The present investigation aimed to document and analyze the diversity of scale characteristics in three Nemipterus species; N. zysron (12.2–18.5 cm SL), N. randalli (13–18 cm SL), and N. japonicus (8.5–17.2 cm SL) collected from the Egyptian Red Sea near Hurghada. Assessing interspecific differences in scale morphology, geometry, and morphometry provides valuable insights for taxonomy and stock identification. The results revealed pronounced interspecific variations in scale geometry, morphometrics, and radii meristics, particularly with respect to overall shape and size. Detailed structural features and surface ornamentation were examined using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Notable differences were observed in surface morphology, interradial and intercircular grooves, interradial tongues and circuli, denticles, inner and outer lateral circuli and caudal field segmentation and granulation pattern. The observed variation in scale form among the three species underscores the potential utility of scale morphology in stock discrimination. Collectively, these findings contribute to improved species differentiation and offer a valuable tool for fisheries management and taxonomic assessment.

Background

Synanthropic filth flies thrive in human and animal habitats, posing health risks through the transmission of infectious agents. They breed on organic waste, including animal feces, making them carriers of various pathogens. In Egypt, where livestock farming is common and poor sanitation, these flies may contribute to zoonotic disease transmission. The current study investigates parasitic infections in filth flies from three livestock farms in Assiut Governorate, Upper Egypt, highlighting their role as vectors for zoonotic infections, particularly Cryptosporidium, via morphological and molecular tools.

Methods

A total of 12,749 flies were collected from the study sites via sweep nets. After taxonomic identification, the flies were examined microscopically for parasites using various concentration and staining techniques. Positive samples were further confirmed for infections, particularly for Cryptosporidium parasites, via nested PCR and sequence analysis targeting the COWP and SSU rRNA genes.

Results

This study revealed the presence of several fly species from seven dipteran families, particularly the family Muscidae, primarily Musca domestica, which presented a high parasite infestation rate of 96.6%. This study revealed a high prevalence of various protozoans and helminths in the collected flies. Cryptosporidium was the most prevalent parasite (64.4–100%), infecting all fly species. Entamoeba and Balantidium were also significant, especially in M. domestica (22.6–90.1%, 8.9–100%), Fannia canicularis (10.5–74.4%, 44.2–88.2%), and Borborillus vitripennis (11.1–50%, 37.2–91.4%). Giardia, Trichuris, and Trichostrongylidae had low to moderate prevalence in multiple fly species. Mites are commonly detected on fly exoskeletons, with high infestation rates observed in Musca domestica (77–100%) and Physiphora alceae (66.7–100%). The present study also reported sporadic infections with Trichomonas, Toxocara vitulorum, and pseudoscorpions, along with notable midge larval infestations (52.1%), mainly at site B. Parasitic infections were highest in autumn and spring, with the lowest rates in winter. Molecular identification confirmed the presence of the zoonotic species Cryptosporidium parvum and Cladotanytarsus gedanicus.

Conclusion

This study revealed that zoonotic parasites exist in flies and pose potential risks when they are found near humans. Cryptosporidium parvum is the prevalent parasite causing diarrhea outbreaks in animals. This is the first genetic evidence of Cladotanytarsus gedanicus midge from Upper Egypt.

Despite its high toxicity and corrosivity, hydrogen fluoride (HF) is widely used in industrial processes such as fluorine compound synthesis, aluminum production, and gasoline refining. As the only weak hydrohalic acid, HF may exist in its molecular, undissociated form in some aqueous and biological environments. HF has similar polarity to H₂O, and both liquids exhibit hydrogen bond-driven molecular associations. However, their electrostatic potential surfaces differ: the oxygen atom in H₂O carries a more negative potential than the fluorine atom in HF, while the hydrogen atom in HF carries a more positive potential than in H₂O. 

This study investigates heat transfer in a Maxwell nanofluid flowing over a horizontal cylindrical surface immersed in an incompressible viscous medium, subjected to an external magnetic field and uniform heat flux. The model accounts for the effects of Brownian motion, thermophoresis, interstitial fluid velocity, and thermal absorption in biological tissue factors critical in cancer thermal therapy applications. Through appropriate similarity transformations, the governing partial differential equations were reduced to a nonlinear, coupled system of ordinary differential equations, which was solved numerically using MATLAB’s bvp4c solver. Numerical results reveal that increasing the thermophoresis parameter leads to a notable decrease in interstitial fluid temperature within tumor tissue, indicating diminished thermal penetration due to nanoparticle migration away from the heated zone. Furthermore, higher Deborah number values and stronger magnetic field intensities enhance localized heat distribution, offering potential mechanisms for precise thermal control in tumor regions. The novelty of this work lies in integrating Maxwell viscoelastic nanofluid dynamics with key tumor microenvironment characteristics, including vascular wall porosity and nonlinear thermal absorption, thereby contributing valuable insights into the design of more effective nanoparticle-based thermal therapies.

A Newtonian nanofluid containing suspended nanoparticles can substantially improve heat transfer due to enhanced energy transport mechanisms. This theoretical study investigates heat and mass transfer in biological tissues using such a nanofluid under a magnetic field. These properties have promising medical and engineering applications. The nonlinear governing equations were transformed into ordinary differential equations using similarity variables and numerically solved with MATLAB boundary value problem solver bvp4c, subject to appropriate boundary conditions. Results demonstrated increasing the heat source parameter dramatically raised tumor interstitial temperature. This heating, along with improved nanoparticle accumulation within the tumor due to the thermal effects, are together essential for effective hyperthermia treatment. The model provides new insights into tuning heat and mass transport mechanisms in biological tissues via nanofluids for therapeutic applications. Therefore, the findings of this study may improve the efficacy of thermal therapy in treating cancer.