Expression profiles of putative defence-related proteins in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) colonized by Ganoderma boninense.

Basal stem rot (BSR) is a major disease of oil palm caused by a pathogenic fungus, Ganoderma boninense. However, the interaction between the host plant and its pathogen is not well characterized. To better understand the response of oil palm to G. boninense, transcript profiles of eleven putative defence-related genes from oil palm were measured by quantitative reverse-transcription (qRT)-PCR in the roots of oil palms treated with G. boninense from 3 to 12 weeks post infection (wpi). These transcripts encode putative Bowman-Birk serine protease inhibitors (EgBBI1 and 2), defensin (EgDFS), dehydrin (EgDHN), early methionine-labeled polypeptides (EgEMLP1 and 2), glycine-rich RNA binding protein (EgGRRBP), isoflavone reductase (EgIFR), metallothionein-like protein (EgMT), pathogenesis-related-1 protein (EgPRP), and type 2 ribosome-inactivating protein (EgT2RIP). The transcript abundance of EgBBI2 increased in G. boninense-treated roots at 3 and 6. wpi compared to those of controls; while the transcript abundance of EgBBI1, EgDFS, EgEMLP1, EgMT, and EgT2RIP increased in G. boninense-treated roots at 6 or 12. wpi. Meanwhile, the gene expression of EgDHN was up-regulated at all three time points in G. boninense-treated roots. The expression profiles of the eleven transcripts were also studied in leaf samples upon inoculation of G. boninense and Trichoderma harzianum to identify potential biomarkers for early detection of BSR. Two candidate genes (EgEMLP1 and EgMT) that have different profiles in G. boninense-treated leaves compared to those infected by T. harzianum may have the potential to be developed as biomarkers for early detection of G. boninense infection

Oil palm defensin: a thermal stable peptide that restricts the mycelial growth of Ganoderma boninense

Plant defensins are plant defence peptides that have many different biological activities, including antifungal, antimicrobial, and insecticidal activities. A cDNA (EgDFS) encoding defensin was isolated from Elaeis guineensis. The open reading frame of EgDFS contained 231 nucleotides encoding a 71-amino acid protein with a predicted molecular weight at 8.69 kDa, and a potential signal peptide. The eight highly conserved cysteine sites in plant defensins were also conserved in EgDFS. The EgDFS sequence lacking 30 amino acid residues at its N-terminus (EgDFSm) was cloned into Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) pLysS and successfully expressed as a soluble recombinant protein. The recombinant EgDFSm was found to be a thermal stable peptide which demonstrated inhibitory activity against the growth of G. boninense possibly by inhibiting starch assimilation. The role of EgDFSm in oil palm defence system against the infection of pathogen G. boninense was discussed

Cloning and expression of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) type 2 ribosome inactivating protein in Escherichia coli

EgT2RIP is a type 2 ribosome-inactivating protein isolated from oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.). Its transcript abundance was reported to be up-regulated in oil palm roots upon inoculation of pathogenic fungus Ganoderma boninense in a recent study. This study aims to produce an active recombinant EgT2RIP protein for biological studies. The DNA fragments encoding Chain A (CA) and Chain B (CB) of EgT2RIP were cloned individually in an expression vector. Soluble CA and partially soluble CB were expressed in Escherichia coli Rosetta-gami 2 (DE3). Purified recombinant CA and CB were associated in a cysteine/cystine reduced/oxidized system, yielding a heterodimer protein (AB). The AB protein showed growth inhibitory activity against breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7) as well as non-tumorigenic breast epithelial cell line (MCF-10A) at IC50 = 1.4 and 10.9 μg mL−1, respectively. The active protein produced from this study may have the potential to be used for treatment in medical and agricultural fields

Evaluating the Impact of Drug Dispensing Systems on the Safety and Efficiency in a Singapore Outpatient Pharmacy

Purpose: Automation of pharmacy workflow can reduce medication errors as well as improve efficiency of the medication picking, packing and labeling process. Since September 2012, two drug dispensing systems (DDS) began operations in the Singapore General Hospital Specialist Outpatient Clinic Pharmacy. This study sought to evaluate the impact of the DDS on safety and efficiency in the pharmacy. Methods: The primary outcome was the rate of prevented dispensing incidents contributed by DDS or manual picking of medications defined as the number of prevented dispensing incidents per 1000 medications picked. The secondary outcome was the productivity of each full time equivalent (FTE) when assigned to either the DDS or manual picking stations. Data pertaining to the primary and secondary outcomes between January and December 2013 were collected and analyzed. The rate of prevented dispensing incidents was expressed in median (interquartile range) and compared using Mann-Whitney U test. Other continuous variables were expressed in mean ± standard deviation and compared using independent samples t-test. Results: An average of 59494 medications was picked every month in the pharmacy. DDS accounted for 21.1 percent while manual picking accounted for 78.9 percent of all the medications picked. The median rate of prevented dispensing incidents per month committed by manual picking (2.73) was significantly higher than the DDS (0.00). DDS had greater productivity with each FTE in the DDS having an average of 6175 picks per month which was significantly higher than each FTE in the manual picking stations which had an average of 4867 picks per month. Conclusion: Installation of DDS in an outpatient pharmacy improved safety of the pharmacy workflow by automating the medication picking, packing and labeling process and minimizing human errors. Efficiency of the medication picking, packing and labeling process was also improved by the DDS as there were continuous efforts to boost their productivity as well as being more reliable and better able to handle fluctuations in patient load

Evaluating the Impact of Drug Dispensing Systems on the Safety and Efficiency in a Singapore Outpatient Pharmacy

Purpose: Automation of pharmacy workflow can reduce medication errors as well as improve efficiency of the medication picking, packing and labeling process. Since September 2012, two drug dispensing systems (DDS) began operations in the Singapore General Hospital Specialist Outpatient Clinic Pharmacy. This study sought to evaluate the impact of the DDS on safety and efficiency in the pharmacy. Methods: The primary outcome was the rate of prevented dispensing incidents contributed by DDS or manual picking of medications defined as the number of prevented dispensing incidents per 1000 medications picked. The secondary outcome was the productivity of each full time equivalent (FTE) when assigned to either the DDS or manual picking stations. Data pertaining to the primary and secondary outcomes between January and December 2013 were collected and analyzed. The rate of prevented dispensing incidents was expressed in median (interquartile range) and compared using Mann-Whitney U test. Other continuous variables were expressed in mean ± standard deviation and compared using independent samples t-test. Results: An average of 59494 medications was picked every month in the pharmacy. DDS accounted for 21.1 percent while manual picking accounted for 78.9 percent of all the medications picked. The median rate of prevented dispensing incidents per month committed by manual picking (2.73) was significantly higher than the DDS (0.00). DDS had greater productivity with each FTE in the DDS having an average of 6175 picks per month which was significantly higher than each FTE in the manual picking stations which had an average of 4867 picks per month. Conclusion: Installation of DDS in an outpatient pharmacy improved safety of the pharmacy workflow by automating the medication picking, packing and labeling process and minimizing human errors. Efficiency of the medication picking, packing and labeling process was also improved by the DDS as there were continuous efforts to boost their productivity as well as being more reliable and better able to handle fluctuations in patient load.   Type: Original Researc

Organization of medical records

Accurate and timely information is important in the giving of healthcare. This project examines the problems of access, maintenance, update and search of medical records in a pharmacy. The aims of this project are to study the existing system, to establish the requirements for a new computerized system and to standardize the record requirements in the an Oncology Pharmacy. With input from users, a computerized prototype system was developed, using a relational database management system. The system is geared towards users with minimal computer knowledge.Master of Science (Information Studies

Risk preference and investment behavior of NTU academics.

A study of how demographics influence risk preference and investment decisions of academics in NTU. Results will be useful for financial institutions when desiging customized investment plans

A Research Study on Secure Attachment Using the PrimaryCaregiving Approach

A child’s positive sense of well-being is central to their overall growth and development. With an increasing number of mothers in the workforce, many infants and toddlers spend much time in child care services. Hence it is crucial that caregivers provide a secure base for the child to develop secure attachment with educarers. Given multiple caregivers, fostering attachment in the child care setting can be problematic. One strategy used in some countries is the implementation of a primary caregiving system. The purpose of this research study was to investigate how caregivers in two childcare centres in Singapore implemented the primary caregiving system. A ‘before-and-after’ methodology was used to find out if change had occurred after the intervention. Results showed that attachment in infants/toddlers had strengthened through the improved educaring practices, collaboration with families, staff team work and employment stability