A portable wiltmeter instrument to estimate leaf turgor pressure according to an adaptation of the flattening method was developed. In the instrument, a flexible inflating membrane presses the leaf against a flattening plate having small orifices surrounded by a finely engraved network of obtuse indentations through which air flow is delivered. During a measurement, as the compression builds up...

The availability of transcriptomic data sequence is a key step for functional genomics studies. Recently, a repertoire of predicted genes of a Japanese cultivar of fig (Ficus carica L.) was released. Because of the great phenotypic variability that can be found in this species, we decided to study another fig genotype, the Italian cv. Dottato, in order to perform comparative studies between the...

Abstract Background and Aims: Hop stunt viroid (HSVd, genus Hostuviroid, family Pospiviroidae) has a wide host range among trees and herbaceous plants. The objectives of this study were to compare biological and physical characteristics of three isolates of HSVd from mulberry, fig and citrus and search for other hosts of this viroid in Iran. Materials and Methods: Plant samples were col...

In an effort to transfer Botrytis resistance from Oriental lilies to Asiatic hybrids (Lilium, 2n=2x=24) we made a large number of F1 hybrids between these two distantly related species. Because these species belong to two different taxonomic sections, the F1 hybrids were totally sterile and could not be directly used in breeding. Therefore, two approaches were used for utilizing the F1 hybrids....

Spices and herbal vegetables have long been traditionally used in habitual diets in tropical regions including Thailand. They contain not only essential nutrients but also are rich in various phytochemicals such as polyphenols, terpenes, alkaloids and phenolic acids, etc. The purified or crude extracts from some plants have been demonstrated to play a vital role in prevention and treatment of s...

Three water-soluble polysaccharides in fruits of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) cultivars, coded as BP1, BP2 and BP3, were isolated by precipitation with alcohol from the aqueous extract of the fruits residue after refluxed with ethanol and deproteined by Sevage method and decolored by 30% H 2 O 2 from the fruit of bitter gourd. Their chemical structure and physicochemical properties wer...

Conduction system pacing (CSP), delivered through His bundle (HBP) or left (LBP), is a novel effective treatment for patients with proximal branch block (LBBB). The presence of septal scar known to affect response CSP, but the effect conduction properties on CSP has never been investigated. To quantify scarred myocardium and Purkinje velocity (CV) using computational modelling. We computed vent...

Wax gourd is a popular vegetable in East Asia. In traditional Chinese medicine, wax gourd peel is used to prevent and treat metabolic diseases such as hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. However, there is no experimental evidence to support these applications. Here, we examined the effect of the extract of wax gourd peel (EWGP) on metabolic disorders in diet-indu...