Hepatoprotective effects of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) against carbon tetrachloride induced liver injury in rats

BACKGROUND: Liver injuries induced by carbon tetrachloride are the best‐characterized system of xenobiotic‐induced hepatotoxicity and commonly used model for the screening of hepatoprotective activities of drugs. The present study evaluates the hepatoprotective activity of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.), family Elaeagnaceae, on carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)‐induced liver injury in male albino rats. The study was performed on Sprague–Dawley male albino rats weighing about 180–200 g. The animals were pretreated with three different doses of leaf extract (50, 100 and 200 mg kg^?1 body weight) for 5 days. Hepatotoxicity was induced by single oral administration of 1.5 mL CCl₄ kg^?1 body weight on the fifth day. The animals were then sacrificed and assessed for various biochemical parameters. RESULTS: Administration of CCl₄ significantly enhanced glutamate oxaloacetate transferase (GOT), glutamate pyruvate transferase (GPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bilirubin, and decreased total protein levels in the serum. Treatment with CCl₄ also significantly decreased reduced glutathione (GSH), and decreased glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activity. CCl₄ treatment also caused a significant increase in hepatic lipid peroxidation as assessed by malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the tissue. Pretreatment of leaf extract at a concentration of 100 and 200 mg kg^?1 body weight significantly (P < 0.05) protected the animals from CCl₄‐induced liver injury. The extract significantly restricted the CCl₄‐induced increase of GOT, GPT, ALP and bilirubin and better maintained protein levels in the serum. Further, it also enhanced GSH and decreased MDA levels. CONCLUSION: The results show that sea buckthorn leaf extract has significant hepatoprotective effects which might be due to its antioxidant activity and can be developed as a nutraceutical or food supplement against liver diseases. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Energy transfer in 9 amino acridine hydrochloride hydrate to acriflavin and 9 amino acridine hydrochloride hydrate–acriflavin–rhodamine B-doped PVA films

In the present study, excitation energy transfer between the dye pair 9 amino acridine hydrochloride hydrate (9AAHH)–acriflavin and the ternary 9AAHH–acriflavin–rhodamine B (RB) dye system doped in poly-vinyl alcohol (PVA) films was investigated at room temperature. For 9AAHH–acriflavin dye pair, the energy transfer parameters, viz overlap integral Ω_DA and critical transfer distance R _OA, equalling 1.4×10^?13 l cm³ mol^?1 and 45.23 Å, respectively, have been obtained. Energy transfer from 9AAHH to RB via acriflavin has also been investigated. These two and three dyes doped transparent polymer films of PVA can be used as efficient materials in luminescent solar collectors.     

Design of band-notched antenna with DG-CEBG

Ultra-wideband (UWB) disc monopole antenna with crescent shaped slot for double band-notched features is presented. Planned antenna discards worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) band (3.3–3.6 GHz) and wireless local area network (WLAN) band (5–6 GHz). Defected ground compact electromagnetic band gap (DG-CEBG) designs are used to accomplish band notches in WiMAX and WLAN bands. Defected ground planes are utilised to achieve compactness in electromagnetic band gap (EBG) structures. The proposed WiMAX and WLAN DG-CEBG designs show a compactness of around 46% and 50%, respectively, over mushroom EBG structures. Parametric analyses of DG-CEBG design factors are carried out to control the notched frequencies. Stepwise notch transition from upper to lower frequencies is presented with incremental inductance augmentation. The proposed antenna is made-up on low-cost FR-4 substrate of complete extents as (42 × 50 × 1.6) mm³.Fabricated sample antenna shows excellent consistency in simulated and measured outcomes.     

Out-of-plane flexibilities of dovetail joints in machine tool structures

The paper aims to model the flexibility of a dovetail joint encountered in machine-tool structures. The investigation is concerned with the determination of a flexibility matrix through an approximate semianalytical procedure using finite element analysis. The contact region and the pressure distribution on the two mating surfaces are assumed. The deformation pattern of the male and female parts are separately analysed and from compatibility and equilibrium considerations, the overall deformation pattern of the joint is calculated for the three out of plane external force/moment components. The joint flexibility is represented by a 3 × 3 flexibility matrix. Results are presented for the knee-column joint and the column-overarm joint of a milling machine structure.     

Amebic peritonitis

A total of 18 patients with amebic peritonitis were studied. Fourteen of these cases were due to rupture of amebic liver abscess into the peritoneum and the remaining cases were due to perforation of amebic colitis. No initial suspicion of amebic etiology was made in more than half of the cases. In the group of ruptured liver abscesses, nearly half of the patients showed right lower lung syndrome. The diagnosis in 13 of 14 cases of rupture of liver abscess was confirmed on aspiration. Patients with ruptured amebic liver abcess were of two types: 1. Diffuse type with diffuse signs, shorter duration of illness and poor prognosis. 2. Localized type with longer duration of illness, marked signs of peritonitis and better prognosis. Once the diagnosis of peritonitis was made, the management was surgical. Conservative treatment was tried only in cases with signs of localization. The mortality rate had been 33% in amebic liver abscess rupturing into the peritoneum and 75% in perforation of the intestine. A high index of suspicion of amebiasis in patients with an acute abdomen and institution of early treatment are recommended to help in reducing this mortality. Amebic liver abscess and amebic dysentery should be treated energetically to avoid this fatal complication and surgical intervention whenever indicated should not be delayed.     

Protein adsorption characteristics of plasma treated polyurethane surfaces

The effect of various plasma surface treatments on the protein adsorption characteristics of two polyurethane elastomers (Acushnet E417-0 [ACx] and Texin 480 AR [TN]) were studied. Both substrates are based upon diphenylmethane 4,4-diisocyanate (MDI) hard segments and polyester soft segments. Adsorption characteristics of the untreated samples were initially established, followed by plasma treated surfaces. Contact angle and 2 h albumin adsorption were determined. (1) Results of this study indicate that the protein adsorption characteristics of crosslinked substrate ACx is more linear than that of non-crosslinked substrate TN. Further, substrate TN adsorbs seven-fold greater protein at a rate four times higher on its surface than ACx.N,N-Ethylene bis (stearamide), a processing aid used in substrate TN, may encourage greater protein adsorption on substrate TN and variation in the soft segment mobility between the substrates also may affect their adsorption characteristics. (2) Plasma treatments using CH₄ and/or C _x F _y chemistries increased the contact angle for both substrates while those with O₂ and O₂/CF₄ decreased the contact angle for the substrates considered. In general, the contact angle of the substrates exhibiting greater protein adsorption was smaller.     

Os(VIII)/Ru(III) Catalysed Oxidation of <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-Valine by Ag(III) Periodate Complex in Aqueous Alkaline Medium: A Comparative Kinetic Study

Abstract  

The kinetics of osmium(VIII) (Os(VIII)) and ruthenium(III) (Ru(III)) catalysed oxidation of l-valine (l-val) by diperiodatoargentate(III) (DPA) in aqueous alkaline medium at 25 °C and a constant ionic strength of 0.006 mol dm⁻³ was studied spectrophotometrically. The stoichiometry is the same in both the catalysed reactions, i.e., [l-val]:[DPA] = 1:1. The reaction is of first order in [Os(VIII)], [Ru(III)], and [DPA] and has less than unit order in [l-val] and negative fractional order in [OH⁻]. Added periodate had no effect on rate of reaction. The products were identified by spot test and characterized by spectral studies. The catalytic constant (K _C) was also calculated for both catalysed reactions at different temperatures. The activation parameters with respect to slow step of the mechanisms were computed and discussed and thermodynamic quantities were also determined. It has been observed that the catalytic efficiency for the present reaction is in the order of Os(VIII) > Ru(III). The probable active species of catalyst and oxidant have been identified.     

Adsorption of casein onto alkali treated bentonite

The adsorption measurements of casein onto alkali treated bentonite were performed at room temperature and fixed pH (11.8) with an object to study the mode of casein adsorption at the alkali treated bentonite surfaces. The adsorption isotherm was found to have a Langmuir nature. The adsorption was pH dependent and increased with a decrease in temperature. The adsorption was quite sensitive to the presence of Cl⁻, SO, and PO ions and showed many interesting variations with increasing concentrations of the added anions. Various kinetic and adsorption parameters such as the adsorption coefficient, rate constants for adsorption and desorption, diffusion constant, and penetration rate constant were calculated. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 78: 1656–1663, 2000     

Micellization of Some Bile Salts in Binary Aqueous Solvent Mixtures

The micellization behavior of bile salts—sodium cholate and sodium deoxycholate was studied in aqueous methanol, ethanol and ethylene glycol mixtures (10–20 % v/v) over a temperature range (300–320 K) by surface tension and conductivity methods. Critical micelle concentration, extent of counter ion binding (α), interfacial property (A _min, ζ_max, π-CMC, $ \Updelta G_{\text{ad}}^{ \circ } $ ) and thermodynamic parameters ( $ \Updelta G_{\text{m}}^{ \circ } $ , $ \Updelta H_{\text{m}}^{ \circ } $ , $ \Updelta S_{\text{m}}^{ \circ } $ ) for the micellization process are reported and discussed.     

Cloning, Soluble Expression and Purification of High Yield Recombinant hGMCSF in Escherichia coli

Expression of human granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (hGMCSF), a cytokine of therapeutic importance, as a thioredoxin (TRX) fusion has been investigated in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) codon plus cells. The expression of this protein was low when cloned under the T7 promoter without any fusion tags. High yield of GMCSF was achieved (～88 mg/L of fermentation broth) in the shake flask when the gene was fused to the E. coli TRX gene. The protein was purified using a single step Ni(2+)-NTA affinity chromatography and the column bound fusion tag was removed by on-column cleavage with enterokinase. The recombinant hGMCSF was expressed as a soluble and biologically active protein in E. coli, and upon purification, the final yield was ～44 mg/L in shake flask with a specific activity of 2.3 × 10(8) U/mg. The results of Western blot and RP-HPLC analyses, along with biological activity using the TF-1 cell line, established the identity of the purified hGMCSF. In this paper, we report the highest yield of hGMCSF expressed in E. coli. The bioreactor study shows that the yield of hGMCSF could be easily scalable with a yield of ～400 mg/L, opening up new opportunities for large scale production hGMCSF in E. coli.