Browse publications by year: 2023

  1. Ajit Singh V, Ho SC, Abdul Rashid ML, Santharalinggam RD
    J Orthop Surg (Hong Kong), 2023;31(3):10225536231208242.
    PMID: 37824849 DOI: 10.1177/10225536231208242
    BACKGROUND: Clavicle fractures are traditionally treated non-operatively. This study determines the functional outcome of midshaft clavicle fractures treated non-operatively, the factors influencing it, and the incidence of acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) arthrosis.

    METHODS: Patients with midshaft clavicular fractures treated non-operatively between 16 and 50 years old with no prior AC joint problems were assessed. Demographics, hand dominance, type of occupation, and smoking status were documented. Functional scoring using DASH score, CM score, and radiological evaluation was done with special tests to diagnose AC joint arthrosis. Two or more positive special tests were considered significant for this study.

    RESULTS: 101 patients were recruited, 83 male and 18 female patients. The average age of 34.7 ± 13.93 years. The average follow-up was 32.7 months (range: 24-75; SD ± 9.9 months). 48.5% were blue-collar workers, and 60.4% involved the dominant upper limb. 44.6% were cigarette smokers. There was 20 mm and more shortening in 21.8% of subjects. 40.6% had a significant special test, and 36.6% had radiological changes of AC joint osteoarthritis. Positive two or more special tests were significantly associated with radiological evidence of arthrosis (p = .00). The mean DASH score was 28.28 ± 17.4, and the mean CM score was 27.58 ± 14.34. Most have satisfactory to excellent scores. Hand dominance, smoking, and blue-collar work were significantly associated with poorer CM scores, and hand dominance was significant for Dash scores.

    CONCLUSION: There is an equal distribution poor, satisfactory and excellent functional outcomes in patients with midshaft clavicle fractures treated non-operatively. The poor outcomes may be attributed to ACJ arthrosis. Hand dominance, smoking and blue-collar work affected the functional outcome. Shortening of the clavicle had no bearing on the clinical and radiological findings of osteoarthritis and functional scores. The presence of two or more positive special tests is an accurate predictor of AC joint arthritis.

    MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adult; Clavicle/surgery; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Treatment Outcome; Fracture Healing; Young Adult
  2. Alblowy AH, Maan N, Ibrahim AA
    Comput Biol Med, 2023 Oct 05;166:107552.
    PMID: 37826954 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2023.107552
    Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer in the world, and it continues to have a significant impact on the total number of cancer deaths. Recently, oncology findings hint at the role of excessive glucose in cancer progression and immune cells' suppression. Sequel to this revelation is ongoing researches on possible inhibition of glucose flow into the tumor micro-environment as therapeutics for malignant treatment. In this study, the effect of glucose blockage therapeutics such as SGLT-2 inhibitors drug on the dynamics of normal, tumors and immune cells interaction is mathematically studied. The asymptomatic nature of the breast cancer is factored into the model using time delay. We first investigate the boundedness and non-negativity of the solution. The condition for existence of critical equilibrium point is determined, and its global stability conditions are derived using Lyapunov function. This revealed that a timely administration of the SGLT-2 inhibitors drug can eliminate tumor cells. Secondly, we determine the sufficient and necessary conditions for optimal control strategy of SGLT-2 inhibitors so as to avert side effects on normal cells using a Pontryagin's Minimum Principle. The results showed that if the ingestion rate of the inhibitor drug is equal to the digestion rate, the tumor cells can be completely eliminated within 9 months without side effects. The analytical results were numerically verified and the qualitative views of interacting cells dynamics is showcased.
  3. Mohmad Saberi SE, Chua LS
    Life Sci, 2023 Nov 15;333:122170.
    PMID: 37827234 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.122170
    Orthosiphon aristatus has been traditionally used as a medicinal herb for various illnesses in Southeast Asia and Europe. The most dominant bioactive compound of the herb is rosmarinic acid (RosA) which has been demonstrated for its remarkable anti-inflammatory properties. This review describes the recent progress of studies on multi-target molecular pathways of RosA in relation to targeted inflammatory-associated diseases. An inclusive literature search was conducted using electronic databases such as Google Scholar, Scopus, Springer Link, PubMed, Medline, Wiley and Science Direct for studies reporting on the anti-inflammatory actions of RosA from 2008 until 2023. The keywords of the search were RosA and anti-inflammatory in relation to hepatoprotective, chondroprotective, cardioprotective, neuroprotective and toxicity. Only publications that are written in English are included in this review. The inhibition and deactivation of pro-inflammatory biomolecules by RosA were explained based on the initial inflammation stimuli and their location in the body. The activation of Nrf2/HO-1 expression to inhibit NF-κB pathway is the key mechanism for hepatoprotection. Besides NF-κB inhibition, RosA activates PPARγ to alleviate ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced myocardial injury for cardioprotection. The regulation of MAPK and T-cell activation is important for chondroprotection, whereas the anti-oxidant property of RosA is the main contributor of neuroprotection. Even though less studies on the anti-inflammation of RosA extracts from O. aristatus, but the effective pharmacological properties of RosA has promoted it as a natural potent lead for further investigation.
  4. Nazar M, Ul Hassan Shah M, Ahmad A, Goto M, Zaireen Nisa Yahya W, Moniruzzaman M
    Chemosphere, 2023 Dec;344:140412.
    PMID: 37827466 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140412
    Chemical dispersants are extensively used for marine oil spill remediation. However, the increased toxicity and low biodegradability of these dispersants restrict their employment in the marine environment. Hence, in this work, we have developed an eco-friendly formulation composed of an ionic liquid,1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium lauroyl sarcosinate [BMIM][Lausar] and sorbitan monooleate (Span) 80. Micellar and interfacial parameters, dispersion effectiveness, as well as the toxicity and biodegradability of the developed formulation were investigated. Micellar properties confirmed a high degree of synergism among the surfactant molecules and the formation of stable micelle. The dispersion effectiveness, at dispersant-to-oil ratio (DOR) of 1:25 (v/v), against three crude oils (Arab, Ratawi, and Doba) was assessed. We achieved a dispersion effectiveness of 68.49%, 74.05%, and 83.43% for Ratawi, Doba, and Arab crude oil, respectively, using a 70:30 (w/w) ratio of Span 80 to [BMIM][Lausar]. Furthermore, the results obtained from optical microscopy and particle size analysis (PSA) indicated that the oil droplet size decreased with higher DOR. Additionally, acute toxicity experiments were conducted on zebrafish (Danio rerio) using the developed formulation, confirming its non-toxic behavior, with LC50 values of 800 mg/L after 96 h. The formulation also exhibited high biodegradability, with only 25.01% of the original quantity remaining after 28 days. Hence, these results suggest that the new formulation has the potential to be a highly effective and environmentally friendly dispersant for oil spill remediation.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Surface-Active Agents/chemistry; Zebrafish
  5. Chang L, Liu X, Lee CY, Zhang W
    Anal Chim Acta, 2023 Oct 23;1279:341825.
    PMID: 37827623 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2023.341825
    Triphenyltin is an estrogen like pollutant that poses significant environmental threats due to its highly accumulative toxicity. To improve regulation, a fast and sensitive detection method is urgently needed. SERS can capture fingerprint information and is capable of trace detection, making it an ideal solution. Here, we present a sprayed substrate comprised of lightconfining structures and gold nanorod assemblies that are easy to prepare, low-cost, and can form dense hotspots under confined evaporation. The substrates are three-layered: initially, a gold nanorod layer is sprayed as a support, then sputter Ag film on the surface to form a lightconfining structure, followed by another gold nanorod layer sprayed on the Ag film. The coupling of nanorod assembly with lightconfining Ag films leads to 10-fold sensitivity. In addition, sample droplet evaporation in a limited area called confined evaporation contributes to nanorod migration and reassembly on the corner of the substrate, enhancing analytes absorption, and substantially lowered the detection limits. By systematically evaluating the substrate performance, we were able to obtain an average enhancement factor of 3.31 × 106. After confined evaporation, the detection limit reached 10-18 M for R6G and for triphenyltin, it achieved 10-9 M. This novel method represents a significant advancement toward SERS application in detecting trace pollutants.
  6. Giok KC, Veettil SK, Menon RK
    J Prosthet Dent, 2023 Oct 10.
    PMID: 37827970 DOI: 10.1016/j.prosdent.2023.08.022
    STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Different varieties of fiber and metal intraradicular posts have been used for the restoration of endodontically treated teeth with insufficient sound tooth structure. Evidence on the comparative efficacy of posts in a clinical setting is insufficient to provide clear clinical guidelines and recommendations.

    PURPOSE: The purpose of this systematic review with network meta-analysis was to assess the comparative efficacy of fiber and metal posts used for the restoration of endodontically treated teeth.

    MATERIAL AND METHODS: A search was conducted for trials published in Medline, Scopus, PubMed, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception until November 2022. The study was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (CRD42022384340). A network meta-analysis was performed on data from randomized controlled trials that assessed the comparative efficacy of fiber posts and metal posts for the restoration of endodontically treated teeth. Subgroup analyses were performed to compare all the varieties of fiber and metal posts. The types of posts were ranked according to their efficacy using the Surface Under the Cumulative Ranking (SUCRA) system. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) approach was used to assess the level of certainty of evidence.

    RESULTS: Twenty-five articles were included in the quantitative analysis. Fiber posts (RR=0.15 [95% CI: 0.06, 0.33]) significantly prevented tooth fracture as compared with no posts. Prefabricated carbon fiber posts (RR=0.06 [95% CI: 0, 0.54]) ranked highest followed by custom glass fiber posts (RR=0.15 [95% CI: 0.04, 0.52]) and prefabricated glass fiber posts (RR=0.22 [95% CI: 0.07, 0.62]) in the outcome of tooth fracture. Metal posts (RR=0.24 [95% CI: 0.12, 0.46]) ranked higher than fiber posts (RR=0.39 [95% CI: 0.27, 0.56]) in the outcome of debonding. Custom gold alloy posts (RR=0.12 [95% CI: 0.03, 0.48]), prefabricated gold alloy posts (RR=0.04 [95% CI: 0.00, 0.87]), and prefabricated titanium posts (RR=0.21 [95% CI: 0.10, 0.45]) had higher rankings in the outcome of debonding or loss of retention of a post followed by custom glass fiber posts (RR=0.37 [95% CI: 0.21, 0.63]) and prefabricated glass fiber posts (RR=0.38 [95%CI: 0.25, 0.58]). Prefabricated glass fiber posts (RR=0.40 [95% CI: 0.20, 0.81]) had statistically significant differences in the outcome of secondary caries. The GRADE approach determined a moderate level of certainty of evidence.

    CONCLUSIONS: The use of a fiber post when indicated results in reduced risk of tooth fracture as compared with no post. Prefabricated carbon fiber posts, prefabricated glass fiber posts, and custom glass fiber posts reveal a lower risk of tooth fracture. Overall, the use of prefabricated glass fiber posts had a lower risk of tooth fracture, debonding, and secondary caries. However, more trials with longer follow-up periods are recommended to enhance the certainty of evidence.

  7. Ishak S, Rosly NZ, Abdullah AH, Alang Ahmad SA
    Environ Monit Assess, 2023 Oct 12;195(11):1303.
    PMID: 37828347 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11909-z
    Calix[4]arene/polyurethane (C4PU) has been synthesized and characterized as an alternative adsorbent for the adsorption of methylene blue (MB) and malachite green (MG) dyes from the aqueous solution. C4PU was synthesized by reacting p-tert-butyl calix[4]arene with hexamethylene diisocyanate (HMDI) as the cross-linking agent. Different polymer ratios were synthesized, and C4PU-4 shows better adsorption than other ratios. The polymer was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, and point of zero charges (pHPZC). The isotherms and kinetics of the adsorption of MB and MG were studied under a range of experimental conditions, including pH, adsorbent dosage, initial dye concentration, and contact time. The adsorption was determined by the adsorption percentage of MB and MG dyes from the solution. The Langmuir isotherm model best describes the adsorption process for both dyes, and it follows a pseudo-second-order kinetic model, with the maximum adsorption capacity (qmax) of MB and MG, respectively, was found to be 1.991 mg·g-1 and 2.240 mg·g-1.
    MeSH terms: Adsorption; Environmental Monitoring; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Kinetics; Methylene Blue/chemistry; Polyurethanes; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
  8. Zakaria SNF, Aziz HA, Mohamad M, Mohamad HM, Sulaiman MF
    Water Environ Res, 2023 Nov;95(11):e10941.
    PMID: 37828655 DOI: 10.1002/wer.10941
    Malaysia encounters a consistent rise in the generation of solid waste and leachate on a daily basis. It should also be noted that leachate has a low degree of biodegradability (BOD5 /chemical oxygen demand [COD]), as shown by its BOD5 /COD ratio. Its high toxicity levels significantly threaten the environment, water bodies, and human well-being. High concentrations of COD, color, and ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3 -N) in leachate prevent this wastewater from being allowed to be discharged directly into the water body. Therefore, an effective process to remove the pollutant is desired. The aims of this study are to investigate the performance of ozonation with two metallic compounds, ZrCl4 and SnCl4 , and optimize their performance using response surface methodology (RSM). In this study, the performance of ozonation with ZrCl4 (O3 /ZrCl4 ) recorded better pollutant removals compared with the ozonation with tin tetrachloride (O3 /SnCl4 ), as seen in the removals of 99.8%, 93.5%, and 46.3% for color, COD, and NH3 -N, respectively. These removals were achieved by following the experimental model (optimum experiment condition) generated by RSM at O3 dosage of 31 g/m3 , COD and ZrCl4 dosage ratio (COD, mg/L/ZrCl4 , mg/L) of 1:1.35, with the pH solution of 8.78 and reaction time of 89 min. The R2 of each parameter for this model was recorded as 0.999 (COD), 0.999 (color), and 0.998 (NH3 -N), respectively. These data indicated that the model is well fitted as the predicted data by statistical calculation and in good agreement with the actual data. PRACTITIONER POINTS: The performance of O3 /ZrCl4 and O3 /SnCl4 was examined for remediate stabilized landfill leachate. The performance of O3 /ZrCl4 and O3 /SnCl4 was optimized using RSM, and a set of experimental models was generated and tested. O3 /ZrCl4 recorded the higher removal of COD, color, and NH3 -N compared with O3 /SnCl4 . At best condition, both methods recorded removal as 89% to 99.8% of pollutants in leachate and product clear effluent. This finding gives a new approach to treat landfill leachate effectively and efficiently.
    MeSH terms: Anaerobiosis; Humans; Oxidation-Reduction; Water; Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis
  9. Ramachandran CD, Gholami K, Lam SK, Hoe SZ
    Exp Biol Med (Maywood), 2023 Oct;248(20):1768-1779.
    PMID: 37828834 DOI: 10.1177/15353702231198085
    An increase in blood pressure by a high-salt (HS) diet may change the expression levels of renal epithelial sodium channels (ENaCs) and aquaporins (AQPs). Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were exposed to HS and regular-salt (RS) diets for 6 weeks. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), angiotensin II (Ang II), aldosterone, and arginine vasopressin (AVP) levels were determined. Expression of mRNA levels of ENaCs and AQPs were quantified by real-time PCR. The MAP was higher in SHRs on the HS diet. Plasma Ang II and aldosterone levels were low while plasma ANP level was high in both strains of rats. Renal expression of mRNA levels of α-, β-, and γ-ENaCs was lowered in SHRs on the HS diet. Meanwhile, renal AQP1, AQP2, and AQP7 mRNA expression levels were lowered in both strains of rats on the HS diet. Suppression of mRNA expression levels of ENaC and AQP subunits suggests that the high-salt-induced increase in the MAP of SHR may not be solely due to renal sodium and water retention.
    MeSH terms: Aldosterone/adverse effects; Angiotensin II/adverse effects; Animals; Blood Pressure; Diet; Atrial Natriuretic Factor/metabolism; Atrial Natriuretic Factor/pharmacology; Rats, Inbred SHR; Rats, Inbred WKY; RNA, Messenger/genetics; Sodium Chloride, Dietary/adverse effects; Rats; Aquaporin 2; Epithelial Sodium Channels/genetics; Epithelial Sodium Channels/metabolism
  10. Wan Shuaib WMA, Badaruddin IA, Mansor M, Salleh SA, Hassan MR, Lindong S, et al.
    Hum Vaccin Immunother, 2023 Dec 15;19(3):2266931.
    PMID: 37828861 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2023.2266931
    Neutralizing antibodies (NTAb) play a significant role in preventing and protecting against SARS-CoV-2 virus infection. Identifying NTAb is undoubtedly imperative in understanding the immunity toward COVID-19 better. However, it is interesting to note that the production of NTAb varies among individuals, especially among healthcare workers (HCWs), as they are exposed to the virus daily. Hence, we would like to investigate factors affecting the production of S-RBD IgG and NTAb among different categories of HCWs, particularly after receiving the third dose of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine. A total of 361 HCWs from our hospital were prospectively enrolled and had their S-RBD IgG and NTAb titers measured. They were studied in relation to the degree of exposure to COVID-19, breakthrough infections, gender, age, race, household income, housing type, household number, and education levels. HCWs with the highest risk of exposure to COVID-19, breakthrough infections, and male gender displayed the highest median titers of both S-RBD IgG and NTAb, and the differences were statistically significant (p 
    MeSH terms: Antibodies, Viral; Health Personnel; Humans; Immunoglobulin G; Male; RNA, Messenger; Antibodies, Neutralizing
  11. Shi J, Khoo Z
    Front Psychol, 2023;14:1227123.
    PMID: 37829080 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1227123
    PURPOSE/SIGNIFICANCE: Humans understand, think, and express themselves through metaphors. The current paper emphasizes the importance of identifying the metaphorical language used in online health communities (OHC) to understand how users frame and make sense of their experiences, which can boost the effectiveness of counseling and interventions for this population.

    METHODS/PROCESS: We used a web crawler to obtain a corpus of an online depression community. We introduced a three-stage procedure for metaphor identification in a Chinese Corpus: (1) combine MIPVU to identify metaphorical expressions (ME) bottom-up and formulate preliminary working hypotheses; (2) collect more ME top-down in the corpus by performing semantic domain analysis on identified ME; and (3) analyze ME and categorize conceptual metaphors using a reference list. In this way, we have gained a greater understanding of how depression sufferers conceptualize their experience metaphorically in an under-represented language in the literature (Chinese) of a new genre (online health community).

    RESULTS/CONCLUSION: Main conceptual metaphors for depression are classified into PERSONAL LIFE, INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP, TIME, and CYBERCULTURE metaphors. Identifying depression metaphors in the Chinese corpus pinpoints the sociocultural environment people with depression are experiencing: lack of offline support, social stigmatization, and substitutability of offline support with online support. We confirm a number of depression metaphors found in other languages, providing a theoretical basis for researching, identifying, and treating depression in multilingual settings. Our study also identifies new metaphors with source-target connections based on embodied, sociocultural, and idiosyncratic levels. From these three levels, we analyze metaphor research's theoretical and practical implications, finding ways to emphasize its inherent cross-disciplinarity meaningfully.

  12. Rajakumar S, Shamsuddin N, Alshawsh MA, Rajakumar S, Zaman Huri H
    Saudi Pharm J, 2023 Nov;31(11):101797.
    PMID: 37829192 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2023.101797
    Progressive reopening of the economy and declaration of COVID-19 as endemic has relaxed social distancing and mask-wearing necessities in Malaysia. The Ministry of Health of Malaysia reported vaccination rate had reached 86.1% for the first dose and 84.3% for the second dose as of April 2023. However, the uptake of booster doses (third dose or fourth dose) is relatively lower at 68.6% and 1.5%, respectively. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken to study the acceptance and perception of Malaysians towards booster doses in Peninsular Malaysia with participants 18 years old and above by distributing questionnaires at public areas such as government offices, major city train stations, and airports. The study included elderly participants who were not technology savvy. Of 395 survey respondents, 69.4% accepted the COVID-19 booster dose. The results showed that smartphone usage (p = 0.019), living area (p = 0.049), and education level (p = 0.006) significantly influenced the perception of booster dose acceptance among socio-demographic characteristics. Despite experiencing side effects from previous vaccination, 65.9% of respondents still opted to receive booster doses (p = 0.019). The highest deciding factor in accepting booster dose was the need for more clinical studies on COVID-19 booster dose (58.2%) (p = 0.045). In conclusion, the survey demonstrates that greater emphasis on updating and providing more clinical studies regarding the need for booster doses will increase the public's acceptance of the COVID-19 booster dose.
  13. Farghali MM, Alhadhoud FK, AlObaidly NH, Mohammad M, Abdelazim IA, Amanzholkyzy A, et al.
    Prz Menopauzalny, 2023 Sep;22(3):148-154.
    PMID: 37829263 DOI: 10.5114/pm.2023.131440
    INTRODUCTION: Obesity is the most common medical problem affecting reproductive-age women. To detect the prevalence of obesity, and bariatric surgeries (BSs) in reproductive-age women, and the impact of obesity vs. BSs on the subsequent pregnancy outcomes.

    MATERIAL AND METHODS: Obese-pregnant women, and women underwent BSs before the current pregnancy, with complete antenatal, and delivery records were included in the current study. Collected data were analyzed using MedCalc 20.106 to calculate the odd ratio (OR), and relative risk (RR) of adverse maternal, and fetal outcomes in relation to maternal obesity vs. BSs.

    RESULTS: Data of 14,474 pregnant women were collected during this study; 33.94% (4912/14474) of them were obese, and 3.8% (546/14474) of them had previous BSs before the current pregnancy. The obese group has significantly higher odds, and RR of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) [OR 1.9 (p = 0.0001), and RR 1.79 (p = 0.0001)], gestational hypertension [OR 1.7 (p = 0.0002), and RR 1.6 (p = 0.0003)], and preeclampsia (PE) [OR 1.7 (p = 0.0001), and RR 1.6 (p = 0.0001)] compared to BSs group. The obese group has also significantly higher odds, and RR of cesarean sections (CSs) [OR 1.3 (p = 0.008), and RR 1.25 (p = 0.01)], and large for gestational age [OR 1.39 (p = 0.01), and RR 1.3 (p = 0.02)] compared to BSs group.

    CONCLUSIONS: About 33.94% of the reproductive-age women in Kuwait are obese, and 3.8% of them had previous BSs. Obese-pregnant women are at increased risks of GDM, gestational hypertension, PE, and CSs. Bariatric surgeries reduced the rates of GDM, gestational hypertension, PE, and CSs significantly.

  14. Al-Turki A, Murali M, Omar AF, Rehan M, Sayyed RZ
    Front Microbiol, 2023;14:1214845.
    PMID: 37829451 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1214845
    The present crisis at hand revolves around the need to enhance plant resilience to various environmental stresses, including abiotic and biotic stresses, to ensure sustainable agriculture and mitigate the impact of climate change on crop production. One such promising approach is the utilization of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) to mediate plant resilience to these stresses. Plants are constantly exposed to various stress factors, such as drought, salinity, pathogens, and nutrient deficiencies, which can significantly reduce crop yield and quality. The PGPR are beneficial microbes that reside in the rhizosphere of plants and have been shown to positively influence plant growth and stress tolerance through various mechanisms, including nutrient solubilization, phytohormone production, and induction of systemic resistance. The review comprehensively examines the various mechanisms through which PGPR promotes plant resilience, including nutrient acquisition, hormonal regulation, and defense induction, focusing on recent research findings. The advancements made in the field of PGPR-mediated resilience through multi-omics approaches (viz., genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) to unravel the intricate interactions between PGPR and plants have been discussed including their molecular pathways involved in stress tolerance. Besides, the review also emphasizes the importance of continued research and implementation of PGPR-based strategies to address the pressing challenges facing global food security including commercialization of PGPR-based bio-formulations for sustainable agricultural.
  15. Hashmi UM, Almekhlafy SSA, Hashem ME, Shahzad M, Hashmi HA, Munir R, et al.
    Discourse Soc, 2023 Jan;34(1):120-141.
    PMID: 37829508 DOI: 10.1177/09579265221145275
    This study attempts to generate new insights into the wide spread online and offline conspiratorial discourse on COVID-19. Twofold analytical lens consisted of narrative interrelations framework and content analysis showed how the linguistic resources and conversational such as popular socio-religious discourses, hypothetical narratives, personal narratives, personal mental archives, and interpolated arguments are integrated in the interpretation of intertextual Bases such as Bill Gates' TED talk 2015 (26%); Nematullah Wali's predictions (32%); 'End of Days' book by Sylvia Browne (14.9%); and 'The Eyes of Darkness' novel by Dean Koontz (22%) by which the conspiracists in Pakistan construct an internally persuasive discourse promoting conspiracy theories on COVID-19. Several linguistic resources such as mood, modality, topicalization, insinuation, and intertextuality emerged as the main tools of making the conspiracy theories internally persuasive.
  16. Che-Zulkifli CI, Akil MAMM, Amin-Safwan A, Mahsol HH, Al-Ghadi MQ, Swelum AA, et al.
    Anim Biotechnol, 2023 Dec;34(8):4126-4134.
    PMID: 37830156 DOI: 10.1080/10495398.2023.2267621
    Sex reversal of male to female is a characteristic of barramundi (Lates calcarifer), which is affected by several factors, thereby changing the broodstock population. A study was conducted in floating cages in Langkawi, Malaysia, to determine the weight point at the onset of the sex reversal phenomena. A total of 75 female and 55 male adult individuals (3-4 weeks of age) were sampled from the fish cultured in cages to ascertain their sex at different weights. The water temperature and salinity values were 29.82 °C and 33.12 ppt, respectively. The specimens were classified into twelve bodyweight classes (2.00-8.00 ± 0.5 kg intervals). Female specimen body weight distribution was highest in the 6.01-6.50 kg class (22.6%), followed by the 5.51-6.00 kg and 4.51-5.00 class (13.3%), while male specimen body weight distribution was highest in the 4.51-5.00 kg class (32.1%), followed by the 4.01-4.50 kg class (30.3%). Length-to-weight relationships for females and males of Asian Seabass indicated positive allometric growth. The correlation between body weight and GSI, using Pearson's correlation, for both sexes, for the male and female barramundi, there was a weak correlation between body weight and GSI, which was 37 and 30%, respectively. Based on the present study's findings, it can be concluded that sex reversal from male to female in Barramundi largely occurred at 4.57 kg body weight and 66.8 cm total length.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Body Weight; Female; Male; Perciformes*
  17. Tamizi AA, Md-Yusof AA, Mohd-Zim NA, Nazaruddin NH, Sekeli R, Zainuddin Z, et al.
    Mol Biol Rep, 2023 Nov;50(11):9353-9366.
    PMID: 37819494 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-08842-2
    BACKGROUND: Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and particle bombardment are the two common approaches for genome editing in plant species using CRISPR/Cas9 system. Both methods require careful manipulations of undifferentiated cells and tissue culture to regenerate the potentially edited plants. However, tissue culture techniques are laborious and time-consuming.

    METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, we have developed a simplified, tissue culture-independent protocol to deliver the CRISPR/Cas9 system through in planta transformation in Malaysian rice (Oryza sativa L. subsp. indica cv. MR 219). Sprouting seeds with cut coleoptile were used as the target for the infiltration by Agrobacterium tumefaciens and we achieved 9% transformation efficiency. In brief, the dehusked seeds were surface-sterilised and imbibed, and the coleoptile was cut to expose the apical meristem. Subsequently, the cut coleoptile was inoculated with A. tumefaciens strain EHA105 harbouring CRISPR/Cas9 expression vector. The co-cultivation was conducted for five to six days in a dark room (25 ± 2 °C) followed by rooting, acclimatisation, and growing phases. Two-month-old plant leaves were then subjected to a hygromycin selection, and hygromycin-resistant plants were identified as putative transformants. Further validation through the polymerase chain reaction verified the integration of the Cas9 gene in four putative T0 lines. During the fruiting stage, it was confirmed that the Cas9 gene was still present in three randomly selected tillers from two 4-month-old transformed plants.

    CONCLUSION: This protocol provides a rapid method for editing the rice genome, bypassing the need for tissue culture. This article is the first to report the delivery of the CRISPR/Cas9 system for in planta transformation in rice.

    MeSH terms: Agrobacterium tumefaciens/genetics; Cotyledon/genetics; Plants, Genetically Modified/genetics; Tissue Culture Techniques/methods
  18. Jinying W, Keming L, Hanqing T, Xuqing Z, Muccee F, Xuan L, et al.
    Mol Biol Rep, 2023 Nov;50(11):9367-9378.
    PMID: 37819498 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-08858-8
    OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of acupuncture and moxibustion therapy on pain relief in sciatica rats and to explore the mechanism of its anti-inflammatory effect.

    METHODS: SPF grade 4-6-week-old Kunming rats were randomly divided into 5 groups including a blank group, sham-operated group, model group, acupuncture, and moxibustion (AnM) group, and positive group. A total of 10 rats were included in each group. The model group, the AnM group, and the positive group were prepared by ligating the left sciatic nerve. AnM group was used for acupuncture and moxibustion therapy intervention, and the positive group was rendered to quick-acting sciatica pills once a day for 7 days (3 courses of treatment). The blank group, sham-operated group, and model group were not treated. The changes in thermal and mechanical pain thresholds were observed before and after the operation, and the morphological changes of the dorsal horn of the spinal cord in the lumbosacral region of the rats in each group were observed by HE staining after the courses of treatment finished. The contents of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-α were measured by ELISA and the expressions of NOX1, NOX2, NOX4, and NLRP3 genes were detected by RT-qPCR while the protein expressions of NOX1, NOX2, NOX4 and NLRP3 were analyzed by Western blotting.

    RESULTS: The AnM and positive group showed a significant increase in thermal and mechanical pain thresholds after treatment, while there was no significant change in the model group. As compared to the control group, the contents of IL- 1β, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-α, as well as the relative expressions of NOX1, NOX2, NOX4, and NLRP3 genes were significantly increased in the model group (P 

    MeSH terms: Animals; Moxibustion*; Sciatica*; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism; Acupuncture Therapy*; Interleukin-6; Reactive Oxygen Species; Interleukin-18; Rats; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein
External Links