METHOD: A total of 36 Malaysian community-dwelling older adults with MCI (60-75-year-old) were randomized into Biokesum® (n = 18) and placebo group (n = 18). Each subject consumed one capsule of Biokesum® (250 mg/capsule) or placebo (maltodextrin, 280 mg/capsule) twice daily for 6 months. Cognitive function and mood were assessed at baseline, 3rd, and 6th-month using neuropsychological tests (MMSE, Digit Span, RAVLT, Digit Symbol, and Visual Reproduction) and Profile of Mood State (POMS) questionnaire. Blood lipid profile, fasting blood glucose, and biomarkers (MDA, LPO, COX-2, iNOS, and BDNF) were measured at baseline and 6th month. By the end of the intervention, there were 30 compliers (Biokesum®: N = 15; Placebo: N = 15) and 6 dropouts. For brain activation assessment, 15 subsamples (Biokesum®: N = 8; Placebo: N = 7) completed N-back and Stroop tasks during fMRI scanning at baseline and 6th month. The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Brodmann's area 9 and 46) was identified as a region of interest (ROI) for brain activation analysis using SPM software.
RESULTS: Two-way mixed ANOVA analysis showed significant improvements in Visual Reproduction II (p = 0.012, partial η2 = 0.470), tension (p = 0.042, partial η2 = 0.147), anger (p = 0.010, partial η2 = 0.207), confusion (p = 0.041, partial η2 = 0.148), total negative subscales (p = 0.043, partial η2 = 0.145), BDNF (p = 0.020, partial η2 = 0.179) and triglyceride (p = 0.029, partial η2 = 0.237) following 6 months of Biokesum® supplementation. Preliminary finding also demonstrated significant improvement at 0-back task-induced right DLPFC activation (p = 0.028, partial η2 = 0.652) among subsamples in Biokesum® group. No adverse events were reported at the end of the study.
CONCLUSION: Six months Biokesum® supplementation potentially improved visual memory, negative mood, BDNF, and triglyceride levels among older adults with MCI. Significant findings on brain activation at the right DPLFC must be considered as preliminary.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered on 30th August 2019 [ ISRC TN12417552 ].
Main body: In light of the higher vulnerability of men to COVID-19 than women, there is rising concerns on the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on male fertility and possibilities of seminal contamination and transmission. The pandemic has attributed to the brief suspension of many fertility clinics and pathology laboratories, though many remained functional. Few reports reflect that SARS-CoV-2 can contaminate the semen of COVID-19 patients as well as that of recovering patients. The viral invasion into the testis may be due to the disrupted anatomical barriers of the testis by the inflammatory responses, and the persistence of the virus in the semen may be facilitated by the testicular immune privilege. Since SARS-CoV-2 is an enveloped RNA virus, it is also theoretically possible that this virus can remain viable in the semen samples even after cryopreservation with liquid nitrogen.
Conclusion: The present review emphasizes the possibilities of seminal dissemination of SARS-CoV-2 and thereby the chances of its sexual transmission. These perceptions and predictions are to facilitate immediate necessary actions to improvise the standard precautionary procedures for laboratory practices, including semen analysis or processing the semen sample for fertility treatments.
Methods: CSSI was induced in male Sprague Dawley rats by intraperitoneal injection of LPS three times per week for 28 days, and SBH (4.6 and 9.3 g/kg/day) was supplemented for 30 days.
Results: LPS-induced rats showed significant leukocytosis, and elevated serum levels of CRP, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), accompanied with diminished antioxidants. Treatment with SBH significantly ameliorated inflammatory markers, MDA and 8-OHdG, and enhanced antioxidants in LPS-induced rats. In addition, SBH decreased NF-κB p65 and p38 MAPK, and increased Nrf2 expression in the liver, kidney, heart and lung of LPS-induced rats. Furthermore, SBH prevented LPS-induced histological and functional alterations in the liver, kidney, heart and lung of rats.
Conclusion: SBH has a substantial protective role against LPS-induced CSSI in rats mediated via amelioration of inflammation, oxidative stress and NF-κB, p38 MAPK and Nrf2 signaling.
OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the potential of Stingless Bee Honey (SBH) to suppress lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced systemic acute inflammation in rats and to reveal the probable mechanism of action.
METHODS: Rats received 4.6 and 9.2 g/kg SBH for 7 days followed by a single injection of LPS after which blood samples were taken 6h later.
RESULTS: LPS induced liver, kidney, heart, and lung injury, were manifested by increased serum transaminases, alkaline phosphatase, creatine kinase, creatinine, and urea, along with multiple histological alterations, particularly leukocyte infiltration. Pro-inflammatory cytokines were elevated in the serum, and NF-κB p65, p38 MAPK, and HMGB-1 were significantly increased in different tissues of LPS-challenged rats. SBH prevented tissue injury, ameliorated pro-inflammatory cytokines, and suppressed NF-κB p65, p38 MAPK, and HMGB-1 in rats that had received LPS. In addition, SBH diminished reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, lipid peroxidation, and oxidative DNA damage, and enhanced glutathione and Nrf2 in LPS-treated rats.
CONCLUSION: SBH prevents systemic acute inflammation by suppressing NF-κB, p38 MAPK, HMGB-1, oxidative stress, and tissue injury in rats. Thus, SBH may represent an effective anti-inflammatory nutraceutical, pending further mechanistic studies.
Methodology: We conducted a comparative case-control study involving 28 T2DM patients with a history of SH within the last 5 years with no documented ACAD, and matched them with 28 T2DM patients with no history of SH. All subjects underwent coronary artery calcium scoring (CACS) with or without coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) to evaluate the severity of ACAD.
Results: A history of SH in T2DM was associated with a higher prevalence of significant ACAD (79% versus 46%, p=0.026). A high CACS (≥100) was seen in a greater number of patients with a history of SH compared to those without (75% versus 43%, p=0.029). Similarly, there was a higher prevalence of obstructive CAD in those with a history of SH compared to those without (72% versus 39%, p=0.036). Median C-reactive protein level was also higher among patients with a history of SH (0.41 mg/dL versus 0.16 mg/dL, p=0.029).
Conclusion: In patients with T2DM, a history of SH is significantly associated with ACAD compared to those without SH. A history of SH warrants screening for ACAD.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving cases of interstitial ectopic in Hospital Putrajaya, Putrajaya, Malaysia, over a 10-year period (2005-2014). Data on sociodemographic, clinical profile, perioperative, and postoperative were obtained from the electronic medical records.
MEASUREMENT AND MAIN RESULTS: The prevalence of cornual pregnancy was 4.0% (n = 14) out of total 347 cases of all ectopic pregnancies in Putrajaya Hospital. The mean ± standard deviation age of patient in the LC group and OC group was 29.3 ± 5.9 years and 31.4 ± 7.3 years, respectively. The duration of hospitalization and mean operating time were both significantly shorter in the LC group than in the OC group (1.43 ± 0.54 versus 2.57 ± 0.79 and 61.4 ± 15.7 min versus 97.1 ± 38.2 min, respectively, P < 0.05).There were no statistically significant differences between both groups for the estimated blood loss, requirement of blood transfusion, complications, and future fertility.
CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic cornual resection (cornuotomy) is a safe and less invasive procedure with a comparable complication rate. It has shown that it is feasibility and should be considered as initial treatment in managing those cases in trained hand surgeons.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the pattern of polysubstance use and its associated factors among general adults in Malaysia.
METHODOLOGY: This was a secondary data analysis from the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2019), a cross-sectional population survey with a two-stage stratified random sampling design. A total of 10,472 Malaysians aged 18 years and above participated in this survey. Polysubstance use was defined as concurrent use of more than one substance, either alcohol, tobacco, or drugs (opioids, marijuana, amphetamine/ methamphetamine or kratom). A latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify the membership of polysubstance groups. The association of class membership with demographic profiles was examined using Multinomial Logistic Regression analysis.
RESULTS: Fit indices (AIC = 16458.9, BIC = 16443.6) from LCA supported 3 classes solution: Class 1; "moderate-drug" group primarily combination used of tobacco and alcohol (2.4%), Class 2; "high-drug" group using multiple substance including kratom (0.3%) and Class 3; "low-drug" group reporting minimal alcohol and tobacco use or non-user (97.3%). The multinomial model showed young adults (18-40 years) had a higher likelihood of being polysubstance users both for moderate-drug class (OR = 4.1) and high-drug class (OR = 3.9) compared to older age (≥60 years). Chinese (OR = 18.9), Indian (OR = 23.3), Indigenous Sabah & Sarawak (OR = 34.6) and others ethnicity (OR = 8.9) showed higher odds of being moderate-drug users than Malays. The greater odds of moderate-drug use for males (OR = 35.5), working groups (OR = 1.5) and low education level group (OR = 3.2).
CONCLUSION: Our study highlights patterns and demographics related to the use of polysubstances among adults in Malaysia. These results would help formulate specific prevention programmes for these high-risk groups.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the uses, needs and preferences towards a dietary application among the caregivers of AAMDs patients.
METHODS: We conducted a mixed-method study comprising focus group discussion (FGD) and a quantitative questionnaire survey among caregivers of patients aged between 6-month-old to 18-year-old with AAMDs who are receiving active treatment, both medical and dietetic treatment in the genetic clinic, Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL).
RESULTS: A total of 76 and 20 caregivers participated in the survey and FGD respectively. All the caregivers (100%) possessed a smartphone and most of the caregivers (89.5%) had the experience of using smartphone or other technological devices to search for health or medical information. However, majority of the participants were not aware of the existence of any web-based or mobile application related to AAMDs (89.5%). While for the qualitative part, three themes emerged: (1) experience with current source of information; (2) needs for supporting self-management educational contents and needs for technological design application. Most of the caregivers used the nutritional booklet as sources of reference but some of them searched for web-based information. Features perceived by the caregivers included a digital food composition database, sharing diet recall with healthcare providers, self-monitoring diet intake as well as low protein recipes. Besides that, user-friendly and ease to use were also perceived as the important features by the caregivers.
CONCLUSION: The identified features and needs by the caregivers should be integrated into the design of the apps to promote acceptance and usage.