Attitudes of pharmacy and nutrition students towards team-based care after first exposure to interprofessional education in Qatar.

Little is known regarding attitudes of healthcare professional students towards team-based care in the Middle East. As modernization of health systems is rapidly occurring across the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, it is important for students to engage in interprofessional education (IPE) activities. The objective of this study was to assess pre-clinical students' attitudes towards interprofessional healthcare teams after completion of their first IPE activity.

Microbial metabolism of biologically active secondary metabolites from Nerium oleander L.

Ursolic acid (1) and kaempferol (3) are two major constituents of the Mediterranean plant Nerium oleander L. Microbial metabolism of (1) with Aspergillus flavus (ATCC 9170) resulted in the formation of 3-oxo-ursolic acid derivative, ursonic acid (2). On the other hand, Cunninghamella blakesleeana (ATCC 8688A) was able to convert (3) into kaempferol 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (4) as well as the new natural product kaempferol 4'-sulfate (5).

Microbial transformation of 5-episinuleptolide.

5-episinuleptolide (1) is an abundant norcembranolide diterpene isolated from several species of the soft coral genus Sinularia. Biocatalytic transformation studies of 1 using Streptomyces lavendulea ATCC 8664 resulted in the isolation and characterization of two new metabolites 2 and 3. Compound 2, 6alpha-hydroxy-5-episinuleptolide was produced via a stereoselective reduction of 1 and was further metabolized into compound 3 which has a 3,8-bicylized cembranoid skeleton.