Effect of pollination time, the hour of daytime, pollen storage temperature and duration on pollen viability, germinability, and fruit set of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) cv "Deglet Nour"

Success artificial pollination with viable pollen is crucial process in the production chain of date palms. This study evaluated the impact of pollen storage temperature and duration, pollination time following spathe cracking, and the hour of daytime on pollen viability, germinability, fruit set and yield of 'Deglet Nour' date palm cultivar. In in vitro tests, fresh pollen showed the maximum viability (96.3%) and germination (85%) but it decreased thereafter upon the storage temperature (28, 4 and-30 degrees C) and duration (3, 6, 9 and 12 months). In this respect, pollen stored at-30 degrees C retained highest viability and germinability followed by those stored at 4 and then at 28 degrees C. In filed experiments, fruit set was 85, 75, 65, and 45% with pollination using fresh pollen, or pollen stored at-30, 4 and 28 degrees C, respectively. Fruit set was 95%, 75%, and less than 50%, for pollination performed on the same day of spathe cracking, 6 and 12 days later, respectively. The highest fruit set percentage and yield/bunch were obtained with pollination performed between 12.0 pm and 15.0 pm in contrast to 8.0-11.0 am or 16.0-17.0. (c) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Versatile synthesis of Pd and Cu Co-doped porous carbon nitride nanowires for catalytic CO oxidation reaction

Developing efficient catalyst for CO oxidation at low-temperature is crucial in various industrial and environmental remediation applications. Herein, we present a versatile approach for controlled synthesis of carbon nitride nanowires (CN NWs) doped with palladium and copper (Pd/Cu/CN NWs) for CO oxidation reactions. This is based on the polymerization of melamine by nitric acid in the presence of metal-precursors followed by annealing under nitrogen. This intriguingly drove the formation of well-defined, one-dimensional nanowires architecture with a high surface area (120 m2 g?1) and doped atomically with Pd and Cu. The newly-designed Pd/Cu/CN NWs fully converted CO to CO2 at 149�C, that was substantially more active than that of Pd/CN NWs (283�C) and Cu/CN NWs (329�C). Moreover, Pd/Cu/CN NWs fully reserved their initial CO oxidation activity after 20 h. This is mainly attributed to the combination between the unique catalytic properties of Pd/Cu and outstanding physicochemical properties of CN NWs, which tune the adsorption energies of CO reactant and reaction product during the CO oxidation reaction. The as-developed method may open new frontiers on using CN NWs supported various noble metals for CO oxidation reaction. � 2018 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.This research was funded by Qatar National Research Fund 7-485-1-091

Effect of flowering stage and storage conditions on pollen quality of six male date palm genotypes

Availability of efficient male genotypes is critical for successful artificial pollination and regular bearing of female date palms. The effect of flowering stage and storage conditions on pollen quality of six male date palm genotypes encoded 'ABD1', 'P4', 'P3', 'P8', 'P7' and 'P13'were evaluated. Pollen collected from spathes developed at the middle of flowering stage exhibited the best viability (90%) and germinability (85%) compared to other stages. Pollen viability was greater than 90%, except for 'P8' that exhibited 80%, while, germinability greatly varied among the genotypes. Pollen quality decreased during 4 months of storage upon genotype and temperature, with a minimum reduction at -30 degrees C followed by 4 degrees C. Heat shock exposure (33 +/- 2 degrees C) following storage revealed that pollen stored at -30 degrees C or 4 degrees C should be used for pollination on the same day of take out to avoid dramatic quality loss. The 'ABD1', an early flowering genotype, proved highest pollen quality both at fresh stage and after storage. While, the 'P3', a late flowering genotype, retained its pollen quality during storage. However, the 'P13' genotype exhibited excellent pollen quality when fresh, but greatly loses germinability during storage. (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University

Versatile Synthesis of Pd and Cu Co-Doped Porous Carbon Nitride Nanowires for Catalytic CO Oxidation Reaction

Developing efficient catalyst for CO oxidation at low-temperature is crucial in various industrial and environmental remediation applications. Herein, we present a versatile approach for controlled synthesis of carbon nitride nanowires (CN NWs) doped with palladium and copper (Pd/Cu/CN NWs) for CO oxidation reactions. This is based on the polymerization of melamine by nitric acid in the presence of metal-precursors followed by annealing under nitrogen. This intriguingly drove the formation of well-defined, one-dimensional nanowires architecture with a high surface area (120 m2 g−1) and doped atomically with Pd and Cu. The newly-designed Pd/Cu/CN NWs fully converted CO to CO2 at 149 °C, that was substantially more active than that of Pd/CN NWs (283 °C) and Cu/CN NWs (329 °C). Moreover, Pd/Cu/CN NWs fully reserved their initial CO oxidation activity after 20 h. This is mainly attributed to the combination between the unique catalytic properties of Pd/Cu and outstanding physicochemical properties of CN NWs, which tune the adsorption energies of CO reactant and reaction product during the CO oxidation reaction. The as-developed method may open new frontiers on using CN NWs supported various noble metals for CO oxidation reaction

Frequency of Agranulocytosis and Mild Neutropenia During Deferiprone Therapy in Clinical Practice

54th Annual Meeting and Exposition of the American-Society-of-Hematology (ASH) -- DEC 08-11, 2012 -- Atlanta, GAWOS: 000314049600309…Amer Soc Hematol (ASH

Modeling the Effects of Cypermethrin Toxicity on Ovalbumin-Induced Allergic Pneumonitis Rats: Macrophage Phenotype Differentiation and p38/STAT6 Signaling Are Candidate Targets of Pirfenidone Treatment

Although the classic form of asthma is characterized by chronic pneumonitis with eosinophil infiltration and steroid responsivity, asthma has multifactorial pathogenesis and various clinical phenotypes. Previous studies strongly suggested that chemical exposure could influence the severity and course of asthma and reduce its steroid responsiveness. Cypermethrin (CYP), a common pesticide used in agriculture, was investigated for the possible aggravation of the ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic pneumonitis and the possible induction of steroid resistance in rats. Additionally, it was investigated whether pirfenidone (PFD) could substitute dexamethasone, as an alternative treatment option, for the induced steroid resistance. Fifty-six male Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into seven groups: control, PFD alone, allergic pneumonitis, CYP alone, allergic pneumonitis/CYP-exposed, allergic pneumonitis/CYP/dexamethasone (Dex), and allergic pneumonitis/CYP/PFD-treated groups. Allergic pneumonitis was induced by three intraperitoneal OVA injections administered once a week, followed by an intranasal OVA instillation challenge. CYP (25 mg/kg/d), Dex (1 mg/kg/d), and PFD (100 mg/kg/d) were administered orally from day 15 to the end of the experiment. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was analyzed for cytokine levels. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and periodic acid Schiff (PAS)-stained lung sections were prepared. Immunohistochemical identification of p38 MAPK and lung macrophages was performed. The inflammatory/oxidative status of the lung and PCR-quantification of the STAT6, p38 MAPK, MUC5AC, and IL-13 genes were carried out. The allergic pneumonitis-only group showed eosinophil-mediated inflammation (p p p < 0.05) by PFD, meanwhile not by dexamethasone treatment. Pirfenidone could replace dexamethasone treatment in the current rat model of CYP-induced severe steroid-resistant asthma via inhibiting the M1 macrophage differentiation through modulation of the STAT6/p38 MAPK pathway

Deviating from safety guidelines during deferiprone therapy in clinical practice may not be associated with higher risk of agranulocytosis

BackgroundA risk associated with the iron chelator deferiprone is the development of neutropenia or agranulocytosis. Accordingly, the product label recommends weekly blood monitoring and immediate interruption of treatment upon detection of an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) <1.5x10(9)/L, out of concern that continued therapy might lead to a more severe drop. However, it is uncertain how these recommendations are followed under real-life conditions and, if they are not followed, whether continuation of therapy results in increased incidence of agranulocytosis

Efficacy of interferon beta-1a plus remdesivir compared with remdesivir alone in hospitalised adults with COVID-19: a double-bind, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial

Functional impairment of interferon, a natural antiviral component of the immune system, is associated with the pathogenesis and severity of COVID-19. We aimed to compare the efficacy of interferon beta-1a in combination with remdesivir compared with remdesivir alone in hospitalised patients with COVID-19. We did a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial at 63 hospitals across five countries (Japan, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, and the USA). Eligible patients were hospitalised adults (aged ≥18 years) with SARS-CoV-2 infection, as confirmed by a positive RT-PCR test, and who met one of the following criteria suggestive of lower respiratory tract infection: the presence of radiographic infiltrates on imaging, a peripheral oxygen saturation on room air of 94% or less, or requiring supplemental oxygen. Patients were excluded if they had either an alanine aminotransferase or an aspartate aminotransferase concentration more than five times the upper limit of normal; had impaired renal function; were allergic to the study product; were pregnant or breast feeding; were already on mechanical ventilation; or were anticipating discharge from the hospital or transfer to another hospital within 72 h of enrolment. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive intravenous remdesivir as a 200 mg loading dose on day 1 followed by a 100 mg maintenance dose administered daily for up to 9 days and up to four doses of either 44 μg interferon beta-1a (interferon beta-1a group plus remdesivir group) or placebo (placebo plus remdesivir group) administered subcutaneously every other day. Randomisation was stratified by study site and disease severity at enrolment. Patients, investigators, and site staff were masked to interferon beta-1a and placebo treatment; remdesivir treatment was given to all patients without masking. The primary outcome was time to recovery, defined as the first day that a patient attained a category 1, 2, or 3 score on the eight-category ordinal scale within 28 days, assessed in the modified intention-to-treat population, defined as all randomised patients who were classified according to actual clinical severity. Safety was assessed in the as-treated population, defined as all patients who received at least one dose of the assigned treatment. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04492475. Between Aug 5, 2020, and Nov 11, 2020, 969 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to the interferon beta-1a plus remdesivir group (n=487) or to the placebo plus remdesivir group (n=482). The mean duration of symptoms before enrolment was 8·7 days (SD 4·4) in the interferon beta-1a plus remdesivir group and 8·5 days (SD 4·3) days in the placebo plus remdesivir group. Patients in both groups had a time to recovery of 5 days (95% CI not estimable) (rate ratio of interferon beta-1a plus remdesivir group vs placebo plus remdesivir 0·99 [95% CI 0·87–1·13]; p=0·88). The Kaplan-Meier estimate of mortality at 28 days was 5% (95% CI 3–7%) in the interferon beta-1a plus remdesivir group and 3% (2–6%) in the placebo plus remdesivir group (hazard ratio 1·33 [95% CI 0·69–2·55]; p=0·39). Patients who did not require high-flow oxygen at baseline were more likely to have at least one related adverse event in the interferon beta-1a plus remdesivir group (33 [7%] of 442 patients) than in the placebo plus remdesivir group (15 [3%] of 435). In patients who required high-flow oxygen at baseline, 24 (69%) of 35 had an adverse event and 21 (60%) had a serious adverse event in the interferon beta-1a plus remdesivir group compared with 13 (39%) of 33 who had an adverse event and eight (24%) who had a serious adverse event in the placebo plus remdesivir group. Interferon beta-1a plus remdesivir was not superior to remdesivir alone in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. Patients who required high-flow oxygen at baseline had worse outcomes after treatment with interferon beta-1a compared with those given placebo. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (USA)