Effect of dietary fibre from cereal brans and legume seedcoats on serum lipids in rats

The present investigation was carried out to study the hypolipidemic effect of dietary fibre from cornbran and blackgram seedcoat in rats. Isoproteinous diet having one percent cholesterol and ten percent dietary fibre from cornbran and blackgram seedcoat was fed to four groups of albino rats for six weeks. With consumption of both the grain husks, total lipids, cholesterol and tryglycerides were lowered while HDL-cholesterol was found to be significantly increased. However, serum phospholipids were not affected significantly by grain husks. Cornbran was observed to be more hypolipidemic than blackgram seedcoat.     

Dietary intake and a food-frequency instrument to evaluate a nutrition intervention for the Apache in Arizona

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate how dietary data collected from 24-hour dietary recalls were incorporated into the development of a quantitative food-frequency questionnaire (QFFQ) for the Apache in Arizona. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was first conducted using 24-hour dietary recalls to identify foods for inclusion on a QFFQ that would be used to evaluate a nutrition intervention. SETTING: The White Mountain and San Carlos Apache reservations in East-central Arizona. SUBJECTS: The 24-hour dietary recalls were collected from a random sample of 53 adults (34 women and 19 men). RESULTS: A QFFQ was developed that included all foods reported by two or more respondents, plus traditional and seasonal foods. Portion size was assessed using familiar household units and culturally appropriate food models. The final instrument contains 155 foods. Frequency of consumption is assessed using eight categories ranking from 'never or less than once a month' to '2 or more times a day'. Nutrient intakes and the five major food sources of energy, fat and sugar are presented. CONCLUSION: The QFFQ developed is complete and up-to-date for assessing usual food and nutrient intake for the Apache in Arizona. The instrument will be used to evaluate a food store-based nutrition intervention to reduce risk of chronic diseases.     

Characterization of Spatial Variability of Soil Parameters in Apple Orchards of Himalayan Region Using Geostatistical Analysis

ABSTRACT

Knowledge of spatial variability in soil properties is critical for effective nutrient management plan in crop production. Poor productivity of apple orchards in Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) is due to lack of information on the variability of soil properties important for enhancing productivity in the region. The study was conducted in apple orchards with the hypothesis that spatial variability of soil properties is high due to adoption of varied management and passive soil factors. The major objectives of the study were to assess the spatial variability of soil parameters, viz. soil pH, electrical conductivity, soil organic carbon along with plant available soil nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), exchangeable calcium (Ca), and exchangeable magnesium (Mg) at a regional scale through geostatistical methods. Coefficient of variation (CV) indicated that the fertility parameters varied from medium to high in heterogeneity (CV > 20%). Available N was found critical/medium in 69.6% of soil samples and might be one of the limiting nutrients for crop growth, P and K were in high, and OC in very high range. Significant correlation was found between OC with N; pH with K, Ca and Mg and EC with OC, P and K. The semivariogram parameters indicated that the spatial distribution of soil fertility parameters were inconsistent and showed strong to weak degree of spatial dependence for all parameters. The study highlighted the importance of delineation of soil fertility management zones in the apple growing region as a guide for precise and site-specific nutrient.     

Antixenosis and antibiosis mechanisms of resistance to turnip aphid,Lipaphis erysimi (Kaltenbach) in Brassica juncea-fruticulosa introgression lines

Journal of Pest Science - Lipaphis erysimi is a key pest of rapeseed-mustard in Indian subcontinent. Although chemical control is the basis of its management, the unsustainability of this approach...     

Circulation of emerging NDM‐5‐producing Escherichia coli among humans and dogs in Egypt

The emergence of NDM‐producing Escherichia coli has considerably threatened human and animal health worldwide. This study describes for the first time in Egypt, the draft genome sequences of emerging NDM‐5‐producing E. coli from humans and dogs, and investigates genetic relatedness between isolates from both sources. Two E. coli from human urine and seven from environmental clinical samples of dogs exhibited resistance to carbapenems and harbouring bla_NDM were subjected to Illumina Miseq whole‐genome sequencing (WGS). Assembly and analysis of the reads were performed to identify resistance genes, multilocus sequence types (MLST), plasmid replicon types (Inc) and insertion sequences (IS) of the bla_NDM region; core genome MLST (cgMLST) analysis was also performed. Two different NDM alleles were identified; bla_NDM‐5 in E. coli HR119 from the urine of a healthy person and environmental samples of dogs, and bla_NDM‐1 in E. coli HR135 from a human patient's urine. Multiple mobilizable resistance genes to different antimicrobial classes were identified except the colistin resistance gene, mcr. E. coli isolates from humans and dogs were assigned to different sequence types (STs). Using cgMLST, dog isolates clustered together with only 1–2 allellic differences; however, human E. coli showed 1,978 different allelles compared with dog isolates. Plasmidfinder results indicated the presence of an IncX3 replicon in bla_NDM‐5‐producing E. coli; however, bla_NDM‐1 was linked to IncCoIKP3. Notably, the NDM region (3 Kb) in all isolates from humans and dogs was highly similar with variable flanking sequences that represented different IS elements. This study reports the first emergence of NDM‐5‐producing E. coli from dogs in Egypt that shared some genetic features with human isolates and could be considered potential public health threats.     

Feline pancreatic ducts are consistently identified on CT and more likely to be dilated in the body of pancreas in cats with elevated feline pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity

Feline pancreatitis is a challenge to diagnose and no previously published study has described the CT characteristics of the pancreatic duct (PD) in cats. The current prospective analytical study was performed to identify and describe the CT characteristics of the PD in normal cats and to compare that to those cats with an elevated feline pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (fPLI). Contrast‐enhanced CT was performed in 16 normal cats and 13 cats with an elevated fPLI. Two ACVR‐certified radiologists blinded to the fPLI status assessed whether or not the PD could be identified, contrast phase during which the PD was most conspicuous, and PD shape in the body, right and left lobes. A second‐year radiology resident blinded to the fPLI status measured maximum PD diameter and PD:parenchyma. The PD was identified in 84 of 87 pancreatic segments, which was most conspicuous in the portal phase in 28 of 29 cats. The PD shape was tubular (48/84), tapered (34/84), or beaded (2/84) with no significant difference (P = 1.0 to .1615) between groups. Mean maximal PD diameters of normal cats were 1.5‐1.7 mm, which was significantly larger in the body of the pancreas in cats with an elevated fPLI (2.4 mm, P = .0313). Mean PD:parenchyma was not significantly different between groups (P = .2001 to .949). In conclusion, the feline PD can be consistently identified on CT, for which the portal phase is preferred. Cats with an elevated fPLI are more likely to exhibit dilation of the PD in the body of the pancreas on CT.     

Growth and heritability estimates among clones of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dalbergia sissoo</Emphasis> Roxb. in a clonal seed orchard

The study of genetic variability is a prerequisite for any tree improvement program. Screening of clones showing the effect of dominance in growth and tree form is essential to identify productive clones, matched to sites. Our study performed in a clonal seed orchard at Lacchiwala of India, represented by 31 clones of Dalbergia sissoo (Shisham) Roxb. from diverse locations revealed significant variability at the 0.1% level of significance in various morphological traits. At the age of 13 years, clone 196 (Gonda) revealed maximum height of 20.2 m and a girth at breast height of 74.2 cm. The five identified clones viz. 196, 198, 192, 123 and 235 were well adapted to the climatic conditions of this zone, hence survived well and showed good performance compared to other clones. Heritability estimates of 87%, 83% and 80% for height, crown width and crown length respectively coupled with high genetic gains indicated strong genetic control of these variables. A correlation matrix of various growth attributes revealed positive correlation among these attributes. On the basis of the entire set of growth variables, the clones were grouped into two major clusters with three subgroups.     

Removal of Cyanide in Ni(II)�CCyanide, Ni(II)�CCyanide�CEDTA, and Electroplating Rinse Wastewater by Ferrate(VI)

Cyanide is found as free cyanide and metal?Ccyanide complexes in metal finishing rinse wastewaters. Experiments were performed to seek removal of cyanide in Ni(II)?Ccyanide and Ni(II)?Ccyanide?Cethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) solutions by the environmentally friendly oxidant, ferrate(VI) (FeO ₄ ^2? , Fe(VI)) as a function of pH (8.0?C11.0). Incomplete removal of cyanide in Ni(II)?Ccyanide solutions (??60%) was observed at the studied pH range. However, cyanide removal efficiency approached to 100% in Ni(II)?Ccyanide?CEDTA solutions. Formation of Ni(II)?Ccyanide and Ni(II)?CEDTA complexes and relative rates of the reactions of Fe(VI) with various species (water, cyanide, Ni(II)?Ccyanide, and EDTA) present in solutions were responsible for the variation in removal efficiencies in mixtures at various pH. The oxidation of cyanide by Fe(VI) produced cyanate. Tests using electroplating rinse wastewaters demonstrated that Fe(VI) was highly effective in removing cyanide.