This study was carried out to evaluate the growth performance of selected genotypes of Fayoumi raised under Assiut conditions. Eight hundred and eighty, unsexed, one day old Fayoumi chicks representing three genotypes were used in this experiment. The two genotypes were obtained from Fayoumi chickens selected for high (HBW) and light (LBW) body weight, respectively. Where, the third genotype represented the original population (without selection) as a control group. Chicks were wing banded, kept in floor pens and maintained under the prevailing conditions throughout the experiment time. Feed and water were available ad libitum. Body weight (BW) and feed consumption (FC) were measured and recorded monthly. Body weight gain (BWG), relative growth rate (R %) and feed to gain ratio (F:G ratio) were monthly calculated and analyzed. The results showed that the effect of genotype and sex on (BW) and (BWG) were highly significant (P≤0.01) from hatch to 16 weeks of age. Body weight of different genotypes during the experiment period (0-16 weeks of age) increased in cubic manner with a positive increase in relation to age. The males relative growth rates in general increased significantly than females, but it decreased with the progress of chicks age. The interactions between genotype and sex for BW, BWG and relative growth rate were not significant. Also, analysis of variance showed no significant effect of genotype on monthly feed consumption (FC) (gram/chick/day) and F: G ratio during the first and second months of age, but it was significant (P≤0.05) during the third and fourth months of age for (FC) and during fourth month for F: G Ratio. The control group had an efficient in feed conversion during the fourth months of the growing period. The HBW genotype had significant higher BW, BWG and FC than the LBW genotype. It was noticed that, actual body weight of all studied genotypes over all studied ages were in general LBW and HBW chicks could be used in the future breeding programs strategy.

Insect vector-borne diseases remain one of the principal causes of human mortality. In addition to conventional measures of insect control, repellents continue to be the mainstay for personal protection. Because of the increasing pyrethroid-resistant mosquito populations, alternative strategies to reconstitute pyrethroid repellency and knock-down effects have been proposed by mixing the repellent DEET (N,N-Diethyl-3-methylbenzamide) with nonpyrethroid insecticide to better control resistant insect vector-borne diseases. By using electrophysiological, biochemichal, in vivo toxicological techniques together with calcium imaging, binding studies and in silico docking, we have shown that DEET, at low concentrations, interacts with high affinity with insect M1/M3 mAChR allosteric site potentiating agonist effects on mAChRs coupled to phospholipase C second messenger pathway. This increases the anticholinesterase activity of the carbamate propoxur through calciumdependent regulation of acetylcholinesterase. At high concentrations, DEET interacts with low affinity on distinct M1/M3 mAChR site, counteracting the potentiation. Similar dosedependent dual effects of DEET have also been observed at synaptic mAChR level. Additionally, binding and in silico docking studies performed on human M1 and M3 mAChR subtypes indicate that DEET only displays a low affinity antagonist profile on these M1/M3 mAChRs. These results reveal a selective high affinity positive allosteric site for DEET in insect mAChRs. Finally, bioassays conducted on Aedes aegypti confirm the synergistic interaction between DEET and propoxur observed in vitro, resulting in a higher mortality ofmosquitoes. Our findings reveal an unusual allosterically potentiating action of the repellent DEET, which involves a selective site in insect. These results open exciting research areas in public health particularly in the control of the pyrethroid-resistant insect-vector borne diseases. Mixing low doses of DEET and a non-pyrethroid insecticide will lead to improvement in the efficiency treatments thus reducing both the concentration of active ingredients and side effects for non-target organisms. The discovery of this insect specific site may pave the way for the development of new strategies essential in the management of chemical use against resistant mosquitoes.The Repellent DEET Potentiates Carbamate Effects via Insect Muscarinic Receptor Interactions: An Alternative Strategy to Control Insect Vector-Borne Diseases. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/276459433_The_Repellent_DEET_Potentiates_Carbamate_Effects_via_Insect_Muscarinic_Receptor_Interactions_An_Alternative_Strategy_to_Control_Insect_Vector-Borne_Diseases [accessed Jun 9, 2015].

The pomegranate aphid, Aphis punicae (Passerini) (Homoptera: Aphididae) is one of the most important pests in Egypt on pomegranate trees. The study presented in this paper was conducted from 2012 to 2013 to compare the efficiency and selectivity of neonicotinoids (acetamiprid, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam and dinotefuran), organophosphate (malathion) and carbamate (pirimicarb) insecticides against pomegranate aphid and the associated predators, Coccinella undecimpunctata Linnaeus, Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) and Syrphus corolla Fabricius. These insecticides significantly reduced the pomegranate aphid population by an average of between 70.6 and 90.7%. The effects persisted for up to 15 days after the end of treatment. The greatest control of A. punicae was achieved by thiamethoxam > acetamiprid > imidacloprid > pirimicarb > dinotefuran > malathion. Acetamiprid, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, malathion and pirimicarb were harmful to predators and the observed reduction ranged from 75.4 to 100% and dinotefuran was moderately harmful to lacewings with an average reduction about 64.4%. These results suggested that the neonicotinoid insecticides can be considered as promising candidates for controlling the pomegranate aphid as, although they do have harmful to moderately harmful effects on predators, they are significantly less toxic to these beneficial organisms than malathion and pirimicarb. Effect of several insecticides on pomegranate aphid, Aphis punicae (Passerini) (Homoptera: Aphididae) and its predators under field conditions. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274695746_Effect_of_several_insecticides_on_pomegranate_aphid_Aphis_punicae_%28Passerini%29_%28Homoptera_Aphididae%29_and_its_predators_under_field_conditions [accessed Jun 9, 2015].

The experiment examined the effect of body weight, season of birth and GnRH injection i.v. (5 ug/kg body weight/animal 2-h intervals for 24 hours) on age at puberty and p4 concentration in 10 Rhamni ewe lambs six months of age with mean body weight 19.88 ± 0.78 kg. This study started on June 20, 2001 and continued until the expected time of puberty in the Farm of Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar university, Assiut. The ewe lambs were divided at random into two equal groups. The first group included three lambs born in autumn and two ewe lambs born in winter and this group was considered as control (Ctrl). The second group also involved three ewe lambs born in autumn and two ewe lambs born in winter and this group was treated by GnRH i.v. injection and considered as treated ewe lambs (Tr.). After GnRH injection , two fertile rams were allowed to remain with each group for half an hour/day for estrous detection. All ewe lambs were fed the same ration with 11 % crude protein and 12 % ash. Each animal was given 750 g dry matter/daily of the ration which consisted of yellow corn , wheat straw, wheat bran and decorticated cotton seed meal. Green fodder, water and mineral blocks were freely available throughout the experiment. Blood samples were collected from the ewe lambs starting from June 20,2002 and the expected time of puberty . Blood (5 ml) was drawn from the jugular vein twice a week. Blood serum was separated and stored at -20 oC until assayed for P4. When the P4 concentration reached the peak for the first time over 1.0 ng/ml blood serum, this was taken as the occurrence of puberty. Results indicated that the difference between body weight of ewe lambs treated with GnRH and the Ctrl. Lacked significance. The overall mean of Rahmani body weight at puberty represented 38-42 % of the adult body weight . There was no significant difference between the two groups in age at puberty. Most treated lambs displayed higher P4 concentration than control lambs. Season of birth had also a highly significant effect (P0.01) on P4 concentration. The first peak of serum P4 (over 1.0 ng/ml) concentrations occurred 99 days after the beginning of GnRH treatment, while the second peak of over 1.0 ng/ml) concentration occurred 90 days after the first peak of P4. Treated lambs born in winter achieved the first peak of P4 concentration much earlier than control lambs born in autumn. So, GnRH was more effective in lambs born in winter than those born in autumn in accelerating the time of puberty in Rahmani ewe lambs