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Fulltext Effect of mixing period, water and sugar on the sesame cracker dough stickiness

Tan, S.B., Shamsudin, R., Mohammed, M. A., Rahman, N. A.

International Food Research Journal, 2016;23(101):249-254.
MyJurnal

Sesame Cracker or Kuih Bijan is a popular traditional Malays snack in Malaysia. The simplest
formulation of Sesame Cracker dough includes glutinous rice flour, sugar, and water. In order
to reduce the negative effect caused by dough stickiness, the effect of mixing period (3 to 7
minutes), water (41.6 to 45.6%) and sugar (1 to 9%) on dough stickiness of sesame cracker
dough were studied using Texture Analyzer and Chen-Hoseney methodologies (i.e. Chen-
Hoseney Dough Stickiness Cell). The result obtained showing that the increment of mixing
time, water and sugar addition, increased the dough stickiness, work of adhesion/adhesiveness
and dough strength/cohesiveness. However, overmixing of dough had led to the decrease of
these parameters.
The accumulation and distribution of trace metals in some localized marine species

Yusof AM, Rahman NA, Wood AK

Biol Trace Elem Res, 1994;43-45:239-49.
PMID: 7710833

Trace elements, such as As, Co, Cr, Hg, Sb, and Zn, were determined by neutron activation analysis (NAA), whereas Cd, Cu, and Pb were determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GFAAS) in clam, crab, prawn, swamp cerith, and mussel samples after digestion by microwave heating under controlled conditions before eluting the solutions through a column of a chelating resin, Chelex-100. The standard used in the determination of percentage volatile elements retained by microwave digestion and also in the activation process was Lobster Hepatopancreas TORT-1, whereas known mixed standards were prepared from nitrate salts to determine the efficiency of the separation procedure at a controlled pH. Mercury and lead detected in crabs exceeded the maximum permissible level. Some species also showed a high affinity toward certain elements, and their levels of accumulation in the tissues of these species corresponded with the concentration of these elements in sediments, especially at sites in the vicinity of an industrial zone.
Application of the linear interaction energy method (LIE) to estimate the binding free energy values of Escherichia coli wild-type and mutant arginine repressor C-terminal domain (ArgRc)-l-arginine and ArgRc-l-citrulline protein-ligand complexes

Asi AM, Rahman NA, Merican AF

J Mol Graph Model, 2004 Mar;22(4):249-62.
PMID: 15177077

Protein-ligand binding free energy values of wild-type and mutant C-terminal domain of Escherichia coli arginine repressor (ArgRc) protein systems bound to L-arginine or L-citrulline molecules were calculated using the linear interaction energy (LIE) method by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The binding behaviour predicted by the dissociation constant (K(d)) calculations from the binding free energy values showed preferences for binding of L-arginine to the wild-type ArgRc but not to the mutant ArgRc(D128N). On the other hand, L-citrulline do not favour binding to wild-type ArgRc but prefer binding to mutant ArgRc(D128N). The dissociation constant for the wild-type ArgRc-L-arginine complex obtained in this study is in agreement with reported experimental results. Our results also support the experimental data for the binding of L-citrulline to the mutant ArgRc(D128N). These showed that LIE method for protein-ligand binding free energy calculation could be applied to the wild-type and the mutant E. coli ArgRc-L-arginine and ArgRc-L-citrulline protein-ligand complexes and possibly to other transcriptional repressor-co-repressor systems as well.
Study on the physical and chemical composition of agro wastes for the production of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural

Shamsul NS, Kamarudin SK, Rahman NA

Bioresour Technol, 2018 Jan;247:821-828.
PMID: 30060418 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2017.09.140

Treated sludge, goat manure, sugarcane bagasse, empty fruit bunches of oil palm (EFBP) and dry leaves are agro wastes that have high potential for use as feedstocks for the production of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF). The focus of this study is to investigate the production of 5-HMF from agro wastes via co-hydrothermal (CHT) treatment and extraction. Present study include examine on agro waste's physical and chemical properties and also their thermal degradation behaviour. The analysis of the bio-oil products is conducted by FTIR and GC-MS. Co-hydrothermal experiments were conducted at a temperature of 300°C with an experimental time of 15min, followed by alcohol extraction. Highest carbon and hydrogen content are 45.94% and 6.49% (dry leaves) with maximum high heating value 18.39MJ/kg (dry leaves) and fix carbon value 6.60 (goat manure). Through CHT about 39% 5-HMF, 22.97% carboxylic acids, 0.97% of aromatic and 0.73% aldehyde obtained.
Fulltext Optimisation of stabiliser combinations in instant ice cream mix powder formulation via mixture design methodology

Abdul Razak, S. Z., Abd. Rahman, N. A., Baharuddin, A. S., Mohd Amin, N. A., Mat Johari, A., Mohammad Parid, D.

International Food Research Journal, 2019;26(6):1689-1698.
MyJurnal

The present work aimed at obtaining the optimum combination of stabilisers used in an
instant ice cream formulation. Instant ice cream mixes were formulated using milk protein,
fat, sucrose, stabilisers, emulsifiers and water. A basic formulation for ice cream mix was
prepared according to the process flow of instant ice cream. Three different stabilisers
mixtures, which were carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), carrageenan, and sodium alginate
used in 14 formulations were studied using mixture design methodology. Physical analyses on
meltdown rate, hardness, melted ice cream viscosity, and overrun were performed. The results
were compared with those of commercial instant ice cream to determine the acceptability and
quality of the final products. From the optimisation study, the recommended combination of
stabilisers was found to be 0.151% CMC and 0.149% sodium alginate. The optimised sample
had a higher viscosity of 0.17 Pa.s than the commercial one (0.16 Pa.s), which corresponded to
higher hardness thus indicating slower melting rate, which is a good texture for ice cream. The
overrun of the optimised sample was 108.33%, which is considered high. The high amount of
air, viscosity, and hardness resulted in a low melting rate of 0.22 g/min, which is desirable for
ice cream consumption. Based on sensory evaluation, the optimised instant ice cream was the
most preferred by panellists as compared to commercial sample.
Implementing primary eye care in private practises in Malaysia: the challenges faced by optometrists

Yahaya NA, Musa A, Azemin MZC, Rahman NAA

Med J Malaysia, 2023 May;78(3):357-363.
PMID: 37271846

OBJECTIVE: In Malaysia, optometrists' role in the private sector is limited compared to their counterparts elsewhere. Primary eye care (PEC) is still not widely offered in private practises despite its demand to reduce the public's eye morbidity. This study aims to explore the challenges perceived by the private sector optometrists in implementing PEC in Malaysia.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: In-depth interview using semistructured open-ended questions were designed to explore the challenges of implementing PEC. Fifteen private optometrists across Malaysian were interviewed via purposive sampling until the data were saturated. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed.
RESULTS: Four major themes emerged: working environment, support and recognition, self-sufficiency and customer influence. The first major theme identified a lack of time and equipment in the workplace as a barrier to PEC implementation. The second major theme acknowledges the lack of support and recognition for PEC practise from financial bodies, the government, Malaysian Optical Council (MOC) and other eye professionals. Meanwhile, some practising optometrists faced significant challenges due to their lack of self-sufficiency regarding skills, knowledge and confidence. The final major theme, customer influence, reflects the customer's role in shaping eye care delivery through their perception and acceptance of PEC.
CONCLUSION: Each of the issues identified played a significant impact in impeding PEC implementation in Malaysia. This study is the first step toward developing tailored interventions to improve eye care delivery in Malaysia.
The sternalis muscle in cadavers: anatomical facts and clinical significance

Rahman NA, Das S, Maatoq Sulaiman I, Hlaing KP, Haji Suhaimi F, Latiff AA, et al.

Clin Ter, 2009;160(2):129-31.
PMID: 19452102

The sternalis is an anomalous muscle located in the anterior wall of thorax and several past reports have described its presence with clinical implications. The sternalis muscle may be incidentally detected during routine cadaveric dissections and autopsies. We observed the presence of anomalous sternalis muscle on both sides of the anterior chest wall in 25 cadavers (n = 50), over a span of three years. Out of a 50 cases, we observed a single case of sternalis on the right side of the 55-year-old male cadaver (2%). The sternalis was found to be absent in the rest 49 cases (98%). The sternalis muscle displayed an oblique course in the anterior wall of the thorax. The muscle originated near the seventh costal cartilage extending obliquely upwards to insert into the second costal cartilage close to the sternum. The originating portion of the muscle was located at a distance of 3.5 cm lateral to the mid-sternal plane. The vertical length and the maximum width of the anomalous sternalis muscle measured 9 cm and 1.9 cm, respectively. The fibers of the muscle vertically ascended upwards. No other associated anomalies were observed in the same cadaver. The presence of sternalis muscle is considered to be a rare variation with no earlier studies being performed in the Malaysian population. The anomalous sternalis muscle may be important for reconstructive surgeons performing mastectomy and radiologists interpreting mammograms. Thus, the sternalis muscle may be academically, anthropologically and surgically important.
Maxillofacial trauma with emphasis on soft-tissue injuries in Malaysia

Hussaini HM, Rahman NA, Rahman RA, Nor GM, Ai Idrus SM, Ramli R

Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg, 2007 Sep;36(9):797-801.
PMID: 17630250

Soft-tissue injuries with or without facial bone involvement are the most common presentation following maxillofacial trauma. The objective of this study was to look at the distribution, pattern and type of soft-tissue injury in relation to aetiology. Records of patients over a period of 5 years (1998-2002), who sustained maxillofacial injuries and were treated at Kajang Hospital, a secondary referral hospital, were reviewed. Out of 313 patients with maxillofacial injuries, 295 patients sustained soft-tissue injuries. Males (79%) between 21 and 30 years old (34%) were the majority of patients. Road-traffic accident was the main cause of soft-tissue injuries (75%) with motorcycle accident being the most frequent (40%). The upper lips (23%) and the lower lips (18%) were the most common extraoral site involved, while the labial mucosa and sulcular areas, both accounting for 21%, were the most common intraoral sites. Stringent road-traffic regulations should be practiced in developing countries, as morbidity arising from road-traffic accidents poses a national economic and social problem.
Fulltext Screening of antiviral activities in medicinal plants extracts against dengue virus using dengue NS2B-NS3 protease assay

Rothan HA, Zulqarnain M, Ammar YA, Tan EC, Rahman NA, Yusof R

Trop Biomed, 2014 Jun;31(2):286-96.
PMID: 25134897 MyJurnal

Dengue virus infects millions of people worldwide and there is no vaccine or anti-dengue therapeutic available. Screening large numbers of medicinal plants for anti-dengue activities is an alternative strategy in order to find the potent therapeutic compounds. Therefore, this study was designed to identify anti-dengue activities in nineteen medicinal plant extracts that are used in traditional medicine. Local medicinal plants Vernonia cinerea, Hemigraphis reptans, Hedyotis auricularia, Laurentia longiflora, Tridax procumbers and Senna angustifolia were used in this study. The highest inhibitory activates against dengue NS2B-NS3pro was observed in ethanolic extract of S. angustifolia leaves, methanolic extract of V. cinerea leaves and ethanol extract of T. procumbens stems. These findings were further verified by in vitro viral inhibition assay. Methanolic extract of V. cinerea leaves, ethanol extract of T. procumbens stems and at less extent ethanolic extract of S. angustifolia leaves were able to maintain the normal morphology of DENV2-infected Vero cells without causing much cytopathic effects (CPE). The percentage of viral inhibition of V. cinerea and T. procumbens extracts were significantly higher than S. angustifolia extract as measured by plaque formation assay and RT-qPCR. In conclusion, The outcome of this study showed that the methanolic extract of V. cinerea leaves and ethanol extract of T. procumbens stems possessed high inhibitory activates against dengue virus that worth more investigation.
Helicobacter pylori eradication with short-term therapy leads to duodenal ulcer healing without the need for continued acid suppression therapy

Goh KL, Navaratnam P, Peh SC, Wong NW, Chuah SY, Rahman NA, et al.

Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol, 1996 May;8(5):421-3.
PMID: 8804868

To determine whether duodenal ulcers continue to heal following successful Helicobacter pylori eradication with short-term eradication therapy without further acid suppression therapy.
Fulltext Mitigating mutual coupling effects on circular polarization for improved bandwidth in MIMO systems: A novel approach

Ali A, Yasin MNM, Adam I, Ismail AM, Jack SP, Alghaihab A, et al.

Heliyon, 2024 Mar 30;10(6):e27782.
PMID: 38524620 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27782

An improved mutual coupling compensation in circularly polarized (CP) multi-input multi-output (MIMO) dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) is presented in this paper. Using trimming approach, the mutual coupling (MC) between closely spaced DRA units at 0.3λ has been significantly reduced while axial ratio performance has been maintained. Mutual coupling reduction is obtained by trimming the DRA to ensure low mutual coupling below -20dB. The exclusive features of the proposed MIMO DRA include wide impedance matching bandwidth (BW), triple band circular polarization, and suppressed MC between the radiating elements. The impedance bandwidth matches perfectly with a triple band's 3 dB axial ratio (AR). It is designed with characteristic mode analysis with good agreement of the measurement that has been obtained. Using the probe feed method, the DRA and patch strip are coupled together to allow bandwidth widening of the pro-posed DRA. An impedance bandwidth of 34% at a lower frequency to around 2% at a higher frequency was achieved in all resonance frequencies. Thus, we refer to our newly designed DRA as a proposed method for effectively reducing the mutual coupling between DRAs. Additionally, the 3 dB AR bandwidth matched at 3.3 GHz, 4.6 GHz, and 6.3 GHz with a percentage of 11.66%, 3.04%, and 2.22% obtained at the three different frequencies. Note that the proposed DRA exhibits low mutual coupling (below -20 dB) at the targeted frequencies, which is suitable for better signal reception for MIMO applications. By computing, the metrics envelop correlation coefficient, diversity gain, channel capacity loss, and total active reflection coefficient, the MIMO performance of the proposed antenna is verified. The experiments show a close result between simulated and computed validation of the proposed DRA.