Optimization of Biosurfactant Production from Glycerol by Pseudomonas Aeruginosa EQ 109 Using Factorial Design 2^3

One possible application for the excess of glycerol, which is an exceeding byproduct in biodiesel industry, was used as carbon and energy sources for bioproducts synthesis. This work aims to evaluate biosurfactant production from glycerol by Pseudomonas aeruginosa EQ 109 isolated from crude oil-contaminated soil. Factorial design 2^3 was utilized to optimize the amount of biosurfactant produced, by using pH （A）, initial biomass concentration （B）, and initial glycerol concentration （C） as independent factors. The experiments were carried out in flasks containing 100 mL of mineral medium. Biosurfactant production was monitored by increase of the emulsification of aviation kerosene （E24） and surface tension reduction （STr）. The results have shown that, at pH = 7.0, in order to increase E24, variables as B and C are the most influential, leading to a maximum value of E24 = 79%, as well as for an increase of GC （GCmax = 49%）. STR was the variable with the best correlation factor for the proposed linear model （R2=0.96） and its maximum value was 48%. Xfwas not significant to the model, although it was influenced by pH and C, with C = 40g/L （Xfmax = 4.56 g/L）.

Assumptions of Economic Model for Sustainable Productions of Beekeeping in the Bosnia and Hercegovina

Production of bee products using standards of Modern technology requires high specialization and high productivity of labor adequate facilities and equipment, and coordination of natural bee potential with production characteristics of the wider region. Effectively beekeeping today means using several pastures per year with a yield of 50-60 kg per hive. Mobile beekeeping is the only way to achieve high yields of production and it has considerable advantage over stationary one which is less rentable. Mobile beekeeping require higher investments and labor but with good climate and ecological conditions, one can achieve several times higher income than in stationary beekeeping. Some of the success in mobile beekeeping depends of the selection of hives. The hives must be designed to give the bees the best environment for work and development to be most efficient. Data was collected from 57 beekeepers that live in the district. Data analysis was conducted by using standard statistical and economic processes. Criteria for a recommended for the proposed beekeeping model were incomes and profit per hive. For effective beekeeping and production of bee products, especially honey, beekeeper must have adequate equipment and a good bee hives. Beekeeper must have transportation and additional equipment because their movement depends season on the season and distance to pasture.

Diagnosis and Objective Pain Assessment of Traditional Chinese Medicine May Be Useful to Demonstrate Specific Effects of Acupuncture in Low Back Pain: A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled and Single Blinded Pre-study

Objective: To prove specific effects of acupuncture on chronic pain. It was speculated that the potential specific effectiveness of acupuncture could be better shown in more properly designed studies. Therefore, diagnoses of both Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) were used as inclusion criteria to allocate acupoints more precisely to the complaints of the patients. Secondly, objectively measurable parameters of pain relief in addition to usual Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were chosen to quantify the effects of acupuncture. Methods: The study was prospective, randomized, controlled and single-blinded. Eighteen patients with chronic back pain and TCM diagnosis of a Taiyang/Yangming syndrome received one single session of acupuncture chosen according to TCM diagnosis or acupuncture on points outside the meridian system (controls). We evaluated pain via VAS and increased mobility via inclinometry of the back. Results: Although the sample size was small, there was a statistically significant improvement in pain and mobility in the intervention group (n=13), but not in the control group (n=5). The calculated sample size adequate power was lower for inclinometry than for VAS, indicating that VAS is less probable to discriminate acupuncture effects. Conclusion: Objectively measurable physical parameters such as the angle of flexion before and after acupuncture (inclinometry) may be more suitable to measure pain relief than subjective assessment by VAS in acupuncture studies. TCM diagnosis may be a helpful inclusion criterion in studies on acupuncture, so as to potentially allocate interventions better to the complaints of patients.