A review of vitamin D deficiency and vitamin D receptor polymorphisms in endocrine-related disorders.

The endocrine system is a complex network of glands that produce and release hormones that regulate various physiological processes. In the past few decades, the human skin has been identified as an important peripheral endocrine organ that is the main site for the synthesis of vitamin D through exposure to sunlight. Mutations in downstream vitamin D-related gene pathways are associated with disease development.

TigerBase: A DNA registration system to enhance enforcement and compliance testing of captive tiger facilities.

The illegal trade in tigers (Panthera tigris) and their derivatives, such as bones, teeth and pelts, is a major threat to the species' long-term persistence. As wild tiger populations have dwindled, a large proportion of trafficked tiger products now derive from captive breeding facilities found throughout Asia. Moreover, wild tigers have been poached and laundered into captive facilities, then falsely designated as captive-bred.

Planetary boundaries transgressions: A review on the implications to public health.

This literature review systematically examines the impacts of violating planetary boundaries from 2009 to 2023, emphasizing the implications for human health. Planetary boundaries define safe operational limits for Earth's systems, and their transgression poses significant threats to environmental stability and public health. This paper reviews extensive research on the health effects of breaches in these boundaries, including climate change, biodiversity loss, freshwater use, and aerosol loading.

[Strengthening leadership for educational management in the Americas: an action research strategyFortalecimento da liderança para a gestão educacional na Região das Américas: uma estratégia de pesquisa-ação].

The training of human resources for health (HRH) is a recurring concern. The Virtual Campus for Public Health (VCPH) - the educational platform of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) - seeks to improve access to public health education, emphasizing leadership training for teams that plan, implement, and evaluate policies and educational initiatives.The objective of this work is to present the results of a consultation with experts on the virtual course "Leadership for Educational Management in Health Organizations", as part of a PAHO/VCPH strategy to strengthen leadership capacities for educational management in the Americas.

Exposure of Helicobacter pylori to clarithromycin in vitro resulting in the development of resistance and triggers metabolic reprogramming associated with virulence and pathogenicity.

In H. pylori infection, antibiotic-resistance is one of the most common causes of treatment failure. Bacterial metabolic activities, such as energy production, bacterial growth, cell wall construction, and cell-cell communication, all play important roles in antimicrobial resistance mechanisms.

Introduction of mosquitoes carrying AlbB sharply decreases dengue incidence in disease hotspots.

Partial replacement of resident mosquitoes with introduced mosquitoes carrying certain strains of inherited symbionts can result in transmission blocking of dengue and other viruses of public health importance. strain AlbB is an effective transmission blocker and stable at high temperatures, making it particularly suitable for hot tropical climates. Following trial field releases in Malaysia, releases using AlbB have become operationalized by the Malaysian health authorities.

EtOH-LN cryoembedding workflow to minimize freezing artifact in frozen tissues: A pilot study in preparing tissues compatible with mass spectrometry-based spatial proteomics application.

Coolant-assisted liquid nitrogen (LN) flash freezing of frozen tissues has been widely adopted to preserve tissue morphology for histopathological annotations in mass spectrometry-based spatial proteomics techniques. However, existing coolants pose health risks upon inhalation and are expensive. To overcome this challenge, we present our pilot study by introducing the EtOH-LN workflow, which demonstrates the feasibility of using 95 % ethanol as a safer and easily accessible alternative to existing coolants for LN-based cryoembedding of frozen tissues.

Reliability and Accuracy of Chirp Based Multiple Auditory Steady State Response (MSSR) and Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) in Children.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the reliability and accuracy of chirp-based Multiple Auditory Steady State Response (MSSR) and Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) in children.

Methods: The prospective clinical study was conducted at Selayang Hospital (SH) and Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz (HCTM) within one year. A total of 38 children ranging from 3 to 18 years old underwent hearing evaluation using ABR tests and MSSR under sedation.

Simultaneous quantification method for multiple antiviral drugs in serum using isotope dilution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

We describe the simultaneous quantification of six antiviral drugs in serum based on high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The target drugs-hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine, favipiravir, umifenovir, ritonavir, and lopinavir-were extracted and purified from serum with 75 % v/v methanol as the precipitant reagent. The six analytes were clearly separated within 15 min using gradient elution and mixed-mode stationary phase.

Polymorphism of virulence genes and biofilm associated with in vitro induced resistance to clarithromycin in Helicobacter pylori.

Background: Clarithromycin-containing triple therapy is commonly used to treat Helicobacter pylori infections. Clarithromycin resistance is the leading cause of H. pylori treatment failure.

A scoping review on current technology-based approaches to support breastfeeding and informal human milk exchange practices.

Informal human milk exchange is the practice of donating and receiving expressed human milk based on mutual consent between the donor and receiver in the need of human milk for infants below 2 years old. Main concerns related to informal human milk exchange is related to milk siblings and safety handling of the expressed breastmilk. Even though there are countries which have policies and procedures related to human milk bank, informal milk exchange has not been given much attention.

Assessing the Acute Toxicological Effects of Leaf Ethanol Extract on Rats: Biochemical, Histopathological, and Metabolomics Analyses.

is a common plant used in Africa and South America to manage various types of disease. However, there is insufficient toxicological information or published standard available regarding repeated dose animal toxicity data. As part of the safety assessment, we exposed Sprague Dawley rats to an acute oral toxicity of .

Strategies for strengthening toughened poly(lactic acid) blend via natural reinforcement with enhanced biodegradability: A review.

The growing popularity of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) can be attributed to its favorable attributes, such as excellent compostability and robust mechanical properties. Two notable limitations of PLA are its high brittleness and slow biodegradation rate. Both of blending and copolymerization strategies work well to improve PLA's toughness while sacrificing the good tensile strength and modulus properties of PLA.

Salmonella enteritidis abdominal aorta mycotic aneurysm presented with acute cholestatic jaundice: A case report and literature review.

Mycotic aneurysm is one of the extra-intestinal manifestations of Salmonella Enteritidis infection. The diagnosis of this condition is challenging owed to its variation in clinical presentations. We presented a case of a 54-year-old man with underlying diabetes mellitus and chronic smokers presented with acute right flank pain and fever associated with mild jaundice.

Modeling of high voltage induction motor cooling system using linear regression mathematical models.

Achieving reliable power efficiency from a high voltage induction motor (HVIM) is a great challenge, as the rigorous control strategy is susceptible to unexpected failure. External cooling is commonly used in an HVIM cooling system, and it is a vital part of the motor that is responsible for keeping the motor at the proper operating temperature. A malfunctioning cooling system component can cause motor overheating, which can destroy the motor and cause the entire plant to shut down.

The influence of job characteristics toward intention to pursue sales career mediated by feelings.

The sales profession has suffered from negative perception and misconception. Despite a huge opportunity in this industry, several reasons have been highlighted as deterrents to job applicants from applying for a career in sales including the unethical practices, low prestige, and uncertainty of the job. This study examines the influence of job characteristics and feelings on intention to pursue a sales career among undergraduate and postgraduate students.

A Feasible Compatibilization Processing Technique for Improving the Mechanical and Thermal Performance of Rubbery Biopolymer/Graphene Nanocomposites.

Over the last few decades, processing and compatibility have become challenging and interesting investigation areas of polymer matrix nanocomposites. This study investigated the addition of maleic anhydride (MAH) at different ratios with graphene nanoplatelets (GnPs) in poly(lactic acid)/modified natural rubber/polyaniline/GnP (PLA/m-NR/PANI/GnP) nanocomposites via two processing methods: a two-step technique and a one-pot technique. The former technique involved first preparing a master batch of PLA grafted with MAH, followed by a second step involving the melt blending of the nanocomposite (T1) using MAH-g-PLA.

A survey of simian Plasmodium infections in humans in West Kalimantan, Indonesia.

The simian parasite Plasmodium knowlesi is the predominant species causing human malaria infection, including hospitalisations for severe disease and death, in Malaysian Borneo. By contrast, there have been only a few case reports of knowlesi malaria from Indonesian Borneo. This situation seems paradoxical since both regions share the same natural macaque hosts and Anopheles mosquito vectors, and therefore have a similar epidemiologically estimated risk of infection.

Resource recovery from hydroponic wastewaters using microalgae-based biorefineries: A circular bioeconomy perspective.

As the world's population grows, it is necessary to rethink how countries throughout the world produce food in order to replace the conventional and unsustainable agricultural techniques. Microalgae cultivation using a nutrient-rich solution from hydroponic systems not only presents a novel approach to solving problems pertaining to the impact of the discharges on the natural environment but also provides a plethora of other biotechnological applications particularly in the productions of high value-added products and plants growth stimulants, which can be potentially assimilated into the circular bioeconomy (CBE) in the hydroponic sector. In this review, the potential and practicability of microalgae to be merged into hydroponics CBE are reviewed.

Spatio-temporal distribution and hotspots of Plasmodium knowlesi infections in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo.

Plasmodium knowlesi infections in Malaysia are a new threat to public health and to the national efforts on malaria elimination. In the Kapit division of Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, two divergent P. knowlesi subpopulations (termed Cluster 1 and Cluster 2) infect humans and are associated with long-tailed macaque and pig-tailed macaque hosts, respectively.

Impact of increased digital use and internet gaming on nursing students' empathy: A cross-sectional study.

Background: The COVID-19 restrictions and quarantines had led to increased dependence and usage of digital devices for various human activities and internet gaming to the extent of risking vulnerable individuals to develop addiction towards it. Little is known on such risks among populations of nursing students and its impact on their empathy skills or trait.

Objective: Determining the impact of digital use and internet gaming on empathy of nursing students undergoing remote learning during closure of learning institutions nationwide.