METHODS: Thirty-five rats were assigned into five groups (n = 7). Groups 1-2 received normal saline and 35 mg/kg PTZ every other day. Groups 3-4 received 125 mg/kg and 250 mg/kg ASBE orally while group 5 received 5 mg/kg diazepam daily for twenty-six days. Group 3-5 received PTZ every other day, 30 mins after ASBE and diazepam.
RESULTS: The results showed that Pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) induces seizure, reduces mobility time in force swim test and decreases the normal cell number in the brain. It also significantly decreases (p < 0.05) catalase, superoxide dismutase and reduced glutathione activities compared to the ASBE pre-treated rats. Pre-treatment with ASBE reportedly decreases seizure activities significantly (p < 0.05) and increases mobility time in the force swim test. ASBE also significantly elevate (p < 0.05) the normal cell number in the hippocampus, temporal lobe, and dentate gyrus.
CONCLUSION: ASBE reduced seizure activity and prevented depression in PTZ-treated rats. It also prevented neurodegeneration by regulating glutamate and GABA levels in the brain as well as preventing lipid peroxidation.
RESULTS: The moisture, pH and sugar composition of all SBH samples adhered to the Malaysian Kelulut Honey Standard (MS2683:2017) but not to the International Codex Standard (CODEX) for honey. Trehalulose presence in all samples, regardless of geographical area, was predominant alongside fructose and glucose. Only hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content and electrical conductivity (EC) results complied with both standards. The principal component analysis biplot showed that the discrimination of SBH according to the five different areas was not feasible, indicating sample homogeneity.
CONCLUSION: The physicochemical evaluation of SBH from Peninsular Malaysia shows mainly homogeneous attributes of samples across geographical locations. These findings demonstrated that the current MS2683:2017 is relevant and accommodates all SBH of H. itama species produced in Peninsular Malaysia. Furthermore, the trehalulose range calculated in this study can be implemented as a new benchmark for the indicator of SBH honey quality standard by national and international food standard committees. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
METHODS: Both white and dark poly(caprolactone) trifumarate macromers were characterized via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy before being chemically cross-linked and molded into disc-shaped scaffolds. Biodegradability was assessed by percentage weight loss on days 7, 14, 28, 42 and 56 (n = 5) after immersion in 10% serum-supplemented medium or distilled water. Static cell seeding was employed in which isolated and characterized rat bone marrow stromal cells were seeded directly onto the scaffold surface. Seeded scaffolds were subjected to a series of biochemical assays and scanning electron microscopy at specified time intervals for up to 28 days of incubation.
RESULTS: The degradation of the white scaffold was significantly lower compared with the dark scaffold but was within the acceptable time range for bone-healing processes. The deoxyribonucleic acid and collagen contents increased up to day 28 with no significant difference between the two scaffolds, but the glycosaminoglycan content was slightly higher in the white scaffold throughout 14 days of incubation. Scanning electron microscopy at day 1 [corrected] revealed cellular growth and attachment.
CONCLUSIONS: There was no cell growth advantage between the two forms, but the white scaffold had a slower biodegradability rate, suggesting that the newly synthesized poly(caprolactone) trifumarate is more suitable for use as a bone tissue engineering scaffold.
METHODS: This study involved 555 scuba divers in Malaysia, and the questionnaire underwent a thorough development and validation process, including content and face validity assessments, as well as exploratory factor analysis. The validation of the knowledge domain was conducted using Item Response Theory (IRT) analysis, while awareness and practice were validated through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA).
RESULTS: The content validity of the instrument was confirmed, with all items scoring over 80% for Item Content Validity Index (I-CVI), Scale Content Validity Index (S-CVI), and Scale Content Validity Index/Average (S-CVI/AVE). The initial draft comprises three domains: knowledge, awareness, and practice. Knowledge items were analyzed using IRT and demonstrated acceptable difficulty and discrimination levels. For the awareness and practice domains, EFA showed a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure (KMO) of 0.83 and 0.79, respectively, with a significant Bartlett's test of Sphericity (P < 0.001). EFA yielded three factors for both awareness and practice domains with a total of 12 items for awareness and 13 items for practice, with satisfactory factor loadings (≥0.3). The final model of CFA showed good fits for both awareness and practice domains in terms of absolute, parsimonious, and comparative measures. The composite reliability of awareness was acceptable with Raykov's rho of 0.71, whereas the practice domain fell slightly below the acceptable threshold at 0.55. This was attributed to low factor loading and a limited number of items within each factor. The final questionnaire now consists of 20 items for knowledge, 10 items for awareness, and 12 items for the practice domain.
CONCLUSION: The results of this validation and reliability study indicate that the newly developed questionnaire possesses favorable psychometric properties for assessing KAP related to safety and emergency response in the scuba diving context. This research is essential for harmonizing the perspectives of crucial stakeholders within the recreational scuba diving industry.
Methodology: We conducted a comparative case-control study involving 28 T2DM patients with a history of SH within the last 5 years with no documented ACAD, and matched them with 28 T2DM patients with no history of SH. All subjects underwent coronary artery calcium scoring (CACS) with or without coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) to evaluate the severity of ACAD.
Results: A history of SH in T2DM was associated with a higher prevalence of significant ACAD (79% versus 46%, p=0.026). A high CACS (≥100) was seen in a greater number of patients with a history of SH compared to those without (75% versus 43%, p=0.029). Similarly, there was a higher prevalence of obstructive CAD in those with a history of SH compared to those without (72% versus 39%, p=0.036). Median C-reactive protein level was also higher among patients with a history of SH (0.41 mg/dL versus 0.16 mg/dL, p=0.029).
Conclusion: In patients with T2DM, a history of SH is significantly associated with ACAD compared to those without SH. A history of SH warrants screening for ACAD.
METHODS: A systematic search was performed in MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, CINAHL (EBSCOhost), Google Scholar, and ProQuest using search terms such as "marriage" and "polygamy." Studies published from the inception of the respective databases until April 2021 were retrieved to assess their eligibility for inclusion in this study. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist was used for data extraction and the quality assessment of the included studies. The generic inverse variance and odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using RevMan software.
RESULTS: There were 24 studies fulfilling the eligibility criteria, and 23 studies had a low risk of bias. The pooled meta-analysis showed women in polygamous marriages had a 2.25 (95% CI: 1.20, 4.20) higher chance of experiencing depression than in monogamous marriages. Children with polygamous parents had a significantly higher Global Severity Index with a mean difference of 0.21 (95% CI: 0.10, 0.33) than those with monogamous parents.
CONCLUSIONS: The psychological impact of polygamous marriage on women and children was found to be relatively higher than monogamous marriage. Awareness of the proper practices for polygamy should be strengthened so that its adverse effects can be minimized. The agencies involved in polygamous practices should broaden and enhance their understanding of the correct practice of polygamy.
RESULTS: Defatted kenaf seed powder yielded four DF fractions: alkali-soluble hemicellulose (146.4 g kg-1 ), calcium-bound pectin (10.3 g kg-1 ) and acid-soluble pectin (25.4 g kg-1 ) made up the soluble fibre fraction, whereas cellulose (202.2 g kg-1 ) comprised the insoluble fraction. All fractions were evaluated for their physicochemical properties. The DF fractions contained glucose, mannose, xylose and arabinose, and a small amount of uronic acid (1.2-2.7 g kg-1 ). The isolated pectin fractions had a low degree of esterification (14-30%). All the isolated DF fractions had high average molecular weights ranging from 0.3 to 4.3 × 106 g mol-1 . X-ray diffractogram analysis revealed that the fractions consisted mainly of an amorphous structure with a relative crystallinity ranging from 31.6% to 44.1%. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy spectrum of kenaf seed and its DF fractions showed typical absorption of polysaccharides, with the presence of hydroxyl, carboxyl, acetyl and methyl groups. Scanning electron microscopy analysis demonstrated that the raw material with the rigid structure resulted in soluble and insoluble DF fractions with more fragile and fibrous appearances, respectively. The soluble DF demonstrated greater flowability and compressibility than the insoluble fractions.
CONCLUSION: These findings provide novel information on the DF fractions of kenaf seeds, which could be used as a potential new DF for the food industry. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.