Recent progress in alternative medicine has highlighted the benefits of olive as an integral part of therapeutic diet to
promote healthy living. Among the thirty different phenolic compounds of olive known to date; oleocanthal, oleuropein,
tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol are being increasingly investigated for their potential in prevention and healing of several
major forms of neurological dysfunctions and disorders. A considerable amount of literature suggests the neuroprotective
effects of olive and its phenolic compounds are owing to their roles as anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic
agents. At preclinical level, olive attenuated cognitive dysfunctions and the functional outcomes in spinal cord injury,
delayed the progression of amyloid beta pathology, improved motor and mitochondrial dysfunctions in Parkinson’s
disease, reversed diabetic-related neurological complications and also ameliorated cerebral pathologies in stroke. In this
paper, we aim to review the neuroprotective role of olive and its phenolic derivatives in the following diseases or deficits
of the nervous system that include cognitive dysfunction, neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, peripheral neuropathy and
spinal cord injury.
Femoral nailing is the overall “gold standard” in
treating femoral shaft fractures. However, plate
osteosynthesis at the femoral shaft is still being done
in selected patients. We report a case of right femoral
implant failure after a broad limited contact dynamic
compression plate (LC-DCP) insertion and its
subsequent management using our minimally invasive
technique. Our technique is biologically compliant
as well as cosmetically friendly. We converted a loadbearing
implant into a load-sharing implant in view that
obesity is a significant predictive factor of non-union in a
femoral fracture treated with locking plate. The patient
subsequently recovered well with no complication.
Multiple carpometacarpal joint (CMCJ) dislocations are rare and are easily missed. The anatomical configuration renders stability to the joints. As a result, a high-velocity impact is required to dislocate the joint. We present two cases of multiple carpometacarpal joint dislocations with different mechanisms of injury and their subsequent management at our centre. In case 1, a 29-year-old gentleman presented with acute dislocations of the CMCJs involving the right middle, ring, and little fingers. An open reduction and fixation with Kirschner wires were done to stabilize the dislocated CMCJs and he subsequently recovered. In case 2, a 25-year-old gentleman had the CMCJ dislocations detected late due to other more profound injuries. Partial arthrodesis was performed to address the instability of the CMCJs of the right index, middle and ring fingers. He subsequently recovered and returned to work 6-months postoperatively. The diagnosis of carpometacarpal joint dislocation can be easily missed especially when there is a concurrent distracting injury. It is crucial to maintain a high index of suspicion as early diagnosis and prompt treatment is paramount to yield a better outcome
Marjolin’s ulcer is a malignant cutaneous ulcer
that undergoes transformation from a previously
traumatized or chronically inflammed skin.1 Causes
leading to ulcerations can be burn injury, trauma,
chronic osteomyelitis and varicose ulcers.2 It is named
after a French surgeon, Jean Nicolas Marjolin, who
first described the condition in patients who developed
malignant ulcers from burn scars.3 We report a case of
a chronic non-healing foot ulcer that has become a
Marjolin’s ulcer after 12 years. (Copied from article).
Cervical spine injury is commonly associated with
road-traffic accidents. The true incidence of cervical
spine injuries is unknown due to under-reporting of
such injuries. Cervical spine injury is associated with
high morbidity and mortality if it is missed. With the
advancement of imaging modalities, the number of
missed cervical injuries has reduced. Nevertheless, some
clinicians are dependent solely on imaging tools to rule
out cervical spine injury in a trauma victim. We report
two cases of “near miss” C6 fracture to highlight the
importance of a detailed clinical history and clinical
examination with imaging as an adjunct to rule out
cervical injury.
Gelatin usage in scaffold fabrication is limited due to its lack of enzymatic and thermal resistance, as well as its mechanical weakness. Hence, gelatin requires crosslinking and reinforcement with other materials. This study aimed to fabricate and characterise composite scaffolds composed of gelatin, elastin, and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and crosslinked with genipin. The scaffolds were fabricated using the freeze-drying method. The composite scaffolds were composed of different concentrations of CNC, whereas scaffolds made of pure gelatin and a gelatin-elastin mixture served as controls. The physicochemical and mechanical properties of the scaffolds, and their cellular biocompatibility with human dermal fibroblasts (HDF), were evaluated. The composite scaffolds demonstrated higher porosity and swelling capacity and improved enzymatic resistance compared to the controls. Although the group with 0.5% (w/v) CNC recorded the highest pore size homogeneity, the diameters of most of the pores in the composite scaffolds ranged from 100 to 200 μm, which is sufficient for cell migration. Tensile strength analysis revealed that increasing the CNC concentration reduced the scaffolds' stiffness. Chemical analyses revealed that despite chemical and structural alterations, both elastin and CNC were integrated into the gelatin scaffold. HDF cultured on the scaffolds expressed collagen type I and α-SMA proteins, indicating the scaffolds' biocompatibility with HDF. Overall, the addition of elastin and CNC improved the properties of gelatin-based scaffolds. The composite scaffolds are promising candidates for an acellular skin substitute.
Hypertension and diabetes mellitus are among the most prevalent diseases affecting people from all walks of life. Medicinal herbs have garnered interest as potential agents for the prevention and treatment of diabetes mellitus and hypertension due to their multiple beneficial effects. Piper sarmentosum Roxb. (PS) is an edible medicinal plant that has been traditionally used in Asia for treating hypertension and diabetes mellitus. This review is aimed to provide comprehensive information from the literature on the effects of PS on hypertension and diabetes mellitus. A computerized database search was performed on Scopus, PubMed and Web of Science databases with the following set of keywords: Piper sarmentosum AND diabetes mellitus OR diabetic OR diabetes OR hyperglyc*emia OR blood glucose OR HbA1c OR glycated h*emoglobin OR h*emoglobin A1c OR hyperten* OR blood pressure. A total of 47 articles were screened and 14 articles published between the years 1998 until 2021 were included for data extraction, comprising of six articles on antihypertensive and eight articles on antidiabetic effects of PS. These studies consist of two in vitro studies and eleven in vivo animal studies. Meta-analysis of three studies on hypertension showed that PS versus no treatment significantly lowered the systolic blood pressure with mean difference (MD) -39.84 mmHg (95% confidence interval (CI) -45.05, -34.62; p < 0.01), diastolic blood pressure with MD -26.68 mmHg (95% CI -31.48, -21.88; p < 0.01), and mean arterial pressure with MD -30.56 mmHg (95% CI -34.49, -26.63; p < 0.01). Most of the studies revealed positive effects of PS against hypertension and diabetes mellitus, suggesting the potential of PS as a natural source of antidiabetic and antihypertensive agents.
Inflammation and oxidative stress are involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, hypertension and ischemic heart disease. Natural products play an important role as nutritional supplements with potential health benefits in cardiovascular diseases. Polygonum minus (PM) is an aromatic plant that is widely used as a flavoring agent in cooking and has been recognized as a plant with various medicinal properties including antioxidative and anti-inflammatory actions. Phytoconstituents found in PM such as phenolic and flavonoid compounds contribute to the plant's antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. We conducted this review to systematically identify articles related to the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities of PM. A computerized database search was conducted on Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, and ACS publication, from 1946 until May 2020, and the following keywords were used: 'Kesum OR Polygonum minus OR Persicaria minor' AND 'inflammat* OR oxida* OR antioxida*'. A total of 125 articles were obtained. Another eight additional articles were identified through Google Scholar and review articles. Altogether, 17 articles were used for data extraction, comprising 16 articles on antioxidant and one article on anti-inflammatory activity of PM. These studies consist of 14 in vitro studies, one in vivo animal study, one combined in vitro and in vivo study and one combined in vitro and ex vivo study. All the studies reported that PM exhibits antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities which are most likely attributed to its high phenolic and flavonoid content.
The relationships between subjective status and perceived legitimacy are important for understanding the extent to which people with low status are complicit in their oppression. We use novel data from 66 samples and 30 countries (N = 12,788) and find that people with higher status see the social system as more legitimate than those with lower status, but there is variation across people and countries. The association between subjective status and perceived legitimacy was never negative at any levels of eight moderator variables, although the positive association was sometimes reduced. Although not always consistent with hypotheses, group identification, self-esteem, and beliefs in social mobility were all associated with perceived legitimacy among people who have low subjective status. These findings enrich our understanding of the relationship between social status and legitimacy.