In Vitro Screening of Easter Lily (Lilium Longiflorum Thunb) for Resistance to Stem Rot Caused by Phytophthora Cactorum.

Callus cultures were initiated using 0.5 cm bulb scale segments of Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum Thunb) cultured on a medium designated CI-1, which contained (per liter), 4.3 g Murashige and Skoog basal salts, 30 g sucrose, 8 g agar, 0.4 mg Thiamine, 100 mg myo-inositol, 2.5 mg 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 0.1 mg N-(phenyl-methyl)-1-H-purine-6-amine (BA). Calli derived from 3 cultivars of Easter lily, \u27Ace\u27, \u27Harson\u27 and \u27Nellie White\u27, susceptible to the fungus Phytophthora cactorum, were irradiated with UV light (25 erg mm\sp{-2} s\sp{-1}) for 0-28 days at 4 day intervals. The calli were then subcultured for 4 weeks on CI-1 medium containing different concentrations of the fungal-culture filtrates. From a total of 34560 calli, six filtrate-resistant-variants (FRV) were isolated and challenged with the fungus. Results did not suggest that UV treatments enhanced the frequency of resistant calli. About 21% of the calli obtained from FRV calli were resistant to the fungus after callus increase. Plants were regenerated from calli by placing on CI-1 minus growth regulators. Regenerated plants were planted in vitro on 10-day-old fungal cultures, and evaluated after 3 weeks. Eighty percent of the tested plants exhibited resistance and were established in pots. Electrolyte leakage from susceptible and resistant callus tissues was measured after 4 h exposure to culture filtrates. A small, gradual increase in conductance was observed in resistant tissues, before reaching a plateau; however, for susceptible tissues conductance continued to increase throughout the 6-h test period. Calli not exposed to filtrate manifested no change in conductance

Effect of Some Levels from Ziziphus Spina-christi Leaves and Choline on Acute Liver Disease in Rats

The study aims to investigate the effects of diets containing two levels of Ziziphus Spina-christi leaves, choline, and their combinationson nutritional evaluation, some biochemical analysis, anda histopathological examination of the livers of rats suffering from acute liver disease. This study involved the use of forty-eight male albino rats. Rats in this study were divided into2 main groups, as follows:The 1st main group (n=6 rats) was fed a basal dietas a negative control group. The 2ndmain group (42 rats) wasinjected subcutaneously with CCl4 in paraffin oil to induce acute liver disease in rats. The second main group of rats was divided into seven subgroups, each consisting of six rats,as follows: Subgroup (1)was only fed a basal diet (B.D.) as a control positive group. Subgroups 2 and 3were given diets containing 1% and 2% choline chloride, respectively. Subgroups 4 and 5were given diets containing 5% and 7.5% Zizyphus Spina-christi, respectively.Subgroups 6 and 7 were fed diets containing the combination of choline chloride and Zizyphus Spina-christi (1% choline chloride and 5% Zizyphus Spina-christi) and (2% choline chloride and 7.5% Zizyphus Spina-christi), respectively. The results indicated that injected rats with CCl4 increased liver enzymes, including AST, ALT, and ALP, while decreasing feed intake, body weight gain%, serum protein, albumin, globulin, and antioxidant enzymes, including (catalase "CAT", superoxide dismutase ("SOD"), glutathione ("GSH"), and glutathione peroxidase ("GPx"), as compared to non-injected rats. Treating acute liver disease rats with diets containing the two levels of Ziziphus Spina-christi leaves, choline, and their combinations improved all of these parameters and the histopathological changes in the liver as compared to non-treated rats. Conclusion: Ziziphus Spina-christi leaves, choline, and their combinationscan be used to reduce the side effects of acute liver diseases

Pineapple (Ananas comosus): a comprehensive review of nutritional values, volatile compounds, health benefits, and potential food products

Pineapple (Ananas comosus) is a tropical fruit that is highly relished for its unique aroma and sweet taste. It is renowned as a flavourful fruit since it contains a number of volatile compounds in small amounts and complex mixtures. Pineapple is also a rich source of minerals and vitamins that offer a number of health benefits. Ranked third behind banana and citrus, the demand for pineapple has greatly increased within the international market. The growth of the pineapple industry in the utilisation of pineapple food-based processing products as well as waste processing has progressed rapidly worldwide. This review discusses the nutritional values, physicochemical composition and volatile compounds, as well as health benefits of pineapples. Pineapple contains considerable amounts of bioactive compounds, dietary fiber, minerals, and nutrients. In addition, pineapple has been proven to have various health benefits including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant activity, monitoring nervous system function, and healing bowel movement. The potential of food products and waste processing of pineapples are also highlighted. The future perspectives and challenges with regard to the potential uses of pineapple are critically addressed. From the review, it is proven that pineapples have variou

Principles and recent advances in electronic nose for quality inspection of agricultural and food products

Background: The process of quality evaluation is a challenging concern in food industries to ensure the maximum level of food safety in relation to consumer preference. Growing development has taken place in the detection of agricultural and food product quality based on volatile organic compounds that involve distinct and unique characteristics. Scope and approach: Quality evaluation is a challenging concern to ensure the maximum level of food safety since it is one of the important key attributes in determining consumer preference. However, until today, suppliers and retailers are still relying on the traditional methods which are labour skill intensive, subjective, and mostly destructive. In this review, the potential and ability of an electronic nose (e-nose) application as a monitoring device in quality evaluation of agricultural and food products are investigated. Key findings and conclusions: Attention to the e-nose device has greatly increased due to the promising alternative in the quality inspection of agricultural and food products. The characteristics of aroma and flavour in relation to volatile compounds are also discussed. Further, this paper provides critical insight into the challenges and future trends in the development of an e-nose as a reliable non-destructive evaluation in the food supply chain of different agricultural and food products

Screening of social phobia symptoms in a sample of Egyptian university students

Background: Public speaking is a main requisite for academic achievement amongst university students. Epidemiological data on social phobia among University students in the Arab World are scarce. Objectives: To screen for social phobia symptoms in a representative sample of Egyptian university students, and to highlight some putative risk factors associated with them. Methods: Two thousand nine hundred and nineteen Egyptian university students participated in the study. They were screened for social phobia using Brief Social Phobia Scale (BSPS). Students total and subdomain scores on the BSPS were correlated with their demographic and scholastic variables. Results: Social phobia symptoms were estimated to be prevalent among (44%) of the study sample. A significant (p < 0.05) negative correlation was found between students’ age and avoidance scores on BSPS and between students’ educational year and their scores on fear, avoidance and physiologic subdomains on the BSPS. Regression analysis pointed out to a number of predictive factors for the higher total BSPS scores such as female gender and being a medical student. Discussion: Our study demonstrated a high rate of social phobia symptoms in university students. It also demonstrated a number of significant predictive factors associated with the domains of social phobia such as gender, BMI, scholastic year and faculty type

Structural and electrochemical studies of proton conducting biopolymer blend electrolytes based on MC:Dextran for EDLC device application with high energy density

This study shows preparation and characterization of solid biopolymer electrolyte based on glycerolized methylcellulose (MC): dextran-doped with ammonium thiocyanate (NH4SCN). The nature of electrolyte composition in terms of interaction is characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) technique. Lowering and shifting in the intensity of the bands are observed with increasing the quantity of glycerol as a plasticizer, confirming complexation between electrolyte components. Ion transport parameters are determined using both of the methods of EIS and FTIR where the parameters are found to be increased with glycerol concentration. The transport number measurement indicates that ions are the primary charge carrier in the conduction mechanism where tion is found to be 0.961. The maximum DC ionic conductivity value is achieved that found to be 1.63 � 10�3 S cm�1. The ESR values are ranged from 300 to 580 O throughout 450 cycles. The technique of linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) shows the electrochemical stability window of 2 V for the conducting samples. The response of cyclic voltammetry (CV) shows an almost rectangular shape without Faradaic peaks. A galvanostatic charge–discharge investigation has shown the initial specific capacitance, energy density, and power density are 133 F g�1, 18.3 Wh Kg�1, and 680 W Kg�1, respectively

DNA Copy Number Changes in Human Malignant Fibrous Histiocytomas by Array Comparative Genomic Hybridisation

BACKGROUND: Malignant fibrous histiocytomas (MFHs), or undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas, are in general high-grade tumours with extensive chromosomal aberrations. In order to identify recurrent chromosomal regions of gain and loss, as well as novel gene targets of potential importance for MFH development and/or progression, we have analysed DNA copy number changes in 33 MFHs using microarray-based comparative genomic hybridisation (array CGH). PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In general, the tumours showed numerous gains and losses of large chromosomal regions. The most frequent minimal recurrent regions of gain were 1p33-p32.3, 1p31.3-p31.2 and 1p21.3 (all gained in 58% of the samples), as well as 1q21.2-q21.3 and 20q13.2 (both 55%). The most frequent minimal recurrent regions of loss were 10q25.3-q26.11, 13q13.3-q14.2 and 13q14.3-q21.1 (all lost in 64% of the samples), as well as 2q36.3-q37.2 (61%), 1q41 (55%) and 16q12.1-q12.2 (52%). Statistical analyses revealed that gain of 1p33-p32.3 and 1p21.3 was significantly associated with better patient survival (P = 0.021 and 0.046, respectively). Comparison with similar array CGH data from 44 leiomyosarcomas identified seven chromosomal regions; 1p36.32-p35.2, 1p21.3-p21.1, 1q32.1-q42.13, 2q14.1-q22.2, 4q33-q34.3, 6p25.1-p21.32 and 7p22.3-p13, which were significantly different in copy number between the MFHs and leiomyosarcomas. CONCLUSIONS: A number of recurrent regions of gain and loss have been identified, some of which were associated with better patient survival. Several specific chromosomal regions with significant differences in copy number between MFHs and leiomyosarcomas were identified, and these aberrations may be used as additional tools for the differential diagnosis of MFHs and leiomyosarcomas

Predictors of Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations among a Sample of Egyptian Schoolchildren

Objective. To assess the level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D status among a sample of Egyptian schoolchildren and to evaluate predictors of deficiency and insufficiency. Subjects and Methods. A cross-sectional study comprising 200 prepubescent schoolchildren aged from 9 to 11 years was performed. A questionnaire including frequency of midday sun exposure, milk intake, physical activity, and level of maternal education was taken. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated; serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], serum calcium, phosphorus, and parathyroid hormone were measured. Results. Vitamin D deficiency [serum 25(OH)D < 20 ng/mL] was detected in 11.5% of subjects while its insufficiency (serum 25(OH)D is between 20 and 29.9 ng/mL) was detected in 15%. Results revealed that obesity, low physical activity, low sun exposure, and low maternal education level are significant predictors of insufficiency, though female gender, low maternal education level, and low milk intake are significant predictors of deficiency. Lower serum phosphorus and higher serum parathyroid hormone were significantly associated with both deficiency and insufficiency (p<0.05). Conclusion. Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are common among schoolchildren in Egypt. Food fortification, vitamin D supplementation, and increasing maternal awareness about the importance of physical activity and exposure of their children to ultraviolet light may help to overcome this problem