Cultivation of speciality mushrooms on lignocellulosic wastes represents one of the most economically and costeffective organic recycling processes. Three species of Pleurotus, namely P. columbinus, P. sajor-caju and P. ostreatus were experimentally evaluated on untreated organic wastes including chopped office papers, cardboard, sawdust and plant fibres. Production studies were carried out in polyethylene bags of about 1 kg wet weight with 5% spawning rates of substrate fresh weight in a custom-made growth room especially designed for spawn run and cropping. The conversion percentage from dry substrate weight to fresh mushroom weight (biological efficiency) was determined. The highest biological efficiency was noted with P. columbinus on cardboard (134.5%) and paper (100.8%), whereas P. ostreatus produced maximum yield on cardboard (117.5%) followed by paper (112.4%). The overall yield of P. sajor-caju was comparatively low (range 47-78.4%). The average number of sporophore flushings ranged between 5 and 6 times. The findings that P. columbinus and P. ostreatus are superior to P. sajor-caju are consistent with previous reports elsewhere. Further evaluation of P. columbinus alone on different bagging systems containing partially pasteurized office papers as a growing substrate revealed that polyethylene bags resulted in 109.4% biological efficiency in contrast to pottery (86%), plastic trays (72%) or polyester net (56%). The above findings reveal an opportunity for commercial implication of oyster mushroom especially P. columbinus for utilization of different feasible and cheap recyclable residues.

Coordinated roles for visfatin and omentin-1 are suggested in the modulation of the inflammatory environment in patients with psoriasis. Given the significant relations of omentin-1 with obesity markers, the health consequences of excessive weight should be better communicated to patients with psoriasis.

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Foodborne salmonellosis is a global threat to public health. In the current study, we describe the isolation and characterization of two broad-spectrum, lytic Salmonella phages: SPHG1 and SPHG3 infecting a multidrug-resistant Salmonella Typhimurium EG.SmT3. Electron microscopy and whole genome analysis identified SPHG1 as a Myovirus, while SPHG3 as a new member of the genus “Kuttervirus” within the family Ackermannviridae. SPHG1 and SPHG3 had a lysis time of 60 min. with burst sizes of 104 and 138 PFU/cell, respectively. The two phages were robust at variable temperatures and pH ranges that match the corresponding values of most of the food storage and processing conditions. A phage cocktail containing the two phages was stable in the tested food articles for up to 48 h. The application of the phage cocktail at MOIs of 1000 or 100 resulted in a significant reduction in the viable count of S. Typhimurium by 4.2 log10/sample in milk, water, and on chicken breast. Additionally, the phage cocktail showed a prospective ability to eradicate and reduce the biofilm that formed by S. Typhimurium EG.SmT3. A phage cocktail of SPHG1 and SPHG3 is considered as a promising candidate as a biocontrol agent against foodborne salmonellosis due to its broad host ranges, highly lytic activities, and the absence of any virulence or lysogeny-related genes in their genomes.

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Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is known for its multiple benefits including improvement of growth, increasing lean mass, and anti-carcinogenic effects. However, when used in longterm supplementations CLA does not improve semen parameters in boar and bull and reduces fertility in Japanese quails. The content of unsaturated fatty acids in dietary lipids plays a significant role in spermatogenesis owning the high proportion of unsaturated fatty acids in plasma membrane of sperms. Whether CLA plays a role in testicular tissue and epididymal fat is still unknown. Therefore, in this study we hypothesize that long-term supplementation of equal proportion of CLA isomer mix (c9,t11-CLA and t10,c12-CLA) in rabbit bucks might alter male reproductive potentials. Twelve V-Line weaned male rabbits were used in 26 weeks trial, rabbits were individually raised and randomly allocated into three dietary groups. Control group (CON) received a basal diet, a group received 0.5% CLA (CLA 0.5%), and a group received 1% CLA (CLA 1%). Rabbits were euthanized at the end of the trial and several parameters were evaluated related to growth, semen quality, and testicular and epididymal tissue histopathology and transcriptome. The long-term supplementation of CLA increased feed intake by 5% and body weight by 2-3%. CLA 1% decreased sperm progressive motility. In testicular tissue L-carnitine and α-tocopherol were decreased by CLA supplementation. In epididymal fat, CLA tended to decrease concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids, the expression of SCD5 gene was upregulated by CLA 1% and CASP3 gene was upregulated by CLA 0.5%. Transcription of PPARG was downregulated by CLA. Feeding 1% CLA also decreased testicular epithelial thickness. Long-term supplementation

Symbiotic and phenotypic characteristics of thirty rhiobial isolates obtained from root nodules of two cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) cultivars that grow in different sites of Fezzan (Southern part of Libya) were studied. Cultural characteristics and cross-nodulation with Arachis hypogega and Faidherbia albida showed that they were slow-growing rhizobia. Each isolate was found to coexist with non-symbiotic bacteria similar in their cultural characteristics to fast-growing rhizobia. All isolates formed symbiosis with the test plants, but different in their nitrogen-fixation efficiency. Numerical analysis of phenotypic characteristics showed that at boundary level of 70% average similarity, the isolates formed four distinguished groups and two isolates remained separate. Most isolates exhibited wide tolerance to acidity, alkalinity and extreme temperatures. They also resistant to some heavy metals such as mercury, copper, zinc, lead, cadmium and aluminum at low concentrations and antibiotics like polymyxin, colistin, bacitracin and nalidixic acid. Isolates displayed different response to salinity ranging from sensitive, which unable to grow in 1% NaCl to resistant and grow at 2% NaCl or above. Urea was hydrolyzed by most of them and carbohydrates utilizations were different. Sucrose and maltose were metabolized by most of the test isolates, whereas, monosaccharide and sugar alcohols were poorly utilized.

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