Examining the Policy Agenda on Food Security: A Question of Food Availability in Malaysia

( Mohamed,Ahmad Martadha ),( Damin,Zahrul Akmal ),( Kim,Pan Suk ) 한국외국어대학교 동남아연구소 2015 東南亞硏究 Vol.25 No.1

Food security implies the ability of the country to ensure a stable supply for domestic consumption. To achieve that, the Malaysian Federal Government has to allocate a certain percentage of the national budget for food production. Within this framework, this article attempts to examine policies regarding food security in Malaysia. Since the Malaysian government initiated agricultural policies to provide sustainable food production, the percentage of budgetary allocation for food has varied substantially over the years. Prior to the establishment of the industrial policy, the budgetary allocation for food related policies was quite high. However, the influence of global warming as well as a series of catastrophic events in food producing nations such as Thailand and Australia has forced Malaysia to relook at its food security agenda. Using a content analysis method, based on the documents of the Malaysia economic development plans, this paper first explores government policies on food and agriculture. Then, the paper examines how these policies affect the balance of trade in regards to food availability in terms of three major commodities (rice, fruit, and vegetables). Finally, the researchers analyze the future direction of Malaysia in regards to the food security agenda focusing on food availability. It is hopeful that the recommendations will help policymakers formulate agricultural policies which can help the country to sustain its food production and at the same time protect the country from any unforeseen circumstances relating to food security issues.

Effect of acute pentylenetetrazol injection induced epileptic seizures on rat dentate gyrus at different postnatal ages

Heba K,Mohamed1,Sohair A,Eltony 대한해부학회 2020 Anatomy & Cell Biology Vol.53 No.1

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders, its prevalence approximately from 0.5% to 2% of the general population. Generalized seizures could lead to several morphological changes in the brain. This study aimed to investigate the morphological effects of a single convulsive dose of pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) on rat dentate gyrus at different postnatal ages. Thirty-six male Wistar rats were used at the following postnatal ages: P10, P21, and P90 (12 rats per each age). The animals in each age were equally divided into two groups: group I, control and group II, treated with a single intraperitoneal injection of PTZ (55 mg/kg). After confirmation of generalized tonic-clonic seizures, specimens from the right dentate gyrus were processed for light and electron microscopy. In PTZ-treated groups, the number of granule cells significantly decreased. Dark granule cells appeared in the deep layers of the granule cells in P10 and with the progress of age, they significantly increased in number and extended into the superficial layers of the granule cells. The dendritic spines diminished. Glial fibrillary acidic protein and caspase-3 expression increased. Ultrastructurally, granule cells showed irregular shaped nucleus, dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) cisternae, mitochondria with damaged cristae, large vacuoles, lysosomes, and lipofuscin granules. Dark granule cells characterized by electron-dense nucleus and cytoplasm containing disorganized Golgi bodies, swollen mitochondria with damaged cristae, numerous free ribosomes and few long strands of RER. Astrocytes had hypertrophied cell body. Acute treatment with PTZ-induced epileptic seizures caused toxic effect on the structure of rat dentate gyrus at different postnatal ages.

The Role of Small and Medium Enterprises in Achieving Economic Goals of the Vision of Saudi Arabia 2030

Mohammed Ali Mohamed Ahmed ALI(Mohammed Ali Mohamed Ahmed ALI ),Ahmed Saied Rahama ABDALLAH(Ahmed Saied Rahama ABDALLAH ),SalimAhmed Mohamed AlSHEHRI(SalimAhmed Mohamed AlSHEHRI ) 한국유통과학회 2023 The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Busine Vol.10 No.2

This research aims to identify the role that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can play in achieving the economic goals of the vision of Saudi Arabia 2030. The study relied on descriptive analysis, designing a standard model, and analyzing it using the Eviews9 program. The study also adopted the questionnaire as a tool for data collection. The study area covered Alkharj and Hawtat Bani Tamim governorates. The sample size of the study was 142 participants. The study’s results confirmed the existence of a significant impact of changes in independent variables (X1, X2, X3, X4), which are (GDP, non-oil exports, number of employees, and public revenues), respectively. The dependent variable (Y) represents the number of small and medium-sized businesses in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Additionally, it was found that 61.3% of small and medium-sized enterprises in the governorates of Al-Kharj and Hawtat Bani Tamim operate in the commercial sector. Most study participants concur that SMEs significantly lowered the unemployment rate and helped boost the GDP rate in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The obstacles and difficulties facing the establishment of these enterprises were financial problems, marketing problems, and corporate monopoly. Furthermore, most of the small and medium l enterprises faced financing problems.

Butyrate regulates leptin expression through different signaling pathways in adipocytes

Mohamed Mohamed Soliman,Mohamed Mohamed Ahmed,Alaa-eldin Salah-eldin,Abeer Abdel-Alim Abdel-Aal 대한수의학회 2011 Journal of Veterinary Science Vol.12 No.4

Leptin is an adipocytokine that regulates body weight, and maintains energy homeostasis by promoting reduced food intake and increasing energy expenditure. Leptin expression and secretion is regulated by various factors including hormones and fatty acids. Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid that acts as source of energy in humans. We determined whether this fatty acid can play a role in leptin expression in fully differentiated human adipocytes. Mature differentiated adipocytes were incubated with or without increasing concentrations of butyrate. RNA was extracted and leptin mRNA expression was examined by Northern blot analysis. Moreover, the cells were incubated with regulators that may affect signals which may alter leptin expression and analyzed with Northern blotting. Butyrate stimulated leptin expression, and stimulated mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phospho-CREB signaling in a time-dependent manner. Prior treatment of the cells with signal transduction inhibitors as pertusis toxin, Gi protein antagonist, PD98059 (a MAPK inhibitor), and wortmannin (a PI3K inhibitor) abolished leptin mRNA expression. These results suggest that butyrate can regulate leptin expression in humans at the transcriptional level. This is accomplished by: 1) Gi protein-coupled receptors specific for short-chain fatty acids, and 2) MAPK and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathways.

Feasibility and efficacy of erector spinae plane block versus transversus abdominis plane block in laparoscopic bariatric surgery: a randomized comparative trial

Elshazly Mohamed,EL-Halafawy Yasser Mohamed,Mohamed Dina Zakaria,Wahab Khaled Abd El,Mohamed Tamer Mohamed Kheir 대한마취통증의학회 2022 Korean Journal of Anesthesiology Vol.75 No.6

Background: Overweight and obesity are growing public health concerns worldwide. Bariatric surgery is a modality of weight reduction; however, postoperative pain can increase the length of hospital stay, with all the associated consequences. While regional anesthesia is an available option, the feasibility of performing abdominal wall blocks on patients with obesity is questionable. Methods: Sixty adult patients with a body mass index of 40–50 kg/m2 undergoing laparoscopic bariatric surgery were randomly assigned to receive either an ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane (TAP) or erector spinae plane (ESP) block. The primary outcome was the analgesic effect in the first 24 h postoperatively, assessed using the mean visual analog scale (VAS) score. Secondary outcomes were the time required for a successful block, incidence of complications, time to first rescue analgesia, time to flatus or stool passage, and total opioid consumption. Results: The mean VAS score during the first 24 h was higher with the TAP block than with the ESP block (2.78 ± 0.34 vs. 2.32 ± 0.12, P < 0.001). Additionally, the time to first rescue analgesia was greater with the ESP block (P = 0.001) and the time required for a successful block was higher with the TAP block (P = 0.001). However, the incidence of complications, total opioid consumption, and other secondary outcomes was similar between the groups. Conclusions: Compared with the TAP block, the bilateral ESP block is a more feasible and effective method for intra- and postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing laparoscopic bariatric surgery.

Malaysian pharmacy students’ perspectives on the virtual objective structured clinical examination during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic

Mohamed Hassan Elnaem,Muhammad Eid Akkawi,Nor Ilyani Mohamed Nazar,Norny Syafinaz Ab Rahman,Mohamad Haniki Nik Mohamed 한국보건의료인국가시험원 2021 보건의료교육평가 Vol.18 No.-

Purpose: This study investigated pharmacy students’ perceptions of various aspects of virtual objective structured clinical examinations (vOSCEs) conducted during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in Malaysia. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved third- and fourth-year pharmacy students at the International Islamic University Malaysia. A validated self-administered questionnaire was distributed to students who had taken a vOSCE a week before. Results: Out of the 253 students who were approached, 231 (91.3%) completed the questionnaire. More than 75% of the participants agreed that the instructions and preparations were clear and helpful in familiarizing them with the vOSCE flow. It was found that 53.2% of the respondents were satisfied with the flow and conduct of the vOSCE. However, only approximately one-third of the respondents believed that the tasks provided in the vOSCE were more convenient, less stressful, and easier to perform than those in the conventional OSCE. Furthermore, 49.7% of the students favored not having a vOSCE in the future when conducting a conventional OSCE becomes feasible again. Internet connection was reported as a problem hindering the performance of the vOSCE by 51.9% of the participants. Students who were interested in clinical pharmacy courses were more satisfied than other students with the preparation and operation of the vOSCE, the faculty support, and the allocated time. Conclusion: Students were satisfied with the organization and operation of the vOSCE. However, they still preferred the conventional OSCE over the vOSCE. These findings might indicate a further need to expose students to telehealthcare models.

Anthocyanins Extracted from Grapes as Green Corrosion Inhibitors for Tin Metal in Citric Acid Solution

Mohamed, Mervate Mohamed,Alsaiari, Raiedhah,Al-Qadri, Fatima A.,Shedaiwa, Iman Mohammad,Alsaiari, Mabkhoot,Musa, Esraa Mohamed,Alkorbi, Faeza,Alkorbi, Ali S. The Corrosion Science Society of Korea 2022 Corrosion Science and Technology Vol.21 No.5

Cyclic Voltammetry and weight loss measurements were used to investigate corrosion prevention of tin in a 0.5M citric acid solution containing Anthocyanins extracted from grapes at various concentrations and temperatures. Results showed that the investigated chemicals, Anthocyanins extracted from grapes, performed well as tin corrosion inhibitors in 0.5M citric acid. Increasing the concentration of Anthocyanins increased their corrosion inhibition efficiencies. When the temperature dropped, their inhibition efficiencies, increased indicating that higher temperature tin dissolution predominated the adsorption of Anthocyanins at the surface of tin metal. When inhibitor concentrations were increased, their inhibition efficiencies were also increased. These results revealed that corrosion of tin metal was inhibited by a mixed type of adsorption on the metal surface. The adsorption isotherm of Langmuir governed the adsorption of Anthocyanins. Thermodynamic parameters such as the enthalpy of adsorption, the entropy of adsorption, and Gibbs free energy and kinetic parameters such as activation energy, enthalpy of activation, and entropy of activation were computed and discussed in this study.

Model development for mechanical properties and weld quality class of friction stir welding using multi-objective Taguchi method and response surface methodology

Mohamed Ackiel Mohamed,Yupiter HP Manurung,Mohamed Nor Berhan 대한기계학회 2015 JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Vol.29 No.6

This study presents the effect of the governing parameters in friction stir welding (FSW) on the mechanical properties and weld qualityof a 6mm thick 6061 T651 Aluminum alloy butt joint. The main FSW parameters, the rotational and traverse speed were optimized basedon multiple mechanical properties and quality features, which focus on the tensile strength, hardness and the weld quality class using themulti-objective Taguchi method (MTM). Multi signal to noise ratio (MSNR) was employed to determine the optimum welding parametersfor MTM while further analysis concerning the significant level determination was accomplished via the well-established analysis ofvariance (ANOVA). Furthermore, the first order model for predicting the mechanical properties and weld quality class is derived byapplying response surface methodology (RSM). Based on the experimental confirmation test, the proposed method can effectively estimatethe mechanical properties and weld quality class which can be used to enhance the welding performance in FSW or other applications.

Mohamed Mustafa Ahmed Younus: The Impact of the Environment on Child Language Acquisition

( Mohamed Mustafa Ahmed Younus ) 한국외국어대학교 중동연구소 2014 중동연구 Vol.33 No.1

Interested in the subject to study the impact of the environment surrounding the child in language acquisition, where it displays a summary of some of the environmental factors that speed up the acquisition of child language or slow down in it, to confirm that a child - any child - is able to acquire any language of humanity, only that the child live in a society linguist speaks this language, also confirmed that the mother had a significant impact very into it, especially in the early stages of a child, this may be impact positively or negatively on the role of the mother may be a mother too in dealing with her child, which adversely affect the acquisition of her language may be spoiled his impact and one in both of which, it is slow to gain a child`s language, but the ideal mother is doing its part with the child, where mating between the happiness of the child and the educated. The research aims to find the difference between language acquisition and learning. Language acquisition: a spontaneous process is carried out by the child inadvertently or choose, and be in the context of an informal language acquisition and their practice. The learning: it is a process in which the child deliberately optional collection of language in formal dress learns the rules of the language was intended for and awareness of, and directly. The research aims to find out the factors that help the child to language acquisition and development, and the role of environmental factors in the acquisition of language; the child and that he was prepared to acquire any language and has adequate tools to complete this process, as it has the inherent ability to acquire language, and has centers cerebral that qualify for it , and members of pronunciation which actually translate this ability, but it can never, to acquire the language that has the tools in advance, and is qualified to acquire, unless you lived in the linguistic environment enabled him to this acquisition. The research found some of the results of the most important: to prove that there is a difference between language acquisition and learning, and that there are factors that help the child to acquire language and its growth, the most important of the surrounding environment where the children have a significant impact on it.

Ductile damage prediction of AA 5754 sheet during cold forming condition

Mohamed Amer,Mostafa Shazly,Mohamed Mohamed,Abdel Aziz Hegazy 대한기계학회 2020 JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Vol.34 No.10

Aluminium sheet parts manufactured by cold-forming processes are subjected to ductile damage due to the plastic deformation. Tool design based on the experience and failure prediction using simple criteria in sheet metal forming can cause high cost of material scrap and tools modifications. Consequently, the ability to predict ductile damage gives full control of the forming process. This work was conducted to evaluate the predictive capability of different damage models for AA 5754 under cold forming condition. The models are calibrated using published tensile and forming limit diagram data for AA 5754. A set of experimental cup tests for AA 5754 sheet were conducted to validate the selected models. An FE model was developed to simulate the cup test process using LS-DYNA software. The selected models used were the Johnson-Cook, continuum damage model (CDM), Gurson model and the generalized incremental stress state-dependent model (GISSMO) model. The experimental results of the cup tests were compared with the simulation results from different damage models concluding that the Gissmo model was able to show a good agreement with the experimental results.