Taxonomic investigation of selected rust fungi using scanning electron microscopy from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,Pakistan

Rusts comprises the largest natural group of plant pathogens including approximately 8% of all described Fungi. Rust fungi are extremely plant pathogens responsible for great losses to agriculture productivity. Rust species belong to several genera among which more than half are Puccinia species. In Pakistan, rust causes severe damage to agriculture crops. Current study was carried out to identify and characterize different rust species common in the research area through microscopy and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Morpho-anatomical investigation of each collected rust species was carried out using different standard protocols. The dimensions of spores were measured and snapped under a stereomicroscope. SEM was used to examine the shape, size, and ornamentation of the spores of each rust fungus. Results revealed documentation of seven rust fungi, that is, Melampsora euphorbiae, Phragmidium barclayi, Puccinia nepalensis, P. exhausta, P. menthae, Uromyces capitatus, and Uromyces decorates belong to four different genera, were recorded. SEM revealed that spermogonia and Aecia were missing in most of the rust fungus studied. Uredinia was found in a scattered, irregular, lengthy, and epidermis-enclosed form. Urediniospores were found to be ovulating, elongated, echinulate, globose to sub-globose, ellipsoid to ovoid, and globose to sub-globose. Telia was found as sub-epidermal, amphigenous, dispersed, minute, and spherical cells. Teliospores ranged in form from cylindrical to oblong. The germ pores were detected in both apical (top cell) and basal (bottom cell) idiosyncratic and pedicel-attached cells. The techniques used in the current investigation will aid mycologists in rust identification and microscopic characterization.     

Efficiency assessment of a photo electrochemical chloralkali process for hydrogen and sodium hydroxide production

In present study, a new reactor configuration is developed which integrates photochemical hydrogen production with an electrochemical chloralkali process. The effects of different parameters on rate of hydrogen, chlorine and sodium hydroxide production are experimentally examined and discussed. The parameters include applied voltage, varied from 4 V to 5 V, amount of catalyst, varied from 1 g/425 mL to 4 g/425 mL, and light intensity, varied from 20 W/m² to 55 W/m². Factorial design of experiments is applied and an analysis of variance (ANOVA) is used to analyze the experimental results. Energy and exergy efficiencies are also examined. An optimization study is performed to find the optimal catalyst concentration. An optimized catalyst concentration in salty water is used to examine its effect on the rate of hydrogen production.     

Comparison of radiation‐induced hydrocarbons for the identification of irradiated perilla and sesame seeds of different origins

BACKGROUND: Perilla and sesame seeds, a rich source of energy, are commonly utilized in different forms in many countries. During the post‐harvest period, they are contaminated with insects as well as microbes that may have importance for keeping quality and quarantine, and thus they can be treated with ionizing radiation for insect disinfestation and microbial decontamination. Reliable and routine methods to identify whether or not a food has been irradiated are needed to help consumers' understanding of irradiated food and promote international trade. In the present study, fat‐derived hydrocarbons from irradiated perilla seeds and sesame seeds of Korean and Chinese origin were analyzed in order to identify irradiation treatment by comparing their properties during the post‐irradiation period. RESULTS: Gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric analysis showed that several saturated hydrocarbons, such as tetradecane, pentadecane, hexadecane and heptadecane, were found in the non‐irradiated control samples, while four radiation‐induced unsaturated hydrocarbons (R² = 0.647–0.997), such as 1,7,10‐hexadecatriene (C_16:3), 1,7‐hexadecadiene (C_16:2), 6,9‐heptadecadiene (C_17:2) and 8‐heptadecene (C_17:1), were detected in all irradiated samples at 0.5 kGy or higher, with variations according to sample and origin. Concentrations of all hydrocarbons were reduced during storage and could not be detected in 0.5 kGy irradiated Chinese sample of either seed after 8 months. CONCLUSION: Radiation‐induced hydrocarbons (C_{16:3, 16:2, 17:2, 17:1}) could be used as markers to identify irradiated perilla and sesame seeds of both Korean and Chinese origin at 1 kGy or higher for 8 months' storage at room temperature. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Numerical treatment of nonlinear Emden–Fowler equation using stochastic technique

The article is based on the approximate solution of a well known Lane–Emden–Fowler (LEF) equation. A trial solution of the model is formulated as an artificial feed-forward neural network containing unknown weights which are optimized in an unsupervised way. The proposed scheme is tested successfully on various test cases of initial value problems of LEF equations. The reliability and effectiveness is validated through comprehensive statistical analysis.     

Effect of transglutaminase on the functional properties of GDL (glucono‐delta‐lactone) cold‐set soybean glycinin gel

Cold‐set soybean glycinin gel was prepared by cross‐linking of soybean glycinin (non‐preheated and preheated) at pH 8.0 and 50 °C using transglutaminase (TG), followed by cold‐set acidification using glucono‐δ‐lactone (GDL). Dynamic oscillatory rheological measurements (both under non‐preheat and preheat conditions) showed that there was a substantial increase in the elastic (G′) and viscous (G″) moduli of enzyme treated gels. The moduli also showed similar frequency dependence. The yield strains of enzyme treated gels were clearly higher than that of the gels without enzyme treatment. Texture profile analysis indicated that preheat and enzyme treatments have beneficial effect on hardness, fracturability and gumminess of gels. Thermal and enzyme treatments have synergetic effect to improve the strength of gels, which is also consistent with the results of rheological measurements. These results demonstrated that heat treatment followed by TG treatment and GDL acidification improved the functional properties of soybean glycinin cold‐set gel.     

Early prostate cancer detection and potential for surgical cure in men with poorly differentiated tumors

Postgastrectomy osteopenia is observed generally in humans. Fructooligosaccharides increase the absorption of calcium from the large intestine of healthy rats. Thus, we have examined whether they stimulate calcium absorption and prevent osteopenia in rats following total gastrectomy. Rats were subjected to either a sham surgical operation or Billoth II gastrectomy. Seven rats from each surgical treatment group were fed a control diet, and another seven rats of each treatment group were fed a diet containing fructooligosaccharides (75 g/kg diet) for 4 wk. For 5 d each week, feces were collected, and the calcium and phosphorus contents were measured for calculation of the absorption of these minerals. At the end of the experiment, the rats were killed and bones were collected. The net calcium absorption, calcium content and bone mineral density of the femur and tibia in gastrectomized rats fed the control diet were significantly less than those in sham-operated rats fed control diet. The net calcium absorption in rats fed the fructooligosaccharides diet was greater than that in rats fed control diet. Moreover, dietary fructooligosaccharides prevented the decrease in the calcium content and bone mineral density in gastrectomized rats. Dietary fructooligosaccharides enhanced calcium absorption and prevented the changes indicative of postgastrectomy osteopenia such as decreases in bone calcium content and bone mineral density in gastrectomized rats.     

Phytate and mineral content in different milling fractions of some Pakistani spring wheats

Six Pakistani wheat cultivars, namely C-273, Inqulab-91, Pasban-90, Parwaz-94, Shahkar-95 and Rohtas-90, were included in the present study. The kernel weight of the wheat cultivars varied from 31.43 to 36.76 g (per thousand kernels), Parwaz-94 having the highest and Rohtas-90 having the lowest. The test weight of cultivars ranged from 70.23 (Shakar-95) to 76.13 kg hL^–1 (Pasban-90). The bran contained the highest amount of phytic acid (6.12%) in C-273 followed by whole-wheat flour (2.23%) in Inqulab-91, and straight-grade flour (0.24%) in Parwaz-94. The phytate content was reduced during the baking of bread and chapati. The bread scores and other quality characteristics varied significantly among cultivars. The total bread scores ranged from 35.20 to 42.00, out of a possible fifty, with Parwaz-94 being the highest. The concentration of minerals varied widely in different milling fractions of various wheat cultivars. The concentration of Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn ranged from 5.00 to 52.50, 26 to 147.50, 0.00 to 97.00, 9.0 to 80.80 ppm, respectively, in different milling fractions of the wheat cultivars. The total chapati scores ranged from 22.40 to 24.20 of a possible score of 30. The minimum chapati scores were found in Rohtas-90 and Parwaz-94, while Inqulab-91 produced the maximum score.     

SOURCE ROCK EVALUATION AND PETROLEUM GEOCHEMISTRY, OFFSHORE SW IRAN

Mesozoic and Tertiary source rocks and crude oils from six oilfields in the Persian (Arabian) Gulf (Hendijan, Bahrgansar, Abouzar, Nowruz, Dorood and Foroozan) were studied using a variety of organic-geochemical techniques. Biomarker characteristics were combined with other geochemical data to identify the source rocks which generated the oil in these fields and to reconstruct their depositional environments, and also to characterize the diagenetic and catagenic processes which have occurred. The analyzed oils show a wide range of densities (19 to 39° API) and high sulphur contents. They were generated by Type II-S organic matter; they are not biodegraded and their maturity level is generally low.
Two main oil groups were identified from statistical analysis and can be correlated with different source rocks using age-specific biomarkers and isotope data. Group 1 oils include those from the Hendijan, Bahrgansar and Abouzar fields and were probably generated by a mid-Cretaceous argillaceous source rock. Group 2 oils include those from the Nowruz, Dorood and Foroozan fields, and originated from Jurassic to Early Cretaceous carbonate-rich source rocks.     

Effect of nucleoside analogue BCH-4556 on prostate cancer growth and metastases in vitro and in vivo

Prostate carcinoma is a common malignancy among males that results in high morbidity and mortality. Here, we have evaluated the capacity of nucleoside analogue BCH-4556 [beta-L-(-)-dioxolane-cytidine] to control prostate cancer progression in our syngeneic model of rat prostate cancer using the rat prostate cancer cell line Dunning R3227 Mat Ly Lu. Different concentrations (50 microM-1 mM) of BCH-4556 resulted in a marked decrease and, eventually, a complete arrest of Mat Ly Lu cell growth in vitro. Cells were inoculated via intracardiac (i.c.) route into the left ventricle or by s.c. injection into the right flank of male Copenhagen rats. Following i.c. inoculation, experimental animals were treated with 75 mg/kg BCH-4556 twice a day or with vehicle alone for 6 consecutive days, starting from day 1 or day 3 post-tumor cell inoculation. Control and experimental animals were monitored for the development of tumor metastases. Treatment with BCH-4556 did not significantly change the development of skeletal metastases and, hence, the time of development of hind limb paralysis. Experimental animals, however, did show a marked reduction in the incidence and size of tumor metastases at the adrenal glands. Following the development of palpable tumors after s.c. injection of Mat Ly Lu cells on day 8 post tumor cell inoculation, animals were treated i.p. with 25-75 mg/kg BCH-4556 twice a day or with vehicle alone for 6 consecutive days. Control animals developed large primary tumors and macroscopic metastasis to lungs, lymph nodes, kidneys, and spleen. In contrast, experimental animals receiving BCH-4556 showed a marked decrease in tumor volume and metastases after the last injection of BCH-4556. The maximum dose of BCH-4556 (75 mg/kg twice a day) caused a complete arrest in tumor growth that was maintained for up to 4-6 days without any evidence of cytotoxicity. These antitumor effects of BCH-4556 were more marked than those of doxorubicin in blocking tumor growth in this model of prostate cancer, and it continued to be effective following three cycles of treatment, without manifesting any signs of drug resistance.