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Characterisation of the simultaneous molybdenum reduction and glyphosate degradation byBurkholderia vietnamiensisAQ5-12 andBurkholderiasp. AQ5-13

Manogaran M, Ahmad SA, Yasid NA, Yakasai HM, Shukor MY

3 Biotech, 2018 Feb;8(2):117.
PMID: 29430378 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-018-1141-2

In this novel study, we report on the use of two molybdenum-reducing bacteria with the ability to utilise the herbicide glyphosate as the phosphorus source. The bacteria reduced sodium molybdate to molybdenum blue (Mo-blue), a colloidal and insoluble product, which is less toxic. The characterisation of the molybdenum-reducing bacteria was carried out using resting cells immersed in low-phosphate molybdenum media. Two glyphosate-degrading bacteria, namelyBurkholderia vietnamiensisAQ5-12 andBurkholderiasp. AQ5-13, were able to use glyphosate as a phosphorous source to support molybdenum reduction to Mo-blue. The bacteria optimally reduced molybdenum between the pHs of 6.25 and 8. The optimum concentrations of molybdate for strainBurkholderia vietnamiensis strainAQ5-12 was observed to be between 40 and 60 mM, while forBurkholderiasp. AQ5-13, the optimum molybdate concentration occurred between 40 and 50 mM. Furthermore, 5 mM of phosphate was seen as the optimum concentration supporting molybdenum reduction for both bacteria. The optimum temperature aiding Mo-blue formation ranged from 30 to 40 °C forBurkholderia vietnamiensis strainAQ5-12, whereas forBurkholderiasp. AQ5-13, the range was from 35 to 40 °C. Glucose was the best electron donor for supporting molybdate reduction, followed by sucrose, fructose and galactose for both strains. Ammonium sulphate was the best nitrogen source in supporting molybdenum reduction. Interestingly, increasing the glyphosate concentrations beyond 100 and 300 ppm forBurkholderia vietnamiensis strainAQ5-12 andBurkholderiasp. AQ5-13, respectively, significantly inhibited molybdenum reduction. The ability of these bacteria to reduce molybdenum while degrading glyphosate is a useful process for the bioremediation of both toxicants.
Fulltext Small RNA-seq analysis in response to methyl jasmonate and abscisic acid treatment in Persicaria minor

Nazaruddin N, Samad AFA, Sajad M, Jani J, Zainal Z, Ismail I

Genom Data, 2017 Jun;12:157-158.
PMID: 28560166 DOI: 10.1016/j.gdata.2017.05.011

Persicaria minor (Kesum) is an important medicinal plant with high level of secondary metabolite contents, especially, terpenoids and flavonoids. Previous studies have revealed that application of exogenous phytohormone could increase secondary metabolite contents of the plant. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNAs that play important regulatory roles in various biological processes. In order to explore the possible role of miRNA in the regulation of these phytohormones signaling pathway and uncovering their potential correlation, we, for the first time, have generated the smallRNA library of Kesum plant. The library was developed in response to methyl jasmonate (MJ) and abscisic acid (ABA) treatment by using next-generation sequencing technology. Raw reads have been deposited to SRA database with the accession numbers, SRX2655642 and SRX2655643 (MJ-treated), SRXSRX2655644 and SRX2655645 (ABA-treated) and SRX2655646and SRX2655647 (Control).
Fulltext Small RNA sequencing for secondary metabolite analysis in Persicaria minor

Samad AFA, Nazaruddin N, Sajad M, Jani J, Murad AMA, Zainal Z, et al.

Genom Data, 2017 Sep;13:3-4.
PMID: 28560169 DOI: 10.1016/j.gdata.2017.05.014

Persicaria minor (kesum) is an important medicinal plant and commonly found in southeast countries; Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam. This plant is enriched with a variety of secondary metabolites (SMs), and among these SMs, terpenoids are in high abundance. Terpenoids are comprised of many valuable biomolecules which have well-established role in agriculture and pharmaceutical industry. In P. minor, for the first time, we have generated small RNAs data sets, which can be used as tool in deciphering their roles in terpenoid biosynthesis pathways. Fungal pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum was used as elicitor to trigger SMs biosynthesis in P. minor. Raw reads and small RNA analysis data have already been deposited at GenBank under the accessions; SRX2645684 (Fusarium-treated), SRX2645685 (Fusarium-treated), SRX2645686 (mock-infected), and SRX2645687 (mock-infected).
Fulltext Silver Nanoparticles in the Water Environment in Malaysia: Inspection, characterization, removal, modeling, and future perspective

Syafiuddin A, Salmiati S, Hadibarata T, Kueh ABH, Salim MR, Zaini MAA

Sci Rep, 2018 01 17;8(1):986.
PMID: 29343711 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-19375-1

The current status of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in the water environment in Malaysia was examined and reported. For inspection, two rivers and two sewage treatment plants (STPs) were selected. Two activated carbons derived from oil palm (ACfOPS) and coconut (ACfCS) shells were proposed as the adsorbent to remove AgNPs. It was found that the concentrations of AgNPs in the rivers and STPs are in the ranges of 0.13 to 10.16 mg L-1 and 0.13 to 20.02 mg L-1, respectively, with the highest concentration measured in July. ACfOPS and ACfCS removed up to 99.6 and 99.9% of AgNPs, respectively, from the water. The interaction mechanism between AgNPs and the activated carbon surface employed in this work was mainly the electrostatic force interaction via binding Ag+ with O- presented in the activated carbon to form AgO. Fifteen kinetic models were compared statistically to describe the removal of AgNPs. It was found that the experimental adsorption data can be best described using the mixed 1,2-order model. Therefore, this model has the potential to be a candidate for a general model to describe AgNPs adsorption using numerous materials, its validation of which has been confirmed with other material data from previous works.
Fulltext Pharmacovigilance: pharmacists' perspective on spontaneous adverse drug reaction reporting

Hadi MA, Neoh CF, Zin RM, Elrggal ME, Cheema E

Integr Pharm Res Pract, 2017;6:91-98.
PMID: 29354555 DOI: 10.2147/IPRP.S105881

Globally, adverse drug reactions (ADRs), one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, will continue to pose a threat to public health as long as drugs are being used to treat various ailments. Prompt ADR reporting is crucial in ensuring drug safety. The aim of this narrative review was to highlight the role of pharmacists in pharmacovigilance and to identify barriers and facilitators toward ADR reporting documented in the literature. The perspective of pharmacy students on pharmacovigilance and ADR reporting has also been discussed with an aim to highlight the need to improve content related to ADR reporting and pharmacovigilance in undergraduate pharmacy curriculum. Globally, although the role of pharmacists within national pharmacovigilance systems varies, it is very well recognized. In general, pharmacists acknowledge that ADR reporting is part of their professional responsibility and have a positive attitude toward reporting ADRs. However, current research evidence suggests that there are still critical knowledge gaps with regard to ADR reporting among pharmacists, especially in countries where the role of pharmacists within the health care system is limited. These knowledge gaps can be fulfilled through continuous professional development programs and reinforcing theoretical and practical knowledge in undergraduate pharmacy curriculums. Without adequately identifying and fulfilling training needs of pharmacists and other health care professionals, the efficiency of national pharmacovigilance systems is unlikely to improve which may compromise patient's safety.
Fulltext Synthesis of 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine propylthioacetate coated gold nanoparticles and their antibacterial and photophysical activity

Anwar A, Khalid S, Perveen S, Ahmed S, Siddiqui R, Khan NA, et al.

J Nanobiotechnology, 2018 Jan 29;16(1):6.
PMID: 29378569 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-017-0332-z

BACKGROUND: Gold nanoparticles are useful candidate for drug delivery applications and are associated with enhancement in the bioavailability of coated drugs and/or therapeutic agent. Since, heterocyclic compounds are known to exhibit antimicrobial potential against variety of pathogens, we designed this study to evaluate the antibacterial effects of gold nanoparticles conjugation with new synthesized cationic ligand; 4-Dimethyl aminopyridinium propylthioacetate (DMAP-PTA) in comparison with pure compound and antibiotic drug Pefloxacin. Antibacterial activity of DMAP-PTA coated gold nanoparticles was investigated against a fecal strain of E. coli (ATCC 8739).
RESULTS: A new dimethyl aminopyridine based stabilizing agent named as DMAP-PTA was synthesized and used for stabilization of gold nanoparticles. Gold nanoparticles coated with DMAP-PTA abbreviated as DMAP-PTA-AuNPs were thoroughly characterized by UV-visible, FT-IR spectroscopic methods and transmission electron microscope before biological assay. DMAP-PTA, DMAP-PTA-AuNPs and Pefloxacin were examined for their antibacterial potential against E. coli, and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined to be 300, 200 and 50 µg/mL respectively. Gold nanoparticles conjugation was found to significantly enhance the antibacterial activity of DMAP-PTA as compared to pure compound. Moreover, effects of DMAP-PTA-AuNPs on the antibacterial potential of Pefloxacin was also evaluated by combination therapy of 1:1 mixture of DMAP-PTA-AuNPs and Pefloxacin against E. coli in a wide range of concentrations from 5 to 300 µg/mL. The MIC of Pefloxacin + DMAP-PTA-AuNPs mixture was found to be 25 µg/mL as compared to Pefloxacin alone (50 µg/mL), which clearly indicates that DMAP-PTA-AuNPs increased the potency of Pefloxacin. AFM analysis was also carried out to show morphological changes occur in bacteria before and after treatment of test samples. Furthermore, DMAP-PTA-AuNPs showed high selectivity towards Pefloxacin in spectrophotometric drug recognition studies which offers tremendous potential for analytical applications.
CONCLUSIONS: Gold nanoparticles conjugation was shown to enhance the antibacterial efficacy of DMAP-PTA ligand, while DMAP-PTA-AuNPs also induced synergistic effects on the potency of Pefloxacin against E. coli. DMAP-PTA-AuNPs were also developed as Pefloxacin probes in recognizing the drug in blood and water samples in the presence of other drugs.
Leptin and soluble leptin receptor in association with gestational diabetes: a prospective case-control study

Mosavat M, Omar SZ, Tan PC, Razif MFM, Sthaneshwar P

Arch Gynecol Obstet, 2018 03;297(3):797-803.
PMID: 29270728 DOI: 10.1007/s00404-017-4617-0

PURPOSE: To assess the association of serum leptin and its receptor (SLeptinR) with the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and to evaluate the longitudinal circulation of these peptides in pregnancy.
METHODS: This study consisted of 53 subjects diagnosed with GDM and 43 normal glucose tolerance (NGT) pregnant women. Serum leptin and SLeptinR were measured at 24-28 weeks, prior and after delivery, and post-puerperium.
RESULTS: Lower levels of leptin and SLeptinR were observed in GDM compared to NGT. Leptin [OR 0.97 (95% CI 0.94-1.0)] and SLeptinR [OR 0.86 (95% CI 0.79-0.93]) were inversely associated with GDM. Participants in the lowest tertile for leptin and SLeptinR had a 2.8-fold (95% CI 1.0-7.6) and a 5.7-fold (95% CI 1.9-17.3) higher risk of developing GDM compared with the highest tertile, respectively. These relationships were attenuated after adjustment for covariates. In both the groups, peak leptin was observed at 24-28 weeks, decreasing continuously during pregnancy (p > 0.05) and after delivery (p
Trends in Vaccination Refusal in Children Under 2 Years of Age in Kedah, Malaysia: A 4-Year Review From 2013 to 2016

Chan HK, Soelar SA, Md Ali SM, Ahmad F, Abu Hassan MR

Asia Pac J Public Health, 2018 03;30(2):137-146.
PMID: 29292654 DOI: 10.1177/1010539517751312

The current study examined how the trends in childhood vaccination refusal in Kedah, Malaysia, changed over a 4-year period (2013-2016). Data contributed by 60 public health centers were used to determine the annual incidence rates (per 1000 newborns) of vaccination refusal, and to identify the reasons for refusal among the mothers. The trend analysis revealed a 2.2-times increment in the incidence rates of vaccination refusal from 4.72 in 2013 to 10.51 in 2015, followed by a 52.2% reduction to 5.02 in 2016 ( P = .046). Besides, the proportion of mothers who refused vaccination because of religious belief reduced from 78% between 2013 and 2015 to 67.1% in 2016 ( P = .005). Overall, the finding confirms the positive impact of the educational and religious interventions introduced by the State Health Department of Kedah since January 2016; nonetheless, efforts to strengthen the existing strategies and thereby to maximize the vaccination coverage in Kedah are warranted.
Rapid ultrasound assisted emulsification micro-solid phase extraction based on molecularly imprinted polymer for HPLC-DAD determination of bisphenol A in aqueous matrices

Rozaini MNH, Yahaya N, Saad B, Kamaruzaman S, Hanapi NSM

Talanta, 2017 Aug 15;171:242-249.
PMID: 28551135 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2017.05.006

Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was employed as sorbent in ultrasound assisted emulsification molecularly imprinted polymer micro-solid phase extraction (USAE-MIP-µ-SPE) of bisphenol A (BPA) in water, beverages and the aqueous liquid in canned foods prior to high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) analysis. Several effective variables, such as types of emulsification solvent and its volume, types of desorption solvent and its volume, salting out effect, pH of sample solution, mass of sorbent, extraction and desorption time, and sample volume, were optimized comprehensively. Under the optimized USAE-MIP-µ-SPE and HPLC-DAD conditions, the method demonstrated good linearity over the range of 0.5-700μgL-1with a coefficient determination of R2=0.9973, low limit of detection (0.07μgL-1), good analyte recoveries (82.2-118.9%) and acceptable RSDs (0.7-14.2%, n=3) with enrichment factor of 49. The method was applied to thirty samples of drinking water, mineral water, river water, lake water, as well as beverages and canned foods, the presence of BPA was identified in four samples. The proposed method showed good selectivity and reusability for extraction of BPA, and hence the USAE-MIP-µ-SPE is rapid, simple, cost effective and environmentally friendly.
Monoclonal antibody-based enzyme immunoassay for detection of porcine plasma in fish surimi

Raja Nhari RMH, Khairil Mokhtar NF, Hanish I, Hamid M, Mohamed Rashidi MAA, Shahidan NM

Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess, 2018 May;35(5):807-817.
PMID: 29285986 DOI: 10.1080/19440049.2017.1420920

Detection of porcine plasma using indirect ELISA was developed using mAb B4E1 for the prevention of their usage in human food that creates religious and health conflicts. The immunoassay has a CV
Thermoresponsive curcumin/DsiRNA nanoparticle gels for the treatment of diabetic wounds: synthesis and drug release

Katas H, Wen CY, Siddique MI, Hussain Z, Mohd Fadhil FH

Ther Deliv, 2017 01;8(3):137-150.
PMID: 28145827 DOI: 10.4155/tde-2016-0075

AIM: Chitosan (CS) has been extensively studied as drug delivery systems for wound healing. Results/methodology: CS nanoparticles were loaded with curcumin (Cur) and DsiRNA against prostaglandin transporter gene and they were incorporated into 20 and 25% w/v Pluronic F-127. The gels were later analyzed for their rheology, gelation temperature (Tgel), morphology, drug incorporation and in vitro drug release. The particle size was in the range of 231 ± 17-320 ± 20 nm, depending on CS concentration. The gels had Tgel of 23-28°C and exhibited sustained drug release with high accumulated amount of drugs over 48 h.
CONCLUSION: A thermo-sensitive gel containing Cur/DsiRNA CS nanoparticles was successfully developed and has a great potential to be further developed.
Dual-specificity phosphatase 6 (DUSP6): a review of its molecular characteristics and clinical relevance in cancer

Ahmad MK, Abdollah NA, Shafie NH, Yusof NM, Razak SRA

Cancer Biol Med, 2018 Feb;15(1):14-28.
PMID: 29545965 DOI: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2017.0107

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are the main regulators of cellular proliferation, growth, and survival in physiological or pathological conditions. Aberrant MAPK signaling plays a pivotal role in carcinogenesis, which leads to development and progression of human cancer. Dual-specificity phosphatase 6 (DUSP6), a member of the MAPK phosphatase family, interacts with specifically targeted extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 via negative feedback regulation in the MAPK pathway of mammalian cells. This phosphatase functions in a dual manner, pro-oncogenic or tumor-suppressive, depending on the type of cancer. To date, the tumor-suppressive role of DUSP6 has been demonstrated in pancreatic cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, esophageal squamous cell and nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and ovarian cancer. Its pro-oncogenic role has been observed in human glioblastoma, thyroid carcinoma, breast cancer, and acute myeloid carcinoma. Both roles of DUSP6 have been documented in malignant melanoma depending on the histological subtype of the cancer. Loss- or gain-of-function effects of DUSP6 in these cancers highlights the significance of this phosphatase in carcinogenesis. Development of methods that use the DUSP6 gene as a therapeutic target for cancer treatment or as a prognostic factor for diagnosis and evaluation of cancer treatment outcome has great potential. This review focuses on molecular characteristics of the DUSP6 gene and its role in cancers in the purview of development, progression, and cancer treatment outcome.
Biochemical and structural characterization of a novel cold-active esterase-like protein from the psychrophilic yeast Glaciozyma antarctica

Hashim NHF, Mahadi NM, Illias RM, Feroz SR, Abu Bakar FD, Murad AMA

Extremophiles, 2018 Jul;22(4):607-616.
PMID: 29556723 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-018-1021-z

Dienelactone hydrolase, an α/β hydrolase enzyme, catalyzes the hydrolysis of dienelactone to maleylacetate, an intermediate for the Krebs cycle. Genome sequencing of the psychrophilic yeast, Glaciozyma antarctica predicted a putative open reading frame (ORF) for dienelactone hydrolase (GaDlh) with 52% sequence similarity to that from Coniophora puteana. Phylogenetic tree analysis showed that GaDlh is closely related to other reported dienelactone hydrolases, and distantly related to other α/β hydrolases. Structural prediction using MODELLER 9.14 showed that GaDlh has the same α/β hydrolase fold as other dienelactone hydrolases and esterase/lipase enzymes, with a catalytic triad consisting of Cys-His-Asp and a G-x-C-x-G-G motif. Based on the predicted structure, GaDlh exhibits several characteristics of cold-adapted proteins such as glycine clustering in the binding pocket, reduced protein core hydrophobicity, and the absence of proline residues in loops. The putative ORF was amplified, cloned, and overexpressed in an Escherichia coli expression system. The recombinant protein was overexpressed as soluble proteins and was purified via Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. Biochemical characterization of GaDlh revealed that it has an optimal temperature at 10 °C and that it retained almost 90% of its residual activity when incubated for 90 min at 10 °C. The optimal pH was at pH 8.0 and it was stable between pH 5-9 when incubated for 60 min (more than 50% residual activity). Its Km value was 256 μM and its catalytic efficiency was 81.7 s-1. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing a novel cold-active dienelactone hydrolase-like protein.
Fulltext Effect of Printing Parameters on Tensile, Dynamic Mechanical, and Thermoelectric Properties of FDM 3D Printed CABS/ZnO Composites

Aw YY, Yeoh CK, Idris MA, Teh PL, Hamzah KA, Sazali SA

Materials (Basel), 2018 Mar 22;11(4).
PMID: 29565286 DOI: 10.3390/ma11040466

Fused deposition modelling (FDM) has been widely used in medical appliances, automobile, aircraft and aerospace, household appliances, toys, and many other fields. The ease of processing, low cost and high flexibility of FDM technique are strong advantages compared to other techniques for thermoelectric polymer composite fabrication. This research work focuses on the effect of two crucial printing parameters (infill density and printing pattern) on the tensile, dynamic mechanical, and thermoelectric properties of conductive acrylonitrile butadiene styrene/zinc oxide (CABS/ZnO composites fabricated by FDM technique. Results revealed significant improvement in tensile strength and Young's modulus, with a decrease in elongation at break with infill density. Improvement in dynamic storage modulus was observed when infill density changed from 50% to 100%. However, the loss modulus and damping factor reduced gradually. The increase of thermal conductivity was relatively smaller compared to the improvement of electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient, therefore, the calculated figure of merit (ZT) value increased with infill density. Line pattern performed better than rectilinear, especially in tensile properties and electrical conductivity. From the results obtained, FDM-fabricated CABS/ZnO showed much potential as a promising candidate for thermoelectric application.
13C-Urea Breath Test Accuracy for Helicobacter pylori Infection in the Asian Population: A Meta-Analysis

Abd Rahim MA, Johani FH, Shah SA, Hassan MR, Abdul Manaf MR

Ann Glob Health, 2019 Jul 24;85(1).
PMID: 31348624

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is known to be associated with peptic ulcer and gastric cancer. Detection of H. pylori infection is a significant part of peptic ulcer and gastric cancer prevention and management. 13C-urea breath test (UBT) provides a good option for the pathogen detection due to its accuracy and safety.
OBJECTIVE: This review aims to evaluate the 13C-UBT diagnostic accuracy studies conducted among Asian population and validate its use for the Asian population.
METHODS: Original articles were systematically searched in PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar using the PICOS strategy by applying relevant keywords. Only studies published in English and conducted in Asia were included. Our search returned 276 articles. After assessment, 11 articles which answered our research question and met the criteria set for systematic review and meta-analysis were accepted. A total of 15 study protocols were extracted from the 11 accepted articles.
FINDINGS: Majority of the studies were conducted in Hong Kong (six), followed by Taiwan (five), Japan (two), and one each in Singapore and Israel. All studies had used histology as part of its gold standard of reference. All but one study was performed on adult populations. The summary estimate for sensitivity was 97% (95% CI: 96, 98%), and specificity was 96% (95% CI: 95, 97%), with significant heterogeneity between studies. Adjusting for the dose (50 mg) and breath sample collection time (20 minutes) had improved both accuracy estimates and significantly reduced heterogeneity.
CONCLUSION: This review supports the test-and-treat strategy for H. pylori infection management. Prevalence and cost-effectiveness studies are mandatory for health authorities to adopt this strategy into national policy.
Consolidated Checklist of Hard Corals of the Genus Acropora Oken, 1815 (Scleractinia: Acroporidae) in North Borneo, East Malaysia

Robert R, Lee DJ, Rodrigues KF, Hussein MA, Waheed Z, Kumar SV

Zootaxa, 2016 Nov 29;4200(2):zootaxa.4200.2.2.
PMID: 27988618 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4200.2.2

Acropora is the most biologically diverse group of reef-building coral, and its richness peaks at the Indo-Malay-Philippine Archipelago, the centre of global coral reef biodiversity. In this paper, we describe the species richness of Acropora fauna of North Borneo, East Malaysia, based on review of literature and as corroborated by voucher specimens. Eighty-three species of Acropora are reported here; four species are literature based and 79 are supported by voucher specimens that were subsequently photographed. New records for North Borneo were recorded for 12 species, including Acropora suharsonoi Wallace 1994 that was previously thought to be confined to a few islands along Lombok Strait, Indonesia. The diversity of Acropora in North Borneo is comparable to that of Indonesia and the Philippines, despite the area's smaller reef areas. This further reinforces its inclusion as part the global hotspot of coral biodiversity.
Ovarian tissue cryopreservation in Malaysia: a case series

Mat Jin N, Ahmad SM, Mohd Faizal A, Abdul Karim AKB, Abu MA

Horm Mol Biol Clin Investig, 2022 Dec 01;43(4):469-474.
PMID: 35545610 DOI: 10.1515/hmbci-2021-0096

OBJECTIVES: We aim to discuss the hematological cancer cases that opted for ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC) as fertility preservation before the gonadotoxic chemotherapy agent.
CASE PRESENTATION: The ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC) was started in August 2020 in our center. Up to now, there were four cases have been performed and included in this report. The ovarian tissue cortex was cryopreserved with cryoprotectant using Kitazato™ (Tokyo, Japan) media and fit in the closed system devices. A total of four post-OTC patients were included. The mean age was 24 years old, whereas the mean serum AMH level was 30.43 pmol/L. Most of them were diagnosed with lymphoma, except one was leukemia. All of them received additional GnRH analog following OTC as a chemoprotective agent before cancer treatment. Currently, they are recovering well and on regular follow-up with the hematological department.
CONCLUSIONS: Although The OTC is an ultimate option for prepubertal girls, it can be proposed as a good strategy for adult cancer women who could not delay cancer therapy.
Fulltext Advancing the discourse of Muslim politics in Indonesia: A study on political orientation of Kiai as religious elites in Nahdlatul Ulama

Yani MT, Mahfud C, Rangga Sa'adillah SAP, Bustami MR, Maskuri, Taufiq A

Heliyon, 2022 Dec;8(12):e12218.
PMID: 36544840 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e12218

The present study was designed to investigate the political interactions of Kiai of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) in the national political arena and its current impact on the Indonesian Muslim community. The data were garnered through interviews and focus group discussions with Kiai and related parties. The results of the study suggest that the political orientation of the Kiai of NU in Indonesia is oriented to pragmatism and oriented to piety idealism in politics based on Islamic ethics. The Kiai, as a symbol of religious leaders, is expected to lead the Muslim community on a political path that is valuable and morally based. The phenomenon of Kiai interaction in practical politics is a significant leap and break that should be translated into a more comprehensive political perspective on social and historical aspects. The study findings implicate that Kiai as a religious figure, should be put on the front row for Indonesian political discourses among Nahdlatul Ulama followers.
Transformation of Hydrophilic Drug into Oil-Miscible Ionic Liquids for Transdermal Drug Delivery

Md Moshikur R, Shimul IM, Uddin S, Wakabayashi R, Moniruzzaman M, Goto M

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 2022 Dec 21;14(50):55332-55341.
PMID: 36508194 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c15636

The transdermal delivery of hydrophilic drugs remains challenging owing to their poor ability to permeate the skin; formulation with oil media is difficult without adding chemical permeation enhancers or co-solvents. Herein, we synthesized 12 oil-miscible ionic liquid (IL) drugs comprising lidocaine-, imipramine-, and levamisole (Lev)-hydrochloride with fatty acid permeation enhancers, i.e., laurate, oleate, linoleate, and stearate as counterions. A set of in vitro and in vivo studies was performed to investigate the potency and deliverability of the transdermal drug formulations. All of the synthesized compounds were freely miscible with pharmaceutically acceptable solvents/agents (i.e., ethanol, N-methyl pyrrolidone, Tween 20, and isopropyl myristate (IPM)). In vitro permeation studies revealed that the oleate-based Lev formulation had 2.6-fold higher skin permeation capability than the Lev salts and also superior ability compared with the laurate-, linoleate-, and stearate-containing samples. Upon in vivo transdermal administration to mice, the peak plasma concentration, elimination half-life, and area under the plasma concentration curve values of Lev-IL were 4.6-, 2.9-, and 5.4-fold higher, respectively, than those of the Lev salt. Furthermore, in vitro skin irritation and in vivo histological studies have demonstrated that Lev-IL has excellent biocompatibility compared with a conventional ionic liquid-based carrier. The results indicate that oil-miscible IL-based drugs provide a simple and scalable strategy for the design of effective transdermal drug delivery systems.
Fulltext Polystyrene microplastics induce gut microbiome and metabolome changes in Javanese medaka fish (Oryzias javanicus Bleeker, 1854)

Usman S, Razis AFA, Shaari K, Azmai MNA, Saad MZ, Isa NM, et al.

Toxicol Rep, 2022;9:1369-1379.
PMID: 36518379 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2022.05.001

Microplastics (MPs) have become emerging pollutants of public health concern, due to their impact on aqua-terrestrial ecosystems and integration into the food web, with evidence of human exposure and unrevealed health implications. There is a paucity of information regarding the effects of MPs exposure on the gut system using metagenomic and metabolomic approaches. In this study, Javanese medaka fish was exposed to 5 µm beads of polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) suspensions, at concentrations of 100 μg/L (MP-LOW), 500 μg/L (MP-MED), and 1000 μg/L (MP-HIGH), for a duration of 21 days, and evaluated for gut microbiome and metabolome responses. The results revealed a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in richness and diversity of the gut microbiome in the MP-HIGH group, and identification of 7 bacterial genera as differential features by the Linear discriminant analysis Effect Size (LEfSe). The gut metabolic profile revealed upregulation of 9 metabolites related to energy metabolism, via tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA), creatine pathway, and urea cycle, as determined by the pathway analysis. Furthermore, positive correlation was found between the genus Aeromonas and glucose, lactate, and creatine metabolites. The study revealed that PS-MPs exposure resulted in altered bacterial microbiome and metabolic disorder related to energy metabolism. It further provided additional data on gut bacterial genera and metabolites associated with MPs toxicity in aquatic organism, which will inevitably enable its future health risks assessment in animals and possibly humans.

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