MyMedR

Displaying all 4 publications

Abstract:

Sort:

Fulltext Revisiting consumer brand preference sustaining strategy through co-creation corporate social responsibility in the hospitality industry

Siti Hajar Md. Jani, Irwan Ibrahim, Afizan Amer, Nordayana Zulkifli, Mumtaz Ahmad

Journal of Academia Universiti Teknologi MARA Negeri Sembilan, 2019;7(101):117-125.
MyJurnal

When a hotel firm loses their existing customers, the organization needs to draw new customers. This is to maintain their market share in the industries. However, in order to attract and capture new customers, it may need higher cost on advertising and promotional activities. Brand preference is generally used to quantify the effect of brand equity that will lead to brand awareness and customers brand loyalty. Therefore, this research is conducted to examine how co-creation corporate social responsibility (CSR) influence brand preference sustaining strategy in the hospitality industry. The study involved three main variables to distinguish the effect of environment, society and stakeholders (CSR) base program on consumer brand preferences. This research is conducted at one of the hotels in Kuala Lumpur City. The scope of the research focusing on the impact of co-creation (CSR) programs towards consumer brand preference. The respondents are among the walk-in consumer the hotel. Result of the study found that there is significant impact of the three base (CSR) programs on consumer brand preference in the hotel industries. This study also built up a useful insight to the industry players and (CSR) research to gain knowledge on the future development of co-creation CSR programs which promotes low cost and high impact result.
Evaluation on efficiency of pyroligneous acid from palm kernel shell as antifungal and solid pineapple biomass as antibacterial and plant growth promoter

Khoirun Nisa Mahmud, Maizatulakmal Yahayu, Siti Hajar Md. Sarip, Nurul Husna Rizan, Chai BM, Nurul Farhana Mustafa, et al.

Sains Malaysiana, 2016;45:1423-1434.

Generation of huge volumes of lignocellulosic biomass from agricultural sector is of concern due to its direct effects on the depletion of overall environmental quality. Conversion of biomass into solid biofuel through pyrolysis reaction has become one of the solutions to manage the abundance of biomass. Pyroligneous acid (PA) produced from the condensation of smoke generated during biomass carbonization process has the potential to be applied in various applications based on the diverse active chemical compounds present. In this study, PA obtained from palm kernel shell (PKS) was evaluated for antifungal activity and solid pineapple biomass (PB) was evaluated for antibacterial and plant growth promoter activities. Higher antifungal activity was determined for crude PA from PKS (PA-PKS) and dichloromethane-extract (DPA-PKS) with 0% coverage area when evaluated using rubber wood blocks against mold and blue sapstain after for 4 weeks of observation. This antifungal activity can be attributed to the presence of phenols and its major derivatives as suggested from the GC-MS and FTIR analysis. Concentrated PA from PB displayed good antibacterial capabilities with almost similar growth inhibition for Escherichia coli (13±1 to 20±1 mm) and Corynebacterium agropyri (20±1 mm). PA-PB also showed good potential as PGP where the addition of 2% (v/v) of PA-PB into the fertilizer for okra plant resulted in highest number of leaves and fruits while 4% (v/v) PA-PB managed to give highest plant height, longest root, heaviest fruits and biggest leaf diameter. Thus, this study successfully demonstrated the potential use of PA obtained from lignocelluosic biomass in various applications.
Fulltext Multi-strain probiotics (Hexbio) containing MCP BCMC strains improved constipation and gut motility in Parkinson's disease: A randomised controlled trial

Ibrahim A, Ali RAR, Manaf MRA, Ahmad N, Tajurruddin FW, Qin WZ, et al.

PLoS One, 2020;15(12):e0244680.
PMID: 33382780 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244680

OBJECTIVE: We determined the effectiveness of a multi-strain probiotic (Hexbio®) containing microbial cell preparation MCP®BCMC® on constipation symptoms and gut motility in PD patients with constipation.
METHODS: PD patients with constipation (ROME III criteria) were randomized to receive a multi-strain probiotic (Lactobacillus sp and Bifidobacterium sp at 30 X 109 CFU) with fructo-oligosaccaride or placebo (fermented milk) twice daily for 8 weeks. Primary outcomes were changes in the presence of constipation symptoms using 9 items of Garrigues Questionnaire (GQ), which included an item on bowel opening frequency. Secondary outcomes were gut transit time (GTT), quality of life (PDQ39-SI), motor (MDS-UPDRS) and non-motor symptoms (NMSS).
RESULTS: Of 55 recruited, 48 patients completed the study: 22 received probiotic and 26 received placebo. At 8 weeks, there was a significantly higher mean weekly BOF in the probiotic group compared to placebo [SD 4.18 (1.44) vs SD 2.81(1.06); (mean difference 1.37, 95% CI 0.68, 2.07, uncorrected p<0.001)]. Patients in the probiotic group reported five times higher odds (odds ratio = 5.48, 95% CI 1.57, 19.12, uncorrected p = 0.008) for having higher BOF (< 3 to 3-5 to >5 times/week) compared to the placebo group. The GTT in the probiotic group [77.32 (SD55.35) hours] reduced significantly compared to placebo [113.54 (SD 61.54) hours]; mean difference -36.22, 95% CI -68.90, -3.54, uncorrected p = 0.030). The mean change in GTT was 58.04 (SD59.04) hour vs 20.73 (SD60.48) hours respectively (mean difference 37.32, 95% CI 4.00, 70.63, uncorrected p = 0.028). No between-groups differences were observed in the NMSS, PDQ39-SI, MDS-UPDRS II and MDS-UPDRS III scores. Four patients in the probiotics group experienced mild reversible side effects.
CONCLUSION: This study showed that consumption of a multi-strain probiotic (Hexbio®) over 8 weeks improved bowel opening frequency and whole gut transit time in PD patients with constipation.
Oral trehalose maybe helpful for patients with spinocerebellar ataxia 3 and should be better evaluated

Noorasyikin MA, Azizan EA, Teh PC, Farah Waheeda T, Siti Hajar MD, Long KC, et al.

Parkinsonism Relat Disord, 2020 01;70:42-44.
PMID: 31841943 DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2019.12.007