Aqueous extracts were prepared from eight medicinal plants and other plants were prepared as essential oils. The radical-scavenging ability of each plant extract was determined by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay. The total phenolic content of plants was determined by the Folin–Ciocalteu reagent in terms of gallic acid equivalents. The DPPH scavenging potential of the aqueous extracts ranged from 17 to 79%, whereas the essential oils showed inhibition of the DPPH activity in the 12–88% range. The highest inhibition of DPPH radicals was observed for Pinus halepensis extract. Meanwhile, amongst the essential oils, the greatest antioxidant potential was exhibited by Nigella sativa. The Bauhinia variegate extract had the highest phenolic content (149.18 mg/g gallic acid equivalents), followed by Albizzia lebbeck (148.00 mg/g) and Pinus halepensis (145.67 mg/g), whereas, amongst the essential oils, the highest phenolic content (98.57 mg/g) was found for Thymus vulgaris. The lowest contents were observed for Kigelia africana and Rosmarinus officinalis. The antioxidant activity had a positive correlation (R=0.654) with the phenolic content of most aqueous extracts, whereas it had a weak correlation using the essential oils (R=0.335). This confirms that the phenolic content of aqueous extracts may contribute towards their antioxidant properties.

In order to study the effects of salinity on rose and the alleviation of its effects by GA3, different salinity concentrations i.e. 0, 1, 2 and 4 dSm-1 NaCl and GA3 at 0, 50 and 100 mgL-1 on growth and some physiological as well as biochemical and mineral content were investigated. Salinity treatments significantly decreased plant height, branch number and both leaf and stem dry weights compared with the control. Salinity treatments also reduced leaf area and relative water content (RWC), however the stomatal density was increased. Leaf chlorophyll content, N, P, K, Ca and Mg were reduced with increasing salinity concentrations. Meanwhile, Na, Cl and total soluble sugars were gradually increased with increasing salinity concentration. Membrane permeability, proline accumulation and the antioxidant enzymes activities (SOD, CA and POD) of rose leaves were increased by salinity. GA3 treatments alleviated the negative effects of salinity on the growth and physiological and biochemical parameters previously mentioned. The obtained results suggest that GA3 play an important role in the defense system against salinity in rose plant through increasing the antioxidant enzyme activities and proline content as well as preventing ion homeostasis.

A pot experiment was conducted to study the alleviation of salinity effects by GA3 or inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and their effects on growth, flower yield and volatile oil content of chamomile plant. Salinity concentrations were 0, 3 and 6 dSm-1 NaCl and GA3 was used at 0, 75 and 150 mgL-1. Salinity treatments significantly decreased plant height, branch number and relative water content (RWC) compared with the control. The volatile oil percentage was increased while the volatile oil yield was decreased with increasing salinity level. Salinity treatments also reduced chlorophyll content and membrane stability index (MSI) however, total soluble sugars (TSS), proline content and antioxidant enzyme activities (CAT, SOD and POX) were increased relative to the control. N, P, K, percentages were reduced with increasing salinity concentrations. Meanwhile, sodium was gradually increased with increasing salinity level and hence Na:K ratio was increased in salt stressed plants. GA3 or AMF treatments alleviated the abovementioned negative effects of salinity. The increment of antioxidant enzymes activities and accumulation of proline as a result of GA3 or AMF treatments are suggested to involve as part of the defense against salinity in chamomile plant. To alleviate the negative effects of salinity on chamomile plant, treatment of GA3 at150 mgL-1 or AMF inoculation treatment was recommended.

tIn this study were aimed to identify the association of SNPs candidate genes of TNF- and IL-6 with hor-mones levels and sperm cells death in infertile subjects of Uttar Pradesh population in North India. Thestudy population comprised, fertile donor (control group) and infertile group patients i.e. normozoosper-mic (idiopathic unexplained), oligozoospermic and asthenozoospermic groups, with 260 subjects in eachgroup. Subjects were selected from the Departments of Urology, K.G’s Medical University and Urology,SGPGIMS, Lucknow, India. The allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and PCR-RFLP were usedto investigate the substitution of the guanine (G)-to-adenosine (A) at position-308 and guanine (G)-to-cytosine (C) at position-174 in the promoter regions of the TNF- and IL-6 genes, respectively. Furthertheir relation to male fertility and sperm function were also investigated. It was found that the substi-tution levels from G to A and from G to C in the TNF- and IL-6 genes, respectively, were significantlyhigher in the infertile subjects as compared to that of control group. The apoptosis and necrosis lev-els were also higher in oligozoospermic and asthenozoospermic infertile subjects. Further it was foundto be associated with increased level of reactive oxygen species as observed in oligozoospermic andasthenozoospermic subjects. However, a significant decrease in testosterone and luteinizing hormonewith increased prolactin and follicle stimulating hormones was observed in infertile subjects. The studypopulations indicating a strong association between TNF- G-308A and IL-6 G-174C substitution withinfertile men which is further supported by allele and genotype meta-analysis and thus established it asa risk factor.

Four soil samples were collected from the surface layer of some cultivated and uncultivated calcareous soils located in the areas of Wadi El-Assiut and its interference zone with the Nile valley at Assiut to evaluate the application effects of certain organic materials on some chemical properties and the available Ca and P of these soils. The organic materials included 1) humic acid (HA) 2) vinasse (V) 3) clover straw (CS) and 4) ethyllyene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA). They were applied to the soil samples at levels of 2.5 and 5.0%. Soil samples treated with organic materials as well as the controls were moistened to the field capacity and then incubated at 24±2ºC for different time periods (30, 60 and 120 days). The EC of studied soils significantly increased with the addition of the studied organic materials and with increasing the addition level. It also increased with the time of incubation until 60 days but then decreased after 120 days of incubation. The soil pH increased with adding both humic acid and EDTA compared to the control. However, the application of vinasse and clover straw to all studied soils at both application levels showed a reduction in the soil pH. The CaCO3 content of the organic material treated soils decreased with increasing both the application level of each organic material and the incubation time. Most organic material treated soils showed decreases in CaCO3 in the order of CS > HA ≈ EDTA ≈ Vinasse. The available Ca of the studied soils increased with adding the investigated organic materials as well as their application level, except using CS. EDTA as a synthetic chelating agent gave the highest amounts of the available calcium in all studied soils. The increases in the soil available Ca induced by addition of the investigated organic materials showed the order of Vinasse> HA> EDTA> CS in all soils.All organic materials resulted in significant increases in the available P of all studied soils compared to the control treatment. In most cases, the available P of the studied soils treated with the investigated organic materials increased with increasing the incubation time up to 30 days and then, decreased in the last two incubation periods (60 and 120 days). Highest levels of available P were observed in the treated A and B (cultivated) soils. However, relatively low available P levels were found in the treated C and D (uncultivated) soils. The increases in the soil available P induced by addition of the investigated organic materials, generally, decreased in the order of the Vinasse > HA > CS > EDTA.

Four soil samples were collected from the surface layer of some cultivated and uncultivated calcareous soils located in the areas of Wadi El-Assiut and its interference zone with the Nile valley at Assiut to evaluate the application effects of certain organic materials on some chemical properties and the available Ca and P of these soils. The organic materials included 1) humic acid (HA) 2) vinasse (V) 3) clover straw (CS) and 4) ethyllyene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA). They were applied to the soil samples at levels of 2.5 and 5.0%. Soil samples treated with organic materials as well as the controls were moistened to the field capacity and then incubated at 24±2ºC for different time periods (30, 60 and 120 days). The EC of studied soils significantly increased with the addition of the studied organic materials and with increasing the addition level. It also increased with the time of incubation until 60 days but then decreased after 120 days of incubation. The soil pH increased with adding both humic acid and EDTA compared to the control. However, the application of vinasse and clover straw to all studied soils at both application levels showed a reduction in the soil pH. The CaCO3 content of the organic material treated soils decreased with increasing both the application level of each organic material and the incubation time. Most organic material treated soils showed decreases in CaCO3 in the order of CS > HA ≈ EDTA ≈ Vinasse. The available Ca of the studied soils increased with adding the investigated organic materials as well as their application level, except using CS. EDTA as a synthetic chelating agent gave the highest amounts of the available calcium in all studied soils. The increases in the soil available Ca induced by addition of the investigated organic materials showed the order of Vinasse> HA> EDTA> CS in all soils.All organic materials resulted in significant increases in the available P of all studied soils compared to the control treatment. In most cases, the available P of the studied soils treated with the investigated organic materials increased with increasing the incubation time up to 30 days and then, decreased in the last two incubation periods (60 and 120 days). Highest levels of available P were observed in the treated A and B (cultivated) soils. However, relatively low available P levels were found in the treated C and D (uncultivated) soils. The increases in the soil available P induced by addition of the investigated organic materials, generally, decreased in the order of the Vinasse > HA > CS > EDTA.