Antibacterial efficacy of chemically and plant-synthesized zinc oxide nanocomposite against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli inoculated in Tilapia fillet

Aims@#Edible coatings developed from biodegradable materials such as starch and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPS) are efficient antimicrobials that could be used as a food additive to reduce the bacterial load on the food surface. Therefore, this study was aimed to examine the effect of chemical and green synthesized ZnO-NPS with different concentrations on the survival of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus in fish fillets during chilling storage at 4 ± 1°C.@*Methodology and results@#ZnO-NPS were chemically prepared by mixing zinc acetate dihydrate with sodium hydroxide. Lavandula officinalis was used for the green synthesis of ZnO-NPS. The sterile biodegradable coating containing 2 and 5% of both chemically and green synthesized ZnO-NPS were made using starch, gelatin, xanthan gum and glycerol. Different bacterial cocktail strains of both E. coli and S. aureus were inoculated onto Tilapia fillet samples. The coating solution with different antimicrobials was aseptically spread in Tilapia fillets and examined periodically within two days intervals for the survival of S. aureus and E. coli during chilling at 4 ± 1 °C. Both chemically and plantsynthesized ZnO-NPS reduced the growth of both S. aureus and E. coli by about 3.7 log10 CFU/cm2 of Tilapia fillet. The incorporation of L. officinalis increased the antibacterial activity of ZnO-NPS. Staphylococcus aureus was more sensitive than E. coli for both chemically and plant-synthesized ZnO-NPS. Moreover, zinc oxide biodegradable coating extended the shelf-life of chilled Tilapia fillets by about 4 days.@*Conclusion, significance and impact of study@#The results of the current study demonstrated the incorporation of L. officinalis into ZnO-NPS biodegradable coating which may be promising in reducing microbial growth on food surfaces.

Isoenzymes of alkaline phosphatase in patients undergoing dialysis

This study was conducted on 50 chronic renal failure patients and 10 age - and sex - matched normal controls. Patients were subdivided into 2 subgroups: the first one included 44 patients undergoing hemodialysis [HD]; 33 of them were investigated just before the last dialysis setting and 11 were investigated just after the last dialysis setting. The second subgroup included 6 patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis and were investigated just before the last dialysis setting. Patients and controls were subjected to routine laboratory investigations including determination of serum urea, creatinine, phosphorus [P], calcium [Ca] together with measurement of parathormone [PTH], total alkaline phosphatase [ALP] and its isoenzymes. Raised total ALP activity observed in the patients group was attributed to an increased bone fraction which was significantly decreased by the dialysis setting. No detectable intestinal activity of ALP was found in the sera of control group, whereas 12.3%, 9.1% and 83.3% of hemodialysis group [pre-and post dialysis setting] and peritoneal dialysis group [predialysis setting] respectively showed intestinal ALP activity in their sera. In the hemodialysis group [pre-and postdialysis setting], 3.03% and 27.2% respectively showed liver isoenzyme activity in their sera, whereas in the peritoneal dialysis group no liver iso-enzyme activity was detected in serum. Calcium was found to be significantly decreased whereas P and PTH were found to be significantly increased in the patient's group

Serum alkaline phosphatase and its iso-enzymes in post menopausal women as marker for osteoporosis

This study was designed to assess the levels of several factors which play a role in the development and maintenance of osteoporosis in a group of individuals at high risk, namely post menopausal women, in order to reveal the state of bone loss occurring after cessation of ovarian function and to throw more light on the biochemical markers of bone turnover. It is concluded that post menopausal women are usually suffering from a degree of bone turnover and the development of severity of osteoporosis depends upon the severity of bone turnover. The positive correlation between alkaline phosphatase, specially its bone isoenzyme to that with calcium and phosphorus levels whether in patient serum or 24 hours urine collection is a good marker for the severity of osteoporosis. Further studies are recommended to correlate the value of sex steroids taken for management of osteoporosis and its effect on bone alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme marker

Clinical, biochemical and electromyographic studies in muscle diseases in infancy and childhood

The study included 49 cases suspected of having muscle disease and the initial clinical was confirmed by investigations in 42 cases [84%]. In 7 cases [14%], electromyography and enzyme studies [CPK, aldolase, L.D.H., L.D.H. isoenzymes and choline-estrase] were essential for final diagnosis. Creatinep hosphokinase levels are more markedly increase in cases of muscular dystrophy and the levels have positive correlation with the duration of the disease. Lactic dehydrogrenase showed more definite rise than serum aldolase in cases of muscular dystrophy. Serum levels over 1500 I.U/L were encountered only in cases of muscular disease as well as permitting early diagnosis. Serum choline-estrase showed no significant change in all cases and this means that is still no positive evidence of presence of a relationship between the neurotransmitter and muscle disease