Browse publications by year: 2024

  1. Taniushkina D, Lukashevich A, Shevchenko V, Belalov IS, Sotiriadi N, Narozhnaia V, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2024 Jul 12;14(1):16150.
    PMID: 38997290 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65140-y
    Agriculture, a cornerstone of human civilization, faces rising challenges from climate change, resource limitations, and stagnating yields. Precise crop production forecasts are crucial for shaping trade policies, development strategies, and humanitarian initiatives. This study introduces a comprehensive machine learning framework designed to predict crop production. We leverage CMIP5 climate projections under a moderate carbon emission scenario to evaluate the future suitability of agricultural lands and incorporate climatic data, historical agricultural trends, and fertilizer usage to project yield changes. Our integrated approach forecasts significant regional variations in crop production across Southeast Asia by 2028, identifying potential cropland utilization. Specifically, the cropland area in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and Viet Nam is projected to decline by more than 10% if no action is taken, and there is potential to mitigate that loss. Moreover, rice production is projected to decline by 19% in Viet Nam and 7% in Thailand, while the Philippines may see a 5% increase compared to 2021 levels. Our findings underscore the critical impacts of climate change and human activities on agricultural productivity, offering essential insights for policy-making and fostering international cooperation.
    MeSH terms: Crop Production; Agriculture*; Asia, Southeastern; Food Supply; Humans; Oryza/growth & development; Climate Change*
  2. Wiart C, Tan PL, Rajagopal M, Chew YL, Leong MY, Tan LF, et al.
    BMC Complement Med Ther, 2024 Jul 12;24(1):268.
    PMID: 38997637 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-024-04548-5
    Wound is defined as the damage to biological tissues including skin, mucous membranes and organ tissues. The acute wound heals in less than 4 weeks without complications, while a chronic wound takes longer than 6 weeks to heal. Wound healing occurs in 4 phases, namely, coagulation, inflammatory, proliferative and remodeling phases. Triclosan and benzalkonium chloride are commonly used as skin disinfectants in wound healing. However, they cause allergic contact dermatitis and antibiotic resistance. Medicinal plants are widely studied due to the limited availability of wound healing agents. The present review included six commonly available medicinal plants in Malaysia such as Aloe barbadensis Miller, Carica papaya Linn., Centella asiatica Linn., Cymbopogon nardus Linn., Ficus benghalensis Linn. and Hibiscus rosa sinensis Linn. Various search engines and databases were used to obtain the scientific findings, including Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, PubMed Central and Research Gate. The review discussed the possible mechanism of action of medicinal plants and their active constituents in the wound healing process. In addition, their application in nanotechnology and wound dressings was also discussed in detail.
    MeSH terms: Aloe; Humans; Malaysia; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts/pharmacology; Centella/chemistry; Carica; Ficus; Hibiscus/chemistry
  3. Shengyao Y, Xuefen L, Jenatabadi HS, Samsudin N, Chunchun K, Ishak Z
    BMC Psychol, 2024 Jul 12;12(1):389.
    PMID: 38997786 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-024-01886-4
    The main objective of this study is to examine the relationship of emotional intelligence with psychological well-being and academic achievement through positive psychological characteristics among university students in China. The study was conducted with postgraduate and undergraduate students. The integration of emotional intelligence theory and positive psychological theory was used in this study. The introduced framework included emotional intelligence as the main independent variable, self-efficacy, motivation, and resilience as three mediators, and psychological well-being and academic achievement as two dependent variables. A survey was conducted among 518 students, and structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data. The study found that emotional intelligence was positively related to positive psychological characteristics, psychological well-being, and academic achievement, and the effects were stronger among postgraduate students. Also, positive psychological characteristics, which include self-efficacy, motivation, and resilience, mediate the relationship between emotional intelligence and psychological well-being and academic achievement, and the relationship was stronger among postgraduate students. Proper coping strategies and mechanisms can be helpful to improve both psychological well-being and academic achievement at the same time among university students.
    MeSH terms: Adaptation, Psychological; Adolescent; Adult; China; Female; Humans; Male; Mental Health; Motivation*; Surveys and Questionnaires; Universities; Self Efficacy*; Resilience, Psychological*; Young Adult; Emotional Intelligence*
  4. Liew YM, Ooi JH, Azman RR, Ganesan D, Zakaria MI, Mohd Khairuddin AS, et al.
    Phys Med, 2024 Jul 11;124:103400.
    PMID: 38996627 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2024.103400
    BACKGROUND/INTRODUCTION: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains a leading cause of disability and mortality, with skull fractures being a frequent and serious consequence. Accurate and rapid diagnosis of these fractures is crucial, yet current manual methods via cranial CT scans are time-consuming and prone to error.

    METHODS: This review paper focuses on the evolution of computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems for detecting skull fractures in TBI patients. It critically assesses advancements from feature-based algorithms to modern machine learning and deep learning techniques. We examine current approaches to data acquisition, the use of public datasets, algorithmic strategies, and performance metrics RESULTS: The review highlights the potential of CAD systems to provide quick and reliable diagnostics, particularly outside regular clinical hours and in under-resourced settings. Our discussion encapsulates the challenges inherent in automated skull fracture assessment and suggests directions for future research to enhance diagnostic accuracy and patient care.

    CONCLUSION: With CAD systems, we stand on the cusp of significantly improving TBI management, underscoring the need for continued innovation in this field.

  5. Amran MS, Roslan MZ, Sommer W
    Int J Adolesc Med Health, 2024 Aug 01;36(4):419-423.
    PMID: 38997216 DOI: 10.1515/ijamh-2024-0047
    PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The current rise of digital technologies is causing adolescents to spend more time on their digital devices, especially since the lockdown period of the pandemic. Adolescents are among those who are affected by lifestyle changes and are at risk of digital addiction due to the overuse of digital technologies. This opinion paper discusses the possible risk of loneliness among adolescents due to the overuse of digital devices. In this article, we would like to propose the concept of digital abuse and its risk of loneliness, as well as discuss some proposed solutions by referring to recent statistics and research evidence to reduce digital abuse among adolescents.

    RECENT FINDINGS: Evidence from previous studies highlights the association between digital addiction and loneliness among adolescents. Overusing digital devices among adolescents is also associated with various physical and psychological side effects.

    SUMMARY: Recent findings support the rapid rise of digital device usage among adolescents and its contributions to digital use. More research is needed to support existing interventions, provide early screening, and combat digital addiction to protect adolescents from the risks of loneliness due to the overuse of digital devices.

    MeSH terms: Adolescent; Humans; Risk Factors; Behavior, Addictive/psychology
  6. Ying WK, Rahman MM, Kiyu A
    Int J Adolesc Med Health, 2024 Aug 01;36(4):399-407.
    PMID: 38997223 DOI: 10.1515/ijamh-2024-0081
    OBJECTIVES: Adolescent suicide is a significant global public health concern. Although numerous studies have investigated factors that influence the risk of suicide among adolescents around the world, limited data are available in the Malaysian context, especially among the diverse ethnic communities of Sarawak. This study aimed to determine the factors associated with the risk of suicide among adolescents in Sarawak, Malaysia.

    METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,344 adolescents in Sarawak using face-to-face interviews. Hierarchical binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors that determine the risk of suicide among adolescents.

    RESULTS: Two predictive models were constructed. Both models revealed that being female (OR=1.578, 95 % CI: 1.191, 2.092, p=0.001), having Malay ethnicity (OR=1.733, 95 % CI: 1.236, 2.429, p=0.001) and having a disease significantly increased the risk of suicide (OR=1.895, 95 % CI: 1.221, 2.942, p=0.004). In particular, Model 2, which showed a better fit, found that occasional religious practice (OR=1.610, 95 % CI: 1.126, 2.303, p=0.009), poor parental relationships (OR=1.739, 95 % CI: 1.035, 2.922, p=0.037) and higher addiction (OR=1.015, 95 % CI: 1.008, 1.022, p=0.001), depression (OR=1.919, 95 % CI: 1.241, 2.968, p=0.003), and stress (OR=2.707, 95 % CI: 1.689, 4.340, p=0.001) scores were significantly associated with an increased risk of suicide.

    CONCLUSIONS: This study sheds light on multiple factors that contribute to the risk of suicide among adolescents in Sarawak. These findings underscore the importance of holistic prevention strategies, including psychological and social dimensions, to mitigate the risk of suicide in this population. Further research is warranted to understand the complex interplay of these factors and guide the development of targeted interventions.

    MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior/psychology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Malaysia/epidemiology; Male; Risk Factors; Prevalence; Logistic Models
  7. Liu P, Song Y, Yang X, Li D, Khosravi M
    Sci Rep, 2024 Jul 12;14(1):16149.
    PMID: 38997404 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66839-8
    The educational environment plays a vital role in the development of students who participate in athletic pursuits both in terms of their physical health and their ability to detect fatigue. As a result of recent advancements in deep learning and biosensors benefitting from edge computing resources, we are now able to monitor the physiological fatigue of students participating in sports in real time. These devices can then be used to analyze the data using contemporary technology. In this paper, we present an innovative deep learning framework for forecasting fatigue in athletic students following physical exercise. It addresses the issue of lack of precision computational models and extensive data analysis in current approaches to monitoring students' physical activity. In our study, we classified fatigue and non-fatigue based on photoplethysmography (PPG) signals. Several deep learning models are compared in the study. Using limited training data, determining the optimal parameters for PPG presents a significant challenge. For datasets containing many data points, several models were trained using PPG signals: a deep residual network convolutional neural network (ResNetCNN) ResNetCNN, an Xception architecture, a bidirectional long short-term memory (BILSTM), and a combination of these models. Training and testing datasets were assigned using a fivefold cross validation approach. Based on the testing dataset, the model demonstrated a proper classification accuracy of 91.8%.
    MeSH terms: Female; Humans; Male; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; Neural Networks (Computer); Young Adult
  8. Poh CL, Yahaya AAAB, Cheong HT, Lim HX
    Methods Mol Biol, 2024;2821:165-177.
    PMID: 38997488 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3914-6_13
    Vaccination is an effective means of inducing immune protection to prevent transmissible diseases. During the Covid-19 pandemic, immunizations using traditional and novel vaccine platforms such as the inactivated SARSCo-V-2 vaccine, adenoviral-vectored, and nucleic acid-based mRNA vaccines have been relatively successful in controlling the rates of infection and hospitalizations. Nevertheless, the danger posed by the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants would set the stage for the design of next generation vaccines. To overcome the lack of efficacy of current vaccines against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants, new vaccines must be able to overcome the reduced effectiveness of the current vaccines. Since the current Covid-19 vaccines are dependent on the whole S-protein of Wuhan strain as the antigen, mutations have rendered the current Covid-19 vaccines less effective against variants of concern (VoCs). Instead of using the whole S-protein, peptide-based epitopes could be predicted using immunoinformatic approaches, simulation of the 3D structures, overlapping peptides covering the whole length of the S-protein or peptide arrays based on synthetic peptide combinatorial libraries comprising peptides recognizable by monoclonal antibodies. B-cell epitopes were predicted, and immunogenicity of peptides was validated in mice by immunizing mice with peptides conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) mixed with Montanide 51 as an adjuvant. The immunogenicity of epitopes that could elicit peptide specific IgGs was determined by peptide-based ELISA. Neutralizing activities were determined by cPass and pseudovirus-based neutralization assays.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Humans; Epitope Mapping/methods; Mice
  9. Malik MK, Kumar V, Kumarasamy V, Singh OP, Kumar M, Dixit R, et al.
    Molecules, 2024 Jul 05;29(13).
    PMID: 38999160 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29133208
    Chemically modified mandua starch was successfully synthesized and applied to coat mesalamine-loaded matrix tablets. The coating material was an aqueous dispersion of mandua starch modified by sodium trimetaphosphate and sodium tripolyphosphate. To investigate the colon-targeting release competence, chemically modified mandua starch film-coated mesalamine tablets were produced using the wet granulation method followed by dip coating. The effect of the coating on the colon-targeted release of the resultant delivery system was inspected in healthy human volunteers and rabbits using roentgenography. The results show that drug release was controlled when the coating level was 10% w/w. The release percentage in the upper gastric phase (pH 1.2, simulated gastric fluid) was less than 6% and reached up to 59.51% w/w after 14 h in simulated colonic fluid. In addition to in vivo roentgenographic studies in healthy rabbits, human volunteer studies proved the colon targeting efficiency of the formulation. These results clearly demonstrated that chemically modified mandua starch has high effectiveness as a novel aqueous coating material for controlled release or colon targeting.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Colon/metabolism; Delayed-Action Preparations/chemistry; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Phosphorylation; Rabbits; Tablets*; Drug Liberation*
  10. Basir A, Sulong AB, Muhamad N, Juri AZ, Jamadon NH, Foudzi FM, et al.
    Polymers (Basel), 2024 Jun 27;16(13).
    PMID: 39000685 DOI: 10.3390/polym16131831
    The fabrication of bi-material micro-components via two-component micro-powder injection moulding (2C-µPIM) from 3 mol% yttria-stabilised zirconia (3YSZ) and micro/nano bimodal stainless steel 316L (SS 316L) powders has received insufficient attention. Apart from this, retaining the bonding between ceramic and metal at different processing stages of 2C-µPIM is challenging. This study investigated the solvent and thermal debinding mechanisms of green bi-material micro-parts of 3YSZ and bimodal SS 316L without collapsing the ceramic/metal joining. In this research, feedstocks were prepared by integrating the powders individually with palm stearin and low-density polyethylene binders. The results demonstrated that during the solvent debinding process, the palm stearin removal rate in the bi-materials composed of 3YSZ and bimodally configured SS 316L feedstocks intensified with an increase in temperature. The establishment of interconnected pores in the solvent-debound components facilitated the thermal debinding process, which removed 99% of the binder system. Following sintering, the debound bi-materials exhibited a relative density of 95.3%. According to a study of the microstructures using field emission scanning electron microscopy, an adequate bond between 3YSZ and bimodal SS 316L was established in the micro-part after sintering. The bi-material sintered at 1350 °C had the highest hardness of 1017.4 HV along the joining region.
  11. Shahid U, Ahmed G, Siddiqui S, Shuja J, Balogun AO
    Sensors (Basel), 2024 Jun 27;24(13).
    PMID: 39000973 DOI: 10.3390/s24134195
    Function as a Service (FaaS) is highly beneficial to smart city infrastructure due to its flexibility, efficiency, and adaptability, specifically for integration in the digital landscape. FaaS has serverless setup, which means that an organization no longer has to worry about specific infrastructure management tasks; the developers can focus on how to deploy and create code efficiently. Since FaaS aligns well with the IoT, it easily integrates with IoT devices, thereby making it possible to perform event-based actions and real-time computations. In our research, we offer an exclusive likelihood-based model of adaptive machine learning for identifying the right place of function. We employ the XGBoost regressor to estimate the execution time for each function and utilize the decision tree regressor to predict network latency. By encompassing factors like network delay, arrival computation, and emphasis on resources, the machine learning model eases the selection process of a placement. In replication, we use Docker containers, focusing on serverless node type, serverless node variety, function location, deadlines, and edge-cloud topology. Thus, the primary objectives are to address deadlines and enhance the use of any resource, and from this, we can see that effective utilization of resources leads to enhanced deadline compliance.
  12. Martínez-Domínguez SJ, Nyssen OP, Lanas Á, Alfaro E, Jonaitis L, Mahmudov U, et al.
    Helicobacter, 2024;29(4):e13111.
    PMID: 39001621 DOI: 10.1111/hel.13111
    BACKGROUND: The influence of indications for Helicobacter pylori investigation on prescriptions and effectiveness is unknown. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of indications for H. pylori investigation on prescriptions, effectiveness, compliance, and tolerance.

    METHODS: International, prospective, non-interventional registry of the management of H. pylori infection by European gastroenterologists (Hp-EuReg). Treatment-näive patients registered from 2013 to 2023 at e-CRF AEG-REDCap were analyzed. The effectiveness was assessed by modified intention-to-treat analysis.

    RESULTS: Overall, 53,636 treatment-naïve cases from 34 countries were included. Most frequent indications were: dyspepsia with normal endoscopy (49%), non-investigated dyspepsia (20%), duodenal ulcer (11%), gastric ulcer (7.7%), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) (2.6%). Therapy effectiveness varied by indication: duodenal ulcer (91%), gastric ulcer (90%), preneoplastic lesions (90%), dyspepsia with normal endoscopy (89%), GERD (88%), and non-investigated dyspepsia (87%). Bismuth-metronidazole-tetracycline and clarithromycin-amoxicillin-bismuth quadruple therapies achieved 90% effectiveness in all indications except GERD. Concomitant clarithromycin-amoxicillin-tinidazole/metronidazole reached 90% cure rates except in patients with non-investigated dyspepsia; whereas sequential clarithromycin-amoxicillin-tinidazole/metronidazole proved optimal (≥90%) in patients with gastric ulcer only. Adverse events were higher in patients treated for dyspepsia with normal endoscopy and duodenal ulcer compared with the remaining indications (23% and 28%, p 

    MeSH terms: Adult; Aged; Drug Therapy, Combination; Europe; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult
  13. Fareez IM, Liew FF, Widera D, Mayeen NF, Mawya J, Abu Kasim NH, et al.
    Curr Mol Med, 2024;24(6):689-701.
    PMID: 37171013 DOI: 10.2174/1566524023666230511152646
    In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the practice of regenerative medicine by health practitioners and direct-to-consumer businesses globally. Among different tools of regenerative medicine, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cell-based therapies have received considerable attention. The use of PRP, in particular, has gained popularity due to its easy access, simple processing techniques, and regenerative potential. However, it is important to address a common misconception amongst the general public equating to PRP and stem cells due to the demonstrated efficacy of PRP in treating musculoskeletal and dermatological disorders. Notably, PRP promotes regeneration by providing growth factors or other paracrine factors only. Therefore, it cannot replenish or replace the lost cells in conditions where a large number of cells are required to regenerate tissues and/or organs. In such cases, cellbased therapies are the preferred option. Additionally, other tools of regenerative medicine, such as bioprinting, organoids, and mechanobiology also rely on stem cells for their success. Hence, healthcare and commercial entities offering direct-to-customer regenerative therapies should not mislead the public by claiming that the application of PRP is a stem cell-based therapy. Furthermore, it is important for regulatory bodies to strictly monitor these profit-driven entities to prevent them from providing unregulated regenerative treatments and services that claim a broad variety of benefits with little proof of efficacy, safety concerns, and obscure scientific justification.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Regeneration; Wound Healing; Stem Cell Transplantation*; Platelet-Rich Plasma*
  14. Narasimhan SV, Panarath A
    Dysphagia, 2024 Aug;39(4):586-592.
    PMID: 38032481 DOI: 10.1007/s00455-023-10639-1
    The Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10) is a 10-item self-administered questionnaire that assesses the severity of dysphagia symptoms, the impact of dysphagia on quality of life and treatment efficacy. EAT-10 has been adapted into several languages, including Malayalam. However, the information on the psychometric properties of EAT-10 MALAYALAM is not known. Therefore, the study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the EAT-10 MALAYALAM. EAT-10 MALAYALAM questionnaire was administered to two groups of native Malayalam-speaking participants. Group 1 consisted of a total of 110 participants (76 males and 34 females) with a mean age of 52.9 ± 13.5 years diagnosed with oropharyngeal dysphagia. Group 2 consisted of 110 age and gender-matched healthy participants with normal swallow function and no history and symptoms of swallowing disorders. The test-retest reliability was assessed using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient between the test and the retest scores; internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, and Known groups validity was evaluated by comparing the EAT-10 MALAYALAM scores between the participants of both groups. The results of Spearman's correlation coefficient showed 0.99, indicating that the EAT-10-MALAYALAM has excellent test-retest reliability. The Cronbach's alpha was 0.94, indicating strong internal consistency. Mann-Whitney U test showed significant differences in the scores of EAT-10-MALAYALAM between the participants of both groups. Therefore, it was inferred that EAT-10-MALAYALAM had good known groups validity. The EAT-10-MALAYALAM is a valid and reliable tool for screening Malayalam-speaking dysphagia patients.
    MeSH terms: Adult; Aged; Female; Humans; Language; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Quality of Life; Surveys and Questionnaires/standards; Severity of Illness Index; Translations; Reproducibility of Results
  15. Al-Amin M, Fazalul Rahiman SS, Khairuddean M, Muhamad Salhimi S
    Planta Med, 2024 Aug;90(10):785-791.
    PMID: 38838716 DOI: 10.1055/a-2339-2633
    (R)-(-)-xanthorrhizol is a bioactive sesquiterpenoid and major chemical constituent of Curcuma zanthorrhiza rhizomes. It was reported to have many pharmacological activities including nephroprotective, hepatoprotective, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antihypertensive, antihyperglycemic, antiplatelet, estrogenic, and antiestrogenic properties. (R)-(-)-xanthorrhizol was also investigated for antiproliferative activity against many cancer cells including breast, lung, liver, ovarian, and colon cancer. It was also revealed to have a potential effect on TNBC cells MDA-MB-231. Considering the previous studies, this study has aimed to investigate the antimigratory and anti-invasive properties, as well as the possible molecular mechanisms, behind these properties. The findings of (R)-(-)-xanthorrhizol on MDA-MB-231 cell migration and invasion demonstrated significant inhibition at three different concentrations in a concentration-dependent manner, which was observed in the scratch, transwell migration, and invasion assays. Further investigation of the molecular mechanism using gelatin zymography revealed that (R)-(-)-xanthorrhizol prevented cell migration and invasion of breast cancer cells through the inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression. Western blot analysis indicated that the inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases is possibly the result of the inhibition of phosphorylation in the NF-κB signaling pathway. These findings corroborate (R)-(-)-xanthorrhizol to proceed for the further studies as a possible future drug candidate for cancer patients.
    MeSH terms: Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/pharmacology; Female; Humans; Phenols; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2/metabolism; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9/metabolism; Matrix Metalloproteinases/drug effects; Matrix Metalloproteinases/metabolism; Cell Line, Tumor
  16. Lee SJS, Tan MP, Mat S, Singh DKA, Saedon N, Aravindhan K, et al.
    Arch Gerontol Geriatr, 2024 Oct;125:105523.
    PMID: 38878671 DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2024.105523
    AIM: The World Falls Guidelines (WFG) Task Force published a falls risk stratification algorithm in 2022. However, its adaptability is uncertain in low- and middle-income settings such as Malaysia due to different risk factors and limited resources. We evaluated the effectiveness of the WFG risk stratification algorithm in predicting falls among community-dwelling older adults in Malaysia.

    METHODS: Data from the Malaysian Elders Longitudinal Research subset of the Transforming Cognitive Frailty into Later-Life Self-Sufficiency cohort study was utilized. From 2013-2015, participants aged ≥55 years were selected from the electoral rolls of three parliamentary constituencies in Klang Valley. Risk categorisation was performed using baseline data. Falls prediction values were determined using follow-up data from wave 2 (2015-2016), wave 3 (2019) and wave 4 (2020-2022).

    RESULTS: Of 1,548 individuals recruited, 737 were interviewed at wave 2, 858 at wave 3, and 742 at wave 4. Falls were reported by 13.4 %, 29.8 % and 42.9 % of the low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups at wave 2, 19.4 %, 25.5 % and 32.8 % at wave 3, and 25.8 %, 27.7 % and 27.0 % at wave 4, respectively. At wave 2, the algorithm generated a sensitivity of 51.3 % (95 %CI, 43.1-59.2) and specificity of 80.1 % (95 %CI, 76.6-83.2). At wave 3, sensitivity was 29.4 % (95 %CI, 23.1-36.6) and specificity was 81.6 % (95 %CI, 78.5-84.5). At wave 4, sensitivity was 26.0 % (95 %CI, 20.2-32.8) and specificity was 78.4 % (95 %CI, 74.7-81.8).

    CONCLUSION: The algorithm has high specificity and low sensitivity in predicting falls, with decreasing sensitivity over time. Therefore, regular reassessments should be made to identify individuals at risk of falling.

    MeSH terms: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Algorithms*; Female; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Malaysia/epidemiology; Male; Middle Aged; Predictive Value of Tests; Risk Factors; Cohort Studies; Geriatric Assessment/methods; Risk Assessment/methods; Independent Living/statistics & numerical data
  17. Kaewdech A, Sripongpun P, Treeprasertsuk S, Charatcharoenwitthaya P, Chan WK, GO ASIA Study Group, et al.
    Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol, 2024 Dec;22(12):2535-2537.
    PMID: 38880124 DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2024.06.003
    Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD),1 represents a global public health issue. Fibrosis stage is the most important risk for long-term undesirable outcomes.2,3 From recent meta-analyses, all-cause and liver-related mortalities significantly increased from fibrosis stage 2 (significant fibrosis; F≥2) onward.4,5 In primary care setting, those with F≥2 should be referred to hepatologists; therefore, noninvasive tests to stratify risk of patients with MASLD are crucial. Steatosis-associated fibrosis estimator (SAFE) was recently developed to predict F≥2.6 SAFE has been externally validated and outperformed fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) and NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS).7,8 Recently, international guidelines proposed sequential diagnostic steps, initially using FIB-4 and then transient elastography (TE) in non-low-risk patients.9,10 However, the guidelines focused on identifying advanced fibrosis (F≥3), which might be too late. This study aimed to compare the performance among SAFE, FIB-4, and NFS, and evaluate SAFE-TE sequential approach. We hypothesized that by initially using SAFE, the proportion of patients misclassified as low risk despite already having F≥2 could be diminished.
    MeSH terms: Humans; Middle Aged; Severity of Illness Index; Asian Continental Ancestry Group
  18. Yu H, Cheng X, Li H, Du Q, Zeng X, Wu Z, et al.
    Ultrason Sonochem, 2024 Jun 15;108:106958.
    PMID: 38889569 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2024.106958
    Fermented skim milk is an ideal food for consumers such as diabetic and obese patients, but its low-fat content affects its texture and viscosity. In this study, we developed an effective pretreatment method for fermented skim milk using low-frequency ultrasound (US), and investigated the molecular mechanism of the corresponding quality improvement. The skim milk samples were treated by optimal ultrasonication conditions (336 W power for 7 min at 3 °C), which improved the viscosity, water-holding capacity, sensory attributes, texture, and microstructure of fermented skim milk (P 
  19. Cardoso F, Paluch-Shimon S, Schumacher-Wulf E, Matos L, Gelmon K, Aapro MS, et al.
    Breast, 2024 Aug;76:103756.
    PMID: 38896983 DOI: 10.1016/j.breast.2024.103756
    This manuscript describes the Advanced Breast Cancer (ABC) international consensus guidelines updated at the last two ABC international consensus conferences (ABC 6 in 2021, virtual, and ABC 7 in 2023, in Lisbon, Portugal), organized by the ABC Global Alliance. It provides the main recommendations on how to best manage patients with advanced breast cancer (inoperable locally advanced or metastatic), of all breast cancer subtypes, as well as palliative and supportive care. These guidelines are based on available evidence or on expert opinion when a higher level of evidence is lacking. Each guideline is accompanied by the level of evidence (LoE), grade of recommendation (GoR) and percentage of consensus reached at the consensus conferences. Updated diagnostic and treatment algorithms are also provided. The guidelines represent the best management options for patients living with ABC globally, assuming accessibility to all available therapies. Their adaptation (i.e. resource-stratified guidelines) is often needed in settings where access to care is limited.
    MeSH terms: Female; Humans; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Consensus
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