A multi-component spectrophotometric method for simultaneous determination of total bilirubin, oxyhemoglobin, and methemalbumin in human sera

A new multi-component spectrophotometric method was developed experimentally and theoreticallyto determine the accurate serum concentrations of the total bilirubin (TB), oxyhemoglobin (HbO2), andmethemalbumin (Mha) in healthy human adults and neonates with hemolytic jaundice. With respect to theexperimental technique, the method of preparation of serum solution has been developed, like the use ofdistilled water as a solvent and centrifugation of serum solutions to clear the sample turbidity. The resultsof TB were compared to the diazo-assay. Theoretically, the formulas used for the calculation of the majorcomponents (TB, HbO2, and Mha) in human sera have been derived based on the theory of multi-componentspectrophotometric analysis and the mathematical Gaussian elimination method for matrix calculation. Themethod of multi-component spectrophotometry, suggested in this study for determination of TB, showed% error (3.1%–4.9%), indicating the high accuracy of the method. The small coefficients of variation(CV = 3.65%–5.1%) indicate the high precision of the method. The results showed higher values of serum TB(p < 0.00005), HbO2 (p < 0.001), and Mha concentrations (p < 0.00005) in neonates, when compared to adults.The method is highly sensitive and accurate. It is inexpensive, precise, reproducible, and has the advantages ofsimplicity, speed, and can be computerized.

Induction of DNA double-strand breaks at various stages of the cell cycle using the comet assay

The present study reports improvements in the current protocols of the neutral comet assay to measure radiation induced DNA damage. Different biochemical steps, including mierogel preparation, lysis and enzymatic/chemical treatments have been modified and optimized to estimate the fraction of cells and DNA damage, at different stages of the cell cycle, in a higher dose range of X-rays. Among all tail parameters that were used to measure the DNA damage induced by ionizing radiation, the tail intensity was found to be the most sensitive. In this study DNA damage induced by X-ray doses as low as 5 Gy was detected. A developed analytical method has been used for the simultaneous estimation of the fraction of cells and DNA damage, at different stages of the cell cycle. The results of bivariate analysis of tail intensity versus DNA content showed a remarkable decrease in tail intensity with transition of cells from G1 to S-phase and increase slightly with transition to G2/M phase. This effect is observed at all doses including unirradiated cells, indicating that the effect is not caused by X-rays and the comet assay based on the current tail parameters may not be relevant to measure DNA damage in cells at different stages of the cell cycle. The results revealed a highly significant decrease in comet area, at all stages of the cell cycle, after irradiation with all doses, indicating the high sensitivity of this parameter to X-rays. The results of dose response curves showed a linear decrease in the comet fluorescence with the X-ray dose, at all stages of the cell cycle. This reduction in comet fluorescence was attributed to partial unwinding of DNA at the strand break sites during the alkaline treatment after electrophoresis, with the consequent reduction in ethiduim bromide stainibitliy and fluorescence of DNA. This observation provides a basis for estimating the fraction of damaged DNA, based on the fluorescence decrement induced by ionizing radiation. The results of this method showed a linear increase in DNA damage with dose, at various stages of the cell cycle, with rates which vary in the following order G0> G2/M> S > G 1. These results suggest that G0 and G2IM cells are the most sensitive to X-rays among all phases of the cell cycle and synchronization of tumor cells in these phases during radiotherapy may be more efficient in treatment of cancers

Phytoremediation of chromium polluted soil

Heavy metal-contaminated land is an important environmental, health, economic, and planning issue in Egypt. Phytoextraction involves use of plans to remove metals from soil. In a greenhouse experiment, Zea mays, Helianthus annuus and Sorghum bicolor plants were grown in tannery effluent polluted soils and non-polluted reference soils. After 8 weeks of growth, the plants were harvested and the dry weight and the content of Cr were determined. The relationship between mycorrhizae and plans indicates that the percentage of mycorrhizal colonization in all plant species grown in un-polluted soils were higher than plants grown in polluted soil. Roots of all three plan species growing on both soils possessed Arbuscular mycorrhizal [AM] colomization in their roots and AM propagules in the associated rhizospheres. High Cr contents adversely affected the number and diversity of Am SPECIES. The order of Cr foliar accumulation was Z. mays > S. bicolor > H. annus. The effect of AM fungi on heavy metal uptake is dependent upon the initial soil metal concentration. The uptake of heavy metals by Z. mays, H. annus and S. bicolor was affected by the colonization of roots with [AM] fungi

Antibiotic resistance and transfer of R. factor in some clinical isolates

The sensitivity of 26 E. coli isolates recovered from the diarrheal cases at paediatric patient outclinic Kasr EI-Aini Hospital in addition to one E. coli K[I2] standard strain against 9 different antibiotics was investigated. The number of strains that produced heat stable and heat labile enterotoxin compared with the total number of strains were recorded. The transfer of multiple resistance factors [R. factors] of wild strains of E. coli to the new mutants which was obtained after conjugation with E. coli K[I2] was recorded. The resistance to Ampicillin, Rifampicin, Cefalixin, Kanamycin, Polymixin and Nalidixic acid were transferred from wild strains to mutants with a percentage of nearly 100%. The resistance to Ampicillin, Kanamycin, Polymixin and nalidixic acid became 100% for heat stable producing strains compared with 30%, 20%, 40% and 10%, respectively before conjugation. The resistance to Ampicillin and Kanamycin increased for heat labile producing strains to 100% compared with 83.3% and 33.3% before conjugation. The high percentage of drug resistance may be attributed to transfer of conjugative plasmids

Study of schistosomiasis among patients attending Hossinea Hospital, Sharkia Governorate

340 out and in patients of Tropical diseases section of Hossinea Hospital were examined. Males have higher incidence of parasitic disease than females. S. haematobium has a higher prevalence rate among all parasitic infections [25%], but this rate is lower than the previous reports. S. mansoni prevalence rate was 5.88%. It was found that early complications such as hepatomegaly were accompanied by heavy infection, while late comp1ications such as hepatosplenomegaly with ascitis, haematemesis and melina, oedema of the lower limbs, clubbing of fingers, gynaecomastia and signs of liver cell failure were accompanied by mild or moderate infection. It is concluded that in early complications the egg count might reflect the intensity of infection. As the complication appeared later the egg count might be subjected to many factors such as intestinal fibrosis and immunological factors and so it might not reflect the actual intensity of infection

new concept of the free living cycle of strongyloides stercoralis

One filariform larvae was cultured on free negative faeces. After 2-3 days, it produced free living female that through parthenogenesis gave rise to numerous larvae. When the culture was left for longer periods, the free living females produced rhabditiform larvae that developed to filariform larvae, which developed further to free living adults