Timber Elements: Traditional and Modern Strengthening Techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raluca Hohan

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The main idea of this paper is to analyse the means for the rehabilitation of our cultural heritage timber structures. Several methods together with their application techniques are described, and also, the reasons for what these strengthening operations become imminent at a point. First of all, the necessity of the timber structural elements strengthening is explained through a short presentation of the factors which are degrading the material. Then, certain precautions and strengthening procedures are presented, all involving the usage of traditional materials like wood, metal, or concrete, and of modern materials like fiber reinforced polymeric composite.

Quantification of Andrographolide Isolated from Andrographis paniculata Nees Obtained from Traditional Market in Yogyakarta Using Validated HPLC

OpenAIRE

Syukri, Yandi; Martien, Ronny; Lukitaningsih, Endang; Nugroho, Agung Endro

2018-01-01

This research was aimed to quantification of andrographolide isolated from A. paniculata Ness found in traditional market in Yogyakarta using validated HPLC to obtain high level content of andrographolide. The extraction of andrographolide from A. paniculata was carried out using ethanol as the solvent. Fractionation and isolation were continued using a non-polar solvent. Next, the extracts were re-crystallized to obtain isolated andrographolide. The identity of the compound was confirmed thr...

Identification of Bifidobacterium Strains Isolated from Kashk-e Zard: A Traditional Iranian Fermented Cereal-Dairy Based Food

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mashak

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Objectives The genus Bifidobactrium enjoys considerable significance among the probiotic bacteria for having appropriately adapted to the human gastrointestinal tract. As the properties of Bifidobacteria are strain-oriented and niche-dependent, there is growing interest in studying the different sources of these probiotics. Kashk-e Zard, a traditional fermented food produced from wheat and yogurt through a two-week, two-step fermentation process, is rich in probiotics and is worthy of study in this regard. The present study aimed to identify Bifidobacterium spp. in Kashk-e Zard. Methods Twenty-three samples of Kashk-e Zard were collected and subjected to Bifidobacterium identification experiments. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR and sequencing methods were applied for bacterial identification. Results Twelve of the isolates obtained were G +, rod-shaped, and catalase-, whereas only three of them identified positive for fructose 6-phosphate phosphoketolase (F6PPK a Bifidobacterium specific test and mupirocin resistance. These three isolates were then considered for further identification using the 16SrDNA sequencing technique. Conclusions Although carbohydrate fermentation patterns specified these three isolates as B. infantis, B. bifidum, and B. longum, the molecular results did not confirm B. longum, which is still also controversial in the literature. Overall, our results demonstrated that Kashk-e Zard is a rich potential source of probiotic bacteria and further investigations should be undertaken.

Identification of lactic acid bacteria isolated from Tarhana, a traditional Turkish fermented food

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sengun, Ilkin Yucel; Nielsen, Dennis Sandris; Karapinar, Mehmet

2009-01-01

Tarhana is a traditional fermented product produced from a mixture of spontaneously fermented yogurt and wheat flour in Turkey. The aims of the present study were to enumerate and identify for the first time by molecular biology-based methods predominant lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated during...... processing of Tarhana. Samples were collected from eight different regions of Turkey. In order to explore the relationship between raw material and the microbiology of Tarhana, yogurt and wheat flour were also analyzed. A total of 226 Gram-positive and catalase-negative isolates were obtained from MRS, M17...... and S. thermophilus was found to be the yogurt....

Seismic qualification of nuclear control board by using base isolation technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koizumi, T.; Tsujiuchi, N.; Fujita, T.

1987-01-01

The purpose is to adopt base isolation technique as a new approach for seismic qualification of nuclear control board. Basic concept of base isolation technique is expressed. Two dimensional linear motion mechanism with pre-tensioned coil springs and some dampers are included in the isolation device. Control board is regarded as a lamped mass system with inertia moment. Fundamental movement of this device and control board is calculated as a non-linear response problems. Fundamental analysis and numerical estimation, experimental investigation has been undertaken using an actual size control board. Sufficient agreement was recognized between experimental results and numerical estimation. (orig./HP)

Visual and efficient immunosensor technique for advancing biomedical applications of quantum dots on Salmonella detection and isolation

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Feng; Pang, Dai-Wen; Chen, Zhi; Shao, Jian-Bo; Xiong, Ling-Hong; Xiang, Yan-Ping; Xiong, Yan; Wu, Kai; Ai, Hong-Wu; Zhang, Hui; Zheng, Xiao-Li; Lv, Jing-Rui; Liu, Wei-Yong; Hu, Hong-Bing; Mei, Hong; Zhang, Zhen; Sun, Hong; Xiang, Yun; Sun, Zi-Yong

2016-02-01

It is a great challenge in nanotechnology for fluorescent nanobioprobes to be applied to visually detect and directly isolate pathogens in situ. A novel and visual immunosensor technique for efficient detection and isolation of Salmonella was established here by applying fluorescent nanobioprobes on a specially-designed cellulose-based swab (a solid-phase enrichment system). The selective and chromogenic medium used on this swab can achieve the ultrasensitive amplification of target bacteria and form chromogenic colonies in situ based on a simple biochemical reaction. More importantly, because this swab can serve as an attachment site for the targeted pathogens to immobilize and immunologically capture nanobioprobes, our mAb-conjugated QD bioprobes were successfully applied on the solid-phase enrichment system to capture the fluorescence of targeted colonies under a designed excitation light instrument based on blue light-emitting diodes combined with stereomicroscopy or laser scanning confocal microscopy. Compared with the traditional methods using 4-7 days to isolate Salmonella from the bacterial mixture, this method took only 2 days to do this, and the process of initial screening and preliminary diagnosis can be completed in only one and a half days. Furthermore, the limit of detection can reach as low as 101 cells per mL Salmonella on the background of 105 cells per mL non-Salmonella (Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis or Citrobacter freundii, respectively) in experimental samples, and even in human anal ones. The visual and efficient immunosensor technique may be proved to be a favorable alternative for screening and isolating Salmonella in a large number of samples related to public health surveillance.It is a great challenge in nanotechnology for fluorescent nanobioprobes to be applied to visually detect and directly isolate pathogens in situ. A novel and visual immunosensor technique for efficient detection and isolation of Salmonella was established here

Identification and characterization of probiotic lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional persian pickled vegetables

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soltan Dallal, M.M.

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Background: The pickle, a traditional fermented product, is popular among Iranians. Much research has been conducted worldwide on this food group. Due to a lack of related data in Iran, this study was conducted to isolate and identify dominant lactic acid bacteria (LAB in pickles and salted pickles.Materials and methods: Seventy samples were collected from different regions of Iran. The isolated bacteria were identified as LAB by Gram staining and catalase by using MRS agar. Then, those strains were identified at the species level by physiological tests (e.g., gas production from glucose, arginine hydrolysis, CO production from glucose in MRS broth, carbohydrate fermentation and growth at temperatures of 15°C, 30°C, and 45°C in MRS broth for 3 days. The probiotic characteristics of these bacteria were studied using acid and bile tolerance. The corresponding results were verified using PCR analyses of the 16S rDNA region. Results: 114 presumptive lactic acid bacteria (LAB with Gram-positive and catalase-negative properties were obtained from the samples. The results revealed that all isolated bacteria were identfied as ,, , , and. The predominant LAB in these pickles was which was isolated from most of the samples. Among the 114 LAB, 7 isolated species have probiotic potential. Six out of seven were recognized as and one remained unidentifiable by biochemical testing. PCR analysis and sequencing of the 16S rDNA region using 27f and 1522r primers showed that all of the probiotic strains were .Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the dominant LAB in traditional Persian pickled vegetables are , , , and . Moreover, was recognized as a probiotic species in pickled vegetables. The raw data obtained from this study can be used in the pickling industry to improve the nutritional value of products.

Functional properties of Lactobacillus plantarum strains isolated from Maasai traditional fermented milk products in Kenya.

Science.gov (United States)

Mathara, Julius Maina; Schillinger, Ulrich; Kutima, Phillip M; Mbugua, Samuel K; Guigas, Claudia; Franz, Charles; Holzapfel, Wilhelm H

2008-04-01

Lactobacillus plantarum was the major species among the lactic acid bacterial strains isolated from traditional fermented milk of the Maasai in Kenya. Selected strains were characterized for their functional properties using in vitro standard procedures. All strains expressed acid tolerance at pH 2.0 after 2-h exposure of values that ranged from 1% to 100%, while bile tolerance of acid-stressed cells at 0.3% oxgal varied from 30% to 80%. In vitro adhesion to the mucus-secreting cell line HT 29 MTX and binding capacity to extracellular protein matrices was demonstrated for several strains. The four strains tested in a simulated stomach duodenum passage survived with recovery rates ranging from 17% to 100%. Strains were intrinsically resistant to several antibiotics tested. From these in vitro studies, a number of Lb. plantarum strains isolated from the Maasai traditional fermented milk showed probiotic potential. The strains are good candidates for multifunctional starter culture development.

A parylene-filled-trench technique for thermal isolation in silicon-based microdevices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lei Yinhua; Wang Wei; Li Ting; Jin Yufeng; Zhang Haixia; Li Zhihong; Yu Huaiqiang; Luo Yingcun

2009-01-01

Microdevices prepared in a silicon substrate have been widely used in versatile fields due to the matured silicon-based microfabrication technique and the excellent physical properties of silicon material. However, the high thermal conductivity of silicon restricts its application in most thermal microdevices, especially devices comprising different temperature zones. In this work, a parylene-filled-trench technique was optimized to realize high-quality thermal isolation in silicon-based microdevices. Parylene C, a heat transfer barricading material, was deposited on parallel high-aspect-ratio trenches, which surrounded the isolated target zones. After removing the remnant silicon beneath the trenches by deep reactive ion etching from the back side, a high-quality heat transfer barrier was obtained. By using narrow trenches, only 5 µm thick parylene was required for a complete filling, which facilitated multi-layer interconnection thereafter. The parylene filling performance inside the high-aspect-ratio trench was optimized by two approaches: multiple etch–deposition cycling and trench profile controlling. A 4 × 6 array, in which each unit was kept at a constant temperature and was well thermally isolated individually, was achieved on a silicon substrate by using the present parylene-filled-trench technique. The preliminary experimental results indicated that the present parylene-filled-trench structure exhibited excellent thermal isolation performance, with a very low power requirement of 0.134 mW (K mm 2 ) −1 for heating the isolated silicon unit and a high thermal isolation efficiency of 72.5% between two adjacent units. Accompanied with high-quality isolation performance, the microdevices embedded the present parylene-filled-trench structure to retain a strong mechanical connection larger than 400 kPa between two isolated zones, which is very important for a high-reliability-required micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) device. Considering its room

Synergism of Plant Compound With Traditional Antimicrobials Against Streptococcus spp. Isolated From Bovine Mastitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natasha L. Maia

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Mastitis is an inflammation of the mammary gland that causes major losses in the dairy industry. Streptococcus spp. are among the main agents of this disease. Increased resistance to antibiotics is one of the causes of therapeutic failure. Plants, due to their broad chemodiversity, are an interesting source of new molecules with antibacterial activity. Using these compounds along with traditional antibiotics is a possible method for reversing resistance. The objective of this work was to determine the interactions between the activities of guttiferone-A and 7-epiclusianone, two active substances isolated from the fruits of Garcinia brasiliensis, and traditional antibiotics against Streptococcus spp. isolated from bovine mastitis and known to be resistant to them. First, the MIC for the antibiotics and bioactive compounds was determined, followed by their activities, alone and in combination. Then, their cytotoxicity was measured in bovine mammary epithelial cells. Finally, molecular docking simulations were performed to elucidate molecular details of the interactions between β-lactamase and the compounds binding to it (clavulanic acid, ampicillin, 7-epiclusianone, and guttiferone-A. The bacterial isolates were resistant to ampicillin and gentamicin. Both antibiotics showed predominantly synergistic antibacterial activities in combination with guttiferone-A or 7-epiclusianone. These two active substances were not cytotoxic at synergistic concentrations and both showed strong binding to β-lactamase, which may explain the reversal of ampicillin resistance. These substances are promising for the treatment of bovine mastitis.

The antagonistic activity of lactic acid bacteria isolated from peda, an Indonesian traditional fermented fish

Science.gov (United States)

Putra, T. F.; Suprapto, H.; Tjahjaningsih, W.; Pramono, H.

2018-04-01

Peda is an Indonesian traditional fermented whole fish prepared by addition of salt prior to fermentation and drying process. Salt used to control the growth of the lactic acid bacteria for the fermentation process. The objectives of this study were isolating and characterize the potential lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from peda as culture starter candidate, particularly its activity against pathogenic bacteria. A total of five samples from five regions of East Java Province was collected and subjected to LAB isolation. Fifty-seven of 108 colonies that show clear zone in de Man, Rogosa and Sharpe (MRS) agar supplemented with 0.5% CaCO3 were identified as LAB. Twenty-seven of the LAB isolates were exhibit inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853. Isolate Aerococcus NJ-20 was exhibited strong inhibition against S. aureus ATCC 6538 (7.6 ± 1.35 mm inhibition zone) but was not produce bacteriocin. This finding suggests that the isolate Aerococcus NJ-20 can be applied as biopreservative culture starter on peda production. Further analysis on technological properties of isolates will be needed prior to application.

Comparison of Traditional and Innovative Techniques to Solve Technical Challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Perchonok, Michele

2011-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the use of traditional and innovative techniques to solve technical challenges in food storage technology. The planning for a mission to Mars is underway, and the food storage technology improvements requires that improvements be made. This new technology is required, because current food storage technology is inadequate,refrigerators or freezers are not available for food preservation, and that a shelf life of 5 years is expected. A 10 year effort to improve food packaging technology has not enhanced significantly food packaging capabilities. Two innovation techniques were attempted InnoCentive and Yet2.com and have provided good results, and are still under due diligence for solver verification.

A CMOS-compatible silicon substrate optimization technique and its application in radio frequency crosstalk isolation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Chen; Liao Huailin; Huang Ru; Wang Yangyuan

2008-01-01

In this paper, a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible silicon substrate optimization technique is proposed to achieve effective isolation. The selective growth of porous silicon is used to effectively suppress the substrate crosstalk. The isolation structures are fabricated in standard CMOS process and then this post-CMOS substrate optimization technique is carried out to greatly improve the performances of crosstalk isolation. Three-dimensional electro-magnetic simulation is implemented to verify the obvious effect of our substrate optimization technique. The morphologies and growth condition of porous silicon fabricated have been investigated in detail. Furthermore, a thick selectively grown porous silicon (SGPS) trench for crosstalk isolation has been formed and about 20dB improvement in substrate isolation is achieved. These results demonstrate that our post-CMOS SGPS technique is very promising for RF IC applications. (cross-disciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF YEASTS ISOLATED FROM SOME NIGERIAN TRADITIONAL FERMENTED FOODS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tolulope P. Alakeji

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Yeasts play important roles in confering some desirable qualities such as nutritional value in traditional fermented foods. This study was carried out to investigate the potentials of yeasts isolated from some Nigerian traditional fermented foods for functional characteristics such as growth at pH 2.5 and 2% bile salts concentration and ability to lower cholesterol in culture medium. A total of 40 yeast strains were isolated from burukutu, ogi and pito. They were characterized phenotypically. Fifteen strains were selected based on the ability to tolerate pH 2.5 and 2% bile salts and they were further identified using API 20C AUX (Biomerieux, France to be Debaryomyces hansenii (5, Candida krusei (4, Candida glabrata (2, Candida colliculosa (1, Pichia anomala (1, Pichia farinosa (1 and Pichia membranefaciens (1. At pH 2.5, C. glabrata SA2 showed the highest increase in viable cells count after 24h (6.31 log10 cfu ml-1 while the most sensitive strain was P. membranefaciens BA2 (0.70 log10 cfu ml-1. P. membranefaciens BA2 survived in 2% bile salts than other yeast strains, with viable cell increase of 0.84 log10 cfu ml-1 after 24 h while the least tolerance was observed for D. hansenii OA1 with an increase in viable cells of 7.76 log10 cfu ml-1. C. krusei OB1 exhibited the greatest reduction of cholesterol of 91.34% while the least reduction of 24.28% was observed for D. hansenii OA1 after 48h incubation. The yeast strains in this study demonstrated functional attributes which can be employed as dietary adjuncts for the development of non-dairy beverages with hypocholesterolemic attributes.

Purification and characterization of a fibrinolytic enzyme of Bacillus subtilis DC33, isolated from Chinese traditional Douchi

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wang, C.T.; Ji, B.P.; Li, B.; Nout, M.J.R.; Li, P.L.; Ji, H.; Chen, L.F.

2006-01-01

Bacillus subtilis DC33 producing a novel fibrinolytic enzyme was isolated from Ba-bao Douchi, a traditional soybean-fermented food in China. The strong fibrin-specific enzyme subtilisin FS33 was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity using the combination of various chromatographic steps. The

Prevalence of Antibiotic-resistance Enterobacteriaceae strains Isolated from Chicken Meat at Traditional Markets in Surabaya, Indonesia

Science.gov (United States)

Yulistiani, R.; Praseptiangga, D.; Supyani; Sudibya; Raharjo, D.; Shirakawa, T.

2017-04-01

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria from the family Enterobacteriaceae is an important indicator of the emergence of resistant bacterial strains in the community. This study investigated the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant Enterobacteriaceae isolated from chicken meat sold at traditional markets in Surabaya Indonesia. In all, 203 isolates (43 Salmonella spp., 53 Escherichia coli, 16 Shigella spp., 22 Citrobacter spp., 13 Klebsiella spp, 24 Proteus spp., 15 Yersinia spp., 7 Enterobacter spp., 6 Serratia spp., 3 Edwardsiella spp. were resistant to tetracycline (69.95 %), nalidixid acid (54.19 %), sulfamethoxazole/sulfamethizole (42.36 %), chloramphenicol (12.81%), cefoxitin (6.40 %), gentamicin (5.91 %). Tetracycline was the antimicrobial that showed the highest frequency of resistance among Salmonella, E. coli, Citrobacter, Proteus and Erdwardsiella isolates, and nalidixid acid was second frequency of resistance. Overall, 124 (61.08 %) out of 203 isolates demonstrated multidrug resistance to at least two unrelated antimicrobial agents. The high rate of antimicrobial resistance in bacterial isolates from chicken meat may have major implications for human and animal health with adverse economic implications.

Microbial Quality and Antimicrobial Resistance of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli Isolated from Traditional Ice Cream in Hamadan City, West of Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ghadimi

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Background Foodborne diseases are one of the most major public health concerns in the world. Ice cream flavors, especially the traditional ones, have a high potential for the transmission of the pathogenic bacteria. Objectives The aim of the current study is to investigate the microbiological status and antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus isolated from traditional ice cream. Methods A total of 114 traditional ice creams were randomly collected from retail stores in Hamadan, Iran. Samples were investigated for the total bacteria count (TBC and contamination with the coliform, Enterobacteriaceae and Salmonella as well as the prevalence and antibiotic resistance of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Results The count of Enterobacteriaceae (89.47%, mold and yeast (50%, coliform (40.35% and TBC (28.07% of samples was higher than Iran’s standard. Salmonella was not found in all samples. The prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was confirmed in 50% and 37.72% of samples, respectively. Collected Escherichia coli had the highest antibiotic resistance to ampicillin 67.44%, nalidixic acid 39.53% and co-amoxyclav 37.21%. Staphylococcus aureus showed a higher antibiotic resistance to penicillin (82.46% of isolates and oxacillin (38% of isolates. Conclusions The results showed high contamination levels of traditional ice cream with spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms as well as considerable resistance of isolated Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli to common antibiotics. Therefore, good hygienic practice during processing and personal hygiene should be considered to improve the quality of ice cream. In addition, it is necessary that the regulatory authorities carry out more control on the production centers of traditional ice cream.

Draft Genome Sequence of Leuconostoc mesenteroides 406 Isolated from the Traditional Fermented Mare Milk Airag in Tuv Aimag, Mongolia

OpenAIRE

Morita, Hidetoshi; Toh, Hidehiro; Oshima, Kenshiro; Nakano, Akiyo; Hano, Chihiro; Yoshida, Saki; Nguyen, Tien Thi Thuy; Wulijideligen,; Tashiro, Kosuke; Arakawa, Kensuke; Miyamoto, Taku

2016-01-01

Leuconostoc mesenteroides 406 was isolated from the traditional fermented mare milk airag in Tuv Aimag, Mongolia. This strain produces an antilisterial bacteriocin. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of this organism.

Lactic acid bacteria from Sheep's Dhan, a traditional butter from sheep's milk: Isolation, identification and major technological traits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Idoui, T.; Boudjerda, J.; Leghouchi, E.; Karam, N. E.

2009-07-01

Twenty six lactic acid bacteria were isolated from sheep's Dhan, a traditional butter made from sheep's milk in Jijel (East of Algeria). These strains belong to three genera: Lactococcus, Leuconostoc and Lactobacillus. The results showed that Lactococcus lactic ssp diacetylactis was the predominant species in this traditional butter. The results of the assessment of the technological aptitude indicate that a major strain has a good acidification aptitude, some of them show good proteolytic activity and only Leuconostoc mesenteroides ssp. dextranicum isolates were able to produce exo polysaccharide. (Author) 42 refs.

Traditional Vs. Contemporary Managerial/Cost Accounting Techniques Differences Between Opinions Of Educators And Practitioners

OpenAIRE

M. A. Ekbatani; M. A. Sangeladji

2011-01-01

From the mid 1980s, the start of new movements in the field of managerial/cost accounting, a gap has emerged between the opinions of academia and practitioners regarding the degree of usefulness of managerial/cost accounting techniques. It is believed that practitioners generally prefer managerial/cost accounting techniques which are simple, practical and economically applicable. On the other hand, many authors and academia believe that the traditional managerial/cost accounting techniques ar...

Technique for selection of transient radiation-hard junction-isolated integrated circuits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crowley, J.L.; Junga, F.A.; Stultz, T.J.

1976-01-01

A technique is presented which demonstrates the feasibility of selecting junction-isolated integrated circuits (JI/ICS) for use in transient radiation environments. The procedure guarantees that all PNPN paths within the integrated circuit are identified and describes the methods used to determine whether the paths represent latchup susceptible structures. Two examples of the latchup analysis are given involving an SSI and an LSI bipolar junction-isolated integrated circuit

Production of enterocin A by Enterococcus faecium MMRA isolated from 'Rayeb', a traditional Tunisian dairy beverage.

Science.gov (United States)

Rehaiem, A; Martínez, B; Manai, M; Rodríguez, A

2010-05-01

Characterization and purification of a bacteriocin produced by a wild Enterococcus faecium strain, isolated from a Tunisian traditional fermented milk. Enterococcus faecium MMRA was selected on the basis of its strong anti-Listeria activity. The antibacterial activity was sensitive to proteases, confirming its proteinaceous nature. It was extremely heat stable (15 min at 121 degrees C), remained active over a wide pH range (2-12), and also after treatment with lipase, amylase, organic solvents, detergents, lyophilisation and long-term storage at -20 degrees C. Production of the bacteriocin occurred throughout the logarithmic growth phase, it did not adhere to the surface of the producer cells and the mode of action was bactericidal. After partial purification of the active supernatants, a 4-kDa band with antibacterial activity was revealed by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis and bioassay. Tryptic digestion followed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry identified the peptide as enterocin A. The inhibitory activity of Ent. faecium MMRA, a wild strain isolated from the artisan dairy beverage 'Rayeb', is due to the synthesis of an enterocin A. Traditional fresh Tunisian fermented dairy products are generally manufactured with raw milk that can be used as a source of uncharacterized wild lactic acid bacteria strains. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the isolation of an enterocin A producing Ent. faecium from 'Rayeb'. This bacteriocin or the producing strain might have a promising potential in biopreservation to enhance the hygienic quality of this dairy product.

Single Spore Isolation as a Simple and Efficient Technique to obtain fungal pure culture

Science.gov (United States)

Noman, E.; Al-Gheethi, AA; Rahman, N. K.; Talip, B.; Mohamed, R.; H, N.; Kadir, O. A.

2018-04-01

The successful identification of fungi by phenotypic methods or molecular technique depends mainly on the using an advanced technique for purifying the isolates. The most efficient is the single spore technique due to the simple requirements and the efficiency in preventing the contamination by yeast, mites or bacteria. The method described in the present work is depends on the using of a light microscope to transfer one spore into a new culture medium. The present work describes a simple and efficient procedure for single spore isolation to purify of fungi recovered from the clinical wastes.

The characterization of lactic acid bacteria isolated during the traditional production of Užička sausage

Science.gov (United States)

Borović, B.; Velebit, B.; Vesković, S.; Lakićević, B.; Baltić, T.

2017-09-01

Užička sausage is a traditionally fermented dry sausage that is produced in western Serbia. It is made of beef and pork with the addition of solid fat and natural spices. The whole manufacturing process lasted for 21 days. The goal of this study was to create a collection of lactic acid bacteria isolated during the ripening and identify them using molecular methods. A total of 50 isolates from different stages of ripening (fermentation and drying) were identified by molecular methods. Leuconococcus mesenteroides, Lactobacillus brevis, and Lactobacillus sakei were the predominant microorganisms in Užička sausage.

Screening and characterization of bacteriocins produced by some Strains of Lactobacillus spp isolated from Iranian Dairy products

OpenAIRE

S Mirdamadi; M Tangestani

2011-01-01

In this study, the inhibitory effects of bacteriocins of lactobacilli which were isolated from Iranian traditional dairy products was determined against known gram positive, gram negative and yeast by well diffusion technique. Among 8 isolates with higher capability of bacteriocin production, 2 isolates were selected for further investigations. The bacteriocins were purified by iso-propanol and ammonium sulfate precipitation following by dialysis and chromatography technique. The molecular we...

Extraction Methods for the Isolation of Isoflavonoids from Plant Material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Blicharski Tomasz

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this review is to describe and compare selected traditional and modern extraction methods employed in the isolation of isoflavonoids from plants. Conventional methods such as maceration, percolation, or Soxhlet extraction are still frequently used in phytochemical analysis. Despite their flexibility, traditional extraction techniques have significant drawbacks, including the need for a significant investment of time, energy, and starting material, and a requirement for large amounts of potentially toxic solvents. Moreover, these techniques are difficult to automate, produce considerable amount of waste and pose a risk of degradation of thermolabile compounds. Modern extraction methods, such as: ultrasound-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, accelerated solvent extraction, supercritical fluid extraction, and negative pressure cavitation extraction, can be regarded as remedies for the aforementioned problems. This manuscript discusses the use of the most relevant extraction techniques in the process of isolation of isoflavonoids, secondary metabolites that have been found to have a plethora of biological and pharmacological activities.

Improvement of traditional local rice varieties through induced mutations using nuclear techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pham Van Ro; Do Huu At

2001-01-01

'Improvement of local rice varieties for high yield, resistance to disease and insect pests (brown plant hopper and rice blast) and export quality through induced mutations for the Mekong Delta' started in 1993. After six years, it showed effecting on the field in the MD as well as at the south of Vietnam. TNDB-100 manifest very wide adaptation and yield stable variety. THDB is suitable for deepwater rice region, coastal area, where rice cultivation effected by acid sulphate and salinity conditions. Both varieties are good example for the method. Thank to good Co-operation from extension center from provinces, hundred classes of extension were organized to recommend to the farmers. And thank to the strongly supporting from IAEA so that nearly 400,000 ha of TNDB-100 occupied at the south of Vietnam as well as nearly 15,000 ha of THDB grown in the coastal as well as rainfed lowland rice areas at the South of Vietnam. To continue the rice improvement by this technique, seeds of six traditional local varieties were exposed under different dose of gamma rays to create new mutants. At present day hundred improved breeding lines were selected, a dozen of uniform lines were isolated and entranced the yield trail as well as regional testing program. From these improved varieties would be selected to contribute to the rice cultivation at the south of Vietnam in the next years. (author)

Improvement of traditional local rice varieties through induced mutations using nuclear techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pham Van Ro; Do Huu At [Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute (Viet Nam)

2001-03-01

'Improvement of local rice varieties for high yield, resistance to disease and insect pests (brown plant hopper and rice blast) and export quality through induced mutations for the Mekong Delta' started in 1993. After six years, it showed effecting on the field in the MD as well as at the south of Vietnam. TNDB-100 manifest very wide adaptation and yield stable variety. THDB is suitable for deepwater rice region, coastal area, where rice cultivation effected by acid sulphate and salinity conditions. Both varieties are good example for the method. Thank to good Co-operation from extension center from provinces, hundred classes of extension were organized to recommend to the farmers. And thank to the strongly supporting from IAEA so that nearly 400,000 ha of TNDB-100 occupied at the south of Vietnam as well as nearly 15,000 ha of THDB grown in the coastal as well as rainfed lowland rice areas at the South of Vietnam. To continue the rice improvement by this technique, seeds of six traditional local varieties were exposed under different dose of gamma rays to create new mutants. At present day hundred improved breeding lines were selected, a dozen of uniform lines were isolated and entranced the yield trail as well as regional testing program. From these improved varieties would be selected to contribute to the rice cultivation at the south of Vietnam in the next years. (author)

Draft Genome Sequence of Leuconostoc mesenteroides 406 Isolated from the Traditional Fermented Mare Milk Airag in Tuv Aimag, Mongolia.

Science.gov (United States)

Morita, Hidetoshi; Toh, Hidehiro; Oshima, Kenshiro; Nakano, Akiyo; Hano, Chihiro; Yoshida, Saki; Nguyen, Tien Thi Thuy; Wulijideligen; Tashiro, Kosuke; Arakawa, Kensuke; Miyamoto, Taku

2016-03-24

Leuconostoc mesenteroides406 was isolated from the traditional fermented mare milk airag in Tuv Aimag, Mongolia. This strain produces an antilisterial bacteriocin. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of this organism. Copyright © 2016 Morita et al.

Quantification of Andrographolide Isolated from Andrographis paniculata Nees Obtained from Traditional Market in Yogyakarta Using Validated HPLC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yandi Syukri

2016-08-01

Full Text Available This research was aimed to quantification of andrographolide isolated from A. paniculata Ness found in traditional market in Yogyakarta using validated HPLC to obtain high level content of andrographolide. The extraction of andrographolide from A. paniculata was carried out using ethanol as the solvent. Fractionation and isolation were continued using a non-polar solvent. Next, the extracts were re-crystallized to obtain isolated andrographolide. The identity of the compound was confirmed through an analysis of the melting point, IR spectra, and TLC. The purity of the compound was confirmed by the validated HPLC. The data obtained were then compared using an analytical grade of andrographolide as the standard. The isolated andrographolide confirmed melting point, IR spectra and TLC analysis were similar to the standard andrographolide. The method to determine the content of isolated andrographolide showed an adequate precision, with a relative standard deviation (RSD smaller than 1%. The accuracy showed good recovery values were obtained for all concentrations used. The HPLC method in this study showed specificity and selectivity with linearity in the working range and good precision and accuracy, making it very suitable for the quantification of andrographolide isolated in A. paniculata. When compared to the standard, the purity of the isolated andrographolide was 95.74 ± 0.29%.

From retrospective assessment to prospective decisions in natural product isolation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johansen, Kenneth T; Wubshet, Sileshi G; Nyberg, Nils T

2011-01-01

An extract of Carthamus oxyacantha (wild safflower) was investigated using two approaches: a traditional, nontarget fractionation by VLC and HPLC, and the hyphenated technique HPLC-PDA-HRMS-SPE-NMR followed by targeted isolation of selected constituents for inclusion in a screening library of pure......, HPLC-HRMS-guided, targeted isolation scheme aiming exclusively at a series of identified spiro compounds. Thus, HPLC-PDA-HRMS-SPE-NMR is a dereplication technique of choice, allowing economical acquisition of comprehensive data about compounds in crude extracts, which can be used for rational...

The accelerated ISOL technique and the SPIRAL project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Villari, A.C.C.

2001-01-01

The accelerated ISOL technique is presented as an introduction to the present status of the SPIRAL facility. SPIRAL is based on the very high intensity light and heavy ion beams available at GANIL. The facility will deliver radioactive beams with energies in the range between 1.7 A and 25 A MeV. The presently target-ion source production system, as well the new developments undertaken by the target ion-source group at GANIL are presented. (authors)

Learning from tradition. Construction techniques and repair of historical buildings in the area of Brescia: some examples

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara Scala

2016-06-01

The essay focuses on the area of Brescia where, in spite of significant transformations over time of buildings and territory, many examples of traditional architecture still exist. The aim of the paper is also to suggest, by presenting some case studies, a strategy for conservation which proposes a dialogue between traditional methods, technological innovations and economic sustainability of interventions. Keywords: Traditional architecture, Brescia, Sustainability, Construction techniques, Protection

CONTROLLING TRAFFIC FLOW IN MULTILANE-ISOLATED INTERSECTION USING ANFIS APPROACH TECHNIQUES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. R. LAI

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Many controllers have applied the Adaptive Neural-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS concept for optimizing the controller performance. However, there are less traffic signal controllers developed using the ANFIS concept. ANFIS traffic signal controller with its fuzzy rule base and its ability to learn from a set of sample data could improve the performance of Existing traffic signal controlling system to reduce traffic congestions at most of the busy traffic intersections in city such as Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The aim of this research is to develop an ANFIS traffic signals controller for multilane-isolated four approaches intersections in order to ease traffic congestions at traffic intersections. The new concept to generate sample data for ANFIS training is introduced in this research. The sample data is generated based on fuzzy rules and can be analysed using tree diagram. This controller is simulated on multilane-isolated traffic intersection model developed using M/M/1 queuing theory and its performance in terms of average waiting time, queue length and delay time are compared with traditional controllers and fuzzy controller. Simulation result shows that the average waiting time, queue length, and delay time of ANFIS traffic signal controller are the lowest as compared to the other three controllers. In conclusion, the efficiency and performance of ANFIS controller are much better than that of fuzzy and traditional controllers in different traffic volumes.

Characterization of Probiotic Abilities of Lactobacilli Isolated from Iranian Koozeh Traditional Cheese

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tavakoli Mahmoud

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Eight lactic isolates including Lactobacillus plantarum (MT.ZH193, MT.ZH293, MT.ZH393 and MT.ZH593, L. casei (MT.ZH493, L. pentosus (MT.ZH693, and L. fermentum (MT.ZH893 and MT.ZH993 were identified from an Iranian traditional cheese “Koozeh Paneer” using the morphological, phenotypical, biochemical and molecular characterization and then their probiotic characteristics were compared. Results showed that the lactic isolates of L. plantarum (MT.ZH293 and L. fermentum (MT.ZH893 and MT.ZH993 were resistant to all the used bile salts up to concentrations of 0.3 to 2.0%. All the strains showed low sensitivity to the presence of conjugated bile salts. L. plantarum MT.ZH293 exhibited the highest enzymatic activity of β-galactosidase and survival rate in a simulated stomach duodenum passage. L. casei MT.ZH493 generated the highest amount of hydrogen peroxide, followed by L. fermentum MT.ZH993 and L. plantarum MT.ZH593. Although the most selected LAB isolates had a moderate cell surface hydrophobicity, L. plantarum MT. ZH593 expressed the highest cell surface hydrophobicity. L. fermentum MT.ZH893 had strong resistance to all the antibiotics tested such as amoxicillin, ceftriaxon, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, gentamycin, streptomycin, tetracycline and vancomycin. Five lactic strains of L. plantarum (MT.ZH193, MT.ZH393 and MT.ZH593 and L. fermentum (MT.ZH893 and MT.ZH993 inhibited the growth of the tested foodborne pathogens including Escherichia coli PTCC5052, Salmonella enterica, Enetrococcus hirea, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Annona muricata (Annonaceae): A Review of Its Traditional Uses, Isolated Acetogenins and Biological Activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Moghadamtousi, Soheil Zorofchian; Fadaeinasab, Mehran; Nikzad, Sonia; Mohan, Gokula; Ali, Hapipah Mohd; Kadir, Habsah Abdul

2015-07-10

Annona muricata is a member of the Annonaceae family and is a fruit tree with a long history of traditional use. A. muricata, also known as soursop, graviola and guanabana, is an evergreen plant that is mostly distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The fruits of A. muricata are extensively used to prepare syrups, candies, beverages, ice creams and shakes. A wide array of ethnomedicinal activities is contributed to different parts of A. muricata, and indigenous communities in Africa and South America extensively use this plant in their folk medicine. Numerous investigations have substantiated these activities, including anticancer, anticonvulsant, anti-arthritic, antiparasitic, antimalarial, hepatoprotective and antidiabetic activities. Phytochemical studies reveal that annonaceous acetogenins are the major constituents of A. muricata. More than 100 annonaceous acetogenins have been isolated from leaves, barks, seeds, roots and fruits of A. muricata. In view of the immense studies on A. muricata, this review strives to unite available information regarding its phytochemistry, traditional uses and biological activities.

Draft Genome Sequence of Leuconostoc mesenteroides 213M0, Isolated from Traditional Fermented Mare Milk Airag in Bulgan Aimag, Mongolia

OpenAIRE

Morita, Hidetoshi; Toh, Hidehiro; Oshima, Kenshiro; Nakano, Akiyo; Hano, Chihiro; Yoshida, Saki; Bolormaa, Tsognemekh; Burenjargal, Sedkhuu; Nguyen, Co Thi Kim; Tashiro, Kosuke; Arakawa, Kensuke; Miyamoto, Taku

2016-01-01

Leuconostoc mesenteroides 213M0 was isolated from traditional fermented mare milk airag in Bulgan Aimag, Mongolia. This strain produces a listericidal bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of this organism.

Characterization of Natural Dyes and Traditional Korean Silk Fabric by Surface Analytical Techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yeonhee Lee

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS are well established surface techniques that provide both elemental and organic information from several monolayers of a sample surface, while also allowing depth profiling or image mapping to be carried out. The static TOF-SIMS with improved performances has expanded the application of TOF-SIMS to the study of a variety of organic, polymeric and biological materials. In this work, TOF-SIMS, XPS and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR measurements were used to characterize commercial natural dyes and traditional silk fabric dyed with plant extracts dyes avoiding the time-consuming and destructive extraction procedures necessary for the spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods previously used. Silk textiles dyed with plant extracts were then analyzed for chemical and functional group identification of their dye components and mordants. TOF-SIMS spectra for the dyed silk fabric showed element ions from metallic mordants, specific fragment ions and molecular ions from plant-extracted dyes. The results of TOF-SIMS, XPS and FTIR are very useful as a reference database for comparison with data about traditional Korean silk fabric and to provide an understanding of traditional dyeing materials. Therefore, this study shows that surface techniques are useful for micro-destructive analysis of plant-extracted dyes and Korean dyed silk fabric.

Characterization of Natural Dyes and Traditional Korean Silk Fabric by Surface Analytical Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jihye; Kang, Min Hwa; Lee, Kang-Bong; Lee, Yeonhee

2013-01-01

Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) are well established surface techniques that provide both elemental and organic information from several monolayers of a sample surface, while also allowing depth profiling or image mapping to be carried out. The static TOF-SIMS with improved performances has expanded the application of TOF-SIMS to the study of a variety of organic, polymeric and biological materials. In this work, TOF-SIMS, XPS and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) measurements were used to characterize commercial natural dyes and traditional silk fabric dyed with plant extracts dyes avoiding the time-consuming and destructive extraction procedures necessary for the spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods previously used. Silk textiles dyed with plant extracts were then analyzed for chemical and functional group identification of their dye components and mordants. TOF-SIMS spectra for the dyed silk fabric showed element ions from metallic mordants, specific fragment ions and molecular ions from plant-extracted dyes. The results of TOF-SIMS, XPS and FTIR are very useful as a reference database for comparison with data about traditional Korean silk fabric and to provide an understanding of traditional dyeing materials. Therefore, this study shows that surface techniques are useful for micro-destructive analysis of plant-extracted dyes and Korean dyed silk fabric. PMID:28809257

Distribution of tannin-'tolerant yeasts isolated from Miang, a traditional fermented tea leaf (Camellia sinensis var. assamica) in northern Thailand.

Science.gov (United States)

Kanpiengjai, Apinun; Chui-Chai, Naradorn; Chaikaew, Siriporn; Khanongnuch, Chartchai

2016-12-05

Miang is a fermented food product prepared from the tea leaves of Camellia sinensis var. assamica, and is traditionally produced in mountainous areas of northern Thailand. Although Miang has a long history and reveals deep-rooted cultural involvement with local people in northern Thailand, little is known regarding its microbial diversity. Yeasts were isolated from 47 Miang samples collected from 28 sampling sites, including eight provinces in upper northern Thailand. A hundred and seven yeast isolates were recovered and identified within 14 species based on the comparison of the D1/D2 sequence of the large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene. Candida ethanolica was determined to be the dominant species that was frequently found in Miang together with minor resident yeast species. All yeast isolates demonstrated their tannin-tolerant capability when cultivated on yeast malt agar (YMA) containing 50g/l tannin, but nine isolates displayed clear zones forming around their colonies, e.g., Debaryomyces hansenii, Cyberlindnera rhodanensis, and Sporidiobolus ruineniae. The results obtained from a visual reading method of tannase revealed that all yeast isolates were positive for methyl gallate, indicating that they possess tannase activity. It is assumed that a tannin-tolerant ability is one of the most important factors for developing a yeast community in Miang. This research study is the first report to describe tannin-tolerant yeasts and yeast communities in traditionally fermented tea leaves. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Determination of antibiotic resistance of lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional Turkish fermented dairy products.

Science.gov (United States)

Erginkaya, Z; Turhan, E U; Tatlı, D

2018-01-01

In this study, the antibiotic resistance (AR) of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from traditional Turkish fermented dairy products was investigated. Yogurt, white cheese, tulum cheese, cokelek, camız cream and kefir as dairy products were collected from various supermarkets. Lactic acid bacteria such as Lactobacillus spp., Streptococcus spp., Bifidobacterium spp., and Enterecoccus spp. were isolated from these dairy products. Lactobacillus spp. were resistant to vancomycin (58%), erythromycin (10.8%), tetracycline (4.3%), gentamicin (28%), and ciprofloxacin (26%). Streptococcus spp. were resistant to vancomycin (40%), erythromycin (10%), chloramphenicol (10%), gentamicin (20%), and ciprofloxacin (30%). Bifidobacterium spp. were resistant to vancomycin (60%), E 15 (6.6%), gentamicin (20%), and ciprofloxacin (33%). Enterococcus spp. were resistant to vancomycin (100%), erythromycin (100%), rifampin (100%), and ciprofloxacin (100%). As a result, LAB islated from dairy products in this study showed mostly resistance to vancomycin.

Bacillus licheniformis Isolated from Traditional Korean Food Resources Enhances the Longevity of Caenorhabditis elegans through Serotonin Signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Mi Ri; Oh, Sangnam; Son, Seok Jun; Park, Dong-June; Oh, Sejong; Kim, Sae Hun; Jeong, Do-Youn; Oh, Nam Su; Lee, Youngbok; Song, Minho; Kim, Younghoon

2015-12-02

In this study, we investigated potentially probiotic Bacillus licheniformis strains isolated from traditional Korean food sources for ability to enhance longevity using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a simple in vivo animal model. We first investigated whether B. licheniformis strains were capable of modulating the lifespan of C. elegans. Among the tested strains, preconditioning with four B. licheniformis strains significantly enhanced the longevity of C. elegans. Unexpectedly, plate counting and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results indicated that B. licheniformis strains were not more highly attached to the C. elegans intestine compared with Escherichia coli OP50 or Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG controls. In addition, qRT-PCR and an aging assay with mutant worms showed that the conditioning of B. licheniformis strain 141 directly influenced genes associated with serotonin signaling in nematodes, including tph-1 (tryptophan hydroxylase), bas-1 (serotonin- and dopamine-synthetic aromatic amino acid decarboxylase), mod-1 (serotonin-gated chloride channel), ser-1, and ser-7 (serotonin receptors) during C. elegans aging. Our findings suggest that B. licheniformis strain 141, which is isolated from traditional Korean foods, is a probiotic generally recognized as safe (GRAS) strain that enhances the lifespan of C. elegans via host serotonin signaling.

Microbial Quality and Antimicrobial Resistance of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli Isolated from Traditional Ice Cream in Hamadan City, West of Iran

OpenAIRE

Ghadimi; Heshmati; Azizi Shafa; Nooshkam

2016-01-01

Background Foodborne diseases are one of the most major public health concerns in the world. Ice cream flavors, especially the traditional ones, have a high potential for the transmission of the pathogenic bacteria. Objectives The aim of the current study is to investigate the microbiological status and antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus isolated from traditional ice cream. ...

Diversity of Geotrichum candidum strains isolated from traditional cheesemaking fabrications in France.

Science.gov (United States)

Marcellino, N; Beuvier, E; Grappin, R; Guéguen, M; Benson, D R

2001-10-01

The diversity of French fungus-ripened cheeses is due partly to the succession of fungi that colonize the cheese during ripening. Geotrichum candidum appears in the early stages of ripening on soft cheeses such as Camembert and semihard cheeses such as St. Nectaire and Reblochon. Its lipases and proteases promote flavor development, and its aminopeptidases reduce bitterness imparted by low-molecular-weight peptides in cheese. We assessed the genetic diversity of G. candidum strains by using random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR correlated with phenotypic tests for carbon assimilation and salt tolerance. Strains were isolated from milk, curd, and cheese collected in seven major cheesemaking regions of France. Sixty-four isolates were characterized. We found high genetic diversity of G. candidum even within the same cheesemaking regions. Strains did not group according to region. All of the strains from the Haute-Savoie were able to assimilate lactate as the sole source of carbon, while lactate assimilation varied among strains from the Auvergne. Strains varied in D-mannitol assimilation, and none used citrate as the sole source of carbon. Yeast-like colony morphology predominated in Reblochon, while all of the strains isolated from St. Nectaire were filamentous. The RAPD-PCR technique readily differentiated Geotrichum fragrans isolated from milk and curd in a St. Nectaire cheesemaking facility. This study reveals an enormous diversity of G. candidum that has been empirically selected through the centuries by the cheesemakers of France.

Draft Genome Sequence of Leuconostoc mesenteroides P45 Isolated from Pulque, a Traditional Mexican Alcoholic Fermented Beverage.

Science.gov (United States)

Riveros-Mckay, Fernando; Campos, Itzia; Giles-Gómez, Martha; Bolívar, Francisco; Escalante, Adelfo

2014-11-06

Leuconostoc mesenteroides P45 was isolated from the traditional Mexican pulque beverage. We report its draft genome sequence, assembled in 6 contigs consisting of 1,874,188 bp and no plasmids. Genome annotation predicted a total of 1,800 genes, 1,687 coding sequences, 52 pseudogenes, 9 rRNAs, 51 tRNAs, 1 noncoding RNA, and 44 frameshifted genes. Copyright © 2014 Riveros-Mckay et al.

Novel optimization technique of isolated microgrid with hydrogen energy storage.

Science.gov (United States)

Beshr, Eman Hassan; Abdelghany, Hazem; Eteiba, Mahmoud

2018-01-01

This paper presents a novel optimization technique for energy management studies of an isolated microgrid. The system is supplied by various Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), Diesel Generator (DG), a Wind Turbine Generator (WTG), Photovoltaic (PV) arrays and supported by fuel cell/electrolyzer Hydrogen storage system for short term storage. Multi-objective optimization is used through non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm to suit the load requirements under the given constraints. A novel multi-objective flower pollination algorithm is utilized to check the results. The Pros and cons of the two optimization techniques are compared and evaluated. An isolated microgrid is modelled using MATLAB software package, dispatch of active/reactive power, optimal load flow analysis with slack bus selection are carried out to be able to minimize fuel cost and line losses under realistic constraints. The performance of the system is studied and analyzed during both summer and winter conditions and three case studies are presented for each condition. The modified IEEE 15 bus system is used to validate the proposed algorithm.

Novel optimization technique of isolated microgrid with hydrogen energy storage.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eman Hassan Beshr

Full Text Available This paper presents a novel optimization technique for energy management studies of an isolated microgrid. The system is supplied by various Distributed Energy Resources (DERs, Diesel Generator (DG, a Wind Turbine Generator (WTG, Photovoltaic (PV arrays and supported by fuel cell/electrolyzer Hydrogen storage system for short term storage. Multi-objective optimization is used through non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm to suit the load requirements under the given constraints. A novel multi-objective flower pollination algorithm is utilized to check the results. The Pros and cons of the two optimization techniques are compared and evaluated. An isolated microgrid is modelled using MATLAB software package, dispatch of active/reactive power, optimal load flow analysis with slack bus selection are carried out to be able to minimize fuel cost and line losses under realistic constraints. The performance of the system is studied and analyzed during both summer and winter conditions and three case studies are presented for each condition. The modified IEEE 15 bus system is used to validate the proposed algorithm.

Probiotic attributes of indigenous Lactobacillus spp. isolated from traditional fermented foods and beverages of north-western Himalayas using in vitro screening and principal component analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumari, Anila; Angmo, Kunzes; Monika; Bhalla, Tek Chand

2016-05-01

The present research was designed to explore indigenous probiotic Lactic acid bacteria from traditional fermented foods and beverages of North-western Himalayas for their probiotic potential. It was achieved through a step-by step approach focused on the technological characterization, evaluation of the probiotic traits and adherence ability. Fifty one LAB isolates from traditional fermented foods and beverages were initially screened for their technological properties and among them twenty isolates were selected. These isolates were further characterized and identified using 16S rRNA gene sequencing as Lactobacillus brevis (7 isolates), Lactobacillus casei (5), Lactobacillus paracasei (2), Lactobacillus buchneri (1), Lactobacillus plantarum (1) and Lactobacillus sp. (3). Identified isolates were evaluated by in vitro methods including survival in gastrointestinal tract, antibiotic susceptibility, antimicrobial activity, cell surface characteristics, exopolysacharride production and haemolytic activity. The results of these experiments were used as input data for Principal Component Analysis; thus, to select the most promising probiotic isolates. Three isolates (L. brevis PLA2, L. paracasei PLA8 and L. brevis PLA16) were found to be most technological relevant and promising probiotic candidates in comparison to commercial probiotic strains. L. brevis PLA2 was selected as best isolate with probiotic potential by in vitro adherence to the human intestinal HT-29 cell line.

Draft Genome Sequence of Leuconostoc mesenteroides 213M0, Isolated from Traditional Fermented Mare Milk Airag in Bulgan Aimag, Mongolia.

Science.gov (United States)

Morita, Hidetoshi; Toh, Hidehiro; Oshima, Kenshiro; Nakano, Akiyo; Hano, Chihiro; Yoshida, Saki; Bolormaa, Tsognemekh; Burenjargal, Sedkhuu; Nguyen, Co Thi Kim; Tashiro, Kosuke; Arakawa, Kensuke; Miyamoto, Taku

2016-03-31

Leuconostoc mesenteroides213M0 was isolated from traditional fermented mare milk airag in Bulgan Aimag, Mongolia. This strain produces a listericidal bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of this organism. Copyright © 2016 Morita et al.

Isolation and identification of lactic acid bacteria from traditional dairy products of Kleibar, Heris and Varzaghan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T Narimani

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Probiotics are dietary supplements of live microorganisms which when consumed in adequate amounts, can have a beneficial effect on the host. Among all bacteria, lactic acid bacteria are the most common type that has been introduced as probiotics. These bacteria are present in dairy products and produce lactic acid during the fermentation process. The aim of this study was to isolate and identify the probiotics from microbial flora of milk and traditional yogurt in Kaleibar, Heris and Varzaghan areas. In this study, lactic acid bacteria were isolated by culture and identified based on biochemical properties and resistant to stomach acid and bile salts were evaluated. Then, for more accurate identification of the isolates, the 16S rRNA genes of Lactobacilli were amplified with specific primers and the purified PCR product was sent for sequencing. According to our results, 17 strains of Lactobacilli and 6 strains of Enterococci were reported in Kaleibar, Heris and Varzaghan areas which could be a good candidate for further investigation as probiotic.

Immunostimulatory Effects of Polysaccharides Isolated from Makgeolli (Traditional Korean Rice Wine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chang-Won Cho

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Makgeolli is a traditional Korean rice wine, reported to have various biological functions. In this study, the immunostimulatory activity of a polysaccharide from makgeolli (PSM was investigated. The polysaccharide fraction was isolated from makgeolli by hot water extraction, ethanol precipitation, dialysis, and lyophilization. The major constituents in PSM were neutral sugars (87.3%. PSM was composed of five different sugars, glucose, mannose, galactose, xylose, and arabinose. In normal mice, PSM treatment increased the spleen index (p < 0.05 as well as splenocyte proliferation (p < 0.05 in combination with concanavalin A or lipopolysaccharide. The immunostimulatory activities of PSM were also examined in cyclophosphamide (CY-induced immunosuppressed mice. Mice treated with PSM exhibited increased splenocyte proliferation (p < 0.05, natural killer cell activity, and white blood cell counts (p < 0.01 compared with immunosuppressed mice. These results indicate that PSM can enhance immune function in normal mice and CY-induced immunosuppressed mice.

Effect of Isolation Techniques on Viability of Bovine Blood Neutrophils

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Sláma

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The effect of selected isolation methods on the viability of neutrophil granulocytes (neutrophils from the blood of healthy Holstein x Bohemian Red Pied crossbred heifers was evaluated. Two methods of neutrophil isolation were used: a neutrophil isolation on the basis of hypotonic erythrocyte lysis (in two variants: after the erythrocyte lysis proper, the cells were centrifuged at either 200 g or 1000 g, and b neutrophil isolation with FACS Lysing Solution as the lysing agent. The viability of the isolated neutrophils was evaluated on the basis of apoptosis and necrosis. The results obtained with flow cytometry (FCM suggest that, from the isolation techniques used, the method based on FACS Lysing Solution impaired the neutrophil viability least. After the application of this method, 5.36 ± 2.15% of neutrophils were apoptotic and 0.51 ± 0.12% were necrotic. In contrast, when the hypotonic erythrocyte lysis was used, the proportion of apoptotic neutrophils amounted to 42.14 ± 7.12% and 49.00 ± 14.70%, respectively, and 41.12 ± 5.55% and 36.91 ± 24.38% respectively of necrotic neutrophils (P < 0.01. This was also confirmed by the light microscopy. After the isolation with FASC Lysing Solution, 1.92 ± 1.74% of neutrophils were apoptotic and 1.05 ± 0.76% were necrotic, as distinct from after the hypotonic erythrocyte lysis where 9.43 ± 3.69% of neutrophils were apoptotic and 12.67 ± 4.74% of necrotic after centrifugation at 200 g, while 12.60 ± 4.35 were apoptotic and 14.96 ± 12.64% were necrotic after centrifugation at 1000 g. It follows from the above-mentioned data that hypotonic lysis is not a suitable method for the isolation of neutrophils, as the method itself markedly affects cell viability.

Annona muricata (Annonaceae: A Review of Its Traditional Uses, Isolated Acetogenins and Biological Activities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soheil Zorofchian Moghadamtousi

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Annona muricata is a member of the Annonaceae family and is a fruit tree with a long history of traditional use. A. muricata, also known as soursop, graviola and guanabana, is an evergreen plant that is mostly distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The fruits of A. muricata are extensively used to prepare syrups, candies, beverages, ice creams and shakes. A wide array of ethnomedicinal activities is contributed to different parts of A. muricata, and indigenous communities in Africa and South America extensively use this plant in their folk medicine. Numerous investigations have substantiated these activities, including anticancer, anticonvulsant, anti-arthritic, antiparasitic, antimalarial, hepatoprotective and antidiabetic activities. Phytochemical studies reveal that annonaceous acetogenins are the major constituents of A. muricata. More than 100 annonaceous acetogenins have been isolated from leaves, barks, seeds, roots and fruits of A. muricata. In view of the immense studies on A. muricata, this review strives to unite available information regarding its phytochemistry, traditional uses and biological activities.

Screening and characterization of extracellular polysaccharides produced by Leuconostoc kimchii isolated from traditional fermented pulque beverage.

Science.gov (United States)

Torres-Rodríguez, Ingrid; Rodríguez-Alegría, María Elena; Miranda-Molina, Alfonso; Giles-Gómez, Martha; Conca Morales, Rodrigo; López-Munguía, Agustín; Bolívar, Francisco; Escalante, Adelfo

2014-01-01

We report the screening and characterization of EPS produced by LAB identified as Leuconostoc kimchii isolated from pulque, a traditional Mexican fermented, non-distilled alcoholic beverage produced by the fermentation of the sap extracted from several (Agave) maguey species. EPS-producing LAB constitutes an abundant bacterial group relative to total LAB present in sap and during fermentation, however, only two EPS-producing colony phenotypes (EPSA and EPSB, respectively) were detected and isolated concluding that despite the high number of polymer-producing LAB their phenotypic diversity is low. Scanning electron microcopy analysis during EPS-producing conditions revealed that both types of EPS form a uniform porous structure surrounding the bacterial cells. The structural characterization of the soluble and cell-associated EPS fractions of each polymer by enzymatic and acid hydrolysis, as by 1D- and 2D-NMR, showed that polymers produced by the soluble and cell-associated fractions of EPSA strain are dextrans consisting of a linear backbone of linked α-(1→6) Glcp in the main chain with α-(1→2) and α-(1→3)-linked branches. The polymer produced by the soluble fraction of EPSB strain was identified as a class 1 dextran with a linear backbone containing consecutive α-(1→6)-linked D-glucopyranosyl units with few α-(1→3)-linked branches, whereas the cell-associated EPS is a polymer mixture consisting of a levan composed of linear chains of (2→6)-linked β-D-fructofuranosyl residues with β-(2→6) connections, and a class 1 dextran. According to our knowledge this is the first report of dextrans and a levan including their structural characterization produced by L. kimchii isolated from a traditional fermented source.

Isolation of bacteria from diabetic foot ulcers with special reference to anaerobe isolation by simple two-step combustion technique in candle jar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jayeeta Haldar

2017-01-01

Results: All the 43 samples were culture positive, of which aerobic Gram-negative bacteria (GNB predominated, followed by Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus and diphtheroids. Anaerobes isolated from 21 samples were Peptostreptococcus, Bacteroides, Porphyromonas, Veillonella spp. and Clostridium perfringens by both GasPak and in-house developed and modified candle jar techniques. Imipenem and metronidazole were most sensitive while clindamycin, penicillin and cefoxitin were least sensitive drugs for anaerobes. Aerobic GNB were found to be multidrug resistant, especially to penicillin and cephalosporins. The most sensitive drug was piperacillin-tazobactam. Interpretation & conclusions: For isolation of anaerobes from clinical specimens such as diabetic foot ulcers, modified candle jar technique was found to be as reliable as GasPak system. This modified technique needs to be tested for many other clinical materials which are not yet evaluated.

An automated technique to identify potential inappropriate traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescriptions.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Hsuan-Chia; Iqbal, Usman; Nguyen, Phung Anh; Lin, Shen-Hsien; Huang, Chih-Wei; Jian, Wen-Shan; Li, Yu-Chuan

2016-04-01

Medication errors such as potential inappropriate prescriptions would induce serious adverse drug events to patients. Information technology has the ability to prevent medication errors; however, the pharmacology of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is not as clear as in western medicine. The aim of this study was to apply the appropriateness of prescription (AOP) model to identify potential inappropriate TCM prescriptions. We used the association rule of mining techniques to analyze 14.5 million prescriptions from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. The disease and TCM (DTCM) and traditional Chinese medicine-traditional Chinese medicine (TCMM) associations are computed by their co-occurrence, and the associations' strength was measured as Q-values, which often referred to as interestingness or life values. By considering the number of Q-values, the AOP model was applied to identify the inappropriate prescriptions. Afterwards, three traditional Chinese physicians evaluated 1920 prescriptions and validated the detected outcomes from the AOP model. Out of 1920 prescriptions, 97.1% of positive predictive value and 19.5% of negative predictive value were shown by the system as compared with those by experts. The sensitivity analysis indicated that the negative predictive value could improve up to 27.5% when the model's threshold changed to 0.4. We successfully applied the AOP model to automatically identify potential inappropriate TCM prescriptions. This model could be a potential TCM clinical decision support system in order to improve drug safety and quality of care. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

RAPD-PCR characterization of lactobacilli isolated from artisanal meat plants and traditional fermented sausages of Veneto region (Italy).

Science.gov (United States)

Andrighetto, C; Zampese, L; Lombardi, A

2001-07-01

The study was carried out to evaluate the use of randomly amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR) as a method for the identification of lactobacilli isolated from meat products. RAPD-PCR with primers M13 and D8635 was applied to the identification and intraspecific differentiation of 53 lactobacilli isolates originating from traditional fermented sausages and artisanal meat plants of the Veneto region (Italy). Most of the isolates were assigned to the species Lactobacillus sakei and Lact. curvatus; differentiation of groups of strains within the species was also possible. RAPD-PCR could be applied to the identification of lactobacilli species most commonly found in meat products. The method, which is easy and rapid to perform, could be useful for the study of the lactobacilli populations present in fermented sausages, and could help in the selection of candidate strains to use as starter cultures in meat fermentation.

Antibacterial constituents of Eremophila alternifolia: An Australian aboriginal traditional medicinal plant.

Science.gov (United States)

Biva, Israt J; Ndi, Chi P; Griesser, Hans J; Semple, Susan J

2016-04-22

For traditional medicinal purposes Aboriginal Australians have utilised numerous plant species, Eremophila alternifolia is among the most prominent. Traditionally, fresh leaves, leaf-infusions and handmade leaf-pastes have been used as both external and internal preparations to provide relief from a variety of conditions. Preparations of the species have been used to treat various infections of skin, eyes and throat including the treatment of septic wounds. These usages suggest that the plant contains antibacterial compounds; however, to date they have not been isolated and identified. The present study aimed to identify antibacterial compounds from this important traditionally recorded medicinal species. Bioassay-guided fractionation was used to isolate compounds from the crude leaf-extract. Antibacterial activity of pure compounds was assessed through broth microdilution method by determining both minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs). Structure elucidation was performed using spectroscopic techniques such as 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and high resolution mass spectrometry. Four compounds have been isolated from the leaf-extract; they include previously known flavanones [pinobanksin (1), pinobanksin-3-acetate (2) and pinobanksin-3-cinnamate (3)] and a serrulatane diterpene, 8-hydroxyserrulat-14-en-19-oic acid (4). While compound 4 had been found in other Eremophilas, flavanones 2 and 3 are identified for the first time from the genus Eremophila. The flavanone 3 is the most promising antibacterial compound with significant activity (10-20µM) against strains of the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus including methicillin resistant and biofilm forming strains. No activity was observed for any isolated compounds against the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli. The antibacterial activity of the crude extract of E. alternifolia and of the isolated compounds against Gram

Comparative evaluation of soft-switching, bidirectional, isolated AC/DC converter topologies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Everts, J.; Krismer, F.; Van den Keybus, J.; Driesen, Johan; Kolar, J.W.

2012-01-01

For realizing bidirectional and isolated AC/DC converters, soft-switching techniques/topologies seem to be a favourable choice as they enable a further loss and volume reduction of the system. Contrary to the traditional dual-stage approach, using a power factor corrector (PFC) stage in series with

Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. sunkii subsp. nov., isolated from sunki, a traditional Japanese pickle.

Science.gov (United States)

Kudo, Yuko; Oki, Kaihei; Watanabe, Koichi

2012-11-01

Although four strains of bacteria isolated from sunki, a traditional Japanese, non-salted pickle, were initially identified as Lactobacillus delbrueckii, the molecular and phenotypic characteristics of the strains did not match those of any of the four recognized subspecies of L. delbrueckii. Together, the results of phenotypic characterization, DNA-DNA hybridizations (in which the relatedness values between the novel strains and type strains of the recognized subspecies of L. delbrueckii were all >88.7%) and 16S rRNA gene sequence, amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and whole-cell MALDI-TOF/MS spectral pattern analyses indicated that the four novel strains represented a single, novel subspecies, for which the name Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. sunkii subsp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIT 11221(T) (=JCM 17838(T) =DSM 24966(T)).

A microculture technique for isolating live Leishmania parasites from peripheral blood of visceral leishmaniasis patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Hide, M; Singh, R; Kumar, B; Bañuls, A L; Sundar, S

2007-06-01

Current procedures for diagnosing Leishmania parasites from patients involve invasive and dangerous tissue aspiration. We have developed a non-invasive and highly sensitive microculture method that can isolate parasites from the buffy coat of the patient's peripheral blood. The parasites were cultured in 96-well culture plates. Nineteen parasitologically proven visceral leishmaniasis (VL) patients were included in the study. Using this technique, we were able to isolate parasites from 16 (84%) samples. However, all 19 (100%) samples were positive on culture of splenic aspirates. We conclude that this technique is useful for the isolation and cryoconservation of parasites from patients' blood. This simple method could be tried as a first-instance alternative before other more sensitive procedures such as splenic aspirate; however, negative results should be confirmed by tests with higher sensitivity.

Aircraft applications of fault detection and isolation techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Marcos Esteban, Andres

In this thesis the problems of fault detection & isolation and fault tolerant systems are studied from the perspective of LTI frequency-domain, model-based techniques. Emphasis is placed on the applicability of these LTI techniques to nonlinear models, especially to aerospace systems. Two applications of Hinfinity LTI fault diagnosis are given using an open-loop (no controller) design approach: one for the longitudinal motion of a Boeing 747-100/200 aircraft, the other for a turbofan jet engine. An algorithm formalizing a robust identification approach based on model validation ideas is also given and applied to the previous jet engine. A general linear fractional transformation formulation is given in terms of the Youla and Dual Youla parameterizations for the integrated (control and diagnosis filter) approach. This formulation provides better insight into the trade-off between the control and the diagnosis objectives. It also provides the basic groundwork towards the development of nested schemes for the integrated approach. These nested structures allow iterative improvements on the control/filter Youla parameters based on successive identification of the system uncertainty (as given by the Dual Youla parameter). The thesis concludes with an application of Hinfinity LTI techniques to the integrated design for the longitudinal motion of the previous Boeing 747-100/200 model.

Gluconacetobacter kakiaceti sp. nov., an acetic acid bacterium isolated from a traditional Japanese fruit vinegar.

Science.gov (United States)

Iino, Takao; Suzuki, Rei; Tanaka, Naoto; Kosako, Yoshimasa; Ohkuma, Moriya; Komagata, Kazuo; Uchimura, Tai

2012-07-01

Two novel acetic acid bacteria, strains G5-1(T) and I5-1, were isolated from traditional kaki vinegar (produced from fruits of kaki, Diospyros kaki Thunb.), collected in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strains G5-1(T) and I5-1 formed a distinct subline in the genus Gluconacetobacter and were closely related to Gluconacetobacter swingsii DST GL01(T) (99.3% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). The isolates showed 96-100% DNA-DNA relatedness with each other, but genus Gluconacetobacter. The isolates could be distinguished from closely related members of the genus Gluconacetobacter by not producing 2- and 5-ketogluconic acids from glucose, producing cellulose, growing without acetic acid and with 30% (w/v) d-glucose, and producing acid from sugars and alcohols. Furthermore, the genomic DNA G+C contents of strains G5-1(T) and I5-1 were a little higher than those of their closest phylogenetic neighbours. On the basis of the phenotypic characteristics and phylogenetic position, strains G5-1(T) and I5-1 are assigned to a novel species, for which the name Gluconacetobacter kakiaceti sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is G5-1(T) (=JCM 25156(T)=NRIC 0798(T)=LMG 26206(T)).

Isolation of Triterpenoid Glycoside from Bark of Terminalia arjuna using Chromatographic Technique and Investigation of Pharmacological Behavior upon Muscle Tissues

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tanushree Patnaik

2007-01-01

Full Text Available This study reports the isolation and characterization of a new triterpenoid glycoside extracted from the bark of Terminalia arjuna. The isolation of the organic compounds was done using simple chromatographic technique. Compound characterization using various spectroscopic technique identify the final isolated compound as Olean-3β,22β-diol-12-en-28β-D-glucopyranoside-oic acid. The method of isolation is simple, cost effective and efficient. The preliminary bioactivity of the compound was also evaluated.

Efficacy of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation techniques versus traditional prosthetic training for improving ambulatory function in transtibial amputees

OpenAIRE

Pallavi Sahay, MPT; Santosh Kr. Prasad, MSc; Shahnawaz Anwer, MPT; P.K. Lenka, PhD; Ratnesh Kumar, MS

2014-01-01

The objective of this randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the efficacy of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) techniques in comparison to traditional prosthetic training (TPT) in improving ambulatory function in transtibial amputees. Thirty study participants (19 men and 11 women) with unilateral transtibial amputation participated in the study. They were randomly allocated to either the traditional training group (i.e., TPT) (n = 15) or the PNF training group (n = 15). Th...

RNA interference: a promising technique for the improvement of traditional crops.

Science.gov (United States)

Katoch, Rajan; Thakur, Neelam

2013-03-01

RNA interference (RNAi) is a homology-dependent gene-silencing technology that involves double-stranded RNA directed against a target gene. This technique has emerged as powerful tool in understanding the functions of a number of genes in recent years. For the improvement in the nutritional status of the plants and reduction in the level of antinutrients, the conventional breeding methods were not completely successful in achieving the tissue-specific regulation of some genes. RNAi has shown successful results in a number of plant species for nutritional improvement, change in morphology and alteration in metabolite synthesis. This technology has been applied mostly in genetic engineering of important crop plants, and till date there are no reports of its application for the improvement of traditional/underutilized crops. In this study, we discuss current knowledge of RNAi function and concept and strategies for the improvement of traditional crops. Practical application. Although RNAi has been extensively used for the improvement of popular crops, no attention has been given for the use of this technology for the improvement of underutilized crops. This study describes the importance of use of this technology for the improvement of underutilized crops.

A novel multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) protocol for Leuconostoc lactis isolates from traditional dairy products in China and Mongolia.

Science.gov (United States)

Dan, Tong; Liu, Wenjun; Sun, Zhihong; Lv, Qiang; Xu, Haiyan; Song, Yuqin; Zhang, Heping

2014-06-09

Economically, Leuconostoc lactis is one of the most important species in the genus Leuconostoc. It plays an important role in the food industry including the production of dextrans and bacteriocins. Currently, traditional molecular typing approaches for characterisation of this species at the isolate level are either unavailable or are not sufficiently reliable for practical use. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) is a robust and reliable method for characterising bacterial and fungal species at the molecular level. In this study, a novel MLST protocol was developed for 50 L. lactis isolates from Mongolia and China. Sequences from eight targeted genes (groEL, carB, recA, pheS, murC, pyrG, rpoB and uvrC) were obtained. Sequence analysis indicated 20 different sequence types (STs), with 13 of them being represented by a single isolate. Phylogenetic analysis based on the sequences of eight MLST loci indicated that the isolates belonged to two major groups, A (34 isolates) and B (16 isolates). Linkage disequilibrium analyses indicated that recombination occurred at a low frequency in L. lactis, indicating a clonal population structure. Split-decomposition analysis indicated that intraspecies recombination played a role in generating genotypic diversity amongst isolates. Our results indicated that MLST is a valuable tool for typing L. lactis isolates that can be used for further monitoring of evolutionary changes and population genetics.

Screening and characterization of bacteriocins produced by some Strains of Lactobacillus spp isolated from Iranian Dairy products

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S Mirdamadi

2011-11-01

Full Text Available In this study, the inhibitory effects of bacteriocins of lactobacilli which were isolated from Iranian traditional dairy products was determined against known gram positive, gram negative and yeast by well diffusion technique. Among 8 isolates with higher capability of bacteriocin production, 2 isolates were selected for further investigations. The bacteriocins were purified by iso-propanol and ammonium sulfate precipitation following by dialysis and chromatography technique. The molecular weight of bacteriocins was determined as 45 to 66/2 KDa. by SDS-page electrophoresis. According to the results, the produced bacteriocins had more inhibition effect on Micrococcus luteus PTCC1169, Staphylococcus epidermidis PTCC1435 as well as Bacillus cereus PTCC1247 and with lesser degree of extent on Listeria monocytogenes PTCC 1301. Results also revealed that, Micrococcus luteus  was the most sensitive bacterium among indicator bacteria, while Candid albicans PTCC 5027 identified as the most resistance organism. This research showed that, bacteriocins produced by lactobacilli isolated from traditional dairy products have high potency to be used against microbial pathogens and could be applied as bio-preservative in food products.

Genome Sequencing of Bacillus subtilis SC-8, Antagonistic to the Bacillus cereus Group, Isolated from Traditional Korean Fermented-Soybean Food

OpenAIRE

Yeo, In-Cheol; Lee, Nam Keun; Hahm, Young Tae

2012-01-01

Bacillus subtilis SC-8 is a Gram-positive bacterium displaying narrow antagonistic activity for the Bacillus cereus group. B. subtilis SC-8 was isolated from Korean traditional fermented-soybean food. Here we report the draft genome sequence of B. subtilis SC-8, including biosynthetic genes for antibiotics that may have beneficial effects for control of food-borne pathogens.

In vitro and in vivo probiotic assessment of Leuconostoc mesenteroides P45 isolated from pulque, a Mexican traditional alcoholic beverage.

Science.gov (United States)

Giles-Gómez, Martha; Sandoval García, Jorge Giovanni; Matus, Violeta; Campos Quintana, Itzia; Bolívar, Francisco; Escalante, Adelfo

2016-01-01

Pulque is a Mexican traditional alcoholic, non-distilled, fermented beverage produced by the fermentation of the sap, known as aguamiel, extracted from several maguey (Agave) species. Pulque has traditionally been considered a healthy beverage due to its nutrient content and also a traditional medicine for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders and intestinal infections. During pulque fermentation, the development of acidity, alcohol and viscosity define its final sensorial properties, developing an enriched environment where dominant lactic acid bacteria (LAB), including diverse Leuconostoc species, are present. Because traditional pulque is consumed directly from the fermentation vessel, the naturally associated LAB are ingested and reach the human small intestine alive. Here, we report the in vitro and in vivo probiotic assessment of Leuconostoc mesenteroides strain P45 isolated from pulque. This isolated LAB species exhibited lysozyme, acid (pH 3.5) and bile salts (0.1 and 0.3 % oxgall) resistance. Antibacterial activity against the pathogens Listeria monocytogenes, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi and S. enterica serovar Typhimurium were observed in assays involving cell-to-cell contact, cell-free 2× concentrated supernatants and cell-to-cell contact under exopolysaccharide-producing conditions. The in vivo probiotic assessment showed an anti-infective activity of L. mesenteroides P45 against S. enterica serovar Typhimurium in challenged male and female BALB/c mice. Analysis of the available genome sequence of strain P45 allowed identified a pre-bacteriocin coding gene and six peptidoglycan hydrolase enzymes, probably involved in the antimicrobial activity of this strain. The results presented in this study support some potential microbial mechanisms associated with the beneficial effects on human health of this LAB involved in the fermentation of pulque.

Complete genome sequence of Bacillus methylotrophicus JJ-D34 isolated from deonjang, a Korean traditional fermented soybean paste.

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Ji Young; Chun, Byung Hee; Moon, Ji Young; Yeo, Soo-Hwan; Jeon, Che Ok

2016-02-10

Bacillus methylotrophicus JJ-D34 showing good proteolytic and antipathogenic activities was isolated from doenjang, a Korean traditional fermented soybean paste. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of strain JJ-D34 harboring a 4,105,955 bp circular chromosome encoding 4044 genes with a 46.24% G+C content, which will provide insights into the genomic basis of its effects and facilitating its application to doenjang fermentation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Potential probiotic characteristics of Lactobacillus and Enterococcus strains isolated from traditional dadih fermented milk against pathogen intestinal colonization.

Science.gov (United States)

Collado, M Carmen; Surono, Ingrid S; Meriluoto, Jussi; Salminen, Seppo

2007-03-01

Traditional fermented buffalo milk in Indonesia (dadih) has been believed to have a beneficial impact on human health, which could be related to the properties of the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) involved in its fermentation process. In previous studies, it was discovered that strains of dadih lactic isolates possessed some beneficial properties in vitro. In the present study, the adhesion capacity of specific LAB isolates from dadih to intestinal mucus was analyzed. Further, the ability to inhibit model human pathogens and displace them from mucus was assessed. The adhesion of tested LAB strains was strain-dependent and varied from 1.4 to 9.8%. The most adhesive Lactobacillus plantarum strain was IS-10506, with 9.8% adhesion. The competition assay between dadih LAB isolates and pathogens showed that a 2-h preincubation with L. plantarum at 37 degrees C significantly reduced pathogen adhesion to mucus. All tested LAB strains displaced and inhibited pathogen adhesion, but the results were strain-specific and dependent on time and pathogen strains. In general, L. plantarum IS-10506 showed the best ability against pathogen adhesion.

Characterization of a Viking Blade Fabricated by Traditional Forging Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Vo, H.; Frazer, D.; Bailey, N.; Traylor, R.; Austin, J.; Pringle, J.; Bickel, J.; Connick, R.; Connick, W.; Hosemann, P.

2016-12-01

A team of students from the University of California, Berkeley, participated in a blade-smithing competition hosted by the Minerals, Metals, and Materials Society at the TMS 2015 144th annual meeting and exhibition. Motivated by ancient forging methods, the UC Berkeley team chose to fabricate our blade from historical smithing techniques utilizing naturally-occurring deposits of iron ore. This approach resulted in receiving the "Best Example of a Traditional Blade Process/Ore Smelting Technique" award for our blade named "Berkelium." First, iron-enriched sand was collected from local beaches. Magnetite (Fe3O4) was then extracted from the sand and smelted into individual high- and low-carbon steel ingots. Layers of high- and low-carbon steels were forge-welded together, predominantly by hand, to form a composite material. Optical microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and Vickers hardness mechanical testing were conducted at different stages throughout the blade-making process to evaluate the microstructure and hardness evolution during formation. It was found that the pre-heat-treated blade microstructure was composed of ferrite and pearlite, and contained many nonmetallic inclusions. A final heat treatment was performed, which caused the average hardness of the blade edge to increase by more than a factor of two, indicating a martensitic transformation.

A GENERIC PACKAGING TECHNIQUE USING FLUIDIC ISOLATION FOR LOW-DRIFT IMPLANTABLE PRESSURE SENSORS.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, A; Powell, C R; Ziaie, B

2015-06-01

This paper reports on a generic packaging method for reducing drift in implantable pressure sensors. The described technique uses fluidic isolation by encasing the pressure sensor in a liquid-filled medical-grade polyurethane balloon; thus, isolating it from surrounding aqueous environment that is the major source of baseline drift. In-vitro tests using commercial micromachined piezoresistive pressure sensors show an average baseline drift of 0.006 cmH 2 O/day (0.13 mmHg/month) for over 100 days of saline soak test, as compared to 0.101 cmH 2 O/day (2.23 mmHg/month) for a non-fluidic-isolated one soaked for 18 days. To our knowledge, this is the lowest reported drift for an implantable pressure sensor.

Distinctive proteolytic activity of cell envelope proteinase of Lactobacillus helveticus isolated from airag, a traditional Mongolian fermented mare's milk.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyamoto, Mari; Ueno, Hiroshi M; Watanabe, Masayuki; Tatsuma, Yumi; Seto, Yasuyuki; Miyamoto, Taku; Nakajima, Hadjime

2015-03-16

Airag is a traditional fermented milk of Mongolia that is usually made from raw mare's milk. Lactobacillus helveticus is one of the lactic acid bacteria most frequently isolated from airag. In this study, we investigated the genetic and physiological characteristics of L. helveticus strains isolated from airag and clarified their significance in airag by comparing them with strains from different sources. Six strains of L. helveticus were isolated from five home-made airag samples collected from different regions of Mongolia. The optimal temperature for acidification in skim milk was 30 to 35°C for all the Mongolian strains, which is lower than those for the reference strains (JCM 1554 and JCM 1120(T)) isolated from European cheeses. All of the strains had a prtH1-like gene encoding a variant type of cell envelope proteinase (CEP). The CEP amino acid sequence in Snow Brand Typeculture (SBT) 11087 isolated from airag shared 71% identity with PrtH of L. helveticus CNRZ32 (AAD50643.1) but 98% identity with PrtH of Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens ZW3 (AEG40278.1) isolated from a traditional fermented milk in Tibet. The proteolytic activities of the CEP from SBT11087 on artificial substrate (N-succinyl-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-p-nitroanilide) and pure casein were measured using an intact-cell degradation assay. The activity of the CEP from SBT11087 was observed to be weak and exhibited a lower optimal temperature (40°C) than those from the reference strains (45-50°C). The specificity of the SBT11087 CEP for αS1-casein was typical of the CEPs previously reported in L. helveticus, as determined through the degradation profiles obtained through gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry analyses. In contrast, the degradation profile of β-casein revealed that the CEP of SBT11087 primarily hydrolyzes its C-terminal domain and hydrolyzed nine of the 16 cleavage sites shared among the CEPs of other L. helveticus strains. Thus, the CEP of SBT11087 is distinct from those from

Bioactivity-guided isolation of anti-hepatitis B virus active sesquiterpenoids from the traditional Chinese medicine: Rhizomes of Cyperus rotundus.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Hong-Bo; Ma, Yun-Bao; Huang, Xiao-Yan; Geng, Chang-An; Wang, Hao; Zhao, Yong; Yang, Tong-Hua; Chen, Xing-Long; Yang, Cai-Yan; Zhang, Xue-Mei; Chen, Ji-Jun

2015-08-02

The rhizome of Cyperus rotundus (C. rotundus) is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine to cure hepatitis in many formulae, but the active components responsible for hepatitis have not been elucidated. According to our bioassay on HepG2.2.15 cell line in vitro, the ethanol extract of C. rotundus demonstrated potent anti-HBV activity. This current study was designed to isolate and identify the anti-HBV active constituents from the rhizomes of C. rotundus. Bioactivity and LC-MS guided fractionation on the extract of C. rotundus using various chromatographic techniques including open-column, Sephadex LH-20 and semi-preparative high performance liquid chromatography led to the isolation and identification of thirty-seven sesquiterpenoids. Structural elucidation of the isolates was carried out by extensive spectroscopic analyses (UV, IR, HRMS, 1D- and 2D -NMR). The anti-HBV activity and cytotoxicity were evaluated on the HBV-transfected HepG2.2.15 cell line in vitro. The cytotoxicity effects of the isolates were assessed by a MTT assay. The secretions of HBsAg and HBeAg in the culture medium were detected by ELISA method, and the load of HBV DNA was quantified by real-time fluorescent PCR technique. Five new patchoulane-type sesquiterpenoids, namely cyperene-3, 8-dione (1), 14-hydroxy cyperotundone (2), 14-acetoxy cyperotundone (3), 3β-hydroxycyperenoic acid (4) and sugetriol-3, 9-diacetate (5), along with 32 known sesquiterpenoids were isolated from the active fractions of C. rotundus. Compounds 2 and 3 were the first cyperotundone-type sesquiterpenoids with a hydroxyl group at C-14 position. Nine eudesmane-type sesquiterpenoids (15-21 and 23-24) significantly inhibited the HBV DNA replication with IC50 values of 42.7±5.9, 22.5±1.9, 13.2±1.2, 10.1±0.7, 14.1±1.1, 15.3±2.7, 13.8±0.9, 19.7±2.1 and 11.9±0.6 μM, respectively, of which, compounds 17, 21, 23 and 24 possessed high SI values of 250.4, 125.5,>259.6 and 127.5, respectively. Two patchoulane

Probiotic attributes of indigenous Lactobacillus spp. isolated from traditional fermented foods and beverages of north-western Himalayas using in vitro screening and principal component analysis

OpenAIRE

Kumari, Anila; Angmo, Kunzes; Monika; Bhalla, Tek Chand

2016-01-01

The present research was designed to explore indigenous probiotic Lactic acid bacteria from traditional fermented foods and beverages of North-western Himalayas for their probiotic potential. It was achieved through a step-by step approach focused on the technological characterization, evaluation of the probiotic traits and adherence ability. Fifty one LAB isolates from traditional fermented foods and beverages were initially screened for their technological properties and among them twenty i...

[STUDY ON WOUND HEALING AFTER Sommerlad TECHNIQUE REPAIR OF ISOLATED CLEFT PALATE].

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Yong; Shi, Bing; Wang, Zhiyong; Zhan, Xin

2014-07-01

To study the inhibitory effect of Sommerlad technique on the growth of the maxilla by comparing the wound healing between Sommerlad and Von Langenbeck techniques in repair of isolated cleft palate. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 54 patients with isolated cleft palate who received palatoplasty with levator veli palatini retropositioning according to Sommerlad between June 2005 and August 2011 as trial group; 89 cleft patients received Von Langenbeck technique repair between June 2003 and September 2006 as control group. There was no significant difference in gender and age between 2 groups (P > 0.05). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, body temperature, and fever were recorded and compared; the wound healing was observed, and the palatal mucosa was graded according to Karsten standard. The operation time of trial group [(72.2 ± 5.5) minutes] was significantly longer than that of control group [(58.1 ± 6.8) minutes] (t = 4.494, P = 0.000); the intraoperative blood loss of trial group [(18.6 ± 6.5) mL] was significantly less than that of control group [(34.2 ± 10.2) mL] (t = 2.447, P = 0.000). Within postoperative 48 hours, the highest body temperature was 36.6-37.6°C (mean, 36.9°C) in trial group, and was 36.8-38.2°C (mean, 37.3°C) in control group; fever occurred in 5 patients (9.3%) of trial group and 21 patients (23.6%) of control group, showing significant difference (χ2 = 4.640, P = 0.030). The patients were followed up 3-18 months (mean, 9 months) in the trial group, and 3-6 years (mean, 4 years) in the control group. Scar was rated as level 0, level 1, and level 2 in 38, 13, and 3 cases of trial group, and in 6, 35, and 48 cases of control group, showing significant difference (Z = -7.785, P = 0.000). The isolated cleft palate repair using Sommerlad technique has the advantages of less injury and less scar tissue, indicating no inhibitory effect on the growth of the maxilla.

Biodiversity and γ-aminobutyric acid production by lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional alpine raw cow's milk cheeses.

Science.gov (United States)

Franciosi, Elena; Carafa, Ilaria; Nardin, Tiziana; Schiavon, Silvia; Poznanski, Elisa; Cavazza, Agostino; Larcher, Roberto; Tuohy, Kieran M

2015-01-01

"Nostrano-cheeses" are traditional alpine cheeses made from raw cow's milk in Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy. This study identified lactic acid bacteria (LAB) developing during maturation of "Nostrano-cheeses" and evaluated their potential to produce γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), an immunologically active compound and neurotransmitter. Cheese samples were collected on six cheese-making days, in three dairy factories located in different areas of Trentino and at different stages of cheese ripening (24 h, 15 days, and 1, 2, 3, 6, and 8 months). A total of 1,059 LAB isolates were screened using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA-PCR (RAPD-PCR) and differentiated into 583 clusters. LAB strains from dominant clusters (n = 97) were genetically identified to species level by partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing. LAB species most frequently isolated were Lactobacillus paracasei, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Leuconostoc mesenteroides. The 97 dominant clusters were also characterized for their ability in producing GABA by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). About 71% of the dominant bacteria clusters evolving during cheeses ripening were able to produce GABA. Most GABA producers were Lactobacillus paracasei but other GABA producing species included Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Pediococcus pentosaceus, and Streptococcus thermophilus. No Enterococcus faecalis or Sc. macedonicus isolates produced GABA. The isolate producing the highest amount of GABA (80.0±2.7 mg/kg) was a Sc. thermophilus.

Isolation and characterisation of (-)-genifuranal: the principal antimicrobial component in traditional smoking applications of Eremophila longifolia (Scrophulariaceae) by Australian aboriginal peoples.

Science.gov (United States)

Sadgrove, Nicholas John; Jones, Graham Lloyd; Greatrex, Ben William

2014-07-03

Eremophila longifolia is considered by some Australian Aboriginal tribal groups to be among the most significant of the medicinal plants in contemporary and traditional use. Usage modalities traditionally involved lipophilic extraction into animal fats and most importantly, ceremonial or medicinal smoking applications, involving the fumigation of mothers and infants following childbirth or boys following circumcision. An attempt was made to replicate the smoking modalities used by Australian Aboriginal people in the laboratory to identify bioactive compounds. Two methods were used to produce smoke extracts; smoke was channelled through a condenser then bubbled into solvent, or bubbled directly into H2O then partitioned into chloroform followed by butanol. Extracts were used, firstly for antimicrobial screening using micro-titre plate broth dilution to produce minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC), and secondly for chemical analysis. Structure elucidation of an abundant compound isolated from the smoke extract was performed using 2D-NMR and derivatisation. Significant antimicrobial activity (<1.0 mg/ml) was produced using the smoke extracts against the Gram-positive species Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and the yeast Candida albicans. A major component of the smoke with strong antimicrobial activity (0.13-0.5 mg/ml) was isolated which we have named (-)-genifuranal. Structure elucidation using 2D-NMR and derivatisation demonstrated genifuranal to be 5,6-dihydro-4H-cyclopenta[c]furan-4-ylacetaldehyde. Genifuranal is not observed in the leaves before heating, but is produced in the smoking or heating process and is thought to derive from hydrolysis and rearrangement of geniposidic acid or a related glycoside. Only geographically specific specimens of Eremophila longifolia produced (-)-genifuranal, which strongly supports previous hypothesised geographical variation in traditional usage, reflective of phytochemical variation. It would appear that

Characterization of isolated polyamide thin films of RO and NF membranes using novel TEM techniques

KAUST Repository

Pacheco, Federico A.

2010-08-15

Achieving a better understanding of transport and rejection mechanisms in RO and NF membranes requires more detailed information of the nanostructure of polyamide thin films. This study reports on two novel transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques for characterizing polyamide nanostructure. The first technique produces cross-sectional images of isolated polyamide thin films by removing the polysulfone support from regular TEM cross-sections. In the second technique called " projected area" TEM (PA-TEM), isolated polyamide thin films are placed with their surface perpendicular to the electron beam. The resulting images capture the thickness, morphology and mass density of the entire thin film. In combination, these new techniques provide information on polyamide nanostructure that is not evident using conventional methods. For the commercial RO membrane ESPA3, the cross-sectional view of the isolated polyamide thin film shows a 30-60. nm thick base of nodular polyamide (presumably the separation barrier) that forms a relatively smooth interface with the polysulfone support. Above this, a more open structure of loose polyamide extends outward giving rise to the ridge-and-valley surface structure. In PA-TEM images, the ridges and valleys correspond to the dark and bright regions, respectively; the polyamide nodular base appears as round features forming an irregular honeycomb pattern throughout the images. Membrane cross-sections were prepared with a simple resin embedding protocol using the acrylic resin LR White. The protocol did not require dehydration steps, and was applicable to both dry and wet membrane samples. Artifacts that may be produced during sample preparation were also documented. © 2010 Elsevier B.V.

Characterization of isolated polyamide thin films of RO and NF membranes using novel TEM techniques

KAUST Repository

Pacheco, Federico A.; Pinnau, Ingo; Reinhard, Martin; Leckie, James O.

2010-01-01

Achieving a better understanding of transport and rejection mechanisms in RO and NF membranes requires more detailed information of the nanostructure of polyamide thin films. This study reports on two novel transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques for characterizing polyamide nanostructure. The first technique produces cross-sectional images of isolated polyamide thin films by removing the polysulfone support from regular TEM cross-sections. In the second technique called " projected area" TEM (PA-TEM), isolated polyamide thin films are placed with their surface perpendicular to the electron beam. The resulting images capture the thickness, morphology and mass density of the entire thin film. In combination, these new techniques provide information on polyamide nanostructure that is not evident using conventional methods. For the commercial RO membrane ESPA3, the cross-sectional view of the isolated polyamide thin film shows a 30-60. nm thick base of nodular polyamide (presumably the separation barrier) that forms a relatively smooth interface with the polysulfone support. Above this, a more open structure of loose polyamide extends outward giving rise to the ridge-and-valley surface structure. In PA-TEM images, the ridges and valleys correspond to the dark and bright regions, respectively; the polyamide nodular base appears as round features forming an irregular honeycomb pattern throughout the images. Membrane cross-sections were prepared with a simple resin embedding protocol using the acrylic resin LR White. The protocol did not require dehydration steps, and was applicable to both dry and wet membrane samples. Artifacts that may be produced during sample preparation were also documented. © 2010 Elsevier B.V.

The new 'Angeli di San Giuliano' School: a significant example of seismic isolation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clemente, P.; Buffarini, G.; Dolce, M.; Parducci, A.

2009-01-01

The new school in San Giuliano di Puglia has been built with a seismic base isolation system ensuring a safety degree that otherwise could not be obtained with traditional techniques. Due to its complex and irregular shape, the building also gives rise to some considerations about the design in seismic areas. [it

Isolation, Identification, and Biological Evaluation of Phenolic Compounds from a Traditional North American Confectionery, Maple Sugar.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yongqiang; Rose, Kenneth N; DaSilva, Nicholas A; Johnson, Shelby L; Seeram, Navindra P

2017-05-31

Maple sap, collected from the sugar maple (Acer saccharum) tree, is boiled to produce the popular plant-derived sweetener, maple syrup, which can then be further evaporated to yield a traditional North American confectionery, maple sugar. Although maple sap and maple syrup have been previously studied, the phytochemical constituents of maple sugar are unknown. Herein, 30 phenolic compounds, 1-30, primarily lignans, were isolated and identified (by HRESIMS and NMR) from maple sugar. The isolates included the phenylpropanoid-based lignan tetramers (erythro,erythro)-4″,4‴-dihydroxy-3,3',3″,3‴,5,5'-hexamethoxy-7,9';7',9-diepoxy-4,8″;4',8‴-bisoxy-8,8'-dineolignan-7″,7‴,9″,9‴-tetraol, 29, and (threo,erythro)-4″,4‴-dihydroxy-3,3',3″,3‴,5,5'-hexamethoxy-7,9';7',9-diepoxy-4,8″;4',8‴-bisoxy-8,8'-dineolignan-7″,7‴,9″,9‴-tetraol, 30, neither of which have been identified from maple sap or maple syrup before. Twenty of the isolates (selected on the basis of sample quantity available) were evaluated for their potential biological effects against lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in BV-2 microglia in vitro and juglone-induced oxidative stress in Caenorhabditis elegans in vivo. The current study increases scientific knowledge of possible bioactive compounds present in maple-derived foods including maple sugar.

Molecular diversity of leuconostoc mesenteroides and leuconostoc citreum isolated from traditional french cheeses as revealed by RAPD fingerprinting, 16S rDNA sequencing and 16S rDNA fragment amplification.

Science.gov (United States)

Cibik, R; Lepage, E; Talliez, P

2000-06-01

For a long time, the identification of the Leuconostoc species has been limited by a lack of accurate biochemical and physiological tests. Here, we use a combination of RAPD, 16S rDNA sequencing, and 16S rDNA fragment amplification with specific primers to classify different leuconostocs at the species and strain level. We analysed the molecular diversity of a collection of 221 strains mainly isolated from traditional French cheeses. The majority of the strains were classified as Leuconostoc mesenteroides (83.7%) or Leuconostoc citreum (14%) using molecular techniques. Despite their presence in French cheeses, the role of L. citreum in traditional technologies has not been determined, probably because of the lack of strain identification criteria. Only one strain of Leuconostoc lactis and Leuconostoc fallax were identified in this collection, and no Weissella paramesenteroides strain was found. However, dextran negative variants of L. mesenteroides, phenotypically misclassified as W. paramesenteroides, were present. The molecular techniques used did not allow us to separate strains of the three L. mesenteroides subspecies (mesenteroides, dextranicum and cremoris). In accordance with previously published results, our findings suggest that these subspecies may be classified as biovars. Correlation found between phenotypes dextranicum and mesenteroides of L. mesenteroides and cheese technology characteristics suggests that certain strains may be better adapted to particular technological environments.

Antimicrobial resistance in coagulase-negative staphylococci from Nigerian traditional fermented foods.

Science.gov (United States)

Fowoyo, P T; Ogunbanwo, S T

2017-01-31

Coagulase-negative staphylococci have become increasingly recognized as the etiological agent of some infections. A significant characteristic of coagulase-negative staphylococci especially strains isolated from animals and clinical samples is their resistance to routinely used antibiotics although, resistant strains isolated from fermented foods have not been fully reported. A total of two hundred and fifty-five CoNS isolates were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility test using the disc diffusion technique. The minimum inhibitory concentration of the isolates to the tested antibiotics was determined using the microbroth dilution method. Methicillin resistant strains were confirmed by detection of methicillin resistant genes (mecA) and also employing cefoxitin screening test. The isolates were confirmed to be methicillin resistant by the detection of mecA genes and the cefoxitin screening test. The isolates demonstrated appreciable resistance to ampicillin (86.7%), sulfomethoxazole-trimethoprim (74.9%), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (52.5%) and oxacillin (35.7%). Methicillin resistance was exhibited by 13 out of the 255 isolates although no mecA gene was detected. It was also observed that the methicillin resistant isolates were prevalent in these traditional foods; iru, kindirmo, nono and wara. This study has ameliorated the incidence of multiple antibiotic resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci in Nigerian fermented foods and if not tackled adequately might lead to horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance from food to man.

Solid-phase glycan isolation for glycomics analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Shuang; Zhang, Hui

2012-12-01

Glycosylation is one of the most significant protein PTMs. The biological activities of proteins are dramatically changed by the glycans associated with them. Thus, structural analysis of the glycans of glycoproteins in complex biological or clinical samples is critical in correlation with the functions of glycans with diseases. Profiling of glycans by HPLC-MS is a commonly used technique in analyzing glycan structures and quantifying their relative abundance in different biological systems. Methods relied on MS require isolation of glycans from negligible salts and other contaminant ions since salts and ions may interfere with the glycans, resulting in poor glycan ionization. To accomplish those objectives, glycan isolation and clean-up methods including SPE, liquid-phase extraction, chromatography, and electrophoresis have been developed. Traditionally, glycans are isolated from proteins or peptides using a combination of hydrophobic and hydrophilic columns: proteins and peptides remain on hydrophobic absorbent while glycans, salts, and other hydrophilic reagents are collected as flowthrough. The glycans in the flowthrough are then purified through graphite-activated carbon column by hydrophilic interaction LC. Yet, the drawback in these affinity-based approaches is nonspecific binding. As a result, chemical methods by hydrazide or oxime have been developed for solid-phase isolation of glycans with high specificity and yield. Combined with high-resolution MS, specific glycan isolation techniques provide tremendous potentials as useful tools for glycomics analysis. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Peptoniphilus catoniae sp. nov., isolated from a human faecal sample from a traditional Peruvian coastal community.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Nisha B; Tito, Raul Y; Obregón-Tito, Alexandra J; O'Neal, Lindsey; Trujillo-Villaroel, Omar; Marin-Reyes, Luis; Troncoso-Corzo, Luzmila; Guija-Poma, Emilio; Lewis, Cecil M; Lawson, Paul A

2016-05-01

A novel Gram-stain-positive, coccus-shaped, obligately anaerobic bacterium was isolated from a faecal sample obtained from an individual in a traditional community located off the southern coast of Peru. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed the novel bacterium belonged to the genus Peptoniphilus but showed no particular relationship with any species, demonstrating less than 91 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with all members of the genus. The major cellular fatty acids of the novel isolate were determined to be C10 : 0, C14 : 0, C16 : 0, C18 : 1ω9c and C18 : 2ω6,9c/anteiso-C18 : 0. The DNA G+C content was 34.4 mol%. End-products of metabolism from peptone-yeast-glucose broth (PYG) were determined to be acetate and butyrate. Based on the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic results, the organism represents a novel species of the genus Peptoniphilus, for which the name Peptoniphilus catoniae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is M6.X2DT ( = DSM 29874T = CCUG 66798T).

Ex vivo hyperpolarized MR spectroscopy on isolated renal tubular cells: A novel technique for cell energy phenotyping.

Science.gov (United States)

Juul, Troels; Palm, Fredrik; Nielsen, Per Mose; Bertelsen, Lotte Bonde; Laustsen, Christoffer

2017-08-01

It has been demonstrated that hyperpolarized 13 C MR is a useful tool to study cultured cells. However, cells in culture can alter phenotype, which raises concerns regarding the in vivo significance of such findings. Here we investigate if metabolic phenotyping using hyperpolarized 13 C MR is suitable for cells isolated from kidney tissue, without prior cell culture. Isolation of tubular cells from freshly excised kidney tissue and treatment with either ouabain or antimycin A was investigated with hyperpolarized MR spectroscopy on a 9.4 Tesla preclinical imaging system. Isolation of tubular cells from less than 2 g of kidney tissue generally resulted in more than 10 million live tubular cells. This amount of cells was enough to yield robust signals from the conversion of 13 C-pyruvate to lactate, bicarbonate and alanine, demonstrating that metabolic flux by means of both anaerobic and aerobic pathways can be quantified using this technique. Ex vivo metabolic phenotyping using hyperpolarized 13 C MR in a preclinical system is a useful technique to study energy metabolism in freshly isolated renal tubular cells. This technique has the potential to advance our understanding of both normal cell physiology as well as pathological processes contributing to kidney disease. Magn Reson Med 78:457-461, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

The isolated Leptospira Spp. Identification by molecular biological techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Duangjai Suwancharoen

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the bacteria of Leptospira spp. Identification of this bacterium relies on serotyping and genotyping. Data base for animal causative serovars in Thailand is limited. As the unknown serovars are found in the laboratory, they need to be sent overseas for referent identification. To reduce the cost, this research intended to develop a leptospiral identification method which is user–friendly and able to classify efficiently. Ten Leptospira isolations were cultured from urine samples. They were identified by three molecular biological techniques, including Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE, Variable Number Tandem Repeat (VNTR and Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST. These methods were developed and compared to find the most suitable one for leptospiral identification. VNTR was found to be inappropriate since it could not identify the agents and it did not show the PCR product. PFGE and MLST gave the same results of the unknown 1 and 2 which were L.weilii sv Samin st Samin. Unknown 4 showed different results by each technique. Unknown 5 to 10 were likely to be L.meyeri sv Ranarum st ICF and Leptonema illini sv Illini st 3055 by PFGE but MLST could not identify the serovar. However, molecular biological technique for Leptospira identification should be done by several methods in order to confirm the result of each other.

Description of two Enterococcus strains isolated from traditional Peruvian artisanal-produced cheeses with a bacteriocin-like inhibitory activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aguilar Galvez A.

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work was to isolate and to characterize strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB with bacteriocin-like inhibitory activity from 27 traditional cheeses artisanal-produced obtained from different Peruvian regions. Twenty Gram+ and catalasenegative strains among 2,277 isolates exhibited bacteriocin-like inhibitory activity against Listeria monocytogenes CWBIB2232 as target strain. No change in inhibitory activity was observed after organic acid neutralization and treatment with catalase of the cell-free supernatant (CFS. The proteinic nature of the antimicrobial activity was confirmed for the twenty LAB strains by proteolytic digestion of the CFS. Two strains, CWBI-B1431 and CWBI-B1430, with the best antimicrobial activity were selected for further researches. These strains were taxonomically identified by phenotypic and genotypic analyses as Enterococcus mundtii (CWBI-B1431 and Enterococcus faecium (CWBI-B1430. The two strains were sensitive to vancomycin (MIC 2 μg.ml-1 and showed absence of haemolysis.

Sadum: Traditional and Contemporary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ratna Panggabean

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Sadum is one of the traditional cloths of the Batak people in North Sumatra. It is woven on a back strap loom with supplementary weft technique. Sadum is a warp faced weaving made of cotton and beads woven into the cloth. Ritually it is used as a shoulder cloth, gifts exchanges, and in dances. It also bears the symbol of good tidings and blessings for the receiver. The cloth has change during times in technique, color, patterns, as well as in functions. But the use as a ritual cloth stays the same. The basic weaving techniques and equipments used to create it hasn’t change, but its material and added techniques has made this cloth become more rich in color, pattern, and texture. Most changes began when the Europeans came to Indonesia and introduced new material such as synthetic fibers and colors. In the 70s traditional cloth of Indonesia got its boost when the government declared batik as Indonesian national attire. This encourages other traditional weavings to develop into contemporary clothing. Later, new techniques and material were introduced to the Sadum weavings including embroidery, silk and golden threads which were never used before.

Application of metabonomic analytical techniques in the modernization and toxicology research of traditional Chinese medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Lao, Yong-Min; Jiang, Jian-Guo; Yan, Lu

2009-08-01

In the recent years, a wide range of metabonomic analytical techniques are widely used in the modern research of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). At the same time, the international community has attached increasing importance to TCM toxicity problems. Thus, many studies have been implemented to investigate the toxicity mechanisms of TCM. Among these studies, many metabonomic-based methods have been implemented to facilitate TCM toxicity investigation. At present, the most prevailing methods for TCM toxicity research are mainly single analysis techniques using only one analytical means. These techniques include nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), etc.; with these techniques, some favourable outcomes have been gained in the toxic reaction studies of TCM, such as the action target organs assay, the establishment of action pattern, the elucidation of action mechanism and the exploration of action material foundation. However, every analytical technique has its advantages and drawbacks, no existing analytical technique can be versatile. Multi-analysed techniques can partially overcome the shortcomings of single-analysed techniques. Combination of GC-MS and LC-MS metabolic profiling approaches has unravelled the pathological outcomes of aristolochic acid-induced nephrotoxicity, which can not be achieved by single-analysed techniques. It is believed that with the further development of metabonomic analytical techniques, especially multi-analysed techniques, metabonomics will greatly promote TCM toxicity research and be beneficial to the modernization of TCM in terms of extending the application of modern means in the TCM safety assessment, assisting the formulation of TCM safety norms and establishing the international standards indicators.

Phytase-producing capacity of yeasts isolated from traditional African fermented food products and PHYPk gene expression of Pichia kudriavzevii strains

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Greppi, Anna; Krych, Lukasz; Costantini, Antonella

2015-01-01

Phytate is known as a strong chelate of minerals causing their reduced uptake by the human intestine. Ninety-three yeast isolates from traditional African fermented food products, belonging to nine species (Pichia kudriavzevii, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Clavispora lusitaniae, Kluyveromyces...... marxianus, Millerozyma farinosa, Candida glabrata, Wickerhamomyces anomalus, Hanseniaspora guilliermondii and Debaryomyces nepalensis) were screened for phytase production on solid and liquid media. 95% were able to grow in the presence of phytate as sole phosphate source, P. kudriavzevii being the best...

Complete genome sequence of Lactobacillus paracasei CAUH35, a new strain isolated from traditional fermented dairy product koumiss in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Guohong; Xiong, Yao; Xu, Qi; Yin, Jia; Hao, Yanling

2015-11-20

Lactobacillus paracasei CAUH35 was isolated from homemade koumiss, a traditional fermented dairy product with beneficial effects on human health. The genome consists of a circular 2,770,411 bp chromosome and four plasmids. Genome analysis revealed the presence of gene clusters involved in the production of exopolysaccharides and bacteriocin. The complete genome sequence of L. paracasei CAUH35 will provide genetic basis for further comparative and functional genomic analyses. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Is traditional contraceptive use in moldova associated with poverty and isolation?

OpenAIRE

Lyons-Amos, Mark J.; Durrant, Gabriele B.; Padmadas, Sabu S.

2011-01-01

This study investigates the correlates of traditional contraceptive use in Moldova, a poor country in Europe with one of the highest proportions of traditional contraceptive method users. The high reliance on traditional methods, particularly in the context of sub-replacement level fertility rate, has not been systematically evaluated in demographic research. Using cross-sectional data on a sub-sample of 6039 sexually experienced women from the 2005 Moldovan Demographic and Health Survey, thi...

Use of Psychrotolerant Lactic Acid Bacteria (Lactobacillus spp. and Leuconostoc spp.) Isolated from Chinese Traditional Paocai for the Quality Improvement of Paocai Products.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Aiping; Li, Xiaoyan; Pu, Biao; Ao, Xiaolin; Zhou, Kang; He, Li; Chen, Shujuan; Liu, Shuliang

2017-03-29

To improve the quality of Chinese traditional Paocai, two psychrotolerant lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains were isolated from Paocai, and the quality of Chinese Paocai product using these two strains as starter cultures was compared to a control sample fermented with aged brine at 10 °C. The results suggested that the physicochemical and sensory features of Paocai fermented with psychrotolerant LAB were more suitable for industrial applications. The nitrite content of Paocai fermented with psychrotolerant LAB was 1 mg/kg, which was significantly lower than that of the control Paocai (P products. Additionally, Paocai fermented with psychrotolerant LAB harbored relatively simple microbial flora as revealed by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. This study provides a basis for improving the quality of Chinese traditional Paocai and the large-scale production of low-temperature Chinese traditional Paocai products.

Gas chromatographic isolation technique for compound-specific radiocarbon analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uchida, M.; Kumamoto, Y.; Shibata, Y.; Yoneda, M.; Morita, M.; Kawamura, K.

2002-01-01

Full text: We present here a gas chromatographic isolation technique for the compound-specific radiocarbon analysis of biomarkers from the marine sediments. The biomarkers of fatty acids, hydrocarbon and sterols were isolated with enough amount for radiocarbon analysis using a preparative capillary gas chromatograph (PCGC) system. The PCGC systems used here is composed of an HP 6890 GC with FID, a cooled injection system (CIS, Gerstel, Germany), a zero-dead-volume effluent splitter, and a cryogenic preparative collection device (PFC, Gerstel). For AMS analysis, we need to separate and recover sufficient quantity of target individual compounds (>50 μgC). Yields of target compounds from C 14 n-alkanes to C 40 to C 30 n-alkanes and approximately that of 80% for higher molecular weights compounds more than C 30 n-alkanes. Compound specific radiocarbon analysis of organic compounds, as well as compound-specific stable isotope analysis, provide valuable information on the origins and carbon cycling in marine system. Above PCGC conditions, we applied compound-specific radiocarbon analysis to the marine sediments from western north Pacific, which showed the possibility of a useful chronology tool for estimating the age of sediment using organic matter in paleoceanographic study, in the area where enough amounts of planktonic foraminifera for radiocarbon analysis by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) are difficult to obtain due to dissolution of calcium carbonate. (author)

Biodiversity and γ-Aminobutyric Acid Production by Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Traditional Alpine Raw Cow’s Milk Cheeses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Franciosi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available “Nostrano-cheeses” are traditional alpine cheeses made from raw cow’s milk in Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy. This study identified lactic acid bacteria (LAB developing during maturation of “Nostrano-cheeses” and evaluated their potential to produce γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA, an immunologically active compound and neurotransmitter. Cheese samples were collected on six cheese-making days, in three dairy factories located in different areas of Trentino and at different stages of cheese ripening (24 h, 15 days, and 1, 2, 3, 6, and 8 months. A total of 1,059 LAB isolates were screened using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA-PCR (RAPD-PCR and differentiated into 583 clusters. LAB strains from dominant clusters (n=97 were genetically identified to species level by partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing. LAB species most frequently isolated were Lactobacillus paracasei, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Leuconostoc mesenteroides. The 97 dominant clusters were also characterized for their ability in producing GABA by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC. About 71% of the dominant bacteria clusters evolving during cheeses ripening were able to produce GABA. Most GABA producers were Lactobacillus paracasei but other GABA producing species included Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Pediococcus pentosaceus, and Streptococcus thermophilus. No Enterococcus faecalis or Sc. macedonicus isolates produced GABA. The isolate producing the highest amount of GABA (80.0±2.7 mg/kg was a Sc. thermophilus.

Identification and partial characterization of lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional dairy products produced by herders in the western Tianshan Mountains of China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zuo, F L; Feng, X J; Chen, L L; Chen, S W

2014-11-01

Thirty strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from herders' traditional dairy products collected from Xinjiang, China. The species Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Enterococcus, Pediococcus and Leuconostoc were identified by 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing analysis and conventional observation. The strains' fermentation characteristics, including milk acidification, proteolysis, autolysis, antimicrobial activity and diacetyl production, were assayed and compared. Strains NL24 and NL31 showed the highest proteolytic activity-2·75 and 2·08 mmol Phe l(-1) milk, respectively. Strains C, NL41, SW2, Z3-11, NL42 and Z2-91 had high autolytic activity. In addition, most of the wild strains produced diacetyl, half of them to high levels. This study provides a clue to LAB biodiversity in traditional dairy foods produced by herders in the western Tianshan Mountains. High-performing strains should be further evaluated for practical application in value-added fermented dairy products. Our results reveal a certain variety of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in traditional dairy products from Xinjiang. Some of the LAB strains, such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus NL24 and Lactobacillus paracasei SW2, possess excellent functional properties and have the potential for application in indigenous fermented dairy products. Performance of the newly isolated strains in cheese or yogurt manufacturing was further evaluated. Application of the high-performing strains to enrich the flavour of fermented dairy products is highly desirable and holds great commercial potential. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Antibiotic susceptibility of enterococci isolated from traditional fermented meat products.

Science.gov (United States)

Barbosa, J; Ferreira, V; Teixeira, P

2009-08-01

Antibiotic susceptibility was evaluated for 182 Enterococcus spp. isolated from Alheira, Chouriça de Vinhais and Salpicão de Vinhais, fermented meat products produced in the North of Portugal. Previously, a choice was made from a group of 1060 isolates, using phenotypic and genotypic tests. From these, 76 were previously identified as Enterococcus faecalis, 44 as Enterococcus faecium, one as Enterococcus casseliflavus and 61 as Enteroccocus spp. In order to encompass several of the known chemical and functional classes of antibiotics, resistance to ampicillin, penicillin G, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, nitrofurantoin, rifampicin, tetracycline and vancomycin was evaluated. All the isolates were sensitive to antibiotics of clinical importance, such as penicillins and vancomycin. Some differences in Minimal Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) of antibiotics, could be associated with the enterococcal species.

Mold Flora of Traditional Cheeses Produced in Turkey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Musa Yalman

2016-11-01

Full Text Available In our country, there are many cheese types that are produced traditionally. Cheeses which produced from cows, sheep and goat milk that matured with spontaneous growth of molds present in livestock skins, pots and similar environments are among them. They are produced traditionally in Mediterrian, Central and Eastern Anatolia regions. Molds that grow spontaneously in cheeses could create public health risk because of their secondary metabolites. Penicillium spp. are the most isolated mold from these cheeses and Penicillium roqueforti is determined as the dominant species. Furthermore, Aspergillus, Alternaria, Mucor, Geotrichum, Cladosporium species have been isolated. It is very important to control the ripening conditions and starter strain selection since some strains were reported as mycotoxin producers. In this review, it has been tried to give general information about traditional production of mold-ripened cheese in Turkey and the mold flora found in traditional cheeses. In addition, public health risk of these cheeses is reported.

Complete Genome Sequence of Bacillus velezensis YJ11-1-4, a Strain with Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Activity, Isolated from Traditional Korean Fermented Soybean Paste.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hyo Jung; Chun, Byung-Hee; Jeon, Hye Hee; Kim, Yeon Bee; Lee, Se Hee

2017-11-30

Bacillus velezensis YJ11-1-4 is a strain that exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against various pathogens. It was isolated from doenjang, a traditional Korean fermented soybean paste. The genome comprises a single circular chromosome of 4,006,637 bp with 46.42% G+C content without plasmids. Copyright © 2017 Lee et al.

Antibacterial and antifungal activity of Flindersine isolated from the traditional medicinal plant, Toddalia asiatica (L.) Lam.

Science.gov (United States)

Duraipandiyan, V; Ignacimuthu, S

2009-06-25

The leaves and root of Toddalia asiatica (L.) Lam. (Rutaceae) are widely used as a folk medicine in India. Hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol and water extracts of Toddalia asiatica leaves and isolated compound Flindersine were tested against bacteria and fungi. Antibacterial and antifungal activities were tested against bacteria and fungi using disc-diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). The compound was confirmed using X-ray crystallography technique. Antibacterial and antifungal activities were observed in ethyl acetate extract. One active principle Flindersine (2,6-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-5H-pyrano [3,2-c] quinoline-5-one-9cl) was isolated from the ethyl acetate extract. The MIC values of the compound against bacteria Bacillus subtilis (31.25 microg/ml), Staphylococcus aureus (62.5 microg/ml), Staphylococcus epidermidis (62.5 microg/ml), Enterococcus faecalis (31.25 microg/ml), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (250 microg/ml), Acinetobacter baumannii (125 microg/ml) and fungi Trichophyton rubrum 57 (62.5 microg/ml), Trichophyton mentagrophytes (62.5 microg/ml), Trichophyton simii (62.5 microg/ml), Epidermophyton floccosum (62.5 microg/ml), Magnaporthe grisea (250 microg/ml) and Candida albicans (250 microg/ml) were determined. Ethyl acetate extract showed promising antibacterial and antifungal activity and isolated compound Flindersine showed moderate activity against bacteria and fungi.

Spatial and functional characterization, identification and assessment of isolated wetlands in Alachua County, Florida, USA - GIS and remote sensing techniques

Science.gov (United States)

In this study, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing mapping techniques were developed to identify the locations of isolated wetlands in Alachua County, FL, a 2510 sq km area in north-central Florida with diverse geology and numerous isolated wetlands. The resul...

Complete Genome Sequence of Bacillus subtilis Strain DKU_NT_03, Isolated from a Traditional Korean Food Using Soybean (Chung-gook-jang) for High-Quality Nattokinase Activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Hee-Won; Bang, Man-Seok; Lee, Yea-Jin; Lee, Su Ji; Lee, Sang-Cheol; Shin, Jang-In; Oh, Chung-Hun

2018-06-21

We present here the complete genome sequence of Bacillus subtilis strain DKU_NT_03 isolated from the traditional Korean food chung-gook-jang, which is made from soybeans. This strain was chosen to identify genetic factors with high-quality nattokinase activity. Copyright © 2018 Jeong et al.

Efficient isolation of pure and functional mitochondria from mouse tissues using automated tissue disruption and enrichment with anti-TOM22 magnetic beads.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andras Franko

Full Text Available To better understand molecular mechanisms regulating changes in metabolism, as observed e.g. in diabetes or neuronal disorders, the function of mitochondria needs to be precisely determined. The usual isolation methods such as differential centrifugation result in isolates of highly variable quality and quantity. To fulfill the need of a reproducible isolation method from solid tissues, which is suitable to handle parallel samples simultaneously, we developed a protocol based on anti-TOM22 (translocase of outer mitochondrial membrane 22 homolog antibody-coupled magnetic beads. To measure oxygen consumption rate in isolated mitochondria from various mouse tissues, a traditional Clark electrode and the high-throughput XF Extracellular Flux Analyzer were used. Furthermore, Western blots, transmission electron microscopic and proteomic studies were performed to analyze the purity and integrity of the mitochondrial preparations. Mitochondrial fractions isolated from liver, brain and skeletal muscle by anti-TOM22 magnetic beads showed oxygen consumption capacities comparable to previously reported values and little contamination with other organelles. The purity and quality of isolated mitochondria using anti-TOM22 magnetic beads was compared to traditional differential centrifugation protocol in liver and the results indicated an obvious advantage of the magnetic beads method compared to the traditional differential centrifugation technique.

Bacteriocin producers from traditional food products

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thonart P.

2007-01-01

Full Text Available A total of 220 strains of LAB isolated from 32 samples of traditional fermented food from Senegal were screened for bacteriocin production. Two bacteriocin producers, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis and Enterococcus faecium, were identified from 12 bacteriocin-producing isolates on the basis of phenotypic analyses and 16S rDNA sequence. Both bacteriocins produced by new isolates show antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes and Bacillus coagulans whereas only that produced by Lactococcus lactis has an activity against Bacillus cereus. Bacteriocin-producing Lactococcus lactis strains were found in a variety of traditional foods indicating a high potential of growth of this strain in variable ecological complex environment. Partial 16S rDNA of the two bacteriocin producers obtained in this study has been registered to Genbank databases under the accession number AY971748 for Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis (named CWBI-B1410 and AY971749 for Enterococcus faecium (named CWBI-B1411. The new bacteriocin-producing Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis strain has been selected for identification and application of the bacteriocin to food preservation.

On-Demand Isolation and Manipulation of C. elegans by In Vitro Maskless Photopatterning.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C Ryan Oliver

Full Text Available Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans is a model organism for understanding aging and studying animal behavior. Microfluidic assay techniques have brought widespread advances in C. elegans research; however, traditional microfluidic assays such as those based on soft lithography require time-consuming design and fabrication cycles and offer limited flexibility in changing the geometric environment during experimentation. We present a technique for maskless photopatterning of a biocompatible hydrogel on an NGM (Agar substrate, enabling dynamic manipulation of the C. elegans culture environment in vitro. Maskless photopatterning is performed using a projector-based microscope system largely built from off-the-shelf components. We demonstrate the capabilities of this technique by building micropillar arrays during C. elegans observation, by fabricating free-floating mechanisms that can be actuated by C. elegans motion, by using freehand drawing to isolate individual C. elegans in real time, and by patterning arrays of mazes for isolation and fitness testing of C. elegans populations. In vitro photopatterning enables rapid and flexible design of experiment geometry as well as real-time interaction between the researcher and the assay such as by sequential isolation of individual organisms. Future adoption of image analysis and machine learning techniques could be used to acquire large datasets and automatically adapt the assay geometry.

Lightweight and Statistical Techniques for Petascale PetaScale Debugging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miller, Barton

2014-06-30

This project investigated novel techniques for debugging scientific applications on petascale architectures. In particular, we developed lightweight tools that narrow the problem space when bugs are encountered. We also developed techniques that either limit the number of tasks and the code regions to which a developer must apply a traditional debugger or that apply statistical techniques to provide direct suggestions of the location and type of error. We extend previous work on the Stack Trace Analysis Tool (STAT), that has already demonstrated scalability to over one hundred thousand MPI tasks. We also extended statistical techniques developed to isolate programming errors in widely used sequential or threaded applications in the Cooperative Bug Isolation (CBI) project to large scale parallel applications. Overall, our research substantially improved productivity on petascale platforms through a tool set for debugging that complements existing commercial tools. Previously, Office Of Science application developers relied either on primitive manual debugging techniques based on printf or they use tools, such as TotalView, that do not scale beyond a few thousand processors. However, bugs often arise at scale and substantial effort and computation cycles are wasted in either reproducing the problem in a smaller run that can be analyzed with the traditional tools or in repeated runs at scale that use the primitive techniques. New techniques that work at scale and automate the process of identifying the root cause of errors were needed. These techniques significantly reduced the time spent debugging petascale applications, thus leading to a greater overall amount of time for application scientists to pursue the scientific objectives for which the systems are purchased. We developed a new paradigm for debugging at scale: techniques that reduced the debugging scenario to a scale suitable for traditional debuggers, e.g., by narrowing the search for the root-cause analysis

Identification of species of leishmania isolated from patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis in Kermanshah; using RAPD-PCR technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yazdan Hamzavi

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Annually many numbers of pationts with Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL have been reported in Kermanshah province- IRAN. The study aimed to identify species of Leishmania isolated from patients with CT in Kermanshah. Seven isolates of Leishmania obtained from patients with CL, without any travelling to other provinces, were cultured in NNN medium. After mass production of leptomonads in RPMI 1640 medium DNA was purified and the species were diagnosed using RAPD-PCR technique. The study of electrophoretic fingerprints of the product of RAPD-PCR in seven isolates showed that Leshmania major was the causative agent of CL patients in Kermanshah province. More studies in this field recommended.

A PD-SOI based DTI-LOCOS combined cross isolation technique for minimizing TID radiation induced leakage in high density memory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiao Fengying; Pan Liyang; Wu Dong; Liu Lifang; Xu Jun

2014-01-01

In order to minimize leakage current increase under total ionizing dose (TID) radiation in high density memory circuits, a new isolation technique, combining deep trench isolation (DTI) between the wells, local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) isolation between the devices within the well, and a P-diffused area in order to limit leakage at the isolation edge is implemented in partly-depleted silicon-on-insulator (PD-SOI) technology. This radiation hardening technique can minimize the layout area by more than 60%, and allows flexible placement of the body contact. Radiation hardened transistors and 256 Kb flash memory chips are designed and fabricated in a 0.6 μm PD-SOI process. Experiments show that no obvious increase in leakage current is observed for single transistors under 1 Mrad(Si) radiation, and that the 256 Kb memory chip still functions well after a TID of 100 krad(Si), with only 50% increase of the active power consumption in read mode. (semiconductor devices)

Comparison of a novel real-time SonixGPS needle-tracking ultrasound technique with traditional ultrasound for vascular access in a phantom gel model.

Science.gov (United States)

Kopac, Daniel S; Chen, Jerry; Tang, Raymond; Sawka, Andrew; Vaghadia, Himat

2013-09-01

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous vascular access for endovascular procedures is well established in surgical practice. Despite this, rates of complications from venous and arterial access procedures remain a significant cause of morbidity. We hypothesized that the use of a new technique of vascular access using an ultrasound with a novel needle-guidance positioning system (GPS) would lead to improved success rates of vascular puncture for both in-plane and out-of-plane techniques compared with traditional ultrasound. A prospective, randomized crossover study of medical students from all years of medical school was conducted using a phantom gel model. Each medical student performed three ultrasound-guided punctures with each of the four modalities (in-plane no GPS, in-plane with GPS, out-of-plane no GPS, out-of-plane with GPS) for a total of 12 attempts. The success or failure was judged by the ability to aspirate a simulated blood solution from the model. The time to successful puncture was also recorded. A poststudy validated NASA Task Load Index workload questionnaire was conducted to assess the student's perceptions of the two different techniques. A total of 30 students completed the study. There was no significant difference seen in the mean times of vascular access for each of the modalities. Higher success rates for vascular access using the GPS for both the in-plane (94% vs 91%) and the out-of-plane (86% vs 70%) views were observed; however, this was not statistically significant. The students perceived the mental demand (median 12.0 vs 14.00; P = .035) and effort to be lower (mean 11.25 vs 14.00; P = .044) as well as the performance to be higher (mean 15.50 vs 14.00; P = .041) for the GPS vs the traditional ultrasound-guided technique. Students also perceived their ability to access vessels increased with the aid of the GPS (7.00 vs 6.50; P = .007). The majority of students expressed a preference for GPS (26/30, 87%) as opposed to the traditional counterpart

The γ-aminobutyric acid-producing ability under low pH conditions of lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional fermented foods of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, with a strong ability to produce ACE-inhibitory peptides.

Science.gov (United States)

Barla, Florin; Koyanagi, Takashi; Tokuda, Naoko; Matsui, Hiroshi; Katayama, Takane; Kumagai, Hidehiko; Michihata, Toshihide; Sasaki, Tetsuya; Tsuji, Atsushi; Enomoto, Toshiki

2016-06-01

Many traditional fermented products are onsumed in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, such as kaburazushi , narezushi , konkazuke , and ishiru. Various kinds of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are associated with their fermentation, however, characterization of LAB has not yet been elucidated in detail. In this study, we evaluated 53 isolates of LAB from various traditional fermented foods by taxonomic classification at the species level by analyzing the 16S ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA) sequences and carbohydrate assimilation abilities. We screened isolates that exhibited high angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activities in skim milk or soy protein media and produced high γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) concentrations in culture supernatants when grown in de Man Rogosa Sharpe broth in the presence of 1% (w/v) glutamic acid. The results revealed that 10 isolates, i.e., Lactobacillus buchneri (2 isolates), Lactobacillus brevis (6 isolates), and Weissella hellenica (2 isolates) had a high GABA-producing ability of >500 mg/100 ml after 72 h of incubation at 35 °C. The ACE inhibitory activity of the whey cultured with milk protein by using L. brevis (3 isolates), L. buchneri (2 isolates), and W. hellenica (2 isolates) was stronger than that of all whey cultured with soy protein media, and these IC 50 were GABA-producing activities at pH 3, suggesting that they could be powerful candidates for use in the fermentation of food materials having low pH.

Combining traditional dietary assessment methods with novel metabolomics techniques: present efforts by the Food Biomarker Alliance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brouwer-Brolsma, Elske M; Brennan, Lorraine; Drevon, Christian A

2017-01-01

food metabolomics techniques that allow the quantification of up to thousands of metabolites simultaneously, which may be applied in intervention and observational studies. As biomarkers are often influenced by various other factors than the food under investigation, FoodBAll developed a food intake...... in these metabolomics studies, knowledge about available electronic metabolomics resources is necessary and further developments of these resources are essential. Ultimately, present efforts in this research area aim to advance quality control of traditional dietary assessment methods, advance compliance evaluation...

Dynamic isolation technologies in negative pressure isolation wards

CERN Document Server

Xu, Zhonglin

2017-01-01

This book presents novel design principles and technologies for dynamic isolation based on experimental studies. These approaches have now become the local standard in Beijing and are currently being promoted for use nationwide. Further, the book provides details of measures and guidelines for the design process. Departing from the traditional understanding that isolation wards should be designed with high negative pressure, airtight doors and fresh air, it establishes the basis for designing biological clean rooms, including isolation wards, using a simple and convenient scientific approach. This book is intended for designers, engineers, researchers, hospital management staff and graduate students in heating ventilation air conditioning (HVAC), air cleaning technologies and related areas.

Effects of natural plant extracts and gamma rays on lactobacillus isolated from Korean traditional raw rice wine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nam, Ji Young; Kim, Jae Hun; Lee, Ju Woon; Kim, Jin Kyu [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup (Korea, Republic of)

2010-12-15

Recently, Korean traditional raw rice wines (RRW) have received attention because they are a nutritious food with health properties. But the rapid deterioration of fermented RRW is one of the serious problems for brewing and marketing in the world beyond Korea. The goal of this study was to develop a way to enhance the quality and to lengthen the period of circulation of the RRW. A lactic acid bacterium was isolated from RRW. It was identified as Lactobacillus fermentum (98%) based on its biochemical properties, and 16S rRNA sequence. Treatments of RRW with gamma radiation and green tea extracts reduced the bacterial population except for yeasts and Lactobacillus in the RRW. This result suggested that the natural plant extracts and catechin products can be used as an effective natural storage agent.

Effects of natural plant extracts and gamma rays on lactobacillus isolated from Korean traditional raw rice wine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nam, Ji Young; Kim, Jae Hun; Lee, Ju Woon; Kim, Jin Kyu

2010-01-01

Recently, Korean traditional raw rice wines (RRW) have received attention because they are a nutritious food with health properties. But the rapid deterioration of fermented RRW is one of the serious problems for brewing and marketing in the world beyond Korea. The goal of this study was to develop a way to enhance the quality and to lengthen the period of circulation of the RRW. A lactic acid bacterium was isolated from RRW. It was identified as Lactobacillus fermentum (98%) based on its biochemical properties, and 16S rRNA sequence. Treatments of RRW with gamma radiation and green tea extracts reduced the bacterial population except for yeasts and Lactobacillus in the RRW. This result suggested that the natural plant extracts and catechin products can be used as an effective natural storage agent

The γ-aminobutyric acid-producing ability under low pH conditions of lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional fermented foods of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, with a strong ability to produce ACE-inhibitory peptides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Florin Barla

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Many traditional fermented products are onsumed in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, such as kaburazushi, narezushi, konkazuke, and ishiru. Various kinds of lactic acid bacteria (LAB are associated with their fermentation, however, characterization of LAB has not yet been elucidated in detail. In this study, we evaluated 53 isolates of LAB from various traditional fermented foods by taxonomic classification at the species level by analyzing the 16S ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA sequences and carbohydrate assimilation abilities. We screened isolates that exhibited high angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE inhibitory activities in skim milk or soy protein media and produced high γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA concentrations in culture supernatants when grown in de Man Rogosa Sharpe broth in the presence of 1% (w/v glutamic acid. The results revealed that 10 isolates, i.e., Lactobacillus buchneri (2 isolates, Lactobacillus brevis (6 isolates, and Weissella hellenica (2 isolates had a high GABA-producing ability of >500 mg/100 ml after 72 h of incubation at 35 °C. The ACE inhibitory activity of the whey cultured with milk protein by using L. brevis (3 isolates, L. buchneri (2 isolates, and W. hellenica (2 isolates was stronger than that of all whey cultured with soy protein media, and these IC50 were < 1 mg protein/ml. Three of 10 isolates had high GABA-producing activities at pH 3, suggesting that they could be powerful candidates for use in the fermentation of food materials having low pH.

Antagonistic Activity of Probiotic Bacteria Isolated from Traditional Dairy Products against E. coli O157:H7

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maryam Rahimpour Hesari

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Background:    Probiotics are living microorganisms that have useful effects on health of digestive system when acquired in a defined dosage. E. coli O157:H7 is known as one of the most important agents of diarrhea in developing countries. Therefore, attention to the treatment of such gastrointestinal disease is essential. The aim of this study was to determine antagonistic activity of food born lactobacilli against E. coli O157:H7.Methods:     Lactobacilli were isolated from traditional dairy products (yogurt and buttermilk samples. Then, they were characterized using biochemical and molecular tests. Bifidobacterium bifidum PTCC 1644 was obtained from the microbial collection of Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology in Lyophilized form. Similarly, E. coli O157:H7 PTCC12900 was obtained from faculty of veterinary medicine university of Tehran. The antagonistic activity of probiotics supernatants against E. coli O157:H7 was investigated using the disk diffusion agar, well diffusion agar and pour plate methods.Results:   The isolates were characterized as Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus fermentum. All isolates showed antagonistic activities against E. coli O157:H7 in all of the three methods, where the activity of L. plantarum and B. bidifum PTCC 1644 was greater than that of L. fermentum. Conclusion:   Metabolites produced by the probiotic bacteria are able to inhibit the growth of E. coli O157:H7. This can be an important solution for the prevention and treatment of E. coli O157:H7 infection and ultimately improve human health.

ANALYSIS OF TRADITIONAL BUILDING TECHNIQUES AND DAMAGE ASSESSMENT OF TRADITIONAL TURKISH HOUSE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mine Tanac Zeren

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Western part of the Anatolia is one of the most important regions of the World that many civilizations have lived during the history since ancient times. Kula is an important historical town dating back to 17th century and is hosting important timber farmed structures (mansions unique with their space organizations, architectural features and structural system. This study creates an analysis model which is based on a detailed case study, defining structural system and damage causes for the upcoming restoration works within the region, and this methodology can be applied for other traditional regions as well.

ISOLATED SPEECH RECOGNITION SYSTEM FOR TAMIL LANGUAGE USING STATISTICAL PATTERN MATCHING AND MACHINE LEARNING TECHNIQUES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

VIMALA C.

2015-05-01

Full Text Available In recent years, speech technology has become a vital part of our daily lives. Various techniques have been proposed for developing Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR system and have achieved great success in many applications. Among them, Template Matching techniques like Dynamic Time Warping (DTW, Statistical Pattern Matching techniques such as Hidden Markov Model (HMM and Gaussian Mixture Models (GMM, Machine Learning techniques such as Neural Networks (NN, Support Vector Machine (SVM, and Decision Trees (DT are most popular. The main objective of this paper is to design and develop a speaker-independent isolated speech recognition system for Tamil language using the above speech recognition techniques. The background of ASR system, the steps involved in ASR, merits and demerits of the conventional and machine learning algorithms and the observations made based on the experiments are presented in this paper. For the above developed system, highest word recognition accuracy is achieved with HMM technique. It offered 100% accuracy during training process and 97.92% for testing process.

[Ideas and methods of two-dimensional zebrafish model combined with chromatographic techniques in high-throughput screening of active anti-osteoporosis components of traditional Chinese medicines].

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Ying-Jie; Jing, Li-Jun; Zhan, Yang; Sun, E; Jia, Xiao-Bin

2014-05-01

To break through the restrictions of the evaluation model and the quantity of compounds by using the two-dimensional zebrafish model combined with chromatographic techniques, and establish a new method for the high-throughput screening of active anti-osteoporosis components. According to the research group-related studies and relevant foreign literatures, on the basis of the fact that the zebrafish osteoporosis model could efficiently evaluate the activity, the zebrafish metabolism model could efficiently enrich metabolites and the chromatographic techniques could efficiently separate and analyze components of traditional Chinese medicines, we proposed that the inherent combination of the three methods is expected to efficiently decode in vivo and in vitro efficacious anti-osteoporosis materials of traditional Chinese medicines. The method makes it simple and efficient in the enrichment, separation and analysis on components of traditional Chinese medicines, particularly micro-components and metabolites and the screening anti-osteoporosis activity, fully reflects that efficacious materials of traditional Chinese medicines contain original components and metabolites, with characteristic of "multi-components, multi-targets and integral effect", which provides new ideas and methods for the early and rapid discovery of active anti-osteoporosis components of traditional Chinese medicines.

Traditional Chinese food technology and cuisine.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jian-rong; Hsieh, Yun-Hwa P

2004-01-01

From ancient wisdom to modern science and technology, Chinese cuisine has been established from a long history of the country and gained a global reputation of its sophistication. Traditional Chinese foods and cuisine that exhibit Chinese culture, art and reality play an essential role in Chinese people's everyday lives. Recently, traditional Chinese foods have drawn a great degree of attention from food scientists and technologists, the food industry, and health promotion institutions worldwide due to the extensive values they offer beyond being merely another ethnic food. These traditional foods comprise a wide variety of products, such as pickled vegetables, salted fish and jellyfish, tofu and tofu derived products, rice and rice snack foods, fermented sauces, fish balls and thousand-year-old eggs. An overview of selected popular traditional Chinese foods and their processing techniques are included in this paper. Further development of the traditional techniques for formulation and production of these foods is expected to produce economic, social and health benefits.

Traditional botanical medicine: an introduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenbloom, Richard A; Chaudhary, Jayesh; Castro-Eschenbach, Diane

2011-01-01

The role of traditional medicine in the well-being of mankind has certainly journeyed a long way. From an ancient era, in which knowledge was limited to a few traditional healers and dominated by the use of whole plants or crude drugs, the science has gradually evolved into a complete healthcare system with global recognition. Technologic advancements have facilitated traditional science to deliver numerous breakthrough botanicals with potency equivalent to those of conventional drugs. The renewed interest in traditional medicine is mainly attributed to its ability to prevent disease, promote health, and improve quality of life. Despite the support received from public bodies and research organizations, development of botanical medicines continues to be a challenging process. The present article gives a summarized description of the various difficulties encountered in the development and evaluation of botanical drugs, including isolation of active compounds and standardization of plant ingredients. It indicates a future direction of traditional medicine toward evidence-based evaluation of health claims through well-controlled safety and efficacy studies.

Investigation of Antibacterial Properties of Yeast Strains Isolated from Iranian Richal and Traditional Dairy Products in Armenia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F Karimpour

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Background & aim:The use of bio preservative or strains as sources are interesting for food bioprocessing technologist,   and is one of the latest methods to increase the shelf life of food by the health authorities . The present study aimed to investigate the antibacterial activity of supernatants of yeasts isolated from Richal as a traditional dairy product and fermented dairy products in Armenia. Methods: In the present experimental study, the purified supernatant of 77 strains of Armenian yeast products and 12 strains from Iranian Richal were isolated. The purified supernatant were tested against three strains as food spoilages bacteria includes: B. subtilis 17-89, B. Thuringensis17-89, S.typhimuium G-38 , on 3media in 2 condition as aerobic and anaerobic. The inhibition zone of the supernatant were measured   and reported as antibacterial activity. Data were analyzed using statistical tests. Result: A total of 89 strains of yeasts, three species of Rachel and 9 strains of Armenian products (13.5% percent had demonstrated antibacterial activity. T86 strains of Armenian yeasts and FA1 (25 of Rachel had shown more ZOI and antibacterial activity on three media at both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Comparing the mean of ZOI upon three corruption factors, Rachel strains were significantly different (p <0.05. The highest and lowest effect was observed on Bacillus subtilis effect and Salmonella typhimurium respectively. Conclusion: The results indicated that the yeast strains isolated in anaerobic and aerobic conditions on spoilage bacteria had antibacterial activity effect. Thus, it could be concluded that adding the yeast or its supernatant to food as a bio preservative, may introduce a operative product to the food industry.

Shewanella strain isolated from black powder

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lutterbach, Marcia T.S.; Contador, Luciana S.; Oliveira, Ana Lucia C.; Galvao, Mariana M. [National Institute of Technology (INT), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Pimenta, Gutemberg S. [PETROBRAS, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2009-07-01

Black powder is a term frequently used to refer to residues formed by various types of iron sulfides mixed with contaminants eventually present in the natural gas flow. According to some researchers, the occurrence of black powder in gas pipelines, besides its chemical corrosion origin, can be directly related to the sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) metabolism in this environment. A black powder sample was inoculated in a Post gate E medium modified with the addition of thioglycolate. The resulting positive culture was kept in the laboratory for four years until its use. A dilution technique was then performed aiming to isolate an SRB strain. The bacterial strain isolated and identified through DNA sequencing was not an SRB but rather a Shewanella sp. Compared to the sulfate-reducing bacteria group-traditionally considered the foremost responsible for microbially-influenced corrosion (MIC) - Shewanella is a facultative anaerobe and has a versatile metabolism. Shewanella is able to reduce ferric iron and sulfite, oxidize hydrogen gas, and produce hydrogen sulfide; therefore, these bacteria can be responsible for MIC and pit formation. The isolated Shewanella was used in a corrosion experiment, and the corrosion products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, identifying iron sulfides, iron oxides, and sulfur. Our results indicate that the strain isolated, S. putrefaciens, plays a key role in corrosion problems in gas pipelines. (author)

Introducing a New Experimental Islet Transplantation Model using Biomimetic Hydrogel and a Simple High Yield Islet Isolation Technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammadi Ayenehdeh, Jamal; Niknam, Bahareh; Hashemi, Seyed Mahmoud; Rahavi, Hossein; Rezaei, Nima; Soleimani, Masoud; Tajik, Nader

2017-07-01

Islet transplantation could be an ideal alternative treatment to insulin therapy for type 1 diabetes Mellitus (T1DM). This clinical and experimental field requires a model that covers problems such as requiring a large number of functional and viable islets, the optimal transplantation site, and the prevention of islet dispersion. Hence, the methods of choice for isolation of functional islets and transplantation are crucial. The present study has introduced an experimental model that overcomes some critical issues in islet transplantation, including in situ pancreas perfusion by digestive enzymes through common bile duct. In comparison with conventional methods, we inflated the pancreas in Petri dishes with only 1 ml collagenase type XI solution, which was followed by hand-picking isolation or Ficoll gradient separation to purify the islets. Then we used a hydrogel composite in which the islets were embedded and transplanted into the peritoneal cavity of the streptozotocin-induced diabetic C57BL/6 mice. As compared to the yield of the classical methods, in our modified technique, the mean yield of isolation was about 130-200 viable islets/mouse pancreas. In vitro glucose-mediated insulin secretion assay indicated an appropriate response in isolated islets. In addition, data from in vivo experiments revealed that the allograft remarkably maintained blood glucose levels under 400 mg/dl and hydrogel composite prevents the passage of immune cells. In the model presented here, the rapid islet isolation technique and the application of biomimetic hydrogel wrapping of islets could facilitate islet transplantation procedures.

Yeast dynamics during spontaneous fermentation of mawe and tchoukoutou, two traditional products from Benin

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Greppi, Anna; Rantisou, Kalliopi; Padonou, Wilfrid

2013-01-01

Mawe and tchoukoutou are two traditional fermented foods largely consumed in Benin, West Africa. Their preparations remain as a house art and they are the result of spontaneous fermentation processes. In this study, dynamics of the yeast populations occurring during spontaneous fermentations...... of mawe and tchoukoutou were investigated using both culture-dependent and -independent approaches. For each product, two productions were followed. Samples were taken at different fermentation times and yeasts were isolated, resulting in the collection of 177 isolates. They were identified by the PCR......-DGGE technique followed by the sequencing of the D1/D2 domain of the 26S rRNA gene. The predominant yeast species identified were typed by rep-PCR. Candida krusei was the predominant yeast species in mawe fermentation followed by Candida glabrata and Kluyveromyces marxianus. Other yeast species were detected...

Introducing Students to Protein Analysis Techniques: Separation and Comparative Analysis of Gluten Proteins in Various Wheat Strains

Science.gov (United States)

Pirinelli, Alyssa L.; Trinidad, Jonathan C.; Pohl, Nicola L. B.

2016-01-01

Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) is commonly taught in undergraduate laboratory classes as a traditional method to analyze proteins. An experiment has been developed to teach these basic protein gel skills in the context of gluten protein isolation from various types of wheat flour. A further goal is to relate this technique to current…

Comparison of a new hydro-surgical technique to traditional methods for the preparation of full-thickness skin grafts from canine cadaveric skin and report of a single clinical case.

Science.gov (United States)

Townsend, F I; Ralphs, S C; Coronado, G; Sweet, D C; Ward, J; Bloch, C P

2012-01-01

To compare the hydro-surgical technique to traditional techniques for removal of subcutaneous tissue in the preparation of full-thickness skin grafts. Ex vivo experimental study and a single clinical case report. Four canine cadavers and a single clinical case. Four sections of skin were harvested from the lateral flank of recently euthanatized dogs. Traditional preparation methods used included both a blade or scissors technique, each of which were compared to the hydro-surgical technique individually. Preparation methods were compared based on length of time for removal of the subcutaneous tissue from the graft, histologic grading, and measurable thickness as compared to an untreated sample. The hydro-surgical technique had the shortest skin graft preparation time as compared to traditional techniques (p = 0.002). There was no significant difference in the histological grading or measurable subcutaneous thickness between skin specimens. The hydro-surgical technique provides a rapid, effective debridement of subcutaneous tissue in the preparation of full-thickness skin grafts. There were not any significant changes in histological grade and subcutaneous tissue remaining among all treatment types. Additionally the hydro-surgical technique was successfully used to prepare a full-thickness meshed free skin graft in the reconstruction of a traumatic medial tarsal wound in a dog.

Reliability Assessment of Wind Farm Electrical System Based on a Probability Transfer Technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hejun Yang

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The electrical system of a wind farm has a significant influence on the wind farm reliability and electrical energy yield. The disconnect switch installed in an electrical system cannot only improve the operating flexibility, but also enhance the reliability for a wind farm. Therefore, this paper develops a probabilistic transfer technique for integrating the electrical topology structure, the isolation operation of disconnect switch, and stochastic failure of electrical equipment into the reliability assessment of wind farm electrical system. Firstly, as the traditional two-state reliability model of electrical equipment cannot consider the isolation operation, so the paper develops a three-state reliability model to replace the two-state model for incorporating the isolation operation. In addition, a proportion apportion technique is presented to evaluate the state probability. Secondly, this paper develops a probabilistic transfer technique based on the thoughts that through transfer the unreliability of electrical system to the energy transmission interruption of wind turbine generators (WTGs. Finally, some novel indices for describing the reliability of wind farm electrical system are designed, and the variance coefficient of the designed indices is used as a convergence criterion to determine the termination of the assessment process. The proposed technique is applied to the reliability assessment of a wind farm with the different topologies. The simulation results show that the proposed techniques are effective in practical applications.

[Phenotypic and genotypic identification of Candida strains isolated as nosocomial pathogens].

Science.gov (United States)

Sahiner, Fatih; Ergünay, Koray; Ozyurt, Mustafa; Ardıç, Nurittin; Hoşbul, Tuğrul; Haznedaroğlu, Tunçer

2011-07-01

Over the last decade, there have been important changes in the epidemiology of Candida infections and antifungal agents used to treat these infections. In recent years, Candida species have emerged as important causes of invasive infections among patients in intensive care units. One of the main goals of this study was to evaluate the molecular epidemiology of infectious Candida species isolated in our hospital and accordingly supply data for hospital infection (HI) control. The other aim of this study was to evaluate effectiveness and practical applicability of traditional and molecular methods used to identify Candida isolates to the species level. A total of 77 Candida strains that were isolated from various clinical specimens of 60 hospitalized patients (29 male, 24 female; 7 were children) were included in the study. Fifty-seven (74%) of those isolates were defined as HI agents according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria. The most common Candida species identified as agents of HI were C.albicans (22; 38.6%), followed by C.tropicalis (14; 24.6%), C.parapsilosis (13; 22.8%), C.glabrata (7; 12.3%) and Candida spp. (1; 1.75%). It was determined that bloodstream (26; 45.6%) and urinary tract infections (24; 42.1%) were the most frequently encountered nosocomial infections caused by Candida species. In addition it was detected that the most frequent causative agent of bloodstream infections was C.parapsilosis (10; 38.5%) and of urinary tract infections was C.albicans (12; 50%). The evaluation of advantages and disadvantages of traditional phenotypic methods [germ tube formation, chlamydospore formation in corn meal agar, growth at 45°C, colony characteristics on CHROMagar Candida medium, carbohydrate assimilation properties detected by API ID 32C (BioMerieux, France) system] and some molecular techniques [polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by using ITS-1, ITS-3 and ITS 4 primers, PCR-Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), PCRRFLP

The Best Extraction Technique for Kaempferol and Quercetin Isolation from Guava Leaves (Psidium guajava)

Science.gov (United States)

Batubara, I.; Suparto, I. H.; Wulandari, N. S.

2017-03-01

Guava leaves contain various compounds that have biological activity such as kaempferol and quercetin as anticancer. Twelve extraction techniques were performed to obtain the best extraction technique to isolate kaempferol and quercetin from the guava leaves. Toxicity of extracts was tested against Artemia salina larvae. All extracts were toxic (LC50 value less than 1000 ppm) except extract of direct soxhletation on guava leaves, and extract of sonication and soxhletation using n-hexane. The extract with high content of total phenols and total flavonoids, low content of tannins, intense color of spot on thin layer chromatogram was selected for high performance liquid chromatography analysis. Direct sonication of guava leaves was chosen as the best extraction technique with kampferol and quercetin content of 0.02% and 2.15%, respectively. In addition to high content of kaempferol and quercetin, direct sonication was chosen due to the shortest extraction time, lesser impurities and high toxicity.

Contaminant bacteria in traditional-packed honey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hening Tjaturina Pramesti

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Honey may be contaminated by microorganisms during its harvesting, processing, and packaging. Honey selected for clinical purposes must safe, sterile, and contain antimicrobial activity, so it must be evaluated using laboratory testing. The aim of this descriptive laboratory study was to isolate and identify the bacterial contaminant in the traditional-packed honey dealing with the use of honey for medical purposes. the colony forming units of honey sample cultured on blood agar were counted using Stuart bacterial colony counter. The suspected bacterial colonies were isolated and identified based on cultural morphology characteristics. The isolates of suspected bacterial colonies were stained according to Gram and Klein method and then were examined by the biochemical reaction. The results showed that there were two contaminant bacteria. Gram-positive cocci which were presumptively identified as coagulase-negative Staphylococci and gram-positive rods which were presumptively identified as Bacillus subtilis. In conclusion, the contaminant bacteria were regarded as low pathogen bacteria. The subtilin enzyme of B subtilis may cause an allergic reaction and coagulase-negative Staphylococci, Staphylococcus epidermidis is also an opportunist pathogen. Inevitably, for medical purposes, traditional-packed honey must be well filtered, water content above 18%, and standardized sterilization without loss of an antibacterial activity or change in properties.

LACTIC ACID BACTERIA FLORA OF KONYA KUFLU CHEESE: A TRADITIONAL CHEESE FROM KONYA PROVINCE IN TURKEY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ziba Guley

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to characterize the lactic acid bacteria flora of mature Konya Kuflu cheese. Konya Kuflu cheese is a traditional blue cheese which is produced from raw milk without starter culture addition and mould growth occurs in uncontrolled conditions during its ripening. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB isolated from 9 mature Konya Kuflu cheese samples were investigated using a combination of conventional biochemical tests, API test kits, and molecular approaches. For some isolates, different results were obtained according to the identification technique. The overall LAB profile of Konya Kuflu cheese samples revealed that Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus paracasei/Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Enterococcus faecium, and Enterococcus faecalis are the predominant species. In addition, 1 Pediococcus parvulus and 1 Enterococcus durans were also identified.

From psychotherapy to e-therapy: the integration of traditional techniques and new communication tools in clinical settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Castelnuovo, Gianluca; Gaggioli, Andrea; Mantovani, Fabrizia; Riva, Giuseppe

2003-08-01

Technology is starting to influence psychological fields. In particular, computer-mediated communication (CMC) is providing new tools that can be fruitfully applied in psychotherapy. These new technologies do not substitute for traditional techniques and approaches but they could be used as integration in the clinical process, enhancing or making easier particular steps of it. This paper focuses on the concept of e-therapy as a new modality of helping people resolve life and relationship issues. It utilizes the power and convenience of the Internet to allow synchronous and asynchronous communication between patient and therapist. It is important to underline that e-therapy is not an alternative treatment, but a resource that can be added to traditional psychotherapy. The paper also discusses how different forms of CMC can be fruitfully applied in psychology and psychotherapy, by evaluating the effectiveness of them in the clinical practice. To enhance the diffusion of e-therapy, further research is needed to evaluate all the pros and cons.

A Comparison of Traditional, Step-Path, and Geostatistical Techniques in the Stability Analysis of a Large Open Pit

Science.gov (United States)

Mayer, J. M.; Stead, D.

2017-04-01

With the increased drive towards deeper and more complex mine designs, geotechnical engineers are often forced to reconsider traditional deterministic design techniques in favour of probabilistic methods. These alternative techniques allow for the direct quantification of uncertainties within a risk and/or decision analysis framework. However, conventional probabilistic practices typically discretize geological materials into discrete, homogeneous domains, with attributes defined by spatially constant random variables, despite the fact that geological media display inherent heterogeneous spatial characteristics. This research directly simulates this phenomenon using a geostatistical approach, known as sequential Gaussian simulation. The method utilizes the variogram which imposes a degree of controlled spatial heterogeneity on the system. Simulations are constrained using data from the Ok Tedi mine site in Papua New Guinea and designed to randomly vary the geological strength index and uniaxial compressive strength using Monte Carlo techniques. Results suggest that conventional probabilistic techniques have a fundamental limitation compared to geostatistical approaches, as they fail to account for the spatial dependencies inherent to geotechnical datasets. This can result in erroneous model predictions, which are overly conservative when compared to the geostatistical results.

Peptidoglycan Hydrolases of Local Lactic Acid Bacteria from Kazakh Traditional Food

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Serik Shaikhin

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Peptidoglycan (PG is a major component of the cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria and is essential for maintaining the integrity of the bacterial cell and its shape. The bacteria synthesize PG hydrolases, which are capable of cleaving the covalent bonds of PG. They also play an important role in modeling PG, which is required for bacterial growth and division. In an era of increasing antibiotic-resistant pathogens, PG hydrolases that destroy these important structures of the cell wall act as a potential source of new antimicrobials. The aim of this study is to identify the main PG hydrolases of local lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional foods that enhance probiotic activity of a biological preparation. Methods. Lactococcus lactis 17А and Lactococcus garvieae 19А were isolated from the traditional sausage-like meat product called kazy. They were isolated according to standards methods of microbiology. Genetic identification of the isolates were tested by determining the nucleotide sequences of 16S rDNA. The Republican collection of microorganisms took strains of Lactobacillus casei subsp. Rhamnosus 13-P, L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis CG-1 B-RKM 0044 from cheese, Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei B-RKM 0202 from homemade butter. They used the standard technique of renaturating polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to detect PG hydrolases activity. Results. According to the profiles of PG hydrolase activity on zymograms, the enzymes of Lactococci 17A and 19A in kazy are similar in electrophoretic mobility to major autolysin AcmA, while the lactobacilli of industrial and home-made dairy products have enzymes similar to extracellular proteins p40 and p75, which have probiotic activity. Conclusions. Use of peptidoglycan hydrolases seems to be an interesting approach in the fight against multi-drug resistant strains of bacteria and could be a valuable tool for the treatment of diseases caused by these microorganisms in Kazakhstan.

Zebrafish cardiac muscle thick filaments: isolation technique and three-dimensional structure.

Science.gov (United States)

González-Solá, Maryví; Al-Khayat, Hind A; Behra, Martine; Kensler, Robert W

2014-04-15

To understand how mutations in thick filament proteins such as cardiac myosin binding protein-C or titin, cause familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathies, it is important to determine the structure of the cardiac thick filament. Techniques for the genetic manipulation of the zebrafish are well established and it has become a major model for the study of the cardiovascular system. Our goal is to develop zebrafish as an alternative system to the mammalian heart model for the study of the structure of the cardiac thick filaments and the proteins that form it. We have successfully isolated thick filaments from zebrafish cardiac muscle, using a procedure similar to those for mammalian heart, and analyzed their structure by negative-staining and electron microscopy. The isolated filaments appear well ordered with the characteristic 42.9 nm quasi-helical repeat of the myosin heads expected from x-ray diffraction. We have performed single particle image analysis on the collected electron microscopy images for the C-zone region of these filaments and obtained a three-dimensional reconstruction at 3.5 nm resolution. This reconstruction reveals structure similar to the mammalian thick filament, and demonstrates that zebrafish may provide a useful model for the study of the changes in the cardiac thick filament associated with disease processes. Copyright © 2014 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Discriminatory power of three typing techniques in determining relatedness of nosocomial Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from a tertiary hospital in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Purighalla, Swathi; Esakimuthu, Sarita; Reddy, Mallika; Varghese, George K; Richard, Vijay S; Sambandamurthy, Vasan K

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the discriminatory power of two DNA-based technique and a protein-based technique for the typing of nosocomial isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae. A second objective was to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern and characterise the presence of genes encoding extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) and carbapenemases. Forty-six K. pneumoniae isolates from patients with bloodstream infections at a tertiary care hospital in India between December 2014 and December 2015 were studied. All isolates were typed using enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus sequence-polymerase chain reaction (ERIC-PCR), randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. Antimicrobial susceptibility profiles and ESBLs were detected using the BD Phoenix system. The types of ESBL and carbapenemase genes present were detected using PCR. Isolates were subtyped into 31, 30 and 33 distinct genotypes by ERIC-PCR, RAPD and MALDI-TOF, respectively. Several isolates displaying identical DNA fingerprints were binned into different branches based on their proteomic fingerprint. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests revealed that 33/46 strains were multidrug resistant (MDR); a majority of the strains (83%) were sensitive to colistin. PCR-based analysis demonstrated 19 strains to harbour two or more ESBL and carbapenemase genes. ERIC-PCR was the most reproducible method for typing K. pneumoniae isolates and could not be substituted by MALDI-TOF for clonality analysis. A high degree of genetic diversity and the presence of MDR genes highlight the challenges in treating K. pneumoniae-associated infections.

Discriminatory power of three typing techniques in determining relatedness of nosocomial Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from a tertiary hospital in India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Swathi Purighalla

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the discriminatory power of two DNA-based technique and a protein-based technique for the typing of nosocomial isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae. A second objective was to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern and characterise the presence of genes encoding extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs and carbapenemases. Materials and Methods: Forty-six K. pneumoniae isolates from patients with bloodstream infections at a tertiary care hospital in India between December 2014 and December 2015 were studied. All isolates were typed using enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus sequence-polymerase chain reaction (ERIC-PCR, randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD analysis and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Antimicrobial susceptibility profiles and ESBLs were detected using the BD Phoenix system. The types of ESBL and carbapenemase genes present were detected using PCR. Results: Isolates were subtyped into 31, 30 and 33 distinct genotypes by ERIC-PCR, RAPD and MALDI-TOF, respectively. Several isolates displaying identical DNA fingerprints were binned into different branches based on their proteomic fingerprint. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests revealed that 33/46 strains were multidrug resistant (MDR; a majority of the strains (83% were sensitive to colistin. PCR-based analysis demonstrated 19 strains to harbour two or more ESBL and carbapenemase genes. Conclusion: ERIC-PCR was the most reproducible method for typing K. pneumoniae isolates and could not be substituted by MALDI-TOF for clonality analysis. A high degree of genetic diversity and the presence of MDR genes highlight the challenges in treating K. pneumoniae-associated infections.

Biodiversity and ITS-RFLP Characterisation of Aspergillus Section Nigri Isolates in Grapes from Four Traditional Grape-Producing Areas in Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Kizis, Dimosthenis; Natskoulis, Pantelis; Nychas, George-John E.; Panagou, Efstathios Z.

2014-01-01

A study on the occurrence of Aspergillus section Nigri species on grapes from four traditional grape-producing areas in Greece during the 2011/2012 vintage, and their capability to produce OTA was conducted. One hundred and twenty-eight black aspergilli isolates were characterised at the species level initially by the use of morphological criteria in accordance with appropriate keys, followed by molecular characterisation performed with Polymerase Chain Reaction–Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) of the 5.8 ribosomal RNA gene Internal Transcribed Spacer region (5.8 rRNA ITS). Restriction enzyme digestion of the ITS amplicons using the HhaI, HinfI and RsaI, endonucleases distinguished eleven different patterns of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), four for each of the HhaI and RsaI digests and three for HinfI. From a total number of 128 individual isolates, 124 were classified into four Aspergillus species corresponding to A. carbonarius, A. tubingensis, A. japonicus and A. ibericus, and the remaining 4 were classified as members of the A. niger aggregate. A. carbonarius and A. tubingensis being the main representative species were equally counted, with higher geographical representation of the former in southern and the latter in northern regions, respectively. All isolates were tested for their ochratoxigenic potential by use of High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay (ELISA), resulting in significant interspecies differences in OTA production. PMID:24710283

Comparative Genomic Analysis of Lactobacillus plantarum GB-LP1 Isolated from Traditional Korean Fermented Food.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Jihyun; Ahn, Sojin; Kim, Kwondo; Caetano-Anolles, Kelsey; Lee, Chanho; Kang, Jungsun; Cho, Kyungjin; Yoon, Sook Hee; Kang, Dae-Kyung; Kim, Heebal

2017-08-28

As probiotics play an important role in maintaining a healthy gut flora environment through antitoxin activity and inhibition of pathogen colonization, they have been of interest to the medical research community for quite some time now. Probiotic bacteria such as Lactobacillus plantarum , which can be found in fermented food, are of particular interest given their easy accessibility. We performed whole-genome sequencing and genomic analysis on a GB-LP1 strain of L. plantarum isolated from Korean traditional fermented food; this strain is well known for its functions in immune response, suppression of pathogen growth, and antitoxin effects. The complete genome sequence of GB-LP1 is a single chromosome of 3,040,388 bp with 2,899 predicted open reading frames. Genomic analysis of GB-LP1 revealed two CRISPR regions and genes showing accelerated evolution, which may have antibiotic and antitoxin functions. The aim of the present study was to predict strain specific-genomic characteristics and assess the potential of this new strain as lactic acid bacteria at the genomic level using in silico analysis. These results provide insight into the L. plantarum species as well as confirm the possibility of its utility as a candidate probiotic.

New technique targeting the C5 nerve root proximal to the traditional interscalene sonoanatomical approach is analgesic for outpatient arthroscopic shoulder surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Dobie, Katherine H; Shi, Yaping; Shotwell, Matthew S; Sandberg, Warren S

2016-11-01

Regional anesthesia and analgesia for shoulder surgery is most commonly performed via interscalene nerve block. We developed an ultrasound-guided technique that specifically targets the C5 nerve root proximal to the traditional interscalene block and assessed its efficacy for shoulder analgesia. Prospective case series. Vanderbilt Bone and Joint Surgery Center. Patients undergoing shoulder arthroscopy at an ambulatory surgery center. Thirty-five outpatient shoulder arthroscopy patients underwent an analgesic nerve block using a new technique where ultrasound visualization of the C5 nerve root served as the primary target at a level proximal to the traditional interscalene approach. The block was performed with 15mL of 0.5% plain ropivicaine. Post anesthesia care unit pain scores, opioid consumption, hand strength, and duration of block were recorded. Cadaver dissection after injection with methylene blue confirmed that the primary target under ultrasound visualization was the C5 nerve root. Pain scores revealed 97% patients had 0/10 pain at arrival to PACU, with 91% having a pain score of 3/10 or less at discharge from PACU. Medical Research Council (MRC) hand strength mean (SD) score was 4.17 (0.92) on a scale of 1-5. The mean (SD) duration of the block was 13.9 (3.5) hours. A new technique for ultrasound-guided blockade at the level of the C5 nerve root proximal to the level of the traditional interscalene block is efficacious for shoulder post-operative pain control. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prepubertal gonadectomy in cats: different surgical techniques and comparison with gonadectomy at traditional age.

Science.gov (United States)

Porters, N; Polis, I; Moons, C; Duchateau, L; Goethals, K; Huyghe, S; de Rooster, H

2014-09-06

Feasibility, surgical time and complications of different surgical techniques for prepubertal gonadectomy (PPG; 8-12 weeks of age) in cats were studied and compared to gonadectomy at traditional age (TAG; 6-8 months of age). Kittens were randomly assigned to PPG or TAG. Ovarian pedicle haemostasis for PPG was achieved by ligatures (n=47), vascular clips (n=50), bipolar electrocoagulation (n=50), or pedicle tie (n=50); for TAG (n=34) ligatures were used. In male cats, PPG consisted of closed castration by spermatic cord knot (n=92) or ligature (n=91) while TAG (n=34) was an open castration by spermatic cord knot. A linear (surgical time) and a logistic regression (complications) model were designed. Significance was set at 0.05. For female PPG, clips and coagulation were the fastest procedures; placement of ligatures was most time-consuming. In male PPG, knot placement was significantly faster than ligation. In both sexes, very few intraoperative or wound complications were observed, irrespective of the surgical technique used. Surgical times in females (ligatures) as well as in males (knot) were significantly shorter for PPG than for TAG. PPG was as safe as TAG, yet took less time to perform and did not result in a greater rate of postoperative complications. British Veterinary Association.

Research on the Application of Traditional Embroidery Technology in Modern Jewelry Creation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Min Li

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Tradition and modernity are the eternal topics of art, especially in the age of information.Efficient mechanical production methods to improve the traditional jewelry production process, which achieved the demand for mass production of jewelry.However, with the development of society and the progress of science and technology,  many traditional arts and crafts are lost.From the traditional culture, this paper analyzes the work of embroidery jewelry by studying the traditional Chinese embroidery culture and technique, summarizes the traditional embroidery technology and modern jewelry design techniques combined approach to guide the creative practice.On the basis of studying the theoretical method of combining traditional embroidery technology with modern jewelry, this paper focuses on the application of traditional embroidery techniques in jewelry creation, inspire the potential of traditional craft, to provide reference for modern jewelry design rich Chinese characteristics and attract the attention of  Chinese jewelry industry and inherit the traditional arts.

Isolation and characterization of three benzylisoquinoline alkaloids from Thalictrum minus L. and their antibacterial activity against bovine mastitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mushtaq, Saleem; Rather, Muzafar Ahmad; Qazi, Parvaiz H; Aga, Mushtaq A; Shah, Aabid Manzoor; Shah, Aiyatullah; Ali, Md Niamat

2016-12-04

The roots of Thalictrum minus are traditionally used in the treatment of inflammation and infectious diseases such as bovine mastitis. However, there are no reports available in literature till date regarding the antibacterial studies of T. minus against bovine mastitis. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the antibacterial potential of crude extract of T. minus (root) and some of its isolated constituents against bovine mastitis in order to scientifically validate its traditional use. A total of three alkaloid compounds were isolated from the DCM: MeOH extract of roots of T. minus using silica gel column chromatography. Structural elucidation of the isolated compounds was done by using spectroscopic techniques like mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. Pathogens were isolated from cases of bovine mastitis and identified by using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The broth micro-dilution method was used to evaluate the antibacterial activities of DCM: MeOH extract and isolated compounds against mastitis pathogens. The three isolated compounds were identified as benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (1) 5'-Hydroxythalidasine, (2) Thalrugosaminine and (3) O-Methylthalicberine. Compounds (2) and (3) are reported for the first time from the roots of T. minus. Five mastitis pathogens viz., Staphylococcus xylosus, Staphylococcus lentus, Staphylococcus equorum, Enterococcus faecalis and Pantoea agglomerans were identified on the basis of sequence analysis of isolates using the nucleotide BLAST algorithm. This study reports for the first time the isolation and molecular characterization of mastitis pathogens from Kashmir valley, India. The DCM: MeOH extract exhibited broad spectrum antibacterial activities that varied between the bacterial species (MIC=250-500µg/ml). 5'-Hydroxythalidasine and Thalrugosaminine showed promising antibacterial activity with MIC values of 64-128µg/ml while Staphylococcus species were found to be the most sensitive strains. The antibacterial

Various extraction and analytical techniques for isolation and identification of secondary metabolites from Nigella sativa seeds.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, X; Abd El-Aty, A M; Shim, J-H

2011-10-01

Nigella sativa L. (black cumin), commonly known as black seed, is a member of the Ranunculaceae family. This seed is used as a natural remedy in many Middle Eastern and Far Eastern countries. Extracts prepared from N. sativa have, for centuries, been used for medical purposes. Thus far, the organic compounds in N. sativa, including alkaloids, steroids, carbohydrates, flavonoids, fatty acids, etc. have been fairly well characterized. Herein, we summarize some new extraction techniques, including microwave assisted extraction (MAE) and supercritical extraction techniques (SFE), in addition to the classical method of hydrodistillation (HD), which have been employed for isolation and various analytical techniques used for the identification of secondary metabolites in black seed. We believe that some compounds contained in N. sativa remain to be identified, and that high-throughput screening could help to identify new compounds. A study addressing environmentally-friendly techniques that have minimal or no environmental effects is currently underway in our laboratory.

Typing some of lactic acid bacteria in Syria using PCR and FT-IR techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Mariri, A.; Sharabi, N. D.

2010-01-01

Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) are considered to be the most useful microorganisms. They are beneficial in flavoring foods, inhibiting pathogenic as well as spoilage bacteria in food products. The isolates of LAB were obtained from traditional Syrian dairy products (white cheese and curdled yogurt) obtained from different regions in Syria. The isolates were subjected to phenotypic characterization analyses. The PCR technique of bacterial DNA was evaluated as an advanced tool for the identification of LAB. It was found that strains: E. faecium, E. faecalis and S. thermophilus dominate in white cheese and in yogurt. Our results demonstrated that we could identify LAB using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) patterns. (author)

Typing some of lactic acid bacteria in Syria using PCR and FT-IR techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Mariri, A.; Sharabi, N. D.

2008-11-01

Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) are considered to be the most useful microorganisms. They are beneficial in flavoring foods, inhibiting pathogenic as well as spoilage bacteria in food products. The isolates of LAB were obtained from traditional Syrian dairy products (white cheese and curdled yogurt) obtained from different regions in Syria. The isolates were subjected to phenotypic characterization analyses. The PCR technique of bacterial DNA was evaluated as an advanced tool for the identification of LAB. It was found that strains: E. faecium, E. faecalis and S. thermophilus dominate in white cheese and in yogurt. Our results demonstrated that we could identify LAB using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) patterns. (Authors)

Typing some of lactic acid bacteria in Syria using PCR and FT-IR techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Al-Mariri, A; Sharabi, N D [Atomic Energy Commission, Damascus (Syrian Arab Republic), Dept. of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology

2008-11-15

Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) are considered to be the most useful microorganisms. They are beneficial in flavoring foods, inhibiting pathogenic as well as spoilage bacteria in food products. The isolates of LAB were obtained from traditional Syrian dairy products (white cheese and curdled yogurt) obtained from different regions in Syria. The isolates were subjected to phenotypic characterization analyses. The PCR technique of bacterial DNA was evaluated as an advanced tool for the identification of LAB. It was found that strains: E. faecium, E. faecalis and S. thermophilus dominate in white cheese and in yogurt. Our results demonstrated that we could identify LAB using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) patterns. (Authors)

Isolation and Identification of Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from a Traditional Jeotgal Product in Korea

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Gyu Sung; Do, Hyung Ki

2006-06-01

Seventeen lactic acid bacterial strains (LAB) were isolated using MRS agar medium from Jeotgal, a Korean fermented food, purchased at the Jukdo market of Pohang. To identify the strains isolated, they were tested by examining their cell morphologies, gram-staining, catalase activity, arginine hydrolase activity, D-L lactate form and carbohydrate fermentation. According to the phenotypic characteristics, three strains were tent atively identified as Lactobacillus spp., ten were Enterococcus spp. (or Streptococcus spp., or Pediococcus spp.) and the rest were Leuconostoc spp. (or Weissella spp.). Five strains among 17 were chosen by preliminary bacteriocin activity test. Four bacterial strains which inhibited both indicator microorganisms were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing. The results are as follows; Leuconostoc mesenteroides (HK 4), Leuconostoc mesenteroides (HK 5), Leuconostoc mesenteroides(HK 11), Streptococcus salivarius(HK 8). In order to check LAB which are showing a high survival rate in gut, we investigated three strains inhibiting both indicator microorganisms in artificial gastric acid and bile juice -all except HK8. The three strains mentioned above grew in extreme low acid conditions.

In vitro screening of selected probiotic properties of Lactobacillus strains isolated from traditional fermented cabbage and cucumber.

Science.gov (United States)

Zielińska, Dorota; Rzepkowska, Anna; Radawska, Anna; Zieliński, Konrad

2015-02-01

Most important during probiotic selection are gastric acid and bile tolerance, the adhesion to the luminal epithelium to colonize the lower gastrointestinal tract of a human and safety for human consumption. The aim of this study was to evaluate the selected probiotic in vitro properties of Lactobacillus spp. Strains isolated from traditional fermented food. A total 38 strains were isolated from the pickled samples and 14 were identified as Lactobacillus spp. The survival of almost all strains after incubation at pH 2.5 did not change markedly, and remained at above 90 % (10(9) CFU/mL). The strains also exhibited a high survival rate at pH 3.5 (>90 %), whereas pH 1.5 all were died. Just four strains could survive 90 min. at pH 1.5 (survival rates of 81-94 % after 24 h, whereas after incubation in 2 and 4 % bile salt solution it was 59-94 %. All tested strains showed very good and good resistance to 0.4 % phenol addition, however only Lb. johnsonii K4 was able to multiply. The hydrophobic nature of the cell surface of the tested strains was moderated recording hydrophobicity of Lb. johnsonii K4 and Lb. rhamnosus K3 above 60 %. Safety evaluation excluded four of tested strains as candidate probiotics, according to antibiotic resistance patterns and certain metabolic activities. On the basis on the results 10 of the selected Lactobacillus strains are safe and can survive under gastrointestinal conditions, which requires them to future in vitro and in vivo probiotic studies.

Isolation of methanotrophic bacteria from a london landfill: a preliminary study using molecular and stable isotopic techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Sriskantharajah, S.; Cutting, S.; Lowry, D.; Grassineau, N.; Nisbet, E.

2003-04-01

Methane emissions from landfills are an important source of European greenhouse emissions, and could be reduced by a biological management program that used methanotrophs in landfill cover soils. Topsoil samples taken from a London Landfill were incubated on Nitrate Mineral Salts medium in the presence of methane. The resulting colonies were probed for methanotrophic DNA using PCR amplification. DNA from methanotroph positive colonies was cloned and sequenced for identification. Isolates belonging to the genera Methylocaldum, Methylomonas and Methylosinus were detected. Phylogenetic analysis suggests the presence of possible new species. In addition dried samples of the isolates were analysed for their stable carbon isotope (δ 13C) composition. The results were δ 13C values of -27 per mil and -25 per mil for Methylomonas isolates, -35 per mil and -44 per mil for Methylosinus isolates, -58 per mil and -60 per mil for some of the Methylocaldum isolates and -35 per mil and -45 per mil for the others. This isotopic variation is reflected in a phylogenetic tree of the isolates. The differences shown in the δ 13C analysis could be due to differing biochemical properties, and if the technique is further developed, it may be used for rapid identification of bacteria useful in landfill management for reducing methane emissions. The results suggest that useful reductions in methane emissions could be achieved by a careful design of landfill cover to culture methanotrophs.

Fungal disease detection in plants: Traditional assays, novel diagnostic techniques and biosensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Ray, Monalisa; Ray, Asit; Dash, Swagatika; Mishra, Abtar; Achary, K Gopinath; Nayak, Sanghamitra; Singh, Shikha

2017-01-15

Fungal diseases in commercially important plants results in a significant reduction in both quality and yield, often leading to the loss of an entire plant. In order to minimize the losses, it is essential to detect and identify the pathogens at an early stage. Early detection and accurate identification of pathogens can control the spread of infection. The present article provides a comprehensive overview of conventional methods, current trends and advances in fungal pathogen detection with an emphasis on biosensors. Traditional techniques are the "gold standard" in fungal detection which relies on symptoms, culture-based, morphological observation and biochemical identifications. In recent times, with the advancement of biotechnology, molecular and immunological approaches have revolutionized fungal disease detection. But the drawback lies in the fact that these methods require specific and expensive equipments. Thus, there is an urgent need for rapid, reliable, sensitive, cost effective and easy to use diagnostic methods for fungal pathogen detection. Biosensors would become a promising and attractive alternative, but they still have to be subjected to some modifications, improvements and proper validation for on-field use. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Comparison of Collaborative and Traditional Instruction in Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Gubera, Chip; Aruguete, Mara S.

2013-01-01

Although collaborative instructional techniques have become popular in college courses, it is unclear whether collaborative techniques can replace more traditional instructional methods. We examined the efficacy of collaborative courses (in-class, collaborative activities with no lectures) compared to traditional lecture courses (in-class,…

The Croton megalobotrys Müll Arg. traditional medicine in HIV/AIDS management: Documentation of patient use, in vitro activation of latent HIV-1 provirus, and isolation of active phorbol esters.

Science.gov (United States)

Tietjen, Ian; Ngwenya, Barbara N; Fotso, Ghislain; Williams, David E; Simonambango, Sundana; Ngadjui, Bonaventure T; Andersen, Raymond J; Brockman, Mark A; Brumme, Zabrina L; Andrae-Marobela, Kerstin

2018-01-30

Current HIV therapies do not act on latent cellular HIV reservoirs; hence they are not curative. While experimental latency reversal agents (LRAs) can promote HIV expression in these cells, thereby exposing them to immune recognition, existing LRAs exhibit limited clinical efficacy and high toxicity. We previously described a traditional 3-step medicinal plant regimen used for HIV/AIDS management in Northern Botswana that inhibits HIV replication in vitro. Here we describe use of one component of the regimen that additionally contains novel phorbol esters possessing HIV latency-reversal properties. We sought to document experiences of traditional medicine users, assess the ability of traditional medicine components to reverse HIV latency in vitro, and identify pure compounds that conferred these activities. Experiences of two HIV-positive traditional medicine users (patients) were documented using qualitative interview techniques. Latency reversal activity was assessed using a cell-based model (J-Lat, clone 9.2). Crude plant extracts were fractionated by open column chromatography and reverse-phase HPLC. Compound structures were elucidated using NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Patients using the 3-step regimen reported improved health over several years despite no reported use of standard HIV therapies. Crude extracts from Croton megalobotrys Müll Arg. ("Mukungulu"), the third component of the 3-step regimen, induced HIV expression in J-lat cells to levels comparable to the known LRA prostratin. Co-incubation with known LRAs and pharmacological inhibitors indicated that the active agent(s) in C. megalobotrys were likely to be protein kinase C (PKC) activator(s). Consistent with these results, two novel phorbol esters (Namushen 1 and 2) were isolated as abundant components of C. megalobotrys and were sufficient to confer HIV latency reversal in vitro. We have identified novel LRAs of the phorbol ester class from a medicinal plant used in HIV/AIDS management

Traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine: Focusing on research into traditional Tibetan medicine in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Peipei; Xia, Jufeng; Rezeng, Caidan; Tong, Li; Tang, Wei

2016-07-19

As a form of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine (TCAM), traditional Tibetan medicine has developed into a mainstay of medical care in Tibet and has spread from there to China and then to the rest of the world. Thus far, research on traditional Tibetan medicine has focused on the study of the plant and animal sources of traditional medicines, study of the histology of those plants and animals, chemical analysis of traditional medicines, pharmacological study of those medicines, and evaluation of the clinical efficacy of those medicines. A number of papers on traditional Tibetan medicines have been published, providing some evidence of the efficacy of traditional Tibetan medicine. However, many traditional Tibetan medicines have unknown active ingredients, hampering the establishment of drug quality standards, the development of new medicines, commercial production of medicines, and market availability of those medicines. Traditional Tibetan medicine must take several steps to modernize and spread to the rest of the world: the pharmacodynamics of traditional Tibetan medicines need to be determined, the clinical efficacy of those medicines needs to be verified, criteria to evaluate the efficacy of those medicines need to be established in order to guide their clinical use, and efficacious medicines need to be acknowledged by the pharmaceutical market. The components of traditional Tibetan medicine should be studied, traditional Tibetan medicines should be screened for their active ingredients, and techniques should be devised to prepare and manufacture those medicines.

Characterization of clays used in the fabrication of traditional brazilian ceramic pans: culture and technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borlini, Monica Castoldi; Aguiar, Mariane Costalonga de; Vieira, Carlos Mauricio Fontes; Monteiro, Sergio Neves

2009-01-01

The fabrication process of clay pans in the state of Espirito Santo, southeast of Brazil, is a recognized part of the country's popular culture. In Goiabeiras, a district of the state capital Vitoria, the traditional production of these pans is the source of income for many families. The technique used in these ceramic pans is of indigenous origin, characterized by manual molding, outdoor burning and application of tannin dye. The clay pans are distributed to several Brazilian states and are nowadays conquering the external market. In producing these pans, two types of, yellow and gray, clays are used. The actual source of raw material comes from the deposit of the Mulemba valley, where a concern on the possibility of exhaustion exists. The objective of this study was then to characterize these two types of clays and so contribute to the continuity of traditional clay pan production by knowing the characteristics of the local clays in case of an eventual need for their replacement. Chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction, particle size distribution, plasticity and thermal analysis of the clays were performed. The results showed that the clays are high plasticity kaolinite with considerable amounts of SiO 2 and Al 2 O 3 as well as of alkaline oxides, earth alkaline oxides and Fe 2 O 3 . (author)

CHINESE LACQUER – SHORT OVERVIEW OF TRADITIONAL TECHNIQUES AND MATERIAL CHARACTERISATION FOR CONSERVATION PURPOSES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xin You LIU

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Chinese lacquer (urushi is an ancient natural finishing material obtained from the sap of the lacquer trees (Rhus vernicifera. This has been used for millennia to protect and decorate furniture and various artefacts made of wood or other materials. Lacquered objects are important components of Chinese and world cultural heritage and their conservation imposes a good knowledge and understanding of the material and traditional techniques. This paper presents basic information on the Chinese lacquer as material and lacquering techniques in their historic evolution during different dynasties. The experimental part looked at the physical properties of raw urushi lacquer, respectively aspect, solids content and miscibility with different solvents. A limited compatibility with white spirit as potential thinner was demonstrated. Furthermore, the microstructure of the cured film and characteristic chemical features of raw urushi lacquer as liquid and cured film were investigated. The cured film of raw urushi presents a characteristic microstructural pattern. FTIR spectroscopy revealed a partial oxidation and polymerization following processing by Kuromisation. The further curing accentuated these changes, visible as a decrease of hydroxyl absorptions bands (3400 and 1360cm-1 occurring in parallel with an increase of carbonyl band (1740cm-1 . A strong decrease of the absorption band at 1270cm-1 , which nearly disappears for the cured film, was also observed

Identification of Lactobacillus pobuzihii from tungtap: A traditionally ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were selectively isolated from tungtap, a traditionally fermented fish food product. Five such bacteria with bacteriocinogenic potential were characterized by polyphasic taxonomic approach. The phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed their relatedness to Lactobacillus ...

Profound improvements of isolated microspores culture techniques ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

We studied the effects of sampling stages, physical conditions (like temperature), culture conditions, embryo long-distance transportation methodology and plantlet regeneration on isolated microspores from donor plants in field. Results indicated that if microspores were sampled in bud stage instead of blooming stage to ...

Purification and characterization of an alpha-amylase of Pichia burtonii isolated from the traditional starter "murcha" in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Takeuchi, Akiko; Shimizu-Ibuka, Akiko; Nishiyama, Yoshitaka; Mura, Kiyoshi; Okada, Sanae; Tokue, Chiyoko; Arai, Soichi

2006-12-01

Among more than 20 yeast strains isolated from the traditional starter "murcha" in Nepal, we characterized a yeast that might be involved in saccharification. This strain, identified as Pichia burtonii, produced an extracellular amylolytic enzyme when cultured in the presence of starch in the medium. Since no amylase secreted by P. burtonii has yet been reported, we purified the enzyme and determined its N-terminal amino acid sequence. Together with the results of a hydrolyzing activity assay toward various substrates, it was found to be an alpha-amylase. The purified enzyme, named Pichia burtonii alpha-amylase (PBA), was a glycoprotein with an apparent molecular mass of 51 kDa. Enzyme activity was optimal at pH 5.0 at 40 degrees C. The enzyme retained 80% of its original activity after incubation under the optimal pH condition at 50 degrees C for 30 min. The activity was inhibited by metal ions such as Cd(2+), Cu(2+), Hg(2+), Al(3+), and Zn(2+).

Vietnam Project For Production Of Radioactive Beam Based On ISOL Technique With The Dalat Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Hong Khiem; Phan Viet Cuong; Fadi Ibrahim

2011-01-01

The presence in Vietnam of Dalat nuclear reactor dedicated to fundamental studies is a unique opportunity to produce Radioactive Ion (RI) Beams with the fission of a 235 U induced by the thermal neutrons produced by the reactor. We propose to produce RI beams at the Dalat nuclear reactor using ISOL (Isotope Separation On-Line) technique. This project should be a unique opportunity for Vietnamese nuclear physics community to use its own facilities to produce RI beams for studying nuclear physics at an international level. (author)

Performance of optimized McRAPD in identification of 9 yeast species frequently isolated from patient samples: potential for automation.

Science.gov (United States)

Trtkova, Jitka; Pavlicek, Petr; Ruskova, Lenka; Hamal, Petr; Koukalova, Dagmar; Raclavsky, Vladislav

2009-11-10

Rapid, easy, economical and accurate species identification of yeasts isolated from clinical samples remains an important challenge for routine microbiological laboratories, because susceptibility to antifungal agents, probability to develop resistance and ability to cause disease vary in different species. To overcome the drawbacks of the currently available techniques we have recently proposed an innovative approach to yeast species identification based on RAPD genotyping and termed McRAPD (Melting curve of RAPD). Here we have evaluated its performance on a broader spectrum of clinically relevant yeast species and also examined the potential of automated and semi-automated interpretation of McRAPD data for yeast species identification. A simple fully automated algorithm based on normalized melting data identified 80% of the isolates correctly. When this algorithm was supplemented by semi-automated matching of decisive peaks in first derivative plots, 87% of the isolates were identified correctly. However, a computer-aided visual matching of derivative plots showed the best performance with average 98.3% of the accurately identified isolates, almost matching the 99.4% performance of traditional RAPD fingerprinting. Since McRAPD technique omits gel electrophoresis and can be performed in a rapid, economical and convenient way, we believe that it can find its place in routine identification of medically important yeasts in advanced diagnostic laboratories that are able to adopt this technique. It can also serve as a broad-range high-throughput technique for epidemiological surveillance.

The Traditional Medicine and Modern Medicine from Natural Products

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haidan Yuan

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Natural products and traditional medicines are of great importance. Such forms of medicine as traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, Kampo, traditional Korean medicine, and Unani have been practiced in some areas of the world and have blossomed into orderly-regulated systems of medicine. This study aims to review the literature on the relationship among natural products, traditional medicines, and modern medicine, and to explore the possible concepts and methodologies from natural products and traditional medicines to further develop drug discovery. The unique characteristics of theory, application, current role or status, and modern research of eight kinds of traditional medicine systems are summarized in this study. Although only a tiny fraction of the existing plant species have been scientifically researched for bioactivities since 1805, when the first pharmacologically-active compound morphine was isolated from opium, natural products and traditional medicines have already made fruitful contributions for modern medicine. When used to develop new drugs, natural products and traditional medicines have their incomparable advantages, such as abundant clinical experiences, and their unique diversity of chemical structures and biological activities.

The Traditional Medicine and Modern Medicine from Natural Products.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Haidan; Ma, Qianqian; Ye, Li; Piao, Guangchun

2016-04-29

Natural products and traditional medicines are of great importance. Such forms of medicine as traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, Kampo, traditional Korean medicine, and Unani have been practiced in some areas of the world and have blossomed into orderly-regulated systems of medicine. This study aims to review the literature on the relationship among natural products, traditional medicines, and modern medicine, and to explore the possible concepts and methodologies from natural products and traditional medicines to further develop drug discovery. The unique characteristics of theory, application, current role or status, and modern research of eight kinds of traditional medicine systems are summarized in this study. Although only a tiny fraction of the existing plant species have been scientifically researched for bioactivities since 1805, when the first pharmacologically-active compound morphine was isolated from opium, natural products and traditional medicines have already made fruitful contributions for modern medicine. When used to develop new drugs, natural products and traditional medicines have their incomparable advantages, such as abundant clinical experiences, and their unique diversity of chemical structures and biological activities.

Comparative study of chemical composition, isolation and identification of micro-flora in traditional fermented camel milk products: Gariss, Suusac, and Shubat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amal Bakr Shori

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The importance of micro-flora in dairy products cannot be overemphasised. Although there are scores of academic papers that elucidated on this subject, however, to the best knowledge of the researcher, there is no published paper that compares the composition of the traditional fermented camel milk products. Therefore, this paper aims to compare the preparation methods, chemical compositions, microbial counts and pH, isolation and identification of lactic acid bacteria, as well as yeasts in Gariss, Suusac, and Shubat. Through comparative analysis of previous existing published papers, the researcher discovered that different preparation methods of these three products have effects on their chemical compositions, microbial counts and pH, and as well as growth of lactic acid bacteria and yeast species.

Bacterial population in traditional sourdough evaluated by molecular methods

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Randazzo, C.L.; Heilig, G.H.J.; Restuccia, C.; Giudici, P.; Caggia, C.

2005-01-01

Aims: To study the microbial communities in artisanal sourdoughs, manufactured by traditional procedure in different areas of Sicily, and to evaluate the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) population by classical and culture-independent approaches. Methods and Results: Forty-five LAB isolates were

A Multifunctional Isolated and Non-Isolated Dual Mode Converter for Renewable Energy Conversion Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yiwang Wang

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a multifunctional isolated and non-isolated dual-mode low-power converter was designed for renewable energy conversion applications such as photovoltaic power generation to achieve different operating modes under bi-directional electrical conversion. The proposed topology consists of a bidirectional non-isolated DC/DC circuit and an isolated converter with a high-frequency transformer, which merge the advantages of both the conventional isolated converter and non-isolated converter with the combination of the two converter technologies. Compared with traditional converters, the multifunctional converter can not only realize conventional bi-directional functions, but can also be applied for many different operation modes and meet the high output/input ratio demands with the two converter circuits operating together. A novel control algorithm was proposed to achieve the various functions of the proposed converter. An experimental platform based on the proposed circuit was established. Both the simulation and experimental results indicated that the proposed converter could provide isolated and non-isolated modes in different applications, which could meet different practical engineering requirements.

Transfer doping of single isolated nanodiamonds, studied by scanning probe microscopy techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Bolker, Asaf; Saguy, Cecile; Kalish, Rafi

2014-09-26

The transfer doping of diamond surfaces has been applied in various novel two-dimensional electronic devices. Its extension to nanodiamonds (ND) is essential for ND-based applications in many fields. In particular, understanding the influence of the crystallite size on transfer doping is desirable. Here, we report the results of a detailed study of the electronic energetic band structure of single, isolated transfer-doped nanodiamonds with nanometric resolution using a combination of scanning tunneling spectroscopy and Kelvin force microscopy measurements. The results show how the band gap, the valence band maximum, the electron affinity and the work function all depend on the ND's size and nanoparticle surface properties. The present analysis, which combines information from both scanning tunneling spectroscopy and Kelvin force microscopy, should be applicable to any nanoparticle or surface that can be measured with scanning probe techniques.

Transfer doping of single isolated nanodiamonds, studied by scanning probe microscopy techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Bolker, Asaf; Saguy, Cecile; Kalish, Rafi

2014-09-01

The transfer doping of diamond surfaces has been applied in various novel two-dimensional electronic devices. Its extension to nanodiamonds (ND) is essential for ND-based applications in many fields. In particular, understanding the influence of the crystallite size on transfer doping is desirable. Here, we report the results of a detailed study of the electronic energetic band structure of single, isolated transfer-doped nanodiamonds with nanometric resolution using a combination of scanning tunneling spectroscopy and Kelvin force microscopy measurements. The results show how the band gap, the valence band maximum, the electron affinity and the work function all depend on the ND’s size and nanoparticle surface properties. The present analysis, which combines information from both scanning tunneling spectroscopy and Kelvin force microscopy, should be applicable to any nanoparticle or surface that can be measured with scanning probe techniques.

Transfer doping of single isolated nanodiamonds, studied by scanning probe microscopy techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bolker, Asaf; Kalish, Rafi; Saguy, Cecile

2014-01-01

The transfer doping of diamond surfaces has been applied in various novel two-dimensional electronic devices. Its extension to nanodiamonds (ND) is essential for ND-based applications in many fields. In particular, understanding the influence of the crystallite size on transfer doping is desirable. Here, we report the results of a detailed study of the electronic energetic band structure of single, isolated transfer-doped nanodiamonds with nanometric resolution using a combination of scanning tunneling spectroscopy and Kelvin force microscopy measurements. The results show how the band gap, the valence band maximum, the electron affinity and the work function all depend on the ND’s size and nanoparticle surface properties. The present analysis, which combines information from both scanning tunneling spectroscopy and Kelvin force microscopy, should be applicable to any nanoparticle or surface that can be measured with scanning probe techniques. (paper)

Application of MALDI-TOF MS fingerprinting as a quick tool for identification and clustering of foodborne pathogens isolated from food products.

Science.gov (United States)

Elbehiry, Ayman; Marzouk, Eman; Hamada, Mohamed; Al-Dubaib, Musaad; Alyamani, Essam; Moussa, Ihab M; AlRowaidhan, Anhar; Hemeg, Hassan A

2017-10-01

Foodborne pathogens can be associated with a wide variety of food products and it is very important to identify them to supply safe food and prevent foodborne infections. Since traditional techniques are timeconsuming and laborious, this study was designed for rapid identification and clustering of foodborne pathogens isolated from various restaurants in Al-Qassim region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Sixty-nine bacterial and thirty-two fungal isolates isolated from 80 food samples were used in this study. Preliminary identification was carried out through culture and BD Phoenix™ methods. A confirmatory identification technique was then performed using MALDI-TOF MS. The BD Phoenix results revealed that 97% (67/69 isolates) of bacteria were correctly identified as 75% Enterobacter cloacae, 95.45% Campylobacter jejuni and 100% for Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. While 94.44% (29/32 isolates) of fungi were correctly identified as 77.77% Alternaria alternate, 88.88% Aspergillus niger and 100% for Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium digitatum, Candida albicans and Debaryomyces hansenii. However, all bacterial and fungal isolates were 100% properly identified by MALDI-TOF MS fingerprinting with a score value ≥2.00. A gel view illustrated that the spectral peaks for the identified isolates fluctuate between 3,000 and 10,000 Da. The results of main spectra library (MSP) dendrogram showed that the bacterial and fungal isolates matched with 19 and 9 reference strains stored in the Bruker taxonomy, respectively. Our results indicated that MALDI-TOF MS is a promising technique for fast and accurate identification of foodborne pathogens.

Modernism and tradition and the traditions of modernism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kros Džonatan

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Conventionally, the story of musical modernism has been told in terms of a catastrophic break with the (tonal past and the search for entirely new techniques and modes of expression suitable to a new age. The resulting notion of a single, linear, modernist mainstream (predicated on the basis of a Schoenbergian model of musical progress has served to conceal a more subtle relationship between past and present. Increasingly, it is being recognized that there exist many modernisms and their various identities are forged from a continual renegotiation between past and present, between tradition(s and the avant-garde. This is especially relevant when attempting to discuss the reception of modernism outside central Europe, where the adoption of (Germanic avant-garde attitudes was often interpreted as being "unpatriotic". The case of Great Britain is examined in detail: Harrison Birtwistle’s opera The Mask of Orpheus (1973–83 forms the focus for a wider discussion of modernism within the context of late/post-modern thought.

Potential of the isolated lung technique for the examination of sildenafil absorption from lung-delivered poly (lactide-co-glycolide) microparticles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Beck-Broichsitter, Moritz; Stoisiek, Katharina; Bohr, Adam

2016-01-01

Herein, we challenged the isolated lung (IL) technique to discriminate the performance of lung-delivered polymeric microparticles (MPs) having distinct drug release rates. For this purpose, sildenafil-loaded poly(lactide-co-glycolide) MPs were administered to the airspace of an IL model and the d...

Safety Evaluation of Enterocin Producer Enterococcus sp. Strains Isolated from Traditional Turkish Cheeses.

Science.gov (United States)

Avcı, Mine; Özden Tuncer, Banu

2017-07-06

The purpose of this study was to determine the antimicrobial activity and occurrence of bacteriocin structural genes in Enterococcus spp. isolated from different cheeses and also investigate some of their virulence factors. Enterococcus strains were isolated from 33 different cheeses. Enterococcus faecium (6 strains) and Enterococcus faecalis (5 strains) enterocin-producing strains were identified by 16S rDNA analyses. Structural genes entA, entB, entP and entX were detected in some isolates. Multiple enterocin structural genes were found in 7 strains. None of the tested enterococci demonstrated anyβ-haemolytic activity and only one strain had gelatinase activity. Six strains showed multiple antibiotic resistance patterns and in addition, vanA and several virulence genes were detected in many strains. Only E. faecalis MBE1-9 showed tyrosine decarboxylase activity and tdc gene was detected only in this strain.

The traditional irrigation technique of Lake Garda lemon--houses (Northern Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Barontini, Stefano; Vitale, Nicola; Fausti, Federico; Bettoni, Barbara; Bonati, Sara; Peli, Marco; Pietta, Antonella; Tononi, Marco; Ranzi, Roberto

2016-04-01

Between 16th and 19th centuries the North-Western side of Lake Garda was seat of an important district which, at the time of its maximum splendour between 18th and 19th centuries, produced and exported lemons and citrus even toward the Northern Europe and the Russia. The limonaie del Garda (Lake-Garda lemon-houses), the local name of the citrus orchards, were settled on terraces built on steep slopes, with landfill taken from the Eastern side of the lake, and closed by greenhouses during late autumn and winter in order to protect the cultivations. The terraces were built nearby streams, they were South-Eastern exposed and protected by walls from the cold winds. Thanks in fact to the Lake Garda microclimate, lemon trees were not cultivated in pots, as in the typical orangeries of mid-latitudes Europe, but directly in the soil. Here the citrus cultivation technique reached a remarkably high degree of standardisation, with local cultivar as the Madernino or lemon from Maderno, and it involved, as in modern industrial districts, all the surrounding land in order to satisfy the needing of required materials to build the terraces, the walls, the greenhouses and the wooden frames to hold the branches laden with fruits. Due to the great water requirement of lemon trees during summer, which is estimated to range from 150 to 300 ℓ every ten days, the water management played a key role in the cultivation technique. The traditional irrigation technique was standardized as well. During our surveys, we observed that most of the lemon-houses still conserve little stone flumes along the walls upslope to the terraces, with spillways every adult tree, i.e. about every 4 m. The flumes were filled with water taken from an upstream reservoir, built nearby a stream. The spillways were activated with a backwater obtained by means of a sand bag placed within the flume, just downstream to the spillway itself. In order to avoid any excavation, spilled water was driven to the base of each

Molecular Characterization of Yeast Strains Isolated from Different Sources by Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ali, M. S.; Latif, Z.

2016-01-01

Various molecular techniques like analysis of the amplified rDNA internal transcribed spacers (ITS), intragenic spacers and total ITS region analysis by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) has been introduced for yeast identification but there are limited databases to identify yeast species on the basis of 5.8S rDNA. In this study, twenty nine yeast strains from various sources including spoiled fruits, vegetables, foodstuffs, and concentrated juices were characterized by PCR-RFLP. PCR-RFLP has been used to characterize yeasts present in different spoiled food samples after isolation of the yeasts. By using this technique, the isolated yeast strains were characterized by direct 5.8S-ITS rDNA region amplification. RFLP analysis was applied to each of the amplification products (varied from 400bp to 800bp) detected, and the corresponding yeast identifications were made according to each specific restriction patterns obtained after treatment with two endonucleases TaqI and HaeIII which yielded a specific banding pattern for each species. For further confirmation amplified products of eleven selected isolates were sequenced and blast on NCBI. Both RFLP and sequence analyses of the strains with accession nos. KF472163, KF472164, KF472165, KF472166, KF472167, KF472168, KF472169, KF472170, KF472171, KF472172, KF472173 gave significantly similar results. The isolates were found to belong five different yeast species including; Candida spp., Pichia spp., Kluyveromyces spp., Clavispora spp. and Hanseniaspora spp. This method provides a fast, easy, reliable and authentic way for determining yeast population present in different type of samples, as compared to traditional characterization technique. (author)

Earth construction: traditional building techniques of Bhutan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

João M. Guedes

2018-01-01

Full Text Available NCREP – Consultancy in Rehabilitation of Built Heritage Ltd., surveyed the constructive features of Bhutan's vernacular rammed earth built heritage, as part of a project financed by the World Bank and commissioned by the Division for the Conservation of Heritage Sites (DCHS of the Department of Culture - Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs of Bhutan. This work, which aimed at better understanding the structural behaviour of this heritage and, based on this information, proposing measures to mitigate its seismic risk, included the study of 18 traditional rammed earth buildings in two villages in the Punakha district. The surveys were conducted house-to-house, based on a DCHS script, and included surveys of artisans responsible for building these constructive typologies, supported by a questionnaire integrated within the project, to collect information on the procedures, rites and practices followed in these constructions. This article focuses only on the first part of the work; it presents the main constructive characteristics assessed from the survey carried out on this built heritage and compiles the results of the surveys of the artisans.

Mycotoxin production capability of Penicillium roqueforti in strains isolated from mould-ripened traditional Turkish civil cheese.

Science.gov (United States)

Cakmakci, Songul; Gurses, Mustafa; Hayaloglu, A Adnan; Cetin, Bulent; Sekerci, Pinar; Dagdemir, Elif

2015-01-01

Mould-ripened civil is a traditional cheese produced mainly in eastern Turkey. The cheese is produced with a mixture of civil and whey curd cheeses (lor). This mixture is pressed into goat skins or plastic bags and is ripened for more than three months. Naturally occurring moulds grow on the surface and inside of the cheese during ripening. In this research, 140 Penicillium roqueforti strains were isolated from 41 samples of mould-ripened civil cheese collected from Erzurum and around towns in eastern Turkey. All strains were capable of mycotoxin production and were analysed using an HPLC method. It was established that all the strains (albeit at very low levels) produced roquefortine C, penicillic acid, mycophenolic acid and patulin. The amounts of toxins were in the ranges 0.4-47.0, 0.2-43.6, 0.1-23.1 and 0.1-2.3 mg kg(-1), respectively. Patulin levels of the samples were lower than the others. The lowest level and highest total mycotoxin levels were determined as 1.2 and 70.1 mg kg(-1) respectively. The results of this preliminary study may help in the choice of secondary cultures for mould-ripened civil cheese and other mould-ripened cheeses.

Optimized exosome isolation protocol for cell culture supernatant and human plasma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard J. Lobb

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Extracellular vesicles represent a rich source of novel biomarkers in the diagnosis and prognosis of disease. However, there is currently limited information elucidating the most efficient methods for obtaining high yields of pure exosomes, a subset of extracellular vesicles, from cell culture supernatant and complex biological fluids such as plasma. To this end, we comprehensively characterize a variety of exosome isolation protocols for their efficiency, yield and purity of isolated exosomes. Repeated ultracentrifugation steps can reduce the quality of exosome preparations leading to lower exosome yield. We show that concentration of cell culture conditioned media using ultrafiltration devices results in increased vesicle isolation when compared to traditional ultracentrifugation protocols. However, our data on using conditioned media isolated from the Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC SK-MES-1 cell line demonstrates that the choice of concentrating device can greatly impact the yield of isolated exosomes. We find that centrifuge-based concentrating methods are more appropriate than pressure-driven concentrating devices and allow the rapid isolation of exosomes from both NSCLC cell culture conditioned media and complex biological fluids. In fact to date, no protocol detailing exosome isolation utilizing current commercial methods from both cells and patient samples has been described. Utilizing tunable resistive pulse sensing and protein analysis, we provide a comparative analysis of 4 exosome isolation techniques, indicating their efficacy and preparation purity. Our results demonstrate that current precipitation protocols for the isolation of exosomes from cell culture conditioned media and plasma provide the least pure preparations of exosomes, whereas size exclusion isolation is comparable to density gradient purification of exosomes. We have identified current shortcomings in common extracellular vesicle isolation methods and provide a

An evaluation of the proteolytic and lipolytic potential of Penicillium spp. isolated from traditional Greek sausages in submerged fermentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Papagianni, Maria

2014-01-01

A number of novel Penicillium strains belonging to Penicillium nalgiovense, Penicillium solitum, Penicillium commune, Penicillium olsonii, and Penicillium oxalicum species, isolated from the surface of traditional Greek sausages, were evaluated for their proteolytic and lipolytic potential in a solid substrate first and next in submerged fermentations, using complex media. Extracellular proteolytic activity was assessed at acid, neutral, and alkaline pH, while the lipolytic activity was assessed using olive oil, the short-chain triacylglycerol tributyrin, and the long-chain triolein, as substrates. The study revealed that although closely related, the tested strains produce enzymes of distinct specificities. P. nalgiovense PNA9 produced the highest alkaline proteolytic activity (13.2 unit (U)/ml) and the highest lipolytic activity with tributyrin (92 U/ml). Comparisons with known sources show that proteases and/or lipases can be secreted effectively by some Penicillia (P. nalgiovense PNA4, PNA7, and PNA9 and P. solitum PSO1), and further investigations on their properties and characteristics would be promising.

Antimicrobial Activity of Sabulun Salo a Local Traditional Medicated ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The antimicrobial activity of Sabulun salo; a local traditional medicated soap widely used by different tribes in Nigeria such as Hausa, Yoruba and Nupe against skin infections was examined against some clinical isolates of pathogenic microorganisms (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans) using ...

Isolation and Identification of Lactic Acid Bacteria from Traditional Dairy Products in Baotou and Bayannur of Midwestern Inner Mongolia and q-PCR Analysis of Predominant Species

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

In this study, traditional culture method and 16S rRNA gene analysis were applied to reveal the composition and diversity of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) of fermented cow milk, huruud and urum from Baotou and Bayannur of midwestern Inner Mongolia. Also, the quantitative results of dominant LAB species in three different types of dairy products from Baotou and Bayannur were gained by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR) technology. Two hundred and two LAB strains isolated from sixty-six samples were identified and classified into four genera, namely Enterococcus, Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc, and twenty-one species and subspecies. From these isolates, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis (32.18%), Lactobacillus plantarum (12.38%) and Leuconosto mesenteroides (11.39%) were considered as the dominated LAB species under the condition of cultivating in MRS and M17 medium. And the q-PCR results revealed that the number of dominant species varied from samples to samples and from region to region. This study clearly shows the composition and diversity of LAB existing in fermented cow milk, huruud and urum, which could be considered as valuable resources for LAB isolation and further probiotic selection. PMID:27621691

Isolation and identification of mold and yeast in medombae, a rice wine starter culture from Kompong Cham Province, Cambodia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chay, C.,

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Medombae is a dried starter culture used for traditional rice wine processing in Cambodia. However, studies on the role of mold and yeast present and their efficacy for rice wine fermentation are still limited. Cultural and morphological tests revealed that the isolated representative mold strains were isolated based on the method of identification used as Mucor spp and Rhizopus oryzae. On the other hand, the biochemical properties of the first yeast isolate using the Vitek 2 identification system and YST Card identification suggests its identity as Candida tropicalis. The second yeast strain examined for its morphological and cultural characteristic using agar slide technique, and its protein profile which was compared to the reference and sample protein masses using Biomerieux Vitek MS (MALD-TOF showed the presence of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The biochemical characteristics and cellular characteristics of the third yeast isolate as described by Lodder (1970 and Kreger-Van Rij (1984 confirmed its identity as Saccharomycopsis spp. The DNA test of identification of the isolates should be conducted to further confirm the identity of the isolates.

Galvanically Isolated Quasi-Z-Source DC–DC Converter With a Novel ZVS and ZCS Technique

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Husev, Oleksandr; Liivik, Liisa; Blaabjerg, Frede

2015-01-01

This paper focuses on the galvanically isolated quasi-Z-source dc-dc converter with a novel zero voltage and zero current switching technique. The unique feature of the impedance network lies in combining the buck-boost operation capability with the short- and open-circuit immunity of transistors......; at the same time, it can perform zero voltage and zero current switching on the primary side. The boundary conduction mode of the current in the second inductor of the quasi-Z-source network was used along with snubber capacitors in the two out of four transistors and a special control algorithm to achieve...

Field test comparison of an autocorrelation technique for determining grain size using a digital 'beachball' camera versus traditional methods

Science.gov (United States)

Barnard, P.L.; Rubin, D.M.; Harney, J.; Mustain, N.

2007-01-01

This extensive field test of an autocorrelation technique for determining grain size from digital images was conducted using a digital bed-sediment camera, or 'beachball' camera. Using 205 sediment samples and >1200 images from a variety of beaches on the west coast of the US, grain size ranging from sand to granules was measured from field samples using both the autocorrelation technique developed by Rubin [Rubin, D.M., 2004. A simple autocorrelation algorithm for determining grain size from digital images of sediment. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 74(1): 160-165.] and traditional methods (i.e. settling tube analysis, sieving, and point counts). To test the accuracy of the digital-image grain size algorithm, we compared results with manual point counts of an extensive image data set in the Santa Barbara littoral cell. Grain sizes calculated using the autocorrelation algorithm were highly correlated with the point counts of the same images (r2 = 0.93; n = 79) and had an error of only 1%. Comparisons of calculated grain sizes and grain sizes measured from grab samples demonstrated that the autocorrelation technique works well on high-energy dissipative beaches with well-sorted sediment such as in the Pacific Northwest (r2 ??? 0.92; n = 115). On less dissipative, more poorly sorted beaches such as Ocean Beach in San Francisco, results were not as good (r2 ??? 0.70; n = 67; within 3% accuracy). Because the algorithm works well compared with point counts of the same image, the poorer correlation with grab samples must be a result of actual spatial and vertical variability of sediment in the field; closer agreement between grain size in the images and grain size of grab samples can be achieved by increasing the sampling volume of the images (taking more images, distributed over a volume comparable to that of a grab sample). In all field tests the autocorrelation method was able to predict the mean and median grain size with ???96% accuracy, which is more than

Energy transfer in isolated LHC II studied by femtosecond pump-probe technique

CERN Document Server

Yang Yi; Liu Yuan; Liu Wei Min; Zhu Rong Yi; Qian Shi Xiong; Xu Chun He

2003-01-01

Excitation energy transfer in the isolated light-harvesting chlorophyll (Chl)-a/b protein complex of photosystem II (LHC II) was studied by the one-colour pump-probe technique with femtosecond time resolution. After exciting Chl-b by 638nm beam, the dynamic behaviour shows that the ultrafast energy transfer from Chl-b at positions of B2, B3, and B5 to the corresponding Chl-a molecules in monomeric subunit of LHC II is in the time scale of 230fs. While with the excitation of Chl-a at 678nm, the energy transfer between excitons of Chl-a molecules has the lifetime of about 370 fs, and two other slow decay components are due to the energy transfer between different Chl-a molecules in a monomeric subunit of LHC II or in different subunits, or due to change of molecular conformation. (20 refs).

Do traditional techniques produce better conventional complete dentures than simplified techniques? A 10-year follow-up of a randomized clinical trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawai, Yasuhiko; Muarakami, Hiroshi; Feine, Jocelyne S

2018-07-01

The use of a simplified method (S) of fabricating complete dentures has been shown to be more cost-efficient than the traditional method (T), and there are no negative consequences that detract from the cost savings in the short term. However, it is not clear whether this remains constant over a decade. The objective of this study was to clarify patients' perspectives and determine any differences between the dentures fabricated with these two different techniques after a decade of use. Edentate individuals participated in a randomized controlled clinical trial and completed a 6-month follow-up from 2001 to 2003 (T group n = 50; S group n = 54). For this 10-year follow-up, they were interviewed by telephone. The assessment included whether the denture was still in use or replaced, the condition of the dentures, patient satisfaction and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Between and within-group differences and the factors that cause deterioration of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) were determined. Among 54 responders (25 T and 29 S), 14T and 21S kept the original dentures. Both groups were similar in ratings of satisfaction and OHRQoL (maxilla T: 80.0 S: 86.0, p = 0.36; mandibular; T: 66.1 S: 72.3, p = 0.48; OHRQoL T: 111.1 S: 108.5, p = 0.46). Irrespective of fabrication method, discomfort, chewing difficulty and esthetics were the factors that deteriorate OHRQoL (adjusted r = 0.76, p < 0.001). The results indicate that the simplified method remains more cost-efficient than the traditional method over a 10-year period. (IRB approval: A09-E71-12 B McGill University, trial registry: ClinicalTrial.org; NCT02289443). Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development and characterization of a magnetorheological elastomer based adaptive seismic isolator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Yancheng; Li, Jianchun; Samali, Bijan; Li, Weihua

2013-01-01

One of the main shortcomings in current base isolation design/practice is lack of adaptability. As a result, a base isolation system that is effective for one type earthquake may become ineffective or may have adverse effect for other earthquakes. The vulnerability of traditional base isolation systems can be exaggerated by two types of earthquakes, i.e. near-field earthquakes and far-field earthquakes. This paper addresses the challenge facing current base isolation design/practice by proposing a new type of seismic isolator for the base isolation system, namely an adaptive seismic isolator. The novel adaptive seismic isolator utilizes magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) for its field-sensitive material property. Traditional seismic isolator design with a unique laminated structure of steel and MRE layers has been adopted in the novel MRE seismic isolator. To evaluate and characterize the behavior of the MRE seismic isolator, experimental testing was conducted on a shake table facility under harmonic cycling loading. Experimental results show that the proposed adaptive seismic isolator can successfully alter the lateral stiffness and damping force in real time up to 37% and 45% respectively. Based on the successful development of the novel adaptive seismic isolator, a discussion is also extended to the impact and potential applications of such a device in structural control applications in civil engineering. (paper)

Identification and characterization of filamentous fungi isolated from fermentation starters for Hong Qu glutinous rice wine brewing.

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Xu-Cong; Huang, Zhi-Qing; Zhang, Wen; Rao, Ping-Fan; Ni, Li

2012-01-01

Hong Qu glutinous rice wine is one of the most popular traditional rice wines in China. Traditionally, this wine is brewed from glutinous rice with the addition of wine fermentation starters (Hong Qu (also called red yeast rice) and White Qu). The objective of this study was to investigate the variability of filamentous fungi associated with traditional fermentation starters through a traditional culture-dependent method and a molecular identification approach. In this study, forty-three filamentous fungi were separated by traditional culture-dependent means (macro- and microscopic characteristics) from 10 fermentation starters and classified into 16 different species based on morphological examination and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences analysis. It was observed that the genus Aspergillus had the highest number (14 isolates) of isolates followed by Rhizopus (11 isolates), Monascus (5 isolates) and Penicillium (4 isolates). The species R. oryzae, A. niger, A. flavus and M. purpureus were frequently found in wine starter samples, among which R. oryzae was the most frequent species. The enzyme-producing properties (glucoamylase, α-amylase and protease) of all fungal isolates from different starters were also evaluated. A. flavus, R. oryzae and M. purpureus were found to be better glucoamylase producers. A. flavus, R. oryzae and A.oryzae exhibited higher activity of α-amylase. A. flavus and A. oryzae had higher protease activity. However, some fungal isolates of the same species exhibited a significant variability in the production levels for all determined enzyme activity. This study is the first to identify filamentous fungi associated with the starter of Hong Qu glutinous rice wine using both traditional and molecular methods. The results enrich our knowledge of liquor-related micro-organisms, and can be used to promote the development of the traditional fermentation technology.

The Islamic Bookbinding Tradition. A Book Archaeological Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Scheper, Catharina Helena (Karin)

2014-01-01

The technique of Islamic bookbinding explores the development of the bookbinding tradition in the Islamic world. Based on an assessment of the collections in the University Library Leiden, the various sewing techniques, constructions and the application of covering materials are described in detail.

Direct Wafer Bonding and Its Application to Waveguide Optical Isolators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ryohei Takei

2012-05-01

Full Text Available This paper reviews the direct bonding technique focusing on the waveguide optical isolator application. A surface activated direct bonding technique is a powerful tool to realize a tight contact between dissimilar materials. This technique has the potential advantage that dissimilar materials are bonded at low temperature, which enables one to avoid the issue associated with the difference in thermal expansion. Using this technique, a magneto-optic garnet is successfully bonded on silicon, III-V compound semiconductors and LiNbO₃. As an application of this technique, waveguide optical isolators are investigated including an interferometric waveguide optical isolator and a semileaky waveguide optical isolator. The interferometric waveguide optical isolator that uses nonreciprocal phase shift is applicable to a variety of waveguide platforms. The low refractive index of buried oxide layer in a silicon-on-insulator (SOI waveguide enhances the magneto-optic phase shift, which contributes to the size reduction of the isolator. A semileaky waveguide optical isolator has the advantage of large fabrication-tolerance as well as a wide operation wavelength range.

Direct Wafer Bonding and Its Application to Waveguide Optical Isolators.

Science.gov (United States)

Mizumoto, Tetsuya; Shoji, Yuya; Takei, Ryohei

2012-05-24

This paper reviews the direct bonding technique focusing on the waveguide optical isolator application. A surface activated direct bonding technique is a powerful tool to realize a tight contact between dissimilar materials. This technique has the potential advantage that dissimilar materials are bonded at low temperature, which enables one to avoid the issue associated with the difference in thermal expansion. Using this technique, a magneto-optic garnet is successfully bonded on silicon, III-V compound semiconductors and LiNbO₃. As an application of this technique, waveguide optical isolators are investigated including an interferometric waveguide optical isolator and a semileaky waveguide optical isolator. The interferometric waveguide optical isolator that uses nonreciprocal phase shift is applicable to a variety of waveguide platforms. The low refractive index of buried oxide layer in a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) waveguide enhances the magneto-optic phase shift, which contributes to the size reduction of the isolator. A semileaky waveguide optical isolator has the advantage of large fabrication-tolerance as well as a wide operation wavelength range.

An Automated Technique to Construct a Knowledge Base of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine for Cancers: An Exploratory Study for Breast Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Phung Anh; Yang, Hsuan-Chia; Xu, Rong; Li, Yu-Chuan Jack

2018-01-01

Traditional Chinese Medicine utilization has rapidly increased worldwide. However, there is limited database provides the information of TCM herbs and diseases. The study aims to identify and evaluate the meaningful associations between TCM herbs and breast cancer by using the association rule mining (ARM) techniques. We employed the ARM techniques for 19.9 million TCM prescriptions by using Taiwan National Health Insurance claim database from 1999 to 2013. 364 TCM herbs-breast cancer associations were derived from those prescriptions and were then filtered by their support of 20. Resulting of 296 associations were evaluated by comparing to a gold-standard that was curated information from Chinese-Wikipedia with the following terms, cancer, tumor, malignant. All 14 TCM herbs-breast cancer associations with their confidence of 1% were valid when compared to gold-standard. For other confidences, the statistical results showed consistently with high precisions. We thus succeed to identify the TCM herbs-breast cancer associations with useful techniques.

exploring traditional glass bead making techniques in jewellery

African Journals Online (AJOL)

User

Glass bead making techniques and their mass production will help the individual ... communicate cultural values in a symbolic lan- guage which ..... Surface of most of the new beads were rough ... tourism potential to be developed further to.

Phenotypic and Genotypic Characterization of Indigenous Lactobacillus Community from Traditional Istrian Ewe's Cheese

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mirna Mrkonjić Fuka

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study is to describe the diversity of indigenous cultivable community of the lactobacilli associated with the production of traditional Istrian cheese and to get a collection of well characterized strains. Raw milk and cheese samples were collected from three different farms in Istria during ripening. A total of 212 mesophilic and thermophilic Lactobacillus isolates as well as bulk colonies (consortia were investigated using culture-dependent approach combining phenotyping and genotyping. Biochemical fingerprinting with PhenePlate-LB system preliminary grouped 212 isolates in 16 distinct PhP types. Only one representative isolate from each PhP cluster was further analyzed by genotyping for a reliable identification at the genus and species level by employing PCR techniques and sequencing of 16S rRNA genes. Sequence analysis of 16S rRNA revealed the presence of Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus paracasei and Lactobacillus rhamnosus. Lactobacilli were screened for possible resistance against seven selected antibiotics: ampicillin, tetracycline, penicillin, rifampin, clindamycin, erythromycin and vancomycin. Although there was no clear pattern of antimicrobial susceptibility to most tested antibiotics, all representative isolates were resistant to vancomycin. The analysis of bulk colonies by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE identified Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus brevis as predominant members of Lactobacillus population. Pediococcus pentosaceus, Pediococcus acidilactici, Streptococcus sp. and Leuconostoc mesenteroides were also detected as part of the analysed consortia. The prevalence of identified species and community members of lactobacilli agrees with other studies of raw milk cheese and represents a useful base for further selection.

Comparison of Student Test Scores in a Coordinate Plane Unit Using Traditional Classroom Techniques Versus Traditional Techniques Coupled with an Ethnomathematics Software at Torch Middle School.

Science.gov (United States)

Magallanes, Adriana Moreno

In response to low achievement in mathematics at a middle school, an ethnomathematic approach was used to teach coordinate planes. Whether there were achievement differences between students taught by the culturally sensitive approach and those taught by a traditional method was studied. Data were collected from the coordinate planes unit…

Recent advances in micro-vibration isolation

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chunchuan; Jing, Xingjian; Daley, Steve; Li, Fengming

2015-05-01

Micro-vibration caused by disturbance sources onboard spacecraft can severely degrade the working environment of sensitive payloads. Some notable vibration control methods have been developed particularly for the suppression or isolation of micro-vibration over recent decades. Usually, passive isolation techniques are deployed in aerospace engineering. Active isolators, however, are often proposed to deal with the low frequency vibration that is common in spacecraft. Active/passive hybrid isolation has also been effectively used in some spacecraft structures for a number of years. In semi-active isolation systems, the inherent structural performance can be adjusted to deal with variation in the aerospace environment. This latter approach is potentially one of the most practical isolation techniques for micro-vibration isolation tasks. Some emerging advanced vibration isolation methods that exploit the benefits of nonlinearity have also been reported in the literature. This represents an interesting and highly promising approach for solving some challenging problems in the area. This paper serves as a state-of-the-art review of the vibration isolation theory and/or methods which were developed, mainly over the last decade, specifically for or potentially could be used for, micro-vibration control.

Purification and characterization of plantaricin 163, a novel bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus plantarum 163 isolated from traditional Chinese fermented vegetables.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Meizhong; Zhao, Haizhen; Zhang, Chong; Yu, Jiansheng; Lu, Zhaoxin

2013-11-27

Presumptive lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains isolated from traditional Chinese fermented vegetables were screened for bacteriocin production. A novel bacteriocin-producing strain, Lactobacillus plantarum 163, was identified on the basis of its physiobiochemical characteristics and characterized by 16S rDNA sequencing. The novel bacteriocin, plantaricin 163, produced by Lb. plantarum 163 was purified by salt precipitation, gel filtration, and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) analysis of plantaricin 163 revealed the molecular weight to be 3553.2 Da. The complete amino acid sequence showed VFHAYSARGNYYGNCPANWPSCRNNYKSAGGK, and no similarity to known bacteriocins was found. Plantaricin 163 was highly thermostable (20 min, 121 °C), active in the presence of acidic pH (3-5), sensitive to protease, and exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against LAB and other tested Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The results suggest that plantaricin 163 may be employed as a biopreservative in the food industry.

Phytase-producing capacity of yeasts isolated from traditional African fermented food products and PHYPk gene expression of Pichia kudriavzevii strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Greppi, Anna; Krych, Łukasz; Costantini, Antonella; Rantsiou, Kalliopi; Hounhouigan, D Joseph; Arneborg, Nils; Cocolin, Luca; Jespersen, Lene

2015-07-16

Phytate is known as a strong chelate of minerals causing their reduced uptake by the human intestine. Ninety-three yeast isolates from traditional African fermented food products, belonging to nine species (Pichia kudriavzevii, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Clavispora lusitaniae, Kluyveromyces marxianus, Millerozyma farinosa, Candida glabrata, Wickerhamomyces anomalus, Hanseniaspora guilliermondii and Debaryomyces nepalensis) were screened for phytase production on solid and liquid media. 95% were able to grow in the presence of phytate as sole phosphate source, P. kudriavzevii being the best growing species. A phytase coding gene of P. kudriavzevii (PHYPk) was identified and its expression was studied during growth by RT-qPCR. The expression level of PHYPk was significantly higher in phytate-medium, compared to phosphate-medium. In phytate-medium expression was seen in the lag phase. Significant differences in gene expression were detected among the strains as well as between the media. A correlation was found between the PHYPk expression and phytase extracellular activity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Isolation, characterization and HPLC quantification of compounds from Aquilegia fragrans Benth: Their in vitro antibacterial activities against bovine mastitis pathogens.

Science.gov (United States)

Mushtaq, Saleem; Aga, Mushtaq A; Qazi, Parvaiz H; Ali, Md Niamat; Shah, Aabid Manzoor; Lone, Sajad Ahmad; Shah, Aiyatullah; Hussain, Aehtesham; Rasool, Faheem; Dar, Hafizullah; Shah, Zeeshan Hamid; Lone, Shabir H

2016-02-03

The underground parts of Aquilegia fragrans are traditionally used for the treatment of wounds and various inflammatory diseases like bovine mastitis. However, there are no reports on the phytochemical characterization and antibacterial studies of A. fragrans. To isolate compounds from the methanol extract of the underground parts of A. fragrans and determine their antibacterial activity against the pathogens of bovine mastitis. The study was undertaken in order to scientifically validate the traditional use of A. fragrans. Five compounds were isolated from the methanol extract of the underground parts of A. fragrans using silica gel column chromatography. Structural elucidation of the isolated compounds was done using spectral data analysis and comparison with literature. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for the qualitative and quantitative determination of isolated compounds in the crude methanol extract. The methanol extract and isolated compounds were evaluated for antibacterial activities against mastitis pathogens using broth micro-dilution technique. The five isolated compounds were identified as (1) 2, 4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid methyl ester (2) β-sitosterol (3) Aquilegiolide (4) Glochidionolactone-A and (5) Magnoflorine. A quick and sensitive HPLC method was developed for the first time for qualitative and quantitative determination of four isolated marker compounds from A. fragrans. The crude methanol extract and compound 5 exhibited weak antibacterial activities that varied between the bacterial species (MIC=500-3000 µg/ml). The above results show that the crude methanol extract and isolated compounds from A. fragrans exhibit weak antibacterial activities. Further phytochemical and pharmacological studies are required for proper scientific validation of the folk use of this plant species in the treatment of various inflammatory diseases like bovine mastitis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Solicitation of HPLC and HPTLC Techniques for Determination of Rutin from Polyalthia longifolia Thwaites

Science.gov (United States)

Doshi, Gaurav Mahesh; Zine, Sandeep Prabhakar; Chaskar, Pratip Kashinath; Une, Hemant Devidas

2014-01-01

Background: Polyalthia longifolia Thwaites is an important traditional plant in India. Rutin, an active constituent has been reported to possess good amount of pharmacological as well as therapeutic potential. Objective: The aim of the present study was to find out by analytical techniques how much percentage of rutin is present in the plant leaves’ ethanolic extract by analytical techniques. Materials and Methods: Shade dried leaves of Polyalthia longifolia were subjected to cold ethanolic extraction followed by monitoring the isolated rutin high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) after carrying out preliminary phytochemical screening. Results: Extraction yield was found to be 13.94% w/w. Phytochemical screening of the extract showed the presence of flavonoids, steroids, diterpenoids, alkaloids, saponins, tannins and phenolic compounds and mucilage. From the Rf value, the ethanolic extract was found to be having constituent identical to rutin. By HPTLC and HPLC the amount of rutin was found to be 11.60% w/w and 4.03% w/v, respectively. Conclusion: The active constituent isolated was found to be equal to rutin. PMID:25002804

Potential of functional strains, isolated from traditional Maasai milk, as starters for the production of fermented milks.

Science.gov (United States)

Patrignani, Francesca; Lanciotti, Rosalba; Mathara, Julius Maina; Guerzoni, Maria Elisabetta; Holzapfel, Wilhelm H

2006-03-01

The purpose of this research was the evaluation of technological features and of the ability of functional LAB strains with desirable sensory characteristics, to produce fermented milk. Eight strains of Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus paracasei and Lactococcus lactis, isolated from Maasai traditional fermented milk in Kenya and previously tested for their probiotic properties, were selected for this investigation. Technological features such as growth kinetics in fresh heat-treated whole milk medium and survival in the final product during storage at 4 degrees C, were studied. The strains Lb. acidophilus BFE 6,059, Lb. paracasei BFE 5,264 and Lc. lactis BFE 6,049 showed the best potential and were thus selected for use as starter cultures in further trials with the objective to improve their technological performance and to optimise the sensory features of fermented milk obtained. The effects of fat (F), non-fat milk solids (S) and fermentation temperature (T), modulated according to a Central Composite Design, on fermentation rates and viability losses during refrigerated storage of the chosen starters, and on product texture parameters, were studied. From the data analysis, it was possible to select optimum conditions for enhancing positive sensory traits of final products and for improving the survival of these potentially probiotic cultures.

In vitro evaluation of prosthodontic impression on natural dentition: a comparison between traditional and digital techniques

Science.gov (United States)

MALAGUTI, G.; ROSSI, R.; MARZIALI, B.; ESPOSITO, A.; BRUNO, G.; DARIOL, C.; DI FIORE, A.

2016-01-01

SUMMARY Objectives The aim of this in vitro study is to evaluate the marginal and internal fit of zirconia core crowns manufactured following different digital and traditional workflows. Methods A 6° taper shoulder prepared abutment tooth was used to produce 20 zirconia core crowns using four different scanning techniques: scanned directly with the extraoral lab scanner, scanned with intraoral scanner, dental impressions using individual dental tray and polyether, dental casts from a polyether impressions. Marginal and internal fits were evaluated with digital photography and the silicone replica method. Results Medium marginal gaps were 76,00 μm ± 28.9 for extraoral lab scanner, 80.50 μm ± 36,2 for intraoral scanner, 88.10 μm ± 34,8 for dental impression scan and 112,4 μm ± 37,2 for dental cast scan. Medium internal gaps were 23.20 μm ± 10,3 for extraoral lab scanner, 16.20 μm ± 8.3 for intraoral scanner, 27.20 μm ± 16.7 for dental impression scan and 30.20 μm ± 12.7 for dental cast scan. Conclusion Internal gap were extensively lower than 70 μm described in literature. Marginal fit was higher than ideal values for all the techniques but within the limit of clinical success. Intraoral scanners obtained the best results for internal gap. PMID:28280529

Comparative Genomics of Acetobacterpasteurianus Ab3, an Acetic Acid Producing Strain Isolated from Chinese Traditional Rice Vinegar Meiguichu.

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Kai; Li, Yudong; Sun, Jing; Liang, Xinle

2016-01-01

Acetobacter pasteurianus, an acetic acid resistant bacterium belonging to alpha-proteobacteria, has been widely used to produce vinegar in the food industry. To understand the mechanism of its high tolerance to acetic acid and robust ability of oxidizing ethanol to acetic acid (> 12%, w/v), we described the 3.1 Mb complete genome sequence (including 0.28 M plasmid sequence) with a G+C content of 52.4% of A. pasteurianus Ab3, which was isolated from the traditional Chinese rice vinegar (Meiguichu) fermentation process. Automatic annotation of the complete genome revealed 2,786 protein-coding genes and 73 RNA genes. The comparative genome analysis among A. pasteurianus strains revealed that A. pasteurianus Ab3 possesses many unique genes potentially involved in acetic acid resistance mechanisms. In particular, two-component systems or toxin-antitoxin systems may be the signal pathway and modulatory network in A. pasteurianus to cope with acid stress. In addition, the large numbers of unique transport systems may also be related to its acid resistance capacity and cell fitness. Our results provide new clues to understanding the underlying mechanisms of acetic acid resistance in Acetobacter species and guiding industrial strain breeding for vinegar fermentation processes.

Learning from Local Wisdom: Friction Damper in Traditional Building

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pudjisuryadi P.

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Indonesia is situated in the so called “Ring of Fire” where earthquake are very frequent. Despite of all the engineering effort, due to the March 28, 2005 strong earthquake (8.7 on Richter scale a lot of modern buildings in Nias collapsed, while the traditional Northern Nias house (omohada survived without any damage. Undoubtedly many other traditional buildings in other area in Indonesia have survived similar earthquake. Something in common of the traditional building are the columns which usually are not fixed on the ground, but rest on top of flat stones. In this paper some traditional building are subjected to non linear time history analysis to artificial earthquake equivalent to 500 years return period earthquake. This study shows that apparently the columns which rest on top of flat stone acts as friction damper or base isolation. The presence of sliding at the friction type support significantly reduces the internal forces in the structure.

Galactooligosaccharide Production from Pantoea anthophila Strains Isolated from “Tejuino”, a Mexican Traditional Fermented Beverage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudia V. Yañez-Ñeco

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Two Pantoea anthophila bacterial strains were isolated from “tejuino”, a traditional Mexican beverage, and studied as β-galactosidase producers for galactooligosaccharides synthesis. Using 400 g/L of lactose, 50 °C, and 15 U/mL of β-galactosidase activity with ethanol-permeabilized cells, the maximum galactooligosaccharides (GOS yield determined by High performance anion exchange chromatography with pulse amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD was 136 g/L (34% w/w of total sugars at 96% of lactose conversion for Bac 55.2 and 145 g/L (36% w/w of total sugars at 94% of lactose conversion for Bac 69.1. The main synthesized products were the disaccharides allolactose [Gal-β(1 → 6-Glc] and 6-galactobiose [Gal-β(1 → 6-Gal], as well as the trisaccharides 3′-galactosyl-lactose [Gal-β(1 → 3-Gal-β(1 → 4-Glc], 6-galactotriose [Gal-β(1 → 6-Gal-β(1 → 6-Gal], 3′-galactosyl-allolactose [Gal-β(1 → 3-Gal-β(1 → 6-Glc], and 6′-galactosyl-lactose [Gal-β(1 → 6-Gal-β(1 → 4-Glc]. The β-galactosidases present in both strains showed a high transgalactosylation activity and formed principally β(1 → 3 and β(1 → 6 linkages. Considering the stability and bifidogenic properties of GOS containing such types of bonds, P. anthophila strains Bac 55.2 and Bac 69.1 possess a high potential as novel biocatalysts for prebiotic industrial production.

Application of new pre-isolation techniques to mode cleaner design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barriga, Pablo [School of Physics, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009 (Australia); Woolley, Andrew [School of Physics, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009 (Australia); Zhao Chunnong [Computer and Information Science, Edith Cowan University, Mount Lawley, WA 6050 (Australia); Blair, David G [School of Physics, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009 (Australia)

2004-03-07

Two very low frequency pre-isolation stages can greatly reduce the residual motion of suspended optical components. In a mode cleaner this can reduce the control forces required on the mirrors, simplifying lock acquisition and reducing noise injection through control forces. This paper describes a 12 m triangular suspended mode cleaner under construction for the AIGO high optical power interferometer. A novel and very compact multistage isolator supports the cavity mirrors. It combines an inverse pendulum in series with a low-mass Roberts linkage, both with pendulum frequencies below 0.1 Hz. The suspension chain is connected to the Roberts linkage via a Euler spring stage and a cantilever spring assembly for vertical isolation. We present an analysis of the mode cleaner, emphasizing the advantage of the improved mode-cleaner suspension and its power-handling capability. The effect of seismic noise on the residual velocity of the mirrors and the predicted frequency stability of the optical cavity are presented.

Application of new pre-isolation techniques to mode cleaner design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barriga, Pablo; Woolley, Andrew; Zhao Chunnong; Blair, David G

2004-01-01

Two very low frequency pre-isolation stages can greatly reduce the residual motion of suspended optical components. In a mode cleaner this can reduce the control forces required on the mirrors, simplifying lock acquisition and reducing noise injection through control forces. This paper describes a 12 m triangular suspended mode cleaner under construction for the AIGO high optical power interferometer. A novel and very compact multistage isolator supports the cavity mirrors. It combines an inverse pendulum in series with a low-mass Roberts linkage, both with pendulum frequencies below 0.1 Hz. The suspension chain is connected to the Roberts linkage via a Euler spring stage and a cantilever spring assembly for vertical isolation. We present an analysis of the mode cleaner, emphasizing the advantage of the improved mode-cleaner suspension and its power-handling capability. The effect of seismic noise on the residual velocity of the mirrors and the predicted frequency stability of the optical cavity are presented

Isolation of Mycobacterium chelonei with the lysis-centrifugation blood culture technique.

OpenAIRE

Fojtasek, M F; Kelly, M T

1982-01-01

Mycobacterium chelonei was isolated from a patient by the lysis-centrifugation and the conventional two-bottle blood culture methods. The lysis-centrifugation method was significantly more sensitive and rapid than the conventional method in detecting and isolating this organism; quantitations done by this method were useful for monitoring response to therapy.

Multiple predictor smoothing methods for sensitivity analysis: Description of techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Storlie, Curtis B.; Helton, Jon C.

2008-01-01

The use of multiple predictor smoothing methods in sampling-based sensitivity analyses of complex models is investigated. Specifically, sensitivity analysis procedures based on smoothing methods employing the stepwise application of the following nonparametric regression techniques are described: (i) locally weighted regression (LOESS), (ii) additive models, (iii) projection pursuit regression, and (iv) recursive partitioning regression. Then, in the second and concluding part of this presentation, the indicated procedures are illustrated with both simple test problems and results from a performance assessment for a radioactive waste disposal facility (i.e., the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant). As shown by the example illustrations, the use of smoothing procedures based on nonparametric regression techniques can yield more informative sensitivity analysis results than can be obtained with more traditional sensitivity analysis procedures based on linear regression, rank regression or quadratic regression when nonlinear relationships between model inputs and model predictions are present

Diagnostic accuracy of semi-quantitative and quantitative culture techniques for the diagnosis of catheter-related infections in newborns and molecular typing of isolated microorganisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Riboli, Danilo Flávio Moraes; Lyra, João César; Silva, Eliane Pessoa; Valadão, Luisa Leite; Bentlin, Maria Regina; Corrente, José Eduardo; Rugolo, Ligia Maria Suppo de Souza; da Cunha, Maria de Lourdes Ribeiro de Souza

2014-05-22

Catheter-related bloodstream infections (CR-BSIs) have become the most common cause of healthcare-associated bloodstream infections in neonatal intensive care units (ICUs). Microbiological evidence implicating catheters as the source of bloodstream infection is necessary to establish the diagnosis of CR-BSIs. Semi-quantitative culture is used to determine the presence of microorganisms on the external catheter surface, whereas quantitative culture also isolates microorganisms present inside the catheter. The main objective of this study was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of these two techniques for the diagnosis of CR-BSIs in newborns from a neonatal ICU. In addition, PFGE was used for similarity analysis of the microorganisms isolated from catheters and blood cultures. Semi-quantitative and quantitative methods were used for the culture of catheter tips obtained from newborns. Strains isolated from catheter tips and blood cultures which exhibited the same antimicrobial susceptibility profile were included in the study as positive cases of CR-BSI. PFGE of the microorganisms isolated from catheters and blood cultures was performed for similarity analysis and detection of clones in the ICU. A total of 584 catheter tips from 399 patients seen between November 2005 and June 2012 were analyzed. Twenty-nine cases of CR-BSI were confirmed. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) were the most frequently isolated microorganisms, including S. epidermidis as the most prevalent species (65.5%), followed by S. haemolyticus (10.3%), yeasts (10.3%), K. pneumoniae (6.9%), S. aureus (3.4%), and E. coli (3.4%). The sensitivity of the semi-quantitative and quantitative techniques was 72.7% and 59.3%, respectively, and specificity was 95.7% and 94.4%. The diagnosis of CR-BSIs based on PFGE analysis of similarity between strains isolated from catheter tips and blood cultures showed 82.6% sensitivity and 100% specificity. The semi-quantitative culture method showed higher

Leaf proteome analysis of clematis chinensis: a traditional chinese medicine (tcm) by two-dimensional electrophoresis technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishtiaq, M.; Maqbool, M.; Hussaini, T.; Azami, S.

2014-01-01

Leaf proteome of Clematis chinensis, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) was analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) technique. The samples were extracted by phenol-SDS method (PSM) with high protein quantity i.e. 2.35, 0.345 mg/g (yield/dw). Proteins were visualized by staining of gels by silver stain and CBB. The gel images of each species were compared by Image Master 2D Platinum software for analytical purpose. The 2-DE profile depicted distribution of 1085 spots and out of these only 255 protein spots (23.5%) were common to all analyzed taxa. The visualized protein spots showed pI range from 3.0 to 10.0 (pH) and Mr of 7 kDa to 70 kDa. Twelve proteins were exclusively specific to C. chinensis when compared with its allies, C. finetiana and C. armandii, which may be used as biomarkers. Thirteen proteins were up-regulated in C. finetiana (0.75-0.95 fold) and twelve proteins in C. armandii (1.05-1.66 fold) whilst seven proteins down-regulated (0.66-0.94 fold) in former and three proteins (1.07-1.20 fold) in later one in comparison with C. chinensis. Twenty five differential and similar protein spots were picked and analyzed by LC-MS/MS technique. Identified proteins are related to energy metabolism (ATP synthesis), photosynthesis. environmental stimuli, regulating RNA metabolism, growth hormone regulators, evolutionary trends and gene expression. The efficiency and applicability of proteomic approach as biomarker for identification of C. chinensis is discussed in its quality control (QC) perspectives. Leaf proteins of Clematis plants are explored for the first time by 2-DE technique and debated for their metabolic role. (author)

activity guided isolation of chemical constituents from the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

MeOH fraction was subjected to various chromatographic techniques led to the isolation of miquelianin (1), kaempferol 3-O-glucuronide (2) and quercitrin (3). Compounds (1-3) were isolated from this plant for the first time. KEY WORDS: Euphorpia schimperi C. Presl, Wound healing, Chromatographic techniques, Chemical.

Microbiological Characteristics of Trachanas, a Traditional Fermented Dairy Product from Cyprus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Despina Bozoudi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to characterize the autochthonous microbiota of Cypriot Trachanas, a traditional fermented ewes’ milk product. For this reason, 12 samples of raw and fermented milk as well as natural starter culture were collected in order to count, isolate, and identify the main species present during Trachanas fermentation. In total, 198 colonies were retrieved and 163 were identified by sequencing analysis at species level. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB were the predominant group, followed by yeasts. Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, and Enterococcus were frequently isolated from raw milk, and Lactobacillus casei/paracasei predominated in the starter culture. Lactococcus lactis was isolated in high frequency (27.9% of the isolates at the beginning, while Lactobacillus spp. (20% and Saccharomyces unisporus (17.9% were isolated at the end of fermentation. After assessing their technological potential, selected strains could be used as starters to ferment milk for artisanal Trachanas production.

Compensation of thermally induced polarisation distortions in Faraday isolators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khazanov, E A

1999-01-01

Two new Faraday isolator designs are proposed. They make it possible to compensate partly for the depolarisation of radiation which occurs in magneto-optical elements because of the photoelastic effect caused by heating associated with the absorption of laser radiation. Analytic and numerical comparisons of the new and traditional designs demonstrate a significant (by orders of magnitude) increase in the isolation ratio of the new isolators. The results obtained indicate that it should be possible to construct a Faraday isolator with the isolation ratio of 30 dB for laser radiation with an average power of several kilowatts. (laser applications and other topics in quantum electronics)

Written mathematical traditions in Ancient Mesopotamia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Høyrup, Jens

2015-01-01

Writing, as well as various mathematical techniques, were created in proto-literate Uruk in order to serve accounting, and Mesopotamian mathematics as we know it was always expressed in writing. In so far, mathematics generically regarded was always part of the generic written tradition....

Dielectric isolation for power integrated circuits; Isolation dielectrique enterree pour les circuits integres de puissance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zerrouk, D.

1997-07-18

Considerable efforts have been recently directed towards integrating onto the same chip, sense or protection elements that is low voltage analog and/or digital control circuitry together with high voltage/high current devices. Most of these so called `smart power` devices use either self isolation, junction isolation or Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) to integrate low voltage elements with vertical power devices. Dielectric isolation is superior to the other isolation techniques such as self isolation or junction isolation. Thesis work consists of the study of the feasibility of a dielectric technology based on the melting and the solidification in a Rapid Thermal Processing furnace (RTP), of thick polysilicon films deposited on oxide. The purpose of this technique is to obtain substrate with localized SOI structures for smart power applications. SOI technology offers significant potential advantages, such as non-occurrence of latch-up in CMOS structures, high packaging density, low parasitic capacitance and the possibility of 3D structures. In addition, SOI technology using thick silicon films (10-100 {mu}m) offers special advantages for high voltage integrated circuits. Several techniques have been developed to form SOI films. Zone melting recrystallization is one of the most promising for localized SOI. The SOI structures have first been analyzed in term of extended defects. N-channel MOSFET`s transistors have also been fabricated in the SOI substrates and electrically characterized (threshold voltages, off-state leakage current, mobilities,...). The SOI transistors exhibit good characteristics, although inferior to witness transistors. The recrystallized silicon films are therefore found to be suitable for the fabrication of SOI devices. (author) 106 refs.

Effect of nanocellulose isolation techniques on the formation of reinforced poly(vinyl alcohol nanocomposite films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Y. Zhan

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Three techniques including acid hydrolysis (AH, 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical (TEMPO-mediated oxidation (TMO and ultrasonication (US were introduced to isolate nanocellulose from microcrystalline cellulose, in order to reinforce poly(vinyl alcohol (PVA films. Important differences were noticed in fiber quality of nanocellulose and film properties of PVA nanocomposite films. The TMO treatment was more efficient in nanocellulose isolation with higher aspect ratio, surface charge (–47 mV and yields (37%. While AH treatment resulted in higher crystallinity index (88.1% and better size dispersion. The fracture surface, thermal behavior and mechanical properties of the PVA nanocomposite films were investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA and tensile testing. The results showed that both the TMO-derived and AH-derived nanocellulose could be dispersed homogeneously in the PVA matrices. AH/PVA films had higher elongation at break (51.59% at 6 wt% nanocellulose loading as compared with TMO/PVA, while TMO/PVA films shown superior tensile modulus and strength with increments of 21.5% and 10.2% at 6wt% nanocellulose loading. The thermal behavior of the PVA nanocomposite films was higher improved with TMO-derived nanofibrils addition.

The effectiveness of a high output/short duration radiofrequency current application technique in segmental pulmonary vein isolation for atrial fibrillation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nilsson, Brian; Chen, Xu; Pehrson, Steen

2006-01-01

groups. In the conventional group (Group 1, 45 patients), the power output was limited to 30 W with a target temperature of 50 degrees C and an RF preset duration of 120 s. In the novel group (Group 2, 45 patients), the maximum power output was preset to 45 W, with a target temperature of 55 degrees C......AIMS: Segmental pulmonary vein (PV) isolation by radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation has become a curative therapy for atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the long procedure time limits the wide application of this procedure. The aim of the current study was to compare a novel ablation technique...... and duration of 20 s. In Group 2, a significant reduction in the PV isolation time (127+/-57 vs. 94+/-33 min, P

Isolation and morphological characterization of antibiotic producing ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To isolate and characterize antibiotic producing actinomycetes from soil samples in Belgaum, Karnataka, India. Methods: Crowded plate technique was used for the isolation of actinomycetes in media such as soybean – casein digest medium and actinomycetes isolation agar. The morphological and cultural ...

Endoscopic Radiofrequency Ablation-Assisted Resection of Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma: Comparison with Traditional Endoscopic Technique.

Science.gov (United States)

McLaughlin, Eamon J; Cunningham, Michael J; Kazahaya, Ken; Hsing, Julianna; Kawai, Kosuke; Adil, Eelam A

2016-06-01

To evaluate the feasibility of radiofrequency surgical instrumentation for endoscopic resection of juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) and to test the hypothesis that endoscopic radiofrequency ablation-assisted (RFA) resection will have superior intraoperative and/or postoperative outcomes as compared with traditional endoscopic (TE) resection techniques. Case series with chart review. Two tertiary care pediatric hospitals. Twenty-nine pediatric patients who underwent endoscopic transnasal resection of JNA from January 2000 to December 2014. Twenty-nine patients underwent RFA (n = 13) or TE (n = 16) JNA resection over the 15-year study period. Mean patient age was not statistically different between the 2 groups (P = .41); neither was their University of Pittsburgh Medical Center classification stage (P = .79). All patients underwent preoperative embolization. Mean operative times were not statistically different (P = .29). Mean intraoperative blood loss and the need for a transfusion were also not statistically different (P = .27 and .47, respectively). Length of hospital stay was not statistically different (P = .46). Recurrence rates did not differ between groups (P = .99) over a mean follow-up period of 2.3 years. There were no significant differences between RFA and TE resection in intraoperative or postoperative outcome parameters. © American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2016.

Microbial composition of the Korean traditional food "kochujang" analyzed by a massive sequencing technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Nam, Young-Do; Park, So-lim; Lim, Seong-Il

2012-04-01

Kochujang is a traditional Korean fermented food that is made with red pepper, glutinous rice, salt, and soybean. Kochujang is fermented by naturally occurring microorganisms through which it obtains various health-promoting properties. In this study, the bacterial diversities of 9 local and 2 commercial brands of kochujang were analyzed with a barcoded pyrosequencing technique targeting the hyper-variable regions V1/V2 of the 16S rRNA gene. Through the analysis of 13524 bacterial pyrosequences, 223 bacterial species were identified, most of which converged on the phylum Firmicutes (average 93.1%). All of the kochujang samples were largely populated (>90.9% of abundance) by 12 bacterial families, and Bacillaceae showed the highest abundance in all but one sample. Bacillus subtilis and B. licheniformis were the most dominant bacterial species and were broadly distributed among the kochujang samples. Each sample contained a high abundance of region-specific bacterial species, such as B. sonorensis, B. pumilus, Weissella salipiscis, and diverse unidentified Bacillus species. Phylotype- and phylogeny-based community comparison analysis showed that the microbial communities of the two commercial brands were different from those of the local brands. Moreover, each local brand kochujang sample had region-specific microbial community reflecting the manufacturing environment. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

Comparative study of presurgical hand hygiene with hydroalcoholic solution versus traditional presurgical hand hygiene.

Science.gov (United States)

López Martín, M Beatriz; Erice Calvo-Sotelo, Alejo

To compare presurgical hand hygiene with hydroalcoholic solution following the WHO protocol with traditional presurgical hand hygiene. Cultures of the hands of surgeons and surgical nurses were performed before and after presurgical hand hygiene and after removing gloves at the end of surgery. Cultures were done in 2different days: the first day after traditional presurgical hand hygiene, and the second day after presurgical hand hygiene with hydroalcoholic solution following the WHO protocol. The duration of the traditional hand hygiene was measured and compared with the duration (3min) of the WHO protocol. The cost of the products used in the traditional technique was compared with the cost of the hydroalcoholic solution used. The variability of the traditional technique was determined by observation. Following presurgical hand hygiene with hydroalcoholic solution, colony-forming units (CFU) were detected in 5 (7.3%) subjects, whereas after traditional presurgical hand hygiene CFU were detected in 14 subjects (20.5%) (p < 0.05). After glove removal, the numbers of CFU were similar. The time employed in hand hygiene with hydroalcoholic solution (3min) was inferior to the time employed in the traditional technique (p < 0.05), its cost was less than half, and there was no variability. Compared with other techniques, presurgical hand hygiene with hydroalcoholic solution significantly decreases CFU, has similar latency time, a lower cost, and saves time. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Identification and characterization of the dominant lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional fermented milk in Mongolia.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Z H; Liu, W J; Zhang, J C; Yu, J; Gao, W; Jiri, M; Menghe, B; Sun, T S; Zhang, H P

2010-05-01

Five samples of Airag and 20 of Tarag (both in Mongolia) were collected from scattered households. One hundred strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated and identified from these samples according to phenotypic characterization and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Eighty-five isolates belonged to the genus Lactobacillus, 15 being classified as coccoid LAB. All isolates belonged to 5 genera and 11 to different species and subspecies. Lactobacillus (Lb.) helveticus was predominant population in Airag samples, Lb. fermentum and Lb. helveticus were the major LAB microflora in Tarag.

Molecular characterization of Escherichia coli recovered from traditional milk products in Kashan, Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farhad Sharafati Chaleshtori

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Aim: Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC strains as emerging groups of foodborne pathogens are responsible for most foodborne illnesses. The aim of this study was to determine the antibiotic resistance pattern in STEC isolated from traditional milk products and their molecular characterization. Materials and Methods: A total of 116 samples were randomly purchased from local markets in Kashan, Iran, and evaluated for the occurrence of STEC by culturing and molecular methods. The antibiotic resistance of obtained isolates was determined by Kirby Bauer method. Furthermore, isolates were assayed for the presence of Shiga toxins (stx1 and stx2 and intimin gene (eae. Results: The incidence of E. coli in 60 ice cream, 30 yoghurt, and 26 cheese samples was 8.33%, 10%, and 11.54%, respectively. The findings showed that 11 out of 11 (100% E. coli had both stx1 and stx2 while eae gene was not found in E. coli isolated of traditional milk products. For E. coli strains carrying stx1 and stx2, highest antibiotic sensitive levels were related to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, norfloxacin, chloramphenicol, and ciprofloxacin, respectively. Conclusion: The results showed relationship between the presence of virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance. These results can be used for further studies on STEC as an emerging foodborne pathogen.

Traditional and Modern Cell Culture in Virus Diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hematian, Ali; Sadeghifard, Nourkhoda; Mohebi, Reza; Taherikalani, Morovat; Nasrolahi, Abbas; Amraei, Mansour; Ghafourian, Sobhan

2016-04-01

Cell cultures are developed from tissue samples and then disaggregated by mechanical, chemical, and enzymatic methods to extract cells suitable for isolation of viruses. With the recent advances in technology, cell culture is considered a gold standard for virus isolation. This paper reviews the evolution of cell culture methods and demonstrates why cell culture is a preferred method for identification of viruses. In addition, the advantages and disadvantages of both traditional and modern cell culture methods for diagnosis of each type of virus are discussed. Detection of viruses by the novel cell culture methods is considered more accurate and sensitive. However, there is a need to include some more accurate methods such as molecular methods in cell culture for precise identification of viruses.

Phenotypic and Genotypic Characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes Isolated From Dairy and Meat Products

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bahador

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Background Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen and a serious threat to the public health in the world. Consumption of traditional foods such as dairy and meat products can be a major reason for relative abundance and isolation of these bacteria. Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of L. monocytogenes strains isolated from dairy and meat products. Materials and Methods A total of 317 dairy products and meat-processed samples were collected. Antibiotic susceptibility test was performed on each sample by the disk diffusion method (Kirby Bauer. Five reference loci were used for typing of L. monocytogenes strains by MLVA (Multiple Locus VNTR Analysis Technique. Results A total of 24 L. monocytogenes isolates were collected from the dairy and meat products. Resistance of isolated L. monocytogenes strains to penicillin G were 54.54% (from dairy products and 46.15% (from processed meat. Genetic relatedness of isolates were assessed by MLVA. Out of 13 different types, type 2 with 6 strains and type 3 with 4 strains, were the most common types. Conclusions MLVA analysis showed that samples obtained from different sources could have similar genetic profile. As a result, administration of penicillin in patients with listeriosis (especially pregnant women and antibiotic susceptibility test are recommended. The fast and accurate methods such as MLVA for tracking of pollution sources of L. monocytogenes are recommended during outbreaks.

Biodiversity of yeasts, lactic acid bacteria and acetic acid bacteria in the fermentation of "Shanxi aged vinegar", a traditional Chinese vinegar.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Jia Jia; Ma, Ying Kun; Zhang, Fen Fen; Chen, Fu Sheng

2012-05-01

Shanxi aged vinegar is a famous traditional Chinese vinegar made from several kinds of cereal by spontaneous solid-state fermentation techniques. In order to get a comprehensive understanding of culturable microorganism's diversity present in its fermentation, the indigenous microorganisms including 47 yeast isolates, 28 lactic acid bacteria isolates and 58 acetic acid bacteria isolates were recovered in different fermenting time and characterized based on a combination of phenotypic and genotypic approaches including inter-delta/PCR, PCR-RFLP, ERIC/PCR analysis, as well as 16S rRNA and 26S rRNA partial gene sequencing. In the alcoholic fermentation, the dominant yeast species Saccharomyces (S.) cerevisiae (96%) exhibited low phenotypic and genotypic diversity among the isolates, while Lactobacillus (Lb.) fermentum together with Lb. plantarum, Lb. buchneri, Lb. casei, Pediococcus (P.) acidilactici, P. pentosaceus and Weissella confusa were predominated in the bacterial population at the same stage. Acetobacter (A.) pasteurianus showing great variety both in genotypic and phenotypic tests was the dominant species (76%) in the acetic acid fermentation stage, while the other acetic acid bacteria species including A. senegalensis, A. indonesiensis, A. malorum and A. orientalis, as well as Gluconobacter (G.) oxydans were detected at initial point of alcoholic and acetic acid fermentation stage respectively. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification of some Fusarium species from selected crop seeds using traditional method and BIO-PCR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomasz Kulik

2012-12-01

Full Text Available We identified a species level of the fungal cultures isolated from selected crop seeds using traditional method and BIO-PCR. The use of BIO-PCR did not correspond completely to the morphological analyses. Both methods showed increased infection with F. poae in winter wheat seed sample originated from north Poland. Fungal culture No 40 (isolated from faba bean and identified with traditional method as mixed culture with F. culmorum and F. graminearum did not produce expected product after PCR reaction with species specific primers OPT18F470, OPT18R470. However, the use of additional primers Fc01F, Fc01R allowed for reliable identification of F. culmorum in the culture.

In Vitro characterization of Lactococcus lactis strains Isolated from Iranian Traditional Dairy Products as a Potential Probiotic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatemeh Nejati

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Few studies have been reported regarding probiotic properties of Lactococcus lactis strains although they are extensively used as starter cultures in the production of dairy products. In this study 8 wild isolates of Lactococcus lactis were evaluated in vitro with regard to resistance to simulated gastric and intestinal juices, adherence ability to Caco-2 cells and HT29-MTX-E12 cell lines, anti-microbial activity, hydrophobicity and antibiotic susceptibility. The results revealed that all isolates had better survival after exposure to simulated gastrointestinal tract stresses in comparison to control probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG. Regarding adherence efficiency, almost all isolates exhibited similar adherence with control. Three isolates showed antibacterial activity against Gram-positive pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes through spot-agar method. Almost all isolates (seven out of eight showed similar hydrophobicity to control probiotic. Regarding to antibiotic resistance, all isolates were susceptible to gentamicin, ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, tetracycline, penicillin, kanamycin and nitrofurantoin. Although, further investigations are necessary, it was concluded that strains derived from raw milk and home-made dairy products could be a remarkable reservoir for identification of new potential probiotic strains.

Characterisation and preliminary lipid-lowering evaluation of Lactobacillus isolated from a traditional Serbian dairy product.

Science.gov (United States)

Zavišić, G; Ristić, S; Petrièević, S; Novaković Jovanović, J; Janać Petković, B; Strahinić, I; Piperski, V

2015-03-01

We investigated the potential probiotic properties of indigenous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from Serbian homemade cheese. Seventeen LAB strains were isolated and characterised using standard protocols. One of the strains showed several probiotic properties: survival at low pH and in bile salts solution, antimicrobial activity, susceptibility to antibiotics and adhesion to hexodecane. DNA analysis identified the isolate as Lactobacillus casei, hereafter named L. casei 5s. The lipid lowering effect of L. casei 5s was evaluated in vivo using a hyperlipidemic rat model. Orally administered L. casei 5s significantly decreased the elevated total serum cholesterol and triglycerides, and attenuated macro vesicular steatosis in the liver. Moreover, L. casei 5s improved the intestinal microbial balance in favour of lactobacilli, while decreasing the number of Escherichia coli cells. The bacteria were re-isolated and identified from the surface of the intestinal mucosa and from the faecal samples of treated animals, indicating adhesiveness and colonisation ability. The results of an acute oral toxicity study in mice and the absence of translocation to other organs demonstrated the safety of the strain. In conclusion, L. casei 5s demonstrated promising probiotic potential and might be a good candidate for more detailed investigations.

Evaluation of probiotic potential of yeasts isolated from traditional cheeses manufactured in Serbia and Croatia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milica Zivkovic

2015-03-01

Results. The results revealed that two strains of Kluyvereomyces lactis ZIM 2408 and ZIM 2453 grew above one log unit ( and #916; log CFU/ml in the complex colonic medium during 24 h of cultivation, while Torulaspora delbrueckii ZIM 2460 was the most resistant isolate in chemically-simulated conditions of gastric juice and upper intestinal tract. It was demonstrated that the strains Kluyvereomyces lactis ZIM 2408 and ZIM2441 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae ZIM 2415 were highly adhesive to Caco-2 cells, while strains Kluyvereomyces lactis ZIM 2408 and Debaryomyces hansenii ZIM 2415 exhibit the highest adhesion percentage to HT29-MTX cells. All strains significantly (p<0.0001 decreased the proliferation of gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT cells suggesting the possible strain-specific immunomodulatory potential of the isolates. Conclusion. The dairy yeast isolates exhibit the strain-specific probiotic properties. Particularly, the strain K. lactis ZIM 2408 appears to be the best probiotic candidate in terms of all three criteria. Taking into account their immunomodulatory potential, the yeast isolates could be further tested for specific probiotic applications and eventually included in functional food formulated for patients suffering from diseases associated with an increased inflammatory status. [J Intercult Ethnopharmacol 2015; 4(1.000: 12-18

Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacology of Olea europaea (Olive)

Science.gov (United States)

Hashmi, Muhammad Ali; Khan, Afsar; Hanif, Muhammad; Farooq, Umar; Perveen, Shagufta

2015-01-01

Aim of the Review. To grasp the fragmented information available on the botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology of Olea europaea to explore its therapeutic potential and future research opportunities. Material and Methods. All the available information on O. europaea was collected via electronic search (using Pubmed, Scirus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science) and a library search. Results. Ethnomedical uses of O. europaea are recorded throughout the world where it has been used to treat various ailments. Phytochemical research had led to the isolation of flavonoids, secoiridoids, iridoids, flavanones, biophenols, triterpenes, benzoic acid derivatives, isochromans, and other classes of secondary metabolites from O. europaea. The plant materials and isolated components have shown a wide spectrum of in vitro and in vivo pharmacological activities like antidiabetic, anticonvulsant, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, analgesic, antimicrobial, antiviral, antihypertensive, anticancer, antihyperglycemic, antinociceptive, gastroprotective, and wound healing activities. Conclusions. O. europaea emerged as a good source of traditional medicine for the treatment of various ailments. The outcomes of phytochemical and pharmacological studies reported in this review will further expand its existing therapeutic potential and provide a convincing support to its future clinical use in modern medicine. PMID:25802541

Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacology of Olea europaea (Olive

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Ali Hashmi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Aim of the Review. To grasp the fragmented information available on the botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology of Olea europaea to explore its therapeutic potential and future research opportunities. Material and Methods. All the available information on O. europaea was collected via electronic search (using Pubmed, Scirus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science and a library search. Results. Ethnomedical uses of O. europaea are recorded throughout the world where it has been used to treat various ailments. Phytochemical research had led to the isolation of flavonoids, secoiridoids, iridoids, flavanones, biophenols, triterpenes, benzoic acid derivatives, isochromans, and other classes of secondary metabolites from O. europaea. The plant materials and isolated components have shown a wide spectrum of in vitro and in vivo pharmacological activities like antidiabetic, anticonvulsant, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, analgesic, antimicrobial, antiviral, antihypertensive, anticancer, antihyperglycemic, antinociceptive, gastroprotective, and wound healing activities. Conclusions. O. europaea emerged as a good source of traditional medicine for the treatment of various ailments. The outcomes of phytochemical and pharmacological studies reported in this review will further expand its existing therapeutic potential and provide a convincing support to its future clinical use in modern medicine.

Microorganisms with a taste of Vanilla; Microbial ecology of traditional Indonesian vanilla curing.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roling, W.F.M.; Kerler, J.; Braster, M.; Apriyantono, A.; Stam, H.; van Verseveld, H.W.

2001-01-01

The microbial ecology of traditional postharvesting processing of vanilla beans (curing) was examined using a polyphasic approach consisting of conventional cultivation, substrate utilization-based and molecular identification of isolates, and cultivation-independent community profiling by 16S

Using Euler buckling springs for vibration isolation

CERN Document Server

Winterflood, J; Blair, D G

2002-01-01

Difficulties in obtaining ideal vertical vibration isolation with mechanical springs are identified as being due to the mass of the elastic element which is in turn due to its energy storage requirement. A new technique to minimize this energy is presented - being an Euler column undergoing elastic buckling. The design of a high performance vertical vibration isolation stage based on this technique is presented together with its measured performance.

Using Euler buckling springs for vibration isolation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winterflood, J; Barber, T; Blair, D G

2002-01-01

Difficulties in obtaining ideal vertical vibration isolation with mechanical springs are identified as being due to the mass of the elastic element which is in turn due to its energy storage requirement. A new technique to minimize this energy is presented - being an Euler column undergoing elastic buckling. The design of a high performance vertical vibration isolation stage based on this technique is presented together with its measured performance

COMPARi\\ TIVE STUDIES OF TRADITIONAL (NON-ENERG\\T

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2012-12-19

Dec 19, 2012 ... more energy and utilities cost than the traditional energy technique. . " ' .... ,. Keywords: ... An additional major advantage of the Pinch approach is that ... modification before embarking on actual implementation.(Adefila, I 994}.

Dependence of mitochondrial and cytosolic adenine nucleotides on oxygen partial pressure in isolated hepatocytes. Application of a new rapid high pressure filtration technique for fractionation.

OpenAIRE

Hummerich, H; de Groot, H; Noll, T; Soboll, S

1988-01-01

By using a new rapid high pressure filtration technique, mitochondrial and cytosolic ATP and ADP contents were determined in isolated hepatocytes at different oxygen partial pressures. At 670 mmHg, subcellular adenine nucleotide contents and ATP/ADP ratios were comparable with values obtained with the digitonin fractionation technique. However at lower oxygen partial pressure ADP appears to be rephosphorylated during digitonin fractionation whereas with high pressure filtration fractionation ...

Traditional boat-building and navigational techniques of southern Orissa

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Tripati, S.

of the region. No written records on ancient boatbuilding and navigational aids of the region are available for the reconstruction of the technique of boat-building. Boats of this area have been classified into two categories, namely planked and log boats...

Profile and birthing practices of Maranao traditional birth attendants.

Science.gov (United States)

Maghuyop-Butalid, Roselyn; Mayo, Norhanifa A; Polangi, Hania T

2015-01-01

This study determined the profile and birthing practices in both modern and traditional ways among Maranao traditional birth attendants (TBAs) in Lanao del Norte, Philippines. It employed a descriptive research design. The respondents were 50 Maranao TBAs selected through the snowball sampling technique. A questionnaire was developed by the researchers to identify the respondents' modern birthing practices utilizing the Essential Intrapartum and Newborn Care (EINC) Protocol. To determine their profile and traditional birthing practices, items from a previous study and the respondents' personal claims were adapted. This study shows that Maranao TBAs have less compliance to the EINC Protocol and they often practice the traditional birthing interventions, thus increasing the risk of complications to both mother and newborn.

Antibiotic Resistance Among Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli Isolated From Traditional and Industrial Food Samples

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mojtaba Arslani

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Foodborne diseases are one of the serious problems in the world. Every year, more than 100 million people are affected by foodborne and waterborne diseases particularly immunocompromised diseases. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate bacterial load and antibiotic resistance pattern in bacterial isolates from food samples of meat, dairy, and pastry products from west of Tehran, Iran, during April 2007 to March 2008. Materials and Methods: A total of 1625 different food samples including dairy products, meat and pastries were collected randomly from different parts of the west of Tehran. All samples were kept at 4°C. The samples were first cultured according to the standard bacteriological methods and then Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli isolates were identified using standard bacteriological tests. Antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed by disk diffusion method according to Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI guidelines. Results: During 2007 and 2008, 2.8% and 3% of the food samples were contaminated with S. aureus. Similarly, 3.5% and 6.4% of the food samples were contaminated with E. coli. E. coli isolates were highly resistant to amikacin and cephotaxime and this resistance was increased in 2008. Similarly S. aureus isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin, cephotaxime, gentamicin, and tetracyclin. There was no significant difference during 2007-2008. Conclusion: The rate of contamination during 2007 was 2.8% and during 2008 was 3% for S. aureus. This strain was isolated from the food samples. Further studies should be done to determine the changes of bacterial resistance pattern for various food samples. Thus, the baseline for comparison with future prospective studies should be established, enabling the determination of trends over time.

Wire rope isolators for vibration isolation of equipment and structures – A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balaji, P S; Rahman, M E; Lau, H H; Moussa, Leblouba

2015-01-01

Vibrations and shocks are studied using various techniques and analyzed to predict their detrimental effect on the equipment and structures. In cases, where the effects of vibration become unacceptable, it may cause structural damage and affect the operation of the equipment. Hence, adding a discrete system to isolate the vibration from source becomes necessary. The Wire Rope Isolator (WRI) can be used to effectively isolate the system from disturbing vibrations. The WRI is a type of passive isolator that exhibits nonlinear behavior. It consists of stranded wire rope held between two metal retainer bars and the metal wire rope is made up of individual wire strands that are in frictional contact with each other, hence, it is a kind of friction-type isolator. This paper compiles the research work on wire rope isolators. This paper presents the research work under two categories, namely monotonic and cyclic loading behaviors of WRI. The review also discusses the different terminologies associated with vibration isolation system and highlights the comparison between various isolation systems. (paper)

An Integrated Monitoring System Through 3d Laser Scanner and Traditional Instruments for Load Test on Arch Bridge

Science.gov (United States)

Pera, D.; Ferrando, I.

2017-05-01

The experimental campaign represents an example of how the careful design of the different test phases and the choice of the needed instrumentation are fundamental aspects to obtain a proper interpretation of the results, for future application on the real structures. Additionally, the present work represents a successful example of a combined monitoring system, integrating the traditional and innovative technical instrumentation for loading tests and geomatics survey techniques. The monitoring system has been designed with the aim of defining the load carrying capacity of a masonry arch bridge scaled model and to test the performances of a new retrofitting method. In particular, two different configuration have been considered: a first one with isolated arch and a second one with gravel fill on the arch.

AN INTEGRATED MONITORING SYSTEM THROUGH 3D LASER SCANNER AND TRADITIONAL INSTRUMENTS FOR LOAD TEST ON ARCH BRIDGE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Pera

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The experimental campaign represents an example of how the careful design of the different test phases and the choice of the needed instrumentation are fundamental aspects to obtain a proper interpretation of the results, for future application on the real structures. Additionally, the present work represents a successful example of a combined monitoring system, integrating the traditional and innovative technical instrumentation for loading tests and geomatics survey techniques. The monitoring system has been designed with the aim of defining the load carrying capacity of a masonry arch bridge scaled model and to test the performances of a new retrofitting method. In particular, two different configuration have been considered: a first one with isolated arch and a second one with gravel fill on the arch.

Precision Learning Assessment: An Alternative to Traditional Assessment Techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Caltagirone, Paul J.; Glover, Christopher E.

1985-01-01

A continuous and curriculum-based assessment method, Precision Learning Assessment (PLA), which integrates precision teaching and norm-referenced techniques, was applied to a math computation curriculum for 214 third graders. The resulting districtwide learning curves defining average annual progress through the computation curriculum provided…

Active and Non-Active Volumetric Information Spaces to Supplement Traditional Rehabilitation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brooks, Anthony Lewis

2013-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to inform on findings from a mature body of research titled SoundScapes. The goal was to define, create and question sensor-based ICT systems, techniques and methods to supplement traditional rehabilitation. Following initial biofeedback/sensorimotor tests, a noninvas......The purpose of this paper is to inform on findings from a mature body of research titled SoundScapes. The goal was to define, create and question sensor-based ICT systems, techniques and methods to supplement traditional rehabilitation. Following initial biofeedback/sensorimotor tests...

Measuring and modelling interception loss by an isolated olive tree in a traditional olive grove - pasture system

Science.gov (United States)

Nóbrega, Cristina; Pereira, Fernando L.; Valente, Fernanda

2015-04-01

Water losses associated to the rainfall interception process by trees can be an important component of the local hydrologic balance and must be accounted for when implementing any sustainable water management programme. In many dry areas of the Mediterranean region where agro-forestry systems are common, those programmes are crucial to foster adequate water conservation measures. Recent studies have shown that the evaluation of interception loss in sparse forests or tree plantations should be made for individual trees, being the total value determined as the sum of the individual contributions. Following this approach, rainfall interception was measured and modelled over two years, in an isolated Olea europeaea L. tree, in a traditional low-density olive grove in Castelo Branco, central Portugal. Total interception loss over the experimental period was 243.5 mm, on a tree crown projected area basis, corresponding to 18.0% of gross rainfall (Pg). Modelling made for each rainfall event using the sparse version of the Gash model, slightly underestimated interception loss with a value of 240.5 mm, i.e., 17.8 % ofPg. Modelling quality, evaluated according to a number of criteria, was good, allowing the conclusion that the methodology used was adequate. Modelling was also made on a daily basis, i.e., assuming a single storm per rainday. In this case, interception loss was overestimated by 12%, mostly because 72% of all rainfall events lasted for more than a day.

Determination of haemolytic and non haemolytic genes profiles of Bacillus cereus strains isolated from food samples by polymerase chain reaction (pcr) technique

Science.gov (United States)

Jawad, Nisreen; Ahemd, Asmat; Abdullah, Aminah

2018-04-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Bacillus cereus and detection of enterotoxigenic genes in food samples by utilizing a Polymerase Chain Reaction technique (PCR). In this study the providence of B. cereus was carried out to food samples. The B. cereus isolates were investigated for enterotoxigenic gene. The cooked seafood, and raw milk samples were purchased from several restaurants and market in the area of (Bangi, Kajang, Serdang and UKM) Selangor, Malaysia. A total of 60 samples have been analyzed. B. cereus contamination has been formed between 1.4×105 - 3×105 cfu/mL of cooked seafood and raw milk samples. Five colonies have been detected as B. cereus using biochemical test. All B. cereus isolates named BC1 to BC27, were characterized for haemolytic enterotoxin (HBL) complex encoding genes (hblA), non-haemolytic enterotoxin encoding gene (NheA). 10 isolates have been reported to be positive towards hblA and 12 isolates were positive towards NheA. The presence of B. cereus and their enterotoxigenic genes in cooked seafood and raw milk from to food samples obtained may pose a potential risk for public health.

Characterization of lactococci isolated from homemade kefir

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kojić M.

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Five bacteriocin-producing lactococci isolates from traditionally prepared kefir were determined as Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis. The analyzed isolates showed different plasmid profiles and no cross inhibition between them was detected. Moreover, natural isolate BGKF26 was resistant to the antimicrobial activity of nisin producing strain NP45. Plasmid curing experiments revealed that the genes encoding bacteriocin and proteinase production are located on separate genetic elements, except in BGKF26. Production of the tested bacteriocins depends on the concentration of casitone or triptone in the medium. Higher concentrations of casitone or triptone induce bacteriocin activity. Our DNA-DNA hybridization analyses suggest that the analyzed antimicrobial compounds probably are lactococcin-like bacteriocins.

Quantitative analysis of the lactic acid and acetaldehyde produced by Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus strains isolated from traditional Turkish yogurts using HPLC.

Science.gov (United States)

Gezginc, Y; Topcal, F; Comertpay, S; Akyol, I

2015-03-01

The present study was conducted to evaluate the lactic acid- and acetaldehyde-producing abilities of lactic acid bacterial species isolated from traditionally manufactured Turkish yogurts using HPLC. The lactic acid bacterial species purified from the yogurts were the 2 most widely used species in industrial yogurt production: Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus. These bacteria have the ability to ferment hexose sugars homofermentatively to generate lactic acid and some carbonyl compounds, such as acetaldehyde through pyruvate metabolism. The levels of the compounds produced during fermentation influence the texture and the flavor of the yogurt and are themselves influenced by the chemical composition of the milk, processing conditions, and the metabolic activity of the starter culture. In the study, morphological, biochemical, and molecular characteristics were employed to identify the bacteria obtained from homemade yogurts produced in different regions of Turkey. A collection of 91 Strep. thermophilus and 35 L. bulgaricus strains were investigated for their lactic acid- and acetaldehyde-formation capabilities in various media such as cow milk, LM17 agar, and aerobic-anaerobic SM17 agar or de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe agar. The amounts of the metabolites generated by each strain in all conditions were quantified by HPLC. The levels were found to vary depending on the species, the strain, and the growth conditions used. Whereas lactic acid production ranged between 0 and 77.9 mg/kg for Strep. thermophilus strains, it ranged from 0 to 103.5 mg/kg for L. bulgaricus. Correspondingly, the ability to generate acetaldehyde ranged from 0 to 105.9 mg/kg in Strep. thermophilus and from 0 to 126.9 mg/kg in L. bulgaricus. Our study constitutes the first attempt to determine characteristics of the wild strains isolated from traditional Turkish yogurts, and the approach presented here, which reveals the differences in metabolite production abilities of the

The ``hydro-wired``: more than a technique, a global concept; ``L`hydrocable``: plus qu`une technique, un concept global

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anon.

1998-09-01

The ``hydro-wired`` technique consists in the use of small diameter synthetic pipes for the water supply of hot or cold water to space heating or cooling appliances. This new technique has several advantages regarding the thermal comfort and the realization of installations. However cares must be taken during the application of this technique and the design of installations. This paper describes: the French potential market for this technique (heating and cooling floors, traditional heating, sanitary hot water distribution), the characteristics of this technique with respect to traditional techniques (the sheathing of pipes, the specificities of the `octopus`-type distribution), and the design of installations (the different steps: preliminary thermal analysis, realization, start-up and tests). (J.S.)

Review on plants with CNS-effects used in traditional South African medicine against mental diseases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stafford, Gary Ivan; Pedersen, Mikael Egebjerg; van Staden, Johannes

2008-01-01

The majority of the population in South Africa use traditional health care to treat various mental conditions. In this review, we present ethnobotanical information on plants used by the traditional healers in South Africa to treat mental illnesses, specifically epilepsy, depression, age......-related dementia and debilitative mental disorders. Details of the recent scientific studies conducted on some of these plants are reviewed. Extracts of Searsia chirindensis, Cotelydon orbiculata and Leonotis leonurus have shown in vivo anticonvulsant activity. Extracts from Searsia dentata and Searsia pyroides...... disticha. The alkaloid mesembrine, which act as a serotonin reuptake inhibitor, was isolated from Sceletium tortuosum. Investigations of plants used to treat age-related dementia and debilitative mental disorders lead to the isolation of a number of Amaryllidaceae alkaloids with acetylcholinesterase...

Profile and birthing practices of Maranao traditional birth attendants

OpenAIRE

Maghuyop-Butalid, Roselyn; Mayo, Norhanifa A; Polangi, Hania T

2015-01-01

Roselyn Maghuyop-Butalid, Norhanifa A Mayo, Hania T Polangi College of Nursing, Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, Iligan City, Philippines Abstract: This study determined the profile and birthing practices in both modern and traditional ways among Maranao traditional birth attendants (TBAs) in Lanao del Norte, Philippines. It employed a descriptive research design. The respondents were 50 Maranao TBAs selected through the snowball sampling technique. A quest...

Food-associated lactic acid bacteria with antimicrobial potential from traditional Mexican foods.

Science.gov (United States)

Alvarado, C; García Almendárez, B E; Martin, S E; Regalado, C

2006-01-01

This work was conducted to identify indigenous LAB capable of antimicrobial activity, present in traditional Mexican-foods with potential as natural preservatives. A total of 27 artisan unlabeled Mexican products were evaluated, from which 94 LAB strains were isolated, and only 25 strains showed antimicrobial activity against at least one pathogen indicator microorganism. Most of the inhibitory activity showed by the isolated LAB strains was attributed to pH reduction by organic acids. Lactobacillus and Lactococcus strains were good acid producers, depending on the substrate, and may enhance the safety of food products. Cell free cultures of Leuconostoc mesenteroides CH210, and PT8 (from chorizo and pulque, respectively) reduced the number of viable cells of enteropathogenic E. coli in broth system. Lb. plantarum CC10 (from "madre" of vinegar) showed significant inhibitory effect against S. aureus 8943. E. faecium QPII (from panela cheese) produced a bacteriocin with wide anti-L. monocytogenes activity. Selected LAB from traditional Mexican foods showed good potential as bio-preservatives.

Isolation of quercetin from the methanolic extract of Lagerstroemia speciosa by HPLC technique, its cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cells and photocatalytic activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Sai Saraswathi, V; Saravanan, D; Santhakumar, K

2017-06-01

The flavonoids present in the leaves of Lagerstroemia speciosa were extracted, characterized by spectral methods and studied for its cytotoxicity activity against MCF-cell lines and photocatalytic activity against azo dye. Direct and sequential soxhlet extraction was performed and its concentrated crude extract was subjected to high performance liquid chromatography. The yield obtained by the isolated compound (MEI-quercetin) from leaves of L. speciosa was found to be 1.8g from the methanolic extract. The phytochemical analysis and the Rf value of the isolated flavonoid was found to be 3.59. The isolated compound was characterized by Infrared Spectroscopy, NMR and Mass. Based on the characterization, the structure was elucidated as quercetin - a flavonoid. The isolated compound showed the significant in vitro cytotoxicity activity against MCF-7 cell lines at 500μg/ml when compared to the crude extract. Among the various concentrations (25, 50, 100, 250, and 500μg/ml), at higher concentration the cell viability was pronounced and also compared with that of the control. It was first time to report that the isolated flavonoid showed photocatalytic against azo dye-methyl orange. The dye degradation was monitored by UV-Vis spectrophotometry. The isolated compound showed dye degradation of 91.66% with the crude extract 82.47% at 160min. Hence in the present findings, the photocatalytic degradation of MO dye under UV irradiation was investigated over isolated compound of L. speciosa. Hence we expect that this can be used to treat the waste water in near future based on the photocatalytic technique. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ethnopharmacological Investigations of Phytochemical Constituents Isolated from the Genus Cuscuta.

Science.gov (United States)

Ibrahim, Muhammad; Rehman, Kanwal; Hussain, Iqbal; Farooq, Tahir; Ali, Bisharat; Majeed, Irum; Akash, Muhammad Sajid Hamid

2017-01-01

The genus Cuscuta, of the family Cuscutaceae, is present in plants and has been traditionally used medicinally against many diseases and conditions, notably depression, mental illness, headache, spleen disease, jaundice, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. Large numbers of phytochemical constituents such as alkaloids, flavonoids, lignins, oxygen heterocyclic compounds, steroids, fatty acids, phenolic acids, resin glycosides, and polysaccharides have been isolated from different species of Cuscuta. Ethnopharmacological studies conducted on such constituents have also been shown Cuscuta to possess anticancer, antiviral, antispasmodic, antihypertensive, anticonvulsant, antibacterial, antioxidant, diuretic, and hair-growth activity. Many tribes and traditional communities have long used the different forms of Cuscuta for treatment and prevention of many diseases. In this article, we comprehensively summarize relevant data regarding the phytochemical, ethnopharmacological, and traditional therapeutic uses of Cuscuta. In addition, we review the parts of the plants that are used as traditional therapeutic agents, their regions of existence, and their possible modes of action. To conclude, we provide evidence and new insights for further discovery and development of natural drugs from Cuscuta. We show that further studies are needed to investigate the mechanism of action and safety profile of phytochemical constituents isolated from Cuscuta.

Plasma membrane isolation using immobilized concanavalin A magnetic beads.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yu-Chen; Srajer Gajdosik, Martina; Josic, Djuro; Lin, Sue-Hwa

2012-01-01

Isolation of highly purified plasma membranes is the key step in constructing the plasma membrane proteome. Traditional plasma membrane isolation method takes advantage of the differential density of organelles. While differential centrifugation methods are sufficient to enrich for plasma membranes, the procedure is lengthy and results in low recovery of the membrane fraction. Importantly, there is significant contamination of the plasma membranes with other organelles. The traditional agarose affinity matrix is suitable for isolating proteins but has limitation in separating organelles due to the density of agarose. Immobilization of affinity ligands to magnetic beads allows separation of affinity matrix from organelles through magnets and could be developed for the isolation of organelles. We have developed a simple method for isolating plasma membranes using lectin concanavalin A (ConA) magnetic beads. ConA is immobilized onto magnetic beads by binding biotinylated ConA to streptavidin magnetic beads. The ConA magnetic beads are used to bind glycosylated proteins present in the membranes. The bound membranes are solubilized from the magnetic beads with a detergent containing the competing sugar alpha methyl mannoside. In this study, we describe the procedure of isolating rat liver plasma membranes using sucrose density gradient centrifugation as described by Neville. We then further purify the membrane fraction by using ConA magnetic beads. After this purification step, main liver plasma membrane proteins, especially the highly glycosylated ones and proteins containing transmembrane domains could be identified by LC-ESI-MS/MS. While not described here, the magnetic bead method can also be used to isolate plasma membranes from cell lysates. This membrane purification method should expedite the cataloging of plasma membrane proteome.

Enhancing the Lecture: Revitalizing the Traditional Format.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonwell, Charles C.

1996-01-01

The traditional lecture format of college courses can be enhanced by including active learning designed to further course goals of learning knowledge, developing skills, or fostering attitudes. Techniques suggested include using pauses, short writing periods, think-pair-share activities, formative quizzes, lecture summaries, and several assessment…

Physiological functions at single-cell level of Lactobacillus spp. isolated from traditionally fermented cabbage in response to different pH conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Olszewska, Magdalena A; Kocot, Aleksandra M; Łaniewska-Trokenheim, Łucja

2015-04-20

Changes in pH are significant environmental stresses that may be encountered by lactobacilli during fermentation processes or passage through the gastrointestinal tract. Here, we report the cell response of Lactobacillus spp. isolated from traditionally fermented cabbage subjected to acid/alkaline treatments at pH 2.5, 7.4 and 8.1, which represented pH conditions of the gastrointestinal tract. Among six isolates, four species of Lactobacillus plantarum and two of Lactobacillus brevis were identified by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The fluorescence-based strategy of combining carboxyfluorescein diacetate (CFDA) and propidium iodine (PI) into a dual-staining assay was used together with epifluorescence microscopy (EFM) and flow cytometry (FCM) for viability assessment. The results showed that the cells maintained esterase activity and membrane integrity at pH 8.1 and 7.4. There was also no loss of culturability as shown by plate counts. In contrast, the majority of 2.5 pH-treated cells had a low extent of esterase activity, and experienced membrane perturbation. For these samples, an extensive loss of culturability was demonstrated. Comparison of the results of an in situ assessment with that of the conventional culturing method has revealed that although part of the stressed population was unable to grow on the growth media, it was deemed viable using a CFDA/PI assay. However, there was no significant change in the cell morphology among pH-treated lactobacilli populations. These analyses are expected to be useful in understanding the cell response of Lactobacillus strains to pH stress and may facilitate future investigation into functional and industrial aspects of this response. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A comprehensive analysis on Symplocos racemosa Roxb.: Traditional uses, botany, phytochemistry and pharmacological activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Acharya, Niyati; Acharya, Sanjeev; Shah, Unnati; Shah, Ripal; Hingorani, Lal

2016-04-02

Symplocos racemosa Roxb. belongs to a unigeneric family Symplocaceae, known as lodhra in Sanskrit; is a small evergreen tree, found throughout the tropical and sub-tropical countries. Ethnobotanical literature indicates use of S. racemosa in treatment of eye disease, skin diseases, ear diseases, liver and bowel complaints, tumors, uterine disorders, spongy and bleeding gums, asthma, fever, snake-bite, gonorrhea and arthritis. The main aim of this review is to provide detailed phytopharmacological profile on S. racemosa in support with the traditional practices and ethnomedicinal uses. All relevant worldwide accepted databases have been searched for the name "S. racemosa" along with other literature from Indian Classical texts and Pharmacopoeias. The accessible literatures available on S. racemosa, were collected through electronic search on Pub med, Scopus, Science direct and traditional reports. S. racemosa is important Indian traditional drug used in many Ayurvedic and herbal formulations for treatment of liver as well as uterine disorders and leucorrhea. Majority of phytopharmacological reports are on stem bark of the plant which include anti-cancer, hepatoprotective, anti-oxidant, anti-androgenic effect, anti-inflammatory, wound healing activity and anti-diabetic effects. Phytochemical studies indicated presence of many phenolic glycosides like symplocoside, triterpenoids like betulinic acid, acetyloleanolic acid and oleanolic acid and flavonoids like quercetin which might have contributed to the observed protective effects. Many ethnobotanical claims have been confirmed through systematic in-vitro and in-vivo pharmacological studies on different extracts of stem bark and isolated constituents. However, systematic studies on the bio-markers are desirable to establish mode of action and to validate the traditional claim in clinical practice after proper safety assessment. The conservation data of genus Symplocos showed risk of extinction due to restricted

Separation of phytochemicals from Helichrysum italicum: An analysis of different isolation techniques and biological activity of prepared extracts.

Science.gov (United States)

Maksimovic, Svetolik; Tadic, Vanja; Skala, Dejan; Zizovic, Irena

2017-06-01

Helichrysum italicum presents a valuable source of natural bioactive compounds. In this work, a literature review of terpenes, phenolic compounds, and other less common phytochemicals from H. italicum with regard to application of different separation methods is presented. Data including extraction/separation methods and experimental conditions applied, obtained yields, number of identified compounds, content of different compound groups, and analytical techniques applied are shown as corresponding tables. Numerous biological activities of both isolates and individual compounds are emphasized. In addition, the data reported are discussed, and the directions for further investigations are proposed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Screening, Isolation and Identification of Lactic Acid Bacteria From a Traditional Dairy Product of Sabzevar, Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sara Rashid

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Lactic acid bacteria (LAB are a major group of probiotics. Isolation of these bacteria is difficult, because they have a complex ecosystem in fermented dairy products. Objectives: The aim of this study was to detect Lactobacillus and Lactococcus in a conventional dairy product (Khameh and study their probiotic characteristics. Materials and Methods: To isolateLAB, samples were collected from four different villages. Afterwards, screening was performed in pH = 2.5. The selected strains were examined for their tolerance to acidic pH (3 and 0.3% bile salt. Moreover, the antimicrobial activity of the isolated strains against two pathogenic bacteria, Salmonella typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus, was assessed using the disc plate method. Finally, the selected strains were identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR screening and sequencing. Results: Among the isolated samples, two strains (Lactobacillus and Lactococcus were highly resistant to unfavorable conditions and the L1 strain showed the highest antimicrobial activity. Conclusions: This study showed that the conventional dairy product (Khameh contained probiotic bacteria, which are capable of fighting against pathogenic bacteria and living in the digestive tract.

Persian fencing techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manouchehr Moshtagh Khorasani

2012-07-01

Full Text Available There are numerous manuscripts, poems and stories that describe, specifically and in detail, the different techniques used in Persian swordsmanship. The present article explains the origins and the techniques of Persian swordsmanship. The article also describes the traditional code of conduct for Persian warriors. Additionally, it describes an array of techniques that were deployed in actual combat in Iran’s history. Some of these techniques are represented via the miniatures that are reproduced herein. This is the first article on Persian swordsmanship published in any periodical.

Bacterial population in traditional sourdough evaluated by molecular methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Randazzo, C L; Heilig, H; Restuccia, C; Giudici, P; Caggia, C

2005-01-01

To study the microbial communities in artisanal sourdoughs, manufactured by traditional procedure in different areas of Sicily, and to evaluate the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) population by classical and culture-independent approaches. Forty-five LAB isolates were identified both by phenotypic and molecular methods. The restriction fragment length polymorphism and 16S ribosomal DNA gene sequencing gave evidence of a variety of species with the dominance of Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis and Lactobacillus pentosus, in all sourdoughs tested. Culture-independent method, such as denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of the V6-V8 regions of the 16S rDNA, was applied for microbial community fingerprint. The DGGE profiles revealed the dominance of L. sanfranciscensis species. In addition, Lactobacillus-specific primers were used to amplify the V1-V3 regions of the 16S rDNA. DGGE profiles flourished the dominance of L. sanfranciscensis and Lactobacillus fermentum in the traditional sourdoughs, and revealed that the closely related species Lactobacillus kimchii and Lactobacillus alimentarius were not discriminated. Lactobacillus-specific PCR-DGGE analysis is a rapid tool for rapid detection of Lactobacillus species in artisanal sourdough. This study reports a characterization of Lactobacillus isolates from artisanal sourdoughs and highlights the value of DGGE approach to detect uncultivable Lactobacillus species.

Physicochemical and microbiological study of “shmen”, a traditional butter made from camel milk in the Sahara (Algeria: isolation and identification of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mourad, Kacem

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Microorganisms (aerobic bacteria, coliforms, lactic acid bacteria, psychrotrophs, lipolytic bacteria and yeasts were isolated from 20 samples of shmen, a traditional clarified butter made from sour camel milk in the Algerian Sahara. The values of pH, titratable acidity, NaCl, total solid, moisture, and fat content ranged from : 3.11-4.97, 0.19-0.36%, 1.04-2.15%, 64.03-65.11%, 34.40-34.99%, and 49.90-56% respectively. A total of 181 isolates of lactic acid bacteria were identified as Lactobacillus plantarum (40 strains, Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus (35 strains, Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis biovar diacetylacti (22 strains, Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris (18 strains, Lactobacillus paracasei ssp. paracasei (10 strains, Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides (9 strains and Leuconostoc gelidum (12 strains Enterococcus faecium (35 strains. Yeasts were isolated from all samples (55 isolates. Of these, 40 were identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae and 15 isolates were identified as Saccharomyces sp.Se aislaron los microorganismos (bacterias aeróbicas, coliformes, bacterias acido lácticas, bacterias lipolíticas y levaduras de 20 muestras de “shmen”, una matequilla tradicional del Sahara argelino hecha a partir de leche de camella. Los valores de pH, acidez, libre, Nacl, solidos totales, humedad y grasa oscilaron entre 3,11-4,97, 0,19-0,36%, 1.04-2,15%, 64,03-65,11%, 34,40-34,99% y 49,90-56,00%, respectivamente. Entre los 181 cultivos puros de bacterias lácticas se identificaron Lactobacillus plantarum (40 cepas, Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus (35 cepas, Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis biovar diacetylacti (22 cepas, Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris (18 cepas, Lactobacillus paracasei ssp. paracasei (10 cepas, Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides (9 cepas and Leuconostoc gelidum (12cepas Enterococcus faecium (35 cepas. Asimismo, se detectaron levaduras en todas las muestras (55 cultivos puros. De estos, 40 se identificaron como

Zhang et al., Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med. (2013) 10(2):258 ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

AJTCAM

Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China. *E-mail: lujia6812@163.com. Abstract. Juglans mandshurica Maxim is a traditional herbal medicines in China, and its anti-tumor bioactivities are of research interest. Bioassay-guided fractionation method was employed to isolate anti-tumor compounds ...

Broadband Faraday isolator.

Science.gov (United States)

Berent, Michał; Rangelov, Andon A; Vitanov, Nikolay V

2013-01-01

Driving on an analogy with the technique of composite pulses in quantum physics, we theoretically propose a broadband Faraday rotator and thus a broadband optical isolator, which is composed of sequences of ordinary Faraday rotators and achromatic quarter-wave plates rotated at the predetermined angles.

Mangghuer Embroidery: A Vanishing Tradition

OpenAIRE

Aila Pullinen

2015-01-01

Aila Pullinen. 2015. Mangghuer Embroidery: A Vanishing Tradition IN Gerald Roche and CK Stuart (eds) Asian Highlands Perspectives 36: Mapping the Monguor, 178-188, 301-332. Visits were undertaken in the years 2001 and 2002 to Minhe Hui and Mangghuer (Tu) Autonomous County, Haidong Municipality, Qinghai Province, China to research and document Mangghuer embroidery. This research is summarized in terms of the history of Mangghuer embroidery, tools and materials, embroidery techniques, embr...

The microbial diversity of traditional spontaneously fermented lambic beer

OpenAIRE

Spitaels, Freek; Wieme, Anneleen D.; Janssens, Maarten; Aerts, Maarten; Daniel, Heide-Marie; Van Landschoot, Anita; De Vuyst, Luc; Vandamme, Peter

2014-01-01

Lambic sour beers are the products of a spontaneous fermentation that lasts for one to three years before bottling. The present study determined the microbiota involved in the fermentation of lambic beers by sampling two fermentation batches during two years in the most traditional lambic brewery of Belgium, using culture-dependent and culture-independent methods. From 14 samples per fermentation, over 2000 bacterial and yeast isolates were obtained and identified. Although minor variations i...

Multi-Wavelength Polarimetry of Isolated Neutron Stars

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberto P. Mignani

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Isolated neutron stars are known to be endowed with extreme magnetic fields, whose maximum intensity ranges from 10 12 – 10 15 G, which permeates their magnetospheres. Their surrounding environment is also strongly magnetized, especially in the compact nebulae powered by the relativistic wind from young neutron stars. The radiation from isolated neutron stars and their surrounding nebulae is, thus, supposed to bring a strong polarization signature. Measuring the neutron star polarization brings important information about the properties of their magnetosphere and of their highly magnetized environment. Being the most numerous class of isolated neutron stars, polarization measurements have been traditionally carried out for radio pulsars, hence in the radio band. In this review, I summarize multi-wavelength linear polarization measurements obtained at wavelengths other than radio both for pulsars and other types of isolated neutron stars and outline future perspectives with the upcoming observing facilities.

Improved hybrid isolator with maglev actuator integrated in air spring for active-passive isolation of ship machinery vibration

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yan; He, Lin; Shuai, Chang-geng; Wang, Chun-yu

2017-10-01

A hybrid isolator consisting of maglev actuator and air spring is proposed and developed for application in active-passive vibration isolation system of ship machinery. The dynamic characteristics of this hybrid isolator are analyzed and tested. The stability and adaptability of this hybrid isolator to shock and swing in the marine environment are improved by a compliant gap protection technique and a disengageable suspended structure. The functions of these new engineering designs are proved by analytical verification and experimental validation of the designed stiffness of such a hybrid isolator, and also by shock adaptability testing of the hybrid isolator. Finally, such hybrid isolators are installed in an engineering mounting loaded with a 200-kW ship diesel generator, and the broadband and low-frequency sinusoidal isolation performance is tested.

[Enlightenment of adverse reaction monitoring on safety evaluation of traditional Chinese medicines].

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Hai-bo; Du, Xiao-xi; Ren, Jing-tian; Yang, Le; Guo, Xiao-xin; Pang, Yu

2015-04-01

The adverse reaction monitoring is important in warning the risks of traditional Chinese medicines at an early stage, finding potential quality problems and ensuring the safe clinical medication. In the study, efforts were made to investigate the risk signal mining techniques in line with the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicines, particularly the complexity in component, processing, compatibility, preparation and clinical medication, find early risk signals of traditional Chinese medicines and establish a traditional Chinese medicine safety evaluation system based on adverse reaction risk signals, in order to improve the target studies on traditional Chinese medicine safety, effective and timely control risks and solve the existing frequent safety issue in traditional Chinese medicines.

Are we really measuring what we say we're measuring? Using video techniques to supplement traditional construct validation procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

Podsakoff, Nathan P; Podsakoff, Philip M; Mackenzie, Scott B; Klinger, Ryan L

2013-01-01

Several researchers have persuasively argued that the most important evidence to consider when assessing construct validity is whether variations in the construct of interest cause corresponding variations in the measures of the focal construct. Unfortunately, the literature provides little practical guidance on how researchers can go about testing this. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to describe how researchers can use video techniques to test whether their scales measure what they purport to measure. First, we discuss how researchers can develop valid manipulations of the focal construct that they hope to measure. Next, we explain how to design a study to use this manipulation to test the validity of the scale. Finally, comparing and contrasting traditional and contemporary perspectives on validation, we discuss the advantages and limitations of video-based validation procedures. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

The impact of business environment changes on recent costing techniques

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

林慧涓

2011-01-01

1.Introduction The acceleration of globalization and the prosperity of information technology benefit business a great deal.But with the speeding up of economic development,firms are facing more and more pressure from various aspects of their business.The heated debate is on about whether traditional management accounting practices and techniques are irrelevant to the current business environment and this essay will explore the causes for using some traditional management accounting practices and techniques in the current business environment are inappropriate and put forward some contemporary management accounting techniques which is relevant to the current business environment.Thus,the essay will be divided into three sections to discuss the traditional management accounting practices and techniques and contemporary management accounting techniques in current business environment.

Permanent isolation surface barrier: Functional performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wing, N.R.

1993-10-01

This document presents the functional performance parameters for permanent isolation surface barriers. Permanent isolation surface barriers have been proposed for use at the Hanford Site (and elsewhere) to isolate and dispose of certain types of waste in place. Much of the waste that would be disposed of using in-place isolation techniques is located in subsurface structures, such as solid waste burial grounds, tanks, vaults, and cribs. Unless protected in some way, the wastes could be transported to the accessible environment via transport pathways, such as water infiltration, biointrusion, wind and water erosion, human interference, and/or gaseous release

Porcine Pancreatic Lipase Inhibitory Agent Isolated from Medicinal Herb and Inhibition Kinetics of Extracts from Eleusine indica (L. Gaertner

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siew Ling Ong

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Eleusine indica (Linnaeus Gaertner is a traditional herb known to be depurative, febrifuge, and diuretic and has been reported with the highest inhibitory activity against porcine pancreatic lipase (PPL among thirty two plants screened in an earlier study. This study aims to isolate and identify the active components that may possess high potential as an antiobesity agent. Of the screened solvent fractions of E. indica, hexane fraction showed the highest inhibitory activity of 27.01±5.68% at 100 μg/mL. Bioactivity-guided isolation afforded three compounds from the hexane fraction of E. indica, namely, β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, and lutein. The structures of these compounds were elucidated using spectral techniques. Lutein showed an outstanding inhibitory activity against PPL (55.98±1.04%, with activity 60% higher than that of the reference drug Orlistat. The other compounds isolated and identified were β-sitosterol (2.99±0.80% and stigmasterol (2.68±0.38%. The enzyme kinetics of E. indica crude methanolic extract on PPL showed mixed inhibition mechanism.

Porcine Pancreatic Lipase Inhibitory Agent Isolated from Medicinal Herb and Inhibition Kinetics of Extracts from Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertner.

Science.gov (United States)

Ong, Siew Ling; Mah, Siau Hui; Lai, How Yee

2016-01-01

Eleusine indica (Linnaeus) Gaertner is a traditional herb known to be depurative, febrifuge, and diuretic and has been reported with the highest inhibitory activity against porcine pancreatic lipase (PPL) among thirty two plants screened in an earlier study. This study aims to isolate and identify the active components that may possess high potential as an antiobesity agent. Of the screened solvent fractions of E. indica , hexane fraction showed the highest inhibitory activity of 27.01 ± 5.68% at 100  μ g/mL. Bioactivity-guided isolation afforded three compounds from the hexane fraction of E. indica , namely,  β -sitosterol, stigmasterol, and lutein. The structures of these compounds were elucidated using spectral techniques. Lutein showed an outstanding inhibitory activity against PPL (55.98 ± 1.04%), with activity 60% higher than that of the reference drug Orlistat. The other compounds isolated and identified were  β -sitosterol (2.99 ± 0.80%) and stigmasterol (2.68 ± 0.38%). The enzyme kinetics of E. indica crude methanolic extract on PPL showed mixed inhibition mechanism.

Traditional Coping Strategies and Disaster Response: Examples from the South Pacific Region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephanie M. Fletcher

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The Pacific Islands are vulnerable to climate change and increased risk of disasters not only because of their isolated and often low lying geographical setting but because of their economic status which renders them reliant on donor support. In a qualitative study exploring the adaptive capacity of Pacific Island Countries (PICs across four countries, Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, and Vanuatu, it was clear that traditional coping strategies are consistently being applied as part of response to disasters and climate changes. This paper describes five common strategies employed in PICs as understood through this research: recognition of traditional methods; faith and religious beliefs; traditional governance and leadership; family and community involvement; and agriculture and food security. While this study does not trial the efficacy of these methods, it provides an indication of what methods are being used and therefore a starting point for further research into which of these traditional strategies are beneficial. These findings also provide important impetus for Pacific Island governments to recognise traditional approaches in their disaster preparedness and response processes.

Seroprevalence of Escherichia coli in traditional cheeses manufactured in Maragheh rural

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S Mahdavi

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Coliforms and Escherichia coli are major microbial indicators in the accessing the quality of foodstuffs. The presence of these bacteria in foods is considered as an indication of fecal contamination. E. coli O157:H7 is the most pathogenic strain that is transmitted to human through animal-foods. This study was performed on 100 traditional cheese samples manufactured in Maragheh rural to determine the seroprevalence of E. coli. The samples were analyzed with standard microbiological methods followed by biochemical confirmatory tests. Afterwards, the isolates were assayed for the detection of O-serotypes using direct agglutination method. Among the 100 cheese samples, E. coli O157serotypewas not detected in any sample. However, other E. coli serotypes including 32 isolates of non-O157 serotypes were detected. Among the isolates, enteropathogenic, enterotoxigenic and enterohaemorhhagic serogruops was also detected.

Profile and birthing practices of Maranao traditional birth attendants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maghuyop-Butalid R

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Roselyn Maghuyop-Butalid, Norhanifa A Mayo, Hania T Polangi College of Nursing, Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, Iligan City, Philippines Abstract: This study determined the profile and birthing practices in both modern and traditional ways among Maranao traditional birth attendants (TBAs in Lanao del Norte, Philippines. It employed a descriptive research design. The respondents were 50 Maranao TBAs selected through the snowball sampling technique. A questionnaire was developed by the researchers to identify the respondents’ modern birthing practices utilizing the Essential Intrapartum and Newborn Care (EINC Protocol. To determine their profile and traditional birthing practices, items from a previous study and the respondents’ personal claims were adapted. This study shows that Maranao TBAs have less compliance to the EINC Protocol and they often practice the traditional birthing interventions, thus increasing the risk of complications to both mother and newborn. Keywords: intrapartum and newborn care, modern birthing practices, traditional birthing practices 

Patented techniques for the extraction and isolation of secoisolari-ciresinol diglucoside from flaxseed.

Science.gov (United States)

Hosseinian, Farah S; Beta, Trust

2009-01-01

Plant lignans are phenolic compounds generally containing a dibenzylbutane skeleton. Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) is the major lignan found in flaxseed. SDG is known to have antioxidant and anticancer properties. SDG can potentially be used as a natural antioxidant in foods thereby preventing further oxidation reactions and thus enhance the shelf life of foods. This article reviews the patents that are concerned with the extraction of SDG from flaxseed, the richest plant source of lignans. Most of the patented techniques for the extraction, isolation, and purification of SDG are conducted on defatted flaxseed and whole flaxseed. Flaxseed hull is potentially a good starting material. Furthermore, most methods use aliphatic alcohols (methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, butanol) to extract the complexed form of SDG. Combinations of these solvents are commonly used with water. Alkaline hydrolysis liberates SDG from its complexed form. SDG is enriched by a process involving either liquid-liquid partitioning or passing the aqueous phase through anion exchange resins or C18 resins. The SDG is recovered after evaporation of the water. Analytical HPLC coupled with mass spectrometry is performed to determine the quantity and purity of the extracted SDG.

Magnetic Quasi-Phase Matching All-Fiber Isolator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chunte A. Lu

2010-01-01

Full Text Available We have experimentally demonstrated an all-fiber optical isolator with 20 dB isolation. The result shows that the quasi-phase matching technique via a meter-long magnet array is highly feasible to generate more than 45 degrees of Faraday rotation in the fibers. The all-fiber isolator can also be temperature tuned to operate between 1048 nm and 1066 nm wavelength.

Paenibacillus aceti sp. nov., isolated from the traditional solid-state acetic acid fermentation culture of Chinese cereal vinegar.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Pan; Lin, Weifeng; Liu, Xiong; Li, Sha; Luo, Lixin; Lin, Wei-Tie

2016-09-01

A Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, motile, endospore-forming, facultatively anaerobic bacterium, designated strain L14T, was isolated from the traditional acetic acid fermentation culture of Chinese cereal vinegars. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain L14T was affiliated to the genus Paenibacillus, most closely related to Paenibacillus motobuensis MC10T with 97.8 % similarity. Chemotaxonomic characterization supported the allocation of the strain to the genus Paenibacillus. The polar lipid profile of strain L14T contained the major compounds diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol. The predominant menaquinone was MK-7, and the major fatty acid components were anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 and C16 : 0. The DNA G+C content of strain L14T was 49.9 mol%. The DNA-DNA relatedness value between strain L14T and P. motobuensis MC10T was 51.2 %. The results of physiological and biochemical tests allowed phenotypic differentiation of strain L14T from closely related species. On the basis of phenotypic and chemotaxonomic analyses, phylogenetic analysis and DNA-DNA relatedness values, strain L14T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Paenibacillus, for which the name Paenibacillus aceti sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is L14T (=CGMCC 1.15420T=JCM 31170T).

Polynomial friction pendulum isolators (PFPIs) for seismic performance control of benchmark highway bridge

Science.gov (United States)

Saha, Arijit; Saha, Purnachandra; Patro, Sanjaya Kumar

2017-10-01

The seismic response of a benchmark highway bridge isolated with passive polynomial friction pendulum isolators (PFPIs) is investigated and subjected to six bidirectional ground motion records. The benchmark study is based on a lumped mass finite-element model of the 91/5 highway overcrossing located in Southern California. The PFPI system possesses two important parameters; one is horizontal flexibility and the other is energy absorbing capacity through friction. The evaluation criteria of the benchmark bridge are analyzed considering two parameters, time period of the isolator and coefficient of friction of the isolation surface. The results of the numerical study are compared with those obtained from the traditional friction pendulum system (FPS). Dual design performance of the PFPI system suppressed the displacement and acceleration response of the benchmark highway bridge. The dual design hysteresis loop of the PFPI system is the main advantage over the linear hysteresis loop of the FPS. The numerical result indicates that the seismic performance of the PFPI system is better than that of the traditional FPS isolated system. Further, it is observed that variations of the isolation time period and coefficient of friction of the FPS and PFPI systems have a significant effect on the peak responses of the benchmark highway bridge.

Fault Detection and Isolation for a Supermarket Refrigeration System - Part One

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yang, Zhenyu; Rasmussen, Karsten B.; Kieu, Anh T.

2011-01-01

Fault Detection and Isolation (FDI) using the Kalman Filter (KF) technique for a supermarket refrigeration system is explored. Four types of sensor fault scenarios, namely drift, offset, freeze and hard-over, are considered for two temperature sensors, and one type of parametric fault scenario, n....... The test results show that the EKF-based FDI method generally performances better and faster than the KF-based method does. However, both methods can not handle the isolation between sensor faults and parametric fault.......Fault Detection and Isolation (FDI) using the Kalman Filter (KF) technique for a supermarket refrigeration system is explored. Four types of sensor fault scenarios, namely drift, offset, freeze and hard-over, are considered for two temperature sensors, and one type of parametric fault scenario...... isolation purpose, a bank of KFs arranged by splitting measurements is constructed for sensor fault isolation, while the Multi-Model Adaptive Estimation (MMAE) method is employed to handle parametric fault isolation. All these approaches are extended and checked by using Extended KF technique afterwards...

Lightweight and Statistical Techniques for Petascale Debugging: Correctness on Petascale Systems (CoPS) Preliminry Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

de Supinski, B R; Miller, B P; Liblit, B

2011-09-13

Petascale platforms with O(10{sup 5}) and O(10{sup 6}) processing cores are driving advancements in a wide range of scientific disciplines. These large systems create unprecedented application development challenges. Scalable correctness tools are critical to shorten the time-to-solution on these systems. Currently, many DOE application developers use primitive manual debugging based on printf or traditional debuggers such as TotalView or DDT. This paradigm breaks down beyond a few thousand cores, yet bugs often arise above that scale. Programmers must reproduce problems in smaller runs to analyze them with traditional tools, or else perform repeated runs at scale using only primitive techniques. Even when traditional tools run at scale, the approach wastes substantial effort and computation cycles. Continued scientific progress demands new paradigms for debugging large-scale applications. The Correctness on Petascale Systems (CoPS) project is developing a revolutionary debugging scheme that will reduce the debugging problem to a scale that human developers can comprehend. The scheme can provide precise diagnoses of the root causes of failure, including suggestions of the location and the type of errors down to the level of code regions or even a single execution point. Our fundamentally new strategy combines and expands three relatively new complementary debugging approaches. The Stack Trace Analysis Tool (STAT), a 2011 R&D 100 Award Winner, identifies behavior equivalence classes in MPI jobs and highlights behavior when elements of the class demonstrate divergent behavior, often the first indicator of an error. The Cooperative Bug Isolation (CBI) project has developed statistical techniques for isolating programming errors in widely deployed code that we will adapt to large-scale parallel applications. Finally, we are developing a new approach to parallelizing expensive correctness analyses, such as analysis of memory usage in the Memgrind tool. In the first two

Genotypic and Phylogenic Analysis of Lactobacilli Producing Bacteriocin Isolated from Traditional Dairy Products and Food

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frazaneh Tafvizi

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Background & Objective: Lactic acid bacteria (LAB are a group of Gram-positive, non-spore forming, cocci or rod shaped, catalase negative organisms, considered as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS organisms. These bacteria are used for thousands of years for production of fermented foods because of their ability to produce desirable changes in taste, flavor and texture. Different antimicrobial molecules such as bacteriocins produced by these bacteria that can inhibit food pathogens, so enhancing the shelf life and improving the safety of food products. Because of important role of LAB to improving the human health, molecular identification and phylogenic analysis of these bacteria based on 16S rRNA sequencing play the critical role in investigation of local sources of LAB in Iran. Materials & Methods: 5 isolates were selected from 20 isolates for molecular identification. These strains produced the high level of bacteriocin. Total genomic DNA was extracted by lysosyme extraction protocol. PCR-mediated amplification was carried out by degenerate primers. Sequencing was performed after purification of PCR product. Results: Isolates were deposited as novel strains of Lactobacillus casei and Entrococcus facium in GenBank. Conclusion: Because of high potential of local probiotic bacteria in Iran, these strains may be useful and could be used in the food industry.

Comparative Accuracy of Facial Models Fabricated Using Traditional and 3D Imaging Techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Lincoln, Ketu P; Sun, Albert Y T; Prihoda, Thomas J; Sutton, Alan J

2016-04-01

The purpose of this investigation was to compare the accuracy of facial models fabricated using facial moulage impression methods to the three-dimensional printed (3DP) fabrication methods using soft tissue images obtained from cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and 3D stereophotogrammetry (3D-SPG) scans. A reference phantom model was fabricated using a 3D-SPG image of a human control form with ten fiducial markers placed on common anthropometric landmarks. This image was converted into the investigation control phantom model (CPM) using 3DP methods. The CPM was attached to a camera tripod for ease of image capture. Three CBCT and three 3D-SPG images of the CPM were captured. The DICOM and STL files from the three 3dMD and three CBCT were imported to the 3DP, and six testing models were made. Reversible hydrocolloid and dental stone were used to make three facial moulages of the CPM, and the impressions/casts were poured in type IV gypsum dental stone. A coordinate measuring machine (CMM) was used to measure the distances between each of the ten fiducial markers. Each measurement was made using one point as a static reference to the other nine points. The same measuring procedures were accomplished on all specimens. All measurements were compared between specimens and the control. The data were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey pairwise comparison of the raters, methods, and fiducial markers. The ANOVA multiple comparisons showed significant difference among the three methods (p 3D-SPG showed statistical difference in comparison to the models fabricated using the traditional method of facial moulage and 3DP models fabricated from CBCT imaging. 3DP models fabricated using 3D-SPG were less accurate than the CPM and models fabricated using facial moulage and CBCT imaging techniques. © 2015 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

The potential for upgrading traditional fermented foods through ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In general, traditional fermented foods are made under primitive conditions, which result in low yield and poor quality. This paper outlines the ... The techniques they use are labour intensive, time consuming and have low productivities, with success depending upon observation of good manufacturing practice. Factors ...

The American Indian: Tradition and Transition through Art.

Science.gov (United States)

Zastrow, Leona M.

The purpose of this teaching guide is to educate middle school students about American Indian culture reflected through Indian art forms. Ten contemporary Native American artists are featured with works representing both traditional and transitional techniques and materials. Represented art forms include beadwork, carvings, basketry, jewelry,…

Bio-politics and the promotion of traditional herbal medicine in Vietnam

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wahlberg, Ayo

2006-01-01

traditional herbal medicine came to be recruited as an important component of national efforts to promote the public health of urban and rural populations in Vietnam. Importantly, this has entailed a rejection of a colonial biopolitics that sought to marginalize ‘quackery’ in favour of a postcolonial bio......-politics that aims to promote the ‘appropriate’ use of traditional herbal medicines. While the Vietnamese case bears many parallels to other countries in this respect, notably China, Vietnam's ancient history of medicine, postcolonial isolation and extensive health delivery network have resulted in a unique strategy......It is often suggested that, in the past 50 years, Vietnam has experienced a traditional medicine ‘revival’ that can be traced back to late President Ho Chi Minh's 1955 appeal ‘to study means of uniting the effects of oriental remedies with those of Europe’. In this article, I demonstrate how...

Prevalence and antibiotic profile of Escherichia coli in traditionally made ice cream in retails of Khoy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H Molaabaszadeh

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Escherichia coli is among the most important intestinal foodborne bacterial pathogens. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of E. coli in traditionally-made ice creams at retails of Khoy city. Moreover, the antibiotic profile of the isolates was investigated. For this, during April to September 2012, 150 ice cream samples collected from markets and confectionery shops. The samples were analyzed for the presence of E. coli. Afterwards, the antibiotic susceptibility and resistance of the isolates was evaluated on 10 different antibiotic using Kirby-Bauer test.According tothe results, 31.33% (47.150 of the samples were found positive for E. coli. The results of antibiogram test indicated that the highest level of sensitivity was determined for ceftizoxim (80.85%, ciprofloxacin (78.73%, and ceftriaxone (74.47%, respectively. In contrast, the most resistance antibiotics were amoxicillin (95.74%, oxacilin (82.98%, kanamycin (61.7%, respectively. The results revealed that the prevalence of E. coli, as the indication of fecal contamination, in traditionally made ice cream in Khoy retails and the antibiotic profile of the isolates were noticeable.

Characterization of Antibiotic Resistance Genes from Lactobacillus Isolated from Traditional Dairy Products.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Huiling; Pan, Lin; Li, Lina; Lu, Jie; Kwok, Laiyu; Menghe, Bilige; Zhang, Heping; Zhang, Wenyi

2017-03-01

Lactobacilli are widely used as starter cultures or probiotics in yoghurt, cheese, beer, wine, pickles, preserved food, and silage. They are generally recognized as safe (GRAS). However, recent studies have shown that some lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains carry antibiotic resistance genes and are resistant to antibiotics. Some of them may even transfer their intrinsic antibiotic resistance genes to other LAB or pathogens via horizontal gene transfer, thus threatening human health. A total of 33 Lactobacillus strains was isolated from fermented milk collected from different areas of China. We analyzed (1) their levels of antibiotic resistance using a standardized dilution method, (2) their antibiotic resistance gene profiles by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using gene-specific primers, and (3) the transferability of some of the detected resistance markers by a filter mating assay. All Lactobacillus strains were found to be resistant to vancomycin, but susceptible to gentamicin, linezolid, neomycin, erythromycin, and clindamycin. Their susceptibilities to tetracycline, kanamycin, ciprofloxacin, streptomycin, quinupristin/dalfopristin, trimethoprim, ampicillin, rifampicin, and chloramphenicol was different. Results from our PCR analysis revealed 19 vancomycin, 10 ciprofloxacin, and 1 tetracycline-resistant bacteria that carried the van(X), van(E), gyr(A), and tet(M) genes, respectively. Finally, no transferal of the monitored antibiotic resistance genes was observed in the filter mating assay. Taken together, our study generated the antibiotic resistance profiles of some milk-originated lactobacilli isolates and preliminarily assessed their risk of transferring antibiotic gene to other bacteria. The study may provide important data concerning the safe use of LAB. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Diversity of lactic acid bacteria from Miang, a traditional fermented tea leaf in northern Thailand and their tannin-tolerant ability in tea extract.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaikaew, Siriporn; Baipong, Sasitorn; Sone, Teruo; Kanpiengjai, Apinun; Chui-Chai, Naradorn; Asano, Kozo; Khanongnuch, Chartchai

2017-09-01

The microbiota of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in thirty-five samples of Miang, a traditional fermented tea leaf product, collected from twenty-two different regions of eight provinces in upper northern Thailand was revealed through the culture-dependent technique. A total of 311 presumptive LAB strains were isolated and subjected to clustering analysis based on repetitive genomic element-PCR (rep-PCR) fingerprinting profiles. The majority of the strains belonged to the Lactobacillus genera with an overwhelming predominance of the Lb. plantarum group. Further studies of species-specific PCR showed that 201 of 252 isolates in the Lb. plantarum group were Lb. plantarum which were thus considered as the predominant LAB in Miang, while the other 51 isolates belonged to Lb. pentosus. In contrast to Lb. plantarum, there is a lack of information on the tannase gene and the tea tannin-tolerant ability of Lb. pentosus. Of the 51 Lb. pentosus isolates, 33 were found to harbor the genes encoding tannase and shared 93-99% amino acid identity with tannase obtained from Lb. pentosus ATCC 8041 T . Among 33 tannase gene-positive isolates, 23 isolates exhibited high tannin- tolerant capabilities when cultivated on de Man Rogosa and Sharpe agar-containing bromocresol purple (0.02 g/L, MRS-BCP) supplemented with 20% (v/v) crude tea extract, which corresponded to 2.5% (w/v) tannins. These Lb. pentosus isolates with high tannin-tolerant capacity are expected to be the high potential strains for functional tannase production involved in Miang fermentation as they will bring about certain benefits and could be used to improve the fermentation of tea products.

Prospecting for bioactive constituents from traditional medicinal plants through ethnobotanical approaches.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Ronghui; Wang, Yuehu; Long, Bo; Kennelly, Edward; Wu, Shibiao; Liu, Bo; Li, Ping; Long, Chunlin

2014-01-01

Pharmacologically active constituents from traditional medicinal plants have received great attention as sources of novel agents, pharmaceutical intermediates, and chemical entities for synthetic or semisynthetic drugs due to their potent pharmacological activities, low toxicity, and economic viability. Numerous components have been isolated from traditional medicinal plants, including alkaloids, flavonoids, and terpenoids, and clinical and experimental studies suggested that these components have useful pharmacological properties such as antiinfectious, antioxidative, and antiinflammatory effects. In this review, modern ethnobotanical approaches to explore folk medicinal plants as candidates for drug discovery with the greatest possibility of success are discussed. Determining the bioactive mechanisms and tracing structure-activity relationships will promote the discovery of new drugs and pharmacological agents.

Preserving traditional medical knowledge through modes of transmission: A post-positivist enquiry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janet Adekannbi

2014-11-01

Objectives: This study investigated the role which the mode of transmission plays in the preservation of traditional medical knowledge. Method: A post-positivist methodology was adopted. A purposive sampling technique was used to select three communities from each of the six states in South-Western Nigeria. The snowball technique was used in selecting 228 traditional medical practitioners, whilst convenience sampling was adopted in selecting 529 apprentices and 120 children who were not learning the profession. A questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale, key-informant interviews and focus-group discussions were used to collect data. The quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics whilst qualitative data was analysed thematically. Results: The dominant mode of knowledge transmission was found to be oblique (66.5% whilst vertical transmission (29.3% and horizontal transmission (4.2% occurred much less. Conclusion: Traditional medical knowledge is at risk of being lost in the study area because most of the apprentices were children from other parents, whereas most traditional medical practitioners preferred to transmit knowledge only to their children.

Middle Byzantine Historiography: Tradition, Innovation, and Reception

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Staffan Wahlgren

2015-10-01

Full Text Available This paper provides an overview of Greek historical writing of the Middle Byzantine period (approx. 800 until 1000 A.D., with a particular focus on the major chronicles, such as Theophanesthe Confessor (early 9th c., George the Monk (probably late 9th c., and Symeon the Logothete (second half of the 10th c.. On the one hand, it is discussed how the chroniclers engage with tradition and either accept it or reject it. Acceptance of tradition is illustrated by many cases where chroniclers keep very close to the narrative modes of their predecessors and in particular where they copy them extensively. Rejection of, or at least deviation from tradition is illustrated by many cases where new narrative techniques and modes of expression are apparent. Particular attention is paid to some aspects of narrative technique which seem to be innovative. In short, there seems to be an increased tendency towards greater logical (and hence, narrative coherence in the chronicles and an increased tendency towards concentration on a small number of settings, issues and persons (in particular, there is an increased concentration on the Capital of Constantinople and the Emperor’s person. Further, reception is discussed, and especially how Middle Byzantine historical texts were read and used in later writings, including the Slavic literatures. The need for further research in order to understand the transmission processes, especially in the form of the philological study of manuscripts, is stressed.

Complex investigation of extraction techniques applied for cyclitols and sugars isolation from different species of Solidago genus.

Science.gov (United States)

Ratiu, Ileana-Andreea; Al-Suod, Hossam; Ligor, Magdalena; Ligor, Tomasz; Railean-Plugaru, Viorica; Buszewski, Bogusław

2018-03-15

Cyclitols are phytochemicals naturally occurring in plant material, which attracted an increasing interest due to multiple medicinal attributes, among which the most important are the antidiabetic, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. Due to their valuable properties, sugars are used in the food industry as sweeteners, preservatives, texture modifiers, fermentation substrates, and flavoring and coloring agents. In this study, we report for the first time the quantitative analysis of sugars and cyclitols isolated from Solidago virgaurea L., which was used for the selection of the optimal solvent and extraction technique that can provide the best possible yield. Moreover, the quantities of sugars and cyclitols extracted from two other species, Solidago canadensis and Solidago gigantea, were investigated using the best extraction method and the most appropriate solvent. Comparative analysis of natural plant extracts obtained using five different techniques-maceration, Soxhlet extraction, pressurized liquid extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction, and supercritical fluid extraction-was performed in order to decide the most suitable, efficient, and economically convenient extraction method. Three different solvents were used. Analysis of samples has been performed by solid-phase extraction for purification and pre-concentration, followed by derivation and GC-MS analysis. Highest efficiency for the total amount of obtained compounds has been reached by PLE, when water was used as a solvent. d-pinitol amount was almost similar for every solvent and for all the extraction techniques involved. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

SPI Conformance Gel Applications in Geothermal Zonal Isolation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burns, Lyle [Clean Tech Innovations, Bartlesville, OK (United States)

2017-08-08

Zonal isolation in geothermal injection and producing wells is important while drilling the wells when highly fractured geothermal zones are encountered and there is a need to keep the fluids from interfering with the drilling operation. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) objectives are to advance technologies to make it more cost effective to develop, produce, and monitor geothermal reservoirs and produce geothermal energy. Thus, zonal isolation is critical to well cost, reservoir evaluation and operations. Traditional cementing off of the lost circulation or thief zones during drilling is often done to stem the drilling mud losses. This is an expensive and generally unsuccessful technique losing the potential of the remaining fracture system. Selective placement of strong SPI gels into only the offending fractures can maintain and even improve operational efficiency and resource life. The SPI gel system is a unique silicate based gel system that offers a promising solution to thief zones and conformance problems with water and CO2 floods and potentially geothermal operations. This gel system remains a low viscosity fluid until an initiator (either internal such as an additive or external such as CO2) triggers gelation. This is a clear improvement over current mechanical methods of using packers, plugs, liners and cementing technologies that often severely damage the highly fractured area that is isolated. In the SPI gels, the initiator sets up the fluid into a water-like (not a precipitate) gel and when the isolated zone needs to be reopened, the SPI gel may be removed with an alkaline solution without formation damage occurring. In addition, the SPI gel in commercial quantities is expected to be less expensive than competing mechanical systems and has unique deep placement possibilities. This project seeks to improve upon the SPI gel integrity by modifying the various components to impart temperature stability for use in

Identification of marine traditional Chinese medicine dried seahorses in the traditional Chinese medicine market using DNA barcoding.

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Feixia; Wen, Longlian; Peng, Cheng; Guo, Jinlin

2018-01-01

Seahorse documented in Chinese pharmacopeia possess important medicinal efficacy and are used as an ingredient in traditional Chinese medicines. The growing international trade threatens the species. DNA barcoding holds a great application potentiality in wildlife conservation and might prevent the illegal trade of threatened species. The COI gene was used to identify seahorse, and nine Hippocampus species were found in the three large traditional Chinese medicines markets of China. All inter-specific genetic variations were larger than 2%. Mean genetic distances between species were 17-fold larger than those within the species. Phylogenetic tree showed that each species clustered in the appropriate branch. All results demonstrated that COI-based barcoding technique could be used to identify seahorse species and played a major role in monitoring the seahorse trade.

The Spear: The Main Weapon in Iranian Martial Tradition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manouchehr Moshtagh Khorasani

2012-07-01

Full Text Available In martial tradition, spears and lances have always played a very important role as main weapons on the battlefield, as exemplified through Iranian military history. Its reach and cheap production were important factors for establishing formations of soldiers equipped with spears and lances. Additionally, the combat techniques of spears and lances were relatively easy and one could learn the techniques of spearfighting and lancefighting much easier than other weapons, such as swords. The first part of the article describes some types of spears and lances that were used in the Islamic period of Iran. Then the method of carrying a spear/lance is analyzed and additionally some offensive techniques, feinting techniques, attacking techniques to the animal carrying the opponent, and defensive techniques using spears/lances are described as documented by Persian manuscripts.

Massage Therapy in Iranian Traditional Medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amir-Mohammad Jaladat

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Background and Aim: Massage training and how the body is influenced by massage are common issues which are seriously under study and discussion in Iranian traditional medicine. Iranian physicians considered motion and massage as major principles of health maintenance.In this study, we examined the available literature of traditional medicine to evaluate location, purpose and use of massage therapy in Iranian medicine in comparison with other popular conventional styles.The aim of Iranian massage is to regulate the core body temperature and aid to eliminate the waste products from the body. This type of massage is divided into five categories including solid, soft, moderate, great and aggressive, based on the intensity, speed, duration and techniques of massage.Iranian physicians proposed general body massage or massage of a particular area based on subjective complaints. They recommended specific massages in particular groups including children, pregnant women, the elderly and athletes. In some cases, the effects of these recommendations have been studied in clinical trials.Conclusion: It seems that the major difference between Iranian massage and other styles of massage is special attention of Iranian massage to the individual circumstances, and the cause of the problem rather than technique of the massage.

Power quality research techniques: advantages and disadvantages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gil Montoya, Francisco; Manzano Agugliaro, Francisco; Gomez Lopez, Julio; Sanchez Alguacil, Pedro

2012-01-01

Nowadays, power quality (PQ) plays a very important role in power systems. So that is why it is very important to use suitable tools allowing a precise detection of anomalies and perturbations in power systems. Given traditional analysis techniques, such as Fourier Transform, today new tools are being developed based on domain transformation, such as Wavelet Transform (WT) or S-Transform (ST), along with Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques such as Fuzzy Logic (FL) or Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). In this paper, new algorithm and mathematic techniques are reviewed and discussed, and also compared with traditional techniques, revealing the precision and superiority achieved with these new techniques. ST and WT is detailed, basically, as a tool with great scope and future in power quality analysis because of its precision, noise immunity and its contribution with quality information about PQ.

Antimicrobial activity of traditional wines (Sopi and Moke against Salmonella sp. and Escherichia coli

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annytha Ina Rohi Detha

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: Sopi and Moke are two traditional wines in Indonesia. The present study aimed at investigating the antimicrobial effects of Sopi and Moke as compared to other commercial disinfectants. Materials and methods: The alcohol level and pH of the traditional wines (Sopi and Moke were determined by alcohol meter and pH meter, respectively. The susceptibility test was perfomed to determine the antimicrobial activity of Sopi against Escherichia coli which was isolated from cattle, and the activity of Moke was tested against Salmonella sp. which was a local isolate of poultry. Results: In susceptibility test, Sopi showed 17.5 mm in zone of inhibition against E. coli, while Formades and reg;, a commercial disinfectant showed 16 mm of zone of inhibition against the same bacteria. Moke showed 17.5 mm inhibition zone against Salmonella sp., whereas Antisep and reg;, a commercial disinfectant had 28 mm of inhibition zone against the same isolate. Conclusion: The results indicate that Sopi and Moke have antimicrobial effects on E. coli and Salmonella sp., respectively. The findings of this study suggest that Sopi and Moke can be used as potential antimicrobial agents. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2016; 3(3.000: 282-285

Initiatives: Nigeria. Traditional healers and PPFN in wedlock.

Science.gov (United States)

Adejo, A A

1996-04-01

The Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN) runs a program to integrate modern contraception into the practice of traditional medicine. Under the project, traditional healers, largely male, are trained on the ideals of nonprescriptive contraceptives such as condoms, the oral contraceptive pill, and foaming tablets, and how to offer such services to their clients. They participate in a two-week, highly participatory training course which confers a comprehensive introduction to basic and integrated reproductive health care service delivery, simple human anatomy and physiology, and human reproduction. The benefits of modern contraception are reviewed along with community mobilization and counseling. Simple communication techniques such as songs, drama, and role play are discussed. Information on maternal and child health and child survival, basic hygiene, nutrition, and AIDS is also incorporated into the course. 136 traditional healers have thus far been trained in three local government areas (LGAs) of Lagos State and 150 in six other LGAs in Benue State. The project has resulted in strong referral linkages between traditional healers, modern practitioners, and PPFN.

Antimicrobial activity of Ulopterol isolated from Toddalia asiatica (L.) Lam.: a traditional medicinal plant.

Science.gov (United States)

Karunai Raj, M; Balachandran, C; Duraipandiyan, V; Agastian, P; Ignacimuthu, S

2012-03-06

The leaves of Toddalia asiatica (L.) Lam. (Rutaceae) are widely used in folk medicine in India to treat various ailments like cough, malaria, indigestion, influenza lung diseases and rheumatism, fever, stomach ailments, cholera and diarrhea. In our earlier communication we have reported the antimicrobial study on the various extracts of the leaves and the isolation and identification of Flindersine, a quinolone alkaloid as the major active principle. In the present study, we report the antibacterial and antifungal activities of Ulopterol, a coumarin isolated as another major active antimicrobial principle. The leaves were successively extracted with hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol and water. The extracts were studied for their antimicrobial activity against selected bacteria and fungi by using disc-diffusion method. The ethyl acetate extract which was found to possess highest antimicrobial activity was subjected to activity guided fractionation by column chromatography over silica gel. This resulted in the isolation of the coumarin, Ulopetrol, an active principle besides Flindersine which was reported by us earlier. The structure of the compound was elucidated using physical and spectroscopic data. Flindersine and Ulopterol were quantified by HPLC. Ulopterol showed activity against the bacteria viz. Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterobacter aerogenes, Shigella flexneri, Klebsiella pneumoniae (ESBL-3967), Escherichia coli (ESBL-3984) and fungi viz. Aspergillus flavus, Candida krusei and Botrytis cinerea. Quantification by HPLC showed the content of Flindersine and Ulopterol to be 0.361% and 0.266% respectively on dry weight basis of the leaves. Ethyl acetate extract (successive extraction) contained Ulopterol, a coumarin, besides Flindersine, a quinolone alkaloid, as a major active principle in the antimicrobial studies. This is the first report of the antimicrobial activity of Ulopterol and also its first report from the plant. Copyright © 2012

Communicating new ideas to traditional villagers (an Indonesian case).

Science.gov (United States)

Muis, A

1984-01-01

Recent cases derived from a series of communication research projects conducted in remote villages on the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia, are presented. These cases, which indicate the tremendously complex problem of communicating new ideas to traditional villages, also reflect the equally complex problem of social marketing. Indonesian, villagers remain very traditional, but their communication environment has been undergoing marked changes over the past decade or so. Overwhelming media exposure has pushed these people towards a modern environment filled with new knowledge and experiences. In view of the importance of changing attitudes and behavior of traditional villagers -- to realize modernization for the rural society -- the government of Indonesia has been using a host of communication means and channels. These include all the viable traditional or indigenous communication systems, but mainly face-to-face communication. Traditional dances, story-telling, and music are no longer interesting to the rural people themselves, and, apparently, no real developmental message can be transmitted by traditional "mass media." Among the 50 respondents randomly selected from the isolated village of Gelang (Case I), only 17% claimed to have listened to news in addition to music and songs. 67% of the respondents explained that information carrying novel ideas or methods usually attract them, but they are always reluctant to accept the new ideas for real application. Case II is about the effect of movie exposure on traditional villagers. As many as 73% of 50 respondents explained that the knowledge of the peasant-fisherman has increased considerably with regard to the urban way of life, as a result of movie attendance. The informants indicated that many villagers were disgusted by feature films or theatrical ones and that 62% of the villagers had yet to go to a movie. Case III involved the communication of new methods of medication to rural societies, including traditional

Traditional Indian Medicines Used for the Management of Diabetes Mellitus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Syed Ibrahim Rizvi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Plants have always been a source of drugs for humans since time immemorial. The Indian traditional system of medicine is replete with the use of plants for the management of diabetic conditions. According to the World Health Organization, up to 90% of population in developing countries use plants and its products as traditional medicine for primary health care. There are about 800 plants which have been reported to show antidiabetic potential. The present review is aimed at providing in-depth information about the antidiabetic potential and bioactive compounds present in Ficus religiosa, Pterocarpus marsupium, Gymnema sylvestre, Allium sativum, Eugenia jambolana, Momordica charantia, and Trigonella foenum-graecum. The review provides a starting point for future studies aimed at isolation, purification, and characterization of bioactive antidiabetic compounds present in these plants.

Privacy-Preserving Meter Report Protocol of Isolated Smart Grid Devices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhiwei Wang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Smart grid aims to improve the reliability, efficiency, and security of the traditional grid, which allows two-way transmission and efficiency-driven response. However, a main concern of this new technique is that the fine-grained metering data may leak the personal privacy information of the customers. Thus, the data aggregation mechanism for privacy protection is required for the meter report protocol in smart grid. In this paper, we propose an efficient privacy-preserving meter report protocol for the isolated smart grid devices. Our protocol consists of an encryption scheme with additively homomorphic property and a linearly homomorphic signature scheme, where the linearly homomorphic signature scheme is suitable for privacy-preserving data aggregation. We also provide security analysis of our protocol in the context of some typical attacks in smart grid. The implementation of our protocol on the Intel Edison platform shows that our protocol is efficient enough for the physical constrained devices, like smart meters.

Identification of Staphylococcus spp. isolated during the ripening process of a traditional minas cheese

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B.M. Borelli

2011-04-01

Full Text Available The population dynamics of Staphylococcus spp. was studied during the ripening of Canastra Minas cheese at three farms located in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The presence of coagulase (coa, thermonuclease (nuc, and enterotoxin (sea, seb, sec, and sed genes was investigated in Staphylococcus strains isolated during the 60-day cheese-ripening period. The presence of the staphylococcal enterotoxins A, C, and D was also investigated in the cheese samples. Cheese samples that were matured for 0, 7, 15, 30, and 45 days presented staphylococci counts from 10³ to 10(8cfu/g. All isolates considered coagulase-positive by physiological tests had the coa gene. However, no association was observed between the results obtained with biochemical tests and those obtained by PCR using gene-specific primers for coagulase-negative strains. Coagulase and thermonuclease genes occurred simultaneously in 41.3% of Staphylococcus spp. tested. None of the investigated Staphylococcus strains expressed enterotoxins SEA, SEB, SEC, and SED. Enterotoxins A, C, and D were not detected in any of the cheese samples.

European medicinal polypores--a modern view on traditional uses.

Science.gov (United States)

Grienke, Ulrike; Zöll, Margit; Peintner, Ursula; Rollinger, Judith M

2014-07-03

In particular five polypore species, i.e. Laetiporus sulphureus, Fomes fomentarius, Fomitopsis pinicola, Piptoporus betulinus, and Laricifomes officinalis, have been widely used in central European folk medicines for the treatment of various diseases, e.g. dysmenorrhoea, haemorrhoids, bladder disorders, pyretic diseases, treatment of coughs, cancer, and rheumatism. Prehistoric artefacts going back to over 5000 years underline the long tradition of using polypores for various applications ranging from food or tinder material to medicinal-spiritual uses as witnessed by two polypore species found among items of Ötzi, the Iceman. The present paper reviews the traditional uses, phytochemistry, and biological activity of the five mentioned polypores. All available information on the selected polypore taxa used in traditional folk medicine was collected through evaluation of literature in libraries and searches in online databases using SciFinder and Web of Knowledge. Mycochemical studies report the presence of many primary (e.g. polysaccharides) and secondary metabolites (e.g. triterpenes). Crude extracts and isolated compounds show a wide spectrum of biological properties, such as anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, and antimicrobial activities. The investigated polypores possess a longstanding ethnomycological tradition in Europe. Here, we compile biological results which highlight their therapeutic value. Moreover, this work provides a solid base for further investigations on a molecular level, both compound- and target-wise. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular identification of clinical Nocardia isolates from India.

Science.gov (United States)

Rudramurthy, Shivaprakash M; Honnavar, Prasanna; Kaur, Harsimran; Samanta, Palash; Ray, Pallab; Ghosh, Anup; Chakrabarti, Arunaloke

2015-10-01

The epidemiology of nocardiosis is evolving with increasing number of Nocardia spp. causing human infection. In recent years, molecular techniques have been used to identify Nocardia spp. There are limited data available on the spectrum of Nocardia spp. isolated from clinical samples in India. Here, a molecular study was carried on 30 clinical isolates maintained in our National Culture Collection to evaluate the techniques used for identifying the agents. The isolates were identified by sequencing two promising genes: the 16S rRNA gene and hsp65. Both hsp65 and the 16S rRNA gene could reliably identify 90 % of Nocardia isolates, i.e. N. farcinica, N. cyriacigeorgica, N. brasiliensis, N. otitidiscaviarum, N. amamiensis and N. pneumoniae. The mean percentage dissimilarity of sequence identification was higher using the hsp65 gene (4 %, range 0-7.9 %) compared with the 16S rRNA gene (2.3 %, range 0-8.9 %). Two isolates that showed ambiguous results in both the short segment of the 16S rRNA gene and hsp65 sequences could be resolved by sequencing a larger fragment (∼1000 bp) of the 16S rRNA gene. Both of these isolates were identified as N. beijingensis with similarities of 99.8 and 100 % compared with the standard strain. Genotyping of N. cyriacigeorgica strains was performed using hsp65 gene sequences and compared with previously described genotypes. Our N. cyriacigeorgica isolates belonged to genotype 1 (n = 4) and genotype 2 (n = 2). The present study highlights a wide spectrum of Nocardia spp. in India and emphasizes the need for molecular techniques for identification to the species level.

Physical, physicochemical and nutritional characteristics of Bhoja chaul, a traditional ready-to-eat dry heat parboiled rice product processed by an improvised soaking technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Dutta, Himjyoti; Mahanta, Charu Lata; Singh, Vasudeva; Das, Barnali Baruah; Rahman, Narzu

2016-01-15

Bhoja chaul is a traditional whole rice product processed by the dry heat parboiling technique of low amylose/waxy paddy that is eaten after soaking in water and requires no cooking. The essential steps in Bhoja chaul making are soaking paddy in water, roasting with sand, drying and milling. In this study, the product was prepared from a low amylose variety and a waxy rice variety by an improvised laboratory scale technique. Bhoja chaul prepared in the laboratory by this technique was studied for physical, physicochemical, and textural properties. Improvised method shortened the processing time and gave a product with good textural characteristics. Shape of the rice kernels became bolder on processing. RVA studies and DSC endotherms suggested molecular damage and amylose-lipid complex formation by the linear B-chains of amylopectin, respectively. X-ray diffractography indicated formation of partial B-type pattern. Shifting of the crystalline region of the XRD curve towards lower values of Bragg's angle was attributed to the overall increase in inter-planar spacing of the crystalline lamellae. Resistant starch was negligible. Bhoja chaul may be useful for children and people with poor state of digestibility. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Traditional knowledge and formulations of medicinal plants used by the traditional medical practitioners of bangladesh to treat schizophrenia like psychosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Md Nasir; Kabidul Azam, Md Nur

2014-01-01

Schizophrenia is a subtle disorder of brain development and plasticity; it affects the most basic human processes of perception, emotion, and judgment. In Bangladesh the traditional medical practitioners of rural and remote areas characterized the schizophrenia as an insanity or a mental problem due to possession by ghosts or evil spirits and they have used various plant species' to treat such symptoms. The aim of the present study was to conduct an ethnomedicinal plant survey and documentation of the formulations of different plant parts used by the traditional medical practitioners of Rangamati district of Bangladesh for the treatment of schizophrenia like psychosis. It was observed that the traditional medical practitioners used a total of 15 plant species to make 14 formulations. The plants were divided into 13 families, used for treatment of schizophrenia and accompanying symptoms like hallucination, depression, oversleeping or insomnia, deterioration of personal hygiene, forgetfulness, and fear due to evil spirits like genies or ghost. A search of the relevant scientific literatures showed that a number of plants used by the medicinal practitioners have been scientifically validated in their uses and traditional medicinal knowledge has been a means towards the discovery of many modern medicines. Moreover, the antipsychotic drug reserpine, isolated from the dried root of Rauvolfia serpentina species, revolutionized the treatment of schizophrenia. So it is very much possible that formulations of the practitioner, when examined scientifically in their entireties, can form discovery of lead compounds which can be used as safe and effective antipsychotic drug to treat schizophrenia.

Traditional Knowledge and Formulations of Medicinal Plants Used by the Traditional Medical Practitioners of Bangladesh to Treat Schizophrenia Like Psychosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Md. Nasir Ahmed

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Schizophrenia is a subtle disorder of brain development and plasticity; it affects the most basic human processes of perception, emotion, and judgment. In Bangladesh the traditional medical practitioners of rural and remote areas characterized the schizophrenia as an insanity or a mental problem due to possession by ghosts or evil spirits and they have used various plant species’ to treat such symptoms. The aim of the present study was to conduct an ethnomedicinal plant survey and documentation of the formulations of different plant parts used by the traditional medical practitioners of Rangamati district of Bangladesh for the treatment of schizophrenia like psychosis. It was observed that the traditional medical practitioners used a total of 15 plant species to make 14 formulations. The plants were divided into 13 families, used for treatment of schizophrenia and accompanying symptoms like hallucination, depression, oversleeping or insomnia, deterioration of personal hygiene, forgetfulness, and fear due to evil spirits like genies or ghost. A search of the relevant scientific literatures showed that a number of plants used by the medicinal practitioners have been scientifically validated in their uses and traditional medicinal knowledge has been a means towards the discovery of many modern medicines. Moreover, the antipsychotic drug reserpine, isolated from the dried root of Rauvolfia serpentina species, revolutionized the treatment of schizophrenia. So it is very much possible that formulations of the practitioner, when examined scientifically in their entireties, can form discovery of lead compounds which can be used as safe and effective antipsychotic drug to treat schizophrenia.

Lipoxygenase and urease inhibition of extracts of polygonatum verticillatum rhizome: augmented by its isolated compound, santonin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, H.; Saeed, M.; Saeed, M.

2014-01-01

The present study was designed to explore the enzyme inhibitory profile of extracts of rhizome of Polygonatum verticillatum against lipoxygenase and urease. When tested against lipoxygenase, ethyl acetate fraction was found the most potent (IC50: 69 micro g/ml) and the overall IC50 values of different extracts ranged from 69-174 micro g/ml. In urease assay, n-butanol was the most potent fraction (IC50: 169 micro g/ml) while the overall IC50 values were in the range of 169-288 micro g/ml. Bioactivity guided chromatography led to the isolation of compound 1 which was characterized as santonin on the basis of various spectroscopic techniques. When santonin was tested against lipoxygenase and urease, it showed potent inhibition of lipoxygenase (IC50: 27.4 micro M) but did not attenuate the urease activity. Our findings provided strong evidence for the enzyme inhibitory profile of the extracts of P. verticillatum rhizome and its isolated compound. Thus results are consistent with the traditional use of the plant as an anti-inflammatory agent. (author)

Glycoprotein and proteoglycan techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beeley, J.G.

1985-01-01

The aim of this book is to describe techniques which can be used to answer some of the basic questions about glycosylated proteins. Methods are discussed for isolation, compositional analysis, and for determination of the primary structure of carbohydrate units and the nature of protein-carbohydrate linkages of glycoproteins and proteoglycans. High resolution NMR is considered, as well as radioactive labelling techniques. (Auth.)

Isolation of Lactic Acid Bacteria with High Biological Activity from Local Fermented Dairy Products

OpenAIRE

B. Munkhtsetseg; M. Margad-Erdene; B. Batjargal

2009-01-01

The thirty-two strains of lactic acid bacteria were isolated from the Mongolian traditional fermented dairy products, among them 25 strains show antimicrobial activity against test microorganisms including Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus aureus , Enterococcus faecalis , Pseudom о nas aeruginosa . Protease sensitivity assay demonstrated that the antimicrobial substances produced by isolates А 23, Т 2 are bacterio...

Safety of Traditional Arab Herbal Medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bashar Saad

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Herbal remedies are widely used for the treatment and prevention of various diseases and often contain highly active pharmacological compounds. Many medicinal herbs and pharmaceutical drugs are therapeutic at one dose and toxic at another. Toxicity related to traditional medicines is becoming more widely recognized as these remedies become popular in the Mediterranean region as well as worldwide. Most reports concerning the toxic effects of herbal medicines are associated with hepatotoxicity although reports of other toxic effects including kidney, nervous system, blood, cardiovascular and dermatologic effects, mutagenicity and carcinogenicity have also been published in the medical literature. This article presents a systematic review on safety of traditional Arab medicine and the contribution of Arab scholars to toxicology. Use of modern cell biological, biochemical, in vitro and in vivo techniques for the evaluation of medicinal plants safety is also discussed.

Characterization of antimicrobial lipopeptides produced by Bacillus sp. LM7 isolated from chungkookjang, a Korean traditional fermented soybean food.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Mi-Hwa; Lee, Jiyeon; Nam, Young-Do; Lee, Jong Suk; Seo, Myung-Ji; Yi, Sung-Hun

2016-03-16

A wild-type microorganism exhibiting antimicrobial activities was isolated from the Korean traditional fermented soybean food Chungkookjang and identified as Bacillus sp. LM7. During its stationary growth phase, the microorganism secreted an antimicrobial substance, which we partially purified using a simple two-step procedure involving ammonium sulfate precipitation and heat treatment. The partially purified antimicrobial substance, Anti-LM7, was stable over a broad pH range (4.0-9.0) and at temperatures up to 80 °C for 30 min, and was resistant to most proteolytic enzymes and maintained its activity in 30% (v/v) organic solvents. Anti-LM7 inhibited the growth of a broad range of Gram-positive bacteria, including Bacillus cereus and Listeria monocytogenes, but it did not inhibit lactic acid bacteria such as Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactococcus lactis subsp. Lactis. Moreover, unlike commercially available nisin and polymyxin B, Anti-LM7 inhibited certain fungal strains. Lastly, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of Anti-LM7 revealed that it contained eight lipopeptides belonging to two families: four bacillomycin D and four surfactin analogs. These Bacillus sp. LM7-produced heterogeneous lipopeptides exhibiting extremely high stability and a broad antimicrobial spectrum are likely to be closely related to the antimicrobial activity of Chungkookjang, and their identification presents an opportunity for application of the peptides in environmental bioremediation, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In vitro evaluation of bacteriocin-like inhibitory substances produced by lactic acid bacteria isolated during traditional Sicilian cheese making

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giusi Macaluso

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Bacteriocins are antimicrobial proteins produced by bacteria that inhibit the growth of other bacteria with a bactericidal or bacteriostatic mode of action. Many lactic acid bacteria (LAB produce a high diversity of different bacteriocins. Bacteriocinogenic LAB are generally recognised as safe (GRAS and useful to control the frequent development of pathogens and spoilage microorganisms. For this reason they are commonly used as starter cultures in food fermentations. In this study, the authors describe the results of a screening on 699 LAB isolated from wooden vat surfaces, raw milk and traditional Sicilian cheeses, for the production of bacteriocin-like inhibitory substances, by comparing two alternative methods. The antagonistic activity of LAB and its proteinaceous nature were evaluated using the spot-on-the-lawn and the well-diffusion assay (WDA and the sensitivity to proteolytic (proteinase K, protease B and trypsin, amylolytic (α-amylase and lipolytic (lipase enzymes. The indicator strains used were: Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis. A total of 223 strains (belonging to the species Enterococcus spp., Lactobacillus spp., Pediococcus spp., Streptococcus spp., Leuconostoc spp. and Lactococcus lactis were found to inhibit the growth of Listeria monocytogenes by using the spot-on-the-lawn method; only 37 of these were confirmed by using the WDA. The direct addition of bacteriocin-producing cultures into dairy products can be a more practical and economic option for the improvement of the safety and quality of the final product.

Study on isolation of chemical constituents from Sophora ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Sophora flavescens Ait. is a traditional Chinese medicine with a long history in China. It is mainly used in the treatment of heat dysentery and similar ailments in the clinical. The objective of this paper was to isolate, purify and identify alkaloids from Sophora flavescens Ait. and to explore their inhibitory effects on ...

Use of molecular techniques in bioremediation.

Science.gov (United States)

Płaza, G; Ulfig, K; Hazen, T C; Brigmon, R L

2001-01-01

In a practical sense, biotechnology is concerned with the production of commercial products generated by biological processes. More formally, biotechnology may be defined as "the application of scientific and engineering principles to the processing of material by biological agents to provide goods and services" (Cantor, 2000). From a historical perspective, biotechnology dates back to the time when yeast was first used for beer or wine fermentation, and bacteria were used to make yogurt. In 1972, the birth of recombinant DNA technology moved biotechnology to new heights and led to the establishment of a new industry. Progress in biotechnology has been truly remarkable. Within four years of the discovery of recombinant DNA technology, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) were making human insulin, interferon, and human growth hormone. Now, recombinant DNA technology and its products--GMOs are widely used in environmental biotechnology (Glick and Pasternak, 1988; Cowan, 2000). Bioremediation is one of the most rapidly growing areas of environmental biotechnology. Use of bioremediation for environmental clean up is popular due to low costs and its public acceptability. Indeed, bioremediation stands to benefit greatly and advance even more rapidly with the adoption of molecular techniques developed originally for other areas of biotechnology. The 1990s was the decade of molecular microbial ecology (time of using molecular techniques in environmental biotechnology). Adoption of these molecular techniques made scientists realize that microbial populations in the natural environments are much more diverse than previously thought using traditional culture methods. Using molecular ecological methods, such as direct DNA isolation from environmental samples, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), PCR methods, nucleic acid hybridization etc., we can now study microbial consortia relevant to pollutant degradation in the environment. These techniques promise to

Applying traditional signal processing techniques to social media exploitation for situational understanding

Science.gov (United States)

Abdelzaher, Tarek; Roy, Heather; Wang, Shiguang; Giridhar, Prasanna; Al Amin, Md. Tanvir; Bowman, Elizabeth K.; Kolodny, Michael A.

2016-05-01

Signal processing techniques such as filtering, detection, estimation and frequency domain analysis have long been applied to extract information from noisy sensor data. This paper describes the exploitation of these signal processing techniques to extract information from social networks, such as Twitter and Instagram. Specifically, we view social networks as noisy sensors that report events in the physical world. We then present a data processing stack for detection, localization, tracking, and veracity analysis of reported events using social network data. We show using a controlled experiment that the behavior of social sources as information relays varies dramatically depending on context. In benign contexts, there is general agreement on events, whereas in conflict scenarios, a significant amount of collective filtering is introduced by conflicted groups, creating a large data distortion. We describe signal processing techniques that mitigate such distortion, resulting in meaningful approximations of actual ground truth, given noisy reported observations. Finally, we briefly present an implementation of the aforementioned social network data processing stack in a sensor network analysis toolkit, called Apollo. Experiences with Apollo show that our techniques are successful at identifying and tracking credible events in the physical world.

Understanding Notional Machines through Traditional Teaching with Conceptual Contraposition and Program Memory Tracing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeisson Hidalgo-Céspedes

2016-08-01

Full Text Available A correct understanding about how computers run code is mandatory in order to effectively learn to program. Lectures have historically been used in programming courses to teach how computers execute code, and students are assessed through traditional evaluation methods, such as exams. Constructivism learning theory objects to students’ passiveness during lessons, and traditional quantitative methods for evaluating a complex cognitive process such as understanding. Constructivism proposes complimentary techniques, such as conceptual contraposition and colloquies. We enriched lectures of a “Programming II” (CS2 course combining conceptual contraposition with program memory tracing, then we evaluated students’ understanding of programming concepts through colloquies. Results revealed that these techniques applied to the lecture are insufficient to help students develop satisfactory mental models of the C++ notional machine, and colloquies behaved as the most comprehensive traditional evaluations conducted in the course.

Significance of isolated reactive treponemal chemiluminescence immunoassay results.

Science.gov (United States)

Hunter, Michael G; Robertson, Peter W; Post, Jeffrey J

2013-05-01

Isolated reactive serum treponemal chemiluminescence immunoassay (CIA) specimens cause clinical uncertainty. Sera were screened by CIA, and reactive samples underwent reflex testing with rapid plasma reagin (RPR), Treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA), and fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption (FTA Abs) assays. Samples reactive only on the CIA were deemed "isolated" reactive CIA samples. We undertook detailed review of a subset of subjects with isolated reactive CIA specimens. Of 28 261 specimens, 1171 (4.1%) were reactive on CIA, of which 133 (11.3%) had isolated CIA reactivity. Most subjects (66 of 82 [80.5%]) with isolated reactive CIA specimens were from high-prevalence populations. We found evidence of CIA, TPPA, and FTA Abs seroreversion. The median chemiluminescent signal-to-cutoff ratio was similar for isolated reactive CIA sera and sera that were reactive on either FTA Abs or TPPA assays (2.19 vs 2.32; P = .15) but lower than for sera reactive on both FTA Abs and TPPA assays (12.37; P < .001) or for sera reactive on RPR assays (25.53; P < .001). A total of 11 of 20 patients (55%) with an isolated reactive CIA specimen who underwent medical record review had previous or subsequent evidence of syphilis infection. Isolated reactive CIA specimens may represent true T. pallidum infection and may be found after seroreversion of traditional treponemal assays.

Phytochemical isolation of compounds from Sceletium tortuosum and activity testing against Plasmodium falciparum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Itumeleng I. Setshedi

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Malaria is a major health care problem in tropical regions due to the increasing resistance of Plasmodium falciparum against widely available antimalarial drugs. Traditional societies relied on medicinal plants to treat parasitic infections. As a result, drugs like quinine and artemisinin were isolated from herbs and barks (Varughese et al. 2010. Sceletium tortuosum has been used as medicine for social and spiritual purposes by San hunter gatherers and Khoi pastoralists. Sceletium tortuosum is rich in alkaloids, one of the important classes of natural product producing treatment for parasitic infections (Kayser et al. 2002. Laboratory preparation of extracts of fresh S. tortuosum plant material was conducted mimicking traditional methods of preparation using organic solvents. Mesembrine was isolated from a methanol extract using conventional column chromatography. Sixteen extracts and mesembrine were evaluated for antiplasmodium activity using a plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase culture sensitivity assay with chloroquine as reference drug. Of the sixteen extracts, four showed activity against P. falciparum with IC50 ranging between 1.47 µg/mL and 7.32 µg/mL. Extracts prepared from stored material at -20 °C showed no antiplasmodium activity. The four originally active extracts were re-screened six months later, but the antimalarial activity could not be reproduced. To determine discrepancy in biological results, chemical profiling of the extracts was done using high performance liquid chromatography technique. Differences were observed in the profiles of the active extracts when compared to those of stored plant material. The instability of plant constituents observed could be a result of plant storage suggesting that the plant is best used when fresh.

Evaluation of the probiotic potential of lactic acid bacteria isolated ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The probiotic-related characteristics of 55 strains of lactic acid bacteria isolated from the faeces of 3 - 6 months old breast-fed infants were determined. The API 50 CH and SDS-PAGE techniques were employed to ascertain the identity of the isolated strains. The predominant species among the isolated strains were ...

Secure Enclaves: An Isolation-centric Approach for Creating Secure High Performance Computing Environments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aderholdt, Ferrol [Tennessee Technological Univ., Cookeville, TN (United States); Caldwell, Blake A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Hicks, Susan Elaine [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Koch, Scott M. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Naughton, III, Thomas J. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Pelfrey, Daniel S. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Pogge, James R [Tennessee Technological Univ., Cookeville, TN (United States); Scott, Stephen L [Tennessee Technological Univ., Cookeville, TN (United States); Shipman, Galen M. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Sorrillo, Lawrence [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2017-01-01

High performance computing environments are often used for a wide variety of workloads ranging from simulation, data transformation and analysis, and complex workflows to name just a few. These systems may process data at various security levels but in so doing are often enclaved at the highest security posture. This approach places significant restrictions on the users of the system even when processing data at a lower security level and exposes data at higher levels of confidentiality to a much broader population than otherwise necessary. The traditional approach of isolation, while effective in establishing security enclaves poses significant challenges for the use of shared infrastructure in HPC environments. This report details current state-of-the-art in virtualization, reconfigurable network enclaving via Software Defined Networking (SDN), and storage architectures and bridging techniques for creating secure enclaves in HPC environments.

Isolation and Characterization of Surface and Subsurface Bacteria in Seawater of Mantanani Island, Kota Belud, Sabah by Direct and Enrichment Techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benard, L D; Tuah, P M; Suadin, E G; Jamian, N

2015-01-01

The distribution of hydrocarbon-utilizing bacterial may vary between surface and subsurface of the seawater. One of the identified contributors is the Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon. The isolation and characterization of bacteria using Direct and Enrichment techniques helps in identifying dominant bacterial populations in seawater of Mantanani Island, Kota Belud, Sabah, potential of further investigation as hydrocarbon degrader. Crude oil (5% v/v) was added as the carbon source for bacteria in Enrichment technique. For surface seawater, the highest population of bacteria identified for both Direct and Enrichment technique were 2.60 × 10 7 CFU/mL and 3.84 × 10 6 CFU/mL respectively. Meanwhile, for subsurface seawater, the highest population of bacteria identified for both Direct and Enrichment technique were 5.21 × 10 6 CFU/mL and 8.99 × 10 7 CFU/mL respectively. Dominant species in surface seawater were characterized as Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus-RMSF-C1 and RMSF-C2 and Alcanivorax borkumensis-RMSF-C3, RMSF-C4 and RMSF-C5. As for subsurface seawater, dominant species were characterized as Pseudomonas luteola-SSBR-W1, Burkholderia cepacia-SSBR-C1, Rhizobium radiobacter- SSBR-C3 and Leuconostoc-cremois -SSBR-C4. (paper)

Multi-Tenant Isolation via Reconfigurable Networks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aderholdt, Ferrol [Tennessee Technological Univ., Cookeville, TN (United States); Caldwell, Blake A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Hicks, Susan Elaine [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Koch, Scott M. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Pelfrey, Daniel S. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Pogge, James R. [Tennessee Technological Univ., Cookeville, TN (United States); Scott, Stephen L. [Tennessee Technological Univ., Cookeville, TN (United States); Shipman, Galen M. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Sorrillo, Lawrence [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2014-12-01

High performance computing environments are often used for a wide variety of workloads ranging from simulation, data transformation and analysis, and complex workflows to name just a few. These systems may process data at various security levels but in so doing are often enclaved at the highest security posture. This approach places significant restrictions on the users of the system even when processing data at a lower security level and exposes data at higher levels of confidentiality to a much broader population than otherwise necessary. The traditional approach of isolation, while effective in establishing security enclaves poses significant challenges for the use of shared infrastructure in HPC environments. This report details current state-of-the-art in reconfigurable network enclaving through Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) and their applicability to secure enclaves in HPC environments. SDN and NFV methods are based on a solid foundation of system wide virtualization. The purpose of which is very straight forward, the system administrator can deploy networks that are more amenable to customer needs, and at the same time achieve increased scalability making it easier to increase overall capacity as needed without negatively affecting functionality. The network administration of both the server system and the virtual sub-systems is simplified allowing control of the infrastructure through well-defined APIs (Application Programming Interface). While SDN and NFV technologies offer significant promise in meeting these goals, they also provide the ability to address a significant component of the multi-tenant challenge in HPC environments, namely resource isolation. Traditional HPC systems are built upon scalable high-performance networking technologies designed to meet specific application requirements. Dynamic isolation of resources within these environments has remained difficult to achieve. SDN and NFV methodology

Near-Source Error Sensor Strategies for Active Vibration Isolation of Machines

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beijers, C.A.J.; Basten, T.G.H.; de Boer, Andries; van den Brink, D.R.; Verheij, J.W.; Sas, P; de Munck, M.

2004-01-01

Due to lightweight construction of vehicles and ships, the reduction of structure borne interior noise problems with passive isolation of engine vibrations might be not sufficient. To improve the isolation, a combination of passive and active isolation techniques can be used (so-called hybrid

Traditional processing of masau fruits (Ziziphus mauritiana) in Zimbabwe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nyanga, L.K.; Nout, M.J.R.; Gadaga, T.H.; Boekhout, T.; Zwietering, M.H.

2008-01-01

A survey of the traditional processing techniques of masau was conducted using a questionnaire and two focus group discussions in Mudzi, Mt. Darwin, and Muzarabani districts in Zimbabwe. Masau fruits form part of the family diet and generate additional income by selling at local markets. Surplus

Seismic Response Analysis of Continuous Multispan Bridges with Partial Isolation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Tubaldi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Partially isolated bridges are a particular class of bridges in which isolation bearings are placed only between the piers top and the deck whereas seismic stoppers restrain the transverse motion of the deck at the abutments. This paper proposes an analytical formulation for the seismic analysis of these bridges, modelled as beams with intermediate viscoelastic restraints whose properties describe the pier-isolator behaviour. Different techniques are developed for solving the seismic problem. The first technique employs the complex mode superposition method and provides an exact benchmark solution to the problem at hand. The two other simplified techniques are based on an approximation of the displacement field and are useful for preliminary assessment and design purposes. A realistic bridge is considered as case study and its seismic response under a set of ground motion records is analyzed. First, the complex mode superposition method is applied to study the characteristic features of the dynamic and seismic response of the system. A parametric analysis is carried out to evaluate the influence of support stiffness and damping on the seismic performance. Then, a comparison is made between the exact solution and the approximate solutions in order to evaluate the accuracy and suitability of the simplified analysis techniques for evaluating the seismic response of partially isolated bridges.

Reduced length of stay and convalescence in laparoscopic vs open sigmoid resection with traditional care

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kaltoft, B; Gögenur, I; Rosenberg, J

2011-01-01

The effect of a laparoscopic technique without a multi-modal rehabilitation programme but with traditional postoperative care was studied in a blinded randomized trial regarding nursing time, hospital stay, pain, fatigue, need for sleep and return to normal daily activities.......The effect of a laparoscopic technique without a multi-modal rehabilitation programme but with traditional postoperative care was studied in a blinded randomized trial regarding nursing time, hospital stay, pain, fatigue, need for sleep and return to normal daily activities....

An anomaly detection and isolation scheme with instance-based learning and sequential analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoo, T. S.; Garcia, H. E.

2006-01-01

This paper presents an online anomaly detection and isolation (FDI) technique using an instance-based learning method combined with a sequential change detection and isolation algorithm. The proposed method uses kernel density estimation techniques to build statistical models of the given empirical data (null hypothesis). The null hypothesis is associated with the set of alternative hypotheses modeling the abnormalities of the systems. A decision procedure involves a sequential change detection and isolation algorithm. Notably, the proposed method enjoys asymptotic optimality as the applied change detection and isolation algorithm is optimal in minimizing the worst mean detection/isolation delay for a given mean time before a false alarm or a false isolation. Applicability of this methodology is illustrated with redundant sensor data set and its performance. (authors)

Isolated limb perfusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Gillespie, Rosalyn; Chantier, Nariane

1994-12-08

Growing concern over the rising incidence of malignant melanoma has brought about a need for information on this disorder and the treatment available. Isolated limb perfusion is a relatively new technique used in only a few hospitals. An increased knowledge base will lead to a better understanding of the nursing care required and to a more in-depth care plan.

The genus Psiadia: Review of traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahadeo, Keshika; Grondin, Isabelle; Kodja, Hippolyte; Soulange Govinden, Joyce; Jhaumeer Laulloo, Sabina; Frederich, Michel; Gauvin-Bialecki, Anne

2018-01-10

The genus Psiadia Jacq. ex. Willd. belongs to the Asteraceae family and includes more than 60 species. This genus grows in tropical and subtropical regions, being especially well represented in Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands (La Réunion, Mauritius and Rodrigues). Several Psiadia species have been used traditionally for their medicinal properties in Africa and the Mascarene Islands. Based on traditional knowledge, various phytochemical and pharmacological studies have been conducted. However there are no recent papers that provide an overview of the medicinal potential of Psiadia species. Therefore, the aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of the botany, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Psiadia and to highlight the gaps in our knowledge for future research opportunities. The available information on traditional uses, phytochemistry and biological activities of the genus Psiadia was collected from scientific databases through a search using the keyword 'Psiadia' in 'Google Scholar', 'Pubmed', 'Sciencedirect', 'SpringerLink', 'Web of Science', 'Wiley' and 'Scifinder'. Additionally, published books and unpublished Ph.D. and MSc. dissertations were consulted for botanical information and chemical composition. Historically, species of the genus Psiadia have been used to treat a wide range of ailments including abdominal pains, colds, fevers, bronchitis, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, skin infections and liver disorders among others. Phytochemical works led to the isolation of flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, coumarins and terpenoids. Furthermore, phytochemical compositions of the essential oils of some species have been evaluated. Crude extracts, essential oils and isolated molecules showed in vitro pharmacological activities, such as antimicrobial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, antiplasmodial and antileishmanial activities. Crude extracts of Psiadia dentata and Psiadia arguta have specifically been found to be potentially useful for inhibition

U.S. foreign policy traditions: multilateralism vs. unilateralism since 1776

OpenAIRE

Restad, Hilde Eliassen

2010-01-01

As the world’s most powerful state the foreign policy choices of the United States have affected global security for a century and will continue to do so for quite some time. The study of U.S. foreign policy traditions is therefore an important aspect of the study of international relations. The conventional assumption of several scholars of U.S. foreign policy is that the United States abandoned its policy of isolation and aloofness and adopted one of responsibility for international securit...

Phenotypic and Genotypic Characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes Isolated From Dairy and Meat Products

OpenAIRE

Bahador; Sadeghi Kalani; Valian; Irajian; Lotfollahi

2015-01-01

Background Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen and a serious threat to the public health in the world. Consumption of traditional foods such as dairy and meat products can be a major reason for relative abundance and isolation of these bacteria. Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of L. monocytogenes strains isolated from dairy and meat products. ...

The fate of water in the oasis of Ouakda between traditional systems ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

One of the subjects that touch the field of environment is undoubtedly the traditional catchment systems and drainage divide in the oasis. The ancestral techniques such as wells chadouf, quanat, Khettara and foggaras have protected the oasis and the man in the past. These techniques were used in an arid middle by the ...

Deformation Monitoring for Chinese Traditional Timber Buildings Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ni-Lei Li

2018-06-01

Full Text Available The Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG sensing technique is suitable for a wide variety of measurements, including temperature, pressure, acceleration, liquid level, etc., and has been applied to many bridges and buildings in the past two decades. The fact that the FBG technique can only monitor and measure strain data for most cases when it is used for deformation measurements impedes application of the FBG sensing technique in civil infrastructures. This paper proposes FBG sensing-based deformation monitoring methods that are applicable to monitoring beam deflection, column inclination angle and mortise-tenon joint dislocation for Chinese traditional timber structures. On the basis of improved conjugated beam theory and geometrical trigonometric function relationship, the relationships between the FBG sensing strain values and the deflection of beam, inclination angle of column, as well as the amount of dislocation of mortise-tenon joint are deducted for Chinese traditional buildings. A series of experiments were conducted to verify the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed deformation monitoring methods. The results show that a good agreement is obtained between the values given by the methods proposed in this paper and other methods. This implies that the proposed deformation monitoring methods are applicable and effective in the health monitoring of Chinese traditional timber structures.

Isolation of cycloeucalenol from Boophone disticha and evaluation of its cytotoxicity

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Adewusi, EA

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Boophone disticha (Amaryllidaceae) is widely used in traditional medicine in southern Africa. Several alkaloids, volatile oils and fatty acids have been isolated from the plant. However, there has been no literature report of a triterpene from B...

Screening and identification of lactic acid bacteria isolated from ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from sorghum (Sorghum bicolor. L.) silage were identified during different periods of evolution of sorghum silage in west Algeria. Morphological, physiological, biochemical and technological techniques were used to characterize lactic acid bacteria isolates. A total number of 27 ...

Exploration of the wound healing potential of Helichrysum graveolens (Bieb.) Sweet: isolation of apigenin as an active component.

Science.gov (United States)

Süntar, Ipek; Küpeli Akkol, Esra; Keles, Hikmet; Yesilada, Erdem; Sarker, Satyajit D

2013-08-26

In Turkish traditional medicine, the flowers of Helichrysum graveolens (Bieb.) Sweet (Asteraceae) have been used for the treatment of jaundice, for wound-healing and as a diuretic. In order to find scientific evidence for the traditional utilization of this plant in wound-healing, the effect of the plant extract was investigated by using in vivo and in vitro experimental models. Then through bioassay-guided fractionation procedures active wound-healing component(s) was isolated and its possible role in the wound-healing process was also determined. The linear incision and the circular excision wound models were applied in order to evaluate in vivo wound-healing potential of Helichrysum graveolens. Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, which are known to involve in wound-healing process, were also assessed by the Whittle method and the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical-scavenging assay, respectively. The total phenolic content of the crude extract and solvent fractions was estimated to find correlation between the phenolic content and the antioxidant activity. Combined application of the chromatographic separation techniques on sephadex and silica gel columns, and bioassay techniques have yielded the active wound-healing principle of Helichrysum graveolens. Moreover, in vitro inhibitory effect of active principle on hyaluronidase, collagenase and elastase enzymes were investigated to explore the activity pathways. The 85% methanol (MeOH) extract of Helichrysum graveolens flowers displayed significant wound-healing, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Then the crude extract was partitioned by successive solvent extractions, in increasing polarity, to give five solvent fractions. Among the solvent fractions, the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction exerted the highest activity. The EtOAc fraction was further subjected to chromatographic separations to yield active constituent and its structure was elucidated to be apigenin by spectrometric

Molecular cloning of cellulase genes from indigenous bacterial isolates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jong Bor Chyan; Pauline Liew Woan Ying; Mat Rasol Awang

2006-01-01

Indigenous cellulolytic bacterial isolates having high activities in degrading carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) were isolated from local environments. Identification of these isolates were performed by molecular techniques. By using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques, PCR products encoding cellulase gene were amplified from the total genomic DNAs. Purified PCR product was successfully cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli host system. The complete nucleotide sequences of the cellulase genes determined. The analysis of amino acid sequences deduced from the genes indicated that the cloned DNA fragments show high homology to those of endoglucanase genes of family GH5. All cloned genes consist of an N-terminal signal peptide, a catalytic domain of family 5 glycosyl hydrolase and a cellulose-binding domain of family III. (Author)

Isolation and Identification of Two Novel Attractant Compounds from Chinese Cockroach (Eupolyphaga sinensis Walker by Combination of HSCCC, NMR and CD Techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bin Wu

2013-09-01

Full Text Available High-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC with a two-phase solvent system composed of n-hextane-ethyl acetate-methanol-water (1.5:1:1.5:1, v/v/v/v was applied to the isolation and purification of attractants from Chinese cockroach, Eupolyphaga sinensis Walker. Two new attractants with attractant activity towards the male insects were obtained from the extract sample in a one-step separation. Their purities were determined by HPLC. Subsequent MS, NMR and CD analyses have led to the characterization of (R-3-ethyl-6,8-dihydroxy-7-methyl-3,4-dihydroisochromen-1-one (1 and (R-6,8-dihydroxy-3,7-dimethyl-3,4-dihydroisochromen-1-one (2, two novel isocumarin type attractants. Based on these results, it is concluded that HSCCC is a viable separation method option for purifying insect attractants, while effectively maintaining the attracting activity of the isolates. This is the first attempt to apply counter-current chromatography technique to separate attractants from Chinese cockroach.

Identification, genetic diversity and cereulide producing ability of Bacillus cereus group strains isolated from Beninese traditional fermented food condiments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thorsen, Line; Azokpota, Paulin; Hansen, Bjarne Munk

2010-01-01

Bacillus cereus sensu lato is often detected in spontaneously fermented African foods but is rarely identified to species level. Only some of the B. cereus group species are reported to be pathogenic to humans and identification to species level is necessary to estimate the safety of these products...... (cluster 1). Highly similar PM13 profiles were obtained for seven of the isolates, one from afitin, one from iru and five from sonru (cluster 2). Four of the isolates, one from afitin and three from sonru, did not form any particular cluster. The PM13 profiles of cluster 2 isolates were identical to those...... which are specific to emetic toxin producers. Cereulide production of these isolates was confirmed by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry. This is the first report on cereulide producing B. cereus in African fermented foods. Occurrence of the opportunistic human pathogen B. cereus...

Lactobacillus plantarum as a Probiotic Potential from Kouzeh Cheese (Traditional Iranian Cheese) and Its Antimicrobial Activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Jabbari, Vahid; Khiabani, Mahmoud Sowti; Mokarram, Reza Rezaei; Hassanzadeh, Azad Mohammad; Ahmadi, Elham; Gharenaghadeh, Sasan; Karimi, Nayyer; Kafil, Hossein Samadi

2017-06-01

The aim of this study is to isolate and identify Lactobacillus plantarum isolates from traditional cheese, Kouzeh, and evaluate their antimicrobial activity against some food pathogens. In total, 56 lactic acid bacteria were isolated by morphological and biochemical methods, 12 of which were identified as Lactobacillus plantarum by biochemical method and 11 were confirmed by molecular method. For analyzing the antimicrobial activity of these isolates properly, diffusion method was performed. The isolates were identified by 318 bp band dedicated for L. plantarum. The isolated L. plantarum represented an inhibitory activity against four of the pathogenic bacteria and showed different inhibition halos against each other. The larger halos were observed against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis (15 ± 0.3 and 14.8 ± 0.7 mm, respectively). The inhibition halo of Escherichia coli was smaller than that of other pathogen and some L. plantarum did not show any inhibitory activity against E. coli, which were resistant to antimicrobial compounds produced by L. plantarum. The isolated L. plantarum isolates with the antimicrobial activity in this study had strong probiotic properties. These results indicated the nutritional value of Kouzeh cheese and usage of the isolated isolates as probiotic strains.

Discrimination of Arcobacter butzleri isolates by polymerase chain reaction-mediated DNA fingerprinting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Atabay, H. I.; Bang, Dang Duong; Aydin, F.

2002-01-01

Aims: The objective of this study was to subtype Arcobacter butzleri isolates using RAPD-PCR. Methods and Results: Thirty-five A. butzleri isolates obtained from chicken carcasses were examined. PCR-mediated DNA fingerprinting technique with primers of the variable sequence motifs was used...... to detect polymorphism within the isolates. Eleven distinct DNA profiles were obtained as follows: Of the 35 strains, 10 as profile 4; seven as profile 1; five as profile 3; three as profiles 2 and 9; two as profile 10; one as profiles 5, 6, 7, 8 and 11. Conclusions: Chicken carcasses sold in markets were...... found to be contaminated with several different strains of A. butzleri . RAPD-PCR technique was found to be a useful technique for distinguishing A. butzleri isolates. Significance and Impact of the Study: The presence of several different A. butzleri strains on chicken carcasses may indicate multiple...

Design techniques for mutlivariable flight control systems

Science.gov (United States)

1981-01-01

Techniques which address the multi-input closely coupled nature of advanced flight control applications and digital implementation issues are described and illustrated through flight control examples. The techniques described seek to exploit the advantages of traditional techniques in treating conventional feedback control design specifications and the simplicity of modern approaches for multivariable control system design.

Discrete optimization of isolator locations for vibration isolation systems: An analytical and experimental investigation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ponslet, E.R.; Eldred, M.S. [Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States). Structural Dynamics Dept.

1996-05-17

An analytical and experimental study is conducted to investigate the effect of isolator locations on the effectiveness of vibration isolation systems. The study uses isolators with fixed properties and evaluates potential improvements to the isolation system that can be achieved by optimizing isolator locations. Because the available locations for the isolators are discrete in this application, a Genetic Algorithm (GA) is used as the optimization method. The system is modeled in MATLAB{trademark} and coupled with the GA available in the DAKOTA optimization toolkit under development at Sandia National Laboratories. Design constraints dictated by hardware and experimental limitations are implemented through penalty function techniques. A series of GA runs reveal difficulties in the search on this heavily constrained, multimodal, discrete problem. However, the GA runs provide a variety of optimized designs with predicted performance from 30 to 70 times better than a baseline configuration. An alternate approach is also tested on this problem: it uses continuous optimization, followed by rounding of the solution to neighboring discrete configurations. Results show that this approach leads to either infeasible or poor designs. Finally, a number of optimized designs obtained from the GA searches are tested in the laboratory and compared to the baseline design. These experimental results show a 7 to 46 times improvement in vibration isolation from the baseline configuration.

Medicinal Plants Used by a Mbyá-Guarani Tribe Against Infections: Activity on KPC-Producing Isolates and Biofilm-Forming Bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Brandelli, Clara Lia Costa; Ribeiro, Vanessa Bley; Zimmer, Karine Rigon; Barth, Afonso Luís; Tasca, Tiana; Macedo, Alexandre José

2015-11-01

The traditional use of medicinal plants for treatment of infectious diseases by an indigenous Mbyá-Guarani tribe from South Brazil was assessed by evaluating the antibiotic and antibiofilm activities against relevant bacterial pathogens. Aqueous extracts from 10 medicinal plants were prepared according to indigenous Mbyá-Guarani traditional uses. To evaluate antibiotic (OD600) and antibiofilm (crystal violet method) activities, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 35984 and seven multi-drug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-producing bacterial clinical isolates were challenged with the extracts. Furthermore, the susceptibility profile of KPC-producing bacteria and the ability of these isolates to form biofilm were evaluated. The plants Campomanesia xanthocarpa, Maytenus ilicifolia, Bidens pilosa and Verbena sp. showed the best activity against bacterial growth and biofilm formation. The majority of KPC-producing isolates, which showed strong ability to form biofilm and a multidrug resistance profile, was inhibited by more than 50% by some extracts. The Enterobacter cloacae (KPC 05) clinical isolate was the only one resistant to all extracts. This study confirms the importance of indigenous traditional medicinal knowledge and describes for the first time the ability of these plants to inhibit biofilm formation and/or bacterial growth of multi-drug resistant KPC-producing isolates.

Assessment of heavy metals leachability from traditional clay pots ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

As heavy metals are toxic in trace concentrations, due to bioaccumulation, traditional clay pots constitute a public health hazard when used as food contact material. However, as the geochemical properties of clay are different from regions to region and the techniques of making them differ, further studies should be ...

Microbiological characteristics of "androlla", a Spanish traditional pork sausage.

Science.gov (United States)

García Fontán, María C; Lorenzo, José M; Parada, Ana; Franco, Inmaculada; Carballo, Javier

2007-02-01

Counts of total aerobic mesophilic microflora, lactic acid bacteria, salt-tolerant microflora, Enterobacteriaceae, enterococci, moulds and yeasts, and staphylococci, and some physico-chemical parameters (total solids, NaCl and nitrate contents and pH and aw values) were determined in 20 units of "androlla", a traditional dry-fermented sausage made in the NW of Spain. In general, high counts of all the investigated microbial groups were observed, with average values of 8.99 +/- 0.46 log cfu/g for the total aerobic mesophilic microflora, 9.11 +/- 0.16 log cfu/g for the lactic acid bacteria, 6.87 +/- 0.68 log cfu/g for the salt-tolerant microflora, 2.80+/-1.85 log cfu/g for the Enterobacteriaceae, 3.25 +/- 1.86 log cfu/g for the enterococci, 4.30 +/- 1.73 log cfu/g for the moulds and yeasts, and 3.62 +/- 0.60 log cfu/g for the staphylococci. From MRS agar, SPC agar + 7.5% NaCl, VRBG agar, and KAA agar, 10 colonies were randomly taken from each androlla unit and from each culture medium. A total of 200 strains per culture medium were then identified using the classical methods. Among the isolates from MRS agar, Lactobacillus sakei predominated, followed by Lactobacillus curvatus, Lactobacillus alimentarius and Lactobacillus plantarum. Of the 200 isolates obtained from SPC agar + 7.5% NaCl, only 56 strains belonged to the Staphylococcaceae or Micrococcaceae families. Among the Staphylococcaceae, Staphylococcus xylosus was the main species, followed by Staph. epidermidis; Staph. equorum, Staph. capitis and Staph. saprophyticus were isolated in very low proportions. Among the Micrococcaceae, Micrococcus luteus predominated, followed by Micrococcus lylae, Kocuria varians and Kocuria kristinae. Of the 150 isolates obtained from VRBG agar, Hafnia alvei was the main species, followed by Serratia liquefaciens and Enterobacter amnigenus; six isolates were identified as Salmonella. Among the 190 isolates obtained from KAA agar, 122 were considered enterococci; 20 isolates were

Nova isolates noise to quieten stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milner, G.J.; Frank, L.D.

1993-01-01

This paper reviews a technique developed by Nova Corp., to help isolate and measure the acoustic power of individual components in a pipeline compressor and pumping station. The procedure calculates the sound pressure levels of each piece of equipment independently. Based on these measurements, a prediction can be made of the effect of various types of noise treatment techniques on the overall sound levels currently generated or proposed in a future project. This paper describes the equipment to measure the sound levels, techniques for actually measuring the compressor station or equipment area, and techniques used to generate a remediation plan

The Biodiversity of Lactic Acid Bacteria in Greek Traditional Wheat Sourdoughs Is Reflected in Both Composition and Metabolite Formation

OpenAIRE

De Vuyst, Luc; Schrijvers, Vincent; Paramithiotis, Spiros; Hoste, Bart; Vancanneyt, Marc; Swings, Jean; Kalantzopoulos, George; Tsakalidou, Effie; Messens, Winy

2002-01-01

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from Greek traditional wheat sourdoughs manufactured without the addition of baker's yeast. Application of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of total cell protein, randomly amplified polymorphic DNA-PCR, DNA-DNA hybridization, and 16S ribosomal DNA sequence analysis, in combination with physiological traits such as fructose fermentation and mannitol production, allowed us to classify the isolated bacteria into the species Lactob...

Traditional Chinese medicines and Alzheimer's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Tzong-Yuan; Chen, Chih-Ping; Chen, Chip-Ping; Jinn, Tzyy-Rong

2011-06-01

Traditional Chinese medicines have been widely investigated for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) because none of the current therapies-either the cholinesterase inhibitors or antagonist of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors-has profound effects on halting the progression of AD. In recent years, scientists have isolated many active compounds from herbs, which can alleviate dementia and neurodegenerative syndrome with fewer side effects than conventional drugs and, thus, are regarded as promising drug candidates for AD therapy. In this review, we summarize the latest research progress on six herbs for AD therapy-Huperzia serrata, Amaryllidaceae family, Ginkgo biloba, Uncaria rhynchophylla, Polygala tenuifolia, and Salvia officinalis-and focus on the analysis of their active components and possible mechanisms of pharmacological actions on AD. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Improvement in separation of isolated muons and pions at low pT in ATLAS hadron calorimeter using artificial neural networks technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Astvatsaturov, A.; Budagov, Yu.; Chirikov-Zorin, I.; Shigaev, V.; Paplevka, A.; Sushkov, S.; Bosman, M.; Nessi, M.

1995-01-01

Advantages of artificial neural networks techniques in handling data from highly granulated ATLAS hadron calorimeter (HC) are shown in application to isolated π/μ separation task in the range 3 T T muons have a significant probability to be absorbed in the calorimeter and therefore they cannot be reliably registered by the muon detector. The comparative analysis of main characteristics is presented for several neural net discriminators and a linear threshold discriminator operating on energy deposition in the last depth of HC. The analysis is based on MC data obtained with ATLAS simulation programs. 9 refs., 12 figs

Applying contemporary statistical techniques

CERN Document Server

Wilcox, Rand R

2003-01-01

Applying Contemporary Statistical Techniques explains why traditional statistical methods are often inadequate or outdated when applied to modern problems. Wilcox demonstrates how new and more powerful techniques address these problems far more effectively, making these modern robust methods understandable, practical, and easily accessible.* Assumes no previous training in statistics * Explains how and why modern statistical methods provide more accurate results than conventional methods* Covers the latest developments on multiple comparisons * Includes recent advanc

Microbiological Characteristics of Trachanas, a Traditional Fermented Dairy Product from Cyprus

OpenAIRE

Bozoudi, Despina; Agathokleous, Maria; Anastasiou, Iacovos; Papademas, Photis; Tsaltas, Dimitris

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to characterize the autochthonous microbiota of Cypriot Trachanas, a traditional fermented ewes’ milk product. For this reason, 12 samples of raw and fermented milk as well as natural starter culture were collected in order to count, isolate, and identify the main species present during Trachanas fermentation. In total, 198 colonies were retrieved and 163 were identified by sequencing analysis at species level. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were the predominant grou...

[Systematic economic assessment and quality evaluation for traditional Chinese medicines].

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Xiao; Guo, Li-ping; Shang, Hong-cai; Ren, Ming; Lei, Xiang

2015-05-01

To learn about the economic studies on traditional Chinese medicines in domestic literatures, in order to analyze the current economic assessment of traditional Chinese medicines and explore the existing problems. Efforts were made to search CNKI, VIP, Wanfang database and CBM by computer and include all literatures about economic assessment of traditional Chinese medicines published on professional domestic journals in the systematic assessment and quality evaluation. Finally, 50 articles were included in the study, and the systematic assessment and quality evaluation were made for them in terms of titles, year, authors' identity, expense source, disease type, study perspective, study design type, study target, study target source, time limit, cost calculation, effect indicator, analytical technique and sensitivity analysis. The finally quality score was 0.74, which is very low. The results of the study showed insufficient studies on economics of traditional Chinese medicines, short study duration and simple evaluation methods, which will be solved through unremitting efforts in the future.

Prevalence of Listeria species in raw milk and traditional dairy products in Isfahan, Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ehsan Shamloo

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Aim: The study aimed to assess the prevalence of Listeria spp. in raw milk and traditional non-pasteurized dairy products in Isfahan, Iran. Materials and Methods: A total of 292 samples of raw milk and traditional dairy were examined for the presence of Listeria spp. using a two-step selective enrichment recommended by the United States Department of Agriculture. All isolates were subjected to standard biochemical tests. L. monocytogenes strains were further confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR amplification. Results: Of 292 samples, 21 (7.14% and 4 (1.47% were positive for Listeria spp. and pathogenic L. monocytogenes, respectively. The prevalence of Listeria spp. in raw milk, ice cream, cream, and freni were 5.91 (5.49%, 12.63 (19.04%, 3.27 (11.11% and 1.25 (4%, respectively. Listeria was not detected from yogurt, butter, Kashk, and cheese. Listeria innocua at 16.21 (5.44% was the most prevalent species isolated, followed by L. monocytogenes at 4.21 (19% and L. seeligeri at 1.21 (4.7%. All strains of L. monocytogenes identified by biochemical tests were also confirmed by PCR. Conclusion: The study shows the prevalence of L. monocytogenes in raw milk and traditional dairy products sold in the market. Consumption of raw milk with mild heat treatment or its usage in traditional dishes could pose serious health problems due to lack of appropriate control measures. The lack of knowledge on the risks of listeriosis transmission indicates the need for implementation of a food safety education program. In addition, the Iranian food safety authorities should urgently set up an effective standard to screen all susceptible food products for the presence of Listeria.

An optimized method for mouse liver sinusoidal endothelial cell isolation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meyer, Jeremy, E-mail: jeremy.meyer@hcuge.ch [Division of Digestive and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospitals of Geneva, Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, 1211 Genève 14 (Switzerland); Unit of Surgical Research, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1206 Genève (Switzerland); Lacotte, Stéphanie, E-mail: stephanie.lacotte@unige.ch [Unit of Surgical Research, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1206 Genève (Switzerland); Morel, Philippe, E-mail: philippe.morel@hcuge.ch [Division of Digestive and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospitals of Geneva, Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, 1211 Genève 14 (Switzerland); Unit of Surgical Research, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1206 Genève (Switzerland); Gonelle-Gispert, Carmen, E-mail: carmen.gonelle@unige.ch [Unit of Surgical Research, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1206 Genève (Switzerland); Bühler, Léo, E-mail: leo.buhler@hcuge.ch [Division of Digestive and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospitals of Geneva, Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, 1211 Genève 14 (Switzerland); Unit of Surgical Research, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1206 Genève (Switzerland)

2016-12-10

The objective of the present study was to develop an accurate and reproducible method for liver sinusoidal endothelial cell (LSEC) isolation in mice. Non-parenchymal cells were isolated using a modified two-step collagenase digestion combined with Optiprep density gradient centrifugation. LSEC were further purified using two prevalent methods, short-term selective adherence and CD146+ magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS), and compared in terms of cell yield, viability and purity to our purification technique using CD11b cell depletion combined with long-term selective adherence. LSEC purification using our technique allowed to obtain 7.07±3.80 million LSEC per liver, while CD146+ MACS and short-term selective adherence yielded 2.94±1.28 and 0.99±0.66 million LSEC, respectively. Purity of the final cell preparation reached 95.10±2.58% when using our method. In contrast, CD146+ MACS and short-term selective adherence gave purities of 86.75±3.26% and 47.95±9.82%, respectively. Similarly, contamination by non-LSEC was the lowest when purification was performed using our technique, with a proportion of contaminating macrophages of only 1.87±0.77%. Further, isolated cells analysed by scanning electron microscopy presented typical LSEC fenestrations organized in sieve plates, demonstrating that the technique allowed to isolate bona fide LSEC. In conclusion, we described a reliable and reproducible technique for the isolation of high yields of pure LSEC in mice. This protocol provides an efficient method to prepare LSEC for studying their biological functions. - Highlights: • This protocol provides an efficient method to prepare primary mouse LSEC for studying their biological functions. • The liver cell dispersion step was improved by performing a retrograde cannulation of the liver. • The cell yield and the purity obtained were higher than comparative techniques in mice. • Contaminating macrophages were removed by introducing a CD11b- magnetic �

An optimized method for mouse liver sinusoidal endothelial cell isolation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meyer, Jeremy; Lacotte, Stéphanie; Morel, Philippe; Gonelle-Gispert, Carmen; Bühler, Léo

2016-01-01

The objective of the present study was to develop an accurate and reproducible method for liver sinusoidal endothelial cell (LSEC) isolation in mice. Non-parenchymal cells were isolated using a modified two-step collagenase digestion combined with Optiprep density gradient centrifugation. LSEC were further purified using two prevalent methods, short-term selective adherence and CD146+ magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS), and compared in terms of cell yield, viability and purity to our purification technique using CD11b cell depletion combined with long-term selective adherence. LSEC purification using our technique allowed to obtain 7.07±3.80 million LSEC per liver, while CD146+ MACS and short-term selective adherence yielded 2.94±1.28 and 0.99±0.66 million LSEC, respectively. Purity of the final cell preparation reached 95.10±2.58% when using our method. In contrast, CD146+ MACS and short-term selective adherence gave purities of 86.75±3.26% and 47.95±9.82%, respectively. Similarly, contamination by non-LSEC was the lowest when purification was performed using our technique, with a proportion of contaminating macrophages of only 1.87±0.77%. Further, isolated cells analysed by scanning electron microscopy presented typical LSEC fenestrations organized in sieve plates, demonstrating that the technique allowed to isolate bona fide LSEC. In conclusion, we described a reliable and reproducible technique for the isolation of high yields of pure LSEC in mice. This protocol provides an efficient method to prepare LSEC for studying their biological functions. - Highlights: • This protocol provides an efficient method to prepare primary mouse LSEC for studying their biological functions. • The liver cell dispersion step was improved by performing a retrograde cannulation of the liver. • The cell yield and the purity obtained were higher than comparative techniques in mice. • Contaminating macrophages were removed by introducing a CD11b- magnetic �

New techniques for wound debridement.

Science.gov (United States)

Madhok, Brijesh M; Vowden, Kathryn; Vowden, Peter

2013-06-01

Debridement is a crucial component of wound management. Traditionally, several types of wound debridement techniques have been used in clinical practice such as autolytic, enzymatic, biodebridement, mechanical, conservative sharp and surgical. Various factors determine the method of choice for debridement for a particular wound such as suitability to the patient, the type of wound, its anatomical location and the extent of debridement required. Recently developed products are beginning to challenge traditional techniques that are currently used in wound bed preparation. The purpose of this review was to critically evaluate the current evidence behind the use of these newer techniques in clinical practice. There is some evidence to suggest that low frequency ultrasound therapy may improve healing rates in patients with venous ulcers and diabetic foot ulcers. Hydrosurgery debridement is quick and precise, but the current evidence is limited and further studies are underway. Debridement using a monofilament polyester fibre pad and plasma-mediated bipolar radiofrequency ablation are both very new techniques. The initial evidence is limited, and further studies are warranted to confirm their role in management of chronic wounds. © 2013 The Authors. International Wound Journal © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Medicalhelplines.com Inc.

Identification and tracing of Enterococcus spp. by RAPD-PCR in traditional fermented sausages and meat environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Martín, B; Corominas, L; Garriga, M; Aymerich, T

2009-01-01

Four local small-scale factories were studied to determine the sources of enterococci in traditional fermented sausages. Different points during the production of a traditional fermented sausage type (fuet) were evaluated. Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR was used to type 596 Enterococcus isolates from the final products, the initial meat batter, the casing, the workers' hands and the equipment. Species-specific PCR-multiplex and the partial sequencing of atpA gene and 16S rRNA gene sequencing allowed the identification of the isolates: Enterococcus faecalis (31.4%), Enterococcus faecium (30.7%), Enterococcus sanguinicola (14.9%), Enterococcus devriesei (9.7%), Enterococcus malodoratus (7.2%), Enterococcus gilvus (1.0%), Enterococcus gallinarum (1.3%), Enterococcus casseliflavus (3.4%), Enterococcus hermanniensis (0.2%), and Enterococcus durans (0.2%). A total of 92 different RAPD-PCR profiles were distributed among the different factories and samples evaluated. Most of the genotypes found in fuet samples were traced back to their source. The major sources of enterococci in the traditional fermented sausages studied were mainly the equipment followed by the raw ingredients, although a low proportion was traced back to human origin. This work contributes to determine the source of enterococcal contamination in fermented sausages and also to the knowledge of the meat environment.

Characterisation of a novel Bacillus sp. SJ-10 β-1,3-1,4-glucanase isolated from jeotgal, a traditional Korean fermented fish.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Yu-Ri; Kim, Eun-Young; Lee, Jong Min; Kim, Joong Kyun; Kong, In-Soo

2013-06-01

A novel β-1,3-1,4-glucanase gene was identified in Bacillus sp. SJ-10 (KCCM 90078) isolated from jeotgal, a traditional Korean fermented fish. We analysed the β-1,3-1,4-glucanase gene sequence and examined the recombinant enzyme. The open reading frame of the gene encoded 244 amino acids. The sequence was not identical to any β-glucanases deposited in GenBank. The gene was cloned into pET22b(+) and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21. Purification of recombinant β-1,3-1,4-glucanase was conducted by affinity chromatography using a Ni-NTA column. Enzyme specificity of β-1,3-1,4-glucanase was confirmed based on substrate specificity. The optimal temperature and pH of the purified enzyme towards barley β-glucan were 50 °C and pH 6, respectively. More than 80 % of activity was retained at temperatures of 30-70 °C and pH values of 4-9, which differed from all other bacterial β-1,3-1,4-glucanases. The degradation products of barley β-glucan by β-1,3-1,4-glucanase were analysed using thin-layer chromatography, and ultimately glucose was produced by treatment with cellobiase.

Semi-Commercial and Traditional Hunting of Baar Tribe in Riung, Flores, East Nusa Tenggara

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kayat Kayat

2017-01-01

Hunting is one of the aspects that influence number of wild animals. The article aims at describing semi-comercial and traditional hunting concept of Baar Tribe in East Nusa Tenggara as an alternative for wild animal conservation.  The data collection methods are guided interview, in-depth interview and participant observation. The findings show that in the semi-comercial and traditional hunting concept of Baar Tribe in East Nusa Tenggara, traditional wisdom is represented by hunting techniques and equipments. It is likely that rapid semi-commercial hunting conducted by certain members of Baar tribe causes sharp decline in the population of wild animals. On the other hand, annual traditional hunting which strictly follows traditional code of conduct can maintain Timor deer population in Timor. Keywords: hunting, population, semi-commercial, traditional, Timor deer

Isolation, genotyping, and antimicrobial resistance of zoonotic shiga toxin-producing escherichia coli

Science.gov (United States)

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is an enteric pathogen linked to outbreaks of human gastroenteritis with diverse clinical spectra. Traditional culture and isolation methods, including selective enrichment and differential plating, have enabled the effective recovery of STEC. Ruminants ...

The social isolation of young men with quadriplegia.

Science.gov (United States)

Blake, K

1995-01-01

This article describes the results of a study undertaken to identify perceptions of possible social isolation among individuals who become quadriplegic as young adults. Two focus group sessions were held with 4 male participants in each group. All the young men were between the ages of 19 years and 35 years, and all had been disabled for more than 3 years. The results showed that the participants felt challenged by the environment and their resources but did not experience the feelings associated with social isolation as defined by Goffman (1963). The participants, however, identified important socially isolating stressors based on the human needs described by Maslow (1970) as existing in a hierarchy. The results of the study suggest that people with disabilities need interpersonal techniques that enable them to feel a sense of security and control of their time; rehabilitation nurses are ideally suited to assist clients in developing such techniques.

Screening of Probiotic Activities of Lactobacilli Strains Isolated from Traditional Tibetan Qula, A Raw Yak Milk Cheese

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bei Zhang

2016-10-01

Full Text Available In this study, 69 lactobacilli isolated from Tibetan Qula, a raw yak milk cheese, were screened for their potential use as probiotics. The isolates were tested in terms of: Their ability to survive at pH 2.0, pH 3.0, and in the presence of 0.3% bile salts; tolerance of simulated gastric and intestinal juices; antimicrobial activity; sensitivity against 11 specific antibiotics; and their cell surface hydrophobicity. The results show that out of the 69 strains, 29 strains (42% had survival rates above 90% after 2 h of incubation at pH values of 2.0 or 3.0. Of these 29 strains, 21 strains showed a tolerance for 0.3% bile salt. Incubation of these 21 isolates in simulated gastrointestinal fluid for 3 h revealed survival rates above 90%; the survival rate for 20 of these isolates remained above 90% after 4 h of incubation in simulated intestinal fluid. The viable counts of bacteria after incubation in simulated gastric fluid for 3 h and simulated intestinal fluid for 4 h were both significantly different compared with the counts at 0 h (p<0.001. Further screening performed on the above 20 isolates indicated that all 20 lactobacilli strains exhibited inhibitory activity against Micrococcus luteus ATCC 4698, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19115, and Salmonella enterica ATCC 43971. Moreover, all of the strains were resistant to vancomycin and streptomycin. Of the 20 strains, three were resistant to all 11 elected antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, tetracycline, penicillin G, ampicillin, streptomycin, polymyxin B, vancomycin, chloramphenicol, rifampicin, and gentamicin in this study, and five were sensitive to more than half of the antibiotics. Additionally, the cell surface hydrophobicity of seven of the 20 lactobacilli strains was above 70%, including strains Lactobacillus casei 1,133 (92%, Lactobacillus plantarum 1086-1 (82%, Lactobacillus casei 1089 (81%, Lactobacillus casei 1138 (79%, Lactobacillus buchneri 1059 (78

Degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons by oil field isolated bacterial ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A mixed consortium was prepared with 15 bacteria isolated by enrichment technique from the sample collected from an oil contaminated site. This consortium was incubated with crude oil to investigate the metabolic capability of bacteria. The degradation efficiency of the isolates in consortium was checked with 2% crude oil ...

Soil analysis. Modern instrumental technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, K.A.

1993-01-01

This book covers traditional methods of analysis and specialist monographs on individual instrumental techniques, which are usually not written with soil or plant analysis specifically in mind. The principles of the techniques are combined with discussions of sample preparation and matrix problems, and critical reviews of applications in soil science and related disciplines. Individual chapters are processed separately for inclusion in the appropriate data bases

Protein extraction method for the proteomic study of a Mexican traditional fermented starchy food.

Science.gov (United States)

Cárdenas, C; Barkla, B J; Wacher, C; Delgado-Olivares, L; Rodríguez-Sanoja, R

2014-12-05

Pozol is a traditional fermented maize dough prepared in southeastern Mexico. Wide varieties of microorganisms have already been isolated from this spontaneously fermented product; and include fungi, yeasts, and lactic- and non-lactic acid bacteria. Pozol presents physicochemical features different from that of other food fermentation products, such as a high starch content, in addition to a low protein content. It is these qualities that make it intractable for protein recovery and characterization. The aim of this study was to develop a methodology to optimize the recovery of proteins from the pozol dough following fermentation, by reducing the complexity of the mixture prior to 2D-PAGE analysis and sequencing, to allow the characterization of the metaproteome of the dough. The proteome of 15day fermented maize dough was characterized; proteins were separated and analyzed by mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Subsequent sequence homology database searching, identified numerous bacterial and fungi proteins; with a predominance of lactic acid bacterial proteins, mainly from the Lactobacillus genus. Fungi are mainly represented by Aspergillus. For dominant genera, the most prevalent proteins belong to carbohydrate metabolism and energy production, which suggest that at 15days of fermentation not only fungi but also bacteria are metabolically active. Several methodologies have been employed to study pozol, with a specific focus toward the identification of the microbiota of this fermented maize dough, using both traditional cultivation techniques and culture independent molecular techniques. However to date, the dynamics of this complex fermentation is not well understood. With the purpose to gain further insight into the nature of the fermentation, we used proteomic technologies to identify the origin of proteins and enzymes that facilitate substrate utilization and ultimately the development of the microbiota and fermentation. In this paper we overcome the first general

Utilization of Vinegar for Isolation of Cellulose Producing Acetic Acid Bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aydin, Y. Andelib; Aksoy, Nuran Deveci

2010-01-01

Wastes of traditionally fermented Turkish vinegar were used in the isolation of cellulose producing acetic acid bacteria. Waste material was pre-enriched in Hestrin-Schramm medium and microorganisms were isolated by plating dilution series on HS agar plates The isolated strains were subjected to elaborate biochemical and physiological tests for identification. Test results were compared to those of reference strains Gluconacetobacter xylinus DSM 46604, Gluconacetobacter hansenii DSM 5602 and Gluconacetobacter liquefaciens DSM 5603. Seventeen strains, out of which only three were found to secrete the exopolysaccharide cellulose. The highest cellulose yield was recorded as 0.263±0.02 g cellulose L -1 for the strain AS14 which resembled Gluconacetobacter hansenii in terms of biochemical tests.

Reception of the Istrian musical tradition(s

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marušić Dario

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The successive colonization of Istria with culturally differentiated populations, and peripheral position of the peninsula regarding both the Latin and Slav worlds, has conditioned interesting phenomena which defines the traditional life of the province. On the spiritual level it is primarily reflected in two cultural dimensions: the language and traditional music.

Molecular identification and quantification of lactic acid bacteria in traditional fermented dairy foods of Russia.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, J; Wang, H M; Zha, M S; Qing, Y T; Bai, N; Ren, Y; Xi, X X; Liu, W J; Menghe, B L G; Zhang, H P

2015-08-01

Russian traditional fermented dairy foods have been consumed for thousands of years. However, little research has focused on exploiting lactic acid bacteria (LAB) resources and analyzing the LAB composition of Russian traditional fermented dairy foods. In the present study, we cultured LAB isolated from fermented mare and cow milks, sour cream, and cheese collected from Kalmykiya, Buryats, and Tuva regions of Russia. Seven lactobacillus species and the Bifidobacterium genus were quantified by quantitative PCR. The LAB counts in these samples ranged from 3.18 to 9.77 log cfu/mL (or per gram). In total, 599 LAB strains were obtained from these samples using de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe agar and M17 agar. The identified LAB belonged to 7 genera and 30 species by 16S rRNA and murE gene sequencing and multiplex PCR assay. The predominant LAB isolates were Lactobacillus helveticus (176 strains) and Lactobacillus plantarum (63 strains), which represented 39.9% of all isolates. The quantitative PCR results revealed that counts of 7 lactobacilli species and Bifidobacterium spp. of 30 fermented cow milk samples ranged from 1.19±0.34 (Lactobacillus helveticus in Tuva) to 8.09±0.71 (Lactobacillus acidophilus in Kalmykiya) log cfu/mL of fermented cow milk (mean ± standard error). The numbers of Bifidobacterium spp., Lb. plantarum, Lb. helveticus, and Lb. acidophilus revealed no significant difference between the 3 regions; nevertheless, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus sakei, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus exhibited different degrees of variation across 3 regions. The results demonstrate that traditional fermented dairy products from different regions of Russia have complex compositions of LAB species. The diversity of LAB might be related to the type of fermented dairy product, geographical origin, and manufacturing process. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fit accuracy of metal partial removable dental prosthesis frameworks fabricated by traditional or light curing modeling material technique: An in vitro study

Science.gov (United States)

Anan, Mohammad Tarek M.; Al-Saadi, Mohannad H.

2015-01-01

Objective The aim of this study was to compare the fit accuracies of metal partial removable dental prosthesis (PRDP) frameworks fabricated by the traditional technique (TT) or the light-curing modeling material technique (LCMT). Materials and methods A metal model of a Kennedy class III modification 1 mandibular dental arch with two edentulous spaces of different spans, short and long, was used for the study. Thirty identical working casts were used to produce 15 PRDP frameworks each by TT and by LCMT. Every framework was transferred to a metal master cast to measure the gap between the metal base of the framework and the crest of the alveolar ridge of the cast. Gaps were measured at three points on each side by a USB digital intraoral camera at ×16.5 magnification. Images were transferred to a graphics editing program. A single examiner performed all measurements. The two-tailed t-test was performed at the 5% significance level. Results The mean gap value was significantly smaller in the LCMT group compared to the TT group. The mean value of the short edentulous span was significantly smaller than that of the long edentulous span in the LCMT group, whereas the opposite result was obtained in the TT group. Conclusion Within the limitations of this study, it can be concluded that the fit of the LCMT-fabricated frameworks was better than the fit of the TT-fabricated frameworks. The framework fit can differ according to the span of the edentate ridge and the fabrication technique for the metal framework. PMID:26236129

Reduce conflicts in traditional merariq traditions through the long tradition of the tribal people of sasak lombok

Science.gov (United States)

Sarmini; Nadiroh, Ulin; Saeun Fahmi, Muhammad

2018-01-01

Marriage is a container for framing the inner-to-heart relationship, the bond of love and affection between a man and woman to nurture a joy of happiness. This study aims to find out how the process and stages in traditional merariq traditions in the Sasak people, conflicts arising from merariq traditions, and reduce conflict through the tradition of selabar. The method used in this research is qualitative analysis method. In the process, merariq tradition is done by kidnapping the bride without the knowledge of the parents or the family of the women. There are several stages that must be passed by the bride and groom in the tradition merariq, namely: besejati, nyelabar, bait wali, sorong serah dan nyongkolang. Conflict that often arises, for internal family, merariq often become a place of coercion against the female family. For society, merariq impact on disruption of harmony of social life. In order to reduce the conflicts done selabar tradition, the tragedy is regarded as an alternative problem solving in the form of negotiations between the bride and groom’s family and the bride-to-be relating to ajikrame and pisuke transactions.

Traditional Chinese medicines and Alzheimer’s disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tzong-Yuan Wu

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Traditional Chinese medicines have been widely investigated for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD because none of the current therapies—either the cholinesterase inhibitors or antagonist of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors—has profound effects on halting the progression of AD. In recent years, scientists have isolated many active compounds from herbs, which can alleviate dementia and neurodegenerative syndrome with fewer side effects than conventional drugs and, thus, are regarded as promising drug candidates for AD therapy. In this review, we summarize the latest research progress on six herbs for AD therapy—Huperzia serrata, Amaryllidaceae family, Ginkgo biloba, Uncaria rhynchophylla, Polygala tenuifolia, and Salvia officinalis—and focus on the analysis of their active components and possible mechanisms of pharmacological actions on AD.

Molecular characterization of Streptococcus agalactiae strains isolated from fishes in Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Amal, M N A; Zamri-Saad, M; Siti-Zahrah, A; Zulkafli, A R; Nur-Nazifah, M

2013-07-01

The aim of this study was to characterize Streptococcus agalactiae strains that were isolated from fishes in Malaysia using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and repetitive extragenic palindromic PCR (REP-PCR) techniques. A total of 181 strains of Strep. agalactiae isolated from red hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) and golden pompano (Trachinotus blochii) were characterized using RAPD and REP-PCR techniques. Both the fingerprinting techniques generated reproducible band patterns, differing in the number and molecular mass amplicons. The RAPD technique displayed greater discriminatory power by its production of more complex binding pattern and divided all the strains into 13 groups, compared to 9 by REP-PCR technique. Both techniques showed the availability to differentiate the genetic profiles of the strains according to their geographical location of origin. Three strains of Strep. agalactiae that were recovered from golden pompano showed a genetic dissimilarity from the strains isolated from red hybrid tilapia, while the strain of ATCC 27956 that recovered from bovine displayed a unique profile for both methods. Both techniques possess excellent discriminative capabilities and can be used as a rapid means of comparing Strep. agalactiae strains for future epidemiological investigation. Framework as the guideline in traceability of this disease and in the search for potential local vaccine candidates for streptococcosis in this country. Journal of Applied Microbiology © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Clinical Results of Arthroscopic Repair of Isolated Longitudinal Tear of Medial Meniscus by Vertical Cruciate Double Mattress Sutures with Outside-in Technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seyied Hamid Barzgar

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction : Meniscal tears are one of the most common injuries treated by arthroscopic techniques. Arthroscopic meniscal repair is an accepted way of treatment for meniscal tears. Different arthroscopic techniques for meniscal repair are: inside-out, outside-in and all inside. In the first 2 techniques, meniscus is repaired by sutures and in the later by suture or by commercial ready implants . The goal of current study is assessing clinical results of arthroscopic repair of longitudinal meniscal tears with vertical cruciate double mattress sutures by outside-in technique after 9 months.   Methods: In this case series study, in 13 patients having criteria for engaging the study with longitudinal isolated meniscus tear, arthroscopic meniscal repair was done with vertical cruciate double mattress sutures by outside-in technique and patients were followed for 9 months.   Results: Of 13 patients, there were 12 males (92.3% and one female (7.7% aged 15-38 (average 28.3 years. In follow up period, there was one case (7.7% of irritation by subcutaneous knot. There was not any failure of repair. Average Lysholm score increased from 55.23 to 91.23 after 9 months of follow up, which was statistically significant (p<0.001. At the end of follow up period, there was not any medial joint line tenderness of knee, giving way or significant effusion or pain.   Conclusion: This study shows that this technique has a good short term outcome with no failure and low complications but it is necessary to do more long term studies to prove it.

Determination of genetic structure of germplasm collections: are traditional hierarchical clustering methods appropriate for molecular marker data?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Odong, T.L.; Heerwaarden, van J.; Jansen, J.; Hintum, van T.J.L.; Eeuwijk, van F.A.

2011-01-01

Despite the availability of newer approaches, traditional hierarchical clustering remains very popular in genetic diversity studies in plants. However, little is known about its suitability for molecular marker data. We studied the performance of traditional hierarchical clustering techniques using

Different effects of two newly-isolated probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum 15HN and Lactococcus lactis subsp. Lactis 44Lac strains from traditional dairy products on cancer cell lines.

Science.gov (United States)

Haghshenas, Babak; Abdullah, Norhafizah; Nami, Yousef; Radiah, Dayang; Rosli, Rozita; Khosroushahi, Ahmad Yari

2014-12-01

Lactobacillus and Lactococcus strains isolated from food products can be introduced as probiotics because of their health-promoting characteristics and non-pathogenic nature. This study aims to perform the isolation, molecular identification, and probiotic characterization of Lactobacillus and Lactococcus strains from traditional Iranian dairy products. Primary probiotic assessments indicated high tolerance to low pH and high bile salt conditions, high anti-pathogenic activities, and susceptibility to high consumption antibiotics, thus proving that both strains possess probiotic potential. Cytotoxicity assessments were used to analyze the effects of the secreted metabolite on different cancer cell lines, including HT29, AGS, MCF-7, and HeLa, as well as a normal human cell line (HUVEC). Results showed acceptable cytotoxic properties for secreted metabolites (40 μg/ml dry weight) of Lactococcus lactis subsp. Lactis 44Lac. Such performance was similar to that of Taxol against all of the treated cancer cell lines; however, the strain exhibited no toxicity on the normal cell line. Cytotoxic assessments through flow cytometry and fluorescent microscopy demonstrated that apoptosis is the main cytotoxic mechanism for secreted metabolites of L. lactis subsp. Lactis 44Lac. By contrast, the effects of protease-treated metabolites on the AGS cell line verified the protein nature of anti-cancer metabolites. However, precise characterizations and in vitro/in vivo investigations on purified proteins should be conducted before these metabolites are introduced as potential anti-cancer therapeutics. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Isolation and identification of antimicrobial compound from Mentha longifolia L. leaves grown wild in Iraq

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Al-Bayati Firas A

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mentha longifolia L. (Lamiaceae leaves have been traditionally implemented in the treatment of minor sore throat and minor mouth or throat irritation by the indigenous people of Iraq, although the compounds responsible for the medicinal properties have not been identified. In the present study, an antimicrobial compound was isolated and characterized, and its biological activity was assessed. Methods The compound was isolated and characterized from the extracted essential oil using different spectral techniques: TLC, FTIR spectra and HPLC. Antimicrobial activity of the compound was assessed using both disc diffusion and microdilution method in 96 multi-well microtiter plates. Results A known compound was isolated from the essential oil of the plant and was identified as (- menthol. The isolated compound was investigated for its antimicrobial activity against seven selected pathogenic and non-pathogenic microorganisms: Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus faecalis, Streptococcus pyogenis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the yeast Candida albicans. Menthol at different concentrations (1:1, 1:5, 1:10, 1:20 was active against all tested bacteria except for P. aeruginosa, and the highest inhibitory effect was observed against S. mutans (zone of inhibition: 25.3 mm using the disc diffusion method. Minimal inhibitory concentration MIC values ranged from 15.6–125.0 μg/ml, and the most promising results were observed against S. aureus and S. mutans (MIC 15.6 μg/ml while, S. faecalis, S. pyogenis and L. acidophilus ranked next (MIC 31.2 μg/ml. Furthermore, menthol achieved considerable antifungal activity against the yeast C. albicans (zone of inhibition range: 7.1–18.5 mm; MIC: 125.0. Conclusion The isolation of an antimicrobial compound from M. longifolia leaves validates the use of this plant in the treatment of minor sore throat and minor mouth or throat irritation.

Recent Advances in Traditional Chinese Medicine for Kidney Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Yifei; Menon, Madhav C; Deng, Yueyi; Chen, Yiping; He, John Cijiang

2015-09-01

Because current treatment options for chronic kidney disease (CKD) are limited, many patients seek out alternative therapies such as traditional Chinese medicine. However, there is a lack of evidence from large clinical trials to support the use of traditional medicines in patients with CKD. Many active components of traditional medicine formulas are undetermined and their toxicities are unknown. Therefore, there is a need for research to identify active compounds from traditional medicines and understand the mechanisms of action of these compounds, as well as their potential toxicity, and subsequently perform well-designed, randomized, controlled, clinical trials to study the efficacy and safety of their use in patients with CKD. Significant progress has been made in this field within the last several years. Many active compounds have been identified by applying sophisticated techniques such as mass spectrometry, and more mechanistic studies of these compounds have been performed using both in vitro and in vivo models. In addition, several well-designed, large, randomized, clinical trials have recently been published. We summarize these recent advances in the field of traditional medicines as they apply to CKD. In addition, current barriers for further research are also discussed. Due to the ongoing research in this field, we believe that stronger evidence to support the use of traditional medicines for CKD will emerge in the near future. Copyright © 2015 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

traditional and modern art in nigeria: a comparative analysis

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Modern art on the other hand is referred to as a marriage of the old tradition with the new artistic expression in terms of materials, techniques and tools by the college-trained artists. The current state of the arts in Nigeria is examined and suggestions are made for the reconstruction and revitalization of the art profession, and ...

Extracellular Vesicle Heterogeneity: Subpopulations, Isolation Techniques, and Diverse Functions in Cancer Progression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduard Willms

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Cells release membrane enclosed nano-sized vesicles termed extracellular vesicles (EVs that function as mediators of intercellular communication by transferring biological information between cells. Tumor-derived EVs have emerged as important mediators in cancer development and progression, mainly through transfer of their bioactive content which can include oncoproteins, oncogenes, chemokine receptors, as well as soluble factors, transcripts of proteins and miRNAs involved in angiogenesis or inflammation. This transfer has been shown to influence the metastatic behavior of primary tumors. Moreover, tumor-derived EVs have been shown to influence distant cellular niches, establishing favorable microenvironments that support growth of disseminated cancer cells upon their arrival at these pre-metastatic niches. It is generally accepted that cells release a number of major EV populations with distinct biophysical properties and biological functions. Exosomes, microvesicles, and apoptotic bodies are EV populations most widely studied and characterized. They are discriminated based primarily on their intracellular origin. However, increasing evidence suggests that even within these EV populations various subpopulations may exist. This heterogeneity introduces an extra level of complexity in the study of EV biology and function. For example, EV subpopulations could have unique roles in the intricate biological processes underlying cancer biology. Here, we discuss current knowledge regarding the role of subpopulations of EVs in cancer development and progression and highlight the relevance of EV heterogeneity. The position of tetraspanins and integrins therein will be highlighted. Since addressing EV heterogeneity has become essential for the EV field, current and novel techniques for isolating EV subpopulations will also be discussed. Further dissection of EV heterogeneity will advance our understanding of the critical roles of EVs in health and

Extracellular Vesicle Heterogeneity: Subpopulations, Isolation Techniques, and Diverse Functions in Cancer Progression.

Science.gov (United States)

Willms, Eduard; Cabañas, Carlos; Mäger, Imre; Wood, Matthew J A; Vader, Pieter

2018-01-01

Cells release membrane enclosed nano-sized vesicles termed extracellular vesicles (EVs) that function as mediators of intercellular communication by transferring biological information between cells. Tumor-derived EVs have emerged as important mediators in cancer development and progression, mainly through transfer of their bioactive content which can include oncoproteins, oncogenes, chemokine receptors, as well as soluble factors, transcripts of proteins and miRNAs involved in angiogenesis or inflammation. This transfer has been shown to influence the metastatic behavior of primary tumors. Moreover, tumor-derived EVs have been shown to influence distant cellular niches, establishing favorable microenvironments that support growth of disseminated cancer cells upon their arrival at these pre-metastatic niches. It is generally accepted that cells release a number of major EV populations with distinct biophysical properties and biological functions. Exosomes, microvesicles, and apoptotic bodies are EV populations most widely studied and characterized. They are discriminated based primarily on their intracellular origin. However, increasing evidence suggests that even within these EV populations various subpopulations may exist. This heterogeneity introduces an extra level of complexity in the study of EV biology and function. For example, EV subpopulations could have unique roles in the intricate biological processes underlying cancer biology. Here, we discuss current knowledge regarding the role of subpopulations of EVs in cancer development and progression and highlight the relevance of EV heterogeneity. The position of tetraspanins and integrins therein will be highlighted. Since addressing EV heterogeneity has become essential for the EV field, current and novel techniques for isolating EV subpopulations will also be discussed. Further dissection of EV heterogeneity will advance our understanding of the critical roles of EVs in health and disease.

Search for unknown isotopes using the TIARA-ISOL and the JAERI-ISOL

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Asai, Masato [Nagoya Univ. (Japan). School of Engineering

1997-07-01

The new neutron-deficient isotopes {sup 127}Pr and {sup 125}Pr, and the new neutron-rich isotopes {sup 166}Tb, {sup 165}Gd and {sup 161}Sm were identified using the TIARA-ISOL with {sup 36}Ar + {sup 92,94}Mo reactions, and the gas-jet coupled JAERI-ISOL with a proton-induced fission of {sup 238}U, respectively. The element-selective oxidation technique was used to reduce large contamination from isobars and molecular ions with production cross sections about one or two orders of magnitude as large as those of the new isotopes. The good signal-to-noise ratios achieved in the present measurements were essential to observe and identify weak X/{gamma} rays from the new isotopes. (author)

MODIFIED TECHNIQUE OF TOTAL LARYNGECTOMY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Predrag Spirić

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Surgical technique of total laryngectomy is well presented in many surgical textbooks. Essentially, it has remained the same since Gluck an Soerensen in 1922 described all its details. Generally, it stresses the U shape skin incision with releasing laryngeal structures and removing larynx from up to down. Further, pharyngeal reconstruction is performed with different kinds of sutures in two or more layers and is finished with skin suture and suction drainage. One of worst complications following this surgery is pharyngocutaneous fistula (PF. Modifications proposed in this this article suggests vertical skin incision with larynx removal from below upwards. In pharyngeal reconstruction we used the running locked suture in submucosal plan with „tobacco sac“ at the end on the tongue base instead of traditional T shaped suture. Suction drains were not used.The aim of study was to present the modified surgical technique of total laryingectomy and its impact on hospital stay duration and pharyngocutanous fistula formation. In this randomized study we analyzed 49 patients operated with modified surgical technique compared to 49 patient operated with traditional surgical technique of total laryngectomy. The modified technique of total laryngectomy was presented. Using modified technique we managed to decrease the PF percentage from previous 20,41% to acceptable 8,16% (p=0,0334. Also, the average hospital stay was shortened from 14,96 to 10,63 days (t =-2.9850; p=0.0358.The modified technique of total laryngectomy is safe, short and efficient surgical intervention which decreases the number of pharyngocutaneos fistulas and shortens the hospital stay.

Study of the Mechanical Properties and Vibration Isolation Performance of a Molecular Spring Isolator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muchun Yu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Molecular Spring Isolator (MSI is a novel passive vibration isolation technique, providing High-Static-Low-Dynamic (HSLD stiffness based on the use of molecular spring material. The molecular spring material is a solid-liquid mixture consisting of water and hydrophobic nanoporous materials. Under a certain level of external pressure, water molecules can intrude into the hydrophobic pores of nanoporous materials, developing an additional solid-liquid interface. Such interfaces are able to store, release, and transform mechanical energy, providing properties like mechanical spring. Having been only recently developed, the basic mechanic properties of a MSI have not been studied in depth. This paper focuses on the stiffness influence factors, the dynamic frequency response, and the vibration isolation performance of a MSI; these properties help engineers to design MSIs for different engineering applications. First, the working mechanism of a MSI is introduced from a three-dimensional general view of the water infiltration massive hydrophobic nanoporous pores. Next, a wide range of influence factors on the stiffness properties of MSI are studied. In addition, the frequency response functions (FRFs of the MSI vibration isolation system are studied utilizing the matching method based on equivalent piecewise linear (EPL system. Finally, the vibration isolation properties of MSI are evaluated by force transmissibility.

Isolation and Characterization of Lactic Acid Bacteria from Inasua

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ferymon Mahulette

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Inasua is a traditionally product of wet salt fish fermentation produced by Teon, Nila and Serua (TNS Communities in Central Maluku, Indonesia. The community made this fermented fish to anticipate the lean time when fisherman could not go to sea.  The  fish that used as inasua raw material is demersal fishes that live around coral reefs, such as Samandar fish (Siganatus guttatus, Gala-gala fish (Lutjanus sp. and Sikuda fish (Lethrinus ornatus. The objective of the research was to isolate and characterize of bacterial indigenous in  Inasua from three producers in Seram Island. The measurement of pH from inasua samples were 5.9, 5.0 and 5.8, respectively. The highest number of lactic acid bacteria was found from  Gala – gala inasua was 2,5x107 cfu/g sample. Isolation of all isolates bacteria from inasua showed that a total of 7 isolates of bacteria was obtained  from Samadar inasua, 9 isolates from  Gala-gala inasua, and 7 isolates from  Sikuda inasua.  From a total of 23 isolates, only 6 isolates had characteristic as lactic acid bacteria that were Gram  positive, negative catalase, and cocci shape. The microscopic characteristics  of the isolates are coccid in pairs or uniforms which combine to form tetrads. Carbohydrate utilization test  of selected isolate by using API 50 CHB kit indicated that 13 carbohydrates are fermented by these isolates  after incubation for 48 hours. The research  was concluded that the dominant bacteria in inasua sample  is  cocci-lactic acid bacteria. Keywords : fermented fish, inasua, lactic acid bacteria, MRSA medium

Viscosimetric measurements of isolated protein of irradiated soy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sabato, Susy Frey; Mastro, Nelida L. del

2000-01-01

The soy is one of the most important cultivating leguminous plant. Its plantation constitutes a millenarian eastern tradition and gradually it becomes prominent in occident. Brazil is the second producer of soy in the world and produces fractions enriched in proteins, called concentrated and isolated. The isolated protein of soy is the most refined in the protein derivatives of soy, more than contends 90% of protein in its composition. The soy has been intensively studied because of its diverse benefits to the human health and its functionality, with several applications as ingredients in gravies, soups, meat products and drinks. In this work the behavior of the viscosity of watery solutions of the isolated protein mixture was verified of soy with glycerol (in ratios 1:1 and 2:1) when irradiated with different doses (0, 5, 15 and 25 kGy) of maser gamma (60 Co). The study was lead without thermal handling to verify only the effect of the irradiation process. (author)

Experimental Assessment on the Hysteretic Behavior of a Full-Scale Traditional Chinese Timber Structure Using a Synchronous Loading Technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

XiWang Shi

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In traditional Chinese timber structures, few tie beams were used between columns, and the column base was placed directly on a stone base. In order to study the hysteretic behavior of such structures, a full-scale model was established. The model size was determined according to the requirements of an eighth grade material system specified in the architectural treatise Ying-zao-fa-shi written during the Song Dynasty. In light of the vertical lift and drop of the test model during horizontal reciprocating motions, the horizontal low-cycle reciprocating loading experiments were conducted using a synchronous loading technique. By analyzing the load-displacement hysteresis curves, envelope curves, deformation capacity, energy dissipation, and change in stiffness under different vertical loads, it is found that the timber frame exhibits obvious signs of self-restoring and favorable plastic deformation capacity. As the horizontal displacement increases, the equivalent viscous damping coefficient generally declines first and then increases. At the same time, the stiffness degrades rapidly first and then decreases slowly. Increasing vertical loading will improve the deformation, energy-dissipation capacity, and stiffness of the timber frame.

The Combination of DGT Technique and Traditional Chemical Methods for Evaluation of Cadmium Bioavailability in Contaminated Soils with Organic Amendment

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Yu; Sun, Qin; Wang, Chao; Wang, Pei-Fang; Miao, Ling-Zhan; Ding, Shi-Ming

2016-01-01

Organic amendments have been proposed as a means of remediation for Cd-contaminated soils. However, understanding the inhibitory effects of organic materials on metal immobilization requires further research. In this study colza cake, a typical organic amendment material, was investigated in order to elucidate the ability of this material to reduce toxicity of Cd-contaminated soil. Available concentrations of Cd in soils were measured using an in situ diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) technique in combination with traditional chemical methods, such as HOAc (aqua regia), EDTA (ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid), NaOAc (sodium acetate), CaCl2, and labile Cd in pore water. These results were applied to predict the Cd bioavailability after the addition of colza cake to Cd-contaminated soil. Two commonly grown cash crops, wheat and maize, were selected for Cd accumulation studies, and were found to be sensitive to Cd bioavailability. Results showed that the addition of colza cake may inhibit the growth of wheat and maize. Furthermore, the addition of increasing colza cake doses led to decreasing shoot and root biomass accumulation. However, increasing colza cake doses did lead to the reduction of Cd accumulation in plant tissues, as indicated by the decreasing Cd concentrations in shoots and roots. The labile concentration of Cd obtained by DGT measurements and the traditional chemical extraction methods, showed the clear decrease of Cd with the addition of increasing colza cake doses. All indicators showed significant positive correlations (p soil solution decreased with increasing colza cake doses. This was reflected by the decreases in the ratio (R) value of CDGT to Csol. Our study suggests that the sharp decrease in R values could not only reflect the extremely low capability of labile Cd to be released from its solid phase, but may also be applied to evaluate the abnormal growth of the plants. PMID:27314376

The Combination of DGT Technique and Traditional Chemical Methods for Evaluation of Cadmium Bioavailability in Contaminated Soils with Organic Amendment.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Yu; Sun, Qin; Wang, Chao; Wang, Pei-Fang; Miao, Ling-Zhan; Ding, Shi-Ming

2016-06-15

Organic amendments have been proposed as a means of remediation for Cd-contaminated soils. However, understanding the inhibitory effects of organic materials on metal immobilization requires further research. In this study colza cake, a typical organic amendment material, was investigated in order to elucidate the ability of this material to reduce toxicity of Cd-contaminated soil. Available concentrations of Cd in soils were measured using an in situ diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) technique in combination with traditional chemical methods, such as HOAc (aqua regia), EDTA (ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid), NaOAc (sodium acetate), CaCl₂, and labile Cd in pore water. These results were applied to predict the Cd bioavailability after the addition of colza cake to Cd-contaminated soil. Two commonly grown cash crops, wheat and maize, were selected for Cd accumulation studies, and were found to be sensitive to Cd bioavailability. Results showed that the addition of colza cake may inhibit the growth of wheat and maize. Furthermore, the addition of increasing colza cake doses led to decreasing shoot and root biomass accumulation. However, increasing colza cake doses did lead to the reduction of Cd accumulation in plant tissues, as indicated by the decreasing Cd concentrations in shoots and roots. The labile concentration of Cd obtained by DGT measurements and the traditional chemical extraction methods, showed the clear decrease of Cd with the addition of increasing colza cake doses. All indicators showed significant positive correlations (p soil solution decreased with increasing colza cake doses. This was reflected by the decreases in the ratio (R) value of CDGT to Csol. Our study suggests that the sharp decrease in R values could not only reflect the extremely low capability of labile Cd to be released from its solid phase, but may also be applied to evaluate the abnormal growth of the plants.

Isolation and Optimization of Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) Technique For Pleurotus Sajor Caju Towards Environmental Study in Support of the Country's Nuclear Power Programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosnani Abdul Rashid; Azhar Mohamad; Mat Rasol Awang; Hassan Hamdani Mutaat; Shaiful Azuar Mohamad; Affrida Abu Hasan; Mohd Meswan Maskom; Siti Khadijah Mohd Nahar

2013-01-01

Mushroom can be used as a biological indicator in assessing radiological impact on the environment. Radiological effect would be reflected through morphological changes as well as those changes at molecular level. For this purpose, a preliminary work was conducted, which included DNA isolation, optimization of PCR parameters for Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) and primers screening on Pleurotus sajor caju mushroom strains from Nuclear Malaysia's Sterifeed Mushrooms Collection Centre. In this work, DNA isolation technique from cap and stalk of fruit body were optimized and quantified. It was found that stalk produced highest amount of genomic DNA at 304.01 ng/ μl and cap at 149.00 ng/ μl. A total of 100 ISSR primers were tested and 51 primers were successfully amplified. These primers will be used further for dose response evaluation and molecular profiling in mushroom species. (author)

The Relationship between Affective and Social Isolation among Undergraduate Students

Science.gov (United States)

Alghraibeh, Ahmad M.; Juieed, Noof M. Bni

2018-01-01

We examined the correlation between social isolation and affective isolation among 457 undergraduate students using a stratified cluster sampling technique. Participants comprised 221 men and 236 women, all of whom were either first- or fourth-year students enrolled in various majors at King Saud University. Means, standard deviations, Pearson…

The biodiversity of lactic acid bacteria in Greek traditional wheat sourdoughs is reflected in both composition and metabolite formation.

Science.gov (United States)

De Vuyst, Luc; Schrijvers, Vincent; Paramithiotis, Spiros; Hoste, Bart; Vancanneyt, Marc; Swings, Jean; Kalantzopoulos, George; Tsakalidou, Effie; Messens, Winy

2002-12-01

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from Greek traditional wheat sourdoughs manufactured without the addition of baker's yeast. Application of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of total cell protein, randomly amplified polymorphic DNA-PCR, DNA-DNA hybridization, and 16S ribosomal DNA sequence analysis, in combination with physiological traits such as fructose fermentation and mannitol production, allowed us to classify the isolated bacteria into the species Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus paralimentarius, and Weissella cibaria. This consortium seems to be unique for the Greek traditional wheat sourdoughs studied. Strains of the species W. cibaria have not been isolated from sourdoughs previously. No Lactobacillus pontis or Lactobacillus panis strains were found. An L. brevis-like isolate (ACA-DC 3411 t1) could not be identified properly and might be a new sourdough LAB species. In addition, fermentation capabilities associated with the LAB detected have been studied. During laboratory fermentations, all heterofermentative sourdough LAB strains produced lactic acid, acetic acid, and ethanol. Mannitol was produced from fructose that served as an additional electron acceptor. In addition to glucose, almost all of the LAB isolates fermented maltose, while fructose as the sole carbohydrate source was fermented by all sourdough LAB tested except L. sanfranciscensis. Two of the L. paralimentarius isolates tested did not ferment maltose; all strains were homofermentative. In the presence of both maltose and fructose in the medium, induction of hexokinase activity occurred in all sourdough LAB species mentioned above, explaining why no glucose accumulation was found extracellularly. No maltose phosphorylase activity was found either. These data produced a variable fermentation coefficient and a unique sourdough metabolite composition.

Evaluation of Antiulcer and Cytotoxic Potential of the Leaf, Flower, and Fruit Extracts of Calotropis procera and Isolation of a New Lignan Glycoside

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Areej Mohammad Al-Taweel

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Calotropis procera is traditionally used for treating many diseases including ulcers and tumors. It was thus deemed of interest to investigate and compare the antiulcer and cytotoxic activities of C. procera leaf, flower, and fruit extracts in an attempt to verify its traditional uses. Phytochemical studies on the fruits, flowers, and leaves of C. procera, collected from the desert of Saudi Arabia, led to the isolation of one new lignan 7′-methoxy-3′-O-demethyl-tanegool-9-O-β-D-glucopyranoside and five known compounds from the flowers, four compounds from leaves, and a flavonoid glycoside and a lignan glycoside from the fruits. The structures of compounds were determined by spectroscopic techniques. Ethanol extracts of the three parts of C. procera were evaluated for their antiulcer activity and we found that the leaf extract possessed a powerful antiulcer activity which could be considered as a promising drug candidate. All the extracts and the isolated compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against MCF-7, HCT-116, HepG-2, and A-549 human cancer cell lines. Compound 2 was highly active on all the cell lines, whereas compounds 5 and 11 were more selective on colon and liver cell lines. Compound 10 demonstrated a significant activity on liver and lung cancer cell lines.

Taste-active compounds in a traditional Italian food: 'lampascioni'.

Science.gov (United States)

Borgonovo, Gigliola; Caimi, Sara; Morini, Gabriella; Scaglioni, Leonardo; Bassoli, Angela

2008-06-01

Nature is a rich source of taste-active compounds, in particular of plant origin, many of which have unusual tastes. Many of these are found in traditional food, where spontaneous plants are used as ingredients. Some taste-active compounds were identified in the bulbs of Muscari comosum, a spontaneous plant belonging to the family of the Liliaceae, very common in the Mediterranean area, and used in traditional gastronomy (called 'lampascioni' in South Italy). The bulbs were extracted with a series of solvents of different polarity. The different fractions were submitted to a preliminary sensory evaluation, and the most interesting ones, characterized by a strong bitter taste and some chemestetic properties, were submitted to further purification and structural analysis. From the ethereal extract, several 3-benzyl-4-chromanones and one stilbene derivative were isolated. Pure compounds were examined for their taste activity by means of sensory evaluation, and proved to be responsible for the characteristic taste of this food. Some of these compounds have been synthesized de novo to confirm their structure.

Plutonium interaction with a bacterial strain isolated from the waste isolation pilot plant (WIPP) environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strietelmeier, B.A.; Kraus, S.M.; Leonard, P.A.; Triay, I.R.

1996-01-01

This work was conducted as part of a series of experiments to determine the association and interaction of various actinides with bacteria isolated from the WIPP site. The majority of bacteria that exist at the site are expected to be halophiles, or extreme halophiles, due to the high concentration of salt minerals at the location. Experiments were conducted to determine the toxicity of plutonium-n-239, neptunium-237 and americium-243 to several species of these halophiles and the results were reported elsewhere. As an extension of these experiments, we report an investigation of the type of association that occurs between 239 Pu and the isolate WIPP-1A, isolated by staff at Brookhaven National Laboratory, when grown in a high-salt, defined medium. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques, we demonstrate a surface association of the 239 Pu with the bacterial cells

Wind Gust Measurement Techniques—From Traditional Anemometry to New Possibilities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irene Suomi

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Information on wind gusts is needed for assessment of wind-induced damage and risks to safety. The measurement of wind gust speed requires a high temporal resolution of the anemometer system, because the gust is defined as a short-duration (seconds maximum of the fluctuating wind speed. Until the digitalization of wind measurements in the 1990s, the wind gust measurements suffered from limited recording and data processing resources. Therefore, the majority of continuous wind gust records date back at most only by 30 years. Although the response characteristics of anemometer systems are good enough today, the traditional measurement techniques at weather stations based on cup and sonic anemometers are limited to heights and regions where the supporting structures can reach. Therefore, existing measurements are mainly concentrated over densely-populated land areas, whereas from remote locations, such as the marine Arctic, wind gust information is available only from sparse coastal locations. Recent developments of wind gust measurement techniques based on turbulence measurements from research aircraft and from Doppler lidar can potentially provide new information from heights and locations unreachable by traditional measurement techniques. Moreover, fast-developing measurement methods based on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs may add to better coverage of wind gust measurements in the future. In this paper, we provide an overview of the history and the current status of anemometry from the perspective of wind gusts. Furthermore, a discussion on the potential future directions of wind gust measurement techniques is provided.

Teaching basic lung isolation skills on human anatomy simulator: attainment and retention of lung isolation skills.

Science.gov (United States)

Latif, Rana K; VanHorne, Edgar M; Kandadai, Sunitha Kanchi; Bautista, Alexander F; Neamtu, Aurel; Wadhwa, Anupama; Carter, Mary B; Ziegler, Craig H; Memon, Mohammed Faisal; Akça, Ozan

2016-01-20

Lung isolation skills, such as correct insertion of double lumen endobronchial tube and bronchial blocker, are essential in anesthesia training; however, how to teach novices these skills is underexplored. Our aims were to determine (1) if novices can be trained to a basic proficiency level of lung isolation skills, (2) whether video-didactic and simulation-based trainings are comparable in teaching lung isolation basic skills, and (3) whether novice learners' lung isolation skills decay over time without practice. First, five board certified anesthesiologist with experience of more than 100 successful lung isolations were tested on Human Airway Anatomy Simulator (HAAS) to establish Expert proficiency skill level. Thirty senior medical students, who were naive to bronchoscopy and lung isolation techniques (Novice) were randomized to video-didactic and simulation-based trainings to learn lung isolation skills. Before and after training, Novices' performances were scored for correct placement using pass/fail scoring and a 5-point Global Rating Scale (GRS); and time of insertion was recorded. Fourteen novices were retested 2 months later to assess skill decay. Experts' and novices' double lumen endobronchial tube and bronchial blocker passing rates showed similar success rates after training (P >0.99). There were no differences between the video-didactic and simulation-based methods. Novices' time of insertion decayed within 2 months without practice. Novices could be trained to basic skill proficiency level of lung isolation. Video-didactic and simulation-based methods we utilized were found equally successful in training novices for lung isolation skills. Acquired skills partially decayed without practice.

Review of the ISOL Method

CERN Document Server

Lindroos, M

2004-01-01

The ISOL technique was invented in Copenhagen over 50 years ago and eventually migrated to CERN where a suitable proton drive beam was available at the Syncho-Cyclotron. The quick spread of the technique from CERN to many other laboratories has resulted in a large user community, which has assured the continued development of the method, physics in the front-line of fundamental research and the application of the method to many applied sciences. The technique is today established as one of the main techniques for on-line isotope production of high intensity and high quality beams. The thick targets used allows the production of unmatched high intensity radioactive beams. The fact that the ions are produced at rest makes it ideally suitable for low energy experiments and for post acceleration using well established accelerator techniques. The many different versions of the technique will be discussed and the many facilities spread all over the world will be reviewed. The major developments at the existing faci...

Isolation of chicken taste buds for real-time Ca2+ imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Kudo, Ken-ichi; Kawabata, Fuminori; Nomura, Toumi; Aridome, Ayumi; Nishimura, Shotaro; Tabata, Shoji

2014-10-01

We isolated chicken taste buds and used a real-time Ca2+ imaging technique to investigate the functions of the taste cells. With RT-PCR, we found that isolated chicken taste bud-like cell subsets express chicken gustducin messenger RNA. Immunocytochemical techniques revealed that the cell subsets were also immunopositive for chicken gustducin. These results provided strong evidence that the isolated cell subsets contain chicken taste buds. The isolated cell subsets were spindle-shaped and approximately 61-75 μm wide and 88-98 μm long, and these characteristics are similar to those of sectional chicken taste buds. Using Ca2+ imaging, we observed the buds' response to 2 mmol/L quinine hydrochloride (a bitter substance) and their response to a mixture of 25 mmol/L L-glutamic acid monopotassium salt monohydrate and 1 mmol/L inosine 5'-monophosphate disodium salt, umami substances. The present study is the first morphological demonstration of isolated chicken taste buds, and our results indicate that the isolated taste buds were intact and functional approaches for examining the taste senses of the chicken using Ca2+ imaging can be informative. © 2014 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Aspergillus Associated with Meju, a Fermented Soybean Starting Material for Traditional Soy Sauce and Soybean Paste in Korea

OpenAIRE

Hong, Seung-Beom; Kim, Dae-Ho; Samson, Robert A.

2015-01-01

Aspergillus is an important fungal genus used for the fermentation of Asian foods; this genus is referred to as koji mold in Japan and China. A. oryzae, A. sojae, and A. tamari are used in the production of miso and shoyu in Japan, but a comprehensive taxonomic study of Aspergillus isolated from Meju, a fermented soybean starting material for traditional soy sauce and soybean paste in Korea, has not been conducted. In this study, various Aspergillus species were isolated during a study of the...

Isolation of Lactic Acid Bacteria with High Biological Activity from Local Fermented Dairy Products

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Munkhtsetseg

2009-12-01

Full Text Available The thirty-two strains of lactic acid bacteria were isolated from the Mongolian traditional fermented dairy products, among them 25 strains show antimicrobial activity against test microorganisms including Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus aureus , Enterococcus faecalis , Pseudom о nas aeruginosa . Protease sensitivity assay demonstrated that the antimicrobial substances produced by isolates А 23, Т 2 are bacteriocins as their antibacterial activities were eliminated completely after treatment with protease. Identi fi cation of bacteria is being carried out. Among the isolates 22 strains show protease enzyme producing activity. The selected strains isolated from mare’s fermented milk (airag or kumis and yoghurt (tarag show the speci fi c protease activity from 7.9 μ g/ml to 11.9 μ g/ml. The strain T2, isolated from yoghurt exhibited the highest proteolytic activity.

Isoprenoid, lipid, and protein contents in intact plastids isolated from mesocarp cells of traditional and high-pigment tomato cultivars at different ripening stages.

Science.gov (United States)

Lenucci, Marcello S; Serrone, Lucia; De Caroli, Monica; Fraser, Paul D; Bramley, Peter M; Piro, Gabriella; Dalessandro, Giuseppe

2012-02-22

This study reports quali-quantitative analyses on isoprenoids, phospholipids, neutral lipids, phytosterols, and proteins in purified plastids isolated from fresh fruits of traditional (Donald and Incas) and high-pigment (Kalvert and HLY-18) tomato cultivars at four ripening stages. In all of the investigated cultivars, lycopene, β-catotene, lutein, and total carotenoids varied significantly during ripening. Chromoplasts of red-ripe tomato fruits of high-pigment cultivars accumulated twice as much as lycopene (307.6 and 319.2 μg/mg of plastid proteins in Kalvert and HLY-18, respectively) than ordinary cultivars (178.6 and 151.7 μg/mg of plastid proteins in Donald and Incas, respectively); differences in chlorophyll and α-tocopherol contents were also evidenced. Phospholipids and phytosterols increased during ripening, whereas triglycerides showed a general decrease. Regardless of the stage of ripening, palmitic acid was the major fatty acid in all cultivars (ranging from 35 to 52% of the total fatty acids), followed by stearic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic, and myristic acids, but their relative percentage was affected by ripening. Most of the bands detected on the SDS-PAGEs of plastid proteins were constantly present during chloroplast-to-chromoplast conversion, some others disappeared, and only one, with a molecular weight of ~41.6 kDa, was found to increase in intensity.

Using Alternative Teaching Techniques To Enhance Student Performance in the Traditional Introductory Public Relations Course.

Science.gov (United States)

Lubbers, Charles A.

2002-01-01

Examines the value of two alternative tools as supplements for the traditional introduction to public relations course. Considers the usage of a study manual, usage of televised review sessions, year in school and major status. Indicates that all four variables are significantly correlated with class performance, but that the study manual explains…

Genome sequences of two Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides strains isolated from Danish dairy starter cultures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Thomas Bæk; Kot, Witold Piotr; Hansen, L.H.

2014-01-01

The lactic acid bacterium Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides can be found in mesophilic cheese starters, where it produces aromatic compounds from, e.g., citrate. Here, we present the draft genome sequences of two L. pseudomesenteroides strains isolated from traditional Danish cheese starters....

Protein Pattern and Plasmid Profile of Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Dahi, A Traditional Fermented Milk Product of Pakistan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tariq Masud

2007-01-01

Full Text Available A total of 116 isolates were identified from randomly collected market dahi samples from Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Lactic acid bacteria dominated the microbial population of dahi and were identified according to their morphological and physiological characteristics. Among these lactobacilli were frequently occurring organisms. The phenotypic and biochemical analyses gave a diversity of species (8 presumptive species. The most abundant species were Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus (28 isolates and Streptococcus thermophilus (25 isolates. Some contaminants such as Staphylococcus, Micrococcus and Saccharomyces spp. were also observed. The whole cell protein profiles of selected strains of lactic acid bacteria were examined by SDS-PAGE. It was observed that each species yielded a different electrophoretic pattern. It was further observed that among the strains investigated for the analysis of plasmid DNA 22 strains were found positive, 8 strains of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus followed by 5 of L. acidophilus, 4 of L. casei, 3 of L. helveticus and one of each L. delbrueckii subsp. delbrueckii and L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis, whereas no plasmid was observed in S. thermophilus and L. lactis strains investigated during the study. All the plasmids isolated were mostly large size plasmids and ranged from 20 to 25 kb in size.

Cultivating ICT Students' Interpersonal Soft Skills in Online Learning Environments Using Traditional Active Learning Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Myers, Trina S.; Blackman, Anna; Andersen, Trevor; Hay, Rachel; Lee, Ickjai; Gray, Heather

2014-01-01

Flexible online delivery of tertiary ICT programs is experiencing rapid growth. Creating an online environment that develops team building and interpersonal skills is difficult due to factors such as student isolation and the individual-centric model of online learning that encourages discrete study rather than teamwork. Incorporating teamwork…

Understanding traditional African healing.

Science.gov (United States)

Mokgobi, M G

2014-09-01

Traditional African healing has been in existence for many centuries yet many people still seem not to understand how it relates to God and religion/spirituality. Some people seem to believe that traditional healers worship the ancestors and not God. It is therefore the aim of this paper to clarify this relationship by discussing a chain of communication between the worshipers and the Almighty God. Other aspects of traditional healing namely types of traditional healers, training of traditional healers as well as the role of traditional healers in their communities are discussed. In conclusion, the services of traditional healers go far beyond the uses of herbs for physical illnesses. Traditional healers serve many roles which include but not limited to custodians of the traditional African religion and customs, educators about culture, counselors, social workers and psychologists.

Microbiology of Composting Pig Waste: Comparison of Vermicomposting and Open Heap Techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ogefere, H. O.

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Against the background of an effective waste management, microbiological studies of composting pig waste were investigated. Freshly deposited excreta from confined pigs in a private pig farm in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria were composted by two aerobic methods – vermicomposting and open heap. Microbial (bacterial and fungal counts and characterization were carried out periodically within the 40 weeks of composting, using standard techniques. The results showed that only duration of composting significantly (p<.0.05 affected microbial counts as the counts decreased from the initial value at week zero to much lower value at week 40. A total of 274 bacterial and fungal isolates were recovered from the composting waste and majority (60.58% were isolated from the open heap. Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aspergillus flavus were the predominant isolates recovered (9.49% each, and were the only isolates recovered throughout the period of composting irrespective of the composting technique. Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhimurium were the least isolated (1.09% each. Vermicomposting technique was recommended on health and environmental grounds.

Test person operated 2-Alternative Forced Choice Audiometry compared to traditional audiometry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmidt, Jesper Hvass; Brandt, Christian; Christensen-Dalsgaard, Jakob

  Background: With a newly developed technique, hearing thresholds can be estimated with a system operated by the test persons themselves. This technique is based on the 2 Alternative Forced Choice paradigm known from the psychoacoustic research theory. Test persons can operate the system very......-likelihood and up-down methods has proven effective and reliable even under suboptimal test settings. In non-optimal testing conditions i.e. as a part of a hearing conservation programme the headphone Sennheiser HDA-200 has been used as it contains hearing protection. This test-method has been validated......-retest studies of 2AFC audiometry are comparable to test-retest results known from traditional audiometry under standard clinical settings.   Conclusions 2 Alternative Forced Choice audiometry can be a reliable alternative to traditional audiometry especially under certain circumstances, where it can...

“Spray Technique: Tracing the Sketch Traditions of Limestone Cave in Lenggong, Perak”

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yahaya Fatan Hamamah

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Archaeological research provides the widest opportunity for researchers to analyse various aspects and disciplines appropriate to the subject and the object of choice. Subject and object selection is the work of exploration artefacts found in particular sites and archaeological heritage. Exploration and excavation on of a world heritage site such as Lenggong enables researchers to uncover various archaeological artefacts that are rich and meaningful. To find evidence of the strength and benefits of an artefact, further studies on each artefact should be carried out continuously. This essay will track the wisdom of the ancient artists use to produce paintings in a limestone cave in Lenggong, Perak, using spray techniques. Some artefacts that are identified as cave paintings show a very interesting sketch technique that are unique and special. This essay will also examine some of the cave paintings in other caves in Perak and also other caves in several countries as comparison. Studies involving cave paintings in Malaysia are new compared to Western countries. Thus, the study of one of the technique which is spray technique can open the eyes of the audience to acknowledge and recognise the ancient heritage. It also hoped that this study is able to increase the body of knowledge that goes beyond the boundaries of the arts district and the country.

ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF FUNGI RESPONSIBLE FOR ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

User

technique. The diseased plant leaves were taken to the laboratory for culture, isolation, and identification ... The tree is native to Asia particularly eastern India, Burma, and the Andaman ..... in Southeastern Nigeria and Biological. Control with ...

Le corpus lexicographique dans les langues à tradition orale: le cas ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

rbr

langues à tradition orale: les informateurs et la représentativité du corpus. Cette dernière, qui doit ..... les techniques, les instruments, la pêche par les hommes, la pêche par .... cet outil indispensable qu'est le dictionnaire. Je pense que ces ...

Xenosurveillance reflects traditional sampling techniques for the identification of human pathogens: A comparative study in West Africa.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joseph R Fauver

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Novel surveillance strategies are needed to detect the rapid and continuous emergence of infectious disease agents. Ideally, new sampling strategies should be simple to implement, technologically uncomplicated, and applicable to areas where emergence events are known to occur. To this end, xenosurveillance is a technique that makes use of blood collected by hematophagous arthropods to monitor and identify vertebrate pathogens. Mosquitoes are largely ubiquitous animals that often exist in sizable populations. As well, many domestic or peridomestic species of mosquitoes will preferentially take blood-meals from humans, making them a unique and largely untapped reservoir to collect human blood.We sought to take advantage of this phenomenon by systematically collecting blood-fed mosquitoes during a field trail in Northern Liberia to determine whether pathogen sequences from blood engorged mosquitoes accurately mirror those obtained directly from humans. Specifically, blood was collected from humans via finger-stick and by aspirating bloodfed mosquitoes from the inside of houses. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing of RNA and DNA derived from these specimens was performed to detect pathogen sequences. Samples obtained from xenosurveillance and from finger-stick blood collection produced a similar number and quality of reads aligning to two human viruses, GB virus C and hepatitis B virus.This study represents the first systematic comparison between xenosurveillance and more traditional sampling methodologies, while also demonstrating the viability of xenosurveillance as a tool to sample human blood for circulating pathogens.

A radiation-hardened 1K-bit dielectrically isolated random access memory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandors, T.J.; Boarman, J.W.; Kasten, A.J.; Wood, G.M.

1982-01-01

Dielectric Isolation has been used for many years as the bipolar technology for latch-up free, radiation hardened integrated circuits in strategic systems. The state-of-the-art up to this point has been the manufacture of MSI functions containing a maximum of several hundred isolated components. This paper discusses a 1024 Bit Random Access Memory chip containing over 4000 dielectrically isolated components which has been designed for strategic radiation environments. The process utilized and the circuit design of the 1024 Bit RAM have been previously discussed. The techniques used are similar to those employed for the MX digital integrated circuits except for specific items required to make this a true LSI technology. These techniques, along with electrical and radiation data for the RAM, are presented

Comparative analysis of profitability of honey production using traditional and box hives.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Ghamdi, Ahmed A; Adgaba, Nuru; Herab, Ahmed H; Ansari, Mohammad J

2017-07-01

Information on the profitability and productivity of box hives is important to encourage beekeepers to adopt the technology. However, comparative analysis of profitability and productivity of box and traditional hives is not adequately available. The study was carried out on 182 beekeepers using cross sectional survey and employing a random sampling technique. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA), the Cobb-Douglas (CD) production function and partial budgeting. The CD production function revealed that supplementary bee feeds, labor and medication were statistically significant for both box and traditional hives. Generally, labor for bee management, supplementary feeding, and medication led to productivity differences of approximately 42.83%, 7.52%, and 5.34%, respectively, between box and traditional hives. The study indicated that productivity of box hives were 72% higher than traditional hives. The average net incomes of beekeepers using box and traditional hives were 33,699.7 SR/annum and 16,461.4 SR/annum respectively. The incremental net benefit of box hives over traditional hives was nearly double. Our study results clearly showed the importance of adoption of box hives for better productivity of the beekeeping subsector.

Comparative analysis of profitability of honey production using traditional and box hives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmed A. Al-Ghamdi

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Information on the profitability and productivity of box hives is important to encourage beekeepers to adopt the technology. However, comparative analysis of profitability and productivity of box and traditional hives is not adequately available. The study was carried out on 182 beekeepers using cross sectional survey and employing a random sampling technique. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA, the Cobb-Douglas (CD production function and partial budgeting. The CD production function revealed that supplementary bee feeds, labor and medication were statistically significant for both box and traditional hives. Generally, labor for bee management, supplementary feeding, and medication led to productivity differences of approximately 42.83%, 7.52%, and 5.34%, respectively, between box and traditional hives. The study indicated that productivity of box hives were 72% higher than traditional hives. The average net incomes of beekeepers using box and traditional hives were 33,699.7 SR/annum and 16,461.4 SR/annum respectively. The incremental net benefit of box hives over traditional hives was nearly double. Our study results clearly showed the importance of adoption of box hives for better productivity of the beekeeping subsector.

Neymar, defender of brazilian tradition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisca Islandia Cardoso da Silva

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to analyze how university students of Teresina-PI appropriate of the message of a report of the television show Esporte Espetacular. There was use of the technique of focus groups and analytical-descriptive method for collecting and analyzing data. The sample consisted of 24 university students, aged between 18 and 24 years. The report features Neymar as responsible to follow the "tradition" of Brazilians and to be crowned as the best player in the world. The subjects of research said that the speech conveyed by the report can reproduce and create a reality sometimes dreamlike, because objective to confer to Neymar great importance with regard to national identity.

Affordable non-traditional source data mining for context assessment to improve distributed fusion system robustness

Science.gov (United States)

Bowman, Christopher; Haith, Gary; Steinberg, Alan; Morefield, Charles; Morefield, Michael

2013-05-01

This paper describes methods to affordably improve the robustness of distributed fusion systems by opportunistically leveraging non-traditional data sources. Adaptive methods help find relevant data, create models, and characterize the model quality. These methods also can measure the conformity of this non-traditional data with fusion system products including situation modeling and mission impact prediction. Non-traditional data can improve the quantity, quality, availability, timeliness, and diversity of the baseline fusion system sources and therefore can improve prediction and estimation accuracy and robustness at all levels of fusion. Techniques are described that automatically learn to characterize and search non-traditional contextual data to enable operators integrate the data with the high-level fusion systems and ontologies. These techniques apply the extension of the Data Fusion & Resource Management Dual Node Network (DNN) technical architecture at Level 4. The DNN architecture supports effectively assessment and management of the expanded portfolio of data sources, entities of interest, models, and algorithms including data pattern discovery and context conformity. Affordable model-driven and data-driven data mining methods to discover unknown models from non-traditional and `big data' sources are used to automatically learn entity behaviors and correlations with fusion products, [14 and 15]. This paper describes our context assessment software development, and the demonstration of context assessment of non-traditional data to compare to an intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance fusion product based upon an IED POIs workflow.

Tradition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Otto, Ton

2016-01-01

: beliefs, practices, institutions, and also things. In this sense, the meaning of the term in social research is very close to its usage in common language and is not always theoretically well developed (see Shils, 1971: 123). But the concept of tradition has also been central to major theoretical debates...... on the nature of social change, especially in connection with the notion of modernity. Here tradition is linked to various forms of agency as a factor of both stability and intentional change....

Isolation and identification of burn wound superbugs by molecular technique and their susceptibility to silver nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Mala, R.; Celsia, A. S. Ruby

2018-02-01

Burn wound is a global problem affecting millions of people. It is the major cause of mortality and morbidity. This study was aimed to isolate and identify the wound isolates by 16S rRNA and to assess their susceptibility to antibiotics and silver nanoparticles. Silver nanoparticles were synthesized using aqueous extract of A.indica. The silver nanoparticles were characterized by FESEM, XRD, FTIR and DSC. Antibacterial susceptibility of the isolates was assessed by well diffusion method. The wound isolates were identified as S.aureus and E.coli. Both isolates were resistant to β lactum antibiotics, aminoglycoside, quinolones and macrolides. The inhibition zone exhibited by all antibiotics against both organisms was less than 5 mm. The size of silver nanoparticles were recorded as 55 nm. XRD confirmed the crystalline nature of the nanoparticles. TGA and DSC of silver nanoparticles showed the loss of weight and the melting point of silver nanoparticles was recorded at 871.3°C. Silver nano particles inhibited S.aureus and E.coli with an inhibition zone of 27 mm and 32 mm respectively. Therefore the study demonstrated that only silver containing dressings can be used in burn wounds infected by multi drug resistant super bugs.

Antibacterial Activity of Some Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from an Algerian Dairy Product

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdelkader Mezaini

2009-01-01

Full Text Available In the present study, the antibacterial effect of 20 lactic acid bacteria isolates from a traditional cheese was investigated. 6 isolates showed antibacterial effect against Gram positive bacteria. Streptococcus thermophilus T2 strain showed the wide inhibitory spectrum against the Gram positive bacteria. Growth and bacteriocin production profiles showed that the maximal bacteriocin production, by S. thermophilus T2 cells, was measured by the end of the late-log phase (90 AU ml−1 with a bacteriocine production rate of 9.3 (AU ml−1 h−1. In addition, our findings showed that the bacteriocin, produced by S. thermophilus T2, was stable over a wide pH range (4–8; this indicates that such bacteriocin may be useful in acidic as well as nonacidic food. This preliminarily work shows the potential application of autochthonous lactic acid bacteria to improve safety of traditional fermented food.

Antibacterial Activity of Some Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from an Algerian Dairy Product

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mezaini, A.; Bouras, A.D.; Mezaini, A.; Chihib, N.; Nedjar-Arroume, N.; Hornez, J.P.

2010-01-01

In the present study, the antibacterial effect of 20 lactic acid bacteria isolates from a traditional cheese was investigated. 6 isolates showed antibacterial effect against Gram positive bacteria. Streptococcus thermophilus T2 strain showed the wide inhibitory spectrum against the Gram positive bacteria. Growth and bacitracin production profiles showed that the maximal bacitracin production, by S. thermophilus T2 cells, was measured by the end of the late-log phase (90 AU ml -1 ) with a bacterio cine production rate of 9.3 (AU ml -1 ) h -1 . In addition, our findings showed that the bacitracin, produced by S. thermophilus T2, was stable over a wide ph range (4-8); this indicates that such bacitracin may be useful in acidic as well as non acidic food. This preliminarily work shows the potential application of autochthonous lactic acid bacteria to improve safety of traditional fermented food.

The development of base-isolated APWR plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, T.; Nitta, T.

2001-01-01

The full text follows: The seismic design of nuclear power stations plays a critical role in the assurance of plant safety in Japan, and standardization of design is difficult to achieve because every site is subject to different seismic conditions. However, the introduction of seismic -isolation devices is one way to rationally achieve safety assurance and promote design standardization. Base-isolated APWR (advanced pressurized water reactor) plants were developed by applying seismic -isolation devices to APWR plants. The introduction of seismic -isolation devices, which are installed between the ground and buildings, largely decreases the effect of seismic force on buildings. Therefore, the limitation of building shape and eccentricity, which are undertaken in order to prevent the floating of buildings, could be eliminated. This permits the flexibility of building layouts, which result in a reduction of building volume. At the same time, the thickness of the buildings walls that are specific to nuclear power stations, can also be decreased except radiation shield. As for the base-isolated APWR equipment design, the rational design of support structures for equipment and pipings is possible, because the floor response acceleration is greatly reduced. For the cost reduction, it has been confirmed that the base-isolated APWR plants are more economical than traditional APWR plants even after the additionally required expenses for seismic-isolation devices are taken into account. This is primarily because of the rational design of the buildings and equipment which is possible as described above. Another advantage is that building standardization can be promoted because the seismic-isolation devices are able to control the seismic force transmitted to the buildings. This is accomplished by arranging the characteristics of the isolation devices according to the seismic conditions of each site. The introduction of these devices to nuclear power stations is nearly ready

Diversity of lactic acid bacteria associated with traditional fermented dairy products in Mongolia.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, J; Wang, W H; Menghe, B L G; Jiri, M T; Wang, H M; Liu, W J; Bao, Q H; Lu, Q; Zhang, J C; Wang, F; Xu, H Y; Sun, T S; Zhang, H P

2011-07-01

Spontaneous milk fermentation has a long history in Mongolia, and beneficial microorganisms have been handed down from one generation to the next for use in fermented dairy products. The objective of this study was to investigate the diversity of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) communities in fermented yak, mare, goat, and cow milk products by analyzing 189 samples collected from 13 different regions in Mongolia. The LAB counts in these samples varied from 3.41 to 9.03 log cfu/mL. Fermented yak and mare milks had almost identical mean numbers of LAB, which were significantly higher than those in fermented goat milk but slightly lower than those in fermented cow milk. In total, 668 isolates were obtained from these samples using de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe agar and M17 agar. Each isolate was considered to be presumptive LAB based on gram-positive and catalase-negative properties, and was identified at the species level by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, multiplex PCR assay, and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. All isolates from Mongolian dairy products were accurately identified as Enterococcus faecalis (1 strain), Enterococcus durans (3 strains), Lactobacillus brevis (3 strains), Lactobacillus buchneri (2 strains), Lactobacillus casei (16 strains), Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus (142 strains), Lactobacillus diolivorans (17 strains), Lactobacillus fermentum (42 strains), Lactobacillus helveticus (183 strains), Lactobacillus kefiri (6 strains), Lactobacillus plantarum ssp. plantarum (7 strains), Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis (7 strains), Leuconostoc lactis (22 strains), Leuconostoc mesenteroides (21 strains), Streptococcus thermophilus (195 strains), and Weissella cibaria (1 strain). The predominant LAB were Strep. thermophilus and Lb. helveticus, which were isolated from all sampling sites. The results demonstrate that traditional fermented dairy products from different regions of Mongolia have complex compositions of LAB species. Such diversity of

Antimicrobial activities of some Thai traditional medical longevity formulations from plants and antibacterial compounds from Ficus foveolata.

Science.gov (United States)

Meerungrueang, W; Panichayupakaranant, P

2014-09-01

Medicinal plants involved in traditional Thai longevity formulations are potential sources of antimicrobial compounds. To evaluate the antimicrobial activities of some extracts from medicinal plants used in traditional Thai longevity formulations against some oral pathogens, including Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus mutans, and Candida albicans. An extract that possessed the strongest antimicrobial activity was fractionated to isolate and identify the active compounds. Methanol and ethyl acetate extracts of 25 medicinal plants used as Thai longevity formulations were evaluated for their antimicrobial activity using disc diffusion (5 mg/disc) and broth microdilution (1.2-2500 µg/mL) methods. The ethyl acetate extract of Ficus foveolata Wall. (Moraceae) stems that exhibited the strongest antibacterial activity was fractionated to isolate the active compounds by an antibacterial assay-guided isolation process. The ethyl acetate extract of F. foveolata showed the strongest antibacterial activity with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of 19.5-39.0 and 39.0-156.2 µg/mL, respectively. On the basis of an antibacterial assay-guided isolation, seven antibacterial compounds, including 2,6-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone (1), syringaldehyde (2), sinapaldehyde (3), coniferaldehyde (4), 3β-hydroxystigmast-5-en-7-one (5), umbelliferone (6), and scopoletin (7), were purified. Among these isolated compounds, 2,6-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone (1) exhibited the strongest antibacterial activities against S. pyogenes, S. mitis, and S. mutans with MIC values of 7.8, 7.8, and 15.6 µg/mL, and MBC values of 7.8, 7.8, and 31.2 µg/mL, respectively. In addition, this is the first report of these antibacterial compounds in the stems of F. foveolata.

Effect of traditional leafy vegetables on the growth of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Kassim, Muhammad Arshad; Baijnath, Himansu; Odhav, Bharti

2014-12-01

Traditional leafy vegetables, apart from being a staple in the diet of most of sub-Saharan Africa, are an essential part of traditional medicine and are used daily by traditional healers in the region to treat a wide variety of ailments. In this study, a batch culture technique was used to investigate whether 25 infusions from 22 traditional leafy vegetables stimulated the growth of Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus lactis, Lactobacillus reuteri and Bifidobacterium longum in pure culture. High performance liquid chromatography was used to determine the inulin content of the infusions. Sonchus oleraceus stimulated all four strains and Taraxacum officinale stimulated three strains. In total, 18 plants stimulated at least one of the four probiotic strains. The inulin content of the infusions varied between 2.5% and 3.6%, with Asparagus sprengeri containing the highest percentage. These results indicate that traditional leafy vegetables do stimulate the growth of the selected lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in pure culture and contain inulin. These infusions can now be tested for prebiotic potential using mixed culture systems or human hosts.