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Significance: As an inflammatory and autoimmune skin condition, psoriasis affects 2–3% of people worldwide. Psoriasis requires prolonged treatments with immunosuppressive medications which have severe adverse effects. Esculetin (Esc) is a natural medication that has been utilised to treat psoriasis. Objective: The goal of this work is to improve Esc's solubility by developing novel Esc nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) for treating psoriasis and increasing the residence time on the skin which infers better skin absorption Methods: The particle size, zeta potential and entrapment efficiency (EE) of Esc NLCs were assessed. Incorporating NLCs into gum Arabic gel preparation enhances their industrial applicability, absorption and residence time on the skin. Esc NLC gels were evaluated by in vitro release and in vivo effectiveness on a rat model of UV-induced psoriasis. Results: Esc NLCs showed high EE reaching more than 95% and reasonable particle size ranging between (53.86 ± 0.38 to 236.3 ± 0.11 nm) and were spherical. The release study of Esc NLCs gel demonstrated a fast release of Esc denoting enhanced bioavailability. Compared to free Esc, Esc NLCs gel (F2) could considerably lower the level of CD34 and TNF-α in the skin. The results were validated through histopathological analysis. Conclusion: As Esc NLCs gel (F2) has strong anti-inflammatory properties, our results showed that it presented a significant potential for healing psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel and economic supports were prepared to facilitate the NiO‐reducibility and enrich the hydrogen production from the catalytic conversion of methane. Mixed (CaTi)‐oxides of CaO %=10, 20, and 30 were synthesized by direct compositing of CaCO3 and one‐pot synthesized (TiO2)‐nanoparticles. The developed nanostructures were characterized by a high‐resolution transmission electron microscope, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), temperature programmed reduction (TPR), and N2 adsorption‐desorption measurements. Practically, (Ni@30 % CaTiO3) the catalyst of cubic morphology, achieved a high hydrogen production ratio of 62.2 %. The incorporation of CaO to TiO2 hindered the formation of NiTiO3@NiCaTiO3 phases and facilitated the fast reduction of NiO‐phase to Ni (as revealed by temperature programmed reduction (TPR) and XRD. The formation of well‐ordered carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as valuable by‐products was also possible by these nanocomposites. The developed catalysts exhibited remarkable catalytic and structural stabilities. These results reflect the effective use of abundant CaO inorganic salt to enrich the H2 production by (CaTiO3) supports for potential and green energy production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious bursal disease (IBD) affects young chicks, inducing immune suppression, intestinal dysbiosis, poor growth performance, and mortalities. Our aim is to study the role of prebiotics and probiotics in overcoming dysbiosis related to IBD experimental infection. One-day-old chicks were divided into six groups (n=18) as four groups were given Enterococcus faecium (T1), Saccharomyces cerevisiae (T2), organic acids (T3), and symbiotic (T4) for five days at the 3rd-day post-infection. Groups 5 and 6 were considered negative control (NC) and positive control (PC). At 14 days old, all groups were challenged via eye drops with very virulent IBDV strain (MK088026), except the NC group. Feed conversion ratio (FCR), histopathological changes, and gut microbiome profile using 16srRNA gene sequencing were studied. Severe depletion of the bursa was observed in the PC group but was less severe in treated infected groups. 8 dpi, a significant decrease in cecum villous length (p<0.05) was observed in the PC group compared to the NC group, while it was corrected in treated infected groups. Cecal microbiome profile was studied on the 3rd and 8th-day post-infection (dpi). The IBD virus caused a decrease in the family Lachnospiraceae and family Ruminococcaceae compared to the NC group. In contrast, the treated infected groups showed an increase in the relative abundance of phylum Bacteroidetes, family Ruminococcaceae, and family Lachnospiraceae than the PC group. IBD infection caused poorer FCR than the NC group. In contrast, treated infected groups showed higher improvement in FCR than the PC group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sciatic nerve is the major mixed nerve of the canine hind limb. It supplies most of the hind limb musculature. Sciatic nerve morphology and ultrasound guide surgeons and clinicians who contribute to the neurological examination of the sciatic nerve. So, the current study aimed to provide a fully descriptive ultrasonographic anatomy of the normal sciatic nerve in dogs and to set the motor conduction reference values of this nerve. Ultrasonography and neurography were applied to five adult healthy male dogs; two of them were euthanized for morphological and histological studies to describe the origin, branches, and innervated muscles of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve originates from the ventral branches of the L6, L7, and S1 spinal nerves, splitting into muscular and sural branches, and is terminated by the perineal and tibial nerves. The normal sciatic nerve appears to have a hypoechoic core surrounded by hyperechoic bundles. The mean of the estimated electrophysiological parameters of the tibial and common fibular nerves was 2.20, 4.88, 20.08, 67, and 2.50, 7.78, 14.82, and 72.80 for the duration, latency, amplitude, and conduction velocity, respectively. Histological evaluation of the sciatic nerve revealed several nerve fasciculi surrounded by an epineural connective tissue sheath. The study provides a professional descriptive evaluation of the ultrasonographic anatomy of the sciatic nerve from its origin until divergence at the distal femur, which facilitates sciatic nerve evaluation for beginners and practitioners. The study also provides a full description of the neurographical and histological data of the normal sciatic nerve in dogs, which can be used as reference values for comparison with dogs that suffered sciatic nerve injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian influenza virus (AIV) poses a serious problem among poultry production sector, low pathogenic avian influenza H9N2 (LPAI H9N2) has been widely spread globally inducing indirect huge economic losses and it considered as a hidden threaten due to its immunosuppressive impact on birds. Therefore, the current work objectives were the molecular detection of the circulating AI H9N2 field strain in Egypt during 2022-2023 with pathogenicity testing of the recovered virus in specific pathogen free (SPF) one day old chicks. Out of 10 suspected tracheal samples that have been collected from different broiler chicken farms in Al Qalyubia governorate only 7 (70%) samples were positive by Reverse transcription Polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The strain that showed a high reproductive ability and high egg infective dose 50 (EID50) (109/μl) on ECE via allantoic sac has been selected for pathogenicity testing in SPF chicks. For pathogenicity testing, 60 SPF chicks were allocated into two groups 30 birds each. G1and G2 were inoculated via oculo-nasal route with 100 μl containing 1x 106 EID50/μl virus and 100μl sterile normal saline, respectively. During the experimental time (15 days), no mortalities were recorded in the two groups. The observed clinical signs were mild (ruffled feathers, and depression) in G1, but no clinical signs were observed in G2. During the experiment 3 birds per group were ethically slaughtered to observe the postmortem (PM) and histopathological lesions at 3, 5, 7, 10 and 14 days post-infection (dpi). The observed PM lesions were mild tracheitis, mild pneumonia, subcapsular hemorrhage in liver, enlargement of the spleen, mild atrophy in the pancreas, hemorrhage in the thymus, severe nephritis, and nephrosis with distended ureters with ureates but no macroscopic lesions were detected in the bursa of Fabricius. The virus tropism not restricted only to respiratory, renal, and gastrointestinal tract, but also to the liver, pancreas, and thymus. In conclusion, continuous molecular detection, with pathogenicity testing of circulating AIV is recommended. The authors recommend further full H9 sequence to perform cladogram to the currently tested strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen has recently become a prized resource to generate clean power owing to its massive energy content and harmless emissions produced during its combustion. However, other gases are always attached to hydrogen during its production via various routes. Therefore, the obtainment of hydrogen with high purity for use in energy production is generally questionable. In agreement with that goal, this study is directed toward the synthesis of activated-carbon-supported nickel nanoparticles as a novel composite membrane for hydrogen separation from gas mixtures. First, a type of solid residual (sawdust) was converted via thermochemical treatment into particles of activated carbon, which have enhanced surface properties. These carbon particles were then metalized by nickel nanoparticles using an electroless plating (ELP) technique. The obtained composite was subsequently turned into a disk-like membrane using hydraulic pressing, and was then thermally treated at high temperature to generate a dense-layered Ni membrane. Full characterization on a comparative basis between the blank and metalized carbon particles was carried out using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, BET surface area analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The efficiency of the Ni-based membrane toward H2 separation was next tested through the use of gas mixtures composed of different hydrogen-to-nitrogen concentrations. A maximum hydrogen flux and hydrogen-to-nitrogen selectivity of 15.16 sccm cm−2 min−1 and 465, respectively, were attained at ambient temperature. Additionally, a hydrogen permeability percentage of nearly 80% (from the original H2 stream) could be achieved by the designed Ni-membrane, which could offer synchronized hydrogen storage during the separation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytochemical screening and antioxidant activities in different solvent extracts of onion was carried out. The extracts were subjected to various chemical Test for phytochemical constituents. Total phenolic contents were evaluated using Folin Ciocalteu method and their antioxidant activity was assayed through «in vitro» radical scavenging activity using DPPH· assay, FRAP and ABTS. The phytochemical screening of this study indicated the presence of steroids, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponnins, and catechic tannins. The average total polyphenol content of hydroethanolic extracts was significantly (P<0.05) higher than in the hexane, ethyl acetate and dichloromethane extracts. The order of effectiveness (IC50) of the plant extracts the potent inhibitors was hydroethanolic extract, followed by Dichloromethane, ethyl acetate while the least was the hexane extract, When using (DPPH, ABTS and FRAP). This shows that onion organic solvent extracts especially the hydroethanolic extracts may be a potent source of natural antioxidant and can be used in the management of diseases associated with oxidative stress is justified [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the subendometrial and uterine artery blood flow and pattern of the waveform of the uterine artery in cases of recurrent pregnancy loss compared with normal controls.Subjects and methods: Fifty women with a history of two or more successive pregnancy losses were investigated by Doppler transvaginal ultrasound to assess the subendometrial blood flow resistance index (RI), type of Doppler waveform of the uterine artery, and uterine artery pulsatility index (PI) in the mid-luteal phase. Fifty normal women acted as controls.Results: Subendometrial blood flow RI and uterine artery PI were higher in cases than controls. The majority of cases of recurrent pregnancy loss had a waveform pattern of A, or loss of diastolic flow, whereas the controls were mainly C wave.Conclusions: Some sort of endometrial and subendometrial ischemia can be suggested in cases of recurrent pregnancy loss, waveform pattern of uterine artery changes may be used to monitor changes in vascularity of endometrium if vascular enhancers are given in such cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]