Field experiments were conducted on the growing seasons 2008 and 2009 at a private farm located at a newly reclaimed sandy area, El-Saff, Giza governorate, Egypt to evaluate the drip irrigation levels in combination with equal two types of organic fertilizers for an okra crop. The effect of three irrigation levels 1198.8 (I 1 ), 1798.2 (I 2 ) and 2397.6 (I 3 ) m3/acre with drip in conjunction with two organic fertilizers (composted plant residues and chicken manure at the rate of 6 m 3 / acre ) were studied on growth and yield response, using split block design. The results of drip irrigation in conjunction with two types of organic fertilizers were evaluated in terms of growth , yield, water use efficiency and nutrients uptake of the crop. The study indicated that irrigation water quantity 1798.2 (I 2 ) m3/acre met through drip irrigation along with the two types organic fertilizers gave the highest yield (3.3 M g/acre) with 104% increase in yield as compared to I 1 and I 3 . It can be seen that the plant growth and yield were greater in drip with chicken manure as compared to plant residues. The obtained results clear that NPK uptake were significantly affected by water levels and both plant residues and chicken manure. The additional more of irrigation water caused on increase in the uptake of N P K and if compared to the lowest level of irrigation water it increased the growth parameters in expense of okra yield.

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This study was conducted during the two summer seasons of 2007 and 2008 at Abou Awad Village, Aga, Dakahila Governorate, Egypt, on summer squash Arlika F1 hybrid, to investigate the utilization of some different sources and rates of organic manures (mineral N fertilizer, rice straw compost, chicken and farmyard manure) at 200 % and 100% of recommended rate/fed. from each source with foliar spraying of seaweed extracts (without and with 1g/ l) compared with mineral nitrogen fertilizer at 100 % and 50 % of recommended rate/ fed. and their interactions on plant growth, yield and quality as well as mineral NPK content. A split-split plot design in complete randomized blocks with three replications in both seasons, seaweed extracts represented in the main plot which were sub divided to four sub plots were occupied with the treatments of organic nitrogen fertilizer sources while rates of organic nitrogen sources were assigned to the subsub plots. The results indicated that most of plant growth parameters were significantly increased by foliar spraying with seaweed extracts of summer squash in both seasons. In addition, the treated squash plants with seaweed extracts produced more early yield, total yield and vitamin C content and lower nitrate content in fruits. Moreover, an increase in NPK content in the leaves and fruits as compared with control were detected in the two growing seasons. Application of compost manure (rice straw) gave the highest values of fresh and dry weight/plant, total yield and dry matter in both seasons. However the best early yield was obtained with chicken manure and FYM in the first and second seasons. While, lower nitrate content in the fruits was obtained with FYM and compost in the first and second season, respectively. With increasing the rate of organic nitrogen fertilizer addition, all vegetative growth parameters, early yield, total yield and fruits quality as well as NPK in the leaves and fruits were significantly increased. The interaction between seaweed extracts and organic nitrogen fertilizer sources and rates gave the highest values of vegetative characters, total yield in both seasons, but vitamin C in fruits was increased in the first season when summer squash plants was fertilized with rice straw compost at 200 % of recommended rate with spraying by seaweed extracts. In general, it can be concluded that: 1-By conducting economical estimation, it appears that the maximum net return (4992 and 4854 L.E./fed.) were obtained with foliar spraying by seaweed extracts in combination with 200 % of FYM, followed by rice straw compost at 200 % of recommended rate/fed. respectively, comparing with control. 2-There are good opportunities to utilize and manipulate rice straw compost to enhance crop productivity and synonym essential to adopt a system of organic farming for obtained safe and clean food of vegetable crops against the chemical farming and also, reduce the risks of the environmental pollution. 3-Moreover, application organic manure affects of the chemical and physical propertie...

Background Multiple sclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting both white and gray matters of the central nervous system. It has been approved that the degree of gray matter involvement is closely associated with the degree of physical disability and the extent of cognitive impairment. Thus, it is necessary to incorporate widely available simple methods for neurocognitive evaluation and gray matter detection in the periodic assessment of MS patients that will influence treatment decisions. Objectives To assess the correlation of cortical lesions of multiple sclerosis (MS) at double inversion recovery (DIR) with cognition screening scores Methods This study was conducted on 30 patients with MS with an average age of 31.3±13.6 years. All of them underwent MRI and clinical assessment with the calculation of Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and Symbol Digit Modality Test (SDMT) scores. The image analysis was performed by 2 reviewers for cortical lesion number, shape, and subtypes, and total lesion load. Results Both MoCA and SDMT scales had a significant inverse correlation with cortical lesions number (r=− 0.68, − 0.72) respectively and total lesion load (r=− 0.53, − 0.65) respectively. Besides, there was a significant inverse correlation between the MoCA test, varied cortical subtypes: leukocortical, juxtacortical, and intracortical subtypes (r = − 0.63, − 0.56, − 0.52) respectively, and different cortical lesion shapes: oval, wedge, and curvilinear shaped (r = − 0.62, − 0.69, − 0.49) respectively. As well, the SDMT scale showed a significant inverse correlation with varied cortical subtypes: intracortical, leukocortical, and juxtacortical subtypes (r = − 0.63, − 0.61, − 0.57) respectively, and different cortical lesion shapes: oval, curvilinear, and wedge shaped (r = − 0.61, − 0.59, − 0.46) respectively. Interestingly, there was an excellent inter-observer correlation of cortical lesion number (r = 0.96), total lesion load (r = 0.95), subtypes of cortical lesion (r = 0.94), and cortical lesion shapes (r = 0.77). Conclusion We concluded that DIR can detect cortical lesions of MS, and MRI findings were well-correlated with cognitive dysfunction in these patients.

The main objective of this investigation was to ameliorate calcareous soil properties, i.e., some hydrophysical and chemical properties of the sandy loam soil by using organic manure, i.e., composted rice straw at rate of 7.87 Mg f -1 +50%NPK and chicken manure at rate of 4.08 Mg f -1 +50%NPK as well as applying some agriculture methods, i.e., lines and prose for achieving the sustainable agriculture aspect. The field experiments were conducted in private farm of El Nubaria area, El-Behera Governorate, Egypt. Yield of wheat crop as well as the concentrations of micronutrient in straw and grains was determined.Application of either composted rice straw or chicken manure significantly improved the hydrophysical properties of the tested soil, i.e., bulk density, total porosity, pore size distribution, soil water retention and hydraulic conductivity. Composted rice straw has a preference to improve the hydrophysical properties compared to chicken manure. In addition, methods of agriculture treatments had no significant effect on soil hydrophysical properties. Concerning the effect of organic fertilizers application along with applying lines agriculture on pH, ECe, OM and CaCO3 content and chemically available Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu in the cultivated soil, chicken manure was better than composted rice straw.Grain and straw yields of wheat plants as well as concentrations of Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu in straw or in grains of wheat were significantly increased due to organic fertilizers application and use of lines agriculture methods. Lines agricultural method gave 5.70 % greater grain yield and 3.54 % straw yield over the prose agricultural method. Lines methods emphasized the role of applied organic manure on improving soil properties and consequently, increasing the availability of Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu in the calcareous soil. Where, lines agriculture method was the best treatments compared to prose method, which reduces the growth of roots and plant.In general, the study recommends using the chicken manure (4.08 Mg f -1 +50% NPK "recommended rate") or composted rice straw (7.87 Mg f -1 + 50% NPK "recommended rate") with lines agriculture methods, which will give better results in increasing the productivity of calcareous soils. Thus, these treatments can replace entirely or partially N, P and K mineral fertilizers, which reduce production costs and conserve the environment from chemical pollution hazards on human and animal health.