Lipid nanocarriers overlaid with chitosan for brain delivery of berberine via the nasal route

This research aimed to design, optimize, and evaluate berberine-laden nanostructured lipid carriers overlaid with chitosan (BER-CTS-NLCs) for efficient brain delivery via the intranasal route. The nanostructured lipid carriers containing berberine (BER-NLCs) were formulated via hot homogenization and ultrasonication strategy and optimized for the influence of a variety of causal variables, including the amount of glycerol monostearate (solid lipid), poloxamer 407 (surfactant) concentration, and oleic acid (liquid lipid) amount, on size of the particles, entrapment, and the total drug release after 24 h. The optimal BER-NLCs formulation was then coated with chitosan. Their diameter, in vitro release, surface charge, morphology, ex vivo permeability, pH, histological, and in vivo (pharmacokinetics and brain uptake) parameters were estimated. BER-CTS-NLCs had a size of 180.9 ± 4.3 nm, sustained-release properties, positive surface charge of 36.8 mV, and augmented ex-vivo permeation via nasal mucosa. The histopathological assessment revealed that the BER-CTS-NLCs system is safe for nasal delivery. Pharmacokinetic and brain accumulation experiments showed that animals treated intranasally with BER-CTS-NLCs had substantially greater drug levels in the brain. The ratios of BER brain/blood levels at 30 min, AUCbrain/AUCblood, drug transport percentage, and drug targeting efficiency for BER-CTS-NLCs (IN) were higher compared to BER solution (IN), suggesting enhanced brain targeting. The optimized nanoparticulate system is speculated to be a successful approach for boosting the effect of BER in treating CNS diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, through intranasal therapy

Bread wheat productivity in response to Humic acid supply and supplementary irrigation mode in three northwestern coastal sites of Egypt

Drought stress is a major factor limiting wheat crop production worldwide. The application of humic acid (HA) and the selection of the appropriate genotype in the suitable site is one of the most important methods of tolerance of wheat plants to drought-stress conditions. The aim of this study was achieved using a three-way ANOVA, the stress tolerance index (STI), the Pearson correlation coefficient (rp), and principal component analysis (PCA). Three field experiments in three sites (Al-Qasr, El-Neguilla, and Abo Kwela) during the 2019/21 and 2020/21 seasons were conducted, entailing one Egyptian bread wheat variety (Sakha 94) with three HA rates (0, 30, and 60 kg ha−1) under normal and drought-stress conditions (supplemental irrigation). According to the ANOVA, the sites, supplemental irrigation, HA rates, and their first- and second-order interactions the grain yield and most traits evaluated (p ≤ 0.05 or 0.01) were significantly influenced in both seasons. Drought stress drastically reduced all traits registered in all factors studied compared with normal conditions. The wheat plants at the Al-Qasr site in both seasons showed significantly increased grain yield and most traits compared with that of the other sites under normal and drought-stress conditions. HA significantly promoted all studied traits under drought stress, and was highest when applying 60 kg HA ha−1, regardless of the site. The greatest grain yield and most traits monitored were observed in wheat plants fertilized with 60 kg HA ha−1 at the Al-Qasr site in both seasons under both conditions. Grain yield significantly (p ≤ 0.05 or 0.01) correlated with water and precipitation use efficiency as well as the most studied traits under normal and drought-stress conditions. The results of STI, rp, and PCA from the current study could be useful and could be used as a suitable method for studying drought-tolerance mechanisms to improve wheat productivity. Based on the results of statistical methods used in this study, we recommend the application of 60 kg HA ha−1 to improve wheat productivity under drought conditions along the north-western coast of Egypt

Role of multidetector computed tomography virtual cystoscopy in evaluation of urinary bladder carcinoma

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic possibilities of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) virtual cystoscopy (V.C.) in evaluation of urinary bladder carcinoma. Patients and methods: This study included 55 patients with recent initial conventional cystoscopic (C.C.) assessment (at the outpatient clinics) & revealed bladder mass including the followed up patients for U.BL. mass recurrence who were referred for CT virtual cystoscopic (V.C.) evaluation. All patients underwent conventional cystoscopy within a week after the virtual examination. The virtual image, axial 2D, and C.C. reports were compared to each other and to the obtained histopathological results. Results: Out of 93 intravesical masses depicted by C.C., 91 were depicted by V.C. (97.8%). The CT V.C. had higher sensitivity (97.8%) in comparison to that of axial 2D spiral CT (90.3%) in detection of U.BL. masses. V.C. could pass through the narrow neck diverticulae in three cases, while C.C. could not navigate through them. Conclusion: C.C. represents the gold standard for diagnosis & local management of U.BL. carcinoma. The results of V.C. & C.C. were comparable in detection, localization & morphology description of U.BL. masses. MDCT V.C. may be alternative or complementary examination where C.C. is difficult to be performed or contraindicated

In-situ transesterification reaction for biodiesel production

Biodiesel synthesis can be conducted using transesterification of triglycerides in the presence of catalyst and alcohol. The oil extraction and transesterification steps are carried out separately for the conventional biodiesel production, which can result in longer time requirement and using different operating units. An alternative to the conventional method is the in-situ transesterification process, where it combines both extraction and transesterification processes into a single-step process. Biomass feedstock is used directly in the in-situ method, which can reduce the time required to obtain biodiesel, as well as conduct both processes simultaneously. The single-step process can be integrated with other technology such as microwave irradiation to enhance biodiesel productivity. Furthermore, the in-situ transesterification process involving microalgae feedstock has started to gain attention from researchers, where microalgae biomass is utilized as a feedstock for the in-situ transesterification process without the lipid extraction step prior to the transesterification reaction. This chapter focused on the in-situ transesterification process for biodiesel production, particularly for both catalytic and non-catalytic processes, and also the application of the single-step process for biodiesel synthesis from microalgae

Toward a conceptualization of the content of psychosocial screening in living organ donors. An ethical legal psychological aspects of transplantation consensus

Across Europe, transplant centers vary in the content of the psychosocial evaluation for eligible living organ donors. To identify whether a common framework underlies this variation in this evaluation, we studied which psychosocial screening items are most commonly used and considered as most important in current psychosocial screening programs of living organ donors.Abstract BACKGROUND: Across Europe, transplant centers vary in the content of the psychosocial evaluation for eligible living organ donors. To identify whether a common framework underlies this variation in this evaluation, we studied which psychosocial screening items are most commonly used and considered as most important in current psychosocial screening programs of living organ donors. METHODS: A multivariate analytic method, concept mapping, was used to generate a visual representation of the "psychosocial" screening items of living kidney and liver donors. A list of 75 potential screening items was derived from a systematic literature review and sorted and rated for their importance and commonness by multidisciplinary affiliated health care professionals from across Europe. Results were discussed and fine-tuned during a consensus meeting. RESULTS: The analyses resulted in a 6-cluster solution. The following clusters on psychosocial screening items were identified, listed from most to least important: (1) personal resources, (2) motivation and decision making, (3) psychopathology, (4) social resources, (5) ethical and legal factors, and (6) information and risk processing. CONCLUSIONS: We provided a conceptual framework of the essential elements in psychosocial evaluation of living donors which can serve as a uniform basis for the selection of relevant psychosocial evaluation tools, which can be further tested in prospective studies