INFLUENCE OF MINERAL NITROGEN, COMPOST AND NITROGEN FIXING BACTERIA ON TOMATO PLANTS GROWN IN SANDY SOIL

Pot trials were conducted under plastic house condition during two successive seasons of 2013/2014 and 2014/2015, at the experimental site of Central Laboratory for Agricultural Climate (CLAC), Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt. The present study aims to determine the partial replacement of mineral nitrogen fertilization of tomato by nitrogen fixing bacteria with or without adding compost in sandy soil. Tomato seedlings (Lora F1Hybrid) were transplanted during the first week of October into plastic pots (30 cm diameter) filled with 10 kg of sandy soil. Three rates 25, 50 and 75% of the recommended mineral nitrogen in the nutrient solution for tomato with adding compostat 2% and nitrogen fixing bacteria (Azotobacter chroococcum and Azospirillium brasilense) at 20 ml/plant either individually or in combinationswere investigated on growth, mineral composition and yield of tomato plants compared to 100% of recommended nitrogen only (control). The plants were irrigated daily by drip irrigation and received 200 ml/plant of nutrient solution twice a weekly. The results showed that using 50 or 75% of N-mineral fertilizer + compost + nitrogen fixing bacteria gave the highest values of growth, mineral composition and yield of tomato. It is recommended that 50% of nitrogen mineral fertilizers for tomato plants could be replaced by nitrogen fixing bacteria in presence of compost, which in earn, reduce environment pollution caused by extensive application of mineral nitrogen fertilizers

Laparoscopy and intersex : report of 5 cases of male pseudohermaphroditism

From May, 1999 to August, 2006, we performed laparoscopic diagnosis and treatment for 103 cases of impalpable testes. Among those we found 5 cases of male pseudohermaphroditism of different etiologies. Three males presented by impalpable testes with ambiguous genitalia and 2 females presented by primary amenorrhea. All of them have 46-XY normal male chromosomal pattern. In the first 3 cases, the etiology was complete gonadal dysgenesis, and 2 cases with persistent Mullerian syndrome. Timed gonadectomy for the first case and laparoscopic orchiopexy for the other 2 cases were performed. For the other 2 female cases, the etiology was complete androgen insensitivity syndrome and laparoscopic bilateral orchiectomy was performed for both of them. All the procedures were done without complications with satisfactory results

Prognostic significance of serum hepatocyte growth factor in clear cell renal cell carcinoma : comparison with serum vascular endothelial growth factor

No adequate serum predictive biomarker currently exists, which can identify the activity of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). We investigate the association of serum hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels with clinicopathologic parameters in untreated clear cell RCC patients. We measured serum levels of HGF and VEGF in 45 patients with untreated clear cell RCC and 45 healthy controls using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Patients with clear cell RCC had significantly higher serum HGF and VEGF concentrations than healthy subjects : median, 1070.7 versus 728.3 pg/ml (p1150 pg/ml) was significantly reduced compared to patients with low serum HGF concentrations (p=0.0044). In patients with nuclear grade 2 or high stage RCC, the higher serum HGF group exhibited significantly lower cause-specific survival (p= 0.0087 and p<0.05, respectively). No significant difference was observed between serum VEGF levels and cause-specific survival rate. Serum HGF might be a diagnostic and prognostic indicator in clear cell RCC, especially for patients with grade 2 or high stage RCC

Umbilical KeyPort bilateral laparoscopic orchiectomy in patient with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome

MAIN FINDINGS: A 22-year-old woman with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS) presenting with primary amenorrhea and normal female external genitalia was referred for laparoscopic gonadectomy. She had been diagnosed several years earlier but was reluctant to undergo surgery. CASE HYPOTHESIS: Diagnosis of this X-linked recessive inherited syndrome characterizes by disturbance of virilization in males with an AR mutation, XY karyotipe, female genitalia and severely undescended testis with risk of malignization. The optimal time to orchidectomy is not settled; neither the real risk of malignancy in these patients. Early surgery impacts development of a complete female phenotype, with enlargement of the breasts. Based on modern diagnostic imaging using DCE-MRI and surgical technology with single port laparoscopic access we hypothesize that the optimum time for gonadectomy is not at the time of diagnosis, but once feminization has completed. PROMISING FUTURE IMPLICATIONS: An umbilical laparoendoscopic single-site access for bilateral gonadectomy appears to be the first choice approach as leaves no visible incision and diminishes the psychological impact of surgery in a patient with CAIS absolutely reassured as female. KeyPort, a single port access with duo-rotate instruments developed by Richard Wolf facilitates this surgery and allows excellent cosmetic results