Assessing the effect of prophylactic ankle taping on ankle and knee biomechanics during landing tasks in healthy individuals: A cross-sectional observational study

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Current research supports the fact that prophylactic ankle taping (AT) is effective in preventing ankle injuries in amateur and elite sports athletes. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effect of AT on balance, knee valgus during drop jump and single-leg countermovement jump (SL-CMJ) landings, and ankle range of motion (ROM) restriction in healthy participants. DESIGN AND SETTING: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at the Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain. METHODS: Participants: Thirty-nine healthy individuals participated in this study and performed the movements under two conditions (with and without tape). Outcome measurements: ankle ROM, balance, SL-CMJ height, flight time, ground time, and knee valgus. Before any intervention, a random process was developed with a 1:1 allocation ratio, and the participants were assigned to groups A (tape-no tape) and B (no tape-tape). RESULTS: Significant differences between tape and no-tape moments were observed for drop jump knee valgus flexion (P = 0.007), with an increase in knee valgus in participants with ankle taping. Similarly, the Y-balance testshowed a significant decrease in all variables (P = 0.001 and), ankle dorsiflexion (P = 0.001) in participants with ankle taping. CONCLUSIONS: AT is effective for immediate ankle ROM restriction. However, an increase in knee valgus during drop jump task and a decrease in lower limb balance were observed during drop jump task. Based on these results, it can be concluded that AT application in healthy individuals should not be recommended as it results in increase in injury risk factors.

Biodegradación de polietilenglicol 400 con consorcio de Pseudomonas sp. y Rhizobium trifolii

Se evaluó la biodegradación de polietilenglicol de peso molecular 400 - PEG 400 con el consorcio Pseudomonas sp. y Rhizobium trifolii en reactores en Batch; para determinar las condiciones óptimas de operación del reactor se preparó medio con sales mínimas esenciales suplementado con peptonaCSMEP; en estos medios se estimó el comportamiento del consorcio con condiciones de temperatura entre 15-37°C, pH en un rango de 5-9 y concentración de PEG 400 del .1-2%. Con los resultados obtenidos en estos ensayos previos se ensamblaron tres reactores en Batch - BK. Se analizaron 14 muestras del contenido de cada uno de los reactores durante 20 días para medir la biodegradación del PEG 400 usando demanda química de oxígeno - DQO en sistema de digestión cerrado. Se obtuvo una disminución de hasta el 98.5% del poliéter, lo que mostró que la simbiosis fue efectiva para alcanzar una remoción importante del contaminante.

The biodegradation of polyethylene glycol of molecular weight 400 - PEG 400 was evaluated with the consortium Pseudomonas sp. and Rhizobium trifolii in Batch reactors. To determine the optimal operating conditions of the reactor, a medium with minimum essential salts supplemented with CSMEP peptone was prepared; In these media, the behavior of the consortium was estimated with temperature conditions between 15-37°C, pH in a range of 5-9 and PEG 400 concentration of .1-2%. With the results obtained in these previous tests, three Batch - BK reactors were assembled. 14 samples of the contents of each one of the reactors were analyzed during 20 days to measure the biodegradation of PEG 400 using chemical oxygen demand - COD in a closed digestion system. A decrease of up to 98.5% of the polyether was obtained, which showed that the symbiosis was effective to achieve an important removal of the contaminant.

Analysis of drying kinetic of brewer ́s spent grains: effect of the temperature on the physical properties and the content of bioactive compounds / Análisis de la cinética de secado del bagazo residual de malta: efecto de la temperatura sobre las propiedades físicas y el contenido de compuestos bioactivos

Background: Brewer ́s spent grain (BSG) is a biomass by-product generated in large volumes during industrial beer production. BSG has become a growing environmental problem, as most breweries discard it inappropriately, negatively impacting the environment. Alternatives for the exploitation of this by-product have consisted of elaborating food supplements for farm animals, obtaining biofuels, developing adsorbents, and obtaining substances for the food industry. However, the high moisture content in BSG (approximately 70%), poses a significant challenge in exploring various reuse alternatives. Therefore, the implementation of a pre-drying process becomes essential. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the BSG drying kinetics at different temperatures and the effect of the drying temperature on the physical properties and the content of bioactive compounds. Methods: BSG samples were dried at different temperatures (50, 60, 70, 80, 90, and 105°C) and analyzed for their moisture ratio, water activity, total polyphenol content (TPC), and DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil) radical scavenging activity. Also, four kinetics models were fitted to the drying data. Results:It was determined that the effective diffusivity was between 5.23x10

Antecedentes: El Bagazo residual de malta (BSG por sus siglas en inglés) es un subproducto biomásico generado en grandes volúmenes durante la producción industrial de cerveza. El BSG se ha convertido en un creciente problema para el medio ambiente, debido a que la mayoría de las cervecerías descartan inapropiadamente este residuo generando un impacto negativo al ambiente. Las alternativas para el aprovechamiento de este subproducto han consistido especialmente en la elaboración de suplementos alimenticios para animales de granja, obtención de biocombustibles, desarrollo de adsorbentes y obtención de productos para la industria alimentaria. Sin embargo, el alto contenido de humedad (~70%) del BSG representa un reto para el desarrollo de diferentes alternativas de reutilización, por lo que se hace necesario un proceso de secado previo. Objetivos: En este estudio se analizó la cinética de secado del BSG a diferentes temperaturas y el efecto de la temperatura de secado sobre sus propiedades físicas y contenido de compuestos bioactivos. Métodos: Las muestras de BSG fueron secadas a diferentes temperaturas (50, 60, 70, 80, 90 y 105°C) y analizadas en términos de razón de humedad, actividad acuosa, contenido de polifenoles totales (TPC) y actividad secuestradora del radical DPPH. Además, se ajustaron 4 modelos cinéticos a los datos de secado. Resultados: Se determinó que la difusividad efectiva del BSG varió entre 5.23x10

Formulation and evaluation of Buccal mucoadhesive tablets of diclofenac sodium using 23 factorial designs

Buccal tablets

Diclofenac sodium

Drug release

Mucoadhesion

Mucoadhesive tablets

Release kinetics

Fabrication of 1,4-alpha-D-glucan glucanohydrolase holding Gel-Scaffolds using Agar-Agar, a natural polysaccharide and Polyacrylamide, a synthetic organic polymer for continuous liquefaction of starch

1,4-alpha-D-glucan glucanohydrolase is among the most widely used commercial hydrolytic enzymes acting randomly on the glycosidic linkages of starch resulting in its saccharification and liquefaction. Its applicability in different industries can be improved by enhancing its stability and reusability. Therefore, in the present study attempts have been made to enhance the industrial applicability of 1,4-alpha-D-glucan glucanohydrolase from Bacillus subtilis KIBGE-HAR by adapting immobilization technology. The study developed mechanically stable, enzyme containing gel-frameworks using two support matrices including agar-agar, a natural polysaccharide and polyacrylamide gel, a synthetic organic polymer. These catalytic gel-scaffolds were compared with each other in terms of kinetics and stability of entrapped 1,4-α-D-glucan glucanohydrolase. In case of polyacrylamide gel, Km value for immobilized enzyme increased to 7.95 mg/mL, while immobilization in agar-agar resulted in decreased Km value i.e 0.277 mg/mL as compared to free enzyme. It was found that immobilized enzyme showed maximum activity at 70 °C in both the supports as compared to free enzyme having maximum activity at 60 °C. Immobilized 1,4-α-D-glucan glucanohydrolase exhibited no change in optimal pH 7.0 before and after entrapment in polyacrylamide gel and agar-agar. The enzyme containing gel-scaffold was found suitable for repeated batches of starch liquefaction in industrial processes. Agar-agar entrapped 1,4-α-D-glucanglucanohydrolase was capable to degrade starch up to seven repeated operational cycles whereas polyacrylamide entrapped enzyme conserved its activity up to sixth operational cycle.

New bicompartmental model: an application for the production of gases using the in vitro technique / Novo modelo bicompartimental: uma aplicação para a produção de gases pela técnica in vitro

The purpose of this study was to propose a bicompartmental nonlinear model and to identify the best-performing model between the proposed model and the bicompartmental logistic (BL) mode regarding the quality of fit to the curve of cumulative gas production (CGP) using corn silage, sunflower, and their mixtures. Gas production was measured 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 19, 24, 30, 36, 48, 72, and 96 h after beginning the in vitro fermentation process. The generated data were used to generate the parameters of each model tested using the stats package of the R computational tool version 4.0.4. The mathematical models were subjected to the following selection criteria: the adjusted coefficient of determination (Raj.), residual mean square (RMS), mean absolute deviation (MAD), and Akaike information criterion (AIC). It was demonstrated that the proposed model had better performance with a high Raj., and lower values of RMS, AIC, and MAD than the bicompartmental logistic model for the prediction of the parameters of cumulative gas production (CGP), per to present a superior fit in the set of criteria according to the methodology and conditions in which the present study was developed.(AU)

No presente trabalho, com silagem de milho, girassol e suas misturas, objetivou-se propor um modelo não linear bicompartimental e identificar entre o modelo proposto e Logístico Bicompartimental (LB), aquele que apresenta maior qualidade de ajuste à curva de cinética de produção cumulativa de gases (PCG). A leitura da produção de gás foi realizada nos tempos 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 19, 24, 30, 36, 48, 72 e 96 horas, após o início do processo de fermentação in vitro. Os dados gerados foram utilizados para geração dos parâmetros de cada modelo testado com auxílio do pacote stats da ferramenta computacional R versão 4.0.4. Os modelos matemáticos foram submetidos aos seguintes critérios de seleção o coeficiente de determinação ajustado (Raj.), quadrado médio do resíduo (QMR), desvio médio absoluto (DMA) e o critério de informação de Akaike (AIC). Foi demonstrado que o modelo proposto teve melhor desempenho com altos Raj., e menores valores de QMR, AIC e DMA, por apresentar um ajustamento superior no conjunto dos critérios em comparação com o modelo logístico bicompartimental para a predição dos parâmetros de produção cumulativa de gases (PCG) de acordo com a metodologia e condições em que foi desenvolvido o presente estudo.(AU)

Proposal of a non-linear model to adjust in vitro gas production at different incubation times

This work aims to propose a new model named Gompertz-Von Bertalanffy bicompartmental (GVB), a combination of the models Gompertz and Von Bertalanffy. The GVB models is applied to fit the kinetic curve of cumulative gas production (CGP) of four foods (SS ­ sunflower silage; CS ­ corn silage; and the mixtures 340SS ­ 660 gkg-1 of corn silage and 340 gkg-1 of sunflower silage; and 660SS ­ 340 gkg-1 of corn silage and 660 gkg-1 of sunflower silage). The GVB fit is compared to models Logistic-Von Bertalanffy bicompartmental (LVB) and bicompartmental logistic (BL). All the process studied employed the semi-automatic "in vitro" technique of producing gases used in ruminant nutrition. The gas production readout was performed at times 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 19, 24, 30, 48, 72, and 96 h. The data generated were used to estimate the models' parameters by the least squared method with the iterative Gauss-Newton process. The data fit quality of the models was verified using the adjusted coefficient of determination criterion (), mean residual square (MRS), Akaike information criterion (AIC), and mean absolute deviation (MAD). Among the analyzed models, the LVB model presented the best quality of fit evaluators for CS. In contrast, the GVB model showed better quality of fit to describe CGP over time for 340SS, 660SS, and SS, presenting the highest values of () and the lowest values of MSR, AIC, and MAD.

Establishment and application of activity determining methods for different subtypes of xanthine oxidoreductase / 药学学报

Xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR), the key enzyme catalyzing purine to produce uric acid, including two subtypes, xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) and xanthine oxidase (XO), respectively, in vivo. Usually, XDH and XO can transform to each other. In this study, based on the principle that the subtype XO or XDH uses different electron acceptors, the methods for the measuring the activities of bovine milk XOR (pure enzyme) and its subtypes were established. The optimal concentrations of substrate xanthine (50 μmol·L-1) and electron acceptor NAD+ (50 μmol·L-1), pH value (7.80) were investigated. The ranges of the XOR, XO, XDH activity which could be determined were 0.97-17.5 U·L-1, 1-9 U·L-1, and 66-1 191 mU·L-1, respectively. Furthermore, the methods for determining the activities of XOR and its subtypes in mouse liver were established. The preparation of liver samples, the optimal concentrations of xanthine (100 μmol·L-1) and NAD+ (100 μmol·L-1) were researched. And the activity ranges of XOR, XO and XDH in mouse liver which could be determined were 0.67-3.98, 0.19-1.08, and 0.52-3.55 U·gprot-1, respectively. With the methods above, the effects of classic XOR inhibitor allopurinal (Allo) on XOR, XO and XDH from both milk and mouse liver were determined. All animal experiments have been approved by the Animal Experimental Center, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College (00003346). This study established new methods for the determination of XOR and its subtypes activity in pure enzyme system and in mouse liver, respectively, which were accurate and convenient. It laid the experimental foundation for exploring the different pathophysiological effects of XOR in the body and developing new XOR inhibitors.

Inhibition of total flavonoids from Abelmoschus Manihot on cytochrome P450 / 中国药科大学学报

@#To investigate the influential mechanism of total flavonoids from Abelmoschus Manihot (HKZ) on cytochrome P450 (CYP450) isoforms in human liver microsomes and to verify its effect on the most significantly inhibited subtype CYP2C9 in rats.The inhibitory effects of HKZ on human CYP3A4, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2E1, CYP1A2 and CYP2D6 were evaluated through the cocktail method using ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, then its inhibitory mechanism was investigated and kinetic parameters of enzyme inhibition were calculated By comparing the pharmacokinetic behaviors of tolbutamide after single or multiple administration of 200 mg/kg HKZ and equal dose of CMC-Na in rats, the effects of HKZ on CYP2C11 enzyme (CYP2C9 isoenzyme) was estimated.The results indicated the significant inhibitory effect of HKZ on CYP2C9 and CYP2E1 with IC50 of 3.22 and 8.64 μg/mL, respectively. Also, it showed certain inhibitory ability on other isoforms with IC50 of 20-30 μg/mL.As demonstrated, HKZ may not be a time-dependent inhibitor which competitively inhibited CYP2E1 and CYP2C9 with Ki of 3.84 and 6.33 μg/mL.In contrast, it showed noncompetitive inhibition on CYP3A4 mediated testosterone-6β-hydroxylation and midazolam-4-hydroxylation reaction with Ki of 7.37 and 3.32 μg/mL.It was also a noncompetitive inhibitor of CYP1A2, CYP2D6 and CYPC219 with Ki values of 8.66, 11.49 and 21.94 μg/mL. HKZ did not change the pharmacokinetic parameters of CYP2C11 probe substrate tolbutamide in rat, but it affected the AUC0-t, cmax of 4-hydroxytolubutamide (P < 0.05). Therefore, drug-drug interaction mediated by CYP450 should be considered in clinical study.

Content determination of 5-HMF in glucosamine hydrochloride tablets and formation kinetics study / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To establish the method for the content determination of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural （5-HMF） in glucosamine hydrochloride tablets， and to analyze its regularity and influential factors. METHODS Quantitative analysis of 5-HMF was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography. The analysis was conducted on Shim-pack GIST C18-AQ column with mobile phase consisted of 0.1% phosphoric acid solution-methanol （90∶10， V/V） at the flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The column temperature was 30 ℃， and detection wavelength was 284 nm. The injection volume was 20 μL. Reaction kinetics test of different temperatures was adopted to analyze the relationship of 5-HMF content with reaction temperature and reaction time， and utilized to build its formation kinetic model. RESULTS The linger range of 5-HMF was 0.057-5.698 μg/mL （r＝0.999 9）. The limits of detection and quantitation were 5.70 and 17.09 ng/mL； RSDs of precision， repeatability and stability （24 h） tests were all lower than 1.0% （n＝6）. The average recoveries ranged from 99.38% to 99.73%（RSD＝0.53%， n＝9）. The contents of the 5-HMF in 8 batches of samples ranged 4.10-35.13 μg/g. Results of data fitting in reaction kinetics test showed that the higher reaction temperature and the longer reaction time， the higher 5-HMF content in the sample. At 50， 60， 70 and 80 ℃ ， the relationship between the content of 5-HMF and the reaction time was linear， in accordance with a zero-order kinetic model. The reaction rate constants were 6.789， 7.715， 8.815 and 11.430， respectively. CONCLUSIONS The established method has strong specificity， high sensitivity， and good accuracy； the reaction temperature and reaction time are important influential factors for the formation of 5-HMF in glucosamine hydrochloride tables. The change rule of its content conforms to the zero-order kinetic model.

Effect of smoking habit on cardiopulmonary function in patients with myocardial infarction -A study based on cardiopulmonary exercise testing- / 体力科学

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between smoking and cardiopulmonary function, and the effect of smoking habit on exercise tolerance after discharge from the hospital, focusing on CPX test data of patients hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction, and on CPX test data at 6 months after discharge. A total of 123 male patients hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction between April 2014 and December 2020 were included. Laboratory and CPX data were compared between smokers and non-smokers. CPX data of smokers, ex-smokers and non-smokers were also compared in 24 patients who underwent CPX examination 6 months after discharge. HDL-C was significantly decreased (p < 0.05) and τON was significantly prolonged (p < 0.05) during hospitalization in smokers. τON was significantly shorter only in ex-smokers (p < 0.05) 6 months after discharge compared to during hospitalization. These results suggest that τON, which reflects the oxygen uptake kinetics of peripheral tissues, is shortened by smoking cessation.

The UGT74L2 of Andrographis paniculata catalyzes phloretin to produce trilobatin and its enzymatic study / 药学学报

The last essential enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway of trilobatin, phloretin-4'-O glycosyltransferase (P4'-OGT), catalyzes the conversion of trilobatin to phloretin in vitro. However, only a few P4'-OGTs have been found in plants. This study used Malus domestica phloretin-4'-O glycosyltransferase (MdPh-4'-OGT) as a query to identify and clone two UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) genes, designated UGT74L2 and UGT74L3, from the transcriptome of Andrographis paniculata. According to a phylogenetic tree analysis, UGT74L2 and UGT74L3 belonged to the UGT74 family, which has been linked to several activities in other species. The in vitro enzymatic reaction demonstrated that UGT74L2 could particularly catalyze the formation of trilobatin from phloretin, but UGT74L3 had no effects. By using Ni-NTA affinity chromatography to extract the soluble UGT74L2 recombinant protein, the enzymatic kinetics of the activity was investigated using phloretin as the substrate. The results showed that the optimal temperature and pH for UGT74L2 enzymatic reaction were 40 ℃ and 8.0 (Tris-HCl system), respectively. Three metal ions (Ca2+, Mn2+ and Co2+) showed inhibitory effect on the activity of UGT74L2, while Mg2+ could improve the activity of UGT74L2. Other tested metal ions have no significant effect on UGT74L2. The results of enzymatic kinetic parameters that the Km value was 29.84 μmol·L-1, the kcat was 0.02 s-1, and the kcat·Km-1 was 572.6 mol-1·s-1. By homology modeling, molecular docking and mutation experiments, we found that multiple amino acids residues around the substrate binding pocket play quite an important role during catalytic process, In summary, we identified a novel P4'-OGT gene from medicinal plant Andrographis paniculata and provided a new efficient catalyst to synthesize trilobatin. Meanwhile, this study provides a reference for mining new efficient glycosylation modules from plants.

Muscular strength training impacts in young athletes / Impactos do treinamento de força muscular em jovens atletas / Impactos del entrenamiento de la fuerza muscular en jóvenes atletas

ABSTRACT Introduction: Muscle strength is directly related to its cross-sectional area and the volume of its fibers, but there is no absolute linear relationship between hypertrophy and improvement in athletic performance. Under this complex perspective, muscle training strategies have been implemented to promote relevant muscle strength and improve overall athletic ability. Objective: Explore the impacts of muscle strength training on young athletes based on sport kinetic principles. Methods: we adopted the method of intragroup statistical comparison with body indexes of 10 volunteers undergoing muscle training focused on the core and lower limb set. Results: Muscle strength gain was effectively verified via electromyogram, and the test of athletic skills showed an evolution in jumping, balance, and reduction of wrong passes. Conclusion: Evidence-based muscle training can increase muscle strength and promote sports skill gain in young athletes. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment results.

RESUMO Introdução: A força muscular está ligada diretamente à área de sua seção transversal e ao volume de suas fibras, porém não há relação linear absoluta entre hipertrofia e melhora no desempenho atlético. Sob essa complexa perspectiva, estratégias de treinamento muscular vêm sendo implementadas para promover a força muscular relevante, no intuito de promover a melhora da capacidade atlética geral. Objetivo: Explorar os impactos do treinamento de força muscular nos jovens atletas baseado nos princípios cinéticos do esporte. Métodos: adotou-se o método de comparação estatística intragrupo com índices corporais de 10 voluntários submetidos ao treinamento muscular focado no conjunto do core e membros inferiores. Resultados: O ganho de força muscular foi efetivamente constatado via eletromiograma e o teste das habilidades atléticas demonstrou uma evolução no salto, equilíbrio e redução de passes errados. Conclusão: O treinamento muscular baseado em evidências consegue aumentar a força muscular e promover o ganho de habilidade esportiva nos jovens atletas. Nível de evidência II; Estudos terapêuticos - investigação dos resultados do tratamento.

RESUMEN Introducción: La fuerza muscular está directamente relacionada con su área transversal y con el volumen de sus fibras, pero no existe una relación lineal absoluta entre la hipertrofia y la mejora del rendimiento deportivo. Bajo esta compleja perspectiva, se han implementado estrategias de entrenamiento muscular para promover la fuerza muscular pertinente, con el fin de promover la mejora de la capacidad atlética general. Objetivo: Explorar los impactos del entrenamiento de la fuerza muscular en jóvenes atletas basándose en los principios de la cinética deportiva. Métodos: se adoptó el método de comparación estadística intragrupo con los índices corporales de 10 voluntarios sometidos a un entrenamiento muscular centrado en todo el núcleo y las extremidades inferiores. Resultados: La ganancia de fuerza muscular se verificó eficazmente a través del electromiograma y la prueba de habilidades atléticas mostró una evolución en los saltos, el equilibrio y la reducción de los pases erróneos. Conclusión: El entrenamiento muscular basado en la evidencia puede aumentar la fuerza muscular y promover la ganancia de habilidades deportivas en los atletas jóvenes. Nivel de evidencia II; Estudios terapéuticos - investigación de los resultados del tratamiento.

Synthesis of iron nanoparticles, its characterization and anti-microbial activity assessment

We report the efficacy of the Iron nanoparticles (IONPs) and assessed two different approaches for the synthesis of IONPs i.e. Polyol and co-precipitation method and further, evaluate their antimicrobial properties. Ferrous sulphate heptahydrate salts were reduced with ethylene glycol to obtain IONP and Fe+2 and Fe+3 co-precipitation reaction was performed with KOH at optimum heating. Further, synthesized (IONPs) were characterized by hydrodynamic radii measurement done by DLS clearly indicating the size of IONPs is 79.75nm in polyol based and 135.1 nm in co-precipitation method. The biological efficacy in terms of antimicrobial activity was assessed by the Kirby Bauer method, applied for both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, respectively. The ZOI values i.e. Zone of inhibition diameter was found to be clearly visible in both S. aureus and E. coli, indicating bactericidal activity. Further growth kinetics studies and bacterial genotoxicity was also assessed. Hence, IONPs synthesized are proposed to have great potential as an antibacterial agent and can be used in drug delivery.

Decolorization of anthraquinone-based dye (Vat Brown R) by Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCH - Optimization and kinetic study

The objective of this research work is related to the fact that the source of isolation and acclimatization process influences the microorganism’s potential for the decolorization of various substances. Some of the widely used anthraquinone vat dyes decolorization by the pure bacterial strain is a significant aspect that will assist in the in-situ bioremediation of the ecosystem.The present study is to evaluate the enhanced decolorization of Vat Brown R by an isolated bacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCH, from textile dye wastewater under aerobic conditions. The effect of pH, temperature, and inoculum size was optimized using response surface methodology with the box-behnken experimental design. The strain NCH showed maximum decolorization efficacy under optimum conditions at pH9.76, temperature 34.69?C, and an inoculum size of 9.51% (v/v), respectively. A decolorization of 90.34% was observed with 100 mg L?1of Vat Brown R within 18h under these conditions. Confirmatory experiments have verified the optimum combination of the three variables predicted by RSM. Kinetics study was carried out using various approaches: Michaelis-Menten (Vmax = 29.1 mg L?1 h?1 and Km = 25.2 mg L?1), Lineweaver-Burk (Vmax = 30.12 mg L?1 h?1 and Km = 26.91 mg L?1), and Eadie-hofstee model (Vmax = 30.23 mg L?1h?1and Km = 27.29 mg L?1), and the results showed that the degradation followed a first-order reaction kinetics. The subsequent degradation of the dye and the formation of metabolites were studied using analytical techniques such as UV-vis spectroscopy and FT-IR analysis. UV-vis spectroscopy validated the detoxification of the dye and confirmed that Pseudomonas sp. NCH overcomes this decolorizing activity through biodegradation. This study investigated the highest decolorization efficiency of strain NCHused in the biodegradation of wastewaters containing anthraquinone dyes.

Hibiscus tiliaceus mediated phytochemical reduction of zinc oxide nanoparticles and emonstration of their antibacterial, anticancer, and dye degradation capabilities

The present research focused on the green, non-toxic, low-cost synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using aqueous extract of Hibiscus tiliaceus leaves as a reducing and stabilizing agent. Thus, synthesized ZnO NPs were characterized by nanotechnological applications, i.e., ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The nanotechnological applications showed that as-synthesized ZnO NPs have bandgap energy of 2.97 eV, zeta potential of ?1.2 mV, crystalline in nature (JCPDS data card no-89-1397), and an average size of 30 to 60 nm. The FTIR showed that ZnO NPs have coated with plant secondary metabolites and assisted in the process of green synthesis. The ZnO NPs exhibited broad-spectrum antibacterial activity on Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The ZnO NPs showed potential anticancer activity against human breast cancer cells MCF-7 and determined the IC50 value as 65.83 ± 2.57 µg/mL by MTT assay. Furthermore, ZnO NPs were used as nano-catalyst for dye degradation of methylene blue, methyl orange, and malachite green with NABH4 as a reducing agent. The ZnO NPs exhibited potent dye degradation capability and followed pseudo-first order kinetics. The study concluded that ZnO NPs could be highly useful as anticancer and antibacterial agents in the biomedical field, and as an environmental cleaning agent for dye degradation in textile industries.

Evaluation of trans-cinnamaldehyde as an anti-hyperglycemic compound through inhibition of ?- amylase

The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) derive bioactive compound viz.trans-cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl alcohol, and cinnamic acid on inhibition of Bacillus licheniformis ?-amylase (BLA) and pancreatic porcine ?-amylase (PPA) activity. The inhibition extent of each of the compounds was determined along with their inhibition kinetics and compared with standard inhibitor-acarbose (Synthetic anti-diabetic agent). The IC50 values for trans-cinnamaldehyde with respect to BLA and PPAwere observed to 5.38 ?g mL?1 and 3.76 ?g mL?1, respectively. The IC50 value of acarbose was estimated to be 6.2 ?g mL?1 for both the amylases. The maximum percent enzyme inhibition of 75.8 (at 10.75 µg mL?1) and 71.6 (5.38 µg mL?1) were observed in case of BLA and PPA, respectively, using trans-cinnamaldehyde. Cinnamyl alcohol and cinnamic acid on the other hand were observed to show no specific inhibitory effect on the both the ?-amylases even at high concentrations. Catalytic efficiency (Vmax/Km) of both the amylases was observed to decrease significantly in presence of trans-cinnamaldehyde compared to acarbose. Overall, trans-cinnamaldehyde was observed as a better inhibitor of ?-amylase compared to known synthetic inhibitor-acarbose. Thus, trans-cinnamaldehyde could effectively be used for controlling hyperglycemia and diabetes mellitus.

Respuesta humoral y persistencia de anticuerpos anti-SARS-CoV-2 en pacientes hospitalizados / SARS-CoV-2 antibodies kinetics in hospitalized patients

Resumen Luego de la infección por SARS-CoV-2 se producen anticuerpos específicos y continúa siendo objeto de estudio su cinética, cuantificación y umbral protector. Nuestro objetivo fue estudiar la cinética de aparición de anticuerpos IgG/IgM anti SARS-CoV-2, magnitud de respuesta y duración en el tiempo, en 55 pacientes hospitalizados por COVID-19, y relacionar el patrón de respuesta con diferentes parámetros demográ ficos y clínicos. Medidas con un ensayo cualitativo automatizado, VIDAS® SARS-Cov-2 (Biomerieux - ELFA) se evaluaron las variaciones en la concentración de anticuerpos a lo largo del tiempo con un modelo generalizado de efectos fijos. Todos los pacientes seroconvirtieron IgM e IgG, al día 10 y 10.5 respectivamente, patrón sincrónico mayoritario; no siendo de utilidad la IgM aislada como indicador de respuesta aguda. La sensibilidad clínica fue: semana 1, 30%, semanas 2 y 3, 72%, 4: 91% y 8: 96%. IgG permaneció detectable hasta los 6 meses (período de seguimiento) con gran heterogeneidad de magnitud; IgM negativizó en el 90.9% de los pacientes. Observamos un nivel mayor de IgM en los pacientes > 56 años, y en hombres respecto a mujeres. En pacientes con enfer medad pulmonar obstructiva crónica la respuesta de IgM está aumentada; los inmunocomprometidos y aquellos con enfermedad pulmonar intersticial difusa tuvieron menor IgM e IgG respectivamente. De nuestro grupo de pacientes, aquellos que requirieron cuidados críticos, asistencia respiratoria mecánica y los que fallecieron no presentaron diferencias significativas en magnitud de respuesta humoral respecto de quienes tuvieron un curso menos grave. La metodología utilizada refleja adecuadamente la cinética de anticuerpos.

Abstract Specific antibodies are produced after infection by SARS-CoV2. Currently, the understanding of antibody responses following infection with SARS-CoV-2 is limited including the magnitude, duration of responses and correlates of protective immunity following infection. Here we intended to characterize humoral immune response in a cohort of 55 hospitalized patients for COVID-19 and its relationship with different demographic and clinical parameters. The ELFA assay VIDAS® SARS-Cov-2 (Biomerieux) measured IgG/IgM antibodies. Their concentration over time was evaluated with a fixed effects generalized linear model. All patients seroconverted IgM and IgG, at day 10 and 10.5 respectively, showing a majority synchronous pattern; IgM alone would not be useful as a marker of acute response. Clini cal sensitivity was: week 1, 30%, weeks 2 and 3, 72%, 4: 91% and 8: 96%. IgG seropositivity was sustained in patients up to 180 days (last time point measured), in contrast, IgM response was short-lived (91days) in 90.9% of patients. Longer term follow-up is needed to determine the duration of IgG responses. We observed a higher level of IgM in patients > 56 years, and in men compared to women. In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients, the IgM response is increased, while in immunocompromised and interstitial lung disease patients, IgM and IgG were lower, respectively. Those patients who required critical care, mechanical ventilation and those who died did not present significant differences in the magnitude of humoral response compared to those who had a less severe course. The methodology used adequately reflects the kinetics of antibodies.

Quality Control Study of Different Products from Famotidine Tablets in the Iraqi Market / Estudio de Control de Calidad de Diferentes Productos de Tabletas de Famotidina en el Mercado Iraquí

Background: In developing countries, particularly in Iraq, the use of generic medicines has been increasing in recent years, primarily as a cost-saving measure in healthcare provision. In the Iraqi market, famotidine tablets are available from different pharmaceutical companies. As a result, regular pre-marketing quality testing is required to check the quality and identify which product might safely substitute the innovator product in the event of the innovator brand's unavailability or high cost. Objective: various quality control tests have been conducted to determine the Pharmaceutical Equivalence of the different generic and brands of Famotidine film-coated tablets marketed in Iraq. Materials and Methods: Four different samples of the most commonly available Famotidine 20 mg tablets in the Iraqi market were tested for drug contents, friability, and hardness. Additionally, the in-vitro drug release and kinetics were evaluated. Results: slight differences in the products' content were found; however, they were within the acceptable requirement of British Pharmacopeia (BP) and The United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) 30, NF 25. Similarly, the friability and hardness were within the excellent range according to the B.P. and USP. The results of our study indicated that the tested brand (Famodin) and the three generic products (Famosam, Ulceran, and Famodar) of Famotidine tablets have a unique pattern of in-vitro release profiles. However, all the tested brands and generic pills complied with the USP specifications for the immediate release dosage forms except for Famosam. Release kinetic for the four tested products indicates first-order kinetic models. Conclusion: The findings revealed that nearly all of the tested Famotidine tablet brands and generics met the pharmacopeial requirements for oral tablets. As a result, if acquiring the innovative brand of famotidine tablets is difficult to obtain, healthcare providers may be advised to use the tested products instead

Antecedentes: En los países en vías de desarrollo, especialmente en Irak, el uso de medicamentos genéricos ha aumentado en los últimos años, principalmente como medida de ahorro en la prestación de servicios sanitarios. En el mercado iraquí, los comprimidos de famotidina están disponibles en diferentes empresas farmacéuticas. Por ello, es necesario realizar periódicamente pruebas de calidad previas a la comercialización para comprobar la calidad e identificar qué producto podría sustituir con seguridad al producto innovador en caso de que éste no esté disponible o tenga un coste elevado. Objetivo: se han realizado varias pruebas de control de calidad para determinar la Equivalencia Farmacéutica de los diferentes genéricos y marcas de Famotidina comprimidos recubiertos con película comercializados en Irak. Materiales y métodos: Se analizaron cuatro muestras diferentes de los comprimidos de 20 mg de Famotidina más comunes en el mercado iraquí para determinar el contenido de fármaco, la friabilidad y la dureza. Además, se evaluó la liberación in-vitro del fármaco y su cinética. Resultados: Se encontraron ligeras diferencias en el contenido de los productos; sin embargo, estaban dentro de los requisitos aceptables de B.P. y de la Farmacopea de Estados Unidos (USP) 30, NF 25. Así mismo, la friabilidad y la dureza estaban dentro del rango excelente según la B.P. y la USP. Los resultados de nuestro estudio indicaron que la marca probada (Famodin) y los tres productos genéricos (Famosam, Ulceran y Famodar) de comprimidos de famotidina tienen un patrón único de perfiles de liberación in-vitro. Sin embargo, todas las marcas y los comprimidos genéricos probados cumplieron con las especificaciones de la USP para las formas farmacéuticas de liberación inmediata, excepto Famosam. La cinética de liberación de los cuatro productos probados indica modelos cinéticos de primer orden. Conclusiones: Los resultados revelaron que casi todas las marcas y genéricos de comprimidos de Famotidina probados cumplían los requisitos farmacopeicos para los comprimidos orales. En consecuencia, si resulta difícil adquirir la marca innovadora de comprimidos de famotidina, se puede aconsejar a los profesionales sanitarios que utilicen los productos probados en su lugar

Desenvolvimento de bebidas lácteas probióticas adicionadas de polpa de morango e suplementadas com L-triptofano elaboradas a partir de leite bubalino e bovino / Development of probiotic dairy beverages with strawberry pulp and supplemented with L-tryptophan from buffalo and bovine milk

O objetivo deste estudo foi desenvolver uma formulação de bebida láctea bubalina probiótica adicionada de polpa de morango, comparando os efeitos do uso do leite de búfala e de vaca na elaboração dos produtos e verificando a possibilidade de suplementação com triptofano nos produtos lácteos probióticos. Como primeira etapa do trabalho, bebidas lácteas probióticas foram elaboradas a partir de leite bubalino e bovino, fermentadas com Streptococcus thermophilus TA040, Lactobacillus bulgaricus LB340 e Lactobacillus acidophilus La5, e formuladas com 0, 25 e 50% de soro em sua formulação. As bebidas foram avaliadas quanto à cinética de fermentação das culturas láticas utilizadas, ao teor de proteína, gordura e sólidos totais não gordurosos, pós-acidificação, viabilidade das culturas fermentadoras e sua capacidade de sobrevivência ao estresse gastrointestinal in vitro. As bebidas lácteas bubalinas apresentaram resultados superiores as bebidas bovinas. O uso do leite de búfala na elaboração das bebidas lácteas promoveu benefícios quanto as culturas láticas presentes nos produtos, exercendo efeito protetivo e influindo na preservação da viabilidade das bactérias ao longo do armazenamento refrigerado e durante a simulação do estresse gastrointestinal in vitro. As bebidas lácteas elaboradas com 25% apresentaram os resultados mais próximos aos obtidos pelos produtos controle, sem adição de soro, sendo selecionadas para a segunda parte do estudo. Nesta etapa, as formulações de bebida láctea com 25% de soro, foram acrescidas de um preparado com polpa de morango e bebidas sem adição da fruta, utilizadas como controle. As bebidas lácteas bubalinas frutadas, apresentaram menor teor de gordura e melhores características reológicas, com maior viscosidade e consistência do que os produtos controle, sem afetar a pós-acidificação, o perfil de ácido graxo, assim como, a viabilidade e a resistência às condições de estresse gastrointestinal in vitro das culturas fermentadoras. A avaliação da possibilidade de suplementar lácteos probióticos com triptofano foi realizada em conjunto com a Universidade de Milão. Para isso, iogurtes probióticos receberam adição de triptofano antes ou após a fermentação, sendo avaliados com relação ao perfil de pós-acidificação, quantidade de triptofano nos produtos, número de células viáveis por plaqueamento e citometria de fluxo ao longo do armazenamento a 25° e 4°C. Complementarmente, a influência da presença do triptofano no crescimento e produção de compostos antimicrobianos pelas culturas láticas, também foi avaliada. A adição de triptofano após a fermentação dos iogurtes, que foram armazenados sob refrigeração (4°C), além de não afetar a pós-acidificação dos produtos, apresentou benefícios quanto a viabilidade L. acidophilus, redução do dano e aumento do número de células vivas, promovendo teor maior do aminoácido nos iogurtes. A presença do triptofano nos meios de cultivo, também influenciou de forma positiva o crescimento de S. thermophilus e L. acidophilus, melhorando o desenvolvimento das bactérias durante a fermentação e influindo em uma maior atividade antilistérica por parte do S. thermophilus. Diante da influência positiva da aplicação do leite de búfala na elaboração das bebidas lácteas, assim como, a adição do triptofano em iogurtes probióticos, a suplementação do aminoácido em bebidas lácteas bubalinas frutadas permitiria a obtenção de um produto funcional, onde seus benefícios estariam relacionados tanto ao consumo do probiótico presente no produto quanto a complementação de triptofano na dieta do consumidor

The aim of this study was to develop a formulation of probiotic buffalo dairy beverage added with strawberry pulp, comparing the effects of using buffalo and cow's milk in the preparation of products and verifying the possibility of tryptophan supplementation in probiotic dairy products. As a first stage of the work, probiotic dairy beverages were made from buffalo and bovine milk, fermented with Streptococcus thermophiles TA040, Lactobacillus bulgaricus LB340 and Lactobacillus acidophilus La5, and formulated with 0, 25 and 50% whey in their formulation. The beverages were evaluated for the fermentation kinetics of the used lactic cultures, the levels of protein, fat and total no fat solids, post-acidification, fermenting cultures viability and their ability to survive gastrointestinal stress in vitro. Buffalo milk use in dairy beverages production promoted benefits regarding the lactic cultures present in the products, exerting a protective effect and influencing the viability preservation of bacteria during the cold storage and simulation of gastrointestinal stress in vitro. Dairy beverages made with 25% whey addition showed results similar to those obtained by the control products, without whey addition, being selected for the second part of the study. In this part, the dairy beverages formulations with 25% whey, were added with a preparation were added with a strawberry pulp preparation and dairy beverages without added fruit, used as a control. Fruity bubaline dairy beverages had lower fat content and better rheological characteristics, with higher viscosity and consistency than control products, without affecting post-acidification, fatty acid profile, as well as viability and resistance to in vitro gastrointestinal condition of fermented cultures. The possibility of supplementing probiotic dairy products with tryptophan was evaluated in partnership with the University of Milan. For this, probiotic yogurts received the addition of tryptophan before or after fermentation, being evaluated in relation to the post-acidification profile, tryptophan amount in the products, viable cell number per plating and flow cytometry during storage at 25°C and 4°C. In addition, the influence of the tryptophan presence on the growth and production of antimicrobial compounds by lactic cultures was also evaluated. The addition of tryptophan after the yogurt fermentation, which were stored under refrigeration (4°C), in addition to not affecting the post-acidification of the products, showed benefits to the viability of L. acidophilus, reduced the damage and increased the number of cells promoting higher amino acid content in yogurts. Tryptophan presence in the culture media also positively influenced the growth of S. thermophiles and L. acidophilus, improving the development of bacteria during fermentation and influencing better antilisteric activity in the part of S. thermophiles. In view of the buffalo milk positive influence observed after the application in dairy beverage preparation, as well as the addition of tryptophan in probiotic yoghurts, amino acid supplementation in fruity buffalo dairy beverages would allow to obtain a functional product, where its benefits would be related both to the consumption of the probiotic present in the product as to the supplementation of tryptophan in the consumer's diet