Morphological and Molecular Studies of Ecto- and Endoparasites Infested Chicken in Ismailia Province, Egypt

The native breed of chicken is one of the most income-producing species in the poultry sector in the Egyptian governorate of Ismailia. Thus, the objective of the current study was to identify the collected parasites using a light microscope and estimate the prevalence and seasonal dynamics of the collected helminths using the newly introduced molecular biology methods. 120 chickens out of 170 recorded (70.59%) prevalence of helminth infestation during the period from September 2021 until the end of August 2022. Four nematodes with a prevalence of 44.12 %, which were Ascaridia galli, Heterakis gallinarum, Subulura brumpti, Trichostrongylus tenuis, and four cestodes with 26.47 %, which were Raillietina tetragona, R. echinobothrida, Hymenolepis carioca, and Choanotaenia infundibulum. Eimeria spp. infestation (11.18%), which were E. tenella, E. maxima, E. mitis, and E. burnetti. Ectoparasites (15.88%) were Echidnophaga gallinacea, Lipeurus caponis, Menopon gallinae, Columbicola columbae, and Dermanyssus gallinae. The identities of the certainly recovered nematode and cestode species were confirmed by the blast test using DNA sequence data. Thus, it is advised to use the molecular approach as the primary methodology for the accurate identification of helminths, particularly in closely related species.

A comparative study on long term stability of self-healing epoxy coating with different inorganic nanotubes as healing agent reservoirs

Self-healing epoxy coatings were prepared with different nanotubes as reservoirs for epoxy monomer (healing agent). The nanotubes selected for the current study were TiO2 nanotubes with two different tube diameter (TNT1 and TNT2) and naturally occurring hallyosite nanotubes (HNT). These self-healing coatings were subjected to accelerated weathering exposure. The weathering stability of the coatings were observed. The surface morphology, chemical changes and surface roughness were studied as a function of weathering exposure period. These studies confirmed that the long term stability of the coatings highly depend on the nanotube parameters such as nature, surface area and diameter. It was found that the photocatalytic degradation of epoxy matrix with TiO2 nanotubes was prominent in TNT1 filled coating compared with their TNT2 variant. The higher possibility of exposure of epoxy monomer encapsulated inside both HNT and TNT2 facilitated the cure reaction with UV light to create new chains during weathering