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  1. The Potential of Radiolabeled Bisphosphonates in SPECT and PET for Bone Imaging
    Ashhar Z, Ahmad Fadzil MF, Hassan H, Othman MF, Md Hassan MB, Chun Vui VY, et al.
    Curr Med Imaging, 2024;20:e15734056270935.
    PMID: 38874043 DOI: 10.2174/0115734056270935231113035620
    Skeletal-related events due to bone metastases can be prevented by early diagnosis using radiological or nuclear imaging techniques. Nuclear medicine techniques such as Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) have been used for diagnostic imaging of bone for decades. Although it is widely recognized that conventional diagnostic imaging techniques such as Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) have high sensitivity, low cost and wide availability, the specificity of both techniques is rather low compared to nuclear medicine techniques. Nuclear medicine techniques, on the other hand, have improved specificity when introduced as a hybrid imaging modality, as they can combine physiological and anatomical information. Two main radiopharmaceuticals are used in nuclear medicine: [99mTc]-methyl diphosphonate ([99mTc]Tc-MDP) from the generator and [18F]sodium fluoride ([18F]NaF) from the cyclotron. The former is used in SPECT imaging, while the latter is used in PET imaging. However, recent studies show that the role of radiolabeled bisphosphonates with gallium-68 (68Ga) and fluorine-18 (18F) may have a potential role in the future. This review, therefore, presents and discusses the brief method for producing current and future potential radiopharmaceuticals for bone metastases.
  2. Fulltext Nutritional Profiling of Wild Edible Plants: Quantification of Macronutrients and Minerals via Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) Fluorescence Spectroscopy
    Ibrahim M, Akhtar N, Khan A, Sara, Anwar Y, Wong LS, et al.
    Braz J Biol, 2024;84:e287349.
    PMID: 39775662 DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.287349
    The wild edible plants offer a valuable resource for food and human nutrition. The current study aimed to analyze the proximate composition and ethno-medicinal profiles of twenty selected wild edible plants from the Malakand District, Pakistan. The proximate composition (moisture, ash, crude protein, crude fat, and dietary fiber) was analyzed following Association of Official Agricultural Chemists (AOAC) protocols. Ethno-medicinal profiles were obtained through semi-structured interviews with local informants. Mineral elements were analyzed using Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDX) Spectroscopy. The normalized variation matrix and centered log ratio (CLR) biplot were used to assess linear associations between nutritional components. The results revealed significant variations in the nutritional components and mineral contents among the studied plant species. Higher crude carbohydrates (64.48%) were scrutinized in Ziziphus jujuba, followed by proteins (19.90%) in leaves of Solanum nigrum, fiber (19.50%) in Caralluma tuberculata and fats (6.12%) in Mentha spicata. A maximum energy value of 332.34 Kcal/100g was calculated for leaves of Solanum nigrum. The concentrations of carbon (C) in Mentha longifolia were (60.20%), followed by oxygen (46.06%) in Ziziphus jujuba, potassium (10.80%) in Rumex dentatusand nitrogen (7.98%) in Nasturtium officinale. The centered log ratio biplot confirms strong relationships between moisture, energy, carbohydrates, fibers, and ash content, while protein and fat concentrations exhibit a separate pattern. The findings provide valuable insights into the compositional data analysis of edible plant species, suggesting interdependencies among carbohydrate, energy, moisture content, and fibers. Additionally, the results of our current study showed that all of these selected wild edible plants have the potential to provide humans with important macronutrients and elements.
  3. Fulltext Green-synthesized silver nanoparticle-enhanced nanofiltration mixed matrix membranes for high-performance water purification
    Bashir N, Afzaal M, Khan AL, Nawaz R, Irfan A, Almaary KS, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2025 Jan 06;15(1):1001.
    PMID: 39762353 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-83801-w
    This study presents the fabrication and characterization of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) incorporating green-synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Hibiscus Rosa sinensis extract within a polyethersulfone (PES) matrix for nanofiltration (NF) application. The membranes were evaluated for their pure water permeability, salt rejection, dye removal, and antifouling performance. Results showed that the membrane with 0.75 wt% AgNPs exhibited the highest pure water permeability of 36 L/m2 h-1 bar-1 attributed to increased porosity and enhanced hydrophilicity. Addition of 0.75wt% AgNPs resulted in significant improvements, with NaCl rejection increased from 32 to 57%, MgSO4 from 26 to 67%, and CaCl2 from 27 to 41%. Antifouling tests revealed that the 0.75 wt% AgNPs membrane had the lowest irreversible fouling and highest flux recovery due to the antimicrobial action and improved surface properties of AgNPs. Importantly, the performance of the fabricated membranes align with loose nanofiltation characteristcs, as evidence by high dye rejection rates coupled with moderate rejection of salts. This study highlights the potential of green-synthesized AgNPs as effective nanofillers for developing high-performance and environmentally sustainable membranes into wastewater treatment.
  4. Characteristics of naturally woven Waru bark fiber for eco-friendly composite reinforcement
    Wirawan WA, Wulansari A, Sabitah A, Putra MRF, Gapsari F, Sartika D, et al.
    Int J Biol Macromol, 2025 Mar;295:139459.
    PMID: 39756744 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.139459
    The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of Waru bark fiber (WBF) as a reinforcement material for composites. To achieve this aim, WBF was extracted using a conventional process, to ensure its purity, and then characterized for physical, mechanical, chemical, and thermal properties. Microstructure analysis was performed using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to show uniform and exceptional fiber sheets with naturally woven fiber shapes. A high value of 152.77 MPa was found for fiber's tensile strength in the mechanical test. Following this discussion, the fiber's crystallinity index (CI) was 56.54 %, and the X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) test showed a composition ratio of O = 48.63 % and C = 36.74 %. Thermal analysis using Differential Thermal Analysis-Thermogravimetric Analysis (DTA-TGA) showed that the cellulose fiber could withstand temperatures stability up to 312 °C. Finally, this study offered a sustainable solution to reduce the reliance on synthetic fiber in various industries by suggesting the use of reliable WBF as reinforcement.
  5. Fulltext Computational study on water based hybrid photovoltaic systems with different absorber configurations
    Satpute J, Ghongade G, Petrů J, Campli S, Yadav S, Sonawane P, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2025 Jan 07;15(1):1226.
    PMID: 39774650 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-82690-3
    The current study assesses several water-based PVT system thermal absorber configurations. The thermal absorber in PVT system plays a vital role in efficiency evaluation as it lowers PV temperature and collects heat energy. The current study aims to discover and analyze advanced thermal absorber design by comparing well-received spiral circular absorbers and non-cooled PV with proposed semi-circular thermal absorbers with varying flow configurations. The proposed thermal absorber maintains surface contact with PV panels and improves heat transfer thereby yielding better thermal and electrical efficiency. Simulated PVT systems have a constant water flow rate and solar radiation. The CFD-FLUENT software was preferred to evaluate the PVT system in steady-state conditions for the investigation. Under constant ambient and inlet water temperatures of 299 K, the PV temperatures at the surface, water discharge temperature, and pressure drop were measured. It was discovered that a thermal absorber could effectively lower PV surface temperature by cooling. A zigzag thermal absorber was the most efficient since it produced the highest water outlet temperature and lowest PV surface temperature while also slightly raising the pressure drop. In comparison with a non-cooled PV system, a zigzag thermal absorber PVT system yields 11.97% more electrical efficiency, with an addition of 76.75% thermal efficiency. It was also noticed that a conventional spiral circular PVT system provides 13.5% electrical efficiency and 54.8% thermal efficiency while an electrical efficiency of 13.61% and thermal efficiency is 76.75% was obtained from a zigzag thermal absorber PVT system. The zigzag thermal absorber PVT system had a high initial investment of INR 38809.00. It showed a simple payback of 4.63 years, a 28% return on investment with a promising 2.1 Debt Service Coverage Ratio. It is advisable to consider incorporating zigzag semi-circular PVT in the prospective improvements of the PVT system.
  6. Characterization of the Synergistic Effect of Fungal Isolates in Suppressing Ganoderma boninense and Enhancing Oil Palm Growth
    Anuar MSK, Hashim AM, Sundram S, Rahman SRA, Ho CL, Wong MY, et al.
    J Basic Microbiol, 2025 Jan;65(1):e2400312.
    PMID: 39304989 DOI: 10.1002/jobm.202400312
    The globally vital oil palm, a major oil producer, confronts productivity challenges due to Ganoderma boninense (Gb), causing output decline. Chemical control efforts have proven ineffective, prompting exploration of microbial-based biocontrol. While single fungal biocontrol research exists, the impact of employing multiple biocontrols concurrently to combat Ganoderma and enhance oil palm growth remains uncharted. This study examined four soil-derived fungal isolates for their ability to antagonize Gb PER71 in vitro. Molecular identification categorized them as Talaromyces spp. and Penicillium sp. Moreover, all isolates were revealed to have at least three plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits and were shown to have phosphoric hydrolase, ester hydrolase, peptide hydrolase, and glycosidase activities which are essential for plant growth. Furthermore, the synergistic evaluation of fungal isolates was tested against Gb PER71. One out of six combinations of fungal isolates showed a synergistic effect in vitro, and two showed a synergistic effect in planta. The application of single and combined fungal isolates tested in planta also suppressed Gb PER71 and enhanced oil palm growth compared to control groups. The findings indicate the promising potential of these isolates as biocontrol agents (BCAs) and bioformulations against Gb in oil palm cultivation.
  7. Therapeutic drug monitoring-guided piperacillin dosing in critically ill patients undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy: a systematic review
    Mohd Rozi NA, Mohd Tahir NA, Mohd Saffian S, Makmor-Bakry M, Mohamad Yusof A, Mustafar R, et al.
    J Antimicrob Chemother, 2024 Dec 02;79(12):3078-3090.
    PMID: 39321326 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkae332
    BACKGROUND: Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) complicates antibiotic dosing in critically ill patients due to altered pharmacokinetics. The optimal dosing of piperacillin remains unclear. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) can personalize piperacillin therapy and improve outcomes.

    OBJECTIVES: This review investigates the effects of TDM-guided piperacillin dosing on pharmacokinetic target attainment and clinical outcomes in CRRT patients, analyses correlations with clinical outcomes, provides optimal dosing strategies for piperacillin and identifies future research areas.

    METHODS: A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science was conducted until December 2023, identifying studies on piperacillin pharmacokinetics and clinical outcomes in adult CRRT patients. Data on study characteristics, piperacillin exposures, TDM use, target attainment rates, mortality and length of stay were extracted. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.

    RESULTS: Eleven observational studies were included. High pharmacokinetic variability was evident, with piperacillin target non-attainment in up to 74% of cases without TDM. Two studies with routine TDM showed increased target attainment rates of 80%-100%. Mortality ranged from 17% to 56%, with supratherapeutic concentrations (≥100 mg/L) associated with higher mortality. The impact of optimized piperacillin exposures on outcomes was inconclusive. Most studies demonstrated a low risk of bias.

    CONCLUSIONS: TDM-guided piperacillin dosing in CRRT patients improved target attainment rates (≥80%). Mortality rates ranged from 17% to 56%, with inconsistent correlations between drug exposures and survival. Supratherapeutic concentrations were linked to higher mortality. Standardized TDM protocols are needed. Future research should establish clear exposure-response relationships and the impact of TDM on clinical outcomes.

  8. Concordance between immunohistochemistry and MSI analysis for detection of MMR/MSI status in colorectal cancer patients
    Faizee MI, Talib NA, Hamdan AHB, Abdullah NZB, Rahimi BA, Haidary AM, et al.
    Diagn Pathol, 2024 Nov 29;19(1):155.
    PMID: 39609863 DOI: 10.1186/s13000-024-01571-5
    BACKGROUND: Recently, screening of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients for mismatch repair/microsatellite instability (MMR/MSI) status is widely practiced due to its potential predictive and prognostic roles and a screening tool to reveal Lynch Syndrome (LS). The purpose of the study was to evaluate concordance between immunohistochemistry (IHC) and MSI analysis methods for detection of MMR/MSI status in colorectal cancer patients in Kuantan, Pahang.

    METHODS: Fifty selected CRC cases of deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) and proficient mismatch repair (pMMR) which were identified immunohistochemically in the previous study were subjected to MSI analysis. MSI Analysis System 1.2 (Promega) was utilized.

    RESULTS: The results of MSI analysis method showed MSI-High: 26% (13/50), MSI-Low: 6% (3/50), and Microsatellite Stable: 68% (34/50). The concordance was perfect (0.896, Kappa value) between MSI analysis and IHC methods for the assessment of MMR/MSI status in CRC patients. The discordance was only 4% (2/50). MSI analysis identified all dMMR cases determined by IHC except one case. The obtained frequency of dMMR and pMMR patients was 11.4% (14/123) and 88.6% (109/123) by IHC method, respectively.

    CONCLUSION: Our findings support the universal practice of evaluating the MMR/MSI status in all newly diagnosed CRC patients. Based on the perfect concordance of two methods, the method of choice is based on the availability of expertise and equipments. IHC is highly appreciable method due to its feasibility and reproducibility.

  9. Fulltext Evaluation of high school-based dengue solution model in Southern Thailand: a community participatory action research
    Suwanbamrung C, Mehraj SK, Kercho MW, Stanikzai MH, Ageru TA, Jaroenpool J, et al.
    BMC Public Health, 2024 Nov 28;24(1):3315.
    PMID: 39609747 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-20767-4
    INTRODUCTION: By the time the globe started to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, Southeast Asian countries had faced an increased dengue incidence, which has eventually become an important public health problem. However, effective and sustainable disease control measures in the area are still lacking. Therefore, the current study is aimed to evaluate the development and implementation of high school-based dengue solution model in Southern Thailand.

    METHODS: Integrated community participatory action research (CPAR) was employed using preparation, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Data was collected using quantitative and qualitative methods from high school students. Descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentage, chi-square and fisher's exact test were used to summarize and compare quantitative data before and after intervention. Similarly, qualitative data was collected through interviews and focus group discussion (FGD) and then analyzed through thematic analysis.

    RESULTS: Two hundred and thirty-nine (96.3%, n = 239/248) and 232 (93.5, n = 232/248) participants were included in the interventions before and after, respectively. School-based dengue prevention was developed with input from a variety of stakeholders, including students, community leaders, health educators, district officials, and community health volunteers. As demonstrated by pre- to post-test results, students understanding of dengue and the larval indices surveillance system has increased. Students who received the training were not only inspired but created a sense of community responsibility with a high commitment to teaching and sharing information in their circle to enhance overall community wellbeing. Being female and higher educational attainment was associated with students understanding of dengue and larval indices surveillance.

    CONCLUSION: This participatory action research not only improved students' understanding of dengue but also empowered them to be proactive in various community health initiatives. The positive correlation between educational attainment and students understanding of dengue solution and larval indices surveillance underscores the need for tailored educational interventions that address diverse learning needs within the community. Collaborative efforts to establish dengue health information center based at primary schools and above can better improve reduction of dengue incidence.

  10. Molecular exploration of natural and synthetic compounds databases for promising hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) Prolyl-4- hydroxylase domain (PHD) inhibitors using molecular simulation and free energy calculations
    Sayaf AM, Kousar K, Suleman M, Albekairi NA, Alshammari A, Mohammad A, et al.
    BMC Chem, 2024 Nov 26;18(1):236.
    PMID: 39593151 DOI: 10.1186/s13065-024-01347-4
    Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) are transcription factors that regulate erythropoietin (EPO) synthesis and red blood cell (RBC) production. Prolyl-4-hydroxylase domain (PHD) enzymes are key regulators of HIF's stability and activity. Inhibiting PHD enzymes can enhance HIF-mediated responses and have therapeutic potential for diseases such as anemia, cancer, stroke, ischemia, neurodegeneration, and inflammation. In this study, we searched for novel PHD inhibitors from four databases of natural products and synthetic compounds: AfroDb Natural Products, AnalytiCon Discovery Natural Product (NP), HIM-Herbal Ingredients In-Vivo Metabolism, and Herbal Ingredients' Targets, with a total number of 13,597 compounds. We screened the candidate compounds by molecular docking and validated them by molecular dynamics simulations and free energy calculations. We identified four target hits (ZINC36378940, ZINC2005305, ZINC31164438, and ZINC67910437) that showed stronger binding affinity to PHD2 compared to the positive control, Vadadustat (AKB-6548), with docking scores of - 13.34 kcal/mol, - 12.76 kcal/mol, - 11.96 kcal/mol, - 11.41 kcal/mol, and - 9.04 kcal/mol, respectively. The target ligands chelated the active site iron and interacted with key residues (Arg 383, Tyr329, Tyr303) of PHD2, in a similar manner as Vadadustat. Moreover, the dynamic stability-based assessment revealed that they also exhibited stable dynamics and compact trajectories. Then the total binding free energy was calculated for each complex which revealed that the control has a TBE of - 31.26 ± 0.30 kcal/mol, ZINC36378940 reported a TBE of - 38.65 ± 0.51 kcal/mol, for the ZINC31164438 the TBE was - 26.16 ± 0.30 kcal/mol while the ZINC2005305 complex reported electrostatic energy of - 32.75 ± 0.58 kcal/mol. This shows that ZINC36378940 is the best hit than the other and therefore further investigation should be performed for the clinical usage. Our results suggest that these target hits are promising candidates that reserve further in vitro and in vivo validations as potential PHD inhibitors for the treatment of renal anemia, cancer, stroke, ischemia, neurodegeneration, and inflammation.
  11. DiMA: sequence diversity dynamics analyser for viruses
    Tharanga S, Ünlü ES, Hu Y, Sjaugi MF, Çelik MA, Hekimoğlu H, et al.
    Brief Bioinform, 2024 Nov 22;26(1).
    PMID: 39592151 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbae607
    Sequence diversity is one of the major challenges in the design of diagnostic, prophylactic, and therapeutic interventions against viruses. DiMA is a novel tool that is big data-ready and designed to facilitate the dissection of sequence diversity dynamics for viruses. DiMA stands out from other diversity analysis tools by offering various unique features. DiMA provides a quantitative overview of sequence (DNA/RNA/protein) diversity by use of Shannon's entropy corrected for size bias, applied via a user-defined k-mer sliding window to an input alignment file, and each k-mer position is dissected to various diversity motifs. The motifs are defined based on the probability of distinct sequences at a given k-mer alignment position, whereby an index is the predominant sequence, while all the others are (total) variants to the index. The total variants are sub-classified into the major (most common) variant, minor variants (occurring more than once and of incidence lower than the major), and the unique (singleton) variants. DiMA allows user-defined, sequence metadata enrichment for analyses of the motifs. The application of DiMA was demonstrated for the alignment data of the relatively conserved Spike protein (2,106,985 sequences) of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the relatively highly diverse pol gene (2637) of the human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1). The tool is publicly available as a web server (https://dima.bezmialem.edu.tr), as a Python library (via PyPi) and as a command line client (via GitHub).
  12. Fulltext Angle stability improvement using optimised proportional integral derivative with filter controller
    Khawaja AW, Kamari NAM, Mohd Zainuri MAA, Abd Halim S, Zulkifley MA, Ansari S, et al.
    Heliyon, 2024 Oct 15;10(19):e38944.
    PMID: 39687439 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e38944
    Load inconsistency has disrupted the power system, causing rotor angle fluctuation that leads to angle instability in the system. This research suggests an innovative proportional integral derivative with filter (PIDF)-based thyristor-controlled series compensator (TCSC) controller that utilise an evolutionary programming sine cosine algorithm (EPSCA) for hybrid optimisation to increase the angle stability of the power system. The challenge of the PIDF-TCSC design is transformed into an optimal control problem with respect to performance indices, such as the maximum imaginary part of system eigenvalues, damping ratio and damping factor, where another multi-objective function is utilised to determine the best stabiliser settings. Eigenvalue analysis is used to conduct the stability study in a linearised paradigm of the single-machine infinite-bus (SMIB) network. The resilience of the PIDF controller was tested using a SMIB power network under various operating circumstances. Simulation results are used to evaluate the system's effectiveness with the proposed optimised PIDF-TCSC controller to that of the system using the proportional integral derivative, proportional integral, and base case PIDF-TCSC approaches. The research findings demonstrate the efficacy of EPSCA in implementing PIDF-TCSC motif and its excellent resilient performance for improving power system stability as related to other strategies in various situations.
  13. In vivo Pharmacokinetic and ADMET Profiles of Synthetic Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs): A Review
    Noordin MAM, Najm AA, Dyari HRE, Law D, Alwi SSS, Lazim AM, et al.
    Mini Rev Med Chem, 2025 Feb 11.
    PMID: 39950486 DOI: 10.2174/0113895575362479241231054240
    The broad-spectrum action and capacity to target drug-resistant infections make synthetic Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) popular therapeutic agents. Indeed, the effective use of these peptides in clinical application relies on a thorough understanding of their Pharmacokinetic (PK) and ADMET (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion, and Toxicity) characteristics. Despite growing research on synthetic AMPs, there is a notable gap in the literature specifically addressing their ADMET profiles. Previous reviews have not extensively covered this area, providing a vital opportunity to study synthetic AMPs' pharmacokinetics and safety, which are crucial for their therapeutic development. This review covered research studies that focused on PK and ADMET of synthetic antimicrobial peptides from several databases, including Google Scholar, SCOPUS, PubMed, and Science Direct, within the years 2020 to 2024, and 12 related research papers have been found. AMPs display a wide range of PK behaviors, including rapid renal clearance, liver-centric distribution, broad distribution with low toxicity, high kidney retention, and gradual absorption with dose-dependent toxicity. Overall, the ADMET profiles of AMPs are crucial in assessing their therapeutic potential, and continuous study is necessary to enhance their practical feasibility. An in-depth investigation of the in vivo ADMET and pharmacokinetic profiles of synthetic AMPs is presented in this review to address the current gap in the research. The findings of this study provide important insights for developing synthetic AMPs as effective antimicrobial drugs.
  14. 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.
  15. Fulltext Unravelling the role of HAS2, GREM1, and PTGS2 gene expression in cumulus cells: implications for human oocyte development competency - a systematic review and integrated bioinformatic analysis
    Faizal AM, Elias MH, Jin NM, Abu MA, Syafruddin SE, Zainuddin AA, et al.
    Front Endocrinol (Lausanne), 2024;15:1274376.
    PMID: 38524634 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1274376
    The leading indicator for successful outcomes in in-vitro fertilization (IVF) is the quality of gametes in oocytes and sperm. Thus, advanced research aims to highlight the parameter in assessing these qualities - DNA fragmentation in sperm and oocyte development capacity (ODC) via evaluation of microenvironments involving its maturation process. Regarding oocytes, most evidence reveals the role of cumulus cells as non-invasive methods in assessing their development competency, mainly via gene expression evaluation. Our review aims to consolidate the evidence of GDF-9 derivatives, the HAS2, GREM1, and PTGS2 gene expression in cumulus cells used as ODC markers in relevant publications and tailored to current IVF outcomes. In addition to that, we also added the bioinformatic analysis in our review to strengthen the evidence aiming for a better understanding of the pathways and cluster of the genes of interest - HAS2, GREM1, and PTGS2 in cumulus cell level. Otherwise, the current non-invasive method can be used in exploring various causes of infertility that may affect these gene expressions at the cumulus cell level. Nevertheless, this method can also be used in assessing the ODC in various cohorts of women or as an improvement of markers following targeted tools or procedures by evaluating the advancement of these gene expressions following the targeted intervention.
  16. Fulltext Molecular forces driving protein complexation of lentil and whey proteins: Structure-function relationships of trehalose-conjugated protein complexes on protein digestibility and solubility
    Alrosan M, Madi Almajwal A, Al-Qaisi A, Gammoh S, H Alu'datt M, R Al Qudsi F, et al.
    Curr Res Struct Biol, 2024;7:100135.
    PMID: 38516624 DOI: 10.1016/j.crstbi.2024.100135
    Plant-based proteins are often associated with a range of health benefits. Most research primarily investigates pea and soy proteins, while lentil proteins received minimal attention. This study evaluates the effect of protein complexation (using the pH-shifting technique) coupled with trehalose conjugation on lentil and whey proteins. The protein structures after the modification were analysed using spectroscopic methods: Fourier-transform infrared, ultraviolet spectra, and fluorescence spectra. The amide group I, conformation protein, and tertiary structure of the trehalose-conjugated lentil-whey protein complexes (T-LWPs) showed significant changes (P < 0.05). Moreover, the surface properties (surface hydrophobicity and charges) of T-LWPs were significantly modified (P < 0.05), from 457 to 324 a.u and from 36 to -40 mV, respectively. Due to these modifications on the protein structures, the protein digestibility (80-86%) and water solubility (90-94.5%) of T-LWPs increased significantly (P 
  17. Correction: Carbon nanotubes: functionalisation and their application in chemical sensors
    Norizan MN, Moklis MH, Ngah Demon SZ, Halim NA, Samsuri A, Mohamad IS, et al.
    RSC Adv, 2024 Mar 20;14(14):9570.
    PMID: 38516155 DOI: 10.1039/d4ra90025a
    [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/D0RA09438B.].
  18. Fulltext Risk assessment of driver performance in the oil and gas transportation industry: Analyzing the relationship between driver vigilance, attention, reaction time, and safe driving practices
    Al-Mekhlafi AA, Isha ASN, Chileshe N, Kineber AF, Ajmal M, Baarimah AO, et al.
    Heliyon, 2024 Mar 30;10(6):e27668.
    PMID: 38515678 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27668
    The increasing use of road traffic for land transportation has resulted in numerous road accidents and casualties, including those involving oil and gas tanker vehicles. Despite this, little empirical research has been conducted on the factors influencing tanker drivers' performance. This study aims to address this knowledge gap, particularly in the energy transportation industry, by examining the driving performance factors that affect tanker drivers and incorporating risk assessment measures. The model variables were identified from the literature and used to develop a survey questionnaire for the study. A total of 307 surveys were collected from Malaysian oil and gas tanker drivers, and the driving performance factors were contextually adjusted using the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) approach. The driving performance model was developed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The EFA results categorized driving performance into two constructs: 1) drivers' reaction time with β = 0.320 and 2) attention and vigilance with β value = 0.749. The proposed model provided full insight into how drivers' reaction time, attention, and vigilance impact drivers' performance in this sector, which can help identify potential risks and prevent accidents. The findings are significant in understanding the factors that affect oil and gas drivers' performance and can aid in enhancing oil and gas transportation management by including effective risk assessment measures to prevent fatal crashes.
  19. RNA-seq transcriptome and pathway analysis of the medicinal mushroom Lignosus tigris (Polyporaceae) offer insights into its bioactive compounds with anticancer and antioxidant potential
    Ng MJ, Mohamad Razif MF, Kong BH, Yap HY, Ng ST, Tan CS, et al.
    J Ethnopharmacol, 2024 Jun 28;328:118073.
    PMID: 38513780 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118073
    ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Medicinal mushrooms belonging to the Lignosus spp., colloquially known as Tiger Milk mushrooms (TMMs), are used as traditional medicine by communities across various regions of China and Southeast Asia to enhance immunity and to treat various diseases. At present, three Lignosus species have been identified in Malaysia: L. rhinocerus, L. tigris, and L. cameronensis. Similarities in their macroscopic morphologies and the nearly indistinguishable appearance of their sclerotia often lead to interchangeability between them. Hence, substantiation of their traditional applications via identification of their individual bioactive properties is imperative in ensuring that they are safe for consumption. L. tigris was first identified in 2013. Thus far, studies on L. tigris cultivar sclerotia (Ligno TG-K) have shown that it possesses significant antioxidant activities and has greater antiproliferative action against selected cancer cells in vitro compared to its sister species, L. rhinocerus TM02®. Our previous genomics study also revealed significant genetic dissimilarities between them. Further omics investigations on Ligno TG-K hold immense potential in facilitating the identification of its bioactive compounds and their associated bioactivities.

    AIM OF STUDY: The overall aim of this study was to investigate the gene expression profile of Ligno TG-K via de novo RNA-seq and pathway analysis. We also aimed to identify highly expressed genes encoding compounds that contribute to its cytotoxic and antioxidant properties, as well as perform a comparative transcriptomics analysis between Ligno TG-K and its sister species, L. rhinocerus TM02®.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: Total RNA from fresh 3-month-old cultivated L. tigris sclerotia (Ligno TG-K) was extracted and analyzed via de novo RNA sequencing. Expressed genes were analyzed using InterPro and NCBI-Nr databases for domain identification and homology search. Functional categorization based on gene functions and pathways was performed using Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Clusters of Orthologous Genes (COG) databases. Selected genes were subsequently subjected to phylogenetic analysis.

    RESULTS: Our transcriptomics analysis of Ligno TG-K revealed that 68.06% of its genes are expressed in the sclerotium; 80.38% of these were coding transcripts. Our analysis identified highly expressed transcripts encoding proteins with prospective medicinal properties. These included serine proteases (FPKM = 7356.68), deoxyribonucleases (FPKM = 3777.98), lectins (FPKM = 3690.87), and fungal immunomodulatory proteins (FPKM = 2337.84), all of which have known associations with anticancer activities. Transcripts linked to proteins with antioxidant activities, such as superoxide dismutase (FPKM = 1161.69) and catalase (FPKM = 1905.83), were also highly expressed. Results of our sequence alignments revealed that these genes and their orthologs can be found in other mushrooms. They exhibit significant sequence similarities, suggesting possible parallels in their anticancer and antioxidant bioactivities.

    CONCLUSION: This study is the first to provide a reference transcriptome profile of genes expressed in the sclerotia of L. tigris. The current study also presents distinct COG profiles of highly expressed genes in Ligno TG-K and L. rhinocerus TM02®, highlighting that any distinctions uncovered may be attributed to their interspecies variations and inherent characteristics that are unique to each species. Our findings suggest that Ligno TG-K contains bioactive compounds with prospective medicinal properties that warrant further investigations.

    CLASSIFICATION: Systems biology and omics.

  20. Prevalence of diabetic kidney disease and the associated factors among patients with type 2 diabetes in a multi-ethnic Asian country
    Wan KS, Hairi NN, Mustapha F, Mohd Yusoff MF, Mat Rifin H, Ismail M, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2024 Mar 25;14(1):7074.
    PMID: 38528132 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57723-6
    The actual prevalence of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Malaysia is unknown. We aimed to determine the prevalence of DKD and its associated risk factors among T2D patients in Malaysia. An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted using the year 2022 clinical audit dataset from the National Diabetes Registry. DKD was defined as albuminuria, a decreased glomerular filtration rate, or both. Among 80,360 patients, 62.2% were female, 68.4% were Malay, and the mean age was 61.4 years. A total of 56.7% (95% CI 56.4-57.1%) of patients were found to have DKD. Increasing age, male sex, Malay ethnicity, longer duration of diabetes, overweight, obesity, hypertension, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic foot ulcer, nontraumatic lower-extremity amputation, ischaemic heart disease, stroke, insulin, higher numbers of antihypertensive agents, antiplatelet agents, poorer HbA1c control, higher systolic blood pressure, non-achievement of triglyceride target, and non-attainment of HDL-cholesterol goal were independent risk factors associated with DKD. Clinicians, program managers, and health policymakers should target modifiable factors to manage DKD and prevent its progression to end-stage kidney disease in Malaysia.
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