Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University

This study reports the synthesis and assessment of a series of imide derivatives of phthalic anhydride (phthalimides) for their potential antimicrobial activities. Phthalic acid was first converted into phthalic anhydride using acetic anhydride, which was then reacted with various L-amino acids to obtain phthalimides in high yields. Compounds HUPB, HUPC, HUPF, and HUPH exhibited promising antimicrobial activity, with HUPF and HUPH being the most potent. HUPF exhibited significant antimicrobial activity, showing inhibition zones of 24 mm versus Staphylococcus aureus (at 2000 µg/mL), 17 mm versus Escherichia coli (at 2000 µg/mL), and 18 mm against Candida albicans (at 1000 µg/mL). The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were 16 µg/mL, 24 µg/mL, and 24 µg/mL for S. aureus, E. coli, and C. albicans, respectively. HUPH demonstrated strong antimicrobial activity, exhibiting inhibition zones of 23 mm versus S. aureus, 19 mm versus E. coli, and 20 mm versus C. albicans, with corresponding MICs of 20 µg/mL, 28 µg/mL, and 20 µg/mL, respectively. Molecular docking reinforced these results, demonstrating effective bindings for HUPF and HUPH, suggesting their potential as antimicrobial agents. Both compounds adhered to Lipinski's Rule of Five, signifying decent oral bioavailability, gastrointestinal absorption (≥0.55), and no PAINS (pan-assay interference compounds) alerts. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that HUPF and HUPH possess narrow HOMO-LUMO energy gaps and elevated dipole moments, indicating high chemical reactivity, and strong polarity, which further support their enhanced antimicrobial potential. These results highlight the therapeutic potential of the two compounds for further development as novel antimicrobial agents.

Aptasensors utilize aptamers as recognition elements, which offer high sensitivity, selectivity, ease of modification, outstanding stability, real-time detection, biocompatibility, cost-effectiveness, and good integration. Utilizing metal-organic framework (MOF)-based electrochemical aptasensors is a promising approach that is drawing significant attention. MOF-based aptasensors for cancer detection present a promising avenue, yet they face several challenges. The optimization of sensitivity and selectivity in the MOF-aptamer system is complex, requiring a delicate balance to distinguish the target analyte from interfering substances in physiological environments. Efficient immobilization of aptamers on MOF surfaces while maintaining their conformation and stability under physiological conditions poses a crucial challenge for robust sensing. Integrating MOFs and aptamers with transduction systems, such as electrodes in electrochemical sensors, is critical for achieving efficient signal transduction and maintaining sensor stability. Herein, the latest developments in MOF-based electrochemical aptasensors for detecting tumor markers will be discussed. Focus will be given on single metallic, bimetallic, and calcinated-based MOFs and their strengths and weaknesses will be summarized. Further, the synthesis strategy of electrochemical sensors is analyzed to meet the requirements of selectivity and sensitivity. Finally, the future perspectives for developing and applying electrochemical aptasensors are also discussed.

Background: This study was aimed to observe newspaper reports about non-fatal suicide attempts in Pakistan during the COVID-19 lockdown. Methods: We performed content analysis of news reports about incomplete suicides from four vernacular newspapers of Pakistan between March and August 2020. Results: A total of 87 news reports about suicide attempts were examined; the vast majority of the suicide attempters was Muslims (78%), males (64%), females (36%) with (33%) mentions of age, ranging from 19–30 years, and married were (76%). However, occupation was largely missing from (93%) of the news. Self-poisoning was the commonly reported method in (65%) of suicide attempts, whereas familial discord was the leading risk factor for (72%) of suicide attempts. Conclusions: Although psychological intervention is crucial to reduce familial discords as risk factors, monitoring the mental health conditions of people vulnerable to suicide and the figures on attempted suicides should be maintained and collected nationally and regionally.