The Associations Between Tea and Coffee Drinking and Risk of Calcium-Oxalate Renal Stones

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Findings regarding the association between tea and coffee consumption and oxalate-calcium stone are sparse and uncertain. The purpose of this study was to...     

Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of microorganisms involved in the pathogenesis of surgical site infection (SSI); A 1 year of surveillance

The aim of this study is to identify the antibiotic sensitivity pattern of pathogens involved in the process of surgical site infection, in surgical wards. Changes made in the pattern of antibiotic use will result in different microorganism susceptibility patterns, which needs correct determination for precise empiric antibiotic therapy. One thousand patients (62% men and 38% women, 18- 74-years-old, with mean age 43 +/- 8)) who underwent surgical treatment, in Alzahra University Hospital, Isfahan University of Medicine, Isfahan, Iran, were studied from 2005 to 2006. Surgical wound infections, based on the reported criteria, were aspirated for culturing within 1 plus gram staining of prepared smears. Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) were determined for samples and all derived data were compared by SPSS 13 and WHO net 5 software. The prevalence of SSI was 13.3% with 150 positive cultures, totally. Of 150 bacteria, isolated from surgical site infections Staphylococcus aureus had most frequency (43%). Resistance of isolated organisms was 41.7% in amikacin, 65 and 78.6% in ceftazidime, 85.7% in ceftriaxone, 61.5% in ciprofloxacin, 78.8% in gentamicine, 6.4% in imipenem, 13% in meropenem and 70.6% in trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, respectively. 78.9% of Staphylococcus aureus isolates were MRSA and vancomycine was the most effective antibiotic without any resistance. Among 10 isolates of coagulase negative Staphylococcus, no vancomycine resistance was seen, but in contrast all cases were resistant to oxacillin. The most common gram negative organism was Klebsiella (18 isolates) in which 100 and 80% were sensitive to imipenem and meropenem, respectively. Seventeen cases were E. coli, in which the most sensitivity was to meropenem (80%) and imipenem (77.8%). Thirteen cases of Pseudomonas were detected, in which 16.7% were resistant to imipenem and 8.3% to meropenem. Our results demonstrated that the total antibiotic resistance is increasing among SSIs, with an up sloping pattern, which will contact with a constant empiric antibiotic therapy. So, precise up to date antibiogram tantalize us toward balancing the rate of total antibiotic resistance to SSIs.     

Bacillus subtilis B21 and Bacillus licheniformis B26 improve intestinal health and performance of broiler chickens with Clostridium perfringens‐induced necrotic enteritis

This study investigated the influence of Bacillus‐based probiotics on performance and intestinal health in broiler challenged with Clostridium perfringens‐induced necrotic enteritis. One‐day‐old Arbor Acre (n = 480) were randomly assigned to four treatments with 10 cages of 12 birds: (a) basal diet negative control (NC), with no probiotics nor antibiotics formulated to contain 2,930 and 3,060 kcal/kg with 24.07 and 15.98% CP, for starter and finisher diet, respectively, (b) basal diet + enramycin (5 mg/kg), an antibiotic growth promoter (AGP); (c) basal diet + Bacillus subtilis B21 at 2 × 10⁹ CFU per g (BS); (d) basal diet + Bacillus licheniformis B26 at 2 × 10⁹ CFU per g (BL); growth performance, intestinal morphology, intestinal lesion scores, short‐chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and mucosal barrier tight junction's (TJ) mRNA expression were assessed. NC‐ and BL‐fed groups showed higher (p = 0.005) average daily feed intake from d1 to d21 than AGP and BS, whereas BS‐ and AGP‐fed groups showed higher average daily weight gain from d22 to d42 and d1 to d42 of age. Higher mortality rate of (12.5%) and lower of (5.5%) were recorded in AGP and NC fed‐groups respectively, lesion score was higher in BS and BL than in AGP, while no lesion was observed in NC group, results revealed higher duodenum and jejunum villus height to crypt depth (VH:CD) compared with NC and BS. Probiotics‐fed groups showed higher total (SCFAs), acetic and butyric acid concentrations at d21 post‐challenge (PC) than other groups. The expression of claudin‐1 was upregulated in duodenum (d7) PC and in jejunum (d7) and (d21) PC in BL group, while at d21 PC, the expression of occludens was higher in jejunum and ileum by AGP and BL. The present study indicated both BS and BL have some similarity with AGP in preventing or partially preventing NE effect in broilers.     

Leydig cell hyperplasia in an ENU-induced mutant mouse with germ cell depletion

Repro22 is an N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU)-induced mutation in mice showing depletion of both male and female germ cells. In the present study, we investigated the male phenotypes of the mutant mouse at the adult stage. The repro22/repro22 homozygous mice showed reduced body weights as well as markedly reduced testis weights. Histological examination of the testes at 4 and 10 months of age showed no germ cells in the seminiferous tubules of the affected testis while a number of Sertoli cells were observed in the tubules. In addition to the germ cell depletion, the testes of the affected mouse contained expanded intertubular spaces that were filled by Leydig cell-like interstitial cells. These interstitial cells were confirmed to be Leydig cells by immunohistochmical staining using anti-3beta-HSD antibody. The estimated number of Leydig cells in the affected testes at 10 months of age increased approximately 2 fold compared with those of normal testes. Furthermore, the plasma testosterone levels of the affected mice at 10 months of age were significantly higher than those of the normal mice. These findings indicated that the repro22/repro22 mouse developed hyperplasia of Leydig cells that was presumably caused by the absence of germ cells in the seminiferous tubules.     

Fused Tricyclic Guanidine Alkaloids: Insights into Their Structure,Synthesis and Bioactivity

A marine natural product possesses a diverse and unique scaffold that contributes to a vast array of bioactivities. Tricyclic guanidine alkaloids are a type of scaffold found only in marine natural products. These rare skeletons exhibit a wide range of biological applications, but their synthetic approaches are still limited. Various stereochemical assignments of the compounds remain unresolved. Batzelladine and ptilocaulins are an area of high interest in research on tricyclic guanidine alkaloids. In addition, mirabilins and netamines are among the other tricyclic guanidine alkaloids that contain the ptilocaulin skeleton. Due to the different structural configurations of batzelladine and ptilocaulin, these two main skeletons are afforded attention in many reports. These two main skeletons exhibit different kinds of compounds by varying their ester chain and sidechain. The synthetic approaches to tricyclic guanidine alkaloids, especially the batzelladine and ptilocaulin skeletons, are discussed. Moreover, this review compiles the first and latest research on the synthesis of these compounds and their bioactivities, dating from the 1980s to 2022.     

Using yield quantitative trait locus targeted SSR markers to study the relationship between genetic distance and yield heterosis in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum)

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between heterosis and genetic distance in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Heterosis in the different environments was evaluated and the relationship between heterosis and genetic distance (GD) was determined based on SSR markers for yield quantitative trait loci (QTL). Yields of seed cotton and lint showed a linear relationship with mid‐parent heterosis (MPH) and better‐parent heterosis (BPH). The variation in heterosis for other traits and their correlation with GD may be due to environmental factors or the effort of QTLs tested in the present study may vary in different environments. The present findings provide a foundation for heterotic grouping of parental lines and breeding of new cotton hybrids with improved seed cotton yield. This study calls for more research with stable QTLs as well as advance molecular marker techniques may be used in predicting yield heterosis in a more precise and reliable manner.     

Effects of subsoil compaction on yield and yield attributes of wheat in the sub-humid region of Pakistan

The prolonged use of vehicular traffic for farming creates subsoil compaction, which reduces crop yield and deteriorates the physical conditions of the soil. Field experiments were conducted during 2002–2003 and 2003–2004 in Pakistan to study subsoil compaction effects on soil bulk density, total porosity, yield and yield components of wheat. Soil compaction was artificially created at the start of the experiment using 7.0 t roller having length of 1.5 m and diameter of 1.22 m. Treatments consisted of T₁ = control (no compaction), T₂ = two passes of roller, T₃ = four passes of roller, T₄ = six passes of roller. The experiments were arranged in randomised complete block with four replications. Results indicated that subsoil compaction adversely affected the bulk density, total porosity of soil and root length during both the years. Soil compaction increased the bulk density (BD) from 1.37 for T₁ to 1.57, 1.61 and 1.72 Mg m⁻³ whereas decreased the total porosity from 47.3% for T₁ to 40.0, 37.4 and 34.5% for T₂, T₃ and T_4, respectively. Similarly grain yield decreased from 4141.7 for T₁ to 3912.8, 3364.5 and 3010.3 kg ha⁻¹ for T₂, T₃ and T_4, respectively. The deteriorating effect of compaction depended upon the degree of compaction. Subsoil compaction adversely affected the yield and yield attributes of wheat during both years of experiments. The subsoil compaction adversely affected soil physical conditions, which substantially decreased the yield of wheat. Therefore, appropriate measures of periodic chiselling, controlled traffic, conservation tillage, and incorporating of crops with deep tap root system in rotation cycle is necessary to minimize the risks of subsoil compaction.     

Empirical functions for dependent variables in cutback furrow irrigation

Water scarcity and the high consumption of water resources in agriculture have strengthened the need to manage and optimize irrigation systems. Among surface irrigation systems, furrow irrigation with cutback is commonly used because of its potentially higher irrigation efficiency, lower costs and relative simplicity. The performance of this system is affected by various management and design variables, and hence different management scenarios should be evaluated before it is applied in practice. For this purpose, empirical functions for the performance evaluation indices are useful. This paper employs sensitivity, dimensional and regression analyses in the development of empirical functions for application efficiency, deep percolation, runoff and distribution uniformity. The proposed functions were evaluated using a numerical zero-inertia model and field measured data. Coefficients of determination for E _a, D _r, R _r and U _cc were calculated to be 0.90, 0.91, 0.90 and 0.84, respectively. These values indicate that the proposed functions enable the performance indices to be predicted satisfactorily. Values for the indices calculated using the developed dimensionless functions showed a very good agreement with both the outputs of the zero-inertia model and values calculated from measured field data. As the functions were general (not site and irrigation specific) and explicit, they could prove to be of practical significance in both conventional and optimal design and management of free-draining, graded furrow irrigation systems with cutback flows.

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