Interaction of CO molecules with (Cu , Ag and Au) deposited on regular and defective MgO and BaO(001) surfaces: Density functional calculations

The adsorption properties and characteristics of CO on Cu, Ag and Au atoms deposited on various sites of the alkaline earth oxide MgO and BaO. The three members of morphological irregularities, terrace, edge, and oxygen terminated corner of MgO and BaO (001) surface have been studied by means of density functional calculations and embedded cluster model. The examined clusters were embedded in the simulated Coulomb fields that closely approximate the Madelung fields of the host surfaces. The  adsorption  properties  of  CO  have  been  analyzed  with reference  to  the  nature  of  the  oxide  support,  pairwise  and  non-pairwise  ..........Please read the full paper

BIOAVAILABILITY STUDY OF ONDANSETRON GEL IN RABBITS AND HUMAN VOLUNTEERS APPLING UPLC AS ANALYTICAL TOOL AND EVALUATION OF THE ANTIEMETIC EFFECT OF ONDANSETRON GEL IN CISPLATIN-INDUCED EMESIS IN RATS

Objective: This study was undertaken to determine the bioavailability of ondansetron gel in experimental animals and humans applying UPLC as an analytical tool and evaluation of the antiemetic effect of ondansetron gel in cisplatin-induced emesis in rats. Methods: Ondansetron gel (F13: sodium alginate 7% w/w) was used, marketed I. V. ondansetron (Zofran) ® was chosen as reference. The bioavailability study in rabbits was selected as a parallel design using nine healthy rabbits divided into three groups whereas, bioavailability study in humans was an open-label, wherein 6 healthy subjects administered ondansetron gel. The potential effect of ondansetron gel was evaluated for the prevention of different phases of emesis motivated by exposure to antineoplastic drugs (cisplatin) by determination of body weight loss, water and food intake applying kaolin-pica model in rats using seventy-two rats divided into six groups. Results: Ondansetron gel (0.5%) showed detectable plasma concentration 22.833±2.17 ng/m1 after ¼ h and 419.55±2.17 ng/ml after 1-h post-treatment in rabbits and human respectively and concentration was maintained above-reported minimum effective concentration for more than 2.5 h for rabbits and 7 h for humans compared to 1.75 h after I. V. administration. The ondansetron gel significantly reduces all phases of cisplatin-induced emesis and a decrease in body weight, water, and food consumption was significantly attenuated. Conclusion: Based on the high efficacy of gel on emesis induced by cisplatin, and its high bioavailability, transdermal ondansetron gel could be a promising convenient system to prevent nausea and vomiting following administration of antineoplastic drugs

Behavior of Beam to Column Cold-Formed Section Connections Subjected to Bending Moments

Cold formed sections are often used in the construction of mid-rise buildings due to their high strength weight ratios, and fast erection. In these buildings, the connections between joists and studs are mainly simple connections. However, application of these sections can be extended to moderate span frames where connections between members are subjected to bending moments. Strength and stability of such frames depends to large extent on the behaviour of the connections between their members. Over the last twenty years, several researchers undertake tests on cold formed section connections subjected to bending moments. Major of them classify the connections as semi-rigid, but some suggested that as we reach the maximum capacity of the connected sections so we can consider it rigid

A New Flavonoid C-Glycoside from Celtis australis L. and Celtis occidentalis L. Leaves and Potential Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Activities

A major development over the past two decades has been the realization that free radical induced lipid peroxidation and DNA damage are associated with major health problems, e.g. cancer and ageing. Plant-derived antioxidants are increasingly found beneficial in protecting against these diseases. Celtis australis L. and Celtis occidentalis L. are two plants that have a variety of uses in folk medicine but have not been evaluated before for their antioxidant and cytotoxic properties. Therefore, the extracts of both plants’ leaves were investigated for these activities, as well as isolation of the bioactive compounds responsible for the activities. Molecular structures of the compounds were elucidated by UV, HRESIMS, 1D (1H and 13C) and 2D (1H-13C HSQC and 1H-13C HMBC) NMR analyses. The ethanolic and aqueous extracts, n-butanol fractions and the isolated major compound were tested for their antioxidant activity using DPPH radical scavenging assay, xanthine oxidase-induced generation of superoxide radical and lipid peroxidation assay by thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) method using rat tissue homogenates. Cytotoxic activities were studied using standard MTT assay. A novel flavonoid C-triglycoside, 4‴-α-rhamnopyranosyl-2″-O-β-d-galactopyranosylvitexin, was isolated from both plants’ leaves, together with seven known flavonoids. The n-butanol fractions and the major compound 2″-O-β-galactopyranosylvitexin showed significant antioxidant activities, more pronounced than the tested standards BHT and dl-α-tocopherol in most tests. All extracts showed variable cytotoxic activities. This study provides strong evidence for the antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of the extracts of Celtis australis L. and Celtis occidentalis L. leaves, which were attributed to the polar n-butanol fractions and the major isolated flavonoid 2″-galactosylvitexin

DETECTION OF CHRONIC TYPHOID CARRIERS AMONG FOOD HANDLERS IN WAD MEDANI , GEZIRA STATE , SUDAN

Typhoid fever remains a disease of major public health importance in the tropics. This cross sectional prospective descriptive study was carried out between July 2005 to July 2008 in Wad Medani Town. The objective of the study was to identify chronic typhoid carriers among food handlers in Wad Medani. To achieve this objective, Vi agglutination test was used to determine suggested typhoid carriers among food handlers then stool culture was performed on those with a positive Vi agglutination test. A questionnaire was designed to collect data from suggested typhoid carriers about hygienic practices during food handling and processing .  The collected data were reviewed and coded. Data were analyzed using SPSS versions 10.0 software for tabulation and statistical analysis. The results showed that, ten percent of the examined food handlers were found positive typhoid carriers by Vi agglutination test, 48.5% of the suspected of typhoid carriers were found positive by stool culture, street vendors were more common among suspected typhoid carriers, all of whom had not received any health education about typhoid disease. The study suggested the following recommendations: Regular health authority inspection visitor food handling personnel specially street vendors to exclude typhoid carriers among them, education and training course in good hygienic practices should be provided to all food handlers specially typhoid carriers by Food Control Department, Ministry of Health, Gezira State

Microbial Infections in Immunodeficient Children in Qena University Hospital with Special Reference to DNA Damage in Peripheral Blood Leucocytes

Background: Immunodeficiency disorders involve malfunction of the immune system, resulting in infections that develop and recur more frequently, are more severe, and last longer than usual, Impair the immune system's ability to defend the body against foreign or abnormal cells that invade or attack it (such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and cancer cells). As a result, unusual bacterial, viral, or fungal infections or lymphomas or other cancers may develop. Patients and methods: A study to detect blood stream infections was done using 100 blood cultures obtained from 100 immunocompromised children. Results and conclusions: The most commonly isolated are bacterial organism (40 %)the most common bacterial isolates are klebsiella species (17 | 40 ,42.5%). Estimation of DNA damage was done for 40 patients and 10 apparently healthy children as control subjects. The DNA damage was detected has took the smear shape on gel electrophoresis. This was found in (12|40, 30%), (P value < 0.001) with significant difference

Mechanism of Nickel and Chromium-Induced Immunotoxicity and Oxidative Stress: A Comparative Study

Abstract Introduction: Chromium (Cr) and Nickel (Ni) are examples of commonly used industrial substances with negative long time exposure on human health. One mechanism whereby metals can alter health is through modulation of immune homeostasis. They are capable of producing oxidative stress and it is possible that this oxidative stress contributes to the carcinogenic response of these metals

Review of the utilization of HEEPF – competitive projects for educational enhancement in the Egyptian medical sector

In Egypt, the medical sector has been facing the same problems that challenged the system of higher education in the past decades, mainly an increasing student enrollment, limited resources, and old governance and bylaws. These constraints and the escalating paucity of resources have had a major negative influence on quality of education. Consequently, thoughts of educational reform came forward in the form of competitive projects, which have attracted several institutes from the health sector to improve their educational performance. The aim of this paper is to review the share of the medical sector in the higher education enhancement project fund (HEEPF), its outcomes, sustainability, and to provide recommendations for keeping the momentum of reform pursuit in the future. The methodology included obtaining statistics pertaining to the medical sector in Egypt as regards colleges, students, and staff. We also reviewed the self-studies of the medical sector colleges, HEEPF projects reports, performance appraisal reports, and World Bank reports on HEEPF achievements in order to retrieve the required data. Results showed that medical sector had a large share of the HEEPF (28.5% of projects) as compared to its size (8% of student population). The projects covered 10 areas; the frequency distribution of which ranged between 4.4% (creation of new programs) to 97.8% (human resource development). In conclusion, educational enhancement in the medical sector in Egypt could be apparently achieved through the HEEPF competitive projects. A study of the long-term impact of these projects on the quality of education is recommende