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PubMed2005

Optimization of coagulation-flocculation process for palm oil mill effluent using response surface methodology.

The coagulation-flocculation process incorporated with membrane separation technology will become a new approach for palm oil mill effluent (POME) treatment as well as water reclamation and reuse. In our current research, a membrane pilot plant has been used for POME treatment where the coagulation-flocculation process plays an important role as a pretreatment process for the mitigation of membrane fouling problems. The pretreated POME with low turbidity values and high water recovery are the main objectives to be achieved through the coagulation-flocculation process. Therefore, treatment optimization to serve these purposes was performed using jar tests and applying a response surface methodology (RSM) to the results. A 2(3) full-factorial central composite design (CCD) was chosen to explain the effect and interaction of three factors: coagulant dosage, flocculent dosage, and pH. The CCD is successfully demonstrated to efficiently determine the optimized parameters, where 78% of water recovery with a 20 NTU turbidity value can be obtained at the optimum value of coagulant dosage, flocculent dosage, and pH at 15 000 mg/L, 300 mg/L, and 6, respectively.

Facility Design and Construction↗
PubMed1999

Optimal timing for processing and cryopreservation of umbilical cord haematopoietic stem cells for clinical transplantation.

Some of the factors that may influence the number and quality of cord blood haematopoietic progenitor cells available for transplantation have been investigated including site of collection, delayed processing after collection and cryopreservation protocol. We used the granulocyte-macrophage progenitor (CFU-GM) and erythroid burst-forming unit (BFU-E) assays to quantify progenitors. The capacity of CFU-GM to produce secondary colonies was used as a measure of progenitor cell quality. We found that: (1) there were no significant differences in total nucleated cells (TNC), mononuclear cells (MNC), CFU-GM or BFU-E numbers in paired specimens from the umbilical vein or veins at the base of the placenta. The potential of the CFU-GM to produce secondary colonies from the two sites was similar; (2) storing cord blood at room temperature or at 4 degrees C resulted in a significant reduction in progenitor cell numbers beyond 9 h; and (3) cryopreservation following either controlled rate freezing or passive cooling reduced MNC numbers, viability and CFU-GM survival insignificantly but the potential of CFU-GM to produce secondary colonies was significantly reduced post cryopreservation (P = 0.04). We conclude that the yield of CB progenitor cells is not affected by the site of collection, but is adversely affected by delays between collection and cryopreservation. Furthermore, cryopreservation reduced the CFU-GM potential to produce secondary colonies. Measures of progenitor cell quality as well as quantity may be relevant to assessing CB blood collections.

Blood Specimen Collection↗
PubMed1994

Optimizing performance through process improvement.

Health care professionals have found traditional problem solving and traditional management have not succeeded in "assuring quality." Organizations are changing the way they do business and are utilizing process improvement methodology to improve performance. Based on important functions, select dimensions of performance for processes are measured, evaluated, redesigned, and improved. Once priorities for improvement activities are determined, improvement projects can be implemented utilizing various process improvement models. The PRIDE (process, relevant, interpret, design, execute) model, designed by the authors, is one approach that can be applied in any setting.

Efficiency, Organizational↗
PubMed2005

Therapeutic efficacy and safety of photochemically treated apheresis platelets processed with an optimized integrated set.

BACKGROUND: This multicenter, randomized, controlled, double-blind Phase III clinical study evaluated the therapeutic efficacy and safety of apheresis platelets (PLTs) photochemically treated (PCT) with amotosalen and ultraviolet A light (INTERCEPT Blood System, Baxter Healthcare Corp.) compared with conventional apheresis PLTs (reference). STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Forty-three patients with transfusion-dependent thrombocytopenia were randomly assigned to receive either PCT or reference PLT transfusions for up to 28 days. RESULTS: The mean 1- and 24-hour corrected count increments were lower in response to PCT PLTs (not significant). When analyzed by longitudinal regression analysis, the estimated effect of treatment on 1-hour PLT count was a decrease of 7.2 x 10(9) per L (p = 0.05) and on 24-hour PLT count a decrease of 7.4 x 10(9) per L (p = 0.04). Number, frequency, and dose of PLT transfusions; acute transfusion reactions; and adverse events were similar between the two groups. There was no transfusion-associated bacteremia. Four PCT patients experienced clinical refractoriness; however, only one exhibited lymphocytotoxicity assay seroconversion. Antibodies against potential amotosalen-related neoantigens were not detected. CONCLUSION: PCT PLTs provide effective and safe transfusion support for thrombocytopenic patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

An intact Raf zinc finger is required for optimal binding to processed Ras and for ras-dependent Raf activation in situ.

The function of the c-Raf-1 zinc finger domain in the activation of the Raf kinase was examined by the creation of variant zinc finger structures. Mutation of Raf Cys 165 and Cys 168 to Ser strongly inhibits the Ras-dependent activation of c-Raf-1 by epidermal growth factor (EGF). Deletion of the Raf zinc finger and replacement with a homologous zinc finger from protein kinase C gamma (PKC gamma) (to give gamma/Raf) also abrogates EGF-induced activation but enables a vigorous phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-induced activation. PMA activation of gamma/Raf does not require endogenous Ras or PKCs and probably occurs through a PMA-induced recruitment of gamma/Raf to the plasma membrane. The impaired ability of EGF to activate the Raf zinc finger variants in situ is attributable, at least in part, to a major decrement in their binding to Ras-GTP; both Raf zinc finger variants exhibit decreased association with Ras (V12) in situ upon coexpression in COS cells, as well as diminished binding in vitro to immobilized, processed COS recombinant Ras(V12)-GTP. In contrast, Raf binding to unprocessed COS or prokaryotic recombinant Ras-GTP is unaffected by Raf zinc finger mutation. Thus, the Raf zinc finger contributes an important component to the overall binding to Ras-GTP in situ, through an interaction between the zinc finger and an epitope on Ras, distinct from the effector loop, that is present only on prenylated Ras.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Technical aspects of screen-film radiography, film processing, and quality control.

The broad goal of quality control (QC) of screen-film radiography and film processing is to provide radiographs of consistent, high quality. Achievement of this goal requires attention to several areas, including QC of the screen-film system and photographic processor, acceptance testing of all components, and skill in analysis of film artifacts to "diagnose" the processor problems causing the aberrations. Methods to reduce waste, recycle by-products, and reuse resources such as silver are also part of the QC process. To optimize the photographic process, one should use the film, chemical solutions, processor, and screens and cassettes produced by one manufacturer or the combination recommended by the film manufacturer. Important variables in film processing (eg, density, density difference, and base plus fog) are recorded on control charts, which plot the variables as a function of time and allow easy analysis of changes in operating levels. Many variables can affect any component in the screen-film imaging system; problems caused by manufacturing batch-to-batch variation, which is perhaps the most pervasive variable, can be lessened by purchasing film, screens, and cassettes in large batches and of the same batch and by purchasing photographic chemicals in concentrated form and mixing them as needed. Acceptance testing ensures that the product meets expectations, ensures that its performance meets specifications, and establishes the operating level for the ongoing QC program.

Artifacts↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A digital processing strategy to optimize hearing aid outputs directly.

A new amplification strategy (ADRO), based on 64 independently operating channels, was compared with a nine-channel wide dynamic range compression strategy (WDRC). Open-platform in-the-ear hearing instruments were configured either with ADRO or the manufacturer's WDRC strategy. Twenty-two subjects with mild to moderate hearing loss took home the ADRO or WDRC hearing aids. After three weeks' acclimatization, the aids were evaluated using monosyllables in quiet at 50 to 65 dB SPL and sentences in eight-talker babble. The acclimatization and evaluation were repeated in the second phase of the balanced reverse-block blind experimental design. The ADRO program showed a statistically significant mean advantage of 7.85% word score (95% confidence interval 3.19% to 12.51%; p = 0.002) and 6.41% phoneme score for the monosyllables in quiet (95% confidence interval 2.03% to 10.79%; p = 0.006). A statistically significant advantage of 7.25% was also found for the ADRO program in background noise (95% confidence interval 1.95% to 12.55%; p = 0.010). The results are consistent with earlier data for listeners with moderate to severe hearing loss.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The in vivo and in vitro effects of chicken interferon alpha on infectious bursal disease virus and Newcastle disease virus infection.

The in vitro and in vivo effects of chicken interferon alpha on infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) infection were investigated in this study. A cDNA of interferon alpha was first cloned from a Chinese strain chicken Shiqi by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The deduced amino acid sequence has one amino acid substitution with chicken interferon alpha 1 at residue 65 (N to S) and two amino acid substitutions with chicken interferon alpha 2 at residues 50 (N to S) and 58 (P to L), respectively. A prokaryotic expression system was employed to produce a large quantity of recombinant protein. Recombinant interferon was purified in a one-step process, and an optimal refolding process was devised. About 51% recombinant protein from inclusion bodies was refolded, and the final yield of the recombinant interferon reached 24.66 mg/liter culture. The recombinant interferon suppressed IBDV plaque formation in a dose-dependent manner and ameliorated IBDV and Newcastle disease virus infection in both specific-pathogen-free (SPF) and commercial chickens. The antiviral effect of interferon alpha is more significant in commercial chickens than in SPF chickens, and the route of administration affects the efficacy of interferon therapy. This is the first reported study of the effects of interferon alpha on IBDV infection.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2001

[Selection of optimal ultrasonic extraction process of Elaeagnus angustifolia L. by uniform design].

The influences of ultrasonic frequency, ultrasonic time and solvent content on the extraction rate of fat oil in Elaeagnus angustifolia L. were studied. The optimum extraction condition was obtained. The results showed that the ultrasonic extraction method of fat oil in Elaeagnus angustifolia L. could save time, improve extraction rate and need not be hot compared with traditional extraction method.

Elaeagnaceae↗
PubMed1992

Standardization of process parameters for salbutamol sulphate microcapsules coated with cellulose acetate phthalate and computation of in-vitro release kinetics.

Salbutamol sulphate, a bronchodilatatory drug for asthma, is encapsulated by Emulsion-Solvent-Evaporation technique using cellulose acetatephthalate as coating polymeric material. Different process parameters like Stirring Speed, Drug-Polymer Ratio, Solvent-Polymer Ratio, Internal Phase-External Phase Ratio, Effects of Temperature, and of Surfactants have been studied to standardise the process. At optimal condition of process parameters maximum encapsulation efficiency is obtained and microcapsules produced are free flowing and spherical. The dissolution of the microcapsules is carried out and the data obtained from in-vitro dissolution profile are computed in the light of different kinetic models. Diffusion coefficient (Da) and diffusivity rate constant (KBL) are evaluated with the help of Baker-Lonsdale model.

Albuterol↗