The eminent aim for advance wound management is to provide a great impact on the quality of life. Therefore, an excellent strategy for an ideal wound dressing is being developed that eliminates certain drawbacks while promoting tissue regeneration for the prevention of bacterial invasion. The aim of this study is to develop a bilayer hybrid biomatrix of natural origin for wound dressing. The bilayer hybrid bioscaffold was fabricated by the combination of ovine tendon collagen type I and palm tree-based nanocellulose. The fabricated biomatrix was then post-cross-linked with 0.1% (w/v) genipin (GNP). The physical characteristics were evaluated based on the microstructure, pore size, porosity, and water uptake capacity followed by degradation behaviour and mechanical strength. Chemical analysis was performed using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results demonstrated a uniform interconnected porous structure with optimal pore size ranging between 90 and 140 μm, acceptable porosity (>70%), and highwater uptake capacity (>1500%). The biodegradation rate of the fabricated biomatrix was extended to 22 days. Further analysis with EDX identified the main elements of the bioscaffold, which contains carbon (C) 50.28%, nitrogen (N) 18.78%, and oxygen (O) 30.94% based on the atomic percentage. FTIR reported the functional groups of collagen type I (amide A: 3302 cm−1, amide B: 2926 cm−1, amide I: 1631 cm−1, amide II: 1547 cm−1, and amide III: 1237 cm−1) and nanocellulose (pyranose ring), thus confirming the presence of collagen and nanocellulose in the bilayer hybrid scaffold. The XRD demonstrated a smooth wavy wavelength that is consistent with the amorphous material and less crystallinity. The combination of nanocellulose with collagen demonstrated a positive effect with an increase of Young’s modulus. In conclusion, the fabricated bilayer hybrid bioscaffold demonstrated optimum physicochemical and mechanical properties that are suitable for skin wound dressing.

Early bacterial infection (BI) identification in resource-limiting Emergency Departments (ED) is challenging, especially in low- and middle-income counties (LMIC). Misdiagnosis predisposes to antibiotic overuse and propagates antimicrobial resistance. This study evaluates new emerging biomarkers, secretory phospholipase A2 group IIA (sPLA2-IIA) and compares with other biomarkers on their performance characteristic of BI detection in Malaysia, an LMIC. A prospective cohort study was conducted involving 151 consecutive patients admitted to the ED. A single measurement was taken upon patient arrival in ED and was analysed for serum levels of sPLA2-IIA, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), neutrophil percentage (N%), and lactate. All biomarkers’ performance was compared for the outcomes using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), sensitivity, and specificity. The performance of sPLA2-IIA (AUROC 0.93 [95% CI: 0.89–0.97]; Sn 80% [95% CI: 72–87]; Sp 94% [95% CI: 81–89]) was the highest among all. It was comparable with high-sensitive CRP (AUROC 0.93 [95% CI: 0.88–0.97]; Sn 75% [95% CI: 66–83]; Sp 91 [95% CI: 77–98]) but had a higher Sn and Sp. The sPLA2-IIA was also found superior to N%, PCT, and lactate. This finding suggested sPLA2-IIA was recommended biomarkers for BI detection in LMIC.

Because β-2-microglobulin (β 2 M) is a surface protein that is present on most nucleated cells, it plays a key role in the human immune system and the kidney glomeruli to regulate homeostasis. The primary clinical significance of β 2 M is in dialysis-related amyloidosis, a complication of end-stage renal disease caused by a gradual accumulation of β 2 M in the blood. Therefore, the function of β 2 M in kidney-related diseases has been extensively studied to evaluate its glomerular and tubular functions. Because increased β 2 M shedding due to rapid cell turnover may indicate other underlying medical conditions, the possibility to use β 2 M as a versatile biomarker rose in prominence across multiple disciplines for various applications. Therefore, this work has reviewed the recent use of β 2 M to detect various diseases and its progress as a biomarker. While the use of state-of-the-art β 2 M detection requires sophisticated tools, high maintenance, and labor cost, this work also has reported the use of biosensor to quantify β 2 M over the past decade. It is hoped that a portable and highly efficient β 2 M biosensor device will soon be incorporated in point-ofcare testing to provide safe, rapid, and reliable test results.

Intravenous cannulation is experientially traumatic to children. To minimize this, EMLA® is applied on the would-be-cannulated area before IV cannula insertion. However, the time to achieve its maximum efficacy may be affected due to incomplete cutaneous absorption and the duration of application. The latter may be a limiting factor in a busy healthcare facility. The usage of dissolvable maltose microneedles may circumvent this problem by introducing micropores that will facilitate EMLA® absorption. A randomized phase II cross-over trial will be conducted to compare the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain scores and skin conductance algesimeter index between 4 different interventions (1 fingertip unit (FTU) of EMLA® with microneedle patch for 30 min before cannulation; 0.5 FTU of EMLA® with microneedle patch for 30 min; 1 FTU of EMLA® with microneedle for 15 min; 1 FTU of EMLA® with sham patch for 30 min). A total of 26 pediatric patients with thalassemia aged between 6 and 18 years old and requiring blood transfusion will be recruited in this trial. During the visits, the VAS scores and skin conductance algesimeter index at venous cannulation will be obtained using the VAS rulers and PainMonitor™ machine, respectively. The trial will commence in August 2021 and is anticipated to end by August 2022.