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The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of endometrial scratch on the pregnancy rate among women with previous failed intrauterine insemination (IUI). A systematic search was done in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and ISI web of science from inception to November 2021. We selected randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that compared endometrial scratch in the intervention group versus placebo or no intervention in the control group among infertile women with previous failure of IUI regarding different pregnancy outcomes. Revman software was utilized for performing our meta-analysis. Our main outcomes were biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, and live birth rates. Five RCTs met our inclusion criteria with a total number of 989 patients. We found endometrial scratch significantly improved the biochemical and clinical pregnancy rates in comparison with the control group among women with previous IUI failure (p 0.001). Moreover, the live birth rate was significantly increased among the endometrial scratch group (RR = 2.00, 95% CI [1.20, 3.34], p = 0.008). In conclusion, endometrial scratch is effective in improving pregnancy outcomes among women with previous IUI failure. More trials are required to confirm our findings.

The effect of microbial activity on the deterioration of archaeological stone items is a worldwide issue, and conserving them with low-toxicity, ecologically benign and naturally biocides is a difficult undertaking. Molecular identification of the microbial communities from a deteriorated archaeological object (Ptahshepses stone statue) located from the Saqqara excavation, Giza, Egypt was recorded. Six essential oils (EOs) (black cumin, clove, geranium, lavender, lemongrass, and thyme) were tested for antimicrobial activity against six degrading fungal and bacterial species. Alternaria alternate, Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, Cladosporium halotolerans, Penicillium crustosum, and Trichoderma viride and three bacterial species, Pseudomonas protegens, P. putida, and Serratia odorifera, were isolated. Of the most effective EOs, thyme showed the highest inhibition percentage (143.4%) against Serratia odorifera, followed by P. putida (135%), and Pseudomonas protegens (131.5%). Lemongrass and clove EOs had minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 0.5 µL/mL to 2 µL/mL for all isolated deteriorated fungal and bacterial species, while the lowest efficiency EOs were lavender, geranium and black cumin. It can be concluded that thyme and lemongrass EOs have a potential use for protecting the Ptahshepses stone statue from microbial deterioration.

Establishment of an efficient adventitious shoot regeneration system for mature embryo of Prunus persica via shoot organogenesis has been achieved. Three different combinations of plant growth regulators (PGRs) have been applied in the current study; 6-Benzyl adenine (BA) or thidiazuron (TDZ) with Indole acetic acid (IAA) or Indole butyric acid (IBA). The high regeneration frequency was illustrated by 1.5 mg/l BA with 0.5 mg/l IAA combinations. Quantitative expression of eight epigenetic regulatory genes; Chromomethylase 3 (CMT3), Domains Rearranged Methyltransferase2 (DRM2), Fertilization Independent Endosperm (FIE2) and Chromodomain Protein Like Heterochromatin Protein1 (LHP1), Pickle (PKL), Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA), Shoot Meristemless (STM) and DICER-LIKE1 (DCL1) have been estimated in the peach regenerated shoots. We found that the auxins and cytokinins in different combinations especially BA effect on the expression of some epigenetic genes in relation to the mature embryo.

Purpose To report our initial experience with splenectomy and proximal spleno-left portal shunt as an alternative to the standard Rex shunt, when not applicable, in children with Extrahepatic Portal Vein Obstruction (EHPVO). Methods Patients from March 2015 till September 2018, with EHPVO not suitable for Rex shunt or whose caregivers refused to consent for Internal Jugular Vein (IJV) dissection were assessed and prepared for splenectomy with proximal spleno-left portal shunt. The operative technique includes splenectomy, freeing of the splenic vein from the pancreatic bed till its junction with the inferior mesenteric vein, and then anastomosis with the intrahepatic left portal vein at the Rex recess. A distal lieno-renal shunt was performed in one patient and was excluded from the study. Results A total of 14 patients (mean age: 4.6 years) underwent splenectomy with proximal spleno-left portal shunt during the study period. The mean operative time was 246 min, while the mean postoperative hospital stay was 4.1 days. The patients' follow up period ranged from 6 to 42 months (median: 19.6 months). Only two patients had a single attack of variceal bleeding, 2 and 2.5 months postoperative respectively, and required endoscopic management with no further bleeding episodes. While the rest of patients showed an improvement of their variceal grades after the surgery. Conclusion Splenectomy with proximal spleno-left portal shunt seems to be a valuable alternative to the standard Rex shunt in treatment of children with EHPVO unsuitable for or following unsuccessful Rex shunt. Level of evidence IV

Background Hepatectomy in children deserves exhaustive preoperative and intraoperative tools to define the anatomy, minimize blood loss, and confirm adequacy of liver tissue left. The aim of this study is to report our experience in surgical management of liver tumors. Results All liver resections performed in Ain-Shams University Hospital, by the same team, between July 2013 and June 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Data related to basic demographics, indication for resection, methods of parenchymal resection, blood loss, hospital stay, morbidity, and mortality was collected. The study included 27 patients who underwent different types of hepatectomies. There was a male predominance. Age ranged from 6 months to 13 years. Weight ranged from 5.7 to 33.7 kg. Total operative time ranged from 68 to 322 min, while resection time ranged from 34 to 144 min. Blood loss ranged from 53 to 259 ml. Surgical morbidities included five patients with minor biliary leak, three patients had surgical site infection, and one patient had torsion of the remnant liver necessitating repositioning. Recurrence of the mass was faced in three patients with hepatoblastoma. There were two mortalities; one occurred as a sequela of massive intraoperative bleeding and the other took place due to postoperative hepatic insufficiency. Conclusion For a safe hepatectomy, thorough familiarity of the hepatic segmental anatomy together with the various techniques for parenchymal resection and vascular control is fundamental. Complications such as biliary leak and torsion of remnant can be easily avoided by simple measures.

Root Knot Nematode (RKN, Meloidogyne incognita) is one of the greatest damaging soil pathogens causes severe yield losses in cucumber and many other economic crops. Here, we evaluated the potential antagonistic effect of the root mutualistic fungus Piriformospora indica against RKN and their impact on vegetative growth, yield, photosynthesis, endogenous salicylic acid (SA) and its responsive genes. Our results showed that P. indica dramatically decreased the damage on shoot and root architecture of cucumber plants, which consequently enhanced yield of infested plants. Likewise, P. indica colonization clearly improved the chlorophyll content and delimited the negative impact of RNK on photosynthesis. Moreover, P. indica colonization exhibited a significant reduction of different vital nematological parameters such as soil larva density, amount of eggs/eggmass, eggmasses, females and amount of galls at cucumber roots. Additionally, the results showed that SA level was significantly increased generally in the roots of all treatments especially in plants infested with RKN alone as compared to control. This suggests that P. indica promoting SA levels in host cucumber plant roots to antagonize the RKN and alleviate severity damages occurred in its roots. This higher levels of SA in cucumber roots was consistent with the higher expressional levels of SA pathway genes PR1 and PR3. Furthermore, P. indica colonization reduces PR1, PR3 and increased NPR1 in roots of RKN infested cucumber plants when compared to non-colonized plants. Interestingly, our in vitro results showed that direct application of P. indica suspension against the J2s exhibited a significant increase in mortality ratio. Our results collectively suggest that P. indica promoting morphological, physiological and SA levels that might together play a major important role to alleviate the adverse impact of RKN in cucumber. Keywords: Piriformospora indica, Root-knot nematode, Cucumber, Salicylic acid

Background: Bariatric surgery has proven its effectiveness in achieving and maintaining weight loss and improving obesity-related co-morbidities, quality of life, and survival. As demand for bariatric surgery increases, so too will the need for revisional surgeries. The revision rate following primary bariatric surgery is reported to be between 10% and 25%. To facilitate weight loss surgically, many different types of bariatric procedures have been developed and established. Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of revisional laparoscopic mini-gastric bypass for management of inadequate weight loss after different restrictive procedures. Patients and methods: The present study is a prospective study that was conducted at Ain Shams University Hospitals in Egypt, between July 2016 and July 2018. It included Forty (40) patients who underwent a restrictive bariatric procedure 2 years ago or more with inadequate weight loss. Operative time, intraoperative complications, rate of conversion. Postoperative pain, consumption of analgesics, length of hospital stay, start of oral feeding were noted. Results: The patients series involved 40 patients, 12 of which were male patients (40%) whereas, 24 were female patients (60%). The patients’ age at the time of revisional surgery ranged from 23 to 57 years old with a mean ± SD of 38.50 ± 8.42 years. The preoperative BMI ranged from 31.25 to 52.62 kg/m2 with a mean ± SD of 41.59 ± 4.99 kg/m2 with an excess weight ranging from 19.79 to 86 kg with a mean ± SD of 46.51 ± 14.27 kg. The mean time interval between the initial restrictive surgery and the revisional LMGB was 41.63 ± 16.92 months. 18 patients (45%) had a VBG as their primary restrictive surgery, 10 patients (25%) had LAGB, 8 patients (20%) had LSG and 4 patients (10%) had LGCP. 28 patients (70%) underwent LMGB for IWL compared to 12 patients (30%) for WR. Conclusion: The revisional Laparoscopic Mini-Gastric Bypass (r-LMGB) appears to be a feasible and safe option after failed restrictive bariatric surgery. However, additional studies with larger population and longer follow up period are required to evaluate longer-term success.

The aim of research is to investigate the effect complex training on squat jump height (SJ), countermovement jump height (CMJ), ground contact time (GCT), jumping height during heading the ball (JHDH), total flight time (TFT), time to reach maximum height (TMH), and initial velocity (IV) during heading the ball from jumping. Experimental method was applied on a sample of 10 soccer players (mean +/- SD: 20.7 +/-1.2 years, 176.5+/- 7.3cm, 76.5+/-6.7 kg) by applying pre- and post-measurements. SJ, CMJ, and heading the ball from jumping tests were applied on the subjects respectively. Tests were recorded using a high frequency video camera (GoPro 3ed, 240 fps) and analyzed using (Tracker 4.96 video analysis and modeling tool). Eight week complex training program was applied 3 times a week. Results show significant differences between pre and post measurements in SJ (t= 11.78), CMJ (t= 6.30), GCT (t= 5.56), JHDH (t= 5.05), TFT (t=-4.895), TMH (t=4.895), and IV (t=-4.895) (p

A major mechanism of stress tolerance in plants is to increase the cytosolic concentration of Ca2+ ion, a secondary messenger that mediates cellular responsiveness to the extracellular environment. The involvement of different types of Ca2+-sensing protein kinases such as CIPK in stress responses has been elucidated in different plant models. In this study, the upstream regulatory sequence of a CIPK homologue from an Egyptian rice cultivar (Oryza sativa cv Giza182) was structurally and functionally characterized and tested for its ability to drive the expression of β- glucuronidase reporter gene (uidA) in wheat. To that end, a 1275-bp DNA fragment, 49 nucleotides upstream of the putative transcription start site (TSS) of the OsCIPK14 coding sequence, referred in this study as URS-CIPK14, was cloned, sequenced and analyzed for the presence of stress-responsiveness cis-acting elements. Subsequently, the URS-CIPK14 was fused to the uidA gene with and without the Act-1 intron, cloned in pAB6 and transformed into wheat mature embryo for transient expression. Our results showed that URS-OsCIPK14 fused with the Act-1 intron was induced by NaCl and ABA, whereas URS-OsCIPK14 drove expression of uidA constitutively in the absence of Act-1 intron. Furthermore, rice wide-genome screening using URS-CIPK14 sequence obtained in this study identified another homologue on chromosome 11. Unlike URS-CIPK14, which is associated with chromosome 12, this homologue located at about 1015 nucleotides upstream from the putative TSS of OsCIPK15 coding sequence. Interestingly, the 5’-UTS in CIPK14 is longer than CIPK15 and can code for a putative short ORF that contains two Casein kinase II phosphorylation motifs (SXXD). The significance of this ORF is not known at this time and needs to be elucidated in future studies. We conclude that data from this work suggest that URS-CIPK14 can be used as a promoter candidate for high expression level under both constitutive and inducible conditions.

Water stress is the most critical aspect restricting the development of agriculture in regions with scarce water resources, which requires enhancing irrigation water-saving strategies. The current work discusses the potential application of the plant-strengthening root endophyte Piriformospora indica against moderate (25% less irrigation water) and severe (50% less irrigation water) water stress in comparison to the optimum irrigation conditions of greenhouse cucumbers. P. indica improved growth, nutrient content, and photosynthesis apparatus under normal or water-stress conditions. On the other hand, moderate and severe water stress reduced yield up to 47% and 83%, respectively, in non-colonized cucumber plants, while up to 28 and 78%, respectively, in P. indica-colonized plants. In terms of water-use efficiency (WUE), P. indica improved the WUE of colonized cucumber plants grown under moderate (26 L/kg) or severe stress (73 L/kg) by supporting colonized plants in producing higher yield per unit volume of water consumed by the crop in comparison to non-colonized plants under the same level of moderate (43 L/kg) or severe (81 L/kg) water stress. Furthermore, P. indica increased the indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) content, activity levels of catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) with an apparent clear reduction in the abscisic acid (ABA), ethylene, malondialdehyde (MDA), proline contents and stomatal closure compared to non-stressed plants under both water-stress levels. In addition, chlorophyll a, b, a + b contents were increased in the leaves of the colonized plants under water-stress conditions. This improvement in chlorophyll content could be correlated with a significant increment in the transcripts of chlorophyll biosynthesis genes (protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase [POR], chlorophyll a oxygenase [CAO]) and a reduction in the chlorophyll degradation genes (PPH, pheophorbide a oxygenase [PAO], and red chlorophyll catabolite reductase [RCCR]). In conclusion, P. indica has the potential to enhance the cucumber yield grown under moderate water stress rather than severe water stress by improving WUE and altering the activity levels of antioxidant enzymes and chlorophyll metabolism-related genes.

THIS STUDY aimed to detect the effect of stress conditions imposed by different treatments of NaCl and jasmonic acid (JA) on the expression pattern and assembly of RuBisCO large subunit (RbcL) and RuBisCO enzyme complex using SDS-PAGE and HDN-PAGE techniques, respectively. Both Total Soluble Proteins (TSPs) and Chloroplast Proteins (ChPs) were variably affected by each treatment. Notably, a unique protein band was detected in the seedlings treated with 150 mM NaCl for 5 days. Surprisingly, this band was not detected under any other salt treatment. Using nano HPLC-ESI-MS/MS MALDI-TOF protein sequencing, this band was identified as downshifted RbcL at approximately 50 kDa in addition to the original one was separated at approximately 55 kDa on SDS-PAGE. The expression of RbcL protein decreased in a dose dependent manner in the plants treated with JA for one and five days. All treatments did not affect the RuBisCO complex assembly at approximately 660 kDa, but triggered stress-induced ChPs at approximately 440 kDa and 1 MDa concomitant with NaCl treatments. RbcL band isolated from intact chloroplast was associated with Coupling Factor (CF1) beta subunit of ATP synthase as revealed by MALDI-TOF protein sequencing analysis. Possible interpretations of these findings have been further discussed in this study.

The Integration of known nucleotide variations in breeding programs and medical assessments demands the ability to scan and validate thousands of gene-affected SNPs. Designing PCR primers targeting these SNPs require computational tools could generate accurate and target-specific primers using multidisciplinary data types with high accuracy. KASP-Hedgehog is a local-installation, simple and routine tool for allele-specific PCR primer design. KASP-Hedgehog gives user the ability to design KASP primer from a variety of genomic data, extract bi-allelic SNPs for genomic sequences with unknown nucleotide variations and select SNPs with potential effect depending on gene annotation. This tool can use user-provided or self-produced SNPs database to create allele-specific primers with degenerate structure in order to enhance PCR assay selectivity and increase amplification reaction. Additionally, it run an in silico PCR test for designed primers against provided FASTA sequences in order to increase primers selectivity and provide user more information. Moreover, it has interactive and user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI) in addition to a command-line package could be integrated in different bioinformatics pipelines.

Introduction Currently bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for significant and sustained weight loss. Erectile and endothelial dysfunctions may share some metabolic and vascular pathways in common that may be influenced by weight loss. Aim The aim of the study was to assess the impact of surgically induced weight loss on the erectile function on obese patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). We also aimed to examine the proposed underlying mechanism associated with improvement in erectile function after weight loss by LSG. Methods Eighty-two consecutive obese men who underwent a LGS were followed up for 12 months. All operations were performed by the same surgeon at a single institution. Main Outcome measure Patients were examined both before and after 12 months of LSG for biochemical tests; total serum cholesterol, triglyceride, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase, and for erectile function tests. International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) scores were recorded. Results Eighty-two men (mean age 39 ± 14.6 years, range 24–62; mean BMI 41.2 ± 4.8 kg/m2) completed all preoperative and postoperative questionnaires and biochemical tests. At 12 months, the mean weight loss was 34.8 kg and the mean BMI decrease was 8.6 kg/m2. Preoperative and postoperative IIEF scores of the 65 sexually active patients showed significant improvement in erectile function (21.2 ± 5.7 vs 26.5 ± 4.5; P = .02). Seventeen (20.7%) men were not sexually active preoperatively; only 5 became sexually active postoperatively. Men had a significant decrease in serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Nitric oxide synthase activity showed a significant increase (P Conclusion A significant improvement of erectile function was documented among obese young men undergoing LGS. This improvement was documented both clinically by improvement in IIEF score postoperatively and biochemically.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between Achilles tendon stiffness and ground contact time (GCT) during drop jumps. The property of “springiness” and a short GCT during the movement is required in several types of sports. Therefore, a stiff tendon might be advantageous due to the quick force transmission from the muscle to the bone. Hence, a secondary aim was to relate Achilles tendon stiffness with squat jump (SJ) and counter movement jump (CMJ) performance, respectively. Nineteen physically active healthy males (mean ± SD: 26.7 ± 3.9 years, 1.77 ± 0.07 m, 76.5 ± 6.7 kg) participated in this study. Subjects were asked to perform squat jumps and counter movement jumps to determine jump height, and drop jumps were undertaken on a force plate to determine GCT. We then simultaneously measured isometric maximum voluntary contraction (MVIC) of the plantar flexors with a dynamometer and recorded the elongation of the tendon with ultrasound; hence, we could calculate tendon stiffness. The results show a correlation between GCT and Achilles tendon stiffness (r = -0.50) and MVIC (r = -0.48), respectively. Achilles tendon stiffness was not significantly correlated with squat jump and counter movement jump height, respectively. According to the results, we can confirm the main hypothesis that a stiff Achilles tendon tends to result in a shorter GCT during drop jumps. However, Achilles tendon stiffness does not appear to be a key determinant in jumping performance.

Background The main aim of this study was to improve fungal resistance in bread wheat via transgenesis. Transgenic wheat plants harboring barley chitinase (chi26) gene, driven by maize ubi promoter, were obtained using biolistic bombardment, whereas the herbicide resistance gene, bar, driven by the CaMV 35S promoter was used as a selectable marker. Results Molecular analysis confirmed the integration, copy number, and the level of expression of the chi26 gene in four independent transgenic events. Chitinase enzyme activity was detected using a standard enzymatic assay. The expression levels of chi26 gene in the different transgenic lines, compared to their respective controls, were determined using qRT-PCR. The transgene was silenced in some transgenic families across generations. Gene silencing in the present study seemed to be random and irreversible. The homozygous transgenic plants of T4, T5, T6, T8, and T9 generations were tested in the field for five growing seasons to evaluate their resistance against rusts and powdery mildew. The results indicated high chitinase activity at T0 and high transgene expression levels in few transgenic families. This resulted in high resistance against wheat rusts and powdery mildew under field conditions. It was indicated by proximate and chemical analyses that one of the transgenic families and the non-transgenic line were substantially equivalent. Conclusion Transgenic wheat with barley chi26 was found to be resistant even after five generations under artificial fungal infection conditions. One transgenic line was proved to be substantially equivalent as compared to the non-transgenic control. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13007-017-0191-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Chitin is a major component of insect exoskeleton, tracheal system and gut where it is synthesized by chitin synthase (CHS) enzymes. In this paper, we report the isolation and RNAi of chitin synthase A (PhoCHSA) from the potato tuber moth Phthorimaea operculella. The full-length cDNA of PhoCHSA is 5,627 bp with 4,689 bp open reading frame coding for 1,563 amino acids. Structural analysis of conceptual amino acid translation showed three distinct regions found in all known insect CHS proteins; N-terminus region having 9 transmembrane helices, middle catalytic region containing several conserved domains identified in insect CHS enzymes, and C-terminus region containing seven transmembrane spans. Phylogenetic analysis showed that PhoCHSA protein clustered with CHSA enzymes identified from insects from different insect orders. RNAi targeting three different regions of the gene showed different efficacy against potato tuber moth larvae and dsRNA targeting the 5′ region has the highest efficacy. Results were verified by qRT-PCR which showed that dsRNA targeting the 5′ region caused the highest reduction in PhoCHSA mRNA level. Our results show the importance of selecting the RNAi target region and that chitin synthase A can be a suitable RNAi target for the potato tuber moth control.

The utilization of symbiosis with beneficial microorganisms provides a strategy to alleviate salt stress that reduces existing gaps in crops production. The root endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica has shown to improve plant growth in diverse plant species under biotic stress, while limited reports have discussed the interaction of P. indica with tomato under salt stress. In this study, the impact of P. indica on tomato exposed to 200 mM NaCl for one month in soil-free culture was examined. Growth performance, marker osmolytes, antioxidant enzymes and expression of LeNHX1-4 genes of tomato leaves were measured. Results show that colonization of roots by P. indica improved root branching, fresh and dry weight of salt-stressed plants. Likewise, P. indica colonization increased levels of chlorophyll b, indole acetic acid, catalase and superoxide dismutase in leaves of tomato under salt stress. Meanwhile, P. indica reduced the increase of abscisic acid and proline levels when compared to non-colonized plants. Importantly, Na+/K+ ratios in shoots and roots of colonized plants were lower than in the corresponding non-colonized plants, which may be attributed to the higher K+ concentration observed in leaves and roots of colonized plants under saline water irrigation condition. This change in ion homeostasis was combined with an increase in LeNHX1 transcripts in leaves of colonized plants. Moreover, compared to non-treated plants, colonization with P. indica enhanced fruit yield by 22% and 65% under normal and saline water irrigation, respectively. Our study shows that P. indica enhances the growth and yield of tomato plants under normal and salt stress conditions, opening up a window of opportunity for its application in desert agriculture.

Background Vascular anomalies are a heterogeneous group of anomalies. The majority follow a benign course. However, some, for example, kaposiform hemangioendotheliomas, may be life threatening. Many lines of treatment have been described; however, no single agent is always successful. It has been suggested that Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors such as sirolimus could be beneficial. Patients and methods Twelve patients with different vascular malformations refractory to different modes of treatment presented to our vascular malformations clinic, including three patients with Klippel-Trenuany Syndrome, three with kaposiform haemangioendothelioma, two with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, two with Parkes Weber syndrome, and two with lymphatic malformations. The patients were clinically examined, and them and their caregivers were asked to fill the pediatric quality-of-life inventory version 4.0 (pedsQL Generic Core Scale). Then they were put on oral sirolimus 0.8 mg/m2 adjusted to achieve serum level 10–15 ng/ml. Participants were followed up prospectively and asked to fill the quality-of-life assessment form once more after 12 months. Results Mean age of participants was 7.9 years with female predominance (8/12). Mean duration of treatment was 14.6 months. All the 12 patients significantly improved on sirolimus regarding quality-of-life score and symptoms. Conclusion Sirolimus is a valid and safe option in the treatment of refractory vascular malformations.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of three different protocols of stretching on the kinematic performance of horizontal jumping, Agility and speed for soccer players. The first protocol is doing ballistic stretching then static stretching exercises (BS-SS). The second protocol is doing static stretching then ballistic stretching exercises (SS-BS). The third protocol is doing soccer passing drills (SPD) for 10 minutes without stretching. The three protocols were applied after 5 minutes of running activities. Dependent variables included a horizontal jump, agility run, and 30-m sprint tests. Also speed, acceleration, and steps frequency were analyzed. This study was applied on 23 trained male student-athletes aged (20+ 0.4 years). The (SS-BS) condition (2.247 + 0.096 m) showed significant differences (p < 0.01) for longer distance than the (BS-SS) condition (2.165 + 0.124) and also than the (SPD) condition (2.197 + 0.110 m) in the horizontal jump test. The (SS-BS) condition (3.544 + 0.247 second) also showed significant differences (p < 0.01) in the flying 30m sprint test for faster times than the (BS-SS) condition (3.858 + 0.288 second) and also than the third condition (SPD) (4.050 + 0.193 second) . The (SPD) condition showed significant differences (p < 0.01) in agility test for faster time than both the (BS-SS) (11.533 + 0.485) and (SS-BS) (11.676 + 0.530) conditions. Depending on the study results and previous studies, (SS-BS) which may be practiced before high intensity activities in trained athletes if preceded by moderate intensity running activities is recommended.

Background Wheat is considered the most important cereal crop all over the world. The wheat weevil Sitophilus granarius is a serious insect pests in much of the wheat growing area worldwide and is responsible for significant loss of yield. Avidin proteins has been proposed to function as plant defense agents against insect pests. Results A synthetic avidin gene was introduced into spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cv. Giza 168 using a biolistic bombardment protocol. The presence and expression of the transgene in six selected T0 transgenic wheat lines were confirmed at the molecular level. Accumulation of avidin protein was detected in transgenic plants compared to non-transgenic plants. Avidin transgene was stably integrated, transcribed and translated as indicated by Southern blot, ELISA, and dot blot analyses, with a high level of expression in transgenic wheat seeds. However, no expression was detected in untransformed wheat seeds. Functional integrity of avidin was confirmed by insect bioassay. The results of bioassay using transgenic wheat plants challenged with wheat weevil revealed 100 % mortality of the insects reared on transgenic plants after 21 days. Conclusion Transgenic wheat plants had improved resistance to Sitophilus granarius.