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This study assessed the protective effect of Zizphus jujube (ZJ) extract on 5‑FU‑induced alterations in renal function markers and kidney morphology in Dawley rats. Twenty-four rats were divided randomly into four groups administrated orally with 0.9% normal saline as the control group, 5-FU (40 mg/kg daily for 5 days), ZJ (500 mg/ kg daily for 5 days), and 5-FU+ ZJ (for 6 days). further biochemical experiments carried out on blood collected from the heart. Kidney tissues were obtained for analysis of catalase (Cat), glutathione S-transfers (GST), and lipid peroxide levels as well as histology analysis. 5-FU significantly reduced the enzyme activity of Cat and GST and increased levels of lipid peroxidation and plasma creatinine levels (P < 0.005). Histopathological examination showed severe wide ischemia of proximal convoluted tubule (PCT), missing in Bowman's space, and edema in the group treated with 5-FU. In addition, pretreatment with ZJ has significantly improved levels of Cat and GST and reduced lipid peroxidation and plasma creatinine levels (P < 0.05). Moreover, the histopathological analysis showed that ZJ relatively prevented the damage in renal tubular cells compared with 5-FU treated group. Supplementation with ZJ may have clinical benefit in nephrotoxicity caused by 5‑FU.

Exploring new alternative sources of feedstuffs can contribute to animal production sustainability in some Mediterranean regions in order to overcome the rising food demand. The influence of dietary replacement of wheat straw (WS) with orange waste silage (OWS) on nutrient intakes, apparent digestibility, ruminal fermentation and blood biochemical constituents and milk production of dairy goats were evaluated. Forty pregnant goats (46.30±1.6 kg BW) were housed in individual pens in a completely randomized design and fed (ad libitum) a TMR for 75 days period. Goats were assigned to four experimental diets with the forage amounts consisting of either WS as a control diet (1000 g WS/kg DM in the TMR), a 50:50 mixture of both WS and OWS (500 g WS and 500 g OWS/kg DM in the TMR), an orange waste silage (1000 g OWS/kg DM in the TMR) or corn silage as a positive control (1000 g CS/kg DM in the TMR). The DMI increased linearly (P3-N concentration and total protozoa abundance decreased quadratically (P

Melt-annealed zinc barium phosphate invert glass was produced. A mixture of borate (B2O3), cadmium oxide (CdO), and lead oxide (PbO) was added to the synthesized glass. B2O3 in the base glass formed P–O–B linkages with BO3 and BO4 structural units, with CdO acting as a modifier. PbO4 structural units were observed next to PO4 network formers. Glass density (ρ) is affected by doping type and ratio. It was 3.43 g/cm3 for PbO glass and 3.31 g/cm3 for B2O3 glass. The optical properties of the examined glass were measured and discussed in relation to the structural modification of the host glass. The glass sample containing PbO had a high value of Eg at 4.23 eV, but the glass doped with CdO + PbO had a low value at 3.81 eV, depending on the role of the additive in the glass structure. PbO-containing glass had a high damping ratio (7.308%), second only to CdO-containing glass at 8.069%. However, the dynamic Young's modulus of PbO-containing glass was reduced by 25% compared to the base invert glass.

This study aimed to assess impacts of early in ovo injection (at 10 days of incubation) of copper (sulfate, acetate, or nanoparticles) on histomorphometric parameters of small intestine and growth performance of post-hatched chicks. Fertile eggs (n = 462) were distributed to seven groups (3 replicates, 22 eggs in each). The first group as a control, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th groups injected with 100 µL deionized water containing 8 μg/egg of Cu (sulfate, acetate and nanoparticles, respectively), and the 5th, 6th and 7th groups injected with 100 µL deionized water containing 16 μg/egg of the same Cu sources above. Results illustrated that in ovo administration of Cu sulfate and Cu acetate significantly improved histological parameters of small intestine parts of newly hatched chicks compared with the control. Cu sulfate and nano-Cu significantly augmented body weight gain compared with the control. In ovo Cu injection showed a nonsignificant improvement in feed conversion ratio. The highest level (16 μg/egg) of different sources was better than the lowest level (8 μg/egg) in most results. In conclusion, it is recommended that in ovo injection of Cu (16 μg/egg) can improve the growth performance (Cu sulfate and nano-Cu) and the small intestine histomorphometry parameters (Cu sulfate and Cu acetate) of broiler chicks.

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease, characterized by autoantibody production and immunocomplex formation, leading to widespread inflammatory damage involving multi-organ systems. Lymphopenia is a common laboratory involvement seen in patients with SLE and the mechanism of it is still unclear. Objectives: The aim of the current study was to investigate the relation between lymphopenia and clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, and disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. Patients and Methods: It was a cross sectional study; with a total of 60 patients with SLE recruited from the Rheumatology and Rehabilitation outpatient clinic at Sohag University Hospital. Demographic data, personal history, detailed history of general health condition and chronic or current diseases were reported. All the participants were subjected to detection of erythrocyte sedimentation rate, liver function tests, renal function tests, complete blood count (CBC), renal biopsy, protein/creatinine ratio and/or 24hr protein in urine, urine analysis, ANA profile, and Complement 3 and 4. Results: Two thirds of the study population had normal lymphocytic count, and one third had lymphopenia. Lymphopenia group showed significantly more hypochromic anemia with significant lower hemoglobin level and lower MCV. The mean creatinine level was significantly higher among lymphopenic cases. Lymphopenic cases had higher proteinuria. Conclusions: It could be concluded that lymphopenia in patients with SLE may be used as indicator of renal involvement in these patients.

In this study, cotton fabrics based on zinc oxide nanoparticles in situ synthesis, acyclovir, nanochitosan, and clove oil were treated. The treated cotton fabrics were examined by FTIR, HR-TEM, FE-SEM, EDAX, and the surface roughness processing of FE-SEM images. The obtained characterization data emphasized the nano-size of nanocomposite with high homogeneity of particles in spherical shape as well as affirmed the deposition of nanocomposite onto the textile fibers with concluded that the deposition of nanocomposite was increased parallel with sonication time. Antimicrobial and antiviral activities of treated cotton fabrics were evaluated. Results revealed that treated cotton fabrics exhibited promising antibacterial activity toward Gram-positive higher than Gram-negative bacteria. Likewise, treated cotton fabrics are still effective as antibacterial after washing for 100 cycles. Moreover, treated cotton fabrics exhibited potential antifungal activity against Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus fumigatus. The antiviral activity significantly depended on the type of virus. The treated cotton fabrics showed antiviral activity against tested viral particles (HSV-1, Adeno, and CoxB2) with viral inhibition of 95.9, 76.4, and 86.9% respectively, while in the case of coated cotton textile with acyclovir, it only exhibited viral inhibition of 49.9, 41, and 22.3% respectively.

Miconazole nitrate (MIC) and nystatin (NYS) combination has proven its effectiveness as a prodigious therapy to cure women's common infections; vaginal candidiasis and vaginal mycosis. Herein, six smart UV-spectrophotometric platforms depending on minimal mathematical manipulation steps were first introduced for the simultaneous green analysis of MIC and NYS in their pure forms and commercial vaginal suppositories without any preliminary separation steps. These platforms included dual-wavelength, ratio difference, mean centering of ratio spectra, first derivative ratio, ratio subtraction, and absorption correction methods. All of the aforementioned platforms could estimate MIC in a linear range of 90-900 µg/ml. While NYS was computed directly by zero-order spectrophotometry at its λmax (304 nm) in a linear range of 1-15 µg/ml without any interference by MIC even in low or high concentrations. Dual-wavelength and zero-order spectrophotometric platforms were successfully applied to study the dissolution profile of MIC and NYS in their combined formulation in compliance with FDA recommendations without excipients interference. According to ICH guidelines, all platforms were validated regarding the accuracy, precision, and selectivity producing satisfactory results within the accepted limits. Also, the suggested platforms' results were statistically compared with each other and with those of the reported HPLC platform revealing no significant difference concerning accuracy and precision at p = .05. Accordingly, all proposed platforms are regarded as economic and eco-friendly alternatives to the expensive chromatographic platforms that utilize hazardous organic solvents during the analysis of cited drugs.

In the present work, the extensive biological activities of marine endophytic Streptomyces strains isolated from marine soft coral Sarcophyton convolutum have been demonstrated. Within fifty-one Streptomyces isolates evaluated for their hydrolytic enzymes and enzyme inhibitors productivities, six isolates showed the hyperactivities. Pharmaceutical metabolites productivities evaluated include enzymes (alkaline protease, L-asparaginase, L-glutaminase, tyrosinase, and L-methioninase) and enzyme inhibitors (inhibitors of α-amylase, hyaluronidase, β-lactamase, α-glucosidase, and β-glucosidase). These isolates were identified based on their morphological, biochemical, and genetic characteristics as Streptomyces sp. MORSY 17, Streptomyces sp. MORSY 22, Streptomyces sp. MORSY 25, Streptomyces sp. MORSY 36, Streptomyces sp. MORSY 45, and Streptomyces sp. MORSY 50. Moreover, in further evaluation, these strains exhibited wide spectrum of antimicrobial (against bacteria and fungi), antiviral (against hepatitis C virus), antibiofilm against biofilm-forming bacteria (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas species), and anti-proliferative activities (against liver and colon carcinoma cell lines). The GC–MS analysis of the hyperactive strains MORSY 17 and MORSY 22 revealed the presence of different bioactive agents in the ethyl acetate extract of both strains.

In the current study, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NP) were prepared using extracellular extracts of Aspergillus niger. Hence, the morphological structure, optical, and surface features of the synthesized nanoparticles were studied by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible and infrared absorption by Fourier transform. Use dynamic light scattering and zeta potential measurements to assess colloidal stability. The mean size of the synthetic particles is approximately 20 ± 5 nm and they have a hexagonal crystal structure. In addition, the prepared nanoparticles have strong light absorption in the ultraviolet region of λ = 265 and 370 nm. To achieve the goal of this study, the efficiency of ZnO-NP was determined as an antibacterial and antifungal against different bacterial and fungal strains. It was found that ZnO-NP showed significant antibacterial activity, where the inhibition zones were varied from 21 to 35mm in diameter against six bacterial species (i.e. K. pneumoniae, E. coli, A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, and S. haemolyticus). In such a case, the minimal inhibitory concentration of zinc oxide nanoparticles against bacterial strains were 50, 12.5, 12.5, 50, 12.5, and 12.5μg/ml for K. pneumoniae, E. coli, A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, and S. haemolyticus, respectively. Furthermore, ZnO-NP exhibits an antifungal behaviour against four fungal species (i.e., A. niger, P. marneffei, C. glabrata, and C. parapsilosis) with inhibition zone from 18 to 35mm in diameter. Whereas, the MICs for fungal isolates were 12.5μg/ml except A. niger was at 25μg/ml. Wi-38 cells were treated with ZnO-NPs exhibited different levels of cytotoxicity dependent upon the concentration of ZnO NPs using the MTT assay with IC50~800.42. Therefore, the present study introduces a facile and cost-effective extracellular green-synthesis of ZnO-NP to be used as antimicrobial and anticancer agents.

This research was designed to investigate the effects and mechanisms of flavocoxid (FCX) on vascular calcification (VC) in rats. Vitamin D3 and nicotine were administered to Wistar rats, which then received FCX (VC-FCX group) or its vehicle (VC group) for 4 weeks. Control and FCX groups served as controls. Systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressures, heart rate (HR), and left ventricular weight (LVW)/BW were measured. Serum concentrations of calcium, phosphate, creatinine, uric acid, and alkaline phosphatase were determined. Moreover, aortic calcium content and aortic expression of runt-related transcription factor (Runx2), osteopontin (OPN), Il-1β, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were assessed. Oxidative status in aortic homogenates was investigated. Compared to untreated VC rats, FCX treatment prevented body weight loss, reduced aortic calcium deposition, restored normal values of SBP, DBP, and HR, and attenuated LV hypertrophy. FCX also improved renal function and ameliorated serum levels of phosphorus, calcium, and ALP in rats with VC. FCX abolished aortic lipid peroxidation in VC rats. Moreover, VC-FCX rats showed marked reductions in aortic levels of Il-1β and osteogenic marker (Runx2) and attenuated aortic expression of TNF-α, iNOS, and MMP-9 proteins compared to untreated VC rats. The expression of the smooth muscle lineage marker α-SMA was greatly enhanced in aortas from VC rats upon FCX treatment. These findings demonstrate FCX ability to attenuate VDN-induced aortic calcinosis in rats, suggesting its potential for preventing arteiocalcinosis in diabetic patients and those with chronic kidney disease.

Micellar casein concentrate (MCC) is a novel ingredient with high casein content. Over the past decade, MCC has emerged as one of the most promising dairy ingredients having applications in beverages, yogurt, cheese, and process cheese products. Industrially, MCC is manufactured by microfiltration (MF) of skim milk and is commercially available as a liquid, concentrated, or dried containing ≥9, ≥22, and ≥80% total protein, respectively. As an ingredient, MCC not only imparts a bland flavor but also offers unique functionalities such as foaming, emulsifying, wetting, dispersibility, heat stability, and water-binding ability. The high protein content of MCC represents a valuable source of fortification in a number of food formulations. For the last 20 years, MCC is utilized in many applications due to the unique physiochemical and functional characteristics. It also has promising applications to eliminate the cost of drying by producing concentrated MCC. This work aims at providing a succinct overview of the historical progress of the MCC, a review on the manufacturing methods, a discussion of MCC properties, varieties, and applications.

The current work aimed at adopting in situ combination of sono-precipitation and alkali hydrolysis as a rapid technique for starch nanoparticles (SNPs) preparation under ambient conditions with a high yield. Factors affecting the preparation of SNPs were investigated based on statistical analysis using the Box Behnken design. The particle size and polydispersity index of particles were used as dependent variables to obtain the optimized formulation. The SNPs optimized formulation (F14) was further characterized for zeta potential, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction. The results of particle size were between 44.82±3.31 and 83.93±8.53 while polydispersity index results were ranged from 0.106±0.012 to 0.179±0.018. The results obtained revealed the efficiency of the technique in obtaining a high yield (98.72% ±0.89) of well-distributed nanoparticles. Also, the SNPs obtained were spherical in shape with good stability, as indicated by zeta analysis (-20±0.25mV) and thermal analysis. The data obtained also showed no change in the chemical structure of the SNPs, as indicated by the infrared transmission of Fourier, thermal analysis, and the relative crystallinity of SNPs was decreased compared with native maize starch indicating the crystallite is transformed from crystalline to amorphous form. The obtained results concluded the efficiency of the adopted method on obtaining SNPs in a short preparation time with a high yield under ambient conditions.

Purpose This research aimed to improve water solubility and oral bioavailability of a newly synthesized thienopyrimidine derivative (TPD) with anti-pancreatic cancer activity by loading on starch nanoparticles (SNPs). Methods TPD was synthesized, purified and its ADME behavior was predicted using Swiss ADME software. A UV spectroscopy method was developed and validated to measure TPD concentration at various dosage forms. SNPs loaded with TPD (SNPs-TPD) were prepared, characterized for particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), entrapment efficiency, in-vitro release, and in-vivo animal study. Results The Swiss ADME results showed that TPD can be administered orally; however, it has low oral bioavailability (0.55) and poor water solubility. The significant regression coefficient of the calibration curve (r2 = 0.9995), the precision (%RSD < 0.5%) and the accuracy (99.46−101.72%) confirmed the efficacy of the developed UV method. SNPs-TPD had a spherical monodispersed (PDI= 0.12) shape, nanoparticle size (22.98 ± 4.23) and good stability (−21 ± 4.72 mV). Moreover, FT-IR and DSC revealed changes in the physicochemical structure of starch resulting in SNPs formation. The entrapment efficiency was 97% ± 0.45%, and the in-vitro release showed that the SNPs enhanced the solubility of the TPD. The in-vivo animal study and histopathology showed that SNPs enhanced the oral bioavailability of TPD against solid Ehrlich carcinoma. Conclusion SNPs-TPD were superior in drug solubility and oral bioavailability than those obtained from TPD suspension., Graphical Abstract

The nuclear track detector CR-39 is used in the detection of radon gas concentration in selected samples of cosmetics in the local market. Products of wide use are selected and employed in the current study. Six types of cosmetic products of different origins are tested by taking equivalent quantities of these products and putting them in plastic boxes. The detector is left with the samples for a period of 50 days. In addition to measuring the rate of surface evaporation of radon gas, measurements of the annual equivalent dose of radon gas are also carried out. The results show that the highest concentration of radon gas is in Charcoal Facial SCRuB (American origin) and it is equal to 0.0795 Bq/m3, whereas the lowest one in "bb" cream basis (5 in 1) is equal to 0.0355 Bq/m3. Based on specific international organizations and agencies, the concentration of radon in the samples under consideration is within the acceptable limits.

Milk fat is a complex natural fat and contains around 400 fatty acids. The objectives of this study were to extract fat from bovine milk using two different methods, including Bligh and Dyer and Mojonnier, and to determine the fatty acid content in the extracted fats using gas chromatography (GC). No differences (p > .05) were detected in the fat content and fatty acids content as a percentage of total fat (FA%TF) extracted using both methods. No differences (p > .05) were detected in some saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and unsaturated fatty acids (USFAs) extracted from both methods, such as C11:0 (undecylic acid), C16:0 (palmitic acid), C18:0 (stearic acid), C14:1 (myristoleic acid), and C16:1 (palmitoleic acid). However, the majority of SFAs were different (p, This study found that Mojonneir method for fat extraction has resulted in fewer errors. In contrast, the Bligh and Dyer extraction method has more experimental error, which led to decreasing the total fat, as well as was not able to detect C9:0.

Bile acids (BA) regulate postprandial metabolism directly and indirectly by affecting the secretion of gut hormones like glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). The postprandial effects of BA on the secretion of other metabolically active hormones are not well understood. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of oral ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) on postprandial secretion of GLP-1, oxyntomodulin (OXM), peptide YY (PYY), glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP), glucagon, and ghrelin. Twelve healthy volunteers underwent a mixed meal test 60min after ingestion of UDCA (12-16mg/kg), CDCA (13-16mg/ kg), or no BA in a randomized crossover study. Glucose, insulin, GLP-1, OXM, PYY, GIP, glucagon, ghrelin, and fibroblast growth factor 19 were measured prior to BA administration at -60 and 0 min (just prior to mixed meal) and 15, 30, 60, 120, 180, and 240min after the meal. UDCA and CDCA provoked differential gut hormone responses; UDCA did not have any significant effects, but CDCA provoked significant increases in GLP-1 and OXM and a profound reduction in GIP. CDCA increased fasting GLP-1 and OXM secretion in parallel with an increase in insulin. On the other hand, CDCA reduced postprandial secretion of GIP, with an associated reduction in postprandial insulin secretion. Exogenous CDCA can exert multiple salutary effects on the secretion of gut hormones; if these effects are confirmed in obesity and type 2 diabetes, CDCA may be a potential therapy for these conditions.

Aniline and polyaniline was successfully impregnated with Chinese D263B resin and polymerisation prepared via using polyvinyl alcohol as a surfactant and benzoyl peroxide to form impregnated D263B/...

FDA limited N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) - a carcinogenic impurity formed during metformin (MET) tablets manufacturing - level to 96 ng/day; a step which led to recall of MET products. This work aims to investigate the root cause of NDMA formation during MET tablets manufacturing.We focused on three main contributing causes: use of water and heat during intra-granulation, and the nitrite/nitrate quantities in excipients. Thirteen MET tablet formulations (immediate or sustained-release) were manufactured, on batch level. Each batch was manufactured using one excipient and excluding one cause at a time and NDMA level was assayed.NDMA traces were undetectable in MET tablets manufactured using polyvinyl pyrrolidone or hydroxypropyl cellulose SSL, even when water and/or heat were employed during intra-granulation. Levels of NDMA in MET tablets with hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) E5 or carboxymethyl cellulose sodium 4000 were 67.08 ± 2.3 and 66.21 ± 2.5 ng/day, in the presence of water and/or heat. No impact of employing extra-granular PolyoxWater, heat, and excipients' nitrite and nitrate levels are the key players, which should collectively exist, to cause NDMA formation during MET tablets manufacturing.

The objective of this work was to study the effect of different concentrations of inulin (0.2, 0.4, and 0.6%) on the viability of probiotic bacteria (Bifidobacterium bifidum) and sensory characteristics of probiotic yogurt. The yogurt was manufactured with Lactobacillus delbruckii ssp. bulgaricus (Lb), Streptococcus thermophilus (St), and Bifidobacterium bifidum (Bb). Raw milk was received, heated to 90°C, and divided into 4 aliquots portions. All portions were inoculated with 5.11 log cfu of Lb and St combined and 5 log cfu of Bb per kg of milk. The first portion was utilized as control (T1) while 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6% of inulin were added to the second (T2), third (T3), and fourth (T4) portions, respectively. All treatments were incubated at 40°C until a pH of 4.6 was reached. Subsequently, the yogurt was cooled and stored at 4°C for 16 days. Titratable acidity, total bacterial count (TBC), Bb count, yeast count, mold count, and sensory evaluation were determined during the storage. The results showed that the addition of inulin and the storage period have significant effects (p .05) in the sensory evaluation of all treatments. We conclude that inulin can be utilized in the manufacturing of probiotic yogurt as a prebiotic, which, inturn, enhances the growth of Bb and increase the shelf‐life., Inulin can be used in making yogurt to increase the viability of probiotic bacteria, as well as, increase the nutritional value of the product.

The objectives of this study were to produce probiotic yogurt (5.0–7.0 log cfu/g) fortified with nanopowdered eggshell (NPES) at a rate of 0.02, 0.04, and 0.06 mg/ml, as well as, examine the effect of NPES on the physicochemical, microbial, sensory properties, and shelf‐life of probiotic yogurt. The NPES was prepared by milling preboiled dried eggshell using a mortar grinder. The size of the milled powder was measured to assure that the diameter of the powder is 27 ± 1.7 nm. Yogurt was manufactured by dividing the pasteurized milk into four aliquots portions. The first portion was utilized as control (T1), while the other three portions were supplemented with 0.02 (T2), 0.04 (T3), and 0.06 (T4) mg/ml NPES. All treatments were inoculated with 5.11 log cfu of Lactobacillus delbruckii ssp. bulgaricus (Lb) and Streptococcus thermophilus (St) combined and 5 log cfu of Bifidobacterium bifidum (Bb) per kg of milk at 40°C until the pH of 4.6 was reached. The acidity, sensory properties, Bb count, total bacterial count (TBC), yeast, and mold counts were examined. The results showed that the acidity was increasing during storage, however, increasing NPES resulted in low acid development (p, The nanopowdered eggshell can be used to improve the sensory evaluation of probiotic yogurt slightly and increased the shelf‐life of probiotic yogurt.

Background Lupus nephritis can be seen in up to 60% of all SLE patients with 10–15% of nephritis patients progressing to end-stage renal disease; late diagnosis of lupus nephritis is correlated with a higher frequency of renal insufficiency. The study aim is determination of the value of urinary human epidermal growth factor (urinary EGF) as an early biomarker of lupus nephritis in SLE patients and its relevance to disease activity and renal histopathology. Results The study included 58 SLE patients and 30 healthy controls; a significant difference was noticed between SLE and controls in urinary protein, creatinine, protein/creatinine ratio, and urinary EGF. The mean level of urinary EGF was less in classes IV and V renal nephritis than in classes I, II, and III. There is a significant difference in urinary EGF (33±29, 27±16, P = 0.04) between class II and class III lupus nephritis, with no significant differences in urinary protein, creatinine, protein/creatinine ratio, and SLEDAI. On the other hand, the comparison between classes II and IV showed significant difference not only in urinary EGF (33±29, 11.7±4.9 m, P=0.003), but also in SLEDAI (37.4±8, 70.5±27, P= 0.007), and protein/creatinine ratio (0.98±0.62, 3±1.8, P=0.006). Conclusion This study raises the attention to test the sensitivity of urinary EGF in detecting the early and the subsequent changes in renal pathology of SLE patients as an easy, non-invasive, accurate, cheap marker that could help in following up the nephritis progression and adjusting the plan of treatment; also, it can be used to guide the time of biopsy or as an alternative in cases where renal biopsy is contraindicated.

Starch-based nanosystems are considered a talented nanocarrier for drug delivery owing to their small particle size, biodegradability, and biocompatibilities. Starch-based nanosystems showed enhancement in biological activity, solubility, entrapment efficiency, and in-vitro release of several drugs. Starch-based nanosystems are categorized into two types; starch nanocrystals and starch nanoparticles. The difference between starch nanocrystals and starch nanoparticles will be summarized. Numerous techniques are employed to formulate starch-based nanosystems including chemical and physical methods. This review summarizes the existing knowledge on; a number of techniques used to formulate starch-based nanosystems, factors affecting each technique, and the advantages of combining both physical and chemical methods on the formulation time and physicochemical properties of the starch-based nanosystems. Besides, most innovative information regarding starch-based nanosystems modification on increasing entrapment efficiency will be discussed. Furthermore, applying starch-based nanosystems as effective drug delivery nanocarriers for delivering drugs and bioactive elements to improve their bioavailability will be abridged in this review.

Wild plants growing in the Egyptian deserts are facing abiotic stress, which can lead to interesting & safe natural products possessing potential chemical profiles. Consequently, our study was designed to assess the phytochemical composition of the aerial parts of Limonium tubiflorum (family Plumbaginaceae) growing wild in Egypt for the first time. In addition, in silico screening and molecular dynamic simulation of all isolated phytoconstituents were run against the main protease (M-pro) and spike glycoprotein SARS-CoV-2 targets which displayed a crucial role in the replication of this virus. Our findings showed that the phytochemical investigation of 70% ethanol extract of L. tubiflorum aerial parts afforded six known flavonoids;myricetin 3-O-(2 ''-galloyl)-beta-D-galactopyranoside (1), myricetin 3-O-(2 ''-galloyl)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (2), myricetin 3-O-(3 ''-galloyl)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (3), myricetin 3-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside (5), apigenin (6), myricetin (7), along with two known phenolic acid derivatives;gallic acid (4) and ethyl gallate (8). Docking studies revealed that compounds (1) & (2) were the most effective compounds with binding energies of -17.9664 & -18.6652 kcal mol(-1) against main protease and -18.9244 & -18.9272 kcal mol(-1) towards spike glycoprotein receptors, respectively. The molecular dynamics simulation experiment agreed with the docking study and reported stability of compounds (1) and (2) against the selected targets which was proved by low RMSD for the tested components. Moreover, the structure-activity relationship revealed that the presence of the galloyl moiety is necessary for enhancement of the activity. Overall, the galloyl substructure of myricetin 3-O-glycoside derivatives (1 and 2) isolated from L. tubiflorum may be a possible lead for developing COVID-19 drugs. Further, in vitro and in vivo assays are recommended to support our in silico studies.

Photo-induced reduction plays a remarkable role in the preparation of aniline from nitrobenzene. The challenges of this method are the selectivity of the products and irradiation sources. So, organic compound transformations induced by visible light have received enormous attention due to their lower cost, and better safety for environmental applications. Here, aniline compounds were prepared with Ag2CrO4, NH2-MIL-125, and Ag2CrO4@NH2-MIL-125 nanocatalysts. The Ag2CrO4@NH2-MIL-125 nanocatalysts were prepared by a controlled room temperature deposition technique. The effects of catalyst composition, time, and nitrobenzene concentration on reaction performance have been systematically elaborated. Under the ideal reaction setup, aniline with high yield was obtained from nitrobenzene, and the conversion percent of Ag2CrO4, NH2-MIL-125, and Ag2CrO4@NH2-MIL-125 was 22%, 48%, and 97.8%, respectively. The recycling of the photocatalyst showed excellent performance for five regenerations. The mechanism of the photoreduction process has been proposed based on the reactivity and kinetics of the reaction. The kinetic rate of Ag2CrO4, NH2-MIL-125, and Ag2CrO4@NH2-MIL-125 was 0.01603, 0.1416 and 0.5199 min−1, respectively. The electrochemical performance of the Ag2CrO4@NH2-MIL-125 nanocatalyst was studied. The cyclic voltammetry, charge–discharge performance of Ag2CrO4@NH2-MIL-125 were elaborated. Amazing improvement was shown in the performance of Ag2CrO4@NH2-MIL-125 compared to the original NH2-MIL-125. Additionally, Ag2CrO4@NH2-MIL-125 displayed a specific capacitance of 103.12 F g−1 at current density of 1 A g−1.

Fatma Mohamed Elsenosy,1 Ghada Ahmed Abdelbary,2 Ahmed Hassen Elshafeey,2 Ibrahim Elsayed,2,3 Ahmed Roshdy Fares2 1Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Children’s Cancer Hospital, Cairo57357, Egypt; 2Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; 3Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab EmiratesCorrespondence: Ahmed Roshdy FaresDepartment of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Kasr El Aini Street, Cairo 11562, EgyptTel +20 12 88285866Email ahmed.roshdy@pharma.cu.edu.egPurpose: Duloxetine (DLX) is dual serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor suffering from limited bioavailability (≈ 40%) due to extensive hepatic metabolism. This work aims to formulate and evaluate DLX intranasal thermoreversible cubosomal gels to enhance its bioavailability and ensure efficient brain targeting.Materials and Methods: Cubo-gels were prepared by 33 central composite design with three independent factors, lipid ratio (glycerol monooleate: glycerol tripalmitate), Pluronic F127%, and Pluronic F68%. The prepared formulations were evaluated for their particle size (PS), gelling temperature (GT), entrapment efficiency (EE%), and in vitro release. The cubo-gel with the highest desirability (0.88) was chosen as the optimized formulation. DLX cubo-gel was evaluated using differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. Cytotoxicity study, ex vivo permeation study and in vivo bio-distribution study were conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of brain targeting.Results: The optimum cubo-gel was composed of 3.76 lipid ratio, 20% w/v PF127, and 5% w/v PF68. It had PS of 265.13 ± 9.85 nm, GT of 32 ± 0.05°C, EE% of 98.13 ± 0.50%, and showed controlled release behavior where 33% DLX was released within 6 hrs. The plain in situ cubo-gel had a significantly higher IC50 compared to DLX solution and DLX-loaded in situ cubo-gel. The ex vivo permeation study showed 1.27 enhancement in the drug permeation from DLX in situ cubo-gel. According to the in vivo bio-distribution study in plasma and brain, the intranasal DLX in situ cubo-gel showed a 1.96 fold improvement in brain bioavailability compared to the intranasal solution. Its BTE% and DTP% were 137.77 and 10.5, respectively, indicating efficient brain targeting after intranasal administration.Conclusion: Accordingly, intranasal DLX in situ cubo-gel can be considered as an innovative nano-carrier delivery system for bioavailability enhancement and efficient brain targeting of DLX to maximize its effect.Keywords: duloxetine, central composite design, cubosomes, thermoreversible in situ gel, intranasal, brain targeting

Copper oxide–zinc oxide (CuO–ZnO) thin films were prepared by a sputtering technique to examine the creation of a CuZnO thin-film nanocomposite. The base film was a zinc oxide layer. A copper oxide layer was deposited on glass coated with ZnO for different deposition times. The structure was examined by x-ray diffraction analysis. Plane (002) was detected for ZnO phase, while planes (111) and $$ \left( {\bar{1}11} \right) $$ were detected for CuO phase. The crystallite size was calculated for both ZnO and CuO. The crystallite size of CuO phases increased with increasing deposition time, whereas the size of crystals of ZnO phase decreased. The film morphology and roughness were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. Agglomeration of fine particles was observed. The film roughness decreased from 0.0685 nm for base ZnO films to 0.0357 nm for 800 s CuO–ZnO films. Elemental analysis of the film components was carried out by energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The ratio of O atoms remained constant at 50 at.%, while the Zn content decreased from 50% for the base sample to 27.66% for the 800 s CuO–ZnO sample. Optical properties, such as the optical absorption spectra, optical transition, and refractive index of the prepared films, were investigated. The optical transition was affected by the CuO layer and the film thickness. The optical bandgap decreased from 3.258 eV for ZnO films with thickness of 107 nm to 3.162 eV for 800 s CuO–ZnO films with thickness of 163 nm. Nonlinear optical behavior was deduced from the optical parameters, and was enhanced by the presence of CuO layers, increasing from 4.151 × 10−11 esu for the ZnO sample to 4.434 × 10−11 esu for the 800 s CuO–ZnO sample. The photoluminescence spectra of the films were investigated and interpreted.

Background: Tendinopathies are manifested by pain, swelling, and limited mobility functions.Corticosteroid injections have been a mainstay in the treatment of tendinopathy, and are widely used despite the controversy regarding their usefulness and safety.The peri-tendinous administration of hyaluronic acid (HA) has shown promising results in the management of tendinopathy. Objectives: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the efficacy of peri-tendinous injections of hyaluronic acid versus steroid injections on pain reduction in patients with painful tendinopathies. Patients and methods: A prospective study, including a total of 90 patients with tendinopathy who were recruited from the Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Outpatient Clinic at Sohag University Hospital. Demographic data including age, disease duration, and tendon affected were evaluated. Patients were divided into three groups, each group contained 30 patients. First group received peritendinous steroid injection, second group received peritendinous hyaluronic acid injection, and the third group received both peritendinous hyaluronic acid and steroid injections. Groups were compared using in visual analogue scale, tenderness and range of motion after one week, one month and after 3 months from injection. Results: Best improvement was seen in the group of combined hyaluronic acid and steroid; followed by the group of steroid injection alone, which showed early response better than hyaluronic acid alone. Conclusion: Local injection for tendinopathies by combined hyaluronic acid and steroid gives significantly better and more long standing effect compared to either hyaluronic acid or steroid alone. On the other hand, monotherapy showed non-significant difference between steroid and hyaluronic acid.

Triple-negative breast cancer is one of the most aggressive breast cancer. The first therapeutic option is chemotherapy, often based on anthracycline as doxorubicin. However, chemotherapy efficacy is limited in by the presence of P-glycoprotein (Pgp), a membrane transporter protein that effluxes doxorubicin, reducing its cellular accumulation and toxicity. Inhibiting Pgp activity with effective and non-toxic products is still an open challenge. In this work, we demonstrated that the natural product Glabratephrin (Glab), a prenylated flavonoid from Tephrosia purpurea with a unique chemical structure, increased doxorubicin accumulation and cytotoxicity in triple negative breast cancer cells with high levels of Pgp, characterized by both acquired or intrinsic resistance to doxorubicin. Glab also reduced the growth of Pgp-expressing tumors, without adding significant extra-toxicities to doxorubicin treatment. Interestingly, Glab did not change the expression of Pgp, but it reduced the affinity for Pgp and the efflux of doxorubicin, as suggested by the increased Km and the reduced Vmax. In silico molecular docking predicted that Glab binds two residues (phenylalanine 322, glutamine 721) localized in the transmembrane domains of Pgp, facing the extracellular environment. Moreover, site-directed mutagenesis identified glycine 185 as a critical residue mediating the reduced catalytic efficacy of Pgp elicited by Glab. We propose Glab as an effective and safe compound able to reverse doxorubicin resistance mediated by Pgp in triple negative breast cancers, opening the way to a new combinatorial approach that may improve chemotherapy efficacy in the most refractory and aggressive breast cancer.

Spent Ni–Cd batteries are now considered an important source for many valuable metals. The recovery of cadmium, cobalt, and nickel from spent Ni–Cd Batteries has been performed in this study. The optimum leaching process was achieved using 20% H2SO4, solid/liquid (S/L) 1/5 at 80 °C for 6 h. The leaching efficiency of Fe, Cd, and Co was nearly 100%, whereas the leaching efficiency of Ni was 95%. The recovery of the concerned elements was attained using successive different separation techniques. Cd(II) ions were extracted by a solvent, namely, Adogen® 464, and precipitated as CdS with 0.5% Na2S solution at pH of 1.25 and room temperature. The extraction process corresponded to pseudo-2nd-order. The prepared PTU-MS silica was applied for adsorption of Co(II) ions from aqueous solution, while the desorption process was performed using 0.3 M H2SO4. Cobalt was precipitated at pH 9.0 as Co(OH)2 using NH4OH. The kinetic and thermodynamic parameters were also investigated. Nickel was directly precipitated at pH 8.25 using a 10% NaOH solution at ambient temperature. FTIR, SEM, and EDX confirm the structure of the products. © 2022 by the authors. King Khalid University, KKU: KKU/RCAMS/22 This work was supported by King Khalid University through a grant (KKU/RCAMS/22) under the Research Center for Advanced Materials Science (RCAMS) at King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia.

New cycloartane-type triterpene 23 R/S-3β-hydroxycycloart-24-ene-23-methyl ether 1a,b (as an C-23 epimeric mixture), along with ten known compounds, including 1 steroid, 3 fatty acids and 6 triterp...

Background: Fiber reinforced composite materials are becoming popular in civil engineering construction practices. One of the most practical applications of these materials is concerned with the strengthening and retrofitting of reinforced concrete compression members by means of external confinement with the GFRP sheets. The role of FRP for strengthening of existing or new reinforced concrete structures is growing at an extremely rapid pace owing mainly to the ease and speed of construction, and the possibility of the application without disturbing the existing functionality of the structure. Objective: The ductility and strength behavior of reinforced concrete columns (Square & Circle) confined by glass and carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) sheets were experimentally investigated Methods: In the library, we tested and cast a total of fourteen column specimens. The tested specimens in this study were square and circle columns, the square specimens tested in this experimental study had dimensions of 135x135 mm cross-section while the circle specimens had 150 mm diameter. The columns were loaded at their supports and made prepared to avoid local failure at supports due to steel plates. Two types of fiber reinforcements sheets were used for strengthening the columns (Carbon and Glass fiber polymer sheets). To prevent the highly stressed slender longitudinal bars from buckling outward, adequate amounts of steel ties were utilized in the height of the columns. During the test of the columns, the central deflection and central fiber strains were measured using dia1 gauges and strain gauges Discussion: The CFRP strains progressed very slowly before the yielding of longitudinal reinforcement bars but quickly, eventually, due to the concrete expansion in the plastic hinge. The wrapped CFRP sheets contribute to both the shear strength and the confinement of concrete in column specimens. The results signify that the percentages of increase in the carrying load capacity due to strengthen, using carbon and glass FRP sheets, were greater in the circular columns compared with the square columns for all the types of confinements used in this study. The ductility factor increased by the strengthen column ranged between 1.35-2.78, while the greatest ductility factor obtained when the circular columns strengthen with glass FRP sheets fully wrapped. Conclusion: -The maximum ratio of increase in the carrying load capacity obtained when the column strengthens fully wrapped. - The columns (circular and square) strengthen with carbon FRP sheets, the greater carrying load capacity obtained when compared the columns strengthen with glass FRP sheets. -The percentages of increase in the carrying load capacity due to strengthen, using carbon and glass FRP sheets were greater in the circular columns compared with the square columns for all the types of confinements. - The stains developed in the confined circular columns are greater than stains in the confined square columns. -The ductility factor increased by the strengthen column, while the greatest ductility factor obtained when the circular columns strengthen with glass FRP sheets fully wrapped.

Dowex 50 WX8 modified with Alizarin Red S (ARS) was synthesised, characterised and tested for uranium ions adsorption. The synthesised Dowex 50 WX8/ARS has been characterised using FTIR and scannin...

Symbiotic plant-microorganisms interaction is a promising approach to avoid the environmental hazards of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Among these, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are known to improve the growth and quality of many plant species; however the detailed metabolic mechanisms behind such beneficial effects are far from complete. Further, elevated levels of atmospheric CO2 (eCO2) could affect such AMF-plant association. Herein, we have investigated the individual and synchronous impact of AMF and eCO2 (620 ppm) on nutrient uptake, growth, photosynthesis, respiration, and levels of primary and secondary metabolites in oregano (Oreganum vulgare), an economically important herbal plant. Enhanced AMF colonization rate and a better mycelial growth were observed in roots of oregano grown under eCO2. Both AMF and eCO2 treatments significantly enhanced the growth and photosynthesis of oregano plants, however much improvements were observed by their synchronous application. eCO2 further increased the AMF-induced dark respiration and accumulation of macro and microelements. Hierarchical clustering analysis of individual primary and secondary metabolites revealed a metabolite-dependent response toward AMF and eCO2. The synchronous application of AMF and eCO2 resulted in promoted accumulation of the majority of the detected sugars, organic acids, amino acids, unsaturated fatty acids, phenolic acids and flavonoids, as compared with the sole treatments. Moreover, AMF and eCO2 acted synergistically in improving the antioxidant capacity and anti-lipid peroxidation activity of oregano. Therefore, this study suggests that AMF treatment induces a global metabolic change in oregano, the effect that is strengthened under eCO2.