Impacts of Effective Microorganisms, Compost Tea, Fulvic Acid, Yeast Extract, and Foliar Spray with Seaweed Extract on Sweet Pepper Plants under Greenhouse Conditions.

Sweet pepperincludes several vitamins and is regarded as a great source of bioactive nutrients, such as carotenoids and phenolic compounds, for human growth and activities. This work aimed to investigate the effects of the soil addition of growth stimulants, namely, effective microorganisms (EM), compost tea, fulvic acid, and yeast extract, and foliar applications of seaweed extract, on the vegetative growth, enzyme activity, phytohormones content, chemical constituents of plant foliage, fruit yield, and fruit quality of sweet pepper plants (Capsicum annuum L. cv. Zidenka) growing under greenhouse conditions. The results showed that the tallest plant, largest leaf area/plant, and heaviest plant fresh and dry weights were recorded after combining a soil addition of yeast extract and foliar spray with seaweed extracts at 3 g/L in two growing seasons. The highest number of fruit/plant, fruit yield/m2, fruit values of vitamin C (VC), total sugars, total soluble solids (TSS), and carotenoids, along with the highest leaf of cytokines, P, K, Fe, and total carbohydrates values, were obtained using a soil addition of fulvic acid and spray with seaweed extract at 3 g/L in the two seasons of study. These treatments also provided the lowest abscisic acid, peroxidase, and super oxidase dismutase values in the same conditions. Sweet pepper plants supplemented with compost tea and seaweed extract foliar spray at 3 g/L were the most promising for inducing the highest values of fruit fresh and dry weights, fruit length and diameter, and the leavesrichest in N, Zn, and Mn; inversely, it induced the lowest catalase levels in both seasons. The applications of EM, yeast extract, and seaweed extract could be applied for high growth, mineral levels, enzymatic activity, fruit yield, and nutritional value of sweet pepper fruit and minimizing environmental pollution.

Melatonin-mediated photosynthetic performance of tomato seedlings under high-temperature stress.

Photosynthesis is a fundamental biosynthetic process in plants that can enhance carbon absorption and increase crop productivity. Heat stress severely inhibits photosynthetic efficiency. Melatonin is a bio-stimulator capable of regulating diverse abiotic stress tolerances. However, the underlying mechanisms of melatonin-mediated photosynthesis in plants exposed to heat stress largely remain elucidated. Our results revealed that melatonin treatment (100 µM) in tomato seedlings increased the endogenous melatonin levels and photosynthetic pigment content along with upregulated of their biosynthesis gene expression under high-temperature stress (42 °C for 24 h), whereas heat stress significantly decreased the values of gas exchange parameters. Under heat stress, melatonin boosted CO2 assimilation, i.e., Vc,max (maximum rate of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase, Rubisco), and Jmax (electron transport of Rubisco generation) and also enhanced the Rubisco and FBPase activities, which resulted in upregulated photosynthetic related gene expression. In addition, heat stress greatly reduced the photochemical chemistry of photosystem II (PSII) and photosystem I (PSI), particularly the maximum quantum efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm) and PSI (Pm). Conversely, melatonin supplementation increased the chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters led to amplifying the electron transport efficiency. Moreover, heat stress decreased the actual PSII efficiency (ΦPSII), electron transport rate (ETR) and photochemical quenching coefficient (qP), while increasing nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ); however, melatonin reversed these values, which helps to fostering the dissipation of excess excitation energy. Taken together, our results provide a concrete insight into the efficacy of melatonin-mediated photosynthesis performance in a high-temperature regime.

Grading of Ultrasonography in Rheumatoid Arthritis of Wrist and Hand Joints.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the role of musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) in the grading of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) wrist and hand joints and correlate it with clinical, laboratory, and radiological data. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study recruited 50 patients in a tertiary care hospital. RA activity was assessed by DAS28. MSUS dorsal longitudinal scan was performed on the wrists, MCPs, and PIPS joints using high frequency (18 MHZ) linear transducer. 100 wrists in three different views, 500 MCPs, 500 PIPs were evaluated using the grayscale ultrasound and power Doppler ultrasound semiquantitative scale and scores ranging from 0-3. The results were correlated with clinical, laboratory and radiological data. All patients' wrist and hand joints X-rays were evaluated using the Larsen score. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients (49 females and one male) was 44.58 ± 10.07 years, and their mean disease duration was 16.26 ± 1.07 years. The mean DAS28 was 5.19 ± 0.95. 97.5% of joints had grade I Larsen score, 11.07% of the joints had erosions, 9.2% of the joints had effusions, 23.8% of the joints had synovial thickening, 11.9% of the joints showed PD signals and 3.5% of the joints were accompanied with tenosynovitis. Significant relations (p < 0.05) found among DAS28 and (PD signals, synovial thickening, tenosynovitis, effusion, and Larsen score). A nonsignificant relation (p > 0.05) among DAS28 and erosions detected by MSUS and X-ray. CONCLUSION: MSUS is powerful in the detection of early RA regarding synovitis, joint effusion, tenosynovitis, and bone erosions, which were correlated with clinical and laboratory parameters.

GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes are potential risk modifiers for bladder cancer.

The role of the polymorphic glutathione S-transferase genes GSTM1 and GSTT1 in the development and in the clinicopathological outcome of bladder cancer was investigated in 37 Egyptian bladder cancer patients and 34 matched controls. Of the 37 patients studied, 26 had transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) and 11 had squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Fourteen out of twenty-six TCC and four out of eleven SCC patients were infected with schistosoma. We observed an increased relative risk for bladder cancer associated with the GSTM1 null genotype (OR = 2.99; 95% CL = 1.01-9.00; p = 0.02). The relative risk was more pronounced in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (OR = 5.70; 95% CL = 0.91-36.70; p = 0.03) than in transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) (OR = 2.39; 95% CL = 0.73-7.90; p = 0.08). Our results also indicate that the GSTT1 polymorphism is individually associated with increased risk for bladder cancer (OR = 4.93; 95% CL = 1.39-18.42; p = 0.004) with no preferential increase in risk with respect to the type of the carcinoma. Individuals with the null genotype for both GSTM1 and GSTT1 were at a significantly higher risk for developing bladder cancer than individuals with both genes present (OR = 9.92; 95% CL = 1.84-46.90; p = 0.001). These individuals were more susceptible to developing SCC than TCC (OR = 14.16; 95% CL = 1.35-131.35; p = 0.01; and OR = 8.5; 95% CL = 1.38-60.10; p = 0.007, respectively). In conclusion, our results indicate that the null genotypes for GSTM1 and GSTT1, either individually or in combination, are important host risk factors for bladder cancer. In addition, the null GSTM1 genotype may also affect the clinicopathological tumor outcome. Since the deleted genotypes for GSTM1 and GSTT1 are prevalent in the general population, the identification of these individuals may provide a useful public health approach for early detection and prevention of environmental cancers.

Brain neuronal degeneration caused by episodic alcohol intoxication in rats: effects of nimodipine, 6,7-dinitro-quinoxaline-2,3-dione, and MK-801.

Rats repeatedly intoxicated with alcohol (ethanol, three times daily) over a 4-day period display neuronal degeneration in the dentate gyrus; entorhinal, piriform, insular, orbital, and perirhinal cortices; and in the olfactory nerve fibers and terminals in the olfactory bulb. Postulating a role for excitotoxicity, we have attempted to prevent the degeneration using antagonists that are neuroprotective in this type of brain damage. In an initial study, continuous subcutaneous infusion of a high dose of the glutamate/NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 (2 mg/kg/day) by itself caused extensive neuronal degeneration in several brain regions and severe behavioral intoxication that precluded survival if combined with high blood alcohol levels (approximately 300 mg/dl). Moreover, the lower, nonneurotoxic blood alcohol levels (approximately 150 mg/dl) that were compatible with survival worsened the MK-801-induced brain damage. In a subsequent experiment, daily intraperitoneal injections of a lower dose of MK-801 (1 mg/kg/day) resulted in no MK-801 toxicity and, when combined with neurotoxic levels of alcohol, no reduction in alcohol-induced neurotoxicity. Nimodipine, a voltage-gated Ca2+ channel blocker, reduced the neuronal damage in the dentate gyrus, but greatly increased it in the piriform cortex when administered intragastrically at 600 mg/kg/day; it provided no protection from alcohol-dependent degeneration when given intragastrically at 100 mg/kg/day. Continuous intracerebroventricular delivery of 0.24 to 0.29 mg/day of 6,7-dinitro-quinoxaline-2,3-dione, a glutamate/alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole receptor antagonist, failed to diminish alcohol-dependent neuronal damage in any brain region. We conclude that brain damage from episodic "binge" alcohol intoxication is not primarily mediated by excitotoxic mechanisms, implying that other, nonexcitotoxic pathophysiological mechanisms, are involved. Furthermore, MK-801, far from protecting from the alcohol-induced damage, at high doses causes widespread neuropathology that is significantly potentiated by alcohol.

Genetic polymorphism of GSTM1, CYP2E1 and CYP2D6 in Egyptian bladder cancer patients.

Polymorphic changes in the GSTM1, CYP2E1 and the CYP2D6 genes have been reported to be individually associated with increased susceptibility to certain cancers. In the present study, the relationship between genetic polymorphism for these genes and development of urinary bladder cancer among Egyptian patients was investigated. Our results indicate that the frequency of bladder cancer patients with the GSTM1 null genotype is significantly higher than that of the normal controls (86.3 and 47.6%, respectively) with an odds ratio (OR) of 6.97 (95% CL -1.59-30.57, Fisher's exact P = 0.008). In contrast, our investigation failed to demonstrate any difference in the distribution of CYP2E1 polymorphism between bladder cancer patients and controls as detected by PstI restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. RFLP analysis of the CYP2D6 gene revealed a non-significant increase in the number of extensive metabolizers (EM) among the patients compared to the controls (68 versus 48%). However, the EM genotypes enhances the risk further for individuals harboring the GSTM1 null genotype as individuals harboring both the EM and the GSTM1 null genotypes have an odds ratio of 14.0 (95% CL = 1.3- 151.4, Fisher's exact P = 0.02) compared to individuals harboring the EM and the GSTM1 +/+ genotypes. In conclusion, our results indicate that genetic polymorphism, especially in GSTM1 and CYP2D6 could play an important role as host risk factors for development of urinary bladder cancer among Egyptians.

Biochemical changes in cottonseed during development and maturity.

The changes in cottonseed constituents at different boll ages ranging from 5 to 60 days after flowering are reported. A gradual depletion of sugars coincided with gradual formation of oil has been found. Proteins are accumulated at a more or less even rate. Gossypol starts its appearance in 10 days old boll, and continuously increases. The iodine value of the oils shows gradual increase, while the acid value continuously decreases. Continuous decrease in total saturated fatty acids during development and maturity was observed while linoleic acid continuously increases. The total phospholipid content of the oil continuously decreases. The total saturated fatty acid contents of the phospholipids are generally higher than that of their corresponding oils.