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Dengue has become a global public health problem. Despite reactive efforts by the government in Malaysia, the dengue cases are on the increase. Adequate knowledge, positive attitude and correct practice for dengue control are essential to stamp out the disease. Hence, this study aims to assess the factors associated with dengue knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP), as well as the association with dengue IgM and IgG seropositivity. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in a closed, dengue endemic area with multi-storey dwellings . Five hundred individuals (aged 18 years and above) were approached for pre-tested KAP and seroprevalences assessment. The study showed only half of the total participants have good knowledge (50.7%) but they had insufficient knowledge about dengue during pregnancy. 53.2% of people had poor attitude and 50.2% reported poor practice for dengue control. Out of 85 respondents who agreed to participate in the dengue seroprevalence study, 74.1% (n = 63) were positive for dengue IgG and 7.1% (n = 6) were positive for dengue IgM. Among all sociodemographic variable, race is the only independent predicator for all KAP levels (P < 0.05). In conclusion, proactive and sustainable efforts are needed to bring a behavioural change among communities in order to fight dengue outbreaks in endemic areas.

Infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus (ISKNV) is an emerging viral pathogen with an expanding host range, posing a significant threat to economically important fish species. In this study, we isolated the ISKNV strain responsible for disease outbreaks in Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) and analyzed the transcriptomic profile of spleen tissues from experimentally infected fish. The phylogenetic analysis confirmed that the virus belongs to clade I of ISKNV. Next-generation sequencing identified differentially expressed genes, providing a comprehensive overview of the transcriptional landscape in the spleen of ISKNV-infected fish. The pathway analysis revealed complex host–virus interactions, impacting immune regulation, endocytosis, cell communication, cell cycle arrest, and programmed cell death. To further investigate these interactions, we analyzed relevant pathways in the Reactome database for Asian seabass, humans, and zebrafish, constructed a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network using STRING database, and identified hub genes using six different algorithms. This analysis revealed 69 key genes, including 41 hub genes and 28 key genes that connect different pathways or clusters within the PPI network. These findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms driving ISKNV infection in Asian seabass. Future research should focus on elucidating the regulatory functions of these key genes and their roles in ISKNV pathogenesis.

Okara (soybean residue) is a highly perishable food processing by-product from soymilk and tofu manufacture. It contains a large proportion of insoluble dietary fibre (40–60% on a dry basis), as well as digestion-resistant proteins, trypsin inhibitors and phytic acid. These factors contribute lead to the under-utilisation of okara. To improve the overall nutritional quality of okara, sequential saccharification of okara by Celluclast® 1.5L (cellulase) or Viscozyme® L (cellulase and hemicellulase) and fermentation by the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica were performed. The changes in the antioxidant capacity, amino acids, phenolic acids, isoflavones, phytic acid and dietary fibre during biotransformation were studied. Carbohydrase pre-treatment increased the amounts of monosaccharides, trans -cinnamic acid and aglycone isoflavones in okara. After fermentation, the okara had higher antioxidant activity and greater amounts of total amino acids and ferulic acid. Some positive interactions between the carbohydrase and Y. lipolytica were hypothesised: the carbohydrase and Y. lipolytica proteases could have synergised with each other to break down the okara secondary cell wall more efficiently. After 52 h, Celluclast® 1.5 L and Viscozyme® L significantly reduced the insoluble dietary fibre content from 61.9 ± 0.6 to 45.6 ± 3.0% and 24.7 ± 0.3%, respectively (all w / w , dry basis), while increasing the soluble dietary fibre content by about onefold. Both carbohydrases also increased the amounts of monosaccharides, trans-cinnamic acid, and aglycone isoflavones in okara. The addition of Y. lipolytica led to a higher antioxidant capacity and greater amounts of total amino acids and ferulic acid in okara. The overall improvements in the digestibility and potential health benefits of okara highlight the promising applicability of biotransformation in okara valorisation.

Specific forms of the lipid ceramide, synthesized by the ceramide synthase enzyme family, are believed to regulate metabolic physiology. Genetic mouse models have established C16 ceramide as a driver of insulin resistance in liver and adipose tissue. C18 ceramide, synthesized by ceramide synthase 1 (CerS1), is abundant in skeletal muscle and suggested to promote insulin resistance in humans. We herein describe the first isoform-specific ceramide synthase inhibitor, P053, which inhibits CerS1 with nanomolar potency. Lipidomic profiling shows that P053 is highly selective for CerS1. Daily P053 administration to mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) increases fatty acid oxidation in skeletal muscle and impedes increases in muscle triglycerides and adiposity, but does not protect against HFD-induced insulin resistance. Our inhibitor therefore allowed us to define a role for CerS1 as an endogenous inhibitor of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation in muscle and regulator of whole-body adiposity. Ceramides are signalling molecules that regulate several physiological functions including insulin sensitivity. Here the authors report a selective ceramide synthase 1 inhibitor that counteracts lipid accumulation within the muscle and adiposity by increasing fatty acid oxidation but without affecting insulin sensitivity in mice fed with an obesogenic diet.

PurposeThe rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and differing attitudes towards its adoption in the building and environment (B&E) industry has an impact upon whether companies can meet changing demand and remain relevant and competitive. The emergence of Industry 4.0 technologies, coupled with the repercussions of COVID-19, increases the urgency and opportunities offered that companies must react to, as disruptive technologies impact how project management (PM) professionals work and necessitate acquisition of new skills. This paper attempts to identify the drivers of and barriers to, as well as the general perception and receptiveness of local PM professionals towards, AI adoption in PM and thereby propose potential strategies and recommendations to drive AI adoption in PM.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs both quantitative and qualitative approaches to examine the findings gathered. A survey questionnaire was used as the primary method of gathering quantitative data from 60 local PM professionals. Statistical tests were performed to analyse the data. To substantiate and validate the findings, in-depth interviews with several experienced industry professionals were performed.FindingsIt is found that top drivers include support from top management and leadership, organisational readiness and the need for greater work productivity and efficiency. Top barriers were found to be the high cost of AI implementation and maintenance and the lack of top-down support and skilled employees trained in AI. These findings could be attributed to the present state of AI technologies being new and considerably underutilised in the industry. Hence, substantial top-down support with the right availability of resources and readiness, both in terms of cost and skilled employees, is paramount to kick-start AI implementation in PM.Originality/valueLittle research has been done on the use of AI in PM locally. AI's potential to improve the productivity and efficiency of PM processes in the B&E industry cannot be overlooked. An understanding of the drivers of, barriers to and attitudes towards AI adoption can facilitate more intentional and directed oversight of AI's strategic roll-out at both the governmental and corporate levels and thus mitigate potential challenges that may hinder the implementation process in the future.

Abstract The implementation of lockdown measures to curb the transmission of Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has brought about significant psychological impacts and older adults have been identified as one of the vulnerable groups. In the current COVID-19 context among older adults in the community, the fear of COVID-19, anxiety symptoms, compassion, resilience, and the practice of protective behaviors are possibly related to each other in several ways. How these factors relate to each other would have important implications in managing the spread of the disease and its mental health consequences. To this end, we modeled their interrelationships using a structural equation model. Older adults (N = 421), aged 60 and above completed various questionnaires—COVID-19 Fear Inventory, Short form of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory, COVID-19 Risky and Protective Behaviours, Resilience Appraisals Scale, and Compassion Scale during a COVID-19 lockdown. The relationships between these variables were assessed within a structural equation model. The findings showed that older adults who are more compassionate engage in protective behaviors more frequently. Additionally, frequent practice of protective behaviors and greater resilience predicted lower anxiety among older adults. Greater fear predicted higher anxiety levels but did not significantly influence an individual’s engagement in protective behaviors. Mental health services are crucial in fostering resilience and supporting older adults psychologically. Social services are also necessary in maintaining and enhancing social support for older adults. Importantly, these findings suggest that public health communications could promote compassion and avoid using a fear-based approach to increase engagement in protective behaviors. Older adults with greater compassion engaged in protective behaviours more frequently. Those who showed greater resilience and engagement in protective behaviours experienced less anxiety. Lay Summary This study focused on the interrelations between various psychosocial factors (i.e., fear of COVID-19, compassion, and resilience) and the behavioral (i.e., engagement in protective health behaviors) and psychological responses (i.e., anxiety) to COVID-19 among community-dwelling older adults. The study analyzed self-reported data from 421 older adults who are aged 60 and above. The findings showed that older adults who are more compassionate engage in protective behaviors more frequently. Additionally, older adults who showed greater resilience and engage in protective health behaviors more frequently reported lower anxiety levels. Lastly, greater fear of COVID-19 predicted greater anxiety among older adults but did not significantly influence their engagement in protective health behaviors.

Dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV2) alone undergoes structural expansion at 37 °C (associated with host entry), despite high sequence and structural homology among the four known serotypes. The basis for this differential expansion across strains and serotypes is unknown and necessitates mapping of the dynamics of dengue whole viral particles to describe their coordinated motions and conformational changes when exposed to host-like environments. Here we capture the dynamics of intact viral particles of two serotypes, DENV1 and DENV2, by amide hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDXMS) and time resolved Förster Resonance Energy Transfer. Our results show temperature-dependent dynamics hotspots on DENV2 and DENV1 particles with DENV1 showing expansion at 40 °C but not at 37 °C. HDXMS measurement of virion dynamics in solution offers a powerful approach to identify potential epitopes, map virus-antibody complex structure and dynamics, and test effects of multiple host-specific perturbations on viruses and virus-antibody complexes. Temperature differences between mosquitoes and humans trigger structural changes in dengue virus 2 (DENV2) particles, but not in other DENV serotypes. Here, using HDXMS, the authors describe serotype-specific expansion of intact viral particles of DENV1 and DENV2 at 28 °C (mosquitoes), 37 °C (humans) and 40 °C (fever).

Cross-sectional study. Adhering to test administration and standardized instructions is important for attainment of accurate and reliable results in performance-based tests. To determine test-retest and interrater reliability of standardized translated instruction (St-TI) and spontaneously translated instruction (Sp-TI) of a hand function test. Four raters and seventy-two subjects were divided into 2 groups: St-TI group, direct administration of the Hong Kong Chinese version of the Jebsen Hand Function Test to subjects by raters; and Sp-TI group, spontaneously translating the Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test from English into Chinese by raters. Test-retest and interrater reliability were calculated based on instruction time by the rater and performance time by the subject. Test-retest and interrater reliability of instruction time by rater for St-TI has intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.35 to 0.70 and 0.24 to 0.55, respectively, whereas that for Sp-TI was −0.50 to 0.18 and −0.09 to 0.51, respectively. Test-retest and interrater reliability of performance time by subject for St-TI was 0.56 to 0.84 and 0.33 to 0.78, respectively, whereas that for Sp-TI was 0.54 to 0.87 and 0.35 to 0.77, respectively. Sp-TI had two test-retest minimal detectable change percent values that fell within the acceptable range (subtest 3 = 21.9% and subtest 6 = 25.7%). Instruction time by rater for Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test subtests had generally poor to moderate test-retest and interrater reliability for both St-TI and Sp-TI. Performance time by subject generally had moderate to good reliability, except for St-TI with poor to good interrater reliability.

Background Multiple sclerosis is a diffuse chronic demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. It is relatively uncommon in the Asian population and even more so in males. Despite the usual involvement of the brainstem, eight-and-a-half syndrome remains a rare first presentation in multiple sclerosis. Only a few cases have been reported previously, but none involving the Asian population. Eight-and-a-half syndrome, a neuro-ophthalmological condition, is characterized by one-and-a-half syndrome with ipsilateral lower facial nerve palsy, which localizes lesions to the pontine tegmentum. This case report demonstrates the first case of eight-and-a-half syndrome as the first presentation of multiple sclerosis in an Asian male. Case presentation A healthy 23-year-old Asian man presented with sudden onset of diplopia followed by left-sided facial asymmetry for 3 days. Assessment of extraocular movement revealed left conjugate horizontal gaze palsy. On right gaze, there was limited left eye adduction and horizontal nystagmus of the right eye. These findings were consistent with a left-sided one-and-a-half syndrome. Prism cover test revealed left esotropia of 30 prism diopters. Cranial nerve examination showed left lower motor neuron facial nerve palsy, while other neurological examination was normal. Magnetic resonance imaging brain showed multifocal T2 fluid attenuated inversion recovery hyperintense lesions, involving bilateral periventricular, juxtacortical, and infratentorial regions. A focal gadolinium contrast-enhanced lesion with open ring sign on T1 sequence was seen at the left frontal juxtacortical region. Multiple sclerosis was diagnosed on the basis of the clinical and radiological evidence, which fulfilled the 2017 McDonald criteria. Positive oligoclonal bands in cerebrospinal fluid analysis further confirmed our diagnosis. He had a complete resolution of symptoms 1 month after a course of pulsed corticosteroid therapy, and was subsequently placed on maintenance therapy with interferon beta-1a. Conclusion This case illustrates eight-and-a-half syndrome as the first presentation of a diffuse central nervous system pathology. A wide range of differential diagnoses needs to be considered in such a presentation as based on the patient’s demographics and risk factors.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fninf.2023.1244347.].