Egyptian Populations Research Articles

Genetic Diversity Based on Morphological Traits of 19 Maize Genotypes Using Principal Component Analysis and GT Biplot

Among the phenotypic, biochemical, and molecular methods employed in assessment of genetic diversity, the phenotypic method has proven efficient for the assessment, description and classification of germplasm collections to enhance their use in maize breeding. The objectives of the present study were: (i) to assess the extent of genetic diversity in a collection of Egyptian commercial maize hybrids and populations, through field evaluation under water and N stressed and non-stressed conditions, using morphological data based on Principle Component Analysis (PCA), (ii) to measure the genetic distance among these genotypes using UPGMA cluster analysis and (iii) to assess the relationship between grain yield and yield-related traits of maize genotypes using GT-biplot analysis. A two-year field experiment was conducted in a split-split plot design with 3 replications, where 2 irrigation regimes, three N rates and 19 maize genotypes occupied the main plots, sub plots and sub-sub plots, respectively. The germplasm was assessed for 21 agronomic traits. Highly significant differences (P ≤ 0.01) were observed among the maize hybrids and populations for all measured traits. Results of the GT biplot in the present study indicated that high values of 100-Kernel weight, ears/plant, kernels/plant, kernels/row, plant height, nitrogen use efficiency, nitrogen utilization efficiency, and grain nitrogen content and short ASI could be considered reliable secondary traits for improving grain yield under stressed and non-stressed conditions. The highest genetic distance was found between G9 (SC-2055) and each of G15 (American Early Dent), G18 (Midland) or G19 (Ried Type). The Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering based on phenotypic data assigned the maize genotypes into five groups. The different groups obtained can be useful for deriving the inbred lines with diverse features and diversifying the heterotic pools.

Stored grain pest prevalence and insecticide resistance in Egyptian populations of the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and the rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae (L.)

As a consequence of the widespread use of insecticides against insect pests in grain warehouses and in the food industry, insecticide resistance has greatly increased among these species all over the world. Nonetheless, insecticide resistance in stored grain insects in Egypt was little studied. Therefore, our study aimed to forecast infestation risks and determine the insecticide resistance level in Egyptian populations of the main insect pests of stored grains. To achieve this goal, we surveyed the populations of stored-product insects in wheat in two different sites in the Alexandria governorate (Egypt) between June and August 2017. Moreover, insecticide resistance levels in Egyptian populations of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and Sitophilus oryzae (L.) collected from wheat storage facilities (granaries and flour mills) in Alexandria governorate were also determined. Three contact insecticides, namely malathion, pirimiphos-methyl and cypermethrin, were tested. Tarsal contact bioassays on filter paper were carried out on adults following FAO methods and concentration-mortality lines were estimated to determine the resistance ratios for each insecticide and population. The data from the monitoring of insects revealed that T. castaneum and S. oryzae were the most common species infesting wheat in both Alexandria granaries and mills. Populations of S. oryzae were generally more resistant to malathion than the populations of T. castaneum. However, T. castaneum populations were more resistant to pirimiphos-methyl than the S. oryzae populations. Both populations of T. castaneum and S. oryzae were susceptible to cypermethrin. The detected levels of insecticide resistance indicate that this phenomenon takes place and should be a concern in Egyptian populations of T. castaneum and S. oryzae requiring monitoring and design of resistance management practices.

Genetic Diversity Analysis of Five Egyptian Buffalo Populations Using Microsatellite Markers

For assessing the genetic diversity and genetic characterization of five Egyptian buffalo populations a total of 12 microsatellite markers were used. The total number of buffaloes sampled was 80, collected at random from five farms in five different governorates; Cairo, Kafr El-Sheikh, Shebeen El-Kom, Menoufia, and Beni Suef. The genetic parameters (allelic diversity, allelic frequencies, observed heterozygosity, unbiased expected heterozygosity, and polymorphic information content) were calculated using three different programs. All used microsatellites were polymorphic and ranged from four alleles (Loci; CSSM029, CSSM036, CSSM038, CSSM043, CSSM046, and ILSTS005) to nine alleles (Loci; BM1818 and CSSM047) with a total of 64 alleles in the whole population. Allelic richness for the whole population ranged between 3.297 (in locus CSSM029) and 6.806 (in locus CSSM047) with overall mean 4.574. Within populations, Kafr El-Sheikh population had the highest average of allelic richness (4.384). This indicates the potential of this population to adapt with environmental changes in future compared with other populations. BMC1013, BM1818, CSSM019, and CSSM047 showed the highest allelic richness. PIC estimates were high and ranged between 0.65 (in locus CSSM029) and 0.92 (in locus CSSM022) with an average of 0.82. Values of Ho were lower than values of HNb for all populations, which denoting depression of heterozygotes in these populations and may be attributable to existence of null alleles and inbreeding. This study as well proves the usefulness of heterologous bovine microsatellite markers in evaluation of the genetic variability in Egyptian buffalo populations due to high polymorphism, informativeness of these markers which can be used to develop future breeding strategies and conservation decisions on our indigenous breed.

National data on non-modifiable risk factors of coronary artery diseases in Egypt

Abstract Background CAD accounts for approximately 42% of all cardiovascular deaths. A lot of predisposing risk factors for CAD exist and they are generally divided into modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors. Genetic variants were found to be among the non-modifiable risk factors where they strongly contribute to the incidence of CAD in Egyptian populations. Purpose highlighting the different genetic polymorphisms and non-modifiable risk factors for CAD in Egyptians and ranking them according to the degree of importance. Methods Intensive research was done in the period between 15 May 2018 and 15 September 2018 on both Science Direct, SCOPUS and Pubmed with the keywords (((myocardial infarction) OR (myocardial ischemia) OR (MI) OR (coronary artery disease) OR (CAD)) AND ((risk) OR (risk factors)) AND ((Egypt) OR (Egyptian))). 1060 studies were retrieved. Three reviewers screened the results and chose 84, from which, only 7 studies from 7 different centers from different parts of Egypt shown on map were included after full text screening with total no of 523 of various coronary artery disease patients and 396 healthy matched controls. Exclusion criteria was as follows: Full text not available (only abstract or protocol is published)The study was not randomized with a risk of biased resultsThe presence of any other comorbid disease as renal failure and autoimmune diseasesThe absence of control group in the study. Inclusion criteria was as following: Randomized controlled studyCross sectional studiesMean age of the patients above 30 years oldStudy on Egyptian populationsFull text and results available Results The polymorphisms (TPA, PAI-1, Paraoxonase-1, Manganese superoxide dismutase Ala16Val polymorphism, Platelet derived growth factor B gene polymorphism, rs854560 PON1, rs1790349 and rs12785878 of NADSYN1/ DHCR7 Locus, rs10741657, rs2060793, rs1993116 and rs10766197 of CYP2R1) demonstrated a significant association with the incidence of CAD in the Egyptian population. The odds ratios (ORs) for the putatively at high risk homozygous genotype vs. other genotypic groups of the different polymorphisms are shown clearly in the figure 1. The highest association is recorded for SNP rs1993116 of the CYP2R1 gene (ORs 8.5), followed by manganese superoxide dismutase Ala16Val polymorphism (ORs 3.6). Conclusion Many SNPs were found to be associated with CAD incidence in Egyptians, on top of which lies the SNP rs1993116 of the CYP2R1 gene and manganese superoxide dismutase Ala16Val polymorphism

Virulence and Molecular Polymorphism of Puccinia Triticina Pathotypes in Egypt

Forty wheat leaf rust (Puccinia triticina) pathotypes were collected from eleven Egyptian governorates during the two growing seasons 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 were analyzed based on both virulence and molecular marker analysis. Virulence analysis was carried out on the basis of infection type of the tested pathotypes on 20 differential monogenic lines, each carrying single leaf rust resistance genes (Lr). Six simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers were used for molecular characterization of P. triticina to detect the genotypic variation among pathotypes. Almost all of the tested pathotypes were phenotypically and genetically varied that confirms a high diversity within Egyptian leaf rust populations. Cluster analysis based on both virulence analysis and molecular patterns classified the tested pathotypes to three main groups. A relatively weak correlation was found between virulence and molecular analysis (r = 0.03). High similarity was found between leaf rust populations in the three governorates; Sohag, Bani Sweif and Fayoum. Also, high similarity was found between leaf rust populations in the five; Egyptian governorates; Minufiya, Kafr-Elsheikh, Gharbiya, Alexandria and Qalyubia, while, wide variation was found between leaf rust populations of the three governorates; Beheira, Sharqiya and Dakahlia. The results of this study support using molecular markers analysis to estimate genetic diversity between P. triticina pathotypes.

Diagnostic and prognostic impact of E6/E7 mRNA compared to HPV DNA and p16 expression in head and neck cancers: an Egyptian study

ABSTRACT Introduction Human papillomavirus (HPV) is identified as a culprit in a subset of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs). The clinicopathologic profile displayed by this subset diverges from that of HPV-negative HNSCCs. Despite a variety of available tests, there is no consensus on which technique is the best for detection of HPV in HNSCCs. Although this field has received substantial interest within different continents, African and Egyptian populations are not yet well studied within the literature. Methods This cross-sectional study was carried out to detect HPV prevalence in HNSSC and to correlate the viral prevalence with different clinicopathologic parameters as well as with the patients’ outcome. For 51 patients with HNSCC, HPV-16 DNA was determined via PCR, while E6/E7 mRNA was detected employing real-time PCR. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to assess p16 status. Results P16 was overexpressed in 49% of cases, while HPV-16 DNA was detected in 52.9% of cases, and likewise, E6/E7 mRNA was found in 52.9% of cases. There was a very good agreement between HPV16 DNA and RNA results (κ = 0.843, P-value <0.001). Meanwhile, a good agreement was revealed between HPV16 DNA and p16 IHC results (κ = 0.608, P-value <0.001). Similarly, there was a good agreement between HPV RNA results and p16 IHC results (κ = 0.608, P-value <0.001). By the end of the study period, 13.7% of the enrolled patients died, with the overall survival of the studied patients being 17.29 months. Of note, there was no statistically significant correlation between the overall survival and HPV status. Conclusion The present study highlights the significant role played by HPV in HNSCC. Furthermore, it reveals that although p16 has been a marker of HPV existence in HNSCC, it should not be the sole determinant of HPV role in tumorigenesis.

Fingerprint patterns, a novel risk factor for breast cancer in Egyptian populations: a case–control study

Fingerprint patterns, a novel risk factor for breast cancer in Egyptian populations: a case–control study

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SNACKING HABITS AND CARIES EXPERIENCE A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN EGYPTIAN AND Kuwaiti CHILDREN

Background: Dental caries is a chronic, multifactorial disease, with limited background data available for the Egyptian and Kuwaiti populations. Aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of dental caries among Egyptian and Kuwaiti children in correlation with snacking habits and oral hygiene measure. Subjects and Methods: A total number of 360 Egyptian and kuwaiti children, each group comprised of 180 children (aged between 3-12 years)were examined over the period from 3rd August 2019 till 6th of October 2019.Demographic data, snacking habits and frequency of tooth brushing for children were recorded in a questionnaire. Dental status was analyzed using decayed, missing and filled index (dmf) for deciduous dentition and (DMF) index for permanent dentition. For mixed dentition (def ) index d(decayed),e (decayed tooth indicated for extraction) and f (filled tooth). Results: Kuwaiti children who had unhealthy ,mixed snacks (healthy/Unhealthy), twice daily, at different time of the day (BL/LD) and brushing their teeth twice daily had a significantly higher value of DMF than the Egyptian children. Also, The Kuwaiti children had a significantly higher dmf score than the Egyptian children regarding healthy snacks, mixed snacks, twice daily, at different time of the day (BL/LD) and brushing their teeth twice daily. Finally, the Kuwaiti children showed higher statistically significant difference score of def regarding Unhealthy and twice daily snacks than the Egyptian children . Conclusion: Our findings suggest that Kuwaiti children have higher caries prevalence than Egyptian children.Abbreviation :BL=Between breakfast and lunch / LD=Between Lunch and dinner / Healthy snacks=Fruits and Vegetables/Unhealthy snacks :snacks including candy, soft drinks, chocolates, jelly, ice cream, potato chips , cookies ./Mixed:(Healthy/Unhealthy snacks).

Biochemical studies of adiponectin gene polymorphism in patients with obesity in Egyptians

Background Adiponectin gene polymorphisms have recently been reported to be associated with obesity. In Egypt, obesity has expanded especially with the changing nourishment propensities and the inexorably inactive ways of life, with almost 70 percent of the Egyptian populations being obese. Aim To assess the relationship of the adiponectin gene (ADIPOQ) polymorphism in patients with Obesity in Egyptians. Subjects and methods This study included 100 patients with obesity and 97 random controls. Results Adiponectin rs1501299 polymorphism showed significant difference cases with different obesity grades where the T/T genotype was relatively higher in higher classes of obesity (Class II and III; (66.7% and 55.6% respectively, p = 000), which determines the susceptibility to obesity. Conclusion Adiponectin rs1501299 polymorphism might be a candidate gene, which determines the susceptibility to obesity. Larger studies are necessary to confirm these findings in various populations.

Association of TGF-\xdf1 polymorphisms and chronic hepatitis C infection: a Meta-analysis

BackgroundAlthough several researches have reported the connection between the transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) gene polymorphisms and chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, the conclusions of these studies were not always consistent. Here, this paper proposed a meta-analysis to evaluate whether the TGF-ß1 gene polymorphisms, −509C/T (rs1800469), codon 10 T/C (rs1982073) and codon 25G/C (rs1800471), were associated with chronic HCV infection.MethodsThe summary odds ratios (ORs) of chronic HCV infected patients and controls with all SNPs were obtained by adaptive fixed or random effect model. A series of statistical tools were employed to guarantee the accuracy of related pooling ORs, including the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) test, sensitivity analysis and publication bias test.ResultsThis paper analyzed 18 case-control studies in 17 articles which totally contains 2718 chronic HCV infection cases corresponding to 1964 controls. The results of the meta-analysis indicated that the −509C/T polymorphism effected an increased risk of chronic HCV infection in all gene models. More specifically by ethnicity stratification, the Egyptians shared the similar association with the above overall study. Moreover, the meta-fusion of healthy control studies showed that − 509 T allele carriers (TT + TA) had nearly 2.00 and 3.36 fold higher risk of chronic HCV infection in the total and Egyptian populations, respectively (OR = 2.004, 95% CI = 1.138–3.528, P = 0.016; OR = 3.363, 95% CI = 1.477–7.655, P = 0.004, respectively). However, our meta-analysis did not find any significant association between the codon 10 T/C or codon 25G/C polymorphisms and chronic HCV infection.ConclusionsOur results suggested that the TGF-ß1–509C/T polymorphism may effect an increased risk of chronic HCV infection, especially in Egyptian population.

A note on Papilio aegyptius Schreber, 1759, and its synonymy with Danaus chrysippus chrysippus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Danainae)

In this paper, we seek to predicate the status of Papilio aegyptius Schreber, 1759, as a junior subjective synonym of Danaus chrysippus chrysippus (Linnaeus, 1758). As early as 1764, these taxa were synonymised by Linnaeus, but the name aegyptius was later revived by Hans Fruhstorfer in 'Seitz' to represent a 'race' of D. chrysippus found in the Eastern Mediterranean, including Egypt and also the Sudan. George Talbot subsequently used the name for one of seven subspecies of Danaus chrysippus he recognised. In the 1970s, work by Jacques Pierre persuaded other authors to regard ssp. aegyptius as the pan-Afrotropical subspecies, contrary to Talbot's view of ssp. aegyptius being limited to only part of Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean. The 'Pierre classification' was quite widely followed for about 20 years. There are now two different, rival systems for African D. chrysippus : the 'Larsen classification', which includes all populations in a greatly expanded ssp. chrysippus, and the 'Smith classification', which divides African D. chrysippus into four named semispecies together with a large 'hybrid zone'. Both classifications agree, however, in placing both Egyptian and Eastern Mediterranean populations in the nominotypical taxon. In 'Butterflies of Turkey', Gerhard Hesselbarth, Harry van Oorschot &amp; Sigbert Wagener placed Papilio aegyptius as a junior subjective synonym of Danaus chrysippus chrysippus, an action since independently supported by David Smith and his co-workers. A brief account of events leading to the return to synonymy of D. chrysippus aegyptius under the nominotypical subspecies is presented. In this history, differing interpretations of the type locality of Danaus chrysippus play a key role.

See how they ran: morphological and functional aspects of skeletons from ancient Egyptian shrew mummies (Eulipotyphla: Soricidae: Crocidurinae)

Abstract Animals served important roles in the religious cults that proliferated during the Late (ca. 747–332 BCE) and Greco-Roman Periods (332 BCE–CE 337) of ancient Egypt. One result was the interment of animal mummies in specialized necropolises distributed throughout the country. Excavation of a rock-tomb that was re-used during the Ptolemaic Period (ca. 309–30 BCE) for the interment of animal mummies at the Djehuty Site (TT 11–12) near Luxor, Egypt, was carried out in early 2018 by a Spanish–Egyptian team sponsored by the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid. The tomb burned sometime after deposition of the mummies, leaving behind abundant disassociated skeletal remains, primarily of avians, but also including two species of shrews (Soricidae): Crocidura olivieri and C. religiosa. To investigate possible intraspecific variation in morphology and locomotor function in these two species during the last two millennia, we measured morphological features of individual postcranial bones from the two archaeological samples and calculated indices that have been used to assess locomotor function. We compared the measurements to those from modern C. olivieri, C. religiosa, and C. suaveolens using principal components analysis, and we compared locomotor indices to those we calculated for the three modern species of Crocidura and to those from nine species of myosoricine shrews. Osteological features of the postcranial skeleton of conspecific Ptolemaic and modern samples of C. olivieri and C. religiosa are generally similar in character and proportion, and, skeletally, these shrews and modern C. suaveolens are consistent with soricids having a primarily ambulatory locomotor mode. One exception is the deltopectoral crest of the humerus, which appears to be longer in modern C. religiosa. Despite general conservation of form and function, Ptolemaic C. olivieri had larger body size than modern Egyptian populations and were more similar in size to modern C. olivieri nyansae from Kenya than to modern C. olivieri olivieri from Egypt.

Natural Selection Footprints Among African Chicken Breeds and Village Ecotypes.

Natural selection is likely a major factor in shaping genomic variation of the African indigenous rural chicken, driving the development of genetic footprints. Selection footprints are expected to be associated with adaptation to locally prevailing environmental stressors, which may include diverse factors as high altitude, disease resistance, poor nutrition, oxidative and heat stresses. To determine the existence of a selection footprint, 268 birds were randomly sampled from three indigenous ecotypes from East Africa (Rwanda and Uganda) and North Africa (Baladi), and two registered Egyptian breeds (Dandarawi and Fayoumi). Samples were genotyped using the chicken Affymetrix 600K Axiom® Array. A total of 494,332 SNPs were utilized in the downstream analysis after implementing quality control measures. The intra-population runs of homozygosity (ROH) that occurred in >50% of individuals of an ecotype or in >75% of a breed were studied. To identify inter-population differentiation due to genetic structure, FST was calculated for North- vs. East-African populations and Baladi and Fayoumi vs. Dandarawi for overlapping windows (500 kb with a step-size of 250 kb). The ROH and FST mapping detected several selective sweeps on different autosomes. Results reflected selection footprints of the environmental stresses, breed behavior, and management. Intra-population ROH of the Egyptian chickens showed selection footprints bearing genes for adaptation to heat, solar radiation, ion transport and immunity. The high-altitude-adapted East-African populations’ ROH showed a selection signature with genes for angiogenesis, oxygen-heme binding and transport. The neuroglobin gene (GO:0019825 and GO:0015671) was detected on a Chromosome 5 ROH of Rwanda–Uganda ecotypes. The sodium-dependent noradrenaline transporter, SLC6A2 on a Chromosome 11 ROH in Fayoumi breed may reflect its active behavior. Inter-population FST among Egyptian populations reflected genetic mechanisms for the Fayoumi resistance to Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV), while FST between Egyptian and Rwanda–Uganda populations indicated the Secreted frizzled related protein 2, SFRP2, (GO:0009314) on Chromosome 4, that contributes to melanogenic activity and most likely enhances the Dandarawi chicken adaptation to high-intensity of solar radiation in Southern Egypt. These results enhance our understanding of the natural selection forces role in shaping genomic structure for adaptation to the stressful African conditions.

Correlation between ABO Blood Groups and Malocclusion in a sample of Egyptian Populations: A cross sectional study

Background: The authors sought to investigate. the relationship between the blood groups and malocclusion in group from the Egyptian population. Methods: A total of 300 students (172 females and 128 males) in the age ranges of 17 – 22 years participated in this study. A separate sheet was used as a record for each student providing complete information about their blood group type and malocclusion. The blood group of each student was first determined and then divided into four groups according to their ABO blood group into A, B, O and AB group. Inside each group we started to diagnose their type of occlusion, the presence or absence of any malocclusion followed by classifying this malocclusion. Results: Using Chi-square (x2) test with significance level was set at P ≤ 0.05, it was found that a correlation exists between the blood group and malocclusion indicating that the prevalence of malocclusions is highest in blood group A followed by O then B and the least prevalence in AB. Conclusions: The estimation of the correlation between blood groups and malocclusions showed that blood groups have an association with malocclusions with highest prevalence in blood group A followed by O, B and AB in group of Egyptian population.

Prevalence of human papilloma virus in oropharyngeal, tongue and lip squamous cell carcinoma: an experience from the Egyptian National Cancer Institute

Human papilloma virus (HPV) is now a well-known risk factor for head and neck cancer besides smoking and alcohol. Most studies mentioned that patients affected with high-risk HPV cancers have...

Entheseal changes in ancient Egyptians from the pyramid builders of Giza—Old Kingdom

AbstractEntheseal changes are distinct skeletal markings that occur where a muscle, tendon, or ligament inserts into bone cortex, in response to many factors including physical activity. Therefore, entheseal changes have been frequently used to reconstruct habitual life activities of ancient populations. The present study examines a sample of 195 ancient Egyptians from Giza—Old Kingdom (2700–2190 BC), the period of pyramid builders. The material consists of two burials that were identified as belonging to individuals of different socio‐economic classes: workers and high officials. This distinction between the socio‐economic classes is based on evidence including location and design of cemeteries, contents of goods, and writings and drawings on tombs. Entheseal changes at 14 sites, representing the main articulations of the body, were examined to assess any association between entheseal expression and physical activities. The results of this study suggest that the frequency and severity of entheseal changes varied between workers and high officials, and between males and females. As expected, males exhibited higher levels of entheseal expression, suggesting sexual dimorphism in activity. No clear bilateral asymmetry was observed, except for in female high officials, who exhibited higher levels of entheseal expression at the right hand. A direct comparison of frequencies of entheseal changes between the two social classes, by sex and age, revealed that male and female workers had higher levels of entheseal expression than high officials, suggesting a division in labour. Together, these data suggest that entheseal changes can be used, cautiously, to study activity patterns in ancient Egyptian populations.

Corneal Endothelial Cell Density and Morphology in Healthy Egyptian Eyes.

Purpose To evaluate the corneal endothelial cell density and morphology in normal Egyptian eyes. Methods In total, 568 healthy eyes of 568 Egyptian volunteers aged 20 to 85 years were examined using noncontact specular microscopy for the central corneal thickness (CCT), mean endothelial cell density (MCD), coefficient of variation (CV) in cell area, mean cell area (MCA), and hexagonal cell (Hex) percentage. Variables were compared between sexes and between different age groups. Results The mean CCT, MCD, and MCA were 514.45 ± 43.04 μm, 2647.50 ± 382.62 cells/mm2, and 390.59 ± 149.94 μm2, respectively. MCD and MCA showed no significant differences between men and women (P=0.171 and 0.099, respectively), whereas CV (%) and Hex (%) showed significant differences (P=0.024 and 0.015, respectively). CCT (P=0.007, r = −0.113) and MCD (P < 0.001, r = −0.357) exhibited a significant negative correlation with age, whereas CV (%) (P < 0.001, r = 0.341) and MCA (P=0.008, r = 0.111) exhibited a significant positive correlation. The mean rate of endothelial cell loss from 20 to 85 years of age was 0.3% per year. Conclusions Our results provide normative data for the corneal endothelium in healthy Egyptian eyes, thus increasing the knowledge base for corneal endothelial cell parameters in healthy Egyptian eyes. Furthermore, our findings can be used as baseline values for comparisons between Egyptian and other populations and for studies of the endothelial cell reserve and capacity for intraocular surgery and corneal transplantation.

Is Nymphaea lotus var. thermalis a Tertiary relict in Europe?

Nymphaea lotus L. is a tropical and subtropical species of waterlilies with an African distribution. A conspicuous satellite occurrence can be found in Europe in a thermal spring in NW Romania. This population (treated as var. thermalis (DC.) Tuzson) received much attention as a potential Tertiary relict in the flora of Europe, although its relict vs. planted nature has been part of great debate among scholars during the last 200 years. We revisit this question by using molecular phylogenetic methods to estimate the timing of divergence of this species, and put this population into a phylogeographic context by comparing it to samples coming from the whole area of the species. By using sequences of the nuclear and the plastid genome, we reconstructed the phylogeographic relationships within N. lotus with a haplotype network building approach, that identified a genetically distant lineage in western Africa, which we relate to N. zenkeri Gilg, the sister species of N. lotus. All the populations of N. lotus s.str. displayed genetic distance between each other except for the Egyptian and Romanian populations. On our dated phylogeny of the subgenus Lotus the separation between N. lotus and its sister species was found to be younger than the end of the Tertiary (1.26 Mya). These results clearly refute the Tertiary relict status of the European population of N. lotus.

Detection of Selection Signatures Among Brazilian, Sri Lankan, and Egyptian Chicken Populations Under Different Environmental Conditions

Extreme environmental conditions are a major challenge in livestock production. Changes in climate, particularly those that contribute to weather extremes like drought or excessive humidity, may result in reduced performance and reproduction and could compromise the animal’s immune function. Animal survival within extreme environmental conditions could be in response to natural selection and to artificial selection for production traits that over time together may leave selection signatures in the genome. The aim of this study was to identify selection signatures that may be involved in the adaptation of indigenous chickens from two different climatic regions (Sri Lanka = Tropical; Egypt = Arid) and in non-indigenous chickens that derived from human migration events to the generally tropical State of São Paulo, Brazil. To do so, analyses were conducted using fixation index (Fst) and hapFLK analyses. Chickens from Brazil (n = 156), Sri Lanka (n = 92), and Egypt (n = 96) were genotyped using the Affymetrix Axiom®600k Chicken Genotyping Array. Pairwise Fst analyses among countries did not detect major regions of divergence between chickens from Sri Lanka and Brazil, with ecotypes/breeds from Brazil appearing to be genetically related to Asian-Indian (Sri Lanka) ecotypes. However, several differences were detected in comparisons of Egyptian with either Sri Lankan or Brazilian populations, and common regions of difference on chromosomes 2, 3 and 8 were detected. The hapFLK analyses for the three separate countries suggested unique regions that are potentially under selection on chromosome 1 for all three countries, on chromosome 4 for Sri Lankan, and on chromosomes 3, 5, and 11 for the Egyptian populations. Some of identified regions under selection with hapFLK analyses contained genes such as TLR3, SOCS2, EOMES, and NFAT5 whose biological functions could provide insights in understanding adaptation mechanisms in response to arid and tropical environments.

Resistin gene polymorphisms and serum lipid levels in acne vulgaris: a case–control study in Egyptian patients

Background Acne vulgaris is a multifactorial inflammatory disease. Resistin gene is believed to play a role in inflammatory diseases by triggering the release of some cytokines. Objective The aim was to investigate resistin gene polymorphisms in patients with acne and the relation between the gene polymorphisms and serum lipid levels in Egyptian patients with acne. Patients and methods A total of 50 Egyptian patients with acne vulgaris and 50 healthy controls were enrolled in this case–control study. Global acne grading system was used to assess the severity of acne. PCR-RFLP technique was used to detect polymorphisms of RETN +299G>A and RETN −420C>G, and the serum lipids are measured in all patients and controls. Results RETN gene polymorphisms at −420C>G genotype distribution showed a significant difference between patients and control groups in CG and GG genotypes. Participants carrying G allele were significantly more likely to develop acne vulgaris. There was a significant difference between patients and control groups in the frequency of distribution of GA and AA genotypes in RETN gene polymorphisms at +299G>A. There were significant positive correlations between both RETN gene polymorphisms and acne severity, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein. Conclusion RETN gene polymorphisms at −420C>G and +299G>A are significantly associated with serum lipids and severity of acne vulgaris in Egyptian populations. Thus, RETN may play a central role in acne pathogenesis through its dual effects on both lipid metabolism and inflammation.