Spawning induction and larval rearing of the sea cucumber Holothuria scabra in Malaysia

The sea cucumber Holothuria scabra was induced to spawn by the methods of thermal and algal stimulation. Thermal stimulation proved to be the better method. The larvae were given a mix of microalgal diet, the concentration of which was based on the larval growth. Doliolaria larvae appeared 11 days after fertilisation, and then became pentactula 18 days after fertilisation. A survival rate of 4.2% was recorded from three successful spawning

Isolation and Characterisation of Bacteria and Fungus from the Intestine of Sea Cucumber Acaudina molpadioides

Acaudina molpadioidesor locally known as ‘beronok’ is a high valued sea cucumber that is widely distributed in the muddy shores in the west coast Peninsular Malaysia and being consumed by the local people as traditional healthy delicacies. They are made into dishes and are usually consumed raw as ‘kerabu’. The aim of this study was to isolate and characterise the bacteria and fungus from the intestine of A. molpadioidesusing standard method for biochemical tests, safety assessments and molecular identification. A total of 100samples were collectedrandomlyfrom Pulau Langkawi, Malaysia and 1642 isolates were obtained from the intestine. Biochemical tests, safety evaluation and molecular identification were performed. Six strains (AM8h, AM47e, AM59a, AM67d, AM80d, and AM84d1) were selected for characterisation as they showed distinct morphology and from the biochemical tests. Further molecular identification showed the strains were identified as Priestia megaterium, Carnobacterium maltaromaticum, Bacillus tropicus, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Bacillus cereus, and Yarrowia lipolytica(GenBank accession number: MZ947169, MZ934727, MZ947170, MZ934728, MZ934726, and MZ956769). The results indicated that both bacteria and fungus were presence in the intestine of A. molpadioides, hence there is a need for adequate measures in consuming this sea cucumber ra

Microplastics in marine benthic filter feeder: A review on the occurrence, routes of ingestion, method of extraction and effects to the ecosystem

Plastic pollution has been a global concern as it contaminates the earth. Hence, the purpose of this review discusses the rate of plastic pollution and how it has accumulated in the various benthic feeders in the ocean. This review focuses on the occurrences of microplastics, routes of ingestion, method of extraction and the effects of plastic on marine ecosystems. The marine invertebrates considered in this study include filter and benthic feeders. Hence, a compilation of 54 published studies, reviewed articles, conference materials and books from related topics were reviewed to identify the gaps in the research. Microplastics were identified with a scheme to colour, size, shape and polymer type. Techniques to extract these microplastics were also described. Findings from this review showed that the animals tended to accumulate large amounts of denser forms of microplastics. Therefore, this review will be a fundamental touchstone for the studies regarding microplastics in marine invertebrates

A scoping study of sea cucumber as a new therapeutic agent in wounds healing treatment

The ocean is a vast resource of natural compounds that give a number of medicinal advantages to the health functions of human beings. Sea cucumbers, also known as gamat, have long been used as alternative medicine in Asian and Middle Eastern countries, especially in treating cuts and burns. Due to their pharmacological benefits, sea cucumbers have been explored for medical use, especially in dermatological formulas for wound healing. The therapeutic effects of sea cucumber, such as their anti-inflammatory,antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-coagulant properties, due to the existence of biologically active compounds such as saponin, glycoprotein, chondroitin sulphate, phenol, and fatty acids, are imperatively facilitating wound healing management. However, there were still insufficient studies that systematically reviewed the existing literature regarding the evaluation of sea cucumbers as a wound healing treatment. This scoping review will encompass the wound healing potential of sea cucumber for in vivo and clinical studies where the searches were conducted using three main databases, which are PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar, with papers released between 1970 and 2021. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria in which these studies compromise in vivo and clinical studies that evaluate five different types of wounds, which are excision, incision, ulcer, diabetic, and burn wounds. Findings from in vivo and clinical studies provide consistent evidence through macroscopic and microscopic observation; most of the studies prove that sea cucumber can enhance tissue repair and wound healing through fibroblast proliferation, regulation of inflammatory response, and amplifying the angiogenesis process

Synergistic effect of commercial mangosteen extract (Garcinia mangostana L.) and amoxicillin against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Antibiotic resistance occurs worldwide and has become a threat to humankind. Previous data have shown that antimicrobial resistance is a global issue demanding immediate resolution because it threatens the environment and society. The present work thus investigated the synergistic effects of commercial Garcinia mangostana L. (GML) extract and amoxicillin on the growth of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacterial cells. A commercial GML extract was screened for phytochemical properties, and the presence of α-mangostin was detected using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The antibacterial activity of the commercial GML extract with amoxicillin was analysed by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and checkerboard assays. The morphology ultrastructure of bacteria was observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), after treatment with commercial GML extract, either single or in combination with amoxicillin. The MICs of amoxicillin and commercial GML extract against MRSA bacteria were 250.00 and 137.50 μg/mL, respectively. The checkerboard assay showed synergistic activity in the combination of commercial GML extract (34.38 µg/mL) and amoxicillin (62.50 µg/mL) at fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) index of < 0.5. Damage to the structure of bacteria occurred due to the commercial GML extract plus amoxicillin. It was observed that the loss of bacterial cell membranes led to an irregular bacterial structure. These findings provided evidence that the combination of commercial GML extract and amoxicillin could reverse bacterial resistance in order to determine the susceptibility of traditional drugs

A review of the take-home exposure pathway of workplace hazards

Para-occupational exposure has been reported in the literature with increase in the risk of ill health among spouses, children and family members of workers exposed to materials like asbestos, heavy metals and pesticides. The family members are exposed to workplace agents brought home via the pathway of the take-home exposures routes such as on skin, clothes, shoes and cars. Hence the purposes of this review is to: demonstrate the evidence of take-home exposure pathway of chemicals such as pesticides, lead and asbestos; discuss sources and factors of take-home exposure; and consider methods to reduce the risk of take-home exposures

Evaluation of tilapia fish (Oreochromis niloticus) skin collagen hydrogel potential as burn wound healing agent

Tilapia collagen consists of a complex structural protein that possesses biomaterial to accelerate wound healing activity. The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential effects of Oreochromis niloticus collagen hydrogel, as a burn wound healing agent. Collagen hydrogel of concentrations 0.05 mg/ml and 0.1 mg/ml were prepared via acid soluble collagen extraction and crosslinked with Carboxymethylcellulose. Sprague Dawley rats were used as test subjects and were grouped into negative control (with normal saline), positive control (using 1% silver sulfadiazine cream), two treatment groups (using 0.05 mg/ml and 0.1 mg/ml collagen hydrogel) and a normal group. A second degree burn wound was induced on the rats by using an electrical heater (at 100 °C), and collagen hydrogel of both concentrations were given daily for 14 days. The wound size, gross and histopathological changes were recorded. The burn wound treated with the collagen hydrogel of both concentrations had shown a decrease in size with an average diameter of 4 cm on day 0, and 2 cm at day 14, which was significant with p<0.05. The gross examination showed a decrease in diameter of the wound from day 0 to day 14. Histopathology result showed an increase of fibroblast presence, regeneration of hair follicles and sebaceous glands, decrease in inflammatory cells, increase in blood vessels, and restored epidermis layer on the 14th day of the treatment groups compared to the 14th day of the positive control. As a conclusion, the collagen hydrogel extracted from the skin of O. niloticus had displayed its potential as a burn healing agent, primarily by reducing inflammation and facilitating rapid proliferation of fibroblast

Occupational Stress among Academicians between Two Selected Universities in Malaysia and Indonesia During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Study

Occupational stress has become a major concern for both employees and employers globally. Stress leads to a loss of interest among workers as well as unproductive and valueless outputs if not managed well. The education sector is one work setting dominated by stress. This comparative cross-sectional study aimed to determine the levels of depression, anxiety, and stress among academicians as well as their work-related stressors and coping strategies between a selected public university in Malaysia and a private university in Indonesia. A total of 82 academicians from universities in Malaysia and 52 from Indonesia were recruited using convenience sampling. Data was collected using a validated self-reported questionnaire via Google Forms. The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among Malaysian academicians was 19.5%, 29.5%, and 12.2%, respectively. In contrast, the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among Indonesian academicians was 15.7%, 33.3%, and 9.8%. Career development, research, teaching, and interpersonal relationships significantly contributed to stress at both universities (p-value<0.05). Participants from both universities reported using active coping, planning, venting, self-distraction, positive reframing, acceptance, and religion as coping strategies. In conclusion, determining depression, anxiety, and stress prevalence; major work-related stressors; and coping strategies are essential to maintaining the safety, health, and well-being of academicians, which eventually can encourage university administrators to provide support in enhancing their quality of life

Positive and negative effects of COVID-19 pandemic on aquatic environment: a review

In December 2019, a novel coronavirus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak was reported for the first time in Wuhan, Hubei province, China. This coronavirus has been referred as Coronavirus Disease 2019 or COVID-19 by World Health Organization (WHO). The spread of COVID-19 has become unstoppable, infecting around 93.5 million people worldwide, with the infections and deaths still increasing. Today, the entire planet has changed due to the greatest threat on the planet since the introduction of this lethal disease. This pandemic has left the world in turmoil and various measures have been taken by many countries including movement control order or lockdown, to slow down or mitigate the infection. Since the lockdown has been implemented almost in all affected countries, there has been a significant reduction in anthropogenic activity, including a reduction in industrial operations, vehicle numbers, and marine-related activities. All of these changes have also led to some unexpected environmental consequences. As a result of this lockdown, it had a positive and negative impact on the environment including the aquatic environment. Hence this review will therefore focus on the good and bad perspectives of the lockdown toward the aquatic environment

Formulation of minimum medium for bacteriocin production by Lactobacillus plantarum strains

The production of bacteriocin, an antimicrobial compound produced by lactic acid bacteria, has been reported to be affected by several environmental factors including carbon and nitrogen sources. The selective de Mann Rogosa Sharpe (MRS) medium is the common medium that extensively used to cultivate Lactobacillus sp. and for bacteriocin production. The main disadvantage of employing this complex media is that it is costly for media application. The minimum requirement of nutrient is essential to be determined to produce bacteriocin economically. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to formulate minimum medium composition for the six strains of L. plantarum to attain comparable bacteriocin activity that obtained with MRS medium. A total of 20 g/L of carbon source and 22 g/L of nitrogen source were employed in each modified medium, which was similar to the amount of carbon and nitrogen source in MRS media. The results obtained in this study showed that yeast extract was the best nitrogen source as compared to other nitrogen sources when combined with either molasses or glucose for the production of bacteriocin by L.plantarum strains, suggesting that molasses and glucose are compatible carbon sources. In addition, subsequent inclusion of meat extract and/or peptone into the basic designed growth medium did not increase bacteriocin activity further. Similar results were obtained when more than two different nitrogen sources were combined in the basic growing medium, implying that both meat extract and peptone were not essential nitrogen sources for the production of bacteriocin by L. plantarum strains. However, the requirement of trace elements, minerals and other nutrients for bacteriocin production was strain dependent. Moreover, the bacteriocin production profile was dependent on the carbon source that included in growth medium. L. plantarum I-UL4 was chosen as a model to study the growth and bacteriocin production in 3 L bioreactor and result showed that both bacteriocin and cell mass were produced earlier as compared to static growth method. Generally, the results obtained in this study indicated that the elimination of unnecessary nutrient elements as found in selective MRS medium is feasible to reduce the production cost of bacteriocin by L. plantarum substantially