Browse publications by year: 2024

Angiomyolipoma during pregnancy: A forgotten risk factor for rupture and massive haemorrhage - A case report

Sayuti KA, Mat Rasid SA, Abdullah MS, Muhammad SJ

Malays Fam Physician, 2024;19:27.
PMID: 38725613 DOI: 10.51866/cr.399

Benign renal lesions are relatively rare. Angiomyolipoma (AML) is the most commonly encountered benign renal lesion. One of the complications of AML is rupture, which results in retroperitoneal haemorrhage with a mortality rate of up to 20%. Pregnancy poses a major risk for the rupture of AML. This is attributed to its hormonal effect, which causes the tumour to grow rapidly during pregnancy. The possibility of AML rupture should be considered when encountering pregnant patients with hypovolemic shock but with normal initial obstetric ultrasound findings. We present a case of a pregnant patient who was admitted with hypovolemic shock and CT scan confirmed rupture of AML.
Perceptions and experiences of adult caregivers receiving mindfulness-based behavioural education: A qualitative study

Sangprasert P, Ondee P, Palungrit S

Malays Fam Physician, 2024;19:23.
PMID: 38725614 DOI: 10.51866/oa.573

INTRODUCTION: Adult caregivers (ACGs) are largely responsible for caring for their family members, which can increase their stress levels. This increased stress makes them more susceptible to chronic illnesses. The adoption of health-promoting behaviours, particularly through mindfulness-based behavioural education (MBBE), can significantly impact the daily habits of ACGs. However, there is limited research on this topic in the context of Thailand. Thus, this study aimed to explore the perceptions and experiences of ACGs receiving MBBE, focusing on physical, mental, social and other influential factors.
METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted among 19 ACGs living in the Bangkok Metropolitan Area. Focus group discussions (FGDs) and observations were conducted. The FGDs were digitally recorded, and their contents were analysed.
RESULTS: The ACGs were found to perceive and experience improvements in their mental stability and habitual behaviour. These improvements manifested as increased calmness, relaxation, clear communication, empathy, reduced risky behaviour, decreased desire for excessive consumption and travel and reduced pain. Furthermore, mindful behaviour was influenced by both internal and external personal factors as well as the specific situational environment.
CONCLUSION: MBBE could lead to an increase in promotional behaviour, especially when combined with awareness, self-recollection and a self-efficacy approach. This finding encourages health personnel to consider incorporating regular skill practice as a complement to health education.
Swimming against the currents: Our experience providing primary healthcare services for the stateless community in Semporna

How MY, Ng SH

Malays Fam Physician, 2024;19:21.
PMID: 38725615 DOI: 10.51866/mol.571
Surgical Management of Huge Ranula Resembling Double Tongue in Pediatric Patients: A Successful Treatment of Two Cases

Fauzi FA, Abdullah MF, Samsudin NA, Md Yusoff B

Cureus, 2024 Apr;16(4):e57884.
PMID: 38725744 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.57884

Ranula is a fluid collection in a pseudo cystic wall secondary to the damage of the sublingual salivary gland causing blockage of salivary flow, leading to the extravasation phenomena. The growth rate of ranula varies depending on its severity. Due to its tendency to recur, the gold standard management of ranula has yet to be decided. The authors described two cases of young girls with huge ranulas on the floor of the mouth (FOM) resembling double tongue, which caused pain and discomfort during mastication. Following surgical excision of the ranulas along with the affected sublingual glands, both cases demonstrated successful treatment outcomes with no recurrence observed during post-operative follow-up. These cases highlight the importance of surgical excision of ranulas and removal of affected sublingual glands to prevent recurrence.
Fulltext Chimeric antigen receptor-natural killer cell therapy: current advancements and strategies to overcome challenges

Kong JC, Sa'ad MA, Vijayan HM, Ravichandran M, Balakrishnan V, Tham SK, et al.

Front Immunol, 2024;15:1384039.
PMID: 38726000 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1384039

Chimeric antigen receptor-natural killer (CAR-NK) cell therapy is a novel immunotherapy targeting cancer cells via the generation of chimeric antigen receptors on NK cells which recognize specific cancer antigens. CAR-NK cell therapy is gaining attention nowadays owing to the ability of CAR-NK cells to release potent cytotoxicity against cancer cells without side effects such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS), neurotoxicity and graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). CAR-NK cells do not require antigen priming, thus enabling them to be used as "off-the-shelf" therapy. Nonetheless, CAR-NK cell therapy still possesses several challenges in eliminating cancer cells which reside in hypoxic and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Therefore, this review is envisioned to explore the current advancements and limitations of CAR-NK cell therapy as well as discuss strategies to overcome the challenges faced by CAR-NK cell therapy. This review also aims to dissect the current status of clinical trials on CAR-NK cells and future recommendations for improving the effectiveness and safety of CAR-NK cell therapy.

MeSH terms: Animals; Antigens, Neoplasm/immunology; Clinical Trials as Topic; Humans; Tumor Microenvironment/immunology
Fulltext Evaluation of the immunogenicity of an mRNA vectored Nipah virus vaccine candidate in pigs

Pedrera M, McLean RK, Medfai L, Thakur N, Todd S, Marsh G, et al.

Front Immunol, 2024;15:1384417.
PMID: 38726013 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1384417

Nipah virus (NiV) poses a significant threat to human and livestock populations across South and Southeast Asia. Vaccines are required to reduce the risk and impact of spillover infection events. Pigs can act as an intermediate amplifying host for NiV and, separately, provide a preclinical model for evaluating human vaccine candidate immunogenicity. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate the immunogenicity of an mRNA vectored NiV vaccine candidate in pigs. Pigs were immunized twice with 100 μg nucleoside-modified mRNA vaccine encoding soluble G glycoprotein from the Malaysia strain of NiV, formulated in lipid nanoparticles. Potent antigen-binding and virus neutralizing antibodies were detected in serum following the booster immunization. Antibody responses effectively neutralized both the Malaysia and Bangladesh strains of NiV but showed limited neutralization of the related (about 80% amino acid sequence identity for G) Hendra virus. Antibodies were also capable of neutralizing NiV glycoprotein mediated cell-cell fusion. NiV G-specific T cell cytokine responses were also measurable following the booster immunization with evidence for induction of both CD4 and CD8 T cell responses. These data support the further evaluation of mRNA vectored NiV G as a vaccine for both pigs and humans.

MeSH terms: Animals; Immunization, Secondary; Liposomes; RNA, Messenger/genetics; RNA, Messenger/immunology; Swine; Swine Diseases/immunology; Swine Diseases/prevention & control; Swine Diseases/virology; Vaccines, Synthetic/immunology; Cytokines/immunology; Nanoparticles; Immunogenicity, Vaccine
Fulltext Adsorption-photocatalysis synergy of reusable mesoporous TiO2-ZnO for photocatalytic degradation of doxycycline antibiotic

Ani IJ, Akpan UG, Olutoye MA, Hameed BH, Egbosiuba TC

Heliyon, 2024 May 15;10(9):e30531.
PMID: 38726123 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30531

The potentials of mesoporous TiO2-ZnO (3TiZn) were explored on photocatalytic degradation of doxycycline (DOX) antibiotic, likewise the influence of adsorption on the photocatalytic process. The 3TiZn was characterized for physical and chemical properties. Stability, reusability, kinetic and the ability of 3TiZn to degrade high concentration of pollutant under different operating conditions were investigated. Photocatalytic degradation of DOX was conducted at varied operating conditions, and the best was obtained at 1 g/L catalyst dosage, solution inherent pH (4.4) and 50 ppm of DOX. Complete degradation of 50 ppm and 100 ppm of DOX were attained within 30 and 100 min of the reaction time, respectively. The stability and reusability study of the photocatalyst proved that at the tenth (10th) cycle, the 3TiZn is as effective in the degradation of DOX as in the first cycle. This may be attributed to the fusion of the mixed oxides during calcination. The 3TiZn is mesoporous with a pore diameter of 17 nm, and this boosts it potential to degrade high concentration of DOX. It was observed that the adsorption capacity of 3TiZn enhance the photocatalytic process. It can be emphasized that 3TiZn portrayed a remarkable catalyst stability and good potentials for industrial application.
Fulltext Explaining residents' support to protect Gejia batik through the value-attitude-behavior model and theory of planned behavior

Li X, Romainoor NH

Heliyon, 2024 May 15;10(9):e30205.
PMID: 38726138 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30205

Much research focuses on customers' satisfaction with intangible cultural heritage products, with little consideration given to residents' support toward intangible cultural heritage. Therefore, this study focuses on constructing a conceptual framework that connects the theories of the value-attitude-behavior (VAB) model and planned behavior (TPB), aiming to explain residents' behavioral support for intangible cultural heritage (Gejia batik). To test the proposed model, we collected 412 sets of on-site survey data from four representative Gejia villages, namely Fengxiang, Wangba, Tangdu, and Matang. Six out of seven examined hypotheses were supported. The results showed that social value, aesthetic value, economic value, historical value, and perceived behavioral control of residents were positively and significantly related to residents' behavioral intention, which explained 46.3 % of the variance in behavioral intention. A positive and significant relationship exists between residents' attitudes and their behavioral intentions. Residents' attitude is an intermediary between social value, aesthetic value, economic value, historical value, perceived behavioral control, and residents' behavioral intention. This work provides theoretical and practical support for government departments in formulating protective policies related to Gejia batik.
Fulltext The impact of third-person effect on social networking sites privacy risks and protective measures adoption among Yemeni students in Malaysia

Bawazir A, Idid SA

Heliyon, 2024 May 15;10(9):e30386.
PMID: 38726139 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30386

This investigation utilized the Third-Person Effect (TPE) theory to comprehend how individuals perceive the impact of Social Networking Sites (SNS) privacy risks on themselves versus others. The TPE theory posits that individuals tend to believe that media messages, particularly negative ones, exert a diminished or negligible influence on themselves but wield a substantial impact on others. First introduced by Davison in 1983, this theory has historically been employed to examine perceived negative influences in media content, such as stereotyping and pornography. The current study focuses on the perceptions of individuals regarding the influence of SNS privacy risks, specifically among Yemeni students in Malaysia. The study aimed to achieve three primary objectives: Firstly, to investigate whether individuals perceive SNS privacy risks as affecting others more than themselves. Secondly, to examine the connection between the difference in perceived risk between oneself and others and the likelihood of recommending SNS privacy protective measures to others, and Thirdly, to evaluate the relationship between the difference in perceived risk between oneself and others and the likelihood of adopting SNS privacy protective measures for oneself. Through judgmental sampling, a total of 387 participants took part in the study, involving the distribution of an online questionnaire as the primary data collection instrument. The results of the study indicate a pronounced Third-Person Effect concerning SNS privacy risks among Yemeni students. Additionally, the study revealed that these students not only recommended privacy-protective measures to others but did not adopt the same measures for themselves. In summary, the findings support the validity of the Third-Person Effect (TPE) theory in the context of SNS privacy risks, suggesting that individuals tend to perceive the impact more on others than on themselves when experiencing fear.
Fulltext Irregularity and time series trend analysis of rainfall in Johor, Malaysia

Abdul Talib SA, Idris WMR, Neng LJ, Lihan T, Abdul Rasid MZ

Heliyon, 2024 May 15;10(9):e30324.
PMID: 38726153 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30324

Due to its effect on weather and its propensity to cause catastrophic incidents, climate change has garnered considerable global attention. Depending on the area, the effects of climate change may vary. Rainfall is among the most significant meteorological factors associated with climate change. In Malaysia, changes in rainfall distribution pattern have led to many floods and droughts events which lead to La Nina and El Nino where Johor is one of the states in southern part that usually affected. Thus, rainfall trend analysis is important to identify changes in rainfall pattern as it gives an initial overview for future analysis. This research aims to evaluate historical rainfall data of Johor between 1991 and 2020. Normality and homogeneity tests were used to ensure the quality of data followed by Mann-Kendall and Sen's slope analysis to determine rainfall trend as the rainfall data is not normally distributed (p > 0.05). Standardized precipitation anomaly, coefficient of variation, precipitation concentration index and rainfall anomaly index were used to identify rainfall variability and intensity while standard precipitation index was used to evaluate drought severity. The lowest annual rainfall recorded was 1725.07 mm in 2016 and the highest was 2993.19 mm in 2007. Annual rainfall and seasonal rainfall showed a declining trend although it is not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Results reveal that Johor experienced extreme wet and dry years, leading to drought and flood incidents. Major floods arose in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011 while driest years occurred in 1997, 1998 and 2016 which led to El Nino phenomenon. March and April were identified as the driest months among all. Thus, the findings from this study would assist researchers and decision-makers in the development of applicable adaptation and mitigation strategies to reduce climate change impact. It is recommended that more data analysis from more stations should be done in the future research study to obtain a clearer view and more comprehensive results.
Fulltext Cortical signals analysis to recognize intralimb mobility using modified RNN and various EEG quantities

Al-Quraishi MS, Tan WH, Elamvazuthi I, Ooi CP, Saad NM, Al-Hiyali MI, et al.

Heliyon, 2024 May 15;10(9):e30406.
PMID: 38726180 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30406

Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals are critical in interpreting sensorimotor activities for predicting body movements. However, their efficacy in identifying intralimb movements, such as the dorsiflexion and plantar flexion of the foot, remains suboptimal. This study aims to explore whether various EEG signal quantities can effectively recognize intralimb movements to facilitate the development of Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) devices for foot rehabilitation. This research involved twenty-two healthy, right-handed participants. EEG data were collected using 21 electrodes positioned over the motor cortex, while two electromyography (EMG) electrodes recorded the onset of ankle joint movements. The study focused on analyzing slow cortical potential (SCP) and sensorimotor rhythms (SMR) in alpha and beta bands from the EEG. Five key features-fourth-order Autoregressive feature, variance, waveform length, standard deviation, and permutation entropy-were extracted. A modified Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) including Long Short-term Memory (LSTM) and Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) algorithms was developed for movement recognition. These were compared against conventional machine learning algorithms, including nonlinear Support Vector Machine (SVM) and k Nearest Neighbourhood (kNN) classifiers. The performance of the proposed models was assessed using two data schemes: within-subject and across-subjects. The findings demonstrated that the GRU and LSTM models significantly outperformed traditional machine learning algorithms in recognizing different EEG signal quantities for intralimb movement. The study indicates that deep learning models, particularly GRU and LSTM, hold superior potential over standard machine learning techniques in identifying intralimb movements using EEG signals. Where the accuracies of LSTM for within and across subjects were 98.87 ± 1.80 % and 87.38 ± 0.86 % respectively. Whereas the accuracy of GRU within and across subjects were 99.18 ± 1.28 % and 86.44 ± 0.69 % respectively. This advancement could significantly benefit the development of BCI devices aimed at foot rehabilitation, suggesting a new avenue for enhancing physical therapy outcomes.
Fulltext Interconnectedness between entrepreneurial self-efficacy, attitude, and business creation: A serial mediation of entrepreneurial intention and environmental factor

Sahid S, Norhisham NS, Narmaditya BS

Heliyon, 2024 May 15;10(9):e30478.
PMID: 38726187 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30478

Entrepreneurial self-efficacy has been widely recognized as prominent in entrepreneurship, which can promote entrepreneurial intention, entrepreneurial attitude, and business creation. This paper aims at investigating the extent and relationship of entrepreneurial self-efficacy, entrepreneurial intention, entrepreneurial attitude, and business creation among graduates in Malaysia, as well as examine the serial mediators of entrepreneurial intention and environmental factors in linking this relationship. This present study used a quantitative approach with a self-administered survey directed at university students in Malaysia. A total of 282 public university graduates in the Klang Valley completed this survey, and we further analysed the data undergoing covariance-based structural equation modelling (SEM). The findings indicate that entrepreneurial self-efficacy has a robust effect on entrepreneurial intention, entrepreneurial attitude, and business creation among university graduates in Malaysia. In addition, results indicated that entrepreneurial intention and environmental factors completely mediate the serial mediation of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and business creation, while these two mediators partially mediate the link between entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial attitude among graduates in Malaysia.
Fulltext Data mining algorithm in the identification of accounting fraud by smart city information technology

Zheng X, Abdul Hamid MA, Hou Y

Heliyon, 2024 May 15;10(9):e30048.
PMID: 38726191 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30048

The identification of accounting fraud is an important measure to safeguard the interests of stakeholders and ensure the long-term development of the company. The current traditional methods for identifying accounting fraud rely on manual review and judgment, lacking objectivity and accuracy. In order to improve the accuracy of accounting fraud identification, improve identification efficiency and objectivity, this article combines smart city information technology to conduct in-depth research on data mining algorithms for accounting fraud identification. This article first provides a brief overview of smart cities and information technology, then introduces the basic theory of accounting fraud identification, and finally implements accounting fraud identification through k-means clustering mining algorithm. The data is divided into k clusters, and abnormal clusters are identified by checking the characteristics and attributes of each cluster. Compared with traditional rule-based and pattern based methods, this approach can more flexibly adapt to different types and forms of fraud, and can discover unknown patterns of fraud. In the experiment, this article used electronic data collection, analysis, and retrieval systems on the websites of the Shanghai Stock Exchange and Shenzhen Stock Exchange to collect 641 annual reports and financial characteristics from 62 listed companies that engaged in financial statement fraud and 84 companies that were not reported to have financial statement fraud from 2012 to 2021 as test samples. The results were tested and analyzed from several aspects, including the number of misjudgments, misjudgment rate, and ROC curve. The final test results show that compared to traditional accounting fraud identification methods, the comprehensive misjudgment rate of data mining algorithms based on smart cities has decreased by 3 %. The conclusion indicates that data mining algorithms used in smart city information technology to identify accounting fraud can help improve the accuracy of accounting fraud, improve audit objectivity and effectiveness.
Fulltext Impact of different decontamination methods on the reduction of spiromesifen residue in chilli fruits

Dudwal R, Jakhar BL, Khan Pathan AR, Kataria A, Dhaka SR, Jan I, et al.

Heliyon, 2024 May 15;10(9):e30065.
PMID: 38726197 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30065

Chilli is an indispensable food item in the daily life of humans but it is affected by many insects, so various pesticides, including spiromesifen, are applied to chilli crops to protect this crop from insect infestation. However, the use of pesticides poses environmental and health issues. These issues have raised the demand for pesticide-free chillies among consumers. The primary aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of various decontamination methods in removing spiromesifen residues from chilli fruits. A randomized block design was employed to conduct a supervised field experiment at the Rajasthan Agricultural Research Institute in Durgapura, Jaipur, India. The samples of chillies treated with pesticides are subjected to seven different homemade techniques. The samples were extracted using the QuEChERS method, known for its efficiency, affordability, simplicity, robustness, and safety. The analysis of spiromesifen residues was conducted using gas chromatography (GC) equipped with an electron capture detector (ECD), and the results were verified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Out of several decontamination methods, the lukewarm water treatment was more effective than any other decontamination method, which led to the highest elimination of spiromesifen residue, whereas rinsing with tap water eliminates the least amount of spiromesifen residue. So, the lukewarm water treatment is a safe, cost-effective, and eco-friendly approach to remove spiromesifen residues from Chilli.
Fulltext Sequential graph convolutional network and DeepRNN based hybrid framework for epileptic seizure detection from EEG signal

Jibon FA, Jamil Chowdhury AR, Miraz MH, Jin HH, Khandaker MU, Sultana S, et al.

Digit Health, 2024;10:20552076241249874.
PMID: 38726217 DOI: 10.1177/20552076241249874

Automated epileptic seizure detection from ectroencephalogram (EEG) signals has attracted significant attention in the recent health informatics field. The serious brain condition known as epilepsy, which is characterized by recurrent seizures, is typically described as a sudden change in behavior caused by a momentary shift in the excessive electrical discharges in a group of brain cells, and EEG signal is primarily used in most cases to identify seizure to revitalize the close loop brain. The development of various deep learning (DL) algorithms for epileptic seizure diagnosis has been driven by the EEG's non-invasiveness and capacity to provide repetitive patterns of seizure-related electrophysiological information. Existing DL models, especially in clinical contexts where irregular and unordered structures of physiological recordings make it difficult to think of them as a matrix; this has been a key disadvantage to producing a consistent and appropriate diagnosis outcome due to EEG's low amplitude and nonstationary nature. Graph neural networks have drawn significant improvement by exploiting implicit information that is present in a brain anatomical system, whereas inter-acting nodes are connected by edges whose weights can be determined by either temporal associations or anatomical connections. Considering all these aspects, a novel hybrid framework is proposed for epileptic seizure detection by combined with a sequential graph convolutional network (SGCN) and deep recurrent neural network (DeepRNN). Here, DepRNN is developed by fusing a gated recurrent unit (GRU) with a traditional RNN; its key benefit is that it solves the vanishing gradient problem and achieve this hybrid framework greater sophistication. The line length feature, auto-covariance, auto-correlation, and periodogram are applied as a feature from the raw EEG signal and then grouped the resulting matrix into time-frequency domain as inputs for the SGCN to use for seizure classification. This model extracts both spatial and temporal information, resulting in improved accuracy, precision, and recall for seizure detection. Extensive experiments conducted on the CHB-MIT and TUH datasets showed that the SGCN-DeepRNN model outperforms other deep learning models for seizure detection, achieving an accuracy of 99.007%, with high sensitivity and specificity.
Fulltext Psychophysiological Adaptations to Exercise Training in COVID-19 Patients: A Systematic Review

Al-Mhanna SB, Batrakoulis A, Hofmeister M, Drenowatz C, Ghazali WSW, Badicu G, et al.

Biomed Res Int, 2024;2024:3325321.
PMID: 38726292 DOI: 10.1155/2024/3325321

INTRODUCTION: Many COVID-19 patients display adverse symptoms, such as reduced physical ability, poor quality of life, and impaired pulmonary function. Therefore, this systematic review is aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of physical exercise on various psychophysiological indicators among COVID-19 patients who may be at any stage of their illness (i.e., critically ill, hospitalized, postdischarge, and recovering).
METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Google Scholar from 2019 to 2021. Twenty-seven studies, which assessed a total of 1525 patients, were included and analysed.
RESULTS: Overall, data revealed significant improvements in the following parameters: physical function, dyspnoea, pulmonary function, quality of life (QOL), lower limb endurance and strength, anxiety, depression, physical activity level, muscle strength, oxygen saturation, fatigue, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), lymphocyte, leukocytes, and a fibrin degradation product (D-dimer).
CONCLUSIONS: Physical training turns out to be an effective therapy that minimises the severity of COVID-19 in the intervention group compared to the standard treatment. Therefore, physical training could be incorporated into conventional treatment of COVID-19 patients. More randomized controlled studies with follow-up evaluations are required to evaluate the long-term advantages of physical training. Future research is essential to establish the optimal exercise intensity level and assess the musculoskeletal fitness of recovered COVID-19 patients. This trial is registered with CRD42021283087.

MeSH terms: Adaptation, Physiological; Anxiety/physiopathology; Anxiety/therapy; Exercise Therapy/methods; Humans; Quality of Life*; Exercise/physiology; Muscle Strength/physiology
Fulltext Mapping the function of MicroRNAs as a critical regulator of tumor-immune cell communication in breast cancer and potential treatment strategies

Abdul Manap AS, Wisham AA, Wong FW, Ahmad Najmi HR, Ng ZF, Diba RS

Front Cell Dev Biol, 2024;12:1390704.
PMID: 38726321 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1390704

Among women, breast cancer ranks as the most prevalent form of cancer, and the presence of metastases significantly reduces prognosis and diminishes overall survival rates. Gaining insights into the biological mechanisms governing the conversion of cancer cells, their subsequent spread to other areas of the body, and the immune system's monitoring of tumor growth will contribute to the advancement of more efficient and targeted therapies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a critical role in the interaction between tumor cells and immune cells, facilitating tumor cells' evasion of the immune system and promoting cancer progression. Additionally, miRNAs also influence metastasis formation, including the establishment of metastatic sites and the transformation of tumor cells into migratory phenotypes. Specifically, dysregulated expression of these genes has been associated with abnormal expression of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, thereby facilitating tumor development. This study aims to provide a concise overview of the significance and function of miRNAs in breast cancer, focusing on their involvement as tumor suppressors in the antitumor immune response and as oncogenes in metastasis formation. Furthermore, miRNAs hold tremendous potential as targets for gene therapy due to their ability to modulate specific pathways that can either promote or suppress carcinogenesis. This perspective highlights the latest strategies developed for miRNA-based therapies.
Fulltext Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of tarragon and Zataria multiflora Boiss essential oils and their applications as active agents to improve the shelf life of freshly cut potato strips

Khajeh N, Mohammadi Nafchi A, Nouri L

Food Sci Nutr, 2024 May;12(5):3282-3294.
PMID: 38726437 DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.3995

This study investigated the possibility of using active coatings based on Zedo gum containing essential oils of Zataria multiflora Boiss (ZE) and tarragon (TE) to increase the shelf life and maintain the quality of freshly cut potato strips. The chemical compositions of ZE and TE were initially identified, and their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were investigated. ZE consisted mainly of carvacrol (26.26%), p-cymene (21.50%), thymol (18.05%), and linalool (11.31%), and those of TE comprised p-allylanisole (81.92%), β-Ocimene E (8.06%), and β-Ocimene Z (5.35%). Afterwards, a Zedo gum active coating (1% v/w) containing 1% (v/v) essential oil was prepared, and the produced coating solutions were used to soak the potato strips for 5 min. The coated potatoes were kept fresh in a refrigerator for 9 days, and their quality characteristics were examined every 3 days. The results show that the weight loss, browning index, total microbial count, and mold and yeast counts in the strips increased during 9 days of cold storage, and hardness decreased (p
Second to fourth digit ratio (2D:4D) as the 'anatomical marker' and reproductive 'hormonal fingerprint' in the occurrence dental plaque accumulation

Dutta S, Nie CW, Sarna A, Hari P, Sengupta P

Horm Mol Biol Clin Investig, 2024 May 10.
PMID: 38726654 DOI: 10.1515/hmbci-2023-0063

OBJECTIVES: Digit ratio (2D:4D), as endocrine fingerprint, can indicate prenatal androgen exposure. It serves as an anatomical marker for various systemic diseases and a few studies relating it to oral health. The present study aims to evaluate the association between digit ratio and susceptibility to dental plaque formation.
METHODS: The study was conducted on young adults aged between 18 and 25 years. Digit ratio and reproductive hormones were measured; dental plaque score and gingival index (GI) were recorded. Data were analysed using the MedCalc. v.20.
RESULTS: Male and female participants were categorized into two groups based on their digit ratios being either above or below the calculated average (0.99 for females, 0.98 for males). Those with a digit ratio below the average had a significantly higher mean dental plaque score (p < 0.0001) than those with ratios at or above the average. However, there was no significant difference in the GI between the two groups. Reproductive hormone profiles varied significantly between the higher and lower digit ratio groups for both sexes.
CONCLUSIONS: Digit ratio may find potential to be used as an anatomical marker to identify the susceptibility to dental plaque build-up.
Fulltext Letter to the editor: Critical need for robust surveillance in response to DENV-2 and SARS-CoV-2 cross-reactivity

Kow CS, Ramachandram DS, Hasan SS, Thiruchelvam K

Euro Surveill, 2024 May;29(19).
PMID: 38726696 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.19.2400236
MeSH terms: Antibodies, Viral/blood; Cross Reactions*; Humans

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