Visual symptoms and control of the Red Palm Weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) in the Gaza Strip, Palestine

Abd Rabou AN, Radwan ES. 2017. Visual symptoms and control of the Red Palm Weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. Nusantara Bioscience 9: 322-329. The Red Palm Weevil –RPW (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier)(Coleoptera: Curculionidae) has recently become one of the most destructive pests of Date Palms in the Gaza Strip and the Middle East. It is a serious pest threatening the Date Palm health and production, with the larva is the most destructive stage. The current study aims at introducing the visual symptoms and control techniques of the RPW in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. Field surveys and institutional visits were applied to fulfill the purpose of the study. The current study documented that first local infestation of Date Palm trees with the RPW was discovered in late 2011. The introduction of infected offshoots from Egypt through earth tunnel trade and the ability of the adult RPW to fly long distance and cross borders seem to be main causes of the local infestations with the pest. Different control techniques have been adopted by the responsible parties to combat the RPW; with the integrated pest management (IPM) program was tracked and respected. Finally, the study recommends the cooperation of different parties and authorities to adopt appropriate policies to eliminate the RPW and to support farmers with the necessary pesticides and equipment to control this painful pest

Trees and Shrubs Prevailing in the Urban Green Spaces of the Gaza City in Palestine

Gaza is the main city in the Gaza Strip, having a variety of urban green spaces such as public parks, community gardens, and cemeteries. These urban ecosystems have never been studied for their woody components (trees and shrubs). Accordingly, the current study aims at identifying and recording the woody components of some selected urban green spaces. Three public parks and gardens; namely the Gaza Municipality, Barcelona, and Al-Azhar, were selected to carry out the current study.  Frequent visits, observations, and discussions with stakeholders were carried out during a six-month study (October 2016 – March 2017) to satisfy the purpose of the study. A total number of 50 tree and shrub species belonging to 26 families and 14 orders were identified and recorded. The Gymnosperms included 4 species (8.0%) only, while the Angiosperms were represented by 46 species (92.0%), of which monocots were represented by 4 species (8.0%) and the dicots by 42 species (84.0%). The Fabales was the biggest order and comprised 7 (14.0%) of the recorded species, followed by Lamiales with 6 species (12.0%). The families Apocynaceae, Fabaceae, Malvaceae, and Moraceae were the biggest families and each was represented by 5 species (10.0%). The study recommends the selection of woody species adapted with the local prevailing environmental conditions in order to ensure environmental, ecological, recreational and socio-economical values needed by the Palestinian community in the Gaza Strip

Synthesis, reactions and characterization of 2-methylthionicotino-nitrile, pyrazolopyridine and pyridopyrazolotriazine derivatives

4,6-Diaryl-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridin-3-amines 4a-c wereobtained in very pure state and used as the good startingmaterials for the present study. Compound 4a diazotized to give the corresponding diazonium salt 11 and also, reacted with 2-bromo-1-phenylethanone to give the corresponding pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridin-2-yl)-1-phenylethanone derivative 7 which in turn, used for the preparation of the hydrazone and formamide derivatives 8 and 10 respectively through its reaction with hydrazine hydrate and formic acid respectively. Compound 11 was used for the preparation of pyridopyrazolotriazine derivatives via its coupling with several active –CH2- containing compounds.Considering the data from IR, 1H NMR, the mass spectra and elemental analyses the chemical structures of the newly synthesized heterocyclic compounds were elucidated

The State of the Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera) in the Gaza Strip, Palestine: A Questionnaire-based Study

The current study aims at documenting the trends on various aspects of the knowledge of farmers, workers and owners of Date Palm orchards regarding the state of the Date Palm sector in Deir Al-Balah region, Gaza Strip, Palestine. One hundred and fifty people (N=150) were selected randomly to fill a questionnaire especially designed to conduct this study. The results of the questionnaire survey revealed that 71.4% of the interviewed population had 3 dunum or less cultivated by Date Palms. The groundwater was the main irrigation source as claimed by 61.3% of the interviewed population; the rest depends on either rain water or reclaimed wastewater. The Hayani cultivar was grown by all respondents, though the majority ensured that the cultivation of diverse cultivars can help lower the risk of pest infestation. About two-thirds (62.0%) confirmed that the average production per a Date Palm tree was from 70 to 200 kg per year. All respondents were aware on the popular uses and industries based on Date Palm trees, and 70.0% of them produce various household products. The military operations of the Israeli occupation and the outbreak of RPW are crucial threats facing the Date Palm sector in the Gaza Strip. Moreover, 84.0% believed on advantages drawn by the Date Palm cultivation projects in the Gaza Strip to include the provision of self-sufficiency and food security, the improvement of productivity and national income and the reduction of unemployment which is an escalating problem in the Gaza Strip. Finally, the study recommends the improvement of the processes of Date Palm cultivation, production and marketing, and the cooperation of responsible parties to ensure a good sustainable development of the Date Palm sector in the Gaza Strip

Wild mammals in the Gaza Strip, with particular reference to Wadi Gaza

Mammalian fauna are considered good indicators of the degree of anthropogenic disturbance to the various ecosystems. Many mammalian species disappeared in the Gaza Strip during the last 5-6 decades and no efforts have been made to stop such disappearance. The present work aims at surveying the remnant wild mammals in the Gaza Strip; particularly in Wadi Gaza as a natural area. A total number of 15 mammalian species belonging to 5 orders and 11 families were recorded. Most mammalian species were of small sizes and residents. Seven disappeared mammalian species were mentioned by locals. The causes of disappearance were mostly anthropogenic and included the limited area of the Gaza Strip, over-population, residential and agricultural encroachment on the expense of natural areas and the over-exploitation of natural resources of which hunting was and stills a common practice threatening wildlife. The Israeli Occupation is still adversely affecting wildlife ecology in the area. Finally, the authors recommend improving cooperation of different parties to enhance the public awareness and to implement environmental laws and legislations to conserve nature and to protect wildlife

Conversion of Uric Acid into Ammonium in Oil-Degrading Marine Microbial Communities: a Possible Role of Halomonads

Uric acid is a promising hydrophobic nitrogen source for biostimulation of microbial activities in oil-impacted marine environments. This study investigated metabolic processes and microbial community changes in a series of microcosms using sediment from the Mediterranean and the Red Sea amended with ammonium and uric acid. Respiration, emulsification, ammonium and protein concentration measurements suggested a rapid production of ammonium from uric acid accompanied by the development of microbial communities containing hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria after 3 weeks of incubation. About 80 % of uric acid was converted to ammonium within the first few days of the experiment. Microbial population dynamics were investigated by Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Analysis and Illumina sequencing as well as by culture-based techniques. Resulting data indicated that strains related to Halomonas spp. converted uric acid into ammonium, which stimulated growth of microbial consortia dominated by Alcanivorax spp. and Pseudomonas spp. Several strains of Halomonas spp. were isolated on uric acid as the sole carbon source showed location specificity. These results point towards a possible role of halomonads in the conversion of uric acid to ammonium utilized by hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria

Conversion of Uric Acid into Ammonium in Oil-Degrading Marine Microbial Communities: a Possible Role of Halomonads

Uric acid is a promising hydrophobic nitrogen source for biostimulation of microbial activities in oil-impacted marine environments. This study investigated metabolic processes and microbial community changes in a series of microcosms using sediment from the Mediterranean and the Red Sea amended with ammonium and uric acid. Respiration, emulsification, ammonium and protein concentration measurements suggested a rapid production of ammonium from uric acid accompanied by the development of microbial communities containing hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria after 3 weeks of incubation. About 80 % of uric acid was converted to ammonium within the first few days of the experiment. Microbial population dynamics were investigated by Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Analysis and Illumina sequencing as well as by culture-based techniques. Resulting data indicated that strains related to Halomonas spp. converted uric acid into ammonium, which stimulated growth of microbial consortia dominated by Alcanivorax spp. and Pseudomonas spp. Several strains of Halomonas spp. were isolated on uric acid as the sole carbon source showed location specificity. These results point towards a possible role of halomonads in the conversion of uric acid to ammonium utilized by hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria.With exception of XH and JC, all authors were supported by the FP7 Project ULIXES (FP7-KBBE-2010-266473). This work was further funded by grant BIO2011-25012 from the Spanish Ministry of the Economy and Competitiveness. FM was supported by Università degli Studi di Milano, European Social Fund (FSE) and Regione Lombardia (contract BDote Ricerca^). DD acknowledges support of KAUST, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. PG acknowledges the support of the European Commission through the project Kill-Spill (FP7, Contract Nr 312139).Peer Reviewe

ULIXES, unravelling and exploiting Mediterranean Sea microbial diversity and ecology for xenobiotics' and pollutants' clean up

The civilizations in the Mediterranean Sea have deeply changed the local environment, especially with the extraction of subsurface oil and gas, their refinery and transportation. Major environmental impacts are affecting all the sides of the basin with actual and potential natural and socio-economic problems. Events like the recent BP\u2019s oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico would have a tremendous impact on a close basin like the Mediterranean Sea. The recently EU-funded project ULIXES (http://www.ulixes.unimi.it/) aims to unravel, categorize, catalogue, exploit and manage the microbial diversity available in the Mediterranean Sea for addressing bioremediation of polluted marine sites. The rationale of the project is based on the multiple diverse environmental niches of the Mediterranean Sea and the huge range of microorganisms inhabiting therein. Microbial consortia and their ecology, their components or products are used for designing novel pollutant- and site-tailored bioremediation approaches. ULIXES exploits microbial resource mining by the isolation of novel microorganisms as well as by novel advanced \u2018meta-omics\u2019 technologies for solving pollution of three major high priority pollutant classes, petroleum hydrocarbons, chlorinated compounds and heavy metals. A network of twelve European and Southern Mediterranean partners is exploring the microbial diversity and ecology associated to a large set of polluted environmental matrices including seashore sands, lagoons, harbors and deep-sea sediments, oil tanker shipwreck sites, as well as coastal and deep sea natural sites where hydrocarbon seepages occur. The mined collections are exploited for developing novel bioremediation processes to be tested in ex situ and in situ field bioremediation trials

Complications associated with transobturator sling procedures: analysis of 233 consecutive cases with a 27 months follow-up

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Backround</p> <p>The transobturator tape procedure (TOT) is an effective surgical treatment of female stress urinary incontinence. However data concerning safety are rare, follow-up is often less than two years, and complications are probably underreported. The aim of this study was to describe early and late complications associated with TOT procedures and identify risk factors for erosions.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>It was a 27 months follow-up of a cohort of 233 women who underwent TOT with three different types of slings (Aris^®, Obtape^®, TVT-O^®). Follow-up information was available for 225 (96.6%) women.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There were few per operative complications. Forty-eight women (21.3%) reported late complications including <it>de novo </it>or worsening of preexisting urgencies (10.2%), perineal pain (2.2%), <it>de novo </it>dyspareunia (9%), and vaginal erosion (7.6%). The risk of erosion significantly differed between the three types of slings and was 4%, 17% and 0% for Aris^®, Obtape^®and TVT-O^®respectively (P = 0.001). The overall proportion of women satisfied by the procedure was 72.1%. The percentage of women satisfied was significantly lower in women who experienced erosion (29.4%) compared to women who did not (78.4%) (RR 0.14, 95% CI 0.05-0.38, P < 0.001).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Late post operative complications are relatively frequent after TOT and can impair patient's satisfaction. Women should be informed of these potential complications preoperatively and require careful follow-up after the procedure. Choice of the safest sling material is crucial as it is a risk factor for erosion.</p

The Palestinian Terrestrial Vertebrate Fauna Preserved at the Biology Exhibitions of the Universities of the Gaza Strip

The Gaza Strip (365 km2 ) of Palestine (27,000 km2 ) is home to a wealth of terrestrial vertebrate fauna. Some of these faunistic species find their ways to preservation at the local universities. Hence, the current study comes to document the Palestinian terrestrial vertebrate fauna acquired by the biology exhibitions (BEs) of Al-Azhar University, Islamic University of Gaza and Al-Aqsa University that are located at the Gaza City of the Gaza Strip. The amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals preserved at BEs of the universities in question were surveyed and scientifically classified during a three-month period extending from January to March, 2012. The study showed that all BEs of local universities are underdeveloped, lacking attention and suffer from specimen scarcity and good preservation. The BE at Al-Azhar University is the best in the arrangement and preservation of bird specimens. A total number of 200 specimens belonging to 54 terrestrial vertebrate fauna species, 39 families and 17 orders was recorded at BEs. Reptiles constituted 40.7% of the total species recorded, followed by birds (38.9%), mammals (14.8%) and amphibians (5.6%). The Islamic University of Gaza was considered the best in terms of the number of preserved species (39.8%), followed by Al-Azhar University (36.3%) and Al-Aqsa University (23.9%). The Common Toad (Bufo viridis) was the most preserved among the amphibian species recorded. Squamata was the biggest reptilian order, comprising 20 species (8 lizards and 12 snakes), with the Syrian Black Snake (Coluber jugularis asianus) was the commonest. The Palestine Viper (Vipera palaestinae) is endemic to Palestine and most venomous and dangerous to human health. The Great White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus) was the largest Palestinian bird preserved at BE of Al-Azhar University. The Egyptian Mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon) and the Common Badger (Meles meles) were the biggest mammalian specimens preserved, while the Palestine Mole-rat (Spalax leucodon ehrenbergi) was the only Palestine endemic species encountered among the preserved mammals. Finally, the improvement of BEs of local universities and the construction of a Central Museum of Natural History is highly recommended in order to change the Palestinians’ attitudes toward a sustainable ecological conservation in the Gaza Strip