Prospects of quinoa cultivation in marginal lands of Egypt

There is great opportunity in marginal lands of Egypt to be used in food production. However, these lands are characterized by low fertility and saline soil, scarce water resources and harsh weather conditions. One crop that proved to be able to grow under these unfavorable conditions is quinoa, classified by FAO in 2013 as a super food crop due to its high nutritional values. One of the most important benefits of quinoa flour is that it can be mixed with wheat flour in bread making, thus it can reduce the gap between flour production and consumption in Egypt. In this review, research carried out on quinoa, internationally and nationally, is highlighted in order to help researchers in Egypt to expand and improve their work with this important and promising crop. Keywords: Super food, composite flour, sandy soil, salt-affected soil, water stress, salinity stres

Approaches to increase the resiliency of Egyptian agriculture to climate change

Climate change is expected to affect agricultural production in direct and indirect pathways. The increase in mean temperatures directly accelerates crop development, the change in seasonal precipitation amounts together with increasing evaporative demand can indirectly lead to more drought stress for crops. In Egypt, the agricultural sector is highly vulnerable to climate change due to its dependence on the Nile River for irrigation, increasing soil salinity by sea water intrusion and soil deterioration as a result of decomposition of its organic contents. In this article, previous research carried out in Egypt on climate change assessments on water resources (the Nile River and rainfall on the north coast of Egypt), crop evapotranspiration, crop water requirements, crop yield, agricultural soils and national cultivated area are reviewed. Furthermore, the implemented actions to increase crop resilience to climate change were discussed. Additionally, the procedures used to reduce greenhouse gases emission were also reviewed. Keywords: Water resources, soil resources, climate-resilient crops, greenhouse gases emissions, carbon sequestration, biogas productio

Risk factors for dyslipidemia among hypertensive patients attending the laboratory of the european Gaza hospital:case control study

Dyslipidemia is a worldwide health problem that is rising steadily. The purpose of this study is to identify risk factors that may lead to dyslipidemia in hypertensive patients, which in turn may contribute to the preparation of preventive programs to decrease mortality and morbidity from hypertension and dyslipidemia. The design of the study was casecontrol, which is practical and economical design for studying risk factors. The study sample consisted of 237 participants, divided into three groups (case group included 79 hypertensive patients with dyslipidemia, control group included 79 hypertensive patients without dyslipidemia and 79 normal persons). Participants were selected from European Gaza Hospital (EGH) during the period from January 1st 2009 to December 31st 2010. The study instrument consisted of Sociodemographic characteristics, history of smoking, physical activity, compliance to diet and lipid profile. The lipid profiles were analyzed by spectrophotometer at EGH medical laboratory. The study results showed that risk factors for dyslipidemia included; obesity (Chi square = 18.775; P = 0.001), low level of education (Chi square = 19.50; P = 0.012), non compliance to diet (Chi square = 6.723; P = 0.035) and not working or being retired (Chi square = 13.484; P 0.001). In conclusion, the results highlighted serious issues that need special programs at primary and secondary levels to reduce and modify the risk factors of dyslipidemia. Clients with the identified risk factors need more attention and follow up to reduce the chance of developing dyslipidemia.Dyslipidemia is a worldwide health problem that is rising steadily. The purpose of this study is to identify risk factors that may lead to dyslipidemia in hypertensive patients, which in turn may contribute to the preparation of preventive programs to decrease mortality and morbidity from hypertension and dyslipidemia. The design of the study was casecontrol, which is practical and economical design for studying risk factors. The study sample consisted of 237 participants, divided into three groups (case group included 79 hypertensive patients with dyslipidemia, control group included 79 hypertensive patients without dyslipidemia and 79 normal persons). Participants were selected from European Gaza Hospital (EGH) during the period from January 1st 2009 to December 31st 2010. The study instrument consisted of Sociodemographic characteristics, history of smoking, physical activity, compliance to diet and lipid profile. The lipid profiles were analyzed by spectrophotometer at EGH medical laboratory. The study results showed that risk factors for dyslipidemia included; obesity (Chi square = 18.775; P = 0.001), low level of education (Chi square = 19.50; P = 0.012), non compliance to diet (Chi square = 6.723; P = 0.035) and not working or being retired (Chi square = 13.484; P 0.001). In conclusion, the results highlighted serious issues that need special programs at primary and secondary levels to reduce and modify the risk factors of dyslipidemia. Clients with the identified risk factors need more attention and follow up to reduce the chance of developing dyslipidemia

The Place of Egypt in the regional migration system as a receiving country

La place de l'Égypte dans le système migratoire régional comme pays d'accueil. --L'Égypte est souvent présentée comme un pays d'émigration dans la littérature. Cet article met l'accent sur l'Égypte comme pays d'immigration, plutôt que comme espace de départ. L'auteur explore l'évolution historique de la migration égyptienne en définissant différentes périodes et acteurs politiques qui ont modelé les flux migratoires. Par la suite il analyse les flux d'immigration contemporains ainsi que les politiques migratoires gouvernementales, tant pour les migrants volontaires que forcés. Il aborde également le rôle du HCR concernant les réfugiés et les demandeurs d'asile, ainsi que leurs situations économiques et leurs conditions de vie.The Place of Egypt in the Regional Migration System as a Receiving Country. Egypt is stereotyped as a sending country in the migration literature. This article sheds some light on the position of Egypt as a migration receiving country, rather than a sending country. I explore the historical evolution of the Egyptian migration through defining its phases and the political powers shaping migration streams, and then I explore contemporary immigration streams and the government policies regarding the immigrants; both the voluntary and the forced migration. I also explore the role of the UNHCR and its policies regarding refugees and asylums in Egypt. The economic situation of refugees and their living conditions are investigated.El rol de Egipto en el sistema migratorio regional en calidad de país de acogida. La literatura sobre migraciones considera a menudo a Egipto como un país de emigración. Este artículo presenta, sin embargo, a un Egipto receptor de inmigrantes. El autor explora la evolución histórica de la migración egipcia e identifica los diferentes períodos y actores políticos que han contribuido a modelar los flujos migratorios. Son analizados a continuación los flujos de inmigración contemporáneos y las políticas migratorias gubernamentales dirigidas, tanto a los inmigrantes voluntarios como a los inmigrantes forzosos. Por último, el artículo aborda el rol de las acciones del UNHCR en favor de los refugiados y exiliados en Egipto, así como la situación económica y las condiciones de vida de estos últimos

Sustainable intensive cropping to reduce irrigation-induced erosion: Intercropping systems under surface irrigation practice

The objective of this paper was to compare between the effects of two production packages on the applied irrigation amount, crop yield and soil organic matter contents as indicators of the existence soil loss under surface irrigation. These packages were: farmer practices (FP, resulted in application of large amount of irrigation water), which applied to wheat and sunflower and improved management practices (IMP, reduced the applied irrigation water), where pea and cowpea intercropped with wheat and sunflower, respectively. The results indicated that using the IMP resulted in irrigation water saving by 23 and 22% and yield increase by 13 and 14% for wheat monoculture and intercropped, respectively compared to the FP. Similarly, the water saving for sole and intercropped sunflower was 21 and 20% and yield increase was 11 and 17%, respectively when IMP was implemented. Soil organic content was increased after the fourth growing season by 11%, when intercropping systems were implemented, compared zero-time. Land equivalent ratio values were 1.37 and 1.53 for wheat and sunflower intercropping systems averaged over the two season. In conclusion, using raised beds and intercropping systems in IMP package reduce applied water can be useful in reducing soil loss under surface irrigation practice

Polychromatic femtosecond fluorescence studies of metal–polypyridine complexes in solution

Femtosecond-resolved broadband fluorescence studies are reported for[M(bpy)3]2+ (M = Fe, Ru), RuN3 and RuN719 complexes in solution. We investigated the pump wavelength dependence of the fluorescence of aqueous [Fe(bpy)3]2+ and the solvent and ligand dependence of the fluorescence of Ru-complexes excited at 400 nm. For all complexes, the 1MLCT fluorescence appears at zero time delay with a mirror-like image with respect to the absorption. It decays in 630–45 fs due to intersystem crossing to the 3MLCT states, but a longer lived component of 190 fs additionally shows up in RuN719 and RuN3. No solvent effects are detected. The very early dynamics are characterized by internal conversion (IC) and intramolecular vibrational redistribution (IVR) processes on a time scale which we estimate to 610 fs using the 1MLCT lifetime as an internal clock

Sustainable intensive cropping to reduce irrigation-induced erosion: Changing cropping sequence under sprinkler irrigation practice

The objective of this paper was to evaluate the effect of four crops sequence (one conventional and three suggested) on the applied irrigation amount, the resulted yield and soil nitrogen percentage as indicators of the existence of soil loss. These crops sequences were: farmer’s crop sequence (FCS) and three crop sequences implemented using improved management practices (maize, clover then wheat (CS1); cowpea, clover then wheat (CS2) and cowpea intercropped with maize, clover then wheat (CS3). The results indicated that the applied water for wheat was respectively reduced by 16, 18 and 19% in CS1, CS2 and CS3 and yield was increased by 30, 55, and 43%, compared to the FCS. For maize, the applied water was reduced by 15% in CS1 and CS3 and yield was increased by 5 and 8%, respectively, compared to the FCS. The highest value of soil nitrogen percentage was obtained from cultivation of CS2, as a result of existence of cowpea and short season clover. In conclusion, optimizing the applied irrigation water to maize and wheat and increasing number of legume in the crop sequence can be one of the factors that improve soil water holding capacity and reduce soil loss

Excited-State Dynamics of Organic Dyes in Solar Cells

Organic dyes are promising candidates for wide applications in solar cells, due to their controlled environmental impact, and low-cost. However, their performances in several solar cell architectures are not high enough to compete with the traditional semiconductor based solar cells. Therefore, several efforts should be gathered to improve the efficiency of these organic dyes. Herein, we discuss several deactivation processes recently found in several organic dyes using optical spectroscopic techniques. These processes are believed to be mostly detrimental for the performance of organic dyes in solar cells. These processes include deactivation phenomena such as isomerization, twisting, and chemical interactions with redox couple. Thus, based on similar studies, more optimized synthetic procedures for organic dyes could be implemented in the near future for high efficient solar cells based on organic dyes

Aspects of the endothelin system in colorectal cancer

Endothelin system members including endothelin-1, endothelin-2, endothelin-3, endothelin receptors, and endothelin converting enzyme are considered major regulating factors in cancer cell biology and cancer microenvironment. Endothelins are members of the matrix metalloproteinase superfamily of proteases, which are released from pre-proteins, bind to their receptors with differential affinity, and are degraded following cellular uptake. For their structural similarity, endothelin-2 and endothelin-3 can be regarded as natural competitors for the endothelin-1 receptors and as natural antagonists of endothelin-1. Endothelin-1 is regulated at several levels, primarily at the level of transcription. Remarkably, endothelin-1 is overexpressed in colorectal cancer, and elevated plasma levels were found in colorectal cancer patients. Endothelin receptor type A has an unequal distribution in the colon, as it is over-expressed in the proximal and distal segments of the colon. Compared with normal mucosal tissue, there is high expression of endothelin receptor type A and low expression of endothelin receptor type B in colorectal cancer at all Dukes stages. By binding to endothelin receptor type A, endothelin-1 leads to down-regulation of epithelial and increased expression of mesenchymal markers. Also, endothelin-1 acts as anti-apoptotic factor through multiple pathways like PI3K-dependent AKT activation or NF-κB signaling. Members of the endothelin system might be used as cancer biomarker and from a therapeutic point of view, targeting the endothelin axis is a promising aim. In effect, potential drugs may include endothelin converting enzyme inhibitors as well as selective and non-selective antagonists of endothelin receptor types A and B.Biomedical Reviews 2014; 25: 1-13