Enriching traditional didactic teaching in undergraduate ophthalmology with lateral thinking method: a prospective study.

Purpose: To evaluate undergraduate medical students' perspective on lateral thinking pedagogy in teaching clinical ocular anatomy in correlation to developing differential diagnoses and recognising red flags in managing common eye conditions.

Methods: The prospective study compared the lateral thinking method (LTM) versus the traditional didactic method in teaching clinical ocular anatomy. Two hundred seventy-two medical students who underwent ophthalmology clerkships were recruited over 3 years.

Effects of Stores' Environmental Components on Chinese Consumers' Emotions and Intentions to Purchase Luxury Brands: Integrating Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling and Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis Approaches.

Purpose: Drawing upon the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model, this paper aims to investigate the effects of stores' environmental components (i.e., lighting, cleanliness, scent, design, layout, music, and employee interaction) on Chinese consumers' emotions and intentions to purchase luxury brands.

Godtfredsen syndrome - recurrent clival chondrosarcoma with 6 years follow up: a case report and literature review.

Background: We report a rare case of Godtfredsen syndrome caused by clival chondrosarcoma and perform a review of literatures. This article also explains the clinico-anatomical correlation of this rare neurological syndrome.

Case Presentation: A 22-year-old gentleman presented with binocular diplopia.

Immobilized enzyme/microorganism complexes for degradation of microplastics: A review of recent advances, feasibility and future prospects.

Environmental prevalence of microplastics has prompted the development of novel methods for their removal, one of which involves immobilization of microplastics-degrading enzymes. Various materials including nanomaterials have been studied for this purpose but there is currently a lack of review to present these studies in an organized manner to highlight the advances and feasibility. This article reviewed more than 100 peer-reviewed scholarly papers to elucidate the latest advances in the novel application of immobilized enzyme/microorganism complexes for microplastics degradation, its feasibility and future prospects.

Indigenous farmers' perceptions of problems in the rice field agroecosystems in the upper Baram, Malaysia.

Background: Rice field agroecosystems produce food for more than half of the world's population and deliver important services supporting farmers' livelihoods. However, traditional rice field agroecosystems are facing a variety of problems, including pests or markets that are hard to access. This research explored indigenous farmers' perceptions of the problems, their causes and consequences, and the solutions applied to address them in the rice field agroecosystem.

Utilizing Biomass-Based Graphene Oxide-Polyaniline-Ag Electrodes in Microbial Fuel Cells to Boost Energy Generation and Heavy Metal Removal.

Although regarded as environmentally stable, bioelectrochemical fuel cells or, microbial fuel cells (MFCs) continue to face challenges with sustaining electron transport. In response, we examined the performance of two graphene composite-based anode electrodes-graphene oxide (GO) and GO-polymer-metal oxide (GO-PANI-Ag)-prepared from biomass and used in MFCs. Over 7 days of operation, GO energy efficiency peaked at 1.

A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study Assessing the Psycho-Emotional State of Intensive Care Units' Physicians and Nurses of COVID-19 Hospitals of a Russian Metropolis.

Working in intensive care units (ICUs) is stressful and potentially leads to various psycho-emotional disorders. Today, this issue represents a serious concern to the healthcare sector and affects the quality of healthcare provided. This study aimed to assess and compare the psycho-emotional state in COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 hospitals' ICU healthcare workers (HCWs).

A nationwide survey on awareness and knowledge about Bronchial Provocation Test amongst doctors in Malaysia.

Background: Bronchial provocation test (BPT) is widely used internationally not only to evaluate bronchial responsiveness in conditions especially asthma, but is also utilized as a marker of control, severity and prognosis for asthma. However, the uptake of BPT in certain countries including Malaysia remains low. We aimed to explore this lack of knowledge by assessing the current level of awareness and knowledge on BPT amongst doctors in Malaysia.

Development of an optimization pipeline of asymmetric PCR towards the generation of DNA aptamers: a guide for beginners.

Asymmetric PCR is one of the most utilized strategies in ssDNA generation towards DNA aptamer generation due to its low cost, robustness and the low amount of starting template. Despite its advantages, careful optimization of the asymmetric PCR is still warranted to optimize the yield of ssDNA. In this present study, we have developed an extensive optimization pipeline that involves the optimization of symmetric PCR initially followed by the optimization of asymmetric PCR.

Update on surgical management of complex macular holes: a review.

Modern surgical interventions effectively treat macular holes (MHs) more than 90%. Current surgical treatment for MHs is pars plana vitrectomy with epiretinal membrane, internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling, gas endotamponade, and prone posturing postoperatively. However, a small subset of MHs imposes challenges to surgeons and frustrations on patients.

Structural, Electromagnetic and Microwave Properties of Magnetite Extracted from Mill Scale Waste via Conventional Ball Milling and Mechanical Alloying Techniques.

This study presents the utilization of mill scale waste, which has attracted much attention due to its high content of magnetite (FeO). This work focuses on the extraction of FeO from mill scale waste via magnetic separation, and ball milling was used to fabricate a microwave absorber. The extracted magnetic powder was ground-milled using two different techniques: (i) a conventional milling technique (CM) and (ii) mechanical alloying (MM) process.

Spatial distribution of Plasmodium knowlesi cases and their vectors in Johor, Malaysia: in light of human malaria elimination.

Background: Plasmodium knowlesi, a simian malaria parasite infection, increases as Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax infections decrease in Johor, Malaysia. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the distribution of vectors involved in knowlesi malaria transmission in Johor. This finding is vital in estimating hotspot areas for targeted control strategies.

Applied Artificial Intelligence and user satisfaction: Smartwatch usage for healthcare in Bangladesh during COVID-19.

The evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized many aspects of human life, including healthcare. Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, AI-enabled smartwatches are being used to help users to self-monitor and self-manage their health. Using a framework based on Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) theory, this present study aimed to explore the use of AI-enabled smartwatches for health purposes, in particular the effects of product quality, service quality, perceived convenience, and perceived ease of use on user experience, trust and user satisfaction.

Life-cycle assessment of hydrogen production via catalytic gasification of wheat straw in the presence of straw derived biochar catalyst.

The environmental footprints of Hproductionviacatalytic gasification of wheat straw using straw-derived biochar catalysts were examined. The functional unit of 1 kg of Hwas adopted in the system boundaries, which includes 5 processes namely biomass collection and pre-treatment units (P1), biochar catalyst preparation using fast pyrolysis unit (P2), two-stage pyrolysis-gasification unit (P3), products separation unit (P4), and Hdistribution to downstream plants (P5). Based on the life-cycle assessment, the hot spots in this process were identified, the sequence was as follows: P4 > P2 > P1 > P3 > P5.

The pharmacokinetic properties of artemether and lumefantrine in Malaysian patients with Plasmodium knowlesi malaria.

Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the pharmacokinetic properties of artemether, lumefantrine and their active metabolites in Plasmodium knowlesi malaria.

Methods: Malaysian adults presenting with uncomplicated P. knowlesi infections received six doses of artemether (1.

A Molecular Simulation Study of Silica/Polysulfone Mixed Matrix Membrane for Mixed Gas Separation.

Polysulfone-based mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) incorporated with silica nanoparticles are a new generation material under ongoing research and development for gas separation. However, the attributes of a better-performing MMM cannot be precisely studied under experimental conditions. Thus, it requires an atomistic scale study to elucidate the separation performance of silica/polysulfone MMMs.

Aptamers isolated against mosquito-borne pathogens.

Mosquito-borne diseases are a major threat to public health. The shortcomings of diagnostic tools, especially those that are antibody-based, have been blamed in part for the rising annual morbidity and mortality caused by these diseases. Antibodies harbor a number of disadvantages that can be clearly addressed by aptamers as the more promising molecular recognition elements.

Recent advances in green solvents for lignocellulosic biomass pretreatment: Potential of choline chloride (ChCl) based solvents.

Biomass wastes exhibit a great potential to be used as a source of non-depleting renewable energy and synthesis of value-added products. The key to the valorization of excess lignocellulosic biomass wastes in the world lies on the pretreatment process to recalcitrant barrier of the lignocellulosic material for the access to useful substrates. A wide range of pretreatment techniques are available and advances in this field is continuously happening, in search for cheap, effective, and environmentally friendly methods.

Laser Discoloration in Acrylic Painting of Visual Art: Experiment and Modeling.

This study discloses a method for painting artwork using a CO laser. The continuous-wave laser beam, at a predetermined heat flux and a predetermined number of laser beam passes, mixes and displaces the plurality of colored polymer-based compositions, respectively, by way of melting and vaporizing them. Experiments showed a great accuracy of colors and designed patterns between the computer aided design (CAD) drawing and what was achieved after laser discoloration.

Laser-Assisted High Speed Machining of 316 Stainless Steel: The Effect of Water-Soluble Sago Starch Based Cutting Fluid on Surface Roughness and Tool Wear.

Laser-assisted high speed milling is a subtractive machining method that employs a laser to thermally soften a difficult-to-cut material's surface in order to enhance machinability at a high material removal rate with improved surface finish and tool life. However, this machining with high speed leads to high friction between workpiece and tool, and can result in high temperatures, impairing the surface quality. Use of conventional cutting fluid may not effectively control the heat generation.

Quality of Life Among Malaysian Parents with Autism Spectrum Disorder Child: The Double ABCX Model Approach.

This paper reported the quality of life (QoL) of 260 Malaysian parents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and factors which influencing it. About half of these parents reported to having good QoL. The factors identified in the double ABCX model showed that perceived social support and sense of coherence (SOC) were mediated by coping strategies and had a positive direct and indirect effect on parents' QoL.

A rare case of unilateral Cogan's anterior internuclear ophthalmoplegia, upgaze palsy and ataxia caused by dorsal tegmentum lesion at pontomesencephalic junction.

Background: Cogan's anterior internuclear ophthalmoplegia (INO) is characterized by INO with inability to converge and commonly thought to be due to rostral midbrain lesion. A lesion outside midbrain that causes unilateral Cogan's anterior INO combined with upgaze palsy and ataxia are rarely described.

Case Presentation: A 67-year old male presented with left Cogan's anterior internuclear ophthalmoplegia (INO), left appendicular ataxia and bilateral upgaze palsy.

Evolutionary pattern of Macaca fascicularis in Southeast Asia inferred using Y-chromosomal gene.

Background: We analyzed a combined segment (2032-bp) of the sex-determining region and the testis-specific protein of the Y-chromosome (Y-DNA) gene to clarify the gene flow and phylogenetic relationships of the long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) in Southeast Asia. Phylogenetic relationships were constructed using the maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference, and the median-joining network from a total of 164 adult male M. fascicularis from 62 localities in Malaysia, including sequences from the other regions from previous studies.

Brown/Beige adipose tissues and the emerging role of their secretory factors in improving metabolic health: The batokines.

Brown and beige adipose tissues are the primary sites for adaptive non-shivering thermogenesis. Although they have been known principally for their thermogenic effects, in recent years, it has emerged that, just like white adipose tissue (WAT), brown and beige adipose tissues also play an important role in the regulation of metabolic health through secretion of various brown adipokines (batokines) in response to various physiological cues. These secreted batokines target distant organs and tissues such as the liver, heart, skeletal muscles, brain, WAT, and perform various local and systemic functions in an autocrine, paracrine, or endocrine manner.