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Growth of Bifidobacterium longum BB536 in medida (fermented cereal porridge) and their survival during refrigerated storage

Kabeir BM, Abd-Aziz S, Muhammad K, Shuhaimi M, Yazid AM

Lett Appl Microbiol, 2005;41(2):125-31.
PMID: 16033508

To develop medida, a Sudanese fermented thin porridge as a probiotic dietary adjunct with high total solids.
Prospective study comparing scrape cytology with frozen section in the intraoperative identification of parathyroid tissue

Rohaizak M, Munchar MJ, Meah FA, Jasmi AY

Asian J Surg, 2005 Apr;28(2):82-5.
PMID: 15851358

Intraoperative identification of parathyroid tissue is crucial during parathyroid surgery. Frozen section is the most common tool, but is time-consuming and expensive. Scrape cytology is a modification of imprint cytology that provides rapid and cheap intraoperative identification of parathyroid tissue, but its reliability remains controversial. We assessed the sensitivity and specificity of scrape cytology in the intraoperative identification of parathyroid tissue.
Study and fabrication of europium picrate triethylene glycol complex

Saleh MI, Kusrini E, Mohd Sarjidan MA, Abd Majid WH

Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc, 2011 Jan;78(1):52-8.
PMID: 21030294 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2010.08.029

A mononuclear of [Eu(NO3)(Pic)(H2O)2(EO3)](Pic)·(0.73)H2O complex, where EO3=trietraethylene glycol and Pic=picrate anion, shows a red emission when used as an active layer in a single layer of ITO/EO3-Eu-Pic/Al configuration. The crystal structure of the complex consists of [Eu(NO3)(Pic)(H2O)2(EO3)]+ cation and [Pic]- anion. The Eu(III) ion is coordinated to the 10 oxygen atoms from one EO3 ligand, one Pic anion, one nitrate anion, and two water molecules. The complex is crystallized in triclinic with space group P-1. The hybrids in thin films I and II were prepared in the respective order solution concentrations of 15 and 20 mg/mL the emissive center. Comparing the photoluminescence (PL) and electroluminescence (EL) spectra, we can find that all emissions come from the characteristic transitions of the Eu(III) ion. The EL spectra of both thin films showed the occurrence of the most intense red-light emission around at 612 nm. Comparison of organic light-emitting device (OLED) current intensity characteristics as a function of voltage (I-V) show that the thin film I is better than those found for the thin film II. The thickness of the emitting layer is an important factor to control the current-voltage curve. The sharp and intense emission of the complex at low voltage indicates that the complex is a suitable and promising candidate for red-emitting materials.
Large retrosternal parathyroid carcinoma with primary hyperparathyroidism

Tan GC, Shiran MS, Swaminathan M, Phang KS, Rohaizak M

Asian J Surg, 2007 Oct;30(4):286-9.
PMID: 17962134

Parathyroid carcinoma is an uncommon cause of parathyroid hormone (PTH)-dependent hypercalcaemia, accounting for less than 1% of all cases of hyperparathyroidism. Parathyroid carcinoma is an indolent tumour with rather low malignant potential. Consideration of parathyroid carcinoma in the differential diagnosis of hypercalcaemic disorders is important because the morbidity and mortality are substantial and the best prognosis is associated with early recognition and surgical resection. Clinical indicators favouring parathyroid carcinoma over benign disease include markedly raised serum calcium levels, PTH and alkaline phosphatase. A palpable neck mass with both kidney and skeletal manifestations also give a high index of suspicion of parathyroid carcinoma. Histopathology alone is not sufficient to diagnose parathyroid cancer; it has to be correlated with the clinical findings. The initial and most effective treatment for parathyroid carcinoma is complete resection of the primary lesion, and repeated operations for recurrence are useful. The prognosis of parathyroid carcinomas is quite variable; 5-year survival rates vary from 40% to 86%, while the 10-year survival rate is approximately 49%. We report a case of parathyroid carcinoma occurring in a 55-year-old woman who presented with bone pain and hypercalcaemia.
Expression of the Na+/H+ antiporter gene (g1-nhaC) of alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. G1 in Escherichia coli

Liew CW, Illias RM, Mahadi NM, Najimudin N

FEMS Microbiol Lett, 2007 Nov;276(1):114-22.
PMID: 17937670

A Na(+)/H(+) antiporter gene was isolated from alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. G1. The full-length sequence of the Na(+)/H(+) antiporter gene was obtained using a genome walking method, and designated as g1-nhaC. An ORF preceded by a promoter-like sequence and a Shine-Dalgarno sequence, and followed by a terminator-like sequence was identified. The deduced amino acid sequence consists of 535 amino acids, and a calculated molecular mass of 57 776 Da. g1-nhaC was subsequently cloned into pET22b(+) and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). Recombinant E. coli harboring the g1-nhaC gene was able to grow in modified L medium at various concentrations of NaCl (0.2-2.0 M) at different pH values. The recombinant bacteria grew well in the medium with concentrations of NaCl as high as 1.75 M at pH 8.0-9.0. Minimal growth was observed at 2.0 M NaCl, pH 8.0-9.0. At pH 10, the recombinant bacteria grew well in a medium with a low concentration of NaCl (0.2 M). These results suggested that the g1-NhaC antiporter from Bacillus sp. G1 plays a role in Na(+) extrusion at lower pH values and in pH homeostasis at pH 10 under Na(+)-limiting conditions.
Changes of headspace volatile constituents of palm olein and selected oils after frying French fries

Omar MN, Nor NN, Idris NA

Pak J Biol Sci, 2007 Apr 01;10(7):1044-9.
PMID: 19070048

Changes of aroma constituents of palm olein and selected oils after frying French fries have been studied. The aroma constituents of used oils were collected using a solid-phase microextraction (SPME) headspace technique with an absorbent of a divinylbenzene/carboxen (DVB/CAR) (50/30 microm) on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) fibre. The extracted volatiles were desorbed from the fibre in the injection port of the gas chromatograph at 250 degrees C and the aroma constituents were identified by GC-MS. Analytical data showed that volatile constituents of palm olein, soybean oil, corn oil and sunflower oil changed while frying continued from 2 to 40 h, respectively. In palm olein, the 2t,4t-decadienal content decreased from 14.7 to 5.5 microg g(-1) (40 h) whilst hexanal increased from 7.9 microg g(-1) (2 h) to 29.2 microg g(-1) (40 h), respectively. Similar result was also obtained from soybean oil after frying French fries. The 2t,4t-decadienal content decreased from 15.9 microg g(-1) (2 h) to 3.2 microg g(-1) after 40 h frying whilst hexanal increased from 10.2 microg g(-1) (2 h) to 34.2 microg g(-1) (40 h). Meanwhile, in corn oil, it was found that 2t,4t-decadienal decreased from 15.6 microg g(-1) (2 h) to 3.2 microg g(-1) (40 h) whilst hexanal increased from 11.3 microg g(-1) (2 h) to 33.8 microg g(-1) when frying time reached 40 h. In sunflower oil, it was found that 2t,4t-decadienal, decreased from 16.8 microg g(-1) (2 h) to 1.2 microg g(-1) (40 h) while hexanal increased from 9.5 microg g(-1) (2 h) to 32.4 microg g(-1) when frying time reached 40 h. It also showed that used oils exhibited off-odour characteristics due to the increasing amount ofhexanal while their freshness characteristics diminished due to the decreasing amount of 2t, 4t-decadienal.
Flow injection determination of anisidine value in palm oil samples using a triiodide potentiometric detector

Saad B, Wai WT, Lim BP, Saleh MI

Anal Chim Acta, 2007 May 22;591(2):248-54.
PMID: 17481416

A flow injection analysis (FIA) procedure for the determination of anisidine value (AV) in palm olein using a triiodide detector is described. Undiluted oil sample and chloramine-T reagent were added to a reaction chamber, and reaction was accelerated by applying a short vortex action (typically for 30 s). After allowing the emulsified oil phase to be separated from the aqueous phase (bottom layer), an aliquot of the aqueous phase (containing unreacted chloramine-T) was aspirated into a carrier stream that contained I(-) where the chloramine-T oxidized the I- to form I3(-) which was finally detected by a flow-through triiodide potentiometric detector. Variables that affect the FIA signals such as size of the reaction chamber, oil and reagent flow rates, chloramine-T concentration, vortex time, time for phase separation, carrier stream pH and injected volume were studied. The optimized FIA procedure is linear over 1.0-23.0 AV. The method exhibits good repeatabililty (R.S.D. of +/-3.16% (n = 4) for the determination of 5.0 AV) and a sampling rate of 40 samples per hour was achieved. Good correlation (r2 = 0.996 (n = 4)) between the proposed method and the manual American Oil Chemists' Society procedure was found when applied to the determination of twenty different types of palm olein samples.
Online commentaries of the sugar-sweetened beverages tax in Malaysia: Content analysis

Mohd Hanim MFB, Md Sabri BA, Yusof N

Public Health Nurs, 2024;41(1):139-150.
PMID: 37953703 DOI: 10.1111/phn.13262

INTRODUCTION: Implementing taxes on sugary drinks, or SSBs, has been a controversial topic in many countries, including Malaysia. This study aimed to examine how Malaysian Facebook users responded to the announcement and implementation of the SSBs tax through netnography.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study employed qualitative and quantitative methods and used an inductive approach and thematic content analysis to analyze online commentaries on news articles published on popular online news portals from November 2018 to August 2019. Data was collected by downloading the commentaries onto Microsoft Word and importing them into NVivo.
RESULTS: Of the commentaries analyzed, 60.9% rejected the SSBs tax, and 39.1% favored it. No association was found between the online news articles and the slants of the commentaries.
CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrate a clear divide in public opinion regarding the SSBs tax in Malaysia, with many online readers expressing opposition to the tax despite evidence of the harmful effects of sugar presented in the articles they are commenting on. These findings have implications for policymakers and public health advocates seeking to implement similar taxes in the future.
The new wave of Congo virus in Pakistan: emerging threat

Masood I, Tahir MJ, Naeem A, Shrateh ON, Ahmed A

Trop Med Health, 2023 Nov 14;51(1):62.
PMID: 37957782 DOI: 10.1186/s41182-023-00559-z

Congo virus, or Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), is a tick-borne disease caused by a single-stranded RNA virus (genus nairovirus, Bunyaviridae family). It spreads through infected ticks' bites or contact with viremic individuals or livestock. Factors supporting its spread include hot, humid climates, limited pesticide use, poor animal control, inadequate irrigation during monsoons, and vector control deficiencies. Nosocomial transmission in under-resourced hospitals poses a threat to healthcare workers. Decades of CCHF cases persist in Pakistan due to these factors, with six deaths reported by June 2023. To combat the epidemic, Pakistan should raise awareness, improve irrigation, establish surveillance systems, and implement livestock quarantine and vaccination.
Fulltext Building Resilient communities: Techno-economic assessment of standalone off-grid PV powered net zero energy (NZE) villages

Arif S, Taweekun J, Ali HM, Ahmed A, Bhutto AA

Heliyon, 2023 Nov;9(11):e21426.
PMID: 38027710 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21426

The use of renewable energy resources for off-grid electricity production has gained more importance in recent decades for meeting the energy needs of remote areas, even with limited resources. This research aims to provide an optimized and cost-effective approach for generating electricity in rural areas. By using current methodology, a stand alone energy source of PV is designed for development of NZE village. Solar irradiance of the selected location is 6.16 kWh/m2/day while the estimated electric load data for whole village is 64.259 kWh. Electric load and solar irradiance of the loaction is used in the Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewable (HOMER) to design and analyze the techno-economic feasibility of the stand alone PV system to meet the load requirements. The study obtained the total Net Present Cost (NPC) of $0.511 M and the Cost Of Electricity (COE) is 2.26$/unit through the HOMER analysis, which is further refined by performing sensitivity analysis using parameters such as PV panel price, battery price, solar irradiance, variations in electric load and discount rates. According to the results, system is feasibile by annual electricity production of 30,078 kWh with initial capital investment of $0.434 M. This analysis compared the system performance and showed that it is economically and technically viable to meet the complete electricity needs of the village with a payback period of 7.2 years. Research can be utilized for policy making and implementation of NZE approach in remote areas by the government.
Exploratory factor analysis of items for evaluating healthy lifestyles related to mental health among undergraduate students

Ab Rahman Z, Isa B, Shahibi MS, Mansor MI

Malays Fam Physician, 2023;18:62.
PMID: 38026576 DOI: 10.51866/oa.448

INTRODUCTION: A healthy lifestyle is pivotal for improving mental health. As the concept of a healthy lifestyle is comprehensive, there is a need to prioritise components related to mental health in planning proper mental health interventions. In this regard, physical activity, diet, sleep quality, substance abuse and social support have been identified to enhance mental health. It is necessary to develop a valid scale for assessing healthy lifestyles related to mental health. Thus, this study aimed to adapt and validate an existing scale to evaluate healthy lifestyles related to mental health.
METHOD: This study included 177 (men: n=73, women: n=104) participants from University Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam, Selangor. The data were presented using descriptive statistics and subjected to an exploratory factor analysis.
RESULTS: The 22 scale items evaluated were valid and reliable in assessing the five components of healthy lifestyles related to mental health. The total variance explained for measuring the construct was 68.610%. The Cronbachs alpha value for the five components ranged from 0.784 to 0.903.
CONCLUSION: The adapted scale is acceptable and reliable in evaluating healthy lifestyles related to mental health within the target population. Thus, it can be used to assess significant components of healthy lifestyles to promote mental health. Accordingly, relevant authorities can formulate the best strategies to enhance mental health.
A bibliometric review analysis into environmental kuznets curve phenomenon: A retrospect and future direction

Ajmi AN, Bekun FV, Gyamfi BA, Meo MS

Heliyon, 2023 Nov;9(11):e21552.
PMID: 38034735 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21552

The present study presents a retrospect into environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis (EKC). The EKC debate is dated over four decade long and worthy of empirical scrutiny. To this end, the present study leverages on over 200 previous studies curated from SCOPUS and Web of science (WOS) core collection database respectively. The present study also presented both literature schematic on the evolution, trends, gaps, and future directions on the EKC debate. This paper endeavors to enhance our comprehension of the inherent paradoxes present in sustainability discourses by delving into the fundamental assumptions underlying the Environmental Kuznets curve (EKC). By conducting a bibliometric analysis, we aim to shed light on the factors contributing to the prominence of thematic keywords within sustainability discourses. This study seeks to provide valuable insights into these dynamics and implications on sustainability debates. Key empirical findings outlines predominant and influential studies and journal outlets on the theme under consideration. The present study bibliometric analysis displays that Ozturk i. with 13 published papers 3153 citations and a link strength of 2, Dogan e. Had 7 papers with 2190 citations with no link strength, Shahbaz. B 7 papers 1347 citations and 1 link strength, Saboori b.7 papers 677 citations 1 strength link and Liu y. 6 papers 582 citations with no link strength. From a policy dimension, the present bibliometric study presents valuable depth on the evolution and development of the EKC phenomenon by identifying's the extant literature leaders, action-step for future studies on environmental sustainability without compromise on economic growth as the EKC theme express the tradeoff between economic growth and environmental degradation. Further insights are rendered in the concluding section.
Stress Among the Adult Population During COVID-19 Pandemic in Kedah, Malaysia: Association Between Sociodemographics and the Movement Control Order Period

Ismail A, Tengku Ismail TA, Mohamad Marzuki MF

Cureus, 2023 Oct;15(10):e47619.
PMID: 38022193 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.47619

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant increase in the prevalence of stress worldwide. However, the extent and factors associated with psychological distress during COVID-19 among the local population in Kedah, Malaysia, have not been adequately explored. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with stress among the adult population in Kedah, Malaysia, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods We conducted a cross-sectional study using a retrospective record review. A simple random sampling was applied among the adult population of Kedah who were screened for mental health well-being from January 2021 until March 2022. A proforma checklist that consists of sociodemographic and clinical factors and the date of screening was used to collect the data. A descriptive and multiple logistic regression was conducted, and analysis was done by SPSS version 26 (IBM Inc., Armonk, New York). The dependent variables were the presence of stress incorporated self-reported symptoms ranging from mild to very severe. The independent variables were sociodemographic, clinical factors, and movement control order period, which refers to the period when the state of Kedah experienced all the different phases of movement control order (MCO), which were from 1 January 2021 until 28 June 2021. Results In total, 562 adults were included. The mean age was 31.75 years, and the majority were female (69.6%). The prevalence of stress was 45.7% (95% CI 41.6%, 49.8%), with a total of 257 people. The majority of them did not have stress, consisting of 305 people (54.3%), followed by 69 people (12.3%) who reported severe stress, 67 people (11.9%) who reported moderate, 66 people (11.7%) who reported mild, and 55 people (9.8%) who reported very severe stress. The significant factor associated with stress among the adult population in Kedah, Malaysia, during the COVID-19 pandemic was the female gender (Adj OR 3.035 95% CI: 2.007 to 4.591, p-value <0.001). Being unemployed (Adj OR 2.171 95% CI: 1.480 to 3.185, p-value <0.001) and being under movement control order period was also associated with stress (Adj OR 0.383 95% CI: 0.264 to 0.555, p-value <0.001). Conclusion The prevalence of stress among the adult population during the COVID-19 pandemic in Kedah was 45.7%, with a total of 257 people, higher than other studies. Being female and unemployed was associated with stress, while the movement control order period was a protective factor against stress. Preventive strategies should be tailored based on the vulnerabilities of these groups, such as the development of more effective community-based interventions for safeguarding the mental health of the general public during future pandemics.
Fulltext Improvement of Prebiotic Properties and Resistant Starch Content of Corn Flour (Zea mays L.) Momala Gorontalo Using Physical, Chemical and Enzymatic Modification

Bimo Setiarto RH, Isra M, Andrianto D, Widhyastuti N, Masrukhin

Trop Life Sci Res, 2023 Jun;34(2):255-278.
PMID: 38144387 DOI: 10.21315/tlsr2023.34.2.13

Probiotics are a non-digestible food ingredient that promotes the growth of beneficial microorganisms in the intestines. One of the functional food ingredients, Momala corn flour, is a source of prebiotics with a resistant starch content of 4.42%. Thi s study aimed to improve the prebiotic properties and resistant starch content of modified corn flour (MCF) Momala Gorontalo by using physical, chemical, and enzymatic modification processes. The research methods include physical modification (heat moisture treatment, annealing, autoclaving-cooling cycling, microwave), chemical modification (acid hydrolysis), and enzymatic modification (debranching pullulanase). The results showed that the modified by heat moisture treatment (HMT) increased RS levels 1-fold, annealing modification (ANN) 8.9-fold, autoclaving-cooling one cycle modification (AC-1C) 2.9-fold, autoclaving-cooling two cycles modification (AC-2C) 2.0-fold, microwave modification (MW) 1.3-fold, acid hydrolysis (HA) modification 5.0-fold, and debranching pullulanase (DP) modification 3.8-fold compared with corn flour control without modification. The value of the prebiotic activity of MCF hydrolysed acid (HA) is 0.03, and debranching pullulanase (DP) is 0.02 against Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC). The prebiotic effect value of MCF HA and DP were 0.76 and 0.60, respectively. The prebiotic index value of MCF HA and DP were 0.60 and 0.48, respectively. This study confirms that MCF HA and DP are good prebiotic candidates because they have resistant starch content, low starch digestibility, and resistance to simulated gastric fluid hydrolysis than unmodified corn flour.
Fulltext Species Distribution Model for the Asian Tapir and Vegetation Characteristics of Batang Gadis National Park, North Sumatra, Indonesia

Kuswanda W, Hutapea FJ, Saputra MH, Nopandry B

Trop Life Sci Res, 2023 Jun;34(2):57-80.
PMID: 38144375 DOI: 10.21315/tlsr2023.34.2.4

The Asian tapir is a primitive mammal whose habitat is heavily fragmented due to human activities. Studies on the Asian tapirs in Sumatra are very few, thereby basic information for developing tapir conservation programmes is limited. This study aimed to develop the species distribution model to map the potential distribution of tapirs in Batang Gadis National Park (BGNP), investigate the characteristic of tapir habitat, and identify tapir feed plants around BGNP. The model was developed using the Maximum Entropy (Maxent) approach, based on the existing information on tapir occurrence in BGNP and environmental variables. Vegetation characteristics in different land cover (primary forests, secondary forests, and open fields) were investigated using the strip transect method. This study found that zonal classification, temperature and precipitation have the greatest percentage contribution to the model. The model estimated that around 24.45% of BGNP areas are suitable for tapir habitat, and tapirs distribute near community gardens. Our results also showed that plant diversity at study sites was categorised as moderate-high. About 23 plant species dominated by the Moraceae family were identified as feed plants for tapirs. In developing tapir conservation programmes, BGNP management needs to consider tapir distribution that is closed to community gardens. We propose BGNP to enrich feed plants in open fields of the wilderness and traditional zones; reduce the canopy cover in the wilderness and utilisation zones to stimulate the growth of feed plants; facilitate local people to live harmoniously with tapirs; involve local communities in tapir conservation programmes; encourage local communities to plant non-palatable crops for tapirs; and provide a compensation scheme.
Fulltext Validation of CHERG'S Verbal Autopsy-Social Autopsy (VASA) tool for ascertaining determinants and causes of under-five child mortality in Pakistan

Siddiqui MB, Ng CW, Low WY, Abid K

PLoS One, 2023;18(12):e0278149.
PMID: 38109305 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278149

The majority (40%) of the world's under-five mortality burden is concentrated in nations like Nigeria (16.5%), India (16%), Pakistan (8%), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (6%), where an undetermined number of under-five deaths go unrecorded. In low-resource settings throughout the world, the Verbal Autopsy-Social Autopsy (VASA) technique may assist assess under-five mortality estimates, assigning medical and social causes of death, and identifying relevant determinants. Uncertainty regarding missing data in high-burden nations like Pakistan necessitates a valid and reliable VASA instrument. This is the first study to validate Child Health Epidemiology Reference Group-CHERG's VASA tool globally. In Pakistan, data from such a valid and reliable tool is vital for policy. This paper reports on the VASA tool in Karachi, Pakistan. Validity and reliability of the CHERG VASA tool were tested using face, content, discriminant validation, and reliability tests on one hundred randomly selected mothers who had recently experienced an under-five child death event. Data were computed on SPSS (version-21) and R software. Testing revealed high Item-content Validity Index (I-CVI) (>81.43%); high Cronbach's Alpha (0.843); the accuracy of between 75-100% of the discriminants classifying births to live and stillbirths; and I-CVI (>82.07% and 88.98% respectively) with high accuracy (92% and 97% respectively) for assigning biological and social causes of child deaths, respectively. The CHERG VASA questionnaire was found relevant to the conceptual framework and valid in Pakistan. This valid tool can assign accurate medical and non-medical causes of child mortality cases occurring in Pakistan.
Personality assessment in military - Bright and dark sides of the assessment measures: A review

Sohail M, Naeem F, Javaid MU, Ibikunle AK

Work, 2023;76(3):979-990.
PMID: 37182851 DOI: 10.3233/WOR-220454

BACKGROUND: Personality assessment has its own bright and dark sides, especially in the military setting. It is at play since the emergence of clinical psychology and its application in the recruitment process during World War I and II. Change in personality assessment trends, the evolution of complex personality traits, and changing geopolitical settings across the world necessitate the development of cost-effective, time-efficient, and reliable assessment measures that overcome issues in current assessment measures and fulfil the needs of present timesOBJECTIVE:The objective of this paper is to explore the evolution of personality assessment measures and their uses in military settings along with the comparison of self-report and non-self-report measures. It would give directions for the development of new measures to overcome the issues and drawbacks associated with current measures of research.
METHODS: The research question was formulated using the most valid SPIDER technique for a comprehensive search. PubMed, Google Scholar, and PsycNet databases were searched. 19 articles were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria out of 775 articles.
RESULTS: Thematic analyses show that personality assessment in the military is done to a) detect psychopathology, b) detect aberrant responses, c) recruit new personnel, d) predict training and performance outcomes, and e) predict leadership. The research contributes to the body of knowledge by showing an integrated picture of the most widely used assessment tools and the purpose it serves.
CONCLUSION: There is a need to develop assessment measures that are culture free and can assess more complex personality attributes.
Respiratory muscle training: a bibliometric analysis of 60 years' multidisciplinary journey

Ramli MI, Hamzaid NA, Engkasan JP, Usman J

Biomed Eng Online, 2023 May 22;22(1):50.
PMID: 37217941 DOI: 10.1186/s12938-023-01103-0

BACKGROUND: Over the decades, many publications have established respiratory muscle training (RMT) as an effective way in improving respiratory dysfunction in multiple populations. The aim of the paper is to determine the trend of research and multidisciplinary collaboration in publications related to RMT over the last 6 decades. The authors also sought to chart the advancement of RMT among people with spinal cord injury (SCI) over the last 60 years.
METHODS: Bibliometric analysis was made, including the publications' profiles, citation analysis and research trends of the relevant literature over the last 60 years. Publications from all time frames were retrieved from Scopus database. A subgroup analysis of publications pertinent to people with SCI was also made.
RESULTS: Research on RMT has been steadily increasing over the last 6 decades and across geographical locations. While medicine continues to dominate the research on RMT, this topic also continues to attract researchers and publications from other areas such as engineering, computer science and social science over the last 10 years. Research collaboration between authors in different backgrounds was observed since 2006. Source titles from non-medical backgrounds have also published articles pertinent to RMT. Among people with SCI, researchers utilised a wide range of technology from simple spirometers to electromyography in both intervention and outcome measures. With various types of interventions implemented, RMT generally improves pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength among people with SCI.
CONCLUSIONS: While research on RMT has been steadily increasing over the last 6 decades, more collaborations are encouraged in the future to produce more impactful and beneficial research on people who suffer from respiratory disorders.
Draft genome sequence of Hahella sp. CR1 and its ability in producing cellulases for saccharifying agricultural biomass

Tan MCY, Zakaria MR, Liew KJ, Chong CS

Arch Microbiol, 2023 Jul 07;205(8):278.
PMID: 37420023 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-023-03617-6

Hahella is a genus that has not been well-studied, with only two identified species. The potential of this genus to produce cellulases is yet to be fully explored. The present study isolated Hahella sp. CR1 from mangrove soil in Tanjung Piai National Park, Malaysia, and performed whole genome sequencing (WGS) using NovaSeq 6000. The final assembled genome consists of 62 contigs, 7,106,771 bp, a GC ratio of 53.5%, and encoded for 6,397 genes. The CR1 strain exhibited the highest similarity with Hahella sp. HN01 compared to other available genomes, where the ANI, dDDH, AAI, and POCP were 97.04%, 75.2%, 97.95%, and 91.0%, respectively. In addition, the CAZymes analysis identified 88 GTs, 54 GHs, 11 CEs, 7 AAs, 2 PLs, and 48 CBMs in the genome of strain CR1. Among these proteins, 11 are related to cellulose degradation. The cellulases produced from strain CR1 were characterized and demonstrated optimal activity at 60 ℃, pH 7.0, and 15% (w/v) sodium chloride. The enzyme was activated by K+, Fe2+, Mg2+, Co2+, and Tween 40. Furthermore, cellulases from strain CR1 improved the saccharification efficiency of a commercial cellulase blend on the tested agricultural wastes, including empty fruit bunch, coconut husk, and sugarcane bagasse. This study provides new insights into the cellulases produced by strain CR1 and their potential to be used in lignocellulosic biomass pre-treatment.
Fulltext Factors associated with COVID-19 brought-in deaths: A data-linkage comparative cross-sectional study

Shakor ASA, Samsudin EZ, Chen XW, Ghazali MH

J Infect Public Health, 2023 Dec;16(12):2068-2078.
PMID: 37950972 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2023.10.016

BACKGROUND: The phenomenon of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) brought-in-dead (BID), i.e., COVID-19 deaths occurring outside hospital settings, suggests missed opportunities for life-saving care. However, much is still unknown with regards to its potential determinants. The present study aimed to examine the factors associated with COVID-19 BID by integrating new variables from multiple databases.
METHODS: This multi-database comparative cross-sectional study examined COVID-19 in-patient deaths (IPD) and COVID-19 BID (n = 244 in each group) in Selangor, Malaysia. BID cases, IPD cases, and their sociodemographic, clinical, and health behaviour factors were identified from the COVID-19 mortality investigation reports submitted to the Selangor State Health Department between 14 February 2022 and 31 March 2023. Data linkage was used to connect three open-source databases-GitHub-MOH, Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center, and OpenStreetMap-and identify health infrastructure and geospatial factors. The groups were compared using chi-square tests, independent t-tests, and logistic regression analyses to identify factors associated with COVID-19 BID.
RESULTS: The COVID-19 IPD and BID cases were comparable. After adjusting for confounders, non-Malaysian nationality (AOR: 3.765, 95% CI: 1.163, 12.190), obesity (AOR: 5.272, 95% CI: 1.131, 24.567), not seeking treatment while unwell (AOR: 5.385, 95% CI: 3.157, 9.186), and a higher percentage of COVID-19-dedicated beds occupied on the date of death (AOR: 1.165, 95% CI: 1.078, 1.259) were associated with increased odds of COVID-19 BID. On the other hand, being married (AOR: 0.396, 95% CI: 0.158, 0.997) and the interaction between the percentage of COVID-19-dedicated beds occupied and the percentage of ventilators in use (AOR: 0.996, 95% CI: 0.994, 0.999) emerged as protective factors.
CONCLUSION: These findings indicated that certain groups have higher odds of COVID-19 BID and thus, require closer monitoring. Considering that COVID-19 BID is influenced by various elements beyond clinical factors, intensifying public health initiatives and multi-organisational collaboration is necessary to address this issue.

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