Optimization and purification of thermostable lipase produced by Aspergillus ustus grown on soy-bean litters

1. Lipase enzyme was produced from A. ustus under optimized cultural conditions [C/N ratio was 0.4/1% i. e: the weight of waste material, soy-bean litters, equivalent to 0.4% lipid is 6.48%, and peptone, 1% for 3 days at pH 6.98 in presence of 1 mg/ml FeCl[3] under shake conditions]. 2. The enzyme was extracted and purified by precipitation with [NH[4]][2] SO[4] then by chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex A[50] followed by Gel-filtration on Sephadex G[100]. Recovery was 27.67%. 3. The enzyme was clearly distinguished from lipases previously characterized, On using SDS-PAGE, the final fraction splits into two bands with electrophoretic mobility 0.24 and 0.56, indicating that the molecule consists of two peptide chains with molecular weight 34.670 and 66.70 Daltons with PI 7.1. km and V[max] values were 5.8 g/100ml and 31.2 U/mg protein, respectively. The maximum activity occurred at 37°C and pH 7.5 for 2.5 hrs. The enzyme has thermostability properties. 4. The enzyme protein is rich in essential amino acids as compared with FAO and it seems to be related to the same group of porcine pancreatic lipase

Assessment and upgrading of knowledge and attitudes among nurses and university graduates towards AIDS

This study aimed to assess and upgrade the level of knowledge and attitudes towards AIDS among nurses and university graduates [U.G.]. The study used pre-test, post-test with no control group design. It was done over a period from January 1995 to July 1996. Four hundred and thirty four nurses and 244 U.G. were subjected to baseline questionnaire and health education lecture about HIV/AIDS. The mean score of knowledge and were attitudes significantly improved from pre to post-lecture among both groups [p=0.0001]. There were no significant differences in the levels of knowledge and attitudes pre and post-lecture between the two studied groups, or participants' sex [p>0.05]. There were statistically significant differences between married and single participants with high levels among married [p=0.003] Logistic regression analysis showed that marriage was the strongest predictor variable of good knowledge score [>/= 75%]