Case report--a neonate with nonimmune hydrops fetalis

AIM: To investigate the waste of laboratory reagents which resulted from the process of ordering biochemistry profiles. METHODS: The frequency of measurement of 15 analytes was recorded during the six months before the introduction of a system of discretionary requesting and analysis of samples (high capacity multichannel discrete analyser), and also during the same six month period one year and two years after its introduction. RESULTS: The frequency of measurement of 10 of the 15 analytes decreased during the six month period one year after the change to discretionary testing. The remaining five analytes were measured up to 22% more frequently. There was an overall decrease in the measurement of biochemical tests by 31,359. This created an annual cost saving of 7124 pounds. In the second year five analytes still continued to be measured less frequently than originally but the remaining 10 analytes were measured more frequently. This resulted in an overall increase in the measurement of biochemical tests by 53,678 compared with the six month period before discretionary analysis. The pattern of requests was similar during both periods of discretionary requesting studied and as a result, a small annual cost saving of 1672 pounds was again made. CONCLUSION: Discretionary requesting and analysis of tests may eliminate the measurement of clinically unnecessary test which had previously resulted from the processes of ordering tests. These cost savings may be rapidly eroded by an increase in the laboratory workload.     

Assessing pre-service English language teachers’ learning using e-portfolios: Benefits, challenges and competencies gained

Assessment in learning is always of interest to practitioners, academics and researchers, and is always evolving with new implications. Alternative forms of assessment such as e-portfolios have gained recognition in documenting students’ learning, as it is synchronous with both product and process. Vast amount of literature narrates the relative advantages of e-portfolios across disciplines, institutions, and applications. In Malaysia, such alternative assessment practices are less explored so far in teacher education. In this study, 55 pre-service TESOL teachers from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) are required to create and maintain a personal e-portfolio. The aim of the study is to ascertain the future teachers’ practices with e-portfolios in their learning and to determine if these practices lead to teaching competencies. In addition, the study also aims to identify the benefits and challenges of using an e-portfolio as a tool for learning and self-assessment. Findings indicate that participants are appreciative of e-portfolios, as their performance and achievements are traced over time. It is also found that e-portfolios function as a monitoring tool, which helps the teachers recognize their learning and identify their strengths and weaknesses. Challenges are also noted, which include validity and reliability, interrupted Internet connection, negative attitudes participants, time constraints, workload and ethical issues. In terms of teacher competencies, it is found that six competencies emerge from the teachers’ practices of e-portfolios - (1) developing understanding of an effective teacher’s role; (2) developing teaching approaches/activities; (3) improving linguistic abilities; (4) comprehending content knowledge; (5) gaining ICT skills and; (6) the realization of the need to change mindsets.     

Design of chitosan/PSf self‐assembly membrane to mitigate fouling and enhance performance in trypsin separation

BACKGROUND: Membrane fouling in downstream processing has become a major obstacle in enzyme production. The use of a membrane with high surface hydrophilicity may be an acceptable way to overcome this problem. In this study, the effects of dip time on chitosan incorporation were investigated to produce a low fouling ultrafiltration membrane for trypsin separation. RESULT: Pristine ultrafiltration membrane with a polymer concentration of 15% was developed via phase inversion. Membrane surface modification was performed using chitosan solution with different dip times. Membranes with a 60‐min dip time provided optimum trypsin transmission (about 91.8%). Such membranes have a high permeability coefficient (71 L m^?2 h^?1) and good porosity (about 89.6%). The hydrophilicity of this modified membrane was also improved by 50% compared with the native membrane, and its flux recovery was about 89.8%. The successful assembly of chitosan onto the membrane's surface was ascertained by ATR‐FTIR and X‐ray diffractometry (XRD). The morphology of this membrane was significantly different from that of native membrane. CONCLUSION: The experimental results show that membrane dip time exerts a significant influence on the self‐assembly of chitosan particles onto the membrane's surface, and this process can be used to produce a potentially low‐fouling UF membrane for trypsin separation. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Essential fatty acids of pitaya (dragon fruit) seed oil

Hylocereus undatus and Hylocereus polyrhizus are two varieties of the commonly called pitaya fruits. The seeds were separated and the oil was extracted and analysed. Essential fatty acids, namely, linoleic acid and linolenic acid form a significant percentage of the unsaturated fatty acids of the seed oil extract. Both pitaya varieties exhibit two oleic acid isomers. Essential fatty acids are important acids that are necessary substrates in animal metabolism and cannot be synthesised in vivo. Both pitaya varieties contain about 50% essential fatty acids (C18:2 (48%) and C18:3 (1.5%)). This paper details the process of recovering the pitaya seeds and determining the composition of the oil extracted from the seeds.     

Phenolic acid analysis and antioxidant activity assessment of oil palm (E. guineensis) fruit extracts

Phenolic compounds in oil palm fruit (E. guineensis) were extracted in soluble free (SFP), insoluble-bound (ISBP) and esterified (EFP) forms. The total phenolic content (TPC) of the oil palm fruit extracts was determined using the Folin–Ciocalteu method and found to range from 5.03 to 9.04 g/L per g of dried weight (DW). The antioxidant activities of oil palm phenolic extracts were analysed using free radical scavenging assays and results showed that oil palm phenolic extracts contained antioxidant activities in the order of ISBP > EFP > SFP. Eight different phenolic acids were identified and quantified using a simple reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a diode array detector (DAD) and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). Ferulic, p-hydroxybenzoic and p-coumaric acid were the dominant phenolic acids found in oil palm fruit extracts and ranged from 55 to 376 μg/g of DW.     

Vibration fatigue analysis through frequency response function of variable amplitude loading

Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology - This paper aims to evaluate the modal frequency responses of suspension lower arm subjected to random road excitations for fatigue life prediction....     

Detecting low-energy impact damages in carbon-carbon composites by ultrasonic infrared thermography

Composite materials are widely used in aerospace engineering, shipbuilding, and automobile industry due to their high durability, relatively low mass, and corrosion resistance. Composites are vulnerable to impact damages that may occur during production and service (e.g., as a result of dropped tools, bird strikes and luggage hits in aviation, hail, and other similar factors). Often unnoticeable on the affected composite surface, low-energy damages (below 20–40 J) can, however, lead to the emergence of significant flaws (such as complex combinations of cracks, exfoliations, fiber ruptures, etc.) inside the material. Results of applying ultrasonic infrared thermography to the detection of impact damages with an energy of 5–30 J in a carbon-carbon composite are presented.     

Modification of polypropylene filter with metal oxide and reduced graphene oxide for water treatment

A hydrothermal method for the synthesis of reduced graphene oxide/titanium dioxide filter (RGO/TiO₂) and reduced graphene oxide/zinc oxide filter (RGO/ZnO) by using polypropylene (PP) porous filter is reported. Field emission scanning electron microscopy illustrated that the nanoparticles were uniformly distributed on the reduced graphene oxide nanosheets. Flexural tests showed that the physical properties of the modified filters have greater strength than the original filter. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that the thermal property of the modified filters is the same as that of the original filter. Under a halogen lamp, the modified filter exhibited excellent photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue. The RGO/TiO₂ filter maintained its ability to degrade MB efficiently, even after five cycles of photocatalysis.