Displaying publications 161 - 180 of 292 in total

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  1. Hypoglycemia in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients: A review article
    Tourkmani AM, Alharbi TJ, Rsheed AMB, AlRasheed AN, AlBattal SM, Abdelhay O, et al.
    Diabetes Metab Syndr, 2018 Sep;12(5):791-794.
    PMID: 29678605 DOI: 10.1016/j.dsx.2018.04.004
    Hypoglycemia is an essential issue for diabetic patients and considered a limiting factor in the glycemic management. Heterogeneity of the diseases in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus can affect the frequency of hypoglycemia, especially when the patient has cardiovascular diseases. There are several factors that lead to hypoglycemia including sulfonylurea therapy, insulin therapy, delaying or missing a meal, physical exercise, or alcohol consumption. Long-term studies reported that repeated hypoglycemia could increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. During Ramadan fasting, diabetic patients have high incidence of hypoglycemia. Therefore, focused education about hypoglycemia in routine life of diabetic patients and during fasting in Ramadan is important to reduce the complications.
  2. Fulltext CaWRKY30 Positively Regulates Pepper Immunity by Targeting CaWRKY40 against Ralstonia solanacearum Inoculation through Modulating Defense-Related Genes
    Hussain A, Khan MI, Albaqami M, Mahpara S, Noorka IR, Ahmed MAA, et al.
    Int J Mol Sci, 2021 Nov 08;22(21).
    PMID: 34769521 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222112091
    The WRKY transcription factors (TFs) network is composed of WRKY TFs' subset, which performs a critical role in immunity regulation of plants. However, functions of WRKY TFs' network remain unclear, particularly in non-model plants such as pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). This study functionally characterized CaWRKY30-a member of group III Pepper WRKY protein-for immunity of pepper against Ralstonia solanacearum infection. The CaWRKY30 was detected in nucleus, and its transcriptional expression levels were significantly upregulated by R. solanacearum inoculation (RSI), and foliar application ethylene (ET), abscisic acid (ABA), and salicylic acid (SA). Virus induced gene silencing (VIGS) of CaWRKY30 amplified pepper's vulnerability to RSI. Additionally, the silencing of CaWRKY30 by VIGS compromised HR-like cell death triggered by RSI and downregulated defense-associated marker genes, like CaPR1, CaNPR1, CaDEF1, CaABR1, CaHIR1, and CaWRKY40. Conversely, transient over-expression of CaWRKY30 in pepper leaves instigated HR-like cell death and upregulated defense-related maker genes. Furthermore, transient over-expression of CaWRKY30 upregulated transcriptional levels of CaWRKY6, CaWRKY22, CaWRKY27, and CaWRKY40. On the other hand, transient over-expression of CaWRKY6, CaWRKY22, CaWRKY27, and CaWRKY40 upregulated transcriptional expression levels of CaWRKY30. The results recommend that newly characterized CaWRKY30 positively regulates pepper's immunity against Ralstonia attack, which is governed by synergistically mediated signaling by phytohormones like ET, ABA, and SA, and transcriptionally assimilating into WRKY TFs networks, consisting of CaWRKY6, CaWRKY22, CaWRKY27, and CaWRKY40. Collectively, our data will facilitate to explicate the underlying mechanism of crosstalk between pepper's immunity and response to RSI.
  3. Dietary Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia) enhanced the growth performance, antioxidative capacity, immune response and ameliorated stress-related markers induced by hypoxia stress in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
    El Basuini MF, Teiba II, Shahin SA, Mourad MM, Zaki MAA, Labib EMH, et al.
    Fish Shellfish Immunol, 2022 Jan;120:337-344.
    PMID: 34883256 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2021.12.002
    Nile tilapia can tolerate a wide range of farming conditions; however, fluctuations in the environmental conditions may impair their health status. The incorporation of medicinal herbs in aquafeed is suggested to overcome stressful conditions. In this study, dietary Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia) was evaluated on the growth performance, antioxidative capacity, immune response, and resistance of Nile tilapia against hypoxia stress. Fish fed five diets incorporated with Guduchi at 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 g/kg for 56 days then exposed with hypoxia stress for 72 h. The growth performance, feed intake, and feed efficiency ratio were significantly (P 
  4. Fulltext Recent Developments in Diagnosis of Epilepsy: Scope of MicroRNA and Technological Advancements
    Bandopadhyay R, Singh T, Ghoneim MM, Alshehri S, Angelopoulou E, Paudel YN, et al.
    Biology (Basel), 2021 Oct 25;10(11).
    PMID: 34827090 DOI: 10.3390/biology10111097
    Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders, characterized by recurrent seizures, resulting from abnormally synchronized episodic neuronal discharges. Around 70 million people worldwide are suffering from epilepsy. The available antiepileptic medications are capable of controlling seizures in around 60-70% of patients, while the rest remain refractory. Poor seizure control is often associated with neuro-psychiatric comorbidities, mainly including memory impairment, depression, psychosis, neurodegeneration, motor impairment, neuroendocrine dysfunction, etc., resulting in poor prognosis. Effective treatment relies on early and correct detection of epileptic foci. Although there are currently a few well-established diagnostic techniques for epilepsy, they lack accuracy and cannot be applied to patients who are unsupportive or harbor metallic implants. Since a single test result from one of these techniques does not provide complete information about the epileptic foci, it is necessary to develop novel diagnostic tools. Herein, we provide a comprehensive overview of the current diagnostic tools of epilepsy, including electroencephalography (EEG) as well as structural and functional neuroimaging. We further discuss recent trends and advances in the diagnosis of epilepsy that will enable more effective diagnosis and clinical management of patients.
  5. Fulltext Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria improve growth and yield related attributes of chili under low nitrogen availability
    Raza A, Ejaz S, Saleem MS, Hejnak V, Ahmad F, Ahmed MAA, et al.
    PLoS One, 2021;16(12):e0261468.
    PMID: 34919599 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261468
    Nitrogen (N) is a macronutrient desired by crop plants in large quantities. However, hiking fertilizer prices need alternative N sources for reducing its requirements through appropriate management practices. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are well-known for their role in lowering N requirements of crop plants. This study assessed the impact of PGPR inoculation on growth, allometry and biochemical traits of chili under different N doses. Two PGPR, i.e., Azospirillum 'Er-20' (nitrogen fixing) and Agrobacterium 'Ca-18' (phosphorous solubilizing) were used for inoculation, while control treatment had no PGPR inoculation. Six N doses, i.e., 100, 80, 75, 70, 60 and 50% of the N required by chili were included in the study. Data relating to growth traits, biochemical attributes and yield related traits were recorded. Interaction among N doses and PGPR inoculation significantly altered all growth traits, biochemical attributes and yield related traits. The highest values of the recorded traits were observed for 100% N with and without PGPR inoculation and 75% N with PGPR inoculation. The lowest values of the recorded traits were noted for 50% N without PGPR inoculation. The PGPR inoculation improved the measured traits compared to the traits recorded noted in same N dose without PGPR inoculation. Results revealed that PGPR had the potential to lower 25% N requirement for chili. Therefore, it is recommended that PGPR must be used in chili cultivation to lower N requirements.
  6. Effective adsorption of cadmium and lead using SO3H-functionalized Zr-MOFs in aqueous medium
    Gul S, Ahmad Z, Asma M, Ahmad M, Rehan K, Munir M, et al.
    Chemosphere, 2022 Nov;307(Pt 1):135633.
    PMID: 35810866 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135633
    Cadmium (Cd) and Lead (Pb) from industrial wastewater can bioaccumulate in the living organisms of water bodies, posing serious threats to human health. Therefore, efficient remediation of heavy metal ions of Cd (II) and Pb (II) in aqueous media is necessary for public health and environmental sustainability. In the present study, water stable Zirconium (Zr) based metal organic frameworks (MOFs) with SO3H functionalization were synthesized by solvothermal method and used first time for the adsorption of Cd (II) and Pb (II). Synthesis of UiO-66-SO3H, nano-sized (<100 nm) MOFs, was confirmed by FTIR, XRD, FESEM and BET. Effects of contact time, pH and temperature were investigated for adsorption of Cd (II) and Pb (II) onto SO3H-functionalized Zr-MOFs. The UiO-66-SO3H displayed notable rejections of 97% and 88% towards Cd (II) and Pb (II), respectively, after 160 min at 25 °C and pH (6) with an initial concentration of 1000 mg/L. Adsorption capacities of Cd (II) and Pb (II) were achieved as 194.9154 (mg/g) and 176.6879 (mg/g), respectively, at an initial concentration of 1000 mg/L. The Pseudo second-order kinetic model fitted well with linear regression (R2) of value 1. The mechanism was confirmed mainly as a chemisorption and coordination interaction between sulfone group (-SO3H) and metal ions Cd (IIa) and Pb (II). These results may support effective adsorption and can be studied further to enrich and recycle other heavy metals from wastewater.
  7. Fulltext COVID-19 Vaccines Status, Acceptance and Hesitancy among Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study and the Implications for Pakistan and Beyond
    Amjad Z, Maryam I, Munir M, Salman M, Baraka MA, Mustafa ZU, et al.
    Vaccines (Basel), 2023 Apr 27;11(5).
    PMID: 37243008 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11050904
    COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy continues to be a widespread problem in Pakistan due to various conspiracy beliefs, myths and misconceptions. Since the hemodialysis population is at a higher risk of contracting infections, we sought to investigate the current COVID-19 immunization status and reasons for any vaccine hesitancy among these patients in Pakistan. This cross-sectional study was conducted among maintenance hemodialysis patients at six hospitals in the Punjab Province of Pakistan. Data were collected anonymously using a questionnaire. A total of 399 hemodialysis patients took part in the survey, the majority of them were male (56%) and aged 45-64 years. A calculated 62.4% of the patients reported receiving at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Of those vaccinated (249), 73.5% had received two doses and 16.9% had received a booster dose. The most common reasons for vaccination were "being aware they were at high risk" (89.6%), "fear of getting infected" (89.2%) and "willingness to fight against COVID-19-pandemic" (83.9%). Of the 150 patients who had not yet been vaccinated, only 10 showed a willingness to take the COVID-19 vaccine. The major reasons for refusal included "COVID-19 is not a real problem" (75%), the "corona vaccine is a conspiracy (72.1%)" and "I don't need the vaccine" (60.7%). Our study revealed that only 62% patients receiving hemodialysis were partially or completely vaccinated against COVID-19. Consequently, there is a need to initiate aggressive approaches to educate this high-risk population in order to address their concerns with vaccine safety and efficacy as well as correct current myths and misconceptions to improve the COVID-19 immunization status in this population.
  8. Fulltext Determinants, predictors and negative impacts of burnout among health care workers during COVID-19 pandemic
    Al-Otaibi T, Abbas A, Ashry Gheith O, Nair P, Zahab MA, Hammouda MAA, et al.
    J King Saud Univ Sci, 2023 Jan;35(1):102441.
    PMID: 36405649 DOI: 10.1016/j.jksus.2022.102441
    The first defense line of the battle, healthcare workers (HCWs), faces a significant challenge in managing the current COVID-19 pandemic. An online electronic survey was sent to HCWs via email and social media networks. Socio-demographic data and work environment-related variables were assessed. Consequences of burnout (BO) were reported, e.g., elicited medical errors. Maslach burnout inventory was used to diagnose BO. Two hundred and eighty-four participants were included with a mean age of 39.83 ± 7.34 years, 70.8% worked in the COVID-19 frontline, 91.9% were followed daily updates about COVID-19, 63.7% were not satisfied with the coordination between triage and isolation, 64.4% got COVID-19 infection, 91.9% had a colleague or family member developed COVID-19 infection, and 21.5% experienced a colleague /a family member died due to COVID-19. Multivariate analysis by linear regression revealed that; working as a frontline HCW (OR 1.28, CI = 0.14-2.55) and sleep deprivation (OR 3.93, CI = 1.88-8.22) were the predictors of burnout.
  9. Fulltext Essential oils of aromatic Egyptian plants repel nymphs of the tick Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae)
    El-Seedi HR, Azeem M, Khalil NS, Sakr HH, Khalifa SAM, Awang K, et al.
    Exp Appl Acarol, 2017 Sep;73(1):139-157.
    PMID: 28864886 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-017-0165-3
    Due to the role of Ixodes ricinus (L.) (Acari: Ixodidae) in the transmission of many serious pathogens, personal protection against bites of this tick is essential. In the present study the essential oils from 11 aromatic Egyptian plants were isolated and their repellent activity against I. ricinus nymphs was evaluated Three oils (i.e. Conyza dioscoridis L., Artemisia herba-alba Asso and Calendula officinalis L.) elicited high repellent activity in vitro of 94, 84.2 and 82%, respectively. The most active essential oil (C. dioscoridis) was applied in the field at a concentration of 6.5 µg/cm2 and elicited a significant repellent activity against I. ricinus nymphs by 61.1%. The most repellent plants C. dioscoridis, C. officinalis and A. herba-alba yielded essential oils by 0.17, 0.11 and 0.14%, respectively. These oils were further investigated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. α-Cadinol (10.7%) and hexadecanoic acid (10.5%) were the major components of C. dioscoridis whereas in C. officinalis, α-cadinol (21.2%) and carvone (18.2%) were major components. Artemisia herba-alba contained piperitone (26.5%), ethyl cinnamate (9.5%), camphor (7.7%) and hexadecanoic acid (6.9%). Essential oils of these three plants have a potential to be used for personal protection against tick bites.
  10. Fulltext Nurses' Perceptions, Involvement, Confidence and Perceived Barriers Towards Antimicrobial Stewardship Program in Pakistan: Findings from a Multi-Center, Cross-Sectional Study
    Mustafa ZU, Manzoor MN, Shahid A, Salman M, Hayat K, Yasmin K, et al.
    J Multidiscip Healthc, 2022;15:2553-2562.
    PMID: 36388630 DOI: 10.2147/JMDH.S376664
    PURPOSE: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is leading to greater therapeutic cost, length of hospital stays, adverse events, morbidity and mortality. Hospital-based antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) engaging physicians, pharmacists, microbiologists and nurses are considered as effective way to ensure appropriate use of antimicrobial agents. The aims of our study were to assess nurses' perception, involvement, confidence and barriers towards hospital-based ASPs, and use the findings to provide future guidance.

    METHODS: A web-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among the nurses serving at eleven hospitals of Punjab province of Pakistan during a period of two months (December 2021-January 2022). Data were collected using a validated self-administered questionnaire. All data were analyzed using SPSS version 22.

    RESULTS: A total of 583 nurses participated in the study (response rate = 77.7%). All the participants were female staff nurses and 86% had a minimum of 3 years of working experience. The overall median score on the perception towards ASPs among the nurses was 18 (IQR: 16, 19) on a 0 to 20 scale whereas median score on the involvement in ASPs was 18 (IQR: 15, 37) on a 0 to 64 scale. Median perception and involvement score were statistically significantly differed by age (p < 0.001) and years of experience (p < 0.001). The overall median score on the confidence to perform ASP activities was 22 (IQR: 14, 24) on a 0 to 28 scale. Lack of knowledge, insufficient support from administration, and heavy workload were found to be the common barriers to perform ASP.

    CONCLUSION: Our study concluded that Pakistani nurses have positive perception but limited involvement in ASPs. Moreover, they are confident to perform ASP besides many barriers.

  11. Unraveling cancer progression pathways and phytochemical therapeutic strategies for its management
    Sharma V, Chaudhary AA, Bawari S, Gupta S, Mishra R, Khan SU, et al.
    Front Pharmacol, 2024;15:1414790.
    PMID: 39246660 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1414790
    Cancer prevention is currently envisioned as a molecular-based approach to prevent carcinogenesis in pre-cancerous stages, i.e., dysplasia and carcinoma in situ. Cancer is the second-leading cause of mortality worldwide, and a more than 61% increase is expected by 2040. A detailed exploration of cancer progression pathways, including the NF-kβ signaling pathway, Wnt-B catenin signaling pathway, JAK-STAT pathway, TNF-α-mediated pathway, MAPK/mTOR pathway, and apoptotic and angiogenic pathways and effector molecules involved in cancer development, has been discussed in the manuscript. Critical evaluation of these effector molecules through molecular approaches using phytomolecules can intersect cancer formation and its metastasis. Manipulation of effector molecules like NF-kβ, SOCS, β-catenin, BAX, BAK, VEGF, STAT, Bcl2, p53, caspases, and CDKs has played an important role in inhibiting tumor growth and its spread. Plant-derived secondary metabolites obtained from natural sources have been extensively studied for their cancer-preventing potential in the last few decades. Eugenol, anethole, capsaicin, sanguinarine, EGCG, 6-gingerol, and resveratrol are some examples of such interesting lead molecules and are mentioned in the manuscript. This work is an attempt to put forward a comprehensive approach to understanding cancer progression pathways and their management using effector herbal molecules. The role of different plant metabolites and their chronic toxicity profiling in modulating cancer development pathways has also been highlighted.
  12. Fulltext Mobile technology features and technostress in mandatory online teaching during the COVID-19 crisis
    Khlaif ZN, Sanmugam M, Hattab MK, Bensalem E, Ayyoub A, Sharma RC, et al.
    Heliyon, 2023 Aug;9(8):e19069.
    PMID: 37636397 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19069
    Technostress is defined as any unhealthy condition caused by dealing with modern technology in various harmful ways; examples of technostress include addiction and stress. Even though technostress has been extensively studied in the literature, little attention has been paid to investigating technostress among academics who work in exceptional circumstances, such as crises, and who might be experiencing different psychological states due to those circumstances. To fill the gap, this study aims to explore the factors influencing technostress among school teachers. The study examined technostress's level and factor graphics structure among 692 academics from different Arab countries during COVID-19. The technostress factors and their stories were explored and measured using sequential mixed methods and confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis. The study discusses various factors' direct and indirect effects on mobile technology integration in education and the theoretical and practical implications of managing technostress in online classes. A model of techno-stressors among Arab academics was found to include: schedule overload, complexity, uncertainty, uselessness, invasion, and compulsion. The direct effect of various factors on mobile technology integration in education is mainly positive, while indirect effects are more varied. The theoretical and practical implications of managing technostress in online classes include: considering the psychological and physiological impact of technostress on students' learning performance, decreasing overall satisfaction with the learning experience, and improving the overall quality of online courses. As a result of this study's findings, a new perspective is provided on how academics in particular circumstances (in this study, the occupation of Palestine) may behave and feel toward technology in teaching.
  13. siRNA Blocking of Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) Attenuates Pathology in Annonacin-Induced Tauopathy in Mice
    Salama M, El-Desouky S, Alsayed A, El-Hussiny M, Magdy K, Fekry E, et al.
    Neurotox Res, 2019 May;35(4):987-992.
    PMID: 30362086 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-018-9974-3
    Tauopathy is a pathological hallmark of many neurodegenerative diseases. It is characterized by abnormal aggregates of pathological phosphotau and somatodendritic redistribution. One suggested strategy for treating tauopathy is to stimulate autophagy, hence, getting rid of these pathological protein aggregates. One key controller of autophagy is mTOR. Since stimulation of mTOR leads to inhibition of autophagy, inhibitors of mTOR will cause stimulation of autophagy process. In this report, tauopathy was induced in mice using annonacin. Blocking of mTOR was achieved through stereotaxic injection of siRNA against mTOR. The behavioral and immunohistochemical evaluation revealed the development of tauopathy model as proven by deterioration of behavioral performance in open field test and significant tau aggregates in annonacin-treated mice. Blocking of mTOR revealed significant clearance of tau aggregates in the injected side; however, tau expression was not affected by mTOR blockage.
  14. Ultrafiltration membrane fabricated from polyethylene terephthalate plastic waste for treating microalgal wastewater and reusing for microalgal cultivation
    Rawindran H, Arif Bin Hut N, Vrasna DK, Goh PS, Lim JW, Liew CS, et al.
    Chemosphere, 2024 Jan;346:140591.
    PMID: 37918531 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140591
    Current study had made a significant progress in microalgal wastewater treatment through the implementation of an economically viable polyethylene terephthalate (PET) membrane derived from plastic bottle waste. The membrane exhibited an exceptional pure water flux of 156.5 ± 0.25 L/m2h and a wastewater flux of 15.37 ± 0.02 L/m2h. Moreover, the membrane demonstrated remarkable efficiency in selectively removing a wide range of residual parameters, achieving rejection rates up to 99%. The reutilization of treated wastewater to grow microalgae had resulted in a marginal decrease in microalgal density, from 10.01 ± 0.48 to 9.26 ± 0.66 g/g. However, this decline was overshadowed by a notable enhancement in lipid production with level rising from 181.35 ± 0.42 to 225.01 ± 0.11 mg/g. These findings signified the membrane's capacity to preserve nutrients availability within the wastewater; thus, positively influencing the lipid synthesis and accumulation within microalgal cells. Moreover, the membrane's comprehensive analysis of cross-sectional and surface topographies revealed the presence of macropores with a highly interconnected framework, significantly amplifying the available surface area for fluid flow. This exceptional structural attribute had substantially contributed to the membrane's efficacy by facilitating superior filtration and separation process. Additionally, the identified functional groups within the membrane aligned consistently with those commonly found in PET polymer, confirming the membrane's compatibility and efficacy in microalgal wastewater treatment.
  15. Hard cocoa butter replacers from mango seed fat and palm stearin
    Jahurul MH, Zaidul IS, Nik Norulaini NA, Sahena F, Abedin MZ, Mohamed A, et al.
    Food Chem, 2014 Jul 1;154:323-9.
    PMID: 24518349 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2013.11.098
    The blending effects of mango seed fat (MSF), extracted using supercritical fluid, and palm stearin (PS) to formulate hard cocoa butter replacers (CBRs), were investigated. The triglycerides (TG), thermal properties and solid fat content (SFC) of the formulated blends were determined using different chromatographic and thermal techniques. All the blends had three main TGs; namely, 1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-oleoylglycerol (POP) (8.6-17.7%), 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-3-stearoyl-glycerol (POS) (12.6-19.6%), and 1,3-distearoyl-2-oleoyl-glycerol (SOS) (37.2-31.4%), with SOS being the major component. The melting peak temperatures gradually increased and shifted towards higher temperatures with PS. The crystallization onset temperatures increased, while the offset decreased with PS. The SFC did not drop to 0% at 37.5°C, which was shifted to 0% at and above 40°C for some blends. The studies revealed that CBRs could be prepared by blending MSF and PS, and they could be utilised by chocolate manufacturers in tropical countries.
  16. Fulltext In vitro antiproliferative and antioxidant activities and total phenolic contents of the extracts of Melastoma malabathricum leaves
    Zakaria ZA, Rofiee MS, Mohamed AM, Teh LK, Salleh MZ
    J Acupunct Meridian Stud, 2011 Dec;4(4):248-56.
    PMID: 22196508 DOI: 10.1016/j.jams.2011.09.016
    The present study aims to determine the in vitro antiproliferative and antioxidant activities of various extracts from the leaves of Melastoma malabathricum using various established in vitro assays. The aqueous extract inhibited the proliferation of Caov-3 and HL-60 cell lines, while the chloroform extract exhibited antiproliferative activity against the Caov-3, HL-60, and CEM-SS cell lines. The methanol extract demonstrated antiproliferative activity against more cell lines, including the MCF-7, HeLa, Caov-3, HL-60, CEM-SS, and MDA-MB-231 cancer cell lines. Interestingly, all extracts did not inhibit the proliferation of 3T3 cells, thus indicating their noncytotoxic properties. Unlike the chloroform extracts, the aqueous and methanol extracts of M malabathricum (20, 100, and 500 μg/ml) produced high antioxidant activity for the superoxide scavenging assay with only the 500 μg/ml aqueous and methanol extracts exhibited high activity for the 2,2-diphenyl -1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assay. The total phenolic content recorded for the aqueous, methanol, and chloroform extracts were 3344.2 ± 19.1, 3055.1 ± 8.7, and 92.5 ± 7.3 mg/100 g of gallic acid, respectively. The M malabathricum leaves possessed potential antiproliferative and antioxidant activities that could be attributed to its high content of phenolic compounds.
  17. Immobilisation of Cu, Pb and Zn in Scrap Metal Yard Soil Using Selected Waste Materials
    Kamari A, Putra WP, Yusoff SN, Ishak CF, Hashim N, Mohamed A, et al.
    Bull Environ Contam Toxicol, 2015 Dec;95(6):790-5.
    PMID: 26395356 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-015-1650-1
    Immobilisation of heavy metals in a 30-year old active scrap metal yard soil using three waste materials, namely coconut tree sawdust (CTS), sugarcane bagasse (SB) and eggshell (ES) was investigated. The contaminated soil was amended with amendments at application rates of 0 %, 1 % and 3 % (w/w). The effects of amendments on metal accumulation in water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) and soil metal bioavailability were studied in a pot experiment. All amendments increased biomass yield and reduced metal accumulation in the plant shoots. The bioconcentration factor and translocation factor values of the metals were in the order of Zn > Cu > Pb. The addition of ES, an alternative source of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), has significantly increased soil pH and resulted in marked reduction in soil metal bioavailability. Therefore, CTS, SB and ES are promising low-cost immobilising agents to restore metal contaminated land.
  18. Roles of Ki67 in Breast Cancer - Important for Management?
    Yip Ch, Bhoo-Pathy N, Daniel J, Foo Y, Mohamed A, Abdullah M, et al.
    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2016;17(3):1077-82.
    PMID: 27039727
    BACKGROUND: The three standard biomarkers used in breast cancer are the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). The Ki-67 index, a proliferative marker, has been shown to be associated with a poorer outcome, and despite absence of standardization of pathological assessment, is widely used for therapy decision making. We aim to study the role of the Ki-67 index in a group of Asian women with breast cancer.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 450 women newly diagnosed with Stage 1 to 3 invasive breast cancer in a single centre from July 2013 to Dec 2014 were included in this study. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the association between Ki-67 (positive defined as 14% and above) and age, ethnicity, grade, mitotic index, ER, PR, HER2, lymph node status and size. All analyses were performed using SPSS Version 22.

    RESULTS: In univariable analysis, Ki -67 index was associated with younger age, higher grade, ER and PR negativity, HER2 positivity, high mitotic index and positive lymph nodes. However on multivariable analysis only tumour size, grade, PR and HER2 remained significant. Out of 102 stage 1 patients who had ER positive/PR positive/HER2 negative tumours and non-grade 3, only 5 (4.9%) had a positive Ki-67 index and may have been offered chemotherapy. However, it is interesting to note that none of these patients received chemotherapy.

    CONCLUSIONS: Information on Ki67 would have potentially changed management in an insignificant proportion of patients with stage 1 breast cancer.

  19. Graphene-philic surfactants for nanocomposites in latex technology
    Mohamed A, Ardyani T, Bakar SA, Brown P, Hollamby M, Sagisaka M, et al.
    Adv Colloid Interface Sci, 2016 Apr;230:54-69.
    PMID: 26888600 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2016.01.003
    Graphene is the newest member of the carbon family, and has revolutionized materials science especially in the field of polymer nanocomposites. However, agglomeration and uniform dispersion remains an Achilles' heel (even an elephant in the room), hampering the optimization of this material for practical applications. Chemical functionalization of graphene can overcome these hurdles but is often rather disruptive to the extended pi-conjugation, altering the desired physical and electronic properties. Employing surfactants as stabilizing agents in latex technology circumvents the need for chemical modification allowing for the formation of nanocomposites with retained graphene properties. This article reviews the recent progress in the use of surfactants and polymers to prepare graphene/polymer nanocomposites via latex technology. Of special interest here are surfactant structure-performance relationships, as well as background on the roles surfactant-graphene interactions for promoting stabilization.
  20. Skin prick test reactivity to foods in adult Malaysians with rhinitis
    Gendeh BS, Murad S, Razi AM, Abdullah N, Mohamed AS, Kadir KA
    Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 2000 May;122(5):758-62.
    PMID: 10793361
    The aim of the study was to determine the incidence of food and house dust mite (HDM) allergy in patients with nasal congestion and rhinorrhea attending the Otorhinolaryngology Clinic, National University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. This was a prospective matched, controlled study of patients skin prick tested with commercial food and common aeroallergens. The participants were 148 Malaysian adults with symptoms of nasal congestion and rhinorrhea and 113 adult Malaysian control subjects without rhinitis symptoms. The skin prick test (SPT) was used to evaluate 11 foods common to the Malaysian diet and 3 HDM inhalants. Forty-eight percent of the patients with rhinitis had positive SPT results to foods, compared with 4.4% of control subjects (P < 0.05). The most commonly implicated foods were shrimp (48%) and rice (30%), which are common in the Malaysian diet. Seventy-two percent of rhinitis patients had positive SPT results to HDM, compared with 22.2% of control subjects (P < 0.05). Patients with rhinitis also had significantly more gastrointestinal problems than control subjects (P < 0.05). The incidences of HDM and food allergy are significantly greater in Malaysian adults with rhinitis symptoms than in control subjects without rhinitis. The effect of avoidance or immunotherapy awaits further study.
    Study site: Otorhinolaryngology Clinic, Pusat Perubatan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (PPUKM), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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