RESEARCH ARTICLE | Aug. 30, 2017
Acanthaster planci Crown of Thorns (Starfish) - A Predatory Marine Invertebrate with a Commercial Wealth Viable Biomass of Natural Product Lead Compounds.
Farid Che. Ghazali, Alias A. Karim, Salizawati Muhamad Salhimi, Sirajudeen, K. N. S, Hisham Atan Edinur, Nur Hanim Zainudin
Page no 101-114 |
10.21276/sjbr
Increasing interest for availability of tangible, novel, added value and sustainable commercial exploitable of
nature therapeutic compounds including those derived from marine sources have enriched a long history of research into
Acanthaster planci Crown-of-thorns (COT) starfish biology, ecology, and the causes of their outbreaks. These are
important aspects for a sustainable commercial optimization and exploitation of Acanthaster planci COT especially for
health related agendas or therapeutic application. This manuscript thus seeks to outline present and future research
strategy and works pertinent to Acanthaster planci COT locally and global focused on evidence-based optimised
sustainable exploitation as well as refining management actions to improve the performance of control programs. Among
deuterostomes, the regenerative potential is maximally expressed in echinoderms such as the Acanthaster planci COT;
these animals can quickly replace most injured organs. In tandem to that, views for further gene related molecular
characterization and chemical analysis of potential cell mediated protein from these marine invertebrates that have
potential in medical and pharmaceutical therapeutics will be highlighted.
REVIEW ARTICLE | Sept. 30, 2017
Exposure to electromagnetic fields induces pathophysiological changes and oxidative stress in the cardiovascular system
Azab Elsayed Azab, Shaban Ali Ebrahim
Page no 115-121 |
10.21276/sjbr
This study aimed to highlight on the influence of exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) on the
cardiovascular system in humans and experimental animals, from the recent articles regarding the cardiovascular effects
of exposure to EMFs. EMFs might produce a variety of adverse in vivo effects such as heart problems, chest pain, and
cardiovascular system disorders. Previous studies showed that an association between elevated magnetic field exposure
and mortality of employer in electric utility industry jobs from arrhythmia-related causes and acute myocardial infarction
influence heart rate variability by changing autonomic balance. EMF exposure can affect structure and function of
cardiovascular system and may facilitate myocardial infarction by nuclear changing of cardiomyocytes. Exposure to
EMFs induced pain or pressure in the chest area, heart palpitations, and/or an irregular heart beat. The symptoms
resemble a heart attack and thus contribute to even more anxiety. Also, exposure to EMFs caused highly significant
increases in the activeties of serum creatinine phosphokinase, lactate dehydrogenase and aspartate amino-transferase
enzymes, and decreases in plasma calcium level and total anti-oxidant capacity. Rats exposed to EMF showed increases
in blood pressure, the absolute and relative whole heart and left ventricular weights. On the other hand, the heart rate was
significantly reduced in rats exposed to EMF.
RESEARCH ARTICLE | Sept. 30, 2017
Tasting Salt (Monosodium Glutamate) in Food Products: Discussion on Health Concerns and Ethical Business Practices
Nasrin Sultana Siddiqua
Page no 122-126 |
10.21276/sjbr
Tasting salt or Monosodium Glutamate was invented by the Japanese over a century ago. The flavour profile
known as Umami, or the fifth taste, after the four tastes of sweet, salty, sour and bitter, was discovered whilst working
with sea weed. Umami is a meaty taste that is naturally present in cheese and ripe tomatoes. For more than a 100 years,
the flavour of Umami has been artificially manufactured in factories all over the world, starting in Japan. The flavour
profile presented by tasting salt offers both packaged and non-packaged food producers with an affordable and openly
accessible alternative to flavouring their foods. Home cooks are also offered the product as they are able to openly
purchase the salt off the shelf. Hence, a lack of regulation. Presently, tasting salt is present in thousands of food items all
over the world, and its use is only increasing. Restaurants use the salt in their dishes as an inexpensive alternative to
building complex flavour profiles using meat stock. At the same time, health concerns about the product‟s wide spread
use have also been made apparent over the last two decades. Despite the legal system of almost all countries in the world
not having put any restriction on tasting salt, the use of the product has been shown to lead to serious health concerns for
humans. Hence, the need for ethical business practice to promote public health by going above and beyond legal
compliance.