Aerobic Treatment And Biodegradation Of Palm Oil Mill Effluent By Indigenous Microorganisms

Biodegradasi mikrob air buangan yang melibatkan penggunaan pelbagai mikroorganisma telah menunjukkan keupayaan degradasi sisa organik dalam air sisa yang berkesan yang telah menarik perhatian sejak kebelakangan ini. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk menentukan keupayaan biodegradasi oleh mikroorganisma- mikroorganisma asli yang dipencilkan daripada efluen kilang minyak kelapa sawit (POME) sebagai substrat untuk mengurangkan keperluan oksigen biokimia (BOD5), permintaan oksigen kimia (COD), jumlah pepejal terampai (TSS) dan minyak dan gris (O & G) daripada POME dan untuk mengenalpasti strain yang paling sesuai untuk teknologi rawatan biologi POME dalam keadaan aerobik. Pencirian sampel POME telah dijalankan mengikut kaedah-kaedah piawai untuk pemeriksaan air dan air sisa. Microbial biodegradation of wastewaters involving the application of variety of microorganisms has demonstrated effective degradability of organic wastes in wastewaters which has attracted attention in recent time. This study was designed to determine the biodegradation ability of indigenous microorganisms isolated from palm oil mill effluent (POME) as substrate for the reduction of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS) and oil and grease (O & G) from POME and to identify the most suitable strain(s) for a biological treatment technology of POME under aerobic condition. The characterization of POME sample was carried out according to standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater

Ten golden rules for optimal antibiotic use in hospital settings: the WARNING call to action

Antibiotics are recognized widely for their benefits when used appropriately. However, they are often used inappropriately despite the importance of responsible use within good clinical practice. Effective antibiotic treatment is an essential component of universal healthcare, and it is a global responsibility to ensure appropriate use. Currently, pharmaceutical companies have little incentive to develop new antibiotics due to scientific, regulatory, and financial barriers, further emphasizing the importance of appropriate antibiotic use. To address this issue, the Global Alliance for Infections in Surgery established an international multidisciplinary task force of 295 experts from 115 countries with different backgrounds. The task force developed a position statement called WARNING (Worldwide Antimicrobial Resistance National/International Network Group) aimed at raising awareness of antimicrobial resistance and improving antibiotic prescribing practices worldwide. The statement outlined is 10 axioms, or “golden rules,” for the appropriate use of antibiotics that all healthcare workers should consistently adhere in clinical practice

Biodegradation of palm oil mill effluent (POME) by bacterial

Abstract- Palm oil mill effluent (POME) is produced in large volumes by many of the palm oil mills in Malaysia and contributes a major source of pollution. The main aim of the present study was to evaluate the biodegradation potential of bacterial isolated from POME and to find the most suitable strain(s) for a biological treatment technology of POME. The isolates were identified by sequences analysis of 16S rRNA genes. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA of the isolates suggests that they were identified as Micrococcus luteus101PB, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia102PB, Bacillus cereus103PB, Providencia vermicola104PB, Klebsiella pneumoniae105PB and Bacillus subtilis106PB.Results revealed that total suspended solids (TSS), oil and grease were reduced dynamically with treatments after 5 days. Bacillus cereus103PB produced the highest activity in reducing TSS (71.63%), oil and greas

Physicochemical Evaluation of Bovine Milk in North Central Nigeria

Introduction: Physiochemical analysis is an important tool to monitor the quality of milk and other dairy products. Aim: This study was conducted to evaluate the physicochemical quality of the bovine milk in three selected states from the North Central, Nigeria. Study Design: To determine pH, titratable acidity TTA, specific gravity SG, Viscosity and freezing point FP of cattle milk obtained from 15 Local Government Areas in North Central, Nigeria Place and Duration of Study: Three states were selected from the North Central Zone of Nigeria which includes Niger, Kwara and Kogi States. A total of the 15 Local Government Areas LGAs. These include; Edati-idati, Agaie, Bosso, Mariga, and Rafi (Niger state), Patigi, Ilorin East, Ilorin West, Ifelodun, and Moro (Kwara state), Okene, Ibaji, Kabba, Idah and Lokoja (Kogi state).The sampled lasted for a year six months. Methodology: A total of 180 cattle milk samples were collected from local producers and local vendors hawked, stationed in a market and from local milk producers. The pH, TTA, SG, Viscosity, FP of the milk samples were determined using pH meter, titration, Lactometer, viscometer, thermistor cryoscope Results: The range values for pH, TTA, SG, Viscosity and FP of cow milk were 5.20-6.20, 0.09-1.91% lactic acid, 1.026-1.060 g/m/s, 150-184 cp and -0.442 to -0.532°C. There was a significant difference (P<0.05) in pH values of milk product within each state. Out of 15 LGAs of the state, five LGAs milk samples did not conform to 1.027-1.035 g per mL set by World Health Organisation, WHO standard, while four LGAs had <1.020 specific gravity. Milk sampled from Mariga LGA had a highest FP (-0.442±0.007°C) while Edati LGA milk had -0.525±0.003°C lowest freezing point. Conclusion: The findings revealed that most of the milk samples were adulterated with water and as such are unsafe for consumption

A review of potential factors contributing to epidemic cholera in Yemen

The menace of cholera epidemic occurrence in Yemen was reported in early 2017. Recent reports revealed that an estimated 500,000 people are infected with cholera whereas 2,000 deaths have been reported in Yemen. Cholera is transmitted through contaminated water and food. Yemen is the least developed country among the Middle East countries in terms of wastewater and solid waste management. The population of Yemen is about 24.5 million and generates about 70–100 million m3 of sewage. An estimated 7% of the population has sewerage systems. It has been revealed that 31.2 million m3 of untreated sewage is used for irrigation purposes especially for vegetables and Khat trees. In addition, more than 70% of the population in Yemen has no potable water. They depend on water wells as a water source which are located close to sewage disposal sites. The present review focuses on the current status of water, wastewater as well as solid waste management in Yemen and their roles in the outbreak of cholera. Future prospects for waste management have been proposed

Tests of CMS Hadron Forward Calorimeter Upgrade Readout Box Prototype

A readout box prototype for CMS Hadron Forward calorimeter upgrade is built and tested in CERN H2 beamline. The prototype is designed to enable simultaneous tests of different readout options for the four anode upgrade PMTs, new front-end electronics design and new cabling. The response of the PMTs with different readout options is uniform and the background response is minimal. Multi-channel readout options further enhance the background elimination. Passing all the electronics, mechanical and physics tests, the readout box proves to be capable of providing the forward hadron calorimeter operations requirements in the upgrade era

Genomic reconstruction of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in England

AbstractThe evolution of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus leads to new variants that warrant timely epidemiological characterization. Here we use the dense genomic surveillance data generated by the COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium to reconstruct the dynamics of 71 different lineages in each of 315 English local authorities between September 2020 and June 2021. This analysis reveals a series of subepidemics that peaked in early autumn 2020, followed by a jump in transmissibility of the B.1.1.7/Alpha lineage. The Alpha variant grew when other lineages declined during the second national lockdown and regionally tiered restrictions between November and December 2020. A third more stringent national lockdown suppressed the Alpha variant and eliminated nearly all other lineages in early 2021. Yet a series of variants (most of which contained the spike E484K mutation) defied these trends and persisted at moderately increasing proportions. However, by accounting for sustained introductions, we found that the transmissibility of these variants is unlikely to have exceeded the transmissibility of the Alpha variant. Finally, B.1.617.2/Delta was repeatedly introduced in England and grew rapidly in early summer 2021, constituting approximately 98% of sampled SARS-CoV-2 genomes on 26 June 2021.</jats:p

Ten golden rules for optimal antibiotic use in hospital settings : the WARNING call to action

Abstract: Antibiotics are recognized widely for their benefits when used appropriately. However, they are often used inappropriately despite the importance of responsible use within good clinical practice. Effective antibiotic treatment is an essential component of universal healthcare, and it is a global responsibility to ensure appropriate use. Currently, pharmaceutical companies have little incentive to develop new antibiotics due to scientific, regulatory, and financial barriers, further emphasizing the importance of appropriate antibiotic use. To address this issue, the Global Alliance for Infections in Surgery established an international multidisciplinary task force of 295 experts from 115 countries with different backgrounds. The task force developed a position statement called WARNING (Worldwide Antimicrobial Resistance National/International Network Group) aimed at raising awareness of antimicrobial resistance and improving antibiotic prescribing practices worldwide. The statement outlined is 10 axioms, or "golden rules," for the appropriate use of antibiotics that all healthcare workers should consistently adhere in clinical practice

Adaptation of the Wound Healing Questionnaire universal-reporter outcome measure for use in global surgery trials (TALON-1 study): mixed-methods study and Rasch analysis

BackgroundThe Bluebelle Wound Healing Questionnaire (WHQ) is a universal-reporter outcome measure developed in the UK for remote detection of surgical-site infection after abdominal surgery. This study aimed to explore cross-cultural equivalence, acceptability, and content validity of the WHQ for use across low- and middle-income countries, and to make recommendations for its adaptation.MethodsThis was a mixed-methods study within a trial (SWAT) embedded in an international randomized trial, conducted according to best practice guidelines, and co-produced with community and patient partners (TALON-1). Structured interviews and focus groups were used to gather data regarding cross-cultural, cross-contextual equivalence of the individual items and scale, and conduct a translatability assessment. Translation was completed into five languages in accordance with Mapi recommendations. Next, data from a prospective cohort (SWAT) were interpreted using Rasch analysis to explore scaling and measurement properties of the WHQ. Finally, qualitative and quantitative data were triangulated using a modified, exploratory, instrumental design model.ResultsIn the qualitative phase, 10 structured interviews and six focus groups took place with a total of 47 investigators across six countries. Themes related to comprehension, response mapping, retrieval, and judgement were identified with rich cross-cultural insights. In the quantitative phase, an exploratory Rasch model was fitted to data from 537 patients (369 excluding extremes). Owing to the number of extreme (floor) values, the overall level of power was low. The single WHQ scale satisfied tests of unidimensionality, indicating validity of the ordinal total WHQ score. There was significant overall model misfit of five items (5, 9, 14, 15, 16) and local dependency in 11 item pairs. The person separation index was estimated as 0.48 suggesting weak discrimination between classes, whereas Cronbach's α was high at 0.86. Triangulation of qualitative data with the Rasch analysis supported recommendations for cross-cultural adaptation of the WHQ items 1 (redness), 3 (clear fluid), 7 (deep wound opening), 10 (pain), 11 (fever), 15 (antibiotics), 16 (debridement), 18 (drainage), and 19 (reoperation). Changes to three item response categories (1, not at all; 2, a little; 3, a lot) were adopted for symptom items 1 to 10, and two categories (0, no; 1, yes) for item 11 (fever).ConclusionThis study made recommendations for cross-cultural adaptation of the WHQ for use in global surgical research and practice, using co-produced mixed-methods data from three continents. Translations are now available for implementation into remote wound assessment pathways