The invasion of Biomphalaria pfeifferi by Schistosoma mansoni miracidia and the development of daughter sporocysts

Laboratory experiments have been carried out to determine the susceptibility of Gezira Biomphalaria pfeifferi snails to S. mansoni miracidia and the relationship between miracidia and daughter sporocyst production at the 10–17 day development stage. The relationship between snail numbers, miracidia numbers and water volume has also been studied. Two non susceptible snails, Bulinus truncatus and Cleopatra bulimoides, both of which occur naturally in Gezira canals, were tested to see if they act as decoys for S. mansoni miracidia.The results showed that the B. pfeifferi are 100% susceptible to S. mansoni invasion, at least to the daughter sporocyst development stage. The more miracidia that penetrated the more daughter sporocysts were produced, however individual variation and overlap were great. When one miracidium was released to find one snail it succeeded in low water volumes (5 m, 50 ml), but failed in 5 litres. When 100 miracidia were released mortality of snails was high suggesting superinfection particularly when only one or five snails were available. Among survivors daughter sporocyst counts were very high. Cleopatra and Bulinus snails do have a decoy effect when present in large numbers. In their presence the number of infected snails was marginally reduced and the number of daughter sporocysts greatly reduced. However, if superinfection is reduced by decoy effect, it is conceivable that Biomphalaria may be protected by decoy snails in circumstances where miracidia counts are high.     

Response of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced rat mammary tumor cells to tamoxifen, in vitro

Primary cell cultures from a density-defined cell subpopulation of the DMBA-induced rat mammary tumors were exposed to tamoxifen during their log phase of growth. Growth inhibition and the ultrastructure of surviving cells were examined along with the influence of this antiestrogen on the secreted proteins as determined by pulse labeling with [35S]methionine and fluorography. Cell growth was remarkably inhibited at clinically achievable concentrations. However, ultrastructural changes in the surviving cells were minimal, the most noteworthy being the accumulation of myelin bodies. Protein secretion was affected in the defined subpopulation of several tumors by the reduced production of a high-molecular-weight protein. These tumors may represent a population of estrogen-sensitive tumors within the DMBA-induced mammary tumor model.     

New and known species of Dactylogyrus Diesing, 1850 (Monogenea,Dactylogyridae) from cyprinid fishes of the River Tigris,Iraq

Four new Dactylogyrus species are described and two redescribed from cyprinids of the River Tigris, Iraq. These are as follows: Dactylogyrus barbioides n. sp. from Barbus grypus; D. orbus n. sp. from Barbus lacerta; D. barbuli n. sp. from Barbus barbulus; D. macrostomi n. sp. from Cyprinion macrostomi; D. pavlovskyi Bychowsky, 1949 from Barbus grypus and Barbus sharpeyi; and D. inutilis Bychowsky, 1949 from Barbus xanthopterus. A phylogenetic and zoogeographical analysis is presented.     

Nucleotide Sequence Assessment of Four ORFs of Citrus Tristeza Virus: Evidence of Recombination

Citrus Tristeza Virus (CTV), usually occurs in nature as a mixture of genotypes. Six naturally infected citrus (Citrus sinensis) trees grafted on sour orange rootstock were collected from three citrus growing governorates in Egypt (Sharqia, Qalyubia and Garbia). In this study, RT-PCR, Single-Strand Conformation Polymorphism (SSCP) and nucleotide sequence analysis were used for four independent CTV genomic regions (p65, p18, p20, and p23) to detect and assess the sequence and genetic variabilities among CTV Egyptian isolates. RTPCR products (650 bp) for the CTV p23 gene obtained from the selected isolates were used for the SSCP analysis and DNA sequencing. SSCP patterns of p23 gene for individual isolates yielded different complex haplotype patterns. Nucleotide sequence analysis of p23 region amplified from six isolates under study revealed that p23 shared high nucleotide identity 98.7% with T36 isolate from USA, Florida. Phylogenetic analysis of p23 gene indicated a close evolutionary relationship between all examined isolates and Qaha isolate (T36 isolate group), suggesting that they may have originated from closely related ancestors. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the three genes located on CTV 3′-coterminal overhang, p18, p20 and p65, amplified from isolate A3, Sharqia governorate, revealed that the p18, p65, and p20 genes were related to the T3-KB isolate from South Africa with 99%–100% sequence homology. Phylogenetic relationship analysis for p65, p18 and p20 ORFs clustered the current A3 isolate with T3 genotype group. The recombination analysis identified three of six isolates from Sharqia, and Garbia as potential recombinant for p23 gene. The isolates T36 and T3 were identified as major donors for recombination events in isolate A3. Our results concluded that p23 ORF likely to be as a hotspot region for recombination and originated through recombination event. The current study indicated that recombination is an important factor for the origin of CTV strains in Egypt.     

The Potential Efficacy of Glycyrrhizic Acid and Its Nanostructure Against Brown Rot of Peach fruits

Production of peaches (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) for both local market and export is increasing each year in Egypt. Brown rot disease, caused by Monilinia laxa and Monilinia fructigena, is considered one of the most important postharvest rots affecting peaches in Egypt and economic losses are increasing. Antifungal activity of glycyrrhizic acid nanoparticles (GA-NPs) and glycyrrhizic acid (GA) at 0.2 and 0.4 mmol/L was investigated as a control for both these brown rot pathogens on peach fruits in both in vitro and in vivo studies. In the in vitro studies, GA-NPs were the most effective as shown by the ability to decrease linear growth of both brown rot pathogens in potato dextrose agar (PDA) amended with 0.4 mmol/L GA-NPs. Micrographs of M. fructigena exposed to 0.4 mmol/LGA showed mycelial deformations, nodule formation, detachment of the cell wall, shrinkage and inhomogeneous cytoplasmic materials with large vacuoles. Mycelium of M. laxa exposed to 0.4 mmol/ LGA-NPs resulted in thinner and distorted hyphae, nodule formation, cell wall thinning, and swellings. The GANPs and GA treatments improved fruit quality by maintaining firmness and total soluble solids (TSS). GA-NPs were more effective in decreasing decay incidence than their bulk material. The 0.4 mmol/L GA-NPs completely inhibited the disease on naturally infected peach fruits for both seasons of 2018 and 2019. Furthermore, 0.4 mmol/L GA-NPs reduced the disease incidence in inoculated fruits by 95 (M. laxa) and 88% (M. fructigena) in 2018 season and 96 (M. laxa) and 85% (M. fructigena) in 2019 season. In conclusion, GA-NPs could enhance the resistance of peaches against brown rot caused by M. laxa and M. fructigena.     

Biochemical and Physiological Responses of Cucumis sativus Cultivars to Different Combinations of Low-Temperature and High Humidity

Low-temperature and high humidity are typical environmental factors in the plastic tunnel and solar greenhouse during the cold season that restricts plant growth and development. Herein, we investigated the impact of different combinations of low-temperature and high humidity (day/night: T1 15/10 °C?+?95%, T2 12/8 °C?+?95%, and T3 9/5 °C?+?95%) along with a control (CK 25/18 °C?+?80%) on cucumber cultivars viz: Zhongnong37 (ZN37: resistant) and Shuyanbailv (SYB: sensitive). The low-temperature and high humidity stresses increased electrolyte leakage (EL), malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and intercellular concentration of carbon dioxide (Ci), and reduced morphological indices, relative water content (RWC), net photosynthesis rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), transpiration rate (E) and leaf pigments in both cultivars as compared to control (CK). Superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), and glutathione reductase (GR) were decreased in cv. SYB under stress conditions as compared to cv. ZN37. Low-temperature and high humidity treatments showed an increase in proline and soluble protein content in cv. ZN37 as compared to cv. SYB. Abscisic acid (ABA) and jasmonic acid (JA) were augmented while indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), zeatin (ZT), zeatin riboside (ZR), and gibberellic acid (GA) were decreased in both cultivars. Under T3 (9/5 °C?+?95%), Pn, protoporphyrin, and ZT were extremely decreased by 71.3%, 74.3%, and 82.4%, respectively, in cv. SYB compared to control. Moreover, principal component analysis (PCA) based on physiochemical traits confirmed that cv. ZN37 had the strongest correlation with antioxidant enzymes, proline, and soluble protein content than cv. SYB under low-temperature and high humidity treatments. Our results suggest that a stress-tolerant cultivar mitigates stress damage in cucumber transplants by regulating photosynthetic efficiency, antioxidant capacity and hormonal profile when compared to a stress-sensitive cultivar.