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In this study, a pioneering electrochemical sensor was developed for simultaneously determining nitrofurantoin (NFT) and furazolidone (FZD) residues in food and municipal wastewater samples. The sensor was prepared by integrating gold‑silver-alloy nanocoral clusters (Au-Ag-ANCCs) with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs), carbon paste electrode (CPE) and polyethylene oxide (PEO) nanocomposites. The surface morphology and elemental compositions of Au-Ag-ANCCs/ZnO-NPs-CPE/PEO were characterized by FT-IR, XRD, SEM, EDX, EIS, and CV. The sensor showed exceptional performance over a wide linear range, from 1.0 pM to 250 μM for NFT and 0.9 nM to 360 μM for FZD. The detection and quantification limits were found to be 0.26 pM and 0.88 pM for NFT and 0.023 pM and 0.076 pM for FZD, respectively. In addition, the sensor exhibited excellent repeatability, reproducibility, selectivity, and long-lasting stability. When applied to the detection of AZM and ENF residues in poultry, fish, honey, dairy products and municipal wastewater, it exhibited excellent recoveries of 96.3–102.8% and relative standard deviations between 1.87% and 1.53%. In general, the developed sensor represents a significant advance in the fight against antibiotic residue pollution.

Background Calcium has been shown to play a vital role in the pathophysiology of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 and middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus diseases, but less is known about hypocalcemia in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients and its association with the disease severity and the final outcome. Therefore, this study was conducted with an aim to assess clinical features in COVID-19 patients having hypocalcemia and to observe its impact on COVID-19 disease severity and the final outcome. Methods In this retrospective study, consecutive COVID-19 patients of all age groups were enrolled. Demographical, clinical, and laboratory details were collected and analyzed. On the basis of albumin-corrected calcium levels, patients were classified into normocalcemic (n = 51) and hypocalcemic (n = 110) groups. Death was the primary outcome. Results The mean age of patients in the hypocalcemic group was significantly lower (p

Teff (Eragrostis tef (Zuccagni) Trotter) is one of the underutilized crops that can contribute to food security with distinct nutritional values. The present study was aimed to determine the total phenolic content, total fat content, and fatty acid profiles and evaluate the nutritional values of the white and brown Injera (ready-to-eat food) using UV-Vis and GC-MS methods. The determined free total simple phenolic compound contents, bound total simple phenolic compound contents, and total flavonoid contents were 169.48 ± 3.36–178.52 ± 7.5, 53.13 ± 1.92–60.38 ± 0.82, and 85.18 ± 1.14–117.59 ± 4.31 mg QE/100 g, respectively, in white Injera, and 193.86 ± 6.38–204.90 ± 4.04, 70.25 ± 3.56–82.13 ± 3.12, and 97.31 ± 1.22–107.42 ± 3.29 mg QE/100 g, respectively, in brown Injera. The free total simple phenolic compound contents and bound total simple phenolic compound contents were found higher and lower, respectively, in white and brown Injera. Compared to the reported teff grains and other cereal grains, low linoleic acid (ω-6) (21.1–24.8%) and high content of α-linolenic acid (ω-3) (16.3–18.9%) were found in the white and brown Injera, respectively. This value has much improved the ω-6/ω-3 in the white Injera (1.5 : 1) and brown Injera (1.2 : 1) and was surprisingly found consistent with the suggested 1-2 : 1 ratio. Moreover, the lipid quality of teff Injera was found to be superior to that of other cereal grains, showing that this food product actually contains novel food components with substantial nutritional and health advantages. The results of this study may therefore aid teff consumers, processors, and researchers in raising knowledge of the nutritional value and health advantages of the white and brown Injera, as well as their contents of free and bound phenolics and fatty acid profiles.

Background: Whole world experienced COVID-19 pandemic with more than 155 million cases and >3.4 million deaths. Vasculitis and immune system activation plays a critical role in pathogenesis, especially in severely ill and non-survivors COVID-19 patients. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was to establish the role of hematological indices and inflammatory biomarker as predictors of mortality among non-survivor and survivor COVID-19 cases at the time of admission. Materials and Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted at a dedicated COVID-19 referral hospital from July 2020 to August 2020, among 300 real time-polymerase chain reaction confirmed COVID-19 cases. Demographic, clinical, comorbidity, laboratory investigation, and outcome data were collected from patient’s medical record. Outcome variables – discharged (survived) or death (non-survived) were considered for comparison of various hematological indices and inflammatory biomarkers. Data are represented as median, IQR (Q1-Q3) and difference between median and proportions were calculated by Mann–Whitney U-test and χ² test. A predictive power of laboratory parameters between survivors and non-survivors was evaluated using receiver operant curve (ROC) analysis and area under the ROC curve (AUC). Results: The median age of non-survivors was significantly higher than survivors. Hypertension was significantly associated with non-survivors. Hematological parameters such as total leukocyte count, absolute neutrophil count, Neutrophil: Lymphocyte ratio were significantly increased with lymphocytopenia (P=0.001), and Inflammatory biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase, D-dimer, ferritin, procalcitonin, and NT-Pro BNP, all were significantly increased in non-survivors patients (P=0.001). CRP and neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) showed “Good” predictive value for mortality with cutoff value of 74.0 mg/l (AUC=0.841, Sensitivity=80.4%, Specificity=73.0%) and 5.65 (AUC=0.805, Sensitivity=76.1%, Specificity=73.0%), respectively. Pro-BNP showed “Fair” predictive value for mortality with cutoff value of 330.5 pg/ml (AUC=0.726, Sensitivity=73.9%, Specificity=58.2%). Conclusion: We suggest that CRP, NLR, and Pro-BNP can be used as a screening tool to predict mortality in COVID-19 patients for timely intervention to save valuable life, especially when sensitivity toward severity of COVID-19 among medical health professionals and general public is on decline.

This study was aimed to analyze and compare the volatile compounds of flesh, peel and seed parts of the pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima). The volatile compounds were extracted from three different parts of pumpkin using a hydro-distillation method. Extracts from the three different parts of pumpkin were injected into the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry system. Mass spectral data were collected from 40–650 m/z. The volatile components were identified by matching their mass spectra with those of reference compounds recorded in the mass spectral library and retention indices. A homologous series of n-alkanes (C9–C30) were run under the same operating conditions as the volatile oils to determine the retention indices. The chromatographic analysis revealed the presence of 15, 23 and 28 components in the essential oils obtained from flesh, peel and seed parts of pumpkin representing a total composition of 81.5, 84.4, and 97.7%, respectively. Out of volatile compounds that were identified, three were common to all 3 parts, six were common to flesh and peel, eight were common to peel and seed, and five were common to flesh and seed. Hydrocarbons (43.6%) and esters (26.4%) were the most abundant volatile compounds identified in the seed part of pumpkin followed by sulfur containing compounds (30.3%) in the peel, (23.7%) in the flesh and (12.7%) in seed parts of pumpkin. Terpinene compounds were also found (23.5%) in the flesh, (22.9%) in the peel and (5.02%) in the seed parts of pumpkin. The compositions of the volatile compounds vary from one part to another of the pumpkin. Some of the volatile chemicals discovered in this investigation matched with the published data from other nations. According to the findings of this study, different volatile chemicals detected in various parts of the pumpkin indicated increased medicinal and nutritional potential.

In this study, a new carbon paste electrode modified with a laboratory-synthesized ligand, N1-hydroxy-N1,N2-diphenylbenzamidine (HDPBA) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) (HDPBA‒MWCNTs/CPE) has been developed. The modified electrode was applied for preconcentration and voltammetric determination of zinc ions (Zn(II)) by square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV). The preconcentration of Zn(II) on the electrode surface was performed in 0.1 M Brinton Robinson (B–R) buffer solution (pH 6) at an applied potential of −1.30 V versus Ag/AgCl for 120 s, followed by stripping in the positive potential scan of the SWASV after a quit time of 10 s. Under optimized experimental conditions, the proposed electrode exhibited a wider linear dynamic response for Zn(II) in a concentration range of 0.02–10.00 μM with a detection limit of 2.48 nM. This is due to the excellent metal-chelation property of the ligand, and the good conductivity and large surface area of MWCNTs which significantly improved the sensing performance of the nanocomposite modified electrode. The selectivity of the electrode was studied by evaluating the interference effects of various foreign ions on the peak current of Zn(II). The method exhibited high reproducibility with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 3.1%. The present method was applied for the determination of zinc ions in water samples. The recovery values in the tested samples were found to be 98.50–106.0%, indicating a good accuracy of the proposed electrode. Furthermore, the electrochemical behavior of HDPBA in acetonitrile and aqueous solutions has been studied.

A modified rapid, simple quick, cheap, effective, robust and safe (QuEChERS) extraction method was developed for the simultaneous extraction and purification of seven antibiotic residues in lettuce, carrot and tomato using liquid chromatography UV detector. The method was validated for linearity, sensitivity, accuracy, repeatability, and reproducibility at six concentration levels for all matrices, according to the guidelines of UNODC. A matrix-matched calibration method was used for the quantitative analysis. Linear range of 0.01–250 μg kg−1 for target compounds with correlation coefficient (R2) 0.9978–0.9995 was obtained. The limits of detections (LODs) and quantifications (LOQs) were 0.02–2.48 μg kg−1 were 0.06–7.52 μg kg−1, respectively. The average recoveries of the seven antibiotics ranged from 74.5 to 105.9%, with relative standard deviation RSD (%)

Abstract Background Antibiotics are routinely used on poultry for therapy and prevention of diseases and to enhance animal growth. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a sensitive and reliable liquid chromatography with UV detection (LC-UV) method for the simultaneous determination of seven multiclass antibiotic residues (amoxicillin, ampicillin, penicillin, sulfamethoxazole, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, and erythromycin) in chicken tissues. Methods The liquid chromatography method with UV detection was optimized for complete separation of the seven selected antibiotic compounds with reversed phase and isocratic elution using Hypersil BDS-C18 (3 µm, 100 mm × 4 mm) column. The mobile phase consisted a ratio of 0.05 M Na2HPO4, acetonitrile and methanol (70:10:20), at UV absorption wavelength of 230 nm. The column thermostat was set at 40 °C, the mobile phase flow rate was 1 mL min−1, and the injection volume was 20 μL. Results All the seven standard compounds were eluted within 14 min. The results for: linearity, precision, sensitivity, accuracy, specificity, decision limit (CCα), detection capability (CCβ), suitability and method robustness were validated according to the criteria of Commission Decision 2002/657/EC guidelines. Calibration plot correlation coefficients ranged from 0.9983 to 0.9998 and the percent relative standard deviations for repeated analysis were below 5% indicating acceptable method precision. The limits of detection (LODs) and quantification (LOQs) ranged from 0.098–0.255 μg kg−1 to 0.297–0.574 μg kg−1, respectively. The accuracy study yielded recoveries in the ranges 98.1–107% for the pure compounds and 94.0–102% for the spiked drug free chicken tissue samples. Conclusions The method was found to be appropriate for simultaneous determination of five different classes of seven antibiotic residues in chicken tissues. Furthermore, this is the first instance for the simultaneous determination of seven multiclass, multi-residues analysis using LC-UV from chicken tissue samples. This is a cost-effective and alternative method with simple instrumentation approach for laboratories that lack highly specialized state-of-the-art instrumentation.

In this study, a simple, ultrasensitive, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly sensor was developed for the electrochemical determination of ciprofloxacin (CPRO) using a choline chloride-modified carbon paste electrode (ChCl/CPE). The electrochemical properties of ChCl/CPE were examined by square wave voltammetry (SWV). Cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultraviolet-visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometry were used for electrochemical and morphological characterizations. The sensor exhibits excellent conductivity and superior electrocatalytic activity, within the linear range of 0.005–200 μM, for the detection of CPRO in citrate buffer solution (CBS) at pH 5, with detection and quantification limits of 0.36 nM and 1.2 nM. The electroactive surface area of ChCl/CPE was calculated to be 0.123 cm3, which is four times higher than that of the bare CPE (0.037 cm2). The ChCl/CPE is not only simple, inexpensive and time-saving, but also has the lowest detection limit and widest linear range compared to the recently reported sensors for the determination of CPRO. The developed sensor also showed excellent reproducibility, repeatability, long-term stability, and exceptional selectivity against potentially interfering organic, inorganic, and antibiotic species. In addition, ChCl/CPE was successfully applied for the determination of ciprofloxacin in eye drops, river water, and egg samples with very good recoveries of 97–102% and relative standard deviations (RSD) of 0.27–3.85%. Therefore, the proposed electrochemical sensor is a potential candidate for the determination of ciprofloxacin in various matrices.

The purpose of this study was to assess how different processing techniques affected mineral compositions, antinutritional factors, and their interactions in red, white, and black kidney beans consumed in Ethiopia. Mineral contents were found to be 41–44, 58–78, and 112–126 mg Ca/100 g in the raw, soaked, and cooked samples, respectively. Iron content in the raw, soaked and cooked samples were found to be 2.77–2.97, 1.94–2.20 and 2.87–3.28 mg Fe/100 g, respectively, showing 26–30% loss on soaking followed by 33–48% increase on cooking. While Zn content in the raw, soaked and cooked samples were found to be 2.47–3.26, 3.34–4.68 and 2.83–3.31 mg Zn/100 g, respectively, showing 35–43% increase on soaking followed by 15–29% decrease on cooking. In the case of antinutrients, both treatments showed incredible decrements. Phytate in the raw samples was 178-179 mg/100 g and showed a 12–16% decrement on soaking and a 37-38% decrement up on cooking, oxalate was 1.5–1.8 mg/100 g in the raw samples and showed a 4.4–13% decrement during treatments, and tannin in the raw samples was 102–160 mg/100 g and showed a 23–30% decrement on soaking, followed by 21–41% during cooking. Phytate : Ca and oxalate : Ca molar ratios in soaked and cooked samples were within the critical values in the raw samples. In contrast, phytate : Zn and Ca × phytate : Zn in all treatments were found to be within the critical value, confirming the good bioavailability of zinc in all the samples, while phytate : Fe was found over the critical value, showing its poor availability.

Teff [Eragrostis tef (Zuccagni) Trotter] is a cereal grain originating in Ethiopia as a staple food for millions of people. Its grain is a gluten-free superfood and got acceptance as a medicinal ingredient. Therefore, it is worthwhile to determine the antioxidative activities and L-ascorbic acid contents of teff grain and its baked food (injera). This study aimed to determine the ascorbic acid contents and antioxidant activities in the aqueous extract of the white and brown teff grains and their injera samples using iodimetric titration and UV-Vis spectrophotometric methods, respectively. The ascorbic acid contents in the white and brown teff ranged from 67.9–112.6 mg/100 g and 69.2–117.2 mg/100 g, respectively, and those in injera of the selected teff samples ranged from 30.5–32.9 mg/100 g and 37.3–43.0 mg/100 g, respectively. The antioxidant activities ranged from 1.26–7.04 μmol AAE/g for the white teff grains, 1.44–6.29 μmol AAE/g for the brown teff grains, 1.81–2.47 μmol AAE/g for white teff injera, and 3.89–4.86 μmol AAE/g for the brown teff injera samples. Findings of the present study have revealed that white teff and brown teff grains and their injera were found to have a higher content of ascorbic acid than commonly consumed grains and vegetables. No significant difference (α = 0.05) has been observed between the two varieties of teff grains with respect to the ascorbic acid content and antioxidant activities. However, there was a statistically significant difference (α = 0.05) in the ascorbic acid content and antioxidant activities between the teff grains and their injera samples. Therefore, this study indicated that teff grains and injera are rich in ascorbic acid content and antioxidant activities as compared to other cereal grains and are very crucial for human nutrition and health.

This study presents a new method for simple, selective and sensitive electrochemical determination of lead(II) using N1-hydroxy-N1,N2-diphenylbenzamidine (HDPBA) modified carbon paste electrode. HDPBA was easily prepared in the laboratory from common chemicals. Morphological characterizations and spectroscopic analyses of the developed electrode were conducted using various analytical techniques such as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and ultraviolet-visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopic techniques. The electrochemical determination of Pb(II) was performed using square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The effects of several experimental parameters such as modifier composition in the carbon paste, composition and pH of supporting electrolyte solutions, accumulation time, accumulation potential, and other instrumental parameters were studied for the analytical application. Pb(II) was accumulated for 270 s on the surface of the modified electrode using 0.1 M sodium acetate (NaAc) pH 5 at −0.90 V vs Ag/AgCl, followed by electrochemical stripping with SWASV in the same solution after a resting time of 10 s. The linear range was found to be 0.0001–2.5000 μM Pb(II) with a limit of detection of 0.0094 nM which are better than most of the reported method based on 2–4 different modifiers in a single electrode. The proposed method was found to be highly sensitive and selective. In addition, the developed electrode showed good reproducibility (with RSDs of 4.3%), long-term stability, and fast response. The proposed method has been successfully applied to the determination of trace levels of Pb(II) in various environmental samples such as wastewater, vegetable, fish, and cigarette samples.

The knowledge of the levels of polyphenols present in green coffee beans from different geographical origins is important to identify beans that can provide better coffee quality. The aim of this study was to determine the concentrations of both soluble and cell wall-bound polyphenols in green coffee beans (Coffea arbica L.) from different cultivation regions of Ethiopia. A total of 100 samples were collected from four geographical regions (East, West, South, Northwest) and comprised eight commercial types of coffee (Harar, Jimma, Kaffa, Wollega, Sidama, Yirgacheffe, Finoteselam and Benishangul). The total concentrations of soluble and cell wall-bound polyphenols and flavonoids in the sample extracts were determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride reagent methods, respectively. Qualitative analysis was also performed by using high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). Results revealed that chlorogenic acids as the predominant constituents of the phenolic fraction of the green coffee beans. The total soluble polyphenol, cell wall-bound polyphenol and flavonoid contents of the green coffee beans were in the range of 21.8–43.6 milligrams of gallic acid equivalents per gram (mg GAE g−1), 8.6–15.3 mg GAE g−1 and 3.3–6.2 milligrams of (+)-catechin equivalents per gram (mg CE g−1) of dry mass, respectively. Cell wall-bound polyphenols were found to contribute significantly (21.0–32.5%) to the total polyphenol contents (TPC) of the green coffee beans. The polyphenol contents of green coffee beans have been found to vary with geographical origins. Harar coffee contained significantly (p

This study was aimed to investigate volatile compounds of white and brown teff grain samples using the hydro-distillation and its extract in dichloromethane and n-hexane by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The optimized time for the hydro-distillation of the white and brown teff grain samples was nine hours. The dominant volatile compounds identified in the white and brown teff grain samples of the dichloromethane extract corresponding to peak area proportion were furfural (29.9%, 38.1%) and 5-methyl-2-furancarboxaldehyde (15.1%, 23.8%), respectively. The relative amount of dominant volatile compounds determined in the white teff grain sample of the n-hexane extract were 10.2% and 7.27% for the 5-methyl-2-furancarboxaldehyde and 2-[(methylthio)methyl]furan, respectively, and 18.4%, 16.0%, 12.5% and 9.73%, for the furfural, 5-methyl-2-furancarboxaldehyde, 2-[(methylthio)methyl]furan and benzeneacetaldehyde, respectively, for the brown teff grain sample. This study revealed that dichloromethane was efficient to extract more volatile compounds in the white teff grain sample than in the brown teff grain sample, whereas n-hexane was efficient to extract almost equal number of volatiles in both white and brown teff samples. Besides, aldehydes were the major constituents of the white and brown teff grain samples in both dichloromethane and n-hexane extracts.

Abstract Background The fatty acids of green coffee beans are one of the major components that determine the quality of coffee. Fatty acids composition of green coffee beans is affected by soil composition and altitude of coffee plants. This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of altitude of the coffee plants on the composition of fatty acids in green coffee beans. Methods Fatty acids contents of 40 green coffee beans samples collected from the coffee plants grown at different altitudes (group 1: 1500–1700, group 2: 1701–1900 and group 3: > 1900 m.a.s.l.) in Ethiopia were determined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Chemometric data analyses were performed to determine the effects of altitude on the fatty acid composition of the green coffee beans. Results The green coffee beans contained main saturated fatty acid, palmitic acid with an average value of 55.5 mg/g and unsaturated fatty acid, linoleic acid with an average value of 51.6 mg/g. The other major constituents of fatty acids present in green coffee beans were stearic and oleic acids with the value of 12.3 mg/g and 8.92 mg/g, respectively. Palmitic acid content in lowland green coffee beans is significantly different than in the other two regions. On the other hand, stearic and oleic acids contents in the green coffee beans did not show a significant difference between the three topographical regions. While linoleic acid content in the green coffee beans showed significant difference between group 1 and 3 but did not show significant differences between group 1 and 2 and between group 2 and 3. The four major fatty acids, palmitic (R = − 0.574), linoleic (R = − 0.506), stearic (R = − 0.43) and oleic acids (R = − 0.291) in green coffee beans showed a moderate negative correlation with the altitude of coffee plants. Conclusion The fatty acids contents decreases with increasing altitude of the coffee plants and hence affects the quality of coffee. The fatty acid composition of green coffee beans can also be used to determine the topographical origin of coffee plants.

There is no ultraviolet visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometric method for the direct determination of total sugars in the aqueous extract of teff grain samples. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop a green UV-Vis spectrophotometric method to determine total sugars in the aqueous extract of white teff, brown teff, white rice, and red wheat grain samples. The calibration curve was established in the range of 20.11–7,907 mg/L using sucrose as a standard with R2 = 0.9996. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were 4.4 and 14.6 mg/L, respectively. The relative standard deviation (6.9%) of the method for the sucrose standard was within the acceptable range indicating that the method is precise. The amount of total sugars determined in the white teff (5.48–9.44% (w/w), brown teff (6.17–10.32% (w/w)), white rice (3.19% (w/w)), and red wheat (9.22% (w/w)) grain samples was comparable with other reported cereal grains. Furthermore, the accuracy of the developed analytical method was also evaluated by spiking the known amount of the sucrose standard solution to the white teff, brown teff, white rice, and red wheat sample extracts, and percentage recoveries found were in the acceptable range (85 ± 2 − 105 ± 4%) with an average recovery of 93%, confirming that the new green method is quantitatively reproducible. Hence, a fast, simple, inexpensive, widely used, selective, sensitive, precise, and accurate green UV-Vis method was developed and validated for the direct determination of total sugars in the aqueous extract of teff, white rice, and red wheat grain samples.

Vegetables are consumed worldwide in fresh as well as processed forms. Pumpkin is considered as an important vegetable due to its nutritional values. The objective of this study was to evaluate all the analytical parameters and improve the performance of the methods for the determination of β-carotene in pumpkin flesh, peel, and seed samples using UV-VIS, NIR, and FTIR methods. β-Carotene was measured at 453 nm using the UV-VIS method which showed linear range, 0.1 to 12 µg/mL; R2, 0.999; LOD, 0.034 µg/mL; LOQ, 0.1 µg/mL; RSD, 1.5% to 11%; and percent recovery, 83% to 93%. β-Carotene was also measured at 1415 nm using NIR and at 1710 cm−1 using FTIR spectroscopic methods. The NIR method exhibited linear range, 12.5 to 250 µg/mL; R2, 0.999; LOD, 3.4 µg/mL; LOQ, 10, µg/mL; RSD, 1.8% to 11%; and percent recovery, 92% to 96%, while the FTIR method exhibited linear range, 4 to 100 µg/mL; R2, 0.999; LOD, 1.3 µg/mL; LOQ, 3.9 µg/mL; RSD, 0.69% to 10%; and percent recovery, 95% to 96%. The characteristic analytical data indicated that any of the three newly developed methods could be used for the determination of β-carotene in the pumpkin flesh, peel, and seeds. Acetone was used as the extraction solvent for the UV-VIS and NIR spectroscopic methods, and acetonitrile was used as the extraction solvent for the FTIR method. Content of β-carotene was found higher in pumpkin peel (340–445 µg/g), followed by pumpkin flesh (317–341 µg/g) and pumpkin seed (12–17 µg/g) by the UV-VIS method. β-Carotene content was obtained ((376–451 µg/g) and (289–313 µg/g); (210–287 µg/g) and (102–148 µg/g)) using NIR and FTIR methods in pumpkin peel and flesh, respectively. β-Carotene was obtained higher from pumpkin peel by all the three methods than from pumpkin flesh and seed. The β-carotene content in the pumpkin seed was not detected by NIR and FTIR spectroscopic methods.

The present study introduces a novel electrode for rapid, highly sensitive, and selective electrochemical sensor for cadmium(II) using 5% N1-hydroxy-N1,N2-diphenylbenzamidine (HDPBA) modified carbon paste electrode (CPE) (HDPBA‒CPE). Surface characterizations and structural analysis of the proposed HDPBA‒CPE were performed using several analytical techniques. The voltammetric measurements of Cd(II) were conducted by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV). Several experimental conditions such as composition and pH of buffer solutions, HDPBA composition, accumulation potential and time, and other voltammetric conditions were optimized. Cd(II) was preconcentrated on the modified electrode surface for 270 s using Britton Robinson (B-R) buffer (0.1 M, pH 4) at −1.0 V versus Ag/AgCl, followed by electrochemical oxidation of the accumulated Cd(II) in the positive scan of SWASV after a quiet time of 10 s. Under optimized parameters, the proposed method showed a linear range of 0.3–100 nM Cd(II) with a detection limit of 0.032 nM. The fabricated HDPBA-modified carbon paste electrode exhibited excellent sensitivity, selectivity, stability, and reproducibility (with RSD of 3.8%). The developed HDPBA‒CPE was used for the quantification of Cd(II) in tobacco and environmental water samples, and it was found to be applicable for the determination of different types of real samples.

Abstract Background The occurrence of emerging pollutants like pharmaceuticals and related compounds in the aquatic and terrestrial environments is of increasing concern. Ciprofloxacin is one of the pharmaceuticals which is active against a wide range of bacteria. The main objective of this research is to develop a simple method for the extraction and determination of ciprofloxacin residues in environmental water samples. Results A salting-out assisted liquid–liquid extraction (SALLE) method for the determination of ciprofloxacin in water samples by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (HPLC–DAD) was developed. The calibration curve was linear over the range of 0.1–100 μg/L with coefficient of determination (r2) of 0.9976. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of the method were 0.075 and 0.25 µg/L, respectively. The reproducibility in terms of relative standard deviation (% RSD) was less than 10%. The applicability of the developed method was investigated by analyzing tap water, bottled mineral water and waste water and demonstrated satisfactory recoveries in the ranges of 86.4–120%. Conclusion The method offered a number of features including wide linear range, good recovery, short analysis time, simple operation process and environmental friendly. The developed method can be utilized as an attractive alternative for the determination of ciprofloxacin residues in environmental water matrices.

An efficient and one pot reaction of fluorinated 1,3,4-Thiadiazole derivatives was synthesis by fluorinated aromatic carboxylic with thiosemicabazide in the presence of phosphorus oxychloride as a catalyst under Microwave irradiation with silica supported. The synthesis compound was characterized by 1H NMR, IR, and mass spectroscopic techniques. The present approach offers the advantages such as short reaction time, simplicity of the workup procedure, low cost and mild reaction condition.

Coffee is among the most traded commodities and consumed beverages worldwide primarily for its stimulating effects. Moreover, coffee is known to contain various bioactive compounds with significant health benefits including antibacterial and antioxidant activities. However, Ethiopia as the origin of coffee and producer and exporter of varieties of Coffea arabica has made little study on the health aspects of this beverage. The aim of this study was to examine the antibacterial and antioxidant activities and content of coffee samples from different localities of Yorgacheffe and Jimma; and roasted, ground, and packed samples purchased from a coffee shop in Addis Ababa. Medium-roasted-boiled and lyophilized coffee extracts were tested on eight gram-negative and gram-positive bacterial strains. The agar-well diffusion method was used to test the extracts determining the minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations. For coffee antioxidant activity and content, light-roasted (both field and shop samples) and green coffee bean extracts were tested using the free radical 2.2-diphenyl-l-pict1hydrazyl (DPPH) IC50 percent inhibition protocol. The samples showed strong antibacterial and antioxidant activity and substantial antioxidant content. Significant variation was noted in the antibacterial activities of the different coffee samples. Moreover, the growth-inhibitory strength of each coffee sample was variable for different test bacteria. A coffee sample with the best antibacterial activity had also the highest antioxidant activity/content. The shop coffee had the lowest bioactivity. The observed variations in the antibacterial and antioxidant activities among the samples probably indicate the diversity of the Ethiopian coffee related, among other factors, to the coffee plant genetics and agroecology.

Abstract Background There is no fluorescence spectroscopic method for the determination of trigonelline and theobromine in green coffee beans. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop a new fluorescence spectroscopic method to determine the alkaloids simultaneously in the aqueous extract of green coffee beans. Results The calibration curves were linear in the range 2–6, 1–6, 1–5 mg/L for caffeine, theobromine and trigonelline, respectively, with R2 ≥ 0.9987. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were 2, 6 and 7 µg/L and 40, 20 and 20 µg/L for caffeine, theobromine and trigonelline, respectively. Caffeine and trigonelline exhibited well separated fluorescence excitation spectra and therefore the two alkaloids were selectively quantified in the aqueous extract of green coffee. While theobromine showed overlapping fluorescence excitation spectra with caffeine and hence theobromine could not be determined in the aqueous extract of green coffee beans. The amount of caffeine and trigonelline in the three samples of green coffee beans were found to be 0.95–1.10 and 1.00–1.10% (w/w), respectively. The relative standard deviations (RSD ≤ 4%) of the method for the three compounds of interest were of very good. The accuracy of the developed analytical method was evaluated by spiking standard caffeine and trigonelline to green coffee beans and the average recoveries were 99 ± 2% for both the alkaloids. Conclusions A fast, sensitive and reliable fluorescence method for the simultaneous determination of caffeine and trigonelline in the aqueous extract of green coffee beans was developed and validated. The developed method reflected an effective performance to the direct determination of the two alkaloids in the aqueous extract of green coffee beans.

Abstract Background This study was conducted to develop fast and cost effective methods for the determination of caffeine in green coffee beans. In the present work direct determination of caffeine in aqueous solution of green coffee bean was performed using FT-IR-ATR and fluorescence spectrophotometry. Caffeine was also directly determined in dimethylformamide solution using NIR spectroscopy with univariate calibration technique. Results The percentage of caffeine for the same sample of green coffee beans was determined using the three newly developed methods. The caffeine content of the green coffee beans was found to be 1.52 ± 0.09 (% w/w) using FT-IR-ATR, 1.50 ± 0.14 (% w/w) using NIR and 1.50 ± 0.05 (% w/w) using fluorescence spectroscopy. The means of the three methods were compared by applying one way analysis of variance and at p = 0.05 significance level the means were not significantly different. The percentage of caffeine in the same sample of green coffee bean was also determined by using the literature reported UV/Vis spectrophotometric method for comparison and found to be 1.40 ± 0.02 (% w/w). Conclusion New simple, rapid and inexpensive methods were developed for direct determination of caffeine content in aqueous solution of green coffee beans using FT-IR-ATR and fluorescence spectrophotometries. NIR spectrophotometry can also be used as alternative choice of caffeine determination using reduced amount of organic solvent (dimethylformamide) and univariate calibration technique. These analytical methods may therefore, be recommended for the rapid, simple, safe and cost effective determination of caffeine in green coffee beans.

A simple and reproducible poly(l-aspartic acid)/functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes composite modified glassy carbon electrode, P(LAsp)/f-MWCNTs/GCE, was constructed for simultaneous determination of caffeine and theophylline using square wave voltammetry. The electrode preserves and combines the properties of the individual modifiers synergistically. The electrochemical response of P(LAsp)/f-MWCNTs/GCE was characterized by cyclic voltammetry. A significant enhancement in the peak current response of CF and TP were observed accompanied with a negative shift in peak potential at the composite modified electrode compared to the bare electrode. The prepared P(LAsp)/f-MWCNTs/GCE exhibited excellent SWV response towards the simultaneous detection of CF and TP in the range of 1–150 and 0.1–50μM with limit of detection of 0.28 and 0.02μM (S/N=3), respectively. Real sample analysis has been successfully carried out in green tea, blood serum and pharmaceutical formulation of Panadol extra samples, which revealed good recovery results, 92.0–106%. The proposed sensor also displayed good selectivity, repeatability and reproducibility with appreciable long-term stability, indicating the feasibility and reliability. Keywords: Poly(l-aspartic acid)/functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes composite modified electrode, Square wave voltammetry, Simultaneous determination caffeine and theophylline, Green tea, Blood serum, Panadol extra

Abstract Background Khat (Catha edulis Forsk) is an evergreen shrub of the Celastraceae family. It is widely cultivated in Yemen and East Africa, where its fresh leaves are habitually chewed for their momentary pleasures and stimulation as amphetamine-like effects. The main psychostimulant constituents of khat are the phenylpropylamino alkaloids: cathinone, cathine and norephedrine. Results In this study, simple procedures based on preparative HPLC and salting-out assisted liquid–liquid extraction (SALLE) based methods were developed respectively for large scale isolation and the extraction of psychoactive phenylpropylamino alkaloids; cathinone, cathine and norephedrine, from khat (Catha edulis Forsk) chewing leaves, a stimulant and drug of abuse plant. The three khat alkaloids were directly isolated from the crude oxalate salt by preparative HPLC–DAD method with purity > 98%. In addition, a modified (SALLE) method has been developed and evaluated for the extraction efficiency of psychoactive phenylpropylamino alkaloids from khat (Catha edulis Forsk) chewing leaves. An in situ two steps extraction protocol was followed without dispersive SPE clean up. The method involves extraction of the samples with 1% HAc and QuEChERS salt (1.0 g of CH3COONa and 6.0 g of MgSO4) followed by subsequent in situ liquid–liquid partitioning by adding ethyl acetate and NaOH solution. The optimized method allowed recoveries of 80–86% for the three alkaloids from khat sample with relative standard deviation (RSD) values less than 15% and limits of detection (0.85–1.9 μg/mL). Conclusion The method was found to be simple, cost-effective and provides cleaner chromatogram with good selectivity and reproducibility. The SALLE based protocol provided as good results as the conventional extraction method (ultrasonic assisted extraction followed by solid phase extraction, UAE–SPE) and hence the method can be applicable in forensic and biomedical sectors.

The main objective of this study was to improve the performance of analytical methods for the determination of sugars in fermented alcoholic beverages based on mid-infrared-partial least squares (MIR-PLS), high-performance liquid chromatography with the ultraviolet detector (HPLC-UV), high-performance liquid chromatography with the refractive index detector (HPLC-RI), and sulfuric acid methods. The MIR-PLS method was found to give good prediction of individual sugars: glucose, fructose, sucrose, and maltose in the alcoholic beverages with less than 4% error. The HPLC-UV method can be used for the determination of glucose in alcoholic beverages after derivatization with p-aminobenzoic acid ethyl ester. The HPLC-RI method was found to be applicable for the determination of individual sugars: glucose, fructose, sucrose, and maltose in the alcoholic beverages. The limit of detection (%, w/w) and recovery (%) of the individual sugars by the HPLC-RI method were fructose 0.001, 89.4–106; glucose 0.002, 92.4–109; and sucrose 0.002, 94.2–95.1. The sulfuric acid method was found to be useful for the determination of total sugar in the alcoholic beverages. The limit of detection (%, w/w) and recovery (%) of the total sugar by the sulfuric acid method were found to be 0.009, 98.2–109. The HPLC-RI method was applied to determine the level of individual sugars, while the sulfuric acid method was used to determine total sugar in Ethiopian traditional fermented alcoholic beverages: Tella, Netch Tella, Filter Tella, Borde, Tej, Korefe, Keribo, and Birz. The sugar contents in the real samples were found in the ranges (%): glucose 0.07–5.60, fructose 0.09–8.50, sucrose and maltose 0.08–3.00, and total sugar 12.0–64.5. The levels of sugars in Ethiopian traditional fermented alcoholic beverages were found to be comparable with literature data.

SummaryThe levels of essential (Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Co, Cr, Mn and Ni) and non-essential (Cd and Pb) metals were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry in samples of korarima (Aframomum corrorima) seeds and the corresponding soils collected from southern and southwestern Ethiopia. A wet digestion procedure involving the use of 3 mL of HNO3 (69-72%) and 1 mL of HClO4 (70%) were used to solubilize the metals from the korarima seed samples, and a modified aqua regia (HCl:HNO3) reagent with added hydrogen peroxide (6 mL of aqua regia and 1.5 mL of H2O2) was used for the soil samples. The levels of the nutrients in the korarima seed samples were in the following ranges: Ca (1794-2181); Mg (1626-2067); Mn (141-180); Fe (37-46); Zn (12-18); Ni (6.6-8.5); Cu (5.8-8.3); Cr (3.8-5.8) and Co (2.0-2.3) in µg g–1, respectively. The concentration of non-essential cadmium was in the range from 0.9-1 µg g–1 while that of lead was below the detection limit of the method. There was good correlation between the levels of some metals (Ni, Fe, Cd, Ca, Cu, Mg) in the korarima seeds and soil samples but poor correlation between other metals (Cr, Zn, Mn, Co).

The levels of major (Na, K, Ca and Mg), trace (Cu, Co, Cr, Mn, and Zn), and toxic (Cd and Pb) metals in onion (Allium cepa L.) bulbs and irrigation water were determined by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS). Dissolution of onion samples was carried out by wet digestion with a total volume of 2 mL HNO3 (69-72%) and 2 mL HClO4 (70%) mixture in a flask fitted with reflux condenser on Kjeldahl heating apparatus. The levels of major metals were Na (208 and 121 μg/g), K (3127 and 3298 μg/g), Ca (599 and 550 μg/g) and Mg (516 and 407 μg/g) in onion irrigated with water from well and Lake Ziway, respectively. Among the trace metals (μg/g dry weight), Zn was the highest (18 and 14) followed by Mn (8.8 and 13), Cr (4.9 and 6.6), Cu (3.2 and 3.6), and Co (1.2 and 1.8) in onion irrigated with water from well and Lake Ziway, respectively. The toxic metal Cd was 0.6 and 0.5 μg/g in onion irrigated with well and lake waters, respectively, while Pb was below method detection limit. The levels of Na, K, Ca and Mg detected in well water and the Lake Ziway water used for irrigation were (9.4, 4.6 mg/L), (43, 13 mg/L), (23, 10 mg/L) and (30, 8.6 mg/L), respectively. Higher levels of Zn (0.08 mg/L) and Co (0.06 mg/L) were found in the lake water while higher Mn (1.1 mg/L) and Cr (0.44 mg/L) in well water. The toxic metal Pb in both well and Lake Ziway water, and Cd in well water samples were below the method detection limits. Mn in well water and Cr in both water samples exceeded the FAO limit of maximum recommended level in irrigation waters.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v26i1.4

The objective of this study was to assess the levels of essential and toxic metals in leaf and stem of Rhamnus prinoides which are used for bitterness of local alcoholic beverages in Ethiopia and as traditional medicine in some African countries. Levels of essential metals (Ca, Mg, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn) and toxic metals (Cd and Pb) in the leaves and stems of Rhamnus prinoides (Gesho) cultivated in Ethiopia were determined by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. Known weights (0.5 g) of dried samples were digested with the optimized mixture of HNO3, H2O2 and HClO4 on a Kjeldahl apparatus with a reflux condenser. The efficiency of the optimized procedure was validated by spiking experiment and the percentage recovery for all the metals was in the range of 92–103% for leaf samples and 91–103% for the stem samples. The levels (mg/kg) of the metals were found to be: Ca (6304–22236), Mg (3202–5706), Cr (5.08–20.6), Mn (8.12–17.9), Fe (47.9–187), Co (22.2–42.1), Ni (12.8–27.3), Cu (6.5–73.0), Zn (12.2–43), Cd (0.81–3.10), and Pb (17.7–25.0) in the leaf samples and Ca (3601–5675), Mg (2635–5528), Cr (ND–16.3), Mn (2.16–3.98), Fe (22.0–124), Co (18.7–91.7), Ni (9.68–19.2), Cu (16.8–233), Zn (17.4–28.2), and Cd (ND–1.56) in the stem samples. However, the levels of Cr and Cd in stem samples at one and two sample sites, respectively, and the levels of Pb in stem samples at all sample sites were below the method detection limit. This study showed that the leaf and stem of R. prinoides (Gesho) are good sources of essential minerals and virtually free from toxic metal Cd but not from Pb in the leaf.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v26i3.2

The concentrations of thirteen metals (K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Mn, Pb, Co, Ni, Cd, Cu and Cr) were determined in four brands of Ethiopian wines by flame atomic absorption spectrometer (FAAS) after digesting the wine samples with HNO3- H2O2 mixture. Among the major metals potassium (694–767 mg/L) was found to be at the highest level, followed by magnesium (58.1–79.2 mg/L), calcium (28.4–37.1mg/L) and sodium (24.0–24.4 mg/L). From the minor metals iron, zinc and manganese were in the ranges of 1.42–3.16, 1.82–2.70, and 1.04–1.88 mg/L, respectively, followed by copper (0.5–1.5 mg/L), nickel (0.18–0.20 mg/L), cobalt (

The concentrations of nine essential metals (K, Mg, Ca, Na, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Co) and two non-essential (Pb, Cd) metals were determined in three brands of commercially available roasted Ethiopian coffee powders (Abyssinia, Alem and Pride) obtained from local markets and their infusions using flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). An optimized digestion procedure was developed using 5 mL of HNO3 and 1 mL of HClO4 with 4 hours total time at temperature around 350 oC for digestion of 0.5 g of powder sample while 4 mL of HNO3 and 1 mL of HClO4 with 4 hours total time for 25 mL infusion evaporated to dryness. The validity of the optimized procedure was evaluated by the analysis of spiked samples whose recovery of analytes was in the range of 97−103 % for the coffee powder and 95−102 % for the infusion samples. The mean concentration of each metal in the three brands of coffee powder samples was (g element/g): K (14488467), Mg (196478), Ca (94565), Na (48412), Fe (52.04.0), Mn (23.00.9), Cu (14.00.6), Zn (15.00.8), Co (1.600.05) while that in their infusions (g element/100 mL): K (372051501), Mg (2829105), Ca (1619102), Na (59120), Fe (18.31.5), Mn (23.71.2), Cu (3.00.3), Zn (24.01.1), Co (1.80.1), respectively. The metal concentrations of the coffee powders were higher than those of coffee infusions, when expressed in the same units. The extraction was highest for K (85.6%), intermediate for Zn (57.5%), Ca (56.6%), Mg (48.0%), Na (40.7%), Co (39.8%), and Mn (33.5%) and lowest for Fe (11.6%) and Cu (6.8%). The concentrations of metals in the Ethiopian coffees were comparable to the values reported in other parts of the world.

The fluoride contents in the infusions of 21 commercially available Ethiopian and imported black and green tea brands; in leaf and bag forms was determined by a fluoride ion-selective electrode method. Of the samples analyzed twelve were products from Ethiopia and the remaining nine were imported tea brands. The effect of brewing time on fluoride release from tea was assessed. Results showed that fluoride release increased with increasing brewing time (3, 5 and 10 min). Fluoride level after 5 min brewing for black tea leaves, green tea bags, and black tea bags was in the range of 117–682 mg/kg, 111–190 mg/kg and 141–246 mg/kg, respectively. The WHO guideline for daily fluoride intake is 2 mg for children and 4 mg for adults. Assuming that one consumes 4 cups of tea everyday (400 mL) and each cup uses 2.5 g of tea leaves, the daily fluoride intake from black tea leaves may be in the range between 1.11 and 6.82 mg. For the same condition, if consumption of one green tea bag is considered, the fluoride intake can be in the range between 1.00 and 1.38 mg. Similarly, intake from the black tea bags may range from 0.86 to 1.81 mg. Considering the Ethiopian black tea alone, the daily fluoride intake may range from 2.48 to 6.82 mg. Thus according to the WHO recommendation for daily fluoride intake and ignoring other possible sources; the black and green tea bags and imported black tea leaves are safe for all age groups. None of the 10 Ethiopian black tea leaf brands are safe for children but 30% of the analyzed samples are safe for adults.

K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, Co, Cd and Pb contents of commercially available Ethiopian black tea (Wushwush, Gumero, and Black Lion) and their infusions were analyzed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). In black tea leaves the order of metal content was found to be: K (11503–13780 mg/kg) > Ca (3821–4419 mg/kg) > Mg (3219–3538 mg/kg) > Mn (1242–1421 mg/kg) > Fe (319–467 mg/kg) > Zn (20.2–21.6 mg/kg) > Cu (9.1–11.5 mg/kg). Co, Cd and Pb were too low to be detected by the method (FAAS). In tea infusion, prepared in a laboratory condition following Ethiopian tea making procedures, the range of metal contents was found as follows: K (110–124 mg/L) > Mg (14.5–16.3 mg/L) > Ca (10.0–10.7 mg/L) > Mn (8.5–13.4 mg/L) > Fe (0.98–1.56 mg/L) > Zn (0.098–0.100 mg/L) > Cu (0.038–0.063 mg/L). The metal contents of the black tea leaves were higher than those of tea infusions. The extraction was highest for K (47.1%) and lowest for Ca (12.5%).

The efficiency of untreated hydrated alumina (UHA) and thermally treated hydrated alumina (THA) obtained from hydrolysis of locally manufactured aluminum sulfate to remove fluoride from aqueous solution has been investigated in batch and continuous operation. The parameters considered were contact time and adsorbent dose, thermal pre-treatment of adsorbent, initial fluoride concentration and pH. The adsorption was rapid during the initial 20 min, but significant amount (> 90 %) was removed within one hour at an optimum adsorbent dose of 1.6 g/L for initial F- concentration of 20 mg/L. The removal efficiency of F was increased with adsorbent dosage. Fluoride adsorption efficiencies increase with increase in the thermal treatment temperature up to 200 °C, but further increase in temperature resulted in decreased removal efficiency. For application in continuous packed bed column, treatment at 300 °C was taken as an optimum value. Fluoride adsorption capacity increases linearly with increase in F- concentration. High defluoridation efficiency was achieved using both UHA and THA within a pH range of 4.0 to 9.0. The adsorption data at ambient pH were well fitted to the Freundlich isotherm model with a minimum capacity of 23.7 mg F-/g and 7.0 mg F-/g for THA and UHA, respectively. The kinetic studies showed that the adsorption reaction of fluoride removal by hydrated alumina can be well described by a pseudo-second-order rate equation. Continuous packed bed column experiment using THA indicated that 4.5 g of THA could treat 6 L of water containing 20 mg/L fluoride before breakthrough. Hence, both UHA and THA can be applied for the treatment of water with high fluoride content.

Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop.1996, 10(2), 121-128.

Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 1995, 9(2), 65-77.

We report the case of a 42-year-old male who presented with postprandial, non bilious, non projectile vomiting for 4 months. Patient underwent gastrojejunostomy 10 years back for post corrosive gastric outlet obstruction. General physical and systemic examinations were within normal limits. Routine laboratory investigations including complete blood count, liver and renal function tests were also within normal limits. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed solitary pedunculated polyp at the gastrojejunostomy site almost completely obstructing the lumen at the gastrrojejunostomy site. Endoscopic snare polypectomy of the gastrojejunostomy site polyp was done. Histopathological examination of the polyp was suggestive of hyperplastic polyp. After snare polypectomy patient became asymptomatic and is doing well at 6 months of follow up. (J Dig Endosc 2013;4(2):42-43)