New Mononuclear and Binuclear Cu(II), Co(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II) Thiosemicarbazone Complexes with Potential Biological Activity: Antimicrobial and Molecular Docking Study.

Herein, we report the synthesis of eight new mononuclear and binuclear Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+ methoxy thiosemicarbazone (MTSC) complexes aiming at obtaining thiosemicarbazone complex with potent biological activity. The structure of the MTSC ligand and its metal complexes was fully characterized by elemental analysis, spectroscopic techniques (NMR, FTIR, UV-Vis), molar conductivity, thermogravimetric analysis (TG), and thermal differential analysis (DrTGA). The spectral and analytical data revealed that the obtained thiosemicarbazone-metal complexes have octahedral geometry around the metal center, except for the Zn2+-thiosemicarbazone complexes, which showed a tetrahedral geometry. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of the MTSC ligand and its (Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+) metal complexes were also investigated. Interestingly, the antibacterial activity of MTSC- metal complexes against examined bacteria was higher than that of the MTSC alone, which indicates that metal complexation improved the antibacterial activity of the parent ligand. Among different metal complexes, the MTSC- mono- and binuclear Cu2+ complexes showed significant antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis and Proteus vulgaris, better than that of the standard gentamycin drug. The in silico molecular docking study has revealed that the MTSC ligand could be a potential inhibitor for the oxidoreductase protein.

Role of myeloperoxidase in early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction in patients admitted with chest pain.

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is an inflammatory marker, elevated in acute coronary syndromes (ACSs), especially in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) cases. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic power of MPO in AMI patients. MPO, creatine kinase (CK) MB, and Troponin I (cTn I) were performed for all study patients. Area under the curves (AUCs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI); P values of baseline levels of MPO for discriminating AMI patients from noncoronary chest pain (NCCP) patients, stable angina (SA) patients, and unstable angina (UA) patients were 0.91, 95% CI: 0.82-0.99; P < 0.0001, 0.87, 95% CI: 0.77-0.98; P < 0.0001, and 0.72, 95% CI: 0.58-0.85; P = 0.002, respectively. For diagnosing AMI from ACS patients, MPO was the most efficient marker than others markers with efficiency 82.5% within 0-6 hr after the onset time of chest pain. A predictive score that depends on a combination of baseline levels of three markers (MPO, CK-MB, and TnI) was correctly discriminated 91% of the AMI patients with high specificity 76%. In conclusion, the use of baseline levels of three biomarkers in combination could confer the information that is required for best available early diagnosis of AMI.

Structure investigation of three hydrazones Schiff's bases by spectroscopic, thermal and molecular orbital calculations and their biological activities.

Three Schiff's bases AI (2(1-hydrazonoethyl)phenol), AII (2, 4-dibromo 6-(hydrazonomethyl)phenol) and AIII (2(hydrazonomethyl)phenol) were prepared as new hydrazone compounds via condensation reactions with molar ratio (1:1) of reactants. Firstly by reaction of 2-hydroxy acetophenone solution and hydrazine hydrate; it gives AI. Secondly condensation between 3,5-dibromo-salicylaldehyde and hydrazine hydrate gives AII. Thirdly condensation between salicylaldehyde and hydrazine hydrate gives AIII. The structures of AI-AIII were characterized by elemental analysis (EA), mass (MS), FT-IR and (1)H NMR spectra, and thermal analyses (TG, DTG, and DTA). The activation thermodynamic parameters, such as, ΔE(∗), ΔH(∗), ΔS(∗) and ΔG(∗) were calculated from the TG curves using Coats-Redfern method. It is important to investigate their molecular structures to know the active groups and weak bond responsible for their biological activities. Consequently in the present work, the obtained thermal (TA) and mass (MS) practical results are confirmed by semi-empirical MO-calculations (MOCS) using PM3 procedure. Their biological activities have been tested in vitro against Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Bacillissubtilies and Staphylococcus aurous bacteria in order to assess their anti-microbial potential.

Plant germination and production of callus from the yellow hornpoppy (Glaucium flavum): the first stage of micropropagation.

The yellow hornpoppy, Glaucium flavum Cr. (Fam. Papaveraceae) is a perennial herb, distributed in the Mediterranean region, including Egypt. The plant contains many benzyl isoquinoline alkaloids from the aporphine type such as glaucine, isoboldine, 1-chelidonine, 1-norchelidonine and 3-O-methylarterenol, making it to display various medicinal activities including antitussive, anticancer, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral, hypoglycemic, analgesic, antipyretic, bronchodilator and anti-inflammatory effects. The plant is now rare and endangered in the Egyptian flora due to urban sprawl. The present study looks into Glaucium flavum seeds' in vitro germination as well as the ability of the explants taken from the growing seedlings to form stable callus lines in order to enable micropropagation as a way to save the rare plant. The study also scans the production of different medicinally valuable alkaloids, particularly glaucine, in produced callus.

Pathogenicity of two Egyptian H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in domestic ducks.

Domestic ducks have been implicated in the dissemination and evolution of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses. In this study, two H5N1 HPAI viruses belonging to clade 2.2.1 isolated in Egypt in 2007 and 2008 were analyzed for their pathogenicity in domestic Pekin ducks. Both viruses produced clinical signs and mortality, but the 2008 virus was more virulent, inducing early onset of neurological signs and killing all ducks with a mean death time (MDT) of 4.1 days. The 2007 virus killed 3/8 ducks with a MDT of 7 days. Full-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis were used to examine differences in the virus genes that might explain the differences observed in pathogenicity. The genomes differed in 49 amino acids, with most of the differences found in the hemagglutinin protein. This increase in pathogenicity in ducks observed with certain H5N1 HPAI viruses has implications for the control of the disease, since vaccinated ducks infected with highly virulent strains shed viruses for longer periods of time, perpetuating the virus in the environment and increasing the possibility of transmission to susceptible birds.

The assessment of the vitamin B6 status among Egyptian school children by measuring the urinary cystathionine excretion.

A metabolic study was carried out on 19 school boys and girls (age 7-13 years) to assess their vitamin B6 status. The metabolic study was divided in five different periods, basal (A), post-methionine loading (B), one (C) and two (D) week after oral vitamin B6 therapy (50 mg/day) and post-methionine. Mean cystathionine excretion (beta mol/24 h) increased significantly (p less than 0.01) at stage B compared to mean values obtained at stage A reflecting a deficit in the vitamin B6 nutriture. Vitamin B6 therapy corrected the deficiency and the utilization of administered methionine.

Urinary alpha-naphthyl acetate esterases: a preliminary screening test for bladder cancer.

The urinary activities of alpha-naphthyl acetate esterases were measured for groups of bilharzial and nonbilharzial patients with benign urologic diseases and for others with bladder cancer. All these patients showed elevation in the urinary enzyme activity over that given by healthy controls. Bilharzial and nonbilharzial bladder cancer patients exhibited significant increase in urinary enzyme activity as compared with corresponding groups with benign urologic diseases A level of 50 units of enzyme activity was taken as a limit to discriminate between bladder cancer patients and those patients with benign urologic diseases. The specificity and sensitivity of this urinary test exceeded 90% with low falsely positive and negative results. The data of the present study recommended the use of urinary alpha-naphthyl acetate esterases activity as a preliminary screening test for bilharzial and nonbilharzial bladder cancer patients.