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  1. Fulltext Recent Advances in Biopolymeric Composite Materials for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicines: A Review
    Aslam Khan MU, Abd Razak SI, Al Arjan WS, Nazir S, Sahaya Anand TJ, Mehboob H, et al.
    Molecules, 2021 Jan 25;26(3).
    PMID: 33504080 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26030619
    The polymeric composite material with desirable features can be gained by selecting suitable biopolymers with selected additives to get polymer-filler interaction. Several parameters can be modified according to the design requirements, such as chemical structure, degradation kinetics, and biopolymer composites' mechanical properties. The interfacial interactions between the biopolymer and the nanofiller have substantial control over biopolymer composites' mechanical characteristics. This review focuses on different applications of biopolymeric composites in controlled drug release, tissue engineering, and wound healing with considerable properties. The biopolymeric composite materials are required with advanced and multifunctional properties in the biomedical field and regenerative medicines with a complete analysis of routine biomaterials with enhanced biomedical engineering characteristics. Several studies in the literature on tissue engineering, drug delivery, and wound dressing have been mentioned. These results need to be reviewed for possible development and analysis, which makes an essential study.
  2. Fulltext The Effect of Microparticles on the Storage Modulus and Durability Behavior of Magnetorheological Elastomer
    Johari MAF, Mazlan SA, Nordin NA, Ubaidillah U, Aziz SAA, Nazmi N, et al.
    Micromachines (Basel), 2021 Aug 11;12(8).
    PMID: 34442570 DOI: 10.3390/mi12080948
    This paper presents the effect of the micro-sized particles on the storage modulus and durability characteristics of magnetorheological elastomers (MREs). The initial phase of the investigation is to determine any associations among the microparticles' weight percent fraction (wt%), structure arrangement, and the storage modulus of MRE samples. In order to carry out this, both isotropic and anisotropic types of MRE samples consisting of the silicone rubber matrix and 50, 60, 70, 75, and 80 wt% microparticles of carbonyl iron fractions are prepared. It is identified from the magneto-rheometer that the increase in storage modulus and decrease in linear viscoelastic region limit are observed in varying consistency depending on wt% and particle arrangement. The consistency of this dependency feature is highlighted by superimposing all of the graphs plotted to create the proposed the samples' behavior model. In response to increasing magnetic stimulation, a sample of 70 wt% microparticles with an isotropic arrangement is found to be significant and stable. The experimentally defined fraction is then used for the durability test as the second phase of the investigation. During this phase, the durability evaluation is subjected to stress relaxation for an extended period of time. After undergoing durability testing, storage modulus performance is decreased by 0.7-13% at various magnetic stimulation levels. This result directly indicates that the storage modulus characteristics of different forms of MRE are sensitive to the different iron particle fractions' and microparticles' alignment. Therefore, important treatments to alter the storage modulus can be undertaken before the practical implementation to accommodate any desired performance of MRE itself and MRE application systems.
  3. Fulltext Drug Release Profiles of Mitomycin C Encapsulated Quantum Dots-Chitosan Nanocarrier System for the Possible Treatment of Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer
    Manan FAA, Yusof NA, Abdullah J, Mohammad F, Nurdin A, Yazan LS, et al.
    Pharmaceutics, 2021 Aug 31;13(9).
    PMID: 34575455 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13091379
    Nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems are an emerging technology for the targeted delivery of chemotherapeutic agents in cancer therapy with low/no toxicity to the non-cancer cells. With that view, the present work reports the synthesis, characterization, and testing of Mn:ZnS quantum dots (QDs) conjugated chitosan (CS)-based nanocarrier system encapsulated with Mitomycin C (MMC) drug. This fabricated nanocarrier, MMC@CS-Mn:ZnS, has been tested thoroughly for the drug loading capacity, drug encapsulation efficiency, and release properties at a fixed wavelength (358 nm) using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Followed by the physicochemical characterization, the cumulative drug release profiling data of MMC@CS-Mn:ZnS nanocarrier (at pH of 6.5, 6.8, 7.2, and 7.5) were investigated to have the highest release of 56.48% at pH 6.8, followed by 50.22%, 30.88%, and 10.75% at pH 7.2, 6.5, and 7.5, respectively. Additionally, the drug release studies were fitted to five different pharmacokinetic models including pesudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Higuchi, Hixson-Crowell, and Korsmeyers-Peppas models. From the analysis, the cumulative MMC release suits the Higuchi model well, revealing the diffusion-controlled mechanism involving the correlation of cumulative drug release proportional to the function square root of time at equilibrium, with the correlation coefficient values (R2) of 0.9849, 0.9604, 0.9783, and 0.7989 for drug release at pH 6.5, 6.8, 7.2, and 7.5, respectively. Based on the overall results analysis, the formulated nanocarrier system of MMC synergistically envisages the efficient delivery of chemotherapeutic agents to the target cancerous sites, able to sustain it for a longer time, etc. Consequently, the developed nanocarrier system has the capacity to improve the drug loading efficacy in combating the reoccurrence and progression of cancer in non-muscle invasive bladder diseases.
  4. Fulltext Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing Identifies Actionable Targets in Estrogen Receptor Positive and Estrogen Receptor Negative Endometriod Endometrial Cancer
    Suhaimi SS, Ab Mutalib NS, Khor SS, Zain RRM, Syafruddin SE, Abu N, et al.
    Front Pharmacol, 2018;9:750.
    PMID: 30057548 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00750
    Endometrioid endometrial cancer (EEC) is the commonest form of endometrial cancer and can be divided into estrogen receptor (ER) positive and negative subtypes. The mutational profiles of EEC have been shown to aid in tailoring treatment; however, little is known about the differences between the gene mutation profiles between these two subtypes. This study aims to investigate the gene mutation profile in ER positive and negative EEC, and to further elucidate the role of WHSC1 mutations in this cancer. EEC and normal endometrial tissues were obtained from 29 patients and subjected to next-generation sequencing (NGS) using Ion Ampliseq Comprehensive Cancer PanelTM targeting 409 cancer related. A total of 741 non-synonymous alterations were identified from 272 genes in ER positive subtype while 448 non-synonymous variants were identified from 221 genes in ER negative subtype. PTEN is the most frequently altered gene in ER positive subtype (64%, 7/11) while ARID1A is the most frequently altered gene in ER negative subtype (50%, 4/8). We also identified alterations in ERRB3 (36%, 4/11), GNAS (36%, 4/11), and WHSC1 (27%, 3/11) in the ER positive subtype. WHSC1 R1126H and L1268P were shown to significantly increase cell viability, proliferation, migration, and survival. In addition, reduction in ER expression sensitized EEC-1 cell with WHSC1 L1268P mutant to Fulvestrant treatment. We revealed the mutational spectra of ER positive and ER negative EEC that could lead to better understanding of the biological mechanisms of endometrial cancer and may ultimately result in improvement of treatment options and patient prognosis.
  5. Fulltext Induction of Apoptosis in MCF-7 Cells via Oxidative Stress Generation, Mitochondria-Dependent and Caspase-Independent Pathway by Ethyl Acetate Extract of Dillenia suffruticosa and Its Chemical Profile
    Tor YS, Yazan LS, Foo JB, Wibowo A, Ismail N, Cheah YK, et al.
    PLoS One, 2015;10(6):e0127441.
    PMID: 26047480 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0127441
    Dillenia suffruticosa, which is locally known as Simpoh air, has been traditionally used to treat cancerous growth. The ethyl acetate extract of D. suffruticosa (EADs) has been shown to induce apoptosis in MCF-7 breast cancer cells in our previous study. The present study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in EADs-induced apoptosis and to identify the major compounds in the extract. EADs was found to promote oxidative stress in MCF-7 cells that led to cell death because the pre-treatment with antioxidants α-tocopherol and ascorbic acid significantly reduced the cytotoxicity of the extract (P<0.05). DCFH-DA assay revealed that treatment with EADs attenuated the generation of intracellular ROS. Apoptosis induced by EADs was not inhibited by the use of caspase-inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK, suggesting that the cell death is caspase-independent. The use of JC-1 dye reflected that EADs caused disruption in the mitochondrial membrane potential. The related molecular pathways involved in EADs-induced apoptosis were determined by GeXP multiplex system and Western blot analysis. EADs is postulated to induce cell cycle arrest that is p53- and p21-dependent based on the upregulated expression of p53 and p21 (P<0.05). The expression of Bax was upregulated with downregulation of Bcl-2 following treatment with EADs. The elevated Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and the depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential suggest that EADs-induced apoptosis is mitochondria-dependent. The expression of oxidative stress-related AKT, p-AKT, ERK, and p-ERK was downregulated with upregulation of JNK and p-JNK. The data indicate that induction of oxidative-stress related apoptosis by EADs was mediated by inhibition of AKT and ERK, and activation of JNK. The isolation of compounds in EADs was carried out using column chromatography and elucidated using the nuclear resonance magnetic analysis producing a total of six compounds including 3-epimaslinic acid, kaempferol, kaempferide, protocatechuic acid, gallic acid and β-sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside. The cytotoxicity of the isolated compounds was determined using MTT assay. Gallic acid was found to be most cytotoxic against MCF-7 cell line compared to others, with IC50 of 36 ± 1.7 μg/mL (P<0.05). In summary, EADs generated oxidative stress, induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in MCF-7 cells by regulating numerous genes and proteins that are involved in the apoptotic signal transduction pathway. Therefore, EADs has the potential to be developed as an anti-cancer agent against breast cancer.
  6. Fulltext Electroreduction of dissolved carbon dioxide on roughened molybdenum microelectrodes
    Yahya SH, Al-Lolage FA, Mahat MM, Ramli MZ, Syamsul M, Falina S, et al.
    RSC Adv, 2023 Nov 07;13(47):32918-32926.
    PMID: 38025850 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra05592b
    The increasing levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere may dissolve into the ocean and affect the marine ecosystem. It is crucial to determine the level of dissolved CO2 in the ocean to enable suitable mitigation actions to be carried out. The conventional electrode materials are expensive and susceptible to chloride ion attack. Therefore, there is a need to find suitable alternative materials. This novel study investigates the electrochemical behaviour of dissolved CO2 on roughened molybdenum (Mo) microdisk electrodes, which were mechanically polished using silicon carbide paper. Pits and dents can be seen on the electrode surface as observed using scanning electron microscopy. X-ray diffraction spectra confirm the absence of abrasive materials and the presence of defects on the electrode surface. The electrochemical surface for the roughened electrodes is higher than that for the smoothened electrodes. Our findings show that the roughened electrodes exhibit a significantly higher electrocatalytic activity than the smoothened electrodes for the reduction of dissolved CO2. Our results reveal a linear relationship between the current and square root of scan rate. Furthermore, we demonstrate that saturating the electrolyte solution with CO2 using a bubbling time of just 20 minutes at a flow rate of 5 L min-1 for a 50 mL solution is sufficient. This study provides new insights into the electrochemical behaviour of dissolved CO2 on roughened Mo microdisk electrodes and highlights their potential as a promising material for CO2 reduction and other electrochemical applications. Ultimately, our work contributes to the ongoing efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change and move towards a sustainable future.
  7. Potential Roles of microRNAs for Assessing Cardiovascular Risk in Pre-Eclampsia-Exposed Postpartum Women and Offspring
    Mohd Isa NI, Syafruddin SE, Mokhtar MH, Zainal Abidin S, Jaffar FHF, Ugusman A, et al.
    Int J Mol Sci, 2023 Nov 28;24(23).
    PMID: 38069164 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242316842
    Pre-eclampsia, which is part of the spectrum of hypertensive pregnancy disorders, poses a significant health burden, contributing to maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. Pre-eclampsia is widely associated with persistent adverse effects on the cardiovascular health of women with a history of pre-eclampsia. Additionally, there is increasing evidence demonstrating that offspring of pre-eclamptic pregnancies have altered cardiac structure and function, as well as different vascular physiology due to the decrease in endothelial function. Therefore, early detection of the likelihood of developing pre-eclampsia-associated cardiovascular diseases is vital, as this could facilitate the undertaking of the necessary clinical measures to avoid disease progression. The utilisation of microRNAs as biomarkers is currently on the rise as microRNAs have been found to play important roles in regulating various physiological and pathophysiological processes. In regard to pre-eclampsia, recent studies have shown that the expression of microRNAs is altered in postpartum women and their offspring who have been exposed to pre-eclampsia, and that these alterations may persist for several years. This review, therefore, addresses changes in microRNA expression found in postpartum women and offspring exposed to pre-eclampsia, their involvement in cardiovascular disease, and the potential role of microRNAs to be used as predictive tools and therapeutic targets in future cardiovascular disease research.
  8. Insights into the molecular mechanisms and signalling pathways of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in colorectal cancer: A systematic review and bioinformatic analysis of gene expression
    Azizan S, Cheng KJ, Mejia Mohamed EH, Ibrahim K, Faruqu FN, Vellasamy KM, et al.
    Gene, 2024 Feb 20;896:148057.
    PMID: 38043836 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.148057
    Colorectal cancer (CRC) is ranked as the second leading cause of mortality worldwide, mainly due to metastasis. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a complex cellular process that drives CRC metastasis, regulated by changes in EMT-associated gene expression. However, while numerous genes have been identified as EMT regulators through various in vivo and in vitro studies, little is known about the genes that are differentially expressed in CRC tumour tissue and their signalling pathway in regulating EMT. Using an integration of systematic search and bioinformatic analysis, gene expression profiles of CRC tumour tissues were compared to non-tumour adjacent tissues to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs), followed by performing systematic review on common identified DEGs. Fifty-eight common DEGs were identified from the analysis of 82 tumour tissue samples obtained from four gene expression datasets (NCBI GEO). These DEGS were then systematically searched for their roles in modulating EMT in CRC based on previously published studies. Following this, 10 common DEGs (CXCL1, CXCL8, MMP1, MMP3, MMP7, TACSTD2, VIP, HPGD, ABCG2, CLCA4) were included in this study and subsequently subjected to further bioinformatic analysis. Their roles and functions in modulating EMT in CRC were discussed in this review. This study enhances our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying EMT and uncovers potential candidate genes and pathways that could be targeted in CRC.
  9. Morphological features of magnetorheological elastomer degradation under a natural weathering environment
    Johari MAF, Mazlan SA, Abdul Aziz SA, Zaini N, Nordin NA, Ubaidillah U, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2024 Jan 12;14(1):1155.
    PMID: 38212384 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51736-x
    It is well known in the field of materials science that a substance's longevity is significantly influenced by its environment. Everything begins with the initial contact on a material's surface. This influence will then deteriorate and have an extended negative impact on the strength of the material. In this study, the effect of natural weathering in tropical climates on magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) was investigated through microstructural evaluation to understand the aging behavior of the environmentally exposed MRE. To understand and elucidate the process, MREs made of silicone rubber and 70 wt% micron-sized carbonyl iron particles were prepared and exposed to the natural weathering of a tropical climate for 90 days. The MRE samples were then mechanically tensile tested, which revealed that Young's modulus increased, while elongation at break decreased. Surface degradation due to weathering was suspected to be the primary cause of this condition. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the degradation of MRE was investigated as a function of morphological evidence. Upon examination through SEM, it was noted that the weathering effects on the morphology of the exposed samples showed distinct characteristics on the degraded surfaces of the MRE, including numerous microvoids, cavities, and microcracks. While these features were not prominent for the MRE itself, they bear resemblance to the effects observed in similar materials like rubber and elastomer. An atomic force microscope (AFM) is used to investigate the surface topography and local degradation conditions. This observation revealed a distinctive degradation characteristic of the MRE in connection to natural weathering in tropical climates. The surface damage of the MRE samples became severe and inhomogeneous during the environmental aging process, and degradation began from the exposed MRE surface, causing the mechanical characteristics of the MRE to significantly change.
  10. Assessing lifetime occupational chrysotile inhalation exposure, respiratory symptoms, and lung cancer risk among brake maintenance workers in Malaysia
    Yusof MZ, Zahaba M, Mohd Aris MS, Shafiee S', Abdul Hadi H, Maghpor MN, et al.
    Toxicol Ind Health, 2024 Aug 20.
    PMID: 39163360 DOI: 10.1177/07482337241273755
    This study aimed to estimate workers' occupational lifetime exposure to chrysotile and examine the respiratory symptoms and lung cancer risk. A total of 112 workers were interviewed about their occupational histories. Exposure modeling using information on the determinants of exposure was used to estimate chrysotile emissions. The cumulative lifetime exposure was then assessed for each worker. Respiratory symptoms were obtained using a validated questionnaire. Lung cancer mortality rate was also predicted using a model. Almost all the workers were male and young (mean age = 30 years, SD = 7). The estimated lifetime occupational chrysotile inhalation exposure ranged from 0.0001 to 0.0486 f/mL.years (median = 0.0018 f/mL.years, IQR = 0.486). A high prevalence of cough symptom (11.7%), and low estimated cancer risk (<1%) were reported. In conclusion, the lung cancer risk among our cohort of workers was at a low level because of lower cumulative lifetime occupational chrysotile exposure.
  11. Fulltext Process Optimization of In Situ Magnetic-Anisotropy Spark Plasma Sintering of M-Type-Based Barium Hexaferrite BaFe12O19
    Mohammed HG, Albarody TMB, Susilawati S, Gohery S, Doyan A, Prayogi S, et al.
    Materials (Basel), 2021 May 18;14(10).
    PMID: 34070195 DOI: 10.3390/ma14102650
    This paper introduces a new spark plasma sintering technique that is able to order crystalline anisotropy by in-series/in situ DC electric coupled magnetic field. The process control parameters have been investigated on the production of anisotropic BaFe12O19 magnets based on resulted remanence (Mr). Sintering holding time (H.T.), cooling rate (C.R.), pressure (P), and sintering temperature (S.T.) are optimized by Taguchi with L9 orthogonal array (OA). The remanent magnetization of nanocrystalline BaFe12O19 in parallel (Mrǁ) and perpendicular (MrꞱ) to the applied magnetic field was regarded as a measure of performance. The Taguchi study calculated optimum process parameters, which significantly improved the sintering process based on the confirmation tests of BaFe12O19 anisotropy. The magnetic properties in terms of Mrǁ and MrꞱ were greatly affected by sintering temperature and pressure according to ANOVA results. In addition, regression models were developed for predicting the Mrǁ as well as MrꞱ respectively.
  12. Fulltext A scoping review of clinical reasoning research with Asian healthcare professionals
    Lee CY, Jenq CC, Chandratilake M, Chen J, Chen MM, Nishigori H, et al.
    Adv Health Sci Educ Theory Pract, 2021 Dec;26(5):1555-1579.
    PMID: 34254202 DOI: 10.1007/s10459-021-10060-z
    Clinical reasoning is the thought process that guides practice. Although a plethora of clinical reasoning studies in healthcare professionals exists, the majority appear to originate from Western cultures. A scoping review was undertaken to examine clinical reasoning related research across Asian cultures. PubMed, SciVerse Scopus, Web of Science and Airiti Library databases were searched. Inclusion criteria included full-text articles published in Asian countries (2007 to 2019). Search terms included clinical reasoning, thinking process, differential diagnosis, decision making, problem-based learning, critical thinking, healthcare profession, institution, medical students and nursing students. After applying exclusion criteria, n = 240 were included in the review. The number of publications increased in 2012 (from 5%, n = 13 in 2011 to 9%, n = 22) with a steady increase onwards to 12% (n = 29) in 2016. South Korea published the most articles (19%, n = 46) followed by Iran (17%, n = 41). Nurse Education Today published 11% of the articles (n = 26), followed by BMC Medical Education (5%, n = 13). Nursing and Medical students account for the largest population groups studied. Analysis of the articles resulted in seven themes: Evaluation of existing courses (30%, n = 73) being the most frequently identified theme. Only seven comparative articles showed cultural implications, but none provided direct evidence of the impact of culture on clinical reasoning. We illuminate the potential necessity of further research in clinical reasoning, specifically with a focus on how clinical reasoning is affected by national culture. A better understanding of current clinical reasoning research in Asian cultures may assist curricula developers in establishing a culturally appropriate learning environment.
  13. Preparation of amine-functionalized polyacrylonitrile-TiO2-chitosan multilayer nanofibers as a potential wound dressing: Characterization and investigation of in vitro cell viability, proliferation and antibacterial study
    Khan R, Haider S, Wahit MU, Rahman SU, Hameed S, Haider A, et al.
    Int J Biol Macromol, 2025 Feb 12;305(Pt 1):141006.
    PMID: 39952506 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.141006
    Development of a Multi-layered (ML) nanofibers (NFs) scaffold by combining advanced materials to address the diverse needs of wound healing offers a comprehensive solution. In this study, a ML scaffold composed of amine functionalized polyacrylonitrile (AFP) NFs membrane as base layer, TiO2 NPs (T) as middle layer, and chitosan (CS) NFs membrane as contact layer was fabricated sequentially by electrospinning, surface functionalization and electrospraying to promote the wound healing. The multi-layered NFs scaffold (ML AFPT-CS) demonstrated adequate morphology, porosity, surface roughness and hydrophilicity with a water contact angle of 41.94°. The NFs scaffolds were evaluated for in-vitro cellular activity using NIH3T3-E1cells and antibacterial performance. The in-vitro analysis inferred that ML AFPT-CS scaffold in comparison with other study groups exhibited excellent cell viability proliferation and resulted in a spindle shape morphology with cells extending across the ML AFPT-CS scaffold and spreading over the NFs surface. Similarly, the ML AFPT-CS scaffolds were active against all four types of bacterial pathogens (M. luteus, S. flexeneri, S. aureus and K. pneumonia) with a highest inhibition against M. luteus (1.7 mm). The developed ML AFPT-CS scaffold could be promising candidate for advanced wound dressing in future.
  14. The outcome of diabetic retinopathy health education program in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a quasi-experimental study
    Rif'atunnailah MI, Mei-Chan C, Wan Ling L, Tajunisah I, Mohd Iman SS, Thandar Soe Sumaiyah J, et al.
    Health Educ Res, 2025 Feb 19;40(1).
    PMID: 39820426 DOI: 10.1093/her/cyae045
    Diabetic retinopathy (DR) may develop into sight-threatening DR and vision loss if early intervention is not carried out. This study was aimed to assess the effectiveness of DR health education program for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The quasi-experimental research design was applied. The intervention group underwent a web-based DR health education program while the control group was followed up the usual way at an ophthalmology clinic for 1 year. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, repeated measures ANOVA and general linear model to evaluate the mean difference between groups. A total of 180 patients with T2DM were enrolled in the study, with equal number in the control and intervention groups, respectively, with 28% of dropout rate. There was a significant mean difference in knowledge score [F (1178)  = 116.57, P = 0.001], diabetes self-care [F (1178)  = 116.57, P = 0.001] and visual-related quality of life [F (1178)  = 12.70), P = 0.001] between the control and the intervention groups. The intervention group scored the highest in all three categories. Educational interventions positively affected adherence to self-care and visual-related quality of life in type 2 diabetic patients as shown in this study. DRHEP should be considered an added benefit in T2DM management, starting with comprehensive care enrollment.
  15. Fulltext Knowledge, beliefs, perceptions and barriers related to implementing smoke-free home practices in two rural settlement areas in Malaysia
    Kamni SNA, Bahron NANBS, Zulkifli A, Uny I, O'Donnell R, Prabandari YS, et al.
    Tob Prev Cessat, 2024;10.
    PMID: 39583884 DOI: 10.18332/tpc/195460
    INTRODUCTION: Studies have found that parental smoking is the primary source of secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure among children, leading to respiratory illnesses, especially in non-smokers like children and women. Promoting a smoke-free home (SFH) is essential, especially among rural populations, and barriers or challenges to creating a SFH need to be better understood. This study aimed to determine the knowledge levels on SHS and to identify the beliefs, perceptions, barriers and facilitators of SFH practices among the rural population in Kuala Kubu Bharu, Selangor, Malaysia.

    METHODS: This study employed a mixed-methods design, conducted in two rural settlement areas in 2022. Data were collected through surveys on SHS and SFH knowledge and face-to-face interviews using a topic guide. The quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS software while the qualitative data were analyzed using the thematic approach via NVivo 12.

    RESULTS: Sixty participants completed the survey. Most of the respondents had a good (38%) or moderate (48%) knowledge level of SHS. No association was found between sociodemographic factors and knowledge level. Seven of the nine interviewees knew specific SHS-related health risks. Most participants believed that implementing SFH requires quitting or reducing smoking. Barriers to establishing a SFH included personal convenience, habits, attitudes, and social influence. Family encouragement, practicability, government, and quitting smoking were the facilitators for SFH.

    CONCLUSIONS: These rural communities had moderate knowledge level of SHS and SFH. Men's knowledge, beliefs and perceptions like associating SFH with quitting smoking may prevent SFH adoption. It is critical for the government and stakeholders to disseminate information and develop socially and culturally acceptable health promotion programs, incorporating the considerations from this study to increase the chances of SFH implementation in rural areas.

  16. Fulltext Current trends and research advances on the application of TiO2 nanoparticles in dentistry: How far are we from clinical translation?
    Mohammadi H, Moradpoor H, Beddu S, Mozaffari HR, Sharifi R, Rezaei R, et al.
    Heliyon, 2025 Feb 15;11(3):e42169.
    PMID: 39991247 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e42169
    The great potential of nanotechnology-based knowledge during the past decade has shown great potential to elevate human living standards and enhance healthcare conditions through diagnosing, preventing, and treating different diseases. Among abundant nanoparticles (NPs), inorganic NPs feature distinctive biological and physicochemical properties compared to their conventional counterparts which do not endow. TiO2 NPs possess excellent properties including low-cast, antibacterial properties, biocompatibility, and physicochemical stability. The present review highlights and discusses the current trends in applying TiO2 NPs in dentistry ranging from TiO2-based nanocomposite in endodontics, orthodontics, and biofilm prevention. Moreover, the potential of TiO2 NPs in developing new photodynamic therapy and the next generation of oral care products is outlined. In the end, the clinical translation of TiO2-based dental materials is brought to the forefront which is impetus and of great importance to developing inorganic NP-based dental materials.
  17. Fulltext Pharmacokinetics and Biodistribution of Thymoquinone-loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carrier After Oral and Intravenous Administration into Rats
    Zakarial Ansar FH, Latifah SY, Wan Kamal WHB, Khong KC, Ng Y, Foong JN, et al.
    Int J Nanomedicine, 2020;15:7703-7717.
    PMID: 33116496 DOI: 10.2147/IJN.S262395
    Background: Thymoquinone (TQ), an active compound isolated from Nigella sativa, has been proven to exhibit various biological properties such as antioxidant. Although oral delivery of TQ is valuable, it is limited by poor oral bioavailability and low solubility. Recently, TQ-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier (TQ-NLC) was formulated with the aim of overcoming the limitations. TQ-NLC was successfully synthesized by the high-pressure homogenization method with remarkable physiochemical properties whereby the particle size is less than 100 nm, improved encapsulation efficiency and is stable up to 24 months of storage. Nevertheless, the pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of TQ-NLC have not been studied. This study determined the bioavailability of oral and intravenous administration of thymoquinone-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier (TQ-NLC) in rats and its distribution to organs.

    Materials and Methods: TQ-NLC was radiolabeled with technetium-99m before the administration to the rats. The biodistribution and pharmacokinetics parameters were then evaluated at various time points. The rats were imaged at time intervals and the percentage of the injected dose/gram (%ID/g) in blood and each organ was analyzed.

    Results: Oral administration of TQ-NLC exhibited greater relative bioavailability compared to intravenous administration. It is postulated that the movement of TQ-NLC through the intestinal lymphatic system bypasses the first metabolism and therefore enhances the relative bioavailability. However, oral administration has a slower absorption rate compared to intravenous administration where the AUC0-∞ was 4.539 times lower than the latter.

    Conclusion: TQ-NLC had better absorption when administered intravenously compared to oral administration. However, oral administration showed greater bioavailability compared to the intravenous route. This study provides the pharmacokinetics and biodistribution profile of TQ-NLC in vivo which is useful to assist researchers in clinical use.

  18. Support vector machines for oil classification link with polyaromatic hydrocarbon contamination in the environment
    Ismail A, Juahir H, Mohamed SB, Toriman ME, Kassim AM, Zain SM, et al.
    Water Sci Technol, 2021 Mar;83(5):1039-1054.
    PMID: 33724935 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2021.038
    The main focus of this study is exploring the spatial distribution of polyaromatics hydrocarbon links between oil spills in the environment via Support Vector Machines based on Kernel-Radial Basis Function (RBF) approach for high precision classification of oil spill type from its sample fingerprinting in Peninsular Malaysia. The results show the highest concentrations of Σ Alkylated PAHs and Σ EPA PAHs in ΣTAH concentration in diesel from the oil samples PP3_liquid and GP6_Jetty achieving 100% classification output, corresponding to coherent decision boundary and projective subspace estimation. The high dimensional nature of this approach has led to the existence of a perfect separability of the oil type classification from four clustered oil type components; i.e diesel, bunker C, Mixture Oil (MO), lube oil and Waste Oil (WO) with the slack variables of ξ ≠ 0. Of the four clusters, only the SVs of two are correctly predicted, namely diesel and MO. The kernel-RBF approach provides efficient and reliable oil sample classification, enabling the oil classification to be optimally performed within a relatively short period of execution and a faster dataset classification where the slack variables ξ are non-zero.
  19. Source, distribution and emerging threat of micro- and nanoplastics to marine organism and human health: Socio-economic impact and management strategies
    Mofijur M, Ahmed SF, Rahman SMA, Arafat Siddiki SY, Islam ABMS, Shahabuddin M, et al.
    Environ Res, 2021 04;195:110857.
    PMID: 33581088 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.110857
    The nature of micro- and nanoplastics and their harmful consequences has drawn significant attention in recent years in the context of environmental protection. Therefore, this paper aims to provide an overview of the existing literature related to this evolving subject, focusing on the documented human health and marine environment impacts of micro- and nanoplastics and including a discussion of the economic challenges and strategies to mitigate this waste problem. The study highlights the micro- and nanoplastics distribution across various trophic levels of the food web, and in different organs in infected animals which is possible due to their reduced size and their lightweight, multi-coloured and abundant features. Consequently, micro- and nanoplastics pose significant risks to marine organisms and human health in the form of cytotoxicity, acute reactions, and undesirable immune responses. They affect several sectors including aquaculture, agriculture, fisheries, transportation, industrial sectors, power generation, tourism, and local authorities causing considerable economic losses. This can be minimised by identifying key sources of environmental plastic contamination and educating the public, thus reducing the transfer of micro- and nanoplastics into the environment. Furthermore, the exploitation of the potential of microorganisms, particularly those from marine origins that can degrade plastics, could offer an enhanced and environmentally sound approach to mitigate micro- and nanoplastics pollution.
  20. Fulltext Modulation of Ki67 and myogenic regulatory factor expression by tocotrienol-rich fraction ameliorates myogenic program of senescent human myoblasts
    Tan CM, Najib NAM, Suhaimi NF, Halid NA, Cho VV, Abdullah SI, et al.
    Arch Med Sci, 2021;17(3):752-763.
    PMID: 34025846 DOI: 10.5114/aoms.2019.85449
    Introduction: Replicative senescence results in dysregulation of cell proliferation and differentiation, which plays a role in the regenerative defects observed during age-related muscle atrophy. Vitamin E is a well-known antioxidant, which potentially ameliorates a wide range of age-related manifestations. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) in modulating the expression of proliferation- and differentiation-associated proteins in senescent human myoblasts during the differentiation phase.

    Material and methods: Human skeletal muscle myoblasts were cultured until senescence. Young and senescent cells were treated with TRF for 24 h before and after differentiation induction, followed by evaluation of cellular morphology and efficiency of differentiation. Expression of cell proliferation marker Ki67 protein and myogenic regulatory factors MyoD and myogenin were determined.

    Results: Our findings showed that treatment with TRF significantly improved the morphology of senescent myoblasts. Promotion of differentiation was observed in young and senescent myoblasts with TRF treatment as shown by the increased fusion index and larger size of myotubes. Increased Ki67 and myogenin expression with TRF treatment was also observed in senescent myoblasts, suggesting amelioration of the myogenic program by TRF during replicative senescence.

    Conclusions: TRF modulates the expression of regulatory factors related to proliferation and differentiation in senescent human myoblasts and could be beneficial for ameliorating the regenerative defects during aging.

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