Phase equilibria behavior of carbon dioxide-n-hexane-naphthalene ternary system

Inas Muen AlNashef,Rasheed S. Al-Ameeri,Taher A. Al Sahhaf,Salah E. M. Hamam 한국화학공학회 2008 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.25 No.6

The ternary system CO2-n-hexane-naphthalene was studied to determine the bubble point pressure at three different temperatures (40, 60 and 80 oC) and a fixed n-hexane to naphthalene mole ratio of 9 : 1. The experimental data obtained were predicted by using the Peng-Robinson equation of state with two interaction parameters. The experimental and calculated bubble point pressures were generally in good agreement at the three temperatures and over the composition range investigated.

Guggulsterone induces heme oxygenase-1 expression through activation of Nrf2 in human mammary epithelial cells: PTEN as a putative target.

Almazari, Inas,Park, Jong-Min,Park, Sin-Aye,Suh, Jin-Young,Na, Hye-Kyung,Cha, Young-Nam,Surh, Young-Joon IRL Press] ; Oxford University Press 2012 Carcinogenesis Vol.33 No.2

<P>Guggulsterone (GS) [4,17(20)-pregnadiene-3,16-dione] is a phytosterol found in the gum resin of the Commiphora mukul. GS exists naturally in two stereoisomers: E-GS (cis-GS) and Z-GS (trans-GS). In this study, the effects of both isomers on expression of the cytoprotective enzyme heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were evaluated in human mammary epithelial (MCF10A) cells. NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is considered a master regulator in activating antioxidant response element (ARE)-driven expression of HO-1 and many other antioxidant/cytoprotective proteins. cis-GS upregulated the transcription and protein expression of HO-1 to a greater extent than did trans-GS. cis-GS treatment enhanced nuclear translocation and ARE-binding activity of Nrf2. MCF10A cells transfected with an ARE luciferase construct exhibited significantly elevated Nrf2 transcriptional activity upon cis-GS treatment compared with cells transfected with the control vector. In addition, silencing of the Nrf2 gene abrogated cis-GS-induced expression of HO-1. Incubation of MCF10A cells with cis-GS increased phosphorylation of Akt. The pharmacological inhibition of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), an upstream kinase responsible for Akt phosphorylation, abrogated cis-GS-induced Nrf2 nuclear translocation. Pretreatment with the thiol-reducing agents attenuated Akt phosphorylation, Nrf2 activation and HO-1 expression, suggesting that cis-GS may cause thiol modification of an upstream signaling modulator. Phosphatase and Tensin Homologue Deleted on Chromosome 10 (PTEN) is a negative regulator of the PI3K-Akt axis. The mutation in cysteine 124 present in the catalytic domain of PTEN abolished cis-GS-induced HO-1 expression as well as Akt phosphorylation. Whether this cysteine is a 'bona fide' target of cis-GS in its activation of Nrf2 needs additional investigation.</P>

Determination of cost-effective operating condition for CO2 capturing using 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ionic liquid

Emad Ali,Inas Alnashef,Abdelhamid Ajbar,Sarwono Mulyono,Hanee Farzana Hizaddin,Mohamed Kamel Hadj-Kali 한국화학공학회 2013 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.30 No.11

1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BMIM][BF4]) ionic liquid (IL) is considered for CO2capturing in a typical absorption/stripper process. The use of ionic liquids is considered to be cost-effective because it requires less energy for solvent recovery compared to other conventional processes. A mathematical model was developed for the process based on Peng-Robinson (PR) equation of state (EoS). The model was validated with experimental data for CO2 solubility in [BMIM][BF4]. The model is utilized to study the sorbent effect and energy demand for selected operating pressure at specific CO2 capturing rates. The energy demand is expressed by the vapor-liquid equilibrium temperature necessary to remove the captured CO2 from the spent solvent in the regeneration step. It is found that low recovery temperature can be achieved at specific pressure combination for the absorber/stripper units. In fact, the temperature requirement is less than that required by the typical monoethanolamine (MEA) solvent. The effect of the CO2 loading in the sorbent stream on the process performance is also examined.

Ionic liquids as novel surfactants for potential use in enhanced oil recovery

Mohammed Said Benzagouta,Inas Muen AlNashef,Wimpy Karnanda,Khalid Al-Khidir 한국화학공학회 2013 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.30 No.11

The screening and use of benign chemicals for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) applications is important because of their properties and relationship to the embedded fluids. We investigated a special type of ionic liquids (ILs)called ‘‘Ammoeng” for potential use in surfactant EOR to replace the currently used surfactants that have many disadvantages. The interfacial tension (IFT) between a representative oil sample from Saudi reservoirs and solutions of AmmoengTM ILs at different concentrations in 10 wt% NaCl aqueous solutions were measured as a function of temperature. It was found that the IFT values decreased with the increase of IL concentration. However, the effect of temperature on the IFT depended on the type of IL. AmmoengTM 102 gave the lowest IFT values among the screened ILs. The comparison of the results to those resulting from TritonX100, a commercially used surfactant, showed that the IFT values using AmmoengTM 102 were smaller than the corresponding values when TritonX100 was used at the same conditions. The possibility of having a synergetic effect when using a mixture of AmmoengTM 102 and Triton X 100was also investigated. The results showed that the IFT values depended on the total concentration, the surfactant to IL mass ratio, and the temperature.

Esterification of sludge palm oil using trifluoromethanesulfonic acid for preparation of biodiesel fuel

Adeeb Hayyan,Mohd Ali Hashim,Mohamed Elwathig Saeed Mirghani,Maan Hayyan,Inas Muen AlNashef 한국화학공학회 2013 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.30 No.6

Trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TFMSA) was used to reduce the high free fatty acids (FFA) content in sludge palm oil (SPO). The FFA content of SPO was converted to fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) via esterification reaction. The treated sludge palm oil was used as a raw material for biodiesel production by transesterification process. Several working parameters were optimized, such as dosage of catalyst, molar ratio, reaction temperature and time. Less than 2% of the FFA content was the targeted value. The results showed that the FFA content of SPO was reduced from 16% to less than 2% using the optimum conditions. The yield of the final product after the alkaline transesterification was 84% with 0.07% FFA and the ester content was 96.7%. All other properties met the international standard specifications for biodiesel quality such as EN 14214 and ASTM D6751.

Treatment of industrial low grade palm oil via esterification reaction using sonoreactor

Adeeb Hayyan,Mohd Ali Hashim,Mohamed E.S. Mirghani,Maan Hayyan,Inas M. AlNashef 한국공업화학회 2014 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.20 No.4

In this study, the reduction of free fatty acid (FFA) in low grade palm oil (LGPO) was conducted at various sonication times, ranging from 30 to 300 min. Screening of various acids was reported and selected acid was considered for further study. The results found that strong acids such as sulfuric acid to be superior to other acids. The FFA content of LGPO decreased from 20% to less than 3%, using sulfuric acid at optimum conditions. Treated LGPO can be used as a new type of fuel for various applications such as biodiesel production.

Investigating the electrochemical windows of ionic liquids

Maan Hayyan,Farouq S. Mjalli,Mohd Ali Hashim,Inas M. AlNashef,Tan Xue Mei 한국공업화학회 2013 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.19 No.1

The structure effect on the electrochemical windows (EWs) was studied using cyclic voltammetry (CV) in 16 ionic liquids (ILs), consisting of various cations such as piperidinium, pyridinium, pyrrolidinium,phosphonium, morpholinium, ammonium, sulfonium and imidazolium, and anions including bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate, dicyanamide, trifluoroacetate and trifluoromethanesulfonate. It was found that all studied ILs have good EWs to be utilized as electrolytes in different electrochemical applications pertaining to industry. Furthermore, it was found that the structure of ILs affected the EW and both the cation and anion have important effect on the reductive and oxidative limits, respectively. The reductive limits of the studied ILs were found to follow the sequence of [P14,666]+ > [N112,1O2]+ > [HMPyrr]+ > [BMPyrr]+ > [EMIm]+ > [MOEMMor]+≈[MOPMPip]+ > [S222]+ > [BMPy]+≈[HPy]+≈ [HPPy]+. The oxidative limits were found to follow the sequence of [TFSI]ˉ > [TPTP]ˉ > [TfO]ˉ > [DCA]ˉ > [TFA]ˉ. 2012 The Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fabrication and characterization of polymer-infiltrated ceramic network materials based on nano-tetragonal zirconia

Mohammed Nesreen Y.,Wahsh Mohamed M. S.,Motawea Inas T.,Essawy Hisham A. 한국세라믹학회 2021 한국세라믹학회지 Vol.58 No.3

Fabrication and characterization of polymer infiltrated ceramic networks (PICNs) were undertaken for use in dentistry. Calciastabilized tetragonal zirconia (7-tCSZ) nanoparticles were synthesized via a modified co-precipitation. The composition and particle size of the prepared nanoparticles were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Densification parameters of porous ceramic samples, with varying amounts of 7-tCSZ, 0, 5, 10, and 15 wt.%, and PICN materials were examined using the Archimedes principle. The flexural strength and elastic modulus of PICNs were measured using a three-point bending strength test. The microhardness and fracture toughness were determined using Vickers microhardness and V-notched bars tests, respectively. The microstructure was investigated for selected materials before and after polymer infiltration using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results revealed that the samples with 10 and 15 wt.% of nano-tetragonal zirconia showed the highest elastic modulus (8.24 GPa) and fracture toughness (1.82 MPa m 1/2 ), respectively, which is attributed to transformation toughening of zirconia. The flexural strength and microhardness of PICNs were in the range 66.14–71.72 MPa, 0.18–0.19 GPa, respectively, whilst the brittleness index was maximally 0.21 μm −½ , which is significantly below the ultimate brittleness index (4.3 μm −1/2 ) allowing machinability. Conclusively, the inclusion of nanometric zirconia posed a dramatic enhancement of the mechanical properties without affecting the machinability of these biomimetic materials, making them similar to natural dentin in terms of the elastic modulus and fracture toughness along with ease of machinability, which renders them promising as indirect dental restorative materials.

Potential therapeutic and pharmacological strategies for SARS-CoV2

Ghareeb Doaa A.,Saleh Samar R.,Nofal Mohammed S.,Kaddah Mohamed M. Y.,Hassan Salma. F.,Seif Inas K.,El-Zahaby Sally A.,Khedr Shaimaa M.,Kenawy Marwa Y.,Masoud Aliaa A.,Soudi Salma A.,Sobhy Ahmed A.,Se 한국약제학회 2021 Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation Vol.51 No.3

Background At the end of 2019, the new Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) strain causing severe acute respiratory syndrome swept the world. From November 2019 till February 2021, this virus infected nearly 104 million, with more than two million deaths and about 25 million active cases. This has prompted scientists to discover effective drugs to combat this pandemic. Area covered Drug repurposing is the magic bullet for treating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV2). Therefore, several drugs have been investigated in silico, in vitro, as well as through human trials such as anti- SARS-CoV2 agents, or to prevent the complications resulting from the virus. In this review, the mechanisms of action of different therapeutic strategies are summarized. According to the WHO, different classes of drugs can be used, including anti-malarial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and anti-coagulant drugs, as well as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, antibiotics, vitamins, zinc, neutralizing antibodies, and convalescent plasma therapy. Recently, there are some vaccines which are approved against SARS-CoV2. Expert opinion A complete understanding of the structure and function of all viral proteins that play a fundamental role in viral infection, which contribute to the therapeutic intervention and the development of vaccine in order to reduce the mortality rate.

Histopathologic Biomarker Response of Clam, Ruditapes decussates, to Organophosphorous Pesticides Reldan and Roundup: A Laboratory Study

Nahla S. El-Shenawy,Tarak I. S. Moawad,Mahmoud E. Mohallal,Ismail M. Abdel-Nabi,Inas A. Taha 한국해양과학기술원 2009 Ocean science journal Vol.44 No.1

Clam Ruditapes decussates was used as a biomonitoring organism to measure the potential impact of pollution. The present study investigated histological alterations of R. decussates following a long-term exposure to a sublethal-level of pesticides Reldan and Roundup. The clams were taken to the laboratory and kept for days to adjust to a continuous closed flow system with quality water control. After the adjustment period, clams were exposed either to sublethal concentrations of Reldan (0.6 μl L−1) or Roundup (1.1 μl L−1) for 90 days. Clams were taken to determine the histological damage at 30, 60 and 90 days. Most histological alterations were highly localized in the glandular cells of the gills, mantle tissues and digestive gland; secretions of glandular cells were found to be increased by increasing the time of exposure. Histopathological results showed the activation of resistance mechanisms that allowed the clams to survive under sublethal stresses. Thus, histological changes on localized tissues were sensitive and they have positive correlation to the time of exposure to the pesticides, suggesting that they may serve as biomarkers for Reldan and Roundup exposures. Clam Ruditapes decussates was used as a biomonitoring organism to measure the potential impact of pollution. The present study investigated histological alterations of R. decussates following a long-term exposure to a sublethal-level of pesticides Reldan and Roundup. The clams were taken to the laboratory and kept for days to adjust to a continuous closed flow system with quality water control. After the adjustment period, clams were exposed either to sublethal concentrations of Reldan (0.6 μl L−1) or Roundup (1.1 μl L−1) for 90 days. Clams were taken to determine the histological damage at 30, 60 and 90 days. Most histological alterations were highly localized in the glandular cells of the gills, mantle tissues and digestive gland; secretions of glandular cells were found to be increased by increasing the time of exposure. Histopathological results showed the activation of resistance mechanisms that allowed the clams to survive under sublethal stresses. Thus, histological changes on localized tissues were sensitive and they have positive correlation to the time of exposure to the pesticides, suggesting that they may serve as biomarkers for Reldan and Roundup exposures.