jbas

Journal of Basic & Applied Sciences

The Role of Fermented Milk Containing Probiotic, Dandelion as Prebiotic or their Combination on Serum Metabolites, Enzymes, Testosterone and Testicular Histopathology of Arsenic-Intoxicated Male Rats
Pages 492-503
Mona A. Al-Damegh, Moustafa M. Zeitoun and Ahmed M. Abdel-Salam

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1927-5129.2014.10.65

Published: 11 November 2014

Open Access

Abstract:This study aimed at investigating the ameliorative effects of probiotic and/or dandelion aqueous extract to reducing the risk of arsenic (As) intoxication on male rats. Fifty rats were randomly allotted into five groups, group 1(C-) given regular diet and water daily for 56 days, group 2 (C+) given sodium arsenate in drinking water, group 3 (PRO) given sodium arsenate in addition to probiotic, group 4 (PRE) given dandelion aqueous extract plus sodium arsenate (prebiotic) and group 5 (SYN) given sodium arsenate plus probiotic/dandelion extract (synbiotic). At the experiment conclusion rats were sacrificed and blood and testes were collected and taken for analysis and histopathological study, respectively. Glutathione-S-transferase (GST), Alanine aminotransaminase (ALT) and Aspartate aminotransaminase (AST) activities and creatinine, triglycerides (TG) and testosterone(T) concentration were determined and testes histopathology was studied. Creatinine, AST and TG were lower (P<0.01) in PRO, PRE and SYN compared with C+ rats. Arsenic ingestion didn't change rats body weight, but tended to increase testes weight. Also, there found decreases (P<0.05) in testesterone in C+, PRE and SYN-rats, however coadministration of PRO to C+ rats alleviated the toxic effects resulting in a comparable testosterone level to C- rats. Histopathological sections of C+ testes showed dislocation of germinal cells, losing normal architecture, filling seminiferous tubules lumens with cellular debris, slight congestion of blood vessels and thickening of the interstitial tissue. Moreover, in PRE animals, testis showed spermatogenic cells losing their normal architecture with vaculations and increased Leydig cells size. In PRO animals, the testes showed normality of most seminiferous tubules and normal spermatogonia, close to the C- rats. Testes of SYN rats showed little changes in spermatogenic cells structure. In conclusions, the protection of testicular toxicity and liver and kidney functions in arsenic-exposed rats is possible with probiotic or combined coadministration of dandelion-containing probiotic, but not with dandelion extract itself.

Keywords: Traxacum officinalis, arsenic toxicity, rats, probiotics, testis histopathology.

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Journal of Basic & Applied Sciences

3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane-Based Bioanalytical Procedures for Potential In Vitro Diagnostics
Pages 469-474
Sandeep Kumar Vashist

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1927-5129.2014.10.62

Published: 11 November 2014

Open Access

Editorial

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Journal of Basic & Applied Sciences

Influence of Sugar, Ammonium Nitrate and Plant Growth Regulators on in vitro Flowering of Celosia argentea var. cristata
Pages 135-139
Krupa-Małkiewicz Marcelina and Mgłosiek Oktawia

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1927-5129.2016.12.20

Published: 25 February 2016

Open Access

Abstract: In vitro flowering is considered to be a complex process regulated by a vast of environmental and genetic factors. The present study describes the influence of sugar, ammonium nitrate and plant growth regulators on in vitro flowering from nodal explants of Celosia argentea var. cristata cultured for 6 weeks on basal MS medium under aseptic and light conditions. The addition to MS medium different concentrations of sucrose or ammonium nitrate did not influence on morphogenesis of Celosia plants. Among the plant growth regulators tested, supplementation with 1.0 mg/l KIN induced maximum number of new shoots (2.52). Flowering occurred on 100% of in vitro shoots cultured on modify MS medium supplemented with 16.50 and 8.25 g/l of NH4NO3 after 40 days.

Keywords: Ammonium nitrate, inflorescence, morphogenesis, plant growth regulators, sucrose.

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Journal of Basic & Applied Sciences

Concurrent Spacecraft Attitude and Orbit Estimation with Attitude Control Based on Magnetometer, Gyro, and GPS Measurements through Extended Kalman Filter
Pages 461-468
Tamer Mekky Ahmed Habib

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1927-5129.2014.10.61

Published: 21 October 2014

Open Access

Abstract: The main objective of this research is to provide attitude estimation, orbit estimation, and attitude control algorithms suitable for application to the next Egyptian scientific satellite. Concurrent spacecraft orbit and attitude estimates must be suitable for usage by the attitude control algorithm. The developed estimation algorithms are able to deal with sever tumbling conditions characterized by large initial attitude, angular velocity and position estimation errors. The estimation algorithms could provide attitude estimates within 0.5o(3-s) and 60 m (3-s) for the position estimation errors. The attitude control algorithm developed is able to bring the spacecraft from its initial tumbling conditions to nadir pointing within an error of only 0.5o (3-s).

Keywords: Attitude, Orbit, Control, Estimation, EKF, GPS, Gyro, Magnetometer.
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