Evaluating the In vivo Efficacy of Copper-Chitosan Nanocomposition for Treating Vascular Wilt Disease in Date Palm

Date palm, Phoenix dactylifera, as one of the most important fruit crops in Egypt and many other countries, can be affected by many fungal diseases, among which the vascular wilt disease, caused by the fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum, is considered the most deteriorating one. This study aims at evaluating the efficiency of Copper-Chitosan Nanopcomposition for treating the vascular wilt disease in date palm. The study relies mainly on beleaguering the disease via the double-role functionality of copper-chitosan nanocomposition, i.e. its potential antifungal effect on the fungal pathogen, besides its capability to enhance the immune responses of the infected plant. In this regard, chitosan nanoparticles were prepared according to the ionic gelation method, whereas copper nanoparticles were prepared according to the chemical reduction method. Physicochemical characterization of both chitosan and copper nanoparticles was performed using dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). Copper-chitosan nanocomposition could significantly reduce the vascular wilt disease severity; this means that the nanocomposition can be used in the future for developing new nano-fungicides to control such pathogens

Evaluation the Antimicrobial Activity of Artemisia and Portulaca Plant Extracts in Beef Burger

Medicinal plants contain substances can alternate the traditional chemical preservatives which used for preserving meat products that have negative effects on consumer health. Several biological activities have been reported for Artemisia and Portulaca as antimicrobial agents, so the current study focused on using Artemisia and Portulaca extracts as antimicrobial agents in beef burger. Phytochemical of Artemisia and Portulaca extracts were analyzed, and both extracts contain alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, trepenoids and saponin. The results show that Artemisia extract was inhibited all tested microorganisms (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes and E.coli O157:H7) while, Portulaca extract affect Staphylococcus aureus only. The Minimum Cidal Concentration (MCC) and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) were carried out for testing microorganisms, since Artemisia extract was very effective against Staphylococcus aureus followed by E.coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella Typhimurium and L. monocytogenes. Artemisia and Portulaca extracts were separately applied in beef burger as antimicrobials at levels 1% and 1.5%. The sensory evaluation of treated beef burger showed no significant differences between control sample and treatments containing Portulaca extract while, the addition of Artmesia extract had a detrimental effect on taste of beef burger since it causes formation of bitter taste

MULTI-OBJECTIVE STRATEGY FOR OPTIMIZING REPETITIVE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS USING LINEAR PROGRAMMING MODELS

Decision making has become much more complicated than in the past due to increased decision alternatives, uncertainty, and cost of making errors. As a result, it is very difficult to rely on a trial and error approach in decision making. Nowadays business managers are dealing with different types of projects ranging from implementing a large scale manufacturing plant to a simple sales campaign. While dealing with projects, to become competitive, sometimes it is required to complete a project within the predetermined deadline to keep cost at lowest possible level. Failure to do so ultimately leads to increase in total cost. This would direct managers to encounter a decision situation: which activities of the project will be crashed to minimize the total cost of crashing project. In this paper, we provide a hypothetical example to clarify the framework of how to convert from LOB to CPM and then how to create a model to crash a project time to reach an optimum time-cost solution. Microsoft Excel custom made sheets used to the conversion, also Solver add-in used to solve the model while it implements Linear Programming. As a check, results from Solver and LiPS software are compared

PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT POMEGRANATE PEEL AGAINST STERIGMATOCYSTIN TOXICITY IN RAT

Introduction and Aim: Sterigmatocystin (Stg) a mycotoxin with mutagenic and carcinogenic properties is commonly found as the contaminant in grains and animal feeds. Pomegranate peel is a rich source of antioxidants, flavonoids and other phenolic compounds. So the aim of the current study was to evaluate the protective effects of aqueous extract of red Pomegranate peel against Stg toxicity in liver, kidney, intestine and lung as well as final body weight using male rats. Methods: Forty eight Sprague-Dawley male rats were divided into six groups (8rats/group) including the control group that fed on a standard diet and water without any treatment, group 2 fed on standard diet plus aqueous extract of RPP (250 mg/rat/day), group 3 fed on standard diet plus aqueous extract of RPP (500 mg/ rat/day), group 4 fed on a standard diet and orally Stg. dissolved at a dose (18µg/rat/day), group 5 fed on a standard diet and Stg  plus aqueous extract of RPP (250mg/day) and group 6 fed on a standard diet and Stg. plus aqueous extract of RPP (500mg/day). At the end of the experimental period, blood samples were collected for serum biochemical analyses. After collecting the blood samples all animals were scarified and dissected samples of liver, kidney, intestine and lung were collected for histological examination. Results: The total phenols and total flavonoids, compounds in aqueous extract of RPP were 1.38 mg/ml and 680.28 mg/ml, respectively. However, the antioxidant activity amounted to 68.0% in the determination of radical DPPH scavenging activity. On the other hand, results indicated that rat orally Stg plus aqueous extract of RPP with low dose and high doses showed a significant improvement in final body weight compared with group administrated of Stg alone. While, the effect of aqueous extract of RPP on kidney and liver function of rats, the results indicated that the rat orally Stg alone caused significant increased in urea, creatinine and uric acid compared with the control group. The aqueous extract of RPP alone at the two tested doses did not induce any significant changes in the biochemical parameters or the histological picture. The combined treatment showed significant improvements in all tested parameters and histological pictures in the liver tissues. Moreover, this improvement was more pronounced in the group received the high dose of aqueous extract of RPP. Conclusion: From results it can be concluded that u the aqueous extract of RPP has a potent antioxidant activity and a protective effect against Stg toxicity and this protection was dose dependent. Keywords: Sterigmatocystin, Red pomegranate peels (RPP), aqueous extract, liver and kidney

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

Eugenia supra-axillaris Essential Oil and Its Nanoemulsion: Chemical Characterization, In Vivo Anti-Inflammatory, Analgesic, and Antipyretic Activities

The use of standard synthetic medications to treat inflammatory illnesses is associated with several negative effects. It has been shown that medicinal plants and their by-products are useful for safely treating inflammation. Herein, the essential oil of Eugenia supra-axillaris (family: Myrtaceae, ESA-EO) was isolated and further chemically characterized by GC-MS, and then, its nanoemulsion (ESA-EO-NE) was prepared. In addition, the anti-inflammation against the carrageenan-induced rats, the analgesic, and antipyretic activities of ESA-EO and ESA-EO-NE were evaluated in rats. Forty-three compounds were identified via GC-MS and categorized as mono- (61.38%) and sesquiterpenes (34.86%). d-limonene (32.82%), α-pinene (24.33%), germacrene-D (4.88%), α-humulene (4.73%), α-cadinol (3.39%), and trans-caryophyllene (3.15%) represented the main components. The administration of ES-EO and ES-EO-NE (50 and 100 mg/kg) demonstrated strong, dose-dependent inflammation inhibition capabilities in the model of rat paw edema, in comparison with both the reference drug and control. Reduced levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), increased levels of glutathione (GSH), and decreased levels of the proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α), nitrosative (NO), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in paw tissues all contributed to these substantial reductions in inflammation. Moreover, the oral administration of ESA-EO and ESA-EO-NE (50 and 100 mg/kg) exhibited potent analgesic and antipyretic activities in rats. Although the higher dose of ESA-EO and ESA-EO-NE (100 mg/kg) displayed delayed anti-inflammatory activity, they have long-lasting inflammation inhibition with fast onset and long-standing analgesic effects better than reference drugs. Furthermore, the most effective antipyretic efficacy was provided by ESA-EO-NE (100 mg/kg). These results provide insight into the possible therapeutic application of ESA-EO and its nanoemulsion against various inflammatory and painful illnesses as well as hyperthermia ailments

Preparation of Polyfunctionally Substituted Pyridine-2(1H) thione Derivatives as Precursors to Bicycles and Polycycles

Reaction of acetylacetone with 1 mole of dimethylformamide dimethyl acetal (DMFDMA) affords enamine 2a which react with cyanothioacetamide to give pyridinethione 3a. Pyridinethione 3a reacts with methyl iodide, halogenated compounds, aromatic aldehyde and malononitrile / elemental sulfur to yiled compounds 7-10 respectively. Reactions of thioether (7) in ethanolic K2CO3, 1 mole DMFDMA and 4-(dimethylamino) benzaldehyde gave compounds (11, 13, 14) respectively. Enaminone (12) can be prepared by reaction of compound (11) with DMFDMA. Also, compounds (13) and (14) can be obtained by reaction of compounds (3a) and (9a) with 2 mole of DMFDMA and methyl iodide respectively. Reactions of enaminone (9) with hydrazine hydrate and cyanothioacetamide gave compounds (11) and (12) respectively. Malononitrile dimmer when reacted with chalcones (9a), (14) and enaminone (12), (13) gave bipyridyl (15), (16) and (19a,b) respectively. Bipyridyl (15) can be converted to (16) by methylation using methyl iodide. Reactions of thienopyridine (8) with DMFDMA and sodium nitrite in acetic acid gave tricyclic compounds (20) and (21) respectively. Finally, reactions of (21a) with malononitrile / elemental sulfur and DMFDMA gave compounds (22) and (23) respectively

Preparation of Polyfunctionally Substituted Pyridine-2(1H) thione Derivatives as Precursors to Bicycles and Polycycles

Reaction of acetylacetone with 1 mole of dimethylformamide dimethyl acetal (DMFDMA) affords enamine 2a which react with cyanothioacetamide to give pyridinethione 3a. Pyridinethione 3a reacts with methyl iodide, halogenated compounds, aromatic aldehyde and malononitrile / elemental sulfur to yiled compounds 7-10 respectively. Reactions of thioether (7) in ethanolic K2CO3, 1 mole DMFDMA and 4-(dimethylamino) benzaldehyde gave compounds (11, 13, 14) respectively. Enaminone (12) can be prepared by reaction of compound (11) with DMFDMA. Also, compounds (13) and (14) can be obtained by reaction of compounds (3a) and (9a) with 2 mole of DMFDMA and methyl iodide respectively. Reactions of enaminone (9) with hydrazine hydrate and cyanothioacetamide gave compounds (11) and (12) respectively. Malononitrile dimmer when reacted with chalcones (9a), (14) and enaminone (12), (13) gave bipyridyl (15), (16) and (19a,b) respectively. Bipyridyl (15) can be converted to (16) by methylation using methyl iodide. Reactions of thienopyridine (8) with DMFDMA and sodium nitrite in acetic acid gave tricyclic compounds (20) and (21) respectively. Finally, reactions of (21a) with malononitrile / elemental sulfur and DMFDMA gave compounds (22) and (23)respectively.Keywords: Acetyl acetone; DMFDMA; Malononitrile dimmer; Bipyridyl; 5-Acetylpyridinethione

Xanthones and sesquiterpene derivatives from a marine-derived fungus Scopulariopsis sp.

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Utilization of LSTM neural network for water production forecasting of a stepped solar still with a corrugated absorber plate

This study introduces a long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network model to forecast the freshwater yield of a stepped solar still and a conventional one. The stepped solar still was equiped by a copper corrugated absorber plate. The thermal performance of the stepped solar still is compared with that of conventional single slope solar still. The heat transfer coefficients of convection, evaporation, and radiation process have been evaluated. The exergy and energy efficiencies of both solar stills have been also evaluated. The yield of the stepped solar still is enhanced by about 128 % compared with that of conventional solar still. Then, the proposed LSTM neural network method is utilized to forecast the hourly yield of the investigated solar stills. Field experimental data was used to train and test the developed model. The freshwater yield was used in a time series form to train the proposed model. The forecasting accuracy of the proposed model was compared with those obtained by conventional autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) and was evaluated using different statistical assessment measures. The coefficient of determination of the forecasted results has a high value of 0.97 and 0.99 for the conventional and the stepped solar still, respectively