Browse publications by year: 2024

Dickson polynomial-based secure group authentication scheme for Internet of Things

Syed SA, Manickam S, Uddin M, Alsufyani H, Shorfuzzaman M, Selvarajan S, et al.

Sci Rep, 2024 Feb 28;14(1):4947.
PMID: 38418484 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55044-2

Internet of Things (IoT) paves the way for the modern smart industrial applications and cities. Trusted Authority acts as a sole control in monitoring and maintaining the communications between the IoT devices and the infrastructure. The communication between the IoT devices happens from one trusted entity of an area to the other by way of generating security certificates. Establishing trust by way of generating security certificates for the IoT devices in a smart city application can be of high cost and expensive. In order to facilitate this, a secure group authentication scheme that creates trust amongst a group of IoT devices owned by several entities has been proposed. The majority of proposed authentication techniques are made for individual device authentication and are also utilized for group authentication; nevertheless, a unique solution for group authentication is the Dickson polynomial based secure group authentication scheme. The secret keys used in our proposed authentication technique are generated using the Dickson polynomial, which enables the group to authenticate without generating an excessive amount of network traffic overhead. IoT devices' group authentication has made use of the Dickson polynomial. Blockchain technology is employed to enable secure, efficient, and fast data transfer among the unique IoT devices of each group deployed at different places. Also, the proposed secure group authentication scheme developed based on Dickson polynomials is resistant to replay, man-in-the-middle, tampering, side channel and signature forgeries, impersonation, and ephemeral key secret leakage attacks. In order to accomplish this, we have implemented a hardware-based physically unclonable function. Implementation has been carried using python language and deployed and tested on Blockchain using Ethereum Goerli's Testnet framework. Performance analysis has been carried out by choosing various benchmarks and found that the proposed framework outperforms its counterparts through various metrics. Different parameters are also utilized to assess the performance of the proposed blockchain framework and shows that it has better performance in terms of computation, communication, storage and latency.
Fulltext Bridging minds and policies: supporting early career researchers in translating computational psychiatry research

Marzuki AA, Lim TV

Neuropsychopharmacology, 2024 May;49(6):903-904.
PMID: 38418567 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01834-1
MeSH terms: Humans; Research Personnel; Computational Biology/trends; Translational Medical Research/methods; Translational Medical Research/trends
Fulltext Production of hydrogen using plastic waste via Aspen Hysys simulation

Yi CQ, Bojeng MNBHBH, Kamis SKBH, Mubarak NM, Karri RR, Azri H

Sci Rep, 2024 Feb 28;14(1):4934.
PMID: 38418697 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55079-5

Plastic waste is being manufactured for the production of hydrogen. The amount of plastic waste collected annually is 189,953 tonnes from adjacent nations like Indonesia and Malaysia. Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and Polystyrene (PS) are the five most prevalent forms of plastic found in most waste. Pyrolysis, water gas shift and steam reforming reaction, and pressure swing adsorption are the three main phases utilized and studied. In this research, authors examines the energy consumption on every stage. The plastic waste can be utilized to manufacture many hydrocarbons using the pyrolysis reaction. For this process, fast pyrolysis is being used at a temperature of 500 °C. A neutralization process is also needed due to the presence of Hydrochloric acid from the pyrolysis reaction, with the addition of sodium hydroxide. This is being carried to prevent any damage to the reactor during the process. Secondly, the steam reforming process continues after the water gas shift reaction has produced steam and carbon monoxide, followed by carbon dioxide and hydrogen formation. Lastly, pressure swing adsorption is designed to extract H2S and CO2 from the water gas shift and steam reforming reaction for greater purity of hydrogen. From the simulation study, it is observed that using various types of plastic waste procured (total input of 20,000 kg per hour of plastics) from, Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia and Indonesia, can produce about 340,000 tons of Hydrogen per year. Additionally, the annual profit of the Hydrogen production is estimated to be between $ 271,158,100 and $ 358,480,200. As per the economic analysis, it can be said that its a good to start hydrogen production plant in these regions.
Evaluation of the microplastics in bivalves and water column at Pantai Teluk Likas, North Borneo, Malaysia

Abd Rahman NN, Mazlan N, Shukhairi SS, Nazahuddin MNA, Shawel AS, Harun H, et al.

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2024 Mar;31(15):23178-23192.
PMID: 38418781 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-32628-z

Microplastics (MPs) are a pervasive pollutant in the marine environment. Pantai Teluk Likas in Sabah, Malaysia is one of the most visited beaches where tourism, recreational, and fisheries activities are high in this area. Hence, the area suffers from severe pollution, particularly from plastics. This study aims to quantify the microplastic composition in terms of color, shapes, and polymer types in marine bivalves (Anadara granosa, Glauconome virens, and Meretrix lyrata) and water column samples from Pantai Teluk Likas. All samples were digested using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and incubated in the oven for at least 48 h. Serial filtration was done for each sample before they were observed under the dissecting microscope. The microplastics were identified and counted based on their physical attributes which were colors and shapes. The functional group of the polymers was determined using FTIR spectroscopy. Microplastics were found present in all samples collected. G. virens had the highest abundance of microplastics at 113.6 ± 6.5 particles/g followed by M. lyrata at 78.4 ± 3.7 particles/g. On the contrary, A. granosa had the least microplastics with an abundance of 24.4 ± 0.6 particles/g. Meanwhile, 110.0 ± 36.2 particles/L of microplastics were found in water column samples from Pantai Teluk Likas. Based on the analysis, fibers were the most common shape in bivalves, while fibers and films were common in the water column. In terms of colors, black, blue, and red were a few of the most abundant colors observed in both samples. The most common polymer detected in all bivalve species and water column samples is polycarbonate (PC), followed by polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). Future study that focuses on the correlation between microplastic abundance in the marine biota and the water column is recommended to better understand microplastic availability and exposure.

MeSH terms: Animals; Borneo; Environmental Monitoring; Malaysia; Plastics/analysis; Water/analysis; Bivalvia*
Fulltext Conjugating uncoupler compounds with hydrophobic hydrocarbon chains to achieve adipose tissue selective drug accumulation

Ng MY, Song ZJ, Venkatesan G, Rodriguez-Cuenca S, West JA, Yang S, et al.

Sci Rep, 2024 Feb 28;14(1):4932.
PMID: 38418847 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54466-2

One potential approach for treating obesity is to increase energy expenditure in brown and white adipose tissue. Here we aimed to achieve this outcome by targeting mitochondrial uncoupler compounds selectively to adipose tissue, thus avoiding side effects from uncoupling in other tissues. Selective drug accumulation in adipose tissue has been observed with many lipophilic compounds and dyes. Hence, we explored the feasibility of conjugating uncoupler compounds with a lipophilic C8-hydrocarbon chain via an ether bond. We found that substituting the trifluoromethoxy group in the uncoupler FCCP with a C8-hydrocarbon chain resulted in potent uncoupling activity. Nonetheless, the compound did not elicit therapeutic effects in mice, likely as a consequence of metabolic instability resulting from rapid ether bond cleavage. A lipophilic analog of the uncoupler compound 2,6-dinitrophenol, in which a C8-hydrocarbon chain was conjugated via an ether bond in the para-position (2,6-dinitro-4-(octyloxy)phenol), exhibited increased uncoupling activity compared to the parent compound. However, in vivo pharmacokinetics studies suggested that 2,6-dinitro-4-(octyloxy)phenol was also metabolically unstable. In conclusion, conjugation of a hydrophobic hydrocarbon chain to uncoupler compounds resulted in sustained or improved uncoupling activity. However, an ether bond linkage led to metabolic instability, indicating the need to conjugate lipophilic groups via other chemical bonds.

MeSH terms: Animals; Energy Metabolism; Ethers; Obesity/metabolism; Phenols/pharmacology; Mice; Adipose Tissue, White/metabolism; Uncoupling Protein 1/metabolism
Fulltext Latitudinal patterns in stabilizing density dependence of forest communities

Hülsmann L, Chisholm RA, Comita L, Visser MD, de Souza Leite M, Aguilar S, et al.

Nature, 2024 Mar;627(8004):564-571.
PMID: 38418889 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07118-4

Numerous studies have shown reduced performance in plants that are surrounded by neighbours of the same species1,2, a phenomenon known as conspecific negative density dependence (CNDD)3. A long-held ecological hypothesis posits that CNDD is more pronounced in tropical than in temperate forests4,5, which increases community stabilization, species coexistence and the diversity of local tree species6,7. Previous analyses supporting such a latitudinal gradient in CNDD8,9 have suffered from methodological limitations related to the use of static data10-12. Here we present a comprehensive assessment of latitudinal CNDD patterns using dynamic mortality data to estimate species-site-specific CNDD across 23 sites. Averaged across species, we found that stabilizing CNDD was present at all except one site, but that average stabilizing CNDD was not stronger toward the tropics. However, in tropical tree communities, rare and intermediate abundant species experienced stronger stabilizing CNDD than did common species. This pattern was absent in temperate forests, which suggests that CNDD influences species abundances more strongly in tropical forests than it does in temperate ones13. We also found that interspecific variation in CNDD, which might attenuate its stabilizing effect on species diversity14,15, was high but not significantly different across latitudes. Although the consequences of these patterns for latitudinal diversity gradients are difficult to evaluate, we speculate that a more effective regulation of population abundances could translate into greater stabilization of tropical tree communities and thus contribute to the high local diversity of tropical forests.

MeSH terms: Models, Biological; Species Specificity; Tropical Climate; Biodiversity*; Geographic Mapping*; Forests*
Fulltext A rule-based energy management system for hybrid renewable energy sources with battery bank optimized by genetic algorithm optimization

Jamal S, Pasupuleti J, Ekanayake J

Sci Rep, 2024 Feb 28;14(1):4865.
PMID: 38418902 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54333-0

A Nanogrid (NG) model is described as a power distribution system that integrates Hybrid Renewable Energy Sources (HRESs) and Energy Storage Systems (ESSs) into the primary grid. However, this process is affected by several factors, like load variability, market pricing, and the intermittent nature of Wind Turbines (WTs) and Photovoltaic (PV) systems. Hence, other researchers in the past have used a few optimization-based processes to improve the development of Energy Management Systems (EMSs) and ESSs, which further enhanced the operational performance of NGs. It was seen that EMS acts as the distributed energy source in the NG setup and assists in power generation, usage, dissemination, and differential pricing. Hence this study employed the MATLAB Simulink software for modelling the grid-connected NG that included HRES; such as wind and PV; in addition to 3 Battery Storage Devices (BSDs) to design an effective EMS for the NG system and decrease its overall costs. For this purpose, a Rule-Based EMS (RB-EMS) that employs State Flow (SF) to guarantee a safe and reliable operating power flow to the NG has been developed. In addition to that, a Genetic Algorithm (GA)-based optimization system and Simulated Annealing optimization Algorithm (SAA) were proposed to determine an economical solution for decreasing the cost of the NG system depending on its operational constraints. Lastly, comparison about the cost between RB-EMS, GA and SAA has been presented. According to the simulation results, the proposed GA displayed an economical performance since it could achieve a 40% cost saving whereas the SAA system showed a 19.3% cost saving compared to the RB-EMS. It can be concluded from the findings that the GA-based optimization technique was very cost-effective displays many important features, like rapid convergence, simple design, and very few controlling factors.
Confronting the complexities of antimicrobial management for Staphyloccous aureus causing bovine mastitis: an innovative paradigm

Saeed SI, Kamaruzzaman NF, Gahamanyi N, Nguyen TTH, Hossain D, Kahwa I

Ir Vet J, 2024 Feb 28;77(1):4.
PMID: 38418988 DOI: 10.1186/s13620-024-00264-1

Globally, Mastitis is a disease commonly affecting dairy cattle which leads to the use of antimicrobials. The majority of mastitis etiological agents are bacterial pathogens and Staphylococcus aureus is the predominant causative agent. Antimicrobial treatment is administered mainly via intramammary and intramuscular routes. Due to increasing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) often associated with antimicrobial misuse, the treatment of mastitis is becoming challenging with less alternative treatment options. Besides, biofilms formation and ability of mastitis-causing bacteria to enter and adhere within the cells of the mammary epithelium complicate the treatment of bovine mastitis. In this review article, we address the challenges in treating mastitis through conventional antibiotic treatment because of the rising AMR, biofilms formation, and the intracellular survival of bacteria. This review article describes different alternative treatments including phytochemical compounds, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), phage therapy, and Graphene Nanomaterial-Based Therapy that can potentially be further developed to complement existing antimicrobial therapy and overcome the growing threat of AMR in etiologies of mastitis.
Fulltext Sports-related concussion history, reporting behaviours, knowledge, and attitudes in Pakistani university student-athletes

Mahfooz M, Noh YE, Teo EW, Savila Z

J Pak Med Assoc, 2024 Feb;74(2):320-326.
PMID: 38419234 DOI: 10.47391/JPMA.9343

OBJECTIVE: To assess student-athletes' knowledge and attitudes towards sport-related concussions and to investigate concussion history and reporting behaviours.
METHODS: The cross-sectional, survey-based study was conducted from September 2020 to June 2021 after approval from the research ethics committee of Universiti Malaya, Malaysia, and comprised student-athletes of either gender aged 18 years or above at various universities across Pakistan and who played contact or collision sports for their universities. Data was collected using the Urdu version of the Rosenbaum Concussion Knowledge and Attitudes Survey-Student Version. Data was also gathered about the participants' self-reported exposure to formal concussion education, previous sport-related concussion history, and reporting behaviours, where applicable. Data was analysed using SPSS 23.
RESULTS: Of the 369 participants, 224(60.7%) were males and 145(39.3%) were females. The overall mean age was 19.95±1.75 years. Among the participants, 327(88.6%) had not received formal concussion education. The mean knowledge score was 12.76±2.73 out of a possible 25 points, and the mean attitude score was 38.63±10.30 out of 75 points. Knowledge had a weak positive correlation with attitude towards sport-related concussions SRC (p<0.05). Females displayed better attitudes towards sport-related concussions than their male counterparts (p<0.05). Overall, 126(34%) participants had experienced sport-related concussion symptoms following a blow to the head in the preceding 12 months, and 81(64.3%) of them had continued playing while being symptomatic.
CONCLUSION: Pakistani university student-athletes lacked adequate concussion knowledge and held poor attitudes towards sport-related concussions.

MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Male; Pakistan; Students; Universities; Young Adult; Athletes
Environmental DNA metabarcoding of freshwater fish in Malaysian tropical rivers using short-read nanopore sequencing as a potential biomonitoring tool

Munian K, Ramli FF, Othman N, Mahyudin NAA, Sariyati NH, Abdullah-Fauzi NAF, et al.

Mol Ecol Resour, 2024 May;24(4):e13936.
PMID: 38419264 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13936

The approach of combining cost-effective nanopore sequencing and emerging environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding could prove to be a promising tool for biodiversity documentation, especially in Malaysia. Given the substantial funding constraints in recent years, especially in relation to the country's biodiversity, many researchers have been limited to conduct restricted research without extended monitoring periods, potentially hindering comprehensive surveys and could compromise the conservation efforts. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the application of eDNA metabarcoding on freshwater fish using short reads generated through nanopore sequencing. This assessment focused on species detection in three selected rivers within the Endau Rompin Landscape in Malaysia. Additionally, the study compared levels of species detection between eDNA metabarcoding and conventional sampling methods, examined the effectiveness of primer choice, and applied both metabarcoding and shotgun sequencing to the eDNA approach. We successfully identified a total of 22 and 71 species with an identification threshold of >97% and >90%, respectively, through the MinION platform. The eDNA metabarcoding approach detected over 13% more freshwater fish species than when the conventional method was used. Notably, the distinction in freshwater fish detection between eDNA primers for 12S rRNA and cytochrome oxidase I was insignificant. The cost for eDNA metabarcoding proved to be more effective compared to conventional sampling with cost reduction at 33.4%. With favourable cost-effectiveness and increased species detection, eDNA metabarcoding could complement existing methods, enhance holistic diversity documentation for targeted habitats and facilitate effective conservation planning.

MeSH terms: Animals; Environmental Monitoring/methods; Fishes/genetics; Fresh Water; Ecosystem; Biodiversity; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic/methods
2024 Statement from Asia expert operators on transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement

Pan W, Zhou D, Hijazi ZM, Qureshi SA, Promphan W, Feng Y, et al.

Catheter Cardiovasc Interv, 2024 Mar;103(4):660-669.
PMID: 38419402 DOI: 10.1002/ccd.30978

Transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement (TPVR), also known as percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation, refers to a minimally invasive technique that replaces the pulmonary valve by delivering an artificial pulmonary prosthesis through a catheter into the diseased pulmonary valve under the guidance of X-ray and/or echocardiogram while the heart is still beating not arrested. In recent years, TPVR has achieved remarkable progress in device development, evidence-based medicine proof and clinical experience. To update the knowledge of TPVR in a timely fashion, and according to the latest research and further facilitate the standardized and healthy development of TPVR in Asia, we have updated this consensus statement. After systematical review of the relevant literature with an in-depth analysis of eight main issues, we finally established eight core viewpoints, including indication recommendation, device selection, perioperative evaluation, procedure precautions, and prevention and treatment of complications.

MeSH terms: Asia; Cardiac Surgical Procedures*; Humans; Treatment Outcome; Catheters
Fulltext Epidemiology and clinical features of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children and adolescents in the pre-Omicron era: A global systematic review and meta-analysis

Kulkarni D, Ismail NF, Zhu F, Wang X, Del Carmen Morales G, Srivastava A, et al.

J Glob Health, 2024 Mar 01;14:05003.
PMID: 38419461 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.14.05003

METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Global Health, CINAHL, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, CQvip, and the World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 global literature databases for primary studies recruiting children aged ≤18 years with a diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed either by molecular or antigen tests. We used the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools to appraise the study quality and conducted meta-analyses using the random effects model for all outcomes except for race/ethnicity as risk factors of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
RESULTS: We included 237 studies, each reporting at least one of the study outcomes. Based on data from 117 studies, the pooled SARS-CoV-2 positivity rate was 9.30% (95% confidence interval (CI) = 7.15-11.73). Having a comorbidity was identified as a risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection (risk ratio (RR) = 1.33; 95% CI = 1.04-1.71) based on data from 49 studies. Most cases in this review presented with mild disease (n = 50; 52.47% (95% CI = 44.03-60.84)). However, 20.70% of paediatric SARS-CoV-2 infections were hospitalised (67 studies), 7.19% required oxygen support (57 studies), 4.26% required intensive care (93 studies), and 2.92% required assisted ventilation (63 studies). The case fatality ratio (n = 119) was 0.87% (95% CI = 0.54-1.28), which included in-hospital and out-of-hospital deaths.
CONCLUSIONS: Our data showed that children were at risk for SARS-CoV-2 infections and severe outcomes in the pre-Omicron era. These findings underscore the need for effective vaccination strategies for the paediatric population to protect against the acute and long-term sequelae of COVID-19.
REGISTRATION: PROSPERO: CRD42022327680.
Microbial community dynamics and functional potentials in the conversion of oil palm wastes into biomethane

Ng HJ, Goh KM, Yahya A, Abdul-Wahab MF

3 Biotech, 2024 Mar;14(3):91.
PMID: 38419684 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-024-03933-8

Oil palm processing generates substantial waste materials rich in organic content, posing various environmental challenges. Anaerobic digestion (AD), particularly for palm oil mill effluent (POME), offers a sustainable solution, by converting waste into valuable biomethane for thermal energy or electricity generation. The synergistic activities of the AD microbiota directly affect the biomethane production, and the microbial community involved in biomethane production in POME anaerobic digestion has been reported. The composition of bacterial and archaeal communities varies under different substrate and physicochemical conditions. This review discusses the characteristics of POME, explores the microbial members engaged in each stage of AD, and elucidates the impacts of substrate and physicochemical conditions on the microbial community dynamics, with a specific focus on POME. Finally, the review outlines current research needs and provides future perspectives on optimizing the microbial communities for enhanced biomethane production from oil palm wastes.
Fulltext Tardive dyskinesia in Asia- current clinical practice and the role of neurologists in the care pathway

Bhidayasiri R, Phokaewvarangkul O, Shang HF, Lim TT, Cho JW, Pal PK, et al.

Front Neurol, 2024;15:1356761.
PMID: 38419696 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1356761

Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a movement disorder that can arise as a side effect of treatment with dopamine receptor-blocking agents (DRBAs), including antipsychotic drugs (APDs) used to manage psychotic illnesses. Second-generation APDs (SGAs) are often preferred to first-generation drugs due to their lower propensity to cause TD, however many SGAs-treated patients still develop the condition. Although TD is a global health concern, evidence regarding the occurrence of TD and how it is managed in Asian countries is currently limited. This article reports the results of a systematic review of the published literature on TD focusing on its prevalence, types of patients, knowledge of the condition, causative factors, and usual treatment pathways in clinical practice in Asian countries. Epidemiological data suggest that the prevalence of TD is increasing globally due to an overall rise in APD use, contributing factors being polypharmacy with multiple APDs, the use of higher than necessary doses, and off-label use for non-psychotic indications. Although exact prevalence figures for TD in Asian countries are difficult to define, there is a similar pattern of rising APD use which will result in increasing numbers of TD patients in this region. These issues need to be addressed and strategies developed to minimize TD risk and manage this disabling condition which impacts patients' quality of life and daily functioning. To date, both research into TD has been predominantly psychiatry focused and the perspectives from neurologists regarding the clinical management of this challenging condition are scarce. However, neurologists have an essential role in managing the movement disorders manifestations that characterize TD. Optimum management of TD, therefore, should ideally involve collaboration between psychiatrists and neurologists in joint care pathways, wherever practical. Collaborative pathways are proposed in this article, and the challenges that will need to be addressed in Asian countries to improve the care of people with TD are highlighted, with a focus on the neurologist's viewpoint and the implications for the management of TD globally.
Fulltext Draft genome sequence data of Antarctic Penicillium sp. strain E22, from Deception Island

Peng TC, Lavin P, Pedraza RO, Fierro-Vásquez N, Purcarea C, Yong ST, et al.

Data Brief, 2024 Apr;53:110143.
PMID: 38419763 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2024.110143

Here, we report the draft genome sequence and assembly of the Penicillium sp. strain E22, which was isolated from Antarctic soil of Deception Island, South Shetland Islands close to the Antarctic Peninsula. The genome was sequenced using a 2 # 250 bp paired-end method by Illumina MiSeq 6000. The genome assembly was performed using softwares implemented in the Kbase web service. The phylogenetic tree of strain E22 comparing its internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region with the other Penicillium showed high genetic similarity to Penicillium griseofulvum MN545450 and Penicillium camemberti MT530220. Draf genome of Penicillium sp. strain E22 comprises 33,653 coding sequences, with a high G + C content of 48.32% and a total size of 37,484,944 bp. This draft genome assembly version has been deposited at GenBank under accession JASJUN000000000.
Fulltext Datasets of chemical compounds in three different species of aquilaria using GC-MS coupled with GC-FID analysis

Yusoff ZM, Ismail N

Data Brief, 2024 Apr;53:110209.
PMID: 38419767 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2024.110209

Aquilaria oil, specifically agarwood oil, is esteemed for its unique fragrance and potential therapeutic qualities, primarily attributed to the presence of significant chemical compounds. These compounds play a vital role in shaping the quality and attributes of Aquilaria oil. The distinct aroma, characterized by intricate, woody, and multifaceted notes, originates directly from specific sesquiterpenes, with notable contributors like agarospirol defining this aromatic profile. The richness and complexity of the oil's scent are closely linked to the concentration and variety of noteworthy compounds within it. Oils containing a diverse range of sesquiterpenes are often considered superior, providing a more refined olfactory experience. This dataset presents a statistical analysis of the chemical compounds present in agarwood oil obtained through the hydrodistillation method from three distinct Aquilaria (A.) species: A. crassna, A. malaccensis, and A. subintegra. The analysis of these chemical compounds utilized Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS) coupled with Gas Chromatography - Flame Ionization Detector (GC-FID). This study's data is crucial for highlighting compounds that contribute to the significance of agarwood oil as a valuable and versatile natural resource. This significance is emphasized by the oil's diverse applications and distinctive chemical composition.
Fulltext Proactive work behavior and its antecedents: Survey data on correctional officers throughout Indonesia

Eliyana A, Sridadi AR, Yuwono H, Yuspahruddin A, Pratama AS, Hasib FF, et al.

Data Brief, 2024 Apr;53:110211.
PMID: 38419769 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2024.110211

This dataset contains data from a survey of officers in correctional institutions throughout Indonesia. A total of 1284 officers completed the survey regarding their self-assessment of proactive work behavior, perceived organizational support, person-environment fit, proactive personality, and role breadth self-efficacy. In addition to raw data, this dataset presents the characteristics of respondents, a description of respondents' answers, and statistical validation of this survey data. This dataset can be reused by researchers for the evaluation of factors that encourage proactive behavior in the correctional context. In addition, this dataset can be utilized by policy makers related to human resource management in correctional institutions in Indonesia.
Fulltext Preparation and evaluation of a niosomal delivery system containing G. mangostana extract and study of its anti-Acanthamoeba activity

Sangkana S, Eawsakul K, Ongtanasup T, Boonhok R, Mitsuwan W, Chimplee S, et al.

Nanoscale Adv, 2024 Feb 27;6(5):1467-1479.
PMID: 38419876 DOI: 10.1039/d3na01016c

Garcinia mangostana extract (GME) has severe pharmacokinetic deficiencies and is made up of a variety of bioactive components. GME has proven its anti-Acanthamoeba effectiveness. In this investigation, a GME-loaded niosome was developed to increase its potential therapeutic efficacy. A GME-loaded niosome was prepared by encapsulation in a mixture of span60, cholesterol, and chloroform by the thin film hydration method. The vesicle size, zeta potential, percentage of entrapment efficiency, and stability of GME-loaded niosomes were investigated. The values for GME-loaded niosome size and zeta potential were 404.23 ± 4.59 and -32.03 ± 0.95, respectively. The delivery system enhanced the anti-Acanthamoeba activity, which possessed MIC values of 0.25-4 mg mL-1. In addition, the niosomal formulation decreased the toxicity of GME by 16 times. GME-loaded niosome must be stored at 4 °C, as the quantity of remaining GME encapsulated is greater at this temperature than at room temperature. SEM revealed the damage to the cell membrane caused by trophozoites and cysts, which led to dead cells. In light of the above, it was found that GME-loaded niosomes had better anti-Acanthamoeba activity. The study suggested that GME-loaded niosomes could be used as an alternative to Acanthamoeba's therapeutic effects.
Fulltext Impact of various aligner auxiliaries on orthodontic activity: A systematic review and network meta-analysis

Khursheed Alam M, Hajeer MY, Shqaidef A, Alswairki HJ, Alfawzan AA, Shrivastava D, et al.

Saudi Dent J, 2024 Feb;36(2):199-207.
PMID: 38419986 DOI: 10.1016/j.sdentj.2023.10.013

BACKGROUND: It is imperative to analyze the forces and moments produced by various auxiliaries in order to select the optimal attachments and, eventually, to maximize the efficacy and efficiency of orthodontic therapy. Through this investigation, we aimed to highlight the impact of various aligner auxiliaries on orthodontic activity in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment on a pre/post treatment protocol basis.
METHODS: After a thorough search of the online journals, a total of 482 documents were found using keywords such as "Orthodontic Treatment", "Aligner Auxiliaries", "Elastic Ligatures" and "Tooth Movement." The database research, elimination of duplicate studies, data extraction and risk of bias were performed by the authors independently. This systematic review and network meta-analysis included prospective studies and clinical trials to evaluate research that had looked at the impact of various aligner auxiliaries on orthodontic activity in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment.
RESULTS: Eight investigations of varying designs were selected for this review. The majority of investigations revealed that aligner auxiliaries significantly improve anterior root torque, rotation, and mesio-distal (M-D) movement, as well as posterior anchoring. They also significantly improved anterior root rotation. However, few studies have presented inconsistent or non-statistically significant findings.
CONCLUSION: Auxiliaries for aligners also appear to improve extrusion and other orthodontic movements, but there is insufficient evidence to support these claims. No research has examined posterior bucco-lingual expansion or tilting. Clarification of the effect of attachments and their related variables requires additional clinical investigations.
Fulltext Risk factors and approaches for detection of Trichomonas tenax, the silent culprit in periodontal disease: A narrative review

Nor Azmi NJ, Mohamad S, Shahidan WNS, Taib H, Mohamed Z, Osman E

Saudi Dent J, 2024 Feb;36(2):258-261.
PMID: 38419993 DOI: 10.1016/j.sdentj.2023.11.014

INTRODUCTION: Periodontal disease is the inflammation of the periodontium tissues surrounding the teeth, potentially leading to loss of tooth attachment. In individuals with periodontal disease, the presence of Trichomonas tenax, a parasitic protozoan of the oral cavity has been observed and its frequency tends to rise as the disease progresses.
METHODS: A literature search was conducted in the online databases of PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Scopus using the combination of keywords: "Trichomonas tenax" AND "periodontal disease" OR "gum disease", OR "oral disease" OR "periodontitis". A total of 9 articles satisfied the inclusion criteria and were included in this study.
RESULTS: This review highlights the incidence of T. tenax with periodontal diseases, the risk factors that contribute to the infection of T. tenax and available detection methods for the identification of the protozoan.
CONCLUSION: The inhabitation of the oral cavity by T. tenax prospers with the severity of periodontal diseases. Extensive research should be conducted to fully understand the potential pathogenic role and damaging effect of T. tenax in the oral cavity.

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