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‘Chat Hour’ is an initiative organised by the English Language Department, Institute of Teacher Training, International Languages Campus (IPGKBA) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was conducted online via YouTube by TESL teacher trainees. The main purpose of this programme is to provide TESL students the opportunity to improve their fluency when speaking in public as well as to provide them the opportunity to practice English confidently. This program tried to bring up the aspirations stated in the Ministry of Education (MOE) Malaysia English Language Roadmap (20152025), which presents the importance of higher education institutions to provide an English-rich environment in order for tertiary students to have greater engagement with the language, outside the bounds of the formal settings in the classroom. The findings of this study show that the ‘Chat Hour with IPGKBA’ provided a positive experience, which contributed to improving their fluency and confidence when using the language. This study provides insight into the teacher trainees’ perception towards the ‘Chat Hour’ programme in terms of developing their fluency and confidence.

A dominant selection marker is an important prerequiste for gene transformation studies in most organisms. In fungi, two types or selection marker are usually used; the introduction of an antibiotic resistant gene or by using auxotrophic mutant. Due to the biosafety issues, auxotrophic genetic markers are widely used for the genetic manipulation, especially for downstream industrial applications. The aim of this work is to develop a uracil/uridine (ΔpyrG) auxotrophic mutant of Trichoderma virens UKM1, a locally isolated fungus capable of producing interesting industrial enzymes. The T. virens ΔpyrG mutant was developed by the deletion of the gene encoding for orotidine-5-phosphate decarboxylase (pyrG), an enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of pyramidine, using a homologous recombination approach. Successful ΔpyrG mutants exhibited a uracil auxotrophy phenotype and were able to grow on media containing 5-FOA (5-fluoroorotic acid) supplemented with uracil and uridine, that inhibit the growth of the wild-type strain. Transformation of the ΔpyrG mutant with the pyrG from Aspergillus oryzae restored the pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway, transforming the ΔpyrG mutant into a uracil prototroph. These results suggest uracil/uridine auxotrophic phenotype resulted from the deletion of the pyrG gene in T. virens UKM1. Hence, in this work we have successfully developed a Trichoderma virens UKM1 ΔpyrG auxotrophic mutant that is amenable to further efforts in the genetic engineering of this interesting fungus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

12 species of Saprolegniaceae were isolated from three stations in Tigris river near Al‐Rashidiya, north east of Baghdad, Iraq, from November 1987 to February 1988. These are Achlya prolifera, A.aff.caroliniana, A.polyandra , A.americana, A.racemosa , A.treleaseana, A.debaryana, Saprolegnia ferax, S.uliginosa, S.terreatris, Dichtyuchua magnusii, and Calyptralegnia ripariensis. Out of 152 isolates 63 reached sexual maturity. Their occurrence have been studied, A.polyandra was the predominant species. It was the first record of S.uliginosa in Iraq. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A recent molecular phylogeny of the Arid clade of the genus Hemidactylus revealed that the recently described H. saba and two unnamed Hemidactylus species from Sinai, Saudi Arabia and Yemen form a well-supported monophyletic group within the Arabian radiation of the genus. The name ‘Hemidactylus saba species group’ is suggested for this clade. According to the results of morphological comparisons and the molecular analyses using two mitochondrial (12S and cytb) and four nuclear (cmos, mc1r, rag1, rag2) genes, the name Hemidactylus granosus Heyden, 1827 is resurrected from the synonymy of H. turcicus for the Sinai and Saudi Arabian species. The third species of this group from Yemen is described formally as a new species H. ulii sp. n. The phylogenetic relationships of the members of ‘Hemidactylus saba species group’ are evaluated and the distribution and ecology of individual species are discussed.

The geological history of the Arabian Peninsula has played a crucial role in shaping current diversity and distribution patterns of many Arabian and African faunal elements. The gecko genus Hemidactylus is not an exception. In this study, we provide an insight into the phylogeny and systematics of 45 recognized species of the so-called Arid clade of the genus Hemidactylus from Arabia, the Horn of Africa, the Levant and Iran. The material comprises 358 specimens sequenced for up to two mitochondrial (12S rRNA, cytochrome b) and four nuclear (mc1r, cmos, rag1, rag2) genes with 4766 bp of the concatenated alignment length. A robust calibrated phylogeny and reconstruction of historical biogeography are inferred. We link the history of this genus with major geological events that occurred in the region within the last 30 million years. Two basal divergences correspond with the break-ups of the Arabian and African landmasses and subsequent separation of Socotra from the Arabian mainland, respectively, segregating the genus by means of vicariance. Formation of the Red Sea led to isolation and subsequent radiation in the Arabian Peninsula, which was followed by multiple independent expansions: 13.1 Ma to Iran; 9.8 Ma to NE Africa; 8.2 to Socotra Archipelago; 7-7.3 Ma two colonizations to the Near East; 5.9 Ma to NE Africa; and 4.1 to Socotra. Moreover, using multiple genetic markers we detected cryptic diversity within the genus, particularly in south-western Arabia and the Ethiopian highlands, and confirmed the existence of at least seven new species in the area. These findings highlight the role of Arabia and the Horn of Africa as an important Hemidactylus diversity hotspot.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder characterized by immune dysregulation and aberrant keratinocyte proliferation. Despite tremendous advances in understanding its etiology, effective therapies that target its fundamental mechanisms remain necessary. Recent research highlights the role of reactive oxygen species dysregulation and mitochondrial dysfunction in psoriasis pathogenesis. Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species mediate cellular signaling pathways involved in psoriasis, such as proliferation, apoptosis, and inflammation, leading to oxidative stress, exacerbating inflammation and tissue damage if dysregulated. This review explores oxidative stress biomarkers and parameters in psoriasis, including myeloperoxidase, paraoxonase, sirtuins, superoxide dismutase, catalase, malondialdehyde, oxidative stress index, total oxidant status, and total antioxidant status. These markers provide insights into disease mechanisms and potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets. Modulating mitochondrial reactive oxygen species levels and enhancing antioxidant defenses can alleviate inflammation and oxidative damage, improving patient outcomes. Natural antioxidants like quercetin, curcumin, gingerol, resveratrol, and other antioxidants show promise as complementary treatments targeting oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. This review aims to guide the development of personalized therapeutic methods and diagnostic techniques, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive clinical studies to validate the efficacy and safety of these interventions, paving the way for more effective and holistic psoriasis care.

Objective: This present study investigated the prevalence, characteristics, and management of ear, nose, and throat (ENT) foreign body (FB) in the pediatric population of Tamale., Study Design: Retrospective observational study for otorhinolaryngology surgeries from 2019 to 2022 for children aged 17 years and below at Tamale Teaching Hospital., Methods: A checklist created was used to collect data from the Otorhinolaryngology Surgeries records from 2019 to 2022. Chi-square and binary logistics regression analysis were done for associations. The level of statistical significance was set at 0.05., Results: Two hundred and sixty-three cases were included in this study, and the mean age of the study participants was (4.3 ± 3.8) years with a minimum age of 1 month and a maximum age of 17 years. Most (65.4%) of the study participants were under-5 years. The prevalence of FB in this study was 47.9%. The majority (54.8%) of the ENT FB incidence was through ingestion. Almost half (50.8%) of the ENT FB was removed through esophagoscopy. Among the foreign bodies, the coin was the most common (44.5%). Those less than 1 year were more likely to encounter FB than those 12 years and above (adust odds ratio [AOR] = 27.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.7-164.6). Again, those of 5 to less than 12 years were more likely to encounter ENT FB than those 12 years and above (AOR = 5.7, 95% CI = 1.2-26.3)., Conclusions: Foreign bodies are a common occurrence in pediatric otorhinolaryngology surgeries in Tamale Teaching Hospital. Younger children are more likely to report for otorhinolaryngology surgeries for FB in Tamale Teaching Hospital., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2023 The Authors. World Journal of Otorhinolaryngology ‐ Head and Neck Surgery published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Chinese Medical Association.)

Introduction: SABINA III assessed short-acting β 2 -agonist (SABA) prescription patterns and their association with asthma-related outcomes globally. Herein, we examined SABA prescription and clinical outcomes in the Malaysian cohort of SABINA III., Method: In this observational, cross-sectional study, patients (≥12 years) were recruited between July and December 2019 from 15 primary and specialty care centres in Malaysia. Prescribed asthma treatments and severe exacerbation history within 12 months prior and asthma symptom control during the study visit were evaluated. Associations of SABA prescription with asthma control and severe exacerbation were analysed using multivariable regression models., Results: Seven hundred thirty-one patients (primary care, n=265 [36.3%]; specialty care, n=466 [63.7%]) were evaluated. The prevalence of SABA over-prescription (≥3 SABA prescriptions/year) was 47.4% (primary care, 47.1%; specialty care, 47.6%), 51.8% and 44.5% among all patients and patients with mild and moderate-to-severe asthma, respectively. Altogether 9.0% (n=66) purchased SABA without a prescription; among them, 43.9% (n=29) purchased ≥3 inhalers. The mean (standard deviation) number of severe asthma exacerbations was 1.38 (2.76), and 19.7% (n=144) and 25.7% (n=188) had uncontrolled and partly controlled symptoms, respectively. Prescriptions of ≥3 SABA inhalers (vs 1-2) were associated with lower odds of at least partly controlled asthma (odds ratio=0.42; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.27-0.67) and higher odds of having severe exacerbation(s) (odds ratio=2.04; 95% CI=1.44-2.89)., Conclusion: The prevalence of SABA over-prescription in Malaysia is high, regardless of the prescriber type, emphasising the need for healthcare providers and policymakers to adopt latest evidence-based recommendations to address this public health concern., Competing Interests: Andrea Yu-Lin Ban received honoraria from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis and Bayer Co. as well as travel support and sample drugs from AstraZeneca and served as an advisory board member of the ‘Use of ICS/LABA in Covid-19’ for AstraZeneca and a committee member of the Malaysian Thoracic Society. Paranthaman Vengdasalam received honoraria from AstraZeneca and Mundipharma Pharmaceuticals as well as travel support and sample drugs from AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceutical and served as a member of the MFP Editorial Board, Perak Medical Journal Editorial Board, Academy of Family Physician Malaysia and GCFM Post graduate board. Sri Wahyu Taher received honoraria from AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceutical and Novo Nordisk Pharma as well as travel support from AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk Pharma and Sanofi-Aventis and sample drugs from AstraZeneca and served as an advisory board member of Novo Nordisk Pharma and president of the Family Medicine Specialist Association Malaysia. Mohd Arif Mohd Zim received honoraria from AstraZeneca, Orient EuroPharma, Novartis and GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceutical as well as travel support and sample drugs from AstraZeneca and served on the Severe Asthma Advisory Board for AstraZeneca and as a member of PRECISION (Severe Asthma Working Group) for AstraZeneca and the Malaysian Association of Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology. Syazatul Syakirin Sirol Aflah received honoraria from AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceutical, Orient EuroPharma and Mundipharma Pharmaceuticals as well as travel support from AstraZeneca and Mundipharma Pharmaceuticals and served as a committee member of the Malaysian Thoracic Society. Ummi Nadira Daut received honoraria from AstraZeneca, Orient EuroPharma, Novartis Corporation and GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceutical and travel support from AstraZeneca. Irfhan Ali Hyder Ali received honoraria from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Orient EuroPharma, Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceutical and Pfizer as well as travel support from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Orient EuroPharma, Novartis and Pfizer and sample drugs from AstraZeneca, Novartis and Boehringer Ingelheim and served as a committee member of the Malaysian Thoracic Society, head of the Respiratory Services, Malaysia and head of the Respiratory Department, Penang Hospital. Lalitha Pereirasamy received honoraria from AstraZeneca, Novartis and GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceutical as well as travel support and sample drugs from AstraZeneca and served as a committee member of the Malaysian Thoracic Society. Azza Omar received honoraria from AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceutical, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, Orient EuroPharma, Sanofi-Aventis and Mundipharma Pharmaceuticals as well as travel support and sample drugs from AstraZeneca and served as a committee member and ‘Severe Asthma Diagnostic Consensus’ lead of the Malaysian Thoracic Society and a member of PRECISION (Severe Asthma Working Group) for AstraZeneca. Aishah Ibrahim received honoraria from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, Orient EuroPharma and GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceutical as well as travel support and sample drugs from AstraZeneca and served as a committee member of the Malaysian Thoracic Society. Noor Aliza Mohd Tarekh received honoraria, travel support and sample drugs from AstraZeneca. Norsiah Ali received honoraria, travel support and sample drugs from AstraZeneca and served as a past-president of the Family Medicine Specialist Association, Malaysia. Nor Azila Mohd Isa received honoraria, travel support and sample drugs from AstraZeneca and served as a member of the Family Medicine Specialist Association, Malaysian Thoracic Society and Islamic Medical Association, Malaysia. Husni Hussain received honoraria and travel support from AstraZeneca and served as a committee member of the Family Medicine Specialist Selangor Association. Vieshal Raja Gopal and Sue Yin Chiam are employees of AstraZeneca. Maarten J.H.I. Beekman was an employee of AstraZeneca at the time the study was conducted and holds stocks of AstraZeneca. Swee Kim Chan and Noraziah Abdul Karim have nothing to disclose., (© Academy of Family Physicians of Malaysia.)

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) have excellent clinical potential and numerous properties that ease its clinical translation. Mitochondria play a crucial role in energy metabolism, essential for cellular activities, such as proliferation, differentiation, and migration. However, mitochondrial dysfunction can occur due to diseases and pathological conditions. Research on mitochondrial transfer from MSCs to recipient cells has gained prominence. Numerous studies have demonstrated that mitochondrial transfer led to increased adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, recovered mitochondrial bioenergetics, and rescued injured cells from apoptosis. However, the complex mechanisms that lead to mitochondrial transfer from healthy MSCs to damaged cells remain under investigation, and the factors contributing to mitochondrial bioenergetics recovery in recipient cells remain largely ambiguous. Therefore, this review demonstrates an overview of recent findings in preclinical studies reporting MSC mitochondrial transfer, comprised of information on cell sources, recipient cells, dosage, route of administration, mechanism of transfer, pathological conditions, and therapeutic effects. Further to the above, this research discusses the potential challenges of this therapy in its clinical settings and suggestions to overcome its challenges., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press.)

Dengue mortality remains high despite monitoring against warning signs (WS). The associations of WS at febrile phase (FP) and hemorrhage at defervescence with the levels and kinetics of ROTEM, platelet count, cortisol, and ferritin were analyzed. Patients with confirmed dengue serology and WS in two centers were screened ( n = 275) and 62 eligible patients were recruited prospectively over 9 months. "Vomiting" was the commonest WS (62.9%), with shortened clotting time (CT) INTEM ( p = 0.01). "Hematocrit increase" showed significant prolonged CT INTEM, EXTEM, and FIBTEM ( p < 0.05). "Platelet decrease" showed reduced platelet function and reduced clot amplitude at 10 min (A10) and maximum clot firmness (MCF) in INTEM and EXTEM ( p < 0.001). The kinetics were reduced in platelet count, CT EXTEM, and cortisol ( p < 0.05) but increased in CT INTEM ( p = 0.03). At FP, "vomiting", "hematocrit increase", and "platelet decrease" demonstrated impaired CT, clot strengths A10/MCF and platelet functions. Majority (60/62, 96.7%) had non-severe outcomes, consistent with increase in cortisol kinetics. In conclusion, "vomiting", "hematocrit increase" and "platelet decrease" at FP correlated with ROTEM. No conclusion could be made further regarding ferritin and cortisol. Larger study is required to study "hematocrit increase" with ROTEM as a potential marker for hemorrhage.

Introduction: Plasma cell leukaemia (PCL) is a rare variant of multiple myeloma. We report a case of PCL to demonstrate the clonal evolution, resulting in disease relapse after achieving complete remission, and its aggressive nature of the disease, leading to poor clinical outcome., Case Report: A 69-year-old man presented with a three-day-history of worsening generalized body weakness, poor oral intake, nausea, significant loss of weight and lower back pain. He was diagnosed as primary PCL, based on hypercalcaemia, renal insufficiency, anaemia, thrombocytopenia, lytic bone lesions, 24% abnormal plasma cells in peripheral blood, immunophenotype of clonal plasma cells which were positive for CD38, CD138 and CD56 markers with kappa light chain restriction, 49% abnormal plasma cells in bone marrow, monoclonal paraprotein (IgG kappa) in serum and urine, and positive IGH rearrangement (Fluorescence in-situ hybridisation, FISH). He achieved complete remission after four cycles of Bortezomib-based therapy. There was a plan for high-dose therapy plus autologous haematopoietic cell transplantation. A month later, the disease relapsed, as evidenced by 94% abnormal plasma cells in his bone marrow aspirate, complex karyotype and abnormal FISH results. He passed away a few days later, from severe septicaemia. Time-to-progression of disease was 1 month and overall survival was 5 months., Discussion: This case report illustrates the clonal evolution and aggressive nature of primary PCL with older age at presentation, leading to a shorter duration of remission and overall survival.

Optimization of critical factors affects transduction efficiency and is able to reduce reagent consumption. The present study aimed to determine the optimum transduction conditions of small hairpin (sh)RNA against peroxiredoxin 4 (PRDX4) in the HepG2 cell line. Cell viability assays were conducted based on serum condition, incubation time, polybrene concentration and antibiotic dose selection. Non-targeting control shRNA was transduced into HepG2 cells in a 5-fold serial dilution, and colonies positive for green fluorescent protein were counted using ImageJ software. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis were performed to validate PRDX4 expression. The optimum cell density for transduction was 5.0×10 3 cells/well in 96-well plates to achieve 40 to 50% confluency the following day. The transduction media consisted of 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) and 12 µg/ml polybrene, and was used to dilute lentiviral particles at a functional titer of 4.9×10 5 TU/ml for multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 20, 15 and 10, for 24 h of incubation. Selection with 7 µg/ml puromycin was performed in transduced cells. shRNA 3 was revealed to inhibit PRDX4 mRNA and protein expression. In conclusion, PRDX4 was successfully silenced in 5.0×10 3 HepG2 cells cultured with 10% FBS and 12 µg/ml polybrene, at a 4.9×10 5 TU/ml functional titer for MOI of 20, 15 and 10.

During aging, oxidative stress affects the normal function of satellite cells, with consequent regeneration defects that lead to sarcopenia. This study aimed to evaluate tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) modulation in reestablishing the oxidative status of myoblasts during replicative senescence and to compare the effects of TRF with other antioxidants ( α -tocopherol (ATF) and N -acetyl-cysteine (NAC)). Primary human myoblasts were cultured to young, presenescent, and senescent phases. The cells were treated with antioxidants for 24 h, followed by the assessment of free radical generation, lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzyme mRNA expression and activities, and the ratio of reduced to oxidized glutathione. Our data showed that replicative senescence increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and lipid peroxidation in myoblasts. Treatment with TRF significantly diminished ROS production and decreased lipid peroxidation in senescent myoblasts. Moreover, the gene expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD2) , catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX1) was modulated by TRF treatment, with increased activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase and reduced glutathione peroxidase in senescent myoblasts. In comparison to ATF and NAC, TRF was more efficient in heightening the antioxidant capacity and reducing free radical insults. These results suggested that TRF is able to ameliorate antioxidant defense mechanisms and improves replicative senescence-associated oxidative stress in myoblasts., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interests.

The continued usage of explosive devices, as well as the ever growing threat of 'dirty' bombs necessitates a comprehensive understanding of particle dispersal during detonation events in order to develop effectual methods for targeting explosive and/or additive remediation efforts. Herein, the distribution of explosive analytes from controlled detonations of aluminised ammonium nitrate and an RDX-based explosive composition were established by systematically sampling sites positioned around each firing. This is the first experimental study to produce evidence that the post-blast residue mass can distribute according to an approximate inverse-square law model, while also demonstrating for the first time that distribution trends can vary depending on individual analytes. Furthermore, by incorporating blast-wave overpressure measurements, high-speed imaging for fireball volume recordings, and monitoring of environmental conditions, it was determined that the principle factor affecting all analyte dispersals was the wind direction, with other factors affecting specific analytes to varying degrees. The dispersal mechanism for explosive residue is primarily the smoke cloud, a finding which in itself has wider impacts on the environment and fundamental detonation theory., (Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Online preconcentration using electrokinetic supercharging (EKS) was proposed to enhance the sensitivity of separation for endocrine disrupting chemical (methylparaben (MP)) and phenolic pollutants (2-nitrophenol (NP) and 4-chlorophenol (CP)) in water sample. Important EKS and separation conditions such as the concentration of BGE; the choice of terminating electrolyte (TE); and the injection time of leading electrolyte (LE), sample, and TE were optimized. The optimum EKS-CE conditions were as follows: BGE comprising of 12 mM sodium tetraborate pH 10.1, 100 mM sodium chloride as LE hydrodynamically injected at 50 mbar for 30 s, electrokinetic injection (EKI) of sample at -3 kV for 200 s, and 100 mM CHES as TE hydrodynamically injected at 50 mbar for 40 s. The separation was conducted at negative polarity mode and UV detection at 214 nm. Under these conditions, the sensitivity of analytes was enhanced from 100- to 737-fold as compared to normal CZE with hydrodynamic injection, giving LOD of 4.89, 5.29, and 53 μg/L for MP, NP and CP, respectively. The LODs were adequate for the analysis of NP and CP in environmental water sample having concentration at or lower than their maximum admissible concentration limit (240 and 2000 μg/L for NP and CP). The LOD of MP can be suitable for the analysis of MP exists at mid-microgram per liter level, even though the LOD was slightly higher than the concentration usually found in water samples (from ng/L to 1 μg/L). The method repeatabilities (%RSD) were in the range of 1.07-2.39% (migration time) and 8.28-14.0% (peak area)., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy is one of the most sensitive spectroscopic techniques available, with single-molecule detection possible on a range of noble-metal substrates. It is widely used to detect molecules that have a strong Raman response at very low concentrations. Here we present photo-induced-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, where the combination of plasmonic nanoparticles with a photo-activated substrate gives rise to large signal enhancement (an order of magnitude) for a wide range of small molecules, even those with a typically low Raman cross-section. We show that the induced chemical enhancement is due to increased electron density at the noble-metal nanoparticles, and demonstrate the universality of this system with explosives, biomolecules and organic dyes, at trace levels. Our substrates are also easy to fabricate, self-cleaning and reusable.

The possibility of recovering undetonated explosive residues following detonation events is well-known; however, the morphology and chemical identity of these condensed phase postblast particles remains undetermined. An understanding of the postblast explosive particle morphology would provide vital information during forensic examinations, allowing rapid initial indication of the explosive material to be microscopically determined prior to any chemical analyses and thereby saving time and resources at the crucial stage of an investigation. In this study, condensed phase particles collected from around the detonations of aluminized ammonium nitrate and RDX-based explosive charges were collected in a novel manner utilizing SEM stubs. By incorporating the use of a focused ion beam during analysis, for the first time it is possible to determine that such particles have characteristic shapes, sizes, and internal structures depending on the explosive and the distance from the detonation at which the particles are recovered. Spheroidal particles (10-210 μm) with microsurface features recovered following inorganic charge detonations were dissimilar to the irregularly shaped particles (5-100 μm) recovered following organic charge firings. Confirmatory analysis to conclude that the particles were indeed explosive included HPLC-MS, Raman spectroscopy, and mega-electron volt-secondary ionization mass spectrometry. These results may impact not only forensic investigations but also the theoretical constructs that govern detonation theory by indicating the potential mechanisms by which these particles survive and how they vary between the different explosive types.

Aging results in a loss of muscle mass and strength. Myoblasts play an important role in maintaining muscle mass through regenerative processes, which are impaired during aging. Vitamin E potentially ameliorates age-related phenotypes. Hence, this study aimed to determine the effects of the tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) and α-tocopherol (ATF) in protecting myoblasts from replicative senescence and promoting myogenic differentiation. Primary human myoblasts were cultured into young and senescent stages and were then treated with TRF or ATF for 24 h, followed by an analysis of cell proliferation, senescence biomarkers, cellular morphology and differentiation. Our data showed that replicative senescence impaired the normal regenerative processes of myoblasts, resulting in changes in cellular morphology, cell proliferation, senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) expression, myogenic differentiation and myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs) expression. Treatment with both TRF and ATF was beneficial to senescent myoblasts in reclaiming the morphology of young cells, improved cell viability and decreased SA-β-gal expression. However, only TRF treatment increased BrdU incorporation in senescent myoblasts, as well as promoted myogenic differentiation through the modulation of MRFs at the mRNA and protein levels. MYOD1 and MYOG gene expression and myogenin protein expression were modulated in the early phases of myogenic differentiation. In conclusion, the tocotrienol-rich fraction is superior to α-tocopherol in ameliorating replicative senescence-related aberration and promoting differentiation via modulation of MRFs expression, indicating vitamin E potential in modulating replicative senescence of myoblasts.

Social media presents new challenges to the biopharmaceutical industry for conducting pharmacovigilance activities. The authors reviewed worldwide regulatory guidance documents related to monitoring of adverse events posted on social media sites and identified gaps in current regulatory definitions for pharmacovigilance. Points to consider for addressing these gaps are made to offer standards for industry consideration and a potential framework for guidance from global health authorities.

Sarcopenia is a geriatric syndrome that is characterized by gradual loss of muscle mass and strength with increasing age. Although the underlying mechanism is still unknown, the contribution of increased oxidative stress in advanced age has been recognized as one of the risk factors of sarcopenia. Thus, eliminating reactive oxygen species (ROS) can be a strategy to combat sarcopenia. In this review, we discuss the potential role of vitamin E in the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia. Vitamin E is a lipid soluble vitamin, with potent antioxidant properties and current evidence suggesting a role in the modulation of signaling pathways. Previous studies have shown its possible beneficial effects on aging and age-related diseases. Although there are evidences suggesting an association between vitamin E and muscle health, they are still inconclusive compared to other more extensively studied chronic diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases and cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, we reviewed the role of vitamin E and its potential protective mechanisms on muscle health based on previous and current in vitro and in vivo studies.

Locating exactly where trace explosive residue samples should be sought during sample collection at bomb scenes is not specified in the published literature or guidelines; in this area, it is generally acknowledged that forensic practices are based on tradition rather than evidence. This study investigated patterns in the spatial distribution of postblast 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazocyclohexane residue from a series of unconfined detonations, over a range of sampling sites, and at two different detonation heights. The amount of residue recovered from the sites decreased as a function of distance from the center of the explosion. [Correction added after online publication 27 December 2012: In the preceding sentence, "increased" was corrected to "decreased" to agree with the conclusion of the article.] As the height of the detonations increased, more residues were found from all sampling sites. The findings of this empirical study have a number of important practical implications including determining where residue samples are best sought at crime scenes., (© 2013 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.)

Skeletal muscle satellite cells are heavily involved in the regeneration of skeletal muscle in response to the aging-related deterioration of the skeletal muscle mass, strength, and regenerative capacity, termed as sarcopenia. This study focused on the effect of tocotrienol rich fraction (TRF) on regenerative capacity of myoblasts in stress-induced premature senescence (SIPS). The myoblasts was grouped as young control, SIPS-induced, TRF control, TRF pretreatment, and TRF posttreatment. Optimum dose of TRF, morphological observation, activity of senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-galactosidase), and cell proliferation were determined. 50 μg/mL TRF treatment exhibited the highest cell proliferation capacity. SIPS-induced myoblasts exhibit large flattened cells and prominent intermediate filaments (senescent-like morphology). The activity of SA-β-galactosidase was significantly increased, but the proliferation capacity was significantly reduced as compared to young control. The activity of SA-β-galactosidase was significantly reduced and cell proliferation was significantly increased in the posttreatment group whereas there was no significant difference in SA-β-galactosidase activity and proliferation capacity of pretreatment group as compared to SIPS-induced myoblasts. Based on the data, we hypothesized that TRF may reverse the myoblasts aging through replenishing the regenerative capacity of the cells. However, further investigation on the mechanism of TRF in reversing the myoblast aging is needed.

Mechanisms determining both functional rate of decline and the time of onset in aging remain elusive. Studies of the aging process especially those involving the comparison of long-lived individuals and young controls are fairly limited. Therefore, this research aims to determine the differential gene expression profile in related individuals from villages in Pahang, Malaysia. Genome-wide microarray analysis of 18 samples of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from two groups: octo/nonagenarians (80-99 years old) and their offspring (50.2 ± 4.0 years old) revealed that 477 transcripts were age-induced and 335 transcripts were age-repressed with fold changes ≥1.2 in octo/nonagenarians compared to offspring. Interestingly, changes in gene expression were associated with increased capacity for apoptosis (BAK1), cell cycle regulation (CDKN1B), metabolic process (LRPAP1), insulin action (IGF2R), and increased immune and inflammatory response (IL27RA), whereas response to stress (HSPA8), damage stimulus (XRCC6), and chromatin remodelling (TINF2) pathways were downregulated in octo/nonagenarians. These results suggested that systemic telomere maintenance, metabolism, cell signalling, and redox regulation may be important for individuals to maintain their healthy state with advancing age and that these processes play an important role in the determination of the healthy life-span.