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This study focuses on the optimization of ultrasound-assisted oil extraction from Carica candamarcensis seed using response surface methodology. The process parameters considered were extraction time (30–60 min), ultrasound amplitude level (20–40%), and solvent to seed ratio (10–20 mL/g). These were varied as suggested by Box-Behnken experimental model. Optimum values of these process parameters were given by the regression model, with the corresponding extraction yield. The model was validated experimentally to ensure its reliability. Physicochemical properties and fatty acid compositions of the extracted oil were evaluated accordingly. Furthermore, the extracted oil was then converted into biodiesel via ultrasound-assisted transesterification, using potassium hydroxide as the catalyst. FAME contents of the produced biodiesel were measured using gas chromatography. In addition, physicochemical properties of the biodiesel were also determined accordingly. Hence, findings from this study would be beneficial in further exploration on the usage of Carica candamarcensis as a potential feedstock for biodiesel production. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming and the depletion of fossil fuels have spurred many efforts in the quest for finding renewable, alternative sources of fuels, such as biodiesel. Due to its auxiliary functions in areas such as carbon dioxide sequestration and wastewater treatment, the potential of microalgae as a feedstock for biodiesel production has attracted a lot of attention from researchers all over the world. Major improvements have been made from the upstream to the downstream aspects related to microalgae processing. One of the main concerns is the high cost associated with the production of biodiesel from microalgae, which includes drying of the biomass and the subsequent lipid extraction. These two processes can be circumvented by applying direct or in situ transesterification of the wet microalgae biomass, hence substantially reducing the cost. In situ transesterification is considered as a significant improvement to commercially produce biodiesel from microalgae. This review covers the methods used to extract lipids from microalgae and various in situ transesterification methods, focusing on recent developments related to the process. Nevertheless, more studies need to be conducted to further enhance the discussed in situ transesterification methods before implementing them on a commercial scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chicken astrovirus (CAstV) has for over a decade been associated with runting stunting syndrome, severe kidney disease and visceral gout, and white chick syndrome. However, knowledge of the molecular characteristics and pathogenicity of the virus in day-old specific pathogen-free (SPF) chicks is scarce. This study focused on the characterization of near-complete genome of three Malaysian CAstV isolates following virus propagation in SPF embryonated chicken eggs and pathogenicity in day-old SPF chicks. The three isolates demonstrated unique features including a point mutation in their intergenic regions and an additional stem-loop II-like motif (s2m) in ORF-2. Pairwise sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis of the ORF-2 amino acid sequence of the three isolates revealed an identity share of 86–91% with group B CAstVs while forming a new subgroup in addition to the known four subgroups (Bi, Bii, Biii and Biv) that exhibit high identity of between 95% and 100% within the subgroups. In the pathogenicity study, birds in the infected and exposed sentinel groups exhibited lethargy and diarrhoea 3 days post-inoculation (dpi) that declined by 6 dpi, and 20% growth retardation by 9 dpi. Mild lymphocytic aggregates in the duodenum, tubular degeneration and interstitial nephritis were observed in the intestines and kidneys, respectively, in both groups. In addition, the mean virus copy numbers of the cloacal swabs were log10 13.23 at 3 dpi and log10 9.04 at 6 dpi for the infected and exposed sentinels, respectively. The study suggests that the Malaysian isolates should be assigned to a new subgroup, Bv within group B CAstV. A single run of NGS protocol is capable of generating a near-complete genome sequence of CAstV. The Malaysian CAstV isolates cluster together and exhibit 86–91% identity with published group B CAstVs. The Malaysian CAstVs encode an additional stem-loop II-like motif (s2m) in ORF-2. The isolates are pathogenic to day-old SPF chicks with lesions mainly in the intestine and kidneys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the first years of Islam, the Jews had been regarded as the most important non-Muslim community for the Muslims because they represented the majority of the communities in Medina. Although their knowledge of prophethood, the Jews are known for their denial of Prophet Muhammad. This paper explains how Prophet Muhammad treated the Jewish in Medina during his era by reviewing narrations in early sources, verses about Jews, and related modern studies. It is shown that Prophet Muhammad practices kindness towards others, including the enemies, as well as practicing firms in his decision and actions. It should be emphasized that the article is not seeking a new claim on the treatment of the Jews in Medina. However, the critical points by reviewing the related traditions were presented in order, and the historical data about the Medina era has been evaluated to reach some findings. The most important one of the findings was that the Prophet intended to keep the agreement with the Jews until the last moment, and he avoided war. However, in three independent examples which are given in the article, the party that broke the agreement was the Jews. Once the contract was broken, they were treated harshly; the Muslims showed their strength by expelling them from their lands and dooming their men to death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute appendicitis is one of the most common surgical emergencies. However, its proper diagnosis is complicated. This study aims to evaluate the ability of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) to diagnose acute appendicitis in pre-operative state. Methods: Histopathological examination of appendicectomies conducted between 2016 and 2017 in Melaka Hospital, Malaysia were traced and categorised into three groups: i) G1 (normal appendix), ii) G2 (acute appendicitis) and iii) G3 (perforated appendicitis). The reports were randomised and a total of 338 samples were collected. NLR values were compared between the three different groups and analysed. Results: The median values of NLR for G1, G2 and G3 were 2.37, 5.25 and 9.27, respectively. We found a statistically significant difference in NLR between Gi and G2 (P < 0.001), and G2 and G3 (P < 0.001). The diagnostic values of NLR for acute appendicitis and perforated appendicitis were 3.11 (sensitivity: 75.23%, specificity: 68.70%) and 6.17 (sensitivity: 76.32%, specificity: 58.72%), respectively. There was a substantial correlation between NLR and disease severity, and a moderate correlation between NLR and duration of admission. Conclusion: NLR, with a sensitivity of 75.23% and specificity of 68.70%, is a useful and reliable adjunct in diagnosing acute appendicitis. Hence, it will help in reducing the rate of negative appendicectomies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of a Ni-SDC anode-supported cell operating with a dry CH 4 feed stream and the effectiveness of exposing the anode to H 2 as a method of removing carbon deposits are evaluated. This has involved the continuous monitoring of the outlet gas composition during CH 4 operation and H 2 exposure. A degradation rate in the cell voltage (∼1.33 mV h −1 ) is observed during 100 h operation with dry CH 4 . Carbon is detected in the Ni-SDC anode after the stability test but only in the portion of the anode closest to the fuel channel. No carbon is detected at the electrolyte-anode interface, which is the likely reason that the cell performance remains relatively stable. The information obtained from SEM and gas outlet composition analyses can be explained by a process whereby most of the CH 4 that reacts decomposes into H 2 and C in the Ni-SDC anode near the fuel channel. H 2 then makes its way to the anode-electrolyte interface where it is electrochemically oxidized to H 2 O which can also react with any C that may have formed, leaving behind C primarily at the fuel channel. When an aged cell is exposed to H 2 , carbon-containing gases (CO, CH 4 and CO 2 ) are released, indicating that some carbon has been removed from the anode. Examination of the anode after the test shows that some carbon still remains after this treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of nickel-samaria-doped ceria (Ni-SDC) anode-supported cell with CO-CO 2 feed was evaluated. The aim of this work is to examine carbon formation on the Ni-SDC anode when feeding with CO under conditions when carbon deposition is thermodynamically favoured. Electrochemical tests were conducted at intermediate temperatures (550–700 °C) using 20 and 40% CO concentrations. Cell operating with 40% CO at 600–700 °C provided maximum power densities of 239–270 mW cm −2 , 1.5 times smaller than that achieved with humidified H 2 . Much lower maximum power densities were attained with 20% CO (50–88 mW cm −2 ). Some degradation was observed during the 6 h galvanostatic operation at 0.1 A cm −2 with 40% CO fuel at 550 °C which is believed due to the accumulation of carbon at the anode. The degradation in cell potential occurred at a rate of 4.5 mV h −1 , but it did not lead to cell collapse. EDX mapping at the cross-section of the anode revealed that carbon formed in the Ni-SDC cell was primarily deposited in the anode section close to the fuel entry point. Carbon was not detected at the electrolyte-anode interface and the middle of the anode, allowing the cell to continue operation with CO fuel without a catastrophic failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Selecting an appropriate size double-lumen tube (DLT) for one-lung ventilation has always been a challenge as most choose it based on experience or using the existing guidelines based on gender and height. Aims: The aim of this study was to determine if the appropriate choice of this tube could be based on the patients' height, weight, tracheal diameter (TD), or the left main stem bronchus diameter (LMBD) and also to determine the relationship between height and depth of insertion among Asians. Subjects and Methods: This was a retrospective review of 179 patients who were intubated with a left-sided DLT and also had a posterior-anterior view of a digital chest radiograph for tracheal and left main bronchus diameter measurements. Additional data collected included patients' demographics and DLT size used. Results: There were 123 (68.7%) males and 56 (31.3%) females with an overall mean age of 33.3 ± 16.3 years. Majority of the males (48.8%) used a size 39 Fr while females (46.4%) used a 35 Fr. There were weak correlations between DLT size with height (male: R2 = 0.222; female: R2 = 0.193), DLT size with weight (male: R2 = 0.109; female: R2 = 0.211), DLT size with TD (male: R2 = 0.027); female: R2 = 0.016), and DLT size with LMBD (male: R2 = 0.222; female: R2 = 0.193). There was a good correlation between depth of DLT inserted with patient's height for both genders. Conclusion: The appropriate size of the left-sided DLT could not be predicted based on patients' height, weight, tracheal or left main bronchus diameter alone in Asians; however, the depth of insertion of the tube was dependent on the height in both genders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statistical experimental design was employed to optimize the preparation conditions of polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF) membranes. Three variables considered were polymer concentration, dissolving temperature, and casting thickness, whereby the response variable was membrane-protein binding. The optimum preparation for the PVDF membrane was a polymer concentration of 16.55 wt%, a dissolving temperature of 27.5°C, and a casting thickness of 450 µm. The statistical model exhibits a deviation between the predicted and actual responses of less than 5%. Further characterization of the formed PVDF membrane showed that the morphology of the membrane was in line with the membrane-protein binding performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding a membrane's morphology is important for controlling its final performance during protein immobilization. Porous, symmetric membranes were prepared from a polyvinylidene fluoride/N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone solution by phase inversion process, to obtain membrane with various microsized pores. The concentration and surface area of aprotein dotted on the membrane surface were measured by staining with Ponceau S dye. The dotted protein was further scanned and analysed to perform quantitative measurements for relative comparison. The intensity of the red protein spot and its surface area varied depending on the membrane pore size, demonstrating the dependence of protein immobilization on this factor. The membrane with the smallest pore size (M3) showed the highest protein spot intensity and surface area when examined at different protein concentrations. An increase in the applied protein volume showed a linearity proportional trend to the total surface area, and an uneven round dot shape was observed at a large applied volume of protein solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cost effective improvement of the mechanical performances of structural materials is an important goal in construction industry. To improve the flexural strength of plain concrete so as to reduce construction costs, the addition of fibers to the concrete mixture can be adopted. The addition of small steel fibers with different lengths and proportion have experimentally been analyzed in terms of concrete flexural strength enhancement. The main objectives of the present study are related to the evaluation of the influence of steel fibers design on the increase of concrete flexural characteristics and on the mode of failure. Two types of beams have been investigated. The force level, deflection and time to failure of beams have been measured. The shear crack, flexural crack and intermediate shear-flexural crack have been studied. The steel fiber content controlled crack morphology. Flexural strength and time to failure of fiber reinforce concrete could be further enhanced if, instead of smooth steel fibers, corrugated fibers were used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study evaluates the immune responses of single avian influenza virus (AIV) HA DNA vaccine immunization using attenuated Salmonella enterica sv. Typhimurium as an oral vaccine carrier and intramuscular (IM) DNA injection. One-day-old specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chicks immunized once by oral gavage with 109 Salmonella colony-forming units containing plasmid expression vector encoding the HA gene of A/Ck/Malaysia/5858/04 (H5N1) (pcDNA3.1.H5) did not show any clinical manifestations. Serum hemagglutination inhibition (HI) titer samples collected from the IM immunized chickens were low compared to those immunized with S. typhimurium.pcDNA3.1.H5. The highest average antibody titers were detected on day 35 post immunization for both IM and S. typhimurium.pcDNA3.1.H5 immunized groups, at 4.0±2.8 and 51.2±7.5, respectively. S. typhimurium.pcDNA3.1.H5 also elicited both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of immunized chickens as early as day 14 after immunization, at 20.5±2.0 and 22.9±1.9%, respectively. Meanwhile, the CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in chickens vaccinated intramuscularly were low at 5.9±0.9 and 8.5±1.3%, respectively. Immunization of chickens with S. typhimurium.pcDNA3.1.H5 enhanced IL-1β, IL-12β, IL-15 and IL-18 expressions in spleen although no significant differences were recorded in chickens vaccinated via IM and orally with S. typhimurium and S. typhimurium.pcDNA3.1. Hence, single oral administrations of the attenuated S. typhimurium containing pcDNA3.1.H5 showed antibody, T cell and Th1-like cytokine responses against AIV in chickens. Whether the T cell response induced by vaccination is virus-specific and whether vaccination protects against AIV infection requires further study. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: DNA formulations provide the basis for safe and cost effective vaccine. Low efficiency is often observed in the delivery of DNA vaccines. In order to assess a new strategy for oral DNA vaccine formulation and delivery, plasmid encoding hemagglutinin (HA) gene of avian influenza virus, A/Ck/Malaysia/5858/04 (H5N1) (pcDNA3.1/H5) was formulated using green synthesis of sliver nanoparticles (AgNP) with polyethylene glycol (PEG). AgNP were successfully synthesized uniformly dispersed with size in the range of 4 to 18nm with an average size of 11nm. Cytotoxicity of the prepared AgNP was investigated in vitro and in vivo using MCF-7 cells and cytokine expression, respectively. At the concentration of −5 log10AgNP, no cytotoxic effects were detected in MCF-7 cells with 9.5% cell death compared to the control. One-day-old specific pathogen-free (SPF) chicks immunized once by oral gavage with 10μl of pcDNA3.1/H5 (200ng/ml) nanoencapsulated with 40μl AgNP (3.7×10−2 μg of Ag) showed no clinical manifestations. PCR successfully detect the AgNP/H5 plasmid from the duodenum of the inoculated chicken as early as 1h post‐immunization. Immunization of chickens with AgNP/H5 enhanced both pro inflammatory and Th1-like expressions, although no significant differences were recorded in the chickens inoculated with AgNP, AgNP/pcDNA3.1 and the control. In addition, serum samples collected from immunized chickens with AgNP/H5 showed rapidly increasing antibody against H5 on day 14 after immunization. The highest average antibody titres were detected on day 35 post‐immunization at 51.2±7.5. AgNP/H5 also elicited both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the immunized chickens as early as day 14 after immunization, at 7.5±2.0 and 20±1.9 percentage, respectively. Hence, single oral administrations of AgNP/H5 led to induce both the antibody and cell-mediated immune responses as well as enhanced cytokine production. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Attenuated Salmonella has been used as a carrier for DNA vaccine. However, in vitro and in vivo studies on the bacteria following transfection of plasmid DNA were poorly studied. In this paper, eukaryotic expression plasmids encoding avian influenza virus (AIV) subtype H5N1 genes, pcDNA3.1/HA, NA, and NP, were transfected into an attenuated Salmonella enteric typhimurium SV4089. In vitro stability of the transfected plasmids into Salmonella were over 90% after 100 generations. The attenuated Salmonella were able to invade MCF-7 (1.2%) and MCF-10A (0.5%) human breast cancer cells. Newly hatched specific-pathogenfree (SPF) chicks were inoculated once by oral gavage with 109 colony-forming unit (CFU) of the attenuated Salmonella. No abnormal clinical signs or deaths were recorded after inoculation. Viable bacteria were detected 3 days after inoculation by plating from spleen, liver, and cecum. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were carried out for confirmation. Salmonella was not detected in blood cultures although serum antibody immune responses to Salmonella O antiserum group D1 factor 1, 9, and 12 antigens were observed in all the inoculated chickens after 7 days up to 35 days. Our results showed that live attenuated S. typhimurium SV4089 harboring pcDNA3.1/HA, NA, and NP may provide a unique alternative as a carrier for DNA oral vaccine in chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attenuated Salmonella has been used as a carrier for DNA vaccine. However, in vitro and in vivo studies on the bacteria following transfection of plasmid DNA were poorly studied. In this paper, eukaryotic expression plasmids encoding avian influenza virus (AIV) subtype H5N1 genes, pcDNA3.1/HA, NA, and NP, were transfected into an attenuated Salmonella enteric typhimurium SV4089. In vitro stability of the transfected plasmids into Salmonella were over 90% after 100 generations. The attenuated Salmonella were able to invade MCF-7 (1.2%) and MCF-10A (0.5%) human breast cancer cells. Newly hatched specific-pathogenfree (SPF) chicks were inoculated once by oral gavage with 109 colony-forming unit (CFU) of the attenuated Salmonella. No abnormal clinical signs or deaths were recorded after inoculation. Viable bacteria were detected 3 days after inoculation by plating from spleen, liver, and cecum. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were carried out for confirmation. Salmonella was not detected in blood cultures although serum antibody immune responses to Salmonella O antiserum group D1 factor 1, 9, and 12 antigens were observed in all the inoculated chickens after 7 days up to 35 days. Our results showed that live attenuated S. typhimurium SV4089 harboring pcDNA3.1/HA, NA, and NP may provide a unique alternative as a carrier for DNA oral vaccine in chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A microporous polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane was prepared from a PVDF/N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) solution using liquid-induced phase separation with 2-propanol as the soft coagulant. In this paper, the effect of the dissolving temperature on the morphology and crystalline structure of PVDF membrane and subsequently on protein binding was studied. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) was performed to observe the membrane morphology, and Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) along with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to investigate the crystallinity and crystalline structure of the membrane respectively. The FESEM and FTIR results show that membrane morphologies and crystalline changed significantly as a result of the dissolving temperature, while no obvious change observed on the crystallinity of the membrane, based on the DSC results. It was found that a critical temperature of 40°C existed. At lower temperatures, the protein binding ability was governed by the crystalline structure of the membrane, whereas at temperatures greater than 40°C, the protein binding was primarily governed by the membrane porosity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: This study was carried out to investigate the oncolytic effect of the Newcastle disease virus (NDV) strain AF2240 on the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. Materials and Methods: The NDV-AF2240 was propagated in 11 days old embryonated chicken eggs for 72 hours. The virus in the allantoic fluid was harvested and purified. The haemagglutination (HA) test was conducted on the purified virus to determine the virus titre which was 16384 haemagglutination units (HAUs). The microculture tetrazolium assay (MTA) was carried out via two methods-the monolayer and co-culture techniques- to determine the inhibitory concentration (IC50) of NDV-AF2240 against the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. Confocal laser scanning microscopy was carried out on polyclonal chicken antibody and fluorescein isothiocynate (FITC) conjugated goat antichicken antibody to observe virus localization in the cells. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assay was conducted to quantify the percentage of apoptotic cells. Results: IC50 value of NDV-AF2240 was two HAUs in both the monolayer and co-cultures. Virus particles were detected in the cytoplasm of MCF-7 breast cancer cell line after 24 and 48 hours post treatment. Virus budding was detected 72 hours post treatment. The number of apoptotic cells was significantly increased (p<0.05) 72 hours post NDV-AF2240 treatment. Conclusion: The findings of this study show that NDV-AF2240 has an oncolytic effect against the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. Further studies are needed to understand the anti cancer mechanism of this virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sequence analysis of the fusion (F) gene of eight Malaysian NDV isolates showed that all the isolates were categorized as velogenic viruses, with the F cleavage site motif 112R-R-Q-K-R116 or 112R-R-R-K-R116 at the C-terminus of the F2 protein and phenylalanine (F) at residue 117 at the N-terminus of the F1 protein. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all of the isolates were grouped in two distinct clusters under sub-genotype VIId. The isolates were about 4.8–11.7% genetically distant from sub-genotypes VIIa, VIIb, VIIc and VIIe. When the nucleotide sequences of the eight Malaysian isolates were compared phylogenetically to those of the old published local isolates, it was found that genotype VIII, VII, II and I viruses exist in Malaysia and caused sporadic infections. It is suggested that genotype VII viruses were responsible for most of the outbreaks in recent years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Newcastle disease (ND), caused by Newcastle disease virus (NDV), is a highly contagious disease of birds and has been one of the major causes of economic losses in the poultry industry. Despite routine vaccination programs, sporadic cases have occasionally occurred in the country and remain a constant threat to commercial poultry. Hence, the present study was aimed to characterize NDV isolates obtained from clinical cases in various locations of Malaysia between 2004 and 2007 based on sequence and phylogenetic analysis of partial F gene and C-terminus extension length of HN gene. Results: The coding region of eleven NDV isolates fusion (F) gene and carboxyl terminal region of haemagglutininneuraminidase (HN) gene including extensions were amplified by reverse transcriptase PCR and directly sequenced. All the isolates have shown to have non-synonymous to synonymous base substitution rate ranging between 0.081 - 0.264 demonstrating presence of negative selection. Analysis based on F gene showed the characterized isolates possess three different types of protease cleavage site motifs; namely 112RRQKRF117, 112RRRKRF117 and 112GRQGRL117 and appear to show maximum identities with isolates in the region such as cockatoo/14698/90 (Indonesia), Ch/2000 (China), local isolate AF2240 indicating the high similarity of isolates circulating in the South East Asian countries. Meanwhile, one of the isolates resembles commonly used lentogenic vaccine strains. On further characterization of the HN gene, Malaysian isolates had C-terminus extensions of 0, 6 and 11 amino acids. Analysis of the phylogenetic tree revealed that the existence of three genetic groups; namely, genotype II, VII and VIII. Conclusions: The study concluded that the occurrence of three types of NDV genotypes and presence of varied carboxyl terminus extension lengths among Malaysian isolates incriminated for sporadic cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: SYBR Green I real-time PCR was developed for detection and differentiation of Newcastle disease virus (NDV). Primers based on the nucleocapsid (NP) gene were designed to detect specific sequence of velogenic strains and lentogenic/vaccine strains, respectively. The assay was developed and tested with NDV strains which were characterized previously. The velogenic strains were detected only by using velogenic-specific primers with a threshold cycle (C t) 18.19±3.63 and a melting temperature (T m) 86.0±0.28°C. All the lentogenic/vaccine strains, in contrast, were detected only when lentogenic-specific primers were used, with the C t value 14.70±2.32 and T m 87.4±0.21°C. The assay had a dynamic detection range which spans over a 5log10 concentration range, 109–105 copies of DNA plasmid/reaction. The velogenic and lentogenic amplifications showed high PCR efficiency of 100% and 104%, respectively. The velogenic and lentogenic amplifications were highly reproducible with assay variability 0.45±0.31% and 1.30±0.65%, respectively. The SYBR Green I real-time PCR assay detected successfully the virus from tissue samples and oral swabs collected from the velogenic and lentogenic NDV experimental infection, respectively. In addition, the assay detected and differentiated accurately NDV pathotypes from suspected field samples where the results were in good agreement with both virus isolation and analysis of the fusion (F) cleavage site sequence. The assay offers an attractive alternative method for the diagnosis of NDV. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study focused on the effect of common natural diets, scadfish and squid on the growth performance, morphology, histology and fatty acids of ovary and hepatopancreas of female orange mud crabs, Scylla olivacea. Twenty individuals of newly mature crabs (body weight = 69.21 ± 2.19 g, carapace width = 7.18 ± 0.07 cm) with 10 individuals per treatment were cultured for 60 days with ambient water parameters. Twenty individuals of control crabs were also collected from the wild. The highest body weight gain (BWG), carapace width gain (CWG), gonadosomatic index (GSI) as well as oocyte and tubule diameter were recorded during the captivity, with the mud crabs fed with scadfish leading (BWG = 36.58%, CWG = 14.90%, GSI = 0.47%, oocyte diameter = 47.19 μm, tubule diameter = 167.82 μm). Likewise, high concentrations of ∑PUFA, ∑EPA, ∑DHA and ∑n3 were reported in scadfish‐fed crabs compared to both squid‐fed and wild‐caught crabs (p < 0.05). In contrast, lower fatty acids were noted in the hepatopancreas of crabs from all treatments, suggesting an occurrence of nutrient transfer from the hepatopancreas to the ovaries. Overall results concluded that scadfish is preferred as the main diet for crabs in captivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) is introduced in aquaculture farming industry to reduce water resource utilization, efficient the energy and land uses, and also help minimalize the water exchange. This system enables utilization of unsuitable land and promotes a sustainable environment in aquaculture industry. Furthermore, this technology has been established and proved efficient in monitoring the aquatic animal condition subsequently helps in maintaining the water quality and help remove solid particle wastes from the aquaculture treatment. As today, RAS has been developed with more effective technologies such as the use of UV irradiation, solid capture, protein skimmer and also provided with highly techno bio-filtration set. Basically, this system was applied for broodstock maturation, nursery phase, and grow-out production. In this review article, we provide an overview of RAS between the clear water, probiotic, and biofloc technology, and the advantages of its combination. Even though RAS and biofloc is two different parallel system, the application of the probiotic and biofloc in the semi-RAS application system is intense to be investigated. The synergistic effect of RAS using this combination towards high yield aquaculture production will be highlighted in this review paper. Expectantly this review paper will generate awareness and useful information on the RAS application in the aquaculture system operation with help in maximize the impact to the aquaculture yield production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Nursing is a practice-based discipline. During their first clinical practice, nursing students may develop their initial perception of this discipline. This perception will then drive the students’ activities during their first clinical experience. The early identification of students’ perception towards clinical practice is imperative to their motivation and overall passion towards providing high-quality nursing care in the future. This study’s objectives are to explore first-year nursing students’ perceptions towards their first experience of clinical practice, to identify problems that faced during the clinical practice, and to explore their interest in the nursing profession. Method: A phenomenological design was used in this study. The sample was first-year nursing students from a bachelor’s program. All participants have undergone a face-to-face in-depth interview with the guidance of a semi-structured interview format. Result: There were three themes derived from the interview sessions. The students had a mixture of feelings towards the clinical practice. The positive perceptions were a feeling of excitement, a feeling of satisfaction, and positive support by the clinical instructors. As for the negative perception, the findings were the feelings of fear, nervousness, stress and lack of confidence. Conclusion: The majority of the participants expressed having mixed feelings of excitement and hesitancy. Excitement feeling is an effective boosting mechanism towards performing better clinical practice in the field. Whereas hesitancy feeling needs to be corrected by providing more hands-on training opportunities before going into clinical placement. This training approach is believed to be able to improve their skills and knowledge hence eliminating the feeling of hesitancy towards the clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this novel study, oil was extracted from the kernel of an exotic indigenous species known as Canarium odontophyllum via an ultrasound-assisted process. The extraction process was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) based on the Box-Behnken experimental design (BBD). The optimal conditions for the investigated parameters were determined as ultrasound amplitude level: 38.30%, ratio of n -hexane to kernel powder: 50:1 in mL/g, extraction time: 45.79 min, resulting in an oil extraction yield of 63.48%. For verification purposes, experiments were conducted using the same optimized values of the investigated parameters which resulted in the average oil yield of 63.27% and this prove the reliability of the regression model. The extracted oil's fatty acid composition was obtained using a gas chromatograph (GC) equipped with flame-ionization detection (FID). The low acid value of the extracted oil is another interesting finding. This is important because it circumvents pretreatment processes such as degumming and esterification prior to the transesterification process. Biodiesel was produced from the oil via ultrasound-assisted transesterification, with a yield of 95.2%. Physiochemical properties of the C. odontophyllum biodiesel were determined, and it was found that all the tested properties comply with fuel specifications based on ASTM D6751 and EN 14214 standards. Significant savings of 52.3% and 80.9% in energy consumption and extraction time, respectively were achieved via ultrasound-assisted extraction compared with the conventional Soxhlet extraction. This study establishes the foundation and the need to further explore the usage of C. odontophyllum as a potential feedstock for biodiesel production. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The catalytic performance of Ni-POFA catalyst for methane decomposition has been evaluated. • Increasing the Ni loading from 5 to 15 wt.% increased the Ni-POFA performance. • Catalyst degradation at 20 wt.% Ni loading was due to Ni agglomeration and large filamentous carbon. • Increasing the GHSV from 5000 to 7000 mL/g h increased the Ni-POFA performance. • Low performance at 15,000 and 25,000 mL/g h was due to short contact time between CH 4 gas and Ni-POFA. The performance of Ni supported on palm oil fuel ash (Ni-POFA) catalyst was evaluated for methane decomposition reaction. The effects of Ni loading (5, 10, 15 and 20 wt.%) and gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) (5000, 7000, 15,000 and 25,000 mL/g h) were investigated at 550 °C for 6 h. The results show that increasing the Ni loading from 5 to 15 wt.% increased the initial H 2 yield. However, the highest Ni loading (20 wt.% Ni) resulted in the lowest CH 4 conversion and H 2 yield, which has been associated to Ni particles agglomeration and formation of large filamentous carbon. The increase of GHSV from 5000 to 7000 mL/g h increased the initial CH 4 conversion and initial H 2 yield. Nonetheless, the catalytic performance of Ni-POFA degraded rapidly at higher GHSVs (15,000 and 25,000 mL/g h). This has been linked to a shorter contact time between CH 4 gas and the catalyst at higher CH 4 flow rates. The current study proposes the 15 wt.% Ni and 7000 mL/g h as the optimum Ni loading and GHSV for Ni-POFA catalyst, respectively. Under these conditions, methane decomposition performed admirably at 87.0% initial CH 4 conversion and 27.0% initial H 2 yield. Under the same conditions, the highest stable value of H 2 production was achieved at ∼2.0% over the 6-h reaction time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experiment aimed to evaluate the efficiency of formulated feeds with different lipid levels (T1 = 60 g/kg, T2 = 80 g/kg, T3 = 100 g/kg and T4 = 120 g/kg) in the biochemical composition of female orange mud crab, Scylla olivacea, during the fattening period. Experiments were conducted on 120 crabs with BW and CW of 186.42 ± 37.90 g and 10.24 ± 0.66 cm, respectively, for 90 days. The crabs were reared in tanks, and dissections were performed in 10 individuals per treatment every 30 days. Overall assessments disclosed that mud crabs fed the T4 showed the highest BWG (1.80 ± 0.78 g, 13.78 ± 1.81 g and 14.51 ± 3.81 g), SGR (0.03 ± 0.02%day−1, 0.19 ± 0.01%day−1 and 0.28 ± 0.02%day−1), GSI (9.90 ± 1.05%, 11.31 ± 1.68% and 17.30 ± 2.13%) and HSI (4.17 ± 0.52%, 5.22 ± 0.40% and 5.06 ± 0.45%) during fattening periods. Meanwhile, EPA and DHA were the most important fatty acids required for maturing ovaries in mud crabs. During 60‐ and 90‐day culture period, higher EPA and DHA were noted in the ovary of mud crabs fed with T4 (EPA: 4.79 mg/g and 6.69 mg/g; DHA: 4.55 mg/g and 6.85 mg/g) compared with hepatopancreas (EPA: 1.84mg/g and 2.47 mg/g; DHA: 3.28 mg/g and 3.71 mg/g) (p <.05). The low fatty acid composition in the hepatopancreas indicates a nutrient transfer from the hepatopancreas to the ovaries for maturation. Two‐way ANOVA suggested that 120 g/kg of feed with 60–90 days of duration would be the best for crab rearing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Live-attenuated vaccines are the most successful type of vaccine and could be useful in controlling fowl adenovirus (FAdV) 8b infection. This study aimed to attenuate, molecularly characterize, and determine the immunogenicity, efficacy, and challenge virus shedding in broiler chickens. Materials and Methods: The FAdV 8b isolate (UPM08136) was passaged onto chicken embryo liver (CEL) cells until attenuation. We sequenced and analyzed the hexon and fiber genes of the passage isolates. The attenuated bioreactorpassage isolate was inoculated into 1-day-old broiler chickens with (attenuated and inactivated) and without booster groups and challenged. Body weight (BW), liver weight (LW), liver: body weight ratio (LBR), FAdV antibody titers, T-lymphocyte subpopulation in the liver, spleen, and thymus, and challenge virus load and shedding were measured. Results: Typical cytopathic effects with novel genetic changes on CEL cells were observed. The uninoculated controlchallenged (UCC) group had significantly lower BW and higher LW and LBR than the inoculated groups. A significantly higher FAdV antibody titer was observed in the challenged non-booster and attenuated booster groups than in the UCC group. T cells in the spleen and thymus of the liver of inoculated chickens were higher than uninoculated control group levels at all-time points and at different times. A significantly higher FAdV challenge virus load was observed in the liver and shedding in the cloaca of UCC chickens than in non-booster chickens. Conclusion: The FAdV 8b isolate was successfully attenuated, safe, and immunogenic. It reduces virus shedding and is effective and recommended as a vaccine against FAdV infection in broiler chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimum physical health is important in maintaining independence among older adults. There is limited information regarding physical health status among older adults attending primary care clinics in the local population. The aim of this study was to examine physical health among older adults attending Primary Care Clinic at Cheras, Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Primary Care Clinic at Cheras, Malaysia with a total 106 participants (mean age of 68 ± 6.3 years). Participants performed a battery of physical function tests. The results showed that the percentages of participants who performed below recommended norms for the 30secs Chair Stand Test (lower limb strength), Chair Sit and Reach Test (lower limb flexibility), Back Scratch Test (upper limb flexibility), Timed Up and Go (TUG) (functional mobility), Single Leg Stance Test (balance) and 2 mins Walk Test (2MWT) (aerobic endurance) were 32%, 18%, 21%, 29%, 22% and 78% respectively. The results suggest that majority of older adults visiting primary health care clinics had inadequate physical function in relation to aerobic endurance. Older adults attending primary health care clinics should be encouraged to improve their physical health status, especially aerobic endurance, to optimise their physical independence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimum physical health is important in maintaining independence among older adults. There is limited information regarding physical health status among older adults attending primary care clinics in the local population. The aim of this study was to examine physical health among older adults attending Primary Care Clinic at Cheras, Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Primary Care Clinic at Cheras, Malaysia with a total 106 participants (mean age of 68 ± 6.3 years). Participants performed a battery of physical function tests. The results showed that the percentages of participants who performed below recommended norms for the 30secs Chair Stand Test (lower limb strength), Chair Sit and Reach Test (lower limb flexibility), Back Scratch Test (upper limb flexibility), Timed Up and Go (TUG) (functional mobility), Single Leg Stance Test (balance) and 2 mins Walk Test (2MWT) (aerobic endurance) were 32%, 18%, 21%, 29%, 22% and 78% respectively. The results suggest that majority of older adults visiting primary health care clinics had inadequate physical function in relation to aerobic endurance. Older adults attending primary health care clinics should be encouraged to improve their physical health status, especially aerobic endurance, to optimise their physical independence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To characterize field strains of Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) in Malaysia, selected gene target-specific sequences to MG, hemagglutinin protein A (pMGA) and phase variable putative adhesion protein A (pvpA) genes, were amplified from positive MG samples using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A total of 25 MG-positive samples out of 94 field samples were sequenced with primer targeting pMGA and pvpA genes. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis were conducted using bioinformatics softwares (Bioedit and MEGA 5) and genetic variation patterns were evaluated based on partial nucleotide sequencing of pMGA and pvpA genes. In case of pMGA, all 25 field strains showed similar gene size patterns with strains of pathogenic reference (MGS6) and vaccine (MG F), which were different from the PCR product size of less pathogenic vaccine strain (TS 11). However, pvpA partial nucleotide sequences of MG local strains showed that 20 out of 25 strains possessed similar gene size pattern with MG F, which were different from MGS6 and TS 11. In conclusion, based on the molecular characterization from phylogenetic analysis of pMGA and pvpA partial nucleotide sequences, it was found that Malaysian MG strains were different from strains reported in other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid increase in energy demand coupled with the depletion of fossil-based resources has elevated the need for cleaner, renewable and sustainable fuels. Amongst alternative energies, hydrogen-based energy solution has become a promising replacement candidate due to its clean emission, high efficiency and it is considered to be a perfect substitute to reduce the dependency on non-renewable sources. Recently, the valorization biomass has become one of the attractive routes for hydrogen production and it has received growing attentions from worldwide researchers. Glycerol, the by-product from the biodiesel production faced oversupply crisis due to the high refining cost and this has affected the economics and sustainability of biodiesel industry. Hence, the most attractive way to boost the economic value of biodiesel is through the valorization of crude glycerol into value-added products, i.e., H 2 and syngas. Previously, the production of H 2 from glycerol has been carried out using various reforming processes such as aqueous phase reforming, pyrolysis, steam reforming, partial oxidation and dry reforming reactions. In the large scale industrial applications, Ni-based catalyst has been reported as the most common catalyst used in reforming reactions since this type of catalyst is readily available, inexpensive and possesses high catalytic activity. Ni was also found to have a good intrinsic activity and easily dispersed over the support materials. Throughout the years, various production routes and catalyst design have been reported in literature; however, none of the literatures are specifically focusing on benefits, constraints, limitation and challenges faced by glycerol reforming reactions catalyzed by Ni-based catalysts. Therefore, the focus of this review is to highlight the recent findings on Ni-based thermochemical processes of glycerol reforming reactions and emphasis will be given on the recent advances in catalyst and reactor designs as well as discovering the main routes of catalyst deactivation. • A review of glycerol reforming reactions over Ni-based catalysts is presented. • Glycerol as the potential feedstocks for hydrogen and syngas productions. • Recent technologies on glycerol reforming are systematically overviewed. • Role of catalyst, supports and promoters in glycerol reforming reaction is reported. • Deactivation of Ni-based catalysts in glycerol reforming is discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fowl adenovirus (FAdV) 8b causes huge economic losses in the poultry industry worldwide. Attenuated FAdV 8b could be useful in preventing FAdV infections globally and scale-up obstacles could be solved by bioreactor technology. Aim: This study was carried out to attenuate the FAdV 8b isolate, propagate it in a bioreactor, molecularly characterize the passage isolates, and determine the immunogenicity, efficacy, and shedding of the virus of chickens. Methods: FAdV serotype 8b (UPM11142) isolate was passaged on chicken embryo liver (CEL) cells until attenuation and propagated in a bioreactor (UPM11142P20B1). Hexon and fiber genes of the isolates were sequenced and analyzed. UPM11142P20B1 was administered to 116-day-old broiler chickens divided into four groups, A (control), B (non-booster), C (booster with UPM11142P20B1), and D (booster with inactivated UPM11142P5B1). Eight chickens from each group were challenged. Body weight (BW) and liver weight (LW), liver: BW ratio (LBR), FAdV antibody titer, T lymphocyte sub-populations in the liver, spleen and thymus; and challenge virus load in the liver and shedding in cloaca were measured at weekly intervals. Results: The isolate caused typical cytopathic effects on CEL cells typical of FAdV. Novel molecular changes in the genes occurred which could be markers for FAdV 8b attenuation. BW, LW, and LBR were similar among groups throughout the trial but the uninoculated control-challenged group (UCC) had significantly higher LBR than the inoculated and challenged groups at 35 dpi. Non-booster group had higher FAdV antibodies at all time points than the uninoculated control group (UCG); and the challenged booster groups had higher titer at 35 dpi than UCC. T lymphocytes increased at different time-points in the liver of inoculated chickens, and in the spleen and thymus as well, and was higher in the organs of inoculated challenged groups than the UCC. There was a significantly higher challenge virus load in the liver and cloaca of UCC chickens than in the non-booster chickens. Conclusion: UPM11142P20B1 was safe, efficacious, significantly reduced shedding, and is recommended as a candidate vaccine in the prevention and control of FAdV 8b infections in broiler chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infection with the low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) H9N2 virus has been reported worldwide and poses a health risk to poultry as well as to global health due to its ability to re-assort with other avian influenza viruses. Besides, the silent spread of the H9N2 infection causes significant economic damage to the poultry industry. Recently, Malaysia reported major outbreaks of LPAI H9N2 in commercial layer chicken flocks. Genome sequence analysis indicated that the predominant LPAI H9N2 viruses are of the Y280/BJ94-like lineages. However, the pathogenicity of the virus has not been evaluated. This study determines the pathogenicity of LPAI H9N2 strain UPM994/2018, previously isolated from commercial layer chickens, in one-week-old specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chickens. Clinical signs such as ruffled feathers, mild tracheal rales, facial edema, sero-nasal discharge, and diarrhea were observed from days 6 to 10 post-inoculation (PI). However, no mortality was recorded. Based on a real-time polymerase chain reaction assay, the viruses can be detected in the lungs, trachea, and kidneys of the inoculated chickens on the second day, increased until day 10, then declined at day 16 PI. However, swab samples collected from the oropharyngeal and cloacal regions remain positive from day 2 to day 14 PI, with the highest viral load detected at day 10 PI. In conclusion, although the virus is an LPAI, it is pathogenic in SPF chickens, causing respiratory, gastrointestinal, and renal-associated illnesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Given the stagnating progress in the fight against dengue in Kota Kinabalu, there is an urgent need to use other strategies to complement the existing vector control, focusing on larviciding. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology has been used in vector control programs in many countries. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of using UAVs for larviciding to control Aedes mosquitoes in urban areas. Methodology: The Hexarotor Agro Drone (Polardrone Sdn Bhd, Malaysia) was used to carry out larviciding using Vectobac® manufactured by Valent BioSciences LLC, Libertyville, USA. The drone flew at a height of 10 feet and at a speed of 5 m/s. A total of 32 items with 10 larvae in each item were placed to test the effectiveness of larviciding using UAV. Results: Out of 32 items used, 4 containers had a 100% larva mortality (13.3% mortality). The drone was not able to reach the designated spraying route that had been pre-programmed. This was due to interference with the electromagnetic waves emitted from the home satellite dishes, that were in front of the houses along the route. Conclusions: This trial showed that UAVs will be more suitable for use in larviciding in an open area without electromagnetic disturbances from electric house poles and satellite TV dishes that are commonly present in urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effects of temperature and period on the pretreatment of OPEFB using the low-cost N,N,N-dimethylbutylammonium hydrogen sulfate ionic liquid ([DMBA][HSO4] IL) with 20 wt% of water. The results demonstrate that higher pretreatment temperatures (120, 150, and 170 °C) and longer periods (0.5, 1, and 2 h) enhanced lignin recovery, resulting in increased purity of the recovered pulp and subsequently enhanced glucose released during enzymatic hydrolysis. However, at 170 °C, prolonging the period led to cellulose degradation and the formation of pseudo-lignin deposited on the pulps, resulting in a decreasing-trend in glucose released. Finally, the analysis of extracted lignin reveals that increasing pretreatment severity intensified lignin depolymerisation and condensation, leading to a decrease in number average molecular weight (Mn), weight average molecular weight (Mw) and polydispersity index (Đ) values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Newcastle disease (ND) is one of the most important avian diseases with considerable threat to the productivity of poultry all over the world. The disease is associated with severe respiratory, gastrointestinal, and neurological lesions in chicken leading to high mortality and several other production related losses. The aetiology of the disease is an avian paramyxovirus type-1 or Newcastle disease virus (NDV), whose isolates are serologically grouped into a single serotype but genetically classified into a total of 19 genotypes, owing to the continuous emergence and evolution of the virus. In Nigeria, molecular characterization of NDV is generally very scanty and majorly focuses on the amplification of the partial F gene for genotype assignment. However, with the introduction of the most objective NDV genotyping criteria which utilize complete fusion protein coding sequences in phylogenetic taxonomy, the enormous genetic diversity of the virus in Nigeria became very conspicuous. In this review, we examine the current ecological distribution of various NDV genotypes in Nigeria based on the available complete fusion protein nucleotide sequences (1662 bp) in the NCBI database. We then discuss the challenges of ND control as a result of the wide genetic distance between the currently circulating NDV isolates and the commonest vaccines used to combat the disease in the country. Finally, we suggest future directions in the war against the economically devastating ND in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Newcastle disease (ND) is one of the most devastating diseases that considerably cripple the global poultry industry. Because of its enormous socioeconomic importance and potential to rapidly spread to naïve birds in the vicinity, ND is included among the list of avian diseases that must be notified to the OIE immediately upon recognition. Currently, virus isolation followed by its serological or molecular identification is regarded as the gold standard method of ND diagnosis. However, this method is generally slow and requires specialised laboratory with biosafety containment facilities, making it of little relevance under epidemic situations where rapid diagnosis is seriously needed. Thus, molecular based diagnostics have evolved to overcome some of these difficulties, but the extensive genetic diversity of the virus ensures that isolates with mutations at the primer/probe binding sites escape detection using these assays. This diagnostic dilemma leads to the emergence of cutting-edge technologies such as next-generation sequencing (NGS) which have so far proven to be promising in terms of rapid, sensitive, and accurate recognition of virulent Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolates even in mixed infections. As regards disease control strategies, conventional ND vaccines have stood the test of time by demonstrating track record of protective efficacy in the last 60 years. However, these vaccines are unable to block the replication and shedding of most of the currently circulating phylogenetically divergent virulent NDV isolates. Hence, rationally designed vaccines targeting the prevailing genotypes, the so-called genotype-matched vaccines, are highly needed to overcome these vaccination related challenges. Among the recently evolving technologies for the development of genotype-matched vaccines, reverse genetics-based live attenuated vaccines obviously appeared to be the most promising candidates. In this review, a comprehensive description of the current and emerging trends in the detection, identification, and control of ND in poultry are provided. The strengths and weaknesses of each of those techniques are also emphasised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the catalytic pyrolysis of glycerol into syngas over a 3 wt%Ce-20 wt%Ni/77 wt% α-Al 2 O 3 catalyst and at reaction temperatures of 973 K, 1023 K and 1073 K. NH 3 - and CO 2 -TPD analyses have revealed that the as-synthesized catalyst was net acidic with acid-to-basic site ratio of 1.24. This provides ideal conditions for chemisorption of glycerol. In addition, the BET specific surface area was 2.89 m 2 g −1 . The small surface area can be attributed to the thermally stable α-Al 2 O 3 support. In addition, the average crystallite size was 40.22 nm. The catalytic glycerol pyrolysis produced gaseous products that were comprised of H 2 , CO, CO 2 and CH 4 only with H 2 :CO ratios that were consistently less than 2.0. This ratio is suitable for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. The yields of CO 2 and CH 4 were several folds lower than the yields of H 2 and CO, indicating that the latter were from primary reaction, viz. glycerol decomposition whilst the former were from secondary competing reactions. In addition, the activation energy obtained via Langmuir-Hinshelwood model was 25.34 kJ mol −1 . Used catalyst characterization showed that the carbonaceous deposit was in the forms of whisker-type. This type of carbon deposit would not physically deactivate the catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underwater archaeological research has been developed less aggressively in Malaysia than in other ASEAN partner countries, such as Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. In past decades, financial constraints have limited the development of underwater archaeology, and the field has been dominated by commercial salvage experts. Malaysia has not addressed many issues or fundamental problems related to future development. The discovery of the Bidong Shipwreck in 2013 has raised hopes that underwater archaeological research in Malaysia will develop more dynamically. The successful excavation of this shipwreck site proves that local experts can conduct scientific excavations. This article presents and discusses the discovery and process of excavating artifacts from the Bidong Shipwreck. The project outcomes provide a guide for stakeholders and agencies involved in future underwater excavations in Malaysian waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fowl adenovirus (FAdV) 8b and other serotypes cause inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) in chickens. Specific detection of aetiologic serotype in mixed infection and vaccine failure could be difficult. Aim: The objective of this study was to develop a TaqMan probe-based qPCR method for the detection and quantification of the FAdV 8b challenge virus. Methods: Forty-eight broiler chickens inoculated with live attenuated or inactivated FAdV 8b strains at day 1 of age either with or without booster at day 14 post-inoculation were used. The chickens were challenged with a pathogenic strain of FAdV 8b at day 28 of age. Liver and cloacal swabs were collected on days 7 and 14 post-challenge. Primers and probes were designed, specificity confirmed, and used to carry out qPCR amplification. Results: The assay amplified the FAdV DNA challenge virus, but not that of the live attenuated virus. It could detect FAdV 8b DNA as low as 0.001 ng/µl in liver and cloacal swab samples. Copy numbers obtained indicate virus load and shedding. Conclusions: It shows that a selective detection of FAdV 8b within serotype is possible. It can be useful for rapid detection and diagnosis of the disease, virus quantification and differentiation within species, determination of vaccination failure, and efficacy especially the virus load in the target organ and shedding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to determine the safety level of water parameters and nutrients in the natural environment of fish and freshwater prawn in Nyatuh River, Terengganu, Malaysia, it is necessary to conduct an assessment of water quality parameters. Due to its important, a study was conducted to assess the water quality parameter and nutrients contents from Nyatuh River of Setiu Terengganu in relations to the population of freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii caught along the Nyatuh River basin. Total of four expeditions and five stations at different tidal condition for the water quality parameter were assessed during the study. From the results achieved, the overall temperature varied between (26.56°C-29.30°C), dissolved oxygen, DO (3.59 mg/L-6.50 mg/L), pH (4.99-7.01), salinity (0.01ppt-4.22ppt), depth (2.71 m-5.54 m) while for ammonia (0.01 mg/L-0.24 mg/L), nitrite (0.01 mg/L-0.05 mg/L) and phosphate (0.01 mg/L-0.12 mg/L). While the number of prawns caught are 176, 160, 102 and 68 for Expeditions 1, 2, 4 and 3, respectively. Possibly, the heterogeneous number of prawns caught is a result of significant differences in water level depth during high tides and low tides, as well as a fluctuation in the ammonia concentration levels in each of the stations and expeditions. For statistical analysis, the temperature showed no significant difference between the expedition, stations and tidal. That is p = 0.280, p > 0.05 and F = 1.206, respectively. While dissolved oxygen, DO, showed no significant difference as well, that is p = 0.714, p > 0.05 and F = 0.737. However, the level of water depth was significantly different between expedition, station and tidal, that is p = 0.000, p < 0.05 and F = 3.120. Ammonia, on the other hand shows no significant difference between expedition, station and tidal, that is p = 0.476, p > 0.05 and F = 0.973. The same goes for nitrite and phosphate concentration. There was no significant difference between expedition, stations and tidal, that is p = 0.569, p > 0.05 and F = 0.879 and p = 0.247, p > 0.05, F = 1.255, respectively. In Expedition 1, the good water quality parameter and very low ammonia concentration resulted in a larger prawn population as compared to other expeditions. The distribution or mixture of prawns caught is heterogeneous at different stations due to the significant differences in water depth and also to the fluctuation in water quality due to varying ammonia levels. In conclusion, the water quality in Nyatuh River fluctuated across expeditions, stations, and tides, as well as significant differences in water level depths between high and low tides. Due to the rapid growth and importance of industrial and aquaculture operations along the river, extra attention should be devoted to avoid the impact of excessive pollutant in order to protect the ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Fowl adenovirus (FAdV) 8b causes inclusion body hepatitis, resulting in major economic losses globally among chickens. The objectives were to inactivate FAdV 8b isolate propagated in chicken embryo liver (CEL) cells using a stirred tank bioreactor (UPM08136P5B1) and determine the humoral and cell-mediated immune response, efficacy, and virus shedding in broiler chickens. Materials and Methods: The FAdV 8b isolate UPM08136P5B1 was inactivated using binary ethyleneimine, adjuvanted with Montanide 71VG, inoculated into day-old broiler chickens in a booster group (BG) and non-booster group (NBG), and challenged with a pathogenic FAdV 8b strain. Clinical signs, gross lesions, body weight (BW), liver: body weight ratio, FAdV antibody titer using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and histopathological changes were recorded. The CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T-lymphocyte profiles of the liver, spleen, and thymus using flow cytometry, and viral load in liver and cloacal shedding using quantitative polymerase chain reaction were evaluated. Results: Chickens in the challenged control group (CCG) exhibited mild clinical signs, gross lesions, and histopathological changes, which were absent in the inoculated groups, and had lower BW and higher liver BW ratio than chickens in the unchallenged control group (UCG); BG and NBG on 35- and 42-days post-inoculation (DPI). Chickens in NBG and BG had higher antibodies than UCG on 7, 21, 35, and 42 DPI. The challenged BG and NBG produced higher antibodies than the CCG on 35 DPI. T-lymphocytes were higher among the inoculated groups than UCG in the liver, spleen, and thymus. Inoculated challenged groups recorded higher CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T-lymphocytes on 35 and 42 DPI than CCG. The challenged control group had a significantly higher viral load in the liver than challenged that in BG on 35 DPI and BG and NBG on 42 DPI. The challenged control group had significantly higher challenge FAdV shedding than challenged inoculated groups on 35 and NBG on 42 DPI. Conclusion: UPM08136P5B1 was successfully inactivated and mixed with Montanide 71VG. The inactivated vaccine candidate that induced humoral and cellular immunity was effective, reduced FAdV load in the liver, and shedding in the cloaca, and could be useful against FAdV 8b infections in chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main focus of the study was to assess the effect of lipid levels on the reproduction of the female orange mud crab, Scylla olivacea. Four isonitrogenous feed (~420 g/kg) were formulated with different lipid percentages: T 1 = 60 g / kg , T 2 = 80 g / kg , T 3 = 100 g / kg , and T 4 = 120 g / kg. A feeding trial was carried out on 120 matured female mud crabs for 90 days with 30 replicates in each treatment. Based on the morphological, histological, and hormonal analysis of each crab, the performances of each experimental diet were tested. The results of the experiment disclosed positive body weight gain (BWG) and specific growth rate (SGR), with the highest value recorded in crabs that were fed T4 (BWG: 14.43 ± 1.14 g ; SGR: 0.10 ± 0.01 % da y − 1 ). The highest gonado-somatic index (GSI) and hepato-somatic index (HSI) were noted in mud crabs that were fed T4, each with a value of 14.51 ± 1.13 % and 5.23 ± 0.55 % , respectively (P < 0.05). The histological assessment revealed that the highest oocyte diameter was recorded in mud crabs fed T4 (192.80 ± 21.93 μm), where the oocyte diameter was correlated with the progesterone (Pg) concentrations in the ovary with r = 0.73. Evidence also indicated that Pg and estradiol (E2) are important in the ovarian development in S. olivacea and their concentrations were affected by the lipid levels. An overall analysis revealed that 120 g/kg of lipid in the diet contributes to optimal reproductive performance in Scylla olivacea. Yet, a further experiment is expected to be carried out in the future to determine the nutrient-dose response as 120 g/kg lipid may not be the optimum lipid level for reproductive and growth performance in S. olivacea. Moreover, the extrapolation of data from this study can be used as guidelines in feed formulation for developments in future research in adult crustaceans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) provide the first line of immunological defense after the invasion of the intestine by a pathogen. To understand the changes of IEL response in chickens, we measured the population of different subsets of avian IELs at different time points after primary inoculation of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) lentogenic strain (LaSota) and subsequent challenge with NDV velogenic strain- genotypes VII and VIII. Furthermore, NDV shed after each treatment was quantified. Specific-pathogen-free chickens were randomly divided into six groups of chickens, one to six, inoculated with phosphate buffered saline; NDV lentogenic strain (LaSota); genotype VII (GVII); LaSota and challenged with GVII (LSGVII); genotype VIII (GVIII); and group of LaSota and challenged with GVIII (LSGVIII). The chickens were euthanized at 12, 36, and 60 h postchallenge. Immunophenotyping of CD25+ IEL, CD3+ cells, CD4+ cells, and CD8+ cells was conducted using flow cytometer. Furthermore, virus shedding was measured using reverse transcriptase–quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Data were analyzed using a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed that the percentage population of IEL subsets was generally lower in the chickens inoculated with GVII or GVIII when compared with LaSota, LSGVII and LSGVIII inoculated groups. The NDV copy number was significantly higher in chickens challenged with NDV GVII or GVIII when compared with chickens inoculated with LaSota, LSGVII or LSGVIII. Taking together, NDV velogenic strain caused decrease in the population of subsets of chickens' IEL. However, inoculation of NDV LaSota may increase the population of avian IEL subsets and decrease shedding of virulent NDV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Goniothalamus macrophyllus (Blume) Hook. f. & Thoms. is a plant widely distributed in Malaysia. The aim of this study is to identify compounds from the roots of G. macrophyllus. The ground roots were extracted with aqueous methanol and partitioned sequentially with n-hexane, chloroform and butanol. Purification from this extracts afforded six compounds with two new compounds, namely goniolandrene-A (1), -B (2). The absolute configuration of goniolandrene B (2) was established by circular dichrosim. The compounds were cytotoxic against the P388 cells with IC50 values ranging from 0.42 to 160μM. Goniothalamin (3) exhibited the highest inhibition of 0.42μM. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Oncolytic viruses have been extensively evaluated for anticancer therapy because this virus preferentially infects cancer cells without interfering with normal cells. Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) is an avian virus and one of the intensively studied oncolytic viruses affecting many types of cancer including glioma. Nevertheless, the capability of NDV infection on heterogeneous glioma tissue in a cerebrospinal fluid atmosphere has never been reported. Recently, Rac1 is reported to be required for efficient NDV replication in human cancer cells and established a link between tumourigenesis and sensitivity to NDV Rac1 is a member of the Rho GTPases involved in the regulation of the cell migration and cell-cycle progression. Rac1 knockdown leads to significant inhibition of viral replication. In this work, we demonstrated that NDV treatment led to significant reduction of tumour tissue viability of freshly isolated heterogeneous human brain tumour slice, known as an ex vivo glioma acute slice (EGAS). Analysis of gene expression indicated that reduced tissue viability was associated with downregulation of Rac1. However, the viability reduction was not persistent. We conclude that NDV treatment induced EGAS viability suppression, but subsequent downregulation of Rac1 gene may reduce the NDV replication and lead to regrowth ofEGAS tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aim of this study was to explore the utilization of polymeric membrane for bio-sensing application in most efficient and rapid way. Customization of membrane formulation via phase separation study to modify its morphologies and properties enable the detection of different pathogens in a specific manner. Experimental findings (FESEM, through-pore distribution, porosity, capillary flow test and protein binding test) verified the predictions of faster capillary flow time and higher membrane’s protein binding by the addition of cellulose acetate and nitrocellulose to the membrane casting dope, respectively. Throughout the phase separation study, the potential phase behavior was investigated, which was correlating various membrane structures to its performances for potential pathogens detection in water. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is a member of the Paramyxoviridae that has caused severe economic losses in poultry industry worldwide. Several strains of NDV were reported to induce cytolysis to cancerous cell lines. It has prompted much interest as anticancer agent because it can replicate up to 10,000 times better in human cancer cells than in most normal cells. In this study, two NDV strains, viserotropic–velogenic strain AF2240 and lentogenic strain V4-UPM, showed cytolytic activity and apoptosis induction against Mouse myelomoncytic leukemia (WEHI 3B). The cytolytic effects of NDV strains were determined using microtetrazolium (MTT) assay. The cytolytic dose – fifty percent (CD50) were 2 and 8HAU for AF2240 and V4-UPM strains, respectively. Cells treated with NDV strains showed apoptotic features compared to the untreated cells under fluorescence microscope. NDV induced activation of caspase-3 and DNA laddering in agarose gel electrophoresis which confirmed the apoptosis. The anti-leukemic activity of both strains was evaluated on myelomoncytic leukemia BALB/c mice. The results indicated that both NDV strains significantly decreased liver and spleen weights. It also decreased blasts cell percentage in blood, bone marrow and spleen smears of treated mice (p <0.05). Histopathological studies for spleen and liver confirmed the hematological results of blood and bone marrow. From the results obtained, the exposure to both NDV stains AF2240 and V4-UPM showed similar results for Ara-c. In conclusion NDV strains AF2240 and V4-UPM can affect WEHI 3B leukemia cells in vitro and in vivo. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]