Biological differentiation at predynastic Naqada,Egypt: An analysis of dental morphological traits

Cemetery T at Naqada has been postulated as being the interment site of a predynastic royal or ruling elite due to its small, localized area and the richness of its burial goods. In order to examine possible biological differentiation between the individuals buried in Cemetery T and those buried in other, possibly lower status cemeteries at Naqada, nonmetric dental morphological data were analyzed using the Mean Measure of Divergence statistic. Results indicate that Cemetery T shows some biological distinction from both Cemetery B and the Great Cemetery. The size of the difference supports the archaeological interpretation that Cemetery T represents a ruling or elite segment (or lineage) of the local population at Naqada, rather than a ruling or elite immigrant population. Given the problem of small samples, however, this interpretation is tentative. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

A yellow-stained human femur from Tell esh-Shuqafiya, Egypt: evidence of ancient trauma

Excavation at Tell esh-Shuqafiya, Egypt, during the 1982 season exposed several Ptolemaic Period burials. One of these, a young adult male, showed a bright yellow stain on the right femur. Analysis of the stain demonstrated it to be hematoidin, a degradation compound derived from hemoglobin associated with old hemorrhage. The specific location of the stain on the skeleton suggests death a few weeks after a severe injury to the thigh.     

First evidence of enterobiasis in ancient Egypt

The oldest and most common parasite for which we have direct evidence, in the New World, is Enterobius vernicularis. Numerous archaeological sites, especially in the arid American southwest, have yielded fecal samples positive for pinworm ova, some of these dating back 10,000 yr. Reports of pinworm from the Old World are scarce. This article reports the first evidence of pinworm infection from Roman-occupied (30 BC-AD 395) Egypt.     

Mutant allele frequencies and genetic distance relationships in domestic cat populations of lower Egypt and the eastern Mediterranean

Summary Gene frequency surveys conducted in Alexandria and Cairo reveal genetic profiles which are extensions of those that characterize the cat populations of European cities. For nine selected comparisons with Alexandria, regression analysis indicates that a linear function best describes the relationship between Nei's and Cavalli-Sforza's genetic distance indices and geographic distance.     

Relationship between genetic distance and heterosis for yield and morphological traits in winter canola (Brassica napus L.)

Genetic distance among canola cultivars was estimated through multivariate analysis. Thirty cultivars from various sources were analyzed and clustered based upon five morphological characteristics and yield components-crown diameter, number of branches plant^-1, number of pods plant^-1, number of seeds pod^-1 and yield plant^-1 -and placed in three distinct clusters. Two cultivars from each cluster were selected as parents and 15 partial-diallel inter- and intra-cluster crosses were made between the six selected parents and evaluated at two locations in Michigan in 1990/1991. The association between genetic distance and mid-parent heterosis was investigated. The correlation between genetic distance and heterosis was positive and highly significant for seed yield, number of pods plant^-1, and number of seeds pod^-1. Clustering, based on yield and yield-component traits, demonstrated that inter-cluster heterosis was greater than intra-cluster heterosis in the majority of cases.     

The statistical treatment of correlated bilateral traits in the analysis of cranial material.

At present there is no standardized method to derive frequencies from bilateral non-metric traits. In this paper the commonly used methods are evaluated in light of statistical considerations and degree of sample preservation. In particular, we explore the question of dependence between sides for the bilateral traits. Several workers have tested for bilateral trait correlation in incorrect ways, confusing tests for differences in side frequencies with tests for independence. An easy method to test for independence, using the chi-squared test, is recommended. This test is used on 16 bilateral traits in a large sample of prehistoric carnia from Central California and significant dependence is found for all 16 of these traits. We suggest the traditional method of deriving frequencies be used. Both sides of the cranium should be considered, dividing the number of times the trait occurs by the number of sides available for observation. This method can be used even in poorly preserved samples. Side to side correlation may be compensated for by modifying the constants subtracted in the mean measure of divergence and in the expression for the approximate variance of the mean measure of divergence when the samples are drawn from identical populations.     

The assessment and meaning of intraobserver error in population studies based on discontinuous cranial traits.

Intraobserver scoring precision of 50 discontinuous (discrete) cranial traits was assessed on a sample of 125 intact Iroquois crania using the square of the phi coefficient. Scoring consistency was high for most traits although several were subject to low precision (phi 2 less than 0.7). Most errors were random rather than systematic. Taken collectively the problematic traits exceeded their expected contribution to MMD coefficients among four Woodland samples from southern Ontario. A traitlist with the problematic variants excluded produced more meaningful biological relationships among the samples. Further, the % contribution of the problematic traits increased with the time interval between the scoring of the individual samples. It was suggested that intraobserver error could effectively distort the interpretation of biological relationships and that it must in part be responsible for the poor performance reported for discontinuous traits in some studies. Therefore, it was argued that the results support rather than compromise the use of discontinuous skeletal traits in population studies and that the assessment of intraobserver error should be a standard procedure of the research design.     

Rhinosporidiosis in Egypt: A case report and review of literature

Rhinosporidiosis is an infection caused by Rhinosporidium seeberi that frequently presents as a polypoidal nasal lesions. Here, we report the first indigenous case of tumoral rhinosporidiosis in Egypt. In this case, a 25-year-old male patient from a rural background of Assuit City presented with epistaxis and a nasal polyp. The patient had not traveled abroad. The diagnosis was established on the morphological basis by the identification of 5- to 10-m endospores and 50- to 1000-m sporangia. The clinicopathological and immunologic features were discussed and the literature was reviewed. To the best of our knowledge this is the first case of this disease to be reported in Egypt in the human literature.     

Age patterns of Cryptosporidium species and Giardia duodenalis in dairy calves in Egypt

Little is known of the occurrence and age patterns of species/genotypes and subtypes of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis in calves in Egypt. In this study, 248 fecal specimens were collected from dairy calves aged 1?day to 6?months on eight farms in three provinces during March 2015 to April 2016. Cryptosporidium spp. were detected and genotyped by using PCR-RFLP analysis of the small subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA) gene, while G. duodenalis was detected and genotyped by using PCR and sequence analyses of the triose phosphate isomerase (tpi), glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh) and β-giardin (bg) genes. The overall infection rates of Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis were 9.7 and 13.3%, respectively. The highest Cryptosporidium infection rate (26.7%) was in calves of age?≤?1?month while the highest G. duodenalis infection rate (44.4%) was in calves of 2?months. Three Cryptosporidium spp. were identified, including C. parvum (n?=?16), C. bovis (n?=?5) and C. ryanae (n?=?3), with the former being almost exclusively found in calves of ≤3?months of age and the latter two being only found in calves of over 3?months. Subtyping of C. parvum by PCR-sequence analysis of the 60?kDa glycoprotein gene identified subtypes IIaA15G1R1 (n?=?15) and IIaA15G2R1 (n?=?1). The G. duodenalis identified included both assemblages E (n?=?32) and A (n?=?1), with the latter belonging to the anthroponotic subtype A2. These data provide new insights into the genetic diversity and age patterns of Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis in calves in Egypt.     

Nested PCR assay for the rapid detection of Naegleria fowleri from swimming pools in Egypt

The free-living amoeboflagellate Naegleria fowleri is the only species infects humans world widely distributed. N. fowleri is the causative agent of very rare but severe brain infection called primary amoebic meningo-encephalitis (PAM), a rapidly fatal disease of the central nervous system mainly in immuno-compromised individuals. N. fowleri infects human through the entry of the nose, and it happens when human swimming or diving in warm freshwater, such as lakes, rivers and swimming pools. The disease is acute, and patients often die within 5–10 days and before the infectious agent can be diagnosed. Limited information is available about the existence of pathogenic N. fowleri, in Egypt, so the present of N. fowleri is an important public health. In the present study, we examined hundred water, dust and swap samples collected from 5 swimming pools in Cairo, Egypt. Based on morphological characteristics of trophozoite and cyst, flagellation test 56% of thermo-tolerant Naegleria like amoeba was detected. The incidence of thermo-tolerant free-living amoebae reached 84, 80and 70% from water, cotton swap and dust samples, respectively at cultivation temperature of 45 °C. The highest occurrence of thermo-tolerant amoebae were recorded in summer (100 & 87.5%) while the lowest one were recorded in winter (58 & 37.5%) in both water and dust samples, respectively. In swap samples, the highest occurrence of thermo-tolerant free-living amoeba was recorded in both summer and spring (100%), while the lowest one was recorded in winter (40%). N. fowleri was performed on 24 samples from a total of 56 (42.2%) samples which are positive by culture. Nested PCR using Mp2Cl5 gene primers that is unique to N. fowleri was carried out. The N. fowleri specific primer showed band at 166 bp against 24 of 56 (42.2%) samples. The majority of positive samples unique to N. fowleri was detected in water samples followed by swap samples and finally dust samples 14 of 24 (58%), 7 of 24 (29%), 3 of 24 (13%), respectively. In conclusion, swimming pools water may be the source of Naegleria invasion. The use of molecular methods to identify free-living amoebae N. fowleri could provide a more rapid means to diagnose infections caused by those amoebae.     

Current status of sensitivity to praziquantel in a focus of potential drug resistance in Egypt

A decade ago, a study revealed that praziquantel (PZQ) failed to cure 1.6% of those with intestinal schistomiasis in five villages of the Nile delta region. The recommended dosage of PZQ is a single 40 mg/kg oral dose, and each of these patients continued to pass viable Schistosoma mansoni eggs despite three successive doses at or above this level. The eggs passed by these uncured villagers produced adult worms that were, in most cases, significantly less responsive to PZQ in vitro. This report investigates the current sensitivity of S. mansoni infections to PZQ after 10 years of therapeutic pressure in the same villages, testing the hypothesis that the number of drug failures would have increased as continued drug pressure selected for worms with diminished sensitivity to PZQ. The data show that these villages have experienced a significant decrease in the prevalence and intensity of S. mansoni infections, with present infection rate of 10.9%, compared with 25.1% in 1994. The first treatment resulted in normal range of cure rates, between 73.8 and 92.3% in each of the five villages in the study. After three successive doses (40, 40, and 60 mg/kg, the same treatment protocol applied a decade ago) there were no uncured patients remaining in the study. This shows that there has not been an increase of drug failure, despite 10 years of therapeutic pressure in these villages where there had been resistant infections and worms with decreased response to PZQ.     

Soil seed bank in different habitats of the Eastern Desert of Egypt

The floristic composition and species diversity of the germinable soil seed bank were studied in three different habitats (desert salinized land, desert wadi, and reclaimed land) in the Eastern Desert of Egypt. Moreover, the degree of similarity between the seed bank and the above-ground vegetation was determined. The seed bank was studied in 40 stands representing the three habitats. Ten soil samples (each 25 × 20 cm and 5 cm depth) were randomly taken per stand. The seed bank was investigated by the seedling emergence method. Some 61 species belonging to 21 families and 54 genera were identified in the germinable seed bank. The recorded species include 43 annuals and 18 perennials. Ordination of stands by Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) indicates that the stands of the three habitats are markedly distinguishable and show a clear pattern of segregation on the ordination planes. This indicates variations in the species composition among habitats. The results also demonstrate significant associations between the floristic composition of the seed bank and edaphic factors such as CaCO₃, electrical conductivity, organic carbon and soil texture. The reclaimed land has the highest values of species richness, Shannon-index of diversity and the density of the germinable seed bank followed by the habitats of desert wadi and desert salinized land. Motyka’s similarity index between the seed bank and the above-ground vegetation is significantly higher in reclaimed land (75.1%) compared to desert wadi (38.4%) and desert salinized land (36.5%).     

Phytosociological and environmental gradients in a sector of the Western Desert of Egypt

Summary The climatic and physiographic features of the Western Desert of Egypt vary gradually from the Mediterranean coast inland. The present study provides an analysis of the gradients exhibited by these environmental variations and their relationships with vegetational gradients and the phytosociological behaviour of species in a sector along the Cairo-Alexandria desert road. The multivariate analyses of the vegetation lead to the recognition of six interrelated vegetational groupings which were distributed along a climatic gradient of increasing aridity, and an edaphic gradient of increasing sandiness and decreasing salinity and level of total phosphorus. These groupings were distinguished into three sets: a set ofConvolvulus-Helianthemum-Artemisia, andHelianthemum-Echiochilon, a set ofAnabasis, andSalsola-Anabasis, and a set ofAsphodelus-Noaea andThymelaea-Anabasis-Noaea groupings. The first set occupies the more arid end of the climatic gradient and the end of the coarse texture, low salinity and low levels of total phosphorus of the edaphic gradient. The second set occupies the opposite end of the edaphic gradient and the middle position of the climatic gradient and the middle position of the climatic gradient, and the third, the middle position of the edaphic gradient and the less arid end of the climatic gradient. Taxonomic nomenclature is according to T?ckholm (1974). The multivariate analyses were carried out using a Burroughs B6700 at the Computer Center of Utah State University, and supported by the U.S. Desert Biome. The authors are indebted to W. Valentine, H. C. Romesburg and K. Marshall for their assistance with data processing.     

Karyomorphology of six taxa in Chrysanthemum sensu lato (Anthemideae) in Egypt and their genetic relationships by Giemsa C-banding

Giemsa C-banding was applied to the chromosome complements of six diploid species belonging to six genera in Chrysanthemum sensu lato (Anthemideae) distributed in Egypt.Four types of C-banding distribu...     

Photosynthetic pathways and ecological distribution ofEuphorbia species in Egypt

Summary The photosynthetic pathways of 42 species of the genusEuphorbia growing wild, naturalized or cultivated in Egypt were investigated. The criteria used included the δ¹³C- and δD-values and Kranz anatomy of the leaves. There is a relationship between the photosynthetic pathway and the ecological conditions in the habitat of a particular species. All 4 CAM species are succulent shrubs, wild or cultivated. The 11 species with C₄ pathways are mainly summer annuals of tropical origin and flourish under the hot summer conditions. The 27 C₃ species are either winter annuals, perennials, perennials flourishing in winter or shrubs; the majority are Mediterranean, European or Saharo-Arabian. Summer annuals with C₃ pathways grow under the shade of the summer crops. Generally, C₃ plants grow under conditions of relatively better water resources and lower temperature than the C₄ plants. The majority of the CAM and C₄ species occur in the southern part of the country, where high temperature is a common feature of the climate.     

Female genital cutting and reproductive experience in Minya, Egypt

In African populations practicing female genital cutting (FGC), beliefs exist that these procedures enhance reproduction and that their medicalization may diminish adverse effects, yet available findings are mixed in part for methodological reasons. We use data from a representative sample of ever-married women aged 17-55 years in Minya, Egypt, to examine the effects of type of FGC and type of circumciser on a woman's risks of primary infertility and pregnancy loss. Contrary to previous studies in Egypt, neither type of circumcision nor type of circumciser is associated with adverse fertility outcomes among circumcised women in Minya.     

Genetic and morphological similarity of two California gull populations with different life history traits

California Gulls nesting at Mono Lake (ML) have a modal clutch size of two eggs, while at Great Salt Lake (GSL) the mode is three. We used starch gel electrophoresis to determine whether the populations are genically different. Average individual heterozygosity at ML averages 2.67% and at GSL 2.95%, both slightly below the average for other birds. The average number of alleles per locus is 1.2 for both sites. Variation between sites is insignificant, with a genetic distance of 0.001 and an F_ST of 0.0044. Therefore, the clutch size differences are without genic correlates. In fact, at the loci studied, the two samples are indistinguishable from two random samples drawn from a panmictic unit. Five morphological characteristics also exhibited little between-site difference, in agreement with the electrophoretic analysis. A marked historical reduction (bottleneck) in the Mono Lake population seems not to have affected levels of genetic variation. We conclude that the clutch size differences are either recently evolved, and determined by loci not surveyed by us, or they are environmentally induced. At the population level, these gulls are similar to passerines in terms of heterozygosity and among population differentiation.     

The epidemiology and iatrogenic transmission of hepatitis C virus in Egypt: a Bayesian coalescent approach

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a leading cause of liver cancer and cirrhosis, and Egypt has possibly the highest HCV prevalence worldwide. In this article we use a newly developed Bayesian inference framework to estimate the transmission dynamics of HCV in Egypt from sampled viral gene sequences, and to predict the public health impact of the virus. Our results indicate that the effective number of HCV infections in Egypt underwent rapid exponential growth between 1930 and 1955. The timing and speed of this spread provides quantitative genetic evidence that the Egyptian HCV epidemic was initiated and propagated by extensive antischistosomiasis injection campaigns. Although our results show that HCV transmission has since decreased, we conclude that HCV is likely to remain prevalent in Egypt for several decades. Our combined population genetic and epidemiological analysis provides detailed estimates of historical changes in Egyptian HCV prevalence. Because our results are consistent with a demographic scenario specified a priori, they also provide an objective test of inference methods based on the coalescent process.     

Multivariate analysis of vegetational variation in different habitats at Omayed,Egypt

The application of indicator species analysis has proved useful in classifying stands into groupings coinciding with topographic variations. 41 indicator pseudo-species are identified in the vegetation along a phytosociological gradient: some are characteristic of specific habitats, and the others indicate transition between groups of habitats.The use of qualitative estimations (transformed density records) in multivariate analysis in the present study indicates that they may be more preferable than quantitative estimations, because of their easy and fast recording in the field, and the less comprehensive computations, while yielding precise results.The X-axis of the reciprocal averaging ordination is related to the salinity and fertility gradients, while the Y-axis reflects soil texture.The phytosociological gradients of the canonical variate axes reflect essentially contrasts between groups of species, each correlated with one or the other of the environmental gradients.Comparing the results obtained by the two ordination methods (reciprocal averaging and canonical variates) we find that the first method detects the overall phytosociological changes along strong environmental gradients which would be helpful in studying large surveys. On the other hand, the second technique, which is mainly predictive, is more sensitive to changes within both the phytosociological and environmental gradients and can detect the impact of these changes on the overall variance of each gradient.Nomenclature follows Täckholm (1964).The authors are grateful to Dr J. Jeffers and Mr and Mrs P. Howard of the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, England, for their help with applying the multivariate techniques to the vegetation data.