Browse publications by year: 2024

  1. Lim HJ, Tang SY, Chan KW, Manickam S, Yu LJ, Tan KW
    Int J Biol Macromol, 2024 Aug;274(Pt 1):133329.
    PMID: 38908640 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.133329
    Neoterically, food packaging systems designed solely for prolonging shelf life or monitoring freshness could not fulfil the dynamic demands of consumers. In this current investigation, using the solvent casting method, a versatile halochromic indicator was created by integrating black currant anthocyanin and cinnamon essential oil-loaded Pickering emulsion into a starch/gelatin matrix. The resulting indicator film underwent scrutiny for its structural, pH-sensitive, antioxidant, and antimicrobial attributes. Unexpectedly, the amalgamation of anthocyanin and essential oil led to decreased antioxidant activity, dropping from 73.23 ± 2.17 to 28.87 ± 2.50 mg Trolox equivalent/g sample. Additionally, no discernible antimicrobial properties were detected in the composite film sample against both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Fourier transform infrared analyses unveiled robust intermolecular interactions among the film-forming components, providing insights into the observed antagonistic effect. The indicator film displayed distinctive colour changes corresponding to the fresh (greyish-brown), onset of decomposition (khaki), and spoiled (dark green) stages of the stored fish sample. This highlights its promising potential for providing real-time indications of food spoilage. These findings are important for the efficient design of composite films incorporating anthocyanins and essential oils. They serve as a guide towards their potential use as multifunctional packaging materials in the food industry.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Antioxidants/pharmacology; Antioxidants/chemistry; Escherichia coli/drug effects; Staphylococcus aureus/drug effects
  2. Marhoon AA, Hasbullah SA, Asikin-Mijan N, Mokhtar WNAW
    Int J Biol Macromol, 2024 Aug;274(Pt 1):133358.
    PMID: 38909734 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.133358
    Chitosan/zeolite-X (CHS/ZX) was synthesized to serve as an effective adsorbent for metal porphyrins through adsorption processes as an alternative to traditional separation methods from crude oil. The adsorption-desorption mechanisms of vanadyl and nickel tetraphenyl porphyrin (VO-TPP and Ni-TPP) were conducted on the model solution. Compared to individual components CHS and ZX, the CHS/ZX composite exhibited a doubled capacity for metal porphyrin removal. The synthesized composite was systematically characterized using FESEM, BET, XRD, FTIR, TGA, XPS, and CHN analyses. The study investigated the impact of many factors, including temperature, initial metal-porphyrin concentration, CHS/ZX dose, and contact time, on the adsorption efficiency of metal-porphyrin using CHS/ZX adsorbents. The adsorption processes of VO-TPP and Ni-TPP on CHS/ZX were effectively assessed through various equilibrium models, such as Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R). The pseudo-second-order model accurately depicted the adsorption processes of both VO-TPP and Ni-TPP. Determining the point of zero charge (pHPZC) highlighted the composite's surface charge distribution. Furthermore, considering the ΔG° and ΔH° values, the adsorption processes at different temperatures are exothermic, and VO-TPP exhibits a greater adsorption capacity than Ni-TPP under similar conditions. Notably, 73.7 % of VO-TPP and 83.8 % of Ni-TPP that were adsorbed were successfully recovered.
  3. Nordin N, Zairul Azman ZA, Adnan NA, Majid SR
    Int J Biol Macromol, 2024 Aug;274(Pt 1):133383.
    PMID: 38914395 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.133383
    In this report, we present a dual crosslinking hydrogel fiber made from polyamine saccharides chitosan (CS), synthesized through UV polymerization. This process utilizes Irgacure 2959 and N,N'-Methylenebisacrylamide (MBAA) as initiators, followed by immersion in an aluminum chloride (AlCl3) solution. The resulting hydrogel incorporates a dual crosslinking mechanism, quantitatively studied via Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. This mechanism involves chemical crosslinking through radical graft polymerization of acrylamide and acrylic acid onto CS in the presence of MBAA, and physical crosslinking through hydrogen bonding interactions between P(AAm-co-AA) and a metal coordination bond. The mechanical properties of the hydrogel fiber enable it to withstand stresses up to 656 kPa and strains exceeding 300 %. Additionally, the hydrogel fiber exhibits conductivity at 1.96 Scm-1. Serving as a multifunctional material, it acts as a strain sensor and finds utility in optics. Remarkably, it demonstrates the capability to detect human motions such as finger bending and minor deformations like vibrations of the vocal cords. Furthermore, its ability to guide dynamic light makes it promising for optical applications. Consequently, this multifunctional hydrogel fiber emerges as a highly promising candidate for diverse applications in fields such as bioengineering and electronics.
  4. Li Q, Zhang Y, Jin P, Chen Y, Zhang C, Geng X, et al.
    Biomed Pharmacother, 2024 Aug;177:117027.
    PMID: 38925018 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.117027
    Chemotherapy resistance typically leads to tumour recurrence and is a major obstacle to cancer treatment. Increasing numbers of circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been confirmed to be abnormally expressed in various tumours, where they participate in the malignant progression of tumours, and play important roles in regulating the sensitivity of tumours to chemotherapy drugs. As exosomes mediate intercellular communication, they are rich in circRNAs and exhibit a specific RNA cargo sorting mechanism. By carrying and delivering circRNAs, exosomes can promote the efflux of chemotherapeutic drugs and reduce intracellular drug concentrations in recipient cells, thus affecting the cell cycle, apoptosis, autophagy, angiogenesis, invasion and migration. The mechanisms that affect the phenotype of tumour stem cells, epithelial-mesenchymal transformation and DNA damage repair also mediate chemotherapy resistance in many tumours. Exosomal circRNAs are diagnostic biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for reversing chemotherapy resistance in tumours. Currently, the rise of new fields, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, and new technologies such as biosensors, multimolecular diagnostic systems and platforms based on circRNAs, as well as the application of exosome-based vaccines, has provided novel ideas for precision cancer treatment. In this review, the recent progress in understanding how exosomal circRNAs mediate tumour chemotherapy resistance is reviewed, and the potential of exosomal circRNAs in tumour diagnosis, treatment and immune regulation is discussed, providing new ideas for inhibiting tumour chemotherapy resistance.
  5. Wang Z, Fan M, Fan Y
    PLoS One, 2024;19(7):e0305963.
    PMID: 39047026 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305963
    This study delves into the impact of digital inclusive finance on environmental pollution, with a specific focus on air pollution. Utilizing data from 265 Chinese cities, advanced econometric methods such as the bi-directional fixed effects model, threshold model, spatial Durbin model, and multi-period difference-in-differences model are employed, incorporating a variety of control variables. The empirical findings indicate that digital inclusive finance significantly reduces air pollution. This mechanism chiefly operates through enhancing public environmental consciousness and fostering green technological innovation. The study also uncovers the spatial spillover effect and non-linear characteristics of digital inclusive finance on air pollution, along with its interactive effects with specific policies (e.g., smart city pilot policies and the "major protection, no major development" initiative). Moreover, heterogeneity analysis reveals regional variations in the environmental effects of digital inclusive finance. These insights provide a novel perspective on the relationship between financial technology and environmental protection and offer crucial guidance for policymaking.
    MeSH terms: China; Cities; Environmental Pollution/economics; Environmental Pollution/prevention & control; Humans
  6. Mohammad N, Ahmad R, Gaus MHA, Kurniawan A, Yusof MYPM
    Forensic Sci Int, 2024 Jul 15;361:112150.
    PMID: 39047517 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112150
    When a disaster occurs, the authority must prioritise two things. First, the search and rescue of lives, and second, the identification and management of deceased individuals. However, with thousands of dead bodies to be individually identified in mass disasters, forensic teams face challenges such as long working hours resulting in a delayed identification process and a public health concern caused by the decomposition of the body. Using dental panoramic imaging, teeth have been used in forensics as a physical marker to estimate the age of an individual. Traditionally, dental age estimation has been performed manually by experts. Although the procedure is fairly simple, the large number of victims and the limited amount of time available to complete the assessment during large-scale disasters make forensic work even more challenging. The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) in the fields of medicine and dentistry has led to the suggestion of automating the current process as an alternative to the conventional method. This study aims to test the accuracy and performance of the developed deep convolutional neural network system for age estimation in large, out-of-sample Malaysian children dataset using digital dental panoramic imaging. Forensic Dental Estimation Lab (F-DentEst Lab) is a computer application developed to perform the dental age estimation digitally. The introduction of this system is to improve the conventional method of age estimation that significantly increase the efficiency of the age estimation process based on the AI approach. A total number of one-thousand-eight-hundred-and-ninety-two digital dental panoramic images were retrospectively collected to test the F-DentEst Lab. Data training, validation, and testing have been conducted in the early stage of the development of F-DentEst Lab, where the allocation involved 80 % training and the remaining 20 % for testing. The methodology was comprised of four major steps: image preprocessing, which adheres to the inclusion criteria for panoramic dental imaging, segmentation, and classification of mandibular premolars using the Dynamic Programming-Active Contour (DP-AC) method and Deep Convolutional Neural Network (DCNN), respectively, and statistical analysis. The suggested DCNN approach underestimated chronological age with a small ME of 0.03 and 0.05 for females and males, respectively.
  7. Abdelaziz R, Abd El-Hamid MI, El-Wafaei N, Ghaly MF, Askora A, El-Didamony G, et al.
    Microb Pathog, 2024 Jul 22.
    PMID: 39047802 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2024.106822
    Multidrug-resistant pathogens are now thought to be the primary global causes of disease and death. Therefore, it is imperative to develop new effective bioactive compounds from microbial sources, such as Streptomyces species. Nevertheless, the pharmaceutical industry suffered financial losses and low-quality end products as a result of Streptomyces bacteriophage contamination. To reduce the likelihood of phage-induced issues in the medical industry, it is crucial to develop a method for finding phage-resistant strains. Hence, we aimed to isolate and characterize Streptomyces spp. and Streptomyces phages from various rhizospheric soil samples in Egypt and to investigate their antibacterial activities. Moreover, we targeted development of a Streptomyces phage-resistant strain to extract its active metabolites and further testing its antibacterial activity. Herein, the antibacterial activities of the isolated 58 Streptomyces isolates showed that 10 (17.2%) Streptomyces isolates had antibacterial activities against the tested bacteria including Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli O157, Acinetobacter baumannii, methicillin resistant-vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA-VISA) and Micrococcus luteus. Three lytic bacteriophages (ϕPRSC1, ϕPRSC2, and ϕPRSC4) belonging to the families Siphoviridae and Podoviridae were obtained from the rhizospheric soil samples using the most potent S. abietis isolate as the host strain. The three isolated Streptomyces phages were thermostable, ultraviolet stable, infectious, and had a wide range of hosts against the 10 tested Streptomyces isolates with antibacterial activities. The DNA of the ϕPRSC1 and ϕPRSC4 phages were resistant to digestion by EcoRI and HindIII, but the DNA of ϕPRSC2 was resistant to digestion by EcoRI and sensitive to digestion by HindIII. Of note, we developed a S. abietis strain resistant to the three isolated phages and its antibacterial activities were twice that of the wild strain. Finally, telomycin was recognized as an antibacterial metabolite extracted from phage-resistant S. abietis strain, which was potent against the tested Gram-positive bacteria including L. monocytogenes, MRSA-VISA, and M. luteus. Thus, our findings open new horizons for researching substitute antimicrobial medications for both existing and reemerging illnesses.
  8. Khan R
    Toxicon, 2024 Jul 22;248:108038.
    PMID: 39047955 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2024.108038
    Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by various filamentous fungi, including Aspergillus, Fusarium, Penicillium, Alternaria, Claviceps, Mucor, Trichoderma, Trichothecium, Myrothecium, Pyrenophora, and Stachybotrys. They can contaminate various plants or animal foods, resulting in a significant loss of nutritional and commercial value. Several factors contribute to mycotoxin production, such as humidity, temperature, oxygen levels, fungal species, and substrate. When contaminated food is consumed by animals and humans, mycotoxins are rapidly absorbed, affecting the liver, and causing metabolic disorders. The detrimental effects on humans and animals include reduced food intake and milk production, reduced fertility, increased risk of abortion, impaired immune response, and increased occurrence of diseases. Therefore, it is imperative to implement strategies for mycotoxin control, broadly classified as preventing fungal contamination and detoxifying their toxic compounds. This review aims to discuss various aspects of mycotoxins, including their occurrence, and risk potential. Additionally, it provides an overview of mycotoxin detoxification strategies, including the use of mycotoxin absorbents, as potential techniques to eliminate or mitigate the harmful effects of mycotoxins and masked mycotoxins on human and animal health while preserving the nutritional and commercial value of affected food products.
  9. Vijayasree VP, Abdul Manan NS
    Int J Biol Macromol, 2024 Oct;277(Pt 1):134103.
    PMID: 39047997 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.134103
    Organic anionic dyes are major water pollutants due to their low degradability caused by complex aromatic structures. Not only do they exert toxic, mutagenic, teratogenic, tumorigenic, and genotoxic effects, but they also decrease fertility and cause irritation to the skin and respiratory system in humans. This long-term toxicity has detrimental effects on aquatic organisms and their surroundings, resulting in an imbalanced ecosystem. In this study, a Cs@Fe3O4 magnetic biosorbent was synthesised to uptake three anionic dyes and characterised for FTIR, BET/BJH, XRD, TGA, VSM, and FESEM analyses. The biosorbent average surface area was confirmed to be 52.6524 m2/g, with average pore sizes of 7.3606 nm and 6.9823 nm for adsorption-desorption processes, respectively. Batch adsorption studies pH values, contact times, temperature, initial dye concentrations, and adsorbent dosages were examined. Several isotherm and kinetic models were studied to determine the adsorption mechanism. The adsorption data of these dyes at equilibrium was observed to match Langmuir's isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. The thermodynamic study revealed that the adsorption process for these dyes was an exothermic reaction. Maximum adsorption capacities for congo red, methyl orange, and metanil yellow were 117.77 mg/g, 137.77 mg/g, and 155.57 mg/g, respectively. The reusability of recovered Cs@Fe3O4 after dye adsorption was evaluated up to five continuous adsorption-desorption cycles for its possible industrial applications.
    MeSH terms: Adsorption; Anions/chemistry; Ferric Compounds/chemistry; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Kinetics; Temperature; Thermodynamics; Water/chemistry; Water Purification/methods
  10. Kemarau RA, Sakawi Z, Eboy OV, Anak Suab S, Ibrahim MF, Rosli NNB, et al.
    Environ Res, 2024 Nov 01;260:119668.
    PMID: 39048067 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119668
    This literature review systematically examines the impacts of violating planetary boundaries from 2009 to 2023, emphasizing the implications for human health. Planetary boundaries define safe operational limits for Earth's systems, and their transgression poses significant threats to environmental stability and public health. This paper reviews extensive research on the health effects of breaches in these boundaries, including climate change, biodiversity loss, freshwater use, and aerosol loading. The review integrates findings from numerous studies, providing a critical overview of health impacts across various global regions. The analysis underscores the intricate links between planetary boundaries breaching impacts, highlighting urgent policy and governance challenges. The study's outcomes aim to inform policymakers, businesses, and communities, promoting sustainable development and resilience in the face of escalating global challenges.
    MeSH terms: Conservation of Natural Resources; Humans; Public Health*; Earth (Planet); Biodiversity; Climate Change*
  11. Ng KT, Lim WE, Teoh WY, Zainal Abidin MFB
    Braz J Anesthesiol, 2024 Jul 22;74(5):844543.
    PMID: 39048077 DOI: 10.1016/j.bjane.2024.844543
    BACKGROUND: Emergence delirium remains a major postoperative concern for children undergoing surgery. Nalbuphine is a synthetic mixed agonist-antagonist opioid, which is believed to reduce the incidence of emergence delirium in children. The primary objective was to examine the effect of nalbuphine on emergence delirium in children undergoing surgery.

    METHODS: Databases of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL were searched from their starting dates until April 2023. Randomized Clinical Trials (RCT) and observational studies comparing nalbuphine and control in children undergoing surgery were included.

    RESULTS: Eight studies (n = 1466 patients) were eligible for inclusion of data analysis. Compared to the control, our pooled data showed that the nalbuphine group was associated with lower incidence of emergence delirium (RR = 0.38, 95% CI [0.30, 0.47], p < 0.001) and reduced postoperative pain scores (MD = -0.98, 95% CI [-1.92, -0.04], p = 0.04).

    CONCLUSIONS: This review showed the administration of nalbuphine is associated with significant decrease in the incidence of emergence delirium and postoperative pain scores among children undergoing surgery. However, due to limited sample size, high degree of heterogeneity and low level of evidence, future adequately powered trials are warranted to explore the efficacy of nalbuphine on emergence delirium among the pediatric population.

  12. Jamaluddin NAN, Jasmani L, Md Pisar M, Adnan S, Rusli R, Zakaria S
    Carbohydr Polym, 2024 Oct 15;342:122405.
    PMID: 39048240 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2024.122405
    Nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) has found extensive potential and existing utilizations across various industries. Nonetheless, a notable constraint of NFC lies in its inherent hydrophilic nature, which restricts its suitability for non-aqueous application. This study aims at synthesising hydrophobic NFC through a two-step surface modification by reacting NFC with tannic acid and amine group. The study also investigated the effect of using various alkylamines on the properties of modified NFC. The hydrophobic NFC was characterized using various analytical techniques namely Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), X-Ray Diffraction analysis (XRD), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), elemental analysis, and contact angle measurements. The present study also looked into the possible use of modified NFC as a pharmaceutical excipient for the delivery of water insoluble curcumin. The analysis of curcumin binding onto the modified NFC was conducted using UV-Visible spectrophotometry. The findings from the study indicated that the modified NFC effectively bound a substantial quantity of curcumin (80 % - 87 %) and the binding varied for samples of different degree of substitution.
    MeSH terms: Tannins/chemistry; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions*
  13. Mousa MA, Husein A, El-Anwar MI, Yusoff N, Abdullah JY
    J Prosthet Dent, 2024 Jul 23.
    PMID: 39048390 DOI: 10.1016/j.prosdent.2024.07.011
    STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Studies on the biomechanics of obturators in the currently used designs of Aramany class I defect are lacking. Also, modifications of the designs presently used in unilateral palatal defects are needed to produce a prosthesis with more retention and less stress on the abutments.

    PURPOSE: The purpose of part I of this study was to differentiate among Aramany class I obturators of 4 designs regarding retention and associated stress using numerical and experimental methods.

    MATERIAL AND METHODS: Four finite element models and 36 different base obturators were fabricated and divided into 9 acrylic resin bases retained with Adams clasps and 9 linear, 9 tripodal, and 9 fully tripodal design obturators from casts obtained from a scanned skull. After modification, the prostheses were fabricated on the casts obtained from a 3-dimensionally printed cast. The retention was evaluated, and the data were collected and analyzed using a statistical software program (α=.05). The displacement and associated stress in the assorted casts were compared by using 5-N displacing force at 3 points using finite element analysis. The quantitative assessment was made by measuring the displacement and von Mises stress distribution on the prostheses and their supporting structures. The qualitative analysis was done by using a visual color mapping to depict stress location and intensity.

    RESULTS: No significant differences were found between fully tripodal (4.478 ±2.303 MPa) and tripodal obturators (4.478 ±2.286 MPa; P=.153), although fully tripodal showed more resistance to anterior displacement (4.522 ±0.979 and 3.553 ±1.58 MPa for fully tripodal and tripodal designs, respectively; P=.007), and tripodal obturators produced more resistance to middle displacement (5.441 ±1.778 and 2.784 ±0.432 MPa for tripodal and fully tripodal design respectively; P=.001). The fully tripodal obturator showed more retention (3.736 ±1.182 MPa) than the linear one (2.493 ±1.052 MPa; P=.001). The maxillary central incisor was the most stressed abutment, followed by the lateral incisor, while the second molar was the least.

    CONCLUSIONS: Regarding retention, the fully tripodal obturator produces retention comparable with the tripodal and significantly more than the linear. Acrylic resin prostheses retained with Adams clasps may be similar to metal-based prostheses regarding retention and stress distribution on the supporting structures.

  14. Jumat MI, Chin KL
    World J Microbiol Biotechnol, 2024 Jul 25;40(9):279.
    PMID: 39048776 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-024-04089-6
    Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the tuberculosis-causing agent, exhibits diverse genetic lineages, with known links to virulence. While genomic and transcriptomic variations between modern and ancient Mtb lineages have been explored, the role of small non-coding RNA (sRNA) in post-translational gene regulation remains largely uncharted. In this study, Mtb Lineage 1 (L1) Sabahan strains (n = 3) underwent sRNA sequencing, revealing 351 sRNAs, including 23 known sRNAs and 328 novel ones identified using ANNOgesic. Thirteen sRNAs were selected based on the best average cut-off value of 300, with RT-qPCR revealing significant expression differences for sRNA 1 (p = 0.0132) and sRNA 29 (p = 0.0012) between Mtb L1 and other lineages (L2 and L4, n = 3) (p > 0.05). Further characterization using RACE (rapid amplification of cDNA ends), followed by target prediction with TargetRNA3 unveils that sRNA 1 (55 base pairs) targets Rv0506, Rv0697, and Rv3590c, and sRNA 29 (86 base pairs) targets Rv33859c, Rv3345c, Rv0755c, Rv0107c, Rv1817, Rv2950c, Rv1181, Rv3610c, and Rv3296. Functional characterization with Mycobrowser reveals these targets involved in regulating intermediary metabolism and respiration, cell wall and cell processes, lipid metabolism, information pathways, and PE/PPE. In summary, two novel sRNAs, sRNA 1 and sRNA 29, exhibited differential expression between L1 and other lineages, with predicted roles in essential Mtb functions. These findings offer insights into Mtb regulatory mechanisms, holding promise for the development of improved tuberculosis treatment strategies in the future.
    MeSH terms: Tuberculosis/microbiology; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial*; Sequence Analysis, RNA; Gene Expression Profiling*; Transcriptome
  15. Lv C, Zhou L, Zhou Y, Lew CCH, Lee ZY, Hasan MS, et al.
    Burns Trauma, 2024;12:tkae027.
    PMID: 39049866 DOI: 10.1093/burnst/tkae027
    BACKGROUND: There is controversy over the optimal early protein delivery in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). This study aims to evaluate whether the association between early protein delivery and 28-day mortality was impacted by the presence of AKI in critically ill patients.

    METHODS: This is a post hoc analysis of data from a multicenter cluster-randomised controlled trial enrolling newly admitted critically ill patients (n = 2772). Participants without chronic kidney disease and with complete data concerning baseline renal function were included in this study. The primary outcome was 28-day mortality. Cox proportional hazards models were used to analyze the association between early protein delivery, reflected by mean protein delivery from day 3-5 after enrollment, 28-day mortality and whether baseline AKI stages interacted with this association.

    RESULTS: Overall, 2552 patients were included, among whom 567 (22.2%) had AKI at enrollment (111 stage I, 87 stage II, 369 stage III). Mean early protein delivery was 0.60 ± 0.38 g/kg/day among the study patients. In the overall study cohort, each 0.1 g/kg/day increase in protein delivery was associated with a 5% reduction in 28-day mortality[hazard ratio (HR) = 0.95; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.92-0.98, p 

  16. Mahardika M, Masruchin N, Amelia D, Ilyas RA, Septevani AA, Syafri E, et al.
    RSC Adv, 2024 Jul 19;14(32):23232-23239.
    PMID: 39049888 DOI: 10.1039/d4ra04205k
    This study reported the development and characterisation of bio-nanocomposite films based on the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) reinforced with cellulose nanofibres (CNFs) of different concentrations (1-5 wt%), isolated from pineapple leaf fibre via high-shear homogenisation and ultrasonication. The PVA film and bio-nanocomposite were prepared using a solution casting method. The PVA film and bio-nanocomposite samples were characterized using FE-SEM, XRD, FTIR spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy in transmission mode, TGA, and DTG. Mechanical properties (tensile strength and strain at break) were also determined and statistical analysis was applied as well. With the incorporation of CNFs, the mechanical properties of the bio-nanocomposite were found to be significant (p ≤ 0.05), particularly the 4 wt% CNF bio-nanocomposite showed optimum properties. The tensile strength, CI, and thermal stability of this film were 28.9 MPa (increased by 28.2%), 78.7% (increased by 5.2%), and 341.8 °C (increased by 1.6%), respectively, compared to the pure PVA film. These characteristics imply that the bio-nanocomposite film has prospects as a promising material for biopackaging.
  17. Hajar-Azhari S, Mohd Roby BH, Jemain SN, Meor Hussin AS
    J Food Sci Technol, 2024 Sep;61(9):1701-1710.
    PMID: 39049918 DOI: 10.1007/s13197-024-05941-1
    This study aims to optimize the culture condition of semi-liquid sourdough using Kombucha as a starter culture and to evaluate the physicochemical properties, microbial viability and recovering ability of sourdough powder when packaged in different types of packaging for 120 days. Optimal maturation time (103.47 h) and maximum leavening rate (1.27 mL/h) of sourdough were achieved at an incubation temperature of 34 °C and interval refreshment time at 7 h. The optimized culture was spray-dried using 3% Arabic gum (w/v) as a carrier agent yielding 35.86% powder with acceptable viability of 8.71 log CFU/g lactic acid bacteria and 9.03 CFU/g yeast. The sourdough powder was packed in four packaging (LDPE, vacuumed LDPE, aluminum foil laminated pouch and vacuumed aluminum foil laminated pouch) and exhibited comparable physicochemical properties during 120 days of storage. The viability of both lactic acid bacteria and yeast count in sourdough powder when packed in vacuumed aluminum foil laminated pouch showed higher stability for 90 days (6.18 log CFU/g and 6.82 log CFU/g) but reduced to below detection limit after 120 days (5.54 and 5.94 log CFU/g). This suggested that Kombucha sourdough powder packed in vacuumed aluminum laminated pouch could be stored for up to 90 days.
  18. Wong WE, Wong AH, Peh WQ, Tan CK
    Data Brief, 2024 Aug;55:110673.
    PMID: 39049967 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2024.110673
    Human Activity Recognition (HAR) has emerged as a critical research area due to its extensive applications in various real-world domains. Numerous CSI-based datasets have been established to support the development and evaluation of advanced HAR algorithms. However, existing CSI-based HAR datasets are frequently limited by a dearth of complexity and diversity in the activities represented, hindering the design of robust HAR models. These limitations typically manifest as a narrow focus on a limited range of activities or the exclusion of factors influencing real-world CSI measurements. Consequently, the scarcity of diverse training data can impede the development of efficient HAR systems. To address the limitations of existing datasets, this paper introduces a novel dataset that captures spatial diversity through multiple transceiver orientations over a high dimensional space encompassing a large number of subcarriers. The dataset incorporates a wider range of real-world factors including extensive activity range, a spectrum of human movements (encompassing both micro-and macro-movements), variations in body composition, and diverse environmental conditions (noise and interference). The experiment is performed in a controlled laboratory environment with dimensions of 5 m (width) × 8 m (length) × 3 m (height) to capture CSI measurements for various human activities. Four ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 devices, configured as transceiver pairs with unique Media Access Control (MAC) addresses, collect CSI data according to the Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11n standard. Mounted on tripods at a height of 1.5 m, the transmitter devices (powered by external power banks) positioned at north and east send multiple Wi-Fi beacons to their respective receivers (connected to laptops via USB for data collection) located at south and west. To capture multi-perspective CSI data, all six participants sequentially performed designated activities while standing in the centre of the tripod arrangement for 5 s per sample. The system collected approximately 300-450 packets per sample for approximately 1200 samples per activity, capturing CSI information across the 166 subcarriers employed in the Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11n standard. By leveraging the richness of this dataset, HAR researchers can develop more robust and generalizable CSI-based HAR models. Compared to traditional HAR approaches, these CSI-based models hold the promise of significantly enhanced accuracy and robustness when deployed in real-world scenarios. This stems from their ability to capture the nuanced dynamics of human movement through the analysis of wireless channel characteristic from different spatial variations (utilizing two-diagonal ESP32 transceivers configuration) with higher degree of dimensionality (166 subcarriers).
  19. Mohd Rosnu NS, Ishak WS, Abd Rahman MH, Singh DKA
    Cureus, 2024 Jun;16(6):e62999.
    PMID: 39050317 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.62999
    BACKGROUND/AIM: The Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factors (CHIEF) is a tool designed to assess and quantify the impact of environmental factors on an individual's functioning and social participation. In this study, we aim to culturally adapt the CHIEF from its original English version into the Malay language (M-CHIEF) and examine its validity and reliability among older adults in Malaysia.

    METHODS: The original CHIEF was cross-culturally adapted into the Malay language following the published guidelines on cross-cultural adaptation of health questionnaires. Its content and convergent validity were assessed using the content validity index and correlation with participants' gait speed, respectively. The reliability of M-CHIEF was assessed for its internal consistency using Cronbach's coefficient alpha and Cohen's kappa and its test-retest reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs).

    RESULTS: The M-CHIEF was rated with excellent content validity with a scale-level content validity index (S-CVI) of 0.86. Its internal consistency was demonstrated to be high with Cronbach's alpha of 0.84. The test-retest reliability at a two-week interval showed a stable score of the M-CHIEF and its subscales with an ICC value of 0.89.

    CONCLUSIONS: The M-CHIEF is deemed relevant for use among Malay speakers. It can function as an instrument to quantify the environmental barriers of an individual while considering broad environmental factors including policy, physical/ structural, work/school, attitude/support, and services/assistance.

  20. Liew HY, Liew XH, Lin WX, Lee YZ, Ong YS, Ogawa S, et al.
    Cell Mol Bioeng, 2024 Jun;17(3):203-217.
    PMID: 39050509 DOI: 10.1007/s12195-024-00811-4
    INTRODUCTION: Metastasis is responsible for 90% of cancer-related deaths worldwide. However, the potential inhibitory effects of metastasis by various anticancer drugs have been left largely unexplored. Existing preclinical models primarily focus on antiproliferative agents on the primary tumor to halt the cancer growth but not in metastasis. Unlike primary tumors, metastasis requires cancer cells to exert sufficient cellular traction force through the actomyosin machinery to migrate away from the primary tumor site. Therefore, we seek to explore the potential of cellular traction force as a novel readout for screening drugs that target cancer metastasis.

    METHODS: In vitro models of invasive and non-invasive breast cancer were first established using MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cell lines, respectively. Cellular morphology was characterized, revealing spindle-like morphology in MDA-MB-231 and spherical morphology in MCF-7 cells. The baseline cellular traction force was quantified using the Traction force Microscopy technique. Cisplatin, a paradigm antimetastatic drug, and 5-Fluorouracil (5FU), a non-antimetastatic drug, were selected to evaluate the potential of cellular traction force as a drug testing readout for the in vitro cancer metastasis.

    RESULTS: MDA-MB-231 cells exhibited significantly higher baseline cellular traction force compared to MCF-7 cells. Treatment with Cisplatin, an antimetastatic drug, and 5-Fluorouracil (5FU), a non-antimetastatic drug, demonstrated distinct effects on cellular traction force in MDA-MB-231 but not in MCF-7 cells. These findings correlate with the invasive potential observed in the two models.

    CONCLUSION: Cellular traction force emerges as a promising metric for evaluating drug efficacy in inhibiting cancer metastasis using in vitro models. This approach could enhance the screening and development of novel anti-metastatic therapies, addressing a critical gap in current anticancer drug research.

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