Impact of Novel Varietal and Regional Differences on Cotton Fiber Quality Characteristics

Modernization and the global fashion market demand continuous improvements in upland cotton cultivars (Gossypium hirustum L.) to meet these improved fiber characteristics (fiber length, fiber strength, micronaire) requirements. Researchers have centered their efforts on improved fiber quality; however, the efforts are not immediately supporting the textile sector. The daily mean and temperature amplitude fluctuation affect cotton yield and fiber characteristics. This study analyzed four newly developed cotton varieties in two cotton regions for fiber characteristics’ variations. It was observed that cotton fiber quality characteristics (fiber length, uniformity, strength, and micronaire) are impacted in diverse ways. Fiber quality is mainly affected by the genotype and environmental conditions, e.g., weather conditions, irrigation management, fertilization, and cultural practices. The Khanewal region had shown better fiber characteristics than the Multan region, whereas cotton variety CIM-785 had better fiber characteristics in both regions.     

Synthesis of Activated Carbon from Trachycarpus fortunei Seeds for the Removal of Cationic and Anionic Dyes

The removal of dyes from industrial effluents is one of the most important industrial processes that is currently on academic demand. In this project, for the first time, Trachycarpus fortunei seeds are used as biosources for the synthesis of activated carbon (AC) using physical as well as acid–base chemical methods. The synthesized AC was initially characterized by different instrumental techniques, such as FTIR, BET isotherm, SEM, EDX and XRD. Then, the prepared activated carbon was used as an economical adsorbent for the removal of xylenol orange and thymol blue from an aqueous solution. Furthermore, the effect of different parameters, i.e., concentration of dye, contact time, pH, adsorbent amount, temperature, adsorbent size and agitation speed, were investigated in batch experiments at room temperature. The analysis of different techniques concluded that the pyrolysis method created a significant change in the chemical composition of the prepared AC and the acid-treated AC offered a high carbon/oxygen composite, which is graphitic in nature. The removal of both dyes (xylenol orange and thymol blue) was increased with the increase in the dye’s initial concentration. Isothermal data suggested that the adsorption of both dyes follows the Langmuir model compared to the Freundlich model. The equilibrium time for AC biomass to achieve the removal of xylenol orange and thymol blue dyes was determined to be 60 min, and the kinetic data suggested that the adsorption of both dyes obeyed the pseudo-second order model. The optimal pH for thymol blue adsorption was pH 6, while it was pH 2 for xylenol orange. The adsorption of both dyes increased with the increase in the temperature. The influence of the adsorbent amount indicated that the adsorption capacity (mg/g) of both dyes reduced with the rise in the adsorbent amount. Thus, the current study suggests that AC prepared by an acid treatment from Trachycarpus fortunei seeds is a good, alternative, cost effective, and eco-friendly adsorbent for the effective removal of dyes from polluted water.     

Lamellar body counts on gastric aspirates for prediction of respiratory distress syndrome

Aim: To develop a rapid method for diagnosing lung maturity at birth with the purpose of administering surfactant early to infants with immature lungs and to spare infants with mature lungs from this treatment. Methods: Lamellar body counts (LBC) on gastric aspirates from 191 newborns were counted in the platelet window in automatic blood cell counters. A preliminary study was performed on 108 aspirates from 2000 in infants with <32 weeks’ gestation. Furthermore, 83 aspirates from 2004 to 2005 in infants with <30 weeks’ gestation were analysed. Results: Lamellar bodies in gastric aspirate were identified by electron microscopy. Seventy of the aspirates from 2004 to 2005 were analysed with a Sysmex XE‐2100 (Sysmex, Holbæk, Næstved, Odense and Rigshospitalet, Denmark) counter. Twenty‐four of these infants developed moderate to severe respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). The best cut‐off value was 8000/μL with a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 72%. Forty‐four of the 70 aspirates from 2004 to 2005 were analysed by Sysmex, Advia 120 and Cell‐Dyn 4000. Thirteen other aspirates from 2004 to 05 were analysed by Sysmex and Coulter Counter LH755. Using Advia and Coulter the results were similar to Sysmex, but LBC obtained with Cell‐Dyn were not correlated with the development of RDS. Conclusion: Lamellar body counts on gastric aspirate is a promising tool for prediction of development of RDS in infants of <30 weeks` gestation.     

Metabolic control and prevalence of microvascular complications in young Danish patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus. Danish Study Group of Diabetes in Childhood.

AIMS: After Danish nationwide investigations (1987, 1989) demonstrated unacceptable blood glucose control in unselected young diabetic patients, we set out to estimate the present glycaemic control and the prevalence of microvascular complications in a cohort of children and adolescents participating in the two previous studies. METHODS: This follow-up represents 339 patients (47% of the inception cohort), median age 21.1 years (range 12.0-26.9), median diabetes duration 13.2 years (range 8.9-24.5). A standardized questionnaire, fundus photographs (with central reading) and a physical examination were performed. HbA1c and overnight albumin excretion rate (AER) were analysed centrally. RESULTS: Although 88% (n= 309) of the young persons were treated with three or more daily insulin injections, HbA1c (nondiabetic range 4.3-5.8, mean 5.3%) was 9.7+/-1.7% (mean+/-SD). Males had higher HbA1c values than females (P < 0.015). Mean daily insulin dose was 0.92+/-0.25 IU.kg(-1).24h(-1). Microalbuminuria (AER > 20-150 microg/min) and macroalbuminuria (AER > 150 microg/min) were found in 9.0% and 3.7% of the patients, respectively, and was associated with increased diastolic blood pressure (P<0.01) and presence of retinopathy (P<0.01). Retinopathy was present in approximately 60% of the patients and was associated with age, diabetes duration, HbA1c, diastolic blood pressure and AER (all P<0.01). Subclinical neuropathy (vibration perception threshold by biothesiometry > 6.5 V) was found in 62% and showed a significant association with age, linear height, diastolic blood pressure (all P < 0.01) and diabetic retinopathy (P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In spite of the majority of the patients being on multiple insulin injections, only 11% had HbA1c values below 8% and the prevalence of diabetic microvascular complications in kidneys, eyes and nerves was unacceptable high.     

Detection and quantitation of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in the sera of patients with HPV-associated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

The human papillomavirus (HPV) has been implicated as an etiological factor in a subset of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Because circulating tumor DNA has previously been detected in the sera of patients with advanced HNSCC (stage III or IV), we hypothesized that HPV DNA might be present in the sera of HPV-positive HNSCC patients. Serum DNA extracts from 70 patients with HNSCC were screened for HPV using conventional PCR and a real-time quantitative assay. All samples subjected to conventional PCR were further tested by dot blot hybridization, and positives were confirmed by Southern blotting. Paired tumor DNA from archived tissues was then similarly screened for HPV genomic material (n = 51) or tested by in situ hybridization (n = 19). HPV-16 DNA was detected with L1 primers in 0 of 65 sera and in 15 of 70 (21%) tumors. Conventional PCR with E7 primers and Southern blot hybridization detected HPV-16 DNA in four (6%) sera. Using real-time quantitative PCR, six samples were found to contain various levels of circulating HPV DNA (mean, 12 copies/ml; range, <1-35.) All six serum-positive patients had corresponding tumors positive for E7. Four of these patients with HPV-positive tumors later developed distant metastases, suggesting that HPV DNA in serum may represent occult hematogenous spread of cancer cells in this subset of patients. Although a much larger prospective trial is required, the presence of HPV genomic material in serum DNA of HPV-positive HNSCC patients may serve as a useful marker of early metastatic disease.     

Intramedullary Low-grade Astrocytomas: Long-term Outcome Following Radical Surgery

The management of low-grade intramedullary astrocytomas is controversial. Unlike ependymomas, which have a distinct cleavage plane, astrocytomas are diffuse infiltrative tumors. The intramedullary tumor database at NYU Medical Center was searched to identify all patients with intramedullary astrocytoma from 1988 to 1994. Seventeen patients presented with a low-grade diffuse astrocytoma. The medical, surgical and office records were reviewed retrospectively and statistically analyzed. All patients underwent a radical resection of the intramedullary tumor; of these, 12 patients had gross-total removal and 5 had subtotal removal. Nine patients received adjuvant radiotherapy. The median follow-up period was 7.4 years. Fourteen patients are alive and have stable disease. Eleven patients (79%) are functionally independent at last follow-up. The remaining patients are at functional Grade III. The 5-year overall survival was 82% for this group.These results indicate that aggressive surgery is associated with a prolonged survival for patients with intramedullary astrocytomas. Radiation therapy should only be reserved for patients who have radiographic progression or inoperable disease.     

Analysis of 65 tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) patients by TSC2 DGGE, TSC1/TSC2 MLPA, and TSC1 long-range PCR sequencing, and report of 28 novel mutations

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a severe autosomal-dominant disorder characterized by the development of benign tumors (hamartomas) in many organs. It can lead to intellectual handicap, epilepsy, autism, and renal or heart failure. An inactivating mutation in either of two tumor-suppressor genes-TSC1 and TSC2-is the cause of this syndrome, with TSC2 mutations accounting for 80-90% of all mutations. Molecular diagnosis of TSC is challenging, since TSC1 and TSC2 consist of 21 and 41 coding exons, respectively, and the mutation spectrum is very heterogeneous. Here we report a new approach for detecting mutations in TSC: a denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis for small TSC2 mutations, a multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) analysis for large deletions and duplications in TSC1 or TSC2, and a long-range PCR/sequencing-based analysis for small TSC1 mutations. When applied in this order, the three methods provide a new sensitive and time- and cost-efficient strategy for the molecular diagnosis of TSC. We analyzed 65 Danish patients who had been clinically diagnosed with TSC, and identified pathogenic mutations in 51 patients (78%). These included 36 small TSC2 mutations, four large deletions involving TSC2, and 11 small TSC1 mutations. Twenty-eight of the small mutations are novel. For the missense mutations, we established a functional assay to demonstrate that the mutations impair TSC2 protein function. In conclusion, the strategy presented may greatly help small- and medium-sized laboratories in the pre- and postnatal molecular diagnosis of TSC.