Effect of different medicinal plants (Centella asiatica, Hydrocotyle sp. and Orthosiphon stamineus) on development of Spodoptera litura (Fabricus)(Lepidoptera : Noctuidae)

Spodoptera litura a serious pest for many types of plant and the larvae can defoliate many economically important plants especially those have soft leaves texture. Centella asiatica, Hydrocotyle sp. and Orthosiphon stamineus were used widely as medicinal plant for health cure. These three different medicinal plants were supplied to Spodoptera litura larvae to investigate their effects towards S. litura development and leaves weight consumed. Centella asiatica shown highest mean leaves weight consumed with 1518.5 mg followed by Hydrocotyle sp. and O. stamineus with 121.5 mg and 1.69 mg for each. Cumulative leaf weight consumed per larva was highest on C. asiatica with total 478525.20 mg, followed by Hydrocotyle sp. with 3237.22 mg and O. stamineus recorded lowest leaves consumed by the larva with 72.25 mg. Development of S. litura also shown C. asiatica recorded only seven stadia compared to Hydrocotyle sp. and O. stamineus that recorded eight stadia for each medicinal plants

Effects of the aqueous extracts of Rhodamnia cinerea on metabolic indices and sorbitol-related complications in Type 2 diabetic rats

There is growing interest in the use of plant bioresources for managing Type 2 diabetes. In this study, Rhodamnia cinerea, which is used traditionally to manage diseases in Malaysia, was explored for its antidiabetic effects. Type 2 diabetic rats were managed for 4 weeks using aqueous extract of R. cinerea or quercetin. Weights and fasting glucose were measured weekly, while serum lipid profiles, insulin, antioxidant status, urea, creatinine and liver enzymes were assayed at the end. Sorbitol contents, antioxidant capacities and aldose reductase activities of the kidney, lens and sciatic nerve were also assessed. The results showed that the aqueous extract of R. Cinerea mainly contained Myricitrin and it reduced glycemia (p>0.05), lipid profiles (p<0.05), F2-isoprostanes (p<0.05) and overall metabolic condition of type 2 diabetic rats. R. cinerea also attenuated sorbitol contents of the nerve (p<0.05) and kidney (p<0.05), partly through regulating the activity of aldose reductase (p<0.05 for nerve) and sorbitol dehydrogenase (p<0.05 for kidney) in comparison with diabetic untreated group. Quercetin is a known aldose reductase inhibitor and can improve several metabolic indices related to Type 2 diabetes. In this study, the results of R. cinerea were comparable to or better than those of quercetin, suggesting that R. cinerea extract can be a good candidate for managing Type 2 diabetes and its complications related to sorbitol accumulation

Perceptions of body image among Malaysian male and female adolescents

Introduction: Body image concerns are common among adolescents as they undergo rapid physical growth and body shape changes. Having a distorted body image is a risk factor for the development of disordered eating behaviours and eating disorders. This study was undertaken to investigate body image concerns among Malaysian male and female adolescents aged 11-15 years. Methods: A total of 2,050 adolescents (1,043 males and 1,007 females) with a mean age of 13.1 +/- 0.8 years from secondary schools in Kedah and Pulau Pinang were included in the study. Questionnaires were used to collect socioeconomic data and body image indicators. Results: The majority (87 percent) of the adolescents were concerned with their body shape. While the majority of underweight, normal weight and overweight male and female subjects perceived their body weight status correctly according to their body mass index (BMI), a noteworthy proportion in each category misjudged their body weight. About 35.4 percent of the males and 20.5 percent of the females in the underweight category perceived themselves as having a normal weight, while 29.4 percent and 26.7 percent of the overweight males and females respectively also perceived that they had a normal weight. A higher proportion of the females (20 percent) than males (9 percent) with a normal BMI perceived themselves as fat. Most of the male (78-83 percent) and female subjects (69-74 percent) in all the BMI categories desired to be taller than their current height. An appreciable proportion of both the males (41.9 percent) and females (38.2 percent) preferred to remain thin, or even to be thinner (23.7 percent of males and 5.9 percent of females). Females had a significantly higher mean body dissatisfaction score than males, indicating their preference for a slimmer body shape. More males (49.1 percent) preferred a larger body size while more females (58.3 percent) idealised a smaller body size. Compared to normal weight and underweight subjects, overweight males and females expressed lower confidence and acceptance levels, as well as expressed greater preoccupation with and anxiety over their body weight and shape. Conclusion: As having a distorted body image may lead to negative effects such as unhealthy eating habits and disordered eating behaviours, it is recommended that appropriate educational efforts on body image be incorporated into school health activities for adolescents

Seasonal and regional distribution of phytoplankton in the southern Caspian Sea

Seasonal distribution of species composition, cell abundance and biomass of phytoplankton of the Caspian Sea were investigated in 2005. This survey were fulfilled in 6 transects and 26 stations A total of 260 samples were collected during winter to autumn in the southern part of Caspian Sea. Totally, 163 species of phytoplankton were identified (71 species Bacillariophyta, 31 species Chlorophyta, 27 species Cyanophyta, 21 species Pyrrophyta, and 13 species Euglenophyta). Cell abundance and biomass of Bacillariophyta were high in centre, while biomass and cell abundance of Pyrrophyta were dominant in the middle as well as parts of the Sea, respectively. The overall total average of cell abundance and biomass of phytoplankton were 56.30± 30.97 ×106cells/m3 and 221.70±75.87 mg/m3, respectively. Bacillariophyta accounted for 47% in cell abundance, and Pyrrophyta consisted of 53% of the phytoplankton biomass. Maximum phytoplankton population was recorded in winter due to Bacillariophyta and the maximum biomass in spring due to Pyrrophyta. The maximum density of Bacillariophyta was in winter and autumn while maximum biomass was observed in spring due to bigger size of Bacillariophyta such as Rhizosolenia calcar avis and Nitzschia sigmoidea followed by Pyrrophyta with high cell abundance throughout the year

Cost and profit efficiency of online banks: Do national commercial banks perform better than private banks?

This study employs the parametric approach, in particular the Stochastic Frontier Approach, to examine the cost and profit efficiency of National Commercial Banks and Private Banks in Bangladesh using stochastic frontier model.The cost inefficiency and profit efficiency are observed slightly higher for private banks than national commercial banks. The coefficient of advance (0.334) is highly significant at 1% level and the coefficient of off-balance sheet items (0.339) is significant at 5% level.Both results are positive influence to the banks for cost model.The coefficients of Advance, Other earning assets, Off-balance sheet items, Price of fixed assets and Price of labour are recorded highly significant in profit model.The average cost inefficiency and profit efficiency are observed 16.3% and 91% respectively.The lowest cost inefficiency is 5.3% for United Commercial Bank Limited while the highest cost inefficiency is 44.7% for Janata Bank. The lowest profit efficiency is 76.9% for Janata Bank while the highest profit efficiency is 94.9% for Eastern Bank Limited

Dietary supplementation of defatted kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) seed meal and its phenolics–saponins rich extract effectively attenuates diet-induced hypercholesterolemia in rats

Kenaf is one of the important commercial fiber crops worldwide and defatted kenaf seed meal (DKSM) is a secondary by-product from the kenaf industry. Thus, efforts to turn this low-cost agricultural waste into value-added functional food ingredients will definitely bring advantageous impacts to the community health, environment and economy. The present study was aimed to investigate the cardioprotective properties of DKSM and its phenolics-saponins rich extract (PSRE) in diet-induced hypercholesterolemic rat model. Hypercholesterolemia was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats via atherogenic diet feeding and dietary interventions were conducted by incorporating DKSM (15% and 30%) and equivalent levels of PSRE (2.3% and 4.6%, respectively, equivalent to the total content of phenolics and saponins in DKSM groups) into the atherogenic diets. After 10 weeks of DKSM and PSRE supplementation, the hepatosomatic index, hepatosteatosis, serum lipid profile, Castelli risk indexes as well as hepatic and renal functions of hypercholesterolemic rats were significantly improved (p 0.05), but superiorly upregulated by PSRE (p < 0.05). The combined results showed that hypercholesterolemia and the atherogenic risk in rats were effectively attenuated by DKSM and PSRE supplementation, possibly via modulations of multiple vital processes in hepatic cholesterol metabolism. Furthermore, phenolics and saponins may be the bioactives conferring DKSM and PSRE with their anti-hypercholesterolemic properties. In conclusion, DKSM and PSRE are prospective cardioprotective functional food ingredients for hypercholesterolemic individuals

Soluble starch synthase IIa (SSIIa) enzyme expression in endosperm and alkali disintegration in seeds of Myanmar rice cultivars.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is grown all over the world and consumed by human beings worldwide. It is the most important crop in Myanmar because it is the main staple food of the entire nation. Starch is the end product of carbon fixation in photosynthesis and is accumulated in storage organs as an energy source. It comprises 90% of the total dry matter in the rice grain and can mainly affect grain quality. Starch biosynthesis in cereal plants is catalyzed by four classes of enzymes, namely; ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase), soluble starch synthase (SSS), starch-branching enzyme (BE), and starch-debranching enzyme (DBE) (Smith et al.,1997; Myers et al., 2000; Nakamura, 2002; Fujita et al., 2006). Starch synthase proteins from rice and other plant species can be grouped into five classes, soluble starch synthase I (SSI), soluble starch synthase II (SSII), soluble starch synthase III (SSIII), soluble starch synthase IV (SSIV) and granule-bound starch synthase (GBSS). One gene for SSI, three genes for SSII (SSIIa, SSIIb, SSIIc) and, two genes for SSIII (SSIIIa, SSIIIb), SSIV (SSIVa, SSIVb) and GBSS can be found in rice (Hirose and Terao, 2004)

Bridging the data gaps in the epidemiology of hepatitis C virus infection in Malaysia using multi-parameter evidence synthesis

BACKGROUND: Collecting adequate information on key epidemiological indicators is a prerequisite to informing a public health response to reduce the impact of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Malaysia. Our goal was to overcome the acute data shortage typical of low/middle income countries using statistical modelling to estimate the national HCV prevalence and the distribution over transmission pathways as of the end of 2009. METHODS: Multi-parameter evidence synthesis methods were applied to combine all available relevant data sources - both direct and indirect - that inform the epidemiological parameters of interest. RESULTS: An estimated 454,000 (95% credible interval [CrI]: 392,000 to 535,000) HCV antibody-positive individuals were living in Malaysia in 2009; this represents 2.5% (95% CrI: 2.2-3.0%) of the population aged 15-64 years. Among males of Malay ethnicity, for 77% (95% CrI: 69-85%) the route of probable transmission was active or a previous history of injecting drugs. The corresponding proportions were smaller for male Chinese and Indian/other ethnic groups (40% and 71%, respectively). The estimated prevalence in females of all ethnicities was 1% (95% CrI: 0.6 to 1.4%); 92% (95% CrI: 88 to 95%) of infections were attributable to non-drug injecting routes of transmission. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalent number of persons living with HCV infection in Malaysia is estimated to be very high. Low/middle income countries often lack a comprehensive evidence base; however, evidence synthesis methods can assist in filling the data gaps required for the development of effective policy to address the future public health and economic burden due to HCV. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12879-014-0564-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users