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The present study aimed to examine the effect of Calotropis procera (Aiton) and its major cardenolides; calotropin and gomphogenin on ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in rats. Osteoporotic rats were orally treated with C. procera alcoholic extract (100 mg/kg), calotropin (CLT; 100 μg/kg) and gomphogenin (GPG; 100 μg/kg) for 14 consecutive days. Bone resorption/formation biomarkers; bone specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP), osteoprotegerin (OPG) and nuclear factor-κβ ligand (RANKL) as well as serum calcium and phosphorus were assessed 24 h after last doses of treatments. Serum levels of estradiol (E2) and catalase were also measured. Oral treatment with C. procera extract, CLT and GPG caused E2 restoration to normal level with a marked regulation in the RANKL/OPG axis. Serum phosphorus and calcium were up-leveled whereas BALP was downregulated. Histopathological examination, bone histomorphometric analysis and immunohistochemical staining for osteopontin (OPN) inspection further emphasized the aforementioned outcomes. The results revealed the superiority of CLT and to a lesser extent GPG osteoporotic effect over C. procera extract. Molecular docking of the two compounds on ER-α and RANKL/OPG complex showed noteworthy binding affinities which also confirmed the supremacy of CLT due to the additional hydrogen bonding of the hydroxyl groups of the sugar moiety with RANKL/OPG complex. Finally, it is concluded that CLT and GPG from C. procera hinder bone turnover by decreasing osteoclastic bone cells activity and increasing calcium mineralization thus suppressing bone remodeling and preventing bone infirmity in OVX osteoporotic rats directly via binding to RANKL/OPG complex and ER-α and indirectly through elevating level of E2., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: An important chance of nosocomial acquired infections are caused by the opportunistic bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae. Urine, wound, sputum, and blood samples were collected from all patients. This study aimed to detect the antibiotic resistance profile, the frequency of MDR, XDR, PDR, and detection of efflux pump and outer membrane permeability genes in K. pneumoniae isolates., Methods: One hundred twenty samples were collected from patients who were admitted to the Ramadi Teaching Hospitals in Al-Anbar Governorate. Fifty five of K. pneumoniae strains were collected from patients. The VITEK®2 Compact B System was used to detect the antibiotic resistance pattern of studied bacteria. The isolates were classified as MDR, XDR, or PDR based on established guidelines. The data were analyzed using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) breakpoints. PCR was used to detect the efflux pumps and porins genes., Results: Out of the 120 samples studied, 45.83 % (55) tested positive for K. pneumoniae. The isolates displayed the greatest amount of resistance to cefazolin, ceftriaxone (98.2 %), ampicillin (100 %), and ceftazidime, cefepime (90.9 %). 20 % of the isolates were found to produce metallo-lactamases, and 41.81 % tested positive for extended-spectrum beta-lactamases. Overall, the rates of multi-drug resistant (MDR), extensively drug-resistant (XDR), and pandrug-resistant (PDR) isolates were 57.2 %, 10.9 %, and 9.09 %, respectively. Additionally, the prevalence of efflux pump genes acrAB, mdtK, and tolC were 94.54 %, 14.54 %, and 89.09 %, respectively, while the porin-encoding genes ompK35 and ompK36 were found in 96.36 % and 98.18 % of the isolates., Conclusion: This investigation concluded that the study isolates had a high degree of antibiotic resistance heterogenicity. High frequencies of resistance to ampicillin, cefazolin, and ceftriaxone are present in study isolates. Most strains were categorized as MDR strains, with six being XDR strains and five being PDR strains. One of the main routes of antibiotic resistance in multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae strains is through the acrAB efflux system. The high prevalence of the acrAB, tolC, ompk35, and ompK36 genes were increases the ability of these isolates combat antimicrobial treatments., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no conflict of interest to report., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Depression and anxiety are common among breast cancer patients, due to the ongoing mental distress during illness. This study examines the impact of family support on depression and anxiety changes in Jordanian women undergoing mastectomy and reconstruction surgery., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate the effect between family support and depression/anxiety levels in women post-mastectomy in Jordan. Participants included breast cancer patients who had undergone mastectomy surgery, meeting specified inclusion criteria. We collected data on socio-demographic variables via a questionnaire between October 2023 and January 2024. Depression and anxiety levels were assessed using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale - 21 Items (DASS-21), while social support was evaluated using the Social Support Survey., Results: A significantly negative correlation was observed between the DASS-21 score and social support, indicating that higher levels of social support were associated with lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress (p-value: 0.001). Additionally, analyzing the correlation between physical therapy, social support (median scores: 76 vs. 90, p = 0.021), and DASS-21 (median scores: 25 vs. 11, p < 0.001) revealed significant findings. Specifically, individuals who had received physical therapy exhibited significantly lower DASS-21 scores and higher social support scores., Conclusion: Our study underscores the significant role of family support in alleviating depression and anxiety levels among women with breast cancer. Strong family support emerges as a key factor in improving the emotional well-being of these individuals.

Misuse of antibiotics led to the world wide spread of antimicrobial resistance threatening human lives. The notable resistance of bacterial cells to antibiotics and immune system is the difficulty associated with biofilm-linked illnesses. Natural products from plant origin with antibiofilm activity could provide more therapeutic activity with fewer adverse effects. Carissa L. is a potential drug candidate that can be considered as an agro-food waste sustainable virulence inhibitor source. This mini-review sheds light on recent studies dealing with the anti-virulence potential of Carissa species and its different mechanisms of action. The traced articles revealed that Carissa species exhibited potent antibiofilm, anti-quorum sensing, hyaluronidase inhibitory and anti-adhesion potentials, in addition to violacein, and swimming motility inhibition activities. Ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, and methyl oleanate are the main phytoconstituents of Carissa with claimed virulence inhibitory potentials. Carissa species are safe, valuable, and effective anti-virulence drugs suppressing pathogenicity when compared to conventional antibiotics.

Erythrina bidwillii Lindl., Leguminosae, constitutes a valuable crop for horticulture and medicine; however, it is rarely investigated. Menopause is a crucial transitional period in women's health. Women worldwide consider the use of phytoestrogens as a safe hormone replacement therapy to alleviate detrimental menopausal symptoms. Thus, the discovery of novel phytoestrogens is highly demanded. The present study aimed to investigate, for the first time, the metabolomic profile and the estrogenic potential of E. bidwillii Lindl. leaf. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry metabolite profiling revealed the prevalence of alkaloids, flavonoids, isoflavonoids and fatty acids. Additionally, five erythrinan alkaloids, cristanine A (1), 8-oxoerythraline (2), (+)-erythrinine (3), (+)-erythraline (4) and 8-oxoerythrinine (5), along with the isoflavonoid genistin (6), were isolated. Erythrina bidwillii leaf extract exhibited significant in vivo estrogenic, anti-osteoporotic, anti-hyperlipidemic, hepatoprotective, and nephroprotective activities, utilizing ovariectomized rat model. Moreover, ethyl acetate and hexane fractions possessed significant in vitro estrogeic potential on MCF-7 cell lines. An in silico study of the isolated metabolites revealed that (+)-erythrinine (3) and 8-oxoerythrinine (5) exhibited the highest affinity for ERα and ERβ, respectively, modeling them as potential estrogenic lead metabolites. Therefore, E. bidwillii leaf could be employed as promising hormone replacement therapy for postmenopausal women after thorough clinical trials., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Globally, Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori ), a stomach pathogen, is present in around 50 % of the population. This bacterial infection produces persistent inflammation, which significantly raises the risk of duodenal, gastric ulcer, and stomach cancer. The goal of this study is to identify the vacA genotypes in H. pylori and analyze how they relate to medical conditions brought on by the bacteria and clarithromycin resistance. PCR was used to describe 115 endoscopic stomach samples from infected patients and identify vacA gene. Of the 115 research participants, H. pylori was found in 81 (70.4 %) of them. Of the isolated cultures, only 38 (69.1 %) were resistant to clarithromycin. VacA was discovered in 55 (67.9 %) of the samples that had H. pylori in them. Patients with gastritis were more likely to have s2m2 strains of infection (66.7 %), while those with gastric and duodenal ulcers were more likely to have s1m1 strains (64.7 %). VacA-positive H. pylori strains (60 % n = 33) were more resistant to clarithromycin versus (19.2 % n = 5) for vacA- negative bacteria. Clarithromycin resistance was significantly linked to vacA s2m2 in H. pylori isolates (75.9 %). According to the study's results, the vacA variants s1m1 and s2m2 have a strong connection with the emergence of H. pylori infections that cause peptic ulcer disease in the population of Iraq. Genetic testing is essential in predicting both the course of treatment and the outcome of H. pylori disease., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Author(s).)

Selenomethionine (SeMet) readily replaces methionine (Met) residues in proteins during translation. Long-term dietary SeMet intake results in the accumulation of the amino acid in tissue proteins. Despite the high rates of SeMet incorporation in proteins and its stronger susceptibility to oxidation compared to Met, little is known about the effect of SeMet mis-incorporation on electrical excitability and ion channels. Fast inactivation of voltage-gated sodium (Na V ) channels is essential for exact action potential shaping with even minute impairment of inactivation resulting in a plethora of adverse phenotypes. Met oxidation of the Na V channel inactivation motif (Ile-Phe-Met) and further Met residues causes a marked loss of inactivation. Here, we examined the impact of SeMet mis-incorporation on the function of Na V channels. While extensive SeMet incorporation into recombinant rat Na V 1.4 channels preserved their normal function, it greatly sensitized the channels to mild oxidative stress, resulting in loss of inactivation and diminished maximal current, both reversible by dithiothreitol-induced reduction. SeMet incorporation similarly affected human Na V 1.4, Na V 1.2, Na V 1.5, and Na V 1.7. In mouse dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons, 1 day of SeMet exposure exacerbated the oxidation-mediated broadening of action potentials. SeMet-treated DRGs also exhibited a stronger increase in the persistent Na V current in response to oxidation. SeMet incorporation in Na V proteins coinciding with oxidative insults may therefore result in hyperexcitability pathologies, such as cardiac arrhythmias and neuropathies, like congenital Na V channel gain-of-function mutations., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Neurochemistry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society for Neurochemistry.)

Excisional wounds are considered one of the most common physical injuries. This study aims to test the effect of a nanophytosomal formulation loaded with a dried hydroalcoholic extract of S. platensis on promoting excisional wound healing. The Spirulina platensis nanophytosomal formulation (SPNP) containing 100 mg PC and 50 mg CH exhibited optimum physicochemical characteristics regarding particle size (598.40 ± 9.68 nm), zeta potential (-19.8 ± 0.49 mV), entrapment efficiency (62.76 ± 1.75%), and Q6h (74.00 ± 1.90%). It was selected to prepare an HPMC gel (SPNP-gel). Through metabolomic profiling of the algal extract, thirteen compounds were identified. Molecular docking of the identified compounds on the active site of the HMGB-1 protein revealed that 12,13-DiHome had the highest docking score of -7.130 kcal/mol. SPNP-gel showed higher wound closure potential and enhanced histopathological alterations as compared to standard (MEBO ® ointment) and S. platensis gel in wounded Sprague-Dawley rats. Collectively, NPS promoted the wound healing process by enhancing the autophagy process (LC3B/Beclin-1) and the NRF-2/HO-1antioxidant pathway and halting the inflammatory (TNF-, NF-κB, TlR-4 and VEGF), apoptotic processes (AIF, Caspase-3), and the downregulation of HGMB-1 protein expression. The present study's findings suggest that the topical application of SPNP-gel possesses a potential therapeutic effect in excisional wound healing, chiefly by downregulating HGMB-1 protein expression.

Background: The most commonly utilized samples for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) detection using real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) are nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) and oropharyngeal swabs. However, there are some drawbacks. For SARS-CoV-2 detection, induced sputum might be analyzed and may be equivalent to pharyngeal swabs. This study was done to assess the potential superiority of induced sputum over NPS for SARS-CoV-2 detection. Sixty symptomatic COVID-19 patients who attended Fayoum University Hospitals in Fayoum Governorate, Egypt, were included in this cross-sectional descriptive study. Paired NPS and induced sputum samples were collected from each subject on the third and tenth days after symptoms began for RT-qPCR SARS-COV2 diagnosis., Results: At day 3, 52 (86.7%) of NPS and 48 (80.00%) of induced sputum specimens had positive RT-qPCR results with a significant statistical difference ( P  = 0.001). At day 10, 41 induced sputum samples (68.3%) were negative, while 19 (31.7%) were positive. Only three (5.0%) of the 19 positive induced sputum samples tested positive for NPS. NPS samples had a higher viral load than induced sputum samples at day 3 [25 (41.7%) vs. 23 (38.3%)]. At day 10, induced sputum samples had a higher viral load than NPS [9 (15.0%) vs. 6 (10.0%)]. A statistically significant positive correlation between the viral load value of the NPS and the induced sputum sample at day 3 (r = 0.497, p  = 0.00) denoting similarity in the results of the two types of samples. By ROC analysis, the highest area under the curve for the overall CT value of the induced sputum was (0.604), with a statistically significant difference ( p value = 0.0418)., Conclusion: In the early stages of the disease, induced sputum and NPS tests had comparable results, but NPS yielded more false negative results later in the disease course than an induced sputum sample, which yielded higher sample positivity and viral load than NPS. Furthermore, induced sputum collection is a straightforward, non-invasive, and risk-free method. As a result, induced sputum could be useful for COVID-19 confirmation in patients with radiologically or epidemiologically suspected COVID-19 who have a negative NPS or in difficult-to-diagnose COVID-19 patients., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe author declares that there is no conflict of interest., (© The Author(s) 2023.)

Background: During any critical health care situation as COVID-19 pandemic, it is expected that the medical staff will be under a high level of stress. However, nurses specifically are under both physical and psychological pressure during this pandemic, with a risk of mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression. Accordingly, nurses exposed to patients with COVID-19 infection are expected to suffer from a high level of depressive symptoms. This cross-sectional study was applied on 456 nurses with age ranges from 18 to 60. They were divided into two groups: group 1 were composed of 228 nurses who were directly exposed to suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 patients, while group 2 were composed of 228 who were less exposed to suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 patients for comparison. Data were collected by personal interviews with nurses using Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ 9) scale for assessment of presence of depressive symptoms and its severity. We aimed to assess the both the prevalence and the predictors of depressive symptoms among nurses exposed to COVID-19 patients., Results: We found a statistically significant higher percentage of depressive symptoms among nurses directly exposed to COVID-19 patients (61.8%) versus the less exposed group (18%). There was a statistically and significantly higher specific COVID-19 associated stressors score (SCAS) among nurses directly exposed to suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 patients compared to those who were less exposed; likewise, the PHQ-9 score was a statistically and significantly higher among directly exposed group compared to less-exposed group. Moderate and severe depressive symptoms were present in 23.2% and 22.4%, respectively, within the group of nurses with direct exposure; meanwhile, the less-exposed group showed 7.5% and 3.9%, respectively, with statistically higher significant difference. On doing a linear regression analysis, all the following predictors were significantly independently associated with higher PHQ-9 scores (with higher depressive symptoms severity) among nurses exposed to COVID-19: physical isolation (restrictions on touching others, even after working hours), exposure to a new COVID-19 patient, developing COVID-19-like symptoms, displaying COVID-19-like symptoms by colleagues, knowing that COVID mortality rate exceeds influenza, possible separation from family, concern about family members, fears about infection for patients, family, and friends., Conclusions: COVID-19 pandemic has serious effects on the psychological well-being of nurses exposed to COVID-19 patients. There was an increased rate of depressive symptoms among them during the pandemic with its subsequent burden. Therefore, nurses exposed to COVID-19 patients are in a high need of care and support during the pandemic., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© The Author(s) 2023.)

GC-MS and HPLC analyses of the hydromethanolic extracts of the truffles Tirmania nivea (TN) and Tirmania pinoyi (TP) revealed the presence of 18 metabolites and 11 polyphenols, respectively. In vivo, TP extract protected against subcutaneous pentylenetetrazole (scPTZ) and maximal electric shock (MES)-induced convulsions faster than TN extract. TP extract (100 and 300 mg/kg) showed 100% protection and longer duration than TN extract in the scPTZ test. Similarly, at 300 mg/kg, TP demonstrated a quicker start (75%) and longer duration of action (100%) than TN in MES test. In the scPTZ test, ED 50 of TP demonstrated greater anticonvulsant efficacy than that of TN. In mice given TP and TN treatments, the brain GABA levels noticeably increased. TP (100 and 300 mg/kg) produced a notable sedative effect in open-field test, whereas TN (100 or 300 mg/kg) and TP (300 mg/kg) reduced sleep latency by 52%, 45%, and 79%, respectively. In writhing test, TN (100 or 300 mg/kg) significantly enhanced analgesic efficacy by 50 and 87%, respectively. Comparatively, in formalin test, TP and TN at a dosage of 300 mg/kg decreased the length of the licking by 34 and 59%, respectively. For the first time, this study explains the anticonvulsant, sedative, central, and peripheral analgesic activities of truffle extracts., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Selenomethionine (SeMet) randomly replaces methionine (Met) in protein translation. Because of strongly differing redox properties of SeMet and Met, SeMet mis-incorporation may have detrimental effects on protein function, possibly compromising the use of nutritional SeMet supplementation as an anti-oxidant. Studying the functional impact of SeMet in proteins on a cellular level is hampered by the lack of accurate and efficient methods for estimating the SeMet incorporation level in individual viable cells. Here we introduce and apply a method to measure the extent of SeMet incorporation in cellular proteins by utilizing a genetically encoded fluorescent methionine oxidation probe. Supplementation of SeMet in mammalian culture medium resulted in >84% incorporation of SeMet, and SeMet labeling as low as 5% was readily measured. Kinetics and extent of SeMet incorporation on the single-cell level under live-cell imaging conditions provided direct access to protein turn-over kinetics and SeMet redox properties in a cellular context. The method is furthermore suited for experiments utilizing high-throughput fluorescence microplate readers or fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors report no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory condition that until this date, lacks curative treatments. Previously, synthetic selective CB2 receptor (CB2R) agonists demonstrated effective preclinical anti-inflammatory activities in UC. Phycocyanin (PC), photosynthetic assistant protein isolated from Microcystis aeruginosa Kützing blue green algae, has multiple pharmacological effects, however, it's effect against UC remains unexplored. Our study aimed at investigating the therapeutic effectiveness of PC against UC, and correlating its mechanisms with CB2R agonistic activities. In silico; PC showed structural similarity with endocannabinoid receptors' ligand "Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol", target prediction studies suggested high affinity for G-coupled protein family-receptors, and molecular docking affirmed preferable affinity towards CB2R vs CB1R. In LPS-exposed-Caco-2 cell line; PC demonstrated comparable interaction with CB2R, and downregulation of CB2R, p38 and MK2 gene expressions with reference agonist "6d", and exhibited preferred selectivity towards CB2R over CB1R. In DSS-induced mice; PC-treatment ameliorated DSS-induced colon shortening, elevated disease activity index, and colonic pathological alterations. PC showed effective CB2R activation through potent anti-inflammatory activities, Treg-cell accumulation, suppression in p38MAPK/MK2 signaling, and tight junction barrier restoration as indicated by ultrastructural examinations, elevated ZO-1 and occludin protein expressions, and Ki67 immunohistochemical expression in colonic tissues. Additionally, PC alleviated intestinal dysbiosis via downregulating LPS/TLR4/NF-κB signaling and gut microbiota maintenance. Notably, PC-protective activities were abolished when co-administered with SR144528 (selective CB2 antagonist) except for gut microbiota maintenance, which was independent from CB2R activation. Our findings provide evidence of PC effectiveness against UC through acting as CB2R agonist, thus expanding its possible therapeutic application against other inflammatory diseases., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: To assess the quality of life in Iraqi breast cancer women with regard to different Sociodemographic and medical variables., Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted on 150 women diagnosed with breast cancer and being treated in Iraq. The evaluation was done by using European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire- Core- 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) and QOL&#95;BR23 Questionnaire. All data were conducted directly via hand writing by the patients at the Oncology Teaching Hospital/Medical City complex in Baghdad. When the questionnaire questions were completed by each participant, they were checked up to ensure their suitability for data insertion and then followed by the scoring manual of the EORTC questionnaire. All the data were analyzed by using SPSS., Results: Most of the patients undergoing this study were at the age of ≤ 50 (52.66%), and when they were diagnosed with breast cancer, they were younger than 50 (58.66%). The global health status was high in the case of working participants compared with those who are unemployed, i.e., (p=0.035). However, the emotional status appeared to be significant in the case with the working participants (P= 0.027). Also, the global status appeared to be high in the participants receiving radiation, while it showed insignificant values with the other data. The physical functioning, on the other hand, showed significant results in many places, as in the case with the patients present with no health problems, and high results in radiation, herceptin and hormonal therapy. As for the role functioning, it showed significant results in patients without health problems, patients who underwent radiation, and patients who were free of disease for less than five yeas., Conclusions: The results of this study will help identify gaps in all areas in which patients need additional support. Since the negative effects of the disease and related treatments influenced the patient's quality of life, it has become necessary for health care providers to focus on designing social and psychological interventions to support cancer patients throughout their illness and treatment in a way that it leads to a better adaptation to their disease and improve their emotional status.

Methionine oxidation is a reversible post-translational protein modification, affecting protein function, and implicated in aging and degenerative diseases. The detection of accumulating methionine oxidation in living cells or organisms, however, has not been achieved. Here we introduce a genetically encoded probe for methionine oxidation (GEPMO), based on the super-folder green fluorescent protein (sfGFP), as a specific, versatile, and integrating sensor for methionine oxidation. Placed at amino-acid position 147 in an otherwise methionine-less sfGFP, the oxidation of this specific methionine to methionine sulfoxide results in a ratiometric fluorescence change when excited with ∼400 and ∼470 nm light. The strength and homogeneity of the sensor expression is suited for live-cell imaging as well as fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) experiments using standard laser wavelengths (405/488 nm). Expressed in mammalian cells and also in S. cerevisiae, the sensor protein faithfully reports on the status of methionine oxidation in an integrating manner. Variants targeted to membranes and the mitochondria provide subcellular resolution of methionine oxidation, e.g. reporting on site-specific oxidation by illumination of endogenous protoporphyrin IX., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) is involved in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis and acute coronary syndromes (ACS). In patients with acute coronary syndrome, circulating soluble LOX-1 (sLOX-1) levels are dramatically elevated. This study aimed to assess sLOX-1 levels in acute coronary syndromes and determine the ratio of sLOX-1 and oxidative LDL in cases of myocardial infarction and unstable angina pectoris and the ROC curve for this ratio sLOX-1. A case-control study was conducted at the department of chemistry and biochemistry, college of medicine, Al- Nahrain University, Baghdad, Iraq, from September 2020 to January 2021. In a total of 90 subjects (30 patients with myocardial infarction within the first six hours of chest pains, 30 patients with unstable angina pectoris, and 30 healthy donors). The ELISA technique measured concentrations of sLOX-1 and oxidized LDL. In addition, Troponin and highly sensitive C reactive protein were measured by the same technique (Fluorescence immune assay), and lipid profile was measured using the Spectrophotometer technique. The median level of sLOX-1 in MI group was 476.17 pg/ml (90.88-675.4 pg/ml) which was significantly higher than that of UA patients (median=289.1 pg/ml [62.74-585.43 pg/ml]) and controls (median=144.52 pg/ml [79.17-283.83 pg/ml]) with highly significant differences and the median sLOX-1/OX-LDL ratio in patients with MI was 64.6 (range 15.17-100.15) which was significantly higher than either patients with UA (median=37.6 [7.06-88.65]) or controls (median=25.29 [12.7-43.04]). There were elevated levels of sLOX-1 in acute coronary syndromes. The sLOX-1/oxidized LDL ratio also strongly indicated the diagnosis and a discriminatory force on the ROC curve for myocardial infarction.

Sansevieria species possess antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities. However, the therapeutic potential of Sansevieria suffruticosa N.E.Br. in liver fibrosis was not evaluated yet. Twenty-seven phytoconstituents were tentatively identified in the phytoconstituents profile of Sansevieria suffruticosa N.E.Br. leaves extract (SSLE) using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI/MS-MS). Using column chromatography, hesperetin, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, ginsenoside Rg2, and quinic acid were isolated from SSLE. The hepatoprotective effect of SSLE via the activation of the NRF2 signaling pathway was evaluated using a rat model of thioacetamide-induced liver fibrosis. Five groups of 6 male adult Wistar rats were used. All animals except the normal control were injected with 200 mg/kg of TAA intraperitoneally twice weekly for 6 weeks. SSLE-treated groups were orally administered 200 and 100 mg/kg/day of the extract, two weeks before the liver fibrosis induction and were continued concomitantly with TAA injection. A reference group received 100 mg/kg b.wt of silymarin orally. SSLE treated groups exhibited a marked reduction in serum alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels compared with the TAA group. The levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) content and hepatic mRNA levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 were significantly increased. Histological findings further confirmed the protective role of SSLE against TAA. In conclusion, the aforementioned results indicated that the hepatoprotective mechanism of SSLE was exerted via activating the Nrf2 pathway to counteract oxidative stress., (© 2022 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Background: The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its quick progression to a global pandemic has urged medical schools to shift from didactic to distance learning and assessment approaches. The quality of clinical training and assessment have been jeopardized due to the regulatory restrictions and potential hazards to human lives. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the utility and efficacy of an electronic Objective Structured Clinical Examination (e-OSCE), which attempted to transform the format of a face-to-face OSCE to an e-OSCE., Methods: We conducted three end of clerkship e-OSCEs for final year medical students in Surgery, Medicine and Family Medicine using the teleconferencing application of Microsoft Teams (MST). The e-OSCE blueprint included the assessment of all clinical skills except physical examination and procedural skills. Examiners supervised e-OSCE from the college campus, while all students were remotely assessed through the MST channels. During the exam, the students stayed in their specified MST channel and examiners rotated across all students. The utility and efficacy of e-OSCE was evaluated using a self-administered questionnaire for students, examiners and e-OSCE team., Results: The data analysis showed that 93.4% students and 92.2% examiners agreed with the quality and process of e-OSCE. Similarly, 83.6% students and 98% examiners agreed with the seamless organization of e-OSCE. As many as 45.9% students and 74.5% examiners agreed that e-OSCE was close to real life practice. Approximately one fifth of students and one third of examiners preferred e-OSCE over the face-to-face OSCE. The analysis of qualitative data generated the themes of e-OSCE structure and technology. While majority of participants were satisfied with e-OSCE, students were concerned about examiners' training and e-OSCE contents. Examiners and e-OSCE team recognized the paper-less, tech-savy, fast and reliable format of e-OSCE., Conclusion: During and beyond COVID- 19 era, e-OSCE is a strong substitute to standard OSCE for assessing clinical competence except for physical examination and procedural skills. The planning and implementation of e-OSCE reflects an ingenuity in the assessment of clinical competencies of medical students., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background and Objectives: Peptic ulcer disease, chronic gastritis, and stomach cancer are all caused by H. pylori . The most notable drug for the treatment is the antibiotic clarithromycin, which is currently the drug of choice. H. pylori clarithromycin resistance has been associated with point mutations in 23srRNA, the most prominent of which are A2143 and A2144G . In H. pylori bacteria, methylase synthesis, macrolide-inactivating enzyme activity, and active efflux have all been found to be resistance mechanisms. The goal of the study is to determine how resistant H. pylori is to clarithromycin and what the minimum inhibitory concentration is for various antimicrobials. Furthermore, gastro-endoscopy will be performed on Iraqi patients to detect the presence of A2143G and A2144G point mutations in Helicobacter pylori infections, as diagnosed from the pyloric region and other anatomical regions., Methods: One hundred fifteen samples were collected from patients strongly suspected of H. pylori infection presented for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at Ramadi Teaching Hospitals and Private Clinics for the period from January 2020 until February 2021. Specimens were cultured on brain heart infusion agar containing various antibiotics and were incubated at 37 °C under microaerophilic conditions. For identification of H. pylori, isolates of the biochemical tests and RT-PCR assay were applied. The Epsilometer test was used in the antibiotic susceptibility testing as dependent on the CLSI standard. The Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism technique was used to determine point mutations., Results: In total, 55 (47.8%) Helicobacter pylori isolates were cultured from the 115 biopsy specimens, among which 16 (29.1%), 38 (69.1%), 20 (36.4%), and 40 (72.7%) revealed some degree of resistance to levofloxacin, clarithromycin, ciprofloxacin, and metronidazole, respectively. The frequency of A2144G and A2143 point mutations were 23 (60.5%) and 19 (50%), respectively., Conclusions: According to our results , Helicobacter pylori showed high resistance to clarithromycin. Our results demonstrate the requirement for antibiotic susceptibility testing and molecular methods in selecting drug regimens., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2021 The Author(s).)

Age-related deterioration of sensorimotor and cognitive abilities suggests that the brain undergoes regressive alterations with aging that compromise its function. Thus, the present study was designed to assess the efficacy of Dunaliella salina in counteracting D-galactose (D-gal)-induced dementia brain aging and its modulatory role in attenuating amyloid β (Aβ) protein and neurotransmitters. Aging associated dementia was generated by injection of D-gal (200 mg/kg; i.p) of rats for 8 weeks. D. salina biomass (250 mg/kg), polar (30 mg/kg), its carotenoid (30 mg/kg) fractions as well as the isolated zeaxanthin (250 μg/kg) were given orally simultaneously with D-gal for additional two weeks. Twenty-four hours after the last treatment dose; behavioral, biochemical and histopathological assessment were performed. Results showed that oral treatment of motor deficit rats with D. salina biomass and its isolated polar and carotenoid fractions showed amelioration in the motor coordination assessed by the rotarod test and in the memory and learning capabilities evaluated by Morris water maze test. D. salina also showed a reduction in brain levels of inflammatory indicators viz . interlekin-1β and inducible nitric oxide synthetase as well as brain contents of Aβ protein and myelin base protein. Likewise, oral treatment with D. salina biomass and its isolated polar and carotenoid fractions exhibited an increase in the rats' brain neurotransmitters and their metabolites. Furthermore, histopathological investigations have confirmed all of these results. Our findings suggest that D. salina overcomes brain aging and thereby repairs age-related dementia, both for its modulating function in attenuating the Aβ protein and neurotransmitters., Competing Interests: The authors have declared no conflict of interest., (© 2021 The Author(s).)

There is still no agreement on the gold standard technique for diagnosing of H. Pylori in Iraq, as well as a paucity of data on the validity of different diagnostic techniques. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of this bacterium with different methods and compare them to the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) as a golden standard technique among Iraqi patients. In total, 115 Iraqi patients strongly suspected of H. pylori infection were enrolled in the current study. Invasive techniques including rapid urease testing (RUT) and gastric tissue culture in addition to non-invasive techniques including 14C-Urea breath test (14C-UBT), stool antigen test (SAT), CagA-IgG serology, and qPCR were performed to confirm the H. pylori infection. The qPCR was used as the gold standard to estimate the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values for the studied diagnostic tests. Overall, the prevalence rate of H. pylori in Iraqi patients was ranged from 47.8 to 70.4% using different methods. The positive results for each test were as follows: qPCR 81, (70.4%) UBT 79 (68.7%), SAT 77 (67%), RUT 76 (66.1%), Cag-IgG 61 (53%), and culture 55 (47.8%). The 14C-UBT showed the highest overall performance with 97.5% sensitivity, 97% specificity, and total accuracy of 97.3% followed by SAT, RUT, Cag-IgG, and culture method. Based on the accuracy of the studied methods for H. pylori detection, they can be arranged in order as follows: qPCR > UBT > SAT > RUT> CagA IgG > culture. Since a universal gold standard assay for the diagnosis of H. pylori has not yet been established in Iraq, the UBT may be recommended as first choice due to its higher performance compared to other methods., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Introduction: The ongoing civil war in Yemen has severely restricted imports of food and fuel, disrupted livelihoods and displaced millions, worsening already high pre-war levels of food insecurity. Paired with frequent outbreaks of disease and a collapsed health system, this has brought rates of wasting in children under five to the country's highest recorded levels, which continue to increase as the crisis worsens and aid becomes increasingly limited. In their planning of services to treat and prevent wasting in children, humanitarian agencies rely on a standard calculation to estimate the expected number of cases for the coming year, where incidence is estimated from prevalence and the average duration of an episode of wasting. The average duration of an episode of moderate and severe wasting is currently estimated at 7.5 months-a globally-used value derived from historical cohort studies. Given that incidence varies considerably by context-where food production and availability, treatment coverage and disease rates all vary-a single estimate cannot be applied to all contexts, and especially not a highly unstable crisis setting such as Yemen. While recent studies have aimed to derive context-specific incidence estimates in several countries, little has been done to estimate the incidence of both moderate and severe wasting in Yemen., Methods: In order to provide context-specific estimates of the average duration of an episode, and resultingly, incidence correction factors for moderate and severe wasting, we have developed a Markov model. Model inputs were estimated using a combination of treatment admission and outcome records compiled by the Yemen Nutrition Cluster, 2018 and 2019 SMART surveys, and other estimates from the literature. The model derived estimates for the governorate of Lahj, Yemen; it was initialized using August 2018 SMART survey prevalence data and run until October 2019-the date of the subsequent SMART survey. Using a process of repeated model calibration, the incidence correction factors for severe wasting and moderate wasting were found, validating the resulting prevalence against the recorded value from the 2019 SMART survey., Results: The average durations of an episode of moderate and severe wasting were estimated at 4.86 months, for an incidence correction factor k of 2.59, and 3.86 months, for an incidence correction factor k of 3.11, respectively. It was found that the annual caseload of moderate wasting was 36% higher and the annual caseload of severe wasting 58% higher than the originally-assumed values, estimated with k = 1.6., Conclusion: The model-derived incidence rates, consistent with findings from other contexts that a global incidence correction factor cannot be sufficient, allow for improved, context-specific estimates of the burden of wasting in Yemen. In crisis settings such as Yemen where funding and resources are extremely limited, the model's outputs holistically capture the burden of wasting in a way that may guide effective decision-making and may help ensure that limited resources are allocated most effectively., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Miombo woodlands sustainability in east and south-central Africa is threatened by human activities, including overgrazing. This study investigated seasonal variations in rangeland condition in three grazed areas in miombo woodlands in eastern Tanzania. Transect lines were established across the grazing areas, sampling points were identified and marked at every 10% of the length of transect line. Sampling points were categorised in different distances with respect to settlement. The line intercept method was used to collect data on vegetation cover and forage distribution, while herbaceous forage biomass was estimated using a disc pasture meter. A total of 118 different plant species were observed and grasses comprised 40.6% of all herbaceous species. Bothriochloa pertusa, Cynodon plectostachyus, Hyparrhenia rufa and Urochloa mosambicensis grass species dominated miombo grazed areas in various seasons and distances. These perennial grass species are desirable and indicated moderate grazing activities in miombo. Season affected grass cover, herbaceous forage biomass and nutritional composition. Grass cover and forage biomass were at the lowest during late dry season while forage nutritional quality was best during early dry season. Distance from settlement had no effect on grass cover and herbaceous forage biomass. Rangeland condition was generally fair, livestock stocking rate in continuously grazed drylands should be set at the lowest monthly forage biomass in order to ensure grazing land sustainability., (Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders which affects the hippocampus and cortical neurons leading to impairment of cognitive ability. Treatment of AD depends mainly on acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, however, a novel therapeutic approach is introduced based on the maintenance of neuronal viability and functionality exerted through neurotrophic factors. In the current study, Ulmus pumila L. leaves alcoholic extract was investigated for its neuroprotective activity in AlCl 3 -induced AD in rats. Rats were orally treated with AlCl 3 (17 mg/kg) for 4 weeks followed by U. pumila extract (150 mg/kg b.wt.) for another 6 weeks. Treatment of neuro-intoxicated rats with U. pumila extract resulted in a significant regulation in neurotrophic factors; brain derived neurotrophic factor and transforming growth factor-β and pro-inflammatory cytokine; TNF. It also induced an elevation in serum levels of monoamine neurotransmitters; norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin and a decline in brain acetlycholinesterase activity. U. pumila extract also showed potent antioxidant activity as indicated by the declined malondialdehyde and elevated reduced glutathione, catalase and super oxide dismutase levels in AD rats' brains. Histological improvement was detected in the cerebral cortex, the hippocampus and striatum of the treated rats . The phytochemical analysis of U. pumila extract revealed high contents of flavonoids and phenolics and the major compounds were isolated and chemically characterized. Additionally, U. pumila extract and the isolated compounds exerted a prominent activity in in-vitro acetylcholinesterase inhibition assay with kaempferol-3-O-β-glucoside being the most potent compound showing IC 50 of 29.03 ± 0.0155 μM. A molecular docking study indicated high affinity of kaempferol-3-O-β-robinobioside on acetylcholine esterase binding site with estimated binding free energy of -8.26 kcal/mol., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2020 The Authors.)

The inhibitory glycine receptor (GlyR) mediates synaptic inhibition in the spinal cord, brain stem, and other regions of the mammalian central nervous system. Glucose was shown to potentiate α1 GlyRs by interacting with K143. Here, additional amino acids involved in glucose modulation were identified using a structure-based approach of site-directed mutagenesis followed by whole-cell patch-clamp analysis. We identified two additional lysine residues in the α1 GlyR extracellular domain, K16 and K281, that were involved in glucose modulation. Mutation of either residue to alanine abolished glucose potentiation. Residue K281 is located in the same pocket as K143 and could thus contribute to glucose binding. The double mutant K143A-K281A showed a 6-fold increase of EC 50 , while EC 50 of both single mutants K143A and K281A was only slightly increased (1.7- and 1.3-fold, respectively). K16 is located at an analgesic binding site that is distant from the agonist or glucose sites, and the K16A mutation may generate a receptor species that is not potentiated. GlyR position α1-S267 is close to the postulated glucose binding site and known for interactions with ethanol and anesthetics. In the presence of glucose, GlyR α1 mutants S267A, S267I, and S267R showed potentiation, no effect, and reduction of current responses, respectively. This pattern follows that of ethanol modulation and suggests that the interaction sites of glucose and ethanol are identical or located close to each other. Our results support the presence of a distinct binding site for glucose on the glycine receptor, overlapping with the ivermectin/ethanol binding pocket near the transmembrane region and the TM2-3 loop.

Background: Hepatic steatosis is the most common type of chronic liver disease and is considered an established risk factor of major chronic diseases., Purpose: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of Dunaliella salina , a microalga and its isolated zeaxanthin on age-related hepatic steatosis as well as their underling mechanism. Study Design . Age-related hepatic steatosis was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injection of D-galactose (200 mg/kg/day) for eight consecutive weeks. D. salina biomass (BDS; 450 mg/kg), its polar fraction (PDS; 30 mg/kg), carotenoid fraction (CDS; 30 mg/kg), and isolated zeaxanthin heneicosylate (ZH; 250  μ g/kg) were orally administered to D-galactose treated rats for two weeks., Methods: Blood samples were collected 24 hours after the last dose of D. salina treatments, animals were sacrificed, and liver tissues were isolated. Sera as well as hepatic tissue homogenates were used for further investigations. Liver tissues were also used for histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations. A computed virtual docking study for the biologically active candidates was performed to confirm the proposed mechanism of action., Results: Oral treatment of D-galactose-injected rats with BDS, PDS, CDS, or ZH ameliorated the serum hepatic function parameters as well as serum levels of adiponectin, apolipoprotein B 100, and insulin. Furthermore, D. salina decreased the hepatic lipid contents, redox status biomarkers, inflammatory cytokine, and showing antiapoptotic properties. Molecular docking of β -carotene and zeaxanthin on various receptors involved in the pathophysiological cascade of steatosis highlighted the possible mechanism underlying the observed therapeutic effect., Conclusion: D. salina carotenoids have beneficial effect on age-related hepatic steatosis in senescence rats through the regulation of redox status, inflammatory indices, and apoptotic biomarkers., Competing Interests: All the authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest associated with the publication of this article., (Copyright © 2020 Farouk K. El-Baz et al.)

Background and Objectives: Varieties of laser and light sources have been tried for treatment of alopecia areata (AA) and some success has been reported. To assess the effectiveness of 1,540  nm fractional erbium-glass laser in treatment of AA., Study Design/materials and Methods: The patches of AA were divided into two groups, the study group (I) underwent six sessions of laser therapy at weekly interval with topical minoxidil solution applied twice daily for 6 weeks, while group (II), the control group was received only topical minoxidil solution. The patches were evaluated objectively (hair count and percentage of regrowth) and subjectively (patient satisfaction) at the end of follow-up period (another 6 weeks)., Results: The percentage of hair increment between pre-treatment and follow-up period was 30% for study patches versus 6.45% for control patches. Regarding the percentage of growth, the response rate for study patches was 60% versus 16% for the control., Conclusions: Erbium-glass laser seems to be effective in regrowing hair in AA. The durability of the response is unknown. Possible mechanisms of improvement include the induction of a thermal effect on papillary dermis, which stimulates hair regrowth, or an immunological effect on the follicle. In addition, the erbium-glass laser may enhance the delivery of minoxidil solution. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The inhibitory glycine receptor (GlyR) plays an important role in rapid synaptic inhibition in mammalian spinal cord, brainstem, higher brain centers, and is involved in transmission of nociceptive signals. Glucose and related mono- and disaccharides potentiate currents mediated by recombinant α1, α1-β, and α3 GlyRs. Here, we confirmed the specific potentiation of α3 GlyR signaling by glucose through: (i) patch-clamp electrophysiology on recombinant receptors; and (ii) by verifying in vitro data in a mouse model in vivo . Mice were intraperitoneally (IP) injected with glucose (2 g/kg) or vehicle, and then challenged with sublethal doses of strychnine (0.2 mg/kg and 0.5 mg/kg). Pain-related behavior was assessed using two established models: (i) touch sensitivity tests using von Frey filaments; and (ii) hotplate assay. We observed a reduction of pain sensitivity in glucose-treated mice relative to vehicle-treated control mice. Injection of strychnine resulted in an increased sensitivity to tactile and heat stimuli, which was reversed in the presence of glucose. Analgesic effects of glucose were more pronounced in von Frey experiments, consistent with the established use of this model for neuropathic pain. Overall, glucose showed mild analgesic effects and was able to compensate for strychnine-induced allodynia in mice. Since the action of strychnine is specific for GlyR, these experiments show for the first time an in vivo potentiation of GlyR activity by glucose and suggest a molecular mechanism for glucose-mediated analgesia., (Copyright © 2019 Hussein, Ahmed, Breitinger and Breitinger.)

Several hepatic pathological conditions are correlated with the stimulation of hepatic stellate cells. This induces a cascade of events producing accretion of extracellular matrix components triggering fibrosis. Dunaliella salina , rich in carotenoids, was investigated for its potential antagonizing activity; functionally and structurally against thioacetamide (TAA) - induced hepatic fibrosis in rats. Adult male albino Wistar rats were treated with three dose levels of D. salina powder or extract (daily, p.o.); for 6 weeks, concomitantly with TAA injection. Serum levels of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bilirubin and albumin were determined. Reduced glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), smooth muscle actin alpha (α-SMA) and collagen I hepatic contents were also estimated. Treatment with D. salina powder or extract caused a significant decline in serum levels of AST, ALT, ALP, bilirubin, MDA and hepatic contents of α-SMA and collagen I. Additionally, serum albumin and GSH hepatic content were highly elevated. Liver histopathological examination also indicated that D. salina reduced fibrosis, centrilobular necrosis, and inflammatory cell infiltration evoked by TAA. The results implied that D. salina exerts protective action against TAA-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats. The phytochemical investigation revealed high total carotenoid content prominently β-carotene (15.2 % of the algal extract) as well as unsaturated fatty acids as alpha-linolenic acid which accounts for the hepatoprotective activity., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2019 The Authors.)

Backgrounds: Osteoporosis prevailing in elderly involves a marked increase in bone resorption showing an initial fall in bone mineral density leading to a significant reduction in bone formation., Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of Heamatococcus pluvialis microalgae on osteoporosis in D-galactose-treated rats. The underlying mechanism was tracked targeting the osteoprotegerin (OPG)/ nuclear factor-κβ ligand (RANKL) pathway using micro-computed tomography scanning., Methods: Osteoporosis was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injection of D-galactose (200 mg/kg/day) for eight consecutive weeks. Osteoporotic rats were orally treated with H. pluvialis biomass (BHP; 450 mg/kg), its polar (PHP; 30 mg/kg) and carotenoid (CHP; 30 mg/kg) fractions for the last 2 weeks of D-Gal injection. Twenty four hours after the last dose of the treatments, tibia bones of the rats were scanned using micro-computed tomography scanning for bone mineral density (BMD), bone volume fraction (BV/TV), trabecular thickness/separation/number (Tb.Th, Tb.Sp, Tb.N) evaluation, blood samples were withdrawn and sera were used for biochemical assessment. Moreover, femur bones were examined histopathologically using several stains., Results: Induction of osteoporosis was associated with a marked reduction in BMD, BV/TV, Tb.Th, Tb.Sp, Tb.N and in serum levels of phosphorus and catalase. On the other hand, a significant elevation in serum levels of calcium, bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP) and interleukin-6 was observed. Moreover, up-regulation of OPG was detected in osteoporotic rats. Oral treatment with BHP, and PHP incremented tibia BMD and serum phosphorus level along with the decrease in serum levels of calcium, BALP, interleukin-6, OPG and RANKL. However, treatment with CHP almost restored all the fore mentioned parameters to normal values. Furthermore, the histopathological evaluation emphasized the biochemical outcomes., Conclusion: H. pluvialis fractions rich in astaxanthin ameliorated bone loss in experimentally-induced osteoporosis in rats probably through the down-regulation of serum OPG in concurrence with up-regulation of serum RANKL., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Retinoids are essential during early cardiovascular morphogenesis. However, recent studies showed their important role in cardiac remodeling in rats with hypertension and following myocardial infarction. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of zeaxanthin heneicosylate (ZH); a carotenoid ester isolated from Dunaliella salina microalgae, on cardiac dysfunction ensuing d-galactose injection in rats. Rats injected with d-GAL (200 mg/kg; I.P) for 8 weeks were orally treated with ZH (250 μg/kg) for 28 consecutive days. Results showed that d-GAL injection caused dramatic electrocardiographic changes as well as marked elevation in serum levels of homocysteine, creatinine kinase isoenzyme and lactate dehydrogenase. A reduction in the cardiac contents of glucose transporter-4 and superoxide dismutase along with the elevation of inducible nitric oxide synthetase and interleukin-6 was also noticed. Oral administration of ZH significantly improved the above mentioned cardiac aging manifestations; this was further emphasized through histopathological examinations. The effect of ZH is mediated through the interaction with retinoid receptor alpha (RAR-α) as evidenced through a significant elevation of RAR-α expression in cardiac tissue following the lead of an in silico molecular docking study. In conclusion, zeaxanthin heneicosylate isolated from D. salina ameliorated age-associated cardiac dysfunction in rats through the activation of retinoid receptors.

Background: The genetic heterogeneity of tumor cells and the development of therapy-resistant cancer cells in addition to the high cost necessitate the continuous development of novel targeted therapies., Methods: In this regard, 14 novel benzoxazinone derivatives were synthesized and examined for anticancer activity against two human epithelial cancer cell lines; breast MCF-7 and liver HepG2 cells. 6,8-Dibromo-2- ethyl-4H-benzo[d][1,3]oxazin-4-one was subjected to react with nitrogen nucleophiles to afford quinazolinone derivatives and other related moieties (3-12). Benzoxazinone 2 responds to attack with oxygen nucleophile such as ethanol to give ethyl benzoate derivative 13. The reaction of benzoxazinone 2 with carbon electrophile such as benzaldehyde derivatives afforded benzoxazinone derivatives 14a and 14b.The structure of the prepared compounds was confirmed with spectroscopic tools including IR, 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR., Results: Derivatives 3, 9, 12, 13, and 14b exhibited high antiproliferative activity and were selective against cancer cells showing no toxicity in normal fibroblasts. Derivative 3 with NH-CO group in quinazolinone ring was effective only against breast cells, while derivative 12 with NH-CO group in imidazole moiety was only effective against liver cells probably through arresting cell cycle and enabling repair mechanisms. The other derivatives (9, 13, and 14b) had broader antiproliferative activity against both cell lines. These derivatives enhance the expression of the p53 and caspases 9 and 3 to varying degrees in both cell lines. Derivative 14b caused the highest induction in the investigated genes and was the only derivative to inhibit the EGFR activity., Conclusions: The unique features about derivative 14b could be attributed to its high lipophilicity, high carbon content, or its extended conjugation through planar aromatic system. More investigations are required to identify the lead compound(s) in animal models., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Background: In a continuous combat against cancer, which is one of the leading causes of mortality now, chalcone and Schiff bases moieties have been incorporated and their antiproliferative activities and associated mechanisms against liver (HepG2) and breast (MCF-7) cell lines in addition to normal fibroblasts (WI-38) have been examined., Methods: Derivatives 4 and 5 of Schiff bases only and chalcone derivatives of Schiff bases 1 and 2 were devoid of any antiproliferative activity. All three compounds (3, 6, and 7) with significant antiproliferative activity were selective and caused no growth inhibition in normal fibroblasts. Derivative 3 was a chalcone only with IC50 of ~20 µM and has a very interesting signature where it enhanced apoptosis in HepG2 by stimulating the expression of downstream execution caspase 3 without affecting neither p53 nor initiator caspase 9. In spite of the structural similarity between compounds 6 and 7, compound 6 discerned itself with a unique IC50 of ~ 10 µM., Results: The antiproliferative activity of derivative 6 could be attributed to its unique capability of formation of free radicals such as phenoxide radicals which arrested the cell cycle through enhancing the expression of p53 and induced apoptosis by induction of both caspases 9 and 3. It was the only investigated derivative that inhibited the tyrosine kinase activity by 89%., Conclusions: The antiproliferative activity of the compounds under investigation considerably depended on the nature of the substituent at position 4 in phenyl rings of both chalcone and Schiff base fragments. Derivative 6 with electron withdrawing chlorine substitution on the phenyl ring of Schiff base fragment and an electron donating methoxy group on the phenyl ring of chalcone fragment was the most active member., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Background: Berberine and cinnamic acid are natural compounds that exhibit potent anticancer activities through distinct molecular mechanisms., Objective: In the present study, we aimed to investigate the proapoptotic potential of cinnamic acid and berberine in cancer cells by examining their effect on the expression of proapoptotic and antiapoptotic genes. Moreover, the effects of berberine and cinnamic acid on the antitumor activity of cisplatin were investigated in Ehrlich solid tumor-bearing mice., Methods: For the study, 90 male mice were inoculated intramuscularly with Ehrlich ascites tumor cells (2.5 × 106/mouse), and then on day 4, mice were randomly divided into six experimental groups (group 1-untreated Ehrlich solid tumor (EST), group 2-EST treated CDDP, group 3-EST treated CA, group 4-EST treated BER, group 5-EST treated CA + CDDP, and group 6-EST treated BER + CDDP)., Results: The results showed that berberine and cinnamic acid significantly decreased tumor growth and tumor volume (-74.8 and -75.5%, respectively) both as single agents and in combination with cisplatin. Moreover, both berberine and cinnamic acid increased the ratio of tumor growth inhibition (-91.5 and -92.6%, respectively), mean survival time (61.5 and 26 days, respectively), and percentage increase in lifespan (559 and 263%, respectively) of the treated mice. Our results also showed that both berberine and cinnamic acid-induced apoptosis by increasing the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio (74.1 and 45.1, respectively) and caspase-3 expression (14.3- and 11.6-fold increase, respectively). Additionally, berberine and cinnamic acid decreased oxidative stress markers, as shown by the decrease in lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide levels and an increase in reduced glutathione level., Conclusion: These results suggest that berberine and cinnamic acid have potential as antitumor and antioxidant agents derived from natural sources, which could be used alone or in combination with regular chemotherapeutic agents, such as cisplatin. These effects could be attributed to the proapoptotic activity of berberine and cinnamic acid., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Purpose: Aging is associated with hepatic morphological and physiological deterioration due to the accumulation of endogenous and exogenous free radicals and the resultant oxidative stress. The present study aims to investigate the effect of Haematococcus pluvialis microalgae on hepatic changes associated with D-galactose (D-Gal)-induced aging in rats. Methods: Aging was induced in rats by daily intraperitoneal injection of D-Gal (200 mg/kg/day) for eight consecutive weeks. D-Gal-injected rats were treated by astaxanthin (ATX)-rich H. pluvialis biomass, its carotenoid and polar fractions for two weeks. Twenty four hours after the last dose, blood samples were collected and the liver tissues were isolated for further biochemical and histopathological examinations. Results: D-Gal induced aging was associated with an elevation in serum liver function parameters, hepatic oxidative stress biomarkers viz., catalase (CAT), glutathione transferase (GST) and myeloperoxidase (MPO), as well as decreased expression of nuclear factor like-2 (Nrf2). Moreover, induction of aging exhibited an elevation of hepatic inflammatory cytokine; interleukin-6 (IL-6) and its modulator; nuclear factor Kappa B (NF-KB). However, treatment of D-Gal injected rats with ATX-rich H. pluvialis restored the serum liver function parameters as well as hepatic CAT, GST and MPO levels with an elevated expression of Nrf2. Treatment with ATX-rich H. pluvialis was also accompanied with a decrease in hepatic levels of NF-KB and IL-6. Histopathological examination emphasized all the previous results. Similarly, all trans-astaxanthin showed high affinity towards Nrf2 with -7.93 kcal/mol estimated free energy of binding as well as moderate affinities towards IL-6 and NF-KB through a docking study. Conclusion: ATX-rich H. pluvialis showed beneficial effects by ameliorating the hepatic changes associated with D-Gal induced aging in rats due to its modulatory role of the Nrf2/Keap pathway.

Microalgae represent a rich source that satisfies the growing need for novel ingredients of nutriceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and food supplements. Haematococcus pluvialis and Dunaliella salina microalgae are isolated from the Egyptian hydro-flora and are reported for their potent antioxidant activities. The cytotoxic activity of different fractions of both microalgae was investigated on 4 cell lines HePG2, MCF7, HCT116, and A549. The carotenoid rich fraction of H. pluvialis showed potent cytotoxic activity against colon cancer cell line and moderate activity against both liver and breast cancer cell lines. On the other hand, the carotenoid rich fraction of D. salina showed mild cytotoxic activity on breast and liver cancer cell lines. The carotenoid rich fraction of H. pluvialis was analysed using LC-DAD/ESI-MS and the major carotenoids were identified either free as well as bounded to fatty acids., (Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Objectives: To assess knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of healthcare staff regarding pharmaceutical waste management; and to determine the impact of an educational programme on the KAP survey items., Design: Pre-post-test intervention study., Methods: The pre-intervention phase was performed using a sample of 530 out of 1500 healthcare workers. A predesigned interview questionnaire was used to assess KAP. Next, an educational programme was designed and offered to a subsample of 69 healthcare workers. KAP were re-assessed for the programme attendees using the same interview questionnaire, both immediately (post-test) and six months after the end of the programme (follow-up test). The parametric paired sample t-test was used to assess the difference between pre-test and follow-up test results., Results: Poor knowledge and poor practice levels (scores 50%) detected in the pre-intervention phase were found to improve to satisfactory levels (scores ≥75%) in the follow-up phase. Attitude was found to be positive (score ≥75%) in all phases of the study., Conclusion: The educational programme led to a significant improvement in KAP of healthcare staff regarding pharmaceutical waste management (P<0.001)., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Objective: Opioid use disorders attributed to tramadol (OUD-T) is a public health problem in Egypt. The objective of this study was to assess the psychiatric comorbidity among patients with opioid use disorder attributed to tramadol., Methods: This study included 100 patients with opioid use disorders attributed to tramadol (according to DSM-IV-TR) and 100 control persons (matched for age, sex, and education), who were recruited from Zagazig University Hospital, Egypt. The participants were interviewed using Structured Clinical Interview for DSM disorders (SCID-I and SCID-II), Addiction Severity Index scale (patients), and urine screening for drugs., Results: Twenty-four percent of the patients used tramadol only (pure tramadol group), whereas 76% of the patients used other substances in addition to tramadol (polysubstance group). Most (91%) of the patients had tramadol dependence. Forty-nine percent of the patients had psychiatric comorbidity, especially mood disorders (59.2%), whereas only 24% of the control persons had psychiatric comorbidity, especially anxiety disorders (83.3%). The most common personality disorders among patients were borderline (24%) and antisocial (22%), whereas in control persons, the most common personality disorders were obsessive compulsive personality disorder (8%) and the avoidant personality disorder (7%). Cluster B (76.6%) was the most common category among patients (compared with 25.8% in control persons), whereas cluster C (51.6%) was the most common category among control persons (compared with 15.6% in patients)., Conclusions: Most of the patients were dependent on tramadol, and approximately 3 out of 4 used many substances. Almost half of the patients had psychiatric comorbidity, and approximately 3 out of 4 had cluster B personality disorders.

Luteolin-7-O-glycoside (LG), an abundant component in many edible plants, was found to be one of the major constituents of the aqueous methanol extract of Trifolium alexandrinum L. family Fabaceae, a fodder plant widely cultivated in Egypt. The estrogenic activity of LG concerning the effect on uterotrophy, lipid profile, weight gain and bone enhancement activity was determined in ovariectomized rat model at a dose of 5 mg/kg. Luteolin-7-O-glycoside showed significant estrogenic effect through the preservation of normal uterine weight and plasma estradiol level. It also significantly inhibited the bone turnover markers plasma bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, plasma osteocalsin, type I procollagen N-terminal, and C-telopeptide of type II collagen levels. It induced a significant improvement in plasma lipid profile. The effect of LG was comparable with estradiol with lower effect on uterine weight. Liver and kidney functions revealed a wide safety of LG at this dose level. The present study revealed that LG may be a promising hormone replacement therapy after being examined thoroughly on human. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., (Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Unlabelled: In health care facilities, pharmaceutical waste is generally discharged down the drain or sent to landfill. Poor knowledge about their potential downstream impacts may be a primary factor for improper disposal behavior. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of an intervention program on knowledge and practice of health care staff regarding pharmaceutical waste management. The study was designed as a pre/posttest intervention study. Total sample size was 530 in the pre-intervention phase, and then a subsample of 69 individuals was selected for the intervention and the post-intervention phases. Paired-sample t test was used to assess the difference between pretest and follow-up test results. A statistically significant improvement in knowledge and practice was achieved (P<0.001). Poor knowledge and poor practice levels (scores<50%) were found to improve to satisfactory levels (scores≥75%). Therefore, educational programs could be considered as an effective tool for changing health care staff practice in pharmaceutical waste management., Implications: In health care facilities, pharmaceutical waste is generally discharged down the drain or sent to landfill. A lack of knowledge about the potential impacts of this type of waste may be a leading factor in improper disposal behavior. Following an educational program, statistically significant improvement in knowledge and practice of health care staff as regards to pharmaceutical waste management (PWM) was achieved. It is thus recommended that authorities implement training-of-trainers (TOT) programs to educate health care staff on PWM and organize refreshment workshops regularly.

Background: According to the WHO, nearly 24% of the global disease burden is attributable to environmental risk factors (RFs). People living in periurban areas are particularly at risk due to lack of basic sanitation requirements., Objective: To investigate the possible association between environmental RFs and disease prevalence for a community living in a periurban area in Alexandria, Egypt., Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2012. The study sample consisted of 355 families. An interviewing questionnaire and an observation checklist were used for data collection. In addition, 10 drinking water samples were randomly collected for physical, chemical, and bacteriological analyses. The questionnaire included questions on indoor environmental RFs as well as morbidity in the study sample, and the observation checklist covered outdoor environmental RFs. The environmental risk was determined using a risk score whose calculation was based upon the presence/absence of 10 indoor and 12 outdoor environmental RFs. The association between risk scores and 14 morbidities was investigated using unconditional logistic regression analysis, expressed as odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI)., Results: A significant association was found between the total environmental risk score and respiratory diseases (OR=2.298, 95% CI: 1.231-4.291), diarrhea (OR=2.083, 95% CI: 1.102-3.939), liver diseases (OR=2.491, 95% CI: 1.067-5.819), skin diseases (OR=1.821, 95% CI: 1.012-3.310), and bronchial asthma (OR=2.228, 95% CI: 1.066-4.565). Noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and musculoskeletal diseases did not show any significant association with environmental RFs., Conclusion and Recommendations: Environmental RFs have an adverse impact on health within communities living in periurban areas. It is recommended that sanitation be improved and various outdoor environmental RFs be addressed in these underprivileged areas, as well as health education campaigns be organized aiming at raising the awareness of residents on indoor environmental RFs and ways to prevent them.

A combination of persulfate and hydrogen peroxide (S2O8(2-)/H2O2) was used to oxidizelandfill leachate. The reaction was performed under varying S2O8(2-)/H2O2 ratio (g/g), S2O8(2-)/H2O2 dosages (g/g), pH, and reaction time (minutes), so as to determine the optimum operational conditions. Results indicated that under optimum operational conditions (i.e. 120 min of oxidation using a S2O8(2-)/H2O2 ratio of 1 g/1.47 g at a persulfate and hydrogen peroxide dosage of 5.88 g/50 ml and8.63 g/50 ml respectively, at pH 11) removal of 81% COD and 83% NH3-N was achieved. In addition, the biodegradability (BOD5/COD ratio) of the leachate was improved from 0.09 to 0.17. The results obtained from the combined use of (S2O8(2-)/H2O2) were compared with those obtained with sodium persulfate only, hydrogen peroxide only and sodium persulfate followed by hydrogen peroxide. The combined method (S2O8(2-)/H2O2) achieved higher removal efficiencies for COD and NH3-N compared with the other methods using a single oxidizing agent. Additionally, the study has proved that the combination of S2O8(2-)/H2O2 is more efficient than the sequential use of sodium persulfate followed by hydrogen peroxide in advanced oxidation processes aiming at treatingstabilizedlandfill leachate., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, being the second most common type of cancer worldwide in both men and women. It accounts yearly for approximately 9% of all new cases of cancers. Furthermore, the current chemotherapeutic regimens seem unsatisfactory, so that exploration of novel therapeutic modalities is needed. The present study was undertaken to investigate the inhibitory effects of a crude alkaloid extract (CAERS) of a medicinal herb, Rhazya stricta, on proliferation of CRC HCT116 cells and to elucidate mechanisms of action. To achieve these aims, we utilized MTT, comet, DNA laddering and gene reporter assays, along with Western blot and RT-PCR analyses., Results: We found that CAERS inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptotic cell death in HCT116 cells. Hallmarks of morphological and biochemical signs of apoptosis were clearly evident. CAERS down-regulated DNA-binding and transcriptional activities of NF-κB and AP-1 proteins, while up-regulating expression of the Nrf-2 protein. It also down-regulated expression levels of the ERK MAPK, Bcl-2, cyclin D1, CDK-4, survivin and VEGF and up-regulated levels of Bax, caspase-3/7 and -9, p53, p21, Nrf-2. Markedly, it promoted mRNA expression levels of cytoprotective genes including the hemeoxygenase-1, NAD(P)H quinine oxidoreductase 1 and UDP-glucuronyltransferase., Conclusions: These findings indicate that CAERS exerts antiproliferative action on CRC cells through induction of apoptotic mechanisms, and suggest CAERS could be a promising agent for studying and developing novel chemotherapeutic agents aimed at novel molecular targets for the treatment of CRC.

The objective of this study was to investigate the performance of employing H2O2 reagent in persulfate activation to treat stabilized landfill leachate. A central composite design (CCD) with response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to evaluate the relationships between operating variables, such as persulfate and H2O2 dosages, pH, and reaction time, to identify the optimum operating conditions. Quadratic models for the following two responses proved to be significant with very low probabilities (<0.0001): chemical oxygen demand (COD) and NH3-N removal. The obtained optimum conditions included a reaction time of 116 min, 4.97 g S2O8(2-), 7.29 g H2O2 dosage and pH 11. The experimental results were corresponding well with predicted models (COD and NH3-N removal rates of 81% and 83%, respectively). The results obtained in the stabilized leachate treatment were compared with those from other treatment processes, such as persulfate only and H2O2 only, to evaluate its effectiveness. The combined method (i.e., /S2O8(2-)/H2O2) achieved higher removal efficiencies for COD and NH3-N compared with other studied applications.

The current study investigated the effects of S2O8(2-) and S2O8(2-)/H2O2 oxidation processes on the biodegradable characteristics of an anaerobic stabilized leachate. Total COD removal efficiency was found to be 46% after S2O8(2-) oxidation (using 4.2 g S2O8(2-)/1g COD0, at pH 7, for 60 min reaction time and at 350 rpm shaking speed), and improved to 81% following S2O8(2-)/H2O2 oxidation process (using 5.88 g S2O8(2-) dosage, 8.63 g H2O2 dosage, at pH 11 and for 120 min reaction time at 350 rpm). Biodegradability in terms of BOD5/COD ratio of the leachate enhanced from 0.09 to 0.1 and to 0.17 following S2O8(2-) and S2O8(2-)/H2O2 oxidation processes, respectively. The fractions of COD were determined before and after each oxidation processes (S2O8(2-) and S2O8(2-)/H2O2). The fraction of biodegradable COD(bi) increased from 36% in raw leachate to 57% and 68% after applying S2O8(2-) and S2O8(2-)/H2O2 oxidation, respectively. As for soluble COD(s), its removal efficiency was 39% and 78% following S2O8(2-) and S2O8(2-)/H2O2 oxidation, respectively. The maximum removal for particulate COD was 94% and was obtained after 120 min of S2O8(2-)/H2O2 oxidation. As a conclusion, S2O8(2-)/H2O2 oxidation could be an efficient method for improving the biodegradability of anaerobic stabilized leachate., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aims: Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world. The aim of this study was to investigate the growth-suppression potentiality of a crude saponin extract (CSENS) prepared from medicinal herb, Nigella sativa, on human colon cancer cells, HCT116., Materials and Methods: HCT116 cells were subjected to increasing doses of CSENS for 24, 48 and 72 h, and then harvested and assayed for cell viability by WST-1. Flow cytometry analyses, cell death detection ELISA, fluorescent stains (Hoechst 33342 and acridine orange/ethidium bromide), DNA laddering and comet assays were carried out to confirm the apoptogenic effects of CSENS. Luciferase reporter gene assays, quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses were performed to assess the impact of CAERS and CFEZO on the expression levels of key regulatory proteins in HCT116 cells., Results: The results demonstrated that CSENS inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis. Apoptosis was confirmed by flow cytometry analyses, while CSENS-treated cells exhibited morphological hallmarks of apoptosis including cell shrinkage, irregularity in cellular shape, cellular detachment and chromatin condensation. Biochemical signs of apoptosis, such as DNA degradation, were observed by comet assay and gel electrophoresis. The pro-apoptotic effect of CSENS was caspase-3-independent and associated with increase of the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. CSENS treatment down-regulated transcriptional and DNA-binding activities of NF-κB and AP-1 proteins, associated with down-regulation of their target oncogenes, c-Myc, cyclin D1 and survivin. On the other hand, CSENS up-regulated transcriptional and DNA-binding activities of Nrf2 and expression of cytoprotective genes. In addition, CSENS modulated the expression levels of ERK1/2 MAPK, p53 and p21., Conclusions: These findings suggest that CSENS may be a valuable agent for treatment of colon cancer.

Context: Boswellia species are trees (family: Bruseraceae) found in India, Northern Africa and the Middle East., Objective: This study aims at formulating low dose biologically active fraction from the oleogum resin of Boswellia carterii (BC) in transdermal (TD) microemulsions (MEs) to acquire promoted anti-inflammatory efficacy., Materials and Methods: The bioactive fraction of the oleogum resin of BC was tested for solubility in different components. The most efficient were selected for constructing phase diagrams for ME preparation. The bioactive fraction was assayed by high performance liquid chromatography for 3-acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid (AKBA), at 210 nm. The bioactive fraction was incorporated in 6 MEs. ME systems were evaluated for drug content and optimized systems were tested for characterization, permeation, skin irritancy and in vivo evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity., Results and Discussion: Two systems were selected; ME1 and ME4 composed of Tween 80: PEG 400 at 1:1 and 2:1 ratio, with oil content 7.78 and 17.5%, respectively. The systems showed high encapsulation efficiency >83%, small droplet size <100 nm, and suitable pH for topical application. Permeation parameters for ME1 were higher compared to ME4. Both MEs were non irritant. ME1 showed significantly higher anti-inflammatory activity versus the standard TD anti-inflammatory piroxicam., Conclusions: Optimized TD BC MEs could be used as a safe, effective and long acting alternative to oral anti-inflammatories, providing higher and prolonged efficacy and better patient compliance.

Boswellia carterii (BC) Birdwood oleogum resin is an ancient remedy of inflammation processes known since Ancient Egyptian time. Of boswellic acids, 3-acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid (AKBA) is the most potent anti-inflammatory active principle. Liquisolid systems of the biologically active fraction of BC oleogum resin were prepared for improving dissolution properties using low dose oral delivery to achieve enhanced anti-inflammatory activity, in comparison with the standard oral anti-inflammatory; Indomethacin. AKBA was assayed, employing an accurate and sensitive HPLC method. Detection was carried out at 210 nm using UV/Vis detector. A solubility study for the bioactive fraction was conducted. Microcrystalline cellulose and Aeroperl®300 Pharma were used as carrier and coating materials. Angle of slide, liquid load factor and Carr's flow index were estimated. Six systems were prepared using polyethylene glycol 400, solvent and two drug loading concentrations; 20 and 40 %. For each concentration, three carrier: coat ratios were dispensed; 20:1, 10:1, and 5:1. Dissolution study was performed and two systems were selected for characterization and in vivo evaluation by investigating upper GIT ulcerogenic effect and anti-inflammatory efficacy in rats. Results indicate absence of ulcers and significantly higher and prolonged anti-inflammatory efficacy for formulations F1 and F2, with carrier: coat ratio, 5:1 and drug loads of 20 and 40 %, respectively, compared with standard oral indomethacin. We conclude higher efficacy of BC bioactive fraction liquisolids compared with Indomethacin with greater safety on GIT, longer duration of action and hence better patient compliance.

Background: Wastewater discharged from electroplating industry contains different concentrations of heavy metals, which when released into the environment pose a health hazard to human beings., Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of orange peel as an adsorbent in the recovery of Nickel (Ni) from electroplating wastewater., Materials and Methods: The effectiveness of orange peel as an adsorbent was assessed by determining the optimum conditions of adsorption (adsorbent dose, pH, and contact time), calculating the recovery percentage, and characterizing the orange peel sludge resulting from adsorption/desorption process as being hazardous or not., Results: Under optimum conditions for adsorption, orange peel was found to be an effective adsorbent of Ni from electroplating wastewater. It achieved 59.28% removal of the metal from a solution containing 528 mg/l, at a dose of 60 g/l, at pH 7, and for 1-h contact time. The nickel uptake capacity of orange peel was calculated to be 5.2 mg/g. Using HCl for desorption of adsorbed Ni, a recovery of 44.46% of Ni discharged in the wastewater could be reached. Orange peel resulting from the adsorption/desorption process was characterized as being nonhazardous., Conclusion and Recommendation: Orange peel was found to be effective in the recovery of nearly half of the amount of Ni discharged in electroplating wastewater. Further studies are required to determine (a) the impact of the recovered NiCl2 solution on the quality of the plated product, (b) the effect of activation of orange peel on the adsorption process, and (c) the number of cycles during which orange peel can be reused as an effective adsorbent.