CROSS RESISTANCE OF DIPEL 2x RESISTANT STRAIN OF PINK BOLLWORM PECTINOPHORA GOSSYPIELLA (SAUND.) TO SOME CONVENTIONAL AND BIOINSECTICIDES

A field strain of pink bollworm Pectinophora gossypiella (Saund.) collected from Sharquia Governorate, Egypt was exposed to the selection pressure of the for-mulation of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. Kurstaki, Dipel 2x under laboratory condi-tions. Resistance ratio attained 16-fold based on the susceptible strain after 14 gen-erations of selection. Study the response of Dipel 2x resistant strain to some insecti-cides indicated that there is no cross resistance to the conventional insecticides, es-fenvalerate, chlorpyriphos and thiodicarb or the bioinsecticides Ecotech and Agerin. These data may be emphasizing the possibility of rotation the Dipel 2x with these insecticides in pest control program of pink bollworm to manage resistance to Bt products

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Effect of the pre-treatment on the performance of MBR, Berghausen WWTP. Germany

Pilot scale experiments were carried out to examine the effect of the pre-treatment methods on the performance of MBR. The PURON® MBR module was used in this study. In order to investigate the effect of pre-treatment on the behaviour of membrane, samples were withdrawn at different locations in Berghausen WWTP. During the first period samples have been collected directly from the main source as raw sewage to determine its main characteristics. During the second period samples have been screened with screening 1 mm filter material to prevent debris from damaging the membrane. During the third phase samples have been taken after the primary settling tank to have the benefits of filtering out unwanted trash, removing scum and floating debris. The study showed that the membrane bio-reactor filters out nearly all solids, the pre-treatment has a positive effect on the MBR performance, and the pre-sedimentation is more effective than fine screening. Moreover, aeration is considered as one of the intrinsic parameters in both hydraulic and biological process performances because of its ability to maintain solids in suspension, scours the membrane surface, limits fouling, and provide oxygen to the biomass, which results in a better biodegradability

Application of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) for the prediction of EL-AGAMY wastewater treatment plant performance-EGYPT

A reliable model for any Wastewater Treatment Plant WWTP is essential in order to provide a tool for predicting its performance and to form a basis for controlling the operation of the process. This would minimize the operation costs and assess the stability of environmental balance. This paper focuses on applying an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) approach with a Feed-Forward Back-Propagation to predict the performance of EL-AGAMY WWTP-Alexandria in terms of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Total Suspended Solids (TSSs) data gathered during a research over a 1-year period. The study signifies that the ANN can predict the plant performance with correlation coefficient (R) between the observed and predicted output variables reached up to 0.90. Moreover, ANN provides an effective analyzing and diagnosing tool to understand and simulate the non-linear behavior of the plant, and is used as a valuable performance assessment tool for plant operators and decision makers

Modelling and simulation of German BIOGEST/EL-AGAMY wastewater treatment plants – Egypt using GPS-X simulator

This paper focuses on modelling and simulation of German BIOGEST/EL-AGAMY Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) using a package software GPS-X simulator to investigate the plant performance among six scenarios of various durations of fill, react and settle phases as a case study. The Activated Sludge Model 1 (ASM1) was used for biological processes, and the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) based influent model was used for influent characterization. This case study presents the rule of denitrification process via anoxic conditions to remove nitrates and nitrites which is known to be eutrophic, toxic for aquatic animals, hazardous to human health as well as inhibit phosphorus removal during activated sludge treatment. Also, denitrification process provides a selector operation to prevent filamentous sludge bulking that is considered a major problem in EL-AGAMY WWTP, as well as decreases the overall aeration energy of the batch cycle time

Expression of P185erbB-2, P160erbB-3, P180erbB-4, and heregulin alpha in human normal bronchial epithelial and lung cancer cell lines

UI - 99243173NRC publication: Ye

In vitro evaluation of the efficacy of hemodialysate (Solcoseryl®) as a wound healing agent in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Skin wounds are the most prevalent daily affections intruding fishes in an aquaculture facility. Such skin affections are considered to be the most common portals of entry for disease agents affecting fishes. This persistent phenomenon necessitates a comprehensive search for an efficient healing therapy to combat the ongoing dermal damage and its pathological consequences. In the current study, the core hypothesis has been vigorously tested through the experimental application of hemodialysate (Solcoseryl®) solution in several exposure methods including bath, intraperitoneal (I.P.), intramuscular (I.M.), and local infiltration routes. All tested routes were capable of inducing different degrees of healing in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). The core hypothesis of the current research has been experimentally accomplished through assessing the resultant healing degrees based on both gross as well as tissue alteration dynamics among total of 5 experimental groups. Each group consisted of 10 fishes/aquarium. The swift tissue healing of the induced wounds in Nile tilapia were completely achieved 4 days post I.M. injection of the Solcoseryl® solution (10 μl/50 g fish as a single dose) with an excellent healing grade (+++++). However, bath treatment (1 ml/Lwater as a single dose) and local infiltration (10 μl/50 g fish as a single dose) have proved to be second on the race (complete healing was achieved 6 days post treatment with very good grade (+++)). This study demonstrates the clinical value of fish models in establishment of new approach for combating prevalent invasive skin affections in aquaculture