COVID-19 related stigma and healthprotective behaviours among adolescents in the Netherlands:An explorative study

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many governments to impose social distancing measures upon its citizens, including in the Netherlands. Motivating adolescents to adhere to measures such as social distancing can be challenging, since adolescents are relatively more affected by them, while experiencing virtually no personal health benefit. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic seems to impact the social environment of adolescents in schools, as some media sources have reported bullying and stigmatisation of students with an Asian appearance. This study aims to explore the experiences of adolescents regarding their Health-Protective Behaviour (HPB), as well as the prevalence and expression of stigma towards ethnic minorities within the context of the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic. We performed a cross-sectional mixed-methods study, including two independent online questionnaires. An adapted version of the "HPB"questionnaire (n = 528) and the "Measure of Disease-Related Stigma (MDRS)"questionnaire (n = 380), were administered to Dutch adolescents of 10-16 years old, attending primary or secondary school. Furthermore, 15 interviews were held with eight male and seven female adolescents. All data collection took place between March 17 and April 20, 2020. Results show that adolescents perceive COVID-19 as a threat to other peoples' health, rather than their own, and report adherence to public health measures in the interest of older and more vulnerable members of their community. We found no convincing evidence for widespread misinformation or stigmatising of certain ethnic groups among adolescents related to COVID-19 during this study. Participants acknowledged such behaviour happened in the early stages of the pandemic, before this study was initiated. Adolescents are a vital group for public health researchers to engage with during a pandemic, even when reaching them can be challenging

COVID-19 related stigma and healthprotective behaviours among adolescents in the Netherlands

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many governments to impose social distancing measures upon its citizens, including in the Net

A predictive cytochrome P450 monooxygenase functional model for generic hydroxylation by rhizopus oryzae ATCC 11145

An active site model for generic hydroxylation of xenobiotes by the fungus Rhizopus oryzae ATCC 11145 has been developed. The model was constructed using data from known metabolites of R. oryzae, as reported in the chemical literature, including diterpenes and steroids. The model takes the form of an irregular polyhedron of 340 Å3 volume, with two hydrophilic patches and an active site region. It was validated using data for other known substrates, including terpenes, steroids, octalin, and hydrindenone derivatives, drawn from the literature. The interpretive and predictive abilities of the model are discussed

Biotransformation of Malachite Green by the Fungus Cunninghamella elegans

The filamentous fungus Cunninghamella elegans ATCC 36112 metabolized the triphenylmethane dye malachite green with a first-order rate constant of 0.029 μmol h(−1) (mg of cells)(−1). Malachite green was enzymatically reduced to leucomalachite green and also converted to N-demethylated and N-oxidized metabolites, including primary and secondary arylamines. Inhibition studies suggested that the cytochrome P450 system mediated both the reduction and the N-demethylation reactions

Selected Physical and Chemical Properties of Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) Extracts Important for Formulated Product Quality and Performance

The objectives of this research are: (1) to assess selected formulation-relevant physical properties of several commercial Feverfew extracts, including flowability, hygroscopicity, compressibility and compactibility (2) to develop and validate a suitable extraction method and HPLC assay, and (3) to determine the parthenolide content of several commercial Feverfew extracts. Carr’s index, minimum orifice diameter and particle-particle interaction were used to evaluate powder flowability. Hygroscopicity was evaluated by determining the equilibrium moisture content (EMC) after storage at various % relative humidities. Heckle analysis and compression pressure-radial tensile strength relationship were used to represent compression and compaction properties of feverfew extracts. An adapted analytical method was developed based on literature methods and then validated for the determination of parthenolide in feverfew. The commercial extracts tested exhibited poor to very poor flowability. The comparatively low mean yield pressure suggested that feverfew extracts deformed mainly plastically. Hygroscopicity and compactibility varied greatly with source. No commercial feverfew extracts tested contained the label claimed parthenolide. Even different batches from the same manufacturer showed significantly different parthenolide content. Therefore, extract manufactures should commit to proper quality control procedures that ensure accurate label claims, and supplement manufacturers should take into account possible differences in physico-chemical properties when using extracts from multiple suppliers