Browse publications by year: 2024

  1. Nik Zainal Abidin NZ, Shamsuddin NA, Mohd Radzi NRS, Yew Huat JT, Ishamri I
    Food Sci Technol Int, 2024 Dec 05.
    PMID: 39632725 DOI: 10.1177/10820132241299840
    The study investigated phosphate's effects on tenderness and lipid oxidation in beef cooked sous-vide. Semitendinosus beef cuts were treated with 0.15% and 0.3% sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP), and plain water (0% STPP). These cuts were then sous-vide cooked at two different temperatures, 60 °C and 70 °C, for two different durations, 3 h and 6 h. Analytical techniques including Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), pH, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were employed. STPP concentration did not yield a statistically significant impact on the pH and FTIR spectrum of sous-vide beef (p > 0.05). However, STPP markedly enhanced tenderness by loosening the myofibril structure (observed in SEM) and weakening myosin and actin bands (observed in SDS-PAGE). This improvement led to lower WBSF values with 0.3% STPP, particularly noticeable at 60 °C for 6 h. Additionally, 0.3% STPP delayed lipid oxidation, evidenced by lower oxidation values after 4 weeks of refrigerated storage at 4 °C. These findings highlight STPP's potential to improve tenderness and lipid oxidation stability in sous-vide beef.
  2. Mousavian S, Ariana MA, Mansourizadeh A, Lau WJ
    Sci Rep, 2024 Dec 05;14(1):30285.
    PMID: 39632957 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-81850-9
    Carbon dioxide (CO2) is responsible for increment of the Earth surface temperature and the subsequent environmental issues. In this regard, membrane contactor is one of the emerging technologies that can be applied for controlling CO2 emission. More specifically, the intrinsic structure of membrane plays an important role to govern the performance of CO2 absorption. In this study, considering stretching ratio (SR) as a key factor to affect membrane structural properties, highly porous poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) hollow fiber membranes were fabricated by a non-solvent induced phase separation method. The results showed that the membrane dimension and thickness were significantly reduced by optimizing the SR. The optimum membrane structure was found at SR of 1.5 where the mean pore size, CO2 permeance, collapsing pressure and liquid entry pressure of 0.032 μm, 3440 GPU, 550 kPa and 500 kPa were achieved, respectively. The prepared membranes showed open structure with overall porosity of more than 80%. The upgraded membrane at SR of 1.5 presented the maximum CO2 absorption flux of 9.8 × 10- 4 mol/m2 s and the minimum mass transfer resistance of 49,544 (m/s)-1. Furthermore, a stable CO2 absorption performance was achieved during 80 h continuous operation with a flux decline of only about 9%. The findings of this work demonstrated that by applying a cost-effective fabrication method, we can potentially enhance the PVDF-HFP membrane properties for CO2 adsorption without requiring an additional post-modification step.
  3. Subramaniam H, Lim CK, Tey LH, Wong LS, Djearamane S
    Sci Rep, 2024 Dec 04;14(1):30198.
    PMID: 39632962 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-81384-0
    The field of green synthesis, namely using plant extracts for the production of metal nanoparticles, is rapidly gaining traction. Therefore, this study investigated the process of producing zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using a water-based extract derived from the stem bark of Calophyllum teysmannii. Notably, this is the first documented utilization of this particular plant source. The presence of a distinct Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) absorption peak at 372 nm provided evidence for the creation of ZnO nanoparticles. The X-ray Diffractometer (XRD) and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) investigations indicated that the nanoparticles exhibited sizes ranging from 31.5 to 59.9 nm and had spherical morphologies. Energy Dispersive X-ray Diffractometer (EDX) analysis verified the elemental composition of the ZnO nanoparticles, whereas the Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectra showed clear peaks, demonstrating their production. The FTIR examination of the C. teysmannii extract revealed peaks at around 3370 cm- 1, indicating the presence of phenolic compounds. These chemicals are likely responsible for the reduction and stabilization of the ZnO NPs. The high-resolution X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) spectra clearly revealed separate peaks corresponding to Zn 2p and O 1s, providing confirmation of the chemical states and bonding contexts. The Raman Spectroscopy analysis revealed a distinct peak at around 425 cm⁻¹, confirming the presence of the wurtzite structure. The harmful effects of ZnO nanoparticles on HCC2998 (a kind of human colon cancer) and Vero (a type of monkey kidney epithelial) cells were evaluated using 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA), and boron-Dipyrromethene (BODIPY) assays. The cancer cells underwent cell death due to oxidative stress in a dose-dependent manner, as confirmed by microscopic and flow cytometry investigations.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Cell Survival/drug effects; Cercopithecus aethiops; Colonic Neoplasms/metabolism; Colonic Neoplasms/pathology; Humans; Vero Cells; Cell Line, Tumor
  4. Pashazade H, Maarefvand M, Abolfathi Momtaz Y, Abdi K
    BMC Public Health, 2024 Dec 04;24(1):3373.
    PMID: 39633325 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-20327-w
    OBJECTIVE: The sandwich generation refers to individuals who are simultaneously responsible for caring for their aging parents and their own children. Research shows that the number of sandwich generation caregivers is increasing, and they face significant physical, psychological, social, and economic challenges. Therefore, it is crucial for these caregivers to develop effective coping strategies. This study aimed to identify the coping mechanisms used by sandwich generation caregivers.

    METHODS: In 2022, during the COVID-19 pandemic, we conducted a qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews with 18 sandwich generation caregivers in Tehran, Iran, who were responsible for both elderly parents and their own children. These interviews were conducted either in person or by telephone. Subsequently, the collected data were analyzed using the inductive content analysis method within the MAXQDA software (2018 version).

    RESULTS: Data analysis revealed three categories of coping strategies: "distancing from the situation", "self-soothing" (including sub categories of spiritual matters, establishing relationships, emotional outlet, and engaging in favorite activities), and "diversifying responses to needs" (including transferring responsibility to the family members, prioritizing needs for responsiveness, utilizing available community services, mediating to reduce conflict, and remote monitoring of the older adult).

    CONCLUSION: Sandwich generation caregivers use various coping strategies, each with different outcomes. This study found that self-care and using social resources can greatly reduce caregiving burdens. Therefore, providing these caregivers with training in problem-solving and self-care skills is recommended to better prepare them for their responsibilities.

    MeSH terms: Adaptation, Psychological*; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Female; Humans; Interviews as Topic; Iran; Male; Middle Aged; Parents/psychology; Intergenerational Relations; Qualitative Research*
  5. Kaveh O, Sharif-Nia H, Hosseini Z, Kaur H, Shafipour V
    BMC Med Educ, 2024 Dec 05;24(1):1419.
    PMID: 39633360 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-024-06318-w
    BACKGROUND: The topic of patient safety and attitudes toward patient safety among health professionals is a main priority of healthcare systems globally. This study aims to investigate the psychometric properties of APSQ-III among Iranian nursing students.

    METHODS: There were 307 undergraduate nursing students who participated in the cross-sectional methodological study, from December 2022 to January 2023. Content validity, Construct validity and reliability of the APSQ-III was evaluated.

    RESULTS: In the exploratory factor analysis, three factors were identified from 11 items, accounting for 58% of the total variance. The confirmatory factor analysis indices confirmed the model fit (χ2(38) = 91.851, p 

    MeSH terms: Adult; Attitude of Health Personnel*; Cross-Sectional Studies; Factor Analysis, Statistical; Female; Humans; Iran; Male; Psychometrics*; Surveys and Questionnaires; Reproducibility of Results; Young Adult; Patient Safety*
  6. Adi NS, Othman A, Kuay HS, Mustafa QM
    BMC Psychol, 2024 Dec 05;12(1):725.
    PMID: 39633446 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-024-02151-4
    INTRODUCTION: Dyslexia is a widespread Specific Learning Difficulty, and children with dyslexia often face significant psychological difficulties due to their challenges with reading, spelling, and writing. Objective This study examines the psychological functioning of children with dyslexia and compares it with typically developing children.

    METHOD: This cross-sectional study used the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) to evaluate behavioral issues and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) to assess anxiety levels. Primary school teachers, who had known the children for at least a year, provided the reports. Data were analyzed using an independent sample t-test.

    RESULTS: Forty children with dyslexia (n = 40) and fifty typically developing children (n = 50) were assessed, in which both groups are predominantly boys (70%, 54%) aged 7-12 years (Mean age:9.3 ± 1.5). The results indicate a significantly greater degree of behavioural problems t(88) = 8.39,p 

    MeSH terms: Problem Behavior/psychology; Specific Learning Disorder/psychology; Child; Child Behavior/psychology; Child Development; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression/psychology; Female; Humans; Male
  7. Liu H, Stanslas J, Ren J, Suleiman NB, Chong GH
    BMC Chem, 2024 Dec 04;18(1):239.
    PMID: 39633458 DOI: 10.1186/s13065-024-01329-6
    This study explores the use of green solvent systems by investigating the solubility and thermodynamic properties of xanthone (1) in triglyceride-based tricaprin (2) and tricaprylin (3) mixtures, aiming to replace traditional organic solvents. The solubility profile exhibited a concave trend, and the highest solubility was observed at a solute-free fraction (x2) of 0.36. The solubility exponentially increased with increasing temperature in the range from 30 °C to 75 °C. The solubility data were effectively correlated using the local composition-regular solution theory (LC-RST) model and achieved an ARDln value of 4.8 × 10-3. The model indicated strong interactions between tricaprin and tricaprylin, followed by interactions between tricaprylin and xanthone and between tricaprin and xanthone. The dissolution process of xanthone was primarily enthalpy driven. Based on the structural analysis, xanthone maintained its molecular structure after dissolution in tricaprin and tricaprylin; however, changes in crystallinity levels were observed. These findings provide insights into the use of triglycerides as solvents to improve the solubility and bioaccessibility of hydrophobic compounds such as xanthone.
  8. Putri IS, Shamsudin NF, Abdullah MA, Nurcholis M, Imran S, Yu CX, et al.
    J Biomol Struct Dyn, 2024 Dec 05.
    PMID: 39633610 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2436553
    Monoamine oxidase (MAO) is crucial for the breakdown of monoamine neurotransmitters, making it a promising target for treating neurodegenerative disorders, such as depression, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. In this study, we investigated the selective inhibitory activity of chromone-based compounds against MAO-A and MAO-B for neurodegenerative disease treatment. In literary sources, thirty chromone derivatives have been identified as potential ligands for MAO-A and MAO-B inhibitors. We utilized molecular docking to evaluate how the most active compound interacted with the targeted MAO-A and MAO-B. Compound 2 g, the most active for MAO-A, demonstrated a lower CDOCKER energy compared to the co-crystallized ligand. Meanwhile, compound 2f, the most active for MAO-B, showed a CDOCKER energy similar to the co-crystallized ligand and exhibited similar binding patterns. Furthermore, we constructed a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model to predict the properties and estimate IC50 values for 30 chromone derivatives functioning as MAO-A and MAO-B inhibitors. The model predictions were validated against experimental measurements. Our 2D QSAR model demonstrated robustness, with a statistically significant non-cross-validated coefficient (r2 < 0.9), cross-validated correlation coefficient (q2 < 0.6), and predictive squared correlation coefficient (r2pred < 0.8). Additionally, MD simulations confirmed the stable binding of compounds 2 g and 2f with MAO-A and MAO-B, respectively, displaying substantial binding energy. The most effective pharmacophore model identified key features, such as hydrogen bond acceptors and hydrophobic interactions, that contribute significantly to inhibitory potency. This study offers valuable insight into the selection of compounds with improved selectivity for MAO inhibition.
  9. Chen Q, Chen H, Luo CH, Lai XH
    MycoKeys, 2024;111:21-40.
    PMID: 39633616 DOI: 10.3897/mycokeys.111.126446
    Fuscoporia is a polypore genus of Hymenochaetaceae that causes wood decay, although some species in the genus have medicinal values. Phylogenetic analyses of concatenated ITS1-5.8S-ITS2-nLSU sequence data and morphological features identified three new species, F.eucalypticola, F.resupinata and F.subtropica from Australia, China and Malaysia, and these new species derived from the Fuscoporiaferrea group. These three species are illustrated and described. A key to resupinate species of Fuscoporia without mycelial setae in the world is provided.
  10. Lim ZY, Ong LY, Leow MC
    Data Brief, 2024 Dec;57:111101.
    PMID: 39633969 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2024.111101
    This study presents the "ESP32 Dataset," a dataset of radio frequency (RF) data intended for human activity detection. This dataset comprises 10 activities carried out by 8 volunteers in three different indoor floor plan experiment setups. Line-of-sight (LOS) scenarios are represented by the first two experiment setups, and non-line-of-sight (NLOS) scenarios are simulated in the third experiment setup. For every activity, the volunteers performed 20 trials, hence there were 1,600 recorded trials overall per experiment setup in the sample (8 people × 10 activities × 20 trials) . In order to obtain the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) and Channel State Information (CSI) values from the recorded transmissions, the D-Link AX3000 router and ESP32 microcontroller were used as the transmitter (Tx) and receiver (Rx) in the data collection process. This collection is an invaluable resource for academics and practitioners in the field of human activity detection since it offers rich and diversified RF data across a wide range of experiment setups and activities. In contrast to other datasets with different hardware configurations, this dataset records one RSSI value and fifty-two CSI subcarriers using the ESP-CSI Tool RF data capture tool. The number of RSSI and CSI signals, specific to the ESP32 hardware, allows for the exploration of resource-efficient activity detection algorithms, which is crucial for Internet of Things (IoT) applications where low-power and cost-effective solutions are required. This dataset is particularly valuable because it reflects the constraints and capabilities of the widely used ESP32 microcontrollers, making it highly relevant for developing and testing new algorithms tailored to IoT environments. The availability of this dataset enables the development and evaluation of activity detection algorithms and methodologies, enhancing the potential for improved experimental setups in IoT applications.
  11. Vijai Indrian P, Chong WW, Ali A, Mhd Ali A
    Open Access J Contracept, 2024;15:119-133.
    PMID: 39634191 DOI: 10.2147/OAJC.S487417
    BACKGROUND: The patient-centred counselling tools are a comprehensive resource to assist community pharmacists in providing effective treatment choices and assisting with decision-making.

    AIM: To identify and select suitable tools community pharmacists use with targeted patient-centred outcomes for dispensing contraceptives.

    METHODS: Five electronic databases, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar as additional sources for published and unpublished studies, were searched to identify literature for contraceptive tools or strategies for pharmacists to decide on contraceptive choice and dispensing by pharmacist. Studies involving pharmacists or tools suitable for pharmacists from any country, published since 1990 were considered.

    RESULTS: A total of 21 publications met the inclusion criteria. Robvis' tool was used for visualizing the risk of bias for each result. There were three studies that used the tools specifically by community pharmacists and others focused on general family planning users and pharmacists. The suitability of patient-centred interventions in community pharmacy settings was further evaluated.

    CONCLUSION: The evidence for special tools for pharmacists for dispensing contraceptives in community settings is limited and further research is needed to develop and evaluate novel interventions for pharmacists in community settings.

  12. Ajayi FF, AlShebli F, Yap PG, Gan CY, Maqsood S, Mudgil P
    Food Chem X, 2024 Dec 30;24:101998.
    PMID: 39634518 DOI: 10.1016/j.fochx.2024.101998
    Fermented milk (FM) is well-known to confer health-promoting benefits, particularly for managing chronic metabolic diseases. However, the specific cholesterol esterase (CE) inhibitory activities of FM produced from different animal milk sources have not been extensively explored. This study for the first time investigates the CE inhibition potential of FM derived from bovine (F_BM), camel (F_CM), sheep (F_SM), and goat milk (F_GM), each fermented with five different probiotic strains and stored for 14 days under refrigeration. Further, peptides identification was performed and in silico approaches were used to dock potent peptides with CE enzyme (PDB: 1AQL) to decipher mechanism of enzyme inhibition. Comprehensive approach of this study combined CE inhibition assays, peptide identification, and in silico molecular docking with the CE enzyme (PDB: 1AQL) to elucidate mechanisms underlying enzyme inhibition. Upon fermentation improvements in CE-inhibition (lower IC50 values) were observed compared to non-fermented counterparts. Moreover, the CE-inhibition potency of the FM varies significantly among the milk types and probiotic strain (p 
  13. Chin WV, Khaw MJ
    POCUS J, 2024;9(2):42-45.
    PMID: 39634694 DOI: 10.24908/pocus.v9i2.17706
    Dengue fever is an arthropod-borne viral disease that is widespread throughout the world. We report a case of dengue cardiomyopathy that was detected and treated to best effect using point of care ultrasound (POCUS) and the VExUS score. A 75-year-old lady with no known comorbidities presented with a ten-day history of fever, vomiting, loose stool, and poor appetite. Upon arrival, she was febrile and hypotensive. POCUS examination showed reduced left ventricular systolic function, inferior vena cava measuring 2.27 cm and VExUS grading of 2 to 3. Dengue serology IgM and IgG were positive and NT-proBNP was raised at 12500 pg/ml. Instead of fluid resuscitation, diuretic and inotropes were initiated along the line of cardiogenic shock secondary to dengue cardiomyopathy. Serial normal cardiac enzymes and electrocardiogram excluded acute coronary syndrome. She was discharged well, and repeated echocardiography one-month post discharge showed normal left ventricular systolic function with no clinical signs or symptoms of heart failure.
  14. Ali A, Juan H
    Front Sociol, 2024;9:1486377.
    PMID: 39634918 DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2024.1486377
    With environmental protection awareness increasing, green innovation has become a key way for enterprises to achieve sustainable development. Research trends on employee green behavior are an important basis for formulating green behavior incentive measures and a key foundation for further exploring green innovation. However, due to the large amount of literature on employee green behavior, obtaining research trends directly related to employee green behavior takes time and effort. To solve this problem, this paper takes the relevant published literature on research on employee green behavior from 2009 to 2024 as the research object. It uses CiteSpace software to study the research trends of employee green behavior from the number change analysis of published literature, distribution region analysis of published literature, influence analysis of main authors of published literature, keyword analysis, and high-frequency word analysis. The research results show that the publication of literature on employee green behavior has been steadily increasing since 2018, and the relevant research mainly focuses on the impact of green behavior motivations, green behavior emotional factors, green behavior performance results, green self-energy efficiency, and other aspects on employee green behavior. Based on the research results, further summaries and suggestions are given to provide references for the subsequent related research in this paper.
  15. Usman A, Khoo KS, Ariffin MM, Loh SH, Wan Mohd Khalik WMA, Yusoff HM, et al.
    Environ Res, 2024 Oct 01;258:119413.
    PMID: 38876422 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119413
    Frequent detection of terbutaline in wastewater highlights its potential risks to human health associated in the environment. Exposure to terbutaline through contaminated water sources or food chain have adverse effects to human health. This work emphasized on the removal of terbutaline from wastewater using adsorption technology. Mechanochemically synthesized [Cu(INA)2] metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and its magnetic composite ([Cu(INA)2]-MOF@Fe3O4) are designed with higher specific surface areas and tailored features to accommodate the molecular size and structure of terbutaline. Thus, batch experiment has been conducted using the [Cu(INA)2]-MOF and [Cu(INA)2]-MOF@Fe3O4 for the terbutaline adsorption. The adsorption efficiency achieved by the MOFs was 91.8% and 99.3% for the Cu(INA)2]-MOF and [Cu(INA)2]-MOF@Fe3O4 respectively. The optimum for the adsorption study included terbutaline concentration of 40 mg/L, adsorbent dose of 5 mg/L, pH of 11, temperature of 25 °C and equilibrium time of 40 min. The kinetics and isotherms have been described by pseudo-second order and Langmuir models, while the thermodynamics revealed the exothermic and spontaneous nature of the process. The promising performance of the MOFs is manifested on the ease of regeneration and reusability, achieving adsorption efficiency of 85.0% and 94.7% by the Cu(INA)2]-MOF and [Cu(INA)2]-MOF@Fe3O4, respectively at five consecutive cycles. The higher performance of the MOFs demonstrates their excellent potentialities for the terbutaline adsorption from the aqueous solution.
    MeSH terms: Adsorption; Ferric Compounds/chemistry; Kinetics
  16. Mohamed Ibrahim N, Lin CH
    Parkinsonism Relat Disord, 2024 Dec;129:107100.
    PMID: 39183141 DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2024.107100
    Early Onset Parkinsonism (EOP) refers to parkinsonism occurring before the age of 50 years. The causes are diverse and include secondary and genetic causes. Secondary causes related to medications, inflammatory and infective disorders are mostly treatable and well recognized as they usually present with a relatively more rapid clinical course compared to idiopathic Parkinson's disease. Genetic causes of EOP are more challenging to diagnose especially as more of the non-PARK genes are recognized to present with typical and atypical parkinsonism. Some of the genetic disorders such as Spinocerebellar ataxia 2 (SCA2) and Spinocerebellar ataxia 3 (SCA3) may present with levodopa-responsive parkinsonism, indistinguishable from idiopathic Parkinson's disease. Additionally, some of the genetic disorders, including Wilson's disease and cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX), are potentially treatable and should not be missed. Due to the advent of next generating sequencing techniques, genetic analyses facilitate early identification and proper treatment of diverse causes of EOP. In this review, we outline the clinical approach of EOP highlighting the key clinical features of some of the non-PARK genetic causes of EOP and related investigations, which could assist in clinical diagnosis. This review also encompass genetic diagnostic approaches, emphasizing the significance of pretest counseling and the principles of bioinformatics analysis strategies.
    MeSH terms: Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Age of Onset*
  17. Li WJ, Xu CK, Ong SQ, Majid AHA, Wang JG, Li XZ
    PMID: 39326209 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2024.101333
    Studying differences in transcriptomes across various development stages of insects is necessary to uncover the physiological and molecular mechanism underlying development and metamorphosis. We here present the first transcriptome data generated under Illumina Hiseq platform concerning Zeugodacus tau (Walker) larvae from Nanchang, China. In total, 11,702 genes were identified from 9 transcriptome libraries of three development stages of Z. tau larvae. 7219 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened out from the comparisons between each two development stages of Z. tau larvae, and their roles in development and metabolism were analyzed. Comparative analyses of transcriptome data showed that there are 5333 DEGs between 1-day and 7-day old larvae, consisting of 1609 up-regulated and 3724 down-regulated genes. Expressions of DEGs were more abundant in L7 than in L1 and L3, which might be associated with metamorphosis. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis suggested the enrichment of metabolic process. KOG annotation further confirmed that 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) pathway related genes Cyp4ac1_1, Cyp4aa1, Cyp313a4_3 were critical for the biosynthesis, transport, and catabolism of secondary metabolites and lipid transport and metabolism. Expression patterns of 8 DEGs were verified using quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR). This study elucidated the DEGs and their roles underlying three development stages of Z. tau larvae, which provided valuable information for further functional genomic research.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Metamorphosis, Biological/genetics; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Insect Proteins/genetics; Insect Proteins/metabolism; Gene Expression Profiling; Transcriptome*
  18. Feng G, Mózes FE, Ji D, Treeprasertsuk S, Okanoue T, Shima T, et al.
    PMID: 39362618 DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2024.07.045
    BACKGROUND & AIMS: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and fibrotic MASH are significant health challenges. This multi-national study aimed to validate the acMASH index (including serum creatinine and aspartate aminotransferase concentrations) for MASH diagnosis and develop a new index (acFibroMASH) for non-invasively identifying fibrotic MASH and exploring its predictive value for liver-related events (LREs).

    METHODS: We analyzed data from 3004 individuals with biopsy-proven metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) across 29 Chinese and 9 international cohorts to validate the acMASH index and develop the acFibroMASH index. Additionally, we utilized the independent external data from a multi-national cohort of 9034 patients with MASLD to examine associations between the acFibroMASH index and the risk of LREs.

    RESULTS: In the pooled global cohort, the acMASH index identified MASH with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.802 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.786-0.818). The acFibroMASH index (including the acMASH index plus liver stiffness measurement) accurately identified fibrotic MASH with an AUROC of 0.808 in the derivation cohort and 0.800 in the validation cohort. Notably, the AUROC for the acFibroMASH index was 0.835 (95% CI, 0.786-0.882), superior to that of the FAST score at 0.750 (95% CI, 0.693-0.800; P < .01) in predicting the 5-year risk of LREs. Patients with acFibroMASH >0.39 had a higher risk of LREs than those with acFibroMASH <0.15 (adjusted hazard ratio, 11.23; 95% CI, 3.98-31.66).

    CONCLUSIONS: This multi-ethnic study validates the acMASH index as a reliable, noninvasive test for identifying MASH. The newly proposed acFibroMASH index is a reliable test for identifying fibrotic MASH and predicting the risk of LREs.

  19. Sok May C, Sivanandy P, Ingle PV, Manirajan P
    Health Sci Rep, 2024 Oct;7(10):e70035.
    PMID: 39377021 DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.70035
    BACKGROUND AND AIM: Patient safety culture is crucial for every health care institution, as a lack of it may harm patients seeking treatment. The current study aimed to identify the level of safety culture and assess the knowledge, attitude, and perception of patient safety culture among healthcare providers (HCPs') in tertiary hospital settings.

    METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among HCPs from two private tertiary hospitals in Johor and Selangor. A structured validated questionnaire, including the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture, was used to assess the level of patient safety culture in these hospitals.

    RESULTS: In this study, the calculated sample size was 320, and all 550 eligible participants from both hospitals were approached to participate. However, only 158 responded, resulting in a response rate of 49.38%. The majority of the HCPs (n = 110; 69%) rated their hospital as very good or excellent in maintaining an overall patient safety culture. The study revealed that communication about the errors (PRR = 80) and organizational learning and continuous improvement (PRR = 74) were good in their hospital settings. However, staffing and work pace (PRR = 28), response to errors (PRR = 40), reporting patient safety events (PRR = 48), and handoffs and information exchange (PRR = 39) were inadequate. These findings indicate the negative attitudes among HCPs and the need for further improvement to maintain a culture of patient safety.

    CONCLUSION: HCPs in the study settings had optimal knowledge but negative attitudes towards the culture of patient safety in their organization. Inadequate staffing, work pace, and a lack of response to mistakes were commonly observed, which may increase the chances of errors and pose health threats to patients that need to be addressed immediately. Every healthcare organization is urged to address the issue of patient safety culture as a matter of urgency.

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