Penyelidikan ini mengkaji kesan taut silang β-siklodekstrin dalam struktur kitosan terhadap potensinya sebagai penjerap serentak bagi ion logam dan pewarna. β-siklodekstrin ditaut silang dengan kitosan menggunakan epiklorohidrin (ECH) menghasilkan β-CD-ECH-CS yang dicirikan menggunakan Spektroskopi Inframerah Transformasi Fourier (FTIR), Analisis Termogavimetri (TGA), Kalorimetri Imbasan Pembeza (DSC) dan Pembelauan Sinar-X (XRD) untuk menilai struktur, sifat terma dan kehabluran. Analisis FTIR menunjukkan pembentukan ikatan kovalen antara ECH dengan kumpulan amina pada kitosan dan kumpulan hidroksil pada β-siklodekstrin. Keputusan TGA dan DSC menunjukkan β-CD-ECH-CS mempunyai ketahanan terma yang lebih rendah tetapi kestabilan terma yang lebih tinggi, manakala analisis XRD menunjukkan pengurangan tahap kehabluran selepas taut silang. Keupayaan penjerapan β-CD-ECH-CS turut dinilai terhadap Pb(II) dan metil jingga (MO) dalam sistem tunggal dan binari. Dalam sistem tunggal, peratus penjerapan β-CD-ECH-CS terhadap Pb(II) dan MO masing-masing adalah 99.91% dan 29.6% pada keadaan optimum. Walau bagaimanapun, dalam sistem binari, peratus penjerapan terhadap MO meningkat kepada 58.31%, manakala penjerapan Pb(II) kekal iaitu 99.53%. Peningkatan kecekapan penjerapan dalam sistem binari ini dikaitkan dengan kesan sinergistik antara β-CD dan kitosan dengan rongga hidrofobik β-CD memudahkan penginklusian molekul MO, manakala kumpulan amina kitosan kekal berfungsi sebagai tapak aktif bagi Pb(II). Keadaan ini mengurangkan persaingan antara kedua-dua bahan pencemar terhadap tapak penjerapan, sekali gus meningkatkan prestasi keseluruhan sistem binari berbanding sistem tunggal.
This study evaluated the in vitro cytocompatibility and anti-melanogenic potential of Schizophyllum commune (cendawan kukur) extracts prepared at two temperatures, 4 °C (K4C) and 30 °C (K30C), followed by a human skin biophysical assessment of S. commune-based topical formulations. Cytotoxicity was assessed using MTT assays in CRL-2691 human dermal fibroblasts and MNT-1 human melanoma cells. Anti-melanogenic activity was evaluated in MNT-1 cells by measuring melanin content, tyrosinase (TYR) transcript abundance, and intracellular tyrosinase activity. Both extracts maintained high cell viability across the tested concentration range. K30C showed a more consistent response, with modest reductions in melanin content and TYR transcript abundance at 50 and 100 μg/mL, but did not significantly reduce intracellular tyrosinase activity, while K4C showed a less consistent response. A supportive human skin biophysical evaluation was subsequently conducted using topical creams containing the S. commune extract prepared at 30 °C. Fifteen participants used the formulations for 12 weeks. The exploratory evaluation indicated reductions in melanin and erythema indices. Overall, the in vitro findings and preliminary human skin observations support further investigation of S. commune-derived ingredients as potential natural cosmeceutical candidates.
Antioksidan fenol merupakan antara unsur yang banyak terdapat dalam buah-buahan yang memberikan pelbagai manfaat kesihatan kepada pengguna. Bagi menentukan kandungan dan taburan 2- dan 4-fenilfenol dalam lima jenis jus buah sitrus, satu kaedah yang pantas, sensitif serta mesra alam iaitu pengekstrakan mikro cecair-cecair secara serakan (DLLME) telah digunakan di bawah keadaan optimum pH 5, 1.5 g NaCl, 1.5 mL isopropanol sebagai pelarut penyebar dan 1.2 mL diklorometana sebagai pelarut pengekstrak. Analisis preliminari menggunakan kromatografi lapisan nipis (TLC) dengan menggunakan toluena dan aseton (8:2) sebagai pelarut fasa bergerak telah dijalankan bagi penvisualisasi 2 dan 4-fenilfenol di bawah cahaya ultraungu. Namun begitu, disebabkan kedua-dua analit mempunyai kepekatan yang sangat rendah, ia tidak dapat dikesan melalui kaedah TLC. Ujian DPPH tidak menunjukkan perubahan warna yang signifikan, yang menunjukkan bahawa kepekatan antioksidan dalam sampel sitrus mungkin terlalu rendah untuk dinilai secara berkesan menggunakan kaedah ini tanpa proses prapekatan sampel. Oleh itu, kaedah kuantifikasi menggunakan DLLME dan spektrofotometer UV-Vis pada panjang gelombang 245 dan 287 nm telah dijalankan. Jus lemon menunjukkan kepekatan 2- dan 4-fenilfenol yang tertinggi antara kelima-lima sampel buah dengan nilai 0.0212 dan 0.0371 mg/mL masing-masing bagi 2 dan 4-fenilfenol. Keputusan menunjukkan kedua-dua analit mempunyai pekali kolerasi linear (R²) 0.9917 dan 0.9899. Had pengesanan (LOD) dan had pengkuantifikasian (LOQ) masing-masing adalah 0.00119 dan 0.00408 bagi 2-fenilfenol manakala 0.00127 dan 0.00436 bagi 4-fenilfenol. Peratusan penghasilan semula adalah dari 85.92 sehingga 105.5% bagi 2-fenilfenol dan 90.30 sehingga 114.8% bagi 4-fenilfenol dengan sisihan piawai relatif harian (RSD) 0.1977 hingga 0.5189. Kaedah ini telah berjaya digunakan untuk analisis sampel sebenar jus buah dan membuktikan bahawa teknik ini adalah teknik yang ringkas, pantas dan praktikal serta mesra alam.
Kecekapan peranti penyimpanan tenaga, khususnya superkapasitor amat bergantung kepada sifat bahan aktif elektrod. ZIF-8 sebagai kerangka logam-organik (KLO) mempunyai luas permukaan khusus yang tinggi, namun kekonduksian elektrik intrinsiknya yang rendah mengehadkan prestasi elektrokimia. Kajian ini mensintesis nanokomposit ZIF-8/TKK dan ZIF-8/N-TKK melalui penghibridan titik kuantum karbon (TKK) dan titik kuantum karbon terdop nitrogen (N-TKK) daripada biojisim kulit pisang dengan ZIF-8 bagi menilai kesan pendopan nitrogen terhadap sifat bahan dan prestasi elektrokimia. TKK dan N-TKK disediakan secara hidroterma dan dihibridkan dengan ZIF-8 melalui pencampuran larutan. Analisis spektroskopi transformasi Fourier inframerah (FTIR), spektroskopi resonans magnet nuklear proton (1H-NMR) dan pembelauan sinar-X (XRD) menunjukkan bahawa ciri kimia dan fasa kristal ZIF-8 tidak mengalami perubahan ketara selepas penghibridan dengan N-TKK. ZIF-8/N-TKK menunjukkan peningkatan luas permukaan khusus kepada 2067.28 m2/g berbanding ZIF-8 (1825.32 m2/g), manakala ZIF-8/TKK menurun kepada 1650.10 m2/g akibat pengagregatan. Penghibridan N-TKK turut menghasilkan rintangan setara siri yang lebih rendah (1.74 Ω) berbanding ZIF-8 (2.37 Ω), di samping peningkatan tindak balas kapasitif dan penahanan kapasiti yang lebih tinggi (39.75%) berbanding ZIF-8 (31.41%). Peningkatan ini dikaitkan dengan sinergi antara struktur berliang ZIF-8 dan sifat konduktif serta tapak elektroaktif N-TKK yang memudahkan pemindahan elektron dan difusi ion. Keputusan ini menunjukkan potensi penghibridan N-TKK sebagai pendekatan mampan untuk meningkatkan prestasi elektrokimia ZIF-8 sebagai bahan elektrod superkapasitor.
Hubungan yang rumit antara Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar (KDNK), Pelaburan Langsung Asing (PLA) dan Harga Minyak Mentah (HMM) adalah kunci untuk memahami sistem ekonomi, kerana pemboleh ubah ini secara kolektif mempengaruhi trajektori ekonomi nasional dan global. KDNK mencerminkan kesejahteraan ekonomi dan keyakinan pelabur, PLA berperanan sebagai pemangkin pertumbuhan dengan memperkenalkan modal dan teknologi, manakala HMM mempengaruhi kos pengeluaran, inflasi dan kestabilan negara pengeksport dan pengimport minyak. Kajian ini memberi tumpuan kepada Malaysia dengan hasil minyak dan PLA memainkan peranan penting dalam membentuk prestasi ekonomi. Model tak linear berinspirasikan Lotka-Volterra baharu dicadangkan untuk menggambarkan hubungan saling kebergantungan antara KDNK, PLA dan HMM. Walau bagaimanapun, hasil ujian kestabilan mendedahkan bahawa titik keseimbangan sistem adalah tidak stabil dengan gangguan kecil mencetuskan dinamik berayun atau mencapah, mencerminkan kerentanan Malaysia terhadap kitaran ekonomi dan kejutan luaran. Penemuan ini menonjolkan hubungan dinamik antara pemboleh ubah tersebut serta ketidakstabilan yang wujud dalam ekonomi bergantung kepada tenaga. Model yang dicadangkan menawarkan pandangan kukuh terhadap hubungan tak linear antara KDNK, PLA dan HMM, sekali gus menekankan keperluan untuk intervensi dasar yang disasarkan bagi mengurangkan ketidakstabilan. Bagi memastikan ketepatan model dan mengatasi masalah kestabilan, kami menghasilkan kaedah Euler tak piawai (KETP), pendekatan berangka yang direka untuk mengekalkan sifat positif, keterbatasan dan kestabilan dalam simulasi. Hasil kajian menunjukkan ketepatan ramalan yang tinggi bagi KDNK dan PLA dengan nilai Peratusan Ralat Purata Mutlak (PRPM) yang rendah serta ketepatan yang munasabah bagi HMM. Dengan menyediakan kerangka ramalan, kajian ini melengkapkan pembuat dasar dan pelabur dengan alat untuk mengemudi landskap ekonomi Malaysia yang berubah-ubah, sambil menawarkan strategi untuk mengukuhkan daya tahan dan pertumbuhan mampan di tengah-tengah ketidakpastian pasaran tenaga global.
Prostate cancer remains a significant health concern, particularly among the older male population. Proper differentiation between malignant adenocarcinoma and benign prostatic diseases is critical for successful diagnosis. This study aimed to determine the dependability of immunohistochemistry (IHC) markers specifically AMACR, p63, and Cytokeratin as a means of diagnosing cancer. The diagnostic value of HOXB13 gene variants and MYC mRNA expression in tissues with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) was also evaluated. The research involved patients with clinical indicators of prostate dysfunction and high PSA values. Tissue specimens were tested using the PIN-4 cocktail (IHC) and Hematoxylin & Eosin (H&E) staining. The ethanol-preserved prostate cancer tissue samples were homogenized to extract total RNA using the Gene JET RNA Purification Kit based on silica membranes and adjusted for high-purity RNA extraction. The concentration and purity of the extracted RNA were evaluated, and only samples exhibiting an A260/A280 ratio within the range of 1.8 to 2.0 were deemed appropriate for downstream analyses. Histopathology confirmed prostatic adenocarcinoma in all cases, mostly low-grade with a minor group of intermediate-grade malignancies. These findings support the notion that IHC markers, specifically AMACR combined with a basal cell marker, are useful modalities for distinguishing between benign and malignant prostate tumors. It also suggests that the rare rs8556 variant is functionally important and potentially deleterious. In prostate cancer treatment, this technique can potentially assist in earlier diagnosis, reduced uncertainty in diagnosis, and personalized treatment.
PD-1 and PD-L1 are respectively the receptor-ligand molecules on T cells and their target cells. The interaction between them can mediate immunosuppressive signals and induce immune escape of tumors. PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors have revolutionized advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment, both primary resistance and acquired resistance persist due to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and alternative immune checkpoints. Acupuncture shows immunomodulatory potential, but its synergy with PD-1 blockade remains unclear. To investigate the underlying mechanisms, we examined single-cell RNA sequencing profiles derived from NSCLC patients prior to and following PD-1 inhibitor treatment, utilizing the GSE207422 dataset. After quality control, 53,360 cells were retained. Cell types were annotated via unsupervised clustering, all cell types and T cell subsets were clustered, and T cells differentiation trajectories were reconstructed. Intercellular communication was assessed with CellChat, and a mechanistic framework for acupuncture’s synergistic effects was integrated from the literature. PD-1 inhibitor treatment remodeled the tumor microenvironment: T cells increased from 23.9% to 49.0%, while tumor cells decreased. CD8+ cytotoxic T cells expanded from 32.4% to 55.7% of T cells, whereas CD4+ naïve T cells declined from 67.1% to 42.7%. Pseudotime analysis indicated differentiation from CD4+ naïve toward CD8+ cytotoxic and CD8+ memory T cells. CellChat showed extensive T cell–myeloid interactions. Notably CD99-CD99 was highly expressed between T cells and tumor cells, suggesting an adaptive resistance mechanism. PD-1 inhibitors drive potent anti-tumor immunity in NSCLC, marked by CD8+ T cells expansion and tumor cells reduction, but tumor cells concurrently upregulate CD99-mediated compensatory suppression. We propose that acupuncture may synergize by enhancing T cell functional fitness, enabling T cells to resist CD99-PILRα inhibitory signaling, offering a promising strategy to overcome immunotherapy resistance.
This preliminary study explored the use of mitochondrial COI metabarcoding to compare broad taxonomic detection patterns obtained from pooled environmental DNA (eDNA) and tissue-derived zooplankton DNA (T-DNA) samples collected from three Malaysian coastal locations in Johor: Pulau Kukup, Pengerang, and Pulau Besar. Water samples from three depths (surface, middle, and bottom) were pooled for eDNA extraction, while zooplankton samples were collected using a 140 µm plankton net for T-DNA analysis. Sequencing was performed using the Illumina MiSeq platform. Overall, T-DNA recovered more sequence reads and a higher proportion of taxonomically assigned amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), whereas eDNA and T-DNA generated distinct community profiles, indicating that the two approaches captured complementary biological signals. Site-specific variation in taxonomic diversity was also observed. However, these findings should be interpreted cautiously because samples were pooled prior to sequencing, technical replicates were not included, and sampling was conducted during different monsoon periods. Despite these limitations, this study provides important preliminary baseline data and methodological insights supporting the complementary use of eDNA and T-DNA metabarcoding for future biodiversity monitoring in tropical Malaysian coastal ecosystems.
Hazard Ratio based Network Meta-Analysis (NMA) has gained popularity in evidence synthesis in data with time-to-event outcomes. However, the most commonly used Cox-Proportional Hazard ratio suffers due to lack of baseline information utilization. The proportionality assumption, which assumes that ratio of the hazards between any two treatment arms or strata is constant over time for the entire duration of study, is also violated in most Cox-regression models. In the current work we demonstrate few of the alternate approaches by firstly reconstructing the time-to-event dataset from Kaplan Meier curves from results of clinical trials available in public domain using relevant software such as ‘IPDfromKM’ and ‘DigitizeIt’ and then recomputing the restricted mean survival time (RMST) estimates as well as parametric estimates assuming exponential, Weibull and Gompertz distributions to be used respectively, each in a separate NMA. The methods are compared and the advantages of each approach is highlighted. For illustration purpose, Kaplan Meier based results from four trials of Advanced Renal Cell Cancer, are used for analysis. The results of Cox-Proportional Hazard Ratio were compared with parametric distribution-based Hazard Ratio obtained in our analysis. The RMST estimates-based analysis provided additional insights. Based on the NMA, the comparative treatment landscape is provided in terms of a treatment ranking of the included combination therapies.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continues to threaten the effectiveness of existing therapies, driving the urgent search for novel therapeutic leads from nature. Rubiaceae plant-associated endophytic fungi are increasingly recognized as valuable producers of structurally diverse secondary metabolites with antibacterial, antifungal, and antimycobacterial activities. Unlike previous reviews that primarily focus on bioactive compounds, this narrative-critical review integrates ecological factors influencing endophytic diversity with advanced strategies to awaken cryptic biosynthetic pathways. We systematically evaluate approaches including One Strain-Many Compounds (OSMAC), co-culture, chemical and epigenetic elicitation, genome-guided discovery, and heterologous expression. Furthermore, this review critically analyzes pharmacological metrics, specifically minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), cytotoxicity, Selectivity Index (SI), mechanisms of action, and the potential of fungal metabolites as antibiotic adjuvants. Current evidence suggests that the clinical development of these natural products is constrained by methodological inconsistencies, a lack of animal model testing, insufficient pharmacokinetic profiling, and large-scale manufacturing hurdles. Future progress in drug discovery will heavily depend on adopting standardized evaluation criteria and comprehensive pharmacological screening to successfully transform these endophytic metabolites into viable clinical candidates.
Skewed distributions often contain shape parameters that determine the direction and magnitude of asymmetry. In other cases, skewness arises naturally from the form of the distribution. Ignoring skewness when modeling with symmetric distributions may yield biased or misleading inferences. Bayesian regularized quantile regression has proven effective for skewed responses, yet existing approaches rely on the asymmetric Laplace distribution (ALD), whose unbounded support makes it unsuitable for bounded data. To address this limitation, we propose a Bayesian Regularized Quantile Beta Regression (BRQBR) model for analyzing bounded data supported on (0,1) with inherent skewness. The proposed model estimates conditional quantiles of a Beta-distributed response using a hierarchical Bayesian regularization framework with global–local shrinkage priors. A Gibbs sampler is developed for posterior computation, and the model's performance is evaluated under different skewness levels and contamination scenarios (5% and 10% outliers) using Beta and logit-normal distributions. Application to a real-world seaweed drying dataset demonstrates consistent improvements in predictive accuracy. Across simulation and empirical analysis, BRQBR outperforms or matches maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) while exhibiting strong robustness to outliers. The proposed framework offers a flexible and accurate solution for modeling skewed bounded responses.
Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by helical bacteria of the genus Leptospira that affects animals and humans. Recently, a newly identified isolate called Leptospira yasudae strain BJ3 has been discovered in soil samples obtained from a wildlife conservation center located in Malaysia. Currently, data on the virulence of L. yasudae in susceptible hosts is scarce. Hence, this study was conducted to identify the virulence of L. yasudae strain BJ3 based on the histopathological effects due to leptospirosis infection towards susceptible hosts. The strain was inoculated intraperitoneally in hamsters at different doses (1 × 108 cells, 2 × 108 cells, and 3 × 108 cells). Histopathological effects of hamsters infected with L. yasudae strain BJ3 were compared with negative control (uninfected) and positive control (infected with L. interrogansserovar Lai strain Langkawi) hamsters. The results demonstrated that infection with 1 × 108 L. yasudae strain BJ3 led to noticeable weight loss. Microscopically, pulmonary edema in the lung, sparse focal inflammatory cells infiltration but with normal hepatocytes architecture in the liver and mild tubular degeneration in the kidney were observed. More vital pathological changes occurred at higher dose (3 × 108 cells). The gross examination showed crucial weight and fur loss. Microscopic examination showed the presence of interstitial pneumonia and lung lesions, hepatocyte expansion, hypertrophy and hyperemia with severe lesions in kidney cells. In conclusion, infection caused by L. yasudae strain BJ3 may represent a noteworthy emerging local agent of leptospirosis due to its ability to induce virulence and cause histopathological alterations in the kidneys of susceptible hosts. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating that a novel Leptospira species isolated from soil can infect hamsters and induce histopathological changes in organs.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) resistance is predominantly mediated by the mecA gene; a novel homologue, mecC, has emerged among livestock-associated MRSA, and to date no data exist on the prevalence of human mecC-MRSA in Malaysia. This retrospective cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of mecC gene carriage and characterise the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of 89 archived clinical MRSA isolates from 2023, using conventional PCR for gene detection and the VITEK 2 system for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. All isolates were mecA-positive, and none carried mecC. High resistance rates were observed against ciprofloxacin (89.9%, MIC90 ≥8 µg/mL), levofloxacin (88.8%, MIC90 ≥8 µg/mL), moxifloxacin (88.8%, MIC90 4 µg/mL), erythromycin (66.3%, MIC90 ≥8 µg/mL) and clindamycin (65.2%, MIC90 ≤0.25 µg/mL). All isolates remained susceptible to vancomycin (MIC90 1 µg/mL), linezolid (MIC90 2 µg/mL), quinupristin/dalfopristin (MIC90 ≤0.25 µg/mL), tigecycline (MIC90 0.25 µg/mL), nitrofurantoin (MIC90 32 µg/mL) and rifampicin (MIC90 ≤0.5 µg/mL). Susceptibility to trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole and tetracycline was 95.5% (MIC90 ≤10 µg/mL and ≤1 µg/mL, respectively). One mecA-positive isolate was susceptible to oxacillin (MIC 0.5 µg/mL) and negative on cefoxitin screening, consistent with the oxacillin-susceptible MRSA (OS-MRSA) phenotype. This study confirms mecA as the sole methicillin-resistance determinant in this hospital; the absence of mecC likely reflects limited livestock exposure in this urban population, although surveillance in agricultural regions remains warranted. The detection of OS-MRSA highlights the limitations of relying solely on phenotypic screening and supports incorporating molecular assays to prevent misclassification.
Objectives of this study were to determine radon concentration in tap water and assess the annual effective dose (AED) and excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) associated with radon exposure in tap water in Chiang Khan District, Loei Province, Thailand. A total of 40 water samples were collected to determine radon concentration using the RAD7 radon detector and analyze the physical and chemical properties of the water using a multiparameter water quality meter. The results showed that radon concentrations in tap water were between 0.007 and 1.973 Bq/L with an average of 0.099 ± 0.307 Bq/L. The highest concentration was observed at one sampling location (1.973 Bq/L), although all measured values remained considerably below the World Health Organization (WHO) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) recommended limits of radon levels in tap water. Radon concentration has a negative correlation with temperature. The AED and ELCR assessments showed that the infant group (0-1 years) had the highest risk compared to the children and adult groups due to the higher rate of water consumption per body mass. However, AED and ELCR values for all age groups were still low and did not exceed the levels that pose radiation risks to public health. This study provides the first baseline data on radon levels, associated radiological risks, and water quality parameters in tap water from Chiang Khan District, Loei Province.
Detection of crescent moon in digital images is of interest to researchers and practitioners involved in crescent moon sighting activities. The ability to detect the crescent moon shape, if it exists, will contribute to the decision making related to the local Islamic calendar based on the observation method and support the expected visibility of the crescent moon using the calculation method. However, under the syariah (Islamic law) consideration, any crescent moon detection procedure on the original image should not ‘create what is not’ during the image processing. Hence, in this paper, we propose a new crescent moon shape detection procedure by increasing the contrast of the image without changing its original feature. This is done by segregating the ordered pixel intensity values of the image according to their quartiles and maximizing the contrast in each quartile. Next, another procedure is proposed to segment the crescent moon from the background. These procedures are applied on selected crescent moon images taken at Teluk Kemang Observatory Station, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. We found that the procedures are able to detect the crescent moon shape if it exists in the image, and segment it from the background. More importantly, false detection is also avoided. The results are very important to support the local Islamic religious authority in making the final decision on the beginning of important Islamic events that depends on the visibility of the crescent moon in Malaysia.
Sugar content is a critical quality determinant in onion (Allium cepa L.), yet the spatio-temporal dynamics and molecular regulation of its accumulation during bulb expansion remain poorly understood. This study showed that soluble sugars in onion bulbs follow a distinct pattern of rapid accumulation followed by a gradual decline, peaking at the rapid expansion stage. This pattern was strongly correlated with the activities of key sucrose-metabolizing enzymes. Through integrated transcriptomic and physiological analyses, we identified three candidate genes namely Cluster-29851.189607 (INV), Cluster-29851.38447 (INV), and Cluster-29851.183626 (SuSy), where their expression patterns (qRT-PCR) were consistent with the observed sugar dynamics. Moreover, virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) technique showed that Cluster-29851.183626 (SuSy) altered sugar accumulation patterns, supporting its involvement in bulb sugar metabolism. For the two INV genes, the current evidence indicates a strong association with hexose accumulation, and further functional validation is required. Overall, our results provide new spatio-temporal insights into sucrose and fructan-related sugar metabolism in onion bulbs and offer candidate targets for future functional studies and quality-oriented breeding.
Defined benefit (government pension) and defined contribution (Employee Provident Fund (EPF)) plans are Malaysia's two main types of mandatory retirement plans. The discontinuation of pension eligibility for newly appointed permanent civil servants has raised concerns about retirement income sustainability. This study models a defined contribution retirement fund for future retirees in Malaysia by estimating the accumulated retirement fund at retirement, projected monthly pension amounts, and the duration of retirement fund adequacy. A financial mathematics approach implemented in RStudio is applied using salary structures for individuals with Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), diploma, and degree qualifications. The results show that a higher educational background yields larger accumulated retirement funds, estimated at RM701,494, RM910,827, and RM1,273,478 for SPM, diploma, and degree holders, respectively, at the baseline 5% annual return assumption. However, larger retirement funds do not necessarily mean longer sustainability. Degree holders are projected to sustain their funds for only 24.8 years, compared with diploma holders (26.4 years) and SPM holders (28.1 years), due to higher pension withdrawals. Sensitivity analysis indicates that retirement fund adequacy is highly responsive to investment returns. Estimated fund duration ranges from 10.7 to 14.7 years at a 3% return rate but exceeds 100 years under most scenarios at a 7% return rate. Higher lump-sum withdrawals generally reduce fund sustainability, particularly under lower return rates. The results highlight the importance of prudent withdrawal strategies and effective retirement planning to support long-term retirement adequacy.
The growing threat of antibiotic resistance has prompted the hunt for new antibacterial medicines derived from natural sources. This work examined four compounds isolated from Arcangelisia flava (L.) Merr. roots: palmatine (1), fibraurin (2), β-sitosterol (3), and daucosterol (4). Both in vitro and in silico methods were used to assess their antibacterial properties. The antibacterial activity was assessed against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Vibrio alginolyticus, and Salmonella typhimurium using the broth microdilution method, which determined the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). Palmatine (1) and fibraurin (2) had modest action against Gram-positive bacteria, with MIC values of 37.5 µg/mL. However, β-sitosterol (3) and daucosterol (4) showed lesser inhibition. Docking against bacterial protein targets (PDB IDs: 2ZDQ and 1HNJ) found palmatine (1) had the highest binding affinity (−7.7980 and −7.5464 kcal/mol, respectively), generating numerous hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. Pharmacophore analysis identified critical structural features - aromatic rings and hydrogen bond donors/acceptors - that are linked to the observed antibacterial activities. Palmatine (1) and fibraurin (2) met drug-likeness criteria, but β-sitosterol (3) and daucosterol (4) had limited absorption and potential for toxicity. Overall, (1) and fibraurin (2) are intriguing lead candidates for antibacterial drug development, requiring additional in vivo testing and structural tweaking to improve efficacy.
Bupleurum chinense DC. is a medicinal plant used for inflammatory conditions. While the anti-inflammatory activity of its roots is well established and attributed to saikosaponins, its aerial parts are routinely discarded during processing, leaving their chemical composition and bioactivity largely unexplored. To address this, a systematic phytochemical and anti-inflammatory study were conducted on these abandoned aerial tissues. The 70% ethanol extract of aerial parts was fractionated through silica gel column chromatography, ODS reversed-phase chromatography and preparative HPLC, affording 16 compounds structurally characterized by NMR and HR-ESI-MS. These isolates were categorized into four major groups, including flavonoids (6, 7), organic acids (1-4, 10-14), terpenoids (15, 16), lignans and sterols (5, 8, 9). Subsequent anti-inflammatory assays on LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages at concentrations of 6.25-100 µM showed that methyl chlorogenate exhibited the most potent inhibitory effect on NO production, superior to all other isolated constituents. This research expands the chemical constituent library of B. chinense aerial parts and identifies methyl chlorogenate as a promising anti-inflammatory lead compound, providing solid chemical and pharmacological evidence for the sustainable high-value utilization of the aerial waste resources of this medicinal plant.
The valorization of Pinctada maxima shell waste as a calcium source offers a sustainable route for developing calcium phosphate bioceramics. This study evaluated the effect of post-synthesis calcination duration on the physicochemical properties of hydroxyapatite/β-tricalcium phosphate (HAp/β-TCP) powders derived from Pinctada maxima shells. Shell-derived CaO was used as the calcium precursor, followed by wet precipitation to obtain calcium phosphate precursors and post-synthesis calcination at 700 °C for 3, 6, 9, and 12 h. The resulting powders were characterized using EDX, proximate analysis, FTIR, XRD, PSA, and SEM. The Ca/P ratios varied with calcination duration, with values of 1.70, 1.61, 1.54, and 1.53 for Samples A, B, C, and D, respectively. Proximate analysis showed high inorganic purity, indicated by low moisture content (0.01-0.08%), high ash content (99.93-99.99%), and negligible fat residues (0.0236-0.0457%). FTIR confirmed the presence of PO₄³⁻ and OH⁻ functional groups, while XRD qualitatively confirmed the coexistence of HAp and β-TCP phases. Among the tested conditions, the 9 h calcination treatment (Sample C) showed the most promising overall physicochemical profile, with a Ca/P ratio of 1.54, distinct HAp/β-TCP diffraction features, favourable crystallographic parameters, and a coherent particle size distribution (mean = 96.61 µm; D50 = 101.10 µm). SEM observations supported the PSA results, showing granular aggregates and irregular agglomerates typical of wet-synthesized calcium phosphate powders. However, quantitative HAp:β-TCP phase fractions were not determined; therefore, Rietveld refinement or the RIR method is required to confirm phase optimization. Overall, Pinctada maxima shell waste shows potential as a sustainable precursor for HAp/β-TCP powder development, although biological, mechanical, and benchmark evaluations are still needed before clinical applicability can be established.
