Resumen Una investigación relevante y no reportada previamente respecto a la influencia del carbón activado (CA) apoya que la biomasa de Eucalyptus Lanceolata es un adsorbente. El reciente trabajo sintetizó una serie de estudios para conocer diversos parámetros experimentales de tiempo de equilibrio y temperatura del adsorbente para la eliminación del colorante. La caracterización de la estructura física determinó que el aumento del área superficial del carbón activado de 399 a 475 m2.g-1 revela que la biomasa cruda tenía una superficie más compacta que las del carbón activado. Se encontraron bandas FTIR en la región entre 3406.29 cm-1 y 3414.0 cm-1 indicando el estiramiento del grupo (-OH) que conduce al enlace de hidrógeno. Se estudió la adsorción de azul de metileno en carbón crudo y activado. La energía de activación media del carbón activado fue de 33,67 kJ.mol-1, ligeramente inferior a la del carbón bruto, que fue de 49,14 kJ.mol-1. Se aplicaron modelos de difusión intrapartícula, Elovich y Bhangam para evaluar estudios cinéticos a 20, 30 y 40 ºC. Los parámetros termodinámicos, ΔH≠, ΔS≠ y ΔE≠ se calcularon a partir de la cinética de adsorción. Los resultados indican que la adsorción es un proceso espontáneo. El valor negativo de la entropía determinó que las moléculas de ácido toman una posición orientada en la superficie del adsorbente. Los resultados muestran que todos los modelos se ajustaron mejor para la adsorción.

Abstract Investigation relevant to the influence of activated carbon (AC) supports biomass of Eucalyptus Lanceolata as an adsorbent was not reported previously. The recent work synthesized a series of studies to know various experimental parameters equilibration time and temperature of the adsorbent for the elimination of dye. Physical structure characterization measured that the surface area of activated carbon increased from 399 to 475 m2.g-1 revealed that the raw biomass had more compact surface than those of activated carbon. FTIR bands were found in the region between 3406.29 cm-1 and 3414.0 cm -1 indicates (-OH) stretching group which leads to hydrogen bonding. Adsorption of Methylene blue was studied on raw and activated carbon. The average activation energy of the activated carbon was 33.67 kJ.mol-1, slightly lower than those of raw carbon, which was 49.14 kJ.mol-1. Intraparticle diffusion, Elovich and Bhangam models were applied to evaluate kinetics studies at 20, 30 and 40 ºC. Thermodynamic parameters, ΔH ≠, ΔS≠ and ΔE≠ were calculated from the adsorption of kinetics. Results indicate that adsorption is a spontaneous process. The negative value of entropy determined that the acid molecules take an oriented position on the surface of the adsorbent. The results show that all the models were best fitted for adsorption.

Abstract Antibiotic resistance is more challenging in third world countries due to irrational use of antibiotics and poor antimicrobial resistance surveillance. The current study is aimed to determine the molecular characterization and mutational analysis of antibiotic resistant genes of E. coli isolated from UTIs patients. A total of 112 E. coli isolates were recovered from UTI suspected patients from Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH), Peshawar. The collected samples were identified phenotypically by API-10S strips and confirmed by Polymerase Chain Reaction. The selected antibiotic resistant genes were detected by PCR and subsequently sequenced by Next Generation Sequencing. The results of antibiogram revealed that the E. coli isolates were resistant to various antibiotics; Ampicillin, Cotrimoxazole and Ciprofloxacin while showed good results against Tigecycline, Meropenem and Cefoperazone-Sulbactam. Molecular analysis showed that 72 isolates were positive for GyrA gene, GyrB gene 46, tetB 28 and tetR gene 6. The results of mutational analysis revealed that gyrA gene have 3 amino acid substitutions (S83L, D87N and A828S), gyrB have 2 amino acid substitutions (E185D and Q554K), tetB also have 2 amino acid substitutions (H204R and R334S) while only one amino acid substitution in tetR gene (L108P) was observed. The current study reported the novel mutation in gyrB gene at codon554, due to which Glutamine (Q) is substituted by Lysine (K). The high frequency of GyrA gene was observed in 72 E. coli isolates followed by GyrB gene 46, tetB 28 and tetR gene 6 while novel mutation was detected in gyrB gene at codon554.

Abstract In the current studies, crude and subsequent fractions of Aconitum violaceum aerial parts were screened for their toxicity, antimicrobial effects as well as antioxidant potential. Phytochemically, the plant is enriched in alkaloids alongside anthraquinones (present in ethyl acetate fraction (AV 3) and saponins (detected in chloroform fraction (AV2). In Brine shrimp lethality assay, AV 3 was the most potent (59 %) in killing Artemia naupili larvae at a dose of 1000 µg/mL. AV 3 exhibited strongest antimicrobial effect against the bacteria E. coli (80 %) and S. flexneri (76 %) as well as against the tested fungi, A. niger (86 %) respectively. However, chloroform fraction (AV2) was the most effective (almost 90 %) antifungal against A. niger and C. albicans. Overall, strong antioxidant activity was observed for AV3 with IC50 values of 120.04 ± 0.4 µg/mL (65.4 ± 0.01 standard) in DPPH and 125.1 ± 0.3 µg/mL (2.0 ± 0.03 standard) in ABTS free radical assays. AV 3 showed promising inhibition against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) 70 ± 0.8 % and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) 57 ± 0.2 % at dose of 100 µg/mL thus confirming a potent invitro cholinesterase inhibitory effect. The overall results indicated strong biological potential of ethyl acetate fraction obtained form A. violaceum and a possible new therapeutic source could be formulated from its pure isolates.

Resumen En este estudio, se analizaron debido a su toxicidad, las fracciones crudas y posteriores de las partes aéreas de Aconitum violaceum, sus efectos antimicrobianos y potencial antioxidante. Fitoquímicamente, la planta está enriquecida en alcaloides junto con antraquinonas (presentes en la fracción de acetato de etilo (AV 3) y saponinas (detectadas en la fracción de cloroformo (AV2). En el ensayo de letalidad del camarón en salmuera, AV 3 fue el más potente (59%) para matar las larvas de Artemia naupili a una dosis de 1000 µg / ml. AV 3 mostró el efecto antimicrobiano más fuerte contra las bacterias E. coli (80 %) y S. flexneri (76 %), así como contra los hongos probados, A. niger (86 %) respectivamente. Sin embargo, la fracción de cloroformo (AV2) fue el antifúngico más eficaz (casi el 90%) contra A. niger y C. albicans. En general, se observó una fuerte actividad antioxidante para AV3 con valores de CI50 de 120.04 ± 0.4 µg / ml (65.4 ± 0,01 estándar) en DPPH y 125.1 ± 0.3 µg / mL (2.0 ± 0.03 estándar) en ensayos de radicales libres ABTS. AV 3 mostró una inhibición prometedora contra la acetilcolinesterasa (AChE) 70 ± 0.8 % y la butirilcolinesterasa (BChE) 57 ± 0.2 % a una dosis de 100 µg / mL confirmando así un potente efecto inhibidor de la colinesterasa in vitro. Todos los resultados indicaron un fuerte potencial biológico de la fracción de acetato de etilo obtenida de A. violaceum y se podría formular una posible nueva fuente terapéutica a partir de sus aislados puros.