Asian Journal of Health Sciences

Body weight estimation based on the anterior abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness and autopsy weight measured using post-mortem computed tomographic scans in Malaysian

Tawfiq Yousef Tawfiq Zyoud — 2023-12-31

Background: Estimation of body weight is an important approach in forensic investigation and its science that uses post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) to gain insight into the cause of death and identification of human disaster victims.

Objective: The present study determines the regression formula for cadaveric body weight estimation based on the length of the spine, anterior abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness (ASCFT), and autopsy weight (AW) of Malaysian corpse bodies.

Methods: Retrospectively, 107 corpses were analyzed to assess the correlation between the autopsy weight (AW) and anterior subcutaneous fat thickness (ASCFT) measured on both sides at the level of the umbilicus and to determine body weight by multiple regression analysis techniques to derive regression equations for cadaveric body weight estimation. Results: The findings of this study confirm that PMCT is an accurate method for estimating the body weight of the body, and there is a strong positive correlation between autopsy weight (AW) and ASCFT (mean) (r = 0.565, p = 0.001). Moreover, there is no significant difference in right ASCFT [F (3, 103) = 1.464, p = 0.942] and left ASCFT [F (3, 103) = 1.273, p = 0.926] among ethnic groups in Malaysia. Multiple regression analysis showed a significant linear relationship using TL, SL, TCL, and ASCFT with AW, and a formula for body weight was derived.

Conclusions: Body weight estimation can be determined by the use of PMCT and is important, especially when carrying out forensic corpse investigations, to roughly estimate the body weight of the study population aged between 22 and 68 years old cadavers.

An efficient UV-C device for decontaminating personal protective equipment (PPE) soiled with human Corona and Influenza virus: Solution for small-scale reuse

Aparna Varma — 2024-04-23

In recent times, the world has witnessed a substantial surge in the use of non-recyclable items such as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This increase has exacerbated environmental pollution levels and placed a significant strain on the global waste management system. Therefore, an effective strategy to address the logistical challenges in the demandsupply disparity and the sustainable management of used PPE is urgently needed. Through this work, we aim to develop a cost-effective, convenient, and efficient strategy to safely reuse PPE by engineering an in-house UV-C-based Sanitization Device (UVSD) and systematically evaluating its potential to disinfect virus-contaminated PPE. To this end, we have engineered a UV-C-based Sanitization Device (UVSD) and tested its ability to disinfect PPE experimentally soiled with human Influenza (A/PR/8/1934/H1N1) and human Coronavirus (HCoV-OC43) through in vitro cell culture assays. Briefly, the percentage of cell protection was determined by MTT assay, the quantification of viral gene transcript numbers was calculated by RT-qPCR, and viral titer was determined by viral plaque formation assay. Additionally, indirect immunofluorescence and viral hemagglutination assays were performed to visualize and quantify residual viral titers after UV-C irradiation. Our results demonstrate that a 15-minute exposure of virus-contaminated PPE within the UVSD cabinet can effectively inactivate both the H1N1 and HCoV-OC43 viruses, suggesting its applicability at organizational levels, including healthcare and other occupational settings.

Torbangun (Coleus amboinicus) Leaves Extract Sunscreen Effect on the Melanin in the Skin Exposed to Ultraviolet-B

Jelita Pebriani Pasaribu — 2023-12-31

Torbangun (Coleus amboinicus) leaves are a common medicinal plant in Indonesia, notably used by the Bataknese society as a lactagogue. Multiple studies have found that torbangun leaves are loaded with flavonoids and phenolic compounds, some of which have the potential to act as a photoprotective agent. This study aims to determine the ability of torbangun leaf extract in sunscreen cream to control the amount of melanin in the skin exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. This study is an experimental investigation employing a randomized post-test-only control group design. The subjects of this study were 28 male rats (Rattus norvegicus), which were divided into seven groups: the first two groups served as the negative and positive controls, while the other five groups were treated with torbangun leaf extract sunscreen cream (TLESC) at different concentrations. This study found that the application of TLESC at a concentration of 12.5% managed to control the average amount of melanin to 9.5%, whereas the base cream resulted in an average melanin content of 56.84%. There was a significant mean difference among all groups (p<0.05). It can be concluded that TLESC was as effective as standard sunscreen in controlling the amount of melanin in the subjects' skin.