Displaying publications 61 - 80 of 116 in total

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  1. The in vitro and in vivo antitumor effects of Dracaena cinnabari resin extract on oral cancer
    Al-Afifi NA, Alabsi AM, Shaghayegh G, Ramanathan A, Ali R, Alkoshab M, et al.
    Arch Oral Biol, 2019 Aug;104:77-89.
    PMID: 31176147 DOI: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2019.05.030
    OBJECTIVE: To study the potential for apoptosis induction of Dracaena cinnabari Balf. f methanolic extract (DCBME) on tongue squamous cell carcinoma cell line, H103. We evaluated the chemopreventive activity of DCBME against 4-nitroquinolone-1-oxide (4NQO)-induced tongue carcinogenesis in rat.

    DESIGN: Phase contrast microscope, acridine orange/propidium iodide (AO/PI) analysis of cells under fluorescence microscope, annexin-V flow-cytometry, DNA fragmentation, mitochondrial membrane potential, and caspase 3/7, 8 and 9 assays were performed. In vivo study, the rats were given 4NQO in their drinking water. The tongue was subjected to histopathological study to evaluate the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

    RESULTS: DCBME showed cytotoxic effect on H103 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, DCBME showed low cytotoxic effect on a normal cell line. In H103 cells, it caused cell morphology changes, S and G2/M-phase cell cycle arrest, significant reduction of cell migration and induced apoptosis through the intrinsic (mitochondrial) pathway. The incidence of SCC was 85.7% in the induced cancer and vehicle groups while in rats treated with DCBME at 100, 500 and 1000 mg/kg was 57.1%, 28.6% and 14.3%, respectively.

    CONCLUSIONS: (DCBME)-apoptosis induction reported in this work can be exploited as a potential antitumor agent with applications in medicinal treatments of tongue SCC.

  2. Fulltext Comparison of adults with insulin resistance (IR) in latent autoimmune diabetes versus IR in glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody-negative diabetes
    Salem SD, Saif-Ali R, Muniandy S, Al-Hamodi Z, Ismail IS
    Ann Acad Med Singap, 2014 Feb;43(2):107-12.
    PMID: 24652431
    INTRODUCTION: Insulin resistance in latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) patients is controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate insulin resistance and its related factors (metabolic syndrome parameters) among subjects with LADA and glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies (GADA) negative diabetes, as well as the impact of these factors on insulin resistance.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: GADA levels were investigated in 1140 diabetic patients aged between 30 and 70 years. Insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome parameters were assessed in LADA and GAD-negative diabetic patients by general linear model. In addition, the impact of metabolic syndrome factors on insulin resistance was assessed in LADA and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD)-negative diabetic patients.

    RESULTS: LADA was diagnosed in 33 subjects from 1140 Malaysian diabetic patients (prevalence = 2.9%). The results showed that LADA patients had higher insulin resistance and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc) (P = 0.003 and 0.00017 respectively) and lower body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.007) compared to GAD-negative diabetic patients. The HDLc was associated with decreased insulin resistance in LADA patients (P = 0.041), whereas HbA1c, triacylglycerides (TG) and waist were associated with increased insulin resistance in GAD-negative diabetic patients (P = 3.6×10⁻¹², 1.01×10⁻⁵ and 0.004 respectively). HbA1c was highly associated with decreasing β-cell function in both LADA (P = 0.009) and GAD-negative diabetic subjects (P = 2.2×10⁻²⁸).

    CONCLUSION: Insulin resistance is significantly higher in LADA than GAD-negative diabetic Malaysian subjects.
  3. Epidermal Growth Factor and Tocotrienol-Rich Fraction Cream Formulation Accelerates Burn Healing Process Based on Its Gene Expression Pattern in Deep Partial-Thickness Burn Wound Model
    Guo HF, Mohd Ali R, Abd Hamid R, Chang SK, Rahman MH, Zainal Z, et al.
    Int J Low Extrem Wounds, 2022 Dec;21(4):544-554.
    PMID: 33241700 DOI: 10.1177/1534734620971066
    Our previous study has demonstrated that epidermal growth factor (EGF) with tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) cream formulation accelerating postburn wound healing with deep partial-thickness burn in rats. Current study was conducted to determine the gene expression levels related to burn wound healing process. A total of 180 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: untreated control, treated with Silverdin cream, base cream, base cream with 0.00075% EGF, base cream with 3% TRF or base cream with 0.00075% EGF, and 3% TRF, respectively. Burn wounds were created and the above-mentioned creams were applied once daily. Six animals from each group were sacrificed on days 3, 7, 11, 14, and 21 postburn. RNA was extracted from wound tissues and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to analyze the 9 wound healing-related genes against time postburn. Results demonstrated that topically applied EGF + TRF formulation downregulated the expression levels of IL-6 (interluekin-6), TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-α) and iNOS (inducible nitric oxide synthase) throughout the whole healing process. TGF-β1 (transforming growth factor-β) and VEGF-A (vascular endothelial growth factor-A) were reduced on day 14 postburn. On the contrary, increased expression of Collagen-1 in the early stage of wound healing was observed with no effects on epidemal growth factor receptor (EGFR). The results showed beneficial application of EGF + TRF cream in the treatment of burn wound since it accelerated wound healing by relieving oxidative stress, decreasing inflammation, and promoting proper tissue modelling in the burn wound.
  4. Chemical constituents and antimicrobial activity of the leaf and rhizome oils of Alpinia pahangensis Ridl., an endemic wild ginger from peninsular Malaysia
    Awang K, Ibrahim H, Rosmy Syamsir D, Mohtar M, Mat Ali R, Azah Mohamad Ali N
    Chem Biodivers, 2011 Apr;8(4):668-73.
    PMID: 21480512 DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.201000225
    The essential oils from the leaves and rhizomes of Alpinia pahangensis Ridl., collected from Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia, were obtained by hydrodistillation, and their chemical compositions were determined by GC and GC/MS analyses. The major components of the rhizome oil were γ-selinene (11.60%), β-pinene (10.87%), (E,E)-farnesyl acetate (8.65%), and α-terpineol (6.38%), while those of the leaf oil were β-pinene (39.61%), α-pinene (7.55%), and limonene (4.89%). The investigation of the antimicrobial activity of the essential oils using the broth microdilution technique revealed that the rhizome oil of A. pahangensis inhibited five Staphylococcus aureus strains with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values between 0.08 and 0.31 μg/μl, and four selected fungi with MIC values between 1.25 and 2.50 μg/μl.
  5. Clinical assessment and cytokines level in constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome participants treated with Lactobacillus-containing cultured milk drink
    Mokhtar NM, Jaafar NM, Alfian E, Mohd Rathi ND, Abdul Rani R, Raja Ali RA
    Acta Gastroenterol Belg, 2021 12 30;84(4):585-591.
    PMID: 34965040 DOI: 10.51821/84.4.009
    Background: Gut dysbiosis is linked with the pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Manipulation of intestinal microbiota using cultured milk drinks may stimulate the immune system, hence providing beneficial support in IBS treatment. This study aimed to investigate the effects of cultured milk drink on clinical symptoms, intestinal transit time (ITT), fecal pH and cytokines in constipation-predominant IBS (IBS-C) as compared to non-IBS participants.

    Methods: Each recruited participant was given three bottles of 125 ml cultured milk drink containing 109 cfu Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 and Lactobacillus paracasei L. CASEI-01 consumed daily for 30 days. At pre- and post-30-day consumption, fecal pH, ITT, clinical symptoms, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α levels were assessed. Seventy-seven IBS-C and 88 non-IBS were enrolled.

    Results: Post-consumption, 97.4% of IBS-C experienced improvements in constipation-related symptoms supported by the significant reduction of ITT and decreased fecal pH (p<0.05). All pro-inflammatory cytokines were significantly lower in post as compared to pre-consumption of cultured milk drinks in IBS-C (p<0.05). There was significant reduction in the IL-8 and TNF-α levels in post- as compared to pre-consumption for the non-IBS (p<0.05).

    Conclusion: Cultured milk drink taken daily improved clinical symptoms and reduced cytokines, hence should be considered as an adjunctive treatment in IBS-C individuals.

  6. Could the academic advisor, intrinsic motivation, and time management influence students' attitudes towards research work on campus?
    Miraj M, Chuntian L, Rehman RU, Osei-Bonsu R, Mohd Said R, Ali R, et al.
    Work, 2022;73(4):1365-1378.
    PMID: 36093656 DOI: 10.3233/WOR-205237
    BACKGROUND: Research is essential and necessary for those who love learning, whether they belong to a research institution or not. Numerous elements influence researchers' attitudes towards good research work, but in this study we focus on the most significant ones: advisor support, intrinsic motivation, timing, and planning.

    OBJECTIVES: The current study aims at motivating readers to help improve students' attitudes towards research work within the university context.

    METHOD: The target demographic of the current research comprises masters and doctoral students from three major public institutions in Xi'an, China. We aimed to examine the effects of the variables and the study employed correlation and stepwise regression.

    RESULTS: The results show that advisor support influences attitudes towards research positively and significantly (β= 0.20, p 

  7. Explorations of CRISPR/Cas9 for improving the long-term efficacy of universal CAR-T cells in tumor immunotherapy
    Naeem M, Hazafa A, Bano N, Ali R, Farooq M, Razak SIA, et al.
    Life Sci, 2023 Mar 01;316:121409.
    PMID: 36681183 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.121409
    Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T therapy has shown remarkable success in discovering novel CAR-T cell products for treating malignancies. Despite of successful results from clinical trials, CAR-T cell therapy is ineffective for long-term disease progression. Numerous challenges of CAR-T cell immunotherapy such as cell dysfunction, cytokine-related toxicities, TGF-β resistance, GvHD risks, antigen escape, restricted trafficking, and tumor cell infiltration still exist that hamper the safety and efficacy of CAR-T cells for malignancies. The accumulated data revealed that these challenges could be overcome with the advanced CRISPR genome editing technology, which is the most promising tool to knockout TRAC and HLA genes, inhibiting the effects of dominant negative receptors (PD-1, TGF-β, and B2M), lowering the risks of cytokine release syndrome (CRS), and regulating CAR-T cell function in the tumor microenvironment (TME). CRISPR technology employs DSB-free genome editing methods that robustly allow efficient and controllable genetic modification. The present review explored the innovative aspects of CRISPR/Cas9 technology for developing next-generation/universal allogeneic CAR-T cells. The present manuscript addressed the ongoing status of clinical trials of CRISPR/Cas9-engineered CAR-T cells against cancer and pointed out the off-target effects associated with CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing. It is concluded that CAR-T cells modified by CRISPR/Cas9 significantly improved antitumor efficacy in a cost-effective manner that provides opportunities for novel cancer immunotherapies.
  8. Non-linear relationship between tourism, economic growth, urbanization, and environmental degradation: evidence from smooth transition models
    Raza SA, Qureshi MA, Ahmed M, Qaiser S, Ali R, Ahmed F
    Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2021 Jan;28(2):1426-1442.
    PMID: 32840747 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-10179-3
    The study aims to analyze two objectives: first is to explore the non-linear relationship between tourism development, economic growth, urbanization, and environmental degradation, and also to analyze the threshold level of the contribution of tourism development on environmental degradation in top tourist arrival destinations. We applied the newly proposed econometric method panel smooth transition regression (PSTR) framework with two regimes on yearly panel data from 1995 to 2017. Findings suggest that the relationship between tourism development and environmental degradation is non-linear and regime dependent. Furthermore, the findings indicated that the relationship above the threshold level is negative and significant, while below the threshold, tourism development is positive and significant effect on environmental degradation. Tourism development and environmental degradation also exhibit the inverted U-shape relationship meaning that at a particular point, increase in tourism development increases in environmental degradation but after a particular point, increase in tourism development decreases the environmental degradation. The economic growth and urbanization also portray a non-linear and regime-dependent relationship with environmental degradation. The study assists policies and empirical information.
  9. Fulltext Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Biogenesis in Neurodegenerative diseases: Pathogenesis and Treatment
    Golpich M, Amini E, Mohamed Z, Azman Ali R, Mohamed Ibrahim N, Ahmadiani A
    CNS Neurosci Ther, 2017 Jan;23(1):5-22.
    PMID: 27873462 DOI: 10.1111/cns.12655
    Neurodegenerative diseases are a heterogeneous group of disorders that are incurable and characterized by the progressive degeneration of the function and structure of the central nervous system (CNS) for reasons that are not yet understood. Neurodegeneration is the umbrella term for the progressive death of nerve cells and loss of brain tissue. Because of their high energy requirements, neurons are especially vulnerable to injury and death from dysfunctional mitochondria. Widespread damage to mitochondria causes cells to die because they can no longer produce enough energy. Several lines of pathological and physiological evidence reveal that impaired mitochondrial function and dynamics play crucial roles in aging and pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. As mitochondria are the major intracellular organelles that regulate both cell survival and death, they are highly considered as a potential target for pharmacological-based therapies. The purpose of this review was to present the current status of our knowledge and understanding of the involvement of mitochondrial dysfunction in pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and the importance of mitochondrial biogenesis as a potential novel therapeutic target for their treatment. Likewise, we highlight a concise overview of the key roles of mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC.) complexes as well as mitochondrial biogenesis regulators regarding those diseases.
  10. Relationship of metabolic syndrome defined by IDF or revised NCEP ATP III with glycemic control among Malaysians with Type 2 Diabetes
    Saif-Ali R, Kamaruddin NA, Al-Habori M, Al-Dubai SA, Ngah WZW
    Diabetol Metab Syndr, 2020;12:67.
    PMID: 32774471 DOI: 10.1186/s13098-020-00575-7
    Background: The chronic complications of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) such as macrovascular disease is amplified with the increase in the number of metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk factors. This research aims to study the relationship of MetS, diagnosed by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) or revised National Cholesterol Education Programs Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) criteria, with glycemic control, fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), C-peptide, and insulin resistance in T2D patients.

    Methods: The study is a cross-sectional observational study which, involved 485 T2D patients who are receiving treatment at the University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center (UKMMC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The MetS among the T2D patients was diagnosed based on IDF and revised NCEP ATP III criteria. C-peptide and HbA1c levels were determined by an automated quantitative immunoassay analyzer and high-performance liquid chromatography, respectively. The MetS factors; FBG, triglyceride, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were measured by spectrophotometer.

    Results: Application of the IDF and revised NCEP ATP III criteria respectively resulted in 73% and 85% of the T2D subjects being diagnosed with MetS. The concordance of these criteria in diagnosing MetS among T2D patients was low (κ = 0.33, P 

  11. Non-linear threshold effect of financial development on renewable energy consumption: evidence from panel smooth transition regression approach
    Raza SA, Shah N, Qureshi MA, Qaiser S, Ali R, Ahmed F
    Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2020 Sep;27(25):32034-32047.
    PMID: 32506406 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-09520-7
    Financial development is identified as one of the significant factors that affect energy consumption and has been widely discussed in the literature. However, the association between financial development and renewable energy consumption is still at its earlier stage and is limitedly explored. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the non-linear association between financial development and renewable energy consumption in the top renewable energy consumption countries. The study utilized the newly introduced econometric technique panel smooth transition regression (PSTR) model with two regimes on annual panel data consisted of years 1997-2017. The result confirmed that all the financial development indicators increase renewable energy consumption but affect renewable energy consumption differently. Moreover, the economic growth and industrial structure showed a positive and significant association in both regimes, whereas the population showed a negative relationship with renewable energy consumption in a low growth regime but the association becomes positive in high growth regimes. The study suggested several policies for the top renewable consumption countries.
  12. Cell-based therapies for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease
    Abdul Wahid SF, Law ZK, Ismail NA, Azman Ali R, Lai NM
    Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2016 11 08;11:CD011742.
    PMID: 27822919
    BACKGROUND: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which is also known as motor neuron disease (MND) is a fatal disease associated with rapidly progressive disability, for which no definitive treatment as yet exists. Current treatment regimens largely focus on relieving symptoms to improve the quality of life of those affected. Based on data from preclinical studies, cell-based therapy is a promising treatment for ALS/MND.

    OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of cell-based therapy for people with ALS/MND, compared with placebo or no additional treatment.

    SEARCH METHODS: On 21 June 2016, we searched the Cochrane Neuromuscular Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and Embase. We also searched two clinical trials' registries for ongoing or unpublished studies.

    SELECTION CRITERIA: We planned to include randomised controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-RCTs and cluster RCTs that assigned people with ALS/MND to receive cell-based therapy versus a placebo or no additional treatment. Co-interventions were allowable, provided that they were given to each group equally.

    DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We followed standard Cochrane methodology.

    MAIN RESULTS: No studies were eligible for inclusion in the review. We identified four ongoing trials.

    AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Currently, there is a lack of high-quality evidence to guide practice on the use of cell-based therapy to treat ALS/MND.We need large, prospective RCTs to establish the efficacy of cellular therapy and to determine patient-, disease- and cell treatment-related factors that may influence the outcome of cell-based therapy. The major goals of future research should be to determine the appropriate cell source, phenotype, dose, and route of delivery, as these will be key elements in designing an optimal cell-based therapy programme for people with ALS/MND. Future research should also explore novel treatment strategies, including combinations of cellular therapy and standard or novel neuroprotective agents, to find the best possible approach to prevent or reverse the neurological deficit in ALS/MND, and to prolong survival in this debilitating and fatal condition.

  13. Fulltext Association of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Receptor Type D and Serine Racemase Genetic Variants with Type 2 Diabetes in Malaysian Indians
    Saif-Ali R, Al-Hamodi Z, Salem SD, Al-Habori M, Al-Dubai SA, Ismail IS
    Indian J Endocrinol Metab, 2024;28(1):55-59.
    PMID: 38533286 DOI: 10.4103/ijem.ijem_209_23
    INTRODUCTION: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) candidate genes, protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type D (PTPRD), and serine racemase (SRR) were suggested by a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in the Chinese population. Association studies have been replicated among East Asian populations. The association of PTPRD and SRR genetic variants with T2D in Southeast Asian populations still needs to be studied. This study aimed to investigate the association of PTPRD and SSR genetic variants with T2D in Malaysian Indian subjects.

    METHODS: The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of PTPRD (rs649891 and rs17584499) and SRR (rs4523957, rs391300, and rs8081273) were genotyped in 397 T2D and 285 normal Malaysian Indian subjects.

    RESULTS: The homozygous dominant genotype of rs17584499 is frequent in diabetic patients (56.5%) compared to normal subjects (47.3%). In contrast, the homozygous recessive genotype of rs8081273 is more frequent among normal subjects (12.5%) than diabetic patients (5.6%). The dominant genetic model showed that PTPRD rs17584499 (CC) is a risk factor for T2D (OR = 1.42, P = 0.029), whereas the recessive genetic model showed that SRS SNP rs8081273 was protective for T2D (OR = 0.42, P = 0.003).

    CONCLUSION: This study confirmed the association of PTPRD rs17584499 genetic variations with T2D in Malaysian Indians. While the SRR rs8081273 (TT) genotype showed protection against T2D, more investigation in different populations is required to confirm this protection.

  14. Fulltext Effect of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and tissue plasminogen activator polymorphisms on susceptibility to type 2 diabetes in Malaysian subjects
    Al-Hamodi Z, Saif-Ali R, Ismail IS, Ahmed KA, Muniandy S
    J Biomed Biotechnol, 2012;2012:234937.
    PMID: 22577291 DOI: 10.1155/2012/234937
    Elevated activity of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and decreased tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) activity are considered to be important risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and metabolic syndrome (MetS). The aim of this study was to investigate the association of the PAI-1 4G/5G and tPA Alu-repeat I/D polymorphisms with T2DM in Malaysian subjects. Serum insulin, coronary risk panel, plasma glucose, and PAI-1 4G/5G and tPA Alu-repeat I/D polymorphisms were studied in 303 T2DM subjects (227 with MetS and 76 without MetS) and 131 normal subjects without diabetes and MetS. Statistical analysis showed that the dominant and additive models of PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism showed a weak association with T2DM without MetS (OR = 2.35, P = 0.045; OR = 1.67, P = 0.058). On the other hand, the recessive model of the tPA Alu-repeat I/D polymorphism showed an association with T2DM with MetS (OR = 3.32, P = 0.013) whereas the dominant and additive models of the tPA Alu-repeat I/D polymorphism were not associated with T2DM either with or without MetS.
  15. Fulltext Epidemiology and phylogeny of Haemonchus contortus through internal transcribed spacer 2 gene in small ruminants
    Ahmad N, Khan SA, Majid HA, Ali R, Ullah R, Bari A, et al.
    Front Vet Sci, 2024;11:1380203.
    PMID: 38655530 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1380203
    INTRODUCTION: Haemonchus contortus (H. contortus) is a blood-feeding nematode causing infectious disease haemonchosis in small ruminants of tropical and subtropical regions around the world. This study aimed to explore the prevalence and phylogeny of H. contortus in small ruminants using the internal transcribed spacer-2 (ITS-2) gene. In addition, a comprehensive review of the available literature on the status of H. contortus in Pakistan was conducted.

    METHODS: Fecal samples were collected from sheep and goats (n = 180). Microscopically positive samples were subjected to DNA extraction followed by PCR using species-specific primers.

    RESULTS: The overall prevalence of H. contortus was 25.55% in small ruminants. The prevalence of H. contortus was significantly associated with months and area. The highest occurrence of haemonchosis was documented in July (38.70%), whereas the lowest occurred in December (11.11%), with significant difference. The prevalence was highest in the Ghamkol camp (29.4%) and lowest in the arid zone of the Small Ruminant Research Institute (17.5%) (p = 0.01). The results of the systematic review revealed the highest prevalence of haemonchosis (34.4%) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (p = 0.001).

    DISCUSSION: Phylogenetic analysis revealed a close relationship between H. contortus and isolates from Asia (China, India, Iran, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Mongolia) and European countries (Italy and the United Kingdom). It has been concluded that H. contortus is prevalent in small ruminants of Kohat district and all over Pakistan, which could be a potential threat to food-producing animals, farmers, dairy, and the meat industry. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that H. contortus isolates share close phylogenetic relationships with species from Asia and Europe.

  16. RSM and ANN-Based Optimized Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Functional Components from Olive Fruit (cv Arbequina): Assessment of Antioxidant Attributes and GC-MS Metabolites Profiling
    Ali L, Anwar F, Qadir R, Batool F, Mustaqeem M, Mohsin Ali R
    Chem Biodivers, 2024 Jul 12.
    PMID: 38993058 DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.202400907
    The current study devises an optimized ethanolic extraction for efficient recovery of high-value components from Pakistani olives (cv. Arbequina) using response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural networking (ANN). Four factors such as time, temperature, solvent concentration, and solute weight (g/100 mL) were evaluated as independent variables for determining the response (% yield). The results obtained under optimum extraction conditions such as duration (25 min), temperature (45 °C), solvent concentration (65 %; ethanol: water v/v), and solute (7.50 g/100 mL) offered bioactives extract yield of 40.96 % from Arbiquina olives. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) for the RSM model showed significant p-values and a correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.9960, confirming model's reliability. The results of ANN, which employed the multilayer perceptron design, were fairly in line with the findings of the experiments. The antioxidant characteristics and GC-MS metabolite profile of the obtained extracts were examined. Arbequina olive extract (AOE) demonstrated very good antioxidant ability in terms of total phenolic, total flavonoid contents, and DPPH radical scavenging. The GC-MS analysis of AOE confirmed the presence of several bioactives, including oleic acid (36.22 %), hydroxytyrosol (3.95 %), tyrosol (3.32 %), β-sitosterol (2.10 %), squalene (1.10 %), sinapic acid (0.67 %), α-tocopherol (0.66 %), vanillic acid (0.56 %), 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol (0.31 %), and quercetin (0.21 %). The suggested optimized extraction method can be employed to efficiently extract a wide variety of high-value components from olives with potential for nutraceutical applications.
  17. Nutritional evaluation of working Malay women in Kuala Lumpur as studied by total food duplicate method
    Shimbo S, Moon CS, Zhang ZW, Watanabe T, Ismail NH, Ali RM, et al.
    Tohoku J Exp Med, 1996 Oct;180(2):99-114.
    PMID: 9111760
    Nutrient intake was surveyed by the total food duplicate method in 49 adult ethnically Malay women (at the ages of 18 to 47 years and mostly at 30-39 years) working in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Simultaneously, hematological examinations, serum biochemistry, anthropometry and clinical examination were conducted. Nutrient intakes were estimated in reference to the weight of each food item and the standard food composition tables. Lunch was the most substantial meal of the day with rice as a staple food. Compared with the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) values, daily intakes of energy (1,917 kcal as an arithmetic mean), protein (62.2 g), vitamin B1 (0.83 mg) and vitamin B2 (1.18 mg) were sufficient, but intakes of minerals [i.e., calcium (347.8 mg) and iron (12.5 mg)] and some vitamins [i.e., vitamin A (equivalent to 627 micrograms retinol) and niacin (7.84 mg)] were less than RDA. When evaluated on an individual basis, the prevalence of those who took less than 80% RDA was highest for iron (92%), followed by niacin (80%), calcium (57%) and vitamin A (57%). The presence of 7 hypohemoglobinemia cases may be related to the insufficient iron intake. Overweight cases (14 women) were also detected, the prevalence of which increased at advanced ages. Lipid intake was rather high (28% of total food on energy basis), for which the major source was plants with limited contribution from fish/shellfish.
  18. MRI differentiation of CNS fungal infections: correlating imaging features with microbiological and histopathological findings
    Khandwala K, Farooqi J, Ali R, Bakhshi SK, Anwar SSM
    Neuroradiology, 2024 Nov 25.
    PMID: 39585369 DOI: 10.1007/s00234-024-03510-z
    PURPOSE: The study aims to evaluate the magnetic resonance (MR) features of central nervous system (CNS) fungal infections and determine the associations between these findings and the type of fungus. Our main objective was to assess whether imaging can serve as a predictor for identifying the specific group of fungi responsible for the infection using microbiology and histopathology as a benchmark.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was done on 50 patients with proven CNS fungal infections. Fungal type was determined and grouped according to microbial classifications into four subtypes: hyalohyphomycetes, mucorales, yeasts and dematiaceous molds. MR findings were compared with histopathology/microbiology and associations between fungal groups were sought.

    RESULTS: A total of 37 males and 13 females with a mean age of 39.3 years were included in the study. Aspergillus spp. infection (48%) was the most common. Most patients (54%) had an underlying risk factor for the infection. Pseudo-tumoral mass-like behavior was observed with Aspergillus, and the presence of meningitis was associated with yeast infections (p 

  19. Fulltext Effect of selected local medicinal plants on the asexual blood stage of chloroquine resistant Plasmodium falciparum
    Mohd Abd Razak MR, Afzan A, Ali R, Amir Jalaluddin NF, Wasiman MI, Shiekh Zahari SH, et al.
    BMC Complement Altern Med, 2014;14:492.
    PMID: 25510573 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6882-14-492
    The development of resistant to current antimalarial drugs is a major challenge in achieving malaria elimination status in many countries. Therefore there is a need for new antimalarial drugs. Medicinal plants have always been the major source for the search of new antimalarial drugs. The aim of this study was to screen selected Malaysian medicinal plants for their antiplasmodial properties.
  20. Induction of caspase-9, biochemical assessment and morphological changes caused by apoptosis in cancer cells treated with goniothalamin extracted from Goniothalamus macrophyllus
    Alabsi AM, Ali R, Ali AM, Harun H, Al-Dubai SA, Ganasegeran K, et al.
    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2013;14(11):6273-80.
    PMID: 24377517
    Goniothalamin, a natural compound extracted from Goniothalamus sp. belonging to the Annonacae family, possesses anticancer properties towards several tumor cell lines. This study focused on apoptosis induction by goniothalamin (GTN) in the Hela cervical cancer cell line. Cell growth inhibition was measured by MTT assay and the IC50 value of goniothalamin was 3.2 ± 0.72 μg/ml. Morphological changes and biochemical processes associated with apoptosis were evident on phase contrast microscopy and fluorescence microscopy. DNA fragmentation, DNA damage, caspase-9 activation and a large increase in the sub-G1 and S cell cycle phases confirmed the occurrence of apoptosis in a time-dependent manner. It could be concluded that goniothalamin show a promising cytotoxicity effect against cervical cancer cells (Hela) and the cell death mode induced by goniothalamin was apoptosis.
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