Isolation, Production and Characterisation of Novel Gelatinase Enzyme From Bacillus Spp

Nowadays gelatinase have received considerable attention as targets for drug development because of their potential role in connective tissue degradation associated with tumor metastasis. The potential uses of Gelatinase and their high demand, necessitates the need for the discovery of new strains of bacteria that produce enzymes with novel properties and with low cost industrial medium. The present study was conducted to isolate and identify gelatinase producing microorganisms as well as optimize the medium and cultural conditions for maximum enzyme production. Isolates obtained from fish processing wastes were examined for gelatinase production.The medium parameters were optimized for maximum production of gelatinase enzyme by the efficient isolate.Optimizing its abiotic factors, maximum enzyme activity was achieved at 48h incubation period, pH 7, 40°C temperature, lactose as carbon source and a gelatin concentration of 0.2%. The identity of the strain was confirmed by PCR reaction with universal primers (27F and 1492 R), sequencing and then by the BLAST analysis. The results showed that the isolated bacteria had highest homology (100%) with Bacillus thuringiensis strain O3.The enzyme produced under all the optimum was then purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation (40%) and dialysis. The final purification after dialysis yielded specific activity of 45.85 IU/ml. The purity of enzyme preparation was assessed by SDS PAGE Gel electrophoresis and was found to be a single band with a molecular weight of approximately 66 kDa.The study could isolate and identify a potent gelatinase producing Bacillus strain that can be used for the development of gelatinase enzyme production. &nbsp

Seasonal variation in yield and yield contributing characters of selected cocoa clones

Cocoa, the only source of chocolate, is divided into three groups viz. Forastero, Criollo and Trinitario. This study was taken up to gauge the performance of 12 years old cocoa clones of three types. Among these, Forastero was found to perform well under tropical conditions in all three seasons. The performance of Forastero was unrivaled with pod weight 429.95 g and wet bean weight 117.79 g. All three varieties performed well under post-monsoon season exploiting advantages of monsoon. When correlated with weather, it was observed that number of rainy days, rainfall and relative humidity had a negative correlation with number of pods, whereas mean sunshine hours had a positive correlation with pod weight, wet bean weight, and TSS. In order to comprehend the significance of weather parameters, canonical correlation was estimated. The high value indicated that all the weather parameters influenced the characters to a great extent. Rainfall, temperature and relative humidity were the three climatic factors influencing the yield parameters. High R2 value obtained in prediction model suggested that it could be efficiently used in the prediction of yield and yield contributing characters of cocoa. &nbsp

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on people with alcohol use disorder in Kerala– An observation from Thrissur district

The novel coronavirus pandemic had caused the closure of beverage outlets in Kerala in late March 2020. There were a few suicides in the immediate period, which were highlighted in the media attributing to non-availability of alcohol. An observational study of patients admitted at the De-addiction Centre, NEST and Jubilee Mission Medical College and Research Institute was done. We recorded our observations from the closure of the beverage outlets until two weeks after. Though the government anticipated at least 100 patients, we encountered only 17. Those admitted were brought in delirium, with seizures or injuries sustained during delirium. The possible reasons behind this disparity are discussed which included the sale of illicit liquor or use of home-made preparations. The current situation arose due to a lack of planning and sudden closure of beverage outlets without warning being issued to mental health professionals. Opinions regarding steps to be taken for similar situations in the future are posited

Leeds sleep evaluation questionnaire in Jordanian university students: A psychometric investigation using comparative confirmatory factor analysis

© 2020 Saudi Arabian Armed Forces Hospital. All rights reserved. Objectives: To analyze the fit of different competing factor models (a one-factor model, 3 2-factor models, and 2 4-factor models) of the Leeds sleep evaluation questionnaire (LSEQ) in the data from a Jordanian student population. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on university students, with 2 sleep-related tools - the LSEQ and the sleep hygiene index (SHI). The students (n=166) at Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan participated in this study from January-April, 2019. A total of 12 LSEQ models (6 models with all 10-items, and 6 models with one item deleted) were evaluated by using confirmatory factor analysis. The summary statistics of correlation coefficients, descriptive measures of item analysis, the model fit, and Cronbach’s alpha were determined. Results: The findings show that a 4-factor correlated solution was a plausible model for the LSEQ with 9-items, compared to a one-factor, 2-factor, and other 4-factor variant models. The deletion of one item from the original LSEQ improved the data fit significantly in the studied population. Moreover, correlation analysis between the LSEQ and SHI confirmed the divergent validity of the LSEQ. Conclusion: The results support the validity of a 4-factor structure of the LSEQ with 9-items with adequate internal consistency and divergent validity

An Exploratory study of Acculturation and its effect on Qatari Nationals and Asian Immigrants in Qatar

Migration is a global phenomenon. The number of international migrations has grown rapidly with nearly 3.3% of the population in the world, which is roughly 244 million constituting the migrant population (World Migration Report, 2018). This figure was 82 million in 1970, indicating a large number of people living outside the country they were born. As such, it is key to understand migrants’ acculturation, stress and coping at both local and global context. The increasing trend towards globalization and migration has caused people from different cultures around the globe to incline towards and adopt a multilingual and multicultural existence. As such globalization and immigration have had a substantial influence on the various areas of study today such as economic growth, lifestyle changes, and the rapidy evolving means of communication (Arnett, 2002; Berger & Huntington, 2002). However, this impact has also caused the acculturating individuals to connect, adapt to and interact with others from a multitude of cultures, thereby bringing forth many psychological changes and challenges. Exploration of numerous studies in the field of acculturation draws attention to the inference that most of these studies that explore the psycho-social adjustment and adaptation of ethnic minorities, refugees and immigrant population have been done within a western premise (Chen, Benet-Martinez & Bond, 2008). Not much has been explored in understanding the psycho-socio adjustment and adaptation of Asian immigrants when these immigrants form the majority group, and the cultural exchange that occurs with the interaction with a minority host group as the result of globalization or temporary migration (Chen, Benet-Martinez & Bond, 2008). The research reported in this thesis, using Berry’s (1997) acculturation model as the frame of reference, examines the patterns by which Asian immigrants and nationals in Qatar acculturate, including experience of acculturative stress, adaptation and methods deployed for coping with this stress. The sample consisted of 284 university students aged 18 - 36 years (mean= 22.12) who were living and studying in Qatar:185 participants from Qatar 15 (8%) males and 170 (92%) females (mean age = 21.66) and 99 Asian student participants 35(35%) male and 64 (65%) female, (mean age = 22) who were predominantly from South Asia and a few from Middle East who were non-native Arabic speakers. A quantitative cross-sectional research design was adopted, employing instruments adapted from previous relevant studies such as the Mutual Intercultural Relations in Plural Societies (MIRIPS) project (Annis, Gibson, & Berry, 2010) and the International Comparative Study of Ethno-cultural Youth project (ICSEY) (Berry, Phinney, Sam & Vedder, 2006). Data was collected through self-report questionnaires administered online in English for the Asian immigrants and in Arabic for Qatari participants. Four profiles of acculturation of Asian immigrant youth emerged from the cluster analysis built on the modeling of their mean scores on the three clustering variables – acculturation attitudes, cultural identity, both ethnic and national, and their social network. Here ‘acculturation profiles’ denotes a cluster of individuals who display similar acculturation characteristics that result in them favouring a particular type of strategy to acculturate to a new society. The four Asian profiles were Ethnic, Integration, Multicultural other ethnic and Multicultural hosts. The findings showed similar levels of acculturative stress were experienced by members of the four Asian acculturation profiles. Similarly, no differences in adaptation, both psychological and socio-cultural, were observed, irrespective of what acculturation strategy was used by the Asian participants. Asian youth who adopted Integration did not show better psychological or socio-cultural adaptation compared to the other three acculturation profiles. In this study, the Asian acculturation profiles showed a significant difference in how they were coping – both in their overall coping and in the mode of coping (active or passive). The Multicultural host profile was coping the poorest and the same was observed even with respect to the coping strategies adopted – active and passive coping. Usually, variations in coping occur when members of the different acculturation profiles experience varying degrees of acculturative stress that could result from factors such as migratory age, education, health, societal support and subjective reaction to social norms and values (Berry, 1992). This was not the case in this study. Hence, the contributing factors towards the poor coping results for the Multicultural host profile remain unclear. One explanation could be that the members of this acculturation profile had poor cultural, personal and overall sense of security, which could make them more vulnerable to acculturative stress and increase their risk of coping poorly. Among the Qatari participants, using the cluster analysis method, five acculturation profiles emerged built on the modelling of mean scores on the three clustering variables – acculturation expectation, national identity and peer social contacts. The five Qatari acculturation profiles were Nationalistic & socially integrated, Nationalistic & expatriate tolerant, Nationalistic & separated, Nationalistic & pro-multicultural and Nationalistic & segregated-multicultural. All Qatari acculturation profiles were similar with respect to the strong nationalistic identity embraced by the profile members. Findings showed no difference in how Qatari participants adapted to acculturative stress irrespective of the strategy they chose to adopt to acculturate based on their membership of a profile group. Similarly, the members of the different Qatari acculturation profiles showed no difference in how they were coping with acculturative stress. This study sought to understand acculturation among immigrants and hosts in a unique demographic setting and has generated some interesting findings that warrant further exploration. The results shed light on a variety of phenomena: the unique nature of immigration in Qatar; the scenario of a reversed demographic ratio of host to immigrant numbers; acculturation patterns that do not fit with the conventional acculturation model posited by Berry; acculturation profiles of assimilation and marginalization completely missing from both Asian and Qatari profiles; multiple interpretations of the concept of multiculturalism; lack of clear differences in acculturative stress and adaptation between Asian and Qatari acculturation profiles; and a possible multi-directional acculturative interaction between immigrant-host groups and immigrant-immigrant groups. This breakthrough research provides new insight into both the acculturation literature and the study of predictors of psychological and socio-cultural outcomes among immigrants, by providing scientific data for benchmarking that were formerly not available on acculturation attitudes of non-dominant majority immigrants, acculturation expectations of dominant minority host, acculturative stress, coping and adaptation among Asian immigrants and nationals in Qatar. The results of the current research have policy insinuations for Qatar as well as other countries with similar socio-demographic and cultural background. The results are of potential significance to policymakers who need to consider the best possible way to integrate immigrants into their society as policies are being drafted for pathways for naturalization, visa and work law regulation, health reforms in the nation especially concerning mental health reforms

Croissance et caractérisation d'absorbeurs à base d'oxyde cuivreux pour le photovoltaïque

L’oxyde cuivreux (Cu2O) est un candidat prometteur comme absorbeur photovoltaïque. Dans ce travail, nous avons tout d’abord optimisé les conditions de dépôt de films de Cu2O purs sans phase parasite de CuO par ablation laser pulsé (PLD) et pulvérisation cathodique RF. Nous avons également optimisé l’oxydation thermique de feuilles de cuivre pour obtenir Cu2O. Nous avons montré que la stœchiométrie des films peut être contrôlée en variant les conditions de dépôt. Les propriétés des films en tant qu’absorbeur ont été investiguées en détail avec différentes techniques structurales, optiques et électriques. Pour étudier l’influence de la technique de croissance de Cu2O sur les propriétés en tant qu’absorbeur, les films de Cu2O optimisés par PLD et pulvérisation cathodique ont été comparés aux feuilles de Cu2O oxydées thermiquement. La réponse photovoltaïque de ces absorbeurs préparés via les différentes techniques a été mesurée en élaborant des cellules solaires à base d’hétérojonctions adaptées. Une tension de circuit ouvert de 0.56 V a été mesurée à partir de films épitaxiés par PLD avec une hétérojonction à base de Nb:SrTiO3. Le meilleur courant a été obtenu avec des cellules solaires de feuilles de Cu2O oxydé thermiquement, fournissant une densité de courant de 1.90 mA/cm2. Les cellules solaires à base de Cu2O obtenu par pulvérisation cathodique offrent également une réponse photovoltaïque intéressante. Pour finir, la variation des performances des différents absorbeurs de Cu2O a été analysée en utilisant des techniques de caractérisation avancées comme l’absorption transitoire et la technique de TCSPC (Time-Correlated Single Photon Counting). Nous montrons que la présence de défauts ou pièges influence le temps de vie des porteurs dans les films obtenus par PLD et pulvérisation cathodique, ce qui affecte l’efficacité de la séparation des porteurs de charge dans les cellules solaires.Cuprous Oxide (Cu2O) is a promising candidate as an absorber in photovoltaics. In this work, initially we have optimized the deposition conditions for pure Cu2O film without any parasitic CuO phase via Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) and RF Magnetron Sputtering. Optimization of the thermal oxidation of copper sheets to obtain Cu2O was also carried out. We have shown that the stoichiometry of the film can be controlled by varying the deposition conditions. The absorber properties of the films were investigated in detail with several structural, optical, and electrical characterization techniques. To study the influence of the Cu2O growth technique on the absorber properties, optimised PLD and sputtered Cu2O films were compared to thermally oxidised Cu2O sheets. The photovoltaic response of the same absorber prepared via different techniques was also investigated by constructing solar cells with suitable heterojunctions. An open-circuit voltage of 0.56 V was measured from epitaxially grown PLD Cu2O with Nb:SrTiO3 heterojunction. The highest current was obtained for solar cell with thermally oxidised sheet with a short-circuit current density of 1.90 mA/cm2. The sputtered Cu2O solar cell also showed promising photovoltaic response. Finally, the variation in the absorber efficiency of Cu2O was analysed using advanced characterization techniques such as Transient Absorption and Time-Correlated Single Photon Counting. The presence of defects or traps were found to influence the carrier lifetime in the PLD and sputtered Cu2O films, highly affecting the charge carrier separation efficiency when employed in a photovoltaic cell