Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 274 in total

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  1. Spruijtenburg B, Ahmad S, Asadzadeh M, Alfouzan W, Al-Obaid I, Mokaddas E, et al.
    Mycoses, 2023 Dec;66(12):1079-1086.
    PMID: 37712885 DOI: 10.1111/myc.13655
    Candida auris is an emerging, multidrug-resistant yeast, causing outbreaks in healthcare facilities. Echinocandins are the antifungal drugs of choice to treat candidiasis, as they cause few side effects and resistance is rarely found. Previously, immunocompromised patients from Kuwait with C. auris colonisation or infection were treated with echinocandins, and within days to months, resistance was reported in urine isolates. To determine whether the development of echinocandin resistance was due to independent introductions of resistant strains or resulted from intra-patient resistance development, whole genome sequencing (WGS) single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis was performed on susceptible (n = 26) and echinocandin-resistant (n = 6) isolates from seven patients. WGS SNP analysis identified three distinct clusters differing 17-127 SNPs from two patients, and the remaining isolates from five patients, respectively. Sequential isolates within patients had a maximum of 11 SNP differences over a time period of 1-10 months. The majority of isolates with reduced susceptibility displayed unique FKS1 substitutions including a novel FKS1M690V substitution, and nearly all were genetically related, ranging from only three to six SNP differences compared to susceptible isolates from the same patient. Resistant isolates from three patients shared the common FKS1S639F substitution; however, WGS analysis did not suggest a common source. These findings strongly indicate that echinocandin resistance is induced during antifungal treatment. Future studies should determine whether such echinocandin-resistant strains are capable of long-term colonisation, cause subsequent breakthrough candidiasis, have a propensity to cross-infect other patients, or remain viable for longer time periods in the hospital environment.
  2. Nguyen TN, Qureshi MM, Klein P, Yamagami H, Mikulik R, Czlonkowska A, et al.
    Neurology, 2023 Jan 24;100(4):e408-e421.
    PMID: 36257718 DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000201426
    BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Declines in stroke admission, IV thrombolysis (IVT), and mechanical thrombectomy volumes were reported during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a paucity of data on the longer-term effect of the pandemic on stroke volumes over the course of a year and through the second wave of the pandemic. We sought to measure the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the volumes of stroke admissions, intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), IVT, and mechanical thrombectomy over a 1-year period at the onset of the pandemic (March 1, 2020, to February 28, 2021) compared with the immediately preceding year (March 1, 2019, to February 29, 2020).

    METHODS: We conducted a longitudinal retrospective study across 6 continents, 56 countries, and 275 stroke centers. We collected volume data for COVID-19 admissions and 4 stroke metrics: ischemic stroke admissions, ICH admissions, IVT treatments, and mechanical thrombectomy procedures. Diagnoses were identified by their ICD-10 codes or classifications in stroke databases.

    RESULTS: There were 148,895 stroke admissions in the 1 year immediately before compared with 138,453 admissions during the 1-year pandemic, representing a 7% decline (95% CI [95% CI 7.1-6.9]; p < 0.0001). ICH volumes declined from 29,585 to 28,156 (4.8% [5.1-4.6]; p < 0.0001) and IVT volume from 24,584 to 23,077 (6.1% [6.4-5.8]; p < 0.0001). Larger declines were observed at high-volume compared with low-volume centers (all p < 0.0001). There was no significant change in mechanical thrombectomy volumes (0.7% [0.6-0.9]; p = 0.49). Stroke was diagnosed in 1.3% [1.31-1.38] of 406,792 COVID-19 hospitalizations. SARS-CoV-2 infection was present in 2.9% ([2.82-2.97], 5,656/195,539) of all stroke hospitalizations.

    DISCUSSION: There was a global decline and shift to lower-volume centers of stroke admission volumes, ICH volumes, and IVT volumes during the 1st year of the COVID-19 pandemic compared with the prior year. Mechanical thrombectomy volumes were preserved. These results suggest preservation in the stroke care of higher severity of disease through the first pandemic year.

    TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION: This study is registered under NCT04934020.

  3. Zamree ND, Puasa NA, Lim ZS, Wong CY, Shaharuddin NA, Zakaria NN, et al.
    Plants (Basel), 2023 Jul 03;12(13).
    PMID: 37447097 DOI: 10.3390/plants12132536
    Research has confirmed that the utilisation of Antarctic microorganisms, such as bacteria, yeasts and fungi, in the bioremediation of diesel may provide practical alternative approaches. However, to date there has been very little attention towards Antarctic microalgae as potential hydrocarbon degraders. Therefore, this study focused on the utilisation of an Antarctic microalga in the bioremediation of diesel. The studied microalgal strain was originally obtained from a freshwater ecosystem in Paradise Bay, western Antarctic Peninsula. When analysed in systems with and without aeration, this microalgal strain achieved a higher growth rate under aeration. To maintain the growth of this microalga optimally, a conventional one-factor-at a-time (OFAT) analysis was also conducted. Based on the optimized parameters, algal growth and diesel degradation performance was highest at pH 7.5 with 0.5 mg/L NaCl concentration and 0.5 g/L of NaNO3 as a nitrogen source. This currently unidentified microalga flourished in the presence of diesel, with maximum algal cell numbers on day 7 of incubation in the presence of 1% v/v diesel. Chlorophyll a, b and carotenoid contents of the culture were greatest on day 9 of incubation. The diesel degradation achieved was 64.5% of the original concentration after 9 days. Gas chromatography analysis showed the complete mineralisation of C7-C13 hydrocarbon chains. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed that strain WCY_AQ5_3 fully degraded the hydrocarbon with bioabsorption of the products. Morphological and molecular analyses suggested that this spherical, single-celled green microalga was a member of the genus Micractinium. The data obtained confirm that this microalga is a suitable candidate for further research into the degradation of diesel in Antarctica.
  4. Venkatason P, Zubairi YZ, Hafidz I, Wan WA, Zuhdi AS
    Ann Saudi Med, 2016 5 30;36(3):184-9.
    PMID: 27236389 DOI: 10.5144/0256-4947.2016.184
    BACKGROUND: The administration of evidence-based pharmacotherapy and timely primary percutaneous coronary intervention have been shown to improve outcome in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, implementation remains a challenge due to the limitations in facilities, expertise and funding.

    OBJECTIVES: To investigate adherence to guideline-based management and mortality of STEMI patients in Malaysia.

    DESIGN: Retrospective analysis.

    SETTINGS: STEMI patients from 18 participating hospital across Malaysia included in the National Cardiovascular Database-Acute Coronary Syndrome (NCVD-ACS) registry year 2006 to 2013.

    PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were categorized into four subgroups based on the year of admission (2006 to 2007, 2008 to 2009, 2010 to 2011 and 2012 to 2013). Baseline characteristics and clinical presentation, in-hospital pharmacotherapy, invasive revascularization and in-hospital/30-day mortality were analysed and compared between the subgroups.

    MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Rate of in-hospital catheterization/percutaneous coronary intervention.

    RESULTS: The registry contained data on 19483 patients. Intravenous thrombolysis was the main reperfusion therapy. Although the overall rate of in-hospital catheterisation/PCI more than doubled over the study period, while the use of primary PCI only slowly increased from 7.6% in 2006/2007 to 13.6% in 2012/2013. The use of evidence-based oral therapies increased steadily over the years except for ACe-inhibitors and angiotensin-receptor blockers. The adjusted risk ratios (RR) for in-hospital mortality for the four sub-groups have not shown any significant improvement. The 30-day adjusted risk ratios however showed a significant albeit gradual risk reduction (RR 0.773 95% CI 0.679-0.881, P < .001).

    CONCLUSION: Adherence to evidence-based treatment in STEMI in Malaysia is still poor especially in terms of the rate of primary PCI. Although there is a general trend toward reduced 30-day mortality, the reduction was only slight over the study period. Drastic effort is needed to improve adherence and clinical outcomes.

    LIMITATION: Retrospective registry data with inter-hospital variation.

  5. Sultan MT, Butt MS, Karim R, Ahmed W, Kaka U, Ahmad S, et al.
    PMID: 26385559 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-015-0853-7
    Nigella sativa is an important component of several traditional herbal preparations in various countries. It finds its applications in improving overall health and boosting immunity. The current study evaluated the role of fixed and essential oil of Nigella sativa against potassium bromate induced oxidative stress with special reference to modulation of glutathione redox enzymes and myeloperoxidase.
  6. Ahmad S, Hair-Bejo M, Hussein EA, Awad EA, Saeed MI, Liew PS, et al.
    Open Vet J, 2022;12(6):839-850.
    PMID: 36650863 DOI: 10.5455/OVJ.2022.v12.i6.8
    BACKGROUND: The studies about Salmonella infection in newly hatched chicks were not extensive.

    AIM: The objective of this study was to determine the pathogenicity of Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Enteritidis (SE) phage type (PT) 1 in one-day-old specific pathogen-free (SPF) chicks.

    METHODS: Seventy, one-day-old SPF chicks, were divided into SE group (30 chicks), mortality group (10 chicks), both orally inoculated (1.0 ml) with SE PT1 (1 × 108 colony-forming unit per 1.0 ml), and one control group (30 chicks). The chicks were sacrificed at 6 and 12 hours, and days 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, and 21 post-inoculation (pi). Samples were collected for bacterial isolation, histological examination, and ultrastructural examination.

    RESULTS: Starting from day 2 pi, the body weight in the SE group significantly (p < 0.05) decreased. The SE isolation percentages from the liver, spleen, mid-intestinal content, cecal content, cecal tonsil, blood, and cloacal swab were 0.73, 0.77, 0.33, 0.33, 0.36, 0.40, and 0.30, respectively. The isolation percentage in the liver was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than the blood and cloacal swab. The villi heights and crypt depths in the SE group were significantly (p < 0.05) greater and smaller, respectively. Ultrastructurally, erosion and necrosis were observed in the microvilli of the cecal tonsil. The bacteria were engulfed by macrophages at the interepithelial clefts of the M-like M cells.

    CONCLUSION: It was concluded that the inoculation of SE PT 1 in one-day-old chicks caused a systemic infection with diarrhea, a decrease in the body weight and villi height in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, and high bacterial loading in the liver with mild gross and histological lesions of organs, erosion, and necrosis of microvilli and low mortality. The bacteria entered the body system from the intestinal tract through the interepithelial clefts of the M-like M cells of the cecal tonsil.

  7. Ismail NA, Aris NM, Mahdy ZA, Ahmad S, Naim NM, Siraj HH, et al.
    PMID: 21542419 DOI: 10.14712/18059694.2016.12
    This prospective observational study was done to analyse the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) among primigravidae and its outcome. All healthy primigravidae with singleton pregnancies were offered universal glucose tolerance testing between 16 and 28 weeks gestation. GDM and non GDM groups were managed according to hospital protocol. The antenatal features and pregnancy outcomes were analysed. Out of 616 primigravidae, 113 (18.34%) were GDM with slightly older (27.9 +/- 4.2 versus 26.32 +/- 3.3, p < 0.001) age. The mean fasting and two hours postprandial blood glucose in both groups were 4.99 +/- 1.08 mmol/l, 8.86 +/- 1.41 mmol/l(GDM) and 4.36 +/- 0.43 mmol/l, 5.71 +/- 1.11 mmol/l (Non GDM), respectively. Maternal family history of diabetes mellitus, weight exceeding 80 Kg, polyhydramnios (2.65% versus 0.2%, p = 0.028) and neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia (9.73% versus 2.98%, p = 0.01) occurred significantly more frequent in the GDM group compared to normal. There was no significant difference in other pregnancy outcomes and complications between the two groups. In conclusion GDM in primigravidae was detected at a relatively young age with more frequent maternal family history of DM, weight exceeding 80 Kg, polyhydromnions and neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia. The degree of disease was mild and treatment led to no significant complication.
  8. Othman AR, Abdullah N, Ahmad S, Ismail IS, Zakaria MP
    PMID: 25652309 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-015-0528-4
    BACKGROUND: The Jatropha curcas plant or locally known as "Pokok Jarak" has been widely used in traditional medical applications. This plant is used to treat various conditions such as arthritis, gout, jaundice, wound and inflammation. However, the nature of compounds involved has not been well documented. Hence, this study was conducted to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of different parts of J. curcas plant and to identify the active compounds involved.
    METHODS: In this study, methanol (80%) extraction of four different parts (leaves, fruits, stem and root) of J. curcas plant was carried out. Phenolic content of each part was determined by using Folin-Ciocalteau reagent. Gallic acid was used as the phenol standard. Each plant part was screened for anti-inflammatory activity using cultured macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. The active plant part was then partitioned with hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and water. Each partition was again screened for anti-inflammatory activity. The active partition was then fractionated using an open column chromatography system. Single spots isolated from column chromatography were assayed for anti-inflammatory and cytotoxicity activities. Spots that showed activity were subjected to gas chromatography mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS) analysis for identification of active metabolites.
    RESULTS: The hexane partition from root extract showed the highest anti-inflammatory activity. However, it also showed high cytotoxicity towards RAW 264.7 cells at 1 mg/mL. Fractionation process using column chromatography showed five spots. Two spots labeled as H-4 and H-5 possessed anti-inflammatory activity, without cytotoxicity activity. Analysis of both spots by GC-MS showed the presence of hexadecanoic acid methyl ester, octadecanoic acid methyl ester and octadecanoic acid.
    CONCLUSION: This finding suggests that hexadecanoic acid methyl ester, octadecanoic acid methyl ester and octadecanoic acid could be responsible for the anti-inflammatory activity of the J. curcas root extract.
  9. Muin MRA, Ahmad S, Jasman MH, Aziz AFA, Ali MF, Zainuddin ZM
    Ann Fam Med, 2023;21(6):502-507.
    PMID: 38012042 DOI: 10.1370/afm.3030
    PURPOSE: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is frequently undermanaged due to communication barriers, particularly among Asian men. We looked at how ED discussion and treatment were affected by the patient's prompt sheet and the Knowledge Translation Tools in the Management of Erectile Dysfunction (LASTED).

    METHODS: We conducted a quasi-experimental study in a primary care clinic in Kedah, Malaysia involving 120 Asian men with diabetes. In the intervention group, patients were given a prompt sheet to indicate their intention to discuss or receive ED treatment, and physicians were provided with LASTED to assist with ED consultation. The control group patients received standard care from their physicians.

    RESULTS: The intervention increased the initiation of ED discussion up to 66.7% compared with 8.3% in the control group. In the intervention group, 57.5% of patients were prescribed phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors and men with ED of moderate severity were more likely to be prescribed oral ED medication. Use of the LASTED flipchart was associated with prescription of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (P = .011) and patient satisfaction with ED consultation (P

  10. Suki SZ, Zuhdi ASM, Yahya 'AA, Zaharan NL
    BMC Geriatr, 2022 01 04;22(1):23.
    PMID: 34983393 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-021-02724-7
    BACKGROUND: Octogenarians and beyond have often been neglected in the populational study of disease despite being at the highest point of non-modifiable disease risk burden and the fastest-growing age group for the past decade. This study examined the characteristics and in-hospital management of octogenarian patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in a multi-ethnic, middle-income country in South East Asia.

    METHOD: This retrospective study utilised the Malaysian National Cardiovascular Disease- ACS (NCVD-ACS) registry. Consecutive patient data of those ≥80 years old admitted with ACS at 24 participating hospitals from 2008 to 2017 (n = 3162) were identified. Demographics, in-hospital intervention, and evidence-based pharmacotherapies over the 10-years were examined and compared across groups of interests using the Chi-square test. Multivariate logistic regression was used to calculate the adjusted odds ratio of receiving individual therapies according to patients' characteristics.

    RESULTS: Octogenarians made up 3.8% of patients with ACS in the NCVD-ACS registry (mean age = 84, SD ± 3.6) from 2008 until 2017. The largest ethnic group was Chinese (44%). Most octogenarians (95%) have multiple cardiovascular risk factors, with hypertension (82%) being the main. Non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) predominated (38%, p 

  11. Meena R, Hashmi AW, Ahmad S, Iqbal F, Soni H, Meena A, et al.
    Chemosphere, 2023 Dec;343:140225.
    PMID: 37742771 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140225
    Polypropylene composites find widespread application in industries, including packaging, plastic parts, automotive, textiles, and specialized devices like living hinges known for their remarkable flexibility. This study focuses on the manufacturing of polypropylene composite specimens by incorporating varying weight percentages of fly ash particles with polypropylene using a twin-screw extruder and injection molding machine. The composites were comprehensively tested, evaluating tensile, compressive, and flexural strength, solid-state and polymer melt properties, modulus, damping, and thermal response. The findings reveal that the compressive strength of polypropylene increases up to 2 wt% of added fly ash particles and subsequently exhibits a slight decline. Tensile strength demonstrates an increase up to 1 wt% of fly ash, followed by a decrease with a 2 wt% addition, and then a subsequent increase. Flexural strength shows improvement up to 3 wt% fly ash addition before declining. The storage modulus curve is categorized into three regions: the glassy region (up to 0 °C), the glass transition region (0-50 °C), and the glass transition region of polypropylene (>50 °C), each corresponding to different molecular motions. Weight loss curves exhibit similar trends, indicating uniform pyrolysis behavior attributed to consistent chemical bonds. Plastic degradation commences around 440 °C and concludes near 550 °C. Additionally, elemental mapping of fly ash composition identified various elements such as O, Si, K, Mg, Ca, Cl, Na, P, Al, Fe, S, Cu, Ti, and Ni. These findings offer valuable insights into the mechanical and thermal properties of polypropylene composites reinforced with fly ash, rendering them suitable for a wide range of industrial applications necessitating strength and durability across temperature variations.
  12. Mohd Asri NA, Ahmad S, Mohamud R, Mohd Hanafi N, Mohd Zaidi NF, Irekeola AA, et al.
    Antibiotics (Basel), 2021 Dec 08;10(12).
    PMID: 34943720 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10121508
    The emergence of nosocomial multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae is an escalating public health threat worldwide. The prevalence of nosocomial infections due to K. pneumoniae was recorded up to 10%. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, which were conducted according to the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, 1092 articles were screened from four databases of which 47 studies fulfilled the selected criteria. By performing a random-effect model, the pooled prevalence of nosocomial multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae was estimated at 32.8% (95% CI, 23.6-43.6), with high heterogeneity (I2 98.29%, p-value < 0.001). The estimated prevalence of this pathogen and a few related studies were discussed, raising awareness of the spread of multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae in the healthcare setting. The emergence of nosocomial multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae is expected to increase globally in the future, and the best treatments for treating and preventing this pathogen should be acknowledged by healthcare staff.
  13. Cho W, Park S, Kim HJ, Lee M, Choi YS, Yeo SG, et al.
    Rev Med Virol, 2024 Jan;34(1):e2508.
    PMID: 38282393 DOI: 10.1002/rmv.2508
    On 23 July 2022, the World Health Organization declared the global mpox outbreak as a public health emergency of international significance. The mpox virus (MPXV) that caused the outbreak was classified as clade IIb, which belongs to the West African clade. However, the relationship between MPXV clades and symptoms, as well as the severity of mpox outcomes, is not fully understood. Thus, we aimed to investigate the global mpox prevalence and the differences in clinical manifestations and outcomes among patients with mpox between pre-outbreak (2003-2021) and the current mpox outbreak. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Google Scholar were searched using the keyword "monkeypox" and "mpox" up to 13 October 2022. A random effects model was used to obtain the pooled prevalence and 95% confidence intervals. This study included 27 articles, and 5698 patients with mpox with 19 distinctive features from 19 countries across five continents were assessed. Patients with mpox during the 2022 mpox outbreak showed mild clinical manifestations and outcomes compared with those before the 2022 mpox outbreak: mild rash (relative ratio [RR]: 5.09, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.52-17.08), fever (0.68, 0.49-0.94), pruritus (0.25, 0.19-0.32), myalgia (0.50, 0.31-0.81), headache (0.56, 0.35-0.88), skin ulcer (0.32, 0.17-0.59), abdominal symptom (0.29, 0.20-0.42), pharyngitis (0.32, 0.18-0.58), nausea or vomiting (0.15, 0.02-0.93), conjunctivitis (0.11, 0.03-0.38), concomitant infection with HIV (1.70, 0.95-3 0.04), and death (0.02, 0.001-0.31). MPXV clade IIb exhibited higher infectivity but may cause mild disease symptoms and low mortality rate. It is important to consider MPXV infection in patients with mpox-related features and/or a history of sexual transmission to prevent the spread of the disease and recognise the current pandemic threat.
  14. Yon H, Shin H, Shin JI, Shin JU, Shin YH, Lee J, et al.
    Rev Med Virol, 2023 Jul;33(4):e2446.
    PMID: 37056203 DOI: 10.1002/rmv.2446
    Little is known about the ongoing monkeypox (mpox) outbreak, and the clinical features of mpox in patients worldwide have not been rigorously analysed. Thus, we aimed to investigate the clinical features associated with mpox infection and understand the pathophysiology and characteristics of the disease. For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews for articles published till 16 September 2022. We used a random effects model to calculate the pooled prevalence and 95% confidence interval (CI). We used the I2 statistic to assess heterogeneity, Egger's test to assess publication bias, 95% prediction interval to determine the level of uncertainty, and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and Joanna Briggs Institute quality assessment tool to assess the risk of bias. Twenty-six relevant articles from 19 countries across 5 continents were included, and data on 5472 mpox patients with 18 unique features were analysed. The pooled prevalence of clinical features of mpox were rash (85.7%, 95% CI: 68.3-94.3; k = 21), chills (77.8%, 95% CI: 70.5-83.7; k = 3), and fever (62.3%, 95% CI: 51.3-71.6; k = 25), lymphadenopathy (58.6%, 95% CI: 47.2-69.2; k = 21), lethargy or exhaustion (46.8%, 95% CI: 30.7-63.5; k = 14), pruritus (40.6%, 95% CI: 28.5-54.0; k = 5), myalgia (36.0%, 95% CI: 24.3-49.7; k = 16), headache (34.6%, 95% CI: 23.4-47.8; k = 17), skin ulcer (31.1%, 95% CI: 18.6-47.1; k = 7), abdomen symptom (24.2%, 95% CI: 17.9-31.9; k = 11), pharyngitis (23.0%, 95% CI: 12.7-37.9; k = 14), respiratory symptom (19.5%, 95% CI: 6.8-44.6; k = 6), nausea or vomiting (13.0%, 95% CI: 4.6-31.9; k = 3), scrotal or penile oedema (10.7%, 95% CI: 6.3-17.7; k = 4), conjunctivitis (7.1%, 95% CI: 2.4-18.9; k = 6), and death (0.9%, 95% CI: 0.4-2.0; k = 26). This is the first international and comprehensive study to examine all clinical presentations of human mpox infection. Our systematic review proposes a comprehensive understanding of the current mpox outbreak and may serve as key data for future studies on the pathological mechanisms and epidemiology of mpox infections.
  15. Irekeola AA, Shueb RH, E A R ENS, Wada Y, Abdul Rahman Z, Ahmad S, et al.
    Cancers (Basel), 2021 Apr 14;13(8).
    PMID: 33919987 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13081886
    For more than 50 years, nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has been associated with dermatomyositis (DM), a rare idiopathic inflammatory disorder that mainly affects the skin and muscles. Although the association between these rare diseases is well-documented, the actual prevalence of NPC in DM patients remains unknown. Here, a systematic review and meta-analysis of published data was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). Electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar were searched without year or language restrictions for studies reporting the occurrence of NPC in DM patients. The study protocol was lodged with PROSPERO (CRD42021225335). A total of 95 studies covering 303 cases of NPC among 16,010 DM patients was included. Summary estimates were calculated using the random-effects model. The pooled prevalence of NPC in DM was 3.3% (95% CI, 2.5-4.3). When stratified according to study location, higher prevalence estimates were obtained for Hong Kong (36.5%), Malaysia (27.7%), and Singapore (11.9%). There was a predominance of cases among male DM patients compared with females, and most patients were aged 40 and above. Many of the NPC cases were found to be diagnosed after the diagnosis of DM. It is therefore pertinent to screen for NPC in DM patients, especially among older DM patients in the Asian region.
  16. Mohd Faudzi SM, Leong SW, Auwal FA, Abas F, Wai LK, Ahmad S, et al.
    Arch Pharm (Weinheim), 2021 Jan;354(1):e2000161.
    PMID: 32886410 DOI: 10.1002/ardp.202000161
    A new series of pyrazole, phenylpyrazole, and pyrazoline analogs of diarylpentanoids (excluding compounds 3a, 4a, 5a, and 5b) was pan-assay interference compounds-filtered and synthesized via the reaction of diarylpentanoids with hydrazine monohydrate and phenylhydrazine. Each analog was evaluated for its anti-inflammatory ability via the suppression of nitric oxide (NO) on IFN-γ/LPS-activated RAW264.7 macrophage cells. The compounds were also investigated for their inhibitory capability toward acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), using a modification of Ellman's spectrophotometric method. The most potent NO inhibitor was found to be phenylpyrazole analog 4c, followed by 4e, when compared with curcumin. In contrast, pyrazole 3a and pyrazoline 5a were found to be the most selective and effective BChE inhibitors over AChE. The data collected from the single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of compound 5a were then applied in a docking simulation to determine the potential binding interactions that were responsible for the anti-BChE activity. The results obtained signify the potential of these pyrazole and pyrazoline scaffolds to be developed as therapeutic agents against inflammatory conditions and Alzheimer's disease.
  17. Dannoun EMA, Aziz SB, Brza MA, M Nofal M, Asnawi ASFM, Yusof YM, et al.
    Polymers (Basel), 2020 Oct 29;12(11).
    PMID: 33138114 DOI: 10.3390/polym12112531
    In this work, plasticized magnesium ion-conducting polymer blend electrolytes based on chitosan:methylcellulose (CS:MC) were prepared using a solution cast technique. Magnesium acetate [Mg(CH3COO)2] was used as a source of the ions. Nickel metal-complex [Ni(II)-complex)] was employed to expand the amorphous phase. For the ions dissociation enhancement, glycerol plasticizer was also engaged. Incorporating 42 wt% of the glycerol into the electrolyte system has been shown to improve the conductivity to 1.02 × 10-4 S cm-1. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that the electrolyte with the highest conductivity has a minimum crystallinity degree. The ionic transference number was estimated to be more than the electronic transference number. It is concluded that in CS:MC:Mg(CH3COO)2:Ni(II)-complex:glycerol, ions are the primary charge carriers. Results from linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) showed electrochemical stability to be 2.48 V. An electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC) based on activated carbon electrode and a prepared solid polymer electrolyte was constructed. The EDLC cell was then analyzed by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge methods. The CV test disclosed rectangular shapes with slight distortion, and there was no appearance of any redox currents on both anodic and cathodic parts, signifying a typical behavior of EDLC. The EDLC cell indicated a good cyclability of about (95%) for throughout of 200 cycles with a specific capacitance of 47.4 F/g.
  18. Tahir Ul Qamar M, Ahmad S, Khan A, Mirza MU, Ahmad S, Abro A, et al.
    Comput Biol Med, 2021 11;138:104929.
    PMID: 34655900 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.104929
    Cholera is a severe small intestine bacterial disease caused by consumption of water and food contaminated with Vibrio cholera. The disease causes watery diarrhea leading to severe dehydration and even death if left untreated. In the past few decades, V. cholerae has emerged as multidrug-resistant enteric pathogen due to its rapid ability to adapt in detrimental environmental conditions. This research study aimed to design inhibitors of a master virulence gene expression regulator, HapR. HapR is critical in regulating the expression of several set of V. cholera virulence genes, quorum-sensing circuits and biofilm formation. A blind docking strategy was employed to infer the natural binding tendency of diverse phytochemicals extracted from medicinal plants by exposing the whole HapR structure to the screening library. Scoring function criteria was applied to prioritize molecules with strong binding affinity (binding energy 
  19. Khan A, Hussain S, Ahmad S, Suleman M, Bukhari I, Khan T, et al.
    Comput Biol Med, 2022 02;141:105163.
    PMID: 34979405 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.105163
    The spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and the host ACE2 receptor plays a vital role in the entry to the cell. Among which the hotspot residue 501 is continuously subjected to positive selection pressure and induces unusual virulence. Keeping in view the importance of the hot spot residue 501, we predicted the potentially emerging structural variants of 501 residue. We analyzed the binding pattern of wild type and mutants (Spike RBD) to the ACE2 receptor by deciphering variations in the amino acids' interaction networks by graph kernels along with evolutionary, network metrics, and energetic information. Our analysis revealed that N501I, N501T, and N501V increase the binding affinity and alter the intra and inter-residue bonding networks. The N501T has shown strong positive selection and fitness in other animals. Docking results and repeated simulations (three times) confirmed the structural stability and tighter binding of these three variants, correlated with the previous results following the global stability trend. Consequently, we reported three variants N501I, N501T, and N501V could worsen the situation further if they emerged. The relations between the viral fitness and binding affinity is a complicated game thus the emergence of high affinity mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 RBD brings up the question of whether or not positive selection favours these mutations or not?
  20. Rullah K, Mohd Aluwi MF, Yamin BM, Abdul Bahari MN, Wei LS, Ahmad S, et al.
    Bioorg Med Chem Lett, 2014 Aug 15;24(16):3826-34.
    PMID: 25027933 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2014.06.061
    The discovery of potent inhibitors of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis in recent years has been proven to be an important game changer in pharmaceutical industry. It is known that excessive production of PGE2 triggers a vast array of biological signals and physiological events that contributes to inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, cancer, and pain. In this Letter, we report the synthesis of a series of minor prenylated chalcones and flavonoids which was found to be significantly active in suppressing the PGE2 production secreted by lipopolysaccharide-induced mouse macrophage cells (RAW 264.7). Among the compounds tested, 14b showed a dose-response inhibition of PGE2 production with an IC50 value of 2.1 μM. The suppression upon PGE2 secretion was not due to cell death since 14b did not reduce the cell viability in close proximity to the PGE2 inhibition concentration. The obtained atomic coordinates for the single-crystal XRD of 14b was then applied in the docking simulation to determine the potential important binding interactions with murine COX-2 and mPGES-1 putative binding sites.
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