scholarly journals Effect of Cross-Linked Enzyme Aggregates Strategy on Characterization of sn-1,3 Extracellular Lipase from Aspergillus Niger GZUF36

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruonan Zhu ◽  
Cuicui Chen ◽  
Shuqi Xing ◽  
Yangyang Cai ◽  
Cuiqin Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aspergillus Niger ◽  
Treatment Time ◽  
Catalytic Properties ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Extracellular Lipase ◽  
Maximum Reaction Rate ◽  
Oil Emulsion ◽  
Optimum Activity ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Potential Applications

Abstract Background: A novel Aspergillus. niger strain GZUF36 with two high sn-1,3 position selectivity of lipases, including an intracellular lipase and an extracellular one was selected from oil-rich soil in our previous work. The sn-1,3 extracellular lipase from Aspergillus niger GZUF36 (EXANL1) has important potential applications. However, the structure and properties of this lipase need further study for its better application, the immobilization of enzyme is an effective method to study its structural properties and obtain the best catalytic properties. Cross-linked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs) have been widely used in carrier-free immobilization technologies because of their low cost and fast preparation. To this end, it is necessary to investigate the effect of CLEAs strategy on the characteristics, secondary structure, and positional selectivity of EXANL1 before and after immobilization.Results: The CLEAs of purified EXANL1 (CLEA-EXANL1) was achieved optimum activity recovery (100.3±1.1%) with 80% tert-butanol as the precipitant, a glutaraldehyde (GA) concentration of 30 mM, a GA treatment time of 1.5 h, and a centrifugal speed of 6000 g. CLEA-EXANL1 exhibited a broader optimum pH range (4–6) compared with free EXANL1 (6.5). CLEA-EXANL1 presented optimum activity at 40 °C, which was 5 °C higher than that of free EXANL1. CLEAs strategy decreased the maximum reaction rate and increased the Michaelis–Menten constant of EXANL1 when olive oil emulsion was used as a substrate. Moreover, after 30 days, free EXANL1 lost more than 80.0% of its activity, whereas CLEA-EXANL1 retained more than 90.0% of its activity. CLEAs strategy improved the tolerance of EXANL1 in polar organic solvents. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results showed that the CLEAs technique increased the content of the β-sheets and β-turns of EXANL1 and reduced α-helixes and irregular crimp contents. CLEAs strategy did not change the sn-1,3 selectivity of EXANL1.Conclusion: The effect of CLEAs technology on catalytic properties, structure, selectivity and other characteristics of the EXANL1 was comprehensively explored, which laid a foundation for its subsequent rational transformation and industrial application.

The Iterative Development and Testing of an Interactive Mobile Application for Skill Retention of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Among High School Students: A Pilot Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 104687812110326
Author(s):  
Adeel Arif ◽  
Amber Arif ◽  
Kimberly Anne Fasciglione ◽  
Farrukh Nadeem Jafri
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Compression Rate ◽  
School Students ◽  
Skill Retention ◽  
Before And After

Abstract: Background Locations concentrated with High School (HS) students tend to have lower out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survival rates. Mobile applications (apps) have the capability to augment cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skill retention as a low-cost, accessible training method. Methods An iterative process to develop an app to reinforce CPR skills emphasizing hand placement, compression rate, real-time feedback, and recurring tips is described. The app was tested on HS students to measure its impact on quality and comfort of CPR using Likert surveys and skills assessments before and after one month of usage. CPR Score and compression rate were measured using the Laerdal™ Little Anne Manikin QCPR software. Results Fourteen HS students participated in a prospective observational study. It was found that the use of the developed app was associated with improved CPR performance (80.43% v. 87.86%, p=0.01-0.02, 95% CI=2.20-12.66) after one month. Additionally, improvements were demonstrated in compression rate accuracy (21.43% v. 64.29%, p=0.041, 95% CI=0.132-0.725), increased comfort performing CPR (3.86 v. 4.79, p<0.001, 95% CI =0.99-1.00) and comfort performing CPR on strangers (2.71 v. 4.42, p<0.001, 95% CI=1.24-2.19). In addition, for every time the app was used, CPR performance increased by 0.5668% (p=0.0182). Conclusion Findings suggest that mobile apps may have promising implications as augmentative tools for CPR curriculums.

scholarly journals The Effect of Q-Switched Nd:YAG 1064 nm/532 nm Laser in the Treatment of Onychomycosis In Vivo

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kostas Kalokasidis ◽  
Meltem Onder ◽  
Myrto-Georgia Trakatelli ◽  
Bertrand Richert ◽  
Klaus Fritz
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Study ◽  
Treatment Time ◽  
Prospective Clinical Study ◽  
Self Evaluation ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Level Of Satisfaction ◽  
Before And After ◽  
532 Nm

In this prospective clinical study, the Q-Switched Nd:YAG 1064 nm/532 nm laser (Light Age, Inc., Somerset, NJ, USA) was used on 131 onychomycosis subjects (94 females, 37 males; ages 18 to 68 years). Mycotic cultures were taken and fungus types were detected. The laser protocol included two sessions with a one-month interval. Treatment duration was approximately 15 minutes per session and patients were observed over a 3-month time period. Laser fluencies of 14 J/cm2were applied at 9 billionths of a second pulse duration and at 5 Hz frequency. Follow-up was performed at 3 months with mycological cultures. Before and after digital photographs were taken. Adverse effects were recorded and all participants completed “self-evaluation questionnaires” rating their level of satisfaction. All subjects were well satisfied with the treatments, there were no noticeable side effects, and no significant differences were found treating men versus women. At the 3-month follow-up 95.42% of the patients were laboratory mycologically cured of fungal infection. This clinical study demonstrates that fungal nail infections can be effectively and safely treated with Q-Switched Nd:YAG 1064 nm/532 nm laser. It can also be combined with systemic oral antifungals providing more limited treatment time.

scholarly journals Innovative passive reinforcements for the gradual stabilization of a landslide according with the observational method

Landslides ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Brezzi ◽  
Alberto Bisson ◽  
Davide Pasa ◽  
Simonetta Cola
Keyword(s):  
Monitoring System ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Fe Model ◽  
Site Conditions ◽  
Observational Method ◽  
Rainy Period ◽  
Sustainable Solutions ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Set Up

AbstractA large number of landslides occur in North-Eastern Italy during every rainy period due to the particular hydrogeological conditions of this area. Even if there are no casualties, the economic losses are often significant, and municipalities frequently do not have sufficient financial resources to repair the damage and stabilize all the unstable slopes. In this regard, the research for more economically sustainable solutions is a crucial challenge. Floating composite anchors are an innovative and low-cost technique set up for slope stabilization: it consists in the use of passive sub-horizontal reinforcements, obtained by coupling a traditional self-drilling bar with some tendons cemented inside it. This work concerns the application of this technique according to the observational method described within the Italian and European technical codes and mainly recommended for the design of geotechnical works, especially when performed in highly uncertain site conditions. The observational method prescribes designing an intervention and, at the same time, using a monitoring system in order to correct and adapt the project during realization of the works on the basis of new data acquired while on site. The case study is the landslide of Cischele, a medium landslide which occurred in 2010 after an exceptional heavy rainy period. In 2015, some floating composite anchors were installed to slow down the movement, even if, due to a limited budget, they were not enough to ensure the complete stabilization of the slope. Thanks to a monitoring system installed in the meantime, it is now possible to have a comparison between the site conditions before and after the intervention. This allows the evaluation of benefits achieved with the reinforcements and, at the same time, the assessment of additional improvements. Two stabilization scenarios are studied through an FE model: the first includes the stabilization system built in 2015, while the second evaluates a new solution proposed to further increase the slope stability.

scholarly journals Visualization of Surface Acoustic Waves in Thin Liquid Films

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
R. W. Rambach ◽  
J. Taiber ◽  
C. M. L. Scheck ◽  
C. Meyer ◽  
J. Reboud ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Film ◽  
Acoustic Waves ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Thin Liquid Film ◽  
Surface Acoustic Waves ◽  
Liquid Films ◽  
Theoretical Description ◽  
Propagation Path ◽  
Microfluidic Channels ◽  
Potential Applications

Abstract We demonstrate that the propagation path of a surface acoustic wave (SAW), excited with an interdigitated transducer (IDT), can be visualized using a thin liquid film dispensed onto a lithium niobate (LiNbO3) substrate. The practical advantages of this visualization method are its rapid and simple implementation, with many potential applications including in characterising acoustic pumping within microfluidic channels. It also enables low-cost characterisation of IDT designs thereby allowing the determination of anisotropy and orientation of the piezoelectric substrate without the requirement for sophisticated and expensive equipment. Here, we show that the optical visibility of the sound path critically depends on the physical properties of the liquid film and identify heptane and methanol as most contrast rich solvents for visualization of SAW. We also provide a detailed theoretical description of this effect.

scholarly journals Molecularly imprinted electrospun fiber membrane for colorimetric detection of hexanoic acid

e-Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 500-510
Author(s):  
Xiaoguang Ying ◽  
Jieyuan He ◽  
Xiao Li
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Electrospun Fiber ◽  
Colorimetric Detection ◽  
Hexanoic Acid ◽  
Bromocresol Purple ◽  
Fiber Membrane ◽  
Color Changes ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Imagej Software

Abstract An imprinted electrospun fiber membrane was developed for the detection of volatile organic acids, which are key components of human body odor. In this study, hexanoic acid (HA) was selected as the target, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) was used as the substrate, and colorimetric detection of HA was achieved by a bromocresol purple (BCP) chromogenic agent. The results showed that the morphology of the fiber membrane was uniform and continuous, and it showed excellent selectivity and specificity to HA. Photographs of the color changes before and after fiber membrane adsorption were recorded by a camera and quantified by ImageJ software by the difference in gray value (ΔGray). This method is simple, intuitive, and low cost and has great potential for application in human odor analysis.

scholarly journals Recent Findings in Azaphilone Pigments

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (7) ◽  
pp. 541
Author(s):  
Lúcia P. S. Pimenta ◽  
Dhionne C. Gomes ◽  
Patrícia G. Cardoso ◽  
Jacqueline A. Takahashi
Keyword(s):  
Water Solubility ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Structural Diversity ◽  
Downstream Processing ◽  
Global Market ◽  
Yield Improvement ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
New Compounds

Filamentous fungi are known to biosynthesize an extraordinary range of azaphilones pigments with structural diversity and advantages over vegetal-derived colored natural products such agile and simple cultivation in the lab, acceptance of low-cost substrates, speed yield improvement, and ease of downstream processing. Modern genetic engineering allows industrial production, providing pigments with higher thermostability, water-solubility, and promising bioactivities combined with ecological functions. This review, covering the literature from 2020 onwards, focuses on the state-of-the-art of azaphilone dyes, the global market scenario, new compounds isolated in the period with respective biological activities, and biosynthetic pathways. Furthermore, we discussed the innovations of azaphilone cultivation and extraction techniques, as well as in yield improvement and scale-up. Potential applications in the food, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and textile industries were also explored.

scholarly journals Color-Variable Photodynamic Antimicrobial Wool/Acrylic Blended Fabrics

Materials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 4141
Author(s):  
Tingting Wang ◽  
Wangbingfei Chen ◽  
Tingting Dong ◽  
Zihao Lv ◽  
Siming Zheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Pathogen Transmission ◽  
Cationic Dyes ◽  
Light Illumination ◽  
Antibacterial Studies ◽  
Wool Fibers ◽  
Visible Light Illumination ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Dyed Fabrics ◽  
Acrylic Fibers

Towards the goal of developing scalable, economical and effective antimicrobial textiles to reduce infection transmission, here we prepared color-variable photodynamic materials comprised of photosensitizer (PS)-loaded wool/acrylic (W/A) blends. Wool fibers in the W/A blended fabrics were loaded with the photosensitizer rose bengal (RB), and the acrylic fibers were dyed with a variety of traditional cationic dyes (cationic yellow, cationic blue and cationic red) to broaden their color range. Investigations on the colorimetric and photodynamic properties of a series of these materials were implemented through CIELab evaluation, as well as photooxidation and antibacterial studies. Generally, the photodynamic efficacy of these dual-dyed fabrics was impacted by both the choice, and how much of the traditional cationic dye was employed in the dyeing of the W/A fabrics. When compared with the PS-only singly-dyed material, RB-W/A, that showed a 99.97% (3.5 log units; p = 0.02) reduction of Staphylococcus aureus under visible light illumination (λ ≥ 420 nm, 60 min), the addition of cationic dyes led to a slight decrease in the photoinactivation ability of the dual-dyed fabrics, but was still able to achieve a 99.3% inactivation of S. aureus. Overall, our findings demonstrate the feasibility and potential applications of low cost and color variable RB-loaded W/A blended fabrics as effective self-disinfecting textiles against pathogen transmission.

scholarly journals Lively Social Space, Well-Being Activity, and Urban Design: Findings From a Low-Cost Community-Led Public Space Intervention

2016 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 685-716 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie Anderson ◽  
Kai Ruggeri ◽  
Koen Steemers ◽  
Felicia Huppert
Keyword(s):  
Public Space ◽  
Urban Design ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Social Space ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Observation Data ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Impact

Empirical urban design research emphasizes the support in vitality of public space use. We examine the extent to which a public space intervention promoted liveliness and three key behaviors that enhance well-being (“connect,” “be active,” and “take notice”). The exploratory study combined directly observed behaviors with self-reported, before and after community-led physical improvements to a public space in central Manchester (the United Kingdom). Observation data ( n = 22,956) and surveys (subsample = 212) were collected over two 3-week periods. The intervention brought significant and substantial increases in liveliness of the space and well-being activities. None of these activities showed increases in a control space during the same periods. The findings demonstrate the feasibility of the research methods, and the impact of improved quality of outdoor neighborhood space on liveliness and well-being activities. The local community also played a key role in conceiving of and delivering an effective and affordable intervention. The findings have implications for researchers, policy makers, and communities alike.

Thermal conversion of CBD grown ZnS thin films to ZnO

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kooliyankal Naseema ◽  
Kaniyamkandy Ribin ◽  
Nidiyanga Navya ◽  
Prasoon Prasannan
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Thermal Conversion ◽  
X Ray Diffraction ◽  
Xrd Pattern ◽  
Glass Substrates ◽  
Anion Substitution ◽  
Nano Crystalline ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Uv Visible

AbstractNano crystalline zinc sulfide thin films were deposited onto glass substrates by chemical bath deposition method. One of the samples was annealed at 300 °C for 2 h in air using a muffle furnace. The prepared thin films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy (FT-R) studies before and after annealing. The analysis confirmed the thermal-induced anion substitution and conversion of ZnS crystal to ZnO wurtzite crystal. XRD pattern showed that these films were phase pure and polycrystalline in nature. Optical band gap was found to be 3.86 eV for ZnS and 3.21 eV for ZnO. The films prepared by this simple, low-cost technique are suitable for photovoltaic and optoelectronic applications.

scholarly journals Standardization of dot-ELISA for the serological diagnosis of toxocariasis and comparision of the assay with ELISA

1992 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eide Dias Camargo ◽  
Paulo Mutuko Nakamura ◽  
Adelaide José Vaz ◽  
Marcos Vinícius da Silva ◽  
Pedro Paulo Chieffi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Toxocara Canis ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Specific Antibodies ◽  
Normal Individuals ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Dot Elisa ◽  
Stability Time

The dot-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (dot-ELISA) was standardized using somatic (S) and excretory-secretory (ES) antigens of Toxocara-canis for the detection of specific antibodies in 22 serum samples from children aged 1 to 15 years, with clinical signs of toxocariasis. Fourteen serum samples from apparently normal individuals and 28 sera from patients with other pathologies were used as controls. All samples were used before and after absorption with Ascaris suum extract. When the results were evaluated in comparison with ELISA, the two tests were found to have similar sensitivity, but dot-ELISA was found to be more specific in the presence of the two antigens studied. Dot-ELISA proved to be effective for the diagnosis of human toxocariasis, presenting advantages in terms of yield, stability, time and ease of execution and low cost.

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