Muhammad Asam Raza

Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) and methicillin resistant coagulase negative staphylococci (MRCoNS) are the important nosocomial infectious agents. There is a growing concern about the rapid rise in the resistance of Staphylococcus aureusto presently available antimicrobial agents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence rate of MRSA and MRCoNS and their rate of resistance to different antistaphylococcal antibiotics used broadly for treatment. Out of the total 350 staphylococcal isolates from different clinical specimens 148 isolates (60.40%) were identified as MRSA by oxacillin screen agar method, and 46 isolates (43.80%) were screened as MRCoNS. All the MRSA and MRCoNS isolates were tested for antibiotic resistance pattern by disc diffusion method for 16 different antibiotics. All the isolates of

Cuscuta reflexa and Carthamus Oxyacantha: potent sources of alternative and complimentary drug

The present study was designed to evaluate the biological potential of Cuscuta reflexa and Carthamus oxyacantha. The ethanolic crude extract (C. reflexa; 9.1% and C. oxyacantha; 10.4%) was partitioned with different solvents at pH 3.0, 9.0 and 7.0. Phytochemical study showed that n-hexane fractions were rich source of terpenoids and ethyl acetate fractions were phenolic in nature while chloroform fractions contained alkaloidal skeleton. Total phenols were calculated with FC method and ranged 3.5 to 71.4 mg GAE/100 g DW. Antioxidant (DPPH & FRAP), enzyme inhibition potential (Protease & AChE) and antimicrobial activities were examined by the standard protocols. It was observed that about all extracts exhibited significant DPPH activity range (IC50 09 ± 0.5 to 62 ± 1.2 μg/ml). The DPPH active extracts/fractions also showed remarkable reducing potential. A strong correlation has been found between phenolics and antioxidant activities. Antimicrobial assay that was performed against four microbes and results revealed that FMC-6 and FMP-8 were active against all the tested microbes, while FMP-2 was inactive. Eight extracts/fractions of these plants expressed more than 50% inhibition of the targeted enzymes.

Heavy metal contamination in water, soil, and milk of the industrial area adjacent to Swan River, Islamabad, Pakistan

ABSTRACT Trace heavy metals such as Cr(III), Ni(II), Cd(II), Zn(II), Pb(II), and Cu(II) are hazardous pollutants and are rich in areas with high anthropogenic activities. Their concentrations were analyzed using atomic absorption spectroscopy, and it was found that their concentrations were several fold higher in downstream Swan River water samples of the Kahuta Industrial Triangle as compared to upstream. Heavy metal soil concentrations taken from the downstream site were 149% for Cr, 131% for Ni, 176% for Cd, 139% for Zn, 224% for Pb, and 182% for Cu when compared to samples from the upstream site. Quantitative analysis concluded that these metals were higher in milk samples collected from downstream as compared to the samples from upstream water-irrigated sites. The order of metal in milk was as Zn > Cr > Cu > Cd > Pb = Ni. Heavy metal contaminations may affect the drinking water quality, food chain, and ecological environment. It was also suggested that the toxicity due to such polluted water, soil, and milk are seriously dangerous to human health in future.

Tetra­aqua­bis­[2-(2-nitro­phen­yl)acetato-κO]cobalt(II)

The molecule of the title compound, [Co(C8H6NO4)2(H2O)4], is centrosymmetric. It is a cobalt(II) complex, bearing two (2-nitrophenyl)acetate and four aqua ligands. The coordination around the CoII atom is distorted octahedral, defined by four O atoms of water molecules in the equatorial plane and by two carboxylate O atoms at axial positions. The dihedral angles between the benzene ring and the acetate and nitro groups are 61.90 (10) and 19.21 (11)°, respectively. The water molecules form O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds with the nitro and carboxylate groups, leading to a layered structural arrangement parallel to (001).

Synthesis, spectral characterization and computed optical analysis of potent triazole based compounds

Biologically active triazole Schiff base ligand (L) and metal complexes [Fe(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II)] are reported herein. The ligand acted as tridentate and coordinated towards metallic ions via azomethine-N, triazolic-N moiety and deprotonated-O of phenyl substituents in an octahedral manner. These compounds were characterized by physical, spectral and analytical analysis. The synthesized ligand and metal complexes were screened for antibacterial pathogens against Chromohalobacter salexigens, Chromohalobacter israelensi, Halomonas halofila and Halomonas salina, antifungal bioassay against Aspergillus niger and Aspergellus flavin, antioxidant (DPPH, phosphomolybdate) and also for enzyme inhibition [butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE)] studies. The results of these activities indicated the ligand to possess potential activity which significantly increased upon chelation. Moreover, vibrational bands, frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) and natural bond analysis (NBO) of ligand (1) were carried out through density functional theory (DFT) with B3lYP/6-311++G (d,p) approach. While, UV-Vis analysis was performed by time dependent TD-DFT with B3lYP/6-311++G (d,p) method. NBO analysis revealed that investigated compound (L) contains enormous molecular stability owing to hyper conjugative interactions. Theoretical spectroscopic findings showed good agreement to experimental spectroscopic data. Global reactivity descriptors were calculated using the energies of FMOs which indicated compound (L) might be bioactive. These parameters confirmed the charge transfer phenomenon and reasonable correspondence with experimental bioactivity results.

Triazole metal based complexes as antibacterial/antifungal agents

Biologically active triazole derived Schiff bases, 2-methoxy-6-[(Z)-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-3-ylimino) methyl]phenol (L1) and 4-[(Z)-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-3-ylimino)methyl]benzene-1,3-diol (L2) were prepared by condensing 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole with 2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde and 2,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde in the 1 : 1 molar ratio. Structures of the synthesized ligands were characterized by IR, NMR and Mass spectral data. The ligands were complexed with the ions of V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn to form the complexes M : L in the 1 : 2 molar ratio. The synthesized Schiff bases potentially behaved as tridentate ligands and coordinated to metal ions via azomethine-N, triazole-N, and benzaldehyde-O. Structure elucidation of complexes involved IR, UV-Vis, MS, and molar conductance data. These compounds were tested for antibacterial activity against Halomonas halophila, Chromohalobacter israelensis, Chromohalobacter salexigens, Staphylococcus aureus, Halomonas salina, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacterial stains. Antifungal activity of the synthesized compounds was studied by using different fungal stains like Trichophyton Longifusus, Candida Albicans, Aspergillus Flavus, Microsporum Canis, Fusarium, Solani, and Candida Glabrata. All synthesized compounds displayed high antimicrobial activity against one or more strains.

Hepatitis B seroconversion after vaccination in infants in rural and urban areas of Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate the immunogenicity of hepatitis B vaccine in infants of rural and urban Pakistan and to find out the vaccine efficacy. Methods: A sample of 400 subjects was taken by simple random method from the rural and urban areas (200 from Rural and 200 from urban areas) of Rawalpindi District Pakistan. The serum samples were analyzed by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant assay (ELISA) for the quantitative determination of antiHBs antibodies. Results: As 88 (22%) infants out of the total 400 were found to be seropositive at baseline. The post vaccination results showed that about 15 (7.53%) of infants had inadequate levels of antibodies (i.e. <10 IU/L). Overall 92.46% infants showed a positive response to the vaccine. The females showed higher titers of antiHBs against vaccination as compared to that of males. Infants Short Research Article Perveen et al.; BJMMR, 5(12): 1557-1561, 2015; Article no.BJMMR.2015.175 1558 of urban areas showed higher titers as compared to that of rural areas. Conclusion: Our results reinforces that the Hepatitis B vaccine has a good tolerability and is highly immunogenic among infants. It is recommended that serosurvey of HBsAg and vaccine coverage at country level should be done.

Crystal structure of catena-poly[[tri-methyl-tin(IV)]-μ-2-(2-nitro-phen-yl)acetato-κ(2) O:O'].

In the title one-dimensional coordination polymer, [Sn(CH3)3(C8H6NO4)]n, the SnIV atom is coordinated by three methyl C atoms and two carboxylate O atoms (one symmetry generated), resulting in an almost regular SnC3O2 trigonal pyramid. The C atoms occupy the equatorial sites and the O atoms occupy the axial sites. In the ligand, the dihedral angles between the benzene ring and the pendant acetate and nitro groups are 57.7 (1) and 36.9 (3)°, respectively. The bridging ligand leads to [010] chains in the crystal, with adjacent metal atoms related by a 21 screw axis. A weak π–π interaction exists between the centroids of symmetry-related benzene rings at a distance of 3.9131 (19) Å.

Studies on Degradation of 7-ketocholesterol by Environmental Bacterial Isolates

Medical bioremediation is a unique strategy of targeting pathogenic compounds with an exogenous enzyme of microbial origin. The objective of this study was to isolate and screen the microorganisms from diverse environmental samples for their ability to catabolize 7-ketocholesterol. Isolation of bacterial strains was performed and molecular identification was carried out by amplification and sequencing of 16S rDNA for 4 the best degrader isolates. Degradation was confirmed on the basis of UV spectrophotometric and HPLC analysis. Four bacterial isolates, showing high catabolic activity towards 7-ketocholesterol were isolated: Alcanivorax jadensis IP4 (accession number KP309836; sea water sediment), Streptomyces auratus IP2 (accession number KP309837; soil), Serratia marcescens IP3 (accession number KP309838; soil) and Thermobifida fusca IP1 (accession number KM677184; manure piles). All the isolates were capable of utilizing 7-ketocholesterol as the sole organic substrate, resulting in its mineralisation. The most rapid degradation was observed with A. jadensis IP4 followed by T. fusca IP1. The degradation was followed and analyzed by HPLC. A. jadensis IP4 removed 7-ketocholesterol below detection levels within 8 days.

Determination of toxic metals in water of Lahore canal by atomic absorption spectroscopy

Present study describes the atomic absorption Spectro-photometric determination of metals (Ni, Cr, Zn, Fe, As & Cu) in the surface water of Lahore canal passing through the center of Lahore (city) Pakistan. Analysis showed that month wise average Ni, Zn and As concentrations lies within the National Environmental Quality Standards limits for these metals as designed by Environmental protection agency Pakistan, while Cr, Fe and Cu showed marked rise in their month wise average concentrations from their limiting values.