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Explorations of CRISPR/Cas9 for improving the long-term efficacy of universal CAR-T cells in tumor immunotherapy

Naeem M, Hazafa A, Bano N, Ali R, Farooq M, Razak SIA, et al.

Life Sci, 2023 Mar 01;316:121409.
PMID: 36681183 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.121409

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T therapy has shown remarkable success in discovering novel CAR-T cell products for treating malignancies. Despite of successful results from clinical trials, CAR-T cell therapy is ineffective for long-term disease progression. Numerous challenges of CAR-T cell immunotherapy such as cell dysfunction, cytokine-related toxicities, TGF-β resistance, GvHD risks, antigen escape, restricted trafficking, and tumor cell infiltration still exist that hamper the safety and efficacy of CAR-T cells for malignancies. The accumulated data revealed that these challenges could be overcome with the advanced CRISPR genome editing technology, which is the most promising tool to knockout TRAC and HLA genes, inhibiting the effects of dominant negative receptors (PD-1, TGF-β, and B2M), lowering the risks of cytokine release syndrome (CRS), and regulating CAR-T cell function in the tumor microenvironment (TME). CRISPR technology employs DSB-free genome editing methods that robustly allow efficient and controllable genetic modification. The present review explored the innovative aspects of CRISPR/Cas9 technology for developing next-generation/universal allogeneic CAR-T cells. The present manuscript addressed the ongoing status of clinical trials of CRISPR/Cas9-engineered CAR-T cells against cancer and pointed out the off-target effects associated with CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing. It is concluded that CAR-T cells modified by CRISPR/Cas9 significantly improved antitumor efficacy in a cost-effective manner that provides opportunities for novel cancer immunotherapies.
The framework of Systematic Assessment for Resilience (SAR): development and validation

Wadi MM, Yusoff MSB, Taha MH, Shorbagi S, Nik Lah NAZ, Abdul Rahim AF

BMC Med Educ, 2023 Apr 05;23(1):213.
PMID: 37016407 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-023-04177-5

BACKGROUND: Burnout and depression among health professions education (HPE) students continue to rise, leading to unwanted effects that ultimately jeopardise optimal medical care and patient health. Promoting the resilience of medical students is one solution to this issue. Several interventions have been implemented to foster resilience, but they focus on aspects other than the primary cause: the assessment system. The purpose of this study is to develop a framework to promote resilience in assessment planning and practice.
METHODS: We followed the guidelines suggested by Whetten for constructing a theoretical model for framework development. There were four phases in the model development. In the first phase, different literature review methods were used, and additional students' perspectives were collected through focus group discussions. Then, using the data, we constructed the theoretical model in the second phase. In the third phase, we validated the newly developed model and its related guidelines. Finally, we performed response process validation of the model with a group of medical teachers.
RESULTS: The developed systematic assessment resilience framework (SAR) promotes four constructs: self-control, management, engagement, and growth, through five phases of assessment: assessment experience, assessment direction, assessment preparation, examiner focus, and student reflection. Each phase contains a number of practical guidelines to promote resilience. We rigorously triangulated each approach with its theoretical foundations and evaluated it on the basis of its content and process. The model showed high levels of content and face validity.
CONCLUSIONS: The SAR model offers a novel guideline for fostering resilience through assessment planning and practice. It includes a number of attainable and practical guidelines for enhancing resilience. In addition, it opens a new horizon for HPE students' future use of this framework in the new normal condition (post COVID 19).
Fulltext A Review of Classification Techniques of EMG Signals during Isotonic and Isometric Contractions

Nazmi N, Abdul Rahman MA, Yamamoto S, Ahmad SA, Zamzuri H, Mazlan SA

Sensors (Basel), 2016 Aug 17;16(8).
PMID: 27548165 DOI: 10.3390/s16081304

In recent years, there has been major interest in the exposure to physical therapy during rehabilitation. Several publications have demonstrated its usefulness in clinical/medical and human machine interface (HMI) applications. An automated system will guide the user to perform the training during rehabilitation independently. Advances in engineering have extended electromyography (EMG) beyond the traditional diagnostic applications to also include applications in diverse areas such as movement analysis. This paper gives an overview of the numerous methods available to recognize motion patterns of EMG signals for both isotonic and isometric contractions. Various signal analysis methods are compared by illustrating their applicability in real-time settings. This paper will be of interest to researchers who would like to select the most appropriate methodology in classifying motion patterns, especially during different types of contractions. For feature extraction, the probability density function (PDF) of EMG signals will be the main interest of this study. Following that, a brief explanation of the different methods for pre-processing, feature extraction and classifying EMG signals will be compared in terms of their performance. The crux of this paper is to review the most recent developments and research studies related to the issues mentioned above.
Fulltext Factors affecting test anxiety: a qualitative analysis of medical students' views

Wadi M, Yusoff MSB, Abdul Rahim AF, Lah NAZN

BMC Psychol, 2022 Jan 06;10(1):8.
PMID: 34991718 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-021-00715-2

BACKGROUND: Medical students are vulnerable to test anxiety (TA), which impacts their professional lives and jeopardizes the optimal health care of their patients. The qualitative exploration of TA among medical students is crucial to understanding the problem. Hence, this study examined medical students' insights into TA and their suggestions on how to reduce it.
METHODS: We conducted a phenomenological study on medical students at a public university. We utilized focus group discussions (FGDs) to investigate their experiences of TA. The FGDs were transcribed verbatim, and these transcripts were analyzed using Atlas.ti software. The thematic analysis followed the recommended guidelines.
RESULTS: Seven FGD sessions were conducted with 45 students. Three major themes emerged: the students, their academic resources, and the examiner. Each theme comprised mutually exclusive subthemes. The "students" theme was divided into negative vs. positive thoughts and self-negligence vs. self-care, "academic recources" into heavy curriculum vs. facilitative curricular aids, and "examiner" into criticism vs. feedback and strict vs. kind approaches.
CONCLUSION: This study provides a solid foundation for policymakers and decision makers in medical education to improve current assessment practices and student well-being. Medical students will be able to significantly alter and reduce TA if they are provided with additional psychological support and their examiners are trained on how to deal with examinees.
Fulltext Antibacterial and Hemocompatible pH-Responsive Hydrogel for Skin Wound Healing Application: In Vitro Drug Release

Khan MUA, Razaq SIA, Mehboob H, Rehman S, Al-Arjan WS, Amin R

Polymers (Basel), 2021 Oct 27;13(21).
PMID: 34771258 DOI: 10.3390/polym13213703

The treatment of successive skin wounds necessitates meticulous medical procedures. In the care and treatment of skin wounds, hydrogels produced from natural polymers with controlled drug release play a crucial role. Arabinoxylan is a well-known and widely available biological macromolecule. We produced various formulations of blended composite hydrogels (BCHs) from arabinoxylan (ARX), carrageenan (CG), and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) using and cross-linked them with an optimal amount of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS). The structural, morphological, and mechanical behavior of the BCHs samples were determined using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), mechanical testing, and wetting, respectively. The swelling and degradation assays were performed in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution and aqueous media. Maximum swelling was observed at pH 7 and the least swelling in basic pH regions. All composite hydrogels were found to be hemocompatible. In vitro, silver sulfadiazine release profile in PBS solution was analyzed via the Franz diffusion method, and maximum drug release (87.9%) was observed in 48 h. The drug release kinetics was studied against different mathematical models (zero-order, first-order, Higuchi, Hixson-Crowell, Korsmeyer-Peppas, and Baker-Lonsdale models) and compared their regression coefficient (R2) values. It was observed that drug release follows the Baker-Lonsdale model, as it has the highest value (0.989) of R2. Hence, the obtained results indicated that, due to optimized swelling, wetting, and degradation, the blended composite hydrogel BCH-3 could be an essential wound dressing biomaterial for sustained drug release for skin wound care and treatment.
Fulltext Medical Education e-Professionalism (MEeP) framework; from conception to development

Guraya SS, Guraya SY, Harkin DW, Ryan Á, Mat Nor MZB, Yusoff MSB

Med Educ Online, 2021 Dec;26(1):1983926.
PMID: 34775927 DOI: 10.1080/10872981.2021.1983926

BACKGROUND: Medical professionalism education intends to produce virtuous and humanistic healthcare professionals who demonstrate perseverance and professional integrity. However, today's medicine has embodied a mammoth transformation of medical practice towards sns and the digital realm. Such paradigm shift has challenged the medical professional's values, behaviors, and identities, and the distinct boundaries between personal and professional lives are blurred. This study aims to develop a framework for healthcare professionals coping with the challenges of medical professionalism in the digital realm.
METHODS: We followed a systematic approach for the development of a framework about e-professionalism. Qualitative data was collected from a systematic review and a delphi study, while quantitative data was collected by administering a validated questionnaire social networking sites for medical education (snsme). Subsequently, categorization of the selected data and identifying concepts, deconstruction and further categorizing concepts (philosophical triangulation), integration of concepts (theoretical triangulation), and synthesis and resynthesis of concepts were performed.
RESULTS: The initial process yielded six overlapping concepts from personal, professional, character (implicit) and characteristic (explicit) domains: environment, behavior, competence, virtues, identity, and mission. Further integration of data was done for the development of the medical education e-professionalism (meep) framework with a central concept of a commitment to mission. The mission showed deep connections with values (conformity, beneficence, universalism, and integrity), behaviours (communication, self-awareness, tolerance, power), and identity (reflection, conscientiousness, self-directed, self-actualization). The data demonstrated that all medical professionals require updated expertise in sns participation.
CONCLUSION: The meep framework recognises a mission-based social contract by the medical community. This mission is largely driven by professional values, behaviors and identity. Adherence to digital standards, accountability, empathy, sensitivity, and commitment to society are essential elements of the meep framework.
Fulltext Development of Biodegradable Bio-Based Composite for Bone Tissue Engineering: Synthesis, Characterization and In Vitro Biocompatible Evaluation

Khan MUA, Razak SIA, Ansari MNM, Zulkifli RM, Ahmad Zawawi N, Arshad M

Polymers (Basel), 2021 Oct 20;13(21).
PMID: 34771168 DOI: 10.3390/polym13213611

Several significant advancements in the field of bone regenerative medicine have been made in recent years. However, therapeutic options, such as bone grafts, have several drawbacks. There is a need to develop an adequate bone substitute. As a result, significant bone defects/injuries pose a severe challenge for orthopaedic and reconstructive bone tissue. We synthesized polymeric composite material from arabinoxylan (ARX), β-glucan (BG), nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAp), graphene oxide (GO), acrylic acid (AAc) through free radical polymerization and porous scaffold fabricated using the freeze-drying technique. These fabricated porous scaffolds were then coated with chitosan solution to enhance their biological activities. The complex structure of BG, nHAp, GO was studied through various characterization and biological assays. The structural, morphological, wetting and mechanical analyses were determined using FT-IR, XRD, XPS, SEM/EXD, water contact angle and UTM. The swelling (aqueous and PBS media) and degradation (PBS media) observed their behavior in contact with body fluid. The biological activities were conducted against mouse pre-osteoblast cell lines. The result found that BGH3 has desirable morphological, structural with optimum swelling, degradation, and mechanical behavior. It was also found to be cytocompatible against MC3T3-E1 cell lines. The obtained results confirmed that the fabricated polymeric scaffolds would be a potential bone substitute to regenerate defective bone with different loading bearing applications for bone tissue engineering.
Proteomic characterization of Pseudogymnoascus spp. isolates from polar and temperate regions

Abu Bakar N, Chung BLY, Smykla J, Karsani SA, Alias SA

Mycologia, 2024;116(3):449-463.
PMID: 38484286 DOI: 10.1080/00275514.2024.2313429

Proteomics has been used extensively in the field of mycology, mainly in trying to understand the complex network of protein-protein interactions that has been implicated in the molecular functions of fungi. It is also a useful tool to compare metabolic differences within a genus. Species of Pseudogymnoascus, a genus under the phyla Ascomycota, have been shown to play an important role in the soil environment. They have been found in both polar and temperate regions and are a known producer of many extracellular hydrolases that contribute to soil decomposition. Despite the apparent importance of Pseudogymnoascus spp. in the soil ecosystem, investigations into their molecular functions are still very limited. In the present study, proteomic characterization of six Pseudogymnoascus spp. isolated from three biogeographic regions (the Arctic, Antarctic, and temperate regions) was carried out using tandem mass spectrometry. Prior to proteomic analysis, the optimization for protein extraction was carried out. Trichloroacetic acid‑acetone‑phenol was found to be the best extraction method to be used for proteomic profiling of Pseudogymnoascus spp. The proteomic analysis identified 2003 proteins that were successfully mapped to the UniProtKB database. The identified proteins were clustered according to their biological processes and molecular functions. The shared proteins found in all Pseudogymnoascus spp. (1201 proteins) showed a significantly close relationship in their basic cellular functions, despite differences in morphological structures. Analysis of Pseudogymnoascus spp. proteome also identified proteins that were unique to each region. However, a high number of these proteins belonged to protein families of similar molecular functions, namely, transferases and hydrolases. Our proteomic data can be used as a reference for Pseudogymnoascus spp. across different global regions and a foundation for future soil ecosystem function research.
dCas9 Tells Tales: Probing Gene Function and Transcription Regulation in Cancer

Mohamad Zamberi NN, Abuhamad AY, Low TY, Mohtar MA, Syafruddin SE

CRISPR J, 2024 Apr;7(2):73-87.
PMID: 38635328 DOI: 10.1089/crispr.2023.0078

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-based genome editing is evolving into an essential tool in the field of biological and medical research. Notably, the development of catalytically deactivated Cas9 (dCas9) enzyme has substantially broadened its traditional boundaries in gene editing or perturbation. The conjugation of dCas9 with various molecular effectors allows precise control over transcriptional processes, epigenetic modifications, visualization of chromosomal dynamics, and several other applications. This expanded repertoire of CRISPR-Cas9 applications has emerged as an invaluable molecular tool kit that empowers researchers to comprehensively interrogate and gain insights into health and diseases. This review delves into the advancements in Cas9 protein engineering, specifically on the generation of various dCas9 tools that have significantly enhanced the CRISPR-based technology capability and versatility. We subsequently discuss the multifaceted applications of dCas9, especially in interrogating the regulation and function of genes that involve in supporting cancer pathogenesis. In addition, we also delineate the designing and utilization of dCas9-based tools as well as highlighting its current constraints and transformative potentials in cancer research.
Fulltext A Non-Convex Economic Dispatch Problem with Point-Valve Effect Using a Wind-Driven Optimisation Approach

Ramli NF, Kamari NAM, Abd Halim S, Zulkifley MA, Sahri MSM, Musirin I

J Electr Eng Technol, 2022;17(1):85-95.
PMID: 38624623 DOI: 10.1007/s42835-021-00859-6

This study presents the efficiency of the wind-driven optimisation (WDO) approach in solving non-convex economic dispatch problems with point-valve effect. The best economic dispatch for a power system is one wherein the system can generate energy at a low cost. The calculation of the generating cost is subject to a number of constraints, such as the power demand for the entire system and the generation limit for each generator unit in the system. In addition, the system should also produce low power loss. The WDO optimisation technique is developed based on the concept of natural wind movement, which serves as a stabiliser to equalise the inequality of air pressure in the atmosphere. One major advantage of WDO over other techniques is its search accuracy. The proposed algorithm has been implemented in two systems, namely, the 10-generator and 40-generator systems. Both systems were tested in a Matlab environment. To highlight the capabilities of WDO, the results using this proposed technique are compared with the results obtained using flower pollination algorithm, moth flame optimisation, particle swarm optimisation and evolutionary programming techniques to determine the efficiency of the proposed approach in solving economic dispatch. The simulation results show the capability of WDO in determining the optimal power generation value with minimum generation cost and low rate of power loss.
The impact of the Systematic Assessment for Resilience (SAR) framework on students' resilience, anxiety, depression, burnout, and academic-related stress: a quasi-experimental study

Wadi M, Shorbagi A, Shorbagi S, Taha MH, Bahri Yusoff MS

BMC Med Educ, 2024 May 07;24(1):506.
PMID: 38715022 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-024-05444-9

BACKGROUND: Medical students face significant psychological stress, impacting their academic performance and well-being. The Systematic Assessment for Resilience (SAR) framework is designed to enhance resilience and mitigate stress among medical students, addressing the need for interventions within the assessment system in medical education. The aim of this study was to evaluate the implementation of SAR framework on medical students' resilience, anxiety, depression, burnout, and academic stress.
METHODS: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-testing. It involved the training of course coordinators in implementing the SAR framework and its integration into the daily learning activities. Fourth-year medical students were assessed before and after the intervention using standardized measures of resilience, anxiety, depression, burnout, and academic stress. Data were analyzed using quantitative methods and thematic analysis for qualitative feedback.
RESULTS: Post-intervention, students demonstrated a significant increase in resilience scores (p 0.05). Qualitative feedback of the course coordinators highlighted an improved learning environment, increased coping strategies, and a more supportive academic culture.
CONCLUSION: The SAR framework significantly contributes to enhancing medical students' resilience and reducing psychological distress. Its implementation suggests a promising approach to fostering a supportive educational environment that not only addresses the psychological challenges faced by medical students but also enhances their academic performance and overall well-being. Further research is warranted to explore the long-term impacts of SAR across different medical education contexts.
Computer-aided anti-cancer drug discovery of EGFR protein based on virtual screening of drug bank, ADMET, docking, DFT and molecular dynamic simulation studies

Roney M, Dubey A, Hassan Nasir M, Tufail A, Tajuddin SN, Mohd Aluwi MFF, et al.

J Biomol Struct Dyn, 2023 Sep 07.
PMID: 37676262 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2252092

Numerous malignancies, including breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and chronic myeloid leukemia, are brought on by aberrant tyrosine kinase signaling. Since the current chemotherapeutic medicines are toxic, there is a great need and demand from cancer patients to find novel chemicals that are toxic-free or have low toxicity and that can kill tumor cells and stop their growth. This work describes the in-silico examination of substances from the drug bank as EGFR inhibitors. Firstly, drug-bank was screened using the pharmacophore technique to select the ligands and Erlotinib (DB00530) was used as matrix compound. The selected ligands were screened using ADMET and the hit compounds were subjected to docking. The lead compound from the docking was subjected to DFT and MD simulation study. Using the pharmacophore technique, 23 compounds were found through virtual drug bank screening. One hit molecule from the ADMET prediction was the subject of docking study. According to the findings, DB03365 molecule fits to the EGFR active site by several hydrogen bonding interactions with amino acids. Furthermore, DFT analysis revealed high reactivity for DB03365 compound in the binding pocket of the target protein, based on ELUMO, EHOMO and band energy gap. Furthermore, MD simulations for 100 ns revealed that the ligand interactions with the residues of EGFR protein were part of the essential residues for structural stability and functionality. However, DB03365 was a promising lead molecule that outperformed the reference compound in terms of performance and in-vitro and in-vivo experiments needs to validate the study.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
Changes in the Proteome Profile of A549 Cells Following Helichrysetin-Induced Apoptosis Suggest the Involvement of DNA Damage Response and Cell Cycle Arrest-Associated Proteins

Ho YF, Yajit NLM, Shiau JY, Malek SNA, Shyur LF, Karsani SA

Appl Biochem Biotechnol, 2023 Nov;195(11):6867-6880.
PMID: 36947367 DOI: 10.1007/s12010-023-04384-2

Our previous findings demonstrated that Helichrysetin possessed promising anti-cancer activity. It was able to induce apoptosis in the A549 cell line. However, its mechanism of action is unknown. The present study aimed to unravel possible underlying molecular mechanisms of helichrysetin-induced apoptosis in A549 (human lung carcinoma) cells using comparative quantitative proteomics (iTRAQ labeled), followed by an exhaustive bioinformatics analysis. Our results suggested that DNA damage response (DDR) and cell cycle arrest were responsible for lung cancer cell death with helichrysetin treatment. Among proteins that changed in abundance were Nrf2 and HMOX1. They are oxidative stress-related proteins and were increased in abundance. BRAT1 was also increased in abundance, suggesting an increase in DNA damage repair, indicating the occurrence of DNA damage due to oxidative stress. However, several essential DDR downstream proteins such as p-ATM, BRCA1, FANCD2, and Rb1 that would further increase DNA damage were found to be dramatically decreased in relative abundance. Cell cycle-related proteins, p53, p21, and cyclin D1, were increased while cyclin A, cyclin E, and cdk2 were decreased. This is predicted to facilitate S-phase arrest. Furthermore, excessive DNA damage and prolonged arrest would in turn result in the induction of mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis. Based on these observations, we postulate that the effects of helichrysetin were in part via the suppression of DNA damage response which led to DNA damage and prolonged cell cycle arrest. Subsequently, this event initiated mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis in A549 lung cancer cells.
Cancer Cell-Derived PDGFB Stimulates mTORC1 Activation in Renal Carcinoma

Abuhamad AY, Mohamad Zamberi NN, Vanharanta S, Mohd Yusuf SNH, Mohtar MA, Syafruddin SE

Int J Mol Sci, 2023 Mar 29;24(7).
PMID: 37047421 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076447

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a hypervascular tumor that is characterized by bi-allelic inactivation of the VHL tumor suppressor gene and mTOR signalling pathway hyperactivation. The pro-angiogenic factor PDGFB, a transcriptional target of super enhancer-driven KLF6, can activate the mTORC1 signalling pathway in ccRCC. However, the detailed mechanisms of PDGFB-mediated mTORC1 activation in ccRCC have remained elusive. Here, we investigated whether ccRCC cells are able to secrete PDGFB into the extracellular milieu and stimulate mTORC1 signalling activity. We found that ccRCC cells secreted PDGFB extracellularly, and by utilizing KLF6- and PDGFB-engineered ccRCC cells, we showed that the level of PDGFB secretion was positively correlated with the expression of intracellular KLF6 and PDGFB. Moreover, the reintroduction of either KLF6 or PDGFB was able to sustain mTORC1 signalling activity in KLF6-targeted ccRCC cells. We further demonstrated that conditioned media of PDGFB-overexpressing ccRCC cells was able to re-activate mTORC1 activity in KLF6-targeted cells. In conclusion, cancer cell-derived PDGFB can mediate mTORC1 signalling pathway activation in ccRCC, further consolidating the link between the KLF6-PDGFB axis and the mTORC1 signalling pathway activity in ccRCC.
Fulltext Creating an engaging and stimulating anatomy lecture environment using the Cognitive Load Theory-based Lecture Model: Students' experiences

Hadie SNH, Abdul Manan Sulong H, Hassan A, Mohd Ismail ZI, Talip S, Abdul Rahim AF

J Taibah Univ Med Sci, 2018 Apr;13(2):162-172.
PMID: 31435319 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtumed.2017.11.001

OBJECTIVE: There is a need to create a standard interactive anatomy lecture that can engage students in their learning process. This study investigated the impact of a new lecturing guideline, the Cognitive Load Theory-based Lecture Model (CLT-bLM), on students' cognitive engagement and motivation.
METHODS: A randomised controlled trial involving 197 participants from three institutions was conducted. The control group attended a freestyle lecture on the gross anatomy of the heart, delivered by a qualified anatomist from each institution. The intervention group attended a CLT-bLM-based lecture on a similar topic, delivered by the same lecturer, three weeks thereafter. The lecturers had attended a CLT-bLM workshop that allowed them to prepare for the CLT-bLM-based lecture over the course of three weeks. The students' ratings on their cognitive engagement and internal motivation were evaluated immediately after the lecture using a validated Learners' Engagement and Motivation Questionnaire. The differences between variables were analysed and the results were triangulated with the focus group discussion findings that explored students' experience while attending the lecture.
RESULTS: The intervention group has a significantly higher level of cognitive engagement than the control group; however, no significant difference in internal motivation score was found. In addition, the intervention group reported having a good learning experience from the lectures.
CONCLUSION: The guideline successfully stimulated students' cognitive engagement and learning experience, which indicates a successful stimulation of students' germane resources. Stimulation of these cognitive resources is essential for successful cognitive processing, especially when learning a difficult subject such as anatomy.
From generosity to gratitude: Exploring Islamic views on body donation, human dissection, and honoring the gift of life

Hadie SNH, Gasmalla HEE, Wadi MM, Zainul Abidin MA, Yusoff MSB

Anat Sci Educ, 2024 Feb 08.
PMID: 38332675 DOI: 10.1002/ase.2393

Human dissection is an ancient pedagogical method that is still relevant in modern anatomy curricula. The body procurement process for dissection purposes has undergone significant evolution from the medieval era until now, whereby body donation has become the main source for human bodies in medical education. The appreciation ceremony for body donors is an excellent way to promote a body donation program, whereby both dissection and appreciation ceremonies are effective in inculcating professional behaviors and altruism among medical students. Despite the benefits of dissection and such ceremonies, conflicting ideas about the acceptability of these methods exist among Muslim scholars and students. Hence, this article provides a theological Islamic interpretation of human dissection, body donation, and appreciation ceremonies from four sources of Islamic law-the Qur'an, Hadith, Idjmaa, and Qiyas-to justify Muslims' involvement in the aforementioned. It is important to note that the fundamentals of Islam are submission to the will of the one and only God, Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala (SWT) and recognition of Prophet Muhamad (peace be upon him) as the last messenger of God. Therefore, the actions of a Muslim are strongly based on faith and virtue.
Fulltext Solvent Dependence of the Rheological Properties in Hydrogel Magnetorheological Plastomer

Hapipi NM, Mazlan SA, Ubaidillah U, Abdul Aziz SA, Ahmad Khairi MH, Nordin NA, et al.

Int J Mol Sci, 2020 Mar 05;21(5).
PMID: 32151055 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21051793

Chemically crosslinked hydrogel magnetorheological (MR) plastomer (MRP) embedded with carbonyl iron particles (CIPs) exhibits excellent magnetic performance (MR effect) in the presence of external stimuli especially magnetic field. However, oxidation and desiccation in hydrogel MRP due to a large amount of water content as a dispersing phase would limit its usage for long-term applications, especially in industrial engineering. In this study, different solvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) are also used to prepare polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel MRP. Thus, to understand the dynamic viscoelastic properties of hydrogel MRP, three different samples with different solvents: water, DMSO, and their binary mixtures (DMSO/water) were prepared and systematically carried out using the oscillatory shear. The outcomes demonstrate that the PVA hydrogel MRP prepared from precursor gel with water shows the highest MR effect of 15,544% among the PVA hydrogel MRPs. However, the samples exhibit less stability and tend to oxidise after a month. Meanwhile, the samples with binary mixtures (DMSO/water) show an acceptable MR effect of 11,024% with good stability and no CIPs oxidation. Otherwise, the sample with DMSO has the lowest MR effect of 7049% and less stable compared to the binary solvent samples. This confirms that the utilisation of DMSO as a new solvent affects the rheological properties and stability of the samples.
Fulltext Migration and Proliferation Effects of Thymoquinone-Loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carrier (TQ-NLC) and Thymoquinone (TQ) on In Vitro Wound Healing Models

Alexander HR, Syed Alwi SS, Yazan LS, Zakarial Ansar FH, Ong YS

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2019;2019:9725738.
PMID: 31915456 DOI: 10.1155/2019/9725738

Wound healing is a regulated biological event that involves several processes including infiltrating leukocyte subtypes and resident cells. Impaired wound healing is one of the major problems in diabetic patients due to the abnormal physiological changes of tissues and cells in major processes. Thymoquinone, a bioactive compound found in Nigella sativa has been demonstrated to possess antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects. Today, the rapidly progressing nanotechnology sets a new alternative carrier to enhance and favour the speed of healing process. In order to overcome its low bioavailability, TQ is loaded into a colloidal drug carrier known as a nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC). This study aimed to determine the effect of TQ-NLC and TQ on cell proliferation and migration, mode of cell death, and the antioxidant levels in normal and diabetic cell models, 3T3 and 3T3-L1. Cytotoxicity of TQ-NLC and TQ was determined by MTT assay. The IC10 values obtained for 3T3-L1 treated with TQ-NLC and TQ for 24 hours were 4.7 ± 3.3 and 5.3 ± 0.6 μM, respectively. As for 3T3, the IC10 values obtained for TQ-NLC and TQ at 24 hours were 4.3 ± 0.17 and 3.9 ± 2.05 μM, respectively. TQ-NLC was observed to increase the number of 3T3 and 3T3-L1 healthy cells (87-95%) and gradually decrease early apoptotic cells in time- and dose-dependant manner compared with TQ. In the proliferation and migration assay, 3T3-L1 treated with TQ-NLC showed higher proliferation and migration rate (p < 0.05) compared with TQ. TQ-NLC also acted as an antioxidant by reducing the ROS levels in both cells after injury at concentration as low as 3 μM. Thus, this study demonstrated that TQ-NLC has better proliferation and migration as well as antioxidant effect compared with TQ especially on 3T3-L1 which confirms its ability as a good antidiabetic and antioxidant agent.
Fulltext Systematic Review on the Effects, Roles and Methods of Magnetic Particle Coatings in Magnetorheological Materials

Jamari SKM, Nordin NA, Ubaidillah, Aziz SAA, Nazmi N, Mazlan SA

Materials (Basel), 2020 Nov 24;13(23).
PMID: 33255343 DOI: 10.3390/ma13235317

Magnetorheological (MR) material is a type of magneto-sensitive smart materials which consists of magnetizable particles dispersed in a carrier medium. Throughout the years, coating on the surface of the magnetic particles has been developed by researchers to enhance the performance of MR materials, which include the improvement of sedimentation stability, enhancement of the interaction between the particles and matrix mediums, and improving rheological properties as well as providing extra protection against oxidative environments. There are a few coating methods that have been employed to graft the coating layer on the surface of the magnetic particles, such as atomic transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), chemical oxidative polymerization, and dispersion polymerization. This paper investigates the role of particle coating in MR materials with the effects gained from grafting the magnetic particles. This paper also discusses the coating methods employed in some of the works that have been established by researchers in the particle coating of MR materials.
Fulltext An Early Warning System for Flood Detection Using Critical Slowing Down

Syed Musa SMS, Md Noorani MS, Abdul Razak F, Ismail M, Alias MA, Hussain SI

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2020 Aug 24;17(17).
PMID: 32846870 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17176131

The theory of critical slowing down (CSD) suggests an increasing pattern in the time series of CSD indicators near catastrophic events. This theory has been successfully used as a generic indicator of early warning signals in various fields, including climate research. In this paper, we present an application of CSD on water level data with the aim of producing an early warning signal for floods. To achieve this, we inspect the trend of CSD indicators using quantile estimation instead of using the standard method of Kendall's tau rank correlation, which we found is inconsistent for our data set. For our flood early warning system (FLEWS), quantile estimation is used to provide thresholds to extract the dates associated with significant increases on the time series of the CSD indicators. We apply CSD theory on water level data of Kelantan River and found that it is a reliable technique to produce a FLEWS as it demonstrates an increasing pattern near the flood events. We then apply quantile estimation on the time series of CSD indicators and we manage to establish an early warning signal for ten of the twelve flood events. The other two events are detected on the first day of the flood.

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