Impact of different sesame intercropping dates with cotton on agronomic performance and insect pests infestation

Climate change has a negative impact on cotton and sesame yields. Intercropping can promote climate resilience through higher plant resources efficiency and natural suppression of insect pests, pathogens and weeds. A the two-year field trial was conducted to determine the best dates for intercropping sesame and cotton with respect to cotton and sesame agronomic performance and infestation by major pests. Sesame was planted two weeks before cotton, simultaneously with cotton, and two weeks after cotton into cotton planted on April 1, April 15 and May 1. Delayed intercropping of sesame increased cotton yield and yield-related traits at all cotton seeding dates and reduced infestations of insect pests, especially bollworms. Conversely, intercropping sesame two weeks before cotton was sown on May 1 produced the highest sesame agronomic trait values and decreased infestations of insect pests, including the sesame capsule borer. The highest land equivalent ratio (1.21) was obtained by intercropping sesame after two weeks with cotton planted on April 1. However, the lowest land equivalent ratio (1.0) was obtained by intercropping sesame two weeks before cotton in the cotton planted on April 15. On April 1, the relative crowding coefficient for intercropping treatments exhibited greater values than one, while April 15 displayed the lowest value. All of the intercropping treatments of sesame after cotton produced the best total return compared to the sole culture of cotton on the three dates. In summary, intercropping sesame after two weeks with cotton planted on April 1 was the best option for better cotton and sesame productivity, reduced pest pressure and higher economic returns. Keywords: Cotton, Insect pests, Land equivalent ratio, Sesame, Total retur

RESPONSE OF CORIANDER VEGETATIVE GROWTH, YIELD COMPONENTS, PIERCING–SUCKING PESTS INFESTATION AND ASSOCIATED NATURAL ENEMIES TO NITROGEN FERTILIZER RATES AND FOLIAR SPRAY WITH L-TRYPTOPHAN, PHENYLALANINE ACIDS UNDER SANDY SOIL CONDITIONS

The present work was conducted at the Experimental Farm of EL-Quassasin Horticultural Research Station, Ismailia Governorate, Egypt, during the two winter consecutive seasons of 2016/2017 and 2017/2018. The aim was, to investigate the effect of different nitrogen fertilization rates (control, 50, 75 and 100% of recommended N rate), amino acids type (control, L-tryptophan, phenylalanine and L-tryptophan + phenylalanine) as a foliar spray at 150 mg/l for each one and their interactions on growth and production of coriander andpiercing–sucking pests infestation. The obtained results indicated that, nitrogen fertilization rate at 300 kg ammonium sulfate/feddan (recommended rate) significantly increased growth parameters (plant height, number of branches/plant and fresh and dry herb weights/plant), root system (fresh and dry weights of roots/plant and root length), yield components (number of umbels/plant and number of florets/umbel/plant, fruit yield/plant and /feddan), volatile oil productivity (volatile oil percentage, volatile oil yield/plant and /feddan) and chemical constituents (N, P, K and total carbohydrates percentages) compared to control. Moreover, the highest values of the above mentioned characters were registered by foliar spray of L-tryptophan + phenylalanine with significant differences between the other rates under study. Generally, the better growth characters and root system, higher yield components and volatile oil production, chemical constituents of fruits could be obtained by spraying L-tryptophan + phenylalanine at 150 mg/l on fertilized coriander plants with  nitrogen at the recommended rate, followed by the combined treatment of nitrogen fertilization as 75% plus L-tryptophan + phenylalanine. In the same trend, highly significant differences (≤ 0.05) between the mean numbers of the piercing–sucking pests; i.e., Hyadaphis coriandri (Das), Bemisia tabaci (Genn.), Thrips tabaci (Lind.), Tetranychus urticea Koch., and their associated natural enemies i.e., Coccinella spp, Chrisoprella carnea (Steph.), aphids parasitoids and predacious mite which were resulted as the variation in nitrogen fertilization rates, and foliar spray of amino acids types. Also, the simple correlation calculation revealed significant coefficients for the relation between each of the surveyed  pests and their associated natural enemies correlated with growth parameters (plant height and number of branches/plant) and seed yield/plant

Health in times of uncertainty in the eastern Mediterranean region, 1990�2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013

Background The eastern Mediterranean region is comprised of 22 countries: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Since our Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 (GBD 2010), the region has faced unrest as a result of revolutions, wars, and the so-called Arab uprisings. The objective of this study was to present the burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors in the eastern Mediterranean region as of 2013. Methods GBD 2013 includes an annual assessment covering 188 countries from 1990 to 2013. The study covers 306 diseases and injuries, 1233 sequelae, and 79 risk factors. Our GBD 2013 analyses included the addition of new data through updated systematic reviews and through the contribution of unpublished data sources from collaborators, an updated version of modelling software, and several improvements in our methods. In this systematic analysis, we use data from GBD 2013 to analyse the burden of disease and injuries in the eastern Mediterranean region specifically. Findings The leading cause of death in the region in 2013 was ischaemic heart disease (90·3 deaths per 100�000 people), which increased by 17·2 since 1990. However, diarrhoeal diseases were the leading cause of death in Somalia (186·7 deaths per 100�000 people) in 2013, which decreased by 26·9 since 1990. The leading cause of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) was ischaemic heart disease for males and lower respiratory infection for females. High blood pressure was the leading risk factor for DALYs in 2013, with an increase of 83·3 since 1990. Risk factors for DALYs varied by country. In low-income countries, childhood wasting was the leading cause of DALYs in Afghanistan, Somalia, and Yemen, whereas unsafe sex was the leading cause in Djibouti. Non-communicable risk factors were the leading cause of DALYs in high-income and middle-income countries in the region. DALY risk factors varied by age, with child and maternal malnutrition affecting the younger age groups (aged 28 days to 4 years), whereas high bodyweight and systolic blood pressure affected older people (aged 60�80 years). The proportion of DALYs attributed to high body-mass index increased from 3·7 to 7·5 between 1990 and 2013. Burden of mental health problems and drug use increased. Most increases in DALYs, especially from non-communicable diseases, were due to population growth. The crises in Egypt, Yemen, Libya, and Syria have resulted in a reduction in life expectancy; life expectancy in Syria would have been 5 years higher than that recorded for females and 6 years higher for males had the crisis not occurred. Interpretation Our study shows that the eastern Mediterranean region is going through a crucial health phase. The Arab uprisings and the wars that followed, coupled with ageing and population growth, will have a major impact on the region's health and resources. The region has historically seen improvements in life expectancy and other health indicators, even under stress. However, the current situation will cause deteriorating health conditions for many countries and for many years and will have an impact on the region and the rest of the world. Based on our findings, we call for increased investment in health in the region in addition to reducing the conflicts. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY licens

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

A graph-theoretic service restoration algorithm for power distribution systems

Distribution system service restoration is one of the most challenging problems under the umbrella of smart grids. Many heuristic based optimization techniques were utilized for the restoration of power distribution networks. However, the primary concern with these heuristic-based techniques is the amount of time and the computational requirements to develop an optimal service restoration scheme. Therefore, a graph theoretic-based algorithm is proposed as an alternative to heuristic-based algorithms. To verify its effectiveness, the proposed algorithm is compared with the traditional genetics algorithm (GA) and applied to a modified IEEE 123 test feeder. The results show that, given the same amount of computational time for GA, the proposed graph theory algorithm is able to provide a more optimal solution based on multiple objective functions.This work was made possible by NPRP 6 - 711 - 2 - 295 grant from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of Qatar Foundation). The statements made herein are solely the responsibility of the authors.Scopu

Atmospheric dispersion and dose assessment of 137Cs and 131I from hypothetical incidents of nuclear power plant in Southeast Asia

In the event of radiological incidents, specifically nuclear accidents, a substantial quantity of radionuclides may be distributed, resulting in potential cancer hazards and the possibility of death. Hence, it is imperative for governing bodies to replicate hypothetical accidents that may occur from potential nuclear reactors, with the aim of ascertaining the probable dose exposure that the populace may face. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of dispersion of 131I and 137Cs that would ensue from a hypothetical incident scenario of a nuclear power plant (NPP) in Ninh Thuan, Vietnam, and Mersing, Malaysia, by utilizing the HYSPLIT model. The model was set up based on the meteorological conditions in the potential site for NPP located in Southeast Asia. Following the study, a comparison was made between the results and the authorized dose limits proposed by the International Atomic Energy Agency to assess the potential mortality risk arising from an accident. The outcomes revealed that the mean activity concentration for both radionuclides was greater in Mersing than in Ninh Thuan on the initial day of the accident. The activity concentration of 137Cs and 131I at Mersing is the highest at 3.34 × 102 kBq/m3 and 2.01 × 104 kBq/m3, respectively. Meanwhile, Ninh Thuan has the highest activity concentration of 137Cs and 131I at 2.37 × 102 kBq/m3 and 1.43 × 104 kBq/m3, respectively. Based on these figures, the release of 137Cs and 131I at Mersing results in an effective dose of approximately 2.58 × 1

Impacts of nano-emulsified vegetable oil on growth, hemato-biochemical markers, oxidative stress, and gut microbiota of New Zealand white and V-line rabbits

The present study aimed to examine the impact of magic oil® (a nano-emulsified vegetable oil) (NEVO) on growth and carcass traits, serum metabolites, and intestinal microbiota of New Zealand White (NZW) and V-line rabbits. A total of 450 rabbits of both breeds (male, five weeks old) with a 700 ± 19 g average live body weight was uniformly distributed into six groups (75 rabbits per each). Each group was subdivided into five replicates, each of 15 rabbits. Animals randomly allocated into a two × three completely factorial design (two breeds: NZW and V-line, and three treatments of NEVO: control (0.0), 0.5, and 1.0 ml of NEVO per liter of water, respectively). The findings of the present study revealed that V- line rabbits recorded a significant increase in the final body weight, final body weight gain, and total feed conversion ratio, along with carcass traits when compared to New Zealand White (NZW). Comapred with the control group, the final body weight, final body weight gain, and carcass traits of rabbits, orally supplemented with NEVO were significantly improved. At the same time, feed intake was not significantly improved. The effect of the NEVO supplement and its association with the breed (p < 0.001) have improved significantly the final body weight, final body weight gain, feed conversion ratio and carcass characteristics. A significant improvement in serum and tissue metabolites was observed with increasing NEVO levels. A remarkable increase in the serum total protein and globulin associated with a significant reduction (p < 0.001) in the serum total lipids and total cholesterol levels were also noticed with increasing NEVO levels. Total bacterial count, and the population of Escherichia coli and lactobacilli in the jejunum and colon were significantly (p < 0.001) lower in both rabbit breeds supplemented with NEVO than that of the control group. Based on these findings, supplementation of NEVO enhanced growth, antioxidant status and minimized pathogenic bacteria in rabbits