IMPROVING FRUIT SET, YIELD AND FRUIT QUALITY OF KHADRAWI DATE PALM CULTIVAR

This experiment was carried out during 2015 and 2016 experimental seasons to investigate the effect of spraying with moringa extract at 3%, garlic extract at 3% or ascorbic acid at 300 ppm on fruit set, yield and fruit quality of Khadrawi date palm cultivar. Anyhow, bunches were sprayed at three times (3 hours before pollination then 4 and 8 weeks after pollination). The present results indicated that spraying date palm bunches with moringa extract or garlic extract recorded the highest initial fruit set in the first and second seasons, respectively. As well as, moringa extract gave the highest fruit retention and yield in both seasons. In addition, all treatments improved some fruit physical characteristics i.e. fruit weight, flesh weight, fruit volume and fruit length compared to the control treatment in the two studied seasons. Also, results showed that moringa extract or ascorbic acid increased TSS%, total sugars % and reducing sugars % in both seasons compared to the control. Meanwhile, the lowest fibers % was obtained by garlic extract in the two seasons. Also, all treatments had no significant effect on total acidity % and tannins content in both seasons

Changes in circulating microRNA levels can be identified as early as day 8 of pregnancy in cattle

<div><p>Poor reproductive performance remains a major issue in the dairy industry, with low conception rates having a significant impact on milk production through extended calving intervals. A major limiting factor is the lack of reliable methods for early pregnancy diagnosis. Identification of animals within a herd that fail to conceive within 3 weeks after insemination would allow early re-insemination and shorten calving intervals. In a previous study, we found an increase in plasma miR-26a levels in Day 16-pregnant relative to non-pregnant heifers, however changes in miRNA levels that early during pregnancy were very small which likely prevented the identification of robust biomarkers. In this study, we extended our analyses to a wider interval during pregnancy (Days 8 to 60, n = 11 heifers) with the rationale that this may facilitate the identification of additional early pregnancy miRNA biomarkers. Using small RNA sequencing we identified a total of 77 miRNAs that were differentially expressed on Day 60 relative to Day 0 of pregnancy. We selected 14 miRNAs for validation by RT-qPCR and confirmed significant differences in the expression of let-7f, let-7c, miR-30c, miR-101, miR-26a, miR-205 and miR-143 between Days 0 and 60. RT-qPCR profiling throughout Days 0, 8, 16 and 60 of pregnancy showed a distinct increase in circulating levels of miR-26a (3.1-fold, P = 0.046) as early as Day 8 of pregnancy. In summary, in contrast to earlier stages of pregnancy (≤ Day 24), marked differences in the levels of multiple miRNAs can be detected in circulation by Day 60 in cattle. Retrospective analyses showed miR-26a levels to be increased in circulation as early as Day 8, sooner than previously reported in any species, suggesting a biological role for this miRNA in the very early events of pregnancy.</p></div

Radioactivity levels of 238U and 232Th, the α and β activities and associated dose rates from surface soil in Ulu Tiram, Malaysia

A survey was carried out to determine terrestrial gammaradiation dose rates, the concentration level of 238U and 232Th and α and β activities for the surface soil in Ulu Tiram, Malaysia A 125 measurements were performed using a NaI(T1) gamma-ray detector with crystal size of 1″ × 1″ on 15 soil samples collected from the site area about 102 km2238U and 232Th concentrations were determined in soils by using hyper pure germanium (HPGe) gamma-ray spectrometry. The activity of α and β from the surface soil was counted by using alpha beta counting system. The average value of 238U and 232Th concentrations in soil samples collected are 3.63±0.39 ppm within the range of 1.74±0.20 to 4.58±0.48 and 43.00±2.31 ppm within the range of 10.68±0.76 to 82 10±4.01 ppm, respectively. The average estimate of α and β activity in soil samples collected are 0.65±0.09 Bqg-1 and 0.68±0.08 Bqg-1, respectively. The average of terrestrial gamma-radiation dose rates measured in Ulu Tiram was found to be 200 nGy h -1, within the range of 96 to 409 nGy h-1. The population weighted outdoor annual effective dose was 1.2 mSv

Efficient transmission of encrypted images with OFDM in the presence of carrier frequency offset

In this paper, the impact of carrier frequency offset (CFO) and CFO compensation on the transmission of encrypted images with different orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) versions is studied. The investigated OFDM versions are thefast Fourier transform OFDM, the discrete cosine transform OFDM, and the discrete wavelet transform OFDM. A comparison between four encryption algorithms with images transmitted through different OFDM versions is presented. These algorithms are data encryption standard, advanced encryption standard, RC6, and chaotic Baker map. This comparison aims to select the most appropriate version of OFDM, and the most suitable image encryption algorithm for efficient image transmission. In the simulation experiments, the peak signal-to-noise ratio at the receiver is used as an evaluation metric for the decrypted image quality

Effect of a Diet Supplemented with the Moringa oleifera Seed Powder on the Performance, Egg Quality, and Gene Expression in Japanese Laying Quail under Heat-Stress

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of three concentrations of the Moringa oleifera seed powder as a feed supplement on the productive performance and egg quality traits of laying Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) exposed to heat stress. The expression patterns of the genes estrogen receptors (ESR2), follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR), prolactin receptor (PRLR), and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (STAR) were estimated in ovaries, using a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. A total of 200 laying quail aged seven weeks were randomly allocated to the following four experimental groups&mdash;the control (CNT), T1, T2, and T3 groups; each group comprised 50 quail females with 5 replicates (10 per group). The CNT group was fed a basal diet, whereas the T1, T2, and T3 groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.3% M. oleifera seed powder, respectively. The results revealed that the T3 group showed the highest hen-day egg production (%) as well as the highest egg yolk index. Feed intake and feed conversion ratio improved significantly (p &lt; 0.05) with increased concentrations of the M. oleifera seed powder supplementation. Furthermore, the mRNA expressions of ESR2, FSHR, and STAR increased significantly in the T3 group, compared to those in the CNT group. Alterations in ovarian gene expressions corresponded to the reproductive patterns of the treated Japanese quail. Thus, it was concluded that the supplementation of the Japanese quail feed with 0.3% M. oleifera seed powder during the laying period might enhance resistance to heat stress and consequently improve egg productivity