Designing, Optimising, and Assessing a Novel Emulgel Containing Minoxidil for Controlled Drug Release, Incorporating Marine-based Polymers.

Objective: This study aimed to develop an emulgel containing minoxidil as a drug for hair growth promotion in diseases, such as androgenetic alopecia, using gelling agents, such as chitosan and fucoidan.

Methods: In this study, gelling agents were selected for the emulgel formulation. By various evaluation tests and through optimization, the chitosan-fucoidan combination was selected as the gelling agent for the preparation of emulgel using various evaluation parameters.

Phytochemical Screening, Antibacterial, Antifungal, Anti-Biofilm and Antioxidant Activity of Azadiracta Indica A. Juss. Flowers.

The present study involves investigation of Azadiracta Indica flowers with respect to its pharmacognostic properties, phytochemical screening, and its application as anti-oxidant, anti-biofilm, and anti-microbial agent. The Pharmacognostic characteristics were evaluated with respect to moisture content, total ash content, acid, and water-soluble ash content, swelling index, foaming index, and metal content. The macro and micronutrient content of the crude drug was estimated by AAS and Flame photometric methods and it gives the quantitative estimation of minerals, where calcium is present in abundance (88.

Spectroscopic profiling, DFT computations, molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulation of biologically active 5-isoquinolinesulfonic acid.

The title compound 5-isoquinolinesulfonic acid (5IQSA) is characterized using the FT-IR, FT-Raman, NMR and UV-Vis spectra. The optimized molecular geometry, vibrational assignments, infrared intensities and Raman scattering are precisely calculated using Density Functional Theory (DFT) with the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) basis set. The H and C NMR chemical shifts are computed and compared with the experimental data.

Evaluation of quercetin as a potential β-lactamase CTX-M-15 inhibitor via the molecular docking, dynamics simulations, and MMGBSA.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens millions of people around the world and has been declared a global risk by the World Economic Forum. One of the important AMR mechanisms in Enterobacteriaceae is the production of extended-spectrum β-lactamases. The most common ESBL, CTX-M β-lactamases, is spread to the world by CTX-M-15 and CTX-M-14.

Direct and indirect reciprocity among individuals and groups.

Direct and indirect reciprocity are two fundamental mechanisms that promote prosocial behavior within groups and across societies. Here, we review recent work that illustrates how a (direct and indirect) reciprocity framework can illuminate our understanding of several factors related to prosocial behavior - namely group membership, gossip, and third-party punishment. We propose that each of these factors can promote prosocial behavior via proximate psychological mechanisms related to direct and indirect reciprocity: reputational concern, expectations, and anticipation of future interaction.

Plant growth promoting bacteria induce anti-quorum-sensing substances in chickpea legume seedling bioassay.

Unlabelled: Microorganisms and their hosts communicate through an array of signals. Many physiological processes regulated in quorum sensing (QS) are dependent on auto-inducers, like -acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) as in numerous groups of both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. In vitro grown seven-day old chickpea seedlings treated with plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPRs) were used to screen the AHL mimicking and for phytochemical substances like phytohormones and secondary metabolites such as phenolics and flavonoids.

Vibrational spectroscopy, quantum computational and molecular docking studies on 2-chloroquinoline-3-carboxaldehyde.

The quantum mechanical density functional theory (DFT) approach was used to analyze vibrational spectroscopy for the title compound 2-chloroquinoline-3-carboxaldehyde, and the observations were compared to experimental results. B3LYP with the 6-311++ G (d, p) basis set produces the optimized molecular structure and vibrational assignments. The charge delocalization and hyper conjugative interactions were studied using NBO analysis.

Existence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA on ambient particulate matter samples: A nationwide study in Turkey.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and has been affecting the world since the end of 2019. The disease led to significant mortality and morbidity in Turkey, since the first case was reported on March 11th, 2020. Studies suggest a positive association between air pollution and SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Vacuum-assisted thermal drying of wastewater treatment sludge.

Sludge drying is one of the main problems of wastewater treatment plants. It is very important to facilitate the drying process in terms of drying efficiency, time duration, and cost of the processes, so that transportation and dumping of sludge will accordingly be realized effectively. In this study, vacuum assisted thermal drying was studied.

The stability of conditional cooperation: beliefs alone cannot explain the decline of cooperation in social dilemmas.

An often-replicated result in the experimental literature on social dilemmas is that a large share of subjects choose conditionally cooperative strategies. Cooperation generated by such choices is notoriously unstable, as individuals reduce their contributions to the public good in reaction to other subjects' free-riding. This has led to the widely-held conclusion that cooperation observed in experiments (and its decline) is mostly driven by imperfect reciprocity.

Molecular docking based design of Dengue NS5 methyltransferase inhibitors.

Dengue is a viral infection caused by RNA infection of the family Flaviviridae and spread by the Aedes mosquitoes. Dengue NS5 methyltransferase is a known drug target for the disease. Therefore, it is of interest to design potential inhibitors for the target using molecular docking analysis.

Investigation of geospatial distribution of PAH compounds in soil phase and determination of soil-air exchange direction in a megacity.

In this study, determination of possible sources, soil-air exchange direction, and spatial distribution of PAH concentrations was aimed. In this scope, soil samples were collected from 35 different points, which have the urban and rural characteristics, from European and Asian Sides in Istanbul. The average ∑PAH concentrations were found as 22.

Determination of antibiotic resistance genes and virulence factors in Escherichia coli isolated from Turkish patients with urinary tract infection.

Introduction: : Escherichia coli ranks among the most common sources of urinary tract infections (UTI).

Methods: Between November 2015 and August 2016, 90 isolates of E. coli were isolated from patients at Rize Education and Research Hospital in Turkey.

Next-generation sequencing of plasmid carrying in from Turkey.

A carbapenem-resistant strain was isolated in Turkey in 2012 and and genes were observed in this strain. The aim of this study was to investigate transferability of plasmid bearing in and to use whole-genome sequencing in order to understand the genetic context of plasmid. strain was used as donor in conjugation experiments.

Clinical Variants of the Native Class D β-Lactamase of Acinetobacter baumannii Pose an Emerging Threat through Increased Hydrolytic Activity against Carbapenems.

The threat posed by the chromosomally encoded class D β-lactamase of Acinetobacter baumannii (OXA-51/66) has been unclear, in part because of its relatively low affinity and turnover rate for carbapenems. Several hundred clinical variants of OXA-51/66 have been reported, many with substitutions of active-site residues. We determined the kinetic properties of OXA-66 and five clinical variants with respect to a wide variety of β-lactam substrates.

Kinetic characterization of GES-22 β-lactamase harboring the M169L clinical mutation.

The class A β-lactamase GES-22 has been identified in Acinetobacter baumannii isolates in Turkey, and subsequently shown to differ from GES-11 by a single substitution (M169L). Because M169 is part of the omega loop, a structure that is known to have major effects on substrate selectivity in class A β-lactamases, we expressed, purified and kinetically characterized this novel variant. Our results show that compared with GES-11, GES-22 displays more efficient hydrolysis of penicillins, and aztreonam, but a loss of efficiency against ceftazidime.

Evaluation of background soil and air polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations on a hill at the outskirts of a metropolitan city.

Air and soil sampling was conducted inside a forested area for 22 months. The sampling location is situated to the north of a metropolitan city. Average atmospheric gas and particle concentrations were found to be 180 and 28 pg m(-3) respectively, while that of soil phase was detected to be 3.

Comparison of Verona Integron-Borne Metallo-β-Lactamase (VIM) Variants Reveals Differences in Stability and Inhibition Profiles.

Metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) are of increasing clinical significance; the development of clinically useful MBL inhibitors is challenged by the rapid evolution of variant MBLs. The Verona integron-borne metallo-β-lactamase (VIM) enzymes are among the most widely distributed MBLs, with >40 VIM variants having been reported. We report on the crystallographic analysis of VIM-5 and comparison of biochemical and biophysical properties of VIM-1, VIM-2, VIM-4, VIM-5, and VIM-38.

Distribution of β-lactamase genes among carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains isolated from patients in Turkey.

Background: The emergence of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae poses a serious problem to antibiotic management. We investigated the β-lactamases in a group of carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae clinical isolates from Turkey.

Gas/particle partitioning of PCDD/F compounds in the atmosphere of Istanbul.

Gas/particle partitioning of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDF) compounds in the ambient atmosphere were investigated at three different sites (urban-industrial, urban and sub-urban) in İstanbul. Average gas and particle phase concentrations were measured as 133fgm(-3) and 1605fgm(-3), respectively. Gas phase concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin/furan (PCDD/F) compounds were determined to be 128fgm(-3), 50fgm(-3), 153fgm(-3) during summer season and 204fgm(-3), 164fgm(-3), 154fgm(-3) during winter season for the respective three sampling sites.

Seasonal variation of PCDD/Fs in the metropolis of Istanbul, Turkey.

Atmospheric concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F) compounds were investigated at three different regions of Istanbul which reflect urban, urban/industrial, and sub-urban characteristics. Air samples were collected simultaneously for both gaseous and particulate phases using high volume samplers on monthly time intervals from May 2011 to October 2012. The highest concentrations (3,056 fg/m(3) and 156 fg I-TEQ/m(3)) were observed at the sampling site that reflects traffic, residential, and industrial emission source characteristics, while the lowest concentrations (829 fg/m(3) and 38 fg I-TEQ/m(3)) were observed at the sampling point which is far away from centrum and reflects sub-urban characteristics.

Antimicrobial resistance patterns and integron carriage of Escherichia coli isolates causing community-acquired infections in Turkey.

We aimed to observe antimicrobial resistance patterns and integron carriage of Escherichia coli isolates causing community-acquired infections. Two hundred sixty-eight E. coli strains were obtained from outpatients with various infections at different polyclinics at the 82nd Year of State Hospital in Rize, Turkey.

Characterization of novel VIM carbapenemase, VIM-38, and first detection of GES-5 carbapenem-hydrolyzing β-lactamases in Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Turkey.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were collected form a Turkish hospital. Antimicrobial susceptibility was performed using the Vitek 2 Compact system, and 24 isolates were categorized as multidrug resistant (n = 18), extensively-drug resistant (n = 5), or pan-drug resistant (n = 1). PCR and DNA sequence analysis revealed that 1 strain possessed the blaGES-5 and another carried a novel blaVIM variant, named VIM-38.