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The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of physical inactivity and identify the predictors for low physical activity among community-dwelling older persons living in Malaysia in 3 years follow-up. In this prospective study, physical activity levels were measured using the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly. The arbitrary cutoff for Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly in this study was ≤70.9 for low and >141 for high physical activity levels. Out of the 955 physically active participants at baseline, 555 of them (mean [SD] age 68.82 [4.92] years) were successfully followed up to 3 years. Cumulative incidence of being physically inactive was 21% with rate of 7 per 100 person-years. It was found that being older (

This study examined the lactulose-fortified low-calorie guava preserves. The results showed that sucrose, used as a sweetener in guava preserves, could be partially substituted by lactulose without significantly affecting the overall quality of the preserves. The physicochemical properties, antioxidant activity, and sensory evaluation of guava preserves with substitute lactulose were evaluated. The main aim of this study was to develop prebiotic guava preserves from two guava cultivars, namely, Safeda and Chittidar. The guava preserves without lactulose were used as control samples which contained 50% w/w sucrose of pulp, while lactulose-treated preserves replaced sucrose with 25%, 50%, and 75% w/w of lactulose. The finding showed that prebiotics did not significantly differ between control and treated samples. The range of ascorbic acid content of guava preserves was 98.2-102.6 mg/100g. Lactulose did not show a statistically significant effect on the level of ascorbic acid in guava preserves. The mineral content and antioxidant properties of guava preserves supplemented with lactulose were higher than those not supplemented with lactulose. The guava preserves with 50% lactulose were most accepted.

Introduction: Menopause associated symptoms may interrupt daily activities and wellbeing among postmenopausal women. Decline in muscle strength and bone mineral density may lead to bone fragility, increase osteoporotic fracture risk, decrease functional performance and quality of life (QOL) among postmenopausal women. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of 8-weeks physiotherapeutic education (an education session and home-based exercise) on back extensor muscle (BEM) strength, physical performance, balance and QOL in postmenopausal women. Methods: A single blinded, two-arm pilot randomize clinical trial consisting of 30 postmenopausal women with mean age of 68.90 (SD = 8.44) years were randomly assigned to the experimental (n=15) and control (n=15) groups. Experimental group received a group education and performed 8-weeks of home-based exercises. Participants in experimental group recorded exercises performed in their exercise diaries and a physiotherapist monitored their progress through phone calls every two weeks. Control group maintained their daily routine. Assessments were performed at baseline and after eight weeks of intervention for quality of life (QOL), physical performance, BEM strength, handgrip muscle strength and balance using Euro-EQ5D Questionnaire, Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) test, prone trunk extension test with a load cell, hand-held dynamometer and Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale, respectively. Results: The adherence of exercise in experimental group was 86.67%. Mixed model ANOVA analysis showed that there was an interaction effect for BEM strength (p < 0.01). Specifically, the self-perceived health status (EQVAS), EQ5D health Utility index, SPPB and ABC scale had more improvements from pre to post test (all p < 0.05) among experimental compared to control group. Conclusion: Physiotherapeutic education (a group education combined with 8-weeks of therapeutic home-based exercises) provides an effective means to improve BEM strength and physical performance in postmenopausal women.

The two-minute step test (2MST) has been used to estimate cardiorespiratory fitness and optimum scores are needed for performing activities of daily living with ease among older persons. However, there is limited information on the mediating role of cognitive impairment on 2MST performance and the 2MST normative data. Hence, we aim to identify the mediating role of cognitive status on performance in the 2MST among community-dwelling older adults and to establish the normative values of the 2MST.Participants aged 60 years and above were recruited through multistage random sampling from four states in Malaysia. The participants performed the 2MST using standard protocols. Mean comparison was done using an independent sample t-test or one-way analysis of variance. The 2MST normative values were then outlined descriptively.Older age groups (60-69 years: 65.4 ± 21.9 times; 70-79 years: 61.7 ± 22.9 times; ≥80 years: 51.6 ± 24.5 times) had significantly lower levels of 2MST performance (p 0.001). Women (56.6 ± 20.9 times) and participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (58.7 ± 21.7 times) also had significantly lower levels of 2MST performance (p 0.001) compared with men (69.1 ± 20.7 times) and participants with normal cognition (63.7 ± 21.6 times). Cognitive status had a significant mediation effect for age and sex on 2MST performance (p 0.001). Therefore, the 2MST normative values were stratified according to cognitive status, sex, and age groups.Validation of these findings in a larger number of older populations with MCI may provide directions for cardiorespiratory fitness training to be emphasised among older persons with MCI. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2022; 22: 950-955.

Energy forecasting plays a vital role in mitigating challenges in data rich smart grid (SG) systems involving various applications such as demand-side management, load shedding, and optimum dispatch. Managing efficient forecasting while ensuring the least possible prediction error is one of the main challenges posed in the grid today, considering the uncertainty in SG data. This paper presents a comprehensive and application-oriented review of state-of-the-art forecasting methods for SG systems along with recent developments in probabilistic deep learning (PDL). Traditional point forecasting methods including statistical, machine learning (ML), and deep learning (DL) are extensively investigated in terms of their applicability to energy forecasting. In addition, the significance of hybrid and data pre-processing techniques to support forecasting performance is also studied. A comparative case study using the Victorian electricity consumption in Australia and American electric power (AEP) datasets is conducted to analyze the performance of deterministic and probabilistic forecasting methods. The analysis demonstrates higher efficacy of DL methods with appropriate hyper-parameter tuning when sample sizes are larger and involve nonlinear patterns. Furthermore, PDL methods are found to achieve at least 60% lower prediction errors in comparison to other benchmark DL methods. However, the execution time increases significantly for PDL methods due to large sample space and a tradeoff between computational performance and forecasting accuracy needs to be maintained.

In this study, we aimed to determine gender specific age-related decline in anthropometry status, physical performance (PP) and physical activity (PA) in older persons with and without mild cognitive impairment (MCI) prospectively over 3 years. Within-group changes across three time points (baseline-Wave 1, 18 months-Wave 2, 36 months-Wave 3) based on gender and cognitive status were determined. Data was collected at Wave 3 of a longitudinal study: “Neuroprotective Model for Health Longevity among Elderly”. Secondary data from Wave 1 and 2 was obtained for analysis. Older persons with MCI were categorised to have subjective memory problems (answered ‘yes’ on item 10 of Geriatric Depression Scale), scored at least 1.5 SD below mean average on Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test and Digit Span, no dementia, no problems with activities in daily living, intact global cognition (>19/30: Mini Mental State Examination) and without depression (Geriatric Depression Scale 15-items,≤4). Anthropometry measurements and a battery of PP tests were performed. PA was measured using Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly questionnaire. Data from 779 older persons (67.7 ± 5.3 years) consisting of 372 men (68.0 ± 5.2 years) and 407 women (67.4 ± 5.4) who completed all tests from Wave 1 to Wave 3 were analysed. There was a decline in PP (-0.7% to -14.1% per year), PA levels (-0.7% to -14.1% per year) and anthropometry status (-0.1% to -6.3% per year), except for percentage body fat (+9.9% per year) with advancing age. Within-group changes over the three years showed significant differences (p

IntroductionAging is associated with physiological changes in multiple systems in the body and may impact the transportation choices of older adults. In this study, we examine the associations between biopsychosocial factors and the transportation choices of Malaysian older adults.MethodsOne hundred and nineteen (119) older adults, aged 60 and above, living in Klang Valley, Malaysia were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Participants were interviewed face-to-face to obtain sociodemographic data, health status (whether there were and, if yes, the number of comorbidities), outdoor mobility and transportation patterns, Instrumental Activity Daily Living (IADL) status and cognitive function. Participants’ physical performance (dominant handgrip strength, 10-m walk, and timed up and go tests), hearing threshold (pure tone audiometry), and vision function (visual acuity, contrast sensitivity) were measured. Transportation patterns of older adults were categorized into three groups, that is, flexible (using public transport and/or private vehicles), using only private vehicles and restricted (relying on others or walking).ResultsFurther information is needed to enable such older adults as older women, those with comorbidities and poorer functional status to access transportation, especially to meet their health care needs.DiscussionThe majority (51%) of participants were in the ‘using only private vehicles’ group, followed by the ‘flexibles’ (25%) and the ‘restricted’ (24%). Factors significantly associated with the restricted transportation group were: (a) being female (AdjOR 15.39, 95% CI 0.86–23.39, p p p = 0.007); and (d) being dependent in IADL (AdjOR 13.48, 95% CI 0.51–1.78, p = 0.002).

Background: As a by-product derived from roller milling of wheat flour production, wheat bran has high dietary fiber content, which contains 44-50% of fiber and can be incorporated into food products to alter the nutritional quality of foods. Objective: In this research paper, the development of fiber-rich pasta with supplementation of wheat bran and analyzed by dietary fiber, total phenolic acid, free radical scavenging capacity, color value, overall acceptability and flavour Methods: In the present study, the methods used, i.e., TPC and FRAP content for antioxidant properties and dietary fiber determined by the enzyme-gravimetric method. Results: This study found that an increase in the bran ratio increased the percent of dietary fiber, total phenolic acid, and free radical scavenging capacity of pasta. , The percentage of wheat bran, can also affect the color value of pasta ,which reduced L* values while a* and b* values increased. The flavour and overall acceptability of the wheat bran enriched pasta increases at certain after that, it could decrease, and the flavour of the pasta was reduced with the increase of wheat bran. result: This study was found out that an increase in bran ratio increased the percent of dietary fiber, total Phenolic acid and free radical scavenging capacity of pasta. Percentage of wheat bran also affect the color value of pasta in which, reduced L values while a* and b* values increased. The flavor and over all acceptability of the wheat bran enriched pasta was increases at certain level after that, it could be decreases and flavor of pasta was reduced with increasing of wheat bran Conclusion: The functionality of wheat bran-enriched pasta has observed more high dietary fiber and health benefits. In the future, wheat bran-enriched pasta food products can be used in the prevention of chronic diseases like colon cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc. other: Keywords- Wheat bran, Dietary fiber, Total Phenolic acid, Free radical scavenging capacity, Response surface methodology

In present study supplementation of wheat bran with refined wheat flour was done at various levels (control to 30%) for preparation of bread which were subjected to morphological, sensory and nutritional analysis to obtain the best formulation. Nine-point hedonic test was used for sensory evaluation of prepared bread which showed increasing trends on increasing the level of wheat bran. Bread obtained by incorporating 25% wheat bran showed highest scores in terms of overall acceptability. Nutritional evaluation of supplemented bread shows the increasing trends that were ranged from 3.46-8.4% moisture, 2.5–6 % crude fat, 1.13–9.81 % crude fibre, and 0.66–4.1% ash content, while protein content (10.5–4%) was decreased with increasing of wheat bran. The functional properties of the bread were analyzed in terms of water holding capacity (3.14–5.59 ml/g), oil holding capacity (2.20–4.34 ml/g), and swelling capacity (0.68–2.45ml/g) were increase from control to 30 % supplementation of bran while bulk density (13.34-9.57 g/ml) was reduced with increasing of bran. Antioxidant compounds and their properties (Total Phenolic content, metal ion chelating activity, free radical activity and reducing power) of prepared bread were also increased as the supplementation of wheat bran was increased. Texture analyses of bread were analyzed by texture analyzer TA-XT2i in terms of hardness, cohesiveness, chewiness, gumminess and springiness. Thus supplementation of wheat bran up to 20% level would improve the nutritional quality of bread without adversely affecting the sensory parameters.

BACKGROUND: Adults with unilateral posterior canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) may continue to present with residual dizziness and balance impairments after the canalith repositioning maneuver (CRM). Customized Vestibular rehabilitation (VR) in addition to the standard CRM may improve postural control in adults with BPPV. However, the effectiveness of this intervention for improving dyanmic gait measures in adults with BPPV is unknown. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine the effectiveness of customized VR in addition to the standard CRM on dynamic gait measures among adults with unilateral posterior canal BPPV. METHODS: In this double blind, randomized controlled trial, 28 adults with BPPV were randomized to either control (n = 14, age: 54.36±8.55) or experimental (n = 14, age: 50.71±9.88) groups. The experimental and control groups received customized VR plus standard CRM for six weeks and standard CRM for two weeks respectively. Dynamic gait measures (duration of a complete gait cycle, stride velocity, turning duration and number of steps while turning) were recorded using a portable mobility sensor (iTUG) at baseline, week 4 and 6. A mixed model ANOVA was used to estimate the main effects of the interventions. RESULTS: During walking, a group effect was demonstrated on gait duration, stride velocity, turning duration and number of steps while turning (p

Genome sequence analysis of Entamoeba species revealed various classes of transposable elements. While E. histolytica and E. dispar are rich in non-long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons, E. invadens contains predominantly DNA transposons. Non-LTR retrotransposons of E. histolytica constitute three families of long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs), and their short, nonautonomous partners, SINEs. They occupy ~ 11% of the genome. The EhLINE1/EhSINE1 family is the most abundant and best studied. EhLINE1 is 4.8 kb, with two ORFs that encode functions needed for retrotransposition. ORF1 codes for the nucleic acid-binding protein, and ORF2 has domains for reverse transcriptase (RT) and endonuclease (EN). Most copies of EhLINEs lack complete ORFs. ORF1p is expressed constitutively, but ORF2p is not detected. Retrotransposition could be demonstrated upon ectopic over expression of ORF2p, showing that retrotransposition machinery is functional. The newly retrotransposed sequences showed a high degree of recombination. In transcriptomic analysis, RNA-Seq reads were mapped to individual EhLINE1 copies. Although full-length copies were transcribed, no full-length 4.8 kb transcripts were seen. Rather, sense transcripts mapped to ORF1, RT and EN domains. Intriguingly, there was strong antisense transcription almost exclusively from the RT domain. These unique features of EhLINE1 could serve to attenuate retrotransposition in E. histolytica.

Background: Wheat bran is an important by-product in the cereal industry. It is considered one of the amplest and most economically cheap sources of insoluble fiber and is rich in minerals and various bioactive compounds. Objective: In this research, the antioxidant, functional, and molecular properties of bran were screened in six different cultivars of wheat, viz. HUW-234, PBW-373, WH-1105, PBW-502, HD-2967, and PBW-343. Methods: In the present study, the methods, namely, DPPH, TPC, and FRAP, were used for the screening of antioxidant properties, bulk density, WAC and OAC for functional properties, and tannin, trypsin inhibitor and phytate for anti-nutritional properties. Results: Our results showed that in thermally processed wheat bran (Autoclaved, Hot air oven, Microwave, Toasting), the antioxidant activity increased in comparison to native wheat bran, whereas water absorption capacity and oil absorption capacity decreased significantly (p ≤ 0.05) compared to native bran. In addition, a significant reduction in the anti-nutritional factor was also observed. Moreover, FTIR in different wheat bran cultivars showed the presence of the C-H group, -CH stretch, -NH group, -OH group, phenols group, -C=O group, mostly aldehyde group, L-glucose, cyclodextrins, –C-OH bending vibrations, and halogen compound (C-Cl). Conclusion: The study showed differences in antioxidant and functional properties of bran obtained from different wheat cultivars. The thermal technique is a very useful treatment for increasing nutritional properties. Wheat bran utilization in daily life helps prevent many chronic diseases, such as colon cancer, constipation, heart disease, etc.

The growing threat of vector- borne diseases and environmental pollution has prompted the nanotechnology based investigations. The present study aimed to use one of the nanotechnological applications with larvicidal potential against Aedes aegypti by preparing aqueous hybrid nanoemulsion of zinc sulfide nanoparticles and Eucalyptus globulus oil. The mean droplet size of prepared and most stable hybrid nanoemulsion (9.5 ppm) was found to be 60±10.00 nm with rectangular shape. The hybrid nanoemulsion exhibited LC50 and LC90 values of 7.63 and 9.22 ppm respectively against larval stages of Aedes aegypti. The findings obtained from the larvicidal assay were corroborated with SEM, histological and biochemical profiles of Aedes larvae after treating with hybrid nanoemulsion. Under simulated conditions, nanohybrid treatment demonstrated optimum larvicidal potency after 48 hrs of exposure. Further, biosaftey studies of hybrid nanoemulsion were carried out against Scapholebris kingi and this larvicidal concentration of nanohybrid was found to be non-toxic to this species. Thus, the following research explains the larvicidal efficacy of zinc sulfide based hybrid nanoemulsion of eucalyptus oil formulated during the present study is a step towards safe and efficient approach against dengue spreading vector mosquito, Aedes aegypti.

The mosquito vector Aedes aegypti L., plays an important role in transmission of diseases including dengue, chikungunya and zika fever. In this study, citronella leaf oil extracted by hydro-distillation technique has been evaluated for its efficacy against this vector. Citronella leaf oil (100, 125, 150, 175 and 200 ppm) when tested, 150 ppm was found to be the effective larvicidal concentration against 4th instar larvae. LC50 and LC90 toxicity values were observed to be 107.10 and 141.59 ppm, respectively. GC-MS analysis indicated the presence of β-citronellal, geraniol, elemol and β-citronellol as the major components, which might be causing the larval mortality. Retention efficacy of the oil was found to be up to 84 hr in terms of larval killing and during this retention period, a significant delay in development (L4 to adult) was also observed. No effect of storage was observed on its larvicidal efficacy even after six months.

Purpose This study evaluates the prevalence of and the multidimensional risk factors associated with age-related hearing loss (ARHL) among community-dwelling older adults in Malaysia. Patients and Methods A total of 253 participants aged 60 years and above participated in this cross-sectional study. The participants were subjected to pure tone audiometric assessment. The hearing threshold was calculated for the better ear and classified into pure-tone average (PTA) for the octave frequencies from 0.5 to 4 kHz and high-frequency pure-tone average (HFA) for the octave from 2 to 8kHz. Then, the risk factors associated with PTA hearing loss (HL) and HFAHL were identified by using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results The prevalence of ARHL based on PTA and HFA among the community-dwelling older adults was 75.5% and 83.0%, respectively. Following multifactorial adjustments, being older (OR: 1.239; 95% CI: 1.062–1.445), having higher waist circumference (OR: 1.158; 95% CI: 1.015–1.322), lower intake of niacin (OR: 0.909; 95% CI: 0.831–0.988) and potassium (OR: 0.998; 95% CI: 0.996–1.000), and scoring lower in RAVLT T5 (OR: 0.905; 95% CI: 0.838–0.978) were identified as the risk factors of PTAHL. Meanwhile, being older (OR: 1.117; 95% CI: 1.003–1.244), higher intake of carbohydrate (OR: 1.018; 95% CI: 1.006–1.030), lower intake of potassium (OR: 0.998; 95% CI: 0.997–0.999), and lower scores on the RAVLT T5 (OR: 0.922; 95% CI: 0.874–0.973) were associated with increased risk of having HFAHL. Conclusion Increasing age, having higher waist circumference, lower intake of niacin and potassium, higher intake of carbohydrates and having lower RAVLT T5 score were associated with increased risk of ARHL. Modifying these risk factors may be beneficial in preventive and management strategies of ARHL among older persons.

Transmission of dengue virus by Aedes aegypti mosquito is one of the major global health concerns. The present study was aimed to explore the larvicidal potential of oil extracted from kinnow peel waste to be used as an efficient, economic and safe agent against Ae. aegypti.Kinnow peel oil was extracted and its five concentrations at 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 ppm were tested against 4Out of the tested concentrations, 70 ppm of kinnow peel oil was found to be the effective concentration against 4Kinnow peel oil proved to have a good potential as a biolarvicide against Ae. aegypti and could be used as an effective and eco-friendly mosquito control agent in the future.

AIM The present study aims to determine the association of trace elements and oxidative and DNA damage biomarkers with fall incidence among community-dwelling older adults. METHODS This study is part of the Long-term Research Grant Scheme - Towards Useful Ageing cohort study in Malaysia. Of a total of 174 participants with complete trace elements and oxidative and DNA damage data during baseline, only 147 (84.5%) were successfully followed up after 18 months. Participants who experienced any fall events in the previous 18 months during the follow-up were categorized as fallers. RESULTS Thirty participants (20.4%) reported at least one fall in the previous 18 months. The mean concentrations of aluminium, lead and zinc were significantly higher (P

Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) seed is a rich source of starch (about 80–85% dry basis) and considered as byproduct of food so, it has the potential to be a source for commercial production o...

Background: Rapid population aging occurring in developing nations necessitates innovation to ensure we continue to gain ground on aging research despite pandemic threats. While developed nations have resorted to virtual communications, this is challenging in developing nations due to poor internet connectivity and digital literacy. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of virtual data collection for a longitudinal study of aging assessing cognitive frailty in a middle-income Southeast Asian country. Methods: The Transforming Cognitive Frailty into Later-Life Self-Sufficiency (AGELESS) longitudinal study of aging involved community-dwelling participants aged 60 years and above. A semi-structured focus group discussion was conducted via videoconferencing with selected representatives from existing participants. The survey instrument was compiled during a hybrid meeting and refined using a virtual Delphi process involving 51 AGELESS investigators. The final draft survey and recruitment strategy were then piloted among selected participants. Results: Twelve individuals participated in the virtual focus group interview. Smartphone, tablet computer, laptops, and desktop personal computers were used for information gathering, communication, banking, shopping, leisure, religion, and education, within this group. The survey instrument was redacted from 362 items in 18 sections to 141 items in 12 sections through 3 virtual Delphi rounds facilitated by email, social media messaging, and videoconferencing which attracted 213 comments. Of 45 participants selected for the pilot survey, 30 were successfully contacted after one attempt and 18 completed the survey. Cognitive frailty was present in 13%, cognitive impairment in 20%, frailty in 20%, and 47% were robust. Conclusion: A virtual survey instrument was developed for the AGELESS longitudinal survey of aging which was vital for determining the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our older population as well as sustaining research into aging despite barriers posed by the pandemic.

Entamoeba histolytica is responsible for dysentery and extraintestinal disease in humans. To establish successful infection, it must generate adaptive response against stress due to host defense mechanisms. We have developed a robust proteomics workflow by combining miniaturized sample preparation, low flow-rate chromatography, and ultra-high sensitivity mass spectrometry, achieving increased proteome coverage, and further integrated proteomics and RNA-seq data to decipher regulation at translational and transcriptional levels. Label-free quantitative proteomics led to identification of 2344 proteins, an improvement over the maximum number identified in E. histolytica proteomic studies. In serum-starved cells, 127 proteins were differentially abundant and were associated with functions including antioxidant activity, cytoskeleton, translation, catalysis, and transport. The virulence factor, Gal/GalNAc-inhibitable lectin subunits, was significantly altered. Integration of transcriptomic and proteomic data revealed that only 30% genes were coordinately regulated at both transcriptional and translational levels. Some highly expressed transcripts did not change in protein abundance. Conversely, genes with no transcriptional change showed enhanced protein abundance, indicating post-transcriptional regulation. This multi-omics approach enables more refined gene expression analysis to understand the adaptive response of E. histolytica during growth stress.

With data comes uncertainty, which is a widespread and frequent phenomenon in data science and analysis. The amount of information available to us is growing exponentially, owing to never-ending technological advancements. Data visualization is one of the ways to convey that information effectively. Since the error is intrinsic to data, users cannot ignore it in visualization. Failing to observe it in visualization can lead to flawed decision-making by data analysts. Data scientists know that missing out on uncertainty in data visualization can lead to misleading conclusions about data accuracy. In most cases, visualization approaches assume that the information represented is free from any error or unreliability; however, this is rarely true. The goal of uncertainty visualization is to minimize the errors in judgment and represent the information as accurately as possible. This survey discusses state-of-the-art approaches to uncertainty visualization, along with the concept of uncertainty and its sources. From the study of uncertainty visualization literature, we identified popular techniques accompanied by their merits and shortcomings. We also briefly discuss several uncertainty visualization evaluation strategies. Finally, we present possible future research directions in uncertainty visualization, along with the conclusion.

Generally, university academics’ knowledge sharing behavior and social intelligence are said to be significant in improving their performance through their grasp of competencies Nevertheless, the a...

This paper aims to automatically design optimal LSTM topologies using the clonal selection algorithm (CSA) to solve text classification tasks such as sentiment analysis and SMS spam classification. Designing optimal topologies involves determining the best configuration of hyperparameters that will give the best performance. The current state-of-the-art LSTM topologies are often designed using trial and error approaches which are incredibly time-consuming and require domain experts. Our proposed method, referred to as CSA-LSTM, is evaluated using the Large Movie Review Dataset (IMDB). Furthermore, to verify the robustness of the hyperparameters discovered by CSA for the IMDB dataset, we have used them for the other datasets, viz. the Twitter US Airline Sentiment and the SMS Spam Collection. Additionally, the discovered hyperparameters for the LSTM are combined with pre-determined convolutional neural network (CNN) layers to achieve the same or better results to fast the training time and fewer trainable parameters. For further verification and evaluation of the generalization ability and effectiveness of the proposed approach, it is compared with four machine learning algorithms widely used for text classification tasks: (1) random forest (RF), (2) logistic regression (LR), (3) support vector machine (SVM), and (4) multinomial naive Bayes (NB). The results of our experiments show that the LSTM topologies automatically designed by our CSA method are less expensive, reusable and outperform the machine learning algorithms and other models in the literature evaluated on the same three datasets. Through our proposed method, LSTM’s best topology can be self-determined without any human intervention, making CSA-based algorithms a promising approach to automatically design optimal LSTM topologies that provide the best performance for a given task.

Abstract: The unbearable heat waves that we are experiencing these days around the world are the result of increasing global warming, leading to heat stress and a constant health issue for the existing population. The thermoregulatory dysfunction of the human body due to climatological changes might result in fluid and electrolyte imbalance and transforms the human body from a normal physiological condition to a distorted pathological state. Subsequently, at one point in time, the human body may fail to handle its normal thermoregulatory function in the form of sudden unconsciousness and health defects. There might be associated dehydration that imposes renal damage, even to the extent to cause acute kidney injury (AKI), followed by chronic kidney disease (CKD). Thus, we cannot deny CKD as a major cause of death, mainly in patients having long-standing medical issues such as cardiac dysfunction, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, heat stress nephropathy (HSN) might therefore become a major health problem. There is always a hopeful way in our hands, fortunately, which is of course prevention, that comes through government policies and human awareness. The present review brings out light on the alarming resultant facts of heat stress, dehydration, its pathology, molecular derangements, and recommendations for the prevention of heat stress nephropathy.

With older adults accounting for 10.7% of the Malaysian population, determining the predictors of mortality has now become crucial. Thus, this community-based longitudinal study aimed to investigate the predictors for mortality among community-dwelling older adults using a wide range of factors, including clinical or subclinical. A total of 2322 older adults were interviewed and assessed by trained fieldworkers using validated structured questionnaires. The questionnaire consisted of information on socio-demographic characteristics, health status, neuropsychological and psychosocial functions, lifestyle, dietary intake and biophysical measures. The incidence rate of mortality was 2.9 per 100 person-years. Cox regression analysis indicated that advancing age (Adjusted Hazard Ratio, Adj HR = 1.044, 95% CI: 1.024–1.064), male (Adj HR = 1.937, 95% CI: 1.402–2.675), non-married status (Adj HR = 1.410, 95% CI: 1.078–1.843), smoking (Adj HR = 1.314, 95% CI: 1.004–1.721), a higher fasting blood sugar (Adj HR = 1.075, 95% CI: 1.029–1.166), a lower serum albumin (Adj HR = 0.947, 95% CI: 0.905–0.990), a longer time to complete the TUG test (Adj HR = 1.059, 95% CI: 1.022–1.098), and a lower intake of total dietary fibre (Adj HR = 0.911, 95% CI: 0.873–0.980) were the predictors of mortality in this study. These findings provide an estimated rate of multiethnic mortality in middle-income countries and diet is one of the predictors. These predictors of mortality could be a reference in identifying new public health strategies to ensure longer healthier life spans with lower disability rate among community-dwelling older adults in Malaysia.

The main objective of this study is to determine the association of various trace elements’ status with the 5-year mortality rate among community-dwelling older adults in Malaysia. This study was part of the Long-term Research Grant Scheme—Towards Useful Ageing (LRGS-TUA). The participants were followed up for five years, and their mortality status was identified through the Mortality Data Matching Service provided by the National Registration Department, Malaysia. Of the 303 participants included in this study, 34 (11.2%) participants had died within five years after baseline data collection. As compared to the survivors, participants who died earlier were more likely (p < 0.05) to be men, smokers, have a lower intake of total dietary fiber and molybdenum, higher intake of manganese, lower zinc levels in toenail samples, lower calcium and higher lead levels in hair samples during baseline. Following the multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis, lower total dietary fiber intake (HR: 0.681; 0.532–0.871), lower calcium (HR: 0.999; 95% CI: 0.999–1.000) and higher lead (HR: 1.309; 95% CI: 1.061–1.616) levels in hair samples appeared as the predictors of mortality. In conclusion, higher lead and lower calcium levels are associated with higher risk of mortality among community-dwelling older adults in Malaysia. Our current findings provide a better understanding of how the trace elements’ status may affect older populations’ well-being and mortality rate.

Falls is a common and debilitating condition among the older population, intensifying the need to educate older persons about falls. Technology advancement enables effective and efficient delivery of falls education to the older population. However, there is paucity of information on the perception of Malaysian older population on falls and their preferred website characteristics such as font size, design, layout, colour, navigation, and use of graphics or videos. Physiological changes in vision, cognition and psychomotor skills can affect how the older persons use the website. As Malaysia is a multicultural country, the needs of the website characteristics and falls perception of older persons may differ greatly. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of the older persons about falls and their desired website characteristics. Twenty-five community-living older persons (n = 25) of age 60 years and above were involved in the focus group discussions. NvivoTM software was used for data management and thematic analysis was undertaken. Emerging themes included ’Perceptions of falls in older persons’, ’Actions taken when falls occurred’, ’Perceived prevention strategies for falls’ and ’End user requirements for falls educational website’. Falls were perceived as both an avoidable and a non-avoidable incident. Although the participants mentioned physical activity and home hazard modifications as strategies to prevent falls, they mainly discussed self-initiated precautionary approaches in falls prevention. Regarding desired website characteristics, the participants emphasized on easily readable text, appealing design, clear information, use of images/videos, and simple website navigation. Special requirements for colour selection and multi-language options were also raised. The delivery of falls education through website can be made possible by understanding the perception of older persons about falls and their requirements for the website. This is especially important as ethnic and cultural influences may play a role on their perceptions about falls and desired website characteristics. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Academicians knowledge sharing behaviour and social intelligence plays an essential role in enhancing their teaching and learning performance. Nevertheless, empirical studies that link these concepts are scarce. This paper aims to examine the influence of knowledge sharing behaviour and social intelligence on teaching and learning performance among academicians in Malaysian Private Universities. A questionnaire-based survey was carried out among academicians in the School of Business from seven Malaysian private universities in the Klang Valley area. The survey yielded 318 responses. The results were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) version 22 for Windows software.Specifically, the relationship between (1) knowledge sharing behavior and teaching and learning performance (2) social intelligence and teaching and learning performance and (3) social intelligence and knowledge sharing behaviour are being proposed in this study. Moreover, this study is expected to contribute to the following: (1) Malaysian Private Universities in the formation of an ideal model for academicians, (2) body of knowledge, specifically in the field of teaching and learning performance in Malaysian Private Universities and (3) literature in human resources pertaining to knowledge sharing behavior, social intelligence and teaching and learning performance.

Organic pollutants such as dyes and pharmaceutical drugs have become an environmental menace, particularly in water bodies owing to their unregulated discharge. It is thus required to develop an economically viable and environment-friendly approach for their degradation in water bodies. In this study, for the first time, we report green route-synthesized plasmonic nanostructures (PM-CQDs (where M: Au and Ag)) decorated onto TiO2 nanofibers for the treatment of toxic dye- and pharmaceutical drug-based wastewater. PM-CQDs are efficaciously synthesized using carbon quantum dots (CQDs) as the sole reducing and capping agent, wherein CQDs are derived via a green synthesis approach from Citrus limetta waste. The characteristic electron-donating property of CQDs played a key role in the reduction of Au3+ to Au0 and Ag+ to Ag0 under visible light irradiation to obtain PAu-CQDs and PAg-CQDs, respectively. Thus, the obtained CQDs, PAu-CQDs, and PAg-CQDs are loaded onto TiO2 nanofibers to obtain a PM-CQD/TiO2 nanocomposite (NC), and are further probed via transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and UV-visible spectrophotometry. The degradation of organic pollutants and pharmaceutical drugs using methylene blue and erythromycin as model pollutants is mapped with UV-vis and NMR spectroscopy. The results demonstrate the complete MB dye degradation in 20 minutes with 1 mg mL−1 of PAu-CQD/TiO2 NC, which otherwise is 30 minutes for PAg@CQD/TiO2 dose under visible light irradiation. Similarly, the pharmaceutical drug was found to degrade in 150 minutes with PAu-CQD/TiO2 photocatalysts. These findings reveal the enhanced photocatalytic performance of the green-synthesized Au decorated with TiO2 nanofibers and are attributed to the boosted SPR effect and aqueous-phase stability of Au nanostructures. This study opens a new domain of utilizing waste-derived and green-synthesized plasmonic nanostructures for the degradation of toxic/hazardous dyes and pharmaceutical pollutants in water.

Today, the globalization of the supply chain in the food industry has surged remarkably; hence, food safety and quality certification have become critical. Blockchain is recognized as a promising technology in the agri-foods industry where it can act as a systematic and robust mechanism for increasing the food traceability and provide a transparent and efficient way to assure quality, safety, and sustainability of agri-foods. By lowering the cost and increasing value, this digital technology has the potential to increase profitability of agricultural produce along the value chain. This chapter aims to investigate the potential utilization of blockchain technology in the agri-food industry, where it can be used to address issues of trust and transparency and to facilitate sharing of information sharing among stakeholders. The technology is still in a preliminary stage; thus, this chapter is written to examine its implication in the agri-food supply chain, existing initiatives, challenges, and potential.

Introduction: The natural course of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection is influenced by a number of host and viral variables. Interleukin 28B (IL28B) is a kind of interleukin. A Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) designated as rs12979860 was reported to predict viral clearance with and without treatment. Subjects with the GG (favourable) IL28B rs12979860 genotype were more likely to clear the infection spontaneously and respond well to therapy. These findings imply that people who have the “favourable” GG genotype have a lower viral burden than those who have the “unfavourable” AA genotype. Aim: To determine the effect of IL28B SNP rs12979860 genotype on HCV viral load in Kolar population, Karnataka, India. Materials and Methods: The present study was a case-control study which was carried out in Department of Microbiology, Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College, Kolar, Karnataka, India. Subjects were enrolled from Department of Medicine of R. L. Jalapa Hospital and Research centre, teaching hospital of Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College between November 2020 to March 2021. A total of 248 were taken of which 124 were HCV antibody-positive and 124 were controls. The effect of IL28B rs12979860 SNP on HCV viral load and clearance among HCV-infected patients were examined. Detection and quantification of HCV-RNA was determined by Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). IL28B rs12979860 genotyping was performed using PCR and Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) technique and specific primers. Statistical analysis was done by using open epi tool. The frequency, percentage and Chi-square test were used to analyse categorical variable. A p-value

This study aimed to determine undergraduates’ mental health status, quality of life and burn-out status in clinical and non-clinical programs as well as its association during COVID-19 pandemic period. A cross sectional survey was carried out by distributing the questionnaire through online social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter. Mental health, burn-out statuses and quality of life of the undergraduates were assessed using 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), Copenhagen Burnout Inventory and Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q-SF) respectively. A total of 308 respondents (111 from clinical, 197 from non-clinical programs), mean (SD) age=21.88(1.29) years participated in this cross-sectional online survey. The results revealed that undergraduates in the non-clinical programs are more likely to experience higher levels of depression, anxiety and stress, which demonstrated by higher median (IQR) scores in each component of DASS-21 (Non-clinical VS Clinical) [depression, 18 (10-28) VS 8 (2-20); anxiety, 16 (8-26) VS 10 (2-16), and stress, 20 (12-28) VS 12 (4-22)]. Similarly, higher burnout median score, 58.83 (48.83 - 75.00) was noted among undergraduates in non-clinical programs with a lower mean (SD) Q-LES- Q-SF score=58.75 (18.03). Undergraduates from non-peninsular Malaysia showed lower quality of life scores [2.06(1.03-4.13)], while undergraduates with good internet accessibility had higher quality of life scores [2.06(1.03-4.13)]. The association between lower mental health status, QoL and burn-out among non-clinical students remained significant even after adjustment for gender, household income, type of university (IPTA vs IPTS), race, and internet accessibility at university. Our findings suggest that undergraduates from clinical programs had better mental health status and quality of life when compared to their peers from non-clinical programs during COVID-19 pandemic period.