Information seeking behaviour and international students: The role of social media in addressing challenges while abroad

Social media are now becoming necessary tools for researchers, teachers and students in seeking for information. Past research conducted on information seeking behaviour highlighted the challenges of the international students and how they used social media to overcome their challenges while being abroad in new culture and unfamiliar surroundings.In order to understand how international students cope with the various challenges that they are facing, a systematic literature review (SLR) study on their information seeking behavior using social media was conducted. Results show that international students actively use social media to seek for information.Their interactions with (i) online contents, (ii) fellow international students, (iii) local students, and (iv) the local community have benefited them in overcoming their struggles.This research contributes in enriching our understanding on the types of information sought by international students in the respective host country, the role of social media in supporting information seeking process and how best universities could provide the necessary support

Novel Endodontic Disinfection Approach Using Nanotechnology

The aim of this in vitro investigation was to use a recently developed Enterococcus faecalis infection model using root canal for evaluating iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles (NP) with biomimetic (catalytic) properties as a new antimicrobial endodontic treatment. We compared iron oxide NP bioactivity with currently used chemical modalities using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) as analytical tools. We hypothesized that iron oxide NP with enzyme-­like (peroxidase) activity catalyzes H2O2 to promote bacterial killing within dentinal tubules (DT) via in situ production of free radicals. We further hypothesized that the NP is more effective than the conventional treatments (irrigants) used in the clinical endodontic practice. Because iron oxides can be used as food additives, and iron oxide NP formulations are low-­cost and FDA-­approved for human use, it could be a safe and feasible approach to potentiate the effects of a commonly used antiseptic

The contributing factor to underemployment among business graduates UiTM Melaka Campus / Noorashikin Mohd Idris and Siti Sarah Nur Aiman Abdullah Bukhari

The purpose of this study was to determine the significance factors that influence underemployment among business graduates in UiTM Melaka Campus. The variables consist of demand and supply of labor market, marketability of degree, societal factor and job satisfaction that are stated as independent variables for this study and the dependent variable is underemployment. The finding showed that demand and supply of labor market, marketability of degree and job satisfaction have a significant influence to on underemployment among business graduates in UiTM Melaka Campus while societal factor showed no significant relationship to underemployment. This study refers to primary data that was used to support the sampling technique. Meanwhile, the researcher used questionnaire as the method to collect all the data from sample respondents in order to achieve the research objectives. While the data for this study was analysed using multiple statistical procedures: mean point value, standard deviation, and correlation analysis. The result of the study presented in this research agrees that demand and supply of labor market, marketability of degree and job satisfaction influenced underemployment among graduates. This study can be seen as a foreword to a more detailed study to be carried out by future research on the issue of underemployment among graduates in Malaysia

A legal study on the rights of the prisoners in Malaysia with special reference to the right of prisoners to complaint and grievances, living in adequate prison condition, medical treatment, conjugal visits, and voting / Bazlilah Mohd Bukhari … [et al.]

This is a research project conducted to determine the rationality of the right given to the prisoners in respect of medical treatment, right to conjugal visits, right to vote and to complaint and the prison condition itself. Basically, even the prisoners are the one who had been detained as a punishment for their wrongful conduct or an offence that they had done, the right of the prisoners are not explicitly taken away by the fact of imprisonment. Even though their freedom of movement is curtailed, they are still subjected to the protection of rights same as one who is not being detained. In Malaysia, it has been enumerated in Part II of the Federal Constitution, which stated that no person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty saves in accordance with law. These provisions are applicable to the prisoners too because a prisoner remains a 'person' in the prison. There was Article 5 of the Federal Constitution that laid down the protection towards personal liberty and Article 8 that outline that all people are subjected to equality before the law and being treated equally. Besides that, there are Prisons Act 1995 and Prison Regulations 2000 to govern the right of the prisoners. However, all this above provision does not provide absolute protection to the prisoners, as there are still subject to certain denial and restrictions being imposed by the government on the reason of ineligibility and unqualified. They are often argued that the prisoners are put in an unusual legal position where some of their right had been denied. The prisoner's right and the extent to which they are able to contact and engaged with the outside world are defined and limited by a mass of rules and regulations. Many things are taken for granted outside are privileges which have to be fought by a prisoners. Every country is urged to take an action as rule of law is to mean anything. Therefore, it has to mean that the prison system is no less answerable to the courts than any other limb of the state, but both for how it serves and protects the prisoner's right

Recent Progress in Lipid Nanoparticles for Cancer Theranostics: Opportunity and Challenges

Cancer is one of the major leading causes of mortality in the world. The implication of nanotherapeutics in cancer has garnered splendid attention owing to their capability to efficiently address various difficulties associated with conventional drug delivery systems such as non-specific biodistribution, poor efficacy, and the possibility of occurrence of multi-drug resistance. Amongst a plethora of nanocarriers for drugs, this review emphasized lipidic nanocarrier systems for delivering anticancer therapeutics because of their biocompatibility, safety, high drug loading and capability to simultaneously carrying imaging agent and ligands as well. Furthermore, to date, the lack of interaction between diagnosis and treatment has hampered the efforts of the nanotherapeutic approach alone to deal with cancer effectively. Therefore, a novel paradigm with concomitant imaging (with contrasting agents), targeting (with biomarkers), and anticancer agent being delivered in one lipidic nanocarrier system (as cancer theranostics) seems to be very promising in overcoming various hurdles in effective cancer treatment. The major obstacles that are supposed to be addressed by employing lipidic theranostic nanomedicine include nanomedicine reach to tumor cells, drug internalization in cancer cells for therapeutic intervention, off-site drug distribution, and uptake via the host immune system. A comprehensive account of recent research updates in the field of lipidic nanocarrier loaded with therapeutic and diagnostic agents is covered in the present article. Nevertheless, there are notable hurdles in the clinical translation of the lipidic theranostic nanomedicines, which are also highlighted in the present review along with plausible countermeasures.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Novel Normalization Standard using Fluorescence

The Biotec_Dresden Team 2010 developed an approach where two fluorescent proteins are simultaneously expressed. The fact that one reporter, in our case RFP, is constitutively expressed allows to monitor cell growth. Secondly, an inducible promoter drives the expression of the second reporter, YFP in the case of the part tested. The constitutively expressed reporter protein (R1) serves as normalization factor for the inducible reporter (R2) by simple division

Basic science232. Certolizumab pegol prevents pro-inflammatory alterations in endothelial cell function

Background: Cardiovascular disease is a major comorbidity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and a leading cause of death. Chronic systemic inflammation involving tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF) could contribute to endothelial activation and atherogenesis. A number of anti-TNF therapies are in current use for the treatment of RA, including certolizumab pegol (CZP), (Cimzia ®; UCB, Belgium). Anti-TNF therapy has been associated with reduced clinical cardiovascular disease risk and ameliorated vascular function in RA patients. However, the specific effects of TNF inhibitors on endothelial cell function are largely unknown. Our aim was to investigate the mechanisms underpinning CZP effects on TNF-activated human endothelial cells. Methods: Human aortic endothelial cells (HAoECs) were cultured in vitro and exposed to a) TNF alone, b) TNF plus CZP, or c) neither agent. Microarray analysis was used to examine the transcriptional profile of cells treated for 6 hrs and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysed gene expression at 1, 3, 6 and 24 hrs. NF-κB localization and IκB degradation were investigated using immunocytochemistry, high content analysis and western blotting. Flow cytometry was conducted to detect microparticle release from HAoECs. Results: Transcriptional profiling revealed that while TNF alone had strong effects on endothelial gene expression, TNF and CZP in combination produced a global gene expression pattern similar to untreated control. The two most highly up-regulated genes in response to TNF treatment were adhesion molecules E-selectin and VCAM-1 (q 0.2 compared to control; p > 0.05 compared to TNF alone). The NF-κB pathway was confirmed as a downstream target of TNF-induced HAoEC activation, via nuclear translocation of NF-κB and degradation of IκB, effects which were abolished by treatment with CZP. In addition, flow cytometry detected an increased production of endothelial microparticles in TNF-activated HAoECs, which was prevented by treatment with CZP. Conclusions: We have found at a cellular level that a clinically available TNF inhibitor, CZP reduces the expression of adhesion molecule expression, and prevents TNF-induced activation of the NF-κB pathway. Furthermore, CZP prevents the production of microparticles by activated endothelial cells. This could be central to the prevention of inflammatory environments underlying these conditions and measurement of microparticles has potential as a novel prognostic marker for future cardiovascular events in this patient group. Disclosure statement: Y.A. received a research grant from UCB. I.B. received a research grant from UCB. S.H. received a research grant from UCB. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interes

Case Reports1. A Late Presentation of Loeys-Dietz Syndrome: Beware of TGFβ Receptor Mutations in Benign Joint Hypermobility

Background: Thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA) and dissections are not uncommon causes of sudden death in young adults. Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS) is a rare, recently described, autosomal dominant, connective tissue disease characterized by aggressive arterial aneurysms, resulting from mutations in the transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) receptor genes TGFBR1 and TGFBR2. Mean age at death is 26.1 years, most often due to aortic dissection. We report an unusually late presentation of LDS, diagnosed following elective surgery in a female with a long history of joint hypermobility. Methods: A 51-year-old Caucasian lady complained of chest pain and headache following a dural leak from spinal anaesthesia for an elective ankle arthroscopy. CT scan and echocardiography demonstrated a dilated aortic root and significant aortic regurgitation. MRA demonstrated aortic tortuosity, an infrarenal aortic aneurysm and aneurysms in the left renal and right internal mammary arteries. She underwent aortic root repair and aortic valve replacement. She had a background of long-standing joint pains secondary to hypermobility, easy bruising, unusual fracture susceptibility and mild bronchiectasis. She had one healthy child age 32, after which she suffered a uterine prolapse. Examination revealed mild Marfanoid features. Uvula, skin and ophthalmological examination was normal. Results: Fibrillin-1 testing for Marfan syndrome (MFS) was negative. Detection of a c.1270G > C (p.Gly424Arg) TGFBR2 mutation confirmed the diagnosis of LDS. Losartan was started for vascular protection. Conclusions: LDS is a severe inherited vasculopathy that usually presents in childhood. It is characterized by aortic root dilatation and ascending aneurysms. There is a higher risk of aortic dissection compared with MFS. Clinical features overlap with MFS and Ehlers Danlos syndrome Type IV, but differentiating dysmorphogenic features include ocular hypertelorism, bifid uvula and cleft palate. Echocardiography and MRA or CT scanning from head to pelvis is recommended to establish the extent of vascular involvement. Management involves early surgical intervention, including early valve-sparing aortic root replacement, genetic counselling and close monitoring in pregnancy. Despite being caused by loss of function mutations in either TGFβ receptor, paradoxical activation of TGFβ signalling is seen, suggesting that TGFβ antagonism may confer disease modifying effects similar to those observed in MFS. TGFβ antagonism can be achieved with angiotensin antagonists, such as Losartan, which is able to delay aortic aneurysm development in preclinical models and in patients with MFS. Our case emphasizes the importance of timely recognition of vasculopathy syndromes in patients with hypermobility and the need for early surgical intervention. It also highlights their heterogeneity and the potential for late presentation. Disclosures: The authors have declared no conflicts of interes