Effect of drying methods on phenolic contents of neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf powder

The medicinal quality of plant parts is affected due to the thermal decomposition of the active ingredients during the drying process. Additional processing such as grinding will also influence the composition and extraction of active ingredients. Neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves dried under shade, oven-dried at 45°C and at 70°C varied in final moisture content, color, and crispness and in their phenolic contents. Grinding depended upon the crispness of the dried leaves, where finer particle sizes were obtained from crisper leaves. The phenolics contents were higher in powder obtained from shade-dried leaves compared to the oven-dried leaves at 45°C or at 70°C. There was no difference in total phenolics in extracts from finer-sized (250 μm) particles in the case of oven-dried leaves at 45°C. However, the extracts from finer particle sizes (250 μm) from oven-dried leaves at 70°C and shade-dried leaves respectively

Evaluating the Shelf Life of Chilled Raw and Pasteurized Goat Milk: An Analysis of Physicochemical and Microbial Content

Goat milk offers a variety of health benefits. The objective of this study is to evaluate the influence of refrigerated storage on the quality of unprocessed and pasteurized goat milk within a defined timeframe. In addition, also analyzes the chemical and microbiological composition of both raw and pasteurized goat milk during refrigerated storage to assess its longevity. Goat milk samples were obtained from healthy Saanen female goats, aged 3-4 years, with a body condition score (BCS) ranging from 2 to 3. The samples were taken from UniSZA Pasir Akar farm in Besut, Terengganu, Malaysia. The milk samples were processed through pasteurization. Exactly 10 goats were meticulously chosen, with each goat yielding 1 liter of milk. The goats were segregated into two cohorts: one cohort for raw milk (n=5) and the other for pasteurized milk (n=5). Subsequently, the milk samples from both groups were subjected to chilling storage experimentation at the food technology laboratory of Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) in Besut. The milk samples (duplicates) were monitored for 42 days to assess their physical characteristics. The pasteurized goat milk samples were evaluated for milk composition (fat, solid non-fat, protein, and lactose) and microbial contents (TPC and EMB) from Week 0 to Week 6. The effect of shelf life, composition values, and bacterial growth were measured weekly, and the data were presented descriptively (SEM±STD) with paired T-Test as the statistical analysis, considering p<0.15 as a significant difference. The findings revealed a downward trajectory in the physical attributes and chemical makeup of both unprocessed and pasteurized goat milk throughout the storage duration, resulting in decreases in fat, solid non-fat, protein, and lactose. The microbiological investigation revealed increased microbial levels in both raw and pasteurized milk after two weeks. Nevertheless, there was a subsequent decrease in the number of microorganisms from week 3 to week 6, indicating a phase of natural bacterial decline caused by limited nutrients and competition among bacteria. The study emphasizes the significance of maintaining sustainability in dairy production and addressing food safety concerns. It is crucial for customers to be informed about the duration of safe consumption of pasteurized milk and the potential threat of bacterial growth during prolonged cold storag

Diametrical Elastic Relaxation During Ejection of lactose-cocoa binary tablets

This work investigates the diametrical elastic relaxation of a compacted binary powder mixture of lactose and cocoa. It has been observed that the addition of lactose improved the mechanical strength of the binary tablets at the higher compaction stresses used in this study. The tablets having the maximum tensile strengths have relatively low diametrical elastic relaxations, similar to the pure cocoa tablets. Meanwhile, pure lactose tablets displayed increasing diametrical elastic relaxations as the compaction stress increased

Morphological Study on Room-Temperature-Cured PMMA-Grafted Natural Rubber-Toughened Epoxy/Layered Silicate Nanocomposite

A morphological study was conducted on ternary systems containing epoxy, PMMA-grafted natural rubber, and organic chemically modified montmorillonite (Cloisite 30B). Optical microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) analysis were used. The following four materials were prepared at room temperature: cured unmodified epoxy, cured toughened epoxy, cured unmodified epoxy/Cloisite 30B nanocomposites, and cured toughened epoxy/Cloisite 30B nanocomposites. Mixing process was performed by mechanical stirring. Poly(etheramine) was used as the curing agent. The detailed TEM images revealed co-continuous and dispersed spherical rubber in the epoxy-rubber blend, suggesting a new proposed mechanism of phase separation. High-magnification TEM analysis showed good interactions between rubber and Cloisite 30B in the ternary system. Also, it was found that rubber particles could enhance the separation of silicates layers. Both XRD and TEM analyses confirmed that the intercalation of Cloisite 30B was achieved. No distinct exfoliated silicates were observed by TEM. Aggregates of layered silicates (tactoids) were observed by SEM and EDX, in addition to TEM at low magnification. EDX analysis confirmed the presence of organic and inorganic elements in the binary and ternary epoxy systems containing Cloisite 30B

Stem and leaf anatomical studies of selected species of barlerieae and ruellieae (acanthaceae) from Yemen

The anatomy of stems and leaves of selected species of tribes Barlerieae and Ruellieae (Acanthaceae) was studied to assess the taxonomic significance of anatomical characteristics in the two tribes. The anatomical characters such as the outline of stems, midribs, petioles, margins, shape of epidermal cells, vascular bundles, stomata, anticlinal cells, cystoliths, aerenchyma cells, layer of wax, layer of hypodermis were observed and analysed. Type of trichomes observed on the leaf surface using Scanning Electron Microscopy and light microscope provides information of taxonomic significance to both tribes and the taxa within them. The trichomes vary from non-glandular (unicellular, bicellular, multicellular, and multiradiate) to capitate glandular. Abundance of long-stalked trichomes was recorded only in Neuracanthus aculeatus. Cystoliths of different size and position are present in epidermis, parenchyma and collenchyma in addition to oil cells in some genera. The placement of Neuracanthus among the recognized tribes of Acanthaceae is assessed using anatomical characters

Morphological identification of weevil and fungal pathogen associated with sweet potato tuber during storage

Sweet potato is a perishable food crop that is prone to weevil and fungal infection. Development of diseases due to fungal infection will lower its quality, reduce marketable price and sometimes the tubers are unable to sell. Crop losses due to diseases not only have bad implication to farmers, but also give threat to global food production and food security. This study was conducted to identify and document the insect and fungal pathogens associated with sweet potato diseases. For this purpose, infected tubers were collected, incubated and isolated before conducting the pathogenicity test. Ninety sweet potato weevils, Cylas formicarius had emerged and caused extensive damaged to the tuber. Following the sweet potato weevil infestation, four fungal isolates were successfully identified as Fusarium oxysporum (one isolate), Penicillium sp. (one isolate) and Aspergillus sp. (two isolates). All these isolates were pathogenic to sweet potato tubers with different level of diseases severity, ranged from 33.33% to 42.59%. Identification of weevil and fungal pathogen associated with sweet potato diseases is important to help in control strategy to avoid epidemic diseases that may cause loss of economic return. Besides that, farmers should applied integrated pest management control for continuous production of good quality sweet potato tuber

Petunjuk pembangunan komuniti orang Asli: suatu analisis penggunaan barangan dan perkhidmatan

Modernization has, to some extent, affected the lives of indigenous peoples and exposed them to the current consumer world. The improved living standards and social changes have caused the consumption expenditure pattern on goods and services and the values of consumerism to change over time. Hence, this research aims to explain the use of goods and services, as well as the changes in values among orang Asli as a sign of community development. A total of 325 orang Asli from entire orang Asli settlement in Jelebu are involved in this research. The methods used are by doing reviews using questionnaire and also non-participant observations. The result is analysed descriptively. The result of the study shows that the orang Asli community has started using the modern goods and services. The changes in traditional to modern values has started to make its way into this community. In a nutshell the development has changed the life of orang Asli by looking at the use of modern goods and services as a manifestation in determining the acceptance of orang Asli community to modernization. The implications that can be seen are the changes of traditional toward modern values among orang Asli community and they have accepted modern goods and services. Hence, knowledge and education on the consumerism should be provided to the orang Asli community so that they will not be the victims of hedonism of the modern world of luxury brought about by modernization

The value of self-employment to ethnic minorities

It is sometimes argued that ethnic minorities have a cultural predisposition towards self-employment. However, this is generally not the preferred option for minority groups. We argue that ethnic minorities face a double risk in deciding between employment and self-employment. While their chances in employment leave them exposed to greater risk than the majority group, self-employment, which is inherently risky for all workers, adds to their general risk environment. We demonstrate a negative underpinning to their self-employed activity, showing that minority groups in the UK earn less in self-employment relative to the white British majority, work longer hours, and have lower job satisfaction. They also leave self-employment sooner to take up a job as an employee and use resources such as higher education to stand a better chance in employment

Capacity and Autonomy : An Exploration of Fukuyama’s Governance Hypothesis

Peer reviewe