Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 24 in total

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  1. Fulltext A Shallow U-Net Architecture for Reliably Predicting Blood Pressure (BP) from Photoplethysmogram (PPG) and Electrocardiogram (ECG) Signals
    Mahmud S, Ibtehaz N, Khandakar A, Tahir AM, Rahman T, Islam KR, et al.
    Sensors (Basel), 2022 Jan 25;22(3).
    PMID: 35161664 DOI: 10.3390/s22030919
    Cardiovascular diseases are the most common causes of death around the world. To detect and treat heart-related diseases, continuous blood pressure (BP) monitoring along with many other parameters are required. Several invasive and non-invasive methods have been developed for this purpose. Most existing methods used in hospitals for continuous monitoring of BP are invasive. On the contrary, cuff-based BP monitoring methods, which can predict systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), cannot be used for continuous monitoring. Several studies attempted to predict BP from non-invasively collectible signals such as photoplethysmograms (PPG) and electrocardiograms (ECG), which can be used for continuous monitoring. In this study, we explored the applicability of autoencoders in predicting BP from PPG and ECG signals. The investigation was carried out on 12,000 instances of 942 patients of the MIMIC-II dataset, and it was found that a very shallow, one-dimensional autoencoder can extract the relevant features to predict the SBP and DBP with state-of-the-art performance on a very large dataset. An independent test set from a portion of the MIMIC-II dataset provided a mean absolute error (MAE) of 2.333 and 0.713 for SBP and DBP, respectively. On an external dataset of 40 subjects, the model trained on the MIMIC-II dataset provided an MAE of 2.728 and 1.166 for SBP and DBP, respectively. For both the cases, the results met British Hypertension Society (BHS) Grade A and surpassed the studies from the current literature.
  2. Advancement in total hip implant: a comprehensive review of mechanics and performance parameters across diverse novelties
    Soliman MM, Islam MT, Chowdhury MEH, Alqahtani A, Musharavati F, Alam T, et al.
    J Mater Chem B, 2023 Nov 15;11(44):10507-10537.
    PMID: 37873807 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb01469j
    The UK's National Joint Registry (NJR) and the American Joint Replacement Registry (AJRR) of 2022 revealed that total hip replacement (THR) is the most common orthopaedic joint procedure. The NJR also noted that 10-20% of hip implants require revision within 1 to 10 years. Most of these revisions are a result of aseptic loosening, dislocation, implant wear, implant fracture, and joint incompatibility, which are all caused by implant geometry disparity. The primary purpose of this review article is to analyze and evaluate the mechanics and performance factors of advancement in hip implants with novel geometries. The existing hip implants can be categorized based on two parts: the hip stem and the joint of the implant. Insufficient stress distribution from implants to the femur can cause stress shielding, bone loss, excessive micromotion, and ultimately, implant aseptic loosening due to inflammation. Researchers are designing hip implants with a porous lattice and functionally graded material (FGM) stems, femur resurfacing, short-stem, and collared stems, all aimed at achieving uniform stress distribution and promoting adequate bone remodeling. Designing hip implants with a porous lattice FGM structure requires maintaining stiffness, strength, isotropy, and bone development potential. Mechanical stability is still an issue with hip implants, femur resurfacing, collared stems, and short stems. Hip implants are being developed with a variety of joint geometries to decrease wear, improve an angular range of motion, and strengthen mechanical stability at the joint interface. Dual mobility and reverse femoral head-liner hip implants reduce the hip joint's dislocation limits. In addition, researchers reveal that femoral headliner joints with unidirectional motion have a lower wear rate than traditional ball-and-socket joints. Based on research findings and gaps, a hypothesis is formulated by the authors proposing a hip implant with a collared stem and porous lattice FGM structure to address stress shielding and micromotion issues. A hypothesis is also formulated by the authors suggesting that the utilization of a spiral or gear-shaped thread with a matched contact point at the tapered joint of a hip implant could be a viable option for reducing wear and enhancing stability. The literature analysis underscores substantial research opportunities in developing a hip implant joint that addresses both dislocation and increased wear rates. Finally, this review explores potential solutions to existing obstacles in developing a better hip implant system.
  3. Fulltext An investigation of the morphological, thermal, mechanical, and barrier properties of an active packaging containing micro- and nano-sized ZnO particles
    Syarifa R, Esmaeili Y, Jafarzadeh S, Garavand F, Mahmud S, Ariffin F
    Food Sci Nutr, 2023 Nov;11(11):7373-7382.
    PMID: 37970401 DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.3665
    Biodegradable films are extremely important for food packaging applications since they minimize environmental effects. However, their application areas are limited due to insufficient characteristics required for particular applications. The objective of the present research was to improve the properties of sago-based biodegradable films embedded with nano- and micro-ZnO (zinc oxide). Nano and micro-ZnO were incorporated in the films at different percentages (1%, 3%, and 5%) in that the films were formed using the solvent casting method. The physicochemical, barrier, thermal, optical, morphology, and mechanical properties of sago-based films were investigated. Adding 5% of micro- and nano-ZnO significantly improved film thickness (0.162 and 0.150 mm, respectively) and WVP (4.40 and 5.64 (kg/s)/(m.Pa), respectively) while the optical properties and thermal stability exhibited superior performance. Micro-ZnO particles improved the mechanical properties of sago-based biodegradable films with the tensile strength reaching 6.173 MPa. Moreover, sago-based nano-ZnO films showed excellent UV-shielding performance and relatively good visible-light transmittance. This study suggested that sago biodegradable film incorporated with micro-ZnO could be an excellent alternative to petroleum-based plastic packaging.
  4. An investigation to study the effects of Tai Chi on human gait dynamics using classical machine learning
    Faisal MAA, Chowdhury MEH, Khandakar A, Hossain MS, Alhatou M, Mahmud S, et al.
    Comput Biol Med, 2022 Mar;142:105184.
    PMID: 35016098 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.105184
    Tai Chi has been proven effective in preventing falls in older adults, improving the joint function of knee osteoarthritis patients, and improving the balance of stroke survivors. However, the effect of Tai Chi on human gait dynamics is still less understood. Studies conducted in this domain only relied on statistical and clinical measurements on the time-series gait data. In recent years machine learning has proven its ability in recognizing complex patterns from time-series data. In this research work, we have evaluated the performance of several machine learning algorithms in classifying the walking gait of Tai Chi masters (people expert on Tai Chi) from the normal subjects. The study is designed in a longitudinal manner where the Tai Chi naive subjects received 6 months of Tai Chi training and the data was recorded during the initial and follow-up sessions. A total of 57 subjects participated in the experiment among which 27 were Tai Chi masters. We have introduced a gender, BMI-based scaling of the features to mitigate their effects from the gait parameters. A hybrid feature ranking technique has also been proposed for selecting the best features for classification. The research reports 88.17% accuracy and 93.10% ROC AUC values from subject-wise 5-fold cross-validation for the Tai Chi masters' vs normal subjects' walking gait classification for the "Single-task" walking scenarios. We have also got fairly good accuracy for the "Dual-task" walking scenarios (82.62% accuracy and 84.11% ROC AUC values). The results indicate that Tai Chi clearly has an effect on the walking gait dynamics. The findings and methodology of this study could provide preliminary guidance for applying machine learning-based approaches to similar gait kinematics analyses.
  5. Application of antimicrobial active packaging film made of semolina flour, nano zinc oxide and nano-kaolin to maintain the quality of low-moisture mozzarella cheese during low-temperature storage
    Jafarzadeh S, Rhim JW, Alias AK, Ariffin F, Mahmud S
    J Sci Food Agric, 2019 Apr;99(6):2716-2725.
    PMID: 30350410 DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.9439
    BACKGROUND: Active food packaging films with improved properties and strong antimicrobial activity were prepared by blending mixed nanomaterials with different ratio [1:4 (40 mg:160 mg), 3:2 (120 mg: 80 mg), 0:5 (0 mg: 200 mg) and 5:0 (200 mg:0 mg)] of ZnO and kaolin with semolina using a solvent casting method and used for the packaging of low moisture mozzarella cheese to test the effect of packaging on the quality change of the cheese for long-term (up to 72 days) refrigerated storage.

    RESULTS: Compared with the neat semolina film, mechanical strength (TS) of the nanocomposite films increased significantly (increase in 21-65%) and water vapor barrier (WVP) and O2 gas barrier (OP) properties decreased significantly (decrease in 43-50% and 60-65%, respectively) depending on the blending ratio of ZnO and kaolin nanoclay. The nanocomposite films also exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against bacteria (E. coli and S. aureus), yeast (C. albicans), and mold (A. niger). The nanocomposite packaging films were effectively prevented the growth of microorganisms (coliforms, total microbial, and fungi) of the cheese during storage at low-temperature and showed microbial growth of less than 2.5 log CFU/g after 72 days of storage compared to the control group, and the quality of the packaged cheese was still acceptable.

    CONCLUSION: The semolina-based nanocomposite films, especially Sem/Z3 K2 film, were effective for packaging of low moisture mozzarella cheese to maintain the physicochemical properties (pH, moisture, and fat content) and quality (color, taste, texture, and overall acceptability) of the cheese as well as preventing microbial growth (coliforms, total microbial, and fungi). © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

  6. Fulltext Characterization of a new biodegradable edible film based on semolina loaded with nano kaolin
    Jafarzadeh, S., Alias, A.K., Ariffin, F., Mahmud, S., Najafi, A, Sheibani, S.
    International Food Research Journal, 2017;24(1):304-309.
    MyJurnal
    Biodegradable packaging, such as edible coatings and films, is widely used because it is free
    from synthetic substances and does not lead to environment pollution. Therefore, this industry
    is continuously growing. This study aimed to prepare and characterize biodegradable films
    loaded with nano kaolin. Semolina protein films were prepared and plasticized with sorbitol/
    glycerol by the casting method. Nano kaolin with 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% (w/w) was
    added to the films before casting them. The films were dried at controlled conditions. The effects
    of the addition of nanoparticles were measured on water absorption capacity (WAC), density,
    ultraviolet transmittance, heat sealability, and film morphology. Results showed that the WAC
    and density of the films decreased by increasing the nano kaolin concentration. By contrast, the
    seal strength for the semolina film was increased by incorporating a low percentage of nano
    kaolin. The X-ray diffraction curves of the semolina film incorporated with kaolin exhibited
    broad reflection, thus indicating that the kaolin nanosize matches the transmission electron
    microscopy images. In summary, nano kaolin incorporation enhanced the physicochemical
    properties and heat sealability of semolina films, thereby indicating the potential application of
    these bionanocomposites to food-product packaging.
  7. Fulltext Deep-WET: a deep learning-based approach for predicting DNA-binding proteins using word embedding techniques with weighted features
    Mahmud SMH, Goh KOM, Hosen MF, Nandi D, Shoombuatong W
    Sci Rep, 2024 Feb 05;14(1):2961.
    PMID: 38316843 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52653-9
    DNA-binding proteins (DBPs) play a significant role in all phases of genetic processes, including DNA recombination, repair, and modification. They are often utilized in drug discovery as fundamental elements of steroids, antibiotics, and anticancer drugs. Predicting them poses the most challenging task in proteomics research. Conventional experimental methods for DBP identification are costly and sometimes biased toward prediction. Therefore, developing powerful computational methods that can accurately and rapidly identify DBPs from sequence information is an urgent need. In this study, we propose a novel deep learning-based method called Deep-WET to accurately identify DBPs from primary sequence information. In Deep-WET, we employed three powerful feature encoding schemes containing Global Vectors, Word2Vec, and fastText to encode the protein sequence. Subsequently, these three features were sequentially combined and weighted using the weights obtained from the elements learned through the differential evolution (DE) algorithm. To enhance the predictive performance of Deep-WET, we applied the SHapley Additive exPlanations approach to remove irrelevant features. Finally, the optimal feature subset was input into convolutional neural networks to construct the Deep-WET predictor. Both cross-validation and independent tests indicated that Deep-WET achieved superior predictive performance compared to conventional machine learning classifiers. In addition, in extensive independent test, Deep-WET was effective and outperformed than several state-of-the-art methods for DBP prediction, with accuracy of 78.08%, MCC of 0.559, and AUC of 0.805. This superior performance shows that Deep-WET has a tremendous predictive capacity to predict DBPs. The web server of Deep-WET and curated datasets in this study are available at https://deepwet-dna.monarcatechnical.com/ . The proposed Deep-WET is anticipated to serve the community-wide effort for large-scale identification of potential DBPs.
  8. Fulltext Fabrication and characterization of novel semolina-based antimicrobial films derived from the combination of ZnO nanorods and nanokaolin
    Jafarzadeh S, Alias AK, Ariffin F, Mahmud S, Najafi A, Ahmad M
    J Food Sci Technol, 2017 Jan;54(1):105-113.
    PMID: 28242909 DOI: 10.1007/s13197-016-2441-3
    This study aimed to provide novel biopolymer-based antimicrobial films as food packaging that may assist in reducing environmental pollution caused by the accumulation of synthetic food packaging. The blend of ZnO nanorods (ZnO-nr) and nanokaolin in different ratios (1:4, 2:3, 3:2 and 4:1) was incorporated into semolina, and nanocomposite films were prepared using solvent casting. The resulting films were characterized through field-emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The mechanical, optical, physical, and antimicrobial properties of the films were also analyzed. The water vapor permeability of the films decreased with increasing ZnO-nr percentage, but their tensile strength and modulus of elasticity increased with increasing nanokaolin percentage. The UV transmittance of the semolina films were greatly influenced by an increase in the amount of ZnO-nr. The addition of ZnO-nr: nanokaolin at all ratios (except 1:4) into semolina reduced UV transmission to almost 0%. Furthermore, the ZnO-nr/nanokaolin/semolina films exhibited a strong antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. These properties suggest that the combination of ZnO-nr and nanokaolin are potential fillers in semolina-based films to be used as active packaging for food and pharmaceuticals.
  9. Fulltext Fabrication of an electrically-resistive, varistor-polymer composite
    Ahmad MB, Fatehi A, Zakaria A, Mahmud S, Mohammadi SA
    Int J Mol Sci, 2012;13(12):15640-52.
    PMID: 23443085 DOI: 10.3390/ijms131215640
    This study focuses on the fabrication and electrical characterization of a polymer composite based on nano-sized varistor powder. The polymer composite was fabricated by the melt-blending method. The developed nano-composite was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FeSEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX). The XRD pattern revealed the crystallinity of the composite. The XRD study also showed the presence of secondary phases due to the substitution of zinc by other cations, such as bismuth and manganese. The TEM picture of the sample revealed the distribution of the spherical, nano-sized, filler particles throughout the matrix, which were in the 10-50 nm range with an average of approximately 11 nm. The presence of a bismuth-rich phase and a ZnO matrix phase in the ZnO-based varistor powder was confirmed by FeSEM images and EDX spectra. From the current-voltage curves, the non-linear coefficient of the varistor polymer composite with 70 wt% of nano filler was 3.57, and its electrical resistivity after the onset point was 861 KΩ. The non-linear coefficient was 1.11 in the sample with 100 wt% polymer content. Thus, it was concluded that the composites established a better electrical non-linearity at higher filler amounts due to the nano-metric structure and closer particle linkages.
  10. Factors influencing Hepatitis C virus sero-prevalence among blood donors in north west Pakistan
    Khattak MN, Akhtar S, Mahmud S, Roshan TM
    J Public Health Policy, 2008 Jul;29(2):207-25.
    PMID: 18523475 DOI: 10.1057/jphp.2008.7
    Hepatitis C virus infection is a major health problem worldwide. The current study estimated seroprevalence of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and evaluated associated factors among volunteer blood donors of the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP), Pakistan. Of 1,131 volunteer blood donors enrolled, 46 (4.1%) were positive for anti-HCV antibodies. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that positive donors were more likely to be 27-32 years old or >32 years old, have had 1-2 injections or >2 injections in the past year, or 1-5 intravenous (IV) drips or >5 I/V drips in the past 5 years. Positive donors had a family history of jaundice and were more likely to have been shaved (facial and armpit) by barbers. There was high prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies among blood donors of the NWFP. Public awareness programs should target the identified risk factors to prevent HCV transmission. We highlight the weakness of the health care system for blood donation, as it does not offer any record management for donors.
  11. Fulltext High-performance dye-sensitized solar cells based on morphology-controllable synthesis of ZnO-ZnS heterostructure nanocone photoanodes
    Rouhi J, Mamat MH, Ooi CH, Mahmud S, Mahmood MR
    PLoS One, 2015;10(4):e0123433.
    PMID: 25875377 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0123433
    High-density and well-aligned ZnO-ZnS core-shell nanocone arrays were synthesized on fluorine-doped tin oxide glass substrate using a facile and cost-effective two-step approach. In this synthetic process, the ZnO nanocones act as the template and provide Zn2+ ions for the ZnS shell formation. The photoluminescence spectrum indicates remarkably enhanced luminescence intensity and a small redshift in the UV region, which can be associated with the strain caused by the lattice mismatch between ZnO and ZnS. The obtained diffuse reflectance spectra show that the nanocone-based heterostructure reduces the light reflection in a broad spectral range and is much more effective than the bare ZnO nanocone and nanorod structures. Dye-sensitized solar cells based on the heterostructure ZnO-ZnS nanocones are assembled, and high conversion efficiency (η) of approximately 4.07% is obtained. The η improvement can be attributed primarily to the morphology effect of ZnO nanocones on light-trapping and effectively passivating the interface surface recombination sites of ZnO nanocones by coating with a ZnS shell layer.
  12. In-vitro efficacy of different morphology zinc oxide nanopowders on Streptococcus sobrinus and Streptococcus mutans
    Mohd Bakhori SK, Mahmud S, Ling CA, Sirelkhatim AH, Hasan H, Mohamad D, et al.
    Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl, 2017 Sep 01;78:868-877.
    PMID: 28576061 DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2017.04.085
    ZnO with two different morphologies were used to study the inhibition of Streptococcus sobrinus and Streptococcus mutans which are closely associated with tooth cavity. Rod-like shaped ZnO-A and plate-like shaped ZnO-B were produced using a zinc boiling furnace. The nanopowders were characterized using energy filtered transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS) to confirm the properties of the ZnO polycrystalline wurtzite structures. XRD results show that the calculated crystallite sizes of ZnO-A and ZnO-B were 36.6 and 39.4nm, respectively, whereas DLS revealed particle size distributions of 21.82nm (ZnO-A) and 52.21nm (ZnO-B). PL spectra showed ion vacancy defects related to green and red luminescence for both ZnO particles. These defects evolved during the generation of reactive oxygen species which contributed to the antibacterial activity. Antibacterial activity was investigated using microdilution technique towards S. sobrinus and S. mutans at different nanopowder concentrations. Results showed that ZnO-A exhibited higher inhibition on both bacteria compared with ZnO-B. Moreover, S. mutans was more sensitive compared with S. sobrinus because of its higher inhibition rate.
  13. Fulltext Investigating the role of hypothetical protein (AAB33144.1) in HIV-1 virus pathogenicity: A comparative study with FDA-Approved inhibitor compounds through In silico analysis and molecular docking
    Hossain MI, Asha AT, Hossain MA, Mahmud S, Chowdhury K, Mohiuddin RB, et al.
    Heliyon, 2024 Jan 15;10(1):e23183.
    PMID: 38163140 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23183
    AIM AND OBJECTIVE: Due to the a lot of unexplored proteins in HIV-1, this research aimed to explore the functional roles of a hypothetical protein (AAB33144.1) that might play a key role in HIV-1 pathogenicity.

    METHODS: The homologous protein was identified along with building and validating the 3D structure by searching several bioinformatics tools.

    RESULTS: Retroviral aspartyl protease and retropepsin like functional domains and motifs, folding pattern (cupredoxins), and subcellular localization in cytoplasmic membrane were determined as biological activity. Besides, the functional annotation revealed that the chosen hypothetical protein possessed protease-like activity. To validate our generated protein 3D structure, molecular docking was performed with five compounds where nelfinavir showed (-8.2 kcal/mol) best binding affinity against HXB2 viral protease (PDB ID: 7SJX) and main protease (PDB ID: 4EYR) protein.

    CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the annotated hypothetical protein related to protease action, which may be useful in viral genetics and drug discovery.

  14. Fulltext Mpropred: A machine learning (ML) driven Web-App for bioactivity prediction of SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) antagonists
    Ferdous N, Reza MN, Hossain MU, Mahmud S, Napis S, Chowdhury K, et al.
    PLoS One, 2023;18(6):e0287179.
    PMID: 37352252 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287179
    The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic emerged in 2019 and still requiring treatments with fast clinical translatability. Frequent occurrence of mutations in spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 led the consideration of an alternative therapeutic target to combat the ongoing pandemic. The main protease (Mpro) is such an attractive drug target due to its importance in maturating several polyproteins during the replication process. In the present study, we used a classification structure-activity relationship (CSAR) model to find substructures that leads to to anti-Mpro activities among 758 non-redundant compounds. A set of 12 fingerprints were used to describe Mpro inhibitors, and the random forest approach was used to build prediction models from 100 distinct data splits. The data set's modelability (MODI index) was found to be robust, with a value of 0.79 above the 0.65 threshold. The accuracy (89%), sensitivity (89%), specificity (73%), and Matthews correlation coefficient (79%) used to calculate the prediction performance, was also found to be statistically robust. An extensive analysis of the top significant descriptors unveiled the significance of methyl side chains, aromatic ring and halogen groups for Mpro inhibition. Finally, the predictive model is made publicly accessible as a web-app named Mpropred in order to allow users to predict the bioactivity of compounds against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. Later, CMNPD, a marine compound database was screened by our app to predict bioactivity of all the compounds and results revealed significant correlation with their binding affinity to Mpro. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and molecular mechanics/Poisson Boltzmann surface area (MM/PBSA) analysis showed improved properties of the complexes. Thus, the knowledge and web-app shown herein can be used to develop more effective and specific inhibitors against the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. The web-app can be accessed from https://share.streamlit.io/nadimfrds/mpropred/Mpropred_app.py.
  15. Fulltext Physical properties of fish gelatin-based bio-nanocomposite films incorporated with ZnO nanorods
    Rouhi J, Mahmud S, Naderi N, Ooi ChR, Mahmood MR
    Nanoscale Res Lett, 2013;8(1):364.
    PMID: 23981366 DOI: 10.1186/1556-276X-8-364
    Well-dispersed fish gelatin-based nanocomposites were prepared by adding ZnO nanorods (NRs) as fillers to aqueous gelatin. The effects of ZnO NR fillers on the mechanical, optical, and electrical properties of fish gelatin bio-nanocomposite films were investigated. Results showed an increase in Young's modulus and tensile strength of 42% and 25% for nanocomposites incorporated with 5% ZnO NRs, respectively, compared with unfilled gelatin-based films. UV transmission decreased to zero with the addition of a small amount of ZnO NRs in the biopolymer matrix. X-ray diffraction showed an increase in the intensity of the crystal facets of (10ī1) and (0002) with the addition of ZnO NRs in the biocomposite matrix. The surface topography of the fish gelatin films indicated an increase in surface roughness with increasing ZnO NR concentrations. The conductivity of the films also significantly increased with the addition of ZnO NRs. These results indicated that bio-nanocomposites based on ZnO NRs had great potentials for applications in packaging technology, food preservation, and UV-shielding systems.
  16. Fulltext Phytochemicals from Leucas zeylanica Targeting Main Protease of SARS-CoV-2: Chemical Profiles, Molecular Docking, and Molecular Dynamics Simulations
    Dutta M, Tareq AM, Rakib A, Mahmud S, Sami SA, Mallick J, et al.
    Biology (Basel), 2021 Aug 17;10(8).
    PMID: 34440024 DOI: 10.3390/biology10080789
    Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a contemporary coronavirus, has impacted global economic activity and has a high transmission rate. As a result of the virus's severe medical effects, developing effective vaccinations is vital. Plant-derived metabolites have been discovered as potential SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) is a target for therapeutic research because of its highly conserved protein sequence. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and molecular docking were used to screen 34 compounds identified from Leucas zeylanica for potential inhibitory activity against the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. In addition, prime molecular mechanics-generalized Born surface area (MM-GBSA) was used to screen the compound dataset using a molecular dynamics simulation. From molecular docking analysis, 26 compounds were capable of interaction with the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, while three compounds, namely 11-oxa-dispiro[4.0.4.1]undecan-1-ol (-5.755 kcal/mol), azetidin-2-one 3,3-dimethyl-4-(1-aminoethyl) (-5.39 kcal/mol), and lorazepam, 2TMS derivative (-5.246 kcal/mol), exhibited the highest docking scores. These three ligands were assessed by MM-GBSA, which revealed that they bind with the necessary Mpro amino acids in the catalytic groove to cause protein inhibition, including Ser144, Cys145, and His41. The molecular dynamics simulation confirmed the complex rigidity and stability of the docked ligand-Mpro complexes based on the analysis of mean radical variations, root-mean-square fluctuations, solvent-accessible surface area, radius of gyration, and hydrogen bond formation. The study of the postmolecular dynamics confirmation also confirmed that lorazepam, 11-oxa-dispiro[4.0.4.1]undecan-1-ol, and azetidin-2-one-3, 3-dimethyl-4-(1-aminoethyl) interact with similar Mpro binding pockets. The results of our computerized drug design approach may assist in the fight against SARS-CoV-2.
  17. Fulltext Preparation and characterization of bionanocomposite films reinforced with nano kaolin
    Jafarzadeh S, Alias AK, Ariffin F, Mahmud S, Najafi A
    J Food Sci Technol, 2016 Feb;53(2):1111-9.
    PMID: 27162391 DOI: 10.1007/s13197-015-2017-7
    Effects of nano-kaolin incorporation into semolina films on the physical, mechanical, thermal, barrier and antimicrobial properties of the resulting bio-nanocomposite films were investigated. The properties included crystal structure (by X-ray diffraction), mechanical resistance, color, Fourier transform infrared spectra, decomposition temperature, water-vapor permeability (WVP), oxygen permeability (OP), and antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Kaolin was incorporated into biofilms at various amounts (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 %, w/w total solid). All films were plasticized with 50 % (w/w total solid) combination of sorbitol/glycerol at 3:1 ratio. The incorporation of nanokaolin into semolina films decreased OP and WVP. The moisture content and water solubility of the films were found to decrease by nanokaolin reinforcement, and mechanical properties of films were improved by increasing nanokaolin concentration. Tensile strength and Young's modulus increased from 3.41 to 5.44 MPa and from 63.12 to 136.18, respectively, and elongation-at-break decreased. The films did not exhibit UV absorption. In conclusion, nanokaolin incorporation enhanced the barrier and mechanical properties of semolina films, indicating the potential application of these bio-nanocomposites in food-product packaging.
  18. RADIATION DOSE TO MALDIVIANS VIA THE CONSUMPTION OF TUNA FISH CAUGHT FROM THE COASTAL WATERS OF INDIAN OCEAN
    Nadhiya A, Khandaker MU, Mahmud S, Yarima MH
    Radiat Prot Dosimetry, 2019 Oct 01;184(3-4):302-306.
    PMID: 31034553 DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncz085
    Recognising the consumption of tuna fish as a major foodstuff in Maldivian diet, the presence of naturally occurring radionuclides in Yellowfin and Skipjack tuna are determined by using HPGe gamma-ray spectrometry to evaluate the health hazards to Maldivians. The samples were collected from different atolls of Maldives adjacent to the coastal waters of Indian Ocean. The activity concentrations (Bq kg-1) in Yellowfin tuna for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K are in the ranges of 4.2 ± 1.8-10.5 ± 1.1, 1.3 ± 0.3-3.2 ± 0.7 and 589 ± 29-697 ± 34, respectively while in Skipjack tuna the respective ranges are 3.9 ± 0.5-13.2 ± 1.1, 1.3 ± 0.3-2.7 ± 0.6 and 511 ± 28-681 ± 35. The committed effective dose (mean 263 μSv y-1) received by an individual due to the dietary intake of Yellowfin tuna falling below the UNSCEAR referenced global internal dose limit of 290 μSv y-1; while for Skipjack tuna, the estimated dose (mean 365 μSv y-1) exceeds the world average limiting value. The carcinogenic risk was found to be well below the ICRP referenced acceptable limit of 2.5 × 10-3. The present study indicates that the radiation dose to Maldivian via the consumption of Yellowfin tuna poses an insignificant threat to the public health. However, prolonged consumption of Skipjack tuna fish from the studied areas may pose a cumulative risk to the public health.
  19. Fulltext Review on Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles: Antibacterial Activity and Toxicity Mechanism
    Sirelkhatim A, Mahmud S, Seeni A, Kaus NHM, Ann LC, Bakhori SKM, et al.
    Nanomicro Lett, 2015;7(3):219-242.
    PMID: 30464967 DOI: 10.1007/s40820-015-0040-x
    Antibacterial activity of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) has received significant interest worldwide particularly by the implementation of nanotechnology to synthesize particles in the nanometer region. Many microorganisms exist in the range from hundreds of nanometers to tens of micrometers. ZnO-NPs exhibit attractive antibacterial properties due to increased specific surface area as the reduced particle size leading to enhanced particle surface reactivity. ZnO is a bio-safe material that possesses photo-oxidizing and photocatalysis impacts on chemical and biological species. This review covered ZnO-NPs antibacterial activity including testing methods, impact of UV illumination, ZnO particle properties (size, concentration, morphology, and defects), particle surface modification, and minimum inhibitory concentration. Particular emphasize was given to bactericidal and bacteriostatic mechanisms with focus on generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) including hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), OH- (hydroxyl radicals), and O2 -2 (peroxide). ROS has been a major factor for several mechanisms including cell wall damage due to ZnO-localized interaction, enhanced membrane permeability, internalization of NPs due to loss of proton motive force and uptake of toxic dissolved zinc ions. These have led to mitochondria weakness, intracellular outflow, and release in gene expression of oxidative stress which caused eventual cell growth inhibition and cell death. In some cases, enhanced antibacterial activity can be attributed to surface defects on ZnO abrasive surface texture. One functional application of the ZnO antibacterial bioactivity was discussed in food packaging industry where ZnO-NPs are used as an antibacterial agent toward foodborne diseases. Proper incorporation of ZnO-NPs into packaging materials can cause interaction with foodborne pathogens, thereby releasing NPs onto food surface where they come in contact with bad bacteria and cause the bacterial death and/or inhibition.
  20. Fulltext Safety attitudes, burnout and well-being among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: an Indo-Pacific regional cross-sectional study
    Kanneganti A, Tan BYQ, Nik Ab Rahman NH, Leow AS, Denning M, Goh ET, et al.
    Singapore Med J, 2023 Nov;64(11):667-676.
    PMID: 35139631 DOI: 10.11622/smedj.2022014
    INTRODUCTION: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had an unprecedented impact in Asia and has placed significant burden on already stretched healthcare systems. We examined the impact of COVID-19 on the safety attitudes among healthcare workers (HCWs), as well as their associated demographic and occupational factors, and measures of burnout, depression and anxiety.

    METHODS: A cross-sectional survey study utilising snowball sampling was performed involving doctors, nurses and allied health professions from 23 hospitals in Singapore, Malaysia, India and Indonesia between 29 May 2020 and 13 July 2020. This survey collated demographic data and workplace conditions and included three validated questionnaires: the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ), Oldenburg Burnout Inventory and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. We performed multivariate mixed-model regression to assess independent associations with the SAQ total percentage agree rate (PAR).

    RESULTS: We obtained 3,163 responses. The SAQ total PARs were found to be 35.7%, 15.0%, 51.0% and 3.3% among the respondents from Singapore, Malaysia, India and Indonesia, respectively. Burnout scores were highest among respondents from Indonesia and lowest among respondents from India (70.9%-85.4% vs. 56.3%-63.6%, respectively). Multivariate analyses revealed that meeting burnout and depression thresholds and shifts lasting ≥12 h were significantly associated with lower SAQ total PAR.

    CONCLUSION: Addressing the factors contributing to high burnout and depression and placing strict limits on work hours per shift may contribute significantly towards improving safety culture among HCWs and should remain priorities during the pandemic.

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