Chest Radiograph (CXR) Manifestations of the Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Mini-review.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is highly contagious and has claimed more than one million lives, besides causing hardship and disruptions. The Fleischner Society has recommended chest X-ray (CXR) in detecting cases at high risk of disease progression, for triaging suspected patients with moderate-to-severe illness, and for eliminating false negatives in areas with high pre-test probability or limited resources. Although CXR is less sensitive than real-- time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in detecting mild COVID-19, it is nevertheless useful because of equipment portability, low cost and practicality in serial assessments of disease progression among hospitalized patients.

Acute decompensated heart failure in a non cardiology tertiary referral centre, Sarawak General Hospital (SGH-HF).

Background: Data on clinical characteristics of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) in Malaysia especially in East Malaysia is lacking.

Methods: This is a prospective observational study in Sarawak General Hospital, Medical Department, from October 2017 to September 2018. Patients with primary admission diagnosis of ADHF were recruited and followed up for 90 days.

Systematical study of multi-walled carbon nanotube nanofluids based disposed transformer oil.

In this paper, the electrical, dielectric, Raman and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) structure behavior of disposed transformer oil in the presence of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) were systematically tested to verify their versatility for preparing better alternative transformer oil in future. MWCNT nanofluids are prepared using a two-step method with concentrations ranging from 0.00 to 0.

Knowledge of Acute Stroke Management Among Healthcare Professionals: Development and Validation of Acute Stroke Management Questionnaire (ASMaQ).

Background: Around 15.0% of all strokes occurred in hospitalised patients and studies showed significant delay in the stroke recognition and lack of awareness on thrombolytic therapy for acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) which lead to higher mortality for in-hospital stroke. We aimed to develop and validate a new instrument known as acute stroke management questionnaire (ASMaQ) to evaluate the awareness of healthcare professionals in managing acute ischaemic stroke cases.

Synthesis of Functional Silver Nanoparticles and Microparticles with Modifiers and Evaluation of Their Antimicrobial, Anticancer, and Antioxidant Activity.

An accumulating body of evidence reports the synthesis and biomedical applications of silver nanoparticles. However, the studies regarding the use of maleic acid and citric acid in the synthesis of nano-sized silver particles (AgNPs) and micro-sized silver particles (AgMPs) as well as their antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer activities have not been reported. In the current study, we synthesized AgNPs and AgMPs using maleic acid and citric acid as capping agents and have characterized them by UV-Vis, energy-dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis.

Detection of Sensu Lato and Relapsing Fever in Feeding Ticks and Rodents in Sarawak, Malaysia: New Geographical Records of and .

Members of the sensu lato (Bbsl) complex are etiological agents of Lyme disease (LD), and is one of the relapsing fever (RFB). Despite the serological evidence of LD in Malaysia, there has been no report from Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. Thus, this study aimed to detect and characterize in rodents and ticks from primary forests and an oil palm (OP) plantation in Sarawak.

Circulating microRNA as a Biomarker for Coronary Artery Disease.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in adults, and new methods of predicting disease and risk-stratifying patients will help guide intervention in order to reduce this burden. Current CAD detection involves multiple modalities, but the consideration of other biomarkers will help improve reliability. The aim of this narrative review is to help researchers and clinicians appreciate the growing relevance of miRNA in CAD and its potential as a biomarker, and also to suggest useful miRNA that may be targets for future study.

Factors Affecting Voluntary HIV Testing Among General Adult Population: A Cross-Sectional Study in Sarawak, Malaysia.

Voluntary HIV testing is one of the key strategies in the HIV/AIDS prevention and control program. New National Strategic Plan for 2016-2030 in Malaysia, adapt three zeros viz. 'zero new infections of HIV/AIDS, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths'.

Predictors of Acquired Mutation in Patients Failing First- or Second-Generation -Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors.

Background: This study aims to determine the predictors of acquired mutation in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients harbouring sensitizing ( mutation following the failure of first- or second-generation -tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI).

Methods: This is a retrospective observational study of NSCLC patients with sensitising mutation experiencing disease progression (PD) whilst on first- or second-generation -TKIs with subsequent investigations to detect acquired mutation at the University of Malaya Medical Centre from 1st January 2015 to 31st December 2017.

Results: A total of 87 patients were included.

Sexual reproduction and genetic polymorphism within the cosmopolitan marine diatom Pseudo-nitzschia pungens.

Different clades belonging to the cosmopolitan marine diatom Pseudo-nitzschia pungens appear to be present in different oceanic environments, however, a 'hybrid zone', where populations of different clades interbreed, has also been reported. Many studies have investigated the sexual reproduction of P. pungens, focused on morphology and life cycle, rather than the role of sexual reproduction in mixing the genomes of their parents.

Exploratory study of brain waves and corresponding brain regions of fatigue on-call doctors using quantitative electroencephalogram.

Objectives: It is common to find doctors working long and odd hours and many at times without rest and sleep. Despite the evidence of adverse risk, jeopardizing patient safety under the hands of fatigue doctors under such working hours has not changed in many places. It has argued that with such training and subsequent experience, such issues with patient safety reduce.

A Self-Replicating Linear DNA.

TelN and are a unique DNA linearization unit isolated from bacteriophage N15. While being transferable, the TelN cleaving-rejoining activities remained stable to function on in both bacterial and mammalian environments. However, TelN contribution in linear plasmid replication in mammalian cells remains unknown.

Somatic Embryogenesis and Plantlet Regeneration in the L cv. Eksotika.

A highly efficient protocol for regeneration of L. cv. Eksotika somatic embryos from immature zygotic embryos was developed.

Disseminated melioidosis in early pregnancy - an unproven cause of foetal loss.

Background: Melioidosis is a potentially life-threatening infection caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. Melioidosis is difficult to diagnose due to its diverse clinical manifestations, which often delays administration of appropriate antibiotic therapy.

Case Presentation: Melioidosis is uncommon in pregnancy but both spontaneous abortion and neonatal melioidosis have been reported.

TREM-1 activation is a potential key regulator in driving severe pathogenesis of enterovirus A71 infection.

Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), caused by enterovirus A71 (EV-A71), presents mild to severe disease, and sometimes fatal neurological and respiratory manifestations. However, reasons for the severe pathogenesis remain undefined. To investigate this, infection and viral kinetics of EV-A71 isolates from clinical disease (mild, moderate and severe) from Sarawak, Malaysia, were characterised in human rhabdomyosarcoma (RD), neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

European Position Paper on Rhinosinusitis and Nasal Polyps 2020.

The European Position Paper on Rhinosinusitis and Nasal Polyps 2020 is the update of similar evidence based position papers published in 2005 and 2007 and 2012. The core objective of the EPOS2020 guideline is to provide revised, up-to-date and clear evidence-based recommendations and integrated care pathways in ARS and CRS. EPOS2020 provides an update on the literature published and studies undertaken in the eight years since the EPOS2012 position paper was published and addresses areas not extensively covered in EPOS2012 such as paediatric CRS and sinus surgery.

Using Patient Profiles To Guide The Choice Of Antihistamines In The Primary Care Setting In Malaysia: Expert Consensus And Recommendations.

H1-antihistamines are recognized to be effective for conditions such as allergic rhinitis and chronic spontaneous urticaria. However, management of such conditions in the real-world primary care setting may be challenging due to diverse patient-specific considerations, the wide range of antihistamines available, choice of other treatment modalities, and the complexity of interpreting specialist treatment algorithms. Despite regular updates to international guidelines, regional/national surveys of healthcare professionals show a clear gap between guidelines and real-world practice, particularly at the primary care level.

The Property Characterization of α-Sialon/Ni Composites Synthesized by Spark Plasma Sintering.

This study investigates the effect of micron-sized nickel particle additions on the microstructural, thermal, and mechanical property changes of α-sialon ceramic composites. The α-sialon/Ni composites were synthesized with an increasing amount of Ni (10-40 wt.%) using the spark plasma sintering technique and nanosized alpha precursors at a relatively low synthesis temperature of 1500 °C with a holding time of 30 min in each case.

Effects of nasal lavage with and without mupirocin after endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery: a randomised, controlled study.

Background: Nasal lavage with mupirocin has the potential to reduce sinonasal morbidity in endoscopic endonasal approaches for skull base surgery.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of nasal lavage with and without mupirocin after endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery.

Methods: A pilot randomised, controlled trial was conducted on 20 adult patients who had undergone endoscopic endonasal approaches for skull base lesions.

Radiological Study of the Ethmoidal Arteries in the Nasal Cavity and Its Pertinence to the Endoscopic Surgeon.

We studied the ethmoidal arteries using preexisting computer tomography of the paranasal sinuses (CT PNS) and statistically scrutinized data obtained between genders. A descriptive study from 77 CT PNS dated January 2016-December 2016 were collected and reviewed by two radiologists. A total of 54 (108 sides) CT PNS were studied of patients aged 18-77 years.

Laryngeal Leiomyosarcoma: A Rare Case.

Laryngeal leiomyosarcoma is a rare smooth muscle malignancy of the head and neck region. Diagnosis is based on immunohistochemistry. Here we present a case of laryngeal leiomyosarcoma that was diagnosed and treated in our center, focusing on the clinical features, histological diagnosis and management of this rare disease.