CHEMICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF SOME SWEET POTATO VARIETIES

This investigation was carried out to evaluate the chemical characteristics of new eight sweet potato varieties namely, CEMSA 74-228, SANTO AMARA, NC 1525 and KEMB 37 (creamy flesh) and JAPON TRESMESINO, LO 323, TAINUNG 64 and BEAUREGARD (yellow flesh ), and study their suitability for processing. The obtained re-sults reveal that SANTO AMARA and KEMB37 varieties were the best ones having the highest content of chemical constituents compared with those of the other studied creamy flesh sweet pota-to varieties. Moreover, 140 days from planting was the best harvesting time that achieved the highest chemical characteristics. All selected creamy sweet potato varieties had adequate miner-als contents especially, KEMB 37 followed by NC 1525 and CEMSA 74-228 then SANTO AMARA varieties that could be considered good sources of minerals for human nutrition. Yellow flesh sweet potatoes have been recognized as valuable sources of carbohydrates, protein, dietary fibers and could be considered as good sources of both vitamin C and total carotenoids. Moreover, TAINUNG 64 and LO 323 were found to be good sources of β-carotene (pro- vitamin A). The more suitable har-vesting time for yellow sweet potato varieties, which recorded the highest levels of essential ele-ments, was 140 days from planting. On the other hand, TAINUNG 64 variety could be considered the best one compared to the other examined vari-ties. The most suitable varieties that having good quality attributes for processing were SANTO AMARA and KEMB 37 as creamy flesh and TAINUNG 64 and BEAUREGARD as yellow flesh sweet potato varieties. Moreover, these va-rieties could be successfully used in the produc-tion of new and untraditional sweet potato prod-ucts

Evaluation of Galanin Expression in Colorectal Cancer: An Immunohistochemical and Transcriptomic Study

Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents around 10% of all cancers, with an increasing incidence in the younger age group. The gut is considered a unique organ with its distinctive neuronal supply. The neuropeptide, human galanin, is widely distributed in the colon and expressed in many cancers, including the CRC. The current study aimed to explore the role of galanin at different stages of CRC. Eighty-one CRC cases (TNM stages I – IV) were recruited, and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples were analyzed for the expression of galanin and galanin receptor 1 (GALR1) by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Galanin intensity was significantly lower in stage IV (n= 6) in comparison to other stages (p= 0.037 using the Mann-Whitney U test). Whole transcriptomics analysis using NGS was performed for selected samples based on the galanin expression by IHC [early (n=5) with high galanin expression and late (n=6) with low galanin expression]. Five differentially regulated pathways (using Absolute GSEA) were identified as drivers for tumor progression and associated with higher galanin expression, namely, cell cycle, cell division, autophagy, transcriptional regulation of TP53, and immune system process. The top shared genes among the upregulated pathways are AURKA, BIRC5, CCNA1, CCNA2, CDC25C, CDK2, CDK6, EREG, LIG3, PIN1, TGFB1, TPX2. The results were validated using real-time PCR carried out on four cell lines [two primaries (HCT116 and HT29) and two metastatic (LoVo and SK-Co-1)]. The current study shows galanin as a potential negative biomarker. Galanin downregulation is correlated with advanced CRC staging and linked to cell cycle and division, autophagy, transcriptional regulation of TP53 and immune system response

EVALUATION OF RED CABBAGE ANTHOCYANIN PIGMENTS AND ITS POTENTIAL USES AS ANTIOXIDANT AND NATURAL FOOD COLORANTS

Anthocyanins derived from red cabbage were extracted, and identified by using HPLC. These pigments are used as alternative natural red colorants in some processed foods i.e.; hard candy; jelly and ice sherbets. They are also effect of using as natural antioxidant on sunflower oil. Red cabbage has 90.5 mg anthocyanin /100 gm on fresh weights. Where the major constituents were cyaniding-3-diglucoside-5-glucoside (80%) and cyanidin 3, 5 diglucoside (20%) with HPLC. The best carrier for red cabbage anthocyanin pigment was found to be dextrin followed by cellulose, soluble starch and glucose respectively. On the other hand, color and higher pigment stability of anthocyanin derived from red cabbage were in acidic condition at pH ranged between 1.0 to 4.0 and in temperatures ranged between 40 to 80ºC. Meanwhile, the degradation of anthocyanin being 10% of total pigments after 180 min at 100ºC. Antioxidant activities of red cabbage anthocyanin were assessed by determining peroxide value on sunflower oil during 7 days at 60ºC. Sunflower oil contained 200 ppm red cabbage extract showed lower peroxide value being (9.92) than using 200 ppm synthetic antioxidant (BHT) (10.12) meq/Kg. Analysis of variance for sensory evaluation of prepared hard candy, jelly and ice sherbets indicated that, hard candy, jelly contained 0.10% and ice sherbets contained 0.20% red cabbage anthocyanin pigments revealed the highest score of color, taste, odor and overall acceptability similar with synthetic color (carmine)

Ultrasound guided closed pleural biopsy versus medical thoracoscopic pleural biopsy in diagnosis of pleural diseases

AbstractBackgroundThe diagnostic approach to pleural disease remains an underappreciated aspect of modern thoracic medicine, despite the fact that pleural disease affects approximately 300 subjects per 100,000 population per year worldwide. Tissue biopsies required for diagnosis can be obtained by various methods; blind pleural biopsy, guided biopsy, medical thoracoscopic or surgical pleural biopsy.Aim of the workTo compare the diagnostic efficiency, reliability, complications and advantages of transthoracic ultrasound guided (TUS) pleural biopsies with those of medical thoracoscopic pleural biopsies in patients with pleural diseases.Patients and methodsThis study included 71 patients with pleural disease. All patients were subjected to complete history taking, full clinical examination, CT chest, TUS examination with TUS guided biopsies for legible cases and medical thoracoscopic biopsies for legible cases. The patients included in the study were classified according to the procedure by which pleural biopsy was divided into 3 groups: Group 1 (39 patients underwent medical thoracoscopic pleural biopsies alone), Group 2 (10 patients underwent TUS pleural biopsies alone), Group 3 (22 patients underwent pleural biopsies by both techniques). The patients included in the study were classified according to the pathology of the lesions into Group A (51 patients with malignant lesions) and Group B (included 20 patients with non-malignant lesions). The malignant patients included in the study were classified according to the pathology of the lesions into Group A1 (24 patients with primary malignant lesions) and Group A2 (27 patients cases with secondary malignant lesions).ResultsTUS guided pleural biopsies had a sensitivity of 77.78% and diagnostic accuracy of 81.25%; while medical thoracoscopic pleural biopsies had a sensitivity of 94% and a diagnostic accuracy of 95.08%.ConclusionBoth TUS guided pleural biopsy and medical thoracoscopic pleural biopsy are available to diagnose different pleural lesions each of which has its advantages and disadvantages. The proper selection of the patients for each modality will result in raising the diagnostic yield of both modalities. TUS examination before medical thoracoscopy will allow proper selection of patients, reduce incidence of complications, guide for the best site of entry and raisethe diagnostic yield of medical thoracoscopy

Selective Neck Dissection (IIa, III): A Rational Replacement for Extended Supraomohyoid Neck Dissection in Patients with N0 Supraglottic and Glottic Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Introduction: To evaluate the effectiveness of selective neck dissection of sublevel IIa and level III in cases of glottis and supraglottic laryngeal carcinoma in the absence of lymph node metastasis and to show if there is value in dissecting the sublevel IIb or level IV in these cases.Methods: Twenty-five patients with N0 glottic or supraglottic cancer were subjected to unilateral or bilateral selective neck dissection according to the site and the extent of the tumor, and the specimens were histopathologically examined for metastasis.Results: Twenty-five patients (23 males and 2 females) with mean age of 55.72 years were included in the study. Lymph node metastasis to sublevel IIa and level III was found in 6/25 (24%) cases with glottic or supraglottic carcinoma, while to sublevel IIb and level IV was found in 1/25 (4%) with P-value of 0.05, which is statistically significant.Conclusion: Selective neck dissection of level IIb is not required in cases of the supraglottic laryngeal cancer. Dissection of sublevel IIa and level III takes less time and is effective. Dissection of level IV is not needed in the case of supraglottic cancer.Der Erstautor gibt keinen Interessenkonflikt an