Spectrophotometric Determination of Omeprazole Sodium and Ranitidine Hydrochloride Using 2, 4-dinitrofluorobenzene and 4- chloro-7-nitrobenzen-2-oxa-1, 3-diazole Accompanied with a Kinetic Study

Two accurate, simple and sensitive spectrophotometric methods were developed for determination of omeprazole sodium and ranitidine hydrochloride in bulk and pharmaceutical dosage forms. The first method was based on the reaction of these drugs with 2, 4- dinitrofluorobenzene producing yellow colored products measured at λmax 470 nm and 420 nm for omeprazole sodium and ranitidine HCl, respectively. Beer’s law was obeyed in the concentration range from (5-40 µg.ml-1) for omeprazole sodium and (30-180 µg.ml-1) for ranitidine HCl with molar absorpitivity 9.202 x 103 Lmol-1cm-1 and 1.778 x 103 Lmol-1cm-1, respectively. The second method was based on the reaction of omeprazole sodium and ranitidine HCl with 4- Chloro-7-nitrobenzen-2-oxa-1, 3-diazole producing yellow colored adducts measured at λmax 481 nm and 468 nm for omeprazole sodium and ranitidine HCl, respectively. This method was accompanied with a kinetic study for ranitidine HCl. The absorbance-concentration plots were rectilinear over concentration range (2-12 µg.ml-1) and (0.025-0.15 µg.ml-1) for omeprazole sodium and ranitidine HCl with molar absorpitivity 4.062 x 104 Lmol-1cm-1 and 2.802 x 106 Lmol-1cm-1, respectively. These methods hold their accuracy and precision well when applied to the determination of omeprazole sodium and ranitidine HCl in their dosage forms

Nile perch fish nuggets: Partial replacement of fish flesh with sesame hulls and sunroot — Quality assessment and storage stability

This study aimed to produce Nile perch fish nuggets by replacing a part of fish flesh with different concentrations of sesame hulls and sunroot to reach the optimal recipe. Chemical, microbiological, and sensory characteristics of nuggets were evaluated during 3 months of frozen storage at –18 °C. According to the obtained data on the chemical composition of raw materials, Nile perch flesh had the highest content of protein (20.21%), sesame hulls contained the highest amount of fat (13.54%), fiber (17.24%) and ash (16.11%), while sunroot tubers had the highest amount of carbohydrates (15.76%). Based on the sensory score, the acceptable replacement ratio for fish nuggets prepared with sunroot (T1) and sesame hulls (T2) was 10% and 7.5%, respectively. Thiobarbituric acid (TBA) analysis at zero time shows that the T1 samples had the minimum value compared to the T2 and control samples. During storage, the TBA levels increased slightly in all samples, but after three months T1 also showed the lowest value. The total plate count (TPC) and psychrophilic bacterial (PSY) count in the samples were affected by the period of frozen storage at –18 °C. The initial TPC and PSY loads were 2.32 and 2.02 log cfu/g for control; 2.24 and 1.72 log cfu/g for T1; 2.30 and 1.47 log cfu/g for T2, respectively. During storage, the values of TPC and Psy slightly decreased. In conclusion, this study succeeded in the replacement of Nile perch fish with sesame hulls and sunroot as new sources to improve the nutritional value and quality characteristics of fish nuggets.This study aimed to produce Nile perch fish nuggets by replacing a part of fish flesh with different concentrations of sesame hulls and sunroot to reach the optimal recipe. Chemical, microbiological, and sensory characteristics of nuggets were evaluated during 3 months of frozen storage at –18 °C. According to the obtained data on the chemical composition of raw materials, Nile perch flesh had the highest content of protein (20.21%), sesame hulls contained the highest amount of fat (13.54%), fiber (17.24%) and ash (16.11%), while sunroot tubers had the highest amount of carbohydrates (15.76%). Based on the sensory score, the acceptable replacement ratio for fish nuggets prepared with sunroot (T1) and sesame hulls (T2) was 10% and 7.5%, respectively. Thiobarbituric acid (TBA) analysis at zero time shows that the T1 samples had the minimum value compared to the T2 and control samples. During storage, the TBA levels increased slightly in all samples, but after three months T1 also showed the lowest value. The total plate count (TPC) and psychrophilic bacterial (PSY) count in the samples were affected by the period of frozen storage at –18 °C. The initial TPC and PSY loads were 2.32 and 2.02 log cfu/g for control; 2.24 and 1.72 log cfu/g for T1; 2.30 and 1.47 log cfu/g for T2, respectively. During storage, the values of TPC and Psy slightly decreased. In conclusion, this study succeeded in the replacement of Nile perch fish with sesame hulls and sunroot as new sources to improve the nutritional value and quality characteristics of fish nuggets

Acidic pH-Shock Induces the Production of an Exopolysaccharide by the Fungus Mucor rouxii: Utilization of Beet-Molasses

Abstract: Depending on specific environmental conditions, microorganisms can produce exopolysaccharides (EPSs) of particular composition and physiochemical properties, and this promotes the survival of microbial populations. An extracellular exopolysaccharide (EPS), synthesized by the fungus Mucor rouxii, was found to play an important role for the protection of cells against abiotic stress such as extreme pH values or elevated temperature. This EPS was produced during 48 hr of growth, at pH 3.5 and 28 o C using beet-molasses as a low-cost substrate. , and Zn 2+ which could be additional stress factors trigger the formation of the EPS. The molecular weight of the EPS was found to be 1.78 x 10 6 Da, and it had good flocculating activity for precipitation and aggregation of soil and charcoal particles. The main backbone of this EPS is a polysaccharide. The infrared spectra analysis showed the presence of urinate, hydroxyl, and carboxyl groups which are the important factors for the flocculating activity of a bioflocculant. This work is focused on studying the response of the fungus M. rouxii to produce an EPS under abiotic stress condition. An acidic pH-shock was found to be the strongest stressor for synthesizing the EPS, which showed flocculating activity of approximately 99%, exploiting beet-molasses as inexpensive carbon source. The produced EPS showed good flocculating activity, higher stability against enzymatic degradation, capability for metal removing, and is heatstable. It may find possible applications in the industrial fields and in biotechnological processes

Kinematic characteristics of elite men's 50 km race walking.

Race walking is an endurance event which also requires great technical ability, particularly with respect to its two distinguishing rules. The 50 km race walk is the longest event in the athletics programme at the Olympic Games. The aims of this observational study were to identify the important kinematic variables in elite men's 50 km race walking, and to measure variation in those variables at different distances. Thirty men were analysed from video data recorded during a World Race Walking Cup competition. Video data were also recorded at four distances during the European Cup Race Walking and 12 men analysed from these data. Two camcorders (50 Hz) recorded at each race for 3D analysis. The results of this study showed that walking speed was associated with both step length (r=0.54,P=0.002) and cadence (r=0.58,P=0.001). While placing the foot further ahead of the body at heel strike was associated with greater step lengths (r=0.45,P=0.013), it was also negatively associated with cadence (r= -0.62,P<0.001). In the World Cup, knee angles ranged between 175 and 186° at initial contact and between 180 and 195° at midstance. During the European Cup, walking speed decreased significantly (F=9.35,P=0.002), mostly due to a decrease in step length between 38.5 and 48.5 km (t=8.59,P=0.014). From this study, it would appear that the key areas a 50 km race walker must develop and coordinate are step length and cadence, although it is also important to ensure legal walking technique is maintained with the onset of fatigue

Pharmacodynamic and Pharmacokinetic Studies on Tetracycline Hydrochloride in Rabbits

Tetracycline is one of the most important groups of antibiotics that have harmful effects on the consumers, therefore the public health safety against its residues represents a significant issue. This study aimed to estimate the effect of tetracycline hydrochloride on some hematological parameters, kidneys function tests as well as liver and breast muscle enzymes with special reference to the supposed withdrawal time of this drug in different rabbits’ tissues (kidney, liver and muscles), following oral dose of tetracycline using High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Tetracycline was administrated to eighteen rabbits directly into the stomach at a dose of 35 mg/kg BW once daily for five successive days. Samples were collected on the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th days after the last oral dose. The results revealed that, tetracycline caused a significant increase in the uric acid, urea, creatinine, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities with no significant changes in the hematological parameters when compared with the control group. The residues remained in the liver and kidney for 7 days, while in muscles for 3 days only after the last oral dose of the drug. In conclusion, the disturbances in the biological parameters occurred by tetracycline administration in rabbits was transient and returned to normal after 7 days of last treatment. The withdrawal time of tetracycline was 14 days from the rabbit's tissues

Osteogenic Differentiation Potential of Human Bone Marrow and Amniotic Fluid-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Vitro & in Vivo

BACKGROUND: Cell therapies offer a promising potential in promoting bone regeneration. Stem cell therapy presents attractive care modality in treating degenerative conditions or tissue injuries. The rationale behind this is both the expansion potential of stem cells into a large cell population size and its differentiation abilities into a wide variety of tissue types, when given the proper stimuli. A progenitor stem cell is a promising source of cell therapy in regenerative medicine and bone tissue engineering. AIM: This study aimed to compare the osteogenic differentiation and regenerative potentials of human mesenchymal stem cells derived from human bone marrow (hBM-MSCs) or amniotic fluid (hAF-MSCs), both in vitro and in vivo studies. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Human MSCs, used in this study, were successfully isolated from two human sources; the bone marrow (BM) and amniotic fluid (AF) collected at the gestational ages of second or third trimesters. RESULTS: The stem cells derived from amniotic fluid seemed to be the most promising type of progenitor cells for clinical applications. In a pre-clinical experiment, attempting to explore the therapeutic application of MSCs in bone regeneration, Rat lumbar spines defects were surgically created and treated with undifferentiated and osteogenically differentiated MSCs, derived from BM and second trimester AF. Cells were loaded on gel-foam scaffolds, inserted and fixed in the area of the surgical defect. X-Ray radiography follows up, and histopathological analysis was done three-four months post- operation. The transplantation of AF-MSCs or BM-MSCs into induced bony defects showed promising results. The AF-MSCs are offering a better healing effect increasing the likelihood of achieving successful spinal fusion. Some bone changes were observed in rats transplanted with osteoblasts differentiated cells but not in rats transplanted with undifferentiated MSCs. Longer observational periods are required to evaluate a true bone formation. The findings of this study suggested that the different sources; hBM-MSCs or hAF-MSCs exhibited remarkably different signature regarding the cell morphology, proliferation capacity and osteogenic differentiation potential CONCLUSIONS: AF-MSCs have a better performance in vivo bone healing than that of BM-MSCs. Hence, AF derived MSCs is highly recommended as an alternative source to BM-MSCs in bone regeneration and spine fusion surgeries. Moreover, the usage of gel-foam as a scaffold proved as an efficient cell carrier that showed bio-compatibility with cells, bio-degradability and osteoinductivity in vivo

ELECTRICAL AND DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF AMORPHOUS Ge 1 Se 1.35 Tl0.1 FILMS

The temperature dependence of the DC and AC electrical conductivity were measured for Gel Se1.35 Tl0 . 1 films. The value of DC electrical conduction energy DEσ does not depend on film thickness in the investigated range with mean value of 0.72 eV. The AC conductivity σAC is related to frequency by the expression σ A C = Aω s , where S is the frequency exponent which decreases linearly with increasing temperature. This can be explained in terms of the pair (bipolaron) correlated barrier hopping model suggested by Elliott. The frequency and temperature dependence of real and imaginary parts of the dielectric constant were studied for Gel Se i.35 T10.1 films. The dielectric constant (real part) and the dielectric loss (imaginary part) increase with increasing temperature and decrease with increasing frequency in the investigated range of frequency and temperature. The maximum barrier height WM can be calculated according to the Giuntini equation at different temperatures. The obtained value of WM is in good agreement with the theory of hopping of charge carriers over a potential barrier as suggested by Elliott in case of chalcogenide glasses

Improving postharvest storage of fresh artichoke bottoms by an edible coating of Cordia myxa gum

This study aimed to prolong the shelf life of fresh-cut artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) bottoms under refrigerated conditions (2 °C and 95 % RH) for a period of 9 d. Fresh artichoke bottoms were subjected to an edible coating of Cordia myxa gum (Cg) supplemented with or without calcium dichloride (CaCl2) 1 %, or ascorbic acid (AsA) 1 %. The key postharvest quality parameters which were investigated were weight loss, browning, polyphenol oxidase activity (PPO), firmness, vitamin C, and total phenolic compounds (TPC). Moreover, the microbial load of artichoke bottoms during the storage was also measured which comprised of total aerobic mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria, fungi, and E. coli. Results indicated that edible coating with Cg, when supplemented with CaCl2 or AsA, had a significant positive effect on weight loss, vitamin C, and TPC. Browning and PPO activities were significantly inhibited by Cg supplemented with AsA. The mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacterial count was significantly reduced in the presence of CaCl2 with or without Cg. For moulds and E. coli control, again Cg in combination with CaCl2 seems to be the most effective treatment. Hence, based on these findings, it can be recommended that postharvest coating Cg supplemented with CaCl2 could be a new application for delaying browning and extending the shelf-life of artichoke bottoms during refrigerated storage. Further research and development are required in commercial settings to test and scale the application of Cg in fresh-cut artichoke bottom industry

AUTHOR CORRECTION - ERS International Congress 2019:highlights from Best Abstract awardees

Lorna E. Latimer, Marieke Duiverman, Mahmoud I. Abdel-Aziz, Gulser Caliskan, Sara M. Mensink-Bout, Alberto Mendoza-Valderrey, Aurelien Justet, Junichi Omura, Karthi Srikanthan, Jana De Brandt. Breathe 2019; 15: e143–e149. This article from the December 2019 issue of Breathe was published with an error in the name of one of the authors. The corrected author list is shown above. The article has been corrected and republished online.</p