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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Malaysia's food and beverage industry provides a diverse range of regional and global cuisines, reflecting the country's diverse population. Profit, the development of new products, customer and employee satisfaction, and the sustainability of employee engagement have an impact on an organization's productivity. Positive attitudes towards green human resources management--which encompasses green hiring and selection, green training and development, and green remuneration and reward--are a sign of engaged employees. Businesses in this industry found it difficult to retain employees due to insufficient green hiring and selection procedures, inadequate training and development programs, and insufficient compensation and benefits. This research examines the relationship between green training and development, green recruitment and selection, and green compensation and reward for employee engagement and sustainability in the Malaysian food and beverage industry. METHODS: For this investigation, the quantitative method was used to analyze information using IBM SPSS software version 26. The objective was to improve the industry's efficient functioning for long-term growth. A total of 210 surveys were distributed to Klang Valley workers in this industry using convenience sampling and a non-probability sampling approach. Taro Yamane's approach was used to calculate the sample size. Convenience sampling is a non-probability sampling technique where sample units are selected based on their accessibility to the researcher. FINDINGS: As a result, all three variables - green training and development, green recruitment and selection, and green compensation and reward - have a positive and significant relationship with employee engagement sustainability. The hypotheses have been accepted with a p-value ranging from 0.000 to 0.236. In the case of hypothesis 1, there is a positive correlation (r = 0.760, p ≤ 0.01) between green training and development and employee engagement sustainability. Similarly, hypothesis 2 shows a positive correlation with a significant p-value of 0.236 between green recruitment and selection and employee engagement sustainability. Hypothesis 3 also indicates a significant correlation (r = 0.762, p ≤ 0.01) between green compensation and reward and employee engagement sustainability. CONCLUSION: The study provides empirical evidence and conceptual proof that the establishment and management of a fund designed to promote the development of human resources within a specific jurisdiction are governed by the Pembangunan Sumber Manusia Berhad Act of 2001. The interaction between this act and Green Human Resource Management may differ depending on the specific laws and policies of a country or region. Organizations can utilize funds from the Human Resource Development Corps to carry out projects related to Green Human Resource Management, such as eco-friendly training and development courses. Green Human Resource Management seeks to support environmental responsibility and sustainability initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0) is a significant period of industrial progress marked by advanced technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) and Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS). The current change presents significant challenges and opportunities for various sectors, including the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) industry. Addressing the readiness of HVAC students for IR 4.0, this study investigates the gap in skills and competencies required in this new era. This study primarily assesses the readiness of final-year bachelor's degree students in HVAC, focusing on balancing technical and non-technical skills. Employing a qualitative descriptive research design, the study involved 100 final-year HVAC students from Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) and Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM). A structured questionnaire, developed based on a thorough literature review and validated through expert reviews and a pilot study, was used to collect data. The questionnaire assessed students' self-evaluation of their readiness, understanding of technical skills, and developing non-technical skills relevant to IR 4.0. The analysis revealed that students possess a high level of perceived readiness for IR 4.0, with non-technical skills emerging as significant contributors to their readiness. These skills accounted for 44% of the variance in students' readiness. The findings underscore the importance of integrating non-technical skills into the HVAC curriculum, highlighting their role in equipping students to navigate the evolving technological landscape of IR 4.0. In conclusion, the study provides comprehensive insights into the skillsets necessary for HVAC students to thrive in the IR 4.0 era. It emphasises the need for educational institutions to adapt their curricula and pedagogical strategies to include a balanced focus on technical and non-technical skills, thereby enhancing student employability and readiness for the challenges of the modern industrial world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insufficiently high doping in polysilicon gates of metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) becomes unavoidable due to the demands for low-energy ion implantation and limited annealing conditions to achieve ultra-shallow source and drain junctions. This results in the poly-depletion effect for ultra-thin MOSFET, loss of current drive and shift in the threshold voltage. This problem gets intense when the device is further scaled down for the gate length and thickness of gate oxide. Hence, our current work focuses on the effect of gate geometrical effect and polysilicon gate doping on scaled n-channel MOSFET(NMOS) performance. The NMOS device was constructed using TCAD ATLAS tools from SILVACO software. Six different gate lengths of 0.6 µm, 0.4 µm, 0.2 µm, 60 nm, 40 nm and 20 nm were set, and the n-type doping concentration in the polysilicon gate was varied to 1× 1018, 1× 1020 and 1 × 1021 cm-3 respectively to see their effect on the NMOS I-V and C-V performances. The findings showed that as the gate length is scaled down, the drain current increases, and as the concentration of the polysilicon doping increases, the value of the threshold voltage, VTH decreases. Based on the simulation and data collected, it can be concluded that the optimum concentration of polysilicon doping that can reduce the poly-depletion effect is 1 × 1021 cm-3, and the optimum gate length that can be used to overcome the problem is 20 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mature coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) water is a by-product of coconut milk and oil industries that can be transformed into value-added products as part of a sustainable and zero-waste effort. In the present work, mature coconut water was fermented using kefir grains to produce probiotic beverage, and the present work aimed to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics, microbial counts, antioxidant activities, and sensory acceptance of the developed mature coconut water kefir (MCWK) in comparison with mature coconut water (MCW) and water kefir (WK). Results showed significantly higher (p < 0.05) lactic acid and ethanol contents in MCWK relative to WK, which was attributed to the higher counts of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. The fermentation was also apparent in MCWK, exhibiting significantly lower (p < 0.05) pH value at different fermentation days. Significantly (p < 0.05) highest total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activities [DPPH radical-scavenging activity and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP)] were recorded by MCWK after three days of fermentation. Sensory acceptance test also demonstrated that fermentation of MWK with kefir grains improved the palatability and acceptance. MCWK fermented for three days resulted in significantly (p < 0.05) highest overall acceptance mean score (n = 30). In conclusion, the complex microbial consortia in kefir grains can be used to produce MCW probiotic beverage with functional properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In wave propagation phenomena, time-advancing numerical methods must accurately represent the amplitude and phase of the propagating waves. The acoustic waves are non-dispersive and nondissipative. However, the standard schemes both retain dissipation and dispersion errors. Thus, this paper aims to analyse the dissipation, dispersion, accuracy, and stability of the Runge--Kutta method and derive a new scheme and algorithm that preserves the symmetry property. The symmetrised method is introduced in the time-of-finite-difference method for solving problems in aeroacoustics. More efficient programming for solving acoustic problems in time and space, i.e. the IMR method for solving acoustic problems, an advection equation, compares the square-wave and step-wave Lax methods with symmetrised IMR (one-and two-step active). The results of conventional methods are usually unstable for hyperbolic problems. The forward time central space square equation is an unstable method with minimal usefulness, which can only study waves for short fractions of one oscillation period. Therefore, nonlinear instability and shock formation are controlled by numerical viscosities such as those discussed with the Lax method equation. The one- and two-step active symmetrised IMR methods are more efficient than the wave method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Jelebu is one of Negeri Sembilan districts of Malaysia, famous for its wide variety of D. zibethinus. It is also recognized as the top hotspot area for consumers looking for genuine Durian Kampung. This study aimed at discovering and recording significant morphological data in identification and classification of D. zibethinus fruit in Jelebu. Methods: Fifty-three accessions of durian were observed from January 2020 to September 2020 in accordance with Malaysia's Department of Agriculture guidelines. Result: Forty-one parameters were compiled and divided into two primary morphological data sets: external and internal structures. Size, shape, color and aril characteristics of fruits were several engrossing parameters for identifying and classifying D. zibethinus varieties. Fruit weight varies between 665 g and 2.7 kg, depending on size. The results also revealed six different variants in the fruit shape and color. Aril characteristics included a variety of aril color and thickness ranging from 0.23 cm to 1.17 cm. Therefore, this research revealed that external and internal morphological data from durian fruits were valuable for recognizing and categorizing D. zibethinus Jelebu variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is expressed in neuronal tissue and plays a role in neurodegenerative diseases involving excitotoxicity as a pathophysiological mechanism. In retina, excessive excitatory neurotransmission via N -methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors underlies neuronal apoptosis in conditions like glaucoma. However, it is not known if NMDA-mediated excitotoxicity alters retinal RAS expression. Hence, this study investigated the effect of NMDA exposure on the expression of RAS in rat retinas. Methods: Two groups of Sprague-Dawley rats received either phosphate buffer saline or NMDA (160 nmol). On day 7 posttreatment, retinal expression of RAS components including renin, angiotensinogen, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), angiotensin II (Ang II), Ang 1-7, Ang 1-9, MAS receptor, angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R), ACE2, and aldosterone was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and polymerase chain reaction. Morphometric studies were done to assess morphological alterations. Results: Following the exposure to NMDA, an upregulation of ACE expression was noted at both the protein (2.03-folds; P < 0.001) and mRNA (1.86-folds; P < 0.01) levels in rat retinas. AT1R protein and mRNA expression were greater by 1.73 ( P < 0.0001) and 2.28-folds ( P < 0.0001), respectively. However, mRNA expression for ACE2, Ang 1-7, and Ang 1-9, showed a 1.51-( P < 0.05), 2.41-( P < 0.001), and 2.37-( P < 0.0001) fold decrease. Ganglion cell layer (GCL) thickness and linear cell density in GCL were significantly lower in the NMDA-treated group ( P < 0.05). Conclusions: NMDA exposure increases expression of the classical RAS and suppresses that of alternate RAS in rat retinas. These alterations are associated with retinal morphological changes indicating significant loss of neuronal cells in the GCL of rat retinas.

Deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) in the trabecular meshwork (TM) increases aqueous humour outflow resistance leading to elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP) in primary open-angle glaucoma, which remains the only modifiable risk factor. Resveratrol has been shown to counteract the steroid-induced increase in IOP and increase the TM expression of ECM proteolytic enzymes; however, its effects on the deposition of ECM components by TM and its associated pathways, such as TGF-β-SMAD signalling remain uncertain. This study, therefore, explored the effects of trans -resveratrol on the expression of ECM components, SMAD signalling molecules, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and tissue plasminogen activator in dexamethasone-treated human TM cells (HTMCs). We also studied the nature of molecular interaction of trans -resveratrol with SMAD4 domains using ensemble docking. Treatment of HTMCs with 12.5 µM trans-resveratrol downregulated the dexamethasone-induced increase in collagen, fibronectin and α-smooth muscle actin at gene and protein levels through downregulation of TGF-β1, SMAD4, and upregulation of SMAD7. Downregulation of TGF-β1 signalling by trans-resveratrol could be attributed to its effect on the transcriptional activity due to high affinity for the MH2 domain of SMAD4. These effects may contribute to resveratrol's IOP-lowering properties by reducing ECM deposition and enhancing aqueous humour outflow in the TM.

Plasma membrane damage (PMD) occurs in all cell types due to environmental perturbation and cell-autonomous activities. However, cellular outcomes of PMD remain largely unknown except for recovery or death. In this study, using budding yeast and normal human fibroblasts, we found that cellular senescence-stable cell cycle arrest contributing to organismal aging-is the long-term outcome of PMD. Our genetic screening using budding yeast unexpectedly identified a close genetic association between PMD response and replicative lifespan regulations. Furthermore, PMD limits replicative lifespan in budding yeast; upregulation of membrane repair factors ESCRT-III (SNF7) and AAA-ATPase (VPS4) extends it. In normal human fibroblasts, PMD induces premature senescence via the Ca 2+ -p53 axis but not the major senescence pathway, DNA damage response pathway. Transient upregulation of ESCRT-III (CHMP4B) suppressed PMD-dependent senescence. Together with mRNA sequencing results, our study highlights an underappreciated but ubiquitous senescent cell subtype: PMD-dependent senescent cells., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The perineum is typically injured at the first vaginal birth. The application of a cold compress to the perineal repair site can reduce pain; however, the effect usually dissipates after a couple of hours. Repeated applications may be needed for sustained analgesia. However, the medium-term effect of repeated applications of cold compress on the perineal repair site on the recovery of sexual function and perineal healing is not known., Objective: This study aimed to evaluate repeated applications of cold vs room temperature (placebo control) compress to the repaired primiparous perineum on pain upon movement., Study Design: A randomized controlled trial was conducted in a university hospital in Malaysia from May 2022 to February 2023. A total of 224 women with a repaired episiotomy or spontaneous second-degree tear sustained at normal delivery were randomized as follows: 113 to frozen gel pack and 111 to room temperature gel pack, as wound compress. The compress was applied to the perineal repair site at 3 timepoints: immediately after repair, and at 4 and 8 hours after delivery, for 20 minutes at each application. The primary outcomes were pain during movement at 12 and 24 hours after delivery, scored using the 0 to 10 numerical rating scale. The secondary outcomes include duration of hospital stay; analgesic consumption; recovery and functional metrics of reestablishing flatus, mobilization, and urination, breastfeeding; maternal satisfaction with the allocated compress; and after hospital discharge for up to 6 weeks after birth through telephone interview, analgesic consumption, perineal pain, resumption of vaginal sex, and women's perception of perineal wound healing., Results: The median (interquartile range) of pain at movement scores were 4 (4-5) vs 5 (4-5) (P=.018) at 12 hours and 2 (1-3) vs 2 (2-3) (P=.173) at 24 hours after birth for cold vs room temperature compress, respectively. Maternal satisfaction scores were 8 (7-9) vs 7 (6-8) (P=.119), oral analgesic for perineal pain while at the postnatal ward was taken by 94 of 113 (83.2%) vs 85 of 109 (78.0%) (relative risk, 1.07; 95% confidence interval, 0.94-1.21), and time to the first satisfactory breastfeeding episode was 11.6 (7.9-15.5) vs 13.0 (8.0-20.7) hours (P=.303) for cold vs room temperature compress, respectively. At 2 weeks telephone follow-up, analgesic intake and perineal pain were not different. At 6 weeks, analgesic intake, perineal pain, resumption of vaginal sex, exclusive breastfeeding, and maternal perception of perineal healing were not different., Conclusion: Intermittent cold compress in the first 8 hours to the repaired perineum reduces pain at 12 hours but the effect attenuates by 24 hours. Maternal satisfaction with their allocated compress was not different. There was no suggestion of harm or benefit on the other secondary outcomes., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The environmental conditions of a lake are influenced by its type and various environmental forces such as water temperature, nutrients content, and longitude and latitude to which it is exposed. Due to population growth and development limits, former mining lakes are being converted to more lucrative land uses like those of recreational zones, agriculture, and livestock. The fungus Ganoderma lucidum has the potential to be utilised as a substitute or to perform synergistic bacteria-coupled functions in efficient contaminated lake water treatment. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the water quality and water quality index (WQI) of an ex-mining lake named Main Lake in the Paya Indah Wetland, Selangor. Furthermore, the current work simulates the use of a Malaysian fungus in decolourising the contaminated ex-mining lake by the BioDeF system in a 300 mL jar inoculated with 10% ( v / v ) of pre-grown Ganoderma lucidum pellets for 48 h. According to the results, the lake water is low in pH (5.49 ± 0.1 on average), of a highly intense dark brownish colour (average reading of 874.67 ± 3.7 TCU), and high in iron (Fe) content (3.2422 ± 0.2533 mg/L). The water quality index of the lake was between 54.59 and 57.44, with an average value of 56.45; thus, the water was categorized as Class III, i.e., under-polluted water, according to the Malaysian Department of Environment Water Quality Index (DOE-WQI, DOE 2020). The batch bioreactor BioDeF system significantly reduced more than 90% of the water's colour. The utilization of Ganoderma lucidum as an adsorbent material offers a variety of advantages, as it is easily available and cultivated, and it is not toxic.

Study Objectives: To evaluate at-home use of eye-mask and earplugs (EMEP) versus sleep hygiene advice leaflet (AL) on actigraphy-derived night sleep duration in sleep-deprived pregnant women., Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted in the antenatal clinic of University Malaya Medical Centre from June 2021 to June 2022. Women at 34-36 weeks gestation with self-reported night sleep duration ≤6 hours were recruited. Participants wore an actigraphy device at night for seven consecutive nights (Observation/Baseline week). Only women whose actigraphy-derived night sleep duration was confirmed to be ≤360 minutes were randomized to use EMEP or AL. Actigraphy was continued for another week (Intervention week). Primary outcome was change in actigraphy-derived night sleep duration from observation to intervention week across trial arms. Secondary outcomes include participants' sleep quality, labor, and neonatal outcome. Comparisons were by Student t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and chi-square test., Results: A total of 210 women were randomized: 105 each to EMEP and AL. The increase in night sleep duration over baseline was significantly longer with both EMEP (mean ± SD) 23 ± 41 minutes, p < .001, and AL 10 ± 35 minutes, p = .007. Night sleep duration was longer by 12.9 (95% CI = 2.2 to 23.7) minutes, p = .019 with EMEP over AL. Sleep quality (Global Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score) was significantly improved with EMEP (mean ± SD) -2.0 ± 2.5, p < .001, but not with AL -0.3 ± 2.2, p = .246. Labor and neonatal outcomes were not significantly different., Conclusion: EMEP significantly lengthened night sleep duration in sleep-deprived women in late pregnancy and is superior to AL., Clinical Trial Information: "Use of eye masks and earplugs compared with standard advice to improve sleep in pregnancy". https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN19061849. Registered with ISRCTN on 07 May 2021, trial identification number: ISRCTN19061849., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Adenosine A1 receptors (AA1R) have been shown to counteract N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-mediated glutamatergic excitotoxicity. In the present study, we investigated the role of AA1R in neuroprotection by trans-resveratrol (TR) against NMDA-induced retinal injury. In total, 48 rats were divided into the following four groups: normal rats pretreated with vehicle; rats that received NMDA (NMDA group); rats that received NMDA after pretreatment with TR; and rats that received NMDA after pretreatment with TR and 1,3-dipropyl-8-cyclopentylxanthine (DPCPX), an AA1R antagonist. Assessment of general and visual behaviour was performed using the open field test and two-chamber mirror test, respectively, on Days 5 and 6 post NMDA injection. Seven days after NMDA injection, animals were euthanized, and eyeballs and optic nerves were harvested for histological parameters, whereas retinae were isolated to determine the redox status and expression of pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins. In the present study, the retinal and optic nerve morphology in the TR group was protected from NMDA-induced excitotoxic damage. These effects were correlated with the lower retinal expression of proapoptotic markers, lipid peroxidation, and markers of nitrosative/oxidative stress. The general and visual behavioural parameters in the TR group showed less anxiety-related behaviour and better visual function than those in the NMDA group. All the findings observed in the TR group were abolished by administration of DPCPX., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd and Japan Neuroscience Society. All rights reserved.)

Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a distinct signaling molecule modulating many physiological and pathophysiological processes. This protein is upregulated in numerous fibrotic diseases that involve extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. It mediates the downstream effects of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) and is regulated via TGF-β SMAD-dependent and SMAD-independent signaling routes. Targeting CTGF instead of its upstream regulator TGF-β avoids the consequences of interfering with the pleotropic effects of TGF-β. Both CTGF and its upstream mediator, TGF-β, have been linked with the pathophysiology of glaucomatous optic neuropathy due to their involvement in the regulation of ECM homeostasis. The excessive expression of these growth factors is associated with glaucoma pathogenesis via elevation of the intraocular pressure (IOP), the most important risk factor for glaucoma. The raised in the IOP is due to dysregulation of ECM turnover resulting in excessive ECM deposition at the site of aqueous humor outflow. It is therefore believed that CTGF could be a potential therapeutic target in glaucoma therapy. This review highlights the CTGF biology and structure, its regulation and signaling, its association with the pathophysiology of glaucoma, and its potential role as a therapeutic target in glaucoma management., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) affects about 2% of pregnancies and is at the severe end of the spectrum of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. HG causes severe maternal distress and results in adverse pregnancy outcomes long after the condition may have dissipated. Although dietary advice is a common tool in management, trial evidence to base the advice on is lacking., Methods: A randomized trial was conducted in a university hospital from May 2019 to December 2020. 128 women at their discharge following hospitalization for HG were randomized: 64 to watermelon and 64 to control arm. Women were randomized to consume watermelon and to heed the advice leaflet or to heed the dietary advice leaflet alone. A personal weighing scale and a weighing protocol were provided to all participants to take home. Primary outcomes were bodyweight change at the end of week 1 and week 2 compared to hospital discharge., Results: Weight change (kg) at end of week 1, median[interquartile range] -0.05[-0.775 to + 0.50] vs. -0.5[-1.4 to + 0.1] P = 0.014 and to the end of week 2, + 0.25[-0.65 to + 0.975] vs. -0.5[-1.3 to + 0.2] P = 0.001 for watermelon and control arms respectively. After two weeks, HG symptoms assessed by PUQE-24 (Pregnancy-Unique Quantification of Emesis and Nausea over 24 h), appetite assessed by SNAQ (Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire), wellbeing and satisfaction with allocated intervention NRS (0-10 numerical rating scale) scores, and recommendation of allocated intervention to a friend rate were all significantly better in the watermelon arm. However, rehospitalization for HG and antiemetic usage were not significantly different., Conclusion: Adding watermelon to the diet after hospital discharge for HG improves bodyweight, HG symptoms, appetite, wellbeing and satisfaction., Trial Registration: This study was registered with the center's Medical Ethics Committee (on 21/05/2019; reference number 2019327-7262) and the ISRCTN on 24/05/2019 with trial identification number: ISRCTN96125404 . First participant was recruited on 31/05/ 2019., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Orthodontically induced inflammatory root resorption (OIIRR) is an undesirable complication of orthodontic treatment (OT) with an ambiguous aetiologic mechanism. This study aimed to identify OIIRR-associated biomarkers in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) using proteomic analysis. In this randomized clinical trial, the upper first premolars (UFP) were exposed either to light or heavy force. The GCF was collected at 1 h, 1 day, 7 days, 14 days, 21 days, and 28 days following force application. After extraction of UFP, roots were imaged and resorption premolar, was used to deliver either light forcecraters were measured. Proteomic analysis of GCF was performed using 2D gel electrophoresis with MALDI-TOF/TOF MS/MS. Results were further analyzed by bioinformatics analyses showing the biological functions and predicted pathways. The predicted canonical pathways showed that the expression of immunoglobulin kappa (IGKC), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), neurolysin mitochondrial (NEUL), keratin, type II cytoskeletal 1 (K2C1), S100-A9, and the extracellular calcium-sensing receptor (CASR) were significantly associated with a range of biological and inflammatory processes. In conclusion, up-regulation of S100A9, CASR, and K2C1 suggested a response to force-related inflammation, chemotactic activities, osteoclastogenesis, and epithelial cell breakdown. Meanwhile, the up-regulation of IGKC, NGAL, and K2C1 indicated a response to the inflammatory process, innate immunity activation, and epithelial cell breakdown., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-023-03572-5., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestAll authors have no relevant interests to declare., (© King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology 2023, Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Objective: To compare Foley catheter and controlled-release dinoprostone vaginal insert on induction-to-delivery interval and maternal satisfaction in women with one previous cesarean delivery., Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted at the University Malaya Medical Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from December 12, 2018, to May 28, 2019. A total of 78 term women scheduled for labor induction with one previous cesarean delivery who had ripe cervixes, singleton gestation, cephalic presentation, intact membranes, and reassuring cardiotocogram were randomized to Foley catheter or dinoprostone insert. The primary outcome was induction-to-delivery interval (in hours) and the secondary outcomes included maternal satisfaction on birth experience (assessed by 100-mm visual analog scale)., Results: Induction-to-delivery intervals were as follows: median 33.5 h (interquartile range [IQR], 26.1-36.2 h) versus 23.5 h (IQR, 12.7-34.5 h) (P = 0.004), and maternal satisfaction on birth process 100-mm visual analog scale was 80 mm (IQR, 64-88 mm) versus 82 mm (IQR, 67-88 mm) (P = 0.919) for the Foley and controlled-release dinoprostone arms, respectively. Cesarean delivery rates were 23 of 39 (59%) versus 20 of 39 (51%) (relative risk, 1.15 [95% confidence interval, 0.77-1.72]) (P = 0.496) and trial device insertion to removal time mean ± standard deviation was 20.1 ± 7.1 h versus 14.2 ± 7.3 h (P = 0.001) for Foley versus controlled-release dinoprostone, respectively., Conclusion: In term women after one previous cesarean delivery with unripe cervixes, controlled-release dinoprostone vaginal insert compared with Foley catheter shortens the induction-to-delivery interval but maternal satisfaction was not significantly increased., Clinical Trial Registration: This study was registered with ISRCTN on November 30, 2018, with trial identification number: ISRCTN16957529 (https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN16957529). The first participant was recruited on December 12, 2018., (© 2022 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.)

Immune suppression in elderly individuals is one of the most important hygienic problems in aged societies. The primary immune organ thymus is histologically and functionally reduced by aging, which is known as thymic involution. The thymus is also involuted by nutritional deficiency, which frequently occurs in elderly individuals. However, there is no information on the thymic changes caused by nutritional deficiency with aging. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine the histological and molecular responses of the thymus to nutritional deficiency in young and aged mice. The thymic size was significantly smaller in 16- or 18-week-old aged mice than in 7-week-old young mice. Dietary restriction for 48 h reduced the thymic size in young mice, but not in aged mice. Immunostaining with anti-keratin 5 antibody revealed that the integrity of the corticomedullary boundary was maintained in the aged thymus, whereas dietary restriction induced its disorganization in both young and aged thymus. The numbers of immunoglobulin G (IgG)-positive cells were increased upon dietary restriction in aged, but not in young, thymus. Dietary restriction, but not aging, upregulated the mRNA levels of T-helper 2 (Th2)-related Il5, Il6, and Il10, whereas aging increased that of Th1-related interferon-γ (Ifng). The dietary restriction-induced upregulation of prostanoid-synthesizing enzymes was clearly observed in the young thymus but attenuated in the aged thymus. Thus, nutritional deficiency and aging cause an involuted thymus with different properties. Moreover, the thymus in aged mice does not show further reduction in size by nutritional deficiency but still responds differently compared with that in young mice.

Carbon derived from biomass waste usage is rising in various fields of application due to its availability, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability, but it remains limited in tissue engineering applications. Carbon derived from human hair waste was selected to fabricate a carbon-based bioscaffold (CHAK) due to its ease of collection and inexpensive synthesis procedure. The CHAK was fabricated via gelation, rapid freezing, and ethanol immersion and characterised based on their morphology, porosity, Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR), tensile strength, swelling ability, degradability, electrical conductivity, and biocompatibility using Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJMSCs). The addition of carbon reduced the porosity of the bioscaffold. Via FTIR analysis, the combination of carbon, agar, and KGM was compatible. Among the CHAK, the 3HC bioscaffold displayed the highest tensile strength (62.35 ± 29.12 kPa). The CHAK also showed excellent swelling and water uptake capability. All bioscaffolds demonstrated a slow degradability rate (<50%) after 28 days of incubation, while the electrical conductivity analysis showed that the 3AHC bioscaffold had the highest conductivity compared to other CHAK bioscaffolds. Our findings also showed that the CHAK bioscaffolds were biocompatible with WJMSCs. These findings showed that the CHAK bioscaffolds have potential as bioscaffolds for tissue engineering applications.

The thermal and rheological properties of bio-composite filament materials are crucial characteristics in the development of a bio-composite Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) filament since the printing mechanism of FDM strongly depends on the heating and extrusion process. The effect of chemical treatment on the thermal and rheological properties was investigated to develop composite filaments for FDM using natural fibres such as sugar palm fibre (SPF). SPF underwent alkaline and silane treatment processes before being reinforced with PLA for improving adhesion and removing impurities. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Differential Scanning Calorimetric (DSC), and Melt Flow Index (MFI) analyses were conducted to identify the differences in thermal properties. Meanwhile, a rheological test was conducted to investigate the shear stress and its viscosity. The TGA test shows that the SPF/PLA composite treated with NaOH and silane showed good thermal stability at 789.5 °C with 0.4% final residue. The DSC results indicate that the melting temperature of all samples is slightly the same at 155 °C (in the range of 1 °C), showing that the treatment does not interfere with the melting temperature of the SPF/PLA composite. Thus, the untreated SPF/PLA composite showed the highest degradation temperature, which was 383.2 °C. The SPF/PLA composite treated with NaOH and silane demonstrated the highest melt flow index of 17.6 g/min. In conclusion, these findings offer a reference point for determining the filament extrusion and printability of SPF/PLA composite filaments.

Objectives: We aimed to determine the association between newborn bacterial colonization and infant respiratory morbidity in the first 6 months of life., Methods: This prospective study included healthy newborn infants. Nasopharyngeal swabs performed within 72 hours of delivery were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction. We assessed cumulative respiratory morbidity of infants at 6 months., Results: A total of 426 mother-infant pairs were recruited. In 53.3% (n = 225) of newborns, Streptococcus pneumoniae (46%) and Staphylococcus aureus (7.3%) were isolated. None had Haemophilus influenzae nor Moraxella catarrhalis. At the age of 6 months, 50.7% of infants had experienced respiratory symptoms, 25% had unscheduled doctor visits, and 10% were treated with nebulizers. Colonization with S. pneumoniae was associated with reduced risk of any respiratory symptom (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.16, 0.50), unscheduled doctor visits (aOR 0.35; 95% CI 0.18, 0.67), and nebulizer treatment (aOR 0.23, 95% CI 0.07, 0.72) at 6 months. Pregnancy-induced hypertension was also associated with increased need for nebulizer treatment (aOR 9.11, 95% CI 1.43, 58.1)., Conclusion: Colonization of the newborn respiratory tract occurred in 53% of infants. S. pneumoniae was the most common organism, and this was associated with a reduced risk for respiratory morbidity at 6 months of life., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: This study aimed to determine menstrual characteristics and related morbidities among adolescent girls living in Sabah, North Borneo, a less-developed state in Malaysia., Methods: Data were obtained from a quantitative survey conducted in three government high schools located in Ranau, Sabah. The participants were adolescent girls who had attained menarche between the ages of 14 and 19., Results: Based on the analysis of questionnaires completed by 757 adolescent girls, the mean age at the time of the survey was 17 ± 1.4 years, and the mean menarche age was 12.2 ± 1.1 years. Our data demonstrated that 85.7% of the participants experienced dysmenorrhoea, of which at least 42.1% (mean pain score ± SD: 4.81 ± 0.76, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.72, 4.90) experienced moderate dysmenorrhoea, and 11.2% (mean pain score ± SD: 7.86 ± 0.94, 95% CI 7.64, 8.08) experienced severe dysmenorrhoea. Over 70% of these girls complained of tiredness, headache, and appetite changes during menses., Conclusions: The prevalence of menstrual disorders and related morbidities was high among the girls residing in Sabah. Reproductive health issues in rural and socioeconomically deprived areas remains poorly addressed. The main consequence of neglecting menstrual disorders and their related morbidities is impaired future sexual reproductive health in adults. Thus, addressing adolescent reproductive health issues is crucial, especially for girls living in areas where access to healthcare is difficult. The information gathered from this study can be used to strategize effective interventions to improve adolescents' reproductive health status in rural areas., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Glutamate-induced excitotoxic injury is widely described as a prominent pathophysiological mechanism in several neurodegenerative diseases including glaucoma. Glaucoma, the leading cause of irreversible blindness, is characterized by loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGC). Currently, the treatment focuses on lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) and no neuroprotective therapies are available. Since excessive glutamate-mediated neurotransmission underlies glaucomatous RGC apoptosis, enhancing synaptic glutamate clearance by glutamate transporters in glial cells is expected to protect against excitotoxic injury. Trans-resveratrol is known for its neuroprotective effects; however, its effects on the expression of glutamate transporters and glutamate clearance in retina remain unclear. Hence, in the current study, we investigated the protective effects of trans-resveratrol against glutamate-induced retinal injury in rats. Rats were intravitreally injected with glutamate alone or glutamate with trans-resveratrol as pre- and post-treatment. Animals were subjected to Open Field Test (OFT) on day six and a two-chamber mirror test on day seven post-injection. Subsequently, rats were sacrificed and retinal expression of excitatory amino acid transporter (EAAT)1 and EAAT2 gene and protein was determined using PCR and ELISA, respectively. Retinal glutamate concentration was measured using ELISA and retinal morphology was studied on H&E-stained retinal sections. It was observed that pre-treatment with trans-resveratrol causes gene expression for EAAT1 and EAAT2 to increase by 2.51 and 1.93 folds compared to glutamate-treated group (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively); while the same in trans-resveratrol post-treatment group showed a 1.58- and 1.44 folds upregulation (p < 0.05).The retinal EAAT1 and EAAT2 protein expression was significantly greater in trans-resveratrol pre-treatment group compared to glutamate-treated group (p < 0.05) but not in post-treatment group. Retinal glutamate concentration was1.64 folds greater in glutamate-treated group than the vehicle-treated group (p < 0.01) but the same was 1.27-fold lower in trans-resveratrol pre-treatment group compared to glutamate-treated group (p < 0.01). Corresponding to these findings, we observed preservation of retinal morphology and visual behaviour in trans-resveratrol pre-treatment group compared to glutamate-treated group. We did not observe similar effects of trans-resveratrol when it was given as post-treatment after glutamate administration. In conclusion, current study showed that pre-treatment with trans-resveratrol protects against glutamate induced changes in retinal morphology and visual behaviour by increasing the expression of EAAT1 and EAAT2 and increasing glutamate clearance in rat retinas. The results of this study may be relevant to disease conditions involving excitotoxic neuronal injury., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The degradation activity of two bacteriophages UPMK&#95;1 and UPMK&#95;2 against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus phages were examined using gel zymography., Methods: The analysis was done using BLASTP to detect peptides catalytic domains. Many peptides that are related to several phage proteins were revealed., Results: UPMK&#95;1 and UPMK&#95;2 custom sequence database were used for peptide identification. The biofilm-degrading proteins in the bacteriophage UPMK&#95;2 revealed the same lytic activity towards polysaccharide intercellular adhesin-dependent and independent of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) biofilm producers in comparison to UPMK&#95;1, which had lytic activity restricted solely to its host., Conclusion: Both bacteriophage enzymes were involved in MRSA biofilm degradation during phage infection and they have promising enzybiotics properties against MRSA biofilm formation., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Rigidoporus microporus is the fungus accountable for the white root rot disease that is detrimental to the rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis. The pathogenicity mechanism of R. microporus and the identity of the fungal proteins and metabolites involved during the infection process remain unclear. In this study, the protein and metabolite profiles of two R. microporus isolates, Segamat (SEG) and Ayer Molek (AM), were investigated during an in vitro interaction with H. brasiliensis. The isolates were used to inoculate H. brasiliensis clone RRIM 2025, and mycelia adhering to the roots of the plant were collected for analysis. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) images acquired confirms the hyphae attachment and colonization of the mycelia on the root of the H. brasiliensis clones after 4 days of inoculation. The protein samples were subjected to 2-DE analysis and analyzed using MALDI-ToF MS/MS, while the metabolites were extracted using methanol and analyzed using LC/MS-QTOF. Based on the differential analyses, upregulation of proteins that are essential for fungal evolution such as malate dehydrogenase, fructose 1,6-biphosphate aldolase, and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase hints an indirect role in fungal pathogenicity, while metabolomic analysis suggests an increase in acidic compounds which may lead to increased cell wall degrading enzyme activity. Bioinformatics analyses revealed that the carbohydrate and amino acid metabolisms were prominently affected in response to the fungal pathogenicity. In addition to that, other pathways that were significantly affected include "Protein Ubiquitination Pathway," Unfolded Protein Response," "HIFα Signaling," and "Sirtuin Signaling Pathway." The identification of responsive proteins and metabolites from this study promotes a better understanding of mechanisms underlying R. microporus pathogenesis and provides a list of potential biological markers for early recognition of the white root rot disease., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background and Objectives: Maternal diet during pregnancy may impact infant respiratory morbidity. The aim was to determine the association between antenatal maternal diet and respiratory morbidity of their infants during their first 6 months of life., Methods and Study Design: This prospective cohort study included healthy motherinfant pairs. Maternal diet during the last trimester was determined with a validated food frequency questionnaire. Infant respiratory morbidity was solicited at 1, 3 and 6 months., Results: Three hundred mother-baby pairs were recruited. Maternal consumption of milk and dairy products was associated with reduced respiratory symptoms at 1 month (aOR 0.29 [95% CI: 0.10, 0.86], p=0.03) and 3 months old (aOR 0.43 [95% CI: 0.20, 0.93], p=0.03), while intake of confectionery items was associated with increased unscheduled doctor visits at 3 months (aOR 2.01 [95% CI 1.33, 3.06], p=0.001) and increased nebuliser treatment at both 3 months (aOR 1.88 [95% CI 1.12, 3.17], p=0.02) and 6 months (aOR 1.64 [95% CI 1.05, 2.54], p=0.03). Finally, at 6 months, hypertensive disorders during pregnancy was associated with increased nebuliser treatment (aOR 17.3 [95% CI 1.50, 199], p=0.02) while exclusive breastfeeding was associated with reduced incidence of respiratory symptoms (OR 0.47 [95% CI 0.26, 0.83], p=0.01)., Conclusions: Increased antenatal maternal consumption of milk and dairy products may reduce respiratory morbidity while increased consumption of confectionery items may increase respiratory morbidity in their infants during the first 6 months of life.