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Isodose mapping of terrestrial gamma radiation in Sarawak-Borneo: Insights from surface-weathered soil analysis

Idris HN, Sanusi MSM, Ramli AT, Solleh MRM, Yahaya F, Ya'cob MZ, et al.

Appl Radiat Isot, 2024 Jul;209:111327.
PMID: 38642443 DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2024.111327

Presentation of baseline data on terrestrial gamma radiation (TGR) levels is crucial for assessing the annual effective dose received by the public due to natural radiation exposure. Cumulative doses from various sources can become significant, warranting a spatial understanding of TGR distribution. Few countries have comprehensively mapped TGR on a national scale, often facing challenges due to remote or inaccessible regions. This study investigated the influence of weathered soil groups on TGR dose rates in Sarawak-Borneo, Malaysia, to facilitate insights for TGR projection and isodose mapping. A total of 1044 TGR dose rate measurements were collected using NaI (Tl) scintillation detector survey meters, with a mean of 100 nGy h-1 and a range of 8-375 nGy h-1. Non-parametric statistical analyses of variance using Welch's ANOVA, Brown-Forsythe, and Kruskal-Wallis validated (P-sig.=.000) notable dissimilarities among six categories of superficial-weathered soil. Graphical analysis using Sinclair's cumulative plot revealed deviations at intervals of 50, 80, 100, 120, 175, and 205 nGy h-1. These deviations indicate distinct lithological influences. Skeletal soil (entisols) and podzolic soils had high mean dose rates (148 and 113 nGy h-1, respectively) due to limited development, thus preserving abundant uranium (U) and thorium (Th). Meanwhile, gleysols and thionic soils exhibited compatible means (90 and 82 nGy h-1, respectively), while alluvial (or transported soils) and organic soils displayed lower dose rate ranges (mean of 76 and 47 nGy h-1, respectively), reflecting rapid hydrolysis weathering processes. Simple linear regression analysis revealed a strong relationship between TGR dose rate and mean value of weathered soil groups (y = 0.851x + 0.141 nGy h-1), signifying the significance and magnitude of weathered soil groups' impact on TGR dose rates. The obtained R-value is 0.704, indicating a strong linear correlation among soil group variables, and a Durbin-Watson statistic of 1.41, suggesting positive autocorrelation among residuals, thus positive relationships. An isodose map was successfully developed using the Kriging technique, aligning with lithological features of the study area. Semivariogram analysis reveals spatial dependence within a range of 1.47°, supporting the Kriging technique's suitability for spatial inference. In conclusion, this study has successfully revealed the relationship between TGR dose rates and superficial-weathered soil in Sarawak-Borneo. While the linear relationship is applicable to the Sundaland-Borneo tectonic block, it has potential to be used as a valuable tool for spatial inference of TGR dose rates in isodose development with similar lithologial characteristics, aiding in radiation exposure assessment and environmental monitoring.
Recent advances in sago (Metroxylon sagu) fibres, biopolymers, biocomposites, and their prospective applications in industry: A comprehensive review

Al-Fakih GOA, Ilyas RA, Huzaifah MRM, El-Shafay AS

Int J Biol Macromol, 2024 May 04;269(Pt 1):132045.
PMID: 38710254 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132045

Escalating petroleum depletion and environmental crises linked to conventional plastics have fueled interest in eco-friendly alternatives. Natural fibres and biopolymers are garnering increasing attention due to their sustainability. The sago palm (Metroxylon sagu), a tropical tree, holds potential for such materials, with cellulose-rich fibres (42.4-44.12 %) showcasing strong mechanics. Extracted sago palm starch can be blended, reinforced, or plasticised for improved traits. However, a comprehensive review of sago palm fibres, starch, and biocomposites is notably absent. This paper fills this void, meticulously assessing recent advancements in sago palm fibre, cellulose and starch properties, and their eco-friendly composite fabrication. Moreover, it uncovers the latent prospects of sago palm fibres and biopolymers across industries like automotive, packaging, and bioenergy. This review presents a crucial resource for envisaging and realising sustainable materials.
Recent advances in extruded polylactic acid-based composites for food packaging: A review

Han Lyn F, Ismail-Fitry MR, Noranizan MA, Tan TB, Nur Hanani ZA

Int J Biol Macromol, 2024 May;266(Pt 2):131340.
PMID: 38574927 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.131340

This review article provides a comprehensive overview of recent progress in polylactic acid (PLA) extrusion, emphasizing its applications in food packaging. PLA has witnessed a significant rise in demand, particularly within the food packaging sector. A notable increase in research publications has been observed in recent years, exploring the extrusion of PLA and PLA-based composite films. In comparison to conventional techniques such as solvent casting, extrusion offers advantages in scalability and environmental sustainability, especially for industrial-scale production. The benefits of this method include faster drying times, enhanced flexibility, consistent film thickness, and less structural defects. Extensive research has focused on the effect of various PLA blends on film properties, including flexibility, elongation, and barrier properties against water vapour and gases. Furthermore, the incorporation of compounds such as antioxidants, antimicrobials, and natural pigments has enabled the development of active and intelligent PLA-based packaging. This article summarizes the types of additives employed to enhance the physicochemical properties of extruded PLA and film performance. Additionally, this article explores the diverse applications of extruded PLA in active and intelligent packaging for various food products.
Fulltext Probing nanoliposomes using single particle analytical techniques: effect of excipients, solvents, phase transition and zeta potential

Danaei M, Kalantari M, Raji M, Samareh Fekri H, Saber R, Asnani GP, et al.

Heliyon, 2018 Dec;4(12):e01088.
PMID: 30603716 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2018.e01088

There has been a steady increase in the interest towards employing nanoliposomes as colloidal drug delivery systems, particularly in the last few years. Their biocompatibility nature along with the possibility of encapsulation of lipid-soluble, water-soluble and amphipathic molecules and compounds are among the advantages of employing these lipidic nanocarriers. A challenge in the successful formulation of nanoliposomal systems is to control the critical physicochemical properties, which impact their in vivo performance, and validating analytical techniques that can adequately characterize these nanostructures. Of particular interest are the chemical composition of nanoliposomes, their phase transition temperature, state of the encapsulated material, encapsulation efficiency, particle size distribution, morphology, internal structure, lamellarity, surface charge, and drug release pattern. These attributes are highly important in revealing the supramolecular arrangement of nanoliposomes and incorporated drugs and ensuring the stability of the formulation as well as consistent drug delivery to target tissues. In this article, we present characterization of nanoliposomal formulations as an example to illustrate identification of key in vitro characteristics of a typical nanotherapeutic agent. Corresponding analytical techniques are discussed within the context of nanoliposome assessment, single particle analysis and ensuring uniform manufacture of therapeutic formulations with batch-to-batch consistency.
Trypanosuppressive effects of Kolaviron may be associated with down regulation of Trypanothione reductase in Trypanosoma congolense infection

Timothy MR, Ibrahim YKE, Muhammad A, Chechet GD, Aimola IA, Mamman M

Trop Biomed, 2021 Mar 01;38(1):94-101.
PMID: 33797530 DOI: 10.47665/tb.38.1.016

Trypanothione reductase is a key enzyme that upholds the redox balance in hemoflagellate protozoan parasites such as T. congolense. This study aims at unraveling the potency of Kolaviron against trypanothione reductase in T. congolense infection using Chrysin as standard. The experiment was performed using three different approaches; in silico, in vitro and in vivo. Kolaviron and Chrysin were docked against trypanothione reductase, revealing binding energies (-9.3 and -9.0 kcal/mol) and Ki of 0.211μM and 0.151μM at the active site of trypanothione reductase as evident from the observed strong hydrophobic/hydrogen bond interactions. Parasitized blood was used for parasite isolation and trypanothione reductase activity assay using standard protocol. Real-time PCR (qPCR) assay was implored to monitor expression of trypanothione reductase using primers targeting the 177-bp repeat satellite DNA in T. congolense with SYBR Green to monitor product accumulation. Kolaviron showed IC50 values of 2.64μg/ml with % inhibition of 66.78 compared with Chrysin with IC50 values of 1.86μg/ml and % inhibition of 53.80. In vivo studies following the administration of these compounds orally after 7 days post inoculation resulted in % inhibition of Chrysin (57.67) and Kolaviron (46.90). Equally, Kolaviron relative to Chrysin down regulated the expression trypanothione reductase gene by 1.352 as compared to 3.530 of the infected group, in clear agreement with the earlier inhibition observed at the fine type level. Overall, the findings may have unraveled the Kolaviron potency against Trypanosoma congolense infection in rats.
Benchmarking working conditions for health and safety in the frontline healthcare industry: Perspectives from Australia and Malaysia

McLinton SS, Loh MY, Dollard MF, Tuckey MMR, Idris MA, Morton S

J Adv Nurs, 2018 Apr 06.
PMID: 29633325 DOI: 10.1111/jan.13580

AIM: To present benchmarks for working conditions in healthcare industries as an initial effort into international surveillance.
BACKGROUND: The healthcare industry is fundamental to sustaining the health of Australians, yet it is under immense pressure. Budgets are limited, demands are increasing as are workplace injuries and all of these factors compromise patient care. Urgent attention is needed to reduce strains on workers and costs in health care, however, little work has been done to benchmark psychosocial factors in healthcare working conditions in the Asia-Pacific. Intercultural comparisons are important to provide an evidence base for public policy.
DESIGN: A cross-sectional design was used (like other studies of prevalence), including a mixed-methods approach with qualitative interviews to better contextualize the results.
METHODS: Data on psychosocial factors and other work variables were collected from healthcare workers in three hospitals in Australia (N = 1,258) and Malaysia (N = 1,125). 2015 benchmarks were calculated for each variable and comparison was conducted via independent samples t tests. Healthcare samples were also compared with benchmarks for non-healthcare general working populations from their respective countries: Australia (N = 973) and Malaysia (N = 225).
FINDINGS: Our study benchmarks healthcare working conditions in Australia and Malaysia against the general working population, identifying trends that indicate the industry is in need of intervention strategies and job redesign initiatives that better support psychological health and safety.
CONCLUSION: We move toward a better understanding of the precursors of psychosocial safety climate in a broader context, including similarities and differences between Australia and Malaysia in national culture, government occupational health and safety policies and top-level management practices.
A meta-analysis highlighting the increasing relevance of the hair matrix in exposure assessment to organic pollutants

Junaid M, Sultan M, Liu S, Hamid N, Yue Q, Pei DS, et al.

Sci Total Environ, 2024 Mar 20;917:170535.
PMID: 38307287 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170535

Owing to a wide range of advantages, such as stability, non-invasiveness, and ease of sampling, hair has been used progressively for comprehensive biomonitoring of organic pollutants for the last three decades. This has led to the development of new analytical and multi-class analysis methods for the assessment of a broad range of organic pollutants in various population groups, ranging from small-scale studies to advanced studies with a large number of participants based on different exposure settings. This meta-analysis summarizes the existing literature on the assessment of organic pollutants in hair in terms of residue levels, the correlation of hair residue levels with those of other biological matrices and socio-demographic factors, the reliability of hair versus other biomatrices for exposure assessment, the use of segmental hair analysis for chronic exposure evaluation and the effect of external contamination on hair residue levels. Significantly high concentrations of organic pollutants such as pesticides, flame retardants, polychlorinated biphenyls and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon were reported in human hair samples from different regions and under different exposure settings. Similarly, high concentrations of pesticides (from agricultural activities), flame retardants (E-waste dismantling activities), dioxins and furans were observed in various occupational settings. Moreover, significant correlations (p
Fulltext A Stable Dual-wavelength Thulium-doped Fiber Laser at 1.9 μm Using Photonic Crystal Fiber

Soltanian MR, Ahmad H, Khodaie A, Amiri IS, Ismail MF, Harun SW

Sci Rep, 2015 Oct 12;5:14537.
PMID: 26455713 DOI: 10.1038/srep14537

A stable dual-wavelength thulium-doped fiber laser operating at 1.9 μm using a short length of photonic crystal fiber (PCF) has been proposed and demonstrated. The photonics crystal fiber was 10 cm in length and effectively acted as a Mach-Zehnder interferometry element with a free spectral range of 0.2 nm. This dual-wavelength thulium-doped fiber laser operated steadily at room temperature with a 45 dB optical signal-to-noise-ratio.
Fulltext Waterlogging tolerance of crops: breeding, mechanism of tolerance, molecular approaches, and future prospects

Ahmed F, Rafii MY, Ismail MR, Juraimi AS, Rahim HA, Asfaliza R, et al.

Biomed Res Int, 2013;2013:963525.
PMID: 23484164 DOI: 10.1155/2013/963525

Submergence or flood is one of the major harmful abiotic stresses in the low-lying countries and crop losses due to waterlogging are considerably high. Plant breeding techniques, conventional or genetic engineering, might be an effective and economic way of developing crops to grow successfully in waterlogged condition. Marker assisted selection (MAS) is a new and more effective approach which can identify genomic regions of crops under stress, which could not be done previously. The discovery of comprehensive molecular linkage maps enables us to do the pyramiding of desirable traits to improve in submergence tolerance through MAS. However, because of genetic and environmental interaction, too many genes encoding a trait, and using undesirable populations the mapping of QTL was hampered to ensure proper growth and yield under waterlogged conditions Steady advances in the field of genomics and proteomics over the years will be helpful to increase the breeding programs which will help to accomplish a significant progress in the field crop variety development and also improvement in near future. Waterlogging response of soybean and major cereal crops, as rice, wheat, barley, and maize and discovery of QTL related with tolerance of waterlogging, development of resistant variety, and, in addition, future prospects have also been discussed.
Fulltext Corrigendum to "Zingiber zerumbet (L.) Smith: A Review of Its Ethnomedicinal, Chemical, and Pharmacological Uses"

Yob NJ, Jofrry SM, Affandi MM, Teh LK, Salleh MZ, Zakaria ZA

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2016;2016:8621824.
PMID: 27462359 DOI: 10.1155/2016/8621824

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2011/543216.].
Fulltext Zingiber zerumbet (L.) Smith: A Review of Its Ethnomedicinal, Chemical, and Pharmacological Uses

Yob NJ, Jofrry SM, Affandi MM, Teh LK, Salleh MZ, Zakaria ZA

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2011;2011:543216.
PMID: 21584247 DOI: 10.1155/2011/543216

Zingiber zerumbet Sm., locally known to the Malay as "Lempoyang," is a perennial herb found in many tropical countries, including Malaysia. The rhizomes of Z. zerumbet, particularly, have been regularly used as food flavouring and appetizer in various Malays' cuisines while the rhizomes extracts have been used in Malay traditional medicine to treat various types of ailments (e.g., inflammatory- and pain-mediated diseases, worm infestation and diarrhea). Research carried out using different in vitro and in vivo assays of biological evaluation support most of these claims. The active pharmacological component of Z. zerumbet rhizomes most widely studied is zerumbone. This paper presents the botany, traditional uses, chemistry, and pharmacology of this medicinal plant.
Fulltext Hepatoprotective activity of dried- and fermented-processed virgin coconut oil

Zakaria ZA, Rofiee MS, Somchit MN, Zuraini A, Sulaiman MR, Teh LK, et al.

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2011;2011:142739.
PMID: 21318140 DOI: 10.1155/2011/142739

The present study aims to determine the hepatoprotective effect of MARDI-produced virgin coconut oils, prepared by dried- or fermented-processed methods, using the paracetamol-induced liver damage in rats. Liver injury induced by 3 g/kg paracetamol increased the liver weight per 100 g bodyweight indicating liver damage. Histological observation also confirms liver damage indicated by the presence of inflammations and necrosis on the respective liver section. Interestingly, pretreatment of the rats with 10, but not 1 and 5, mL/kg of both VCOs significantly (P < .05) reduced the liver damage caused by the administration of paracetamol, which is further confirmed by the histological findings. In conclusion, VCO possessed hepatoprotective effect that requires further in-depth study.
Fulltext Renal cell carcinoma with duplication of inferior vena cava

Yusof MR, Fahmey O, Lee C, Azli MS, Arunasalam AP, Khairul-Asri MG

Ann R Coll Surg Engl, 2022 Mar;104(3):e64-e66.
PMID: 34812656 DOI: 10.1308/rcsann.2021.0110

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has been shown to cause venous migration in the inferior vena cava (IVC). It is very important for preoperative imaging to be carried out, which will decide the surgical approach for the patient. Duplication of IVC is an uncommon anomaly. We report a case of RCC with duplication of IVC.
[Double to avoid trouble? An experience of double Memokath(tm) 044TW stents insertion for multiple anterior urethral stricture in hospital universiti sains Malaysia]

Mohd Isa MF, Mohamed Ashraf Md MAM, Yusof MR, Faiz N G, Siti Rahmah H I Merican SRHIM

Urologiia, 2023 May.
PMID: 37401716

For the past two decades urethral stenting became more popular for treatment of urethral stricture. However, urethral stents still not widely used in view of good outcome from urethroplasty surgery. The MemokathTM stent is the most popular in this field. It is manufactured from a biocompatible alloy of nickel and titanium. Most of the studies have been limited to single stent insertion, and no studies done for double stents insertion. An 81-year-old man with history of multiple anterior urethral strictures since 2013. He underwent internal urethrotomy in the same year but failed and was on urinary catheter since then. The MemokathTM 044TW was the option due to patient has multiple comorbidities. The micturating cystourethrogram (MCUG) and ascending urethrogram showed multiple anterior urethral strictures. He underwent direct visual internal urethrotomy and two MemokathTM stents inserted in the whole length of urethral. However, one year after procedure, he had recurrent lower urinary tract symptoms and ultimately developed acute urinary retention (AUR). Patients stents were removed endoscopically. During endoscopic removal, he had encrustation of both stents that causing obstructive symptoms. He is under our follow-up with no recurrent urinary retention or urosepsis with satisfactory uroflowmetry. Stent encrustation is known to be a common late complication of urethral stents. Stent encrustation should be suspected if patient comes with obstructive symptoms. Endoscopic is shown to be the best method to detect the cause of obstructed stent.
Fulltext Enhanced Goat Milk MUFA Quality via Date Pit Supplementation: A Time-Based Pattern Recognition Analysis Utilizing Agricultural Waste Byproduct

Abd Rahman MR, Hassan Z, Hassan MS, Hashim R, Wong LS, Leong WY, et al.

Int J Food Sci, 2023;2023:1797017.
PMID: 37350796 DOI: 10.1155/2023/1797017

Date pits are agricultural waste byproducts and are available in tons yearly. Milk MUFAs are lipids beneficial for health and sorted out for food product development. This work is aimed at researching the effect of supplementing dairy goats with date pit powder (DPP) as a source of fatty acids (FA), an alternative to enhancing the unsaturated FA in milk and analysed via chemometrics in a 3-month supplementation-based study. Saanen-Boer crossed dairy goats were divided into six groups comprising of control, 10 g and 20 g both for Ajwa DPP (high-quality dates) and Mariami DPP (agricultural waste byproduct), and another 30 g for Mariami DPP only. The supplementation exercise was done daily on each dairy goat. The DPP and milk samples were analysed for its FA profile applying GC-FID and followed by chemometric techniques, namely, PCA and PLS. Results indicated that the n-6/n-3 ratio was the highest for the unsupplemented group compared to the DPP-treated goats with lower n-6/n-3 ratios. The M30 group showcased the most promising health-related class of FAs viewed by 3D PCA and PLS model clustering patterns, in particular monounsaturated FA (MUFA) (C18:1n9c or oleic acid). These results suggest that Mariami DPP supplementation at higher doses and time to lactating Saanen-Boer cross goats can be a means to milk FA quantity and quality enhancement and that chemometrics via pattern recognition can be useful statistical tools when dealing with overwhelming data.
Fulltext Synchronous Primary Parosteal Osteosarcoma and Primary Mediastinal Germ Cell Tumour with Atypical Mycobacterial Infection - A Rare Phenomenon: A Case Report

Lim CH, Mohamed-Haflah NH, Abdullah-Sani MH, Loh CK, Abdul-Rahman MR

Malays Orthop J, 2023 Mar;17(1):188-192.
PMID: 37064628 DOI: 10.5704/MOJ.2303.023

Mediastinal germ cell tumours are a rare group of extragonadal germ cell tumours with less than 5% prevalence of all germ cell tumours. Primary mediastinal germ cell tumours themselves account for 16-36% of the extragonadal germ cell tumours. Along the spectrum of osteosarcoma, parosteal osteosarcoma is a well-differentiated surface osteosarcoma with a prevalence of 4% of all osteosarcoma. As such synchronous primary parosteal osteosarcoma and primary mediastinal germ cell tumour are exceedingly rare. This leads to complexity in determining the most appropriate chemotherapy for two different types of tumours and its potential side effects of reduced immunity leading to potential secondary infection. Here we report a case of a 16-year-old boy who presented with synchronous primary osteosarcoma and primary mediastinal germ cell tumour, complicated with atypical mycobacterial infection post-operatively. Additionally, we discuss our choice of chemotherapy and the management of the atypical mycobacterial infection.
Fulltext Scrotal centesis: a broader role beyond the confines of the scrotum

Jagwani AV, Mugialan P, Lee C, Fairuz M, Lee FY, Yusof MR, et al.

Ann R Coll Surg Engl, 2022 Jun;104(6):e164-e167.
PMID: 34846183 DOI: 10.1308/rcsann.2021.0241

An elderly man was treated for severe acute scrotum pain with centesis. We report the diagnosis, underlying causes and management, and discuss the procedure. Centesis is performed rarely, but could be undertaken more often given the added benefits.
Sequence analysis and molecular characterization of low pathogenic avian influenza H9N2 virus isolated from chickens in Sabah

Shohaimi SA, Leow BL, Mohd Yusop FF, Sidik MR, Barker Z, Mohd Saeid FH

Trop Biomed, 2024 Jun 01;41(2):183-189.
PMID: 39154271 DOI: 10.47665/tb.41.2.008

Low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) subtype H9N2 is a causative agent that has raised increasing concern about its impact on poultry and potential public health threats. Even though H9N2 is endemic in Peninsular Malaysia, it was first reported in Sabah in August 2022, after an outbreak associated with high mortality in broiler chickens. In the present study, based on the hemagglutinin (HA) gene, we report the genetic variations and phylogenetic analysis of a H9N2 virus isolated from broiler chickens in Sabah. The sequence analysis of the HA gene revealed a 98% similarity to the H9N2 virus recently isolated from China in 2018. The amino acids in the HA cleavage site displayed a characteristic LPAI motif (PARSSR/ GLF). Notably, at position 226, the isolate had amino acid Leucine (L) demonstrating its ability to bind to the receptor of mammals, resulting in the potential risk of transmission to humans. In addition, the H9N2 isolate harboured seven potential N-glycosylation sites. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the isolate belonged to clade h9.4.2.5 in the Y280 lineage, similar to previously reported in Malaysia. However, we observed that the isolate in this study falls in a different cluster compared with previous Malaysian isolates, suggesting different source of H9N2 introduction into the country. This prompts us to propose continuous and thorough surveillance of poultry across the country and the necessity of implementing farm biosecurity to minimize economic losses and potential threats to public health.
Fulltext Serum Procalcitonin (PCT) - Is there a Role as an Early Biomarker in Infected Diabetic Foot Ulcer (IDFU) Patients?

Omar J, Ahmad NS, Che-Soh N, Wan-Azman WN, Yaacob NM, Abdul-Ghani NS, et al.

Malays Orthop J, 2023 Jul;17(2):62-69.
PMID: 37583519 DOI: 10.5704/MOJ.2307.010

INTRODUCTION: Infected diabetic foot ulcers may lead to serious complications if not recognised in the early stage. Diagnosis of infection is particularly challenging at that stage; thus, a sensitive inflammatory biomarker may be helpful. We aimed to evaluate the role of procalcitonin (PCT) as an early biomarker for infected diabetic foot ulcers (IDFU).
MATERIALS AND METHOD: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Klinik Rawatan Keluarga (KRK), Orthopedic clinic and wards in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) from May 2020 to December 2020. A total of 264 participants were recruited and divided into three groups: 50 diabetic patients with no ulcers (control), 107 patients with non-infected diabetic foot ulcers (NIDFU), and 107 patients with infected diabetic foot ulcers (IDFU). The level of PCT was taken for all patients. Total white count (TWC) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were taken only for IDFU patients. Diagnosis of infection was based on the Infectious Disease Society of America-International Working Group of Diabetic Foot (IDSA-IMWGDF), and the severity of infection was graded according to the Wagner Classification.
RESULTS: The level of PCT was higher in IDFU than in NIDFU and diabetic patient, with a median (IQR) of 0.355 (0.63) ng/mL, 0.077 (0.15) ng/mL and 0.028 (0.02) ng/mL, respectively. PCT and CRP showed moderate positive correlations in IDFU patients (p<0.001). The sensitivity and specificity were 63.6% and 83.2%, respectively, at the best cut-off at 0.25 ng/mL.
CONCLUSION: PCT is a valuable biomarker for the diagnosis of infection; however, it adds little value in the early diagnosis of IDFU in view of its low sensitivity.
Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of avian influenza H3N8 virus isolated from imported waterfowl in Malaysia

Leow BL, Shohaimi SA, Mohd Yusop FF, Sidik MR, Mohd Saeid FH

Trop Biomed, 2023 Jun 01;40(2):220-235.
PMID: 37650410 DOI: 10.47665/tb.40.2.014

Wild aquatic birds are natural reservoirs of influenza A viruses and H3 subtype is one of the most prevalent subtypes in waterfowl. Two H3N8 viruses of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) were isolated via egg inoculation technique from the fecal swab specimens from imported barnacle goose and paradise shelduck in Veterinary Research Institute Ipoh, Malaysia. The full length of eight gene segments of the two viruses were amplified and sequenced with specific primers. The sequences were molecularly characterized, and the sequence identity were assessed with other published sequences. The two viruses are identical and they possess the same amino acid sequences for all the eight gene segments. The viruses were highly similar to the H3 virus from Netherlands and N8 virus from Belgium respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all the eight gene segments were grouped in the Eurasian lineage, and genetic reassortment may occur between the internal genes of the H3 viruses and other AI subtypes. Though four amino acid substitutions were identified in the hemagglutinin gene, the viruses retained most of the avian-type receptor binding preference. Few amino acid substitutions were observed in all internal genes. Most of the neuraminidase inhibitors and adamantine resistance related mutation were not seen in the viruses. The replicative capacity, cross species transmissibility, and potential zoonotic risk of the viruses are worth further investigation. As H3 virus poses potential threats to both human and animals, and with the increase in the international trade of birds; strict quarantine practice at the entry point and good laboratory diagnostic capabilities is crucial to prevent the introduction of new AI virus into our country.

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