MyMedR

Fulltext Physicochemical properties of tamarind and pineapple fruit pulps and powders

Taufiq, A.M., Yusof, Y. A.,, Chin, N.L., Othman, S.H., Serikbaeva, A., Aziz, M.G.

International Food Research Journal, 2015;22(2):707-712.

MyJurnal

Tamarind and pineapple fruit pulps and powders were assessed based on their physicochemical properties such as crude protein, crude fibre, fat, ash, moisture content, water activity (Aw), particle shape, particle size distribution, and density. Both of the fruit powders were subjected to a similar spray-drying process with the addition of 10% w/v of maltodextrin. The nutritional value in terms of crude protein (0.33 - 0.60%), moisture content (4.80% - 25.31%), crude fiber (16.92 - 79.92%), and fat (0.40 - 0.63%) for both fruit pulp and powders shows a significant difference at p

Fulltext Effect of osmotic dehydration process using sucrose solution at mild temperature on mass transfer and quality attributes of red pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizusis)

Haj Najafi, A., Yusof, Y. A., Rahman, R. A., Ganjloo, A., Ling, C. N.

International Food Research Journal, 2014;21(2):625-630.

MyJurnal

In the current research, osmotic dehydration of red pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizusis) cubes using sucrose solution at mild temperature (35ºC) was investigated. Sucrose solution (40, 50 and 60% w/w) was employed for osmotic dehydration process. Responses of weight reduction (WR), solid gain (SG), water loss (WL), color (L*, a* and b*) and texture (hardness) were evaluated. It was found that sucrose concentration significantly (p < 0.05) affected the mass transfer terms during osmosis process. The results obtained revealed an increase in yellowness (b*), decrease in lightness (L*) and redness (a*) as the sucrose concentration increased. Furthermore, osmotically dehydrated samples were considerably softer than untreated samples. Increasing of sucrose concentration and dehydration time caused softer tissue of dehydrated product compared with the fresh red pitaya.

Fulltext Infant feeding practices and attitudes of mothers in Kelantan towards breastfeeding

Yusof YA, Mazlan M, Ibrahim N, Jusoh NM

Med J Malaysia, 1995 Jun;50(2):150-5.

PMID: 7565185

The incidence of breastfeeding among 96 mothers (88/96 were Malays) who were attending various clinics at Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital and Kota Bharu General Hospital was about 95%. The feeding patterns show that about 72% of mothers gave mixed feedings (breastmilk plus infant formula) while only 30% gave exclusive breastmilk to their infants in the first six months. Two main reasons for giving mixed feedings were that mothers had to start working soon after giving birth and reported "insufficient milk". Mixed feedings were seen to be more prevalent in the higher income group mothers (> RM1000 per month). About 64% of them who breastfed their child continued to do so beyond 6 months. Regarding their knowledge on breastfeeding, most mothers (98%) knew that breastmilk is good for baby's health, economical, strengthens bonding between mother and child, and was sufficient for the sustenance of the baby. However, when asked about colostrum, 66% of mothers who breastfed their child threw away the colostrum before feeding; some of the reasons given were that colostrum is dirty, and not suitable for the baby's health and it might cause some diseases.

Thermosonication and optimization of stingless bee honey processing

Chong KY, Chin NL, Yusof YA

Food Sci Technol Int, 2017 Oct;23(7):608-622.

PMID: 28614964 DOI: 10.1177/1082013217713331

The effects of thermosonication on the quality of a stingless bee honey, the Kelulut, were studied using processing temperature from 45 to 90 ℃ and processing time from 30 to 120 minutes. Physicochemical properties including water activity, moisture content, color intensity, viscosity, hydroxymethylfurfural content, total phenolic content, and radical scavenging activity were determined. Thermosonication reduced the water activity and moisture content by 7.9% and 16.6%, respectively, compared to 3.5% and 6.9% for conventional heating. For thermosonicated honey, color intensity increased by 68.2%, viscosity increased by 275.0%, total phenolic content increased by 58.1%, and radical scavenging activity increased by 63.0% when compared to its raw form. The increase of hydroxymethylfurfural to 62.46 mg/kg was still within the limits of international standards. Optimized thermosonication conditions using response surface methodology were predicted at 90 ℃ for 111 minutes. Thermosonication was revealed as an effective alternative technique for honey processing.

A Review on Dietary Intervention in Obesity Associated Colon Cancer

Roslan NH, Makpol S, Mohd Yusof YA

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2019 May 25;20(5):1309-1319.

PMID: 31127882

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality. According to National Cancer Registry, the incidence of colorectal cancer in Peninsular Malaysia increases with age. The incidence is highest among Chinese population but lower among Indians and Malays. Many reviews have suggested that obesity may be associated with a higher risk (>50%) of colorectal cancer. Methods: This study collects a comprehensive data from the literature review available from respective journals on dietary intervention and the chemo-protective mechanisms of a few natural resources in obesity -associated colon cancer based on previous and current studies. Results: In obesity-associated colon cancer, the genes of interest and pathways that are mainly involved include NFκB, P13K/Akt, and MAPK pathways, and FTO, leptin, Cyclin D, MMPs, and STAT3 genes. Dietary modification is one of the alternative steps in early prevention of colon cancer. It has been proposed that the components present in certain foods may have the ability to protect against many diseases including the prevention of cancer. Conclusion: There are many factors that lead to obesity-associated colon cancer and the mechanisms behind it is still undergoing intensive research. This review aims to scrutinize research as well as reviews that have been previously reported on obesity associated colorectal cancer and the beneficial effects of including antioxidants-rich foods such as vegetables and fruits in the diet to reduce the risk of obesity associated colorectal cancer.

Does gamma irradiation affect physicochemical properties of honey?

Hussein SZ, Yusoff KM, Makpol S, Mohd Yusof YA

Clin Ter, 2014;165(2):e125-33.

PMID: 24770820 DOI: 10.7471/CT.2014.1695

Honey is a supersaturated solution of sugars, enriched with proteins, minerals, vitamins, organic acids and polyphenols. Gamma irradiation is a physical technique of food preservation which protects the honey from insects' and microbial contamination during storage. We investigated the effect of gamma irradiation on physicochemical properties in two types of Malaysian honey, Gelam and Nenas.

Tocotrienol-rich fraction prevents cellular aging by modulating cell proliferation signaling pathways

Khor SC, Mohd Yusof YA, Wan Ngah WZ, Makpol S

Clin Ter, 2015;166(2):e81-90.

PMID: 25945449 DOI: 10.7417/CT.2015.1825

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Vitamin E has been suggested as nutritional intervention for the prevention of degenerative and age-related diseases. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the underlying mechanism of tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) in delaying cellular aging by targeting the proliferation signaling pathways in human diploid fibroblasts (HDFs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tocotrienol-rich fraction was used to treat different stages of cellular aging of primary human diploid fibroblasts viz. young (passage 6), pre-senescent (passage 15) and senescent (passage 30). Several selected targets involved in the downstream of PI3K/AKT and RAF/MEK/ERK pathways were compared in total RNA and protein.

RESULTS: Different transcriptional profiles were observed in young, pre-senescent and senescent HDFs, in which cellular aging increased AKT, FOXO3, CDKN1A and RSK1 mRNA expression level, but decreased ELK1, FOS and SIRT1 mRNA expression level. With tocotrienol-rich fraction treatment, gene expression of AKT, FOXO3, ERK and RSK1 mRNA was decreased in senescent cells, but not in young cells. The three down-regulated mRNA in cellular aging, ELK1, FOS and SIRT1, were increased with tocotrienol-rich fraction treatment. Expression of FOXO3 and P21Cip1 proteins showed up-regulation in senescent cells but tocotrienol-rich fraction only decreased P21Cip1 protein expression in senescent cells.

CONCLUSIONS: Tocotrienol-rich fraction exerts gene modulating properties that might be responsible in promoting cell cycle progression during cellular aging.

Tableting Properties and Compression Models of Labisia pumila Tablets

Etti CJ, Yusof YA, Chin NL, Mohd Tahir S

J Diet Suppl, 2017 Mar 04;14(2):132-145.

PMID: 27487244

The tableting properties of Labisia pumila herbal powder, which is well known for its therapeutic benefits was investigated. The herbal powder was compressed into tablets using a stainless steel cylindrical uniaxial die of 13-mm- diameter with compaction pressures ranging from 7 to 25 MPa. Two feed weights, 0.5 and 1.0 g were used to form tablets. Some empirical models were used to describe the compressibility behavior of Labisia pumila tablets. The strength and density of tablets increased with increase in compaction pressure and resulted in reduction in porosity of the tablets. Smaller feeds, higher forces and increase in compaction pressure, contributed to more coherent tablets. These findings can be used to enhance the approach and understanding of tableting properties of Labisia pumila herbal powder tablets.

Fulltext Quality changes of stabilizer-free natural peanut butter during storage

Mohd Rozalli NH, Chin NL, Yusof YA, Mahyudin N

J Food Sci Technol, 2016 Jan;53(1):694-702.

PMID: 26787989 DOI: 10.1007/s13197-015-2006-x

The storage stability of preservative-free peanut butter was evaluated for changes in physicochemical quality including moisture content and water activity, microbiological properties, oxidative stability and textural quality in terms of spreadability and firmness. The study was conducted for 16 weeks at storage temperature of 10, 25 and 35 °C on natural and pure peanut butter produced from two varieties of peanuts, the Virginia and Spanish TMV-2 varieties of China and India origin, respectively. The peanuts were ground using a high speed grinder for 2.5 and 3.0 min to produce peanut butter without addition of other ingredient. The natural peanut butter exhibited stability and had acceptable microbial count during storage. Storage at 10 °C gave similar textural quality with commercial product until week 8 and without appreciable loss in oxidative stability until week 12. At higher storage temperatures of 25 and 35 °C, oxidative stability was shortened to 4 weeks of storage. Among the factors of storage temperature and time, grinding time and peanut variety, storage temperature had the most significant effects on quality changes of natural peanut butter.

Comparable down-regulation of TYR, TYRP1 and TYRP2 genes and inhibition of melanogenesis by tyrostat, tocotrienol-rich fraction and tocopherol in human skin melanocytes improves skin pigmentation

Makpol S, Jam FA, Rahim NA, Khor SC, Ismail Z, Yusof YA, et al.

Clin Ter, 2014;165(1):e39-45.

PMID: 24589959

Antioxidant has been recognized to inhibit UV-induced melanogenesis. This study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanism of tyrostat, tocopherol and tocotrienol-rich fraction in inhibiting melanogenesis in human skin melanocytes.

GAPDH as housekeeping gene for human skin fibroblast senescent model

Zainuddin A, Makpol S, Chua KH, Abdul Rahim N, Yusof YA, Ngah WZ

Med J Malaysia, 2008 Jul;63 Suppl A:73-4.

PMID: 19024990

Validation of housekeeping gene is important for accurate quantitation of RNA in real time RT-PCR technique. The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) as a housekeeping gene for quantitative real time RT-PCR assessment in human skin fibroblast senescent model. The cells were divided into different treatment groups; young (passage 4), senescent (passage 30), treatment with H2O2 and treatment with A-tocotrienol prior to H2O2 treatment. Our results showed that the expression level of GAPDH was constant with different treatment groups. Therefore, we concluded that GAPDH was suitable to be used as housekeeping gene in human skin fibroblast senescent model.

Apoptosis changes and SA-beta galactosidase expression in stress-induced premature senescence (SIPS) model of human skin fibroblasts

Abdul Rahim N, Makpol S, Chua KH, Yusof YA, Top GM, Ngah WZ

Med J Malaysia, 2008 Jul;63 Suppl A:71-2.

PMID: 19024989

Stress-induced premature senescence (SIPS) model is in vitro model of cellular aging. In this study, apoptosis was evaluated in SIPS model and in replicative senescent fibroblasts. We also compared the activity of senescence-associated beta-galactosidase (SA-beta gal) as a biomarker of cellular aging. Our results suggested that SIPS model and senescent fibroblasts might share similar mechanism of aging and apoptosis pathway.

Targeting genes in insulin-associated signalling pathway, DNA damage, cell proliferation and cell differentiation pathways by tocotrienol-rich fraction in preventing cellular senescence of human diploid fibroblasts

Durani LW, Jaafar F, Tan JK, Tajul Arifin K, Mohd Yusof YA, Wan Ngah WZ, et al.

Clin Ter, 2016;166(6):e365-73.

PMID: 26794818 DOI: 10.7417/T.2015.1902

Tocotrienols have been known for their antioxidant properties besides their roles in cellular signalling, gene expression, immune response and apoptosis. This study aimed to determine the molecular mechanism of tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) in preventing cellular senescence of human diploid fibroblasts (HDFs) by targeting the genes in senescence-associated signalling pathways.

Comparison of Chlorella vulgaris dressing and sodium alginate dressing: an experimental study in rats

Zailan N, Abdul Rashid AH, Das S, Abdul Mokti NA, Hassan Basri J, Teoh SL, et al.

Clin Ter, 2010;161(6):515-21.

PMID: 21181079

Chlorella vulgaris (CV) is a green microalgae enriched with nutrients, vitamins, minerals and chlorophyll. The aim of our study was to evaluate the potential wound healing effects of CV as a dressing while comparing it to sodium alginate dressing.

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