Production of aflatoxin by Aspergillus parasiticus and its control

The aim of the present work was to investigate aflatoxin levels in various food commodities and to study its production by Aspergillus parasiticus in culture to find out the possible ways to control it. Of 40 food samples collected from Abha region, Saudi Arabia, only 25% were contaminated with aflatoxins. Oil-rich commodities had the highly contaminated commodities by fungi and aflatoxins while spices were free from afatoxins. The optimal pH for the growth of A. parasiticus and its productivity of aflatoxin B, was found at 6.0, while the best incubation conditions were found at 30°C for 10 days. D-glucose was the best carbon source for fungal growth, as well as aflatoxin production. Corn steep liquor, yeast extract and peptone were the best nitrogen sources for both fungal growth and toxin production. (NH4)2HPO4 (1.55 gL-1) and NaNO2 (1.6 gL-1) reduced fungal growth and toxin production with 37.7% and 85%, respectively. Of ten amino acids tested, asparagine was the best for aflatoxin B, production. Zn2+ and Co2+ supported significantly both fungal growth, as well as aflatoxin B, production at the different tested concentrations. Zn2+ was effective when added to A. parasiticus growth medium at the first two days of the culture age. The other tested metal ions gave variable effects depending on the type of ion and its concentration. Water activity (a ) was an important factor controlling the growth of A. parasiticus and toxin production. The minimum aW for the fungal growth was 0.8 on both coffee beans and rice grains, while aW, of 0.70 caused complete inhibition for the growth and aflatoxin B, production. H202 is a potent inhibitor for growth of A. parasiticus and its productivity of toxins. Incubation with NaHCO3 and C6H5000Na converted aflatoxin B, to a water-soluble form which returned to aflatoxin B, by acid treatment. Black pepper, ciliated heath, cuminum and curcuma were the most inhibitory spices on toxin production. Glutathione, quinine, EDTA, sodium azide, indole acetic acid, 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid, phenol and catechol were inhibitory for both growth, as well as, aflatoxin B, production. Stearic acid supported the fungal growth and decreased the productivity of AFBI gradually. Lauric acid is the most suppressive fatty acid for both fungal growth and aflatoxin production, but oleic acid was the most potent supporter. Vitamin A supported the growth but inhibited aflatoxin B, production. Vitamins C and D2 were also repressive particularly for aflatoxin production. The present study included determining the activities of some enzymes in relation to aflatoxin production in A. parasiticus culture during 20 days. Glycolytic enzymes and pyruvate-generating enzymes seems to be linked with aflatoxin B, production. Also, pentose-phosphate pathway enzymes may provide NADPH for aflatoxin B, synthesis. The decreased activities of TCA cycle enzymes particularly from 4th day of growth up to 10th day were correlated with the increase of aflatoxin B, production. All the tested enzymes as well as aflatoxin B, production were inhibited by either catechol or phenol

A New Development of Wastewater Treatment Unit for Paint Shop in Vehicle Industry

In vehicle industry, the painting is applied using two types of paints to produce the final color required. The vehicle body is generally pressed and welded and transported to a pre-clean area. Here, high pressure water spray jets are directed at the body with the purpose of cleaning off dirt and debris from previous processes. This study covers the paint workshop inside the vehicle factory and its wastewater. ELPO process use water to ease its application, this waster is wasted containing Zinc (Zn) 2 ppm, Nickel (Ni) 1.5 ppm, copper (Cu) 1.5 ppm, cadmium0.3 ppm and less than 1000 mg/l TSS. This wastewater is mixed with other factory branches in the equalization tank, where, the various combinations of the waste create a unique treatment challenge. At the Equalization Tank the various wastewater streams are blended and homogenized into a predictable and consistent influent. The objective of this research is to submit treatment solution to the existing pollutants mentioned above occupying a small area and with minimum cost. This could be applied by raising the pH of the wastewater to the minimum solubility of the combined metals, Zn, Ni, P and then, adding coagulants and a flocculants to enhance settling of the resulted solids. The separation of the solids from the clean water is accomplished by use of a plate settler unit. Settled solids will be dewatered by filter press unit before its disposal to sanitary land fill. The effluent overflows to a multi-media filter for further polishing. PH is again adjusted to permitted discharge levels, usually less than 9, and the water is discharged to the city sewer. The effluent wastewater showed high removal efficiency for all parameters in the full scale lab and after applying the system in the factory. The effluent was abiding all the environmental laws for applying to public sewers

Enhancing Map Reduce Computation Integrity on Hybrid Cloud

MapReduce is one of the most popular distributed programming frameworks. However, MapReduce in the public cloud suffers from a lack of confidence in the participating virtual machines. Also, malicious nodes may purposely cheat the processing result during map tasks or reduce tasks. Thus, the results will be unreliable and erroneous. In this paper, we propose a technique which overlays on a hybrid cloud. We run the master and some of the slave workers on a private cloud that is a trusted cloud, and the remaining workers run on a public cloud. Our technique depends on replicating a subset of each task to reduce overhead. When a malicious worker on the public cloud executes a task and an error is detected as a part of replicated subset, we detect and exclude this worker from the cloud. We carry out several theoretical experiments to investigate the security and performance overhead. The results provide high computation integrity and little performance overhead

Prediction Analysis of Esophageal Variceal Degrees using Data Mining: Is Validated in Clinical Medicine?

The objective of this study is to assess the feasibility of a data mining association analysis technique in early prediction of esophageal varices in cirrhotic patients and prediction of risky groups candidates for urgent interventional procedure. A manuscript titled 201C;Detection of Risky Esophageal varices using 2D U/S: when to perform Endoscopy201D;, published in The American Journal of The Medical Science on 21Th of December 2012, to our knowledge it was the first prospective study to assess the degree of esophageal varices by 2D ultrasound using the data mining statistical computed analysis in 673 patients. A descriptive model was generated using a decision tree algorithm (Rapid Miner, version 4.6, Berlin, Germany), the over all accuracy was 95%. Following another 59 patients using statistical analysis to determine the association between esophageal variceal degrees detected by Ultrasound in comparable to Upper Endoscopy, was done. Categorical data were compared using the x2 test, where as continuous variables were compared using Student2019;s t test. The comparative results accuracy of both two studies was 97.9%

A randomized trial of brief treatment of earlystage Hodgkin lymphoma: Is it effective?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVESWhether it is possible to reduce the intensity of treatment in early (stage I or II) Hodgkin lymphoma with a favorable prognosis remains unclear. Therefore, we conducted this randomized trial, comparing two treatment groups consisting of a combination chemotherapy regimen of two different intensities followed by involved-field radiation therapy at two different dose levels.DESIGN AND SETTINGProspective, randomized, in patients referred to the Department of Clinical Oncology and Nuclear Medicine.PATIENTS AND METHODSNinety-eight patients with histologically proven early-stage Hodgkin lymphoma with a favorable prognosis were enrolled in this study between January 2008 and June 2010. They were randomly assigned in one of two treatment arms: arm I received four cycles of ABVD (Adriamycin, belomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine) followed by 30Gy of involved-field radiation therapy; arm II received two cycles of ABVD followed by 20Gy of involved-field radiation therapy.RESULTSDuring the follow-up period, the 2-year relapse free survival rates were 96% and 95% in arm I and arm II, respectively(P=.8), while the 2-year overall survival rates were 98% and 95% in arm I and arm II, respectively (P=.16). Acute toxicity affected 54% of patients treated with four cycles of ABVD, who had grade III or IV toxicity, as compared with 30% of those receiving two cycles (P<.02). The rates of acute toxicity (grade III or IV) were also higher among patients treated with 30Gy of involved-field radiation therapy than among those receiving 20Gy (16% vs. 2.5%, P<.03).CONCLUSIONIn patients with early-stage Hodgkin lymphoma and a favorable prognosis, treatment with two cycles of ABVD followed by 20Gy of involved-field radiation therapy was as effective as, and less toxic than, four cycles of ABVD followed by 30Gy of involved-field radiation therapy

Bakterieller Abbau von Biarylethern

Two bacterial strains Rhodococcus sp. and Paenibacillus sp.capable of utilizing dibenzofuran as a sole carbon source were isolated from Egyptian soil. Rhodococcus sp. strain HA01 was capable to mineralize dibenzofuran, and to transform dibenzo-p-dioxin via initial angular dioxygenation albeit with low activity. Also 3-chlorodibenzofuran was transformed mainly by angular dioxygenation with 4-chlorosalicylate as end-product. 2-chlorodibenzofuran was transformed by similar extends via angular dioxygenation with 5-chlorosalicylate as product and by lateral dioxygenation giving 2-chloro-3,4-dihydro-3,4-dihydroxydibenzofuran as novel product. Two gene clusters for the angular dioxygenation of dibenzofuran were isolated. One with high similarity to DfdA dibenzofuran dioxygenase from Terrabacter sp. strain YK3. A second with high similarity to DbfA dibenzofuran dioxygenase from Terrabacter sp. strain DBF63. Overall, activities observed in the wild-type strain can be explained by the combined action of both angular dioxygenases and a lateral dioxygenase. Using knock-out mutants it could be proven that DbfB extradiol dioxygenase of Sphingomonas wittichii RW1, previously reported as involved in dibenzofuran and dibenzo-p-dioxin degradation, is not indispensable for growth but could be substituted by a thus far unidentified extradiol dioxygenase. A detailed kinetic analysis of four extradiol dioxygenases of RW1 (DbfB, Edo2, Edo3 and Edo4) revealed all of them to be subject to severe mechanism based inactivation by 2,2`,3-trihydroxybiphenylether (THBE) the intermediate of dibenzo-p-dioxin degradation with Edo4 being superior as reflected by the relatively high partition ratio and the comparably low efficiency of inactivation, even though Edo4 was evidently not induced during growth on dibenzo-p-dioxin.zwei Bakterienstämme Rhodococcus sp. und Paenibacillus sp. aufgrund ihrer Fähigkeit, Dibenzofuran als einzige Kohlenstoffquelle zu verwerten, isoliert. Rhodococcus sp. HA01 mineralisierte nicht nur Dibenzofuran sondern setzte auch Dibenzo-p-dioxin durch anguläre Dioxygenierung um, allerdings mit relativ geringer Rate. Auch 3-Chlordibenzofuran wurde überwiegend durch anguläre Dioxygenierung zu 4-Chlorsalicylat als Endprodukt umgesetzt. 2-Chlordibenzofuran sowohl durch anguläre Dioxygenierung zu 5-Chlorsalicylat als Endprodukt, als auch in gleichem Ausmaß durch laterale Dioxygenierung zu 2-Chlor-3,4-dihydro-3,4-dihydroxydibenzofuran als neuartigem Produkt umgesetzt. Während in bisher charakterisierten Dibenzofuran-Abbauern die Anwesenheit nur eines für die anguläre Dioxygenierung verantwortlichen Genclusters beschrieben ist, zeichnete sich HA01 durch zwei solche Cluster aus, Das Gencluster Dibenzofuran Dioxygenase, mit hoher Ähnlichkeit zur DfdA Dibenzofuran Dioxygenase des Stammes Terrabacter sp. YK3. Ein zweites Dibenzofuran Dioxygenase mit hoher Ähnlichkeit zu derjenigen des Stammes Terrabacter sp. DBF63. durch anguläre Dioxygenierung umsetzte, jedoch nicht 3-Chlordibenzofuran. Zusammenfassend können die im Wildtyp beobachteten Aktivitäten aus dem Zusammenspiel beider angulärer Dioxygenasen und einer nicht weiter untersuchten lateralen Dioxygenase erklärt werden. Mittels knock-out Mutanten konnte gezeigt werden, dass die DbfB Extradiol Dioxygenase des Stammes Sphingomonas wittichii RW1, welche als am Abbau von Dibenzofuran and Dibenzo-p-dioxin beteiligt beschrieben wurde, für ein Wachstum verzichtbar ist und durch eine bisher nicht identifizierte Extradiol Dioxygenase ersetzt werden kann. Eine detaillierte kinetische Analyse von vier Extradiol Dioxygenasen des Stammes RW1 (DbfB, Edo2, Edo3 and Edo4) zeigte, dass alle einer signifikanten im Enzymmechanismus begründeten Inaktivierung durch 2,2`,3-Trihydroxybiphenyl Ether, das Zwischenprodukt des Dibenzo-p-dioxin Abbaus unterliegen. Edo4 erwies sich, obwohl es beim Wachstum mit Dibenzo-p-dioxin nicht induziert ist, als den anderen Enzymen überlegen, was durch das hohe “partition ratio” und die vergleichbar geringe Effizienz der Inaktivierung belegt ist

Impact of Culture Media Composition, Nutrients Stress and Gamma Radiation on Biomass and Lipid of the Green Microalga, Dictyochloropsis splendida as a Potential Feedstock for Biodiesel Production

يعتمد إنتاج الديزل الحيوي من الطحالب الدقيقة على إنتاج الكتلة الحيوية ومحتوى الدهون. يتم التحكم في زياده انتاج الكتلة الحيوية و تراكم الدهون بواسطة عدة عوامل.فى هذا العمل تم دراسة تأثيرات ثلاث اوساط غذائيه خاصة بزراعة الطحالب ( BG11, BBM, Urea media) وايضا بعض المغذيات)النيتروجين والفوسفورو المغنيسيوم والكربون) واشعة جاما على نمو وانتاج الدهون لطحالب Dictyochloropsis splendida. تم الحصول علي أعلي انتاج للكتله الحيويه والدهون لطحلب Dictyochloropsis splendida  عندما تم زراعة الطحلب على الوسط الغذائي BG11 . علاوة على ذلك كان اعلى انتاجية للكتله الحيويه عند 3000 مليجرام / لتر نيتروجين او 160 مليجرام / لتر فوسفور او 113 مليجرام/لتر مغنسيوم او 20 مليجرام/ لتر كربونات.  بينما عند غياب المغذيات فان تراكم الدهون زاد. من ناحية اخرى فان المحتوى الدهنى للطحلب وصل الى 18.26% عندما تعرضت خلايا الطحلب لجرعة 25 جراى من اشعة جاما. وكانت  الدهون المستخلصة من الطحلب تتكون من نسبة عالية من الاحماض الدهنية المشبعة (SFAs, 63.33% ) والاحماض الدهنية الغيرمشبعة (UFAs, 37.02%) وكانت السيادة لحمض البالمتيك (C16:0) ثم حمض اللينوليك (C18:2) فحمض بنتاديكانويك (C15:0) وحمض بالميتوليك (C16:1). و تمثل الاحماض الدهنية المستخلصه من طحلب Dictyochloropsis splendida بهذا التركيب مواد خام واعدة لانتاج الديزل الحيوي.Biodiesel production from microalgae depends on the biomass and lipid production. Both biomass and lipid accumulation is controlled by several factors. The effect of various culture media (BG11, BBM, and Urea), nutrients stress [nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), magnesium (Mg) and carbonate (CO3)] and gamma (γ) radiation on the growth and lipid accumulation of   Dictyochloropsis splendida were investigated. The highest biomass and lipid yield of D. splendida were achieved on BG11 medium. Cultivation of D. splendida in a medium containing 3000 mg L−1 N, or 160 mg L−1 P, or 113 mg L−1 Mg, or 20 mg L-1 CO3, led to enhanced growth rate. While under the low concentrations of nutrients caused a marked increase in the lipid content. Cultures exposure to 25 Gy of γ-rays, led to an increase in lipid content up to 18.26 ± 0.81 %. Lipid profile showed the maximum presence of saturated fatty acids (SFAs, 63.33%), and unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs, 37.02%). Fatty acids (FAs) recorded the predominance of C16:0, C18:2, C15:0 and C16:1, which strongly proved D. splendida is a promising feedstock for biodiesel production.        

Curative role of lactulose, L-carnitine, alpha-lipoic acid and combination of L-carnitine and alpha-lipoic acid in a rat model of acute hepatic encephalopathy: Biochemical observations

Purpose: To determine whether a combination L-carnitine and α-lipoic acid (ALA) can alleviate the toxic effects of thioacetamide (TAA) via their potent antioxidant and free radical-scavenging activities.Methods: Rats were injected with TAA for 3 days to induce acute hepatic failure. TAA induced rats were treated with each of lactulose, L-carnitine and ALA alone and a combination of L-carnitine and ALA for 3 months. Thereafter, biochemical indices, ammonia levels, oxidative stress markers, and the levels of inflammatory markers were assessed in serum, liver and brain.Results: A significant improvement was observed after 3 months of antioxidants treatment. Lactulose, L-carnitine and ALA significantly decreased serum concentrations of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransaminase (AST) and level of total bilirubin while both levels of total protein (TP) and albumin (ALB) were significantly increased (p &lt; 0.05 ) compared to TAA group. In addition, each of antioxidants alone significantly decreased ammonia (NH3) concentrations of serum, liver and brain in TAA-induced rats. Treatment with antioxidants for 3 months significantly (p &lt; 0.05) decreased Malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) while antioxidant enzyme activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were significantly increased (p &lt; 0.05) in liver and brain tissues. The expressions of serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and soluble protein (S100-β) were significantly (p &lt; 0.05) down-regulated in TAA-induced rats.Conclusion: L-carnitine in combination with ALA can mitigate HE induced experimentally in rats. The protective efficacy of L-carnitine in combination with ALA in HE can be attributed to suppression of oxidative stress, ammonia concentration and the levels of inflammatory markers. Thus, it may have the potential to be used to treat liver cirrhosis in clinical settings.Keywords: Lactulose, L-carnitine, α-Lipoic acid, Hepatic encephalopathy, Thioacetamide, Oxidative stress, Cirrhosis, Acute liver injur