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Phenylketonuria (PKU) represents a common inborn error of metabolism. PKU management is complicated and bothersome; multiple challenges may represent strains on the Quality Of Life (QOL) of both children and their parents. We aimed to assess QOL among PKU children and to identify diversified factors affecting their parents' QOL. An exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted among a calculated random sample of 120 PKU children attending a primary health care center in Cairo. A structured interview questionnaire included the QOL assessment tool 'PedsQL questionnaire' while the impact of the dietary plan on the family's daily life was inquired upon utilizing the 'PKU-QOL questionnaire'. Our results revealed a positive history of similar cases (PKU) in the family reported by 35 cases (29.1%). QOL was very high in children under 5 years and tended to decrease afterward. Children aged five years or more had low scores in all QOL domains. Dietary management of PKU represented a financial burden on nearly two-thirds of families. Parents of PKU children face difficulties in the management of dietary protein restriction; this includes (feeling sad about dietary restriction, worrying that the child might secretly eat forbidden food, and calculating the allowed protein in their children's diet) and they also suffer from the daily expenses of PKU diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study is conducted for developing separation of some elements of nuclear interest from zirconium-concentrate explored from Egyptian zircon mineral, using certain cationic exchangers. The main results revealed that Amberlite IR-120 is more efficient than Chelex-100 for separating La and Zr in 0.01 mol. L−1 (various acid, carbonate) from single or binary solution with separation factor (SF) of ∼2.1 × 103 (HCl) > 239 (HNO3) >56 (K2CO3) > 17.5 (HClO4). Separation of La and Zr was largely influenced by acid concentration, equilibration period, and temperature. Thermodynamically, values of Δ G o , Δ H o and Δ S o indicated that retention of the metal ions is disordered and endothermic nature. In a column application, Zr is separately eluted without La; with recoveries reached to 98% for Zr and 50% to 67% for La. The larger negativity of free energy of hydration of Zr (−6950 KJ/mol) that of La (−3418 KJ/mol) confirm that Zr exists as a non-sorptive species; meanwhile La forms adsorptive species onto the column bed resin. As a result, this study can be extended in the future to help exploration of the strategic elements (e.g., Zr, Hf, lanthanides) from their minerals in Egypt. Moreover, developed procedure by Amberlite IR-120 resin can be considered as highly efficient and promising for separation and purification of tri-valence lanthanides (e.g., La3+) and/or actinides (e.g., Am3+) from tetra-valence metal ions such as Zr4+ and Hf4+ or their homologous as Ce4+, Th4+ and Np4+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the genetic control of seed yield and yield-related traits by using Hayman's approach, and to estimate the proportion of dominant and recessive genes controlling traits in each parent, five genetically divergent genotypes of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) were crossed using a half-diallel mating design (excluding reciprocal crosses). The parents along with their half-diallel crosses were evaluated using a randomized complete block design with three replicates at Kafr El-Hamam/Sharkia and Al-Arish/North Sinai Agricultural Research Stations, Agricultural Research Center, Egypt. Significant differences were observed among genotypes for all studied traits at individual locations and across locations. Magnitude of additive gene effects was larger than that for dominance effects for all studied traits (except for seed weight plant−1) when the ratio [(a/b) & (H1/D) 0.5] was greater than unity at both locations, as also confirmed by high narrow-sense heritability. Hence, selection in early generations would be effective at both locations for these traits. Parents L1031, L1033, and Miak were desirable for early flowering and maturity as well as for short stature and increased proportion of seed oil, whereas Giza 102 and L24 were promising parents for improving number of green leaves plant−1, head diameter, 100-seed weight, and hence seed weight plant−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecological and biological status of Lake Burullus was examined in 2006 to determine its water quality and eutrophication status in response to the quality and quantity of drain water entering it. The lake suffers from excessive nutrient concentrations. Chlorophyll a showed wide variations over the sampling period with maximum levels (85–122 mg m−3) in the western part in response to the nutrient-rich water inputs from the surrounding farmlands. Nutrients were at maximum levels in the southern and western parts of the lake, which were affected by wastewater discharged into the lake through the drains system. A dense (up to c. 8 × 103 cells ml−1) and more diverse phytoplankton community (about 160 taxa) was found, with a four- to eight-fold increase in species abundance compared to that over the past two decades. Low Secchi transparency (0.15–0.50 m) and high total suspended matter were recorded when phytoplankton was abundant. According to the trophic state index, Lake Burullus could be classified as hypereutrophic with bad to very bad environmental conditions. A degree of nitrogen (N) limitation was recorded, possibly favouring N-fixing cyanobacteria, amongst which toxic species can exist. Lake restoration is recommended through drastic reduction of the external N and phosphorus loads by regulating effluents from fish farms and domestic and industrial sources. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In order to study the relation of the mobility and distribution of metals between Tamarix parts and their crystal salts - soil system, different experiments were conducted with plant-rich and plant-free soils at the banks of river Nile, Aswan, Egypt. For these purposes, Tamarix top and subsoil samples near and far from the plant were collected from six different locations at the banks of river Nile. Elemental analysis of Fe, Mn, Ca, Mg, Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn, Cd and Pb in soil, and in different parts of Tamarix and their crystal salt samples was carried out by atomic absorption spectrometry, whereas Na and K were measured by atomic emission spectrophotometry. The bioavailability of metals in the soil samples was evaluated by determining their contents using sequential extraction single-step, providing higher metal concentrations in occluded Fe/Mn oxide fraction. The ratio of heavy metal concentrations in topsoil to that in subsoil enhancement (RTE) ranged from 0.67 to 4.4 and 0.22 to 4.61 for soil Tamarix and soil free from plant, respectively for all measured total element concentrations. Data indicate that the mobility expressed as transfer factor (TF) was obtained as Fe > Mg > Cr > Mn > Ca > K > Na, for Tamarix leaves. The major part of accumulated Na in Tamarix is retained in the plant leaves, while roots accumulated high concentration of Co. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an attempt to evaluate the levels of immunity against diphtheria in the Egyptian population, 709 healthy subjects aged 2 months–105 years and from six regions of Egypt were investigated. An ELISA was used to determine the serum concentration of anti-diphtheria IgG in each subject. Following widely-used criteria for defining levels of protection, 34.1% of the subjects were categorized as susceptible to diphtheria (with < 0.01 IU antitoxin/ml serum), 43.7% were considered to have basic protection (0.01– < 0.1 IU/ml) and only the other 22.1% appeared fully protected (≥ 0.1 IU/ml). The results revealed that most of the subjects aged 2 months–50 years had a basic or fully protective level of IgG against diphtheria, although males were slightly more likely to be unprotected than females (36.2% v. 31.6%) and certain age-groups appeared to be much more likely to be susceptible than others. If outbreaks of diphtheria like those seen in recent years in the former Soviet Union are to be avoided in Egypt, the most susceptible groups of the population need to be given booster immunizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to determine heavy-metal levels in soil from the banks of Lake Nasser, the ability of Tamarix nilotica to accumulate such metals from soil and hence its potential for phytoextraction. Soil and Tamarix samples were collected from the banks of four bights around Lake Nasser and analysed for Fe, Mn, Ca, Mg, Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn, Cd and Pb by atomic absorption spectrometry, whereas Na and K were measured by atomic emission spectrophotometry. Three different methods of extraction were used for the soil samples. Lead, copper and zinc were equally distributed between the exchangeable phase and Fe/Mn oxide-bound form, while other measured metals were mainly present in the Fe/Mn oxide fraction. With the exception of iron, all metals studied showed total concentrations within the geochemical background values. T nilotica exhibited elevated concentrations of Na (36.2–48.5mg g-1) and K (2.74–4.33mg g-1) in stems, and relatively high concentrations of Pb, Cd and Co (0.39–1.03 μg g-1, 0.24–1.3 μg g-1 and 1.94–5.3 μg g-1, respectively) are found in plant leaves. Bioaccumulation factors of Na and K (9.3 and 12.63, respectively) were high in T nilotica stems. While the bioaccumulation of Pb, Cd, Co and Ni (2870.1, 2035.4, 10.5 and 5313.2, respectively) was high in plant leaves, Fe, Mn, Ca and Mg were accumulated relatively equally in plant stems and leaves. T nilotica was found to secrete high amounts of Na, Ca and K, in addition to small amounts of all accumulated metals except Cd and Cu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]