Study on the Investigation of Selected Toxic Metals and Essential Metals on Different Brands (Local and Imported) Canned Fish

Metal pollution of water ways directly affects human health and can impact the food chain. Toxic trace metals in canned foods may occur as a result of polluted water or by migration from the packing material. The purpose of in this study was to analyze the concentration of selected toxic elements including Pb, Cu, Cd and dietary metals Zn and Mn in 10 each can from five different brands (local and imported) of canned tuna fish were quantitatively determined by acid digesting method and atomic absorption spectroscopic method. All samples were collected from different city marts in Yangon. The concentration of metals (toxic and essential) in five different brands were found to be observed in the range of 0.0195 to 0.0209 mg/ l for Mn, 0.300 to 0.304 mg/l for Zn, 0.053 to 0.039 mg/l for Cd of local brands. In imported canned tuna brands, the concentration of Mn and Zn, were observed in the range of 0.0171 to 0.0218 mg/l, and 0.261 to 0.343 mg/l. The concentration of some toxic elements Cd, Pb and Cu in different imported brands were observed in the range of 0.044 to 0.051 mg/l for Cd. The concentration of Pb and Cu were not detected in all brands (local and imported) of tuna canned. The average concentrations of all toxic and essential metals were much lower than the reference limit (WHO/FAO). Based on the obtained results it can be concluded that the all canned samples (local and imported) are free from heavy metal contaminatio

Osmotic Dehydration of Toddy Fruit Cubes in Sugar Solution Using Response Surface Methodology

The response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to optimize the effects of immersion time (60, 90 and 120 min), temperature (35, 45 and 55°C) and concentration of sucrose solution (30, 40 and 50°Brix) in osmotic dehydration of toddy fruit tubes (1cm3). Box-Behnken Design was used with water loss (WL, %), solid gain (SG, %), and weight reduction (WR, %) as responses. The models obtained for all the responses were significant (P≤0.05) without a significant lack of fit. The optimum conditions were temperature (45°C), immersion time (120min), concentration of sucrose solution (40°Brix) in order to obtain WL of (33.867g/100g initial sample), SG of (4.478g/100g initial sample) and WR of 29.39 g/100g initial sample, respectively

A Model HACCP Plan for Fish Seasoning Powder Production

Many kinds of seasoning powder available in market contain high amount of monosodium glutamate (MSG) in Myanmar. So, natural seasoning powder without MSG from fish and vegetables seasoning powder was considered for safe and healthy product as substitute of MSG. The main aim of this research is to design Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan for fish based seasoning powder production. Local indigenous raw materials such as Ngar-Gyin (Mrigal fish), cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, chinese cabbage, garlic and ginger were used in the formulation of fish based seasoning powder. The prerequisite programs (PRPs), operational prerequisite programs (OPRPs), hazards, critical control point, preventive measure, critical limits, monitoring procedure and corrective actions have been designed in this HACCP plan. A sample generic HACCP plan was recommended. Three Critical Control Points (CCPs) in the processing; cold storage of raw fish; pressure cooking and packaging were identified. A HACCP plan was completed with perquisite programs dealing with the identified hazards

Intestinal Parasites among school children (7 to 12 years) in rural areas of Kudat District Sabah Malaysia

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Fluctuations in Serum magnesium and Systemic Arterial Blood Pressures during the Menstrual Cycle in young reproductive women

Introduction: The menstrual cycle involves a sequence of structural, functional, and hormonal changes in the reproductive system. This is linked and controlled by cyclical fluctuations in the levels of FSH, LH, estrogen, and progesterone. Because of these cyclical fluctuations, there might also be associated cyclical changes of magnesium and systemic arterial blood pressures during the menstrual cycle. Purpose: To assess the changes in serum magnesium level and systemic arterial blood pressures during the menstrual cycle in young reproductive women. Methodology: the sample population is 40 apparently healthy young reproductive-aged 18- 25years female students from the University of Medicine, Magway participated in this study. Systemic arterial blood pressures were measured by indirect method. The serum magnesium level was measured by spectrophotometry. These measurements were done in the early follicular phase (EF), the peri-ovulatory phase (PO), and the midluteal phase (ML) of the menstrual cycle. The serum magnesium levels were significantly (p <0.001) lower, and the systolic blood pressures were significantly higher (p <0.05) in the PO than the EF and the ML. In the EF, there was a significant negative correlation between serum magnesium level and diastolic blood pressure (r= - 0.374, p <0.05) and mean arterial pressure (r = -0.354, p < 0.05) but no significant correlation with systolic blood pressure. In the PO, there was no significant correlation between serum magnesium level and systemic arterial blood pressures. In the ML, there was significant negative correlation between serum magnesium level and systolic blood pressure (r = -0.651, p <0.001), diastolic blood pressure (r = -0.607, p <0.001), and mean arterial pressure (r = -0.661, p <0.001). Conclusion: The study concludes that serum magnesium level has a negative effect on blood pressure changes and the blood pressure-lowering effect of magnesium. These changes are related to the fluctuation of estrogen levels during the menstrual cycle. KEYWORDS: Serum magnesium, systemic arterial blood pressures, menstrual cycle reproductive syste

Phylogenetic relationships among Callosciurus squirrels in the Indochina Peninsula: phylogenetic position of C. pygerythrus from Myanmar

The phylogenetic relationships among seven Callosciurus species from the Indochina Peninsula, including the C. honkhoaiensis which is endemic to Hon Khoai Island, were studied using complete mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequences (1140 bases). We primarily focused on the phylogenetic position of C. pygerythrus, which is distributed in the western part of the peninsula. We identified two main lineages: 1) C. caniceps, C. honkhoaiensis, C. inornatus, C. phayrei and C. pygerythrus, and 2) C. erythraeus and C. finlaysonii. Estimated divergence time between the two lineages was at the junction of the Zanclean and Piacenzian in the Pliocene. Within the first linage, the divergence time of sub-lineages corresponded to the Pliocene-Pleistocene boundary, although phylogenetic relationships were unclear. These two divergence times estimated in the present study correspond to episodes of global cooling, suggesting that climate may have contributed to the divergence of these Callosciurus squirrels

An Experimental Study of Indoor Radon Measurement in Department of Physics, Yangon University of Education

The present work was attempted to measure the estimation of the annual effective dose of indoor radon in Department of Physics, Yangon University of Education. Many techniques have been established for measuring the radiation in the environment. These techniques are based on the detection of emissions from the decay of radioactive material and its daughter products. Most of the methods are based on the detection of alpha particles, some on detection of beta emission while a few utilize gamma decays. In this research, time integrated long term radon measurement technique is used to measure radon concentration in the samples under investigation. For the measurement of radon concentration, we have used LR-115, Type II plastic track detector and irradiation time is 100 days, from 26th April 2017 to 3rd August 2017. The annual effective doses due to radon are ranging from 0.07 ± 0.0341 mSv/yr to 0.33 ± 0.0626 mSv/yr which are lower than 5 mSv/yr, the annual effective doses fixed for public (ICRP,2007)

Preliminary Study on Radon Concentration of Bricks and Block ( Building Materials ) Using Lr-115 Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors

Radon is a natural radioactive gas derived from geologic materials. Inhalation of the shortlived decay products of radon has been linked to an increase in the risk of developing lung cancers if present at elevated levels. Accurate knowledge of exhalation rate plays an important role in characterization of the radon source strength in some building materials. In this research, radon exhalation rate were be measured from bricks and blocks of building materials by using LR-115, to estimate the radiation exposure in the atmosphere. The radon concentrations from the bricks and blocks were found to vary from 206 to 305Bqm-3 . The levels of radon concentrations caused by the construction materials in the blocks and bricks were found within the internally recommended range 5mSvyr-1