PATIENTS AND METHODS: This case-control study involved the participation of 87 patients and 122 healthy individuals. Lycopene intake was assessed by using a food frequency questionnaire. The peripheral antioxidant capacity among the T2DM patients was evaluated. Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) were measured as indications of glycaemic status.
RESULTS: Peripheral antioxidant capacity was significantly lower in the T2DM group. Direct positive correlations were found between the lycopene intake and peripheral antioxidant level among the T2DM patients. Contrarily, HbA1c and FPG levels decreased significantly with the higher lycopene intake.
CONCLUSIONS: T2DM patients with a higher lycopene intake showed a greater peripheral antioxidant capacity and better glycaemic control. Lycopene may act to ameliorate oxidative stress and improve the pathophysiology of T2DM.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups as control, LPS, CA and LPS + CA. The treatments with LPS (5 mg/kg) were intraperitoneally (i.p) injected on day 4 and CA ethanol extract (200 mg/kg) were given orally for 14 days. Morris Water Maze (MWM) test was performed to assess spatial learning and memory performance. Acute oral toxicity of the extract at the highest dose of 5000 mg/kg was also conducted.
RESULTS: Single administration of LPS was able to significantly elicit learning and memory impairment (p
METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 871 participants from three regions of Nigeria. All serum samples were analysed using malaria RDT and the immunoblot molecular diagnostic assay recomLine Tropical Fever for the presence of arboviral antibody serological marker IgG (Mikrogen Diagnostik, Neuried, Germany) with DENV and ZIKV Nonstructural protein 1 (NS 1), DENV and ZIKV Equad (variant of the envelope protein with designated mutations to increase specificity), according to the manufacturer's instructions.
RESULTS: The overall IgG antibody seropositivity against DENV-flavivirus was 44.7% (389/871); 95% CI (41.41-47.99), while ZIKV-flavivirus was 19.2% (167/871); 95% CI (0.16-0.21), and DENV-ZIKV-flavivirus cocirculation antibody seropositivity was 6.2%5 (54/871); 95% CI (0.6-0.7) in the three study regions of Nigeria. The study cohort presented similar clinical signs and symptoms of flaviviruses (DENV and ZIKV) in all three study regions.
CONCLUSION: This study highlighted an unexpectedly high antibody seropositivity, burden, hidden endemicity, and regional spread of mono- and co-circulating flaviviruses (DENV and ZIKV) in Nigeria.Key messagesDengue flavivirus sero-cross-reactivity drives antibody-dependent enhancement of ZIKV infection.Both viruses share common hosts (humans) and vectors (primarily Aedes aegypti), and are thus influenced by similar biological, ecological, and economic factors, resulting in epidemiological synergy.Additionally, the actual burden in epidemic and interepidemic periods is grossly or chronically unknown and underreported. Despite this trend and the potential public health threat, there are no reliable data, and little is known about these arboviral co-circulation infections.
MAIN TEXT: To summarize and quantify the most recent findings on consuming milk or other dairy foods and the development of BC, we performed a systematic literature review. We checked through several databases for relevant publications published in English up to January 2022. Of the 82 articles identified, only 18 met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Nine Prospective, seven Retrospective and two Cross-Sectional studies were finally identified.
CONCLUSIONS: Overall, dairy consumption was inversely associated with the risk of developing breast cancer. Future studies will help elucidate the role of dairy products in human health, and their use within a balanced diet should be considered.KEY MESSAGESThe effect of different types of dairy products, and possible dose-response relationships on BC risk remains unknown.Estimating BC risk associated with dairy consumption may help to take the decision-making of physicians and public health policy in developing preventive strategies to reduce its occurrence.This systematic review was conducted to assess dairy consumption and BC risk.Overall, inverse associations were found when looking at dairy consumption and BC risk.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 124 breast cancer outpatients within the first year of diagnosis and yet to commence oncological treatment. Body composition parameters [body weight, body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage, fat mass over fat-free mass ratio (FM/FFM), muscle mass, and visceral fat] were obtained using a bioelectrical impedance analyzer. Body fat percentage was categorized into two groups which were normal (<35%) and high (≥35%). The E-DII was calculated from the validated 165-items Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and categorized into three groups or tertiles. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between the E-DII and body fat percentage.
RESULTS: Mean body weight, body fat percentage, FM/FFM, and visceral fat increased as E-DII increased from the lowest tertile (T1) to the most pro-inflammatory tertile (T3) (p for trend <0.05). E-DII was positively associated with body fat percentage (OR 2.952; 95% CI 1.154-7.556; p = 0.024) and remained significant after adjustment for cancer stage, age, physical activity, ethnicity, smoking history, and presence of comorbidities. Compared to T1, participants in T3 had a significantly lower consumption of fiber, vitamin A, beta-carotene, vitamin C, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folic acid, zinc, magnesium, and selenium, but a higher intake of total fat, saturated fat, and monounsaturated fatty acids.
CONCLUSIONS: A higher E-DII was associated with increased body fat percentage, suggesting the potential of advocating anti-inflammatory diet to combat obesity among newly diagnosed breast cancer patients.
METHOD: A cross-sectional study was carried out among Malaysian women in Kuala Lumpur. A total of 362 unmarried women, nulliparous and aged between 18 and 25 years old, were included in this study. Participants were conveniently recruited through online platforms as well as face to face using a self-administered questionnaire with five sections consisting of demographics, menstrual characteristics, Working ability, Location, Intensity, Days of pain, Dysmenorrhea (WaLIDD) score for diagnosing and assessing the severity of dysmenorrhea as well as an evaluation of respondents' general knowledge and practices towards dysmenorrhea. The collected data were analysed using the SPSS tool, a descriptive statistic was used to report demographic characteristics. Inferential statistics was used to report the differentiation, association, and correlations of the variables.
RESULTS: The prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea was 73.2%. It was found that the majority of the respondents had poor knowledge (60%) and poor practices (61.88%) of dysmenorrhea. The most common preventive practices among the respondents were using dietary supplements, and herbs, taking a rest and exercising. The findings also indicated that dysmenorrhea among the respondents was significantly associated with family history of dysmenorrhea (p = 0.002), monthly income (p = 0.001), and knowledge level (p = 0.001).
CONCLUSION: Dysmenorrhea has a high prevalence among women in Malaysia in Kula Lumpur driven by low knowledge and lack of evidence-based practices among these women. Thus, it is critical for Government and healthcare authorities to promote education related to women health among Malaysian women.
METHODS: This meta-analysis was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Through a systematic review of relevant literature, we focused on studies investigating treatment outcomes including extended treatment duration and recurrence for individuals with both TB and DM undergoing DOTS therapy. The extracted information included study designs, sample sizes, patient characteristics and reported treatment results.
RESULTS: In 44 studies from different parts of the world, the pooled HR for the impact of DM on extended treatment duration and reoccurrence were HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.56-0.83, p
METHODS: Three major databases - Web of Science (WOS), Scopus, and PubMed - for relevant studies published between 1 January 2010 and 12 February 2023 were searched for studies evaluating the effectiveness of digital intervention for smoking cessation in Asian countries.
RESULTS: A total of 25 studies of varying designs were eligible for this study collectively involving a total of n = 22,005 participants from 9 countries. Among different digital tools for smoking cessation, the highest abstinence rate (70%) was reported with cognitive behavioural theory (CBT)-based smoking cessation intervention via Facebook followed by smartphone app (60%), WhatsApp (59.9%), and Pharmacist counselling with Quit US smartphone app (58.4%). However, WhatsApp was preferred over Facebook intervention due to lower rates of relapse. WeChat was responsible for 15.6% and 41.8% 7-day point prevalence abstinence. For telephone/text messaging abstinence rate ranged from 8-44.3% and quit rates from 6.3% to 16.8%. Whereas, no significant impact of media/multimedia messages and web-based learning on smoking cessation was observed in this study.
CONCLUSION: Based on the study findings the use of digital tools can be considered an alternative and cost-effective smoking cessation intervention as compared to traditional smoking cessation interventions.
METHODS: This study employed a qualitative instrumental case study design intended to compare two groups of students-high-achieving students (n = 14) and low-achieving students (n = 5), enrolled in pre-clinical medical studies at the Universiti Malaya, Malaysia. Data were collected through reflective journals and semi-structured interviews. Regarding journaling, participants were required to recall their learning experiences of the previous academic year. Two analysts coded the data and then compared the codes of high- and low-achieving students. The third analyst reviewed the codes. Themes were identified iteratively, working towards comparing the learning processes of high- and low-achieving students.
RESULTS: Data analysis revealed four themes-motivation and expectation, study methods, self-management, and flexibility of mindset. First, high-achieving students were more motivated and had higher academic expectations than low-achieving students. Second, high-achieving students adopted study planning and deep learning approaches, whereas low-achieving students adopted superficial learning approaches. Third, in contrast to low-achieving students, high-achieving students exhibited better time management and studied consistently. Finally, high-achieving students proactively sought external support and made changes to overcome challenges. In contrast, low-achieving students were less resilient and tended to avoid challenges.
CONCLUSION: Based on the theory of action, high-achieving students utilize positive governing variables, whereas low-achieving students are driven by negative governing variables. Hence, governing variable-based remediation is needed to help low-achieving students interrogate the motives behind their actions and realign positive governing variables, actions, and intended outcomes.Key MessagesThis study found four themes describing the differences between high- and low-achieving pre-clinical medical students: motivation and expectation, study methods, self-management, and flexibility of mindset.Based on the theory of action approach, high-achieving pre-clinical medical students are fundamentally different from their low-achieving peers in terms of their governing variables, with the positive governing variables likely to have guided them to act in a manner beneficial to and facilitating desirable academic performance.Governing variable-based remediation may help students interrogate the motives of their actions.