Cardio protective activity of Sargassum wightii on isoproterenol induced myocardial stress in rats

The aim of this investigation is to determine whether the methanolic extracts of Sargassum wightii can protect rats against isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction. Four different groups of rats (6 rats in each group) were taken; where group 1 comprised of normal untreated rats, group 2 was injected with Isoproterenol (synthetic catecholamine), group 3 was considered as standard and hence, was injected with Isoproterenol + Simvastatin and group 4 was treated with Isoproterenol + Sargassum wightii’s extract. Cardioprotective effects of Sargassum wightii was observed via the changes in the lipid profile, cardio marker enzymes and through histopathological studies. Rats treated with the extract of S. wightii showed a significant reduction in total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, serum triglycerides and increase in HDL- cholesterol level indicating an undamaged myocardial membrane. Likewise, low enzyme activity in Sargassum wightii treated rats clearly indicated the cardioprotective effects of Sargassum wightii. Histopathological studies were also done to observe the changes on the rats at the tissue level and no pathological changes were observed in Sargassum wightii treated rats. Hence, methanolic extract of Sargassum wightii is evidenced to possess cardioprotective activity against myocardial infarction

Synergistic Effect of Ramie and Pineapple Fibres Reinforcement on The Strength of Epoxy Matrix Composite

Natural fibre reinforced composite of pineapple and ramie fibre unidirectional mats were fabricated through handlayup process and curing through compression molding process. Six samples of the composite material with different combinations of alternating fibres and orientations of the fibre mats were fabricated and tested for their mechanical properties. It was observed that the stacking sequence, type of fibre and orientation of the fibres make a pronounced difference in the mechanical properties. The outer layer of Ramie fibre mat and the 45° orientation of either of the fibres resulted in better mechanical properties. By making a perfect combination of the stacking sequence of the fibres, type of fibres and orientation, it is possible to enhance the properties of the composite

Job Satisfaction as Mediator: the Role of Leadership Style and Organizational Culture on Employee Performance in Budget-Hotel

Budget hotels around the world have developed rapidly in the last few decades. Good hotel services and provision are urgently needed by Indonesia because Indonesia's growing tourism industry requires a maximum level of service. Currently the trend in tourism which is very common in the world is to travel on a low-budget, backpacker, or staycation. The consumer behavior of the tourism industry has changed the tourism business. Employee performance is very important for any organization, because organizational success depends on the creativity, innovation, satisfaction and commitment shown by its employees. Employee performance is more significant in this industry because employees have direct contact with customers as well as hotel industry employees who provide services to their customers. The decline in performance is an important issue in research on the hotel industry in Indonesia, because tourism is the leading sector and has experienced the largest increase. In some Asian countries such as Indonesia, tourism is a key sector in increasing the income of the population. Improved services in hotel research should be carried out, especially for budget hotels which have limited services. This study uses a sample of 176 employees consisting of two budget hotels, namely Fave Hotel and RedDoorz using non-probability sampling with a structural equation model approach with SmartPLS 3 software. The results of this study explain that in budget hotels in Indonesia organizational culture and job satisfaction become an important factor in improving employee performance at budget hotels. Leadership style does not have a significant influence on employee performance, but leadership style requires job satisfaction in improving the performance of budget hotel employees. Job satisfaction is also an important factor in budget hotels because several factors that affect employee performance have a significant effect when mediated by job satisfaction

Extraction of Chitosan from Crab Shell and Fungi and Its Antibacterial Activity against Urinary Tract Infection Causing Pathogens

In this study, shells of sea crab and fungus Aspergillus niger were subjected for chitosan extraction which has been done following demineralization, deproteination and deacetylation. Chitosan yield from crab shell and fungi was 37.5% and 39.3% respectively and water binding capacity was 58.44% and 60.21% respectively. The extracted chitosan was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and subjected for antibacterial activity against Urinary tract infection (UTI) pathogens – Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis and E. coli. Chitosan of crab shell showed better antibacterial activity than fungal derived chitosan. Chitosan gel was prepared using the extracted chitosan where it was also showing good antibacterial activity

Optimization of Keratinase Production and Utilization of Bacillus pumilus for Feather Degradation

Soil samples were collected from the feather dumped area where Bacillus pumilus was isolated and used for keratinase production and keratinolytic activity. In the optimization study, optimal condition for enzyme production was observed at 144 h, pH 7, temperature 37°C. The organism was utilized for feather degradation study. The maximum degradation of 57% was obtained at 37°C, pH 7 and 6 days incubation. The size of keratinase was determined by SDS- PAGE and was observed as 52 KDa

The Synthesis, Characterization and Applications of Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and PHA-Based Nanoparticles

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are storage granules found in bacteria that are essentially hydroxy fatty acid polyesters. PHA molecules appear in variety of structures, and amongst all types of PHAs, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is used in versatile fields as it is a biodegradable, biocompatible, and ecologically safe thermoplastic. The unique physicochemical characteristics of these PHAs have made them applicable in nanotechnology, tissue engineering, and other biomedical applications. In this review, the optimization, extraction, and characterization of PHAs are described. Their production and application in nanotechnology are also portrayed in this review, and the precise and various production methods of PHA-based nanoparticles, such as emulsion solvent diffusion, nanoprecipitation, and dialysis are discussed. The characterization techniques such as UV-Vis, FTIR, SEM, Zeta Potential, and XRD are also elaborated