The influence of sociodemographic factors on parental health-seeking behavior for illnesses among the pediatric age group in Karachi: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Health-seeking behavior (HSB) is an individual's reaction to sickness, for which they seek medical attention, regardless of the form such care may take. Poor HSB is frequently associated with lower health outcomes and greater mortality and disease rates in a nation. Sociodemographic factors, including age, gender, family structure, occupation, ethnicity, and rates of literacy and poverty, can influence a person's HSB.

Bacterial Biotransformation and Anticancer Activities of Betulin against A549, HepG2 and 5RP7 Cancer Cell Lines.

Background: A pentacyclic lupenane-type natural triterpenoid, betulin, has attracted attention in the field of medicinal chemistry since it exhibited a variety of biological activities, including anticancer activity.

Objective: The aim of this present work was to obtain derivatives of betulin through bacterial biotransformation and investigate its anticancer activity against A549, HepG2 and 5RP7 cancer cell lines.

Methods: Bacterial biotransformation studies were continued in an MBH broth medium for 7 days at 35oC.

Cytotoxic, Antiproliferative and Apoptotic Effects of Perillyl Alcohol and Its Biotransformation Metabolite on A549 and HepG2 Cancer Cell Lines.

Background: A monoterpene, perillyl alcohol, has attracted attention in medicinal chemistry since it exhibited chemo-preventive and therapeutic properties against a variety of cancers.

Objective: In the present work, it was aimed to obtain derivatives of perillyl alcohol through microbial biotransformation and investigate their anticancer activities against A549 and HepG2 cancer cell lines.

Method: Biotransformation studies were carried out in a α-medium for 7 days at 25oC.

Microbial transformations of isophorone by Alternaria alternata and Neurospora crassa.

Isophorone (3,5,5-trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-one), a monoterpene, and the structurally related 1,8-cineole and camphor, have demonstrated a protective effect against cancer, biological activity against a variety of microorganisms, and anti-oxidant properties. The derivatization of isophorone is, therefore, an important field of xenobiochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology. The aim of this study was to obtain derivatives of isophorone through microbial biotransformation and evaluate the biotransformation metabolites as potential antimicrobial agents.

Microbial hydroxylation of S-(-)-perillyl alcohol by Fusarium heterosporium.

S-(-)-Perillyl alcohol (p-mentha-1, 8-diene-7-ol) (1) (500 mg) was converted by Fusarium heterosporium ATCC 15625 over 10 days at 25 degrees C to a new metabolite, 1,2-dihydroxyperillyl alcohol (p-mentha-8-en-1,2,7-triol) (3) in a yield of 13% (70 mg). The structure of 3 was established by IR and NMR spectroscopic, specific rotation, and mass spectral studies.

Biotransformation of alpha-cedrol and caryophyllene oxide by the fungus Neurospora crassa.

Incubation of alpha-cedrol and caryophyllene oxide with Neurospora crassa afforded 12beta-hydroxy cedrol, 10alpha-hydroxy cedrol, and 3beta-hydroxy cedrol, and 12beta-hydroxy caryophyllene oxide as major metabolites, respectively. The antibacterial and radical scavenging activities of the metabolites were evaluated in vitro using broth microdilution and bioauthographic techniques. However, no significant antibacterial and antioxidant activities were observed when compared with those of standard substances.

Isotherm and kinetic studies of Burazol Blue ED dye biosorption by dried anaerobic sludge.

Biosorption potential of dried anaerobic sludge (DAS) for Burazol Blue ED (BB) was studied with respect to pH, equilibrium time, initial dye concentrations and temperature to determine equilibrium and kinetic models. The most suitable pH, equilibrium time and initial dye concentration were determined as 0.5+/-0.

The protective effects of demethoxyviridine and 1-alpha-hydroxy-demethoxyviridine in the livers of male rats treated with diethylnitrosamine and 2-acetylaminflourene.

Objective: To determine the protective effects of a fungal metabolite of demethoxyviridine (DMV) and its derivative, 1-alpha-hydroxy-DMV in the livers of 2-month-old male Spraque-Dawley rats treated with diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and 2-acetylaminflourene (2-AAF).

Methods: This study was performed in the Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey from May 2006. Animals were divided into 10 groups.

Biosorption of Reactive Black 5 dye by Penicillium restrictum: the kinetic study.

Biosorption of Reactive Black 5 (RB 5) dye onto dried Penicillium restrictum biomass was studied with respect to pH, contact time, biosorbent and dye concentrations. The effect of temperature on the biosorption efficiency was also carried out and the kinetic parameters were determined. Optimum initial pH, equilibrium time and biomass concentration for RB 5 dye were found to be 1.

Synthesis and evaluation of demethoxyviridin derivatives as potential antimicrobials.

The in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities of demethoxyviridin and some synthetic analogues were evaluated by the agar diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the active compounds were also determined by the agar dilution method. Demethoxyviridin (1) showed moderate antibacterial activity against most of the strains tested.

Biotransformation of racemic diisophorone by Cephalosporium aphidicola and Neurospora crassa.

Racemic diisophorone (500 mg) was converted by Cephalosporium aphidicola and Neurospora crassa over 10 days at 25 degrees C to 8beta-hydroxydiisophorone in yields of 10% (52 mg) and 20% (103 mg), respectively. The structure was established by IR, specific rotation, mass spectral, 1D and 2D-NMR studies.

Determination of the equilibrium, kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of adsorption of copper(II) ions onto seeds of Capsicum annuum.

Adsorption of copper ions onto Capsicum annuum (red pepper) seeds was investigated with the variation in the parameters of pH, contact time, adsorbent and copper(II) concentrations and temperature. The nature of the possible adsorbent and metal ion interactions was examined by the FTIR technique. The copper(II) adsorption equilibrium was attained within 60 min.