The effect of applying exogenous salicylic acid on aphid infection and its influence on histo-physiological traits and thermal imaging of canola

Insect damage in canola adversely affects its productivity and quality and is considered one of the most important degrading factors in Egypt. The effect of foliar application of salicylic acid (SA) on aphid populations, growth and yield of canola (Brassica napus, L.) cv. serw 4 was the major goal of this study. Two experiments were conducted at the farm of Faculty of Agriculture, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt, during 2014 and 2015 seasons, to achieve this target. Each experiment included four levels of SA (0, 50, 100, 200 mg l-1). The experimental results revealed that SA, at low concentration (50 mg l-1), was an effective treatment for reduction the number of aphid populations and colony depth on the main inflorescence, contributed with reducing the thickness of secretory tissue of flower pedicel. The level of 50 mg l-1 of SA-treated canola had the highest number of stomata cm-2, along with the lowest width of both stoma and its aperture. Thickness of xylem tissue and the number of xylem vessels bundle-1 in leaf midrib, reducing sugars and free amino acids was increased at 50 mg l-1 SA, but free phenolics content did not affected significantly. Under controlled conditions, changes in temperature of infected leaves allowed the discrimination between healthy and infected areas in thermo-image, even before visible symptoms of aphid infestation appeared. The detection of modifications in plants or canopies, associated with low insect severity in the early stages of infestation, was crucial for the targeted, site-specific or on demand application of integrated aphid control. Canola, which was treated with 50 mg l-1 of SA, gave 30.5 and 27.9 kg of oil ha-1 over the control. It was concluded that spraying of SA at 50 mg l-1 was an effective elicitor to diminish the aphid numbers on canola inflorescence and improve its yield

Low environmental impact method for controlling the peach fruit fly, Bactrocera zonata (Saunders) and the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wied.), in mango orchards in Egypt

The study was carried out at two experimental farms in Ismailia Governorate, Egypt, during season of 2015 and 2016. GF-120 (Conserve® 0.024% CB) was selected in this study to evaluate its efficacy for controlling the peach fruit fly, Bactrocera zonata (Saunders) and the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wied.), on mango fruits by using partial bait spray and spots method. GF-120 was used as low environmental impact method and new way to control B. zonata and C. capitata, compared with malathion 57%, as traditional insecticide. During both seasons, data revealed that the number of C. capitata captured weekly from different treatments and untreated plots was higher than the number of B. zonata captured in both seasons of experiment. Data revealed that the number males of B. zonata and C. capitata captured weekly from sticky traps were lower in trees treated with GF- 120 than malathion and untreated plots. In the farm of Faculty of Agriculture, Suez Canal University, the lowest percentages of infestation of both dropping and setting fruits per tree were recorded in plots treated with GF120 (spots), with an average of 25.14 and 17.022% for dropping fruits and 2.2 and 2.0% for setting fruits for 2015 and 2016 season, respectively. Data indicated that the all tested formulation under field condition caused significant reduction in the rate of infestation from 54.92 to 81.79 for both dropping and setting fruits. The lowest percentages of infestations in the private farm of both dropping and setting fruits per tree were recorded in GF-120 (spray treatment), with an average of 20.0, 12.12 for dropping fruits and 3.4 and 4.0 for setting fruits for 2015 and 2016 seasons, respectively

Atmospheric Oxidation of Methyl Propanoate by the OH radical

The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version.Atmospheric oxidation of methyl propanoate (MP) by the OH radical has been performed using density functional theory (BMK, BBIK) and ab initio (MP2, CBS-QB3) calculations. The thermodynamic and kinetic parameters are calculated. Three channels have been discussed. These reactions occur through low energy barriers of 3.2–4.3 kcal/mol. The energy barriers increase in the order α < μ < β at CBS–QB3. However, BMK shows slightly different order. Rate constants and branching ratios reveal that the H-abstraction from Cα is as the dominant reaction over the whole temperature range of 200–300 K, with a competition from Cβ channel at lower temperature. The BB1K data reproduce the available experimental rate constant

A Comparative Study of the Radiological Hazard in Sediments Samples from Drinking Water Purification Plants Supplied From Different Sources

The natural radiation level has been determined for 135 sediment samples from forty-six drinking water purification plants supplied from different sources (Nile River, Ibrahimia Canal and Bahr Yousif Canal) with an aim of evaluating the radiation hazard. The concentration of natural radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th and 40K) has been investigated byusing gamma spectrometry (NaI (Tl) 3″x 3″) detector. The results showed that the concentrations of average activity in the sediment samples collected from drinking water purification plants supplied from Nile River, Ibrahimia Canal and Bahr Yousif Canal are (29±2, 30±2 and 240±8 Bq kg-1), (47±3, 46±8 and 258±12 Bq kg-1) and (28±2, 27±3 and 219±18 Bq kg-1) for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K, respectively. In general, the distributions of average activity concentrations of samples underinvestigation are within the world values although some extreme values have been determined. Radiological hazard effects such as: absorbed dose rate (D), outdoor and indoor annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE), radium equivalent activities (Raeq), hazard indices (Hex and Hin), gamma index (Iγ), excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) and annual gonadal doseequivalent (AGDE) for the corresponding samples were also estimated.Key words: Drinking water purification plants, Sediment, Radiological hazard indice

A Comparative Study of the Radiological Hazard in Sediments Samples from Drinking Water Purification Plants Supplied From Different Sources

The natural radiation level has been determined for 135 sediment samples from forty-six drinking water purification plants supplied from different sources (Nile River, Ibrahimia Canal and Bahr Yousif Canal) with an aim of evaluating the radiation hazard. The concentration of natural radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th and 40K) has been investigated by using gamma spectrometry (NaI (Tl) 3″x 3″) detector. The results showed that the concentrations of average activity in the sediment samples collected from drinking water purification plants supplied from Nile River, Ibrahimia Canal and Bahr Yousif Canal are (29±2, 30±2 and 240±8 Bq kg-1), (47±3, 46±8 and 258±12 Bq kg-1) and (28±2, 27±3 and 219±18 Bq kg-1) for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K, respectively. In general, the distributions of average activity concentrations of samples under investigation are within the world values although some extreme values have been determined. Radiological hazard effects such as: absorbed dose rate (D), outdoor and indoor annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE), radium equivalent activities (Raeq), hazard indices (Hex and Hin), gamma index (Iγ), excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) and annual gonadal dose equivalent (AGDE) for the corresponding samples were also estimated

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

Morphometric study of newly emerged unmated queens of honey bee Apis mellifera L. in Ismailia Governorate, Egypt

Recently, morphometric analysis is being a very good tool for identification of honey bee races and characterization of genetic materials. This fact has motivated the present work to investigate the effects of two grafting methods, three types of artificial queen wax cups and four periods of queen rearing on some morphological characters of newly emerged queens. The developed technique used in the present study depends on the integration between Scanner unit and Photoshop program, called Scan Photo Method (SPM). The measurements of 23 morphological characteristics of reared queens were estimated by using SPM. Results indicated significant differences between periods in the measurements of the studied characteristics on forewing such as cubital index, distance C, distance D, radial field, inner wing length, inner wing width, dumb bell index, distance I, II, III and IV, except cubital A and cubital B. Regarding the effects of cup types and grafting methods, data also revealed significant differences in all measurements of studied characteristics, except tibial length, hind wing length, cubital B, radial field and distance IV. Further works in this area were recommended to find out a relation between some morphometric characters and important of some quantitative characters