Several errors occurred in the article by G. Badr, H. Waly, H.M. Saad Eldien, H. Abdel-Tawab, K. Hassan, I.M. Alhazza, H. Ebaid, and S.H. Alwasel, entitled „Blocking Type I Interferon (IFN) Signaling Impairs Antigen Responsiveness of Circulating Lymphocytes and Alters Their Homing to Lymphoid Organs: Protective Role of Type I IFN“ [Cell Physiol Biochem 2010;26:1029-1040 (DOI:10.1159/000323978)]. There is a mistype error in the name of antibody „CD220“. It should read „B220“: - Page 1029: Abstract, Line 12: „Results: Flow cytometry analysis to monitor the blood lymphocyte phenotype and proliferation have shown a significant decrease in CD45R/CD220+ B cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in treated animals“ is incorrect. It should read: „Results: Flow cytometry analysis to monitor the blood lymphocyte phenotype and proliferation have shown a significant decrease in CD45R/B220+ B cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in treated animals“. - Page 1031: CFSE-Labeled Cell Proliferation Assay: Line 16: „On day 6, cells were washed in PBS and were stained with surface antigens anti-CD3-PE, CD45A/CD220-PE [RA3-6B2 and rat IgG2a,κ] or isotype control (BD biosciences)“ is incorrect. It should read: „On day 6, cells were washed in PBS and were stained with surface antigens anti-CD3-PE, CD45A/B220-PE [RA3-6B2 and rat IgG2a,κ] or isotype control (BD biosciences)“. - In Figure 1, panel A: „CD45R/CD220-FITC“ is incorrect. It should read: „CD45R/B220-FITC“. The authors regret any inconvenience caused.

Several errors occurred in the article by G. Badr, H. Waly, H.M. Saad Eldien, H. Abdel-Tawab, K. Hassan, I.M. Alhazza, H. Ebaid, and S.H. Alwasel, entitled „Blocking Type I Interferon (IFN) Signaling Impairs Antigen Responsiveness of Circulating Lymphocytes and Alters Their Homing to Lymphoid Organs: Protective Role of Type I IFN“ [Cell Physiol Biochem 2010;26:1029-1040 (DOI:10.1159/000323978)]. There is a mistype error in the name of antibody „CD220“. It should read „B220“: - Page 1029: Abstract, Line 12: „Results: Flow cytometry analysis to monitor the blood lymphocyte phenotype and proliferation have shown a significant decrease in CD45R/CD220+ B cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in treated animals“ is incorrect. It should read: „Results: Flow cytometry analysis to monitor the blood lymphocyte phenotype and proliferation have shown a significant decrease in CD45R/B220+ B cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in treated animals“. - Page 1031: CFSE-Labeled Cell Proliferation Assay: Line 16: „On day 6, cells were washed in PBS and were stained with surface antigens anti-CD3-PE, CD45A/CD220-PE [RA3-6B2 and rat IgG2a,κ] or isotype control (BD biosciences)“ is incorrect. It should read: „On day 6, cells were washed in PBS and were stained with surface antigens anti-CD3-PE, CD45A/B220-PE [RA3-6B2 and rat IgG2a,κ] or isotype control (BD biosciences)“. - In Figure 1, panel A: „CD45R/CD220-FITC“ is incorrect. It should read: „CD45R/B220-FITC“. The authors regret any inconvenience caused.

Several errors occurred in the article by G. Badr, H. Waly, H.M. Saad Eldien, H. Abdel-Tawab, K. Hassan, I.M. Alhazza, H. Ebaid, and S.H. Alwasel, entitled „Blocking Type I Interferon (IFN) Signaling Impairs Antigen Responsiveness of Circulating Lymphocytes and Alters Their Homing to Lymphoid Organs: Protective Role of Type I IFN“ [Cell Physiol Biochem 2010;26:1029-1040 (DOI:10.1159/000323978)]. There is a mistype error in the name of antibody „CD220“. It should read „B220“: - Page 1029: Abstract, Line 12: „Results: Flow cytometry analysis to monitor the blood lymphocyte phenotype and proliferation have shown a significant decrease in CD45R/CD220+ B cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in treated animals“ is incorrect. It should read: „Results: Flow cytometry analysis to monitor the blood lymphocyte phenotype and proliferation have shown a significant decrease in CD45R/B220+ B cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in treated animals“. - Page 1031: CFSE-Labeled Cell Proliferation Assay: Line 16: „On day 6, cells were washed in PBS and were stained with surface antigens anti-CD3-PE, CD45A/CD220-PE [RA3-6B2 and rat IgG2a,κ] or isotype control (BD biosciences)“ is incorrect. It should read: „On day 6, cells were washed in PBS and were stained with surface antigens anti-CD3-PE, CD45A/B220-PE [RA3-6B2 and rat IgG2a,κ] or isotype control (BD biosciences)“. - In Figure 1, panel A: „CD45R/CD220-FITC“ is incorrect. It should read: „CD45R/B220-FITC“. The authors regret any inconvenience caused.

The binding of clofazimine to human serum albumin (HSA) was investigated by applying optical spectroscopy and molecular docking methods. Fluorescence quenching data revealed that clofazimine binds to protein with binding constant in the order of 104 M-1, and with the increase in temperature, Stern-Volmer quenching constants gradually decreased indicating quenching mode to be static. The UV-visible spectra showed increase in absorbance upon interaction of HSA with clofazimine which further reveals formation of the drug-albumin complex. Thermodynamic parameters obtained from fluorescence data indicate that the process is exothermic and spontaneous. Forster distance (Ro) obtained from fluorescence resonance energy transfer is found to be 2.05 nm. Clofazimine impelled rise in α-helical structure in HSA as observed from far-UV CD spectra while there are minor alterations in tertiary structure of the protein. Clofazimine interacts strongly with HSA inducing secondary structure in the protein and slight alterations in protein topology as suggested by dynamic light scattering results. Moreover, docking results indicate that clofazimine binds to hydrophobic pocket near to the drug site II in HSA.

Background and objective: To our knowledge, no previous studies have focused on the immunomodulatory 15 effects of fresh royal jelly (RJ) administration on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in humans. Our aim was to study the effect of fresh RJ administration on the disease course in children with SLE with some immunological markers (CD4 and CD8 regulatory T cells and T lymphocytes apoptosis). Methods: This was an open-label study in which 20 SLE children received 2 g of freshly prepared RJ daily, for 12 weeks. 20 Results: The percentages of CD4CD25high FOXP3cells (CD4 regulatory T cells) and CD8 CD25high FOXP3cells (CD8 regulatory T cells) were significantly increased after RJ treatment when compared with baseline values. Apoptotic CD4 T lymphocytes were significantly decreased after RJ therapy when compared with baseline values and the control group. Conclusion: This is the first human study on the effect of RJ supplementation in children with SLE. Our 25 results showed improvements with 3-month RJ treatment with regard to the clinical severity score and laboratory markers for the disease. At this stage, it is a single study with a small number of patients, and a great deal of additional wide-scale randomized controlled studies are needed to critically validate the efficacy of RJ in SLE.

In this paper we introduce a generalization of the Bilal distribution, where a new two–parameter distribution is presented. We show that its failure rate function can be upside-down bathtub shaped. The failure rate can also be decreasing or increasing. A comprehensive mathematical treatment of the new distribution is provided. The estimation by maximum likelihood is discussed; and a closed–form expression for Fisher’s information matrix is obtained. Asymptotic interval estimators for both of the two unknown parameters are also given. A simulation study is conducted and applications to real data sets are presented.

FORTY-NINE species and two varieties belonging to 22 genera were recovered on dextrose and 1% crude oil Czapek's agar media from 48 soil samples polluted with mazot and solar. The hydrocarbons polluted soils were collected from three governorates in Upper Egypt; namely El-Minya, Assiut, and Sohag (8 samplesfrom each governorate for each hydrocarbon). The most common genus was Aspergillus which was isolated from the three governorates and from both hydrocarbon polluted soils, the most common species was Aspergillus fumigatus isolated from mazot polluted soils, while Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Aspergillus terreus were the most common species isolated from solar polluted soils. Forty fungal isolates belonging to the 22 genera were tested for their ability to utilize crude oil in Czapek's medium at 28 ±1ºC. Out of these fungi, 32 isolates were able to grow forming visual growth and dry mass determined. One of the key enzymes in oil utilization is lipase, therefore, the 40 isolates were subjected to lipase activity test. Remarkably, out of the tested fungi, 35 isolates produced visual growth and lipase activity, while 4 showed growth without producing the enzyme, these were Aspergillus awamorii, Chrysosporium tropicum, Trichoderma harzianum and Ulocladium chartarum. The highest recorded lipase productivity was observed by Fusarium verticilloides isolated from solar polluted soil at El-Minya giving 12.28 U/ml.

Microbial synthesis of β-carotene has gained more interest as an alternative to synthetic β-carotene due to easy extraction and high yield. The vitamin microbial production is mainly dependent on culture conditions and the medium compositions. In this study, the β-carotene production by the Rhodo- torula glutinis ASU6 (KU550702) was evaluated under different growth conditions and nutrient composition. Different agro-renewable wastes were tested as carbon source for R. glutinis to obtain maximum amount of β-carotene. Meanwhile, it is clear that R. glutinis could grow well on acid extract of onion peels and produced large amount of β-carotene. Initial statistical screening using a Plackett-Burman design showed temperature, incubation time, fermentation type, non-treated onion waste, KH2PO4 and L-asparagine as significantly, influencing β-carotene production. Response surface methodology was applied to determine the mutual interactions between these parameters and optimal levels for β-carotene production. The maximum value of β-carotene production was 204.29 mg/l (7.5-fold) of value observed as central point of the central composite design. All the experimental data are in good agreement with predicted ones, confirming the responsibility of the proposed empirical model in describing β-carotene production by R. glutinis. In the whole, the outcomes of this study support the exploitation of onion peels through microbial fermentation for β-carotene production.

Microbial synthesis of β-carotene has gained more interest as an alternative to synthetic β-carotene due to easy extraction and high yield. The vitamin microbial production is mainly dependent on culture conditions and the medium compositions. In this study, the β-carotene production by the Rhodo- torula glutinis ASU6 (KU550702) was evaluated under different growth conditions and nutrient composition. Different agro-renewable wastes were tested as carbon source for R. glutinis to obtain maximum amount of β-carotene. Meanwhile, it is clear that R. glutinis could grow well on acid extract of onion peels and produced large amount of β-carotene. Initial statistical screening using a Plackett-Burman design showed temperature, incubation time, fermentation type, non-treated onion waste, KH2PO4 and L-asparagine as significantly, influencing β-carotene production. Response surface methodology was applied to determine the mutual interactions between these parameters and optimal levels for β-carotene production. The maximum value of β-carotene production was 204.29 mg/l (7.5-fold) of value observed as central point of the central composite design. All the experimental data are in good agreement with predicted ones, confirming the responsibility of the proposed empirical model in describing β-carotene production by R. glutinis. In the whole, the outcomes of this study support the exploitation of onion peels through microbial fermentation for β-carotene production.

Microbial synthesis of β-carotene has gained more interest as an alternative to synthetic β-carotene due to easy extraction and high yield. The vitamin microbial production is mainly dependent on culture conditions and the medium compositions. In this study, the β-carotene production by the Rhodo- torula glutinis ASU6 (KU550702) was evaluated under different growth conditions and nutrient composition. Different agro-renewable wastes were tested as carbon source for R. glutinis to obtain maximum amount of β-carotene. Meanwhile, it is clear that R. glutinis could grow well on acid extract of onion peels and produced large amount of β-carotene. Initial statistical screening using a Plackett-Burman design showed temperature, incubation time, fermentation type, non-treated onion waste, KH2PO4 and L-asparagine as significantly, influencing β-carotene production. Response surface methodology was applied to determine the mutual interactions between these parameters and optimal levels for β-carotene production. The maximum value of β-carotene production was 204.29 mg/l (7.5-fold) of value observed as central point of the central composite design. All the experimental data are in good agreement with predicted ones, confirming the responsibility of the proposed empirical model in describing β-carotene production by R. glutinis. In the whole, the outcomes of this study support the exploitation of onion peels through microbial fermentation for β-carotene production.