Browse publications by year: 2021

  1. Abdullah MFA, Yogarayan S, Abdul Razak SF, Azman A, Muhamad Amin AH, Salleh M
    F1000Res, 2021;10:1104.
    PMID: 38595984 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.73269.4
    Vehicle to Everything (V2X) communications and services have sparked considerable interest as a potential component of future Intelligent Transportation Systems. V2X serves to organise communication and interaction between vehicle to vehicle (V2V), vehicle to infrastructure (V2I), vehicle to pedestrians (V2P), and vehicle to networks (V2N). However, having multiple communication channels can generate a vast amount of data for processing and distribution. In addition, V2X services may be subject to performance requirements relating to dynamic handover and low latency communication channels. Good throughput, lower delay, and reliable packet delivery are the core requirements for V2X services.  Edge Computing (EC) may be a feasible option to address the challenge of dynamic handover and low latency to allow V2X information to be transmitted across vehicles. Currently, existing comparative studies do not cover the applicability of EC for V2X. This review explores EC approaches to determine the relevance for V2X communication and services. EC allows devices to carry out part or all of the data processing at the point where data is collected. The emphasis of this review is on several methods identified in the literature for implementing effective EC. We describe each method individually and compare them according to their applicability. The findings of this work indicate that most methods can simulate the EC positioning under predefined scenarios. These include the use of Mobile Edge Computing, Cloudlet, and Fog Computing. However, since most studies are carried out using simulation tools, there is a potential limitation in that crucial data in the search for EC positioning may be overlooked and ignored for bandwidth reduction. The EC approaches considered in this work are limited to the literature on the successful implementation of V2X communication and services. The outcome of this work could considerably help other researchers better characterise EC applicability for V2X communications and services.
    MeSH terms: Cloud Computing*; Communication*; Computer Simulation; Humans; Research Personnel
  2. Nojiri K, Higurashi S, Takahashi T, Tsujimori Y, Kobayashi S, Toba Y, et al.
    BMJ Open, 2021 Dec 30;11(12):e055028.
    PMID: 36282635 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-055028
    PURPOSE: The Japanese Human Milk Study, a longitudinal prospective cohort study, was set up to clarify how maternal health, nutritional status, lifestyle and sociodemographic and economic factors affect breastfeeding practices and human milk composition. This would eventually determine factors affecting the growth and development of infants and children.

    PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1210 Japanese lactating women who satisfied the inclusion criteria, were invited across the country at various participating sites, between 2014 and 2019. Finally a total of 1122 women were enrolled in this study.

    FINDINGS TO DATE: Among 1122 eligible participants, mean age at delivery was 31.2 (SD 4.4) years and mean prepregnancy BMI was 20.8 (SD 2.7). Among these women, 35% were previously nulliparous and 77.7% had college, university or higher education. The mean gestational period was 39.0 (SD 1.3) weeks. Caesarean section was reported among 11.9%; mean infant birth weight was 3082 (SD 360) g. Of the infants, 53.7% were male. Overall, our participants appeared to be healthier than the general population in Japan. Analyses of the 1079 eligible human milk samples obtained at the first and second months postpartum showed the following composition: carbohydrate, 8.13 (SD 0.32) g/100 mL; fat, 3.77 (SD 1.29) g/100 mL; and crude protein, 1.20 (SD 0.23) g/100 mL. We also analysed osteopontin, fatty acid, vitamin D and phospholipid levels in limited subcohorts of the samples.

    FUTURE PLANS: Follow-up surveys will be conducted to obtain milk samples every 2 months for 12 months and to investigate mother and child health until the children reach 5 years of age. These will be completed in 2024. We plan to longitudinally analyse the composition of macronutrients and various bioactive factors in human milk and investigate the lifestyle and environmental factors that influence breastfeeding practices, maternal and child health, and child development.

    TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: UMIN000015494; pre-results.

    MeSH terms: Breast Feeding; Carbohydrates; Cesarean Section; Child; Fatty Acids; Female; Humans; Infant; Japan/epidemiology; Lactation; Male; Phospholipids/metabolism; Pregnancy; Prospective Studies; Vitamin D/metabolism; Cohort Studies
  3. Lai JY, Inoue N, Oo CW, Kawasaki H, Lim TS
    RSC Adv, 2021 Jan 04;11(3):1367-1375.
    PMID: 35424103 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra02835e
    Fluorescent carbon nanoparticles have been gaining more attention in recent years for their excellent fluorescence properties and simple synthesis routes. Different carbon sources have been reported for fluorescent carbon nanoparticle synthesis but the use of virus particles as a carbon source is scarce. Herein, we report the utilization of M13 bacteriophage particles as the carbon source to synthesize phage-based nanoparticles through facile, one-step microwave heating. M13 bacteriophage is a nanosized filamentous virus particle with a single-stranded DNA genome encapsulated by a large number of coat proteins. These amino acid rich building blocks provide a substantial amount of carbon source for the synthesis of fluorescent nanoparticles. The resulting nanoparticles from M13 bacteriophage showed good water solubility and exhibited bright blue luminescence. The selectivity and sensitivity of the phage-based nanoparticles towards Fe(iii) ions showed a quenching effect with a linear correlation and a detection limit of 8.0 μM. This process highlights the potential application of virus particles as a source for the synthesis of fluorescent carbon nanoparticles and the sensing application.
  4. Ng YS, Chan DJC
    RSC Adv, 2021 Feb 02;11(11):6049-6059.
    PMID: 35423153 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra08088h
    Floating macrophyte phytoremediation could be the most relevant solution to the ever-increasing finfish farm pond effluent worldwide. However, the information of Spirodela polyrhiza monoculture system in fed batch mode, with periodic harvesting and increased macrophyte density is limited. In this study, the effect of fed batch and periodic harvesting on the treatment capacity and performance of the S. polyrhiza monoculture system (with increased the macrophyte density) in fish farm wastewater were evaluated. Results showed that the system with fed batch and harvesting could treat a greater volume of wastewater, remove a higher amount of pollutants in terms of ammonia (NH3-N), phosphate (PO4 3-), total suspended solids (TSS) and chemical oxygen demand (COD), while meeting the effluent limits. The system with S. polyrhiza macrophyte density of 11.67 g fresh weight (FW) per L wastewater was able to decrease nitrate (NO3 --N) and nitrite (NO2 --N) to an undetected level. This study suggested that the S. polyrhiza monoculture system with fed batch, optimal harvesting and frequent sediment removal is feasible and effective in treating the fish farm wastewater, and produces biomass with superior protein content for fish feed supplement and poultry diet. The obtained data provided insights into the system reliability in wastewater treatment and ways of improvement for the system. The treated wastewater could achieve exceptional quality with minimal toxicity before discharge to receiving waters, and potentially be reused for water flow recharge, aquaculture and irrigation purposes, minimizing the pollution and ecological impacts.
  5. Shamsuddin MR, Asikin-Mijan N, Marliza TS, Miyamoto M, Uemiya S, Yarmo MA, et al.
    RSC Adv, 2021 Feb 04;11(12):6667-6681.
    PMID: 35423191 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra09246k
    Extensive effort has been focused on the advancement of an efficient catalyst for CO2 reforming of CH4 to achieve optimum catalytic activity together with cost-effectiveness and high resistance to catalyst deactivation. In this study, for the first time, a new catalytic support/catalyst system of bifunctional NiO/dolomite has been synthesized by a wet impregnation method using low-cost materials, and it shows unique performance in terms of amphoteric sites and self-reduction properties. The catalysts were loaded into a continuous micro-reactor equipped with an online GC-TCD system. The reaction was carried out with a gas mixture consisting of CH4 and CO2 in the ratio of 1 : 1 flowing 30 ml min-1 at 800 °C for 10 h. The physicochemical properties of the synthesized catalysts were determined by various methods including X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption-desorption, H2 temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR), temperature-programmed desorption of CO2 (TPD-CO2), and temperature-programmed desorption of NH3 (TPD-NH3). The highest catalytic performance of the DRM reaction was shown by the 10% NiO/dolomite catalyst (CH4 & CO2 conversion, χCH4; χCO2 ∼ 98% and H2 selectivity, S H2 = 75%; H2/CO ∼ 1 : 1 respectively). Bifunctional properties of amphoteric sites on the catalyst and self-reduction behaviour of the NiO/dolomite catalyst improved dry reforming of the CH4 process by enhancing CH4 and CO2 conversion without involving a catalyst reduction step, and the catalyst was constantly active for more than 10 h.
  6. Abdelnaby H, Aboelhassan W, Al-Jarallah M, Rajan R, Dashti R, Zhanna KD, et al.
    Trop Med Int Health, 2021 Dec;26(12):1689-1699.
    PMID: 34601803 DOI: 10.1111/tmi.13685
    OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness and safety of tocilizumab, a humanised anti-interleukin-6 receptor antibody, in the treatment of critical or severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients.

    METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of severe or critical COVID-19 patients (≥18 years) admitted to one hospital in Kuwait. Fifty-one patients received intravenous tocilizumab, while 78 patients received the standard of care at the same hospital. Both groups were compared for clinical improvement and in-hospital mortality.

    RESULTS: The tocilizumab (TCZ) group had a significantly lower 28-day in-hospital mortality rate than the standard-of care-group (21.6% vs. 42.3% respectively; p = 0.015). Fifty-five per cent of patients in the TCZ group clinically improved vs. 11.5% in the standard-of-care group (p 

    MeSH terms: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Female; Humans; Kuwait/epidemiology; Male; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Cohort Studies; Young Adult; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/therapeutic use*
  7. Salem A, Aouididi R, Delatorre Bronzato J, Al-Waeli H, Abufadalah M, Shaikh S, et al.
    J Conserv Dent, 2021;24(2):163-168.
    PMID: 34759583 DOI: 10.4103/jcd.jcd_20_21
    BACKGROUND: The potential of an improved understanding to prevent and treat a complex oral condition such as root caries is important, given its correlation with multiple factors and the uncertainty surrounding the approach/material of choice. Deeper insights into risk factors may improve the quality of treatment and reduce the formation of root surface caries.

    AIM: The present work aims to gain knowledge about dentists' opinions and experiences on assessing the risk factor related to the development of root caries and to help identify any overlooked factors that may contribute to less efficacious clinical outcomes.

    METHODOLOGY: A questionnaire related to root surface caries was distributed among practicing dentists in nine different countries, namely the United Kingdom, Libya, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Brazil, India, Malaysia, and Iraq. Questionnaire responses were analyzed, and the results were compared among the groups.

    RESULTS: Dentists around the world ranked the oral hygiene status of patients as the most important factor in the development of root surface caries. Patients with poor oral hygiene, active periodontal disease, reduced salivary flow, and gingival recession are perceived to have a higher risk of developing new root surface caries. There is a greater focus on prevention in the UK and greater levels of untreated dental disease in other countries, especially those recovering from civil wars.

    CONCLUSION: This work identified some overlooked factors that may have contributed to the less efficacious clinical outcomes reported in the literature. It is hoped that this deep dive into risk factors coupled with the findings presented in Part I of this study will be used as a basis for a more comprehensive investigation into the management of patients with root surface caries.

  8. Mariappan V, Vellasamy KM, Mohamad NA, Subramaniam S, Vadivelu J
    Front Microbiol, 2021;12:718774.
    PMID: 34759896 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.718774
    On a global scale, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is recognized as a One Health challenge due to the continual and increased development and distribution of resistant microbes and genes among humans, animals, and the environment. These sectors contribute to the increase in AMR, as antibiotics are widely used in healthcare to treat or prevent bacterial infection; as growth enhancers, therapeutics and metaphylactics in animal husbandry; and transmitted in the environment through irrigation using wastewater or inappropriate disposal and treatment of human and agricultural waste. However, there is a major drawback in terms of the lack of research assessing the coexistence of AMR in these sectors. Extensive research highlighted food-animal manufacture structures that are likely to harbor reservoirs or promote transmission of AMR, in addition to increasing human colonization with AMR commensal bacteria. Numerous antibiotic stewardship policies have been designed and implemented in medical practices and animal husbandry in high- and middle-income countries. However, research concentrating on high-income settings, attitudes, emotions, and beliefs on the utilization of antimicrobials remain underexplored in lower- and middle-income countries such as Malaysia. Microbiological, epidemiological, and social science exploration are required at community and farming across the One Health range to fill huge gaps in information and knowledge of AMR. Manipulating human activities and character associated with antibiotics is a multifaceted progression that includes elements like knowledge, social behavior, attitudes, approaches, social standards, socioeconomic settings, peer pressure, experiences, and biophysical environment. Therefore, understanding these aspects in the utilization of antimicrobial drugs among the different sectors is essential to develop and implement policies to curb AMR development and transmission that overarch all sectors within the One Health consortium in Malaysia.
  9. Anuar TAFT, Ismail A, Mohamed Suffian IF, Abdul Hamid AA, Arzmi MH, Omar MN
    Data Brief, 2021 Dec;39:107485.
    PMID: 34761082 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2021.107485
    The data presented here is the liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (LC-MS) profile of phytochemical compounds in the aqueous extract of Syzygium polyanthum (Wight) Walp. leaves. This plant is consumed raw and sometimes added to local dishes of people in Southeast Asia countries. Most importantly, it has ethnomedicinal values mainly in treating diabetes and hypertension, and at the same time, this plant has anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-tumor properties [1]. There are chemical composition variations reported between the same species of different geographical locations, which eventually affect the plant's therapeutic potential [2], [3]. This dataset represents the identified compounds for S. polyanthum (Wight) Walp. leaves, a variant collected from Kuantan, a city located in the Pahang state on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The leaves were then dried in an open-air at room temperature for three weeks, ground, and then macerated in water inside a bath-sonicator, freeze-dried, and then run using LCMS. The LCMS was run using the ultra-performance liquid chromatography equipped with an electrospray time-of-flight mass spectrometer detector, operated in a negative-ion mode. The mass spectral features from samples raw data were matched with Traditional Medicine (en) and Waters Screening libraries in the Waters UNIFI™ Scientific Information System software version 1.7 (Waters, USA) for compounds identification.
  10. Watroly MN, Sekar M, Fuloria S, Gan SH, Jeyabalan S, Wu YS, et al.
    Drug Des Devel Ther, 2021;15:4527-4549.
    PMID: 34764636 DOI: 10.2147/DDDT.S338548
    Anthraquinones (AQs) are found in a variety of consumer products, including foods, nutritional supplements, drugs, and traditional medicines, and have a wide range of pharmacological actions. Rubiadin, a 1,3-dihydroxy-2-methyl anthraquinone, primarily originates from Rubia cordifolia Linn (Rubiaceae). It was first discovered in 1981 and has been reported for many biological activities. However, no review has been reported so far to create awareness about this molecule and its role in future drug discovery. Therefore, the present review aimed to provide comprehensive evidence of Rubiadin's phytochemistry, biosynthesis, physicochemical properties, biological properties and therapeutic potential. Relevant literature was gathered from numerous scientific databases including PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus and Google Scholar between 1981 and up-to-date. The distribution of Rubiadin in numerous medicinal plants, as well as its method of isolation, synthesis, characterisation, physiochemical properties and possible biosynthesis pathways, was extensively covered in this review. Following a rigorous screening and tabulating, a thorough description of Rubiadin's biological properties was gathered, which were based on scientific evidences. Rubiadin fits all five of Lipinski's rule for drug-likeness properties. Then, the in depth physiochemical characteristics of Rubiadin were investigated. The simple technique for Rubiadin's isolation from R. cordifolia and the procedure of synthesis was described. Rubiadin is also biosynthesized via the polyketide and chorismate/o-succinylbenzoic acid pathways. Rubiadin is a powerful molecule with anticancer, antiosteoporotic, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antioxidant, antibacterial, antimalarial, antifungal, and antiviral properties. The mechanism of action for the majority of the pharmacological actions reported, however, is unknown. In addition to this review, an in silico molecular docking study was performed against proteins with PDB IDs: 3AOX, 6OLX, 6OSP, and 6SDC to support the anticancer properties of Rubiadin. The toxicity profile, pharmacokinetics and possible structural modifications were also described. Rubiadin was also proven to have the highest binding affinity to the targeted proteins in an in silico study; thus, we believe it may be a potential anticancer molecule. In order to present Rubiadin as a novel candidate for future therapeutic development, advanced studies on preclinical, clinical trials, bioavailability, permeability and administration of safe doses are necessary.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Anthraquinones/isolation & purification; Anthraquinones/pharmacology*; Anthraquinones/chemistry; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/isolation & purification; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/pharmacology*; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/chemistry; Humans; Medicine, Traditional; Rubia/chemistry; Drug Discovery; Molecular Docking Simulation
  11. Kim YJ
    Clin Case Rep, 2021 Nov;9(11):e05055.
    PMID: 34765220 DOI: 10.1002/ccr3.5055
    After an acupuncture treatment 24 times, the symptoms are recovered right shoulder both active and passive full range of movement in all directions, and pain-free. Furthermore, no adverse effects were observed.
  12. Scherbyuk АN, Dydykin SS, Ivanov PА, Laptina VI, Маnuylov VМ, Nelipa МV, et al.
    Sovrem Tekhnologii Med, 2021;12(3):77-81.
    PMID: 34795983 DOI: 10.17691/stm2020.12.3.10
    The aim of the study was to assess the effectivity of PMGMU2018h scale for evaluation of the state severity degree of patients suffering from obstructive jaundice relative to other common assessment scales.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty physical parameters have been studied and compared according to different assessment scales in each of 258 patients with obstructive jaundice treated in three medical settings.

    RESULTS: The main drawback of the examined scales is the necessity to use the parameters for calculations not included in the medical and economic standards of the Russian Federation. This feature makes these scales unsuitable for making decisions on the tactics of managing a concrete patient in the hospitals of the Russian Federation. The scale developed by us for the assessment of the state severity of patients suffering from obstructive jaundice is completely devoid of subjectivism, does not depend on a surgeon's qualifications, and possesses high specificity to the given disease.

    MeSH terms: Humans; Intensive Care Units; Russia; APACHE
  13. Alromi DA, Madani SY, Seifalian A
    Polymers (Basel), 2021 Nov 27;13(23).
    PMID: 34883649 DOI: 10.3390/polym13234146
    Cancer is a disease that has resulted in millions of deaths worldwide. The current conventional therapies utilized for the treatment of cancer have detrimental side effects. This led scientific researchers to explore new therapeutic avenues with an improved benefit to risk profile. Researchers have found nanoparticles, particles between the 1 and 100 nm range, to be encouraging tools in the area of cancer. Magnetic nanoparticles are one of many available nanoparticles at present. Magnetic nanoparticles have increasingly been receiving a considerable amount of attention in recent years owing to their unique magnetic properties, among many others. Magnetic nanoparticles can be controlled by an external magnetic field, signifying their ability to be site specific. The most popular approaches for the synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles are co-precipitation, thermal decomposition, hydrothermal, and polyol synthesis. The functionalization of magnetic nanoparticles is essential as it significantly increases their biocompatibility. The most utilized functionalization agents are comprised of polymers. The synthesis and functionalization of magnetic nanoparticles will be further explored in this review. The biomedical applications of magnetic nanoparticles investigated in this review are drug delivery, magnetic hyperthermia, and diagnosis. The diagnosis aspect focuses on the utilization of magnetic nanoparticles as contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging. Clinical trials and toxicology studies relating to the application of magnetic nanoparticles for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer will also be discussed in this review.
  14. Hanif M, Jeoti V, Ahmad MR, Aslam MZ, Qureshi S, Stojanovic G
    Sensors (Basel), 2021 Nov 26;21(23).
    PMID: 34883867 DOI: 10.3390/s21237863
    Lately, wearable applications featuring photonic on-chip sensors are on the rise. Among many ways of controlling and/or modulating, the acousto-optic technique is seen to be a popular technique. This paper undertakes the study of different multilayer structures that can be fabricated for realizing an acousto-optic device, the objective being to obtain a high acousto-optic figure of merit (AOFM). By varying the thicknesses of the layers of these materials, several properties are discussed. The study shows that the multilayer thin film structure-based devices can give a high value of electromechanical coupling coefficient (k2) and a high AOFM as compared to the bulk piezoelectric/optical materials. The study is conducted to find the optimal normalised thickness of the multilayer structures with a material possessing the best optical and piezoelectric properties for fabricating acousto-optic devices. Based on simulations and studies of SAW propagation characteristics such as the electromechanical coupling coefficient (k2) and phase velocity (v), the acousto-optic figure of merit is calculated. The maximum value of the acousto-optic figure of merit achieved is higher than the AOFM of all the individual materials used in these layer structures. The suggested SAW device has potential application in wearable and small footprint acousto-optic devices and gives better results than those made with bulk piezoelectric materials.
    MeSH terms: Equipment Design; Transducers*; Equipment Failure Analysis; Optics and Photonics
  15. Gudigar A, Raghavendra U, Nayak S, Ooi CP, Chan WY, Gangavarapu MR, et al.
    Sensors (Basel), 2021 Dec 01;21(23).
    PMID: 34884045 DOI: 10.3390/s21238045
    The global pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has caused millions of deaths and affected the livelihood of many more people. Early and rapid detection of COVID-19 is a challenging task for the medical community, but it is also crucial in stopping the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Prior substantiation of artificial intelligence (AI) in various fields of science has encouraged researchers to further address this problem. Various medical imaging modalities including X-ray, computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound (US) using AI techniques have greatly helped to curb the COVID-19 outbreak by assisting with early diagnosis. We carried out a systematic review on state-of-the-art AI techniques applied with X-ray, CT, and US images to detect COVID-19. In this paper, we discuss approaches used by various authors and the significance of these research efforts, the potential challenges, and future trends related to the implementation of an AI system for disease detection during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    MeSH terms: Artificial Intelligence; Humans; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Pandemics*
  16. Islam F, Bibi S, Meem AFK, Islam MM, Rahaman MS, Bepary S, et al.
    Int J Mol Sci, 2021 Nov 23;22(23).
    PMID: 34884440 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312638
    Several coronaviruses (CoVs) have been associated with serious health hazards in recent decades, resulting in the deaths of thousands around the globe. The recent coronavirus pandemic has emphasized the importance of discovering novel and effective antiviral medicines as quickly as possible to prevent more loss of human lives. Positive-sense RNA viruses with group spikes protruding from their surfaces and an abnormally large RNA genome enclose CoVs. CoVs have already been related to a range of respiratory infectious diseases possibly fatal to humans, such as MERS, SARS, and the current COVID-19 outbreak. As a result, effective prevention, treatment, and medications against human coronavirus (HCoV) is urgently needed. In recent years, many natural substances have been discovered with a variety of biological significance, including antiviral properties. Throughout this work, we reviewed a wide range of natural substances that interrupt the life cycles for MERS and SARS, as well as their potential application in the treatment of COVID-19.
    MeSH terms: Alkaloids/therapeutic use; Alkaloids/chemistry; Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use*; Antiviral Agents/chemistry; Disease Outbreaks; Flavonoids/therapeutic use; Flavonoids/chemistry; Humans; Mutation; Terpenes/therapeutic use; Terpenes/chemistry; Pandemics
  17. Beygisangchin M, Abdul Rashid S, Shafie S, Sadrolhosseini AR
    Materials (Basel), 2021 Dec 02;14(23).
    PMID: 34885536 DOI: 10.3390/ma14237382
    The effects of different dopants on the synthesis, optical, electrical and thermal features of polyaniline were investigated. Polyaniline (PANI) doped with p-toluene sulfonic acid (PANI-PTSA), camphor sulphonic acid (PANI-CSA), acetic acid (PANI-acetic acid) and hydrochloric acid (PANI-HCl) was synthesized through the oxidative chemical polymerization of aniline under acidic conditions at ambient temperature. Fourier transform infrared light, X-ray diffraction, UV-visible spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy and electrical analysis were used to define physical and structural features, bandgap values, electrical conductivity and type and degree of doping, respectively. Tauc calculation reveals the optical band gaps of PANI-PTSA, PANI-CSA, PANI-acetic acid and PANI-HCl at 3.1, 3.5, 3.6 and 3.9 eV, respectively. With the increase in dopant size, crystallinity is reduced, and interchain separations and d-spacing are strengthened. The estimated conductivity values of PANI-PTSA, PANI-CSA, PANI-acetic acid and PANI-HCl are 3.84 × 101, 2.92 × 101, 2.50 × 10-2, and 2.44 × 10-2 S·cm-1, respectively. Particularly, PANI-PTSA shows high PL intensity because of its orderly arranged benzenoid and quinoid units. Owing to its excellent synthesis, low bandgap, high photoluminescence intensity and high electrical features, PANI-PTSA is a suitable candidate to improve PANI properties and electron provider for fluorene-detecting sensors with a linear range of 0.001-10 μM and detection limit of 0.26 nM.
  18. Luhar I, Luhar S, Abdullah MMAB, Razak RA, Vizureanu P, Sandu AV, et al.
    Materials (Basel), 2021 Dec 04;14(23).
    PMID: 34885611 DOI: 10.3390/ma14237456
    There is nothing more fundamental than clean potable water for living beings next to air. On the other hand, wastewater management is cropping up as a challenging task day-by-day due to lots of new additions of novel pollutants as well as the development of infrastructures and regulations that could not maintain its pace with the burgeoning escalation of populace and urbanizations. Therefore, momentous approaches must be sought-after to reclaim fresh water from wastewaters in order to address this great societal challenge. One of the routes is to clean wastewater through treatment processes using diverse adsorbents. However, most of them are unsustainable and quite costly e.g. activated carbon adsorbents, etc. Quite recently, innovative, sustainable, durable, affordable, user and eco-benevolent Geopolymer composites have been brought into play to serve the purpose as a pretty novel subject matter since they can be manufactured by a simple process of Geopolymerization at low temperature, lower energy with mitigated carbon footprints and marvellously, exhibit outstanding properties of physical and chemical stability, ion-exchange, dielectric characteristics, etc., with a porous structure and of course lucrative too because of the incorporation of wastes with them, which is in harmony with the goal to transit from linear to circular economy, i.e., "one's waste is the treasure for another". For these reasons, nowadays, this ground-breaking inorganic class of amorphous alumina-silicate materials are drawing the attention of the world researchers for designing them as adsorbents for water and wastewater treatment where the chemical nature and structure of the materials have a great impact on their adsorption competence. The aim of the current most recent state-of-the-art and scientometric review is to comprehend and assess thoroughly the advancements in geo-synthesis, properties and applications of geopolymer composites designed for the elimination of hazardous contaminants viz., heavy metal ions, dyes, etc. The adsorption mechanisms and effects of various environmental conditions on adsorption efficiency are also taken into account for review of the importance of Geopolymers as most recent adsorbents to get rid of the death-defying and toxic pollutants from wastewater with a view to obtaining reclaimed potable and sparkling water for reuse offering to trim down the massive crisis of scarcity of water promoting sustainable water and wastewater treatment for greener environments. The appraisal is made on the performance estimation of Geopolymers for water and wastewater treatment along with the three-dimensional printed components are characterized for mechanical, physical and chemical attributes, permeability and Ammonium (NH4+) ion removal competence of Geopolymer composites as alternative adsorbents for sequestration of an assortment of contaminants during wastewater treatment.
  19. Zaini N, Mohamad N, Mazlan SA, Abdul Aziz SA, Choi SB, Hapipi NM, et al.
    Materials (Basel), 2021 Dec 06;14(23).
    PMID: 34885641 DOI: 10.3390/ma14237484
    Common sensors in many applications are in the form of rigid devices that can react according to external stimuli. However, a magnetorheological plastomer (MRP) can offer a new type of sensing capability, as it is flexible in shape, soft, and responsive to an external magnetic field. In this study, graphite (Gr) particles are introduced into an MRP as an additive, to investigate the advantages of its electrical properties in MRPs, such as conductivity, which is absolutely required in a potential sensor. As a first step to achieve this, MRP samples containing carbonyl iron particles (CIPs) and various amounts of of Gr, from 0 to 10 wt.%, are prepared, and their magnetic-field-dependent electrical properties are experimentally evaluated. After the morphological aspect of Gr-MRP is characterized using environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), the magnetic properties of MRP and Gr-MRP are evaluated via a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The resistivities of the Gr-MRP samples are then tested under various applied magnetic flux densities, showing that the resistivity of Gr-MRP decreases with increasing of Gr content up to 10 wt.%. In addition, the electrical conductivity is tested using a test rig, showing that the conductivity increases as the amount of Gr additive increases, up to 10 wt.%. The conductivity of 10 wt.% Gr-MRP is found to be highest, at 178.06% higher than the Gr-MRP with 6 wt.%, for a magnetic flux density of 400 mT. It is observed that with the addition of Gr, the conductivity properties are improved with increases in the magnetic flux density, which could contribute to the potential usefulness of these materials as sensing detection devices.
  20. Loo JL, Mohamad Kamal NA, Goon JA, Ahmad Damanhuri H, Tan JAC, Abdul Murad NA, et al.
    Front Psychiatry, 2021;12:698911.
    PMID: 34916966 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.698911
    Background: Oxidative stress markers are found to be linked with depression and suicide attempts in bipolar disorder (BD), although the role of DNA damage as a marker of suicidal ideation and attempt has yet to be determined. We aim to investigate the association between DNA damage and suicidal behaviour, i.e., suicidal ideation and suicide attempt, among suicidal ideators in BD patients while accounting for clinical and psychosocial risk factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre on 62 consecutive BD patients diagnosed using the M.I.N.I. Neuropsychiatric Interview and 26 healthy control participants. Socio-demographic and clinical assessments were performed using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) for lifetime suicidal ideation and attempt, Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS) for depression severity, Clinical Global Impression for Bipolar Disorder (CGI-BD) for illness severity [both mania (CGI-Mania) and major depressive episode (CGI-MDE)], Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) for change in life events, and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) for behavioural impulsivity. The degree of DNA damage in peripheral blood samples was determined using a standard protocol of comet assay. Results: Multivariable logistic regression revealed higher scores of CGI-MDE as the sole significant factor for lifetime suicidal ideation (OR = 1.937, 95% CI = 1.799-2.076). Although initial bivariate analysis showed a significant association between DNA damage, malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), and suicidal behaviour, the findings were not seen in multivariable logistic regression. Bivariate subgroup analysis showed that moderate and severe DNA damage (p = 0.032 and p = 0.047, respectively) was significantly associated with lifetime suicide attempts among lifetime suicidal ideators. The study is the first to look at the connexion between DNA damage and suicidal risk in bipolar patients. It is limited by the small sample size and lack of information on illicit substance use. Conclusions: More severe DNA damage was significantly associated with lifetime suicide attempts among lifetime suicidal ideators in BD. However, the severity of depression was found to be independently associated with lifetime suicidal ideation per se rather than DNA damage in BD. Larger prospective studies are required to ascertain the potential of DNA damage as a biomarker for the transition from suicidal ideation to a suicide attempt.
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