Ultrastructural Changes of Hevea brasiliensis Muell.-Arg. Seeds during Imbibed Storage

Ultra structural changes were observed in Hevea seeds stored at 10C, 22C and 27C Membrane degeneration appeared to be the most common feature of deterioration. At all storage temperatures, the plasma lemma was observed to be increasingly folded, disintegrated or withdrawn from the cell wall. The dissolution of the tonoplast was also widely observed

Physicochemical properties of silver catfish (Pangasius sutchi) skin gelatin produced as affected by different extraction time / Normah, I., Nur Ain, H. and Effaniza, E.H

Gelatin was extracted from silver catfish (Pangasius sutchi) skin and the effects of extraction time on the physicochemical characteristics of the gelatin were studied in comparison with commercial bovine gelatin. The skin was initially pre-treated by washing in 0.19N NaOH and 0.12N acetic acid prior to gelatin extraction at 50°C for 6, 8, 10 and 12 hrs. The extracts were filtered, freeze dried and then ground. Yield was recorded and the gelatin was analysed for viscosity, molecular weight distribution, amino acids composition, gel strength, melting point, setting point and setting time. Longer extraction time resulted in higher gel strength and melting point while the gel sets at lower temperature and requires shorter setting time than commercial bovine gelatin. The yields were 10.40% and 11.42% at 10 and 12 hrs extraction time, respectively. Extracted gelatins showed higher gel strength and contain higher amount of proline, lysine, phenylalanine and glycine than the commercial bovine gelatin. High molecular weight bands between 80 to 175 kDa were observed in all the extracted gelatins. Therefore, in this study, 10 hrs extraction time is considered as the optimum duration for silver catfish gelatin production as it produces gelatin with high gel strength and viscosity values as well as acceptable yield. In view of its high gel strength and viscosity value, silver catfish skin gelatin has the potential to be used as gelling agent in food

Desiccation and Cryopreservation of Embryonic Axes of Hevea brasiliensis Muell. - Arg.

Hevea embryonic axes were desiccated for a period of 1 - 5 hours and the moisture content was determined at the end of each hour of desiccation. Another set of embryonic axes were aseptically desiccated for the same period before they were cryopreserved for 16 hours by direct immersion in liquid nitrogen (-196°C). At a moisture content between 14 - 20% (desiccation for 2 - 5 hours), 20 - 69% of the embryonic axes survived cryopreservation and formed seedlings with normal roots and shoots when cultured in vitro. A bnormalities were deteched in some seedlings however, hence, refinement of the technique is needed

Use of English at the Workplace : How Far is This True in Malaysia?

According to Ong etal. (2011), the importance of English in theMalaysian work environment is the main concern of manyemployers. Some employers reported that having employees withbetter English would improve productivity. How far is Englishbeing used at the workplace in Malaysia? This quantitative studytargets at possible direction of a language programme such asEnglish for Specific Purpose especially for Occupational andVocational purposes. It looks into how much English is used atselected industries in Malaysia. Specifically, it reports on howcommunication in English is used at different departments inselected industries as well as how the use differs across agegroups, genders and industries. Results of this study will haveinteresting implication for future English for business purposescourses.(125 words

The Effectiveness Of The Auditing Standards To Detect Fraudulent Financial Reporting Activities In Financial Statement Audits In Malaysia

In identifying relevant red flags to be used to detect possible fraud in financial statements, this study adopts the International Auditing Standard AI240 and adapts the US-based Statement of Auditing Standard No 99 (SAS 99). Both SAS 99 and AI240 classify the red flags into three categories: Opportunity, Pressure, and Rationalization.  Opportunity Red Flags are found in situations that are ideal for people to commit fraud more easily due to ineffective internal controls, inadequate supervision or managers overriding internal controls.  Pressure Red Flags are circumstances in which people have a financial incentive to commit fraud such as falsely overstating sales or profits to receive their bonuses or exerting pressure on managers to reduce actual expenses to be under budgeted costs.  Rationalization Red Flags are situations where people have certain traits and abilities to commit fraud and justify it with false reasons which they believe are true. A Red Flag Questionnaire which contains 15 demographic multiple choice questions, followed by a five-point Likert scale with questions for 14 Opportunity Red Flags, 15 Pressure Red Flags and 11 Rationalization Red Flags was developed and distributed to three groups of auditors: External, internal and governmental. The study indicates the direct or inverse relationships between each demographic factor and each red flag.   These relationships were identified by using multiple regression models.   Three types of relationships are possible: direct, inverse and no relationship.   These three types of relationships are as follows: (1) the relationship between the level of fraud-detecting effectiveness of each Opportunity Red Flag and each demographic factor, (2) the relationship between the level of fraud-detecting effectiveness of each Pressure Red Flag and each demographic factor, and (3) the relationship between the level of fraud-detecting effectiveness of each Rationalization Red Flag and each demographic factor.   These relationships indicate which specific professional demographic factors are more likely associated with more effective fraud-detecting red flags.  In contrast, other relationships also indicate which specific demographic factors are more likely associated with less effective fraud-detecting red flags.   In conclusion, this research project should be conducted in other countries, so the result from one country can be compared to the results from other countries.  Some results may vary between developed countries and developing countries.  The learning curve or the period of time necessary for auditors to learn how to use red flags and then interpret the findings may also explain differences in the results between countries.   This study may enhance the auditors’ understanding of the different levels of fraud-detecting effectiveness of red flags as well as when the auditors may benefit from using them in financial statement audits

ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY OF THE GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES USING OXYGEN RADICAL ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY (ORAC), 2,2′-AZINO-BIS (3-ETHYLBENZOTHIAZOLINE-6-SULPHONIC ACID(ABTS) AND 2,2-DIPHENYL-1-PICRYLHYDRAZYL (DPPH) ASSAYS

Antioxidants are believed to play a very important role in the body defence system against reactive oxygen species (ROS), the harmful by-products that are generated during normal aerobic cell respiration. The objective of this study was to determine the antioxidant capacity in green leafy vegetables using ORAC, ABTS, and DPPH assays of different polyphenol fractions (free phenolic, alkaline hydrolysate, acidic hydrolysate). The antioxidant capacity of the identified free and bound phenolic acid content was measured using different assays including ORAC, ABTS, and DPPH assay (end-point assay and kinetic assay). Only hydrophilic antioxidant activities of all selected samples were examined using ORAC assay. Strong correlations were observed in acidic and alkaline hydrolysate fractions (p<0.01) as determined by ORAC and ABTS assays, respectively. In the free phenolic acid extracts, the O. basilicum (Sweet basil) ranked first, had highest antioxidant capacities of 521804±4243 µmol TE/100g DW, 329.8±0.4mg TE/g DW and 9.0±1.8 µg GAE/g DW as determined by ORAC, ABTS and DPPH, respectively. . The A. occidentale (Cashew shoot) in the alkaline hydrolysate extract showed a greatest antioxidant capacity in all three assays: 889126±7193 µmol TE/100g DW, 466.5±7.9 mg TE/g DW and 3.5±0.4 µg GAE/g DW as measured by ORAC, ABTS and DPPH, separately. While, in acidic hydrolysate, the A. occidentale (Cashew shoot) extract also dominated the antioxidant capacity with (560504±5785 µmol TE/100g DW, 387±0.7 mg TE/g DW and 5.9±0.5 µg GAE/g DW) as determined by ORAC, ABTS and DPPH assays, respectively. The acidic and basic hydrolysis yielded higher antioxidant capacities in the present study. It suggests that hydrolysis with alkaline and acidic play significant roles in liberating more phenolic acids and flavonoids and generating high antioxidant capacity in the extracts

Energy and nutrient intakes: findings from the Malaysian Adult Nutrition Survey (MANS)

Nutrition surveys based on a representative sample of the Malaysian adult population have hitherto not been reported. In 2003, the Ministry of Health, Malaysia, conducted the Malaysian Adult Nutrition Survey (MANS), the first and largest nutrition survey in the country which aimed to provide detailed quantitative information on nutritional status, food and nutrient intakes, and physical activity pattern on a nationwide representative sample of adult subjects between the ages of 18 and 59 years. The survey covered four zones in Peninsular Malaysia (Central, Southern, Northern and East Coast), Sabah and Sarawak. This paper presents the mean and selected percentiles of energy and nutrient intake of 6886 subjects by selected demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Energy contributions by macronutrients and dietary adequacy in relation to the Recommended Nutrient Intake for Malaysians are also described. Information on dietary intake was collected by trained nutritionists using a one day 24-hour diet recall. Dietary data were analysed using Nutritionist Pro, a diet analysis software and statistical analysis was carried out using the SPSS ver. 13.0. In most of the demographic and socioeconomic groups, males had higher mean energy (1776 kcal) and nutrient intake and percent achievement of RNI than females (1447 kcal). The proportions of calories derived from macronutrients were within the recommendations for a healthy diet. Intake of micronutrients such as iron, calcium and vitamin A was about 50% of RNI particularly in women. Sodium intake of Malaysians, not reported in earlier studies, is also made available. Under-reporting using the EI/BMR ratio was found in half of the population studied. The present study provides the first national estimates of energy and nutrient intake of the Malaysian adult population. Regular nutrition surveys are needed at the national level to provide valuable information on trends in food and nutrient intake, particularly among age and ethnically diverse subgroups of the population