The therapeutic journey of benzimidazoles: a review.

A series of ruthenium complexes containing bis-benzimidazole derivatives have been synthesized and identified as able to target mitochondria and induce caspase-dependent apoptosis in cancer cells through superoxide overproduction.

Ruthenium complexes containing bis-benzimidazole derivatives as a new class of apoptosis inducers

Alternative materials obtained from natural resources have recently garnered considerable attention as an innovative solution to bring unprecedented advances in various energy storage systems. Here, we present a new class of heterolayered nanomat-based hierarchical/asymmetric porous membrane with synergistically coupled chemical activity as a nanocellulose-mediated green material strategy to develop smart battery separator membranes far beyond their current state-of-the-art counterparts. This membrane consists of a terpyridine (TPY)-functionalized cellulose nanofibril (CNF) nanoporous thin mat as the top layer and an electrospun polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) macroporous thick mat as the support layer. The hierarchical/asymmetric porous structure of the heterolayered nanomat is rationally designed with consideration of the trade-off between leakage current and ion transport rate. The TPY (to chelate Mn2+ ions) and PVP (to capture hydrofluoric acid)-mediated chemical functionalities bri...

Functionalized Nanocellulose-Integrated Heterolayered Nanomats toward Smart Battery Separators.

Fascinating variability in the chemistry and properties of 2,6-bis-(benzimidazol-2-yl)-pyridine and 2,6-bis-(benzthiazol-2-yl)-pyridine and their complexes

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is notorious for its ability to acquire antibiotic-resistance, and antibiotic-resistant S. aureus has become a wide-spread cause of high mortality rate. Novel antimicrobials capable of eradicating S. aureus cells including antibiotic-resistant ones are thus highly desired. Membrane-active bactericides and species-specific antimicrobials are two promising sources of novel anti-infective agents for fighting against bacterial antibiotic-resistance. We herein show that Ca(2+) and Mg(2+), two alkaline-earth-metal ions physiologically essential for diverse living organisms, both disrupt model S. aureus membranes and kill stationary-phase S. aureus cells, indicative of membrane-activity. In contrast to S. aureus, Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis exhibit unaffected survival after similar treatment with these two cations, indicative of species-specific activity against S. aureus. Moreover, neither Ca(2+) nor Mg(2+) lyses mouse red blood cells, indicative of hemo-compatibility. This works suggests that Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) may have implications in targeted eradication of S. aureus pathogen including the antibiotic-resistant ones.

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Calcium and Magnesium Ions Are Membrane-Active against Stationary-Phase Staphylococcus aureus with High Specificity

Synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial activity of Fe(II), Zn(II), Cd(II) and Hg(II) complexes with 2,6-bis(benzimidazol-2-yl) pyridine ligand

Abstract Objectives This article presents the use of machine learning techniques such as artificial neural networks, K-nearest neighbors (KNN), naive Bayes, and decision trees in the prediction of hemoglobin variants. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study using machine learning models to predict suspicious cases with HbS or HbD Los Angeles carriers state. Methods We had a dataset of 238 observations, of which 128 were HbD carriers, and 110 were HbS carriers. The features were age, sex, RBC, Hb, HTC, MCV, MCH, RDW, serum iron, TIBC, ferritin, HbA2, HbF, HbA0, retention time (RT) of the abnormal peak, and the area under the peak of the abnormal peak. KNN, naive Bayes, decision tree models, and artificial neural network models were trained. Model performances were estimated using 7-fold cross-validation. Results When RT, the key point of differentiation used in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), was included as a feature, all models performed well. When RT was excluded (eliminated), the deep learning model performed the best (Accuracy: 0.99; Specificity: 0.99; Sensitivity: 0.99; F1 score: 0.99), while the naive Bayes model performed the worst (Accuracy: 0.94; Specificity: 0.97; Sensitivity: 0.90; F1 score: 0.93). Conclusions Deep learning and decision tree models have demonstrated high performance and have the potential to be integrated into medical laboratory work practices as a tool for hemoglobinopathy detection. These outcomes suggest that when machine learning models are fed enough data, they can detect a wide range of hemoglobin variants. However, more comprehensive studies with data from a larger number of patients and hemoglobinopathies will be useful for validating our models.

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Machine learning models can predict the presence of variants in hemoglobin: artificial neural network-based recognition of human hemoglobin variants by HPLC

DOI: 10.4328/ACAM.20914 Received: 2021-10-28 Accepted: 2021-12-06 Published Online: 2021-12-08 Corresponding Author: Süheyl Uçucu, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Muğla Public Health Care Laboratory, Muğla, Turkey. E-mail: suheyllucucu@gmail.com P: +90 555 306 28 74 Corresponding Author ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6320-2457 Abstract Aim: Sickle cell trait and Hb D-Los Angeles (β121Glu→Gln) variant have complete blood count (CBC) and chromatographic similarities. Therefore, the differential diagnosis of these hemoglobinopathies is problematic. The aim of this study was to differentiate hemogram results between patients diagnosed with Hb S carrier and Hb D Los Angeles carrier, to compare with HPLC thalassemia screening tests hematologically and chromatographically, and to discuss their distinctive features. Material and Methods: The study included 128 Hemoglobin D Los Angeles and 110 Hemoglobin S carriers. Age, sex, RBC, Hb, HTC, MCV, MCH, RDW, serum iron, TIBC, ferritin, HbA2, HbF, HbA0, abnormal peak retention time (RT) and area under the peak were examined. Results: A statistically significant difference was detected in serum RBC levels, abnormal hemoglobin, retention time, and Hb A2 levels (p=0.036, p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively) between Hb D Los Angeles and Hb S carriers, while levels of abnormal hemoglobin in Hb S and Hb D Los Angeles carriers were between 24.6% and 44.6% in Hb S carriers, it was between 32.2-43% in Hb D carriers. The average RT levels were 1.02 in HbS, and 0.96 in Hb D. Hb A2 levels were significantly higher in Hb S carriers. Discussion: Although the Hb D-Los Angeles variant and the Hb S carrier profile have similar CBC and electrophoretogram, they can be distinguished from each other using RT, HbA2, and abnormal hemoglobin levels. RT and HbA2 levels seem to be the main discrimination factors, but it should not be forgotten that they do not always have sufficient discrimination power. Molecular diagnostic methods such as PCR or DNA sequencing should be used for definitive diagnosis.

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Chromatographic and hematological comparison of sickle cell carriers and hemoglobin D los angeles carriers

Since December 2019, after the declaration of new cases regarding novel coronavirus disease, many variants have emerged as a consequence of the viral evolution. Though the SARS-CoV-2 variants have been studied for molecular basis, the clinical and pathologic disparities of them have been understood inadequately. The aim of this research was to figure out the differences between the SARS-CoV-2 Alpha (B1.1.7) variant and the classical Wuhan groups on the clinical basis and laboratory results of the COVID-19 patients who had positive PCR test. The study was done retrospectively inclusive of epidemiological, laboratory data and clinical symptoms of patients who were admitted to the emergency service between February 15 and March 15, 2021 and had positive COVID-19 PCR test results. Though there was no statistically significant difference in symptoms between SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant and classical variant (Wuhan type) groups; C-reactive protein (CRP), lymphocyte and leukocyte counts were statistically significantly higher in the Wuhan type group; prothrombin time (PT), International Normalized Ratio (INR) and serum creatinine values were statistically significantly higher in the Alpha group. Studies such as ours that investigate both the clinical features and laboratory data of SARS-CoV-2 variants will close the knowledge gaps, so better decisions may be made by health policy makers. Additional studies in this area will increase the understanding of the topic.

T. Karabiyik

Papers

Synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial activity of Fe(II), Zn(II), Cd(II) and Hg(II) complexes with 2,6-bis(benzimidazol-2-yl) pyridine ligand

Machine learning models can predict the presence of variants in hemoglobin: artificial neural network-based recognition of human hemoglobin variants by HPLC

Chromatographic and hematological comparison of sickle cell carriers and hemoglobin D los angeles carriers

Comparison of sars-cov-2 wuhan and alpha variants: clinical and laboratory highlights