Optimization Of Jackfruit Seed (Artocarpus Heterophyllus LAM.) Flour And Polydextrose Content In The Formulation Of Reduced Calorie Chocolate Cake

Kek rendah kalori dihasilkan menggunakan program metodologi permukaan respon (RSM) dengan menggantikan sukrosa dengan 11% polidekstrosa dan tepung gandum dengan 16% tepung biji nangka. Reduced calorie cake was developed from response surface methodology (RSM) programmed by replacing sucrose with 11% polydextrose and wheat flour with 16% jackfruit seed flour (JFSF)

Fiber-free white flour with fructose offers a better model of metabolic syndrome

BACKGROUND: The metabolic syndrome (MS) is a combination of metabolic abnormalities that lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Due to its rising incidence and demanding life-long use of multiple drugs, there is a growing interest in testing and developing new allopathic, complementary and alternative therapies for controlling or curing disorders of MS. The discovery of new therapeutic modalities requires animal models of disease and currently available models have limitations. Developing an appropriate animal model for MS to achieve various therapeutic targets remains a challenge and this study aims to develop a rat model which closely depicts MS in humans. METHODOLOGY: Rat model of MS was developed by replacing 60% of diet with fructose. Four groups of Sprague-Dawley rats were either given whole wheat or refined flour with and without fructose for 8 weeks. Data were analyzed on SPSS and Graphpad Prism using ANOVA with Tukey\u27s and Bonferonni tests for multiple group comparison. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant for differences between groups. RESULTS: Replacing whole wheat with refined wheat flour in rat chow in 60% fructose-fed Sprague-Dawley rats resulted in hypertension (p 0.01), hyper-insulinemia (p \u3c 0.001), hyperglycemia (p 0.03) and a reduction in HDL levels (p 0.002) at 4 weeks while hyper-triglyceridemia (p 0.001) with endothelial dysfunction was observed at 8 weeks. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that the refined wheat flour with 60% fructose in diet hastens the development of metabolic syndrome in 4 weeks and replacing whole wheat flour with refined flour in diet induces a more effective abnormality including a low HDL. Further studies may be directed to assess the associated pathological changes, which can be used to study the effect of different therapeutic modalities on an animal model of MS with low HDL

Primary Care-Identifying the Gaps

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Generation of Flood Map Using Infoworks for Sungai Johor

Flood has become regular disaster in Malaysia which it is happens every year in different states especially during northeast monsoon. Johor State, the most southern part of Peninsular Malaysia experienced numerous flooding from 1926 to 2013. However, Sungai Johor catchment had the most devastating impact during December 2006 and January 2007 flood events. The objectives of this study are to perform river modeling and generate a flood map fpr Sungai Johor.  The river modeling of  Sungai Johor has been done using InfoWorks RS software. Necessary data were collected and transferred into the required modelling procedures.  The results indicated that the model was able to simulate the flood depth to a reasonable agreement and generate the flood map. The generated flood map can serve as a beneficial planning and design tools for the local authority and community in minimizing the flood effects and damage as well as in  preparing the  evaluation plan

COVID-19 Pandemic; Anxiety and Depression among Frontline Healthcare Workers: Rising from the Ashes

This chapter gives an insight into the psychological journey of the essential healthcare workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The catastrophe which started off with uncertainty, provoked fear-related behaviors among the frontline doctors, nurses and paramedical staff. With meager resources and lack of a disaster plan, fire-fighting was a reflex response of healthcare institutions. Though the whole world seemed to be unprepared for the calamity, developing countries with fragile healthcare systems were more vulnerable to collapse. The negative aura was complicated by mistrust among the general population, regarding healthcare workers, institutions and government. Furthermore, with economic downfall; balancing work and protecting the family was a challenge for HCWs, especially during the pandemic peak. The psychological distress translated to rising incidence of depression and anxiety among them. As institutions gained insight into psychosocial issues of HCWs; support and therapies were offered to them. Positive messages labelling HCWs as “Heroes of the Pandemic” were circulated and structured programs developed to address their needs. With the advent of COVID-19 vaccine, a ray of hope emerged, although there are still apprehensions about its efficacy and side-effects. The whole world now eagerly awaits the calamity to perish while normality can rise from ashes

Development Of Reduced Calorie Chocolate Cake With Jackfruit Seed (Artocarpus Heterophyllus LAM.) Flour And Polydextrose Using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) Programmed

Reduced calorie cake was developed from response surface methodology (RSM) programmed by replacing sucrose with 11% polydextrose and wheat flour with 16% jackfruit seed flour (JFSF). Proximate analyses indicated that reduced calorie cake was high in moisture (31.17%), crude fibre (5.02%) dan protein (9.89%) but low in fat (3.52%) content. In physical analyses, reduced calorie cake has higher symmetry index (2.20) as compared to the control cake (1.40) but showed no different in specific volume and uniformity. It has lower calorie value (251 kcal/100g) as compared to control cake (379 kcal/100g)

Effect of different drying treatments and solvent ratios on phytochemical constituents of Ipomoea aquatica and correlation with α-Glucosidase inhibitory activity

Ipomoea aquatica is an aquatic plant that is widely consumed in Southeast Asia as a vegetable. In this study, the influence of various ethanol ratios (0, 20, 50, 80, and 100%) as an extraction solvent and different drying methods including air drying, sun drying, and oven drying on phytochemical constituents of I. aquatica was investigated using a proton nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabolomics approach. The effect on α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and total phenolic content was also examined. Clear discrimination was observed between different ethanol ratios and different drying processes by principal component analysis. The highest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity was observed for absolute ethanol extract from the oven drying method with IC50 value of 204.0 ± 59.0 µg/mL and total phenolic content value of 22.0 ± 0.7 µg gallic acid equivalent/mg extract. Correlation between the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and the metabolite were analyzed using a partial least square analysis. The metabolites that are responsible for the activity were quercetin derivatives, chlorogenic acid derivatives, sucrose, and fructose. This study highlights the basis for future investigations of I. aquatica as a source of food that has the potential for nutraceutical enhancement and as ingredient in medicinal preparation

Protective effects of pulp and kernel oils from Canarium odontophyllum fruit in normal and hypercholesterolemic rabbits

This study aimed to determine the protective effects of CO pulp and kernel oils supplementation to normocholesterolemic and hypercholesterolemic rabbits. Rabbits from the treatment groups were supplemented with CO pulp and kernel oils for four weeks. Bloods were drawn from all experimental groups at baseline and fourth week to determine protective effects of CO oils supplementation on plasma total antioxidant status (TAS) and catalase (CAT) activity. Liver function tests (ALT, AST, and GGT activities) were also determined for all the groups. The results showed that CO oil supplementation increased plasma TAS in both normal and hypercholesterolemic groups. Plasma CAT activities in the hypercholesterolemic groups supplemented with CO oils were significantly reduced but not for the normocholesterolemic groups. Significant reduction of plasma AST was observed for the hypercholesterolemic rabbits given CO pulp and kernel oils compared with the hypercholesterolemic control rabbits, but not for plasma ALT and GGT. In the normocholesterolemic rabbits, CO pulp oil had caused a significant elevation of plasma ALT, AST, and GGT levels as compared to the negative control rabbits. Therefore, CO pulp and kernel oils are somehow not hepatotoxic, and the oils are potent functional foods

Prevalence of obesity and overweight, its clinical markers and associated factors in a high risk South-Asian population

Background: Obesity is a global epidemic, which is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and metabolic abnormalities. It is measured by body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), body fat (BF) distribution and abdominal fat mass, each having its own merits and limitations. Variability in body composition between ethnic groups in South-Asians is significant and may not be truly reflected by BMI alone, which may result in misclassification. This study therefore, aims to determine the frequency of obesity, body fat composition and distribution, in a high risk population of an urban slum of Karachi, Pakistan. This survey included 451 participants selected by systematic sampling who were administered pre-tested questionnaires on socio-demographics, diet and physical activity. Chi-square was used to determine the association between categorical variables and multiple linear regression was used for quantitative variables. A P value of less than 0.05 was considered significant.Results: Classified by BMI, 29% study subjects were overweight and 21% obese (58.7% with central obesity). Body fat percent (BF%) classified 81% as overweight. Females were more obese (P 0.03) with higher prevalence of central obesity (P \u3c 0.001) and WHR (P 0.003) but with a lower muscle mass (P 0.001). Activity score and muscle mass showed inverse linear association with BF% whereas, WC, weight, BMI and WHR had a positive linear association with BF%. The relationship between BMI and BF% was quadratic with a weaker association at lower BMI. Adjusting for socio-demographic variables, BF%, weight, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), BMI and score on the diet questionnaire had a positive linear association with WC, while WC, WHR and BP had a positive linear association with BF%. BF%, muscle content and WC had a positive linear association with BMI.Conclusion: Considering lower cut-offs for South-Asians BMI and WC, this study showed a high prevalence of obesity among a sub-urban population of Karachi, which was even higher when BF% was measured. Considering the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases, BF%, WC, WHR and BMI measurements are convenient and feasible means of identifying population at risk and hence addressing it through public awareness and early detection