Investigating the impact of microbiome-changing interventions on food decision-making: MIFOOD study protocol.

Background: Obesity is a multifactorial disease reaching pandemic proportions with increasing healthcare costs, advocating the development of better prevention and treatment strategies. Previous research indicates that the gut microbiome plays an important role in metabolic, hormonal, and neuronal cross-talk underlying eating behavior. We therefore aim to examine the effects of prebiotic and neurocognitive behavioral interventions on food decision-making and to assay the underlying mechanisms in a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT).

Calcific Uremic Arteriolopathy (CUA) Among Malaysian Dialysis Patients: Clinical Characteristics, Treatment, and Outcomes.

Background Calcific uremic arteriolopathy (CUA) is a rare but debilitating disease affecting patients with kidney disease. Reported risk factors of CUA in the literature include female sex, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and vitamin K antagonists' (VKAs) usage. CUA prevalence in Malaysia is unknown and has not been reported before.

The Characterisation of Carbapenem-Resistant and in a Teaching Hospital in Malaysia.

: The emergence and dissemination of carbapenem-resistant organisms, particularly and , pose a significant threat to healthcare systems worldwide. This retrospective study aims to characterise carbapenem-resistant (CRAB) and carbapenem-resistant (CRKP) strains in a teaching hospital and to determine the risk factors associated with patients' in-hospital mortality. : A total of 90 CRAB and 63 CRKP were included in this study.

Scalp cooling therapy for chemotherapy-induced hair loss in patients with breast or gynecological cancers-an Asian tertiary institution experience.

Purpose: Scalp cooling therapy (SCT) improves chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA), but there are few published data about its efficacy in an Asian-predominant population. We report our tertiary institution experience of SCT in patients with breast or gynaecological cancers undergoing chemotherapy.

Methods: The Paxman scalp cooling system was employed for eligible women with breast or gynaecological cancers receiving anthracycline or taxane-based chemotherapy.

Physicochemical and biological characterization of the lipid particles with bovine serum albumin corona.

Diacylglycerol-based nanoparticles are promising bioactive delivery systems. However, limited understanding of their interaction with biological entities restricts their clinical use. This study investigated the protein corona formed on medium and long chain diacylglycerol (MLCD)-based solid lipid nanoparticles (NPs) modified by Polyoxethylene stearate (PEG) and compared to glyceryl tristearate (TG) and cetyl palmitate (CP) nanoparticles.

Optogenetic targeting of cortical astrocytes selectively improves NREM sleep in an Alzheimer's disease mouse model.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative condition marked by memory impairments and distinct histopathological features such as amyloid-beta (Aβ) accumulations. Alzheimer's patients experience sleep disturbances at early stages of the disease. APPswe/PS1dE9 (APP) mice exhibit sleep disruptions, including reductions in non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, that contribute to their disease progression.

Understanding the synergistic effect of pea protein and rice bran protein interaction in stabilizing palm kernel oil-in-water emulsion assisted by high-pressure homogenization.

Background: Plant-based beverages have recently seen a significant increase in market demand. However, many of these products suffer from poor emulsion stability and low protein content. Gums have commonly been used to enhance emulsion stability but they do not improve the amino acid profile.

Advancements in Flexible Sensors for Monitoring Body Movements during Sleep: A Review.

Sleep plays a role in maintaining our physical well-being. However, sleep-related issues impact millions of people globally. Accurate monitoring of sleep is vital for identifying and addressing these problems.

Hello, is it me you're Stopping for? The Effect of external Human Machine Interface Familiarity on Pedestrians' Crossing Behaviour in an Ambiguous Situation.

Objective: We investigated how different deceleration intentions (i.e. an automated vehicle either decelerated for leading traffic or yielded for pedestrians) and a novel (Slow Pulsing Light Band - SPLB) or familiar (Flashing Headlights - FH) external Human Machine Interface (eHMI) informed pedestrians' crossing behaviour.

Pickering Foam Stabilized by Diacylglycerol-Based Solid Lipid Nanoparticles: Effect of Protein Modification.

Pickering foams have great potential for applications in aerated foods, but their foaming ability and physical stability are still far from satisfactory. Herein, solid lipid particles (SLNs) were fabricated by using diacylglycerol of varying acyl chain lengths with modification by a protein. The SLNs showed different crystal polymorphisms and air-water interfacial activity.

Cellular Traction Force Holds the Potential as a Drug Testing Readout for In Vitro Cancer Metastasis.

Introduction: Metastasis is responsible for 90% of cancer-related deaths worldwide. However, the potential inhibitory effects of metastasis by various anticancer drugs have been left largely unexplored. Existing preclinical models primarily focus on antiproliferative agents on the primary tumor to halt the cancer growth but not in metastasis.

A Compact Dual-Polarized Vivaldi Antenna with High Gain for Tree Radar Applications.

A dual-polarized compact Vivaldi antenna with high gain performance is proposed for tree radar applications. The proposed design introduces an array configuration consisting of two pairs of two Vivaldi elements to optimize the operating bandwidth and gain while providing dual-polarization capability. To enhance the gain of the proposed antenna over a certain frequency range of interest, directors and edge slots are incorporated into each Vivaldi element.

Bioconversion of lignans in flaxseed cake by fermented tofu microbiota and isolation of Enterococcus faecium strain ZB26 responsible for converting secoisolariciresinol diglucoside to enterodiol.

Human intestinal microbiota plays a crucial role in converting secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, a lignan found in flaxseed, to enterodiol, which has a range of health benefits: antioxidative, antitumor, and estrogenic/anti-estrogenic effects. Given the high secoisolariciresinol diglucoside content in flaxseed cake, this study investigated the potential of co-fermenting flaxseed cake with fermented soybean product to isolate bacterial strains that effectively convert secoisolariciresinol diglucoside to enterodiol in a controlled environment (in vitro). The co-fermentation process with stinky tofu microbiota significantly altered the lignan, generating 12 intermediate lignan metabolites as identified by targeted metabolomics.

Early detection of phlebitis among hematology-oncology patients: a best practice implementation project.

Introduction: Peripherally-inserted venous catheters (PIVC) are essential for cancer patients to receive treatment. Phlebitis is a major complication of PIVC. Currently, nurses' assessment of phlebitis mainly involves visual inspection.

Gaze entropy metrics for mental workload estimation are heterogenous during hands-off level 2 automation.

As the level of vehicle automation increases, drivers are more likely to engage in non-driving related tasks which take their hands, eyes, and/or mind away from the driving task. Consequently, there has been increased interest in creating Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS) that are valid and reliable for detecting elements of driver state. Workload is one element of driver state that has remained elusive within the literature.

Identification of a Novel IGSF1 Variant in Two Malaysian Male Siblings with Central Hypothyroidism and Macroorchidism.

IGSF1 mutation is the commonest cause of mild to moderate isolated central congenital hypothyroidism and has an X-linked recessive inheritance, primarily affecting males. Other notable clinical features are macroorchidism with delayed pubertal testosterone rise, large birth weight, increased body mass index, low prolactin, transient growth hormone deficiency and low prolactin. Two male siblings with central hypothyroidism were found to have a novel IGSF1 c.

Impact of Pharmacogenomics on Pediatric Psychotropic Medication Prescribing in an Ambulatory Care Setting.

Evidence for pharmacogenomic (PGx) guided treatment in child and adolescent psychiatry is growing. This study evaluated the impact of PGx testing on psychotropic medication prescribing in an ambulatory child and adolescent psychiatry and a developmental pediatrics clinic. This was a single-center, retrospective, descriptive analysis of patients who underwent PGx testing between January 2015 and October 2022 at a child and adolescent psychiatry clinic or developmental pediatrics clinic.

Mineral composition, crystallinity and dielectric evaluation of Bamboo Salt, Himalaya Salt, and Ba'kelalan salt content.

The mineral composition, crystallinity, and dielectric properties of salts can provide valuable insights into the quality and suitability of different types of salt for various applications. In this study, comprehensive analysis of the X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and dielectric analysis of the Ba'kelalan salt, Himalaya salt and Bamboo salt have been investigated. The mineral composition of these salts, encompassing vital elements such as iodine and other trace minerals, significantly influences the salt's nutritional profile and overall excellence.

A before-after study to evaluate the effect of pharmacy workflow redesign to improve pharmacy waiting time and reduce medication near misses in Malaysia.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of workflow redesign (eaST system) on pharmacy waiting time and near-missed events. We also investigated other factors that may potentially affect these study outcomes.

Methods: A quasi-experimental (before-after) study design was adopted.

Primary care providers' preferences for the communication and management of actionable genomic findings from a research biobank.

Purpose: Little is known about non-genetics health care specialists' attitudes toward the return and utilization of actionable genomic results from a research biobank. We surveyed primary care providers (PCPs) to explore their perspectives on these results and their preferences for return.

Methods: We administered a paper and web-based 27-question survey to PCPs residing locally and caring for adult patients.