Ameliorative Effects of Curcumin on Fibrinogen‐Like Protein‐2 Gene Expression,Some Oxido‐Inflammatory and Apoptotic Markers in a Rat Model of l‐Arginine‐Induced Acute Pancreatitis

The aim of the study was to investigate the ameliorative effects of curcumin on fibrinogen like protein‐2 (fgl‐2), some oxido‐inflammatory and apoptotic markers in rat‐induced acute pancreatitis (AP). Seventy‐five albino rats were divided into control group, l ‐arginine (l ‐Arg)‐induced AP group, curcumin pre‐treated group before AP induction, curcumin post‐treated group after AP induction, and curcumin injected group only. AP group showed severe necrotizing pancreatitis confirmed by histopathological changes and elevations in serum amylase and lipase activities, levels of epithelial neutrophil‐activating peptide 78, tissue content of protein carbonyls, levels of tumor necrosis factor α, and caspase‐3 as well as myeloperoxidase activity. Significant elevation in pancreatic fgl‐2 mRNA expression was detected in AP group. Improvement of all parameters was detected with increase of caspase‐3 in both curcumin‐treated groups that confirmed curcumin ameliorative effects against AP through induction of apoptosis and inhibition of micro‐thrombosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress.     

A short cut procedure for the design and monitoring of continuous flow sedimentation or thickening tanks

A Short cut graphical procedure has been developed analogous to stepwise for the design of continuous flow sedimentation or thickening tanks.In this technique, several computer programs have been set up in order to reduce the data input, necessary for performing all intermediate calculations by computer. The data describing the settling of particles and movement of the particle-liquid interface as a function of time and operating conditions are the only data required. The method predicts the time required to attain the prescribed underflow concentration, the rate of hindered settling subsidence, the area required for clarification, the thickener area and dimensions. The proposed method has been applied to illustrate the effect of different chemical treatment doses on a typical industrial effluent from the manufacture of starch and byproducts from American yellow corn.List of Symbols A1 cm First falling zone line intercept - A2 cm Settling zone curve intercept - A3 cm Compression zone line intercept - A4 cm Angle bisector intercept - A5 cm Tangent interception at the compression point - ACL m² Minimum clarification area - ALPHA() Angle between line 1 and line 2, radians - ATH m² Minimum thickening area - ATH1 m² Area of each individual tank - B1 cm · min^–1 First falling zone line slope - B2 Settling zone curve power - B3 cm · min^–1 Compression zone line slope - B4 cm · min^–1 Angle bisector slope - B5 cm · min^–1 Tangent slope at the compression point - BT m Approximate width of the tank - BT1 m Actual width of the tank - CC Conversion criteria - CO mg/dm³ Initial solid concentration - CU mg/dm³ Underflow solid concentration - D m Basin depth - DIAM m Diameter of circular tank - DMIN m Minimum allowable liquid depth - DT h Minimum allowable detention time - DT1 h Calculated detention time - HT cm Subsiding particle-liquid interface height - HT1 min Subsiding particle-liquid interface coordinate for line 1 and line 2 intersection - HTR cm Subsiding particle-liquid interface coordinate for compression point - L m Approximate length of the tank - L1 m Actual length of the tank - LMAX m Maximum allowable tank length - LMIN m Minimum allowable tank length - NI Number of iterations - NO Number of tanks - PI Const. - Q m³/h Wastewater flowrate - SL m³/(m² · d) Surface loading - T1 Tan() - T3 Tan (/2) - TM min Time of measuring subsiding particle-liquid interface - TM1 min Time coordinate for line 1 and line 2 intersection - TML min Lower limit of the root - TMR min Time coordinate for compression point - TMU min Upper limit of the root - TU min Time required to attain underflow concentration - ZO cm Initial height of sludge - ZU cm Settled height of sludge interface - FI m Inert depth (typically taken as 1 m)     

Approved spectrofluorimetric strategies for assurance of three modern antineoplastic drugs: tepotinib,sotorasib, and darolutamide in their dose forms and biological liquids utilizing mercurochrome

An approved, straightforward, fast, and delicate spectrofluorimetric strategy was developed for the estimation of tepotinib (TEPO), sotorasib (SOTO), and darolutamide (DARO) as new antineoplastic drugs. The spectrofluorimetric strategy was based on quantitative fluorescence quenching of MER at 538 nm after being excited at 350 nm by the addition of the cited drugs in the presence of acetate buffer (pH 3.5). The degree of fluorescence quenching was directly proportional to the concentrations of the cited drugs within the concentration range of 0.5–10.0, 0.2–10, and 0.4–10.0 μg ml⁻¹ for TEPO, SOTO, and DARO, respectively. Mean ± standard deviation (SD) were calculated for the studied drugs as follows; 99.9 ± 0.87, 99.72 ± 1.08, and 100.21 ± 1.44, for TEPO, SOTO, and DARO, respectively. Limit of detection (LOD) values were 0.16, 0.05, and 0.11 μg ml⁻¹, whereas limit of quantitation (LOQ) values were 0.5, 0.15, and 0.36 μg ml⁻¹ for TEPO, SOTO, and DARO, respectively. Statistical comparison through detailed strategies produced greater understanding and found that there were no noteworthy contrasts in exactness and exactness between strategies. The proposed strategy was used effectively to analyze the measurement of different forms of the examined drugs. Moreover, the recommended fluorimetric strategy was used for examination of TEPO, SOTO, and DARO in human plasma and urine tests.     

Biodiversity of poly-extremophilic Bacteria: Does combining the extremes of high salt, alkaline pH and elevated temperature approach a physico-chemical boundary for life?

Bacterial microorganisms that grow optimally at Na⁺ concentrations of 1.7 M, or the equivalent of 10% (w/v) NaCl, and greater are considered to be extreme halophiles. This review focuses on the correlation between the extent of alkaline pH and elevated temperature optima and the extent of salt tolerance of extremely halophilic eubacteria; the focus is on those with alkaline pH optima, above 8.5, and elevated temperature optima, above 50°C. If all three conditions are required for optimal growth, these microorganisms are termed "poly-extremophiles". However, only a very few extreme halophiles able to grow optimally under alkaline conditions as well as at elevated temperatures have been isolated so far. Therefore the question is: do the combined extreme growth conditions of the recently isolated poly-extremophiles, i.e., anaerobic halophilic alkalithermophiles, approach a physico-chemical boundary for life? These poly-extremophiles are of interest, as their adaptive mechanisms give insight into organisms' abilities to survive in environments which were previously considered prohibitive to life, as well as to possible properties of early evolutionary and extraterrestrial life forms.     

Correlation Between Dietary Zinc Intakes and Its Serum Levels with Depression Scales in Young Female Students

It has been suggested that mood disorders and depressive status may be accompanied by lowered zinc status in the body, and adequate consumption of zinc increases a general perceived well-being. The main objective of this study was to assess the correlation between serum zinc concentrations and dietary zinc intakes with depression scores in university female students. In the first phase, Beck's depression questionnaire was applied in a random sampling of 308 selected 20–25-year-old female students (one third of total students in Ahvaz Jondi-Shapour University of Medical Sciences Golestan dormitories) to assess the major depressive disorder (MDD) scales. Then, in the second phase, 23 students who identified as having moderate and severe depression were selected as the case group, and 23 healthy age matched were chosen as the controls. Each of them completed a 12-item semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire containing the main food sources of zinc in the usual dietary patterns and also a 24-h food recall questionnaire to assure the daily zinc intakes. Daily zinc intakes were obtained by multiplying each portion size by its zinc content using food tables. A 5-ml blood sample was taken for further serum zinc status using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry technique. Pearson's r was used to show the correlation between quantitative variables. Both daily zinc intake and serum zinc concentrations of MDD group were about two thirds of healthy index (p < 0.01). Depressed individuals used to eat lower servings of red meats and chicken as the main food sources of zinc in students' usual diets (p < 0.001). Consumption of other foods as the sources of zinc was not significantly different in two groups. A linear significant correlation between dietary zinc intakes and its serum levels was seen in samples (r = 0.62; p < 0.001) and MDD students (r = 0.55; p < 0.001). There was a linear inverse correlation between Beck questionnaire scores and serum zinc concentrations in all of the investigated students(r = -0.65; p < 0.001) and MDD girls (r = −0.71; p < 0.001). Beck questionnaire scores and diatary zinc intakes were also inversly correlated (r = −0.58; p < 0.001). However, no statistical correlation was seen between these two variables in MDD cases. In depressed female students, dietary zinc intake is correlated to its serum concentrations; however, the serum zinc levels are inversely correlated to depression scales. Consumption of the main dietary sources of zinc such as red meats and chicken should be encouraged in young depressed girls.     

Terpenoids in Buddleja: relevance to chemosystematics,chemical ecology and biological activity

The terpenoids reported from Buddleja species are described. The antifungal activity of chloroform extracts of B. cordata and B. davidii stembark against the soil fungi Fusarium culmorum and Sordari fimicola is reported, with buddledin A shown to be the major compound responsible. The terpenoids present support the view that the Buddlejaceae should be classified in a taxon with Scrophulariaceae rather than Loganiaceae. Ecological aspects of the terpenoids are considered in relation to insects and soil fungi and the role of terpenoids in the chemical basis of the use of Buddleja in traditional medicine is also discussed, especially with regard to their anti-inflammatory properties.     

A fallacy in phytochrome pelletability due to in vitro instability of the phytochrome-particle association

Two fractionation procedures were used to study the phenomenonof phytochrome pelletability or binding to a particulate fractionof maize coleoptiles. Using a revised procedure, we were unableto show an increase of phytochrome pelletability during darkincubation of red irradiated plant tissue, reported by Manabeand Furuya for pea seedlings (6), and the P_fr-enhanced affinityfor P_r in R/FR irradiated tissue as reported by Quail et al.(11). However, we were able to match these reported observationsusing a procedure which we have regarded as standard. In thestandard procedure, the irradiated tissue is homogenized andthe brei permitted to incubate in the dark at 0?C before fractionationby differential centrifugation prior to measurements of phytochromepelletability. In the revised procedure this incubation is eliminatedand fractionation and measurement follow directly on tissuehomogenization. A progressive decrease of particulate phytochromewas observed during dark incubation at 0?C of the brei fromred irradiated tissue, but no substantial decrease was observedduring dark incubation of the red irradiated tissue at 0?C.The decrease was not dependent on in vitro P_frP_r reversion.In the case of R/FR irradiated tissues, phytochrome pelletabilitywas found to decrease during dark incubation of both the irradiatedtissue and its brei at 0?C. With these results and a recognitionof the tendency of phytochrome to dissociate from the particulatefraction in vitro, we have thus rationalized the results ofQuail et al. (11) and Manabe and Furuya (6). (Received August 12, 1976; )