Sub-Acute Toxicity Studies of Alchornea cordifolia Leaf Extract in Swiss Albino Rats

The ethanolic leaf extract of Alchornea cordifolia (Schum. and Thonn.) Müll. Arg (Euphorbiaceae), a widely used traditional medicinal plant was assessed for possible sub-acute toxicity in Swiss albino rats.

The rats were randomly distributed into five groups of four animals each. The groups were respectively administered 125, 250, 500 and 750 mg/kg body weight ethanolic leaf extract of Alchornea cordifolia intra peritoneally daily for (two weeks) 14 days.

Normal saline was administered to the control group according to their body weights. The experimental animals were observed for another 14 days before the termination of the experiment. The weight of the animals was recorded daily throughout the duration of the study.

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Systematic Preparation of Artificial Cells (DNA Crown Cells)

Artificial cells, which are engineered particles that mimic one or many functions of biological cells, have attracted much attention in recent decades as a new technology.

In a previous study, artificial cells were prepared using chicken eggs and sphingosine-DNA. The resulting DNA crown cells were surrounded by a membrane containing lipid and DNA, which was formed with egg white components.

The study describes a novel method that allows the easy preparation of DNA crown cells using adenosine and monolaurin.

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Synthesis of Surface Molecularly Imprinting Polymers for Methylphenidate and its Application in Separating Methylphenidate

In this study, a novel approach is proposed for determination of methylphenidate in biological fluids. In this method molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (MISPE), as the sample extraction technique, combined with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is used.

The water-compatible molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were prepared using methacrylic acid as functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as cross-linker, Hexane as porogen and methylphenidate as template molecule.

Extraction of methylphenidate from human serum was carried out using a novel imprinted polymer as the solid-phase extraction (SPE). Various parameters affecting the extraction efficiency of the polymer were evaluated.

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Thermodynamic Models: Application to the Brines of Chotts in Algerian North-Eastern Sahara

The Brines of chotts in Algerian Northeastern Sahara are highly concentrated solutions of mineral salts with a salinity that far exceeds that of the sea water (120 to 440 g/l).

The first interpretation of data allows to specify the chemical facies of these brines form their chemical compositions. They have mainly a very marked sodic chlorinated character.

Databases of the thermodynamic model PHREEQC v3 were used to determine the saturated state of the brines with respect to principal chemical species. They are more oversaturated with calcite than with gypsum.

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Development and Application of Liquid Chromatography in Life Sciences

Liquid chromatographic approaches cover a wide range of applications today. It is closely relevant in scientific studies, which provides a powerful identification of certain components that will be effective for curing specificdiseases.

Liquid Chromatography

Especially important, LC methods can assist us for isolation and purification of therapeutic drugs that benefit for the development of medical industry. As the development of liquid chromatography, the single effective component within a drug can be separated and purified under extreme purity requirements from a biological system with great complexity and abundance. However, improvement of LC methods is still urgently needed for better application of this method to benefit our lives.

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Study of the Selectivity of Methane over Carbon Dioxide Using Composite Inorganic Membranes for Natural Gas Processing

Natural gas is an important fuel gas that can be used as a power generation fuel and as a basic raw material in petrochemical industries.

Its composition varies extensively from one gas field to another. Despite this variation in the composition from source to source, the major component of natural gas is methane with inert gases and carbon dioxide.

Hence, all natural gas must undergo some treatment with about 20% of total reserves requiring extensive treatment before transportation via pipelines.

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Silica Supported Heteropoly Catalysts for Oxidation of Methacrolein to Methacrylic Acid

The Cu2+ or Fe3+ substituted Cs2HPMo12O40 was synthesized to study the effect of transitional metal cations on selective catalytic oxidation of methacrolein by polyoxometalates.

Adding of Cu2+ could reduce acidity and enhance oxidizing ability of the catalyst. The catalytic experiments showed that the addition small amount of Cu2+ to the catalyst could increase the conversion of methacrolein from 65% to 96% and the selectivity to methacrylic acid to 55%, at 300-340°C.

It is found adding of Cu2+ could promote the reduction process of catalysts should be the main reason of the performance enhancement.

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