Tomatoes require appropriate environment to stay sturdy due to earlier decay process. Deterioration causes short shelf life of tomatoes with unfavourable quality, resulting in potential rejection by customers. The objective of the study is to observe the effect of combined coatings of chitosan (Ch) and cinnamic acid (CA) in extending the tomato shelf life. Layer by layer coating of chitosan prior to the cinnamic acid (single coating for each) were applied on fresh graded tomato at two maturity stages; breaker and turning. Twelve days observations at ambient temperature with three-day intervals were recorded. Combined coating of chitosan and cinnamic acid were expected to influence firmness, TSS value, hue angle and weight loss. Results showed that a combined coating of 1.0% Ch + 3 mM CA has significant increament at breaker stage to firmness (8.26 N), hue angle (60.42%) and weight loss value (6.51%) compared to untreated tomato whereas for turning stage, the results showed there were no significant different in all parameters observed except the changes of fruit sweetness (TSS). 1.0% Ch + 4 mM CA show highest TSS value, 3.48% indicating 21% difference than untreated tomato (3.27%). Cinnamic acid helped chitosan in improving coating ability by serving better barrier from pathogen and oxidative gas penetration to prevent earlier spoilage problem.
Introduction: Responder’s action during mass environmental chemical incident involves collaboration of multiple agency. They clean the exposure site, control public safety and safe lives. The health of the responder is also as valuable as the public and always been neglected. Hence, this study is to highlights the method used and challenges during the incidents. Methods: A modified Occupational Health Surveillance Programme designed by Baker and Matte (Thirteen Steps in designing and implementing an Occupational Health Surveillance Programme) was imple-mented. These method full fill the criteria of impossible further reduce exposure to known hazards and uncertain health effect of the offending chemicals. Two core workplace namely the source of chemical contamination locale and victims’ evacuation centre were identified. The exposed responder is identified and categorised according to their expected exposure. Offending chemicals identified were known hazardous to health. An electronic survey form was developed and the surveillance were conducted during the event and post-exposures of one, third and sixth months. Laboratory tests were performed as a grab sample randomly and strategically to represent responder exposure. Results: During the event, 1338 responders were surveyed and twenty percent had symptoms of cough, headache, sore throat, nausea and skin irritation. After one-month post-exposure, three percent of responder noted to have continue symptoms. Laboratory tests were performed randomly due to the sheer numbers of responders in action. Only sixty-one samples were collected and sixteen percent had positive metabolites for urine cyanide. Re-sponders with abnormal laboratory result (FBC/LFT/RP/Urine) were interviewed and a repeat sample were performed. Conclusion: The health surveillance of the responder in mass environmental chemical incident is a great challenge when the exposure level is unsure and involve more than one chemicals. Likewise, reliability and validity adopting statistical test for health surveillance instruments is unattainable due to urgency. However, a proper method of occu-pational surveillance need to be devised and implemented to ensure the protection of worker’s health is guaranteed.
The central dogma of molecular biology was no longer "central" after ground-breaking discoveries conveyed gene expression involves more complex physiological functions in cancer pathogenesis over the last decade. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNA that regulate gene expression, affecting key molecular pathways involved in sustaining the proliferative signalling for tumour development, evasion of cellular death, invasion, angiogenesis, as well as metastasis in a plethora of cancer types. MiRNA expression is dysregulated in human cancer through a number of processes, including miRNA gene amplification or deletion, faulty miRNA transcriptional regulation, dysregulated epigenetic alterations, and flaws in the miRNA biogenesis machinery. As a result, the current progress of treatment intervention focuses on modifying the miRNA levels in cancer therapeutics. Nevertheless, the mode of delivery and current management of miRNA therapies remains one of the many questions that need to be addressed. Here, we provided a comprehensive mini-review outlining the role of miRNA in cancer as well as its mode of delivery which includes liposomes, viral vectors, inorganic material-based nanoparticles, and cell-derived membrane vesicles. Likewise, the regulation of miRNA in other diseases and their challenges in translational research was also thoroughly discussed.