Publications by authors named "Sim R"

Aims: To determine the relationship between microbiome dysbiosis indices and biofilm immunogenicity and their prognostic implications on periodontal treatment response.

Materials And Methods: Thirty periodontally healthy controls and 30 periodontitis cases (stage III) were recruited. Cases received non-surgical periodontal therapy (NSPT), and their treatment response at 6 months was evaluated using a treat-to-target endpoint (≤ 4 sites with probing depths ≥ 5 mm).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Exogenous nitrate ingestion can improve exercise performance. This study investigated whether an isotonic beetroot drink could improve jump and sprint performance in active individuals. Twenty-three physically active participants (17 males, 6 females) (mean ± SD; age: 26 ± 4 years; body mass index: 22.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: To examine factors associated with fertility following hysterosalpingography (HSG) using an oil-soluble contrast medium (OSCM).

Design: In a prospective cohort study on 196 women undergoing OSCM HSG, we showed that iodine excess was almost universal (98%) and mild subclinical hypothyroidism was frequent (38%). Here, we report the analyses of secondary outcomes examining factors associated with the likelihood of pregnancy following the HSG.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aim: Young-onset type 2 diabetes (YOD) is associated with poorer clinical outcomes. To support the development of more effective diabetes self-management education (DSME) programmes, this study aimed to understand the preferences of young adults with YOD in relation to the modality, content and qualities of DSME.

Methods: Maximal variation sampling was employed to recruit participants of varied age, ethnicity and marital status.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The classical pathway of the complement system is initiated when C1q binds to target activators, including immune complexes, while factor H primarily regulates the alternative pathway but can also influence the classical pathway by competing for binding sites with C1q.
  • Both C1q and factor H can recognize and bind to foreign or altered-self materials, including fibrin clots, which can activate the classical complement pathway through mechanisms involving FXIIIa.
  • The study showed that fibrin clots do indeed activate the classical pathway, leading to complement activation, but factor H effectively downregulates this activation, highlighting the complex interplay between the complement and coagulation systems.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The lithium-ion battery industry acknowledges the need to reduce expensive metals, such as cobalt and nickel, due to supply chain challenges. However, doing so can drastically reduce the overall battery energy density, attenuating the driving range for electric vehicles. Cycling to higher voltages can increase the capacity and energy density but will consequently exacerbate cell degradation due to the instability at high voltages.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Seaweed is becoming increasingly popular in the Western diet as consumers opt for more sustainable food sources. However, seaweed is known to accumulate high levels of arsenic-which may be in the form of carcinogenic inorganic arsenic (iAs). Here we propose a fast method for the routine measurement of iAs in seaweed using HPLC-ICP-MS without coelution of arsenosugars that may complicate quantification.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This study investigated the effects of the timing of caffeine (3 mg/kg body mass) ingestion on three-point shooting accuracy and other performance parameters during a basketball exercise simulation test (BEST). Eighteen college basketball players (mean ± SD: age = 24.4 ± 1.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Biodegradable guanidinium-functionalized polycarbonates kill cancer cells via membrane translocation without causing resistance after repeated use, but the exact molecular targets of the polycarbonates are unknown. Here, we investigate the protein targets of the polycarbonates through affinity-based protein profiling and report myeloid-derived growth factor (MYDGF) as the main protein target. Direct binding of the polycarbonates to MYDGF protein is validated through biolayer interferometry.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - The study examined the link between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) using data from over 51,000 participants across ten Asian studies, aiming to clarify previous mixed findings on this relationship.
  • - Results showed that individuals with CKD had a 46% higher odds of developing late AMD compared to those without, and worse kidney function correlated with increased risk of late AMD, but no significant association was found for early AMD.
  • - The findings suggest that while CKD and reduced kidney function are significantly associated with late AMD, early AMD does not appear to have a similar connection, highlighting the importance of monitoring kidney health in aging populations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Lithium-metal batteries (LMB) employing cobalt-free layered-oxide cathodes are a sustainable path forward to achieving high energy densities, but these cathodes exhibit substantial transition-metal dissolution during high-voltage cycling. While transition-metal crossover is recognized to disrupt solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation on graphite anodes, experimental evidence is necessary to demonstrate this for lithium-metal anodes. In this work, advanced high-resolution 3D chemical analysis is conducted with time-of-flight secondary-ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) to establish spatial correlations between the transition metals and electrolyte decomposition products found on cycled lithium-metal anodes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Zoo-managed adult African painted dogs (; = 17) were anesthetized with mean dosages of dexmedetomidine 5 µg/kg, ketamine 1.93 mg/kg, butorphanol 0.2 mg/kg, and midazolam 0.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Falls in older adults are the result of a complex web of interacting causes, that further results in other physical, emotional, and psychological sequelae. A conceptual framework that represents the reciprocal dynamics of these causal factors can enable clinicians, researchers, and policymakers to clarify goals in falls intervention in older adults.

Methods: A Group Model Building (GMB) exercise was conducted with researchers and clinicians from academic units and public healthcare institutes in Singapore.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Medication adherence profoundly affects blood glucose management in patients with type 2 diabetes. Measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic have affected disease management and medication adherence, owing to limited access to healthcare facilities. This study aimed to examine the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on adherence to glucose-lowering and lipid-lowering therapies (statins), and glycemic, weight, and systolic blood pressure control measures.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

High-nickel layered oxide cathodes and lithium-metal anode are promising candidates for next-generation battery systems due to their high energy density. Nevertheless, the instability of the electrode-electrolyte interphase is hindering their practical application. Localized high-concentration electrolytes (LHCEs) present a promising solution for achieving uniform lithium deposition and a stable cathode-electrolyte interphase.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

, the causative agent of Chagas disease, is a zoonotic, vector-borne, protozoan hemoflagellate with a wide host range. An 11-yr-old, captive-bred male De Brazza's monkey () presented with weight loss despite normal appetite. Examination revealed hypoglycemia, nonregenerative anemia, and many trypanosomes on a blood smear.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of various glucose-lowering therapies as add-on to standard care for people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Malaysia.

Methods: A state-transition microsimulation model was developed to compare the clinical and economic outcomes of 4 treatments: standard care, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2is), and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists. Cost-effectiveness was assessed from a healthcare provider's perspective over a lifetime horizon with 3% discount rate in a hypothetical cohort of people with T2D.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The complement system plays a crucial role in the immune response to infections like SARS-CoV-2, with some evidence suggesting it can both harm (through cytokine storms) and protect against the virus.
  • This study specifically looked at the roles of two complement proteins, C1q and C4b-binding protein (C4BP), in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection, focusing on their ability to bind to the virus's spike protein.
  • Results showed that C1q and C4BP not only reduced the virus's ability to enter cells but also decreased the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, suggesting they offer a protective effect during infection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: Decision-analytic models (DAMs) with varying structures and assumptions have been applied in economic evaluations (EEs) to assist decision making for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) therapeutics. This systematic review aimed to summarize and critically appraise the EEs of guideline-directed medical therapies (GDMTs) for HFrEF.

Methods: A systematic search of English articles and gray literature, published from January 2010, was performed on databases including MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, NHSEED, health technology assessment, Cochrane Library, etc.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Gas evolution in high-energy Li-ion batteries remains a pervasive problem for a multitude of chemistries, jeopardizing the electrochemical performance and safety for consumers of electric vehicles. Many electrode-electrolyte degradation processes evolve gasses that may be detected in-situ with online electrochemical mass spectrometry (OEMS). In this work, details are provided for the setup and validation of an OEMS system that operates well under lean and volatile electrolyte conditions.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Diabetes is one of the leading causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease. This study aims to develop and validate different risk predictive models for incident CKD and CKD progression in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Methods: We reviewed a cohort of people with T2D seeking care from two tertiary hospitals in the metropolitan cities of the state of Selangor and Negeri Sembilan from January 2012 to May 2021.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Good blood glucose control is important to reduce the risk of adverse effects on mothers and their offspring in women with gestational diabetes (GDM). This review examined the impact of using digital health interventions on reported glycaemic control among pregnant women with GDM and its impact on maternal and foetal outcomes. Seven databases were searched from database inception to October 31st, 2021 for randomised controlled trials that examined digital health interventions to provide services remotely for women with GDM.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study examines how in utero adversities like hypoxia and malnutrition relate to the development of schizophrenia (SZ) by investigating specific proteins (l-ficolin and MASP-2) linked to the immune response in patients.
  • Results show that SZ patients had significantly higher levels of l-ficolin (about 40% increase) and a notable gender difference in MASP-2 levels, especially among female patients.
  • The study also notes that while there are increases in certain protein activities in SZ, there was no significant association with demographic factors like age, family history, or smoking habits.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Context: Hysterosalpingography (HSG) using oil-soluble contrast medium (OSCM) improves pregnancy rates but results in severe and persistent iodine excess, potentially impacting the fetus and neonate.

Objective: To determine the incidence of thyroid dysfunction in newborns conceived within six months of OSCM HSG.

Design: Offspring study of a prospective cohort of women who underwent OSCM HSG.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF