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The treatment and control of cyanobacterial blooms using copper-based algaecides in water reservoirs have historically been used; however, due to the adverse impact of copper on the environment, water authorities have been researching and studying new and innovative ways to control cyanobacterial blooms. Hydrogen peroxide has been investigated as an environmentally friendly alternative, and this research aims to determine the impact of water quality on its effectiveness based on the decay characteristics in different water samples. Natural water samples from South Australian reservoirs and river were used to evaluate hydrogen peroxide decomposition and provide a better strategy for water operators in using it as an algaecide. Our experiments show the dependency of hydrogen peroxide decomposition not only on water quality but also on the initial hydrogen peroxide dose. A higher initial hydrogen peroxide dose can trigger the increase of pH, leading to increased consumption of hydrogen peroxide. In addition, the hydrogen peroxide decomposition is significantly accelerated with the rise of copper concentration in water samples. Moreover, it is found that UV light can also affect the decomposition rate of hydrogen peroxide. The hydrogen peroxide decay is more significant under UV light for the samples with lower hydrogen peroxide concentrations. Our study also shows the impact of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) on hydrogen peroxide decomposition is not substantial. The study also presents a modelling method to optimise hydrogen peroxide application based on water quality characteristics. Our findings can provide knowledge for the water industry to produce a suitable model which can be used to optimise the application of hydrogen peroxide for the control of cyanobacteria. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Wound dressings are highly desired for the treatment of chronic wound infections. This study aimed to prepare membranes composed of chemically crosslinkedPVA and Gelatin polymers. Curcumin was added to improve the membrane's biological properties. FTIR spectroscopy was used to investigate their chemical structures, while SEM and TGA analysis were applied to studies the morphology of the membrane and the thermal properties of the crosslinked membranes. In addition, the contact angle measurement was also performed to get more information about the physicochemical properties. In addition, the biodegradability studies were performed and the findings highlighted that the prepared biodegradable PVA/ Gelatin/ Curcumin membranes could be efficiently used as dressers for enhancing wound healing.

Now a day, finding alternatives to chemical fertilizers without reduction of yield becomes urgent need for saving the environment. So,two field experiments were performed at Experimental Farm of Gemmiza, Agricultural Research Station, El- Ghrbiah Governorate, Egypt during the two growing seasons of 2016 and 2017 to investigate the influence of different fertilizers types, i.e., mineral fertilizers (100 % as a control), organic fertilizers (plant compost and farmyard manure), bio-fertilizer and different applications of some stimulants on improving the vegetative growth, fruit yield and essential oil constituents of Coriandrum sativum L plant.The findings showed that coriander plants treated with compost plant had the highest values of all studied parameters as compared to the plants treated with farmyard manure. Within the foliar non-mineral applications; the best values of all studied traits of coriander plants were obtained by using compost before planting and Humic acid plus seaweeds which improved plant growth, yield and essential oil yields. In addition, the highest values of the main component (linalool) were associated with the same previous treatment.

Background Several destructive and immunotherapeutic methods are used in treatment of plantar warts, but an effective method with no or reduced recurrence has not been found till now. Objectives To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intralesional (IL) vitamin D3 (Vit.D3 ) injection vs IL tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) injection in the treatment of plantar warts. Methods Sixty patients with plantar warts were randomized into 3 equal groups: group I treated using IL tuberculin PPD every 2 weeks, group II treated using IL Vit.D3 every 4 weeks, and group III treated with IL saline every 2 weeks till complete clearance or for a maximum of 3 sessions. The follow-up period was 6 months. Results There was a statistically significant improvement in therapeutic groups than control with more significant improvement in group II than I. Regarding number of sessions required for complete response, there was a positive significant correlation in both groups, but more significant in group I. There was a negative correlation between the number of lesions and the response to treatment in both groups. Group II showed significantly better response to treatment in male patients. Both modalities were well tolerated, with no remarkable side effects and no recurrence in cured patients of both groups. Conclusions Both IL PPD and Vit.D3 injection are safe and effective for treatment of plantar warts even recalcitrant or multiple, with no postprocedural downtime, better results, and patient satisfaction. IL Vit.D3 injection has a superior advantage than PPD.

Six mummies and their and cartonnages found at Tell Al Sawa, Eastern Delta, Egypt, provided 20 fragments of cartonnage for analysis to determine if the initial attribution of their age to the late period was correct. The cartonnage fragments were examined using SEM–EDAXS and FT-IR spectroscopy, and the results revealed that they comprised linen supports over a preparatory layer either of calcite or gypsum alone or in admixture mixed with organic binding medium of animal glue. The paint layer was applied using either natural mineral oxide earths such as iron oxide and lead oxide, strontium carbonate or the synthetic pigment Egyptian blue. The binding medium was found to be gum arabic. The pigment characterization revealed the unusual presence of a zinc silicate, noted in Egyptian painting for the first time.

At Kalabsho Experimental Farm, Dakahlia Governorate, Sugar Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, two experiments were done in the field throughout seasons of 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 to decide the effect of sources of organic fertilizers (farmyard manure "FYM", compost "CO" and poultry manure "PM") and its rates ( 0, 3, 5 and 7 t fed-1) on yields and its components and quality of sugar beet cv. Plino under newly reclaimed sandy soil conditions. A strip-plot design with 3 replications was used in these experiments. The obtained results showed that organic fertilizing of sugar beet plots with PM induced a gradual increment and produced in the utmost values of all studied yields and its components and quality parameters as contrasted with supplementary treatments within the two growing seasons. Application the utmost rate of organic fertilizers (7 t fed-1) formed the utmost values of yield and yield components and N, P and K contents in roots and foliage in mutually seasons. Although, the utmost values of sucrose and quality percentages resulted from using the organic fertilizers at 3 t fed-1 and the utmost values of sodium percentage were resulted as of control treatment in mutually seasons. Thus, it is suggested that fertilizing sugar beet fields with poultry manure (PM) at 7 t fed-1 would get the most out of sugar beet over the environmental circumstances of newly reclaimed sandy soils in Kalabsho distract, Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt.

The limitations in the therapeutic options for foodborne pathogens lead to treatments failure, especially for multidrug-resistant (MDR) Salmonella sp., worldwide. Therefore, we aimed to find alternative and complementary therapies against these resistant foodborne pathogens. Out of 100 meat products samples, the prevalence rate of salmonella was 6%, serotyped only as S. Typhimurium and S. Enteritidis. According to the antibiotic susceptibility assays, the majority of our isolates were MDR and susceptible to cefotaxime. Out of the 13 tested plant extracts, five only showed an inhibition zone in the range of 8–50 mm against both serotypes. Based on their promising activity, the oily extract of cinnamon and aqueous extract of paprika represented the highest potency. Surprisingly, a significant synergistic effect was detected between cinnamon oil and cefotaxime. Depending on Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), the antimicrobial activity of cinnamon oil was attributed to four components including linalool, camphor, (Z)-3-Phenylacrylaldehyde and its stereoisomer 2-Propenal-3-phenyl. The anti-virulence activities of these compounds were confirmed on the basis of computational molecular docking studies. Accordingly, we recommended the use of cinnamon oil as a food additive to fight the resistant foodborne pathogens. Additionally, we confirmed its therapeutic uses, especially when co-administrated with other antimicrobial agents.

Background Patients with cirrhosis are more susceptible to develop AKI than the non-cirrhotic individuals. AKI has an estimated prevalence of approximately 20% to 50% among hospitalized patients with cirrhosis. Physicians caring for patients with cirrhosis should recognize the acute or chronic character of renal disease, the causes of renal injury, the clinical conditions leading concomitantly to AKI and liver dysfunction, and the prognostic factors associated with the progression of AKI. Hypovolemia (due to diuretics, hemorrhage and diarrhea), acute tubular necrosis (ATN), sepsis, nephrotoxic agents (such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, aminoglycosides and/or radiological contrasts) and hepatorenal syndrome (HRS)-type 1 are the most common causes of AKI in cirrhotic patients. Objective To evaluate the sensitivity of fractional excretion of urea (FEUrea) vas a diagnostic biomarker for different causes of acute kidney injury in liver cirrhosis. Patients and Methods This study was conducted in co-operation between Tropical Medicine Department, Ain-Shams University and the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute between July 2019 to January 2020. It included 70 adult Egyptian patients admitted for treatment of complications of cirrhosis who fulfilled the eligibility criteria and compared to 10 cirrhotic patients without renal impairment. All patients were subjected to; full history taking, thorough clinical examination, laboratory investigations, Child-Pugh score was calculated for admission and urine samples were collected for urinary urea and creatinine levels to calculate FEUrea. Results Concerning the gender distribution in this study, male to female percent was 40 (57.10%) males and 30 (42.90%) females for gender, respectively. As regards to the causes of AKI, there were 24 (34.30%) PRA, 7 (10.00%) HRS and 39 (55.70%) ATN for final diagnosis. In the current study, there was significant difference (P = 0.0001; P 33%) compared to lower cut-off values for PRA (21%) and HRS ( Conclusion FEUrea was found to be an excellent simple tool for the differential diagnosis of AKI in patients with decompensated cirrhosis and ascites. FEUrea has also proven to be a useful “tubular injury” marker by differentiating ATN from non-ATN with high diagnostic accuracy (Sensitivity and Specificity exceeding >90%). FEUrea was found to be a good alternative and noninvasive tool for differentiating causes of AKI in cirrhotic patients instead of other non-available or expensive markers.

Geopolymers are conventionally prepared by the reaction between a pozzolanic binder and an alkaline activator. In the present work, the waste form alum industry, commonly known as “dealuminated kaolin” (DK) was used as binder and sodium hydroxide solutions (with molarities ranging from 2 to 14 mole.L-1) as activator. The waste powder was first dried, finely ground and characterized by X – Ray fluorescence (XRF) and X – Ray Diffraction (XRD) analyses as well as SEM micrography. This was then mixed with the alkaline activator in a mass ratio of DK to NaOH solution equals 0.7 and molded in 50 mm steel molds. The effect of curing time and molarity of the alkaline solution on the properties of the produced bricks were assessed. It was observed that the degree of polymerization after 28 days generally increases with the increase of NaOH solution up to 810 M to reach about 90% after which the effect of NaOH concentration is less pronounced. Water absorption was found to drop considerably following the increase in NaOH concentration from 4 M to 14 M. The results also showed that the 28 days compressive strength reaches the minimum allowable value of strength of building bricks (8.7 MPa according to ASTM C 62) starting from NaOH concentrations of about 12 M

The utilization of antimicrobial drugs has an important effect in chicken husbandry as they are used in prophylaxis, treatment and growth enhancement made poultry a major reservoir of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Therefore, our study was undertaken to isolate and control the most common bacterial contamination. For this purpose a total of seventy samples from raw chicken meat and organs (livers, hearts, spleens, muscles, kidneys, skin and gizzards) were collected from different retail markets and abattoirs in Sharkia governorate, Egypt. Nutrient agar was used for the total bacterial count (TBC) , mannitol salt agar for the total Staphylococcus count (TSC) and macConkey’s agar for the total Enterbacteriacae count (TEC). The most common bacteria were identified as Staph. aureus, E.coli and Salmonella isolates in an incidence of 8.57%, 35.7% and 4.28% respectively. The percentage of resistant bacteria to the tested antibiotic were77.8%, 85.7% and 71.4% for Staph. aureus, E.coli and Salmonella respectively. The most effective aquatic plant extract was clove followed by rosemary for its antibacterial effect. The silver nanoparticles has been synthesized and recognized by the color change and UV measurement after incubation of silver nitrate and watery extract of clove at dark conditions, it clearly showed complete inhibitory effect against all the tested MDR bacteria.

The objective of this research is to incorporate microencapsulated Bifidobacterium bifidum DSM20082 in zabady. This fermented dairy products containing 2% cold or hot water extracted clove and cinnamon , in order to study the different effects of these extracts on chemical , microbiological , rheological and organoleptic properties of zabady during storage at 6 ± 2.0°C for 15 days. Extrusion technique was used to produce microencapsulated Bifidobacterium bifidum DSM20082 using three different carrier material (1.0 % k-carrageenan , 0.05 % xanthan gum and 2.0 % gelatin) in the presence of 2% sodium alginate and 0.5% inulin as a prebiotic source . The results showed that the addition of 2% cold or hot water cinnamon and clove extracts resulted in better compactness of viability of Bifidobacterium bifidum DSM20082 ( free or encapsulated ). Which increased significantly bacterial counts compared to control ( 0%) but viable counts of Bifidobacterium bifidum DSM20082 were slightly decreased at 10% compared to control (0%) . The titratable acidity of the examined treatments of zabady increased during the storage period with simultaneous decreasing trend of the pH values. Total viability of Bifidobacterium bifidum DSM20082 was higher in zabady samples containing cold extract of clove and cinnamon, and encapsulated cells showed better viability in comparison with non encapsulated. Coliform bacteria were not detected till the end of storage period in all treatments. Viable counts of Streptococcus thermophiles and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus declined approximately ( 1.3 - 1.8 log10 cfu/g ) after 15 days of storage period, but in all treatments viable cells remained above (106 cfu /g). Regarding organoleptically and instrumentally evaluated textural attributes, significant differences were observed among all zabady treatments. The total scores of organoleptic properties slightly decreased in all treatments. The treatment (x4) containing encapsulated Bifidobacterium bifidum DSM20082 with 0.05% xanthan gum and 2% cold water extract of cinnamon had the highest total scores point 95.81 (after 5 days) and 92.49 (after 15 days) of storage period.

Dissolved gas analysis (DGA) is a common technique to identify transformer faults. The transformer faults are identified based on the concentration of the combustible gases such as Hydrogen (H2), Methane (CH4), Ethan (C2H6), Ethylene (C2H4), Acetylene (C2H2), and Carbon mono-oxide (CO) in addition to the ratios between these gases. On the other hand, the DGA technique identifies only the transformer fault type not the severity of this fault. In this paper, three objectives should be achieved, the first one is determining the transformer fault type based on the Duval triangle rules using a Fuzzy Logic model and secondly, determining the partial discharge severity based on a thermodynamic approach based on the starting decomposing materials (n-Octane (C8H18) and Eicosane (C20H42)), thirdly, comparing the severity of the partial discharge based on the type of the starting decomposing material. The results indicate that the severity of the partial discharge influenced by the type of starting decomposing material.

A new series of benzimidazothiazole derivatives has been synthesized. The structure of the products was confirmed by spectroscopic techniques such as IR, NMR and mass spectroscopy. The tested compounds were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activity either in vitro through the COX enzyme inhibition assay, or in vivo through carrageenan paw edema technique. Results revealed that compound 25 and 29 represented the most active ones among the entire series with % inhibition 72.19, 72.07 for COX-1, and 87.46, 87.38 for COX-2, respectively. Interestingly, all synthesized compounds exhibited IC50 values less than both reference drugs celecoxib and naproxen, indicating their superior potency. For compound 25, it showed about 340 and 198 times more potent than celecoxib and naproxen respectively as COX-1 inhibitor (IC50 value 0.044 vs. 15.000 and 8.700 µM), and 10 and 115 times more potent than the same drugs as COX-2 inhibitor (IC50 value 4.52 vs. 40.00 and 520.00 nM). The antitumor activity of the products was also evaluated and the results obtained are consistent with those obtained by the anti-inflammatory screening where compounds 25 and 29 proved to be the most active ones among the other compounds with %GI ranging from 31.5 to 62.5% and they exhibited the lowest IC50 values as well. The ADMET analysis of the tested compounds was also performed in addition to the molecular modeling studies that included flexible alignment, surface and electrostatic maps in addition to the Lipinisk's rule of five.

A proportion of circulating 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 (25(OH)D3)) undergoes epimerization to form C3-epi 25(OH)D3 and C3-epi 1,25(OH)2D3. These epimers have less calcaemic activity than non-epimerized metabolites and are not differentiated by many immunoassays when reporting total 25(OH)D3 levels. This study aimed to compare the effect of exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and oral vitamin D3 supplementation on vitamin D C3-epimer levels. C57Bl/6 female mice were fed either vitamin D-sufficient (vitamin D3 2000 IU/kg) or -deficient diets (no vitamin D3) for 4 weeks. Among the vitamin D-deficient group, the shaved backs of half were irradiated daily for 4 days with 1 kJ/m2 UVR, followed by twice weekly irradiation for 4 weeks. Despite similar 25(OH)D3 levels, the UV-irradiated group had a lower proportion of C3-epi 25(OH)D3 at week 7 (p < 0.05) and week 9 (p < 0.01). C3-epimer concentrations and %C3-epi 25(OH)D3 were also analysed in serum samples from two human clinical trials. These trials investigated the effect of high dose oral vitamin D3 supplementation and narrowband UVB phototherapy, respectively. Serum 25(OH)D3 and the %C3-epi 25(OH)D3 levels measured at 12 months after oral vitamin D3 supplementation were not significantly different to those measured at the time of maximal effect of phototherapy (2 months). Thus, the proportion of 25(OH)D3 that undergoes epimerization is greater with oral vitamin D3 supplementation than exposure to UVR in mice, but not in humans. This important difference between human and murine vitamin D metabolism warrants consideration when interpreting animal studies.

The present study was conducted at a private Farm, Kalabsho, Belqas Center, Dakahlia Governorate during the two successive seasons of 2014/2015 and 2015/2016. This investigation was layout to find the effect of Cultivars (Gloria and Diamond), phosphorus (0, 12, 24, 36, 48 kg P2O5 fed -1 as a mono-super phosphate) and boron (0 , 0.750 and 1.125 kg Borax fed-1 ) and their interaction on yield, yield components and sucrose of sugar beet plants (Beta vulgaris, L.). A split-split-plot design with four replicates was done. Experimental unit (sub-sub plot) was10.5 m2 (1/400/fed) "3x3.5 m" including 5 ridges each of 60 cm apart and 3.5 long. The importance findings can be summarized as follows:The highest values of top yield could be obtained from diamond in the 1st season and Gloria Cultivar in the 2nd one. The optimum phosphorus fertilizer treatments were 48 kg P2O5fed-1, thereby it caused a significant increase and the greatest values of top yield. Moreover, the response of sugar beet top yield to the interaction varietal effects X boron fertilizer levels was significant in the two seasons. Phosphorus at a rate of 48 kg P2O5 was the best treatment among other phosphorus treatments, which resulted in the maximum root yield in the 1st and 2nd seasons. Furthermore, control treatment (without addition) recorded the lowest mean in the 1st and 2nd seasons, respectively. With expecting the impact of boron fertilizer effects on root yield, increasing its levels from 0 to 1.125 kg H3PO4 fed-1 tended to increase root yield in the two growing seasons. Generally, the highest total yield achieved from Gloria cultivar with mean 30.72 Mg fed -1 while, Diamond cultivars recorded 28.44 Mg fed-1 in the first season. Meanwhile, in the second season the same trend were observed for cultivars Gloria which surpassed cultivars Diamond.cultivars of beets, Phosphorus showed a significant increase in sucrose % and increasing boron fertilizer levels from 0 to 0.750 and 1.125 kg Borax/fed tended to increase sucrose % from 16.82 to 16.89 and 16.98 in the first season and 20.17, 20.23 and 20.30% in the second season, respectively. It could be concluded that all used treatments significantly affected on suger beet yield and its component. The interaction between Gloria cultivars, phosphorus fertilizer at the rate of 48 kg P2O5 fed-1, boron at the rate of 1.125 kg fed-1 recorded the best in all used treatments.

This study evaluates the efficacy of vas ligation in enhancing sperm retrieval in nonobstructive azoospermia cases, by accumulating intratesticular spermatozoa. Fifty-six mature male rats with equally sized testes were included in this study. Forty-six were in the study group, and 10 were in the control group. Bilateral testicular fine needle aspiration was performed for all, to confirm presence of spermatozoa in all testes. Nonobstructive azoospermia was induced in all 56 rats, using Dienogest (40 mg/kg) + Testosterone Undecanoate (25 mg/kg) every month for three months. Monthly aspirations confirmed nonobstructive azoospermia from all rats, within the three months treatment. This was followed by unilateral vas ligation and was performed for 46 rats of the study group, with no ligation performed in the control group. After a further period of 90 days (2 spermatogenic cycles) with the same medical treatment maintained, bilateral testicular sperm extraction was performed. Sperm retrieval was evaluated, comparing the outcome of vas-ligated testicles to the nonligated. Upon evaluation, spermatozoa were found in 14/46 of the vas-ligated testes (30.4%), compared to none of the nonligated (0/66), p = .0005. Ligation of the vas deferens in rats with nonobstructive azoospermia may enhance the results of sperm retrieval via sperm accumulation.

Mural paintings within the tomb of Setka, Qubbet el-Hawa, in Aswan, Upper Egypt, were investigated using a multi-disciplinary analytical approach (Stereomicroscopy, SEM-EXD and FT-IR spectroscopy). The walls of the tomb were hewn from fragile sandstone and covered by a clay plaster, overlaid by two layers of white gypsum plaster. SEM micrographs were indicative of the penetration of fungal mycelium within the pores of the gypsum plaster, forming white encrustations due to the re-precipitation of gypsum. SEM micrographs revealed that the calcification of the gypsum plaster had occurred due to its exposure to a high temperature. The EDX pattern for the white plaster gave the characteristic spectrum of gypsum, the blue pigment was Egyptian blue, the black pigment was magnetite, the white pigment was of gypsum (or anhydrite) and the yellow pigment was limonite. Finally, the FT-IR spectrum of the binder gave the characteristic features of gum Arabic.

The emergence of types of bacteria resistant to antibiotics is a common and most dangerous problem in the current era. In this study, 50 samples from diabetic patients including diabetic foot (n = 36), wounds (n = 9), and bedsores (n = 5) were isolated and grew well on (nutrient agar, blood agar, and MacConkey gar) media. Ten patient’s specimens (20%) had no bacterial growth. The sensitivity of 40 bacterial isolates to 7 antibiotics was performed. A microscopic examination of 40 bacterial isolates by Gram-stained film was performed. Morphological and biochemical identifications of selected MDR bacteria were evaluated. The four MDR pathogenic bacteria are named S. aureus W, P. aeruginosa DF, K. pneumonia D, and K. pneumonia BS. Determination of MIC and MBC of the 3 strongest antibiotics against 4 multidrug resistant pathogenic bacteria. Antibacterial activities of six types of natural plant extracts were studied against tested pathogenic bacteria. Clove, garlic, and cinnamon boiling water extract showed inhibitory activity against MDR bacteria.

In this research, the environmental and nutritional factors that control the improvement of phytase enzyme production from the two highest phytase producing fungi Aspergillus niger isolate no 62 and Aspergillus terreus isolate no 24 out of 99 isolated fungi from local soil samples were studied. It was found to have the highest enzyme activity after 8 days of incubation period, temperature of 30 ° C, initial pH of 6 in case of Aspergillus niger isolate no 62 and 12 days, temperature of 25 ° C and initial pH of 6.5 in case of Aspergillus terreus isolate no 24, where It was found that these are the best environmental conditions for maximum enzyme production. The Aspergillus niger isolate no 62 was chosen as the best phytase producing fungi. By studying the effect of different nutritional factors, it was found that sucrose was the best source of carbon, giving the highest enzyme activity at an optimal concentration of 1.5% (weight / volume), and ammonium nitrate when used at a concentration of 0.6% (weight / volume) was found to be the best source of nitrogen to produce phytase enzyme. When studying the effect of different concentrations of the substrate on enzyme production, it was found that when used at a concentration of 3 g / L, the substrate showed maximum phytase production. The descending sequence of agricultural waste according to phytase production by A. niger is as follows: wheat bran> rice bran> cotton stems> broad beans> cotton stems> pomegranate pulp> pea husks.

Objective Alcohol use among survivors of head and neck cancer (HNC) negatively impacts patient outcomes and is an important risk factor for recurrent and second primary tumors. Despite recommendations from several cancer societies, alcohol consumption remains a common problem in this population. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) Self-Report questionnaire. Patients with HNC completed surveys at pre-treatment and follow-up appointments every 3–6 months for at least 2-years after treatment. Results 796 surveys were available for analysis. Most participants were male (75.7%) and had either oropharyngeal (34.5%) or laryngeal (16.7%) cancer. The percentage of alcohol drinkers decreased from 56.1% at pre-treatment to 40.4% at 0–3 months post-treatment, but then increased and surpassed baseline levels by 24 + months post-treatment (64.4%, p = 0.0079). Concurrently, moderate drinkers (AUDIT = 1 – 3) decreased from 34.2% at pre-treatment to 25.2% at 0–3 months post-treatment, but then increased and surpassed baseline levels at 24 + months post-treatment (39.7%, p = 0.0129). Trends among heavy (AUDIT > 3), and heaviest (AUDIT > 6) drinkers were similar, but not statistically significant. At 24 + months post-therapy, we observed a statistically significant increase in female users (39.1% to 63.2%, p = 0.0213) and moderate drinkers Conclusion Alcohol consumption in survivors of HNC transiently decreases in the immediate months after treatment, but then increases and remains largely stable by 24 months. This pattern is particularly concerning and highlights the need for timely interventions.

Regardless of the continuous discovery of innovative modalities for the treatment of vitiligo, none of them ensure excellent therapeutic outcome. Microneedling had been suggested either singly or concomitantly with other therapeutic modalities for vitiligo with encouraging results. Latanoprost, a prostaglandin F2-alpha (PGF2α), and their analogues are recently recommended for vitiligo treatment. This study was designed to assess the therapeutic efficacy of microneedling in combination with NB-UVB phototherapy versus their combination with latanoprost in vitiligo. It was conducted on 50 patients presented with stable bilateral localized nonsegmental vitiligo. In every patient; two bilateral, nearly symmetrical lesions were selected and treated by microneedling (12 sessions at 2-week interval) followed by topical application of latanoprost 0.005% solution on one side, and topical saline (as placebo) on the other side. In addition, all patients received concomitant NB-UVB phototherapy (three sessions/week) for 6 months. Significant clinical improvement of vitiligo lesions with significant increase in the degree of repigmentation were reported in response to both treatment regimens. Latanoprost in combination with microneedling and NB-UVB provides more significant therapeutic outcomes than combined microneedling and NB-UVB. In conclusion, topical latanoprost 0.005% enhances the therapeutic efficacy of combined microneedling and NB-UVB phototherapy in localized stable nonsegmental vitiligo.

Phytochemical investigation of the butanol fraction (BUF) derived from the 70% aqueous methanolic leaf extract of Barnebydendron riedelii led to the isolation of three flavonoid glycosides; kaempferol-3-O-α- l -rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-β- d -glucopyranoside, quercetin-3-O-α- l -rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-β- d -galactopyranoside and quercetin-3-O-α- l -rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-β- d -glucopyranoside. Docking studies were fulfilled to validate the possible bio-properties of BUF toward nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). The protective role of BUF against behavioral, biochemical, molecular, histopathological and immunohistochemical alterations in thioacetamide (TAA)-induced hepatic encephalopathy in rats was investigated. The toxicological studies indicated that BUF was safe up to 2000 mg/kg bw. Prior to TAA intoxication, rats were orally treated with either BUF at multiple doses (70, 140 and 280 mg/kg bw) or lactulose (8 mL/kg bw) for 14 consecutive days. On the 13th and the 14th day, TAA (200 mg/kg bw/day) was intraperitoneally injected. The BUF significantly improved motor impairment, ameliorated cognitive deficits and attenuated TAA-induced hepatotoxicity. Moreover, BUF controlled the inflammatory processes by suppressing the hepatic inflammatory cytokine; interleukin-6 (IL-6) as well as its pro-inflammatory mediator; NF-κB supporting the molecular docking assessment. The brain neurotransmitters; dopamine, serotonin and noradrenaline, as well as ammonia levels were improved in BUF-treated TAA-intoxicated animals in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, BUF administration to TAA-intoxicated rats modulated the Nrf2 and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) genes expression in liver and brain tissues. The histological evaluation showed that pretreatment of TAA-intoxicated rats with BUF ameliorated the degenerative effects of TAA on liver and brain tissues as well as reduced the activation of cellular apoptotic marker; caspase-3 and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP+) astrocytes. In conclusion, the observed hepato-neuroprotective effect of BUF is attributed to its flavonoidal content through its modulatory effects on of NF-κB/IL-6 and Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways.

New benzothiazole-based derivatives were synthesized in the present work with the aim of evaluating their antitumor activity. They were in vitro tested against hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2), colorectal carcinoma (HCT-116), mammary gland cancer (MCF-7), prostate cancer (PC-3), and epithelioid carcinoma (HeLa). The results of the in vitro antitumor evaluation revealed that the most active compounds were 39, 40, 51, 56, and 61 exhibiting IC50 values comparable to the reference drug lapatinib. The most active compounds were further subjected to EGFR inhibitory activity assay to rationalize their potency mode. Notably, the most active antitumor compounds 39 and 40 represented the most potent inhibitors to EGFR with IC50 values of 24.58 and 30.42 nM respectively in comparison with 17.38 nM for lapatinib as a standard drug. Molecular modeling studies were also conducted for the synthesized compounds, including docking into EGFR active site and surface mapping. Results proved the superior binding of the hydrazone derivatives 39 and 40 with EGFR suggesting them as good candidates for targeted antitumor therapy through EGFR kinase inhibition.

Acacia etbaica is wild plant growing in the desert of Egypt, and it has folkloric medicinal uses. Phytochemical investigation of Acacia etbaica extracts led to the isolation and identification of seven compounds. Among these compounds are three new simple phenolics: Resacetophenone-6-methyl [1], Resorcinol [2], Resorcinol-O- β -Glucoside [3]; phenolic ester; and other four known compounds: Methylparaben [4]; two chromones, Noreugenin [5], Eugenin [6]; and one cyclitol: pinitol [7]. Compounds [1–3] isolated and identified for the first time from natural origin. In contrast, compounds [4–6] isolated for the first time from the family Fabaceae. The biological investigation was conducted on plant extracts and showed that the methylene chloride extract had a strong efficacy against Bacillus subtilis and good activity against Candida albicans. In contrast, the n-butanol extract showed extreme cytotoxic activity against Mammary gland breast cancer (MCF-7), and strong activity against Hepatocellular carcinoma (HEPG-2), and Colorectal carcinoma (HCT-116) cell lines.

Background Various adjuvants have been used to prolong spinal anesthesia, with the additional advantages of delaying the onset of postoperative pain and reducing postoperative analgesic requirements. Pregabalin is an R-aminobutyric acid analog that binds to the α2-δ subunit of presynaptic voltage-gated calcium channels. Objective The aim of this work is to evaluate the efficacy of a single dose of pregabalin in terms of spinal blockade duration and its potential opioid-sparing effect during the first 24 hours postoperatively Patients and Methods There were limitations to the present study. First, since only 1 dosage of pregabalin was evaluated, we could not determine the most effective dosage. Second, clinically meaningful improvements in recovery were not assessed. Adequate postoperative pain control provides early postsurgical mobilization, shortened hospitalization, and increased patient satisfaction. Third, preoperative pain and anxiety scores were not recorded. Pregabalin might affect the preoperative pain, mood, and anxiety scores, and these factors can be related to the postoperative pain score. Results The mechanisms by which pregabalin premedication prolongs motor and sensory blocks using local anesthetics in spinal anesthesia are not fully understood. There may be several reasons for the prolongation of spinal anesthesia. Gabapentinoids are an r-aminobutyric acid analog that binds to α2-δ subunit of presynaptic voltage-gated calcium channels, and this inhibition decreases postsynaptic excitability by reducing potassium-evoked excitatory transmitter release. These medications provide antiepileptic, anxiolytic, and analgesic features by modulating both GABAergic neurotransmission and calcium influx. Gabapentinoid compounds produce a significant and clinically important improvement in preoperative anxiety scores. Since patients may be anxious in the perioperative period, the anxiolytic effects and euphorigenic effects of pregabalin may be beneficial.

Liver breast cancer represents a major health problem worldwide. The present study evaluated the anti-cancer properties of Shrimp derived chitosan on human liver (HepG-2) and breast cancer (MCF7) cell lines. The cytotoxicity of chitosan was determined using MTT assay. Chitosan showed an antiproliferative and cytotoxic effect against (HEPG-2) and (MCF7) cancer cell lines in a dose and cell type dependent manner. The IC50 value of chitosan was 600μg/ml and 348μg/ml for treated HepG-2 and MCF-7 respectively. Anticancer potential of chitosan was monitored via evaluation of cell cycleprofile and pro- and anti-apoptotic genes. Cell cycle arrest profile was cell type dependent and occurred insignificantly (P>0.05) during S and G2-M phases in case of HepG2 cells, while it was significantly elevated during G2-M phase in case of MCF-7 treatment. Treated cell lines showed a significant apoptotic % during the Pre-G1 phase (P

This research was suggested the influence of difference replacement levels (4, 8, and 12 %) of sweet lupine flour (SLF) as partially substitute for wheat flour (WF) in produce biscuits on rheological properties of biscuit dough's , chemical composition, amino acids, physical, sensory and antioxidant characteristics of produced biscuits. The results of rheological properties for tested biscuit dough's showed that by increasing the replacement levels (4, 8 and 12%) of SLF led to increase of water absorption (%), arrival time (min), dough development (min), dough stability (min), elasticity (B.U), proportional number (R/Ex) and energy (cm2) , while, the degree of softening values (B.U) and extensibility (mm) were decreased as compared with control sample. The chemical composition of produced biscuit samples showed a significant increase in crude protein, ash and crude fiber contents and non-significant difference in crude fat and total soluble carbohydrates contents at level 4% SLF and but noticed a significant difference at levels 8 and 12% of SLF as compared with the control sample. In addition, the increase of all amino acids also showed a significant increase in total polyphenols, total flavonoids and %DPPH free radical scavenging activity in produced biscuits contained SLF as compared with the control sample. The physical characteristics of produced biscuit samples was showed a non-significant difference of width up to level 8% SLF but showed a significant decrease at the level 12% SLF, while, showed a significant increase in thickness, on the other hand, showed a significant decreased in weight, spread ratio and spread percentage as at difference replacement levels (4, 8, and 12 %) of SLF compared with the control sample. The results of organoleptic properties (appearance, color, taste, odor, crispness, texture and overall acceptability) for produced biscuit samples were showed that the produced biscuits by partially replacement of wheat flour with SLF up to level 8 % had a good sensory properties and acceptability when compared with control sample. Therefore, can be used of SLF in fortified biscuits and placed on the market as a functional food.

The drying kinetics of strawberry were investigated and optimized. They affected by the strawberry geometries and the drying temperature in addition to the pretreatments including the thermal treatments and osmotic dehydration. Three geometries (whole, halve and quarter), two thermal pretreatments (hot water and microwave), osmotic dehydration (sucrose + calcium chloride and glucose + calcium chloride) and three temperatures (40, 50 and 60°C) were evaluated. The initial moisture content of the fresh strawberry samples was varied between 93.4 and 77 % (w.b). The results indicated that thehalf that treated by sucrose, Whole that treated by sucrose and hot water (80 °C) for 10 sec and half that treated by glucose, microwave (1100 W) for 10 sec at 40oC. Also, half that treated by glucose, whole that treated by sucrose and hot water (80 °C) for 10 sec and whole that treated by sucrose, microwave (1100 W) for 10 sec at 50oC. The optimum conditions at the highest temperature 60 oC were half that treated by sucrose, whole that treated by sucrose and hot water (80 °C) for 10 sec and whole that treated by sucrose, microwave (1100 W) for 10 sec.

Two field experiments were organized at the Tag Elez Station Experimental Farm; Governorate of Dakahlya, during the two successive winter seasons of 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 using spinach plant (Spinacia oleracea, L. cv. "Balady"). Spinach seeds were sown on 2nd and 6th of December, seasons 2014 and 2015, respectively. Ten treatments were arranged in split plot design with 3 replicates to evaluate the combination effect of five levels of N-fertilizer {50, 75, 100, 125 and 150 %} from the recommended dose (RD) by the Ministry of Agric. and Soil Recl. (MASR) in the form of NH4 NO3 (33.5% N) as soil application in the presence and absence of Fe as foliar way FeSo4 (20%Fe) was used as a source of Fe at the rate of 300 ppm Fe. The obtained results indicated that: * A nitrogen fertilizer application at the rates of this survey significantly increased the average values of dry weigh, chlorophyll contents, N, P, K, Fe and VC in the leaves of spinach plant tell the rate of 100% RD. increasing the rate of N-fertilizer from 100% to 150% RD significantly decreased the mean values of all the aforementioned traits during both seasons of the experimentation. At any level of N-fertilization; foliar applied of Fe has been recorded a pronounced high effects on the average values of all parameters under the current study. * Increasing the rate of N-fertilization from 50 to 150%RD sharply and significantly increased the average value of nitrate and nitrite accumulation in spinach leaves, while such effect significantly decreased the activity of nitrate reductase enzyme in spinach plant. Moreover, foliar application of Fe in combination with any rate of N-fertilizer has been corrected this trend. * A favorable effect on oxalate formation in spinach leaves due to an addition of iron in foliar way combined with any level of N-fertilization as compared to the plants treated with the same levels of nitrogen in single form.

Solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) is synthesized by solution casting technique. SPE uses poly (vinyl alcohol) PVA as a host matrix doped with solid acid NaHSO4, ethylene carbonate (EC) as plasticizer and (Si) as filler. Polymer electrolytes are characterized by Impedance Spectroscopy (IS) to determine the composition of the additive which gives the highest conductivity for each system at room temperature. The ionic conductivity of the polymer electrolytes increases with temperature and obeys the Arrhenius law. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies indicate that the conductivity increase is due to an increase in amorphous content which enhances the segmental flexibility of polymeric chains and the disordered structure of the electrolyte. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images show the changes morphology of solid polymer electrolyte. A magnesium battery has been fabricated with optimized composition (3.75wt. % Si) polymer electrolyte using FeS2 as electrode which gives real capacity 112 mAh/g and has an internal resistance of 160Ω.

Two new acylated triterpenoid saponins named pendulaosides A and B as well as the known phenolic compounds methyl gallate, gallic acid, 1,2,3,6-tera- O -galloyl-β- d -glucose and 1,2,3,4,6-penta- O -galloyl-β- d -glucose, were isolated from the seeds of Harpullia pendula . The structures of pendulaosides A and B were determined using extensive 1D and 2D NMR analysis and mass spectrometry as well as acid hydrolysis, as 3- O -β- d -glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-[α-L-arabinofuranosyl-(1→3)]-β- d -glucuronopyranosyl-22- O -angeloyl-3β,16α,22α,24β,28-pentahydroxylolean-12-ene and 3- O -β- d -glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-[α-L-arabinofuranosyl-(1→3)]-β- d -glucuronopyranosyl-16- O -(2-methylbutyroyl)-3β,16α,22α,24β,28-pentahydroxylolean-12-ene, respectively. To the best of our knowledge the two triterpene parts 22- O -angeloyl-3β,16α,22α,24β,28-pentahydroxylolean-12-ene and16- O -(2-methylbutyroyl)-3β,16α,22α,24β,28-pentahydroxylolean-12-ene have never been characterized before. The two isolated saponins were assayed for their in-vitro cytotoxic activity against the three human tumor cell lines HepG2, MCF7 and PC3. The results showed that pendulaoside A exhibited moderate activity on PC3 cell line with IC50value equal to 13.0 μM and weak activity on HepG2 cell line with IC50 value equal to 41.0 μM. Pendulaoside B proved to be inactive against the three used cell lines.

The leaves of Moringa oleifera Lam possess some potential medicinal value. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of M. oleifera leaf powder and its extract against hyperlipidemia in rats. Adult male albino rats were divided into six groups. The first group was fed on a basal diet that served as a negative control, whereas the others were fed on a high-fat diet (HFD) containing moringa leaf powder at 0.737% or 1.475% or administered daily with 200 or 400 mg dry moringa leaf extract/kg bw for 60 days. A positive control group was fed on the HFD. Serum indices related to lipid profile, oxidative status, and liver function were analyzed. Feeding rats on an HFD containing moringa leaf powder at 0.737% or an oral dose of its dry extract at 400 mg/kg bw alleviated the harmful elevation of cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, malondialdehyde, and the activities of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase in serum that were induced by the HFD. This is the first study demonstrating the hypocholesterolemic effect of M. oleifera leaf powder.

A series of novel plasmonic photocatalysts of Ag/AgCl–polyaniline (Ag/AgCl–PANI) were successfully synthesized by deposition–precipitation reaction followed by a photo-reduction method. The prepared photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, photoluminescence emission spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. Ag/AgCl–PANI was used to degrade methylene blue (MB) under simulated solar light. The effects of different parameters such as PANI content, initial pH and concentration of the MB solution, and catalyst dosage on the photo-degradation efficiency were assessed. Ag/AgCl–PANI plasmonic photocatalyst displayed much higher photocatalytic efficiency than the pure PANI or Ag/AgCl. The improved photocatalytic performances of the prepared photocatalysts were attributed to the high absorbance in the visible-light region, high surface areas of catalysts and the effective synergism of hetero-junction structure formed at the interface between Ag/AgCl and PANI, leading to improved separation of the photo-generated electron–hole pairs. A possible mechanism for the photo-degradation of MB molecules under simulated solar irradiation was suggested based on trapping experiments.

Objective: To investigate the mechanistic pathway of both indocyanine green (ICG)-001 in attenuated endotoxemia-induced cardiac depression through downregulation cardiac Wnt/ β-catenin cell signaling. Materials and Methods: Adult (4–6 months) male Albino-Webster mice, their weights ranged from 25 to 30 g, were pretreated with ICG-001 i.p., following cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Left ventricle (LV) function was assessed using a microcatheter system. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and cytokines mediators in plasma and myocardium were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Further, the cardiac Wnt protein measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction while β-catenin analysis through Western blotting procedure. The pathological changes and cells injury in the myocardium were examined using hematoxylin and eosin staining. Results: CLP mice displayed worse LV function. The exaggerated cardiac depression in CLP mice was associated with higher levels of MCP-1 and cytokines in plasma and myocardium together with greater cardiac levels of cardiac troponin-I and Wnt/β-catenin. Neutralization of sepsis by either ICG-001resulted in improved LV function and reductions in inflammatory mediators. Conclusion: Taken together, these data showed that ICG-001 improved LV function following sepsis through downregulation of Wnt/β-catenin and serve as a potential mechanistic pathway ICG-001 in therapeutic cardiac endotoxemia in animal model.

Introduction/Objective In the exploration of an alternative source, optimum and numerous solvents with different percentage were exploited to extract Taxol from plant palm branche. The fungal endophytes producing secondary metabolites that are effective against the human infections have fascinated many researchers across the world. Among these, the exploration for novel cancer therapeutic agents is of countless reputation due to upsurge in the number of cancer deaths, high worth of the drugs and the side effects concomitant with cancer treatments. Accordingly, in the current study, an endophytic fungal strain was isolated from its host plant palm branche and identified as Alternaria Alternata based on its morphological features and internal transcribed spacer sequence analysis. Methods Firstly, palm branche were collected for the isolation of endophytic fungi. The samples were placed on PDA plates and after 72 h, the mycelium produced were isolated and sub-cultured. Secondly, further analysis for the presence of Taxol by using chromatographic and spectrometric techniques. Illustratively, ethanol or acetone and 50% and 20% of ethanol. Then, the residues were dissolved in 5 ml of methanol and filtered. By using the internal standard, the resulting solution was subjected to the HPLC to determine the extraction efficiencies of tested solvents. Finally, filtrate was also subjected to the LC-MS – ESI using water/acetonitrile (10/90) as mobile phase to identify the authenticity of Taxol Results HPLC analysis revealed that Taxol could be quantified by UV detection using standard curve. Furthermore, the standard curve covering the concentration was linear (r2= 0.9992) and CV% ranged from 0.52 to 15.36. The peaks of fraction 5 obtained by HPLC analysis were quite similar to that of standard taxol confirming the presence of taxol. A parent ion peak of m/z 851.85 was observed in the LC–ESI–MS spectrum which was similar to paclitaxel with reported m/z of 854 [M+H] + ion. A. Alternata produced about 113.193 mg/L taxol as quantified through HPLC Conclusion we are recording for the first time the production of taxol by an endophytic fungus Alternaria Alternata. In a final word, present study results advocate that the endophytic fungus A.Alternata aids as a potential source for the production of taxol isolated from Palm branche plant

Thermal oxidative aging of bitumen has a bad effect on the durability of bitumen binder. We aim in this research to reduce the thermal oxidative aging of bitumen by preparing two compounds namely (R-OCH3=AO1) and (R-NO2=AO2) and examined as antioxidants. These compounds characterized via the conventional spectral tools of analysis (FTIR and 1H-NMR). They mixed with local bitumen (60/70) at different concentrations ratios (0.25, 0.5 and 1%) then aged via TFOT at 170°C for 5 hours. The effect of them evaluated based on the changes in FTIR, total acid number (TAN) and the physical properties of bitumen before and after the thermal oxidation. The results showed that 0.5, 1% of AO1 antioxidant gave the best results of modification of bitumen. After the samples modified with these two concentration ratios of antioxidant AO1, they mixed with 3% Styrene Butadiene Styrene (SBS) polymer then aged via TFOT at 170˚C for 5 hours. The effect of the antioxidant in reducing the aging of the SBS modified bitumen (SBSMB) was evaluated through the changes in FTIR, TAN and the physical properties of bitumen before and after the thermal oxidation. The results illustrated that the best modification of SBSMB was at 1% (AO1).

The silkworm is an important economic insect due to production of silk. It is the larva or caterpillar of the domesticated silk moth, (Bombyxmori L.) . In the rearing of silkworm bacterial flacherie considered the most important disease effect in silk production. Flacherie is a Syndrome associated with bacterial disease. In the present study the isolation of pathogenic bacteria from infected larvae . The infected larvae samples were serially diluted from which 10-5,10-6 and cultivated onto nutrient agar plate. The dominant colonies were selected identification by colony morphology, Gram staining property and biochemical test and confirmed the identification by 16SrRNA which proved the name of bacteria as Bacillus thuringensis SW2 with accession number (MK327364.1). The genus of Bacillus thuringensisSW2 was responsible of mortality in 4th and 5th instars of the larval stages of B. mori L. after 3 days recorded 4.66a and 2.66b in 4th, 5th instars respectively post infection and highest mortality rate was obtained at 5 days recorded 12a, 12.66a in 4th and 5thinstars receptively and the total injury reach to 31a,32a in 4th and 5thinstars receptively after 5days.

A new series of pyrazole derivatives was prepared in this work, including pyrazolopyrimidines, pyrazolotriazines, pyrazolylthienopyridines, and 2-(pyrazolylamino)thiazol-4-ones, utilizing 3-amino-5-methyl-1H-pyrazole as a synthetic precursor. Their in vitro anticancer activity was tested on hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, HepG2. The results revealed that the pyrazolylhydrazonoyl cyanide 8, the pyrazolopyrimidine 3, and the pyrazolylaminothiazolone 17 were the most active with IC50 values of 2, 7, and 7 µM respectively in comparison with 5.5 µM for cisplatin as a reference drug. Interestingly, all the synthesized compounds showed higher selectivity index than cisplatin. DNA binding assay was also carried out for the synthesized compounds to rationalize their mechanism of action. Molecular modeling studies, including docking into DNA minor groove, flexible alignment, and surface mapping, were conducted. Results obtained proved the superior DNA-binding affinity of the most active anticancer compounds.

Background: Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response usually correlates with multiorgan dysfunction. Myocardial dysfunction is one of adverse outcomes in septic patients resulted in high mortality rate. Aim: To study the impact of eritoran in attenuation of cardiac depression during polymicrobial sepsis via decreased of phospho-p38MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway. Methods and materials: Polymicrobial sepsis induced via cecal ligation and puncture model (CLP), in 8-12 weeks' age albino mice, 1hr prior to CLP mice were treated with IP eritoran (5mg/kg). Twenty-four hours post CLP hemodynamic parameters including: heart rate, ejection fraction, LVEDP, LVSP and cardiac output, were carried out using micro-tipped transducer catheter. Plasma levels of proinflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6, chemokine MCP-1 and cTn-I were measured via ELISA analysis. Phosphorylation degree of P38 MAPK and NF-κB carried out through western blot technique. Results: Mice were treated with eritoran displayed improvement of LV function (Ejection fraction: 42.4 ± 1.1% versus 27.8 ± 3% in CLP mice). The attenuation of cardiac depression in eritoran treated mice was associated with lower levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in plasma, and reduction in the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and interleukin 6 (IL-6). Furthermore, eritoran treated mice displayed less expression levels of phosphorylation p38-MAPK and NF-κB. Conclusion: eritoran can attenuate the cardiac dysfunction during polymicrobial sepsis possibly via a reduction of proinflammatory cytokines through decreased of both p38MAPK and NF-κB activation.

Pulicaria jaubertii is a medicinal herb that alleviates inflammations and fever. Chromatographic separation, phytochemical characterization, and in vitro biological activities of the plant n-hexane extract were conducted for the first time in this study. Six compounds were isolated for the first time from the n-hexane fraction of Pulicaria jaubertii aerial parts and were identified on the bases of NMR and MS analyses as pseudo-taraxaterol (1), pseudo-taraxasterol acetate (2), 3β-acetoxytaraxaster-20-en-30-aldehyde (3), calenduladiol-3-O-palmitate (4), stigmasterol (5), and α-tocospiro B (6). Compound (6) was a rare tocopherol-related compound and was isolated for the first time from family Asteraceae, while compound (3) was isolated for the first time from genus Pulicaria. The total alcoholic extract and n-hexane fraction were tested for their anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and cytotoxic activities. The n-hexane fraction has dose dependent red blood cells (RBCs) membrane stabilization and inhibition of histamine release activities with IC50: 60.8 and 72.9 µg/mL, respectively. As antidiabetic activity, the alcoholic extract exerted the most inhibition on the activity of yeast α-glucosidase, with an IC50: 76.8 µg/mL. The n-hexane fraction showed cytotoxic activity against hepatocarcinoma (HepG-2), breast carcinoma (MCF-7), and prostate carcinoma (PC-3) cell lines with IC50: 51.8, 90.8 and 62.2 µg/mL, respectively. In conclusion, the anti-inflammatory effect of Pulicaria jaubertii might be attributed to the triterpenoid constituents of the n-hexane extract of the plant.

Background: Designing new anti-inflammatory agents possessing safe therapeutic profiles and devoid of potential undesirable side effects is an active field in medicinal chemistry. Thus, a series of N-(4-substituted phenyl)glycine derivatives was designed and synthesized. The idea behind the design is to utilize the bifunctionality of 4-aminoacetophenone via converting the amino group into glycine derivative as a side arm to mimic the glycine amino acid enhancing the overall physicochemical and biological characteristics. In addition, the opposite acetyl group was used as a center for modification and derivatization. Methods: The starting N-(4-acetylphenyl)glycine was converted into two intermediates: the chalcone analog 2 and the thiosemicarbazone derivative 8. Both 2 and 8 were derivatized and/or cyclized into different heterocyclic target derivatives (3-7 and 9-12). The target compounds were screened for anti-inflammatory activity using carrageenan-induced rat paw edema assay. Results: The results showed that compounds 6, 7, and 3, were the most active among the tested compounds at 50 mg/kg dose level with % inhibition of edema of 51.82, 43.80, and 40.39, respectively. Conclusion: The authors succeeded to introduce a simple and versatile skeleton with a side arm resembling the glycine amino acid; imparting a potential improvement in physicochemical properties. We utilize the other side of the skeleton’s aromatic ring as a center for derivatization. The chalcone analog and its cyclized heterocyclic derivatives were of remarkably higher anti-inflammatory activity than the thiosemicarbazone and its derivatives.

Samples from canvas, grounds, pigments, and varnish coating from the icon of Angel Michael came back to the 18th century from the church of Samanod, Gharbeia Governorate, Egypt, were investigated using multispectral signals of SEM-EDX, FT-IR, and Mass spectrometry. The SEM data from the canvas indicated that it is of linen. EDX of the grounds indicated that they are of gypsum with natural impurities of halite, quartz, and clay minerals. FT-IR spectra of the grounds indicated that the binding medium was of animal glue where gypsum was mixed with animal glue. The SEM-EDX pattern of the orange pigment showed the presence of lead, minium (Pb3O4) is the most probable, the blue color was Egyptian blue, whereas tetrahyrate [(Cu, Fe, Zn, Ag)12Sb4S18)] may be used as a source of copper and crushed limestone was used as a source of flux. The gold color is composed red lead mixed with titanium oxide. The icon paintings were coated with a resinous layer of dammar, which had darkened into a brown color by photoxidation.

BACKGROUND Vitamin D (25(OH)D) deficiency occurs in active Crohn's disease (CD) and may be secondary to reduced sunlight exposure and oral intake. Vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP) levels, however, fluctuate less with season and sunlight. The aim, therefore, was to examine patients with CD in remission and determine any associations between VDBP, serum 25(OH)D, and the calculated free 25(OH)D concentrations with the risk of disease flare. METHODS Subjects were identified from prospectively maintained inflammatory bowel disease databases at 3 teaching hospitals in Australia. Patients were in steroid-free clinical remission at the time of blood draw and were followed for at least 12 months. Total and epimer-25(OH)D3, VDBP concentrations, and genotypes were determined. RESULTS A total of 309 patients with CD (46% men) met the inclusion criteria. A disease flare occurred in 100 (32.4%). Serum 25(OH)D3 was deficient (

Iodination of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) was prepared by addition of I 2 or I − through physical adsorption and chemical modification techniques forming (PVC–I 2 ) (composite I) and (PVC–I − ) (composite II), respectively. Investigations were performed using TGA, DSC, FTIR, UV–vis absorbance analyses and ac conductivity measurements. The activation energy of decomposition, ΔE d , was found to be 215.15 kJ/mole and 43.1 kJ/mole for PVC and composite II, respectively. Both direct and indirect optical transitions near the absorption edge are observed. Addition of I 2 or I − decreases the optical energy gap for PVC. The chemical replacement of Cl − ion in PVC matrix with I − ion in composite II increases the electrical conductivity by two orders. A possible conduction mechanisms are suggested.

The aim of the research was to study the effect of adjusting the initial pH of shrimp shell (8.64 vs. 7.00) on the ability of the fungus Aspergillus niger to carry out deproteinization process of galactose supplemented shrimp shells and to investigate the performance characteristics of the deproteinization process. The results showed that the initial pH of the shells has a significant effect on the temperature, carbon dioxide emission, moisture content, galactose, proteinase activity, protein, chitin and final appearance of shells. The temperatures of the shrimp shells and the exhaust gas declined during the lag period as the heat losses from the bioreactor were higher than the heat generated by microbial activities in the bioreactor. They started to rise during the exponential growth when the heat generation by metabolic activity exceeded the heat losses, reaching maximum values of 37.5 and 30.6°C after 60 h and of 29.1 and 27.2°C after 72 h for the runs with the initial pH of 8.64 and 7.0, respectively. The carbon dioxide increased with time reaching maximum values of 0.49 and 0.22% and then declined reaching 0.06 and 0.08% by the end of the experiment for the runs with initial pH of 8.64 and 7.00, respectively. A strong correlation between the concentration of carbon dioxide in the exhaust gas and the temperature of the shrimp shells was observed. The initial moisture content of 60% fell below 25.5 and 21.5% and the galactose concentration decreased from the initial value of 20 to 1.48% and 6.17% by the end of the deproteinization process for the runs with initial pH of 8.64 and 7.00, respectively. Although the protease activity increased by 3.3-6.3 fold, the reduction in the protein concentration did not correspond to the increase in the protease activity due to the high pH of the shrimp shells. The chitin concentration increased from an initial value of 16.56 to final values of 22.68 and 21.35 for the initial pH of 8.64 and 7.00, respectively. The spent shrimp shells obtained from the run with the initial pH of 8.64 were wet and had a pale pink-orange color with some tan patches, whereas the spent shrimp shells obtained from the with the initial pH of 8.64 appeared dry and had a gray-black color due to the presence of A. niger spores. The use of lactic acid to lower the pH of shrimp shells inhibited the growth of A. niger and protease production and activity and enhanced sporulation. The existence of the pink-orange color was an indication of the presence of pigments, which were not utilized during the fermentation process. Key words: Shrimp shells, Aspergillus niger, deproteinization, protein, protease, chitin, galactose, temperature, pH, moisture content.

The work in this article was done to evaluate the performance of new protein-based bioactive compounds for treating the cancer cells. These bioactive compounds were synthesized by condensation reaction of sodium caseinate with amino acids in absence of solvent and evidenced by FTIR, TGA and DSC analyses. The bioactivity of these protein-based conjugates (SC-conjugates), was evaluated towards different cancer cell lines such as Breast MCF7, Colon HCT116, Lung A549 and Human hepatocellular carcinoma HePG2) in comparison with sodium carboxymethyl cellulose-amino acid SCMC-conjugates. Two types of amino acids (phenylalanine and methionine) were used to evaluate the role of phenyl group contained in the amino acid on bioactivity performance. The effective role and safety behavior of the conjugates were assessed from the values of selectivity index against RPE1 [normal retina cell line], moreover their cancer inhibition versus natural extracted flavonoids whether individually or in hybrid. The results showed the effective performance of SC-PA conjugate in inhibiting the cancer cell proliferation, of most examined cancer cell lines, especially against breast cancer MCF7 and colon HCT116 (IC50 and IC90 are 39.8–44.1 μg/mL and 71.7–83.6 μg/mL, respectively). IC50 of this conjugate for MCF7 was equivalent to Rutin natural flavonoid. The Rutin has synergistic inhibition effect to MCF7 when it used in hybrid with SC-PA, at which it leads to decrease the IC50 from 39.8 to 33.1 μg/mL.

Diabetic foot is a complication of diabetes mellitus which is characterized by ulceration in the legs . The severity of the diabetic foot can be determined by the Wagner-Meggit system which in this study uses 5 categories namely degrees 1 - 5 degrees. ABI (Ankle-Brachial Index) is an evaluation of peripheral arterial disease in diabetic foot patients. LDL is the main factor of atherosclerosis which causes macrovascular disorders in diabetic foot. The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between ABI and LDL on the severity of diabetic foot based on the Wagner-Meggit classification. The method used is observational analytic with cross sectional approach. A total of 35 samples were obtained by consecutive sampling. Data analysis was performed using the Spearman test and logistic regression. A significant correlation was obtained between ABI and the severity of diabetic foot (p = 0.06; r = -0.424), there was no correlation between LDL and the severity of diabetic foot (p = 0.09; r = -0.395). The results of logistic regression analysis found no correlation between ABI (p = 0.163; OR = 0.008) and LDL (p = 0.69; OR = 0.984) with the severity of the diabetic foot. Obtained Negelkerke R Square value of 0.095. Keywords: Diabetic foot, ABI, LDL, Wagner-Meggit classification