Chemical and biological investigations of Delonix regia (Bojer ex Hook.) Raf.

U radu je opisana izolacija pet sastojaka petroleterske i diklormetanske frakcije metanolnog ekstrakta kore biljke Delonix regia: lupeol (1), epilupeol (2), β-sitosterol (3), stigmasterol (4) i p-metoksibenzaldehid (5). Nadalje, testirano je antimikrobno djelovanje različitih ekstrakata difuzijskom metodom na disku (15 μg mm2). Zone inhibicije za sastojke topljive u petroleteru, tetraklormetanu i diklormetanu bile su 914 mm, 1113 mm, odnosno 920 mm, dok je zona inhibicije standarda kanamicina bila 2025 mm. U biološkom pokusu smrtnosti morskih kozica najveću toksičnost pokazali su spojevi topljivi u tetraklormetanu (LC50 = 0,83 μg mL1), dok je topljivost sastojaka topljivih u petroleteru i diklormetanu bila LC50 14,94, odnosno 3,29 μg mL1, a standarda vinkristin sulfata 0,812 μg mL1. Ovo je prvo izvješće o izolaciji sastojaka, antimikrobnom djelovanju i citotoksičnosti biljke D. regia.In this study five compounds, lupeol (1), epilupeol (2), β-sitosterol (3), stigmasterol (4) and p-methoxybenzaldehyde (5) were isolated from the petroleum ether and dichloromethane fractions of a methanolic extract of the stem bark of Delonix regia. Antimicrobial screening of the different extracts (15 μg mm2) was conducted by disc diffusion method. The zones of inhibition demonstrated by the petroleum ether, carbon tetrachloride and dichloromethane fractions ranged from 914 mm, 1113 mm and 920 mm, respectively, compared to kanamycin standard with the zone of inhibition of 2025 mm. In brine shrimp lethality bioassay, the carbon tetrachloride soluble materials demonstrated the highest toxicity with LC50 of 0.83 μg mL1, while petroleum ether and dichloromethane soluble partitionates of the methanolic extract revealed LC50 of 14.94 and 3.29 μg mL1, respectively, in comparison with standard vincristine sulphate with LC50 of 0.812 μg mL1. This is the first report on compounds separation from D. regia, their antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity

Multimodal role of amino acids in microbial control and drug development

Amino acids are ubiquitous vital biomolecules found in all kinds of living organisms including those in the microbial world. They are utilised as nutrients and control many biological functions in microorganisms such as cell division, cell wall formation, cell growth and metabolism, intermicrobial communication (quorum sensing), and microbial‐host interactions. Amino acids in the form of enzymes also play a key role in enabling microbes to resist antimicrobial drugs. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and microbial biofilms are posing a great threat to the world’s human and animal population and are of prime concern to scientists and medical professionals. Although amino acids play an important role in the development of microbial resistance, they also offer a solution to the very same problem i.e., amino acids have been used to develop antimicrobial peptides as they are highly effective and less prone to microbial resistance. Other important applications of amino acids include their role as anti‐biofilm agents, drug excipients, drug solubility enhancers, and drug adjuvants. This review aims to explore the emerging paradigm of amino acids as potential therapeutic moieties

Prominently Increased of Mannose Binding Lectin (MBL) and Myeloperoxidase (MPO) Levels in Severe Valve Regurgitation and Heart Failure of Rheumatic Heart Disease

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is mediated by an abnormal immunological response following a Streptococcus pyogenes infection that induces a disturbance of oxidants and antioxidants balances. Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) binds to N-acetylglucosamine, a molecule present on the Streptococcus cell wall and human heart valves. There is a disturbance of oxidant and antioxidant balance in rheumatic disease. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is a marker of oxidative stress and inflammation. This study was aimed to determine the correlation of MBL and MPO levels and severity of valvular regurgitation and heart failure (HF) in RHD patients. A case-control study was conduct using human peripheral blood samples from 32 children aged 6 to 14 years old. The subjects were divided into two groups: 16 RHD patients included in the case group and 16 healthy children as a control group. The level of MBL and MPO was investigated using ELISA method. There were significant differences on MBL and MPO level between patient and control group. The level of MBL and MPO were significantly increased in RHD group, especially on severe valvular regurgitation. There was a strong correlation between MBL and MPO levels and the severity of valvular regurgitation (r = 0.94 and r = 0.88). The least significant diff-erence (LSD) analysis showed that significant difference occurs in the severe heart failure group. Our research revealed that the MBL and MPO levels in pediatric RHD patients were significantly higher than in healthy children. The MBL and MPO levels were significantly correlated with the severity of valvular regurgitation and heart failure

Government Initiatives for Enhancing Building Information Modeling Adoption in Saudi Arabia

Despite its numerous benefits, many countries are slow in adopting building information modeling (BIM). As a result, policymakers are implementing different government initiatives (GIs) for enhancing BIM adoption globally. However, it is critical to exercise caution when implementing GIs due to each country’s specific requirements and rules. Having country-specific GIs can ensure that BIM is appropriately adopted and fits a country’s needs and problems. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effectiveness of the GIs in enhancing BIM adoption in Saudi Arabia. Data from 101 industry professionals were analyzed using a mean ranking analysis, normalization method, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and fuzzy synthetic evaluation (FSE). Five critical GIs for enhancing BIM adoption were identified: developing programs for improving BIM competencies, developing programs to increase BIM awareness and understanding, developing programs to integrate BIM into education curricula and academia, developing BIM-related contractual frameworks, and providing financial aid to reduce the cost of BIM adoption. The EFA results indicate that the GIs can be grouped into two underlying constructs: national policies and organizational strategies. The FSE results confirmed that all GIs are effective. The study findings can serve as a significant reference for industry practitioners and policymakers in assuring successful BIM adoption

The impact of penalty and subsidy mechanisms on the decisions of the government, businesses, and consumers during COVID-19 — Tripartite evolutionary game theory analysis

Purpose: Based on the fact that punishment and subsidy mechanisms affect the anti-epidemic incentives of major participants in a society, the issue of this paper is how the penalty and subsidy mechanisms affect the decisions of governments, businesses, and consumers during Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Design/Methodology/approach: This paper proposes a tripartite evolutionary game theory, involving governments, businesses, and consumers, to analyze the evolutionary stable strategies and the impact of penalty and subsidy mechanism on their strategy selection during COVID-19. We then uses numerical analysis to simulate the strategy formation process of governments, businesses, and consumers for the results of tripartite evolutionary game theory. Findings: This paper suggests that there are four evolutionary stable strategies corresponding to the actual anti-epidemic situations. We find that different subsidy and penalty mechanisms lead to different evolutionary stable strategies. High penalties for businesses and consumers can prompt them to choose active prevention strategies no matter what the subsidy mechanism is. For the government, the penalty mechanism is better than the subsidy mechanism, because the excessive subsidy mechanism will raise the government expenditure. The punishment mechanism is more effective than the subsidy mechanism in realizing the tripartite joint prevention of the COVID-19. Therefore, the implementation of strict punishment mechanism should be a major government measure under COVID-19. Originality/value: Our paper extends the existing theoretical work. We use political economy to make the preference hypothesis, and we explicitly state the effect of subsidy and penalty mechanisms on the decision making of participants and compare their applicability. This is the work that the existing literature did not complete before. Our findings can provide an important theoretical and decision-making basis for COVID-19 prevention and control

Induction of Systemic Resistance in Maize and Antibiofilm Activity of Surfactin From Bacillus velezensis MS20

Surfactin lipopeptide is an eco-friendly microbially synthesized bioproduct that holds considerable potential in therapeutics (antibiofilm) as well as in agriculture (antifungal). In the present study, production of surfactin by a marine strain Bacillus velezensis MS20 was carried out, followed by physico-chemical characterization, anti-biofilm activity, plant growth promotion, and quantitative Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction (q RT-PCR) studies. From the results, it was inferred that MS20 was found to produce biosurfactant (3,300 mg L-1) under optimized conditions. From the physicochemical characterization [Thin layer chromatography (TLC), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectroscopy (LC/MS), and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification] it was revealed to be surfactin. From bio-assay and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images, it was observed that surfactin (MIC 50 mu g Ml(-1)) has appreciable bacterial aggregation against clinical pathogens Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC424, Escherichia coli MTCC43, Klebsiella pneumoniae MTCC9751, and Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and mycelial condensation property against a fungal phytopathogen Rhizoctonia solani. In addition, the q-RTPCR studies revealed 8-fold upregulation (9.34 +/- 0.11-fold) of srfA-A gene compared to controls. Further, treatment of maize crop (infected with R. solani) with surfactin and MS20 led to the production of defense enzymes. In conclusion, concentration and synergy of a carbon source with inorganic/mineral salts can ameliorate surfactin yield and, application wise, it has antibiofilm and antifungal activities. In addition, it induced systemic resistance in maize crop, which makes it a good candidate to be employed in sustainable agricultural practices.Peer reviewe

COVID-19 related anxiety and its associated factors : a cross-sectional study on older adults in Bangladesh

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in serious mental health conditions, particularly among older adults. This research explored the prevalence of COVID-19-related anxiety and its associated factors among older adults residing in Bangladesh. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,045 older Bangladeshi adults aged≥60 years through telephone interviews in September 2021. A semi-structured interview schedule was used to collect data on participants’ characteristics and COVID-19-related anxiety. The anxiety level was measured using the Bengali version of the five-point Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS). A linear regression model explored the factors associated with COVID-19-related anxiety. Results: Overall, the prevalence of COVID-19-related anxiety was 23.2%. The regression analysis revealed that the average COVID-19-related anxiety score was significantly higher among females (β: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.81), and among those who faced difficulty getting medicine (β: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.16 to 0.97), felt isolated (β: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.24 to 0.95), and felt requiring additional care during the pandemic (β: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.16 to 0.91). Alternatively, the average COVID-19-related anxiety score was significantly lower among those who were widowed (β: -0.46, 95% CI: -0.87 to -0.04) and living distant from the health centre (β: -0.48, 95% CI: -0.79 to -0.17). Conclusion: The findings of the present study suggest providing immediate psychosocial support package to the older adults, particularly females and those who are vulnerable to receive health and social care support during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh

Thiazolidinone Steroids Impregnated Polyurethane Foams as a Solid Phase Extractant for the Extraction and Preconcentration of Cadmium(II) from Industrial Wastewater

Abstract: Two new thiazolidinone steroids namely sulfadiazino-imino-steroid (I) and 3-sulfonamoyl-phenyl-spiro[4-oxo-thiazolidin-2, 2`steroid] (II) were prepared and characterized from their molecular weight determination and spectroscopic measurements. Compound II were physically immobilized onto polyurethane foams (PUFs) for the preconcentration of cadmium(II) from acidic aqueous media containing iodide ions. The kinetics of the retention step of cadmium(II) from aqueous solutions by compound II treated PUFs was studied. Particle diffusion was the most probable operating mechanism and did not control the kinetics of cadmium(II) retention by compound II immobilized PUFs. A preconcentration / separation procedure is presented for the solid phase extraction of trace cadmium(II) from aqueous media as its ternary complex ion associate with compound II in industrial wastewater samples onto compound II treated PUFs prior to determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). Compound II treated PUFs sorbent was successfully packed in glass column for complete extraction and / or determination of trace concentrations of cadmium(II) in wastewater samples with satisfactory recovery (95 ±2.6). The cyclic voltammetry of compound II showed two well defined irreversible redox couples and suggested its possible use as complexing agent in stripping voltammetric determination of trace concentrations of toxic metal ions in wastewater

Assessment of hospital pharmacists' clinical knowledge and practical skill levels for pharmaceutical care in Madinah, Saudi Arabia

Purpose: To evaluate hospital pharmacists’ clinical knowledge and practical skill levels for pharmaceutical care.Methods: A quasi-experimental prospective longitudinal study design was used to evaluate the level of clinical skills with problem-based learning (PBL) sessions. Pharmacists’ in three different government hospitals in Madinah, Saudi Arabia recorded their responses or assessments in their work manuals for preparing reports. Instructors encouraged interactive learning by presenting case studies, in which pharmacists had to interpret medical history and clinical assessments of various body systems. Course learning design also focused on drug use evaluation, monitoring plans, and reaching clinical evidencebased decision-making.Results: A total of two hundred and fifty-five (255) hospital pharmacists participated in the study. The study sample was comprised of 128 (50.9 %) males and 127 (49.1 %) females. A significant (p < 0.01) difference was noticed between genders (male: 47.91 ± 7.15, female: 50.31 ± 4.88) for total mean scores of clinical skills. Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient for case data recitation was 0.91, while clinical assessment skills coefficient was 0.89. Overall, pharmacists reported that they “agree” (4.01 ± 0.67) that they acquired the ability to use case data recitation taught in the PBL; they also reported a positive evaluation (4.48 ± 0.58) of their ability to perform clinical data assessment.Conclusion: The findings indicate that pharmacist’s self-confidence to perform clinical assessment activities is low. Lack of confidence remains a critical education issue among pharmacists in the study setting.Keywords: Clinical pharmacy, Problem-based learning, Clinical skills, Pharmacist focus group, Therapeutics, Pharmaceutical car