Vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms and risk for polycystic ovary syndrome and infertility: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms have been implicated in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Despite VDR gene polymorphisms importance and their risk for PCOS, they have not been extensively studied. The main objective was to evaluate the associations between VDR gene polymorphisms and risk for PCOS.

Comparative Analyses and Phylogenetic Dependence in Traits and Trends of the Dipterocarpaceae.

The role of trait evolution in shaping the functional and ecological diversity of tropical forests remains poorly understood. Analyses of trait variation as a function of evolutionary history and environmental variables should reveal the drivers of species distributions, as well as generate insights valuable to conservation. Here, we focus on the Dipterocarpaceae, the key plant family underpinning the hyperdiversity of South-East Asian tropical forest canopies and of major conservation concern due to over-exploitation for timber, cultivation, and climate change.

Essentials and Pertinence of Cold Plasma in Essential Oils, Metal-Organic Frameworks and Agriculture.

Cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) comprises an ensemble of ionized gas, neutral particles, and/or reactive species. Electricity is frequently used to produce CAPP via a variety of techniques, including plasma jets, corona discharges, dielectric barrier discharges, and glow discharges. The type and flow rates of the carrier gas(es), temperature, pressure, and vacuum can all be altered to control the desired properties of the CAPP.

A systematic review of the factors associated with malaria infection among forest rangers.

Introduction: Malaria is a vector-borne disease that initially manifests as fever, headache, and chills. The illness could progress to more severe conditions, including lethargy, impaired consciousness, convulsions, shortness of breath, blood in urine, jaundice, and haemorrhage if left untreated. The risk of contracting malaria is considerably heightened in specific occupational settings, particularly among forest rangers, following frequent exposure to natural habitats.

Addressing preliminary challenges in upscaling the recovery of lithium from spent lithium ion batteries by the electrochemical method: a review.

The paramount importance of lithium (Li) nowadays and the mounting volume of untreated spent LIB have imposed pressure on innovators to tackle the near-term issue of Li resource depletion through recycling. The trajectory of research dedicated to recycling has skyrocketed in this decade, reflecting the global commitment to addressing the issues surrounding Li resources. Although metallurgical methods, such as pyro- and hydrometallurgy, are presently prevalent in Li recycling, they exhibit unsustainable operational characteristics including elevated temperatures, the utilization of substantial quantities of expensive chemicals, and the generation of emissions containing toxic gases such as Cl, SO, and NO.

Factors associated with mosquito control among construction workers: A systematic review.

Introduction: Workers in the construction industry frequently work in construction sites with numerous areas that can potentially accumulate water, such as tanks, wet cement surfaces, or water puddles. These water collection sites become ideal breeding grounds for mosquito infestation, which leads to a higher prevalence of mosquito-borne diseases, especially malaria and dengue among construction workers. Despite that numerous factors have been identified in controlling vector-borne diseases, the specific factors that influence mosquito control at construction sites have yet to be explored.

New generation sequencing: molecular approaches for the detection and monitoring of bioaerosols in an indoor environment: a systematic review.

Introduction: The exposure of occupants to indoor air pollutants has increased in recent decades. The aim of this review is to discuss an overview of new approaches that are used to study fungal aerosols. Thus, this motivation was to compensate the gaps caused by the use of only traditional approaches in the study of fungal exposure.

Morphometrics and Structural Changes of "Terung Asam" Sarawak ( Dunal) During Growth and Development.

"Terung asam" Sarawak ( Dunal) is an underutilised fruit vegetable. Information on the fruit growth is very lacking. Thus, this study was conducted to characterise fruit growth pattern based on physical characters and cellular structures.

Level of fear towards COVID-19 and its determinants among healthcare providers in Malaysia: A cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Malaysia is one of the hardest-hit countries by COVID-19 in Asia. The rapidly rising number of cases had sparked fear among healthcare providers. This study aimed to assess the determinants of fear towards COVID-19 among healthcare providers in primary care settings.

Increased radical scavenging activity of thymoquinone and l-ascorbic acid dual encapsulated in palmitoyl-chitosan nanoparticles in a human normal lung fibroblast, MRC-5 due to synergistic antioxidative effects.

Less effective antioxidant supplementation in combating free radicals is often related to the lack of the formulation of carriers. The antioxidant may be one of the most powerful substances but is marred by poor uptake by cells when the carrier degraded and dissolved too rapidly. Nanoparticle (NP) systems are promising in overcoming the problem since they provide high surface area to enhance encapsulation and release efficiency.

Strategies in the optimization of DNA hybridization conditions and its role in electrochemical detection of dengue virus (DENV) using response surface methodology (RSM).

In recent years, limited research has been conducted on enhancing DNA hybridization-based biosensor approaches using statistical models. This study explores the application of response surface methodology (RSM) to improve the performance of a DNA hybridization biosensor for dengue virus (DENV) detection. The biosensor is based on silicon nanowires decorated with gold nanoparticles (SiNWs/AuNPs) and utilizes methylene blue as a redox indicator.

Distance and density dependence in two native Bornean dipterocarp species.

The Janzen-Connell hypothesis proposes that density and distance-dependent mortality generated by specialist natural enemies prevent competitive dominance. Much literature on Janzen-Connell mechanisms comes from the neotropics, and evidence of the role of distance and density-dependence is still relatively sparse. We tested the predictions of the Janzen-Connell hypothesis in a South-East Asian system dominated by mast fruiting species.

Knotting terminal ends of mutant T1 lipase with disulfide bond improved structure rigidity and stability.

Lipase biocatalysts offer unique properties which are often impaired by low thermal and methanol stability. In this study, the rational design was employed to engineer a disulfide bond in the protein structure of Geobacillus zalihae T1 lipase in order to improve its stability. The selection of targeted disulfide bond sites was based on analysis of protein spatial configuration and change of Gibbs free energy.

Antagonism of nonaflatoxigenic isolated from peanuts against aflatoxigenic growth and aflatoxin B production .

section constitutes several species of opportunistic fungi, notable among them are and , capable of surviving harsh conditions and colonizing a wide range of agricultural products pre- and postharvest. Physical and chemical control methods are widely applied in order to mitigate the invasion of in crops. However, physical control is not suitable for large scale and chemical control often leads to environmental pollution, whereas biological control offers a safer, environmentally friendly, and economical alternative.

Responses of selected biomarkers, female reproductive hormones and tissue changes in non-pregnant does challenged with Mannheimia haemolytica serotype A2 and its outer membrane protein (OMP) immunogen.

Background: Mannheimia haemolytica causative agent of pneumonic mannheimiosis, a common respiratory disease of goat and sheep, which cause huge economic losses to farmers worldwide. Pneumonic mannheimiosis caused by M. haemolytica serotype A2 has been reported among small ruminants in Malaysia.

Improving knowledge, attitudes and beliefs: a cross-sectional study of postpartum depression awareness among social support networks during COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia.

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is the most prevalent mental health disorder after childbirth, notably during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, PPD is known to have a long-term influence on the mother and the newborn, and the role of social support network is crucial in early illness recognition. This study aims to evaluate the social support networks' level of knowledge, attitudes and beliefs regarding PPD and examine their sociodemographic variables and exposure to the public information relating to PPD during the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia.

Airflow-assisted dielectrophoresis to reduce the resistance mismatch in carbon nanotube-based temperature sensors.

The dielectrophoresis (DEP) method is used to fabricate sensor devices by assembling and aligning carbon nanotubes (CNTs) across electrode structures. The challenges of the method increase as the gap width between the electrodes increases. In this work, a novel DEP setup is proposed to reduce the resistance mismatch in manufacturing carbon nanotube-based sensors.

Gold nanoparticles conjugated with anti-CD133 monoclonal antibody and 5-fluorouracil chemotherapeutic agent as nanocarriers for cancer cell targeting.

The enhanced permeability and retention effect allows for passive targeting of solid tumours by nanoparticles carrying anticancer drugs. However, active targeting by incorporation of various ligands onto nanoparticles can provide for a more selective and enhanced chemotherapeutic effect and complement the deficiencies of the passive targeting approach. Here we report on the design of the carboxyl-terminated PEGylated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), their functionalization with anti-CD133 monoclonal antibody (mAb) a crosslinking reaction, and subsequent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) drug loading.

Enhanced capacitive performance of cathodically reduced titania nanotubes pulsed deposited with MnO as supercapacitor electrode.

A facile and simple pulse electrodeposition method was employed to deposit MnO nanoparticles on cathodically reduced titania nanotubes (R-TNTs) at different deposition time in the range of 3-15 min to investigate the influence of mass loading of MnO on the electrochemical performance of MnO/R-TNTs nanocomposite for supercapacitor application. MnO nanoparticles were deposited on circumference of R-TNTs as well as in the nanotubes as revealed by FESEM images for all the deposited time. XPS result confirmed the presence of MnO (Mn) and MnO (Mn) on the MnO/R-TNTs composite which provide pseudocapacitive behaviour for the electrode.

Strategies for the preparation of non-amplified and amplified genomic dengue gene samples for electrochemical DNA biosensing applications.

The application of electrochemical DNA biosensors in real genomic sample detection is challenging due to the existence of complex structures and low genomic concentrations, resulting in inconsistent and low current signals. This work highlights strategies for the treatment of non-amplified and amplified genomic dengue virus gene samples based on real samples before they can be used directly in our DNA electrochemical sensing system, using methylene blue (MB) as a redox indicator. The main steps in this study for preparing non-amplified cDNA were cDNA conversion, heat denaturation, and sonication.

Functionalization of electrospun fish gelatin mats with bioactive agents: Comparative effect on morphology, thermo-mechanical, antioxidant, antimicrobial properties, and bread shelf stability.

In the current study, fish gelatin-based nanofiber mats were embedded with different bioactive agents (BAs) such as cinnamaldehyde (CEO), limonene (LEO), and eugenol (EEO) at 1, 3, and 5% electrospinning, and their effects on the morphological, structural, mechanical, thermal, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and bread packaging properties of the mats were evaluated. The gelatin mats presented different physicochemical properties due to the inherent differences in the chemical structure of the added BAs and their interaction with the gelatin chains. The conductivity, surface tension, and viscosity of gelatin dopes changed with the presence of the BAs, yet the electrospun nanofibers showed defect-free uniform morphology as confirmed by electron microscopy, with no significant change in the chemical structure of gelatin.

Taxonomic and genetic assessment of captive White-Handed Gibbons () in Peninsular Malaysia with implications towards conservation translocation and reintroduction programmes.

Conservation translocation and reintroduction for the purpose of repopulating and reinforcing extirpated or depleted populations has been recognised as an important conservation tool, particularly for gibbon conservation in the immediate future. Feasibility assessments involving multiple factors, including taxonomic and genetic assessment of rescued and captive gibbons, are imperative prior to translocation and reintroduction programmes. In this study, we attempt to determine the subspecies and origin of captive , White-handed gibbons, from Peninsular Malaysia to assist in future translocation and reintroduction programmes.

Comparative pathogenicity of Malaysian variant and very virulent infectious bursal disease viruses in chickens.

Variant infectious bursal disease virus (vaIBDV) has been identified in various countries with significant economic losses. Recently, the first identification of a variant strain in Malaysia was reported. The pathogenicities of the Malaysian variant, UPM1432/2019, and very virulent infectious bursal disease virus (vvIBDV), UPM1056/2018 strains were comparatively evaluated in specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chickens based on gross and histopathological examinations and viral load.