Heart Conditions in Felidae

In this chapter “Heart Conditions in Felidae,” we addressed some facts of the cardiovascular system and its disorders. The disorders are: arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, atrial fibrillation, atrioventricular heart block, cardiac tumors, chronic valve disease (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy), dilated cardiomyopathy, pulmonary hypertension, pulmonic stenosis, subaortic stenosis, and spongy myocardium. Veterinary clinical evaluation of the feline with heart disease is based on many aspects, and also the deviation from the normal standards suggests but does not specify structural heart disease

Impact of working while studying on university students’ academic performance in Egypt during the COVID-19 pandemic and transition to online learning

In the context of online education, which has been growing as a common approach, this paper examines the impact of working while studying on university students’ academic performance, namely Cumulative GPA (CGPA), as a rising trend in Egypt, especially after the pandemic and the shift into online learning. The research followed an exploratory survey method, namely a quantitative approach, with a sample of 361 students randomly selected using the convenience sampling method from a total of 3326 students, both working and non-working, from years 2 to 4 across the four schools at Nile University – Cairo, Egypt. The study examines a cause-and-effect relationship between working students and their CGPA. Literature points out that with online education becoming a conventional mode, there has been an increase in “working while studying” in Egypt, which requires further investigation. Thus, this paper bridges this empirical gap as the first study of its kind by studying the case of Nile University working students and the effect of working while studying on their academic performance and their ability to strike a work-life balance. The study revealed a slightly negative relationship between working while studying and students’ CGPA compared to non-working, as well as a negative effect on their work-life balance. The findings imply that a new mindset in the pedagogical system is needed, combining new assessment methods and modes of delivery to accommodate the rising trend. The study has its own limitations, focusing on Egypt and specifically Nile University students

DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINED RELEASE ALOGLIPTIN TABLETS USING A MULTIPARTICULATES SYSTEM MADE OF BENTONITE

Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the use of bentonite in the formulation of sustained-release tablets containing alogliptin benzoate after granulation. Methods: Bentonite was used for preparing tablets after granulation. The prepared tablets were tested for their pharmacopeial requirements. Further, a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed to assess the release pattern of alogliptin from the tablets. Besides, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used for evaluating the compatibility the drugs and bentonite. Finally, the release from the tablets was tested using the paddle apparatus. Results: The FTIR and DSC did not show any interaction between the drug and the excipient in contrast to the powder-XRD pattern, which showed a shift for montmorillonite crystal peak. This shift was interpreted by increasing in the spacing of the crystalline structure of montmorillonite. However, the results of pharmacopeial tests showed that the prepared tablets comply with the compendial requirements, In addition, the release profiles of these tablets with aid of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) as a binder revealed a sustained release of alogliptin. Furthermore, the fitting of release data showed that the release from these tablets followed Fickian diffusion that alogliptin released by diffusion from bentonite gel matrix. Conclusion: Bentonite was successfully used for producing sustained-release tablets of alogliptin. However, maintaining the crystal structure of montmorillonite was essential for building the gel structure of bentonite and releasing the drug in a controlled manner

DIACEREIN-LOADED NIOSOMES (DC-NS): A NEW TECHNIQUE TO SUSTAIN THE RELEASE OF DRUG ACTION

Objective: The study's main goal is to develop a suitable niosomes (NS) encapsulated drug for anti-inflammatory effects such as diacerein (DC) and to evaluate the system's vesicle size (VS), entrapment efficiency (EE %), physical stability and in vitro release. Methods: Tween (40 and 60), cholesterol, and stearylamine were used in a 1:1:0.1 molar ratios as non-ionic surfactants. Thin film hydration was used to create the NS. Results: The higher EE% was observed with NS (F11) prepared from tween 60, cholesterol and 2.5 min sonication. These formulations' release patterns were Higuchi diffusion and first order. For the stability study, NS formulations were stored at temperature between 2-8 °C for 60 d retains the most drugs when compared to room and high temperature conditions. Conclusion: The findings of this study have conclusively shown that after NS encapsulation of DC, drug release is prolonged at a constant and controlled rate

Biomechanical Dependence of SARS-CoV-2 Infections

Older people have been disproportionately vulnerable to the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, with an increased risk of severe complications and death compared to other age groups. A mix of underlying factors has been speculated to give rise to this differential infection outcome including changes in lung physiology, weakened immunity, and severe immune response. Our study focuses on the impact of biomechanical changes in lungs that occur as individuals age, that is, the stiffening of the lung parenchyma and increased matrix fiber density. We used hydrogels with an elastic modulus of 0.2 and 50 kPa and conventional tissue culture surfaces to investigate how infection rate changes with parenchymal tissue stiffness in lung epithelial cells challenged with SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) protein pseudotyped lentiviruses. Further, we employed electrospun fiber matrices to isolate the effect of matrix density. Given the recent data highlighting the importance of alternative virulent strains, we included both the native strain identified in early 2020 and an early S protein variant (D614G) that was shown to increase the viral infectivity markedly. Our results show that cells on softer and sparser scaffolds, closer resembling younger lungs, exhibit higher infection rates by the WT and D614G variant. This suggests that natural changes in lung biomechanics do not increase the propensity for SARS-CoV-2 infection and that other factors, such as a weaker immune system, may contribute to increased disease burden in the elderly

Design, synthesis, and DNA interaction studies of furo-imidazo[3.3.3] propellane derivatives : Potential anticancer agents

A large number of natural products containing the propellane scaffold have been reported to exhibit cytotoxicity against several cancers; however, their mechanism of action is still unknown. Anticancer drugs targeting DNA are mainly composed of small planar molecule/s that can interact with the DNA helix, causing DNA malfunction and cell death. The aim of this study was to design and synthesize propellane derivatives that can act as DNA intercalators and/or groove binders. The unique structure of the propellane derivatives and their ability to display planar ligands with numerous possible geometries, renders them potential starting points to design new drugs targeting DNA in cancer cells. New substituted furo-imidazo[3.3.3]propellanes were synthesized via the reaction of substituted alkenylidene-hydrazinecarbothioamides with 2-(1,3-dioxo-2,3-dihydr- 1H-2-ylidene) propanedinitrile in tetrahydrofuran at room temperature. The structures of the products were confirmed by a combination of elemental analysis, NMR, ESI-MS, IR and single crystal X-ray analysis. Interestingly, 5c, 5d and 5f showed an ability to interact with Calf Thymus DNA (CT-DNA). Their DNA-binding mode was investigated using a combination of absorption spectroscopy, DNA melting, viscosity, CD spectroscopy measurements, as well as competitive binding studies with several dyes. Their cytotoxicity was evaluated against the NCI-60 panel of cancer cell lines. 5c, 5d and 5f exhibited similar anti-proliferative activity against the A549 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell line. Further mechanistic studies revealed their ability to induce DNA damage in the A549 cell line, as well as apoptosis, evidenced by elevated Annexin V expression, enhanced caspase 3/7 activation and PARP cleavage. In this study, we present the potential for designing novel propellanes to provoke cytotoxic activity, likely through DNA binding-induced DNA damage and apoptosis.Peer reviewe