Vol. 16 Issue 2
Abbas H. Al-Saeed
The ABO and Rh (D) blood group systems of a very large number of homogenous pregnant women from the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia have been determined by tests on both red cells and serum. High frequency of group O blood was observed in the sample population (45.3%). Rh (D) negativity was found to be rare in these areas, (1.9%).
Magdy S. Mahmoud
Previously reported fossil assemblages in the Quseir Formation do not contribute to definite age assessment. The formation was assigned a middle to late Campanian age according to its stratigraphic position below the well-dated (Campanian-Maastrichtian) Duwi (Phosphate) Formation No palynological work has previously been carried out on the Quseir Formation. Some arenaceous foraminifers (Campanian and Maastrichtian) were recorded from the Quseir Formation at Gebel Abu Had and Gebel Duwi (Eastern Desert). In the present study well-preserved palynomorphs have been recovered from shales equivalent to the Quseir Formation, in the Kharga subsurface section, Kharga Oasis. The presence of relatively large angiosperm pollen (e.g. Tricolpites spp., > 25 µm) co-occurring with rare Dinogymnium dinocyst species indicate a Campanian age for the Quseir Formation. Moreover, pre-Turonian pollen (e.g. Classopollis and Eucommiidites) are lacking. The nature and frequency of the recovered palynomorphs imply shallow water deposition. This is essentially inferred from the high percentages of land-derived miospores associated with the dominance of palynofacies debris, accompanied by low percentages of marine dinoflagellate cysts. From the data, the deposition of the Quseir Formation began shallower (in the topmost parts of the formation) and were deepening upwards as documented in the overlying Duwi Formation.
Ahmad M. Al-Saleh
Some attempts were made in the past to subdivide the Arabian Shield into a number of tectonostratigraphic terranes that were accreted onto the eastern margin of the African Craton towards the end of the Proterozoic. The eastern half of the shield in particular appeared to be a classic example of such a process, as it contained well-defined sutures dotted with genuine ophiolitic assemblages. The most popular terrane scheme for this part of the shield recognizes two blocks (Ar Rayn and Afif Terranes) of continental affinity separated from the western oceanic terranes by the major Nabitah Suture. Closer inspection, however, using recent geochemical and radiometric age data reveals that the Ar Rayn block is merely a rifted fragment of the Afif microcontinent. and should accordingly be considered as a parautochthonous terrane. The Hail structural province in the northern extremity of the Nabitah Belt contains a much more varied assemblage of magmatic rocks than is typical of the Nabitah Suture, as well as having a number of thick, slightly metamorphosed, sedimentary units that are restricted in their outcrop to this region of the shield. All of this, combined with the fact that all the contacts of this province with the rest of the shield are marked by major fault zones, some of which are ophiolite-bearing makes it reasonable to elevate it to full terrane status.
Mohammed A. Amjad and Saleh H. Alsayed
A total of 330 concrete and 30 Sand-lime bricks/blocks along with representative sand and aggregate samples were collected from 24 brick/block factories in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Tests needed to determine the mechanical and physical properties for the collected specimens were carried out. These are: grading, specific gravity, absorption of aggregate and compressive and flexural strengths, modulus of elasticity, density and water absorption of bricks/blocks.
Results of the study indicate that there is a wide variation in the mechanical properties of the collected specimens which are greatly influenced by the type of the raw materials used (white or red sand), mix proportions, curing conditions and manufacturing process. Also , based on the statistical analysis performed for the test results, empirical formulas that relate the flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, water absorption and density to the compressive strength of the bricks/blocks are suggested.
A.A. Al-Aql, E.M. Ali, Z.H. Dughaish, K.M. Al-Shibani and A.Al-Juffali
The crystal structure of CsMgCl3 has been determined by Weissenberg technique. The crystals are hexagonal. with two molecules per unit cell of dimensions: a =7.26(2)A. c =6.18(1)A. Cs. Mg and Cl atoms are located at the special positions 2(d), 2(a) and 6 (h) respectively of the space group P63/mmc. After several cycles of least square refinement the reliability factor R converged at 0.068. The structure is isomorphous with that of CsNiCl3.
T.M. Shafey
The effects of adding vitamin A supplement (0.6 mg retinol/kg) and sunflower oil (0.20 g/kg) on the performance and on yolk cholesterol, fatty acid and retinol and plasma lipids, lipoproteins and retinol concentrations of laying hens were studied for 13 weeks. Pullets fed the retinol supplement had a significantly (p < 0.05) higher egg production, egg mass, plasma retinol concentration, yolk cholesterol and retinol contents and a higher daily egg cholesterol output and a lower yolk arachidonic acid concentration than pullts fed the control diet. Weight gain, feed consumption, egg weight, yolk concentration of most fatty acids and plasma lipids and lipoproteins concentrations were not significantly affected by retinol supplementation. Sunflower oil supplementation significantly (p< 0.01) increased yolk concentration of stearic, linoleic and arachidonic acids and decreased yolk concentration of palmitic and oleic acids Production performance, yolk cholesterol, linolenic acid and retinol concentrations and plasma retinol, lipid and lipoprotein concentrations were not significantly affected by sunflower oil supplementation. There was a significant interaction between dietary sunflower oil and retinol supplements on egg weight. Sunflower oil supplementation significantly reduced egg weight of pullets fed the retinol diet, whilst sunflower oil supplementation increased the egg weight of pullets fed the control diet. The reduction in egg weight may be caused by the inhibitory effect of retinol on the synthesis of arachidonic acid from linoleic acid in the liver of laying hen.
R.H. Sammour
Electrophoretic analysis of the germinating linseed proteins shows alterations in a protein with a molecular weight of 42 KDa. This protein accumulates after 36 hours of germination in synchronization with an increase in lipase activity, and a decrease in the quantity of the total lipids. The 42 KDa subunit was found to be a lipid body membrane protein. This protein was isolated and identified by immunoprecipitating technique as a subunit of lipase. The linseed lipase reacted with a wide range of triacylglycerols and had optimal activity at pH 4.7. The activity of the enzyme was slightly affected by high concentration of salts and EDTA, while high concentrations of non-ionic detergents exhibited a pronounced inhibitory effect. These data suggest that the isolated 42 KDa protein is most likely a linseed acid lipase responsible for the breakdown of lipids during germination.
M.Y. Al-Gounaim and A. Diab
The distribution of oil-degrading bacteria in the Arabian Gulf water at Kuwait during the year January-December 1995 was studied. This group of microorganisms ranged from 0.3 - 15.2 x 10³ CFU/l in Shuwaikh Station (a commercial harbour) and 0.1 - 5.8 x 10³ CFU/l in Salmiya (a relatively unpolluted control). Their percentages among total heterotrophic bacteria were in the range of 0.2-22.8% in Shuwaikh water and 0.1- 8.8% in Salmiya water. The rations of CFU/I of oil-degrading bacteria obtained from Shuwaikh to that obtained from Salmiya are in the range of 1.5-57.0.
Autumn and winter were suitable seasons for obtaining high proportions of oil-degrading bacteria, while spring and summer were suitable for the development of large counts of total viable heterotrophic bacteria. The total number of viable fungi was greater during spring and autumn.
Out of 180 bacterial cultures able to grow in the presence of crude oil, 28 cultures showed good growth. They were Pseudomonas spp. (32.1%), Arthrobacter spp. (23.1%), Corynebacterium spp. (17.8%), Acinetobacter spp. (10.7%), and Flavobacterium spp. (7.1%). Six of the 28 species were selected and inoculated singly and as mixtures into natural sea water. Arthrobacter sp. A(1) and Pseudomonas sp. P(6) degraded 64% and 60% of the saturates fraction respectively, which were 15.5% and 11.5% above those degraded in presence and in absence of the mixed inoculum of the six species. On the other hand Pseudomonas sp. P(8) and Arthrobacter sp. A(2) degraded 30% and 29% of the aromatic fractions, which was 10-12% more than the amounts degraded in the presence and absence of the mixed inoculum.
Khaled S. Halabi, Rashad M. Natour and Salah O. Tamimi
Twenty-eight male albino rats were divided into four groups, one group was injected intraperitoneally with ochratoxin A (OTA); a second group was injected with Zearalenone (ZEAR); a third group was injected with a mixture of the two mycotoxins and a fourth group was used as control. Injections were made twice a week, for twenty weeks. Animal weights were recorded on weekly intervals. At the end of the study, all rats were killed, blood samples were drawn to determine white blood cell count and the packed cell volume. The liver, kidneys and other organs which exhibited abnormalities were weighed and processed for histopathological studies.
Ochratoxin A, caused a significant (P< 0.001) drop in the average body weight of the rats after eight weeks of treatment and produced the lowest relative kidney weights. Rats treated with ZEAR had significantly (P=0.035) low PCV readings. When ZEAR was combined with OTA it resulted in antagonistic effects in most of the parameters of the study.
The histopathological study confirmed the nephrotoxicity of OTA. One case of immunoblastic lymphoma was observed in this study. This observation suggests some relationship between mycotoxicosis and lymphoma.
Wasmia Al-Houty
The effect of termites on the physical and chemical properties of desert soil in the Kuwait were investigated.
Soil porosity was reduced in absence of termites. More slit and sand were added to the soil in areas where termites were found. More organic carbon and organic matter were available in soils where termites had been active. There was a significant increase (P=0.001) in some exchangeable cations such as cations such as calcium and magnesium, and slight increases in other cations. The differences in the concentration of potassium was significant (P=0.002) between the soils with termites and those without them.