Displaying publications 61 - 80 of 327 in total

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  1. Minimizing tissue-material interaction in microsensor for subcutaneous glucose monitoring
    Ahmad F, Christenson A, Bainbridge M, Yusof AP, Ab Ghani S
    Biosens Bioelectron, 2007 Mar 15;22(8):1625-32.
    PMID: 16934449
    A new implantable electrocatalytic glucose sensor for subcutaneous glucose monitoring has been fabricated by immobilizing glucose oxidase on a chemically modified carbon fiber. The sensor was inserted subcutaneously on a male spraguely rat without any incision after dipping the microsensor in the rat's serum for 3 days. The so called "stained" microsensor, operated in the amperometric mode with an applied potential of +0.23 V versus Ag|AgCl, was able to directly measure the glucose concentration upon infusion of glucose. The results obtained were encouraging, with the response time was less than 2s and the apparent Michaelis-Menten value at 5.1+/-0.5mM. The "stained" microsensor shows good stability and reproducibility with constant response spanned over 25 days. Most common interferences in glucose analysis were minimized by the outerlayer Nafion. Hematology examinations showed minimal material-tissue interaction. Use of such mechanical devices will allow a more refined understanding towards glucose control in diabetic patients as the implanted microsensor was not effected by biocompatibility failures.
  2. Fulltext Travel-related Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome caused by emm type 78 Streptococcus pyogenes
    Tappe D, Schulze MH, van der Linden M, Ziegler U, Müller A, Stich A
    J Clin Microbiol, 2011 Aug;49(8):3094-5.
    PMID: 21632896 DOI: 10.1128/JCM.02623-10
    Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome is a serious health problem in developed and developing countries. We here report a case of severe protracted disease after a minor skin infection in a young traveler returning from West Malaysia which was caused by an unusual emm-type strain harboring speG and smeZ superantigen genes.
  3. [Not Available]
    Al-Zergani F, Ronit A, Theilgaard ZP, Ronayne A, Nielsen HV, Porskrog A
    Ugeskr Laeger, 2023 Oct 02;185(40).
    PMID: 37873999
    Scrub typhus is caused by the mite-borne bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi. Imported cases have been suspected in Denmark but no diagnostic method has yet been available to confirm the diagnosis. This is a case report of a 38-year-old male admitted to hospital with high fever, severe malaise and headache after returning from Malaysia. Scrub typhus was suspected and the patient recovered after one week of doxycycline treatment. The pathogen was identified by use of microbiome 16S/18S rRNA next-generation sequencing on ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) blood, which in the future may serve an important role in the investigation of travel-associated infections.
  4. Validation of computational fluid dynamics of shake flask experiments at moderate viscosity by liquid distributions and volumetric power inputs
    Dinter C, Gumprecht A, Menze MA, Azizan A, Niehoff PJ, Hansen S, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2024 Feb 13;14(1):3658.
    PMID: 38351095 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53980-7
    Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has recently become a pivotal tool in the design and scale-up of bioprocesses. While CFD has been extensively utilized for stirred tank reactors (STRs), there exists a relatively limited body of literature focusing on CFD applications for shake flasks, almost exclusively concentrated on fluids at waterlike viscosity. The importance of CFD model validation cannot be overstated. While techniques to elucidate the internal flow field are necessary for model validation in STRs, the liquid distribution, caused by the orbital shaking motion of shake flasks, can be exploited for model validation. An OpenFOAM CFD model for shake flasks has been established. Calculated liquid distributions were compared to suitable, previously published experimental data. Across a broad range of shaking conditions, at waterlike and moderate viscosity (16.7 mPa∙s), the CFD model's liquid distributions align excellently with the experimental data, in terms of overall shape and position of the liquid relative to the direction of the centrifugal force. Additionally, the CFD model was used to calculate the volumetric power input, based on the energy dissipation. Depending on the shaking conditions, the computed volumetric power inputs range from 0.1 to 7 kW/m3 and differed on average by 0.01 kW/m3 from measured literature data.
  5. Fulltext Variations in DREB1A and VP1.1 Genes Show Association with Salt Tolerance Traits in Wild Tomato (Solanum pimpinellifolium)
    Rao ES, Kadirvel P, Symonds RC, Geethanjali S, Thontadarya RN, Ebert AW
    PLoS One, 2015;10(7):e0132535.
    PMID: 26161546 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0132535
    Association analysis was conducted in a core collection of 94 genotypes of Solanum pimpinellifolium to identify variations linked to salt tolerance traits (physiological and yield traits under salt stress) in four candidate genes viz., DREB1A, VP1.1, NHX1, and TIP. The candidate gene analysis covered a concatenated length of 4594 bp per individual and identified five SNP/Indels in DREB1A and VP1.1 genes explaining 17.0% to 25.8% phenotypic variation for various salt tolerance traits. Out of these five alleles, one at 297 bp in DREB1A had in-frame deletion of 6 bp (CTGCAT) or 12 bp (CTGCATCTGCAT), resulting in two alleles, viz., SpDREB1A_297_6 and SpDREB1A_297_12. These alleles individually or as haplotypes accounted for maximum phenotypic variance of about 25% for various salt tolerance traits. Design of markers for selection of the favorable alleles/haplotypes will hasten marker-assisted introgression of salt tolerance from S. pimpinellifolium into cultivated tomato.
  6. Uniaxial and Multiaxial Fatigue Life Prediction of the Trabecular Bone Based on Physiological Loading: A Comparative Study
    Fatihhi SJ, Harun MN, Abdul Kadir MR, Abdullah J, Kamarul T, Öchsner A, et al.
    Ann Biomed Eng, 2015 Oct;43(10):2487-502.
    PMID: 25828397 DOI: 10.1007/s10439-015-1305-8
    Fatigue assessment of the trabecular bone has been developed to give a better understanding of bone properties. While most fatigue studies are relying on uniaxial compressive load as the method of assessment, in various cases details are missing, or the uniaxial results are not very realistic. In this paper, the effect of three different load histories from physiological loading applied on the trabecular bone were studied in order to predict the first failure surface and the fatigue lifetime. The fatigue behaviour of the trabecular bone under uniaxial load was compared to that of multiaxial load using a finite element simulation. The plastic strain was found localized at the trabecular structure under multiaxial load. On average, applying multiaxial loads reduced more than five times the fatigue life of the trabecular bone. The results provide evidence that multiaxial loading is dominated in the low cycle fatigue in contrast to the uniaxial one. Both bone volume fraction and structural model index were best predictors of failure (p 
  7. Fulltext Four New Species of Nepenthes L. (Nepenthaceae) from the Central Mountains of Mindanao, Philippines
    Gronemeyer T, Coritico F, Wistuba A, Marwinski D, Gieray T, Micheler M, et al.
    Plants (Basel), 2014;3(2):284-303.
    PMID: 27135505 DOI: 10.3390/plants3020284
    Together with the islands of Sumatra (Indonesia) and Borneo (Indonesia, Malaysia), the Philippines are the main center of diversity for carnivorous pitcher plants of the genus, Nepenthes L. Nepenthes are the largest of all carnivorous plants, and the species with the biggest pitchers are capable of trapping and digesting small amphibians and even mammals. The central cordillera of Mindanao Island in the south of the Philippines is mostly covered with old, primary forest and is the largest remaining cohesive, untouched area of wilderness in the Philippines. In a recent field exploration of two areas of the central cordillera, namely Mount Sumagaya and a section of the Pantaron range, four new taxa of Nepenthes were discovered. These four remarkable new species, N. pantaronensis, N. cornuta, N. talaandig and N. amabilis, are described, illustrated and assessed.
  8. Fulltext Linking Ayurveda and Western medicine by integrative analysis
    Fauzi FM, Koutsoukas A, Lowe R, Joshi K, Fan TP, Glen RC, et al.
    J Ayurveda Integr Med, 2013 Apr;4(2):117-9.
    PMID: 23930045 DOI: 10.4103/0975-9476.113882
    In this article, we discuss our recent work in elucidating the mode-of-action of compounds used in traditional medicine including Ayurvedic medicine. Using computational ('in silico') approach, we predict potential targets for Ayurvedic anti-cancer compounds, obtained from the Indian Plant Anticancer Database given its chemical structure. In our analysis, we observed that: (i) the targets predicted can be connected to cancer pathogenesis i.e. steroid-5-alpha reductase 1 and 2 and estrogen receptor-β, and (ii) predominantly hormone-dependent cancer targets were predicted for the anti-cancer compounds. Through the use of our in silico target prediction, we conclude that understanding how traditional medicine such as Ayurveda work through linking with the 'western' understanding of chemistry and protein targets can be a fruitful avenue in addition to bridging the gap between the two different schools of thinking. Given that compounds used in Ayurveda have been tested and used for thousands of years (although not in the same approach as Western medicine), they can potentially be developed into potential new drugs. Hence, to further advance the case of Ayurvedic medicine, we put forward some suggestions namely: (a) employing and integrating novel analytical methods given the advancements of 'omics' and (b) sharing experimental data and clinical results on studies done on Ayurvedic compounds in an easy and accessible way.
  9. Fulltext Two New Nepenthes Species from the Philippines and an Emended Description of Nepenthes ramos
    Gronemeyer T, Suarez W, Nuytemans H, Calaramo M, Wistuba A, Mey FS, et al.
    Plants (Basel), 2016;5(2).
    PMID: 27164153 DOI: 10.3390/plants5020023
    With 50 species of the genus Nepenthes L. currently described from the Philippines, it is without doubt that the country, along with the islands of Sumatra (Indonesia) and Borneo (Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei), should be considered the center of diversity of the genus. In this work, we describe two new species. One species, N. aenigma sp. nov., is from Ilocos Norte province on Luzon Island and has the-for Nepenthes-unusual ecological preference to grow in dense vegetation in deep shade. The other new species is from Mount Hamiguitan in Davao Oriental province on Mindanao Island. With this new entry, Mount Hamiguitan is now home to four endemic species (N. peltata, N. micramphora, N. hamiguitanensis, N. justinae sp. nov.). Furthermore, we provide an emended description of N. ramos based on field data. Nepenthes kurata is synonymized here with N. ramos.
  10. Fulltext Global Mapping of Traditional Chinese Medicine into Bioactivity Space and Pathways Annotation Improves Mechanistic Understanding and Discovers Relationships between Therapeutic Action (Sub)classes
    Mohamad Zobir SZ, Mohd Fauzi F, Liggi S, Drakakis G, Fu X, Fan TP, et al.
    Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2016;2016:2106465.
    PMID: 26989424 DOI: 10.1155/2016/2106465
    Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) still needs more scientific rationale to be proven for it to be accepted further in the West. We are now in the position to propose computational hypotheses for the mode-of-actions (MOAs) of 45 TCM therapeutic action (sub)classes from in silico target prediction algorithms, whose target was later annotated with Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway, and to discover the relationship between them by generating a hierarchical clustering. The results of 10,749 TCM compounds showed 183 enriched targets and 99 enriched pathways from Estimation Score ≤ 0 and ≥ 5% of compounds/targets in a (sub)class. The MOA of a (sub)class was established from supporting literature. Overall, the most frequent top three enriched targets/pathways were immune-related targets such as tyrosine-protein phosphatase nonreceptor type 2 (PTPN2) and digestive system such as mineral absorption. We found two major protein families, G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR), and protein kinase family contributed to the diversity of the bioactivity space, while digestive system was consistently annotated pathway motif, which agreed with the important treatment principle of TCM, "the foundation of acquired constitution" that includes spleen and stomach. In short, the TCM (sub)classes, in many cases share similar targets/pathways despite having different indications.
  11. The first record of the parasitic myrmecophilous caterpillar Liphyrabrassolis (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae) inside Asian weaver ant (Oecophyllasmaragdina) nests in oil palm plantations
    Dwi Advento A, Yusah KM, Salim H, Naim M, Caliman JP, Fayle TM
    Biodivers Data J, 2022;10:e83842.
    PMID: 36761604 DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.10.e83842
    Asian weaver ants (Oecophyllasmaragdina) are an important biocontrol agent in agricultural habitats. We conducted surveys in oil palm plantations in Riau, Indonesia for an obligate myrmecophilous butterfly larvae, Liphyrabrassolis (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae), that is known to consume weaver ant larvae in other habitat types. We found L.brassolis larvae in five of the twenty nests surveyed, with larval presence not being related to weaver ant nest size. We also observed L.brassolis larvae in a weaver ant mass rearing facility. This is the first report of L.brassolis from oil palm plantations and may have implications for the use of weaver ants as biological control agents.
  12. Fulltext Artificial intelligence and the orthopaedic surgeon: A review of the literature and potential applications for future practice: Current concepts
    Khoriati AA, Shahid Z, Fok M, Frank RM, Voss A, D'Hooghe P, et al.
    J ISAKOS, 2024 Apr;9(2):227-233.
    PMID: 37949113 DOI: 10.1016/j.jisako.2023.10.015
  13. Fulltext Eleven neurology-related proteins measured in serum are positively correlated to the severity of diabetic neuropathy
    Bäckryd E, Themistocleous A, Larsson A, Gordh T, Rice ASC, Tesfaye S, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2024 Jul 24;14(1):17068.
    PMID: 39048581 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66471-6
    About 20% of patients with diabetes suffer from chronic pain with neuropathic characteristics. We investigated the multivariate associations between 92 neurology-related proteins measured in serum from 190 patients with painful and painless diabetic neuropathy. Participants were recruited from the Pain in Neuropathy Study, an observational cross-sectional multicentre study in which participants underwent deep phenotyping. In the exploration cohort, two groups were defined by hierarchical cluster analyses of protein data. The proportion of painless vs painful neuropathy did not differ between the two groups, but one group had a significantly higher grade of neuropathy as measured by the Toronto Clinical Scoring System (TCSS). This finding was replicated in the replication cohort. Analyzing both groups together, we found that a group of 11 inter-correlated proteins (TNFRSF12A, SCARB2, N2DL-2, SKR3, EFNA4, LAYN, CLM-1, CD38, UNC5C, GFR-alpha-1, and JAM-B) were positively associated with TCSS values. Notably, EFNA4 and UNC5C are known to be part of axon guidance pathways. To conclude, although cluster analysis of 92 neurology-related proteins did not distinguish painful from painless diabetic neuropathy, we identified 11 proteins which positively correlated to neuropathy severity and warrant further investigation as potential biomarkers.
  14. Isolation of anti-Ancylostoma-secreted protein 5 (ASP5) antibody from a naïve antibody phage library
    Song BPC, Lai JY, Choong YS, Khanbabaei N, Latz A, Lim TS
    J Immunol Methods, 2024 Dec;535:113776.
    PMID: 39551437 DOI: 10.1016/j.jim.2024.113776
    Ancylostoma species are parasitic nematodes that release a multitude of proteins to manipulate host immune responses to facilitate their survival. Among the released proteins, Ancylostoma-secreted protein 5 (ASP5) plays a pivotal role in mediating host-parasite interactions, making it a promising target for interventions against canine hookworm infections caused by Ancylostoma species. Antibody phage display, a widely used method for generating human monoclonal antibodies was employed in this study. A bacterial expression system was used to produce ASP5 for biopanning. A single-chain fragment variable (scFv) monoclonal antibody against ASP5 was generated from the naïve Human AntibodY LibrarY (HAYLY). The resulting scFv antibody was characterized to elucidate its antigen-binding properties. The identified monoclonal antibody showed good specificity and binding characteristics which highlights its potential for diagnostic applications for hookworm infections.
  15. Fulltext Effect of Major Mycotoxins on Public Health Through the Consumption of Cheese Products
    Chaidoutis EA, Chatzimpirou O, Migdanis I, Migdanis A, Papadakis A, Lazaris AC, et al.
    Malays J Med Sci, 2024 Dec;31(6):21-33.
    PMID: 39830105 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2024.31.6.3
    Food safety is a key priority for public health. However, consumer demand for cheese products may expose the population to the risk of mycotoxicosis and cancer, among others. Acute mycotoxicosis and cancer are examples of linked disorders. Among the most frequent toxic agents that enter the human body through food consumption are mycotoxins. This review study highlights the significance of the impact of the most important mycotoxins on public health through the consumption of cheese products. Despite being a poor substrate for mycotoxin development, cheese products have been found to contain harmful toxins. Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) and ochratoxin A (OTA) are the main mycotoxins in cheese products, and they are very harmful to human health. Adherence to legislative limits and the implementation of appropriate control measures by food business operators (FBOs) are considered necessary to protect consumers' health.
  16. Fulltext Exploration of the Out-of-Phase Phenomenon in Shake Flasks by CFD Calculations of Volumetric Power Input, kLa Value and Shear Rate at Elevated Viscosity
    Dinter C, Gumprecht A, Menze MA, Azizan A, Hansen S, Büchs J
    Biotechnol Bioeng, 2025 Mar;122(3):509-524.
    PMID: 39614833 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28892
    Culture broth with secreted macromolecules and culture broth of filamentous fungi showing disperse growth exhibit elevated viscosity, usually with shear-thinning flow behavior. High viscosity, however, poses a serious challenge in the production and research of these compounds and organisms. It commonly causes insufficient mixing and oxygen transfer in large- and small-scale bioreactors. Computational Fluid dynamics (CFD) has been proven to be a valuable tool for the computation of important bioprocess parameters. The published literature for small-scale shaken bioreactors, especially shake flasks, however, almost exclusively focuses on water-like viscosity. In this paper, a previously published CFD model for 250 mL shake flasks was used to simulate experiments at high viscosities of up to 100 mPa·s. Compared to experimental data, the CFD model accurately predicted the liquid distribution and computed the volumetric power input with a deviation of less than 7% and the kLa value within a factor of two, compared to the kLa correlation from Henzler and Schedel. Furthermore, a novel approach to compute the shear rate was tested. Lastly, new insights into the out-of-phase phenomenon were gained. The presented data confirms the usefulness of the already established critical phase numbers of 0.91 and 1.26, while underlying the fundamentally smooth transition from in-phase to out-of-phase operating conditions.
  17. FGFR1 variation in the divergent settings of congenital hypopituitarism and pituitary tumours
    Orsmond A, Krishnan G, Palmer LJ, De Sousa SMC, McCormack A
    Pituitary, 2025 Mar 10;28(2):39.
    PMID: 40064730 DOI: 10.1007/s11102-025-01498-0
    PURPOSE: Pituitary tumours are relatively common, and familial in approximately 5% of cases. However, germline genetic contributions to pituitary tumour development are incompletely characterised. Preliminary evidence suggests pituitary tumours may be promoted by variants in pituitary organogenesis genes. Our study aimed to identify rare germline variants in pituitary organogenesis genes that may contribute to pituitary tumour development.

    METHODS: A familial case of pituitary disease was investigated. We also examined 36 pituitary organogenesis genes in 134 individuals with pituitary tumours using a targeted next-generation sequencing panel, identifying and characterising variants with a population allele frequency  C, p.(D129A). In our broader study, we identified an additional individual with the FGFR1 D129A variant and demonstrated enrichment compared to a control population derived from the Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD). We also observed 66 rare germline variants in pituitary organogenesis genes amongst 54/134 individuals (40%). However, compared to control data, the study cohort exhibited no enrichment for other rare variants in FGFR1, FGF-related genes, or other pituitary embryogenesis genes.

    CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the FGFR1 D129A variant may be associated with pituitary tumorigenesis but the role of other pituitary embryogenesis genes remains unclear. Additional independent cohorts and functional studies are required.

  18. Fulltext Controversial terminology in root and canal anatomy: A comprehensive review
    Ahmed HMA, Keleş A, Wolf TG, Nagendrababu V, Duncan HF, Peters OA, et al.
    Eur Endod J, 2024 Dec 20;9(4):308-334.
    PMID: 39501764 DOI: 10.14744/eej.2024.20981
    Discipline-specific terminology is a central element of the vocabulary used by dentists and scientists in the context of their professional activities and plays a critical role in the understanding of dentistry. A number of controversial terms and non-standardized definitions exist in the field of endodontology. For example, in root and canal anatomy, variations exist in the definitions of root morphology (including apical bifurcation, fusion and dilaceration), pulp chamber anatomy (including the outline of the floor, pulp horns and location of the root canal orifice), apical root canal bifurcations, canal isthmuses, accessory canals and apical foramen. This narrative review provides a critical analysis of a range of controversial terms currently used to describe root and canal anatomy. It also addresses the consequences of using such controversial terms on the accuracy and reliability of research findings and clinical practice.
  19. Biomonitoring of heavy metals in the feathers of House crow (Corvus splendens) from some metropolitans of Asia and Africa
    Iqbal F, Wilson R, Ayub Q, Song BK, Krzeminska-Ahmedzai U, Talei A, et al.
    Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2023 Mar;30(13):35715-35726.
    PMID: 36536201 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-24712-z
    Urban-dwelling birds can be useful biomonitors to assess the impact of the urbanisation on both public and wildlife health. Widely distributed urban bird species, the House crow, was studied for heavy metal accumulation levels from nine cities of South Asia, Southeast Asia and Africa that border the Indian Ocean. Feathers were spectroscopically investigated for the deposition of ten heavy metals, i.e. As, Zn, Pb, Cd, Ni, iron Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu and Li. Fe and Zn were found to be the most prevalent metals in all sites. Measured concentrations of Pb (4.38-14.77 mg kg-1) overall, and Fe (935.66 mg kg-1) and Cu (67.17 mg kg-1) at some studied sites were above the toxicity levels reported lethal in avian toxicological studies. Multivariate analysis and linear models supported geographical location as a significant predictor for the level of most of the metals. Zn and Cu, generally and Pb, Cd, Mn, Cr at some sites exhibited potential bioaccumulation from surrounding environments. Inter-species comparisons strengthen the inference that the House crow is a reliable bioindicator species for the qualitative assessment of local urban environmental pollution and could be a useful tool for inter-regional monitoring programs.
  20. Fulltext Reductive Coupling of Diynes at Rhodium Gives Fluorescent Rhodacyclopentadienes or Phosphorescent Rhodium 2,2'-Biphenyl Complexes
    Sieck C, Tay MG, Thibault MH, Edkins RM, Costuas K, Halet JF, et al.
    Chemistry, 2016 Jul 18;22(30):10523-32.
    PMID: 27355689 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201601912
    Reactions of [Rh(κ(2) -O,O-acac)(PMe3 )2 ] (acac=acetylacetonato) and α,ω-bis(arylbutadiynyl)alkanes afford two isomeric types of MC4 metallacycles with very different photophysical properties. As a result of a [2+2] reductive coupling at Rh, 2,5-bis(arylethynyl)rhodacyclopentadienes (A) are formed, which display intense fluorescence (Φ=0.07-0.54, τ=0.2-2.5 ns) despite the presence of the heavy metal atom. Rhodium biphenyl complexes (B), which show exceptionally long-lived (hundreds of μs) phosphorescence (Φ=0.01-0.33) at room temperature in solution, have been isolated as a second isomer originating from an unusual [4+2] cycloaddition reaction and a subsequent β-H-shift. We attribute the different photophysical properties of isomers A and B to a higher excited state density and a less stabilized T1 state in the biphenyl complexes B, allowing for more efficient intersystem crossing S1 →Tn and T1 →S0 . Control of the isomer distribution is achieved by modification of the bis- (diyne) linker length, providing a fundamentally new route to access photoactive metal biphenyl compounds.
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