Microbiological Evaluation of Broiler Carcasses, Wash and Rinse Water from Pluck Shops (Cottage Poultry Processors) in the County Nariva/Mayaro, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies

A study on the prevalence and levels of Campylobacter, Salmonella and E. coli on broiler chicken carcasses, wash and rinse water from pluck shops/ cottage poultry processors (CPP) in county Nariva Mayaro Trinidad was done. There are 21 pluck shops/ cottage poultry processors in the county, 14 pluck shops were randomly selected for the study. Samples consisted of 28 broiler carcasses, 14 wash water samples and 14 rinse water samples. Over all the isolation rate of Campylobacter, Salmonella and E. coli from broiler carcasses wash and rinse water showed significant differences (P< 0.05) between pluck shops. Of the 56 samples examined from the 14 pluck shops sampled, 34 (60.7%) were positive for Campylobacter, 34 (60.7%) for Salmonella and 40 (71.4%) for E. coli. The correlation between the levels of Campylobacter found on carcasses and in wash water (r2= 0.657) and rinse water (r2= 0.600) was significant (P< 0.05) among pluck shops/CPP. There was also a high correlation (P< 0.05) between wash and rinse water samples (r2= 0.950) for Campylobacter. Salmonella levels on carcasses and in wash water were positively (P< 0.05) correlated (r2= 0.947). Of the 14 pluck shops examined 6 (42.9%) had Campylobacter levels that corresponded to infectious dose in humans. The infectious doses for Salmonella were isolated from 3 (21.4%) pluck shops and 13 (92.9%) pluck shops evaluated had E. coli present at potentially infectious levels. Three pluck shops/CPP (21.4%) had infectious dose for Campylobacter, Salmonella and E. coli where as all others had infectious levels for one or two pathogens. It was concluded that these pathogens are present in pluck shops/CPP in the county, having levels considered to be potentially infectious to humans and as such there should be health concern

Aktifitas Ekstrak Jahe Merah Dalam Menurunkan Asam Urat Pada Kelinci Serta Isolasi Dan Identifikasi Senyawa Bioaktifnya

Jahe merah (Zingiber officinalle var. Amarum) merupakan salah satu tumbuhan yang banyak digunakan sebagai bumbu makanan sehari-hari dan juga berkhasiat sebagai obat tradisional untuk mengobati berbagai penyakit termasuk asam urat. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menguji aktifitas biologi dari jahe merah dan mengisolasi dan mengidentifikasi senyawa bioaktif yang tekandung di dalam ekstraknya. Berdasarkan penelitian yang dilakukan terhadap ekstrak etanol jahe merah memperlihatkan kemampuannya dalam menurunkan asam urat pada kelinci yang diinduksi dengan kalium bromat (KBrO3) pada konsentrasi 0,6 b/v yang diamati pada 1 dan 3 jam setelah diinduksi dan dibandingkan dengan allopurinol yang digunakan sebagai positif kontrolnya. Ekstrak etanol jahe merah juga memperlihatkan hubungan konsentrasi dengan penurunan asam urat pada kelinci. Isolasi senyawa bioaktif dalam tanaman ini telah dilakukan dengan menggunakan metode kromatografi dan identifikasi stukturnya didasarkan pada analisis data spektrofotometri dan NMR. Berdasarkan data spectra yang diperoleh terhadap senyawa yang paling dominan yang berhasil diisolasi dan diidentifikasi adalah senyawa 6-gingerol. Hal ini menunjukkan bahwa ekstrak etanol jahe merah memiliki aktifitas dalam menurunkan kadar asam urat dengan senyawa utama 6-gingerol

IDENTIFIKASI SENYAWA MYCOSPORINE-LIKE AMINO ACIDs DARI FRAKSI ETANOL Eucheuma cottonii MENGGUNAKAN SPEKTROFOTOMETER UV

UV-A merupakan sinar UV yang berpenetrasi paling dalam pada kulit dan dapat menyebabkan kerusakan kulit hingga penuaan dini. Paparan sinar UV-A dalam waktu yang lama dapat menyebabkan kerusakan pada jaringan dermis kulit, pigmentasi dan kanker kulit. Perlindungan kulit terhadap sinar UV-A yaitu dengan menggunakan bahan anti UV-A. Senyawa yang berperan sebagai anti UV-A di alam, salah satunya Mycosporine-like Amino Acids (MAAs). Senyawa ini  terdapat dalam organisme laut seperti cyanobakteri, mikroalga dan makroalga. Eucheuma cottonii merupakan salah satu makroalga merah yang diduga mengandung MAAs. Tujuan dari penelitian ini untuk mengidentifikasi senyawa MAAs  dari fraksi etanol Eucheuma cottonii yang diperoleh dari pantai kepulauan Selayar. Sampel dicuci hingga kadar garamnya berkurang, diliofilisasi menggunakan freeze dryer dan diektraksi dengan maserasi menggunakan pelarut etanol 70%. Ekstrak cair yang diperoleh diuapkan dengan rotavapor hingga didapatkan ekstrak kering. Ekstrak kemudian difraksinasi dan diidentifikasi menggunakan spektrofotometer UV. Fraksi yang diperoleh sebanyak 6 yang kemudian diidentifikasi menggunakan spektrofotmeter UV dan FT IR. Hasil identifikasi menunjukkan jika senyawa yang terdapat pada fraksi 4 dan 6 tidak menunjukkan adanya senyawa MAAs, sedangkan fraksi 1 dan 3 terdapat senyawa pengotor sehingga tidak dapat dipastikan mengandung senyawa MAAs. Fraksi 2 dan 5 menunjukkan kemungkinan adanya senyawa MAAs. Disimpulkan bahwa fraksi etanol 2 dan 5 dari Eucheuma cottonii kemungkinan mengandung senyawa MAAs

Aktivitas Anti Inflamasi dan Penyembuhan Luka dari Ekstrak Kulit Batang Murbei (Morus Alba L.) : Anti-inflammatory And Wound Healing Activities Of Mulberry Barks (Morus Alba L.) Extract

Mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaf has been used as a traditional medicine for treatment of some tropical diseases and also popular using for silkworm feed. On this research, anti-inflammatory and wound healing activities of the bark extract has been investigated in vivo. The bark was extracted with three organic solvent in a different polarity to carry out a group compounds in n-hexane extract (EH), Eto-Ac extract (EE), and EtOH extract (EO). Anti-inflammatory was investigated on inflammatory mice induced by 1% carrageenan. Among the extract (200mg/kg BW), EE showed strongly decrease inflammation by 42% than the other extract and stronger than the positive control, Na-diclofenac. Further investigation on healing effect of wound and burn injury which was tested at concentration of 1% topically to each extract. All the extract significantly showed healing activity, among them EE was observed as the stronger one while slightly less than the positive control. This result indicated that the most active compounds on anti-inflammatory and healing wounded was extracted with ethyl acetate that could be used for drug discovery

P.Re.Val.E.: outcome research program for the evaluation of health care quality in Lazio, Italy

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>P.Re.Val.E. is the most comprehensive comparative evaluation program of healthcare outcomes in Lazio, an Italian region, and the first Italian study to make health provider performance data available to the public.</p> <p>The aim of this study is to describe the P.Re.Val.E. and the impact of releasing performance data to the public.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>P.Re.Val.E. included 54 outcome/process indicators encompassing many different clinical areas. Crude and adjusted rates were estimated for the 2006-2009 period. Multivariate regression models and direct standardization procedures were used to control for potential confounding due to individual characteristics. Variable life-adjusted display charts were developed, and 2008-2009 results were compared with those from 2006-2007.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Results of 54 outcome indicators were published online at <url>http://www.epidemiologia.lazio.it/prevale10/index.php</url>.</p> <p>Public disclosure of the indicators' results caused mixed reactions but finally promoted discussion and refinement of some indicators.</p> <p>Based on the P.Re.Val.E. experience, the Italian National Agency for Regional Health Services has launched a National Outcome Program aimed at systematically comparing outcomes in hospitals and local health units in Italy.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>P.Re.Val.E. highlighted aspects of patient care that merit further investigation and monitoring to improve healthcare services and equity.</p

Analisis Zerumbone Dalam Zingiber Zerumbet Dan Aktivitas Penghambatannya Terhadap Bakteri Mycobacterium Tuberculosis: Analysis of Zerumbone in Zingiber Zerumbet and Inhibitory Activity Against Mycobacterium Tuberculosis

Zerumbone has been reported for their several biological activities. In our interest to this compound, we have identified and analyzed its content in Zingiber zerumbet, a medicinal plant from Indonesian traditional medicine and investigated its inhibitory activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a known infection bacteria of tuberculosis. Analysis of zerumbone was performed with densitometry to leave, rhizome, flower, and stem of Z. zerumbet which was extracted with various solvent system and extraction methods to determine the best method to isolate zerumbone from Z. zerumbet. Result showed that the highest zerumbone was in rhizome while was not observed in other part. Analysis with various solvent and extraction methods showed the highest yield of zerumbone can be extracted by n-hexane (maceration) and reflux extraction method (methanol). Furthermore, inhibitory activity of zerumbone against M. tuberculosis was tested using Lowenstein Jensen medium by counting the number of M. tuberculosis colony growth in medium. Resulted inhibitory activity of zerumbone at all test concentration (0.5, 0.1, 0.05, 0.01, 0.005%) with the growth of 10, 12, 14, 15, and 50 colonies of M. tuberculosis was observed, respectively. This is indicate that zerumbone can be used as an alternative choice for treatment tuberculosis in the future

A Year of Wavefront Sensing with JWST in Flight: Cycle 1 Telescope Monitoring and Maintenance Summary

We summarize JWST's measured telescope performance across science Cycle 1. The stability of segments alignments is typically better than 10 nanometers RMS between measurements every two days, leading to highly stable point spread functions. The frequency of segment "tilt events" decreased significantly, and larger tilt events ceased entirely, as structures gradually equilibrated after cooldown. Mirror corrections every 1-2 months now maintain the telescope below 70 nm RMS wavefront error. Observed micrometeoroid impacts during cycle 1 had negligible effect on science performance, consistent with preflight predictions. As JWST begins Cycle 2, its optical performance and stability are equal to, and in some ways better than, the performance reported at the end of commissioning.Comment: STScI Technical Memo. 2.5 pages text, 1 figur

Serum steroid profiling by isotopic dilution-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry: comparison with current immunoassays and reference intervals in healthy adults.

BACKGROUND: The simultaneous, rapid and reliable measurement of a wide steroid panel is a powerful tool to unravel physiological and pathological hormone status. Clinical laboratories are currently dominated by high-throughput immunoassays, but these methods lack specificity due to cross-reactivity and matrix interferences. We developed and validated an isotopic dilution-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (ID-LC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous measurement of cortisol, corticosterone, 11deoxycortisol, androstenedione, deoxycorticosterone (DOC), testosterone, 17OHprogesterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and progesterone in serum, and compared it to routine immunoassays employed in our laboratory. We also established adult reference intervals in 416 healthy subjects. METHODS: 0.9 ml of serum were spiked with labelled internal standards (IS) and extracted on C18 cartridges. Eluate was injected into a two-dimensional LC-system, purified in a perfusion column and separated on a C8 column during a 21 min gradient run. Analytes were revealed by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) followed by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) analysis. RESULTS: Of the four immunoassays compared with the ID-LC-MS/MS method, only the results of ElecsysE170 for cortisol, testosterone in males and progesterone>1 ng/ml were in agreement with ID-LC-MS/MS. ElecsysE170 for testosterone in females and progesterone<1 ng/ml, Immulite2000 for androstenedione, DSL-9000 for DHEA and 17OHP Bridge for 17OHprogesterone, respectively, showed poor agreement. Reference intervals and steroid age and fertility related fluctuations were established. CONCLUSION: Our ID-LC-MS/MS method proved to be reliable and sensitive in revealing steroid circulating concentrations in adults and in highlighting the limits of routine immunoassays at low concentrations