Work disability and employment status among advanced chronic kidney disease patients.

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major public health issue with significant socioeconomic impacts. In Malaysia, the prevalence of CKD in 2018 was 15%. Complications of CKD such as anaemia, mineral bone disease, and infections led to frequent hospitalizations resulting in work disability and unemployment.

Non-lamellar lyotropic liquid crystalline nanoparticles as nanocarriers for enhanced drug encapsulation of atorvastatin calcium and proanthocyanidins.

Atorvastatin calcium (ATV) and proanthocyanidins (PAC) have a strong antioxidant activity, that can benefit to reduce the atherosclerotic plaque progression. Unfortunately, the bioavailability of ATV is greatly reduced due to its limited drug solubility while the PAC drug is unstable upon exposure to the atmospheric oxygen. Herein, the lyotropic liquid crystalline nanoparticles (LLCNPs) constructed by a binary mixture of soy phosphatidylcholine (SPC) and citric acid ester of monoglyceride (citrem) at different weight ratios were used to encapsulate the hydrophobic ATV and hydrophilic PAC.

Challenges in the Management of Sarcopenia in the Primary Care Setting: A Scoping Review.

Background: Sarcopenia is a disease associated with the loss of muscle mass, strength, and function. It affects the elderly in various ways, such as reduced mobility, compromising their daily activities, and even deteriorating metabolic health. Primary care serves as the first point of contact for patients and plays an important role in health promotion and disease prevention.

Molecular and Physiological Evaluation of Bread Wheat ( L.) Genotypes for Stay Green under Drought Stress.

Water availability is considered as the main limiting factor of wheat growth illuminating the need of cultivars best adapted to drought situations for better wheat production and yield. Among these, the stay-green trait is thought to be related to the ability of wheat plants to maintain photosynthesis and CO assimilation, and a detailed molecular understanding of this trait may help in the selection of high-yielding, drought-tolerant wheats. The current study, therefore, evaluated the physiological responses of the selected wheat genotypes under pot-induced water stress conditions through different field capacities.

C-Reactive Protein and High-Sensitive Cardiac Troponins Correlate with Oxidative Stress in Valvular Heart Disease Patients.

Background: Valvular heart disease (VHD) is a major contributor to loss of physical function and longevity. Oxidative stress is one of the key causative factors involved in heart disease including VHD. Here, we aimed to illuminate the role and relation of oxidative stress to the VHD risk markers in the human population.

In-vitro propagation and phytochemical profiling of a highly medicinal and endemic plant species of the Himalayan region (Saussurea costus).

Efficient protocols for callus induction and micro propagation of Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipsch were developed and phytochemical diversity of wild and in-vitro propagated material was investigated. Brown and red compact callus was formed with frequency of 80-95%, 78-90%, 70-95% and 65-80% from seeds, leaf, petiole and root explants, respectively.

Study of Proton Transport in Diethylmethylammonium Poly[4-styrenesulfonyl(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide]-Based Composite Membranes with Triflic Acid and Diethylmethylamine-Rich Compositions.

The study highlights the effect of acid- and base-rich conditions on the proton dynamics of diethylmethylammonium poly[4-styrenesulfonyl(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, [DEMA][PSTFSI], a polymerized protic ionic liquid designed as a polymer electrolyte for nonhumidified polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. Different proportions of triflic acid (HTf) and diethylmethylamine (DEMA) were added to the pristine polymer. The thermal analysis of the mixtures revealed that the addition of the base increases the glassy/amorphous nature of the polymer; however, HTf plasticizes the polymer and lowers the value, so that it falls outside of the differential scanning calorimetry-studied temperature range.

Cardiac hypertrophic risk markers of left ventricle and left atrium in chronic heart failure due to aortic and mitral valve disease.

Background: Chronic valvular heart disease leads to systolic dysfunction and left atrial enlargement that ultimately results in heart failure.

Purpose: To investigate prognostic importance of Echocardiography and plasma natriuretic peptide levels that increase as a compensatory response and can be used as predictive markers for cardiac hypertrophy.

Material And Methods: The patients were divided into three groups: 51 with left ventricle hypertrophy due to aortic valve disease; 126 with left atrial enlargement due to mitral valve dysfunction; and 76 with both conditions.

The effect of vitamin D treatment on clinical and biochemical outcomes of primary aldosteronism.

Introduction: Primary aldosteronism (PA) contributed to the cardiovascular disease and metabolic alterations independent of the blood pressure level. Evidence exists that aldosterone excess also affects calcium and mineral homeostasis. PA subjects have been shown to have greater prevalence of vitamin D deficiency.

Bio-Based Polymer Electrolytes for Electrochemical Devices: Insight into the Ionic Conductivity Performance.

With the continuing efforts to explore alternatives to petrochemical-based polymers and the escalating demand to minimize environmental impact, bio-based polymers have gained a massive amount of attention over the last few decades. The potential uses of these bio-based polymers are varied, from household goods to high end and advanced applications. To some extent, they can solve the depletion and sustainability issues of conventional polymers.

Gleason scores in prostate needle biopsy and prostatectomy specimens in prostatic adenocarcinoma: A correlation study.

Introduction: Gleason scoring (GS) categorised prostatic adenocarcinoma into five prognostic grade groups (PGGs); associated with different prognosis and treatment. This study aims to correlate between Gleason scores of needle biopsies with the corresponding total prostatectomy specimens, and to assess the relationship between the percentage of Gleason 4 tumour pattern (GP4) within Gleason score 7 (GS7) needle biopsy groups with the pathological staging.

Materials And Methods: Seventy-eight specimens of needle prostate biopsy and its subsequent radical prostatectomy were retrospectively studied.

Colonoscopy Findings: A Single Institution Study from Pakistan.

Introduction Colonoscopy is a diagnostic procedure used not only for screening and assessment but also for therapeutic management of various diseases such as removal of polyps, flat lesions, etc. In this study, we determine various outcomes of colonoscopy done in the gastroenterology unit of Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College and Teaching Hospital in Pakistan. Methods and Materials This retrospective cross-sectional review was carried out at the colonoscopy unit of Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College and Teaching Hospital in Sukkur, Pakistan.

Tissue and Serum Trace Elements Concentration among Colorectal Patients: A Systematic Review of Case-Control Studies.

Background: Trace elements play a pivotal role in Colorectal Cancer (CRC) inhibition and development process. This systematic review provides the basic comparison of case-control studies focusing on concentration of trace elements between those with CRC and controls.

Methods: The systematic review searched through two databases of Medline and Cochrane up to 24 June 2017.

Relationship between Serum Cytokeratin-18, Control Attenuation Parameter, NAFLD Fibrosis Score, and Liver Steatosis in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Backgrounds: The aim of this study was to appraise the relationship between serum fragmented cytokeratin-18(CK-18), controlled attenuation parameter (CAP), and liver steatosis assessed by ultrasound (US) in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients.

Methods: Patients who underwent abdominal US were recruited, followed with measurement of CAP using Fibroscan and serum fragmented CK-18 using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The degree of liver steatosis assessed by US was categorized into mild (S1), moderate (S2), and severe (S3).

Perceived Risk of Developing Cancer in a Suburban Community in Malaysia.

Objective: To determine the perceived risk of developing cancer in a suburban community in Malaysia. Methods: A cross sectional study using a simple random sampling was conducted among residents aged 18 years old and above (n=520) who had never been diagnosed with cancer, in selected households in a suburban area of Pahang state in Malaysia. The study instruments were a validated questionnaire on risk perception, an automatic blood pressure monitor, a weighing scale and a measuring tape.

Giant intraabdominal endometrial cyst.

Endometriosis is the condition where endometrium gets implanted and flourishes outside the uterine cavity, most commonly in ovary and on the peritoneum which lines the abdominal cavity and viscera. Endometrial cells in areas outside the uterus are influenced by hormonal changes and respond in a way similar to the endometrium inside the uterus. Symptoms often worsen with the menstrual cycle.

The validation of the malay version of binge eating scale: a comparison with the structured clinical interview for the DSM-IV.

Background: The Binge Eating Scale (BES) questionnaire is a self-administered instrument developed to identify binge eaters. The aim of this study was to assess the validity of the Malay language version of BES as a screening instrument for binge eating. A cut-off point of 17 is taken as comparable to the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV patient version (SCID-I/P), the gold standard for the diagnosis of Binge Eating Disorder.

Royleanumin, a new phytotoxic neo-clarodane diterpenoid from Teucrium royleanum.

Here we report the isolation and structure elucidation of a new phytotoxic neo-clerodane diterpenoid, royleanumin (1), along with known constituents, ursolic acid and beta-amyrin. Its structure was deduced by spectral studies including NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometric techniques and by the comparison with reported data. The compound was assayed for its phytotoxicity against lettuce seedlings.

Toward high-throughput, multicriteria protein-structure comparison and analysis.

Protein-structure comparison (PSC) is an essential component of biomedical research as it impacts on, e.g., drug design, molecular docking, protein folding and structure prediction algorithms as well as being essential to the assessment of these predictions.

Role of simplified admission criteria for predicting severe complications of gall stone pancreatitis.

Background: Gallstone Pancreatitis (GP) is not an uncommon disease in our country and is associated with large number of morbidity and mortality especially if severe complications develop. Different criteria have been developed to predict the complications of GP. Simple admission criteria are better predictors of severe complications of GP than an APACHE II score of 5 or greater, a modified Imrie (Glasgow) score of 3 or greater, and a Biliary Ranson score of 3 or greater.

Clinical and high resolution computed tomography characteristics of patients with rheumatoid arthritis lung disease.

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic disease of unknown cause. A variety of pulmonary disorders have been described in association with RA. Among the most common are interstitial lung disease (ILD) and bronchiectasis.