Antimicrobial Properties of Ethanolic and Methanolic Extracts of Finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.) Varieties Cultivated in Sri Lanka

The emerging significance of natural antimicrobial agents creates an imperative need to identify novel plant sources with antimicrobial activities. The objective of the present study was to evaluate antibacterial, antifungal and β-lactamase enzyme inhibitory activities of ethanolic and methanolic extracts of Ravi, Rawana and Oshadha finger millet varieties. Flours of whole grains of the finger millet varieties were extracted with absolute ethanol and methanol separately. Antibacterial activities against six antibiotic-sensitive and four antibiotic-resistant pathogenic bacterial strains were evaluated using the resazurin reduction assay. Antifungal activities against six antimicrobial-sensitive pathogenic fungal strains were evaluated using the agar tube dilution method. β-Lactamase enzyme inhibitory activity was evaluated using a standard method. Both ethanolic and methanolic extracts of the three finger millet varieties showed dose-dependent inhibitory activities against the tested antibiotic-sensitive and antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains while exhibiting high inhibitions against Gram-positive antibiotic-sensitive bacterial strains when compared to Gram-negative antibiotic-sensitive bacterial strains. The findings revealed the antibacterial potential of both ethanolic and methanolic extracts of the three finger millet varieties against antibiotic-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC® 6538™) and Bacillus subtilis (ATCC® 23857™) strains and the minimum inhibitory concentrations of the extracts against S. aureus and B. subtilis were found to be 2.1 and 1.8 mg/ml, respectively. However, none of the extracts can be considered as significantly active against the tested antibiotic-sensitive and antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains when compared to the standard drugs. In addition, none of the extracts can be considered as active against the tested fungal strains at the tested concentrations. Nevertheless, all extracts showed more activities against the tested bacterial strains when compared to the tested fungal strains. Since all extracts showed less than 40% β-lactamase inhibitory activities even at 2 mg/ml concentration, they do not qualify as promising sources of β-lactamase inhibitors at the tested concentration.KEYWORDS: Antibacterial activity, Antifungal activity, Finger millet, β-Lactamase enzyme inhibitory activit

Characterization of an anti-hyperglycemic coumarin from the fruits of Averrhoa

Objectives: The present study was carried out to isolate and characterize the anti-hyperglycemic principles of the fruits of Averrhoa carambola.Methods: The fresh ripe fruits of A. carambola were collected from Mathugama area (Southern Province) in July 2014. The fruits were cut into small pieces and dried at 400 C. The dried and powdered fruits of A. carambola were successively extracted with n-hexane, CH2Cl2 and CH3OH using soxhlet apparatus. The CH2Cl2 extract was subjected to silica gel column chromatography (CC), eluting in a stepwise gradient with hexane and ethylacetate (EtOAc) mixtures. The fractions eluted with hexane: EtOAC (60:40) yielded a mixture which with preparative thin layer chromalography (CH2Cl2 : EtOAC – 9:1) afforded JW-AC-3 (20 mg). The structure of JW-AC-3 was elucidated on the basis of its UV, IR, MS, NMR including DEPT,COSY, NOESY, HMQC, HMBC experiments and direct comparison with reported data.Results: The JW-AC-3 was identified as scopoletin by direct comparison of its spectral data with reported data of scopoletin. Although this compound has previously been isolated from various plant species, this is the first report of this compound from A. carambola.Conclusions: Scopoletin has been shown to possess significant anti-hyperglycemic activity by previous workers. The results clearly indicated that the majority of the anti-hyperglycemic activity of the fruits of A. carambola could be attributed to scopoletin. As the fruits are used in traditional medicine for anti-hyperglycemic effects, the results obtained in this study could be used in the rationalization of ethnomedical use of the fruits of A. carambola

Microbial biotransformation of beclomethasone dipropionate by Aspergillus niger

In the present research, the steroidal anti-asthmatic drug beclomethasone dipropionate was subjected to microbial biotransformation by Aspergillus niger. Beclomethasone dipropionate was transformed into various metabolites first time from microbial transformation. New drug metabolites produced can act as new potential drug molecules and can replace the old drugs in terms of safety, efficacy, and least resistance. They were purified by preparative thin layer chromatography technique, and their structures were elucidated using modern spectroscopic techniques, such as 13C NMR, 1H NMR, HMQC, HMQC, COSY, and NOESY, and mass spectrometry, such as EI-MS. Four metabolites were purified: (i) beclomethasone 17-monopropionate, (ii) beclomethasone 21-monopropionate, (iii) beclomethasone, and (iv) 9beta,11beta-epoxy-17,21-dihydroxy-16beta-methylpregna-1,4-diene-3,20-dione 21-propionate

HYPOGLYCEAMIC ACTIVITY OF FRACTIONS OF ETHYL ACETATE FRACTION OF THE WATER EXTRACT OF ARTOCARPUS HETEROPHYLLUS SENESCENT LEAVES

The aqueous extract of the senescent leaves of Artocarpus heterophyllus is traditionally used in Sri Lanka as a hypoglyceamic agent. It has been previously reportedthat the hypoglyceamic activity lies in the ethyl acetate fraction of the water extract (EA/W). The EA/W fraction was fractionated by chromatography on sephadex LH-20. Five fractions eluting with the following solvent systems were obtained. Fraction 1, dichloromethane/ hexane (4:1), Fraction 2, dichloromethane/acetone (3:2), Fraction 3, dichloromethane/ acetone (1:4), Fraction 4, dichloromethane/ methanol (1:1) and Fraction 5, methanol. These fractions were screened for in vivo hypoglyceamic activity. Each fraction was tested for its effect on the blood glucose levels of fasted normal and diabetic rats. None of the fractions caused hypoglyceamia on normal rats. However there was significant (p < 0.001) reduction in the blood glucose level during the first three hours after giving the fractions 3, 4 and 5 to diabetic rats. Among the three fractions fraction 4 showed the highest hypoglyceamic activity. Fractions 3, 4 and 5 were also the most active in the glucose tolerance test carried out on both normal and diabetic rats. However fraction 3 showed the highest activity in this assay. In both assays using diabetic rats fractions 3, 4 and 5 at 50 mg/kg body weight showed activity of the same order as glibenclamide at 5 mg/ kg body weight. These results maybe of potential use for the development of an anti diabetic drug from leaves of Artocarpus heterophyllus

Benign enlargement of the subarachnoid spaces and subdural collections—when to evaluate for abuse

In infants without a history of trauma, subdural haemorrhages should raise the concern for an abusive head injury, particularly when they are associated with bridging vein clotting/rupture or with septations. However, non-haemorrhagic, fluid-appearing subdural collections (also called hygromas) may also be the result of abuse. Subdural collections have also been uncommonly observed in patients with benign enlargement of the subarachnoid spaces (BESS) and a few large-scale studies accurately investigate the incidence and the significance. Currently, there is a wide variation of practices in children with BESS and subdural collections. Due to the social risks associated with abuse evaluation and the perceived risk of radiation exposure, there might be a reluctance to fully evaluate these children in some centres. The diagnosis of physical abuse cannot be substantiated nor safely excluded in infants with BESS and subdural collection(s), without investigation for concomitant traumatic findings. The exact prevalence of occult injuries and abuse in these infants is unknown. In macrocephalic infants with subdural collections and imaging features of BESS, thorough investigations for abuse are warranted and paediatricians should consider performing full skeletal surveys even when fundoscopy, social work consult, and detailed clinical evaluation are unremarkable

Controversial aspects of imaging in child abuse: a second roundtable discussion from the ESPR child abuse taskforce

This second roundtable discussion was convened at the 56th European Society of Paediatric Radiology (ESPR) 2022 Annual Meeting in Marseille, France, to discuss controversial aspects of imaging in child abuse. The following topics were discussed: Fracture dating—the published literature is broadly similar with respect to the identification of the radiographic stages of bony healing. The non-expert/general radiologist is encouraged to use broad descriptors of fracture healing (acute, healing or old) within their reports, rather than attempting to date fractures. The more experienced/expert radiologist, who may provide a timeframe/range to assist the courts, should be aware that any published timeframes are not absolute and that recent research indicates that the rate of healing may differ according to the bone affected and the age of the patient. Whole spine imaging in suspected abusive head trauma—this is recommended to enable a complete assessment of the neuraxis when abusive head trauma is suspected or diagnosed, particularly in the presence of intracranial and cervical subdural haemorrhage and cervical ligamentous injury. Cranial imaging in suspected physical abuse—both computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) remain complimentary depending on the clinical context in which they are used with CT remaining first-line in the assessment of children with (suspected abusive) head trauma prior to an early MRI. MRI is superior in its assessment of parenchymal injury and may be employed as first-line in age appropriate asymptomatic siblings of a child with suspected physical abuse

Evidence of Color Coherence Effects in W+jets Events from ppbar Collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.8 TeV

We report the results of a study of color coherence effects in ppbar collisions based on data collected by the D0 detector during the 1994-1995 run of the Fermilab Tevatron Collider, at a center of mass energy sqrt(s) = 1.8 TeV. Initial-to-final state color interference effects are studied by examining particle distribution patterns in events with a W boson and at least one jet. The data are compared to Monte Carlo simulations with different color coherence implementations and to an analytic modified-leading-logarithm perturbative calculation based on the local parton-hadron duality hypothesis.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures. Submitted to Physics Letters

Search for a W' boson decaying to a bottom quark and a top quark in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

Results are presented from a search for a W' boson using a dataset corresponding to 5.0 inverse femtobarns of integrated luminosity collected during 2011 by the CMS experiment at the LHC in pp collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV. The W' boson is modeled as a heavy W boson, but different scenarios for the couplings to fermions are considered, involving both left-handed and right-handed chiral projections of the fermions, as well as an arbitrary mixture of the two. The search is performed in the decay channel W' to t b, leading to a final state signature with a single lepton (e, mu), missing transverse energy, and jets, at least one of which is tagged as a b-jet. A W' boson that couples to fermions with the same coupling constant as the W, but to the right-handed rather than left-handed chiral projections, is excluded for masses below 1.85 TeV at the 95% confidence level. For the first time using LHC data, constraints on the W' gauge coupling for a set of left- and right-handed coupling combinations have been placed. These results represent a significant improvement over previously published limits.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters B. Replaced with version publishe

Search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying into two photons in pp collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV

A search for a Higgs boson decaying into two photons is described. The analysis is performed using a dataset recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC from pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, which corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 4.8 inverse femtobarns. Limits are set on the cross section of the standard model Higgs boson decaying to two photons. The expected exclusion limit at 95% confidence level is between 1.4 and 2.4 times the standard model cross section in the mass range between 110 and 150 GeV. The analysis of the data excludes, at 95% confidence level, the standard model Higgs boson decaying into two photons in the mass range 128 to 132 GeV. The largest excess of events above the expected standard model background is observed for a Higgs boson mass hypothesis of 124 GeV with a local significance of 3.1 sigma. The global significance of observing an excess with a local significance greater than 3.1 sigma anywhere in the search range 110-150 GeV is estimated to be 1.8 sigma. More data are required to ascertain the origin of this excess.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters

Measurement of the Lambda(b) cross section and the anti-Lambda(b) to Lambda(b) ratio with Lambda(b) to J/Psi Lambda decays in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

The Lambda(b) differential production cross section and the cross section ratio anti-Lambda(b)/Lambda(b) are measured as functions of transverse momentum pt(Lambda(b)) and rapidity abs(y(Lambda(b))) in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV using data collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. The measurements are based on Lambda(b) decays reconstructed in the exclusive final state J/Psi Lambda, with the subsequent decays J/Psi to an opposite-sign muon pair and Lambda to proton pion, using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.9 inverse femtobarns. The product of the cross section times the branching ratio for Lambda(b) to J/Psi Lambda versus pt(Lambda(b)) falls faster than that of b mesons. The measured value of the cross section times the branching ratio for pt(Lambda(b)) > 10 GeV and abs(y(Lambda(b))) < 2.0 is 1.06 +/- 0.06 +/- 0.12 nb, and the integrated cross section ratio for anti-Lambda(b)/Lambda(b) is 1.02 +/- 0.07 +/- 0.09, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters