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Chapter 6: The Characterization of Banana (Musa acuminata × balbisiana ABB cv. Awak) Pseudo-Stem Flour
No full textBanana pseudo-stem, an underutilised agricultural residue generated from banana plant
after harvesting of the fruit, is yet to be widely utilised in the food industry. However, it
possesses several important bioactive substances with the potential as a source of less
expensive functional food. There are important characteristics to understand prior to the
development of new formulation for food products, such as bakery products. Therefore,
the objective of the present study is to compare the physico-chemical properties and the
microstructure of banana pseudo-stem flour (BPF) with commercial wheat flour (CWF).
Matured banana (Musa acuminata × balbisiana ABB cv. Awak) pseudo-stem from base
to a shoot long length of the plant was used to be processed into flour prior to analysis.
High protein (13.5%) CWF was used to compare its composition with BPF. The macro
and micro elements; total, insoluble, and soluble dietary fibres; total sugars; pentosans;
total phenolic content; antioxidants activity; pH; total soluble solids; and titratable acidity
were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in BPF than those in CWF. The scanning electron
microscope (SEM) image of BPF obtained in the present study illustrated starch granule
with oval and irregular or cuboidal shapes, while the starch granules of CWF were
comprised of two types: A-type granules with disk-like or lenticular shape, and B-type
granules with roughly spherical or polygonal in shape. Hence, it can be concluded that
the high content of chemical compositions in BPF is an indication of its potential
application in food products to increase nutritional intake in daily diet
The effects of individual and combination of asiatic acid and madecassoside derived from Centella asiatica (Linn.) on the viability percentage and morphological changes of mouse macrophage cell lines (J774A.1)
No full textAsiatic acid and madecassoside are the two pentacyclic triterpenoid compounds derived from Centella asiatica
(Linn.), which believed to possess major contribution in many related pharmacological activities. This research is
conducted to determine the viability and the morphological changes of macrophage cells after treating with individual
and combination of the mentioned compounds by using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium
bromide assay and observing through image analyzer system, respectively. Results displayed that only AA at high
doses 25 and 50 μg/ml, exhibited mild inhibition of mouse macrophage cells J774A.1 viability with only the latter
dose able to alter the morphology of the cells after 24 hours of treatment. Therefore, both compounds either in sole
or mix form were harmless to the cells (IC50 > 50 μg/ml). Interestingly, the combination treatment also enhanced the
macrophage cell viability higher than their sole treatment in every concentration. As a consequence, the bioactive
compounds at none-cytotoxic level can be applied in any in-vitro further studies such as immunomodulatory and antiinflammatory
in order to prove the local traditional claim on the herb and for future benefit in a new prospective of
natural product-based drugs development
The Factors of Social Media Use on Depression in Malaysia
No full textThe objective of this study is to understand the factors
between social media use and depression, by helping eliminate
any inconsistencies from prior findings and research employed
quantitative method that rettrist information to online survey.
The data obtained in the analysis into the superior form by using
the pivod table expanding the research to include other possible
contributing factors that have yet to be explored. Participants
consist of 18-34 years old in Malaysia. This to get the percentage
and frequency. Participations (N = 326) reported that there are
several potential causes of depression caused by the use of social
media. The factors include loss of interest 47.1%, fatigue 34.7%,
social isolation 49.1%, mood swings 52.8%,in ability to feel
pleasure 29.1%, sadness 60.1%, give up 26.1% and unhealthy
sleep 34%. The majority of respondents who answered the
survey questionnaire 76.7% were those who had cyberbullying
through social media. These results confirmed that social media
cyberbullying is a potential causal factor of depression.
Furthermore, it was found that there are additional causal
factors resulting from social media use include emotional, too
much time spent on social media
Incorporating Social Networks in Business Relationships of Retail SMEs for better Business Performance
No full textThe presence of hypermarkets with modern retail format has impacted the performance of retail small medium-enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia. The challenges of remaining competitive and the ability to sustain the business have pushed many retail SMEs to cease opera-tions within a short period after commencement. Despite these challenges, retail SMEs can still attain competitive advantage through the strategies of strengthening and maintaining business relationships with their social networks. This study postulates that fostering social networks, specifically on the notion of homophily or similarities among social network members, is able to lure valuable resources need-ed by retail SMEs in achieving superior business performance. Unfortunately, only few studies have focused on social networks from within the Asian context and many tend to overlook the importance of social networks specifically in retailing. This study also suggests the relationship between value and status similarities of retail SMEs and their ability to coordinate efforts in horizontal relationships. Therefore, this study extends the discussion on the role of social networks towards better business performance of retail SMEs in Malay-sia by conceptualizing a framework indicating the importance of value and status homophily on coordination of activities leading to business performance of retail SMEs