Search

Currently, the Jordanian economy needs more investment due to the growing financial deficit facing the Jordanian state. Therefore, this study came to increase investors' trust in financial reports issued by Jordanian companies to attract more investments. Based on that, this study will investigate the impact of audit committee dimensions on the efficiency of financial reports of limited partnership companies listed on the Amman Stock Exchange. The data were collected from financial reports issued by 52 limited partnership companies for the year 2021. The study used multiple regression to test the hypotheses. Based on the findings, audit committee dimensions explained the variation in financial reports' efficiency which reached 0.629. The audit committee members' size does not significantly affect the financial reports' efficiency. The significance reached 0.287. However, the knowledge of financial management has a significant positive effect on financial report efficiency; the significance reached 0.000 and the effect volume arrived at 0.699. Also, the findings showed that audit committee meetings have a greater effect on financial reporting efficiency than financial management knowledge. The impact was significantly positive, arriving at 0.790, while the significance reached 0.000. The main research conclusion is that limited partnership companies listed on the Amman Stock Exchange adopt corporate governance to achieve control effectiveness of audit committees to increase financial reporting efficiency to achieve more investments. AcknowledgmentThe publication of this research has been supported by the Deanship of Scientific Research and Graduate Studies at Philadelphia University – Jordan.

Background and Objective: Binding of antibiotics to nanoparticles increases the antibacterial potential of nanoparticles and antibiotics. This study was performed to determine the antibacterial and hemolytic effect of zinc / ferrite / cellulose nanocomposite (ZnFe2O4 @ Cell) (single nanoparticle), zinc / ferrite / cellulose nanocomposite was aminated with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) with the name of ZnFe2O4@Cell@APTES (Coated nanocomposite) and ZnFe2O4@Cell@APTES@Van nanocomposite (coated nanocomposite bound to vancomycin) against gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Methods: In this descriptive study, antibacterial-activity was evaluated by broth macro dilution method. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum lethal concentration (MBC) were determined for E. coli, S. aurous and P. aeruginosa. The hemolytic activity of nanoparticles was investigated by colorimetric method. Results: Nanoparticles did not have hemolytic activity. ZnFe2O4@Cell and ZnFe2O4@Cell@APTES@Van did not have a significant antibacterial effect against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, and vancomycin binding resulted in antibacterial-activity. ZnFe2O4@Cell@APTES@Van inhibited the growth of Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The growth of E. coli was reduced to 85% at a concentration of 0.4 mg/ml and a concentration of 0.1 mg nanoparticles completely prevented the growth of P. aeruginosa. The growth of gram-positive S. aureus bacteria at a concentration of 0.3 mg/ml nanoparticles was completely stopped. Conclusion: Vancomycin-modified nanocomposite has antibacterial-activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and has the potential to overcome the antibiotic resistance of bacteria.

Abstract Background and Objective: Aluminum salts are among the most common useful additive compounds in preparation of human and animal vaccines. Aluminum phosphate and aluminum hydroxide are two additives that show good immunoadjuvant effects with many antigens. Aluminum-containing vaccines lead to a better and longer immune response compared to adjuvant-lacking vaccines. The Chromogenic methods used for determination of aluminum amounts in manufacturing centers are time-consuming and requires some experienced technicians to obtain accurate results. This study aimed to design and validate a simple polarographic method to measure aluminum in recombinant hepatitis B vaccine. Methods: In this study, the effects of temperature, pH, potential range and potential scan rate on the polarographic method of measuring aluminum in hepatitis B vaccine was evaluated and the optimal values for each of these factors were achieved. Results: In order to measure aluminum, temperature of 60 °C and pH of 4.5 were found as the optimal values. Implementation of polarographic method in the potential range of -0.25 to 0.1 volts had a better signal. Conclusion: Since the polarography method is more simple, accurate and faster than the chromogenic methods, it is suitable to be used for the measurement of aluminum in hepatitis B vaccine and it is recommended to be used in quality control laboratories for biological products. Keywords: Adjuvant, Hepatitis B Vaccine, Polarography, Aluminum.

Lead (Pb), has, for decades, being known for its adverse effects on various body organs and systems. In the present study, the damage of Pb on the Liver tissue apoptosis was investigated, and Lycopersicon esculentum as an antioxidants source was administered orally to prevent the adverse effects of Pb. Eighteen Wistar rats, randomized into three groups (n=6), were used for this study. Animals in Group A served as the control and were drinking distilled water. Animals in Groups B and C were drinking 1%Lead acetate (LA). Group C animals were, in addition to drinking LA, treated with 1.5 ml/day of Lycopersicon esculentum. Treatments were for three months. The obtained results showed that lead acetate caused significant reductions in the liver weight, plasma and tissue superoxide dismutase and catalase activity, but a significant increase in plasma and tissue malondialdehyde concentration but Lycopersicon esculentum have an inhibitory effect on LA liver adverse effect. So, it can be concluded that Lycopersicon esculentum have a significant protective effect on liver lead acetate adverse effects as well as, lead acetate -induced oxidative stress.

ABSTRACT: The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the expression of human organic anion transporter 1 (hOAT1) and hOAT3 in the choroid plexus of the human brain and their interactions with neurotransmitter metabolites using stable cell lines. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that hOAT1 and hOAT3 are expressed in the cytoplasmic membrane and cytoplasm of human choroid plexus. Neurotransmitter metabolites, namely, 5-methoxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-MI-3-AA), homovanillic acid (HVA), vanilmandelic acid (VMA), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-HI-3-AA), N-acetyl-5-hydroxytryptamine (NA-5-HTT), melatonin, 5-methoxytryptamine (5-MTT), 3,4-dihidroxymandelic acid (DHMA), 5-hydroxytryptophol, and 5-methoxytryptophol (5-MTP), but not methanephrine (MN), normethanephrine (NMN), and 3-methyltyramine (3-MT), at 2 mM, inhibited para-aminohippuric acid uptake mediated by hOAT1. On the other hand, melatonin, 5-MI-3-AA, NA-5-HTT, 5-MTT, 5-MTP, HVA, 5-HI-3-AA, VMA, DOPAC, 5-hydroxytryptophol, and MN, but not 3-MT, DHMA, and NMN, at 2 mM, inhibited estrone sulfate uptake mediated by hOAT3. Differences in the IC50 values between hOAT1 and hOAT3 were observed for DHMA, DOPAC, HVA, 5-HI-3-AA, melatonin, 5-MI-3-AA, 5-MTP, 5-MTT, and VMA. HOAT1 and hOAT3 mediated the transport of VMA but not HVA and melatonin. These results suggest that hOAT1 and hOAT3 are involved in the efflux of various neurotransmitter metabolites from the cerebrospinal fluid to the blood across the choroid plexus.

Background: Toxigenic fungi (Aspergillus and Fusarium) and their metabolites represent the major cause of corn and corn-based products contamination and consequently lead to severe economic and health issues., Aim: Our current study aimed to investigate the efficacy of using L. macroides Bac6 as a biological control agent against the toxigenic fungi; A. flavus f10 and F. proliferatum f30 and their mycotoxins., Results: The results illustrated that A. flavus f10 produced the aflatoxins AFB 1 and AFG 2 with concentrations of 21.239 and 13.593 ppb, respectively. While F. proliferatum f30 produced fumonisin B 1 (9600 ppb). Furthermore, L. macroides showed a high potential for inhibition of toxigenic fungal growth using a dual culture method. F. proliferatum f30 and A. flavus f10 were found to be inhibited by a percentage of 80 and 62.5%, respectively. The results were confirmed using the scanning electron microscope. The antagonistic bacteria, L. macroides, showed chitinase productivity and activity of 26.45 U/L and 0.12 U/mL/min, respectively, which illustrates its potential application as a biocontrol agent. The GC-MS analysis revealed an abundance of Pyrrolo[1,2-a] pyrazine-1,4-dione, Hexahydro in the bacterial supernatant that exhibited antifungal characteristics. L. macroides had a significant reduction of AFB 1 and AFG 2 produced by A. flavus f10, recording 99.25% and 99% inhibition, respectively. It also showed strong inhibition of fumonisin B 1 (90% inhibition) produced by F. proliferatum f30., Conclusion: Thus, the current study is a prospective study evaluating for the first time the potential impact of L. macroides Bac6 against the toxigenic fungi and their toxins., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)