In this study, we examined dermatophyte infections in patients referred to the Department of Dermatology, EL-Houd El-Marsoud Hospital, Cairo, during March 2004 to June 2005. Of 506 patients enrolled in this investigation, 403 (79.6%) were clinically diagnosed as having dermatophytoses (age range 6-70 years; males 240; females 163). Species identification determined by observation of their macroscopic and microscopic characteristics was complemented with sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA region. The most common dermatophyte infection diagnosed was tinea capitis (76.4%), followed by tinea corporis (22.3%) and tinea unguium (1.2%). The most frequently isolated dermatophyte species was Trichophyton violaceum, which accounted for most (71.1%) of all the recovered dermatophytes, followed by Microsporum canis (21.09%), Trichophyton rubrum (6.2%), and Microsporum boullardii (0.49%); both Epidermophyton floccosum and Trichophyton tonsurans were each only rarely isolated (0.24%).

Background: Biomass produced as a byproduct from the β-mannanase production process by Aspergillus tamarii NRC 3was evaluated as a biosorbent for the removal and recovery of some heavy metal ions.Results: Under optimal conditions, the isolated strain recorded the highest β-mannanase activity (31.88 Uml −1 ). Thus, the biomass produced from mannanase production process as a byproduct was evaluated as a biosorbent for the removal and recovery of some heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions and an industrial wastewater. The fungal biomass was found to be efficient for the removal of Cu +2 and some heavy metal ions. The biosorption process of copper(II) by Aspergillus tamarii NRC 3 biomass was affected by changing of time, temperature, pH, metal ions concentration, the presence of some heavy metals, and biomass concentration. The rate of Cu +2 uptake from Cu +2 solution proceeded rapidly, and it appeared to be virtually complete during the initial 5 min (92%); the maximum uptake of Cu +2 appeared at 30°C, pH 5, and biomass concentration 5 g w/w. On the other hand, the fungal biomass was to remove considerable proportion of Pb 2+ , Co +2 , Ni 2+ , Fe +3 , and Cr 3+ in addition to Cu 2+ . The uptake of Cu +2 by pretreated biomass was studied. Recovery of the sorbed metal ions by desorbing agents and the potential reuse of the regenerated biomass in metal ions uptake (reloading) were evaluated. Conclusions: Aspergillus tamarii NRC 3 biomass seems to be quite feasible in the removal of heavy metal ions especially Cu +2 from aqueous solutions.

P ULICARIA UNDULATA is one of the aromatic annual herbs used in folk medicine in Egypt. The aerial parts of P. undulata plants were collected from the Red sea coastal desert during the flowering stage and used for phytochemical analysis. It was revealed that P. undulata aerial portions contain phenols, flavonoids terpenoids, saponins, alkaloids, glucosinolates and cardiac glycosides highlighting its participation in drug development and using as an alternative strategy to the harmful synthetic fungicides. The greater accumulation of the bioactive compounds in the methanolic extract was comparable with its higher antioxidant capacity and IC50 value as compared with those of the petroleum ether extract. The GC-MS analysis revealed the occurrence of ten bioactive phytocomponents including cyclotrisiloxane, hexamethyl-, cyclotetrasiloxane, octamethyl-, cyclopentasiloxane, decamethyl, dodecanoic acid, methyl ester, tetrafluorophthalonitrile, gamma-Sitosterol,

Chitin, the second most plentiful biopolymer in nature, is a major component of insect cuticle. In searching for alternative resources for fossil fuels, some fungal strains of Mucor circinelloides from an insect-source were found to produce bioethanol directly using insect chitin as a substrate. Herein, simplified methods for insect chitin extraction and application as a substrate in submerged fermentation for bioethanol production were explored. Chitin of the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana (L.)) was isolated by refluxing the cockroaches dried exoskeletons with 4% NaOH. The purity of the extracted chitin was assessed to be high when the physicochemical properties of the extracted chitin matched these of commercially available crab and shrimp samples. The extracted chitin was employed as a substrate in submerged fermentation using two strains of M. circinelloides. One of these, strains M. circinelloides 6017 showed immense potential for bioethanol production directly. It could to bio-transform 15 g/L of colloidal chitin directly to 11.22 ± 0.312 g/L of bioethanol (74% of the initial chitin mass) after 6 days of incubation. These results confirm the possibility of using insect biomass as a potential alternative resource for bioethanol production in a simple manner thus contributing to the creation of an alternate energy source.

F UNGAL biocontrol of weed is a promising eco-friendly alternative solution to reduce risks of synthetic herbicides. A field survey conducted in Wadi El-Natroun and North Sinai, Egypt, resulted in the isolation of 36 fungal isolates. Culture filtrates of the obtained isolates were screened for their ability to inhibit the seed germination and seedling development of Portulaca oleracea and Convolvulus arvensis. Filtrates crude extracts of Albifimbria verrucaria MN094460.1 and Cladosporium cladosporioides MN094461.1 gave the highest herbicidal activity against both tested weeds. A. verrucaria caused high reductions in seed germination, shoot and root length, of both weeds. Also, its crude extract significantly reduced seedling fresh weight of P. oleracea (85%) and C. arvensis (59%). On the other hand, C. cladosporioides completely inhibited seed germination, shoot and root length of P. oleracea while its extract caused 78% reduction in seedling fresh weight. In greenhouse, foliar application of 5×10 7 conidia/ml of A. verrucaria with 0.2% silwet-L-77 significantly reducted P. oleracea chlorophyll a (74%) and fresh weight (82%) also, it reduced C. arvensis chlorophyll b (57%). Whereas, conidial sprays of C. cladosporioides (5×10 7 conidia/ml with 0.2% silwet-L-77) caused significant reductions in P. oleracea chlorophyll a (73%) and fresh weight (74%). LC-MS/MS analysis revealed the presence of 12 compounds in C. cladosporioides extract and 7 compounds in A. verrucaria extract. This study concluded that A. verrucaria MN094460.1 and C. cladosporioides MN094461.1 are potentially effective biocontrol agents against P. oleracea and C. arvensis. Besides, the herbicidal activity of C. cladosporioides against P. oleracea was reported for the first time.