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Effect of controlled atmospheres (CAs) at various concentrations of CO₂, N₂ and O₂ on the lethal times of Tribolium castaneum and Trogoderma granarium was investigated at 20 and 30 ºC. Experiments were performed using a recirculatory multi-flask apparatus. The results revealed that, the shortest times (0.1, 0.3 and 0.9 day for adults, larvae and pupae, respectively) required to obtain 50% mortality of T. castaneum stages were at 100% CO₂ followed by 75% CO₂, 50% CO₂, 99% N₂ + 1% O₂ and 25% CO₂, at higher tested temperature (30 ^°C). Adults were more sensitive to the different treated CAs than larvae, while pupae were the most tolerant stages. Diapausing larvae of T. granarium were the most tolerant to all treated CAs at tested temperatures. The effectiveness of CAs to decrease its LT₅₀ values were 100% CO₂ followed by 99% N₂ + 1% O₂ and 98% N₂ + 2% O₂ at 30^°C. It may be concluded that diapausing larvae are more difficult to control with CAs than normal larvae. A treatment with N₂ relying on the absence of O₂ will take a longer treatment time to control the diapausing larvae and in late winter, exposure times needed for control may be even longer. If CAs were to be applied under such circumstances, a high content of CO₂ would be the best option to achieve control in a comparatively short time.

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The present study has been carried out in order to determine the entomofauna of four different agroecosystems from the study area, northwestern Algeria. Regular sampling was done using the Barber pitfall trap and the sweep net in addition to visual observations in the field. Nine (09) taxonomic orders of insects was identified from the four studied environments. It varies from one agroecosystem to another. Coleoptera and Orthoptera were the most represented in terms of both species and numbers. Entomofaunal diversity was more important in un-cultivated fields (diversity index = 4.15 bits, equitability = 0.89) than in arable fields (index ranging from 1.68 to 2.87 and a equitability between 0.41 and 0.72). Limited biodiversity in cultivated areas was the consequence of insect communities’ interactions disturbances caused by agricultural practices in these environments. Therefore, it is important to reduce these disturbances in order to enhance food resources, habitats and overwintering sites for insects. This will ensures sustainable entomological diversity, thereby increasing the role of biological control in pest management systems.

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In this research, the curative action of Fenton reagent (H₂O₂)/Fe⁽²⁺⁾), Fenton like reagent (H₂O₂)/Fe⁽³⁺⁾), Fenton complex (H₂O₂)/Fe⁽³⁺⁾/oxalic acid) and famoxadone + cymoxanil as foliar applications were examined against downy mildew of cucumber caused by Pseudoperonospora cubensis (Berk. and Curtis) under greenhouse conditions during two successive growing seasons. Likewise, the impact of these treatments was also investigated on some biochemical and growth characters of cucumber plants. In addition the toxicity of Fenton solutions were assessed on rats as for biochemical and histological changes in liver and kidney of treated rats with respect to control. Results demonstrated that famoxadone + cymoxanil was the best treatment against downy mildew followed by Fenton like reagent, Fenton reagent and Fenton complex, in both growing seasons. There was marked increase in each biochemical parameter of cucumber plants (chlorophyll, peroxidase and polyphenoloxidase) and also in cucumber yield under all treatments compared to untreated control. No noticeable alterations were observed in liver and kidney of rats treated with the tested Fenton solutions compared to control. Fenton solutions could be utilized as efficient and safe means to control downy mildew of cucumber in greenhouse conditions.

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There are very few reports discussing the higher level phylogeny of the chewing lice (Phthiraptera) and their roles in the evaluation of these insects. So, the aim of this work is to study the phylogeny of genera of the suborder Ischnocera in Saudi Arabia using morphological, ecological and molecular criteria trying to answer a very important question about ecological factors that affecting their evolution. The results show high degree of similarity between phylograms produced by morphological and ecological criteria and that produced by genes sequencing data of Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit I (COI) and elongation factor-1 alpha (EF-1). The rooted trees showed several clusters for head chewing lice and this indicated that the phenomenon of parasitizing birds’ heads evolved several times in the clade of chewing louse. This is also indicating that the position on host played a very important role in shaping the diversity of these insects. The unrooted tree which produced by analysis of COI and (EF-1) also supports the previous conclusion but added to it the impact of host habitat on such diversity. The evolutionary distance between marine birds’ chewing lice was very small and all of them appear in single line or group which far from that of terrestrial taxa of the chewing lice. Both the host habitat and the feeding position of chewing lice on their hosts played a very important role in the way by which this group of insects evolved.

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Essential oils of four aromatic plants, Artemisia monosperma Del., Callistemon viminals (Sol.ex Gaertn.) G. Don, Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) Swingle and Cupressus macrocarpa Hartw. ex Gordon, were evaluated for their anti-nutritional, antifeedant, growth inhibitory and insecticidal activities against Sopdoptera littoralis (Boisduval) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). The essential oils of A. monosperma and C. aurantifolia caused the highest reduction in relative growth rate (RGR) at the tested concentrations (125, 250, 500, 1000 and 2000mg/l). The RGR values ranged between 8.63 and 3.05 mg/day for A. monosperma, and between 10.74 and 2.89 mg/day for C. aurantifolia compared with 14.89 mg/day for control after 72 h of treatment. In general, the results showed that the values of relative growth rate (RGR) decreased with increasing the concentration of the tested oils. In addition, the tested oils significantly reduced efficiency of conversion of ingested food (ECI) and efficiency of conversion of digested food (ECD) values, particularly at the higher concentrations of 500, 1000 and 2000mg/l. On the other hand, the tested oils showed antifeedant activity against the larvae of S. littoralis with A. monosperma and C. aurantifolia oils being more active than C. viminals and C. macrocarpa oils. The tested oils showed remarkable growth inhibition effect as the growth inhibition index values were increased from 37.63 to 79.80% for A. monosperma, from 21.69 to 52.12% for C. viminals, from 16.55 to 28.59% for C. aurantifolia and from 37.64 to 52.32% for C. macrocarpa when the concentration increased from 125 to 2000mg/l. Based on chitin formation ratio values, the tested essential oils induced reduction in chitin formation. A. monosperma and C. macrocarpa essential oils revealed the highest insecticidal activity on 4^th instar larvae of S. littoralis. Examination of reproductive tracts of adult females emerged from treated larvae indicated that the tested oils caused undifferentiated ovarioles.

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Effects of four vegetable host plants, artichoke, cabbage, potato and tomato on nutritional indices of the cotton leafworm Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) (Lep.: Noctuidae), were studied under laboratory conditions (25 ± 1 °C, 65 ± 5% RH, with a 16: 8 L: D photoperiod). Fourth instar reared on tomato showed the highest approximate digestibility (AD) (90.406 ± 1.125%) and efficiency of conversion of ingested food (ECI) (30.249 ± 4.128%). The highest values of efficiency of conversion of digested food (ECD) and ECI of fifth instars (38.663 ± 4.34 and 20.083 ± 1.581%, respectively) were on artichoke and the lowest of both values on cabbage (ECD: 6.314 ± 1.128 and ECI: 5.448 ± 1.052%).The 3^rd to 6^th instars as a whole showed the highest ECD and ECI values on tomato (23.412 ± 2.252 and 19.845 ± 1.798%, respectively). However, the highest and lowest values of consumption index (CI) were on cabbage (33.943 ± 2.669) and tomato (6.145 ± 0.578). The highest values of relative consumption rate (RCR) and (AD) were obtained on cabbage (1.49 ± 0.109 mg/mg/day and 86.431 ± 1.141%, respectively). The results of nutritional indices and the cluster analysis indicate that tomato was nutritionally the most suitable food for S. littoralis.
 

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In the present work, Euurobracon cephalotes cephalotes (Smith, 1858) is recorded for the first time from India. A new state record of Euurobracon triplagiata (Cameron, 1900) from Madhya Pradesh is also documented. This species was previously known in the Indian states of Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh. A distributional checklist of the world species of Euurobracon Ashmead is also provided.

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Aims: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is considered as an important opportunistic bacterial pathogen associated with nosocomial infections. Therefore, it is important to identify this bacterium in clinical samples and report the results to health authorities. The aim of this study was the molecular identification of some virulence factors and fosfomycin resistance genes in P. aeruginosa strains.
Materials & Methods: A total of 100 P. aeruginosa strains were isolated from clinical samples of patients with eye infections in three distinct laboratories in Tehran hospitals (Pars, Milad, and Motahari). The antibiogram of all isolates against eight antibiotics was determined by standard Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Then DNA was extracted from the isolates, and the frequency of exoY, exoT, exoU, exoS, fosC, fosB, and fosA genes was evaluated by multiplex PCR (polymerase chain reaction).
Findings: The highest resistance was observed to cotrimoxazole (85%), ceftazidime (83%), cefotaxime (79%), and cefepime (72%), and the highest sensitivity was observed to ciprofloxacin (55%), gentamicin (52%), and piperacillin (41%), respectively. Out of 60 investigated isolates, 58 isolates were positive for exoY, exoT, and exoU, while only four isolates were exoS positive. In addition, one strain (1.66%) had the fosC gene, two strains (3.33%) had the fosB gene, and 12 strains (20.02%) had the fosA gene.
Conclusion: The results showed that the frequency of fosfomycin resistance genes, whose protein product modifies the epoxide group of fosfomycin and reduces the effectiveness of this antibiotic, was significantly low in the investigated strains.

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Aims: The objective of this study was to determine the risk factors for polycystic ovarian syndrome among Baghdad women.
Material & Methods: The current case-control study was performed on 100 PCOS women and 100 controls without PCOS in Baghdad hospitals from 1 Sep 2019 to 15 Dec 2019. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews and a questionnaire including socio-demographic characteristics, menstrual history, BMI, waist circumference, physical activity, family history of PCOS, diet, drug use, and clinical symptoms of PCOS. Among other methods, the data were analyzed using SPSS 22, the Chi-square test, and logistic regression analysis.
Findings: Some of the significant factors of PCOS included age (P=0.02), occupational status (p=0.004), educational level (p=0.003), BMI (p=0.003), waist circumference (p=0.004), family history of PCOS (p=0.000), diet (p=0.001), regular menstrual cycle (p=0.00) and Clomid use (p=0.00). other risk factors were regular physical exercise (p=0.16) and having children (p=0.55) which were not significant.
Conclusion: Target the risk factors of age, educational level, occupational status, BMI, waist circumference, family history, diet, regular menstrual cycle, and Clomid used, we should perform early screening, the diagnosis and treatment of POCS and identify its risk factors for decreasing PCOS incidence and improve its prognosis.
 

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Aims: This research aimed to investigate the spread of COVID-19 infection among suspected adults and assess the relationship between tobacco smoking, diabetes, and high blood pressure comorbidities, and their association with susceptibility to acquiring the infection with COVID-19.
Material & Methods: This study was carried put on 214 suspected cases of CoV-2, among male and female adults (age ≥ 20 years) in 2021, and tested for CoV-2 infection by RT-PCR. Plus the IgG/IgM Rapid Test Cassette, along with CoV-2-related symptoms. Information on whether the subjects smoke or suffer from diabetes and high blood pressure has also been supplemented.
Findings: According to the results, the age group of 61-80 was the most affected group among the COVID-19 patients by 45%. In addition, the proportion of males infected with COVID-19 was higher across all age groups (64%) than females (36%). A significant difference was observed between the patients concerning age and gender (p<0.05). The percentage of smoker patients versus non-smokers was 47% vs 53%. The proportion of diabetics to nondiabetics was 43 % vs 57 %. As well as the ratio of hypertensive to normotensive COVID-19 patients was 62 % vs 38 %. There was a significant difference between smoker and non-smoker, diabetic and non-diabetic, and hypertensive and non-hypertensive patients in terms of affected by COVID-19 (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Age, gender, smoking, diabetes, and hypertension are some risk factors for Coronavirus infection. Gender and age are associated with infection rates and their consequences. Also, the likelihood of COVID-19 infection is likely to be lowered in half for active smokers. Patients with diabetes and hypertension especially those who use ACE2-increasing medications are at a higher risk of developing a severe COVID-19 infection.
 

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 Few studies have investigated the efficacy of natural enemies against pests in hydroponic farming. We aimed to determine the effectiveness of two predators Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), and Macrolophus pygmaeus Rambur (Hemiptera: Miridae), for controlling Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in hydroponic cultures of Batavia lettuce. Both C. carnea and M. pygmaeus were released weekly with spot treatment: 10-20 individuals /m² and 0.25-5 individuals/ m²/release, respectively. One of the more substantial conclusions from our current study is that C. carnea and M. pygmaeus highly reduced the F. occidentalis larvae and adults (45.85 and 60.91%) over the control treatments. The efficiency of M. pygmaeus was higher than that of C. carnea. The population of F. occidentalis decreased from 8.75, 7.75, and 7.5 individuals /leaf in control to 8.25, 7.0, 6.25, and 3.5, 3, and 2.5 individuals/leaf in the C. carnea and M. pygmaeus, respectively in all three planting cycles. Results also showed that in control and M. pygmaeus, the variation was only significant between cycles 1 and 3. While the C. carnea group showed a significant difference between cycles 1 and 3 and 1 and 2. Results also indicated that M. pygmaeus was more effective than C. carnea as a biocontrol agent against the larvae and mature F. occidentalis. Thus, using M. pygmaeus and C. carnea to manage the thrips damage is advised.

 

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In this study, the nutritional indices of the larval stages of Helicoverpa armigera were determined on four vegetable crops under laboratory conditions (25 ± 1 °C, 65 ± 5% RH, with a 16:8 (L: D) h photoperiod). The third instar larvae reared on potato showed the highest value of efficiency on the conversion of ingested food (ECI) and efficiency of conversion of digested food (ECD) (8.281 ± 0.767% and 11.016 ± 1.142%, respectively). The highest (0.129 ± 0.014 mg/mg/day) and lowest (0.069 ±0.012 mg/mg/day) relative growth rate (RGR) of the fourth instar larvae were obtained on potato and tomato, respectively. Data indicated that the highest value of (ECI) and (ECD) for fourth instar larvae were on tomato (12.361 ± 2.258% and 18.588 ± 3.834%, respectively). The lowest value of the relative consumption rate (RCR) and approximate digestibility (AD) of the fifth instar was recorded on tomato (0.592 ± 0.063 mg/mg/day) and potato (51.85 ± 4.607%), respectively. The ECI and ECD values of the fifth larval instar were the highest on tomato (12.477 ± 1.333% and 17.624 ± 1.609%, respectively). Overall, among different host plants tested, the highest ECI and ECD of all the larval instars were observed on tomato (9.813 ± 0.692% and 12.506 ± 0.882%, respectively), and the lowest values (3.735 ± 0.201% and 5.463 ± 0.426%) were on artichoke. Tomato and artichoke were the most nutritionally suitable and unsuitable host plants, respectively, for H. armigera.

 

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Total energy, protein content and digestibility, antinutritional factors, and total and extractable minerals of normal sorghum (Type II) and four newly developed lines of sorghum (Eri-1, SHK-ABA-4, SHK-ABA-6 and SHK-ABA-10.) were studied before and after fermentation. Phytic acid and Tanin contents of raw flour of the normal sorghum were, respectively, 41.73 mg 100 g-1 and 170.54 mg 100 g-1, while the same values for the four lines ranged from 16.07 to 38.64 mg 100 g-1 and from 31.90 to 184.25 mg 100 g-1, respectively. Polyphenols content of raw flour of the normal sorghum was 604.56 mg 100 g-1, exceeding the values found for the four lines in the range of 476.46 to 544.44 mg 100 g- 1. According to our results, fermentation of normal sorghum flour and that of the new lines significantly (P
0.05) decreased the antinutritional factors i.e. phytate, tannins, and polyphenols. The total energy of raw flour of the normal sorghum was 369.87 Kcal 100 g-1 while it ranged from 367.23 to 372.57 Kcal 100 g-1 for the new lines. In all cases, this energy slightly decreased after fermentation. Protein digestibility of normal sorghum was 22.60% and, for the new lines, it ranged from 37.00 to 57.19%. After fermentation, protein digestibility and the total and extractable Ca, P, and Fe increased significantly (P
0.05) for all genotypes studied.

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Two pot experiments were performed in the wire greenhouse of the National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt during two successive winter seasons of 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 to study the allelopathic efficiency of Anethum graveolens seed powder (AGSP) in comparison to the herbicidal effect of glyphosate treatment (0.375 ml/l) in controlling the parasitic weed broomrape infected faba bean as well as their effect on growth and yield of the crop. Treatments were applied by incorporating different AGSP concentrations (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 g/kg soil) into the soil. Broomrape seeds were obtained from the Weed Control Section, Ministry of Agriculture, Giza, Egypt. All pots, except healthy control, were infected with broomrape seeds (0.2 g/pot) at 5 cm depth from the soil surface. All AGSP concentrations used and herbicide treatment decreased all broomrape parameters i.e. number, fresh and dry weight of tubercles/pot  at 90 days after sowing (DAS) and at harvest as well as tubercles length at harvest only. The best treatments for controlling broomrape were recorded with 40 and 35 g/kg soil AGSP concentrations compared to the herbicide glyphosate treatment at harvest. AGSP treatments at 35 and 30 g/kg soil concentrations achieved the maximum significant increases, exceeding their corresponding healthy control and glyphosate treatment. Therefore, the allelopathic effect of AGSP due to the presence of allelochemicals, mainly phenolic compounds and flavonoid contents, could play an essential role as a natural selective bioherbicide in controlling parasitic weed broomrape infesting faba bean plant and increasing the plant growth and yield.

 

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In recent years, the target of research shifted from students to teachers and different dimensions of teachers’ characteristics such as teacher education, personality and identity were widely researched. Among teacher’s psychological factors, in EFL context, teachers’ emotion regulation, resilience and their psychological well-being became the center of attention in recent years. The main purpose of this investigation was to explore the relationship between Iraqi EFL teachers’ emotion regulation, resilience and their psychological well-being. To this end, 450 Iraqi EFL teachers were selected as the participants and 421 filled the relevant questionnaires which were distributed through sharing the link of google form containing the questionnaires. The results of data analyses revealed that there was a positive and significant relationship between teachers’ emotion regulation and their well-being. Moreover, multiple regression analysis proved that teachers’ resilience and emotion regulation were significant predictors of their psychological well-being and teacher resilience had a higher predictability power. The findings will be helpful for teacher trainers and decision makers to improve the quality of novice and student teachers regarding their emotion regulation, resilience and psychological well-being.
 

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A begomovirus, tentatively named Tobacco leaf curl Japan virus-JpU (TbLCJV-JpU), was isolated from Lonicera japonica (Honeysuckle) Plants Grown in Utsunomiya showing veinal chlorosis symptoms. The TbLCJV-JpU genome with 2,761 nt showed a highest identity with TbLCJV-Jp3 and was also close to TbLCJV and as well to TbLCJV-Jp2. The overall nt identity with TbLCJV-Jp3 amounted to 92.94%, while the identities in encoded amino acid (aa) sequence of Coat Protein (CP) and putative products of AC1 and AV2 ORFs were as high as 98.05, 92.54 and 93.96%, respectively. Low sequence identities were observed in the Intergenic Region (IR) of TbLCJV-JpU as compared with TbLCJV, Ageratum yellow vein Taiwan virus-Kochi isolate and Honeysuckle yellow vein virus-Kagoshima isolates. Recombinations were detected in the 5´end (2650 to 2761) and extreme 3´ portion of the genome (220 to 350). Both regions demonstrated high identities with AYVTV-Kochi and HSYVV-Kagoshima. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of isolation of TbLCJV from L. japonica.