Nanomaterials are becoming important materials in several fields and industries thanks to their very reduced size and shape-related features. Scientists think that nanoparticles and nanostructured materials originated during the Big Bang process from meteorites leading to the formation of the universe and Earth. Since 1990, the term nanotechnology became very popular due to advances in imaging technologies that paved the way to specific industrial applications. Currently, nanoparticles and nanostructured materials are synthesized on a large scale and are indispensable for many industries. This fact fosters and supports research in biochemistry, biophysics, and biochemical engineering applications. Recently, nanotechnology has been combined with other sciences to fabricate new forms of nanomaterials that could be used, for instance, for diagnostic tools, drug delivery systems, energy generation/storage, environmental remediation as well as agriculture and food processing. In contrast with traditional materials, specific features can be integrated into nanoparticles, nanostructures, and nanosystems by simply modifying their scale, shape, and composition. This article first summarizes the history of nanomaterials and nanotechnology. Followed by the progress that led to improved synthesis processes to produce different nanoparticles and nanostructures characterized by specific features. The content finally presents various origins and sources of nanomaterials, synthesis strategies, their toxicity, risks, regulations, and self-aggregation.

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The current work was performed in 2018 aiming to study the geomorphological and pedological characteristics as well as classification and capability evaluation for soils of Menouf province area, Menoufia governorate, Egypt. The integration of Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques was used to achieve this work. The geomorphic map produced by processing and identifying the Landsat image using RS and GIS technology indicated that, the main landscape unit in the studied area is Alluvial Plain includes nine landforms namely: high terraces (19.4% of the studied area), medium terraces (15.3%), low terraces (24.6%), over flow basin (25.6 %), decantation basin (7.9%) in addition to meandering belt, depression, levee, and island (with small areas). Twenty-four soil profiles were chosen to represent the different landforms. The land and site features are observed and registered. The soil profiles were dug, morphologically described, and then samples were collected representing the subsequent layers in each profile for integrated physical and chemical analyses. The studied area has almost flat topography with deep soil profiles and freely well drained. These soils have loam to sandy clay loam texture with moderate medium sub angular to angular blocky structure. The analytical data revealed that, the studied soils are moderately alkaline, non-saline and haven't sodicity effect. The soils are slightly calcareous having very slight gypsum content. Organic matter (OM) is low and decreases with depth. The cation exchange capacity (CEC) is correlated to the fine fractions and OM contents in these soils.The studied soil profiles haven't any diagnostic horizons, therefore they were classified up to sub great group level under Entisols order mainly as Typic Torriorthents.The land capability evaluation indicated that, about 48% of the studied soils have a Good capability class (C2) and the rest (52%) are considered as a Fair (C3) one.

Hearing the name “Dolly” was and still stirs the minds of professionals and non-specialists towards the term “cloning”, but the way of producing dolly is not the only aspect of cloning. Cloning is defined as the techniques through which identical or virtually identical individuals can be produced. Based on this definition, in this chapter, we are trying to clarify the different applications, aspects, and techniques of cloning such as gene cloning, therapeutic cloning, but to focus on reproductive cloning. Reproductive cloning is the method of making a genetically similar clone of a whole organism. Then it is needed to be discussed with all the scientific thoughts around it, advantages, disadvantages, legal or illegal, and comparing it to other aspects and this is our aim in this chapter.

The current work was performed aiming to study the morphological, physiochemical characteristics as well as classification and capability evaluation for soils irrigated from different water sources in the area north east Tanta city, Gharbia governorate, Egypt. The study area is located in the Middle of Nile Delta between latitudes 30⁰ 45′ to 30⁰ 50′ N and longitudes 31⁰ 00′ to 31⁰ 05′ E, covering an area of about 78.97 km 2 (18802.30 fed.). The area has many different irrigation water sources namely, Nile water, agricultural drainage water, waste and sewage water canals. Many industrial factories discharge their waste fluids and remnants into these different canals which intermixed with their waters and could be used for irrigation of the surrounded agricultural land in the area. Ten soil profiles were chosen including: three representing the soils use the fresh Nile water, five representing the soils use the agricultural drainage water and two representing the soils use sewage water for irrigation. The land and site features are observed and registered. The soil profiles were dug, morphologically described, and then samples were collected representing the subsequent layers in each profile for integrated physical and chemical analyses. Also, water samples were collected from the different irrigation water resources for chemical analyses. The studied area has almost flat topography with deep soil profiles and freely well drained. These soils have swelling clay loam to clay texture with moderate medium to coarse angular blocky structure and mostly grayish brown color. There are no clear differences in the morphological characteristics of the studied soils irrigated with different kinds of irrigation waters. The physiochemical properties revealed that, the studied soils are moderately alkaline and non-to slightly saline. All of the soils using Nile water haven't sodicity effect. While, most of those using drainage or sewage water have moderate sodicity effect. Organic matter (OM) is almost low and decreases with depth. The soils are slightly to moderately calcareous. Some soils from those irrigated with drainage or sewage water have relatively moderate OM and CaCO3 contents especially in the surface layers besides relatively high ESP. This could be ascribed to the interaction of factorial waste fluids and remnants in the irrigation water used for these soils. Most of the studied soil profiles haven't any diagnostic horizons, therefore they were classified under Entisols order. Some soils from those irrigated with agricultural drainage water or sewage water seem to have Natric horizons and classified under Aridisols up to sub great group level. The land capability evaluation using ASLE model indicated that, all of the studied soils are considered as a good class (C2).The quality evaluation of irrigation water samples indicates that, there is a slight restriction upon using the drainage and sewage waters for sensitive crops.