Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) is a chronic liver disorder that is increasing in prevalence with the worldwide epidemic of obesity. NAFLD is the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome. The term NAFLD...Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) is a chronic liver disorder that is increasing in prevalence with the worldwide epidemic of obesity. NAFLD is the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome. The term NAFLD describes a spectrum of liver pathology ranges from simple steatosis to steatosis with inflammation nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and even cirrhosis. Metabolic syndrome and NAFLD also predict hepatocellular carcinoma. Many genetic and environmental factors have been suggested to contribute to the development of obesity and NAFLD, but the exact mechanisms are not known. Intestinal ecosystem contains trillions of microorganisms including bacteria, Archaea, yeasts and viruses. Several studies support the relationship between the intestinal microbial changes and obesity and also its complications, including insulin resistance and NAFLD. Given that the gut and liver are connected by the portal venous system, it makes the liver more vulnerable to translocation of bacteria, bacterial products, endotoxins or secreted cytokines. Altered intestinal microbiota(dysbiosis) may stimulate hepatic fat deposition through several mechanisms: regulation of gut permeability, increasing low-grade inflammation, modulation of dietary choline metabolism, regulation of bile acid metabolism and producing endogenous ethanol. Regulation of intestinal microbial ecosystem by diet modifications or by using probiotics and prebiotics as a treatment for obesity and its complications might be the issue of further investigations.展开更多
Filamentous fungi are able to accumulate significant amount of metals from their environment. The potential of fungal biomass as agents for biosorption of heavy metals from contaminated sediments is currently receivin...Filamentous fungi are able to accumulate significant amount of metals from their environment. The potential of fungal biomass as agents for biosorption of heavy metals from contaminated sediments is currently receiving attention. In the present study, a total of 41 isolates of filamentous fungi obtained from the sediment of the Langat River, Selangor, Malaysia were screened for their tolerance and uptake capability of copper （Cu） and lead （Pb）. The isolates were identified as Aspergillus niger, A. fumigatus, Trichoderma asperellum, Penicillium simplicissimurn and P. janthinellum. A. niger and P. simplicissimum, were able to survive at 1000 mg/L of Cu（Ⅱ） concentration on Potato Dextrose Agar （PDA） while for Pb, only A. niger survived at 5000 mg/L concentration. The results showed that A. niger, P. simplicissimum and T. asperellum have a better uptake capacity for Pb compared to Cu and the findings indicated promising biosorption of Cu and Pb by these filamentous fungi from aqueous solution. The present study was also determined the maximum removal of Cu（Ⅱ） and Pb（Ⅱ） that was performed by A. niger. The metal removal which occurred at Cu（Ⅱ） 200 mg/L was （20.910 ＋ 0.581） mg/g and at 250 mg/L of PbⅡ） was （54.046 ± 0.328） mg/g.展开更多
The performance of CeO2-TiO2 photocatalyst for the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into methanol was studied under visible light irradiation. The as-prepared catalysts were characterized for their structural, textural...The performance of CeO2-TiO2 photocatalyst for the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into methanol was studied under visible light irradiation. The as-prepared catalysts were characterized for their structural, textural and optical properties using X-ray diffraction（XRD）, field emission scanning electron microscopy（FESEM）, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy（XPS）, nitrogen physisorption analysis, UV-vis spectroscopy and photoluminescence（PL） spectroscopy. The characterization results indicated that the presence of CeO2 stabilized the anatase phase of TiO2, decreased its crystallite size, increased the surface area, reduced the band gap energy and lowered the rate of electron-hole pair recombination. The CeO2-TiO2 photocatalyst showed an increased methanol yield of 18.6 μmol/g under visible light irradiation, compared to the bare TiO2（6.0 μmol/g）.展开更多
BACKGROUND:This study was undertaken to validate the use of the modified early warning score(MEWS) as a predictor of patient mortality and intensive care unit(ICU)/ high dependency(HD)admission in an Asian population....BACKGROUND:This study was undertaken to validate the use of the modified early warning score(MEWS) as a predictor of patient mortality and intensive care unit(ICU)/ high dependency(HD)admission in an Asian population.METHODS:The MEWS was applied to a retrospective cohort of 1 024 critically ill patients presenting to a large Asian tertiary emergency department(ED) between November 2006 and December2007.Individual MEWS was calculated based on vital signs parameters on arrival at ED.Outcomes of mortality and ICU/HD admission were obtained from hospital records.The ability of the composite MEWS and its individual components to predict mortality within 30 days from ED visit was assessed.Sensitivity,specificity,positive and negative predictive values were derived and compared with values from other cohorts.A MEWS of ≥4 was chosen as the cut-off value for poor prognosis based on previous studies.RESULTS:A total of 311(30.4%) critically ill patients were presented with a MEWS ≥4.Their mean age was 61.4 years(SD 18.1) with a male to female ratio of 1.10.Of the 311 patients,53(17%)died within 30 days,64(20.6%) were admitted to ICU and 86(27.7%) were admitted to HD.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.71 with a sensitivity of 53.0%and a specificity of 72.1%in addition to a positive predictive value(PPV) of 17.0%and a negative predictive value(NPV)of 93.4%(MEWS cut-off of ≥4) for predicting mortality.CONCLUSION:The composite MEWS did not perform well in predicting poor patient outcomes for critically ill patients presenting to an ED.展开更多
The discrepancy between the surgical technique and the type of adjuvant chemotherapy used in clinical trials and patient outcomes in terms of overall survival rates has led to the generation of different adjuvant trea...The discrepancy between the surgical technique and the type of adjuvant chemotherapy used in clinical trials and patient outcomes in terms of overall survival rates has led to the generation of different adjuvant treatment protocols in distinct parts of the world.The adjuvant treatment recommendation is generally chemoradiotherapy in the United States,perioperative chemotherapy in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe,and chemotherapy in Asia.These options mainly rely on the United States Intergroup-0116,United Kingdom British Medical Research Council Adjuvant Gastric Infusional Chemotherapy,and the Asian Adjuvant Chemotherapy Trial of S-1 for Gastric Cancer and Capecitabine and Oxaliplatin Adjuvant Study in Stomach Cancer trials.However,the benefits were evident for only certain patients,which were not very homogeneous regarding the type of surgery,chemotherapy regimens,and stage of disease.Whether the dissimilarities in survival are attributable to surgical technique or intrinsic biological differences is a subject of debate.Regardless of the extent of surgery,multimodal therapy may offer modest survival advantage at least for diseases with lymph node involvement.Moreover,in the era of individualized treatment for most of the other cancer types,identification of special subgroups comprising those who will derive more or no benefit from adjuvant therapy merits further investigation.The aim of this review is to reveal the historical evolution and future reflections of adjuvant treatment modalities for resected gastric cancer patients.展开更多
AIM To investigate and compare the effects of tocotrienol and omeprazole on gastric growth factors in rats exposed to water-immersion restraint stress(WIRS).METHODS Twenty-eight male Wistar rats were randomly assigned...AIM To investigate and compare the effects of tocotrienol and omeprazole on gastric growth factors in rats exposed to water-immersion restraint stress(WIRS).METHODS Twenty-eight male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to four groups of seven rats. The two control groups were administered vitamin-free palm oil(vehicle) and the two treatment groups were given omeprazole(20 mg/kg) or tocotrienol(60 mg/kg) by oral gavage. After 28 d of treatment, rats from one control group and both treated groups were subjected to WIRS one time for 3.5 h. Gastric lesions were measured and gastric tissues were obtained to measure vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF), epidermal growth factor(EGF), basic fibroblast growth factor(b FGF), and transforming growth factor-alpha(TGF-α) m RNA expression. RESULTS Rats exposed to WIRS for 3.5 h demonstrated the presence of considerable ulcers in the form of gastric erosion. The lesion index in the stressed control(S) group was increased(P < 0.001) compared to the tocotrienol treated and omeprazole treated groups. Stress led to a decrease in gastric VEGF(P < 0.001), b FGF(P < 0.001) and TGF-α(P < 0.001) m RNA levels and caused an increase in EGF m RNA(P < 0.001) that was statistically significant compared to the nonstressed control group. Although both treatment agents exerted similar ulcer reducing ability, only treatment with tocotrienol led to increased expression of VEGF(P = 0.008), b FGF(P = 0.001) and TGF-α(P = 0.002) m RNA.CONCLUSION Tocotrienol provides gastroprotective effects in WIRSinduced ulcers. Compared to omeprazole, tocotrienol exerts a similar protective effect, albeit through multiple mechanisms of protection, particularly through up-regulation of growth factors that assist in repair of gastric tissue injuries.展开更多
Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients with acute intoxication admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Material and Methods: An observational ...Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients with acute intoxication admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Material and Methods: An observational retrospective study was conducted on intoxicated patients who admitted to ICU between January 2022 and January 2024. Data were collected from the patients medical records. The demographic characteristics, causes of intoxications, clinical parameters, the mean stay in the ICU, treatment modalities and prognosis were recorded. Results: A total of 2875 critically ill patients were admitted during the study period, and 109 (3.79%) of them were acute intoxications. Their mean of ages was 38.09 ± 12.29. The female-to-male ratio was 1.37/1. Drugs were found to be the primary cause (62.39%) of intoxications, and analgesics, antidepressants, and antibiotics were the most frequent agents. Suicidal attempts were present in 66 patients, most of them were female (62.13%) and between 17 - 24 years (40.91%). The other common causes of intoxications were carbon monoxide (CO) (22.02%), methyl/ethyl alcohol (8.26%) and mushroom (5.50%). The mean stay in the ICU was 2.69 ± 0.89 days. Mechanical ventilation was applied to 10 of our patients. Renal replacement therapy was required in 6 patients. Despite all treatments, 6 of our patients died, and we found the mortality rate to be 5.50%. Conclusion: Intoxications were more frequent in young female patients and drugs were the most common cause with suicidal intent. Unfortunately, CO poisoning continues to be a very important problem in our city. These findings provided significant information about the characteristics of intoxications in Karabuk.展开更多
BACKGROUND Recently, gut microbiota has been associated with various diseases other than intestinal disease. Thus, there has been rapid growth in the study of gut microbiota. Considering the numerous factors influenci...BACKGROUND Recently, gut microbiota has been associated with various diseases other than intestinal disease. Thus, there has been rapid growth in the study of gut microbiota. Considering the numerous factors influencing gut microbiota such as age, diet, etc., area-based research is required. Indonesia has numerous different tribes and each of these tribes have different lifestyles. Hence, it is expected that each tribe has a specific gut microbiota. A deeper insight into the composition of gut microbiota can be used to determine the condition of gut microbiota in Indonesians and to consider which treatment may be suitable and effective to improve health status.AIM To investigate the gut microbiota of Indonesian subjects represented by Javanese and Balinese tribes by analyzing fecal samples.METHODS Fecal samples were collected from a total of 80 individuals with 20 in each of the young groups ranging from 25-45 years and the elderly group aged 70 years or more from two different regions, Yogyakarta and Bali. Fecal sample collection was performed at the end of the assessment period(day 14 ± 1 d) during which time the subjects were not allowed to consume probiotic or antibiotic products.The quantification of various Clostridium subgroups, Lactobacillus subgroups,Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Bacteroides fragilis group and Prevotella,Bifidobacterium and Atopobium cluster, Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas was performed using the Yakult intestinal flora-scan(YIF-SCAN).RESULTS The bacterial population in younger subjects' feces was higher than that in the elderly population, with a total of approximately 10.0 – 10.6 log10 bacterial cells/g feces. The most abundant bacteria in all groups were Clostridium, followed by Prevotella, Atopobium, Bifidobacterium and Bacteroides. In the elderly, an increase in Enterobacteriaceae, Coliform and Escherichia coli was found. In terms of bacterial counts in Yogyakarta, total bacteria, Clostridium coccoides(C. coccoides) group,Bifidobacterium, Prevotella, Lactobacil展开更多
Improving organizational performance can be achieved through business process redesign (BPR). When it comes to modern work practices, organizations must often redesign their processes to keep up. This is where enterpr...Improving organizational performance can be achieved through business process redesign (BPR). When it comes to modern work practices, organizations must often redesign their processes to keep up. This is where enterprise software comes in, offering a common data infrastructure that enables different parts of the organization to access all necessary financial data. The architecture of network accounting business process is divided into three layers. The core layer lies in the enterprise LAN that it can integrate six business processes information into one unity of financial information and non-financial information, including purchasing, inventory, production, sales, finance and customer service, and it can generate flexibly a variety of accounting statements to meet fully the information users’ demands by providing more complete and more valuable related information. The second layer lies in Intranet among enterprises based on the core layer that it can support the link of business processes and the inter-sharing of information among node enterprises of SCM and other external enterprises. The third layer lies in Internet based on the second layer that it can fit society, enterprise and individual together, the specific lays the solid foundation of business collaboration, remote management, online management and centralized management. The operating mechanisms of the network accounting business processes are as follows. When the business event occurs, the probe can get the event information in real-time and the result is stored in the database. Meanwhile, the drive controller can control the business events in real-time by gaining control criteria and standards from database. In case the standard is exceeded, the event is not allowed to occur. Enterprise’ business staff or external personnel can output automatically the required results through report tools if they had the reading authority. Supported the information system and optimizing processes, the managers can directly use the business event information,展开更多
Background: In Africa, female genital mutilation (FGM) is a widespread and harmful practice, with Somalia having the highest incidence at 98%. This practice has severe and long-lasting physical and mental health conse...Background: In Africa, female genital mutilation (FGM) is a widespread and harmful practice, with Somalia having the highest incidence at 98%. This practice has severe and long-lasting physical and mental health consequences. The aim of the study was to evaluate the different types of FGM;immediate and long-term complications associated with the practice, and identify factors related to its prevalence. Method: In a one-year cross-sectional hospital-based study, data were collected from females aged 18 - 50 with a history of FGM. Face-to-face semi-structured questionnaires were used for data collection. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 26, utilizing univariate and bivariate analyses to identify correlations between variables, which were presented in tables. Results: In a study involving 255 female participants, 65.5% were between 18 and 30 years old. The majority (82.7%) were married, while 47.1% were illiterate. FGM cases were more prevalent in rural areas (61.6%). Among the participants, 45.1% were employed. Type 3 FGM was the most common (44.3%), followed by Type 2 (32.2%) and Type 1 (23.9%). In terms of short-term complications experienced by circumcised women, the most common were bleeding, reported by 29.8% of participants, followed by infection (25.1%), and urinary retention (19.2%). Among the long-term complications observed, recurrent vaginal infections were the most prevalent, affecting 29.8% of the surveyed females. This was episiotomy during delivery (22.3%) and genital scarring (10.2%). Conclusion: The study reveals that Type 3 FGM is highly prevalent among the surveyed females, contributing to an increased risk of recurrent vaginal infections, prolonged second stage of labor, higher likelihood of episiotomy during delivery, and genital scarring. These findings emphasize the urgent need for effective preventive strategies and implementation from both international and local organizations to eliminate the harmful practice of FGM.展开更多
The Internet of Things (IoT) represents a revolutionary paradigm, enabling a vast array of devices to be ubiquitously interconnected via the Internet, thereby facilitating remote control and management of these device...The Internet of Things (IoT) represents a revolutionary paradigm, enabling a vast array of devices to be ubiquitously interconnected via the Internet, thereby facilitating remote control and management of these devices. This pervasive integration into daily life brings significant convenience but also raises substantial concerns regarding the security of personal data collected and stored online. As the number of connected devices grows, the urgency to address privacy and security issues becomes paramount. IoT systems are particularly susceptible to threats that could compromise consumer privacy and security, affecting their practical deployment. Recent research efforts have focused on enhancing the security of IoT devices, including the exploration of blockchain technologies to mitigate these concerns. This paper aims to elucidate the security and privacy challenges inherent in IoT systems by examining vulnerabilities at each layer of the IoT protocol stack. It identifies key security requirements and reviews existing solutions designed to protect IoT systems from a layered perspective, thereby providing a comprehensive overview of the current landscape of IoT security and highlighting the critical need for robust security measures as the adoption of IoT continues to expand.展开更多
Purpose: Low back pain (LBP), Gonarthrosis, knee, and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome have been regarded as affecting more than three-quarters’ of individuals in their lifetime. The aim of this study was conducted to determin...Purpose: Low back pain (LBP), Gonarthrosis, knee, and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome have been regarded as affecting more than three-quarters’ of individuals in their lifetime. The aim of this study was conducted to determine and compare the effects of topical patients with sand compared with control related to Gonarthrosis, LBP, knee, and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome pain. Methods: This is a prospective case and control designed study based on 101 pain case with Sand and 101 control subjects. The interventional groups in addition either topical sand or without sand 2 months after the intervention were assessed. We assessed tolerability of an established pain perception scale by the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). Categorical variables were compared using the chi-square (χ<sup>2</sup>) test. The paired t-test was used to compare the two groups before and after the intervention. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed for comparison of several group means. Results: The study was based on 202 patients, 41 males (20.3%) and 161 females (79.7%). There were statistically significant differences between subjects with and without Sand in term of Gonarthrosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis LBP, knee, and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome pain (p = 0.033). Majority of patients were over age 55 years old (55%) and females 78 (77.2%). The mean score of total pain experience before and after the intervention was 7.41 ± 1.1 for black sand, and 4.24 ± 2.38 for without sand as control group. The mean scores of these 5 groups were highly significant before and after the intervention (p There was statistically highly significant in regarding subjects with Sand as compared with those before Sand after treatment mean score specifically with gonarthrosis before pain 7.23 ± 1.86 vs after treatment 4.54 ± 2.18 p < 0.001;rheumatoid arthritis before 8.28 ± 1.48 vs after treatment 4.80 ± 3.71 p < 0.001;Low Back Pain before 8.42 ± 1.83 vs after treatment 4.37 ± 1.52 p < 0.001;knee pain before 8.93 ± 0.89 vs after treatment 4.24 ± 0.24 p < 0.001;Carpal T展开更多
BACKGROUND Shifting on lifestyle,diet,and physical activity contributed on increasing number of obese people around the world.Multiple factors influence the development of obesity.Some research suggested that gut micr...BACKGROUND Shifting on lifestyle,diet,and physical activity contributed on increasing number of obese people around the world.Multiple factors influence the development of obesity.Some research suggested that gut microbiota(GM)plays an important role in nutrient absorption and energy regulation of individuals,thus affecting their nutritional status.Report of Indonesia Basic Health Research showed that the prevalence of obesity in every province tended to increase.Although the root cause of obesity is excessive calorie intake compared with expenditure,the differences in gut microbial ecology between healthy and obese humans may affect energy homeostasis.GM affect body weight,especially obesity.Probiotics that are consumed while alive and able to colonize in the intestine are expected to increase the population of good bacteria,especially Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli,and suppress pathogens such as Enterobacteriaceae and Staphylococcus.The strain of L.plantarum Dad-13 has been demonstrated to survive and colonize in the gastrointestinal tract of healthy Indonesian adults who consume fermented milk containing L.plantarum Dad-13.The consumption of probiotic L.plantarum Dad-13 powder decreased E.coli and non-E.coli coliform bacteria in school-aged children in Indonesia.L.plantarum is a dominant bacterium in the average Indonesian’s GM.For this reason,this bacterium is probably a more suitable probiotic for Indonesians.AIM To determine the effect of the consumption of indigenous probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum Dad-13 powder in overweight adults in Yogyakarta(Indonesia).METHODS Sixty overweight volunteers with a body mass index(BMI)equal to or greater than 25 consume indigenous probiotic powder L.plantarum Dad-13(2×109 CFU/gram/sachet)for 90 d.The study was a randomized,double-blind,placebocontrolled study.The volunteers filled in a diary on a daily basis,which consisted of questions on study product intake(only during ingestion period),other food intake,number of bowel movements,fecal quality(consistency and col展开更多
Two-dimensional （2D） layered materials, transition-metal dichalcogenides, and black phosphorus have attracted considerable interest from the viewpoints of fundamental physics and device applications. The establishme...Two-dimensional （2D） layered materials, transition-metal dichalcogenides, and black phosphorus have attracted considerable interest from the viewpoints of fundamental physics and device applications. The establishment of new functionalities in anisotropic layered 2D materials is a challenging but rewarding frontier, owing to the remarkable optical properties of these materials and their prospects for new devices. Herein, we report the anisotropic and thickness- dependent optical properties of a 2D layered monochalcogenide of germanium sulfide （GeS）. Three Raman-scattering peaks corresponding to the B3g,, A1g, and A2g modes with a strong polarization dependence are demonstrated in the GeS flakes, which validates polarized Raman spectroscopy as an effective method for identifying the crystal orientation of anisotropic layered GeS. Photoluminescence （PL） is observed with a peak at -1.66 eV that originates from the direct optical transition in GeS at room temperature. The polarization-dependent characteristics of the PL, which are revealed for the first time, along with the demonstration of anisotropic absorption, indicate an obvious anisotropic optical transition near the band edge of GeS, which is supported by density functional theory calculations. The significantly thickness-dependent PL is observed and discussed. This anisotropic layered GeS presents opportunities for the discovery of new physical phenomena and will find applications that exploit its anisotropic properties, such as polarization-sensitive photodetectors.展开更多
Titanium and its alloys have long been used as implant materials due to their outstanding mechanical properties and apparent biocompatibility.Despite this,the search for better alloys has continued to be active by res...Titanium and its alloys have long been used as implant materials due to their outstanding mechanical properties and apparent biocompatibility.Despite this,the search for better alloys has continued to be active by researchers and industries alike,as there are still pressing issues that require attention.These include(1)a large mismatch in the elastic modulus of the implant material,which causes a stress shielding problem;(2)the release of harmful ions from Ti alloys after long-term use;(3)a low bioactivity of the Ti alloy surface,which prolongs the healing process.More research has been directed toward finding new generation Ti alloys composed of more biocompatible phases and modifying the surface of Ti alloys from naturally bio-inert to bioactive in order to circumvent the problems.This review examines recent work reported on the fabrication of Ti alloys,and based on the survey,major characteristics highlighted the importance of elastic modulus and the use of non-toxic metal elements to improve biocompatibility.In terms of surface modification of Ti alloys,numerous studies have found that a nano-scaled surface oxide layer grown on the surface is always beneficial to improving the bioactivity of Ti alloys for rapid recovery after implantation.This comprehensive review focuses on the appropriate phase and composition for new Ti alloys intended for use as biomedical implants,emphasizing both fabrication and surface modification methods.展开更多
This work investigated the microstructure evolution, tensile, impact, hardness, and sliding wear properties of an Al–20Mg2Si–2Cu in situ composite treated with different Bi contents. The desired modification of prim...This work investigated the microstructure evolution, tensile, impact, hardness, and sliding wear properties of an Al–20Mg2Si–2Cu in situ composite treated with different Bi contents. The desired modification of primary Mg2 Si particles was achieved with the addition of 0.4 wt% Bi. Increasing Bi beyond 0.4 wt%resulted in a loss of modification, possibly due to the formation of Al8 MgB iS i4 compound before the precipitation of the primary Mg2 Si. Additionally, the structure of the pseudo-eutectic Mg2 Si was transformed from plate to fibrous, which was consistent with decrease of growth temperature extracted from the cooling curve thermal analysis. Addition of Bi had an effect on the morphology of Al5 Fe Si（β）, Al2Cu（θ） and Al5Cu2Mg8Si6（Q） intermetallic compounds. The tensile strength, elongation percentage, impact toughness, and hardness increased by 6%, 13%, 75%, and 23%, respectively, due to modification of both the primary and eutectic Mg2 Si crystals. The tensile and impact fracture surfaces showed fewer decohered particles in the Bi-treated composite. The enhancement in wear resistance of the Bi-treated composite could be attributed to solid lubricant function of insoluble soft Bi phase and modification effects on Mg2 Si particles.展开更多
Magnesium-based biomaterials have recently gained great attention as promising candidates for the new generation of biodegradable implants.This study investigated the mechanical performance and biodegradation behaviou...Magnesium-based biomaterials have recently gained great attention as promising candidates for the new generation of biodegradable implants.This study investigated the mechanical performance and biodegradation behaviour of magnesium-zinc/hydroxyapatite(Mg-Zn/HA)composites fabricated by different powder mixing techniques.A single step mixing process involved mechanical alloying or mechanical milling techniques,while double step processing involved a combination of both mechanical alloying and mechanical milling.Optimum mechanical properties of the composite were observed when the powders were prepared using single step processing via mechanical alloying technique.However,Mg-Zn/HA composite fabricated through single step processing via mechanical milling technique was found to have the most desirable low degradation rate coupled with highest bioactivity.The composite achieved the lowest degradation rate of 0.039×10^−3 mm/year as measured by immersion test and 0.0230 mm/year as measured by electrochemical polarization.Ca:P ratio of the composite also slightly more than enough to aid the initial bone mineralization,that is 1:1.76,as the required Ca:P ratio for initial bone mineralization is between 1:1 and 1:1.67.展开更多
The global COVID-19 pandemic arising from SARS-CoV-2 has impacted many lives,gaining interest worldwide ever since it was first identified in December 2019.Till 2023,752 million cumulative cases and 6.8 million deaths...The global COVID-19 pandemic arising from SARS-CoV-2 has impacted many lives,gaining interest worldwide ever since it was first identified in December 2019.Till 2023,752 million cumulative cases and 6.8 million deaths were documented globally.COVID-19 has been rapidly evolving,affecting virus transmissibility and properties and contributing to increased disease severity.The Omicron is themost circulating variant of concern.Although success in its treatment has indicated progress in tackling the virus,limitations in delivering the current antiviral agents in battling emerging variants remain remarkable.With the latest advancements in nanotechnology for controlling infectious diseases,liposomes have the potential to counteract SARS-CoV-2 because of their ability to employ different targeting strategies,incorporating monoclonal antibodies for the active and passive targeting of infected patients.This review will present a concise summary of the possible strategies for utilizing immunoliposomes to improve current treatment against the occurrence of SARSCoV-2 and its variants.展开更多
文摘Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) is a chronic liver disorder that is increasing in prevalence with the worldwide epidemic of obesity. NAFLD is the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome. The term NAFLD describes a spectrum of liver pathology ranges from simple steatosis to steatosis with inflammation nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and even cirrhosis. Metabolic syndrome and NAFLD also predict hepatocellular carcinoma. Many genetic and environmental factors have been suggested to contribute to the development of obesity and NAFLD, but the exact mechanisms are not known. Intestinal ecosystem contains trillions of microorganisms including bacteria, Archaea, yeasts and viruses. Several studies support the relationship between the intestinal microbial changes and obesity and also its complications, including insulin resistance and NAFLD. Given that the gut and liver are connected by the portal venous system, it makes the liver more vulnerable to translocation of bacteria, bacterial products, endotoxins or secreted cytokines. Altered intestinal microbiota(dysbiosis) may stimulate hepatic fat deposition through several mechanisms: regulation of gut permeability, increasing low-grade inflammation, modulation of dietary choline metabolism, regulation of bile acid metabolism and producing endogenous ethanol. Regulation of intestinal microbial ecosystem by diet modifications or by using probiotics and prebiotics as a treatment for obesity and its complications might be the issue of further investigations.
基金UPM and the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme provided by Ministry of Higher Education under project no. 01-11-08-661FR for the financial support for some parts of this study
文摘Filamentous fungi are able to accumulate significant amount of metals from their environment. The potential of fungal biomass as agents for biosorption of heavy metals from contaminated sediments is currently receiving attention. In the present study, a total of 41 isolates of filamentous fungi obtained from the sediment of the Langat River, Selangor, Malaysia were screened for their tolerance and uptake capability of copper （Cu） and lead （Pb）. The isolates were identified as Aspergillus niger, A. fumigatus, Trichoderma asperellum, Penicillium simplicissimurn and P. janthinellum. A. niger and P. simplicissimum, were able to survive at 1000 mg/L of Cu（Ⅱ） concentration on Potato Dextrose Agar （PDA） while for Pb, only A. niger survived at 5000 mg/L concentration. The results showed that A. niger, P. simplicissimum and T. asperellum have a better uptake capacity for Pb compared to Cu and the findings indicated promising biosorption of Cu and Pb by these filamentous fungi from aqueous solution. The present study was also determined the maximum removal of Cu（Ⅱ） and Pb（Ⅱ） that was performed by A. niger. The metal removal which occurred at Cu（Ⅱ） 200 mg/L was （20.910 ＋ 0.581） mg/g and at 250 mg/L of PbⅡ） was （54.046 ± 0.328） mg/g.
基金the Ministry of Education (MOE), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Universiti Malaysia Pahang for financial support of this research under RAGS (RDU131418) and FRGS (RDU120112)
文摘The performance of CeO2-TiO2 photocatalyst for the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into methanol was studied under visible light irradiation. The as-prepared catalysts were characterized for their structural, textural and optical properties using X-ray diffraction（XRD）, field emission scanning electron microscopy（FESEM）, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy（XPS）, nitrogen physisorption analysis, UV-vis spectroscopy and photoluminescence（PL） spectroscopy. The characterization results indicated that the presence of CeO2 stabilized the anatase phase of TiO2, decreased its crystallite size, increased the surface area, reduced the band gap energy and lowered the rate of electron-hole pair recombination. The CeO2-TiO2 photocatalyst showed an increased methanol yield of 18.6 μmol/g under visible light irradiation, compared to the bare TiO2（6.0 μmol/g）.
基金supported by grants from SingHealth Talent Development Fund,Singapore(TDF/CS001/2006)InfoComm Research Cluster,Nanyang Technological University,Singapore(2006ICT09)
文摘BACKGROUND:This study was undertaken to validate the use of the modified early warning score(MEWS) as a predictor of patient mortality and intensive care unit(ICU)/ high dependency(HD)admission in an Asian population.METHODS:The MEWS was applied to a retrospective cohort of 1 024 critically ill patients presenting to a large Asian tertiary emergency department(ED) between November 2006 and December2007.Individual MEWS was calculated based on vital signs parameters on arrival at ED.Outcomes of mortality and ICU/HD admission were obtained from hospital records.The ability of the composite MEWS and its individual components to predict mortality within 30 days from ED visit was assessed.Sensitivity,specificity,positive and negative predictive values were derived and compared with values from other cohorts.A MEWS of ≥4 was chosen as the cut-off value for poor prognosis based on previous studies.RESULTS:A total of 311(30.4%) critically ill patients were presented with a MEWS ≥4.Their mean age was 61.4 years(SD 18.1) with a male to female ratio of 1.10.Of the 311 patients,53(17%)died within 30 days,64(20.6%) were admitted to ICU and 86(27.7%) were admitted to HD.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.71 with a sensitivity of 53.0%and a specificity of 72.1%in addition to a positive predictive value(PPV) of 17.0%and a negative predictive value(NPV)of 93.4%(MEWS cut-off of ≥4) for predicting mortality.CONCLUSION:The composite MEWS did not perform well in predicting poor patient outcomes for critically ill patients presenting to an ED.
文摘The discrepancy between the surgical technique and the type of adjuvant chemotherapy used in clinical trials and patient outcomes in terms of overall survival rates has led to the generation of different adjuvant treatment protocols in distinct parts of the world.The adjuvant treatment recommendation is generally chemoradiotherapy in the United States,perioperative chemotherapy in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe,and chemotherapy in Asia.These options mainly rely on the United States Intergroup-0116,United Kingdom British Medical Research Council Adjuvant Gastric Infusional Chemotherapy,and the Asian Adjuvant Chemotherapy Trial of S-1 for Gastric Cancer and Capecitabine and Oxaliplatin Adjuvant Study in Stomach Cancer trials.However,the benefits were evident for only certain patients,which were not very homogeneous regarding the type of surgery,chemotherapy regimens,and stage of disease.Whether the dissimilarities in survival are attributable to surgical technique or intrinsic biological differences is a subject of debate.Regardless of the extent of surgery,multimodal therapy may offer modest survival advantage at least for diseases with lymph node involvement.Moreover,in the era of individualized treatment for most of the other cancer types,identification of special subgroups comprising those who will derive more or no benefit from adjuvant therapy merits further investigation.The aim of this review is to reveal the historical evolution and future reflections of adjuvant treatment modalities for resected gastric cancer patients.
基金Supported by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Research Fund,No.UKM-DLP-066-2011 and No.FF-032-2012
文摘AIM To investigate and compare the effects of tocotrienol and omeprazole on gastric growth factors in rats exposed to water-immersion restraint stress(WIRS).METHODS Twenty-eight male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to four groups of seven rats. The two control groups were administered vitamin-free palm oil(vehicle) and the two treatment groups were given omeprazole(20 mg/kg) or tocotrienol(60 mg/kg) by oral gavage. After 28 d of treatment, rats from one control group and both treated groups were subjected to WIRS one time for 3.5 h. Gastric lesions were measured and gastric tissues were obtained to measure vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF), epidermal growth factor(EGF), basic fibroblast growth factor(b FGF), and transforming growth factor-alpha(TGF-α) m RNA expression. RESULTS Rats exposed to WIRS for 3.5 h demonstrated the presence of considerable ulcers in the form of gastric erosion. The lesion index in the stressed control(S) group was increased(P < 0.001) compared to the tocotrienol treated and omeprazole treated groups. Stress led to a decrease in gastric VEGF(P < 0.001), b FGF(P < 0.001) and TGF-α(P < 0.001) m RNA levels and caused an increase in EGF m RNA(P < 0.001) that was statistically significant compared to the nonstressed control group. Although both treatment agents exerted similar ulcer reducing ability, only treatment with tocotrienol led to increased expression of VEGF(P = 0.008), b FGF(P = 0.001) and TGF-α(P = 0.002) m RNA.CONCLUSION Tocotrienol provides gastroprotective effects in WIRSinduced ulcers. Compared to omeprazole, tocotrienol exerts a similar protective effect, albeit through multiple mechanisms of protection, particularly through up-regulation of growth factors that assist in repair of gastric tissue injuries.
文摘Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients with acute intoxication admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Material and Methods: An observational retrospective study was conducted on intoxicated patients who admitted to ICU between January 2022 and January 2024. Data were collected from the patients medical records. The demographic characteristics, causes of intoxications, clinical parameters, the mean stay in the ICU, treatment modalities and prognosis were recorded. Results: A total of 2875 critically ill patients were admitted during the study period, and 109 (3.79%) of them were acute intoxications. Their mean of ages was 38.09 ± 12.29. The female-to-male ratio was 1.37/1. Drugs were found to be the primary cause (62.39%) of intoxications, and analgesics, antidepressants, and antibiotics were the most frequent agents. Suicidal attempts were present in 66 patients, most of them were female (62.13%) and between 17 - 24 years (40.91%). The other common causes of intoxications were carbon monoxide (CO) (22.02%), methyl/ethyl alcohol (8.26%) and mushroom (5.50%). The mean stay in the ICU was 2.69 ± 0.89 days. Mechanical ventilation was applied to 10 of our patients. Renal replacement therapy was required in 6 patients. Despite all treatments, 6 of our patients died, and we found the mortality rate to be 5.50%. Conclusion: Intoxications were more frequent in young female patients and drugs were the most common cause with suicidal intent. Unfortunately, CO poisoning continues to be a very important problem in our city. These findings provided significant information about the characteristics of intoxications in Karabuk.
文摘BACKGROUND Recently, gut microbiota has been associated with various diseases other than intestinal disease. Thus, there has been rapid growth in the study of gut microbiota. Considering the numerous factors influencing gut microbiota such as age, diet, etc., area-based research is required. Indonesia has numerous different tribes and each of these tribes have different lifestyles. Hence, it is expected that each tribe has a specific gut microbiota. A deeper insight into the composition of gut microbiota can be used to determine the condition of gut microbiota in Indonesians and to consider which treatment may be suitable and effective to improve health status.AIM To investigate the gut microbiota of Indonesian subjects represented by Javanese and Balinese tribes by analyzing fecal samples.METHODS Fecal samples were collected from a total of 80 individuals with 20 in each of the young groups ranging from 25-45 years and the elderly group aged 70 years or more from two different regions, Yogyakarta and Bali. Fecal sample collection was performed at the end of the assessment period(day 14 ± 1 d) during which time the subjects were not allowed to consume probiotic or antibiotic products.The quantification of various Clostridium subgroups, Lactobacillus subgroups,Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Bacteroides fragilis group and Prevotella,Bifidobacterium and Atopobium cluster, Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas was performed using the Yakult intestinal flora-scan(YIF-SCAN).RESULTS The bacterial population in younger subjects' feces was higher than that in the elderly population, with a total of approximately 10.0 – 10.6 log10 bacterial cells/g feces. The most abundant bacteria in all groups were Clostridium, followed by Prevotella, Atopobium, Bifidobacterium and Bacteroides. In the elderly, an increase in Enterobacteriaceae, Coliform and Escherichia coli was found. In terms of bacterial counts in Yogyakarta, total bacteria, Clostridium coccoides(C. coccoides) group,Bifidobacterium, Prevotella, Lactobacil
文摘Improving organizational performance can be achieved through business process redesign (BPR). When it comes to modern work practices, organizations must often redesign their processes to keep up. This is where enterprise software comes in, offering a common data infrastructure that enables different parts of the organization to access all necessary financial data. The architecture of network accounting business process is divided into three layers. The core layer lies in the enterprise LAN that it can integrate six business processes information into one unity of financial information and non-financial information, including purchasing, inventory, production, sales, finance and customer service, and it can generate flexibly a variety of accounting statements to meet fully the information users’ demands by providing more complete and more valuable related information. The second layer lies in Intranet among enterprises based on the core layer that it can support the link of business processes and the inter-sharing of information among node enterprises of SCM and other external enterprises. The third layer lies in Internet based on the second layer that it can fit society, enterprise and individual together, the specific lays the solid foundation of business collaboration, remote management, online management and centralized management. The operating mechanisms of the network accounting business processes are as follows. When the business event occurs, the probe can get the event information in real-time and the result is stored in the database. Meanwhile, the drive controller can control the business events in real-time by gaining control criteria and standards from database. In case the standard is exceeded, the event is not allowed to occur. Enterprise’ business staff or external personnel can output automatically the required results through report tools if they had the reading authority. Supported the information system and optimizing processes, the managers can directly use the business event information,
文摘Background: In Africa, female genital mutilation (FGM) is a widespread and harmful practice, with Somalia having the highest incidence at 98%. This practice has severe and long-lasting physical and mental health consequences. The aim of the study was to evaluate the different types of FGM;immediate and long-term complications associated with the practice, and identify factors related to its prevalence. Method: In a one-year cross-sectional hospital-based study, data were collected from females aged 18 - 50 with a history of FGM. Face-to-face semi-structured questionnaires were used for data collection. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 26, utilizing univariate and bivariate analyses to identify correlations between variables, which were presented in tables. Results: In a study involving 255 female participants, 65.5% were between 18 and 30 years old. The majority (82.7%) were married, while 47.1% were illiterate. FGM cases were more prevalent in rural areas (61.6%). Among the participants, 45.1% were employed. Type 3 FGM was the most common (44.3%), followed by Type 2 (32.2%) and Type 1 (23.9%). In terms of short-term complications experienced by circumcised women, the most common were bleeding, reported by 29.8% of participants, followed by infection (25.1%), and urinary retention (19.2%). Among the long-term complications observed, recurrent vaginal infections were the most prevalent, affecting 29.8% of the surveyed females. This was episiotomy during delivery (22.3%) and genital scarring (10.2%). Conclusion: The study reveals that Type 3 FGM is highly prevalent among the surveyed females, contributing to an increased risk of recurrent vaginal infections, prolonged second stage of labor, higher likelihood of episiotomy during delivery, and genital scarring. These findings emphasize the urgent need for effective preventive strategies and implementation from both international and local organizations to eliminate the harmful practice of FGM.
文摘The Internet of Things (IoT) represents a revolutionary paradigm, enabling a vast array of devices to be ubiquitously interconnected via the Internet, thereby facilitating remote control and management of these devices. This pervasive integration into daily life brings significant convenience but also raises substantial concerns regarding the security of personal data collected and stored online. As the number of connected devices grows, the urgency to address privacy and security issues becomes paramount. IoT systems are particularly susceptible to threats that could compromise consumer privacy and security, affecting their practical deployment. Recent research efforts have focused on enhancing the security of IoT devices, including the exploration of blockchain technologies to mitigate these concerns. This paper aims to elucidate the security and privacy challenges inherent in IoT systems by examining vulnerabilities at each layer of the IoT protocol stack. It identifies key security requirements and reviews existing solutions designed to protect IoT systems from a layered perspective, thereby providing a comprehensive overview of the current landscape of IoT security and highlighting the critical need for robust security measures as the adoption of IoT continues to expand.
文摘Purpose: Low back pain (LBP), Gonarthrosis, knee, and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome have been regarded as affecting more than three-quarters’ of individuals in their lifetime. The aim of this study was conducted to determine and compare the effects of topical patients with sand compared with control related to Gonarthrosis, LBP, knee, and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome pain. Methods: This is a prospective case and control designed study based on 101 pain case with Sand and 101 control subjects. The interventional groups in addition either topical sand or without sand 2 months after the intervention were assessed. We assessed tolerability of an established pain perception scale by the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). Categorical variables were compared using the chi-square (χ<sup>2</sup>) test. The paired t-test was used to compare the two groups before and after the intervention. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed for comparison of several group means. Results: The study was based on 202 patients, 41 males (20.3%) and 161 females (79.7%). There were statistically significant differences between subjects with and without Sand in term of Gonarthrosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis LBP, knee, and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome pain (p = 0.033). Majority of patients were over age 55 years old (55%) and females 78 (77.2%). The mean score of total pain experience before and after the intervention was 7.41 ± 1.1 for black sand, and 4.24 ± 2.38 for without sand as control group. The mean scores of these 5 groups were highly significant before and after the intervention (p There was statistically highly significant in regarding subjects with Sand as compared with those before Sand after treatment mean score specifically with gonarthrosis before pain 7.23 ± 1.86 vs after treatment 4.54 ± 2.18 p < 0.001;rheumatoid arthritis before 8.28 ± 1.48 vs after treatment 4.80 ± 3.71 p < 0.001;Low Back Pain before 8.42 ± 1.83 vs after treatment 4.37 ± 1.52 p < 0.001;knee pain before 8.93 ± 0.89 vs after treatment 4.24 ± 0.24 p < 0.001;Carpal T
基金Supported by Ristekdikti Kalbe-Science Awards,No.048/KFLegal/RKSA/I/2019.
文摘BACKGROUND Shifting on lifestyle,diet,and physical activity contributed on increasing number of obese people around the world.Multiple factors influence the development of obesity.Some research suggested that gut microbiota(GM)plays an important role in nutrient absorption and energy regulation of individuals,thus affecting their nutritional status.Report of Indonesia Basic Health Research showed that the prevalence of obesity in every province tended to increase.Although the root cause of obesity is excessive calorie intake compared with expenditure,the differences in gut microbial ecology between healthy and obese humans may affect energy homeostasis.GM affect body weight,especially obesity.Probiotics that are consumed while alive and able to colonize in the intestine are expected to increase the population of good bacteria,especially Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli,and suppress pathogens such as Enterobacteriaceae and Staphylococcus.The strain of L.plantarum Dad-13 has been demonstrated to survive and colonize in the gastrointestinal tract of healthy Indonesian adults who consume fermented milk containing L.plantarum Dad-13.The consumption of probiotic L.plantarum Dad-13 powder decreased E.coli and non-E.coli coliform bacteria in school-aged children in Indonesia.L.plantarum is a dominant bacterium in the average Indonesian’s GM.For this reason,this bacterium is probably a more suitable probiotic for Indonesians.AIM To determine the effect of the consumption of indigenous probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum Dad-13 powder in overweight adults in Yogyakarta(Indonesia).METHODS Sixty overweight volunteers with a body mass index(BMI)equal to or greater than 25 consume indigenous probiotic powder L.plantarum Dad-13(2×109 CFU/gram/sachet)for 90 d.The study was a randomized,double-blind,placebocontrolled study.The volunteers filled in a diary on a daily basis,which consisted of questions on study product intake(only during ingestion period),other food intake,number of bowel movements,fecal quality(consistency and col
文摘Two-dimensional （2D） layered materials, transition-metal dichalcogenides, and black phosphorus have attracted considerable interest from the viewpoints of fundamental physics and device applications. The establishment of new functionalities in anisotropic layered 2D materials is a challenging but rewarding frontier, owing to the remarkable optical properties of these materials and their prospects for new devices. Herein, we report the anisotropic and thickness- dependent optical properties of a 2D layered monochalcogenide of germanium sulfide （GeS）. Three Raman-scattering peaks corresponding to the B3g,, A1g, and A2g modes with a strong polarization dependence are demonstrated in the GeS flakes, which validates polarized Raman spectroscopy as an effective method for identifying the crystal orientation of anisotropic layered GeS. Photoluminescence （PL） is observed with a peak at -1.66 eV that originates from the direct optical transition in GeS at room temperature. The polarization-dependent characteristics of the PL, which are revealed for the first time, along with the demonstration of anisotropic absorption, indicate an obvious anisotropic optical transition near the band edge of GeS, which is supported by density functional theory calculations. The significantly thickness-dependent PL is observed and discussed. This anisotropic layered GeS presents opportunities for the discovery of new physical phenomena and will find applications that exploit its anisotropic properties, such as polarization-sensitive photodetectors.
基金funded by the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education under the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme(Project Code FRGS/1/2018/TK05/USM/01/5)the first author is supported financially by a scholarship from Universiti Sains Malaysia(USM Fellowship)。
文摘Titanium and its alloys have long been used as implant materials due to their outstanding mechanical properties and apparent biocompatibility.Despite this,the search for better alloys has continued to be active by researchers and industries alike,as there are still pressing issues that require attention.These include(1)a large mismatch in the elastic modulus of the implant material,which causes a stress shielding problem;(2)the release of harmful ions from Ti alloys after long-term use;(3)a low bioactivity of the Ti alloy surface,which prolongs the healing process.More research has been directed toward finding new generation Ti alloys composed of more biocompatible phases and modifying the surface of Ti alloys from naturally bio-inert to bioactive in order to circumvent the problems.This review examines recent work reported on the fabrication of Ti alloys,and based on the survey,major characteristics highlighted the importance of elastic modulus and the use of non-toxic metal elements to improve biocompatibility.In terms of surface modification of Ti alloys,numerous studies have found that a nano-scaled surface oxide layer grown on the surface is always beneficial to improving the bioactivity of Ti alloys for rapid recovery after implantation.This comprehensive review focuses on the appropriate phase and composition for new Ti alloys intended for use as biomedical implants,emphasizing both fabrication and surface modification methods.
文摘This work investigated the microstructure evolution, tensile, impact, hardness, and sliding wear properties of an Al–20Mg2Si–2Cu in situ composite treated with different Bi contents. The desired modification of primary Mg2 Si particles was achieved with the addition of 0.4 wt% Bi. Increasing Bi beyond 0.4 wt%resulted in a loss of modification, possibly due to the formation of Al8 MgB iS i4 compound before the precipitation of the primary Mg2 Si. Additionally, the structure of the pseudo-eutectic Mg2 Si was transformed from plate to fibrous, which was consistent with decrease of growth temperature extracted from the cooling curve thermal analysis. Addition of Bi had an effect on the morphology of Al5 Fe Si（β）, Al2Cu（θ） and Al5Cu2Mg8Si6（Q） intermetallic compounds. The tensile strength, elongation percentage, impact toughness, and hardness increased by 6%, 13%, 75%, and 23%, respectively, due to modification of both the primary and eutectic Mg2 Si crystals. The tensile and impact fracture surfaces showed fewer decohered particles in the Bi-treated composite. The enhancement in wear resistance of the Bi-treated composite could be attributed to solid lubricant function of insoluble soft Bi phase and modification effects on Mg2 Si particles.
基金The authors would like thank to Universiti Sains Malaysia for FRGS Grant No.203/PBAHAN/6071386 and financial scholarship from Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia.
文摘Magnesium-based biomaterials have recently gained great attention as promising candidates for the new generation of biodegradable implants.This study investigated the mechanical performance and biodegradation behaviour of magnesium-zinc/hydroxyapatite(Mg-Zn/HA)composites fabricated by different powder mixing techniques.A single step mixing process involved mechanical alloying or mechanical milling techniques,while double step processing involved a combination of both mechanical alloying and mechanical milling.Optimum mechanical properties of the composite were observed when the powders were prepared using single step processing via mechanical alloying technique.However,Mg-Zn/HA composite fabricated through single step processing via mechanical milling technique was found to have the most desirable low degradation rate coupled with highest bioactivity.The composite achieved the lowest degradation rate of 0.039×10^−3 mm/year as measured by immersion test and 0.0230 mm/year as measured by electrochemical polarization.Ca:P ratio of the composite also slightly more than enough to aid the initial bone mineralization,that is 1:1.76,as the required Ca:P ratio for initial bone mineralization is between 1:1 and 1:1.67.
基金the financial support obtained from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia(DIP-2021-001)ASEANIndia Science&Technology Development Fund(AISTDF)(SERB/F/3955/2022-2023).
文摘The global COVID-19 pandemic arising from SARS-CoV-2 has impacted many lives,gaining interest worldwide ever since it was first identified in December 2019.Till 2023,752 million cumulative cases and 6.8 million deaths were documented globally.COVID-19 has been rapidly evolving,affecting virus transmissibility and properties and contributing to increased disease severity.The Omicron is themost circulating variant of concern.Although success in its treatment has indicated progress in tackling the virus,limitations in delivering the current antiviral agents in battling emerging variants remain remarkable.With the latest advancements in nanotechnology for controlling infectious diseases,liposomes have the potential to counteract SARS-CoV-2 because of their ability to employ different targeting strategies,incorporating monoclonal antibodies for the active and passive targeting of infected patients.This review will present a concise summary of the possible strategies for utilizing immunoliposomes to improve current treatment against the occurrence of SARSCoV-2 and its variants.
