Bilosomes as a promising nanoplatform for oral delivery of an alkaloid nutraceutical:improved pharmacokinetic profile and snowballed hypoglycemic effect in diabetic rats

Diabetes mellitus is a life-threatening metabolic disease. At the moment, there is no effective treatment available to combat it. In this study, we aimed to develop berberine-loaded bilosomes (BER-BLS) to boost the oral bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy of berberine, a natural antidiabetic medication. The BER-BLS was fabricated using a thin-film hydration strategy and optimized using a central composite design (face-centered). The average vesicle size, entrapment efficiency, and surface charge of the optimized BER-BLS preparation were 196.5 nm, 89.7%, (−) 36.4 mV, respectively. In addition, it exhibited higher stability and better-sustained release of berberine than the berberine solution (BER-SOL). BER-BLS and BER-SOL were administered to streptozocin-induced diabetic rats. The optimized BER-BLS formulation had a significant hypoglycemic impact, with a maximum blood glucose decrease of 41%, whereas BER-SOL only reduced blood glucose by 19%. Furthermore, the pharmacological effect of oral BER-BLS and BER-SOL corresponded to 99.3% and 31.7%, respectively, when compared to subcutaneous insulin (1 IU). A pharmacokinetic analysis found a 6.4-fold rise in the relative bioavailability of berberine in BER-BLS when compared to BER-SOL at a dosage of 100 mg/kg body weight. Histopathological investigation revealed that BER-BLS is suitable for oral administration. Our data demonstrate that BLS is a potential nanocarrier for berberine administration, enhancing its oral bioavailability and antidiabetic activity

Multi-environmental evaluation of wheat tetraploid genotypes for agronomic traits under rainfed conditions in Syria

This study was conducted at Homs, Al-Swaida and Tartous, General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research, Syria during 2016/2017 season. Seven wheat genotypes were planted under rainfed conditions in randomized complete block design with three replications. Studied traits were days to maturity, plant height, number of grain per spike, grain weight per spike, 1000 kernal weight and grain yield per plant to evaluate variance between genotypes and locations. Results showed existence of high variance between studied genotypes in all traits especially plant height. It resulted that genotype W45193 was significantly superior in grain yield per plant with an increasing rate of 69.62% comparing to control Sham 5. Also, it was significantly superior in spike numbers with an increasing rate of 53.53%, 57.24% compared to both controls Sham 3 and Sham 5, respectively. Genotype W45064 was significantly superior in grain weight per spike and 1000 kernal weight compare to both controls Sham 3 and Sham 5. W 45194 was significantly superior in 1000 kernal weight comparing to control Sham 5 (36.34, 31.16 g), respectively. Furthermore, all studied traits (except spike number per plant) were more significant in Tartous compare to both Homs and Al-Swaida

Al-doped Fe2O3 as a support for molybdenum oxide methanol oxidation catalysts

We have made high surface area catalysts for the selective oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde. This is done in two ways – (i) by doping haematite with Al ions, to increase the surface area of the material, but which itself is unselective and (ii) by surface coating with Mo which induces high selectivity. Temperature programmed desorption (TPD) of methanol shows little difference in surface chemistry of the doped haematite from the undoped material, with the main products being CO2 and CO, but shifted to somewhat higher desorption temperature. However, when Mo is dosed onto the haematite surface, the chemistry changes completely to show mainly the selective product, formaldehyde, with no CO2 production, and this is little changed up to 10% Al loading. But at 15 wt% Al, the chemistry changes to indicate the presence of a strongly acidic function at the surface, with additional dimethyl ether and CO/CO2 production characteristic of the presence of alumina. Structurally, X-ray diffraction (XRD) shows little change over the range 0–20% Al doping, except for some small lattice contraction, while the surface area increases from around 20 to 100 m2 g−1. Using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) it is clear that, at 5% loading, the Al is incorporated into the Fe2O3 corundum lattice, which has the same structure as α-alumina. By 10% loading then it appears that the alumina starts to nano-crystallise within the haematite lattice into the γ form. At higher loadings, there is evidence of phase separation into separate Al-doped haematite and γ-alumina. If we add 1 monolayer equivalent of Mo to the surface there is already high selectivity to formaldehyde, but little change in structure, because that monolayer is isolated at the surface. However, when three monolayers equivalent of Mo is added, we then see aluminium molybdate type signatures in the XANES spectra at 5% Al loading and above. These appear to be in a sub-surface layer with Fe molybdate, which we interpret as due to Al substitution into ferric molybdate layers immediately beneath the topmost surface layer of molybdena. It seems like the separate γ-alumina phase is not covered by molybdena and is responsible for the appearance of the acid function products in the TPD

Influence of some chemicals and solvents on the lytic activity and the adsorption of bacteriophages on Pectobacterium carotovoroum Subsp. carotovorum

Recently, bacteriophages have been used to control hazardous bacterial soft rot disease on crops. However, agricultural plants are frequently treated with different chemicals (fertilizers, pesticides and solvents), so we assessed the effect of some commonly used chemicals and solvents on the lytic activity of tested bacteriophages and their adsorption potential. This study reports the isolation of three specific phages against the Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum DSM 30170 strain, designated as ?PC1, ?PC2 and ?PC3, then partially characterized using electron microscopy and genome size. The 3 isolated phages belong to the Myoviridae family. The results obtained were based on the plaque-forming unit observed after incubation. By increasing the chemical concentrations (from 0.1 to 0.5 mM), calcium chloride (CaCl2) and potassium chloride (KCl) showed a significant increase in the lytic activity of the phages. Copper sulphate (CuSO4) and copper chloride (CuCl2) showed a substantial decrease in the activity of ?PC3; however, such a decrease was insignificant for ?PC1 and ?PC2. By increasing the solvent concentrations (from 30 % v/v to 70 % v/v), propanol, ethanol and methanol showed a significant decrease in the count of the three isolated phages, ?PC1, ?PC2 and ?PC3, compared to the control. Chloroform was the only solvent that did not reduce the phage titer. Our findings offer significant information for developing a strategy to combat the P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum caused bacterial soft rot disease. avoiding copper compounds and alcoholic solvents such as propanol, ethanol and methanol in plots where phages are applied seems advisable

Correction: In situ spectroscopic investigations of MoOx/Fe2O3 catalysts for the selective oxidation of methanol

Correction for ‘In situ spectroscopic investigations of MoOx/Fe2O3 catalysts for the selective oxidation of methanol’ by Catherine Brookes et al., Catal. Sci. Technol., 2016, 6, 722–730.</p

Prevalence of prediabetes, diabetes, and Its associated risk factors among males in Saudi Arabia: A population-based survey

Objectives: The study aims at determining the prevalence of prediabetes and diabetes and at ascertaining some concomitant risk factorsamong males in Saudi Arabia.Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study including 381 Saudi adult males from different institutions was recruited. Odds ratios for diabetes risk and risk factors were calculated using log-binomial and multinomial logistic regression, using STATA version 12.Results: The participants included 381 diabetic males with a median age of 45 years, average body mass index of 25 ± 40 kg/m2, whereas waist circumferences ranged from 66 to 180 cm in the male study population. In addition, 27.82% had normal BMI, 32.28% were overweight, and 36.22% were obese. Around 36% had higher waist circumference, that is, \u3e102 cm. Age, BMI, marital status, and educational attainment were statistically significant predictors for prediabetes and diabetes.Conclusion: This study found that the prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes was 9.2% and 27.6%, respectively, for male Al-Kharj study population. The factors that increase the risk of diabetes and prediabetes include older age, obesity and overweight, being married, smoker, and having a civilian job and less education. All these factors were found statistically significant except smoking status and job type. In order to evaluate the causal relationship of these factors, prospective studies are required in future

In situ spectroscopic investigations of MoOx/Fe2O3 catalysts for the selective oxidation of methanol

Multicomponent oxide shell@core catalysts have been prepared, affording overlayers of MoOx on Fe2O3. This design approach allows bulk characterization techniques, such as X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (XAFS), to provide surface sensitive information. Coupling this approach with in situ methodologies provides insights during crucial catalytic processes. Calcination studies were followed by a combination of XAFS and Raman, and demonstrate that amorphous multi-layers of MoOx are first converted to MoO3 before formation of Fe2(MoO4)3. However, a single overlayer of Oh Mo units remains at the surface at all times. In situ catalysis studies during formaldehyde production identified that Mo6+ was present throughout, confirming that gas phase oxygen transfer to molybdenum is rapid under reaction conditions. Reduction studies in the presence of MeOH resulted in the formation of reduced Mo–Mo clusters with a bonding distance of 2.6 Å. It is proposed that the presence of the clusters indicates that the selective conversion of MeOH to formaldehyde requires multiple Mo sites

Tackling the Covid-19 pandemic

YesSince December 2019, a new type of coronavirus called novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV, or COVID-19) was identified in Wuhan, China and on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a global pandemic. With more than 101,797,158 confirmed cases, resulting in 3,451,354 deaths as of May 21, 2021, the world faces an unprecedented economic, social, and health impact. The clinical spectrum of COVID-19 has a wide range of manifestations, ranging from an asymptomatic state or mild respiratory symptoms to severe viral pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Several diagnostic methods are currently available for detecting the coronavirus in clinical, research, and public health laboratories. Some tests detect the infection directly by detecting the viral RNA using real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and other tests detect the infection indirectly by detecting the host antibodies. Additional techniques are using medical imaging diagnostic tools such as X-ray and computed tomography (CT). Various approaches have been employed in the development of COVID-19 therapies. Some of these approaches use drug repurposing (eg Remdesivir and Dexamethasone) and combinational therapy (eg Lopinavir/Ritonavir), whilst others aim to develop anti-viral vaccines (eg mRNA and antibody). Additionally, health experts integrate data sharing, provide with guidelines and advice to minimize the effects of the pandemic. These guidelines include wearing masks, avoiding direct contact with infectious people, respiratory and personal hygiene

Memristor Multiport Readout: A Closed-Form Solution for Sneak Paths

In this paper, we introduce for the first time, a closed-form solution for the memristor-based memory sneak paths without using any gating elements. The introduced technique fully eliminates the effect of sneak paths by reading the stored data using multiple access points and evaluating a simple addition/subtraction on the different readings. The new method requires fewer reading steps compared to previously reported techniques, and has a very small impact on the memory density. To verify the underlying theory, the proposed system is simulated using Synopsys HSPICE showing the ability to achieve a 100% sneak-path error-free memory. In addition, the effect of quantization bits on the system performance is studied. © 2014 IEEE

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Primary Care: Overview on Diagnosis and Management

Background: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a debilitating condition marked by the presence of intrusive obsessions and repetitive compulsions. The primary care setting often serves as the first line of contact for individuals grappling with mental health issues, making it a crucial frontier in the early detection and management of OCD. Therefore, the accurate diagnosis of OCD in such settings is essential for effective management. Objective: This review article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the diagnostic process for OCD, emphasizing the clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, and various diagnostic tools available. Additionally, it explores current strategies for managing OCD, including pharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions. Methodology: For this review, a comprehensive literature search was conducted using Google Scholar and PubMed databases. Keywords such as "Diagnosis," "obsessive compulsive disorder," and "management" were employed to narrow down relevant studies. Both qualitative and quantitative research papers were included, while non-English publications and those lacking peer-review were excluded. Results: Core symptoms of OCD include obsessions and compulsions, with the Y-BOCS being a standard measure for diagnosis. Differential diagnosis is essential to distinguish OCD from other conditions. SSRIs have been recognized as first-line pharmacological treatments. CBT, particularly Exposure and Response Prevention, remains a potent psychotherapeutic intervention. Emerging treatments like DBS and TMS offer hope for those unresponsive to conventional treatments. Combination therapies have shown enhanced efficacy in certain cases. Conclusion: The meticulous diagnosis of OCD requires recognizing its core symptoms, ruling out other conditions, and leveraging validated clinical tools. A multi-faceted management approach combining pharmacological and psychological treatments ensures optimal patient outcomes, with ongoing research introducing promising new interventions