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  1. Fulltext Boosting-based ensemble machine learning models for predicting unconfined compressive strength of geopolymer stabilized clayey soil
    Abdullah GMS, Ahmad M, Babur M, Badshah MU, Al-Mansob RA, Gamil Y, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2024 Jan 28;14(1):2323.
    PMID: 38282061 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52825-7
    The present research employs new boosting-based ensemble machine learning models i.e., gradient boosting (GB) and adaptive boosting (AdaBoost) to predict the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of geopolymer stabilized clayey soil. The GB and AdaBoost models were developed and validated using 270 clayey soil samples stabilized with geopolymer, with ground-granulated blast-furnace slag and fly ash as source materials and sodium hydroxide solution as alkali activator. The database was randomly divided into training (80%) and testing (20%) sets for model development and validation. Several performance metrics, including coefficient of determination (R2), mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE), and mean squared error (MSE), were utilized to assess the accuracy and reliability of the developed models. The statistical results of this research showed that the GB and AdaBoost are reliable models based on the obtained values of R2 (= 0.980, 0.975), MAE (= 0.585, 0.655), RMSE (= 0.969, 1.088), and MSE (= 0.940, 1.185) for the testing dataset, respectively compared to the widely used artificial neural network, random forest, extreme gradient boosting, multivariable regression, and multi-gen genetic programming based models. Furthermore, the sensitivity analysis result shows that ground-granulated blast-furnace slag content was the key parameter affecting the UCS.
  2. Fulltext Solitonic conduction of electrotonic signals in neuronal branchlets with polarized microstructure
    Poznanski RR, Cacha LA, Al-Wesabi YMS, Ali J, Bahadoran M, Yupapin PP, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2017 May 31;7(1):2746.
    PMID: 28566682 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-01849-3
    A model of solitonic conduction in neuronal branchlets with microstructure is presented. The application of cable theory to neurons with microstructure results in a nonlinear cable equation that is solved using a direct method to obtain analytical approximations of traveling wave solutions. It is shown that a linear superposition of two oppositely directed traveling waves demonstrate solitonic interaction: colliding waves can penetrate through each other, and continue fully intact as the exact pulses that entered the collision. These findings indicate that microstructure when polarized can sustain solitary waves that propagate at a constant velocity without attenuation or distortion in the absence of synaptic transmission. Solitonic conduction in a neuronal branchlet arising from polarizability of its microstructure is a novel signaling mode of electrotonic signals in thin processes (<0.5 μm diameter).
  3. Fulltext The 1:1 co-crystal of 2-bromo-naphthalene-1,4-dione and 1,8-di-hydroxy-anthracene-9,10-dione: crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis
    Tonin MDL, Garden SJ, Jotani MM, Wardell SMSV, Wardell JL, Tiekink ERT
    Acta Crystallogr E Crystallogr Commun, 2017 May 01;73(Pt 5):738-745.
    PMID: 28529788 DOI: 10.1107/S2056989017005667
    The asymmetric unit of the title co-crystal, C10H5BrO2·C14H8O4 [systematic name: 2-bromo-1,4-di-hydro-naphthalene-1,4-dione-1,8-dihy-droxy-9,10-di-hydro-anthracene-9,10-dione (1/1)], features one mol-ecule of each coformer. The 2-bromo-naphtho-quinone mol-ecule is almost planar [r.m.s deviation of the 13 non-H atoms = 0.060 Å, with the maximum deviations of 0.093 (1) and 0.099 (1) Å being for the Br atom and a carbonyl-O atom, respectively]. The 1,8-di-hydroxy-anthra-quinone mol-ecule is planar (r.m.s. deviation for the 18 non-H atoms is 0.022 Å) and features two intra-molecular hy-droxy-O-H⋯O(carbon-yl) hydrogen bonds. Dimeric aggregates of 1,8-di-hydroxy-anthra-quinone mol-ecules assemble through weak inter-molecular hy-droxy-O-H⋯O(carbon-yl) hydrogen bonds. The mol-ecular packing comprises stacks of mol-ecules of 2-bromo-naphtho-quinone and dimeric assembles of 1,8-di-hydroxy-anthra-quinone with the shortest π-π contact within a stack of 3.5760 (9) Å occurring between the different rings of 2-bromo-naphtho-quinone mol-ecules. The analysis of the Hirshfeld surface reveals the importance of the inter-actions just indicated but, also the contribution of additional C-H⋯O contacts as well as C=O⋯π inter-actions to the mol-ecular packing.
  4. Fulltext Racemic mefloquinium chloro-difluoro-acetate: crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis
    Wardell JL, Wardell SMSV, Jotani MM, Tiekink ERT
    Acta Crystallogr E Crystallogr Commun, 2018 Jul 01;74(Pt 7):895-900.
    PMID: 30002881 DOI: 10.1107/S2056989018007703
    In the racemic title mol-ecular salt, C17H17F6N2O+·C2ClF2O3- (systematic name: 2-{[2,8-bis-(tri-fluoro-meth-yl)quinolin-4-yl](hy-droxy)meth-yl}piperidin-1-ium chloro-difluoro-acetate), the cation, which is protonated at the piperidine N atom, has the shape of the letter, L, with the piperidin-1-ium group being approximately orthogonal to the quinolinyl residue [the Cq-Cm-Cm-Na (q = quinolinyl; m = methine; a = ammonium) torsion angle is 177.79 (18)°]. An intra-molecular, charge-assisted ammonium-N-H⋯O(hydrox-yl) hydrogen bond ensures the hy-droxy-O and ammonium-N atoms lie to the same side of the mol-ecule [Oh-Cm-Cm-Na (h = hydrox-yl) = -59.7 (2)°]. In the crystal, charge-assisted hydroxyl-O-H⋯O-(carboxyl-ate) and ammonium-N+-H⋯O-(carboxyl-ate) hydrogen bonds generate a supra-molecular chain along [010]; the chain is consolidated by C-H⋯O inter-actions. Links between chains to form supra-molecular layers are of the type C-Cl⋯π(quinolinyl-C6) and the layers thus formed stack along the a-axis direction without directional inter-actions between them. The analysis of the calculated Hirshfeld surface points to the dominance of F⋯H contacts to the surface (40.8%) with significant contributions from F⋯F (10.5%) and C⋯F (7.0%) contacts.
  5. Fulltext Gold nanoparticle trapping and delivery for therapeutic applications
    Aziz MS, Suwanpayak N, Jalil MA, Jomtarak R, Saktioto T, Ali J, et al.
    Int J Nanomedicine, 2012;7:11-7.
    PMID: 22275818 DOI: 10.2147/IJN.S27417
    A new optical trapping design to transport gold nanoparticles using a PANDA ring resonator system is proposed. Intense optical fields in the form of dark solitons controlled by Gaussian pulses are used to trap and transport nanoscopic volumes of matter to the desired destination via an optical waveguide. Theoretically, the gradient and scattering forces are responsible for this trapping phenomenon, where in practice such systems can be fabricated and a thin-film device formed on the specific artificial medical materials, for instance, an artificial bone. The dynamic behavior of the tweezers can be tuned by controlling the optical pulse input power and parameters of the ring resonator system. Different trap sizes can be generated to trap different gold nanoparticles sizes, which is useful for gold nanoparticle therapy. In this paper, we have shown the utility of gold nanoparticle trapping and delivery for therapy, which may be useful for cosmetic therapy and related applications.
  6. Night eating and its relationship with BMI, stress, sleep quality and duration of study among university students
    Emmy HKI, Boleh NC, Ali MS, Jakiwa J, Mardiyati NL, Ahmad MF
    Med J Malaysia, 2024 Mar;79(Suppl 1):134-139.
    PMID: 38555898
    INTRODUCTION: Night eating is a very common dietary behaviour among university students. This study aims to investigate the relationship between night eating and BMI, stress, sleep quality and duration of study among university students.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 385 university students including foundation and undergraduate students took part in this study. Self-administered online surveys were used to obtain sociodemographic data, and anthropometry measurements including weight and height, night eating during studying, duration of the study, opinion on eating and academic performance, sleep quality, level of depression, anxiety, and stress of the respondents. Questionnaires were validated and IBM SPSS Statistics Software version 26.0 was used to analyse categorical and continuous variables.

    RESULTS: The findings showed that there was an association between night eaters and coffee consumption with BMI (p<0.001) and sleep quality (p<0.05). However, there was no association (p>0.05) found between the types of food eaten during night studying and the mean duration of the study. The results showed drinking coffee had an association with depression, anxiety, and stress (p<0.05) among Malaysian university students.

    CONCLUSION: Coffee consumption was common among undergraduate students during studying. Awareness of the risk of overconsumption of caffeine intake should be implemented in the future. However, this study did not include all types of food choices and drinks. Thus, frequency of eating energy dense food during night studying among students should be conducted in the future.

  7. Fulltext Synergistic interaction between scrap tyre and plastics for the production of sulphur-free, light oil from fast co-pyrolysis
    Dewi WN, Zhou Q, Mollah M, Yang S, Ilankoon IMSK, Chaffee A, et al.
    Waste Manag, 2024 Apr 30;179:99-109.
    PMID: 38471253 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2024.03.007
    Fast co-pyrolysis offers a sustainable solution for upcycling polymer waste, including scrap tyre and plastics. Previous studies primarily focused on slow heating rates, neglecting synergistic mechanisms and sulphur transformation in co-pyrolysis with tyre. This research explored fast co-pyrolysis of scrap tyre with polypropylene (PP), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and polystyrene (PS) to understand synergistic effects and sulphur transformation mechanisms. A pronounced synergy was observed between scrap tyre and plastics, with the nature of the synergy being plastic-type dependent. Remarkably, blending 75 wt% PS or LDPE with tyre effectively eliminated sulphur-bearing compounds in the liquid product. This reduction in sulphur content can substantially mitigate the release of hazardous materials into the environment, emphasizing the environmental significance of co-pyrolysis. The synergy between PP or LDPE and tyre amplified the production of lighter hydrocarbons, while PS's interaction led to the creation of monocyclic aromatics. These findings offer insights into the intricate chemistry of scrap tyre and plastic interactions and highlight the potential of co-pyrolysis in waste management. By converting potential pollutants into valuable products, this method can significantly reduce the release of hazardous materials into the environment.
  8. Fulltext Comparative study on photocatalytic activity of transition metals (Ag and Ni)-doped ZnO nanomaterials synthesized via sol-gel method
    Azfar AK, Kasim MF, Lokman IM, Rafaie HA, Mastuli MS
    R Soc Open Sci, 2020 Feb;7(2):191590.
    PMID: 32257324 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.191590
    Ag and Ni/ZnO photocatalyst nanostructures were successfully synthesized by a sol-gel method. In this work, the photocatalyst sample was systematically studied based on several factors affecting the performance of photocatalyst, which are size, morphology, band gap, textural properties and the number of active sites presence on the surface of the nanocatalyst. X-ray diffraction revealed that Ag/ZnO nanomaterials experienced multiple phases, meanwhile for Ni/ZnO the phase of nanomaterials were pure and single phase for stoichiometry less than 5%. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) showed almost all of the synthesized nanomaterials possessed a mixture of nanorods and spherical-like shape morphology. The Ag/ZnO showed high photocatalytic activity, producing at least 14th trials of nanocatalyst reusability on degradation of methyl orange under UV irradiation. Interestingly, this phenomenon was not observed in larger surface area of Ni/ZnO nanomaterials which supposedly favour photocatalytic activity, but instead producing poor photocatalytic performance. The main reasons were studied and exposed by temperature-programmed desorption of carbon dioxide (TPD-CO2) which showed that incorporation of Ag into ZnO lattice has enhanced the number of active sites on the surface of the nanocatalyst. Whereas incorporation of Ni in ZnO has lowered the number of active sites with respect to undoped ZnO. Active sites measurement is effective and significant, providing opportunities in developing an intensive study as an additional factor.
  9. Fulltext Benzylidene derivatives of andrographolide inhibit growth of breast and colon cancer cells in vitro by inducing G(1) arrest and apoptosis
    Jada SR, Matthews C, Saad MS, Hamzah AS, Lajis NH, Stevens MF, et al.
    Br J Pharmacol, 2008 Nov;155(5):641-54.
    PMID: 18806812 DOI: 10.1038/bjp.2008.368
    BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Andrographolide, the major phytoconstituent of Andrographis paniculata, was previously shown by us to have activity against breast cancer. This led to synthesis of new andrographolide analogues to find compounds with better activity than the parent compound. Selected benzylidene derivatives were investigated for their mechanisms of action by studying their effects on the cell cycle progression and cell death.
    EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Microculture tetrazolium, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and sulphorhodamine B (SRB) assays were utilized in assessing the in vitro growth inhibition and cytotoxicity of compounds. Flow cytometry was used to analyse the cell cycle distribution of control and treated cells. CDK1 and CDK4 levels were determined by western blotting. Apoptotic cell death was assessed by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry.
    KEY RESULTS: Compounds, in nanomolar to micromolar concentrations, exhibited growth inhibition and cytotoxicity in MCF-7 (breast) and HCT-116 (colon) cancer cells. In the NCI screen, 3,19-(2-bromobenzylidene) andrographolide (SRJ09) and 3,19-(3-chloro-4-fluorobenzylidene) andrographolide (SRJ23) showed greater cytotoxic potency and selectivity than andrographolide. SRJ09 and SRJ23 induced G(1) arrest and apoptosis in MCF-7 and HCT-116 cells, respectively. SRJ09 downregulated CDK4 but not CDK1 level in MCF-7 cells. Apoptosis induced by SRJ09 and SRJ23 in HCT-116 cells was confirmed by annexin V-FITC/PI flow cytometry analysis.
    CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: The new benzylidene derivatives of andrographolide are potential anticancer agents. SRJ09 emerged as the lead compound in this study, exhibiting anticancer activity by downregulating CDK4 to promote a G(1) phase cell cycle arrest, coupled with induction of apoptosis.
  10. Fulltext Antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of three species of tropical seaweeds
    Chia YY, Kanthimathi MS, Khoo KS, Rajarajeswaran J, Cheng HM, Yap WS
    BMC Complement Altern Med, 2015;15:339.
    PMID: 26415532 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-015-0867-1
    Three species of seaweeds (Padina tetrastromatica, Caulerpa racemosa and Turbinaria ornata) are widely consumed by Asians as nutraceutical food due to their antioxidant properties. Studies have shown that these seaweeds exhibit bioactivities which include antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-hypertensive and anticoagulant activities. However, investigations into the mechanisms of action pertaining to the cytotoxic activity of the seaweeds are limited. The aim of this study was to determine the antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of whole extracts of P. tetrastromatica, C. racemosa and T. ornata, including the cellular events leading to the apoptotic cell death of the extract treated-MCF-7 cells. Bioassay guided fractionation was carried out and the compounds identified.
  11. Fulltext Hepatoprotective activity of dried- and fermented-processed virgin coconut oil
    Zakaria ZA, Rofiee MS, Somchit MN, Zuraini A, Sulaiman MR, Teh LK, et al.
    Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2011;2011:142739.
    PMID: 21318140 DOI: 10.1155/2011/142739
    The present study aims to determine the hepatoprotective effect of MARDI-produced virgin coconut oils, prepared by dried- or fermented-processed methods, using the paracetamol-induced liver damage in rats. Liver injury induced by 3 g/kg paracetamol increased the liver weight per 100 g bodyweight indicating liver damage. Histological observation also confirms liver damage indicated by the presence of inflammations and necrosis on the respective liver section. Interestingly, pretreatment of the rats with 10, but not 1 and 5, mL/kg of both VCOs significantly (P < .05) reduced the liver damage caused by the administration of paracetamol, which is further confirmed by the histological findings. In conclusion, VCO possessed hepatoprotective effect that requires further in-depth study.
  12. Fulltext Medicinal plants in management of type 2 diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders
    Siew Hua G, Kamal MA, Lima MM, Khalil MI, Pasupuleti VR, Aliev G
    Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2015;2015:686872.
    PMID: 25873981 DOI: 10.1155/2015/686872
  13. Fulltext Prevalence and Impact of Fatigue on Quality of Life (QOL) of Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
    Muthanna FMS, Hassan BAR, Karuppannan M, Ibrahim HK, Mohammed AH, Abdulrahman E
    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2023 Mar 01;24(3):769-781.
    PMID: 36974528 DOI: 10.31557/APJCP.2023.24.3.769
    BACKGROUND: Fatigue is a typical consequence of cancer that can affect one's quality of life (QOL). The goal of this review is to provide comprehensive data on the impact of fatigue on QOL of cancer patients.

    METHODS: An electronic data search in Web of Science, SCOPUS, and PubMed for relevant papers; those written in English; those reporting quantitative data; and those including more than one hundred patients who received just chemotherapy were included. Studies involving participants that received other kinds of anti-neoplastic therapies were excluded.

    RESULTS: A total of 35 papers published between January 2000 and December 2021 were retrieved from the search databases of which (11612 patients) met the inclusion criteria. Findings showed that fatigue negatively affected QOL with a pooled prevalence of 49% (95% CI; 25.00-74.00) and the significant heterogeneity between articles was (I²=98%, P <0.001). Further, breast cancer contributed to the majority of selected articles with about 55 % (95%CI; 9:00- 94:00), followed by cancer (unspecified) 44% (95%CI; 5:00 - 92:00). Most studies (71%) (95%CI; 4:00 - 99:00) used the brief fatigue inventory (BFI) tool to assess severity of fatigue and 39% (95%CI; 17:00 -68:00) employed the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire to evaluate QOL among cancer survivors.

    CONCLUSION: The prevalence of fatigue in cancer patients is high and fatigue has a negative impact on QOL of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Directionality, fatigue needs to be addressed and treated properly for better improvement of health status and QOL in cancer patients.

  14. Fulltext Enhanced Goat Milk MUFA Quality via Date Pit Supplementation: A Time-Based Pattern Recognition Analysis Utilizing Agricultural Waste Byproduct
    Abd Rahman MR, Hassan Z, Hassan MS, Hashim R, Wong LS, Leong WY, et al.
    Int J Food Sci, 2023;2023:1797017.
    PMID: 37350796 DOI: 10.1155/2023/1797017
    Date pits are agricultural waste byproducts and are available in tons yearly. Milk MUFAs are lipids beneficial for health and sorted out for food product development. This work is aimed at researching the effect of supplementing dairy goats with date pit powder (DPP) as a source of fatty acids (FA), an alternative to enhancing the unsaturated FA in milk and analysed via chemometrics in a 3-month supplementation-based study. Saanen-Boer crossed dairy goats were divided into six groups comprising of control, 10 g and 20 g both for Ajwa DPP (high-quality dates) and Mariami DPP (agricultural waste byproduct), and another 30 g for Mariami DPP only. The supplementation exercise was done daily on each dairy goat. The DPP and milk samples were analysed for its FA profile applying GC-FID and followed by chemometric techniques, namely, PCA and PLS. Results indicated that the n-6/n-3 ratio was the highest for the unsupplemented group compared to the DPP-treated goats with lower n-6/n-3 ratios. The M30 group showcased the most promising health-related class of FAs viewed by 3D PCA and PLS model clustering patterns, in particular monounsaturated FA (MUFA) (C18:1n9c or oleic acid). These results suggest that Mariami DPP supplementation at higher doses and time to lactating Saanen-Boer cross goats can be a means to milk FA quantity and quality enhancement and that chemometrics via pattern recognition can be useful statistical tools when dealing with overwhelming data.
  15. Comments on the taxonomic status of Cyrtodactylus zebraicus Taylor, 1962 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Northern Peninsular Malaysia
    Quah ESH, Grismer LL, Syafiq MF, Rujirawan A, Aowphol A, Ahmad AB, et al.
    Zootaxa, 2023 Jul 21;5318(4):489-503.
    PMID: 37518264 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5318.4.3
    The taxonomic status of Cyrtodactylus zebraicus in Peninsular Malaysia has been plagued with uncertainty over the last three decades owing to a lack of vouchered material. Recent collections confirmed the presence of this species in the northernmost state of Perlis and for the country. An expanded description of the newly collected Peninsular Malaysian specimens as well as the holotype of C. zebraicus is provided along with a comparison with other Cyrtodactylus species in the country. This study adds to the growing number of herpetofaunal species with Indo-Burmese affinities discovered in northern states of the country and the biogeographic importance of this region for the exchange of fauna and flora. The findings also highlight the importance of continued field work along the biogeographic interchange of the Banjaran Nakawan that separates southwestern Thailand from northwestern Peninsular Malaysia and the need to sample and collect voucher specimens that can be deposited in proper scientific collections for current and future research.
  16. Evaluating Bacillus flexus as bioremediators for ammonia removal in shrimp culture water and wastewater and characterizing microbial communities in shrimp pond sludge
    Jasmin MY, Isa NM, Kamarudin MS, Lim KC, Karim M
    Braz J Microbiol, 2024 Mar;55(1):529-536.
    PMID: 38280093 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-024-01246-9
    The accumulation of nitrogen compounds in shrimp farming water and effluent presents a major challenge. Ammonia is a form of nitrogen that limits shrimp growth due to its potential toxicity and effects on shrimp health and water quality. This study is aimed at identifying promising bioremediators from shrimp pond sludge to mitigate ammonia levels in both culture water and wastewater and at determining major bacterial communities in sludge using metagenomic analysis. A sludge sample was collected from a shrimp pond in Selangor, Malaysia, to isolate potential ammonia-removing bacteria. Out of 64 isolated strains, Bacillus flexus SS2 showed the highest growth in synthetic basal media (SBM) containing ammonium sulfate at a concentration of 70 mg/L as the sole nitrogen source. The strain was then incubated in SBM with varying pH levels and showed optimal growth at pH 6.5-7. After 24 h of incubation, B. flexus SS2 reduced the ammonia concentration from an initial concentration of 5 to 0.01 mg/L, indicating a 99.61% reduction rate, which was highest in SBM at pH 7. Moreover, the strain showed ammonia removal ability at concentrations ranging from 5 to 70 mg/L. Metagenomic analysis revealed that Proteobacteria was the most abundant phylum in the sludge, followed by Cyanobacteria, Actinobacteria, Chloraflexi, Firmicutes, and Campilobacterota. Bacillus flexus SS2 belongs to the Bacillota phylum and has the potential to serve as a bioremediator for removing ammonia from shrimp culture water and wastewater.
  17. Fulltext A Novel Nano-Hydroxyapatite Agarose-Based Hydrogel for Biomimetic Remineralization of Demineralized Human Enamel: An in-vitro Study
    El Moshy S, Radwan IA, Matoug-Elwerfelli M, Abdou A, Abbass MMS
    Clin Cosmet Investig Dent, 2024;16:453-465.
    PMID: 39507288 DOI: 10.2147/CCIDE.S478045
    PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate the biomimetic effect of agarose hydrogel loaded with enamel matrix derivative (EMD-agarose) alone or in combination with nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA-EMD-agarose) on the remineralization of human demineralized enamel.

    METHODS: Extracted human mandibular third molars were sectioned into 54 buccal and lingual halves. Acid-resistant nail varnish was applied to each half, except for two enamel windows. Enamel surface microhardness, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses were conducted to evaluate enamel surfaces at baseline, following demineralization with 37% phosphoric acid, and after each hydrogel application and remineralization for two, four, and six days. Remineralization was performed using a phosphate solution at 37°C.

    RESULTS: At day 6 following remineralization, a statistically significant higher mean microhardness was recorded in n-HA-EMD-agarose hydrogel (260.87 ± 3.52) as compared to EMD-agarose hydrogel (244.63 ± 2.76) (p = 0.027). Similarly, n-HA-EMD-agarose hydrogel showed a higher mean calcium (46.31 ± 2.78), phosphorous (24.92 ± 0.826), and fluoride (0.909 ± 0.053) weight percentage compared to EMD-agarose hydrogel calcium (19.64 ± 1.092), phosphorous (19.64 ± 1.092), and fluoride (0.7033 ± 0.0624) weight percentage (p < 0.05). Further, SEM analysis revealed a substantial deposition of n-HA following the application of the n-HA-EMD-agarose hydrogel, whereas the EMD-agarose exhibited a relatively smooth enamel surface with less visible enamel rods due to mineral deposition.

    CONCLUSION: The combined n-HA-EMD-agarose hydrogel demonstrated improved surface microhardness of the remineralized enamel and enhanced mineral content deposition, indicating its potential as a biomimetic approach for dental enamel repair.

  18. Fulltext Roles of Inorganic Oxide Based HTMs towards Highly Efficient and Long-Term Stable PSC-A Review
    Shahinuzzaman M, Afroz S, Mohafez H, Jamal MS, Khandaker MU, Sulieman A, et al.
    Nanomaterials (Basel), 2022 Aug 30;12(17).
    PMID: 36080043 DOI: 10.3390/nano12173003
    In just a few years, the efficiency of perovskite-based solar cells (PSCs) has risen to 25.8%, making them competitive with current commercial technology. Due to the inherent advantage of perovskite thin films that can be fabricated using simple solution techniques at low temperatures, PSCs are regarded as one of the most important low-cost and mass-production prospects. The lack of stability, on the other hand, is one of the major barriers to PSC commercialization. The goal of this review is to highlight the most important aspects of recent improvements in PSCs, such as structural modification and fabrication procedures, which have resulted in increased device stability. The role of different types of hole transport layers (HTL) and the evolution of inorganic HTL including their fabrication techniques have been reviewed in detail in this review. We eloquently emphasized the variables that are critical for the successful commercialization of perovskite devices in the final section. To enhance perovskite solar cell commercialization, we also aimed to obtain insight into the operational stability of PSCs, as well as practical information on how to increase their stability through rational materials and device fabrication.
  19. Predicting repurposed drugs targeting the NS3 protease of dengue virus using machine learning-based QSAR, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations
    Chongjun Y, Nasr AMS, Latif MAM, Rahman MBA, Marlisah E, Tejo BA
    SAR QSAR Environ Res, 2024 Aug;35(8):707-728.
    PMID: 39210743 DOI: 10.1080/1062936X.2024.2392677
    Dengue fever, prevalent in Southeast Asian countries, currently lacks effective pharmaceutical interventions for virus replication control. This study employs a strategy that combines machine learning (ML)-based quantitative-structure-activity relationship (QSAR), molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations to discover potential inhibitors of the NS3 protease of the dengue virus. We used nine molecular fingerprints from PaDEL to extract features from the NS3 protease dataset of dengue virus type 2 in the ChEMBL database. Feature selection was achieved through the low variance threshold, F-Score, and recursive feature elimination (RFE) methods. Our investigation employed three ML models - support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) - for classifier development. Our SVM model, combined with SVM-RFE, had the best accuracy (0.866) and ROC_AUC (0.964) in the testing set. We identified potent inhibitors on the basis of the optimal classifier probabilities and docking binding affinities. SHAP and LIME analyses highlighted the significant molecular fingerprints (e.g. ExtFP69, ExtFP362, ExtFP576) involved in NS3 protease inhibitory activity. Molecular dynamics simulations indicated that amphotericin B exhibited the highest binding energy of -212 kJ/mol and formed a hydrogen bond with the critical residue Ser196. This approach enhances NS3 protease inhibitor identification and expedites the discovery of dengue therapeutics.
  20. Species identification of intestinal microsporidia using immunofluorescence antibody assays
    Al-Mekhlafi MA, Fatmah MS, Anisah N, Azlin M, Al-Mekhlafi HM, Norhayati M
    Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health, 2011 Jan;42(1):19-24.
    PMID: 21323160
    Abstract. The species identification of Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Encephalitozoon intestinalis is only possible using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), mo lecular techniques and immunofluorescence antibody assays (IFA). In this study, 50 positive and 50 negative fecal specimens for microsporidial spores using the Weber modified trichrome (WMT) staining technique were examined using IFA-MAbs. Of the 100 specimens examined, the microsporidial spores identified by IFA-MAbs were Enterocytozoon Bieneusi 42 (75%) Encephalitozoon intestinalis 7 (12.5%) and mixed infections 7 (12.5%). The sensitivity and specificity of IFA-MAbs in detecting microsporidial spores were 98% and 86%, respectively. The agreement between the WMT staining technique and IFA-MAbs was statistically significant by Kappa statistics (K = 0.840; p < 0.001). E. bieneusi was the commonest Microsporidia species isolated from the studied population; the presence of microsporidial spores detected by IFA-MAbs should be confirmed by other methods.
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