For centuries, deer antler velvet (DAV) has been a staple in traditional medicine due to its numerous health benefits, including immune stimulation, anti-ageing, wound healing, and anti-osteoporosis properties. Researchers attribute the therapeutic advantages of DAV to various compounds in its extract, ranging from growth hormones to minerals and amino acids. Recently, there has been renewed interest in these natural products for their potential use in treating chronic diseases such as bone health and development, bacterial infections, and sports supplementation to increase athletic performance. The available literature supports that DAV significantly affects bone development, chondrogenesis, and antimicrobial properties, making it a valuable resource in medical and dental settings. This review aims to provide an in-depth overview of the potential applications of DAV in modern medicine and dentistry.

Vibrio vulnificus is a halophilic gram-negative bacillus that can cause fulminant septicaemia in immunocompromised patients. A 67-year-old man who was immunosuppressed as a result of cytotoxic chemotherapy presented with a brief history of fever, lethargy, myalgia, and reduced oral intake. He had recently travelled to the beach to consume seafood. His blood pressure was 81/47 mm Hg, necessitating fluid resuscitation followed by inotropic support and admission to the intensive care unit. His blood culture was positive for curved gram-negative bacilli. The isolate was oxidase-positive and produced an acid butt with an alkaline slant in triple sugar iron agar. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry conclusively identified the isolate as V. vulnificus. Intravenous ceftazidime plus ciprofloxacin were administered, and by the fifth day of admission, he was successfully transferred out to the general ward. In total, the patient completed a 14-day course of antibiotic therapy.

Background: The value of direct decompression of neural structures to treat lumbosacral plexus injury associated with sacral fractures is still debatable. Direct decompression allows decompression of nerve roots by sacral laminectomy and removal of bone fragments in the spinal canal. In contrast, indirect decompression may offer similar neurological outcomes if good fracture reduction and correction of sacral kyphosis are achieved. In this comparative retrospective study, we analyzed differences between direct and indirect neurological decompression in terms of neurological recovery, complications, and functional outcome. Methods: This study included 33 cases with spinopelvic dissociation with variable degrees of lumbosacral plexus injury. All cases were managed by spinopelvic fixation. Eighteen patients (group 1) had direct decompression of lumbosacral nerve roots while 15 patients (group 2) had indirect decompression. Results: Initial sacral kyphosis, quality of fracture reduction, and postoperative residual kyphosis were the main factors that significantly affected functional and neurological outcome in both groups. The final neurological improvement was similar in both groups. No significant difference was observed between both groups in the residual Gibbons’ score recorded in the last visit (p = 0.206). The final Majeed score also showed no significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.869). Conclusions Indirect decompression of sacral fractures showed similar final functional outcome and neurological recovery compared to direct decompression. Restoration of lumbosacropelvic stability and anatomic reduction seem to be the cornerstone for better functional outcome and neurological recovery rather than direct decompression of neural elements.

Background: Childbearing is the most important determinant of population fluctuations, and its study is more important than other population phenomena. Owing to the lack of a valid questionnaire based on the extended theory of planned behavior, this mixed-method study was conducted to determine the validity and reliability of a questionnaire designed to examine related belief-based factors on the intention to bear children in Iranian society. Methods: This study was conducted in two phases in Hamadan city, western Iran, in 2021. Phase 1 consisted of an extensive literature review and a qualitative study using a directed content analysis approach to generate an item pool. Psychometrics were measured in phase 2, including content, face, and construct validity. Reliability was assessed based on internal consistency and stability. The collected data were analyzed using IBM SPSS and AMOS ver. 24.0. Results: Mean content validity ratio and content validity index were 0.7 and 0.85, respectively. Exploratory factor analysis of the 32 items identified an eight-factor solution. These factors jointly accounted for 79.1% of the observed variance in the outcome variables. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a good fit for the data. The internal consistency based on Cronbach’s α was 0.85 (0.71–0.93). In addition, stability was confirmed using the test-retest method and intraclass correlation coefficient (0.74–0.94). Conclusion The designed questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument for evaluating related belief-based factors on the intention and behavior of childbearing among married men and women in Iran.

Introduction: Daily use and improper management of plastic materials by the public contributes to the occurrence of microplastic pollution. It can be acknowledged that knowledge and attitudes are one of the keys to reducing the release of microplastic into the environment. Therefore, enhancing student’s understanding may play an important role in effective solution innovation and readiness to take specific actions for environmental protection. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted among university students using an online questionnaire to assess their knowledge and attitudes about microplastic pollution. For data analysis, Pearson’s Chi-square was conducted using SPSS version 26. Results: Findings revealed that students have moderate knowledge (4.66) and attitudes (5.42) towards microplastic pollution. However, neither age, gender, CGPA, nor the course in which they studied had any significant association with their level of knowledge and attitudes (p>0.05). In fact, the level of knowledge and attitude reported by respondents indicate that it is necessary to address this deficiency by providing education through structured education and mass media, along with vigorous policy enforcement and replacement of conventional plastics. Conclusion: Education on microplastics among the younger generation is key to curbing the problem of microplastic pollution. As future consumers, the demand for alternative products that does not contribute to microplastic can help encourage brands and markets to come up with better solution that is critical to prevent this problem from worsening.

Introduction: Orang Asli refers to the indigenous people of Peninsular Malaysia, representing 0.6% of the Malaysian population. Vast inequality was observed regarding oral health beliefs, behaviour, and utilisation of oral health services between the Orang Asli and non-Orang Asli. The aim of the study was to explore the oral health beliefs, perceptions, and oral health service utilization behaviour among Orang Asli in the district of Bera, Pahang, Malaysia. Methods: Orang Asli’s oral health beliefs and perceptions of oral healthcare service were ascertained through four FGDs. Nineteen participants from Bera’s semi-urban and rural Orang Asli communities were convened. Emerging themes from the qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Orang Asli believed that oral health is essential for an individual’s function and aesthetics. They are also aware that inadequate oral hygiene care will result in tooth decay and gum disease. Most of the Orang Asli that chewed betel nuts believed that limestone paste could cause oral cancer. The main barriers to Orang Asli accessing oral healthcare services were time constraints and distance to the nearby clinic. Conclusion: The Orang Asli believed oral health care is essential in ensuring a healthy oral condition. Despite their generational belief towards traditional healers and medication, Orang Asli in Bera had a perceived positive acceptance towards oral healthcare services.

Cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CLP) and cleft palate only (CP) are the most common orofacial deformities observed in humans where almost 1 in 700 to 1 in 2,000 babies born each year are affected worldwide. This condition occurs when the specific and independently derived facial primordial fails to fuse together, hence forming the cleft of the lip and palate or the palate alone. These orofacial abnormalities can be divided into syndromic and non-syndromic where the deformities are either associated with other disorders or present on their own, respectively. It is important to understand every step in the lip and palate development during the embryonic stage to pinpoint the exact problem affecting the normal development of the human face. With current technologies, more genes are identified to be associated with and cause CLP and CP in humans. Therefore, this review aims to elaborate on the latest updates on the genetics of CLP and CP. Polymorphism in some of the genes has been associated with the incidence of these anomalies. Identification of these genes provides new knowledge on how these craniofacial abnormalities occur and hopefully will enable earlier treatment of these deformities to be implemented.

Aims: In this study, three putative factors that commonly contribute to antibacterial properties in honey were determined, namely acidity (pH level), peroxide compounds and non-peroxide compounds. Methodology and results: Honey samples were prepared based on the known factors of acidity, peroxide compounds,and non-peroxide compounds to identify factors that contribute to the antibacterial properties of the honey based on agar diffusion assay. Liquid chromatography quadropole time-of-flight mass spectrometry was employed to detect and quantify the presence of acidic, peroxide, and non-peroxide compounds in the honey samples. Acidity and non-peroxide compounds were identified as the significant factors contributing to the antibacterial properties of Kelulut, Tualang and Acacia honey. No peroxide compound was detected in this study across all honey samples. In Kelulut, the presence of the additional compounds (reptoside, platycogenic acid and kauranoic acid) may explain its higher antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus as compared to Tualang and Acacia honey based on the inhibition zones on the agar plates. Conclusion, significance and impact of study The presence of multiple antibacterial factors in honey is notably important as it gives an advantage of using honey compared to antibiotics in preventing the growth of a wide range of bacterial species with multiple modes of action.

Aims: The antibiofilm activity of endophytic fungus Nigrospora sphaerica CL-OP30 isolated from Swietenia macrophylla King was investigated. Methodology and results: The ability of the fungal endophytic crude extract to impede Streptococcus mutans biofilm formation was preliminarily screened with Congo red agar test. It was proven that S. mutans biofilm formation was hindered on the agar supplemented with the fungal endophytic crude extract. The antibiofilm activity of the fungal endophytic crude extract was evaluated using a microtiter plate method on both initially formed and preformed biofilm. Antibiofilm activity was recorded in a concentration-dependent pattern whereby higher concentrations reduced biofilm formation better than the lower concentrations of extract for both initially formed and preformed biofilm. The architecture of biofilm tested with fungal endophytic crude extract was also observed. Visualization under a light microscope and SEM revealed that the adherence of S. mutans biofilm treated with fungal endophytic crude extract was significantly reduced in both initially formed and preformed biofilm. In addition, observation under SEM showed that the matrices surrounding the bacterial cells were disintegrated and bacterial cells in biofilm completely lost their original shape. The overall data demonstrated that the ethyl acetate N. spaherica CL-OP30 crude extract showed good antibiofilm activity. Conclusion, significance and impact of study The antibiofilm study suggested the potential of N. sphaerica CL-OP30 crude extract against S. mutans biofilm by disrupting the biofilm formation, the disintegration of matrices surrounding the biofilm and responsible for the formation of irregular cell shape. This extract may have a promising potential to be developed as an antibiofilm agent.

Aims: The development of new antimicrobial agents towards multidrug-resistant bacteria is one of the most significant challenges facing the healthcare system today. The continuous increase of antimicrobial resistance rates worldwide is a significant threat to public health. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the antibacterial effect of filamentous macroalgae Cladophora sp. The sample was collected from an Algerian fountainhead of fresh water. A crude hydromethanolic extract (methanol-water) was tested against two standard Gram-negative bacteria: Escherichia coli ATCC25922 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC27853, and two standard Gram-positive bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923 and Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 2921. Methodology and results: The antibacterial effect of the hydromethanolic extract of Cladophora sp. was investigated using the well diffusion method to determine the inhibitory diameters and the dilution methods to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the bactericidal inhibitory concentration (MBC). The results indicated that the hydromethanolic extract of Cladophora sp. is more effective towards Gram-positive bacteria, with a significant effect on S. aureus ATCC 25923, where an inhibitory diameter of 35 mm was recorded. For the Gram-negative, E. coli ATCC25922 was more susceptible with inhibitory diameters of 46 mm, followed by P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853 with 28 mm. The MIC value of hydromethanolic extract of Cladophora sp. was 50 µg/mL for Gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus ATCC25923 and E. faecalis ATCC29212). However, it was 100 µg/mL for Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli ATCC25922 and P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853). The best bactericidal effect was observed with Gram-positive with an MBC of 100 µg/mL. The MBC for Gram-negative bacteria was 150 µg/mL. Conclusion, significance and impact of study The Cladophora sp. macroalgae represent a potential source of bioactive compounds, which could be used in the management and treatment of various microbial infections.