Browse publications by year: 2024

  1. Liang Z, Fang X, Liang Z, Xiong J, Deng F, Nyamasvisva TE
    iScience, 2024 Nov 15;27(11):111037.
    PMID: 39524329 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.111037
    Urban flooding significantly impacts city planning and resident safety. Traditional flood risk models, divided into physical and data-driven types, face challenges like data requirements and limited scalability. To overcome these, this study developed a model combining graph convolutional network (GCN) and spiking neural network (SNN), enabling the extraction of both spatial and temporal features from diverse data sources. We built a comprehensive flood risk dataset by integrating social media reports with weather and geographical data from six Chinese cities. The proposed Graph SNN model demonstrated superior performance compared to GCN and LSTM models, achieving high accuracy (85.3%), precision (0.811), recall (0.832), and F1 score (0.821). It also exhibited higher energy efficiency, making it scalable for real-time flood prediction in various urban environments. This research advances flood risk assessment by efficiently processing heterogeneous data while reducing energy consumption, offering a sustainable solution for urban flood management.
  2. Abdalla S, Aroua MK, Gew LT
    ACS Omega, 2024 Nov 05;9(44):44019-44032.
    PMID: 39524627 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c04277
    Plant-based oils, such as coconut, olive, argan, and jojoba, are abundant in natural emollients and vital fatty acids that hydrate and moisturize the skin. They shield the surface, stop moisture loss, and maintain suppleness of, the skin. They are rich in vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants that nourish the skin. Virgin coconut oil (VCO) is used as a functional food due to its tremendous health benefits, and olive oil is well-known for its cosmetic and culinary applications. Argan oil contains many antioxidants, vital fatty acids, and vitamin E, while jojoba oil is an excellent moisturizer and conditioner. Plant-based oils can be extracted using various techniques including conventional and chemical extraction methods, and each will affect the yield and quality. Traditional methods like mechanical pressing are less efficient, whereas extraction methods such as pressurized liquid and supercritical fluid extraction may give higher yields and better quality. The chemical composition of olive oil primarily consists of saturated fatty acids (SFAs), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). Argan oil is rich in tocopherols, containing between 60 and 90 mg per 100 g, with only 19 g/100 g of argan oil's fatty acids saturated. Jojoba oil is liquid wax comprising over 98% triglyceride esters, pure waxes, vitamins, and sterols. This review focuses on the chemical and biological properties, production processes, and applications of natural cosmetic oils (virgin coconut oil, olive oil, argan oil, and jojoba oil), emphasizing their usage in skin care and cosmeceutical products.
  3. Rusly SNA, Jamal SH, Samsuri A, Mohd Noor SA, Abdul Rahim KS
    Heliyon, 2024 Nov 15;10(21):e39631.
    PMID: 39524708 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e39631
    The field of propellants has recently witnessed dynamic shift, including advancements in propulsion technology and a growing emphasis on the development of environmentally friendly propellants. Nitrate ester (NE) are extensively used in solid propellants, exhibiting chemical instability as they undergo decomposition reactions. Stabilization is a crucial aspect in propellant, ensuring the safety and reliable performance of energetic materials. Stabilizer plays a vital role in inhibiting or slowing down the autocatalytic decomposition reaction of propellants. In response to grow health and environmental concerns, there is a continuous effort to explore and evaluate green stabilizers designed to replace traditional stabilizers, which have been associated with adverse environmental impacts. Therefore, this study aimed to provide an overview of the current research carried out in the field of NE-based propellants, emphasizing the most significant work undertaken on green stabilizer materials for NE-based propellants. A comprehensive review of various environmentally friendly and low-toxicity stabilizers employed in propellants are presented, and their effects on the stability and shelf-life performance of NE-based propellants are discussed. Furthermore, this paper delves into the stabilization mechanisms of green stabilizers to mitigate decomposition reactions, thereby preventing unwanted side effects and ensuring long-term storage stability. Through a comprehensive review of recent developments, the manuscript highlights the successes and challenges associated with the incorporation of green stabilizers in NE-based propellants formulations. Finally, the review concludes by outlining future research directions and opportunities for innovation in sustainable and green stabilizers as well as key issues that need to be addressed and resolved. The comprehensive review and insights provided in this study contribute to the ongoing efforts in developing safer and more sustainable propellant technologies.
  4. Maity R, Sudhakar K, Razak AA
    Heliyon, 2024 Nov 15;10(21):e39604.
    PMID: 39524726 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e39604
    Agrivoltaics is an innovative approach where solar energy, water, land and biodiversity are integrated into the same area to maximize resource utilization for sustainable development, also known as Agrivoltaism. The combination of solar water pumping and agri-solar has led to the development of a new generation of irrigation systems that are highly sustainable and efficient. Agri-solar water pumping can irrigate crops, feed livestock, clean solar modules, cool the PV system, generate energy, store water, and provide community drinking water. This paper addresses the basic design and capacity requirements of solar water pumping systems for irrigating a 0.5-ha Agrivoltaics system in Kuala Lumpur. The SISIFO tool has been used to simulate the Agri-solar water pumping performance for tropical humid climatic conditions. The various parameters like site details, climate data, type of PV modules, DC pump -motor and converters are used as input data to evaluate the energy yield parameters (output energy in DC and AC form), hydraulic parameters (volume of water pumped), loss parameters (capture and system losses) and efficiency parameters (performance of the system). Lettuce was chosen as it is fast growing with good yield per hectare. Based on the result, a detailed analysis of the agrivoltaic lettuce plant is performed. A detailed analysis of the solar resource assessment, system design, Key performance indicators, loss analysis and environmental analysis of the Agri-solar water pumping has been carried out. Considering their specific climatic conditions, this can significantly assist policymakers in selecting the optimal solar pumping station for agrivoltaic plants. The importance of considering various factors when choosing a solar pumping station for agrivoltaics is also highlighted.
  5. Wang L, Pertheban TRAL, Li T, Zhao L
    Heliyon, 2024 Nov 15;10(21):e38768.
    PMID: 39524730 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e38768
    With the vigorous development of e-commerce, more and more goods are sold online. The electronic platform not only brings convenience to people's lives but also gives more people the opportunity of employment and entrepreneurship, which contributes to the promotion of economic value and the creation of wealth. With the gradual maturity of network technology represented by Big Data, it has also led to the further development of e-commerce. In the past, e-commerce mostly used business intelligence systems for data analysis. However, as the data becomes more and more complex, the innovation ability and data analysis ability of traditional business intelligence systems are relatively conservative, so it is of great significance to update and strengthen business intelligence to analyze its role in e-commerce data. Therefore, this paper proposed the application of business intelligence based on Big Data in e-commerce data analysis. By combining Big Data and a business intelligence system and taking the e-commerce data of a certain brand of beverage as the research object, the Days-Times-Money (DTM) model was established, and the data mining technology was used to classify the brand consumers. The data results showed that among the three consumption attributes, the highest consumption density of consumption days, consumption times, and consumption amount was 68.63 %, 67.99 %, and 69.72 % respectively. These were not more than 70 %, which indicated that the consumption of this brand of beverages had a high space for growth. According to the consumption density, the users of this brand of beverage were divided into four consumer groups. According to the classification results, it provided feasible marketing reference opinions for the brand beverage and could provide direction for brand value-added by mining the hidden data of the brand beverage. This paper hoped to use the brand beverage as a case to provide reference and reality for the development of e-commerce enterprises and provide a reference for the application and promotion of business intelligence based on Big Data in e-commerce data analysis.
  6. Yang Y, Adnan HM, Alivi MA
    Heliyon, 2024 Nov 15;10(21):e39092.
    PMID: 39524767 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e39092
    TikTok has become increasingly popular among young people in China and there is growing number of young people who start to pay great attention to their health through this platform. Wuhan is a significant location for this study, since it was the initial epicenter of COVID-19. However, little is known about the extent to which university students in Wuhan, China, rely on TikTok for health-related information and how this affects their preventive health actions in the post-COVID-19 era. Therefore, it is crucial to look into the direct effects of TikTok users' search for health information and their actions to protect their health, as well as the mediating functions of e-health literacy and COVID-19 risk perception. The impact of TikTok as a social media platform on the health-related behaviors of university students was examined using the Media Dependency Theory which explains how media use can have significant effects on individuals' attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. 426 questionnaires were gathered by cluster sampling from a sample of Wuhan university students. Mplus8 was used to perform structural equation modelling, which looked at the relationships between these variables. The results showed a positive correlation between users' TikTok health information seeking and their health preventive behavior (β = 0.303, p 
  7. Ayub S, Guan BH, Ahmad F, Soleimani H, You KY, Nisa ZU, et al.
    Heliyon, 2024 Nov 15;10(21):e39828.
    PMID: 39524851 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e39828
    Electromagnetic pollution, or electromagnetic interference (EMI), is a phenomenon that has arisen due to the fast spread of electronic gadgets. To overcome EMI problem, polymer-based composites have sparked considerable attention among researchers owing to their superior qualities. Hence, this work utilizes magnetite-modified graphene (MMG) filler with polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) polymer to form polymer composites in various proportions ranging from 2 to 10 wt% to study the EM properties in the X-band. It was observed that the sample composite having a MMG filler content of 10 wt% possesses a relatively higher electrical conductivity of 0.65 S/cm as compared to the other prepared composites in this research work. The same sample composite also attained a total shielding efficacy of 53.04 dB at a thickness of 3 mm. Moreover, it was observed that the filler has improved the material's thermal stability and microwave absorption capacity, making it a high-efficiency EMI shielding material appropriate for usage in the electronic and aviation industries.
  8. Chai AWY, Tan YH, Ooi S, Yee PS, Yee SM, Cheong SC
    Heliyon, 2024 Nov 15;10(21):e39677.
    PMID: 39524880 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e39677
    Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is known to be driven by multiple intricated receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) including EGFR, PI3K/AKT and MAPK signaling pathways. However, whilst targeting EGFR with cetuximab has been approved for the treatment of OSCC, other single-agent inhibitors of the RTKs have shown modest effects in improving survival. From the genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 screen on 21 OSCC cell lines, we have identified PTPN11 among the top essential genes in OSCC. PTPN11 encodes for SHP2, a phosphatase that acts as a master signal transducer, downstream of various RTKs. Although PTPN11 overexpression has been reported in OSCC, little is known about its role as an essential gene for OSCC survival and its potential as a therapeutic target. Herein, we confirmed that PTPN11 is an essential gene in OSCC where its deletion significantly impacted cell survival. We evaluated three SHP2 inhibitors on 21 OSCC cell lines and found TNO155 to be significantly associated with CRISPR dependency score. We showed that TNO155 caused dose-dependent suppression on p-ERK and p-MEK, and suppresses the JAK/STAT pathway via downregulating p-JAK1, p-STAT1, p-STAT3. Furthermore, we confirmed that the combination of the mTOR inhibitor, everolimus with TNO155 is synergistic in OSCC. In summary, PTPN11 is a promising therapeutic target in OSCC that can be selectively targeted by SHP2 inhibitor such as TNO155. Our findings on the use of mTOR inhibitor, everolimus to overcome resistance to TNO155 are essential to inform on next phases of clinical trials which is warranted for the treatment of OSCC.
  9. Sadu Singh RS, Loo GH, Muthkumaran G, Azna Ali A, Ritza Kosai N
    Cureus, 2024 Oct;16(10):e71240.
    PMID: 39525114 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.71240
    Obesity stands as a prominent health challenge in our society, with metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) emerging as a solution due to its efficacy in addressing obesity-related type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and one-anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) remain the most common MBS after sleeve gastrectomy. Complications from RYGB are uncommon but include anastomotic stricture, marginal ulcers, small bowel obstruction, and nutritional complications. We present a 52-year-old lady with an initial body mass index (BMI) of 27.6 kg/m2 and poorly controlled T2DM who presented with generalized body weakness and uncontrolled weight loss after an RYGB performed four months earlier. She was cachexic with a BMI of 17 kg/m2,with generalized anasarca with a multitude of electrolyte disturbances. After nutritional optimization, she underwent a reversal surgery back to normal anatomy. Reversal of RYGB to normal anatomy is a complex surgical procedure and is often the last resort undertaken in patients experiencing severe complications from the initial surgery. Indications include malnutrition, severe dumping syndrome, excessive weight loss, and recalcitrant marginal ulcers. Our case outlines the importance of proper patient selection for MBS and highlights the preoperative management of RYGB reversal to normal anatomy. We also describe the surgical procedure using a stepwise approach. In conclusion, the reversal of RYGB to normal anatomy should only be undertaken after a careful period of prehabilitation to reduce perioperative complications. The inclusion of dietitians, endocrinologists, and physiotherapists is crucial to ensure the best possible outcome.
  10. Syed Afandi SFS, Ibrahim R, Musa Z, Mohamad S, Husain S
    Cureus, 2024 Oct;16(10):e71185.
    PMID: 39525151 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.71185
    Although Luc's abscess represents a rare complication of otitis media, it is an important complication to be considered by clinicians, by which infection spreads from the middle ear and can result in subperiosteal collection beneath the temporal muscle. Because of its rare occurrence, the diagnosis and treatment might be delayed. Here, we report the case of a 48-year-old female with Luc's abscess with the involvement of the mastoid bone and discuss its clinical presentation and successful management.
  11. Zulkharnain EM, Muhamad Ariffin MH, Tan JA, Zakaria MAA
    Cureus, 2024 Oct;16(10):e71166.
    PMID: 39525210 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.71166
    Giant cell tumour (GCT) is a benign bone tumour characterised by osteoclastic-like multinucleated cells. This tumour predominantly occurs in adults during the third decade of life, commonly in the distal femur, proximal tibia, distal radius, and sacrum. Treatment options include wide local excision with possible adjuvant therapy depending on tumour size and site. We present a case of an 18-year-old lady with no prior medical history complaining of worsening insidious onset localised back pain and preceding numbness of the bilateral lower limbs, diagnosed with a giant cell tumour of the spine (T11).
  12. Fan SWD, Ong LT
    touchREV Endocrinol, 2024 Oct;20(2):91-99.
    PMID: 39526051 DOI: 10.17925/EE.2024.20.2.12
    Objectives: Hyperthyroidism has a significant impact on the cardiovascular system, causing thyrotoxic cardiomyopathy, which is characterized by atrial fibrillation, left ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction, and may lead to heart failure. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and associated risk factors for heart failure in patients with hyperthyroidism. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed, SCOPUS and Ovid SP up until April 2023. Pooled prevalence and pooled odds ratio for risk factors were calculated using the generic inverse variance method. Results: Studies involving 30,889 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The overall prevalence of heart failure in patients with hyperthyroidism was 8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6-11%). Further analyses revealed that the prevalence of heart failure in patients who underwent treatment with radioactive iodine ablation, antithyroid medication and thyroidectomy was 8% (95% CI: -1 to 16%), 6% (95% CI: 2 to 11%) and 4% (95% CI: -2 to 10%), respectively. The risk factors of heart failure in hyperthyroidism include atrial fibrillation, chronic kidney disease, anaemia, hypertension, history of stroke or transient ischaemic attack, history of coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus. Conclusion: Heart failure occurs in 8% of patients with hyperthyroidism, with the most common risk factor being atrial fibrillation.
  13. Tian Q, Mustapha SM, Min J
    Psychol Res Behav Manag, 2024;17:3779-3798.
    PMID: 39526220 DOI: 10.2147/PRBM.S479189
    PURPOSE: To identify the relationship between academic procrastination, performance, self-efficacy, and satisfaction, we investigate the mediational role of academic self-efficacy between academic procrastination and satisfaction, and between academic performance and satisfaction, respectively, among undergraduate students of local technology universities in China.

    METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 388 undergraduate students from 22 local technology universities in Hubei, China. Data was collected through an online questionnaire measuring academic procrastination, performance, self-efficacy, and satisfaction. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation coefficients were used to analyze the relationship between variables. Structural equation modeling analysis and the bootstrap method were employed to examine the mediating effect of academic self-efficacy on the relationship between academic procrastination, academic performance, and academic satisfaction, respectively.

    RESULTS: (a) Academic procrastination was widespread, with 47.6% of respondents exhibiting high levels and 30.2% showing moderate tendencies. (b) Academic procrastination exhibited a negative and statistically significant relationship with academic self-efficacy and satisfaction, respectively. Conversely, academic performance was positively and statistically significantly associated with self-efficacy and satisfaction. Furthermore, academic self-efficacy displayed a positive and statistically significant correlation with academic satisfaction. (c) Academic self-efficacy mediated the relationship between academic procrastination and satisfaction as well as between academic performance and satisfaction.

    CONCLUSION: This study highlights the mechanism of academic satisfaction of undergraduate students, with a particular emphasis on the mediating role of academic self-efficacy, especially verifying its mediating role between academic performance and satisfaction. The findings hold significant implications for policymakers, university administrators, educators, and undergraduate students, offering insights for enhancing academic satisfaction in undergraduate learning and contributing to expanding the mechanistic understanding of academic satisfaction.

  14. Shahbaz M, Al-Maleki AR, Cheah CW, Aziz J, Bartold PM, Vaithilingam RD
    Int J Rheum Dis, 2024 Nov;27(11):e15415.
    PMID: 39526323 DOI: 10.1111/1756-185X.15415
    Periodontitis (PD) is characterized by the host's inflammatory responses to microbial dental biofilm dysbiosis, potentially resulting in tooth loss if left untreated. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease leading to synovial inflammation and destruction of joint cartilage and bone. The suggested association between PD and RA is based on the potential of chronic inflammation present in periodontitis, which could induce alterations in proteins through post-translational modifications, leading to the formation of citrullinated and carbamylated protein antigens. Antibodies directed against these antigens can serve as biomarkers for the underlying immunological processes in RA. Recent studies have also focused on bacterial proteolytic enzymes released from PD-associated bacteria, such as Porphyromonas gingivalis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, which are also sources of these antibodies. Chronic inflammation in PD causes increased levels of inflammatory cytokines (interferon-α, interleukins-6 and 8, tumor necrosis factor-α) and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). The oral microbiota in PD is also associated with the release of NETs (a process known as NETosis). Elevated NET levels are a source of citrullinated and carbamylated proteins which highlights their role in an individual's risk of developing RA (pre-RA individuals) and the progression of chronic RA. This narrative review describes periodontitis and the dysbiotic subgingival microbiota and its role in NETosis as risk factors for inducing early RA and the prospects of identifying pre-RA individuals and seronegative RA patients with these risk factors.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Humans; Risk Factors; Inflammation Mediators/metabolism; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Microbiota; Dysbiosis*
  15. Zhen Y, Peng C, Gao H, Bai L, Song Y, Gao P, et al.
    Biomacromolecules, 2024 Dec 09;25(12):7767-7776.
    PMID: 39526987 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.4c01082
    This study found that the sources of cellulose have a significant effect on the parameters related to the kinks present in nanocellulose. During nanocellulose preparation, 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyl-1-oxyl (TEMPO)-mediated oxidation induced partial depolymerization on whole cellulose and made the amorphous regions more susceptible to consequent mechanical treatment irrespective of cellulose sources. However, plant cellulose microfibrils were prone to break into shorter nanocellulose with fewer kinks, while bacterial and tunicate cellulose were more likely to bend rather than break, thus leading to the generation of more kinks. The kinks did not show significant effects on the size, crystallinity index, and thermal properties of nanocellulose for each cellulose source, though the kink numbers were positively related to the mechanical performance of nanocellulose. Collectively, this study elucidated the kink formation mechanisms and clarified the effects of kinks on nanocellulose performance, thus providing new insights into understanding the source and behaviors of microdefects present in nanocellulose.
    MeSH terms: Oxidation-Reduction*; Surface Properties; Nanostructures/chemistry
  16. Ranasinghe R, Mathai M, Alshawsh MA, Zulli A, Ranasinghe R
    Acta Diabetol, 2024 Nov 11.
    PMID: 39527296 DOI: 10.1007/s00592-024-02401-2
    BACKGROUND: This study identifies a new set of salient risk factors that may trigger danger signals of vascular dysregulation in T1D. Vascular abnormalities and impairment of CVD is a major adverse effect of T1D, particularly affecting children, adolescents and young adults.

    METHODS: The patients of T1D were compared with the healthy control (HC) for the risk factors of vascular dysregulation in published studies from year 2013 to 2023. The PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases were searched from 1/1/2013 to 1/9/2023. The risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane (ROBINS-I ) tool, relevant to clinical subjects. A random effects model was followed and analysed by RevMan 5.4 and GraphPad Prism software.

    RESULTS: 80 relevant case-control studies having 7492 T1D patients and 5293 HC were included. The age and sex-matched HC consisted of persons free of disease and not under any medication while clinical subjects of

  17. Song W, Shari NI, Song J, Zhang R, Mansor NS, Leong Bin Abdullah MFI, et al.
    PLoS One, 2024;19(11):e0312669.
    PMID: 39527516 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0312669
    BACKGROUND: Breast cancer patients face significant psychological challenges, including difficulties in accepting the diagnosis, treatment, and long-term impact of the disease. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has shown promise in enhancing acceptance and psychological flexibility in various populations. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of ACT in promoting disease acceptance among breast cancer patients through a randomized controlled trial.

    METHODS: This study will recruit 90 breast cancer patients and randomly allocate them to an ACT intervention or control group. The ACT intervention, focusing on acceptance, mindfulness, value clarification, and committed action, will be delivered over 4 weeks. Meanwhile, the control group will receive standard care with non-therapeutic intervention. The study's primary outcome is disease acceptance, while secondary outcomes include depression, anxiety, social support, quality of life (QoL), and psychological inflexibility. Data will be collected at three points: baseline, post-intervention, and three-month follow-up. Statistical analysis will compare outcomes between groups to evaluate the effectiveness and mechanism of this intervention using covariance and mediation analysis.

    DISCUSSION: This study evaluates the effectiveness of ACT in promoting disease acceptance among breast cancer patients. It hypothesizes that the ACT group will show higher disease acceptance and improvements in social support, QoL, and psychological flexibility compared to the control group. The findings will contribute to research on psychological interventions and demonstrate ACT's effectiveness in enhancing disease acceptance.

    TRIAL REGISTRATION: The research project is registered in the ClinicalTrials (NCT05327153).

    MeSH terms: Adult; Aged; Anxiety/psychology; Anxiety/therapy; Depression/psychology; Depression/therapy; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Quality of Life*; Social Support; Mindfulness/methods
  18. Mohd Amin NI, Mohd Nordin NA, Ismail A, Pillai SGK, Mohd Rasdi HF
    PLoS One, 2024;19(11):e0309648.
    PMID: 39527590 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0309648
    INTRODUCTION: Parkinson disease (PD), a neurodegenerative disorder that progresses over time, is steadily growing in number and prevalence worldwide. PD in Malaysia is expected to increase five-fold by 2040 from the existing estimate of 20,000 patients in 2018. Treatment program of PD in Malaysia is rather unstructured, and there is no known comprehensive PD family caregiver training program available to date. To ensure the quality of a program, it must be tested for feasibility, effectiveness and sustainability. This paper describes the protocol of a study that evaluates the effectiveness of a structured, comprehensive training program of family caregiver to persons with PD in comparison to usual care.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS–STUDY PROTOCOL: A total of 60 pairs of persons with PD of stage II and III, and their primary family caregiver will be recruited and allocated into either an experimental or a control group for 12 weeks of intervention. The experimental group will undergo initial training from multi-disciplinary healthcare providers and will be given a physical module containing weekly tasks that must be practised at home. While the control group will receive a usual care. Both groups will be assessed in terms of physical functions, functional mobility, quality of life (QoL), caregiver burden and knowledge using standardised assessment tools namely Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS), Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39), European Quality of Life five-dimensions (EQ-5D), Malay version of Zarit Burden Interview (MZBI) and Knowledge of Parkinson Disease Questionnaire (KPDQ). In addition, the feasibility and sustainability of the interventions will be evaluated, alongside its cost-effectiveness based on the average and incremental cost effectiveness ratio. All data will be analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, particularly mixed model ANOVA.

    DISCUSSION: There is a significant gap in the literature pertaining family caregiver training programs for people with PD. Documented programs are lacking in term of comprehensiveness of content, application approach and the measurement of training outcomes including the program cost-effectiveness. The feasibility and effectiveness of such training program in a Malaysian setting also requires investigation due to differences in living environment, support system and population's perception. This study will assist to fulfil the existing literature gap and demonstrate the potential benefit of caregiver involvement in mediating the care and therapy for PD in the home setting. Optimum knowledge and skills gained through the training are expected to enhance the confidence and ability of the family caregivers and may possibly reduce their perceived caregiving burden.

    PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: The protocol of this study is registered in the Australian-New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (ANZCTR) with a registration number ACTRN12623000336684.

    MeSH terms: Female; Humans; Malaysia; Male; Quality of Life*; Single-Blind Method
  19. Wang L, Chen X, Xi X, Lee SH, Lum WC, Huang Y, et al.
    Int J Biol Macromol, 2024 Dec;282(Pt 6):137438.
    PMID: 39528202 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.137438
    Condensed tannin was solidified onto chitosan microspheres to prepare chitosan-tannin (CT) composite microspheres with a simple preparation method to study its performance in adsorbing copper (Cu2+) and lead ions (Pb2+) in aqueous media. The study investigated the influence of the mass ratio of tannin and chitosan, pH value, adsorption time, and initial concentrations of Cu2+ and Pb2+ on the adsorption capacity of Cu2+ and Pb2+ ions. Additionally, the study examined the adsorption isotherms and kinetics of Cu2+ and Pb2+ on CT composite microspheres. The adsorption process aligns more closely with the fitting results of the Langmuir model. The maximum capacity for saturated monolayer adsorption of CT composite microspheres for Cu2+ and Pb2+ was 37.6 and 52.9 mg/g, respectively. The adsorption process of CT composite microspheres for Cu2+ and Pb2+ was primarily driven by single-layer chemical adsorption. In addition, metal ions adsorbed onto CT composite microspheres can be released by treating them with a dilute solution of strong acid. Furthermore, the CT composite microspheres exhibited impressive removal efficiencies of 82 % and 95 % for Cu2+ and Pb2+ respectively, even at low concentrations of 2 mg/L. The CT composite microspheres have the ability to easily separate the adsorbed Cu2+ and Pb2+ ions.
    MeSH terms: Adsorption; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Ions/chemistry; Kinetics; Microspheres*; Tannins/chemistry; Water/chemistry; Proanthocyanidins/isolation & purification; Proanthocyanidins/chemistry
  20. Syasyila K, Gin LL, Jamaludin ANSJ
    J Cogn Psychother, 2024 Nov 11;38(4):353-359.
    PMID: 39528297 DOI: 10.1891/JCP-2023-0031
    This clinical case assessed the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in treating major depressive disorder in a 26-year-old female, Sara, attributing her depression to pregnancy, financial constraints, parental duties, and emotional stress. Sara had eight sessions of CBT, during which her symptoms were measured using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) and the Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II). Sara's depressive symptoms dramatically decreased after the intervention, moving her HAM-D and BDI-II scores from moderate to mild depression and from clinically depressed to mild, respectively. The assessment showed improved interest, concentration, energy levels, and a more positive self-perception. Integrating Malaysian cultural elements into CBT, emphasizing family support, community engagement, and spirituality positively impacted Sara. This study emphasizes the value of culturally appropriate CBT for depression as it can help with symptom management, challenging negative thoughts, and bolstering self-esteem. This method identifies and addresses cultural impacts on mental health, recommending the incorporation of cultural aspects in therapy, enhancing relapse prevention and quality of life for Malaysians experiencing depression.
    MeSH terms: Adult; Female; Humans; Malaysia; Cognitive Therapy*; Culturally Competent Care*
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