In vitro evaluation of biocontrol agents and fungicides on wood decay fungiganoderma associated with mortality of tree legumes

An experiment was conducted to isolate a number of biocontrol agent- Trichoderma spp. from infected spawn packets of oyster mushroom at National Mushroom Development and Extension Centre, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. These bio-control agents were used as antagonist against four wild wood decay fungi of Ganoderma, viz., G. lucidum-1, G. lucidum-2, G. lucidum-3, G. applanatum and two cultivated G. lucidum-4, G.lucidum-6 under in vitro condition. An in vitro trial of Trichoderma spp. against Ganoderma were performed by dual culture, by treating with volatile, non-volatile and naturally untreated metabolites of bio-control agents. In dual culture, all the Trichoderma species showed 70- 100% mycelia inhibition of G. lucidum-1 and G. lucidum-2, 55.6-100% inhibition of G. lucidum-3, 20-66.7% of G. applanatum, 100% of G. lucidum-5, 75-100% of G. lucidum-6. Effects of heat killed extracts of Trichoderma spp. on growth of G. lucidum-2 (wild) and G. lucidum-6 (cultivated) were also evaluated. Fungicides Bavistin and Dithane M-45 were also used to investigate the mycelial growth inhibition of Ganoderma spp.Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 6 (2): 31-35, December, 201

Fatty liver disease in Sudan is not alcohol related

Background: The finding of fatty liver disease (FLD) has generally been assumed to be a consequence of ethanol ingestion. However, non- alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) was identified as a specific entity. Although FLD is generally nonprogressive or only slowly progressive, cirrhosis and HCC can develop. Objectives: The aim of this study is to find out the prevalence, clinical presentation and aetiology of FLD in Sudanese patients. Methods: This is a descriptive cross sectional study which included 100 patients with FLD detected by ultrasonography at the national center for gastro-intestinal and liver diseases. Data was collected using a well designed questionnaire and results were analyzed by using SPSS computer system. Results: Out of 1800 patients with liver disease, 100 were found to have FLD. These have no sex difference. Their mean age was 49.8 ±15.2 years. The main presenting symptoms were upper abdominal pain (60%) and fatigability in (41%). while (7%) were asymptomatic. Hepatomegaly was clinically detected in (44%). Ninety out of these 100 patients had non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In this group (42%) were diabetics and (55%) had hyperlipidemia. A BMI of > 25kg/m2 was detected in 47% of patients. In patients with FLD and a BM

Symptomatology of fungal competitors on oyster mushrooms spawn packets and in vitro evaluation using phytoextracts and a fungicide

An experiment was conducted to find out the fungal competitors and symptom studies in damaged Oyster Mushroom spawn packets at National Mushroom Development and Extension Center, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. A total of nine fungal competitors of oyster mushroom were isolated and identified namely- Trichoderma harzianum Rifai, T. viride Pers. (Green strain), T. viride Pers. (Yellow strain), T. koningii Oudem, Mucor hiemalis Wehmer, Papulaspora byssina Hotson, Neurospora sp. Shear and B.O. Dodge., Aspergillus flavus Link., and Botryodiplodia theobromae Pat. on the basis of microscopic, morphological and cultural characteristics. To produce oyster mushroom in an eco-friendly manner and to find out their antifungal potency, 23 plant species belonging to 19 families were screened out against isolated nine fungal competitors of oyster mushroom. Among 23 extracts, the maximum (44%) mycelial inhibition of T. harzianum was found due to Aegle marmelos whereas Eclipta alba showed the highest mycelial inhibition (62%) of T. viride (Green strain); in case of T. viride (Yellow strain), Cassia tora exhibited the highest mycelial inhibition (39%); Diospyros cordifolia showed the maximum mycelial inhibition (48%) of T. koningii; Curcuma longa (rhizome) gave the maximum mycelial inhibition (90%) of Neurospora sp. There were no significant effects found to control of P. byssina, B. theobromae, M. hiemalis and A. flavus due to 23 different types of botanicals tested. Trichoderma harzianum, T. viride (Green strain), T. viride (Yellow strain), T. koningii, A. flavus, Neurospora sp. and P. byssina was successfully inhibited by 30, 50 and 70 ppm of fungicide-Bavistin 50 WP but B. theobromae and M. hiemalis were not affected by Bavistin at mentioned concentration.Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 6 (2): 24-30, December, 201

Genetic diversity in grain quality and nutrition of aromatic rices

The study was conducted at Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Gazipur in 2005 to assess the genetic divergence of aromatic rices for grain quality and nutrition aspects. Forty genotypes composedof 32 local aromatic, five exotic aromatic and three non-aromatic rice varieties were used. Univariate and multivariate analyses were done. Enormous variations were observed in majority of characters viz.grain length, breadth, kernel weight, milling yield, kernel length, L/B ratio of kernel, volume expansion ratio (VER), protein content, amylose content, elongation ratio (ER) and cooking time. In multivariateanalysis, genotypes were grouped into six clusters. In the discriminant function analysis (DFA), function 1 alone absorbed 61.7% of the total variance. The most contributing variables were kernel weight, kernel length and L/B ratio in function 1. The inter-cluster D2 value was maximum (26.53) between I and VI followed by 21.28 (between I and V). Minimum D2 value was found (5.90) between II and III. Majority of the local aromatic rice varieties with smaller kernels were included in the cluster I. The cluster III contains Elai, sarwati and sugandha-1 with long-slender kernel and ‘very good’ appearance. Thus, these varieties can be used in breeding programme for improvement of germplasms in cluster-I

Virus free seed potato production through sprout cutting technique under net-house

In order to evaluate the performance of sprout cutting for seed potato production against virus infection, a study was conducted at Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) Foundation Seed Potato Production Farm, Domar, Nilphamary, Bangladesh in 2005 - 2006. Sprout cut seedlings were grown under three production practices viz. Net-house practice, BADC practice and farmers’ practice. Sprout cutting technique was proved to be an effective method of seed potato production against potato virus Y (PVY) and potato leaf roll virus (PLRV). The incidence of PVY and PLRV was detected as nil in net-house practice. However, PVY and PLRV were prevalent in BADC practice and farmers’ practice although, BADC practice performed better over farmers’ practice. Yield of seed potato and non-seed tubers along with yield attributes were found to be higher in all the five varieties (Diamant, Baraka, Asterix, Raja and Provento) in net-house practice followed by BADC practice and farmers’ practice. Among the varieties Diamant, Asterix and Raja seemed to be better in performance as compared to the others. In most of the cases net-house practice differed significantly (p = 0.05) with the others.Keywords: Potato virus Y, potato leaf roll virus, seed potato, sprout cuttingAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 9(36), pp. 5852-5858, 6 September, 201

Connexin-43 upregulation in micrometastases and tumor vasculature and its role in tumor cell attachment to pulmonary endothelium

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The modulation of gap junctional communication between tumor cells and between tumor and vascular endothelial cells during tumorigenesis and metastasis is complex. The notion of a role for loss of gap junctional intercellular communication in tumorigenesis and metastasis has been controversial. While some of the stages of tumorigenesis and metastasis, such as uncontrolled cell division and cellular detachment, would necessitate the loss of intercellular junctions, other stages, such as intravasation, endothelial attachment, and vascularization, likely require increased cell-cell contact. We hypothesized that, in this multi-stage scheme, connexin-43 is centrally involved as a cell adhesion molecule mediating metastatic tumor attachment to the pulmonary endothelium.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Tumor cell attachment to pulmonary vasculature, tumor growth, and connexin-43 expression was studied in metastatic lung tumor sections obtained after tail-vein injection into nude mice of syngeneic breast cancer cell lines, overexpressing wild type connexin-43 or dominant-negatively mutated connexin-43 proteins. High-resolution immunofluorescence microscopy and Western blot analysis was performed using a connexin-43 monoclonal antibody. Calcein Orange Red AM dye transfer by fluorescence imaging was used to evaluate the gap junction function.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Adhesion of breast cancer cells to the pulmonary endothelium increased with cancer cells overexpressing connexin-43 and markedly decreased with cells expressing dominant-negative connexin-43. Upregulation of connexin-43 was observed in tumor cell-endothelial cell contact areas <it>in vitro </it>and <it>in vivo</it>, and in areas of intratumor blood vessels and in micrometastatic foci.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Connexin-43 facilitates metastatic 'homing' by increasing adhesion of cancer cells to the lung endothelial cells. The marked upregulation of connexin-43 in tumor cell-endothelial cell contact areas, whether in preexisting 'homing' vessels or in newly formed tumor vessels, suggests that connexin-43 can serve as a potential marker of micrometastases and tumor vasculature and that it may play a role in the early incorporation of endothelial cells into small tumors as seeds for vasculogenesis.</p

Evaluation of appendicitis risk prediction models in adults with suspected appendicitis

Background Appendicitis is the most common general surgical emergency worldwide, but its diagnosis remains challenging. The aim of this study was to determine whether existing risk prediction models can reliably identify patients presenting to hospital in the UK with acute right iliac fossa (RIF) pain who are at low risk of appendicitis. Methods A systematic search was completed to identify all existing appendicitis risk prediction models. Models were validated using UK data from an international prospective cohort study that captured consecutive patients aged 16–45 years presenting to hospital with acute RIF in March to June 2017. The main outcome was best achievable model specificity (proportion of patients who did not have appendicitis correctly classified as low risk) whilst maintaining a failure rate below 5 per cent (proportion of patients identified as low risk who actually had appendicitis). Results Some 5345 patients across 154 UK hospitals were identified, of which two‐thirds (3613 of 5345, 67·6 per cent) were women. Women were more than twice as likely to undergo surgery with removal of a histologically normal appendix (272 of 964, 28·2 per cent) than men (120 of 993, 12·1 per cent) (relative risk 2·33, 95 per cent c.i. 1·92 to 2·84; P < 0·001). Of 15 validated risk prediction models, the Adult Appendicitis Score performed best (cut‐off score 8 or less, specificity 63·1 per cent, failure rate 3·7 per cent). The Appendicitis Inflammatory Response Score performed best for men (cut‐off score 2 or less, specificity 24·7 per cent, failure rate 2·4 per cent). Conclusion Women in the UK had a disproportionate risk of admission without surgical intervention and had high rates of normal appendicectomy. Risk prediction models to support shared decision‐making by identifying adults in the UK at low risk of appendicitis were identified

In vitro evaluation of biocontrol agents and fungicides on wood decay fungiganoderma associated with mortality of tree legumes

An experiment was conducted to isolate a number of biocontrol agent- Trichoderma spp. from infected spawn packets of oyster mushroom at National Mushroom Development and Extension Centre, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. These bio-control agents were used as antagonist against four wild wood decay fungi of Ganoderma, viz., G. lucidum-1, G. lucidum-2, G. lucidum-3, G. applanatum and two cultivated G. lucidum-4, G.lucidum-6 under in vitro condition. An in vitro trial of Trichoderma spp. against Ganoderma were performed by dual culture, by treating with volatile, non-volatile and naturally untreated metabolites of bio-control agents. In dual culture, all the Trichoderma species showed 70- 100% mycelia inhibition of G. lucidum-1 and G. lucidum-2, 55.6-100% inhibition of G. lucidum-3, 20-66.7% of G. applanatum, 100% of G. lucidum-5, 75-100% of G. lucidum-6. Effects of heat killed extracts of Trichoderma spp. on growth of G. lucidum-2 (wild) and G. lucidum-6 (cultivated) were also evaluated. Fungicides Bavistin and Dithane M-45 were also used to investigate the mycelial growth inhibition of Ganoderma spp.Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. &amp; Tech. 6 (2): 31-35, December, 201