The foraging activity of the subterranean termite, Anacanthotermes ochraceus (Burmeister) (Isoptera: Hodotermitidae) was studied at El-Saidia village, Sennoures district, El-Fayoum Governorate, Egypt, throughout the two successive years 1997 and 1998 using perforated Polyvinyl chloride (P.V.C.) traps filled with corrugated cardboard paper then buried into the soil to a depth of 30 cm. Traps were replaced with new ones at monthly intervals. Parameters used for assessing foraging activity are % visited traps, number of workers, food consumption and soil translocation (construction activity).The percentage of visited traps ranged 0-34% in 1997 and 15-57 in 1998. The highest percentages of visited traps were recorded during July -October while relatively less percentages occurred between January and June. The vast majority of the foragers (98%) were workers but their numbers were not regarded as a reliable parameter for measuring foraging activity. Food consumption was relatively low during winter, more or less moderate during both spring and autumn and relatively high throughout summer with two distinct peaks; one in March -May and the other in September. Soil translocation increased progressively between January and September then tended to decline between October and December. Two peaks of soil translocation occurred; the first in May and the second in September. The relative efficiency of the four above-mentioned foraging activity parameters was discussed. Soil translocation seemed to be the most reliable quantitative parameter for the assessment of the foraging activity of the termite species under investigation.

The nesting system of the subterranean termite Anacanthotermes ochraceus (Hodotermitidae : Isoptera) was studied at El-Fayoum Governorate, Egypt. A characteristic feature of the presence of the termite nests is the appearance of small conical heaps of coarse soil particles scattered all over the surface of the infested area. Every heap leads to a network of storage chambers, dwelling chambers and connecting galleries (tunnels) all excavated by workers into the soil underneath. Storage chambers are nearly conical in shape with rising roofs, semi-globular bases and flat smooth internal walls. They are used for storing collected food materials and usually occur at depths of 5-30 cm below soil surface. Dwelling chambers are more or less similar in shape to storage chambers but comparatively larger in size. They are often occupied with different aggregated termite castes, sometimes at the depth of 20 cm below soil surface, but mostly at depths of 30-60 cm and occasionally at deeper depths reaching 150 cm. Connecting galleries are cylindrical in shape, with very smooth inner walls. The nest consists of one main longitudinal tunnel with the chambers distributed along its sides, two main nearly parallel longitudinal tunnels connected with transverse tunnels with the chambers distributed along their sides, or a network of longitudinal straight to slightly curved tunnels connected with transverse tunnels joining between randomly scattered storage and dwelling chambers.

Background: The dentists are at high risk of lower backache problems. Aim of the Study: Was to detect point prevalence of work related the lumbosacral radiculopathy (low back pain and sciatica) among dentists who are currently working in ministry of health in Cairo, Egypt. Material and Methods: Specific questionnaire based on Roland Morris questionnaire and Modified Roland Morris questionnaire (RMQ, RMQ-L) were given to dentists who are currently working in Ministry of Health in Cairo, Egypt. Five hundred volunteer dentists participated in this study. The results of this study showed that the point prevalence of Work Related Low Back Pain (WRLBP) was 60.8%, point prevalence work related leg pain was 35.2%. There was no statistical significant difference between female and male subjects in the median values of Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Roland Morris questionnaire (RMQ) back pain. On the other hand, the median value of Modified Roland Morris questionnaire (RMQ-L) was significantly higher in female group than in male. The median value of VAS was significantly higher in full time than in part time. On the other hand, there was no statistical significant difference between full time and part time in the median values of Roland Morris questionnaire (RMQ) back pain and Modified Roland Morris questionnaire (RMQ-L). The median value of VAS was significantly higher in training group than in non-training group. On the other hand, there was no statistical significant difference between training and non-training in the median values of Roland Morris Questionnaire (RMQ) back pain and Modified Roland Morris questionnaire (RMQ-L). The median value of VAS was significantly higher in Pediatric Dentists (PEDO) than both General Practitioner dentists (GP) and other specialties dentists. There was a positive correlation between Roland Morris Questionnaire (RMQ) back pain and years of experience, VAS and RMQ leg. On the other hand, there was no statistical significant correlation between Roland Morris Questionnaire (RMQ) back pain and age and Body Mass Index (BMI). There was a positive correlation between Modified Roland Morris questionnaire RMQ leg and VAS. Conclusion: Work-related low back pain is common among Egyptian DENTISTS at the POINT prevalence, Making Cairo's dentists at a high-risk group, which necessitate appropriate intervention to manage such squeal.

The caste composition of the two subterranean termite species, Anacanthotermes ochraceus (Burmeister) (Isoptera: Hodotermitidae) and Psammotermes hybostoma (Desneux) (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) was studied throughout two successive years at El-Fayoum Governorate in a clay soil for the former species and at Ismailia Governorate in a sandy soil for the latter species. For A.ochraceus, the mean percentages of cast composition were 1.80, 97.60, 0.20, 0.40 and 0.00% for larvae, workers, soldiers, nymphs and alates, respectively. The corresponding respective percentages for P.hybostoma were 1.28, 93.20, 4.81,0.54 and 0.17%. For both considered termite species, workers prevailed all the year round and formed the vast majority of the caste composition. Larvae occurred in very few numbers throughout spring, autumn and winter but entirely disappeared during summer. Soldiers were of limited occurrence all the year round in the case of P.hybostoma and only during autumn and winter in that of A. ochraceus. For both species also, nymphs occurred in relatively few numbers during winter only. No alates of A. ochraceus were seen and very few alates of P.hybostoma occurred in autumn and winter. Key words: Caste composition, Anacanthotermes ochraceus, Psammotermes Hybostoma INTRODUCTION:Termites are a group of social insects that belong to the order Isoptera. They are important pests in many countries particularly in the arid tropics and subtropics (Emerson, 1955 and Harris, 1961 & 1967. Termites are differentiated into various morphological forms or castes that live in highly organized societies or colonies (Rizk and Salman, 1984; Ahmed, 1997; and El-Bassyoni, 2001). Snyder (1949), Coaton (1958), Kassab et al.(1960) and Hafez (1980) reported that there areat least -11 species of termites in Egypt eight of which are "ground-nesting" or "subterranean" and three are "dry-wood" or "nonsubterranean". Among the predominant subterranean termites in Egypt are Anacanthotermes ochraceus (Burmeister) (Isoptera: Hodotermitidae) and Psammotermes hybostoma (Desneux) (Isoptera : Rhinotermitidae) which cause considerable damages to any cellulose containing materials (El-Sherif, 1969;