Influence of mixed bee-pollen on rat a health

Mixed bee pollens were collected from fields cultivated by sunflower, palm and oxeye daisy plants at Fayoum governorate. The gross chemical composition and the profiles of amino acids and minerals of bee collected mixed pollens were determined. Nutritional experiments were preformed on adult and elderly female rats fed on basal diet and orally supplemented by mixed bee pollen at 2% and 4% levels. Blood samples of adults and elderly female rats were collected at start and after 10, 20, and 30 days of the experiments. Serum total lipids, high-density lipoproteins, triglycerides, total lipids, progesterone and calcium levels were estimated for both adults and elderly female rats. At the end of the experiment, the adult and elderly female rats were allowed to mate and the numbers of fetuses in both cases were counted. The basal diet supplemented with mixed bee pollen induced a lowering lipid effect, increased HDL-cholesterol, progesterone, calcium levels and fertility of elderly female rats

Preparation, thermogravimetric and spectroscopic studies of transition metal complexes of schiff base condensation ligands

Schiff-base compound of beta- alanine with benzaldehyde [1] was prepared and allowed to react with urea under retluxing condition and the resulting product[II] was reacted with two moles of oxalic acid to obtain compound [III]. The behavior of the prepared compound [111] as a ligand [L] towards metal acetate to form metal complexes were studied. The metal-L complexes were prepared in the mole ratio 2L: 1 M and the prepared complexes were characterized on the basis of the following: elemental analyses UV, IR, [1]H NMR spectra, conductometric titration, magnetic susceptibility and theimogravemrtric analysis [TGA]

Effect of gamma radiation on the infected yellow corn and peanuts by a.flavus

Pure aflatoxins and deliberately infected yellow corn and peanuts with A. flavus were separately exposed to gamma radiation at 5, 10 and 20 KGy. The levels of pure aflatoxins were decreased by increasing the radiation dose. The pure aflatoxins G1 and B1 were the most radio- sensitive while B2 was the most radio-resistant than the other isomers. B1 and G1 toxins were completely destroyed at irradiation doses of 10 and 20 KGy, respectively. The reduction percentages of aflatoxins in the deliberately infected yellow corn and peanuts demonstrated that, the aflatoxins B2 and G2 were the most radio- sensitive than that of their analogy compounds [B1 and G1]. The toxicity index values for the infected yellow corn and peanuts were decreased by increasing the irradiation dose. The gamma-rays even at 20 KGy was not effective in destroying completely the toxins since only 83% reduction of aflatoxins was achieved

Biochemical and nutritional studies on some obese and non-obese Egyptian females

Total number of 218 females, aged between 17 and 59 years, were randomly chosen and classified into non-obese [29.8%] and obese [70.2%] according to the body mass index [BMI]. Obese group was moreover classified into three subgroups: Mild [50.9%], moderate [13.3%] and severe [6%] obese cases. Based on waist/hip [W: H] ratio, obese women were categorized as gynoid [80.4%] and android [19.6%]. The highest obesity cases were shown in married cases. Serum lipid components [total serum lipids, TSL, triglycerides, TG, total cholesterol, TC, and apo-lipoprotein, Apo-B] were determined for 29 and 116 normal and obese females, respectively. The obese cases had significantly [P <0.01] higher values of the aforementioned serum lipid components than that of the non-obese group. Positive correlation was only obtained between BMI and each of TG and Apo-B for obese females. As a function of fat distribution, no significant difference was obtained between the gynoid and android groups for any of serum lipid components of obese women

Effect of obesity on blood glucose and hormonal levels of women

Serum blood glucose and hormonal levels of insulin, prolactin, progesterone, estradiol, cortisol, growth hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, thyroxine, triiodothyronine and free thyroxine of 139 randomly chosen women were estimated. The levels of progesterone, estradiol and growth hormone were significantly decreased in all obese women in comparison with the non- obese. In contrast, the level of follicle stimulating hormone of obese women was higher than that of non-obese cases. Comparison between gynoid and android obese women groups indicated that fat distribution had no significant effect on both serum glucose and hormonal levels

Comparative studies on blood serum components and the activities of certain enzymes of non-obese and obese Egyptian women

Blood serum components and enzyme activities of 23 non-obese and 116 obese women were estimated. The obese group was categorized into two subgroups based on fat distribution [android and gynoid]. The results demonstrated that total serum proteins, globulins, uric acid and calcium to inorganic phosphorus ratio were significantly higher in obese groups in comparison with the non-obese group. Conversely, serum albumin to globulin ratio and inorganic phosphorus were significantly lower in obese groups than the non-obese women group. However, these parameters showed also that there was no significant effect on the difference between android and gynoid women groups and consequently the fat distribution had no relation with the serum constituents. The activities of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and gamma glutamyl transferase were the same for non-obese and obese groups and also between gynoid and android groups. Conversely, significant increase of creatine phosphokinase and lactic acid dehydrogenase activities were noted in all obese groups in comparison with the non-obese group

Effect of certain fungi on the lipids of wheat kernels, sesame and soybean seeds

Physical and chemical properties of the oils extracted from healthy and infected seeds rich in carbohydrates [wheat], proteins [soybean] and oil [sesame] were studied. The results showed a decrease in refractive index and iodine value and an increase in acid value in infected oil. The fungal infection caused qualitative and quantitative differences in the free and bound fatty acids of the seeds in this study. Fungal infection led to the appearance of some new fatty acids and disappearance of some medium chain-length fatty acids