Antimicrobial, antioxidant and phytochemical investigation of Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del. edible fruit from Sudan

The methanol extract of the fruit (edible mesocarp) of Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del., a popular plant from Sudan, widely employed in Sudanese folk medicine was screened for antimicrobial, antioxidant and some active phytochemical compounds. The extract showed the presence of saponin, terpenoids, phenolic compounds and alkaloids. The methanolic extract of the fruits extracted from B. aegyptiaca exhibited a strong antioxidant activity in the DPPH assay and a potent capacity in preventing linoleic acid oxidation. Methanol extracts (50 and 100 mg/ml) were tested on several microbial strains using agar-well diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bacterial concentration (MBC) and minimum fungal concentration (MFC) methods. These experiments were performed on ten bacterial strains (five Gram-positives and five Gram-negatives) and four fungal strains. Methanol extracts, particularly at concentration of 100 mg/ml was found to be active against all bacterial and fungal strains and it was comparable to standard antibiotics Gentamicin and Amphotericin B. These findings support some of the traditional applications of the fruit of B. aegyptiaca against microbial aliments. It is therefore recommended that further studies regarding fractionation, separation and purification of these active antimicrobial compounds are required, in addition to toxicological evaluation in vivo.Key words: Balaneties aegyptiaca, antibacterial, antifungal, phytochemical, antioxidant, methanol extract

Antioxidant effect of Arabian coffee (Coffea arabica L) blended with cloves or cardamom in high-fat diet-fed C57BL/6J mice

Purpose: To investigate the antioxidant activity of Coffea Arabica L in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed C57BL/6J mice.Methods: A decoction of Arabian coffee blended with or without cardamom or cloves was orally administered to HFD-fed C57BL/6J mice for a period of 60 days. At the end of the treatment, blood and tissue samples were taken to evaluate various parameters, including lipid peroxidation markers and antioxidants such as paraoxonase (PON1), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), vitamin C, vitamin E, reduced glutathione (GSH) and catalase (CAT).Results: The activities of antioxidant enzymes (PON1, SOD, CAT, and GPx) and non-enzymatic antioxidants (GSH, vitamins C and E) were significantly elevated (p < 0.05) in mice administered Arabian coffee plus cardamom compared with those administered HFD alone or coffee alone. The levels of thiobarbituric reactive substances and oxidized LDL antibody (oxLDL-Ab) decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in mice administered Arabian coffee plus cardamom compared with those administered Arabian coffee plus cloves.Conclusion: The results indicate that Arabian coffee blended with cardamom or cloves exhibited enhanced free radical scavenging and antioxidant properties compared with those that received Arabic coffee alone. However, coffee with cardamom had more pronounced effects than coffee with cloves.Keywords: High-fat diet, Diabetes, Antioxidant, Arabian coffee, Cardamom, Clove

Bioactivity of Samsum ant (Pachycondyla sennaarensis) venom against lipopolysaccharides through antioxidant and upregulation of Akt1 signaling in rats

BACKGROUND: This study aimed at investigating the oxidative stress ameliorating effect, lipids profile restoration, and the anti-inflammatory effect of Samsum Ant Venom (SAV) in induced endotoxemic male rats, injected with bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS). RESULTS: Results revealed that LPS significantly increased the oxidative stress indications in LPS-injected rats. A significant increase of both malondialdehyde (MDA), and advanced oxidative protein products (AOPP), as well as a significant suppression of glutathione were all detected. Treatment with 100 μg/kg dose of SAV significantly restored the oxidative stress normal indications and increased the total glutathione levels. Treatment of the LPS-rats with 100 μg/kg dose of SAV showed a clear anti-inflammatory function; as the histological architecture of the hepatic tissue was partially recovered, along with a valuable decrease in the leukocytes infiltrated the hepatic tissues. Treatment of some rat groups with 600 μg/kg dose of SAV after LPS injection induced a severe endotoxemia that resulted in very high mortality rates. SAV versus the effects of LPS on AKT1, Fas, TNF-α and IFN-γ mRNA expression. SAV was found to significantly lower Fas gene expression comparing to the LPS group and restore the level of IFN-γ mRNA expression to that of the control group. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, SAV, at the dose of 100 μg/kg body weight, maintained and restored the oxidative stability, the anti-inflammatory, and the hypolipidemic bioactivity in rats after induced disruption of these parameters by LPS injection. This improvement by SAV was mediated by upregulation of AKT1

Specific Cellular Immune Response and Cytokine Patterns in Patients Coinfected with Hepatitis C Virus and Schistosoma mansoni

Patients coinfected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and Schistosoma mansoni show high incidence of viral persistence and accelerated fibrosis. To determine whether immunological mechanisms are responsible for this alteration in the natural history of HCV, the HCV-specific peripheral CD4+ T cell responses and cytokines were analyzed in patients with chronic hepatitis C monoinfection, S. mansoni monoinfection, or HCV and S. mansoni coinfection. An HCV-specific CD4+ proliferative response to at least 1 HCV antigen was detected in 73.3% of patients infected with HCV, compared with 8.6% of patients coinfected with HCV and S. mansoni. Stimulation with HCV antigens produced a type 1 cytokine profile in patients infected with HCV alone, compared with a type 2 predominance in patients coinfected with HCV and S. mansoni. In contrast, there was no difference in response to schistosomal antigens in patients infected with S. mansoni alone, compared with those coinfected with HCV and S. mansoni. These findings suggest that the inability to generate an HCV-specific CD4+/Th1 T cell response plays a role in the persistence and severity of HCV infection in patients with S. mansoni coinfectio

Ultrastructure of antennal sensillae of the samsum ant, Pachycondyla sennaarensis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Black ant (Samsum), Pachycodyla sennarrensis, stings and injects venom and inflicts allergy (a rare clinical problem) due to its local and systemic reaction, which is considered as a health hazard amongst Saudi society. Thus, black ant is a source of serious concern for the government and experts as well.  Ultramorphological variations, distribution, differential sensillae counts (DSC) and total sensillae counts (TSC), were identified and estimated as a complementary part of the peripheral nervous system on the antennae of worker samsum ant, P. sennarrensis in order to understand its behavioral ecology. Based on scanning electron micrographs, four types of sensillae constituted with three trichoid types, which is an abundant form with a high distribution density at the apex, but a low density at subsequent proximal flagellomere of the antenna and a placoid type of sensillae (a rare form mostly found in the middle of the flagellum, that is, on the 4th, 5th and 6th flagellomere) were categorised. It is documented that nonporous trichoid type of sensillae are mechanoreceptors and thermoreceptors, whereas, the placoid types are olfactory receptors. Present findings in an indigenous species in Saudi Arabia may help in understanding the ecological behaviour of the ant, which subsequently may form the basis in producing its effective control measure in future.Key words: Samsum ants, Pachycondyla sennarrensis, ultrastructure, antenna, sensillae

Environmental isotonicity improves cold tolerance of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, in Egypt

AbstractThe limited ability of Oreochromis niloticus to tolerate low temperatures during winter in temperate and some subtropical region, such as in Egypt, is of major economic concern. The present study was aimed to improve the cold tolerance of Nile tilapia, O. niloticus, by using the well documented phenomena of saving energy consumption for osmoregulation in isotonic medium to decrease the physiological response to cold stress at winter months and may solve the Winter Stress Syndrome (WSS) and the over-wintering problems. Fish which were either pre-acclimated to freshwater or isotonic salinity at 25°C were transferred directly to freshwater or isotonic medium (12‰) at 14°C. Fish were killed 3, 6, 24, 48, 72 and 168h after transfer. In the isotonic medium pre-acclimated fish, it is shown that the effect of cold stress on the increment of plasma glucose level was much lower than that in fresh water. From the observations of Na+, K+, Mg2+-ATPase enzyme activity we conclude that less disturbance of ionic balance caused by cold tolerance was occurred in the isotonic point water than in the fresh water. The results of the acetylcholinesterase specific activity showed that, brain enzyme was inhibited by cold stress, and that the disruption of the cholinergic function induced by cold stress was much more pronounced in fresh water pre-acclimated tilapia than in isotonic point water pre-acclimated fish. Results from this study recommend that pre-acclimation of Nile tilapia, O. niloticus, to an environmental salinity close to the isotonicity, before winter onset, may improve their cold tolerance

The combined effect of environmental thermal drop and isotonicity on metabolic stores of the teleost, Oreochromis niloticus

AbstractFour experimental regimes were designed to test the capacity of the Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus to make use of the energy saved form osmoregulation in an isotonic medium in overcoming the Winter Stress Syndrome (WSS). Fish either pre- acclimated to freshwater or isotonic salinity at 25°C were transferred directly to freshwater or an isotonic medium (ca. 12‰) at 14°C. Fish were killed 3, 6, 24, 48, 72 and 168h after transfer. The mobilisation and use of lipids from perivisceral and muscle fat observed in the study seem to be a direct response to cold stress as well as the associated fasting, these effects were salinity dependent being lesser at the isotonic salinity. The energy needs of fish diminish in cold conditions when the salinity of the environment approaches the isotonicity. The absence of any significant changes in muscle and water content indicated that the changes of muscle lipid are true and lipid was the sole source of energy upon thermal drop. The changes of blood haemoglobin levels throughout the four experimental regimes may indicate that the isotonic medium acclimated tilapia showed less haematological disturbance due to cold stress. Results from this experimental study recommend that the pre-acclimation of the Egyptian strain of Nile tilapia, O. niloticus, to an environmental salinity close to the isotonicity may improve fish cold tolerance

(E)-2-Cyano-N′-(1,2,3,4-tetra­hydro­naphthalen-1-yl­idene)acetohydrazide

In the title compound, C13H13N3O, the tetra­hydro­benzene ring adopts a half-boat (envelope) conformation. The mean plane of the tetra­hydro­naphthalene ring system forms a dihedral angle of 9.56 (6)° with the mean plane of the cyano­acetohydrazide group. In the crystal, inversion dimers linked by pairs of N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds generate R 2 2(8) loops. The dimers are connected by C—H⋯N hydrogen bonds into a chain propagating along [101]. The crystal packing also features C—H⋯π inter­actions

Safety performance of school buses in the State of Qatar

School buses and minibuses are one of the major modes of traveling for students in the state of Qatar. Many studies pointed to the fact that school buses travelling are safer for students than walking or car riding (Bolte, et al., 2000; Hinch, et al., 2002). For that reason, safety measures and performance of school buses in the State of Qatar should be studied and evaluated carefully and wisely. The project aims were done through merged qualitative and quantitative methods. Initially a safety checklist was constructed for school buses and a comprehensive schools map to evaluate of the current safety measures in school buses and to understand the conditions around the surrounding areas like the location of the bus stops and the availability of signage. Then, the second step focuses on conducting a survey for school bus drivers, school bus guides, students, and parents. Finally, the third steps compares between the school bus safety strategies followed in the State of Qatar and the strategies followed in other high income countries. The results of the field visits revealed many very important statistics for all surveys on the safety of school bus and the surrounding areas as well as the behavior of students and drivers. The results revealed that most of the parents are not happy with the safety while loading and unloading and with the safety procedures. In addition, 43% of school bus users didn't attend any training or workshops about the safety procedures in school bus. References: [1] Bolte, K. et al., 2000. Simulations of Large School Bus Crashes. [Online] Available at: http://papers.sae.org/2000-01-0469/ [Accessed 10 october 2014]. [2] Hinch, J. et al., 2002. School Bus Safety: Crashworthiness Research, Washington: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.Qscienc