FTIR SPECTROSCOPIC TRENDS AND DNA DAMAGE IN RABBIT LENS DUE TO LONG RUN OF TAMOXIFEN TREATMENT

Objective: The aim of the present work is to evaluate the molecular structure changes of the lens of rabbits and DNA damage of epithelial cells due to tamoxifen administration. Methods: Twenty four healthy New Zealand white rabbits were divided into 2 main groups. The first group is served as control (n=12) kept untreated, second one is Tamoxifen administrative group (n=12) received orally daily dose of 15 mg/kg. Rabbits were decapitated after 2, 4, 6 and 8 mo, respectively. Using fourior transform infrared (FTIR) to study the molecular structure changes due to tamoxifen and comet assay analysis for discovering DNA damage. Results: FTIR data indicated that tamoxifen affects structural components in NHOH and fingerprint region. Increases of β-turns of the protein secondary structure while, reducing the content of both α-helix after 8 mo and Turns appeared for all periods of administrative tamoxifen were observed. On the other hand tamoxifen induced a statistically significant increase in comet assay parameters as tail moment compared to control animals that indicated DNA damage due to single or double strand break. Conclusion: Tamoxifen uses for more than 6 mo may lead to changes in the molecular structure of the lens and damage of DNA cells. An ophthalmic baseline examination prior to anti-cancer treatment may help detect any pre-existing ocular condition and lead to reduction of ocular side effects when predisposed patients are screened and examined regularly during and after chemotherapeutic therapy

The 3XMM/SDSS Stripe 82 Galaxy Cluster Survey: Cluster catalogue and discovery of two merging cluster candidates

We present a galaxy cluster survey based on XMM-Newton observations that are located in Stripe 82 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The survey covers an area of 11.25 deg$^2$. The X-ray cluster candidates were selected as serendipitously extended detected sources from the third XMM-Newton serendipitous source catalogue (3XMM-DR5). A cross-correlation of the candidate list that comprises 94 objects with recently published X-ray and optically selected cluster catalogues provided optical confirmations and redshift estimates for about half of the candidate sample. We present a catalogue of X-ray cluster candidates previously known in X-ray and/or optical bands from the matched catalogues or NED. The catalogue consists of 54 systems with redshift measurements in the range of 0.05-1.19 with a median of 0.36. Of these, 45 clusters have spectroscopic confirmations as stated in the matched catalogues. We spectroscopically confirmed another 6 clusters from the available spectroscopic redshifts in the SDSS-DR12. The cluster catalogue includes 17 newly X-ray discovered clusters, while the remainder were detected in previous XMM-Newton and/or ROSAT cluster surveys. Based on the available redshifts and fluxes given in the 3XMM-DR5 catalogue, we estimated the X-ray luminosities and masses for the cluster sample. We also present the list of the remaining X-ray cluster candidates (40 objects) that have no redshift information yet in the literature. Of these candidates, 25 sources are considered as distant cluster candidates beyond a redshift of 0.6. We also searched for galaxy cluster mergers in our cluster sample and found two strong candidates for newly discovered cluster mergers at redshifts of 0.11 and 0.26. The X-ray and optical properties of these systems are presented.Comment: 17 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in A&A, revised version after language editin

Reporting an Experience on Design and Implementation of e-Health Systems on Azure Cloud

Electronic Health (e-Health) technology has brought the world with significant transformation from traditional paper-based medical practice to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)-based systems for automatic management (storage, processing, and archiving) of information. Traditionally e-Health systems have been designed to operate within stovepipes on dedicated networks, physical computers, and locally managed software platforms that make it susceptible to many serious limitations including: 1) lack of on-demand scalability during critical situations; 2) high administrative overheads and costs; and 3) in-efficient resource utilization and energy consumption due to lack of automation. In this paper, we present an approach to migrate the ICT systems in the e-Health sector from traditional in-house Client/Server (C/S) architecture to the virtualised cloud computing environment. To this end, we developed two cloud-based e-Health applications (Medical Practice Management System and Telemedicine Practice System) for demonstrating how cloud services can be leveraged for developing and deploying such applications. The Windows Azure cloud computing platform is selected as an example public cloud platform for our study. We conducted several performance evaluation experiments to understand the Quality Service (QoS) tradeoffs of our applications under variable workload on Azure.Comment: Submitted to third IEEE International Conference on Cloud and Green Computing (CGC 2013

Anatomical Studies on the Nasal Plane of Camels Revealing Feasible Functions

The nasal plane (rhinarium) in camels is an important specialized integumentary structure, however, little is known about its structure and function. Accordingly, the first aim of this study was to describe the microscopic anatomy of the dermis. The second aim was to determine the anatomical communications of the nasal plane, in relation to the feasible functions. The microscopic study revealed a characteristic dermal structure. While, the gross anatomical study revealed important anatomical communications between the nasal plane and the vomeronasal organ openings. Together, the discussed data indicating that the nasal plane in dromedaries may play a role in delivering stimuli to the vomeronasal organ

Influence of novel techniques on solubility, mechanical properties and permeability via hot melt extrusion technology

Hot melt extrusion (HME) was evaluated as a continuous processing technology for the manufacture of solid dispersions. The aim of the current research project was to study the effect of pressurized carbon dioxide (P-CO2) on the physico-mechanical properties of three different grades of cellulose polymers, Klucel™ ELF, EF and LF hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC) resulting from hot melt extrusion techniques, and to assess the plasticization effect of P-CO2 on the tested polymers. The physico-mechanical properties as well as the tablet characteristics of the extrudates with and without injection of P-CO2 and with non-extruded polymers were examined. P-CO2 acted as plasticizer for Klucel™ LF, EF and ELF and allofor a reduction in processing temperature during the extrusion process by 20°C as compared to the processing temperature without injecting P-CO2. Furthermore, the CO2 served as a pore former and produced foam-like structure extrudates. This morphological change resulted in an increase in bulk and tap density as well as surface area and porosity. Additionally, the hardness of the tablets of the polymers with P-CO2 was increased compared to polymer processed without P-CO2 and the non-extruded polymer. Moreover, the % friability of the tablets improved using P-CO2 processed polymer. Thus good binding properties and compressibility of the extrudates were positively influenced utilizing P-CO2 processing. The interest to incorporate a model was increased to investigate the effect of pressurized carbon dioxide (P-CO2) on the physico-mechanical properties as well as the drug release behavior. Ketoprofen (KTP), used as a model drug, was incorporated with hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC) (Klucel™ ELF, EF and LF) as a polymeric carrier to produce KTP amorphous solid dispersion using HME technique. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) was used to evaluate and confirm the formulations thermal stability. Differential Scanning Calorimetery (DSC) was performed to evaluate the physical state of KTP in the extrudates. The microscopic morphology of the extrudates was changed to a foam-like structure due to expansion of the CO2 at the extrusion die. The foamy extrudates demonstrated enhanced KTP release compared to the extrudates processed without P-CO2 due to the increase in porosity and surface area of those extrudates. The moisture content of the extrudates processed with P-CO2 was slightly increased and this played a significant role in increasing KTP tablet hardness and decreasing percent friability. A concern with HME is the limitation of the drug loading due to drug-polymer miscibility. In order to solve this issue, we investigated the effect of foam like structure produced by pre P-CO2 on the drug loading and the dissolution profile of carbamazepine (CBZ) and low molecular weight hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC) matrices using HME technique. The resulted extrudates with P-CO2 injection exhibited higher surface area and porosity compared to the extrudates processed without P-CO2. Moreover, the CBZ release profile of the 20-50% drug load formulations processed with P-CO2 injection shoalmost complete drug release within 2 hours. In contrast, the drug release profiles of 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% CBZ/ Klucel™ ELF formulations processed without P-CO2 injection exhibited 90%, 86%, 80% and 73% CBZ drug release, respectively. In conclusion, HME processing assisted with P-CO2 increased the drug loading capability of CBZ in KlucelTM ELF polymeric matrix as well as optimized CBZ drug- release profiles. Drug permeability and dissolution rate are considered as key to predict the drug bioavailability. HME was used as an approach to improve solubility and permeability of the psychoactive natural product piperine. Piperine 10–40% w/w formulated in Eudragit® EPO/ Kollidon® VA 64 or Soluplus® formulation was used in this study to investigate the efficiency of various polymers to enhance the solubility and permeability of piperine via HME technique to ultimately increase its systemic absorption of the compound. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images shoabsence of crystals in 10% w/w piperine/Soluplus® indicating that piperine was dispersed in the Soluplus® polymer carrier in its amorphous form. However, crystals were evident in all other formulations with different ratios. Solubility of 10% and 20% piperine/Soluplus® was increased more than 160 and 45 folds in water, respectively. Furthermore, permeability studies using non- everted rat intestinal sac model demonstrated the enhancement in piperine absorption of the 10% w/w piperine/Soluplus® extrudates up to 158.9 ?g/5mL compared to 1.4 ?g/5mL in the case of pure piperine within 20 minutes

VOLATILE COMPONENTS OF BANANA PEELS TEA; A NEW PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCT

Banana (Musa sp.) is an important edible medicinal plant. This plant is a rich source of many important biologically active secondary metabolites. This work is performed to evaluate volatile compounds of both petroleum ether and ether extracts of banana peels tea. GC analysis of ether extract revealed that, it contained 13 volatile compounds. The most dominant compound of this extract is 17-(1,5-Dimethyl-3-phenylthiohex-4-enyl) -4,4,10,13,14-pentamethyl-2,3,4,5,6,7,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17-tetradecahydro-1-H-cyclopent(a)phenanthren-3-ol; Area % is 30.84, this compound is followed by Butylated Hydroxytoluene; Area % is 7.77. Benzene, (1-Propyloctyl)- was found to be the least available compound in this extract; Area % is 1.51. Petroleum ether extract was found to contain 20 volatile compounds. The most dominant compound in this extract is Benzene, (1-butylheptyl)-; Area % is 9.45, this compound is followed by Benzene, (1-pentylheptyl)-; Area % is 8.65. Benzene, (1-ethyloctyl)- was found to be the least available compound in this extract; Area % is 2.28

Discriminant analysis for the prediction and classification of tick-borne infections in some dairy cattle herds at Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt

This study was undertaken to use the variable loadings in linear discriminant analysis (LDA) to determine the most important predictors for the discrimination of tick-borne diseases (TBDs), particularly babesiosis and anaplasmosis and predict the group membership from the predictors. In total, 163 cattle, from different localities at Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt, were investigated in 2012 and 2013 for the presence of TBDs. All cattle were clinically examined and a clinical index score was determined for each cow. Blood samples were also collected from each animal for adopting microscopy and diagnostic laboratory methods. Out of the examined cattle, 83 animals were acutely-ill (Babesia bovis and Anaplasma marginale were identified in 11 and 10 animals, respectively), while 80 cows were apparently healthy but having previous attacks of blood parasites (23 animals harbored anaplasma marginale (asymptomatic carriers)). The remained 119 animals were negative to TBDs. Fourteen animals were not survived and 149 cases were survived. As the result of the first LDA to discriminate babesiosis, anaplasmosis and negative to TBDs, 89.0% of animals were correctly classified; 78.8% (26/33) for anaplasma, 100% (11/11) for babesia infections, 90.8% (108/119) for negative to TBDs, respectively. The important predictors for the discrimination were oculonasal discharge, bloody feces, hemoglobinuria, bloody feces and respiratory rate. On the other hand, the second LDA discrimination showed high classification accuracy of 87.1% for the discrimination of survivors and non-survivors; 89.9% (134/149) for survivors and 57.1% (8/14) for non-survivors, while the important predictors included oculonasal discharge, recumbent posture and nervous sign