Southern and Central Red Sea oceanic crust formation is generally accepted to have started ∼5 Ma. However, the nature of the crust in the Northern Red Sea (NRS) is still debated. This paper describes the rift architecture, dynamics and evolution of the NRS and identifies domains that relate to first-order geodynamic processes. The proximal margin domain is located onshore and is characterized by latest Oligocene-Miocene half-graben basins. New seismic interpretations show that the offshore region is a necking domain dominated by low angle, high offset extensional faults, which led to the exhumation of lower crustal gabbros at Brothers Islands. 2D forward models suggest that necking passes into a distal margin domain, where the continental crust thins to < 10 km at 120 km from the coast. Sensitivity testing of interpretations for the distal domain indicates a probable scenario where exhumed lower continental crust or serpentinized mantle is present. A comprehensive rift model for the NRS in the Quseir sector accounts for circa 25 Ma magmatic underplating accompanied by half-graben development, followed by Early Miocene crustal thinning accommodated by an east-dipping detachment fault, and a Late Miocene phase with a flip of the detachment geometry, that led to the present-day configuration.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) control both innate and adaptive immunity with a wide expression on renal epithelial cells and leukocytes. Activation of TLRs results in the production of cytokines, chemokines and interferons along with activation of the transcription factor NF-κB, resulting in inflammatory perturbations. TLR4 signaling pathway is the most extensively studied of TLRs. TLR4 is expressed on renal microvascular endothelial and tubular epithelial cells. So, targeting TLR4 modulation could be a therapeutic approach to attenuate kidney diseases that are underlined by inflammatory cascade. Medicinal plants with anti-inflammatory activities display valuable effects and are employed as alternative sources to alleviate renal disease linked with inflammation. Flavonoids and other phytochemicals derived from traditional medicines possess promising pharmacological activities owing to their relatively cheap and high safety profile. Our review focuses on the potent anti-inflammatory activities of twenty phytochemicals to verify if their potential promising renoprotective effects are related to suppression of TLR4 signaling in different renal diseases, including sepsis-induced acute kidney injury, renal fibrosis, chemotherapy-induced nephrotoxicity, diabetic nephropathy and renal ischemia/reperfusion injury. Additionally, molecular docking simulations were employed to explore the potential binding affinity of these phytochemicals to TLR4 as a strategy to attenuate renal diseases associated with activated TLR4 signaling.

Unlike mammals, most invertebrates provide no direct parental care for their progeny, which makes a well-selected oviposition site crucial. However, little is known about the female evaluation of opportunities and threats during host selection. Leveraging the wide range of host plants used by the polyphagous pest, Spodoptera littoralis, we investigate oviposition choice between two plants of different nutritional quality. Females prefer to lay their eggs on the host plant, which has inferior larval development and more natural enemies but provides lower predation rates. On the superior host plant, a major predator shows more successful search behavior and is more attracted to herbivore-induced vol- atiles. Our findings show that predator efficacy and odor-guided attraction, rather than predator abundance, determine enemy free space. We postulate that predators’ behaviors contribute to the weak correlation between prefer- ence and performance during host plant selection in S. littoralis and in polypha- gous insects in general.

This study was conducted to determine for the first time the immunological, histopathological, histochemical, 
and ultrastructural changes; hematological and biochemical alterations; and poikilocytosis induced in Clarias 
gariepinus by Voliam flexi® 40% WG (thiamethoxam +chlorantraniliprole). Beside control fish, juvenile 
C. gariepinus were subjected to three sublethal concentrations of Voliam flexi® (43.5, 87.5, and 175 mg/L) for 15
days. Voliam flexi® induced immunotoxic impairments in C. gariepinus, such as a decrease in some immunity 
variables (lysozyme and phagocyte activity, immunoglobulin concentration, and nitro blue tetrazolium level). It 
also caused an extreme increase in the levels of primary cytokines (interleukin-1β and IL-6), compared with the 
control. The toxic effects of Voliam flexi® increased gradually with the increasing concentrations tested. Histological examination of the liver demonstrated necrosis, vacuolated hepatocytes (fatty deposition), melanomacrophage centers, foci of inflammatory cells, congested and dilated blood sinusoids, hepatic degeneration, fibrosis increment (Sirius Red stain), and glycogen depletion, as well as cytopathological alterations. We conclude that the toxic effects of Voliam flexi® must be restricted or prevented by using control mechanisms in aquatic systems

Herbicides are the most frequently used pesticides, accounting for more than 60% of all pesticides used in agriculture around the world. Clethodim (CTD) (Vixtol Super® 24% EC), haloxyfop-p-methyl (HFM) (Gallant Super® 10.8% EC), and their mixture (CTD (15%) + HFM (7.5%) (Fine® 22.5% EC) are among the most commonly used post-emergence graminicides in Egypt and worldwide. However, little data on their toxicological effects on honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) is known. In this study, the lethal and sublethal effects of CTD or HFM and their mixture were assessed in the laboratory on foragers and nurse honey bee workers, respectively. In the acute toxicity test, HFM was more toxic to forager workers (LC50 = 0.95 mg a.i./ml) after 96 h of oral exposure, followed by CTD then the mixture which was the least toxic one. In a chronic toxicity test, newly emerged bees were fed sugar syrup that was herbicide-free (control) or sugar syrup that contained a sublethal concentration of HFM (0.2 mg/ml; 1/5 of 96 h-LC50) or CTD (0.6 mg/ml; 1/5 96 h-LC50) or the mixture (0.2 mg/ml; 1/15 96 h-LC50) for 20 days. CTD significantly reduced bee survival and dry body weight compared to non-exposed control bees and bees exposed to HFM or the mixture. Chronic sublethal exposure to these herbicides also caused a considerable reduction in hypopharyngeal glan (HPG) acini volume, severe morphologic alterations, and a deleterious impact on hemocyte account and differentiation. This is the first study of its kind to indicate that herbicides that inhibit acetyl-CoA-carboxylase (ACCase) have a negative impact on honey bee health at sublethal levels.

The current study estimates the impact of different common herbicides on antioxidant defenses and histological 
structure of liver and spinal cord of juvenile tilapia. Eighty-four fish were divided into seven groups: group 1 fish 
acted as controls and the remaining fish were exposed to sublethal concentrations of acetochlor, bispyribac- 
sodium, bentazon, bensulfuron-methyl, halosulfuron-methyl, or quinclorac at sublethal concentrations 2.625, 
0.800, 36.00, 2.50, 1.275, and 11.250 mg/l, respectively, for 96 h. Antioxidant parameters changed in response 
to some test herbicides and the greatest effects were caused by exposure to acetochlor and quinelorac for all 
antioxidant measurements. Prominent histological changes in liver tissue included loss of liver architecture and 
the appearance of fatty liver cells, necrotic areas, foci of leukocytic infiltration and many apoptotic cells. The 
most obvious changes in the spinal cord in all treated fish were degradation of myelinated white matter fibers 
with the emergence of empty spaces, large aggregation of pyknotic neuroglial nuclei, and damaged areas in the 
dorsal horn of gray matter. Collectively, the harmful effect of tested herbicides on antioxidant capacity and 
significant alterations in histological structures of liver and spinal cord of Oreochromis niloticus.

Keywords: Nile tilapia; Antioxidant activity; Liver; Spinal cord; Histological structure

Scientists have become interested in treating dye-contaminated water due to the health issues and ecological imbalances caused by the presence of these injurious compounds in water. Herein, two MnO2 polymorphs i.e. ε- and γ-MnO2 were prepared by the comproportionation reaction between KMnO4 and MnCl2. In comparison to γMnO2, ε-MnO2 has greater surface area, pore width, and pore volume. According to the thermal study, ε-MnO2 contains more surplus mass in the form of negatively charged surface hydroxyl groups than γphase. The adsorption capability of both polymorphs was examined for the removal of both cationic (methylene blue, malachite green and crystal violet) and anionic dyes (eosin yellow). The efficient adsorption for the cationic dyes using ε-MnO2 was occurred in the neutral medium, where it had a highly negative surface as determined by zeta potential measurements. It only took few minutes to complete the removal. The electrostatic interactions of the cationic dye molecules with the OH- groups account for this result. While, complete dye removal (40 min) was occurred in the acidic medium using γ-MnO2. On the other hand, in the neutral medium the adsorption of the anionic dye molecules on the surface of both MnO2 phases was hampered by the repulsion forces. As a result, despite extending the contact time to 180 min and the adsorbent dose to 50 mg, no anionic dye removal was seen. On the contrary, in the acidic medium very fast removal occurs for Eosin Y as the surface of both MnO2 phases acquired a positive charge. The influence of the ionic strength on MB elimination was investigated. The results showed that as the content of NaCl was increased, the removal effectiveness decreased from 100% to 35%. The kinetics of cationic dye adsorption on the εMnO2 surface was studied, and it was discovered that the mechanism follows a pseudo-second order model.

We report the structural and nonlinear behavior of Sn 1− x− y Zn x M y O z varistors with x= 0.00, 0.50, y= 0.00, 0.25 and M= Fe, Co, Ni and Mn. The crystallite and grain sizes and porosity of SnO 2 are decreased by Zn doping, followed by a further decrease by (Zn+ M) co-substitution. The breakdown field (E B), nonlinear coefficient (α), leakage current (I K) and residual voltage (K r) of SnO 2 are respectively 333.35 V/cm, 5.6, 900 μA/cm 2 and 5.32. When SnO 2 was substituted by Zn, I K and K r are decreased to 816 μA/cm 2 and 3.62, whereas E B and α are increased to 666.67 and 11.48. The E B and α values are increased by co-substitution in the SnZnMn sample, whereas I K and K r are decreased. Rather than containing many elements and compounds, the current varistors are based on only two well-known ions co-substituted into SnO 2. These findings are discussed in terms of the oxygen vacancies.

The Eocene limestone plateau, west of Assiut, is characterized by different sedimentary structural features such as fractures, karst, cavities and marble. All conventional methods failed to detect these features due to their inhomogeneities. In this study, a ground-penetrating radar survey was applied to an area including an old quarry of marble lying at the eastern part of the limestone plateau. The field survey was carried out using a 200-MHz antenna following the profiling and areal mapping techniques. The acquired ground-penetrating radar wave images were processed and interpreted using the available software program to enhance the different reflection characteristics from the subsurface anomalous materials. A series of the three-dimensional model cross sectionwith variable depthswere constructed to identify and characterize different georadar facies changes vertically and laterally. The obtained results were adjusted and compared with the excavated features of the quarry; therefore, ground-penetrating radar anomalies and reflections were calibrated. In the present study, the ground-penetrating radar survey succeeded in differentiating between dense limestone rocks, onyx marble
and microstructural features resulting from recent tectonism. Moreover, the investigation of ground-penetrating radar reflection waves is useful in differentiating between low- and high-quality limestone and onyx marble. This study identifies the various features of the limestone plateau lying below the ground surface, west of Assiut, that are to be taken into account by planners when establishing new urban centres on the plateau in the future.

Background Calamus rotang L. (CR) is an Indian shrub. The leaves and other organs of the plant are traditionally used in India for treatment of various diseases. The in vitro antioxidant property of the leaves extract was previously estab‑ lished. Thus, the current study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant and hepatoprotective efects of CR ethyl acetate extract at a dose of 350 mg/kg on CCl4 induced hepatotoxic rats through diferent mechanisms. Methods Histopathological examination of the treated rats’ group in comparison with positive and negative con‑ trols were performed. Quantitative measuring of the proinfammatory cytokines (TNF α), infammatory regulators (Arginase, PPAR α) and the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 in comparison with positive and negative control groups was achieved using immunohistochemical examination. HPLC profling of the polyphenol contents and molecular dock‑ ing of the identifed compounds against BH3 proapoptotic protein were correspondingly studied to evaluate the potential antiapoptotic property. Results The CR extract greatly protects the liver tissue through the suppression of TNF α, arginase and PPAR α induced by CCl4 as well as its enhancement of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein. Fourteen polyphenols of diferent classes were identifed in CR extract and tested via molecular docking for their potential antiapoptotic activities against BH3 protein. Naringin, rutin, 7-hydroxy favone, and ellagic acid compounds exhibit the highest afnity and potential inhibition of pro-apoptotic protein BH3 via molecular docking study. Conclusions The ethyl acetate fraction of the leaves of C. rotang is rich in polyphenols that exhibited potent hepato‑ protective efect on CCl4 induced hepatotoxic rats through its antioxidant, anti-infammatory, anti-steatosis and antiapoptotic properties.