ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, AND PRACTICES REGARDING ANTIBIOTIC USE AND RESISTANCE AMONG COMMUNITY PHARMACISTS IN SANA’A (YEMEN)

Objectives: This study aims to assess pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding over-the-counter antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study using a self-administered questionnaire for pharmacists in Sana’a city, Yemen. Results: An arithmetic mean of 2.5 and a standard deviation of 1.25 rated the level of knowledge among community pharmacists in Sana’a, Yemen, concerning antibiotic use and resistance as low. We rated the attitudes toward antibiotic use and resistance among community pharmacists in Sana’a, Yemen, at a medium level, with an arithmetic mean of 3.18 and a standard deviation of 1.25. In addition, we rated the rate of practices concerning antibiotic use and resistance among community pharmacists in Sana’a (Yemen) as medium, with an arithmetic mean of 2.7 and a standard deviation of 1.08. We observed no notable differences in age, educational level, or years of experience among community pharmacists; however, we identified a significant difference in gender at a level of 0.003. There is no significant correlation between the age, educational level, years of experience, gender, and knowledge variables of community pharmacists. There exists a notable correlation between gender and attitude, alongside a weak inverse correlation between gender and practice variables. Conclusion: Community pharmacists in Sana’a, Yemen, rated their knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding antibiotic use and resistance poorly, with an arithmetic mean of 2.5 and a standard deviation of 1.25. Community pharmacists in Sana’a, Yemen, assessed their attitudes toward antibiotic use and resistance as moderate, with a mean score of 3.18 and a standard deviation of 1.25. Ultimately, at the 0.05 significance level, there is no statistically significant correlation between the average responses of community pharmacists regarding the research variables (age, educational level, years of experience, gender) and their association with knowledge variables. We observe a statistically significant correlation between the gender variable and attitude, with a significance level of 0.005. A weak inverse correlation exists between gender and practice variables. A statistically significant correlation exists between knowledge and practice

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF RHOMBOID (LIMBERG) FLAP CLOSURE WITH WIDE OPEN EXCISION IN MANAGEMENT OF PILONIDAL SINUS

Objective- There are may options for the treatment of pilonidal sinus with different pros and cons . The current study intends to compare two commonly practiced surgical treatments -Rhomboid excision (Limberg flap repair) against wide-open excision with healing by secondary intention. In this study, we have compared post operative complications and recurrence rates after Limberg Flap  and wide excision. Materials and Methods: Our study is a prospective study including 56 patients who were admitted for pilonidal sinus and operated by Limberg flap reconstruction surgery and Wide Local Excision at a tertiary centre. Results: The patients included males and females in a ratio of 4.6:1 .The mean presenting age of the patients was 32.84 years .Most common presenting complaint was discharge from affected site and local pain. Operating time was observed to be significantly  more for Limberg Flap as compared to for wide local excision. Hospital stay was noted to be longer for wide local excision than Limberg Flap with a p-value <0.0001. Post op complications like bleeding, wound dehiscence as well as recurrence was noted more in Wide Local excision. Pain free sitting days were less in Limberg Flap and return to work was much earlier as compared to Wide Local Excision. Conclusions: Limberg flap reconstruction surgery is the most preferred method of treatment for pilonidal sinus because of its less discomfort, low infection and low recurrence rates, better aesthetic results after surgery and short duration of hospital stay and return to work.

A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY ON RISK FACTORS AND COMORBID CONDITIONS OF CEREBRAL PALSY CASES ATTENDING DEIC, S.V.P.PG INSTITUTE (SISHU BHAWAN), CUTTACK

Objectives: The objectives of the study were: (1) To study the sociodemographic profile of cerebral palsy (CP) cases attending the District Early Intervention Center (DEIC) at Sishu Bhawan. (2) To study the risk factors of CP. (3) To study the associated comorbid conditions of CP. Methods: It is a hospital-based study conducted at DEIC, Sishu Bhawan, Cuttack, from July 2016 to June 2017. All cases (150) of CP children in the age group of 6 months–14 years attending DEIC during the study period were taken as study subjects. The mothers/caregivers of the children were interviewed, and the data thus collected were analyzed by the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 17. Results: The mean age of the study subjects was 2.87 years±2.48 standard deviation. The male–female ratio was 2.4. The risk factors associated with CP were PIH, antepartum hemorrhage, low birth weight, hyperbilirubinemia, seizures, birth asphyxia, etc. The common comorbid conditions are malnutrition, mental retardation, seizure, hearing and vision impairment, speech difficulty, and behavioral problems. Conclusion: Prevention of prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal risk factors of CP and better management of high-risk cases will reduce the occurrence of CP

PRE-PROCESSING TECHNIQUES FOR INTEGRATED ADVERSE DRUG REACTION DATASETS

Objective: To integrate and preprocess datasets from the FDA adverse event reporting system (FAERS), side effect resource (SIDER), DrugBank, and PubChem to extract meaningful insights into drug interactions, adverse events, and molecular properties, thereby supporting drug discovery and pharmacovigilance. Methods: The study implements a preprocessing pipeline that includes data cleaning, normalization, and harmonization to ensure consistency across the diverse datasets. Standardization of drug nomenclature and handling of missing or inconsistent information are emphasized. The integrated data is then subjected to exploratory data analysis and advanced visualization techniques to uncover patterns and correlations within the data. Results: The integration and preprocessing of the datasets improved the consistency and quality of the drug-related data. Exploratory analysis revealed patterns and potential associations among drugs, adverse events, and molecular features. Visualization tools effectively conveyed complex relationships and significant trends, enhancing interpretability. Conclusion: The study successfully demonstrates that integrating and preprocessing multiple drug-related datasets improves data quality and facilitates comprehensive analysis. The resulting resource supports better-informed decision-making in drug development and pharmacovigilance by enabling a deeper understanding of drug interactions and safety profiles

Mobile Learning and the Future of Microlearning: Revolutionizing Education with Smartphones and Apps

With the availability of smartphones, notepads, laptops, and other mobile applications, mobile learning (mLearning) and microlearning have impacted and transformed concepts in present-day education. In this study, the present status, development, impact, future directions, and limitations of mLearning and microlearning have been reviewed, including their revolutionary consequences on conventional educational institutions, mental influence, and other outcomes. Here, pedagogical frameworks, advantages, and issues related to mobile and microlearning have also been discussed. The outcomes of this review have revealed that using mobile devices for education has enabled flexible, readily available, learner-centered education free from geographical and chronological restrictions. Additionally, assessing important trends such as gamification, personalized learning, different tools, and multimedia use has transformed the educational world completely in a very short period. In summary, the outcomes of the present study revealed that mLearning and microlearning are revolutionizing education, but still, for more general acceptance, worthiness, and efficient use, issues like data security and infrastructural differences must be resolved

Supervisory Challenges of A Faculty Officer in Public Universities: The Case of the University for Development Studies

“The job of a Faculty Officer, which is primarily that of a supervisor, is a thankless one.” This paper reflects the writer’s displeasure and challenges as a Faculty Officer who is responsible for overseeing 302 staff members who work in both teaching and non-teaching capacities across thirteen departments. This paper is a review of the writer’s depressing reflection on the lack of job satisfaction he has experienced as a result of the numerous issues he had to deal with as a Faculty Officer. The issue of supervision in a system where workers in various departments appear to have dual loyalty—first and foremost to their heads of departments and secondly to the Faculty Officer, who represents the Registrar at the faculty level—is the most challenging and seemingly insurmountable duty. Since it is impossible for anybody to serve two masters at the same time, the article established the principle of unity of command as a necessity for efficient supervision. Most of the time, the people the Faculty Officer directly supervises may get conflicting or additional responsibilities from the Dean or Head of the Department. Accordingly, the article advises that under these circumstances, the Faculty Officer needs to establish open channels of communication with the Dean and Department Heads to decide the importance of tasks and the appropriate course of action. Additionally, the Faculty Officer must professionally design flexible work schedules and procedural modifications

Improving Teacher Competence Through Open Inquiry-Based Scientific Investigation Development Training

This research aims to improve science teachers’ competence in formulating problems, determining investigation variables, drawing conclusions, interpreting tables, and interpreting graphs through training in developing open inquiry-based scientific investigations. The research design uses a quasi-experimental approach with pre-test and post-test to measure changes in competencies by Ten (10) teachers before and after participating in the training. The study showed a significant improvement in teachers’ skills after participating in the training. Teachers can better formulate investigation problems, determine relevant variables, draw the correct conclusions, and interpret data in tables and graphs. Despite the challenges in implementing the training, such as time and resource management, this training has proven to be effective in improving science teachers’ competence in designing and implementing open inquiry-based learning. This research contributes to developing teacher competencies in the future and scientific inquiry-based learning in Indonesia, which is expected to improve the quality of education and students’ critical thinking skills

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF BARLERIA GRANDIFLORA LEAF EXTRACTS WITH EXPLORATION OF PHARMACOGNOSTIC AND PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS

Objective: The Barleria grandiflora Dalz (Acanthaceae), known as Shwet keshariya and Dev Koranti, is widely used in Indian traditional medicine. The study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity of B. grandiflora leaf extracts along with pharmacognostic and phytochemical analysis. Methods: The present study included macroscopical, microscopical, phytochemical, and physicochemical analysis to standardize the plant materials. Fresh leaves were taken for morphological and microscopical studies. Total ash value, water-soluble ash, and acid-insoluble ash were determined. Loss on drying and a study of foreign organic matter were carried out. Phytochemical analysis was performed using chemical reactions, UV-visible spectrophotometers, and HPLC methods. Phenolic compounds and flavonoid contents were quantified using gallic acid and rutin equivalence methods. In vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of leaf extracts (aqueous: BGAE, ethanolic: BGEE, and petroleum ether: BGPE) was assessed by using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) assay, respectively. Results: The qualitative phytochemical analysis demonstrated that BGAE and BGEE contain phenolic and flavonoids as the major phytoconstituents. The BGEE showed significant (P<0.05) higher contents of phenolic and flavonoids than BGAE and BGPE. Results showed that B. grandiflora leaf extracts showed considerable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. IC50 values of BGAE, BGEE, and BGPE for the DPPH assay were found to be 221.6±7.92, 181.1±5.37, and 322.4±10.79 µg/ml, respectively, and IC50 values of BGAE, BGEE, and BGPE for the BSA assay were found to be 145.7±4.12, 74.03±7.15, and 194.6±3.51 μg/ml, respectively. Conclusion: The results showed that BGEE had better antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity as compared to BGAE and BGPE. These effects might be due to the presence of higher phenolic and flavonoid contents. The current study showed a significant impact of data that helped determine the plant's identity, purity, and effectiveness, giving society access to effective and affordable medicine for use in the future

BURDEN OF KLEBSIELLA PNEUMONIAE AND ESCHERICHIA COLI ISOLATES THAT PRODUCE EXTENDED-SPECTRUM BETA-LACTAMASES AT THE TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN UTTAR PRADESH, LUCKNOW

Objective: To ascertain the prevalence of Escherichia coli isolates and Klebsiella pneumoniae that generates Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamases (ESBLs) in the tertiary care hospital in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Methods: Screening tests have been developed by the Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) to identify the Klebsiellla pneumoniae and Escherichia coli that generate ESBLs. Finally, performing combination disk test on probable ESBL-producing isolates, ESBL phenotypic confirmation was established. Results: 94 (62.7%) of the 150 ESBL-positive isolates were female, while 56 (37.3%) were male. The largest concentration of E. coli which was positive for ESBL production was from urine, and it also shows the lowest concentrations coming from sputum, blood, and CSF samples and the largest concentration of ESBL-positive Klebsiella pneumoniae was found in sputum, followed by urine, pus, and blood, while the lowest concentration was found in a CSF sample. E. coli had 158 of the 267 isolates, and of them, 80 were ESBL positive. Similarly, 70 of the 109 Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates tested were ESBL positive. Conclusion: E. coli had an ESBL prevalence of 53.34% in the current study, while K. pneumoniae had 46.7% prevalence. Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli that produce ESBLs were found in relatively high numbers in the urine, sputum, pus, ET aspirate, and blood samples. The doctors must follow stringent infection control procedures at the hospital and judicious antimicrobial usage guidelines

MOLECULAR DOCKING AND DYNAMIC SIMULATION ON PLA2, NIK, COX-2, AND IRAK-4 INHIBITORS AS ANTIPHLOGISTIC AGENTS IN ZINGIBER OFFICINALIS

Objective: Zingiber officinalis (ginger) rhizomes are widely recognised for their health benefits, but the leaves, primarily used as flavouring agents, have not been explored for therapeutic potential. This study investigates the antiphlogistic properties of Z. Officinalis leaf constituents through molecular docking and dynamic simulation of 24 bioactive molecules identified via Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS), with a focus on pro-inflammatory gene suppression and inflammatory cell apoptosis induction. Methods: Docking studies were conducted using Schrödinger software (version 2023-1) on secondary metabolites from aqueous and methanolic extracts of Z. officinalis leaves against Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), Interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase-4 (IRAK-4), Phospholipase A2 (PLA2), and NF-kB-inducing kinase (NF-kB) targets. Physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties were assessed with the QikProp module. MMGBSA simulations evaluated protein-ligand interactions, and molecular dynamics assessed protein adaptation under physiological conditions. Results: Compound Pterin-6-carboxylic acid exhibited an excellent docking score with the target NF-kB compared to standard Diclofenac. Compounds such as Cyclopropane pentanoic acid 2-undecyl and 14-pentyl bicyclohexyl-4-carbonamide showed docking scores of-8.586 kcal/mol and-7.759 kcal/mol, respectively, against COX-2 and IRAK-4. Cyclopropane pentanoic acid 2-undecyl also demonstrated a score of-7.279 kcal/mol against IRAK-4. MMGBSA showed consistent binding free energies, and pharmacokinetic properties were within acceptable limits. The simulation study generated the stability of the protein-ligand complex and found that Pterin-6-carboxylic acid showed a stable complex with 4UY1. Conclusion: Pterin-6-carboxylic acid and Cyclopropane pentanoic acid 2-undecyl demonstrate significant anti-inflammatory potential. These findings suggest their promise for developing anti-inflammatory drugs, though further in vitro and in vivo studies are required to confirm their therapeutic viability