Modeling the artificial lake-surface area change in arid agro-ecosystem: A case study in the newly reclaimed area, Egypt

Land reclamation is critically required to overcome the environmental and anthropogenic challenges in arid lands. The Western Nile Delta region, Egypt, is experiencing rapid reclamation processes for agriculture expansion. West Nubaria (781.92 km²) is one of the newly reclaimed areas in the Western Nile Delta. Due to extensive agricultural practices and poor management, an artificial saline lake formed in this area. Two primary goals of this research; 1) monitoring the annual change in the lake surface area between 2013 and 2017. 2) Predicting the areal extent of the lake surface in 2020, 2030, and 2040 based on two management scenarios. The maximum likelihood classifier (MLC) was applied to distinguish the LULC classes in 2017. Additionally, the annual modified normalized difference water index (MNDWI) calculated between 2013 and 2017. Then, the land change modeler (LCM) was utilized to predict the 2017 free water area based on the resulted MNDWI maps of 2013 and 2016 using two scenarios. With the high agreement between the actual and predicting free water area of 2017 (Kappa index = 0.93), the LCM was applied to predict the future surface water expansion in 2020, 2030, and 2040. Three land use/land cover (LULC) distinguished in 2017; agricultural land, uncultivated land, and free water class based on MLC. The MNDWI results reveal that there was an increase in the surface water area from 593 to 883 ha between 2013 and 2017, respectively. The LCM results indicate that expected increases in the surface water areas of 1068, 1711, and 2267 ha in 2020, 2030 and 2040, respectively (scenario 1) and 1065, 1726, and 2343 ha in the respective dates (scenario 2). These extend will exist over the agricultural and uncultivated lands surrounding the lake causing land degradation. Two solutions were suggested to combat the waterlogging and land degradation in this area by evacuating the artificial saline lake.

Use of portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry for environmental quality assessment of peri-urban agriculture

Urban expansion into traditional agricultural lands has augmented the potential for heavy metal contamination of soils. This study examined the utility of field portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF) spectrometry for evaluating the environmental quality of sugarcane fields near two industrial complexes in Louisiana, USA. Results indicated that PXRF provided quality results of heavy metal levels comparable to traditional laboratory analysis. When coupled with global positioning system technology, the use of PXRF allows for on-site interpolation of heavy metal levels in a matter of minutes. Field portable XRF was shown to be an effective tool for rapid assessment of heavy metals in soils of peri-urban agricultural areas.

Interleukin 10 receptor alpha subunit (IL-10RA) gene polymorphism and IL-10 serum levels in Egyptian atopic patients

OBJECTIVES

To assess the value of serum interleukin (IL) 10 levels as an immunological marker in atopy and to determine the role of an IL-10RA gene single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (serine 138-to-glycine exchange [S138G]) in the pathogenesis of atopic diseases.

METHODS

Seventy-five patients with atopic disorders were compared with 25 age-matched healthy volunteers. Serum total immunoglobulin (Ig) E and IL-10 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and the IL-10RA gene S138G variant was screened by multiplex allele-specific polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

There was a significant association between G allele frequencies of the S138G variant (62%, 60% and 68% for atopic asthma, atopic dermatitis, and allergic rhinitis, respectively) in atopic patients compared to in controls. There were significant differences in mean IgE levels but not mean serum IL-10 levels between the allelic variants in atopy groups.

CONCLUSION

The IL-10RA gene SNP S138G may contribute to susceptibility to atopic diseases but serum IL-10 level is not a sensitive indicator in atopy.