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This study addresses the challenge of enhancing gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) content in soy sauce through optimized fermentation condition. Using a multiple starter culture, consisting of Aspergillus oryzae strain NSK, Bacillus cereus strain KBC and Tetragenococcus halophilus strain KBC, the incubation conditions including the percentage of bacterial inoculum (10, 15 and 20 %), pH (3, 5 and 7) and agitation speed (100, 150 and 200 rpm) were optimized through Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Under the optimal conditions (20 % inoculum, pH 7 and stirring at 100 rpm), the multiple starter culture generated 128.69 mg/L of GABA after 7 days and produced 239.08 mg/L of GABA after 4 weeks of fermentation, which is 36 % higher than under non-optimized conditions (153.48 mg/L). Furthermore, sensory analysis revealed high consumer acceptance of the fermented soy sauce than the control (soy sauce without any treatment and additional bacteria) and commercial soy sauce. Consumers indicated that the starter culture offered an improved umami taste and reduced bitter, sour and salty flavours compared to the commercial product. Under optimal fermentation conditions determined by RSM statistical analysis, the multiple starter culture is able to produce high levels of GABA and is more likely to be accepted by consumers. The findings of this research have the potential to impact the food sector by offering a functional soy sauce with added health benefits and also being well-received by consumers.

This research aims to describe the changes in the natural, physical, and social environment that occur in society and their influence on language. This research method uses a qualitative descriptive method. The data in this study are the speeches of speakers and community leaders regarding ecological and language changes in the Malay community in Riam Panjang, Kapuas Hulu. Data collection techniques were obtained through field observations, interviews, and documentation studies. The data analysis technique uses an ethnographic record analysis model by grouping thematically based on research objectives. After grouping, the data were described and interpreted, then concluded according to the focus of this research. The results of this study show that the natural, physical, and social environment has changed dramatically in the last three decades. The construction of the Southern Crossing Road linking Kapuas Hulu-Sintang (and Pontianak) and Malaysia in the northern crossing was a pivotal point of change. The population's relationship with the outside world has become more intense, while the relationship with the forest, fields, and rivers has become tenuous. The Malay language has shifted. The vocabulary of farming, games, rivers, fish and fishing gear, and river transportation has been abandoned. On the other hand, the previously monolingual society became a multilingual society. This research shows that changes in the natural and social environment greatly affect the shift in community language use. Abstrak Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan perubahan lingkungan alam, fisik, dan sosial yang terjadi dalam masyarakat dan pengaruhnya terhadap bahasa. Metode penelitian ini mengunakan metode deskriptif kualitatif. Data dalam penelitian ini tuturan penutur dan tokoh masyarakat berkenaan dengan perubahan ekologi dan bahasa dalam masyarakat Melayu di Riam Panjang, Kapuas Hulu. Teknik pengumpulan data diperoleh melalui observasi lapangan, wawancara, dan studi dokumentasi. Teknik analisis data menggunakan model analisis catatan etnografi dengan mengelompokkan secara tematik berdasarkan tujuan penelitian. Setelah dikelompokkan, selanjutnya data dideskripsikan dan diinterpretasikan, lalu disimpulkan sesuai fokus penelitian ini. Hasil penelitian ini memperlihatkan perubahan lingkungan alam, fisik, dan sosial terjadi drastis dalam tiga dekade terakhir ini. Pembangunan Jalan Lintas Selatan yang menghubungkan Kapuas Hulu-Sintang (dan Pontianak) serta Malaysia di lintas utara merupakan titik anjak perubahan. Hubungan penduduk dengan dunia luar semakin intens, sedangkan hubungan dengan hutan, ladang, dan sungai menjadi renggang. Bahasa Melayu mengalami pergeseran. Kosa kata perladangan, permainan, sungai, ikan dan alat tangkap, pengangkutan sungai telah ditinggalkan. Pada sisi lain, masyarakat yang sebelumnya monolingual menjadi masyarakat multilingual. Penelitian ini menunjukkan perubahan lingkungan alam dan sosial sangat memengaruhi pergeseran pemakaian bahasa masyarakat.

Protein electrophoresis (PEP) is an important tool in mammals to characterize specific dysproteinemias and detect acute and chronic inflammatory responses. In reptiles, PEP is the gold standard method for globulin fraction determination and albumin measurement. In this study, preliminary reference intervals were established for serum PEP in 22 clinically healthy adult Roti Island snake-necked turtles (Chelodina mccordi), a critically endangered species, kept in captivity and sampled over two monsoon seasons. The species has a prominent prealbumin fraction and β-globulins were the dominant globulin fraction. Significant differences between females and males were found in prealbumin (P < 0.01), albumin (P = 0.02), α1-globulin (P = 0.05) and γ-globulin (P = 0.01). Gravid females had significantly lower total protein (P < 0.01), prealbumin (P < 0.01), albumin (P < 0.01) and albumin:globulin ratio (P = 0.01). These preliminary reference intervals should aid in clinical investigation in this species as well as further research studies seeking to understand the application of PEP in reptilian species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnic rivalry triggers competition among individuals, certain actors, and groups. Often, the competition is due to political factors while religion becomes a structural legitimacy. This paper examined how the rivalry between Malay and Dayak in West Kalimantan affected certain groups’ identity. The data of this paper were obtained through a documentation study by reviewing publications and writings on the issue of rivalry and interviews with some figures in West Kalimantan. The result concluded that the rivalry between Malay and Dayak in West Kalimantan was tight due to political factors. The two equally dominant communities have long competed since the colonial period in West Kalimantan. Today's rivalry has taken place since Indonesia's reformation in 1998 and let both groups maintain their identity, and, in some cases, lead to unclear boundaries. They do not live as neighbors but brothers. However, religion remain an essential factor amid the situation and cause the rivalry stronger. Persaingan etnis memicu persaingan antar individu, aktor tertentu, dan melibatkan kelompok. Seringkali persaingan disebabkan oleh faktor politik, sedangkan agama menjadi legitimasi struktural. Makalah ini berupaya untuk melihat bagaimana persaingan antara Melayu dan Dayak di Kalimantan Barat berimplikasi pada identitas kelompok. Data untuk makalah ini diperoleh melalui studi dokumentasi dengan melihat publikasi dan tulisan tentang isu persaingan, serta wawancara dengan sejumlah tokoh di Kalimantan Barat. Kesimpulannya, persaingan antara Melayu dan Dayak di Kalimantan Barat sangat kuat karena faktor politik. Kedua komunitas yang sama-sama dominan ini telah bersaing sejak jaman penjajahan di Kalimantan Barat. Persaingan saat ini telah terjadi sejak reformasi Indonesia pada tahun 1998. Melalui kompetisi ini, masing-masing etnis Melayu dan Dayak mempertahankan identitasnya, dan dalam beberapa kasus menciptakan batasan yang kabur. Mereka ditempatkan sebagai tetangga, tetapi sebagai saudara. Namun, agama tetap menjadi faktor penting di tengah situasi ini, dan membuat persaingan keduanya semakin kuat.

This article attempts to delineate the issue of linguistic homogeny in Iban variants in Sarawak (Malaysia). In brief, the Iban speakers are claimed to descend from Upper Kapuas watershed, Western Kalimantan (Indonesia). Based on local traditions and oral materials, this ethnic group began to move out from Kapuas watershed and penetrate into Sarawak in sixteenth century. After several generations, they expanded to become the major ethnic group in the state. Several recent studies show that the number of ethnic Ibans in West Kalimantan is fairly small and the distribution of Iban communities often displays a pattern of distant pockets or enclaves. The purpose of this article is to explain how a minority group became a majority ethnic group in a newly settled territory. This article argues that this research question is strongly related to the ethnonym of “Iban” and regional dialect levelling or koineization. During the initial stage of the migration, the term “Iban” was an exonym. By the mid-twentieth century, the exonym “Iban” or “Sea Dayak” was gradually becoming an endonym. The change in the status of this ethnonym has enlarged the population size of the “Iban” in Sarawak. The existence of several Iban-like ethnic groups in Sarawak, for example, the Balau, Remun, Kantu’, Milikin, and Kumpang, adds support to this argument. This article revisits the issue of linguistic homogeny of the Iban language, taking the language koineization approach. A phonological analysis on the Ibanic varieties spoken in West Kalimantan offer a possible explanation that the Iban variants in Sarawak have appeared as a stable linguistic variety as a result of “dialect levelling” and “simplification”. Furthermore, the development of koine Iban seems to fulfil several features in the koine developmental continua proposed by J. Siegel (1985).

This study aims to investigate how consumer behaviour in Malaysia is influenced by the characteristics of social media influencers who shape consumers' perceptions of drone quality and brand awareness. The research framework on brand recognition, brand loyalty and brand image were adopted from the previous literature. The Malaysian Gen-Z population with disposable income and who use social media are the target of this study. They were users of social media such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and email. Convenience sampling was used to deliver online surveys. A total of 230 samples were successfully collected. The findings indicate that brand awareness and perceived quality are positively and significantly impacted by social media influencers while brand image is positively and significantly impacted by perceived quality but not brand awareness. Perceived quality acts as a mediator between social media influencers and brand image. An analysis of prior research frameworks and studies was conducted to assess the relationship between drone brand image and influencers. Drone research has not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, this will address some knowledge gaps. A thorough comprehension of the principles of perceived quality and brand awareness is necessary in order to better comprehend the role that social media influencers can play in marketing consumer drone brands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soy sauce fermentation was improved using the trio of A. oryzae (AO), B. cereus (BC), and the newly identified Tetragenococcus halophilus KBC (TH) in liquid-state fermentation. The effect of molasses (5%, 10%, and 20%) and type of wheat flour (organic-WFO and commercial-WFC) were tested on the koji-moromi formulation for efficient ɣ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) production. The koji-WFO produced higher GABA (1290 mg/L) compared to koji-WFC (13 mg/L). In the initial moromi mixture, 2 × 10−4 mL of BC inoculum containing 5–20% of molasses was added and replaced the same amount with TH in the second trial. Subsequently, the moromi was mixed with 1 × 10−4 mL of BC and TH, which shortened the 60-day moromi process to 30 days. Meanwhile, BC-moromi cultured in 20% molasses generated significantly lower GABA (118 mg/L) production compared to other percentages, however the concentration boosted for TH-moromi in 20% molasses (159 mg/L). The combination of BC-TH percentages (5%–20%) gave significantly lower GABA (83–137 mg/L) than the singular 20% TH treatment. The results promote the use of TH in producing high-GABA soy sauce.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) has several health-promoting qualities, leading to a growing demand for natural GABA production via microbial fermentation. The GABA-producing abilities of the new Tetragenococcus halophilus (THSK) isolated from a commercial soy sauce moromi were proven in this investigation. Under aerobic conditions, the isolate produced 293.43 mg/L of GABA after 5 days of cultivation, compared to 217.13 mg/L under anaerobic conditions. Critical parameters such as pH, monosodium glutamate (MSG), and sodium chloride (NaCl) concentrations were examined to improve GABA yield. MSG had the most significant impact on GABA and GABA synthesis was not suppressed even at high NaCl concentrations. Data showed that a pH of 8, MSG content of 5 g/L, and 20% NaCl were the best culture conditions. The ultimate yield was improved to 653.101 mg/L, a 2.22-fold increase (293.43 mg/L). This design shows that the bacteria THSK has industrial GABA production capability and can be incorporated into functional food.

The Telok Melano, Sarawak (Malaysia), and Temajuk, West Kalimantan (Indonesia) border communities existed in the early 1980’s has created a unique communication pattern in West Borneo. In the early stages, both speakers in Telok Melano-Temajuk had spoken a similar language variation called Malay Sambas dialect. After four decades of the border community formation (1980-2020), the communication pattern in both areas has experienced a significant change. Thus, the objective of this study is to analyse the cross-border communication pattern of Telok Melano-Temajuk based on Gilles’ Communication Accommodation Theory. Research data were obtained using qualitative approach through recordings, interviews, and participant observations. There are five dialogue samples obtained from the speakers from Telok Melano-Temajuk for analysis. Every interaction in the dialogue was analysed using convergence and divergence strategy to identify the border community communication pattern in West Borneo. The study found the border community communication pattern in West Borneo had contributed to the integration phenomenon and language variation choice in daily interaction of two community groups living in proximity but separated by international border. From the communication accommodation perspective, the communication pattern at Telok Melano-Temajuk is different according to the informant’s age. The older generation at Telok Melano was found to use the convergence strategy when interacting with speakers from Temajuk by switching from Telok Melano Malay dialect to Desa Temajuk Malay dialect. On the other hand, the younger generation at Telok Melano was found to begin its transition to the Sarawak Malay dialect, specifically the Kuching variation which is Sarawak’s lingua franca. The finding in this study is important to record the border community’s communication pattern transition after the opening of the Telok Melano-Sematan alignment of the Pan-Borneo Highway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]