Browse publications by year: 2024

  1. Sinha S, Haq MA, Ahmad R, Banik S, Kumar S, Haque M
    Cureus, 2024 Apr;16(4):e58708.
    PMID: 38651088 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.58708
    Introduction Leprosy remains a significant cause of preventable disability worldwide. Early diagnosis and treatment of leprosy are critical not only to stop its spread but also to prevent physical and social complications and reduce the disease burden. Objectives The study aims to evaluate the factors that lead to a delayed leprosy diagnosis. Methods This study was conducted in the outpatient departments of Leprosy Control Institute and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh, and at Medical College for Women and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh, from March 2023 to June 2023. A total number of 252 male (148) and female (104) patients were selected with any sign of leprosy, including disability, age ranging from 15 to 74 years. Data was collected in a pre-designed structured questionnaire by the researchers. To assess the risk of independent exposures of Grade 2 leprosy disabilities, we used a logistic regression model. A chi-square test showed the association between significant effects and leprosy disabilities. A p-value of 0.05 was considered as significant. For statistical analysis, STATA version 15 (StataCorp LLC, College Station, Texas, USA) was used. Results The study participants exhibited a higher percentage of disability, with a rate of 25.8% for Grade 2 disabilities. In addition to this, males represented a more considerable proportion, 58.7%, than females among leprosy and disability patients across all levels of disability. In our study, lack of money and painless symptoms showed a significant association (p<0.001) with Grade 2 disability. Conclusion The study reveals that Grade 2 disabilities are more common in males and are particularly prevalent in lower socioeconomic groups.
  2. Rosales RL, Chia NVC, Kumthornthip W, Goh KJ, Mak CS, Kong KH, et al.
    Front Neurol, 2024;15:1335365.
    PMID: 38651107 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1335365
    PURPOSE: Describe real-life practice and outcomes in the management of post-stroke upper limb spasticity with botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) in Asian settings.

    METHODS: Subgroup analysis of a prospective, observational study (NCT01020500) of adult patients (≥18 years) with post-stroke upper limb spasticity presenting for routine spasticity management, including treatment with BoNT-A. The primary outcome was goal attainment as assessed using goal-attainment scaling (GAS). Patients baseline clinical characteristics and BoNT-A injection parameters are also described.

    RESULTS: Overall, 51 patients from Asia were enrolled. Rates of comorbid cognitive and emotional problems were relatively low. Patients tended to have more severe distal limb spasticity and to prioritize active over passive function goals. Most (94.1%) patients in the subgroup were treated with abobotulinumtoxinA. For these patients, the median total dose was 500 units, and the most frequently injected muscles were the biceps brachii (83.3%), flexor carpi radialis (72.9%), and flexor digitorum profundus (66.7%). Overall, 74.5% achieved their primary goal and the mean GAS T score after one treatment cycle was 56.0 ± 13.0, with a change from baseline of 20.9 ± 14.3 (p 

  3. Ariffin N, Newman DW, Nelson MG, O'cualain R, Hubbard SJ
    J Proteome Res, 2024 May 03;23(5):1583-1592.
    PMID: 38651221 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00675
    MD2 pineapple (Ananas comosus) is the second most important tropical crop that preserves crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM), which has high water-use efficiency and is fast becoming the most consumed fresh fruit worldwide. Despite the significance of environmental efficiency and popularity, until very recently, its genome sequence has not been determined and a high-quality annotated proteome has not been available. Here, we have undertaken a pilot proteogenomic study, analyzing the proteome of MD2 pineapple leaves using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), which validates 1781 predicted proteins in the annotated F153 (V3) genome. In addition, a further 603 peptide identifications are found that map exclusively to an independent MD2 transcriptome-derived database but are not found in the standard F153 (V3) annotated proteome. Peptide identifications derived from these MD2 transcripts are also cross-referenced to a more recent and complete MD2 genome annotation, resulting in 402 nonoverlapping peptides, which in turn support 30 high-quality gene candidates novel to both pineapple genomes. Many of the validated F153 (V3) genes are also supported by an independent proteomics data set collected for an ornamental pineapple variety. The contigs and peptides have been mapped to the current F153 genome build and are available as bed files to display a custom gene track on the Ensembl Plants region viewer. These analyses add to the knowledge of experimentally validated pineapple genes and demonstrate the utility of transcript-derived proteomics to discover both novel genes and genetic structure in a plant genome, adding value to its annotation.
    MeSH terms: Chromatography, Liquid; Peptides/analysis; Peptides/genetics; Peptides/chemistry; Plant Leaves/genetics; Plant Leaves/chemistry; Genome, Plant*; Proteome/analysis; Proteome/genetics; Tandem Mass Spectrometry*; Molecular Sequence Annotation
  4. Miranda J, Miller S, Alfieri N, Lalonde A, Ivan-Ortiz E, Hanson C, et al.
    Int J Gynaecol Obstet, 2024 Jun;165(3):849-859.
    PMID: 38651311 DOI: 10.1002/ijgo.15553
    OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate that successful health systems strengthening (HSS) projects have addressed disparities and inequities in maternal and perinatal care in low-income countries.

    METHODS: A comprehensive literature review covered the period between 1980 and 2022, focusing on successful HSS interventions within health systems' seven core components that improved maternal and perinatal care.

    RESULTS: The findings highlight the importance of integrating quality interventions into robust health systems, as this has been shown to reduce maternal and newborn mortality. However, several challenges, including service delivery gaps, poor data use, and funding deficits, continue to hinder the delivery of quality care. To improve maternal and newborn health outcomes, a comprehensive HSS strategy is essential, which should include infrastructure enhancement, workforce skill development, access to essential medicines, and active community engagement.

    CONCLUSION: Effective health systems, leadership, and community engagement are crucial for a comprehensive HSS approach to catalyze progress toward universal health coverage and global improvements in maternal and newborn health.

    MeSH terms: Delivery of Health Care/organization & administration; Developing Countries; Female; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Maternal Health Services/organization & administration; Pregnancy; Global Health*
  5. Hussein M, Hassan A, Nada MAF, Mohammed Z, Abdel Ghaffar NF, Kedah H, et al.
    Headache, 2024 May;64(5):500-508.
    PMID: 38651363 DOI: 10.1111/head.14719
    BACKGROUND: The Headache Impact Test (HIT-6) is an important patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) in migraine prevention trials.

    OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to (i) assess the reliability and validity of the Arabic version of HIT-6 in Arabic-speaking patients experiencing migraine, and (ii) evaluate the responsiveness of HIT-6 following migraine preventive therapy.

    METHODS: In this prospective study, patients with migraine (n = 145) were requested to fill out a headache diary, the Arabic version of HIT-6, and Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS) at two time points (baseline and 3 months after initiation of prophylactic treatment). Some respondents (n = 73) were requested to fill out HIT-6 again 1 week from the baseline for test-retest reliability. The intensity of migraine headache attacks was evaluated using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). An anchor-based method was used to establish the minimal important change (MIC) value and responsiveness of HIT-6.

    RESULTS: The total scores of HIT-6 were significantly correlated to a fair degree with MIDAS (r = 0.41), as well as VAS (r = 0.53), and monthly migraine days (r = 0.38) at the baseline while at the follow-up (after 3 months), the correlations were of moderate degree with MIDAS scores (r = 0.62) and monthly migraine days (r = 0.60; convergent validity). Reliability estimates of the Arabic HIT-6 were excellent (Cronbach's α = 0.91 at baseline and 0.89 at follow-up). The average measure interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) value for the test-retest reliability was 0.96 (95% confidence interval = 0.94-0.98, p 

    MeSH terms: Adult; Disability Evaluation; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pain Measurement; Prospective Studies; Psychometrics/instrumentation; Psychometrics/standards; Reproducibility of Results; Young Adult; Patient Reported Outcome Measures*
  6. Pollack A, Lo W, Imamura H, Caterson I
    Intern Med J, 2024 Apr 23.
    PMID: 38651497 DOI: 10.1111/imj.16386
    The Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Mpox Vaccination Clinic opened in response to the 2022 multicountry mpox outbreak. A total of 9500 vaccinations were administered intradermally and subcutaneously during the first 16 weeks of clinic operation. The rate of adverse events was 0.1%. Compared to people who received the vaccine intradermally, those who received it subcutaneously were more likely to be aged 30-39 years (P = 0.047), sexual partners of gay and bisexual men (P
  7. Dahlan AF, Islam MA, Shukri NM, Abdullah B
    Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital, 2024 Apr;44(2):100-112.
    PMID: 38651552 DOI: 10.14639/0392-100X-N2634
    The goal of this meta-analysis was to study nasal nitric oxide (nNO) measurements in allergic rhinitis (AR) and non-allergic rhinitis (non-AR). The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (no: CRD4202124828). Electronic databases from PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane were all thoroughly searched and studies were chosen based on the qualifying requirements. The quality of the studies was evaluated by Joanna Briggs Institute evaluation tools, and publication bias using funnel plots. The meta-analysis included 18 studies, whereas the systematic review included 20 studies, totaling 3097 participants (1581 AR, 458 non-AR, and 1058 healthy/control). Patients with AR had significantly greater nNO levels than the control group, although this did not change significantly before or after treatment. AR patients had significantly greater nNO levels than non-AR patients, but there was no significant difference between non-AR patients and healthy controls. Nineteen of the studies were of high quality and the remaining one was of moderate quality. nNO measurement has a promising role in the management of AR and non-AR patients, but more investigations are needed to document clinical benefits.
    MeSH terms: Humans; Rhinitis*
  8. Sahoo A, Dwivedi K, Almalki WH, Mandal AK, Alhamyani A, Afzal O, et al.
    Nanomedicine (Lond), 2024 Apr 23.
    PMID: 38651634 DOI: 10.2217/nnm-2024-0017
    Topical infection affects nearly one-third of the world's population; it may result from poor sanitation, hygienic conditions and crowded living and working conditions that accelerate the spread of topical infectious diseases. The problems associated with the anti-infective agents are drug resistance and long-term therapy. Secondary metabolites are obtained from plants, microorganisms and animals, but they are metabolized inside the human body. The integration of nanotechnology into secondary metabolites is gaining attention due to their interaction at the subatomic and skin-tissue levels. Hydrogel, liposomes, lipidic nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles and metallic nanoparticles are the most suitable carriers for secondary metabolite delivery. Therefore, the present review article extensively discusses the topical applications of nanomedicines for the effective delivery of secondary metabolites.
  9. Michelle JiaMin L, Karthikeyan P, Kumaresan R, Millard A, Parimannan S, Rajandas H
    Microbiol Resour Announc, 2024 Jun 11;13(6):e0010924.
    PMID: 38651923 DOI: 10.1128/mra.00109-24
    A lytic bacteriophage EF_RCK infecting Enterococcus faecalis was isolated from a water sample collected in a raw cockle storage container at Taman Ria market, Sungai Petani, Malaysia. The phage has a 57,848-bp double-stranded DNA genome harboring 107 protein-encoding genes and shares 90.9% nucleotide similarity with Enterococcus phage EFKL (Saphexavirus genus).
  10. Rajak U, Chaurasiya PK, Verma TN, Dasore A, Ağbulut Ü, Meshram K, et al.
    PMID: 38652187 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-33210-3
    This article presents the outcomes of a research study focused on optimizing the performance of soybean biofuel blends derived from soybean seeds specifically for urban medium-duty commercial vehicles. The study took into consideration elements such as production capacity, economics and assumed engine characteristics. For the purpose of predicting performance, combustion and emission characteristics, an artificial intelligence approach that has been trained using experimental data is used. At full load, the brake thermal efficiency (BTE) dropped as engine speed increased for biofuel and diesel fuel mixes, but brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) increased. The BSFC increased by 11.9% when diesel compared to using biofuel with diesel blends. The mixes cut both maximum cylinder pressure and NO x emissions. The biofuel-diesel fuel proved more successful, with maximum reduction of 9.8% and 22.2 at rpm, respectively. The biofuel and diesel blend significantly improved carbon dioxide ( CO 2 ) and smoke emissions. The biofuel blends offer significant advantages by decreeing exhaust pollutants and enhancing engine performance.
  11. Hai T, Ahmadianfar I, Halder B, Heddam S, Al-Areeq AM, Demir V, et al.
    PMID: 38653893 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-33027-0
    River water quality management and monitoring are essential responsibilities for communities near rivers. Government decision-makers should monitor important quality factors like temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). Among water quality parameters, the BOD throughout 5 days is an important index that must be detected by devoting a significant amount of time and effort, which is a source of significant concern in both academic and commercial settings. The traditional experimental and statistical methods cannot give enough accuracy or solve the problem for a long time to detect something. This study used a unique hybrid model called MVMD-LWLR, which introduced an innovative method for forecasting BOD in the Klang River, Malaysia. The hybrid model combines a locally weighted linear regression (LWLR) model with a wavelet-based kernel function, along with multivariate variational mode decomposition (MVMD) for the decomposition of input variables. In addition, categorical boosting (Catboost) feature selection was used to discover and extract significant input variables. This combination of MVMD-LWLR and Catboost is the first use of such a complete model for predicting BOD levels in the given river environment. In addition, an optimization process was used to improve the performance of the model. This process utilized the gradient-based optimization (GBO) approach to fine-tune the parameters and better the overall accuracy of predicting BOD levels. To assess the robustness of the proposed method, we compared it to other popular models such as kernel ridge (KRidge) regression, LASSO, elastic net, and gaussian process regression (GPR). Several metrics, comprising root-mean-square error (RMSE), R (correlation coefficient), U95% (uncertainty coefficient at 95% level), and NSE (Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency), as well as visual interpretation, were used to evaluate the predictive efficacy of hybrid models. Extensive testing revealed that, in forecasting the BOD parameter, the MVMD-LWLR model outperformed its competitors. Consequently, for BOD forecasting, the suggested MVMD-LWLR optimized with the GBO algorithm yields encouraging and reliable results, with increased forecasting accuracy and minimal error.
  12. See WL, Khoo TL, Mohan M, Nimbalkar S, Patil PG
    J Prosthet Dent, 2024 Apr 22.
    PMID: 38653688 DOI: 10.1016/j.prosdent.2024.03.021
    STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Standard surgical and prosthodontic protocols for managing partially dentate patients with implant-supported removable partial dentures (ISRPDs) are lacking.

    PURPOSE: The purpose of this systematic review was to determine clinical and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in patients provided with ISRPDs in distal edentulous arches based on different surgical and prosthodontic protocols.

    MATERIAL AND METHODS: An electronic and manual literature search was conducted in 3 databases, PubMed/MEDLINE, SCOPUS, and Cochrane Library, for clinical studies on distal extension ISRPDs related to clinical and patient-reported outcomes. Kennedy Class I and II arches described in articles published from January 2000 to December 2023 were included. Clinical parameters regarding implant type, location, loading protocols, and implant survival rate and PROMs including masticatory performance, esthetics, and overall satisfaction were compared. The risk of bias was determined by using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool 2.0 (RoB 2.0).

    RESULTS: An initial total of 103 studies were identified, but only 11 articles were selected after implementing the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Ten studies evaluated PROMs, and 6 studies evaluated clinical outcomes (5 studies evaluated both). The implant survival rate ranged from 91.7% to 100%, with no clear differentiation among the studies with immediate or delayed loading protocols. Most studies described implants positioned in the molar region. In general, patient satisfaction and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) improved significantly with ISRPDs compared with conventional removable partial dentures (RPDs) or RPDs with healing abutments. Posttreatment clinical outcomes revealed stable peri-implant health with no significant bone loss or prosthetic complications. No specific implant configuration, including implant type and location or attachment system, appeared to be better than another. Ball attachments were the commonly used attachments. Two studies were of high risk and 3 studies of low risk. The remaining 6 studies were judged to have some concerns based on the RoB 2.0 analysis.

    CONCLUSIONS: Providing an ISRPD improved patient satisfaction, OHRQoL, and the clinical outcomes in distal extension situations, with most studies positioning the implants in the molar region. The type of attachment did not significantly affect the outcomes, although ball attachments were the most used attachment in ISRPDs.

  13. Aziz NA, Musa NH, Mathews M, Rajenderan KT, Abdul Hamid FS, Hassan S, et al.
    Hum Genome Var, 2024 Apr 23;11(1):19.
    PMID: 38653961 DOI: 10.1038/s41439-024-00275-y
    Hemoglobin (Hb) Vancleave (NM_000518.5:c.431 A > T; dbSNP: rs33918338) is an extremely rare structural hemoglobin variant worldwide, and studies are limited. This report describes the case of a 16-year-old male patient who presented with secondary erythrocytosis. The diagnosis of Hb Vancleave, in combination with codon 41/42 (-TTCT) (NM_000518.5:c.126_129del; dbSNP: rs80356821), was confirmed by direct sequencing. This report highlights the importance of sequencing in the differential diagnosis of beta-thalassemia syndrome in Malaysia.
  14. Almadhaani HMA, Goonetilleke RS, Wijeweera A, Jayaraman R, Ameersing L, Khandoker AH, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2024 Apr 23;14(1):9291.
    PMID: 38654097 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59966-9
    In the dynamic world of fashion, high-heeled footwear is revered as a symbol of style, luxury and sophistication. Yet, beneath the facade of elegance of classy footwear lies the harsh reality of discomfort and pain. Thus, this study aims to investigate the influence of wearing high-heeled shoes on the sensation of pain across different body regions over a period of 6 h. It involved fifty female participants, all habitual wearers of high-heeled shoes, aged between 20 and 30 years. Each participant kept a record of their perceptions of pain and discomfort every hour for a total of 6 h using a 0-10 pain scale with 0 indicating no pain and 10 indicating severe pain. The findings reveal a progressive rise in pain throughout wear, with the most intense pain reported in the back, calcaneus, and metatarsals. The analysis shows that after approximately 3.5 h, participants experience significant increases in pain levels. However, the relationship between heel height and pain is not linear. It appears that a heel height of 7.5 cm is the threshold where overall body pain becomes significant. The study suggests that a duration of 3.5 h of wear and a heel height of 7.5 cm serve as critical points to decrease overall body pain. Moreover, beyond this heel height, knee pain diminishes compared to other body areas possibly due to the shift towards a more neutral posture. The study findings, coupled with the recommendations, can assist footwear designers in crafting not only stylish but also comfortable shoes.
    MeSH terms: Adult; Female; Heel; Humans; Pain Measurement; Young Adult
  15. Quiroz-Reyes MA, Babar ZU, Hussain R, Loh ZC, Quiroz-Gonzalez EA, Quiroz-Gonzalez MA, et al.
    Int J Retina Vitreous, 2024 Apr 23;10(1):35.
    PMID: 38654369 DOI: 10.1186/s40942-024-00552-6
    BACKGROUND: Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) is a serious condition that occurs when the retina detaches from its underlying retinal pigment epithelium. RRDs associated with giant retinal tears (GRTs) are caused by retinal tears at least 90° or one-quarter of the circumferential extent. This scoping review systematically identifies and summarizes clinical studies evaluating surgical techniques for the management of GRT-related RRDs, discusses functional and visual outcomes and the risk factors affecting treatment outcomes.

    METHODS: This study was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Springer Link databases were searched for relevant papers (from January 2001 to March 2023). Studies that were published in the English language and reported the risk factors, management, and treatment outcomes of GRT-related RRDs were included in the review. The outcome measures included anatomic success rates, changes in BCVA (logMAR) from baseline to the final follow-up, and adverse events.

    RESULTS: A total of 11,982 articles were identified. After the title and abstract review, 71 studies were deemed eligible for full-text review. Thirty-six studies that met the eligibility criteria were included in the final review. Four surgical techniques were identified: pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), combined PPV and scleral buckling, scleral buckling alone, and pneumatic retinopexy. Various types of tamponades, including gas, silicone oil, and air, have been used. PPV was the most commonly used surgical technique in 33.1-100% of patients. Among the 20 studies that used PPV alone, 17 were associated with preoperative PVR. In addition, scleral buckling alone or in combination with PPV was reported as a treatment option in 10 studies, with 2-100% of patients experiencing scleral buckling alone and 13.6-100% experiencing combined PPV and complementary scleral buckling. Primary anatomic success (PAS) was achieved with retinal reattachment via a single operation with no residual tamponade, whereas final anatomic success (FAS) was achieved via more than one operation with no residual tamponade. Reported single surgery anatomic success (SSAS) rates range from 65.51 to 100%. The preoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) ranged from 0.067 to 2.47 logMAR, whereas the postoperative BCVA ranged from 0.08 to 2.3 logMAR. An improvement in visual acuity was observed in 29 studies. Cataracts (3.9-28.3%) were the most common postoperative complication, followed by high IOP (0.01-51.2%) and PVR (0.8-31.57%).

    CONCLUSION: PPV is the most common surgical technique, and currently microincision vitrectomy surgery (MIVS) systems are commonly employed. Silicone oil is the most frequently used tamponade in RRD repair. Risk factors for GRT-related RRD include age, sex, lens status, high myopia status, proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), presenting visual acuity, the extent of the GRT and retinal detachment, and macular involvement. Future research areas include guidelines to reduce variability in the reporting of surgical methodology, choice of tamponades, and reporting of functional and visual outcomes to inform the best therapeutic interventions in GRT-related RRD.

  16. Dong Z, Fan Y, Meng X, Jin Y, Song J, Wang X, et al.
    Chem Commun (Camb), 2024 May 09;60(39):5177-5180.
    PMID: 38647014 DOI: 10.1039/d4cc00481g
    A vertically-stacked MXene/rGO composite membrane with ultrashort transport channels is reported here, which demonstrated outstanding molecular sieving, i.e., H2/CO2 selectivity of up to 83 together with high H2 permeance of 2.7 × 10-7 mol m-2 s-1 Pa-1 at 120 °C, highlighting its applicability for H2/CO2 separation in CO2 capture and sequestration.
  17. Lee YL, Ting TH, Lim CT, Thilakavathy K, Musa NH, Ling KH
    PMID: 38647408 DOI: 10.4274/jcrpe.galenos.2024.2023-12-1
    IGSF1 mutation is the commonest cause of mild to moderate isolated central congenital hypothyroidism and has an X-linked recessive inheritance, primarily affecting males. Other notable clinical features are macroorchidism with delayed pubertal testosterone rise, large birth weight, increased body mass index, low prolactin, transient growth hormone deficiency and low prolactin. Two male siblings with central hypothyroidism were found to have a novel IGSF1 c.3467T>A variant that was likely pathogenic based on the family segregation study. The proband, aged 3 years presented at 18 days old with prolonged jaundice while his 16-year-old brother was only detected to have central hypothyroidism after the proband's genetic analysis result was known. Both siblings were obese, had large birth weights, macroorchidism and low prolactin. The proband's brother had intellectual disability while the proband had normal development. This case study highlights the importance of evaluation for the IGSF1 variant in patients with unexplained central hypothyroidism, especially when accompanied by X-linked inheritance and macroorchidism. Family segregation analysis allows detection of other affected family members or carriers who may also benefit from thyroxine treatment.
  18. Veronica N, Heng PWS, Liew CV
    Mol Pharm, 2024 May 06;21(5):2484-2500.
    PMID: 38647432 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00031
    Excipients are ubiquitous in pharmaceutical products, and often, they can also play a critical role in maintaining product quality. For a product containing a moisture-sensitive drug, moisture can be deleterious to the product stability during storage. Therefore, using excipients that interact with moisture in situ can potentially alleviate product stability issues. In this study, the interactive behavior of starch with moisture was augmented by coprocessing maize starch with sodium chloride (NaCl) or magnesium nitrate hexahydrate [Mg(NO3)2·6H2O] at different concentrations (5 and 10%, w/w). The effect of the formulation on drug stability was assessed through the degradation of acetylsalicylic acid, which was used as the model drug. The results showed that coprocessing of the starch with either NaCl or Mg(NO3)2·6H2O impacted the number of water molecule binding sites on the starch and how the sorbed moisture was distributed. The coprocessed excipients also resulted in lower drug degradation and lesser changes in tablet tensile strength during post-compaction storage. However, corresponding tablet formulations containing physical mixtures of starch and salts did not yield promising outcomes. This study demonstrated the advantageous concomitant use of common excipients by coprocessing to synergistically mitigate the adverse effects of moisture and promote product stability when formulating a moisture-sensitive drug. In addition, the findings could help to improve the understanding of moisture-excipient interactions and allow for the judicious choice of excipients when designing formulations containing moisture-sensitive drugs.
    MeSH terms: Aspirin/chemistry; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical/methods; Drug Compounding/methods; Drug Stability*; Sodium Chloride/chemistry; Tensile Strength*; Water/chemistry
  19. Hizam DA, Tan LK, Saad M, Muaadz A, Ung NM
    Phys Eng Sci Med, 2024 Apr 22.
    PMID: 38647633 DOI: 10.1007/s13246-024-01411-2
    This study aims to assess the accuracy of automatic atlas-based contours for various key anatomical structures in prostate radiotherapy treatment planning. The evaluated structures include the bladder, rectum, prostate, seminal vesicles, femoral heads and penile bulb. CT images from 20 patients who underwent intensity-modulated radiotherapy were randomly chosen to create an atlas library. Atlas contours of the seven anatomical structures were generated using four software packages: ABAS, Eclipse, MIM, and RayStation. These contours were then compared to manual delineations performed by oncologists, which served as the ground truth. Evaluation metrics such as dice similarity coefficient (DSC), mean distance to agreement (MDA), and volume ratio (VR) were calculated to assess the accuracy of the contours. Additionally, the time taken by each software to generate the atlas contour was recorded. The mean DSC values for the bladder exhibited strong agreement (>0.8) with manual delineations for all software except for Eclipse and RayStation. Similarly, the femoral heads showed significant similarity between the atlas contours and ground truth across all software, with mean DSC values exceeding 0.9 and MDA values close to zero. On the other hand, the penile bulb displayed only moderate agreement with the ground truth, with mean DSC values ranging from 0.5 to 0.7 for all software. A similar trend was observed in the prostate atlas contours, except for MIM, which achieved a mean DSC of over 0.8. For the rectum, both ABAS and MIM atlases demonstrated strong agreement with the ground truth, resulting in mean DSC values of more than 0.8. Overall, MIM and ABAS outperformed Eclipse and RayStation in both DSC and MDA. These results indicate that the atlas-based segmentation employed in this study produces acceptable contours for the anatomical structures of interest in prostate radiotherapy treatment planning.
  20. Goi YK, Liang YY
    PMID: 38648004 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-33319-5
    This study investigates how temperature and forward osmosis (FO) membrane properties, such as water permeability (A), solute permeability (B), and structural parameter (S), affect the specific energy consumption (SEC) of forward osmosis-reverse osmosis system. The results show that further SEC reduction beyond the water permeability of 3 LMH bar-1 is limited owing to high concentration polarization (CP). Increasing S by 10-fold increases FO recovery by 177.6%, causing SEC decreases by 33.6%. However, membrane with smaller S also increases external CP. To reduce SEC, future work should emphasize mixing strategies to reduce external CP. Furthermore, increasing the temperature from 10 to 40 °C can reduce SEC by 14.3%, highlighting the energy-saving potential of temperature-elevated systems. The factorial design indicates that at a lower temperature, increasing A and decreasing S have a more significant impact on reducing SEC. This underlines the importance of developing advanced FO membranes, particularly for lower-temperature processes.
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