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This study investigates the potential of interactive English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning tools powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance digital competence among higher education students. The primary aim is to detail the learning process in several aspects: Interactive EFL Learning Based on AI, its impact and implications, and Students' Digital Competence. The research employs a qualitative approach, utilizing qualitative interviews and classroom observation. A sample of 80 students from three different universities participated in using AI-powered EFL tools (ChatGPT) over a semester. The study employed intervention assessments to measure changes in digital competence and English writing proficiency. Additionally, student feedback was collected through structured interviews and observation to explore their experiences and perceptions. The collected data were processed and analyzed using manual coding techniques by compiling every response and organizing the summary.The results indicate that AI-based EFL tools significantly improve students' digital competence, including their ability to use technology effectively for writing tasks. Students demonstrated enhanced engagement, better language skills, and increased confidence in using digital tools for academic purposes. However, challenges such as technological anxiety and varying levels of tool effectiveness were also identified. This study highlights AI's efficacy in enhancing digital competence within the EFL environment, adding to the expanding corpus of research on the topic. The results offer important insights for educators and policymakers aiming to improve English language education using innovative AI-based approaches.
 

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Developmental periodsof thegrapevine aphid, Aphis illinoisensis Shimer (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on the grape, Vitis vinifera L., and its two parasitoid species, Lysiphlebus testaceipes (Cresson) (exotic) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) and Aphelinus albipodus Hayat and Fatima (indigenous) (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) were studied at two constant temperatures (20 and 25 ± 2 ^oC), 70 ± 5 % R.H. and a photoperiod of 14 L: 10D. The life cycle of A. illinoisensis attained 14.7 and 7.1 days at 20 and 25 ^oC, respectively. The developmental period was shorter as temperature increased. Developmental time from egg to adult of L. testaceipes was shorter than that of A. albipodus Hayat and Fatima at both 20 and 25 ^oC. Parasitized aphids were dissected daily to determine the percentage of parasitim, number of encapsulated eggs of L. testaceipes and the number of dead larvae of A. albipodus. The percentage of parasitism of aphid by L. testaceipes was 26% and 12.5% of parasitoid eggs were encapsulated, while 52% of aphids were parasitized by A. albipodus of which 32 % was dead larvae. Therefore, A. illinoisensis has a mechanism for defense against parasitoids and it should be noted that this aphid is not a suitable host for rearing either of the two tested aphid parasitoid species in the laboratory.  

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Control of stored-product insect by gamma radiation could be enhanced by other possible techniques such as essential oils as effective alternatives to chemical insecticides. In this study, the efficiency of gamma radiation combined with Perovskia atriplicifolia (Benth) was verified to assess their enhanced antifeedant effect against the Tribolium castaneum (Herbst). Flour disc bioassay was employed to assess the nutritional indices, such as relative growth rate (RGR), relative consumption rate (RCR), efficiency of conversion ingested food (ECI) and feeding deterrence index (FDI). The results showed that irradiation, essential oil and combination of both of them significantly reduced RGR, RCR and ECI in treated larvae and adults. As irradiation at 100 Gy reduced RGR of the larvae and adults from 0.0884 and 0.0366 to 0.0596 and 0.0332 mg/mg/day respectively, when combined with doses of P. atriplicifolia essential oil, the reduction reached to 0.051 - 0.388 and 0.01- 0.224 mg/mg/day respectively. The reduction rates in larvae were even greater when combination of irradiation and EO treatments were used. The results showed a significant increase in the feeding deterrence due to irradiation, essential oil and specially their combination. Therefore, findings led to a conclusion that irradiation can enhance antifeedant activity of essential oils.

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Fumigant toxicity of camphor was studied against the aphid Aphis craccivora Koch and three associated natural enemies, i.e. Coccinella undecimpunctata L., Aphelinus albipodus Hayat & Fatima and Aphidius colemani Viereck. Aphis craccivora was the most tolerant one compared with all tested natural enemies as the recorded LC₅₀ values were 12.71, 6.33, 1.16 and 0.48 mg camphor/liter space for the above mentioned insects, respectively. Subjecting newly emerged adults of A. craccivora to LC₂₅ of camphor vapor significantly reduced female longevity from 17.6 to 6.45 days and reduced the female daily progeny from 4.44 to 1.93 nymph / female, which resulted in a reduction in productivity as finite rate of increase decreased from 1.57 to 1.14 female / female / day. Aphids that survived after subjection to LC₅₀ were found to have significantly higher amount of acid phosphatase and G. S-transferase than non-treated aphids. Inversely, Survived aphids were found to have significantly less amount of β-esterases and alkaline phosphatase than non-treated aphids; while no significant difference was found in case of α-esterases. Camphor fumigant can be a candidate as a control agent against A. craccivora but with restriction because of its drawbacks on natural enemies.  

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There are very few reports discussing the higher level phylogeny of the chewing lice (Phthiraptera) and their roles in the evaluation of these insects. So, the aim of this work is to study the phylogeny of genera of the suborder Ischnocera in Saudi Arabia using morphological, ecological and molecular criteria trying to answer a very important question about ecological factors that affecting their evolution. The results show high degree of similarity between phylograms produced by morphological and ecological criteria and that produced by genes sequencing data of Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit I (COI) and elongation factor-1 alpha (EF-1). The rooted trees showed several clusters for head chewing lice and this indicated that the phenomenon of parasitizing birds’ heads evolved several times in the clade of chewing louse. This is also indicating that the position on host played a very important role in shaping the diversity of these insects. The unrooted tree which produced by analysis of COI and (EF-1) also supports the previous conclusion but added to it the impact of host habitat on such diversity. The evolutionary distance between marine birds’ chewing lice was very small and all of them appear in single line or group which far from that of terrestrial taxa of the chewing lice. Both the host habitat and the feeding position of chewing lice on their hosts played a very important role in the way by which this group of insects evolved.