(E)-N′-{7-Meth­oxy­spiro­[chromeno[4,3-d]thia­zole-4,1′-cyclo­hexa­n]-2-yl}-N,N-dimethyl­acetimidamide

In the chromenothia­zole ring system of the title mol­ecule, C20H25N3O2S, the pyran ring is in a half-chair conformation. The dihedral angle between the thia­zole and benzene rings is 14.78 (6)°. The cyclo­hexane ring is in a chair conformation. The crystal structure is stabilized by weak inter­molecular C—H⋯N and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds

Knowledge, Awareness and Practice with Antimicrobial Stewardship Programmes among Healthcare Providers in a Ghanaian Tertiary Hospital

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a significant problem in global health today, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where antimicrobial stewardship programmes are yet to be successfully implemented. We established a partnership between AMR pharmacists from a UK NHS hospital and in Ho Teaching Hospital with the aim of enhancing antimicrobial stewardship knowledge and practice among healthcare providers through an educational intervention. We employed a mixed-method approach that included an initial survey on knowledge and awareness before and after training, followed by qualitative interviews with healthcare providers conducted six months after delivery of training. This study was carried out in two phases in Ho Teaching Hospital with healthcare professionals, including pharmacists, medical doctors, nurses and medical laboratory scientists. Ethical approval was obtained prior to data collection. In the first phase, we surveyed 50 healthcare providers, including nurses (33%), pharmacists (29%) and biomedical scientists (23%). Of these, 58% of participants had engaged in continuous professional development on AMR/AMS, and above 95% demonstrated good knowledge on the general use of antibiotics. A total of 18 participants, which included four medical doctors, five pharmacists, four nurses, two midwives and three biomedical scientists, were interviewed in the second phase and demonstrated greater awareness of AMS practices, particularly the role of education for patients, as well as healthcare professionals. We found that knowledge and practice with AMS was markedly improved six months after the training session. There is limited practice of AMS in LMICs; however, through AMR-focused training, we demonstrated improved AMS skills and practice among healthcare providers in Ho Teaching Hospital. There is a need for continuous AMR training sessions for healthcare professionals in resource-limited settings

Determinants of the urinary and serum metabolome in children from six European populations

Background Environment and diet in early life can affect development and health throughout the life course. Metabolic phenotyping of urine and serum represents a complementary systems-wide approach to elucidate environment–health interactions. However, large-scale metabolome studies in children combining analyses of these biological fluids are lacking. Here, we sought to characterise the major determinants of the child metabolome and to define metabolite associations with age, sex, BMI and dietary habits in European children, by exploiting a unique biobank established as part of the Human Early-Life Exposome project (http://www.projecthelix.eu). Methods Metabolic phenotypes of matched urine and serum samples from 1192 children (aged 6–11) recruited from birth cohorts in six European countries were measured using high-throughput 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and a targeted LC-MS/MS metabolomic assay (Biocrates AbsoluteIDQ p180 kit). Results We identified both urinary and serum creatinine to be positively associated with age. Metabolic associations to BMI z-score included a novel association with urinary 4-deoxyerythronic acid in addition to valine, serum carnitine, short-chain acylcarnitines (C3, C5), glutamate, BCAAs, lysophosphatidylcholines (lysoPC a C14:0, lysoPC a C16:1, lysoPC a C18:1, lysoPC a C18:2) and sphingolipids (SM C16:0, SM C16:1, SM C18:1). Dietary-metabolite associations included urinary creatine and serum phosphatidylcholines (4) with meat intake, serum phosphatidylcholines (12) with fish, urinary hippurate with vegetables, and urinary proline betaine and hippurate with fruit intake. Population-specific variance (age, sex, BMI, ethnicity, dietary and country of origin) was better captured in the serum than in the urine profile; these factors explained a median of 9.0% variance amongst serum metabolites versus a median of 5.1% amongst urinary metabolites. Metabolic pathway correlations were identified, and concentrations of corresponding metabolites were significantly correlated (r > 0.18) between urine and serum. Conclusions We have established a pan-European reference metabolome for urine and serum of healthy children and gathered critical resources not previously available for future investigations into the influence of the metabolome on child health. The six European cohort populations studied share common metabolic associations with age, sex, BMI z-score and main dietary habits. Furthermore, we have identified a novel metabolic association between threonine catabolism and BMI of children

Measurement of the mechanical properties of filtercakes

In order to improve drilling mud design to cater for specific well situations, a more comprehensive knowledge and understanding of filter cake failure is needed. This paper describes experimental techniques aimed at directly probing the mechanical properties of filter cakes, without having to take into account artefacts due to fluid flow in the substrate. The use of rheometers allows us to determine shear yield stress and dynamic shear modulii of cakes grown on filter paper. A new scraping technique measures the strength and moisture profiles of typical filter cakes with a 0.1 mm resolution. This technique also allows us to probe the adhesion between the filter cake and its rock substrate. In addition, œdometer drained consolidation and unloading of a filter cake give us compression parameters useful for Cam Clay modelling. These independent measurements give similar results as to the elastic modulus of different filter cakes, showing an order of magnitude difference between water based and oil based cakes. We find that these standard cakes behave predominantly as purely elastic materials, with a sharp transition into plastic flow, allowing for the determination of a well-defined yield stress. The effect ofsolids loading on a given type of mud is also studied

Marker based standardization of polyherbal formulation (SJT-DI-02) by high performance thin layer chromatography method

Background: Preparation of highly standardized herbal products with respect to chemical composition and biological activity is considered to be a valuable approach in this field. SJT-DI-02 polyherbal formulation was successfully developed at our institute and filed for patent at Mumbai patent office. Objective: The present work was marker based standardization of patented, novel and efficacious polyherbal formulation namely SJT-DI-02 for the treatment of diabetes. The SJT-DI-02 was comprised of dried extracts of rhizomes of Acorus calamus, leaves of Aegle marmelose, fruits of Benincasa hispida, roots of Chlorophytum arendinaceum, seeds of Eugenia jambolana, leaves of Ocimum sanctum, pericarp of Punica granatum, seeds of Tamarindus indica. Selected plants were collected, dried and extracted with suitable solvents. The formulation was prepared by mixing different fractions of extracts. Materials and Methods: For successful and best standardization, first of all selection and procurement was carried out. Selection is done on the basis of therapeutic efficacy and amount of the marker present in the particular plant part. At the time of procurement side by side phytochemical screening and estimation of phytoconstituents was carried out. After completion of preliminary screening using characterized markers, we tried to develop best TLC systems using selected solvent composition. Finally well-developed TLC systems were applied in HPTLC. In the present study polyherbal formulation was standardized by using different four markers. TLC Densitometric methods were developed using HPTLC for the quantification of these marker compounds. Solvent systems were optimized to achieve best resolution of the marker compounds from other components of the sample extract. The identity of the bands in the sample extracts were confirmed by comparing the Rf and the absorption spectra by overlaying their UV absorption spectra with those of their respective standards. The purity of the bands due to marker compounds in the sample extracts were confirmed by overlaying the absorption spectra recorded at start, middle and end position of the band in the sample tracks. After conforming all these things fingerprints were developed for all three formulations which will be act as authentification and quality control tool. Results: % w/w of asarones is 3.61, % w/w of marmelosin is 4.60, % w/w of gallic acid is 10.80 and % w/w of lupeol is 4.13.The method was validated in terms of linearity, precision, repeatability, limit of detection, limit of quantification and accuracy. In well-developed mobile phase system linearity was found to be in the range of 0.983-0.995, % recovery was found to be in the range of 97.48-99.63, % RSD for intraday and interday was found to be 0.13- 0.70 and 0.32 -1.41 and LOD and LOQ was found to be in the range of 0.15- 0.61 and 0.45 -1.83 microgram per ml. Conclusion: Thus High performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) methods were developed and validated in terms of linearity, precision, repeatability, limit of detection, limit of quantification and accuracy. The methods were rapid, sensitive, reproducible and economical. It does not suffer any positive or negative interference due to common other component present in the formulation and would also serve as a tool for authentication of herbal products containing marmelosin, gallic acid, lupeol and asarones. Thus this work provides standardized and therapeutically active polyherbal formulations for the different ailments

Facile synthesis of highly functionalized novel pyrazolopyridones using oxoketene dithioacetal and their anti-HIV activity

<p>A series of novel 3-amino-4,5-dihydro-6-methyl-4-oxo-<i>N</i>-aryl-1<i>H</i>-pyrazolo[4,3-c]pyridine-7-carboxamide have been synthesized starting from various oxoketene dithioacetals. The cyclocondensation reaction of 2-(bis(methylthio)methylene)-3-oxo-<i>N</i>-arylbutanamide <b>2a–w</b> with cyanoacetamide using NaO<i>i</i>Pr as base under reflux condition afforded novel highly functionalized pyridone <b>3a–w</b> derivatives. Further, [3 + 2] cyclocondensation reaction of pyridones with hydrazine in the presence of alcohol was yielded pyrazolopyridones (23 nos) <b>4a–w</b> with excellent yields. All newly synthesized compounds were evaluated for <i>in vitro</i> anti-HIV activity using MTT method. Most of these compounds have showed moderate to potent activity against HIV-1 (III_B) and HIV-2 (ROD) strains with an IC₅₀ ranging from >18 IC₅₀[µg/ml] to <100 IC₅₀[µg/ml]. Among them, compounds <b>4j</b> and <b>4v</b> were identified as the most promising compound for both types of HIV strains. (IC₅₀ = 18 µg/ml). Three compounds <b>4l, 4m</b>, and <b>4p</b> have been found potent anti-HIV 1 and 2 activity against MT-4 cells.</p

Introducing physician associates to hospital patients : development and feasibility testing of a patient experience-based intervention

Physician associates (PAs) are one of many new mid-level health practitioner roles being introduced worldwide. They are a recent innovation in English hospitals. Patient confusion with novel mid-level practitioner titles and roles is well documented, alongside evidence of a positive association between patients' ability to identify practitioners and patient satisfaction. No prior research developed an intervention to introduce PAs or any other new practitioner role to hospital patients. To develop, with patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE), an intervention for introducing the PA role to hospital patients, and to test feasibility. Intervention development was underpinned by an experience-based co-design approach. Workshop participants generated ideas for introducing PAs, subsequently explored in semi-structured interviews with hospital patients (n = 13). Interview findings were used by participants in a second workshop to design the intervention. Feasibility of the intervention was assessed in relation to its acceptability and efficacy using semi-structured interviews with hospital patients (n = 20) and PAs (n = 3). The intervention developed was a patient information leaflet. It was considered feasible to use in the hospital setting, helpful to patients in understanding the PA role and acceptable to both patients and PAs. The intervention was also appreciated by patients for providing reassurance of care and support. An experience-based co-design approach enabled development of an intervention tailored to patients' experiential preferences. Positive evidence of feasibility and utility is encouraging, supporting future larger-scale testing. PPIE representatives were involved in the study design, intervention development and data interpretation

Same or different? Generalising from novices to experts in military command and control studies

A significant amount of empirical work in the field of military command and control uses participants drawn from non-military backgrounds. This study aims to provide a simple check on the assumption that the results gained from novice populations are transferable to real-life contexts. Two groups of 10 participants undertook an experimental command and control task. The first group was selected from a cohort of undergraduates with no task related experience and no domain knowledge (i.e. complete novices). The second group were military personnel who all possessed domain knowledge (i.e. experts) with some also possessing high levels of task related experience (i.e. ‘super experts’). Comparisons between these three levels of expertise shows that military personnel are considerably more accurate than undergraduates, however, whilst there are ‘absolute’ differences in situational awareness and workload, there are still similarities in the ‘pattern’ of results gained regardless of expertise.<br/