Search results for: illicit drug policies

Authors: Rina Lee, Chung-Hun Oh, Eunjin Lee, Jeongyun Kim

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The Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment that uses a photosensitizer as a drug to damage and kill cancer cells. After injecting the photosensitizer into the bloodstream, the drug is absorbed by cancer cells selectively. Then the area to be treated is exposed to specific wavelengths of light and the photosensitizer produces a form of oxygen that kills nearby cancer cells. PDT is has an advantage to destroy the tumor with minimized side-effects on normal cells. But, PDT is not a completed method for cancer therapy. Because the mechanism of PDT is quite clear yet and the parameters such as intensity of light and dose of photosensitizer are not optimized for different types of cancers. To optimize these parameters, we suggest a novel microfluidic system to automatically control intensity of light exposure with a personal computer (PC). A polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic chip is composed with (1) a cell culture channels layer where cancer cells were trapped to be tested with various dosed photofrin (1μg/ml used for the test) as the photosensitizer and (2) a color dye layer as a neutral density (ND) filter to reduce intensity of light which exposes the cell culture channels filled with cancer cells. Eight different intensity of light (10%, 20%, …, 100%) are generated through various concentrations of blue dye filling the ND filter. As a light source, a light emitting diode (LED) with 635nm wavelength was placed above the developed PDMS microfluidic chip. The total time for light exposure was 30 minutes and HeLa and PC3 cell lines of cancer cells were tested. The cell viability of cells was evaluated with a Live/Dead assay kit (L-3224, Invitrogen, USA). The stronger intensity of light exposed, the lower viability of the cell was observed, and vice versa. Therefore, this system was demonstrated through investigating the PDT against cancer cell to optimize the parameters as critical light intensity and dose of photosensitizer. Our results suggest that the system can be used for optimizing the combinational parameters of light intensity and photosensitizer dose against diverse cancer cell types.

Keywords: photodynamic therapy, photofrin, high throughput screening, hela

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Authors: M. H. Pazandeh, M. Doudi, S. Barahimi, L. Rahimzadeh Torabi

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The use of antibiotics is essential in reducing the occurrence of adverse effects and inhibiting the emergence of antibiotic resistance in microbial populations. The necessity for a novel methodology concerning local administration of antibiotics has arisen, with particular focus on dealing with localized infections prompted by bacterial colonization of medical devices or implant materials. Bioactive glasses (BG) are extensively employed in the field of regenerative medicine, encompassing a diverse range of materials utilized for drug delivery systems. In the present investigation, various drug carriers for imipenem and tetracycline, namely single systems BG/SnO2, BG/NiO with varying proportions of metal oxide, and nanocomposite BG/SnO2/NiO, were synthesized through the sol-gel technique. The antibacterial efficacy of the synthesized samples was assessed through the utilization of the disk diffusion method with the aim of neutralizing Staphylococcus aureus as the bacterial model. The current study involved the examination of the bioactivity of two samples, namely BG10SnO2/10NiO and BG20SnO2, which were chosen based on their heightened bacterial inactivation properties. This evaluation entailed the employment of two techniques: the measurement of the pH of simulated body fluid (SBF) solution and the analysis of the sample tablets through X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The sample tablets were submerged in SBF for varying durations of 7, 14, and 28 days. The bioactivity of the composite bioactive glass sample was assessed through characterization of alterations in its surface morphology, structure, and chemical composition. This evaluation was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy. Subsequently, the sample was immersed in simulated liquids to simulate its behavior in biological environments. The specific body fat percentage (SBF) was assessed over a 28-day period. The confirmation of the formation of a hydroxyapatite surface layer serves as a distinct indicator of bioactivity. The infusion of antibiotics into the composite bioactive glass specimen was done separately, and then the release kinetics of tetracycline and imipenem were tested in simulated body fluid (SBF). Antimicrobial effectiveness against various bacterial strains have been proven in numerous instances using both melt and sol-gel techniques to create multiple bioactive glass compositions. An elevated concentration of calcium ions within a solution has been observed to cause an increase in the pH level. In aqueous suspensions, bioactive glass particles manifest a significant antimicrobial impact. The composite bioactive glass specimen exhibits a gradual and uninterrupted release, which is highly desirable for a drug delivery system over a span of 72 hours. The reduction in absorption, which signals the loss of a portion of the antibiotic during the loading process from the initial phosphate-buffered saline solution, indicates the successful bonding of the two antibiotics to the surfaces of the bioactive glass samples. The sample denoted as BG/10SnO2/10NiO exhibits a higher loading of particles compared to the sample designated as BG/20SnO2 in the context of bioactive glass. The enriched sample demonstrates a heightened bactericidal impact on the bacteria under investigation while concurrently preserving its antibacterial characteristics. Tailored bioactive glass that incorporates hydroxyapatite, with a regulated and efficient release of drugs targeting bacterial infections, holds promise as a potential framework for bone implant scaffolds following rigorous clinical evaluation, thereby establishing potential future biomedical uses. During the modification process, the introduction of metal oxides into bioactive glass resulted in improved antibacterial characteristics, particularly in the composite bioactive glass sample that displayed the highest level of efficiency.

Keywords: antibacterial, bioactive glasses, implant infections, multi drug resistant

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Authors: K. K. Balavenkatraman, B. Bertschi, K. Bigot, A. Grevot, A. Doelemeyer, S. D. Chibout, A. Wolf, F. Pognan, N. Manevski, O. Kretz, P. Swart, K. Litherland, J. Ashton-Chess, B. Ling, R. Wettstein, D. J. Schaefer

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Skin toxicity is poorly detected during preclinical studies, and drug-induced side effects in humans such as rashes, hyperplasia or more serious events like bullous pemphigus or toxic epidermal necrolysis represent an important hurdle for clinical development. In vitro keratinocyte-based epidermal skin models are suitable for the detection of chemical-induced irritancy, but do not recapitulate the biological complexity of full skin and fail to detect potential serious side-effects. Normal healthy skin explants may represent a valuable complementary tool, having the advantage of retaining the full skin architecture and the resident immune cell diversity. This study investigated several conditions for the maintenance of good morphological structure after several days of culture and the retention of phase II metabolism for 24 hours in skin explants in vitro. Human skin samples were collected with informed consent from patients undergoing plastic surgery and immediately transferred and processed in our laboratory by removing the underlying dermal fat. Punch biopsies of 4 mm diameter were cultured in an air-liquid interface using transwell filters. Different cultural conditions such as the effect of calcium, temperature and cultivation media were tested for a period of 14 days and explants were histologically examined after Hematoxylin and Eosin staining. Our results demonstrated that the use of Williams E Medium at 32°C maintained the physiological integrity of the skin for approximately one week. Upon prolonged incubation, the upper layers of the epidermis become thickened and some dead cells are present. Interestingly, these effects were prevented by addition of EGFR inhibitors such as Afatinib or Erlotinib. Phase II metabolism of the skin such as glucuronidation (4-methyl umbeliferone), sulfation (minoxidil), N-acetyltransferase (p-toluidene), catechol methylation (2,3-dehydroxy naphthalene), and glutathione conjugation (chlorodinitro benzene) were analyzed by using LCMS. Our results demonstrated that the human skin explants possess metabolic activity for a period of at least 24 hours for all the substrates tested. A time course for glucuronidation with 4-methyl umbeliferone was performed and a linear correlation was obtained over a period of 24 hours. Longer-term culture studies will indicate the possible evolution of such metabolic activities. In summary, these results demonstrate that human skin explants maintain a normal structure for several days in vitro and are metabolically active for at least the first 24 hours. Hence, with further characterisation, this model may be suitable for the study of drug-induced toxicity.

Keywords: human skin explant, phase II metabolism, epidermal growth factor receptor, toxicity

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Authors: Aly Kassem, Eman Sapet, Eman Abdelbaset, Hosam Mahmoud

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Objective: Hypertension is an important public health challenge being one of the most common worldwide disease-affecting human. Our aim is to study the clinical characteristics, therapeutic regimens, treatment compliance, and risk factors in a sector of of hypertensive patients at Sohag City. Subject and Methods: A cross sectional study; conducted in Sohag city; it involved 520 patients; males (45.7 %) and females (54.3 %). Their ages ranged between 35-85 years. BP measurements, BMI, blood glucose, Serum creatinine, urine analysis, serum Lipids, blood picture and ECG were done all the studied patients. Results: Hypertension presented more between non-smokers (72.55%), females (54.3%), educated patients (50.99%) and patients with low SES (54.9%). CAD presented in (51.63%) of patients, while laboratory investigations showed hyperglycaemia in (28.7%), anemia in (18.3%), high serum creatinine level in (8.49%) and proteinuria in (10.45%) of patient. Adequate BP control was achieved in (49.67%); older patients had lower adequacy of BP control in spite of the extensive use of multiple-drug therapy. Most hypertensive patients had more than one coexistent CV risk factor. Aging, being a female (54.3%), DM (32.3%), family history of hypertension (28.7%), family history of CAD (25.4%), and obesity (10%) were the common contributing risk factors. ACE-inhibitors were prescribed in (58.16%), Beta-blockers in (34.64%) of the patients. Monotherapy was prescribed for (41.17%) of the patients. (75.81%) of patients had regular use of their drug regimens. (49.67%) only of patients had their condition under control, the number of drugs was inversely related to BP control. Conclusion: Hypertensive patients in Sohag city had a profile of high CV risks, and poor blood pressure control particularly in the elderly. A multidisciplinary approach for routine clinical check-up, follow-up, physicians and patients training, prescribing simple once-daily regimens and encouraging life style modifications are recommended. Anti hypertensives, hypertension, elderly patients, risk factors, treatment compliance.

Keywords: anti hypertensives, hypertension, elderly patients, risk factors, treatment compliance

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Authors: Hassan Nour, Nouh Mounadi, Oussama Abchir, Belaidi Salah, Samir Chtita

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Cholinesterase enzymes are biological catalysts essential for the transformation of acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter implicated in memory and learning, into acetic acid and choline, altering the neurotransmission process in Alzheimer’s disease patients. Therefore, inhibition of cholinesterase enzymes is a relevant strategy for the symptomatic treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. The current investigation aims to explore potential Cholinesterase (ChE) inhibitors through a comprehensive computational approach. Forty-nine phytoconstituents extracted from Cannabis sativa L were in-silico screened using molecular docking, pharmacokinetic and toxicological analysis to evaluate their possible inhibitory effect towards the cholinesterase enzymes. Two phytoconstituents belonging to cannabinoid derivatives were revealed to be promising candidates for Alzheimer therapy by acting as cholinesterase inhibitors. They have exhibited high binding affinities towards the cholinesterase enzymes and showed their ability to interact with key residues involved in cholinesterase enzymatic activity. In addition, they presented good ADMET profiles allowing them to be promising oral drug candidates. Furthermore, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were executed to explore their interactions stability under mimetic biological conditions and thus support our findings. To corroborate the docking results, the binding free energy corresponding to the more stable ligand-ChE complexes was re-estimated by applying the MM-PBSA method. MD and MM-PBSA studies affirmed that the ligand-ChE recognition is spontaneous reaction leading to stable complexes. The conducted investigations have led to great findings that would strongly guide the pharmaceutical industries towards the rational development of potent anti-Alzheimer agents.

Keywords: alzheimer’s disease, molecular docking, cannabis sativa l, cholinesterase inhibitors

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Authors: Shanakr Bhattarai, V. S. Tiwari, Barak Akabayov

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The plummeting number of infections and death is due to the development of drug-resistant bacteria. In addition, the number of approved antibiotic drugs by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is insufficient. Therefore, developing new drugs and finding novel targets for central metabolic pathways in bacteria is urgently needed. One of the promising targets is DNA replication machinery which consists of many essential proteins and enzymes. DnaG primase is an essential enzyme and a central part of the DNA replication machinery. DnaG primase synthesizes short RNA primers that initiate the Okazaki fragments by the lagging strand DNA polymerase. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that inhibition of primase activity will stall DNA replication and prevent bacterial proliferation. We did the expression and purification of eight different bacterial DnaGs (Mycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb), Bacillus anthracis (Ba), Mycobacterium smegmatis (Msmeg), Francisella tularencis (Ft), Vibrio cholerae (Vc) and Yersinia pestis (Yp), Staphylococcus aureus(Saureus), Escherichia coli(Ecoli)) followed by the radioactive activity assay. After obtaining the pure and active protein DnaG, we synthesized the inhibitors for them. The inhibitors were divided into five different groups, each containing five molecules, and the cocktail inhibition assay was performed against each DnaGs. The groups of molecules inhibiting the DnaGs were further tested with individual molecules belonging to inhibiting groups. Each molecule showing inhibition was titrated against the corresponding DnaGs to find IC50. We got a molecule(VS167) that acted as broad inhibitors, inhibiting all eight DnaGs. Molecules VS180 and VS186 inhibited seven DnaGs (except Saureus). Similarly, two molecules(VS 173, VS176) inhibited five DnaGs (Mtb, Ba, Ft, Yp, Ecoli). VS261 inhibited four DnaGs (Mtb, Ba, Ft, Vc). MS50 inhibited Ba and Vc DnaGs. And some of the inhibitors inhibited only one DnaGs. Thus we found the broad and specific inhibitors for different bacterial DnaGs, and their Structure-activity analysis(SAR) was done. Further, We tried to explain the similarities among the enzyme DnaGs from different bacteria based on their inhibition pattern.

Keywords: DNA replication, DnaG, okazaki fragments, antibiotic drugs

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Authors: Julie Connelly, Tanvi Toprani, Xin Xie, Dhinoth Kumar Bangarusamy, Kris C. Gunsalus

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The overuse of antibiotics worldwide has contributed to the development of multi-drug resistant (MDR) pathogenic bacterial strains. There is an increasing urgency to discover antibiotics to combat MDR pathogens. The microbiome of the Arabian Gulf is a largely unexplored and potentially rich source of novel bioactive compounds. Microbes that inhabit the Abu Dhabi coastal regions adapt to extreme environments with high salinity, hot temperatures, large temperature fluctuations, and acute exposure to solar energy. The microbes native to this region may produce unique metabolites with therapeutic potential as antibiotics and antifungals. We have isolated 200 pure bacterial strains from mangrove sediments, cyanobacterial mats, and coral reefs of the Abu Dhabi region. In this project, we aim to screen the marine bacterial strains to identify antibiotics, in particular undocumented compounds that show activity against existing antibiotic-resistant strains. We have acquired the ESKAPE pathogen panel, which consists of six antibiotic-resistant gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial pathogens that collectively cause most clinical infections. Our initial efforts of the primary screen using colony-picking co-culture assay have identified several candidate marine strains producing potential antibiotic compounds. We will next apply different assays, including disk-diffusion and broth turbidity growth assay, to confirm the results. This will be followed by bioactivity-guided purification and characterization of target compounds from the scaled-up volume of candidate strains, including SPE fraction, HPLC fraction, LC-MS, and NMR. For antimicrobial compounds with unknown structures, our final goal is to investigate their mode of action by identifying the molecular target.

Keywords: marine bacteria, natural products, drug discovery, ESKAPE panel

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Authors: Mouna Baassi, Mohamed Moussaoui, Sanchaita Rajkhowa, Hatim Soufi, Said Belaaouad

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The objective of this paper is to address the challenging task of targeting Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 Reverse Transcriptase (HIV-1 RT) in the treatment of AIDS. Reverse Transcriptase inhibitors (RTIs) have limitations due to the development of Reverse Transcriptase mutations that lead to treatment resistance. In this study, a combination of statistical analysis and bioinformatics tools was adopted to develop a mathematical model that relates the structure of compounds to their inhibitory activities against HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase. Our approach was based on a series of compounds recognized for their HIV-1 RT enzymatic inhibitory activities. These compounds were designed via software, with their descriptors computed using multiple tools. The most statistically promising model was chosen, and its domain of application was ascertained. Furthermore, compounds exhibiting comparable biological activity to existing drugs were identified as potential inhibitors of HIV-1 RT. The compounds underwent evaluation based on their chemical absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, toxicity properties, and adherence to Lipinski's rule. Molecular docking techniques were employed to examine the interaction between the Reverse Transcriptase (Wild Type and Mutant Type) and the ligands, including a known drug available in the market. Molecular dynamics simulations were also conducted to assess the stability of the RT-ligand complexes. Our results reveal some of the new compounds as promising candidates for effectively inhibiting HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase, matching the potency of the established drug. This necessitates further experimental validation. This study, beyond its immediate results, provides a methodological foundation for future endeavors aiming to discover and design new inhibitors targeting HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase.

Keywords: QSAR, ADMET properties, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, reverse transcriptase inhibitors, HIV type 1

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Authors: Saeed Yazdani, Sima Mohamadi Amidabadi, Amir Mohamadi Nejad, Farahnaz Nekoofar

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As a result of uncertainty and doubts about the quantity of agricultural products, greater significance has been attached to risk management in the agricultural sector. Normally, farmers seek to minimize risks, and crop diversity has always been a means to reduce risk. The study at hand seeks to explore the long-term impact of crop diversity on income risk reduction. The timeframe of the study is 1998 to 2018. Initially, the Herfindahl index was used to estimate crop diversity in different periods, and next, the Hodrick-Prescott filter was applied to estimate income risk both in nominal and real terms. Finally, using the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM), the long-term impact of crop diversity on two modes of risk for the farmer's income has been estimated. Given the long-term pattern’s results, it is evident that in the long-run, crop diversity can reduce income fluctuations in two nominal and real terms. Moreover, results showed that in case the fluctuation shock affects the agricultural income in the short run, to balance out the shock in nominal and real terms, 4 and 3 cycles are needed respectively. In other words, in each cycle, 25% and 33% of the shock impact can be removed, respectively. Thus, as the results of the error correction coefficient showed, policies need to be put in place to prevent income shocks. In case of a shock, they need to be balanced out in a four-year period, taking inflation into account, and in a three-year period irrespective of the inflation and reparative policies such as insurance services should be developed.

Keywords: risk, long-term model, Herfindahl index, time series model, vector error correction model

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Authors: Tirtha Raj Dhakal, Brian Davidson, Bob Farquharson

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Irrigation management transfer has been taken as the important policy instrument for effective irrigation resource management in many developing countries. The change in governance of the irrigation schemes for its day-to-day operation and maintenance has been centered in recent Nepalese irrigation policies also. However, both farmer- and agency-managed irrigation schemes in Nepal are performing well below than expected. This study tries to link the present concerns of poor performance of both forms of schemes with the institutions for its operation and management. Two types of surveys, management and farm surveys; were conducted as a case study in the command area of Narayani Lift Irrigation Project (agency-managed) and Khageri Irrigation System (farmer-managed) of Chitwan District. The farm survey from head, middle and tail regions of both schemes revealed that unequal water distribution exists in these regions in both schemes with greater percentage of farmers experiencing this situation in agency managed scheme. In both schemes, the cost recovery rate was very low, even below five percent in Lift System indicating poor operation and maintenance of the schemes. Also, the institution on practice in both schemes is unable to create any incentives for farmers’ willingness to pay as well as for its economical use in the farm. Thus, outcomes from the study showed that only the management transfer programs may not achieve the goal of efficient irrigation resource management. This may suggest water professionals to rethink about the irrigation policies for refining institutional framework irrespective of the governance of schemes for improved cost recovery and better water distribution throughout the irrigation schemes.

Keywords: cost recovery, governance, institution, irrigation management transfer, willingness to pay

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Authors: Haftay Abraha Tadesse

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Background: Staphylococcus is a genus of worldwide distributed bacteria correlated to several infectious of different sites in humans and animals. They are among the most important causes of infection that are associated with the consumption of contaminated food. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the isolates, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and Public Health Significance of Staphylococcus aureus in raw meat from butchery and abattoir houses of Mekelle, Northern Ethiopia. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted from April to October 2019. Socio-demographic data and Public Health Significance were collected using a predesigned questionnaire. The raw meat samples were collected aseptically in the butchery and abattoir houses and transported using an ice box to Mekelle University, College of Veterinary Sciences, for isolating and identification of Staphylococcus aureus. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were determined by the disc diffusion method. Data obtained were cleaned and entered into STATA 22.0 and a logistic regression model with odds ratio was calculated to assess the association of risk factors with bacterial contamination. A P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: In the present study, 88 out of 250 (35.2%) were found to be contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus. Among the raw meat specimens, the positivity rate of Staphylococcus aureus was 37.6% (n=47) and (32.8% (n=41), butchery and abattoir houses, respectively. Among the associated risks, factories not using gloves reduces risk was found to (AOR=0.222; 95% CI: 0.104-0.473), Strict Separation b/n clean & dirty (AOR= 1.37; 95% CI: 0.66-2.86) and poor habit of hand washing (AOR=1.08; 95%CI: 0.35 3.35) was found to be statistically significant and have associated with Staphylococcus aureus contamination. All isolates of thirty-seven of Staphylococcus aureus were checked and displayed (100%) sensitive to doxycycline, trimethoprim, gentamicin, sulphamethoxazole, amikacin, CN, Co trimoxazole and nitrofurantoi. Whereas the showed resistance to cefotaxime (100%), ampicillin (87.5%), Penicillin (75%), B (75%), and nalidixic acid (50%) from butchery houses. On the other hand, all isolates of Staphylococcus aureus isolate 100% (n= 10) showed sensitive chloramphenicol, gentamicin and nitrofurantoin, whereas they showed 100% resistance of Penicillin, B, AMX, ceftriaxone, ampicillin and cefotaxime from abattoirs houses. The overall multi-drug resistance pattern for Staphylococcus aureus was 90% and 100% of butchery and abattoir houses, respectively. Conclusion: 35.3% Staphylococcus aureus isolated were recovered from the raw meat samples collected from the butchery and abattoirs houses. More has to be done in the development of hand washing behavior and availability of safe water in the butchery houses to reduce the burden of bacterial contamination. The results of the present finding highlight the need to implement protective measures against the levels of food contamination and alternative drug options. The development of antimicrobial resistance is nearly always a result of repeated therapeutic and/or indiscriminate use of them. Regular antimicrobial sensitivity testing helps to select effective antibiotics and to reduce the problems of drug resistance development towards commonly used antibiotics.

Keywords: abattoir house, AMR, butchery house, S. aureus

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Authors: Joyce Mary Adam

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The subject of youth and education has been on the agenda of both public policies and specific education policies. In this sense, this work aims to discuss, based on the conceptions of social capital and cultural capital, the possibilities of elaborating and putting into practice the life projects they build during secondary school. The critical view brought by the concepts of social capital and cultural capital considers that in the school environment, those who have social capital and cultural capital have more tools to continue their projects, while those who do not have such capital will consequently have fewer opportunities, a fact that directly contributes to the perpetuation of social and educational inequality. When the "Life Project" is discussed under the sole responsibility of the students, it is clear that it is the students who must "take their responsibilities and decisions", their success or failure. From this point of view, the success of the implementation of the Life Project is determined by how well the students have developed their "skills and competencies" and their capacity for entrepreneurship without promoting a critical reflection on the real economic difficulties of the majority of students at this level of education. This situation gives rise to feelings of self-blame and self-responsibility among young people, who are compelled to confront the reality that their expectations have not been fulfilled, that they have been unable to gain employment, and, in some instances, that they have been marginalized. In this regard, the research project aimed to gather data on the living conditions of students at a public school and a private school in Brazil through interviews. The research methodology was interviews with students from a public school and an elite private school. The main objective of the research was to analyze the students' cultural and social capital as a key element in their social and professional integration after completing this stage of education. The study showed that social and cultural capital has a significant influence on opportunities to continue studying or to find a satisfactory job. For young people from public schools and from lower economic classes, the need to enter the job market as soon as they finish or even before they finish high school is due to economic and survival issues. The hours of dedication to studies and the diversity of cultural activities such as trips, visits to museums, or the cultivation of artistic activities available to poorer students in state schools have proved to be rarer. In conclusion, we found that the difference in social and cultural capital between the young people taking part in the research has been shown to play an important role in the social and professional integration of the students and contributes to the maintenance of school and social inequality. This highlights the importance of public policies and support networks for young people leaving secondary school.

Keywords: social capital, cultural capital, high school, life project, social insertion, professional insertion, youth

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Authors: Sadhana Sharma, Neha Sharma, Hardik Khandelwal, Arti Sharma

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Background: It is widely acknowledged globally that parents must advocate for their children's drug and substance abuse prevention. However, many parents find it difficult to advocate due to systemic and logistical barriers. Alternatives to introducing advocacy, awareness, and support for the prevention of drug and substance abuse to children could occur in schools. However, little research has been conducted on the development of advocates for substance abuse in school settings. Objective: to evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based addiction prevention and control created as part of the Rajasthan Addiction Prevention Project (a partnership between state-community initiative). Methods: We conducted an evaluation in this study to determine the impact of a RAPP on a primary outcome (substance abuse knowledge) and other outcomes (family–school partnership, empowerment, and support). Specifically, between September-December 2022, two schools participated in the intervention group (advocacy training), and two schools participated in the control group (waiting list). The RAPP designed specialised 2-hrs training to equip teachers-parents with the knowledge and skills necessary to advocate for their own children and those of other families. All participants were required to complete a pre- and post-survey. Results: The intervention group established school advocates in schools where trained parents volunteered to lead support groups for high-risk children. Compared to the participants in the wait list control group, those in the intervention group demonstrated greater education knowledge, P = 0.002, and self-mastery, P = 0.04, and decreased family–school partnership quality, P = 0.002.Conclusions: The experimental evaluation of school-based advocacy programme revealed positive effects on substance abuse that persist over time. The approach wa s deemed feasible and acceptable by both parents and the school.

Keywords: prevention, school based, addiction, advocacy

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Authors: Mohammad Ranjbar, Mohammad Bazyar, Blake Angell, Thomas Lung, Yibeltal Assefa

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Background: Current health insurance programs in Iran suffer from low enrolment and are not sufficient to attain the country to universal health coverage (UHC). We hypothesize that improving the enrollment rate and moving towards a more sustainable UHC can be achieved by improving the benefits package and providing new incentives. The objective of this study is to assess public preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for social health insurance (SHI) in Iran. Methods: A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was conducted in 2021, using a self-administered questionnaire on 500 participants to estimate WTP and determine individual preferences for the SHI in Yazd, Iran. Respondents were presented with an eight-choice set and asked to select their preferred one. In each choice set, scenarios were described by eight attributes with varying levels. The conditional logit regression model was used to analyze the participants' preferences. Willingness to pay for each attribute was also calculated. Results: Most included attributes were significant predictors of the choice of a health insurance package. The maximum coverage of hospitalization costs in the private sector, ancillary services such as glasses, canes, etc., as well as coverage for hospitalization costs in the public sector and drug costs, were the most important determining factors for this choice. Coverage of preventive dental care did not significantly influence respondent choices. Estimating WTP showed that individuals are willing to pay more for higher financial protection, particularly against private sector costs; the WTP to increase the coverage of hospitalization costs in the private sector from 50% to 90% is estimated at 362,068 IR, Rials per month. Conclusion: This study identifies the key factors that the population value with regard to health insurance and the tradeoffs they are willing to make between them. Hospitalization, drugs, and ancillary services were the most important determining factors for their choice. The data suggest that additional resources coming into the Iranian health system might best be prioritized to cover hospitalization and drug costs and those associated with ancillary services.

Keywords: social health insurance, preferences, discrete choice experiment, willingness to pay

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Authors: Noshaba Dilbar, Hina Ashraf

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Medicinal plants are considered as rich source of ingredients which can be used in drug development and synthesis. Moreover, these plants play a vital role in the development of human culture of using ayurvedic medicines around the whole world. Among all plants, dessert plants are being proved as effective source of ayurvedic medicines and remedy against many diseases. Considering the fact, two plant species Limium indicum and Euphorbia granulata were taken from Cholistan dessert of Bahawalpur, Pakistan. Firstly, phytochemical screening was done by making dry and fresh plant extracts in five different solvents i.e Petroleum ether, benzene, chloroform, ethanol and methanol. Standard confirmation tests for all compounds were applied for analysis. Results revealed the presence of high range of bioactive compounds such as alakaloids, terpenoids, glycosides, steroids, flavonoids, saponins, phytosterols, oxalic acid, anthocyanin and quinone in both plants. Best results were obtained by methanolic, chloroform and petroleum ether extracts and methanolic, ethanolic and benzene extracts of Limium indicum and Euphorbia granulate respectively. Considering the results, methanolic extracts of both plants were further analysed for antibacterial activity. Plants were analysed against four pathogens including Escherchia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aruginosa using disc diffusion method. Limium indicum showed highly significant activity against all pathogens while Euphorbia granulata showed significant activity against Klebsiella pneumonia and Proteus vulgaris but lesser against Escherchia coli and Pseudomonas aruginosa. MIC of extracts against each positive bacterium was calculated and recorded. Present plants can be considered for making useful drugs but further studies are needed to isolate active agents from plant extracts for drug development.

Keywords: antibacterial activity, Euphorbia granulata, Limium indicum, medicinal plants, phytochemical screening

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Authors: Kushal Patel, Manasa Dittakavi, Cyrus Falsafi, Gretchen Lovett

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Rural America has seen a surge in opioid addiction rates and overdose deaths in recent years, becoming a significant public health crisis. This may be due to a variety of factors, such as lack of access to healthcare or other economic and social factors that can contribute to addiction such as poverty, unemployment, and social isolation. As the opioid epidemic has disproportionately affected rural communities, pregnant women in these areas may be highly susceptible and face additional difficulties in facing the appropriate care they need. Opioid use disorder has many negative effects on prenatal infants. These include changes in their microbiome, mental health, neurodevelopment and cognition. These can affect how the child performs in various activities in life and how they interact with others. It has been demonstrated that using cognitive behavioral therapy improves not just pain-related results but also mobility, quality of life, disability, and mood outcomes. This indicates that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may be a useful therapeutic strategy for enhancing general health and wellbeing in people with opioid use problems. In terms of treating psychiatric diseases, CBT carries fewer dangers than opioids. One study that illustrates the potential for CBT to promote a reduction in opioid use disorder used self-reported drug use patterns 6 months prior to and during their pregnancy. At the beginning of the study, participants reported an average of 3.78 drug or alcohol use days in the previous 28 days, which decreased to 1.63 days after treatment. The study also found a decrease in depression scores, as measured by IDS scores, from 23.9 to 17.1 at the end of treatment. These and other results show that CBT can have meaningful impacts on pregnant women in Rural America who struggle with an opioid use disorder. This project has been approved by the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine- Office of Research and Sponsored Programs and deemed non-research scholarly work.

Keywords: appalachia, CBT, opiods, pregnancy

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Authors: Malay K. Das, Bhupen Kalita

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The poor oral bioavailability of resveratrol (RSV) due to presystemic metabolism can be avoided via dermal route of administration. The hydrophilic-lipophilic nature of resveratrol-phospholipid complex (RSVPs) favors the delivery of resveratrol via the skin. The RSVPs embedded polymeric patch with moderate adhesiveness was developed for dermal application for sustained anti-inflammatory effect. The prepared patches were evaluated for various physicochemical properties, surface morphology by SEM, TEM, and compatibility of patch components by FT-IR and DSC studies. The dermal flux of the optimized patch formulation was found to be at 4.28 ± 0.48 mg/cm2/24 h. The analysis of skin extract after permeation study revealed the presence of resveratrol, which confirmed the localization of RSVPs in the skin. The stability of RSVPs in the polymeric patch and the physiologic environment was confirmed by FE-SEM studies on the patches after drug release and skin permeation studies. The RSVPs particles released from the polymer matrix maintaining the structural integrity and permeate the keratinized horney layer of skin. The optimized patch formulation showed sustained anti-inflammatory effect (84.10% inhibition of inflammation at 24 h) in carrageenan-induced rat paw edema model compared to marketed diclofenac sodium gel (39.58% inhibition of inflammation at 24 h). The CLSM study confirmed the localization of RSVPs for a longer period, thus enabling drug targeting to the dermis for sustained anti-inflammatory effect. Histological studies with phase contrast trinocular microscope suggested no alteration of skin integrity and no evidence of the presence of inflammatory cells after exposure to the permeants. The patch was found to be safe for skin application as evaluated by Draize method for skin irritation scoring in a rabbit model. These results suggest the therapeutic efficacy of the developed patch in both acute and chronic inflammatory diseases.

Keywords: resveratrol-phospholipid complex, skin delivery, sustained anti-inflammatory effect, inflammatory diseases, dermal patch

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Authors: Ikenna Stephen Ezennia, Sebnem Onal Hoscara

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Successive governments in Nigeria are faced with the pressing problem of how to house an ever-expanding urban population, usually low-income earners. The question of housing and affordability presents a complex challenge for these governments, as the commodification of housing links it inextricably to markets and capital flows. Therefore, placing it as at the center of the government’s agenda. However, the provision of decent and affordable housing for average Nigerians has remained an illusion, despite copious schemes, policies and programs initiated and carried out by various successive governments. Similarly, this phenomenon has also been observed in many countries of Africa, which is largely a result of economic unpredictability, lack of housing finance and insecurity, among other factors peculiar to a struggling economy. This study reviews recent dynamics and factors challenging the provision and development of affordable housing for the low income urban populace of Nigeria. Thus, the aim of the study is to present a comprehensive approach for understanding recent trends in the provision of affordable housing for Nigerians. The approach is based on a new paradigm of research: transdisciplinarity; a form of inquiry that crosses the boundaries of different disciplines. Therefore, the review takes a retrospective gaze at the various housing development programs/schemes/policies taken by successive governments of Nigeria within the last few decades and exams recent efforts geared towards eradicating the problems of housing delivery. Sources of data included relevant English language articles and the results of literature search of Elsevier Science Direct, ISI Web of Knowledge, Pro Quest Central, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The findings reveal that factors such as; rapid urbanization, inadequate planning and land use control, lack of adequate and favorable finance, high prices of land, high prices of building material, youth/touts harassment of developers, poor urban infrastructure, multiple taxation, and risk share are the major factors posing as a hindrance to adequate housing delivery. The results show that the majority of Nigeria’s affordable housing schemes, programs and policies are in most cases poorly implemented and abandoned without proper coordination. Consequently, the study concludes that the affordable housing delivery strategies in Nigeria are an epitome of lip service politics by successive governments; and the current trend of leaving housing provision to the vagaries of market forces cannot be expected to support affordable housing especially for the low income urban populace.

Keywords: affordable housing, housing delivery, national housing policy, urban poor

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Authors: D. Tedesco, G. Feletti, P. Trucco

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The present study aims to develop a Decision Support System (DSS) to support the operational decision of the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) regarding the assignment of medical emergency requests to Emergency Departments (ED). In the literature, this problem is also known as “hospital selection” and concerns the definition of policies for the selection of the ED to which patients who require further treatment are transported by ambulance. The employed research methodology consists of the first phase of revision of the technical-scientific literature concerning DSSs to support the EMS management and, in particular, the hospital selection decision. From the literature analysis, it emerged that current studies are mainly focused on the EMS phases related to the ambulance service and consider a process that ends when the ambulance is available after completing a request. Therefore, all the ED-related issues are excluded and considered as part of a separate process. Indeed, the most studied hospital selection policy turned out to be proximity, thus allowing to minimize the transport time and release the ambulance in the shortest possible time. The purpose of the present study consists in developing an optimization model for assigning medical emergency requests to the EDs, considering information relating to the subsequent phases of the process, such as the case-mix, the expected service throughput times, and the operational capacity of different EDs in hospitals. To this end, a Discrete Event Simulation (DES) model was created to evaluate different hospital selection policies. Therefore, the next steps of the research consisted of the development of a general simulation architecture, its implementation in the AnyLogic software and its validation on a realistic dataset. The hospital selection policy that produced the best results was the minimization of the Time To Provider (TTP), considered as the time from the beginning of the ambulance journey to the ED at the beginning of the clinical evaluation by the doctor. Finally, two approaches were further compared: a static approach, which is based on a retrospective estimate of the TTP, and a dynamic approach, which is based on a predictive estimate of the TTP determined with a constantly updated Winters model. Findings reveal that considering the minimization of TTP as a hospital selection policy raises several benefits. It allows to significantly reduce service throughput times in the ED with a minimum increase in travel time. Furthermore, an immediate view of the saturation state of the ED is produced and the case-mix present in the ED structures (i.e., the different triage codes) is considered, as different severity codes correspond to different service throughput times. Besides, the use of a predictive approach is certainly more reliable in terms of TTP estimation than a retrospective approach but entails a more difficult application. These considerations can support decision-makers in introducing different hospital selection policies to enhance EMSs performance.

Keywords: discrete event simulation, emergency medical services, forecast model, hospital selection

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Authors: Hassan Nour, Nouh Mounadi, Oussama Abchir, Belaidi Salah, Samir Chtita

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Cholinesterase enzymes are biological catalysts essential for the transformation of acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter implicated in memory and learning, into acetic acid and choline, altering the neurotransmission process in Alzheimer’s disease patients. Therefore, inhibition of cholinesterase enzymes is a relevant strategy for the symptomatic treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. The current investigation aims to explore potential cholinesterase (ChE) inhibitors through a comprehensive computational approach. Forty-nine phytoconstituents extracted from Cannabis sativa L. were in-silico screened using molecular docking and pharmacokinetic and toxicological analysis to evaluate their possible inhibitory effect on the cholinesterase enzymes. Two phytoconstituents belonging to cannabinoid derivatives were revealed to be promising candidates for Alzheimer's therapy by acting as cholinesterase inhibitors. They have exhibited high binding affinities towards the cholinesterase enzymes and showed their ability to interact with key residues involved in cholinesterase enzymatic activity. In addition, they presented good ADMET profiles allowing them to be promising oral drug candidates. Furthermore, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were executed to explore their interaction stability under mimetic biological conditions and thus support our findings. To corroborate the docking results, the binding free energy corresponding to the more stable ligand-ChE complexes was re-estimated by applying the MM-PBSA method. MD and MM-PBSA studies affirmed that the ligand-ChE recognition is a spontaneous reaction leading to stable complexes. The conducted investigations have led to great findings that would strongly guide the pharmaceutical industries toward the rational development of potent anti-Alzheimer agents.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, molecular docking, Cannabis sativa L., cholinesterase inhibitors, molecular dynamics, ADMET, MM-PBSA

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Authors: Enrico Dorigatti

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The growing pile of hazardous e-waste produced especially by those developed and wealthy countries gets relentlessly bigger, composed of the EEDs (Electric and Electronic Device) that are often thrown away although still well functioning, mainly due to (programmed) obsolescence. As a consequence, e-waste has taken, over the last years, the shape of a frightful, uncontrollable, and unstoppable phenomenon, mainly fuelled by market policies aiming to maximize sales—and thus profits—at any cost. Against it, governments and organizations put some efforts in developing ambitious frameworks and policies aiming to regulate, in some cases, the whole lifecycle of EEDs—from the design to the recycling. Incidentally, however, such regulations sometimes make the disposal of the devices economically unprofitable, which often translates into growing illegal e-waste trafficking—an activity usually undertaken by criminal organizations. It seems that nothing, at least in the near future, can stop the phenomenon of e-waste production and accumulation. But while, from a practical standpoint, a solution seems hard to find, much can be done regarding people's education, which translates into informing and promoting good practices such as reusing and repurposing. This research argues that circuit bending—an activity rooted in neo-materialist philosophy and post-digital aesthetic, and based on repurposing EEDs into novel music instruments and sound generators—could have a great potential in this. In particular, it asserts that circuit bending could expose ecological, environmental, and social criticalities related to the current market policies and economic model. Not only thanks to its practical side (e.g., sourcing and repurposing devices) but also to the artistic one (e.g., employing bent instruments for ecological-aware installations, performances). Currently, relevant literature and debate lack interest and information about the ecological aspects and implications of the practical and artistic sides of circuit bending. This research, therefore, although still at an early stage, aims to fill in this gap by investigating, on the one side, the ecologic potential of circuit bending and, on the other side, its capacity of sensitizing people, through artistic practice, about e-waste-related issues. The methodology will articulate in three main steps. Firstly, field research will be undertaken—with the purpose of understanding where and how to source, in an ecologic and sustainable way, (discarded) EEDs for circuit bending. Secondly, artistic installations and performances will be organized—to sensitize the audience about environmental concerns through sound art and music derived from bent instruments. Data, such as audiences' feedback, will be collected at this stage. The last step will consist in realising workshops to spread an ecologically-aware circuit bending practice. Additionally, all the data and findings collected will be made available and disseminated as resources.

Keywords: circuit bending, ecology, sound art, sustainability

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Authors: Diptimayee Nayak

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Ecotourism has been recognised as a popular component of alternative tourism, which claims to guard host local environment and economy. This concept of ecological tourism (eco-tourism) has become more meaningful in evaluating the recreational function and services of any pristine ecosystem in context of ‘The Economics of Ecosystem and Biodiversity (TEEB)’. This ecotourism is said to be a local solution to the global problem of conserving ecosystems and optimising the utilisations of their services. This paper takes a case of recreational services of an Indian protected area ecosystems ‘Bhitarakanika mangrove protected area’ discussing how ecotourism is functioning taking the perspectives of different stakeholders. Specific stakeholders are taken for analysis, viz., tourists and local people, as they are believed to be the major beneficiaries of ecotourism. The stakeholders’ analysis is evaluated on the basis of travel cost techniques (by using truncated Poisson distribution model) for tourists and descriptive and analytical tools for local people. The evaluation of stakeholders’ analysis of ecotourism has gained its impetus after the formulation of Ecotourism guidelines by the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF), Government of India. The paper concludes that ecotourism issues and challenges are site-specific and region-specific; without critically focussing challenges of ecotourism faced at local level the discourses of ecotourism at global level cannot be tackled. Mere integration and replication of policies at global level to be followed at local level will not be successful (top down policies). Rather mainstreaming the decision making process at local level with the global policy stature helps to solve global issues to a bigger extent (bottom up).

Keywords: ecosystem services, ecotourism, TEEB, economic valuation, stakeholders, travel cost techniques

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Authors: Dinesh N. Kurup, Celine Perriera

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The economic development of any country is based on the policies adopted by the government from time to time. If these policies are framed by the opinion of the people of the country, there is need for having strong knowledge base, right from the school level. There should be emphasis to provide in education, an ability to take informed decisions regarding socio-scientific issues. It would be better to adopt this practice in high school classrooms to build capacity among future citizens. This study is an attempt to provide a different approach of teaching and learning in classrooms at the high school level in Indian schools for providing opportunity for informed decision making regarding nuclear power use. A unit of work based on the 5E instructional model about the use of nuclear energy is used to build knowledge base and find out the effectiveness in terms of its influence for taking decisions as a future citizen. A sample of 120 students from three high schools using different curricula and teaching and learning methods were chosen for this study. This research used a design based research method. A pre and post questionnaire based on the theory of reasoned action, structured observations, focus group interviews and opportunity for decision making were used during the intervention. The data analysed qualitatively and quantitatively, and the qualitative data were coded into categories based on responses. The results of the study show that students were able to make informed decisions and could give reasons for their decisions. They were enthusiastic in formulating policy making based on their knowledge base and have strong held views and reasoning for their choice.

Keywords: informed decision making, socio-scientific issues, nuclear energy use, policy making

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Authors: Jessy Abouarab

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For more than half a century, international norms related to refugee security and protection have proliferated, yet their role in alleviating war’s negative impacts on human life remains limited. The impact of refugee-security processes often manifests asymmetrically within populations. Many issues and people get silenced due to narrow security policies that focus either on abstract threat containment and refugee control or refugee protection and humanitarian aid. (In)security practices are gendered and experienced. Examining the case study of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, this study explores the gendered impact of refugee security mechanisms on local realities. A transnational feminist approach will be used to position this research in relation to existing studies in the field of security and the refugee-protection regime, highlighting the social, cultural, legal, and political barriers to gender equality in the areas of violence, rights, and social inclusion. Through Photovoice methodology, the Syrian refugees’ (in)securities in Lebanon were given visibility by enabling local volunteers to record and reflect their realities through pictures, at the same time voice the participants’ anxieties and recommendations to reach normative policy change. This Participatory Action Research approach helped participants observe the structural barriers and lack of culturally inclusive refugee services that hinder security, increase discrimination, stigma, and poverty. The findings have implications for a shift of the refugee protection mechanisms to a community-based approach in ways that extend beyond narrow security policies that hinder women empowerment and raise vulnerabilities such as gendered exploitation, abuse, and neglect.

Keywords: gender, (in)security, Lebanon, refugee, Syrian refugees, women

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Authors: Mohammad Naser Aldeen

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This study explores environmental justice issues among Bedouin communities in Israel’s Negev region, focusing on energy access and their exclusion from state-supported energy services. As a historically marginalized and indigenous population, Bedouins face intersecting inequities, including limited access to national grid energy, waste management, access to water, systematic discrimination, and environmental harms such as industrial pollution and land degradation. Employing Pellow’s Critical Environmental Justice framework, this research examines how power relations and intersecting identities – ethnicity, class, and indigeneity – shape energy exclusion. Utilizing K. Arrow’s Barriers Analysis framework, it identifies the multifaceted barriers obstructing equitable energy access, including structural policy deficiencies, socio-economic constraints, and administrative neglect. The study also highlights Bedouins’ resilience, advocacy, and community-led strategies to address these challenges through the adoption of solar energy. A mixed-methods approach integrates quantitative data with qualitative narratives from community leaders, policymakers, and activists, revealing the multidimensional nature of energy inequities in the Negev. Findings emphasize the urgent need for inclusive energy policies that address intersectional barriers and prioritize environmental justice in planning and management. By advancing discourse on energy equity, this research underscores the importance of integrating marginalized communities into sustainable energy systems, contributing to the development of equitable energy policies and fostering pathways toward environmental justice and sustainable development.

Keywords: environmental justice, energy justice, intersectionality, Bedouin communities, barriers analysis

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Authors: Athini Ntloko

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Mycobacterium bovis and other species of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) can result to a zoonotic infection known as Bovine tuberculosis (bTB). MTBC has members that may contaminate an extensive range of hosts, including wildlife. Diverse wild species are known to cause disease in domestic livestock and are acknowledged as TB reservoirs. It has been a main study worldwide to deliberate on bTB risk factors as a result and some studies focused on particular parts of risk factors such as wildlife and herd management. The significance of the study was to determine the incidence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex that is associated with soil, hayfeed and water. Questionnaires were administered to thirty (30) smallholding farm owners in the two villages (kwaMasele and Qungqwala) and three (3) three commercial farms (Fort Hare dairy farm, Middledrift dairy farm and Seven star dairy farm). Detection of M. tuberculosis complex was achieved by Polymerase Chain Reaction using primers for IS6110; whereas a genotypic drug resistance mutation was detected using Genotype MTBDRplus assays. Nine percent (9%) of respondents had more than 40 cows in their herd, while 60% reported between 10 and 20 cows in their herd. Relationship between farm size and vaccination for TB differed from forty one percent (41%) being the highest to the least five percent (5%). The highest number of respondents who knew about relationship between TB cases and cattle location was ninety one percent (91%). Approximately fifty one percent (51%) of respondents had knowledge about wild life access to the farms. Relationship between import of cattle and farm size ranged from nine percent (9%) to thirty five percent (35%). Cattle sickness in relation to farm size differed from forty three (43%) being the highest to the least three percent (3%); while thirty three percent (33%) of respondents had knowledge about health management. Respondents with knowledge about the occurrence of TB infections in farms were forty-eight percent (48%). The frequency of DNA isolation from samples ranged from the highest forty-five percent (45%) from water to the least twenty two percent (22%) from soil. Fort Hare dairy farm had the highest number of positive samples, forty four percent (44%) from water samples; whereas Middledrift dairy farm had the lowest positive from water, seventeen percent (17%). Twelve (22%) out of 55 isolates showed resistance to INH and RIF that is, multi-drug resistance (MDR) and nine percent (9%) were sensitive to either INH or RIF. The mutations at rpoB gene differed from 58% being the highest to the least (23%). Fifty seven percent (57%) of samples showed a S315T1 mutation while only 14% possessed a S531L in the katG gene. The highest inhA mutations were detected in T8A (80 %) and the least was observed in A16G (17%). The results of this study reveal that risk factors for bTB in cattle and dairy farm workers are a serious issue abound in the Eastern Cape of South Africa; with the possibility of widespread dissemination of multidrug resistant determinants in MTBC from the environment.

Keywords: hayfeed, isoniazid, multi-drug resistance, mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, polymerase chain reaction, rifampicin, soil, water

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Authors: Abhay Vir Singh Kanwar

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The pharmaceutical industry today is a multi-billion dollar business and yet disadvantages people in many corners of the globe who are still dying in large numbers from curable illnesses for lack of access to drugs. The astronomical prices of essential and life-saving drugs is not just an economic problem that can be settled through clever market strategies but is an ethical issue, given the accumulated wealth of today’s humanity and the sense of global justice that it increasingly comes to share. In this paper, I make a very practical argument for what I shall call ‘the ethical healthcare paradigm’, which, I propose, can replace the economistic paradigm that can still drive the healthcare sector without creating spillover effects on the market. Taking off from the ethical-philosophical argument for recognizing every individual’s right to capability to be healthy, I shall come to the focused practical proposal of the cost-rationalization and universal availability of essential, life-saving drugs through the undertaking of research and development funding for drug innovation by the business establishment as such in terms of the concept of CSR. The paper will first expose the concepts of basic and fundamental capabilities in relation to education and health, after which it will focus on the right to capability to be healthy of every person. In the third section, it will discuss the ‘ethical healthcare paradigm’ as opposed to the economistic health paradigm and will argue that the patient will have to be considered the primary stakeholder of this paradigm or the very ‘subject’ of healthcare. The next section will be on an ethical-historical critique of the pharmaceutical industry’s profit driven economism. The section after that will look at the business operation and the stages in the life cycle of a drug that comes to the market in order to understand the risks, strengths and problems of the pharmaceutical industry. Finally, the paper will discuss the concept of CSR in relation to the ethical healthcare paradigm in order to propose CSR funding in research and development for innovation on drugs so that life-saving drugs can be made available to every sick person cost-effectively.

Keywords: capability approach, healthcare, CSR, patient

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Authors: Anthony John Walker, Glen Bright

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The challenge faced by manufactures, when producing custom products, is that each product needs exact components. This can cause work-in-process instability due to component matching constraints imposed on assembly cells. Clearing type flow control policies have been used extensively in mediating server access between multiple arrival processes. Although the stability and performance of clearing policies has been well formulated and studied in the literature, the growth in arrival to departure sequence disorder for each arriving job, across a serving resource, is still an area for further analysis. In this paper, a closed form industrial model has been formulated that characterizes arrival-to-departure sequence disorder through stable manufacturing systems under clearing type flow control policy. Specifically addressed are the effects of sequence disorder imposed on a downstream assembly cell in terms of work-in-process instability induced through component matching constraints. Results from a simulated manufacturing system show that steady state average sequence disorder in parallel upstream processing cells can be balanced in order to decrease downstream assembly system instability. Simulation results also show that the closed form model accurately describes the growth and limiting behavior of average sequence disorder between parts arriving and departing from a manufacturing system flow controlled via clearing policy.

Keywords: assembly system constraint, custom products, discrete sequence disorder, flow control

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Authors: Animesh Pan, Geoffrey D. Bothun

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With the development of nanotechnology, research in multifunctional delivery systems has a new pace and dimension. An incipient challenge is to design an all-in-one delivery system that can be used for multiple purposes, including tumor targeting therapy, radio-frequency (RF-), near-infrared (NIR-), light-, or pH-induced controlled release, photothermal therapy (PTT), photodynamic therapy (PDT), and medical diagnosis. In this regard, various inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) are known to show great potential as the 'functional components' because of their fascinating and tunable physicochemical properties and the possibility of multiple theranostic modalities from individual NPs. Magnetic, luminescent, and plasmonic properties are the three most extensively studied and, more importantly biomedically exploitable properties of inorganic NPs. Although successful attempts of combining any two of them above mentioned functionalities have been made, integrating them in one system has remained challenge. Keeping those in mind, controlled designs of complex colloidal nanoparticle system are one of the most significant challenges in nanoscience and nanotechnology. Therefore, systematic and planned studies providing better revelation are demanded. We report a multifunctional delivery platform-based liposome loaded with drug, iron-oxide magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), and a gold shell on the surface of liposomes, were synthesized using a lipid with polyelectrolyte (layersomes) templating technique. MNPs and the anti-cancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) were co-encapsulated inside liposomes composed by zwitterionic phophatidylcholine and anionic phosphatidylglycerol using reverse phase evaporation (REV) method. The liposomes were coated with positively charge polyelectrolyte (poly-L-lysine) to enrich the interface with gold anion, exposed to a reducing agent to form a gold nanoshell, and then capped with thio-terminated polyethylene glycol (SH-PEG2000). The core-shell nanostructures were characterized by different techniques like; UV-Vis/NIR scanning spectrophotometer, dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscope (TEM). This multifunctional system achieves a variety of functions, such as radiofrequency (RF)-triggered release, chemo-hyperthermia, and NIR laser-triggered for photothermal therapy. Herein, we highlight some of the remaining major design challenges in combination with preliminary studies assessing therapeutic objectives. We demonstrate an efficient loading and delivery system to significant cell death of human cancer cells (A549) with therapeutic capabilities. Coupled with RF and NIR excitation to the doxorubicin-loaded core-shell nanostructure helped in securing targeted and controlled drug release to the cancer cells. The present core-shell multifunctional system with their multimodal imaging and therapeutic capabilities would be eminent candidates for cancer theranostics.

Keywords: cancer thernostics, multifunctional nanostructure, photothermal therapy, radiofrequency targeting

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Authors: Aniya Everette

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In June of 1971, President Richard Nixon made his first public declaration regarding the “War on Drugs,” deeming it America’s number one public enemy. Since then, the drug war has been a divisive topic in the US. Black and brown children have been unfairly targeted and imprisoned at alarming rates as a result of this policy, which has had a negative effect on them. Black and Latino youth have faced significant obstacles that have impacted their educational opportunities, employment prospects, and general quality of life due to harsh mandatory sentences, aggressive policing tactics, and racial profiling.

Keywords: war, drugs, crime, racial profiling

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