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Biochar amendment improves alpine meadows growth and soil health in Tibetan plateau over a three year period

Rafiq MK, Bai Y, Aziz R, Rafiq MT, Mašek O, Bachmann RT, et al.

Sci Total Environ, 2020 May 15;717:135296.
PMID: 31839318 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135296

Previous biochar research has primarily focused on agricultural annual cropping systems with very little attention given to highly fragile, complex and diverse natural alpine grassland ecosystems. The present study investigated the effect of biochar on the growth of alpine meadows and soil health. This study was conducted in the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau over a three year period to investigate the effect of three rice husk biochar application rates alone and combination with high and low NPK fertilizer dosages on alpine meadow productivity, soil microbial diversity as well as pH, carbon and nitrogen content at 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm depth. At the end of the 3rd year soil samples were analysed and assessed by combined analysis of variance. The results showed that biochar application in combination with nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) fertilizer had a significant increase in fresh and dry biomass during the second and third year of the study as compared to control and alone biochar application (p ≤ 0.05). Biochar alone and in combination with NPK fertilizer resulted in a significant increase in the soil pH and carbon contents of the soil. XPS results, the SEM imaging and EDS analysis of aged biochar demonstrated that the biochar has undergone complex changes over the 3 years as compared to fresh biochar. This research suggests that biochar has positive effect on alpine meadow growth and soil health and may be an effective tool for alpine meadow restoration.
Fulltext Malay Validation of Copenhagen Psychosocial Work Environment Questionnaire in Context of Second Generation Statistical Techniques

Isha ASN, Javaid MU, Zaib Abbasi A, Bano S, Zahid M, Memon MA, et al.

Biomed Res Int, 2020;2020:7680960.
PMID: 32090111 DOI: 10.1155/2020/7680960

Psychosocial hazards present in workplaces are being actively investigated by researchers from multiple domains. More research and resources are required to investigate the debilitating consequences of these hazards in the developing and underdeveloped countries where this issue remains one of grave concern. This study aims at investigating the psychometric properties of Malaysian version of Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire for reliability and validity purpose. The Malaysian version of COPSOQ is a multidimensional questionnaire; it comprises of 7 major formative constructs and 28 variables with an additional inclusion of two variables which are organizational loyalty and physiological health biomarkers (blood pressure and body mass index) that explicate a reflective construct which has 93 items all catering to assess psychosocial determinants present in workplace environments. Each formative second-order construct is further categorized into different reflective first-order constructs. The focus of this study was only on first-order reflective constructs. Probability sampling was used for data collection from 300 respondents working in industries with a response rate of 100%; structural equation modeling technique was applied for data analysis. All psychometric analysis performed on reflective constructs gave reliable results which demonstrate the validity of Bahasa Melayu (BM-COPSOQ) and its comprehensiveness of including relevant dimensions particularly in context to Asian region. The BM-COPSOQ will fill up the knowledge gap and provide a bridge between researchers, work professionals and practitioners, and many other workplaces for the best understanding of psychosocial work environment.
Fulltext Characteristics and short-term outcomes of young women with acute myocardial infarction in Malaysia: a retrospective analysis from the Malaysian National Cardiovascular Database registry

Venkatason P, Zubairi YZ, Zaharan NL, Wan Ahmad WA, Hafidz MI, Ismail MD, et al.

BMJ Open, 2019 11 19;9(11):e030159.
PMID: 31748289 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-030159

OBJECTIVE: Young women form a minority but an important group of patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) as it can potentially cause devastating physical and socioeconomic impact. This study was aimed to investigate the characteristics and outcomes of young women with MI in Malaysia.
DESIGN: This is a retrospective analysis of women with ST-elevation MI (STEMI) and non-STEMI (NSTEMI) from 18 hospitals across Malaysia using the Malaysian National Cardiovascular Database registry-acute coronary syndrome (NCVD-ACS).
PARTICIPANTS: Women patients diagnosed with acute MI from year 2006 to 2013 were identified and divided into young (age ≤ 45, n=292) and older women (age >45, n=5580).
PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE: Comparison of demographics, clinical characteristics and in-hospital management was performed between young and older women. In-hospital and 30-day all-cause mortality were examined.
RESULTS: Young women (mean age 39±4.68) made up 5% of women with MI and were predominantly of Malay ethnicities (53.8%). They have a higher tendency to present as STEMI compared with older women. Young women have significantly higher rates of family history of premature coronary artery disease (CAD) (20.5% vs 7.8% p<0.0001). The prevalence of risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidaemia was high in both groups. The primary reperfusion strategy was thrombolysis with no significant differences observed in the choice of intervention for both groups. Other than aspirin, rates of prescriptions for evidence-based medications were similar with >80% prescribed statins and aspirin. The all-cause mortality rates of young women were lower for both in-hospital and 30 days, especially in those with STEMI with adjusted mortality ratio to the older group, was 1:9.84.
CONCLUSION: Young women with MI were over-represented by Malays and those with a family history of premature CAD. Preventive measures are needed to reduce cardiovascular risks in young women. Although in-hospital management was similar, short-term mortality outcomes favoured young compared with older women.
Fulltext Human resource development for future basic occupational health services in Malaysia

Niza Samsuddin, Nor Azlina A Rahman, Ailin Razali, Muhammad Zubir Yusof, Ahmad Fitri Abdullah Hair, Manivasagam, Dayanath, et al.

International Journal of Allied Health Sciences, 2019;3(4):939-943.
MyJurnal

A guideline on Basic Occupational Health Services (BOHS) has been established jointly by ILO/WHO/ICOH in response to poor achievements of the Occupational Health Services (OHS), especially among workers in small and medium enterprises at the global level. Malaysia. The international guideline describes competent and skilled human resources as an essential strategy for BOHS implementation. This commentary will discuss the challenges faced by current occupational health personnel providing OHS in Malaysia and proposes improvements of human resource development for future BOHS in Malaysia to ensure fair and better OHS coverage for Malaysian workers.
Fulltext Knowledge on life-style related Non-Communicable Disease (NCDs) among indigenous people (Orang Asli) in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

Muslimah Ithnin, Mohd Dzulkhairi Mohd Rani, Norsham Juliana Nordin, Mohd Azmani Sahar, Nadia Mohd Effendy, Khadijah Hasanah Abang Abdullah, et al.

Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2019;15(104):52-52.
MyJurnal

Introduction:Orang Asli (OA) in Malaysia is considered vulnerable to social, economic and legal abuse. The in-crease in prevalence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) among OA was reported due to their lifestyle changes. Our study aimed to determine the level of knowledge on NCDs among OA community and its’ association with demographic factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study by face-to-face interview was conducted among consented adult OA in Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan using a validated questionnaire. Their knowledge on risk factors, complica-tions and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases was asked. Respective thresholds and ranges for poor, moderate and good categories were set as 0-15, 15–21 and 21-28. Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis test was used to test the association between the demographic profile and knowledge score since the data was not normally distributed. Results: A total of 325 respondents with mean age 39.94 (±13.196) ranged from 18 to 83-year-old participated in this study. Majority were females (71.1%) with pri-mary education (39.1%) and mean household income of RM 615.47 (± 446.79). Their mean knowledge score was 12.82 (±9.671). Majority of them had poor knowledge (51.7%). The respondents with higher education background had significantly better knowledge score compared to lower education background (p
Fulltext A Review on Graphene-Based Light Emitting Functional Devices

Junaid M, Md Khir MH, Witjaksono G, Ullah Z, Tansu N, Saheed MSM, et al.

Molecules, 2020 Sep 14;25(18).
PMID: 32937975 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25184217

In recent years, the field of nanophotonics has progressively developed. However, constant demand for the development of new light source still exists at the nanometric scale. Light emissions from graphene-based active materials can provide a leading platform for the development of two dimensional (2-D), flexible, thin, and robust light-emitting sources. The exceptional structure of Dirac's electrons in graphene, massless fermions, and the linear dispersion relationship with ultra-wideband plasmon and tunable surface polarities allows numerous applications in optoelectronics and plasmonics. In this article, we present a comprehensive review of recent developments in graphene-based light-emitting devices. Light emissions from graphene-based devices have been evaluated with different aspects, such as thermal emission, electroluminescence, and plasmons assisted emission. Theoretical investigations, along with experimental demonstration in the development of graphene-based light-emitting devices, have also been reviewed and discussed. Moreover, the graphene-based light-emitting devices are also addressed from the perspective of future applications, such as optical modulators, optical interconnects, and optical sensing. Finally, this review provides a comprehensive discussion on current technological issues and challenges related to the potential applications of emerging graphene-based light-emitting devices.
Fulltext Author Correction: A Randomised Controlled Trial on the Effectiveness and Adherence of Modified Alternate-day Calorie Restriction in Improving Activity of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Johari MI, Yusoff K, Haron J, Nadarajan C, Ibrahim KN, Wong MS, et al.

Sci Rep, 2020 Jun 25;10(1):10599.
PMID: 32587371 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67806-9

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Fulltext Metals composition in low cost apartment in Kuala Lumpur

Zitty Sarah Ismail, Nur Farhana Wan Arba’in, Nik Azlin Nik Ariffin, Mazhani Muhammad, Fairus Muhamad Darus, Nurul Nadiah Mohd Firdaus Hum

Science Letters, 2019;13(2):18-24.
MyJurnal

House dust was found to be a great indicator of metal pollutants for indoor air quality. This study aims to assess the level of metals in house dusts and identify the relationship between the composition of metals concentration in low cost apartment, Kuala Lumpur. Eight houses were selected randomly from four levels of low cost apartment buildings. The samples were collected using a brush and plastic pan and then the samples were digested. The compositions of metals were determined using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES) and statistical analysis was used to analyze the data by using Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The results show that the highest concentration of metals obtained was Fe with the mean value of 1483.64 mg/kg followed by Zn with the mean value of 1197.07 mg/kg, while Cd recorded as the lowest mean value of 0.131 mg/kg. The trend distribution of metals in the investigated areas followed the order Fe > Zn > Cu > Pb > Cd. Statistical analysis indicates significant correlation between all the possible pairs of metals.
Fulltext Comparison between two recovery methods: cold water immersion versus progressive muscle relaxation in reducing doms among young athletes

Mohd Hafiz Muhd Ghoth, Nurul Hidayah Amir, Jamilah Ahmad Radzi, Ellail Ain Mohd Aznan, Siti Jameelah Md Japilus, Muhammad Yusri Mohd Ramle

Movement Health & Exercise, 2019;8(2):67-80.
MyJurnal

The aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of cold water immersion (CWI) and progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) on DOMS markers among young athletes. A total of 30 young athletes with mean age of 18.57 ± .504 years old, weight 61.92 ± 7.96 kg and height 170.67 ±7.57 cm volunteered to participate in this study. Participants were required to perform 20 reps x 5 sets drop jump (DJ) to induce muscle damage. They were randomly assigned into three groups: CWI (n = 10), PMR (n = 10) and control group (n = 10). Immediately following damage-inducing exercise protocol, CWI group were required to submerge lower body until iliac crest level in 15°C±1°C of cold water for 16 minutes; whereas control group applied the same position without immersed in cold water for 16 minutes. Perceived muscle soreness, range of motion (ROM) thigh circumference and the 20 meter sprint have been used as DOMS markers in this study. Markers were measured pre-exercise, post-exercise, post-intervention, and after 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours and 96 hours. The results of mixed ANOVA revealed a significant interaction (p < 0.05) in 20-meter sprint between groups and measurements at 24 hours and post-interventions, respectively. Conversely, no significant interactions were found in perceived muscle soreness, ROM and thigh circumference (p > 0.05). In conclusion, a single bout of CWI and PMR are not beneficial to elicit positive effects on DOMS markers used in this study.
Sulfonylhydrazones: Design, synthesis and investigation of ectonucleotidase (ALP & e5'NT) inhibition activities

Younus HA, Hameed A, Mahmood A, Khan MS, Saeed M, Batool F, et al.

Bioorg Chem, 2020 07;100:103827.
PMID: 32402802 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2020.103827

Medicinal importance of the sulfonylhydrazones is well-evident owing to their binding ability with zinc containing metalloenzymes. In the present study, we have synthesized different series of sulfonylhydrazones by using facile synthetic methods in good to excellent yield. All the successfully prepared sulfonylhydrazones were screened for ectonucleotidase (ALP & e5'NT) inhibitory activity. Among the chromen-2-one scaffold based sulfonylhydrazones, the compounds 7 was found to be most potent inhibitor for h-TNAP (human tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase) and h-IAP (human intestinal alkaline phosphatase) with IC50 values of 1.02 ± 0.13 and 0.32 ± 0.0 3 µM respectively, compared with levamisole (IC50 = 25.2 ± 1.90 µM for h-TNAP) and l-phenylalanine (IC50 = 100 ± 3.00 µM for h-IAP) as standards. Further, the chromen-2-one based molecule 5a showed excellent activity against h-ecto 5'-NT (human ecto-5'-nucleotidase) with IC50 value of 0.29 ± 0.004 µM compared to standard, sulfamic acid (IC50 = 42.1 ± 7.8 µM). However, among the series of phenyl ring based sulfonylhydrazones, compound 9d was found to be most potent against h-TNAP and h-IAP with IC50 values of 0.85 ± 0.08 and 0.52 ± 0.03 µM, respectively. Moreover, in silico studies were also carried to demonstrate their putative binding with the target enzymes. The potent compounds 5a, 7, and 9d against different ectonucleotidases (h-ecto 5'-NT, h-TNAP, h-IAP) could potentially serve as lead for the development of new therapeutic agents.
Fulltext Factors affecting compliance rate towards oral nutritional supplements intake among geriatric patients in Hospital Kuala Lumpur

Lo, Adeline Li Ching, Muhammad Rabbani Abdul Malek, Nurshahirah Zulkifli, Siti Nur Fatihah Shaifol Akmar, Suzana Shahar, Chong, Elizabeth Gar Mit, et al.

Jurnal Sains Kesihatan Malaysia, 2019;17(1):115-124.
MyJurnal

Compliance rate towards consumption of oral nutritional supplement (ONS) is low among geriatric patients. Thus, this study aimed to examine factors affecting low compliance of ONS intake among a sample of geriatric patients. A cross-sectional survey was carried out involving 30 geriatric patients being prescribed with ONS during their stay in Hospital Kuala Lumpur. Information on compliance rate and influencing factors were collected through interview and observation. Nutritional status was assessed using anthropometry and Patient Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA). 50.0% subjects were underweight and 70.0% and 30.0% were moderate and severely malnourished, respectively. A total of 43.3% were categorised as low, 53.4% medium and 3.3% high compliance towards consumption of ONS. Most of the subjects with low compliance agreed expressed that they need more nursing support (53.8%). Less than half perceived they had been given the needed nursing support (44.4%), and with respect to ONS: knowledgeable (38.5%), timely given (37.5%), understood the importance (35.7%), were able to finish it (35.0%), well-aware of the reasons of prescription (33.3%), satisfied with its taste (33.3%), received suitable volume (33.3%), satisfied with the texture (31.6%), and received suitable frequency (28.6%). In conclusion, approximately 40% of subjects had low compliance towards ONS. Awareness and nursing support were important factors associated with low compliance. There is a need to ensure adequate nursing support and education been given to patients prescribed with ONS in order to increase the compliance rate.
Fulltext Anticariogenic properties of Solanum Ferox l. Ethanol extract

Siti Zaleha Raduan, Khairah Nasrin Abdul Khalid, Ak Jihek, Mark Fitchell, Ganasan, Sivagami, Umi Syazana Salim, Muhammad Wahizul Haswan Abdul Aziz

Ann Dent, 2019;26(1):22-29.
MyJurnal

Solanum ferox L. is a plant species which belongs to the Solanaceae family and the genus Solanum. The Solanum genus was found to exhibit anticariogenic activity and was traditionally used to treat oral diseases. However, there is no scientific study done specifically for Solanum ferox L. Hence the aim of the study is to determine the anticariogenic properties of flesh and leaf of ethanolic extract of Solanum ferox L. Alkaloids, flavonoids and tannins were detected in the leaf ethanolic extract via preliminary phytochemical screening. The presence of these phytochemicals may contribute to the anticariogenic activity. Treatment with different concentrations of flesh and leaf of ethanolic extract were used against Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus via the method of agar well diffusion to indicate zones of inhibition. The antibiofilm activity of the flesh and leaf ethanolic extracts was tested. The flesh and leaf ethanolic extracts possess antimicrobial activity dose-dependently and positive antibiofilm activity against respective pathogens. The flesh ethanolic extract has stronger anticariogenic activity compared to leaf ethanolic extract against respective pathogens. Streptococcus pyogenes exhibited higher susceptibility as compared to Staphylococcus aureus. In conclusion, it has been shown that the ethanolic extract of Solanum ferox L. exhibit anticariogenic properties against Streptococus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus.
Fulltext Exploring potential neuroprotective properties of Aqueous Centella Asiatica extract in chronic stress-induced rats

Muhamad Zulhusni Abdul Wahab, Muhammad Zaim Zainal Abidin, Fatin Nadzirah Zakaria, Mohamad Aris Mohd Moklas, Zulkhairi Amom, Nina Keterina Hashim, et al.

Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology, 2019;27(4):1561-1574.
MyJurnal

Centella asiatica is one of the traditional herbs consumed by many communities due to its wide range of applications such as treating Parkinsonism, promoting memory enhancement, and preventing oxidative stress. This study was conducted to investigate the neuroprotective potential of aqueous C. asiatica extract (CAE) against neurodegeneration induced by chronic stress. Administration of CAE at three different dosages (200 mg/kg/day, 400 mg/ kg/day and 800 mg/kg/day) was conducted for a period of 21 days along with exposure to chronic stress using restrainer and forced swimming regimes. The administration of CAE significantly improved the thickness of dentate gyrus and reduced the amount of neuronal cell death at dentate gyrus and CA3 (p
Valorization of underutilized waste biomass from invasive species to produce biochar for energy and other value-added applications

Ahmed A, Abu Bakar MS, Hamdani R, Park YK, Lam SS, Sukri RS, et al.

Environ Res, 2020 07;186:109596.
PMID: 32361527 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109596

Biochar production from invasive species biomass discarded as waste was studied in a fixed bed reactor pyrolysis system under different temperature conditions for value-added applications. Prior to pyrolysis, the biomass feedstock was characterized by proximate, ultimate, and heating value analyses, while the biomass decomposition behavior was examined by thermogravimetric analysis. The heating values of the feedstock biomass ranged from 18.65 to 20.65 MJ/kg, whereas the volatile matter, fixed carbon, and ash content were 61.54-72.04 wt %, 19.27-26.61 wt % and 1.51-1.86 wt %, respectively. The elemental composition of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in the samples was reported to be in the range of 47.41-48.47 wt %, 5.50-5.88 wt % and 46.10-45.18 wt %, respectively, while the nitrogen and sulphur content in the biomass samples were at very low concentrations, making it more useful for valorization from environmental aspects. The biochar yields were reported in the range of 45.36-58.35 wt %, 28.63-44.38 wt % and 22.68-29.42 wt % at a pyrolysis temperature of 400 °C, 500 °C, and 600 °C, respectively. The biochars were characterized from ultimate analysis, heating value, energy densification ratio, energy yield, pH, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM and EDX), to evaluate their potential for value-added applications. The carbon content, heating value, energy densification ratio, and the porosity of the biochars improved with the increase in pyrolysis temperature, while the energy yield, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen content of the biochars decreased. This study revealed the potential of the valorization of underutilized discarded biomass of invasive species via a pyrolysis process to produce biochar for value-added applications.
Cross-culture adaptation and validation of English version of Rheumatoid Arthritis Knowledge Assessment Scale (RAKAS) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Naqvi AA, Hassali MA, Iffat W, Shakeel S, Zia M, Fatima M, et al.

Int J Rheum Dis, 2020 Jul;23(7):918-927.
PMID: 32525287 DOI: 10.1111/1756-185X.13860

AIM: To carry out cross-culture adaptation and validation of the English version of Rheumatoid Arthritis Knowledge Assessment Scale (RAKAS) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted for 2 months in 2 tertiary care hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan. Sample size was calculated based on item-subject ratio. The translation was carried out using standard procedures for translation and cross-culture adaptation. The validation process included estimation of discrimination power, item difficulty index, factorial, convergent, construct and known group validities and reliability. Reliability of the scale was estimated using Kuder-Richardson Formula 20 and a value of σ2 ≥ 0.6 was acceptable. SPSS v23, Remark Classic OMR v6 software and MedCalc Statistical Software v16.4.3, were used to analyze the data. The study was approved by the relevant ethics committee (IRB#NOV:15).
RESULTS: The mean score was 7.68 ± 2.52 (95% CI: 7.31-8.05) for 177 patients. The σ2 = 0.601, that is, >0.6, test-retest reliability ρ = .753, P
Fulltext Effect of Hydrophilic Polymers on Complexation Efficiency of Cyclodextrins in Enhancing Solubility and Release of Diflunisal

Bashir M, Syed HK, Asghar S, Irfan M, Almalki WH, Menshawi SA, et al.

Polymers (Basel), 2020 Jul 15;12(7).
PMID: 32679660 DOI: 10.3390/polym12071564

The effects of three hydrophilic polymers, namely, carboxymethyl cellulose sodium (CMC-Na), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and poloxamer-188 (PXM-188) on the solubility and dissolution of diflunisal (DIF) in complexation with β-cyclodextrin (βCD) or hydroxypropyl β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD), were investigated. The kneading method was used at different drug to cyclodextrin weight ratios. Increases in solubility and drug release were observed with the DIF/βCD and DIF/HPβCD complexes. The addition of hydrophilic polymers at 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0% w/w markedly improved the complexation and solubilizing efficiency of βCD and HPβCD. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) showed that DIF was successfully included into the cyclodextrin cavity. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD) confirmed stronger drug amorphization and entrapment in the molecular cage of cyclodextrins. The addition of PVA, CMC-Na or PXM-188 reduced further the intensity of the DIF endothermic peak. Most of the sharp and intense peaks of DIF disappeared with the addition of hydrophilic polymers. In conclusion, PXM-188 at a weight ratio of 10.0% w/w was the best candidate in enhancing the solubility, stability and release of DIF.
Fulltext Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation among Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia athletes

Mohamad Firdaus Ahmad, Siti Aida Lamat, Sharifah Maimunah, Muhammad Wafi A. Rahman, Nur Dalilah Dahlan, Wahidah Tumijan, et al.

Jurnal Sains Sukan & Pendidikan Jasmani, 2020;9(1):33-41.
MyJurnal

Motivation is an internal force or desire that drives an individual to meet personal and organizational goals. Motivation consists of two categories, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Generally, motivation is an important psychological factor that is often associated with athletes’ sports involvement. The purpose of this study was to identify the different types of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT) from a gender perspective. The study sample consisted of 63 Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) athletes (n = 63; male = 30, female = 33) who participated in the MASUM Sports Carnival. The instrument used to measure athlete’s motivation is the Sport Motivation Scale (SMS-28) questionnaire, which includes intrinsic motivation subscales (to know, to accomplish, to experience stimulation), extrinsic (external regulation, introjected regulation, identify regulation) and amotivation (demotivation). The results showed that UKM athletes were more intrinsically motivated (M = 4.43 ± 0.38) than extrinsically motivated (M = 4.19 ± 0.44). However, there were no significant differences in the dimensions of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation between gender (p> .05). Overall, this study shows that intrinsic motivation is the key factor of UKM athletes sports involvement
Fulltext Validation of the General Medication Adherence Scale in Pakistani Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Naqvi AA, Hassali MA, Rizvi M, Zehra A, Nisa ZU, Islam MA, et al.

Front Pharmacol, 2020;11:1039.
PMID: 32765264 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.01039

Objective: The aim was to validate the Urdu version of General Medication Adherence Scale (GMAS) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis disease.
Methods: A 2-month (March-April 2019) cross-sectional study was conducted in randomly selected out-patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The sample size was calculated using item-subject ratio of 1:20. The scale was evaluated for factorial, concrete, concurrent, and known group validities. Concrete validity was established by correlating scores of EQ-5D quality of life scale and GMAS adherence score. Concurrent validity was established by correlating the GMAS adherence score with pill count. Analyses for sensitivity were also conducted. Cut-off value was determined through receiver operator curve (ROC), and test-retest method was used to analyze internal consistency and reliability. Data were analyzed through IBM SPSS, IBM AMOS, and MedCalc software. The Urdu version of EQ-5D quality of life questionnaire was used with permission from developers (#ID20884). The study was approved by an ethics committee (#NOV:15).
Results: A total of 351 responses were analyzed. The response rate was 98%. Reliability was in acceptable range, i.e., Cronbach α = 0.797. Factorial validity was established by calculation of satisfactory fit indices. Correlation coefficients for concrete and concurrent validities were ρ = 0.687, p < 0.01 and ρ = 0.779, p < 0.01, respectively. Known group validity was established as significant association of adherence score with insurance and illness duration (p < 0.05) that were reported. Sensitivity of the scale was 94%. Most patients had high adherence (N = 159, 45.3%).
Conclusion: The Urdu version of GMAS demonstrated adequate internal consistency and was validated. These results indicate that it is an appropriate tool to measure medication adherence in Pakistani patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Fulltext Selective Arylation of 2-Bromo-4-chlorophenyl-2-bromobutanoate via a Pd-Catalyzed Suzuki Cross-Coupling Reaction and Its Electronic and Non-Linear Optical (NLO) Properties via DFT Studies

Nazeer U, Rasool N, Mujahid A, Mansha A, Zubair M, Kosar N, et al.

Molecules, 2020 Jul 31;25(15).
PMID: 32752125 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25153521

In the present study, 2-bromo-4-chlorophenyl-2-bromobutanoate (3) was synthesized via the reaction of 2-bromo-4-chlorophenol with 2-bromobutanoyl bromide in the presence of pyridine. A variety of 2-bromo-4-chlorophenyl-2-bromobutanoate derivatives (5a-f) were synthesized with moderate to good yields via a Pd-catalyzed Suzuki cross-coupling reaction. To find out the reactivity and electronic properties of the compounds, Frontier molecular orbital analysis, non-linear optical properties, and molecular electrostatic potential studies were performed.
Fulltext Anti-proliferative property of porcupine bezoar extract on melanoma (A375)

Al’aina Yuhainis Firus Khan, Faizah Abdullah Asuhaimi, Tara Jalal, Hatim Abdullah Natto, Opeyemi Roheem, Fatimah, Qamar Uddin Ahmed, et al.

International Journal of Allied Health Sciences, 2017;1(2):1-13.
MyJurnal

Porcupine bezoar (PB) has been previously reported to possess various medicinal properties. However, its potential as an anticancer agent against human cancers is still poorly studied and understood. Hence, in this study, porcupine bezoar (PB) aqueous extract was evaluated for its potential as a safe anticancer agent. Initially PB was infused in water for 18 h to get PB aqueous extract which was preliminary tested for total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), DPPH activity in order to confirm the presence of bioactive agents as antioxidants in PB. Later, PB aqueous extract was subjected to A375 (Melanoma) (IC50, cell proliferation assay) and HGF-1
(normal cell, for cytotoxicity assay) to evaluate its anticancer potential. PB aqueous extract showed 11.68 μg/mL ± 0.67 TPC value expressed as gallic acid equivalents while TFC was not detected confirming the absence of flavonoids in PB aqueous extract. IC50 for DPPH was found to be 0.79 μg/mL ± 0.07. The IC50 result for A375 was found to be 10.1 µg/mL ± 0.17. PB aqueous extract showed significant antiproliferation pattern at 24, 48 and 72 hours exposures. The data from this study suggest the potential alternative use of PB in developing natural antioxidants and antiproliferative agents for improving human health.

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