Evaluation of total phenolic content and antibacterial activity of aloe vera extract towards food-borne pathogens / Farah Aqilah Roslan

Aloe vera is known to have a number of therapeutic uses such as antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, with properties of good antioxidant sources. Recently, the increasing amount of multidrug resistance is quite worrisome‘ In conjunction with that, this research was conducted to determine total phenolic content and antibacterial activity of Aloe vera'extract against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. By using 80% methanol ex‘raction method, the total phenolic content was measured in absorbance by Spectrophotometer UV-Vis while method of disk diffusion assay, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were used (0 determine antimicrobial activity of Aloe vera‘ From this study, it was shown that methanol extract of Aloe vera has total phenolic content of 5.20 mg GAE/g. Meanwhile, the experiment of antimicrobial activity of Aloe Vera extract had shown that both of yam positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus were most sensitive towards Aloe vera extract, with MIC value measured at 62.5 mg/ml concentration of extract. Hence, it was concluded that Aloe vera posses good phenolic content and effectively act as antimicrobial agent against several pathogens

Optimization Strategy for Mudharabah Financing in Indonesian Islamic Banking

Mudharabah financing in Islamic banking plays a crucial role in addressing real-sector capital problems through its profit and loss sharing (PLS) system. However, despite its potential, the PLS system faces several obstacles that make it less attractive to financial institutions. This study aims to identify the issues causing non-optimal mudharabah financing practices in Indonesian Islamic banking, analyze solutions, and provide the optimization strategies. This study employed a qualitative method with the Analytical Network Process (ANP) approach to analyze the priority issues and solutions to mudharabah financing practices in Indonesia. The data were collected through interviews and focus group discussions with industry experts and stakeholders. The findings show that the primary issues are: 1) internal problems such as non-collateral for long-term profit sharing for small financing customers, and 2) external problems including regulatory issues regarding the COVID-19 stimulus. The study identified priority solutions to overcome these issues, including long-term financing with profit-sharing ratios and yield benchmarks, regulatory strategies, community training, and IT and HR investments. Developing the integrated MSME segment and strengthening stakeholder synergy were also identified as crucial. The study recommends that Islamic banks in Indonesia implement the identified priority solutions to increase trust in mudharabah financing and thus become the core product for financing real-sector capital problems in Indonesia. These findings have important implications for the regulatory authorities and policy-makers to facilitate a conducive environment for Islamic banking and to address the challenges faced by Islamic financial institutions.======================================================================================================== ABSTRAK – Strategi Optimisasi Pembiayaan Mudharabah pada Perbankan Syariah di Indonesia. Pembiayaan mudharabah dalam perbankan syariah memainkan peranan penting dalam menangani masalah permodalan sektor riil melalui pola bagi hasilnya. Namun, meskipun memiliki potensi, sistem bagi hasil kurang menarik bagi lembaga keuangan karena beberapa kendala dalam implementasi. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi permasalahan optimalisasi pembiayaan mudharabah, menganalisis solusi, dan memberikan strategi optimisasinya pada perbankan syariah di Indonesia. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kualitatif dengan pendekatan Analytical Network Process (ANP) dimana data-data dikumpulkan melalui wawancara dan FGD dengan pelaku industri dan pemangku kepentingan lainnya. Kajian ini menemukan bahwa penyebab utama permasalahan tersebut adalah: 1) faktor internal, seperti tidak adanya jaminan untuk berbagi keuntungan jangka panjang bagi pelanggan pembiayaan kecil, dan 2) faktor eksternal, seperti regulasi terkait stimulus COVID-19. Solusi prioritas dalam mengatasi masalah ini adalah pembiayaan jangka panjang yang menciptakan rasio bagi hasil dan merancang benchmark imbal hasil; strategi regulasi; pelatihan masyarakat; dan investasi TI dan SDM. Selain itu, pengembangan segmen UMKM terintegrasi dan penguatan sinergi pemangku kepentingan juga diidentifikasi sebagai hal yang uregn dilakukan. Penelitian ini merekomendasikan agar bank syariah di Indonesia dapat menerapkan solusi prioritas tersebut agar meningkatkan kepercayaan dan menjadi produk inti untuk pembiayaan sektor riil di Indonesia. Temuan ini memiliki implikasi penting bagi otoritas regulasi dan pembuat kebijakan untuk menciptakan lingkungan yang kondusif bagi perbankan syariah dan mengatasi tantangan yang dihadapi oleh lembaga keuangan syariah

The Impact of Sham Feeding with Chewing Gum on Postoperative Ileus Following Colorectal Surgery: a Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials

© 2020, The Author(s). Background: Chewing gum as a form of sham feeding is an inexpensive and well-tolerated means of promoting gastrointestinal motility following major abdominal surgery. Although recognised by the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Society as one of the multimodal approaches to expedite recovery after surgery, strong evidence to support its use in routine postoperative practice is lacking. Methodology: A comprehensive literature review of all randomised controlled trials (RCTs) was performed in the Medline and Embase databases between 2000 and 2019. Studies were selected to compare the use of chewing gum versus standard care in the management of postoperative ileus (POI) in adults undergoing colorectal surgery. The primary outcome assessed was the incidence of POI. Secondary outcomes included time to passage of flatus, time to defecation, total length of hospital stay and mortality. Results: Sixteen RCTs were included in the systematic review, of which ten (970 patients) were included in the meta-analysis. The incidence of POI was significantly reduced in patients utilising chewing gum compared to those having standard care (RR 0.55, 95% CI 0.39, 0.79, p = 0.0009). These patients also had a significant reduction in time to passage of flatus (WMD − 0.31, 95% CI − 0.36, − 0.26, p < 0.00001) and time to defecation (WMD − 0.47, 95% CI − 0.60, − 0.34, p < 0.00001), without significant differences in the total length of hospital stay or mortality. Conclusion: The use of chewing gum after colorectal surgery is a safe and effective intervention in reducing the incidence of POI and merits routine use alongside other ERAS pathways in the postoperative setting

A panel data approach towards the effectiveness of energy policies in fostering the implementation of solar photovoltaic technology: empirical evidence for Asia-Pacific

Artigo publicado em revista científica internacionalToday, the growing Asia-Pacific population causes a dramatic growth in energy supply to meet energy demand. The rapid rise in energy demand is causing concern in the region. Thus, the present study scrutinizes the effect of energy policy involvement in steering-up renewable energy development by empirically assessing the role of policy instruments in encouraging residential-scale and commercial-scale photovoltaic (PV) systems. The analysis is performed using a fixed effects estimator on a selected range of policy approaches (market-pull policies and tax incentives) and a technology-push policy (capital grants) in selected Asia-Pacific countries between 1998 and 2015. The return on investment is estimated to measure the incentives of feed-in tariff (FIT) tariff policies for both residential-scale and commercial-scale PV systems. This study has shown the importance of a strategic combination between technology-push and market-pull policies as complementary to adopting technology and increasing renewable energy utilization for solar PV systems on a residential scale. Investigations into the effectiveness of regulatory support policies for solar PV systems indicate that energy policies are necessary to facilitate solar PV growth on a residential scale in the Asia-Pacific.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Occurrence of Macro- and Microplastics on Pasir Pandak Beach, Sarawak, Malaysia

Pasir Pandak Beach is close to human settlements, resorts, and food stalls. It becomes a place for gathering of beachgoers especially during weekend. As a result, the beach became polluted with rubbish, particularly plastics (e.g., macro- and micro-plastics). Hence, this study was done to determine the occurrence of macro- and micro-plastics on the Pasir Pandak Beach, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Transect quadrat was used during the samples collection on the beach. The samples were then undergone the wet peroxide oxidation, filtering and classifying under dissecting microscope. Macroplastics were isolated for ATR-FTIR and SEM analyses, while microplastics were separated according to their sizes, colors, and types. Approximately 101.70 items/m2 of macro-plastics and 1084 items/m2 of micro-plastics were found in this study. Clean Coast Index (CCI) was also estimated and the calculated CCI value obtained was >20, which indicated as extremely dirty beach. Fragments of carpet/canvas/mat and hardware crate/item were the most abundance macroplastics found, followed by plastic ropes/fishing lines and bottle caps. HDPE, PES, PP, and PS were the main identified polymers. Fibers, filaments, fragments, and foams were identified for micro- and macro-plastics. Microplastics with smaller sizes of 0.25-0.50 mm were available abundantly and they comprise 63.47 % of the total microplastics found. Clear/white, black, and blue were the main colors for microplastics. SEM images presented that those adhering particles, grooves, pits, fractures, and flakes were the common patterns of degradation. No relationship was apparent between macroand micro-plastics at each station. The abundance of macro- and micro-plastics showed that they were mainly controlled by the land-based input. As Pasir Pandak beach is busy with local communities and beachgoers, the presence of macro- and micro-plastics on the beach posing a severe threat for marine environment, thus further studies on the behavior of this emerging pollutant from beach to the seas are necessary

Logic mining with hybridized 3-satisfiability fuzzy logic and harmony search algorithm in Hopfield neural network for Covid-19 death cases

Since the beginning of the Covid-19 infections in December 2019, the virus has emerged as the most lethally contagious in world history. In this study, the Hopfield neural network and logic mining technique merged to extract data from a model to provide insight into the link between factors influencing the Covid-19 datasets. The suggested technique uses a 3-satisfiability-based reverse analysis (3SATRA) and a hybridized Hopfield neural network to identify the relationships relating to the variables in a set of Covid-19 data. The list of data is to identify the relationships between the key characteristics that lead to a more prolonged time of death of the patients. The learning phase of the hybridized 3-satisfiability (3SAT) Hopfield neural network and the reverse analysis (RA) method has been optimized using a new method of fuzzy logic and two metaheuristic algorithms: Genetic and harmony search algorithms. The performance assessment metrics, such as energy analysis, error analysis, computational time, and accuracy, were computed at the end of the algorithms. The multiple performance metrics demonstrated that the 3SATRA with the fuzzy logic metaheuristic algorithm model outperforms other logic mining models. Furthermore, the experimental findings have demonstrated that the best-induced logic identifies important variables to detect critical patients that need more attention. In conclusion, the results validate the efficiency of the suggested approach, which occurs from the fact that the new version has a positive effect

The level of sports performance in Malaysia

Background: This paper examines the relationship sport performance between leadership.Previous research in the field has suggested that the majority of consultations conducted by sport performance are related to leadership.Included is a discussion of the factors affecting the sport performance.Suggestions for future research and practical considerations are listed in the conclusion.The survey was conducted on the non-athletes perception on sport performance in leadership.Quantitative approach were employed through cross-sectional survey, a total 220 questionnaires were distributed.Random sampling technique was applied in determining the sampling frame.Hence, the data obtained was analyzed by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.Finally, recommendations for future study and improvement of leadership styles on sport performance, specifically in the Malaysian contex

Genetic and maternal factors in Hyperemesis Gravidarum: a systematic review

Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is a severe form of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy (NVP), which can lead to extreme dehydration, significant weight loss, and electrolyte and metabolic imbalances. Importantly, early identification of HG symptoms can help to reduce its severity and prevent complications. Although HG is associated with many adverse maternal and fetal outcomes, there is limited understanding of the risk factors. This review provides current data on genetic and maternal factors that are linked to HG. All observational studies published in English that investigated the genetic or maternal factors associated with HG from 2011 until 2021 were systematically searched using the PubMed, Scopus, and ProQuest electronic databases. A total of 1462 citation titles was identified, of which 47 potentially relevant abstracts were screened. Of those, 15 studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The genetic variants in the ryanodine receptor 2 gene (RYR2), growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF15), and protein-coding insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) were found to be associated with HG. On the other hand, several potential maternal factors contributing to the onset of HG were age, Helicobacter pylori infection, body mass index (BMI) status, a history of HG in a previous pregnancy, carrying a female fetus, high serotonin levels, and reproductive factors. In view of the lack of strength of the overall evidence for risk factors related to HG, it is first imperative to establish a precise definition for HG in a diverse study population. Nevertheless, to conclude, this review was able to provide current data on genetic and maternal factors that are associated with HG

Hybridised Network of Fuzzy Logic and a Genetic Algorithm in Solving 3-Satisfiability Hopfield Neural Networks

This work proposed a new hybridised network of 3-Satisfiability structures that widens the search space and improves the effectiveness of the Hopfield network by utilising fuzzy logic and a metaheuristic algorithm. The proposed method effectively overcomes the downside of the current 3-Satisfiability structure, which uses Boolean logic by creating diversity in the search space. First, we included fuzzy logic into the system to make the bipolar structure change to continuous while keeping its logic structure. Then, a Genetic Algorithm is employed to optimise the solution. Finally, we return the answer to its initial bipolar form by casting it into the framework of the hybrid function between the two procedures. The suggested network’s performance was trained and validated using Matlab 2020b. The hybrid techniques significantly obtain better results in terms of error analysis, efficiency evaluation, energy analysis, similarity index, and computational time. The outcomes validate the significance of the results, and this comes from the fact that the proposed model has a positive impact. The information and concepts will be used to develop an efficient method of information gathering for the subsequent investigation. This new development of the Hopfield network with the 3-Satisfiability logic presents a viable strategy for logic mining applications in future

Antibody response against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrom Coronavirus 2 messenger Ribonucleic Acid vaccines in infected individuals: a systematic review

Individuals with a history of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) exhibit memory immunity acquired during natural infection. However, a decline in immunity after infection renders these individuals vulnerable to re-infection, in addition to a higher risk of infection with new variants. This systematic review examined related studies to elucidate the antibody response in these infected individuals after messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccination. Hence, the focus of this review was to ascertain differences in the concentration of binding and neutralising antibodies of previously infected individuals in comparison to those of infection-naïve individuals after administration of two doses of mRNA vaccination through available case-control and cohort studies. Positive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction test or detectable anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies at the baseline in included studies showed categorisation of infected and uninfected individuals. This review utilised three online databases: PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane with the following keywords: (COVID-19 OR ‘Coronavirus Disease 2019’ OR SARS-CoV-2) AND Immun* AND (Pfizer OR BioNTech OR BNT162b2 OR Comirnaty OR Moderna OR mRNA-1273) from January 2019 to July 2021. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocol (PRISMA-P) 2020 guidelines and assessment based on the Crowe Critical Appraisal Tool (CCAT), we included 13 related qualified papers of observational studies discerning the binding and neutralising antibody concentrations of infected and uninfected individuals after administration of mRNA vaccines, such as the BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 vaccine. The mRNA vaccines induced robust binding and neutralising antibody responses in both groups. However, infected individuals showed induction of higher antibody responses in a shorter time compared to uninfected individuals. Hence, a single dose of mRNA vaccination for infected individuals may be sufficient to reach the same level of antibody concentration as that observed in uninfected individuals after receiving two doses of vaccination