Appraisal of biochemical and genetic diversity of mango cultivars using molecular markers

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is one of the oldest fruit crops and is broadly cultivated worldwide. To determine the level of genetic diversity, a total of 13 mango genotypes have been collected from different farms of Fayoum oasis in Egypt and were analyzed using molecular (DNA) and biochemical (SDS-PAGE) markers along with the quantification of soluble carbohydrates, chlorophyll and carotenoids. These profiles were evaluated as characters to identify the taxonomic relationships of these genotypes. A total of 433 protein bands (ranged from 8 to 180 KDa) from all genotypes, were detected in SDS-PAGE. A total of 306 RAPD fragments were produced by 19 primers and among them 123 (40.2%) were polymorphic. The similarities between different taxa were estimated by Jaccard’s similarity index and clustered in neighbour joining clustering tree. Among the 13 tested mango samples, the total carbohydrate contents ranged between 31.9 and 40.8 µg/100 mg fresh weights, which represents Taymour cultivar and accession No. 7, respectively. Of the 13 mango cultivars and accessions studied, the highest chlorophyll content (386.9 µg/g) was found in accession No. 10; whereas, the lowest value was observed with accession No. 12 (202.5 µg/g). The amounts of carotenoids were wide-ranging and reached a maximum value of 106.2 µg/g with accession No. 9, however, accession No. 8 recorded the lowest concentration (19.9 µg/g). In conclusion, RAPD-PCR and SDS-PAGE were proved to be an efficient tool in assessing the genetic diversity of mango genotypes. It will also provide an important input to breeders for mango improvement program.Keywords: Mango, genetic diversity, chlorophyll, SDS-PAGE, RAPD.African Journal of Biotechnology Vol 13(28) 2796-280

Burnout syndrome among multinational nurses working in Saudi Arabia

Background: Nursing Staff is reported to be under extreme state of stress, leading to burnout syndrome (BS). Most of the studies have been conducted among the nurses working in their home countries. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of BS among a multinational nursing workforce in Saudi Arabia.Materials and Methods: King Fahd University Hospital, AlKhobar, Saudi Arabia, is a tertiary care hospital employing 510 nurses of multinational workforce. Two hundred and fifty Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) individual-based questionnaires were distributed after modification to include the age, sex, marital status, nationality, unit working and number of years on the job. The data were entered in the database and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 14.0. A P value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant .Results: One hundred and ninety-eight nurses (77.2%) completed the questionnaire. Their average age was 34.46 } 5.36 years. Forty-five percent (89) had high emotional exhaustion (EE) and 28.9% (57) had moderate suffering with EE. Staffs who were on the job for longer duration had a lesser frequency of EE (P . 0.001). The frequency of depersonalization (DP) was 83 (42%) and was graded as high and 61 (30.8%) were moderately affected. Personal accomplishment (PA) was moderate to low in the majority of the nurses (71.5%). Married nurses were prone to EE (28.17 } 12.1 versus 22.3 } 9.6) than unmarried nurses (P = 0.003, CI 95% and OR 2.4). The nurses in the patientsfwards and clinics were more emotionally exhausted with higher DP compared to nurses in the high stress and high activity areas (P < 0.001, OR .11.1; and P < 0.001, CI 95% and OR 9.65). Non-Saudi nurses were significantly more prone to EE (27.3 } 12.1 versus 21.6 } 2.9) than Saudi nurses (P = 0.004; 95% CI: <9.64).Conclusion: We found that majority of the nursing staff at our hospital were in a state of burnout with high frequency of EE and DP. Only a quarter of the surveyed staff felt that they had some level of PA. Age and working away from their home countries were the important predictors in the development of BS in nurses. We believe that working conditions have to be improved to develop strategies to cope and alleviate stressful situations

Kneading Technique for Preparation of Binary Solid Dispersion of Meloxicam with Poloxamer 188

The aim of the present study was to enhance the dissolution rate of meloxicam (MLX), a practically water-insoluble drug by preparation of solid dispersion using a hydrophilic polymer, poloxamer 188 (PXM). The kneading technique was used to prepare solid dispersions. A 32 full factorial design approach was used for optimization wherein the drug, polymer ratio (X1), and the kneading time (X2) were selected as independent variables and the dissolution efficiency at 60 min (%DE60) and yield percent were selected as the dependent variable. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that for obtaining higher dissolution of MLX from PXM solid dispersions, a high level of X1 and a high level of X2 were suitable. The use of a factorial design approach helped in optimization of the preparation and formulation of solid dispersion. The optimized formula was characterized by solubility studies, angle of repose, and contact angle; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, x-ray diffraction studies, and scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that enhanced dissolution of MLX from solid dispersion might be due to a decrease in the crystallinity of MLX and PXM. Analysis of dissolution data of optimized formula indicated the best fitting with Korsemeyer–Peppas model and the drug release kinetics as Fickian diffusion. In conclusion, dissolution enhancement of MLX was obtained by preparing its solid dispersion with PXM using kneading technique