58178 research outputs found
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First Semester Examination 2024/2025 Academic Session February 2025 EBB 444 – Industrial Ceramics [Seramik Industri]
No full textPPKBSM, Pusat Pengajian Kejuruteraan Bahan dan Sumber Mineral (2025) EBS432 - Environmental Chemistry For Engineering Practice. [Teaching Resource] (Submitted)
No full textPPKBSM, Pusat Pengajian Kejuruteraan Bahan dan Sumber Mineral (2025) EBB123 – Basics Mechanical Behaviour of Materials SEM 2 SA 2024/2025
No full textAssessment of cytokine secretions by monocytes in the presence of synovial fluid-derived exosomes
No full textOsteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent degenerative joint disease marked by inflammation and cartilage deterioration. Synovial fluid-derived exosomes are emerging as key modulators in OA pathogenesis, influencing immune responses and cytokine secretion. This study aimed to assess cytokine secretions, specifically soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), complement component 5a (C5a), and macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), by monocytes in the presence of synovial fluid-derived exosomes. Exosomes were isolated from the synovial fluid of late-stage OA patients through ultracentrifugation and characterised by Western blot and nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA). Exosome size has been confirmed between 30 to 150 nm by NTA. Additionally, exosomes expressed tetraspanin markers CD9, CD63, CD81, and HSP70 as demonstrated by Western blot. Monocytes isolated from healthy donor peripheral blood, were cultured with exosomes at various ratios (1:10, 1:20, and 1:40) and time points (24 and 48 hours). Cytokine levels were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results of this study showed that monocyte-exosome interactions influenced cytokine secretion in a time- and dose-dependent manner. sICAM-1 and C5a exhibited a declining trend with prolonged incubation, except at higher exosome concentrations, where C5a secretion was increased. MIF levels peaked after 48 hours, suggesting delayed cytokine induction. These findings highlight the immunomodulatory role of exosomes in OA, providing insight into the inflammatory processes underlying disease progressio
Post stroke fatigue and its associated factors among stroke survivors in the second affiliated hospital of Guizhou University of traditional Chinese Medicine, China
No full textPost stroke fatigue (PSF) is a common and debilitating condition among stroke
survivors, significantly affecting their quality of life (QoL), activities of daily living
(ADLs), and recovery outcomes. Despite its clinical importance, the proportion and
associated factors of PSF remain underexplored, particularly in young and middleaged
stroke survivors. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the proportion of PSF
and its associated factors among 271 stroke survivors at the Second Affiliated Hospital
of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, conducted from September
2023 to January 2024, using a convenient sampling method. Participants were included
if they were aged 18 to less than 60 years, not bedridden, and had experienced a stroke
within 3 months, while those with severe cognitive dysfunction or life-threatening
comorbidities were excluded. Data were collected using validated instruments,
including a sociodemographic characteristics questionnaire, the Fatigue Severity Scale
(FSS), Short Version of the Stroke-Specific Quality of Life Scale (SV-SS-QoL),
Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Barthel Index (BI), and analyzed using
SPSS version 29.0. The proportion of PSF among stroke survivors was 45.8%.
Univariate analysis identified significant factors associated with PSF, including age,
gender, income, education level, occupational status, living situation, depression, QoL,
and ADLs. Multivariate logistic regression confirmed that age, gender, income,
occupational status, depression, QoL, and ADLs were key factors. Middle-aged survivors (36–59 years) were 12.94 times more likely to experience fatigue compared
to younger survivors (18–35 years) (OR 12.94, 95% CI: 1.91–87.83), and female
survivors faced a 3.54 times higher risk of PSF compared to males (OR 3.54, 95% CI:
1.45–8.64). Depression significantly increased the likelihood of fatigue by 23% per
unit increase in the depression score (OR 1.23, 95% CI: 1.13–1.34), while protective
factors included higher income (OR 0.14, 95% CI: 0.04–0.53), stable occupational
status (OR 0.09, 95% CI: 0.02–0.44), better QoL (OR 0.81, 95% CI: 0.75–0.86), and
improved ADLs (OR 0.97, 95% CI: 0.95–0.98). The model demonstrated good
calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow test, χ² = 3.85, P = 0.87) and an accuracy of 85.2%.
This study highlights the high proportion of PSF and its multifactorial associations in
young and middle-aged stroke survivors. Identifying high-risk groups, such as middleaged
individuals, females, and those with depression, is essential. Nurses can address
PSF by providing psychological support, enhancing QoL and ADLs, and promoting
income and occupational stability. These findings offer insights for developing
personalized rehabilitation programs to alleviate PSF and improve recovery outcomes
Investigating bioink hydrogels for 3D bioprinting to reconstitute glioblastoma microenvironment
No full textGlioblastoma, the most aggressive glioma subtype, presents significant challenges due to drug resistance, resulting in frequent recurrence and progression. Traditional two-dimensional (2D) cell cultures often fail to replicate accurately the complex tumor microenvironment and cellular interactions found in vivo, thereby limiting their ability to predict drug response reliably. Addressing this issue, three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting emerges as a modern approach for constructing glioblastoma models, vital for preclinical drug testing. This project aims to fabricate a glioblastoma microenvironment using 3D bioprinting and hydrogels. Various hydrogel compositions; alginate (ALG), a combination of alginate and chitosan (ALG-CHI), and a blend of alginate, chitosan, and hyaluronic acid (ALG-CHI-HA) — were formulated. The physical properties and cell-matrix interactions of these bioink groups (ALG, ALG-CHI, and ALG-CHI-HA) were assessed. Notably, hydrogels composed of 4% ALG, 4%:0.25% ALG-CHI, and 4%:0.25%:0.25% ALG-CHI-HA, when pre-crosslinked with CaCl₂ at the concentration of 0.102 M, they exhibited the most consistent and stable bioprinting results, highlighting the importance of evaluating different bioink compositions and crosslinking parameters to achieve the desired printing outcomes. Furthermore, the study investigated the impact of bioprinting parameters, such as speed and pressure on the quality of the printed constructs. Optimal bioprinting conditions were identified with a printing speed of 8 mm/s and printing pressure of 10 kPa, ensuring precise deposition of bioink materials and maintenance of structural integrity. Porosity assessments demonstrated varying trends over time. ALG hydrogels maintained stable porosity (n.s) after one week of DMEM incubation, whereas ALG-CHI (p<0.05) and ALG-CHI-HA (p<0.001) showed significant decreases in porosity from day 0 to day 7. Swelling ratios remained relatively stable for all bioink groups throughout the 21-day incubation period, ranging between 10.84-14.58. Cell viability assessments revealed distinct trends: ALG demonstrated an initial increase from day 1 to 14, followed by a decrease at day 21 (p<0.001). Conversely, ALG-CHI showed increased in cell viability at day 21 (p<0.05), and ALG-CHI-HA exhibited delayed but significant increased viability between days 7 and 21 (p<0.01). ALG-CHI and ALG-CHI-HA formulations sustained viability over time, suggesting potential for supporting long-term cell growth and proliferation. SEM and histological (H&E) analyses provided valuable visual confirmation into the cellular morphology and organisation within the bioprinted constructs. In conclusion, the bioprinted hydrogels from all groups demonstrated persistent stability and structural integrity throughout. Among the different formulations, ALG-CHI supported higher viability of glioblastoma cells with formation of tumour microenvironment. ALG-CHI-HA also showed similar trend and performance. Hence, ALG-CHI and ALG-CHI-HA are suitable to be used for long-term 3D cell cultures
Knowledge, attitude and practice on chronic kidney disease progression prevention and readiness of mobile health application usage among early stages of chronic kidney disease patients at Island Hospital, Penang
No full textChronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant health concern globally. Thus, early detection and treatment of kidney problems can prevent the kidney from deteriorating and causing complications, especially in Stages 1 and 2. Therefore, it is essential to access the patient’s knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) to slow down the progression of the disease and to increase the mobile health application technology, which has been identified as one of the productive tools to aid patient care. This study aims to validate the mobile health application version questionnaire, determine the level of KAP, the readiness of mobile health applications (mHealth apps; Readiness of mHeatlh Applications RMHA) and the factors associated with it among early-stage CKD patients and who were patients from the nephrology clinic at Island Hospital. This study consisted of 2 phases. The respondents were early-stage CKD patients. For Phase 1, 200 respondents participated in the questionnaire validation for the Malay version of RMHA. The instrument used for the RMHA was the mHealth apps Malay version that originally in english version by (Putu et al., 2021). The data was analyzed by using SPSS 27 and Mplus8.0. The mean age of participants was 51.71 (SD=14.05), and the majority were male (57.5%). The Malay version of RMHA was valid and reliable based on confirmatory factor analysis and internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s alpha ranged from 0.866 to 0.968). For Phase 2, 169 respondents completed the questionnaires to measure the KAP level and the readiness to use the mHealth apps. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Phase 2 and the researcher used convenience sampling to select eligible respondents for this study. The data were collected through KAP questionnaires. The data was analyzed by using SPSS 27 and Mplus8.0. From the linear regression analysis, factors that were found to be associated with mHealth readiness were gender (p=< 0.001), knowledge (p=0.027), technological readiness (p=< 0.001), people readiness (p=< 0.001), engagement readiness (p=< 0.001), and motivational readiness (p=< 0.001). The findings suggested that the early-stage CKD patients had good knowledge and attitude but poor practice on CKD. For the RMHA people, engagement and motivational readiness positively relate to mHealth readiness. The instrument used to screen KAP on CKD was the CKD Screening Index by Khalil (2014). The mean age of participants was 53.18 (SD=15.39), and the majority were male (51.4%). For KAP, the majority of the respondents have a high level of knowledge, n=270 (75.2%), a high level of attitude, n=331 (92.2%) but a low level of practice, n=228 (63.5%). The study concluded that early-stage CKD patients had good knowledge and attitude but poor practice, with technological and people readiness positively related to mHealth readiness
Comparison study of different activity for image quality of nm/ct 670 pro system using lehr and megp collimators
No full textSingle Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) remains a cornerstone in nuclear medicine for evaluating functional processes within the body. This study aims to compare the image quality of the GE Discovery NM/CT 670 Pro system using two types of collimators consist of Low Energy High Resolution (LEHR) and Medium Energy General Purpose (MEGP) which performs across different activity levels of technetium-99m (Tc-99m), specifically 7 mCi and 12 mCi point source. A NEMA 2012/IEC 2008 Image Quality Phantom was used to simulate clinical conditions. Parameters evaluated included sensitivity, spatial resolution (FWHM), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), with image reconstruction performed using the OSEM algorithm. The GE Discovery NM/CT 670 Pro Gamma Camera was employed for this study.
Results demonstrated that MEGP collimators produced higher sensitivity at lower activity (7 mCi), while LEHR collimators consistently outperformed in terms of spatial resolution, SNR, and CNR, especially at higher activity (12 mCi). The findings highlight the trade-off between resolution and sensitivity based on collimator type and radiopharmaceutical activity. At higher activities, MEGP benefited from greater count collection but suffered from reduced image clarity due to scatter, whereas LEHR maintained superior image contrast and noise suppression.
This study supports the importance of optimizing collimator choice and activity level based on clinical imaging goals. The results provide valuable insight for improving image quality, dose management, and diagnostic accuracy in SPECT imaging protocols
Study on the typical dose for local diagnostic reference level (DRL) in cerebral angiography for femoral catheter insertion
No full textIntroduction: Cerebral angiography uses a catheter inserted through the femoral artery and guided by fluoroscopy to visualise brain blood vessels involving higher radiation exposure. This study aims to establish typical doses for local diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for femoral catheter insertion in cerebral angiography to improve patient safety. Objectives: This study aims to analyse the dose distribution (PKA in Gy.cm² and Ka,r in mGy) with three indications and age groups. Then, establish the typical dose and compare the establish typical dose with international. Methodology: This retrospective study analysed 116 patients (aged 18–78) who underwent cerebral angiography at Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia (HPUSM), Kelantan between January 2020 and December 2024. Data were collected using the SIEMENS AXIOM-Artis Zee biplane system and retrieved from the PACS USM. The statistical analysis was performed, and typical dose was established at median values of dose distributions. Results: The highest kerma-area product (PKA) was 954.08 Gy.cm² while the lowest was 26.50 Gy.cm². The typical PKA doses were 270.08, 229.30, and 251.92 Gy·cm² for aneurysm, brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM), and carotid-cavernous fistula (CCF), respectively. Corresponding Reference Point Air Kerma (Ka,r) doses were 1277.00, 1159.00, and 1611.00 mGy. These values exceeded national DRLs (81 Gy·cm², 389 mGy), likely due to more complex cases, longer fluoroscopy times, and equipment differences. Conclusion: Both PKA and Ka,r increase proportionally with kV, total mA, and total fluoroscopy time. Typical doses for local DRL vary based on different clinical indications. Overall, this study supports radiation protection efforts by promoting standardised, locally tailored dose limits to improve patient care in neurointerventional radiology
Near-infrared glucose sensing in adulterated honey using smartphone-based colorimetric detection
No full textHoney adulteration particularly with glucose raises serious health and economic problems, especially in areas where honey is highly valued for its health values. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS) and Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS) are the examples of laboratory based analytical technique applied to differentiate between pure and adulterated honey. However, they are not publicly accessible. This study explores a quick, affordable, and easy to-use method for measuring the concentration of glucose in adulterated honey. Sample solutions with different glucose concentrations were prepared and exposed with near-infrared (NIR) LED with 940nm wavelength. Then the image is captured and analysed using ImageJ. The mean red-green-blue (RGB) values for each sample are recorded. After that, absorbance and transmittance values are calculated using the Beer Lambert Law formula. The obtained findings for R2 value of the glucose-absorbance value are 0.5562, 0.5435 and 0.5414 respectively for red, green and blue component. This shows a strong higher correlation between the absorbance value and glucose concentration that indicates strong sensitivity. In addition, there is significant difference can be observed between RGB mean pixel intensity in category of pure honey and added pure honey with 50% water and glucose (100 g/dL). Therefore, this study can be used to differentiate between adulterated and pure honey. This illustrates that this study has potential as a useful tool for on-site honey authenticity screening, improving consumer accessibility and helping in combating against honey adulteration