The number of commuting accidents in Malaysia is increasing every year and therefore it is essential to understand the underlying factors that influence the drivers’ way of driving among Malaysian workers. This study aims to deter- mine the risk factors of driving behaviour among workers through a cross-sectional study involving 153 manufactur- ing workers in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Self-administered survey consisting standardized questionnaire were used to collect information on sociodemographic, working background, driving experience, job strain (JCQ) and EDS (ESS) among respondents. The most reported risky driving behaviour was lapses followed by ordinary violation, errors and aggressive violation. There were 36.6% of respondents reported to have job strain and 53.6% reported to have EDS. In bivariate analyses, younger age, higher education level, job tenure, longer years of having driving license and positive EDS were significantly correlated with more risky driving behaviour but after all inter-relationship between these factors were controlled, only EDS was found significant.
Nitrate fertilizer is extensively used to produce healthy crops on a wide scale, and paddy planting is no exception. Nitrate that is not used by plants is able to penetrate the soil and end up in groundwater. This, if not checked, can give rise to health problems including infant methemoglobinaemia, a disease where hemoglobin in erythrocytes are changed into methemoglobin by nitrite which, in turn, makes it unable to transport oxygen to body cells. Nitrite is formed from ingested nitrate that is altered by bacteria present in the infant’s stomach. This cross-sectional study was conducted in February 2019 for 2 weeks’ observation during the paddy pre-planting season, and a total of 149 wells across three villages were sampled for nitrate. Readings were compared to the Drinking Water Quality Standard stated by the Ministry of Health, Malaysia. The maximum acceptable value for nitrate in drinking water is 45 mg/L nitrate (NO3-). The three villages, namely Keting, Kuchelong and Telaga Ara, were chosen as they are located near paddy fields and water from wells were used for drinking and cooking without filtration. It was found that only one (0.67%) of the wells had nitrate above the maximum acceptable value (56.85 mg/L NO3-). This highest value was found in Telaga Ara village and the location of the well was 50m from the nearest paddy fields. In Kuchelong village, the mean nitrate level was 5.10 +0.85 mg/L with a range of 0.73 to 27.10 mg/L. While in Telaga Ara village, the mean nitrate levels was 10.52 +1. 24 mg/L with a range of 1.67 to 56.85 mg/L. Mean nitrate level in Keting village was 5.34 + 4.94 mg/L with a range of 0.40 -23.65 mg/L. In general, nitrate levels were found to be below the maximum acceptable value in the villages concerned and therefore did not pose any health risks to users. Periodic assessment of nitrate in groundwater is still important as to ensure the levels remain below the acceptable value, and in turn, safeguard the health of its users.
Introduction: Asthma is a condition characterized by eosinophilic airway inflammation and remodelling that in- volves several pathological changes, including subepithelial fibrosis, mucus hypersecretion, smooth muscle growth, and vascular changes. The present study aimed to determine the effect of tHGA administered intraperitoneally in a chronic asthma mouse model that closely mimics the human asthma. Methods: Ovalbumin-sensitized and chal- lenged BALB/c mice were i.p. administered with tHGA at different doses (20 and 2 mg/kg). Respiratory function was measured, and brochoalveolar lavage, blood and lung samples were then obtained and analyzed. Results: The airways of OVA-induced mice developed increased pulmonary inflammation with increased levels of cytokines, chemokines, and changes in vascular permeability. Intraperitoneal administration of tHGA in OVA-induced mice significantly and dose-dependently inhibited the airway inflammation, production of immunoglobulin E, Th2-type cytokines and chemokines, and inflammatory mediators. Treatment with tHGA also significantly reduced the airway hyperresposiveness in response to increased methacholine doses. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the effi- cacy of tHGA in alleviating chronic asthmatic symptoms in mouse model improved significantly when administered intraperitoneally compared to oral route. Furthermore, this study also supports that tHGA has a therapeutic potential in chronic asthma management by acting as a cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLT) inhibitor.
Mental health outcome among teachers has become an escalating problems in many countries. Mental health now- adays has becoming a public health issue. Teachers were not an exclusion from this issue. Several studies did point out teachers with poor mental health status has become an increasing problems in many countries. A total of 272 teachers from the urban, rural and industrial areas participated in this cross sectional study in the Klang Valley. The objective was to determine the risk factors associated with mental health among primary school teachers. The teachers’ mental and physical health status were measured using questionnaires. Respondents were given a set of questionnaire which consisted 5 parts, namely socio-demographic and background status, occupational information and medical history obtained from the first part of questionnaire. The other part consisted of the General Health Questionnaire, Teachers’ Stress Inventory, Modified Nordic Questionnaire and American Thoracic Society for Adult. There was no difference in the background of the groups of teachers except for the educational level (p
Benzene has been measured in indoor environments for many decades and has been identified to cause variety of health effects. Children spend most of their time indoors such as daycare centre, preschool and school, they are more likely to be exposed to indoor air pollutants. This paper was aimed to review the exposure to benzene among children within indoor environments from worldwide studies from 2003 to 2018. Based on 24 papers evaluated, 54% were conducted in primary schools. The highest concentration of benzene was found in preschools in China at 148.0 µg/m3. The benzene levels were found higher in indoors than outdoors for most of the studies. Active sampling techniques were used in 42% of studies that enable the determination of acute health effects on children during short-period of exposure time. Differences in sampling techniques and durations make it hard to compare the outcomes of the studies with health-effect guidelines. This review indicated a diversity of sampling approaches and techniques, pointing to the importance of establishment of standard method for collecting and reporting data.
Introduction: The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effects of artificial light exposures on the survivals and life traits of adult Aedes aegypti. Methods: This is an experimental research where triplication of each cage filled with a ratio of 20 male : 20 female mosquitoes were exposed under three different light artificial light which are; yellow light, white light and blue light along with three different photoperiod regimes (light:dark) – (14h:10h, 12h:12h and 8h:16h). During this study, life traits data observed were duration of the females to complete a gonotrophic cycle, mean number of days was calculated as well as fecundity rate each cycle was also observed by calculating its number of eggs. Results: In general, gonotrophic cycle of this species is significantly affected by the exposure of the artificial lights where the white light has allowed this species to complete a gonotrophic cycle faster than yellow and blue light with post hoc Tukey’s HSD p = 0.026, however the gonotrophic cycle is found not affected by the different photoperiod regimes. The fecundity of this species is found not to be affected by the artificial light exposure but is affected by the different photoperiod regimes with p = 0.049. Conclusion: In conclusion, artificial light can signifi- cantly affect the gonotrophic cycle of Aedes aegypti species while on the other hand, the fecundity of this species is affected by the different photoperiod instead of different artificial light exposure.
Introduction: The electronic cigarette (EC) usage has raised public health concerns; whether its advantages to smok- ers as a potential smoking cessation aid have outweighed its negative health impacts among EC users. This study aims to estimate health risks associated with chemical exposures to nicotine, propylene glycol (PG) and selected To- bacco-Specific Nitrosamines (TSNAs) namely 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) and N’-nitro- sonornicotine (NNN) in e-liquids locally-manufactured in Malaysia. Methods: The health risk assessment (HRA) was performed using established guideline by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The average daily dose (ADD) and lifetime average daily dose (LADD) were calculated using previously published data on chemical concentration of selected compounds and local EC usage topography data. Next, the non-carcinogenic risk (nicotine and PG) and carcinogenic risk (NNK and NNN) were calculated and denoted as total hazard quotient (HQT) and total lifetime cancer risk (LCRT) value, respectively. Results: For non-carcinogenic risk, the mean of HQT was 78.9 which falls un- der “unacceptable” risk as demonstrated by HQT value of more than 1. While for carcinogenic risk, the mean of total LCRT value was 1.54E-04 which may place EC users at risk of developing cancer resulted from exposure to selected TSNAs. Conclusion: Comprehensive HRA using currently available data of local EC usage topography and chemical evaluation of Malaysian-made e-liquids have revealed that the exposure to nicotine, PG and selected TSNAs are expected to be a significant health concern for local EC users. This finding supports the local health authority to issue a stringent health policy in considering EC as a tool for smoking cessation among heavy smokers.
Introduction: Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is reported as endemic and rank in the third place among other communicable diseases in Malaysia. HFMD outbreak is often found in nurseries and playgroups where children have lots of close contacts with other children. The objective of study is to study the knowledge, attitude and practice of HFMD among nursery governesses of nurseries at public universities and residential areas. Methods: A total of 102 nursery governesses were selected as respondents which include 83 respondents from public university while 26 respondents from residential areas in Klang Valley. Questionnaires were administered to determine socio-demo- graphic, knowledge, attitude and practice on HFMD among the study population. Results: The result indicated that no significance different between knowledge, attitude and practice between two groups (Z = -0.321, p > 0.005; Z =
-1.196, p > 0.005; Z = -1.155, p > 0.005) respectively. Furthermore, there was no association between knowledge with practice (p = 0.581, p > 0.005) and attitude with practice (p = 0.298, p > 0.005). Thus, nursery governesses in this study perceived moderate knowledge and attitude level. However for practice, public universities showed better application of practice if compared to residential areas. Conclusion: Hence, it is recommended for the nursery governesses to attend program such as health talk on HFMD occasionally, as it can be efficiently induce positive outcome.
Introduction: Female workers have different abilities and physiology to male workers. Thus, female workers are very sensitive to some hazards in workplace environment. The existing hazards in work environment can cause various effects towards pregnancy among female workers. The objective of this study was to analyze the influence of work factors including shift work, work attitude, and work duration on reproductive health. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional study. The number of research sample was 109 female workers selected by simple random sampling. The respondents were female workers in plastic and soft drink industry in Sidoarjo. Primary data was col- lected by using questionnaires. The dependent variable was the reproductive health of female workers. Reproductive health status of female workers includes menstrual disorders and pregnancy disorders. The independent variables included work pattern, work duration, and shift work. Results: The percentage of respondents who were married was 81.7%. The percentage of respondents experiencing reproductive disorders was 63.3% in which 60.6% cases were menstrual disorders and 20.2% cases were pregnancy disorders. The results of logistic regression test showed that reproductive health during pregnancy was affected by shift work (p=0.007). Conclusion: Female workers who worked in the evening and at night shift had high risks of pregnancy disorders and miscarriage than female workers who worked at normal working hours. Working in shifts and the irregular working hours also associated with the miscarriage occurence. Companies need to provide protection for pregnant workers in order to avoid irregular shift work and evening or night shift.
Introduction: Amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides play a key role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease and exert various toxic effects on neurons. Dietary phytochemicals are currently used as an adjuvant therapy to accelerate their therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate the effect of curcumin and its co-administration with piperine against Aβ42 induced cytotoxicity, fibril aggregation and oxidative damage in SH-SY5Y cells. Methods: The neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells were cultured with different treatments of Aβ42, individual curcumin and piperine and combination of curcumin and piperine. Cell viability, Aβ fibril aggregation and oxidative damage such as lipid peroxidation, catalase and glutathione were assessed. The abilities of curcumin and its combination, piperine to scavenge free radicals and to inhibit Aβ aggregation and β-sheeted formation were further assessed. Results: Curcumin and piperine preserves cell viability, which is decreased by Aβ, indicate that curcumin protects Aβ-induced neuronal damage. Under aggregating conditions in vitro, curcumin and piperine inhibited aggregation as well as disaggregated fibrillar Aβ42, indicating favorable stoichiometry for inhibition. Results also showed that curcumin and piperine as a combination was a better Aβ42 aggregation inhibitor than the individual compounds. Curcumin and piperine depresses Aβ-induced up-regulation of neuronal oxidative stress. The ability of these compounds to scavenge free radicals and inhibit the formation of Aβ aggregation are implicated from the results of this study. Conclusion: This combination of curcumin and piperine shows a more protective effect on neuronal oxidative damage when they was added into cultured neurons not later than Aβ, especially prior to Aβ. The curcumin and piperine combination prevents neurons from Aβ-induced oxidative stress, indicating a promising therapeutic in preventive medicine for Alzheimer disease.
Introduction: Acute abdomen in an elderly, especially in the right iliac fossa, is usually the common symptom that needs a precise surgical assessment with acute appendicitis being a common cause. Rarely, other conditions can mimic this presentation such as acute caecal diverticulitis.1 We describe a rare case of right iliac fossa pain in a 72- year old male which mimicked an acute appendicitis. The ability to recognize such condition is very important as its management is different at various stages. The objective of this case report is to increase awareness of this condition to ensure it is appropriately treated when encountered unexpectedly. Methods and Results: A 72-year old man was admitted with the complaint of right iliac fossa pain for 5 days. A pre-operative clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis was made. The patient underwent an emergency laparotomy where an inflammatory mass in the caecum was found. A right hemicolectomy was performed as there was a suspicion of underlying malignancy. His histopathology report showed a single inflammatory diverticular mass. Acute caecal diverticulitis has a higher incidence in the Asian descent. In Western countries, more than 80% of all diverticula occur in the left sided colon, whereas the incidence of right-sided diverticular disease in Oriental countries can be up to 75%. The pre-operative diagnosis of right caecal diverticulitis is usually challenging to the surgeons, if without radiological imaging. Ultrasonography (USG) and computed tomography (CT) are the important investigations for the diagnosis with their specific findings. The ability to recognize the condition is very important as its management is different at various stages. The morbidity and mortality can be improved by earlier detection and proper management. Conclusion: Acute caecal diverticulitis should be considered in the differential diagnosis in elderly with right iliac fossa pain. The surgical approach can be range from a simple diverticulectomy to a more complex right hemicolectomy. The decision making should always be tailored to the severity of the condition of the patient.
Introduction: Combination therapy to treat cancer have been demanded due to the complexity of the disease and to prevent resistance mechanisms commonly found in classic chemotherapeutic methods. Recently, we have reported that [Ru(dppz)2(PIP)]2+ (dppz = dipyridophenazine, PIP = 2-(phenyl)imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline) (RuPIP) immediately stalls replication fork progression in HeLa human cervical cancer cells. Co-incubation with a Chk1 inhibitor achieves synergistic apoptosis in cancer cells. These discoveries indicate that this class of compounds merit further investigation as anticancer drugs, especially within combinational therapy roles. However, information pertaining to the effects of combining ruthenium compounds with existing chemotherapeutic drugs remain scarce. This study aimed to investigate the possible synergistic cytotoxic effects of using RuPIP in combination with cisplatin on different cancer cell lines. Methods: A549, MCF7, Hela and T24 cells were treated with different concentrations of RuPIP or cisplatin alone, as well as different combinations of these two agents at a fixed ratio 1:1 over the course of 72 hr to assess their individual and combination effects. Cell viability was analysed using MTT assay. The combination index (CI) was calculated based on the Chou Talalay Method. Results: Single-agent treatment at 72 hr with RuPIP or cisplatin led to dose-dependent decreases in the viability of the A549, MCF7, Hela and T24 cells at 72 hr. Furthermore, increasing the concentrations of the combinations up to four folds of half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) statistically decrease the cell survival rates of A549 and MCF7 cells thus, displayed synergistic effects. Conclusion: Treatment of MCF7 and A549 cells with a combination of RuPIP and cisplatin showed a synergistic effect and thus are promising as a combination therapy for cancer treatment.
Introduction: Ruthenium polypyridyl complex (RPC), [Ru(dppz)2PiP]2+ or RuPiP, where dppz = dipyridophenazine, and PiP = 2-phenylimidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenantroline has been shown to exhibit anticancer activities by stalling the replication fork progression in human cancer cell line, causing DNA double-strand break (DSB) leading to the initiation of DNA damage response (DDR). Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) enzymes are activated in response to DNA damage thus, RuPiP may be advantageously combined with the inhibitors of PARP to improve its efficacy in cancer cell killing. This study was conducted to investigate the cytotoxic effects of RuPiP and selected PARP inhibitor, NU1025, alone or in combination in vitro and the possible combinations in order to achieve synergism against three different cancer cell lines. Methods: Cell viability was determined by MTT assay based on established method and the combination index (CI) values were calculated using Chou and Talalay method. Results: Here, we reported that the treatment with RuPiP alone led to dose-dependent decreases in the cell viability meanwhile NU1025 exhibited no toxicity as a single agent. The CI values (
Introduction: Ruthenium compounds are widely studied for its biological activity. However, potent ruthenium drugs often have limited bioavailability due to its poor aqueous solubility. In order to assist the preparation of these hydrophobic compounds, a carrier or drug delivery agent is often introduced. Herein, we encapsulated a hydrophobic ruthenium polypyridyl complex [Ru(dppz)PIP]2+, (dppz = dipyrido-[3,2-a:20,30-c]phenazine, PIP = 2-phenylimidazo[4,5-f][1,10] phenanthroline) in mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN). Methods: The MSN was synthesized by using ionic liquid 1-hexadecylphenanthrolinium as a novel template and have 833.99 m2/g in surface area. The cytotoxicity of the synthesized ruthenium complex, MSN and MSN-loaded ruthenium was studied on Hela and A549 cancer cell lines. Results: MSN was non-toxic at lower dosage (
Introduction: Obesity is one of the major health problems in Malaysia. It can lead to other metabolic diseases including diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Unfortunately, effective treatment to overcome the health problem is yet to be discovered. One of the alternative solutions is by introducing a healthy diet through functional foods. Honey is well-known as one of the functional foods. However, the effectiveness in controlling obesity and then reducing the excess weight gain is still unclear. Several types of local honey were selected to observe their effects on obese-induced rats. Methods: Acacia, Gelam and Pineapple honey were harvested directly from apiaries and forest in Malaysia. Then, the quality of the honey was measured and standardized through physicochemical and antioxidant analyses. Male Sprague Dawley rats were induced to obese by consuming a high-fat diet. Then, the rats were fed with the honey for acute (one single honey consumption for 14 days) and subacute study (honey consumption daily for 16 weeks). Rats fed with orlistat (commercial drug for obesity) and fake honey were used as controls. Physical observation and biochemical analysis were conducted. Results: In the acute study, Gelam and Pineapple honey were significantly reduced the rat’s body weight, glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides level. More profound effects were observed in the subacute study, where all the honey samples were significantly reduced excess weight gain, glucose and the lipid profiles. Meanwhile, orlistat was also demonstrated a reduction in the excess weight gain but with toxicity side effects to the hepatic and renal function. In contrast, fake honey showed significantly increased body weight gain, glucose and the lipid profile in the rats. Conclusion: Based on the results, Malaysian honey samples have the potential to be a part of the daily diet in controlling obesity and reducing excess gain. However, more studies are required to confirm the findings.
Introduction: The causes of obesity is caloric intake that, over time, is greater than the caloric expenditure. Factors that are associated with this energy imbalance include genetic predisposition, behavioural dynamics, hormonal disturbances, and environmental circumstances. Results: Food Intake: Increased portion sizes, the energy density of today’s commonly eaten foods, and the trend in consuming meals outside the home contribute to the increase in calorie consumption. Satiety helps determine food intake and is partially determined by the volume and weight of the food consumed. Foods that are high in calorie content for a given volume, such as highly processed, low-fiber foods, can lead to excessive calorie intake. Many factors contribute to overeating, including stress, boredom, nutritional insufficiencies, emotional lability, access to food, and the changing of our diet to one that is highly processed. Movement and Physical Activity: In a recent review, Denham et al. (2013) summarized the ability of physical activity to influence epigenetic modifications of histones or DNA in the brain, skeletal muscle, and peripheral blood. Aerobic exercise over many weeks was the primary variable studied that led to activity-induced benefits. Several of the studies found benefits with 30 minutes of daily moderate activity. Yoga is an effective type of movement activity for improving weight and mental well-being. Sleep: There is an association between too little or too much sleep and overweight and obesity. In a survey of more than 54,000 U.S. adults age 45 years or older, sleeping too little (≤6 hours) and sleeping too much (≥10 hours) were significantly associated with obesity. Sleep deprivation is associated with elevated ghrelin, elevated cortisol, elevated insulin, decreased leptin, and increased hunger (Patel and Hu, 2008). Psychosocial Stress: In addition to the negative influences of physiological stress from poor nutrition, insufficient appropriate activity, and inadequate sleep, psychosocial stress can also contribute to excess weight. Psychosocial stress can arise from a wide variety of environmental stressors, such as change in routine, difficult decisions, depression, chronic health issues, lack of access to health care, economic challenges, inadequate social support, abusive relationships, illiteracy, job dissatisfaction, poor adjustment to life-cycle transitions such as retirement, and legal problems. This type of stress is often associated with weight gain, elevated BMI, and poor food choices. Increased cortisol levels can lead to weight gain around the abdominal region (central adiposity). Conclusion: It is important to screen for emotional stress with patients, identify how this stress may be negatively impacting their weight, and help them incorporate stress reduction programs to achieve their weight loss goals.
Introduction: Constipation is affecting a quarter of human population at any one time in all age groups. However, a proper gamma scintigraphic study of whole GI transit is rarely performed in Malaysia due to the lack of suitable radiopharmaceutical. Hence, this study was taken to develop a suitable radiotracer formulation for gamma scintigraphy study of whole gastric-intestinal transit. Methods: The biocompatible polystyrene (PS) incorporated with 152Sm2O3 (5%, w/v) will be used to synthesize the radiotracer. The 152Sm-labelled PS particles was neutron activated to 153Sm in a nuclear reactor for 5 minutes. Characterization of the physicochemical properties, gamma spectrometry and in-vitro radiolabeling studies in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) were carried out to study the properties and stability of the radiotracer before and after neutron activation. Results: Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and particle size analysis showed that size, shape and surface morphology of the particles remained after neutron activation. The synthesized 153Sm-labelled PS radiotracer (100 mg) particles achieved an activity of 3.7 MBq after 46 hrs. As indicated by the gamma spectrometry result, there is no long half-life radioimpuirties present in the samples. The 153Sm-labelled PS particles achieved radiolabeling efficiency of more than 95% in both SGF and SIF over 72 hrs. Conclusions: A 153Sm-labelled radiotracer particles formulation has been successfully developed from biocompatible PS. The proposed formulation has the advantage of cheaper, easier to be produced and reduced radiation exposure to staff. Further studies are required to validate the in-vivo performance of 153Sm-labelled formulation for assessing GI motility and transit in clinical use.
Introduction: Germacrone is a natural product isolated from Rhizoma curcuma with anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial properties. Previous studies have demonstrated that Germacrone exhibits anti-tumor effect in breast and hepatoma cancer cell lines but the studies of its molecular mechanisms and anti-tumor properties in other cancers are not well studied. This study aims to investigate the anti-tumor effect of Germacrone on human skin, cervix, and gastric cancer cell lines and the molecular mechanism underlying the anti-tumor effect of Germacrone. Methods: A375 (skin malignant melanoma), AGS (gastric adenocarcinoma), and HeLa 229 (cervix adenocarcinoma) cell lines were employed for this research. Treatment of the cell lines with Germacrone has inhibited the cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner as assessed by MTT assay. The cell lines were incubated with Germacrone for 24 hours followed by detection of the expression of BAX, BAK, p53, BCL2, MCL1, and BCL-XL using Real-time PCR. Results: Results from Real-time PCR has showed that pro-apoptotic gene BAK was highly expressed in all the human cell lines after the treatment with Germacrone. Furthermore, the expression of pro-apoptotic gene p53 were elevated in both A375 and HeLa 229 cell lines but not inAGS cell lines. The expression level of pro-survival genes BCL2 and MCL1 were found to be decreased in both AGS and A375 cell lines. Conclusion: In conclusion, Germacrone might be a potent anti-tumor drug candidate for Human Melanoma, Cervix Adenocarcinoma, and Gastric Adenocarcinoma by increasing the expression level of pro-apoptotic proteins BAK. Future studies will focus on studying the cytotoxicity effect of combination of Germacrone with standard chemotherapy drugs on Human Melanoma, Cervix Adenocarcinoma, and Gastric Adenocarcinoma.
Introduction: Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) have become increasingly prevalent in recent years. Microglia, the resident myeloid cells of the Central Nervous System (CNS) are primarily responsible for the production of inflammatory mediators that accumulate and become toxic during a chronic inflammatory response. The accumulation of inflammatory mediators over time inadvertently contributes to the functional impairment of surrounding neurons. Hence, suppressing microglial cell activation can be a solution to control the progress of neurodegenerative disorders. Symptomatic treatments are available, but no curative treatment is currently available, and some are linked to several side effects associated with their use. Honey is a natural product derived from the nectar harvested and modified by honeybees. Its therapeutic effects are widely documented, have been tested and verified extensively in literature. Honey is recognized in modern medicine for its varied pharmacological activities. While the medicinal properties of honeys such as Manuka honey are well established, further investigation is required to elucidate the medicinal properties of locally sourced honeys, namely Tualang (TH) and Kelulut (KH) honeys. In this study, we investigated the immunomodulatory effects of local TH and KH honey on microglial cell activities. Methods: BV2 cells, an immortalized microglial cell line was used in this in vitro study to assess the cell survival when treated with the TH and KH honey. Expression of CD40, CD11b and CD86 were measured using flowcytometry. Results: BV2 cells incubated with TH at concentrations of 0.1% and 0.5%, and KH at concentrations of 0.1% and 0.25% for 24 and 48 hours showed cell survivability above 75%. Both TH and KH decreased ROS production significantly on LPS-induced BV2 cells, but increased ROS production on unstimulated BV2 cells. Additionally, the expression levels of CD40, CD11b and CD86 were also reduced on honey- treated LPS-induced BV2 cells. Conclusion: These results have demonstrated that both TH and KH are capable of suppressing microglial activation. Therefore, we propose the idea of utilizing these honeys as a complementary treatment to suppress the progression of neurodegenerative diseases.
Introduction: There has been growing interest in recent decades in the effect of physical activity in older people as it was believed to play an important role in maintaining functional independence while reducing health care burden at a low cost. Recent reviews showed aerobic exercises were correlated with healthy ageing outcomes, however between- study variance and variation in study population and outcome measurements warrant a more comprehensive assessment of the current evidence. This scoping review of systematic reviews aimed to evaluate and synthesize review evidence on the effect of aerobic exercises on physical and mental well-being in older adults. Methods: Electronic databases, including Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL were searched from inception to 31 December 2018 to identify systematic reviews, with or without meta-analyses that examined the effectiveness of aerobic exercises in older adults. Methodological quality was assessed using Risk of Bias in Systematic reviews (ROBIS) tool. Results: Two hundred and thirteen reviews met the inclusion criteria. In this scoping review, we included 56 reviews that evaluated the effect of aerobic exercises: 24 examined the effect of aerobic exercises on physical outcomes, 26 examined mental outcomes, 5 examined both physical and mental outcomes and 2 examined the effect on quality of life (QoL). Most reviews showed positive effect of aerobic exercises on physical fitness (18 out of 23), mental well-being (15 out of 26) and quality of life (2 out of 2), while others showed inconsistent or negative results. Majority of the reviews reported low to moderate quality with moderate to high risk of bias. Conclusion: Overall, current evidence showed that aerobic exercises appear to be beneficial for physical fitness and QoL in elderly. The effectiveness of aerobic exercises to improve or maintain cognitive function is inconclusive hence would require further evidence prior to recommendation.