Microwave assisted synthesis and antimicrobial activity of 2-quinoxalinone-3-hydrazone derivatives

A simple and efficient method has been developed for the synthesis of various 2-quinoxalinone-3-hydrazone derivatives using microwave irradiation technique. The series of 2-quinoxalinone-3-hydrazone derivatives synthesized, were structurally confirmed by analytical and spectral data and evaluated for their antimicrobial activities. The results showed that this skeletal framework exhibited marked potency as antimicrobial agents. The most active antibacterial agent was 3-{2-[1-(6-chloro-2-oxo-2H-chromen-3-yl)ethylidene]hydrazinyl}quinoxalin-2(1H)-one, 7 while 3-[2-(propan-2-ylidene)hydrazinyl]quinoxalin-2(1H)-one, 2 appeared to be the most active antifungal agent

Climate change policy distortions in the wood and food market

The widespread shift of Australia’s wood products industry away from native forests to an agricultural regime–wood plantations–has enhanced forestry industry competitiveness. Wood now competes against food for agricultural land, water and other resources (including government support). New plantings have increased substantially since the mid 1990s via plantation managed investment schemes (MIS), arousing protest in the traditional agricultural sector and claims of unfair government policy treatment. This claim is investigated in an analysis that integrates the taxation treatment of plantation MIS with economics and forestry industry knowledge. Three methods are developed, and applied, to estimate the plantation MIS tax-based subsidy. Preliminary estimates indicate a tax-based subsidy to forestry through plantation MIS of between $0.9-1.2 billion over the five years ending 2008. The estimated subsidy is then incorporated in the Productivity Commission’s calculations of the effective rate of assistance (ERA) to industry groups from tariff, budget outlay and tax-based government policy. The ERA to Forestry & logging in 2008 was estimated to be 41.8 per cent: government assistance is equivalent to 42 per cent of Forestry & logging’s unassisted value added. The estimated plantation MIS tax based subsidy accounted for 77 per cent of the assistance. Assistance to Forestry & logging exceeds substantially the assistance (including drought related payments) to food growers: 7.2 per cent to Grain, sheep & beef and 17.3 per cent to Dairy cattle farming (a significant proportion was assistance that ceased in April 2008). A detailed examination of Australia’s proposed climate change policy concerning the land use sector indicates that agricultural resource use distortions created through plantation MIS arrangements are lightly to intensify.Environmental Economics and Policy,

Evaluation of antibacterial activity of Pisidium guajava and Gongronema Latifolium

Pisidium guajava and Gongronema latifolium are local plants used traditionally in south-eastern Nigeria to treat ailments such as cough, loss of appetite, malaria and stomach disorders. In this study, aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts of P. guajava and G. latifolium were screened for antibacterial activity against two clinically isolated organisms of the gastrointestinal tract, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Results obtained show that leaf extracts of both plants possess significant antibacterial activities against the two isolates. Ethanolic extracts showed more inhibitory effect compared to the aqueous extracts. Extracts of P. guajava exhibited higher inhibitory effect than that of G. latifolium. The diameter of zones of inhibition by the leaf extracts of P. guajava was 8 - 16 mm and 14 - 21 mm respectively for the aqueous and ethanolic extracts. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were 5.0 and 0.625 mg ml-1 respectively for the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of P. guajava. For the extracts of G. latifolium, the diameter of zones of inhibition was between 6 and 10 mm while MICs were 10.0 and 2.5 mg ml-1 respectively for the aqueous and ethanolic extract

Triage; a literature review of key concepts

The emergency department (ED)--sometimes termed the emergency room (ER), or the accident & emergency (A&E) department--in a hospital or primary care facility that provides initial treatment to patients with a broad spectrum of illnesses and injuries, some of which may be life-threatening or requiring immediate attention. The earliest patients-physician encounter is the triage doctor/nurse who completes the preliminary evaluation before transferring care to another area of the ED or a different department in the hospital. A strong triage system is the backbone of an efficient ED. It indicates that the staff is capable of differentiating critically ill from the sick, and, consequently, of segregating patients who may need admission from those who will not. Thus it is essential for the health professionals to be well-versed with the concepts of triaging. This paper intends to review the basic definitions and the common types of triaging that is used commonly in hospitals

Proximate composition, structural characterization and phytochemical screening of the seed oil of Adenanthera pavonina linn

Adenanthera pavonina is leguminous species which is a perennial and non-climbing tree which is a highly valuable plant for food, drink, and traditional medicine. The Adenanthera pavonina Linn Seed was obtained in our institution premises. This present study was targeted at evaluating proximate analysis, phytochemical determination, a physicochemical parameter of the spectroscopically characterized oil sample of Adenanthera pavonina. The oil which was extracted by standard method had percentage yield of 15.36%. The phytochemical screening of the oil revealed the presence of saponin, alkaloid, and terpenoids. Proximate analysis result unveiled that seed oil of Adenanthera pavonina Linn had an appreciable quantity of protein 27.72%, Crude fiber 5.82 and Ash contents 2.51. It also showed the moisture content, organic matter, carbohydrate, pH and Refractive index to be 13.34%, 97.49% 54.36%, 5.96 and 1.62 respectively. The mineral determination showed that the seed oil contained Manganese (0.001 ± 0.0002 %), Iron (13.52 mg/kg), while Potassium (K), Sodium (Na), Nickel (Ni), Chromium (Cr), Cobalt (Co), Lead (Pb) and Cadmium (Cd) were below the detectable limit. The structure of the oil was elucidated using physicochemical analyses and spectral data which include FT-IR, UV, 1H- and 13C-NMR as well as mass spectral data. The spectroscopic data correlated well and was consistent with the proposed structure. The seed oil could provide access to increase dietary formulation owing to its high protein content. Keyword