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Perspectives and factors influencing healthy aging among older adults and caregivers in Lishui, China: a mixed-method study
No full textHealthy aging (HA) is increasingly recognized as a critical objective in
addressing the challenges of global aging populations. This study examines the status,
determinants and perspectives of HA among older adults in mountainous regions of
Lishui China, thereby addressing an existing research gap. A mixed-methods
exploratory sequential design was employed across two phases. Phase I aimed to
determine the prevalence of HA and its associated factors. A cross-sectional survey
was conducted in Liandu District using a multicentre stratified cluster sampling
method. Data were collected from 389 participants (99.7% response rate) through
structured questionnaires incorporating the healthy aging index (HAI),
sociodemographic variables, lifestyle behaviours, self-perceived healthy aging
(SPHA), and eight validated instruments measuring health, environmental and
individual-environment (IE) interactions. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 27.0
with linear regression to identify factors associated with HA. The mean HAI score was
136.5 (SD = 18.22), with 65.5% of respondents classified as having a high level of HA.
Thirteen factors were significantly associated with HA scores (p < 0.05). Protective
factors included economic independence, medical insurance, physical activity, good
self-rated health, basic psychological need satisfaction (BPNS) competence,
community participation, social support, HSM-consciousness, HSM-behaviour, and
SPHA. Risk factors were alcohol consumption, depression, and perceived barriers to health promotion activities. Phase II involved in-depth interviews with 36 older adults
and 26 informal caregivers. Thematic analysis revealed four themes: (1) perceptions
of HA, including lived experiences, dependencies, and consequences of unmet needs;
(2) influencing factors, categorized as facilitators, barriers, and fate-related elements;
(3) changes following the common prosperity agenda, such as improved health, living
conditions, and trust in government, though some gaps persisted; and (4)
recommendations for strengthening HA through individual, environmental, and IE
interaction-based strategies. Findings highlight the multidimensional and dynamic
nature of HA, shaped by sociodemographic, individual, environmental, cultural, and
historical influences. Importantly, perspectives from both older adults and caregivers
underscore the need for culturally relevant, community-sensitive strategies. In
conclusion, this research provides an integrative perspective on HA in the mountainous
communities, highlighting the necessity for targeted, multi-level interventions that
address local challenges while supporting the physical, psychological, social, and
environmental well-being of older adult
A prospective case-control study on nutritional status and lifestyle risk factors towards quality of life among colorectal cancer and polyp patients in Malaysia
No full textIn Southeast Asian countries, there is a growing incidence and prevalence rate of disease-related malnutrition colorectal cancer (CRC) and its precursor, colorectal polyp, however there are only few reports of this condition. Treatments and the disease itself may affect and impair the overall quality of life (QOL) of CRC survivors. The study aimed to determine the nutritional status and lifestyle risk factors among CRC and polyp patients and their impact on QOL through a prospective case-control study in Malaysia. This study was conducted in two university hospitals in Peninsular Malaysia from June 2020 until December 2022. Patients were recruited through purposive sampling method and a total of 313 patients consisting of 99 and 74 pathologically confirmed CRC and colorectal polyp cases respectively, and 140 controls were included in the analysis. The following information was gathered pre- treatment: Socio-demographic, family and personal medical history, dietary intake, sedentary behaviour, nutritional risk, smoking, clinicopathological, biochemical parameters, and anthropometric profiles. Six months post-treatment, sedentary behaviour, nutritional risk, biochemical parameters, and anthropometric profiles were gathered again, together with treatment and QOL. Multiple logistic regression model revealed that the Kuala Lumpur state (OR=8.89, 95% CI=3.19-24.83; p<0.001), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) (OR=4.91, 95% CI=1.81-13.29, p=0.002), vitamin/mineral supplements (OR=5.15, CI=2.33-11.39, p<0.001), and saturated fatty acids (SFA) (OR=1.19, 95% CI=1.08-1.31, p<0.001) intake were associated with greater risks of CRC while non-Malay (OR=0.36, 95% CI=0.15-0.87, p=0.024), overweight (OR=0.14, 95% CI=0.04-0.48, p=0.002), increased intake of vitamin D (OR=0.71, 95% CI=0.55-0.92, p=0.008) and dietary fibre (OR=0.81, 95% CI=0.74-0.89, p<0.001) were associated with reduced risk of CRC after the data were adjusted for age and gender. For colorectal polyp, the Kuala Lumpur state (OR=4.36, 95% CI=2.02-9.41, p<0.001) and high cholesterol (OR=1.003, 95% CI=1.001-1.005, p=0.006) intake were associated with increased risk while high thiamin (OR=0.02, 95% CI= 0.00-0.11, p<0.001) and fruits (OR=0.997, 95% CI=0.995-1.000, p=0.035) intake were found associated with decreased of risk. Multiple linear regression model showed that malnourish (β=-18.40, p<0.001) and abdominal obesity (β=-10.07, p=0.020) were negatively associated with QOL after six months of post-treatment. This study advances current understanding of the nutritional and metabolic pathways underlying colorectal cancer and polyp development, providing a foundation for future mechanistic and intervention studie
Identification of potential amino acids profile with the protein expression of idh1, mgmt, atrx and oxidative stress markers in the primary brain tumour
No full textPrimary central nervous system (CNS) tumours are heterogeneous neoplasms originating within the CNS, each category exhibiting distinct histological and molecular features that influence clinical progression and prognosis. Protein alterations are central to CNS tumour development, involving IDH1, ATRX, MGMT, CAT, and SOD1, alongside amino acid disruptions as key contributors to tumour progression. This study aimed to determine the amino acid profile and expression patterns of ATRX, MGMT, IDH1, 1p/19q, CAT, and SOD1 in primary CNS tumours. Amino acid profiles were characterised using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS), protein expression of IDH1, ATRX, MGMT, CAT, and SOD1 was evaluated using immunohistochemistry (IHC), and the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) protocol for 1p/19q co-deletion was optimised. GCMS analysis identified 11 amino acids across 40 FFPE CNS tumour samples. IHC revealed ATRX expression in 65% (26 cases), MGMT in 67.5% (27 cases), IDH1 in 27.5% (11 cases), CAT in 67.5% (27 cases), and SOD1 in all cases (100%), with significant associations between marker expression, tumour grade, and type (p < 0.001). The optimised FISH protocol successfully detected 1p/19q co-deletion in 2 oligodendroglioma cases, with negative co-deletion in 2 anaplastic astrocytoma and positive co-deletion in 1 glioblastoma case. These findings provide new insights into amino acid profiling and the expression of ATRX, MGMT, IDH1, CAT, dan SOD1 proteins in primary CNS tumours. Further research is warranted to expand on these results, contributing to a deeper understanding of tumour biology and the potential identification of novel diagnostic and therapeutic biomarker
Cytotoxicity mechanism of gallic acid and methyl gallate combined with cisplatin on cervical cancer (HeLa) cells
No full textCervical cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death affecting women worldwide. Cisplatin is one of the chemotherapy drugs used in the treatment of cervical cancer. However, cisplatin was reported to cause toxicity to normal cells and develop cell resistance with other side effects. Combining chemotherapy agents is one of the strategies to increase the effectiveness of anticancer drugs through synergistic effects. Gallic acid and methyl gallate are the most abundant phenolic compounds that have been reported to have good antioxidant and anticancer activities. Hence, in this study, gallic acid and methyl gallate were selected as combination substances with cisplatin. This study was conducted to elucidate the cytotoxicity mechanism of gallic acid and methyl gallate combined with cisplatin on cervical cancer (HeLa) cells through apoptosis mode of cell death. Furthermore, the antioxidant capacity of the cells treated with single and combination treatment was also evaluated. Cytotoxicity activity of gallic acid, methyl gallate and cisplatin on HeLa and NIH/ 3T3 cells was determined using MTT assay. The effects of gallic acid and methyl gallate combined with cisplatin were then determined using CompuSyn software. The morphology and percentage of apoptotic cells were evaluated using Hoechst staining and annexin V/PI assay. The expression of apoptotic and anti-apoptotic proteins (Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3, caspase-9 and p53) was further determined by western blot analysis. The migration inhibitory effect of the combinations was also evaluated using scratch wound healing assay. The antioxidant activity of gallic acid and methyl gallate was measured using DPPH assay. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant enzyme activity were measured spectrophotometrically while the expression of antioxidant genes (SOD1 and hCAT) in HeLa-treated cells was then evaluated using RT-PCR. Gallic acid and methyl gallate showed strong cytotoxicity effects on HeLa cells. The IC50 values of gallic acid, methyl gallate and cisplatin on HeLa cells were 13.44 μg/mL, 16.55 μg/mL and 8.04 μg/mL whereas in NIH/3T3 cells were 32.90 μg/mL, 35.70 μg/mL and 6.57 μg/mL respectively. Gallic acid and methyl gallate in combination with cisplatin inhibited greater HeLa cell proliferation than cisplatin alone with synergistic effects seen in combination with cisplatin at concentrations of 0.51-4.02 μg/mL. Morphological observation of Hoechst staining then revealed the appearance of several apoptotic features in all treated cells. Consistently, flowcytometry analysis showed that the percentages of early apoptotic cells in the combination of cisplatin-gallic acid (28.72 ± 1.14) and cisplatin-methyl gallate (23.37 ± 9.72) groups were significantly higher than the control group (6.00 ± 0.95). The combination treatments significantly upregulated Bax, caspase-3, caspase-9 and p53 expressions and downregulated bcl-2 expressions as compared to the untreated group. Moreover, the treatments were shown to have migration-inhibitory effects after 24 hours. Gallic acid and methyl gallate exhibited strong antioxidant activity with EC50 values of 18.23 μM and 19.39 μM respectively. The combination treatments significantly increased intracellular ROS levels and reduced the level of SOD and catalase in an enzymatic assay. This result was consistent with RT-PCR result that showed the downregulation of SOD1 and hCAT genes in all treated samples. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the combination of gallic acid and methyl gallate with cisplatin synergistically inhibited proliferation by inducing apoptosis and ROS in cervical cancer cell
Development and validation of online micro credential educational framework and evaluation of fire safety essentials course among health science students
No full textMicro-credentials (MCs) are increasingly recognized as short, flexible, and
competency-focused learning approaches, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of artificial intelligence. They provide structured platforms suitable for
graduates and professional development, including reskilling and upskilling. Despite their potential, MCs remain under-researched, with limited standardized frameworks guiding their development. This study aims to develop and validate an educational framework for micro-credentials and to evaluate its effectiveness as a training tool,
using the Fire Safety Essentials MC as a case study. The study was conducted in three phases. Phase one involved a scoping review to identify key elements for MC
development, which were analysed thematically to generate domains and items. An
expert evaluation by ten educators and MC specialists and educationist confirmed the framework’s relevance and usability. Phase two developed the Fire Safety Essentials MC based on this framework. The third phase evaluated its effectiveness by comparing
two groups of health science students: face-to-face (F2F) learning and online learning
using the micro-credential and training experiences were measured using the Training
Evaluation Inventory. The total sample included 92 participants (46 per group), and
assessments measured knowledge, skills, and training experience. The framework
consisted of eight domains and 66 items: (1) learning outcomes, (2) instructional design, (3) learning activities, (4) course maps, (5) assessment, (6) feedback (7) digital badge and (8) institutional factors. Findings indicated that MC learners achieved
higher knowledge scores, whereas F2F learners performed better in skills assessments However, both groups rated the training experience and instructional design
comparably, with no significant differences. This study supports the use of MCs as an
alternative or complement to F2F learning for health sciences graduates and other
professionals. The validated framework provides guidance for designing effective MCs, while the Fire Safety Essentials course demonstrates its practical application.
The framework also had the potential to serve as a checklist for the quality assurance process of micro-credential
PPKBSM, Pusat Pengajian Kejuruteraan Bahan dan Sumber Mineral (2019) EBB201 - Engineering Economy And Management.
No full textPPKBSM, Pusat Pengajian Kejuruteraan Bahan dan Sumber Mineral (2025) EBB222 BAHAN SERAMIK DAN PEMPROSESAN (CERAMIC MATERIALS AND PROCESSING) 2025.
No full textPPKBSM, Pusat Pengajian Kejuruteraan Bahan dan Sumber Mineral (2025) EBB307 Failure Analysis And Non-Destructive Testing 2025
No full textFatigue failure analysis of cfrp composite laminates using modified stiffness degradation method
Get PDFCarbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite laminates have been extensively utilised in various industrial applications due to their outstanding mechanical properties. In this study, the stiffness degradation behaviour of CFRP laminates subjected to cyclic loading conditions was analysed using two analytical models: the Modified Stage I model and the modified Stage I to Stage III model. Both models were developed based on the original model proposed by Lurie and Minhat, and subsequently enhanced through the introduction of several specific parameters to improve the predictive accuracy between analytical results and experimental data. The application of a linear elastic model facilitated the determination of the mechanical properties of the CFRP materials, which served as input parameters for the modified models. The modified Stage I model was employed to evaluate stiffness degradation during the initial damage phase, particularly matrix cracking. The resulting analytical stiffness degradation curves were compared with the experimental curves. Subsequently, the modified Stage I to Stage III model was applied to assess the full spectrum of stiffness degradation, encompassing damage evolution from the initial stage to the final stage, including fibre breakage. To evaluate the accuracy of both models, the percentage difference between the analytical model and experimental data was calculated for all three CFRP laminate configurations investigated in this study, namely [0,±45]s, [0,902]s, and [0,90,±45]s. Overall, the findings indicate that the Modified Stage I model offers the highest predictive accuracy when directly compared with experimental data, particularly for early-stage damage. The simplicity of its formulation and its strong agreement with empirical results render it highly effective and reliable for predicting fatigue-induced damage in the initial service life of the structure. However, to provide a more comprehensive representation of the material’s stiffness degradation behaviour throughout its service life, the modified Stage I to Stage III model presents a balanced compromise between predictive accuracy and the ability to capture the complete damage progression. Therefore, the selection of the most appropriate model should be guided by the intended application. For short-term assessments or early-stage damage monitoring, the Stage I model is the most suitable. Conversely, for long-term durability predictions involving comprehensive structural integrity evaluation, the Stage I to Stage III model is more appropriate, as it demonstrates a high level of accuracy and inclusiveness that closely aligns with experimental observations
Forensic short tandem repeat markers alteration in leukemia cells and breast cancer tissues
No full textCancer is a significant concern in Malaysia, influenced by genetic defects from heredity and environment. Recent cancer research has focused on short tandem repeat (STR) markers for alteration studies in both solid and blood cancers. STRs, characterized by repetitive sequences with short repeat motif units, area valuable for forensic identification and paternity testing due to their high polymorphism. In diagnostic pathology, STR analysis could aid in tissue identification, addressing sample mislabelling and contamination. However, applying STR markers to cancerous tissues is challenging due to microsatellite instability (MSI) and loss of heterozygosity (LOH), which can affect STR genotyping. Despite their utility, there is a gap in understanding STR alterations across different molecular subtypes of breast cancer and leukemia. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the prevalence of STR alterations on breast cancer and leukemia sample tissues using QIAGEN Investigator 24plex QS kit. A total of 85 samples were genotyped, comprising 20 paired formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) breast cancer tissues and their corresponding normal adjacent tissues, 20 blood samples and five buccal swab samples from leukemia patients, and 20 blood samples from unrelated healthy individuals serving as controls. The findings revealed that among the four molecular subtypes of BC tissues, Luminal A subtype exhibited the highest LOH rate, while basal cell-like subtype displayed had highest MSI rate. No significant genetic alterations were found between the paired leukemia and their normal tissue samples but the D19S433 locus was significantly associated with leukemia compared to unrelated normal control. In summary, the genetic instability observed in human carcinomas has been recognized and may present difficulties for forensic genotyping and DNA profile comparison