BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Nutritional anemia has become a national public health problem, particularly among female workers, who are a high-risk group. Dates can be formulated into functional food to treat anemia in this group. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of date biscuits formulated with 10% (A1) and 20% (A2) substitutes in treating anemia among female workers in Makassar, Indonesia.

Experimental research design using a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) with a pre-test post-test randomized group was used. The population of this study were female workers in Makassar City, with a total sample of 61 participants. The study randomly divided the sample into three groups: the intervention group that received formula A1 date biscuits (10%), the intervention group that received formula A2 date biscuits (20%), and the control group that did not receive any intervention. The researchers administered 20 grams of biscuits for 60 days. Hemoglobin levels were measured twice, at baseline and after the intervention. The study further performed a bivariate test by comparing the hemoglobin examination results before and after the intervention using the paired t-test, and analyzed differences between groups using the ANOVA test. The significance value was set at pRESULTS

The results showed that A1 date biscuits reduced the case of anemia by 23.8%, from 38.1% to 14.3%. Meanwhile, provision of A2 date biscuits reduced the case of anemia by 13.7%, from 36.4% to 22.7%.

The provision of A1 date biscuits is more effective than A2 for women with anemia. Date biscuits should be specifically provided to workers or women with anemia as they are less effective for those with normal hemoglobin levels. To further increase hemoglobin levels, female workers should also be given additional nutrient- rich foods

Giant Cell Tumour (GCT) of bone is a benign, locally aggressive neoplasm. GCT of the foot is rare, comprising of about 5% of cases of all GCTs. GCT of Calcaneus is exceedingly rare, comprising of 1.2% of all calcaneal tumours. Due to its uncommon occurrence at this site, diagnosis can be delayed. In this report, we present the case of a Campanacci Grade 3 GCT of calcaneus in a 43-year-old female patient with 8 months history of worsening pain and disability. We treated her successfully by resection of Oscalcis and reconstruction with a femoral head allograft and K-wire fixation, a relatively cheaper and technically lesser challenging method of reconstruction. Three years’ postsurgery, she remains disease free, and her graft has healed. She continues to walk independently and remains disease free clinically and radiologically. We discuss a comparison with other reported cases where surgeons have opted for detailed intra-lesional curettage (DILC) and cementoplasty to fill the defect for a Grade 2 disease, some have even used a sural for soft tissue coverage with a maximum follow-up of two years. While in our patient we went for Calcanues resection and reconstruction with allograft because of a Grade 3 disease that poses greater risk of local recurrence with just DILC. Our patient has a three-year follow-up where she remains disease free

Despite publishing and securing research grants being obligatory in research universities, the literature on the factors influencing academic productivity is relatively scarce. Thus, in this study, we aimed to determine the personal and behavioural-related factors that influence the culture of publishing and securing research grants among academicians with lower research-related performance. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 49 academic staff members of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). A self-administered questionnaire consisting of personal, attitude and behavioural (barriers, perceived stress scale, work extrinsic and intrinsic motivation scale, psychological well-being scale, and basic needs satisfaction scale) questions were distributed during a workshop and online. Simple linear regression (SLR) analyses were performed for each variable, followed by multiple linear regression (MLR) to identify the associated factors of research output. After adjusting for covariates, having a doctoral degree (β=0.396, 95% CI=0.221-2.146, p<0.05) and integrated regulation (β=0.574, 95% CI=0.036-3.612, p<0.05) were found to be associated with research grant acquisition (R2=0.273). Moreover, increasing age (β=0.426, 95% CI=0.088-0.397, p<0.05), living alone (β=0.331, 95% CI=0.944-6.626, p<0.05), having a doctoral degree (β=0.248, 95% CI=0.174-6.747, p<0.05), environmental mastery (β=0.318, 95% CI=0.013-0.347, p<0.05), self-acceptance (β=0.284, 95% CI=0.010-0.242, p<0.05), satisfaction incompetence (β=0.273, 95% CI=0.001-0.200, p<0.05) and relatedness (β=0.280, 95% CI=0.001-0.116, p<0.05) were found to be the factors that influence the publications produced among participants (R2 =0.423). The findings of this study could be used by management to formulate effective strategies to increase the productivity of academics in their research-related performance.

Problem: In September 2024, an illegal toxic waste dumping incident along the Tebrau River in Johor State, Malaysia, raised widespread health concerns in Johor Bahru and Kulai districts. The pollution released a strong, unpleasant odour, resulting in acute symptoms among exposed individuals, including sore throat, dizziness and coughing. Context: The Tebrau River is a vital waterway supporting urban populations in Johor. This was not the first chemical pollution event in the region, as previous incidents, including the Kim Kim River crisis in 2019, highlighted the region’s vulnerability to such events. The involvement of multiple districts and agencies during the response presented challenges in coordination and data sharing. Action: The Johor Bahru District Health Office promptly deployed a rapid assessment team to assess the affected areas and implement both active and passive case detection. Community engagement targeted vulnerable populations, such as schoolchildren, to minimize exposure risks. Additional dumping sites identified along the Tebrau River prompted expanded surveillance and a state-level response to coordinate efforts across districts and all health-care facilities. Outcome: A total of 484 individuals were exposed to the pollution, 334 of whom developed symptoms related to chemical exposure. Timely public health actions consisted of actions to mitigate the impact. Health facilities were placed on high alert and community trust was maintained through proactive engagement. However, gaps in cross-district coordination and challenges accessing environmental data underscored areas for improvement. Discussion: This incident highlighted the importance of rapid assessment, cross-sector collaboration, community engagement and integrated data systems. It also showed that effective public health action is possible despite environmental data limitations. The strengthening of communication, standardized protocols and real-time data sharing will be critical to improving future chemical pollution events.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to surveil the injuries in wrestling according to the different age categories and wrestling styles throughout the competition season. METHODS: The study was designed as a descriptive study. The study was conducted during the wrestling competition season in 2023 (from January 2023 to July 2023), which includes 5 different age categories: U-15, U-17, U-20, U-23, and seniors, along with the Turkey National Wrestling Championships. The data of injuries was recorded immediately after the acute injury was treated by the medical expert during the competitions and evaluated according to the parameters that were obtained. In the statistical analysis, the frequency and percentage values were presented as descriptive statistics and the Chi-square test was used. RESULTS: The study incorporated a total of 6214 wrestlers and a total of 7151 wrestling bouts were performed during these competitions. The analyses indicated that the rate of injury incidence was 42.65‰ in all wrestling styles. When taking account of the injured body parts in all wrestlers' exposures, the occurrence of injuries to the head-face, neck, trunk, upper extremity, and lower extremity, rates of 17.6‰, 1.3‰, 3.6‰, 13.5‰, and 6.6‰, respectively, were observed. According to the pre-diagnosis based on freestyle, Greco-Roman, and female wrestling styles, injuries with bleeding (39.6%, 46.3%, and 14.6%, respectively) and muscle strain (37.9%, 28.7 %, and 52.6%, respectively) most often occurred. CONCLUSION The study findings indicate that most cases of injury appeared to occur in bleeding and muscle strain in all wrestling styles. We suggest that medical experts should set up their health equipment with consideration to the injuries that occur most frequently.
Humans ; Male ; Wrestling/injuries* ; Young Adult ; Adolescent ; Female ; Athletic Injuries/epidemiology* ; Turkey/epidemiology* ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Incidence ; Child

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the growth parameters of children with phenylketonuria and assess the impact of a phenylalanine-restricted diet on their physical development. METHODS: The study involved 39 children diagnosed with phenylketonuria through newborn screening at the Central Child Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq. Data were collected during scheduled monthly check-ups, including phenylalanine levels, diet compliance, and anthropometric measurements. The children were divided into two groups based on their phenylalanine levels during the 3-year follow-up period: well-controlled group (average phenylalanine level of less than 360 μmol/L, with no single reading exceeding 600 μmol/L; n=14) and poorly-controlled group (one or more phenylalanine readings above 600 μmol/L during the follow-up period; n=25). RESULTS: The mean height readings for all time points (at birth and 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24 and 36 months of age) were higher in the well-controlled group than the poorly-controlled group, however, only at 3 months of age the difference was statistically significant. Height Z-scores revealed a clearer pattern: although the poorly-controlled group had higher height Z-scores at birth (P=0.001), the well-controlled group showed significantly higher height Z-scores at 3, 6, 12, 15, 18, 24, and 36 months (P<0.05). The well-controlled group exhibited significantly higher mean weight measurements compared to the poorly-controlled group at 3, 6, 9, 15, 18 months and 21 months (P<0.05). From 6 to 36 months, the well-controlled group consistently had significantly higher weight Z-scores than the poorly-controlled group (P<0.05). The well-controlled group showed more favorable height and weight Z-score distributions at 36 months of age compared to the poorly-controlled group, but the differences were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Both groups had height and weight Z-scores within the normal range at 36 months of age. CONCLUSIONS The children with phenylketonuria who receive good dietary control show better improvements in growth parameters compared to those with poor dietary control, however, both groups maintain height and weight Z-scores within the normal range, indicating generally adequate physical development across the cohort.
Humans ; Phenylketonurias/diet therapy* ; Male ; Female ; Child, Preschool ; Infant ; Body Height ; Infant, Newborn ; Child Development ; Phenylalanine/blood*

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory condition of the intestine, resulting from an increase in oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory mediators. In this study, the extract of endophytic bacterium Rhizobium aegyptiacum was prepared for the first time using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). In addition, also for the first time, the protective potential of R. aegyptiacum was revealed using an in vivo rat model of UC. The animals were grouped into four categories: normal control (group I), R. aegyptiacum (group II), acetic acid (AA)‍-induced UC (group III), and R. aegyptiacum-treated AA-induced UC (group IV). In group IV, R. aegyptiacum was administered at 0.2 mg/kg daily for one week before and two weeks after the induction of UC. After sacrificing the rats on the last day of the experiment, colon tissues were collected and subjected to histological, immunohistochemical, and biochemical investigations. There was a remarkable improvement in the histological findings of the colon tissues in group IV, as revealed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, Masson's trichrome staining, and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining. Normal mucosal surfaces covered with a straight, intact, and thin brush border were revealed. Goblet cells appeared magenta in color, and there was a significant decrease in the distribution of collagen fibers in the mucosa and submucosal connective tissues. All these findings were comparable to the respective characteristics of the control group. Regarding cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) immunostaining, a weak immune reaction was shown in most cells. Moreover, the colon tissues were examined using a scanning electron microscope, which confirmed the results of histological assessment. A regular polygonal unit pattern was seen with crypt orifices of different sizes and numerous goblet cells. Furthermore, the levels of catalase (CAT), myeloperoxidase (MPO), nitric oxide (NO), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interlukin-1β (IL-1β) were determined in the colonic tissues of the different groups using colorimetric assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In comparison with group III, group IV exhibited a significant rise (P<0.05) in the CAT level but a substantial decline (P<0.05) in the NO, MPO, and inflammatory cytokine (IL-6 and IL-1β) levels. Based on reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), the tumor necrosis factor-‍α (TNF-‍α) gene expression was upregulated in group III, which was significantly downregulated (P<0.05) by treatment with R. aegyptiacum in group IV. On the contrary, the heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) gene was substantially upregulated in group IV. Our findings imply that the oral consumption of R. aegyptiacum ameliorates AA-induced UC in rats by restoring and reestablishing the mucosal integrity, in addition to its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Accordingly, R. aegyptiacum is potentially effective and beneficial in human UC therapy, which needs to be further investigated in future work.
Animals ; Colitis, Ulcerative/prevention & control* ; Rats ; Male ; Rhizobium ; Disease Models, Animal ; Colon/pathology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Oxidative Stress ; Cyclooxygenase 2/metabolism*

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) is a multifunctional protein involved in diverse cellular functions, notably DNA damage repair. Pharmacological inhibition of PARP1 has therapeutic benefits for various pathologies. Despite the increased use of PARP inhibitors, challenges persist in achieving PARP1 selectivity and effective blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration. The development of a PARP1-specific positron emission tomography (PET) radioligand is crucial for understanding disease biology and performing target occupancy studies, which may aid in the development of PARP1-specific inhibitors. In this study, we leverage the recently identified PARP1 inhibitor, AZD9574, to introduce the design and development of its ¹⁸F-isotopologue ([¹⁸F]AZD9574). Our comprehensive approach, encompassing pharmacological, cellular, autoradiographic, and in vivo PET imaging evaluations in non-human primates, demonstrates the capacity of [¹⁸F]AZD9574 to specifically bind to PARP1 and to successfully penetrate the BBB. These findings position [¹⁸F]AZD9574 as a viable molecular imaging tool, poised to facilitate the exploration of pathophysiological changes in PARP1 tissue abundance across various diseases.

Natural herbs demonstrate significant therapeutic potential in managing chronic and complex diseases; however, their clinical application faces limitations due to low bioavailability, instability, toxicity, and herb-drug interactions. Furthermore, insufficient standardized evidence and global acceptance impede their widespread adoption. Liposomes, nanocarriers consisting of a phospholipid bilayer enclosing an aqueous core, present a promising approach for enhancing the pharmacokinetics and therapeutic efficacy of herbal compounds. These adaptable systems can encapsulate both hydrophilic and hydrophobic agents, enabling targeted drug delivery and enhanced stability. Moreover, liposomes can be modified to carry diagnostic and imaging agents, enabling precise disease detection and monitoring. While liposomes offer potential as an innovative delivery technology for herbal remedies, their application in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) remains relatively unexplored. TCM, with its holistic, energy-based approach to health and organ function, presents distinct challenges regarding formulation and delivery. This review examines the therapeutic potential of herbal medicines, emphasizing how liposomes address delivery challenges within the TCM framework. It also investigates the integration of TCM with Western medical practices, demonstrating how liposomal systems may bridge these approaches. The review analyzes key formulation techniques for TCM-loaded liposomes, particularly the microfluidic method, which demonstrates superior control over particle size and encapsulation efficiency compared to conventional methods. The analysis addresses barriers to integrating liposomal delivery systems with TCM, including physicochemical properties, scalability issues, and regulatory challenges. Finally, this review provides strategic recommendations for overcoming these obstacles and identifies future research directions to maximize the potential of liposomal technology in enhancing TCM therapies.
Liposomes/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Drug Carriers/chemistry* ; Animals ; Nanoparticles/chemistry*