Development of an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of porcine pepsin as a milk clotting enzyme

An enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of porcine pepsin in milk‐clotting enzyme preparations has been developed. The assay is capable of detecting porcine pepsin in the range 1 μgto 1 mg ml^‐1 without enhancement or modification. The specificity of the technique was studied by inhibition assay. Slight cross‐reactions with bovine rennet and Mucor miehei rennet occurred at high concentrations (1.0 mg ml^‐1). The ELISA used in this investigation appears to provide a quick, sensitive and specific method for the detection of porcine pepsin and has potential applications in the dairy industry.     

Transcervical Foley’s catheter versus Cook balloon for cervical ripening in stillbirth with a scarred uterus: a randomized controlled trial

Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of the use of transcervical Foley’s catheter versus Cook cervical ripening balloon in pregnant women with stillbirth, unfavorable cervix and scarred uterus.

Design: Randomized controlled study.

Setting: El Minia University Hospital, El Minia, Egypt.

Patients and methods: Two-hundred pregnant women with stillbirth, unfavorable cervix and scarred uterus were recruited into this study. They were randomized into two groups. In group I (n?=?100), cervical ripening was done using Foley’s catheter. In group II (n?=?100), cervical ripening was done using Cook cervical ripening balloon.

Main outcome measures: Balloon insertion to delivery interval, successful ripening rate, cesarean delivery rate, maternal adverse events and maternal satisfaction.

Results: Time from balloon insertion to expulsion and from balloon insertion to delivery was significantly shorter in Foley’s catheter group. However, the difference between the two groups regarding time from balloon insertion to active labor, time from balloon expulsion to delivery, cervical ripening, cesarean section, instrumental delivery, pain score, need for analgesia, hospital stay and maternal satisfaction was not statistically significant.

Conclusions: Foley’s catheter and Cook cervical ripening balloon are comparable regarding efficacy and safety profile when used to ripen the cervix in pregnant women with stillbirth, unfavorable cervix and scarred uterus. However, Foley’s catheter has a shorter induction to delivery interval and is relatively cheaper device.     

Mucilage-capped silver nanoparticles for glucose electrochemical sensing and fuel cell applications

A simple, cost-effective and green mucilage-capped silver nanoparticles (Mucilage-AgNPs) modified glassy carbon electrode (GC) composite was constructed for efficient and facile electrochemical oxidation of glucose for the first time. Mucilage-AgNPs were synthesized through the direct chemical reduction of Ag⁺ by mucilage extracted from Opuntia ficus-indica. Mucilage-AgNPs were identified and characterized using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and square wave voltammetry. Modification of the GC with AgNPs was carried out via a transfer-sticking technique with an immobilization time of 1 h. The Mucilage-AgNPs/GC composite was studied as a possible anode for glucose oxidation in a biofuel cell. The composite resulted in glucose oxidation with a current density and power density of 85.7 μA cm⁻² and 25.7 μW cm⁻², respectively. Glucose sensing using the Mucilage-AgNPs/GC composite was achieved successfully via two pathways: glucose oxidation and AgNP inhibition. The glucose oxidation-based sensor showed a lower detection limit of 0.01 mM and a linear range of 0.01 to 2.2 mM. The AgNPs inhibition-based sensor provides an indirect determination pathway of glucose with a detection limit of 0.1 mM and a linear range of 0.1 to 1.9 mM. AgNP inhibition is a novel pathway that could be used for determining a large number of organic and inorganic molecules. Overall, the Mucilage-AgNPs/GC is considered a pioneering composite for glucose sensing and fuel cell applications.

A simple, cost-effective and green mucilage-capped silver nanoparticles (Mucilage-AgNPs) modified glassy carbon electrode (GC) composite was constructed for efficient and facile electrochemical oxidation of glucose for the first time.     

Design,synthesis, biological evaluations,molecular docking,and in vivo studies of novel phthalimide analogs

A series of novel phthalimide analogs containing an indole or brominated indole moiety were synthesized and their antimicrobial activity was evaluated. Compound 8 showed a broad spectrum activity, revealing 53–67% of erythromycin activity on the tested bacteria and 60–70% of miconazole activity on the tested fungi. Anticancer activity was evaluated on the cell lines HepG2, MCF‐7, A549, H1299, and Caco2. The results revealed that the new phthalimide analog 8 has broad‐spectrum anticancer activity toward all the tested cancer cell lines, followed by compound 11 , which showed good activity toward all the tested cell lines except for MCF‐7. The ability of the promising analogs 5 , 8 , and 11 to bind to topoisomerase II DNA gyrase was investigated. Caspase‐3 activation and Bcl‐2 assay of the best active derivatives 8 , 11 in addition to compound 5 were evaluated. The antifibrotic activity was studied in an in vivo model and the histopathological studies revealed that treatment with the new compound 8 improved the fibrotic liver tissues to normality.

     

Assessment of nutritional deficiency manifestations in patients with rheumatic diseases

BackgroundInflammatory diseases can interfere with adequate nutrition and even lead to a malnourished state. Nutritional deficiency manifestations may be similar to rheumatologic manifestations.Aim of the workTo assess whether malnutrition is an associated feature of rheumatic diseases (RDs).Patients and methodsA multicenter study included Egyptian patients with different RDs; nutrition measurements and common features of deficiency were assessed; general appearance, skin, hair/nail changes, spooning of nails, night blindness, mouth problems, edema, tetany, dysphagia, diarrhea, thyromegaly, loss of appetite and weight loss.ResultsThe study included 284 patients with various RDs: rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (n = 128), systemic lupus erythematosus (n = 120), Behçet’s disease (n = 17), spondyloarthritis (n = 6), systemic sclerosis (n = 5), dermatomyositis (n = 2), relapsing polychondritis (n = 2), and one patient each with familial Mediterranean fever, Gout, Still's disease and undifferentiated connective tissue disease. Muscle wasting was present in 44(15.5%) patients, spooning of nails in 26(9.2%), night blindness in 38(13.4%), glossitis in 48(16.9%), tetany in 32(11.3%) and loss of appetite in 51(18%). Although there was significant differences among RDs in some nutritional deficiency signs, the type and their durations did not significantly affect symptoms or signs of nutritional deficiency, while age was associated with peripheral edema (p = 0.014) and tetany (p = 0.009); azathioprine was associated with hair/nail changes (p = 0.04); methotrexate with peripheral edema and hair/nail changes (p = 0.002, p = 0.01 respectively); and hydroxychloroquine was negatively associated with skin rash, wasting and hair/nail changes (p = 0.011, p = 0.001 and p < 0.0001 respectively).ConclusionNutritional deficiency is common among RD patients especially elderly and should be monitored frequently regardless type and onset.     

Fabrication and Characterization of Highly Efficient As-Synthesized WO3/Graphitic-C3N4 Nanocomposite for Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Compounds

The incorporation of tungsten trioxide (WO₃) by various concentrations of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) was successfully studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), and Diffused Reflectance UV-Vis techniques were applied to investigate morphological and microstructure analysis, diffused reflectance optical properties, and photocatalysis measurements of WO₃/g-C₃N₄ photocatalyst composite organic compounds. The photocatalytic activity of incorporating WO3 into g-C₃N₄ composite organic compounds was evaluated by the photodegradation of both Methylene Blue (MB) dye and phenol under visible-light irradiation. Due to the high purity of the studied heterojunction composite series, no observed diffraction peaks appeared when incorporating WO₃ into g-C₃N₄ composite organic compounds. The particle size of the prepared composite organic compound photocatalysts revealed no evident influence through the increase in WO₃ atoms from the SEM characteristic. The direct and indirect bandgap were recorded for different mole ratios of WO₃/g-C₃N_4, and indicated no apparent impact on bandgap energy with increasing WO₃ content in the composite photocatalyst. The composite photocatalysts’ properties better understand their photocatalytic activity degradations. The pseudo-first-order reaction constants (K) can be calculated by examining the kinetic photocatalytic activity.