Browse publications by year: 2023

  1. Paul AG, See LP, Ohn MH, Ohn KM
    BMJ Case Rep, 2023 Dec 18;16(12).
    PMID: 38110341 DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2023-257619
    Giant cell tumour of bone is a benign, locally aggressive osteolytic tumour that typically affects skeletally mature young individuals. It predominantly emerges within the metaphysis, extending towards the epiphysis of long bones, while occurrences in flat bones are exceptionally rare. We present a case of a woman in her late 20s who presented with a large right ischial mass. A biopsy confirmed the mass as a giant cell tumour. The tumour extended to the acetabulum, and due to the potential risk of significant bleeding and contamination during en bloc excision, a prudent approach involved initiating denosumab therapy, a monoclonal antibody targeting receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand therapy, before proceeding with radical surgery. Denosumab therapy successfully rendered a previously inoperable tumour favourable for surgical intervention. We went on to perform a type 2 and 3 internal hemipelvectomy, followed by a reconstruction with a hip endoprosthesis replacement.
    MeSH terms: Denosumab/therapeutic use; Biopsy; Female; Humans
  2. Abdul Mulalek N, Wan Abas WR, Muhammad Tamyez F, Ramli R
    BMJ Case Rep, 2023 Dec 18;16(12).
    PMID: 38110342 DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2023-258548
    MeSH terms: Amenorrhea/etiology; Female; Humans
  3. Islam MA, Shorna MNA, Islam S, Biswas S, Biswas J, Islam S, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2023 Dec 18;13(1):22521.
    PMID: 38110488 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49973-7
    In the modern world, wheat, a vital global cereal and the second most consumed, is vulnerable to climate change impacts. These include erratic rainfall and extreme temperatures, endangering global food security. Research on hydrogen-rich water (HRW) has gained momentum in plant and agricultural sciences due to its diverse functions. This study examined the effects of different HRW treatment durations on wheat, revealing that the 4-h treatment had the highest germination rate, enhancing potential, vigor, and germination indexes. This treatment also boosted relative water content, root and shoot weight, and average lengths. Moreover, the 4-h HRW treatment resulted in the highest chlorophyll and soluble protein concentrations in seeds while reducing cell death. The 4-h and 5-h HRW treatments significantly increased H2O2 levels, with the highest NO detected in both root and shoot after 4-h HRW exposure. Additionally, HRW-treated seeds exhibited increased Zn and Fe concentrations, along with antioxidant enzyme activities (CAT, SOD, APX) in roots and shoots. These findings suggest that HRW treatment could enhance wheat seed germination, growth, and nutrient absorption, thereby increasing agricultural productivity. Molecular analysis indicated significant upregulation of the Dreb1 gene with a 4-h HRW treatment. Thus, it shows promise in addressing climate change effects on wheat production. Therefore, HRW treatment could be a hopeful strategy for enhancing wheat plant drought tolerance, requiring further investigation (field experiments) to validate its impact on plant growth and drought stress mitigation.
    MeSH terms: Antioxidants/metabolism; Hydrogen/metabolism; Hydrogen Peroxide/metabolism; Water/metabolism; Triticum; Germination; Seedlings*; Resilience, Psychological*; Droughts
  4. Guo K, Ouyang J, Minhat HS
    BMC Public Health, 2023 Dec 18;23(1):2530.
    PMID: 38110936 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17315-x
    BACKGROUND: The increased number of older persons in China, and the prevalence of most chronic diseases raised with age significantly increased the total disease burden. When a person ages, psychological distress happens when they are faced with stressors that they cannot cope with. Psychological distress refers to non-specific symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Health literacy influences several health outcomes, such as emotional functioning among the population. The primary purpose of this study is to examine the mediator role of health literacy between the presence of chronic disease and psychological distress among older persons living in Xi'an city. Thus, this study used the Cognitive Behavior Theory (CBT) as a combination of the basic behavioral and cognitive psychology principles to explain the cognitive processes associated with psychological distress.

    METHODS: This study employs a quantitative research design using a cross-sectional survey of 300 older persons over 60 years living in the six urban districts of Xi'an city. Data were collected using the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). This study employed descriptive statistics and inferential methods to analyze the data. The inferential methods applied structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the hypothesis of the mediator role of health literacy between the presence of chronic disease and psychological distress.

    RESULTS: In this study, chronic disease had an effect on health literacy among older persons living in Xi'an city (β=-0.047, p 

    MeSH terms: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; China/epidemiology; Chronic Disease; Cross-Sectional Studies; Humans; Health Literacy*
  5. Mamat R, Nik Abdul Ghani NR
    Cureus, 2023 Nov;15(11):e49024.
    PMID: 38111413 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.49024
    The main goal of root canal treatment is to eliminate the infection in the complex root canal system for the long-term preservation of a functional tooth. Proper debridement of the root canal system, especially in the apical portion, is essential for successful root canal treatment. The complexity of the canal anatomy in the apical region plays a crucial role in reducing the microbial load. Therefore, clinicians must have a thorough knowledge of the anatomy of the root canal system and its variations, especially in the apical portion. Root canal configurations in cross-section have been classified as round, oval, long oval, flattened, or irregularly shaped. Treating oval, long oval, flattened, or irregularly shaped canals is challenging and should be approached differently than a circular canal. Recognizing the root canal shape and apical anatomy determines the different strategies to be used in cleaning, shaping, and obturation to achieve the best result of root canal treatment. The recent development of the instrumentation system improves the treatment outcome for clinicians and patients. This review aimed to discuss the definition, prevalence, and instrumentation for cleaning and shaping in the apical area with the complexity of root canal systems. Therefore, with the aid of this review, we can better understand the variations in the anatomy of the root canal, especially at the apical portion.
  6. Al-Mulla AE, Elgazzar M, Shalaby O
    J Surg Case Rep, 2023 Dec;2023(12):rjad670.
    PMID: 38111490 DOI: 10.1093/jscr/rjad670
    One anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB), considered an alternative to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, is becoming an increasingly common procedure. It shows excellent results in terms of weight reduction and remission of metabolic disease. Among the advantages of OAGB is the lack of internal hernia due to the absence of jejuno-jejunal anastomosis. However, internal herniation in OAGB is not impossible, and multiple cases have been mentioned in the literature. We describe a laparoscopic revisional surgery of internal hernia in a patient with a 2-month history of OAGB.
  7. Huligere SS, Kumari V B C, Desai SM, Wong LS, Firdose N, Ramu R
    Front Microbiol, 2023;14:1288487.
    PMID: 38111646 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1288487
    The current study aims to evaluate and characterize the probiotic andantidiabetic properties of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) obtained from milk and other dairy-based products. The strains were tested physiologically, biochemically, and molecularly. Based on biochemical tests and 16S rRNA gene amplification and sequencing, all three isolates RAMULAB18, RAMULAB19, and RAMULAB53 were identified as Lacticaseibacillus paracasei with homology similarity of more than 98%. The inhibitory potential of each isolate against carbohydrate hydrolysis enzymes (α-amylase and α-glucosidase) was assessed using three different preparations of RAMULAB (RL) isolates: the supernatant (RL-CS), intact cells (RL-IC), and cell-free extraction (RL-CE). Additionally, the isolate was evaluated for its antioxidant activity against free radicals (DPPH and ABTS). The strain's RL-CS, RL-CE, and RL-IC inhibited α-amylase (17.25 to 55.42%), α-glucosidase (15.08-59.55%), DPPH (56.42-87.45%), and ABTS (46.35-78.45%) enzymes differently. With the highest survival rate (>98%) toward tolerance to gastrointestinal conditions, hydrophobicity (>42.18%), aggregation (>74.21%), as well as attachment to an individual's colorectal cancer cell line (HT-29) (>64.98%), human buccal and chicken crop epithelial cells, all three isolates exhibited extensive results. All three isolates exhibited high resistance toward antibiotics (methicillin, kanamycin, cefixime, and vancomycin), and other assays such as antibacterial, DNase, hemolytic, and gelatinase were performed for safety assessment. Results suggest that the LAB described are valuable candidates for their significant health benefits and that they can also be utilized as a beginning or bio-preservative tradition in the food, agriculture, and pharmaceutical sectors. The LAB isolates are excellent in vitro probiotic applicants and yet additional in vivo testing is required.
  8. Deng N, Soh KG, Abdullah B, Huang D
    PeerJ, 2023;11:e16638.
    PMID: 38111665 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16638
    BACKGROUND: Over the past decade, the popularity of racket sports has surged. Plyometric training (PT) has been the focus of extensive research because of the proven benefits it provides to athletes. However, there is a lack of systematic reviews and meta-analyses specifically evaluating the impact of PT on physical fitness metrics in racket sport athletes. This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive review and analysis of evidence derived from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the effects of PT on measures of physical fitness among racket sports athletes.

    METHODS: The electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and SPORTDiscus were systematically searched up to June 2023 without placing any restrictions on the publication dates. The PICOS method was adopted to establish the inclusion criteria: (a) healthy athletes who participate in racket sports; (b) a PT program; (c) a control group; (d) assessment of physical fitness components pre- and post-PT; and (e) RCTs. The records' methodological quality was assessed utilizing the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale. The certainty in the evidence related to each outcome was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) assessment. A random-effects model was used to calculate effect sizes (ES; Hedges' g) between experimental and control groups.

    RESULTS: There were 14 eligible studies of moderate-to-high-quality, involving 746 athletes in total. The results revealed small-to-moderate effects (p < 0.05) of PT on muscle power (ES = 0.46), muscle strength (ES = 0.50), sprint speed (ES = 0.45), change of direction ability (ES = 0.76), and reaction time (ES = 0.67), while no clear evidence was found on balance and flexibility. The training-induced changes in muscle power showed no significant difference (p > 0.05) between youth (ES = 0.72) and adults (ES = 0.40). There were also similar muscle power improvements (ES = 0.36-0.54 vs 0.38-0.56, all p > 0.05) for a length of ≤7 weeks with ≤14 total PT sessions vs >7 weeks with >14 total PT sessions, and ≤2 weekly sessions vs >2 sessions. No adverse effects were reported in the included studies regarding the PT intervention. The certainty of evidence varied from very low to moderate. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated that PT has positive effects on important indices of physical fitness among athletes participating in racket sports. Future studies are required to clarify the optimal doses and examine interactions among training variables to further promote the physical fitness of this specific population.

    MeSH terms: Adolescent; Humans; Physical Fitness/physiology; Racquet Sports*; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Muscle Strength/physiology; Athletes
  9. Guo B, Liu H, Niu L
    Front Neurorobot, 2023;17:1265936.
    PMID: 38111712 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2023.1265936
    Health monitoring is a critical aspect of personalized healthcare, enabling early detection, and intervention for various medical conditions. The emergence of cloud-based robot-assisted systems has opened new possibilities for efficient and remote health monitoring. In this paper, we present a Transformer-based Multi-modal Fusion approach for health monitoring, focusing on the effects of cognitive workload, assessment of cognitive workload in human-machine collaboration, and acceptability in human-machine interactions. Additionally, we investigate biomechanical strain measurement and evaluation, utilizing wearable devices to assess biomechanical risks in working environments. Furthermore, we study muscle fatigue assessment during collaborative tasks and propose methods for improving safe physical interaction with cobots. Our approach integrates multi-modal data, including visual, audio, and sensor- based inputs, enabling a holistic assessment of an individual's health status. The core of our method lies in leveraging the powerful Transformer model, known for its ability to capture complex relationships in sequential data. Through effective fusion and representation learning, our approach extracts meaningful features for accurate health monitoring. Experimental results on diverse datasets demonstrate the superiority of our Transformer-based multi- modal fusion approach, outperforming existing methods in capturing intricate patterns and predicting health conditions. The significance of our research lies in revolutionizing remote health monitoring, providing more accurate, and personalized healthcare services.
  10. Beh HC, Wong PF, Chew BN, Chia YC
    PMID: 38111833 DOI: 10.51866/oa.3l4
    INTRODUCTION: The overall prevalence of hypertension is high, and many people are unaware of their condition. Screening campaigns can effectively identify this group of patients. The study aimed to determine the cost of manpower for a health campaign for detecting undiagnosed hypertension and the prevalence of hypertension.

    METHOD: This cross-sectional study was conducted at two health centres. Sociodemographic characteristics, hypertension and treatment statuses were recorded. Blood pressure (BP) was measured by either doctors or nurses using automated BP machines. The cost of manpower was calculated as the average salaries of manpower during the 3-day health campaign divided by the total number of days. The final sum was the cost of detecting undiagnosed hypertension.

    RESULTS: A total of 2009 participants median age = 50 (IQR = 18-91) were included in the study. The overall prevalence of hypertension was 41.4% (n=832). Among the patients with hypertension, 49.2% (n=409) were unaware of their hypertension status. Conversely, 21.1% (n=423) were known to have hypertension, among whom 97.4% (n=412) were on medications. Among those who were on medications, 49% (n=202) had good BP control. The average total cost of manpower during the 3-day health campaign was RM 5019.80 (USD 1059). The cost of detecting an individual with elevated BP was RM 12.27 (USD 2.59).

    CONCLUSION: The prevalence of hypertension and unawareness is high. However, the average cost of manpower to detect an individual with elevated BP is low. Therefore, regular public health campaigns aiming to detect undiagnosed hypertension are recommended.

  11. Chalitsios CV, Akyea RK, Abdul-Hamid H, Leonardi-Bee J, Kanchau JD, Kamal A, et al.
    Int J Gen Med, 2023;16:5885-5888.
    PMID: 38111851 DOI: 10.2147/IJGM.S423091
  12. Cai ZY, Niu ZY, Zhang YY, Tong YH, Vu TC, Goh WL, et al.
    Front Plant Sci, 2023;14:1274337.
    PMID: 38111884 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1274337
    Neomicrocalamus and Temochloa are closely related to bamboo genera. However, when considered with newly discovered and morphologically similar material from China and Vietnam, the phylogenetic relationship among these three groups was ambiguous in the analyses based on DNA regions. Here, as a means of investigating the relationships among the three bamboo groups and exploring potential sources of genomic conflicts, we present a phylogenomic examination based on the whole plastome, single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), and single-copy nuclear (SCN) gene datasets. Three different phylogenetic hypotheses were found. The inconsistency is attributed to the combination of incomplete lineage sorting and introgression. The origin of newly discovered bamboos is from introgressive hybridization between Temochloa liliana (which contributed 80.7% of the genome) and Neomicrocalamus prainii (19.3%), indicating that the newly discovered bamboos are closer to T. liliana in genetics. The more similar morphology and closer distribution elevation also imply a closer relationship between Temochloa and newly discovered bamboos.
  13. Mustafa S, Mahmood S, Salleh Z
    PLoS One, 2023;18(12):e0283516.
    PMID: 38113247 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0283516
    Diagnosing and finding the disease in medical sciences is a complex procedure. The basic steps involved in finding starts with signs, symptoms, and test. This study is based on the diagnosis of a skin disorder. The identification of a disease has been made on the basis of symptoms that sometimes show bipolarity. To address this bipolarity, the bipolar fuzzy sets are used as bipolar fuzzy sets cover the positive as well as negative aspects of a specific symptom. It is combined with the idea of soft sets, which gives more precise results. We have proposed a new technique in which a correlation coefficient is used to measure bipolar fuzzy soft set, which has been applied for diagnosis. The BFSSs deal most effectively with dual and fuzzy information. The correlation coefficient and the weighted correlation coefficient of BFSSs are suggested in this research. Based on said techniques, the decision-making method is suggested under a bipolar fuzzy environment to resolve ambiguous and unclear information. The implementation and effectiveness of the proposed and existing strategy has been checked by numerical computation.
    MeSH terms: Fuzzy Logic*
  14. Taqui SN, Syed AA, Mubarak NM, Farade RA, Khan MAM, Kalam MA, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2023 Dec 19;13(1):22665.
    PMID: 38114620 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49471-w
    Research studies have been carried out to accentuate Fennel Seed Spent, a by-product of the Nutraceutical Industry, as an inexpensive, recyclable and operational biosorbent for bioremediation of Acid Blue 113 (AB113) in simulated water-dye samples and textile industrial effluent (TIE). The physical process of adhesion of AB113 on the surface of the biosorbent depends on various parameters, such as the initial amount of the dye, amount and expanse of the biosorbent particles, pH of the solution and temperature of the medium. The data obtained was analyzed using three two-parameter and five three-parameter adsorption isotherm models to glean the adsorbent affinities and interaction mechanism of the adsorbate molecules and adsorbent surface. The adsorption feature study is conducted employing models of Weber-Morris, pseudo 1st and 2nd order, diffusion film model, Dumwald-Wagner and Avrami model. The study through 2nd order pseudo and Avrami models produced complementary results for the authentication of experimental data. The thermodynamic features, ΔG0, ΔH0, and ΔS0 of the adsorption process are acclaimed to be almost spontaneous, physical in nature and endothermic in their manifestation. Surface characterization was carried out using Scanner Electron Microscopy, and identification and determination of chemical species and molecular structure was performed using Infrared Spectroscopy (IR). Maximum adsorption evaluated using statistical optimization with different combinations of five independent variables to study the individual as well as combined effects by Fractional Factorial Experimental Design (FFED) was 236.18 mg g-1 under optimized conditions; pH of 2, adsorbent dosage of 0.500 g L-1, and an initial dye concentration of 209.47 mg L-1 for an adsorption time of 126.62 min with orbital shaking of 165 rpm at temperature 49.95 °C.
  15. Lee WY, Lau MN, Soh EX, Yuen SW, Ashari A, Radzi Z
    BMC Oral Health, 2023 Dec 19;23(1):1015.
    PMID: 38115099 DOI: 10.1186/s12903-023-03762-w
    BACKGROUND: Epworth Sleepiness Scale for Children and Adolescents (ESS-CHAD) is a valid and reliable eight-item self-administered questionnaire for the assessment of excessive daytime sleepiness and is commonly used to screen sleep-disordered breathing for children and adolescents. The cross-sectional study aimed to translate and cross-culturally adapt ESS-CHAD into a Malay version of Epworth Sleepiness Scale for Children and Adolescents (MESS-CHAD) for the Malaysian population, and to assess the validity and reliability of MESS-CHAD.

    METHODS: Forward-backward translation method was used to translate and cross-culturally adapt ESS-CHAD. Three linguistic experts and two paediatricians content validated the translated version. Face validity was conducted through audio-recorded semi-structured in-depth interviews with 14 native Malay-speaking children and adolescents followed by thematic analysis. The revised questionnaire was then proofread by a linguistic expert. A total of 40 subjects answered the MESS-CHAD twice, 2 weeks apart, for test-retest reliability and internal consistency. For criterion validity, 148 eligible subjects and their parents answered MESS-CHAD and the Malay version of Sleep-Related Breathing Disorder scale extracted from the Paediatric Sleep Questionnaire (M-PSQ:SRBD) concurrently. Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) and P values of the model's outer weight and outer loading were analysed using SmartPLS software to assess the indicator's multicollinearity and significance for formative construct validity.

    RESULTS: Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) ranging from 0.798 to 0.932 and Cronbach's alpha ranging from 0.813 to 0.932 confirmed good to excellent test-retest reliability and internal consistency, respectively. Spearman Correlation Coefficient value of 0.789 suggested a very strong positive correlation between MESS-CHAD and M-PSQ:SRBD. VIF ranging from 1.109 to 1.455 indicated no collinearity problem. All questionnaire items in MESS-CHAD were retained as the P value of either outer model weight or outer model loading was significant (P 

    MeSH terms: Adolescent; Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Humans; Malaysia; Psychometrics; Surveys and Questionnaires; Reproducibility of Results
  16. Kanauchi O, Low ZX, Jounai K, Tsuji R, AbuBakar S
    Front Immunol, 2023;14:1280680.
    PMID: 38116008 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1280680
    The COVID-19 outbreak has caused significant global changes and increased public awareness of SARS-CoV-2. Substantial progress in developing vaccines, enhancing sanitation practices, and implementing various measures to combat the virus, including the utilization of probiotics has been made. This comprehensive review examined the medical impact of clinically proven probiotics on infectious diseases, considering three crucial time periods: before (pre-), during (mid-), and after (post-) COVID-19 pandemic era. This review also showed a perspective on the use of probiotics to stimulate the innate immune system and prevent infectious diseases. In pre-COVID-19 era, several probiotic strains were found to be clinically effective in addressing gastrointestinal infectious diseases, the common cold and flu. However, the mechanism by which probiotics exerted their antiviral effects remained relatively unclear during that period. Nevertheless, probiotics, Lactococcus lactis strain Plasma (LC-Plasma), and others have gained attention for their unique ability to modulate the immune system and demonstrate antiviral properties. While some probiotics have shown promise in alleviating gastrointestinal symptoms linked to COVID-19, their direct effectiveness in treating or preventing COVID-19 progression has not yet been conclusively established. As we transition into the post-COVID-19 era, the relationship between COVID-19 and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), a vital component of the innate immune system, has been gradually elucidated. These findings are now being applied in developing novel vaccines and treatments involving interferons and in immune activation research using probiotics as adjuvants, comparable to CpG-DNA through TLR9. The role of the local innate immune system, including pDCs, as the first line of defense against viral infections has gained increasing interest. Moving forward, insight of the immune system and the crosstalk between probiotics and the innate immune system is expected to highlight the role of probiotics in adjunctive immunoregulatory therapy. In combination with drug treatments, probiotics may play a more substantial role in enhancing immune responses. The immunoregulatory approach using probiotics such as LC-Plasma, which can induce anti-infectious factors such as interferons, holds promise as a viable therapeutic and prophylactic option against viral infectious diseases due to their good safety profile and protective efficacy.
    MeSH terms: Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use; Humans; Interferons; RNA, Viral; Vaccines*; Probiotics*; Pandemics/prevention & control
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