Khadiga G. Adham

Blood chemistry of the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1757) under the impact of water pollution

The present study is an attempt to relate environmental factors ofambient water to the physiology of the cichlid, Oreochromisniloticus. Fish were collected at 3 stations along Lake Maryûtand a fourth one in an authorized hatchery as reference. Water analysis showedthat many attributes of the water quality, in particular in the main basin,werefar beyond admissible levels. In response, functional damage of the heart andliver in polluted fish was pointed out in view of the elevated serum enzymes(alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, alkalinephosphatase and cholinesterase). Alkaline phosphatase seemed to potentiallyindicate excess phosphate in ambient water, whereas, aspartate aminotransferasewas suppressed in fish caught from waters with the highest metalconcentrations.Serologic data of carbohydrate, lipid and protein metabolites drew attention tothe adverse effects on liver, heart and kidney functions of industrial andmunicipal discharges into the fishes habitats.

Impact of heavy metal pollution on the hemogram and serum biochemistry of the libyan jird, Meriones libycus

The stress profiles of the hemogram and serum biochemistry were determined in the context of heavy metal (Cd, Cu, Hg, Ni and Pb) exposure in the wild libyan jird, Meriones libycus, from one of Riyadhs polluted areas versus a reference site. Coupling the pronounced drop in platelets (PLT) (28%) and mean platelet volume (MPV) (17%) with the insignificant responses of other red blood cell indices, suggests bone marrow suppression that is characterized by thrombocytopenia as an initial abnormality. The species-specific stress leukogram for M. libycus is expressed by leukocytosis (66%), monocytosis (40%), lymphocytosis (23%) with eosinopenia (81%) and neutropenia (42%). Hyperglycemia (50%), hyper-low-density-lipoproteinemia (38%), hypocortisolism (85%) and hypotriglyceridemia (55%) depicted serum biochemistry profile. In polluted jirds, the elevated activities of pseudocholinesterase (PChE) and serum marker enzymes (alanine aminotransferase ALT, aspartate aminotransferase AST and creatine kinase CK) strongly suggest functional damage of the liver and/or heart. A potential role of PChE in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) metabolism is implied in the joint rise of both indices and in the recognized relationship between PChE and lipid metabolites. While increased utilization in lipid metabolism and energy synthesis could rationalize the inhibition of the normal patterns of triglycerides and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), the inhibited activities of LDH could additionally be attributed to its hormetic behavior towards low and high metal concentrations. The overall findings presented here documented the relevance of M. libycus in biomonitoring and predicting the risk imposed on human populations living in polluted areas.

An enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay for heat‐shock protein 70 in plants

Procedures are described for the production of antibodies against heat‐shock protein 70 (HSP70) from plants and for the development of an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the antigen in crude plant extracts. Competitive and two‐site sandwich variants of the ELISA are compared. Results are presented for a preliminary analysis of HSP70 levels in control and heat‐shocked mung bean shoots.

Oxidative stress and antioxidant response to subacute and subchronic iron overload in Wistar rat

Iron saccharate complex ISC is an iron supplement used to optimize erythropoiesis in cases of iron deficiencies. Because of the lack of major mechanisms of iron excretion, excess iron unbound to protective molecules is believed to be involved in catalyzing the generation of reactive oxygen species and induction of oxidative stress. This study employed ISC for the purpose of inducing iron overload and hence investigating the consequent iron toxicity, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant extent in a murine species. Male Wistar rats were given iron as intraperitoneal injections of ISC in subacute (0.2 mg Fe kg−1 for 2 weeks) and subchronic (0.1 mg Fe kg−1 for 4 weeks) doses. In iron-overloaded rats, enhanced hepatic iron accumulation (P > 0.001) attended by increased serum concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) (P > 0.001) and activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase SOD, catalase CAT and glutathione peroxidase GPx) (P > 0.001) was pointed out. The demonstrated antioxidant boost is attributed to a sense of equilibrium prompted by the potential of iron-induced oxidative stress to modify antioxidant defense capacity and to modulate susceptibility to oxidative stress. Rats seemed to constantly suffer from oxidative stress based on the consistent rise in MDA that was not overwhelmed by the elevated antioxidant input. The current findings are of informative value in drawing attention to the health hazards of applying higher doses of the commercially used iron supplement ISC. Data are virtually significant in elucidating the higher magnitude of subchronic than subacute iron overload in initiating oxidative stress and antioxidant defense. Both pathways proceeded in a time-dependent rather than dose-dependent manner.

Impact of metal-loaded industrial dust on the physiology of a model experimental animal

T flexible properties of polymeric material make bio-MEMS promising candidates for the next generation of micro devices. However there have been many difficulties to overcome in fabrication process. Supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) is generally viewed as a replacement for harmful organic solvents used in extractions, separations, chemical reactions, molding, and many other applications because CO2 is non-polar and the tunable physical properties between a gas and a liquid. Especially for application of sc-CO2 in fine wiring technology, transfer of materials into and out of fine nano-space can be improved to allow proper cleaning and complete filling of the nano-spaces. Thus we have studied an application of sc-CO2 into integration of bio-compatible MEMS. We examined sc-CO2 for washing of photoresist pattern on substrate and completed washing the pattern with strengthening the adhesion. We have also proposed a washing process using emulsion of sc-CO2 in water for eliminating the resist pattern from the substrate. We have studied metalizing of Ni-P on polyimide, which is composed of catalyzation process on/into polymer using sc-CO2 of Pd-organic complex and electroless plating using sc-CO2 emulsion (ELP-SCE), which is composed of an aqueous electrolyte, sc-CO2, and a surfactant. ELP-SCE enabled the penetration of Ni-P into deep-inside of polymer. We have studied electroplating method using sc-CO2 emulsion (EP-SCE). Metal film obtained by this technique was uniform and without pinhole, because sc-CO2 has low viscosity and compatibility of hydrogen. We demonstrate complete filling of 60 nm diameter holes with aspect-ratio of 5 on Si substrate by application of EP-SCE.