The lyotropic phase behavior of four common and easily accessible glycosides, n-octyl α-d-glycosides, namely, α-Glc-OC8, α-Man-OC8, α-Gal-OC8, and α-Xyl-OC8, was investigated. The presence of normal hexagonal (HI), bicontinuous cubic (VI), and lamellar (Lα) phases in α-Glc-OC8 and α-Man-OC8 including their phase diagrams in water reported previously was verified by deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance (2H NMR), via monitoring the D2O spectra. Additionally, the partial binary phase diagrams and the liquid crystal structures formed by α-Gal-OC8 and α-Xyl-OC8 in D2O were constructed and confirmed using small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering and 2H NMR. The average number of bound water molecules (nb) per headgroup in the Lα phase was determined by the systematic measurement of the quadrupolar splitting of D2O over a wide range of molar ratio values (glycoside/D2O), especially at high glucoside composition. The number of bound water molecules bound to the headgroup was found to be around 1.5-2.0 for glucoside, mannoside, and galactoside, all of which possesses four OH groups. In the case of xyloside, which has only three OH groups, the bound water content is ∼2.0. Our findings confirmed that the bound water content of all n-octyl α-d-glycosides studied is lower compared to the number of possible hydrogen bonding sites possibly due to the fact that most of the OH groups are involved in intralayer interaction that holds the lipid assembly together.
Chronic stress has been associated with impairment of memory, learning, and social cognition. In animal studies, chronic stress has been shown to impair rodent sociability behaviour which mimics social withdrawal as observed in depression patients. The effect of chronic stress on social recognition, however, is uncertain. Moreover, with reference to spatial learning and memory, the effect of chronic stress is dependent on the type of behavioural task: an appetitively or aversively motivated tasks. The effect of chronic stress was consistent in impairing spatial learning and memory in the appetitive task; however, the effect was inconsistent in an aversive task like the Morris water maze. Thus, we aimed to investigate the effect of chronic restraint stress on sociability and social recognition by using a modified protocol of the three-chamber paradigm and the effect of chronic restraint stress on spatial learning and memory by using the Morris water maze test in young adult C57BL/6J male mice. The present report also describes a modified protocol of the three-chamber paradigm. Our modification is based on measurement of sniffing behaviour, which is a direct social interaction that represents sociability. We used the chronic restraint stress paradigm for 6 h/day for 21 days to induce depression-like symptoms in male C57BL/6J mice which were validated by forced-swim test. We observed that the stressed group had impairments in their sociability behaviour but that social recognition was not affected. Furthermore, we confirmed that chronic stress produced no significant impairment in spatial learning and memory of the mice in the water maze.
At present, heavy metal pollution is a major environmental concern and the adsorption technique is a potent method for removal of these heavy metals from wastewater. Activated carbon is one of the best adsorbents for metal ionsremoval but it is sometimes restricted due to high cost and problems with regeneration hamper large scale application. Low cost adsorbent is alternatively being introduced to replace activated carbon since it is available in large quantity, renewable and inexpensive. Hence, Pennisetum purpureum(elephant grass) was investigated for its potential in cadmium ions removal. The adsorbent was characterized by Fourier Transforms Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) and Barrett–Joyner–Halenda (BJH) analyses.The effects of pH (1 to 5), initial metal ion concentration (5 to 25 mg/L), contact time (10 to 60 minutes) and adsorbent dosage (0.2 to 1.0 g) on cadmium ions removal were conducted by batch adsorption experiments. In this study, the FT-IR results demonstrated that the functional groups for untreated and nitric acid-treated P. purpureum mainly consisted of carbonyl, carboxyl, hydroxyl and amine groups which are able to bind with positively charged cadmium ions. SEM micrographs have proven that nitric acid modification would remove the surface impurities of P. purpureum, which increased the surface roughness, produced deep, open pores and better pore size distribution. From the BET and BJH analyses, the treated P. purpureum was mesoporous, had larger surface area and pore volume compared to untreated P. purpureum. The best pH, adsorbent dosage and contact time were pH 4, 0.6 g and 30 minutes, respectively. The highest removal percentage of cadmium ions for both untreated and treated P. purpureum were 92% and 98% correspondingly. The results shown strengthened the fact that both biosorbents have great potential in cadmium ions removal.
A preliminary assessment of a simple and rapid electrochemical method was carried out to analyse imidacloprid (IMI) in water samples using cyclic voltammetry (CV) based on modified screen-printed gold electrode (SPGE). Self-assembled monolayer (SAM) was optimized using 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (11-MUA) with several parameters such as scan rates, type of supporting electrolyte, and pH of the supporting electrolyte. The modified SPGE showed high suppressed current against the potential due to the formation of a monolayer on the electrode surface. Surface morphology of the electrode was analysed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) confirming that 11-MUA was present on the modified SPGE. The water samples were collected from GM Peladang, Kuala Terengganu and two locations at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu. Method detection limit was expressed as limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) for modified SPGE which were calculated at 3.784 and 12.613 mg/L in water samples, respectively. This study showed that the reduction peak current observed on the modified electrode was lower compared with oxidation peak current. Hence, gold is unsuitable for IMI detection.
Morinda citrifolia L. commonly known as noni or Indian mulberry belongs to the family Rubiaceae. Noni fruit juice has recently become a very popular remedy for the treatment of several diseases, including psychiatric disorders. This study aimed to investigate the anticraving effect of Tahitian Noni® Juice (TNJ) against ethanol seeking behavior in ICR male mice using the conditioned place preference (CPP) test. The CPP procedure consisted of four phases: preconditioning, conditioning, extinction, and reinstatement. During conditioning, intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of ethanol (2 g/kg body weight (bw)) and normal saline (10 ml/kg bw) were given on alternate days for 12 days. Then, the animals were subjected to extinction trials for the next 12 days to weaken CPP. Finally, CPP was reinstated in the extinguished animals by a single low-dose priming injection of ethanol (0.4 g/kg bw, i.p.). The effect of TNJ (as a source of drinking water) on different phases of ethanol CPP in mice was studied. TNJ-treated mice showed a significant reduction in ethanol seeking behavior in the CPP test. The reference drug, acamprosate (ACAM) also showed a similar effect in the CPP test. The outcome of this study suggests that TNJ is effective in attenuating ethanol craving in mice and could be utilized for the treatment of alcohol dependence. Further clinical studies in this direction are warranted to support the present preclinical findings.
River systems in developing and emerging countries are often fragmented relative to land and waste management in their catchment. The impact of inconsistent waste management and releases is a major challenge in water quality management. To examine how anthropogenic activities and estuarine effects impact water quality, we characterised water conditions, in-situ microbiomes, profiles of faecal pollution indicator, pathogenic and antibiotic resistant bacteria in the River Melayu, Southern Malaysia. Overall, upstream sampling locations were distinguished from those closer to the coastline by physicochemical parameters and bacterial communities. The abundances of bacterial DNA, total E. coli marker genes, culturable bacteria as well as antibiotic resistance ESBL-producing bacteria were elevated at upstream sampling locations especially near discharge of a wastewater oxidation pond. Furthermore, 85.7% of E. faecalis was multidrug-resistant (MDR), whereas 100% of E. cloacae, E. coli, K. pneumoniae were MDR. Overall, this work demonstrates how pollution in river estuaries does not monotonically change from inland towards the coast but varies according to local waste releases and tidal mixing. We also show that surrogate markers, such dissolved oxygen, Bacteroides and Prevotella abundances, and the rodA qPCR assay for total E. coli, can identify locations on a river that deserve immediate attention to mitigate AMR spread through improved waste management.
Actinobacteria from underexplored and unusual environments have gained significant attention for their capability in producing novel bioactive molecules of diverse chemical entities. Streptomyces is the most prolific Actinobacteria in producing useful molecules. Rapid decline effectiveness of existing antibiotics in the treatment of infections are caused by the emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens. Intensive efforts are urgently required in isolating non-Streptomyces or rare Actinobacteria and understanding of their distribution in the harsh environment for new drug discovery. In this study, pretreatment of soil samples with 1.5% phenol was used for the selective isolation of Actinobacteria from Dee Island and Greenwich Island. A high number of non-Streptomyces (69.4%) or rare Actinobacteria was significantly recovered despite the Streptomyces (30.6%), including the genera Micromonospora, Micrococcus, Kocuria, Dermacoccus, Brachybacterium, Brevibacterium, Rhodococcus, Microbacterium and Rothia. Reduced diversity and shift of distribution were observed at the elevated level of soil pH. The members of genera Streptomyces, Micromonospora and Micrococcus were found to distribute and tolerate to a relatively high pH level of soil (pH 9.4-9.5), and could potentially be alkaliphilic Actinobacteria. The phylogenetic analysis had revealed some potentially new taxa members of the genera Micromonospora, Micrococcus and Rhodococcus. Principal Component Analysis of soil samples was used to uncover the factors that underlie the diversity of culturable Actinobacteria. Water availability in soil was examined as the principal factor that shaped the diversity of the Actinobacteria, by providing a dynamic source for microbial interactions and elevated diversity of Actinobacteria.
As the population increases, energy demands continue to rise rapidly. In order to satisfy this increasing energy demand, biogas offers a potential alternative. Biogas is economically viable to be produced through anaerobic digestion (AD) from various biomass feedstocks that are readily available in Malaysia, such as food waste (FW), palm oil mill effluent (POME), garden waste (GW), landfill, sewage sludge (SS) and animal manure. This paper aims to determine the potential feedstocks for biogas production via AD based on their characteristics, methane yield, kinetic studies and economic analysis. POME and FW show the highest methane yield with biogas yields up to 0.50 L/g VS while the lowest is 0.12 L/g VS by landfill leachate. Kinetic study shows that modified Gompertz model fits most of the feedstock with R 2 up to 1 indicating that this model can be used for estimating treatment efficiencies of full-scale reactors and performing scale-up analysis. The economic analysis shows that POME has the shortest payback period (PBP), highest internal rate of return (IRR) and net present value (NPV). However, it has already been well explored, with 93% of biogas plants in Malaysia using POME as feedstock. The FW generation rate in Malaysia is approximately 15,000 tonnes per day, at the same time FW as the second place shows potential to have a PBP of 5.4 years and 13.3% IRR, which is close to the results achieved with POME. This makes FW suitable to be used as the feedstock for biogas production.
Tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages worldwide after water, and green tea accounts for 20% of the total tea consumption. The health benefits of green tea are attributed to its natural antioxidants, namely, catechins, which are phenolic compounds with diverse beneficial effects on human health. The beneficial effects of green tea and its major bioactive component, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), on health include high antioxidative, osteoprotective, neuroprotective, anti-cancer, anti-hyperlipidemia and anti-diabetic effects. However, the review of green tea's benefits on female reproductive disorders, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis and dysmenorrhea, remains scarce. Thus, this review summarises current knowledge on the beneficial effects of green tea catechins on selected female reproductive disorders. Green tea or its derivative, EGCG, improves endometriosis mainly through anti-angiogenic, anti-fibrotic, anti-proliferative and proapoptotic mechanisms. Moreover, green tea enhances ovulation and reduces cyst formation in PCOS while improving generalised hyperalgesia, and reduces plasma corticosterone levels and uterine contractility in dysmenorrhea. However, information on clinical trials is inadequate for translating excellent findings on green tea benefits in animal endometriosis models. Thus, future clinical intervention studies are needed to provide clear evidence of the green tea benefits with regard to these diseases.
The fish health status and parasitic infection in paddy fields are understudied in Borneo. This study was done to compare the prevalence and abundance of parasites on freshwater fishes in the upstream and downstream rivers of paddy fields. Parasite study on freshwater fishes was done by collecting live fish samples using ten minnow traps with baits at each site in Serian and Padawan, Sarawak, from October 2017 until March 2018. A total of 120 freshwater fishes were examined during this study period. Cold anaesthesia was applied on live samples prior to ectoparasite and endoparasite microscopic screening, which involved scraping of outer body mucous and removal of fish intestines, respectively. No ectoparasites were recovered from the fish samples. A total of 19 (15.83%) fishes from Cyprinids were infected with endoparasites. From these, 58 individuals of endoparasites were recovered. Two groups of parasites, namely Nematoda (Cucullanus sp.) and Trematoda (unidentified), were recovered from the fish intestines. From this study, there was a significant difference between the upstream fishes and downstream fishes in their endoparasite infection at both Triboh Village (p = 0.035) and Annah Rais Village (p = 1.445 × 10-6) using two samples t-test. The endoparasite abundance in fish was higher in the streams where there was less human disturbance. This study may serve as a baseline study on the parasitic infections of freshwater fishes in streams near paddy fields or other agricultural area in Sarawak.
Silver-reduced graphene oxide (Ag-rGO) nanohybrid was synthesized by applying a slight modification to the Turkevich method using trisodium citrate as a reducing and stabilizing agent to catalyze the non-enzymatic electrochemical detection of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). Spherical silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with an average particle size of 2.2 nm surfaced on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets. Cyclic voltammograms (CV) obtained from glassy carbon (GC) electrode coated with Ag-rGO nanohybrid (4 mM) exhibited a peak at an overpotential of -0.52 V, with a larger faradaic current for the reduction of H₂O₂. Using the modified electrode for the linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) detection of H₂O₂, the detection limit and sensitivity were determined to be 4.8 μM (S/N ═ 3) and 0.0262 μA μM-1, respectively. The sensor appeared selective and stable towards H₂O₂ in the presence of possible interference, and it also demonstrated good recoveries of H₂O₂ concentration in real water samples.
Using solar-powered water electrolysis systems for hydrogen generation is a key decision for the development of a sustainable hydrogen economy. A facile approach is presented in the present investigation to improve the solar-powered photoelectrochemical performance of water electrolysis systems by synthesising well-aligned and highly ordered TiO₂ nanotube films without bundling through the electrochemical anodisation technique. Herein, geometrical calculations were conducted for all synthesised TiO₂ nanotubes, and determination of the aspect ratio (AR) and geometric surface area factor (G) was achieved. On the basis of the collected data, well-aligned TiO₂ nanotubes with an AR of approximately 60 and G of approximately 400 m² ·g-1 were successfully formed in an electrolyte mixture of ethylene glycol with 0.3 wt% NH4F and 5 wt% H₂O₂ at 40 V for 60 min. The nanotubes were subsequently annealed at 400 °C to form anatase-phase TiO₂ nanotube films. The resultant well-aligned and highly ordered TiO₂ nanotube films exhibited a photocurrent density of 1.5 mA · cm-2 due to a large number of photo-induced electrons moving along the tube axis and perpendicular to the Ti substrate, which greatly reduces interfacial recombination losses.
Graphene oxide/Cuprous oxide (GO/Cu₂O) composite is a visible light photocatalyst for the degradation of dyes. A simple and efficient approach for preparing GO/Cu₂O composite adopted in this study involves reducing cuprous oxide precursors in the presence of graphene oxide using an aqueous solution of pulp derived from banana fruit. The GO/Cu₂O composite was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Diffused reflectance Ultraviolet visible spectroscopy (DRS UV-Vis), Raman spectroscopy and Field Emission Scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). Cu₂O particles were distributed randomly on the graphene oxide sheets due to the template effect of GO. The results showed higher photocatalytic activity for the composite (band gap 2.13 eV), for the degradation of the organic dyes (Methylene blue and Rhodamine-B). The enhanced photocatalytic activity is due to effective charge transfer from GO to Cu₂O, and high specific surface area which improves the effective separation of the generated electron-hole pairs. Our present study is inspired by a facile, low cost, green production of (GO/Cu₂O) composite whose photocatalytic activity can be extended to degradation of all other water-born textile dyes.
The present work highlights the facile synthesis of hydrophobic palm fatty acid functionalized Fe3O4 nanoparticles (MNP-FA) for the efficient removal of oils from the surface of water. An intense hydrophobic layer was introduced on the surface of Fe3O4 nanoparticles functionalized by the palm fatty acid obtained from the hydrolysis of palm olein. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and water contact angle analysis (WCA) measurements were used to characterize the newly fabricated palm fatty acid adorned magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (MNP-FA). The obtained results confirmed the successful synthesis of palm fatty acid-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles. Oil removal tests performed with MNP-FA revealed that this newly prepared material could selectively adsorb lubricating oil up to 3.5 times of the particles' weight while completely repelling water. The main parameters affecting the adsorption of oil i.e., sorption time, mass of sorbent and pH of water were optimized.
Au-Ag alloy nanoparticles are physically synthesized using rapid, simple and efficient Q-switched Nd:YAG pulsed laser ablation in liquid technique (PLAL). Au and Ag colloidal solutions are separately prepared by 1064 nm laser ablation of metallic target (gold and silver) which is immersed in deionized water. Au-Ag alloy nanoparticles are prepared by irradiating the mixture of Au and Ag colloidal solutions with 532 nm of second harmonic wavelength of Nd:YAG laser at three different ratio, 3:1, 1:1 and 1:3 within different exposure times. The three of plasmon absorption bands of Au-Ag nanoparticles are shifted linearly to the lower wavelength [499.67 nm (3:1), 481.25 nm (1:1), 467.91 nm (1:3)], as compared to plasmon absorption spectra of pure Au (520 nm) and Ag (400 nm). Moreover, the change in colors are also observed from red (Au) and yellow (Ag) to orange, brown and green color due to the Au-Ag alloy formations, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy shows the Ag shell around the inner core of Au spherical metal with broad size distribution due to the three different volume ratio, respectively (1.7 nm, 0.7 nm, 1.4 nm). Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis confirms the presence of Au and Ag elements in Au-Ag alloy nanoparticles without any contaminations. Attenuated total reflectance fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis also confirms the homogenous Au-Ag alloys chemical bonding.
Chia seed has a high content of fibres and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Chia seed also holds numerous amounts of minerals and vitamins, including calcium and phosphorus. Chia seed offers a great potential of gel-forming ability and good water and oil holding capacities. Therefore, this study aims to determine the effect of chia seed powder substitution in chicken meat sausage formulations on the physicochemical characteristics and sensory acceptance. In the study, the chicken meat sausages were produced in four formulations; sample A as the control (100% chicken meat), sample B (5% substitution of chia seed powder to chicken meat), sample C (10% substitution of chia seed powder to chicken meat) and sample D (15% substitution of chia seed powder to chicken meat). The sausages were analysed for colour, texture, water holding capacity, cooking loss, proximate analysis, crude fibre content, and sensory acceptability. As for the findings, the substitution of chia seed powder resulted in low ‘L’ values of chicken meat sausage due to the dark colour of the chia seed. On the other hand, chia seed powder's substitution decreased the hardness and cohesiveness values. However, it increased the adhesiveness, springiness, and chewiness. Water holding capacity and a cooking loss percentage of the chicken meat sausages with chia seed powder substitution were observed to improve compared to control sausage (100% chicken meat), resulting in juicier sausages. The chia seed powder substitution increased the carbohydrate, ash, fat, and fibre contents for the chemical composition. On a 9-point hedonic scale, sample B (5% chia seed powder substitution) exhibited the highest sensory scores in all attributes evaluated (colour, texture, taste, juiciness, and overall acceptance). Thus, it can be concluded that chia seed powder can be substituted in chicken meat sausage to produce better quality products.
A study was conducted to evaluate the settleability and dewaterability of fungal treated and untreated sludge using liquid state bioconversion process. The fungal mixed culture of Aspergillus niger and Penicillium corylophilum was used for fungal pretreatment of wastewater sludge. The fungal strains immobilized/entrapped on sludge particles with the formation of pellets and enhanced the separation process. The results presented in this study showed that the sludge particles (pellets) size of 2-5mm of diameter were formed with the microbial treatment of sludge after 2 days of fermentation that contained maximum 33.7% of total particles with 3-3.5mm of diameter. The settling rate (measured as total suspended solids (TSS) concentration, 130 mg/l) was faster in treated sludge than untreated sludge (TSS concentration, 440 mg/l) after 1 min of settling time. In 1 min of settling operation, 86.45% of TSS was settled in treated sludge while 4.35% of TSS settled in raw sludge. Lower turbidity was observed in treated sludge as compared to untreated sludge. The results to specific resistance to filtration (SRF) revealed that the fungal inoculum had significant potentiality to reduce SRF by 99.8% and 98.7% for 1% w/w and 4% w/w of TSS sludge, respectively. The optimum fermentation period recorded was 3 days for 1% w/w sludge and 6 days for 4% w/w sludge, respectively, for dewaterability test.
In Malaysia, the National Breastfeeding Policy recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life and continued up to two years. Since the 1990s, several breastfeeding promotion programmes had been implemented in the country. This article reports the findings on the prevalence of breastfeeding practice from The Third National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS III) which was conducted in 2006. A total of 2167 mothers or carers of children below two years old were interviewed representing 804,480 of the estimated population of children aged below 2 years in Malaysia. Respondents were asked whether various types of liquid or solid food were given to the child at any time during the preceding 24-hour period. The overall prevalence of ever breastfed among children aged less than 12 months was 94.7% (CI: 93.0 - 95.9). The overall prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding below 6 months was 14.5% (CI: 11.7 - 17.9). Prevalence of timely initiation was 63.7% (CI: 61.4 - 65.9) and the continued prevalence of breastfeeding up to two years was 37.4% (CI: 32.9 - 42.2). The findings suggest that the programmes implemented in the last ten years were effective in improving the prevalence of ever breastfeeding, timely initiation of breastfeeding and continued breastfeeding up to two years. However, the challenge is to improve exclusive breastfeeding practice. Longterm community-based interventions need to be carried out in partnership with the existing health care system, focusing on discouraging the use of water and infant formula, especially in the first few months of life.
Study name: National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS-2006)
It is essential to replace fluids lost so as to remain well hydrated during exercise. The intake of fluids is considered a physiological ergogenic aid to enhance exercise performance. There are currently several products in the market that are believed to have ergogenic properties which act as fluid replacement drinks during exercise. One such drink available in the Malaysian market is ‘AgroMas®’ herbal drink whose efficacy is yet to be proven. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to evaluate the effects of acute ingestion of this herbal drink (H) or a coloured water placebo (P) on cycling performance. Nine healthy and trained young male cyclists (age: 16.2 ± 0.5 years) exercised on a cycle ergometer at 71.9 ± 0.7% of maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) until exhaustion on two occasions at 1-week intervals. During each exercise bout, subjects received 3ml kg-1 body weight of H or P every 20 min in a double-blind randomised study design. There was no significant difference between H and P trials in the total work time to exhaustion (83.7 ± 4.6 and 81.5 ± 5.0 min respectively). Changes in oxygen consumption, heart rate and perceived rate of exertion were similar for both types of drinks. These results demonstrate that the herbal drink and the placebo elicited similar physiological responses and exercise performance during endurance cycling. It is therefore concluded that AgroMas® herbal drink and water ingestion resulted in a similar ergogenic response on cycling performance in young cyclists.
The effects of dietary fat during pregnancy and lactation on growth performance of pups, milk composition and very low density lipoprotein composition in rats were studied. A total of 33 dams were used in this study and each litter was adjusted to 8 pups per dam. The dams were fed on high fat (150 g fat/kg diet, HF), medium fat (75 g fat/kg of diet, MF) and low fat (2.5 g fat/kg diet, LF) diets. The body weights of dams increased during pregnancy and decreased after pregnancy. The HF pups had a higher body weight and higher weight gain than those of LF pups. The amount of feed intake of HF dams was significantly higher than LF and MF dams. The HF dams had significantly higher milk fat and water concentrations than LF dams. The milk protein was not significantly different among the treatment groups. All dams showed hypertriacylglycerolaemia in their very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) in late pregnancy. The VLDL-protein concentrations increased during the first week after parturition. The HF dams showed a greater response to the dietary fat than that of LF and MF dams. The findings suggest that addition of fat in the diet during pregnancy and lactation may improve the milk quality through modifying the composition of VLDL contents, leading to better growth of pups.