly significant for all traits. The best hybrids were SC Sk-3 Red for earliness, SC Gm-111 for highest plant; and SC Sk-149 and SC Sk-2 Red for resistance to late wilt disease. Superiority percentage for grain yield of two yellow promising crosses SC Gm-111 (22.78 and 19.69%) and SC Sk-150 (11.00 and 8.21%) were significantly out yielded the two checks SC 162 and SC 168, respectively. Four hybrids can be considered stable for grain yield based on the regression coefficient; as well as five hybrids based on deviation from regression and eight hybrids depending on coefficient of determination. Hybrids SC Sk-150 and SC Gm-111 had high grain yield and stable for R2. Mean grain yield was significant and positively correlated with S2di; but not significant with bi and R2. Also, R2 was significant and negatively correlated with S2di, but not significant with bi also bi or with S2di. &nbsp

Effect of Addition Antioxidants to Beef Meatballs on Oil Oxidative Stability during Deep Fat Frying

This study was aimed to investigate the effect addition of antioxidants to meatballs formulation on frying oil oxidative stability during deep fat frying. 200 ppm butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), 2500 ppm rosemary extract (ROS) and 500 ppm ascorbic acid (ASC) were added separately to palm olein to achieve the study. The results showed that the addition of antioxidants to meatballs reduce the increment in refractive index during frying process as compared to control, while the rosemary extract was have the lowest refractive index among the antioxidant containing treatments. In regard to relative viscosity the addition of antioxidants to meatballs results in lower relative viscosity values as compared to control treatment. Since, rosemary extract was exhibited superior ability in reducing the formulation of free fatty acids which increased during the frying process in all treatments with low rates for antioxidant containing treatments. In regard to peroxide value, rosemary extract has been kept peroxide value under the ESS limit for long period (120 min.) followed by BHT containing treatment (90 min.), while ascorbic acid was similar to control in keeping peroxide value under the Codex Stand (No. 210/1999) and ESS (1706/2005) limit (60 min.). Changes in TBA value were observed during the progressing in frying process, the rate of increasing TBA value was low in antioxidant containing treatments as compared to control, also rosemary extract showed the lowest TBA values among all treatments along the frying period. Polymerization of oil ? during the frying process was reduced by addition of antioxidants to meatballs as compared to control, while the lowest polymerization percent was observed in rosemary extract treatment. The results of iodine value exhibited decreasing in iodine value as the frying time increased. Finally the rosemary extract was exhibit superior ability in protection the oil from oxidation during frying process

Spirulina Ameliorates Oxidative Damage and Inflammation in Rotenone-Induced Neurotoxicity in Male Mice

Background: Rotenone, a chemical compound produced naturally by leguminous plants, has conventionally been used as a pesticide by blocking the uptake of oxygen by body cells. Our study aimed to investigate the effect of spirulina on oxidative damage, inflammation, and neurotoxicity in male mice treated by rotenone.Methods: The experimental animals were divided into 5 groups. Group (I) served as control that received Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO); Group (II) mice treated with rotenone (1.5 mg/kg, s.c.3 times per week); Group (III) mice received rotenone/L-dopa (25 mg/kg, P.O. daily); Group (IV) and Group (V) mice were treated with rotenone/spirulina (200 and 400 mg/kg, P.O. daily) respectively for two weeks.Results: Rotenone-treated mice indicated impaired motor coordination and activity in wire hanging, wood walking, open field, and stair tests. Furthermore, rotenone treatment caused elevation in striatal levels of Malondialdehyde (MDA), Nitric Oxide (NO), Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF-α), Interleukin -1 beta (IL-1β), and caspase 3 and decrement in Bcl-2; dopamine and Glutathione (GSH) levels. Moreover, severe neuronal degeneration, striatal DNA fragmentation, and increased striatal 8-OHdG levels and MTH1 expression in the rotenone group. Additionally, spirulina treatment prevented rotenone-induced motor deficits striatal DNA fragmentation and demonstrated good restoration of the substantial neurons with reservation of the typical dark appearance. Besides, rotenone-induced biochemical changes were ameliorated by spirulina treatment as dopamine, Bcl-2, and GSH levels were increased, and striatal MDA, TNF-α, IL-1β, and caspase 3 levels were decreased.Conclusion: Natural products like spirulina could reverse rotenone-induced neurotoxicity in male mice due to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties

Partial dietary fish meal replacement with cotton seed meal and supplementation with exogenous protease alters growth, feed performance, hematological indices and associated gene expression markers (GH, IGF-I) for Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus

A 12-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of different ratios of fish meal (FM): cotton seed meal (CSM) without or with inclusion of exogenous protease in diets on growth performance, hematology, digestibility and selected gene expression markers (GH and I (IGF-I) of juvenile Nile tilapia. The experimental diets were categorized into three groups; the first group CSM1 which contained fish meal protein: cotton seed meal protein (FM: CSM = 2:1), the second group CSM2 which contained FM: CSM = 1:1 and the third one CSM3 contained FM: CSM = 1:2 on protein content based. All groups were supplemented with exogenous protease at 0 and 2500 U kg−1 diet, respectively. All diets were fed to fish (initial body weight 11.62 ± 0.03 g fish−1) in triplicate aquaria twice daily. The higher weight gain (WG), protein efficiency ratio (PER) and best feed conversion ratio (FCR) were recorded by fish fed CSM1 and CSM2 and supplemented with 2500 U protease/kg diet. The highest apparent digestibility coefficient of crude protein, crude lipid and digestible energy, and apparent availability coefficient of essential amino acids were obtained by fish receiving CSM1 and CSM2 supplemented with protease (2500 U protease kg−1 diet). The highest mean values of Hb, Htc and RBCs were recorded in fish fed CSM1 and CSM2 supplemented with protease enzyme (2500 U protease kg−1 diet). Serum of alanine and aspartate aminotransferase activities were improved due to dietary protease (2500 U protease kg−1 diet) supplementation, also, fish received the diets supplemented with protease 2500 U kg−1 diet generally had higher total protein, albumin, calcium and phosphorus than those fed diets without supplement. The highest growth hormone (GH) gene expression in brain and liver of tilapia were obtained in the group fed CSM3 and un-supplemented with protease enzyme followed by CSM2 (un-supplemented). On the other hand, tilapia fed CSM1 and CSM2 supplemented with protease enzyme showed the highest values of gene expression of insulin like growth factor I (IGF-I) in brain and liver of tilapia compared to other groups. Results above showed that supplementation of protease can improve growth, nutrient assimilation, and hematology and alter gene expression of GH and IGF-I of Nile tilapia

Anemia prevalence in women of reproductive age in low- and middle-income countries between 2000 and 2018

Anemia is a globally widespread condition in women and is associated with reduced economic productivity and increased mortality worldwide. Here we map annual 2000–2018 geospatial estimates of anemia prevalence in women of reproductive age (15–49 years) across 82 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), stratify anemia by severity and aggregate results to policy-relevant administrative and national levels. Additionally, we provide subnational disparity analyses to provide a comprehensive overview of anemia prevalence inequalities within these countries and predict progress toward the World Health Organization’s Global Nutrition Target (WHO GNT) to reduce anemia by half by 2030. Our results demonstrate widespread moderate improvements in overall anemia prevalence but identify only three LMICs with a high probability of achieving the WHO GNT by 2030 at a national scale, and no LMIC is expected to achieve the target in all their subnational administrative units. Our maps show where large within-country disparities occur, as well as areas likely to fall short of the WHO GNT, offering precision public health tools so that adequate resource allocation and subsequent interventions can be targeted to the most vulnerable populations.Peer reviewe