* Author for correspondence: Rozi Mohamed, Department of Forest Management, Faculty of Forestry, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. Tel.: 60-3-8946 7183 (Office), Fax: 60-3-8943 2514. Email: rozimohd@putra. upm.edu.my. Abstract. A critical stage in the introduction of plants into tissue culture is to obtain cultures free from microbial contamination. This study in...

background: all aerobically growing organisms suffer from exposure to oxidative stress, caused by partially reduced forms of molecular oxygen, known as reactive oxygen species (ros). these are highly reactive and capable of damaging cellular constituents such as dna, lipids and proteins. consequently, cells from many different organisms have evolved mechanisms to protect their components agains...

The aim of this study was to examine the experimental uptake of mercury and the enzymatic response, i.e., glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity, to this metal introduced into the medium under organic (methylmercury chloride) and nonorganic (mercury chloride) forms. Shoots of Posidonia oceanica were collected in a nonpolluted area in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea and were treated in aqua...

As a result of disposal problems related to the use of mercury compounds, many laboratories have considered switching from mercuric chloride-based Schaudinn's and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) stool preservatives to other non-mercury-based preservatives. The primary use for PVA-preserved specimens is the permanent stained smear, the most important technique in the routine ova and parasite examination...

Three sets of experiments were carried out to determine if there is an intestinal secretory component in the fecal excretion of administered inorganic mercury. In the first set of experiments the disposition of a nontoxic 0.5-micromol/kg intravenous dose of inorganic mercury was evaluated in control rats and rats whose bile duct had been ligated. Data collected 24 h after the administration of ...

BACKGROUND Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) continues to be a major cause of serious infections in hospitals and in the community worldwide. In this study, MRSA isolated from patients in Kuwait hospitals were analyzed for resistance trends and the genetic location of their resistance determinants. METHODS Between April 1994 and December 2004, 5644 MRSA isolates obtained from...