Reactions with 5-Arylazo- and 5-Arylidene-4-thiohydantoin Derivatives

5-Arylazo-3-phenyl-4-thiohydantoins (IIa-g) have been prepared and then treated with primary aromatic amines to afford the corresponding 5-arylazo-4-arylimino-3-phenyl hydantoins (VIIa-c). 3-Phenyl-4-thiohydantoin reacted with aromatic aldehydes in the presence of glacial acetic acid and fused sodium acetate to give 5-arylidene-3-phenyl-4-thiohydantoin derivatives (VIIIa-e). In the coloured arylidene derivatives (VIII,a d, e) on treatment with alkyland/ or arylmagnesium halide addition occurs to the exocyclic double bond to give the products (IXa-e). The Grignard product (Xa) was oxidised with a mixture of chromic acid in glacial acetic acid to give phenyl parabanic acid and ethyl phenyl ketone

Evaluation of use effective microorganisms (EM) with different feeding strategies on growth performance, body chemical composition and economic efficiency of monosex Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus juveniles

A factorial trial was conducted to detect the effect of different feeding strategies of supplementation of effective microorganisms (EM) liquid on the growth performance, feed utilization, body chemical composition and economic efficiency of monosex Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) juveniles. Three experimental treatments were formulated a basal diet without any addition of EM (control; A), a diet supplemented with 2% EM (B), and a diet supplemented with 4% EM (C). All treatments were offered to fish through two different strategies of feeding the meal: 2/3 in the morning and 1/3 in the afternoon or 1/3 in the morning and 2/3 in the afternoon. Each treatment was replicated three times. Juveniles Nile tilapia with an average initial body weight of 3.85 ± 0.22 g (± SE) were randomly stocked at a rate of 90 juveniles per 1.5 m3 tank. Fish growth performance and feed utilization significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased with increasing EM supplementation and were positively affected by different feeding strategies. Moreover, the economic evaluation showed that there were more benefits by when using the 4% EM diet and feeding 2/3 of daily meal in the morning

Deciphering the Potential Therapeutic Intervention Points of 2019-nCoV: A Pharmacological Perspective

The emerging and re-emergence of viral outbreaks in the history of mankind has always pose severe global intimidation to public health and economy. The debilitating effects of 2019-nCoV (2019 novel coronavirus) outbreak has swiftly spread worldwide due to its highly contagious nature with severe risk of respiratory tract infections and higher mortality rate, necessitating the urgent need for the production of effective vaccine and potential therapeutic agents. The active evolution of SARS-CoV-2 strain in different population and environment strive immense challenge against anti-viral therapeutic development based on viral pathogenicity. The potential FDA drugs are evaluated based on their known safety and efficacy with exceptional pharmacokinetic profiles for the treatment of nCoV-2019. Existing knowledge related to MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV epidemic has provided a better understanding to explore purposeful therapeutics strategies against novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). To limited extend, the ongoing promising and hopeful treatments includes convalescent plasma therapy, remdesivir, lopinavir/ritonavir, ACE inhibitors, TMPRSS2 inhibitors, hydroxychloroquine, interferon, ribavirin, tocilizumab, and corticosteroids however clinical efficacy of some of them need to be validated in randomized clinical trials (RCTs). The global struggle to make a protected and successful Coronavirus immunization is finally proving to be fruitful. Although challenges such as strain variation resistant, possible side effects, adequate supply of vaccines to all countries and limited availability of second dose still diverting the option of possible efficacious therapeutics strategies to work alongside with vaccine development with improved efficacy and safety profile. This review is focused on the potential advancement in therapeutic approaches with possible repurposing of the available drugs and explores the current status of available vaccines with hope that these strategies found to be cogent in controlling SARS-CoV-2 outbreak.Keywords: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Remdesivir; Therapeutics; Plasma therapy; Hydroxychloroquine; Anti-viral; Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2; Type II transmembrane serine protease    

Light-Triggered Electron Transfer between a Conjugated Polymer and Cytochrome C for Optical Modulation of Redox Signaling

Protein reduction/oxidation processes trigger and finely regulate a myriad of physiological and pathological cellular functions. Many biochemical and biophysical stimuli have been recently explored to precisely and effectively modulate intracellular redox signaling, due to the considerable therapeutic potential. Here, we propose a first step toward an approach based on visible light excitation of a thiophene-based semiconducting polymer (P3HT), demonstrating the realization of a hybrid interface with the Cytochrome c protein (CytC), in an extracellular environment. By means of scanning electrochemical microscopy and spectro-electrochemistry measurements, we demonstrate that, upon optical stimulation, a functional interaction between P3HT and CytC is established. Polymer optical excitation locally triggers photoelectrochemical reactions, leading to modulation of CytC redox activity, either through an intermediate step, involving reactive oxygen species formation, or via a direct photoreduction process. Both processes are triggered by light, thus allowing excellent spatiotemporal resolution, paving the way to precise modulation of protein redox signaling

Knowledge, Awareness, and Attitudes about Research Ethics among Dental Faculty in the Middle East: A Pilot Study

Objective. To assess the knowledge, awareness, and attitudes of dental faculty regarding research ethics and research ethics committees (RECs). Design. Through convenience sampling, we distributed a survey to academics at dental faculties at two universities in the Middle East. We used descriptive, chi-square, and logistic regression statistics to analyze the data. Results. Our response rate was 62.5%. A large majority (>90%) held positive attitudes towards RECs; however, almost half (44.0%) thought that RECs would delay research. Less than half (36.8%) had received prior training in research ethics, and the average score they achieved on the questions on research ethics was only 40.2%. Most (>90%), however, were favorable towards research ethics education. Finally, some faculty held attitudes regarding certain research ethics practices that were not optimal. Conclusions. We conclude that among the dental faculties participating in our study, there is broad-based acceptance of RECs and training in research ethics, while there are knowledge gaps in research ethics. We recommend further studies to determine the generalizability of our findings to other institutions

Fundamental Role of Neurochemicals Aberration in the Pathogenesis of Autism Spectrum Disorders

AIM: The aim of this research was to establish the perturbation of reliable biomarkers implicated in the pathophysiology of autism to help in the early diagnosis and to be as targets in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in children and to spotlight into the complex crosstalk between these biomarkers. PATIENS AND METHODS: This study included 90 autistic children aged from 2 to 7 years old, who were classified into two groups, the atypical autism of 30 children and the childhood autism. The childhood autism group was further divided into mild-moderate autism group and severe autism group each of 30 children. The control group included 30 matched healthy children. All the participants were subjected to full psychiatric examinations, psychological investigations, and biochemical measurements, including gamma-aminobutaric acid (GABA), serotonin, dopamine (DA) in plasma, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in serum. RESULTS: The autistic groups showed a highly significant increase in GABA, serotonin, DA, and BDNF levels compared to the control. Of note, the levels of GABA, DA, and BDNF were significantly increased with the increased disease severity. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation between BDNF levels and both GABA and DA levels in the childhood autism group has been recorded. CONCLUSION: The present clinical setting provides new insight into the fundamental role of BDNF in the brain of autistic children as any alterations of its level due to GABA increment cause change in serotonin and DA levels which have empirical evidence in the pathophysiology of ASD. The results received in this research, create a fertile base for the setup of particular targets in the intervention of this ailment

Citrulline as a Diagnostic Parameter and a Major Amino Acid Constituent of Cerebrospinal Fluid in Hepatic Coma

Peer Reviewe

Relativistic Brownian motion: From a microscopic binary collision model to the Langevin equation

The Langevin equation (LE) for the one-dimensional relativistic Brownian motion is derived from a microscopic collision model. The model assumes that a heavy point-like Brownian particle interacts with the lighter heat bath particles via elastic hard-core collisions. First, the commonly known, non-relativistic LE is deduced from this model, by taking into account the non-relativistic conservation laws for momentum and kinetic energy. Subsequently, this procedure is generalized to the relativistic case. There, it is found that the relativistic stochastic force is still \gd-correlated (white noise) but does \emph{no} longer correspond to a Gaussian white noise process. Explicit results for the friction and momentum-space diffusion coefficients are presented and discussed.Comment: v2: Eqs. (17c) and (28) corrected; v3: discussion extended, Eqs. (33) added, thereby connection to earlier work clarified; v4: final version, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Efficacy of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Suppression of Hepatocarcinorigenesis in Rats: Possible Role of Wnt Signaling

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The present study was conducted to evaluate the tumor suppressive effects of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in an experimental hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) model in rats and to investigate the possible role of Wnt signaling in hepato-carcinogenesis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Ninety rats were included in the study and were divided equally into: Control group, rats which received MSCs only, rats which received MSCs vehicle only, HCC group induced by diethylnitroseamine (DENA) and CCl_<b>4</b>, rats which received MSCs after HCC induction, rats which received MSCs before HCC induction. Histopathological examination and gene expression of Wnt signaling target genes by real time, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in rat liver tissue, in addition to serum levels of ALT, AST and alpha fetoprotein were performed in all groups.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Histopathological examination of liver tissue from animals which received DENA-CCl₄only, revealed the presence of anaplastic carcinoma cells and macro-regenerative nodules type II with foci of large and small cell dysplasia. Administration of MSCs into rats after induction of experimental HCC improved the histopathological picture which showed minimal liver cell damage, reversible changes, areas of cell drop out filled with stem cells. Gene expression in rat liver tissue demonstrated that MSCs downregulated <it>β-catenin</it>, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (<it>PCNA</it>), <it>cyclin D </it>and <it>survivin </it>genes expression in liver tissues after HCC induction. Amelioration of the liver status after administration of MSCs has been inferred by the significant decrease of ALT, AST and Alpha fetoprotein serum levels. Administration of MSCs before HCC induction did not show any tumor suppressive or protective effect.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Administration of MSCs in chemically induced HCC has tumor suppressive effects as evidenced by down regulation of Wnt signaling target genes concerned with antiapoptosis, mitogenesis, cell proliferation and cell cycle regulation, with subsequent amelioration of liver histopathological picture and liver function.</p