Gordonia amarae, a filamentous actinomycete, commonly found in foaming activated sludge wastewater treatment plants was investigated for its biosurfactant production capability. Soluble acetate and paringly soluble hexadecane were used as carbon sources for G. amarae growth and biosurfactant production in laboratory scale batch reactors. The lowest surface tension (critical micelle concentration, CMC) of the cell-free culture broth was 55 dynes/cm when 1,900 mg/L acetate was used as the sole carbon source. The lowest surface tension was less than 40 dynes/cm when either 1% (v/v) hexadecane or a mixture of 1% (v/v) hexadecane and 0.5% (w/v) acetate was used as the carbon source. The maximum biomass concentration (the stationary phase) was achieved after 4 days when acetate was used along with hexadecane, whereas it took about 8 days to achieve the stationary phase with hexadecane alone. The maximum biosurfactant production was 3 x CMC with hexadecane as the sole carbon source, and it was 5 x CMC with the mixture of hexadecane and acetate. Longer term growth studies (approximately 35 days of culture growth) indicated that G. amarae produces biosurfactant in order to solubilize hexadecane, and that adding acetate improves its biosurfactant production by providing readily degradable substrate for initial biomass growth. This research confirms that the foaming problems in activated sludge containing G. amarae in the activated sludge are due to the biosurfactant production by G. amarae when hydrophobic substrates such as hexadecane are present.

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Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of vibroacoustic stimulation (VAS) and modified fetal biophysical profile (mFBP) for early intrapartum fetal assessment and prediction of adverse perinatal outcome. Methods: In this prospective study, 210 women who were in latent phase of labor at the time of admission to the labor unit were subjected to VAS/mFBP, in which fetal startle response and fetal heart acceleration under combined B/M mode ultrasonography following VAS were observed. The results of VAS/mFBP were correlated with adverse perinatal outcome. Standard "fourfold" format was used to calculate various diagnostic values. Results: Mean testing time was 4.86+0.72 min. Of the 210 fetuses subjected to VAS/ mFBP, 200 (95.2%) were reactive and 10 (4.8%) nonreactive. There were 198 (94.3%) favorable and 12 (5.7%) adverse perinatal outcomes. VAS/mFBP had: sensitivity 66.7%, specificity 99.0%, positive predictive value 80.0%, negative predictive value 98.0%, and accuracy 97.2%. Conclusions: Because of its simplicity, ease of administration, short testing time, noninvasiveness, and high accuracy VAS/mFBP for early intrapartum fetal assessment is a reliable diagnostic approach.

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Objective This prospective randomized controlled study was carried out with the purpose of assessing the efficacy of sublingual misoprostol in decreasing intraoperative blood loss and the need for additional uterotonic agents at cesarean delivery. Methods One hundred seventy-four women undergoing elective or emergency cesarean delivery were assigned randomly to receive either 400 lg misoprostol or placebo sublingually at the time of cord clamping. An intravenous infusion of 20 units of oxytocin was started in all women at the same time. The primary outcome measures were intraoperative blood loss, need for additional uterotonic agents, and perioperative hemoglobin (Hb) fall. Results The maternal demographic factors, indications for cesarean delivery, and high-risk factors were similar between the two groups. Mean intraoperative blood loss was significantly less in misoprostol group as compared with placebo group (595 ± 108 vs. 651 ± 118 ml, P = 0.025). Fewer women needed additional uterotonic agents in misoprostol group (22.2 vs. 42.8 %; P = 0.0035; RR 0.52, 95 % CI 0.33-0.82). Perioperative Hb fall was significantly less in misoprostol group (0.87 ± 0.29 vs. 1.01 ± 0.26 g, P = 0.0018). Conclusion Sublingual misoprostol decreases intraoperative blood loss and the need for additional uterotonic agents at cesarean delivery.