Identification and characterization of resistance gene analog [RGA] and the leaf rust resistance gene Lr21 from the wheat cultivar Giza 168

Leaf [brown] rust caused by Puccinia triticina is a fungal disease of wheat [Triticum aestivum L.] that causes significant yield losses annually in many wheat-growing regions of the world. Host-plant resistance is the most economically viable and environmentally responsible method for controlling Puccinia triticina, the causal agent of leaf rust in wheat. The identification and utilization of new resistance sources is critical to continue the development of improved cultivars. The objective of this work was to identify defense-related genes against rust in the Egyptian rust resistant cultivar Giza168. Specific primers were designed on the basis of converse motifs of cloned resistance genes of the resistance gene analog [RGA] and leaf rust resistance gene [Lr21] in wheat [Triticum aestivum L.]. The designed PCR primers were subsequently used for RT-PCR using RNA isolated from a resistant variety to amplify fragments of 445 bp and 235 bp for RGA and Lr21 genes, respectively. The amplified products were cloned, sequenced and submitted to the GenBank. The nucleotide sequences of the amplified fragments were aligned with their corresponding genes using the BLAST. The expressions of the two genes in the infected and healthy plants were studied using RT-PCR. The RGA expression was induced and detected by RT-PCR, which is up-regulated by fungal infection. The Lr21 expression was detected on both healthy and infected plants, although the expression was higher in infected plants

Combined spinal epidural versus epidural sufentanil and bupivacaine in labour [clinical and histological comparative study]

Regional analgesia provides excellent pain relif in labour. This study was designed to compare combined spinal eqidural [CSE] versus epidural block using a narcotic [sufentanil] and local anaesthetic bupivacaine regarding their effects on progress of labour, method of delivery, pain relif, side effects and neonatal outcome. Forty pregnant women ASA I and II were enrolled in this study. The women were randomly allocated to receive either CSE or epidural [20 patient of each]. In CSE group analgesia was initiated with l0 micro g sufentanil with 2mg bupivacaine. In epidural group 10 ml bupivacaine 0.125%.and l0 micro g sufentanil injected epidurally. In both groups the continuous infusion of 0.83% bupivacaine with 0.33ug/ml sufentanil at l0ml/hr adjusted as required. Maternal haemodynamics, analgesia characteristics VAPS, degree of motor block, were measured. Duration of labour, cervical dilation, maternal satisfaction and mode of delivery were assessed. Foetal outcome was assessed by 1 and 5 min. Apgar score and umbilical venous blood gases. Maternal and neonatal side effects were observed. The experimental study was done on 30 rats divided into 3 groups 10 rats of each. Control group [A] injected intrathecally with saline, group [B] injected intrathecally with 1.5 micro g/kg sufentanil [low dose], and group [C] injected intrathecally with 7.5 micro g/kg sufentanil [high dose], the pervious doses were injected every 2hr. for 3 times then the spinal cord was obtained and stained for histological evaluation. The clinical study showed that no difference between the 2 groups for the degree of motor block or adequacy of analgesia, mode of delivery and Foetal outcome. The onset of analgesia was faster with CSE technique, more patient satisfaction and more pruritis. The histological results revealed that no detectable significant neurotoxic changes with the use of small dose of intrathecal sufentanil but mild changes occurred with high dose. So the study concluded that both CSE and epidural analgesia with sufentanial and bupivaine can provide effective labour analgesia with minimal or no side effects

Re-estimation of gamma irradiation sterilizing dose of locally produced gloves

This work aimed to re-estimate the value of sterilizing dose of the locally produced gloves. Also, the scope of this work was limited by isolation, purification and identification of bacterial flora of gloves locally manufactured in Egypt. The bacterial flora of the locally produced gloves were found to be sporeforming bacteria, mainly Bacillus firmus, B. alvei, B. subtilis, B. circulans and B. pantothenticus. These isolates were resistant to radiation and thermal treatment. The D10- value for the isolated strains was estimated in the range of 2.7 to 3.2 kGy. The most radioresistant isolate was B. circulans with D10 value 3.2 kGy when the cells were irradiated in a form of dry test pieces [108 colony forming units]. When B. circulans 108 colony forming units] were used to deliberately contaminate the gloves materials, D10- value was 1.8 kGy. In order to confirm these results standard strain B. pumilus E601 was used instead of B. circulans. The D10-value of B. pumilus was determined to be 3.2 and 2.5 kGy under the previously mentioned conditions respectively. The results indicated that the sensitivity of the isolated and the reference strains increased when the gloves materials were used as a substrate during the process of irradiation. Accordingly, it was proved that the material of the substrate affects the value of the sterilizing dose

Effect of gamma radiation on mycotoxin production by toxigenic moulds in local karish cheese

Forty-two random samples of Karish cheese were collected and analyzed for mycotoxins and the effect of gamma irradiation on growth and production of mycotoxins by toxigenic stains of Penicillium in Karish cheese was studied. Of the 42 samples only 2 [4.7%] were positive for ochratoxin A and all samples were negative for aflatoxin, penicillic acid, citrinin and cyclopiazonic acid. In addition of 108 cultures of Penicillium spp. And Aspergillus spp. Only 23 were positive for cyclopiazonic acid, 13 for aflatoxin B1, 9 for ochratoxin A, 8 for penicillic acid, and 4 for citrinin. Cheese samples were inoculated with conidia of P. viridicatum, P. cyclopium and P. chrysogenum and then irradiated at a dose of 1.5 and 3.5 kGy and incubated for prolonged period at 25C of colony-forming units was lower than the unirradiated controls. Ochratoxin A, cyclopiazonic acid and penicillic acid production by P. viridicatum, P. cyclopium and P. chrysogenum decreased from the control level with increased dose and were not detected at 4.0 kGy

Combined effects of gamma-irradiation and heat on the elimination of toxigenic and pathogenic microorganisms oceurring in different brid and animal droppings

The distribution of microorganisms in 50 samples of selected bird and animal droppings and the effect of heat and gamma-irradiation on the elimination of pathogenic microorganisms in droppings were studied. The total aerobic bacteria ranged from 9.3 x 104 to 5.60 x104 /gram, while coliforms in 30 samples were from coliforms 7.50x 102 to 8.60x104. Bacillus subtilis, B. licheniforms, Micrococcus varians and Escherichia coli were the most common bacterial species isolated. Moulds in all samples ranged from 2.80 x 102 to 6.5 x104/gram, being consisted mainly of Aspergillus flavus, A. glaucus, A. Fumigatus, A. niger and Penicillium spp. A dose of 8 kGy gamma-irradiation was required to reduce the total aerobic bacteria to below a delectable level, while doses below 6 kGy were required to decrease or eliminate coliforms and moulds. Heat treatment of droppings samples pre- irradiation at temperatures of 60C and 70C decreased the viable counts of microorganisms and the samples were free from pathogenic and toxigenic microorganisms at low-imitation doses in combination with heat treatment

Effects of gamma radiation, temperature and water activity on the production of alternaria mycotoxins

The natural occurrence of Alternaria alternata and of the principal Alternaria mycotoxins was determined in different food and feed products. The effects of gamma radiation, temperature and water activity [aw] on the production of these mycotoxins on wheat grains were also investigated. All samples of wheat, rice, peanut oil cake, sorghum, sunflower oil cake, yellow corn barley, wheat bran, poultry feed and cotton seed cake were infected by A. alternate. Seventy four out of 120 food and feed samples were contaminated by 2 to 5 A. alternata mycotoxin. The largest contamination was found in wheat with 2.3, 1.9, 1.7, 1.5 and 0.7 mg/kg, respectively, of alternariol [AOH] alternariol methyl ether [AME], altertoxin-I [AIX] altenuene [ALT] and tenuazonic acid [TA]. Forty-one out of 58 isolates of A. alternata produced large concentrations of mycotoxins on wheat grains. Both temperature and aw affected production of mycotoxins by A. alternata in wheat grain

Gastric emptying time in bilharzial patients with and without hepatitis-C virus infection

Eighty one adult male Egyptian bilharzial patients were subjected to the study. Their ages ranged from 25 to 45 years. Their complains were nausea, vomiting, eructation and epigastric pain. Full clinical, laboratory examination, liver biopsies, upper endoscopy, ECG and barium meal, were done to every patient. They were divided into 3 groups. Group I, bilharzial patients who were negative for hepatitis- C, group II, bilharzial patients who were positive for hepatis-C, and group III, control group [normal persons]. Gastric emptying time was prolonged in group I, but was more prolonged in group II patients. There were strong positive correlations between symptoms and gastric emptying times

Mutagenic effect of rift valley fever virus as measured by indication of chromosomal aberrations and formation of micronuclei in mice bone marrow cells

The mutagenic effect of Rift Valley fever [RVF] virus was tested in male mice bone marrow cells. Three virus titers were chosen [low [L], intermediate [IM] and high [H]]. These were 3, 300 and 3000 VP/dose, respectively. Mice were inoculated with each titer and samples were taken 24 and 48 hours later from bone marrow. An increase in chromosomal aberrations [structural and numerical] was observed in some treatments with RVF virus. The significant structural chromosomal aberrations are in the form of gape and centromeric attenuations, while the numerical aberration was endomitosis. All treatments showed a decrease in mitotic index [number of dividing nuclei per 300 cells], this decrease was highly significant. Although, the number of micronucleated PCE increased after inoculation with all treatments, the increase was below the significant level. Since there is no information available on the mutagenicity of RVF virus, more cytogenetic studies are suggested, the result of which could be compared with these results. This may throw some light on the mutagenic effect that could be produced by RVF virus

Formation of broad spectrum antibiotics by two streptomyces species: I-isolation and identification of the producing organisms

The antibiotic activity of 155 isolates of Streptomyces was tested against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Proteus vulgaris, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium spAnd Candida albicansThe activity of eight red isolates which showed a broad antibiotic spectrum was tested on various media where starch nitrate agar proved to be the most substrateThe antibiotic potency on shaken culture revealed that isolates 123 and 183 were the most active among the selected red isolatesThese two organisms were identified as Streptomyces massasporeus and Streptomyces tauricus, respectively

Formation of broad spectrum antibiotics by two streptomyces species: II-optimization of cultural conditions

It was proved that incubation of the two Streptomyces species for 6 days at 30C revealed higher production of antibiotic. The maximum antibiotic yield was obtained when the initial pH of the medium ranged between 7.5 and 8.0 Starch at concentration of 2.5% was the best carbon source, while 0.35 and 0.5% calcium nitrate proved to be the best nitrogen source for Stauricus and Smassasporeus respectively. The maximum antibiotic production by the two Streptomyces species was attained on media supplemented with 0.15% dipotassium hydrogen phosphate, 0.075% magnesium sulfate and 0.1% sodium chloride