The Red Sea formed as a consequence of Cenozoic rifting between the African and Arabian plates. While continuous oceanic spreading is active in the southern and central sectors, in the northern Red Sea, exposure of oceanic crust is limited to a few along-axis isolated deeps. However, several off-axis magmatic edifices have been recognized in this sector, their description in terms of relative age and architectural features remains vague. One of these, offshore Quseir corresponding to a kilometer-size structural high, was studied in detail using 3D industrial seismic data. This structure is interpreted as due to the coalescence of different volcanic edifices developed on the footwall of a major rift-related normal fault. Magnetic and gravity data and forward modeling suggest a volcanic nature of the substratum underlying the morphological relief. A similar volcanic origin is proposed for other neighboring basement hills that show a similar magnetic signal. Relationships with the imaged seismo-stratigraphic sequences point to a Pleistocene age for the magmatic event. Arabian alkali-basalts, at the same latitude as Quseir, show ages comparable to those inferred for the volcano edifice studied, suggesting a similar geotectonic context. In western Arabian plate, large alkali-lava fields (Harrats) developed along rift-related faults since the early stages of the Red Sea rift (Late Oligocene). They display a significant northward rejuvenation trend that may be explained by the progressive propagation of the Afar mantle plume.

Southern and Central Red Sea oceanic crust formation is generally accepted to have started ∼5 Ma. However, the nature of the crust in the Northern Red Sea (NRS) is still debated. This paper describes the rift architecture, dynamics and evolution of the NRS and identifies domains that relate to first-order geodynamic processes. The proximal margin domain is located onshore and is characterized by latest Oligocene-Miocene half-graben basins. New seismic interpretations show that the offshore region is a necking domain dominated by low angle, high offset extensional faults, which led to the exhumation of lower crustal gabbros at Brothers Islands. 2D forward models suggest that necking passes into a distal margin domain, where the continental crust thins to < 10 km at 120 km from the coast. Sensitivity testing of interpretations for the distal domain indicates a probable scenario where exhumed lower continental crust or serpentinized mantle is present. A comprehensive rift model for the NRS in the Quseir sector accounts for circa 25 Ma magmatic underplating accompanied by half-graben development, followed by Early Miocene crustal thinning accommodated by an east-dipping detachment fault, and a Late Miocene phase with a flip of the detachment geometry, that led to the present-day configuration.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) control both innate and adaptive immunity with a wide expression on renal epithelial cells and leukocytes. Activation of TLRs results in the production of cytokines, chemokines and interferons along with activation of the transcription factor NF-κB, resulting in inflammatory perturbations. TLR4 signaling pathway is the most extensively studied of TLRs. TLR4 is expressed on renal microvascular endothelial and tubular epithelial cells. So, targeting TLR4 modulation could be a therapeutic approach to attenuate kidney diseases that are underlined by inflammatory cascade. Medicinal plants with anti-inflammatory activities display valuable effects and are employed as alternative sources to alleviate renal disease linked with inflammation. Flavonoids and other phytochemicals derived from traditional medicines possess promising pharmacological activities owing to their relatively cheap and high safety profile. Our review focuses on the potent anti-inflammatory activities of twenty phytochemicals to verify if their potential promising renoprotective effects are related to suppression of TLR4 signaling in different renal diseases, including sepsis-induced acute kidney injury, renal fibrosis, chemotherapy-induced nephrotoxicity, diabetic nephropathy and renal ischemia/reperfusion injury. Additionally, molecular docking simulations were employed to explore the potential binding affinity of these phytochemicals to TLR4 as a strategy to attenuate renal diseases associated with activated TLR4 signaling.

Unlike mammals, most invertebrates provide no direct parental care for their progeny, which makes a well-selected oviposition site crucial. However, little is known about the female evaluation of opportunities and threats during host selection. Leveraging the wide range of host plants used by the polyphagous pest, Spodoptera littoralis, we investigate oviposition choice between two plants of different nutritional quality. Females prefer to lay their eggs on the host plant, which has inferior larval development and more natural enemies but provides lower predation rates. On the superior host plant, a major predator shows more successful search behavior and is more attracted to herbivore-induced vol- atiles. Our findings show that predator efficacy and odor-guided attraction, rather than predator abundance, determine enemy free space. We postulate that predators’ behaviors contribute to the weak correlation between prefer- ence and performance during host plant selection in S. littoralis and in polypha- gous insects in general.

This study was conducted to determine for the first time the immunological, histopathological, histochemical, 
and ultrastructural changes; hematological and biochemical alterations; and poikilocytosis induced in Clarias 
gariepinus by Voliam flexi® 40% WG (thiamethoxam +chlorantraniliprole). Beside control fish, juvenile 
C. gariepinus were subjected to three sublethal concentrations of Voliam flexi® (43.5, 87.5, and 175 mg/L) for 15
days. Voliam flexi® induced immunotoxic impairments in C. gariepinus, such as a decrease in some immunity 
variables (lysozyme and phagocyte activity, immunoglobulin concentration, and nitro blue tetrazolium level). It 
also caused an extreme increase in the levels of primary cytokines (interleukin-1β and IL-6), compared with the 
control. The toxic effects of Voliam flexi® increased gradually with the increasing concentrations tested. Histological examination of the liver demonstrated necrosis, vacuolated hepatocytes (fatty deposition), melanomacrophage centers, foci of inflammatory cells, congested and dilated blood sinusoids, hepatic degeneration, fibrosis increment (Sirius Red stain), and glycogen depletion, as well as cytopathological alterations. We conclude that the toxic effects of Voliam flexi® must be restricted or prevented by using control mechanisms in aquatic systems