Browse publications by year: 2021

  1. The Role of Micronutrients in Ageing Asia: What Can Be Implemented with the Existing Insights
    Inui T, Hanley B, Tee ES, Nishihira J, Tontisirin K, Van Dael P, et al.
    Nutrients, 2021 Jun 29;13(7).
    PMID: 34209491 DOI: 10.3390/nu13072222
    Life expectancy as a measure of population health does not reflect years of healthy life. The average life expectancy in the Asia-Pacific region has more than doubled since 1900 and is now above 70 years. In the Asia-Pacific region, the proportion of aged people in the population is expected to double between 2017 and 2050. Increased life expectancy leads to an increase in non-communicable diseases, which consequently affects quality of life. Suboptimal nutritional status is a contributing factor to the prevalence and severity of non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular, cognitive, musculoskeletal, immune, metabolic and ophthalmological functions. We have reviewed the published literature on nutrition and healthy ageing as it applies to the Asia-Pacific region, focusing on vitamins, minerals/trace elements and omega-3 fatty acids. Optimal nutritional status needs to start before a senior age is reached and before the consequences of the disease process are irreversible. Based on the nutritional status and health issues in the senior age in the region, micronutrients of particular importance are vitamins A, D, E, C, B-12, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids. The present paper substantiates the creation of micronutrient guidelines and proposes actions to support the achievement of optimal nutritional status as contribution to healthy ageing for Asia-Pacific populations.
  2. Amino Acid-Induced Impairment of Insulin Signaling and Involvement of G-Protein Coupling Receptor
    Zakaria NF, Hamid M, Khayat ME
    Nutrients, 2021 Jun 29;13(7).
    PMID: 34209599 DOI: 10.3390/nu13072229
    Amino acids are needed for general bodily function and well-being. Despite their importance, augmentation in their serum concentration is closely related to metabolic disorder, insulin resistance (IR), or worse, diabetes mellitus. Essential amino acids such as the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) have been heavily studied as a plausible biomarker or even a cause of IR. Although there is a long list of benefits, in subjects with abnormal amino acids profiles, some amino acids are correlated with a higher risk of IR. Metabolic dysfunction, upregulation of the mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, the gut microbiome, 3-hydroxyisobutyrate, inflammation, and the collusion of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are among the indicators and causes of metabolic disorders generating from amino acids that contribute to IR and the onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This review summarizes the current understanding of the true involvement of amino acids with IR. Additionally, the involvement of GPCRs in IR will be further discussed in this review.
  3. The Insights of Microbes' Roles in Wound Healing: A Comprehensive Review
    Maheswary T, Nurul AA, Fauzi MB
    Pharmaceutics, 2021 Jun 29;13(7).
    PMID: 34209654 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13070981
    A diverse range of normal flora populates the human skin and numbers are relatively different between individuals and parts of the skin. Humans and normal flora have formed a symbiotic relationship over a period of time. With numerous disease processes, the interaction between the host and normal flora can be interrupted. Unlike normal wound healing, which is complex and crucial to sustaining the skin's physical barrier, chronic wounds, especially in diabetes, are wounds that fail to heal in a timely manner. The conditions become favorable for microbes to colonize and establish infections within the skin. These include secretions of various kinds of molecules, substances or even trigger the immune system to attack other cells required for wound healing. Additionally, the healing process can be slowed down by prolonging the inflammatory phase and delaying the wound repair process, which causes further destruction to the tissue. Antibiotics and wound dressings become the targeted therapy to treat chronic wounds. Though healing rates are improved, prolonged usage of these treatments could become ineffective or microbes may become resistant to the treatments. Considering all these factors, more studies are needed to comprehensively elucidate the role of human skin normal flora at the cellular and molecular level in a chronic injury. This article will review wound healing physiology and discuss the role of normal flora in the skin and chronic wounds.
  4. Fulltext Sequential Laser-Mechanical Drilling of Thick Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer Composites (CFRP) for Industrial Applications
    Ahmad Sobri S, Heinemann R, Whitehead D
    Polymers (Basel), 2021 Jun 29;13(13).
    PMID: 34209687 DOI: 10.3390/polym13132136
    Carbon fibre reinforced polymer composites (CFRPs) can be costly to manufacture, but they are typically used anywhere a high strength-to-weight ratio and a high steadiness (rigidity) are needed in many industrial applications, particularly in aerospace. Drilling composites with a laser tends to be a feasible method since one of the composite phases is often in the form of a polymer, and polymers in general have a very high absorption coefficient for infrared radiation. The feasibility of sequential laser-mechanical drilling for a thick CFRP is discussed in this article. A 1 kW fibre laser was chosen as a pre-drilling instrument (or initial stage), and mechanical drilling was the final step. The sequential drilling method dropped the overall thrust and torque by an average of 61%, which greatly increased the productivity and reduced the mechanical stress on the cutting tool while also increasing the lifespan of the bit. The sequential drilling (i.e., laser 8 mm and mechanical 8 mm) for both drill bits (i.e., 2- and 3-flute uncoated tungsten carbide) and the laser pre-drilling techniques has demonstrated the highest delamination factor (SFDSR) ratios. A new laser-mechanical sequence drilling technique is thus established, assessed, and tested when thick CFRP composites are drilled.
  5. Fulltext The Fabrication of Portland Composite Cement Based on Pozzolan Napa Soil
    Mawardi M, Isa IM, Ulianas A, Sintiara E, Mawardi F, Zalmi Putra R
    Materials (Basel), 2021 Jun 29;14(13).
    PMID: 34209933 DOI: 10.3390/ma14133638
    The objective of this study is to investigate Napa soil's potential as an alternative additive in producing Portland composite cement. The Napa soil of Tanah Datar district, West Sumatra, Indonesia is a natural material which contains SiO2 and Al2O3 as its major components. The parameters used were the fineness of the cement particles, the amount left on a 45 μm sieve, the setting time, normal consistency, loss on ignition, insoluble parts, compressive strength and chemical composition. The composition of Napa soils (% w/w) used as variables include 4, 8, 12 and 16%. Furthermore, 8% pozzolan was used as a control in this research. The results showed that the compressive strength of Napa soil cement which contained 4% Napa soil was much better compared to that of the control on the 7th and 20th day. Furthermore, all the analyzed Napa soil cements met the standard of cement as stipulated in Indonesian National Standard, SNI 7064, 2016.
  6. Identification of Sex-Related Genes from the Three-Spot Swimming Crab Portunus sanguinolentus and Comparative Analysis with the Crucifix Crab Charybdis feriatus
    Zhang Y, Waiho K, Ikhwanuddin M, Ma H
    Animals (Basel), 2021 Jun 29;11(7).
    PMID: 34209957 DOI: 10.3390/ani11071946
    Crabs within the family Portunidae are important marine species in both aquaculture and fishery sectors. The current aquaculture status of most portunids, however, still relies on wild-caught fisheries due to the lack of essential knowledge regarding their reproductive biology and underlying governing mechanism. With the advancement of sequencing technology, transcriptome sequencing has been progressively used to understand various physiological processes, especially on non-model organisms. In the present study, we compared the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between sexes of Portunus sanguinolentus based on their gonadal transcriptome profiles and subsequently contrasted them with the gonadal DEGs of Charybdis feriatus, the other member of Family Portunidae. In total, 40,964 DEGs between ovaries and testes were uncovered, with 27,578 up- and 13,386 down-regulated in females. Among those, some sex-related DEGs were identified, including a dmrt-like (DMRT) gene which was specifically expressed in males. C. feriatus has approximately 63.5% of genes common with P. sanguinolentus, with 62.6% showing similar expression patterns. Interestingly, the DMRT gene was specifically expressed in male P. sanguinolentus while its homologous gene-doublesex (DSX)-was specifically expressed in male C. feriatus. The DEGs obtained from the gonadal transcriptome of P. sanguinolentus are a beneficial resource for future genetic and genomic research in P. sanguinolentus and its close species. The transcriptomic comparison analysis might provide references for better understanding the sex determination and differentiation mechanisms among portunids.
  7. Fulltext Green Synthesis of Thermo-Responsive Hydrogel from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches Cellulose for Sustained Drug Delivery
    Al-Rajabi MM, Teow YH
    Polymers (Basel), 2021 Jun 29;13(13).
    PMID: 34210003 DOI: 10.3390/polym13132153
    Drug delivery is a difficult task in the field of dermal therapeutics, particularly in the treatment of burns, wounds, and skin diseases. Conventional drug delivery mediums have some limitations, including poor retention on skin/wound, inconvenience in administration, and uncontrolled drug release profile. Hydrogels able to absorb large amount of water and give a spontaneous response to stimuli imposed on them are an attractive solution to overcome the limitations of conventional drug delivery media. The objective of this study is to explore a green synthesis method for the development of thermo-responsive cellulose hydrogel using cellulose extracted from oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB). A cold method was employed to prepare thermo-responsive cellulose hydrogels by incorporating OPEFB-extracted cellulose and Pluronic F127 (PF127) polymer. The performance of the synthesized thermo-responsive cellulose hydrogels were evaluated in terms of their swelling ratio, percentage of degradation, and in-vitro silver sulfadiazine (SSD) drug release. H8 thermo-responsive cellulose hydrogel with 20 w/v% PF127 and 3 w/v% OPEFB extracted cellulose content was the best formulation, given its high storage modulus and complex viscosity (81 kPa and 9.6 kPa.s, respectively), high swelling ratio (4.22 ± 0.70), and low degradation rate (31.3 ± 5.9%), in addition to high t50% value of 24 h in SSD in-vitro drug release to accomplish sustained drug release. The exploration of thermo-responsive cellulose hydrogel from OPEFB would promote cost-effective and sustainable drug delivery system with using abundantly available agricultural biomass.
  8. Cassia fistula Leaves; UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS Based Metabolite Profiling and Molecular Docking Insights to Explore Bioactives Role Towards Inhibition of Pancreatic Lipase
    Aabideen ZU, Mumtaz MW, Akhtar MT, Raza MA, Mukhtar H, Irfan A, et al.
    Plants (Basel), 2021 Jun 29;10(7).
    PMID: 34210016 DOI: 10.3390/plants10071334
    The present work was aimed at investigating hydroethanolic leaf extracts of Cassia fistula for their antioxidant and pancreatic lipase (PL) enzyme inhibitory properties. The most active extract was selected to profile the phytoconstituents by UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS technique. Among the tested extracts, the 80% hydroethanolic extract exhibited the maximum levels of total phenolic and flavonoid contents (TPC and TFC) with a contribution of 201.3 ± 2.6 mg of gallic acid equivalent per gram of extract (GAE/g extract), and 116.3 ± 2.4 mg of rutin equivalent per gram of extract (RE/g extract), respectively. The same extract also showed promising 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and PL inhibitory activity with an IC50 (half maximal inhibitory concentration) of 30.5 ± 2.8 µg/mL and 17.31 ± 1.18 μg/mL, respectively. The phytochemical profiling of 80% hydroethanolic extract confirmed the presence of 23 metabolites of immense medicinal significance. Docking studies were conducted to investigate the potential interactions of compounds identified in the study. The docking study-based binding energy data and the interaction scheme both revealed the possible role of the identified compounds towards PL inhibitor. Moreover, energies of frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs), ionization potentials (IP), electron affinities (EA) and molecular electrostatic potentials (MEP) were also explored. The findings of the current work suggest that C. fistula is a promising natural source of antioxidant and antiobesity agents, which may be exploited to add pharmacological functionalities to food.
  9. Fulltext Socio-Demographic Characteristics, Body Weight Status and Energy Intake among Users and Non-Users of Dietary Supplements among Government Employees in Putrajaya, Malaysia
    Mohd Ashri MH, Abu Saad H, Adznam SNΆ
    Nutrients, 2021 Jun 29;13(7).
    PMID: 34210072 DOI: 10.3390/nu13072248
    The use of dietary supplements is prevalent among many groups worldwide. However, few studies have examined their use among government employees. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the association among sociodemographic characteristics, body weight status, and energy intake with dietary supplement use among government employees in Putrajaya, Malaysia. Simple random sampling was used to select a sample of 460 government employees from six ministries in Putrajaya, Malaysia. The data used in this study were collected through anthropometric measurements (height, weight, % body fat, waist and hip circumferences), a self-administered questionnaire (sociodemographic characteristics and dietary supplements use), and an interviewer-administered questionnaire (24-hour dietary recall; fruit and vegetable intake). The results indicated that the prevalence of dietary supplement use was 55.4%, with vitamin C (38.4%) being the most popular type of dietary supplement. Health issues (80.8%) were the most common reason for usage, internet (59.2%) was the main source of information, and pharmacies (71.8%) were the most indicated places to purchase dietary supplements. A multivariate analysis showed that participants who were female, married, had better monthly income, lived within a smaller household size, had a normal body mass index, classified as having unhealthily high body fat percentage, did not skip breakfast, and consumed at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day were significantly more likely to use dietary supplements. In conclusion, health-conscious groups were more prone to consume dietary supplements, and due to the high prevalence of dietary supplement use, dissemination of accurate scientific information regarding dietary supplements is highly recommended among government employees.
    MeSH terms: Adult; Anthropometry; Body Weight*; Energy Intake*; Cross-Sectional Studies; Demography; Feeding Behavior; Female; Humans; Malaysia; Male; Surveys and Questionnaires; Multivariate Analysis; Dietary Supplements/statistics & numerical data*; Government Employees/psychology; Government Employees/statistics & numerical data*; Healthy Diet/psychology; Healthy Diet/statistics & numerical data*
  10. Fulltext Methanolic Extract of Piper sarmentosum Attenuates Obesity and Hyperlipidemia in Fructose-Induced Metabolic Syndrome Rats
    Kumar SR, Mohd Ramli ES, Abdul Nasir NA, Mohd Ismail N, Mohd Fahami NA
    Molecules, 2021 Jun 29;26(13).
    PMID: 34210097 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26133985
    Obesity and hyperlipidemia are metabolic dysregulations that arise from poor lifestyle and unhealthy dietary intakes. These co-morbidity conditions are risk factors for vascular diseases. Piper sarmentosum (PS) is a nutritious plant that has been shown to pose various phytochemicals and pharmacological actions. This study aimed to investigate the effect of PS on obesity and hyperlipidemia in an animal model. Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five experimental groups. The groups were as follows: UG-Untreated group; CTRL-control; FDW-olive oil + 20% fructose; FDW-PS-PS (125 mg/kg) + 20% fructose; FDW-NGN-naringin (100 mg/kg) + 20% fructose. Fructose drinking water was administered daily for 12 weeks ad libitum to induce metabolic abnormality. Treatment was administered at week 8 for four weeks via oral gavage. The rats were sacrificed with anesthesia at the end of the experimental period. Blood, liver, and visceral fat were collected for further analysis. The consumption of 20% fructose water by Wistar rats for eight weeks displayed a tremendous increment in body weight, fat mass, percentage fat, LDL, TG, TC, HMG-CoA reductase, leptin, and reduced the levels of HDL and adiponectin as well as adipocyte hypertrophy. Following the treatment period, FDW-PS and FDW-NGN showed a significant reduction in body weight, fat mass, percentage fat, LDL, TG, TC, HMG-CoA reductase, and leptin with an increment in the levels of HDL and adiponectin compared to the FDW group. FDW-PS and FDW-NGN also showed adipocyte hypotrophy compared to the FDW group. In conclusion, oral administration of 125 mg/kg PS methanolic extract to fructose-induced obese rats led to significant amelioration of obesity and hyperlipidemia through suppressing the adipocytes and inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase. PS has the potential to be used as an alternative or adjunct therapy for obesity and hyperlipidemia.
    MeSH terms: Methanol/chemistry*; Animals; Fructose/adverse effects*; Fructose/pharmacology; Male; Rats, Wistar; Piper/chemistry*; Rats
  11. Fulltext Metagenomic and phytochemical analyses of kefir water and its subchronic toxicity study in BALB/c mice
    Kumar MR, Yeap SK, Mohamad NE, Abdullah JO, Masarudin MJ, Khalid M, et al.
    BMC Complement Med Ther, 2021 Jul 01;21(1):183.
    PMID: 34210310 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-021-03358-3
    BACKGROUND: In recent years, researchers are interested in the discovery of active compounds from traditional remedies and natural sources, as they reveal higher therapeutic efficacies and improved toxicological profiles. Among the various traditional treatments that have been widely studied and explored for their potential therapeutic benefits, kefir, a fermented beverage, demonstrates a broad spectrum of pharmacological properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammation, and healing activities. These health-promoting properties of kefir vary among the kefir cultures found at the different part of the world as different media and culture conditions are used for kefir maintenance and fermentation.

    METHODS: This study investigated the microbial composition and readily found bioactive compounds in water kefir fermented in Malaysia using 16S rRNA microbiome and UHPLC sequencing approaches. The toxicity effects of the kefir water administration in BALB/c mice were analysed based on the mice survival, body weight index, biochemistry profile, and histopathological changes. The antioxidant activities were evaluated using SOD, FRAP, and NO assays.

    RESULTS: The 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing revealed the most abundant species found in the water kefir was Lactobacillus hilgardii followed by Lactobacillus harbinensis, Acetobacter lovaniensis, Lactobacillus satsumensis, Acetobacter tropicalis, Lactobacillus zeae, and Oenococcus oeni. The UHPLC screening showed flavonoid and phenolic acid derivatives as the most important bioactive compounds present in kefir water which has been responsible for its antioxidant activities. Subchronic toxicity study showed no toxicological signs, behavioural changes, or adverse effects by administrating 10 mL/kg/day and 2.5 mL/kg/day kefir water to the mice. Antioxidants assays demonstrated enhanced SOD and FRAP activities and reduced NO level, especially in the brain and kidney samples.

    CONCLUSIONS: This study will help to intensify the knowledge on the water kefir microbial composition, available phytochemicals and its toxicological and antioxidant effects on BALB/c mice since there are very limited studies on the water kefir grain fermented in Malaysia.

    MeSH terms: Acetobacter/genetics; Animals; Brain/metabolism; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Kidney/metabolism; Lactobacillus/genetics; Liver/metabolism; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Nitric Oxide/metabolism; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Mass Spectrometry; Spleen/metabolism; Superoxide Dismutase/metabolism; Water Microbiology*; Mice; Metagenome*; Oenococcus/genetics; Toxicity Tests, Subchronic; Microbiota; Kefir/microbiology*
  12. Three-dimensional surgical contouring of craniofacial fibrous dysplasia via patient-specific cutting guides and depth screws
    Rengarajoo J, Syed Husman SI, Hariri F
    Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg, 2021 09;59(7):843-844.
    PMID: 34210576 DOI: 10.1016/j.bjoms.2020.09.028
    MeSH terms: Bone Screws; Facial Bones/surgery; Humans; Skull/surgery; Imaging, Three-Dimensional; Surgery, Computer-Assisted*; Printing, Three-Dimensional
  13. Fulltext Postauricular swelling secondary to salmonella extradural abscess in a toddler: a near miss condition
    Lim CC, Saniasiaya J, Kulasegarah J
    BMJ Case Rep, 2021 Jul 01;14(7).
    PMID: 34210704 DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2021-243412
    Postauricular swelling is usually encountered in an emergency setting in otorhinolaryngology, resulting from complication of acute or chronic suppurative otitis media. Besides that, postauricular swelling may occur secondary to various other conditions including infectious disease, tumour, vascular malformation, granulomatous condition and even trauma. Children less than 2 years old are prone to fall and up to 10% sustain traumatic brain injury without any obvious signs of neurological deficit. We describe a rare case of a postauricular swelling in a toddler which turned out to be salmonella extradural abscess from an infected traumatic haematoma. The importance of high clinical suspicion especially in a child with a history of fall cannot be emphasised more because a missed brain abscess could lead to potentially life-threatening problems. We would like to highlight that meticulous history taking along with prompt assessment and intervention is prudent for a better prognosis and recovery.
    MeSH terms: Near Miss, Healthcare*; Child, Preschool; Humans; Otitis Media, Suppurative*; Salmonella
  14. Fulltext Tryptophan-metabolizing gut microbes regulate adult neurogenesis via the aryl hydrocarbon receptor
    Wei GZ, Martin KA, Xing PY, Agrawal R, Whiley L, Wood TK, et al.
    Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2021 Jul 06;118(27).
    PMID: 34210797 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2021091118
    While modulatory effects of gut microbes on neurological phenotypes have been reported, the mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that indole, a tryptophan metabolite produced by tryptophanase-expressing gut microbes, elicits neurogenic effects in the adult mouse hippocampus. Neurogenesis is reduced in germ-free (GF) mice and in GF mice monocolonized with a single-gene tnaA knockout (KO) mutant Escherichia coli unable to produce indole. External administration of systemic indole increases adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus in these mouse models and in specific pathogen-free (SPF) control mice. Indole-treated mice display elevated synaptic markers postsynaptic density protein 95 and synaptophysin, suggesting synaptic maturation effects in vivo. By contrast, neurogenesis is not induced by indole in aryl hydrocarbon receptor KO (AhR-/-) mice or in ex vivo neurospheres derived from them. Neural progenitor cells exposed to indole exit the cell cycle, terminally differentiate, and mature into neurons that display longer and more branched neurites. These effects are not observed with kynurenine, another AhR ligand. The indole-AhR-mediated signaling pathway elevated the expression of β-catenin, Neurog2, and VEGF-α genes, thus identifying a molecular pathway connecting gut microbiota composition and their metabolic function to neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus. Our data have implications for the understanding of mechanisms of brain aging and for potential next-generation therapeutic opportunities.
    MeSH terms: Gastrointestinal Microbiome*; Aging/metabolism*; Animals; Indoles/pharmacology; Male; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mutation/genetics; Tryptophan/metabolism*; Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon/metabolism*; Mice, Knockout; Mice; Neurogenesis*; Neural Stem Cells/metabolism
  15. Prevalence of Postoperative Infection after Tooth Extraction: A Retrospective Study
    Yue Yi EK, Siew Ying AL, Mohan M, Menon RK
    Int J Dent, 2021;2021:6664311.
    PMID: 34211554 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6664311
    The aim of the study was to identify the postoperative infection rates after tooth extraction in a university dental clinic and to identify the factors associated with an increased risk for postoperative infection. A retrospective study of case records of patients who underwent tooth extractions at the International Medical University's Oral Health Centre (IMU-OHC) over a span of 6 years was conducted. Data on demography, patient-related factors, and treatment-related factors were extracted from the case records. A binary logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the odds ratio of a patient having a postoperative infection or not, comparing it with each variable. A total of 1821 extractions, including simple and complex extractions, were performed over 6 years. Only 25 (1.4%) of the cases were reported to have a postoperative infection. The complexity of the extraction was the only variable that significantly affected the occurrence of postoperative infection after extraction; more complex extractions were reported with higher rates of infection (binary logistic regression, OR = 2.03, p = 0.004). None of the other factors, including antibiotic prescription, had a significant influence on the occurrence of postoperative infection. The prevalence of postoperative infection after dental extractions was low in IMU-OHC, and prescribing antibiotics had no added advantage in the prevention of postoperative infection.
  16. Fulltext Therapeutic Potential of Phytoconstituents in Management of Alzheimer's Disease
    Singh AK, Rai SN, Maurya A, Mishra G, Awasthi R, Shakya A, et al.
    Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2021;2021:5578574.
    PMID: 34211570 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5578574
    Since primitive times, herbs have been extensively used in conventional remedies for boosting cognitive impairment and age-associated memory loss. It is mentioned that medicinal plants have a variety of dynamic components, and they have become a prominent choice for synthetic medications for the care of cognitive and associated disorders. Herbal remedies have played a major role in the progression of medicine, and many advanced drugs have already been developed. Many studies have endorsed practicing herbal remedies with phytoconstituents, for healing Alzheimer's disease (AD). All the information in this article was collated from selected research papers from online scientific databases, such as PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. The aim of this article is to convey the potential of herbal remedies for the prospect management of Alzheimer's and related diseases. Herbal remedies may be useful in the discovery and advancement of drugs, thus extending new leads for neurodegenerative diseases such as AD. Nanocarriers play a significant role in delivering herbal medicaments to a specific target. Therefore, many drugs have been described for the management of age-linked complaints such as dementia, AD, and the like. Several phytochemicals are capable of managing AD, but their therapeutic claims are restricted due to their lower solubility and metabolism. These limitations of natural therapeutics can be overcome by using a targeted nanocarrier system. This article will provide the primitive remedies as well as the development of herbal remedies for AD management.
  17. Fulltext Trends of Stroke Incidence and 28-Day All-Cause Mortality after a Stroke in Malaysia: A Linkage of National Data Sources
    Hwong WY, Ang SH, Bots ML, Sivasampu S, Selvarajah S, Law WC, et al.
    Glob Heart, 2021 05 26;16(1):39.
    PMID: 34211825 DOI: 10.5334/gh.791
    Background: Data on nationwide trends for stroke metrics are crucial to understand the extent of the disease burden to a country's health system. Yet, this information remains scarce in low- and middle-income countries.

    Objectives: This study investigated trends of stroke incidence and 28-day all-cause mortality after a stroke from 2008 to 2016 in Malaysia, through linkage across national data sources.

    Methods: Hospital admissions with a principal diagnosis of stroke or transient ischemic attack were included. Cases with first stroke were identified through linkage of hospital admission registers where age and sex-standardized trends of stroke incidence and its subtypes were calculated. By linking hospital registers to the National Death Register, the 28-day all-cause mortality rates after a stroke were estimated. Mann-Kendall's test was used for trend evaluation.

    Results: From 243,765 records, the trend of stroke incidence showed an increase of 4.9% in men and a drop of 3.8% among women. Incidences were higher in men, at 99.1 per 100,000 population in 2008 and 103.9 per 100,000 in 2016 than women (80.3 per 100,000 in 2008 and 77.2 per 100,000 in 2016). There was a substantial increase in stroke incidence among those below 65 years old, with the largest increase of 53.3% in men aged between 35-39 years and 50.4% in women of similar age group. The trend for 28-day all-cause mortality showed a decline for men at -13.1% and women, -10.6%. Women had higher mortality from stroke (22.0% in 2008 and 19.7% in 2016) than men (19.4% in 2008 to 17.2% in 2016).

    Conclusion: This first empirical study on stroke trends in Malaysia revealed a worrying increase in stroke incidence among the younger population. Despite a declining trend, mortality rates remained moderately high especially in women. Comprehensive strategies to strengthen the prevention and management of stroke care are warranted.

    MeSH terms: Adult; Aged; Female; Humans; Malaysia/epidemiology; Male; Incidence; Information Storage and Retrieval; Cost of Illness
  18. Utilization of Vegetable and Fruit By-products as Functional Ingredient and Food
    Lau KQ, Sabran MR, Shafie SR
    Front Nutr, 2021;8:661693.
    PMID: 34211995 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2021.661693
    With the constant growth of the human population, the global demand for food is increasing annually. Food security is an arising issue due to decreased resources and massive waste production from the agricultural sector. For example, not all parts of fruits and vegetables are consumed by consumers, and this phenomenon can lead to huge amounts of food wastes that are produced globally. Moreover, non-utilized agriculture by-products, including seed coat, hull, husk, peels, seeds, and pomace, can cause environmental issues. Hence, efficiently utilizing food wastes, such as vegetable and fruit by-products, could be a way to increase food sustainability, and in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. Moreover, certain agriculture by-products are reported to have a high nutritional value and could be potentially used as functional ingredient and food in the food industry. This review article summarizes findings on the development of new functional foods by utilizing different types of agriculture by-products, that is, vegetable and fruit by-products as ingredients. Furthermore, the nutritional values, processing methods, product acceptability, and potential uses of these vegetable and fruit by-products are also discussed. These by-products can be an alternative source of nutrients to support the global demand for functional foods and as one of the strategies to cope with food insecurity. Studies have shown that different types of fruit and vegetable by-products were well-incorporated in the development of functional foods, such as bakery products and dairy products. Of great importance, this review article provides an insight of the nutritional value, health benefits, and utilization of fruit and vegetable by-products.
  19. Nutritional Analysis of Five Wild Edible Vegetables Traditionally Consumed by the Orang Asli in Perak
    Tharmabalan RT
    Int J Food Sci, 2021;2021:8823565.
    PMID: 34212029 DOI: 10.1155/2021/8823565
    The significance of wild edible plants may be traced back to antiquity, and methodological studies are the focus of present food movements to restore culinary traditions. Ethnobotanical appraisal was first done to determine the names and the significance of the five wild edibles used by the Orang Asli, which were Erechtites valerianiaeolia (Link ex Spring) DC, Dendrocalamus asper (Schult.) Backer, Solanum nigrum L., Gomphandra quadrifida (Blume) Sleumer, and Pleocnemia irregularis (C. Presl) Holttum collected from Sungkai, Perak in Malaysia. These wild edibles were then assessed for their proximate and mineral compositions. The present study revealed that the fiber content present in these wild edibles ranged from 2.7 to 12.5 g/100 g, whereas the protein content ranged from 1.8 to 6.8 g/100 g with Gomphandra quadrifida containing the highest amount of fiber and Solanum nigrum recording the highest protein content among the 5 wild edibles. In regard to the micronutreint content, iron was the highest in Gomphandra quadrifida, followed by Pleocnemia irregularis. Calcium and magnesium contents were the highest in Solanum nigrum. The results obtained in this study echo the urgency to conserve these plants in order to promote consumption as well as to improve the health and nutritional status of the Orang Asli.
  20. Fulltext Macrolactin A as a Novel Inhibitory Agent for SARS-CoV-2 Mpro: Bioinformatics Approach
    Bharadwaj KK, Sarkar T, Ghosh A, Baishya D, Rabha B, Panda MK, et al.
    Appl Biochem Biotechnol, 2021 Oct;193(10):3371-3394.
    PMID: 34212286 DOI: 10.1007/s12010-021-03608-7
    COVID-19 is a disease that puts most of the world on lockdown and the search for therapeutic drugs is still ongoing. Therefore, this study used in silico screening to identify natural bioactive compounds from fruits, herbaceous plants, and marine invertebrates that are able to inhibit protease activity in SARS-CoV-2 (PDB: 6LU7). We have used extensive screening strategies such as drug likeliness, antiviral activity value prediction, molecular docking, ADME, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, and MM/GBSA. A total of 17 compounds were shortlisted using Lipinski's rule in which 5 compounds showed significant predicted antiviral activity values. Among these 5, only 2 compounds, Macrolactin A and Stachyflin, showed good binding energy of -9.22 and -8.00 kcal/mol, respectively, within the binding pocket of the Mpro catalytic residues (HIS 41 and CYS 145). These two compounds were further analyzed to determine their ADME properties. The ADME evaluation of these 2 compounds suggested that they could be effective in developing therapeutic drugs to be used in clinical trials. MD simulations showed that protein-ligand complexes of Macrolactin A and Stachyflin with the target receptor (6LU7) were stable for 100 nanoseconds. The MM/GBSA calculations of Mpro-Macrolactin A complex indicated higher binding free energy (-42.58 ± 6.35 kcal/mol). Dynamic cross-correlation matrix (DCCM) and principal component analysis (PCA) on the residual movement in the MD trajectories further confirmed the stability of Macrolactin A bound state with 6LU7. In conclusion, this study showed that marine natural compound Macrolactin A could be an effective therapeutic inhibitor against SARS-CoV-2 protease (6LU7). Additional in vitro and in vivo validations are strongly needed to determine the efficacy and therapeutic dose of Macrolactin A in biological systems.
    MeSH terms: Humans; Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors/chemistry*; Macrolides/chemistry*; Molecular Docking Simulation*
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