Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 356 in total

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. Alharthi MS, Scott S, Hughes C, Bond C, Hatah E, Bryant L, et al.
    Int J Pharm Pract, 2024 Mar 06;32(2):180-185.
    PMID: 38387608 DOI: 10.1093/ijpp/riae002
    BACKGROUND: Medication review (MR) is the systematic assessment of a patient's medications for safety and effectiveness by a healthcare professional. The language used to describe MR activity, such as stopped medicine and increased dose, should be consistent across studies to assist researchers compare how different services operate and identify their mechanism of impact.

    AIM: To develop an international taxonomy of standardized terms and activity definitions related to medication reviews.

    METHOD: This was a three-stage Delphi-based consensus study with international medication review experts. A systematic review provided MR activity terms for the survey. Experts rated their consensus on each activity term and its definition on a Likert scale and provided written feedback. The consensus was 75% panel agreement. At each stage, consensus elements were retained, and feedback was used to revise definitions.

    RESULTS: Seven experts were recruited for the study (response rate 15.2%) from four countries: the United Kingdom (n = 4), New Zealand (n = 1), Australia (n = 1), and Malaysia (n = 1). The following terms achieved consensus: the term Medication as a descriptor for MR terms; discontinue medication, start medication, dose increase, dose decrease, dosage form change, and medication safety and efficacy monitor to describe MR activity; Educate to describe the delivery of healthcare professionals and patients/carers education.

    CONCLUSION: Standardized medication review activity terms and definitions have been selected for universal adoption in all future MR research to facilitate a meaningful comparison of process evaluations within different settings.

    Matched MeSH terms: Reference Standards
  2. Petito LC, McCabe ME, Pool LR, Krefman AE, Perak AM, Marino BS, et al.
    Am J Prev Med, 2024 Feb;66(2):216-225.
    PMID: 37751803 DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2023.09.019
    INTRODUCTION: Clinical cardiovascular health is a construct that includes 4 health factors-systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, total cholesterol, and body mass index-which together provide an evidence-based, more holistic view of cardiovascular health risk in adults than each component separately. Currently, no pediatric version of this construct exists. This study sought to develop sex-specific charts of clinical cardiovascular health for age to describe current patterns of clinical cardiovascular health throughout childhood.

    METHODS: Data were used from children and adolescents aged 8-19 years in six pooled childhood cohorts (19,261 participants, collected between 1972 and 2010) to create reference standards for fasting glucose and total cholesterol. Using the models for glucose and cholesterol as well as previously published reference standards for body mass index and blood pressure, clinical cardiovascular health charts were developed. All models were estimated using sex-specific random-effects linear regression, and modeling was performed during 2020-2022.

    RESULTS: Models were created to generate charts with smoothed means, percentiles, and standard deviations of clinical cardiovascular health for each year of childhood. For example, a 10-year-old girl with a body mass index of 16 kg/m2 (30th percentile), blood pressure of 100/60 mm Hg (46th/50th), glucose of 80 mg/dL (31st), and total cholesterol of 160 mg/dL (46th) (lower implies better) would have a clinical cardiovascular health percentile of 62 (higher implies better).

    CONCLUSIONS: Clinical cardiovascular health charts based on pediatric data offer a standardized approach to express clinical cardiovascular health as an age- and sex-standardized percentile for clinicians to assess cardiovascular health in childhood to consider preventive approaches at early ages and proactively optimize lifetime trajectories of cardiovascular health.

    Matched MeSH terms: Reference Standards
  3. Yassin SM, Mohamad D, Togoo RA, Sanusi SY, Johari Y
    J Mech Behav Biomed Mater, 2023 Sep;145:106037.
    PMID: 37499522 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2023.106037
    The purpose of this study was to systematically review the impact of nanofillers on the physicomechanical properties of resin-based pit and fissure sealants (RBS). This review included in vitro studies with full-length English-language articles reporting on the physicomechanical properties of nanofilled RBS until February 2023. PubMed, Web of Sciences, Scopus, and LILACS databases were accessed for literature searches. The review was formulated based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and used the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) guidelines and risk of bias Cochrane tool for quality assessment. The search resulted in 539 papers, of which 22 were eligible to be included in the review. Inorganic, polymeric, core-shell, and composite nanomaterials were used to reinforce the studied RBS. The inherent nature of the nanomaterial used, its morphology, concentration, and volume used were the primary parameters that determined the nanomaterial's success as a filler in RBS. These parameters also influenced their interaction with the resin matrix, which influenced the final physicomechanical properties of RBS. The use of nanofillers that were non-agglomerated and well dispersed in the resin matrix enhanced the physicomechanical properties of RBS.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reference Standards
  4. Krisdiyanto, Bin Raja Ghazilla RA, Azuddin M, Bin Ahmad Hairuddin MKF, Muflikhun MA, Risdiana N, et al.
    Medicine (Baltimore), 2022 Dec 09;101(49):e31812.
    PMID: 36626504 DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000031812
    A syringe is used to inject fluid or medicine into the patient's soft tissue. The main components of the syringe were the needle, barrel, and plunger. The use of syringes in the medical world is relatively high, and especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of hypodermic syringes increased sharply due to vaccination. The syringe used must be effective and of good quality, so the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has published test procedures and minimum specifications for hypodermic syringes. The performance of the syringe can be observed from the dead space, force piston operation, water and air leakage, and fitting position of the plunger in the barrel. This review shows that most researchers use the weighing method to measure the dead space, although some use other methods. The researchers found that most of the products met the minimum specifications of the ISO, and that the dimensions and shape of the syringe affected the dead space. Researchers have not examined other performance measures recommended by the ISO. Researchers have focused more on force injection than force piston operation, leakage after injection or back spray than air and water leakage, and reduction the friction of the plunger without considering the fitting position of the plunger in the barrel.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reference Standards
  5. Hasnul Hadi MH, Ker PJ, Thiviyanathan VA, Tang SGH, Leong YS, Lee HJ, et al.
    Sensors (Basel), 2021 Oct 16;21(20).
    PMID: 34696079 DOI: 10.3390/s21206866
    For most natural or naturally-derived liquid products, their color reflects on their quality and occasionally affects customer preferences. To date, there are a few subjective and objective methods for color measurement which are currently utilized by various industries. Researchers are also improving these methods and inventing new methods, as color is proven to have the ability to provide various information on the condition and quality of the liquid. However, a review on the methods, especially for amber-colored liquid, has not been conducted yet. This paper presents a comprehensive review on the subjective and objective methods for color measurement of amber-colored liquids. The pros and cons of the measurement methods, the effects of the color on customer preferences, and the international industry standards on color measurements are reviewed and discussed. In addition, this study elaborates on the issues and challenges related to the color measurement techniques as well as recommendations for future research. This review demonstrates that the existing color measurement technique can determine the color according to the standards and color scales. However, the efforts toward minimizing the complexity of the hardware while maximizing the signal processing through advanced computation are still lacking. Therefore, through this critical review, this review can hopefully intensify the efforts toward finding an optimized method or technique for color measurement of liquids and thus expedite the development of a portable device that can measure color accurately.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reference Standards*
  6. Jailani M, Elias SM, Rajikan R
    Nutrients, 2021 Sep 30;13(10).
    PMID: 34684475 DOI: 10.3390/nu13103474
    Healthy Eating Index (HEI) is a diet quality measure that assesses the population's compliance towards dietary guidelines. In Malaysia, diet quality measure, though existing, has some limitations in terms of application and relevance. This study aims to develop a new standardized Malaysian Healthy Eating Index (S-MHEI) that can measure the diet quality of all Malaysians regardless of their energy requirement level. The Malaysian Dietary Guidelines (MDG) 2010 and MDG for Children and Adolescents (MDGCA) 2013 were used as main references in developing the index components. In addition, the latest Malaysian Adults Nutrition Survey (MANS) and Adolescent Nutrition Survey (ANS) were also referred to ensure the relevance of the components selected. For adequacy components, the least restrictive method was used in setting the standard for the scoring system. Meanwhile, the scoring system for moderation components was built based on the Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI) 2017. The new S-MHEI comprises of 11 components with a maximum total score of 100. The least restrictive method allowed the index to be used across energy requirement levels. However, the index will not be sensitive towards adhering to the specific recommended amount of intake-which in effect, made the index focus on measuring diet quality rather than diet quantity.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reference Standards
  7. Zainal Abidin DH, Mohd Nor SA, Lavoué S, A Rahim M, Jamaludin NA, Mohammed Akib NA
    Sci Rep, 2021 Sep 07;11(1):17800.
    PMID: 34493747 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-97324-1
    The Merbok Estuary comprises one of the largest remaining mangrove forests in Peninsular Malaysia. Its value is significant as it provides important services to local and global communities. It also offers a unique opportunity to study the structure and functioning of mangrove ecosystems. However, its biodiversity is still partially inventoried, limiting its research value. A recent checklist based on morphological examination, reported 138 fish species residing, frequenting or subject to entering the Merbok Estuary. In this work, we reassessed the fish diversity of the Merbok Estuary by DNA barcoding 350 specimens assignable to 134 species initially identified based on morphology. Our results consistently revealed the presence of 139 Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs). 123 of them are congruent with morphology-based species delimitation (one species = one MOTU). In two cases, two morphological species share the same MOTU (two species = one MOTU), while we unveiled cryptic diversity (i.e. COI-based genetic variability > 2%) within seven other species (one species = two MOTUs), calling for further taxonomic investigations. This study provides a comprehensive core-list of fish taxa in Merbok Estuary, demonstrating the advantages of combining morphological and molecular evidence to describe diverse but still poorly studied tropical fish communities. It also delivers a large DNA reference collection for brackish fishes occurring in this region which will facilitate further biodiversity-oriented research studies and management activities.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reference Standards
  8. Shiming Z, Mak KK, Balijepalli MK, Chakravarthi S, Pichika MR
    Biomed Pharmacother, 2021 Jul;139:111576.
    PMID: 33862494 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111576
    Diabetes mellitus or type-2 diabetes, commonly referred as diabetes, is a metabolic disorder that results in high blood sugar level. Despite the availability of several antidiabetic drugs in the market, they still do not adequately regulate blood sugar levels. Thus, in general people prefer to use herbal supplements/medicines along with antidiabetic drugs to control blood sugar levels. One of such herbal medicine is Swietenia macrophylla seeds. It is widely used in Asia for controlling blood sugar levels. One of the major bioactive compounds, Swietenine, is reported to be responsible for controlling blood glucose levels. However, there were no studies on its efficacy in controlling the blood glucose in diabetic rats. In this study, we evaluated the antihyperglycemic activity of Swietenine and its pharmacodynamic interaction with Metformin in Streptozotocin induced diabetes in rats. The activity of Swietenine was investigated at three different doses: 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg body weight (bw). Metformin (50 mg/kg bw) was used as a standard drug. Swietenine (20 and 40 mg/kg bw) and Metformin (50 mg/kg bw) showed significant effect in reducing the glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, urea, creatinine, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, and malondialdehyde level in serum while it had increased the high-density lipoprotein, glutathione, and total antioxidant capacity level. In addition, Swietenine (20 and 40 mg/kg) had shown significant synergistic effect with Metformin. Administration of Swietenine at 10 mg/kg bw neither showed activity nor influenced Metformin's activity. The results from this study confirmed the beneficial effects of Swietenine and its synergistic action with Metformin in controlling the dysregulated serum parameters in Streptozotocin induced diabetes in rats.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reference Standards
  9. Mendel B, Christianto, Setiawan M, Prakoso R, Siagian SN
    Curr Cardiol Rev, 2021 Jun 03.
    PMID: 34082685 DOI: 10.2174/1573403X17666210603113430
    BACKGROUND: Junctional ectopic tachycardia (JET) is an arrhythmia originating from the AV junction, which may occur following congenital heart surgery, especially when the intervention is near the atrioventricular junction.

    OBJECTIVE: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to compare the effectiveness of amiodarone, dexmedetomidine and magnesium in preventing JET following congenital heart surgery.

    METHODS: This meta-analysis was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement, where 11 electronic databases were searched from date of inception to August 2020. The incidence of JET was calculated with the relative risk of 95% confidence interval (CI). Quality assessment of the included studies was assessed using the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) 2010 statement.

    RESULTS: Eleven studies met the predetermined inclusion criteria and were included in this meta-analysis. Amiodarone, dexmedetomidine and magnesium significantly reduced the incidence of postoperative JET [Amiodarone: risk ratio 0.34; I2= 0%; Z=3.66 (P=0.0002); 95% CI 0.19-0.60. Dexmedetomidine: risk ratio 0.34; I2= 0%; Z=4.77 (P<0.00001); 95% CI 0.21-0.52. Magnesium: risk ratio 0.50; I2= 24%; Z=5.08 (P<0.00001); 95% CI 0.39-0.66].

    CONCLUSION: All three drugs show promise in reducing the incidence of JET. Our systematic review found that dexmedetomidine is better in reducing the length of ICU stays as well as mortality. In addition, dexmedetomidine also has the least pronounced side effects among the three. However, it should be noted that this conclusion was derived from studies with small sample sizes. Therefore, dexmedetomidine may be considered as the drug of choice for preventing JET.

    Matched MeSH terms: Reference Standards
  10. Tai CW, Gibbons K, Schibler A, Schlapbach LJ, Raman S
    J Nephrol, 2021 Jun 02.
    PMID: 34076880 DOI: 10.1007/s40620-021-01071-5
    BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in critically ill children. The aim of this paper was to describe the prevalence and course of AKI in critically ill children and to compare different AKI classification criteria.

    METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational study in our multi-disciplinary Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (ICU) from January 2015 to December 2018. All patients from birth to 16 years of age who were admitted to the pediatric ICU were included. The Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) definition was considered as the reference standard. We compared the incidence data assessed by KDIGO, pediatric risk, injury, failure, loss of kidney function and end- stage renal disease (pRIFLE) and pediatric reference change value optimised for AKI (pROCK).

    RESULTS: Out of 7505 patients, 9.2% developed AKI by KDIGO criteria. The majority (59.8%) presented with stage 1 AKI. Recovery from AKI was observed in 70.4% of patients within 7 days from diagnosis. Both pRIFLE and pROCK were less sensitive compared to KDIGO criteria for the classification of AKI. Patients who met all three-KDIGO, pRIFLE and pROCK criteria had a high mortality rate (35.0%).

    CONCLUSION: Close to one in ten patients admitted to the pediatric ICU met AKI criteria according to KDIGO. In about 30% of patients, AKI persisted beyond 7 days. Follow-up of patients with persistent kidney function reduction at hospital discharge is needed to reveal the long-term morbidity due to AKI in the pediatric ICU.

    Matched MeSH terms: Reference Standards
  11. Ahmad MH, Zezi AU, Anafi SB, Alhassan Z, Mohammed M, Danraka RN
    Data Brief, 2021 Jun;36:107155.
    PMID: 34041327 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2021.107155
    This article describes the dataset for the elucidation of the possible mechanisms of antidiarrhoeal actions of methanol leaves extract of Combretum hypopilinum (Diels) Combretaceae in mice. The plant has been used in traditional medicine to treat diarrhoea in Nigeria and other African countries. We introduce the data for the antidiarrhoeal activity of the methanol leaf extract of Combretum hypopilinum at 1,000 mg/kg investigated using charcoal meal test in mice with loperamide (5 mg/kg) as the standard antidiarrhoeal agent. To elucidate the possible mechanisms of its antidiarrhoeal action, naloxone (2 mg/kg), prazosin (1 mg/kg), yohimbine (2 mg/kg), propranolol (1 mg/kg), pilocarpine (1 mg/kg) and isosorbide dinitrate (150 mg/kg) were separately administered to different groups of mice 30 minutes before administration of the extract. Each mouse was dissected using dissecting set, and the small intestine was immediately removed from pylorus to caecum, placed lengthwise on moist filter paper and measured the distance travelled by charcoal relative to the length of the intestine using a calibrated ruler in centimetre. Besides, the peristaltic index and inhibition of charcoal movement of each animal were calculated and recorded. The methods for the data collection is similar to the one used to investigate the possible pathways involved in the antidiarrhoeal action of Combretum hypopilinum in mice in the research article by Ahmad et al. (2020) "Mechanisms of Antidiarrhoeal Activity of Methanol Leaf Extract of Combretum hypopilinum Diels (Combretaceae): Involvement of Opioidergic and (α1 and β)-Adrenergic Pathways" (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2020.113750) [1]. Therefore, this datasets could form a basis for in-depth research to elucidate further the pharmacological properties of the plant Combretum hypopilinum and its bioactive compounds to develop standardized herbal product and novel compound for management of diarrhoea. It could also be instrumental for evaluating the plant's pharmacological potentials using other computational-based and artificial intelligence approaches, including predictive modelling and simulation.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reference Standards
  12. Kira R, Bilung LM, Ngui R, Apun K, Su'ut L
    Trop Biomed, 2021 Jun 01;38(2):31-39.
    PMID: 33973570 DOI: 10.47665/tb.38.2.034
    The spatial distribution of environmental conditions may influence the dynamics of vectorborne diseases like leptospirosis. This study aims to investigate the global and localised relationships between leptospirosis with selected environmental variables. The association between environmental variables and the spatial density of geocoded leptospirosis cases was determined using global Poisson regression (GPR) and geographically weighted Poisson regression (GWPR). A higher prevalence of leptospirosis was detected in areas with higher water vapour pressure (exp(â): 1.12; 95% CI: 1.02 - 1.25) and annual precipitation (exp(â): 1.15; 95% CI: 1.02 - 1.31), with lower precipitation in the driest month (exp(â): 0.85; 95% CI: 0.75 - 0.96) and the wettest quarter (exp(â): 0.88; 95% CI: 0.77 - 1.00). Water vapor pressure (WVP) varied the most in the hotspot regions with a standard deviation of 0.62 (LQ: 0.15; UQ; 0.99) while the least variation was observed in annual precipitation (ANNP) with a standard deviation of 0.14 (LQ: 0.11; UQ; 0.30). The reduction in AICc value from 519.73 to 443.49 indicates that the GWPR model is able to identify the spatially varying correlation between leptospirosis and selected environmental variables. The results of the localised relationships in this study could be used to formulate spatially targeted interventions. This would be particularly useful in localities with a strong environmental or socio-demographical determinants for the transmission of leptospirosis.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reference Standards
  13. Mawazi SM, Doolaanea AA, Hadi HA, Chatterjee B
    Int J Pharm, 2021 Jun 01;602:120638.
    PMID: 33901596 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2021.120638
    Crystallinity plays a vital role in the pharmaceutical industry. It affects drug manufacturing, development processes, and the stability of pharmaceutical dosage forms. An objective of this study was to measure and analyze the carbamazepine (CBZ) crystallinity before and after formulation. Moreover, it intended to determine the extent to which the crystallinity of CBZ would affect the drug loading, the particle size, and the release of CBZ from the microparticles. The CBZ microparticles were prepared by encapsulating CBZ in ethyl cellulose (EC) polymer using a solvent evaporation method. EC was used here as a release modifier polymer and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as an aqueous phase stabilizer. Factorial design was used to prepare the CBZ microparticle formulations, including polymer concentration, solvent (dichloromethane, ethyl acetate), PVA concentrations factor, the homogenization time, and homogenization speed. The crystallinity of CBZ was calculated utilizing differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) thermal analysis. The crystallinity was calculated from the enthalpy of CBZ. Enthalpy was analyzed from the area under the curve peak of CBZ standard and CBZ-loaded microparticles. DSC and ATR-FTIR assessed the possible interaction between CBZ and excipients in the microparticle. The prepared CBZ microparticles showed various changes in the crystallinity rate of CBZ. The changes in the rate of CBZ crystallinity had different effects on the particle size, the drug loading, and the release of CBZ from the polymer. Statistically, all studied factors significantly affected the crystallinity of CBZ after formulation to microparticles.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reference Standards
  14. Saadatian-Elahi M, Alexander N, Möhlmann T, Langlois-Jacques C, Suer R, Ahmad NW, et al.
    Trials, 2021 May 30;22(1):374.
    PMID: 34053466 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-021-05298-2
    BACKGROUND: In common with many South East Asian countries, Malaysia is endemic for dengue. Dengue control in Malaysia is currently based on reactive vector management within 24 h of a dengue case being reported. Preventive rather than reactive vector control approaches, with combined interventions, are expected to improve the cost-effectiveness of dengue control programs. The principal objective of this cluster randomized controlled trial is to quantify the effectiveness of a preventive integrated vector management (IVM) strategy on the incidence of dengue as compared to routine vector control efforts.

    METHODS: The trial is conducted in randomly allocated clusters of low- and medium-cost housing located in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya. The IVM approach combines: targeted outdoor residual spraying with K-Othrine Polyzone, deployment of mosquito traps as auto-dissemination devices, and community engagement activities. The trial includes 300 clusters randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio. The clusters receive either the preventive IVM in addition to the routine vector control activities or the routine vector control activities only. Epidemiological data from monthly confirmed dengue cases during the study period will be obtained from the Vector Borne Disease Sector, Malaysian Ministry of Health e-Dengue surveillance system. Entomological surveillance data will be collected in 12 clusters randomly selected from each arm. To measure the effectiveness of the IVM approach on dengue incidence, a negative binomial regression model will be used to compare the incidence between control and intervention clusters. To quantify the effect of the interventions on the main entomological outcome, ovitrap index, a modified ordinary least squares regression model using a robust standard error estimator will be used.

    DISCUSSION: Considering the ongoing expansion of dengue burden in Malaysia, setting up proactive control strategies is critical. Despite some limitations of the trial such as the use of passive surveillance to identify cases, the results will be informative for a better understanding of effectiveness of proactive IVM approach in the control of dengue. Evidence from this trial may help justify investment in preventive IVM approaches as preferred to reactive case management strategies.

    TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN ISRCTN81915073 . Retrospectively registered on 17 April 2020.

    Matched MeSH terms: Reference Standards
  15. Hakima F, Salfi R, Bhikshapathi D, Khan A
    PMID: 34030622 DOI: 10.2174/1871520621666210524164351
    BACKGROUND: According to the global cancer report of 2019, the burden of cancer will exceed more than 18 million becoming one of the major causes of global mortality rate. There is a pressing need to establish novel drug candidates for cancer treatment, though many anticancer agents are available in the market owing to their adverse effects. In recent years, quinazoline and its derivatives have been considered as a novel class of cancer chemotherapeutic agents that show promising activity against different tumors.

    OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to evaluate the anti-cancer potential of the novel class of quinazoline tethered acetamide derivatives against six different cancer cell lines.

    METHOD: A novel series of various substituted quinazolinone acetamides were synthesized through a feasible scheme. The synthetic scheme involves the conversion of benzoxazinone (from anthranilic acid and benzoyl chloride) intermediate to 3-amino quinazoline-4-one which is further converted to the final amide by tethering with the propionyl chloride employing Schotten-Baumann Reaction conditions. All the synthesized derivatives characterized by IR, 1HNMR and MASS spectral methods and anti-cancer activity evaluated by employing MTT assay for six cancer cell lines and one normal human cell line.

    RESULTS: All the synthesized compounds were screened for anti-cancer activity against six cancer cell lines, including A 549 (lung), DU 145 (prostate), HT 29 (colon), MCF-7 (breast), SiHA (cervical), B16F10 (mouse skin melanoma) and one normal human fibroblast cell lines. All the compounds displayed a decent cytotoxicity profile when compared with the standard drug, doxorubicin. Among the synthesized compounds (5a to 5n) tested, two compounds, 5f and 5g have demonstrated excellent cytotoxicity against SiHA and MCF-7 cancer cell lines.

    CONCLUSION: Comparatively, most of the compounds displayed decent cytotoxicity potential relative to the standard drug, doxorubicin. Further investigations are needed to establish the detailed mechanism of action of the developed novel quinazolinone acetamides.

    Matched MeSH terms: Reference Standards
  16. Akhtar MN, Khan M, Khan SA, Afzal A, Subbiah R, Ahmad SN, et al.
    Materials (Basel), 2021 May 18;14(10).
    PMID: 34070060 DOI: 10.3390/ma14102639
    In the present investigation, the non-recrystallization temperature (TNR) of niobium-microalloyed steel is determined to plan rolling schedules for obtaining the desired properties of steel. The value of TNR is based on both alloying elements and deformation parameters. In the literature, TNR equations have been developed and utilized. However, each equation has certain limitations which constrain its applicability. This study was completed using laboratory-grade low-carbon Nb-microalloyed steels designed to meet the API X-70 specification. Nb- microalloyed steel is processed by the melting and casting process, and the composition is found by optical emission spectroscopy (OES). Multiple-hit deformation tests were carried out on a Gleeble® 3500 system in the standard pocket-jaw configuration to determine TNR. Cuboidal specimens (10 (L) × 20 (W) × 20 (T) mm3) were taken for compression test (multiple-hit deformation tests) in gleeble. Microstructure evolutions were carried out by using OM (optical microscopy) and SEM (scanning electron microscopy). The value of TNR determined for 0.1 wt.% niobium bearing microalloyed steel is ~ 951 °C. Nb- microalloyed steel rolled at TNR produce partially recrystallized grain with ferrite nucleation. Hence, to verify the TNR value, a rolling process is applied with the finishing rolling temperature near TNR (~951 °C). The microstructure is also revealed in the pancake shape, which confirms TNR.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reference Standards
  17. Albowarab MH, Zakaria NA, Zainal Abidin Z
    Sensors (Basel), 2021 May 12;21(10).
    PMID: 34065920 DOI: 10.3390/s21103356
    Various aspects of task execution load balancing of Internet of Things (IoTs) networks can be optimised using intelligent algorithms provided by software-defined networking (SDN). These load balancing aspects include makespan, energy consumption, and execution cost. While past studies have evaluated load balancing from one or two aspects, none has explored the possibility of simultaneously optimising all aspects, namely, reliability, energy, cost, and execution time. For the purposes of load balancing, implementing multi-objective optimisation (MOO) based on meta-heuristic searching algorithms requires assurances that the solution space will be thoroughly explored. Optimising load balancing provides not only decision makers with optimised solutions but a rich set of candidate solutions to choose from. Therefore, the purposes of this study were (1) to propose a joint mathematical formulation to solve load balancing challenges in cloud computing and (2) to propose two multi-objective particle swarm optimisation (MP) models; distance angle multi-objective particle swarm optimization (DAMP) and angle multi-objective particle swarm optimization (AMP). Unlike existing models that only use crowding distance as a criterion for solution selection, our MP models probabilistically combine both crowding distance and crowding angle. More specifically, we only selected solutions that had more than a 0.5 probability of higher crowding distance and higher angular distribution. In addition, binary variants of the approaches were generated based on transfer function, and they were denoted by binary DAMP (BDAMP) and binary AMP (BAMP). After using MOO mathematical functions to compare our models, BDAMP and BAMP, with state of the standard models, BMP, BDMP and BPSO, they were tested using the proposed load balancing model. Both tests proved that our DAMP and AMP models were far superior to the state of the art standard models, MP, crowding distance multi-objective particle swarm optimisation (DMP), and PSO. Therefore, this study enables the incorporation of meta-heuristic in the management layer of cloud networks.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reference Standards
  18. Srivastava N, Mishra S, Iqbal H, Chanda D, Shanker K
    J Ethnopharmacol, 2021 May 10;271:113911.
    PMID: 33571614 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.113911
    ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Kaempferia galanga L. rhizome (KGR) is part of more than sixty-one Ayurvedic formulations and commonly known as 'Chandramula'. KGR is widely used in traditional Indian medicines to treat fever (jwar), rheumatism (Amavata), respiratory (Shwasa), hypertension (Vyanabala vaishamya) and cardiovascular disorders (Vyanavayu Dushtijanya Hrudrog). Although ethnomedicinal properties have extensively been demonstrated in traditional medicines of south-east countries i.e. China, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia, the chemico-biological validation are still lacking.

    AIM OF THE STUDY: Chemico-biological standardization with respect to its vasorelaxation potential is the main objective of the present study. To investigate the vasorelaxation potential of key phytochemical of KGR, i.e., ethyl-p-methoxycinnamate (EPMC) and to study it's the mechanism of action.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: A HPLC method was developed and validated for the quality assessment of KGR using its two major phytochemicals i.e. ethyl-p-methoxycinnamate (EPMC) and ethyl cinnamate (EC) in KGR. The vasorelaxation effect of major phytochemicals of KGR was evaluated on the main mesenteric arteries isolated from male Wistar rats. Specific BKca channel blocker tetraethylammonium (TEA), receptor antagonist, nitric oxide scavenging capacity, and antioxidant potential were also evaluated for its plausible mechanism.

    RESULTS: Present validated HPLC method facilitates simultaneous quantitation of EPMC and EC faster than classical GC techniques. EPMC has shown a dose-dependent relaxation in rat main mesenteric arteries (MMA) contracted by U46619 with an Emax of 58.68 ± 3.31%. Similarly, in endothelium-denuded MMA rings, relaxation was also observed (Emax of 61.83 ± 3.38%). Moreover, relaxation response to EPMC has strongly inhibited (Emax 14.76 ± 2.29%) when the tissue exposed to depolarizing high K+ containing buffer for the contraction. The point correlation dimension (pD2) values were also significantly decreased in high K+ treated arterial rings compared to control. Interestingly, when MMA rings incubated with a specific BKca channel blocker (TEA, 1 mM), the relaxation response to EPMC was also significantly blocked.

    CONCLUSIONS: The first time this study demonstrated the chemical standardization of K. galanga rhizome and EPMC is responsible for its vasorelaxation potential as demonstrated by the endothelium-independent response mediated by Ca2+ dependent potassium channels.

    Matched MeSH terms: Reference Standards
  19. Koong JK, Rajandram R, Sidambram N, Narayanan V
    Surgeon, 2021 May 08.
    PMID: 33975807 DOI: 10.1016/j.surge.2021.04.002
    BACKGROUND: Consent is an important component of surgical care. Poorly attempted consent bears significant ethical and legal implications. We assessed the effectiveness of handouts in improving postoperative consent understanding and recall compared to standard verbal consent during laparoscopic cholecystectomy as a tool that may improve information retention and leads to better treatment satisfaction.

    METHODS: This is a prospective block randomized, non-blinded study conducted at a single tertiary hospital. Patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy between August 2017 and October 2018 were recruited and randomized into Handout Assisted Consent (HC) and Verbal Consent (VC) group. The HC group was given an adjunct handout on laparoscopic cholecystectomy during consent process in addition to the standard verbal consent. A validated open-ended verbal understanding and recall questionnaire was administered to all patients in both groups at Day 1, 30 and 90 after surgery. Patient satisfaction of the consent process was evaluated with Likert scale.

    RESULTS: A total of 79 patients were enrolled, 41 patients and 38 patients in VC and HC groups respectively. Level of understanding among patients were equal and consistent across time in both groups (P > 0.05). There was significant decline (P  0.05).

    CONCLUSION: There is good consistent understanding of the surgery in both groups. However, recall of specific surgical consent items decreased significantly over time in both groups. Handouts may have increased satisfaction among patients but did not improve recall in this preliminary study.

    TRIAL REGISTRATION: MREC No.:201783-5468.

    Matched MeSH terms: Reference Standards
  20. Chin WK, Thuraisingam AS, Kanagasabapathy S
    Account Res, 2021 May 05.
    PMID: 33857400 DOI: 10.1080/08989621.2021.1917397
    Clinical trials play a critical role in the development of life-enhancing and life-sustaining biomedical advances. It is costly and, regardless of how well-designed and ethically conducted, there are always inherent uncertainties which subsequently expose human participants to the risk of injuries or even death. In Malaysia, compensation for clinical trial-related injury has not been incorporated into standard national regulations or policies. Therefore, when clinical trial-related injuries do occur, such participants cannot be compensated by researchers, and with the absence of specific statutory laws governing trial-related injury within the local legal framework, aggrieved parties need to seek legal redress and can only depend on the existing tort laws. To propose a viable compensation framework, the existing compensation regulations and policies implemented in India and South Africa are analyzed, and their best principles have been recommended. This study proposes the implementation of a no-fault compensation framework in Malaysia which should be disbursed efficiently at minimum administrative cost. This proposed approach should be mandated by the amendment of current laws governing biomedical research and, in the interim, should be adopted voluntarily by research sponsors, institutions and investigators conducting clinical trials in Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reference Standards
Filters
Contact Us

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links