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  1. Prevalence of optimal cardiovascular screening activities and associated factors among apparently healthy school teachers in Kota Bharu, Kelantan
    Noraza RA, Norhayati NM, Rosediani M, Harmy YM
    J Taibah Univ Med Sci, 2018 Apr;13(2):188-194.
    PMID: 31435322 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtumed.2017.10.005
    Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of optimal cardiovascular disease (CVD) screening activities and the associated factors among apparently healthy school teachers.

    Methods: A cross-sectional analytical observational study was conducted among 380 secondary school teachers in Kelantan, Malaysia. A self-administered questionnaire addressing sociodemographic data and factors influencing CVD screening activities was administered. Descriptive analysis, simple and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed.

    Results: A total of 348 teachers responded to the questionnaire, with a response rate of 91.6%. The prevalence of optimal CVD screening activities was 29.3% (95% CI: 24.52, 34.08). Age, knowledge of CVD screening, family history of CVD and availability of health facilities were significantly linked to CVD screening.

    Conclusion: The prevalence of optimal screening activities was low. A great majority of the factors contributing to optimal screening were modifiable. Health care providers should widely implement global health-oriented rather than disease-orientated assessment in their daily practice.

  2. Dietary assessment of pre-diabetic patients by using food frequency questionnaire. A systematic review of study quality, study outcome, study questionnaire and their relative validity and reliability
    Siddiqui S, Zainal H, Harun SN, Sheikh Ghadzi SM
    Clin Nutr ESPEN, 2019 02;29:213-223.
    PMID: 30661689 DOI: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2018.10.002
    BACKGROUND: The contribution of dietary factors in the development and progression of pre-diabetes has been increasingly recognized. However, due to high variability in dietary habits measurement of dietary intake remains one of the most challenging tasks in this population. Food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) which investigates usual dietary intake can be used to identify frequent consumption of foods such as dietary fat, fiber, grains that are linked to the risk of pre-diabetes.

    METHOD: This systematic review was conducted to identify and describe FFQs that measure dietary intake of pre-diabetic patients and to examine their relative validity and reliability. The systematic search was done through electronic databases such as PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ProQuest and Scopus. Methodological quality of included studies and results of study outcome was also summarized in this review.

    RESULT: The search identified 445 papers, of which 18 studies reported 15 FFQs, met inclusion criteria. Most of the FFQs (n = 12) were semi-quantitative while three were frequency measures with portion size estimation of selected food items. Test-retest reliability of FFQ was reported in 7 (38.3%) studies with the correlation coefficient of 0.33-0.92. Relative validity of FFQ was reported in 16 (88.8%) studies with the range of correlation coefficient of 0.08-0.83. Dietary patterns rich in carbohydrate, fat, animal protein and n-3 fatty acids were associated with increased risk of pre-diabetes.

    CONCLUSION: No well-established disease-specific FFQ identified in the literature. Development of a valid, practical and reliable tool is needed for better understanding of the impact of diet in pre-diabetic population.

  3. Fulltext Gut Bacteria of Water Monitor Lizard (Varanus salvator) Are a Potential Source of Antibacterial Compound(s)
    Akbar N, Siddiqui R, Sagathevan K, Iqbal M, Khan NA
    Antibiotics (Basel), 2019 Sep 24;8(4).
    PMID: 31554316 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics8040164
    For the past few decades, there has been limited progress in the development of novel antibacterials. Previously, we postulated that the gut microbiota of animals residing in polluted environments are a forthcoming supply of antibacterials. Among various species, the water monitor lizard is an interesting species that feeds on organic waste and the carcass of wild animals. Gut microbiota of the water monitor lizard were sequestered, identified and cultivated in RPMI-1640 to produce conditioned medium (CM). Next, the antimicrobial properties of CM were evaluated versus a selection of Gram-negative (Escherichia coli K1, Serratia marcescens,Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enterica and Klebsiella pneumoniae) and Gram-positive bacteria (Streptococcus pyogenes, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus cereus). CM were partially characterized by heat inactivation at 95°C for 10 min and tested against P. aeruginosa and S. pyogenes. CM were also tested against immortalized human keratinocytes (HaCaT) cells lines. The results demonstrated that gut microbiota isolated from water monitor lizard produced molecules with remarkable bactericidal activities. To determine the identity of the active molecules, CM were subjected to Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Several molecules were identified belonging to the classes of flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, polyhydroxy alkaloids, polyacetylenes, bisphenols, amides, oxylipin and pyrazine derivatives with known broad-spectrum antimicrobial, anti-tumour, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic attributes. Furthermore, the detailed analysis of these molecules could lead us to develop effective therapeutic antibacterials.
  4. Fulltext Managing a Complicated Acute Otomastoiditis at Day Four of Life
    Lim R, Zulkifli S, Hailani I, Hashim ND
    Cureus, 2021 Jan 25;13(1):e12905.
    PMID: 33654590 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.12905
    Acute mastoiditis in a newborn complicated by the presence of facial nerve palsy is an alarming finding requiring rapid assessment and further investigation. Such an early presentation should point the clinician towards an underlying systemic pathology or congenital anatomical abnormality. Facial nerve involvement indicates severe infection and possible dehiscence of the facial canal. Although more frequent in children, it is rare in neonates. We would like to share our experience in managing the youngest known presentation of otomastoiditis at four days of life. The patient presented with otorrhea and facial paralysis and progressed to meningitis. He was finally diagnosed with chronic granulomatous disease.
  5. Performance of a novel casing made of chitosan under traditional sausage manufacturing conditions
    Adzaly NZ, Jackson A, Kang I, Almenar E
    Meat Sci, 2016 Mar;113:116-23.
    PMID: 26656870 DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2015.11.023
    The goal of this study was to validate the commercial feasibility of a novel casing formed from chitosan containing cinnamaldehyde (2.2%, w/v), glycerol (50%, w/w) and Tween 80 (0.2% w/w) under traditional sausage manufacturing conditions. Meat batter was stuffed into both chitosan and collagen (control) casings and cooked in a water bath. Before and after cooking, both casings were compared for mechanical, barrier, and other properties. Compared to collagen, the chitosan casing was a better (P≤0.05) barrier to water, oxygen, liquid smoke, and UV light. In mechanical and other properties, the chitosan casing had higher (P≤0.05) tensile strength, lower (P≤0.05) elongation at break and tensile energy to break, and better (P≤0.05) transparency whereas a similar (P>0.05) water solubility to the collagen casing. Overall, the chitosan casing was less affected by sausage manufacturing conditions than the collagen casing, indicating that chitosan casing has potential as an alternative to the current collagen casing in the manufacture of sausages.
  6. Fulltext Quality of Dabai Pulp Oil Extracted by Supercritical Carbon Dioxide and Supplementation in Hypercholesterolemic Rat-A New Alternative Fat
    Kadir NAAA, Azlan A, Abas F, Ismail IS
    Foods, 2021 Jan 27;10(2).
    PMID: 33513823 DOI: 10.3390/foods10020262
    Dabai pulp oil (DPO) is new oil extracted from the pulp of Canarium odontophyllum. The quality and efficacy of DPO are needed to promote its potential as a new alternative fat. Therefore, we investigate the quality of DPO, which includes moisture and volatile content (MVC), free fatty acid content (FFA), iodine value (IV), and peroxide value (PV). Furthermore, we evaluate the efficacy of DPO against hypercholesterolemia elicited by a high-cholesterol diet in rats. The MVC of DPO was <0.001 ± 0.00%. Next, the FFA in DPO was 2.57 ± 0.03%, and the IV of DPO was 53.74 ± 0.08 g iodine/100 g oil. Meanwhile, the PV of DPO was 4.97 ± 0.00 mEq/kg. Supplementation of DPO in hypercholesterolemic rats for 30 days revealed the hypocholesterolemic effect (significant reduction of total cholesterol, triglyceride, and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase) accompanied by a significant reduction of inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor-α), and lipid peroxidation (MDA). We also observed a significant improvement of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and antioxidant capacities (total antioxidant status, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase) of the rats. The results on the quality and efficacy of locally made DPO suggest its potential use as a healthy alternative fat in the future.
  7. Fulltext Paediatric Gliomas: BRAF and Histone H3 as Biomarkers, Therapy and Perspective of Liquid Biopsies
    Tan JY, Wijesinghe IVS, Alfarizal Kamarudin MN, Parhar I
    Cancers (Basel), 2021 Feb 04;13(4).
    PMID: 33557011 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13040607
    Paediatric gliomas categorised as low- or high-grade vary markedly from their adult counterparts, and denoted as the second most prevalent childhood cancers after leukaemia. As compared to adult gliomas, the studies of diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, as well as the development of therapy in paediatric gliomas, are still in their infancy. A body of evidence demonstrates that B-Raf Proto-Oncogene or V-Raf Murine Sarcoma Viral Oncogene Homolog B (BRAF) and histone H3 mutations are valuable biomarkers for paediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGGs) and high-grade gliomas (pHGGs). Various diagnostic methods involving fluorescence in situ hybridisation, whole-genomic sequencing, PCR, next-generation sequencing and NanoString are currently used for detecting BRAF and histone H3 mutations. Additionally, liquid biopsies are gaining popularity as an alternative to tumour materials in detecting these biomarkers, but still, they cannot fully replace solid biopsies due to several limitations. Although histone H3 mutations are reliable prognosis biomarkers in pHGGs, children with these mutations have a dismal prognosis. Conversely, the role of BRAF alterations as prognostic biomarkers in pLGGs is still in doubt due to contradictory findings. The BRAF V600E mutation is seen in the majority of pLGGs (as seen in pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma and gangliomas). By contrast, the H3K27M mutation is found in the majority of paediatric diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma and other midline gliomas in pHGGs. pLGG patients with a BRAF V600E mutation often have a lower progression-free survival rate in comparison to wild-type pLGGs when treated with conventional therapies. BRAF inhibitors (Dabrafenib and Vemurafenib), however, show higher overall survival and tumour response in BRAF V600E mutated pLGGs than conventional therapies in some studies. To date, targeted therapy and precision medicine are promising avenues for paediatric gliomas with BRAF V600E and diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma with the H3K27M mutations. Given these shortcomings in the current treatments of paediatric gliomas, there is a dire need for novel therapies that yield a better therapeutic response. The present review discusses the diagnostic tools and the perspective of liquid biopsies in the detection of BRAF V600E and H3K27M mutations. An in-depth understanding of these biomarkers and the therapeutics associated with the respective challenges will bridge the gap between paediatric glioma patients and the development of effective therapies.
  8. Healthy eating index and breast cancer risk among Malaysian women
    Shahril MR, Sulaiman S, Shaharudin SH, Akmal SN
    Eur J Cancer Prev, 2013 Jul;22(4):342-7.
    PMID: 23702680 DOI: 10.1097/CEJ.0b013e32835b37f9
    Healthy Eating Index-2005 (HEI-2005), an index-based dietary pattern, has been shown to predict the risk of chronic diseases among Americans. This study aims to examine the ability of HEI-2005 in predicting the probability for risk of premenopausal and postmenopausal breast cancer among Malaysian women. Data from a case-control nutritional epidemiology study among 764 participants including 382 breast cancer cases and 382 healthy women were extracted and scored. Multivariate odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to evaluate the relationship between the risk of breast cancer and quartiles (Q) of HEI-2005 total scores and its component, whereas the risk prediction ability of HEI-2005 was investigated using diagnostics analysis. The results of this study showed that there is a significant reduction in the risk of breast cancer, with a higher HEI-2005 total score among premenopausal women (OR Q1 vs. Q4=0.34, 95% CI; 0.15-0.76) and postmenopausal women (OR Q1 vs. Q4=0.20, 95% CI; 0.06-0.63). However, HEI-2005 has a sensitivity of 56-60%, a specificity of 55-60%, and a positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 57-58%, which indicates a moderate ability to predict the risk of breast cancer according to menopausal status. The breast cancer incidence observed poorly agrees with risk outcomes from HEI-2005 as shown by low κ statistics (κ=0.15). In conclusion, although the total HEI-2005 scores were associated with a risk of breast cancer among Malaysian women, the ability of HEI-2005 to predict risk is poor as indicated by the diagnostic analysis. A local index-based dietary pattern, which is disease specific, is required to predict the risk of breast cancer among Malaysian women for early prevention.
  9. Fulltext Enhancing the preparation of industrial training report through Report Repository System and Industrial Training Kit
    Salliza Md Radzi, Noor Masliana Razlan, Huda Hamidon, Faizal Haini Fadzil, Izzatil Husna Arshad, Mohd Zafian Mohd Zawawi, et al.
    Jurnal Inovasi Malaysia, 2019;2(2):93-109.
    MyJurnal
    Industrial Training Course (IMC690) is a mandatory course to be taken by seventh (7th) semester students of Information Systems Management programme (IM245). This course carries a high credit hour which weigh 12 credit hours. There are four (4) parts evaluated and the largest contributor is the industrial training report which consists of 40% marks. The problem occurs when students do not complete the report according to the date specified by the Faculty. Hence, late submission and marking of reports as well as low report scores have affected the students and lecturers. This study aims to reduce the percentage of industrial training report late submission by introducing two (2) creative innovation projects namely the Industrial Training Report Repository (ITR2) System and Industrial Training Kit (IT Kit) as the solution. Based on research findings, the percentage of late submission in the preparation of the industrial training report has successfully reduced from 60% to 0% and indirectly led to an increase in percentage of final report scores; which exceeded 30%. The results from both innovations have proven to be a comprehensive reference sources that have helped the students in producing a high quality report that complies with standards.
  10. A new organic solvent tolerant protease from Bacillus pumilus 115b
    Rahman RN, Mahamad S, Salleh AB, Basri M
    J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol, 2007 Jul;34(7):509-17.
    PMID: 17492323
    Five out of the nine benzene-toulene-ethylbenzene-xylene (BTEX) tolerant bacteria that demonstrated high protease activity on skim milk agar were isolated. Among them, isolate 115b identified as Bacillus pumilus exhibited the highest protease production. The protease produced was stable in 25% (v/v) benzene and toluene and it was activated 1.7 and 2.5- fold by n-dodecane and n-tetradecane, respectively. The gene encoding the organic solvent tolerant protease was cloned and its nucleotide sequence determined. Sequence analysis revealed an open reading frame (ORF) of 1,149 bp that encoded a polypeptide of 383 amino acid residues. The polypeptide composed of 29 residues of signal peptide, a propeptide of 79 residues and a mature protein of 275 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 27,846 Da. This is the only report available to date on organic solvent tolerant protease from B. pumilus.
  11. Flea-borne pathogens in the cat flea Ctenocephalides felis and their association with mtDNA diversity of the flea host
    Azrizal-Wahid N, Sofian-Azirun M, Low VL
    Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis, 2021 Apr;75:101621.
    PMID: 33609991 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2021.101621
    Flea-borne pathogens were screened from 100 individual cat fleas using a PCR approach, of which 38 % were infected with at least one bacterium. Overall, 28 % of the flea samples were positive for Bartonella as inferred from ITS DNA region. Of these, 25 % (7/28) were identified as Bartonella clarridgeiae, 42.9 % (12/28) as Bartonella henselae consisted of two different strains, and 32.1 % (9/28) as Bartonella koehlerae, which was detected for the first time in Malaysia. Sequencing of gltA amplicons detected Rickettsia DNA in 14 % of cat flea samples, all of them identified as Rickettsia asembonensis (100 %). None of the flea samples were positive for Mycoplasma DNA in 16S rRNA gene detection. Four fleas were co-infected with Bartonella and Rickettsia DNAs. Statistical analyses reveal no significant association between bacterial infection and mtDNA diversity of the cat flea. Nevertheless, in all types of pathogen infections, infected populations demonstrated lower nucleotide and haplotype diversities compared to uninfected populations. Moreover, lower haplotype numbers were observed in infected populations.
  12. Fulltext Hepatoprotective Effect of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extracted Dabai Pulp Oil and Its Defatted Pulp
    Kadir NAAA, Azlan A, Abas F, Ismail IS
    Molecules, 2021 Jan 28;26(3).
    PMID: 33525363 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26030671
    All food scientists must utilize plants for their application as functional foods to reduce hypercholesterolemia incidence through diet. Canarium odontophyllum (dabai) is a novel source for new healthy oil and functional foods. In this work, we evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) extracted dabai pulp oil (DPO) and defatted dabai pulp (DDP) against hypercholesterolemia elicited by a high-cholesterol diet in rats. Our results show that DPO and DDP supplementation exerted beneficial hypocholesterolemic effects against the high-cholesterol diet-fed rat. Nevertheless, supplementation with DDP revealed superior total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and HMG-CoA reductase lowering efficacy (p < 0.05). Supplementation of either DPO or DDP did not significantly affect AST and ALT levels than normal rats (p > 0.05). Therefore, DDP and DPO are considered as having no toxicological significance. The histological section of rats treated with DPO and DDP showed improved steatosis in hepatocytes. HPLC analysis revealed that DPO and DDP contained syringic acid, which plays an important role in the beneficial effect. In conclusion, our results support the hypocholesterolemic and hepatoprotective effects of DPO and DDP in the hypercholesterolemic rats model.
  13. Fulltext Glycogenic hepatopathy in children with poorly controlled type 1 diabetes mellitus
    Abu NA, Lim CB, Nor NSM
    Clin Pediatr Endocrinol, 2021;30(2):93-97.
    PMID: 33867669 DOI: 10.1297/cpe.30.93
    Mauriac syndrome is a rare and underdiagnosed complication of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). It is characterized by growth retardation, delayed puberty, Cushingoid features, hepatomegaly, and increased transaminase levels. The term glycogenic hepatopathy has been used to describe patients with poorly controlled T1DM and glycogen overload in the hepatocytes but without all the features of Mauriac syndrome. Although rare, glycogenic hepatopathy is reported to be the main cause of hepatomegaly in young patients with T1DM. We report two cases of glycogenic hepatopathy in children with poorly controlled T1DM. Both children had hepatomegaly, elevated liver enzyme levels, and elevated lactate levels. A liver biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of glycogenic hepatopathy in both patients. In conclusion, hepatomegaly with elevated liver enzymes, negative infective and metabolic screenings and persistently elevated plasma lactate levels should raise the suspicion of glycogenic hepatopathy in poorly controlled T1DM. Early diagnosis and improvement in glycemic control are the mainstays of treatment, which can prevent long-term complications.
  14. Enhanced decolourization of methyl orange by immobilized TiO2/chitosan-montmorillonite
    Bahrudin NN, Nawi MA, Zainal Z, Schneider R, Sabar S
    Water Sci Technol, 2020 Aug;82(3):454-467.
    PMID: 32960791 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2020.349
    Many attempts have been made to improve the photocatalytic performance of immobilized photocatalysts for large-scale applications by modification of the photocatalyst properties. In this work, immobilized bilayer photocatalyst composed of titanium dioxide (TiO2) and chitosan-montmorillonite (CS-MT) were prepared in a layer-by-layer arrangement supported on glass substrate. This arrangement allows a simultaneous occurrence of adsorption and photocatalysis processes of pollutants, whereby each layer could be independently modified and controlled to acquire the desired degree of occurring processes. It was found that the addition of MT clay within the CS composite sub-layer improved the mechanical strength of CS, reduced its swelling and shifted its absorption threshold to higher wavelengths. In addition, the band gap energy of the photocatalyst was also reduced to 2.93 eV. The immobilized TiO2/CS-MT exhibited methyl orange (MO) decolourization rate of 0.071 min-1 under light irradiation, which is better than the single TiO2 due to the synergistic processes of adsorption by CS-MT and photocatalysis by TiO2 layer. The MO dye took 6 h to achieve complete mineralization and produced sulfate and nitrate ions as the by-products. Furthermore, the immobilized TiO2/CS-MT could be reused for at least ten cycles of application without significant loss of its activity.
  15. Fulltext Dermatomyositis Anteceding Lung Adenocarcinoma
    Lim JL, Yusof NS, Md Tarekh NA, Abdul Rahman R
    Cureus, 2020 Nov 19;12(11):e11580.
    PMID: 33364104 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.11580
    Dermatomyositis is often presented as paraneoplastic syndrome. The diagnosis of dermatomyositis can prompt clinicians to further investigate the underlying cause, in particular malignancy. This case report illustrates the association of lung adenocarcinoma and dermatomyositis with antecedent presentation of cutaneous and musculoskeletal manifestations, one year prior to the diagnosis of carcinoma.
  16. Correction to: MicroRNAomic Transcriptomic Analysis Reveal Deregulation of Clustered Cellular Functions in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells During in Vitro Passaging
    Aung SW, Kasim NHA, Shamsuddin SAA, Ramasamy TS
    Stem Cell Rev Rep, 2020 08;16(4):809-810.
    PMID: 32681231 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-020-09968-7
    The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake.
  17. Fulltext A comparison of endoscopic and microscopic inlay butterfly cartilage tympanoplasties and their educational utility
    Hashim ND, Lee SA, Jang SH, Moon IS
    PLoS One, 2020;15(10):e0241152.
    PMID: 33125420 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241152
    OBJECTIVES: Inlay butterfly cartilage tympanoplasty (IBCT) is a simple grafting technique. Endoscopy facilitates visualization by eliminating blind spots. We analyzed the outcomes of IBCT using both endoscopic and microscopic approaches, and assessed how trainees perceived the educational opportunities afforded.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty patients who underwent IBCT were allocated to Group I (n = 30; microscopic IBCT) and Group II (n = 30; endoscopic IBCT) by the dates of their visits. Anatomical success was defined as an intact, repaired tympanic membrane; functional success was defined as a significant decrease in the air-bone gap. Postoperative discomfort was analyzed using a visual analog scale (VAS). Thirteen trainees completed structured questionnaires exploring anatomical identification and the surgical steps.

    RESULTS: The surgical success rates were 96.7% in Group I and 100% in Group II. We found no between-group differences in the mean decrease in the air-bone gap or the extent of postoperative discomfort. Significant postoperative hearing improvements were evident in both groups. The mean operative time was shorter when the microscopic approach was chosen (17.7±4.53 vs. 26.13±9.94 min). The two approaches significantly differed in terms of the identification of external and middle ear anatomical features by the trainees, and their understanding of the surgical steps.

    CONCLUSION: Both endoscopic and microscopic IBCT were associated with good success rates. The endoscopic approach facilitates visualization, and a better understanding of the middle ear anatomy and the required surgical steps and thus is of greater educational utility.

  18. Fulltext Unsupervised bivariate data clustering for damage assessment of carbon fiber composite laminates
    May Z, Alam MK, Mahmud MS, Rahman NAA
    PLoS One, 2020;15(11):e0242022.
    PMID: 33186372 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242022
    Damage assessment is a key element in structural health monitoring of various industrial applications to understand well and predict the response of the material. The big uncertainty in carbon fiber composite materials response is because of variability in the initiation and propagation of damage. Developing advanced tools to design with composite materials, methods for characterizing several damage modes during operation are required. While there is a significant amount of work on the analysis of acoustic emission (AE) from different composite materials and many loading cases, this research focuses on applying an unsupervised clustering method for separating AE data into several groups with distinct evolution. In this paper, we develop an adaptive sampling and unsupervised bivariate data clustering techniques to characterize the several damage initiations of a composite structure in different lay-ups. An adaptive sampling technique pre-processes the AE features and eliminates redundant AE data samples. The reduction of unnecessary AE data depends on the requirements of the proposed bivariate data clustering technique. The bivariate data clustering technique groups the AE data (dependent variable) with respect to the mechanical data (independent variable) to assess the damage of the composite structure. Tensile experiments on carbon fiber reinforced composite laminates (CFRP) in different orientations are carried out to collect mechanical and AE data and demonstrate the damage modes. Based on the mechanical stress-strain data, the results show the dominant damage regions in different lay-ups of specimens and the definition of the different states of damage. In addition, the states of the damage are observed using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis. Based on the AE data, the results show that the strong linear correlation between AE and mechanical energy, and the classification of various modes of damage in all lay-ups of specimens forming clusters of AE energy with respect to the mechanical energy. Furthermore, the validation of the cluster-based characterization and improvement of the sensitivity of the damage modes classification are observed by the combined knowledge of AE and mechanical energy and time-frequency spectrum analysis.
  19. Sensing Self and Non-Self DNA by Innate Immune Receptors and Their Signaling Pathways
    Sok SPM, Ori D, Nagoor NH, Kawai T
    Crit. Rev. Immunol., 2018;38(4):279-301.
    PMID: 30806244 DOI: 10.1615/CritRevImmunol.2018026540
    The innate immune system serves as the first line of defense to protect the host from pathogen infection. As a first step, the pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), such as non-self DNA derived from pathogens, and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), such as self DNA released from damaged or injured cells. Sensing of such DNAs elicits innate immune responses through the production of type I interferons (IFNs) and proinflammatory cytokines resulting from the activation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), respectively. These cytokines are key players in interlinking innate and adaptive immune responses. However, defects in DNA sensors and their signaling cascades lead to dysregulation of immune responses, autoimmune diseases, and cancer progression. Here we provide an update on DNA signaling pathways in response to pathogen infection and cell injury, and on the roles of regulators in governing the immune system and maintaining host homeostasis. We also discuss the evasion of immunosurveillance by pathogens.
  20. Intracranial Complications of Chronic Otitis Media: Why Does It Still Occur?
    Gendeh HS, Abdullah AB, Goh BS, Hashim ND
    Ear Nose Throat J, 2019 Aug;98(7):416-419.
    PMID: 31018687 DOI: 10.1177/0145561319840166
    Intracranial complications secondary to chronic otitis media (COM) include otogenic brain abscess and sinus thrombosis. Intravenous antibiotics and imaging have significantly reduced the incidence of intracranial complications secondary to COM. However, the same does not apply to a developing country like Malaysia, which still experiences persisting otogenic complications. This case series describes 3 patients with COM and intracranial complications. All 3 patients had COM with mastoiditis, with 1 of the 3 having a cholesteatoma. Postulated reasons for the continued occurrence include poor access to health care, poor compliance with medication, and the lack of pneumococcal vaccination during childhood. In conclusion, public awareness and a timely specialty referral can reduce the incidence of intracranial complications of COM.
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