Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a major crop grown on 24 million ha around the world for edible oil and food. Globally, peanut varieties with high yield potential and adaptation ability have been enhanced, developed, and approved for cultivation. The improved varieties have diverse maturity durations and have disease resistance, drought tolerance, increased oil content, and improved quality traits for food uses. Currently, the limitations of productive agricultural lands and the scarcity of available water are the critical factors contributing to the gap in food production worldwide. In this direction, a two-year-long field study was conducted during the summer seasons of 2019 and 2020 to study the ability to cultivate certain peanut varieties, including Giza 6, Giza 5, and Gregory. Three water regimes100, 80, and 60% of crop water requirement (CWR) were applied using two methods of irrigation application (drip and sprinkler) in new agricultural expansion areas located north of Cairo city. The obtained results confirmed that increasing the water deficit from 100% to 60% of CWR significantly reduced all peanut growth traits such as biomass by 14.3%, pod by 14.2%, and seed by 7.8%, but the 80% water regime recorded the highest oil content. Regarding the irrigation systems, the drip irrigation system surpassed the sprinkler system in both successive seasons in all studied variables. Giza 5 variety, along with 60% of CWR, recorded the highest water productivity for biomass and pod yields. The Giza 6 variety was the most tolerant variety based on the stress tolerance index (STI), whereas the Gregory variety was the least drought-tolerant variety.

Obelisks presented an important element in the architecture of ancient Egypt. This research is concerned with the re-erection of an obelisk that belongs to the famous Pharoah Ramses II. It was found broken and was transported to the Grand Egyptian Museum for restoration and display. An observation of Ramses II Cartouche at the bottom side of the obelisk base inspired the authorities to provide an innovative architectural design to display the obelisk elevated. The supporting structure was designed to allow the visitors to walk underneath the obelisk and observe Ramses II's signature. The idea of elevating the obelisk presented several challenges including evaluating the obelisk's current condition, restoration and fixation methodology, structural stability, and uncertainties of material characteristics, amongst others. To control the obelisk deformations under lateral loading, state-of-the-art base isolators were introduced. For the task to be achieved, a multidisciplinary team including historians, conservators, archaeologists, architects, and engineers with different specialties was appointed. The team performed the task successfully and currently, the obelisk stands at the entrance piazza of the Grand Egyptian Museum representing the world’s first elevated obelisk.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZNPs) and/or arsenic trioxide (ATO) exposure on the liver of adult male Sprague Dawley rats. Moreover, the probable ameliorative impact of gallic acid (GA) against ZNPs and ATO-induced hepatotoxicity and the possible underlying mechanisms were evaluated.

METHODS: Sixty male Sprague Dawley rats were distributed into six groups. The 1 and 2 groups were orally given distilled water (1 ml/kg) and 20 mg GA/kg b. wt, respectively. The 3 and 4 groups were orally given 100 mg ZNPs/kg b. wt and 8 mg ATO/kg b. wt, respectively. The 5 group was co-administered ZNPs and ATO at the doses mentioned above. The last one was co-administered ZNPs, ATO, and GA at the earlier described doses. All tested compounds were orally given once a day for 60 successive days. Then, serum levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total, direct, indirect bilirubin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL, VLDL, and LDL were estimated. The hepatic content of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) was evaluated. Moreover, Bcl-2 and Bax's reactive proteins were immunohistochemically detected, and Zn and As residual patterns in hepatic tissues were assessed.

RESULTS: ZNPs, ATO, and ZNPs+ATO-exposed rats showed significantly ( < 0.001) elevated serum AST (219%, 233%, and 333%), ALT (300%, 400%, and 475%), ALP (169%, 205%, and 294%), and total bilirubin (42%, 68%, and 109%) compared to the control ones. On the other hand, a significantly ( < 0.001) declined SOD (58%, 49%, and 43%) and GPx (70%, 63%, and 56%) but increased MDA (133%, 150%, and 224%) was recorded in the hepatic tissues of ZNPs, ATO, and ZNPs+ATO exposed rats, respectively, relative to the control rats. Moreover, the hepatic tissues of the ZNPs, ATO, and ZNPs+ATO exposed rats showed a significant ( < 0.001) decrease in Bcl-2 (28%, 33%, and 23%) but elevation in Bax (217%, 267%, and 236%) immunoreactivities compared to the control rats. These findings were consistent with the microscopic alterations in the hepatic architecture and accumulation of Zn and As. Furthermore, a notable hyperlipidemic condition was recorded following ZNPs and/or ATO exposure. On the contrary, GA notably reduced hepatic enzymes compared to ZNPs+ATO-exposed rats. Additionally, GA markedly improved ZNPs+ATO-afforded liver tissue damage and apoptotic events.

CONCLUSION: Overall, GA oral dosing significantly mitigated the negative effects of ZNPs and ATO on the liver by improving the antioxidant defense system and controlling apoptotic changes.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZNPs) and/or arsenic trioxide (ATO) exposure on the liver of adult male Sprague Dawley rats. Moreover, the probable ameliorative impact of gallic acid (GA) against ZNPs and ATO-induced hepatotoxicity and the possible underlying mechanisms were evaluated.

METHODS: Sixty male Sprague Dawley rats were distributed into six groups. The 1 and 2 groups were orally given distilled water (1 ml/kg) and 20 mg GA/kg b. wt, respectively. The 3 and 4 groups were orally given 100 mg ZNPs/kg b. wt and 8 mg ATO/kg b. wt, respectively. The 5 group was co-administered ZNPs and ATO at the doses mentioned above. The last one was co-administered ZNPs, ATO, and GA at the earlier described doses. All tested compounds were orally given once a day for 60 successive days. Then, serum levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total, direct, indirect bilirubin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL, VLDL, and LDL were estimated. The hepatic content of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) was evaluated. Moreover, Bcl-2 and Bax's reactive proteins were immunohistochemically detected, and Zn and As residual patterns in hepatic tissues were assessed.

RESULTS: ZNPs, ATO, and ZNPs+ATO-exposed rats showed significantly ( < 0.001) elevated serum AST (219%, 233%, and 333%), ALT (300%, 400%, and 475%), ALP (169%, 205%, and 294%), and total bilirubin (42%, 68%, and 109%) compared to the control ones. On the other hand, a significantly ( < 0.001) declined SOD (58%, 49%, and 43%) and GPx (70%, 63%, and 56%) but increased MDA (133%, 150%, and 224%) was recorded in the hepatic tissues of ZNPs, ATO, and ZNPs+ATO exposed rats, respectively, relative to the control rats. Moreover, the hepatic tissues of the ZNPs, ATO, and ZNPs+ATO exposed rats showed a significant ( < 0.001) decrease in Bcl-2 (28%, 33%, and 23%) but elevation in Bax (217%, 267%, and 236%) immunoreactivities compared to the control rats. These findings were consistent with the microscopic alterations in the hepatic architecture and accumulation of Zn and As. Furthermore, a notable hyperlipidemic condition was recorded following ZNPs and/or ATO exposure. On the contrary, GA notably reduced hepatic enzymes compared to ZNPs+ATO-exposed rats. Additionally, GA markedly improved ZNPs+ATO-afforded liver tissue damage and apoptotic events.

CONCLUSION: Overall, GA oral dosing significantly mitigated the negative effects of ZNPs and ATO on the liver by improving the antioxidant defense system and controlling apoptotic changes.

Retinoblastoma is the most common malignant intraocular tumor in childhood and accounts for 3% of all childhood cancers, with an incidence of approximately 1 in 17,000 live births, and approximately 8000 new cases are diagnosed each year worldwide. Despite the great advances in retinoblastoma management modalities, with survival rates reaching up to 95%–98% in developed countries, early diagnosis still represents a challenge in developing countries, resulting in a longer lag time in diagnosis and lower survival rates. This review article aims to highlight the various retinoblastoma presentations and shed light on possible retinoblastoma mimickers. Accurate differentiation between retinoblastoma and conditions that mimic retinoblastoma is crucial for proper management, and a high index of suspicion is therefore necessary for a proper and prompt diagnosis of retinoblastoma cases, which is the key to decreasing morbidity and mortality.