The black-breasted lark (Melanocorypha bimaculata), a pest of sorghum in Butana region, Gezira Province, Sudan

Attempts were made to investigate and account for some aspects of the present status of the black-breasted lark (Melanocorypha bimaculata) as a pest of sorghum in one of the rain-fed semi-desert areas of the Sudan. Also some observations were conducted to understand the behavior and the feeding habits of the pest in relation to crop damage phenology. Problems encountered in the application of some control techniques were discussed and evaluated in order to suggest sound control strategy

Turbulent boundary layer on a rough surface with pressure gradient and surface heating

Imperial Users onl

The host-parasite interaction with particular reference to trypanosoma evansi antigens

The objective of the present study was to examine the ways that the T. evansi components interact with the host by investigating the components of tire parasite which acted as antigens during infection and to study the dynamics of some of these antigens during infection. Results from this study could help in identifying new diagnostic reagents, a better understanding of existing diagnostic methods and target antigen for production of vaccines.The antigenic components of intact and trypsin-treated T. evansi were identified. Thirty nine protein bands were detected in the trypanosomal preparations using sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Twenty seven of these components were identified as antigens using immunoblotting against sera from infected rabbits and rabbits immunised with a range of soluble parasite materials. The solubilisation procedure and immunisation method affected the number of antigens recognised by these sera. The trypsin-treated parasites failed to produce any antibody response as measured by immunoblotting and ELISAy response as measured by immunoblotting and ELISA. Two soluble antigens identified by immunoblotting were selected for further study, a trypsin sensitive component of ~ 52 k.Da which was cleaved from the parasite by the process of trypsinisation and a non-surface component of ~ 42 k.Da which was recognised strongly by sera from infected rabbits and rabbits immunised with the parasite soluble materials. Both antigens were also immunogens as soluble extract. A third antigen of molecular weight of ~72 k.Da recognised by monoclonal antibodies raised to the intact living trypanosomes was also included in the studyPolyclonal monospecific antibodies were produced to both the 52 k.Da and 42 k.Da antigens. The 72 k.Da monoclonal antibody and both polyclonal antibodies were labelled separately with biotin and horseradish peroxidase. These labelled antibodies were used to develop an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (antigon ELISA) to dctoct their corresponding antigens in the blood and tissue extracts of infected animals, and in immunohistochemical tests on cryostat sections to localise the antigens in the tissues.The three antigens were detected in the blood of infected animals at different times. The 52 k.Da antigen was first detected in the blood 6 days after infection, followed by the 42 k.Da antigen 7 days post-infection and the 72 k.Da antigen 8 days after infection. Following the administration of Berenil, the 72 k.Da was cleared from the circulation the following day. The two other antigens were cleared from the circulation 2 days after treatment. In the tissue extracts, the 42 k.Da antigen was detected extravascularly from the spleen, brain and kidneys. In case of the 52 k.Da, it was also detected from the heart and lungs in addition to the above organs. The 72 k.Da antigen was, however, not detected in any of the tissue extracts. On cryostat sections prepared from the above organs however, none of the antigens was detectable.The 52 k.Da antigen identified as an invariant antigen is a possible candidate for the diagnosis of infection but only in areas where T. evansi is the only trypanosome species present due to cross reactionThe difference in the dynamics and localisation of the trypanosomes antigens warrants further investigation and provides a better understanding of the host-parasite interaction

Rotating charged AdS solutions in quadratic f(T)f(T) gravity

We present a class of asymptotically anti-de Sitter charged rotating black hole solutions in $f(T)$ gravity in $N$-dimensions, where $f(T)=T+\alpha T^{2}$. These solutions are nontrivial extensions of the solutions presented in \cite{Lemos:1994xp} and \cite{Awad:2002cz} in the context of general relativity. They are characterized by cylindrical, toroidal or flat horizons, depending on global identifications. The static charged black hole configurations obtained in \cite{Awad:2017tyz} are recovered as special cases when the rotation parameters vanish. Similar to \cite{Awad:2017tyz} the static black holes solutions have two different electric multipole terms in the potential with related moments. Furthermore, these solutions have milder singularities compared to their general relativity counterparts. Using the conserved charges expressions obtained in \cite{Ulhoa:2013gca} and \cite{Maluf:2008ug} we calculate the total mass/energy and the angular momentum of these solutions.Comment: 11 pages, Version accepted in EPJ

Effect of Soil pH, Liming Materials and Phosphorus on Growth and Nutrient Uptake of Sugarcane

Sugarcane (Variety H59-3775) yield and nutrient composition was studied in relation to soil pH, liming with caco3 and CaSi03, and P fertilization. The pH levels investigated were 4.7, 5.0, 5.2, 5.6, 5.8, 6.0 and 6.7 obtained with either Caco3 or CaSi03. Two P levels, 0.006 and 0.025 ppm Pin solution, were also included in the study as the main plots. Liming Wahiawa soil (Tropeptic Eutrustox) significantly increased sugarcane yield. Maximum yield was obtained at pH 5.8 in the caco3 system and at pH 6.0 in the CaSi03 system. In general, an optimum soil pH for sugarcane was about 5.8. Liming resulted in a significant increase in Ca, Mg, and N concentrations in various plant tissues. Besides supplying Ca and some Mg, the liming materials substantially improved the retention of these elements within reach of plant roots. This was due to the marked increase in CEC obtained with increasing soil pH. This can be of practical importance since the well aggregated condition of Wahiawa soil can result in rapid leaching of the basic cations under acid conditions. In the unlimed treatment, and at the low liming rates (pH 5.2 and 5.6) large amounts of K moved down the soil profile to the 45 cm depth. Potassium extracted from the surface was 30% greater from the high lime treatments (pH 6.7) than from the control (pH 4.7). Increasing soil pH significantly reduced soil Al and Mn in the surface. Mn was also reduced markedly in the soil profile down to the 30 cm depth in the high liming treatments. Phosphate sorption studies suggested that the first rates of liming decreased P sorption by reducing Al activity which otherwise could immobilize P by precipitation as Al-phosphate or adsorption on the surface of hydrous Al oxide. The silicate applications at the high rates decreased P sorption markedly by anion exchange. An attempt was made to study the direct effect of H ion concentration on sugarcane growth in a nutrient solution culture using a split-root technique. In the pH range investigated (3.0, 4.0, 5.5, 6.5, and 8.5) supplied with 45 ppm Ca in solution, the maximum yield of cane was obtained at solution pH 5.5 and 6.5. Yield declined slightly at pH 8.5 and significantly at pH < 4.0. Absorption of nutrients was severely curtailed at pH 3.0 and 4.0, probably due to the high H ion concentration. Symptoms of Fe deficiency occurred at pH 8.5, and it appeared that the Fe absorbed was precipitated in the stalks. In general, growth and nutrient absorption of sugarcane was best in the pH range 5.5 - 6.5

Palladium Nanoparticles Supported on Ce-Metal–Organic Framework for Efficient CO Oxidation and Low-Temperature CO2 Capture

In this article, we report the lowest-temperature CO oxidation catalyst supported on metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). We have developed a facile, general, and effective approach based on microwave irradiation for the incorporation of Pd nanoparticle catalyst within Ce-MOF. The resulting Pd/Ce-MOF material is a unique catalyst that is capable of CO oxidation at modest temperatures and also of efficient uptake of the product CO2 gas at low temperatures. The observed catalytic activity of this material toward CO oxidation is significantly higher than those of other reported metal nanoparticles supported on MOFs. The high activity of the Pd/Ce-MOF catalyst is due to the presence of Ce(III) and Ce(IV) ions within the metal–organic framework support. The Pd nanoparticles supported on the Ce-MOF store oxygen in the form of a thin palladium oxide layer at the particle–support interface, in addition to the oxygen stored on the Ce(III)/Ce(IV) centers. Oxygen from these reservoirs can be released during CO oxidation at 373 K. At lower temperatures (273 K), the Pd/Ce-MOF has a significant CO2 uptake of 3.5 mmol/g

THE BLACK-BREASTED LARK (\u3ci\u3eMelanocorypha bimaculata\u3c/i\u3e), A PEST OF SORGHUM IN BUTANA REGION, GEZIRA PROVINCE, SUDAN

Attempts were made to investigate and account for some aspects of the present status of the black-breasted lark (Melanocorypha bimaculata) as a pest of sorghum in one of the rain-fed semi-desert areas of the Sudan. Also some observations were conducted to understand the behavior and the feeding habits of the pest in relation to crop damage phenology. Problems encountered in the application of some control techniques were discussed and evaluated in order to suggest sound control strategy

Simulating the Oil Spill in the Arabian Gulf Marine Environment: A Risk Assessment in Association with UAE Coastal Desalination Plants

The current study is directed towards the development of oil spill hazard contour maps for the prediction of oil spill travel times and critical wind directions in association with major strategic desalination plants in United Arab Emirates. Five desalination plants in are selected along the UAE coastline to be the potential destination points of oil spill hazards. These plants are AI-Shuwayhat, AI-Mirfa, Umm AINar & Taweelah, Jebel Ali and AI-Layah. In order to reach the set target, a coastal hydraulics simulation model is employed to adopt the real sea-state dynamic conditions. The hydrodynamic simulated results are tuned and tested against actual documented measurements of tides and currents. The simulated flow pattern of the surface currents produced by the model is also compared with common cited patterns. Oil spill simulation is then conducted employing the resolved flow field and other hydrodynamic results. The oil spill model parameters are tested to verify their sensitivity for final model setup. A validation of the model performance is also carried out utilizing well documented actual observations of oil spill incidents in the Arabian Gulf. At that stage, the coupled hydrodynamic and oil spill model are set to perform a series of simulations on hypothetical oil spills based on extreme case conditions. The study area is divided into zones covering the oil export loading terminals and the oil tanker routs. The shortest traveling times of the oil spill from various zones to each desalination plant are identified in association with the critical wind directing the oil slick to that plant. At last, the simulated travel times and critical wind directions are used to produce hazard contour maps for shortest arrival times and critical wind directions for the five selected desalination plants

Urban Health Related Air Quality Indicators over the Middle East and North Africa Countries Using Multiple Satellites and AERONET Data

Air pollution is reported as one of the most severe environmental problems in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Remotely sensed data from newly available TROPOMI - TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument on board Sentinel-5 Precursor, shows an annual mean of high-resolution maps of selected air quality indicators (NO2, CO, O3, and UVAI) of the MENA countries for the first time. The correlation analysis among the aforementioned indicators show the coherency of the air pollutants in urban areas. Multi-year data from the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) stations from nine MENA countries are utilized here to study the aerosol optical depth (AOD) and Ångström exponent (AE) with other available observations. Additionally, a total of 65 different machine learning models of four categories, namely: linear regression, ensemble, decision tree, and deep neural network (DNN), were built from multiple data sources (MODIS, MISR, OMI, and MERRA-2) to predict the best usable AOD product as compared to AERONET data. DNN validates well against AERONET data and proves to be the best model to generate optimized aerosol products when the ground observations are insufficient. This approach can improve the knowledge of air pollutant variability and intensity in the MENA region for decision makers to operate proper mitigation strategies