Improvement in Tear Ferning Patterns of Sheep Tears After Addition of Various Electrolyte Solutions

Objective: This study aimed to improve the tear ferning (TF) patterns in the sheep tears after the addition of various electrolyte solutions in different proportions.Animal Studied: Sheep were located at a small farm in the outskirts of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The sheep had no ocular disorders or diseases, and none of the female sheep were pregnant.Methods: Tear samples (20 μl) were collected from the right eyes of seven healthy sheep (five female sheep and two male sheep; age 7–36 months with an average of 17.0 ± 10.3 months). A tear sample (1 μl) from each sheep was dried on a microscopic glass slide at 22°C and <40% humidity. The TF patterns were graded based on the five-point grading scale in 0.1 increments. Homogenous mixtures were prepared by mixing tears from each sheep (0.5 μl) with various electrolyte solutions in different proportions (1:1, 1:2, 1:4, 1:6, 1:8, and 1:10). A sample of each mixture (1 μl) was dried on a glass slide, and the TF patterns for each mixture were observed, recorded, graded, and compared with those of the corresponding pure sheep tears. In addition, each sheep tear sample (0.5 μl) was diluted with pure water (0.5 μl) and the TF images were recorded and graded to test the dilution effect.Results: General improvement was noted in TF grades after the addition of electrolyte solutions, ranging from 1.7–1.4 to 1.3–0.3 regardless of the ratio between the electrolyte solutions and sheep tears within the mixture. TF grades of sheep tear samples improved significantly after adding different volumes of calcium chloride solution. Similar improvements in TF grades were observed when magnesium chloride hexahydrate and sodium dihydrogen phosphate solutions were used as the electrolytes. Some improvements in the TF grades occurred with the addition of potassium chloride to sheep tear samples. There was little improvement in TF grades after the addition of sodium chloride solution.Conclusion: Tear ferning grades of sheep tear samples improved when mixed with a number of electrolyte solutions at different volumes, in particular with calcium chloride or magnesium chloride solutions. Some improvements in TF grades were seen with sodium dihydrogen phosphate or potassium chloride solution added as the electrolyte. Clearly, divalent electrolytes lead to a greater improvement in TF grades of sheep tear samples as compared with sodium dihydrogen phosphate or monovalent electrolytes.

Synthesis and Characterization of an Amphoteric Asphalt Emulsifier

A novel amphoteric asphalt emulsifier of octadecylbis(propanamide)-(3’-sodium phosphate-2’-hydroxypropyl)ammonium chloride was synthesised from the raw materials octadecylamine, acrylamide, epichlorohydrin and sodium dihydrogen phosphate. The tertiary amine octadecyl-bis(propanamide) was synthesised from octadecylamine and acrylamide (step 1). Sodium 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl phosphate (intermediate) was obtained from epichlorohydrin and sodium dihydrogen phosphate (step 2). The asphalt emulsifier was obtained from octadecyl-bis(propanamide)-tertiary amine and the intermediate by quaternisation reaction (step 3). The yield of the final product reached 94.90%. The structure was identified by FTIR, 1H-NMR and elemental analysis. The critical micelle concentration of the product is 1.46 × 10–5 mol L–1. The surface tension at CMC is 37.78 mN ν–1. The saturated adsorption amount of asphalt emulsifier is 2.72 × 10–3 mmol ν–2. The occupied area per asphalt emulsifier molecule at CMC is 0.611 nm2 mol–1. The surfactant is a fast-setting asphalt emulsifier.

A novel stability-indicating method for known and unknown impurities profiling for diltiazem hydrochloride pharmaceutical dosage form (tablets)

Background A novel gradient, high-sensitive and specific stability-indicating reverse-phase HPLC method was developed and validated for quantitative purpose of known, unknown and degradant impurities profiling for diltiazem hydrochloride tablets. The impurities were separated on the Zorbax RX C8 column (150 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) with mobile phase-A consisting of a mixture of 0.05 M sodium dihydrogen phosphate monohydrate buffer pH 3.0 and methanol in the ratio 800:200v/v and mobile phase-B consisting of acetonitrile with a flow rate of 1.0 mL min−1. The column compartment was maintained at 35 °C, and the detection wavelength was 240 nm. Diltiazem hydrochloride, its known impurities and unknown impurities have been well resolved from each other. Results The linearity of the method has been demonstrated across the concentration range of 0.18 to 5.65 µg mL−1 for EP impurity-F with correlation coefficient R2 greater than 0.99. Recovery of method was proved from LOQ to 150% for known and unknown impurities with respect to test concentration and found in between 80 and 120%. Forced degradation study and specificity experiment results with mass balance proved the stability-indicating nature of the method and separated all known, unknown impurities and degradants from each other as well as from main drug component (diltiazem hydrochloride). The mass balance for stress study was found in between 95 and 105%. Conclusion Newly developed analytical method was validated as per ICH Q2 (R1) guidelines “Validation of analytical procedure” and found linear, accurate, specific, robust and precise in the established working range.

Respiratory virus deterrence induced by modified mask filter

Airborne transmission of infectious respiratory pathogens is a significant health hazard for the general public as well as healthcare professionals. Face masks have been frequently utilized as safety measures to limit the transmission of these infectious aerosolized particles. However, the efficacy of face masks in reducing respiratory virus infectivity and pathogenicity is unknown. Improving the effectiveness of masks in blocking viruses is urgently needed. In this study, surgical mask filters were modified by coating the filters with 1, 3, or 5 M of sodium dihydrogen phosphate, and subsequently exposed to the aerosolized respiratory influenza viruses (A/H3N2, A/H5N1) generated by a nebulizer set. Mask filter modification significantly reduced the size and counts of filter pores, which enabled entrapment of 40–60% of aerosolized viruses (captured viruses) with more than 90% of the captured viruses losing their infectivity. Upon contact with the coated mask filters, both the captured viruses and the viruses that managed to bypass the filter pore (passed viruses) were found to be inactivated. Passed viruses demonstrated significantly reduced pathogenicity in mice as indicated by significantly reduced lung virus titers, bodyweight loss, and prolonged survival compared to bare control. These findings highlight the potential of modified mask filters for reducing viral activity and pathogenicity, which contributes to improving facial mask efficacy as well as limiting airborne pathogen transmission.

Synthesis of sodium ammonium hydrophosphate and sodium dihydrophosphate based on extraction phosphoric acid from Central Kyzylkum phosphorites

The aim of the research is the synthesis of sodium ammonium hydrogen phosphate and sodium dihydrogen phosphate based on purified extraction phosphoric acid. The acid was purified from accompanying impurities by precipitation methods using sodium carbonate and metasilicate, washed burnt phosphoconcentrate, barium carbonate, acid neutralization with gaseous ammonia. Pre-neutralization of the purified solution of monoammonium phosphate with sodium carbonate to the ratio Na2O:P2O5 = 0.44 and subsequent drying at a temperature of 50 °С allows to obtain sodium ammonium hydrogen phosphate tetrahydrate, and at 100 °С sodium dihydrogen phosphate monohydrate. The individuality and purity of the synthesized substances was established by the methods of X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetry and scanning electron microscope.

Sorption of ions of some metals on synthesized weakly basic ion exchangers

The aim of the research is the synthesis of sodium ammonium hydrogen phosphate and sodium dihydrogen phosphate based on purified extraction phosphoric acid. The acid was purified from accompanying impurities by precipitation methods using sodium carbonate and metasilicate, washed burnt phosphoconcentrate, barium carbonate, acid neutralization with gaseous ammonia. Pre-neutralization of the purified solution of monoammonium phosphate with sodium carbonate to the ratio Na2O:P2O5 = 0.44 and subsequent drying at a temperature of 50 °С allows to obtain sodium ammonium hydrogen phosphate tetrahydrate, and at 100 °С sodium dihydrogen phosphate monohydrate. The individuality and purity of the synthesized substances was established by the methods of X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetry and scanning electron microscope.

Facile Chemical Processing of Geloina coaxans Shell and Sodium dihydrogen Phosphate as Precursors to Produce Hydroxyapatite

This paper reports the synthesis of hydroxyapatite from Geloina coaxans shell and sodium dihydrogen phosphate as precursors by facile and simple method. Firstly, Geloina coaxans shell calcined at 1000 oC for 12 hours to produce lime or CaO. The chemical composition of Geloina coaxans shell calcined was analyzed using the XRF technique, and the result shows that the main component of Geloina coaxans shell calcined was calcium. Synthesis of hydroxyapatite has been done with stirring and aging time parameters and molar ratio of precursors was 1.67. The XRD patterns showed a specific peak of hydroxyapatite that appeared at 2θ=31.8 o and based on the XRD results on the aging time indicated that the rate of growth of HAp crystals was better and faster at aging for 12 hours. The crystal size of HAp obtained was 37 nm. The FTIR spectra of hydroxyapatite showed characteristics of hydroxyl and phosphate bands in sample spectra. The morphology of hydroxyapatite synthesized also was examined by SEM and the results showed spherical morphology.

Pilot-Scale Production of Chito-Oligosaccharides Using an Innovative Recombinant Chitosanase Preparation Approach

For pilot-scale production of chito-oligosaccharides, it must be cost-effective to prepare designable recombinant chitosanase. Herein, an efficient method for preparing recombinant Bacillus chitosanase from Escherichia coli by elimination of undesirable substances as a precipitate is proposed. After an optimized culture with IPTG (Isopropyl β-d-1-thiogalactopyranoside) induction, the harvested cells were resuspended, disrupted by sonication, divided by selective precipitation, and stored using the same solution conditions. Several factors involved in these procedures, including ion types, ionic concentration, pH, and bacterial cell density, were examined. The optimal conditions were inferred to be pH = 4.5, 300 mM sodium dihydrogen phosphate, and cell density below 1011 cells/mL. Finally, recombinant chitosanase was purified to >70% homogeneity with an activity recovery and enzyme yield of 90% and 106 mg/L, respectively. When 10 L of 5% chitosan was hydrolyzed with 2500 units of chitosanase at ambient temperature for 72 h, hydrolyzed products having molar masses of 833 ± 222 g/mol with multiple degrees of polymerization (chito-dimer to tetramer) were obtained. This work provided an economical and eco-friendly preparation of recombinant chitosanase to scale up the hydrolysis of chitosan towards tailored oligosaccharides in the near future.