PEMBUATAN MALTODEKSTRIN DARI TEPUNG SAGU (METROXYLON) MENGGUNAKAN ASAM NITRAT (HNO3)

Maltodekstrin adalah produk hidrolisis pati yang mengandung unit α-D-glukosa yang sebagian besar dihubungkan oleh ikatan 1,4-glikosidik, dengan DE di bawah 20.  Pembuatan maltodekstrin pada penelitian ini dengan menggunakan pati sagu dimana pati sagu banyak mengandung karbohidrat yang cocok untuk dijadikan bahan baku pembuatan maltodekstrin. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk Meningkatkan produktivitas tepung sagu menjadi  maltodekstrin dan menganalisa kualitas maltodekstrin dari bahan baku tepung sagu yang sesuai SNI. Penelitian ini sudah pernah dilakukan sebelumnya, yang belum pernah dilakukan adalah katalis yang digunakan berupa asam nitrat , variasi suhu hidrolisis yaitu  80oC 90oC dan 100 oC serta variasi waktu hidrolisis yaitu 90, 120 dan 150 menit. Pembuatan maltodekstrin dilakukan dengan proses hidrolisis yaitu pertama mensuspensi tepung sagu yang dilarutkan kedalam aquadest lalu ditambahkan CaCl2 100 ppm dan ditambahkan HNO3 , Selanjutnya dipanaskan diatas hot plate dengan variasi suhu dan waktu hidrolisis, maka didapat hasil penelitian dengan kondisi yang terbaik pada suhu hidrolisis 100oC dan waktu hidrolisis 150 menit yaitu rendemen 69,41%, kadar air 1,41%, dan nilai DE 20%. Serta Gugus  fungsi maltodekstrin pada waktu hidrolisis 150 menit dengan suhu 100oC dan terlihat gugus OH pada area bilangan 3371,57 cm-1 dan gugus aldehid (C=O) pada area bilangan gelombang 1736,11 cm-1 telah terbentuk maltodekstrin secara sempurna

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice in Electronic Education Among Teaching Staff and Students in Governmental Medical Faculties - Khartoum State

Background: Electronic education (E-education) is used worldwide as a basic tool for medical education for its advanced improving in medical training. In spite of its wide use in the system of the medical faculties in Sudan, e-education has not taken its right place yet.Objectives: To explore knowledge, attitude and practice (K.A.P) in  electronic education among teaching staff and students in governmental medical faculties in Khartoum state 2013.Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive, cross-sectional, and institution-based study. A sample of 31 teachers and 345 students were chosen using stratified random sample. Structured pretested questionnaire was used for data collection. Data collected were fed to Statistical Packagefor Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.Results: Knowledge about e-education was excellent (91.3%), attitude was highly positive (83.9%) and practice was good among73.1%of the teachers. And among students knowledge about elearning was excellent (96.8%), attitude was positive in 70.4% and practice was average among52.2% of them.Conclusion: The research shows a good K.A.P among the majority of the students and teachers in Governmental Khartoum State medical faculties especially among teachers. The K.A.P. increases with age among teachers and increases in the clinical level among students. The faculties which take care of e-education and made workshops show higher K.A.P. compared with other faculties. The faculties should take attention to e-education and introduce it in the most ideal way, and more researches should be  conducted in this field.Key words: E-education, teaching staff and students, Khartoum state Governmental medical faculties

PENGEMBANGAN PROSES PENGERINGAN OPTIMAL PADA PLANT BIOMASSA PABRIK KELAPA SAWIT DENGAN PEMODELAN ASPEN PLUS V.10.10

Pertumbuhan industri sawit yang tinggi dalam dua decade terakhir menempatkan Indonesia sebagai produsen minyak sawit terbesar dunia. Industri sawit selain menghasilkan minyak nabati, juga menghasilkan limbah padat antara lain serat dan cangkang. Sebagian dari limbah padat ini dimanfaatkan sebagai sumber bahan bakar di boiler untuk menghasilkan uap yang dimanfaatkan untuk pemrosesan dan menghasilkan energi listrik. Paper ini melaporkan hasil kajian simulasi pengaruh rasio serat dan cangkang pada berbagai kondisi udara berlebih terhadap emisi gas hasil pembakaran yang dihasilkan. Penelitian ini menjadi penting mengingat pabrik minyak kelapa sawit ditengarai sebagai salah satu penghasil gas rumah kaca (GRK) dan pemerintah melalui Peraturan Menteri Negara Lingkungan Hidup Nomor 12 tahun 2010 bertekad mengurangi emisi GRK. Perangkat lunak ASPEN Plus (Versi 10.10) digunakan untuk memvariasikan rasio serat : cangkang berkisar 80:20, 75:25 dan 67:33 dengan udara berlebih 90, %, 120% dan 150% di atas kebutuhan stoikiometri. Bahan bakar dialirkan dengan laju tunak ke dalam proses sebesar 1500 kg/jam. Hasil simulasi menunjukkan bahwa kualitas emisi terbaik dihasilkan ketika rasio serat dan cangkang 80:20 dengan udara berlebih sebesar 90%. Pada kondisi seperti ini, gas CO2 yang dihasilkan sebesar 1337 kg/jam, CO 2010 kg/jam, dan NO yang dihasilkan sebesar 0,032 kg/jam . Hasil ini menunjukkan bahwa kehadiran serat di dalam bahan bakar memberikan kontribusi negatif terhadap emisi. Kajian lebih mendalam masih diperlukan untuk meminimalisir limbah padat serat ini untuk digunakan sebagai sumber bahan bakar

«Hvilke muligheter og barrierer kan en omstilling til sirkulærøkonomi skape for avfallsforebygging og ombruk?»

I denne masteroppgaveavhandlingen har vi forsket på muligheter og barrierer en sirkulær økonomi skaper for avfallsforebygging og gjenbruk. Problemstillingen ble utformet med bakgrunn i at det har vært lite forskning innenfor avfallsforebygging og gjenbruk i Norge. Teorien og funnene har pekt mot at de sentrale begrepene i denne studien baserer seg på avfallsforebygging, nettverk, gjenbruk, offentlige reguleringer og sirkulære forretningsmodeller. Det er tre formål med denne oppgaven. Det første er teoretiske implikasjoner som vil bidra til en bedre forståelse av hvordan sirkulærøkonomi kan etableres og fungere. For det andre vil oppgaven bidra med empirisk og deskriptiv analyse til hvordan en sirkulær økonomi fungerer og benyttes i praksis. For det tredje vil oppgaven være en understøttelse for hvordan man kan realisere en sirkulær økonomisk modell i praksis. For å gjennomføre forskningsprosjektet har vi intervjuet 12 informanter, hvorav 4 er representanter fra Sirkula, 4 er representanter fra Resirkula og 4 er besøkende på kretsløpsparken til Sirkula. Representanter fra Sirkula og Resirkula jobber med avfallsforebygging og gjenbruk i kretsløpsparken. Metoden som blir brukt i vår masteravhandling er av eksplorerende design og har en induktiv tilnærming. Videre har vi brukt en casestudie som bestod av en semistrukturert intervjuguide. Sirkula kretsløpspark er en gjenvinningsstasjon med tilknytning til mottak for ombruksvarer som inngår i et ombrukssenter. Ytterligere er det etablert et verksted for reparasjon og redesign som drives av lokale selvstendige aktører.Våre relevante funn viser at Sirkula og Resirkula er et fungerende nettverk. De samarbeider tett ved å koble sammen menneskelige og ikke-menneskelige aktører (avfall). For å skape vellykkede sirkulære forretningsmodeller, må produkter og tjenester som tilbys fra Resirkula være attraktive og tilgjengelige. Det skal være lønnsomt for kunden å kjøpe brukte fremfor nye produkter. Våre funn tyder på at gjenvinning og tjenestebaserte forretningsmodeller er godt egnet for Sirkula og Resirkula.Abstract The purpose of the master thesis is to get a deeper understanding of the possibilities and challenges circular economy create for waste preventing and reuse. Research question was designed because of there is a research gap in waste prevention and reuse in Norway. Theory and findings have pointed out the key concept in this study which are based on waste prevention, networks, reuse, public regulations, and circular business models. There are three purposes to this task. Firstly, the study implies theoretical implications that will contribute to a better understanding of how circular economy can be established and function. Secondly, the thesis will contribute with empirical and descriptive analysis of how a circular economy function and utilize in practice. Third, the thesis will be a support for how to realize a circular economic model in practice. To conduct the research project, we have interviewed 12 informants; where 4 representatives from Sirkula, 4 representatives from Resirkula and 4 visitors of Sirkukla´s recycle park participated. The method use in our master thesis is exploratory design and inductive approach. Furthermore, we used a case study that consisted of a semi-structured interview guide. Sirkula recycling park is a recycling station connected to the reception for consumables that are part of a recycling center. In addition, a workshop for repair and redesign has been established and run by local independent actors. Our findings show that Sirkula and Resirkula are functioning network when they work closely together by connecting human and non human actors (rubbish). Moreover, to create successful circular business models, products and services offered by Resirkula must be attractive and accessible, because it must be profitable for the customer to buy used rather than new products. Bases on our findings, it indicated that recycling and service-based business models are well suited for Sirkula and Resirkula

Spontaneous Subtrochanteric Femoral Stress Fracture Related to Alendronate : A Case Report

Spontaneous atypical fractures of the femur have been reported in patients on long-term antiresorptive bisphosphonate therapy. Here, we report a case of subtrochanteric stress fracture in a seventy-year-old female patient on long-term alendronate therapy, and accompanying management challenges. Potential measures to prevent this complication of antiresorptive treatment for osteoporosis include the following: setting strict criteria for prescribing antiresorptive therapy, limiting the duration of continuous antiresorptive therapy, and increasing the use of bone anabolic agents

Cetuximab Conjugated with Octreotide and Entrapped Calcium Alginate-beads for Targeting Somatostatin Receptors.

There is a need to formulate oral cetuximab (CTX) for targeting colorectal cancer, which is reported to express somatostatin receptors (SSTRs). Therefore, coating CTX with a somatostatin analogue such as octreotide (OCT) is beneficial. Alginate was used to coat CTX to facilitate delivery to the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). This study aimed to deliver CTX conjugated with OCT in the form of microparticles as a GIT-targeted SSTR therapy. Both CTX and OCT were conjugated using a solvent evaporation method and the conjugated CTX-OCT was then loaded onto Ca-alginate-beads (CTX-OCT-Alg), which were characterized for drug interactions using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR). Moreover, the morphology of formulated beads was examined using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The drug content and release profile were studied using UV spectroscopy. Finally, in vitro cytotoxicity of all compounds was evaluated. The results showed homogenous conjugated CTX-OCT with a diameter of 0.4 mm. DSC showed a delay in the OCT peak that appeared after 200 °C due to small polymer interaction that shifted the OCT peak. Moreover, FTIR showed no prominent interaction. SEM showed clear empty cavities in the plain Ca-alginate-beads, while CTX-OCT-Alg showed occupied beads without cavities. CTX-OCT-Alg had a negligible release in 0.1 N HCl, while the CTX-OCT was completely released after 300 min in phosphate buffer pH 7.4. All formulations showed good antiproliferative activity compared with free drugs. The formulated CTX-OCT-Alg are a promising platform for targeting colorectal cancer through GIT

Dynamic assessment of parathyroid function in acute malaria

Objectives. To investigate the dynamic parathyroid response to rapidly induced, sustained hypocalcaemia in patients with acute malaria and in healthy volunteers. Design. Serum intact parathormone (PTH) concentrations were measured on samples taken before and during a variable-rate tri-sodium citrate infusion designed to ‘clamp’ the whole blood ionised calcium concentration 0.20 mmol L21 below baseline for 120 min. Subjects. Six Malaysian patients aged 17–42 years with acute malaria, four of whom were restudied in convalescence, and 12 healthy controls aged 19–36 years. Main outcome measures. Whole-blood ionised calcium and serum intact PTH concentrations

A cardinal role for cathepsin D in co-ordinating the host-mediated apoptosis of macrophages and killing of pneumococci

The bactericidal function of macrophages against pneumococci is enhanced by their apoptotic demise, which is controlled by the anti-apoptotic protein Mcl-1. Here, we show that lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP) and cytosolic translocation of activated cathepsin D occur prior to activation of a mitochondrial pathway of macrophage apoptosis. Pharmacological inhibition or knockout of cathepsin D during pneumococcal infection blocked macrophage apoptosis. As a result of cathepsin D activation, Mcl-1 interacted with its ubiquitin ligase Mule and expression declined. Inhibition of cathepsin D had no effect on early bacterial killing but inhibited the late phase of apoptosis-associated killing of pneumococci in vitro. Mice bearing a cathepsin D-/- hematopoietic system demonstrated reduced macrophage apoptosis in vivo, with decreased clearance of pneumococci and enhanced recruitment of neutrophils to control pulmonary infection. These findings establish an unexpected role for a cathepsin D-mediated lysosomal pathway of apoptosis in pulmonary host defense and underscore the importance of apoptosis-associated microbial killing to macrophage function

Clinical profile and treatment of infantile spasms using vigabatrin and ACTH - a developing country perspective

Background: Infantile spasms represent a serious epileptic syndrome that occurs in the early infantile age. ACTH and Vigabatrin are actively investigated drugs in its treatment. This study describes the comparison of their efficacy in a large series of Patients with infantile spasms from Pakistan. Methods: All Patients with infantile spasms who presented to Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan from January, 2006 to April, 2008 were included in this study. Inclusion criteria were clinical symptoms of infantile spasms, hypsarrythmia or modified hyparrythmia on electroencephalography, at least six months of follow-up period and receipt of any of the two drugs mentioned above. The type of drug distribution was random according to the availability, cost and ease of administration. Results: Fifty six cases fulfilled the inclusion criteria. 62.5% were males. Mean age at onset of seizures was 5 +/- 1.4 months. Fifty two (92.8%) Patients demonstrated hypsarrythmia on electroencephalography. 64.3% cases were identified as symptomatic while 19.6% were cryptogenic and 16.1% were idiopathic. Eighteen Patients received ACTH while 38 Patients received Vigabatrin as first line therapy. Initial response to first line therapy was similar (50% for ACTH and 55.3% for Vigabatrin). Overall, the symptomatic and idiopathic groups responded better to Vigabatrin. The relapse rate was higher for ACTH as compared to Vigabatrin (55.5% vs. 33.3%) when considering the first line therapy. Four Patients evolved to Lennox-Gastaut variant, all of these Patients had initially received Vigabatrin and then ACTH. Conclusion: Vigabatrin and ACTH showed no significant difference in the initial treatment of infantile spasms. However, Patients receiving ACTH were 1.2 times more likely to relapse as compared to the Patients receiving Vigabatrin when considering monotherapy. We suggest that Vigabatrin should be the initial drug of choice in Patients presenting with infantile spasms. However, larger studies from developing countries are required to validate the therapeutic trends observed in this study