Phytochemical screening and antimicrobial efficacy of Alternanthera nodiflora extracts

The phytochemical constituents and antimicrobial activities of Alternanthera nodiflora extracts were analyzed. Plant sample was extracted using  methanol and water. Qualitative phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, carotenoid, flavonoids, terpenoids, cardiac  glycosides, phenols and saponins while tannins were absent in both  extracts. The antimicrobial potential of the extracts was tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi, Candidaalbicans and Aspergillus niger. The Susceptibility patterns of the test organisms to varying concentrations (100mg/ml, 75mg/ml, 50mg/ml and 25mg/ml) of both extracts were determined by Kirby Bauer method. From this study, antimicrobial activity of the plant extracts was highest at 100mg/ml with Methanolic extract having more antimicrobial activity than aqueous extract. The extracts showed high activity against Candida albicans but no activity was observed against Aspergilus niger while the highest antibacterial activity of the extract was observed against Staphylococcus aureus.The higher antimicrobial activity in methanolic extract than aqueous extracts could be attributed to the degree of polarity of the extraction solvent.Key words: Alternanthera nodiflora, Phytochemicals, Antimicrobial activity, Extracts

Logarithmic interaction under periodic boundary conditions: Closed form formulas for energy and forces

A method is given to obtain closed form formulas for the energy and forces for an aggregate of charges interacting via a logarithmic interaction under periodic boundary conditions. The work done here is a generalization of Glasser's results [M. L. Glasser, J. Math. Phys. 15, 188 (1974)] and is obtained with a different and simpler method than that by Stremler [M. A. Stremler, J. Math. Phys. 45, 3584 (2004)]. The simplicity of the formulas derived here makes them extremely convenient in a computer simulation

Etiology in 16 cases of toxic epidermal necrolysis and Stevens-Johnson syndrome admitted within 8 months in a teaching hospital

published_or_final_versio

COVID-19-related suicides in Bangladesh due to lockdown and economic factors: case study evidence from media reports

The incidence and mortality of the coronavirus-2019 disease (COVID-19) have increased dramatically around the world. The effects of COVID-19 pandemic are not limited to health, but also have a major impact on the social and economic aspects. Meanwhile, developing and less developed countries are arguably experiencing more severe crises than developed countries, with many small and medium-sized businesses being disrupted and even bankrupt (Fernandes 2020). Consequently, some individuals’ mental health is very fragile (Lin 2020). Sahoo et al. (2020) reported some of the psychological consequences in India (the neighboring country of Bangladesh) including self-harm due to COVID-19 misinformation. Moreover, impacts on mental health (e.g., depression, anxiety, panic, and traumatic stress) can also occur due to the lack of accurate information (Rajkumar 2020; Sahoo et al. 2020; Tandon 2020). In addition, pandemic-related restraints (e.g., spatial distancing, isolation, home quarantine, etc.) is impacting on economic sustainability and well-being, which may induce psychological mediators, such as sadness, worry, fear, anger, annoyance, frustration, guilt, helplessness, loneliness, and nervousness (Mukhtar 2020; Mamun and Griffiths 2020a). These mediators are also distinctive features of psychological suffering that individuals can experience during and after pandemics (Ahorsu et al. 2020; Pakpour and Griffiths 2020). Without early economic interventions, such mental health issues can facilitate suicidal behaviors among some individuals (Arafat and Mamun 2019; Mamun and Griffiths 2020b, c; Jahan et al. 2020), because economic recession, unemployment, and poverty are strongly associated with severe psychological comorbidities such as suicidal behaviors (Goldman-Mellor et al. 2010; Oyesanya et al. 2015; Rafi et al. 2019). There is one prior study that has examined COVID-19-related suicide in Bangladesh (Mamun and Griffiths 2020a)

DRD4 polymorphism moderates the effect of alcohol consumption on social bonding

Development of interpersonal relationships is a fundamental human motivation, and behaviors facilitating social bonding are prized. Some individuals experience enhanced reward from alcohol in social contexts and may be at heightened risk for developing and maintaining problematic drinking. We employed a 3 (group beverage condition) ×2 (genotype) design (N = 422) to test the moderating influence of the dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4 VNTR) polymorphism on the effects of alcohol on social bonding. A significant gene x environment interaction showed that carriers of at least one copy of the 7-repeat allele reported higher social bonding in the alcohol, relative to placebo or control conditions, whereas alcohol did not affect ratings of 7-absent allele carriers. Carriers of the 7-repeat allele were especially sensitive to alcohol's effects on social bonding. These data converge with other recent gene-environment interaction findings implicating the DRD4 polymorphism in the development of alcohol use disorders, and results suggest a specific pathway by which social factors may increase risk for problematic drinking among 7-repeat carriers. More generally, our findings highlight the potential utility of employing transdisciplinary methods that integrate genetic methodologies, social psychology, and addiction theory to improve theories of alcohol use and abuse. © 2012 Creswell et al

Non-myeloablative allogeneic peripheral stem cell transplantation for multiple myeloma

Objective. To present an institution's 2-year experience of non-myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation among Chinese patients. Design. Retrospective study. Setting. Bone marrow transplantation unit at a university hospital, Hong Kong. Patients. Ten patients with multiple myeloma who received non-myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation between March 2000 and October 2002. Intervention. Fludarabine (90 mg/m 2) and total body irradiation (300 cGy) were given as conditioning regimens, followed by non-myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Main outcome measures. Engraftment, regimen-related toxicity, treatment-related mortality (in the first 100 days), incidence of graft-versus-host disease, chimerism, disease response, and survival rate. Results. All 10 patients had active disease before transplantation. The donors were eight human leukocyte antigen-matched siblings, a mismatched sibling, and a matched daughter. Satisfactory engraftment before day 21 was achieved without early treatment-related mortality. Five patients developed full donor chimerism by day 28 and three other patients had 100% donor chimerism by day 100. Acute graft-versus-host disease developed in six patients (five with grade III and one with grade IV disease), and chronic graft-versus-host disease developed in eight patients (four with extensive disease). Complete remission and partial response were achieved in three and four patients, respectively. Three patients did not respond to treatment, and one case of relapse was observed. Only one patient, who had shown a partial response, received donor lymphocyte infusion; seven patients received thalidomide for graft-versus-host disease with or without graft-versus-myeloma effect. All patients were alive after a median follow-up of 1 year. Conclusion. Non-myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation for multiple myeloma is effective, has low toxicity, and results in low treatment-related mortality. Studies of more cases with longer follow-up durations are required.published_or_final_versio

Surface atomic arrangement visualization via reference-atom-specific holography

The reference-atom-specific holography was used to study the surface atomic arrangement visualization. By using the low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) intensity spectra, the direct reconstruction of 3D atomic images were demonstrated. A map of interatomic vectors was obtained by a multiple-incident angle and multiple-energy integral applied to spectra. The images of individual atoms in the vicinity of the selected reference atom were produced by a second integral transformation, using the chosen interatomic vector as a filter which was applied to the LEED spectra.published_or_final_versio

Review and Evaluation of Agricultural Policies in Years 2015-2017

This journal article describes main results of the OECD Annual Report published in 2018, titled “Review and evaluation of agricultural policy in 2017” for 51 selected countries in the world, including Vietnam. The report is closely prepared by MARD and OECD experts. The journal article emphasizes more on Vietnam by updating and adjusting data, information and policies in 2017 and 2018. The description presents the changing trend of agricultural policies applied in the world, considering whether this trend is in the direction of achieving sustainable productivity growth, environmental protection, and adaptation to climate change. On average in the last 20 years, trend of world policies has been better but far to catch above purposes. The development of international trade has made the commodity movement more freely and price gaps narrowed between countries and regions. This trend made agricultural markets developed more toward reflecting the scarcity of good and services. Average level of total agricultural supports has been reducing. Consequently, the world price indices and the total support have been converted between countries and commodities. However, the total agricultural support reduction is mainly in developed countries like OECD countries. Emerging and developing countries have increased their agricultural supports. Relative to GDP, the level of the total agriculture support in Vietnam has been reducing.Inside the total agricultural support, producer supports accounted 78% while general service support accounted only for 14%. Inside the producer support, market price support accounted for more than 50% in many countries. Payments based on outputs and inputs also accounted more than 50% in many countries. In Vietnam, the producer support is very small, negative level in 2015 and 2016 and became positive in 2017 and 2018. The agricultural producer support in 2017 is about 900 million USD. In the overall service support, many countries mainly invest in infrastructure construction, for example in Japan and Vietnam over 70%, while investments in other items are too small, for example that in Vietnam is only about 16%.In conclusion, OECD suggests that market price support should be reduced and finally eliminated. Similarly, output and input payments should be reduced and eliminated. Future policies should focus on general support service that helps producers to achieve sustainable productivity growth in the context of a changing and uncertain climate. OECD especially emphasizes on appropriate investments in research, together with efforts to ensure that the outputs of this research reach farmers. OECD also emphasizes on research that help producers to better manage risks including business risk, weather risk, and climate changes. Agricultural production and climate changes are strongly interacted. Future research should be the better co-operation between public and private sectors with the leading role of public sector. The future research should be co-operated more strongly between countries and regions because of the differences in histories, cultures, geology and climate

The cost of tobacco-related disease

Health Services Research Fund & Health Care and Promotion Fund: Research Dissemination Reports (Series 2)published_or_final_versio

Synaptic plasticity, but not hippocampal neurogenesis, mediated the counteractive effect of wolfberry on depression in rats

published_or_final_versio