Introducing a sustainable soil fertility system for chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

In order to introduce a sustainable soil fertility system for chickpea, field experiments were carried out in 2007 and 2008 growing seasons. Experiments were arranged in split-split plot arrangements with three replications. Main plots consisted of (G1): establishing a mixed vegetation of vetch and barley, (G2): without green manure. Also, five strategies for obtaining the base fertilizer requirement including (N1): farm manure; (N2): compost; (N3): triple super phosphate; (N4): farm manure + compost and (N5): farm manure + compost + triple super phosphate. Four levels of biofertilizers consisted of (B1): Phosphate solubilizing bacteria; (B2): Trichoderma harzianum; (B3): Phosphate solubilizing bacteria + T. harzianum; and (B4): without biofertilizers were arranged in sub-sub plots. Results showed that green manure increased pod number and number of fertile pods per plant. Integrating biofertilizers (B3) and green manure (G1) produced the highest pod number per plant and grain yield. The highest amounts of yield and yield components were obtained in G1N5 treatment. Comparison of 3-way interactions showed that G1N5B3 was the best treatment. Significant increase of N, P, K, Fe and Mg content in leaves and grains emphasized on superiority of mentioned treatment because each one of these nutrients has an approved role in chlorophyll synthesis and photosynthesis ability of the crop. The N5 treatment in addition to having the highest yield had the best grain quality due to high protein, starch and total sugar contents, low crude fiber and reduced cooking time.Key words: Biofertilizer, chickpea, compost, farm manure, soil fertility system

Effects of biofertilizers on grain yield and protein content of two soybean (Glycine max L.) cultivars

Nutrient management is one of the most important factors in successful cultivation of plants. Biofertilizers can affect the quality and quantity of crop. In order to study the effects of biofertilizers on grain yield and protein content of two soybean (Glycine max L.) cultivars, an experiment was conducted using a factorial arrangement based on randomized complete block design with four replications, at the Mahidasht Research Station of Kermanshah in 2010. The factors were soybean cultivar (Williams and Line no. 17) and fertilizer application (b1= N + P, b2= Bradyrhizobium japonicum + P, b3= N + Bacillus and Pseudomonas + 50% of P, b4= B. japonicum + Bacillus and Pseudomonas + 50% of P, b5= B. japonicum + 50% of N + Bacillus and Pseudomonas + 50% of P). Results show that Line no. 17 with 2911.2 kg/ha had higher seed yield than Williams with 2711 kg/ha. Also, fertilizer levels of b3 with 3058.2 and b2 with 2643.8 kg/ha produced the highest and the lowest seed yield, respectively. Plants treated with fertilizer levels of b1, b2 and b5 in comparison with other fertilizer levels significantly produced lower thousand seed weight. In Line no. 17 fertilizer level of b3 with 2.88 produced the highest seed per pod. Results show that fertilizer levels had a significant effect on the number of pod per plant and treatments containing biological fertilizers in terms of the number of pods per plant were equal or superior to chemical fertilizer. It was also observed that fertilizer levels of b1, b3 and b5, produced the highest protein percentage. It therefore seems that biofertilizers can be considered as a replacement for part of chemical fertilizers in soybean production.Key words: Bacillus, Bradyrhizobium japonicum, phosphate solubilizing, protein, Pseudomonas

Crop phenotyping for wheat yield and yield components against drought stress

Water deficit is a most limiting factor for wheat in rain-fed agricultural systems worldwide. The effects of drought stress on some root features and yield and yield components in wheat (Trticum aestivum L.) were carried out in a factorial experiment based on completely randomized design, under greenhouse condition. The four experimental irrigation regimes, irrigation after 75% of the water was depleted (control), irrigation after 65% of the water was depleted (mild stress), irrigation after 55% of the water was depleted (moderate stress) and irrigation after 45% of the water was depleted (severe stress) were randomized for the main plots. The subplot treatments included eight wheat genotypes. Results showed that Interaction Drought stress with Variety had significantly affected on Total Root Volume and Dry Matter, Number of Tiller and also Shoot Dry Matter. Value of Total Root Volume and Dry Matter, Shoot Dry Matter and Number of Tiller in irrigated varieties were more than rainfed in whole of Drought stresses. N-87-20 variety had most amounts of Total Root Dry Matter, Total Root Volume (exception of control) in all of stresses and control. Root properties influence on yield and other morphological traits of wheat. Stress intensification increase root growth than plant organ so that wheat root can uptake water from soil to compensate damage caused by stress

Intense physical activity is associated with cognitive performance in the elderly

Numerous studies have reported positive impacts of physical activity on cognitive function. However, the majority of these studies have utilised physical activity questionnaires or surveys, thus results may have been influenced by reporting biases. Through the objective measurement of routine levels of physical activity via actigraphy, we report a significant association between intensity, but not volume, of physical activity and cognitive functioning. A cohort of 217 participants (aged 60–89 years) wore an actigraphy unit for 7 consecutive days and underwent comprehensive neuropsychological assessment. The cohort was stratified into tertiles based on physical activity intensity. Compared with individuals in the lowest tertile of physical activity intensity, those in the highest tertile scored 9%, 9%, 6% and 21% higher on the digit span, digit symbol, Rey Complex Figure Test (RCFT) copy and Rey Figure Test 30-min recall test, respectively. Statistically, participants in the highest tertile of physical activity intensity performed significantly better on the following cognitive tasks: digit symbol, RCFT copy and verbal fluency test (all P<0.05). The results indicate that intensity rather than quantity of physical activity may be more important in the association between physical activity and cognitive function

Examining the potential clinical value of curcumin in the prevention and diagnosis of Alzheimer\u27s disease

Curcumin derived from turmeric is well documented for its anti-carcinogenic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Recent studies show that curcumin also possesses neuroprotective and cognitive-enhancing properties that may help delay or prevent neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Currently, clinical diagnosis of AD is onerous, and it is primarily based on the exclusion of other causes of dementia. In addition, phase III clinical trials of potential treatments have mostly failed, leaving disease-modifying interventions elusive. AD can be characterised neuropathologically by the deposition of extracellular β amyloid (Aβ) plaques and intracellular accumulation of tau-containing neurofibrillary tangles. Disruptions in Aβ metabolism/clearance contribute to AD pathogenesis. In vitro studies have shown that Aβ metabolism is altered by curcumin, and animal studies report that curcumin may influence brain function and the development of dementia, because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as its ability to influence Aβ metabolism. However, clinical studies of curcumin have revealed limited effects to date, most likely because of curcumin’s relatively low solubility and bioavailability, and because of selection of cohorts with diagnosed AD, in whom there is already major neuropathology. However, the fresh approach of targeting early AD pathology (by treating healthy, pre-clinical and mild cognitive impairment-stage cohorts) combined with new curcumin formulations that increase bioavailability is renewing optimism concerning curcumin-based therapy. The aim of this paper is to review the current evidence supporting an association between curcumin and modulation of AD pathology, including in vitro and in vivo studies. We also review the use of curcumin in emerging retinal imaging technology, as a fluorochrome for AD diagnostics

Potential of sorghum polyphenols to prevent and treat Alzheimer\u27s disease: A review article

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by the excessive deposition of extracellular amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) and the build-up of intracellular neurofibrillary tangles containing hyperphosphorylated tau proteins. This leads to neuronal damage, cell death and consequently results in memory and learning impairments leading to dementia. Although the exact cause of AD is not yet clear, numerous studies indicate that oxidative stress, inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction significantly contribute to its onset and progression. There is no effective therapeutic approach to stop the progression of AD and its associated symptoms. Thus, early intervention, preferably, pre-clinically when the brain is not significantly affected, is a better option for effective treatment. Natural polyphenols (PP) target multiple AD-related pathways such as protecting the brain from Aβ and tau neurotoxicity, ameliorating oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction. Among natural products, the cereal crop sorghum has some unique features. It is one of the major global grain crops but in the developed world, it is primarily used as feed for farm animals. A broad range of PP, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, and condensed tannins are present in sorghum grain including some classes such as proanthocyanidins that are rarely found in others plants. Pigmented varieties of sorghum have the highest polyphenolic content and antioxidant activity which potentially makes their consumption beneficial for human health through different pathways such as oxidative stress reduction and thus the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. This review summarizes the potential of sorghum PP to beneficially affect the neuropathology of AD

Personality characteristics are independently associated with prospective memory in the laboratory, and in daily life, among older adults

Prospective memory (PM) can deteriorate with age and adversely influence health behaviours. Research suggests that personality is related to PM in healthy young adults, but we know little about the role of personality in the PM amongst older adults. Community-dwelling older adults (N=152) completed the NEO Five-Factor Inventory-3 and PM measures. After adjusting for demographics and general cognition, higher neuroticism and lower levels of openness were independently associated with lower objectively-measured time- and event-based PM. Lower conscientiousness was the only personality predictor of self-reported everyday PM failures. Findings indicate that personality plays a role in PM functioning in the laboratory and daily life

The peripheral hearing and central auditory processing skills of individuals with subjective memory complaints

Purpose: This study examined the central auditory processing (CAP) assessment results of adults between 45 and 85 years of age with probable pre-clinical Alzheimer’s disease – i.e., individuals with subjective memory complaints (SMCs) as compared to those who were not reporting significant levels of memory complaints (non-SMCs). It was hypothesized that the SMC group would perform significantly poorer on tests of central auditory skills compared to participants with non-SMCs (control group). Methods: A total of 95 participants were recruited from the larger Western Australia Memory Study and were classified as SMCs (N = 61; 20 males and 41 females, mean age 71.47 ±7.18 years) and non-SMCs (N = 34; 10 males, 24 females, mean age 68.85 ±7.69 years). All participants completed a peripheral hearing assessment, a CAP assessment battery including Dichotic Digits, Duration Pattern Test, Dichotic Sentence Identification, Synthetic Sentence Identification with Ipsilateral Competing Message (SSI-ICM) and the Quick-Speech-in-Noise, and a cognitive screening assessment. Results: The SMCs group performed significantly poorer than the control group on SSI-ICM −10 and −20 dB signal-to-noise conditions. No significant differences were found between the two groups on the peripheral hearing threshold measurements and other CAP assessments. Conclusions: The results suggest that individuals with SMCs perform poorly on specific CAP assessments in comparison to the controls. The poor CAP in SMC individuals may result in a higher cost to their finite pool of cognitive resources. The CAP results provide yet another biomarker that supports the hypothesis that SMCs may be a primary indication of neuropathological changes in the brain. Longitudinal follow up of individuals with SMCs, and decreased CAP abilities should inform whether this group is at higher risk of developing dementia as compared to non-SMCs and those SMC individuals without CAP difficulties

How can patient registries facilitate guideline-based healthcare? A retrospective analysis of the CEDATA-GPGE registry for pediatric inflammatory bowel disease

Background: Early diagnosis is mandatory for the medical care of children and adolescents with pediatric-onset inflammatory bowel disease (PIBD). International guidelines ('Porto criteria') of the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition recommend medical diagnostic procedures in PIBD. Since 2004, German and Austrian pediatric gastroenterologists document diagnostic and treatment data in the patient registry CEDATA-GPGE on a voluntary basis. The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze whether the registry CEDATA-GPGE reflects the Porto criteria and to what extent diagnostic measures of PIBD according to the Porto criteria are documented. Methods: Data of CEDATA-GPGE were analyzed for the period January 2014 to December 2018. Variables representing the Porto criteria for initial diagnostic were identified and categorized. The average of the number of measures documented in each category was calculated for the diagnoses CD, UC, and IBD-U. Differences between the diagnoses were tested by Chi-square test. Data on possible differences between data documented in the registry and diagnostic procedures that were actually performed were obtained via a sample survey. Results: There were 547 patients included in the analysis. The median age of patients with incident CD (n = 289) was 13.6 years (IQR: 11.2-15.2), of patients with UC (n = 212) 13.1 years (IQR: 10.4-14.8) and of patients with IBD-U (n = 46) 12.2 years (IQR: 8.6-14.7). The variables identified in the registry fully reflect the recommendations by the Porto criteria. Only the disease activity indices PUCAI and PCDAI were not directly provided by participants but calculated from obtained data. The category 'Case history' were documented for the largest part (78.0%), the category 'Imaging of the small bowel' were documented least frequently (39.1%). In patients with CD, the categories 'Imaging of the small bowel' (χ2 = 20.7, Cramer-V = 0.2, p < 0.001) and 'Puberty stage' (χ2 = 9.8, Cramer-V = 0.1, p < 0.05) were documented more often than in patients with UC and IBD-U. Conclusion: The registry fully reproduces the guideline's recommendations for the initial diagnosis of PIBD. The proportion of documented diagnostic examinations varied within the diagnostic categories and between the diagnoses. Despite technological innovations, time and personnel capacities at participating centers and study center are necessary to ensure reliable data entry and to enable researchers to derive important insights into guideline-based care