Utilization of mango peel extracts on the biodegradable films for active packaging

Mango peels extract (MPE) was incorporated into fish gelatin films to determine their physical, barrier, mechanical and antioxidant properties for active food packaging. Films with three different concentrations of MPE (1–5%) were prepared by solution casting method. Films incorporated with MPE showed a decrease (P > 0.05) of water vapor permeability (WVP) and lower (P ≤ 0.05) films solubility. High level of MPE films also exhibited more rigid and less flexible film formation. Colored tint films and a reduction in transparency were due to the hydrogen bond linkages between fish gelatin molecules and phenolic content within the film matrix. Higher free radicals scavenging activities also observed for films with higher concentrations of MPE. This study reveals the benefits of mango by-products incorporated into gelatin based films as a potential material for active packaging

Socializing One Health: an innovative strategy to investigate social and behavioral risks of emerging viral threats

In an effort to strengthen global capacity to prevent, detect, and control infectious diseases in animals and people, the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Emerging Pandemic Threats (EPT) PREDICT project funded development of regional, national, and local One Health capacities for early disease detection, rapid response, disease control, and risk reduction. From the outset, the EPT approach was inclusive of social science research methods designed to understand the contexts and behaviors of communities living and working at human-animal-environment interfaces considered high-risk for virus emergence. Using qualitative and quantitative approaches, PREDICT behavioral research aimed to identify and assess a range of socio-cultural behaviors that could be influential in zoonotic disease emergence, amplification, and transmission. This broad approach to behavioral risk characterization enabled us to identify and characterize human activities that could be linked to the transmission dynamics of new and emerging viruses. This paper provides a discussion of implementation of a social science approach within a zoonotic surveillance framework. We conducted in-depth ethnographic interviews and focus groups to better understand the individual- and community-level knowledge, attitudes, and practices that potentially put participants at risk for zoonotic disease transmission from the animals they live and work with, across 6 interface domains. When we asked highly-exposed individuals (ie. bushmeat hunters, wildlife or guano farmers) about the risk they perceived in their occupational activities, most did not perceive it to be risky, whether because it was normalized by years (or generations) of doing such an activity, or due to lack of information about potential risks. Integrating the social sciences allows investigations of the specific human activities that are hypothesized to drive disease emergence, amplification, and transmission, in order to better substantiate behavioral disease drivers, along with the social dimensions of infection and transmission dynamics. Understanding these dynamics is critical to achieving health security--the protection from threats to health-- which requires investments in both collective and individual health security. Involving behavioral sciences into zoonotic disease surveillance allowed us to push toward fuller community integration and engagement and toward dialogue and implementation of recommendations for disease prevention and improved health security

Development of antioxidant bilayer films based on polyethylene, gelatin and fruit peel extracts for food packaging

In this research, utilization of agricultural by-products as a source of natural antioxidant was developed for an active packaging system. In the first objective, four types of by-products namely, jackfruit peels (JPE), mango peels (MPE), pineapple peels (PPE), and papaya peels (YPE) in the form of extracts were incorporated into fish gelatin films to determine their physical and antioxidant properties. Films with three different concentrations of extracts (1, 3 and 5%) were prepared by solution casting method. Increasing concentration of extracts up to 5% produced thicker, colored, good tensile strength and less flexible films. It also showed an improvement in water permeability with less solubility. Although all films have potential to be developed into active packaging, gelatin based film with 5% MPE was more outstanding in availability of phenolic compounds and its antioxidant performances. Therefore, in the second objective, 5% MPE-gelatin based film was developed into bilayer active packaging by casting onto the PE films at 10 μm (PE/G10), 20 μm (PE/G20), 40 μm (PE/G40), and 60 μm (PE/G60). Bilayer films also showed compatibility structure without any separation between the PE and gelatin active layer. Thicker coatings influenced the reduction (p≤0.05) of the total phenolic content (TPC) values. Besides, thicker coating layer had improved the transparency and the antioxidant ability but increased (p≤0.05) the water vapor permeability. Therefore, it can be suggested that bilayer film is suitable for low water activity of food products. In the third objective, PE/G60 was used to determine the effectiveness of the bilayer films on maintaining or controlling the quality of margarine during storage at 4 °C and 25 °C. Results observed that margarine packed in PE/G60 at 4 °C able to inhibit lipid oxidation during 28 days of storage. The bilayer material affects the color changes in margarine with no significant (p>0.05) differences were observed on pH of margarine for both temperatures. This concluded that 5% MPE at 60 μm was suitable to be developed into bilayer films and had the potential as an antioxidant packaging for high lipid product

The formation of social capital in Malay traditional settlement

Good practices of traditional settlement’s preservation allow all actors to engage and explore what makes a self-sustaining settlement by the locals. This study aims to identify the values of social capital that have influenced the social capital sustainability in Malay traditional settlement. For this purpose, semi-structured interview and non-participant observation were performed on Pulau Duyong, Terengganu as the selected Malay traditional settlement. The findings from this study revealed that the sustainability of social capital in the study area was achieved through a well-planned development with the involvement of the community, non-governmental organizations and authority as well as the integration and collective actions among the actors. The contribution of this study resides in the capacity to provide a useful guide for future social capital sustainability developments in a place with high heritage values

Sterilization of Anubias nana and Rotala macrandra for In Vitro Culture

This study was conducted to establish a sterilization protocol for Anubias nana and Rotala macrandra. The plants from its originated area are highly exposed to microbial contamination such as bacteria and fungi. Those contaminants can be eliminated by using suitable sterilizing agents. The sterilization is a vital step in preparing a healthy and viable explant in tissue culture. In this study, three different sterilizing agents which are fungicide, silver nitrate (AgNO3) and mercuric chloride (HgCl2) were used. The percentages of survived and contaminated explants were observed after one week of culture. The results showed that 100% of Anubias nana explant survived when the explants were rapidly rinsed with 0.1% (HgCl2). The explant of Rotala macrandra resulted in 56% of survival when it was rapid rinsed with 0.05% HgCl2. However, treatment 0.05% HgCl2 for Rotala macrandra also produced 33% of fungal contamination. Keywords: Rotala macrandra, Anubias nana, sterilization, fungicide, silver nitrate, mercuric chlorid

Is a symmetrical face really attractive?

Facial symmetry plays an important role in facial attractiveness and is one of the major criteria used to determine attractiveness in humans. In craniomaxillofacial surgery, facial symmetry is one of the main considerations. The aim of this study was to determine anthropometric measurements quantitatively and investigate the relationship between facial symmetry and attractiveness in a local Malay population. The study included 30 photographed Malay individuals and 100 photograph assessors, all aged between 18 and 26 years. The assessors indicated their preferences regarding the more attractive face on original and manipulated (symmetrical face) photographs. None of the photographed subjects had a perfectly symmetrical face (asymmetry index (AI) of 0%); 33.3% of the photographed subjects had an AI in the range of 1.6–2.0%. The majority of assessors chose the manipulated symmetrical face as the most attractive (manipulated photograph selected in 91.2% of cases). As facial symmetry is considered a critical factor in attractiveness, it is beneficial to consider balance and symmetry prior to facial reconstruction. The AI values found in this study may be useful as guidance to determine the normal minimum balance of facial symmetry. No AI values indicating perfect symmetry were observed for the unedited facial anthropometric measurements. However, the projection of a perfectly symmetrical face does influence the perception of facial attractiveness

Development of semolina starch/agar-based intelligent films by incorporating butterfly pea flower anthocyanins to monitor the freshness of prawns

The natural plant-derived pH indicator film which monitors food freshness during storage has gained attention among researchers due to consumer awareness of food quality, freshness, and food safety. This study aims to develop a semolina/agar-based film (S/A) incorporated with anthocyanins from butterfly pea flower extract (BPE) as a freshness indicator for tiger prawns and freshwater prawns during 4 days of storage at 4±1 °C. The semolina/agarbased butterfly pea extract (S/A/BPE) films were developed with different concentrations of BPE (3, 6, and 9%) by casting method. Increasing BPE up to 9% in the S/A film increased the thickness and moisture content, lowering the films’ water permeability. The film also had a smoother surface structure with a darker colour. Different pH solutions (pH 2.0-12.0) also changed the colour of films, depending on the BPE concentrations. The application of S/A/BPE films on tiger prawns and freshwater prawns caused colour changes from dark blue at day 0 (fresh stage) to intense green at day 2 (beginning of spoilage) indicating the spoilage of samples. The pH values of both prawns were gradually increased. However, no major changes were observed in the texture profile analysis. These results indicate that S/A/ BPE film has the potential to be used as a pH indicator film to detect the freshness of prawn samples

DENV-Mimetic Polymersome Nanoparticles Bearing Multi-Epitope Lipopeptides Antigen as the Next-Generation Dengue Vaccine

Dengue remains a severe threat to public health. The safety and efficacy of the licensed dengue vaccine is not clinically satisfactory, which necessitate the need of new approach in designing an effective dengue vaccine without eliciting adverse reaction. Herein, we have designed a lipidated multi-epitope peptide vaccine (LipoDV) that can elicit highly targeted humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. To improve its immunogenicity, LipoDV was presented on the surface of MPLA-functionalized polymersome nanoparticles (PNs-LipoDV-MPLA). The as-constructed vaccine delivery platform resembles the structural morphology of DENV owing to its spherical nanoscale particle size and surface immunostimulatory properties given by LipoDV and MPLA that emulating the functional role of DENV E and prM/M proteins respectively. A proof-of-concept study demonstrated that BALB/c mice immunized with PNs-LipoDV-MPLA induced a stronger antigen-specific antibody response with an enhanced cell-mediated immunity as characterized by the elevated IFN-γ secretion in comparison to other tested vaccine candidates which possess a lesser structural trait of DENV. The DENV-mimicking nanoparticles vaccine exhibited negligible toxicity as analyzed by hemolytic test, MTT assay, histopathological examination and abnormal toxicity test on immunized mice. Collectively, our study provides a strong foundation in designing an effective peptide-based vaccine delivery platform against DENV infection