METHODS: A total of 82 chronic hepatitis B patients were recruited for this study from the Hepatology Department of Selayang Hospital. Quantitative hepatitis surface and e antigen was performed retrospectively on frozen plasma using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay according to the manufacturer's instructions. Hepatitis B viral DNA was extracted from all plasma samples and quantified using real-time PCR.
RESULTS: Quantitative hepatitis B surface and e antigens were found be high in 54.9% and 52.4% of the patients, respectively, while hepatitis B virus DNA level was high in 70.7%. The median of the viral load of HBV was 8,934.89 IU/mL and both hepatitis B surface and e antigens were also found to be high on average for qHBsAg (M = 5.19 IU/mL, SD ± 4. 33) and qHBeAg (M = 4.74IU/mL, SD ± 4.20), with qHBeAg being more strongly correlated to HBV DNA than qHBsAg (r = 0.893; p < 0.01).
CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed HBeAg to be the most appropriate marker that correlates well with HBV DNA, thus not completely novel but confirmative, and related to the Malaysian situation.
Objective: In this study, we investigated antioxidant capacities of four polar extracts (crude water, ethanol, butanol, and aqueous residue) from the plant's ripe seeds.
Materials and Methods: Phytochemicals were extracted from the ripe seeds of M. oleifera using ethanol and water solvents at initial stage. Butanol and aqueous residue were then subsequently fractioned out from the ethanol extract. Phenolic and flavonoid contents of the polar extracts were determined. Then, their antioxidant capacities were quantified by 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assays. Finally, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses of the extracts were performed.
Results: DPPH and ABTS tests showed that the polar extracts possess significant antioxidant capacities that ranged from 29 to 35.408 μM Trolox equivalence antioxidant capacity (TEAC)/mg sample and 7 to 29 μM TEAC/mg sample, respectively. The antioxidant capacities of the extracts corresponded to their phenolic and flavonoid contents that varied from 13.61 to 20.42 mg gallic acid equivalence/g sample and 0.58 to 9.81 mg quercetin equivalence/g sample, respectively. Finally, GC-MS analyses revealed antimicrobial phenolic compounds, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde in crude water extract and 4-hydroxybenzene acetonitrile in the ethanol and butanol extracts, and aqueous residue.
Conclusion: Our results established that M. oleifera ripe seeds have significant antioxidant activity which may be due to its phenolic and nonphenolic compounds content.
SUMMARY: In this study, polar phytochemicals from ripe seeds of Moringa oleifera were extracted by water and ethanol solvents, and butanol extract and aqueous residue were subsequently fractioned out of the ethanol extract. The four polar extracts were shown to have significant antioxidant capacities which correspond to their phenolic contents. Further, antimicrobial compounds 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde and 4-hydroxybenzene acetonitrile were identified in the extracts by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses. Abbreviations used: ABTS: 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid); DPPH: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl; TEAC: Trolox equivalence antioxidant capacity; QE: Quercetin equivalence; GAE: Gallic acid equivalence; GC-MS: Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
Objective: In this paper, we reported the identification of six differentially expressed proteins isolated from cancer cells, following exposure to the cytotoxic fern extracts.
Materials and Methods: The identities of these cancer proteins were determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight protein sequencing.
Results: The cancer proteins were identified as follows: elongation factor 1-γ, glyceraldehydes-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, heat shock protein 90-β, heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein-A2/B1, truncated nucleolar phosphoprotein B23, and tubulin-β chain. To the best of our knowledge, this paper represents the first time these cancer proteins are being reported, following exposure to the aforementioned cytotoxic fern extracts.
Conclusion: It is hoped that further efforts in this direction could lead to the identification and development of target-specific chemotherapeutic agents.
SUMMARY: Cytotoxic fern extracts were tested in anti-cancer proteomic works.Six differentially-expressed cancer proteins were identified.Potential anti-cancer protein targets were reported. Abbreviations used: EF: Elongation factor; HRP: Horseradish peroxidase; HSP: Heat shock protein; MALDI: Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization.
METHODS: Modified three-point bending pliers were used as a device to create the closed rat tibial bone fracture that was prefixed with an intramedullary pin (23 G × 11/2″) in rats. The exact location of the induced closed fracture was along the long bone. The presence of bone comminution, and the fracture bone alignment were immediately examined after the induction of the fracture until the 6th week.
RESULTS: All fractures induced were transverse, located in the middle to proximal one third of the tibia, and they all healed without complications. Bone union as shown radiographically occurred within 2-3 weeks postoperative. The average angle of the fracture line with the axis of the tibia was 89.41 ± 2.11°. The lateral and anterio-posterior pin angulation views were 167.33 ± 3.67° and 161.60 ± 4.87° respectively. The average length of proximal end of the fractured bone in comparison with the whole length of intact bone was 41.02 ± 3.27%. There was a significant difference in percentage of the gross callus area and gross callus index, while there was no significant difference in X-ray callus index. There was no significant difference of the gross callus area between slight comminution (n = 4) and non comminution (n = 21).
CONCLUSION: The optimized rat tibial fracture model resulted in mainly transverse tibial mid-shaft fractures with minimal bone comminution and absence of surrounding soft tissue damage. The size area of consequent soft callus formation and the extent to which the closed fracture model was reproducible are very good outcomes making it feasible for in vivo laboratory research use.
METHODS: We performed a retrospective questionnaire and literature study of clinical, biochemical, and molecular data of 34 patients from 25 families with proven TALDO-D. In some patients, endocrine abnormalities have been found. To further evaluate these abnormalities, we performed biochemical investigations on blood of 14 patients.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Most patients (n = 22) had an early-onset presentation (prenatally or before 1 month of age); 12 patients had a late-onset presentation (3 months to 9 years). Main presenting symptoms were intrauterine growth restriction, dysmorphic facial features, congenital heart disease, anemia, thrombocytopenia, and hepato(spleno)megaly. An older sib of two affected patients was asymptomatic until the age of 9 years, and only after molecular diagnosis was hepatomegaly noted. In some patients, there was gonadal dysfunction with low levels of testosterone and secondary luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) abnormalities later in life. This overview provides information that can be helpful for managing patients and counseling families regarding prognosis. Diagnostic guidelines, possible genotype-phenotype correlations, treatment options, and pathophysiological disease mechanisms are proposed.
METHODS: This review is reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) statement. Electronic databases including MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed and EMBASE were searched up to September 2017 for relevant guidelines. Other databases such as NICE, Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) and the websites of professional societies were also searched for relevant guidelines. The quality and reporting of included guidelines were assessed using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE-II) instrument.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Six guidelines were eligible for inclusion in our review. Among 6 domains of AGREE-II, "clarity of presentation" scored the highest (80.6%), whereas "applicability" scored the lowest (11.8%). All the guidelines supported the antibiotic de-escalation strategy, whereas the majority of the guidelines (5 of 6) recommended that empirical antibiotic therapy should be implemented in accordance with local microbiological data. All the guidelines suggested that for early-onset HAP/VAP, therapy should start with a narrow spectrum empirical antibiotic such as penicillin or cephalosporins, whereas for late-onset HAP/VAP, the guidelines recommended the use of a broader spectrum empirical antibiotic such as the penicillin extended spectrum carbapenems and glycopeptides.
WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSIONS: Expert guidelines promote the judicious use of antibiotics and prevent antibiotic overuse. The quality and validity of available HAP/VAP guidelines would be enhanced by improving their adherence to accepted best practice for the management of HAP and VAP.
METHODS: Altogether 67 esophageal squamous cell carcinomas histologically diagnosed between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2014 at the Department of Pathology, University of Malaya Medical Center, Malaysia were considered for HPV analysis using two commercially available methods, polymerase chain reaction with flow-through hybridization (21 HPV GenoArray Diagnostic Kit) and multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (Anyplex II HPV28 Detection). The DNA amplifiability of the formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor was checked by amplification of a 268 bp segment of the human β-globin gene (GH20/PC04) prior to HPV detection.
RESULTS: HPV detection was finally carried out in 51 patients. HPV16 was detected in the moderately differentiated, stage IV lower esophageal tumor of a 32-year-old Malaysian-born Chinese woman by both methods. Except for a predilection for Indians, the clinical characteristics of esophageal squamous cell carcinomas in this Malaysian cohort were generally similar to those of other populations.
CONCLUSION: It appears that HPV is rare and an unlikely oncovirus in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas of Malaysians.