Identification of the cystic fibrosis gene: chromosome walking and jumping

An understanding of the basic defect in the inherited disorder cystic fibrosis requires cloning of the cystic fibrosis gene and definition of its protein product. In the absence of direct functional information, chromosomal map position is a guide for locating the gene. Chromosome walking and jumping and complementary DNA hybridization were used to isolate DNA sequences, encompassing more than 500,000 base pairs, from the cystic fibrosis region on the long arm of human chromosome 7. Several transcribed sequences and conserved segments were identified in this cloned region. One of these corresponds to the cystic fibrosis gene and spans approximately 250,000 base pairs of genomic DNA.     

Influence of time of harvest and maturity index on olive oil yield and quality

Harvesting plays a major role in the virgin olive oil production line, being the most expensive single component, but also due to its significant effect on the whole year's produce. Previous studies have focused on the effects of harvest timing on either oil yield or quality. Here we determined the separate and combined effects of harvesting date, fruit maturation, cultivar and fruit load on olive oil quality and quantity. Cultivars typical to the Middle East region were selected: the traditional cv. Souri and the newer cv. Barnea, grown under intensive conditions. The results demonstrate fundamental differences between the two cultivars with respect to harvest strategy. In high-yielding ‘Barnea’, oil accumulation continued throughout the ripening season resulting in increasing yield of oil with time while maintaining high quality. Hence, exploiting the production potential in ‘Barnea’ requires late harvest and advanced fruit maturity. However, in heavily loaded ‘Souri’, oil accumulation was accompanied by early massive shedding of fruits. Furthermore, late harvest and advanced maturation in ‘Souri’ were associated with a sharp increase in free fatty acids combined with a rapid decline in polyphenol content, and in MUFA to PUFA and saturated to unsaturated fatty acid ratios, all resulting in loss of oil quality. Rapid decline in oil yield coupled with deterioration of oil quality call for early harvesting at low maturity index in ‘Souri’. In medium-yielding trees of both cultivars, maturation progressed more rapidly, resulting in earlier harvest to utilize optimal oil potential.     

Protection of lipids from oxidation by epicatechin, trans-resveratrol, and gallic and caffeic acids in intestinal model systems

Consumption of polyphenols is associated with health promotion through diet, although many are poorly absorbed in animals and humans alike. Lipid peroxides may reach the intestine and initiate deleterious oxidation. Here we measured inhibition of the oxidation of linoleic acid (LA) in authentic fluid from rat small intestine (RIF) by two dietary polyphenols, a flavonoid, epicatechin (EC), and a stilbene, resveratrol (RV), and by gallic (GA) and caffeic (CA) acids, and their partition coefficients. Both polyphenols inhibited 80%, and CA inhibited 65%, of the production of hexanal. GA was the weakest antioxidant in this assay. Interestingly, measuring peroxides production in RIF showed that only epicatechin inhibited the first stage of oxidation. The oxidizing agent, the antioxidant comound, the solution pH and lipophilicity are known to affect the total antioxidative activity. We suggest that the mechanism of this activity changes in accord with the environment: i.e., RV may act as a free radial scavenger, but here, in protecting lipids in intestinal fluid from oxidation, it acts as a hydrogen atom donor. Since the concentration of phenolics is much higher in the intestinal fluid than is ever achieved in plasma or other body tissues, it is suggested that their antioxidant activity could be exerted in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), breaking the propagation of lipid peroxides oxidation and production of toxic compounds.     

Nutritive and antioxidative potential of fresh and stored pomegranate industrial byproduct as a novel beef cattle feed

Pomegranate peel is a nutritive-rich byproduct whose amounts are extensively growing due to the exponential increase in the production of pomegranate juice and "ready to eat" arils. Pomegranate peel is a rich source for antioxidants and thus may serve in the prevention of cattle diseases and in the improvement of beef products, making it an attractive component in beef cattle diets. The present study aims to evaluate the effect of commonly used storage practices on the nutritive and antioxidative properties of pomegranate peel. In general, storage conditions preserved most antioxidant capacity. Ensiling ambivalently affected the nutritive values of the peel and promoted increased levels of antioxidative components. In addition to polyphenols, nonphenolic components, such as alpha- and gamma-tocopherols, contributed to the total antioxidative capacity, and several minerals found in the peel added to its nutritional value. Dietary supplementation with fresh peels promoted significant increases in feed intake and alpha-tocopherol concentration in the plasma, with positive tendency toward increased weight gain of bull calves. All in all, the nutritive value and the antioxidant capacity of pomegranate peel turn it into a favorable health-promoting constituent of feedlot beef cattle diet.     

Antioxidant activity and inhibition of alpha-glucosidase by trans-resveratrol, piceid, and a novel trans-stilbene from the roots of Israeli Rumex bucephalophorus L

The roots of Rumex bucephalophorus, collected in Israel, were analyzed for trans-stilbenes. Two stilbene-O-glycosyl derivatives were identified, in addition to 3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene (1) (resveratrol). The stilbene-O-glycosyl derivatives were 5,4'-dihydroxystilbene-3-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside (2) (piceid) and the new 5,4'-dihydroxystilbene-3-O-alpha-arabinopyranoside (3), which is being named rumexoid. The structure of rumexoid was elucidated by using spectroscopic data. The antioxidant capacities of stilbenoids 1-3 were determined and expressed as trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC). TEAC value for trans-resveratrol was highest (2.7) and for rumexoid lowest (1.5). In vitro, trans-resveratrol and rumexoid demonstrated a potent inhibitory effect on alpha-glucosidase activity (IC50 < 0.1 and < 0.5 mM, respectively). The commercial antidiabetic agent acarbose was shown to inhibit only 35% of the enzyme activity at 0.5 mM. The addition of piceid to the reaction mixture did not inhibit alpha-glucosidase in vitro in the range of concentrations used. These findings extend the range of reported beneficial effects of stilbene derivatives, and demonstrate the multifaceted activities that dietary polyphenols may exert in the intestine, where their concentrations are highest in the body.     

Acute toxicity of organophosphorous pesticide diazinon and its effects on behavior and some hematological parameters of fingerling European catfish (Silurus glanis L.)

Diazinon is commonly used for pest control in the agricultural fields surrounding freshwater reservoirs. So this study was conducted to determine the acute toxicity of this organophosphorous pesticide, contaminating aquatic ecosystems as a pollutant, and its effects on behavior, and some hematological parameters of fingerling European catfish, Silurus glanis. Diazinon was applied at concentrations of 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 mg L⁻¹. The water temperature in the experimental units was kept at 16 ± 1 °C. The number of dead fishes significantly increased in response to diazinon concentrations 2-64 mg L⁻¹ (p < 0.05). With increasing diazinon concentrations, the fishes exposed duration 1 to 96 h significantly increased the number of dead fishes (p < 0.05 for each cases). The 1, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h LC₅₀ values (with 95% confidence limits) of diazinon for fingerling European catfish were estimated as 14.597 (12.985-16.340), 12.487 (11.079-14.471), 8.932 (7.907-10.348), 6.326 (no data because of p > 0.05), and 4.142 (no data because of p > 0.05) mg L⁻¹, respectively. Compared to the control specimens, fish after an acute exposure to diazinon was significantly lower erythrocyte, leukocyte, hemoglobin, hematocrit, MCV, MCH, and MCHC values (p < 0.05). In addition, it was also showed a significantly negative correlation between these hematological parameters and exposure times of diazinon (p < 0.01).     

Acute, subacute and subchronic administration of methyl parathion-induced testicular damage in male rats and protective role of vitamins C and E

Methyl parathion is an organophosphate insecticide that has been used in agriculture and domestic for several years. Vitamin C (200 mg/kg bw per day) + vitamin E (200 mg/kg bw per day), methyl parathion (0.28 mg/kg bw per day) and vitamin C (200 mg/kg bw per day) + vitamin E (200 mg/kg bw per day) + methyl parathion (0.28 mg/kg bw per day) combination were given to rats orally via gavage for 7 weeks. Body and testis weights, sperm counts, sperm motility, sperm morphology and histopathological changes in the testes were investigated at the end of 24 h, 4th and 7th weeks comparatively with control group. No pathological changes were observed in all parameters at the end of 24 h. When methyl parathion-treated group and vitamins C and E + methyl parathion-treated group were compared to control group, body and testis weights decreased significantly at the end of 4th and 7th weeks. It was observed that, at the end of 4th and 7th weeks there was a statistically significant decrease in sperm counts and sperm motility, increase in abnormal sperm morphology when methyl parathion- and vitamins C and E + methyl parathion-treated group were compared to control group. While sperm counts increased at the end of 4th and 7th weeks, sperm motility increased at the end of 7th week when vitamins C and E + methyl parathion-treated group compared with methyl parathion-treated group, no changes were observed in abnormal sperm morphology at the end of 4th and 7th weeks. In our light microscopic investigations, after 4 and 7 weeks of methyl parathion exposure, necrosis and edema were observed in the seminiferous tubules and interstitial tissues. After 4 and 7 weeks of vitamins C and E + methyl parathion exposure, degenerative changes were detected in the seminiferous tubules while no pathological findings were observed in the interstitial tissues. According to the present study, we conclude that vitamins C and E reduces methyl parathion testicular toxicity, but it does not protect completely.     

Transgressive segregations for yield criteria in reciprocal interspecific crosses between <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cicer arietinum</Emphasis> L. and <Emphasis Type="Italic">C. reticulatum</Emphasis> Ladiz.

Wild Cicer species are considered to be more resistant for biotic and abiotic stresses than that of the cultivated chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). Alien genes conferring resistance for biotic and abiotic stresses can be transferred from wild Cicer species to the cultivated chickpea but success in interspecific hybridizations has already been achieved with only two wild Cicer species. The current study was undertaken to compare fruitful heterosis in F₂ and F₃ for yield and yield criteria and to identify transgressive segregation in F₂ and F₃ in reciprocal interspecific crosses between C. arietinum and C. reticulatum Ladiz. We define fruitful heterosis as a useful parameter that can be used instead of residual heterosis. Considerable fruitful heterosis in F₂ and F₃ was found for number of seeds, pods per plant, biological yield, and seed yield. Maximum values of most of the characteristics in F₂ and F₃ were higher than that of the best parent indicating that superior progeny could be selected for yield from transgressive segregation. Progeny selection should be based on number of seeds, pods per plant, and biological yield since these characteristics had the highest direct effect on seed yield. The narrow sense heritability was found to be the highest for 100-seed weight. It was suggested that the cultivated chickpea could be used as female parent in interspecific hybridization to increase yield and yield criteria since progeny in F₂ and F₃ had better performance when it was used as female. In conclusion, interspecific hybridization of wild and cultivated chickpea can be used to improve yield and yield components and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses as well.