Vol. 23 Issue 2
Wafiqa Mohamed Aboul-Naga
The concentrations of iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co) in ten macroalgae species from the Red Sea coastal water varied widely and also the trend of abundance of cach metal also differed from one group to another. Concentration factors varied among species for iron (Fe) copper (Cu) manganese (Mn), but with iron (Fe) showing generally high concentration factors. Highly significant (P<0.05) relationships were found between manganese (Mn) and nickel (Ni), and, zinc (Zn) & copper (Cu). Moreover, moderate correlations were observed between manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe) and chromium (Cr), indicating that manganese (Min) is the most accumulated metal in the macro algae of the Red Sea. In spite of the level of trace metals in the macro algae, dominance is moderate relative to other sea areas subjected to intensive pollution. That is, the results indicated a non- polluted environment.
Abobakr Sultan Ahmed and Abdulaziz Al-Ruwas
Earth-to-space links are affected by several atmospheric impairments which may have different degrees of correlation or statistical dependence. For non-Geostationary Satellite Orbit (GSO) links operating at Ka-band in the arid climate of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), it is found that attenuation due to rain is the dominant source of propagation impairment (about 78% at 80 elevation and 0.01% time is exceeded). The effect of dust contributes the minimum source (less than 0.2%). However, the contribution of all other sources other than rain cannot be neglected (about 32%).
Siham Abdalmohsen Al Kadeeb and Mona Salah Al-Tami
Cell-free extracts of Alternaria chlamydospora contained only one L-serine transaminase activity. The enzyme was L-serine-glutamate transaminase (EC 2.6.1.52) which catalyzed the formation of 3-hydroxy pyruvate and glutamate from L alpha-serine and alpha-ketoglutarate. The enzyme had optimum activity at pH 8 and the optimal temperature of the enzyme was 40°C. The transamination reaction catalyzed by L-serine- glutamate transaminase was found to be irreversible. The enzyme was thermolabile. Km of Alternaria chlamydospora enzyme for L-serine and alpha-ketoglutarate were calculated and found to be 13.33 and 6.66 mm respectively. The activity of L-glutamate transaminase of Alternaria chlamydospora was stimulated by the addition of pyridoxal phosphate, whereas hydroxylamine inhibited it. The inhibition by hydroxylamine was overcome with pyridoxal phosphate.
Ali Mohamed Al-Dousari
In the North-Western area of Kuwait, socio-economic activities were represented by four main land uses. vehicle tracks, overgrazing, sandy berms and gravel quarries. All of these activities were delineated in the form of statistical data and three different maps, and were also compared with other case studies in Kuwait. There were 1018 facilities in the study area, 66% of these were suffering from a sand encroachment problem, and most of it without a sustainable action plan. Also, There were 878 grazing points observed in the study area, mainly concentrated in the Southern sector Density of off-road vehicle tracks within the study area ranged widely from 0.46 to 4.27 km/km. with an average of 2.49 km/km', which are much higher than those measured in other study areas (Al-Mutlaa and Al-Salmi). It has been concluded that off-road tracks and grazing points are highly related to each other and both are found in higher densities around watering points. Furthermore, the Southern sector is highly degraded in comparison to other parts of the study area. As a result, developing a national action plan to control land degradation is strongly recommended. The principle of this action plan has been outlined in this study.
Reda Abdel Thaher Abdel Aziz and Fahad bin Nasser Al-Barakah
Organic farming is one of several approaches to sustainable agriculture. Properly managed organic farming reduces or eliminates environmental pollution and helps conserve water and soil on the farm. Organic farming systems require significantly greater amounts of organic fertilizers input than conventional systems. Because of the shortage of organic fertilizers in arid areas, composting is a way to transform waste materials left over from agricultural production and processing into a useful resource. Mature compost is an excellent organic fertilizer and soil amendment. The potential of of composting to turn on-farm waste material into farm resources makes it an attractive proposition. Composting offers several benefits such as to enhance soil fertility and soil health, thereby increasing agricultural productivity, improving soil biodiversity, reducing ecological risks and improving the environment. Aerobic composting of some agricultural wastes (peanut, wheat straw and palm tree wastes) was carried out to raise its fertilizing value compared with the widely used organic fertilizer, farmyard manure. The influence of composted and non-composted agricultural wastes on the availability of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) in sandy soil, as well as the uptake of these elements by corn plants, was also studied. Results indicated a rapid degradation of palm tree and wheat straw wastes as compared with peanut wastes. The composting process raised the fertilizing value of agricultural wastes as indicated by an increase in nutrient availability. The application of the composted wastes as organic fertilizers to sandy soil increased the content of available N, P and K. Results showed that the application of different composted organic materials increased the dry weight and NPK uptake by corn plants
Abdalla Al-Malki
Information flow between the different comers of the continents made patients in the developing world more aware of the health care quality and the standard of medical professionals. The matter became of great concem to the public and subsequently to the authorities. The aim of this paper is to identify some of the important factors that may have influenced the lack of progress of a group of doctors practicing in regional hospitals. Study group comprised of expected of a (35) year old medical practitioner Their career progress was observed over a period of (15) years. Nine continued in orthopaedics. Only two of them reached the level of consultant posts. (16) pursued different careers within the health care services (8) were happy with their progress in the alternative career, while the other (8) were dissatisfied. As many other doctors were able to progress under similar circumstances, adult resistance against leaming was considered an important reason to explain the lack of progress in this group. The factors considered important for failure to progress include: resistance to change, selective attention, negative attitude, indirect communication, frustration, and failure to obtain recognised higher qualifications. The commonest excuses used to explain their lack of progress were: discrimination, financial requirements, family responsibility and work overload. Conclusion is training programmes and professional career guidance are urgent considerations in many developing countries. There is a need for modifications and reformation to ensure effective future developments, modification, effective future.
Adel Ibn Abd. Al-Wahab Al-Hamdan and Sadaa Bent Muhamed Alorf
All elderly residents (total number 74) in the Riyadh nursing home were included in this study Body mass index (BMI), mid-arm circumference (MAC) and calf circumference (CC) were measured. The Mini Nutritional Assessment (MAA), specifically designed for elderly subjects, was used in the study to determine the nutritional status. are: 27% and 43% of elderly subjects were found to be malnourished and at risk of being malnourished, respectively Results. The means the (BMI), (MAC) and (CC) were about 24 kg/m2, 26 cm and 29.5 cm, respectively Elderly people who were classified as malnourished, according to the (MN), had the lowest (BMI), (MAC) and (CC). When the score of the (MNA) was based on the diagnosis of the elderly, the results show that elderly subjects with more than one main diagnosis had the lowest score. Based on the score of the (MNA) test, more than 14 of the subjects were malnourished. Most of the subjects were consuming three whole meals and more than two serving of fruit and vegetables per day It seems that food intake, in the nursing home, was satisfactory, among the subjects. Despite that. the percentage of malnourished subjects reached 27%. The results of the (MNA) test indicated the necessity of performing national nutritional assessment for this vulnerable group of people in other nursing homes and in the community.