Displaying publications 201 - 220 of 578 in total

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  1. Psychological Distress of Health Care Workers in the Main Admitting Hospital and Its Related Health Care Facilities in Malaysia During the COVID-19 Pandemic
    Razali S, Abdullah MN, Rahman NA, Azhar NA, Yaacob SS
    Asia Pac J Public Health, 2021 07;33(5):667-669.
    PMID: 33969738 DOI: 10.1177/10105395211014348
  2. Fulltext Validation of the malay version of Diabetes Quality of Life (DQOL) questionnaire for adult population with type 2 diabetes mellitus
    Bujang MA, Ismail M, Hatta NKBM, Othman SH, Baharum N, Lazim SSM
    Malays J Med Sci, 2017 Aug;24(4):86-96.
    PMID: 28951693 MyJurnal DOI: 10.21315/mjms2017.24.4.10
    OBJECTIVE: We aimed to validate the Malay version of Diabetes Quality of Life (DQOL) questionnaire for Malaysian adult population with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).
    METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study to validate Malay version of DQOL among the adult diabetic patients. DQOL questionnaire has 46 items consist of three domains, namely Satisfaction Domain, Impact Domain and Worry Domain. Both forward and backward translations from the English version of DQOL into Malay version were performed. After the face validity of the Malay version was established, it was then pilot-tested. Finally, the validity and reliability of the final Malay version of DQOL questionnaire were evaluated.
    RESULTS: There were 290 patients participated in this study with a mean (SD) age of 53.1 (10.0) years. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients of the overall items and the main domains were between 0.846 and 0.941. The Pearson's correlation coefficients for the three domains were between 0.228 and 0.451. HbA1C was found to be positively correlated with Impact Domain (P = 0.006). The Worry Domain was associated with diabetic retinopathy (P = 0.014) and nephropathy (P = 0.033).
    CONCLUSION: The Malay version of diabetes quality of life (DQOL) questionnaire was found to be a valid and reliable survey instrument to be used for Malaysian adult patients with diabetes mellitus.
    Study site: Klinik Kesihatan Seremban 2, Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
  3. Fulltext Validation of the Kessler's psychological distress scale (K10 & K6) in a Malaysian population
    Tiong, Xun Ting, Nur Sara Shahira Abdullah, Mohamad Adam Bujang, Fatin Ellisya Sapri, Selvasingam Ratnasingam, Chong, Kok Joon, et al.
    ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, 2018;19(1):0-0.
    MyJurnal
    Objective: A quick assessment tool for screening individuals with depression or anxiety is pertinent in mental-health set up. This study aims to validate the K10 and the K6 to screen patients with non-specific
    psychological distress in a Malaysian population.

    Methods: Translation of the questionnaire was done from English to Malay. Face validity was conducted on patients, and a pilot study was performed to assess the reliability of the K10 questionnaire. Fieldwork was conducted to determine the reliability and validity of the K10 questionnaire based on convenience sampling of healthy individuals and patients diagnosed with psychiatric illness. Malay version for K10 was administered to healthy participants (group without psychological distress) and patients on psychiatric clinic follow up (psychological distress). Data collection was done between August 2016 and September 2016.

    Result: A total of 94 subjects were recruited in the study, of which 32 formed the case group. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for K10
    were 0.837(control) and 0.885 (case), as for K6 were 0.716 (control) and 0.859 (case). The total score of the
    K10 and the K6 clearly differentiated between the control and case groups (p

    Study site: Sarawak General Hospital
  4. Fulltext Using VigiBase to Identify Substandard Medicines: Detection Capacity and Key Prerequisites
    Juhlin K, Karimi G, Andér M, Camilli S, Dheda M, Har TS, et al.
    Drug Saf, 2015 Apr;38(4):373-82.
    PMID: 25687792 DOI: 10.1007/s40264-015-0271-2
    Substandard medicines, whether the result of intentional manipulation or lack of compliance with good manufacturing practice (GMP) or good distribution practice (GDP), pose a significant potential threat to patient safety. Spontaneous adverse drug reaction reporting systems can contribute to identification of quality problems that cause unwanted and/or harmful effects, and to identification of clusters of lack of efficacy. In 2011, the Uppsala Monitoring Centre (UMC) constructed a novel algorithm to identify reporting patterns suggestive of substandard medicines in spontaneous reporting, and applied it to VigiBase(®), the World Health Organization's global individual case safety report database. The algorithm identified some historical clusters related to substandard products, which were later able to be confirmed in the literature or by contact with national centres (NCs). As relevant and detailed information is often lacking in the VigiBase reports but might be available at the reporting NC, further evaluation of the algorithm was undertaken with involvement from NCs.
  5. Fulltext Mechanical and in vitro biological performance of graphene nanoplatelets reinforced calcium silicate composite
    Mehrali M, Moghaddam E, Seyed Shirazi SF, Baradaran S, Mehrali M, Latibari ST, et al.
    PLoS One, 2014;9(9):e106802.
    PMID: 25229540 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0106802
    Calcium silicate (CaSiO3, CS) ceramic composites reinforced with graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) were prepared using hot isostatic pressing (HIP) at 1150°C. Quantitative microstructural analysis suggests that GNP play a role in grain size and is responsible for the improved densification. Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy showed that GNP survived the harsh processing conditions of the selected HIP processing parameters. The uniform distribution of 1 wt.% GNP in the CS matrix, high densification and fine CS grain size help to improve the fracture toughness by ∼130%, hardness by ∼30% and brittleness index by ∼40% as compared to the CS matrix without GNP. The toughening mechanisms, such as crack bridging, pull-out, branching and deflection induced by GNP are observed and discussed. The GNP/CS composites exhibit good apatite-forming ability in the simulated body fluid (SBF). Our results indicate that the addition of GNP decreased pH value in SBF. Effect of addition of GNP on early adhesion and proliferation of human osteoblast cells (hFOB) was measured in vitro. The GNP/CS composites showed good biocompatibility and promoted cell viability and cell proliferation. The results indicated that the cell viability and proliferation are affected by time and concentration of GNP in the CS matrix.
  6. Synthesis, mechanical properties, and in vitro biocompatibility with osteoblasts of calcium silicate-reduced graphene oxide composites
    Mehrali M, Moghaddam E, Shirazi SF, Baradaran S, Mehrali M, Latibari ST, et al.
    ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 2014 Mar 26;6(6):3947-62.
    PMID: 24588873 DOI: 10.1021/am500845x
    Calcium silicate (CaSiO3, CS) ceramics are promising bioactive materials for bone tissue engineering, particularly for bone repair. However, the low toughness of CS limits its application in load-bearing conditions. Recent findings indicating the promising biocompatibility of graphene imply that graphene can be used as an additive to improve the mechanical properties of composites. Here, we report a simple method for the synthesis of calcium silicate/reduced graphene oxide (CS/rGO) composites using a hydrothermal approach followed by hot isostatic pressing (HIP). Adding rGO to pure CS increased the hardness of the material by ∼40%, the elastic modulus by ∼52%, and the fracture toughness by ∼123%. Different toughening mechanisms were observed including crack bridging, crack branching, crack deflection, and rGO pull-out, thus increasing the resistance to crack propagation and leading to a considerable improvement in the fracture toughness of the composites. The formation of bone-like apatite on a range of CS/rGO composites with rGO weight percentages ranging from 0 to 1.5 has been investigated in simulated body fluid (SBF). The presence of a bone-like apatite layer on the composite surface after soaking in SBF was demonstrated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The biocompatibility of the CS/rGO composites was characterized using methyl thiazole tetrazolium (MTT) assays in vitro. The cell adhesion results showed that human osteoblast cells (hFOB) can adhere to and develop on the CS/rGO composites. In addition, the proliferation rate and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of cells on the CS/rGO composites were improved compared with the pure CS ceramics. These results suggest that calcium silicate/reduced graphene oxide composites are promising materials for biomedical applications.
  7. Fulltext PFOS induces behavioral alterations, including spontaneous hyperactivity that is corrected by dexamfetamine in zebrafish larvae
    Spulber S, Kilian P, Wan Ibrahim WN, Onishchenko N, Ulhaq M, Norrgren L, et al.
    PLoS One, 2014;9(4):e94227.
    PMID: 24740186 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0094227
    Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a widely spread environmental contaminant. It accumulates in the brain and has potential neurotoxic effects. The exposure to PFOS has been associated with higher impulsivity and increased ADHD prevalence. We investigated the effects of developmental exposure to PFOS in zebrafish larvae, focusing on the modulation of activity by the dopaminergic system. We exposed zebrafish embryos to 0.1 or 1 mg/L PFOS (0.186 or 1.858 µM, respectively) and assessed swimming activity at 6 dpf. We analyzed the structure of spontaneous activity, the hyperactivity and the habituation during a brief dark period (visual motor response), and the vibrational startle response. The findings in zebrafish larvae were compared with historical data from 3 months old male mice exposed to 0.3 or 3 mg/kg/day PFOS throughout gestation. Finally, we investigated the effects of dexamfetamine on the alterations in spontaneous activity and startle response in zebrafish larvae. We found that zebrafish larvae exposed to 0.1 mg/L PFOS habituate faster than controls during a dark pulse, while the larvae exposed to 1 mg/L PFOS display a disorganized pattern of spontaneous activity and persistent hyperactivity. Similarly, mice exposed to 0.3 mg/kg/day PFOS habituated faster than controls to a new environment, while mice exposed to 3 mg/kg/day PFOS displayed more intense and disorganized spontaneous activity. Dexamfetamine partly corrected the hyperactive phenotype in zebrafish larvae. In conclusion, developmental exposure to PFOS in zebrafish induces spontaneous hyperactivity mediated by a dopaminergic deficit, which can be partially reversed by dexamfetamine in zebrafish larvae.
  8. Supermacroporous poly(vinyl alcohol)-carboxylmethyl chitosan-poly(ethylene glycol) scaffold: an in vitro and in vivo pre-assessments for cartilage tissue engineering
    Lee SY, Wee AS, Lim CK, Abbas AA, Selvaratnam L, Merican AM, et al.
    J Mater Sci Mater Med, 2013 Jun;24(6):1561-70.
    PMID: 23512151 DOI: 10.1007/s10856-013-4907-4
    This study aims to pre-assess the in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility of poly(vinyl alcohol)-carboxylmethyl-chitosan-poly(ethylene glycol) (PCP) scaffold. PCP was lyophilised to create supermacroporous structures. 3-(4, 5-dimethyl-thiazol-2yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used to evaluate the effectiveness of PCP scaffolds for chondrocytes attachment and proliferation. The ultrastructural was assessed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Extracellular matrix (ECM) formation was evaluated using collagen type-II staining, glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and collagen assays. Histological analysis was conducted on 3-week implanted Sprague-Dawley rats. The MTT, IHC, SEM and TEM analyses confirm that PCP scaffolds promoted cell attachment and proliferation in vitro. The chondrocyte-PCP constructs secreted GAG and collagen type-II, both increased significantly from day-14 to day-28 (P 
  9. Fulltext The comparison of discomfort level between upper arm and forearm tourniquet
    Ng ES, Ting JR, Foo SL, Akram SA, Fadzlina AA, Alywiah JS, et al.
    Med J Malaysia, 2006 Dec;61 Suppl B:23-6.
    PMID: 17600989
    The conventional upper arm tourniquet used for hand and wrist operations may cause significant discomfort to patient when the procedure is performed under local anaesthesia. Forearm tourniquet causes less muscle ischeamia and pain. The discomfort experienced while using a forearm and upper arm tourniquet was assessed in 96 healthy subjects. Tourniquet placed on both sides was inflated sequentially to 250mmhg for five minutes on different hand. The discomfort level was assessed using a small visual analogue scale and complications were recorded. In the upper arm tourniquet, 24.9% had mild, 60.5% had moderate and 14.6% had severe pain whereas with forearm tourniquet, 99% had mild pain and only 1% had moderate pain. Seventy-nine percent of the subjects tested with forearm tourniquet had no discomfort at all. The average discomfort level for upper arm and forearm tourniquet was 4.72 and 0.39 respectively, which is statistically significant. Complications that were observed only in upper arm tourniquet included prolonged tingling, burning sensation and discomfort and stiffness of the upper limb. We concluded that forearm tourniquet was safe and well tolerated and should be used more often when indicated.
  10. Ethnic differences in the time trend of female breast cancer incidence: Singapore, 1968-2002
    Sim X, Ali RA, Wedren S, Goh DL, Tan CS, Reilly M, et al.
    BMC Cancer, 2006;6:261.
    PMID: 17078893
    From 1968 to 2002, Singapore experienced an almost three-fold increase in breast cancer incidence. This increase appeared to be different across the three main ethnic groups: Chinese, Malays and Indians. This paper used age-period-cohort (APC) modelling, to determine the effects of age at diagnosis, calendar period, and birth cohort on breast cancer incidence for each ethnic group.
  11. 2-((Benzimidazol-2-yl)thio)-1-arylethan-1-ones: Synthesis, crystal study and cancer stem cells CD133 targeting potential
    Abdel-Aziz HA, Ghabbour HA, Eldehna WM, Al-Rashood ST, Al-Rashood KA, Fun HK, et al.
    Eur J Med Chem, 2015 Nov 2;104:1-10.
    PMID: 26413725 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2015.09.023
    In order to develop a potent anti-tumor agent that can target both cancer stem cells and the bulk of tumor cells, a series of 2-((benzimidazol-2-yl)thio)-1-arylethan-1-ones 5a-o was synthesized. All compounds were evaluated for their anti-proliferative activity towards colon HT-29 cancer cell line. In addition, their inhibitory effect against cell surface expression of CD133, a potent cancer stem cells (CSCs) marker, in the same cells was evaluated by flow cytometry at 10 μM. Compound 5l emerged as the most active anti-proliferative analog against HT-29 (IC50 = 18.83 ± 1.37 μM), that almost equipotent as 5-fluorouracil (IC50 = 15.83 ± 1.63 μM) with 50.11 ± 4.05% inhibition effect on CD133 expression, suggested dual targeted effect. Also, compounds 5h, 5j, 5k and 5m-o inhibited the expression of CD133 with more than 50%. The SAR study pointed out the significance of substitution of the pendent phenyl group with lipophilic electron-donating groups or replacing it by 2-thienyl or 2-furyl groups.
  12. Fulltext The mazEF toxin-antitoxin system as an attractive target in clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis
    Soheili S, Ghafourian S, Sekawi Z, Neela VK, Sadeghifard N, Taherikalani M, et al.
    Drug Des Devel Ther, 2015;9:2553-61.
    PMID: 26005332 DOI: 10.2147/DDDT.S77263
    The toxin-antitoxin (TA) system is a regulatory system where two sets of genes encode the toxin and its corresponding antitoxin. In this study, the prevalence of TA systems in independently isolated clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis was determined, the dominant TA system was identified, different virulence genes in E. faecium and E. faecalis were surveyed, the level of expression of the virulence and TA genes in normal and stress conditions was determined, and finally their associations with the TA genes were defined. Remarkably, the analysis demonstrated higBA and mazEF in all clinical isolates, and their locations were on chromosomes and plasmids, respectively. On the other hand, a quantitative analysis of TA and virulence genes revealed that the expression level in both genes is different under normal and stress conditions. The results obtained by anti-mazF peptide nucleic acids demonstrated that the expression level of virulence genes had decreased. These findings demonstrate an association between TA systems and virulence factors. The mazEF on the plasmids and the higBA TA genes on the chromosomes of all E. faecium and E. faecalis strains were dominant. Additionally, there was a decrease in the expression of virulence genes in the presence of anti-mazF peptide nucleic acids. Therefore, it is suggested that mazEF TA systems are potent and sensitive targets in all E. faecium and E. faecalis strains.
  13. The 808 nm and 980 nm infrared laser irradiation affects spore germination and stored calcium homeostasis: A comparative study using delivery hand-pieces with standard (Gaussian) or flat-top profile
    Ferrando S, Agas D, Mirata S, Signore A, De Angelis N, Ravera S, et al.
    J. Photochem. Photobiol. B, Biol., 2019 Oct;199:111627.
    PMID: 31536925 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2019.111627
    Photobiomodulation relies on the transfer of energy from incident photons to a cell photoacceptor. For many years the concept of photobiomodulation and its outcome has been based upon a belief that the sole receptor within the cell was the mitochondrion. Recently, it has become apparent that there are other photoacceptors operating in different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Alternative photoacceptors would appear to be water and mechanisms regulating calcium homeostasis, despite a direct effect of laser photonic energy on intracellular calcium concentration outwith mitochondrial activity or influence, have not been clearly demonstrated. Therefore, to increase the knowledge of intracellular‑calcium and laser photon interaction, as well as to demonstrate differences in irradiation profiles with modern hand-pieces, we tested and compared the photobiomodulatory effect of 808 nm and 980 nm diode laser light by low- and higher-energy (60s, 100 mW/cm2, 100 mW/cm2, 500 mW/cm2, 1000 mW/cm2, 1500 mW/cm2, 2000 mW/cm2) irradiated with a "standard" (Gaussian fluence distribution) hand-piece or with a "flat-top" (uniform fluence) hand-piece. For this purpose, we used the eukaryote unicellular-model Dictyostelium discoideum. The 808 nm and 980 nm infrared laser light, at the energy tested directly affect the stored Ca2+ homeostasis, independent of the mitochondrial respiratory chain activities. From an organism perspective, the effect on Ca2+-dependent signal transduction as the regulator of spore germination in Dictyostelium, demonstrates how a cell can respond quickly to the correct laser photonic stimulus through a different cellular pathway than the known light-chromophore(mitochondria) interaction. Additionally, both hand-piece designs tested were able to photobiomodulate the D. discoideum cell; however, the hand-piece with a flat-top profile, through uniform fluence levels allows more effective and reproducible effects.
  14. Self-Healing Polyester Urethane Supramolecular Elastomers Reinforced with Cellulose Nanocrystals for Biomedical Applications
    Zeimaran E, Pourshahrestani S, Kadri NA, Kong D, Shirazi SFS, Naveen SV, et al.
    Macromol Biosci, 2019 Oct;19(10):e1900176.
    PMID: 31441595 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.201900176
    Stretchable self-healing urethane-based biomaterials have always been crucial for biomedical applications; however, the strength is the main constraint of utilization of these healable materials. Here, a series of novel, healable, elastomeric, supramolecular polyester urethane nanocomposites of poly(1,8-octanediol citrate) and hexamethylene diisocyanate reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are introduced. Nanocomposites with various amounts of CNCs from 10 to 50 wt% are prepared using solvent casting technique followed by the evaluation of their microstructural features, mechanical properties, healability, and biocompatibility. The synthesized nanocomposites indicate significantly higher tensile modulus (approximately 36-500-fold) in comparison to the supramolecular polymer alone. Upon exposure to heat, the materials can reheal, but nevertheless when the amount of CNC is greater than 10 wt%, the self-healing ability of nanocomposites is deteriorated. These materials are capable of rebonding ruptured parts and fully restoring their mechanical properties. In vitro cytotoxicity test of the nanocomposites using human dermal fibroblasts confirms their good cytocompatibility. The optimized structure, self-healing attributes, and noncytotoxicity make these nanocomposites highly promising for tissue engineering and other biomedical applications.
  15. Synthesis, characterization and anti-cancer properties of water-soluble bis(PYE) pro-ligands and derived palladium(ii) complexes
    Zafar MN, Masood S, Chaudhry GE, Muhammad TST, Dalebrook AF, Nazar MF, et al.
    Dalton Trans, 2019 Aug 08.
    PMID: 31393494 DOI: 10.1039/c9dt01923e
    The two cationic palladium(ii) complexes, [Pd(Len)2][OTf]2 (4) and [Pd(Lphen)2][OTf]2 (5), were synthesized by treatment of bis(benzonitrile)dichloropalladium(ii) with [H2Len][OTf]2 (2) or [H2Lphen][OTf]2 (3), respectively, in the presence of a weak base. The pro-ligands 2 and 3 were synthesized by melt reactions between N-methyl-4-chloropyridinium triflate (1) and the amines ethylenediamine or phenylenediamine, respectively. The water-soluble compounds 2-5 were fully characterized, including by single-crystal X-ray crystal structure determinations for 2-4. UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy were used to study the binding interactions of 2-5 with CT-DNA. The spectroscopic data suggested the presence of intercalative and groove binding modes and this was supported by molecular docking studies. The in vitro cytotoxicity studies (IC50 values) showed that the human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and T47D were more sensitive towards 3, 4 and 5 than cisplatin. The cytotoxicity of the new compounds decreased in the order 5 > 4 > 3 > 2. Furthermore, the annexin V-FITC staining method strongly suggested the presence of phosphatidylserine (PS) on the outer membrane of the treated cells, which is a hallmark of apoptosis.
  16. Fulltext Mapping the primary outcomes reported in Cochrane systematic reviews regarding stroke with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health domains: current trend and future recommendations
    Engkasan JP, Ahmad-Fauzi A, Sabirin S, Chai CC, Abdul-Malek IZ, Liguori S, et al.
    Eur J Phys Rehabil Med, 2019 Jun;55(3):378-383.
    PMID: 30961345 DOI: 10.23736/S1973-9087.19.05792-7
    BACKGROUND: The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) serves as a framework for defining and categorizing health and functioning. ICF could be used to classify research outcomes in a systematic manner.

    AIM: The aim of this study was to classify the primary outcomes used in Cochrane Systematic Reviews (CSRs) into the ICF domains of functioning; to describe the differences in primary outcomes in reviews related to rehabilitation intervention and non-rehabilitation intervention; and to describe the trend of outcome selections according year of publication.

    DESIGN: Methodological paper.

    POPULATION: Adult stroke population.

    METHODS: We analyzed the primary outcomes used in the CSRs published by the Cochrane Stroke Review Group up to December 2017. The primary outcomes were extracted and classified into the ICF domains of functioning (body functions, body structures and activity and participation).

    RESULTS: One hundred and seventy-four papers with 216 primary outcomes were included in this analysis. Less than half (102/216, 47.2%) of the outcomes could be classified into the ICF domains of functioning. For the outcomes that could be classified into the ICF domains, the majority (72/102, 70.5%) were in the activity and participation domain, followed by body functions (26/102, 25.5%) and body structures (4/102, 4.0%). Of the outcomes that could not be classified into the ICF domains (N.=114), death (81/114, 71.1%) and recurrent stroke (21/114,18.4%) formed the majority of the outcome. There were 75 CSRs on rehabilitation related interventions; the majority of the outcomes (75/97, 77.3%) used in rehabilitation related CSRs could be classified into the ICF framework with more than half (49/75, 65.3%) in the activity and participation domain.

    CONCLUSIONS: The majority of the primary outcomes selected by the Cochrane Stroke Review Group in their CSRs could not be classified into the ICF domains of functioning. Death and recurrence of vascular events remains the major outcome of interest. In rehabilitation related interventions, activity and participation domain is the functioning domain most commonly used.

    CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: The systematic use of patients-centered ICF-based outcomes in CSRs could help the application of evidence in clinical decision making.

  17. 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser light affects transmembrane mitochondria respiratory chain complexes
    Ravera S, Ferrando S, Agas D, De Angelis N, Raffetto M, Sabbieti MG, et al.
    J Biophotonics, 2019 09;12(9):e201900101.
    PMID: 31033186 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.201900101
    Photobiomodulation (PBM) is a non-plant-cell manipulation through a transfer of energy by means of light sources at the non-ablative or thermal intensity. Authors showed that cytochrome-c-oxidase (complex IV) is the specific chromophore's target of PBM at the red (600-700 nm) and NIR (760-900 nm) wavelength regions. Recently, it was suggested that the infrared region of the spectrum could influence other chromospheres, despite the interaction by wavelengths higher than 900 nm with mitochondrial chromophores was not clearly demonstrated. We characterized the interaction between mitochondria respiratory chain, malate dehydrogenase, a key enzyme of Krebs cycle, and 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase, an enzyme involved in the β-oxidation (two mitochondrial matrix enzymes) with the 1064 nm Nd:YAG (100mps and 10 Hz frequency mode) irradiated at the average power density of 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, 1.25 and 1.50 W/cm2 to generate the respective fluences of 30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 J/cm2 . Our results show the effect of laser light on the transmembrane mitochondrial complexes I, III, IV and V (adenosine triphosphate synthase) (window effects), but not on the extrinsic mitochondrial membrane complex II and mitochondria matrix enzymes. The effect is not due to macroscopical thermal change. An interaction of this wavelength with the Fe-S proteins and Cu-centers of respiratory complexes and with the water molecules could be supposed.
  18. Fulltext Assessment of Healthcare System Capabilities and Preparedness in Yemen to Confront the Novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak: A Perspective of Healthcare Workers
    Zawiah M, Al-Ashwal FY, Saeed RM, Kubas M, Saeed S, Khan AH, et al.
    Front Public Health, 2020;8:419.
    PMID: 32850608 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.00419
    Background: In the past decade, Yemen has witnessed several disasters that resulted in a crumbled healthcare system. With the declaration of COVID-19 a global pandemic, and later the appearance of first confirmed cases in Yemen, there is an urgent need to assess the preparedness of healthcare facilities (HCFs) and their capacities to tackle a looming COVID-19 outbreak. Herein, we present an assessment of the current state of preparedness and capabilities of HCFs in Yemen to prevent and manage the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: An online survey for HCFs was developed, validated, and distributed. The questionnaire is divided into five main sections: (1) Demographic variables for participants. (2) HCFs capabilities for COVID-19 outbreak. (3) Support received to face the emergence and spread of COVID-19. (4). Current practices of infection prevention and control measures in the HCFs. The last section focused on the recommendations to ensure effective and timely response to this outbreak in Yemen. Descriptive analysis was used to analyze data using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS), version 23. Results: Responses were received from healthcare workers (HCWs) from 18 out of 22 governorates in Yemen. Out of the 296 HCWs who participated in the study, the vast majority (93.9%) believed that the healthcare system in Yemen does not have the resources and capabilities to face and manage a COVID-19 outbreak. Approximately 82.4% of participants rated the general preparedness level of their HCFs as very poor or poor. More specifically, the majority of HCWs rated their HCFs as very poor or poor in term of availability of the following: an adequate number of mechanical ventilators (88.8%), diagnostic devices (88.2%), ICU rooms and beds (81.4%), and isolation rooms (79.7%). Conclusions: The healthcare facilities in Yemen are unprepared and lack the most basic resources and capabilities to cope with or tackle a COVID-19 outbreak. With the current state of a fragile healthcare system, a widespread outbreak of COVID-19 in Yemen could result in devastating consequences. There is an urgent need to provide support to the healthcare workers and HCFs that are on the frontline against COVID-19.
  19. Unfamiliar partnerships limit cnidarian holobiont acclimation to warming
    Herrera M, Klein SG, Schmidt-Roach S, Campana S, Cziesielski MJ, Chen JE, et al.
    Glob Chang Biol, 2020 Jul 06.
    PMID: 32627905 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15263
    Enhancing the resilience of corals to rising temperatures is now a matter of urgency, leading to growing efforts to explore the use of heat tolerant symbiont species to improve their thermal resilience. The notion that adaptive traits can be retained by transferring the symbionts alone, however, challenges the holobiont concept, a fundamental paradigm in coral research. Holobiont traits are products of a specific community (holobiont) and all its co-evolutionary and local adaptations, which might limit the retention or transference of holobiont traits by exchanging only one partner. Here, we evaluate how interchanging partners affect the short- and long-term performance of holobionts under heat stress using clonal lineages of the cnidarian model system Aiptasia (host and Symbiodiniaceae strains) originating from distinct thermal environments. Our results show that holobionts from more thermally variable environments have higher plasticity to heat stress, but this resilience could not be transferred to other host genotypes through the exchange of symbionts. Importantly, our findings highlight the role of the host in determining holobiont productivity in response to thermal stress and indicate that local adaptations of holobionts will likely limit the efficacy of interchanging unfamiliar compartments to enhance thermal tolerance.
  20. Effects of Zinc Supplementation on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
    Khazdouz M, Djalalinia S, Sarrafi Zadeh S, Hasani M, Shidfar F, Ataie-Jafari A, et al.
    Biol Trace Elem Res, 2020 Jun;195(2):373-398.
    PMID: 31494808 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-019-01870-9
    The prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors has been increasing worldwide. The results of reported studies on the effects of zinc supplementation on cardiometabolic risk factors are unequivocal. This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was conducted to evaluate the effects of zinc supplementation on cardiometabolic risk factors. A systematic search was conducted through international databases (PubMed/Medline, Institute of Scientific Information, and Scopus) until December 2018 to include all randomized controlled trials (RCT), quasi-RCT, and controlled clinical trials which assessed the effect of zinc supplementation on cardiometabolic risk factors including lipid profile, glycemic indices, blood pressure, and anthropometric indices. Random- or fixed-effects meta-analysis method was used to estimate the standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI). A total of 20 studies were included in the meta-analysis, which included a total of 1141 participants in the intervention group. Meta-analysis showed that zinc supplementation significantly decreased plasma levels of triglyceride (SMD - 0.66, 95% CI - 1.27, - 0.06), very-low-density lipoprotein (SMD - 1.59, 95% CI - 2.86, - 0.31), and total cholesterol (SMD - 0.65, 95% CI - 1.15, - 0.15). Similarly, zinc supplementation significantly decreased fasting blood glucose (SMD - 0.52, 95% CI - 0.96, - 0.07) and HbA1c (SMD - 0.64, 95% CI - 1.27, - 0.02). The effects of zinc supplementation on blood pressure and anthropometric indices were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Zinc supplements had beneficial effects on glycemic indices and lipid profile. Thus, it appeared that zinc supplementation might be associated with a decrease in cardiometabolic risk factors contributing to a reduction in risk of atherosclerosis.
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