Basic Science Sector

Peanut mottle virus (PeMV) causing mottling, yellowing, necrosis, malformation and stunting was isolated from naturally infected peanut plants grown in El-Sharkiya Governorate. The virus was isolated mechanically and identified by indirect ELISA using both specific and induced polyclonal antiserum. Effect of virus infection on cell organelles, detected by electron microscopy, showed different degrees of degenerative changes in chloroplasts, mitochondria, nucleus, revealed amorphous and cylindrical cytoplasmic inclusions in infected leaf cells as pinwheel and laminated bundles. Pinwheel inclusion bodies are characteristic of Potyviruses which include PeMV. Two field experiments were conducted in 2006 and 2007 to study the effect of spraying sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and salicylic acid (SA) at 50, 100, and 200 mmol/l to induce resistance against PeMV infection in peanut plants (cv. Giza 5). All treatments induced resistance against PeMV infection, when plants were sprayed before inoculation with the virus. Also, all tested treatments gave a significant increase in photosynthetic pigments and activity of peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) compared with infected plants. Moreover, all treatments recorded increments in seed protein and oil contents at harvest time. Also, the total unsaturated and saturated fatty acids content increased in the treated peanut seeds compared with the untreated ones.

The efficacy of arbuscularmycorrhizae (AM) on nutrients, organic solutes, and antioxidant enzymes of wheat under salt stress was investigated and related to root colonization and plant productivity. The mycorrhizal inoculation increased N, P, K, Ca, and Mg uptake, soluble sugars, free amino acids, and proline accumulation, as well as peroxidase and catalase activities under saline conditions as compared to nonmycorrhizal plants. On the other hand, Na concentration was lower in mycorrhizal than in nonmycorrhizal plants grown under saline conditions. Arbuscularmycorrhizae protected wheat against the detrimental effects of salinity and stimulated its productivity. Hence, mycorrhizal colonization can play a vital role in the mitigation of the adverse effects of salinity by improving the wheat osmotic adjustment response, enhancing its defense system, and alleviating oxidative damage to cells. Arbuscularmycorrhizae are able to alter plant physiology in a way that empowers the plant to grow more efficiently on salt-affected lands.

Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) has emerged in the past decade as a very promising technique for the analysis and characterization of a broad variety of objects of cultural heritage especially bio-archeological samples such as calcified tissues namely teeth and bones. The most important advantages of LIBS from the archeological point of view are its quasi nondestructive nature and its potential for performing in situ measurements. In the present work human calcified tissue samples of recent and archeological bones have been studied via the LIBS technique.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of 12 wk of bovine colostrum (BC) and weight training (WT) on the density and content of bone mineral (BMD) (BMC), muscular strength (MS) and shooting accuracy (SA) for soccer juniors. Twenty male soccer juniors were randomly divided into two experimental groups each one 10 soccer juniors, 1, BC group without training, 2 BC+WT group and required to consume either 40 g/d BC powder for 12 week. Two measures were used to assess performance before (pre) and after (post) a 12-wk training period. Researchers has tended to use BC and BC+WT program to identify their impact on the BMD,BMC,MA and SA for soccer juniors. BMD and BMC was assessed via dual x-ray absorptiometry the experimental method was applied on a subject of 20 soccer juniors in Sharkia club in Egypt, their ages under 12 years old. One of the most important results of this research was a significant difference among BC and BC+WT groups in BMD Femoral neck (g/cm2), BMD torch (g/cm2), BMC Femoral neck (g), BMC Troche (g), BMD spine (L2- L4) (g/cm2) and (BMC) spine (L2-L4) (g), in leg press, Bench press, leg curl, Leg extension, Over head press, Press behind neck, Abdomen muscle, Vertical jump and SA for BC+WT group in the post measurements . Also, there is a higher enhancement in the post measurement of BC+WT group than the BC group. Also, there is an enhancement of the BMD Femoral neck (g/cm2), BMD torch (g/cm2), BMC Femoral neck (g), BMC Troche (g), BMD spine (L2-L4) (g/cm2) and BMC spine (L2-L4) (g) (15.79%, 16.47%, 19.87%, 17.06%, 15.45%, 27.06%) consequently, MS in leg press, Bench press, Leg curl, Leg extension, Over head press, press behind neck, Abdomen muscle, Vertical jump and SA (48.54%, 35.77%, 56.55%, 40.46%, 55.25%, 56.03%, 35.79%, 37.01%, 62.23%) consequently for the post one for soccer juniors.

A pot experiment was carried out to study the effect of irrigating saline water at levels (0.2000, 4000 and 6000 ppm NaCl solution and rates of BRs "28-homBL" (0, 50, 100 and 200 mg/L) on chemical components and nutrients status in grains and straw of grains and straw of wheat plant (Triticum aestivum L). Salinity reduced sugar (reducing and non reducing), total carbohydrate and protein percentage of wheat grains while foliar application with BRs significantly increase gradually all the chemical constituents under study as compared with control. In addition foliar application with BRs also significantly increased the concentration and total uptake of macro and micronutrients (N, P, K, Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu) in straw and grains of wheat plants at harvest date.

Green house experiment was conducted to alleviate the effect of irrigating saline water at (0.2000, 4000 and 6000 ppm NaCl solution) by using foliar spray of BRs "28-homoBL" at levels of 50, 100 and 200 mg/L on wheat plant (triticum aestivum L.). Brassinosteroids play an important role in growth, metabolic activities and productivity of wheat plants. BRs significantly increase all the growth parameters, photosynthetic pigments as compared with the untreated control plant. Foliar application of BRs also increased yield and yield attributes of treated plants and significantly overcome the depressive effect of saline irrigation water at all levels on crop productivity and photosynthetic pigments.

There is increasing concern about human health and environmental contamination risks associated with the extensive use of mineral fertilizer in vegetables production. Compost and growth stimulate agents could be a suitable alternative to mineral fertilizer. The effect of soil addition of compost and foliar fertilizers with humic and/or amino acids on growth and yield of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) cv. festival plants was investigated. Compost fertilization of soil at a rate of 8 ton/fed, foliar application of humic acid at a rate of 1 g l-1, foliar fertilization of amino acids at a rate of 2 ml l-1 and their combinations were used. The results from this study showed that plants of strawberries grown from compost fertilized plots exhibited generally higher plant length and fruit weight. Total yield was significantly increased by all treatments compared to mineral fertilizer. Moreover, the compost fertilizer also produced fruits with higher level of total soluble solid and anthocyanin content. Limited effects on growth were observed by foliar fertilizer with either humic acid or amino acids.

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of elemental sulfur (S0) and sulfur oxidizing bacteria (Paracoccusversutus) on nutrient uptake, yield and quality of cucumber grown in sandy calcareous soils. Both elemental sulfur powder (S0P) and pellets of sulfur powder-Tiger 90 (S0T) were applied at rates of 0, 1, 5 and 10 t/ha at Al Hamraneya. On the contrary, S0P was used at rates of 0, 1, 5 and 10 t/ha combined with or without Paracoccusversutus (Pv) at Al Kuwaitat, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Higher concentrations of N, P, S, Mn and Zn in leaves and yield of cucumber at both locations were obtained with application of S0 at rates of 5 and 10 t/ha. Total soluble sugar (TSS) content and vitamin C was higher with the application of S0 at rates of 5 and 10 t/ha. Application of Pv individually or with varying levels of S0P had no positive effect on nutrients uptake, yield and quality of cucumber. A positive correlation was observed between shelf life and vitamin C. At Al Hamraneya S0P performed better than S0T. The results reveal that application of S0P at the rate of 5 t/ha in sandy calcareous soils can enhance the nutrients uptake ability, increase yield and superior quality of cucumber at both locations in UAE.

A total of 864 brown-egg laying pullets was used to study the effects of the main cereal of the diet (500 g maize or wheat/kg) and particle size of the cereal (hammer milled to pass through a 6-, 8-, and 10-mm screen) on growth performance and digestive traits from 1 to 120 d of age. Each of the six treatments was replicated six times (24 pullets per replicate). Type of cereal did not affect pullet performance at any age.From1 to 45 d of age, body weight (BW) gain was increased (P<0.001) and feed conversion ratio was improved (P<0.05) as the particle size of the cereal was reduced, but no effects were observed after this age. At 45 d of age, pullets fed maize tended (P<0.10) to have a heavier relative weight (RW, g/kg BW) of the total digestive tract and proventriculi and a higher relative length (RL, cm/kg BW) of the small intestines (SI) than pullets fed wheat. Also at this age, the RW of the digestive tract increased (P<0.05) with increases in the particle size of the cereal. At 120 d of age, dietary treatment did not affect the RW of any of the organs studied or gizzard pH but the RL of the SI was higher (P<0.05) for pullets fed wheat than for pullets fed maize. Also, the RL of the SI was reduced (P<0.05) as the particle size of the cereal increased. We conclude that 500 g wheat/kg can be included in pullet feeds from 1 to 120 d of age, and that particle size of the cereal affects pullet performance during the first 45 d of life but not thereafter. Therefore, it is recommended to grind the cereal used in this period with a screen size of no more than 8mm.

Introduction: Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is an aggressive, metastatic and highly angiogenic form of locally advanced breast cancer with a relatively poor three-year survival rate. Breast cancer invasion has been linked to proteolytic activity at the tumor cell surface. Here we explored a role for active cathepsin B on the cell surface in the invasiveness of IBC.

The olfactory apparatus of Varanus niloticus niloticus includes the main olfactory organ and the vomeronasal organ or organ of Jacobson. The vomeronasal organ is innervated by two associated nerves: the terminal and the vomeronasal nerves. They arise from the sensory epithelium in combination. The terminal nerve carries a terminal ganglion. The nervi terminalis and vomeronasalis combine together as one separate nerve which leaves the cavity of the nasal capsule together with three bundles of the olfactory nerve through the fenestra olfactoria advehens.

Insulin, a peptide that has been used for decades in the treatment of diabetes, has well-defined properties and delivery requirements. Liposomes, which are lipid bilayer vesicles, have gained increasing attention as drug carriers which reduce the toxicity and increase the pharmacological activity of various drugs. The molecular interaction between (uncharged lipid) dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) liposomes and insulin has been characterized by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction. The characteristic protein absorption band peaks, Amide I (at about 1660 cm-1) and Amide II band (at about 1546 cm_1) are potentially reduced in the liposome insulin complex. Wide-angle x-ray scattering measurements showed that the association of insulin with DPPC lipid of liposomes still maintains the characteristic DPPC diffraction peaks with almost no change in relative intensities or change in peak positions. The absence of any shift in protein peak positions after insulin being associated with DPPC liposomes indicates that insulin is successfully forming complex with DPPC liposomes with possibly no pronounced alterations in the structure of insulin molecule.

LaBO3 (B = Ni, Co, Fe and Mn) were prepared by microwave-assisted citrate method. The electrocatalytic activity toward hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) was investigated. XRD characterization showed that pure perovskite crystals were indeed formed. SEM images showed that changing the type of the B-site metal ion affected the morphology of the prepared perovskites.

{Soil samples were collected from three sites (Wadi-El-Natrun, Kafr-El-Sheekh and Mallahat Road) located in Cairo-AlexandriaAgriculture Road, Egypt. The total fungal counts allover the road was 755 colonies, constituting ten fungal species (Alternariaalternata, Aspergillusflavus, Aspergillusnidulans, Aspergillusniger, Aspergillusterreus, Fusariummoniliforme, Penicilliumchrysogenum, Penicill-iumpurpurogenum, Phomaherbarum and Rhizopusoryzae). The most potent fungal species producing pigmentsalong the road were A. nidulans, F. moniliforme, P. purpurogenum and P. herbarum. Comparative sensitivity to different light wavelengths and radiation (laser, gamma and ultraviolet rays) on growth and pigment production in the four selected fungal species wasestimated. Optimization of physical and nutritional factors on growth and pigment production was carried out. A steady increase in theantioxidant activities was showed in all four tested pigments producing species with raising the phenol contents. The extracellularpigment of P. purpurogenum was found to be more effective against some pathogenic microbes and might have a potential role inpharmaceutical drug industry. The identification of the structure of unknown P. purpurogenum pigment was detected using UV andFTIR spectra, and indicated that it is an phenolic compound and has broad stretching OH

Corrosion characterization of AZ91D alloy was studied in aqueous sodium oxalate solutions with various concentrations using different electrochemical techniques (open circuit potential, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV)). The corrosion rate and consequently the rate and extent of hydrogen evolution were found to increase significantly with increasing oxalate anion concentration and temperature or with decreasing the pH of solution. Increasing additions of various anions over the lower concentration range (0.001-1.0 mM) in the blank oxalate solution increases to a varying extent the corrosion rate of the alloy and hence increases the hydrogen evolution rate and decreases surface film stability in the following order Cl- > SO_4^(2-) > F-. On the other hand, addition of phosphate anion exhibits a reverse trend, where the active corrosion rate decreases with increasing PO_4^(3-) anion concentration, implying that this anion acts as a passivator for AZ91D alloy. The obtained electrochemical results are further confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis.