Template Synthesis and Biological Study of Ni (II) Complexes derived from ethylenediamine and 2,4-pentanedione

In this study, nickel (II) complexes having formulae [Ni(en)2(acac)] and [Ni(acac)2.2H2O], have been synthesised from bis-ethylenediamine nickel (II) chloride, nickel bromide hexahydrate and 2,4-pentanedione as starting material. The complexes were characterised using various physicochemical analysis such as Infrared, electronic spectra, elemental analysis, molar conductivity, thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) and high resolution mass spectroscopy (HRMS). The IR spectral data of the complexes indicates the possible bonding/coordination of the ligands with the metal ion through oxygen and nitrogen atoms of the carbonyl and amine respectively, given rise to octahedral geometry. The elemental analysis and HRMS data obtained also agreed with the proposed molecular formula of the complexes. The result of molar conductivity studies in methanol solution (10–3M) showed that the complexes are electrolytes, and they are also soluble in polar solvents which include: methanol, ethanol, DMF, DMSO and slightly soluble in distilled water. The complexes has been tested for biological activities (anti-microbial and anti-fungal) using disc diffusion method and poisoned food techniques for anti-microbial and anti-fungal, respectively against Gram-positive bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus-ATCC 25923, Streptococcus Pyogene-ATCC 19615, Bacillus Subtilis-ATCC 23857, Gram-negative bacteria: Escherichia Coli- ATCC 25922, Salmonella typhi-ATCC 6539, Klebsiella Pneumonioe-ATCC 13883, Pseudomonas aeruginosa- ATCC 27853 and fungus: Candida albicam-ATCC 10231, using different concentrations (30, 20 and 10 μgmL–1) of the complexes. The comparative study of antimicrobial and anti-fungal activities of complexes with standard drugs, streptomycin and Fluconazole indicated that the complexes exhibit less activity as compared to the standard drugs at all the concentrations tested. Keywords: Antibiotics, Complexes, Microbial, Transition metal

The Impact of Attending Religious Schools on the Moral Competencies of Accounting Students

For over a century, scholars have argued that religious education is crucial for the developed of students\u27 moral competencies. This study sought to empirically test this assertion by comparing the moral competencies of two sets of Muslim accounting students: those who had attended a religious secondary school and those who attended a public (secular) secondary school in Malaysia. The focus on accounting students is quite important in an era where the moral competencies of accountants has been in the public eye due to their complicity in the rash of financial scandals that have plagued the business world over the last two decades. The Muslim Accountant Moral Competency Test (MAMOC) was developed by a collaboration with Islamic accounting scholars and was used to measure the students\u27 moral competencies. Although the results revealed that there was no difference in the moral competencies of both sets of students, they both displayed satisfactory levels of moral competency which vindicates the Malaysian government\u27s policy of mandating Islamic education in all secondary schools, whether religious or secular

On The Effect of Electron-Hole Recombination in Disordered GaAs-Aa1-xALAs Multi-quantum Well Structure

The disordered electron-hole recombination in multi-quantum well was investigated using analytical method based on the rate equations. The results show extreme broad distribution of the recombination time which depends exponentially on the distances between the recombining excitons. The energies at each localised state shows an energy splitting between the electronic ground state and the first excited state of 0.0038eV

A Step Towards Autonomous, Biomimetic, Non-GPS Based Navigation Methodology

Global Positioning System (GPS) based navigations have their own inherent weakness; they can be overridden so easily and are not useful inside structures. One method of overcoming the above problem is the use of feature based navigation system. Nature has so much perfected this that copying nature is one of the best approaches available to scientist. In this study, desert ant (Cataglyphis fortis) was imitated. A simple infra-red based active beacons and robot mounted rotating receiver based on TSOP31138 infra-red sensor was implemented using New Three Objects Triangulation Algorithm (ToTAL) in its firmware for the robot pose. The designed robot with the triangulation algorithm was able to compute its pose such that on a grid of 6 m x 6 m, it can home to its base with a maximum error of 14.8 mm

Assessing the Job Selection Criteria of Accounting Students: a Normative Approach

This research assessed to what extent final-year Muslim accounting students in Malaysia considered Islamic principles when choosing a job after graduation. 356 final-year Muslim accounting students in four Malaysian universities were surveyed using an open-ended job selection scenario. The result shows that reality does not live up to the ideal. Only 16% of the respondents apply Islamic principles in making a job selection decision. The remaining 84% are more concerned with other criteria such as personal interests, salary considerations, and company reputation

Extraction of Chrysophyllum albidum Seed Oil: Optimization and Characterization

This work presents the result of the optimization of extraction of oil from Chrysophyllum albidum seed using ethanol as solvent. A 23 factorial designs with replication was employed to study the effect particle size, time, and temperature of extraction. The oil yield from extraction was 12.70 – 16.85 % with the optimal yield of 16.85 % at particle size of 500 µm, temperature of 55 0 C, and a time of 6 hours. Characterizations of the oil reveal a Saponification value of 228.4mgKOH/g, iodine value of 30 gI2 /100g, peroxide value of 1.45 meq/kg, acid value of 2.52 mgKOH/g. The oil extracted from this seed can be effectively used for variety of domestic and industrial application such as the making of paint, candles, soap and biodiesel. Keywords: Optimization, Characterization, Chrysophyllum albidum, Oi

Evaluation of the physical, chemical, bacteriological and trace metals concentrations in different brands of packaged drinking water

—Human survival largely depends on potable water quality. This study used current analytical procedures and compared with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC) drinking water specification to evaluate the physio-chemical and microbiological characteristics of fifteen packaged water brands that are available locally. Atomic absorption spectroscopy was used to determine trace metals while instrumental techniques determined the physical and chemical parameters. The evaluation focused on the pH, colour, total dissolved solids, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, fluoride, chloride, iron, zinc, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and sodium. In all the samples examined, chromium, manganese, cadmium, and copper were not detected. However, total bacterial counts were discovered in samples (S1, S2, S3, B1 and B2) with values of 2, 3, 5, 3 and 1 cfu/100 ml, respectively. Packaged water containing these type and quantity of bacteria are not fit for consumption by human beings. It requires the most appropriate techniques for processing

Immunoglobulin, glucocorticoid, or combination therapy for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children: a propensity-weighted cohort study

Background: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), a hyperinflammatory condition associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, has emerged as a serious illness in children worldwide. Immunoglobulin or glucocorticoids, or both, are currently recommended treatments. Methods: The Best Available Treatment Study evaluated immunomodulatory treatments for MIS-C in an international observational cohort. Analysis of the first 614 patients was previously reported. In this propensity-weighted cohort study, clinical and outcome data from children with suspected or proven MIS-C were collected onto a web-based Research Electronic Data Capture database. After excluding neonates and incomplete or duplicate records, inverse probability weighting was used to compare primary treatments with intravenous immunoglobulin, intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids, or glucocorticoids alone, using intravenous immunoglobulin as the reference treatment. Primary outcomes were a composite of inotropic or ventilator support from the second day after treatment initiation, or death, and time to improvement on an ordinal clinical severity scale. Secondary outcomes included treatment escalation, clinical deterioration, fever, and coronary artery aneurysm occurrence and resolution. This study is registered with the ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN69546370. Findings: We enrolled 2101 children (aged 0 months to 19 years) with clinically diagnosed MIS-C from 39 countries between June 14, 2020, and April 25, 2022, and, following exclusions, 2009 patients were included for analysis (median age 8·0 years [IQR 4·2–11·4], 1191 [59·3%] male and 818 [40·7%] female, and 825 [41·1%] White). 680 (33·8%) patients received primary treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin, 698 (34·7%) with intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids, 487 (24·2%) with glucocorticoids alone; 59 (2·9%) patients received other combinations, including biologicals, and 85 (4·2%) patients received no immunomodulators. There were no significant differences between treatments for primary outcomes for the 1586 patients with complete baseline and outcome data that were considered for primary analysis. Adjusted odds ratios for ventilation, inotropic support, or death were 1·09 (95% CI 0·75–1·58; corrected p value=1·00) for intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids and 0·93 (0·58–1·47; corrected p value=1·00) for glucocorticoids alone, versus intravenous immunoglobulin alone. Adjusted average hazard ratios for time to improvement were 1·04 (95% CI 0·91–1·20; corrected p value=1·00) for intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids, and 0·84 (0·70–1·00; corrected p value=0·22) for glucocorticoids alone, versus intravenous immunoglobulin alone. Treatment escalation was less frequent for intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids (OR 0·15 [95% CI 0·11–0·20]; p<0·0001) and glucocorticoids alone (0·68 [0·50–0·93]; p=0·014) versus intravenous immunoglobulin alone. Persistent fever (from day 2 onward) was less common with intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids compared with either intravenous immunoglobulin alone (OR 0·50 [95% CI 0·38–0·67]; p<0·0001) or glucocorticoids alone (0·63 [0·45–0·88]; p=0·0058). Coronary artery aneurysm occurrence and resolution did not differ significantly between treatment groups. Interpretation: Recovery rates, including occurrence and resolution of coronary artery aneurysms, were similar for primary treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin when compared to glucocorticoids or intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids. Initial treatment with glucocorticoids appears to be a safe alternative to immunoglobulin or combined therapy, and might be advantageous in view of the cost and limited availability of intravenous immunoglobulin in many countries. Funding: Imperial College London, the European Union's Horizon 2020, Wellcome Trust, the Medical Research Foundation, UK National Institute for Health and Care Research, and National Institutes of Health

Immunoglobulin, glucocorticoid, or combination therapy for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children: a propensity-weighted cohort study

Background Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), a hyperinflammatory condition associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, has emerged as a serious illness in children worldwide. Immunoglobulin or glucocorticoids, or both, are currently recommended treatments. Methods The Best Available Treatment Study evaluated immunomodulatory treatments for MIS-C in an international observational cohort. Analysis of the first 614 patients was previously reported. In this propensity-weighted cohort study, clinical and outcome data from children with suspected or proven MIS-C were collected onto a web-based Research Electronic Data Capture database. After excluding neonates and incomplete or duplicate records, inverse probability weighting was used to compare primary treatments with intravenous immunoglobulin, intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids, or glucocorticoids alone, using intravenous immunoglobulin as the reference treatment. Primary outcomes were a composite of inotropic or ventilator support from the second day after treatment initiation, or death, and time to improvement on an ordinal clinical severity scale. Secondary outcomes included treatment escalation, clinical deterioration, fever, and coronary artery aneurysm occurrence and resolution. This study is registered with the ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN69546370. Findings We enrolled 2101 children (aged 0 months to 19 years) with clinically diagnosed MIS-C from 39 countries between June 14, 2020, and April 25, 2022, and, following exclusions, 2009 patients were included for analysis (median age 8·0 years [IQR 4·2–11·4], 1191 [59·3%] male and 818 [40·7%] female, and 825 [41·1%] White). 680 (33·8%) patients received primary treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin, 698 (34·7%) with intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids, 487 (24·2%) with glucocorticoids alone; 59 (2·9%) patients received other combinations, including biologicals, and 85 (4·2%) patients received no immunomodulators. There were no significant differences between treatments for primary outcomes for the 1586 patients with complete baseline and outcome data that were considered for primary analysis. Adjusted odds ratios for ventilation, inotropic support, or death were 1·09 (95% CI 0·75–1·58; corrected p value=1·00) for intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids and 0·93 (0·58–1·47; corrected p value=1·00) for glucocorticoids alone, versus intravenous immunoglobulin alone. Adjusted average hazard ratios for time to improvement were 1·04 (95% CI 0·91–1·20; corrected p value=1·00) for intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids, and 0·84 (0·70–1·00; corrected p value=0·22) for glucocorticoids alone, versus intravenous immunoglobulin alone. Treatment escalation was less frequent for intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids (OR 0·15 [95% CI 0·11–0·20]; p<0·0001) and glucocorticoids alone (0·68 [0·50–0·93]; p=0·014) versus intravenous immunoglobulin alone. Persistent fever (from day 2 onward) was less common with intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids compared with either intravenous immunoglobulin alone (OR 0·50 [95% CI 0·38–0·67]; p<0·0001) or glucocorticoids alone (0·63 [0·45–0·88]; p=0·0058). Coronary artery aneurysm occurrence and resolution did not differ significantly between treatment groups. Interpretation Recovery rates, including occurrence and resolution of coronary artery aneurysms, were similar for primary treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin when compared to glucocorticoids or intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids. Initial treatment with glucocorticoids appears to be a safe alternative to immunoglobulin or combined therapy, and might be advantageous in view of the cost and limited availability of intravenous immunoglobulin in many countries. Funding Imperial College London, the European Union's Horizon 2020, Wellcome Trust, the Medical Research Foundation, UK National Institute for Health and Care Research, and National Institutes of Health

Two Decades of Organizational Ethics: A Systematic Review

This paper conducted a systematic review of organizational ethics (OE) articles published over the last two decades, 2000-2020. This paper utilized the Systematic Quantitative Assessment Technique to identify 58 OE articles published by six of the most popular academic publishers in the world: Emerald, Elsevier, Sage, Springer, Taylor and Francis, and Wiley. The review covered five key issues: 1) Time distribution, 2) Geographic distribution, 3) Article type, 4) Data collection methods, and 5) Themes explored. The findings of the systematic review revealed that interest in OE waxed and waned over the two decades covered by this review, and that Africa and South America. The spread between conceptual and empirical OE articles were quite balanced, and survey was the most popular data collection method. Nine themes were identified, with the most striking findings being that having a strong and positive ethical climate had a positive impact on employee and organizational outcomes