Exploring the Potential Health and Economic Benefits of Optimized Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Management in Malaysia's Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Population: A Model-Based Analysis.

Objectives: This study quantified the health and economic benefits of improving low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) control in Malaysian patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). It aimed to inform policy discussions and healthcare planning for effective ASCVD management.

Methods: A deterministic, prevalence-based model was used to project the annual health burden and direct medical costs associated with recurrent ASCVD events over a 10-year horizon.

Functional yogurt: a comprehensive review of its nutritional composition and health benefits.

Functional yogurt, renowned for its enhanced nutritional profile and potential health benefits, has emerged as a promising functional food. This review meticulously examines the nutritional composition of functional yogurt, highlighting its enriched content of probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, proteins, and other bioactive compounds, which contribute to its health-promoting properties. Functional yogurt has positively affected digestive health, immune function, metabolic health, and mental well-being.

Activated biochar production from young coconut waste (Cocos nucifera) as bioadsorbent: a pathway through Artificial Neural Network (ANN) optimization.

This pioneering work explores the immense potential of young coconut waste, a continuously marginalized residue of the food and beverage industry, to serve as an indispensable feedstock in the production of biochar. Through an examination of the key carbonization factors that include time, temperature, and concentrations of the activating agent, KOH, the outcomes offer relevant insights that could be leveraged to maximize biochar production for tailored applications. This study stands out for its innovative use of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) approaches for predictive modeling.

Improvement of ɣ-Aminobutyric Acid Production and Cell Viability of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum B7 via Whole-Cell Immobilisation in Repeated Batch Fermentation System.

Whole-cell immobilisation technology involving ℽ-aminobutyric acid GABA biosynthesis using lactic acid bacteria (LAB) has been extensively studied owing to its numerous benefits over free-living bacteria, including enhanced productivity, improved cell viability, ability to prevent cell lysis and protect cells against bacteriophages and other stressful conditions. Therefore, a novel LAB biocatalyst was developed using various fruit and fruit waste, immobilising a potential probiotic strain, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum B7, via an adsorption method to improve GABA and cell viability. Apple and watermelon rind have been known to be the ideal natural supports for L.

Impaired peripheral microvascular reactivity in patients with nonobstructive coronary artery disease.

Objective: This study aimed to determine whether peripheral microvascular reactivity is impaired in patients with nonobstructive coronary artery disease (NOCAD).

Methods: Stable patients presenting with angina were recruited and, based on results from coronary angiography, were categorized into OCAD (coronary stenosis of ≥50%) and NOCAD (stenosis <50%) groups. A control group with no history of angina was also recruited.

Strategies for improvement of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) biosynthesis lactic acid bacteria (LAB) fermentation.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a non-protein amino acid widely distributed in nature and extensively explored for its numerous physiological functions and effects on metabolic disorders. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are one of the most important GABA producers, vigorously pursued due to their high GABA content and generally regarded as safe (GRAS) status that allows for direct formulation in various GABA-enriched food products. To meet the strict requirements of the food and nutraceutical industries, the biosynthesis of GABA is typically preferred over the chemical synthesis route.

Management of Gender Determination of Newborns and Children with Disorders of Sex Development Using a Multidisciplinary Approach: An Exploratory Study of Islamic Perspective in Malaysia.

Management of newborns with disorders of sex development (DSD), especially in deciding the need for a sex assignment surgery, is a complex matter. It is associated with many bioethical issues, such as concerns about the rights and welfare of the newborns and the reliability of parents' consent to the paternalistic disposition of physicians in making the best decisions. This paper, containing interviews with six medical experts and three religious' experts, aims to raise awareness of the multidisciplinary approach, which uses a combination of medicine, religion, and ethics in managing children with DSD, particularly in Malaysia, to avoid unnecessary psychological, biological, emotional, and societal ramifications.

Production of single cell oil by JCM 2320 using detoxified desiccated coconut residue hydrolysate.

Nowadays, the replacement of petro-diesel with biodiesel has raised the concern among the community for the utilization of improper feedstocks and the cost involved. However, these issues can be solved by producing single cell oil (SCO) from lignocellulosic biomass hydrolysates by oleaginous microorganisms. This study introduced JCM 2320 with a desiccated coconut residue (DCR) hydrolysate (obtained from the 2% dilute sulphuric acid pretreatment) as a carbon source in generating SCO.

An Unusual Cause of Recurrent Syncope: Sinus of Valsalva Aneurysm.

Sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (SOVA) is a rare anomaly, commonly caused by the congenital absence of elastic and muscular tissue of the sinus aortic wall. This condition often becomes apparent at the time of rupture. The most recently reported case of syncope in unruptured SOVA was due to Tachy-Brady arrhythmia involving the conduction system.

Challenges in the Ethical Review of Clinical and Biomedical Research in Malaysia: A Mixed Methods Study.

Empirical evidence of the ethical review of clinical and biomedical research in Malaysia is limited. We have conducted a convergent mixed methods research, which comprises an online survey and semistructured interviews to examine the challenges in the ethical review of clinical and biomedical research. Data collected reveal that the ethics review process is inconsistent, duplicate, and inadequate.

The State of Starch/Hydroxyapatite Composite Scaffold in Bone Tissue Engineering with Consideration for Dielectric Measurement as an Alternative Characterization Technique.

Hydroxyapatite (HA) has been widely used as a scaffold in tissue engineering. HA possesses high mechanical stress and exhibits particularly excellent biocompatibility owing to its similarity to natural bone. Nonetheless, this ceramic scaffold has limited applications due to its apparent brittleness.

Valorization of biodiesel side stream waste glycerol for rhamnolipids production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa RS6.

Biodiesel side stream waste glycerol was identified as a cheap carbon source for rhamnolipids (RLs) production which at the same time could improve the management of waste. The present study aimed to produce RLs by using Pseudomonas aeruginosa RS6 utilizing waste glycerol as a substrate and to evaluate their physico-chemicals properties. Fermentation conditions such as temperature, initial medium pH, waste glycerol concentration, nitrogen sources and concentrations resulted in different compositions of the mono- and di-RLs produced.

A Review on Bioprocess Optimization of Green and Red Stage Culture Conditions for the Production of Natural Astaxanthin.

As the most recognizable natural secondary carotenoid astaxanthin producer, the green microalga cultivation is performed via a two-stage process. The first is dedicated to biomass accumulation under growth-favoring conditions (green stage), and the second stage is for astaxanthin evolution under various stress conditions (red stage). This mini-review discusses the further improvement made on astaxanthin production by providing an overview of recent works on , including the valuable ideas for bioprocess optimization on cell growth, and the current stress-exerting strategies for astaxanthin pigment production.

Enhancement of Biomass and Calcium Carbonate Biomineralization of through Plackett-Burman Screening and Box-Behnken Optimization Approach.

The biosynthesis of calcium carbonate (CaCO) minerals through a metabolic process known as microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) between diverse microorganisms, and organic/inorganic compounds within their immediate microenvironment, gives rise to a cementitious biomaterial that may emerge as a promissory alternative to conventional cement. Among photosynthetic microalgae, has been identified as one of the species capable of undergoing such activity in nature. In this study, response surface technique was employed to ascertain the optimum condition for the enhancement of biomass and CaCO precipitation of when cultured in Blue-Green (BG)-11 aquaculture medium.

Development of Palm Fatty Acid Distillate-Containing Medium for Biosurfactant Production by sp. LM19.

High production costs of biosurfactants are mainly caused by the usage of the expensive substrate and long fermentation period which undermines their potential in bioremediation processes, food, and cosmetic industries even though they, owing to the biodegradability, lower toxicity, and raise specificity traits. One way to circumvent this is to improvise the formulation of biosurfactant-production medium by using cheaper substrate. A culture medium utilizing palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD), a palm oil refinery by-product, was first developed through one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) technique and further refined by means of the statistical design method of factorial and response surface modeling to enhance the biosurfactant production from sp.

Regulation of Stem Cell Technology in Malaysia: Current Status and Recommendations.

Stem cell technology is an emerging science field; it is the unique regenerative ability of the pluripotent stem cell which scientists hope would be effective in treating various medical conditions. While it has gained significant advances in research, it is a sensitive subject involving human embryo destruction and human experimentation, which compel governments worldwide to ensure that the related procedures and experiments are conducted ethically. Based on face-to-face interviews with selected Malaysian ethicists, scientists and policymakers, the objectives and effectiveness of the current Guideline for Stem Cell Research and Therapy (2009) are examined.

Addressing procedural challenges of ethical review system: Towards a better ethical quality of clinical trials review in Malaysia.

The review of clinical trials with human participants in Malaysia is governed by a decentralized control system. The clinical trial protocols are reviewed by 13 registered research ethics committees (RECs) in Malaysia. A governmental body, the National Pharmaceutical Control Bureau, is responsible for the inspection and oversight of these registered RECs to ensure that they comply with the regulatory requirements.

Culture Medium Development for Microbial-Derived Surfactants Production-An Overview.

Surfactants are compounds that can reduce the surface tension between two different phases or the interfacial tension of the liquid between water and oil, possessing both hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties. Biosurfactants have traits that have proven to be advantageous over synthetic surfactants, but these compounds do not compete economically with synthetic surfactants. Different alternatives increase the yield of biosurfactants; development of an economical production process and the usage of cheaper substrates during process have been employed.

Kinetics and Optimization of Lipophilic Kojic Acid Derivative Synthesis in Polar Aprotic Solvent Using Lipozyme RMIM and Its Rheological Study.

The synthesis of kojic acid derivative (KAD) from kojic and palmitic acid (C16:0) in the presence of immobilized lipase from (commercially known as Lipozyme RMIM), was studied using a shake flask system. Kojic acid is a polyfunctional heterocycles that acts as a source of nucleophile in this reaction allowing the formation of a lipophilic KAD. In this study, the source of biocatalyst, Lipozyme RMIM, was derived from the lipase of immobilized on weak anion exchange macro-porous Duolite ES 562 by the adsorption technique.

Islamic bioethical deliberation on the issue of newborns with disorders of sex development.

This article presents the Islamic bioethical deliberation on the issue of sex assignment surgery (SAS) for infants with disorders of sex development (DSD) or intersexed as a case study. The main objective of this study is to present a different approach in assessing a biomedical issue within the medium of the Maqasid al-Shari'ah. Within the framework of the maqasidic scheme of benefits and harms, any practice where benefits are substantial is considered permissible, while those promoting harms are prohibited.

Comparative analyses of response surface methodology and artificial neural network on medium optimization for Tetraselmis sp. FTC209 grown under mixotrophic condition.

Mixotrophic metabolism was evaluated as an option to augment the growth and lipid production of marine microalga Tetraselmis sp. FTC 209. In this study, a five-level three-factor central composite design (CCD) was implemented in order to enrich the W-30 algal growth medium.

Phenotype-genotype analyses of clinically diagnosed Malaysian familial hypercholestrolemic patients.

Background: Familial hypercholesterolemia and familial defective apo lipoprotein B are genetic disorders caused by defects in the low-density lipoprotein receptor gene and apo lipoprotein B 100 genes, respectively. The clinical phenotype of both diseases is characterized by increased plasma levels of total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol, tendinous xanthomata, and premature coronary heart disease.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to perform an association study between different gene sequence variants in low-density lipoprotein and apo lipoprotein B 100 genes to the clinical finding and lipid profile parameters of the study subjects.

Fatal co-infection--melioidosis and leptospirosis.

Co-infection of melioidosis and leptospirosis is uncommon. We report here four such cases, confirmed by blood culture for melioidosis and blood polymerase-chain reaction for leptospirosis, which occurred among rescuers involved in a search and rescue operation for a young man who was suspected to have drowned in Lubuk Yu, a recreational forest in Pahang, Malaysia. Despite treatment, three of the patients died from the co-infection.

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol goal attainment among Malaysian dyslipidemic patients.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate Malaysian dyslipidemic patient treatment practices and outcomes. Factors contributing to success in reaching treatment goal were determined. A retrospective review of the records of dyslipidemic patients who attended the Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital in 2007 was conducted.

Heterotrophic cultivation of microalgae for production of biodiesel.

High cell density cultivation of microalgae via heterotrophic growth mechanism could effectively address the issues of low productivity and operational constraints presently affecting the solar driven biodiesel production. This paper reviews the progress made so far in the development of commercial-scale heterotrophic microalgae cultivation processes. The review also discusses on patentable concepts and innovations disclosed in the past four years with regards to new approaches to microalgal cultivation technique, improvisation on the process flow designs to economically produced biodiesel and genetic manipulation to confer desirable traits leading to much valued high lipid-bearing microalgae strains.