Surgical site infection (SSI) remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients. A total of 254 bacterial isolates were collected from 303 surgical specimens which were isolated from 92 males (53.2%) and 81 females (46.8%), their mean ages were 39.6±16.05 years (ranged from 1 month to 74 years). These isolates were identified as Staphylococcus aureus,Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonasaeruginosa and commensal Gram+ve and Gram-ve bacteria. The most effective antibiotics were imipenem while ampicillin and penicillin G (First and second generation of b-Lactam) showed much lower activity against all types of bacterial strains. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of  imipenem determined by E-test were 0.047- 0.064 , 0.125, 0.19, 0.25 and 0.75mg/ml against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia  coli, Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiellapneumoniae  and Pseudomonas aeruginosa  respectively.

Plant growth and root nodules of infected Faba bean plants with broad bean mottle virus were significantly reduced in plant height, leaf area, dry matter, number and size of nodules in comparison with healthy ones. As well Leghaemoglobin content and Nitrogenase activity were reduced in infected nodules at 45 days after BBMV inoculation. The amount of N2-fixed as expressed by acetylene reduction was reduced considerably by 38.8%. Nitrogen content as an indicator for the efficiency of N2-fixation was reduced in shoots, roots and root nodules of infected nodulated plants as compared with healthy nodulated ones. Differences between bacteroids in healthy and in BBMV infected cells were no longer apparent. These differences include: (i) a decrease in endocytotic and exocytotic vesiculation on the membrane envelope of the bacteriods and on plasma membrane of bacteroidal cells, (ii) a decrease in number of vesicles in the space between the bacteriod and the membrane envelope. The possible significance of these changes relative to the decreased efficiency of N2-fixation was discussed.

The nine most frequent bacterial strains out of 127 were isolated form ten drinking water samples collected from tap water and bottled water in sharqia governorate. The nine isolates were purified and examined for their resistance to increasing concentrations of two heavy metal ions, lead (Pb+2) and iron (Fe+3). Four stains out of the nine isolates encoded I, II, IV, and VIII showed the highest efficiency of both Pb+2 and Fe +3 uptake from nutrient broth media containing 100 ppm of the heavy metal ions. The four bacteria were preliminary identified and then confirmed by the Biolog examination as Corynebacterium jeikeium, Pseudomonas putida biotype A, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and Acidovorax delafieldii. The increased concentrations of Pb+2 ions (from 100 to 500 ppm) in nutrient broth media had deleterious effect on the process of heavy metal uptake (biosorption) by all the four selected isolates. Whereas percentage of Pb+2 uptake decreased from 42.9 to 24%; from 72.6 to 42%, from 78.9 to 37% and from 68.8 to 45%, for the four selected isolates, respectively. Meanwhile there was slight decrease change in Fe+3 uptakes percentage accompanying the increase in heavy metal ion concentration. Optimization of the cultural conditions releaved maximum uptake op pb+2 and Fe+3 by the four tested strains in presence of 100 ppm heavy metal concentration when incubated at 25oC except for Acinetobacter calcoaceticus at 35oC in case of Pb+2 uptake, when pH, was adjusted at 5 under static conditions. Upon addition of 50 ppm Cu+2 ions to broth media supplemented with 100 ppm Pb+2 ions, the percentage of metal biosorption by the four tested isolated decreased between 41.11% and 48.45% according to type of strain. Similarly presence of Cu+2 ions caused decrease in Fe+2 uptake by the four isolates ranging between 29.14-45.1%. Percentage of Pb+2 ions uptake by the tested bacteria sharply decreased when a sterile tap water sample was used as natural medium for cell-metal contact. The percentage of uptake inhibition of Pb+2 ranged between 57-65.23% and between 75.1-84.27% for Fe+3 ions. Cell hydrolysate of three tested bacteria appeared to be free from plasmid DNA proving that the genetic character of heavy metal resistance is plasmidless and related to chromosmal DNA in case of Cory. jeikeium, P. putida and A. delafieldii. On the other hand, Acinet. Calcoaceticus contained plasmid of size 23.130 kb. Examining Acientobacter calcoaceticus using transmission electron microscope revealed the accumulation of Pb+2 ions on bacterial cell surface and the intracellular absorption of Fe+3 ions.

This study was carried out to compare, on  the basis of some biochemical nature, five generations of backcrossing resulting from six crosses between  four varieties of durum wheat (M,  W,  S and P) as three crosses  MxW,  MxS, and PxW along with their reciprocals  WxM,  SxM, and WxP. A sufficient knowledge of the biochemical characteristics of the grain and their genetic transmissions, allows their use in selection.  These characteristics can be used as criteria for selection of seeds for more judicious orientation. From the obtained results, a relative variability appeared at the various varieties and their descendants for the studied parameters (the weight of thousand grains, content of protein, moisture content, the volume of sedimentation and capacity of hydration of the gluten). Generally, the studied samples are relatively rich in proteins.  The descendants of cross MxW have on average a significant volume of sedimentation, they can be used for wheat improving.  For the moisture content, cross MxW records the greatest value with a more significant descendants BC5.  With regard to the polymorphism of the glutenines, some bands were transmitted by the recurrent parent varieties used as female parents.

From infected pink and spiny bollworm larvae, collected from Qualyobia Gover-norate, Egypt, 13 bacterial isolates belonging to 7 species were detected. The effi-ciency of these bacterial isolates was evaluated on newly hatched pink and spiny bollworm larvae. Three bacterial species, namely, Pseudomonas viridiflava, Serratia grimesii and Cellulomonas flavigena had no efficiency. Meanwhile, four other en-tomopathogenic isolates bacterial species, Pseudomonas pyrrocinia (A1), Serratia marcesens (M3), Serratia rubidaea (E3) and Bacillus thuringiensis (S2) had notice-able efficiency. The efficiency of these isolates was compared to two commercial products, Dipel 2X and Protecto. Biochemical studies showed differences in total proteins bands patterns in uninfected and infected larvae.

The pesticide residues in drinking water, irrigation water, sediment and soil sam-ples collected from three villages, i.e. Samadon, Ashmon and El-Ramla, located at Menofia Governorate, Egypt were monitored during the period of Septemper 2002 to February 2003. The obtained results showed that the detected pesticide residues were varied in their types and structures in the investigated villages during period of study. It is clear that residues of organochlorine insecticide and the herbicide, atra-zine, were the most frequently detected in both of drinking and irrigation water sam-ples. According to the detected amounts and numbers of pesticide residues in all the collected samples, the soil samples contained higher pesticide residues (average of 0.07 ppm)  sediment (average of 0.05 ppm)  irrigation water (average of 0.04 ppm)  drinking water (0.01-0.02 ppm). Comparing between the selected sites, Sa-madon was the highest site contained pesticide residues more than Ashmon and El-Ramla.

Paddy rice was sampled from El-Sharkia, El-Gharbia, El-Dakahlia and Kafr El-Sheikh governorates, Egypt. Of the 29 samples taken, ten were contaminated with the mycotoxin citrinin. An average of 6.79 x 104 fungal spores per gram rice was found. The isolated fungi represented 47 species belong to 28 genera. The predomi-nant genera were Aspergillus, Cladosporium and Penicillium. Aspergilli were represented by 22 species; Aspergillus niger and A. flavus had the highest occur-rence. Penicillium viridicatum produced the highest amount of citrinin on glucose ammonium nitrate salts broth and rice grains and hence, this isolate was selected as a good producer of citrinin in this study. The presence of Trichoderma hamatum re-duced the amount of citrinin produced by P. viridicatum compared with its respec-tive control. The excessive growth of T. hamatum on P. viridicatum was increased with time. Viability of P. viridicatum conidia decreased by T. hamatum with an in-crease in the incubation period. Chitinases and 1,3-B-glucanase enzyme activity of T. hamatum increased with extending the incubation period on P. viridicatum cell walls up to maximum values at 72 and 84 h, respectively. T. hamatum led to a de-crease in the production of citrinin by P. viridicatum on rice grains compared with the respective control values.

Nodal stem segments of in vitro growing somatic embyogenesis and seedling-derived plantlets of sweet orange, C. sinensis (L.) of (Washington navel, shamouti and blood orange cvs.); grapefruit, C. paradisi (L.); Local mandarin, C. deliciosa (Tenor); lemon, C. limon; (L.); citron, C. medica (L.); lime, C. aurantifolia (Christm); rough lemon, C. jambhiri (Lush) and sour orange, C. aurantium (L.) were cultured on MS medium supplemented with different concentrations of BA (0.5,1.0 and 2.0 mg/L) alone or in combination with NAA (0.5 mg/L) for shoot multiplica-tion. The results indicated that somatic embryogenesis-derived plantlets can be suc-cessfully propagated in vitro with a good vigor compared with germinated seedlings. A large number of proliferated shoots were produced when these explants were cul-tured on MS medium containing 0.5mg/L of BA combined with 0.5mg/L of NAA. Most obtained shoots were rooted on half-strength MS medium containing 0.5 mg/L of NAA. These in vitro grown plantlets were then successfully transferred to green house through acclimatization process.

A laboratory investigation was conducted to study the effect of constant tempera-ture on some biological aspects of english grain aphid, Sitobion avenae (Fabricius). The present work was carried out in electrical incubators provided with photoperiod of 16 : 8 (L : D) and 55 – 60% R.H. Data revealed that the english grain aphid passed through four instars to reach maturity. The duration period of the nymphal stage was 19.0, 13.98, 11.96, 8.51 and 7.5 days at 12, 15, 18, 21, 24 °C, respectively. Developmental threshold of this stage is found to be 4.2 °C. The thermal units re-quired for complete one generation was 148 day – degrees. Life table parameters were as following : The reproduction rate (Ro) were 18.75, 30.72, 36.53, 44.21 and 32.42; mean generation time (GT) were 26.16, 21.23, 17.39, 11.92 and 9.86 days; population doubling time (DT) of the english aphid were 6.19, 4.29, 3.35, 2.18 and 1.96; intrinsic rate of increase (rm) were 0.1121, 0.1613, 0.2069, 0.3178 and 0.3528 and finite rate of increase (λ) were 1.119, 1.175, 1.229, 1.374 and 1.423 at 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24 °C, respectively. The results indicated clearly that the favourable range temperature for development and multiplication the english grain aphid be-tween 18 and 24°C.

Low-fat frozen yoghurt was made by using commercial probiotic (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Streptococcus thermophilus & bifidobacteria) and traditional (Lactoba-cillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus & Streptococcus thermophilus) starters; as well as; roasted red sweet potato and pumpkin for enhancing nutritional and functional val-ues of this products. The preparing mixes and resulting frozen yoghurt stored at -20ºC for 8 weeks were evaluated for physicochemical, bacteriological and organo-leptic properties. The results revealed that, there was significant differences (p<0.05) in all properties studied among the mixes and resulting frozen yoghurt. Frozen yoghurt mixes made with traditional yoghurt starter and sweet potato had higher specific gravity, weight per gallon, freezing point and apparent viscosity, but lower in pH values than the mixes made with probiotic starter. Also, resulting frozen yoghurt prepared with traditional starter and sweet potato had higher specific gravi-ty, weight per gallon, freezing time, melting resistance and acetaldehyde content, but lower in overrun % and diacetyl content than that made with probiotic starter. Counts of Lb. delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus, Str. thermophilus (traditional starter) and Lb. acidophilus were the most numerous in pumpkin frozen yoghurt, followed by sweet potato frozen yoghurt. On the other hand, sweet potato frozen yoghurt had higher Str. thermophilus & bifidobacteria (probiotic starter) counts, than the other treatments. However, frozen storage for 8 wk was slightly effected on the viable bacterial counts determined of different frozen yoghurt treatments, and bifidobacte-ria counts were still higher along the storage period than the recommended mini-mum levels. Also, frozen yoghurt manufactured with probiotic starter; especially with sweet potato; had the highest total organoleptic scores. Therefore, low-fat fro-zen yoghurt with improved nutritional and functional values, and also good organo-leptic properties could be made by traditional yoghurt and probiotic starters; as well as roasted red sweet potato and pumpkin.