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Fulltext The Annals of Biomedical Engineering on Critical Size Bone Defect: A Review

Azimah Ahmad Zainol Hady, Liyana Azmi, Amira Raudhah Abdullah

Malaysian Journal of Science, Health & Technology, 2021;6(1):1-9.
MyJurnal

Bone can heal on its own through the process known as bone remodelling. Nonetheless, a critical size bone defect will hinder the natural bone-healing process and may not allow for complete fracture healing. These requires surgical intervention by employing the use of bone tissue implants and in need of realignment and fixation for proper fracture healing. Traditional knowledge of bone injury and fracture healing must be comprehended thoroughly for a proper invention of bioengineered material or devices that could enhance the physiological process. Heretofore, engineered materials used to address critical size bone defects haveencounteredvarious challenges and improvement be it in bone grafting or choices of mechanicalstabilization devices. To date, researchers have been mainly focussingon the alternative material for bone graft substitutealbeit the selection of fixators to establish mechanical stabilization are as important. This review highlighted the challenges, improvement and advancement in mechanical stabilization devices and bone graft substitute with respect to the physiological process of bone fracture healing. Identifying these challenges would helpassist theresearcher in an expedition toward the recovery and restoration of critical size bone defects.
Caffeic acid protects tissue antioxidants and DNA content in methamphetamine induced tissue toxicity in Sprague Dawley rats

Koriem KM, Abdelhamid AZ, Younes HF

Toxicol. Mech. Methods, 2013 Feb;23(2):134-43.
PMID: 22992185 DOI: 10.3109/15376516.2012.730561

Caffeic acid (CA) (3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid) is among the major hydroxycinnamic acids. Hydroxycinnamic acid is the major subgroup of phenolic compounds. Methamphetamine (METH) is a potent addictive psychostimulant. Chronic use and acute METH intoxication can cause substantial medical consequences, including spleen, kidney, liver and heart. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity of CA to protect against oxidative stress and DNA damage to various organs in METH toxicity. Thirty-two male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were divided into four equal groups: group 1 was injected (i.p) with saline (1 mL/kg) while groups 2,3 and 4 were injected (i.p) with METH (10 mg/kg) twice a day over five days period. Where 100 & 200 mg/kg of CA were injected (i.p) into groups 3 and 4, respectively one day before exposure to METH injections. Tissue antioxidants and DNA content were evaluated in different tissues. METH decreased glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) levels while increased malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT) and protein carbonyl levels in brain (hypothalamus), liver, and kidney tissues of rats. METH increased hyperdiploidy in these tissues and DNA damage results. Prior treatment of CA to animals exposed to METH restores the above parameters to the normal levels and preserves the DNA content of these tissues. These results were supported by histopathological investigations. In conclusion, METH induced oxidative stress and DNA damage and pretreatment of CA before METH injections prevented tissue oxidative stress and DNA damage in METH-treated animals.
Could antiseptic gargling prevent COVID-19?

Mohamed NA, Ahmad Zainol Hady A, Abdul Aziz AH, Isahak I

Trop Biomed, 2020 Dec 01;37(4):1141-1145.
PMID: 33612766 DOI: 10.47665/tb.37.4.1141

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has infected more than 8 million people globally since its discovery in December 2019. For COVID-19 prevention, the World Health Organization recommended regular handwashing with soap, cough etiquette, mask wearing and social distancing. However, COVID-19 is rather difficult to contain because of its high transmissibility property. Gargling is effective for reducing infection in the respiratory tract. Most antiseptic gargles have antimicrobial properties against common respiratory pathogens. No published study on the effectiveness of antiseptic gargling among COVID-19 patients has been available to date. This article reviewed available literature on methods and solutions available for gargling and their effect on respiratory tract infections.
Fulltext Iron deficiency in heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction and the correlation with left ventricular ejection fraction

Kok Leng Tan, Seng Loong Ng, Soon Eu Chong1, W Yus Haniff W Isa, Hady, Jun Jie Tan, et al.

Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2020;16(1):131-136.
MyJurnal

Introduction: Iron deficiency (ID) has recently been identified as a threat to patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). This study was conducted to determine the occurrence of ID among HFrEF patients in a Malaysian tertiary hospital and its correlation between left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Methods: Stable patients with LVEF less than 45% were included. Demographic data, LVEF (Simpsons) and cardiac functional status were studied, along with full blood count and iron profile. Results: 81 patients with a mean LVEF of 33.6% were recruited. 43.2% of them were NYHA class II patients, followed by 38.3% class III, 13.6% class I and 4.9% class IV patients. About 2/5 of the study population were anaemic, and of those, 48.5% were iron deficient. Majority of these anaemic patients (87.5%) had an absolute iron deficiency. Pearson’s statistical analysis showed positive correlation between ejection fraction and serum ferritin (r=0.624, p< 0.001), serum iron (r= 0.302, p
Fulltext Facial profile and maxillary arch dimensions in unilateral cleft lip and palate children in the mixed dentition stage

Gopinath VK, Samsudin AR, Mohd Noor SNF, Mohamed Sharab HY

Eur J Dent, 2017 4 25;11(1):76-82.
PMID: 28435370 DOI: 10.4103/ejd.ejd_238_16

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the vertical and sagittal facial profile and maxillary arch width, depth, and length of patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and to compare them with healthy noncleft children in the mixed dentition stage (7-13 years).
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study is conducted at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia. UCLP group comprised 48 patients with nonsyndromic UCLP who have had the lip and palate repaired, whereas the control group comprised 48 healthy noncleft cases. The lateral cephalometrics measurements were used to determine the vertical height, sagittal depth of the face, and cranial base length and angle. Maxillary arch dimensions were measured on the study cast including arch width, depth, and length.
RESULTS: Vertical facial height and sagittal depth measurements showed a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in the mean growth pattern in UCLP group. The anterior cranial base length (S-N) was shorter in UCLP children (P < 0.001), while Ba-N length had no significant difference (P = 0.639). Nasion-Sella Tursica-Basion angle was significantly higher in the UCLP group (P = 0.016). Dental arch width with reference to canine-to-canine and first premolar-to- first premolar distance was significantly larger in control (P = 0.001).
CONCLUSION: Mean vertical and sagittal facial dimensions in the UCLP children who do not undergo orthodontic treatment are significantly lesser in all directions of growth than healthy noncleft children. The maxillary dental arch had a normal depth but constricted in width and arch length.
Fulltext Comparing Efficacy and Safety of Empirical vs. Guided Therapy for Non-cardiac Chest Pain: A Pragmatic Randomized Trial

Abdul Kadir NP, Ma ZF, Abdul Hafidz MI, Annamalai C, Jayaraman T, Hamid N, et al.

Front Med (Lausanne), 2021;8:605647.
PMID: 33659261 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.605647

Background: Non-cardiac chest pain is common with two-thirds due to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of guided vs. empirical therapy in non-cardiac chest pain. Methods: Adults with normal angiogram or stress test were randomized into either a guided or empirical group. In the guided group, after the ambulatory pH-impedance test, if GERD then dexlansoprazole 30 mg/day for 8 weeks, but if functional or hypersensitive chest pain, then theophylline SR 250 mg/day for 4 weeks. In the empirical group, dexlansoprazole 60 mg/day was given for 2 weeks. The primary outcome was global chest pain visual analog score (VAS) and secondary outcomes were Quality of Life in Reflux and Dyspepsia (QOLRAD), GERD questionnaire (GERDQ), and pH parameters, all determined at baseline, 2nd and 8th weeks. Results: Of 200 screened patients, 132 were excluded, and of 68 randomized per-protocol, 33 were in the guided group and 35 in the empirical group. For between-group analysis, mean global pain scores were better with guided vs. empirical group at 8th week (P = 0.005) but not GERDQ or QOLRAD or any of pH measures (all P > 0.05). For within-group analysis, mean QOLRAD improved earliest at 8th week vs. baseline (P = 0.006) in the guided group and 2nd week vs. baseline (P = 0.011) in the empirical group but no differences were seen in other secondary outcomes (P > 0.05). No serious adverse events were reported. Conclusions: Guided approach may be preferred over short-term empirical therapy in symptom response, however QOLRAD, acid-related symptoms, or pH measures are not significantly different (trial registration ID no. NCT03319121).
Fulltext The clinical impact of using complex molecular profiling strategies in routine oncology practice

Laes JF, Aftimos P, Barthelemy P, Bellmunt J, Berchem G, Camps C, et al.

Oncotarget, 2018 Apr 17;9(29):20282-20293.
PMID: 29755651 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.24757

Molecular profiling and functional assessment of signalling pathways of advanced solid tumours are becoming increasingly available. However, their clinical utility in guiding patients' treatment remains unknown. Here, we assessed whether molecular profiling helps physicians in therapeutic decision making by analysing the molecular profiles of 1057 advanced cancer patient samples after failing at least one standard of care treatment using a combination of next-generation sequencing (NGS), immunohistochemistry (IHC) and other specific tests. The resulting information was interpreted and personalized treatments for each patient were suggested. Our data showed that NGS alone provided the oncologist with useful information in 10-50% of cases (depending on cancer type), whereas the addition of IHC/other tests increased extensively the usefulness of the information provided. Using internet surveys, we investigated how therapy recommendations influenced treatment choice of the oncologist. For patients who were still alive after the provision of the molecular information (76.8%), 60.4% of their oncologists followed report recommendations. Most treatment decisions (93.4%) were made based on the combination of NGS and IHC/other tests, and an approved drug- rather than clinical trial enrolment- was the main treatment choice. Most common reasons given by physicians to explain the non-adherence to recommendations were drug availability and cost, which remain barriers to personalised precision medicine. Finally, we observed that 27% of patients treated with the suggested therapies had an overall survival > 12 months. Our study demonstrates that the combination of NGS and IHC/other tests provides the most useful information in aiding treatment decisions by oncologists in routine clinical practice.
Fulltext Predicting attitudinal and behavioral responses to COVID-19 pandemic using machine learning

Pavlović T, Azevedo F, De K, Riaño-Moreno JC, Maglić M, Gkinopoulos T, et al.

PNAS Nexus, 2022 Jul;1(3):pgac093.
PMID: 35990802 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac093

At the beginning of 2020, COVID-19 became a global problem. Despite all the efforts to emphasize the relevance of preventive measures, not everyone adhered to them. Thus, learning more about the characteristics determining attitudinal and behavioral responses to the pandemic is crucial to improving future interventions. In this study, we applied machine learning on the multinational data collected by the International Collaboration on the Social and Moral Psychology of COVID-19 (N = 51,404) to test the predictive efficacy of constructs from social, moral, cognitive, and personality psychology, as well as socio-demographic factors, in the attitudinal and behavioral responses to the pandemic. The results point to several valuable insights. Internalized moral identity provided the most consistent predictive contribution-individuals perceiving moral traits as central to their self-concept reported higher adherence to preventive measures. Similar results were found for morality as cooperation, symbolized moral identity, self-control, open-mindedness, and collective narcissism, while the inverse relationship was evident for the endorsement of conspiracy theories. However, we also found a non-neglible variability in the explained variance and predictive contributions with respect to macro-level factors such as the pandemic stage or cultural region. Overall, the results underscore the importance of morality-related and contextual factors in understanding adherence to public health recommendations during the pandemic.