Evaluating the responses of some wheat landraces and cultivars cultivated locally in Saudi Arabia to three sources of irrigation water

This study was aimed to investigate the response of some wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) landraces to three irrigation sources, freshwater (FW), well water (WW), and treated municipal wastewater (TMW), regarding the impact on growth, yield, and grains elements contents. The results showed that the various wheat landraces irrigated with treated wastewater were significantly taller (117.3 cm) with multi tillers (22 tiller plant-1), had maximum spikes per plant (2.6), and longer weighty spikes (14.5 cm & 12.1 g). Landraces L1(Burr), L2 (Baldy Burr), C7 (Yecora Rojo), had maximum tillers, L4 (Alssamaa Burr), L5 (Bahaal Burr), L7 (Yecora Rojo) had more spikes per plant and the longer weighty spikes were recorded in L5 Baldy Burr, L1(Burr), heavy spikes were reported in L5 (Bahaal Burr) and L1(Burr). Moreover, these landraces had the highest yield per plant and 1000 grains weight (49.8 g, 12.5 g) respectively. The N, P, K, and Mg contents were increased under TMW, and their levels in landraces and cultivars in order are 3>L2>L4>L5>L1>C6>C7. Even Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn levels were higher in various landraces irrigated with TMW, however, L3, L2, and L4 had maximum contents of all microelements. TMW irrigation enhanced growth, yield, and grain quality in terms of essential elements. The irrigation of landraces L1, L4, L5 with TMW may be a feasible alternative for sustainable wheat production and safe water in arid regions such as Saudi Arabia.

The Impact Of Physicochemical Characteristics On Therapeutic Efficacy Of Anticancer Nanomaterials: A Review

Cancer is a global leading cause of death which suffers from treatment failures mainly due to intensive toxicity and lack of effectiveness of conventional drugs. The application of nanotechnology in cancer treatment promises to overcome the limitations of conventional drugs/drug delivery systems and improve their therapeutic efficacy. Materials at the nano scale possess novel properties that have an impact on their biological behaviour. The physiological interactions of nanomedicines in the body, which differ from those of conventional medicines, may provide benefits in pharmaceutical and/or clinical applications including, improvements in solubility, stability, efficacy, reduction of side effects, prevention and treatment of diseases. This paper discusses the unique characteristics and distinguished advantages of nanomaterials as anticancer drug carriers. Physicochemical properties of nanomaterials are critical parameters to their clinical translation. Hence, the impact of the main physicochemical properties on the efficacy of anitcancer nanomaterials, which are found to effective for cancer treatment and/or diagnosis, are presented. It is important to have reliable and robust characterization techniques that could enable relate physicochemical properties of nanomaterials with their in vivo behaviour. Brief explanation of the different techniques that can be used for studying the different physicochemical characteristics of nanomaterials is given. An important consideration, to achieve fast and successful development of nanotechnology-based anticancer drug products, is assessment and optimization of physicochemical and biopharmaceutical properties at the early stage. Obviously this requires collaboration among the different discovery and development scientists.

Analysis of Awareness and Adaptation to Climate Change among Farmers in the Sahel Savannah Agro-ecological Zone of Borno State, Nigeria.

This study examined the awareness and adaptation to climate change among farmers in the Sahel Savannah agro-ecological zone of Borno State, Nigeria. Data for the study were collected from 225 respondents selected through the Multi-stage sampling technique. A socio-economic profile of the respondents indicated that 48.89% were above 45 years of age and majority (78.23%) had educational qualifications below the secondary school level. The study also revealed that a majority (79.12%) of the respondents were small-scale farm holders and more than half (67.56%) had fewer than 7 extension contacts during the 2010 farming season. An analysis of the source of climate change awareness revealed that majority (82.22%) of the respondents was aware of the phenomenon of climate change. Of that number, extension service and friends/neighbors were ranked high as source of awareness about climate change, accounting for 47.57% and 232.43% respectively. Analysis of adaptation practices used by the respondents showed that planting ahead of rains (97.78%) and planting of cover crops 80.00% were used most. Analysis of the relationships between some selected socio-economic variables and the use of climate change adaptation measures revealed that educational qualification and the number of extension contacts were the most important factors influencing the use of adaptation measures among the respondents. The main constraints on climate change adaptation measures by farmers in the study area were poor financial resources (86.67%) and unavailability of weather information (77.78%). The study concluded that the majority of farmers were aware of climate change and its consequences. The study also concluded that although the majority of farmers were engaged in husbandry practices aimed at climate change adaptation, they were constrained by some factors; therefore we recommended that extension education should be strengthened to boost farmers’ awareness of climate change and prepare them for adaptation measures and that appropriate/indigenous technologies be promoted for adaptation by farmers.

Palm tocotrienol-rich fraction supplementation suppressed stress-induced gastric oxidative stress in rats.

Palm tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF), an extract from palm oil containing both tocotrienol and tocopherol, is known for its antioxidant effect. The present study investigated the effect of palm TRF on the stomach using a water immersion restraint stress (WRS) model. Fortytwo male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups and were administered 60 mg/kg/d of palm TRF, α-tocopherol or vehicle only for 28 days. At the end of the treatment period, half of the rats from each group were subjected to WRS for 3.5 hours, after which the rats were sacrificed. The stomachs were then examined for lesions and measured for thiobarbituric acid reactive substance content and xanthine oxidase activity. Rats exposed to WRS showed gastric mucosal lesions. Pretreatments of the palm TRF and α-tocopherol reduced the occurrence of the lesions. WRS also increased gastric malondialdehyde content and xanthine oxidase activity significantly, but the increase in the oxidative stress parameters were significantly suppressed by both vitamin E pretreatments. However, the effects of palm TRF and α-tocopherol on the parameters measured were not different. In conclusion, palm TRF has the ability to protect against gastric mucosal injury, likely via its ability to inhibit oxidative stress.

Evaluation of serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen as a novel biomarker for diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in Egyptian patients.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common malignancy in the world. In Egypt, HCC was reported to account for about 4.7% of chronic liver disease (CLD) patients. Squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA) has been reported to be strongly expressed in HCC tissue hampering its extensive use in clinical practice. AIM: To evaluate the clinical usefulness of serum SCCA levels as a serological marker for early detection of HCC among high-risk patients compared to AFP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study comprised of three groups. Group A included 30 patients with CLD diagnosed based on clinical, laboratory, and ultrasonographical investigations; group B included 49 patients with HCC diagnostically confirmed by spiral CT, elevated alfafetoprotein (AFP), and/or liver biopsy; and group C, the control group, included 15 healthy subjects matched for age and sex. All groups were subjected to thorough history taking, full clinical examination, and laboratory investigations including liver functions, viral markers, and AFP and SCCA estimation using ELISA technique. RESULTS: This study revealed a highly significant difference between patients with HCC, CLD, and controls regarding serum SCCA levels (5.138 +/- 7.689, 1.133 +/- 0.516, and 0.787 +/- 0.432 ng/ml, respectively). SCCA level was persistently elevated in patients with HCC with normal AFP levels representing its useful role in early detection and follow-up of patients treated for HCC. The area under the curve (AUC) of SCCA was 0.869 (95% CI 0.783-0.929), the cut-off value was established at 1.5 ng/ml with sensitivity of 77.6% and specificity of 84.4%). The difference between AUC of SCCA and that of AFP was 0.09 which mounted statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: SCCA could represent a useful tool as a marker for detection of HCC.

Bacteriology of neonatal sepsis in a large teachicg hospital in benghazi, libya

Out of 196 suspected cases of neonatal sepsis retrospectively studied, bacteraemia was detected in 144 cases [73%]. Incidence rate was 5.65 per 1000 hospital admissions. Gram negative organisms were predominant [86%] with Klebsiella pneumoniae, Serratia spp. As the major pathogens. Among the gram positive organisms, Staphylococcus epidermidis emereged as the common pathpgen. High degree of multiple-resistance to common antimicrobials by many of these nosocomial isolates were observed in our study. Restricted use of antibiotics, strict aseptic measures during and in neonatal wards and nurseries could reduce the incidence of sepsis among neonates

Non-pedunculated leiomyoma of the scrotum

Leiomyomas arising from the tunica dartos scroti are rare tumours. We present a case of non-pedunculated leiomyoma of the scrotum, probably the first reported in Kuwait

Interrelationship between oral bacteria and formation of germ-tubes by albicans

Inhibition of Candida albicans germ- tube formation was observed in serum in the presence of the following bacteria: Escherichia coli, Citrobacter koseri, Streptococcus salivarius, streptococcus sanguis, Corynebacterium hofmanni and Neisseria pharyngis.in the absence of bacteria 88% of the yeast cells formed germ tubes, but in their presence this value was reduced to a range of 3-46% depending on the bacterial species used. The ratio of bacteria in relation to the number of candida must be high [>102] in order to inhibit germ tubes development, and this phenomenon may be related to the size and/ or the arrangements of bacterial cells. The contact between bacteria and Candida seems to be loose and can easily be broken by washing. Inhibition of the germination may be mediated by a ligand on bacterial cell surface receptor on yeast cells interaction.

Emergence of multiple-drug resistant salmonellae isolated from neonates in Benghazi-Libya

An outbreak of diarrhoeal disease was detected in a Neonatal Nursery Unit, Benghazi-Libya. Salmonella was isolated from 63 out of 118[52.5%] stool samples. All isolates were resistant to co-trimoxazole, choramphenicol. ampicillin, amoxycilin, cephaloridine, gentamicine and kanamycin. As high as 95% of the isolates were also resistant to augmentin, cephamandole, ceftriaxohe and cefotaxime exhibiting multiple resistance patterns. Variable susceptibility patterns were detected for cefoxitin, ceftazidime and aztreonam. However all isolates were sensitive to tetracycline, polymyxin B, imipenem norfloxacin and ofloxacin. The present investigation underlines an alarming situation which could be due to the indiscriminate use of antibiotics in developing countries which require stricter control measures both at hospitals and in the community

Radioisotope scanning of the carpus for early detection of occult scaphoid fractures

Twenty-two cases of clinically suspected fractures of the carpal scaphoid bone and not visualised radiologically were subjected to Technitium 99m bone scan. Then was an increased focal uptake in 5 cases which proved radiologically to be fractures of the scaphoid, 2 - 4 weeks later. The remaining radioisotope negative cases proved to harbour no fractures, and their complaint disappeared within 8 weeks. Bone scan is a valuable test for early detection of occult scaphoid fracture