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Five new 3, 4-dihydro-2H-benzo-and naphtho-1, 3-oxazine derivatives were synthesized via a modified step-wise procedure in which formaldehyde was substituted with methylene bromide for ring-closure reaction. The structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed by FT-IR, ¹H and 13C NMR spectral analysis, elemental analysis and mass spectrometry. The in vitro antimicrobial activities of the synthesized compounds were assessed against three strains of gram-positive and three strains of gram-negative bacteria as compared to streptomycin standard drug. Some of the synthesized compounds were found to have antibacterial activity ranging from moderate, good, very good and excellent against some of the bacteria strains with only one of the synthesized compound showing no activity against all the bacteria strains used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of information and communication technology (ICT) brings change in all lines of life. 21st century Learners live in a digital environment full of information flows. Many negaries reform the objectives and practice of education due to the influence of ICT development and various forms of educational innovation. The greatest hope of educational innovation is the support and integration of ICT in the learning process, thus enhancing the quality of student learning experience. The characteristics of 21st century students are very different from previous era students. In the 21st century one must have four skills (communication, colaboration, critical Thinking and problem Sorving and Creativity and Innovation). This skill has always been reflected in the learning that will be implemented by a professional teacher, by having the competence of pedagogic, professional, personality, and social competence

The effect of three different initial alkaline pH values (pH= 8, 9 and 10) in synthesised hydroxyapatite (HA) via a wet chemical precipitation approach was investigated. Waste ark clam shells (ACS) were used in this work as a source of calcium oxide in order to utilise waste materials in the production of synthetic Hydroxyapatite (HA). The HA was treated at different sintering temperature from 200 to 1000 °C to study the effect on the physical, the structural properties, the phase formation, the Vickers microhardness and the molar ratio of calcium to phosphate (Ca:P). From the results, the crystallite size and density of the HA obtained were increased as the sintering temperature increased. However, the appearance of biphasic HA and β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) was detected at pH 9 with 1000 °C, but did not occur at pH 8 and 10. In addition to the obtained results, it was clearly identified that the formation of β-TCP in the HA phase is related to the initial pH value, sintering temperature and Ca:P ratio. The Vickers microhardness showed that the single-phase HA was the hardest one compared to the biphasic HA/β-TCP. It shows the optimal value of the Vickers microhardness for the single-phase HA with a pH 10 at 1000 °C is 4.15 MPa.

Sterilization is essential for inactivation of microorganisms. There are many methods of sterilization, such as the use of heat or chemical processes. However, some equipment can be damaged by heat and can only be sterilized at low temperatures. Failure to properly disinfect or sterilize equipment may lead to transmission via contaminated objects. This paper presents a sterilization process using ozonized water at a temperature of 29.5°C with gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli). The antibacterial effect was examined with various concentrations of ORP (oxidation reduction potential) at 702 mV, 802 mV, 940 mV, 950 mV, and 960 mV. A strong linear correlation was observed between ORP value and the surface area of the antibacterial effect. It was found that increasing the concentration of ORP affects the surface area of Escherichia coli.

This research involved comprehensive studies on thermal, physical, and morphological properties of SiO2-Na2O-CaO-P2O5 (SNCP) glass-ceramic at various sintering temperatures. The study in SNCP glass-ceramic using soda-lime-silica (SLS) wastes glass and clam shell (CS) wastes as the main raw of materials via conventional melt-quenching technique and solid state sintering are interesting and challenging by considering the research using waste materials to fabricate novel SNCP glass-ceramic. The main peaks, Na3PO4 and Ca3Na6Si6O18 were assigned to high crystallization temperature (Tc) at 650-950°C. The density of samples increases at 550-750°C and decreases at 850-950°C due to the increase of sample thickness and higher specific volume at high sintering temperature. FESEM micrograph showed that existed porous increased at sintering temperature 850-950°C contributes effect to low densification of the sample.

The steering system in autonomous vehicles is an essential issue that must be addressed. Appropriate control will result in a smooth and risk-free steering system. Compared to other types of controls, type-2 fuzzy logic control has the advantage of dealing with uncertain inputs, which are common in autonomous vehicles. This paper proposes a novel method for the steering control of autonomous vehicles based on type-2 fuzzy logic control combined with PI control. The primary control, type-2 fuzzy logic control, has three inputs—distance, navigation, and speed. The fuzzy system’s output is the steering angle value. This was used as input for the secondary control, PI control. This control is in charge of adjusting the motor’s position as a manifestation of the steering angle. The study results applied to the EPS system of autonomous vehicles revealed that type-2 fuzzy logic control and PI control produced better and smoother control than type-1 fuzzy logic control and PI. The slightest disturbance in the type-1 fuzzy logic control showed a significant change in steering, while this did not occur in the type-2 fuzzy logic control. The results indicate that type-2 fuzzy logic control and PI control could be used for autonomous vehicles by maintaining the comfort and safety of the users.

The present work deals with the utilization of oil palm mesocarp fibre (OPMF) and poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) to produce cost-effective biodegradable materials. The biocomposite was prepared from OPMF and PBS at a weight ratio of 70:30 via a melt blending technique without addition of any additive. This biocomposite showed relatively low tensile and water resistance properties. As a consequence, it was subjected to electron beam irradiation (EBI) treatment under various irradiation dosages ranging from 5-25 kGy, aiming at improving both its tensile properties and its water resistance. The results indicated that the biocomposite irradiated with 25 kGy of applied dosage showed a considerable improvement of 50% in tensile strength, 780% in tensile modulus and 38% in elongation at break. The water absorption and thickness swelling of the biocomposites were reduced after EBI treatment. The scanning electron microscopy showed improvement of the interfacial adhesion between OPMF and PBS after EBI treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of employee performance and leadership effectiveness on organizational performance in the Maluku Province Education Office. The sample in the study involved 276 employees from the education office, as well as the Regional Office of the Ministry of Education and Culture collected through survey methods and analyzed using causal correlational techniques. The results indicate that there is a significant influence between employee performance and leadership effectiveness on organizational performance. This is because the success shown through employee performance and supported by the effectiveness of optimal leadership, so that organizational performance can be achieved successfully. Every employee at the Maluku Province Education Office can work collectively as a unified entity in carrying out the interests of the organization, so that the resources of employees through the performance shown can be organized effectively in achieving organizational goals.

Glass ionomer cements (GIC) are produced through acid base reaction between calcium-fluoroaluminosilicate glass powder and polyacrylic acid (PAA). Soda lime silica glasses (SLS), mainly composed of silica (SiO2), have been utilized in this study as the source of SiO2 for synthesis of Ca-fluoroaluminosilicate glass. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to investigate the potential of SLS waste glass in producing GIC. Two glasses, GWX 1 (analytical grade SiO2) and GWX 2 (replacing SiO2 with waste SLS), were synthesized and then characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). Synthesized glasses were then used to produce GIC, in which the properties were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and compressive test (from 1 to 28 days). XRD results showed that amorphous glass was produced by using SLS waste glass (GWX 2), which is similar to glass produced using analytical grade SiO2 (GWX 1). Results from FT-IR showed that the setting reaction of GWX 2 cements is slower compared to cement GWX 1. Compressive strengths for GWX 1 cements reached up to 76MPa at 28 days, whereas GWX 2 cements showed a slightly higher value, which is 80MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, hydrogels were prepared from carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (VP) by Electron Beam irradiation in the presence of N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (BIS) as a crosslinking agent. The parameters studied include stirring time and percentage ofcrosslinking agent. Hydrogels were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). VP and BIS were found be effective as reinforcement materials to improve the properties of CMC. Meanwhile, the optimum conditions were 5% BIS and 3 hours of stirring time. The gel fraction increased when irradiation dose was increased. FTIR confirmed the crosslinking reaction between CMC and VP after the irradiation process by using BIS as the crosslinking agent. TGA thermograms showed changes in the thermal properties of CMC-VP hydrogels in the presence of different amounts of BIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The onset of carcinoma of the larynx, especially of the glottis, is heralded mainly by a change of voice. It has a male preponderance and is almost exclusively common to smokers and patients with heavy alcohol consumption. We report a case of glottic carcinoma in a non-smoker female patient. The only possible risk factor for her is a history of laryngopharyngeal reflux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discharging ear is a common symptom in the primary care and private general clinics. Most of the cases are treated with the antibiotic ear drops for otitis externa or otitis media. However, despite an adequate standard therapy, a malignant tumour can also be present with non-specific symptom such as ear discharge, especially in the case of persistent ear discharge. In this paper we have reported a case of an adult woman presented with non-resolving ear discharge who was treated repeatedly with antibiotic ear drop, which was later diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information on structural composition of organic matter (OM) in particle-size fractions of soils along a climo-biosequence is sparse. The objective of this study was to examine structural composition and morphological characteristics of OM in particle-size fractions of soils along a climo-biosequence in order to better understand the factors and processes affecting structural composition of soil organic matter. To explore changes in structural composition of OM in soils with different pedogenesis, the A-horizon was considered for further analyses including particle-size fractionation, solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Due to the increase in the thickness of organic layer with increasing elevation, the A-horizon was situated at greater depth in soils of higher elevation. The relationship between relative abundances of carbon (C) structures and particle-size fractions was examined using principal component analysis (PCA). It was found that alkyl C (20.1-73.4%) and O-alkyl C (16.8-67.7%) dominated particle-size fractions. The proportion of alkyl C increased with increasing elevation, while O-alkyl C showed an opposite trend. Results of PCA confirmed this finding and showed the relative enrichment of alkyl C in soils of higher elevation. Increase in the proportion of alkyl C in 250-2000 μm fraction is linked to selective preservation of aliphatic compounds derived from root litter. SEM results showed an increase in root contribution to the 250-2000 μm fraction with increasing elevation. For the

The use of probiotic as dietary approach to prevent exposure to food contaminant, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) has greatly increased. Several studies found that AFB1 binding to the bacterial cell wall is strain-specific. Moreover, the interaction between AFB1 and bacterial cell wall is not well-understood, thus warrants further investigation. This research was conducted to assess the ability of Lactobacillus casei Shirota (Lcs) to bind AFB1 at different concentrations and to determine AFB1 binding efficiency of different Lcs cell components including live cell, heat-treated, and cell wall. In addition, the interaction between AFB1 and Lcs was also evaluated via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and through an animal study. The binding of AFB1 by all Lcs cell components depends on the concentration of available AFB1. Among all Lcs cell components, the live Lcs cells exhibited the highest binding efficiency (98%) toward AFB1. Besides, the SEM micrographs showed that AFB1 induced structural changes on the bacterial cell surface and morphology including rough and irregular surface along with a curve rod-shaped. In vivo experiment revealed that Lcs is capable to neutralize the toxicity of AFB1 on body weight and intestine through the binding process. The animal’s growth was stunted due to AFB1 exposure, however, such effect was significantly (p < 0.05) alleviated by Lcs. This phenomenon can be explained by a significant (p < 0.05) decreased level of blood serum AFB1 by Lcs (49.6 ± 8.05 ng/mL) compared to AFB1-exposed rats without treatment (88.12 ± 10.65 ng/mL). Taken together, this study highlights the potential use of Lcs as a preventive agent against aflatoxicosis via its strong binding capability.

Drought has been a major limiting factor for rice production. Drought yield QTLs (qDTYs; QTLs = quantitative trait loci) were pyramided into MRQ74 and MR219 to produce drought tolerant lines. In this study, new drought tolerant MRQ74 and MR219 pyramided lines (PLs) were evaluated under drought stress (RS) and non-stress (NS) conditions to evaluate the effects of different qDTYs combinations on morphological and agronomical traits. MRQ74 PLs having qDTY12.1 possessed the best root length (RL) under both RS and NS but the effect was only significant for MR219 PLs under RS. Some qDTYs combinations also found to have consistent effect on the same trait of both populations. PLs with only qDTY12.1 showed the highest grain yield (GY) under RS in both populations which means qDTY12.1 controlled RL and caused higher GY under drought condition. The interaction of major-effect qDTY12.1 with qDTY2.2 also shows significant effect on leaf rolling (LR) of both PL populations. These qDTYs proved to be beneficial in improving traits related to drought tolerance. Selected PLs with qDTY12.1 combinations also found to have better RL and root weight (RW) under RS. Improvement of morphological and agronomical traits led to higher GY of PLs. Therefore, qDTY12.1 either is present singly or in combination with other qDTYs was the best qDTY due to its consistent effect on morphological and agronomical traits and GY across populations under RS and NS.

This paper proposes mentor-mentee event as a method to improve the performance of the students in Calculus subject for Foundation Third Semester in Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP). About 40 mentees are selected based on their course work (CW) marks and 20 mentors are chosen from UTP undergraduate students (UG). All the mentees must complete 12 hours within two-days event. In this event, active learning (AL) and cooperative learning (CL) are utilized as a learning method, this includes brainstorming, think pair share, think problem solving (TPS), pair work, turn to neighbor summaries, and etcetera. All the outcomes are analyzed through statistical measurements. From the results, it indicates that, Mentor-Mentee Event has improved significantly the performance of the mentees in the final exam.

Building materials having low thermal load and low thermal conductivity will provide thermal comforts to the occupants in building. In an effort to reduce the use of high energy and waste products from the agricultural industry, sugarcane bagasse and banana bagasse has been utilize as an additive in the manufacture of cement brick. The aim of this study is to investigate the insulation and mechanical properties of brick that has been mixed with bagasse and its effectiveness as thermal insulation using heat flow meter. Waste bagasse is being treated using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and is characterized using SEM and XRF. The samples produced with two different dimensions of 50 mm × 50 mm × 50 mm and 215mm × 102.5mm × 65mm for thermal conductivity test. Next, the sample varies from 0% (control sample), 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10% in order to determine the best mix proportion. The compressive strength is being tested for 7, 14 and 28 days of water curing. Results showed that banana bagasse has lower thermal conductivity compared to sugarcane bagasse used, with compressive strength of 15.6MPa with thermal conductivity 0.6W/m.K.

Leech is an uncommon nasal foreign body, which can cause epistaxis. It is an aquatic segmental worm living in fresh water most commonly in tropical areas. Once it is attached in the nose, it will secrete an anticoagulant enzyme named hirudin, and that will result in continuous bleeding more than from a normal wound even after it is removed. We present a case of a live leech in the nose that caused unilateral epistaxis in a patient with a recent history of jungle trekking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Auditory dysfunction following motor vehicle accident is quite common. However, unless it is due to direct injury to the ear, the sensorineural type is expected to be bilateral. Our cases illustrate patients who were involved in motor vehicle accident and subsequently developed unilateral sensorineural hearing loss. Depending on cases to cases, the patients may need aural rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As primary producers, plants play a central role in mediating interactions across trophic levels. Although plants are the primary food source for herbivorous insects, they can protect themselves from herbivore damage. Many plants produce toxic compounds that directly reduce herbivore feeding, but plants also protect themselves indirectly by attracting natural enemies of the attacking herbivore through volatile signaling. These so-called tri-trophic interactions have historically been documented aboveground in aerial plant parts but are also known to occur belowground in root systems. In addition to herbivores, plants directly interact with other organisms, which can influence the outcomes of tri-trophic interactions. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are symbiotic soil microbes that colonize the roots of plants and facilitate nutrient uptake. These microbes can alter plant chemistry and subsequent resistance to herbivores. Few studies, however, have shown how AMF affect tri-trophic interactions above- or belowground. This study examines how AMF colonization affects the emission of root volatiles when plants are under attack by western corn rootworm, a problematic pest of corn, and subsequent attraction of entomopathogenic nematodes, a natural enemy of western corn rootworm. Mycorrhizal fungi increased rootworm survival but decreased larval weight. Differences were detected across root volatile profiles, but there was not a clear link between volatile signaling and nematode behavior. Nematodes were more attracted to non-mycorrhizal plants without rootworms and AMF alone in soil, suggesting that AMF may interfere with cues that are used in combination with volatiles which nematodes use to locate prey., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Attracting and sustaining investment in Veterinary Services and animal health programmes from national government budgets, development aid and grants, and philanthropic donors requires economic rationale using relevant, reliable and validated analytical approaches. The complex interwoven relationships between animal health, livestock husbandry systems, national food security, global health security and environmental sustainability emphasise the importance of improving data governance and stewardship and applying economic analysis to understand animal disease burdens. These efforts should enable prioritised investment of limited resources and effective monitoring of the impact of programmes over time. Data governance and stewardship capacities are fundamental to development, implementation and performance monitoring of evidence-based policies in animal health. There are challenges in data availability for national and subnational livestock populations in different sectors, for disease incidence and prevalence, and for animal health expenditure in support of optimised allocation of scarce resources, be they finance, land, labour, or management attention and policy focus. Animal health data systems governance and stewardship and economic analysis are core skills for Veterinary Services in developing and applying evidence-based policy, but capability probably varies among World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) Members. The WOAH Performance of Veterinary Services programme has several critical competencies that are relevant to economics of animal health and to data governance and stewardship, but these have not yet been targeted for coordinated capacity development. Implementation of publicâ€"private partnership approaches for animal health programmes creates increasing expectations of robust data and methods for prioritisation, options analysis, and assessing impacts and costs. Experience and examples from national systems in New Zealand, Australia, Ethiopia and Indonesia illustrate current challenges associated with prioritisation of animal health programmes using economic analysis. The Global Burden of Animal Diseases programme intends to support WOAH Members and partners to develop capacities for and standardise approaches to economic analysis and prioritisation in animal health programmes.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b viruses were isolated from domestic ducks in South Kalimantan, Indonesia, during April 2022. The viruses were genetically similar to those detected in East Asia during 2021-2022. Molecular surveillance of wild birds is needed to detect potential pandemic threats from avian influenza virus.

Individuals with a history of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) exhibit memory immunity acquired during natural infection. However, a decline in immunity after infection renders these individuals vulnerable to re-infection, in addition to a higher risk of infection with new variants. This systematic review examined related studies to elucidate the antibody response in these infected individuals after messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccination. Hence, the focus of this review was to ascertain differences in the concentration of binding and neutralising antibodies of previously infected individuals in comparison to those of infection-naïve individuals after administration of two doses of mRNA vaccination through available case-control and cohort studies. Positive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test or detectable anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies at the baseline in included studies showed categorisation of infected and uninfected individuals. This review utilised three online databases: PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane with the following keywords: (COVID-19 OR 'Coronavirus Disease 2019' OR SARS-CoV-2) AND Immun* AND (Pfizer OR BioNTech OR BNT162b2 OR Comirnaty OR Moderna OR mRNA-1273) from January 2019 to July 2021. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocol (PRISMA-P) 2020 guidelines and assessment based on the Crowe Critical Appraisal Tool (CCAT), we included 13 related qualified papers of observational studies discerning the binding and neutralising antibody concentrations of infected and uninfected individuals after administration of mRNA vaccines, such as the BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 vaccine. The mRNA vaccines induced robust binding and neutralising antibody responses in both groups. However, infected individuals showed induction of higher antibody responses in a shorter time compared to uninfected individuals. Hence, a single dose of mRNA vaccination for infected individuals may be sufficient to reach the same level of antibody concentration as that observed in uninfected individuals after receiving two doses of vaccination., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest None., (© Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia, 2023.)

Dog-mediated rabies is endemic in much of Indonesia, including Bali. Most dogs in Bali are free-roaming and often inaccessible for parenteral vaccination without special effort. Oral rabies vaccination (ORV) is considered a promising alternative to increase vaccination coverage in these dogs. This study assessed immunogenicity in local dogs in Bali after oral administration of the highly attenuated third-generation rabies virus vaccine strain SPBN GASGAS. Dogs received the oral rabies vaccine either directly or by being offered an egg-flavored bait that contained a vaccine-loaded sachet. The humoral immune response was then compared with two further groups of dogs: a group that received a parenteral inactivated rabies vaccine and an unvaccinated control group. The animals were bled prior to vaccination and between 27 and 32 days after vaccination. The blood samples were tested for the presence of virus-binding antibodies using ELISA. The seroconversion rate in the three groups of vaccinated dogs did not differ significantly: bait: 88.9%; direct-oral: 94.1%; parenteral: 90.9%; control: 0%. There was no significant quantitative difference in the level of antibodies between orally and parenterally vaccinated dogs. This study confirms that SPBN GASGAS is capable of inducing an adequate immune response comparable to a parenteral vaccine under field conditions in Indonesia.

Mango has a high global demand. Fruit fungal disease causes post-harvest mango and fruit losses. Conventional chemical fungicides and plastic prevent fungal diseases but they are hazardous to humans and the environment. Direct application of essential oil for post-harvest fruit control is not a cost-effective approach. The current work offers an eco-friendly alternative to controlling the post-harvest disease of fruit using a film amalgamated with oil derived from Melaleuca alternifolia . Further, this research also aimed to assess the mechanical, antioxidant, and antifungal properties of the film infused with essential oil. ASTM D882 was performed to determine the tensile strength of the film. The antioxidant reaction of the film was assessed using the DPPH assay. In vitro and in vivo tests were used to evaluate the inhibitory development of the film against pathogenic fungi, by comparing the film with different levels of essential oil together with the treatment of the control and chemical fungicide. Disk diffusion was used to evaluate mycelial growth inhibition, where the film incorporated with 1.2 wt% essential oil yielded the best results. For in vivo testing of wounded mango, the disease incidence was successfully reduced. For in vivo testing of unwounded mango to which the film incorporated with essential oil was applied, although some quality parameters such as the color index were not significantly affected, weight loss was reduced, soluble solid content was increased, and firmness was increased, compared to the control. Thus, the film incorporated with essential oil (EO) from M. alternifolia can be an environmentally friendly alternative to the conventional approach and the direct application of essential oil to control post-harvest disease in mango.

During 2022, outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) were reported across the islands of Indonesia, a country that had previously maintained an FMD-free (without vaccination) status since 1990. This report describes the near-complete genome sequence of a representative FMD virus collected from these cases belonging to the O/ME-SA/Ind-2001e lineage.

Advanced hybrid component development in nanotechnology provides superior functionality in the application of scientific knowledge for the drug delivery industry. The purpose of this paper is to review important nanohybrid perspectives in drug delivery between nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) and hydrogel systems. The hybrid system may result in the enhancement of each component's synergistic properties in the mechanical strength of the hydrogel and concomitantly decrease aggregation of the NLC. The significant progress in nanostructured lipid carriers-hydrogels is reviewed here, with an emphasis on their preparation, potential applications, advantages, and underlying issues associated with these exciting materials.

Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is modified cellulose extracted from oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) biomass waste that has been prepared through etherification using sodium monochloroacetate (SMCA) in the presence of sodium hydroxide. In this research, CMC hydrogel was prepared using calcium chloride (CaCl 2 ) as the chemical crosslinker. Throughout the optimization process, four important parameters were studied, which were: (1) CMC concentration, (2) CaCl 2 concentration, (3) reaction time, and (4) reaction temperature. From the results, the best gel content obtained was 28.11% at 20% ( w / v ) of CMC with 1% ( w / v ) of CaCl 2 in 24 h reaction at room temperature. Meanwhile, the degree of swelling for CMC hydrogel was 47.34 g/g. All samples were characterized using FT-IR, XRD, TGA, and FESEM to study and compare modification on the OPEFB cellulose. The FT-IR spectrum of CMC hydrogel showed a shift of COO - peaks at 1585 cm -1 and 1413 cm -1 , indicating the substitution of Ca 2+ into the CMC molecular chains. The XRD diffractogram of CMC hydrogel showed no observation of sharp peaks, which signified an amorphous hydrogel phase. The CrI value also proved the decrement of the crystalline nature of CMC hydrogel. TGA-DTG thermograms showed that the T max of CMC hydrogel at 293.33 °C is slightly better in thermal stability compared to CMC. Meanwhile, the FESEM micrograph of CMC hydrogel showed interconnected pores indicating the crosslinkages in CMC hydrogel. CMC hydrogel was successfully synthesized using CaCl 2 as a crosslinking agent, and its swelling ability can be used in various applications such as drug delivery systems, industrial effluent, food additives, heavy metal removal, and many more.

In the present work, a highly efficient mixed matrix membrane (MMM) for humic acid (HA) removal was developed. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were functionalized in the presence of 3-methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane using the co-condensation method and were subsequently loaded with TiO 2 (prepared via the sol-gel route). The as-prepared material was then incorporated into a PES polymer solution to prepare a fMWCNT-TiO 2 /PES hybrid membrane via non-solvent induced phase inversion. The microstructure of the membrane was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, water contact angle, thickness, porosity, and pore size. The fMWCNT-TiO 2 /PES hybrid membrane was tested for the removal of HA and antifouling performance. The results show that the surface hydrophilicity of the membranes was greatly improved upon the addition of the fMWCNT-TiO 2 particles. The results show that 92% of HA was effectively removed after 1 h of filtration. In comparison with pristine membrane, the incorporation of fMWCNT-TiO 2 nanoparticles led to enhanced pure water flux (99.05 L/m 2 h), permeate flux (62.01 L/m 2 h), higher HA rejection (92%), and antifouling improvement (RFR: 37.40%, FRR: 86.02%). Thus, the fMWCNT-TiO 2 /PES hybrid membrane is considered to be a great potential membrane for the improvement of ultrafiltration membranes.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of vertebral fractures (VF) in a selected urban population in Malaysia and to explore possible variables associated with VF in the study population., Methods: A cross-sectional study involving community-living, healthy subjects aged between 45-90 years from the state of Selangor, Malaysia, were invited to attend a bone health check-up. Subjects with diseases known to affect bone metabolism or were on treatment for osteoporosis (OP) were excluded. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Lateral and antero-posterior view lumbar spine x-rays were performed and VF was determined by the semi-quantitative Genant method., Results: A total of 386 subjects were studied. Asymptomatic morphometric VF were found in 44 (11.4%) subjects. T12 was the most common vertebrae to be fractured. The prevalence of VF was significantly higher in menopausal women (12.4%) compared to non-menopausal women, in those above the age of 60 (18.5%), in those of Chinese ethnicity (16.5%), in those with a low body fat percentage (17.1%) and among those with OP (27.0%). The mean (standard deviation) 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels were significantly higher in those with VF compared to those without VF, 67.64 (23.50) and 57.47 (21.71) nmol/L, respectively. However, after multiple regression analysis, age over 60 years and OP on DXA BMD measurement were the only significant associated factors for VF., Conclusion: Overall, 11.4% of a selected Malaysian urban population had asymptomatic morphometric VF. Age over 60 years and OP on DXA BMD measurement, but not 25(OH)D levels, were associated with VF., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the current worldwide pandemic as declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) in March 2020. Being part of the ongoing global pandemic, Malaysia has recorded a total of 8639 COVID-19 cases and 121 deaths as of 30th June 2020. This study aims to detect spatial clusters of COVID-19 in Malaysia using the Spatial Scan Statistic (SaTScan™) to guide control authorities on prioritizing locations for targeted interventions. The spatial analyses were conducted on a monthly basis at the state-level from March to September 2020. The results show that the most likely cluster of COVID-19 occurred in West Malaysia repeatedly from March to June, covering three counties (two federal territories and one neighbouring state) and moved to East Malaysia in July covering two other counties. The most likely cluster shows a tendency of having moved from the western part to the eastern part of the country. These results provide information that can be used for the evidence- based interventions to control the spread of COVID-19 in Malaysia. A Correction has been published: https://doi.org/10.4081/gh.2023.1233

Glass ionomer cement (GIC) is a well-known restorative material applied in dentistry. The present work aims to study the effect of hydroxyapatite (HA) addition into GIC based on physical, mechanical and structural properties. The utilization of waste materials namely clam shell (CS) and soda lime silica (SLS) glass as replacements for the respective CaO and SiO 2 sources in the fabrication of alumino-silicate-fluoride (ASF) glass ceramics powder. GIC was formulated based on ASF glass ceramics, polyacrylic acid (PAA) and deionized water, while 1 wt.% of HA powder was added to enhance the properties of the cement samples. The cement samples were subjected to four different ageing times before being analyzed. In this study, the addition of HA caused an increment in density and compressive strength results along with ageing time. Besides, X-ray Diffraction (XRD) revealed the formation of fluorohydroxyapatite (FHA) phase in HA-added GIC samples and it was confirmed by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis which detected OH‒F vibration mode. In addition, needle-like and agglomeration of spherical shapes owned by apatite crystals were observed from Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM). Based on Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, the detection of chemical elements in the cement samples were originated from chemical compounds used in the preparation of glass ceramics powder and also the polyacid utilized in initiating the reaction of GIC.

Low bioavailability and poor water solubility have limited the utilization of curcumin in conventional dosing methods. As an alternative, microemulsions as drug carrier can improve curcumin delivery. A cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-nanocrystalline cellulose (CTAB-NCC)-based microemulsion was developed and its potential use as a topical delivery method for curcumin was investigated. The effect of microemulsion's particle size and its microstructure as well as the presence of the CTAB-NCC nanoparticle on the topical delivery of curcumin was studied. In vitro permeation studies showed higher penetration rate of curcumin from the oil-in-water type-microemulsions. The skin permeation profile of curcumin followed Higuchi release kinetics. Furthermore, use of the (CTAB-NCC)-based microemulsion enhanced curcumin accumulation in the skin and these system showed non cytotoxicity effect on L929 cell line. These results showed the potential of (CTAB-NCC)-based microemulsions as controlled-release topical systems for the delivery of curcumin and potentially other lipophilic drugs., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)