Potential materials for food packaging from nanoclay/natural fibres filled hybrid composites

The increasing demand for new food packaging materials which satisfy people requirements provided thrust for advancement of nano-materials science. Inherent permeability of polymeric materials to gases and vapours; and poor barrier and mechanical properties of biopolymers have boosted interest in developing new strategies to improve these properties. Research and development in polymeric materials coupled with appropriate filler, matrix-filler interaction and new formulation strategies to develop composites have potential applications in food packaging. Advancement in food packaging materials expected to grow with the advent of cheap, renewable and sustainable materials with enhanced barrier and mechanical properties. Nanoparticles have proportionally larger surface area and significant aspect ratio than their micro-scale counterparts, which promotes the development of mechanical and barrier properties. Nanocomposites are attracting considerable interest in food packaging because of these fascinating features. On the other hand, natural fibres are susceptible to microorganisms and their biodegradability is one of the most promising aspects of their incorporation in polymeric materials. Present review article explain about different categories of nanoclay and natural fibre based composite with particular regard to its applications as packaging materials and also gives an overview of the most recent advances and emerging new aspects of nanotechnology for development of hybrid composites for environmentally compatible food packaging materials

Allelopathic effects of Margalefidinium polykrikoides on the growth of Pyrodinium bahamense in different nutrient concentrations

Co-occurrence of the dinoflagellates Margalefidinium polykrikoides, a known fish killer, and the neurotoxic species Pyrodinium bahamense is commonly observed in the coastal waters of Sabah, Malaysia. During most of these events, M. polykrikoides dominated the bloom, apparently suppressing the growth of P. bahamense. To increase our understanding on the nutrient conditions of this phenomenon, a study was conducted to explore the interaction between these species. The specific aim was to document the allelopathic effects, if any, of M. polykrikoides o n P. bahamense when varying ratios of the two species were co-cultured under different nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations. The bioassay experiments started with three cell abundance proportions, which were 5:5 (500 cells mL-1 of each species, M. polykrikoides, and P. bahamense); 1:5 (100 cells mL-1 of M. polykrikoides and 500 cells mL-1 of P. bahamense); and 5:1 (500 cells mL-1 of M. polykrikoides and 100 cells mL-1 of P. bahamense). Additionally, culture filtrates (10, 20 and 50 mL) from the late exponential phase of M. polykrikoides were added to 150 mL of P. bahamense to determine if cell filtrates were allelopathic. Results indicate that M. polykrikoides was allelopathic to P. bahamense when nutrients were abundant, but not when nutrients were limiting or N was limiting relative P. The production of allelopathic compounds was supported by abnormal morphological changes in P. bahamense when co-cultured with M. polykrikoides. This capacity to suppress P. bahamense growth, combined with the inherently faster growth rate of M. polykrikoides relative to P. bahamense can account for why M. polykrikoides forms nearly monospecific blooms when nutrients are high. The filtration studies indicated the allelopathic capacity of M. polykrikoides required direct cell contact or that the allelopathic compounds degraded rapidly and were inactive when added to P. bahamense cultures. These results are important in understanding the bloom mechanisms of these two harmful algal blooms (HABs) species

Convalescent plasma in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised controlled, open-label, platform trial

SummaryBackground Azithromycin has been proposed as a treatment for COVID-19 on the basis of its immunomodulatoryactions. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of azithromycin in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19.Methods In this randomised, controlled, open-label, adaptive platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19Therapy [RECOVERY]), several possible treatments were compared with usual care in patients admitted to hospitalwith COVID-19 in the UK. The trial is underway at 176 hospitals in the UK. Eligible and consenting patients wererandomly allocated to either usual standard of care alone or usual standard of care plus azithromycin 500 mg once perday by mouth or intravenously for 10 days or until discharge (or allocation to one of the other RECOVERY treatmentgroups). Patients were assigned via web-based simple (unstratified) randomisation with allocation concealment andwere twice as likely to be randomly assigned to usual care than to any of the active treatment groups. Participants andlocal study staff were not masked to the allocated treatment, but all others involved in the trial were masked to theoutcome data during the trial. The primary outcome was 28-day all-cause mortality, assessed in the intention-to-treatpopulation. The trial is registered with ISRCTN, 50189673, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04381936.Findings Between April 7 and Nov 27, 2020, of 16 442 patients enrolled in the RECOVERY trial, 9433 (57%) wereeligible and 7763 were included in the assessment of azithromycin. The mean age of these study participants was65·3 years (SD 15·7) and approximately a third were women (2944 [38%] of 7763). 2582 patients were randomlyallocated to receive azithromycin and 5181 patients were randomly allocated to usual care alone. Overall,561 (22%) patients allocated to azithromycin and 1162 (22%) patients allocated to usual care died within 28 days(rate ratio 0·97, 95% CI 0·87–1·07; p=0·50). No significant difference was seen in duration of hospital stay (median10 days [IQR 5 to >28] vs 11 days [5 to >28]) or the proportion of patients discharged from hospital alive within 28 days(rate ratio 1·04, 95% CI 0·98–1·10; p=0·19). Among those not on invasive mechanical ventilation at baseline, nosignificant difference was seen in the proportion meeting the composite endpoint of invasive mechanical ventilationor death (risk ratio 0·95, 95% CI 0·87–1·03; p=0·24).Interpretation In patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19, azithromycin did not improve survival or otherprespecified clinical outcomes. Azithromycin use in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 should be restrictedto patients in whom there is a clear antimicrobial indication

The reliability of cube compressive strength test to monitoring the 7 and 28 day concrete strength

Each concrete used for construction purposes must passed several tests set by Jabatan Kerja Raya that has been stated in the Standard Specification for Building Work JKR (2005). One of the mandatory tests is the compression test of concrete. This test is a necessary test to ensure the concrete used has a high quality and reach its maximum strength. The concrete compressive test result normally shows the value of strength which is higher than the actual strength of the concrete. This study was conducted to investigate the reliability of the concrete compression test results in statistical analysis. There are 269 data taken from six construction projects and improvements projects. This data is from G30 and G35 grades of concrete for concrete maturity on 7 days and 28 days. From analysis, it is proved that the strength of concrete received higher than the actual concrete strength with the average difference for the G30 at 7 days and 28 days maturity is 12.52 N/mm 2 and 12.93 N/mm2 respectively. While for the G35, the average difference is 10.94 N/mm2 and 7.17 N/mm2 for 7 days and 28 days concrete maturity. Overall, the reliability of the concrete compressive strength is doubtable and this may be due to several factors such as method of curing, water / cement ratio and method of compaction use

Development of Underground Water Treatment System at Pusat Bimbingan Insan Kg Kabog, Kunak, Sabah

Malaysia is a country with rich water resources including its surface water such as river, reservoir, lake, sea and ground water. In general, Malaysia has an abundance of water either on surface or underground. However, the supply of clean water is decreasing while demand is growing parallel to the population increment. Hence, an alternative has been chosen and implemented to assist the people of Pusat Bimbingan Insan Kg Kabog, Kunak, Sabah to deal with this demand. This project was divided into two stages, the preliminary stage where the system is designed based on the early parameter and the construction stage where the system is built and the equalization tank, sedimentation, open bed media and filtration system are installed. The water samples are taken from both influence and effluence to be analysed. The samples are analysed using ICPMS for Potassium (K), Sodium (Na), Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Sulphate (SO4), Bicarbonate (CO3) and Chloride (Cl). The result showed that all the water parameter tested is in accordance with the drinking water standards and safe to be consumed. In additionally it also removes the odour and taste of underground water which often exists. Therefore, the use of underground water in daily life can be an alternative to replace the current source of water used in Malaysia, whereby the area required for this system is adequate to be installed in schools, agricultural and industrial sectors in Malaysia

Recent assessment of physico-chemical water quality in Malacca River using water quality index and statistical analysis

River are one of vital water resources for human and ecosystem, and it is important to monitored and controlled the river water quality. Malacca watershed is located at the centred of Malacca state, and one of the important attraction places for tourism and urbanization activity. The tremendous activity at Malacca river has led to water pollution issues and of river water quality. There are several cases of fish kills incident reported at the estuarine Malacca River. The objectives of present work are to assess water quality status of the Malacca river based on Water Quality Index (WQI) analysis and to investigate the trend of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) along the Malacca river from 2003 until 2012. Statistical analysis was done by using Pearson Correlation Coefficient Analysis based on water quality data collected from August 2014 until October 2014 at Malacca River. As a results, from the WQI analysis at four different times of sampling, Malacca River was classified into Class III, which is polluted river. The correlation analysis shows the strong correlation between PO43- and TP; PO43- and NH3+ ; TN and NH3+; COD and TSS; and COD and DO; at probability value, p equals to 0.01. As a conclusion, present work is crucial for water quality assessment to develop the suitable watershed management in order to sustain the river water quality. This study can be used for future study in developing water quality modelling and total maximum daily load (TMDL) approach

Development of water quality modelling using infowork river simulation in Malacca River, Malaysia and contribution towards total maximum daily load approach

Nowadays, the development and urbanization have increase the pollutant loads in the river environment. As one of the important water resource, river has been threatened by the increasing of pollutant loads in the river body. The water quality modelling is an important tool to simulate water quality analysis and river management by addition of pollutant loads. The needs of effective watershed management are crucial to ensure the river is well managing and regulated. In Malaysia, Malacca River has become one of the most popular place for tourism activities. Present work has developed water quality modelling by using InfoWork River Simulation version 10.5, to simulate the water quality condition by doing pollution reduction analysis. The modelling framework is developed to simulate the load reduction for Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) as the pollutant controlled at the selected area. The simulation shows that, based on four scenarios created, Scenario 3 are selected as the best condition to achieved Class II water quality standard. As a conclusion, the development of water quality modelling by using InfoWork (RS) can improve the water quality condition at Malacca River by using pollution loading reduction analysis and suggested for future watershed management such as Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) implementation plan

Potential Development Of TMDL By Using Water Quality Modelling in Malaysia: A Review

The issues of water quality and water pollution have been a major problem across the country. A lot of management attempt to develop the TMDL database in order to control the river pollution. Over the past decade, the mathematical modeling has been used as a tool for the development of TMDL. In Malaysia, the determination of water quality status are evaluate by using Water Quality Index (WQI) for river water quality. This paper present the potential to develop the total maximum daily load (TMDL) implementation by using water quality modelling in Malaysia. To obtain the reliable database of TMDL, the appropriate water quality modeling should be choose as a based on the available data provided. This paper will discuss the use of several water quality modeling such as QUAL2E, QUAL2K, and EFDC to develop TMDL. The attempts to integrate several modeling are also been discuss in this paper. According to this paper, the differences in the application of water quality modeling based on their properties shows their ability to develop the modeling for TMDL, as well as good examples to be applied in Malaysia

Thigh-length compression stockings and DVT after stroke

Controversy exists as to whether neoadjuvant chemotherapy improves survival in patients with invasive bladder cancer, despite randomised controlled trials of more than 3000 patients. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effect of such treatment on survival in patients with this disease