Additive main effects and multiplicative interactions (AMMI) analysis of dry leaf yield in tobacco hybrids across environments

To determine the yield stability, adaptability and analyze the genotype×environment of Virginia tobacco, 15 hybrids of tobacco including 10 Iranian and 5 international hybrids were evaluated in two different experiments (water stress and normal irrigation) using a randomized completely block design (RCBD) with three replications at two locations including Rasht and Tirtash Tobacco Research Centers, during the growing season of 2006 and 2007 (eight environments). Additive main effects and multiplicative interactions (AMMI) analysis indicated that the dry leaf yield of genotypes were under the major environmental effects of genotype by environmental interactions. The first two principal component axes (PCA 1 and 2) were significant (p £ 0.01) and cumulatively contributed to 94.12% of the total genotype by environment interaction. The biplot technique was used to identify appropriate genotype to special locations. Results showed that hybrids PVH03, K394/NC89 and Coker254/NC89 with the lowest interaction, and hybrids ULT109, NC291, Coker254/Coker347 and VE1/Coker347 with the highest interaction were the most stable and unstable hybrids, respectively. Furthermore, hybrids Coker254/K394, NC291 and CC27 were more suitable for Tirtash in non drought stress condition and hybrids NC89/Coker347, K394/Coker347, Coker254/VE1 and ULT109 were more suitable for Rasht in drought stress condition.Key words: Additive main effects and multiplicative interactions (AMMI), biplot, stability analysis, tobacco

Total Antioxidant Activity, and Hesperidin, Diosmin, Eriocitrin and Quercetin Contents of Various Lemon Juices

Purpose: To investigate 38 natural and 62 branded lemon juices for their total antioxidant activities and flavonoid content.Methods: The ferric reducing antioxidant power was applied to evaluation of antioxidant. Additionally quercetin, eriocitrin, diosmin and hesperidin contents were evaluated by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).Results: Total antioxidant activity of the juices ranged from 91.38 ± 0.01 to 526.93 ± 0.12 μg/ml. The maximum contents of quercetin, hesperidin and eriocitrin 14.83 ± 2.83, 104.84 ± 12.58 and 10.68 ± 2.41 μg/mL, respectively. The natural juices had diosmin levels as high as 236.18 mL. The limit of detection (LOD) ranged from 0.15 μg mg-1 for hesperidine to 0.53 μg ml-1 for diosmin while the limit of quantification (LOQ) ranged from 0.27 μg mg-1 for hesperidine to 0.93 μg ml-1 for quercetin.Conclusion: The developed method can also be applied to the determination of related extracts of orange cultivars as well as various extracts of medicinal plants.Keywords: Antioxidant, Flavonoid, Hesperidin, Diosmin, Eriocitrin, Quercetin, Lemon juic

Chemotherapy-Response Monitoring of Breast Cancer Patients Using Quantitative Ultrasound-Based Intra-Tumour Heterogeneities

© 2017 The Author(s). Anti-cancer therapies including chemotherapy aim to induce tumour cell death. Cell death introduces alterations in cell morphology and tissue micro-structures that cause measurable changes in tissue echogenicity. This study investigated the effectiveness of quantitative ultrasound (QUS) parametric imaging to characterize intra-tumour heterogeneity and monitor the pathological response of breast cancer to chemotherapy in a large cohort of patients (n = 100). Results demonstrated that QUS imaging can non-invasively monitor pathological response and outcome of breast cancer patients to chemotherapy early following treatment initiation. Specifically, QUS biomarkers quantifying spatial heterogeneities in size, concentration and spacing of acoustic scatterers could predict treatment responses of patients with cross-validated accuracies of 82 ± 0.7%, 86 ± 0.7% and 85 ± 0.9% and areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.75 ± 0.1, 0.80 ± 0.1 and 0.89 ± 0.1 at 1, 4 and 8 weeks after the start of treatment, respectively. The patients classified as responders and non-responders using QUS biomarkers demonstrated significantly different survivals, in good agreement with clinical and pathological endpoints. The results form a basis for using early predictive information on survival-linked patient response to facilitate adapting standard anti-cancer treatments on an individual patient basis

Preparation and Evaluation of Rivax Protein Loading in Chitosan Nanoparticles

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Ricin toxin is a heterodimer glycoprotein which, due to its high toxicity, is used as a bioterrorism agent. Immunogenicity studies against ricin are now focused on two subunit vaccine candidates, including RiVax and RVEc. These studies have examined the vaccine candidate immunization as an alone and in combination with adjuvant, however, there is not a published study on the immunogenicity evaluation of the candidate vaccine through the delivery by nanoparticles. The aim of this study was preparation and evaluation of RiVax recombinant vaccine-loading in chitosan nanoparticles. METHODS: In this experimental study, After transferring the RiVax gene to the bacterium, inducing the expression and purification of the RiVax protein by affinity chromatography column, the RiVax protein was loaded with Ionic Gelation method in chitosan nanoparticles. Then, the properties of nanoparticles including size, morphology, loading percentage and release pattern of RiVax protein from nanoparticles and stability of this protein during acidic loading conditions in nanoparticles by SDS-PAGE were evaluated. Also, Immunization study were performed on 3 mouse groups (n=4/group) by RiVax protein, Nanoparticles containing protein and phosphate buffer. FINDING: The results of this study showed that the nanoparticles containing protein had a size of 178 nm and a Zeta potential of +27.8 MV and a polydispersity index of 0.193. Also, according to SDS-PAGE results, it was found that the RiVax recombinant protein was denatured during the process of preparing the chitosan nanoparticles. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that the RiVax protein has been unstable in acidic conditions for the production of chitosan nanoparticles and Ionic Gelation method is not suitable for loading this protein in chitosan nanoparticles

Advances in prevention and therapy of neonatal dairy calf diarrhoea : a systematical review with emphasis on colostrum management and fluid therapy

Neonatal calf diarrhoea remains the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in preweaned dairy calves worldwide. This complex disease can be triggered by both infectious and non-infectious causes. The four most important enteropathogens leading to neonatal dairy calf diarrhoea are Escherichia coli, rota-and coronavirus, and Cryptosporidium parvum. Besides treating diarrhoeic neonatal dairy calves, the veterinarian is the most obvious person to advise the dairy farmer on prevention and treatment of this disease. This review deals with prevention and treatment of neonatal dairy calf diarrhoea focusing on the importance of a good colostrum management and a correct fluid therapy

Relatively higher norms of blood flow velocity of major intracranial arteries in North-West Iran

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Transcranial Doppler (TCD) is a noninvasive, less expensive and harmless hemodynamic study of main intracranial arteries. The aim of this study was to assess normal population values of cerebral blood flow velocity and its variation over age and gender in a given population.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>Eighty healthy volunteers including 40 people with an age range of 25-40 years (group1) and 40 persons with an age range of 41-55 years (group2) were studied. In each group 20 males and 20 females were enrolled. Peak systolic, end diastolic and mean velocities of nine main intracranial arteries were determined using TCD. Mean age of the studied volunteers was 31.6 ± 4.50 years in group one and 47.2 ± 4.3 years in group two. Mean age among males was 40 years and among females it was 39. Mean blood flow velocity in middle, anterior and posterior cerebral arteries, vertebral and basilar arteries was 60 ± 8, 52 ± 9, 42 ± 6, 39 ± 8 and 48 ± 8 cm/sec respectively. Cerebral blood flow velocities among females were relatively higher than males. Cerebral blood flow velocity of left side was relatively higher than right side.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Compared to previous studies, cerebral blood flow velocity in this population was relatively higher.</p

Cost-of-Illness Analysis of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Iran

Diabetes is a worldwide high prevalence chronic progressive disease that poses a significant challenge to healthcare systems. The aim of this study is to provide a detailed economic burden of diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its complications in Iran in 2009 year.This is a prevalence-based cost-of-illness study focusing on quantifying direct health care costs by bottom-up approach. Data on inpatient hospital services, outpatient clinic visits, physician services, drugs, laboratory test, education and non-medical cost were collected from two national registries. The human capital approach was used to calculate indirect costs separately in male and female and also among different age groups.The total national cost of diagnosed T2DM in 2009 is estimated at 3.78 billion USA dollars (USD) including 2.04±0.28 billion direct (medical and non-medical) costs and indirect costs of 1.73 million. Average direct and indirect cost per capita was 842.6±102 and 864.8 USD respectively. Complications (48.9%) and drugs (23.8%) were main components of direct cost. The largest components of medical expenditures attributed to diabetes's complications are cardiovascular disease (42.3% of total Complications cost), nephropathy (23%) and ophthalmic complications (14%). Indirect costs include temporarily disability (335.7 million), permanent disability (452.4 million) and reduced productivity due to premature mortality (950.3 million).T2DM is a costly disease in the Iran healthcare system and consume more than 8.69% of total health expenditure. In addition to these quantified costs, T2DM imposes high intangible costs on society in terms of reduced quality of life. Identification of effective new strategies for the control of diabetes and its complications is a public health priority