Phytotherapy as an alternative to conventional antimicrobials: combating microbial resistance.

In the modern antimicrobial era, the rapid spread of resistance to antibiotics and introduction of new and mutating viruses is a global concern. Combating antimicrobial resistant microbes (AMR) requires coordinated international efforts that incorporate new conventional antibiotic development as well as development of alternative drugs with antimicrobial activity, management of existing antimicrobials, and rapid detection of AMR pathogens. Areas covered: This manuscript discusses some conventional strategies to control microbial resistance.

Herbal Medicines: challenges in the modern world. Part 5. status and current directions of complementary and alternative herbal medicine worldwide.

Herbal medicine (HM) use is growing worldwide. Single herb preparations, ethnic and modern HM formulations are widely used as adjunct therapies or to improve consumer wellbeing. Areas covered: This final part in the publication series summarizes common tendencies in HM use as adjunct or alternative medicine, education of healthcare professionals and consumers, current and proposed guidelines regulating of production.

X-ray reflectometer for single layer and multilayer coating characterization at 8 keV: An interlaboratory study.

An X-ray reflectometer (XRR) system has been developed at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) for characterizing various soft and hard X-ray optic coatings. The XRR instrument generates X-ray radiation using a high-output rotating anode source (RAS), operational over a voltage range of 5-35 kV and a current range of 10-150 mA. Copper is used as the target material to produce an X-ray spectrum from which the K line at 8.

Herbal medicines: challenges in the modern world. Part 2. European Union and Russia.

Introduction: Herbal medicines (HMs) have been well known to people of the European Union (EU) and Russia for centuries. Currently, Western HMs can be classified into two categories, plant-derived conventional medicines and dietary supplements. Interest to HMs has grown rapidly in all countries during the past two decades.

Demonstration of a novel focusing small-angle neutron scattering instrument equipped with axisymmetric mirrors.

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) is the most significant neutron technique in terms of impact on science and engineering. However, the basic design of SANS facilities has not changed since the technique's inception about 40 years ago, as all SANS instruments, save a few, are still designed as pinhole cameras. Here we demonstrate a novel concept for a SANS instrument based on axisymmetric focusing mirrors.