Exploring Therapists Reflective Experiences of Working with British Ethnic Minorities with Eating Disorders

Research highlights that ethnic minority females are less likely to receive a diagnosis or treatment for an eating disorder (ED). The other half of the therapeutic alliance is therapists, and their role and input should not be understated when aiming for positive outcomes for this group. This research explores therapists perspectives in terms of their experiences; what working with this group means to the therapists themselves; and their experience of working with cultural concepts. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 therapists in the UK, London and thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Shame was often cited as a barrier to accessing help. This had different influences on their therapeutic work, such as not questioning shame or linking this to a negative interpretation of parents. There was also the concept that ethnic minorities were more likely to present with emotional and interpersonal factors fuelling the ED, although this conflicted with the notion of the Western body ideal being an influence. Participants also revealed a feeling of being restricted by service management, having a limited time to reflect on cultural issues, and the worry about being offensive or doing something wrong. Subtle steps can be taken to encourage new and creative ways of addressing the issues highlighted. Services and guidelines should support therapists through regular reflective practice on cultural issues. Hierarchy in teams could be addressed by encouraging diversity in decision making. To break down the perceived barrier of shame, the use of cultural genograms and cultural scripts could be encouraged to understand the ED context. Referral guides could be developed to inform primary care of the warning signs of EDs that may not feature in the diagnostic criteria. Recommendations should aim to balance the nuances of the individual, alongside a systematic rollout to address unmet needs

Formulation and evaluation of Zidovudine alginate microspheres

The objective of the  present  study  was  to  prepare  and  evaluate  microspheres  for  the controlled release of Zidovudine from the prepared microspheres using different polymers. The microspheres were prepared by ionic gelation method. The prepared microspheres were characterized for FTIR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the percentage drug content, entrapment efficiency, and in vitro dissolution studies. Accelerated stability studies were also carried out for the formulations. The microspheres were spherical in shape and free flowing. The entrapment efficiency was varying from 76 to 86%. The release of drug  from  the  microspheres was extended up to  8  to  12  hours. FTIR studies showed the stable character of Zidovudine in the microspheres. SEM studies revealed that the microspheres were  porous  in  nature.  The release kinetics studies revealed that the prepared microspheres were best  fitted  to  the  zero  order for all eight formulations and peppa’s model. The release kinetics data and characterization studies indicated that the drug release from microspheres was diffusion – controlled and the microspheres were stable in nature. Keywords: Zidovudine, microspheres, controlled release, stability, ionic gelation, entrapment efficiency

IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF DIFFERENT SUBSTITUTED BENZILIC ACID USING 2,2-DIPHENYL-1-PICRYL HYDRAZYL RADICAL, ABTS ASSAY METHOD

Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate the antioxidant activity of different substituted benzilic acid using DPPH assay and ABTS methods.Methods: Compounds were synthesized based on benzil-benzilic acid rearrangement. The synthesized compound was confirmed by 1HNMR, Infrared,Mass, TGA, and UV analysis. Antioxidant activity of the compound was measured by radical scavenging assay method (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl)and ABTS method.Results: All synthesized compounds show moderate to extent antioxidant activity. The results for the antioxidant activity showed that the highestpercentage of scavenger radicals was present in the 2'-chloro-4-methoxy-3-nitro benzilic acid.Conclusion: The result showed that better activity in 2'-chloro-4-methoxy-3-nitro benzilic acid due to the presence of electro withdrawing andelectro donating group than others. Thus, it could be served as potent antioxidant. All compounds were tested for their effect on the viability of cellsand results demonstrated that they are not toxic towards the cell lines used.Keywords: Synthesis, Antioxidant activity, 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl assay, ABTS assay

CYCLIC VOLTAMMETRIC STUDIES FOR DIFFERENT SUBSTITUTED BENZILS

ABSTRACTThe electroreduction of different substituted benzils was synthesized and studied in alcoholic and alkaline medium by cyclic voltammetry. In alkalinesolutions, the reduction occurs in two reversible one-electron steps producing the anion radical and the dianion. In the presence of alcohol, thefirst reduction is unaffected and the second reduction wave becomes irreversible and is shifted toward positive potentials, following qualitativelythe criteria for a rapid reaction of the dianion with the proton donor. The protonation can occur through the radical anion since it is not possible toobserve the first step of the reaction to the radical anion.Keywords: Cyclic voltammetric studies, Synthesized benzils, Electroanalysis

2,4-Dinitro-1-naphthyl 4-toluene­sulfonate

In the title compound, C17H12N2O7S, the dihedral angle between the benzene ring and the naphthyl plane is 26.34 (6)°. The nitro groups make dihedral angles of 40.09 (4) and 37.05 (3)° with the naphthyl plane. In the crystal structure, weak intra- and inter­molecular C—H⋯O inter­actions are observed

Polymorphic behavior of an organic compound

Objective: Polymorphic crystals were exhibited in many organic compounds. The frequency changes, relative intensities, band contours, and numberof bands were observed in the spectra of different polymorphism which may be due to molecule-molecule interactions in the crystal unit cells. Theshape of a molecule at its site in the unit cell is distorted by molecular interactions.Methods: The identification of a pure crystal form and to quantify a mixture of two forms infrared and Raman spectra of different crystalline formsof the same organic compound can be used. 2'-chloro-4-methoxy-3-nitro benzil (1) was synthesized and its two polymorphic forms were obtainedby recrystallization from the solvents acetone/chloroform and ethanol. The polymorphism present in the compound was confirmed by single crystalX-ray crystallography and differential scanning calorimetry.Results: The polymorph 1.1 crystallizes as triclinic P-1 space group in the solvent acetone – chloroform and the polymorph 1.2 crystallizes asmonoclinic P21/c space group in the solvent ethanol.Discussion: The intermolecular lattice energy and the interplay of molecular conformation in the crystallization and stability of polymorphs areidentified by X-ray crystal structures of conformational polymorphs.Keywords: Conformational polymorphism, Organic compounds, Single crystal growth, X-ray diffraction

DOCKING STUDIES FOR VARIOUS ANTIBACTERIAL BENZILATE DERIVATIVES

Objectives: In this study, we have focused on discovering the leads for the enzyme targets of infectious disease tuberculosis. We employed computeraided drug design docking tool,to discover new leads for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB).Methods: Five compounds were synthesized and they are made to dock into the active site of the enzyme; retrieved from protein data bank.Results: The docking studies and structure–activity relationship reveals that the compound 2'-chloro-4-methoxy-3nitro benzilic acid after threedifferent docking strategies reveals that the score was found to be higher compared with others(−5.568 kcal/mol).Conclusion: On the closer analysis of this molecule, the molecule showed stacking interaction and the compound has also found to be surrounded by non-polar amino acids, which makes this molecule potent toward antibacterial drug discovery.Keywords: Antibacterials, Docking, Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism and excretion study, Resistance

2-(5,7-Dimeth­oxy-4-oxo-4H-chromen-2-yl)phenyl 4-toluene­sulfonate

In the crystal structure of the title compound, C24H20O7S, the chromone system makes a dihedral angle of 37.32 (7)° with the adjacent benzene ring. The chromone ring system and the tolyl ring are almost parallel, with a dihedral angle of 4.56 (9)°. The tolyl ring is twisted at an angle of 41.75 (6)° with respect to the benzene ring. Weak intra- and inter­molecular C—H⋯O inter­actions are observed

DOCKING ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY ON HYDROXY (DIPHENYL) ACETICACID AND ITS DERIVATIVES

Objectives: The antioxidant activity of the synthesized compounds along with the standard compound for comparison is reported. There is comparison of binding analysis and the ligand interaction of the compound. Methods: The protein crystal structure complexed with 4-methyl-6-[2-(5-morpholin-4-ylpyridin-3-yl)ethyl]pyridin-2-amine inhibitor was selected from Protein Data Bank (5FVP) for our study. Results: The docking studies and structure-activity relationship reveals that the compound 2'-chloro-4-methoxy-3nitro benzilic acid after three different docking strategies reveals that the score was found to be higher compared with others.Conclusion: Based on the in vitro antioxidant results, the compounds synthesized were investigated for the molecular docking study to identify the amino acid interactions in the active site pocket of nitric oxide synthase enzyme. Based on the docking score results, all the compounds were oriented toward the active site pocket occupied by the cocrystallized ligan

Impact of Crystal Parameters in XRD and DFT Measurements

The Zwitterionic property of aminoacids give molecular crystal formation through homodesmotic reaction with smaller organic molecules which can undergo hydrogen bonding interactions. Alpha hydroxyl phenyl acetic acid known as mandelic acid (MA) was added with essential amino acid, L-phenylalanine (LPA) resulted in the formation of molecular crystal with P21 space group otho rhombic crystal containing four units (namely one MA, two LPA and one water) bis-L –phenyl alanine mandelate (BLPAMA) by slow evaporation method. The single crystal obtained was subjected to characterisation studies. Recrystallised BLPAMA using methanol, subjected to slow evaporation method resulted in the formation of non centerosymmetric C2 point group monoclinic single crystal of R-phenylalanine-S-mandelate (RPASMA) confirmed with XRD study. The theoretical DFT study of RPASMA using Gaussian 09 software to study the non-covalent interactions with MO6,6-31++G(d,p) showed encouraging results for the formation of low energy gap, highly reactive RPASMA. The H-bonding in the crystal confirmed by DFT study showed the existence of three units – MA, H and LPA in the crystal. Compared the experimental and theoretical crystal parameters of the reactants (MA, LPA) and product (RPASMA) for the thermo chemical properties, intermolecular hydrogen bonding existing between MA and LPA stabilises the structure of the formed RPASMA crystal resulting in the small difference in energy gap observed from HOMO-LUMO studies indicate the highly reactive character of RPASMA