Recent Drifts in pH-Sensitive Reverse Osmosis

Preparation of some smart PAm-ZTS pH-responsive membranes, via reactions between ZTS and PAm under different conditions, was conducted for testing pressure-driven reverse osmosis membranes (PDROMs) in active rejection of Ce4+, Pr3+, Sm3+, Gd3+, Dy3+, and Ho3+ ionic lanthanide species in their 3+ and 4+ states. Recent theoretical models to designate the membrane operations were mathematically itemized, after selective characterization of the PDROMs. The pH scale response of the membrane was confirmed using static adsorption and hydraulic pervasion result estimations. The flux across the PAm-ZTS membrane decreased with the lowering pH value, with drastic decreases between pH 4 and 7, and was both reversible and durable with pH shifts between ~3 and ~8. At lower pH 3, the individual pores were in a closed-state due to the prolonged structure of the amide chains on the porous surfaces. In contrast, at pH 8, the higher pH value, the membrane pores were in an open-state format, because of the collapsed structures of the amide chains. This grants a clear possible approach for manufacturing some pH-responsive composite membranes and inspires further design for their stimuli-responsive actions by incorporating molecularly designed macromolecules, synthesized by controlled polymerization

Prevalence of Prediabetes in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome and Its Relation to In-Hospital Clinical Outcome

Background: Diabetes mellitus is one of the leading causes of vascular disease. The caseload is expected to reach 350 million by the year 2030, and it is estimated that up to 30% of patients are undiagnosed. Objective: The aim of the study was to explore the prevalence of prediabetes in patients admitted with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) who were not known to have diabetes and to determine the impact of prediabetes on in-hospital clinical outcomes versus non-diabetic patients. Patients and methods: This prospective study was conducted on 60 patients with acute coronary syndrome who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University during the period from September 2019 to March 2020. All studied subjects were subjected to full history taking complete clinical examination, complete blood count, glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), lipid profile, serum creatinine and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), ECG and ECHO. Results: There was a statistical significant difference between the studied groups regarding acute coronary syndrome types, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), serum creatinine, and high-density lipoproteins cholesterol. There was statistically significant difference between the studied patients grouped according to the clinical outcome regarding ACS types. Conclusion: Prediabetes is common in patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome who are not previously known to have diabetes. Pre-diabetic patients had worse in-hospital clinical outcomes compared with patients without diabetes. Pre-diabetic patients with ACS have greater  prevalence of cardio-metabolic risk factors (abdominal obesity, and hypertension) as compared to non-diabetic patients

Effect of water stress and foliar application of chitosan and glycine betaine on lettuce

Abstract The present study investigated the effect of foliar application of chitosan at 150 ppm and glycine betaine at 700 ppm on lettuce plants cv. Balady grown under well-watered and water deficit conditions in terms of growth, yield, quality, and water usage efficiency. The study was conducted in Qalubia Governorate, Egypt, during the two seasons of 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 on clay soil. Results indicated that water-stressed plants had a reduction in plant fresh weight, plant height, leaf area, and total yield, chlorophyll content and relative water content, while they exhibited an increase in total soluble solids, nitrate, and proline contents as well as water-use efficiency in both seasons. The foliar application of chitosan or glycine betaine to lettuce significantly improved plant performance under limited and normal irrigation conditions in comparison with untreated plants. The maximum positive effect was for chitosan foliar application. Overall, the results of this study indicated that foliar application of chitosan or glycine betaine was a substitute technology for improving the lettuce yield and quality as well as increasing water use efficiency under both irrigation regimes, but may be more efficient in lettuce plants subjected to a water deficit

Identification of bioactive phytochemical from two Punica species using GC–MS and estimation of antioxidant activity of seed extracts

Punica species are medicinally important plants belonging to the family Lythraceae. The pomegranate is widely reported to exhibit antiviral, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-proliferative activities. In the present study the ethanolic extract of the peel seeds of two species of Punica (Punica granatum and Punica protopunica) were subjected to GC–MS analysis. Twenty-one and 14 compounds were identified in P. granatum and P. protopunica peel seeds, respectively. The main chemical constituents in P. granatum-peel seeds were propanoic acid, benzenedicarboxylic acid, methoxypropionic acid and methyl amine. The corresponding constituents of P. protopunica peel seeds were benzenedicarboxylic acid, benzoic acid and propanoic acid. Moreover, the antioxidant effects of the aqueous ethanolic extracts were estimated in vitro. The two tested extracts contained significantly different phenolic and total flavonoid contents in P. granatum than in P. protopunica. Different in vitro methods of antioxidant activity determination produced varying results. In malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) scavenging and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays, the two peel seed extracts exhibited very high antioxidant activities, with higher activity observed for the P. granatum extract. Keywords: Punica species, GC–MS analysis, Bioactive compounds, Antioxidant

Mitigation of water stress in broccoli by soil application of humic acid

Abstract The main challenge to plant productivity is water scarcity, which is predicted to get worse with climate change, particularly in arid and semi-arid areas. Humic acid could improve plant tolerance to mitigate drought damage, which is an effective strategy to improve crop production and agriculture sustainability under limited water conditions in these regions, but its effective application rates should also be established. Thus, two field experiments were carried out at the Qaha Vegetable Research Farm in Qalubia Governorate, Egypt, during the two seasons of 2020–21 and 2021–22 on clay soil. The present study investigated the effect of three rates of humic acid application (0, 4.8, and 9.6 kg ha-1) on growth, yield, and quality of broccoli cv. Montop F1 hybrid under well-watered and drought conditions. Drought was induced by missing alternate irrigation. Soluble humic acid as potassium-humate was applied three times with irrigation water at the time of the first three irrigations of drought treatment. Water-stressed plants had a decrease in growth, yield, leaf chlorophyll, and nutrient content, while they showed an increase in the contents of leaf proline and curd dry matter and total soluble solids as well as water use efficiency, in both seasons. Soil application of humic acid was effective in mitigating the adverse effects of water deficit stress on the growth and yield of broccoli. Water-stressed plants had the highest WUE value (9.32 and 9.36 kg m3−1 in the first and second seasons, respectively) when the maximal humic acid rate was applied. Humic acid at a high level (9.6 kg ha−1) had the most promising results and represents an opportunity that must be applied to improve broccoli yield and its production sustainability in arid and semiarid regions

Formulation and evaluation of docetaxel nanosuspensions: In-vitro evaluation and cytotoxicity

Objective: The aim of the present study was to formulate the anticancer drug; docetaxel (DOX) as nanoparticles to enhance its biological activity. Methodology: Solvent precipitation method was used to prepare DOX-loaded nanoparticles and was stabilized by different concentrations of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC, E5) and sodium deoxycholate (SDC). Results: The results showed that the particle size of the prepared DOX nanoparticles stabilized by SDC was small in comparison to those stabilized by the corresponding HPMC concentrations. The smallest particle size (83.97 nm) was obtained by using SDC as stabilizer at 5% level with zeta potential of −13.6 mV. It was concluded that increasing the stabilizer concentration resulted in increase in both initial and overall cumulative drug release. The release rate in case of nanoparticles stabilized by 5% SDC was 33% and 87% after 1 and 24 h respectively. The results showed that a significant reduction in the viability of FRO cells was observed at all tested time intervals in case of nanoparticles stabilized by 5% SDC at concentrations of 100 and 1000 μM/ml. In contrast, no signs of cytotoxicity was observed for nanoparticles stabilized by 5% HPMC at 10 and 100 μM/ml concentrations. Keywords: Docetaxel, Nanoparticles, Stabilizers, In-vitro release, Cytotoxicit

Evaluation of radical scavenging system in two microalgae in response to interactive stresses of UV-B radiation and nitrogen starvation

The effects of UV-B radiation and/or deprivation of nitrogen stresses on growth rate, some antioxidant compounds, and activities of some antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD; EC1.15.1.1), ascorbate peroxidase (APx; EC1.11.1.11), guaiacol peroxidase (GUPx; EC1.11.1.7) and glutathione reductase (GR, EC 1.6.4.2), as well as the levels of total glutathione pool, UV-B absorbing pigments, malondialdehyde (MDA) and H2O2 concentrations were studied in Spirulina platensis and Dunaliella salina. Less damage was observed in response to the combined UV-B and nitrogen deprivation as shown by growth rate and photosynthetic pigments especially in Dunaliella salina. A significant increase in flavonoids and phenolics under dual stress was observed. Conversely, a great reduction in malondialdehyde (MDA) and H2O2 concentrations were recorded under the combined stress compared to the effect of each stress. Furthermore, a significant increase in GSH/GSSG ratio toward the control was recorded in response to combined stresses, whereas a significant reduction in this ratio was observed in both microalgae in response to each stress. Increased activities of antioxidant enzymes were recorded under UV-B and nitrogen deprivation stresses. Keywords: Abiotic stresses, Oxidative damage, Antioxidant enzymes, Dunaliella salina, Spirulina platensi

Potential Antitumor Activity and Apoptosis Induction of Glossostemon bruguieri

Glossostemon bruguieri (moghat) is used as a nutritive and demulcent drink. This study was performed to investigate the antiproliferative effects of moghat root extract (MRE) and its apoptotic mechanism in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, HepG2 and Hep3B. MTT assay, morphological changes, apoptosis enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, caspase and apoptotic activation, flow cytometry, and immunoblot analysis were employed. The IC50 of MRE for HepG2 (910±6 μg/ml) and for Hep3B (1510±5 μg/ml) induced significant growth-inhibitory effects against HCC cells, with no cytotoxic effect on normal hepatocytes. MRE treatment induced apoptotic effects to HepG2 cells in a caspase-dependent manner and via upregulating p53/p21 and PCNA. The upregulation of p21 was controlled by p53 expression in HepG2 but not in Hep3B despite upregulation of Bax protein in both cell lines. Interestingly, p21 may be a remarkable switch to G1 arrest in HepG2 cells, but not in Hep3B cells. In addition, Fas- and mitochondria-mediated pathways were found to be involved in MRE-induced apoptosis in Hep3B cells. The GC-MS analysis of MRE revealed two major constituents of pharmaceutical importance: the flavonoid apigenin (17.04%) and the terpenoid squalene (11.32%). The data presented in this paper introduces G. bruguieri as a promising nontoxic herb with therapeutic potential for HCC. To the authors’ knowledge, the present study provides the first report on the anticancer activity of MRE on HCC cells