Development and Validation of a Kinetic Model for Enzymatic Hydrolysis Using \u3ci\u3eCandida rugosa\u3c/i\u3e Lipase

Biochemical processing involving enzymatic catalysis of hydrolysis reactions of oils and fats must overcome significant technological barriers before the full benefits of the technology can be realized. Owing to their selectivity and mild reaction conditions, lipases are becoming increasingly important as biocatalysts provided that their kinetics and optimum reaction conditions are well-understood. In this study we report on the development and validation of a kinetic model for the degradation of oils using Candida rugosa lipase, from which a better understanding of the influence of different reaction conditions on hydrolysis kinetics is elucidated. Variations of reaction temperature, mixing speed, enzyme loading and substrate concentrations yielded a maximum lipase activity of 25.67 lipase units (LU), and an activation energy of 4.32 Kcal/gmol. Significantly higher enzyme loading at 0.7 mg/ml was achieved, a 169% increase over most recently reported loading by other investigators. Optimum operating ranges for medium pH and substrate concentration were established to be 7.5 to 8.5, and 30 to 55%, respectively. Reported findings mark a significant improvements over previously reported much narrower ranges of 8.0 for pH and 30 to 43% for the substrate concentration under similar experimental conditions. Developed kinetics model closely predicted and matched experimental results, rendering it suitable for biochemical engineering design application

Outpatient Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Patients with Multiple Myeloma

Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is still the standard of care in patients with multiple myeloma who are eligible for transplantation, despite the recent availability of several lines of novel therapies. Several studies have shown that autologous transplantation using non-cryopreserved stem cells is safe, cost-effective, and leads to outcomes that are equivalent to transplantation of cryopreserved autologous stem cells. With daily clinical evaluation and intensive supportive care, performance of autologous stem cell transplantation at outpatient setting is safe, feasible, and cost-effective. However, there are specific inclusion and exclusion criteria that should be taken into consideration to select the right candidates for this modality of transplantation. Recipients of outpatient transplantation may require hospitalization in case of certain complications, such as febrile neutropenia, sepsis, decrease in performance status, and severe mucositis. Following outpatient autologous transplantation, maintenance therapy is usually given till disease progression

Design and development of Binary Diffractive Germanium Lens by thin film deposition

The design and development of infrared (λ: [8]–[12] µm) binary diffractive germanium lens (BDGL) by two - steps thin film deposition (Physical vapor deposition (PVD) technique) is presented. The optical design of the required elements using the optical design code Zemax, the design of the 4 steps binary surface and its required metallic masks using the programming language Delphi, the procedures of fabrication, and the measurement of the resulting profile, were presented. The comparison between the refractive/diffractive lenses by measuring the minimum resolvable temperature difference (MRTD) shows the advantages of binary diffractive surface

Effects of pitch and musical sounds on body-representations when moving with sound

The effects of music on bodily movement and feelings, such as when people are dancing or engaged in physical activity, are well-documented—people may move in response to the sound cues, feel powerful, less tired. How sounds and bodily movements relate to create such effects? Here we deconstruct the problem and investigate how different auditory features affect people’s body-representation and feelings even when paired with the same movement. In three experiments, participants executed a simple arm raise synchronised with changing pitch in simple tones (Experiment 1), rich musical sounds (Experiment 2) and within different frequency ranges (Experiment 3), while we recorded indirect and direct measures on their movement, body-representations and feelings. Changes in pitch influenced people’s general emotional state as well as the various bodily dimensions investigated—movement, proprioceptive awareness and feelings about one’s body and movement. Adding harmonic content amplified the differences between ascending and descending sounds, while shifting the absolute frequency range had a general effect on movement amplitude, bodily feelings and emotional state. These results provide new insights in the role of auditory and musical features in dance and exercise, and have implications for the design of sound-based applications supporting movement expression, physical activity, or rehabilitation

Adaptive indoor positioning model based on WLAN-fingerprinting for dynamic and multi-floor environments

The Global Positioning System demonstrates the significance of Location Based Services but it cannot be used indoors due to the lack of line of sight between satellites and receivers. Indoor Positioning Systems are needed to provide indoor Location Based Services. Wireless LAN fingerprints are one of the best choices for Indoor Positioning Systems because of their low cost, and high accuracy, however they have many drawbacks: creating radio maps is time consuming, the radio maps will become outdated with any environmental change, different mobile devices read the received signal strength (RSS) differently, and peoples’ presence in LOS between access points and mobile device affects the RSS. This research proposes a new Adaptive Indoor Positioning System model (called DIPS) based on: a dynamic radio map generator, RSS certainty technique and peoples’ presence effect integration for dynamic and multi-floor environments. Dynamic in our context refers to the effects of people and device heterogeneity. DIPS can achieve 98% and 92% positioning accuracy for floor and room positioning, and it achieves 1.2 m for point positioning error. RSS certainty enhanced the positioning accuracy for floor and room for different mobile devices by 11% and 9%. Then by considering the peoples’ presence effect, the error is reduced by 0.2 m. In comparison with other works, DIPS achieves better positioning without extra devices

Effect of Dexamethasone on Tail Regeneration in the Electric Black Ghost Knifefish Apteronotus albifrons (Linnaeus, 1766)

The study was conducted to find out the impact of dexamethasone of different doses on tail regeneration in the electric black ghost knifefish Apteronotus albifrons (Linnaeus, 1766) after two weeks of amputation. Fish were distributed into five equal groups; Dexamethasone drug was applied at concentrations of 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 mg.l-1. Water was exchanging every 48 hours with new prepared drug to ensure its stability in treatments. Concentrations 1, 2 and 3 mg.l-1 were not lethal , while the concentration 4 mg.l-1 was lethal, It was observed that fish were dead  after four days for concentration 4 mg.l-1.The study showed that the group of control was increased considerably (P < 0.05) (4.5mm± 0.866) in the tail after 14 days of amputation in comparing with treated groups. Treated groups (1, 2 and 3 mg.l-1) showed slowly increase with an average 2.83mm ±0.763, 2.50mm ±0.500, and 2.33mm ±0.577 respectively. The mean of relative gene expression of the junb was 1.109 in control group that is significant (P < 0.05) compared with treated groups that showed a decrease in junb expression (0.074 for 1 mg.l-1, 0.050 for 2 mg.l-1 and 0.006 for 3 mg.l-1). Current study concludes that dexamethasone inhibit tissues regeneration after amputation via suppress stem cells growth, and junb gene specific for stem cells enhancing and the drug reduced its expression.

Effect of Dexamethasone on Tail Regeneration in the Electric Black Ghost Knifefish Apteronotus albifrons (Linnaeus, 1766)

The study was conducted to find out the impact of dexamethasone of different doses on tail regeneration in the electric black ghost knifefish Apteronotus albifrons (Linnaeus, 1766) after two weeks of amputation. Fish were distributed into five equal groups; Dexamethasone drug was applied at concentrations of 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 mg.l-1. Water was exchanging every 48 hours with new prepared drug to ensure its stability in treatments. Concentrations 1, 2 and 3 mg.l-1 were not lethal , while the concentration 4 mg.l-1 was lethal, It was observed that fish were dead  after four days for concentration 4 mg.l-1.The study showed that the group of control was increased considerably (P < 0.05) (4.5mm± 0.866) in the tail after 14 days of amputation in comparing with treated groups. Treated groups (1, 2 and 3 mg.l-1) showed slowly increase with an average 2.83mm ±0.763, 2.50mm ±0.500, and 2.33mm ±0.577 respectively. The mean of relative gene expression of the junb was 1.109 in control group that is significant (P < 0.05) compared with treated groups that showed a decrease in junb expression (0.074 for 1 mg.l-1, 0.050 for 2 mg.l-1 and 0.006 for 3 mg.l-1). Current study concludes that dexamethasone inhibit tissues regeneration after amputation via suppress stem cells growth, and junb gene specific for stem cells enhancing and the drug reduced its expression.

Evaluation of Infection Control Adherence Among Health Care Workers at Hemodialysis Units

Background: Patients with chronic renal insufficiency suffer from abnormalities of the immune system, making them more susceptible to infections. Renal disease patients and health care workers are at high risk for infection due to frequently repeated exposure to contaminants in dialysis units. The microbiological monitoring used for hemodialysis is extremely important, especially because of the debilitated immune system of patients suffering from chronic renal insufficiency. Objectives: The purpose of this study to investigate Infection Control Adherence among Health Care Workers at Hemodialysis Units. Methods and Materials: The study was performed from Jun 2019 to 2019. Environmental and air samples were collected. The media used were nutrient agar for the total bacterial count, MacConkey agar for Gram-negative count. Colonial morphology, Gram staining and biochemical test were used for the identification and characterization of the microorganisms. Demographic, environmental, behavioral and some risk factors associated with the patients (N=205) and the HCW (N=32) in haemodialysis units were recorded in a separate questionnaire. Results: The isolates were predominantly gram-negative bacteria, with Enterobacter being the most common followed by Staphylococcus spp. One isolate each of Klebsiella pneuminiae, Salmonella sp. and Citrobacter diversus was obtained. Only 80% of haemodialysis patients received hepatitis B vaccine. Adherence to infection control measures among health care workers was low in 31.2%, moderate in 34.4% and high in 34.4%. Conclusion: The study showed low adherence to infection control measures among patients receiving maintenance HD and HCW in Gaza Strip

Measurement of tibial nerve excursion during ankle joint dorsiflexion in a weight-bearing position with ultrasound imaging

The ability of peripheral nerves to stretch and slide is thought to be of paramount importance to maintain ideal neural function. Excursion in peripheral nerves such as the tibial can be measured by analysis of ultrasound images. The aim of this study was to assess the degree of longitudinal tibial nerve excursion as the ankle moved from plantar flexion to dorsiflexion in a standardised weight-bearing position. The reliability of ultrasound imaging to measure tibial nerve excursion was also quantified