Browse publications by year: 2020

  1. Muhammad SA, Nordin N, Hussin P, Mehat MZ, Abu Kasim NH, Fakurazi S
    PLoS One, 2020;15(9):e0238449.
    PMID: 32886713 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238449
    Treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) is still a major clinical challenge due to the limited inherent healing capacity of cartilage. Recent studies utilising stem cells suggest that the therapeutic benefits of these cells are mediated through the paracrine mechanism of bioactive molecules. The present study evaluates the regenerative effect of stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) conditioned medium (CM) on OA chondrocytes. The CM was collected after the SHED were cultured in serum-free medium (SFM) for 48 or 72 h and the cells were characterised by the expression of MSC and pluripotency markers. Chondrocytes were stimulated with interleukin-1β and treated with the CM. Subsequently, the expression of aggrecan, collagen type 2 (COL 2), matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13), nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB) and the level of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory markers were evaluated. SHED expressed mesenchymal stromal cell surface proteins but were negative for haematopoietic markers. SHED also showed protein expression of NANOG, OCT4 and SOX2 with differential subcellular localisation. Treatment of OA chondrocytes with CM enhanced anti-inflammation compared to control cells treated with SFM. Furthermore, the expression of MMP-13 and NF-kB was significantly downregulated in stimulated chondrocytes incubated in CM. The study also revealed that CM increased the expression of aggrecan and COL 2 in OA chondrocytes compared to SFM control. Both CM regenerate extracellular matrix proteins and mitigate increased MMP-13 expression through inhibition of NF-kB in OA chondrocytes due to the presence of bioactive molecules. The study underscores the potential of CM for OA treatment.
    MeSH terms: Cartilage/metabolism; Cells, Cultured; Humans; Osteoarthritis/metabolism*; Osteoarthritis/therapy; Regeneration; Stem Cells/metabolism; Tooth, Deciduous/metabolism; NF-kappa B/metabolism; Culture Media, Conditioned/pharmacology*; Cell Culture Techniques/methods; Chondrocytes/drug effects*; Collagen Type II/metabolism; Matrix Metalloproteinase 13/metabolism; Aggrecans/metabolism; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells/metabolism
  2. Ab Rahim SN, Omar J, Tuan Ismail TS
    Ann Pediatr Endocrinol Metab, 2020 Sep;25(3):152-155.
    PMID: 32871650 DOI: 10.6065/apem.2040004.002
    The gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation test is a valuable tool in diagnosing and differentiating causes of early pubertal occurrences. Utility of the test can be limited in some instances, however, including the early phases of pubertal hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis activation, in girls showing commonly overlapping pictures, and in obese children due to excess circulating estrogen that suppresses luteinizing hormone (LH). A lack of consistent baseline and stimulated gonadotropin cutoffs observed in different studies also contributes to limitations in testing. Nevertheless, early detection of true pathological causes for pubertal disorders is needed to allow prompt treatment and better prognosis. While basal LH can be beneficial as a good screening tool for detecting pubertal disorder, it does not preclude the need for GnRH testing. The aim of this review was to highlight the role of GnRH stimulation tests and varying testing cutoffs in diagnosis of precocious puberty and its classification.
    MeSH terms: Child; Estrogens; Female; Gonadotropins; Humans; Luteinizing Hormone; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; Obesity; Prognosis; Puberty, Precocious
  3. Chua BL, Karim S, Lee S, Han H
    PMID: 32872267 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17176276
    This study investigated restaurant customers' perceived importance of key factors in accordance with dining occasions and restaurant segments. Our investigation into restaurant selection and situational factors present two types of empirical evidence regarding customers' choice of restaurant. First, menu price was customers' top priority in restaurant selections for full-service, quick-casual, and quick-service restaurants. Second, restaurant customers rated the importance level of restaurant selection criteria differently according to eating-out occasions. The importance of menu price was greatest for both quick meal/convenience and social occasion, brand reputation was the most important factor for business necessity, and word-of-mouth recommendation was greatest for celebration.
    MeSH terms: Choice Behavior*; Commerce; Consumer Behavior*; Humans; Restaurants*; Meals*
  4. Yee Kuen C, Galen T, Fakurazi S, Othman SS, Masarudin MJ
    Polymers (Basel), 2020 Aug 28;12(9).
    PMID: 32872307 DOI: 10.3390/polym12091951
    The growing incidence of global lung cancer cases against successful treatment modalities has increased the demand for the development of innovative strategies to complement conventional chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. The substitution of chemotherapeutics by naturally occurring phenolic compounds has been touted as a promising research endeavor, as they sideline the side effects of current chemotherapy drugs. However, the therapeutic efficacy of these compounds is conventionally lower than that of chemotherapeutic agents due to their lower solubility and consequently poor intracellular uptake. Therefore, we report herein a hydrophobically modified chitosan nanoparticle (pCNP) system for the encapsulation of protocatechuic acid (PCA), a naturally occurring but poorly soluble phenolic compound, for increased efficacy and improved intracellular uptake in A549 lung cancer cells. The pCNP system was modified by the inclusion of a palmitoyl group and physico-chemically characterized to assess its particle size, Polydispersity Index (PDI) value, amine group quantification, functional group profiling, and morphological properties. The inclusion of hydrophobic palmitoyl in pCNP-PCA was found to increase the encapsulation of PCA by 54.5% compared to unmodified CNP-PCA samples whilst it only conferred a 23.4% larger particle size. The single-spherical like particles with uniformed dispersity pCNP-PCA exhibited IR bands, suggesting the successful incorporation of PCA within its core, and a hydrophobic layer was elucidated via electron micrographs. The cytotoxic efficacy was then assessed by using an MTT cytotoxicity assay towards A549 human lung cancer cell line and was compared with traditional chitosan nanoparticle system. Fascinatingly, a controlled release delivery and enhanced therapeutic efficacy were observed in pCNP-PCA compared to CNP, which is ascribed to lower IC50 values in the 72-h treatment in the pCNP system. Using the hydrophobic system, efficacy of PCA was significantly increased in 24-, 48-, and 72-h treatments compared to a single administration of the compound, and via the unmodified CNP system. Findings arising from this study exhibit the potential of using such modified nanoparticulate systems in increasing the efficacy of natural phenolic compounds by augmenting their delivery potential for better anti-cancer responses.
  5. Alafeef AK, Ariffin F, Zulkurnain M
    Foods, 2020 Aug 29;9(9).
    PMID: 32872507 DOI: 10.3390/foods9091197
    Selenium is an essential micronutrient with significant antioxidant activity promising in mitigating the formation of acrylamide during high-temperature roasting. In this study, green coffee beans pretreated with selenium (Se-coffee) were investigated on their selenium uptake, selenium retention in green and roasted beans, antioxidant activities, and formation of acrylamide during conventional and superheated steam roasting. Comparisons were made with positive (pretreated without selenium) and negative (untreated) controls. The acrylamide formation was significantly inhibited in Se-coffee (108.9-165.3 μg/kg) compared to the positive and negative controls by 73.9% and 52.8%, respectively. The reduction of acrylamide by superheated steam roasting only observed in the untreated coffee beans (negative control) by 32.4% parallel to the increase in its antioxidant activity. Selenium pretreatment significantly increased antioxidant activity of the roasted Se-coffee beans after roasting although soaking pretreatment significantly reduced antioxidant activity in the green beans. Acrylamide reduction in the roasted coffee beans strongly correlated with the change in antioxidant capacities after roasting (∆FRAP, 0.858; ∆DPPH, 0.836). The results indicate that the antioxidant properties of the organic selenium suppressed acrylamide formation during coffee roasting.
    MeSH terms: Antioxidants; Coffee; Hot Temperature; Fabaceae; Selenium; Steam; Temperature; Trace Elements; Micronutrients; Acrylamide; Coffea
  6. Ooi TC, Meramat A, Rajab NF, Shahar S, Ismail IS, Azam AA, et al.
    Nutrients, 2020 Aug 30;12(9).
    PMID: 32872655 DOI: 10.3390/nu12092644
    Intermittent fasting (IF) refers to various dietary regimens that cycle between a period of non-fasting and a period of total fasting. This study aimed to determine the effects of IF on cognitive function among elderly individuals who practice IF who have mild cognitive impairment (MCI). A total of 99 elderly subjects with MCI of Malay ethnicity without any terminal illness were recruited from a larger cohort study, LRGS TUA. The subjects were divided into three groups, comprising those who were regularly practicing IF (r-IF), irregularly practicing IF (i-IF), and non-fasters (n-IF). Upon 36 months of follow-up, more MCI subjects in the r-IF group reverted to successful aging with no cognitive impairment and diseases (24.3%) compared to those in i-IF (14.2%) and n-IF groups (3.7%). The r-IF group's subjects exhibited significant increment in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and reduction in body weight, levels of insulin, fasting blood glucose, malondialdehyde (MDA), C-reactive protein (CRP), and DNA damage. Moreover, metabolomics analysis showed that IF may modulate cognitive function via various metabolite pathways, including the synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies, butanoate metabolism, pyruvate metabolism, and glycolysis and gluconeogenesis pathways. Overall, the MCI-afflicted older adults who practiced IF regularly had better cognitive scores and reverted to better cognitive function at 36 months follow-up.
    MeSH terms: Aged; Cognition; DNA Damage; Fasting/metabolism*; Fasting/physiology*; Feeding Behavior/physiology*; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Inflammation/diet therapy; Inflammation/metabolism; Malaysia; Male; Cohort Studies; Geriatric Assessment/methods*; Geriatric Assessment/statistics & numerical data; Oxidative Stress; Metabolomics/methods; Mild Cognitive Impairment/diet therapy*; Mild Cognitive Impairment/metabolism*
  7. Bhavadharini B, Mohan V, Dehghan M, Rangarajan S, Swaminathan S, Rosengren A, et al.
    Diabetes Care, 2020 11;43(11):2643-2650.
    PMID: 32873587 DOI: 10.2337/dc19-2335
    OBJECTIVE: Previous prospective studies on the association of white rice intake with incident diabetes have shown contradictory results but were conducted in single countries and predominantly in Asia. We report on the association of white rice with risk of diabetes in the multinational Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study.

    RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Data on 132,373 individuals aged 35-70 years from 21 countries were analyzed. White rice consumption (cooked) was categorized as <150, ≥150 to <300, ≥300 to <450, and ≥450 g/day, based on one cup of cooked rice = 150 g. The primary outcome was incident diabetes. Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated using a multivariable Cox frailty model.

    RESULTS: During a mean follow-up period of 9.5 years, 6,129 individuals without baseline diabetes developed incident diabetes. In the overall cohort, higher intake of white rice (≥450 g/day compared with <150 g/day) was associated with increased risk of diabetes (HR 1.20; 95% CI 1.02-1.40; P for trend = 0.003). However, the highest risk was seen in South Asia (HR 1.61; 95% CI 1.13-2.30; P for trend = 0.02), followed by other regions of the world (which included South East Asia, Middle East, South America, North America, Europe, and Africa) (HR 1.41; 95% CI 1.08-1.86; P for trend = 0.01), while in China there was no significant association (HR 1.04; 95% CI 0.77-1.40; P for trend = 0.38).

    CONCLUSIONS: Higher consumption of white rice is associated with an increased risk of incident diabetes with the strongest association being observed in South Asia, while in other regions, a modest, nonsignificant association was seen.

    MeSH terms: Adult; Africa/epidemiology; Aged; Asia/epidemiology; Canada/epidemiology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/epidemiology*; Diet*; Eating*; Europe/epidemiology; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Oryza/adverse effects*; Risk Factors; Rural Population; South America/epidemiology; Incidence; Prevalence; Proportional Hazards Models
  8. Abdulkader YC, Kamaruddin AF, Mydin RBSMN
    Saudi Dent J, 2020 Sep;32(6):306-313.
    PMID: 32874071 DOI: 10.1016/j.sdentj.2019.09.010
    Objectives: This study compared the effects of normal salivary pH, and acidic pH found in patients with poor oral hygiene, on the durability of aesthetic archwire coated with epoxy resin and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

    Methods: The posterior parts of the archwires were sectioned into 20 mm segments (N = 102) and divided among six groups. Four groups were treated with different pH levels and two served as controls. The specimens were immersed in individual test tubes containing 10 ml of artificial saliva adjusted to a pH of 6.75 or 3.5. The tubes were sealed and stored in a 37 °C water bath for 28 days. After 28 days, the specimens were ligated to brackets embedded in an acrylic block and subjected to mechanical stress using an electronic toothbrush for 210 s. The specimens were photographed, and images were measured for coating loss using AutoCAD® software. Surface morphology was observed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM).

    Results: Significant coating loss (p 

    MeSH terms: Acrylic Resins; Epoxy Resins; Esthetics; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Oral Hygiene; Polystyrenes; Polytetrafluoroethylene; Saliva, Artificial; Software; Stress, Mechanical; Toothbrushing
  9. Shetty SS, Sharma M, Fonseca FP, Jayaram P, Tanwar AS, Kabekkodu SP, et al.
    Jpn Dent Sci Rev, 2020 Nov;56(1):97-108.
    PMID: 32874377 DOI: 10.1016/j.jdsr.2020.07.002
    Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical process that occurs during the embryonic development, wound healing, organ fibrosis and the onset of malignancy. Emerging evidence suggests that the EMT is involved in the invasion and metastasis of cancers. The inflammatory reaction antecedent to fibrosis in the onset of oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) and the role of EMT in its malignant transformation indicates a hitherto unexplored involvement of EMT. This review focuses on the role of EMT markers which are regulators of the EMT mediated complex network of molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of OSF and OSCC. Further the gene enrichment analysis and pathway analysis supports the association of the upregulated and downregulated genes in various EMT regulating pathways.
    MeSH terms: Fibrosis; Neoplasms; Neoplastic Processes; Oral Submucous Fibrosis; Wound Healing; Up-Regulation; Embryonic Development; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
  10. Juliasih NN, Soedarsono, Sari RM
    Infect Dis Rep, 2020 07 07;12(Suppl 1):8728.
    PMID: 32874460 DOI: 10.4081/idr.2020.8728
    Background: This study discusses the analysis of Tuberculosis (TB) program management at the Perak Timur Primary Health Care (PHC) and the Sawahan PHC in Surabaya. Early detection and adequate treatment can prevent transmission and improve control programs.

    Objective: This study aims to analyze management of the tuberculosis program at PHCs in Surabaya.

    Methods: The research method used is qualitative research. Data collection was done by interviewing tuberculosis officers about TB program and carrying out observations at the PHCs.

    Results: The study showed that case finding in the Perak Timur PHC and the Sawahan PHC was passive-active. The Perak Timur PHC has facilities for rapid molecular testing, while the Sawahan PHC have to go to a center for Health Laboratory if rapid molecular testing is needed. In terms of treatment, patients at the Perak Timur PHC would come according to an agreement with TB officer, while at the Sawahan PHC, patients have to come every Monday. Officer at the Perak Timur PHC tended to accommodate the needs of TB patients compared to officer at the Sawahan PHC. The level of adherence to taking medication in two PHCs is good but there are a number of patients who have not really understood the frequency of taking medication.

    Conclusion: Generally, both PHCs have good TB program management but the Perak Timur PHC tends to be more flexible towards patients while the Sawahan PHC tends to be stricter towards patients.

    MeSH terms: Data Collection; Humans; Laboratories; Primary Health Care; Tuberculosis; Molecular Diagnostic Techniques; Qualitative Research
  11. Oktafiani D, Megasari NL, Fitriana E, Nasronudin, Lusida MI, Soetjipto
    Infect Dis Rep, 2020 07 07;12(Suppl 1):8746.
    PMID: 32874472 DOI: 10.4081/idr.2020.8746
    Background: Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection is etiologically related to Kaposi's sarcoma. Antibodies directed against HHV-8 can be detected in 80-95% of HIV-seropositive patients with KS. HHV-8 serological tests have been done in several countries in Southeast Asia such as Malaysia, and Thailand however no serological data is available in Indonesia. This study was to examine the presence of HHV- 8 antibodies in HIV-positive patients in Surabaya, Indonesia.

    Material and methods: Ninety-one serum samples were collected from HIVpositive patients in Surabaya, Indonesia. Human immunodeficiency virus-positive serum samples were collected from 10 homosexual men, 25 intravenous drug users (IVDUs) and 56 heterosexuals. Serums were then tested for the presence of HHV-8 antibody by using sandwich ELISA (Abbexa Ltd, Cambridge, UK).

    Results: The total of 91 HIV-infected were testing with antibodies to HHV-8 using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Antibodies of HHV-8 were detected in 7/91 (7.7%) of the samples. According to a gender, six men (85.7%) and a women (14.3%) were positive of HHV-8 antibodies. No correlation regarding the gender and age from this study. The antibodies of HHV-8 was detected among intravenous drug users (IVDUs) men 5/7 (42.8%) and 2/7 (28.6%) from homosexual and heterosexual, respectively.

    Conclusion: This study found the presence of HHV-8 antibodies in 7.7% of patients in Surabaya, Indonesia. This finding was higher more than Southeast Asian countries. The patients with a positive result could suggest measures to prevent HHV-8 infection.

    MeSH terms: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Herpesviridae Infections; HIV; HIV Seropositivity; Humans; Indonesia; Malaysia; Male; Sarcoma, Kaposi; Serologic Tests; Thailand; HIV Infections; Substance Abuse, Intravenous; Herpesvirus 8, Human; Heterosexuality; Drug Users
  12. Kasinathan G, Kori AN, Hassan N
    Ann Med Surg (Lond), 2020 Sep;57:307-310.
    PMID: 32874561 DOI: 10.1016/j.amsu.2020.08.011
    Introduction: Primary central nervous lymphoma is an aggressive disease without evidence of systemic spread with an annual incidence of 7 cases per 1,000,000 people in the United States.

    Case presentation: A 68-year-old gentleman of Malay ethnicity presented with left sided weakness associated with reduced sensation for one month. The patient was healthy and denied any constitutional symptoms, joint pains, rash or seizures. There was no recent trauma. Physical examination revealed left upper and lower limb motor grade power of 3/5 with upper motor neurone weakness of the left facial nerve. He had brisk reflexes and an upgoing extensor plantar response. Brain imaging (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) showed two lesions: one occupying the right head of the caudate nucleus and the other seen at the right side of the body of the corpus callosum. Histomorphology and immunohistochemistry confirmed Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) of non-germinal center type. He was treated with De Angelis protocol which involves chemoradiotherapy consisting of high dose methotrexate and whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT), followed by high dose cytarabine. Brain imaging post chemoradiation showed complete remission.

    Conclusion: Prompt detection with appropriate therapeutic protocol could significantly minimise the permanent neurological deficits in patients with this rare and challenging lymphoid malignancy.

    MeSH terms: Aged; Reflex, Babinski; Caudate Nucleus; Corpus Callosum; Cytarabine; Ethnic Groups; Facial Nerve; Humans; Hypesthesia; Immunohistochemistry; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Malaysia; Male; Methotrexate; Seizures; United States; Incidence; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse; Chemoradiotherapy
  13. Shahriar Sabuktagin M, Syifa Hamdan K
    R Soc Open Sci, 2020 Jul;7(7):191926.
    PMID: 32874602 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.191926
    Two-dimensional finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulations were performed for evaluating optical absorption enhancement and loss effects of triangular silver (Ag) nanowires embedded in silicon (Si) thin-film photovoltaic device structures. Near-bandgap absorption enhancement in Si was much larger than the reported values of other nanostructures from similar simulations. A nanowire with equal sides of 20 nm length showed 368-fold absorption enhancement whereas only 5× and 15× values of solid spherical and two-dimensional core-shell type nanostructures, respectively. Undesirable absorption loss in the metal of the nanowire was 3.55× larger than the absorption in Si which was comparable to the value reported for the spherical nanoparticle. Interestingly, as the height of the nanowire was increased to form a sharper tip, absorption loss showed a significant drop. For a nanowire with 20 nm base and 20 nm height, absorption loss was merely 1.91× larger than the absorption in Si at the 840 nm plasmon resonance. This drop could be attributed to weaker plasmon resonance manifested by lower metallic absorption in the spatial absorption map of the nanowire. However, absorption enhancement in Si was still large due to strong plasmonic fields at the sharper and longer tip, which was effective in enhancing absorption over a larger area in Si. Our work shows that the shape of a nanostructure and its optimization can significantly affect plasmonic absorption enhancement and loss performance in photovoltaic applications.
  14. Mat Yusuf SNA, Che Mood CNA, Ahmad NH, Sandai D, Lee CK, Lim V
    R Soc Open Sci, 2020 Jul;7(7):200065.
    PMID: 32874618 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.200065
    Background: Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely used in food industries, biomedical, dentistry, catalysis, diagnostic biological probes and sensors. The use of plant extract for AgNPs synthesis eliminates the process of maintaining cell culture and the process could be scaled up under a non-aseptic environment. The purpose of this study is to determine the classes of phytochemicals, to biosynthesize and characterize the AgNPs using Clinacanthus nutans leaf and stem extracts. In this study, AgNPs were synthesized from the aqueous extracts of C. nutans leaves and stems through a non-toxic, cost-effective and eco-friendly method. Results: The formation of AgNPs was confirmed by UV-Vis spectroscopy, and the size of AgNP-L (leaf) and AgNP-S (stem) were 114.7 and 129.9 nm, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis showed spherical nanoparticles with AgNP-L and AgNP-S ranging from 10 to 300 nm and 10 to 180 nm, with average of 101.18 and 75.38 nm, respectively. The zeta potentials of AgNP-L and AgNP-S were recorded at -42.8 and -43.9 mV. X-ray diffraction analysis matched the face-centred cubic structure of silver and was capped with bioactive compounds. Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer analysis revealed the presence of few functional groups of phenolic and flavonoid compounds. These functional groups act as reducing agents in AgNPs synthesis. Conclusion: These results showed that the biogenically synthesized nanoparticles reduced silver ions to silver nanoparticles in aqueous condition and the AgNPs formed were stable and less toxic.
  15. Aunkor MTH, Raihan T, Prodhan SH, Metselaar HSC, Malik SUF, Azad AK
    R Soc Open Sci, 2020 Jul;7(7):200640.
    PMID: 32874659 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.200640
    Graphene oxide (GO) is a derivative of graphene nanosheet which is the most promising material of the decade in biomedical research. In particular, it has been known as an antimicrobial nanomaterial with good biocompatibility. In this study, we have synthesized and characterize GO and checked its antimicrobial property against different Gram-negative and Gram-positive multidrug drug resistant (MDR) hospital superbugs grown in solid agar-based nutrient plates with and without human serum through the utilization of agar well diffusion method, live/dead fluorescent staining and genotoxicity analysis. No significant changes in antibacterial activity were found in these two different conditions. We also compare the bactericidal capability of GO with some commonly administered antibiotics and in all cases the degree of inhibition is found to be higher. The data presented here are novel and show that GO is an effective bactericidal agent against different superbugs and can be used as a future antibacterial agent.
  16. Moosavi S, Lai CW, Gan S, Zamiri G, Akbarzadeh Pivehzhani O, Johan MR
    ACS Omega, 2020 Aug 25;5(33):20684-20697.
    PMID: 32875202 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c01905
    Since the turn of the 21st century, water pollution has been a major issue, and most of the pollution is generated by dyes. Adsorption is one of the most commonly used dye-removal methods from aqueous solution. Magnetic-particle integration in the water-treatment industry is gaining considerable attention because of its outstanding physical and chemical properties. Magnetic-particle adsorption technology shows promising and effective outcomes for wastewater treatment owing to the presence of magnetic material in the adsorbents that can facilitate separation through the application of an external magnetic field. Meanwhile, the introduction of activated carbon (AC) derived from various materials into a magnetic material can lead to efficient organic-dye removal. Therefore, this combination can provide an economical, efficient, and environmentally friendly water-purification process. Although activated carbon from low-cost and abundant materials has considerable potential in the water-treatment industry, the widespread applications of adsorption technology are limited by adsorbent recovery and separation after treatment. This work specifically and comprehensively describes the use of a combination of a magnetic material and an activated carbon material for dye adsorption in wastewater treatment. The literature survey in this mini-review provides evidence of the potential use of these magnetic adsorbents, as well as their magnetic separation and recovery. Future directions and challenges of magnetic activated carbon in wastewater treatment are also discussed in this paper.
    MeSH terms: Adsorption; Attention; Charcoal; Coloring Agents; Surveys and Questionnaires; Water; Water Pollution; Water Purification; Magnetic Phenomena; Magnetic Fields; Waste Water
  17. Sahimin N, Meor Termizi FH, Rajamanikam A, Mohd Nazri NA, Govind SK, Mohd Zain SN
    Parasitol Res, 2020 Oct;119(10):3555-3558.
    PMID: 32875397 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06865-3
    Blastocystis sp. is a common enteric parasite of humans and animals associated with inadequate sanitation and poor personal hygiene. Over the years, the Malaysian thriving economy has been facilitated largely by migrant workers from developing countries, and there is concern that diseases endemic to their countries may be imported. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the current status of Blastocystis infection as well as subtypes (STs) from fecal samples among migrant workers in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Overall, almost a third of the study cohort (30.9%; n = 68/220) screened were infected with Blastocystis sp. predominantly with ST3 (54.5%; n = 12), followed by ST1 (36.4%; n = 8) and ST2 (9.1%; n = 2). Infection levels was almost similar among the different sectors; manufacturing (32.8%), domestic service (32.3%), and food service (27.3%) with common symptoms for infection included stomach and abdominal pain or discomfort and diarrhea (48.5%; n = 33). None of the socio-demographic risk factors evaluated were significant. Therefore, this study warrants continuous monitoring as well as understanding the impact of transmission among the migrant community with the local population especially those involved in food service sector.
    MeSH terms: Adult; Animals; Feces/parasitology; Female; Humans; Industry/statistics & numerical data; Malaysia/epidemiology; Male; Transients and Migrants/statistics & numerical data*; Prevalence; Blastocystis Infections/diagnosis; Blastocystis Infections/epidemiology*; Blastocystis Infections/parasitology*; Blastocystis/classification*; Blastocystis/genetics; Blastocystis/isolation & purification*; Epidemiological Monitoring
  18. Qasim SSB, Nogueira LP, Fawzy AS, Daood U
    AAPS PharmSciTech, 2020 Sep 01;21(7):250.
    PMID: 32875436 DOI: 10.1208/s12249-020-01778-x
    The correct spelling of the second author's name is Liebert Parreiras Nogueira.
    MeSH terms: Language
  19. Lazarescu A, Chan WW, Gyawali CP, Lee YY, Xiao Y, Wu P
    Ann N Y Acad Sci, 2020 12;1481(1):108-116.
    PMID: 32875574 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14453
    Esophageal dysphagia is a common symptom in adults. Fluoroscopic contrast studies, endoscopy, and esophageal manometry have been used in the diagnosis of esophageal dysphagia for many years. The diagnostic yield has been improved with new test protocols that highlight abnormal bolus transit in the esophagus and outflow obstruction, as well as new high-definition and high-resolution technical advances in equipment. Functional luminal impedance planimetry and the addition of impedance to high-resolution esophageal manometry have also allowed the assessment of new parameters to better understand esophageal structure and function. In this concise review, we describe the role and utility of various diagnostic modalities in the assessment of patients with esophageal dysphagia.
    MeSH terms: Adult; Deglutition Disorders; Endoscopy; Fluoroscopy; Humans; Manometry; Phenobarbital; Electric Impedance
  20. Rabby MII, Hossain F, Akter F, Rhythm RK, Mahbub T, Huda SN
    Can J Public Health, 2020 10;111(5):660-662.
    PMID: 32876931 DOI: 10.17269/s41997-020-00402-6
    MeSH terms: Bangladesh/epidemiology; Disinfection/methods*; Humans; Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology*; Pneumonia, Viral/prevention & control; Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology*; Coronavirus Infections/prevention & control; Pandemics/prevention & control
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