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The Effect of 20-Minute Mindful Breathing on the Rapid Reduction of Dyspnea at Rest in Patients With Lung Diseases: A Randomized Controlled Trial
No full textContext: Dyspnea is a common and distressing symptom in respiratory diseases. Despite advances in the treatment of various lung diseases, the treatment modalities for dyspnea remain limited. Objectives: This study aims to examine the effect of 20-minute mindful breathing on the rapid reduction of dyspnea at rest in patients with lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and asthma. Methods: We conducted a parallel-group, nonblinded, randomized controlled trial of standard care plus 20-minute mindful breathing vs. standard care alone for patients with moderate to severe dyspnea due to lung disease, named previously, at the respiratory unit of University Malaya Medical Centre in Malaysia, from August 1, 2017, to March 31, 2018. Results: Sixty-three participants were randomly assigned to standard care plus a 20-minute mindful breathing session (n = 32) or standard care alone (n = 31), with no difference in their demographic and clinical characteristics. There was statistically significant reduction in dyspnea in the mindful breathing group compared with the control group at minute 5 (U = 233.5, n 1 = 32, n 2 = 31, mean rank 1 = 23.28, mean rank 2 = 37.72, z = −3.574, P < 0.001) and minute 20 (U = 232.0, n 1 = 32, n 2 = 31, mean rank 1 = 23.00, mean rank 2 = 36.77, z = −3.285, P = 0.001). Conclusion: Our results provide evidence that a single session of 20-minute mindful breathing is effective in reducing dyspnea rapidly for patients with lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and asthma. © 2019 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicin
Phylogenetic relationships of actinacantha simon, gasteracantha sundevall, macracantha hasselt and thelacantha simon spiny orb-weavers (Araneae: Araneidae) in peninsular Malaysia
No full textSpiny orb-weavers of the genera Actinacantha, Gasteracantha, Macracantha, and Thelacantha are spiders with rigid abdomens and prominent spines that are mostly endemic to Asia. The taxonomy and phylogeny of these spiders are poorly studied due to their intraspecific morphological variations, the rarity of male specimens in collections and the lack of distinctive morphological characters in older descriptions. Therefore, this study has employed for the first time, a multigene approach using three mitochondrial (CO1, CO2 and 16S) and two nuclear-encoded (H3A and 18S) molecular markers to aid in the identification and phylogenetic reconstruction of these spiny orb-weavers collected from Peninsular Malaysia. The genus Gasteracantha as presently circumscribed is not monophyletic, with G. hasselti C. L. Koch, 1837 forming a lineage with A. globulata (Walckenaer, 1841) and M. arcuata (Fabricius, 1793). Our results also revealed two different morphotypes of G. diardi which are morphologically different from G. mengei (Keyserling, 1864). The epigynal structures of G. diardi (Lucas, 1835), G. hasselti, G. kuhli C. L. Koch, 1837, G. mengei, M. arcuata, and T. brevispina (Doleschall, 1857) are illustrated. The morphology of G. diardi and G. mengei is detailed for the first time. © National University of Singapore
Effective photoreduction of graphene oxide for photodegradation of volatile organic compounds
No full textNowadays, humans spend most of their time indoors and are frequently exposed to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from various sources. The photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) method is a relatively more efficient method than the adsorption method for removing VOCs from the environment. In this work, graphene oxide (GO) was partially reduced via photoreduction under ultraviolet light (UV-A) irradiation and then used as a photocatalyst to degrade VOCs. After photoreduction, the band gap of the partially reduced graphene oxide (PRGO) decreased from 3.5-4.5 eV to 3.1-4.0 eV. Methanol vapour, which acts as a model VOC, was photodegraded using the PRGO. The effectiveness of the PRGO was mainly due to the removal of oxygen functional groups and restoration of the sp2 domain. This lowered the band gap and slowed down the electron recombination rate, which resulted in a higher photocatalytic activity. The photocatalytic activity of PRGO followed pseudo-first order kinetics, with a rate constant of 0.0025 min-1, and it could be reused for five cycles without any significant loss in the photocatalytic activity. This study demonstrates the potential of PRGO as a versatile and stable metal-free photocatalyst to remove indoor pollutants. © The Royal Society of Chemistry
Chitosan complexed carboxymethylated iota-carrageenan oral insulin particles: Stability, permeability and in vivo evaluation
No full textWe previously reported that insulin-entrapped chitosan complexed carboxymethylated iota-carrageenan (CS/CMCi) particles exhibit pH-responsive swelling behavior. However, the particles’ stability in the enzymatic gastrointestinal environment, their drug permeability mechanism, and related in vivo studies have not been discussed to date. In this study, we investigated the stability, muco-adhesiveness, transport mechanism and in vivo assessment of the particles. The particles retained their bioactivity and displayed a generally stable behavior in the simulated enzymatic environment of the gastrointestinal tract with high muco-adhesiveness (79.1 ± 4.3%). The results of cellular membrane permeability experiments further suggested that insulin from the insulin-entrapped particles was transported across the Caco-2 cell monolayers mainly via the paracellular pathway. This activity was inferred by the trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and the apparent permeability coefficient (Papp) of the insulin-entrapped particles (22-fold greater than control insulin solution), suggesting that the opening of tight junctions (TJs) of Caco-2 cells was involved in the process. The particles did not exhibit significant cytotoxicity at 0.5–10.0 mg/mL based on 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, inner salts (MTS) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays. Additionally, an in vivo study with diabetic Sprague Dawley (SD) rats revealed an extended blood glucose-lowering effect for up to 36 h (Cmax: 175.1 ± 23.7 mIU/L, Tmax: 5 h, AUC: 1789.4 ± 158.6). The estimated bioavailability of insulin from CS/CMCi particles in humans was 44.7–46.9%, which may be increased three fold compared with rats. Thus, the above results support the effectiveness of chitosan-complexed carboxymethylated iota-carrageenan particles as an oral insulin delivery system for extended glycemic control in basal insulin therapy. © 2019 Elsevier Lt
Hepatitis B virus infection: Epidemiology and seroprevalence rate amongst negrito tribe in Malaysia
No full textIntroduction: Prevalence of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among the non-indigenous people in Malaysia has been well established and range between 3% and 5%. However, data from the indigenous (Orang Asli) people is still lacking. The Negrito population is the most remotely located Orang Asli tribe with limited access to health care facilities. This study was undertaken to determine the epidemiology and seroprevalence of HBV infection among the Negrito. Methods: Surveys were conducted in five Negrito settlements in Kelantan and Perak states in Malaysia. A total of 150 participants were recruited. Clinical history was taken and physical examination was performed. Five millilitres of whole blood were collected and tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Results: Participants were mainly from the Bateq (49.3%) and Mendriq (29.4%) sub-tribes. Overall, 13 subjects (8.7 %); nine males and four females were HBsAg positive. Nine of the HBsAg positive subjects were ≥35 years old. All of them had history of home deliver without evidence of antenatal record. Six (46%) of the HBsAg positive subjects had tattoo and body piercing in the past. Conclusion: The prevalence of HBV infection rate amongst the Negrito tribe is almost three-fold compared to the national rates. The reason for this finding remains unclear. Tattooing, body piercing and vertical transmission could be the main possible routes of transmission of HBV among the Negrito population in Malaysia. © 2019, Malaysian Medical Association. All rights reserved
Arabidopsis Group IIId ERF proteins positively regulate primary cell wall-type CESA genes
No full textThe cell wall determines morphology and the environmental responses of plant cells. The primary cell wall (PCW) is produced during cell division and expansion, determining the cell shape and volume. After cell expansion, specific types of plant cells produce a lignified wall, known as a secondary cell wall (SCW). We functionally analyzed Group IIId Arabidopsis AP2/EREBP genes, namely ERF34, ERF35, ERF38, and ERF39, which are homologs of a rice ERF gene previously proposed to be related to SCW biosynthesis. Expression analysis revealed that these four genes are expressed in regions related to cell division and/or cell differentiation in seedlings (i.e., shoot apical meristems, the primordia of leaves and lateral roots, trichomes, and central cylinder of primary roots) and flowers (i.e., vascular tissues of floral organs and replums and/or valve margins of pistils). Overexpression of ERF genes significantly upregulated PCW-type, but not SCW-type, CESA genes encoding cellulose synthase catalytic subunits in Arabidopsis seedlings. Transient co-expression reporter analysis indicated that ERF35, ERF38, and ERF39 possess transcriptional activator activity, and that ERF34, ERF35, ERF38, and ERF39 upregulated the promoter activity of CESA1, a PCW-type CESA gene, through the DRECRTCOREAT elements, the core cis-acting elements known to be recognized by AP2/ERF proteins. Together, our findings show that Group IIId ERF genes are positive transcriptional regulators of PCW-type CESA genes in Arabidopsis and are possibly involved in modulating cellulose biosynthesis in response to developmental requirements and environmental stimuli. © 2018, The Botanical Society of Japan and Springer Japan KK, part of Springer Nature
A new test of discordancy in cylindrical data
No full textCylindrical data are bivariate data from the combination of circular and linear variables. However, up to now no work has been done on the detection of outlier in cylindrical data. We introduce a definition of outlier for cylindrical data and present a new test of discordancy to detect outlier in this type of data, based on the k-nearest neighbor’s distance. Cut-off points of the new test statistic based on the Johnson-Wehrly distribution are calculated and its performance is examined using simulation. A practical example is presented using wind speed and wind direction data obtained from the Malaysian Meteorological Department. © 2018, © 2018 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
A comparison study of radiation effective dose in ECG-Gated Coronary CT Angiography and calcium scoring examinations performed with a dual-source CT scanner
No full textIn this report we have evaluated radiation effective dose received by patients during ECG-gated CCTA examinations based on gender, heart rate, tube voltage protocol and body mass index (BMI). A total of 1,824 patients were retrospectively recruited (1,139 men and 685 women) and they were divided into Group 1 (CCTA with calcium scoring), Group 2 (CCTA without calcium scoring) and Group 3 (only calcium scoring), where the association between gender, heart rate, tube voltage protocol and body mass index (BMI) were analysed. Examinations were performed using a retrospective ECG-gated CCTA protocol and the effective doses were calculated from the dose length product with a conversion coefficient of 0.026 mSv.mGy −1 cm −1 . No significant differences were observed in the mean effective dose between gender in all groups. The mean estimated dose was significantly higher when the heart rate was lower in Group 1 (p < 0.001) and Group 2 (p = 0.002). There were also significant differences between the mean effective dose in tube voltage protocol and BMI among the three groups. The mean effective dose was positively correlated with BMI (p < 0.001), but inversely related to the heart rate. This study supported the theory that a high heart rate, low tube voltage and low BMI could significantly reduce radiation dose exposure. © 2019, The Author(s)
Investigating the Effectiveness of Mobile Peer Support to Enhance the Quality of Life of Older Adults: A Systematic Literature Review
No full textAging is the biological, psychological, or social change that occur with the passage of time, which leads to functional impairment, and eventually chronic diseases. The number of people living older is rapidly increasing, and there is a natural decline in physical activity. The reduced mobility affects their daily life activities making them dependent on others for health. Therefore, mobile technologies such as m-health applications provide potential for enhanced health care among older adults. The present study highlights the factors that affect the adoption of smartphone applications, and potential factors such as mobile peer support can facilitate older adults to adopt latest technologies. However, previous studies have remained unsuccessful in explaining the moderating role of mobile peer support. Therefore, this paper aims to provide an insight with potential solution to the challenges of aging life, hence, enhancing their quality of life. This paper is only a conceptual explanation, which aims to identify the possible factors that influence their smartphone adoption using a systematic literature review on relevant peerreviewed papers. It is expected that this work will lead towards the empirical findings on the explanation of the interplay of the peer support to address the relationship of assistive mobile health applications and quality of life. This paper provides directions for future studies in improving the quality of life of older adults by using technology. © 2019 International Association of Online Engineering
Critical success factor model for enterprise architecture implementation
No full textEnterprise Architecture (EA) is a strategy to attain alignment between an enterprise's business and Information Technology (IT) to increase the competitiveness of an enterprise. In EA implementation, Critical Success Factors (CSFs) refer to factors that may facilitate the successful implementation of the EA. This research presents a CSF model based on an exhaustive literature review and empirical data from practitioners to identify rationalised CSFs. EA implementation projects that do not fully utilize the CSFs may result in inappropriate directions and dissatisfied EA project stakeholders. A quantitative research methodology is applied in this study using questionnaires to evaluate the proposed model. The respondents include enterprise architects, IT managers, and IT consultants with considerable knowledge of EA concepts. Statistical analysis is used to identify the relationships between the proposed CSFs and the success of EA implementation. From the results, the proposed CSF model is significantly related to EA implementation success. The highest-ranking CSF is governance, indicating the importance of governance in the success of EA implementation. Moreover, the proposed CSF model appears to facilitate achieving the desired architecture. By understanding the CSF model at the onset of a project, practitioners can better plan and focus on the CSFs to achieve the desired results. © 2003, Faculty of Computer Science & Information Technology, University of Malaya