THE EFFECT OF BIO-FERTILIZERS AND AMINO ACIDS ON TOMATO PRODUCTION AND WATER PRODUCTIVITY UNDER NET-HOUSE CONDITIONS

The present  study was carried out during two successive seasons, 2011/2012 and 2012/2013, at the Agricultural Research Station; El-Otouria, Sheehaniya, Doha, Qatar; to investigate the response of  two tomato cultivars (Isabella and Milas) to biofertilizers and amino acids. Two biofertilizer treatments, rizobacterien at a rate of 2 and 4 liter per feddan and one of amino acid (Delfan) at a rate of 200 ppm, were used. Chicken manure, at a rate of 10 tons/ feddan, was the control treatment. Results showed the superiority of Isabella compared to Milas in terms of vegetative growth and fruit yield. Using Rizobacterien at a rate of 4 liter/feddan plus Delfan (amino acids) at a rate of 200 ppm  increased growth and fruit chemical characters, earliness and total yield. The average fruit weight per plant was significantly high under Rizobacteria at a rate of 4 liter/feddan plus Delfan (amino acids) at a rate of 200 ppm. The lowest vegetative growth, fruit and yield characters were obtained from Rizobacteria at a rate of 2 liter/feddan. The water productivity results showed that all treatments led to the increase of fruit yield. Isabella cultivar had higher water productivity than Milas cultivar. Using of Rizobacterien at a rate of four liter/feddan also increased the water productivity. The same trend was obtained by using Delfan at a rate of 200 ppm. Concerning water productivity, Isabella cultivar had higher water productivity 16.7 and 17.2 kg of tomato fruits per cubic meter of irrigation water (m3) compared with Milas cultivar which produced15.9 and 16.5 kg tomato fruits per cubic meter of irrigation water for first and second seasons, respectively. Isabella cultivar plus amino acid (Delfan) gave the highest water productivity 19.1 and 19.7 kg of tomato fruits per m3 water for first and second seasons, respectively compared the other treatments

TRPV1 in Brain Is Involved in Acetaminophen-Induced Antinociception

Background: Acetaminophen, the major active metabolite of acetanilide in man, has become one of the most popular overthe- counter analgesic and antipyretic agents, consumed by millions of people daily. However, its mechanism of action is still a matter of debate. We have previously shown that acetaminophen is further metabolized to N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z-eicosatetraenamide (AM404) by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) in the rat and mouse brain and that this metabolite is a potent activator of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) in vitro. Pharmacological activation of TRPV1 in the midbrain periaqueductal gray elicits antinociception in rats. It is therefore possible that activation of TRPV1 in the brain contributes to the analgesic effect of acetaminophen. Methodology/Principal Findings: Here we show that the antinociceptive effect of acetaminophen at an oral dose lacking hypolocomotor activity is absent in FAAH and TRPV1 knockout mice in the formalin, tail immersion and von Frey tests. This dose of acetaminophen did not affect the global brain contents of prostaglandin E-2 (PGE(2)) and endocannabinoids. Intracerebroventricular injection of AM404 produced a TRPV1-mediated antinociceptive effect in the mouse formalin test. Pharmacological inhibition of TRPV1 in the brain by intracerebroventricular capsazepine injection abolished the antinociceptive effect of oral acetaminophen in the same test. Conclusions: This study shows that TRPV1 in brain is involved in the antinociceptive action of acetaminophen and provides a strategy for developing central nervous system active oral analgesics based on the coexpression of FAAH and TRPV1 in the brain

EPIdemiology of Surgery-Associated Acute Kidney Injury (EPIS-AKI) : Study protocol for a multicentre, observational trial

More than 300 million surgical procedures are performed each year. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication after major surgery and is associated with adverse short-term and long-term outcomes. However, there is a large variation in the incidence of reported AKI rates. The establishment of an accurate epidemiology of surgery-associated AKI is important for healthcare policy, quality initiatives, clinical trials, as well as for improving guidelines. The objective of the Epidemiology of Surgery-associated Acute Kidney Injury (EPIS-AKI) trial is to prospectively evaluate the epidemiology of AKI after major surgery using the latest Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) consensus definition of AKI. EPIS-AKI is an international prospective, observational, multicentre cohort study including 10 000 patients undergoing major surgery who are subsequently admitted to the ICU or a similar high dependency unit. The primary endpoint is the incidence of AKI within 72 hours after surgery according to the KDIGO criteria. Secondary endpoints include use of renal replacement therapy (RRT), mortality during ICU and hospital stay, length of ICU and hospital stay and major adverse kidney events (combined endpoint consisting of persistent renal dysfunction, RRT and mortality) at day 90. Further, we will evaluate preoperative and intraoperative risk factors affecting the incidence of postoperative AKI. In an add-on analysis, we will assess urinary biomarkers for early detection of AKI. EPIS-AKI has been approved by the leading Ethics Committee of the Medical Council North Rhine-Westphalia, of the Westphalian Wilhelms-University Münster and the corresponding Ethics Committee at each participating site. Results will be disseminated widely and published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at conferences and used to design further AKI-related trials. Trial registration number NCT04165369

Epidemiology of surgery associated acute kidney injury (EPIS-AKI) : a prospective international observational multi-center clinical study

The incidence, patient features, risk factors and outcomes of surgery-associated postoperative acute kidney injury (PO-AKI) across different countries and health care systems is unclear. We conducted an international prospective, observational, multi-center study in 30 countries in patients undergoing major surgery (> 2-h duration and postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) or high dependency unit admission). The primary endpoint was the occurrence of PO-AKI within 72 h of surgery defined by the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria. Secondary endpoints included PO-AKI severity and duration, use of renal replacement therapy (RRT), mortality, and ICU and hospital length of stay. We studied 10,568 patients and 1945 (18.4%) developed PO-AKI (1236 (63.5%) KDIGO stage 1500 (25.7%) KDIGO stage 2209 (10.7%) KDIGO stage 3). In 33.8% PO-AKI was persistent, and 170/1945 (8.7%) of patients with PO-AKI received RRT in the ICU. Patients with PO-AKI had greater ICU (6.3% vs. 0.7%) and hospital (8.6% vs. 1.4%) mortality, and longer ICU (median 2 (Q1-Q3, 1-3) days vs. 3 (Q1-Q3, 1-6) days) and hospital length of stay (median 14 (Q1-Q3, 9-24) days vs. 10 (Q1-Q3, 7-17) days). Risk factors for PO-AKI included older age, comorbidities (hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease), type, duration and urgency of surgery as well as intraoperative vasopressors, and aminoglycosides administration. In a comprehensive multinational study, approximately one in five patients develop PO-AKI after major surgery. Increasing severity of PO-AKI is associated with a progressive increase in adverse outcomes. Our findings indicate that PO-AKI represents a significant burden for health care worldwide

Epidemiology of surgery associated acute kidney injury (EPIS-AKI): a prospective international observational multi-center clinical study

Purpose: The incidence, patient features, risk factors and outcomes of surgery-associated postoperative acute kidney injury (PO-AKI) across different countries and health care systems is unclear. Methods: We conducted an international prospective, observational, multi-center study in 30 countries in patients undergoing major surgery (> 2-h duration and postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) or high dependency unit admission). The primary endpoint was the occurrence of PO-AKI within 72 h of surgery defined by the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria. Secondary endpoints included PO-AKI severity and duration, use of renal replacement therapy (RRT), mortality, and ICU and hospital length of stay. Results: We studied 10,568 patients and 1945 (18.4%) developed PO-AKI (1236 (63.5%) KDIGO stage 1500 (25.7%) KDIGO stage 2209 (10.7%) KDIGO stage 3). In 33.8% PO-AKI was persistent, and 170/1945 (8.7%) of patients with PO-AKI received RRT in the ICU. Patients with PO-AKI had greater ICU (6.3% vs. 0.7%) and hospital (8.6% vs. 1.4%) mortality, and longer ICU (median 2 (Q1-Q3, 1-3) days vs. 3 (Q1-Q3, 1-6) days) and hospital length of stay (median 14 (Q1-Q3, 9-24) days vs. 10 (Q1-Q3, 7-17) days). Risk factors for PO-AKI included older age, comorbidities (hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease), type, duration and urgency of surgery as well as intraoperative vasopressors, and aminoglycosides administration. Conclusion: In a comprehensive multinational study, approximately one in five patients develop PO-AKI after major surgery. Increasing severity of PO-AKI is associated with a progressive increase in adverse outcomes. Our findings indicate that PO-AKI represents a significant burden for health care worldwide

Role of Th-1 cell cytokines, leukemia inhibitory factor and hoxA genes in women with recurrent pregnancy loss

Objective: Immunological problems have been identified as a potential cause of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Th-1 cell cytokines, leukemia inhibitory factor and hoxA genes in women with RPL. Materials & methods: A prospective, case-control study conducted in Assiut Women Health Hospital, Egypt included 37 women presented with a history of RPL. Samples of uterine flush and endometrial biopsy were taken during the implantation window from those confirmed as not pregnant. Cytokine (LIF and Th1 induced) levels were measured by ELISA, while hoxA10 and hoxA11 gene expression was evaluated by Taq-man Real Time PCR. Results: Higher cytokine mean levels were seen in the RPL group when compared to the control group (TNF-α and LIF cytokines, p ≤ 0.001; INF-γ and IL2 cytokines, p ≤ 0.01). The opposite was true with regards to gene expression, with lower means in both sets found in the RPL group (hoxA11, p ≤ 0.000). A statistically significant positive correlation between INF-γ and TNF-α, hoxA10 and hoxA11, as well as between LIF and hoxA11 was demonstrated. Conclusion: This study suggests that women with a history of RPL can have abnormal cytokine and gene expression even when not pregnant. Our findings can be a basis for providing of future successful immunological therapy for women with RPL