International Consensus Statement on Rhinology and Allergy: Rhinosinusitis

Background: The 5 years since the publication of the first International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Rhinosinusitis (ICAR‐RS) has witnessed foundational progress in our understanding and treatment of rhinologic disease. These advances are reflected within the more than 40 new topics covered within the ICAR‐RS‐2021 as well as updates to the original 140 topics. This executive summary consolidates the evidence‐based findings of the document. Methods: ICAR‐RS presents over 180 topics in the forms of evidence‐based reviews with recommendations (EBRRs), evidence‐based reviews, and literature reviews. The highest grade structured recommendations of the EBRR sections are summarized in this executive summary. Results: ICAR‐RS‐2021 covers 22 topics regarding the medical management of RS, which are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Additionally, 4 topics regarding the surgical management of RS are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Finally, a comprehensive evidence‐based management algorithm is provided. Conclusion: This ICAR‐RS‐2021 executive summary provides a compilation of the evidence‐based recommendations for medical and surgical treatment of the most common forms of RS

Sikap belia dalam industri sawit di Malaysia: satu kajian keperluan

Industri kelapa sawit merupakan penyumbang utama kepada ekonomi Malaysia dan memerlukan tenaga buruh yang mantap. Wagaimanapun, perkembangan dewasa ini telah menyaksikan penggunaan buruh-buruh dari luar Malaysia dan sangat kurang gunatenaga tempatan. Bagi mengatasi masalah pengangguran dan kekurangan pekerjaan, kerajaan perlu melihat bagaimana penduduk tempatan boleh menyumbang kepada pengeluaran dan kelestarian industri ini dan tidak hanya bergantung kepada buruh asing. Salah satu caranya adalah dengan meningkatkan pengetahuan belia kepada industri kelapa sawit di Malaysia serta memberi galakan kepada mereka untuk menyertai latihan tenaga mahir dalam industri ini. Persepsi bahawa golongan belia di Malaysia tidak berminat untuk menyertai bidang kerja kelapa sawit memerlukan kajian terperinci untuk memastikan sikap dan pengetahuan sebenar mereka terhadap industri ini. Permasalahan ini menjadi asas kepada objektif kajian ini untuk mengenalpasti sikap belia Malaysia dalam menyertai industri kelapa sawit. Satu set soal selidik telah dibina berpandukan kerangka Pengetahuan, Sikap, dan Amalan (Knowledge, Sikap, and Practice) dan Teori Analisis Keperluan. Responden kajian terdiri daripada golongan belia di peringkat sekolah menengah yang akan mengikuti pengajian tertiari tidak lama lagi. Bagi mendapatkan gambaran tentang sikap belia berdasarkan pendedahan mereka terhadap industri ini, angkubah kawasan dijadikan asas pembandingan. Dua kawasan yang dipilih adalah kawasan bandar dan luar bandar yang diwakilit oleh empat buah sekolah. Dapatan kajian menunjukan bahawa pelajar dari luar bandar mempunyai sikap yang lebih positif terhadap industri kelapa sawit berbanding dengan pelajar dari kawasan bandar. Dapatan kajian dapat membantu pihak MPOB merancang strategi untuk meningkatkan penglibatan pekerja tempatan dalam industri ini

Preparation and characterization of 6-mercaptopurine-coated magnetite nanoparticles as a drug delivery system

Dena Dorniani,1 Mohd Zobir bin Hussein,1 Aminu Umar Kura,2 Sharida Fakurazi,2 Abdul Halim Shaari,3 Zalinah Ahmad4 1Materials Synthesis and Characterization Laboratory, Institute of Advanced Technology, 2Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics Laboratory, 3Physics Department, Faculty of Science, 4Chemical Pathology Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia Background: Iron oxide nanoparticles are of considerable interest because of their use in magnetic recording tape, ferrofluid, magnetic resonance imaging, drug delivery, and treatment of cancer. The specific morphology of nanoparticles confers an ability to load, carry, and release different types of drugs. Methods and results: We synthesized superparamagnetic nanoparticles containing pure iron oxide with a cubic inverse spinal structure. Fourier transform infrared spectra confirmed that these Fe3O4 nanoparticles could be successfully coated with active drug, and thermogravimetric and differential thermogravimetric analyses showed that the thermal stability of iron oxide nanoparticles coated with chitosan and 6-mercaptopurine (FCMP) was markedly enhanced. The synthesized Fe3O4 nanoparticles and the FCMP nanocomposite were generally spherical, with an average diameter of 9 nm and 19 nm, respectively. The release of 6-mercaptopurine from the FCMP nanocomposite was found to be sustained and governed by pseudo-second order kinetics. In order to improve drug loading and release behavior, we prepared a novel nanocomposite (FCMP-D), ie, Fe3O4 nanoparticles containing the same amounts of chitosan and 6-mercaptopurine but using a different solvent for the drug. The results for FCMP-D did not demonstrate “burst release” and the maximum percentage release of 6-mercaptopurine from the FCMP-D nanocomposite reached about 97.7% and 55.4% within approximately 2,500 and 6,300 minutes when exposed to pH 4.8 and pH 7.4 solutions, respectively. By MTT assay, the FCMP nanocomposite was shown not to be toxic to a normal mouse fibroblast cell line. Conclusion: Iron oxide coated with chitosan containing 6-mercaptopurine prepared using a coprecipitation method has the potential to be used as a controlled-release formulation. These nanoparticles may serve as an alternative drug delivery system for the treatment of cancer, with the added advantage of sparing healthy surrounding cells and tissue. Keywords: superparamagnetic nanoparticles, 6-mercaptopurine, controlled release, cytotoxicity, drug deliver

Preparation of Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles coated with gallic acid for drug delivery

Dena Dorniani,1 Mohd Zobir Bin Hussein,1,2 Aminu Umar Kura,3 Sharida Fakurazi,3 Abdul Halim Shaari,4 Zalinah Ahmad51Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, 2Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology Laboratory, Institute of Advanced Technology, 3Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics Laboratory, 4Physics Department, Faculty of Science, 5Chemical Pathology Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, MalaysiaBackground and methods: Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles were prepared using a sonochemical method under atmospheric conditions at a Fe2+ to Fe3+ molar ratio of 1:2. The iron oxide nanoparticles were subsequently coated with chitosan and gallic acid to produce a core-shell structure.Results: X-ray diffraction demonstrated that the magnetic nanoparticles were pure Fe3O4 with a cubic inverse spinel structure. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the Fe3O4 nanoparticles were of spherical shape with a mean diameter of 11 nm, compared with 13 nm for the iron oxide-chitosan-gallic acid (FCG) nanocarriers.Conclusion: The magnetic nanocarrier enhanced the thermal stability of the drug, gallic acid. Release of the active drug from the FCG nanocarrier was found to occur in a controlled manner. The gallic acid and FCG nanoparticles were not toxic in a normal human fibroblast (3T3) line, and anticancer activity was higher in HT29 than MCF7 cell lines.Keywords: magnetic nanoparticles, chitosan, superparamagnetic, controlled-release, gallic acid, drug deliver

Down-top nanofabrication of binary (CdO)x (ZnO)1-x nanoparticles and their antibacterial activity

Naif Mohammed Al-Hada,1 Halimah Mohamed Kamari,1 Che Azurahanim Che Abdullah,1 Elias Saion,1 Abdul H Shaari,1 Zainal Abidin Talib,1 Khamirul Amin Matori1,2 1Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, 2Materials Synthesis and Characterization Laboratory (MSCL), Institute of Advanced Technology (ITMA), Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia Abstract: In the present study, binary oxide (cadmium oxide [CdO])x (zinc oxide [ZnO])1–x nanoparticles (NPs) at different concentrations of precursor in calcination temperature were prepared using thermal treatment technique. Cadmium and zinc nitrates (source of cadmium and zinc) with polyvinylpyrrolidone (capping agent) have been used to prepare (CdO)x (ZnO)1–x NPs samples. The sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. XRD patterns analysis revealed that NPs were formed after calcination, which showed a cubic and hexagonal crystalline structure of (CdO)x (ZnO)1–x NPs. The phase analysis using EDX spectroscopy and FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the presence of Cd and Zn as the original compounds of prepared (CdO)x (ZnO)1–x NP samples. The average particle size of the samples increased from 14 to 33 nm as the concentration of precursor increased from x=0.20 to x=0.80, as observed by TEM results. The surface composition and valance state of the prepared product NPs were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses. Diffuse UV–visible reflectance spectra were used to determine the optical band gap through the Kubelka–Munk equation; the energy band gap was found to decrease for CdO from 2.92 to 2.82 eV and for ZnO from 3.22 to 3.11 eV with increasing x value. Additionally, photoluminescence (PL) spectra revealed that the intensity in PL increased with an increase in particle size. In addition, the antibacterial activity of binary oxide NP was carried out in vitro against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 Gram (-ve), Salmonella choleraesuis ATCC 10708, and Bacillus subtilis UPMC 1175 Gram (+ve). This study indicated that the zone of inhibition of 21 mm has good antibacterial activity toward the Gram-positive B. subtilis UPMC 1175. Keywords: binary oxide (CdO)x (ZnO)1–x NPs, calcination technique, antibacterial activity&nbsp