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Process Optimisation of Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Oligosaccharides from Coconut Husk

Tang SL, Hii SL, Koh CC

ScientificWorldJournal, 2023;2023:9427831.
PMID: 37096240 DOI: 10.1155/2023/9427831

A fractional factorial design was used to investigate the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of oligosaccharides from coconut husk, an agroindustry by-product. The effects of five key influencing parameters (X 1, incubation temperature; X 2, extraction duration; X 3, ultrasonicator power; X 4, NaOH concentration; X 5, solid-to-liquid ratio) were studied. Total carbohydrate content (TC), total reducing sugar (TRS), and degree of polymerisation (DP) were the dependent variables. The optimal extraction condition was attained when oligosaccharides with a desired DP of 3.72 were extracted when the coconut husk in a liquid-to-solid ratio of 127 mL/g was treated with 1.05 percent (w/v) of NaOH solution at an incubation temperature of 30.4°C for 5 min using an ultrasonicator power of 248 W. The optimised parameters for oligosaccharide extraction from coconut husk reported in this study could be useful for the effective isolation of these compounds for prebiotic research.
Reminder through mobile messaging application improves outpatient attendance and medication adherence among patients with depression: An open-label randomised controlled trial

Low PT, Ng CG, Kadir MS, Tang SL

Med J Malaysia, 2021 09;76(5):617-623.
PMID: 34508365

INTRODUCTION: Non-attendance and medication adherence are longstanding concerns in psychiatric outpatient settings. This study aimed to determine effectiveness of reminders using mobile messaging applications (messaging apps) in improving outpatient attendance and medication adherence among patients with depression.
METHODS: This was a parallel, open-label randomised controlled trial with participants recruited from psychiatric outpatient services of a teaching hospital in Kuala Lumpur and a secondary hospital in Melaka. Adults (≥18 years) diagnosed with major depressive disorder; capable of reading and understanding English or Bahasa Malaysia; prescribed with at least one antidepressant and owns a smart phone were subsequently randomly assigned (1:1) to receive treatment reminders (intervention) or standard treatment without reminders (control), using a computergenerated randomisation programme. The intervention group received two reminder categories: Outpatient appointment reminders (a day before appointment); and medication reminders (weekly basis). Participants were followed-up over two months. We utilised Montgomery- Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) to measure the severity of depression; and Brief Adherence Rating Scale (BARS) to assess medication adherence. Primary outcomes were outpatient attendance rates and medication adherence assessed at two months. Secondary outcomes included changes in depression severity within each group at two months; comparison of changes in depression severity between both groups; preferences of participants towards treatment reminders, and reasons for non-attendance among participants. This trial was registered with the National Medical Research Registry, NMRR-19-3466-52001.
RESULTS: Between February and April 2020, 183 participants were randomised to each group, of whom 179 reached study endpoint (91 [98.9%] of 92 in intervention group and 88 [96.7%] of 91 in control group). All recruited participants (n=183) were analysed using intention-to-treat approach. At two months, intervention group has significantly higher outpatient attendance rates (76.8%) than control group (56.4%) (p=0.002), and reported higher medical adherence percentage (mean difference 23.1, [95%CI 0.4, 35.8]; p<0.001). There was also significant difference in the MADRS score change between both groups (mean difference 3.4, [95%CI 0.4, 6.3]; p=0.025). Treatment reminders preferences among participants varied; forgetfulness was the most commonly reported reason (53%) for missing outpatient appointments.
CONCLUSION: Reminders through mobile messaging applications significantly improved outpatient attendance and medication adherence among patients with depression. Our findings support the use of messaging apps for treatment reminders in psychiatric outpatient settings. However, concerns regarding confidentiality require careful measures to be taken.
Antidepressant decision aid for major depressive disorder patients (ADAM): Development and pilot testing

Abousheishaa AA, Lazim NHM, Tang SL, Sulaiman AH, Huri HZ, Guan NC

Patient Educ Couns, 2022 Jul;105(7):2466-2474.
PMID: 34844812 DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2021.11.007

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to develop and assess the effectiveness of an encounter decision aid for Malaysian patients with MDD to support treatment decision-making during the consultation.
METHODS: The decision aid prototype was developed following a literature review and six focus groups. Alpha testing assessed its comprehensibility, acceptability, usability and desirability through user-centered cognitive interviews. Beta-testing evaluated preliminary evidence on its efficacy using the SDM Scale and PDMS. Feasibility was assessed by timing the consultation.
RESULTS: The alpha testing demonstrated that the decision aid was patient-oriented, comprehensible, comprehensive, concise and objective with an appealing design. Beta-testing indicated that PtDA significantly increased patients satisfaction with SDM from patients' [83.32 (13.92) vs 85.76 (13.80); p
Corrigendum to "Antidepressant decision aid for major depressive disorder patients (ADAM): Development and pilot testing" [Patient Education and Counseling 105 7 (2022) 2466-2474]

Abousheishaa AA, Lazim NHM, Tang SL, Sulaiman AH, Huri HZ, Guan NC

Patient Educ Couns, 2023 Sep;114:107852.
PMID: 37379756 DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2023.107852
Fulltext Population genetics and demography of the coral-killing cyanobacteriosponge, Terpios hoshinota, in the Indo-West Pacific

Chow SW, Keshavmurthy S, Reimer JD, de Voogd N, Huang H, Wang JT, et al.

PeerJ, 2022;10:e13451.
PMID: 35669953 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13451

The first occurrence of the cyanobacteriosponge Terpios hoshinota was reported from coral reefs in Guam in 1973, but was only formally described in 1993. Since then, the invasive behavior of this encrusting, coral-killing sponge has been observed in many coral reefs in the West Pacific. From 2015, its occurrence has expanded westward to the Indian Ocean. Although many studies have investigated the morphology, ecology, and symbiotic cyanobacteria of this sponge, little is known of its population genetics and demography. In this study, a mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) fragment and nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) were sequenced to reveal the genetic variation of T. hoshinota collected from 11 marine ecoregions throughout the Indo-West Pacific. Both of the statistical parsimony networks based on the COI and nuclear ITS2 were dominated by a common haplotype. Pairwise F ST and Isolation-by-distance by Mantel test of ITS2 showed moderate gene flow existed among most populations in the marine ecoregions of West Pacific, Coral Triangle, and Eastern Indian Ocean, but with a restricted gene flow between these regions and Maldives in the Central Indian Ocean. Demographic analyses of most T. hoshinota populations were consistent with the mutation-drift equilibrium, except for the Sulawesi Sea and Maldives, which showed bottlenecks following recent expansion. Our results suggest that while long-range dispersal might explain the capability of T. hoshinota to spread in the IWP, stable population demography might account for the long-term persistence of T. hoshinota outbreaks on local reefs.
Prevalence, complete genome, and metabolic potentials of a phylogenetically novel cyanobacterial symbiont in the coral-killing sponge, Terpios hoshinota

Chen YH, Chen HJ, Yang CY, Shiu JH, Hoh DZ, Chiang PW, et al.

Environ Microbiol, 2021 Oct 27.
PMID: 34708512 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15824

Terpios hoshinota is an aggressive, space-competing sponge that kills various stony corals. Outbreaks of this species have led to intense damage to coral reefs in many locations. Here, the first large-scale 16S rRNA gene survey across three oceans revealed that bacteria related to the taxa Prochloron, Endozoicomonas, SAR116, Ruegeria, and unclassified Proteobacteria were prevalent in T. hoshinota. A Prochloron-related bacterium was the most dominant and prevalent cyanobacterium in T. hoshinota. The complete genome of this uncultivated cyanobacterium and pigment analysis demonstrated that it has phycobiliproteins and lacks chlorophyll b, which is inconsistent with the definition of Prochloron. Furthermore, the cyanobacterium was phylogenetically distinct from Prochloron, strongly suggesting that it should be a sister taxon to Prochloron. Therefore, we proposed this symbiotic cyanobacterium as a novel species under the new genus Candidatus Paraprochloron terpiosi. Comparative genomic analyses revealed that 'Paraprochloron' and Prochloron exhibit distinct genomic features and DNA replication machinery. We also characterized the metabolic potentials of 'Paraprochloron terpiosi' in carbon and nitrogen cycling and propose a model for interactions between it and T. hoshinota. This study builds a foundation for the study of the T. hoshinota microbiome and paves the way for better understanding of ecosystems involving this coral-killing sponge.