The disposal of biosolids and water treatment residuals on soils of arid regions: a glasshouse investigation

Land co-application of biosolids and WTR is a new concept. Therefore, information on the effect of co-application of biosolids and WTR on plant growth and elements uptake are very limited especially in alkaline soils. A glasshouse experiments was established to evaluate the effects of co-application of WTR and biosolids on agronomic performance of wheat crop grown in alkaline soils as well as P plant concentration and uptake, and to improve management of industrial and toxic wastes and provides environmentally sound guidelines for their disposal. The results indicated that increases of 47, 359 and 55 % in total dry matter yield were achieved as a result of applying 40 gkg-1 WTR and 10 gkg-1 biosolids to clay, sandy and calcareous soils respectively. In all studied soils treated with a constant biosolid rate 10 gkg-1, application of 20 gkg-1 WTR significantly increased plant P concentration in the plant materials. Combined analyses of all soils ,all treatments of biosolid and WTR rates studied indicated clearly significant relationships between ABDTPA P concentration and P uptake (r = 0.81, p < 0.001)

Comparison of drying characteristics of Thompson seedless grapes using combined microwave oven and hot air drying

AbstractComparison of drying characteristics of Thompson seedless grapes using combined microwave oven and hot air cabinet dryer was investigated. The drying rate curves indicated the absence of a constant-rate drying period in all drying methods. Within a certain microwave power range (75–900W in the current study), increasing microwave power speeds up the drying process, thus shortening the drying time. No benefits were seen when increasing drying time from 30 to 120min when grapes drying started in hot air cabinet dryer and finished in microwave oven for 1min at any power level. The higher value of energy consumption during grapes drying belonged to hot air cabinet dryer alone as drying method with value of 564.5MJ/kgwater evaporated. The average total soluble solids was 90.4° Brix when drying was achieved by microwave oven followed by hot air cabinet dryer, meanwhile, it was 90.2° Brix when drying was achieved by hot air cabinet dryer followed by microwave oven. The total soluble solid was 92° Brix when drying process started and finished in hot air cabinet dryer alone. The average drying ratio was 4.21 when drying was achieved by microwave oven followed by hot air cabinet dryer; meanwhile, it was 4.19 when drying was achieved by hot air cabinet dryer followed by microwave oven. The hot air cabinet drying method had higher drying constant ‘k’ compared to the other two methods. The microwave oven followed by hot air cabinet dryer as a drying method achieved 78% of the optimum selection percentage. However, the optimum drying method has a selection percentage of 100%

Improvement of selected morphological, physiological, and biochemical parameters of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) grown under different salinity levels using potassium silicate and Aloe saponaria extract

Two successive field trials were carried out at the experimental farm of the Agriculture Department of Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt, to investigate the sole or dual interaction effect of applying a foliar spray of Aloe saponaria extract (Ae) or potassium silicate (KSi) on reducing the stressful salinity impacts on the development, yield, and features of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) plants. Both Ae or KSi were used at three rates: 0% (0 cm3 L−1), 0.5% (5 cm3 L−1), and 1% (10 cm3 L−1) and 0, 30, and 60 g L−1, respectively. Three rates of salinity, measured by the electrical conductivity of a saturated soil extract (ECe), were also used: normal soil (ECe < 4 dS/m) (S1); moderately-saline soil (ECe: 4–8 dS/m) (S2); and highly-saline soil (ECe: 8–16 dS/m) (S3). The lowest level of salinity yielded the highest levels of all traits except for pH, chloride, and sodium. Ae at 0.5% increased the values of total soluble sugars, total free amino acids, potassium, anthocyanin, a single-photon avalanche diode, stem diameter, fruit number, and fresh weight, whereas 1% of Ae resulted in the highest plant height, chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm), performance index, relative water content, membrane stability index, proline, total soluble sugars, and acidity. KSi either at 30 or 60 g L−1 greatly increased these abovementioned attributes. Fruit number and fruit fresh weight per plant also increased significantly with the combination of Ae at 1% and KSi at 30 g L−1 under normal soil conditions

In Vivo Investigation of the Ameliorating Effect of Copper Albumin Complex on chondroitin sulfate in Monosodium iodoacetate -Induced Knee Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a condition that manifests as cartilage deterioration and subchondral bone sclerosis in the joint tissues. The weight-bearing joint is most severely impacted by OA. According to some research, consuming foods high in copper albumin complex (cu-albumin complex) can help with OA-related joint degeneration and pain relief. The current study's objective to determine how oral administration of the cu-albumin complex as an anti-inflammatory medication affected the development of rat knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Fifty adult albino rats were divided into three groups: negative control untreated (n= 10, no KOA induction); positive untreated control (n= 20, KOA induction); and treated group (n= 20, KOA induction with administration of cu-albumin complex). According to the severity of the clinical symptoms, treated and untreated arthritic groups were equally divided into mild and severe groups (n=10). Monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) was used as intra-articular injection for osteoarthritis induction. Rats were euthanized after a month of the beginning of the experiment, and the joints were examined histopathologically and immunohistochemically. It was indicated that the treatment was effective in reducing KOA severity and in improvement of chondroitin sulfate of the affected cartilages. In conclusion, the structure of the chondroitin sulphate in the knee joint cartilages of KOA-affected rats was modified by the cu-albumin complex

Removal of Copper(II) Ions from Aqueous Solutions. I. Adsorption Studies Using Powdered Marble Wastes as Sorbent

Batch adsorption experiments of copper(II) ions from aqueous solutions on to powdered marble wastes (PMW) have been performed. The latter is an effective inorganic sorbent which is inexpensive, widespread and may represent an environmental problem. The main parameters influencing the sorption process, i.e. initial solution pH, sorbent and Cu 2+ ion concentrations, stirring times and temperature, were examined. The results obtained revealed that the sorption of Cu 2+ ions on to PMW was endothermic in nature and followed first-order kinetics. Moreover, it was well described by the Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin–Radushkevich (D–R) adsorption models over the concentration range studied. Under the optimum experimental conditions employed, the removal of ca. 100% Cu 2+ ions was attained

Human Malaria in the highlands of Yemen

Between June 2008 and March 2009, a cross-sectional study of human malaria was carried out in four governorates of Yemen, two (Taiz and Hodiedah) representing the country's highlands and the others (Dhamar and Raymah) the country's coastal plains/foothills. The main aims were to determine the prevalences of Plasmodium infection among 455 febrile patients presenting for care at participating health facilities and to investigate the potential risk factors for such infection. Malarial infection was detected in 78 (17.1) of the investigated patients and was more likely to be detected among the febrile patients from the highlands than among those presenting in the coastal plains/foothills (22.6 v. 13.9; chi(2)=10.102; P=0.018). Binary logistic-regression models identified low household income odds ratio (OR)=13.52; 95% confidence interval (CI)=2.62-69.67; P=0.002, living in a household with access to a water pump (OR=4.18; CI=1.60-10.96; P=0.004) and living in a household near a stream (OR=4.43; CI=1.35-14.56; P=0.014) as significant risk factors for malarial infection in the highlands. Low household income was the only significant risk factor identified for such infection in the coastal plains and foothills (OR=8.20; CI=1.80-37.45; P=0.007). It is unclear why febrile patients in the highlands of Yemen are much more likely to be found to have malarial infection than their counterparts from the coastal plains and foothills. Although it is possible that malarial transmission is relatively intense in the highlands, it seems more likely that, compared with those who live at lower altitudes, those who live in the highlands are less immune to malaria, and therefore more likely to develop febrile illness following malarial infection. Whatever the cause of the symptomatic malarial infection commonly found in the highlands of Yemen, it is a matter of serious concern that should be addressed in the national strategy to control malaria

Nutritional and socio-economic determinants of cognitive function and educational achievement of Aboriginal schoolchildren in rural Malaysia

A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out among Aboriginal schoolchildren aged 7-12 years living in remote areas in Pos Betau, Pahang, Malaysia to investigate the potential determinants influencing the cognitive function and educational achievement of these children. Cognitive function was measured by intelligence quotient (IQ), while examination scores of selected school subjects were used in assessing educational achievement. Blood samples were collected to assess serum Fe status. All children were screened for soil-transmitted helminthes. Demographic and socio-economic data were collected using pre-tested questionnaires. Almost two-thirds (67.6 ) of the subjects had poor IQ and most of them (72.6) had insufficient educational achievement. Output of the stepwise multiple regression model showed that poor IQ was significantly associated with low household income which contributed the most to the regression variance (r(2) 0.059; P=0.020). Low maternal education was also identified as a significant predictor of low IQ scores (r(2) 0.042; P=0.043). With educational achievement, Fe-deficiency anaemia (IDA) was the only variable to show significant association (r(2) 0.025; P=0.015). In conclusion, the cognitive function and educational achievement of Aboriginal schoolchildren are poor and influenced by household income, maternal education and IDA. Thus, effective and integrated measures to improve the nutritional and socio-economic status of rural children would have a pronounced positive effect on their education

Bioactive Steroids from the Red Sea Soft Coral Sinularia polydactyla

Six new (1, 2, 6, 8, 13, and 20) and twenty previously isolated (3-5, 7, 9-12, 14-19, and 21-26) steroids featuring thirteen different carbocycle motifs were isolated from the organic extract of the soft coral Sinularia polydactyla collected from the Hurghada reef in the Red Sea. The structures and the relative configurations of the isolated natural products have been determined based on extensive analysis of their NMR and MS data. The cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, and neuroprotective activity of compounds 3-7, 9-12, 14-20, and 22-26, as well as their effect on androgen receptor-regulated transcription was evaluated in vitro in human tumor and non-cancerous cells. Steroids 22 and 23 showed significant cytotoxicity in the low micromolar range against the HeLa and MCF7 cancer cell lines, while migration of endothelial cells was inhibited by compounds 11, 12, 22, and 23 at 20 µM. The results of the androgen receptor (AR) reporter assay showed that compound 11 exhibited the strongest inhibition of AR at 10 µM, while it is noteworthy that steroids 10, 16, and 20 displayed increased inhibition of AR with decreasing concentrations. Additionally, compounds 11 and 23 showed neuroprotective activity on neuron-like SH-SY5Y cells

Evaluation of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points Implementation in Milk Collection Centers in Qalyubia Governorate

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) is a system that concerns with the identification, evaluation and management of risks that have a potential impact on food safety and quality; especially in a highly nutritious yet easily perishable food like milk and dairy products that can be easily contaminated with contain such biological, physical, and chemical hazards. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the returns from HACCP implementation in dairy farms and milk collecting centers (MCCs) located in Qalubiya governorate, Egypt through assessment of the quality, safety and potential adulteration in the collected raw milk samples, along with environmental swabbing for the sanitary condition monitoring pre- and post HACCP implementation, which included an overall improvement in sanitary and hygienic quality of milking, transportation, storage, and personnel conditions, along with documentation and traceability processes at the examined farms and MCCs. Statistical analyses were conducted to compare findings before and after a one-month duration of HACCP application. The results revealed a significant improvement (p ≤ 0.05) in the physico-chemical and microbiological quality of milk samples at both farm and MCC levels. This improvement directly reflected on the quality and fitness of milk for human consumption. In conclusion, the application of HACCP effectively controlled various hazards during milk production, even adulteration, and improved the hygienic quality of raw milk. Therefore, it is highly recommended for HACCP implementation in milk production facilities, with continuous monitoring for optimal results