A polyphenol, pyrogallol changes the acidic pH of the digestive vacuole of Plasmodium falciparum

Pyrogallol has a capability of generating free radicals like other antimalarial drugs such as artemisinin, which is thought to inhibit the proton pump located in the membrane of the Plasmodium falciparum digestive vacuole, thus alkalinising this acidic organelle. This study aimed to determine pH changes of the malaria parasite’s digestive vacuole following treatment with pyrogallol. The antimalarial activity of this compound was evaluated by a malarial SYBR Green 1 fluorescence-based assay to determine the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50). Based on the IC50 value, different concentrations of pyrogallol were selected to ensure changes of the digestive vacuole pH were not due to parasite death. This was measured by flow cytometry after 4-hour pyrogallol treatment on the fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran-accumulated digestive vacuole of the mid-trophozoite stage parasites. Pyrogallol showed a moderate antimalarial activity with the IC50 of 2.84 ± 9.40 µM. The treatment of 1.42, 2.84 and 5.67 µM pyrogallol increased 2.9, 3.0 and 3.1 units of the digestive vacuole pH, respectively as compared with the untreated parasite (pH 5.6 ± 0.78). The proton pump, V-type H+-ATPase might be inhibited by pyrogallol, hence causing the digestive vacuole pH alteration, which is similar with the result shown by a standard V-type H+-ATPase inhibitor, concanamycin A. This study provides a fundamental understanding on the antimalarial activity and mechanism of action of pyrogallol that has a potential to be the antimalarial drug candidate.

Achievements and progress beyond the current global pandemic

Life Sciences, Medicine and Biomedicine was established in 2017 as an open access, multidisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal. The journal welcomes submissions in all areas of life sciences, medicine and biomedicine with a selection of relevant biological sciences on a case by case basis. It is expected that the wide scope of the journal will promote multidisciplinary collaboration and attract research papers from diverse scientific settings. To put things into perspective, the first issue was published at the end of 2017, with four issues per year through 2018 and 2019 respectively. In 2020, the publication frequency was changed to a single issue annually, adopting to the continuous publication model practiced by many others. Manuscripts are processed for peer-review, and published as they are accepted throughout the year. This method has helped the editorial office to streamline the editorial process. Accepted articles are prepared for publication more robustly and in a timely manner. Based on this experience, the current model of continuous publication will be maintained. In addition to research and review articles, the journal also accepts submissions for mini reviews, opinion pieces and case reports. For the upcoming Volume 6 Issue 1 which will be accepting articles throughout 2022, the journal will be implementing a number of changes to the submission and editorial process. One area currently being improved is the mechanism to allow authors to submit manuscripts with very minimal formatting. Based on the feedback received from our authors, this will significantly reduce the time taken for new submissions to go through initial quality checks and approval, so that the peer-review process can commence as soon as possible. The new author’s guide will be updated and implemented in September 2021. Taking into account the global pandemic, the article processing charges for accepted manuscripts are waived throughout 2021. Further discussions are currently being held to provide financial assistance for future article processing charges for authors that may require them. Despite the challenging period the world is currently facing, the growth of the journal continues. The journal attributes this achievements to the scholarly contributions of the authors, reviewers and editors. During this similar period, the journal received successful approval for indexing with the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) and Scilit. It is also indexed in MyJurnal (Citation and Infometric Division of the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia). Editorial good practices will continue to be enhanced based on industry standards to ensure the journal attracts high quality scientific work. Preparation is also in progress for indexing with other major indexing organizations, which will assist authors and articles to reach a wider global audience. While the journal was initially established for the Malaysian scientific community, the current focus is for authorship and readership coverage to reach as widely as possible within the South East Asian and Asian regions. With this in mind, the expansion of the editorial board members now include experts from Malaysia, Philippines and Hong Kong. Additional editorial roles are currently being explored to complement the multidisciplinary scope of the journal, with plans for each field of research to spearhead its own section. For the journal to reach a wider global scientific community, the International Advisory Board consisting of experts from Singapore, UK, Japan, Bangladesh, China, Iraq, Philippines and Malaysia was recently established. The advisory board will provide feedback on current strategies and future direction for the international expansion of the journal, establishing good practices and will submit an annual assessment for continuous quality improvement. It is equally exciting to announce that the journal will publish a special issue this year for the Asian Conference on Biomedical Research and Laboratory Medicine 2021 organized by the Malaysian Association of Clinical Biochemist in collaboration with Malaysian Association of Biomedical Sciences and Association of Scientific Officers of the Ministry of Health, Malaysia from the 24-26 August 2021.

Achievements and progress beyond the current global pandemic

Life Sciences, Medicine and Biomedicine was established in 2017 as an open access, multidisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal. The journal welcomes submissions in all areas of life sciences, medicine and biomedicine with a selection of relevant biological sciences on a case by case basis. It is expected that the wide scope of the journal will promote multidisciplinary collaboration and attract research papers from diverse scientific settings. To put things into perspective, the first issue was published at the end of 2017, with four issues per year through 2018 and 2019 respectively. In 2020, the publication frequency was changed to a single issue annually, adopting to the continuous publication model practiced by many others. Manuscripts are processed for peer-review, and published as they are accepted throughout the year. This method has helped the editorial office to streamline the editorial process. Accepted articles are prepared for publication more robustly and in a timely manner. Based on this experience, the current model of continuous publication will be maintained. In addition to research and review articles, the journal also accepts submissions for mini reviews, opinion pieces and case reports For the upcoming Volume 6 Issue 11 which will be accepting articles throughout 2022, the journal will be implementing a number of changes to the submission and editorial process. One area currently being improved is the mechanism to allow authors to submit manuscripts with very minimal formatting. Based on the feedback received from our authors, this will significantly reduce the time taken for new submissions to go through initial quality checks and approval, so that the peer-review process can commence as soon as possible. The new author’s guide will be updated and implemented in September 2021. Taking into account the global pandemic, the article processing charges for accepted manuscripts are waived throughout 2021. Further discussions are currently being held to provide financial assistance for future article processing charges for authors that may require them. Despite the challenging period the world is currently facing, the growth of the journal continues. The journal attributes this achievements to the scholarly contributions of the authors, reviewers and editors. During this similar period, the journal received successful approval for indexing with the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) and Scilit. It is also indexed in MyJurnal (Citation and Infometric Division of the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia). Editorial good practices will continue to be enhanced based on industry standards to ensure the journal attracts high quality scientific work. Preparation is also in progress for indexing with other major indexing organizations, which will assist authors and articles to reach a wider global audience. The journal’s current focus is for authorship and readership coverage to reach as widely as possible within the South East Asian and Asian regions. With this in mind, the expansion of the editorial board members now include experts from Malaysia, Philippines and Hong Kong. Additional editorial roles are currently being explored to complement the multidisciplinary scope of the journal, with plans for each field of research to spearhead its own section. In line with this, the International Advisory Board consisting of experts from Singapore, UK, Japan, Bangladesh, China, Iraq, Philippines and Malaysia was recently established. The advisory board will provide feedback on current strategies and future direction of the journal, establishing good practices and will submit an annual assessment for continuous quality improvement. It is equally exciting to announce that the journal will publish a special issue this year for the Asian Conference on Biomedical Research and Laboratory Medicine 2021 organized by the Malaysian Association of Clinical Biochemist in collaboration with Malaysian Association of Biomedical Sciences and Association of Scientific Officers of the Ministry of Health, Malaysia from the 24-26 August 2021.

Optimization of Claudin-5 and ICAM-1 protein detection by using capillary-based immunoassay method in human brain endothelial cells

Background: Human brain endothelial cells (HBECs) are part of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). BBB acts as a barrier to control the passage of molecules or materials from the blood into the brain. Identification of specific proteins changes in their expressions that are related to disease state is important in order to understand the disease mechanism involving brain vasculature. To achieve that, the techniques involve in identifying the proteins of interest must be optimized prior to further investigation. Methodology: In this study, identification of Claudin-5 in HBEC lysates was tested using different sample preparation techniques such as; 1) reducing with Dithiothreitol (DTT) and non-reducing conditions; 2) denaturing by heating at 95°C for 5 minutes or 70°C for 20 minutes and 3) protein loading at 3 and 4 µg. The samples were then subjected to an automated capillary-based immunoassay, Jess. Results and Discussion: The results showed that HBEC samples loaded at 4 µg and heated for 5 minutes at 95°C with DTT produced clearer and intense bands for Claudin-5 identification compared to the other set ups. As reducing condition and denaturing by heated at 95°C for 5 minutes conditions demonstrated good results, the conditions were used to identify ICAM-1 expression at different protein loading (3 and 4 µg). The result demonstrated that HBEC samples heated for 5 minutes at 95°C with DTT and loaded at 4 µg produced a good detection for ICAM-1. Conclusion: These optimized conditions could be served as a standard procedure for further identification of Claudin-5 and ICAM-1 proteins in HBEC using a capillary immunoassay instrument.

Optimization of Claudin-5 and ICAM-1 protein detection by using capillary-based immunoassay method in human brain endothelial cells

Background: Human brain endothelial cells (HBECs) are part of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). BBB acts as a barrier to control the passage of molecules or materials from the blood into the brain. Identification of specific proteins changes in their expressions that are related to disease state is important in order to understand the disease mechanism involving brain vasculature. To achieve that, the techniques involve in identifying the proteins of interest must be optimized prior to further investigation. Methodology: In this study, identification of Claudin-5 in HBEC lysates was tested using different sample preparation techniques such as; 1) reducing with Dithiothreitol (DTT) and non-reducing conditions; 2) denaturing by heating at 95°C for 5 minutes or 70°C for 20 minutes and 3) protein loading at 3 and 4 µg. The samples were then subjected to an automated capillary-based immunoassay, Jess. Results and Discussion: The results showed that HBEC samples loaded at 4 µg and heated for 5 minutes at 95°C with DTT produced clearer and intense bands for Claudin-5 identification compared to the other set ups. As reducing condition and denaturing by heated at 95°C for 5 minutes conditions demonstrated good results, the conditions were used to identify ICAM-1 expression at different protein loading (3 and 4 µg). The result demonstrated that HBEC samples heated for 5 minutes at 95°C with DTT and loaded at 4 µg produced a good detection for ICAM-1. Conclusion: These optimized conditions could be served as a standard procedure for further identification of Claudin-5 and ICAM-1 proteins in HBEC using a capillary immunoassay instrument.

Knowledge, attitude and practice towards salt intake and health among non-academic staff of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia: A pilot study

Background: Over the years, global salt intake has increased and has resulted in the escalation of cardiovascular diseases and hypertension. The lack of knowledge, as well as poor attitude and practice, are the main reasons that have led to high salt intake. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) towards salt intake and health among non-academic staff of the Faculty of Health Sciences (FSK), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted among the non-academic staff of the Faculty of Health Sciences (FSK), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). The respondents were recruited using stratified random sampling technique with an informed consent. A validated questionnaire to test the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) towards salt intake and health by the Ministry of Health Malaysia was converted into a Google form and the link was emailed to 118 participants. A total of 33 responses were obtained for evaluation. The significant values were set as P < 0.05. Results: It was observed that female participants had better attitudes towards salt intake and health compared to males (p = 0.044). Also, individuals with higher education levels had better attitudes towards salt intake and health, compared to those with lower education levels (p=0.009). However, knowledge and practice of salt intake and health bore no significant results when considering gender, education level and age. Discussion and Conclusion: Overall, this study has identified sociodemographic characteristics as contributing factors towards individuals’ attitude on salt intake and health. This may provide a crucial foundation in the development of cost-effective healthcare programs to widen knowledge, create awareness and promote a healthy lifestyle by reducing salt intake and further reduce the prevalence of non-communicable diseases.

Knowledge, attitude and practice towards salt intake and health among non-academic staff of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia: A pilot study

Background: Over the years, global salt intake has increased and has resulted in the escalation of cardiovascular diseases and hypertension. The lack of knowledge, as well as poor attitude and practice, are the main reasons that have led to high salt intake. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) towards salt intake and health among non-academic staff of the Faculty of Health Sciences (FSK), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted among the non-academic staff of the Faculty of Health Sciences (FSK), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). The respondents were recruited using stratified random sampling technique with an informed consent. A validated questionnaire to test the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) towards salt intake and health by the Ministry of Health Malaysia was converted into a Google form and the link was emailed to 118 participants. A total of 33 responses were obtained for evaluation. The significant values were set as P < 0.05. Results: It was observed that female participants had better attitudes towards salt intake and health compared to males (p = 0.044). Also, individuals with higher education levels had better attitudes towards salt intake and health, compared to those with lower education levels (p=0.009). However, knowledge and practice of salt intake and health bore no significant results when considering gender, education level and age. Discussion and Conclusion: Overall, this study has identified sociodemographic characteristics as contributing factors towards individuals’ attitude on salt intake and health. This may provide a crucial foundation in the development of cost-effective healthcare programs to widen knowledge, create awareness and promote a healthy lifestyle by reducing salt intake and further reduce the prevalence of non-communicable diseases.

Association between fruit and vegetable intake and body mass index of postgraduate students at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Background: The Malaysian Dietary Guidelines recommended that at least two servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables be consumed daily. However, is there a relationship between daily fruit and vegetable intake and body mass index (BMI)? The aim of this study was to identify the relationship between fruit and vegetable intake and BMI among postgraduate students in the health sciences. Methodogy: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. 44 postgraduate students from the 2019/2020 batch of health sciences took partn in this study. Respondents were asked to complete three parts of the questionnaire: socio-demographic data, anthropometric measurements, and self-administered questions. Results: The majority of respondents are female (n=44, 77.3%), and they are mainly Malay (n=22, 50.0%). The average BMI of all respondents is 23.76±4.83. This study found that majority of respondents did not meet the recommended daily fruit (n=31, 70.5%) and vegetable intake (n=23, 52.3%). Discussion: The study discovered a significant relationship (p<0.05) between age and daily vegetable intake. However, there was no significant relationship (p>0.05) between gender, age, BMI, waist circumference, and daily fruit intake. Moreover, neither daily fruit nor vegetable intake predicted changes in BMI. Conclusion: This study found that the consumption of fruits and vegetables among postgraduate students was unsatisfactory and lower than recommended guidelines.

Association between fruit and vegetable intake and body mass index of postgraduate students at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Background: The Malaysian Dietary Guidelines recommended that at least two servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables be consumed daily. However, is there a relationship between daily fruit and vegetable intake and body mass index (BMI)? The aim of this study was to identify the relationship between fruit and vegetable intake and BMI among postgraduate students in the health sciences. Methodogy: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. 44 postgraduate students from the 2019/2020 batch of health sciences took partn in this study. Respondents were asked to complete three parts of the questionnaire: socio-demographic data, anthropometric measurements, and self-administered questions. Results: The majority of respondents are female (n=44, 77.3%), and they are mainly Malay (n=22, 50.0%). The average BMI of all respondents is 23.76±4.83. This study found that majority of respondents did not meet the recommended daily fruit (n=31, 70.5%) and vegetable intake (n=23, 52.3%). Discussion: The study discovered a significant relationship (p<0.05) between age and daily vegetable intake. However, there was no significant relationship (p>0.05) between gender, age, BMI, waist circumference, and daily fruit intake. Moreover, neither daily fruit nor vegetable intake predicted changes in BMI. Conclusion: This study found that the consumption of fruits and vegetables among postgraduate students was unsatisfactory and lower than recommended guidelines.

Cardiac and coronary artery study on sudden death cases in Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz

Background: Sudden death (SD) is defined as an unexpected natural death within an hour onset of symptoms or unwitnessed death that occurs within 24 hours, which accounts for most cardiovascular deaths in Malaysia. This study aimed to evaluate the extent of histopathological changes in the heart and to study the demographic trend in SD cases in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Methods: Specimens from all SD cases were received from 2017 to 2018 by the Forensic Unit, Hospital Canselor Tuanku Mukhriz (HCTM) were studied. The specimens were the left ventricular myocardium and left anterior descending artery (LAD), which were fixed in 10% formalin with haematoxylin and eosin staining. The tissues were graded histologically based on changes such as arterial occlusion, myocardial infarction, and/or thrombus formation. Results: Out of 545 medicolegal deaths, only 25 cases (4.6%) had samples available for analysis. Among these 25 patients, 24 (96%) were male patients and only one (4%) was a female patient. The available samples were from patients aged between 30 to 79 years old. In terms of ethinicity, Malays (40%) were the most numerous, followed by patients of Chinese and Indian ethnicities.The majority of the SD cases had a body mass index (BMI) that ranged between underweight (56%) and obese (40%). Besides, there were 10 (40%) cases of coronary artery with atheroma and 15 (60%) cases of myocardial infarction. The most common presentation of atherosclerosis was grade III and IV, and acute MI was the most common presentation at death, followed by healed infarcts and old infarcts. Discussion and Conclusion: Our findings reflect worsening risk factor levels in cardiovascular diseases, compounded by demographic trends. Further studies on biomarkers specific for cardiac diseases are warranted to understand imminent sudden cardiac death.