Isolation of Pseudomonas syringae pv. Tomato strains causing bacterial speck disease of tomato and marker-based monitoring for their virulence.

BACKGROUND: The bacterial speck disease of tomato caused by a bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato is a most important disease causing severe crop losses. METHODS AND RESULTS: Present study was conducted to investigate and characterize the population diversity of P. syringae pv. tomato pathogen isolated from infected tomato plants from various regions of Egypt. Significant variation among the isolates was observed which demonstrated considerable virulence. All isolates were pathogenic and the CFU population recovered from inoculate tomato leaves by isolate Pst-2 was higher than other isolates. Genetic disparity among the isolates was investigated by PCR analysis by amplifying hrpZ gene using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP), and inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) markers. The amplified products for ITS1 were found to have 810 bp length whereas 536 bp length was observed for hrpZ gene using primer pairs (1406-f/23S-r) and (MM5-F, MM5-R) respectively. The restriction analysis of amplified regions "ITS" and hrpZ by using 5 and 4 endonucleases respectively demonstrated slight variation among the bacterial isolates. The results of RAPD, ISSR and SRAP showed higher polymorphism (60.52%) within the isolates which may assist for successful characterization by unique and specific markers based on geographical distribution, origin and virulence intensity. CONCLUSION: The results of present study suggested that the use of molecular approach may provide successful and valuable information to differentiate and classify P. syringae pv. tomato strains in future for the detection and confirmation of pathogenicity.

Clinico-Pathological Characteristics, Management, and Outcome of Benign Intraosseous Maxillary Tumors in Adolescents: A Prospective Study.

INTRODUCTION: Benign intraosseous maxillary tumors, although uncommon among the adolescents, represent a major challenge to the maxillofacial surgeons. Treatment ranges from conservative surgery to radical resection and reconstruction. Maxillary defect reconstruction in adolescents is uncommon. it can be achieved by prosthetic obturators, local and regional flaps, and free-tissue transfer. AIM OF THE WORK: To investigate the clinical and pathological patterns, treatment, and outcome of benign intraosseous maxillary tumors in adolescents. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A 10-years prospective study included patients between 12-18 years who presented with benign intraosseous maxillary tumors and surgically treated (conservative surgery or radical resection) with immediate reconstruction. Cases were followed up to assess functional and aesthetic outcomes and detect complications. RESULTS: Study included 38 patients; 63.2% had non-odontogenic tumors and 36.8% had odontogenic tumors. The most common non-odontogenic tumor was central giant cell granuloma (31.6%). The most common odontogenic tumors were adenomatoid odontogenic tumor and ameloblastoma (10.5% each). Treatment included Conservative surgery (55.3%) and radical resection (44.7%). Reconstruction was performed in 17 cases by temporalis muscle flap (9.83%), obturator (2.46%), and free fibula flap (1.64%). All cases gained accepted functional and esthetic results. CONCLUSIONS: Non-odontogenic tumors were more common than odontogenic tumors. Central giant cell granulomas and ossifying fibromas were the most common non-odontogenic tumors. Ade-nomatoid odontogenic tumor and ameloblastoma were the most common odontogenic tumors. Maxillary reconstructions with tem-poralis muscle flap and obturator were simple and satisfactory. Microsurgical reconstruction had high success rates. Aesthetic, and functional results were satisfactory when appropriate reconstruction was performed.

Fallopian tube epithelial cells express androgen receptor and have a distinct hormonal responsiveness when compared with endometrial epithelium.

STUDY QUESTION: How does steroid receptor expression, proliferative activity and hormone responsiveness of the fallopian tube (FT) epithelium compare to that of the endometrial epithelium? SUMMARY ANSWER: Proliferative indices, hormone receptor expression-scores and in vitro response to oestrogen and androgens of the human FT demonstrate a distinct pattern from the matched endometrium. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: The FT epithelium exists as a continuum of the endometrium, and both express steroid hormone receptors. The ovarian steroid hormones regulate cyclical proliferation and regeneration of the endometrium, but their effects on steroid hormone receptor expression and proliferation in the FT have not yet been fully elucidated. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: We included women with proven fertility, undergoing hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy for benign, gynaecological conditions at Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust. They had no known endometrial or tubal pathology and were not on hormonal treatments for at least 3 months preceding sample collection in this prospective observational study (conducted between 2010 and 2018). A full-thickness sample of the endometrium and a sample from the FT were collected from each woman. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: The differential protein and mRNA levels of steroid hormone receptors, oestrogen receptors α and ß, androgen receptor (AR) and progesterone receptor (PR), and the proliferative marker (Ki67) of the endometrium and the FT tissue samples from 47 healthy women undergoing surgery (37 premenopausal and 10 postmenopausal) were investigated using immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time PCR. The comparative responsiveness to oestrogen and androgen of the endometrium and the fimbrial end of the FT was analysed using an in vitro short-term explant culture model. The endpoints assessed in the explants were the changes in mRNA and protein levels for AR, PR and the epithelial proliferative index after 24 h treatment with oestradiol (E2) or dihydrotestosterone (DHT). MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: The premenopausal endometrial functionalis glands (FG) displayed the well-known cyclic variation in cellular proliferation and steroid receptor scores. Compared with the endometrial FG, the matched FT epithelium (both fimbrial or isthmic ends) displayed a significantly lower proportion of cells expressing Ki67 (2.8% ± 2.2%, n = 18 vs 30.0% ± 26.3%, n = 16, P = 0.0018, respectively) accompanied with a significantly higher AR immunoscores (6.7 ± 2.7, n = 16 vs 0.3 ± 1.0, n = 10, P = 0.0136). The proportion of cells expressing Ki67 and the AR immunoscores of the FT epithelium correlated positively with endometrial luminal epithelium (r = 0.62, P = 0.005, and r = 0.68, P = 0.003, respectively). In vitro experiments suggested the tubal explants to be apparently less responsive to E2 yet more sensitive to DHT compared with the matched endometrium explants. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: The short-term in vitro nature of the tissue explant cultures used in the study may not be representative of how different anatomical regions of the endometrium and FT behave in vivo. Our study included a high proportion of older premenopausal women with a regular menstrual cycle, which may therefore affect extrapolation of findings to a younger group. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Advancing our understanding of tubal and endometrial epithelial cell function has important implications for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as infertility, ectopic pregnancy, endometriosis and cancer. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): The work included in this article was funded by Wellbeing of Women project grants RG1073 and RG2137 (D.K.H.) and Wellbeing of Women Entry-Level Scholarship ELS706 (A.M). A.M. was also supported by an NIHR ACF fellowship grant. Further support received from Liverpool Women's Hospital NHS Trust (S.M.), University of Liverpool (E.B. and A.W.). All authors declare there are no conflicts of interest. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: N/A.

Genetic investigation of 93 families with microphthalmia or posterior microphthalmos.

Microphthalmia is a developmental eye defect that is highly variable in severity and in its potential for systemic association. Despite the discovery of many disease genes in microphthalmia, at least 50% of patients remain undiagnosed genetically. Here, we describe a cohort of 147 patients (93 families) from our highly consanguineous population with various forms of microphthalmia (including the distinct entity of posterior microphthalmos) that were investigated using a next-generation sequencing multi-gene panel (i-panel) as well as whole exome sequencing and molecular karyotyping. A potentially causal mutation was identified in the majority of the cohort with microphthalmia (61%) and posterior microphthalmos (82%). The identified mutations (55 point mutations, 15 of which are novel) spanned 24 known disease genes, some of which have not or only very rarely been linked to microphthalmia (PAX6, SLC18A2, DSC3 and CNKSR1). Our study has also identified interesting candidate variants in 2 genes that have not been linked to human diseases (MYO10 and ZNF219), which we present here as novel candidates for microphthalmia. In addition to revealing novel phenotypic aspects of microphthalmia, this study expands its allelic and locus heterogeneity and highlights the need for expanded testing of patients with this condition.

EFFICACY AND FREQUENCY OF INTRAVITREAL AFLIBERCEPT VERSUS BEVACIZUMAB FOR MACULAR EDEMA SECONDARY TO CENTRAL RETINAL VEIN OCCLUSION.

PURPOSE: To compare the safety, efficacy, and frequency of intravitreal injection of aflibercept and bevacizumab for treatment of macular edema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion. DESIGN: Prospective, comparative, randomized, interventional study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eyes with macular edema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion were randomized between two groups according to the intravitreal injection used. Group A included eyes treated with intravitreal aflibercept, and Group B included eyes treated with intravitreal bevacizumab injections. The inclusion criteria were macular edema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion and follow-up duration of at least 12 months after the first injection. Exclusion criteria were macular ischemia, associated diabetes, hypertensive or renal retinopathy, other retinal disease, and previous anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injection. The main outcome measures are central foveal thickness, best-corrected visual acuity, time intervals between injections, improved retinal nonperfusion, and any reported complication. RESULTS: Group A included 39 patients with a mean age of 57.4 ± 8.2 years. Group B included 40 eyes with a mean age of 56.5 ± 9.1 years. Twelve months after the first injection, central foveal thickness significantly improved from 475.45 ± 71.05 m to 259.11 ± 20.67 m in Group A and from 460.22 ± 89.38 m to 264.29 ± 32.05 m in Group B; best-corrected visual acuity significantly improved from 0.81 ± 0.16 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (20/125) to 0.34 ± 0.14 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (20/40) in Group A and from 0.73 ± 0.15 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (20/100) to 0.33 ± 0.17 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (20/40) in Group B; the mean number of injections was 3.72 ± 2.93 in Group A and was 5.44 ± 2.85 in Group B (P < 0.05); and the mean interval between injections was 54.23 ± 8.47 days in Group A and was 35.12 ± 7.76 days in Group B (P < 0.05). Retinal nonperfusion improved in 9/12 eyes in Group A and in 3/8 eyes in Group B (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Both aflibercept and bevacizumab are comparably effective for treatment of macular edema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion without significant complications. However, the burden of frequent intravitreal injections could be significantly reduced when using aflibercept.

Androgen receptors are acquired by healthy postmenopausal endometrial epithelium and their subsequent loss in endometrial cancer is associated with poor survival.

BACKGROUND: Endometrial cancer (EC) is a hormone-driven disease, and androgen receptor (AR) expression in high-grade EC (HGEC) and metastatic EC has not yet been described. METHODS: The expression pattern and prognostic value of AR in relation to oestrogen (ERα and ERß) and progesterone (PR) receptors, and the proliferation marker Ki67 in all EC subtypes (n = 85) were compared with that of healthy and hyperplastic endometrium, using immunohistochemisty and qPCR. RESULTS: Compared with proliferative endometrium, postmenopausal endometrtial epithelium showed significantly higher expression of AR (P < 0.001) and ERα (P = 0.035), which persisted in hyperplastic epithelium and in low-grade EC (LGEC). High-grade EC showed a significant loss of AR (P < 0.0001), PR (P < 0.0001) and ERß (P < 0.035) compared with LGEC, whilst maintaining weak to moderate ERα. Unlike PR, AR expression in metastatic lesions was significantly (P = 0.039) higher than that in primary tumours. Androgen receptor expression correlated with favourable clinicopathological features and a lower proliferation index. Loss of AR, with/without the loss of PR was associated with a significantly lower disease-free survival (P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Postmenopausal endometrial epithelium acquires AR whilst preserving other steroid hormone receptors. Loss of AR, PR with retention of ERα and ERß may promote the unrestrained growth of HGEC. Androgen receptor may therefore be a clinically relevant prognostic indicator and a potential therapeutic target in EC.

Supplemental scleral buckling for inferior retinal detachment in silicone oil-filled eyes.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficiency of treating selected cases of inferior retinal detachment in silicone oil-filled eyes using a supplemental scleral buckling with external drainage of subretinal fluid, versus performing a second vitreoretinal surgery and silicone oil endotamponade. METHODS: A prospective interventional pilot study that was performed on silicone oil-filled eyes with inferior retinal detachment. Twenty-three eyes of 23 consecutive patients were alternatively distributed between 2 groups: Group A included 12 eyes treated with supplemental scleral buckling with drainage of subretinal fluid and without the removal of silicone oil, and Group B included 11 eyes treated with silicone oil removal, vitreoretinal surgery, and reinjection of silicone oil. The preoperative data included indications and details of primary vitreoretinal surgery, cause of retinal redetachment, subretinal fluid, grade of proliferative vitreoretinopathy, lens status, and the duration between primary vitreoretinal surgery and reoperation. The postoperative examination included the best-corrected visual acuity, retina status, proliferative vitreoretinopathy, silicone oil, and any reported complication. Follow-up examinations were scheduled at Day 1, weekly for 1 month, and monthly thereafter till the end of the follow-up period which extended for at least 2 months after silicone oil removal. RESULTS: The average number of detached clock hours per eye was 2.7 in Group A and 2.4 in Group B, caused by a mean of 1.58 ± 0.80 break per eye in Group A and 1.48 ± 0.66 break per eye in Group B. The mean interval between the primary vitreoretinal surgery and the scleral buckling procedure in Group A patients was 2.83 ± 1.22 months (range, 1-5 months), while in Group B, the mean interval between the primary and the secondary vitreoretinal surgeries was 3.00 ± 1.61 months (range, 1-6 months). The mean operative time was statistically significantly (P < 0.05) shorter in Group A (38.7 ± 11.2 minutes) than in Group B (65.3 ± 15.1 minutes). The mean follow-up duration was 15.00 ± 3.22 months in Group A and 14.18 ± 2.99 months in Group B. After silicone oil removal, the retina was attached in 10 of the 12 eyes (83.3%) and redetached in 2 eyes (16.7%) in Group A, while in Group B, the retina was attached in 9 of the 11 eyes (81.8%) and redetached in 2 eyes (18.2%) after silicone oil removal. The mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution best-corrected visual acuity has improved from 1.82 ± 0.72 to 1.36 ± 0.52 in Group A patients (P > 0.05) and from 1.93 ± 0.74 to 1.55 ± 0.63 in Group B patients (P > 0.05) at the end of the follow-up duration. CONCLUSION: For selected cases of inferior retinal detachment in silicone oil-filled eyes, supplemental scleral buckling could be as effective as a second vitreoretinal surgery. Scleral buckling could offer a faster, less invasive, and better economic alternative to repeated vitreoretinal surgery for treatment of such cases.

Physicians knowledge and attitude of opioid availability, accessibility and use in pain management in Bangladesh.

This survey was conducted on 1000 physicians with pain management responsibilities practicing in 47 districts in Bangladesh. The response rate was 58.3%. The physicians had a mean of 21 years in practice. It was notable that 66% of the physicians had seen cancer patients in the last 12 months and 63% had seen patients with advanced stage cancer where opioids are considered as the mainstay of treatment. It was discouraging that 85% of the physicians preferred to prescribe pethidine, when patients needed opioids for severe pain. 53% of the physicians were not aware of the 'Bangladesh Narcotics law, 1990'. 89% of the physicians would restrict opioid dosage in pain management to prevent drug tolerance or addiction. Oncology physicians displayed significantly higher knowledge scores. The results demonstrated physicians' poor knowledge, attitude and perceived barriers regarding opioids. Effective education strategies need to be addressed using the study result.

Repeated intravitreal bevacizumab injection with and without macular grid photocoagulation for treatment of diffuse diabetic macular edema.

PURPOSE: To study whether the use of macular grid photocoagulation 3 weeks subsequent to the initial intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) injection for the treatment of diffuse diabetic macular edema can provide a longer disease-free intervals and reduce the burden of more frequent injections. METHODS: A prospective pilot study that included 22 patients with bilateral diffuse diabetic macular edema. In each patient, one eye was treated with repeated IVB injections alone (IVB group), while the other eye was treated with repeated IVB injections in addition to macular grid photocoagulation once only 3 weeks after the initial IVB injection (combined group). Before each IVB injection and during the follow-up visits, all patients received a complete ophthalmic examination. The central macular thickness was measured by optical coherence tomography at baseline and during the follow-up examinations. Fundus fluorescein angiography was performed at baseline and before each IVB injection, to detect and assess macular leakage. All patients were followed-up monthly for at least 12 months after the initial IVB injection and for 3 months after the last IVB injection. RESULTS: By the end of the follow-up duration (14.2 ± 1.91 months), the mean number of injections was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the combined group (2.36 per eye) than in the IVB group (3.27 per eye). The mean duration between the injections was significantly longer in the combined group than in the IVB group (P < 0.05). Within each group, the difference between the mean central macular thickness at the baseline and at the end of the follow-up duration was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The change in the mean best-corrected visual acuity between the baseline and the end of the follow-up period was not statistically significant in both the groups (P > 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups of the study as regards the number of patients who gained, maintained, or lost vision (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Repeated IVB injection could provide a long-term benefit for the treatment of diffuse diabetic macular edema. Performing macular grid photocoagulation once only 3 weeks subsequent to the initial IVB injection might provide a longer disease-free intervals and reduces the burden of more frequent injections.

Structural, Optical, and Electrical Parameters of Doped PVA/PVP Blend with TPAI or THAI Salt.

The 70% polyvinyl alcohol/30% polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVA/PVP) polymer blends, with different weight ratios of tetrapropylammonium iodide (TPAI) or tetrahexylammonium iodide (THAI) salt, were prepared using dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as a solvent. The X-ray diffraction technique was used to trace the crystalline nature of the formed blends. The SEM and EDS techniques were applied to figure out the morphology of the blends. The variation in the FTIR vibrational bands was used to investigate the chemical composition and the effect of different salt doping on the functional groups of the host blend. The influence of the salt type (TPAI or THAI) and its ratio on the linear and nonlinear optical parameters for the doped blends were investigated in detail. Absorbance and reflectance are highly enhanced in the UV region reaching a maximum for the blend with 24% TPAI or THAI; so, it can be employed as shielding materials for UVA and UVB types. The direct (5.1 eV) and indirect (4.8 eV) optical bandgaps were reduced continuously to (3.52, 3.63 eV) and (3.45, 3.51 eV) while increasing the content of TPAI or THAI, respectively. The blend doped with 24% wt TPAI exhibited the highest refractive index (around 3.5 in 400-800 nm). The DC conductivity is affected by the content and type of salt, its dispersion, and blend-salt interaction. The activation energies of different blends were obtained by applying the Arrhenius formula.

Impact of ZnS/Mn on the Structure, Optical, and Electric Properties of PVC Polymer.

The most efficient way to create novel materials that may be used in a variety of optoelectronic applications is thought to be doped mixed polymers with appropriate fillers. Undoped and doped PVC polymers with ZnS/Mn formed at different temperatures were fabricated using the casting method. The Rietveld method was used to discover the structure and microstructure of Zn0.95Mn0.05S prepared at T = 300, 400, and 500 °C. The distribution and existence of the nanofiller over the PVC matrix were determined via XRD, FTIR, EDS, and SEM techniques. The effect of the preparation temperatures of the ZnS/Mn nanofiller on the absorption, transmittance, reflectance, refractive index, extinction coefficient, dielectric constant, AC conductivity, electrical modulus, and DC conductivity activation energy data of the PVC polymer was studied using the diffused reflectance technique. Doping PVC with ZnS/Mn (prepared at 300 °C) lowered the direct and indirect optical band gaps from 5.4 and 4.52 eV to minimum values of 4.55 and 3.63 eV. The fluorescence intensity of pure PVC is greatly enhanced upon loading with ZnS/Mn. The PVC exhibited two near UV peaks, one violet and one blue color, while, in addition, the doped polymers exhibited green and orange colors. The corresponding CIE diagram for all the samples was also determined.

Use of Trichoderma culture filtrates as a sustainable approach to mitigate early blight disease of tomato and their influence on plant biomarkers and antioxidants production.

Introduction: Alternaria solani is a challenging pathogen in the tomato crop globally. Chemical control is a rapid approach, but emerging fungicide resistance has become a severe threat. The present study investigates the use of culture filtrates (CFs) of three species of Trichoderma spp. to control this disease. Methods: Highly virulent A. solani strain and three Trichoderma fungal strains viz., T. harzianum (Accession No: MW590687), T. atroviride (Accession No: MW590689) and T. longibrachiatum (Accession No: MW590688) previously isolated by authors were used in this study. The efficacy of culture filtrates (CFs) to mitigate early blight disease were tested under greenhouse and field conditions, experiments were conducted in different seasons of 2020 using a tomato variety "doucen". Results and discussion: The CFs of T. harzianum, T. longibrachiatum, and T. atroviride significantly inhibited the in vitro mycelial growth of A. solani (62.5%, 48.73%, and 57.82%, respectively, followed by control 100%). In the GC-MS analysis of Trichoderma CF volatile compounds viz., harzianic acid (61.86%) in T. harzianum, linoleic acid (70.02%) in T. atroviride, and hydroxymethylfurfural (68.08%) in the CFs of T. longibrachiatum, were abundantly present. Foliar application of CFs in the greenhouse considerably reduced the disease severity (%) in all treatments, viz., T. harzianum (18.03%), T. longibrachiatum (31.91%), and T. atroviride (23.33%), followed by infected control (86.91%), and positively affected the plant biomarkers. In the greenhouse, the plants treated with CFs demonstrated higher flavonoids after 6 days of inoculation, whereas phenolic compounds increased after 2 days. The CF-treated plants demonstrated higher antioxidant enzymes, i.e., phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and peroxidase (POD), after 4 days, whereas polyphenol oxidase (PPO) was higher after 6 days of inoculation, followed by healthy and infected controls. In open field conditions, disease severity in CF-treated plants was reduced in both seasons as compared to naturally infected plants, whereas CF-treated plants exhibited a higher fruit yield than controls. The present results conclude that CFs can be a potential biocontrol candidate and a promising alternative to the early blight pathogen for sustainable production.

Characteristics and Management of Pediatric Benign Intraosseous Mandibular Tumors: A 10-Years Prospective Study.

Background: The management of intraosseous mandibular tumors in children is challenging. This study investigated clinical and pathological characteristics, surgical treatment, and outcome of pediatric benign intraosseous mandibular tumors. Materials and Methods: A prospective study included patients under 18 years presenting with benign intraosseous mandibular tumors that were surgically managed. Clinical and surgical data were collected and statistically analyzed. Results: The study included 84 patients (38 males and 46 females): 66.7% had non-odontogenic tumors and 33.3% had odontogenic tumors. The most common non-odontogenic tumors were central giant cell granulomas (31%). The most common odontogenic tumors were odontomas (9.5%). Conservative surgery and radical resection were performed equally. Curettage was the commonest treatment modality (27.4%). Fifty percentage of cases required reconstruction, which was done by costochondral rib graft (42.9%) and free fibula flap (7.1%). One patient had recurrence. All cases got good functional and aesthetic results. Conclusion: Non-odontogenic tumors were more common than odontogenic tumors. Central giant cell granulomas were the most common non-odontogenic tumors, while odontomas were the most common odontogenic tumors. Treatment depended on type, size, and aggressiveness. Pediatric mandibular reconstruction with costochondral rib grafts was simple and satisfactory. Microsurgical reconstruction had high success rates. Appropriate management achieved good aesthetic and functional outcomes.

Global calibration for non-targeted fraud detection in quinoa flour using portable hyperspectral imaging and chemometrics.

Quinoa is one of the highest nutritious grains, and global consumption of quinoa flour has increased as people pay more attention to health. Due to its high value, quinoa flour is susceptible to adulteration. Cross-contamination between quinoa flour and other flour can be easily neglected due to their highly similar appearance. Therefore, detecting adulteration in quinoa flour is important to consumers, industries, and regulatory agencies. In this study, portable hyperspectral imaging in the visible near-infrared (VNIR) spectral range (400-1000 nm) was applied as a rapid tool to detect adulteration in quinoa flour. Quinoa flour was adulterated with wheat, rice, soybean, and corn in the range of 0-98% with 2% increments. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) models were developed, and the best model for detecting the % authentic flour (quinoa) was obtained by the raw spectral data with R2p of 0.99, RMSEP of 3.08%, RPD of 8.77, and RER of 25.32. The model was improved, by selecting only 13 wavelengths using bootstrapping soft shrinkage (BOSS), to R2p of 0.99, RMSEP of 2.93%, RPD of 9.18, and RER of 26.60. A visualization map was also generated to predict the level of quinoa in the adulterated samples. The results of this study demonstrate the ability of VNIR hyperspectral imaging for adulteration detection in quinoa flour as an alternative to the complicated traditional method.

Exploring the mechanisms of endophytic bacteria for suppressing early blight disease in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.).

Controlling early blight of tomatoes using endophytic bacteria is an eco-friendly and sustainable approach to manage this common fungal disease caused by Alternaria solani, Alternaria alternata, and Curvularia lunata. Endophytic bacteria are microorganisms that live inside plant tissues without causing harm and can help protect the host plant from pathogens. In this work, twenty endophytic bacterial isolates from tomato healthy plants were tested against pathogenic fungal isolates that caused early blight disease in vitro. Out of the 20 tested isolates, three (B4, B7, and B17) were considered effective isolates against the growth of fungal pathogens. The three isolates were recognized as Enterobacter cloacae HS-6 (B4), Pseudomonas gessardii HS-5 (B 7), and Pseudomonas mediterranea HS-4 (B17) using 16s-rDNA sequencing. Different concentrations of bacterial cultural diltrates at 20, 40, and 60% were tested for their antagonistic effects on the development of pathogenic fungi in vitro. The lowest dry weights of pathogenic isolates in all bacterial culture filtrates were discovered at 60%. In all culture filtrates, phenolic compounds showed the largest peak area. Under greenhouse conditions, the least disease severity of tomato early blight was found for E. cloacae and its culture filtrate compared to other treatments. Real-time PCR was used to examine the expression pattern of the defense response gene ß-1.3 glucanase gene in infected tomato plants with pathogenic fungi (control) as well as its relations with efficient biocontrol agent (E. cloacae). The expression of the gene increased substantially and significantly after three days from the inoculation-infected plants with C. lunata and E. cloacae while it reached the maximum after five days from the inoculation with A. alternata, A. solani and E. cloacae. Our study concluded that the endophytic bacterial isolate E. cloacae can be considered a promising biocontrol agent for preventing tomato early blight.

Association of Body Mass Index with Angiographic Severity of Coronary Artery disease in patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death in developed and developing countries. Associated co-morbidities like diabetes, hypertension and obesity are making the situation worse. WHO enlisted obesity as an epidemic which also affects a great number of young population. Some recent studies showed the presence of an apparent paradoxical relationship between obesity and cardiovascular prognosis in certain subsets of patents. As BMI is an established marker of obesity; an attempt has been made to assess relationship between BMI and angiographic severity of coronary artery disease in Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) patients of Bangladeshi origin. To assess the association between body mass index and angiographic severity of coronary artery disease in patients with acute coronary syndrome; this cross sectional analytical study was conducted in the Department of Cardiology, Mymensingh Medical College Hospital (MMCH) and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) from December 2016 to February 2018 among purposively selected 65 patients. Relevant ethical issues were taken into consideration. Coronary angiogram was done in the same index hospitalization period. After coronary angiogram performed patients were grouped into two groups according to their BMI. Patients with BMI <25kg/m² as Group I and those ≥25kg/m² as Group II. Angiographic severity of coronary artery disease was assessed by vessel score and Syntax score. Mean age of Group I was 54.45±10.42 years, while in Group II it was 50.76±8.89 years reflecting the early presentation of higher BMI patients. Male to female ratio was 12:1. Mean BMI of Group I and Group II was 22.56±1.59 and 28.67±2.64 respectively. In Group I, 10(25.0%) had single vessel lesion, 15(37.5%) had double vessel lesion and 14(35.0%) had triple vessel lesion, while in Group II, 6(24.0%) had single vessel lesion, 12(48.0%) had double vessel lesion and 5(20.0%) had triple vessel lesion. Mean Syntax score of Group I and Group II was 13.18±8.45 and 10.42±7.14 respectively. Patients in the increasing BMI class had a higher prevalence of diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidaemia. A negative correlation was observed between BMI and angiographic severity (Vessel score, Syntax score and HRCA e.g. LM disease) of CAD indicating that patients with higher BMI had a lower coronary artery disease (CAD) severity than their normal BMI counterparts. Patients with high BMI have a lower CAD severity than usually expected. After adjustment for co-morbidities, BMI was not found as an independent predictor of severity of coronary artery disease.

Calcium-Rich Biochar Stimulates Salt Resistance in Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) Plants by Improving Soil Quality and Enhancing the Antioxidant Defense.

Shrimp waste is rich in organic compounds and essential plant nutrients, e.g., calcium (Ca), and converting these wastes to organic fertilizer is important for environmental preservation and to achieve sustainable agricultural management. In the current study, Ca-rich biochar was prepared from shrimp wastes (SWB) by pyrolysis at 300 °C. We hypothesized that the Ca-rich biochar will help in solving the problem of plant growth in saline soil by reducing sodium (Na) uptake and mitigating oxidative stress. The current study aimed to investigate the effect of SWB on the quality of saline sandy soil and the mechanism of salt resistance in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.). Pearl millet plants were planted in saline sandy soil (10 dS m-1) in wooden boxes (1.3 × 0.8 m size and 0.4 m height), and 5 doses (0, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5% (w/w)) of SWB were added. SWB application increased the soil quality and nutrient uptake by pearl millet plants. The highest rate of SWB increased the soil microbial biomass carbon and the activity of dehydrogenase enzyme by 43 and 47% compared to the control soil. SWB application reduced the uptake of sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl-) and increased the K/Na ratio in the leaf tissues. SWB addition significantly increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes, e.g., ascorbate peroxidase (APX), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and pyrogallol peroxidases (PPX). The application of 2.5% SWB to the saline soil increased the soluble carbohydrates and proline in plant leaves by 75 and 60%, respectively, and reduced the malondialdehyde (MDA) by 32% compared to the control. SWB enhanced the antioxidant defense and mitigated oxidative stress by improving the synthesis of osmoprotectants, e.g., soluble carbohydrates and proline. Sandy saline soils in arid and semiarid areas suffer greatly from low organic matter contents, which reduces the soil quality and increases the risk of salt during plant growth. The high organic matter and calcium content (30%) in the shrimp waste-derived biochar improved the quality of the saline sandy soil, reduced the uptake of toxic salts, and increased the quality of the forage material. The addition of recycled shrimp waste to saline low-fertility soils improves soil productivity and is safe for soil health.

Phytochemical Characterization, Antimicrobial Activity and In Vitro Antiproliferative Potential of Alchemilla vulgaris Auct Root Extract against Prostate (PC-3), Breast (MCF-7) and Colorectal Adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) Cancer Cell Lines.

Despite the proven biological activity of the aerial part extract of Alchemilla vulgaris, scarce information is available about the activity of the root extract. This encouraged us to initiate the current investigation to study the cytotoxic activity of A. vulgaris methanolic root extract against various cancer cell lines in vitro, along with its antimicrobial activity and phytochemical screening. MTT assay was applied to test the cytotoxic effect against the prostate (PC-3), breast (MCF-7) and colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2), together with normal Vero cells. Flow cytometry was employed to assess cell cycle arrest and apoptosis vs. necrosis in PC-3 cells. The expression of apoptosis-related genes (BAX, BCL2 and P53) was quantified by qRT-PCR analysis. The obtained results showed strong antiproliferative activity on the three cancer cell lines and the normal Vero cells in a dose-dependent manner. A high selectivity index (SI) was recorded against the three cell lines with PC-3 cells showing the highest SI and the lowest IC50. This effect was associated with cell cycle arrest at G1 phase and induction of total apoptosis at 27.18% being mainly early apoptosis. Apoptosis induction was related to the upregulation of the proapoptotic genes P53 and BAX and the downregulation of the antiapoptotic gene BCL2. Additionally, the extract demonstrated in vitro antibacterial activity against Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Serratia marcescens and Acinetobacter johnsoni. Additionally, it showed antifungal activity against Rhizoctonia solani, Penicillium italicum and Fusarium oxysporium. Seven phenolic acids and seven flavonoids were detected. The predominant phenolic acids were cinnamic and caffeic acids, while hisperdin and querestin were the principal flavonoids. These findings provide clear evidence about the promising proapoptotic effect of A. vulgaris root extract, which contributes to laying the basis for broader and in-depth future investigations.

Investigation of Potential In Vitro Anticancer and Antimicrobial Activities of Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile Fruit Extract and Its Phytochemical Components.

The therapeutic importance of Balanites aegyptiaca in folk medicine for the treatment of several common human diseases has led researchers to conduct phytochemical and pharmacological studies on extracts from various parts of the plant. In the current study, the phytochemical composition of the B. aegyptiaca methanolic fruit extract was characterized, and its antimicrobial activity was evaluated together with the cytotoxic activity against MCF-7, PC-3, and Caco-2, compared with normal Vero cells. Further, its effects on cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction and expression of apoptosis-related genes were assessed. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of fatty acids and their esters in addition to phytosterols, steroid derivatives, and bioflavonoid glycosides with oleic and palmitic acids being the prevalent components (24.12 and 21.56%, respectively). The results showed considerable cytotoxic activity of the extract against the three cancer cell lines (MCF-7, PC-3, and Caco-2) with a selectivity index ranging from 5.07 to 6.52. This effect was further confirmed with the accompanied increased total apoptosis of treated PC-3 cells (19.22% of the total number of cells) compared to the control cells (0.64% of the total number of cells) with cell cycle arrest at G1 phase and the increased transcription of pro-apoptotic genes including P53 (3.69) and BAX (3.33) expressed as fold change (2^ ΔΔCT). The calculated minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was similar (62.5 µg/mL) against the three tested bacterial strains (Acinetobacter johnsonii, Serratia marcescens and Agrobacterium tumefaciens), while it was higher than 1000 µg/mL for the fungal species (Rhizoctonia solani, Penicillium italicum, and Fusarium oxysporium). Our findings suggest a promising anticancer activity for B. aegyptiaca, which paves the way for more detailed future studies.