Numerous epidemiological studies have evaluated the association of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and indoor air pollutants, but limited information available of the risks between schools located in suburban and urban areas. We therefore investigated the association of FeNO levels with indoor particulate matter (PM₁₀ and PM_2.5), and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) exposure in suburban and urban school areas. A comparative cross-sectional study was undertaken among secondary school students in eight schools located in the suburban and urban areas in the district of Hulu Langat, Selangor, Malaysia. A total of 470 school children (aged 14 years old) were randomly selected, their FeNO levels were measured, and allergic skin prick tests were conducted. The PM_2.5, PM₁₀, NO₂, and carbon dioxide (CO₂), temperature, and relative humidity were measured inside the classrooms. We found that the median of FeNO in the school children from urban areas (22.0 ppb, IQR = 32.0) were slightly higher as compared to the suburban group (19.5 ppb, IQR = 24.0). After adjustment of potential confounders, the two-level hierarchical multiple logistic regression models showed that the concentrations of PM_2.5 were significantly associated with elevated of FeNO (>20 ppb) in school children from suburban (OR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.17–1.72) and urban (OR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.10–1.91) areas. Despite the concentrations of NO₂ being below the local and international recommendation guidelines, NO₂ was found to be significantly associated with the elevated FeNO levels among school children from suburban areas (OR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.06–1.17). The findings of this study support the evidence of indoor pollutants in the school micro-environment associated with FeNO levels among school children from suburban and urban areas.

The lungs function as the organs responsible for the respiratory system and they are essential for breathing, where any dysfunction can impair the respiratory processes. Pulmonary fibrosis is a lung disease that progresses slowly and is not contagious. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of airborne microplastic exposure on the expression of TNF-α and IL-1β cytokines, and on fibroblast cell formation in Rattus norvegicus Wistar strain rats. This research was a quantitative analytical study with a laboratory experimental approach that used experimental animals as research subjects. The research design was a true experimental design with a randomized posttest-only group design. The research was conducted at the molecular level, and the indicators measured were molecular biomarkers. This design involved dividing the experimental animals into six groups: a control group (X0) and five treatment groups (X1, X2, X3, X4, and X5), which received doses of 0.025, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 mg/L, respectively. Biomarkers and microscopic changes were then measured after 90 days of treatment. In Wistar rats, microplastic exposure significantly increased the expression of TNF-α and IL-1β cytokines, which play an important role in the early phase of the inflammatory response in the lungs, as well as the formation of fibroblast cells as indicators of pulmonary fibrosis. Subchronic inhalation exposure to polyethylene microplastics significantly increased the expression of TNF-α and IL-1β cytokines, and the formation of fibroblast cells, leading to pulmonary fibrosis.

Dengue fever, caused by a virus transmitted through Aedes mosquitoes, has become a major health issue in South and Southeast Asia. This review explores various preventive and control interventions for dengue implemented in South and Southeast Asia, the challenges faced, and recommendations to enhance the sustainability and effectiveness of these control efforts. The scoping review was conducted by searching articles published between 2014 and 2024 through databases such as PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and ProQuest. A total of 1599 studies were identified, and 25 articles were eventually analyzed. The findings indicate various intervention approaches in both regions. Key challenges identified in this review include community engagement and participation, resource, logistics, and data management issues, public perceptions and knowledge, control methods and evaluation of effectiveness, and social and economic issues. These challenges hinder the effectiveness of interventions. Recommendations to strengthen future interventions include: enhancing community involvement through continuous training, improving monitoring and evaluation with technology-based solutions, and expanding the use of technologies like Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes and spatial repellents. Expanding public awareness campaigns, strengthening school and community-based education, and improving training for health workers are also essential. Lastly, adopting a combined approach is crucial for achieving more effective and sustainable results in dengue prevention.

Microplastics are plastic particles less than 5 mm in diameter that contaminate the environment. Humans and animals can inhale microplastics measuring 2 μm to 1 mm in the air. There has been limited research on inhalation exposure to low-density polyethylene (LDPE) microplastics. This study aimed to investigate the Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in the Wistar strain of Rattus norvegicus due to exposure to LDPE in the air. This study is an experimental study using a post-test control group design on the Wistar strain of Rattus norvegicus. Five experimental groups (X1 to This result showed the SOD and CAT enzymes were not present or active. There was no difference between groups of both SOD and CAT enzymes. The microplastic particles in the blood (/mL) were identified in each intervention group which was 6.80 ± 2.58 (X1), 17.67 ± 9.02 (X2), 35.83 ± 12.22 (X3), 41.17 ± 14.72 (X4), and 57.50 ± 6.47 (X5) while in control group was 1.80 ± 1.30 with fragments being the most dominant form of microplastics. It can be concluded that ROS was not seen due to the dose, chamber condition, and exposure technique should be intratracheal. The greater the dose of LDPE exposure, the greater the average microplastics in the blood of the Wistar strain of Rattus norvegicus in both the control and intervention groups.

In the last few decades, public health surveillance has increasingly applied statistical methods to analyze the spatial disease distributions. Nevertheless, contact tracing and follow up control measures for tuberculosis (TB) patients remain challenging because public health officers often lack the programming skills needed to utilize the software appropriately. This study aimed to develop a more user-friendly application by applying the CodeIgniter framework for server development, ArcGIS JavaScript for data display and a web application based on JavaScript and Hypertext Preprocessor to build the server’s interface, while a webGIS technology was used for mapping. The performance of this approach was tested based on 3325 TB cases and their sociodemographic data, such as age, gender, race, nationality, country of origin, educational level, employment status, health care worker status, income status, residency status, and smoking status between 1^st January 2013 and 31^st December 2017 in Gombak, Selangor, Malaysia. These data were collected from the Gombak District Health Office and Rawang Health Clinic. Latitude and longitude of the location for each case was geocoded by uploading spatial data using Google Earth and the main output was an interactive map displaying location of each case. Filters are available for the selection of the various sociodemographic factors of interest. The application developed should assist public health experts to utilize spatial data for the surveillance purposes comprehensively as well as for the drafting of regulations aimed at to reducing mortality and morbidity and thus minimizing the public health impact of the disease.

BACKGROUND Heavy metals present in the environment, including lead, cadmium, and mercury, pose significant health risks to pregnant women and fetal development through food, water, and air contamination. Exposure to these metals has been linked to miscarriage, low birth weight (LBW), preterm birth, and developmental issues in children. The mechanism of oxidative stress, characterized by increased 8-OHdG and MDA levels, contributes to DNA damage, genomic instability, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Additionally, DNA methylation changes induced by metal exposure may further exacerbate these risks. Certain micronutrients play a crucial role in heavy metal detoxification, and Moringa oleifera, a locally available plant rich in antioxidants and chelating compounds, has demonstrated protective effects against Hg, Pb, and Cd toxicity in experimental studies. However, intervention studies on pregnant women remain scarce. OBJECTIVE This study protocol aims to evaluate the effect of Moringa Oleifera supplementation in reducing heavy metal toxicity and oxidative stress biomarkers, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and malondialdehyde (MDA), in pregnant women exposed to high levels of heavy metals. METHODS A quasi-experimental, non-randomized pre-post test design is used. Pregnant women with elevated heavy metal levels, identified through initial screening, will be included in the intervention group, receiving Moringa Oleifera supplementation for two months. The control group will consist of women from similar geographical regions who will not receive the intervention. Primary outcomes will include changes in heavy metal concentrations, measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Secondary outcomes will focus on reductions in oxidative stress biomarkers, measured via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Statistical analyses, including ANCOVA, will be used to adjust for baseline differences between the groups. RESULTS The protocol anticipates that the intervention group will show a significant reduction in both heavy metal levels and oxidative stress biomarkers compared to the control group, suggesting the potential efficacy of Moringa oleifera in detoxifying heavy metals and reducing oxidative stress.This study will contribute to the understanding of Moringa Oleifera as a preventive intervention for pregnant women in regions with high environmental exposure to heavy metals, offering a natural, scalable public health solution to improve maternal and fetal health outcomes CONCLUSIONS This study will contribute to the understanding of Moringa Oleifera as a preventive intervention for pregnant women in regions with high environmental exposure to heavy metals, offering a natural, scalable public health solution to improve maternal and fetal health outcomes. CLINICALTRIAL ANZCTR.org.au ACTRN12625000162415