MyMedR

Displaying publications 541 - 560 of 1010 in total

Abstract:

Sort:

Optimization of L-asparaginase production from endophytic Fusarium proliferatum using OFAT and RSM and its cytotoxic evaluation

Yap LS, Lee WL, Ting ASY

J Microbiol Methods, 2021 12;191:106358.
PMID: 34743930 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2021.106358

L-asparaginase from endophytic Fusarium proliferatum (isolate CCH, GenBank accession no. MK685139) isolated from the medicinal plant Cymbopogon citratus (Lemon grass), was optimized for its L-asparaginase production and its subsequent cytotoxicity towards Jurkat E6 cell line. The following factors were optimized; carbon source and concentration, nitrogen source and concentration, incubation period, temperature, pH and agitation rate. Optimization of L-asparaginase production was performed using One-Factor-At-A-Time (OFAT) and Response surface methodology (RSM) model. The cytotoxicity of the crude enzyme from isolate CCH was tested on leukemic Jurkat E6 cell line. The optimization exercise revealed that glucose concentration, nitrogen source, L-asparagine concentration and temperature influenced the L-asparaginase production of CCH. The optimum condition suggested using OFAT and RSM results were consistent. As such, the recommended conditions were 0.20% of glucose, 0.99% of L-asparagine and 5.34 days incubation at 30.50 °C. The L-asparaginase production of CCH increased from 16.75 ± 0.76 IU/mL to 22.42 ± 0.20 IU/mL after optimization. The cytotoxicity of the crude enzyme on leukemic Jurkat cell line recorded IC50 value at 33.89 ± 2.63% v/v. To conclude, the enzyme extract produced from Fusarium proliferatum under optimized conditions is a potential alternative resource for L-asparaginase.

Matched MeSH terms: Culture Media/chemistry
Mediating role of psychological well-being in the relationship between organizational support and nurses' outcomes: A cross-sectional study

Pahlevan Sharif S, Ahadzadeh AS, Sharif Nia H

J Adv Nurs, 2018 Apr;74(4):887-899.
PMID: 29117444 DOI: 10.1111/jan.13501

AIM: To examine the relationship between organizational support for nursing practice and nurse-assessed quality of care and nurses' job satisfaction in hospital settings and to investigate the mediating role of psychological well-being in the aforementioned relationships.
BACKGROUND: There has been growing concern about quality of care in healthcare organizations. The past research has documented the effect of nurse practice environment on nurses' quality of care and job satisfaction. However, little is known about the underlying mechanism behind these associations.
DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey was undertaken.
METHODS: Data were collected from two large public hospitals in Iran between February - March 2017. A sample of 345 nurses participated in the study. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and partial least squared-structural equation modelling.
RESULTS: The results showed that nurses' perception of organizational support was related to their quality of care, job satisfaction and psychological well-being. Also, there was a positive relationship between nurses' psychological well-being and their quality of care and job satisfaction. Moreover, psychological well-being partially mediated the relationship between organizational support with nurse-assessed quality of care and nurses' job satisfaction.
CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that organizational support for nursing practice and psychological well-being are two factors that contribute to caring behaviour of nurses and their job satisfaction. Also, positively perceived organizational support generates favourable psychological well-being which in turn enhances nurses' quality of care and job satisfaction. The findings highlight the importance of establishing a supportive nurse practice environment and paying attention to the nurses' psychological well-being in healthcare sectors.

Matched MeSH terms: Organizational Culture*
Fulltext Shelf Life Evaluation of Clinical Grade Chondrogenic Induced Aged Adult Stem Cells for Cartilage Regeneration

Ude CC, Seet WT, Sharen Aini S, Aminuddin BS, Ruszymah BHI

Sci Rep, 2018 03 12;8(1):4345.
PMID: 29531282 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-22748-1

The study objectives include, enhancing the proliferations of aged bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) and adipose stem cells (ADSCs); and evaluating the shelf lives of clinical grade chondrogenically induced cells from both samples. ADSCs and BMSCs from 56 patients (76 ± 8 yrs) were proliferated using basal medium (FD) and at (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25) ng/ml of basal fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). They were induced to chondrogenic lineage and stored for more than 120 hrs in FD, serum, Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline (DPBS) and saline at 4 °C. In FD, cells stagnated and BMSCs' population doubling time (PDT) was 137 ± 30 hrs, while ADSCs' was 129.7 ± 40 hrs. bFGF caused PDT's decrease to 24.5 ± 5.8 hrs in BMSCs and 22.0 ± 6.5 hrs in ADSCs (p = 0.0001). Both cells were positive to stem cell markers before inductions and thereafter, expressed significantly high chondrogenic genes (p = 0.0001). On shelf life, both cells maintained viabilities and counts above 70% in FD and serum after 120 hrs. BMSCs' viabilities in DPBS fell below 70% after 96 hrs and saline after 72 hrs. ADSCs' viability fell below 70% in DPBS after 24 hrs and saline within 24 hrs. Concentrations between 20 ng/ml bFGF is ideal for aged adult cells' proliferation and delivery time of induced BMSCs and ADSCs can be 120 hrs in 4 °C serum.

Matched MeSH terms: Culture Media/chemistry
Fulltext Protocol for a between-group experimental study examining cultural differences in emotion processing between Malay and Caucasian adults with and without major depressive disorder

Mohan SN, Mukhtar F, Jobson L

BMJ Open, 2016 Oct 21;6(10):e012774.
PMID: 27798019 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-012774

INTRODUCTION: Depression is a mood disorder that affects a significant proportion of the population worldwide. In Malaysia and Australia, the number of people diagnosed with depression is on the rise. It has been found that impairments in emotion processing and emotion regulation play a role in the development and maintenance of depression. This study is based on Matsumoto and Hwang's biocultural model of emotion and Triandis' Subjective Culture model. It aims to investigate the influence of culture on emotion processing among Malaysians and Australians with and without major depressive disorder (MDD).
METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This study will adopt a between-group design. Participants will include Malaysian Malays and Caucasian Australians with and without MDD (N=320). There will be four tasks involved in this study, namely: (1) the facial emotion recognition task, (2) the biological motion task, (3) the subjective experience task and (4) the emotion meaning task. It is hypothesised that there will be cultural differences in how participants with and without MDD respond to these emotion tasks and that, pan-culturally, MDD will influence accuracy rates in the facial emotion recognition task and the biological motion task.
ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study is approved by the Universiti Putra Malaysia Research Ethics Committee (JKEUPM) and the Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee (MUHREC). Permission to conduct the study has also been obtained from the National Medical Research Register (NMRR; NMRR-15-2314-26919). On completion of the study, data will be kept by Universiti Putra Malaysia for a specific period of time before they are destroyed. Data will be published in a collective manner in the form of journal articles with no reference to a specific individual.

Matched MeSH terms: Cross-Cultural Comparison; Culture*
Fulltext Redirecting Metabolic Flux towards the Mevalonate Pathway for Enhanced β-Carotene Production in M. circinelloides CBS 277.49

Naz T, Nazir Y, Nosheen S, Ullah S, Halim H, Fazili ABA, et al.

Biomed Res Int, 2020;2020:8890269.
PMID: 33457420 DOI: 10.1155/2020/8890269

Carotenoids produced by microbial sources are of industrial and medicinal importance due to their antioxidant and anticancer properties. In the current study, optimization of β-carotene production in M. circinelloides strain 277.49 was achieved using response surface methodology (RSM). Cerulenin and ketoconazole were used to inhibit fatty acids and the sterol biosynthesis pathway, respectively, in order to enhance β-carotene production by diverting metabolic pool towards the mevalonate pathway. All three variables used in screening experiments were found to be significant for the production of β-carotene. The synergistic effect of the C/N ratio, cerulenin, and ketoconazole was further evaluated and optimized for superior β-carotene production using central composite design of RSM. Our results found that the synergistic combination of C/N ratios, cerulenin, and ketoconazole at different concentrations affected the β-carotene productions significantly. The optimal production medium (std. order 11) composed of C/N 25, 10 μg/mL cerulenin, and 150 mg/L ketoconazole, producing maximum β-carotene of 4.26 mg/L (0.43 mg/g) which was 157% greater in comparison to unoptimized medium (1.68 mg/L, 0.17 mg/g). So, it was concluded that metabolic flux had been successfully redirected towards the mevalonate pathway for enhanced β-carotene production in CBS 277.49.

Matched MeSH terms: Culture Media/metabolism
Fulltext Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) tissue culture ESTs: identifying genes associated with callogenesis and embryogenesis

Low ET, Alias H, Boon SH, Shariff EM, Tan CY, Ooi LC, et al.

BMC Plant Biol, 2008 May 29;8:62.
PMID: 18507865 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2229-8-62

BACKGROUND: Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) is one of the most important oil bearing crops in the world. However, genetic improvement of oil palm through conventional breeding is extremely slow and costly, as the breeding cycle can take up to 10 years. This has brought about interest in vegetative propagation of oil palm. Since the introduction of oil palm tissue culture in the 1970s, clonal propagation has proven to be useful, not only in producing uniform planting materials, but also in the development of the genetic engineering programme. Despite considerable progress in improving the tissue culture techniques, the callusing and embryogenesis rates from proliferating callus cultures remain very low. Thus, understanding the gene diversity and expression profiles in oil palm tissue culture is critical in increasing the efficiency of these processes.
RESULTS: A total of 12 standard cDNA libraries, representing three main developmental stages in oil palm tissue culture, were generated in this study. Random sequencing of clones from these cDNA libraries generated 17,599 expressed sequence tags (ESTs). The ESTs were analysed, annotated and assembled to generate 9,584 putative unigenes distributed in 3,268 consensi and 6,316 singletons. These unigenes were assigned putative functions based on similarity and gene ontology annotations. Cluster analysis, which surveyed the relatedness of each library based on the abundance of ESTs in each consensus, revealed that lipid transfer proteins were highly expressed in embryogenic tissues. A glutathione S-transferase was found to be highly expressed in non-embryogenic callus. Further analysis of the unigenes identified 648 non-redundant simple sequence repeats and 211 putative full-length open reading frames.
CONCLUSION: This study has provided an overview of genes expressed during oil palm tissue culture. Candidate genes with expression that are modulated during tissue culture were identified. However, in order to confirm whether these genes are suitable as early markers for embryogenesis, the genes need to be tested on earlier stages of tissue culture and a wider range of genotypes. This collection of ESTs is an important resource for genetic and genome analyses of the oil palm, particularly during tissue culture development.

Matched MeSH terms: Tissue Culture Techniques/methods
Fulltext Amenable epigenetic traits of dental pulp stem cells underlie high capability of xeno-free episomal reprogramming

Thekkeparambil Chandrabose S, Sriram S, Subramanian S, Cheng S, Ong WK, Rozen S, et al.

Stem Cell Res Ther, 2018 03 20;9(1):68.
PMID: 29559008 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-018-0796-2

BACKGROUND: While a shift towards non-viral and animal component-free methods of generating induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells is preferred for safer clinical applications, there is still a shortage of reliable cell sources and protocols for efficient reprogramming.
METHODS: Here, we show a robust episomal and xeno-free reprogramming strategy for human iPS generation from dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) which renders good efficiency (0.19%) over a short time frame (13-18 days).
RESULTS: The robustness of DPSCs as starting cells for iPS induction is found due to their exceptional inherent stemness properties, developmental origin from neural crest cells, specification for tissue commitment, and differentiation capability. To investigate the epigenetic basis for the high reprogramming efficiency of DPSCs, we performed genome-wide DNA methylation analysis and found that the epigenetic signature of DPSCs associated with pluripotent, developmental, and ecto-mesenchymal genes is relatively close to that of iPS and embryonic stem (ES) cells. Among these genes, it is found that overexpression of PAX9 and knockdown of HERV-FRD improved the efficiencies of iPS generation.
CONCLUSION: In conclusion, our study provides underlying epigenetic mechanisms that establish a robust platform for efficient generation of iPS cells from DPSCs, facilitating industrial and clinical use of iPS technology for therapeutic needs.

Matched MeSH terms: Primary Cell Culture/methods
Fulltext Enhanced in vitro angiogenic behaviour of human umbilical vein endothelial cells on thermally oxidized TiO2 nanofibrous surfaces

Tan AW, Liau LL, Chua KH, Ahmad R, Akbar SA, Pingguan-Murphy B

Sci Rep, 2016 Feb 17;6:21828.
PMID: 26883761 DOI: 10.1038/srep21828

One of the major challenges in bone grafting is the lack of sufficient bone vascularization. A rapid and stable bone vascularization at an early stage of implantation is essential for optimal functioning of the bone graft. To address this, the ability of in situ TiO2 nanofibrous surfaces fabricated via thermal oxidation method to enhance the angiogenic potential of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was investigated. The cellular responses of HUVECs on TiO2 nanofibrous surfaces were studied through cell adhesion, cell proliferation, capillary-like tube formation, growth factors secretion (VEGF and BFGF), and angiogenic-endogenic-associated gene (VEGF, VEGFR2, BFGF, PGF, HGF, Ang-1, VWF, PECAM-1 and ENOS) expression analysis after 2 weeks of cell seeding. Our results show that TiO2 nanofibrous surfaces significantly enhanced adhesion, proliferation, formation of capillary-like tube networks and growth factors secretion of HUVECs, as well as leading to higher expression level of all angiogenic-endogenic-associated genes, in comparison to unmodified control surfaces. These beneficial effects suggest the potential use of such surface nanostructures to be utilized as an advantageous interface for bone grafts as they can promote angiogenesis, which improves bone vascularization.

Matched MeSH terms: Culture Media/chemistry*
Fulltext Production of gymnemic acid depends on medium, explants, PGRs, color lights, temperature, photoperiod, and sucrose sources in batch culture of Gymnema sylvestre

Ahmed AB, Rao AS, Rao MV, Taha RM

ScientificWorldJournal, 2012;2012:897867.
PMID: 22629221 DOI: 10.1100/2012/897867

Gymnema sylvestre (R.Br.) is an important diabetic medicinal plant which yields pharmaceutically active compounds called gymnemic acid (GA). The present study describes callus induction and the subsequent batch culture optimization and GA quantification determined by linearity, precision, accuracy, and recovery. Best callus induction of GA was noticed in MS medium combined with 2,4-D (1.5 mg/L) and KN (0.5 mg/L). Evaluation and isolation of GA from the calluses derived from different plant parts, namely, leaf, stem and petioles have been done in the present case for the first time. Factors such as light, temperature, sucrose, and photoperiod were studied to observe their effect on GA production. Temperature conditions completely inhibited GA production. Out of the different sucrose concentrations tested, the highest yield (35.4 mg/g d.w) was found at 5% sucrose followed by 12 h photoperiod (26.86 mg/g d.w). Maximum GA production (58.28 mg/g d.w) was observed in blue light. The results showed that physical and chemical factors greatly influence the production of GA in callus cultures of G. sylvestre. The factors optimized for in vitro production of GA during the present study can successfully be employed for their large-scale production in bioreactors.

Matched MeSH terms: Culture Media/metabolism*
Research on culture-bound syndromes: new directions

Guarnaccia PJ, Rogler LH

Am J Psychiatry, 1999 Sep;156(9):1322-7.
PMID: 10484940

The unprecedented inclusion of culture-bound syndromes in DSM-IV provides the opportunity for highlighting the need to study such syndromes and the occasion for developing a research agenda to study them. The growing ethnic and cultural diversity of the U.S. population presents a challenge to the mental health field to develop truly cross-cultural approaches to mental health research and services. In this article, the authors provide a critique of previous analyses of the relationship between culture-bound syndromes and psychiatric diagnoses. They highlight the problems in previous classificatory exercises, which tend to focus on subsuming the culture-bound syndromes into psychiatric categories and fail to fully investigate these syndromes on their own terms. A detailed research program based on four key questions is presented both to understand culture-bound syndromes within their cultural context and to analyze the relationship between these syndromes and psychiatric disorders. Results of over a decade of research on ataques de nervios, a Latino-Caribbean cultural syndrome, are used to illustrate this research program. The four questions focus on the nature of the phenomenon, the social-cultural location of sufferers, the relationship of culture-bound syndromes to psychiatric disorders, and the social and psychiatric history of the syndrome in the life course of the sufferer.

Matched MeSH terms: Cross-Cultural Comparison; Culture*; Cultural Diversity
Optimization of Culture Medium for the Growth of Candida sp. and Blastobotrys sp. as Starter Culture in Fermentation of Cocoa Beans (Theobroma cacao) Using Response Surface Methodology (RSM)

Mahazar NH, Zakuan Z, Norhayati H, MeorHussin AS, Rukayadi Y

Pak J Biol Sci, 2017;20(3):154-159.
PMID: 29023007 DOI: 10.3923/pjbs.2017.154.159

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Inoculation of starter culture in cocoa bean fermentation produces consistent, predictable and high quality of fermented cocoa beans. It is important to produce healthy inoculum in cocoa bean fermentation for better fermented products. Inoculum could minimize the length of the lag phase in fermentation. The purpose of this study was to optimize the component of culture medium for the maximum cultivation of Candida sp. and Blastobotrys sp.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Molasses and yeast extract were chosen as medium composition and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was then employed to optimize the molasses and yeast extract.
RESULTS: Maximum growth of Candida sp. (7.63 log CFU mL-1) and Blastobotrys sp. (8.30 log CFU mL-1) were obtained from the fermentation. Optimum culture media for the growth of Candida sp., consist of 10% (w/v) molasses and 2% (w/v) yeast extract, while for Blastobotrys sp., were 1.94% (w/v) molasses and 2% (w/v) yeast extract.
CONCLUSION: This study shows that culture medium consists of molasses and yeast extract were able to produce maximum growth of Candida sp. and Blastobotrys sp., as a starter culture for cocoa bean fermentation.

Matched MeSH terms: Culture Media/metabolism*
Plant regeneration and floral bud formation from intact floral parts of African violet (Saintpaulia ionantha H. Wendl.) cultured in vitro

Daud N, Taha RM

Pak J Biol Sci, 2008 Apr 01;11(7):1055-8.
PMID: 18810979

Intact immature flower buds of African violet (Saintpaulia ionantha H. Wendl.) were used as explant sources for in vitro studies. The effect of exogenous hormones, NAA and BAP on the indirect organogenesis of this species was observed. Callus was formed on the cut end (base) of pedicels of floral buds where they were in contact with the medium. When maintained on the same medium, callus was differentiated into adventitious shoots after 10 weeks in culture. MS media supplemented with 2.0 mg L(-1) NAA and 1.0 mg L(-1) BAP gave the highest number of sterile or vegetative floral buds from the surface of callus of the explants, but these buds failed to develop further. The floral buds were expanded as abnormal flowers. The floral structures were smaller in size compared to intact flowers. Petals (corolla) were white to purple in colour but did not form any reproductive organs, i.e., stamens or pistils. All sterile or vegetative floral buds and abnormal flowers survived for 3 months in culture but failed to reach anthesis.

Matched MeSH terms: Culture Media; Tissue Culture Techniques
Social and cultural aspects of organ donation in Asia

Woo KT

Ann Acad Med Singap, 1992 May;21(3):421-7.
PMID: 1416796

In Asian countries, it is more difficult to obtain cadaver kidneys for renal transplantation because of certain socio-cultural beliefs and customs. The issues affecting living related kidney donation are more social than cultural. This is due to the web of family pressures and personal conflicts for both donor and recipient surrounding the donation. Important misconceptions and fears are: fear of death, the belief that removal of organ violates sanctity of decreased, concern about being cut up after death, desire to be buried whole, dislike of idea of kidneys inside another person, wrong concept of brain death, and the idea of donation being against religious conviction. In Singapore, with the introduction of the Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA) in 1988, the number of cadaveric transplants have increased, including those from the Medical Therapy Act (MTA). HOTA and education have played pivotal roles in bringing about an increased yield of cadaveric kidneys. With the availability of living unrelated donor (LUD) transplants in India, our living related donor (LRD) transplant programme has suffered, because patients would rather buy a kidney from overseas than get a relative to donate one. Patients are also going to China for overseas cadaveric transplants where the kidneys come from executed convicts. People in countries like Hong Kong, Japan and the Philippines share the same Asian tradition of not parting with their organs after death. Muslim countries like Malaysia require the deceased to have earlier pledged his kidneys for donation prior to death before they can be harvested for transplantation at death.

Matched MeSH terms: Culture*; Cultural Diversity*
Fulltext The potential of mycelium and culture broth of Lignosus rhinocerotis as substitutes for the naturally occurring sclerotium with regard to antioxidant capacity, cytotoxic effect, and low-molecular-weight chemical constituents

Lau BF, Abdullah N, Aminudin N, Lee HB, Yap KC, Sabaratnam V

PLoS One, 2014;9(7):e102509.
PMID: 25054862 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0102509

Previous studies on the nutritional and nutraceutical properties of Lignosus rhinocerotis focused mainly on the sclerotium; however, the supply of wild sclerotium is limited. In this investigation, the antioxidant capacity and cytotoxic effect of L. rhinocerotis cultured under different conditions of liquid fermentation (shaken and static) were compared to the sclerotium produced by solid-substrate fermentation. Aqueous methanol extracts of the mycelium (LR-MH, LR-MT) and culture broth (LR-BH, LR-BT) demonstrated either higher or comparable antioxidant capacities to the sclerotium extract (LR-SC) based on their radical scavenging abilities, reducing properties, metal chelating activities, and inhibitory effects on lipid peroxidation. All extracts exerted low cytotoxicity (IC50>200 µg/ml, 72 h) against selected mammalian cell lines. Several low-molecular-weight compounds, including sugars, fatty acids, methyl esters, sterols, amides, amino acids, phenolics, and triterpenoids, were identified using GC-MS and UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS. The presence of proteins (<40 kDa) in the extracts was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and SELDI-TOF-MS. Principal component analysis revealed that the chemical profiles of the mycelial extracts under shaken and static conditions were distinct from those of the sclerotium. Results from bioactivity evaluation and chemical profiling showed that L. rhinocerotis from liquid fermentation merits consideration as an alternative source of functional ingredients and potential substitute for the sclerotium.

Matched MeSH terms: Culture Media, Conditioned/pharmacology; Culture Media, Conditioned/chemistry*
Cation dependence, pH tolerance, and dosage requirement of a bioflocculant produced by Bacillus spp. UPMB13: flocculation performance optimization through kaolin assays

Zulkeflee Z, Aris AZ, Shamsuddin ZH, Yusoff MK

ScientificWorldJournal, 2012;2012:495659.
PMID: 22997497

A bioflocculant-producing bacterial strain with highly mucoid and ropy colony morphological characteristics identified as Bacillus spp. UPMB13 was found to be a potential bioflocculant-producing bacterium. The effect of cation dependency, pH tolerance and dosage requirement on flocculating ability of the strain was determined by flocculation assay with kaolin as the suspended particle. The flocculating activity was measured as optical density and by flocs formation. A synergistic effect was observed with the addition of monovalent and divalent cations, namely, Na⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺, while Fe²⁺ and Al³⁺ produced inhibiting effects on flocculating activity. Divalent cations were conclusively demonstrated as the best cation source to enhance flocculation. The bioflocculant works in a wide pH range, from 4.0 to 8.0 with significantly different performances (P < 0.05), respectively. It best performs at pH 5.0 and pH 6.0 with flocculating performance of above 90%. A much lower or higher pH would inhibit flocculation. Low dosage requirements were needed for both the cation and bioflocculant, with only an input of 50 mL/L for 0.1% (w/v) CaCl₂ and 5 mL/L for culture broth, respectively. These results are comparable to other bioflocculants produced by various microorganisms with higher dosage requirements.

Matched MeSH terms: Batch Cell Culture Techniques/methods; Batch Cell Culture Techniques/standards*
Fulltext Autologous serum supplement favours in vitro regenerative paracrine factors synthesis

Haque N, Kasim NHA, Kassim NLA, Rahman MT

Cell Prolif, 2017 Aug;50(4).
PMID: 28682474 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.12354

OBJECTIVES: Foetal bovine serum (FBS) is often the serum supplement of choice for in vitro human cell culture. This study compares the effect of FBS and autologous human serum (AuHS) supplement in human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) culture to prepare secretome.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The PBMC (n = 7) were cultured either in RPMI-1640 containing L-glutamine and 50 units/ml Penicillin-Streptomycin (BM) or in BM with either AuHS or FBS. Viability, proliferation and differentiation of PBMC were evaluated. Paracrine factors present in the secretomes (n = 6) were analysed using ProcartaPlex Human Cytokine panel (17 plex). Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) was performed to predict activation or inhibition of biological functions related to tissue regeneration.
RESULTS: The viability of PBMC that were cultured with FBS supplement was significantly reduced at 96 h compared to those at 0 and 24 h (P

Matched MeSH terms: Culture Media/pharmacology*; Culture Media/chemistry
Stemness and angiogenic gene expression changes of serial-passage human amnion mesenchymal cells

Fatimah SS, Tan GC, Chua K, Fariha MM, Tan AE, Hayati AR

Microvasc Res, 2013 Mar;86:21-9.
PMID: 23261754 DOI: 10.1016/j.mvr.2012.12.004

Particular attention has been directed towards human amnion mesenchymal stem cells (HAMCs) due to their accessibility, availability and immunomodulatory properties. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the temporal changes of stemness and angiogenic gene expressions of serial-passage HAMCs.

Matched MeSH terms: Culture Media/pharmacology; Primary Cell Culture
Fulltext Safety culture perceptions of pharmacists in Malaysian hospitals and health clinics: a multicentre assessment using the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire

Samsuri SE, Lua PL, Fahrni ML

BMJ Open, 2015 Nov 26;5(11):e008889.
PMID: 26610761 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-008889

OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety attitudes of pharmacists, provide a profile of their domains of safety attitude and correlate their attitudes with self-reported rates of medication errors.
DESIGN: A cross-sectional study utilising the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ).
SETTING: 3 public hospitals and 27 health clinics.
PARTICIPANTS: 117 pharmacists.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Safety culture mean scores, variation in scores across working units and between hospitals versus health clinics, predictors of safety culture, and medication errors and their correlation.
RESULTS: Response rate was 83.6% (117 valid questionnaires returned). Stress recognition (73.0±20.4) and working condition (54.8±17.4) received the highest and lowest mean scores, respectively. Pharmacists exhibited positive attitudes towards: stress recognition (58.1%), job satisfaction (46.2%), teamwork climate (38.5%), safety climate (33.3%), perception of management (29.9%) and working condition (15.4%). With the exception of stress recognition, those who worked in health clinics scored higher than those in hospitals (p<0.05) and higher scores (overall score as well as score for each domain except for stress recognition) correlated negatively with reported number of medication errors. Conversely, those working in hospital (versus health clinic) were 8.9 times more likely (p<0.01) to report a medication error (OR 8.9, CI 3.08 to 25.7). As stress recognition increased, the number of medication errors reported increased (p=0.023). Years of work experience (p=0.017) influenced the number of medication errors reported. For every additional year of work experience, pharmacists were 0.87 times less likely to report a medication error (OR 0.87, CI 0.78 to 0.98).
CONCLUSIONS: A minority (20.5%) of the pharmacists working in hospitals and health clinics was in agreement with the overall SAQ questions and scales. Pharmacists in outpatient and ambulatory units and those in health clinics had better perceptions of safety culture. As perceptions improved, the number of medication errors reported decreased. Group-specific interventions that target specific domains are necessary to improve the safety culture.
Study site: Klinik kesihatan, hospitals, Malaysia

Matched MeSH terms: Organizational Culture*
Fulltext The role of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (Roselle) in maintenance of ex vivo murine bone marrow-derived hematopoietic stem cells

Abdul Hamid Z, Lin Lin WH, Abdalla BJ, Bee Yuen O, Latif ES, Mohamed J, et al.

ScientificWorldJournal, 2014;2014:258192.
PMID: 25405216 DOI: 10.1155/2014/258192

Hematopoietic stem cells- (HSCs-) based therapy requires ex vivo expansion of HSCs prior to therapeutic use. However, ex vivo culture was reported to promote excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), exposing HSCs to oxidative damage. Efforts to overcome this limitation include the use of antioxidants. In this study, the role of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (Roselle) in maintenance of cultured murine bone marrow-derived HSCs was investigated. Aqueous extract of Roselle was added at varying concentrations (0-1000 ng/mL) for 24 hours to the freshly isolated murine bone marrow cells (BMCs) cultures. Effects of Roselle on cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, glutathione (GSH) level, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and DNA damage were investigated. Roselle enhanced the survival (P < 0.05) of BMCs at 500 and 1000 ng/mL, increased survival of Sca-1(+) cells (HSCs) at 500 ng/mL, and maintained HSCs phenotype as shown from nonremarkable changes of surface marker antigen (Sca-1) expression in all experimental groups. Roselle increased (P < 0.05) the GSH level and SOD activity but the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was unaffected. Moreover, Roselle showed significant cellular genoprotective potency against H2O2-induced DNA damage. Conclusively, Roselle shows novel property as potential supplement and genoprotectant against oxidative damage to cultured HSCs.

Matched MeSH terms: Cell Culture Techniques/methods*
Occurrence and characterization of Candida nivariensis from a culture collection of Candida glabrata clinical isolates in Malaysia

Tay ST, Lotfalikhani A, Sabet NS, Ponnampalavanar S, Sulaiman S, Na SL, et al.

Mycopathologia, 2014 Oct;178(3-4):307-14.
PMID: 25022264 DOI: 10.1007/s11046-014-9778-9

BACKGROUND: Candida nivariensis and C. bracarensis have been recently identified as emerging yeast pathogens which are phenotypically indistinguishable from C. glabrata. However, there is little data on the prevalence and antifungal susceptibilities of these species.
OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the occurrence of C. nivariensis and C. bracarensis in a culture collection of 185 C. glabrata isolates at a Malaysian teaching hospital.
METHODS: C. nivariensis was discriminated from C. glabrata using a PCR assay as described by Enache-Angoulvant et al. (J Clin Microbiol 49:3375-9, 2011). The identity of the isolates was confirmed by sequence analysis of the D1D2 domain and internal transcribed spacer region of the yeasts. The isolates were cultured on Chromogenic CHROMagar Candida (®) agar (Difco, USA), and their biochemical and enzymic profiles were determined. Antifungal susceptibilities of the isolates against amphotericin B, fluconazole, voriconazole and caspofungin were determined using E tests. Clotrimazole MICs were determined using a microbroth dilution method.
RESULTS: There was a low prevalence (1.1 %) of C. nivariensis in our culture collection of C. glabrata. C. nivariensis was isolated from a blood culture and vaginal swab of two patients. C. nivariensis grew as white colonies on Chromogenic agar and demonstrated few positive reactions using biochemical tests. Enzymatic profiles of the C. nivariensis isolates were similar to that of C. glabrata. The isolates were susceptible to amphotericin B, fluconazole, voriconazole and caspofungin. Clotrimazole resistance is suspected in one isolate.
CONCLUSION: This study reports for the first time the emergence of C. nivariensis in our clinical setting.

Matched MeSH terms: Culture Media/chemistry

Filters

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links