Nanodiamonds and natural deep eutectic solvents as potential carriers for lipase.

This study investigates the use of nanodiamonds (ND) as a promising carrier for enzyme immobilization and compares the effectiveness of immobilized and native enzymes. Three different enzyme types were tested, of which Rhizopus niveus lipase (RNL) exhibited the highest relative activity, up to 350 %. Under optimized conditions (1 h, pH 7.0, 40 °C), the immobilized ND-RNL showed a maximum specific activity of 0.765 U mg-1, significantly higher than native RNL (0.505 U mg-1). This study highlights a notable enhancement in immobilized lipase; furthermore, the enzyme can be recycled in the presence of a natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES), retaining 76 % of its initial activity. This aids in preserving the native conformation of the protein throughout the reusability process. A test on brine shrimp revealed that even at low concentrations, ND-RNL had minimal toxicity, indicating its low cytotoxicity. The in silico molecular dynamics simulations performed in this study offer valuable insights into the mechanism of interactions between RNL and ND, demonstrating that RNL immobilization onto NDs enhances its efficiency and stability. All told, these findings highlight the immense potential of ND-immobilized RNL as an excellent candidate for biological applications and showcase the promise of further research in this field.

From Undang-undang Melaka to federal constitution: the dynamics of multicultural Malaysia.

BACKGROUND: Malaysia is a multicultural state comprising three main races: Malays, Chinese and Indians. The three main religions are Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism. Other religions such as Sikhism and Christianity are also practised. Muslims are the majority comprising 67 % of the population. METHODS: This paper is qualitative in nature. It applies historical comparative method in presenting its data. The Undang-undang Melaka (Malacca Laws) was obtained from the monograph available at National Library of Malaysia under the name of Hukum Kanun Melaka. Analysis was done on selected examples from this document. RESULT: This paper highlights that had there been no introduction to a common law system, Malaysia would have remained with its traditional laws influenced by Islam and its local customs as evident from Undang-undang Melaka (Malacca laws). The Undang-undang Melaka was practised from 1422 to 1444 and the law of the country was developed to accommodate the introduction of civil law during the colonial period. DISCUSSION: One of the unique aspects of multicultural Malaysia is the fact that it has a parallel legal system: sharia and civil law. This paper examines histo-cultural development of the Islamic law as practised in pre-independent Malaysia, as well as the coexistence between these two laws after the independence of Malaya in 1957. CONCLUSIONS: This paper concludes that Islamic law in Malaysia is confined to Muslim family matters, while civil law covers all other matters.