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  1. Extended Reality (XR) for precision guidance in canalith repositioning maneuvers: a scoping review
    Ismail MA, Esa NK, Razali MS, Amiruddin S, Ismail I, Ishak MN
    Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol, 2026 Sep;283(9):5411-5419.
    PMID: 42265236 DOI: 10.1007/s00405-026-10306-9
    PURPOSE: The Canalith Repositioning Maneuver (CRM) is the gold-standard treatment for Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), but its success relies heavily on strict angular precision. Clinical estimation of head angles introduces substantial execution variability, leading to maneuver failure. Extended Reality (XR) and wearable sensors offer a promising solution by providing real-time biomechanical guidance. This scoping review systematically maps the emerging evidence on XR technologies for sensor-guided precision control during CRMs.

    METHODS: Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a systematic search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane CENTRAL, and IEEE Xplore for studies published between January 2010 and December 2025. Eligible studies evaluated Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs) or comparable wearable devices integrated with motion-tracking technologies for CRM execution. Data were synthesized using a convergent narrative approach.

    RESULTS: Six studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising clinical feasibility trials (n = 3) and computational simulation studies (n = 3). Hardware predominantly included smartphone-based Virtual Reality (VR) and custom head-mounted Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) utilizing visual or auditory feedback. Clinical evidence demonstrated that sensor-guided feedback significantly minimized angular positional errors compared to standard unguided maneuvers. Concurrently, advanced 3D simulations successfully mapped inner ear biomechanics and validated optimized maneuver pathways.

    CONCLUSION: XR and motion-tracking technologies effectively standardize CRM angular precision. By reducing execution variability, these systems can ensure consistent, expert-level care among clinicians and ultimately democratize execution to enable safe, highly effective self-treatment for patients at home. Future research must prioritize large-scale comparative effectiveness trials and evaluate Mixed Reality (MR) systems to mitigate visual occlusion and fall risks.

  2. Deep learning in bone marrow cytomorphology: advances in segmentation, classification, and clinical translation
    Mehmood S, Zubair M, Khan FM, Shah AA, Abbas S, Adnan KM
    Med Oncol, 2025 Nov 24;43(1):22.
    PMID: 41284066 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-025-03127-z
    Bone marrow cytomorphology analysis has long been a prerequisite for diagnosing hematologic disorders. It is often a tedious and subjective activity through conventional manual methods. The recent advancement in deep learning (DL) has a bright future with potential automation in cell classification, segmentation, and diagnosis workflows. This review outlines the current state-of-the-art application of DL for bone marrow analysis, focusing mainly on challenges such as data scarcity, class imbalance, and inter-center variability. It includes an evaluation of publicly available datasets together with strategies for overcoming limitations, including synthetic data generation and federated learning. This review analyzes segmentation techniques, ranging from the classical watershed algorithm to novel U-Net (a specialized neural network for image segmentation) and Vision Transformer hybrids, for their efficacy in isolating cells, tissue subsystems, and subcellular structures. DL classification models, including convolutional neural networks (CNNs), attention-based architectures, and ensembles, demonstrate expert-level accuracy in detecting malignancies like acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Clinical applications involve AI-driven platforms that integrate into digital pathology workflows, with early reports suggesting reductions in diagnostic turnaround time and inter-observer variability. For crowded images of the bone marrow, context-aware analysis is enhanced by hybrid models combining CNN and Transformer architectures. However, there are challenges with generalizability and interpretability, as well as difficulties in integrating multimodal data. Therefore, future directions emphasize validation, explainable AI, and integrating cytomorphology with genetic and flow cytometry data. This interdisciplinary work aims to bridge the fields of AI and hematopathology towards standardization and precise diagnostics, which would improve clinical decision-making and patient outcomes.
  3. Fulltext Time- and Concentration-dependent Profiles of Cell Viability and Pro-tumorigenic Gene Expression Following Interleukin-8 Stimulation in A549 Lung Cancer Cells
    Ibrahim ZA, Arif AK, Azizan S, Goh ZP, Faruqu MFNM
    Saudi J Med Med Sci, 2026;14(4):309-315.
    PMID: 42974303 DOI: 10.4103/sjmms.sjmms_343_26
    BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is closely linked to inflammation, with interleukins such as interleukin-8 (IL-8) playing a key role in disease development and progression. While IL-8 has been implicated in tumor-promoting processes, its direct effects on lung cancer cell behavior remain incompletely characterized.

    OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of IL-8 on cell viability and mRNA expression of pro-tumorigenic markers in A549 cells.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cell viability was measured using MTT assay. The mRNA expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7), C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 1 (CXCL1), and interleukin-1α (IL-1α) were examined by RT-qPCR.

    RESULTS: Two-way analysis revealed significant main effects for both timepoint and concentration on cell viability. Post hoc testing showed that IL-8 stimulation (0.5 ng/mL) induced a significant increase in A549 cell viability at the 24-hour timepoint. In contrast, prolonged stimulation (0.5 ng/mL) at 48 hours resulted in a marked downward trend in cell viability, followed by a return to baseline levels at 72 hours, indicating a highly dynamic, time-dependent cellular profile. At the transcriptional level, an initial upward trend in MMP-7 gene expression at a low concentration was not statistically significant following variance stabilization. Similarly, no significant changes in CXCL1 or IL-1α expression profiles were observed across concentrations.

    CONCLUSION: IL-8 was found to exert selective, context-dependent effects on A549 lung cancer cells, driving early viability shifts and an upregulatory trend in MMP-7 expression. These findings underscore the nuanced role of IL-8 in the tumor microenvironment and warrant future functional assays to fully elucidate its underlying mechanisms in lung cancer.

  4. Overexpression of AtWRKY50 is correlated with enhanced production of sinapic derivatives in Arabidopsis
    Hussain RMF, Kim HK, Khurshid M, Akhtar MT, Linthorst HJM
    Metabolomics, 2018 01 31;14(3):25.
    PMID: 30830336 DOI: 10.1007/s11306-018-1317-0
    INTRODUCTION: WRKY proteins belong to a plant-specific class of transcription factors. Seventy-four WKRY genes have been identified in Arabidopsis and many WRKY proteins are known to be involved in responses to stress, especially to biotic stress. They may act either as transcriptional activators or as repressors of genes that play roles in the stress response. A number of studies have proposed the connection of Arabidopsis WRKY transcription factors in induced pathogenesis-related (PR) gene expression, although no direct evidence has been presented for specific WRKY-PR promoter interactions.

    OBJECTIVE: We previously identified AtWRKY50 as a transcriptional activator of SAR gene PR1. Although PR1 accumulates to high levels in plants after attack by pathogens, its function is still elusive. Here we investigated the effects of overexpression of several WRKY proteins, including AtWRKY50, on the metabolome of Arabidopsis thaliana.

    METHODS: The influence of overexpression of WRKY proteins on the metabolites of Arabidopsis was investigated by using an NMR spectroscopy-based metabolomic approach. The 1H NMR data was analysed using the multivariate data analysis methods, such as principal component analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis and partial least square-discriminant analysis.

    RESULTS: The results showed that the metabolome of transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings overexpressing AtWRKY50 was different from wild type Arabidopsis and transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing other WRKY genes. Amongst other metabolites, sinapic acid and 1-O-sinapoyl-β-D-glucose especially appeared to be the most prominent discriminating metabolites, accumulating to levels 2 to 3 times higher in the AtWRKY50 overexpressor lines.

    CONCLUSION: Our results indicate a possible involvement of AtWRKY50 in secondary metabolite production in Arabidopsis, in particular of hydroxycinnamates such as sinapic acid and 1-O-sinapoyl-β-D-glucose.

  5. Synthesis, pharmacological screening and computational analysis of some 2-(1H-Indol-3-yl)-N'-[(un)substituted phenylmethylidene] acetohydrazides and 2-(1H-Indol-3-yl)-N'-[(un)substituted benzoyl/2-thienylcarbonyl]acetohydrazides
    Rubab K, Abbasi MA, Rehman A, Siddiqui SZ, Shah SAA, Ashraf M, et al.
    Pak J Pharm Sci, 2017 Jul;30(4):1263-1274.
    PMID: 29039324
    The undertaken research was initiated by transforming 2-(1H-Indol-3-yl)acetic acid (1) in catalytic amount of sulfuric acid and ethanol to ethyl 2-(1H-Indol-3-yl)acetate (2), which was then reacted with hydrazine monohydrate in methanol to form 2-(1H-Indol-3-yl)acetohydrazide (3). Further, The reaction scheme was designed into two pathways where, first pathway involved The reaction of 3 with substituted aromatic aldehydes (4a-o) in methanol with few drops of glacial acetic acid to generate 2-(1H-Indol-3-yl)-N'-[(un)substitutedphenylmethylidene]acetohydrazides (5a-o) and in second pathway 3 was reacted with acyl halides (6a-e) in basic aqueous medium (pH 9-10) to afford 2-(1H-Indol-3-yl)-N'-[(un)substitutedbenzoyl/2-thienylcarbonyl]acetohydrazides (7a-e). All The synthesized derivatives were characterized by IR, EI-MS and 1H-NMR spectral techniques and evaluated for their anti-bacterial potentials against Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial strains and it was found that compounds 7a-d exhibited antibacterial activities very close to standard Ciprofloxacin. The synthesized derivatives demonstrated moderate to weak anti-enzymatic potential against α-Glucosidase and Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) where, compounds 7c and 5c exhibited comparatively better inhibition against these enzymes respectively. Compounds 7a, 7d and 7e showed excellent anti-enzymatic potentials against Lipoxygenase (LOX) and their IC50 values were much lower than the reference standard Baicalein. Enzyme inhibitory activities were also supported by computational docking results. Compounds 5c, 7a, 7b and 7c also showed low values of % hemolytic activity as well, showing that these molecules were not toxic, indicating that these molecules can be utilized as potential therapeutic agents against inflammatory ailments.
  6. Anaerobic membrane bioreactors for biohydrogen production: Recent developments, challenges and perspectives
    Aslam M, Ahmad R, Yasin M, Khan AL, Shahid MK, Hossain S, et al.
    Bioresour Technol, 2018 Dec;269:452-464.
    PMID: 30145004 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2018.08.050
    Biohydrogen as one of the most appealing energy vector for the future represents attractive avenue in alternative energy research. Recently, variety of biohydrogen production pathways has been suggested to improve the key features of the process. Nevertheless, researches are still needed to overcome remaining barriers to practical applications such as low yields and production rates. Considering practicality aspects, this review emphasized on anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) for biological hydrogen production. Recent advances and emerging issues associated with biohydrogen generation in AnMBR technology are critically discussed. Several techniques are highlighted that are aimed at overcoming these barriers. Moreover, environmental and economical potentials along with future research perspectives are addressed to drive biohydrogen technology towards practicality and economical-feasibility.
  7. Fulltext A Study on Microwave Absorption Properties of Carbon Black and Ni0.6Zn0.4Fe2O4 Nanocomposites by Tuning the Matching-Absorbing Layer Structures
    Ibrahim IR, Matori KA, Ismail I, Awang Z, Rusly SNA, Nazlan R, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2020 Feb 21;10(1):3135.
    PMID: 32081972 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60107-1
    Microwave absorption properties were systematically studied for double-layer carbon black/epoxy resin (CB) and Ni0.6Zn0.4Fe2O4/epoxy resin (F) nanocomposites in the frequency range of 8 to 18 GHz. The Ni0.6Zn0.4Fe2O4 nanoparticles were synthesized via high energy ball milling with subsequent sintering while carbon black was commercially purchased. The materials were later incorporated into epoxy resin to fabricate double-layer composite structures with total thicknesses of 2 and 3 mm. The CB1/F1, in which carbon black as matching and ferrite as absorbing layer with each thickness of 1 mm, showed the highest microwave absorption of more than 99.9%, with minimum reflection loss of -33.8 dB but with an absorption bandwidth of only 2.7 GHz. Double layer absorbers with F1/CB1(ferrite as matching and carbon black as absorbing layer with each thickness of 1 mm) structure showed the best microwave absorption performance in which more than 99% microwave energy were absorbed, with promising minimum reflection loss of -24.0 dB, along with a wider bandwidth of 4.8 GHz and yet with a reduced thickness of only 2 mm.
  8. Evaluation of multifunctional synthetic tetralone derivatives for treatment of Alzheimer's disease
    Leng J, Qin HL, Zhu K, Jantan I, Hussain MA, Sher M, et al.
    Chem Biol Drug Des, 2016 Jul 19.
    PMID: 27434226 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.12822
    Neurodegeneration, a complex disease state, comprises several pathways that contribute to cell death. Conventional approach of targeting only one of these pathways has not been proven to be entirely successful and has demanded a hypothetical change as to how researchers design and develop new drugs. In this study, effects of a series of α, β-unsaturated carbonyl-based tetralone derivatives against Alzheimer's disease (AD) were investigated. Moreover, their activity toward amyloid β-induced cytotoxicity was also studied. Six compounds including 3f, 3o, 3u, 3ae, 3af, and 3ag were discovered to be most protective against Aβ-induced neuronal cell death in PC12 cells. The findings of in vitro experiment revealed that most of these compounds exhibited potent inhibitory activity against MAO-B, AChE, and self-induced Aβ1-42 aggregation. The compound 3f exhibited best AChE (IC50  = 0.045 ± 0.02 μm) inhibitory potential in addition to potent inhibition of MAO-B (IC50  = 0.88 ± 0.12 μm). Furthermore, compound 3f disassembled the Aβ fibrils produced by self-induced Aβ aggregation by 78.2 ± 4.8%. Collectively, these findings suggest that some compounds from this series have potential to be promising multifunctional agents for AD treatment.
  9. Fulltext Norfloxacin Loaded Lipid Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticles for Oral Administration: Fabrication, Characterization, In Silico Modelling and Toxicity Evaluation
    Khan MA, Khan S, Kazi M, Alshehri SM, Shahid M, Khan SU, et al.
    Pharmaceutics, 2021 Oct 06;13(10).
    PMID: 34683925 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13101632
    Norfloxacin (NOR), widely employed as an anti-bacterial drug, has poor oral bioavailability. Nano based drug delivery systems are widely used to overcome the existing oral bioavailability challenges. Lipid-Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticles (LPHNs) exhibit the distinctive advantages of both polymeric and liposomes nanoparticles, while excluding some of their disadvantages. In the current study, NOR loaded LPHNs were prepared, and were solid amorphous in nature, followed by in vitro and in vivo evaluation. The optimized process conditions resulted in LPHNs with the acceptable particle size 121.27 nm, Polydispersity Index (PDI) of 0.214 and zeta potential of -32 mv. The addition of a helper lipid, oleic acid, and polymers, ethyl cellulose, substantially increased the encapsulation efficiency (EE%) (65% to 97%). In vitro study showed a sustained drug release profile (75% within 12 h) for NOR LPHNs. The optimized NOR LPHNs showed a significant increase (p < 0.05) in bioavailability compared to the commercial product. From the acute toxicity study, the LD50 value was found to be greater than 1600 mg/kg. The molecular modelling studies substantiated the experimental results with the best combination of polymers and surfactants that produced highly stable LPHNs. Therefore, LPHNs proved to be a promising system for the delivery of NOR, as well as for other antibiotics and hydrophobic drugs.
  10. Pd(II) complexes with chelating N-(1-alkylpyridin-4(1H)-ylidene)amide (PYA) ligands: Synthesis, characterization and evaluation of anticancer activity
    Zafar MN, Butt AM, Chaudhry GE, Perveen F, Nazar MF, Masood S, et al.
    J Inorg Biochem, 2021 11;224:111590.
    PMID: 34507110 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2021.111590
    The bidentate N-(1-Alkylpyridin-4(1H)-ylidene)amide (PYA) pro-ligands [H2LBn][Cl]2 (2), and [H2LMe][TfO]2 (3) were prepared by simple alkylation reactions of the known compound, N,N-di(pyridin-4-yl)oxalamide (H2L, 1). The Pd(II) complexes, [Pd(LBn)2][Cl]2 (4), [Pd(LMe)2][Cl][TfO] (5), Pd(LBn)Cl2 (6) and Pd(LMe)Cl2 (7) were synthesized through reactions between these pro-ligands and suitable Pd(II) substrates in the presence of base. The molecular structures of 3 and 6 were obtained by single crystal X-ray structure determinations. Studies of the experimental and computational DNA binding interactions of the compounds 1-7 revealed that overall 4 and 6 have the largest values for the binding parameters Kb and ΔGbo. The results showed a good correlation with the steric and electronic parameters obtained by quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) studies. In-vitro cytotoxicity studies against four different cell lines showed that the human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7, T47D and cervical cancer cell line HeLa had either higher or similar sensitivities towards 4, 6 and 2, respectively, compared to cisplatin. In general, the cytotoxicity of the compounds, represented by IC50 values, decreased in the order 4 > 6 > 2 > 5 > 3 > 1 > 7 in cancer cell lines. Apoptosis contributed significantly to the cytotoxic effects of these anticancer agents as evaluated by apoptosis studies.
  11. Fulltext Green photosensitisers for the degradation of selected pesticides of high risk in most susceptible food: A safer approach
    Baig A, Zubair M, Sumrra SH, Rashid U, Zafar MN, Ahmad F, et al.
    PLoS One, 2021;16(10):e0258864.
    PMID: 34710164 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258864
    Pesticides are the leading defence against pests, but their unsafe use reciprocates the pesticide residues in highly susceptible food and is becoming a serious risk for human health. In this study, mint extract and riboflavin were tested as photosensitisers in combination with light irradiation of different frequencies, employed for various time intervals to improve the photo-degradation of deltamethrin (DM) and lambda cyhalothrin (λ-CHT) in cauliflower. Different source of light was studied, either in ultraviolet range (UV-C, 254 nm or UV-A, 320-380 nm) or sunlight simulator (> 380-800 nm). The degradation of the pesticides varied depending on the type of photosensitiser and light source. Photo-degradation of the DM and λ-CHT was enhanced by applying the mint extracts and riboflavin and a more significant degradation was achieved with UV-C than with either UV-A or sunlight, reaching a maximum decrement of the concentration by 67-76%. The light treatments did not significantly affect the in-vitro antioxidant activity of the natural antioxidants in cauliflower. A calculated dietary risk assessment revealed that obvious dietary health hazards of DM and λ-CHT pesticides when sprayed on cauliflower for pest control. The use of green chemical photosensitisers (mint extract and riboflavin) in combination with UV light irradiation represents a novel, sustainable, and safe approach to pesticide reduction in produce.
  12. Fulltext Phytopharmacological Evaluation of Different Solvent Extract/Fractions From Sphaeranthus indicus L. Flowers: From Traditional Therapies to Bioactive Compounds
    Ahmad HI, Nadeem MF, Shoaib Khan HM, Sarfraz M, Saleem H, Khurshid U, et al.
    Front Pharmacol, 2021;12:708618.
    PMID: 34776946 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.708618
    Sphaeranthus indicus L. is a medicinal herb having widespread traditional uses for treating common ailments. The present research work aims to explore the in-depth phytochemical composition and in vitro reactivity of six different polarity solvents (methanol, n-hexane, benzene, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol) extracts/fractions of S. indicus flowers. The phytochemical composition was accomplished by determining total bioactive contents, HPLC-PDA polyphenolic quantification, and UHPLC-MS secondary metabolomics. The reactivity of the phenolic compounds was tested through the following biochemical assays: antioxidant (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, CUPRAC, phosphomolybdenum, and metal chelation) and enzyme inhibition (AChE, BChE, α-glucosidase, α-amylase, urease, and tyrosinase) assays were performed. The methanol extract showed the highest values for phenolic (94.07 mg GAE/g extract) and flavonoid (78.7 mg QE/g extract) contents and was also the most active for α-glucosidase inhibition as well as radical scavenging and reducing power potential. HPLC-PDA analysis quantified rutin, naringenin, chlorogenic acid, 3-hydroxybenzoic acid, gallic acid, and epicatechin in a significant amount. UHPLC-MS analysis of methanol and ethyl acetate extracts revealed the presence of well-known phytocompounds; most of these were phenolic, flavonoid, and glycoside derivatives. The ethyl acetate fraction exhibited the highest inhibition against tyrosinase and urease, while the n-hexane fraction was most active for α-amylase. Moreover, principal component analysis highlighted the positive correlation between bioactive compounds and the tested extracts. Overall, S. indicus flower extracts were found to contain important phytochemicals, hence could be further explored to discover novel bioactive compounds that could be a valid starting point for future pharmaceutical and nutraceuticals applications.
  13. Fulltext Humanistic and socioeconomic burden of COPD patients and their caregivers in Malaysia
    Rehman AU, Muhammad SA, Tasleem Z, Alsaedi A, Dar M, Iqbal MO, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2021 11 19;11(1):22598.
    PMID: 34799609 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01551-5
    Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with substantial humanistic and socioeconomic burden on patients and their caregivers. COPD is expected to be 7th leading cause of disease burden till 2030. The objective of the current study was to assess the humanistic and socioeconomic burden of COPD patients and their caregivers in Malaysia. The burden includes the cost of management of COPD, QOL of COPD patients and their caregivers, work productivity and activity impairment of COPD patients and their caregivers due to COPD. One hundred and fifty COPD patients and their caregivers from the chest clinic of Penang Hospital were included in the study from August 2018 to August 2019. Caregiving cost was estimated using the replacement cost approach, while humanistic and social burden was assessed with the help of health status questionnaires. Overall, 64.66% and 7.1% of COPD patients reported to depend on informal caregivers and professional caregivers respectively. COPD patients reported dyspnoea score as 2.31 (1.31), EQ-5D-5L utility index 0.57 (0.23), CCI 2.3 (1.4), SGRQ-C 49.23 (18.61), productivity loss 31.87% and activity impairment 17.42%. Caregivers reported dyspnoea score as 0.72 (0.14), EQ-5D-5L utility index 0.57 (0.23), productivity loss 7.19% and social activity limitation as 21.63% due to taking care of COPD patients. In addition to the huge direct cost of management, COPD is also associated with substantial burden on society in terms of compromised quality of life, reduced efficiency at the workplace, activity impairment and caregiver burden.
  14. Fulltext Emergence of mRNA vaccines in the management of cancer
    Mohamad Razif MI, Nizar N, Zainal Abidin NH, Muhammad Ali SN, Wan Zarimi WNN, Khotib J, et al.
    Expert Rev Vaccines, 2023;22(1):629-642.
    PMID: 37401128 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2023.2232450
    INTRODUCTION: mRNA vaccines have been developed as a promising cancer management. It is noted that specification of the antigen sequence of the target antigen is necessary for the design and manufacture of an mRNA vaccine.

    AREAS COVERED: The steps involved in preparing the mRNA-based cancer vaccines are isolation of the mRNA cancer from the target protein using the nucleic acid RNA-based vaccine, sequence construction to prepare the DNA template, in vitro transcription for protein translation from DNA into mRNA strand, 5' cap addition and poly(A) tailing to stabilize and protect the mRNA from degradation and purification process to remove contaminants produced during preparation.

    EXPERT OPINION: Lipid nanoparticles, lipid/protamine/mRNA nanoparticles, and cell-penetrating peptides have been used to formulate mRNA vaccine and to ensure vaccine stability and delivery to the target site. Delivery of the vaccine to the target site will trigger adaptive and innate immune responses. Two predominant factors of the development of mRNA-based cancer vaccines are intrinsic influence and external influence. In addition, research relating to the dosage, route of administration, and cancer antigen types have been observed to positively impact the development of mRNA vaccine.

  15. Innovations in the synthesis of graphene nanostructures for bio and gas sensors
    Ikram M, Bari MA, Bilal M, Jamal F, Nabgan W, Haider J, et al.
    Biomater Adv, 2023 Feb;145:213234.
    PMID: 36502548 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2022.213234
    Sensors play a significant role in modern technologies and devices used in industries, hospitals, healthcare, nanotechnology, astronomy, and meteorology. Sensors based upon nanostructured materials have gained special attention due to their high sensitivity, precision accuracy, and feasibility. This review discusses the fabrication of graphene-based biosensors and gas sensors, which have highly efficient performance. Significant developments in the synthesis routes to fabricate graphene-based materials with improved structural and surface properties have boosted their utilization in sensing applications. The higher surface area, better conductivity, tunable structure, and atom-thick morphology of these hybrid materials have made them highly desirable for the fabrication of flexible and stable sensors. Many publications have reported various modification approaches to improve the selectivity of these materials. In the current work, a compact and informative review focusing on the most recent developments in graphene-based biosensors and gas sensors has been designed and delivered. The research community has provided a complete critical analysis of the most robust case studies from the latest fabrication routes to the most complex challenges. Some significant ideas and solutions have been proposed to overcome the limitations regarding the field of biosensors and hazardous gas sensors.
  16. Evaluation of Microplastics Ingested by Sea Cucumber Holothuria Scabra from Pulau Jambongan, Sabah
    Shukhairi SS, Mazlan N, Subbiah VK, Abd Rahman NN, Nazahuddin MNA, Shawel AS, et al.
    Bull Environ Contam Toxicol, 2024 Dec 03;114(1):2.
    PMID: 39627569 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-024-03980-0
    Microplastics (MPs) are tiny plastic pieces having a diameter of less than 5 mm. They can arise from larger plastic debris that degrades over time, synthetic fibres from clothing, microbeads in personal care items and even larger plastic debris. Sea cucumbers are marine creatures vital to the ocean's ecosystem as they assist in maintaining a clean seabed and recycle nutrients. The aim of this research was to characterize the types of MPs isolated from the sea cucumber Holothuria scabra from Pulau Jambongan, Sabah. A total of 30 H. scabra were collected. Their gastrointestinal tracts were removed and digested using NaOH. The digestates were filtrated several times to extract the MPs. MPs were observed under microscope and categorized into shapes and colours. To determine the functional group of polymers, further analysis using Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) was performed. The samples contained a total of 7403 MPs. Majority of MPs were black colored (72.25%) and in the form of fibres (99.05%). Two types of polymers were detected: polycarbonate (PC) found in 4% of the population and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) present in 96%. In conclusion, the presence of MPs in the gastrointestinal tract of H. scabra suggests that the animals and their habitat have been contaminated. Further study is required to comprehend the effects of MPs on sea cucumbers and other marine organisms as well as to develop prevention strategies.
  17. Understanding The Mimicker: Epidemiological Pattern and Determinant of Melioidosis Mortality in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
    Md Hanif SA, Hassan MR, Rafi'i MR, Abdul Halim AFN, Ahmad Zamzuri M'I, Ismail M, et al.
    PLoS Negl Trop Dis, 2024 May 06;18(5):e0012147.
    PMID: 38709822 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012147
    BACKGROUND: Melioidosis, a tropical infectious disease caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, is epidemic in most region in Southeast Asia with high case fatality. However, there is scanty information regarding the disease's epidemiological pattern, demographics, and underlying risk factors.

    METHOD: This 5-year retrospective study of 185 confirmed cases which were taken from the Negeri Sembilan Melioidosis Registry between 2018 and 2022. We aim to describe the incidence, mortality rate, case fatality, relationship with meteorology, and factors that influence mortality in this central region of Peninsular Malaysia.

    RESULTS: Incidence rate (IR) of melioidosis in Negeri Sembilan is varied at 1.9 to 5.1 with mean of 3.1 in 100,000 population per year. IR varied between districts in the state from zero to 22.01 in 100,000 population per year. Mortality rate were ranged from 0.17 to 0.74 cases with mean of 0.44 cases in 100,000 population per year. The case fatality rate of this state scattered from 8.70% to 16.67%. There were no significant linear associations between cases and deaths with monthly rainfall and humidity. The mean age of patients was 52.8 years, predominated with age around 41-60 years old. Males (77.8%) predominated, and the majority of cases were Malays (88.9%) and had exposed to soil related activities (74.6%). Mortality from melioidosis was more likely in Bumiputera and non-Malaysians (p<0.05). Patients who had at least one comorbidity were at a higher risk of death from melioidosis (p<0.05). Diabetes mellitus was found in 41.1% of all identified cases, making it a major underlying risk factor for both developing and dying from melioidosis (aOR:19.32, 95%CI:1.91-195.59, p<0.05). Hypertension and mortality status in melioidosis are also significantly correlated (aOR: 7.75, 95% CI: 2.26-26.61, p<0.05).

    CONCLUSION: The epidemiological patterns of cases reported from Negeri Sembilan are consistent for the most part from previous studies in other states in Malaysia and global with regard to its incidence, case fatality, demographic and predisposing chronic diseases. Diabetes mellitus and hypertension were significantly linked to increased mortality among all determinants.

  18. Synthesis, α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and in silico study of tris-indole hybrid scaffold with oxadiazole ring: As potential leads for the management of type-II diabetes mellitus
    Taha M, Rahim F, Imran S, Ismail NH, Ullah H, Selvaraj M, et al.
    Bioorg Chem, 2017 10;74:30-40.
    PMID: 28750203 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2017.07.009
    Discovery of α-glucosidase inhibitors has been actively pursued with the aim to develop therapeutics for the treatment of type-II diabetes mellitus and the other carbohydrate mediated disease. In continuation of our drug discovery research on potential antidiabetic agents, we synthesized novel tris-indole-oxadiazole hybrid analogs (1-21), structurally characterized by various spectroscopic techniques such as 1H NMR, EI-MS, and 13C NMR. Elemental analysis was found in agreement with the calculated values. All compounds were evaluated for α-glucosidase inhibiting potential and showed potent inhibitory activity in the range of IC50=2.00±0.01-292.40±3.16μM as compared to standard acarbose (IC50=895.09±2.04µM). The pharmacokinetic predictions of tris-indole series using descriptor properties showed that almost all compounds in this series indicate the drug aptness. Detailed binding mode analyses with docking simulation was also carried out which showed that the inhibitors can be stabilized by the formation of hydrogen bonds with catalytic residues and the establishment of hydrophobic contacts at the opposite side of the active site.
  19. Synthesis, SAR elucidations and molecular docking study of newly designed isatin based oxadiazole analogs as potent inhibitors of thymidine phosphorylase
    Javid MT, Rahim F, Taha M, Nawaz M, Wadood A, Ali M, et al.
    Bioorg Chem, 2018 09;79:323-333.
    PMID: 29803079 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2018.05.011
    Thymidine phosphorylase is an enzyme involved in pyrimidine salvage pathway that is identical to platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF) and gliostatin. It is enormously up regulated in a variety of solid tumors. Furthermore, surpassing of TP level protects tumor cells from apoptosis and helps cell survival. Thus TP is identified as a prime target for developing novel anticancer therapies. A new class of exceptionally potent isatin based oxadiazole (1-30) has been synthesized and evaluated for thymidine phosphorylase inhibitory potential. All analogs showed potent thymidine phosphorylase inhibition when compared with standard 7-Deazaxanthine, 7DX (IC50 = 38.68 ± 1.12 µM). Molecular docking study was performed in order to determine the binding interaction of these newly synthesized compounds, which revealed that these synthesized compounds established stronger hydrogen bonding network with active site of residues as compare to the standard compound 7DX.
  20. Synthesis of Bis-indolylmethane sulfonohydrazides derivatives as potent α-Glucosidase inhibitors
    Gollapalli M, Taha M, Ullah H, Nawaz M, AlMuqarrabun LMR, Rahim F, et al.
    Bioorg Chem, 2018 10;80:112-120.
    PMID: 29894890 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2018.06.001
    In search of better α-glucosidase inhibitors, a series of bis-indolylmethane sulfonohydrazides derivatives (1-14) were synthesized and evaluated for their α-glucosidase inhibitory potential. All derivatives exhibited outstanding α-glucosidase inhibition with IC50 values ranging between 0.10 ± 0.05 to 5.1 ± 0.05 μM when compared with standard drug acarbose having IC50 value 856.28 ± 3.15 μM. Among the series, analog 7 (0.10 ± 0.05 μM) with tri-chloro substitution on phenyl ring was identified as the most potent inhibitor of α-glucosidase (∼ 8500 times). The structure activity relationship has been also established. Molecular docking studies were also performed to help understand the binding interaction of the most active analogs with receptors. From the docking studies, it was observed that all the active bis-indolylmethane sulfonohydrazides derivatives showed considerable binding interactions within the active site (acarbose inhibition site) of α-glucosidase. We also evaluated toxicity of all derivatives and found none of them are toxic.
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