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  1. Ansari AS, Yazid MD, Sainik NQAV, Razali RA, Saim AB, Idrus RBH
    Stem Cells Int, 2018;2018:2406462.
    PMID: 30534156 DOI: 10.1155/2018/2406462
    Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) are emerging as a promising source for bone regeneration in the treatment of bone defects. Previous studies have reported the ability of WJ-MSCs to be induced into the osteogenic lineage. The purpose of this review was to systematically assess the potential of WJ-MSC differentiation into the osteogenic lineage. A comprehensive search was conducted in Medline via Ebscohost and Scopus, where relevant studies published between 1961 and 2018 were selected. The main inclusion criteria were that articles must be primary studies published in English evaluating osteogenic induction of WJ-MSCs. The literature search identified 92 related articles, but only 18 articles met the inclusion criteria. These include two animal studies, three articles containing both in vitro and in vivo assessments, and 13 articles on in vitro studies, all of which are discussed in this review. There were two types of osteogenic induction used in these studies, either chemical or physical. The studies demonstrate that WJ-MSCs are able to differentiate into osteogenic lineage and promote osteogenesis. In light of these observations, it is suggested that WJ-MSCs can be a potential source of stem cells for osteogenic induction, as an alternative to bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells.
  2. Bhuiyan MR, Abdullah DJ, Hashim DN, Farid FA, Uddin DJ, Abdullah N, et al.
    F1000Res, 2021;10:1190.
    PMID: 35136582 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.73156.2
    BACKGROUND: This paper focuses on advances in crowd control study with an emphasis on high-density crowds, particularly Hajj crowds. Video analysis and visual surveillance have been of increasing importance in order to enhance the safety and security of pilgrimages in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Hajj is considered to be a particularly distinctive event, with hundreds of thousands of people gathering in a small space, which does not allow a precise analysis of video footage using advanced video and computer vision algorithms. This research proposes an algorithm based on a Convolutional Neural Networks model specifically for Hajj applications. Additionally, the work introduces a system for counting and then estimating the crowd density.

    METHODS: The model adopts an architecture which detects each person in the crowd, spots head location with a bounding box and does the counting in our own novel dataset (HAJJ-Crowd).

    RESULTS: Our algorithm outperforms the state-of-the-art method, and attains a remarkable Mean Absolute Error result of 200 (average of 82.0 improvement) and Mean Square Error of 240 (average of 135.54 improvement).

    CONCLUSIONS: In our new HAJJ-Crowd dataset for evaluation and testing, we have a density map and prediction results of some standard methods.

  3. Nabila FH, Islam R, Shimul IM, Moniruzzaman M, Wakabayashi R, Kamiya N, et al.
    Chem Commun (Camb), 2024 Apr 09;60(30):4036-4039.
    PMID: 38466016 DOI: 10.1039/d3cc06130b
    Herein, we report ethosome (ET) formulations composed of a safe amount of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DMPC)-based ionic liquid with various concentrations of ethanol as a carrier for the transdermal delivery of a high molecular weight drug, insulin. The Insulin-loaded ET vesicles exhibited long-term stability compared to conventional DMPC ETs, showing significantly higher drug encapsulation efficiency and increased skin permeation ability.
  4. Ahmad MF, Fauzi MA, Ahmad MH, Wider W, Lee CK
    PMID: 38593234 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4930
    This study evaluates the knowledge structure of microplastic pollution and its effects on the aquatic food chain. The presence of microplastics has seriously harmed the ecosystem. Through bibliometric analysis, 216 journal publications were retrieved from the Web of Science (WoS) from 2008 to 2023 (April), with no restriction in the time frame. Applying bibliographic coupling and co-word analysis, the emerging, current, and future themes of microplastic pollution are presented. Three research streams are derived from bibliographic coupling, centralized on the source of microplastic pollution and its impact. At the same time, research streams from co-word analysis are associated with overcoming the issue of microplastics in the ecosystem. This study's implications suggest three main principles to mitigate microplastic issues: (1) educating the public on the impact of microplastic pollution, (2) implementing holistic regulations and policies, and (3) developing treatment strategies through conventional, innovative, and hybrid approaches. Microplastic pollution is a global concern, requiring a holistic and comprehensive approach to overcome it. This review is the first to present a scientific mapping of the microplastics literature, which is a fundamental basis for future research on microplastic pollution and its impact on the ecosystem. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;00:1-12. © 2024 SETAC.
  5. Alshati F, Alahmed TAA, Sami F, Ali MS, Majeed S, Murtuja S, et al.
    Curr Pharm Des, 2023;29(36):2853-2866.
    PMID: 37946351 DOI: 10.2174/0113816128266398231027100119
    Many methods, including solid dispersion, micellization, and inclusion complexes, have been employed to increase the solubility of potent drugs. Beta-cyclodextrin (βCD) is a cyclic oligosaccharide consisting of seven glucopyranoside molecules, and is a widely used polymer for formulating soluble inclusion complexes of hydrophobic drugs. The enzymatic activity of Glycosyltransferase or α-amylase converts starch or its derivatives into a mixture of cyclodextrins. The βCD units are characterized by α -(1-4) glucopyranose bonds. Cyclodextrins possess certain properties that make them very distinctive because of their toroidal or truncated cage-like supramolecular configurations with multiple hydroxyl groups at each end. This allowed them to encapsulate hydrophobic compounds by forming inclusion complexes without losing their solubility in water. Chemical modifications and newer derivatives, such as methylated βCD, more soluble hydroxyl propyl methyl βCD, and sodium salts of sulfobutylether-βCD, known as dexolve® or captisol®, have envisaged the use of CDs in various pharmaceutical, medical, and cosmetic industries. The successful inclusion of drug complexes has demonstrated improved solubility, bioavailability, drug resistance reduction, targeting, and penetration across skin and brain tissues. This review encompasses the current applications of β-CDs in improving the disease outcomes of antimicrobials and antifungals as well as anticancer and anti-tubercular drugs.
  6. Rosli MS, Awalludin MFN, Han CT, Saleh NS, Noor HM
    Data Brief, 2024 Jun;54:110463.
    PMID: 38725547 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2024.110463
    In light of the increasing importance digital economy, the significance of computational thinking has grown exponentially, becoming imperative in both workplace and academic settings such as universities. This article addresses the critical need to comprehend the factors influencing the acceptance of computational thinking. The dataset introduces an extensive questionnaire comprising five constructs and 25 items, rooted in the extended Technology Acceptance Model. Notably, the model incorporates facilitating conditions and subjective norm, providing a comprehensive framework for understanding acceptance. Data collection involved 132 undergraduate university students sampled through purposive sampling, specifically targeting courses with a focus on computational thinking. The resulting dataset serves as a valuable resource for future research, offering detailed insights into the factors determining the acceptance of technology in educational contexts beyond mere thinking skills. Given the scarcity of research on technology acceptance in developing nations, this dataset holds particular significance, serving as a foundation for potential cross-cultural comparisons. The dataset contributes to the field by presenting a robust acceptance model, explaining 74.2 per cent of the variance in behavioural intention, 60.2 per cent in perceived usefulness, and 56.1 per cent in perceived ease of use. This high explanatory power positions the dataset as a superior resource for replication, benchmarking, and broader applicability in diverse contexts, thereby enhancing the understanding of computational thinking acceptance across different populations and settings. This dataset stands among the pioneering efforts to assess the novel covariance-based structural equation model algorithm within SmartPLS 4, presenting a valuable resource for future research employing the same mechanism.
  7. Mohd R, Wahab ZA, Cader R, Gafor HA, Radzi AM, Shah SA, et al.
    J Clin Med Res, 2014 Aug;6(4):245-51.
    PMID: 24883149 DOI: 10.14740/jocmr1550w
    BACKGROUND: Primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) accounts for a third of biopsy-proven primary glomerulonephritis in Malaysia. Pediatric studies have found the insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene to be associated with renal disease progression. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of the ACE (I/D) genotypes in adult primary FSGS and its association with renal outcome on follow-up.

    METHODS: Prospective observational study involving primary FSGS patients was conducted. Biochemical and urine tests at the time of study were compared to the time of the diagnosis and disease progression analyzed. ACE gene polymorphism was identified using polymerase chain reaction amplification technique and categorized into II, ID and DD genotypes.

    RESULTS: Forty-five patients with a median follow-up of 3.8 years (interquartile range: 1.8 - 5.6) were recruited. The commonest genotype was II (n = 23, 51.1%) followed by ID (n = 19, 42.2%) and DD (n = 3, 6.7%). The baseline characteristics were comparable between the II and non-II groups at diagnosis and at study recruitment except that the median urine protein-creatinine index was significantly lower in the II group compared to the non-II group (0.02 vs. 0.04 g/mmol (P = 0.03). Regardless of genotypes, all parameters of renal outcome improved after treatment.

    CONCLUSION: The II followed by ID genotypes were the predominant ACE gene alleles in our FSGS. Although the D allele has been reported to have a negative impact on renal outcome, treatment appeared to be more important than genotype in preserving renal function in this cohort.

  8. Yusop AH, Daud NM, Nur H, Kadir MR, Hermawan H
    Sci Rep, 2015;5:11194.
    PMID: 26057073 DOI: 10.1038/srep11194
    Iron and its alloy have been proposed as biodegradable metals for temporary medical implants. However, the formation of iron oxide and iron phosphate on their surface slows down their degradation kinetics in both in vitro and in vivo scenarios. This work presents new approach to tailor degradation behavior of iron by incorporating biodegradable polymers into the metal. Porous pure iron (PPI) was vacuum infiltrated by poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) to form fully dense PLGA-infiltrated porous iron (PIPI) and dip coated into the PLGA to form partially dense PLGA-coated porous iron (PCPI). Results showed that compressive strength and toughness of the PIPI and PCPI were higher compared to PPI. A strong interfacial interaction was developed between the PLGA layer and the iron surface. Degradation rate of PIPI and PCPI was higher than that of PPI due to the effect of PLGA hydrolysis. The fast degradation of PIPI did not affect the viability of human fibroblast cells. Finally, this work discusses a degradation mechanism for PIPI and the effect of PLGA incorporation in accelerating the degradation of iron.
  9. Eddie EA, Zahedi AZBA, Jamaluddin SFB, Noor JM
    BMC Emerg Med, 2024 May 09;24(1):80.
    PMID: 38730284 DOI: 10.1186/s12873-024-00997-w
    BACKGROUND: Ketamine is recognized as an alternative for pain management; however, concerns about emergent adverse reactions have limited its widespread adoption. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a short infusion of low-dose ketamine (LDK) compared to intravenous morphine (MOR) as adjunctive analgesia for acute long bone fracture pain.

    METHODS: This single-blinded, randomized controlled trial was conducted in a single emergency department. Patients with acute long bone fractures and numerical rating scale (NRS) pain scores ≥ 6 following an initial dose of intravenous morphine were assigned to receive either a LDK (0.3 mg/kg) over 15 min or intravenous MOR at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg administered over 5 min. Throughout a 120-min observation period, patients were regularly evaluated for pain level (0-10), side effects, and the need for additional rescue analgesia.

    RESULTS: A total of 58 subjects participated, with 27 in the MOR group and 31 in the LDK group. Demographic variables and baseline NRS scores were comparable between the MOR (8.3 ± 1.3) and LDK (8.9 ± 1.2) groups. At 30 min, the LDK group showed a significantly greater mean reduction in NRS scores (3.1 ± 2.03) compared to the MOR group (1.8 ± 1.59) (p = 0.009). Similarly, at 60 min, there were significant differences in mean NRS score reductions (LDK 3.5 ± 2.17; MOR mean reduction = 2.4, ± 1.84) with a p-value of 0.04. No significant differences were observed at other time intervals. The incidence of dizziness was higher in the LDK group at 19.4% (p = 0.026).

    CONCLUSION: Short infusion low-dose ketamine, as an adjunct to morphine, is effective in reducing pain during the initial 30 to 60 min and demonstrated comparability to intravenous morphine alone in reducing pain over the subsequent 60 min for acute long bone fractures. However, it was associated with a higher incidence of dizziness.

    TRIAL REGISTRATION: NMRR17318438970 (2 May 2018; www.nmrr.gov.my ).

  10. Ahmad R, Haq MA, Sinha S, Lugova H, Kumar S, Haque M, et al.
    Cureus, 2024 May;16(5):e60951.
    PMID: 38784687 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.60951
    Introduction Cement dust emitted during cement manufacture consists of toxic components. Occupational cement dust exposure may cause inflammation in the human body, which may be detected early by observing changes in blood parameters such as red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV). Objectives The study aims to observe the effect of occupational cement dust exposure on RDW and MCV. Methods This study was performed in the Department of Physiology of Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh, and a factory in Munshiganj, Bangladesh, from September 2017 to August 2018. Ninety-two participants between 20 and 50 years were included (46 subjects were occupationally exposed to cement dust, and 46 were not exposed to cement dust). A pre-designed questionnaire was used for data collection. An independent sample t-test was used to analyze basic information, such as blood pressure and BMI. The multivariate regression model was used to analyze the effect of cement dust exposure on the study group. The impact of cement dust exposure duration was analyzed using the multivariate regression model. The level of significance was p < 0.05. The statistical analysis was performed using STATA-15 (StataCorp, College Station, TX), and the graphical presentation used GraphPad Prism v8.3.2. Results The cement dust-exposed participants had a significantly higher value of MCV by 1.19 fi (95% CI = 0.02, 4.84; p = 0.049) and a 5.92% increase in RDW (95% CI = 5.29, 6.55; p < 0.001) than that of the control group. Conclusion The study reveals that exposure to cement dust causes significant changes in RDW and MCV. These changes may indicate hemolysis due to inflammation.
  11. Ng WL, Tan JK, Gnanaraj C, Shah MD, Nor Rashid N, Abdullah I, et al.
    Nat Prod Res, 2024 Jul 02.
    PMID: 38953123 DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2024.2370521
    The pantropical Physalis minima are traditionally used for the prevention and treatment of various illnesses, diseases, and cancers. While most earlier studies on the species have focused on the phytochemistry of the leaf and stem extracts, recent studies have indicated that its fruit may contain bioactive compounds of medical interest. In this study, we investigated the cytotoxicity of extracts from the fruit of P. minima against colorectal cancer cell lines and revealed its phytochemical profile via high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Following a 24-h treatment with the fruit extract, cytoplasm shrinkage and nucleus condensation were observed in the colorectal cancer cell lines HCT116 and HT29, indicating the induction of programmed cell death. Phytochemically, 71 putative metabolites were identified. Some of these metabolites have been reported to inhibit cancers to varying degrees, further supporting the correlation of the putative metabolites with the cytotoxicity against colorectal cancer cells demonstrated in this study.
  12. Ahmed S, Barwick A, Sharma A, Hasan MZ, Kabir MA, Nancarrow S
    PLoS One, 2024;19(7):e0304443.
    PMID: 38950041 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304443
    Diabetes-related foot complications, including neuropathic plantar forefoot ulcers, are a significant contributor to morbidity and increased healthcare costs. This retrospective clinical audit examines the characteristics of people accessing pedorthics services who are at risk of neuropathic plantar forefoot ulcer (re)occurrence and the pathways and funding models used to access these services. A clinical record audit was conducted on all patients accessing a pedorthics service who had diabetes and neuropathy with a history of plantar forefoot ulceration. The data included demographics, diabetes and neuropathy duration, main forefoot pathology and other comorbidity, footwear and insole interventions, and health fund access status. A total of 70 patient records were accessed, and relevant data was extracted. The mean age of participants was 64.69 (standard deviation (SD) 11.78) years; 61% were male and 39% female. Duration of diabetes ranged from one to 35 years, with a mean of 14.09 years (SD 6.58). The mean duration of neuropathy was 8.56 (SD 4.16) years. The most common forefoot conditions were bony prominences at 71% (n = 50), rigid flat foot and limited joint mobility (53%, n = 37), and hallux abductovalgus at 47% (n = 33). All participants had hyperkeratosis; 34% (n = 24) had forefoot amputation, and around 34% (n = 24) had a history of digital amputation. Various publicly funded packages and private health insurance were accessed. This study investigates the sociodemographic and medical profiles of individuals with diabetes-related foot complexities prone to neuropathic plantar forefoot ulcers. It is the first to examine patients receiving pedorthic services, informing practitioner surveys and preventive care strategies. Understanding patient characteristics aids in optimising multidisciplinary care and reducing ulcer incidence. Further studies are warranted to explore the field to establish an effective multidisciplinary care approach between medical professionals, podiatrists and pedorthists to optimise patient outcomes.
  13. Razak MR, Wee SY, Yusoff FM, Yusof ZNB, Aris AZ
    Environ Res, 2024 May 03;252(Pt 3):119045.
    PMID: 38704014 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119045
    Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) pose a significant ecological risk, particularly in aquatic ecosystems. EDCs have become a focal point in ecotoxicology, and their identification and regulation have become a priority. Zooplankton have gained global recognition as bioindicators, benefiting from rigorous standardization and regulatory validation processes. This review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of zooplankton-based adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) with a focus on EDCs as toxicants and the utilisation of freshwater zooplankton as bioindicators in ecotoxicological assessments. This review presents case studies in which zooplankton have been used in the development of AOPs, emphasizing the identification of molecular initiating events (MIEs) and key events (KEs) specific to zooplankton exposed to EDCs. Zooplankton-based AOPs may become an important resource for understanding the intricate processes by which EDCs impair the endocrine system. Furthermore, the data sources, experimental approaches, advantages, and challenges associated with zooplankton-based AOPs are discussed. Zooplankton-based AOPs framework can provide vital tools for consolidating toxicological knowledge into a structured toxicity pathway of EDCs, offering a transformative platform for facilitating enhanced risk assessment and chemical regulation.
  14. Gholap AD, Pardeshi SR, Hatvate NT, Dhorkule N, Sayyad SF, Faiyazuddin M, et al.
    Chemosphere, 2024 May 03;358:142235.
    PMID: 38705416 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142235
    Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a major contributor to skin aging, cancer, and other detrimental health effects. Sunscreens containing FDA-approved UV filters, like avobenzone, offer protection but suffer from photodegradation and potential phototoxicity. Encapsulation, antioxidants, and photostabilizers are strategies employed to combat these drawbacks. Octocrylene, an organic UV filter, utilizes nanotechnology to enhance sun protection factor (SPF). This review examines recent literature on octocrylene-enriched sunscreens, exploring the interplay between environmental impact, nanotechnological advancements, and clinical trial insights. A critical focus is placed on the environmental consequences of sunscreen use, particularly the potential hazards UV filters pose to marine ecosystems. Research in the Mediterranean Sea suggests bacterial sensitivity to these filters, raising concerns about their integration into the food chain. This review aims to guide researchers in developing effective strategies for photostabilization of UV filters. By combining encapsulation, photostabilizers, and antioxidants, researchers can potentially reduce phototoxic effects and contribute to developing more environmentally friendly sunscreens.
  15. Roziman NSM, Mustafa Din W, Mahadi Z, Islahudin F, Said MM
    BMC Complement Med Ther, 2024 Jul 03;24(1):252.
    PMID: 38961355 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-024-04546-7
    BACKGROUND: The use of finished herbal products (FHPs) among Malaysians today is expanding rapidly leading to a huge market of FHPs in the country. However, the mass production of FHPs in today's market is alarming due to safety-use issues that could lead to serious adverse effects. Nevertheless, demands are still high for FHPs as most consumers perceived it as safe to consume as it is made from natural substances as the active ingredients. This study aims to explore the safe use elements of FHPs identified by two stakeholders: consumers and practitioners in Malaysia and further compare these elements with the current regulations.

    METHODS: As an exploratory study, its approach is to investigate at an in-depth level of understanding of safe use elements from the involved stakeholders: consumers and practitioners. We had a total of 4 focus group discussion sessions (1 FGD session with consumer and 3 FGD sessions with practitioners) as a method of collecting data from the participants. The FGDs were conducted in local native Malaysian and then being translated by researchers without changing their meanings. Thematic analysis was done which involves methodically reading through the verbatim transcripts and consequently segmenting and coding the text into categories that highlight what the participants have discussed.

    RESULTS: From the result, we found that both practitioners and consumers agreed a safe FHP must be in compliance with the guidelines from the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH). There are other safe use elements highlighted including halal certification, trusted over-the-counter outlets, and published reports on the safety, efficacy, and quality.

    CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, both practitioners and consumers agreed that the most important safe-use element is compliance with MOH guidelines, but the depth of discussion regarding the safety elements among these stakeholders holds a very huge gap. Thus, initiatives must be planned to increase the knowledge and understanding about the MOH guidelines towards achieving a sustainable ecosystem in the safe use of FHPs.

  16. Paul J, Jacob J, Mahmud M, Vaka M, Krishnan SG, Arifutzzaman A, et al.
    Int J Biol Macromol, 2024 Apr;265(Pt 2):130850.
    PMID: 38492706 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.130850
    Recent decades have witnessed a surge in research interest in bio-nanocomposite-based packaging materials, but still, a lack of systematic analysis exists in this domain. Bio-based packaging materials pose a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based packaging materials. The current work employs bibliometric analysis to deliver a comprehensive outline on the role of bio nanocomposites in packaging. India, Iran, and China were revealed to be the top three nations actively engaged in this domain in total publications. Islamic Azad University in Iran and Universiti Putra Malaysia in Malaysia are among the world's best institutions in active research and publications in this field. The extensive collaboration between nations and institutions highlights the significance of a holistic approach towards bio-nanocomposite. The National Natural Science Foundation of China is the leading funding body in this field of research. Among authors, Jong whan Rhim secured the topmost citations (2234) in this domain (13 publications). Among journals, Carbohydrate Polymers secured the maximum citation count (4629) from 36 articles; the initial one was published in 2011. Bio nanocomposite is the most frequently used keyword. Researchers and policymakers focussing on sustainable packaging solutions will gain crucial insights on the current research status on packaging solutions using bio-nanocomposites from the conclusions.
  17. Sinha S, Haq MA, Ahmad R, Banik S, Kumar S, Haque M
    Cureus, 2024 Apr;16(4):e58708.
    PMID: 38651088 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.58708
    Introduction Leprosy remains a significant cause of preventable disability worldwide. Early diagnosis and treatment of leprosy are critical not only to stop its spread but also to prevent physical and social complications and reduce the disease burden. Objectives The study aims to evaluate the factors that lead to a delayed leprosy diagnosis. Methods This study was conducted in the outpatient departments of Leprosy Control Institute and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh, and at Medical College for Women and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh, from March 2023 to June 2023. A total number of 252 male (148) and female (104) patients were selected with any sign of leprosy, including disability, age ranging from 15 to 74 years. Data was collected in a pre-designed structured questionnaire by the researchers. To assess the risk of independent exposures of Grade 2 leprosy disabilities, we used a logistic regression model. A chi-square test showed the association between significant effects and leprosy disabilities. A p-value of 0.05 was considered as significant. For statistical analysis, STATA version 15 (StataCorp LLC, College Station, Texas, USA) was used. Results The study participants exhibited a higher percentage of disability, with a rate of 25.8% for Grade 2 disabilities. In addition to this, males represented a more considerable proportion, 58.7%, than females among leprosy and disability patients across all levels of disability. In our study, lack of money and painless symptoms showed a significant association (p<0.001) with Grade 2 disability. Conclusion The study reveals that Grade 2 disabilities are more common in males and are particularly prevalent in lower socioeconomic groups.
  18. Hossain T, Shamrat FMJM, Zhou X, Mahmud I, Mazumder MSA, Sharmin S, et al.
    PeerJ Comput Sci, 2024;10:e1950.
    PMID: 38660192 DOI: 10.7717/peerj-cs.1950
    Gastrointestinal (GI) diseases are prevalent medical conditions that require accurate and timely diagnosis for effective treatment. To address this, we developed the Multi-Fusion Convolutional Neural Network (MF-CNN), a deep learning framework that strategically integrates and adapts elements from six deep learning models, enhancing feature extraction and classification of GI diseases from endoscopic images. The MF-CNN architecture leverages truncated and partially frozen layers from existing models, augmented with novel components such as Auxiliary Fusing Layers (AuxFL), Fusion Residual Block (FuRB), and Alpha Dropouts (αDO) to improve precision and robustness. This design facilitates the precise identification of conditions such as ulcerative colitis, polyps, esophagitis, and healthy colons. Our methodology involved preprocessing endoscopic images sourced from open databases, including KVASIR and ETIS-Larib Polyp DB, using adaptive histogram equalization (AHE) to enhance their quality. The MF-CNN framework supports detailed feature mapping for improved interpretability of the model's internal workings. An ablation study was conducted to validate the contribution of each component, demonstrating that the integration of AuxFL, αDO, and FuRB played a crucial part in reducing overfitting and efficiency saturation and enhancing overall model performance. The MF-CNN demonstrated outstanding performance in terms of efficacy, achieving an accuracy rate of 99.25%. It also excelled in other key performance metrics with a precision of 99.27%, a recall of 99.25%, and an F1-score of 99.25%. These metrics confirmed the model's proficiency in accurate classification and its capability to minimize false positives and negatives across all tested GI disease categories. Furthermore, the AUC values were exceptional, averaging 1.00 for both test and validation sets, indicating perfect discriminative ability. The findings of the P-R curve analysis and confusion matrix further confirmed the robust classification performance of the MF-CNN. This research introduces a technique for medical imaging that can potentially transform diagnostics in gastrointestinal healthcare facilities worldwide.
  19. Younas N, Hossain MB, Syed A, Ejaz S, Ejaz F, Jagirani TS, et al.
    Heliyon, 2023 Nov;9(11):e21511.
    PMID: 38027782 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21511
    The pressure on businesses to be environmentally conscious and focus on sustainable development is accruing due to environmental challenges. Companies are adopting ecological practices and policies to improve their environmentally friendly performance. To achieve this, organizations must substantiate and change the behavior of workers to align their behavior with the organization's ecological objectives. The study endeavors to integrate research on the responsible style of leaders and green behaviors of employees (in-role and extra-role green behaviors) through the mediation of green shared vision and analyze the moderation mechanism of individual green values. For collecting the data, a questionnaire-based survey was conducted among MBA executive program students with at least a year of experience in manufacturing. Out of the 450 questionnaires distributed, only 307 useful responses were obtained. The collected data has been analyzed using SPSS and AMOS. Ethical standards were followed, and participants were assured that their responses would be confidential. The study found that responsible leadership positively impacts green behaviors among employees. This means that when leaders within an organization demonstrate responsible and environmentally conscious behavior, it tends to encourage employees to engage in green behaviors. The study also discovered that a "green shared vision" partially mediates the relationship between responsible leadership and in-role green behavior. In contrast, green shared vision does not mediate the relation between responsible leadership and extra role green behavior. Moreover, this study also finds that the relationship between green shared vision and in-role and extra-role green behavior is strengthened when individual green values moderate it. The study highlights the importance of responsible leadership and the role of green shared values and individual green values in promoting environmentally friendly behavior in the workplace.
  20. Yasin NM, Pancho F, Yasin M, Van Impe JFM, Akkermans S
    Front Bioeng Biotechnol, 2024;12:1355050.
    PMID: 38655392 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1355050
    Plastics are essential in modern life, but their conventional production is problematic due to environmental pollution and waste management issues. Polylactic acid (PLA) is a widely used bioplastic that is bio-based and biodegradable, making it a key player in the bioeconomy. PLA has been proven to be degradable in various settings, including aqueous, soil, and compost environments. However, monitoring and optimizing PLA biodegradation remains challenging. This study proposes methods to improve the quantification of PLA biodegradation by Amycolatopsis spp. Ultrasound treatments (10 s) significantly improved the enumeration of viable Amycolatopsis cells by breaking the pellets into quantifiable individual cells. A separation technique combining ultrasound (120 s) and 40 μm cell strainers effectively isolated PLA particles from biomass to quantify PLA weight loss. This enabled the monitoring of PLA biofragmentation. Finally, CO2 production was measured according to ISO 14852 to quantify mineralization. Integrating these methods provides an improved quantification for PLA biodegradation along its different stages. In a case study, this led to the construction of a carbon balance where 85.1% of initial carbon content was successfully tracked. The developed techniques for monitoring of PLA biodegradation are essential to design future waste management strategies for biodegradable plastics.
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