In vitro shoot multiplication of Ziziphus spina-christi by shoot tip culture

In vitro shoot multiplications were obtained successfully from shoot tips of Ziziphus spina-christi by placing explants into solidified medium (MS medium) supplemented with 0.01 mg/l NAA and 0.1 mg/l BA or 0.1 mg/l IAA and 1.0 mg/l kinetin. It was concluded that lower concentrations of all cytokinin studied were better for lateral bud proliferation and that BA and 2IP were better than kinetin in the production of lateral branches. No growth regulators were required for shoot growth and elongation. The shoots rooted best on MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/l IBA. Plantlet survival after transfer to soil was more than 90%. The shoot proliferation method described could be used for the mass clonal propagation of selected genotype cv Noaf variety. The variety is in a great demand due to its attractive fruit characteristics such as flavour, sweetness and fruit yield

SIMULATION AND EXPERIMENTAL WORK OF KINEMATIC PROBLEMS FOR KUKA KR 5 SIXX R650 ARTICULATED ROBOT

This paper studies an analytic solution for 6-DOF manipulator of a KUKA KR 5 SIXX R650 robotic arm using forward and inverse kinematics in a simple movement process. This paper proposes two points of movement in order to study three types of path motion used in the robotic arm. The three path motions are PTP (point-to-point), linear and circular. The motions are analyzed systemically using forward kinematics and inverse kinematics. The objective of forward kinematic analysis is to determine the cumulative effect of the entire set of joint variables. A simulation oriented analysis is obtained and comparison between simulation and experimental result is done. The result for both simulation and experimental works show close connection for the task. This robot is suitable to be applied to the teaching and training environment

DEFECT INSPECTION SYSTEM FOR SHAPE-BASED MATCHING USING TWO CAMERAS

This research is regarding the application of a vision algorithm to investigates various approaches for automated inspection in of gluing process using shape-based matching application in order to control the decision making concerning jobs and work pieces recognition that are to be made during system operation in real time. A new supervised defect detection approach to detect a class of defects in gluing application is proposed. Creating of region of interest in important region of object is discussed. Gaussian smoothing features in determining better image processing is proposed. Template matching in differentiates between reference and tested image are proposed. This scheme provides high computational savings and results in high defect detection recognition rate. The defects are broadly classified into three classes: 1) gap defect; 2) bumper defect; 3) bubble defect. A new low-cost solution for gluing inspection is also included in this paper. The defects occur provides with information of height (z-coordinate), length (y-coordinate) and width (x-coordinate). This information gathered from the proposed two camera vision system for conducting 3D transformation

Bauhinia purpurea leaves’ extracts exhibited in vitro antiproliferative and antioxidant activities

The antiproliferative and antioxidant activities of various extracts of the leaves of Bauhinia purpurea were studied using in vitro standard assays. The aqueous and chloroform extracts successfully inhibited the proliferation of all cancer cells while the methanol extract inhibited the proliferation of all cells except the CEMss cells when assessed using the 3,(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) (MTT) assay. The aqueous extract was effective against MCF-7 (IC50 ≈ 9 μg/ml), MDA-MB 231 (IC50 ≈ 17 μg/ml) and Caov-3 (IC50 ≈ 16 μg/ml); the chloroform extract was highly effective against the CEMss (IC50 ≈ 18 μg/ml) and HeLa (IC50 ≈ 21 μg/ml); and the methanol extract was highly effective only against the HL-60 (≈ 12 μg/ml) cell lines. Interestingly, all extracts did not inhibit the proliferation of 3T3 cells suggesting their non-cytotoxic properties. The aqueous and methanol, but not chloroform, extracts of B. purpurea (20, 100 and 500 μg/ml) exhibited concentration-dependent antioxidant activity only in the superoxide scavenging assay, but low to moderate activity in the 2,2- diphenyl-1 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, which could be associated with their total phenolic contents. In conclusion, the B. purpurea leaf possesses potential antiproliferative and concentration-dependent antioxidant activities. Purification and determination of active compounds are required for further study.Keywords: Bauhinia purpurea, in vitro, antiproliferative activity, antioxidant activity, phenolic compound

In vitro cytotoxic and antioxidant properties of the aqueous, chloroform and methanol extracts of Dicranopteris linearis leaves

The in vitro cytotoxic and antioxidant properties of the aqueous, chloroform and methanol extracts of the Dicranopteris linearis leaves were investigated in the present study. The cytotoxic effect was determined against the normal (3T3) and cancer cells’ lines (MCF-7, HeLa, HT-29, HL-60, K-562 and MDA-MB-231) using the 3,(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) (MTT) assay, while the antioxidant activity was assessed using the DPPH radical and superoxide scavenging assays. Based on the results obtained, the aqueous extract was not effective against any of the types of cancer cells studied; the chloroform extract was effective only against MCF-7 and HeLa; and the methanol extract was effective against all the cancer cells used. Interestingly, all extracts failed to produce cytotoxic effect against the 3T3 cells (normal cell) indicating their safety. All extracts (20, 100 and 500 μg/ml) were found to exert antioxidant activity when tested using the DPPH radical and superoxide scavenging assays; with the methanol, followed by the aqueous and chloroform extracts exhibiting the highest antioxidant activity in both assays. The total phenolic content for the aqueous, methanol and chloroform extracts were 3112.1 ± 6.7, 3417.3 ± 4.7 and 1012.7 ± 5.3 mg/100 g gallic acid, respectively. In conclusion, the leaves of D. linearis possess potential cytotoxic activity against various types of cancer cell lines depending on the types of extracts used and antioxidant activity, which need to be further explored.Keywords: Dicranopteris linearis, in vitro anticancer activity, MTT assay, aqueous extract, chloroform extract, methanol extrac

The SCIDOTS Project: Evidence of benefits of an integrated tobacco cessation intervention in tuberculosis care on treatment outcomes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is substantial evidence to support the association between tuberculosis (TB) and tobacco smoking and that the smoking-related immunological abnormalities in TB are reversible within six weeks of cessation. Therefore, connecting TB and tobacco cessation interventions may produce significant benefits and positively impact TB treatment outcomes. However, no study has extensively documented the evidence of benefits of such integration. SCIDOTS Project is a study from the context of a developing nation aimed to determine this.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>An integrated TB-tobacco intervention was provided by trained TB directly observed therapy short-course (DOTS) providers at five chest clinics in Malaysia. The study was a prospective non-randomized controlled intervention using quasi-experimental design. Using Transtheoretical Model approach, 120 eligible participants who were current smokers at the time of TB diagnosis were assigned to either of two treatment groups: conventional TB DOTS plus smoking cessation intervention (integrated intervention or SCIDOTS group) or conventional TB DOTS alone (comparison or DOTS group). At baseline, newly diagnosed TB patients considering quitting smoking within the next 30 days were placed in the integrated intervention group, while those who were contemplating quitting were assigned to the comparison group. Eleven sessions of individualized cognitive behavioral therapy with or without nicotine replacement therapy were provided to each participant in the integrated intervention group. The impacts of the novel approach on biochemically validated smoking cessation and TB treatment outcomes were measured periodically as appropriate.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A linear effect on both 7-day point prevalence abstinence and continuous abstinence was observed over time in the intervention group. At the end of 6 months, patients who received the integrated intervention had significantly higher rate of success in quitting smoking when compared with those who received the conventional TB treatment alone (77.5% vs. 8.7%; p < 0.001). Furthermore, at the end of TB treatment (6 months or later), there were significantly higher rates of treatment default (15.2% vs. 2.5%; p = 0.019) and treatment failure (6.5% vs. 0%; p = 0.019) in the DOTS group than in the SCIDOTS group.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study provides evidence that connecting TB-tobacco treatment strategy is significant among TB patients who are smokers. The findings suggest that the integrated approach may be beneficial and confer advantages on short-term outcomes and possibly on future lung health of TB patients who quit smoking. This study may have important implications on health policy and clinical practice related to TB management among tobacco users.</p

Ethnic entrepreneurs and online home-based businesses: an exploratory study

This exploratory, qualitative study considers how online home-based businesses offer opportunities for ethnic entrepreneurs to ‘break out’ of traditional highly competitive and low margin sectors. Previous studies have found a positive association between ethnic minorities’ high levels of entrepreneurship and home computer use in ethnic groups. Despite these associations, previous studies have overlooked the particular opportunities offered by home-based online businesses to ethnic entrepreneurs. The study adopts mixed embeddedness as a theoretical lens to guide interviews with 22 ethnic entrepreneurs who have started online home-based businesses in the UK. We find online home-based businesses offer ethnic entrepreneurs novel opportunities to draw on their ethnic advantages and address the constraints they face. The unique affordances of this type of business allow entrepreneurs to develop the necessary IT skills by self-learning and experimentation and to sub-contract more difficult or time consuming aspects to others. The findings also show that, consistent with the theory of mixed embeddedness, whilst the entrepreneurs are influenced by social, economic and institutional forces, online businesses allow them to exert their own agency and provide opportunities to uniquely shape these forces

Prognostic model to predict postoperative acute kidney injury in patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery based on a national prospective observational cohort study.

Background: Acute illness, existing co-morbidities and surgical stress response can all contribute to postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery. The aim of this study was prospectively to develop a pragmatic prognostic model to stratify patients according to risk of developing AKI after major gastrointestinal surgery. Methods: This prospective multicentre cohort study included consecutive adults undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection, liver resection or stoma reversal in 2-week blocks over a continuous 3-month period. The primary outcome was the rate of AKI within 7 days of surgery. Bootstrap stability was used to select clinically plausible risk factors into the model. Internal model validation was carried out by bootstrap validation. Results: A total of 4544 patients were included across 173 centres in the UK and Ireland. The overall rate of AKI was 14·2 per cent (646 of 4544) and the 30-day mortality rate was 1·8 per cent (84 of 4544). Stage 1 AKI was significantly associated with 30-day mortality (unadjusted odds ratio 7·61, 95 per cent c.i. 4·49 to 12·90; P < 0·001), with increasing odds of death with each AKI stage. Six variables were selected for inclusion in the prognostic model: age, sex, ASA grade, preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate, planned open surgery and preoperative use of either an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker. Internal validation demonstrated good model discrimination (c-statistic 0·65). Discussion: Following major gastrointestinal surgery, AKI occurred in one in seven patients. This preoperative prognostic model identified patients at high risk of postoperative AKI. Validation in an independent data set is required to ensure generalizability