Simmondsin as natural alternative fungicide in squash root rot disease

Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) meal was extracted with acetone, isopropanol, boiling distilled water and methanol to obtain simmondsin. Simmondsin was tested against Squash root rot disease at four concentrations (10, 20, 30 and 40 mg/ml) using the radial mycelia growth under greenhouse and field conditions. Rhizoctonia solani (Kuhn) and Fusarium solani (Mart.) were isolated from naturally infected squash roots collected from different localities in Qalubia Governorate. Evaluation simmondsin extracts revealed that acetone was the most effective as it prevented the myceial growth of F. solani and R. solani at 40 mg/ml, followed by isopropanol, boiling water and methanol in vitro. All extracts even at concentration 10 mg/ml had little effect and failed to produce a considerable reduction in growth of the tested fungi. Squash Eskandrany seeds were treated with simmondsin extracts before sowing in artificially infested soil with F. solani and R. solani (pot experiments) or soil naturally infected (epidemic soil) by the tested pathogenic fungi (field experiments) resulted in significant reduction in both damping- off and dead plant (resulted from infection by root-rot disease) compared with untreated seeds. Also, both acetone and isopropanol extract were more efficient in reducing infection by damping-off and root-rot than boiling distilled water and methanol. While, squash seeds treated with tested simmondsin extract significantly increased fruit yield/plot compared with untreated seeds. Also, all tested simmondsin extracts significant increased plant survival.Squash eskandrany seeds were treated with simmondsin extracts before sowing in artificially infested soil with F. solani and R. solani (pot experiments) or soil naturally infected (epidemic soil) by tested pathogenic fungi (field experience) resulted insignificant reduction in both damping- off and dead plant (resulted from infection by root-rot disease) compared with untreated seeds. Also, both Acetone and Isopropanol were more efficient reducing infection by damping-off and root-rot the high concentration 40 mg/ml than Boiling water and Methanol. On the other hand, squash seeds treated with tested simmondsin extract significantly increased fruit yield/plot compared with untreated seeds. Also, all tested simmondsin extracts significant increased plant survival

Control of hyperphosphatemia in regular hemodialysis (HDx) patients by calcium acetate (CA) versus calcium carbonate (CC). A double blind crossover prospective study

This study included fourty chronic renal failure patients aged 37-83 years (mean 51.3±7) on thrice weekly HDx for 4-144 month (Kt/V >1.2). Acetate dialysate with calcium concentration of 3 mEq/L was used. All phosphate binders were discontinued for one month. Patients were divided in two groups. Group I (20 cases) received CA, while group II (20 cases) received CC in equimolar dose (10 mmol, of either t.i.d.) for one month. Crossover of treatment was done for another month while keeping patients on the same diet.Serum levels of total calcium (Ca), ionized Ca (iCa), phosphorus (P), alkaline phosphates (AP), urea (U), creatinine (Cr), ALT, AST, total proteins (TP) and albumin (Alb) were estimated before, and at the end of each month of CA and CC treatment. Serum Ca and iCa were significantly lower in group I after CA compared to values after CC (p<0.01). Similar results in Ca levels were observed in group II (P<0.05). In group II only serurn P was significantly lower after CA compared to its values after CC (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in AP, U, Cr, ALT, AST, TP and Alb before, and at the end of each month of CA and CC treatment (P>0.05 in all). We excluded 12.5% of cases due to CA intolerance while non of cases had similar intolerance to CC.Conclusion: 1) CA is not very superior to CC in control of hyperphosphataemia. 2) CA can be safely increased without the risk of hypercalcemia. 3) Active Vitamin D and high dialysate Ca can be used to suppress parathyroid activity more safely with CA than with CC. 4) Tolerability to CC is superior

Maximum power point tracking techniques for photovoltaic systems: a comparative study

Photovoltaic systems (PV) are one of the most important renewable energy resources (RER). It has limited energy efficiency leading to increasing the number of PV units required for certain input power i.e. to higher initial cost. To overcome this problem, maximum power point tracking (MPPT) controllers are used. This work introduces a comparative study of seven MPPT classical, artificial intelligence (AI), and bio-inspired (BI) techniques: perturb and observe (P&O), modified perturb and observe (M-P&O), incremental conductance (INC), fuzzy logic controller (FLC), artificial neural network (ANN), adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), and cuckoo search (CS). Under the same climatic conditions, a comparison between these techniques in view of some criteria’s: efficiencies, tracking response, implementation cost, and others, will be performed. Simulation results, obtained using MATLAB/SIMULINK program, show that the MPPT techniques improve the lowest efficiency resulted without control. ANFIS is the highest efficiency, but it requires more sensors. CS and ANN produce the best performance, but CS provided significant advantages over others in view of low implementation cost, and fast computing time. P&O has the highest oscillation, but this drawback is eliminated using M-P&O. FLC has the longest computing time due to software complexity, but INC has the longest tracking time

Determination and Distribution Map for Radionuclides in Soil Samples from Different Location by Gamma Spectrometry Using Software Analysis

The fundamental goal of the current study is to determine the mean activity concentrations of natural and artificial radionuclides of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and 137Cs using gamma spectrometry for three locations, in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq, which are significant and vital countries in the Middle East. The mean absorbed dose rate equals 22.35, 28.96, and 43.34 nGy h-1 for Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq. The results are consistent with international reports. The dose contribution percentages for investigated locations are 24 %, 30 %, and 46 % for Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq, respectively. The obtained results were clarified by statistical measurements using one-way ANOVA test to determine the distribution and differences between the averages of the three groups under study, as they may be influenced by geological variations and human intervention. It was found that the Iraq samples followed a symmetrical, standard normal distribution, while samples from Egypt and Saudi Arabia did not. Statistically significant differences were found between the data from the three countries

Građa i optička svojstva tankih polikristaliničnih slojeva CuGaxIn1−xSe2

Structural and optical properties of CuGaxIn1−xSe2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.75) polycrystalline thin films deposited by vacuum evaporation were studied as a function of composition. The optical absorption spectra of CuGaxIn1−xSe2 thin films (x /=0) show four energy gaps (Eg1 , Eg2 , Eg3 and Eg4 ) which are attributed to the fundamental edge, band splitting by crystal-field and spin-orbit splitting, and to transitions originating from copper 3d levels, respectively. The primary transition energies exhibit bowing behaviour expressed by the relationship Eg1 (x) = 1.011 + 0.448x + 0.186x 2 . The second and third transition energies are higher than the primary transition energies by 0.10–0.11 eV and 0.18–0.185 eV, respectively. The effect of thermal treatment on the values of energy gaps is discussed in terms of the structure of the films. The primary transition energies of annealed CuGaxIn1−xSe2 can be fitted by the parabolic form Eg1 (x) = 1.04 + 0.46x + 0.22x 2 .Proučavali smo strukturna i optička svojstva tankih polikristaliničnih slojeva CuGaxIn1−xSe2, isparenih u vakuumu, u ovisnosti o sastavu (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.75). Optički apsorpcijski spektri tankih slojeva CuGaxIn1−xSe2, (x /=0), pokazuju četiri energijska procijepa (Eg1 , Eg2 , Eg3 i Eg4 ) koji se pridjeljuju osnovnom rubu, cijepanju vrpci kristalnim poljem i cijepanju spin-staza, odnosno prijelazima iz 3d stanja bakra. Prvotni prijelazi pokazuju kvadratnu ovisnost koju izražavamo relacijom Eg1 (x) = 1.011 + 0.448x + 0.186x 2 . Druga i treća prijelazna energija su (0.10 − 0.11 eV) odnosno (0.18 − 0.185 eV) više od primarne prijelazne energije. Pomoću građe slojeva objašnjavamo učinak toplinske obrade na vrijednosti energijskih procijepa. Prvotne prijelazne energije opuštenog CuGaxIn1−xSe2 mogu se predstaviti kvadratnim izrazom Eg1 (x) = 1.04 + 0.46x + 0.22x 2

Pneumopericardium, pneumomediastinum and air travel: A case report in a patient with Gardner syndrome

© 2020 The Author(s) Onboard aircraft medical emergencies are on the rise as commercial air traffic is increasing. However, thoracic injury secondary to air travel is extremely rare and, most reported injuries are cases of pneumothoraces. Spontaneous pneumomediastinum and pneumopericardium have been barely reported in the medical literature as a complication of air travel. We are reporting a case of spontaneous pneumopericardium and pneumomediastinum in a patient with Gardner\u27s Syndrome after a flight from Central America to New York City. The patient presented with chest discomfort. He was managed conservatively with oxygen therapy as he was hemodynamically stable throughout his stay in the hospital. A thorough work up in hospital including and esophagogram and a CT scan of the chest were none revealing of the cause. However, the patient was noted to have metastatic rectal cancer with lung involvement. The patient was discharged with instructions to avoid air travel

Improvement of drought tolerance in five different cultivars of Vicia faba with foliar application of ascorbic acid or silicon

Aim of study: To explore the role of ascorbic acid (AsA) or silicon (Si) in improving drought tolerance in five faba bean cultivars under irrigation water deficit (IWD).Area of study: The experimental farm; 30° 36′ N, 32° 16′ E, Egypt.Material and methods: Three drip irrigation regimes (WW, well-watered, 4000 m3 water ha-1; MD, moderate drought, 3000 m3 water ha-1; and SD, severe drought, 2000 m3 water ha-1) were applied to plants, which were sprayed 25, 40, and 55 days after sowing with 1.5 mM AsA or 2.0 mM Si vs distilled water as a control.Main results: Drought negatively affected physiological attributes (photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange parameters, relative water content, membrane stability index, electrolyte leakage (EL), and lipid peroxidation), which restricted plant growth and yields, and stimulated alterations in both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant activities. However, AsA or Si application mitigated drought effects on physiological attributes, improving growth, yields and water use efficiency by raising antioxidant activities and suppressing lipid peroxidation and EL in stressful cultivars. The mitigating effects of AsA and Si were more pronounced under MD.Research highlights: ‘Nubaria-2’, ‘Giza-843’, and ‘Sakha-3’ were more tolerant than ‘Giza-716’ and ‘Sakha-4’, suggesting the use of AsA or Si to ameliorate the IWD effects on stressful cultivars. Certain physiological traits exhibited positive association with growth and seed yield, demonstrating their importance in enhancing seed yield under irrigation treatments