Iron phosphide anchored nanoporous carbon as an efficient electrode for supercapacitors and the oxygen reduction reaction.

Inspired by their distinctive properties, transition metal phosphides have gained immense attention as promising electrode materials for energy storage and conversion applications. The introduction of a safe and large-scale method of synthesizing a composite of these materials with carbon is of great significance in the fields of electrochemical and materials sciences. In the current effort, we successfully synthesize an iron phosphide/carbon (FeP/C) with a high specific surface area by the pyrolysis of the gel resulting from the hydrothermal treatment of an iron nitrate-phytic acid mixed solution. In comparison with the blank (P/C), the as-synthesized FeP/C appears to be an efficient electrode material for supercapacitor as well as oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) applications in an alkaline medium in a three-electrode system. In the study of supercapacitors, FeP/C shows areal capacitance of 313 mF cm-2 at 1.2 mA cm-2 while retaining 95% of its initial capacitance value after 10 000 cycles, while in the ORR, the synthesized material exhibits high electrocatalytic activity with an onset potential of ca. 0.86 V vs. RHE through the preferred four-electron pathway and less than 6% H2O2 production calculated in the potential range of 0.0-0.7 V vs. RHE. The stability is found to be better than those of the benchmark Pt/C (20 wt%) catalyst.

Giardia lamblia and chronic gastritis.

One hundred and two patients suffering from giardiasis and/or chronic gastritis were subjected for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Purified immune rabbit's serum against Giardia lamblia was used in ELISA and immunoperoxidase (IIP) techniques for detection of Giardia antigen in the stomach. Results showed that out of 70 cases with intestinal giardiasis, 8 (11.4%) by ELISA and 6 (8.6%) by IIP showed gastric giardiasis. Higher percentage of gastric giardiasis (14%) was encountered in cases with both giardiasis and chronic gastritis (50) than in cases with giardiasis alone (5%) but with statistically insignificant difference (P > 0.05). None of the cases with chronic gastritis alone (without giardiasis) was positive for gastric giardiasis. Dyspepsia was the main presenting symptom in cases with gastric giardiasis (P < 0.05) with significant (P < 0.05) association. Helicobacter pylori was encountered in 6 out of 8 cases (75%) with gastric giardiasis (P < 0.05) with significant (P < 0.05) association. Duodenogastric reflux was detected in 4 out of 8 cases (50%). Histopathological changes in antral mucosa were detected in all cases of gastric giardiasis. This study indicates that under abnormal circumstances most probably with decreased gastric acidity, gastric giardiasis can occur in concomitance with intestinal giardiasis. So, one has to search for Giardia in gastric biopsies, particularly those showing chronic atrophic gastritis and H. pylori. Also, one has to be aware of gastric giardiasis as a possible cause of upper gastrointestinal symptoms.

Immunization against Trichinella spiralis using antigens from different life-cycle stages experimental study in mice.

Crude antigen preparations from different life-cycle stages of T. spiralis using 10 micrograms and 100 micrograms antigen/dose, were tested for their ability to immunize mice against homologous challenge infection. Immunization was assessed by accelerated expulsion of adult worms, reduction in female worm fecundity and decreased yield of muscle larvae. The dose of 100 micrograms proved to be more protective in all antigen preparations. The AA provided highly significant protection against adult stages (89%) and muscle larvae (80%). NLA produced highly significant protection against muscle larvae only (76%). MLA provided highly significant protection against adult stages (74%), female fecundity (74%) and muscle larvae (80%). Combination of AA and MLA produced highly significant protection against adult stages (96%), female fecundity (73%) and muscle larvae (86). The results show that all antigen preparations provided variable, considerable but partial protection against challenge infection. The variations in immunization potential are discussed.

Detection of Pneumocystic carinii in immuno-suppressed rats by different histological stains and immunological assays.

Detection of P. carinii in lung sections of 35 immuno-suppressed albino rats was evaluated using five histological stains (toluidine blue "O", Giemsa, Gram's stain, PAS and H & E) and two immunological assays (indirect immunofluorescence [IIF],, and indirect immunoperoxidase [IIP]) using polyclonal antibody, raised in white New Zealand rabbits, against rat P. carinii. In spite of the high sensitivity of the histological stains, they yield hazy details insufficient for easy identification with difficult interpretation. However, Gram and PAS stains provided a better visualization with easy identification of the parasite. On the other hand, both immunological assays allowed an accurate rapid interpretation of the stained slides. The IIP technique, having 100% sensitivity in detecting the precipitated parasite antigens with absolute specificity, seems to be a good diagnostic tool for detecting P. carinii in lung sections.

Immunopathological studies on the encystation phase of experimental trichinosis after cortisone and cyclophosphamide treatment.

Efficacy of cortisone and cyclophosphamide on the muscle phase of Trichinella spiralis in albino rats, before and after complete encapsulation, was studied by haematoxylin and eosin staining for histopathological changes and by the indirect immunoperoxidase test for the extent of antigen deposition. Results showing beneficial effects of cortisone and hazardous action of cyclophosphamide are discussed in details. This study indicates that the use of cortisone in the treatment of trichinosis remains to be substantiated particularly when administered before complete encystation; the time at which the diagnosis is usually made.

Is immuno-protection against Toxoplasma strain specific?

Two different strains of Toxoplasma gondii were isolated from feline faecal deposits in two villages: Rommana (Northern Sinai) and El-Ekhewa (Sharkyia Governorate) as evidenced by their entirely different pathogenic effect and immune response in laboratory Swiss Webster mice. A man holding both villages as mutual residences, who was already proved to get acute toxoplasmosis twice made us avid to search for the presence of different strains in the two localities. The present study throws a suggestion that repeated Taxoplasma infection could be due to difference in strains.

Humoral and cell mediated immune responses in scabietic patients.

Humoral and cell-mediated immune responses were studied in forty scabietic patients and twenty healthy control individuals. The parameter findings for quantitative assessment of humoral immune response by the single radial immune diffusion technique indicated that IgA was significantly decreased, IgG & IgM were significantly increased while there was no statistical difference in the level of IgE, C3 & C4 compared to the normal control group. The cell mediated immune response was estimated in vivo by the intradermal test. It showed insignificant decrease in the number of positive reactors versus the control group. The macrophage migration inhibition test as an in vitro index for determining the cell mediated immune response was significantly diminished. This study indicates that humoral and cell-mediated immune responses play an important role in the pathogenesis of scabies.

Experimental trichinosis: effect of immunosuppression on the host-parasite system.

Experimental trichinosis in immunocompetent verus immunosuppressed albino rats was studied over a period of two months. The immunosuppressed ones showed significant delay in expulsion of adult worms, significant increase in the yield of muscle larvae, lower IFA titres and delayed encystation of muscle larvae with mild cellular infiltration. Specific antigen deposits detected in the muscles and different tissues of the immunosuppressed rats indicated augmentation of circulating antigens. In both groups, the liver, kidney, lung, brain and testes showed nonspecific pathological changes but larvae were never detected in examined sections. Incidentally, on the 14th post-infection day, two immunocompetent rats were found pregnant, and near-full-term embryos showed more deposition of Trichinella antigens in most of their tissues indicating placental passage of circulating antigens. This study indicates that in patients receiving immunosuppressive drugs, possible exposure to T. spiralis infection will result in severe manifestations or complications.

Effect of Hymenolepis nana on the protein and lipid in the intestinal mucosal cells of mice.

Total proteins and total lipids were histochemically demonstrated in the intestinal mucosal cells of mice experimentally infected with H. nana. At the tissue phase, moderate decrease in both protein and lipid contents was noticed in the jejunal mucosal cells of villi with intravillous oncospheres or cysticercoids while in non-invaded villi, mucosal cells showed normal contents. At the luminal phase, marked decrease in protein contents and slight decrease in lipid contents were demonstrated in the ileal mucosal cells of most of the villi. The significance of these findings and their relevance to human infection with H. nana are presented.

Effect of Hymenolepis nana on the mouse ileal mucosal cells: histochemical studies.

Histochemical studies of the ileal mucosal cells of mice experimentally infected with H. nana revealed definite increase in mucous secretions indicating increased activity of the goblet cells in response to mucosal irritation. The activity of acid phosphatase was also increased representing a sort of defence mechanism against the attached worms. The activities of ATP-ase and NADH diaphorase enzymes were decreased indicating disturbance in the metabolic and transport processes and in the absorptive function of the intestinal epithelial cells.