ADSORPTION OF FOOD COLORING ALLURA RED DYE (E129) FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS USING ACTIVATED CARBON

The adsorption behavior of Allura red (E129) from aqueous solutions onto activated carbon was successfully investigated. All factors affecting the adsorption process were carefully studied and the conditions were optimized. Adsorption of E129 onto activated carbon was found to increase by decreasing the mass of activated carbon, pH and ionic strength of the solution and by increasing temperature. The adsorption capacity of the activated carbon for Allura red was relatively high. Under the optimum conditions, the maximum adsorption capacity for E129 dye was 72.85 mg/g. Three adsorption models; Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin model were investigated regarding the adsorption of E129. The models’ parameters KL, qm, R2, (n) were determined and found to be 0.0222, 72.85 mg/g, 0.9057-0.9984, and 0.992, respectively. Also, pseudo first and second-order kinetic models were tested to determine the best-fit model to the adsorption of E129 dye onto activated carbon. The results showed that the adsorption of E129 onto activated carbon obeyed both the Freundlich isotherm and pseudo second-order kinetic models. Moreover, thermodynamic studies indicated that the adsorption of E129 dye onto the activated carbon was spontaneous.Â

Novel Analytical Study For The Charge-Transfer Reactions Of Omeprazole With 2,3-Dichloro-Naphthoquinone And 2,3,5,6-Tetrabromo- 1,4-Benzoquinone: Application For The Development Of Microwell Assay Of Omeprazole

Novel analytical study was performed in order to develop and validate new high-throughput microwell-based spectrophotometric assays for determination of omeprazole (OMZ) in its pharmaceutical formulations. The proposed assays were based on the charge-transfer (CT) reaction of OMZ with 2,3-dichloronaphthoquinone (DCNQ) and 2,3,5,6-tetrabromo-1,4-benzo-quinone (BROM). In the present study, the CT reactions was carried out in microwell plates as reaction vessels in order to increase the automation of the assays and the efficiency of its use in quality control laboratories (QCLs). All factors affecting the CT reactions were carefully studied, and the conditions were optimized. Kinetics and stoichiometry of the CT reactions were investigated, and the mechanism was postulated. Activation energy of the CT reactions was determined and found to be 13.87 and 16.27 Kcal mol−1 for the reaction of OMZ with DCNQ and BROM, respectively. The initial rate and fixed time methods were applied for generating the calibration graphs for determination of OMZ concentrations. Under the optimum conditions, the linear range was 0.145 – 1.45 x 10-4 and 1.45 – 7.25 x 10-4 M with LOD of 0.6 and 6.0 microgram ml-1 for DCNQ and BROM, respectively. Analytical performance of the proposed methods, in terms of accuracy and precision, was statistically validated and the results were satisfactory; RSD was <2.8% for both repeatability and reproducibility. The proposed methods were successfully applied to the analysis of OMZ in its dosage forms and the recovery results (98.64 – 100.6 ± 0.25 -2.74 %) were comparable with those of the reported method. The developed method may provide a safer and economic tool for the analysis of OMZ in QCLs

Selective Spectrophotometric and Spectrofluorometric Methods for the Determination of Amantadine Hydrochloride in Capsules and Plasma via Derivatization with 1,2-Naphthoquinone-4-sulphonate

New selective and sensitive spectrophotometric and spectrofluorometric methods have been developed and validated for the determination of amantadine hydrochloride (AMD) in capsules and plasma. The methods were based on the condensation of AMD with 1,2-naphthoquinone-4-sulphonate (NQS) in an alkaline medium to form an orange-colored product. The spectrophotometric method involved the measurement of the colored product at 460  nm. The spectrofluorometric method involved the reduction of the product with potassium borohydride, and the subsequent measurement of the formed fluorescent reduced AMD-NQS product at 382  nm after excitation at 293  nm. The variables that affected the reaction were carefully studied and optimized. Under the optimum conditions, linear relationships with good correlation coefficients (0.9972–0.9974) and low LOD (1.39 and 0.013 μg mL−1) were obtained in the ranges of 5–80 and 0.05–10  μg mL−1 for the spectrophotometric and spectrofluorometric methods, respectively. The precisions of the methods were satisfactory; RSD ≤2.04%. Both methods were successfully applied to the determination of AMD in capsules. As its higher sensitivity, the spectrofluorometric method was applied to the determination of AMD in plasma; the recovery was 96.3–101.2 ± 0.57–4.2%. The results obtained by the proposed methods were comparable with those obtained by the official metho

Sunflower oil-based hyperbranched alkyd/spherical ZnO nanocomposite modeling for mechanical and anticorrosive applications

Approaches for designing advanced nanomaterials with hyperbranched architectures and lack of volatile organic content (VOC) have attracted considerable attention. In this study, eco-friendly hyperbranched alkyd resins for mechanical and anticorrosive coatings with high solid content were successfully synthesized based on sunflower oil (SFO) via a polyesterification approach. These resins are characterized by energy-efficient polymer synthesis, lack of gelation properties, high functionality, and low viscosity. A chemical precipitation process was used to fabricate zinc oxide (ZnO) spherical nanostructures with controlled diameters and morphologies. A series of conformal, novel, low-cost SFO-based hyperbranched alkyd/spherical ZnO nanocomposites were fabricated through an ex situ method. Various nanofiller concentrations were distributed to establish synergetic effects on the micro-nano binary scale performance of the materials. The features of the nanocomposites, including the molecular weight, acid and hydroxyl values of the prepared alkyd resins, were concomitantly assessed through various standard tests. The nanocomposites were also subjected to various tests to determine their surface adhesion and mechanical properties, such as impact, T-bending, crosscut, and abrasion resistance tests. Furthermore, the physico-mechanical properties, anticorrosive behavior, thermal stabilities and cellular cytotoxicities of the fabricated materials were assessed. The anticorrosive features of the nanocomposites were investigated through salt spray tests in 5 wt% NaCl. The results indicate that well-dispersed ZnO nanospheres (0.5%) in the interior of the hyperbranched alkyd matrix improve the durability and anticorrosive attributes of the composites; thus, they exhibit potential applications in eco-friendly surface coatings

Degree of the Requirements for Improving Human Capital Management in Arab Universities as a Gateway to Achieving Sustainable Development

The paper identifies the degree of requirements for improving human capital management in Arab universities as a gateway to achieve sustainable development from the perspective of faculty members according to gender, faculty, supervising authority, academic rank, and number of years of experience. The descriptive approach is used to achieve the research objectives. The research sample consists of (526) faculty members randomly selected. The questionnaire is used as a research instrument. The results indicate that the research sample’s approval of the requirements for improving human capital management in Arab universities as a gateway to achieving sustainable development is high with a mean value of (3.99), where the career development domain is the highest with a mean value of (4.02) and a high degree, while rewards and incentives domain is the lowest with a mean value of (3.96) and a high degree. The findings also show statistically significant differences in the requirements for improving human capital management due to gender, supervisory authority, and academic rank in favor of the category of female, public university, associate professor, and professor, respectively. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate no statistically significant differences due to the variables of faculty and number of years of experience. Given the results, the research recommends developing a strategy and an advanced plan for the career and professional development of faculty members and attracting distinguished and talented scholars, academics, and researchers to achieve its vision as a distinguished, innovative, and internationally competitive organization

Phytochemical composition and antimicrobial properties of Markhamia platycalyx (Baker) Sprague leaf

Purpose: To isolate new antimicrobial agents from the leaves of Markhamia platycalyx (Baker) Sprague and assess their phytochemical characteristics and antimicrobial activity. Methods: Different chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques (NMR and ESI-MS) were applied for the identification of antimicrobial compounds. Agar-well diffusion technique was used for determination of antimicrobial activity. Anti-HCV effects were investigated using VITROS Anti-HCV assay. Results: Eighteen compounds were isolated for the first time from this genus. These were phytol, noctacosanoic acid (OCTA), tormentic acid and β-sitosterol-3-O-(6'-O-heptadecanoyl)-β-Dglucopyranoside. The other compounds were β-sitosterol, ursolic acid (URSA), oleanolic acids, pomolic acid (POMA), 2-epi-tormentic and β-sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside. However, stigmasterol and acteoside, which were seen in previous studies, were also present. Total ethanol extract (TEE) was the most effective against Escherichia coli, with the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 1.0 µg/mL. Acteoside, URSA and 2-epi-tormentic acid showed the highest antibacterial effect on Pseudomonas aeruginosa while 2-epi-tormentic acid and acteoside produced the least MIC on Candida glabrata. These effects were superior to those produced by standard antibiotics. However, 2-epitormentic acid and β-sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside had no anti-HCV effects. Conclusion: Due to the good antimicrobial properties of Markhamia platycalyx, it is a potential source of new antimicrobial drugs

Reaction of N,N '-disubstituted hydrazinecarbothioamides with 2-bromo-2-substituted acetophenones

Reaction of hydrazinecarbothioamides with 2-bromoacetophenones furnished the formation of thiazole-, bis-thiazole-, pyrazole- and 1,3,4-thiadiazole- derivatives in good yields. The mechanism was discussed. The structures of products were proved by MS, IR, NMR, elemental analyses and X-ray structure analyses. [GRAPHICS] .Peer reviewe

Proposed Mechanisms for Enhancing Social Capital Management in Arab Universities

The paper develops proposed mechanisms to enhance social capital management in Arab universities. The descriptive approach is used to achieve the research objectives. The research sample consists of 611 faculty members from Arab universities randomly selected to answer the questionnaire on the reality of social capital in Arab universities. The research instrument consists of two questionnaires consisting of 48 items to measure social capital management mechanisms in Arab universities. The findings indicate that the degree of reality of social capital in Arab universities is medium with a mean of (3.47). The results also show that their approval regarding the suggested proposals is high, with a mean score of (4.87). Given the previous findings, the research recommends that the university should establish stable partnership networks with national and international universities in common areas, strengthen horizontal organization to empower faculties and scientific departments, have a common vision to generate a collective agreement among all beneficiaries to develop university work, consolidating teamwork skills and values, and provide contacts who carry important information for the professional life of faculty members

Seroprevalence of Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, Cytomegalovirus, and Human Immunodeficiency Viruses in Multitransfused Thalassemic Children in Upper Egypt

Background. Frequent blood transfusions in thalassemia major children expose them to the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs). The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and cytomegalovirus (CMV) in thalassemic children attending the Pediatrics Departments of both Sohag and Minia Universities of Upper Egypt, during the period from May 2014 to May 2015. Methods. Serum samples were screened for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), anti-HCV, anti-CMV, and anti-HIV type 1 and type 2 using the Vitek Immunodiagnostic Assay System. Results. The frequencies of anti-HCV, HBsAg, anti-CMV, and anti-HIV type 1 and type 2 were found to be 37.11%, 4.12%, 4.12%, 0.00%, and 0.00%, respectively. Seropositivity for anti-HCV, HBsAg, and anti-CMV increased with increasing age of the patients, duration of the disease, serum ferritin level (ng/mL), and liver enzymes (U/L), while it was not significantly associated with gender, frequency of blood transfusion, or the status of splenectomy operation (P>0.05). Conclusion. The frequency of TTIs, especially HCV, is considerably high among Egyptian children with thalassemia major. It is therefore important to implement measures to improve blood transfusion screening, such as polymerase chain reaction, in order to reduce TTIs from blood donor units

Autoxidation of 4-Hydrazinylquinolin-2(1H)-one; Synthesis of Pyridazino[4,3-c:5,6-c′]diquinoline-6,7(5H,8H)-diones

An efficient synthesis of a series of pyridazino[4,3-c:5,6-c′]diquinolines was achieved via the autoxidation of 4-hydrazinylquinolin-2(1H)-ones. IR, NMR (1H and 13C), mass spectral data, and elemental analysis were used to fit and elucidate the structures of the newly synthesized compounds. X-ray structure analysis and theoretical calculations unequivocally proved the formation of the structure. The possible mechanism for the reaction is also discussed