Desain dan Implementasi Fraction Collector Menggunakan MCs 51

 This paper presents a design and an implementation of a chemical laboratory equipment which serves to collect automatically liquid droplets from a column in the chromatography colomn. This equipment uses MCs 51 family for setting hatching time, displaying hatching counter, and moving the dropper in X and Y axes. Two stepper motors are used to fill 225 tubs with each volume is 15 ml. Therefore, we have a Fraction Collector. The results shows that our system works well, all droplets occurs in the middle of the tube, and the time for transfering a dropler  from one tube to another time is 6.5 seconds.Keywords: chromatography colomn, MCs51 controller, test tube, Fraction Collector. Tulisan ini membahas mengenai desain dan pembuatan Fraction Collector yaitu peralatan laboratorium kimia yang berfungsi untuk menampung tetesan cairan yang keluar dari suatu kolom pada proses kromatografi kolom secara otomatis. Alat ini dilengkapi sebuah pengendali mikrokontroler MCs 51 untuk mengatur dan menampilkan lamanya waktu penetesan, juga menggerakkan penetes ke arah sumbu X dan Y oleh dua buah motor stepper untuk mengisi 225 tabung reaksi yang masing-masing berukuran 15 ml. Hasil pengujian sistem bekerja dengan baik, tetesan terjadi ditengah-tengah tabung dan rata-rata waktu yang dibutuhkan untuk perpindahan penetes dari satu tabung ke tabung berikutnya adalah 6.5 detik.  Kata kunci: Fraction Collector, kromatografi kolom, pengendali MCs 51, tabung reaksi Â

Deskripsi Industri Pengolahan Kelapa Sawit

The aim of this research was to find out the plantation of palm oil in PT. Perkebunan Nusantara VII Suni Business Unit at Jemenang village Rambang Dangku sub-district Muara Enim regency South Sumatra in 2012. The focuses of this research were the source of the raw materials, labor, transportation, and marketing.The method used in this research was descriptive method. The subject in this study was the plantation of palm oil in PT. Perkebunan Nusantara VII Suni Business Unit. For data collection, the researcher used observation, interview, questionnaire, and documentation. While data analysis with percentages were used as the basis for the interpretation and description in making of this research report.The results of this research showed that the plantation of palm oil in PT Perkebunan Nusantara VII Suni Business Unit was as following: 1) the origin of raw materials PT. Perkebunan Nusantara VII Suni entirely from farmers who are partners of the company, 2) the work force is working on PT. Perkebunan Nusantara VII Suni comes from within and outside the province of South Sumatra, 3) means of transportation on the PT. Perkebunan Nusantara VII Suni entirely contract status, and 4) the marketing of their products are marketed both in Domestic and Export

PENGEMBANGAN BAHAN AJAR SISTEM GERAK MANUSIA BERBASIS PETA KONSEP DALAM MENINGKATKAN PENGUASAAN KONSEP SISWA KELAS XI SMA DI KABUPATEN JEMBER

Abstract. A Concept map provides a concrete visual aid to help organizing the information before it is learned in order to create a meaningful learning. This research aimed to determine process of learning materials of human movement system based on the concept map and to know the level of mastery concepts of the students. This research was a developmental research using 4-D models. To evaluate the quality of learning materials, it used the questionnaire validation that assessed by 6 validators. The learning materials applied to three different school to get respons of learning materials quality. The results showed that the average from material expert was 75% with proper category, the average from developmental expert was 81,25% with very proper category, the average from media expert was 76,6% with proper category, and the average from teachers were 87,8% with very proper category. The results of the research indicated that learning materials of human movement system based on concept maps improved the level of mastery concepts with an average of the evaluation test enhancement, at the first meeting was 68.70, second meeting was 77.70, and third meeting was 82.76. The average of evaluation result increased at 9.00 in the first and second test and 5.06 in the second and third test. Key Words : Learning materials, mastery concept, concept maps, 4-D models, human movement system

Foregut Surgery in the Modern Era: A National Survey

Background: Foregut surgery is technically complex. In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to high-stakes surgery outcomes, including mortality and complications. In addition, the use of advanced technology including minimally invasive approaches has been introduced. The current study aims to determine national trends in utilization and outcomes of potentially curative cancer resections of the foregut, including esophagus, stomach, liver, and pancreas. Methods: The Nationwide Inpatient Sample was queried to identify all esophageal, gastric, liver and pancreas resections performed for cancer during 1998-2009. Annual incidence, major in-hospital postoperative complications, length of stay and in-hospital mortality were evaluated. Univariate and multivariate analysis performed by chi square and logistic regression. For all comparisons, p-values Results: 298,871 patients (nationally-weighted) underwent cancer directed foregut surgery 1998-2009. Of those 19,002 (6%) were esophagectomies, 123,198 (41%) were gastrectomies, 62,313 (21%) were hepatectomies and 94,358 (32%) were pancreatectomies. From early years (1998-2000) to late years (2007-2009) use of laparoscopy in foregut surgery increased from 3% to 5%. Laparoscopy in esophagectomy increased the most from 1% to 5%, while its use in hepatectomy remained unchanged at 4%. Gastrectomy and pancreatectomy involving minimally invasive techniques increased from 2% to 5% and 5% to 6%, respectively. For all four foregut surgery types, patient comorbidities increased over time; patients with ≥2 major comorbidities increased from 53% to 64%. Conversely, patient mortality and length of stay (LOS) decreased over time. However, we observed an increase in complications for all sites combined from 22.8% to 24.4%. Laparoscopy was not significantly associated with decreased complications, but was associated with lower mortality when compared to open resection alone 3.1% vs. 5%. Independent predictors of increased complications included older age, gender, higher comorbidity, hospital volume. Older age, male sex, higher comorbidity, low volume center and non-use of laparoscopy were independent predictors of in-hospital mortality. Conclusion: Foregut surgery in the modern era is being increasingly deployed on sicker patients. While decreased in-hospital mortality and LOS are commendable, complication rates remain substantial and nondecreasing. Minimally invasive techniques have minor but increasing penetrance in foregut surgery. Our results suggest comparable advances and potential pitfalls among major types of foregut surgery in the current era

Essential tremor associated with pathologic changes in the cerebellum

Background: Although essential tremor (ET) is one of the most common neurologic disorders, there have been few postmortem studies. We recently reported postmortem changes (torpedoes and Bergmann gliosis) in the cerebellar cortex in a few ET cases. Objective: To describe more extensive postmortem changes in the cerebellum in another ET case. Design: Case report. Results: A 90-year-old woman had a 30-year history of ET. At postmortem examination, there was segmental loss of Purkinje cells, presence of torpedoes, and Bergmann gliosis in the cerebellar cortex. Moreover, there were extensive changes in the dentate nucleus, in the form of neuronal loss, neuronal atrophy, microglial clusters, and reduction in the number of efferent fibers (ie, pallor of the hilum). Conclusions: The brain in the current case exhibited more marked cerebellar pathologic features than noted in previously reported ET cases and thereby extends the described cerebellar findings in this common, yet pathologically poorly characterized, neurologic disorder

A substrate-induced gating mechanism is conserved among Gram-positive IgA1 metalloproteases

The mucosal adaptive immune response is dependent on the production of IgA antibodies and particularly IgA1, yet opportunistic bacteria have evolved mechanisms to specifically block this response by producing IgA1 proteases (IgA1Ps). Our lab was the first to describe the structures of a metal-dependent IgA1P (metallo-IgA1P) produced from Gram-positive Streptococcus pneumoniae both in the absence and presence of its IgA1 substrate through cryo-EM single particle reconstructions. This prior study revealed an active-site gating mechanism reliant on substrate-induced conformational changes to the enzyme that begged the question of whether such a mechanism is conserved among the wider Gram-positive metallo-IgA1P subfamily of virulence factors. Here, we used cryo-EM to characterize the metallo-IgA1P of a more distantly related family member from Gemella haemolysans, an emerging opportunistic pathogen implicated in meningitis, endocarditis, and more recently bacteremia in the elderly. While the substrate-free structures of these two metallo-IgA1Ps exhibit differences in the relative starting positions of the domain responsible for gating substrate, the enzymes have similar domain orientations when bound to IgA1. Together with biochemical studies that indicate these metallo-IgA1Ps have similar binding affinities and activities, these data indicate that metallo-IgA1P binding requires the specific IgA1 substrate to open the enzymes for access to their active site and thus, largely conform to an "induced fit" model.We thank the CU Cryo-EM Structural Biology Shared Resource Facility for screening. Data collection for single particular reconstructions were collected at the Pacific Northwester Cryo-EM Center (PNCC) at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), supported by NIH grant U24GM129547 and accessed through EMSL (grid.436923.9), a DOE Office of Science User Facility sponsored by the Office of Biological and Environmental Research. H.Z. was supported by NIH R01 GM126626. E.Z.E. was supported by NIH R21 AI146295 and R01 GM139892.S

Comparison of fouling propensity between reverse osmosis, forward osmosis, and membrane distillation

Resistance to fouling is often cited as an advantage of emerging desalination technologies such as forward osmosis and membrane distillation over the widely-used reverse osmosis process. However, the nature and magnitude of differences in fouling behavior between these three processes are not well characterized. This study directly compares the fouling and scaling behavior of reverse osmosis (RO), forward osmosis (FO), and direct contact membrane distillation (MD) in the same membrane module under identical hydrodynamic conditions (flux and cross-flow velocity). Fouling experiments were conducted using calcium sulfate as a model inorganic foulant and alginate as a model organic foulant. Although all three processes tolerated some degree of feed supersaturation for 36 h without inorganic fouling (scaling), FO exhibited the greatest scaling resistance, withstanding a feed of 33 ± 2 mM CaSO₄ (approximately twice saturation) without significant flux decline. Scaling occurred at similar concentrations at the membrane between MD and RO; however, while MD tolerated a more concentrated bulk feed due to reduced concentration polarization, flux decline after fouling was considerably more severe in MD. In contrast, MD tolerated organic fouling much better than FO or RO: despite accumulating a similar quantity of alginate gel over 18 h of operation, flux declined only 14% in MD versus 46–47% in RO and FO. These results are explained with respect to differences in temperature, membrane materials, and transport mechanisms between the three processes. Although FO and MD each exhibited superior resistance to one type of foulant, neither process outperformed RO in resistance to both organic and inorganic fouling. These findings inform a more nuanced approach to process selection for the treatment of complex water sources. Keywords: Desalination; Forward osmosis; Fouling resistance; Membrane distillation; Reverse osmosi

Reduced Purkinje cell number in essential tremor : a postmortem study

Background: Clinical and functional imaging evidence suggests that cerebellar dysfunction occurs in essential tremor (ET). In recent postmortem studies, we documented increased numbers of torpedoes (Purkinje cell axonal swellings) in ET patients without Lewy bodies. Purkinje cell loss, however, has never been rigorously assessed. Objective: To quantitatively assess the number of Purkinje cells in brains of ET patients and similarly aged controls. Methods: Postmortem cerebellar tissue was available in 14 ET cases (6 with Lewy bodies and 8 without Lewy bodies) and 11 controls. Calbindin immunohistochemistry was performed on paraffin sections of the cerebellum. Images were digitally recorded and blinded measurements of the number of Purkinje cells per millimeter of cell layer (linear density) were made. Results: Purkinje cell linear density was inversely correlated with age (r=-0.53, P=.006) and number of torpedoes (r=-0.42, P=.04). Purkinje cell linear density differed by diagnosis (mean [SD], controls, 3.46 [1.27] cells/mm; ET cases with Lewy bodies, 3.33 [1.06] cells/mm; and ET cases without Lewy bodies, 2.14 [0.82] cells/mm; P=.04), with the most significant difference between ET cases without Lewy bodies and controls, where the reduction was 38.2% (P=.04). In an adjusted linear regression analysis that compared ET cases without Lewy bodies with controls, decreased linear density (outcome variable) was associated with ET (β=.56, P=.03). Conclusions: We demonstrated a reduction in Purkinje cell number in the brains of patients with ET who do not have Lewy bodies. These data further support the view that the cerebellum is anatomically, as well as functionally, abnormal in these ET cases

Older onset essential tremor : more rapid progression and more degenerative pathology

There are few data on rate of progression in essential tremor (ET). To quantify the rate of tremor progression in a cross-sectional sample of 348 ET cases in an epidemiological study; characterize the relationship between age of tremor onset and rate of tremor progression in that sample; and characterize the relationship between age of tremor onset, rate of tremor progression, and severity of underlying brain changes in 9 cases from a brain repository. Rate of tremor progression was defined as tremor severity divided by duration. The degeneration index = number of torpedoes per section divided by Purkinje cell linear density. In the epidemiological study, older age of tremor onset was associated with faster rate of tremor progression (P < 0.001). In the brain repository, older age of tremor onset was associated with higher degeneration index (P = 0.037), and higher degeneration index was associated with faster rate of tremor progression (P = 0.018). In a large clinical sample, older age of onset was associated with more rapid tremor progression. In a brain bank, older age of onset was associated with more degenerative pathology in the cerebellum. As in several neurodegenerative disorders, in older onset cases, it is possible that the disease advances more rapidly

Testosterone therapy in men with Parkinson disease : results of the TEST-PD study

Background: Testosterone deficiency has been reported in patients with Parkinson disease (PD), Alzheimer disease, and Huntington disease. It is not known whether testosterone therapy (TT) in men with borderline hypogonadism and neurodegenerative diseases will be of substantial benefit. Previously, we reported that testosterone deficiency is more common in patients with PD compared with age-matched control subjects, and we also reported in 2 small open-label studies that some nonmotor symptoms responded favorably to TT. Objective To define the effects of TT on nonmotor and motor symptoms in men with PD and probable testosterone deficiency. Design: Double-masked, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, single-center trial. Patients: Two experimental groups: patients with PD who were receiving either TT or placebo. Interventions: Participants received either the study drug by intramuscular injection (200 mg/mL of testosterone enanthate every 2 weeks for 8 weeks) or placebo (isotonic sodium chloride solution injections). In patients in each group, the testosterone serum concentration was obtained at each study visit. During 2 study visits, testosterone levels were blindly evaluated and the intramuscular testosterone dose was increased by 200 mg/mL if the free testosterone value failed to double from the baseline value. Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome variable was the St Louis Testosterone Deficiency Questionnaire, and secondary outcome measures included measures of mood, cognition, fatigue, motor function, and frequency of adverse events. At the end of the double-blind phase, all patients were offered open-label TT and were followed up after 3 and 6 months. Results: Fifteen patients in the placebo group (mean age, 69.9 years), receiving a mean total levodopa equivalent dose of 924 mg/d, had a baseline free testosterone level of 47.91 pg/mL, compared with 15 patients in the TT group (mean age, 66.7 years), receiving an average total levodopa equivalent dose of 734 mg/d, who had a baseline free testosterone level of 63.49 pg/mL. Testosterone was generally well tolerated. More subjects in the TT group experienced lower extremity edema (40% vs 20%). In 2 patients, 1 in each group, prostate-specific antigen levels were elevated from baseline. The improvement in the TT group compared with the placebo group (1.7 vs 1.1) on the St Louis Testosterone Deficiency Scale was not statistically significant. In addition, there were no significant differences in motor and nonmotor features of PD between the 2 groups, although a few subscales showed improvements (Hopkins Verbal Learning Test, P<.04; and Backward Visual Span subtrial, P<.03). However, long-term open-label TT resulted in delayed but sustained improvement in subjects in the TT group who continued to receive treatment (n = 6) compared with subjects in the placebo group who elected not to receive TT (n = 3). Conclusions: Testosterone therapy was generally well tolerated in elderly men with PD and probable testosterone deficiency. While there was no significant difference in the motor and nonmotor scales between the TT and placebo groups at the end of 8 weeks compared with baseline, this may be due to several study limitations, including small sample size, a strong placebo effect with intramuscular therapy, and short follow-up that did not allow measurement of delayed effects of TT in some subjects. Until more definitive studies are reported, practitioners should be particularly cautious in treatment of low testosterone concentrations in men with PD and borderline testosterone deficiency, and careful consideration should be given to the risks vs the benefits of TT