Sustainable polymeric adsorbents for adsorption-based water remediation and pathogen deactivation: a review.

Water is a fundamental resource, yet various contaminants increasingly threaten its quality, necessitating effective remediation strategies. Sustainable polymeric adsorbents have emerged as promising materials in adsorption-based water remediation technologies, particularly for the removal of contaminants and deactivation of water-borne pathogens. Pathogenetic water contamination, which involves the presence of harmful bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms, poses a significant threat to public health. This review aims to analyze the unique properties of various polymeric materials, including porous aromatic frameworks, biopolymers, and molecularly imprinted polymers, and their effectiveness in water remediation applications. Key findings reveal that these adsorbents demonstrate high surface areas, tunable surface chemistries, and mechanical stability, which enhance their performance in removing contaminants such as heavy metals, organic pollutants, and emerging contaminants from water sources. Furthermore, the review identifies gaps in current research and suggests future directions, including developing multifunctional polymeric materials and integrating adsorption techniques with advanced remediation technologies. This comprehensive analysis aims to contribute to advancing next-generation water purification technologies, ensuring access to clean and safe water for future generations.

Hepatoprotective effects of vildagliptin mitigates lung biochemical and histopathological changes in experimental hepatopulmonary syndrome model in rat.

Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a liver disease-induced pulmonary complication manifested with arterial hypoxemia. Hepatic cholestasis, encountered in several clinical situations, leads to biliary cirrhosis and HPS, both of which are best reproduced by rat common bile duct ligation (CBDL). Experience from liver transplantation suggests hepatoprotective-based therapy would be most effective in HPS treatment Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) enzyme is involved in different pathogenic mechanisms of liver diseases. Vildagliptin (Vild) is a DPP-4 inhibitor which possesses favorable anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-fibrotic effects. The present work explored hepatoprotective mechanisms of Vild and their participation in its prophylactic effectiveness in HPS induced by CBDL in rats. Male Wistar rats weighing 220-280 g were allocated into 4 groups: normal control, sham, CBDL and CBDL + Vild groups. i.p. saline was administered to the first 3 groups and i.p. Vild (10 mg/kg/day) was given to the fourth group for 6 weeks starting 2 week before CBDL. CBDL produced liver fibrosis, arterial hypoxemia and decreased survivability of rats. It altered liver functions and induced oxidative stress, pro-inflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6)], vasodilatory molecules [endothelin-1 (ET-1), and inducible and endothelial nitric oxide synthases] and angiogenesis-associated protein [vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A)] in liver and lung. Vild ameliorated liver fibrosis, and improved hypoxemia and survivability of CBDL rats and reversed these biochemical alterations. Prophylactic Vild administration attenuated CBDL-induced HPS in rats via direct hepatoprotective effects in the form of anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic and anti-fibrotic effects beside inhibition of pathological intrahepatic vasodilatation.

A statistical physics-based physicochemical study of L-phenylalanine adsorption on activated carbon.

CONTEXT: In this comparative study of the adsorption of L-phenylalanine (L-Phe) on two modified low-activated carbons (ACK and ACZ) at four temperatures (293-313 K), steric and energetic characteristics of adsorption were investigated. An advanced statistical physics multilayer model involving single-layer and double-layer adsorption scenarios was developed to interpret the L-Phe adsorption phenomenon. Modeling results indicate that two and three L-Phe layers were arranged depending on the tested adsorption systems. The estimated number of L-Phe molecules per leading adsorption site varied from 1.71 to 2.09 and from 1.76 to 1.86 for systems L-Phe-ACK and L-Phe-ACZ, respectively. The results show that a multimolecular adsorption mechanism might connect this amino acid molecule on ACZ and ACK surfaces in a non-parallel location. These parameters changed as follows, according to the adsorbed quantity at saturation analysis: Qasat (L-Phe-ACK) ˃ Qasat (L-Phe-ACZ). This indicates that ACK material was more efficient and valuable for L-Phe adsorption than ACZ. It was also shown that the adsorption capacity decreases as the temperature increases, proving the exothermicity of the adsorption process. This analytical substantiation is confirmed by calculating the binding energies, suggesting the occurrence of physical bonds between L-Phe amino acid molecules and ACK/ACZ binding sites and among L-Phe-L-Phe molecules. Pore size distribution was interpreted and calculated by applying the Kelvin theory to data from single adsorption isotherms. All used temperatures depicted a distribution of pores below 2 nm. The docking analysis involving L-Phe and the ACZ and ACK adsorbents reveal a significant resemblance in how receptors detect ligands. Consequently, the findings from the docking process confirm that the calculated binding affinities fall within the spectrum of adsorption energy. METHODS: This study analyzed the adsorption capacity of the L-Phe through a model proposed by statistical physics formalism. Molecular docking was used to determine the various types of interactions between the two activated carbons. Two aspects, including orientation of L-Phe on the site, number of molecules per site n, interaction energy, density of receptor site, and adsorption capacity, were discussed to elucidate the influence of activation on the two adsorbents.

Impact of Mo+2 addition and thermal annealing on the surface morphology, electrical transport properties and Mott's parameters of WO3 films for potential photonic devices.

This work investigates the compositional dependence and thermal annealing of the morphological properties, electrical conductivity mechanisms and Mott's parameters of sprayed MoxW1-xO3 (x = 0, 0.05, 0.10 and 0,20) thin films. The prepared thin films were examined using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques. In addition, the two-point probe method was used to calculate the electrical properties of MoxW1-xO3 thin films. The FTIR results revealed that; the tungsten hydroxyl bond (W-OH) and the surface hydroxyl group vibrated within the ranges of 1558.62-1645.56 cm-1 and, 3296.76 and 3424.34 cm-1, respectively. Furthermore, a prominent band in the spectrum spanning from 850 to 650 cm-1 represents the W-O-W bridge mode. The FE-SEM investigations found that the molybdenum (Mo) dopant caused significant changes in the surface morphology of the films. The EDX results showed that the percentages of the isotropic elements MoxW1-xO3 agreed well with those obtained by atomic weight. Studies of the conduction mechanism indicate that the transition temperature was approximately 393K. Corresponding to Mott's model, the conduction mechanism below this temperature was across the variable hopping conduction band near the Fermi level. The mechanism exhibited a cycle of localised states through activated thermionic emission above 393K. Mott parameters were also estimated in addition to barrier potential energies, trapping state energies, local state densities, and other variables. The results revealed that both temperature areas had a rise in ρo and ρ1 values during and after annealing. The ΔEo and ΔE1 values in each temperature area decreased as the Mo-ion concentration increased. Furthermore, the conversion temperature gradually reduced as Mo was added. Based on these properties, the study's overall findings indicate that MoxW1-xO3 is suitable for future photonic devices and optoelectronic applications.

In vivo determination of analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of isolated compounds from Cleome amblyocarpa and molecular modelling for the top active investigated compounds.

Cleome amblyocarpa Barr. and Murb. from the family Cleomaceae is used in folk medicine as it has analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant activities. In this study, ten compounds from the whole plant of C. amblyocarpa, a wild plant that grows in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt, were isolated. Six compounds, ß-sitosterol 3-O-ß-d-glucoside 2, calycopterin 5, rhamnocitrin 6, 17α-hydroxycabraleahy-droxylactone 7, cleogynol 8, and ß-sitosterol 10 were first isolated from this species. In addition, four previously reported compounds, kaempferol-3, 7-dirhamnoside 1, 15α-acetoxycleomblynol A 3, and 11-α-acetylbrachy-carpone-22(23)-ene 4, as well as cleocarpanol 9, were isolated and identified. Isolated compounds were evaluated to determine their analgesic properties utilizing a hot-plate test method, and their anti-inflammatory effects utilizing rat paw edema. In a hot-plate test, compounds 3, 4, 7, 8, and 9 showed significant pain inhibition in latency time as compared to the normal group. Compounds 3-9 exhibited a significant inhibition of carrageenan-induced inflammation. According to the results of this work, compounds 3 and 4 (Dammarane triterpenoid) have the strongest analgesic/anti-inflammatory activity as compared to the other tested compounds. These results give support to the medicinal benefits of the plant as an analgesic along with an anti-inflammatory agent in traditional therapy. Molecular modelling studies of the isolated compounds 3 and 4 assessed the molecular affinity and binding interaction patterns for these compounds towards COX-2 as compared to specific COX-2 inhibitors and in relation to COX-1 isozyme. Compound 3 revealed extended accommodation across COX-2's hydrophobic sub-pockets and preferential thermodynamic stability across molecular dynamics simulations.

Cornulacin: a new isoflavone from Cornulaca monacantha and its isolation, structure elucidation and cytotoxicity through EGFR-mediated apoptosis.

Chemical investigation of the methanolic extract of Cornulaca monacantha (Amaranthaceae), an annual wild herb collected from North Sinai, Egypt, yielded a new isoflavone cornulacin 1 and five known compounds: N-trans-feruloyltyramine 2, N-trans-feruloyl-3'-methoxytyramine 3, N-trans-caffeoyl tyramine 4, Cannabisin F 5 and (2aS, 3aS) lyciumamide D 6. Using MTT assay, the isolated compounds were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxicity against pancreatic (Panc1) and ovarian (A2780) cancer cell lines. Compounds 1, 2, 3, and 4 exhibited promising cytotoxic activity against the tested cells, among which compound 1 (IC50 of 2.1 ± 0.21 µM) was the most active one against A2780 cells, whereas compound 2 (IC50 of 3.4 ± 0.11 µM) was the most effective compound against Panc1 cells. Accordingly, compound 1 was further investigated for its apoptotic induction in A2780 cancer cells using Annexin V/PI staining. Compound 1 significantly stimulated apoptotic ovarian A2780 cancer cells by 45.9-fold and arrested cell proliferation in the S-phase. Such activity was mediated through the upregulation of proapoptotic genes Bax; P53; and caspase 3, 8, and 9 besides the downregulation of the Bcl-2 gene, the anti-apoptotic one. Furthermore, molecular docking investigation demonstrated the strong binding affinity of compound 1 with EGFR active sites, which validated its experimental EGFR enzyme inhibition activity.

Dual SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV inhibitors from Artemisia monosperma: isolation, structure elucidation, molecular modelling studies, and in vitro activities.

The COVID-19 pandemic has spread throughout the whole globe, so it is imperative that all available resources be used to treat this scourge. In reality, the development of new pharmaceuticals has mostly benefited from natural products. The widespread medicinal usage of species in the Asteraceae family is extensively researched. In this study, compounds isolated from methanolic extract of Artemisia monosperma Delile, a wild plant whose grows in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. Three compounds, stigmasterol 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside 1, rhamnetin 3, and padmatin 6, were first isolated from this species. In addition, five previously reported compounds, arcapillin 2, jaceosidin 4, hispidulin 5, 7-O-methyleriodictyol 7, and eupatilin 8, were isolated. Applying molecular modelling simulations revealed two compounds, arcapillin 2 and rhamnetin 3 with the best docking interactions and energies within SARS-CoV-2 Mpro-binding site (-6.16, and -6.70 kcal mol-1, respectively). The top-docked compounds (2-3) were further evaluated for inhibitory concentrations (IC50), and half-maximal cytotoxicity (CC50) of both SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV. Interestingly, arcapillin showed high antiviral activity towards SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV, with IC50 values of 190.8 µg mL-1 and 16.58 µg mL-1, respectively. These findings may hold promise for further preclinical and clinical research, particularly on arcapillin itself or in collaboration with other drugs for COVID-19 treatment.

Unveiling the photocatalytic potential of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4): a state-of-the-art review.

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4)-based materials have emerged as promising photocatalysts due to their unique band structure, excellent stability, and environmental friendliness. This review provides a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the current state of research on g-C3N4-based photocatalysts. The review summarizes several strategies to improve the photocatalytic performance of pristine g-C3N4, e.g., by creating heterojunctions, doping with non-metallic and metallic materials, co-catalyst loading, tuning catalyst morphology, metal deposition, and nitrogen-defect engineering. The review also highlights the various characterization techniques employed to elucidate the structural and physicochemical features of g-C3N4-based catalysts, as well as their applications of in photocatalytic degradation and hydrogen production, emphasizing their remarkable performance in pollutants' removal and clean energy generation. Furthermore, this review article investigates the effect of operational parameters on the catalytic activity and efficiency of g-C3N4-based catalysts, shedding light on the key factors that influence their performance. The review also provides insights into the photocatalytic pathways and reaction mechanisms involving g-C3N4 based photocatalysts. The review also identifies the research gaps and challenges in the field and presents prospects for the development and utilization of g-C3N4-based photocatalysts. Overall, this comprehensive review provides valuable insights into the synthesis, characterization, applications, and prospects of g-C3N4-based photocatalysts, offering guidance for future research and technological advancements in this rapidly growing field.

Implementing constructed wetlands for nutrient reduction at watershed scale: Opportunity to link models and real-world execution.

The negative effects of nutrient pollution in streams, rivers, and downstream waterbodies remain widespread global problems. Understanding the cost-effectiveness of different strategies for mitigating nutrient pollution is critical to making informed decisions and defining expectations that best utilize limited resources, which is a research priority for the US Environmental Protection Agency. To this end, we modeled nutrient management practices including residue management, cover crops, filter strips, grassed waterways, constructed wetlands, and reducing fertilizer in the upper East Fork of the Little Miami River, an 892 km2 watershed in southwestern Ohio, United States. The watershed is 64% agriculture with 422 km2 of row crops contributing an estimated 71% of the system's nutrient load. The six practices were modeled to treat row crop area, and among them, constructed wetlands ranked highest for their low costs per kilogram of nutrient removed. To meet a 42% phosphorus (P) reduction target for row crops, the model results suggested that the runoff from 85.5% of the row crop area would need to be treated by the equivalent of 3.61 km2 of constructed wetlands at an estimated cost of US$2.4 million annually (or US$48.5 million over a 20-year life cycle). This prompted a series of projects designed to understand the feasibility (defined in terms of build, treatment, and cost potential) of retrofitting the system with the necessary extent of constructed wetlands. The practicalities of building this wetland coverage into the system, while leading to innovation in unit-level design, has highlighted the difficulty of achieving the nutrient reduction target with wetlands alone. Approximately US$1.2 million have been spent on constructing 0.032 km2 of wetlands thus far and a feasibility analysis suggests a cost of US$38 million for an additional 0.409 km2. However, the combined expenditures would only achieve an estimated 13% of the required treatment. The results highlight the potential effectiveness of innovative design strategies for nutrient reduction and the importance of considering realistic field-scale build opportunities, which include accounting for acceptance among landowners, in watershed-scale nutrient reduction simulations using constructed wetlands.

Nanomaterials-modified reverse osmosis membranes: a comprehensive review.

Because of its great efficiency and widespread application, reverse osmosis (RO) is a popular tool for water desalination and purification. However, traditional RO membranes have a short lifespan due to membrane fouling, deterioration, decreased salt rejection rate, and the low water flux with aging. As a result, membrane modification has received a lot of attention recently, with nanomaterials being extensively researched to improve membrane efficacy and lifespan. Herein, we present an in-depth analysis of recent advances of RO membranes modification utilizing nanomaterials. An overview of the various nanomaterials used for membrane modification, including metal oxides, zeolites, and carbon nanomaterials, is provided. The synthesis techniques and methods of integrating these nanomaterials into RO membranes are also discussed. The impacts of nanomaterial change on the performance of RO membranes are addressed. The underlying mechanisms responsible for RO membrane enhancements by nanomaterials, such as improved surface hydrophilicity, reduced membrane fouling via surface repulsion and anti-adhesion properties, and enhanced structural stability, are discussed. Furthermore, the review provides a critical analysis of the challenges and limitations associated with the use of nanomaterials to modify RO membranes. Overall, this review provides valuable insights into the modification of RO membranes with nanomaterials, providing a full grasp of the benefits, challenges, and future prospects of this challenging topic.

Vildagliptin ameliorates intrapulmonary vasodilatation and angiogenesis in chronic common bile duct ligation-induced hepatopulmonary syndrome in rat.

INTRODUCTION: Experimental hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is best reproduced in the rat common bile duct ligation (CBDL) model. Vildagliptin (Vild) is an anti-hyperglycemic drug that exerts beneficial anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-fibrotic effects. Therefore, the present search aimed to explore the possible effectiveness of Vild in CBDL-induced HPS model. METHODS: Four groups of male Wistar rats which weigh 220-270 g were used, including the normal control group, the sham control group, the CBDL group and CBDL+Vild group. The first three groups received i.p. saline, while the last group was treated with i.p. Vild (10 mg/kg/day) from the 15th to 28th day of the experiment. RESULTS: CBDL decreased the survivability and body weight of rats, increased diameter of the pulmonary vessels, and altered the arterial blood gases and the liver function parameters. Additionally, it increased the pulmonary expressions of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) mRNA as well as endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) proteins. The CBDL rats also exhibited elevation of the pulmonary interleukin-6 (IL-6), dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) and nitric oxide (NO) levels along with reduction of the pulmonary total anti-oxidant capacity and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) levels. Vild mitigated these alterations and improved the histopathological abnormalities caused by CBDL. CONCLUSION: Vild effectively attenuated CBDL-induced HPS through its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects along with its modulatory effects on ET-1/NOS/NO and TNF-α/IL-6/VEGF-A signaling implicated in the regulation of intrapulmonary vasodilatation and angiogenesis, respectively.

Remdesivir ameliorates ulcerative colitis-propelled cell inflammation and pyroptosis in acetic acid rats by restoring SIRT6/FoxC1 pathway.

INTRODUCTION: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a primary culprit of inflammatory bowel disease that entails prompt and effective clinical intervention. Remdesivir (RDV), a broad-spectrum antiviral nucleotide, has been found to exert anti-inflammatory effects in experimental animals. AIM: This study investigates the prospective anti-inflammatory merit of RDV on an experimental model of UC. The role of SIRT6/FoxC1 in regulating colonic cell inflammation and pyroptosis is delineated. METHOD: Rats were challenged with a single intrarectal dose of acetic acid (AA) solution (2 ml; 4 % v/v) to induce colitis. RDV (20 mg/kg, ip) and sulfasalazine (100 mg/kg, po) were administered to rats 14 days before the injection of AA. RESULTS: Administration of RDV ameliorated colonic cell injury and loss as manifested by improvement of severe colon histopathological mutilation and macroscopic damage and disease activity index scores together with restoration of normal colon weight/length ratio. In addition, RDV alleviated colonic inflammatory reactions, thereby curtailing NF-κB activation and the inflammatory cytokines, TNF-α, IL-18, and IL-1ß. Mitigation of colonic oxidative stress and apoptotic reactions were also evident in the setting of RDV treatment. Mechanistically, RDV enhanced the anti-inflammatory cascade, SIRT6/FoxC1, together with curbing the pyroptotic signal, NLRP3/cleaved caspase-1/Gasdermin D-elicited colonic inflammatory cell death. CONCLUSION: This study reveals, for the first time, the anti-inflammatory effect of RDV against experimental UC. Augmenting SIRT6/FoxC1-mediated repression of colonic inflammation and pyroptosis might advocate the colo-protective potential of RDV.

Characterization of Sesuvium sesuvioides Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and Validation of Its In Vivo Anti-hyperthyroidism Effect via Suppressing Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Markers.

Sesuvium sesuvioides was used to treat inflammation, arthritis, gout, and thyroid dysfunction. The current study evaluated the antihyperthyroidism effect of S. sesuvioides to consolidate its traditional use. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of S. sesuvioides methanol extract revealed the presence of phenolics such as gallic acid (0.73 ppm/mg), benzoic acid (11.22 ppm/mg), p-coumaric acid (3.12 ppm/mg), ferulic acid (5.47 ppm/mg), cinnamic acid (3.54 ppm/mg), and sinapic acid (3.17 ppm/mg). In vivo hyperthyroidism was induced using thyroxine in vivo, which increased T3 (triiodothyronine), T4 (tetraiodothyronine), malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels. However, it reduced thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and reduced glutathione (GSH). S. sesuvioides methanol extract alleviated thyroxine-induced intoxication in a dose-dependent manner. At a 750 mg/kg (SsCr3) dose, it reduced T3, T4, MDA, IL-6, and TNF-α by 61.23, 41.29, 45.17, 44.66, and 62.03%, respectively, and elevated TSH, SOD, and GSH by 365.52, 94.45, and 95.12%, respectively, relative to the diseased group. Further confirmation was done by histopathological examination, which showed normal thyroid histology where follicles were filled with colloids with more cytoplasmic concentrations. This activity is undoubtedly correlated to the richness of the extract by phenolic acids, as revealed by HPLC. In silico ADME/TOPKAT prediction performed on the secondary metabolites identified in S. sesuvioides methanol extract revealed acceptable pharmacodynamic, pharmacokinetic, and toxicity potential. Thus, S. sesuvioides could serve as a promising source for alleviating hyperthyroidism, which could be further incorporated into pharmaceutical preparations.

Correction: Novel sensor for the determination of CA 15-3 in serum of breast cancer patients based on Fe-gallic acid complex doped in modified cellulose polymer thin films.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/D3RA02495D.].

Correction: Highly selective optical sensor N/S-doped carbon quantum dots (CQDs) for the assessment of human chorionic gonadotropin ß-hCG in the serum of breast and prostate cancer patients.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/D3RA01570J.].

A New Saponin (Zygo-albuside D) from Zygophyllum album Roots Triggers Apoptosis in Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma (A549 Cells) through CDK-2 Inhibition.

Phytochemical study of the ethyl acetate root extract of Zygophyllum album has resulted in the isolation of a new saponin, Zygo-albuside D (1), along with two known compounds; (3-O-[ß-D-quinovopyranosyl]-quinovic acid) (2), which is first reported in the root, and catechin (3), first reported in the genus. Their chemical structures were established by NMR and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). The new saponin (1) exhibited promising cytotoxicity with IC50 values of 3.5 and 5.52 µM on A549 and PC-3 cancer cell lines, respectively, compared to doxorubicin with IC50 values of 9.44 and 11.39 µM on A549 and PC-3 cancer cell lines, respectively. While it had an IC50 value of 46.8 µM against WISH cells. Investigating apoptosis-induction, compound 1 induced total apoptotic cell death in A549 lung cancer cells by 32-fold; 21.53% compared to 0.67% in the untreated control cells. Finally, it upregulated the pro-apoptotic genes and downregulated the antiapoptotic gene using gene expression levels. Compound 1 exhibited remarkable CDK-2 target inhibition by 96.2% with an IC50 value of 117.6 nM compared to Roscovitine. The molecular docking study further confirmed the binding affinity of compound 1 as CDK2 and Bcl2 inhibitors that led to apoptosis induction in A549 cancer cells. Hence, this study highlights the importance of compound 1 in the design of a new anticancer agent with specific mechanisms.

Highly selective optical sensor N/S-doped carbon quantum dots (CQDs) for the assessment of human chorionic gonadotropin ß-hCG in the serum of breast and prostate cancer patients.

A low-cost, accurate, and highly selective method was used for the assessment of the human chorionic gonadotropin ß-hCG in the serum of breast and prostate cancer patients. This method is based on enhancing the intensity of luminescence displayed by the optical sensor N/S-doped carbon dots (CQDs) upon adding different concentrations of ß-hCG. The luminescent optical sensor was synthesized and characterized through absorption and emission and is tailored to present blue luminescence at λem = 345 nm and λex = 288 nm at pH 7.8 in DMSO. The enhancement of the luminescence intensity of the N/S-doped CQDs, especially, the characteristic band at λem = 345 nm, is typically used for determining ß-hCG in different serum samples. The dynamic range is 1.35-22.95 mU mL-1, and the limit of detection (LOD) and quantitation limit of detection (LOQ) are 0.235 and 0.670 mU mL-1, respectively. This method was practical, simple, and relatively free from interference effect. It was successfully applied to measure PCT in the samples of human serum, and from this method, we can assess some biomarkers of cancer-related diseases in human body.

Novel sensor for the determination of CA 15-3 in serum of breast cancer patients based on Fe-gallic acid complex doped in modified cellulose polymer thin films.

Fe-gallic acid MOF embedded in an epoxy methyl cellulose polymer (CMC) thin film was synthesized and characterized by different micro-analytical tools such as: FE-SEM/EDX, XPS analysis, XRD analysis, FT-IR, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Fe-gallic acid MOF doped in a stable CMC polymer thin film is used as a novel sensor to identify CA 15-3 in the sera of patients suffering breast malignancy. The presence of appropriate functional groups in aqueous CA 15-3 solutions enables it to interact with the Fe-gallic acid MOF embedded in the thin film. The Fe-gallic acid MOF was found to absorb energy at 350 nm (λex) and emits radiation at 439 nm which was specifically quenched in the presence of CA 15-3 over a working concentration range of 0.05-570 U mL-1. In contrast to other CA 15-3 detection methods which suffered from electronic noise, interference and slowness, the Fe-gallic acid MOF proved its sensitivity as an economic, stable and reliable probe for the detection and determination of CA 15-3 in patients' serum samples with a detection limit of 0.01 U mL-1 at pH 7.2.

UHPLC-QTOF-MS Metabolic Profiling of Marchantia polymorpha and Evaluation of Its Hepatoprotective Activity Using Paracetamol-Induced Liver Injury in Mice.

Marchantia species were traditionally used to treat liver failure. Marchantia polymorpha chloroform extract showed a marked hepatoprotective activity in a dose-dependent manner in paracetamol-induced extensive liver damage in mice. At a dose of 500 mg/kg (MP-500), it resulted in a reduction in aspartate transaminase by 49.44%, alanine transaminase by 44.11%, and alkaline phosphatase by 24.4% with significant elevation in total proteins by 58.69% with respect to the diseased group. It showed significant reductions in total bilirubin, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein (LDL), very LDL, total lipids, and to high density lipoprotein ratio (CH/HDL) by 53.42, 30.14, 35.02, 45.79, 34.74, 41.45, and 49.52%, respectively, together with a 37.69% increase in HDL with respect to the diseased group. It also showed an elevation of superoxide dismutase by 28.09% and in glutathione peroxidase by 81.83% in addition to the reduction of lipid peroxidation by 17.95% as compared to the paracetamol only treated group. This was further supported by histopathological examination that showed normal liver architecture and a normal sinusoidal gap. Metabolic profiling by ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer (UHPLC-QTOF/MS) led to the tentative identification of 28 compounds belonging to phenols, quinolones, phenylpropanoid, acylaminosugars, terpenoids, lipids, and fatty acids to which the activity was attributed. Four compounds were detected in the negative ionization mode which are neoacrimarine J, marchantin A, chitobiose, and phellodensin F, while the rest were detected in the positive mode. Thus, it can be concluded that this plant could serve as a valuable choice for the treatment of hepatotoxicity that further consolidated its traditional use.

Acute kidney injury in Coronavirus disease-19 related pneumonia in the intensive care unit: a retrospective multicenter study, Saudi Arabia.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) poses a significant morbidity and mortality risk to critically ill COVID-19 patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence, predictors, and outcomes of AKI in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with critically ill COVID-19 pneumonia. Methods: A multicenter retrospective study in Saudi Arabia of adult patients aged at least 18 years diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia and admitted to the intensive care unit between May 2020 and May 2021 was conducted. The occurrence of AKI and associated risk factors, the need for continous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), and the outcome were reported. Results: The study included 340 patients admitted to the ICU with COVID-19. Their mean age was 66.7±13.4 years, ranging from 49 to 84 years, and most of them were men (63.8%). The most common concomitant diseases were hypertension (71.5%), diabetes (62.4%), IHD (37.6%), CKD (20%), heart failure (19.4%), and 81.2% suffered from ARDS. AKI occurred in 60.3% of patients, 38% were stage 1, 16.6% were stage 2, and 45.4% were stage 3. Approximately, 39% of patients required CRRT, out of which 76.2% were stage 3, which was significantly higher than the other stages (p<0.001). AKI patients suffered significantly from asthma and had lower levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and higher creatinine levels than patients without AKI (p<0.05 all). The overall mortality rate was 39.4%, and the mortality rate was significantly higher in patients with AKI than in patients without AKI (48.3% versus 25.9%; p<0.001). Conclusion: AKI is common in adults admitted to the ICU with COVID-19 and is associated with an increased risk of death. Early detection of AKI and appropriate treatment can positively impact COVID-19 outcome. CRRT is the preferred dialysis method in critically ill ICU patients with AKI.