Journal Articles on Category: Science General

The efficiency of tobacco plant waste composting, by the manual turning and the forced aeration system, was compared. Tobacco plant waste, cow manure, urea fertiliser, and a compost inoculum mixture at a 100:10:0.2:0.01 ratio respectively, with 60% (w/v) moisture content, were set up in piling forms. The piles of the manual turning system were provided with turning aeration by hand at intervals of 7 days during the composting process. For the forced aeration system, each pile was aerated by a 3-HP air pump with a flow rate of 19 litres min-1 for 15 minutes every morning and evening. The completely randomised design of turned and force-aerated piles was performed in triplicate. The composting activity of both systems during the composting period was measured by several parameters: temperature, pH, moisture content, C/N ratio, growth of microorganisms, cellulase activity, and nicotine degradation in the set-up piles. Both systems had similar temperature, pH, and moisture content conditions in the piles during the composting process. However, the forced aeration system was more advantageous for the growth of mesophilic and thermophilic microorganisms, for cellulase activity from cellulase-producing microorganisms, and for nicotine degradation, when compared to the manual turning system. In conclusion, the forced aeration system was more efficient than the manual turning system in composting and is a viable alternative method for the composting process.

Issn:19057873

Keywords: composting ; tobacco waste ; manual turning ; force-aerated system

Volume: 3

Pages: 248-260

Electrorotation (ER) is a single cell dielectric method which can be used to characterize the structural and electrical properties of biological cells at a high parameter resolution. The method has been applied to measure ER spectra of human red blood cells (HRBC) in rotating electric fields ranging from 100 kHz to 250 MHz and at external conductivities ranging from about 1 mS/m to 3 S/m. With increasing medium conductivity the anti- and the co-field peak of the spectra shifted towards higher frequencies. At external conductivities higher than 1 S/m only anti-field rotation has been observed. At these conductivities the peaks show distortions which could not be explained by the common single shell model normally applied to extract dielectric cell parameters. In this paper, we interpret the spectra by frequency dependent parameters for the cytoplasm. Nevertheless, the results suggest that also the membrane parameters are frequency dependent.

Issn:01253395

Keywords: high ionic strength ; dielectric dispersion ; characteristic frequency ; single cells

Volume: 24

Pages: 785-789

Blood cell characteristics, hematological and serum biochemistry values were examined in 10 mature healthy Painted Storks (Mycteria leucocephala) (5 males and 5 females) from Khow Khoew Open Zoo, Chonburi province, Thailand. The morphology of erythrocytes, leukocytes and thrombocytes were similar to those of other avian species, but oval shaped granules of heterophils were less stained by Giemsa-Wright solution. Erythrocytes, hemoglobin, packed cell volume, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, total white blood cells, percentage of leukocytes (lymphocyte, heterophil, monocyte, eosinophil, basophil), thrombocytes, serum glucose, serum creatinine, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase values of Painted Storks were 3.24 + 0.82 106cells / µl, 0.82 106cells /µl, 17.67 + 1.56 g/dl, 42.40 + 3.57 %, 139.47 + 38.70 fl, 58.56 + 18.24 g/dl, 41.76 + 2.90 pg, 3.88 + 2.60 104cells /µl, 76.10 + 10.28 %, 10.60 + 9.49 %, 0.00 + 0.00 %, 12.00 + 8.54 %, 1.00 + 1.33 %, and 1.29 + 0.42104cells /µl, 270.50 + 42.85 mg/dl, 6.19 + 1.70 mg/dl, 249.47 + 42.19 IU/L and 124.29 + 8.81 IU/L, respectively. Total erythrocytes and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) differed significantly between male and female Painted Stork (P < 0.05).

Issn:01253395

Keywords: blood cell characteristics ; hematology ; serum biochemistry ; Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala)

Volume: 24

Pages: 473-479

Laying Japanese quails (n = 60), 30 weeks of age reared at the experimental laboratory unit of the Faculty of Technology, Maha Sarakham University, Maha Sarakham province, Thailand. Birds were in cages with wire floors. Randomized Complete Block was the design of the experiment. During the first 4 days of experimental period, quails were fed on a standard commercial diet with four treatments: supplemented with dexamethasone at 4 levels namely 0 (control group), 1.25, 2.50 and 5.00 mg/kg diet. On days 1, 3, 7, 10 and 14 of the experimental period, percentage of heterophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, basophil, eosinophil, and heterophil/ lymphocyte ratio values of laying quails were examined. The results revealed that percentage of heterophil of laying quail with added dexamethasone at 1.25 and 2.50 mg/kg in diets were significantly higher than others (P0.05). After discontinuing dexamethasone administration on day 4 of the experimental period, percentage of heterophil, lymphocyte and eosinophil, monocyte, and heterophil: lymphocyte ratio, of quails recovered to normal within 10 days.

Issn:01253395

Keywords: dexamethasone ; differential white blood cell counts ; heterophil / lymphocyte ratio ; Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

Volume: 25

Pages: 183-189

Effects of Palm Kernel Cake (PKC) on growth performance, blood components and liver histopathology of sex- reversed red tilapia Oreochromis niloticus were studied using seven isocaloric diets (3400 kCal/ kg) containing different levels of protein and PKC. Diet 1, 2 and 3 contained 20% protein with the supplementation of 15, 30 and 45% PKC, respectively. Diets 4, 5 and 6 contained 24% protein in combinationwith the same PKC supplemention levels mentioned above, and diet 7 was commercial feed containing 20% protein as a control diet. Experimental diets were fed to experimental fish of 48.65 g initial average body weight cultured in floating cages (3 cages/diet) for 10 weeks. Fish fed diets containing higher protein (24%; diets 4, 5 and 6) had significantly better growth performance (p<0.05) than those fed lower protein (20%; diets 1, 2 and 3). Considering the effect of PKC, fish fed diet 5 (Prot. 24%, PKC 30%) gave the greatest growth performance (p<0.05) and all the PKC-fed groups had significantly higher growth than fish fed control diet. There was evidence that supplementation of PKC in fish feed ranging from 15 to 45% had no effect to the survival rate, blood components, or hepatocytic cells of tilapia. However, liver tissue showed higher numbers of lipid droplets in fish fed diet contained 45% PKC (diets 3 and 6). For the production cost, all test diets with PKC supplementation had significantly higher price (p<0.05) than commercial feed. However, when considering the feeding cost per unit of fish production, fish reared with PKC supplemented diets had significantly lower cost (p<0.05) than fish fed commercial feed.

Issn:01253395

Keywords: PKC ; sex reversed red tilapia ; Oreochromis niloticus ; growth performance ; blood component

Volume: 29

Pages: 1283-1299

The study was conducted to assess effect of levels of urea and cassava chip (CC) on feed intake, rumen ecology, blood metabolites and microbial populations. Four, Thai Native X Anglo Nubian crossbred growing male goats with an average liveweight 19.0+1 kg were randomly assigned according to a 4x4 Latin square design to receive one of four diets: T1=urea at 0 % (CC=30%), T2=urea at 1% (CC=40%), T3=urea at 2% (CC = 50%) and T4=urea at 3%(CC=60%), of DM basis, respectively. Elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) was offered on an ad lib basis. The results revealed that total DM intake (%BW and g/kg W0.75) and BW change were similar among treatments (p>0.05). Likewise, rumen pH, BUN, blood glucose, PCV and microbial populations were similar among treatments (p>0.05), while NH3-N increased as the urea level increased and were found highest (p<0.05) in T4 at 12.8 mg/dL. Based on this experiment, it can be concluded that a higher level of urea (3%) could be used with a high level of CC in concentrate and it was good approach in exploiting the use of local feed resources for goat production.

Issn:01253395

Keywords: urea ; cassava chip ; growing goat ; rumen fermentation ; microbial populations

Volume: 29

Pages: 37-48

A sensitive and selective fiber for simultaneous analysis of three drugs of abuse (amphetamine, methamphetamine and ephedrine) in urine samples was explored using headspace solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography with flame ionization detection. Several parameters affecting extraction such as extraction time, extraction temperature, pH of solution and salt concentrations were investigated. Among five commercially available fibers, divinylbenzene/carboxen/ polydimethylsiloxane is the most sensitive and selective fiber at pH 10.0, extraction temperature at 80 ?C for 20 min and desorption temperature at 220 ?C for 2 min. Under the optimal conditions, the proposed solid phase microextraction method provided good linearity in the ranges 0.1-10 µg/ml for amphetamine and methamphetamine and 0.5-20 µg/ml for ephedrine. The detection limits for amphetamine, methamphetamine and ephedrine were 9, 3 and 30 ng/ml, respectively. The recoveries of three drugs in urine samples were exceeding 85%.

Issn:19057873

Keywords: amphetamine ; methamphetamine ; ephedrine ; solid phase microextraction.

Volume: 1

Pages: 145-156

This is a unique case of a patient aged 35 years developing rheumatic carditis secondary to acute rheumatic fever. The patient developed acute mitral regurgitation yet tolerated it relatively well because of coexistent Tetralogy of Fallot. The hemodynamics in this patient was significantly altered by the coexistence of these two conditions. This is the first case of its kind when acute rheumatic fever has been documented in a patient of Tetralogy of Fallot.

Issn:16878299

Keywords:

Volume: 2008

Pages:

La sepsis representa uno de los mayores problemas de salud a nivel mundial. Las estadísticas del Medicare database and the National Census Projections estiman que en Estados Unidos se reportan 750.000 casos de sepsis severa por año. Las tasas de mortalidad oscilan entre 28 y 59%. Staphylococcus aureus es uno de los patógenos mas frecuentemente asociados con sepsis. En sepsis ocasionada por S.aureus el endotelio es el tejido blanco potencial. Se ha postulado que los microorganismos internalizados inducen la apoptosis de la célula huésped con el fin de romper la barrera celular sin la activación de la respuesta inmune inmediata. El desprendimiento de las células apoptóticas también permite la dispersión bacteriana. En el presente estudio se analizó la capacidad de inducir apoptosis en células endoteliales de cinco aislamientos bacterianos provenientes de diferentes hospitales colombianos y de la comunidad de trabajadores de la salud portadores asintomáticos de S. aureus. Todos los aislamientos estudiados indujeron apoptosis endotelial dependiente del número de bacterias inoculadas.

Issn:01204211

Keywords: Apoptosis ; Staphylococcus aureus ; endotelio ; sepsis

Volume: 4

Pages: 21-28

Cisplatin is a widely prescribed anticancer agent that causes hair loss in patients. Since the dermal papilla (DP) fibroblasts are known to be a key mediator in controlling hair growth and loss, understanding the effect and underlying mechanism of cisplatin on these cells may lead to new strategy for hair loss protection in chemotherapy patients. Less is known regarding the effect of cisplatin on DP fibroblasts. We thus treated DP cells with cisplatin (0-250 mmol/L) and found that cisplatin induced DP cell death in a concentration-dependent manner. Our results showed that the mode of cisplatin-induced DP cell death was mainly through apoptosis mechanism. Our results also indicated that the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) induction caused by cisplatin treatment was associated with DP cell apoptosis and cisplatin-induced apoptosiscould be attenuated by addition of antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (1 mmol/L) and glutathione (5 mmol/L). Moreover, subtoxicconcentrations (0-500 mg/mL) of Phyllanthus emblica Linn (emblica) extracts, a known natural antioxidant, showed a strong inhibition effect on cisplatin-induced intracellular ROS induction and subsequently protected DP cells from cisplatin-induced apoptosis.

Issn:01253395

Keywords: dermal papilla ; cisplatin ; hair loss ; reactive oxygen species (ROS)

Volume: 30

Pages: 627-633