Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) inhibitors in Parkinson disease.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) is a protein expressed in postmitotic neurons in the central nervous system (CNS). Cdk5 is activated by p35 and p39 which are neuron regulatory subunits. Cdk5/p35 complex is activated by calpain protease to form Cdk5/p35 which has a neuroprotective effect by regulating the synaptic plasticity and memory functions. However, exaggerated Cdk5 is implicated in different types of neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson disease (PD). Therefore, modulation of Cdk5 signalling may mitigate PD neuropathology. Therefore, the aim of the present review was to discuss the critical role of Cdk5 in the pathogenesis of PD, and how Cdk5 inhibitors are effectual in the management of PD. In conclusion, overactivated Cdk5 is involved the development of neurodegeneration, and Cdk5/calpain inhibitors such as statins, metformin, fenofibrates and rosiglitazone can attenuate the progression of PD neuropathology.

Real-time in situ phase sensitivity calibration of interferometric fiber-optic ultrasonic sensors.

Output from a fiber-optic interferometric ultrasonic sensor can be affected by the operating point changes and/or the optical power fluctuations. We report a method for real-time and in situ calibration of the responses to ultrasound-induced phase delays for a low-finesse Fabry-Perot (FP) ultrasonic sensor demodulated using a phase-generated carrier. The carrier is produced from an electro-optic phase modulator, and its zero- and fundamental-carrier frequency components yield two quadrature signals. The same phase modulator is employed to generate controllable laser frequency modulations and calibration phase delay modulations. The response to the known calibration phase delays is used to gauge the sensor output in real time and in situ. The experiment has verified the effectiveness of the calibration method against the signal variations from both operating point changes and optical power variations.

Electrochemical detection of nalbuphine drug using oval-like ZnO nanostructure-based sensor.

Monitoring pharmaceutical drugs in various mediums is crucial to mitigate adverse effects. This study presents a chemical sensor using an oval-like zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructure for electrochemical detection of nalbuphine. The ZnO nanostructure, produced via an efficient sol-gel technique, was extensively characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible spectrophotometry, and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). A slurry of the ZnO nanostructure in a binder was applied to a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The sensor's responsiveness to nalbuphine was assessed using linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), achieving optimal performance by fine-tuning the pH. The sensor demonstrated a proportional response to nalbuphine concentrations up to 150.0 nM with a good regression coefficient (R2) and a detection limit of 6.20 nM (S/N ratio of 3). Selectivity was validated against various interfering substances, and efficacy was confirmed through real sample analysis, highlighting the sensor's successful application for nalbuphine detection.

New imidazole-2-thiones linked to acenaphythylenone as dual DNA intercalators and topoisomerase II inhibitors: structural optimization, docking, and apoptosis studies.

In this article, a new series of 2-((3,5-disubstituted-2-thioxo-imidazol-1-yl)imino)acenaphthylen-1(2H)-ones were synthesized. Imidazole-2-thione with acenaphthylen-one gave a hybrid scaffold that integrated key structural elements essential for DNA damage via direct DNA intercalation and inhibition of the topoisomerase II enzyme. All the synthesized compounds were screened to detect their DNA damage using a terbium fluorescent probe. Results demonstrated that 4-phenyl-imidazoles 5b and 5e in addition to 4-(4-chlorophenyl)imidazoles 5h and 5j would induce detectable potent damage in ctDNA. The four most potent compounds as DNA intercalators were further evaluated for their antiproliferative activity against HepG2, MCF-7 and HCT-116 utilizing the MTT assay. The highest anticancer activity was recorded with compounds 5b and 5h against the breast cancer cell line MCF-7 which were 1.5- and 3- folds more active than doxorubicin, respectively. Therefore, imidazole-2-thione tethered acenaphthylenone derivatives can be considered as promising scaffold for the development of effective dual DNA intercalators and topoisomerase II inhibitors.

Resilience, compassion fatigue, moral distress and moral injury of nurses.

Background: Compassion fatigue, moral distress, and moral injury are interconnected phenomena that have a detrimental impact on the delivery of nursing care. Nurses possess the inherent resilience necessary to effectively handle these three adverse occurrences. Aim: To determine the mediating impact of resilience on compassion fatigue, moral distress, and moral injury among nurses in Saudi Arabia. Design: The final product was a structural equation model (SEM) generated using a quantitative correlation cross-sectional design, and we followed the STROBE guidelines for this study. Methods: The study involved a sample of 511 staff nurses, who were selected using consecutive sampling. The study was conducted in three government hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Ethical considerations: This study received approval from Ethics Committee under approval number H-2021-151 on March 5, 2021. The survey's description and consent statements were clearly presented on Google survey forms in both English and Arabic. Results: Results showed that resilience negatively influenced moral distress, while compassion fatigue and moral injury had a positive influence. Likewise, compassion fatigue had a direct, positive effect on moral distress and moral injury, and moral distress had a direct, positive effect on moral injury. Analyses also showed that resilience had positive, indirect effects on moral injury through the mediation of both compassion fatigue and moral distress. Similarly, compassion fatigue had a positive, indirect effect on moral injury through the mediation of moral distress. Conclusion: Because resilience enables nurses to adapt, it helps them overcome obstacles in their career and professional lives. Resilience is frequently cited by nurses as a protective quality. Moral injury, compassion fatigue, and moral distress can negatively impact the health of nurses. Implications for the profession and/or patient care: Nurse leaders should develop programs and initiate efforts to improve nurses' resilience as an important protective trait against compassion fatigue, moral distress, and moral injury. Patient or Public Contribution: There was no public or patient participation in this study.

RETRACTED: Safety climate, quality of care, adherence to and compliance with standard precautions among nurses: Structural equation modeling.

AIMS: The aim was to investigate the interrelationships of nurses' safety climate, quality of care, and adherence to and compliance with standard precautions (SPs). BACKGROUND: Investigations about nurses' safety climate and quality care and their association with adherence to and compliance with SPs remain remarkably scant across literature, specifically among developing countries like the Philippines. DESIGN: Cross-sectional design and structural equation modeling (SEM) approach while complying with STROBE guidelines. METHODS: Participant nurses were recruited using convenience sampling (n = 870). Four validated self-report instruments were used to collect data from February to August 2022. Spearman rho, SEM, mediation, and path analyses were employed for data analysis. RESULTS: The emerging model showed acceptable model fit parameters. The safety climate positively influenced the quality of care and adherence to and compliance with SPs. Quality of care directly affected adherence to SPs, while adherence to SPs directly affected compliance with SPs. The quality of care mediated the relationship between safety climate and adherence to SPs. Whereas adherence to SPs mediated the relationships between safety climate and compliance with SPs and the quality of care and compliance with SPs. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses' safety climate directly affected the quality of care and SPs adherence and compliance. The quality of care mediated the impact of safety climate on SPs adherence. Finally, SPs adherence demonstrated a mediating effect among quality of care, safety climate, and SPs compliance. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING POLICY AND PRACTICE: Nursing policymakers and administrators can use the findings to design strategic policies and sustainable in-service educational courses fostering and maintaining nurses' safety climate, quality of care, and SPs adherence and compliance.

Photophysical and biological aspects of α, ß-unsaturated ketones: Experimental and in silico approach.

In this work, four fluorinated α, ß-unsaturated ketones named as 3-(3-bromophenyl)-1-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)prop-2-en-1-one (1), 3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl) prop-2-en-1-one (2), 3-(3-bromo-5-chloro-2-hydroxyphenyl)-1-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl) prop-2-en-1-one (3) and 3-(2-hydroxy-5-methylphenyl)-1-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)prop-2-en-1-one (4) were synthesized by Claisen-Schmidt reaction. The synthesized molecules were then characterized through ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), 1 H-NMR, 13 C-NMR, and mass spectrometry. The antioxidant potential, Urease inhibition, and interaction of compounds 1-4 with Salmon sperm DNA were experimentally explored and supported by molecular docking studies. The synthesized compounds strongly interact with SS-DNA through intercalative mode. It was noticed that compound 1 served as potent Urease inhibitor while compound 4 as better antioxidant among synthesized compounds. Moreover, frontier molecular orbitals, nonlinear optical (NLO) properties, natural bond orbitals, molecular electrostatic potential, natural population analysis, and photophysical properties of synthesized compounds were accomplished through density functional theory and time-dependent density functional theory. The band gap of all the compounds have been worked out using Taucs method. In addition to that, a precise comparative account of UV and IR data obtained from theoretical and experimental findings showed good agreement between theoretical and experimental data. The findings of our studies reflected that compounds 1-4 possess better NLO properties than Urea standard and the band gap data also reflected their prospective use towards optoelectronic materials. The better NLO behavior of compounds was attributed to the noncentrosymmetric structure of synthesized compounds.

Exploration of NMI-MsCl mediated amide bond formation for the synthesis of novel 3,5-substituted-1,2,4-oxadiazole derivatives: synthesis, evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity and molecular docking studies.

We herein report the facile synthesis of a series of 3,5-substituted-1,2,4-oxadiazole derivatives 9a-e and 10a-e in good to excellent yields by employing NMI-MsCl mediated amide bond formation reaction. The anti-inflammatory potential of the newly synthesized compounds were evaluated by anti-denaturation assay using diclofenac sodium as the reference drug. The compounds 9a and 9d demonstrated promising activity profile when compared to the reference standard. The SAR and molecular docking studies were also carried out for obtaining more details about the profound activity profile of the synthesized molecules. The synthesized compounds were docked against two target proteins TGF-ß and IL-1 by AutoDock vina and Auto Dock 4.2.

Nursing workforce competencies and job satisfaction: the role of technology integration, self-efficacy, social support, and prior experience.

BACKGROUND: The nursing profession has significant importance in delivering high-quality healthcare services. Nursing practitioners who have essential competencies and who are satisfied with their job are vital in achieving optimum patient outcomes. Understanding the effects of technology integration on nurse workforce competencies and job satisfaction is crucial due to the fast progress of technology in healthcare settings. Furthermore, many elements, including self-efficacy, social support, and prior experience have been recognized as possible mediators or moderators within this association. The primary objective of this quantitative research was to examine the influence of nursing education and the integration of technology on the competencies and job satisfaction of nursing professionals. Additionally, this study aimed to explore the potential mediating and moderating effects of self-efficacy and social support in this relationship. METHODS: This cross-sectional, quantitative study employed an online survey questionnaire with standardized scales to measure nursing workforce competencies, job satisfaction, self-efficacy, social support, and prior experience. It was completed by 210 registered nurses from various healthcare settings in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis, and structural equation modeling performed with SPSS 23 and SmartPLS 3.0 software. RESULTS: The study's findings revealed that nursing workforce competencies and job satisfaction were significantly predicted by nursing training and technology integration. The relationship between nursing training and technology integration, as well as nursing workforce competencies and job satisfaction, was partially mediated by self-efficacy and social support. Furthermore, prior experience moderated the relationship between nursing education and technological integration, nursing workforce competencies, and job satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: The study's findings suggest that nursing training and technology integration can improve nursing workforce competencies and job satisfaction and that self-efficacy and social support play an important role in mediating this relationship. Furthermore, prior experience can have an impact on the efficacy of nursing training and technology integration programs for developing nursing workforce competencies. The study has several practical implications for nursing education, training, and professional development programs, as well as strategies used by healthcare organizations to improve nursing workforce competencies and job satisfaction. To maximize their impact on nursing workforce competencies and job satisfaction, this study recommends that nursing training and technology integration programs focus on enhancing self-efficacy and social support. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the significance of prior experience when designing and implementing nursing training and technology integration programs.

Moral courage, burnout, professional competence, and compassion fatigue among nurses.

BACKGROUND: Moral courage is the ability to defend and practice ethical and moral action when faced with a challenge, even if it means rejecting pressure to act otherwise. However, moral courage remains an unexplored concept among middle eastern nurses. AIM: This study investigated the mediating role of moral courage in the relationship between burnout, professional competence, and compassion fatigue among Saudi Arabian nurses. RESEARCH DESIGN: Correlational, cross-sectional design following the STROBE guidelines. PARTICIPANTS AND RESEARCH CONTEXT: Convenience sampling was used to recruit nurses (n = 684) for four government hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Four validated self-report questionnaires (Nurses' Moral Courage Scale, Nurse Professional Competence Scale-Short Form, Maslach Burnout Inventory, and Nurses Compassion Fatigue Inventory) were used to collect data between May to September 2022. Spearman rho and structural equation modeling analyses were employed to analyze the data. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS: The ethics review committee of a government university in Ha'il region, Saudi Arabia, approval this study (Protocol no.: H-2021-012; Approved: 08/022,021). Participants were fully explained the study aims, and consent was voluntarily secured. RESULTS: The emerging model showed that burnout had a direct and positive influence on compassion fatigue, while professional competence had a direct, negative effect on compassion fatigue. Moral courage had a small and direct but negative influence on compassion fatigue. Mediation analyses also indicated that moral courage significantly mediated the indirect effects of burnout and professional competence on compassion fatigue. CONCLUSION: Moral courage can be a crucial aspect in preserving the psychological and mental health of nurses, particularly under stressful conditions. Therefore, it is advantageous from an organizational and leadership standpoint to implement measures such as programs and interventions to foster moral courage among nurses.

Using Culture Sensitivity Reports to Optimize Antimicrobial Therapy: Findings and Implications of Antimicrobial Stewardship Activity in a Hospital in Pakistan.

Background: There are concerns with inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics in hospitals especially broad spectrum in Pakistan and the subsequent impact on antimicrobial resistance rates. One recognized way to reduce inappropriate prescribing is for empiric therapy to be adjusted according to the result of culture sensitivity reports. Objective: Using culture sensitivity reports to optimize antibiotic prescribing in a teaching hospital in Pakistan. Methods: A retrospective observational study was undertaken in Ghurki Trust Teaching Hospital. A total of 465 positive cultures were taken from patients during the study period (May 2018 and December 2018). The results of pathogen identification and susceptibility testing from patient-infected sites were assessed. Additional data was collected from the patient's medical file. This included demographic data, sample type, causative microbe, antimicrobial treatment, and whether empiric or definitive treatment as well as medicine costs. Antimicrobial data was assessed using World Health Organization's Defined Daily Dose methodology. Results: A total of 497 isolates were detected from the 465 patient samples as 32 patients had polymicrobes, which included 309 g-negative rods and 188 g-positive cocci. Out of 497 isolates, the most common Gram-positive pathogen isolated was Staphylococcus aureus (Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus) (125) (25.1%) and the most common Gram-negative pathogen was Escherichia coli (140) (28.1%). Most of the gram-negative isolates were found to be resistant to ampicillin and co-amoxiclav. Most of the Acinetobacter baumannii isolates were resistant to carbapenems. Gram-positive bacteria showed the maximum sensitivity to linezolid and vancomycin. The most widely used antibiotics for empiric therapy were cefoperazone plus sulbactam, ceftriaxone, amikacin, vancomycin, and metronidazole whereas high use of linezolid, clindamycin, meropenem, and piperacillin + tazobactam was seen in definitive treatment. Empiric therapy was adjusted in 220 (71.1%) cases of Gram-negative infections and 134 (71.2%) cases of Gram-positive infections. Compared with empiric therapy, there was a 13.8% reduction in the number of antibiotics in definitive treatment. The average cost of antibiotics in definitive treatment was less than seen with empiric treatment (8.2%) and the length of hospitalization also decreased. Conclusions: Culture sensitivity reports helped reduced antibiotic utilization and costs as well as helped select the most appropriate treatment. We also found an urgent need for implementing antimicrobial stewardship programs in hospitals and the development of hospital antibiotic guidelines to reduce unnecessary prescribing of broad-spectrum antibiotics.

Clinical Characteristics and Treatment Strategies for Group B Streptococcus (GBS) Infection in Pediatrics: A Systematic Review.

Background and Objectives: Group B streptococcus (GBS) is the leading cause of infections in neonates with high fatality rates. GBS is caused by the streptococcus bacterium known as streptococcus agalactiae, which is highly contagious and can be transmitted from pregnant women to infants. GBS infection can occur as an early onset or late-onset infection and has different treatment strategies. Antibiotics are effective in treating GBS infections at early stages. The aim of this systematic review was to summarize the clinical characteristics and treatment strategies for GBS, with a focus on antibiotics. Material and Methods: The findings of this review were reported in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines and a flow diagram of the study selection process, a summary of the included studies, a description of the study characteristics, a summary of the results, a discussion of the implications of the findings, and a conclusion are included. Overall, the authors followed a rigorous methodology to ensure that this review is comprehensive and inclusive of relevant studies on GBS infection and its treatment. Results: Overall, 940 studies were reviewed and only the most relevant 22 studies were included in the systematic review. This review describes the characteristics of patients in different studies related to early onset GBS disease and presents various treatment strategies and outcomes for GBS infection in pediatrics. The studies suggest that preventive measures, risk-based intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis, and maternal vaccination can significantly reduce the burden of GBS disease, but late-onset GBS disease remains a concern, and more strategies are required to decrease its rate. Improvement is needed in the management of the risk factors of GBS. A conjugate vaccine with a serotype (Ia, Ib, II, III, and V) has been proven effective in the prevention of GBS in neonates. Moreover, penicillin is an important core antibiotic for treating early onset GBS (EOD). Conclusions: This systematic review summarizes the treatment comparison for GBS infections in neonates, with a primary focus on antibiotics. IAP (intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis) according to guidelines, antenatal screening, and the development of a conjugate vaccine may be effective and could lower the incidence of the disease.

Barriers and Motivators toward Childhood COVID-19 Vaccination: A Cross-Sectional Study Conducted among Saudi Population.

Background and Objectives: In 2020, one of the most important steps that were made was to give priority to the development of a COVID-19 vaccine to prevent the rising incidence of COVID-19 from continuing to rise. However, globally, there is a variable acceptance of the level of the COVID-19 vaccine. This study aims to explore Saudi parents' willingness to vaccinate their children against COVID-19. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study; the online questionnaire was used to investigate the views of Saudi parents with children aged under 18 toward the immunization of their children against COVID-19. The data were gathered from 10 May 2022 to 31 October 2022. The data analysis uses SPSS version 20. A p-value of 0.05 or lower was regarded as statistically significant. Results: A total of 978 Saudi parents participated in this study. Most of the respondents were from the age group of 36-45 years with the educational qualification of high school and bachelor's degree. Overall, it was observed that the majority, 98.2% of the respondents, disclosed that they needed more information (p = 0.004) about COVID-19 vaccine safety among children so that they could decide whether to vaccinate their child. About 91.4% of parents mention that vaccination against COVID-19 is not necessary for children (p = 0.001). About 68.3% of respondents agreed that getting vaccinated against COVID-19 could help Saudi Arabia control COVID-19 (p = 0.007, RI = 0.76). In terms of negative attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination, 71.3% think that there will be severe side effects (p = 0.019, RI = 0.75); 67.7% think that the vaccine's protection will only last for a short time (p = 0.055, RI = 0.72); 80.1% said they were afraid of getting vaccinated because of needle fear (p = 0.045, RI = 0.76), and 41.2% said lack of time was the main barrier to not vaccinating their child. Conclusions: Parents expressed concerns regarding the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine, which might be some of the main factors influencing their decision to vaccinate their children. It is the need of the hour to take action to communicate, educate, and intervene with Saudi parents to enhance COVID-19 vaccination compliance rates across the board.

A Systematic Review of Clinical Pharmacokinetics of Inhaled Antiviral.

Background and Objectives: The study of clinical pharmacokinetics of inhaled antivirals is particularly important as it helps one to understand the therapeutic efficacy of these drugs and how best to use them in the treatment of respiratory viral infections such as influenza and the current COVID-19 pandemic. The article presents a systematic review of the available pharmacokinetic data of inhaled antivirals in humans, which could be beneficial for clinicians in adjusting doses for diseased populations. Materials and Methods: This systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using multiple databases, and studies were screened by two independent reviewers to assess their eligibility. Data were extracted from the eligible studies and assessed for quality using appropriate tools. Results: This systematic review evaluated the pharmacokinetic parameters of inhaled antiviral drugs. The review analyzed 17 studies, which included Zanamivir, Laninamivir, and Ribavirin with 901 participants, and found that the non-compartmental approach was used in most studies for the pharmacokinetic analysis. The outcomes of most studies were to assess clinical pharmacokinetic parameters such as the Cmax, AUC, and t1/2 of inhaled antivirals. Conclusions: Overall, the studies found that the inhaled antiviral drugs were well tolerated and exhibited favorable pharmacokinetic profiles. The review provides valuable information on the use of these drugs for the treatment of influenza and other viral respiratory infections.

Prevalence and Etiology of Community- and Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia in Saudi Arabia and Their Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns: A Systematic Review.

(1) Background and Objectives: Pneumonia is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, including in Saudi Arabia, and the prevalence and etiology of the disease varies depending on the setting. The development of effective strategies can help reduce the adverse impact of this disease. Therefore, this systematic review was conducted to explore the prevalence and etiology of community-acquired and hospital-acquired pneumonia in Saudi Arabia, as well as their antimicrobial susceptibility. (2) Materials and Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 recommendations were followed for this systematic review. Several databases were used to perform a thorough literature search, and papers were then assessed for eligibility by two independent reviewers. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to extract the data from the relevant research and evaluate its quality. (3) Results: This systematic review included 28 studies that highlighted the fact that gram-negative bacteria, particularly Acinetobacter spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, were the common cause of hospital-acquired pneumonia, while Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus spp. were responsible for community-acquired pneumonia in children. The study also found that bacterial isolates responsible for pneumonia showed high resistance rates against several antibiotics, including cephalosporins and carbapenems. (4) Conclusions: In conclusion, the study found that different bacteria are responsible for community- and hospital-acquired pneumonia in Saudi Arabia. Antibiotic resistance rates were high for several commonly used antibiotics, highlighting the need for rational antibiotic use to prevent further resistance. Moreover, there is a need to conduct more regular multicenter studies to assess etiology, resistance, and susceptibility patterns of pneumonia-causing pathogens in Saudi Arabia.

Investigating potential anti-proliferative activity of different statins against five cancer cell lines.

Statins have been reported to have potential anti-proliferative effects through an unknown mechanism. This study aims to investigate the anti-proliferative activities of five statins, including simvastatin, rosuvastatin, fluvastatin, atorvastatin, and pravastatin, against five different cancer cell lines; cervical epithelial carcinoma DoTc2 4510, malignant melanoma A-375, muscle Ewing's sarcoma A-673, hepatocellular carcinoma HUH-7, as well as breast cancer cells MCF-7. At 100 µM, simvastatin and atorvastatin significantly inhibited 70% of cellular proliferation. At the same concentration, rosuvastatin and fluvastatin showed about 50% of inhibition only in A-375 and A-673 cancer cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Of all the statin drugs used, pravastatin had the least inhibitory effect on all the cancer cell lines. Western Blot analysis showed a decrease in mTOR level, and the expression of p53 tumour suppression and BCL-2 proteins was relatively elevated compared to the untreated cells. Simvastatin and atorvastatin may inhibit cellular proliferation via BCL-2/p53, Bax/Bak, and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signalling pathways. This is the first research to evaluate the anti-cancer effects of simvastatin, rosuvastatin, fluvastatin, atorvastatin, and pravastatin against five different cell lines from distinct origins and provided a relevant comparison of their efficacies for their anti-proliferative activity.

Structural equation modelling of ethicomoral values and competence of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is a global health crisis that affected nurses' professional values and competence. Aim: Our study examined the relationship between nurses' professional values and competence in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This study used a descriptive cross-sectional design with 748 nurses from Saudi Arabia. Two self-report instruments were used to collect data. Structural equation modelling was conducted to analyse the data. Findings: The emerging model showed acceptable model-fit indices. Two dimensions of nurse professional values significantly affected professional competence: professionalism and activism. Professionalism significantly affected the other four facets (e.g., caring, activism, trust, and justice) of nurse professional values. The dimension of caring had a strong direct effect on activism. Justice had a moderate direct impact on trust, while activism had a weak direct impact on trust. Professionalism and caring had strong indirect effects on professional competence by mediating the dimension of activism. Discussion: The study's findings highlight the need for strategies to evaluate and strengthen the various areas of professional values to foster professional competence among nurses. Moreover, nurse administrators should encourage nurses to participate in continuing nursing education programs or provide in-service educational training to promote professional values and competence. Conclusion: This study provides a structural model of the interaction between nurses' professional values and competence during the pandemic. Nurse administrators can leverage the presented model to develop policies and strategies to evaluate and strengthen nurses' professional values and competence.

Insights into the Uses of Traditional Plants for Diabetes Nephropathy: A Review.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a serious kidney illness characterized by proteinuria, glomerular enlargement, reduced glomerular filtration, and renal fibrosis. DN is the most common cause of end-stage kidney disease, accounting for nearly one-third of all cases of diabetes worldwide. Hyperglycemia is a major factor in the onset and progression of diabetic nephropathy. Many contemporary medicines are derived from plants since they have therapeutic properties and are relatively free of adverse effects. Glycosides, alkaloids, terpenoids, and flavonoids are among the few chemical compounds found in plants that are utilized to treat diabetic nephropathy. The purpose of this review was to consolidate information on the clinical and pharmacological evidence supporting the use of a variety of medicinal plants to treat diabetic nephropathy.

Design, synthesis and molecular docking studies of some 1-(5-(2-fluoro-5-(trifluoromethoxy)phenyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazol-3-yl)piperazine derivatives as potential anti-inflammatory agents.

We herein report the facile synthesis of a series of 3,5-substituted-1,2,4-oxadiazole derivatives in good to excellent yields. The anti-inflammatory potential of the newly synthesized compounds was evaluated by anti-denaturation assay using diclofenac sodium as the reference standard. Some of the compounds exhibited profound activity profile when compared to the standard drug. The molecular docking and SAR studies were carried out at the later stage for gaining more insights about the promising activity profile of the synthesized molecules.

Application of NMI-TfCl-mediated amide bond formation in the synthesis of biologically relevant oxadiazole derivatives employing less basic (hetero)aryl amines.

We herein report a modified methodology for the synthesis of some oxadiazoles linked to amides under mild conditions. The developed protocol using NMI-TfCl has been found to be effective and tolerant for the amide bond formation reaction of a series of electronically deactivating and sterically challenging amines. The antioxidant potential of the newly synthesized compounds has been evaluated at the later stage.