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A facile water-induced complexation of lycopene and pectin from pink guava byproduct: Extraction, characterization and kinetic studies

Nagarajan J, Krishnamurthy NP, Nagasundara Ramanan R, Raghunandan ME, Galanakis CM, Ooi CW

Food Chem, 2019 Oct 30;296:47-55.
PMID: 31202305 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.05.135

The redfleshed pulp discarded from pink guava puree industry is a rich source of lycopene and pectin. In this study, we developed a facile extraction process employing water as the primary extraction medium to isolate the lycopene and pectin from pink guava decanter. When the decanter was suspended in water, the complexation of lycopene and pectin formed the cloudy solution, where the colloidal complexes were recovered through centrifugation. The presence of lycopene and pectin in the complex was confirmed by the spectroscopic, microscopic and chromatographic analyses. The lycopene fractionated from the complexes had a purity level of 99% and was in all-trans configuration. The colloidal complexes yielding the highest concentration of lycopene was obtained at pH 7, 1% (w/v) solid loading and 25 °C. The experimental data of time-course extraction of lycopene-pectin complex were best fitted with two-site kinetic model, hinting the fast- and slow-release phases in the extraction process.

Matched MeSH terms: Color
Visual Presentation and Factors Affecting Visual Outcome in Children with Craniopharyngioma in East Coast States of Peninsular Malaysia: A Five-year Review

Mohd-Ilham IM, Ahmad-Kamal GR, Wan Hitam WH, Shatriah I

Cureus, 2019 Apr 08;11(4):e4407.
PMID: 31205829 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.4407

Purpose To describe the visual presentation and factors affecting visual outcome in pediatric patients treated for craniopharyngioma at a referral center in the East Coast states of Peninsular Malaysia. Methodology A retrospective review of medical records of children aged 17 years and below who had been treated for craniopharyngioma in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia from January 2014 to December 2018. The data collected included age, gender, presenting symptoms and duration, visual acuity, visual fields, color vision, light brightness, relative afferent pupillary defects, fundus examination and cranial nerves examination. The best corrected visual acuity during presentation, and after a one-year post-operative period, was documented. Records on investigations, surgical procedures, therapeutic modalities and recurrences were also reviewed. Results A total of 11 pediatric patients (22 eyes) were recruited. Fifty percent presented with optic atrophy. The mean duration of the onset of symptoms before consultation was 22.3 (24.5) months. A final best corrected visual acuity of 6/12 (20/40) or better was observed in 50% of the patients. There was a statistically significant association between presenting visual acuity, optic nerve function and visual field defects, and the final visual outcome. Conclusions Visual presentations in our study were fairly similar to previous reported studies. One-third presented late with permanent visual loss. Almost half had significant visual impairment after one-year post-operative period. Significant associations were observed between presenting visual acuity, duration of symptoms, impairment of optic nerve function tests, and visual field defects during presentation, and final visual acuity at one year after treatment.

Matched MeSH terms: Color Vision
Dietary lecithin improves dressing percentage and decreases chewiness in the longissimus muscle in finisher gilts

Akit H, Collins CL, Fahri FT, Hung AT, D'Souza DN, Leury BJ, et al.

Meat Sci, 2014 Mar;96(3):1147-51.
PMID: 24334033 DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2013.10.028

The influence of dietary lecithin at doses of 0, 4, 20 or 80 g/kg fed to finisher gilts for six weeks prior to slaughter on growth performance, carcass quality and pork quality was investigated. M. longissimus lumborum (loin) was removed from 36 pig carcasses at 24h post-mortem for Warner-Bratzler shear force, compression, collagen content and colour analyses. Dietary lecithin increased dressing percentage (P=0.009). Pork chewiness and collagen content were decreased by dietary lecithin (P<0.05, respectively), suggesting that improved chewiness may be due to decreased collagen content. However, dietary lecithin had no effect on shear force, cohesiveness or hardness (P>0.05, respectively). Dietary lecithin reduced loin muscle L* values and increased a* values (P<0.05, respectively) but no changes on b* values (P=0.56). The data showed that dietary lecithin improved dressing percentage and resulted in less chewy and less pale pork.

Matched MeSH terms: Color
Interventions of two-stage thermal sous-vide cooking on the toughness of beef semitendinosus

Ismail I, Hwang YH, Joo ST

Meat Sci, 2019 Nov;157:107882.
PMID: 31295690 DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2019.107882

This paper describes the influence of different factors on toughness of beef semitendinosus (ST) by means of low temperature-long time cooking with single-stage (60 °C, 65 °C, 70 °C, and 75 °C for 6 h and 12 h) and two-stage sous-vide procedure (45 + 60 °C, 45 + 65 °C, 45 + 70 °C, and 45 + 75 °C; 49 + 60 °C, 49 + 65 °C, 49 + 70 °C, and 49 + 75 °C for 3 h at the first temperature, and either 3 or 9 h at the second temperature). Reduced toughness of ST beef steak muscle could be attained in 6 h at 60 °C and 45 + 60 °C were due from the minimum shrinkage of sarcomere as well as lower perimysial thickness, cooking loss, and elastic modulus. Collagen solubility showed a positive correlation to the toughness values. The relationship between proteolytic activity and shear force can be seen after 12 h of cooking duration. For the other quality attributes, two stepped cooking temperature-time combination seems to be more effective in preserving the redness values and water content than a single-stage sous-vide method.

Matched MeSH terms: Color
Fulltext Effects of Stocking and Transport Conditions on Physicochemical Properties of Meat and Acute-Phase Proteins in Cattle

Abubakar AA, Zulkifli I, Goh YM, Kaka U, Sabow AB, Imlan JC, et al.

Foods, 2021 Jan 26;10(2).
PMID: 33530479 DOI: 10.3390/foods10020252

This study's objective was to evaluate the effects of distance and stocking density on physicochemical properties and oxidative stability of meat and acute-phase proteins in Brahman crossbred cattle transported by road under hot and humid tropical conditions. Sixty Brahman crossbred heifers were subjected to road transport from a cattle feedlot farm located in Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang, to a commercial ruminant abattoir in Shah Alam, Selangor. Animals were assigned to long and short distances and high, medium, and low stocking densities. The results revealed that the intensity of response significantly increased in meat samples from animals subjected to long-distance transportation and higher stocking density. Alpha-1-acid glycoprotein and serum amyloid-A values increased considerably and were different from the baseline values recorded at preload. In conclusion, the current results revealed that the color, pH, shear force values, water holding capacity (WHC), glycogen level, and malondilaldehyde assay (MDA) concentrations in meat and acute-phase proteins (APP) were affected by both distances and stocking densities, as evidenced by the significant changes recorded from the parameters above.

Matched MeSH terms: Color
Potential Residual Contaminants in Edible Bird's Nest

Yeo BH, Tang TK, Wong SF, Tan CP, Wang Y, Cheong LZ, et al.

Front Pharmacol, 2021;12:631136.
PMID: 33833681 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.631136

Edible bird's nest (EBN) is recognized as a nourishing food among Chinese people. The efficacy of EBN was stated in the records of traditional Chinese medicine and its activities have been reported in many researches. Malaysia is the second largest exporter of EBNs in the world, after Indonesia. For many years, EBN trade to China was not regulated until August 2011, when a safety alert was triggered for the consumption of EBNs. China banned the import of EBNs from Malaysia and Indonesia due to high level of nitrite. Since then, the Malaysia government has formulated Malaysia Standards for swiftlet farming (MS 2273:2012), edible bird's nest processing plant design and management (MS 2333:2010), and edible bird's nest product quality (MS 2334:2011) to enable the industry to meet the specified standards for the export to China. On the other hand, Indonesia's EBN industry formulated a standard operating procedure (SOP) for exportation to China. Both countries can export EBNs to China by complying with the standards and SOPs. EBN contaminants may include but not limited to nitrite, heavy metals, excessive minerals, fungi, bacteria, and mites. The possible source of contaminants may come from the swiftlet farms and the swiftlets or introduced during processing, storage, and transportation of EBNs, or adulterants. Swiftlet house design and management, and EBN processing affect the bird's nest color. Degradation of its optical quality has an impact on the selling price, and color changes are tied together with nitrite level. In this review, the current and future prospects of EBNs in Malaysia and Indonesia in terms of their quality, and the research on the contaminants and their effects on EBN color changes are discussed.

Matched MeSH terms: Color
Fulltext Assessing dehydration status in dengue patients using urine colourimetry and mobile phone technology

Chew N, Noor Azhar AM, Bustam A, Azanan MS, Wang C, Lum LCS

PLoS Negl Trop Dis, 2020 09;14(9):e0008562.
PMID: 32881914 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008562

BACKGROUND: Dengue is a systemic and dynamic disease with symptoms ranging from undifferentiated fever to dengue shock syndrome. Assessment of patients' severity of dehydration is integral to appropriate care and management. Urine colour has been shown to have a high correlation with overall assessment of hydration status. This study tests the feasibility of measuring dehydration severity in dengue fever patients by comparing urine colour captured by mobile phone cameras to established laboratory parameters.
METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Photos of urine samples were taken in a customized photo booth, then processed using Adobe Photoshop to index urine colour into the red, green, and blue (RGB) colour space and assigned a unique RGB value. The RGB values were then correlated with patients' clinical and laboratory hydration indices using Pearson's correlation and multiple linear regression. There were strong correlations between urine osmolality and the RGB of urine colour, with r = -0.701 (red), r = -0.741 (green), and r = -0.761 (blue) (all p-value <0.05). There were strong correlations between urine specific gravity and the RGB of urine colour, with r = -0.759 (red), r = -0.785 (green), and r = -0.820 (blue) (all p-value <0.05). The blue component had the highest correlations with urine specific gravity and urine osmolality. There were moderate correlations between RGB components and serum urea, at r = -0.338 (red), -0.329 (green), -0.360 (blue). In terms of urine biochemical parameters linked to dehydration, multiple linear regression studies showed that the green colourimetry code was predictive of urine osmolality (β coefficient -0.082, p-value <0.001) while the blue colourimetry code was predictive of urine specific gravity (β coefficient -2,946.255, p-value 0.007).
CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Urine colourimetry using mobile phones was highly correlated with the hydration status of dengue patients, making it a potentially useful hydration status tool.

Matched MeSH terms: Color; Colorimetry/instrumentation; Colorimetry/methods*
Wound Healing Property of Curcuminoids as a Microcapsule-Incorporated Cream

Ang LF, Darwis Y, Koh RY, Gah Leong KV, Yew MY, Por LY, et al.

Pharmaceutics, 2019 May 01;11(5).
PMID: 31052413 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics11050205

Curcuminoids have been used for the management of burns and wound healing in traditional Chinese medicine practices but the wide application of curcuminoids as a healing agent for wounds has always been a known problem due to their poor solubility, bioavailability, colour staining properties, as well as due to their intense photosensitivity and the need for further formulation approaches to maximise their various properties in order for them to considerably contribute towards the wound healing process. In the present study, a complex coacervation microencapsulation was used to encapsulate curcuminoids using gelatin B and chitosan. This study also focused on studying and confirming the potential of curcuminoids in a microencapsulated form as a wound healing agent. The potential of curcuminoids for wound management was evaluated using an in vitro human keratinocyte cell (HaCaT) model and the in vivo heater-inflicted burn wound model, providing evidence that the antioxidant activities of both forms of curcuminoids, encapsulated or not, are higher than those of butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene in trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate) (DPPH) studies. However, curcuminoids did not have much impact towards cell migration and proliferation in comparison with the negative control in the in vitro HaCaT study. The micoencapsulation formulation was shown to significantly influence wound healing in terms of increasing the wound contraction rate, hydroxyproline synthesis, and greater epithelialisation, which in turn provides strong justification for the incorporation of the microencapsulated formulation of curcuminoids as a topical treatment for burns and wound healing management as it has the potential to act as a crucial wound healing agent in healthcare settings.

Matched MeSH terms: Color
Fabrication of oil-in-water emulsions as shelf-stable liquid non-dairy creamers: effects of homogenization pressure, oil type, and emulsifier concentration

Soo YN, Tan CP, Tan PY, Khalid N, Tan TB

J Sci Food Agric, 2021 Apr;101(6):2455-2462.
PMID: 33034060 DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.10871

BACKGROUND: The popularity of coffee, the second most consumed beverage in the world, contributes to the high demand for liquid non-dairy creamer (LNDC). In this study, palm olein emulsions (as LNDCs) were investigated as alternatives to the more common soybean oil-based LNDCs. LNDCs were prepared via different homogenization pressures (100-300 bar) using different types of oil (palm olein and soybean oil) and concentrations of DATEM emulsifier (5-20 g kg-1 ).
RESULTS: Increases in homogenization pressure and emulsifier concentration were observed to have significant (P 0.05) differences between the prepared and commercial LNDCs in terms of their color, appearance, and overall acceptability.
CONCLUSION: Shelf-stable LNDCs with qualities comparable to commercial LNDC were successfully fabricated. Valuable insights into the effects of homogenization pressure, oil type, and emulsifier concentration, as well as functionality and consumer acceptance of the LNDCs when added into black coffee, were obtained. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Matched MeSH terms: Color
Cooking, textural, and mechanical properties of rice flour-soy protein isolate noodles prepared using combined treatments of microbial transglutaminase and glucono-δ-lactone

Ojukwu M, Tan JS, Easa AM

J Food Sci, 2020 Sep;85(9):2720-2727.
PMID: 32776580 DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.15357

A process for enhancing textural and cooking properties of fresh rice flour-soy protein isolate noodles (RNS) to match those of yellow alkaline noodles (YAN) was developed by incorporating microbial transglutaminase (RNS-MTG), glucono-δ-lactone (RNS-GDL), and both MTG and GDL into the RNS noodles (RNS-COM). The formation of γ-glutamyl-lysine bonds in RNS-COM and RNS-MTG was shown by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Scanning electron microscope showed that compared to others, the structure of RNS-COM was denser, smoother with extensive apparent interconnectivity of aggregates. The optimum cooking time was in the order: YAN > RNS-COM > RNS-MTG > RNS-GDL > RN (rice flour noodles); tensile strength was in the order: YAN > RNS-COM > RNS-MTG > RNS-GDL > RN; and elasticity were in the order: YAN > RNS-COM > RNS-MTG, RNS-GDL > RN. Overall, RNS-COM showed similar textural and structural breakdown parameters as compared to those of YAN. Changes in microstructures and improvement of RNS-COM in certain properties were likely due to enhanced crosslinking of proteins attributed to MTG- and GDL-induced cold gelation of proteins at reduced pH value. It is possible to use the combination of MTG and GDL to improve textural and mechanical properties of RNS comparable to those of YAN. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Combined MTG and GDL yield rice flour noodles with improved textural properties. The restructured rice flour noodles have the potential to replace yellow alkaline noodles.

Matched MeSH terms: Color
The use of salt-coating to improve textural, mechanical, cooking and sensory properties of air-dried yellow alkaline noodles

Yeoh SY, Lubowa M, Tan TC, Murad M, Mat Easa A

Food Chem, 2020 Dec 15;333:127425.
PMID: 32683254 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.127425

Zero-salted yellow alkaline noodles (YAN) were immersed in solutions of resistant starch HYLON™ VII (HC) or fruit coating Semperfresh™ (SC) containing a range of salt (NaCl) between 10 and 30% (w/v). The objective was to evaluate the effect of salt-coatings on the textural, handling, cooking, and sensory properties of YAN. Increasing salt in the coatings caused a reduction in optimum cooking time, cooking loss and increase in cooking yield. The mechanical and textural parameters, sensory hardness, springiness and overall sensory acceptability of the salt-coated noodles however decreased with increasing salt application. HC-Na10 and SC-Na10 showed the highest textural and mechanical parameters, sensory hardness and springiness. The differences in the parameters were attributed mainly to the water absorption properties of starch that was affected by salt application. Thus, the quality of salt-coated noodles was dependent mainly on the amounts of salt applied in the coatings rather than on the types of coatings used.

Matched MeSH terms: Color
Fruiting-body-base flour from an Oyster mushroom waste in the development of antioxidative chicken patty

Wan-Mohtar WAAQI, Halim-Lim SA, Kamarudin NZ, Rukayadi Y, Abd Rahim MH, Jamaludin AA, et al.

J Food Sci, 2020 Oct;85(10):3124-3133.
PMID: 32860235 DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.15402

In a commercial oyster mushroom farm, from 300 g of the total harvest, only the cap and stem of the fruiting body parts are harvested (200 g) while the unused lower section called fruiting-body-base (FBB) is discarded (50 g). A new antioxidative FBB flour (FBBF) conversion to mixed-ratio chicken patty was recently developed which converts 16.67% of FBB into an edible flour. At the initial stage, pretreatments of FBBF were optimized at particle size (106 µm) and citric acid concentration (0.5 g/100 mL) to improve flour antioxidant responses. Such pretreatments boosted total phenolic content (2.31 ± 0.53 mg GAE/g) and DPPH (51.53 ± 1.51%) of pretreated FBBF. Mixed-ratio chicken patty containing FBBF (10%, 20%, 30%) significantly (P

Matched MeSH terms: Color
Fulltext Comparative Study of The Yield and Physicochemical Properties of Collagen from Sea Cucumber (Holothuria scabra), Obtained through Dialysis and the Ultrafiltration Membrane

Saallah S, Roslan J, Julius FS, Saallah S, Mohamad Razali UH, Pindi W, et al.

Molecules, 2021 Apr 28;26(9).
PMID: 33924820 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26092564

Collagen was extracted from the body wall of sea cucumber (Holothuria scabra) using the pepsin-solubilized collagen method followed by isolation using dialysis and the ultrafiltration membrane. The yield and physicochemical properties of the collagen obtained from both isolation methods, denoted as D-PSC and UF-PSC, were compared. The ultrafiltration method affords a higher yield of collagen (11.39%) than that of the dialysis (5.15%). The isolated collagens have almost the same amino acid composition, while their functional groups, referred to as amide A, B, I, II, and III bands, were in accordance with commercial collagen, as verified by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The UV-Vis absorption peaks at 240 nm and 220 nm, respectively, indicated that the collagens produced are type-I collagen. The D-PSC showed interconnecting sheet-like fibrils, while the UF-PSC exhibited a flaky structure with flat-sheets arranged very close to each other. The higher yield and comparable physicochemical properties of the collagen obtained by ultrafiltration as compared with dialysis indicate that the membrane process has high potential to be used in large-scale collagen production for food and pharmaceutical applications.

Matched MeSH terms: Color
QTL Mapping for Red Blotches in Malaysia Red Tilapia (Oreochromis spp.)

Li BJ, Zhu ZX, Gu XH, Lin HR, Xia JH

Mar Biotechnol (NY), 2019 Jun;21(3):384-395.
PMID: 30863905 DOI: 10.1007/s10126-019-09888-9

Body color is an interesting economic trait in fish. Red tilapia with red blotches may decrease its commercial values. Conventional selection of pure red color lines is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. To accelerate selection of pure lines through marker-assisted selection, in this study, double-digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-seq) technology was applied to genotype a full-sib mapping family of Malaysia red tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) (N = 192). Genome-wide significant quantitative trait locus (QTL)-controlling red blotches were mapped onto two chromosomes (chrLG5 and chrLG15) explaining 9.7% and 8.2% of phenotypic variances by a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and linkage-based QTL mapping. Six SNPs from the chromosome chrLG5 (four), chrLG15 (one), and unplaced supercontig GL831288-1 (one) were significantly associated to the red blotch trait in GWAS analysis. We developed nine microsatellite markers and validated significant correlations between genotypes and blotch data (p colors and carrying out genetic improvement for color quality in tilapia.

Matched MeSH terms: Color
Fulltext Diffuse unilateral subacute neuroretinitis in a young boy: a case report

Guan-Fook N, Hayati AA, Raja-Azmi MN, Liza-Sharmini AT, Wan-Hazabbah WH, Zunaina E

Clin Ophthalmol, 2012;6:487-90.
PMID: 22536041 DOI: 10.2147/OPTH.S29806

We report a case of diffuse unilateral subacute neuroretinitis in a young boy with no clinical visualization of nematode. The diagnosis was made based on clinical findings and detection of Toxocara immunoglobulin G by Western blot test. An 11-year-old Malay boy presented with progressive blurring of vision in the left eye for a duration of 1 year. It was associated with intermittent floaters. Visual acuity in the left eye was 6/45 and improved to 6/24 with pinhole. There was positive relative afferent pupillary defect, impaired color vision, and presence of red desaturation in the left eye. There were occasional cells in the anterior chamber with no conjunctiva injection. Posterior segment examination revealed mild-to-moderate vitritis and generalized pigmentary changes of the retina with attenuated vessels. The optic disk was slightly hyperemic with mild edema. There was presence of multiple, focal, gray-white subretinal lesions at the inferior part of the retina. Full blood picture results showed eosinophilia with detection of Toxocara immunoglobulin G by Western blot test. Investigations for other infective causes and connective tissue diseases were negative. The diagnosis of diffuse unilateral subacute neuroretinitis secondary to Toxocara was made based on clinical findings and laboratory results. He was treated with oral albendazole 400 mg daily for 5 days and oral prednisolone 1 mg/kg with tapering doses over 6 weeks. At 1 month follow-up, the inflammation had reduced, and multiple, focal, gray-white subretinal lesions were resolved; however there was no improvement of vision.

Matched MeSH terms: Color Vision
Fulltext Preliminary phytochemical evaluation and vitamin c content of Tolidus (Hornstedtia havilandii (K. Schum) K. Schum) from Sabah

Nur Syafiqah Martang, Nadia Majitol, Farnidah Jasnie, Lo Chor-Wai

Borneo Akademika, 2020;4(4):15-20.
MyJurnal

Most of the plants in the ginger family Zingeberaceae are well-known for their medicinal properties. However, the genus Hornstedtia found in Sabah is less reported. This research aims to investigate the phytochemical constituent and vitamin C content of a fruit, locally known as the Tolidus fruit in Sabah. The dried fruit sample was extracted using three solvents which were water, ethanol and methanol. The phytochemical constituents were determined using standard Colour Test for the presence of alkaloid, flavonoid, saponin and tannin. Then, the content of Vitamin C was determined using the standard Colorimetric Titration and ascorbic acid as standard. The phytochemical evaluation revealed that all three targeted constituents were present in all extracts except for the alkaloid. The vitamin C content was determined in both dried and fresh sample of fruits, where 52.84 mg was quantified in the fresh fruit aqueous extract and 23.93 mg in the dried fruit aqueous extract respectively. These results are comparable to the content of vitamin C in orange and lime fruits. The phytochemical evaluation and vitamin C content of Tolidus suggested the potential of this underutilised fruit to be the natural and affordable source of vitamin C. Additionally, may protect the body against harmful free radicals. However, further analysis is needed to determine other constructive natural contents and evaluate the efficacy of this fruit as a natural source of antioxidant

Matched MeSH terms: Color; Colorimetry
Fulltext A review of maternal mortality in Malaysia

Yadav H

International e-Journal of Science, Medicine & Education, 2012;6(10):0-0.
MyJurnal

There has been a significant decline in maternal mortality from 540 per 100,000 live births
in I957 to 28 per 100,000 in 2010. This decline is due to several factors. Firstly the introduction of the rural health infrastructure which is mainly constructing health centres and midwife clinics for the rural population. This provided the accessibility and availability of primary health care and specially, antenatal care for the women. This also helped to increase the antenatal coverage for the women to 98% in 2010 and it increased the average number of antenatal visits per women from6 in 1980 to 12 visits in 2010 for pregnant women. Along with the introduction of health centres, another main feature was the introduction of specific programmes to address the needs of the women and children. In the 1950s the introduction of Maternal and Child Health (MCH) programme was an important
step. Later in the late 1970s there was the introduction of the High Risk Approach in MCH care and Safe Motherhood in the 1980s. In 1990, an important step was the introduction of the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths (CEMD). Another significant factor in the reduction is the identification of high risk mothers and this is being done by the introduction of the colour coding system in the health centres. Other factors include the increase in the number of safe deliveries by skilled personnel and the reduction in the number of deliveries by the Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs). The reduction in fertility rate from 6.3 in 1960 to 3.3 in 2010 has been another important factor. To achieve the 2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDG) to further reduce maternal deaths by 50%, more needs to be done especially to identify maternal deaths that are missed by omission or misclassification and also to capture the late maternal deaths.

Matched MeSH terms: Color
Varicocele among infertile men in Qatar

ElBardisi H, Arafa M, Rengan AK, Durairajanayagam D, AlSaid SS, Khalafalla K, et al.

Andrologia, 2017 May;49(4).
PMID: 27401026 DOI: 10.1111/and.12637

Objective of this retrospective study was to assess the presence and clinical grade of varicocele among Qatari and non-Qatari men evaluated for infertility. Diagnosis of varicocele was performed clinically and confirmed via colour Doppler ultrasonography. A total of 455 infertile male patients (mean age 36.3 ± 7.6 years) were divided into either Qatari (n = 91, mean age 37.3 ± 9.1 years) or non-Qatari (n = 364, mean age 36.0 ± 7.1 years) groups. Among all patients, 43.1% (n = 196) were confirmed to have varicocele, of which 40 were Qatari and 156 non-Qatari. Among all patients, 171 (37.6%) presented with left-sided varicocele and 25 (5.5%) with bilateral varicocele. Of the 196 patients with varicocele, grade I was given to 40 (20.4%), grade II to 68 (34.7%) and grade III to 88 (44.9%). Grade II and III varicocele were seen significantly more frequently than grade I among all patients and non-Qatari patients (p

Matched MeSH terms: Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color
Fulltext Effect of orange sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) flour on the physical properties of fried extruded fish crackers

Cheow, C.S., Noorakmar, A.W., Norizzah, A.R., Mohd Zahid, A., Ruzaina, I.

International Food Research Journal, 2012;19(2):657-664.
MyJurnal

The effects of orange sweet potato flour addition to tapioca starch on the expansion, oil absorption,
bulk density, water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI), hardness and colour of fried extruded fish crackers were investigated. The microstructure properties were assessed by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) and the sensory properties of fried extruded fish crackers were determined by quantitative descriptive analysis method. The shape and texture of the product were similar to that of normal breakfast cereal. Light brownish and slightly harder texture was obtained with addition of orange sweet potato flour to tapioca starch in the fried extruded fish crackers. The bulk density and water solubility index (WSI) increased with the increase in orange sweet potato flour addition. However, water absorption index (WAI), linear expansion, expansion ratio, volume expansion and oil absorption decreased as the amount of orange sweet potato increased. The microstructure studies revealed that fried extruded fish crackers with high percentage of orange sweet potato flour had small air cells and thick cell wall. The fried extruded fish crackers with 30% fish, 14% orange sweet potato flour and 56% tapioca starch had high crispiness score and accepted by the trained panellists.

Matched MeSH terms: Color
Fulltext Edible films from seaweed (kappaphycus alvarezii)

Siah, W.M., Aminah, A., Ishak, A.

International Food Research Journal, 2015;22(6):2230-2236.
MyJurnal

A new patent pending process is proposed in this study to produce edible film directly from seaweed (Kappaphycus alvarezii). Seaweed together with other ingredients has been used to produce the film through casting technique. Physical and mechanical tests were performed on the edible films to examine the thickness, colour, transparency, solubility, tensile strength,
elongation at break, water permeability rate, oxygen permeability rate and surface morphology. Produced film was transparent, stretchable, sealable and have basic properties as a film for food packaging. This study suggests that the edible film could be used as novel materials in food industry as sachet/pouch/bag for instant coffee, breakfast cereals drinks, seasoning powder,
candies etc; as wrapper for seasoning cube and chocolate; as interleaf for frozen foods such as burger patties to avoid the patties from sticking together; and also as material for edible logo in bakeries products. Other than that, the edible film also could be used in pharmaceutical industry as functional strips such as oral freshener strips and drug strips. In cosmetic and toiletries industries, the edible film could be used to produce facial mask and bag for pre-portioned detergent. Compared with edible film developed earlier using alginate and carrageenan, film developed in this research used seaweed directly. The developed film reduced the need to extract the alginate and carrageenan, making material preparation easier and cheaper.

Matched MeSH terms: Color

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