Browse publications by year: 2018

  1. Thriemer K, Bobogare A, Ley B, Gudo CS, Alam MS, Anstey NM, et al.
    Malar J, 2018 Jun 20;17(1):241.
    PMID: 29925430 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-018-2380-8
    The goal to eliminate malaria from the Asia-Pacific by 2030 will require the safe and widespread delivery of effective radical cure of malaria. In October 2017, the Asia Pacific Malaria Elimination Network Vivax Working Group met to discuss the impediments to primaquine (PQ) radical cure, how these can be overcome and the methodological difficulties in assessing clinical effectiveness of radical cure. The salient discussions of this meeting which involved 110 representatives from 18 partner countries and 21 institutional partner organizations are reported. Context specific strategies to improve adherence are needed to increase understanding and awareness of PQ within affected communities; these must include education and health promotion programs. Lessons learned from other disease programs highlight that a package of approaches has the greatest potential to change patient and prescriber habits, however optimizing the components of this approach and quantifying their effectiveness is challenging. In a trial setting, the reactivity of participants results in patients altering their behaviour and creates inherent bias. Although bias can be reduced by integrating data collection into the routine health care and surveillance systems, this comes at a cost of decreasing the detection of clinical outcomes. Measuring adherence and the factors that relate to it, also requires an in-depth understanding of the context and the underlying sociocultural logic that supports it. Reaching the elimination goal will require innovative approaches to improve radical cure for vivax malaria, as well as the methods to evaluate its effectiveness.
    MeSH terms: Antimalarials/therapeutic use*; Asia; Humans; Pacific Islands; Plasmodium vivax/drug effects*; Primaquine/therapeutic use*; Malaria, Vivax/prevention & control*; Treatment Outcome
  2. Chung ELT, Predith M, Nobilly F, Samsudin AA, Jesse FFA, Loh TC
    Trop Anim Health Prod, 2018 Jun 20.
    PMID: 29926360 DOI: 10.1007/s11250-018-1641-4
    Brachiaria decumbens is an extremely productive tropical grass due to its aggressive growth habit and its adaptation to a varied range of soil types and environments. As a result of the vast availability, treated B. decumbens demonstrates as a promising local material that could be utilised as an improved diet for sheep and goats. Despite the fact that the grass significantly increases weight gains in grazing farm animals, there were many reports of general ill-thrift and sporadic outbreaks of photosensitivity in livestock due to the toxic compound of steroidal saponin found in B. decumbens. Ensiling and haymaking were found to be effective in removing toxin and undesirable compounds in the grass. Biological treatments using urea, activated charcoal, polyethylene glycol, and effective microorganisms were found to be useful in anti-nutritional factor deactivation and improving the nutritive values of feedstuffs. Besides, oral administration of phenobarbitone showed some degree of protection in sheep that fed on B. decumbens pasture. In this review, we aim to determine the effect of B. decumbens toxicity and possible treatment methods on the grass to be used as an improved diet for small ruminant.
    MeSH terms: Administration, Oral; Animals; Animals, Domestic; Charcoal; Diet; Disease Outbreaks; Environment; Goats; Poaceae; Habits; Nutritive Value; Phenobarbital; Polyethylene Glycols; Ruminants; Saponins; Sheep; Soil; Urea; Weight Gain; Brachiaria; Livestock
  3. Tafran K
    Hong Kong Med J, 2018 06;24(3):318-319.
    PMID: 29926801 DOI: 10.12809/hkmj187371
    MeSH terms: Hong Kong; Humans; Tissue and Organ Procurement*; Tissue Donors*
  4. Bonam SR, Wu YS, Tunki L, Chellian R, Halmuthur MSK, Muller S, et al.
    ChemMedChem, 2018 09 19;13(18):1854-1872.
    PMID: 29927521 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201800343
    Several modern treatment strategies have been adopted to combat cancer with the aim of minimizing toxicity. Medicinal plant-based compounds with the potential to treat cancer have been widely studied in preclinical research and have elicited many innovations in cutting-edge clinical research. In parallel, researchers have eagerly tried to decrease the toxicity of current chemotherapeutic agents either by combining them with herbals or in using herbals alone. The aim of this article is to present an update of medicinal plants and their bioactive compounds, or mere changes in the bioactive compounds, along with herbal edibles, which display efficacy against diverse cancer cells and in anticancer therapy. It describes the basic mechanism(s) of action of phytochemicals used either alone or in combination therapy with other phytochemicals or herbal edibles. This review also highlights the remarkable synergistic effects that arise between certain herbals and chemotherapeutic agents used in oncology. The anticancer phytochemicals used in clinical research are also described; furthermore, we discuss our own experience related to semisynthetic derivatives, which are developed based on phytochemicals. Overall, this compilation is intended to facilitate research and development projects on phytopharmaceuticals for successful anticancer drug discovery.
    MeSH terms: Antineoplastic Agents; Neoplasms; Plants, Medicinal; Research; Research Personnel; Phytochemicals
  5. Main BJ, Nicholson J, Winokur OC, Steiner C, Riemersma KK, Stuart J, et al.
    PLoS Negl Trop Dis, 2018 Jun;12(6):e0006524.
    PMID: 29927940 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006524
    Zika virus (ZIKV) has emerged since 2013 as a significant global human health threat following outbreaks in the Pacific Islands and rapid spread throughout South and Central America. Severe congenital and neurological sequelae have been linked to ZIKV infections. Assessing the ability of common mosquito species to transmit ZIKV and characterizing variation in mosquito transmission of different ZIKV strains is important for estimating regional outbreak potential and for prioritizing local mosquito control strategies for Aedes and Culex species. In this study, we evaluated the laboratory vector competence of Aedes aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus, and Culex tarsalis that originated in areas of California where ZIKV cases in travelers since 2015 were frequent. We compared infection, dissemination, and transmission rates by measuring ZIKV RNA levels in cohorts of mosquitoes that ingested blood meals from type I interferon-deficient mice infected with either a Puerto Rican ZIKV strain from 2015 (PR15), a Brazilian ZIKV strain from 2015 (BR15), or an ancestral Asian-lineage Malaysian ZIKV strain from 1966 (MA66). With PR15, Cx. quinquefasciatus was refractory to infection (0%, N = 42) and Cx. tarsalis was infected at 4% (N = 46). No ZIKV RNA was detected in saliva from either Culex species 14 or 21 days post feeding (dpf). In contrast, Ae. aegypti developed infection rates of 85% (PR15; N = 46), 90% (BR15; N = 20), and 81% (MA66; N = 85) 14 or 15 dpf. Although MA66-infected Ae. aegypti showed higher levels of ZIKV RNA in mosquito bodies and legs, transmission rates were not significantly different across virus strains (P = 0.13, Fisher's exact test). To confirm infectivity and measure the transmitted ZIKV dose, we enumerated infectious ZIKV in Ae. aegypti saliva using Vero cell plaque assays. The expectorated plaque forming units PFU varied by viral strain: MA66-infected expectorated 13±4 PFU (mean±SE, N = 13) compared to 29±6 PFU for PR15-infected (N = 13) and 35±8 PFU for BR15-infected (N = 6; ANOVA, df = 2, F = 3.8, P = 0.035). These laboratory vector competence results support an emerging consensus that Cx. tarsalis and Cx. quinquefasciatus are not vectors of ZIKV. These results also indicate that Ae. aegypti from California are efficient laboratory vectors of ancestral and contemporary Asian lineage ZIKV.
    MeSH terms: Zika Virus Infection/epidemiology; Zika Virus Infection/transmission*; Zika Virus Infection/virology; Zika Virus/genetics; Zika Virus/physiology*; Aedes/virology*; Animals; California/epidemiology; Cercopithecus aethiops; Culex/virology*; Humans; Interferon Type I/deficiency; Interferon Type I/immunology; Mosquito Control; RNA, Viral/isolation & purification*; Saliva/virology; Vero Cells; Mice; Mosquito Vectors/virology*
  6. Huwaidi A, Pathak N, Syahir A, Ikeno S
    Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 2018 09 05;503(2):910-914.
    PMID: 29928878 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.06.095
    Ultraviolet (UV) radiation causes damage in all living organisms, including DNA damage that leads to cell death. Herein, we provide a new technique for UV radiation protection through intracellular short peptide expression. The late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) peptide, which functions as a shield that protects macromolecules from various abiotic stress, was obtained from the Polypedilum vanderplanki group 3 LEA protein. Recombinant Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) expressing functional LEA short peptide in vivo were exposed to UVA and UVC radiation for 4, 6, and 8 h. E. coli transformants expressing the LEA peptide showed higher cell viability under both UVA and UVC treatment at all time points as compared with that of the control. Furthermore, the cells expressing LEA peptide showed a higher number of colony-forming units per dilution under UVA and UVC treatment. These results suggested that expression of the short peptide could be useful for the development of genetically modified organisms and in applications that require resilience of organisms to UV radiation.
    MeSH terms: Adaptation, Physiological/genetics; Adaptation, Physiological/radiation effects*; Animals; Chironomidae/genetics; Escherichia coli/genetics; Escherichia coli/radiation effects*; Genetic Engineering/methods; Peptides/genetics*; Ultraviolet Rays*; Gene Expression*; Transgenes/genetics; Insect Proteins/genetics*; Microbial Viability/genetics; Microbial Viability/radiation effects
  7. Colley HE, Said Z, Santocildes-Romero ME, Baker SR, D'Apice K, Hansen J, et al.
    Biomaterials, 2018 09;178:134-146.
    PMID: 29929183 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.06.009
    Oral lichen planus (OLP) and recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) are chronic inflammatory conditions often characterised by erosive and/or painful oral lesions that have a considerable impact on quality of life. Current treatment often necessitates the use of steroids in the form of mouthwashes, creams or ointments, but these are often ineffective due to inadequate drug contact times with the lesion. Here we evaluate the performance of novel mucoadhesive patches for targeted drug delivery. Electrospun polymeric mucoadhesive patches were produced and characterised for their physical properties and cytotoxicity before evaluation of residence time and acceptability in a human feasibility study. Clobetasol-17-propionate incorporated into the patches was released in a sustained manner in both tissue-engineered oral mucosa and ex vivo porcine mucosa. Clobetasol-17 propionate-loaded patches were further evaluated for residence time and drug release in an in vivo animal model and demonstrated prolonged adhesion and drug release at therapeutic-relevant doses and time points. These data show that electrospun patches are adherent to mucosal tissue without causing tissue damage, and can be successfully loaded with and release clinically active drugs. These patches hold great promise for the treatment of oral conditions such as OLP and RAS, and potentially many other oral lesions.
    MeSH terms: Adhesives/pharmacology*; Animals; Clobetasol/pharmacology*; Humans; Mouth Mucosa/drug effects*; Mucus/chemistry*; Swine; Time Factors; Drug Delivery Systems*; Cell Death/drug effects; Rats
  8. Patel RP, Shastri MD, Ming LC, Zaidi STR, Peterson GM
    Front Pharmacol, 2018;9:586.
    PMID: 29922163 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00586
    Lichen planus (LP) is an uncommon mucocutaneous inflammatory condition, that is immunologically mediated, typically pruritic and often recurs. The currently advocated therapies are either not highly effective or associated with severe side effects. Enoxaparin, a widely used anticoagulant, is composed of both anticoagulant and non-anticoagulant fragments. Enoxaparin is reported to have anti-inflammatory properties and it was found to be effective in LP. However, the results from clinical studies have varied substantially and, therefore, the clinical role of enoxaparin in LP remains uncertain. This review focuses on potential reasons for the reported inconsistent outcomes, as well as proposing solutions; these include identifying batch-to-batch inconsistency in the composition of enoxaparin. The potential therapeutic value of enoxaparin in LP must be explored using well-designed clinical trials, combined with experimental studies that focus on identifying the anti-inflammatory fragments of enoxaparin and elucidating the mechanism of action of these non-anticoagulant fragments.
  9. Chee HT, Wan Bakar WZ, Ghani ZA, Amaechi BT
    Dent Res J (Isfahan), 2018 6 21;15(3):215-219.
    PMID: 29922341
    Background: Composite resin (CR) currently is one of the most commonly used material in restoring noncarious cervical lesions (NCCL) due to its strength and esthetics color but has microleakage problem. The aim of this study is to compare in vitro the microleakage depth between CR and porcelain in restoring NCCL.

    Materials and Methods: This an in vitro study was done by preparing cavities on the buccocervical surface of 62 extracted premolar teeth which randomly assigned to two groups (n = 31) where Group 1 was restored with nanocomposite and Group 2 was cemented with porcelain cervical inlays. They were then subjected to thermocycling before immersion in 2% methylene blue dye for 24 h. Dye penetration depths were measured using Leica imaging system For statistical analysis, independent t-test was used to analyze the results (P < 0.05).

    Results: Porcelain cervical inlay restorations demonstrated statistically lesser microleakage depth for the cervical margins (P = 0.018) when compared to CR. Deeper microleakage depth at the cervical compared to coronal margins of CR (P = 0.006) but no significant difference of both margins for porcelain cervical inlays (P = 0.600).

    Conclusion: Porcelain cervical inlays show lesser microleakage than CR which could be alternative treatment option in restoring NCCL with better marginal seal and esthetics.

    MeSH terms: Bicuspid; Composite Resins; Dental Cavity Preparation; Dental Cementum; Dental Porcelain; Esthetics; Inlays; Methylene Blue; Nanocomposites
  10. Mohd Nor NS, Fong CY, Rahmat K, Vanessa Lee WM, Zaini AA, Jalaludin MY
    Eur Endocrinol, 2018 Apr;14(1):59-61.
    PMID: 29922355 DOI: 10.17925/EE.2018.14.1.59
    Cerebral oedema is the most common neurological complication of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). However, ischaemic and haemorrhagic brain injury has been reported infrequently. A 10-year old girl who was previously well presented with severe DKA. She was tachycardic with poor peripheral perfusion but normotensive. However, two fast boluses totalling 40 ml/kg normal saline were given. She was transferred to another hospital where she was intubated due to drowsiness. Rehydration fluid (maintenance and 48-hour correction for 7.5% dehydration) was started followed by insulin infusion. She was extubated within 24 hours of admission. Her ketosis resolved soon after and subcutaneous insulin was started. However, about 48 hours after admission, her Glasgow Coma Scale score dropped to 11/15 (E4M5V2) with expressive aphasia and upper motor neuron signs. One dose of mannitol was given. Her symptoms improved gradually and at 26-month follow-up she had a near-complete recovery with only minimal left lower limb weakness. Serial magnetic resonance imaging brain scans showed vascular ischaemic injury at the frontal-parietal watershed regions with haemorrhagic transformation. This case reiterates the importance of monitoring the neurological status of patient's with DKA closely for possible neurological complications including an ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke.
    MeSH terms: Aphasia, Broca; Brain Edema; Brain Injuries; Child; Dehydration; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1; Female; Fluid Therapy; Follow-Up Studies; Frontal Lobe; Humans; Insulin; Ketosis; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Malaysia; Mannitol; Motor Neurons; Parietal Lobe; Sleep Stages; Glasgow Coma Scale; Diabetic Ketoacidosis; Stroke; Lower Extremity
  11. Ming CR, Ban Yu-Lin A, Abdul Hamid MF, Latif MT, Mohammad N, Hassan T
    Respirology, 2018 10;23(10):914-920.
    PMID: 29923364 DOI: 10.1111/resp.13325
    BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The Southeast Asia (SEA) haze is an annual problem and at its worst could produce respirable particles of concentrations up to 500 μg/m3 which is five times the level considered as 'unhealthy'. However, there are limited reports examining the direct clinical impact of the annual haze. This study examines the effects of the SEA haze on respiratory admissions.

    METHODS: Data from all respiratory admissions in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC) from 1st January 2014 to 31st December 2015 were collected retrospectively from chart and electronic database. A total of 16 weeks of haze period had been formally dated by the Department of Environment using the definition of weather phenomenon leading to atmospheric visibility of less than 10 km. Multivariable regression analyses were performed to estimate rate ratios and 95% CI.

    RESULTS: There were 1968 subjects admitted for respiratory admissions in UKMMC during the study period. Incidence rates per week were significantly different between the two groups with 27.6 ± 9.2 cases per week during the haze versus 15.7 ± 6.7 cases per week during the non-haze period (P < 0.01). A total of 4% versus 2% was admitted to the intensive care unit in the haze and the non-haze groups, respectively (P = 0.02). The mean ± SD lengths of stay was 12.1 ± 5.2 days; the haze group had a longer stay (18.2 ± 9.7 days) compared to the non-haze groups (9.7 ± 3.9) (P < 0.001).

    CONCLUSION: The annual SEA haze is associated with increased respiratory admissions.

    MeSH terms: Academic Medical Centers; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Air Pollution*; Female; Humans; Length of Stay; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Patient Admission/statistics & numerical data*; Respiratory Tract Diseases/epidemiology*; Retrospective Studies; Seasons; Incidence; Particulate Matter*
  12. An S, Judge RB, Wong RH, Arzmi MH, Palamara JE, Dashper SG
    Aust Dent J, 2018 Jun 20.
    PMID: 29923610 DOI: 10.1111/adj.12640
    BACKGROUND: This study aimed to fabricate a denture base resin (DBR) containing phytoncide microcapsules (PTMCs) and determine the mechanical properties of the resin and antifungal activity.

    METHODS: Fifty-four heat-cured rectangular DBR specimens (64 × 10 × 3.3 ± 0.2 mm) containing nine concentrations of PTMC between 0 and 5% (wt/wt) were fabricated and subjected to a three-point bending test. A phytoncide release bioassay was developed using DBR containing 0% and 2.5% PTMCs (wt/wt) in a 24 well-plate assay with incubation of Porphyromonas gingivalis at 37 °C for 74 h. The antifungal activity of PTMCs against Candida albicans, in a pH 5.5 acidic environment was determined in a plate assay.

    RESULTS: Flexural strength decreased with increasing PTMC concentration from 97.58 ± 4.79 MPa for the DBR alone to 53.66 ± 2.46 MPa for DBR containing 5.0% PTMC. No release of phytoncide from the PTMCs in the DBR was detected at pH 7.4. The PTMCs had a minimal inhibitory concentration of 2.6% (wt/vol) against C. albicans at pH 5.5.

    CONCLUSIONS: PTMCs can be added to DBR 2.5% (wt/wt) without adversely affecting flexural strength. PTMCs released the antimicrobial agent at pH 5.5 at concentrations sufficient to inhibit the growth of the C. albicans.

  13. Chou YM, Seak CJ, Goh ZNL, Seak JC, Seak CK, Lin CC
    Medicine (Baltimore), 2018 Jun;97(25):e11056.
    PMID: 29923997 DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000011056
    RATIONALE: Diabetic ketoacidosis is a serious and potentially life-threatening acute complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). Euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis (eDKA) is however challenging to identify in the emergency department (ED) due to absence of marked hyperglycemia, often leading to delayed diagnosis and treatment. eDKA has been recently found to be associated with sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, one of the newest classes of antidiabetics, though there are very limited reports implicating dapagliflozin as the offending agent in ED patients. Here we report a type 2 diabetic patient who presented to the ED with eDKA secondary to dapagliflozin administration.

    PATIENT CONCERNS: A 61-year-old Asian female with underlying type 2 DM presented to our ED with body weakness, dyspnea, nausea, vomiting, and mild abdominal pain for the past 2 days. These symptoms were preceded by poor oral intake for 1 week due to severe toothache. Dapagliflozin was recently added to her antidiabetic drug regimen of metformin and glibenclamide 2 weeks ago.

    DIAGNOSES: Arterial blood gases showed a picture of severe metabolic acidosis with an elevated anion gap, while ketones were elevated in blood and positive in urine. Blood glucose was mildly elevated at 180 mg/dL. Serum lactate levels were normal. Our patient was thus diagnosed with eDKA.

    INTERVENTION: Our patient was promptly admitted to the intensive care unit and treated for eDKA through intravenous rehydration therapy with insulin infusion.

    OUTCOMES: Serial blood gas analyses showed gradual resolution of the patient's ketoacidosis with normalized anion gap and clearance of serum ketones. She was discharged uneventfully on day 4, with permanent cessation of dapagliflozin administration.

    LESSONS: Life-threatening eDKA as a complication of dapagliflozin is a challenging and easilymissed diagnosis in the ED. Such an ED presentation is very rare, nevertheless emergency physicians are reminded to consider the diagnosis of eDKA in a patient whose drug regimen includes any SGLT2 inhibitor, especially if the patient presents with nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dyspnea, lethargy, and is clinically dehydrated. These patients should then be investigated with ketone studies and blood gas analyses regardless of blood glucose levels for prompt diagnosis and treatment.

    MeSH terms: Benzhydryl Compounds/adverse effects*; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/drug therapy; Dyspnea/etiology; Fatigue/etiology; Female; Glucosides/adverse effects*; Humans; Hypoglycemic Agents/adverse effects*; Middle Aged; Nausea/etiology; Vomiting/etiology; Abdominal Pain/etiology; Diabetic Ketoacidosis/chemically induced*; Diabetic Ketoacidosis/complications; Diabetic Ketoacidosis/drug therapy
  14. Pereira RT, Malone CM, Flaherty GT
    J Travel Med, 2018 06 01;25(1).
    PMID: 29924349 DOI: 10.1093/jtm/tay042
    Background: Medical tourism has witnessed significant growth in recent years. The emerging trend towards international travel for cosmetic surgical interventions has not previously been reviewed. The current review aims to critically address the scale and impact of cosmetic surgical tourism and to delineate the complication profile of this form of medical tourism.

    Methods: Articles published in the English language on the PubMed database that were relevant to surgical tourism and the complications of elective surgical procedures abroad were examined. Reference lists of articles identified were further scrutinized. The search terms used included combinations of 'surgery abroad', 'cosmetic surgery abroad', 'cosmetic surgery tourism', 'cosmetic surgery complications' and 'aesthetic tourism'.

    Results: This article critically reviews the epidemiology of cosmetic surgical tourism and its associated economic factors. Surgical complications of selected procedures, including perioperative complications, are described. The implications for travel medicine practice are considered and recommendations for further research are proposed.

    Conclusion: This narrative literature review focuses on the issues affecting travellers who obtain cosmetic surgical treatment overseas. There is a lack of focus in the travel medicine literature on the non-surgery-related morbidity of this special group of travellers. Original research exploring the motivation and pre-travel preparation, including the psychological counselling, of cosmetic surgical tourists is indicated.

    MeSH terms: Attitude to Health; Cosmetic Techniques/economics; Cosmetic Techniques/statistics & numerical data*; Humans; Postoperative Complications/epidemiology; Surgery, Plastic/economics; Surgery, Plastic/statistics & numerical data*; Travel; Health Care Costs; Medical Tourism/economics; Medical Tourism/statistics & numerical data*; Travel Medicine; Patient Safety/statistics & numerical data*
  15. Chan SY, Goh SS, Dou Q, Chan BQY, Choo WS, Young DJ, et al.
    Chem Asian J, 2018 Jun 20.
    PMID: 29924504 DOI: 10.1002/asia.201800552
    Dilute acid polymerizes degassed, aqueous acrylamide with concomitant gelation, without the need for added free radical initiator or cross-linking agent. This reaction is accelerated by sonication or UV irradiation, but inhibited by adventitious oxygen or the addition of a free radical inhibitor, suggesting an acid-accelerated free radical process. The resulting hydrogels are thixotropic in nature and partially disrupted by the addition of chaotropic agents, indicating the importance of hydrogen bonding to the 3D network. This discovery was made while trying to prepare pectin-polyacrylamide hydrogels. We observed that pectin initiated the gelation of acrylamide, but only if the aqueous pectin samples had a pH lower than ca. 5.
  16. Hakak S, Kamsin A, Palaiahnakote S, Tayan O, Idna Idris MY, Abukhir KZ
    PLoS One, 2018;13(6):e0198284.
    PMID: 29924810 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0198284
    Arabic script is highly sensitive to changes in meaning with respect to the accurate arrangement of diacritics and other related symbols. The most sensitive Arabic text available online is the Digital Qur'an, the sacred book of Revelation in Islam that all Muslims including non-Arabs recite as part of their worship. Due to the different characteristics of the Arabic letters like diacritics (punctuation symbols), kashida (extended letters) and other symbols, it is written and available in different styles like Kufi, Naskh, Thuluth, Uthmani, etc. As social media has become part of our daily life, posting downloaded Qur'anic verses from the web is common. This leads to the problem of authenticating the selected Qur'anic passages available in different styles. This paper presents a residual approach for authenticating Uthmani and plain Qur'an verses using one common database. Residual (difference) is obtained by analyzing the differences between Uthmani and plain Quranic styles using XOR operation. Based on predefined data, the proposed approach converts Uthmani text into plain text. Furthermore, we propose to use the Tuned BM algorithm (BMT) exact pattern matching algorithm to verify the substituted Uthmani verse with a given database of plain Qur'anic style. Experimental results show that the proposed approach is useful and effective in authenticating multi-style texts of the Qur'an with 87.1% accuracy.
    MeSH terms: Humans; Islam*; Language; Literature; Semantics*; Social Media
  17. Yuan B, Nishiura H
    PLoS One, 2018;13(6):e0198734.
    PMID: 29924819 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0198734
    BACKGROUND: Frequent international travel facilitates the global spread of dengue fever. Japan has experienced an increasing number of imported case notifications of dengue virus (DENV) infection, mostly arising from Japanese travelers visiting South and Southeast Asian countries. This has led an autochthonous dengue outbreak in 2014 in Japan. The present study aimed to infer the risk of DENV infection among Japanese travelers to Asian countries, thereby obtaining an actual estimate of the number of DENV infections among travelers.

    METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: For eight destination countries (Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Singapore), we collected age-dependent seroepidemiological data. We also retrieved the number of imported cases, who were notified to the Japanese government, as well as the total number of travelers to each destination. Using a mathematical model, we estimated the force of infection in each destination country with seroepidemiological data while jointly inferring the reporting coverage of DENV infections among Japanese travelers from datasets of imported cases and travelers. Assuming that travelers had a risk of infection that was identical to that of the local population during travel, the reporting coverage of dengue appeared to range from 0.6% to 4.3%. The risk of infection per journey ranged from 0.02% to 0.44%.

    CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We found that the actual number of imported cases of DENV infection among Japanese travelers could be more than 20 times the notified number of imported cases. This finding may be attributed to the substantial proportion of asymptomatic and under-ascertained infections.

    MeSH terms: Asia, Southeastern/epidemiology; Dengue/epidemiology; Dengue/transmission*; Dengue Virus; Humans; India/epidemiology; Japan/epidemiology; Models, Theoretical; Risk; Sri Lanka/epidemiology; Time Factors; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Datasets as Topic/statistics & numerical data
  18. Ahamed E, Hasan MM, Faruque MRI, Mansor MFB, Abdullah S, Islam MT
    PLoS One, 2018;13(6):e0199150.
    PMID: 29924859 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199150
    In this paper, we introduce a new compact left-handed tunable metamaterial structure, inspired by a joint T-D shape geometry on a flexible NiAl2O4 substrate. The designed metamaterial exhibits an extra-large negative refractive index bandwidth of 6.34 GHz, with an operating frequency range from 4 to 18 GHz. We demonstrate the effects of substrate material thickness on the effective properties of metamaterial using two substrate materials: 1) flame retardant 4 and 2) flexible nickel aluminate. A finite integration technique based on the Computer Simulation Technology Microwave Studio electromagnetic simulator was used for our design, simulation, and investigation. A finite element method based on an HFSS (High Frequency Structure Simulator) electromagnetic simulator is also used to simulate results, perform verifications, and compare the measured results. The simulated resonance peaks occurred at 6.42 GHz (C-band), 9.32 GHz (X-band), and 16.90 GHz (Ku-band), while the measured resonance peaks occurred at 6.60 GHz (C-band), 9.16 GHz (X-band) and 17.28 GHz (Ku-band). The metamaterial structure exhibited biaxial tunable properties by changing the electromagnetic wave propagation in the y and z directions and the left-handed characteristics at 11.35 GHz and 13.50 GHz.
    MeSH terms: Computer Simulation; Flame Retardants; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Materials Testing*; Microwaves; Models, Chemical*; Refractometry; Pliability
  19. Yeoh KH, Shafie SA, Al-Attab KA, Zainal ZA
    Bioresour Technol, 2018 Oct;265:365-371.
    PMID: 29925052 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2018.06.024
    In this study, three different methods for high quality solid fuel production were tested and compared experimentally. Oil palm empty fruit bunches, mesocarp fibers, palm kernel shells and rubber seeds shells were treated using thermal (TC), hydrothermal (HTC) and vapothermal (VTC) carbonization. All thermochemical methods were accomplished by using a custom made batch-type reactor. Utilization of novel single reactor equipped with suspended internal container provided efficient operation since both steam generator and raw materials were placed inside the same reactor. Highest energy densification was achieved by VTC process followed by TC and HTC processes. The heating value enhancement in VTC and TC was achieved by the increase in fixed carbon content and reduction in volatile matter. The formation of the spherical components in HTC hydrochar which gave a sharp peak at 340 °C in the DTG curves was suggested as the reason that led to the increment in energy content.
    MeSH terms: Agriculture*; Carbon*; Refuse Disposal*; Steam
  20. Liu J, Tan CSY, Scherman OA
    Angew Chem Int Ed Engl, 2018 07 16;57(29):8854-8858.
    PMID: 29663607 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201800775
    Supramolecular building blocks, such as cucurbit[n]uril (CB[n])-based host-guest complexes, have been extensively studied at the nano- and microscale as adhesion promoters. Herein, we exploit a new class of CB[n]-threaded highly branched polyrotaxanes (HBP-CB[n]) as aqueous adhesives to macroscopically bond two wet surfaces, including biological tissue, through the formation of CB[8] heteroternary complexes. The dynamic nature of these complexes gives rise to adhesion with remarkable toughness, displaying recovery and reversible adhesion upon mechanical failure at the interface. Incorporation of functional guests, such as azobenzene moieties, allows for stimuli-activated on-demand adhesion/de-adhesion. Macroscopic interfacial adhesion through dynamic host-guest molecular recognition represents an innovative strategy for designing the next generation of functional interfaces, biomedical devices, tissue adhesives, and wound dressings.
    MeSH terms: Azo Compounds/chemistry; Bandages; Bridged Compounds/chemistry*; Cyclodextrins/chemistry*; Imidazoles/chemistry*; Tissue Adhesives/chemistry*; Water/chemistry; Wettability; Hydrogels/chemistry; Poloxamer/chemistry*; Rotaxanes/chemistry*
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