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The present work was carried out to study the effect of low caloric diet supplemented with fennel seeds or black cumin seeds and their mixture on obese adult females. The control group (G1) used low caloric diet with 1000 kcal without supplementation, while groups (2 and 3) used low caloric diet supplemented with 5 g black cumin and 5g fennel seeds seeds, respectively. On the other hand, group (4) used low caloric diet supplemented a mixture of 2.5 g fennel seeds and 2.5g black cumin seeds. All supplementation were mixed with a cup of light yoghurt in dinner meal. The study was performed for 4 weeks. Anthropometric measurements and levels of serum triglyceride, cholesterol, LDL and HDL were taken pre and post the study. Females taken low caloric diet supplemented with black cumin (G2) or mixture of black cumin and fennel (G4) recorded significant decrease in their BMI when compared to the control group. Cases supplemented with Fennel (G3) recorded insignificant decrease in their BMI. The total cholesterol decreased significantly in groups (2 and 4), while it was decreased insignificantly in group (3) compared to the control group. HDL levels increased significantly in groups (2 & 4) compared to group (1). Results of the present study indicated that significant decrease were in total body weight, BMI, WC, AC, TSF and AMC in group (2) which received black cumin seeds, followed by group (4) which received mixture of black cumin seeds and fennel seeds, followed by group (3) which received fennel seeds compared to the control group.

New silicone based adducts were synthesized by reacting equimolar ratio of carbinol polydimethylsiloxane (CPDMS), 2,4-toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and polyethylene glycol (PEG, having a molecular weight of 300, 600, 1000, 2000 or 6000 Da) at 100 °C for 90 min. Only the PEG 600, 1000, and 2000 based adducts are self-water dispersible. The chemical structure of the CPDMS/TDI/PEG1000 adduct was confirmed via FTIR analysis while TEM analysis assured that the particles size of its emulsion ranges from 8 to 22 nm. The higher the PEG molecular weight of adduct, the higher is the adduct emulsion particles size. Incorporation of the aforementioned adducts emulsions as textile softeners in easy care finishing formulation of cotton fabric gives rise to an enhancement in functional properties of treated fabric namely softness and anti-crease, an improvement in percent nitrogen, tear strength, and flexibility as well as a reduction in whiteness index and wettability of treated fabric. The CPDMS/TDI/PEG1000 adduct emulsion treated fabric was characterized via SEM and EDX analysis. Combining of that adduct emulsion with triclosan, as bio-active additives, in the soft/resin finishing formulation of cotton fabric results in durable antibacterial properties of treated fabric.

The current examination is relating to building up a novel nanofiber wound dressing including hyaluronic acid (HA)/oxidized К-carrageenan (OKC) for biomedical application. Until now, electrospinning of К-carrageenan (КC) has fizzled, because of its high-hydrophilic nature, its shaping gel partiality. To beat this problem, KC is exposed to oxidation, by means of sodium periodate (NaIO4). The ideal conditions are NaIO4 to КC 0.5:1; temperature, 40 °C; time, 3 h; and pH 3. OКC was mixed with HA and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) for delivering electrospun arrangement, which is at long last manufactured to frame nanofiber, utilizing electrospinning setup. The created nanofiber was evaluated by SEM and FTIR spectroscopy, and measuring antibacterial properties was likewise assessed. SEM pictures uncovered that the mixing proportion 2.5:2.5:5 of HA, OКC, and PVA individually accomplished uniform, normal, and globule-free nano-filaments. The outcomes showed likewise that all nano-filaments have antibacterial properties against Gram-positive and Gram-negative microbes, which is elevated to be utilized effectively in biomedical applications.

Voriconazole (VRC) is a broad spectrum, second generation triazole antifungal. The main use of VRC is via the oral and intravenous route. The study aimed to formulate VRC into ternary micellar systems (TMSs) for the topical treatment of ocular mycosis. TMSs were successfully prepared by water addition/solvent evaporation method, applying a 3-factor D-optimal design. The numerical optimization process suggested an optimal formula (OTMS) composed of total Pluronics to drug weight ratio of 22.89: 1, 1:1 weight ratio of Pluronic® P123 and F68, and 2% w/v of Labrasol. OTMS had high solubilization efficiency of 98.0%, small micellar size of 21.8 nm and suitable zeta potential and polydispersity index values of -9.0 mV and 0.261, respectively. OTMS exhibited acceptable stability for 3 months. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated the spherical morphology of micelles. OTMS was expected to cause no ocular irritation or blurring in vision as reflected by pH and refractive index measurements. The histopathological study revealed the safety of OTMS for ocular use. The fungal susceptibility testing using Candida albicans demonstrated the superiority of OTMS to VRC suspension, with greater and more durable growth inhibition. Therefore, ocular application of optimized VRC-loaded TMSs can be a promising treatment for ocular mycosis.

Biopesticides such as essential oils (EOs) are considered an improvement for integrated pest control as they appear to be less toxic to the environment than chemical acaricides. The current study aimed to evaluate the acaricidal activity of Artemisia herba-alba and Melia azedarach oil loaded nano-emulsion as alternatives for chemical acaricides against the camel tick Hyalomma dromedarii, besides evaluating their toxic effect on Swiss albino mice. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used for the characterization of loaded nano-emulsions.The immersion test was used for the bioassay of both loaded nanoemulsions on tick stages (egg, nymph, larva, and adult). Mortality percentages and LC50 values of each tick stage were calculated. Reproductive performance for the survived engorged females after treatment was monitored. The toxicity of both loaded nano-emulsions was evaluated on Swiss albino mice by an oral dose of 1500 mg/kg/day for five successive days. The hematological, biochemical, and histopathological changes were evaluated. TEM characterization revealed spherical droplets for A. herba-alba and M. azedarach oil loaded nano-emulsion with droplet size ranging from 62 to 69 nm and 52–91 nm, respectively. FTIR revealed the absence of extra peaks in the loaded nano-emulsions that confirmed no chemical changes existed by ultrasonication. The LC50 values of A. herba-alba and M. azedarach oil loaded nano-emulsion on embryonated eggs, larvae, engorged nymphs, and unfed adults were 0.3 and 1.1%, 0.7 and 1.7%, 0.3 and 0.4%, 4.4 and 22.2%, respectively. The egg productive index (EPI), egg number, and hatchability percentage were lower in the treated females compared with Butox 5% (deltamethrin) and control. The hematological picture and biochemical analysis revealed insignificant changes in the treatment group compared with the negative control group. The liver of the A. herba-alba and M. azedarach oil loaded nano-emulsion treated group exhibited vacuolar degeneration and infiltration of lymphocytic cells. The kidney of mice treated with A. herba-alba and M. azedarach oil loaded nano-emulsion showed hemolysis and slight degeneration of epithelial cells of tubules. It is concluded that A. herba-alba and M. azedarach oil loaded nano-emulsion have good acaricidal activity against camel tick H. dromedarii.

The present work studied the antibacterial effect of different formulations of Chitosan (Chs); free Thymoquinone (Tq), and Thymoquinone-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (Tq-Chs NPs) on Bombyx mori L. infected by pathogenic bacteria, by evaluating some biochemical aspects of larval haemolymph. Bombyx mori larvae classified into three groups; each group was fed on mulberry leaves treated with one of the formulations (free Tq, free Chs and Tq-encapsulated Chs) with drug concentrations (0.05% and 0.1%). Before being used, the prepared formulations were characterized by size, morphology, encapsulation efficiency; in addition, in vitro drug release experiment was performed. The biochemical results revealed an improvement in the antibacterial and antioxidant activity of the studied formulations, especially with increasing the concentrations compared to control; (Tq-encapsulated Chs) followed by free Chs and free Tq revealed highly significant decreases in mixed function oxidase (MFO) activity, especially larvae treated with the high concentration (0.1%). The activity of acid phosphatase, total lipid content and carbohydrates pointed to a highly significant increase. Similarly, the qualitative analysis of silkworm proteins showed an obvious variation in the number and position of the detected protein bands from one treatment to another. It can be concluded that Tq and Chs showed an inhibitory impact against pathogenic bacteria infecting Bombyx mori larvae, proved their effects as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents which could be improved by loading Tq on Chs nanoparticles (Tq-Chs NPs).

Four 2-(2-(5-(4-Methoxyphenyl)-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carbonyl) hydrazono)-N’-arylpropanehydrazonoyl chlorides were designed outset from 4-methoxyaceteophenone, as raw matter, by interacting of carbohydrazide with four hydrazonoyl chloride derivatives in refluxing ethanol. The synthesized heterocycles stone was depicted and utilized through simple concern finishing as azo dyes for coloring and functionalization of cotton fabric. The outcomes obtained disclosed that the finishing treatments improved the nitrogen percent as well as wrinkle recovery angles along with a modicum decreasing in the tensile strength of treated fabric samples compared with the untreated fabric. The results assured also the perfect color fastness properties of the dyed samples, irrespective of the dye chemical structure. Besides, such dyes improved the treated fabric antibacterial properties as well as protection against the deleterious sun radiation. After 15 washing cycles, the dyed/finished samples exhibited satisfactory color strength and acceptable functional properties confirming stability and the tight binding of such dyes to the fabric chemical structure. Otherwise, both the untreated and treated textiles were recognized by means of scan electron microscope that signalizes hunting of such dyes by the cotton fabric structure.

Aims The aim of the present study was to evaluate the toxicity of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MIONs) which were synthesized using carob leaf extract on various brain areas of Wistar rats. Main methods Carob leaf synthesized-MIONs were characterized using different techniques: Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), UV–vis spectrophotometer, Fourier Transform infrared (FTIR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). The toxicity of MIONs in vivo was evaluated by: monitoring rat’s body weight, measuring iron content in different brain areas, evaluating some oxidative stress parameters, estimating acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in addition to histopathological investigations. Key findings The present study demonstrated no body weight changes of MIONs- treated rats. According to the conditions of the present study, the hippocampus and striatum were the most affected areas and demonstrated neuronal degeneration due to MIONs exposure. MIONs treatment of Wistar rats, also affected the iron homeostasis in both striatum and midbrain by decreasing iron content in these areas. The least affected areas were thalamus and cerebellum. The histopathological examination of brain areas demonstrated moderate neuronal degeneration in hippocampus and striatum, mild neuronal degeneration in cortex and slight degeneration in hypothalamus and pons-medulla areas were detected. Significance The results suggested that MIONs have a toxic impact on different brain areas and the effect varies according to the brain area.

Purpose: This study aimed at investigating the masking effect and depth of penetration of two resin infiltrants (ICON ® and unfilled adhesive resin) on artificial white spot lesions after different pretreatment methods (15% hydrochloric acid, 37% phosphoric acid and air abrasion through micro etcher) Materials and methods: Artificial white spot lesions were produced in enamel slabs from 60 freshly extracted permanent human anterior teeth (extracted from diabetic patients). The samples were divided into two main groups: resin infiltrant; ICON ® (B1) and adhesive resin bond; ONE-STEP® Universal Dental Adhesive (B2). Each group was subdivided into three subgroups according to the pretreatment used; (HCl 15%) was applied in (A1), (H3PO4 37%) was applied in (A2) and aluminum oxide particles (50/90 µm), through micro etcher was applied in (A3). The assessment of colour was performed by a spectrophotometer in three distinct stages: baseline, after the production of artificial caries and after infiltration treatment expressed in L*, a* and b* values. To analyze measurement results, the chromatism value, ΔE was used to quantify the overall differences of the colors. Results: All the test groups showed no statistically signifiant differences between each other where the highest value was recorded with the adhesive bond after micro-etching 2.250 ± 0.192 and the lowest value was recorded with the adhesive bond after HCl pre-treatment 1.710 ± 0.244 (Statistical significance is achieved when the P-value ≤ 0.05). Conclusion: Both tested infiltrants reacted similarly and the three tested pretreatment methods were equally effective.

AQUATIC plants are of real interest for their nutritive value. The present study aimed at investigating the forage potentiality of the aquatic macrophyte Vossia cuspidata (Roxb.) Griff (Poaceae). Two islands in the River Nile system in Greater Cairo, Egypt were selected for sampling the leaf laminae from V. cuspidata in eighteen quadrates (0.5x 0.5m each) during February (winter), and August (summer) of 2017. The chemical analyses revealed that there were no significant differences between the contents of summer and winter leaves in their percentages of moisture, dry matter, ash, nitrogen-free extract, neutral detergent fibers, acid detergent fibers, acid detergent lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose. The leaves were characterized by a high percentage of dry matter (DM, ≈ 92%), low moisture content (7.94-7.27% DM), high crude fibers (24.1-38.2%DM), moderate crude protein (7.2=19.2%), and low lipids content (1.7-2.0% DM). The plant is rich in many important elements (K, Ca, P, Cu, and Zn). The ratio of Ca/P (= 2.43) is within the adequate range for animal forage. The other parameters of the nutritive values of the leaves and their importance to animal feeding were discussed. The leaves of V. cuspidata are recommended as good forage for beef cattle and lactating cows.

Weeds represent a major constraint for successful pea cultivation, resulting in loss of green pea yield and quality. Two field experiments were carried out during the winter seasons of 2018/2019 and 2019/2020. The objectives of the current study were to evaluate the efficacy of pendimethalin, butralin, fluazifop butyl, bentazon, and hoeing on weed control, and their impact on pea growth, nodule formation, yield, quality, and storability. The results indicated that hoeing and fluazifop butyl were the most effective treatments for weed control in terms of the lowest values of total weed dry weight. The bentazon and fluazifop butyl herbicides didn’t affect active nodules number, plant height, plant weight, root length, or number of leaves and branches. Additionally, bentazon and hoeing resulted in the highest total yield per plant and protein content. Butralin and pendimetalin achieved the lowest yield, and butralin also resulted in the lowest plant height and weight. Bentazon-treated peas had the highest chemical compositions in terms of chlorophyll, carotenoids, total sugar, and vitamin C contents in pea pods at harvest and during cold storage at 4 °C and 95 RH for 45 days. No detectable residues of the four herbicides under study were detected in green pods, suggesting that pods can be safely consumed at the time of harvesting. It can be concluded that nodules formation in pea was not affected significantly by the application of the tested herbicides, except pendimethalin and butralin. Furthermore, bentazon had a positive impact on nodules formation and pods quality and could be used effectively for controlling the broadleaf weeds, and it was simultaneously a selective and safe herbicide in pea cultivation.

Adsorption is an important technology for the removal of heavy metals from industrial effluents. Efficient regeneration of exhausted adsorbents is essential for improving the applicability of different adsorbents. In this work an adsorptive polyacrylonitrile-based hydrogel was characterized and investigated in terms of adsorption/regeneration using both conventional chemical and electrical-assisted regeneration techniques. The hydrogel characterization includes FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDAX, porosity, and electrical conductivity. Hydrogel performance in adsorption and conventional chemical regeneration was tested. Further, electrically-assisted regeneration using a special design cell was also investigated. The maximum adsorption capacities for chromium and nickel were 8.082, and 17.437 mg/g, respectively. The isotherm data fitted Freundlich, while kinetic data fitted pseudo-second-order model. Conventional chemical desorption showed regeneration efficiency of 15.58, and 27.27 % for chromium and nickel, respectively. While, the electrically-assisted regeneration showed much higher values of 51.6, and 98.3 % for chromium and nickel, respectively indicating the merit of using electrically-assisted chemical regeneration for enhancing heavy metals adsorbing hydrogel applicability.

“Eco” synthesis has become a reliable, sustainable, and ecological protocol in the field of material science, which has given great attention to synthesizing a wide range of material/nanomaterials, such as nanomaterials, hybrid materials, and bio-inspired metal-metal oxides. Green synthesis is therefore considered an important tool for reducing the destructive effects of traditional nanoparticle syntheses commonly used in laboratory and industry. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of carob leaf–synthesis magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles on the oxidative status of the liver, kidney, spleen, and testis of male Wistar rats. The green synthesized nanoparticles were characterized through transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and atomic force microscopy. The green-synthesized magnetite nanoparticles had 16 ± 2.4 nm average diameter and were monodispersed. The prepared nanoparticles did not cause oxidative stress damage in the tested organs, and this is mainly due to the strong antioxidant power of the carob leaf extract used in their synthesis. Carob leaf–synthesized nanoparticles prepared in the present study are highly safe which make them suitable to be used in many biological and medical applications.

Background and objective Cellulase as a fibrolytic enzyme is a highly effective tool for agricultural waste treatments. Production of cellulase enzyme on medium of agricultural wastes by Fusarium graminearum to be used in ruminant feeding was the main objective of this study. Materials and methods Impact of initial pH of growth medium, different nitrogen sources and variety of agriculture by products as a carbon sources on cellulase production have been studied. Electron microscope was used for investigate the impact of the resultant cellulase on corn stover degradation, while batch culture technique was used for investigate impact of different levels of the produced and commercial cellulases on total mixed ration digestibility by rumen microorganisms (in vitro). Results Cellulase maximum production by F. graminearum was obtained at 20% corn stover, initial pH of growth medium 5.0 and peptone as a nitrogen source. All addition levels of the produced cellulase increased dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), cellulose and hemicellulose degradability of the treated diets, but the maximum produced cellulase efficiency% for dry matter degradability was obtained at 1200 IU kg-1 DM reached 23.19% over the control. Conclusion Utilization of the produced cellulase in enrichment of the feeding value of the agricultural by-products may help in overcome of the feed gap with good impact on environment and public health.

Background The link between Vitamin-D deficiency and type 2 diabetes (T2D) is well-established. Since prediabetic obese populations have the greatest risk to develop to T2D, it was important in our study to examine serum 25(OH) D3 concentration among prediabetic obese patients and to evaluate the correlation between serum level of vitamin D and BMI, FBS, HOMA IR and HbA1c among prediabetes patients. Methods A multicenter case control study was carried out among 101 prediabetic persons & 50 controls, after obtaining consent from subjects and clearance from institutional ethics committee. Serum vitamin D level, Plasma levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and fasting insulin levels were measured by ELISA in both groups enrolled in the study. Results The prevalence of vitamin-D deficiency/insufficiency was (73.3%) (n = 74) among 101 prediabetic obese individuals. Also, A significant inverse correlation was observed between vitamin D levels & body mass index(r = - 0.28, P = 0.004); fasting blood sugar (r = - 0.22, P = 0.002); HOMA insulin resistance (r = - 0.25 P = 0.01); HbA1C (r = - 0.2, P = 0.004). Conclusions High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency exists among obese prediabetic individuals and there is significant inverse correlation between BMI, FBS, HOMA IR, HbA1c and vitamin D level.

The present study aimed to evaluate the in vitro efficacy of four medicinal plant extracts: petroleum ether and ethyl alcohol extracts of the ripen fruits of Melia azedarach and whole aerial parts of Artemisia herba-alba against the two inactive stages of the camel tick Hyalomma dromedarii, embryonated eggs and engorged nymphs in comparison to reference acaricide Butox®5.0 (Deltamethrin). Egg and nymphal immersion tests at four concentrations with three replicates were used. The deformity in larvae hatched from treated eggs and adults moulted from treated nymphs were observed and photographed by light microscope (LM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results showed that M. azedarach and A. herba-alba extracts revealed higher significant toxic effects on embryonated eggs and engorged nymphs comparing with the reference acaricide (Butox®5.0) and control. In egg emmersion test, the LC50 of petroleum ether extracts of M. azedarach and A. herba-alba was 3.14 and 3.91%, respectively and LC50 of the respective ethyl alcohol extracts was 1.77 and 2.45%. In nymphal immersion test, LC50 of petroleum ether extracts of M. azedarach and A. herba-alba was 0.26 and 1%, respectively, and LC50 of the respective ethyl alcohol extracts was 4.17 and 8.7%. Abnormalities were observed by LM and SEM in the larvae hatched from the treated eggs as incomplete development of legs and mouth parts as well as shrinkage mainly in legs and mouthparts of adults emerged from treated nymphs. In conclusion, all extracts and petroleum ether extracts of the two plants have great potential to be developed as a novel acaricidal for controlling eggs and nymphs of H. dromedarii, respectively.

Genus Erythrina (Fabaceae) comprises several species, which are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The plants of this genus exhibited significant role in traditional medicine targeting different diseases. Alkaloids and flavonoids were reported as the chief bioactive constituents of this genus with a wide range of biological activities. About 143 alkaloids were isolated from Erythrina sp. Anticonvulsant, anxiolytic, curare-like activity, insecticidal and cytotoxic activities were reported for Erythrina sp. alkaloids. The present work is an overview of the isolated alkaloids from Erythrina sp. with their reported biological activities.[Figure: see text]Abbreviations: CHCl3: Chloroform; CNS: Central nervous system; DCM: Methylene chloride; DPPH: 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl; E.: Erythrina; ERα/β: Estrogen receptors α/β; EtOAc: Ethyl acetate; EtOH: Ethanol; Hep-G2: Human liver carcinoma cell lines; HIV: Human immunodeficiency virus; HL-60: Human promyelocytic leukemia cells; K-562: Human immortalized myelogenous leukemia cell line; LPS: Lipopolysaccharide; MeOH: Methanol; MOLT-4: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line; nAChRs: nicotinic acetylcholine receptors; NO: Nitric oxide; NREM: non-rapid eye movement; Pet. ether: Petroleum ether; RBA: Receptor binder affinity; TRAIL: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand.

Some food additives commonly used by humans have been recently proved to be mutagenic. It is of significant importance to evaluate their genotoxic effects, since they are frequently consumed by humans in their daily meals. In this study, we investigated the effects of monosodium glutamate (MSG), sodium benzoate (SB) and saffron on human cell lines; lung cancer (A549), breast cancer (MCF7), colon cancer (Caco-3) and normal lung (Wi38) cell line as control. Cytotoxicity of food additives was screened on multiple cell lines and examined by NR assay (Neutral Red assay). The present study focused on the cytotoxic activity of the food additives and its possible underlying mechanisms. The results showed that food additives; MSG, SB and saffron induced profound cytotoxicity in cancer cells of human colon cancer (Caco-3) (IC50 = 33.92, 15.01, 3.98 μg/ml), human breast cancer (MCF7) (IC50 = 12.79, 0.378, 10.73 μg/ml), human lung cancer cell line (A549) (IC50 = 27.37, 0.45, 2.46 μg/ml), respectively. Moreover, food additives exhibited cytotoxic activity on normal lung cell lines (Wi38) (IC50 = 4.25, 0.733, 18.14 μg/ml). These data indicated that food additives decreased cell viability in malignant and nonmalignant cells as well as confirmed the occurrence of their cytotoxic effects.

The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of boldenone undecylenate (BL) abuse alone and in combination with vitamin C (VC) on the immune responses and thyroid structure and function in rats. Thirty adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five equal groups and were subjected to various treatment regimens for eight weeks as follows: control group, vehicle control group, VC group orally received VC (120 mg/Kg BW/day), BL-treated group intramuscularly injected with BL (5 mg/kg BW, once/week), and BL+VC group received BL and VC. At the end of this experiment, blood and tissue samples (thyroid, thymus, and spleen) were subjected to hematological evaluation, biochemical analysis, histopathological, and immunohistochemical examinations. In comparison to controls, BL significantly increased the levels of serum proinflammatory interleukins (IL-1 β and IL-6), immunoglobulins (IgG and IgM), and complement 3 but reduced anti-inflammatory interleukin-10, lysosome, and nitric oxide. Besides, altered platelet count and leukogram were evident in BL-injected rats. BL notably disturbed thyroid profile as revealed by a significant increase of thyroid-stimulating hormone and thyroid peroxidase antibody. In contrast, both total and free forms of thyroid hormones (tri-iodothyronine and thyroxine), thyroglobulin, and thyroid peroxidase, were significantly decreased. Moreover, BL caused histopathological changes in the thyroid, thymus, and spleen tissues.CD4+ immuno-expression was reduced, but CD8+ immunolabelling was increased in both spleen and thymus. The daily dosing of VC to BL-exposed rats significantly corrected most of the deviations in immune parameters. It restored most of the thyroid architecture and function, revealing a significant protective effect of this vitamin. This experimental study demonstrates that BL abusing disrupts the immune system by different mechanisms and addresses BL, for the first time, as an autoimmune clinical hypothyroidism inducer drug. Additionally, VC is helpful in the management of BL abuse.

Spironolactone (SP) is a potassium sparing diuretic with antiandrogenic properties. This study aimed at formulating SP into hyaluronic acid enriched cerosomes (HAECs) for topical management of hirsutism. HAECs were prepared by ethanol injection method, according to D-optimal design, after a proper in silico study. HAECs were evaluated by measuring their entrapment efficiency (EE%), particle size (PS), and polydispersity index (PDI). Optimal hyaluronic acid enriched cerosomes (OHAECs) were subjected to further in vitro and ex-vivo and in-vivo studies. The in silico study concluded better interactions between SP and phosphatidyl choline in presence of hyaluronic acid (HA) and high stability of their binding in water. The prepared HAECs had acceptable EE%, PS, and PDI values. The statistical optimization process suggested OHAEC containing 10.5 mg ceramide III and 15 mg HA, utilizing Kolliphor® RH40. OHAEC had EE% and PS of 89.3 ± 0.3% and 261.8 ± 7.0 nm, respectively. OHAEC was stable for up to 3 months. It also showed a mixed tubular and vesicular appearance under transmission electron microscope. The ex vivo and in vivo studies concluded better skin deposition and accumulation of SP from OHAEC. The histopathological study demonstrated the safety of OHAEC for topical application. Therefore, OHAEC could be considered as effective system for topical application of SP to manage hirsutism, with prolonged action, coupled with minimized side effects.

Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) possess many utilizable physical and chemical properties and have an acceptable level of biocompatibility. Therefore, they are extensively used in different medical applications. Hence, the challenge is to modify the surfaces of prepared iron oxide nanoformulations with a biocompatible coat to enhance their biosafety. In this study, different formulations of IONPs with different capping agents (citrate [Cit-IONPs], curcumin [Cur-IONPs], and chitosan [CS-IONPs]) were prepared and characterized using various physicochemical techniques. The biodistribution of iron and the histopathology of affected tissues were assessed after Cit-IONPs, Cur-IONPs, CS-IONPs, and commercial ferrous sulfate were orally administered to adult female Wistar rats for 10 consecutive days at a dose of 4 mg/kg of body weight/day. The results were compared with a control group injected orally with saline. The iron content in the kidneys, liver, and spleen was measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Histopathological alterations were also examined. The biodistribution results demonstrate that iron accumulated mainly in the liver tissue, whereas the lowest liver accumulation was observed after the administration of Cit-IONPs or CS-IONPs, respectively. In contrast, the administration of CS-IONPs displayed the highest spleen iron accumulation. The ferrous sulfate (FeSO4 )-treated group showed the highest kidney iron accumulation as compared with the other groups. The histopathological examination revealed that signs of toxicity were predominant for groups treated with Cit-IONPs or commercial FeSO4 . However, Cur-IONPs and CS-IONPs showed mild toxicity when administered at the same doses. The results obtained in the present study will provide insights into the expected in vivo effects after administration of each nanoformulation.

The unique capability of fullerene (C60) to absorb light and generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been extensively studied for photosensitized water treatment and cancer therapy. Various material synthesis strategies have been proposed in parallel to overcome its intrinsic hydrophobicity and to enhance availability in water and physiological media. We present here a strikingly simple approach to make C60 available to these applications by hand-grinding dry C60 powder with nanodiamond (ND) using a mortar and pestle. The resulting ND-C60 composite was found to form a stable aqueous colloidal suspension and efficiently drive photosensitized production of ROS under visible light illumination. ND-C60 rapidly adsorbed and oxidized organic contaminants by photogenerated ROS. In the experiments for photodynamic cancer therapy, ND-C60 was internalized by cancer cells and induced cell apoptosis without noticeable toxicity. Treatment of tumor-bearing mice with ND-C60 and light irradiation resulted in tumor shrinkage and prolonged survival time.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) biofilm infection is a major threat in Healthcare facilities. The search for biofilm inhibitors is essential to overcome the antibiotic resistance. Eugenol is a phyto-compound that possesses many biological properties. In this study, the aim was to estimate the effect of eugenol on biofilms of MRSA through quantifying the level of gene expression of three genes (IcaA, IcaD and SarA) involved in biofilm development.. Fifty MRSA biofilm producers collected from the microbiology lab at Theodor Bilharz Research Institute were incubated with different concentrations of eugenol for 24 h. The minimum inhibitory concentration of eugenol (MIC) that eradicates the biofilms growth was detected. mRNA was extracted from all isolates before and after the application of eugenol at 0.5 x MIC, and then subjected to quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Results showed that fourteen isolates out of 50 (28%) exhibited intermediate biofilm formation ability, and 36 out of 50 (72%) were strong biofilm producers. The MIC values of eugenol for MRSA ranged from 3.125% to 0.01%. The mean values of MIC in both strong and intermediate biofilm forming MRSA isolates were statistically comparable (p = 0.202). qPCR results revealed that the levels of expression of the studied genes IcaA, IcaD, and SarA were decreased after eugenol treatment when compared with their corresponding values before treatment (p = 0.001). Eugenol inhibited the formation of biofilm of MRSA isolates, indicating it could be used to control infections associated with MRSA biofilms.

Calendulais one of the basic plants of ornamentals. It is used in various purposes as cut flowers and in gardens. They are rich with active compounds such as chlorophyll a and b, phenols, flavonoid, and carotenoids. The present study focused on mutation induction in order to improve the morphology of the plant which can increase the turnout of its market. In order to examine which mutagen will make the most noticeable and permanent improvement of the plant. For the mutagens, seeds were treated with three doses of gamma ray (2500, 5000, 7000Gy) and two chemical mutagens; colchicine and EMS; which were applied at concentrations of 1000, 3000, and 10000 ppm. With the aim to measure the plant improvement, we measured the plant morphology, its active compounds and protein profiling before and after treatments with both γ-radiation and chemical mutagen to see which one has the most effective imprint on the plant. The morphological parameters data showed the highest plant high by the two doses; gamma dose of 7000 Gy and EMS concentration 10000 ppm, while the lowest dose of colchicine (1000 ppm) made the most impact on the plant height. As for the highest number of leaves/plant, it was obtained at 5000 Gy and 10000 ppm of EMS, while 1000 ppm of colchicine had the same effect. But the number of flowers/plant was not affected by the gamma radiation and colchicine but increased significantly by 10000 ppm of EMS. Surprise, the flower diameter was not affected by EMS while decreased at 2500 Gy and 3000 ppm of colchicine. Considering the importance of flower shape, all treatments either gamma radiation or chemical mutagens showed noticeable changes. Whereas, the biochemical parameters measuring the active compounds, both Chl-a, Chl-b and carotenoids contents increased at 5000 Gy, while flavonoid increased at 2500 Gy. Although, all doses of gamma ray eliminated the phenols content. While the lowest used concentration of colchicine (1000 ppm) increased both of Chl-a, Chl-b, flavonoid and carotenoids, even though the 10000 ppm of colchicine increased the phenol. On the other hand, the highest concentration of EMS (10000 ppm) increased Chl-a and Chl-b while carotenoids, flavonoid and phenol increased at 3000 ppm of EMS. The protein-profile analysis showed fluctuation in the gene expression. The highest performance appeared at 7000 Gy of gamma treatment,1000 -3000 ppm of colchicine, while the same result was obtained by EMS at 3000 ppm.

Background: Green coffee as a functional food has an antioxidant effect, which can reduce the cancer incidence, promote weight-loss and improve glucose and lipid metabolism, as well as anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Objective: Assessing the effect of green coffee administration on experimental cisplatin induced renal apoptosis in adult male albino rats of local strain. Design: Randomized Block Design was used. Materials and Methods: Forty adult male albino rats of local strain were randomly divided into four groups of 10 animals each. G1: control negative group was received isotonic saline (0.5 ml, i.p.) for 30 consecutive days, G2: sham operated group mice were received green coffee extract in water (40 mg/kg/day) for 30 consecutive days, animals of G3 and G4 were administered cisplatin (8 mg/kg/day, i.p.) at 10th day, which is well known to produce significant nephrotoxicity in rats. Animals in G3 were received green coffee extract in water (40 mg/kg/day) and G4 was received isotonic normal saline (0.5 ml, i.p.) for 30 consecutive days. All rats were sacrificed after 30 days and blood was withdrawn for biochemical examinations of kidney function tests (blood urea nitrogen, creatinine and uric acid). Kidneys were removed for determination of renal oxidative stress markers (H2O2) biochemically and caspase-3 by Immunohistochemical examination. Results: Cisplatin administration was associated with significant higher levels of BUN, creatinine, uric acid and H2O2 as compared with normal control group. Green coffee administration in cisplatin-induced renal apoptosis groups produced significant lower levels of BUN, creatinine, uric acid and H2O2 (24.4 ± 4.14, 1.730 ± 0.2830, 5.50 ± 0.850 and 0.51 ± 0.12 respectively) as compared with cisplatin-induced renal apoptosis group not administrated green coffee (27.4 ± 6, 2.04 ± .31, 7.00 ± 1.25 and 1.1 ± 0.16 respectively). Cisplatin administration increased expression of the apoptotic protein caspase-3. In contrast, treatment with green coffee extract attenuated apoptosis. Conclusion: green coffee reduced cisplatin-induced renal apoptosis. Green coffee improved the general condition of cisplatin-induced renal apoptosis rats due to its antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects.

Erythrina species (Fabaceae) or coral trees are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. They are used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various ailments, such as anxiety, inflammation, wound healing, and microbial infections. Alkaloids and flavonoids are the main bioactive constituents isolated from genus Erythrina. The present review sheds light on Erythrina species flavonoidal content, that can serve as lead compounds in managing various diseases, including oxidative stress, inflammation, diabetes, and cancer. It is a comprehensive study of the flavonoidal constituents from Erythrina species, with their structural diversity and reported biological activity. More than 370 flavonoid compounds were isolated from genus Erythrina, including flavones, flavonols, flavanones, chalcones, isoflavans, isoflav-3-enes, neoflav-3-ene, isoflavanones, isoflavones, pterocarpans, coumestans, arylcoumarins, coumaronochromones, arylbenzofurans, and biflavonoids.

Development of multifunctional textile and clothing products with improved environmental profiles has been demanded both by textile industry and by consumer. Herein, dialdehyde sodium alginate (DASA) and dialdehyde carboxymethyl cellulose (DACMC) have been prepared, characterized and utilized, as an eco-friendly binding/ macromolecular crosslinking/hand building agents, in functional finishing of cellulose-containing fabrics. Fabric samples were treated with the nominated dialdehyde polysaccharide (DAPS, 10 g/l) along with the reactant resin (DMDHEU, 50 g/l), Ag- or TiO2-NPs as active ingredients (20 g/l) and ammonium persulfate catalyst (5 g/l) using the padding method. After functional finishing, the finished fabrics demonstrated a remarkable improvement in their antibacterial efficacy, UV-blocking ability, self-cleaning capacity, and surface roughness functionality without adversely affecting fabrics resiliency. The variation in these functional properties is affected by kind of DAPS, type of added nanoparticles as well as the treated substrate. Additionally, FTIR, SEM, EDS, and durability to wash measurements for selected samples were performed. Moreover, pre-oxidation of DAPS, functionalization reactions/interactions among the nominated reactants and the textile materials were also suggested.

Novel 7,7'-((anthracene-9,10-diylbis(methylene))bis(oxy))bis(4-methyl-2H-chromen-2-one) (BisCA) was prepared as fluorescent probe. The chemical structure of the novel BisCA was confirmed by spectroscopic data as well as elemental analyses. The solvatochromic characteristics of the new proble and its precursors were investigated in different solvents including, ethanol, DMF and toluene as protic polar, aprotic polar and non-polar solvents, respectively. Photo-physical parameters of probes, such as fluorescence quantum yields, fluorescence lifetime of excited state, radiative and non-radiative decay, were assessed in different media. The intermolecular H-bond effect on absorption and excitation spectra of the novel probe was reported in different solvents. Also, Onsager cavity radius and dipole moment of ground state and excited state of the probe were calculated as described by Bakhshiev and Reichardt methods.

New pyridine derivatives were designed and synthesized as Isonicotinic acid hydrazide (INH) analogues. The synthesized compounds were evaluated for their antitubercular activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain H37Rv. Ten compounds (3c, 3e-g, 5a-c, 6h, 10 and 11b) showed promising antitubercular activity with MIC range 7.30 µM–19.39 µM. Compounds 3e, 3g, 5b and 11b were the most potent analogues, with MIC 7.30–8.74 µM. They were equipotent to the standard drug Ethambutol (MIC 7.64 µM) and more active than the standard drug Pyrazinamide (MIC 50.77 µM). They were further examined for cytotoxicity in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cell line at the concentration of 50 µg/mL using MTT assay. Results declared that most compounds showed acceptable safety margin. Molecular Docking studies into 2-trans-enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase, called InhA have been conducted for compounds 3e, 3g, 5b and 11b using Molecular Operating Enviroment software (MOE 2016.0802), where reasonable binding interactions have been identified and effective overall docking scores have been recorded. Their drug-likeness has been assessed using Molinspiration and Osiris software.

A water soluble, non-gel, poly (N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone)/κ-carrageenan (PVP/KC) hybrid was synthesized by graft copolymerization of N-vinylpyrrolidone (VP) onto κ-carrageenan in an aqueous medium using ammonium persulphate (APS) as an initiator. Factors affecting the polymerization reaction such as ammonium persulfate concentration, reaction temperature and time, liquor to KC ratio (LR) and KC to VP molar ratio were studied. The results obtained revealed that the optimum reaction polymerization conditions to prepare that hybrid with a total conversion of 93.9% are: [VP], 0.1799 mol/L; VP/KC molar ratio, 50%; [APS], 0.0105 mol/l; LR, 15 l/k; reaction temperature, 90 °C and reaction time, 75 min. Moreover, the grafted KC of that hybrid was characterized via investigating its FTIR analysis. Furthermore, the potential application of such hybrid as a route for synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) using AgNO3 as a precursor was investigated. The synthesized Ag NPs are characterized using the ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV–vis) as well as transmission electron microscope (TEM). The UV–vis showed a band at 435 nm that confirms the presence of Ag NPs. The TEM image shows that such nanoparticles have a spherical structure with an average size ranging from 3 −18 nm.

A series of pyridine and thieno[2,3-b]pyridine derivatives have been designed and synthesized as anticancer PIM-1 kinase inhibitors. Thirty-seven compounds were selected by NCI to be tested initially at a single dose (10 µM) in the full NCI 60 cell line panel. Compound 5b showed potent anticancer activity and was tested twice in the five-dose assay which confirmed its potent antitumor activity (GI50 values 0.302–3.57 µM) against all tested tumor cell lines except six cell lines where they showed moderate sensitivity. This compound was sent to NCI biological evaluation committee and still under consideration for further testing. In addition, the most active anticancer compounds in each series, 5b, 8d, 10c, 13h, and 15e, were evaluated for their PIM-1 kinase inhibitory activity. Compound 8d was the most potent one with IC50 = 0.019 µM followed by 5b, 15e, 10c and 13h with IC50 values 0.044, 0.083, 0.128 and 0.479 µM respectively. Moreover, docking study of the most active compounds in PIM-1 kinase active site was consistent with the in vitro activity.

Two new series of pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine bearing thiazolidinone moiety were designed and synthesized. The newly synthesized compounds were evaluated for their in vitro (COX-1 and COX-2) inhibitory assay. Compounds that showed promising COX-2 selectivity were further subjected to in vivo anti-inflammatory screening applying formalin induced paw edema (acute model) and cotton-pellet induced granuloma (chronic model) assays using celecoxib and diclofenac sodium as reference drugs. The histopathological and ulcerogenic potential were also determined. In vivo anti-inflammatory data showed that compounds 2, 6, 7d displayed anti-inflammatory activity higher than both references in the formalin induced paw edema model. On the other hand, compounds 2, 3d, 3e, 7b and 7d displayed anti-inflammatory activity greater than or nearly equivalent to diclofenac sodium in the cotton pellet-induced granuloma assay. Moreover, most of the tested compounds revealed good gastrointestinal safety profile. Collectively, compounds 2 and 7d were considered as promising candidates in managing both acute and chronic inflammation with safe gastrointestinal margin.

Elevation of the intraocular pressure (IOP) is recognized as a risk factor for glaucoma development. Latanoprost (LAT) is a prostaglandin analog used to reduce the (IOP). Thymoquinone (TQ) is a major bioactive ingredient of Nigella sativa. The aim of this study was to develop novel liposomal drug carriers for ocular delivery of LAT, TQ and a mixture of them to investigate their IOP lowering efficacy upon subconjunctival injection in glaucoma-induced rabbit's eye. The aim of the present work extends also to study the effect of the different liposome formulations on the aqueous humor oxidative stress. Liposome samples were prepared using thin film hydration method. The physiochemical properties of the prepared drugs were characterized. The IOP was recorded for 70 rabbits using Schiotz-tonometer. Malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT) activities and total antioxidant activity of the aqueous humor were estimated. Fourier transform infrared and differential scanning calorimetric studies confirmed the interaction between the drug and the vesicles, which resulted in high drug encapsulation efficiency ≥88%. The size of the prepared liposomes was less than 10 μm which make them suitable in ophthalmic applications. The sustained effect was achieved by liposome samples of Lip (LAT) and Lip (LAT + TQ) which were able to reduce the IOP significantly up to 84 h. Morever, the treatment of glaucomatous rabbits with liposome formulations containing TQ in their preparation [Lip (TQ) and Lip (LAT + TQ)] greatly improved the ocular tissue-induced histopathological lesions. None of the prepared liposome formulations succeeded to improve the glaucoma-induced oxidative stress damage.

A new CAO/TDI adduct was synthesized by reacting 2,4-toluene diisocyanate (TDI) with castor oil (CAO) in a molar ratio of 70%, respectively, at 100°C for 90 min. The chemical structure of the synthesized adduct was confirmed by FTIR analysis. Furthermore, such adduct was emulsified in water using stearic acid/triethanol amine system. Moreover, the emulsion was examined as a water-repellent as well as an antibacterial finish for cotton/polyester fabric. The results indicated that the emulsion treated fabric acquires water repellency, softness, stiffness, and antibacterial properties. In addition, the surface of the aforementioned treated fabric was characterized via scanning electron microscopy.

Sugarcane (Saccharum sp. hybrids) is a C4 grass used as a major source of sucrose. Invertase enzymes hydrolyse sucrose into hexose sugars reducing the production markedly. Soluble acid invertase role is always a case of discussion for having a major or minor role in the breakdown process in sink tissues. Bio-deterioration is another serious problem accomplishes the sucrose production, the delay between harvest and milling of sugarcane cause enormous depreciation in cane tonnage as well as sugar recovery. Beside another many factors, it was improved that both neutral and acid invertase present in cane stalk and both have tendency to increase after harvest. In the present study, sugarcane cultivar G.99/103, Saccharum officinarium, was used to establish Inplanta transformation experiment for down-regulation of soluble acid invertase gene using siRNA application. The transgenic plants were examined chemically and genetically to estimate the percentage of silencing and its impact on the sucrose content. The enzyme activity showed reduction compared to control in most transgenic plants and consequently the decrease in expression level of soluble acid invertase increase the Brix value significantly in some of the transgenic plants.

Green chemistry becomes an eye-catching topic of interest in the past few years because it is a comfortable, secure, inexpensive, and eco-friendly way of synthesis. Iron oxide nanoparticles with different morphologies and sizes have been extensively studied due to their broad applications. Iron nanoparticles (Fe NPs) have drawn interest in site remediation and also in the treatment of organic or inorganic pollutants of water. The present review shows different synthesis methods of zero-valent and iron oxide nanoparticles from different plant extracts including tea extracts (Oolong tea, tea powder, tea waste, and tea polyphenols), from other plant extracts (Amaranthus dubius, Murraya koenigii, Eucalyptus, Syzygium aromaticum, curcuma, Ocimum sanctum, Emblica officinalis, Tridax procumbens, Dodonaea viscosa, Spinacia oleracea, Lawsonia inermis (henna), Gardenia jasminoides, Punica granatum, and Colocasia esculenta), from bio-microorganisms (Acinetobacter spp. bacterium, Aspergillus oryzae, Sargassum muticum), and from magnetite sand. The different potential applications of iron nanoparticles in remediation, in dye removal, and as an antibacterial agent point to the importance of iron nanoparticles in the environmental removal of contamination.

This experiment was performed to examine the impact of dietary Spirulina platensis phycocyanin (SPC) on the growth performance, antioxidant status, histomorphology of certain organs, immune status with analyzing the immunohistochemical expression of CD3 and CD20, and disease resistance of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus against A. hydrophila infection. Fish (N = 225, 41.41 ± 0.29 g/fish) were fed basal diets supplemented with five levels of SPC 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, or 2 g kg −1 diet (SPC0, SPC0.5, SPC1, SPC1.5, and SPC2, respectively) for 10 weeks. The final body weight, average daily weight gain, total weight gain (TWG), and specific growth rate were quadratically increased in SPC0.5 and SPC1 groups. The total weight gain was increased by 43.85 and 52.63% in SPC0.5 and SPC1 groups, respectively. According to the broken line regression model, the optimal SPC supplementation level was 1.5 g kg-1 based on the TWG and feed conversion ratio (FCR). The protein level of the fish body was quadratically raised in SPC1 and SPC1.5 groups. Linear and quadratic rise in the fat content and decrease in the ash content in a level-dependent way. The SPC supplementation enhanced most intestinal morphometric measures with increased hepato-pancreatic acinar secretory activities and the presence of immune cells infiltration, particularly in the SPC2 group. The lipid profile and liver function tests in the serum were not significantly affected by SPC supplementation. SPC supplementation increased the serum catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and the reduced glutathione (GSH) level and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) level. The immune response indicators (interleukin 10 (IL10), lysozyme activity, complement 3, and IgM serum levels) were improved by SPC supplementation. The percentage of immunostaining reaction against a cluster of differentiation 3 (CD3) and a cluster of differentiation 20 (CD20) in the liver was strongly increased by SPC addition in a dose-dependent manner (P

Vardenafil (VRL) is one of the highly potent PDE-5 inhibitor pharmaceutical compounds used for treatment of erectile dysfunction. In this work, the sensor was fabricated via electropolymerization of pyrrole (Py) as a functional monomer in presence of VRL on a platinum electrode (PtE) modified with electrodeposited platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) followed by electrochemical overoxidation to yield overoxidized polypyrrole (OPPy). During the sensor’s fabrication, seven factors need to be optimized including, pyrrole concentration (PyConc.) (mM), VRL concentration (VRLconc.) (mM), no of polymerization cycles (no. of cycles), incubation time (t.rebind) (min), pH of the incubation (pH), accumulation time (t.acc) (s) and accumulation potential (Pot.acc) (V). That is why fractional factorial design was first applied for screening the most significant factors followed by central composite design (CCD) optimization in order to have a correlative overview of the different interactions between these variables at the same time, unlike the traditional approach involving changing one factor at a time. Stepwise construction of the sensor was characterized electrochemically using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and topographically using Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The sensor showed linearity over the range of concentrations (1 × 10-12 M – 5 × 10-8 M) using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and EIS with a significantly low limit of detections 2 × 10-13 M and 0.9 × 10-13 M (S/N = 3), respectively under optimum conditions. The fabricated (OPPy/PtNPs/PtE) sensor was successfully applied to determine VRL in two pharmaceutical formulations, spiked urine and serum samples with percent recoveries between (98.9 % and 102.2 %) ± SD (±0.02 and ± 0.48).

Simple accurate and precise validated UV spectrophotometric methods have been described here for the simultaneous determination of Tretinoin (TN) Eusolex (EX) Hydroquinone (HQ) & Hydrocortisone acetate (HC) in their dosage form. Simultaneous determination of these four drugs was a major challenge till now. Each spectrum was filtered alone to its zero-order absorption spectrum (D0) form getting spectra typical to each pure component separately. Four methods were applied depending upon constants obtained from extended regions of partially overlapped spectra in the zero or first derivative forms. The methods applied are constant multiplication coupled with spectrum subtraction method (CM-SS) derivative transformation coupled with spectrum subtraction method (DT-SS) constant value method (CV) and concentration value (conc.value) method. The partially overlapped spectra of TN and EX in the mixture were obtained by CM-SS in their zero-order form allowing direct measurement at their λmax while the resolved binary mixture of HQ and HC obtained by SS; was determined by derivatization and transformed to their zero order by DT-SS. Also Ex and HQ concentrations were determined by the graphical representation of data only without regression equation by concentration value method and the results were compared to the conventional constant value method using a regression equation. The methods applied to the quaternary mixture under study were successfully applied for the simultaneous determination of the four drugs in synthetic mixtures and in their combined dosage form Tritospot® cream. Comparing the acquired results statistically together and to official methods demonstrated no significant difference.

The present experiments were carried out in El-Mattana Research Station (latitude of 25.25°N and longitude of 32.31°E), AgriculturalResearchCenter, Luxor Governorate, Egypt. The present work was conducted on two plant cane crops grown in 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 seasons to study the yield, quality and natural of infestation with lesser sugarcane borer, Chilo agamemnon Bles., and pokkah boeng disease (Fusarium moniliforme Sheldon) and other diseases of four sugarcane varieties (G.T.54-9, G.2003-47, Ph 8013 and C. 57-14) as affected by three levels of potassium fertilization (zero, 24 and 48 kg K2O/fed.). The results showed that the difference in mostly traits between sugarcane variety G.T.54-9 and G.2003-47 was insignificant, they surpassed the other two varieties in number of millable canes and cane and sugar yield/fed. Also, they recorded the highest percentages of infestation with C. agamemnon Bles., and pokkah boeng, during the two successive seasons. The sugarcane variety Ph 8013 showed significant superiority in stalk weight, sucrose% and sugar recovery%. However, the variance between the two sugarcane varieties namely Ph 8013 and G.2003-47 in sucrose% and sugar recovery% was insignificant. Increasing the applied dose of potassium fertilizer up to 48 kg K2O/fed. was accompanied by a significant increase in the values of number of millable canes, stalk weight/plant and sugar yields as well as decreased of percentage of infestation with C. agamemnon Bles., and pokkah boeng disease, during the two successive seasons. However, the variance between 24 and 48 K2O/fed. in sucrose%, sugar recovery% and cane yields/fed. was insignificant during the two successive seasons. Fertilizing sugar cane crop by 24 and 48 kg K2O/fed. increased cane yield by 6.47 % & 7.51 % during the first season and 4.51 % & 11.34 % during the second season, respectively, compared with check treatment.

Patulin (PAT) is a mycotoxin produced in food and feed stuff by several filamentous fungi causing sever hazard for the human being. A novel fruit contaminant strain, A. terreusHAP1, was isolated from Egyptian apples. Screening study showed that A. terreusHAP1 produced a significant amount of PAT in its culture broth. Three atoxigenic strains of A. flavus, isolated from Egyptian fruits, were tested as biocontrol agents against A. terreusHAP1. The results showed that A. flavusHFB1 was the most potential agent for controlling of pathogen growth. The biocontrol activity of this strain was tested for reduction of patulin produced by A. terreusHAP1 in culture medium and in apple fruits under different environmental conditions. The maximum percentage of mycotoxin reduction was recorded when 1 × 106 spores of pathogen was co-cultured with 1 × 108 spores of antagonist in Potato Dexstrose Broth (PDB) medium adjusted at pH 5 and incubated at 30 °C for 15 days. In vivo study, A. flavusHFB1 reduced 62.43 ± 4.34% and 58.53 ± 4.6 of PAT in Egyptian and golden apples, respectively, whereas the rotting lesion increased in Egyptian apples faster than the other cultivars. The maximum reduction of patulin accumulation without apples decaying was detected when the Egyptian apples were pretreated with 1 × 108 spores of A. flavusHFB1 at 36 h earlier their infection with A. terreusHAP1 and stored at 15 °C for 20 days. The fruits totally decayed after 15 days of storage at 30 °C whereas they decayed totally after 55 days of storage at 15 °C.

Simultaneous determination of miconazole (MIC), mometasone furaoate (MF), and gentamicin (GEN) in their pharmaceutical combination. Gentamicin determination is based on derivatization with of o-phthalaldehyde reagent (OPA) without any interference of other cited drugs, while the spectra of MIC and MF are resolved using both successive and progressive resolution techniques. The first derivative spectrum of MF is measured using constant multiplication or spectrum subtraction, while its recovered zero order spectrum is obtained using derivative transformation. Beside the application of constant value method. Zero order spectrum of MIC is obtained by derivative transformation after getting its first derivative spectrum by derivative subtraction method. The novel method namely, differential amplitude modulation is used to get the concentration of MF and MIC, while the novel graphical method namely, concentration value is used to get the concentration of MIC, MF, and GEN. Accuracy and precision testing of the developed methods show good results. Specificity of the methods is ensured and is successfully applied for the analysis of pharmaceutical formulation of the three drugs in combination. ICH guidelines are used for validation of the proposed methods. Statistical data are calculated, and the results are satisfactory revealing no significant difference regarding accuracy and precision.

In the present investigation, leaves of Terminalia muelleri were assayed for their phytochemical constituents, as well as its free radical scavenging activity. The antioxidant effect was measured using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) radical scavenging assay, the phytochemical constituents were screened to assess their corresponding effect on antioxidant activity. The results showed that the ethanol soluble fraction of T. muelleri possesses a potent radical-scavenging activity using the DPPH• (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical-scavenging assay (IC50 value = 2.7 μg/mL, while the standard ascorbic acid has an IC50 value = 10.5 μg/mL).

Preclinical Research The anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of a polyphenol-rich fraction (TMEF) obtained from Terminalia muelleri Benth. were measured. The analgesic activity of TMEF was tested using acetic acid-induced writhing and hot plate models in mice. The anti-inflammatory activity was assessed using carrageenan-induced paw edema model by measuring PGE2 , TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 plasma levels as well as the paw thickness. TMEF was tested at doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg p.o. and diclofenac sodium was used as a standard (100 mg/kg) in all experiments. The group treated with 400 mg/kg of TMEF showed a greater inhibition in the number of writhes (by 63%) than the standard-treated group (61%). Pretreatment with TMEF increased the analgesic effect in hot plate test in a dose-dependent manner with a maximum effect after 120 min. TMEF pretreatment alos reduced the edema thickness by 48, 53, and 62% at the tested doses, respectively. TMEF administration inhibited the carrageenan-induced elevations in PGE2 (by 34, 43, and 47%), TNF-α (18, 28, and 41%), IL-1β (14, 22, and 29%), and IL-6 (26, 31, and 46%). Four phenolic compounds were isolated from Terminalia muelleri for the first time. Drug Dev Res 78 : 146-154, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A PVP/SA adduct was prepared by reacting of N-vinylpyrrolidone with stearyl alcohol in presence of ammonium persulphate as initiator in different preparation reaction conditions. The optimum conditions to prepare that adduct are VP/SA, 25%; LR, 1 l/kg; reaction temperature, 80 °C and reaction time, 40 min. The graft copolymerization of N-vinylpyrrolidone onto stearyl alcohol was confirmed by the FTIR analysis. The TEM image of the prepared adduct emulsion shows that its particle size ranges from 45 to 173 nm. Finishing of cotton/polyester fabric sample with easy care finishing bath containing 80 g/l of that adduct emulsion results in an increasing in the tensile strength, water repellency rating, antibacterial properties, softness degree, and stiffness along with a reduction in the resiliency of treated fabric. The surface of the prepared adduct treated fabric was characterized via scanning electron microscope.

Novel two fluorescein derivative dyes, 2-(6-Hydroxy-3-oxo-3H-xanthen-9-yl)-N-(2-(6-hydroxy-3-oxo-3H-xanthen-9-yl)benzoyl)-N-(2-hydroxyphenyl)benzamide (o-OHAnF) and 2-(6-Hydroxy-3-oxo-3H-xanthen-9-yl)-N-(2-(6-hydroxy-3-oxo-3H-xanthen-9-yl)benzoyl)-N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)benzamide (p-OHAnF) had been synthesized. Optical properties and photo-physical parameters in different pH media and solvents were studied. o-OHAnF and p-OHAnF showed extra prototropic forms with absence of lactonic form which present as neutral prototropic form (causing − ve effect on optical properties) in case of fluorescein dye. Their amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) efficiencies were examined as function of dye concentrations. Photo-stability behavior of the new dyes was extremely different than the parent standard fluorescein dye.