Effects of nano-sized zero-valent iron (nZVI) on DDT degradation in soil and its toxicity to collembola and ostracods

Nano-sized zero valent iron (nZVI) has been studied for in situ remediation of contaminated soil and ground water. However, little is known about its effects on organisms in soil and aquatic ecosystems. In this study, the effect of nZVI on degradation of DDT and its ecotoxicological effects on collembola (Folsomia candida) and ostracods (Heterocypris incongruens) were investigated. Two soils were used in suspension incubation experiments lasting for 7 and 30 d; a spiked (20 mg DDT kg−1) sandy soil and an aged (>50 years) DDT-polluted soil (24 mg DDT kg−1). These were incubated with 1 or 10 g nZVI kg−1, and residual toxicity in soil and the aqueous phase tested using ecotoxicological tests with collembola or ostracods. Generally, addition of either concentration of nZVI to soil led to about 50% degradation of DDT in spiked soil at the end of 7 and 30 d incubation, while the degradation of DDT was less in aged DDT-polluted soil (24%). Severe negative effects of nZVI were observed on both test organisms after 7 d incubation, but prolonged incubation led to oxidation of nZVI which reduced its toxic effects on the tested organisms. On the other hand, DDT had significant negative effects on collembolan reproduction and ostracod development. We conclude that 1 g nZVI kg−1 was efficient for significant DDT degradation in spiked soil, while a higher concentration was necessary for treating aged pollutants in soil. The adverse effects of nZVI on tested organisms seem temporary and reduced after oxidation.acceptedVersio

Impact on plant productivity under low-fertility sandy soil in arid environment by revitalization of lentil roots

Lentil is one of the essential legume crops, which provides protein for humans and animals. This legume can improve soil fertility through nitrogen fixation, which is imperative in low-fertility soils. The growth and productivity of lentil could be enhanced through improving nutrition and root revitalization. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the impact of root activator (RA) and phosphorus (P) application on morphological, physiological, agronomic, and quality traits of lentil under newly reclaimed low-fertility sandy soil in an arid environment. The RA was applied at four levels of 0 (RA0-untreated control), 1.25 (RA1), 2.5 (RA2), and 3.75 (RA3) l ha–1. RA contained 9% potassium humate, 1,600 ppm indole butyric acid, 200 ppm gibberellic acid, and 200 ppm naphthalene acetic acid. The recommended rate of phosphorus (P) fertilization in the newly reclaimed low-fertility sandy soil (75 kg P2O5 ha–1) was applied, and its amount was increased and decreased by 25 kg P2O5 ha–1 vs. non-added control. Thus, P rates were applied at four rates 0 (P0; control), 50 (P1), 75 (P2), and 100 (P3) kg phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5) ha–1. Our results revealed that treated lentil plants with the high levels of both treatments (RA3 and P3) exhibited superiority in root measurements (root length, total number of nodules plant−1, number of active nodules plant−1, dry weights of active nodules, and total root), nitrogenase activity, chlorophyll a and b, carotenoids, yield traits, and seed proteins and carbohydrates. However, the recommended P level (75 kg P2O5 ha–1, P2) under the high level of RA (3.75 l ha–1, RA3) displayed non-significant differences in yield traits (plant height, 1,000-seed weight, seed yield ha–1) and quality traits (protein and carbohydrate) with the high P level (100 kg P2O5 ha–1, P3). Accordingly, its recommended economically and environmentally to use this coapplication of RA3 and P3 in low-fertility soil for better lentil growth, and seed yield and quality

EFFECT OF GIBBERELLIC ACID ON THE PERSISTENCE OF CERTAIN PESTICIDES ON/IN GRAPE FRUITS

Recommended application was done by spray regime for two pesticides, namely diniconazole, fenitrothion and a plant growth regulator (gibberellic acid) and their mixtures. Their residues were determined after different successive treatments in and on grape fruits in two consecutive years. The initial deposits of the fungicide diniconazole when used alone were 0.49 and 0.50 ppm for 2006 and 2007, respectively.  While the initial deposits of fenitrothion reached to 11.35 and 11.19 ppm for the same interval, respectively. Initial deposits of the plant growth regulator gibberellic acid were 30.52 and 30.42 ppm for the same period, respectively. After mixing the tested pesticides and the plant growth regulator, the initial deposits loss reached 38.77 and 42.0 % for diniconazole, 43.08 and 48.16 %  for fenitrothion and 6.88 and 7.00 %  for gibberellic acid for the same seasons, respectively. A significant degradation was recorded with the mixture of the two tested pesticides and plant growth regulator compared with that occurred when pesticide was used alone at the two studied seasons

INTERPRETATION OF THREE WHEAT CULTIVARS YIELD AND ITS COMPONENTS WITH REFERENCE TO SOWING DATES

Two field experiments were carried out in Agric. Expt. Farm at Shalakan, Kaleobia Governorate, Cairo, Egypt during 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 growing seasons to study the response of some bread wheat cultivars to sowing dates. Each experiment included 15 treatments which were the combination between three wheat cultivars (Giza 168, Sakha 93 and Gemmiza 9) and five sowing dates (1st October, 16th October, 1st November, 16th November and 1st December). The experimental design used was split plot design in 6 replications. The data revealed that sowing dates and cultivars both significantly affected wheat yield and its components. Sowing on 1st November exhibited significant maximum plant height, number of spike/m2, main spike length and weight, grains number of main spike as well as grain, straw and biological yields as compared to early or late sowing in the season. Concerning wheat cultivars, Gemmiza 9 gave significantly highest yield and its components in comparison to Sakha 93 and Giza 168. The effect of the interaction between wheat cultivars and sowing dates were significantly differed in plant height, main spike length and weight, grain weight/spike as well as grain, straw and biological yields as well as GCPY. Gemmiza 9 exhibited the significant highest parameters when sown on 1st November as compared to the other studied two cultivars. The data revealed that sowing Gemmiza 9 wheat cultivar on 1st November was the most suitable environmental conditions for growing wheat in Kaluobia Governorate

RESPONSE OF YELLOW MAIZE PRODUCTIVITY AND QUALITY TO INTEGRATION BETWEEN MINERAL AND ORGANIC NITROGEN FERTILIZERS UNDER NEWLY RECLAIMED SOILS CONDITIONS

Two field experiments were carried out at a private farm (newly reclaimed soil) at Somusta city, Bani-Suif governorate, Egypt, during 2014 and 2015 growing seasons. These experiments aimed to evaluate the application of different nitrogen sources and their combinations for increasing the productivity and quality of yellow maize (zea mays). Results showed that:                 Maize plants fertilized with120 kg MN/fad. recorded the greatest leaves number/plant (12.67) and number of green leaves /plant (12.67) after 45 days from sowing, however, the applied application of 60 kg MN/fad + 60 kg ONP /fad gave the maximum number of leaves /plant (15.17 and 17.83) and number of green leaves /plant (15.17 and 16.33) at stages of vegetative growth after 60 and 75 days from sowing, respectively. application of 60 kg MN/fad + 60 kg ONP /fad gave the highest values of leaf area index (LAI) at all stages of vegetative growth 3.16, 3.98 and 6.39 from 45, 60 and 75 days from sowing, respectively.                 At harvest maize plants fertilized with 60 kg MN/ fad + 60 kg ONP /fad recorded the highest value of grains number/row (32.83) followed by 60 kg MN/fad + 60 kg ONC/fad. the highest values of ears number/plant were recorded with the treatments 60 kg MN/ fad + 60 kg ONC /fad, 60 kg MN/fad + 60 kg ONP/fad and 60 kg MN/fad + 60 kg ONF/ fad with the same value (2.00). Data also revealed that the highest value of grain weight/plant (274.49) was recorded at 60 kg MN/fad + 60 kg ONP/fad treatment.                 Application of 60 kg MN/fad + 60 kg ONP/fad produced significant maximum grain yield (3.05 ton/fad.), biological yield (6.37 ton/fad) and grain crude protein yield (296.83 kg/fad).                 Maize plants treated with 60 kg MN/fad + 60 kg ONP/fad gave the highest values of grain and straw nitrogen percentage by 1.17 and 0.42% respectively. In addition the highest values of grain and straw phosphor percentage (0.49 and 0.20 %) and potassium percentage (4.30 and 1.90%) respectively were recorded with 120 kg ONP/fad

Burden of cancer in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 2005-2015: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 Study

Fitzmaurice C, Alsharif U, El Bcheraoui C, et al. Burden of cancer in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 2005-2015: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH. 2018;63(Suppl. 1):151-164.To estimate incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) caused by cancer in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) between 2005 and 2015. Vital registration system and cancer registry data from the EMR region were analyzed for 29 cancer groups in 22 EMR countries using the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015 methodology. In 2015, cancer was responsible for 9.4% of all deaths and 5.1% of all DALYs. It accounted for 722,646 new cases, 379,093 deaths, and 11.7 million DALYs. Between 2005 and 2015, incident cases increased by 46%, deaths by 33%, and DALYs by 31%. The increase in cancer incidence was largely driven by population growth and population aging. Breast cancer, lung cancer, and leukemia were the most common cancers, while lung, breast, and stomach cancers caused most cancer deaths. Cancer is responsible for a substantial disease burden in the EMR, which is increasing. There is an urgent need to expand cancer prevention, screening, and awareness programs in EMR countries as well as to improve diagnosis, treatment, and palliative care services

Neonatal, infant, and under-5 mortality and morbidity burden in the Eastern Mediterranean region: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 study

Objectives Although substantial reductions in under-5 mortality have been observed during the past 35 years, progress in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) has been uneven. This paper provides an overview of child mortality and morbidity in the EMR based on the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study. Methods We used GBD 2015 study results to explore under-5 mortality and morbidity in EMR countries. Results In 2015, 755,844 (95% uncertainty interval (UI) 712,064–801,565) children under 5 died in the EMR. In the early neonatal category, deaths in the EMR decreased by 22.4%, compared to 42.4% globally. The rate of years of life lost per 100,000 population under 5 decreased 54.38% from 177,537 (173,812–181,463) in 1990 to 80,985 (76,308–85,876) in 2015; the rate of years lived with disability decreased by 0.57% in the EMR compared to 9.97% globally. Conclusions Our findings call for accelerated action to decrease child morbidity and mortality in the EMR. Governments and organizations should coordinate efforts to address this burden. Political commitment is needed to ensure that child health receives the resources needed to end preventable deaths

Transport injuries and deaths in the Eastern Mediterranean Region : findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 Study

Transport injuries (TI) are ranked as one of the leading causes of death, disability, and property loss worldwide. This paper provides an overview of the burden of TI in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) by age and sex from 1990 to 2015. Transport injuries mortality in the EMR was estimated using the Global Burden of Disease mortality database, with corrections for ill-defined causes of death, using the cause of death ensemble modeling tool. Morbidity estimation was based on inpatient and outpatient datasets, 26 cause-of-injury and 47 nature-of-injury categories. In 2015, 152,855 (95% uncertainty interval: 137,900-168,100) people died from TI in the EMR countries. Between 1990 and 2015, the years of life lost (YLL) rate per 100,000 due to TI decreased by 15.5%, while the years lived with disability (YLD) rate decreased by 10%, and the age-standardized disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) rate decreased by 16%. Although the burden of TI mortality and morbidity decreased over the last two decades, there is still a considerable burden that needs to be addressed by increasing awareness, enforcing laws, and improving road conditions.Peer reviewe

Burden of cardiovascular diseases in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 1990-2015 : findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 study

To report the burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) during 1990-2015. We used the 2015 Global Burden of Disease study for estimates of mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of different CVD in 22 countries of EMR. A total of 1.4 million CVD deaths (95% UI: 1.3-1.5) occurred in 2015 in the EMR, with the highest number of deaths in Pakistan (465,116) and the lowest number of deaths in Qatar (723). The age-standardized DALY rate per 100,000 decreased from 10,080 in 1990 to 8606 in 2015 (14.6% decrease). Afghanistan had the highest age-standardized DALY rate of CVD in both 1990 and 2015. Kuwait and Qatar had the lowest age-standardized DALY rates of CVD in 1990 and 2015, respectively. High blood pressure, high total cholesterol, and high body mass index were the leading risk factors for CVD. The age-standardized DALY rates in the EMR are considerably higher than the global average. These findings call for a comprehensive approach to prevent and control the burden of CVD in the region.Peer reviewe