Effect of industrial effluents polluting the river nile on growth, metabolism and productivity of Triticium aestivumand Vicia fabaplants

Pot experiments using loamy soil were conducted to evaluate the effect of irrigation with industrial effluents on growth, uptake on growth, uptake of nutrients and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivumGiza 164) as a monocot and faba beans (Vicia fabaGiza 461) as a dicot plant. Also, irrigation by industrial effluents in combination with vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza (VAM) was used in trying to use a biological control to overcome the harmful effects of heavy metals pollution. Irrigation of plants with industrial effluents leads to marked changes in growth criteria depending on plant and/or the stage of growth. Industrial wastewater led also to marked changes in total carbohydrates and nitrogen in both shoots and roots. On the other hand, combination of industrial waste water with VAM caused an increase in the total carbohydrates and total nitrogen in shoots and roots of both wheat and bean plants. The yield components in wheat and bean were significantly increased with industrial effluents, but the biochemical concentrations were different. In wheat, the carbohydrate concentrations were increased, but protein- N and total-N were decreased, however mineral contents, especially ZN were increased. The reverse response was recorded with VAM. For bean the opposite occurred. Generally, bean plants were more sensitive to pollution with heavy metals, than those of wheat however this could influence be overcome by using VAM with irrigation

Gibberellic acid effects on protein pattern, hydrolytic enzyme activities and ionic uptake during germination of Vicia faba in sea water

The germination and water uptake of Vicia faba seeds were suppressed in response to the treatments with the different concentrations of sea water (5%, 25% and 50%). The following parameters were increased: the osmotic potential, Na+, Cl, proline and protease activity. While K+, K+/Na+ ratio, Ca2+, amylase activity and total soluble sugars were decreased. Gibberellic acid treatments to the seeds counteracted the harmful effect which were induced by sea water treatments. In turn the germination percentage, water uptake, K+, K+/Na+ ratio, Ca2+, total soluble sugars, a-amylase and protease activities were increased, while Na+, Cl, and proline were decreased. The changes in protein banding pattern in Vicia faba germinated seeds in sea water were investigated. Salinization induced de novo synthesis of some salt responsive proteins. The salt responsive proteins might be osmotin (M wt 23.39 and 26.86 KDa), dehydrin (36.79 and 40.63 KDa) and ubiquitin (8.81 KDa) which were apparent in Vicia faba seeds. The seeds priming soaking in GA and germinated in sea water induced de novo synthesis of some responsive proteins. This indicated that gibberellic acid had a synergistic effect on the induction of the salt gene which is responsible for the synthesis of the mentioned proteins

Acute Human Self-Poisoning with Imidacloprid Compound: A Neonicotinoid Insecticide

Background: Deliberate self-poisoning with older pesticides such as organophosphorus compounds are commonly fatal and a serious public health problem in the developing world. The clinical consequences of self-poisoning with newer pesticides are not well described. Such information may help to improve clinical management and inform pesticide regulators of their relative toxicity. This study reports the clinical outcomes and toxicokinetics of the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid following acute self-poisoning in humans. Methodology/Principal Findings: Demographic and clinical data were prospectively recorded in patients with imidacloprid exposure in three hospitals in Sri Lanka. Blood samples were collected when possible for quantification of imidacloprid concentration. There were 68 patients (61 self-ingestions and 7 dermal exposures) with exposure to imidacloprid. Of the self-poisoning patients, the median time to presentation was 4 hours (IQR 2.3–6.0) and median amount ingested was 15 mL (IQR 10–50 mL). Most patients only developed mild symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, headache and diarrhoea. One patient developed respiratory failure needing mechanical ventilation while another was admitted to intensive care due to prolonged sedation. There were no deaths. Median admission imidacloprid concentration was 10.58 ng/L; IQR: 3.84–15.58 ng/L, Range: 0.02–51.25 ng/L. Changes in the concentration of imidacloprid in serial blood samples were consistent with prolonged absorption and/or saturable elimination. Conclusions: Imidacloprid generally demonstrates low human lethality even in large ingestions. Respiratory failure and reduced level of consciousness were the most serious complications, but these were uncommon. Substitution of imidacloprid for organophosphorus compounds in areas where the incidence of self-poisoning is high may help reduce deaths from self-poisoning

Increased chilling tolerance and altered protein patterns in tomato seedlings following hardening of seeds or system in application

Plants have evolved complex mechanisms to perceive environmental cues and develop appropriate and coordinated responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. Considerable progress has been made towards a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of plant response to a single stress. However, the existence of cross-tolerance to different stressors has proved to have great relevance in the control and regulation of organismal adaptation. In this study, we showed that cold pre-treatment (at 15, 10, 5 and 0 °C) enhanced chilling stress in two cultivars of tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum cv. ‘Tres Cantos’ and ‘Roma’), as indicated by de novo synthesis of stress proteins in the cold-treated plants than the control ones. The cold-treated ‘Roma’ seedlings were more resistant to chilling stress than ‘Cantos’. Active synthesis of 43 kDa heat shock proteins and some low molecular weight proteins took place after chilling stress in both cultivars. Seeds pre-treatment with systemin at three concentrations (10−6, 10−2 and 100μM) or spraying the seedlings of two plants with the same concentrations leads to stressful polypeptides were detected as 16 kDa which is one from low molecular weight proteins were referred as vegetative storage proteins (VSPs). In ‘Tres Cantos’, the spraying of plants was more effective than the pre-soaking, while in ‘Roma’, the pre-soaking with systemin is more effective at low and moderate concentrations (10−6 and 10−2 μM), meanwhile, the spraying with systemin is more effective at high concentration (100 μM)

Aloe vera gel facilitates re-epithelialization of corneal alkali burn in normal and diabetic rats

Ayman Atiba,1 Tamer Wasfy,2 Walied Abdo,3 Ahmed Ghoneim,2 Tarek Kamal,4 Mustafa Shukry5 1Department of Surgery, Anesthesiology and Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh, 2Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, 3Department of Pathology, 4Department of Biochemistry, 5Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh, Egypt Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of topical applied aloe vera (AV) and to facilitate the repair of the standardized alkaline corneal ulcer in normal and diabetic rats.Materials and methods: The corneal alkali-burn injury model was established unilaterally in Wistar rats by filter paper saturated with 0.01 M NaOH contacting the eyes for 45 seconds. Rats were divided into four groups: normal control (NC), normal AV (NAV), diabetic control (DC), and diabetic AV (DAV). NAV and DAV groups were treated with AV gel eye drops four times daily, and NC and DC groups were treated with normal saline for 3 days. Corneal epithelial wound closure and degree of edema were recorded using slit lamp and optical coherence tomography at 0, 24, 48, and 72 hours postwounding. Histological examination was conducted to evaluate the degree of inflammation and the healing effect.Results: Corneal epithelial wound healing was better in the NAV group than in the NC group, and it was significantly higher in the DAV group than in the DC group (P<0.05). In comparison to the DC group, DAV treated with AV demonstrated a marked reduction in edema at 48 and 72 hours. Histologically, corneal re-epithelialization was complete and higher in DAV group than that in DC group; moreover, the inflammatory cells were increased in DC group than DAV group (P<0.05).Conclusion: This study demonstrated the efficacy of AV for enhanced corneal re-epithelialization, as well as reduced inflammatory response after alkali burn in rats; therefore, it could be useful as a therapy for diabetic keratopathy. Keywords: aloe vera, cornea, epithelium, diabetes, wound healin

Effect of petroleum crude oil on mineral nutrient elements and soil properties of jojoba plant (Simmondsia chinensis)

This study evaluated the effect of petroleum crude oil contaminated soil on the mineral nutrient elements, soil properties and bacterial biomass of the rhizosphere of jojoba plant (Simmondsia chinensis). Malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration increased in jojoba leaves when grown in petroleum oil polluted soil especially at 2% and 3% crude oil. It was noted that Na, Mg and Ca decreased, while K increased in shoots of jojoba. In roots Na and Ca increased, however K and Mg decreased with increasing crude oil concentration in the soil. Heavy metals, Cu, Mn, Cd and Pb increased in both shoot and root with increasing crude oil concentration, while Zn decreased comparing with the control. In soil, N and K decreased, meanwhile Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn as well as organic matter increased with increasing crude oil concentration. Soil was free from P, while the addition of inorganic fertilisers improved P content. Bacterial account was significantly increased at the end of the experiment at 1% and 2% crude oil, especially after addition of inorganic fertilisers. The electrical conductivity and MDA of the leaves increased with increasing crude oil concentration in the soil. The addition of inorganic fertilisers to crude oil contaminated soil decreased the electrical conductivity and MDA comparing with crude oil only

Effect of Petroleum Crude Oil on Mineral Nutrient Elements, Soil Properties and Bacterial Biomass of the Rhizosphere of Jojoba

Aims: This study is to evaluate the effect of petroleum crude oil contaminated soil on the mineral nutrient elements, soil properties and bacterial biomass of the rhizosphere of jojoba plants (Simmodsia chinensis). Methodology: A pot experiment was carried out. The soil was treated with different levels of crude oil: 1, 2 and 3% v/w either alone or in combination with inorganic fertilizers. Results: Malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration increased in jojoba leaves when grown in petroleum oil polluted soil especially at 2% and 3% crude oil. It was noted that, Na, Mg and Ca decreased while K increased in shoots of jojoba. In roots Na and Ca increased however K and Mg decreased with increasing crude oil concentration in the soil. Heavy metals, Cu, Mn, Cd and Pb increased in both shoot and root with increasing crude oil concentration while, Zn decreased comparing with the control. In soil, N and K decreased meanwhile Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn as well as organic matter increased with increasing crude oil concentration. Soil was free from P while, the addition of inorganic fertilizers improved P content. Bacterial account was significantly increased at the end of the experiment at 1% and 2% crude oil especially after addition of inorganic fertilizers. The electric conductivity and MDA of the leaves increased with increasing crude oil concentration. The addition of inorganic fertilizers to crude oil contaminated soil decreased the electric conductivity and MDA comparing with crude oil only. Conclusion: The observed changes in composition of mineral elements in jojoba plants in the present study could be attributed to the cell injury and disruption in the cell membrane, heavy metal accumulation and toxic nature of the petroleum oil. Also this study has demonstrated that soil contamination with crude oil has a highly significant effect of reducing some mineral element composition of Jojoba plants