EFFECT OF PERMEABLE VESSEL CLOSURE AND GELLING AGENT ON REDUCTION OF HYPERHYDRICITY IN IN VITRO CULTURE OF CARNATION

Hyperhydricity, an abnormal morphological appearance and physiologicalfunction, is an important problem in carnation tissue culture. The problem causes premature flowering, high occurrence of abnormal shoots, difficulty in transferring hyperhydric plantlets to soil, and low survival rate of plantlets. High relative humidity and the water potential are considered as the key factors involved in the abnormality. Furthermore, permeable culture vessel and gelling agent were assured to be high potential treatment to eliminate it. Objective of this research was to reduce  hyperhydricity in regenerants of carnation using different permeable vessel closures and gelling agents and to assess the multiplication and  acclimatization abilities of recovered shoots. Experiment was arranged in randomized complete block design with four replications. First factor was different types of closure, i.e. cotton wool, plastic wrap, parafilm and aluminium foil, while second one was gelling agents, i.e. bacto agar, phytagel, swallow agar, and Type 900 agar. The recovered shoots were then multiplied, rooted, and acclimatized. The results showed that hyperhydricity was successfully reduced by applying permeable closure (cotton wool and plastic wrap) in combination with Type 900 agar. The combination of plastic wrap and Type 900 agar was the most appropriate treatment in reducing hyperhydricity and producing good quality shoots. The treatment reduced the problem down to 23% of total condition of hyperhydricity (100%) and increased leaf chlorophyll content from 0.0883 to 0.1288 mg mg-1. The plastic wrap was easily applied and cheaper material compared to cotton wool. The recovered shoots were able to produce 1-3 healthy axillary shoots and easily rooted on half-strength MS. The recovered plantlets were simply acclimatized with survival rate up to 100% on kossas peat + soil (1:1, v/v) and flowered 4-5 months after acclimatization with decreasing in number and size of flower

Physicochemical and sensory properties of traditional baked cake (kuih bakar) with coconut milk and soy milk

Coconut milk is widely used in Malaysia as one of the essential ingredients in preparing traditional baked cake or ‘kuih bakar’. Increased demand for coconut milk affects its availability and cost. Thus, it is important to study a possible alternative ingredient to ensure the continuity of this traditional dessert. This project aimed to determine the physicochemical and sensory properties of ‘kuih bakar’ produced with coconut milk and soy milk. In the present study, ‘kuih bakar’ was prepared with fresh coconut milk (FCM) (positive control), fresh soy milk (FSM), commercial coconut milk (CCM), commercial soy milk (CSM), and without milk (negative control). Proximate analysis showed that substitution of coconut milk with soy milk reduced the fat and increased the protein content of ‘kuih bakar’ significantly (p 0.05) on the colour properties and water activity of the sample. There were significant differences (p < 0.05) in scores during sensory evaluation between the samples but the ‘kuih bakar’ produced with FSM showed no significant difference (p < 0.05) as compared to FCM and CCM. This study demonstrated that physicochemical and sensory attributes of traditional ‘kuih bakar’ can be maintained by using FSM as a substitution of the traditional coconut milk used in producing ‘kuih bakar’

Comparison of Xpert GBS v. culture for rapid detection of group B streptococcus in pregnant women: Sensitivity, specificity and predictive values

Background. Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a leading cause of invasive disease, particularly in newborns. Seventy-five percent of neonates will be colonised by mothers carrying the organism. Confirmation of maternal colonisation with GBS is essential for prompt treatment and prevention of neonatal sepsis. The current gold standard of culture for isolation of GBS has a disadvantage of long turnaround time (24 - 72 hours). Rapid assays are required to determine maternal carriage of GBS.Objectives. To determine the usefulness of the Xpert GBS technology v. culture methods to detect GBS carriage in pregnant women.Methods. This was a prospective observational study of 284 pregnant women between 26 and 37 weeks’ gestation. Two vaginorectal swabs were collected from each participant. One swab was processed using the gold-standard culture method, while the second swab was processed using the Xpert GBS assay. The performance of the Xpert GBS assay was then compared with that of the culture method.Results. Two swabs were processed from each of 284 pregnant women between 26 and 37 weeks’ gestation. Culture detected 70 GBS isolates from a total of 279 specimens (25.1%), whereas the Xpert GBS detected 66 positive specimens (23.7%). The Xpert GBS assay had a sensitivity of 87% and specificity of 98%, with a positive predictive value of 92% and a negative predictive value of 96%.Conclusions. The Xpert GBS assay is a rapid and sensitive tool for prenatal detection of GBS. The assay should ideally be available in every labour ward, where women can be screened for GBS on arrival

Taxonomic value of leaf venation and trichome characteristics in some Byttneria L. and Pterocymbium R. Br. (Malvaceae S.L)

A study on some leaf anatomical characteristics was undertaken on two genera in Malvaceae s.l namely Byttneria L. and Pterocymbium R. Br. The objective was to determine the taxonomic value of leaf venation characteristics especially in identification and classification of species. In the study, five species were chosen, three Byttneria species, namely B. curtisii,B. jackiana, B. maingayi, and two Pterocymbium species, namely P. tinctorium and P. tubulatum. Byttneria and Pterocymbium have been split into two subfamilies, Byttneroideae and Sterculoideae, of Malvaceae s.l respectively. Leaf clearing, staining, mounting and observation under a light microscope were techniques used for the study. Results showed that the similarities and differences in leaf venation could be useful in classification and identification of species. The common characteristics found in all species studied were the presence of entire marginal venation and closed system venation with minimum free ending veinlets in the areolar venation. The variations in the leaf venation can be used to distinguish species, which are complete ultimate marginal venation in B. curtisii and B. maingayi; curved to looped pattern and incomplete, ultimate marginal venation in B. jackiana, P. tubulatum and P. tinctorium. The presence of simple unicellular trichomes in B. jackiana and two types of trichomes (simple unicellular trichomes and multicellular glandular trichomes) and crystals alongside veinlets in P. tubulatum can also be used to further identify these two species from other species studied. Therefore, the study showed that leaf anatomical characteristics in Byttneria and Pterocymbium can be used in species identification and have taxonomic value

Suitable priming for rice yield improvement

Low yield of rice has made reaching self-sufficiency level in Malaysia elusive. So, Malaysia has become a target of rice exporting countries within and outside Asia. To solve this problem, a pre-sowing seed treatment was used as a physiological intervention to alleviate the impeding problems of achieving better growth and yield of Malaysian rice variety MR219. A glass house experiment, which involved the use of solutions of osmotic salts and plant hormones, was used for this investigation. Data on germination percentages, height, number of tillers and productive tillers, tiller efficiency and yield were taken. In both osmopriming and hormonal priming treatments, the highest number of tillers and productive tillers were from pre-germination. The tallest plants from osmopriming were from 150mM treatment, while 50 ppm GA3 had the tallest in hormonal priming. The highest tiller efficiency for osmopriming was from 150mM and and 200mM sodium chloride, while in hormonal priming it was 200 ppm salicylic acid. For yield per panicle in osmopriming, it was 50mM and 100mM magnesium chloride that had the highest, while in hormonal priming it was 200 ppm methyl jasmonate. Finally, the highest grain yield per hill was produced by 200 ppm methyl jasmonate in hormonal priming, while 50Mm magnesium chloride had the highest yield in osmotic priming. So, it is concluded that the use of 200 ppm methyl jasmonate and 50Mm magnesium chloride could be used as potential hormonal priming and osmopriming, respectively, for yield improvement of MR219 rice in Malaysia

Fully-developed laminar flow in trapezoidal ducts with rounded corners : a numerical solution and case study

Purpose This paper aims to numerically solve fully developed laminar flow in trapezoidal ducts with rounded corners which result following forming processes. Design/methodology/approach A two-dimensional model for a trapezoidal duct with rounded corners is developed and conservation of momentum equation is solved. The flow is assumed to be steady, fully developed, laminar, isothermal and incompressible. The key flow characteristics including the Poiseuille number and the incremental pressure drop have been computed and tabulated for a wide range of: sidewall angle (θ); the ratio of the height of the duct to its smaller base (α); and the ratio of the fillet radius of the duct to its smaller base (β). Findings The results show that Poiseuille number decreases, and all the other dimensionless numbers increase with increasing the radii of the fillets of the duct; these effects were found to amplify with decreasing duct heights or increasing sidewall angles. The maximum axial velocity was shown to increase with increasing the radii of the fillets of the duct. For normally used ducts in hydrogen fuel cells, the impact of rounded corners cannot be overlooked for very low channel heights or very high sidewall angles. Practical implications The data generated in this study are highly valuable for engineers interested in estimating pressure drops in rounded trapezoidal ducts; these ducts have been increasingly used in hydrogen fuel cells where flow channels are stamped on thin metallic sheets. Originality/value Fully developed laminar flow in trapezoidal ducts with four rounded corners has been solved for the first time, allowing for more accurate estimation of pressure drop

The effect of short duration resistance training on insulin sensitivity and muscle adaptations in overweight men

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of 6 weeks of resistance exercise training, composed of one set of each exercise to voluntary failure, on insulin sensitivity and the time course of adaptations in muscle strength/mass. Ten overweight men (age 36 ± 8 years; height 175 ± 9 cm; weight 89 ± 14 kg; body mass index 29 ± 3 kg m−2) were recruited to the study. Resistance exercise training involved three sessions per week for 6 weeks. Each session involved one set of nine exercises, performed at 80% of one‐repetition maximum to volitional failure. Sessions lasted 15–20 min. Oral glucose tolerance tests were performed at baseline and post‐intervention. Vastus lateralis muscle thickness, knee‐extensor maximal isometric torque and rate of torque development (measured between 0 and 50, 0 and 100, 0 and 200, and 0 and 300 ms) were measured at baseline, each week of the intervention, and after the intervention. Resistance training resulted in a 16.3 ± 18.7% (P &lt; 0.05) increase in insulin sensitivity (Cederholm index). Muscle thickness, maximal isometric torque and one‐repetition maximum increased with training, and at the end of the intervention were 10.3 ± 2.5, 26.9 ± 8.3, 18.3 ± 4.5% higher (P &lt; 0.05 for both) than baseline, respectively. The rate of torque development at 50 and 100 ms, but not at 200 and 300 ms, increased (P &lt; 0.05) over the intervention period. Six weeks of single‐set resistance exercise to failure results in improvements in insulin sensitivity and increases in muscle size and strength in young overweight men

Physical activity level among undergraduate students in Terengganu, Malaysia using pedometer

A cross-sectional study determine physical activity level among 95 undergraduate students at UniSZA using pedometer. Subjects consented and completed socio-demographic details, weight and height were measured. Each subject was supplied with a pedometer and wear it for a week and record steps per day from the pedometer each night before bed. Descriptive statistic and independent T-test coefficient analyze the data using IBM SPSS version 22.0. Results showed that 66.4% of the subjects were classified as sedentary according to pedometer determined physical activity. Males recorded significantly more steps than female per day. Subjects in the age group of 18-20 years old had the highest mean average steps count than the older age group of 21-24 years old and ≥ 25 years old per day. Only 5.2% were classified as active and highly active using pedometer determined physical activity level.Keywords: physical activity; pedometer; steps; body compositio

GC/MS analysis, free radical scavenging, anticancer and &#946;-glucuronidase inhibitory activities of Trillium govanianum rhizome

The current study aims to investigate the phytochemical constituents, antioxidant, \u3b2-glucuronidase inhibitory and anticancer activities of Trillium govanianum rhizome. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of steroidal glycosides, saponins, sterols, flavonoids and carbohydrates. GC/MS analyses of n-hexane fraction identified 12 compounds, including 70% unsaturated and 30% saturated fatty acids. Higher free radical scavenging capacity was observed in n-hexane and chloroform fraction compared with the other fractions. Based on IC50 (\u3bcg/mL) values, antiproliferative activity on HeLa cells was observed for chloroform (0.8 \ub1 0.2), ethyl acetate (1.4 \ub1 0.1) and butanol (1.6 \ub1 0.3) fractions by comparison to anticancer drug doxorubicin (0.3 \ub1 0.0). Similarly, all fractions exhibited cytotoxicity on PC-3 cells. Moreover, the methanol extract (IC50: 140.8 \ub1 3.8) and butanol fraction (196.2 \ub1 1.9) exhibited a moderate level of \u3b2-glucuronidase inhibitory activity. These findings may validate the folkloric uses of T. govanianum rhizome in cancer management, and can be a promising candidate as an anticancer agent