Biosurfactant Production by Pseudomonas Aeruginosa 181

This study involves the screening of biosurfactant producers that have been isolated from crude oil bacteria degraders. The bacteria were isolated by qualitative screening on cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) agar plates and quantitative screening for biosurfactant production in liquid media. A biosurfactant producer identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa 181 was selected for further analysis. Maximum biosurfactant production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa 181 was achieved after 120 h incubation at pH 7.0 and 37°C. Static condition and 5.0% bacterial inoculum’s gave the optimum biosurfactant yield. Culture medium containing glucose as the carbon source; and casamino acids as the organic nitrogen source gave the highest level of biosurfactant production. Corn steep liquor and ammonium nitrate on the other hand inhibited biosurfactant production. However, the addition of metal ions such as Fe, Mg and Mn maximized biosurfactant synthesis.The biosurfactant produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa 181 was purified to homogeneity by acid precipitation and ammonium sulphate precipitation. Biosurfactant produced byPseudomonas aeruginosa 181 was stable and had a broad range of pH from 3.0 to 12.0 with the maximum activity (Surface Tension reduction and Emulsification Index (E24))exhibited at pH 7.0. The purified biosurfactant had a broad range of temperature and exhibited optimum activity at 30°C. This biosurfactant had high activity compared to many commercial surfactants with 0.1 mg critical micelle concentration (CMC). The purified biosurfactant had a maximum emulsification index (E24) of 86% with hexadecane,followed by 80% with nonane, dodecane,tridecane, pentadecane, octadecane and o- Xylene.Response surface methodology (RSM) was then used to study interactive effects of the parameters (pH, stirring rate, casamino acid concentration and incubation period) on the production of biosurfactants. Generally, simultaneously increasing surface tension reduction and emulsification index (E24) improved yields. Production carried out at larger volumes of 1L using Bioreactor under RSM-optimized conditions yielded 350.22 mg of products after purification by acid precipitation. Identities of isolated products were verified by using TLC, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), liquid chromatography–Mass spectrometry (LC-MS), mass spectrometry (MS-MS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and infraredspectroscopy (FT-IR), from analysis carried out the rhamnolipids were monorhamnolipids and dirhamnolipids

Knowledge of pelvic floor muscle exercise (Kegel Exercise) among women at Beserah Polyclinic and Jaya Gading Community Health Clinic

Kegel exercises can strengthen the muscles around the vagina and increase women’s ability to control and relax these muscles completely. Kegels are often encouraged along with counseling and sex therapy, as a helpful treatment for persistent problems with reaching orgasm. Stress incontinence may develop when urine is released during lifting, sneezing or exercising. Performing Kegel exercises can help many women to relieve these symptoms. Pregnant women will also benefit from Kegel exercises. The objective of this study is to assess the knowledge on Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercise (Kegel Exercise) among women and to identify its association between age, parity, gravidity, educational level, occupational, marital status, and medical problem with urinary incontinence among women in Kuantan. The total number of 200 respondents involved in this study. The data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire, validated the Institutional Review Board of Advocate Healthcare, IRB. Patient ages ranged from 17 to 67 years, and parity ranged from 0 to ≥5. One hundred and twenty six of the 200 women (63%) had heard of Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercise. The independent t-test result showed there is significant in the mean age between ever heard and never heard about PFME group (p 0.05)

Perceptions on male nurse among health care workers in Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan (HTAA)

The entering of men into nursing is widely spread in around the world; Malaysia is not excluded from this scenario. The former dominated profession by female now will become free-gender occupation. As the productions of male nurse keep increasing into health care institution, the researcher feels the need to know the other health care workers’ perception on male nurse. The study had done in HTAA to find out the health care workers namely are from the nurses, doctors, medical assistants, and hospital attendants’ perception on male nurse. This cross-sectional study was conducted in form of questionnaire and all the data obtained were analyzed. There were 226 respondents participated in this study which revealed that majority strongly accept the upcoming of male nurse into health care sector. This study also found out that there is no significant between age and gender of health care workers with the degree of acceptance on male nurse. Whereas, the occupation of health care workers and experienced working with male nurse showed the significant relationship. Moreover, majority of the respondents agreed that patient had gender preference of health care workers and disagreed that the gender issues arise in health care institution. In short, the findings of this study reflect that the health care workers were aware with the upcoming of male nurse in the health care setting

Hand washing behavior among school children in Sekolah Kebangsaan Sultan Abdullah, Kuantan, Pahang

Absenteeism school children are usually related to respiratory and gastrointestinal disease as children are more susceptible to be infected with dangerous bacteria and viruses. Therefore, hand washing is the single most important measure to prevent the spread of infection. School children should be taught and stressed about the importance of hand-washing. A cross-sectional study was held in Sekolah Kebangsaan Sultan Abdullah, Kuantan, Pahang, The participants were school pupils aged 10 to 12 years old and data was obtained from questionnaires and observation to evaluate their hand washing techniques. The objective of this study was to know their hand washing behaviors and techniques as well as to understand the conditions that affect hand-washing behaviors in school. It can be concluded that 86 of the students (49.7%) had proper hand washing behavior. Age, individual intention, perceive control and attitude were found to have association with hand washing behavior. In addition, it was found that 40.8% of the respondents were having correct hand washing techniques. Overall, the results of this study will help in promoting better hand washing behavior and techniques among school children particularly as it is the best way to prevent from infections which can lead to increase number of morbidity and mortality

Microbial surfactant

Microbial surface active agents (biosurfactant) have recently been recognized as important microbial products with properties applicable in a number of industries and processes. Being capable of lowering surface- and interfacial- tension, biosurfactants are today thought to be efficient replacers and possible enhancer of chemically synthesized surface-active agents. Some of their superior, such as absence of toxicity, biodegrade ability, and their specificity, make these microbial products both attractive for specific industries and environmentally acceptable. Most of the emphasis to date has been on the application of biosurfactants in petroleum-related activities and industries. They offer attractive products for use in enhanced oil recovery, in cleaning oil spills, in oil emulsification, and in breaking industrially derived oil-in-oil emulsions. Their in situ and ex situ utilization in enhanced oil recovery represent attractive alternatives. More recently, other applications of biosurfactants have also been under development. These include applications in the food industry, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, this article emphasizes the effect of nutritional and environmental factors on the production of biosurfactants

Effect of nutritional factors on the growth and production of biosurfactant by Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain 181

The growth and production of biosurfactant by P. seudomonas aeruginosa (181) was dependant on nutritional factors. Among the eleven carbon sources tested, glucose supported the maximum growth (0.25 g/L) with the highest biosurfactant yield and this was followed by glycerol. Glucose reduced the surface tension to 35.3 dyne/ cm and gave an E24 reading of 62.7%. Butanol gave the lowest growth and had no biosurfactant production. For the nitrogen sources tested, casamino acid supported a growth of 0.21 g/L which reduced the surface tension to 41.1 dyne/cm and gave an E24 reading of 56%. Soytone was assimilated similarly, with good growth and high biosurfactant production. Corn steep liquor gave the lowest growth and did not show any biosurfactant activity

A study on the use of contraception and its effects on breastfeeding among women at maternal and child health clinic

Breastfeeding, when practiced in a specific way, can be used to prolong the period of post-partum infertility. However, there are still chances to get pregnant if certain criteria of Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM) were not met. Nursing mothers need to ensure the birth control they choose is safe for the mother and the baby. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the association between the contraceptive methods and breastfeeding practice and also to know the relationship between demographic data and the reasons for contraception. 50 nursing mothers were involved in this study, and they were conveniently taken from the Maternal and Child Health Clinic of Beserah, Kuantan. All the data were collected using a questionnaire which consists of three parts. It was found that most of the participants (18) choose to use OCPs (Oral Contraceptive Pills) as their birth control method. In addition, there was an association between contraceptive methods used by the respondents with the effects on breastfeeding practice where the P value is 0.048. Apart from it, there was no significant association between demographic data (Age, Educational Level, Household Income, Working Status and Total number of Children) and the reasons for contraception among the respondents. 32 respondents (64%) have started using contraception after six weeks of delivery and the main sources of information regarding contraception are the healthcare providers (80%). These findings indicated that the methods of contraceptive chosen by the respondents are correlated with the breastfeeding practice

Postpartum diet and its relation with anemia

Postpartum diet is important in ensuring the mother can heal and reach back to her optimal potential. Imbalance nutrient, less than the body requirement may lead to anemia which can then take a toll to the mother, her family and her relationship; which is the opposite of the objective of the diet restriction. The aim of this study is to identify the significant of cultural postpartum diet and its relation with anemia while its specific objectives are to determine social beliefs to the recovery of postpartum Malay women, to evaluate the relationship between postpartum diet taboos on anemia and to identify the percentages of postpartum Malay women who follow the traditional beliefs. Cross sectional study design with a semi-self-administered questionnaires and experimental study was used. The population of the study was Kuantans population that came to the Beserah Polyclinic and Jaya Gading Polyclinic. The Malay postpartum confinement phase is different from the other community. Malay postpartum mothers observed the postpartum dietary belief handed down by the elders while following advices from health care practitioners. The implication of this study is that postpartum poultry intake have relationship with the Hb level after childbirth while if the intake does not result in discomfort to the mother, the mother would consume it if she considered herself as high risk of achieving anemia