Composition, distribution patterns and habitat dlvergence of street trees in the greater Cairo city, Egypt

Species diversity of the tree flora of 38 districts in the Greater Cairo city was studied with reference to landscape differentiation of species make-up. Three main habitats including 14 sites with 263 sample plots were considered [35 urban parks, 76 road islands and 152 street verges]. In total, 378 of vascular plant species belonging to 264 genera and 79 families were recorded in urban areas of the Greater Cairo city. The most species-rich [44.7%] families were Fabaceae [36 spp.], Asparagaceae, Poaceae [21 spp.], Moraceae [19 spp.], Asteraceae [17 spp.], Euphorbiaceae and Malvaceae [15 spp.], Arecaceae [14 spp.], Lamiaceae [11 spp.], whereas the remaining families [70] constituted together 193 species. Ficus [18 spp.] was the highest among the species-rich genera, followed by Euphorbia [11 spp.], Asparagus, Brachychiton, Callistemon, Citrus and Pinus [4 spp, each]. 257 genera contained only 1-3 species e.g. Cereus, Koelreuteria, Strelitzia, Terminalia, Carica and Toona. Growth form spectra revealed that, the recorded trees [139 spp.] belonged to 32 families; shrubs [79 spp.] to 30 families, herbs and others [160 spp,] to 48 families

Value of bone biopsy and mineral apposition rate [MAR] in the diagnosis of renal osteodystrophy

35 patients on regular hemodialysis treatment [with purified water system using reverse osmosis] were studied by history, clinical, radiologic bone examination [hand, pelvis, skull], biochemical investigations such as blood urea, serum creatinine, Ca++, PO4, Mg++, Cl-, HCO3-, alkaline phosphatase, parathormone [RTH] by radioimmunoassay [RIA] and serum aluminium, in addition to bone biopsy with special stains for aluminium and preparation for MAR using tetracycline labeling in order to detect the correlation between clinical and biochemical parameters in dialysis patients with renal osteodystrophy and pathological findings on bone biopsy. Hyperparathyroid bone disease was detected in 14 cases [40%], osteomalacia in 6 cases [17.1%], mixed osteodystrophy in 11 cases [31.4%] and aplastic or a dynamic bone disease in 4 cases [11.4%]. Though serum aluminium level was elevated in most cases, evidence of aluminium bone staining was detected in only 4 cases [11.4%], one with hyperparathyroid bone disease and 3 with aplastic bone disease. Among the 4 varieties of renal osteodystrophies there were no statistical differences in age, sex, clinical or radiologic presentation, duration of dialysis nor biochemical criteria including PTH and aluminium levels. Thus, it could be concluded that bone biopsy and MAR are essential for assessment of nature and follow up of treatment in renal osteodystrophies