The heart is a sophisticated functional organ that plays a crucial role in the blood circulatory system. Hemodynamics within the heart chamber can be indicative of exert cardiac health. Due to the limitations of current cardiac imaging modalities, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) have been widely used for the purposes of cardiac function assessment and heart disease diagnosis, as they provide detailed insights into the cardiac flow field. An understanding of ventricular hemodynamics and pathological severities can be gained through studies that employ the CFD method. In this research the hemodynamics of two common myocardial diseases, dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and myocardial infarction (MI) were investigated, during both the filling phase and the whole cardiac cycle, through a prescribed geometry and fluid structure interaction (FSI) approach. The results of the research indicated that early stage disease identification and the improvement of cardiac assisting devices and therapeutic procedures can be facilitated through the use of the CFD method.
To identify the effect of additional elastic force on the kinetic and kinematic characteristics, as well as the magnitude of leg stiffness, during the performance of accentuated countermovement jumps (CMJs).
Cataract, a leading cause of blindness, is characterized by lenticular opacities resulting from denaturation of lens proteins due to activation of calcium-dependent enzyme, calpain. Magnesium (Mg(2+)) plays an important role not only in maintaining a low lenticular calcium (Ca(2+)) and sodium concentration but also in preserving the lens redox status. Taurine has also been shown to reduce lenticular oxidative stress. Present study evaluated the anticataract effects of magnesium taurate in vivo and in vitro. Among the five groups of 9 Sprague Dawley rats each, two groups received 30% galactose diet with topical (GDMT) or oral treatment (GDMO) with magnesium taurate. Two groups received 30% galactose diet with topical (GDT) or oral vehicle (GDO). Remaining 1 group received normal diet (ND). Weekly slit lamp examination was done during 21 days experimental period and then all rats were sacrificed; Ca/Mg ratio and antioxidant parameters including reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were measured in the isolated lenses using ELISA. In the in vitro study, 2 groups of 10 normal rat lenses were incubated in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM) with galactose while 1 similar group was incubated in DMEM without galactose. In one of the groups, galactose containing medium was supplemented with magnesium taurate. After 48 h of incubation, lenses were photographed and Ca(2+)/Mg(2+) ratio and antioxidant parameters were measured as for in vivo study. The in vivo study, at the end of experimental period, demonstrated delay in the development of cataract with a mean opacity index of 0.53 ± 0.04 and 0.51 ± 0.03 in GDMO (p < 0.05 versus GDO) and GDMT (p < 0.01 versus GDT) respectively. Histopathological grading showed a lower mean value in treated groups, however, the differences from corresponding controls were not significant. Lenticular Ca(2+)/Mg(2+) ratio with a mean value of 1.20 ± 0.26 and 1.05 ± 0.26 in GDMO and GDMT was significantly lower than corresponding controls (p < 0.05) and in GDMT no significant difference was observed from ND. Lenticular GSH and catalase activities were significantly lower and SOD activity was significantly higher in all galactose fed groups. However, in GDMT, GSH and catalase were significantly higher than corresponding control with mean values of 0.96 ± 0.30 μmol/gm lens weight and 56.98 ± 9.86 μmol/g lens protein respectively (p < 0.05 for GSH and p < 0.01 for catalase). SOD activity with mean values of 13.05 ± 6.35 and 13.27 ± 7.61 units/mg lens protein in GDMO and GDMT respectively was significantly lower compared to corresponding controls (p < 0.05) signifying lesser upregulation of SOD due to lesser oxidative stress in treated groups. In the in vitro study, lenses incubated in magnesium taurate containing medium showed less opacity and a lower mean Ca(2+)/Mg(2+) ratio of 1.64 ± 0.03, which was not significantly different from lenses incubated in DMEM without galactose. Lens GSH and catalase activities were restored to normal in lenses incubated in magnesium taurate containing medium. Both in vivo and in vitro studies demonstrated that treatment with magnesium taurate delays the onset and progression of cataract in galactose fed rats by restoring the lens Ca(2+)/Mg(2+) ratio and lens redox status.
The effects of thermochemical pretreatment and continuous thermophilic conditions on the composting of a mixture of rice straw residue and cattle manure were investigated using a laboratory-scale composting reactor. Results indicate that the composting period of rice straw can be shortened to less than 10 days by applying alkali pre-treatment and continuous thermophilic composting conditions. The parameters obtained on day 9 of this study are similar to the criteria level published by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. The moisture content, organic matter reduction, pH level, electrical conductivity, total organic carbon reduction, soluble chemical oxygen demand reduction, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, and germination index were 62.07%, 16.99%, 7.30%, 1058 μS/cm, 17.00%, 83.43%, 2.06%, 16.75%, and 90.33%, respectively. The results of this study suggest that the application of chemical-biological integrated processes under thermophilic conditions is a novel method for the rapid degradation and maturation of rice straw residue.
Aggressive angiomyxoma is a benign soft tissue tumour usually affecting the pelvis and perineum predominantly in women. Because of its variable presentation, this tumour is often clinically misdiagnosed as liposarcoma. We describe a case of a 38-year-old woman who presented with a large perineal and gluteal mass which increased in size in one year. Ultrasound showed hypoechoic mixed solid and cystic mass. Contrasted CT and MRI examinations showed typical appearance of swirling and layering pattern. She had undergone TAHBSO as the mass was difficult to dissect intra-operatively. The post-operative specimen confirmed to be an aggressive angiomyxoma.
Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were prepared by bulk polymerization in acetonitrile using 2,4-dinitrophenol, acrylamide, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, and benzoyl peroxide, as the template, functional monomer, cross-linker, and initiator, respectively. The MIP membrane was prepared by hybridization of MIP particles with cellulose acetate (CA) and polystyrene (PS) after being ground and sieved. The prepared MIP membrane was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The parameters studied for the removal of 2,4-dinitrophenol included the effect of pH, sorption kinetics, and the selectivity of the MIP membrane. Maximum sorption of 2,4-nitrophenol by the fabricated CA membrane with MIP (CA-MIP) and the PS membrane with MIP (PS-MIP) was observed at pH 7.0 and pH 5.0, respectively. The sorption of 2,4-dinitrophenol by CA-MIP and PS-MIP followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. For a selectivity study, 2,4-dichlorophenol, 3-chlorophenol, and phenol were selected as potential interferences. The sorption capability of CA-MIP and PS-MIP towards 2,4-dinitrophenol was observed to be higher than that of 2,4-dichlorophenol, 3-chlorophenol, or phenol.
Four pyrazole compounds, 3-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-phenyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole-1-carbaldehyde (1), 5-(4-bromophenyl)-3-(4-fluorophenyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole-1-carbaldehyde (2), 1-[5-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-(4-fluorophenyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-1-yl]ethanone (3) and 1-[3-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-phenyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-1-yl]propan-1-one (4), have been prepared by condensing chalcones with hydrazine hydrate in the presence of aliphatic acids, namely formic acid, acetic acid and propionic acid. The structures were characterized by X-ray single crystal structure determination. The dihedral angles formed between the pyrazole and the fluoro-substituted rings are 4.64(7)° in 1, 5.3(4)° in 2 and 4.89(6)° in 3. In 4, the corresponding angles for molecules A and molecules B are 10.53(10)° and 9.78(10)°, respectively.
β-Thalassemia is a public health problem where 4.5% of Malaysians are β-thalassemia carriers. The genetic disorder is caused by defects in the β-globin gene complex which lead to reduced or complete absence of β-globin chain synthesis. Five TaqMan genotyping assays were designed and developed to detect the common β-thalassemia mutations in Malaysian Malays. The assays were evaluated with 219 "blinded" DNA samples and the results showed 100% sensitivity and specificity. The in-house designed TaqMan genotyping assays were found to be cost- and time-effective for characterization of β-thalassemia mutations in the Malaysian population.
MeSH terms: Alleles; Base Sequence; DNA/genetics; DNA Mutational Analysis; Humans; Mutation/genetics*; Templates, Genetic; Reproducibility of Results; DNA Probes/metabolism*; beta-Thalassemia/genetics*; Taq Polymerase/metabolism*; High-Throughput Screening Assays/methods*; Genotyping Techniques
Vaginal vascular malformation (VVM) is rare. There are, in fact, less than ten cases reported to date. VVM often presents as a mass protruding from the vagina, mimicking pelvic organ prolapse (POP). It can coexist with POP, thereby usually exaggerating the severity of POP. We report a case of VVM in a premenopausal woman who presented as severe POP and urinary incontinence. The diagnosis was confirmed with computed tomography (CT) scan and angiography. The patient underwent conservative management with embolization. These procedures had to be repeated three times in 1.5 years due to lesion recurrence. In mitigation, conservative treatment eliminates the risks associated with surgery, e.g. massive hemorrhage and visceral injuries. It does, however, require a long course of treatment and follow-up.
Mast cells (MCs) are multifunctional effector cells that were originally thought to be involved in allergic disorders. Now it is known that they contain an array of mediators with a multitude of effects on many other cells. MCs have become a recent concern in drug-induced gingival overgrowth (DIGO), an unwanted outcome of systemic medication. Most of the studies have confirmed the significant presence of inflammation as a prerequisite for the overgrowth to occur. The inflammatory changes within the gingival tissue appear to influence the interaction between the inducing drug and the fibroblast activity. The development of antibodies to MC-specific enzymes, tryptase and chymase, has facilitated the study of mast cells in DIGO. Many immunohistochemical studies involving MCs have been conducted; as a result, DIGO tissues are found to have increased the number of MCs in the gingiva, especially in the area of fibrosis. At the cellular level, gingival fibrogenesis is initiated by several mediators which induce the recruitment of a large number of inflammatory cells, including MCs. The purpose of this paper is to access the roles played by MCs in gingival overgrowth to hypothesize a relationship between these highly specialized cells in the pathogenesis of DIGO.
Background. The CYP2C19∗2 allele may be associated with a reduced antiplatelet effect for clopidogrel. Here, we assessed whether CYP2C19∗2 alleles correlate with clopidogrel responsiveness following the administration of clopidogrel in healthy Malaysian volunteers. Methods. Ninety volunteers were genotyped for CYP2C19∗2 and CYP2C19∗3 alleles. Forty-five of 90 volunteers were included in the clopidogrel response studies and triaged into three genotypes, namely, CYP2C19∗1/∗1 (n = 17), CYP2C19∗1/∗2 (n = 21), and CYP2C19∗2/∗2 (n = 7). All subjects received 300 mg of clopidogrel, and platelet reactivity was assessed after a four-hour loading utilizing the VerifyNow-P2Y12 assay. Platelet activity was reported using P2Y12 reaction units (PRUs), and nonresponder status was prespecified at PRU ≥ 230. Results. Following clopidogrel intake, CYP2C19∗2/∗2 carriers had a significantly higher mean PRU compared to the CYP2C19∗1/∗2 and CYP2C19∗1/∗1 (291.0 ± 62.1 versus 232.5 ± 81.4 versus 147.4 ± 87.2 PRU, P < 0.001) carriers. Almost half of the participants (46.7%) were found to be nonresponders (3 were CYP2C19∗1/∗1, 11 were CYP2C19∗1/∗2, and 7 were CYP2C19∗2/∗2). Conclusion. In healthy Malaysian volunteers, CYP2C19∗2 allele was associated with a decrease in platelet responsiveness to clopidogrel. However, clopidogrel nonresponders can be found not only in the carriers of CYP2C19∗2/∗2, but also in the carriers of CYP2C19∗1/∗2 and CYP2C19∗1/∗1. The present paper demonstrated that genotype information does not correlate with clopidogrel response, and genotyping may represent a less robust approach compared to platelet activity testing in guiding clopidogrel therapy.
Tropical rainforests in South-East Asia have been affected by climatic fluctuations during past glacial eras. To examine how the accompanying changes in land areas and temperature have affected the genetic properties of rainforest trees in the region, we investigated the phylogeographic patterns of a widespread dipterocarp species, Shorea leprosula. Two types of DNA markers were used: expressed sequence tag-based simple sequence repeats and chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) sequence variations. Both sets of markers revealed clear genetic differentiation between populations in Borneo and those in the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra (Malay/Sumatra). However, in the south-western part of Borneo, genetic admixture of the lineages was observed in the two marker types. Coalescent simulation based on cpDNA sequence variation suggested that the two lineages arose 0.28-0.09 million years before present and that following their divergence migration from Malay/Sumatra to Borneo strongly exceeded migration in the opposite direction. We conclude that the genetic structure of S. leprosula was largely formed during the middle Pleistocene and was subsequently modified by eastward migration across the subaerially exposed Sunda Shelf.
Evidence suggests that probiotics reduce certain constipation-related symptoms. Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota has never been tested as treatment for functional constipation in otherwise-healthy subjects. To evaluate the efficacy of this probiotic among adults with functional constipation was aimed.
Boesenbergia rotunda (Roxb.) Schlecht (family zingiberaceae) is a rhizomatous herb that is distributed from north-eastern India to south-east Asia, especially in Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. Previous research has shown that the crude extract of this plant has cytotoxic properties. The current study examines the cytotoxic properties of boesenbergin A isolated from Boesenbergia rotunda.
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of Malaysian monofloral honey samples-acacia, pineapple and borneo honey-and compare them with tualang honey. Acacia and pineapple honey are produced by Apis mellifera bees while borneo and tualang honey are produced by Apis cerana and Apis dorsata bees, respectively.
Orthosiphon stamineus is a popular folk medicine widely used to treat many diseases including diabetes. Previous studies have shown that the sub-fraction of chloroform extract was able to inhibit the rise of blood glucose levels in a glucose tolerance test. This study was carried out to evaluate the chronic effect and possible mechanism of action of the bioactive chloroform sub-fraction of O. stamineus using streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and in vitro methods. Administration of the chloroform extract sub-fraction 2 (Cƒ2-b) at a dose of 1 g/kg twice daily on diabetic rats for 14 days showed a significant lowering (p < 0.05) of the final blood glucose level compared to the pretreatment level. However, there were no significant differences in the plasma insulin levels post-treatment compared to the pretreatment levels for all doses of Cƒ2-b. Conversely, Cƒ2-b at a concentration of 2 mg/mL significantly increased (p < 0.001) the glucose uptake by the rat diaphragm muscle. The increase in glucose uptake was also shown when the muscle was incubated in a solution containing 1 IU/mL of insulin or 1 mg/mL of metformin. Furthermore, the effect of this sub-fraction on glucose absorption in the everted rat jejunum showed that Cƒ2-b at concentrations of 0.5 mg/mL, 1 mg/mL and, 2 mg/mL significantly reduced the glucose absorption of the jejunum (p < 0.05-0.001). Similarly, the absorption of glucose was also inhibited by 1 mg/mL and 2 mg/mL of metformin (p < 0.001). These results suggest that the effect of Cƒ2-b may be due to extra-pancreatic mechanisms. There was no evidence that the plant extract stimulated the release of insulin in order to lower the blood glucose level.
The present study aimed to determine the hepatoprotective activity of a methanol extract of Melastoma malabathricum leaves (MEMM) using two established rat models. Ten groups of rats (n=6) were given a once-daily administration of 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (negative control), 200 mg/kg silymarin (positive control), or MEMM (50, 250, or 500 mg/kg) for 7 days followed by induction of hepatotoxicity either using paracetamol or carbon tetrachloride. Blood samples and livers were collected for biochemical and microscopic analysis. Based on the results obtained, MEMM exhibited a significant (p<0.05) hepatoprotective activity against both inducers, as indicated by an improvement in the liver function test. These observations were supported by the histologic findings. In conclusion, M. malabathricum leaves possessed hepatoprotective activity, which could be linked to their phytochemical constituents and antioxidant activity; this therefore requires further in-depth studies.
Phenolics are important phytochemicals which have positive effects on chronic diseases, including neurodegenerative ailments. The oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) is a rich source of water-soluble phenolics. This study was carried out to discover the effects of administering oil palm phenolics (OPP) to mice, with the aim of identifying whether these compounds possess significant neuroprotective properties.