Age-Specific Gastric Cancer Risk Indicated by the Combination of Helicobacter pylori Sero-Status and Serum Pepsinogen Levels

Background:

Serologic screening of gastric cancer (GC) by serum pepsinogens (sPG) levels and Helicobacter pylori (Hp) sero-status, though highly informative, has provided heterogeneous results. Here, we have evaluated the modifying effects of demographic factors on the risk impact of Hp sero-status/sPG levels in gastric cancer, with particular emphasis on age.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was carried out on 1341 individuals (GC = 578, healthy = 763), who were stratified into two age groups: 35-59 years (middle-aged, n = 830) and ≥ 60 years (60 years-plus, n = 511). Demographic factors and serological states (Hp sero-staus and sPG levels) were recorded by subject interview and serum ELISAs, respectively. Covariate-specific odds ratios were calculated by multivariable logistic regression.

Results:

Hp infection was consistently associated with increased sPGI and sPGII levels in the 60 year-plus, but not the middle-aged group. The joint examination of the variable states of the three serum biomarkers (Hp serology, sPGI, and sPGI/II ratio), in the 60 year-plus age group, demonstrated a stepwise escalation of risk from the single (sPGI_low; OR = 2.6), to double (sPGI_low/sPGI/II_low; OR = 3.55, and Hp_positive/sPGI_low; OR = 5.0) and ultimately triple (Hp_positive/PGI_low/PGI/II_low; OR = 10.48) positive states, in reference to the triple negatives. However, this pattern was not exhibited in the middle-aged subjects.

Conclusion:

Age was clearly identified as a modifying factor on the risk projection of the combined states of Hp serology and sPG levels in gastric cancer screening, reflected by the augmented (~10.5 fold) risk of GC in the triple positive (Hp_positive/sPGI_low/sPGI/II_low) 60 year-plus subjects, which was not evident in the middle-aged group. Key Words: Biomarkers, Demography, Age Distribution     

In vitro lethal effect of ajowan (Trachyspermum ammi L.) essential oil on hydatid cyst protoscoleces

Various chemical scolicidal agents have been used for inactivation of hydatid cyst protoscolices, but most of them are associated with adverse side effects. Since ajowan (Trachyspermum ammi) has been shown to have a number of medicinal properties, in this study the scolicidal effect of the essential oil (EO) from the fruits of this herbal plant was investigated. Ajowan EO was obtained by hydrodistillation method. Gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were employed to determine the chemical composition of the EO. Protoscoleces were exposed to various concentrations of EO (3, 5 and 10mg/mL) for 10, 20, 30, and 60 min. Viability of protoscolices was confirmed by 0.1% eosin staining. A total of 18 compounds representing 99.54% of the total oil, were identified. Thymol (50.07%), γ-terpinene (23.92%), and p-cymene (22.9%) were found to be the major EO constituents. While the mortality rate of protoscolices in the control group was 6.67%, scolicidal power of ajowan EO at concentration of 3mg/mL was 31.34, 35.98, 45.17, and 51.58% after 10, 20, 30, and 60 min, respectively. The EO at concentration of 5mg/mL killed 51.89, 72.20, 88.64, and 100% of protoscolices after 10, 20, 30, and 60 min, respectively. One hundred percent scolicidal activity was observed with ajowan EO at concentration of 10mg/mL after 10 min of exposure. The results of this study revealed that the EO of ajowan is rich in thymol, γ-terpinene and p-cymene, has high scolicidal power and it may be used as a natural scolicidal agent.     

Barley grain for ruminants: A global treasure or tragedy

Barley grain (Hordeum vulgare L.) is characterized by a thick fibrous coat, a high level of ß-glucans and simply-arranged starch granules. World production of barley is about 30 % of that of corn. In comparison with corn, barley has more protein, methionine, lysine, cysteine and tryptophan. For ruminants, barley is the third most readily degradable cereal behind oats and wheat. Due to its more rapid starch fermentation rate compared with corn, barley also provides a more synchronous release of energy and nitrogen, thereby improving microbial nutrient assimilation. As a result, feeding barley can reduce the need for feeding protected protein sources. However, this benefit is only realized if rumen acidity is maintained within an optimal range (e.g., > 5.8 to 6.0); below this range, microbial maintenance requirements and wastage increase. With a low pH, microbial endotoxines cause pro-inflammatory responses that can weaken immunity and shorten animal longevity. Thus, mismanagement in barley processing and feeding may make a tragedy from this treasure or pearl of cereal grains. Steam-rolling of barley may improve feed efficiency and post-rumen starch digestion. However, it is doubtful if such processing can improve milk production and feed intake. Due to the need to process barley less extensively than other cereals (as long as the pericarp is broken), consistent and global standards for feeding and processing barley could be feasibly established. In high-starch diets, barley feeding reduces the need for capacious small intestinal starch assimilation, subsequently reducing hindgut starch use and fecal nutrient loss. With its nutritional exclusivities underlined, barley use will be a factual art that can either matchlessly profit or harm rumen microbes, cattle production, farm economics and the environment.     

Conservation importance of limestone karst outcrops for Palaeotropical bats in a fragmented landscape

Limestone karst landscapes are important for biodiversity yet are increasingly threatened by development activities such as mining. Furthermore, karsts are often scattered and isolated by agriculture, and are rarely considered in landscape planning because of a paucity of biodiversity data. We determined the conservation significance of an isolated limestone karst outcrop for insectivorous bats by quantifying the influence of this roosting resource on local assemblage structure across a fragmented landscape in peninsular Malaysia. Using a combination of rank abundance, gradient and randomisation analyses, we demonstrate that bat assemblages at nine forest sites are structured following a spatial gradient of increasing distance from a karst roosting resource. The assemblage at our karst site was dominated by a superabundance of three cave-roosting species, two of which were also found to dominate assemblages up to 11 km away. Cave-roosting bats exhibited a significant decay in abundance related to the distance from karst, with sites closest to karst also characterised by a rarity of tree cavity/foliage-roosting species that were otherwise common. Gradient analysis revealed that differences in assemblage composition were largely associated with the distance from the karst and, to a lesser extent, forest isolation and area. Our findings suggest that isolated karst outcrops can serve as important population reservoirs for cave-roosting bats, which subsidise diversity levels in forest fragments that might otherwise be expected to decline over time. While conservation efforts need to focus on maintaining large areas of connected forest, landscape management needs to ensure protection of karsts as point resources for cave-roosting bats.     

Inheritance pattern of mungbean yellow mosaic disease resistance and gene action for different traits in mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) under protected and unprotected field conditions

Understanding of mungbean yellow mosaic disease resistance is crucial to develop resistant varieties to combat worldwide threat of the disease epidemics. This study was aimed to determine nature of disease resistance in terms of number of genes governing it and genetics of related traits. Experimental site was located on 31.43°N and 73.06°E with an elevation of 186 m, and evaluation trials were conducted during spring season due to high disease epidemics in this season. Two contrasting genotypes, that is, NM 6‐68‐2 (resistant) and NM 1‐32‐1 (highly susceptible), were crossed to raise six populations, that is, P₁, P₂, F₁, F₂, BC₁ and BC₂ for evaluation under protected and unprotected field conditions using chi‐square test and generation mean and variance analysis. It was discovered that disease resistance was governed by two major genes with additive effects. Disease resistance can easily be incorporated through backcrossing and direct selection following hybridization. Direct selection should be practised at earlier generation for plant height, chlorophyll contents and number of seeds per pod due to preponderance of additive effects whereas at later generations for seed yield per plant, 100 seed weight, harvest index, number of pods per plant and pod length due to involvement of duplicate epistasis.     

Effect of trees on the yield of wheat crop

A study was conducted at the National Agricultural Research Center (NARC) of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) by planting trees of four different species: Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Albizia procera, Morus alba and Leucaena leucocephala along the boundary of wheat fields in a randomized complete block design. Data on crop yield for each tree species and control (no trees) at different distances viz 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 meter (m) from the tree bases and control were collected and analyzed. The statistical analysis did not show any significant difference in the wheat yield among different tree species. However, the wheat yield was numerically lowest at 2 m distance in case of all the four tree species and control. In case of mulberry, it was lowest statistically also from other distances. Numerically higher wheat yield values were noted at later distances (8, 10 and 12 m) in case of all tree species including control except for siris where numerically highest value was found at 6 m distance. Therefore, it can be generalized that tree's impact on wheat yield can be experienced up to 2 m distance, there is little, if any, impact up to 6 m distance and almost no impact at 8, 10 and 12 m distances.     

Humarain: A new dimeric gallic acid glycoside from Punica granatum L. bark

A new dimeric gallic acid glycoside named Humarain (1) was isolated from stem bark of Punica granatum. The structure of the compound was determined by spectroscopic data including 1D and 2D NMR spectral analysis.     

灌溉及株距间的交互作用对甘蔗产量、蔗糖含量的影响(英文)

为研究孟加拉干旱区灌溉方式、株距及其交互作用对甘蔗分蘖数量、可榨甘蔗数量、甘蔗产量以及蔗糖含量的影响 ,在孟加拉第 11农业生态区的洪积平原上进行了为期 3年的栽培试验 .试验株距分别为 30 ,4 5,6 0和 75cm ,试验灌溉方式为天然降雨配合点灌和漫灌 .试验区按裂区试验法进行布置 ,灌溉方式则按小区布设 ,株距试验布置在主试验区 .试验结果表明 ,灌溉方式、栽植株距以及它们之间的交互作用对甘蔗产量、含糖量有显著影响 .就株距而言 ,4 5cm的株距可以获得最高的甘蔗产量(75 81t·hm- 2 ) .同样 ,在雨养、点灌及漫灌三种灌溉方式中 ,漫灌的甘蔗产量最高 (91 2 7t·hm- 2 ) .最好的栽培技术组合为 4 5cm株距配合漫灌 ,甘蔗分蘖数、可榨甘蔗数、甘蔗产量、产糖量以及投入产出比分别高达 2 0 3× 10 3株·hm- 2 ,115 53× 10 3株·hm- 2 ,10 1 6 4t·hm- 2 ,8 45t·hm- 2 和 5 52∶1