Rapid Ultrasound-Assisted Starch Extraction from Sago Pith Waste (SPW) for the Fabrication of Sustainable Bioplastic Film.

The present study was conducted to optimize the extraction yield of starch from sago (Metroxylon sagu) pith waste (SPW) with the assistance of ultrasound ensued by the transformation of extracted starch into a higher value-added bioplastic film. Sago starch with extraction yield of 71.4% was successfully obtained using the ultrasound-assisted extraction, with the following conditions: particle size <250 µm, solid loading of 10 wt.%, ultrasonic amplitude of 70% and duty cycle of 83% in 5 min. The rapid ultrasound approach was proven to be more effective than the conventional extraction with 60.9% extraction yield in 30 min. Ultrasound-extracted starch was found to exhibit higher starch purity than the control starch as indicated by the presence of lower protein and ash contents. The starch granules were found to have irregular and disrupted surfaces after ultrasonication. The disrupted starch granules reduced the particle size and increased the swelling power of starch which was beneficial in producing a film-forming solution. The ultrasound-extracted sago starch was subsequently used to prepare a bioplastic film via solution casting method. A brownish bioplastic film with tensile strength of 0.9 ± 0.1 MPa, Young's modulus of 22 ± 0.8 MPa, elongation at break of 13.6 ± 2.0% and water vapour permeability (WVP) of 1.11 ± 0.1 × 10-8 g m-1 s-1 Pa-1 was obtained, suggesting its feasibility as bioplastic material. These findings provide a means of utilization for SPW which is in line with the contemporary trend towards greener and sustainable products and processes

Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma in Pregnancy: A Case Report and Literature Review on Maternal and Neonatal Outcome of Delayed Surgery Post-Partum

Abstract Thyroid malignancy poses a challenge especially when diagnosed during pregnancy. Although in papillary thyroid carcinoma, surgery can be safely delayed until the post-partum period, in medullary thyroid carcinoma, there is more urgency to treat. Here, we present a case of a 31-year-old female was diagnosed with medullary thyroid carcinoma during her third trimester. Diagnosis was made by aspiration cytology. Due to the patient’s condition, a CT scan was contraindicated and thus we were unable to make a complete assessment. A decision was made that the surgery was done after delivery, and when a complete assessment can be done. The surgery was successful and there were no complications both for the patient and her baby. In patients whom diagnosis of medullary thyroid carcinoma is made during the third trimester, it appears to be safe for mother and baby that surgery is done during the postpartum period. Keywords: Medullary thyroid carcinoma, MTC, thyroid carcinoma in pregnancy, MTC in pregnanc

Clinical and physiological effects of transcranial electrical stimulation position on motor evoked potentials in scoliosis surgery

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>During intraoperative monitoring for scoliosis surgery, we have previously elicited ipsilateral and contralateral motor evoked potentials (MEP) with cross scalp stimulation. Ipsilateral MEPs, which may have comprised summation of early ipsilaterally conducted components and transcallosally or deep white matter stimulated components, can show larger amplitudes than those derived purely from contralateral motor cortex stimulation. We tested this hypothesis using two stimulating positions. We compared intraoperative MEPs in 14 neurologically normal subjects undergoing scoliosis surgery using total intravenous anesthetic regimens.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Trancranial electrical stimulation was applied with both cross scalp (C3C4 or C4C3) or midline (C3Cz or C4Cz) positions. The latter was assumed to be more focal and result in little transcallosal/deep white matter stimulation. A train of 5 square wave stimuli 0.5 ms in duration at up to 200 mA was delivered with 4 ms (250 Hz) interstimulus intervals. Averaged supramaximal MEPs were obtained from the tibialis anterior bilaterally.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The cross scalp stimulating position resulted in supramaximal MEPs that were of significantly higher amplitude, shorter latency and required lower stimulating intensity to elicit overall (Wilcoxon Signed Rank test, p < 0.05 for all), as compared to the midline stimulating position. However, no significant differences were found for all 3 parameters comparing ipsilaterally and contralaterally recorded MEPs (p > 0.05 for all), seen for both stimulating positions individually.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our findings suggest that cross scalp stimulation resulted in MEPs obtained ipsilaterally and contralaterally which may be contributed to by summation of ipsilateral and simultaneous transcallosally or deep white matter conducted stimulation of the opposite motor cortex. Use of this stimulating position is advocated to elicit MEPs under operative circumstances where anesthetic agents may cause suppression of cortical and spinal excitability. Although less focal in nature, cross scalp stimulation would be most suitable for infratentorial or spinal surgery, in contrast to supratentorial neurosurgical procedures.</p

Flexible inhibitory control of visually evoked defensive behavior by the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus

Animals can choose to act upon, or to ignore, sensory stimuli, depending on circumstance and prior knowledge. This flexibility is thought to depend on neural inhibition, through suppression of inappropriate and disinhibition of appropriate actions. Here, we identified the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus (vLGN), an inhibitory prethalamic area, as a critical node for control of visually evoked defensive responses in mice. The activity of vLGN projections to the medial superior colliculus (mSC) is modulated by previous experience of threatening stimuli, tracks the perceived threat level in the environment, and is low prior to escape from a visual threat. Optogenetic stimulation of the vLGN abolishes escape responses, and suppressing its activity lowers the threshold for escape and increases risk-avoidance behavior. The vLGN most strongly affects visual threat responses, potentially via modality-specific inhibition of mSC circuits. Thus, inhibitory vLGN circuits control defensive behavior, depending on an animal’s prior experience and its anticipation of danger in the environment

Gold nanoparticles improve metabolic profile of mice fed a high-fat diet

© 2018 The Author(s). Background: Obesity is a high risk for multiple metabolic disorders due to excessive influx of energy, glucose and lipid, often from a western based diet. Low-grade inflammation plays a key role in the progression of such metabolic disorders. The anti-inflammatory property of gold compounds has been used in treating rheumatoid arthritis in the clinic. Previously we found that pure gold nanoparticles (AuNPs, 21 nm) also possess anti-inflammatory effects on the retroperitoneal fat tissue following intraperitoneal injection, by downregulating tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α. However, whether such an effect can change the risk of metabolic disorders in the obese has not been well studied. The study employed C57BL/6 mice fed a pellet high fat diet (HFD, 43% as fat) that were treated daily with AuNPs [low (HFD-LAu) or high (HFD-HAu) dose] via intraperitoneal injection for 9 weeks. In the in vitro study, RAW264.7 macrophages and 3T3-L1 adipocytes were cultured with low and high concentrations of AuNPs alone or together. Results: The HFD-fed mice showed a significant increase in fat mass, glucose intolerance, dyslipidemia, and liver steatosis. The HFD-LAu group showed an 8% reduction in body weight, ameliorated hyperlipidemia, and normal glucose tolerance; while the HFD-HAu group had a 5% reduction in body weight with significant improvement in their glucose intolerance and hyperlipidemia. The underlying mechanism may be attributed to a reduction in adipose and hepatic local proinflammatory cytokine production, e.g. TNFα. In vitro studies of co-cultured murine RAW264.7 macrophage and 3T3-L1 adipocytes supported this proposed mechanism. Conclusion: AuNPs demonstrate a promising profile for potential management of obesity related glucose and lipid disorders and are useful as a research tool for the study of biological mechanisms

Temperature-controlled transformation in fiber types of fluid-filled photonic crystal fibers and applications

Author name used in this publication: Yeuk Lai Hoo2009-2010 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

Improved bending property of half-filled photonic crystal fiber

Author name used in this publication: Yeuk Lai Hoo2009-2010 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

Spinal Stenosis Presenting with Scrotal and Perianal Claudication

A 63-year-old gentleman presented with a one-year duration of progressive neurogenic claudication. However, unlike most patients who presents with leg symptoms, his pain was felt in his scrotal and perianal region. This was exacerbated with walking and standing, but he had immediate relief with sitting. An magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed which showed severe central canal stenosis. An L3/4 and L4/5 surgical decompression and a transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion was performed, and the patient made good recovery with immediate resolution of symptoms. Although rare, spinal stenosis should be considered a differential when approaching a patient with perianal and scrotal claudication, even in the absence of leg claudication. An MRI is useful to confirm the diagnosis. This rare symptom may be a sign of severe cauda equina compression and we recommend decompression with predictable good results

The clinical impact of chromosomal microarray on paediatric care in Hong Kong

Objective To evaluate the clinical impact of chromosomal microarray (CMA) on the management of paediatric patients in Hong Kong. Methods We performed NimbleGen 135k oligonucleotide array on 327 children with intellectual disability (ID)/developmental delay (DD), autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and/or multiple congenital anomalies (MCAs) in a university-affiliated paediatric unit from January 2011 to May 2013. The medical records of patients were reviewed in September 2013, focusing on the pathogenic/likely pathogenic CMA findings and their “clinical actionability” based on established criteria. Results Thirty-seven patients were reported to have pathogenic/likely pathogenic results, while 40 had findings of unknown significance. This gives a detection rate of 11% for clinically significant (pathogenic/likely pathogenic) findings. The significant findings have prompted clinical actions in 28 out of 37 patients (75.7%), while the findings with unknown significance have led to further management recommendation in only 1 patient (p<0.001). Nineteen out of the 28 management recommendations are “evidence-based” on either practice guidelines endorsed by a professional society (n = 9, Level 1) or peer-reviewed publications making medical management recommendation (n = 10, Level 2). CMA results impact medical management by precipitating referral to a specialist (n = 24); diagnostic testing (n = 25), surveillance of complications (n = 19), interventional procedure (n = 7), medication (n = 15) or lifestyle modification (n = 12). Conclusion The application of CMA in children with ID/DD, ASD, and/or MCAs in Hong Kong results in a diagnostic yield of ∼11% for pathogenic/likely pathogenic results. Importantly the yield for clinically actionable results is 8.6%. We advocate using diagnostic yield of clinically actionable results to evaluate CMA as it provides information of both clinical validity and clinical utility. Furthermore, it incorporates evidence-based medicine into the practice of genomic medicine. The same framework can be applied to other genomic testing strategies enabled by next-generation sequencing.published_or_final_versio

A multi‐ethnic analysis of immune‐related gene expression signatures in patients with ovarian clear cell carcinoma

10.1002/path.5769The Journal of Patholog