Granite outcrops as possible havens for biodiversity in arid land

Little is known about granite outcrops in arid regions. The current study sought to determine if granite outcrops generate wetter islands compared to their arid surroundings. Forty independent phytosociological stands dealing with granite outcrops (25 stands) and nearby matrix (15 stands) vegetation were sampled. A total of 146 species of vascular plants were identified, categorised into 39 families and 106 genera. Results recorded more taxa in granite outcrops than in their matrix; specifically, there were 29.2% more species, 33.8% more genera and 26.6% more families in the granite outcrops than in their matrix. Only 16 species were reported in the matrix area that are not present in the granite outcrops, compared to 46 species found in the granite outcrops that are absent from the matrix area. The ratios of therophytes and phanerophytes in granite outcrops were 5% and 11.1% greater, respectively, than those observed in their matrices. The proportions of Sudano-Zambasian elements were higher in granite outcrops than those in the matrix and, in contrast, the Sudano-Arabian and tropical elements proportions were higher in the matrix than those in the granite outcrops. The current results concluded that granite outcrops form wetter island-like habitats as compared to their surroundings

How Carbon Nanoparticles, Arbuscular Mycorrhiza, and Compost Mitigate Drought Stress in Maize Plant: A Growth and Biochemical Study

Drought negatively affects crop growth and development, so it is crucial to develop practical ways to reduce these consequences of water scarcity. The effect of the interactive potential of compost (Comp), mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), and carbon nanoparticles (CNPS) on plant growth, photosynthesis rate, primary metabolism, and secondary metabolism was studied as a novel approach to mitigating drought stress in maize plants. Drought stress significantly reduced maize growth and photosynthesis and altered metabolism. Here, the combined treatments Com-AMF or Com-AMF-CNPs mitigated drought-induced reductions in fresh and dry weights. The treatments with AMF or CNPS significantly increased photosynthesis (by 10%) in comparison to the control plants. Results show that soluble sugars were accumulated to maintain the osmotic status of the maize plant under drought stress. The level and metabolism of sucrose, an osmo-protectant, were increased in plants treated with Com (by 30%), which was further increased under the triple effect of Com-AMF-CNPs (40%), compared to untreated plants. This was inconsistent with increased sucrose-phosphate synthase and sucrose-P-synthase activity. The combined treatment Com-AMF-CNPs increased the levels of oxalic and succinic acids (by 100%) and has been reflected in the enhanced levels of amino acids such as the antioxidant and omso-protectant proline. Higher increases in fatty acids by treatment with CNPS were also recorded. Com-AMF-CNPs enhanced many of the detected fatty acids such as myristic, palmitic, arachidic, docosanoic, and pentacosanoic (110%, 30%, 100%, and 130%, respectively), compared to untreated plants. At the secondary metabolism level, sugar and amino acids provide a route for polyamine biosynthesis, where Com-AMF-CNPs increased spermine and spermidine synthases, ornithine decarboxylase, and adenosyl methionine decarboxylase in treated maize. Overall, our research revealed for the first time how Cmo, AMF, and/or CNPS alleviated drought stress in maize plants

Mode of gene action and heterosis for physiological, biochemical, and agronomic traits in some diverse rice genotypes under normal and drought conditions

Water scarcity is a crucial environmental stress that constrains rice growth and production. Thus, breeding for developing high-yielding and drought-tolerant rice genotypes is decisive in sustaining rice production and ensuring global food security, particularly under stress conditions. To this end, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of water deficit on 31 genotypes of rice (seven lines, viz., Puebla, Hispagran, IET1444, WAB1573, Giza177, Sakha101, and Sakha105, and three testers, viz., Sakha106, Sakha107, and Sakha108) and their 21 crosses produced by line × tester mating design under normal and water deficit conditions; this was to estimate the combining ability, heterosis, and gene action for some traits of physiological, biochemical, and yield components. This study was performed during the summer seasons of 2017 and 2018. The results showed that water deficit significantly decreased relative water content, total chlorophyll content, grain yield, and several yield attributes. However, osmolyte (proline) content and antioxidant enzyme activities (CAT and APX) were significantly increased compared with the control condition. Significant mean squares were recorded for the genotypes and their partitions under control and stress conditions, except for total chlorophyll under normal irrigation. Significant differences were also detected among the lines, testers, and line × tester for all the studied traits under both irrigation conditions. The value of the σ²GCA variance was less than the value of the σ²SCA variance for all the studied traits. In addition, the dominance genetic variance (σ2D) was greater than the additive genetic variance (σ2A) in controlling the inheritance of all the studied traits under both irrigation conditions; this reveals that the non-additive gene effects played a significant role in the genetic expression of the studied traits. The two parental genotypes (Puebla and Hispagran) were identified as good combiners for most physiological and biochemical traits, earliness, shortness, grain yield, and 1,000-grains weight traits. Additionally, the cross combinations Puebla × Sakha107, Hispagran × Sakha108, and Giza177 × Sakha107 were the most promising. These results demonstrated the substantial and desirable specific combining ability effects on all the studied traits, which suggested that it could be considered for use in rice hybrid breeding programs

Evolving trends in the management of acute appendicitis during COVID-19 waves. The ACIE appy II study

Background: In 2020, ACIE Appy study showed that COVID-19 pandemic heavily affected the management of patients with acute appendicitis (AA) worldwide, with an increased rate of non-operative management (NOM) strategies and a trend toward open surgery due to concern of virus transmission by laparoscopy and controversial recommendations on this issue. The aim of this study was to survey again the same group of surgeons to assess if any difference in management attitudes of AA had occurred in the later stages of the outbreak. Methods: From August 15 to September 30, 2021, an online questionnaire was sent to all 709 participants of the ACIE Appy study. The questionnaire included questions on personal protective equipment (PPE), local policies and screening for SARS-CoV-2 infection, NOM, surgical approach and disease presentations in 2021. The results were compared with the results from the previous study. Results: A total of 476 answers were collected (response rate 67.1%). Screening policies were significatively improved with most patients screened regardless of symptoms (89.5% vs. 37.4%) with PCR and antigenic test as the preferred test (74.1% vs. 26.3%). More patients tested positive before surgery and commercial systems were the preferred ones to filter smoke plumes during laparoscopy. Laparoscopic appendicectomy was the first option in the treatment of AA, with a declined use of NOM. Conclusion: Management of AA has improved in the last waves of pandemic. Increased evidence regarding SARS-COV-2 infection along with a timely healthcare systems response has been translated into tailored attitudes and a better care for patients with AA worldwide

Parental roles in developing creative thinking skills among secondary school students: A study in Sebha, Libya / Gadriya Omar Fidil Alsherif

This study investigated the role of parents in the development of students’ creative thinking skills, specifically first year of secondary school students. The study was conducted to address this research question: to what extent the parents play role in improving the creative thinking skills for students? The study aimed at examining the effect of parents on enhancing students’ creative thinking skills. Not only this, but it sought to explore the factors that would influence the development of students’ creative thinking, find out parents’ direct reasons for developing students’ creative thinking skills, and determine the educational practical solutions to solve parents’ deficiency in promoting students’ creative thinking skills. This descriptive study adopted a social survey method. It was carried out with some student adults in the first year of their secondary school in Sebha, Libya. The sample of the study consisted of (340) respondents. Out of this number, there were (239) fathers (70.3%) and (101) mothers (29.7%). Data was collected through a questionnaire. Descriptive analysis as well as some statistical tests were run to analyse the obtained data including ANOVA, T test and Spearman correlation coefficient. Findings indicated that parents did have an impact on the enhancement of students’ creative thinking skills which was ascribed to some variables such as housing type, family size, and social situation which could be due to financial, economic and social factors. The most important factors affecting the development of students’ creative thinking were: level of education, family income, family bond, caring, parents’ continuous guiding to their children, family size, and gender. Parents’ direct concerns for developing students’ creative thinking were related to parents’ educational level and income, family size and bond, and parents’ care to follow up their children. Findings emerged from statistical analysis uncovered that educational solutions could be in the provision of suitable housing, caring more about family bond, having stable social status, availability of facilities that increase creativity, having a good income, and improvement of parents’ educational level The nature of the study and the inclusion of theoretical and practical aspects hindered the researcher from maintaining abalance of the page numbers of each chapter

High Redox Status as the Basis for Heavy Metal Tolerance of Sesuvium portulacastrum L. Inhabiting Contaminated Soil in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Because sewage sludge is contaminated with heavy metals, its disposal in the soil may pose risks to the ecosystem. Thus, heavy metal remediation is necessary to reduce the associated risks. The goal of this research is to introduce a heavy metal resistant species and to assess its phytoremediation, oxidative damage markers and stress tolerance mechanisms. To this end, field research was done to compare the vegetation of polluted sites to that of a healthy site. We found 42 plant species identified in the study, Sesuvium portulacastrum L. was chosen because of its high relative density (10.3) and maximum frequency (100 percent) in the most contaminated areas. In particular, S. portulacastrum plants were characterized by strong Cu, Ni, and As uptake. At the organ level, to control growth reduction and oxidase damage, particularly in roots, increased detoxification (e.g., metallothionein, phytochelatins) and antioxidants mechanisms (e.g., tocopherols, glutathione, peroxidases). On the other hand, flavonoids content and the activity of glutathione-S transferase, glutathione reductase and dehydroascorbate reductase were increased manly in the shoots. These biochemical markers can be applied to select tolerance plant species grown under complex heavy metal contamination. Our findings also introduced S. portulacastrum to reduce soil contamination0associated risks, making the land resource available for agricultural production.</jats:p

High redox status as the basis for heavy metal tolerance of **Sesuvium portulacastrum** L. inhabiting contaminated soil in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Because sewage sludge is contaminated with heavy metals, its disposal in the soil may pose risks to the ecosystem. Thus, heavy metal remediation is necessary to reduce the associated risks. The goal of this research is to introduce a heavy metal resistant species and to assess its phytoremediation, oxidative damage markers and stress tolerance mechanisms. To this end, field research was done to compare the vegetation of polluted sites to that of a healthy site. We found 42 plant species identified in the study, Sesuvium portulacastrum L. was chosen because of its high relative density (10.3) and maximum frequency (100 percent) in the most contaminated areas. In particular, S. portulacastrum plants were characterized by strong Cu, Ni, and As uptake. At the organ level, to control growth reduction and oxidase damage, particularly in roots, increased detoxification (e.g., metallothionein, phytochelatins) and antioxidants mechanisms (e.g., tocopherols, glutathione, peroxidases). On the other hand, flavonoids content and the activity of glutathione-S transferase, glutathione reductase and dehydroascorbate reductase were increased manly in the shoots. These biochemical markers can be applied to select tolerance plant species grown under complex heavy metal contamination. Our findings also introduced S. portulacastrum to reduce soil contamination0associated risks, making the land resource available for agricultural production

High Redox Status as the Basis for Heavy Metal Tolerance of Sesuvium portulacastrum L. Inhabiting Contaminated Soil in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Because sewage sludge is contaminated with heavy metals, its disposal in the soil may pose risks to the ecosystem. Thus, heavy metal remediation is necessary to reduce the associated risks. The goal of this research is to introduce a heavy metal resistant species and to assess its phytoremediation, oxidative damage markers and stress tolerance mechanisms. To this end, field research was done to compare the vegetation of polluted sites to that of a healthy site. We found 42 plant species identified in the study, Sesuvium portulacastrum L. was chosen because of its high relative density (10.3) and maximum frequency (100 percent) in the most contaminated areas. In particular, S. portulacastrum plants were characterized by strong Cu, Ni, and As uptake. At the organ level, to control growth reduction and oxidase damage, particularly in roots, increased detoxification (e.g., metallothionein, phytochelatins) and antioxidants mechanisms (e.g., tocopherols, glutathione, peroxidases). On the other hand, flavonoids content and the activity of glutathione-S transferase, glutathione reductase and dehydroascorbate reductase were increased manly in the shoots. These biochemical markers can be applied to select tolerance plant species grown under complex heavy metal contamination. Our findings also introduced S. portulacastrum to reduce soil contamination0associated risks, making the land resource available for agricultural production