scholarly journals Quantitative Label-Free Comparison of the Metabolic Protein Fraction in Old and Modern Italian Wheat Genotypes by a Shotgun Approach

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (9) ◽  
pp. 2596
Author(s):  
Antonella Di Francesco ◽  
Vincenzo Cunsolo ◽  
Rosaria Saletti ◽  
Birte Svensson ◽  
Vera Muccilli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Defense Mechanisms ◽  
Nutritional Value ◽  
The Other ◽  
Label Free ◽  
Genetic Characteristics ◽  
Wheat Genotypes ◽  
Value Evaluation ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Metabolic Protein ◽  
Shotgun Approach

Wheat represents one of the most important cereals for mankind. However, since wheat proteins are also the causative agent of several adverse reactions, during the last decades, consumers have shown an increasing interest in the old wheat genotypes, which are generally perceived as more “natural” and healthier than the modern ones. Comparison of nutritional value for modern and old wheat genotypes is still controversial, and to evaluate the real impact of these foods on human health comparative experiments involving old and modern genotypes are desirable. The nutritional quality of grain is correlated with its proteomic composition that depends on the interplay between the genetic characteristics of the plant and external factors related to the environment. We report here the label-free shotgun quantitative comparison of the metabolic protein fractions of two old Sicilian landraces (Russello and Timilia) and the modern variety Simeto, from the 2010–2011 and 2011–2012 growing seasons. The overall results show that Timilia presents the major differences with respect to the other two genotypes investigated. These differences may be related to different defense mechanisms and some other peculiar properties of these genotypes. On the other hand, our results confirm previous results leading to the conclusion that with respect to a nutritional value evaluation, there is a substantial equivalence between old and modern wheat genotypes. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier <PXD024204>.

scholarly journals Olive mill wastewater effects on durum wheat crop attributes and soil microbial activities: A pilot study in Syria

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jehan Khalil ◽  
Hasan Habib ◽  
Michael Alabboud ◽  
Safwan Mohammed
Keyword(s):  
Durum Wheat ◽  
Germination Rate ◽  
Soil Samples ◽  
Olive Mill Wastewater ◽  
The Other ◽  
Wheat Crop ◽  
Microbial Activities ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Olive Mill

AbstractOlive mill wastewater is one of the environmental problems in semiarid regions. The main goals of this study were to investigate the impacts of different olive mill wastewater levels on durum wheat (Triticum aestivum var. Douma1) production and soil microbial activities (i.e., bacteria and fungi). A pot experiment was conducted during the growing seasons 2015/2017 to evaluate the effect of three levels of olive mill wastewater on both growth and productivity attributes of wheat. Vertisol soil samples were collected from southern Syria. Two months before wheat cultivation, three levels of olive mill wastewater: T5 (5 L/m 2), T10 (10 L/m2) and T15 (15 L/m 2) were added to pots filled with the collected soil samples. Also, a control (T0) free of olive mill wastewater was considered as a reference. Results showed a significant increase (p < 0.05) in germination rate (%), plant height (cm), ear length (cm), kernels number, kernels weight per ear (g) and grain yield (g/m2) compared to control. However, T5 treatment did not induce a significant increase in terms of ear length, kernels weight per ear or yield (in the second season). On the other hand, T10 treatment had recorded the best results compared with the other two treatments (T5, T15). Similarly, the results showed a significant increase in the number of bacterial and fungi cells by increasing olive mill wastewater concentration. This research provides promising results toward using olive mill wastewater in an eco-friendly way under Syrian conditions.

scholarly journals Microfluidic Tools for Enhanced Characterization of Therapeutic Stem Cells and Prediction of Their Potential Antimicrobial Secretome

Antibiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 750
Author(s):  
Pasquale Marrazzo ◽  
Valeria Pizzuti ◽  
Silvia Zia ◽  
Azzurra Sargenti ◽  
Daniele Gazzola ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Defense Mechanisms ◽  
Live Cells ◽  
Label Free ◽  
Bacterial Diseases ◽  
Prospective Application ◽  
Therapy Strategies ◽  
Stromal Stem Cells ◽  
Different Sources

Antibiotic resistance is creating enormous attention on the development of new antibiotic-free therapy strategies for bacterial diseases. Mesenchymal stromal stem cells (MSCs) are the most promising candidates in current clinical trials and included in several cell-therapy protocols. Together with the well-known immunomodulatory and regenerative potential of the MSC secretome, these cells have shown direct and indirect anti-bacterial effects. However, the low reproducibility and standardization of MSCs from different sources are the current limitations prior to the purification of cell-free secreted antimicrobial peptides and exosomes. In order to improve MSC characterization, novel label-free functional tests, evaluating the biophysical properties of the cells, will be advantageous for their cell profiling, population sorting, and quality control. We discuss the potential of emerging microfluidic technologies providing new insights into density, shape, and size of live cells, starting from heterogeneous or 3D cultured samples. The prospective application of these technologies to studying MSC populations may contribute to developing new biopharmaceutical strategies with a view to naturally overcoming bacterial defense mechanisms.

scholarly journals Variation of MODIS reflectance and vegetation indices with viewing geometry and soybean development

2012 ◽  
Vol 84 (2) ◽  
pp. 263-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fábio M. Breunig ◽  
Lênio S. Galvão ◽  
Antônio R. Formaggio ◽  
José C.N. Epiphanio
Keyword(s):  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽  
Vegetation Indices ◽  
Constant Factor ◽  
The Other ◽  
Large Field ◽  
Phenological Stages ◽  
Water Index ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer

Directional effects introduce a variability in reflectance and vegetation index determination, especially when large field-of-view sensors are used (e.g., Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer - MODIS). In this study, we evaluated directional effects on MODIS reflectance and four vegetation indices (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index - NDVI; Enhanced Vegetation Index - EVI; Normalized Difference Water Index - NDWI1640 and NDWI2120) with the soybean development in two growing seasons (2004-2005 and 2005-2006). To keep the reproductive stage for a given cultivar as a constant factor while varying viewing geometry, pairs of images obtained in close dates and opposite view angles were analyzed. By using a non-parametric statistics with bootstrapping and by normalizing these indices for angular differences among viewing directions, their sensitivities to directional effects were studied. Results showed that the variation in MODIS reflectance between consecutive phenological stages was generally smaller than that resultant from viewing geometry for closed canopies. The contrary was observed for incomplete canopies. The reflectance of the first seven MODIS bands was higher in the backscattering. Except for the EVI, the other vegetation indices had larger values in the forward scattering direction. Directional effects decreased with canopy closure. The NDVI was lesser affected by directional effects than the other indices, presenting the smallest differences between viewing directions for fixed phenological stages.

scholarly journals Sticky coffee hull silage on the feeding of growing and finishing pigs

2011 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 343-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulo Levi de Oliveira Carvalho ◽  
Ivan Moreira ◽  
Antonio Claudio Furlan ◽  
Diovani Paiano ◽  
Liliane Maria Piano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Value ◽  
Economic Feasibility ◽  
The Other ◽  
Finishing Pigs ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Plasma Urea ◽  
Price Relationship ◽  
Stomach Weight ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
Crossbred Pigs

Two experiments were carried out with the objective of evaluating the performance and carcass traits of growing and finishing pigs fed rations with sticky coffee hull silage. In experiment 1, the coffee hulls were ground through a 4-mm screen and ensiled with 30% water and enzymatic-bacterial inoculant and evaluated in digestibility trial with 15 crossbred pigs distributed in a completely randomised design. Overall, the ensiling process did not improve the digestibility of the sticky coffee hulls. In experiment 2, it was used 60 pigs (32.52 to 59.58 kg) in the growing phase and 55 pigs (61.70 to 90.27 kg) in the finishing phase, distributed in a completely randomised design with five diets (0, 4, 8, 12 and 16% of sticky coffee hull silage) and six replicates. In the growing and finishing phase, inclusion of levels of sticky coffee hull silage did not affect feed intake, weight gain, and plasma urea nitrogen. However, in the finishing phase, feed conversion improved as the levels of sticky coffee hull silage increased. Responses by backfat thickness and marbling were quadratic, whereas empty stomach weight increased linearly when sticky coffee hull silage was included in the diet. Sticky coffee hull silage has good nutritional value and if used in levels up to 16% of the diet, it does not impair performance of pigs in the growing and finishing phases and it results in leaner carcasses. However, the economic feasibility of its use depends on the price relationship of this by-product with the other feedstuffs.

scholarly journals Mucopolysaccharidosis type I - Clinical and genetic characteristics of Romanian patients

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 279-286
Author(s):  
Camelia Alkhzouz ◽  
Cecilia Lazea ◽  
Diana Miclea ◽  
Carmen Asavoaie ◽  
Ioana Nascu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Severe Form ◽  
The Other ◽  
Compound Heterozygous ◽  
Type I ◽  
Ophthalmological Examination ◽  
Mucopolysaccharidosis Type ◽  
Hurler Syndrome ◽  
Mucopolysaccharidosis Type I ◽  
Genetic Characteristics ◽  
Mps I

AbstractBackground: Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder caused by a deficiency of α-L-iduronidase (IDUA), which leads to the accumulation of partially digested glycosaminoglycans (dermatan sulfate and heparan sulfate) in the lysosomes and induces multisystemic alteration. Hurler (severe), Scheie (mild), and Hurler/Scheie (intermediate) syndromes are clinical subtypes of MPS-I. To date, more than 290 IDUA mutations have been reported. The purpose of this study was to present the clinical and genetic characteristics of Romanian MPS I syndrome patients and their genotype-phenotype correlation.Patients and methods: Seven patients (5 girls and 2 boys) with MPS type I, belonging to 4 unrelated families, aged 0,75-17.9 years, were enrolled. The study methods consisted in: clinical and standard auxological assessment, bone radiographs, joint ultrasonography, goniometry, neurological and psychological evaluation, hepatic and splenic ultrasonography, cardiological evaluation, otorhinolaryngology examination, ophthalmological examination, spirometry, α-L-iduronidase enzyme activity assay and molecular analysis.Results: The seven patients originated from 4 unrelated families, three patients with severe, two patients with intermediate and two with attenuated clinical phenotype. Each patient presented the classical picture of MPS type I picture, represented by: variable coarse facial features, arthropathy, hepatosplenomegaly, cardiac involvement, respiratory dysfunction and neurological impairment. Five patological variants, three point mutations (p.Q70 *, p.I238Q and p.K324R), two deletion c.1045_1047delGAC, c.46_57delTCGCTCCTG) and an insertion (c.1389 insC) were identified in both alleles of the ADUA gene in homozygous or heterozygous form. Two novel mutations (p.K324R and c.1389 insC) were reported. The p.Q70*(c.208C>T) variant was identified in 2 families with severe form of disease (Hurler syndrome) in homozygous status in one family and in compound heterozygous status in the other family.Conclusion: The p.Q70* missense variant was the most frequent, correlated in all the cases who presented it with severe form, Hurler syndrome, the other mutations being usually isolated and particular for each patient, associated in our patients with less severe MPS I phenotype, as Hurler-Scheie or Scheie syndrome. The results of this study indicated the mutational heterogeneity of the IDUA gene and the difficulty to indicate some correlation between the genotype and phenotype in MPS I patients.

CAROTENOIDS IN DURUM WHEAT: DEVELOPMENTAL PATTERNS DURING TWO GROWING SEASONS

1975 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 679-684 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. J. LACROIX ◽  
J. B. LIER
Keyword(s):  
Durum Wheat ◽  
Triticum Durum ◽  
The Other ◽  
Developmental Patterns ◽  
Pigment Synthesis ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Pigment Concentrations ◽  
Triticum Durum Desf ◽  
Mature Seeds ◽  
Β Carotene

Variations in seed pigment concentrations of Triticum durum Desf. cv. Hercules were studied during two growing seasons. In the second season, the effects on seed pigment of spraying durum wheat with CPTA (chlorophenylthiotriethylamine) at 3.9 kg/ha, 1 and 2 wk after flowering were also studied. Normal pigment synthesis showed one period of synthesis for chlorophyll, but two for carotenoids. One complement of carotenoids seems to be associated with the chloroplast, while the other is probably located in the endosperm. CPTA appeared to affect the size and duration of chlorophyll and α + β carotene pools. Lutein concentrations at 33 days after flowering were at the same level in sprayed and non-sprayed samples. Since mature seeds showed pigment increases of up to 20% after spraying with CPTA, a late synthesis of lutein is indicated.

scholarly journals The association between blood groups and maxillofacial deformities

2008 ◽  
Vol 41 (02) ◽  
pp. 138-140
Author(s):  
Rasoul Gheisari ◽  
Mehdi Ghoreishian ◽  
Movahedian Bijan ◽  
Roozbehi Amrolah
Keyword(s):  
Blood Group ◽  
Blood Groups ◽  
Iranian Population ◽  
The Other ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Genetic Characteristics ◽  
Blood Group A ◽  
Group A ◽  
Group B ◽  
Group Distribution

ABSTRACT Background: Blood group is a genetic characteristic which is associated with some diseases and deformities. Multifactorial characteristics of facial development make it difficult to predict a genetic pattern in a specific maxillofacial deformity, but epidemiological evaluations can reveal relationships between such deformities and some genetic characteristics or accompanied diseases, and this will help to recognise and treat them. The aim of this study is evaluation of the relationship between blood groups and maxillofacial deformities. Materials and Methods: In this study, blood groups of 190 patients with maxillofacial deformities who had had orthognathic surgery in Alzahra hospital, Isfahan, were compared with the general Iranian population. Results: Among 190 patients, 93 cases (49%) were men and 97 cases (51%) were women. Fifteen cases (8%) were < 20 years old, 130 cases (68%) were 20-30 years old, and the others (45 cases, 24%) were > 30 years old. The blood group distribution in our samples was as follows: blood group O = 76 cases (40%), blood group A = 58 cases (30%), blood group B = 41 cases (22%), and blood group AB = 15 cases (8%). Among these patients, 31 cases (16%) had maxillary deformities and 27 cases (14%) suffered from mandibular deformities while the other 132 cases (70%) had bimaxillary problems. The Chi-square test showed statistically significant differences between the blood group distribution of the patients of this study and the normal Iranian population ( P < 0.001). Conclusion: It was shown that among different blood groups; those with blood group B have a greater likelihood of association with maxillofacial deformities. On the other hand, the probability of the association of such deformities was the least with blood group A.

scholarly journals A lectin-coupled porous silicon-based biosensor: label-free optical detection of bacteria in a real-time mode

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mona Yaghoubi ◽  
Fereshteh Rahimi ◽  
Babak Negahdari ◽  
Ali Hossein Rezayan ◽  
Azizollah Shafiekhani
Keyword(s):  
Fourier Transform ◽  
Porous Silicon ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
The Other ◽  
Detection Methods ◽  
Carbohydrate Binding ◽  
Label Free ◽  
E Coli

Abstract Accuracy and speed of detection, along with technical and instrumental simplicity, are indispensable for the bacterial detection methods. Porous silicon (PSi) has unique optical and chemical properties which makes it a good candidate for biosensing applications. On the other hand, lectins have specific carbohydrate-binding properties and are inexpensive compared to popular antibodies. We propose a lectin-conjugated PSi-based biosensor for label-free and real-time detection of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) by reflectometric interference Fourier transform spectroscopy (RIFTS). We modified meso-PSiO2 (10–40 nm pore diameter) with three lectins of ConA (Concanavalin A), WGA (Wheat Germ Agglutinin), and UEA (Ulex europaeus agglutinin) with various carbohydrate specificities, as bioreceptor. The results showed that ConA and WGA have the highest binding affinity for E. coli and S. aureus respectively and hence can effectively detect them. This was confirmed by 6.8% and 7.8% decrease in peak amplitude of fast Fourier transform (FFT) spectra (at 105 cells mL−1 concentration). A limit of detection (LOD) of about 103 cells mL−1 and a linear response range of 103 to 105 cells mL−1 were observed for both ConA-E. coli and WGA-S. aureus interaction platforms that are comparable to the other reports in the literature. Dissimilar response patterns among lectins can be attributed to the different bacterial cell wall structures. Further assessments were carried out by applying the biosensor for the detection of Klebsiella aerogenes and Bacillus subtilis bacteria. The overall obtained results reinforced the conjecture that the WGA and ConA have a stronger interaction with Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, respectively. Therefore, it seems that specific lectins can be suggested for bacterial Gram-typing or even serotyping. These observations were confirmed by the principal component analysis (PCA) model.

Effect of Oxymetazoline Nose Drops on Acute Sinusitis in the Rabbit

1996 ◽  
Vol 105 (3) ◽  
pp. 222-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mats Bende ◽  
Masaya Fukami ◽  
Karl E. Arfors ◽  
Joakim Mark ◽  
Pontus Sterna ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Flow ◽  
Defense Mechanisms ◽  
Mucosal Blood Flow ◽  
The Other ◽  
Nasal Decongestant ◽  
Inflammatory Score ◽  
The Common ◽  
Acute Rhinitis ◽  
Maxillary Sinuses ◽  
Normal Defense

This investigation was designed to evaluate the effect of the common topical nasal decongestant oxymetazoline hydrochloride on the early local tissue defense in an experimental bacterial infection. For that purpose, a bilateral infection of the maxillary sinus was induced in 14 rabbits. Nose drops (oxymetazoline) were instilled in one nasal cavity, and placebo in the other. After 48 hours, the degree of infection was judged by using a semiquantitative inflammatory score to evaluate histologic preparations of the maxillary sinuses. On the oxymetazoline-treated side, we found a significantly higher degree of inflammation. We conclude that oxymetazoline nose drops, commonly used in acute rhinitis and sinusitis, interfere with the normal defense mechanisms during bacterially induced sinusitis, possibly by a decrease in mucosal blood flow.

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