Enhancement of alpha amylase production by Aspergillus flavus AUMC 11685 on mandarin (Citrus reticulata) peel using submerged fermentation

Mandarin peel as submerged fermentation (SmF) source was tested for the production of alpha amylase enzyme by strain of Aspergillus flavus AUMC 11685. Incubation period, concentration of substrate, temperature, pH and size of inoculum were optimized to achieve the maximum production of alpha amylase enzyme by Aspergillus flavus using mandarin peel. The maximum production of alpha amylase enzyme by Aspergillus flavus was recorded at 4-5 days of incubation, 3% substrate concentration, inoculum concentration 10%, temperature 28-40°C and pH 4-5.5. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.81827

التمييز البيوكيميائي للشستوسوما الادمية وعائلها من الرخوبات باستخدام تقنيِات الهجرة الكهربية

The recent application of biochemical techniques in taxonomy markedly improved the specific identification and strain characterization of a wide range of living organisms. These techniques are gradually replacing classical anatomical and morphological indices commonly used for characterization of animal parasites particularly those of medical and veterinary importance. Amongest these biochemical techniques, both electrophoresis and iso-electric focusing proved to be most useful and reliable tools in this respect. The present investigation includes a detailed study of the electrophoretic and/or the iso-electric focusing patterns of soluble proteins, non specific esterases, acid phosphatases, aspartate amino transferase (AST), glutamate - oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and a-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase in some snail populations as well as in some strains of schistosomes. Certain inter-population and inter-strain variations are observed in the patterns of these proteins and enzymes proving the importance of the biochemical characterization of populations of snails and strains of schistosomes. The significant correlation between these observed biochemical variations and the differences observed in the susceptibility patterns of different populations of snails to infection with human schistosomes has been also attempted.أدى التطبيق الحديث للطرق البيوكيميائية في علم التصنيف إلى تحسُن واضح في تحديد الأنواع وتمييز السلالات في مختلف الكائنات الحية ، وبدأت هذه الاساليب تحل تدريجيا محل المعايير التقليدية لخصائص التشريح والبنيان والمستخدمة عادة لتعريف الطفيليات الحيوانية وبخاصة تلك ذات الاهمية الطبية أو البيطرية . ويندرج ضمن هذه الطرق تقنيات الهجرة الكهربية والتركز عند نقطة التعادل الأيوني ، والتي أثبتت كفايتها الفائقة في هذا المجال . ويتضمن البحث دراسات تفصيلية لأنماط الهجرة الكهربية أو التركز عند نقطة التعادل الايوني للبروتينات الذائبة و انزيمات محللة للاسترات والانزيم الحمضي المحلل للفوسفات وانزيم ناقل للاسبارتات ونازع الهيدروجين من فوسفات الجلسرين ، وذلك في بعض عشائر القواقع الناقلة للطفيلي وكذلك في بعض سلالات طفيلي الشستوسوما . وقد لوحظت بعض الاختلافات البينية ذات الدلالة لبعض عشائر القواقع وكذلك بعض سلالات الطفيلي ، مؤكدة أهمية التعرف البيوكيميائي على عشائر القواقع وسلالات الطفيلي وقد تمت مناقشة العلاقة بين تلك الاختلافات البيوكيميائية والفروق المشاهدة في أنماط قابلية العشائر المختلفة من القواقع للعدوى بسلالات الشستوسوما الآدمية التي تضمنتها الدراسة

Enhancement of alpha amylase production by Aspergillus flavus AUMC 11685 on mandarin (Citrus reticulata) peel using submerged fermentation

Mandarin peel as submerged fermentation (SmF) source was tested for the production of alpha amylase enzyme by strain of Aspergillus flavus AUMC 11685. Incubation period, concentration of substrate, temperature, pH and size of inoculum were optimized to achieve the maximum production of alpha amylase enzyme by Aspergillus flavus using mandarin peel. The maximum production of alpha amylase enzyme by Aspergillus flavus was recorded at 4-5 days of incubation, 3% substrate concentration, inoculum concentration 10%, temperature 28-40°C and pH 4-5.5. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.81827

Foraging Behavior of Two Coccinellid Species (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) Fed on Aphids

ABSTRACT Searching rate, mutual interference, and killing power were studied for two predator species, Coccinella undecimpunctata L. and Hippodamia tredecimpunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), provided with two prey species, Aphis gossypii (Glover) and Aphis punicae (Shinji) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), under laboratory conditions of 27 6 2uC and 70 6 5% RH. The searching rate of larvae and adult female C. undecimpunctata was higher than that of H. tredecimpunctata. Both C. undecimpunctata and H. tredecimpunctata exhibited higher searching rates when fed on A. gossypii than when fed on A. punicae. Larvae and adults of C. undecimpunctata showed higher searching rates than H. tredecimpunctata on both prey species. Mutual interference values for larval stage of both C. undecimpunctata and H. tredecimpunctata were higher than those for adults. For H. tredecimpunctata feeding on A. th larval instars and adults, respectively; while these values were 0.161, 0.167, 0.218, 0.140, and 0.058 on A. punicae, respectively. In conclusion, our laboratory data suggest that C. undecimpunctata might be a more efficient predator of A. gossypii and A. punicae compared with H. tredecimpunctata

Global Incidence and Risk Factors Associated With Postoperative Urinary Retention Following Elective Inguinal Hernia Repair

Importance Postoperative urinary retention (POUR) is a well-recognized complication of inguinal hernia repair (IHR). A variable incidence of POUR has previously been reported in this context, and contradictory evidence surrounds potential risk factors.Objective To ascertain the incidence of, explore risk factors for, and determine the health service outcomes of POUR following elective IHR.Design, Setting, and Participants The Retention of Urine After Inguinal Hernia Elective Repair (RETAINER I) study, an international, prospective cohort study, recruited participants between March 1 and October 31, 2021. This study was conducted across 209 centers in 32 countries in a consecutive sample of adult patients undergoing elective IHR.Exposure Open or minimally invasive IHR by any surgical technique, under local, neuraxial regional, or general anesthesia.Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was the incidence of POUR following elective IHR. Secondary outcomes were perioperative risk factors, management, clinical consequences, and health service outcomes of POUR. A preoperative International Prostate Symptom Score was measured in male patients.Results In total, 4151 patients (3882 male and 269 female; median [IQR] age, 56 [43-68] years) were studied. Inguinal hernia repair was commenced via an open surgical approach in 82.2% of patients (n = 3414) and minimally invasive surgery in 17.8% (n = 737). The primary form of anesthesia was general in 40.9% of patients (n = 1696), neuraxial regional in 45.8% (n = 1902), and local in 10.7% (n = 446). Postoperative urinary retention occurred in 5.8% of male patients (n = 224), 2.97% of female patients (n = 8), and 9.5% (119 of 1252) of male patients aged 65 years or older. Risk factors for POUR after adjusted analyses included increasing age, anticholinergic medication, history of urinary retention, constipation, out-of-hours surgery, involvement of urinary bladder within the hernia, temporary intraoperative urethral catheterization, and increasing operative duration. Postoperative urinary retention was the primary reason for 27.8% of unplanned day-case surgery admissions (n = 74) and 51.8% of 30-day readmissions (n = 72).Conclusions The findings of this cohort study suggest that 1 in 17 male patients, 1 in 11 male patients aged 65 years or older, and 1 in 34 female patients may develop POUR following IHR. These findings could inform preoperative patient counseling. In addition, awareness of modifiable risk factors may help to identify patients at increased risk of POUR who may benefit from perioperative risk mitigation strategies

Hypothesis: Could Excessive Fructose Intake and Uric Acid Cause Type 2 Diabetes?

We propose that excessive fructose intake (>50 g/d) may be one of the underlying etiologies of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. The primary sources of fructose are sugar (sucrose) and high fructose corn syrup. First, fructose intake correlates closely with the rate of diabetes worldwide. Second, unlike other sugars, the ingestion of excessive fructose induces features of metabolic syndrome in both laboratory animals and humans. Third, fructose appears to mediate the metabolic syndrome in part by raising uric acid, and there are now extensive experimental and clinical data supporting uric acid in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome. Fourth, environmental and genetic considerations provide a potential explanation of why certain groups might be more susceptible to developing diabetes. Finally, we discuss the counterarguments associated with the hypothesis and a potential explanation for these findings. If diabetes might result from excessive intake of fructose, then simple public health measures could have a major impact on improving the overall health of our populace