Browse publications by year: 2006

  1. Comparison of radiology residency programs in ten countries
    Willatt JM, Mason AC
    Eur Radiol, 2006 Feb;16(2):437-44.
    PMID: 15702337
    The purpose of our study was to compare various aspects of radiology training schemes in ten countries. A questionnaire was sent to senior residents in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Egypt, India, Malaysia and Greece. The questions concerned length of training, required pre-training experience, the organization of the training scheme, teaching, resources, stages at which residents can independently perform and report examinations, fellowships, and progression to jobs. A wide variety of training, ranging from highly scheduled programs with detailed aims and objectives, to self-learning occurs across the world. Examinations and assessments are also variable. There are lessons to be learned from varying practices; more exchanges of ideas should be encouraged. In view of the "internationalization" of radiology services and the variation in training styles an international qualification for quality assurance purposes may be desirable.
    MeSH terms: Asia; Australia; Canada; Cross-Cultural Comparison*; Curriculum/standards; Europe; Fellowships and Scholarships/standards; Humans; Internship and Residency*; Programmed Instruction as Topic; Quality Assurance, Health Care/standards; Radiology/education*; United States
  2. Economic stability and health status: evidence from East Asia before and after the 1990s economic crisis
    Hopkins S
    Health Policy, 2006 Feb;75(3):347-57.
    PMID: 15896870
    The East Asian economies of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand suffered declines in their economic growth rates in 1997. The Indonesian and Thai government followed the World Bank prescription for adjustment, which included a cut-back in government spending at a time when there were significant job losses. Malaysia chose its own path to adjustment. Evidence presented in this paper shows that although the declines were short-lived that there was an impact on the health status measured by mortality rates for the populations of Indonesia and Thailand. There was little apparent impact on the health status of Malaysians. The lessons for other developing economies include the importance of social safety nets and the maintenance of government expenditure in minimising the impact of economic shocks on health.
    MeSH terms: Delivery of Health Care; Economics*; Far East/epidemiology; Female; Health Status Indicators*; Humans; Male; Mortality/trends
  3. Oryza sativa L. husk as heavy metal adsorbent: optimization with lead as model solution
    Zulkali MM, Ahmad AL, Norulakmal NH
    Bioresour Technol, 2006 Jan;97(1):21-5.
    PMID: 15963716
    The effects of initial concentration of lead, temperature, biomass loading and pH were investigated for an optimized condition of lead uptake from the aqueous solution. The optimization process was analyzed using Central Composite Face-Centered Experimental Design in Response Surface Methodology (RSM) by Design Expert Version 5.0.7 (StatEase, USA). The design was employed to derive a statistical model for the effect of parameters studied on the removal of lead ion from aqueous solution. The coefficient of determination, R2 was found to be 92.36%. The initial concentration of 50.0 mg/L, temperature of 60 degrees C, biomass loading of 0.2 g and pH of 5.0 had been found to be the optimum conditions for the maximum uptake of lead ions in 98.11% batch mode. Under the optimum conditions, the lead uptake was attained to be circa 8.60 mg/g.
    MeSH terms: Adsorption; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Industrial Waste*; Lead/isolation & purification*; Models, Chemical; Oryza*; Temperature; Waste Disposal, Fluid/methods*; Water Pollutants, Chemical/isolation & purification*; Biomass
  4. Anthropogenic impacts on the distribution and biodiversity of benthic macroinvertebrates and water quality of the Langat River, Peninsular Malaysia
    Azrina MZ, Yap CK, Rahim Ismail A, Ismail A, Tan SG
    Ecotoxicol Environ Saf, 2006 Jul;64(3):337-47.
    PMID: 15964072
    A study of the impacts of anthropogenic activities on the distribution and biodiversity of benthic macroinvertebrates and water quality of the Langat River (Peninsular Malaysia) was conducted. Four pristine stations from the upstream and 4 stations at the downstream receiving anthropogenic impacts were selected along the river. For 4 consecutive months (March-June 1999), based on the Malaysian DOE (Malaysia Environmental Quality Report 2000, Department of Environment, Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment Malaysia. Maskha Sdn. Bhd. Kuala Lumpur, 86pp; Malaysia Environmental Quality Report 2001, Department of Environment, Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment Malaysia) water quality index classes, the upstream stations recorded significantly (P<0.05) higher Biological Monitoring Working Party scores and better water quality indices than those of the downstream. The total number of macrobenthic taxa and their overall richness indices and diversity indices were significantly (P<0.05) higher at the upstream stations (54 taxa) than at the downstream stations (5 taxa). The upstream of the Langat River was dominated by Ephemeroptera and chironomid dipterans while other orders found in small quantities included Trichoptera, Diptera, Plecoptera, Odonata, Ephemeraptera, Coleoptera, and Gastropoda. On the other hand, the downstream of the river was mainly inhabited by the resistant Oligochaeta worms Limnodrilus spp. and Branchiodrilus sp. and Hirudinea in small numbers. The relationships between the physicochemical and the macrobenthic data were investigated by Pearson correlation analysis and multiple stepwise regression analysis. These statistical analyses showed that the richness and diversity indices were generally influenced by the total suspended solids and the conductivity of the river water. This study also highlighted the impacts of anthropogenic land-based activities such as urban runoff on the distribution and species diversity of macrobenthic invertebrates in the downstream of the Langat River. The data obtained in this study supported the use of the bioindicator concept for Malaysian rivers. Some sensitive (Trichopteran caddisflies and Ephemeraptera) and resistant species (Oligochaeta such as Limnodrilus spp.) are identified as potential bioindicators of clean and polluted river ecosystems, respectively, for Malaysian rivers.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Environmental Monitoring/methods*; Fresh Water/analysis*; Invertebrates/classification; Invertebrates/drug effects*; Invertebrates/physiology; Malaysia; Population Dynamics; Water Pollutants, Chemical/adverse effects*; Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis; Ecosystem*; Biodiversity*; Rivers
  5. Productivity of laccase in solid substrate fermentation of selected agro-residues by Pycnoporus sanguineus
    Vikineswary S, Abdullah N, Renuvathani M, Sekaran M, Pandey A, Jones EB
    Bioresour Technol, 2006 Jan;97(1):171-7.
    PMID: 15967661
    A comparative study on solid substrate fermentation (SSF) of sago 'hampas', oil palm frond parenchyma tissue (OPFPt) and rubberwood sawdust with Pycnoporus sanguineus for laccase production was carried out. Optimal mycelial growth of Pyc. sanguineus was observed on all the substrates studied over a 21 days time-course fermentation. Laccase productivity was highest during degradation of sago 'hampas' and OPFPt and a range from 7.5 to 7.6 U/g substrate on the 11th day of fermentation compared to degradation of rubberwood sawdust with a maximum laccase productivity of 5.7 U/g substrate on day 11 of SSF. Further optimization of laccase production was done by varying the inoculum age, density and nitrogen supplementation. SSF of OPFPt by Pyc. sanguineus gave maximum productivity of laccase of 46.5 U/g substrate on day 6 of fermentation with a 30% (w/w) of 4 weeks old inoculum and 0.92% nitrogen in the form of urea supplemented in the substrate. The extraction of laccase was also optimized in this study. Recovery of laccase was fourfold higher at 30.6 U/g substrate on day 10 of SSF using unadjusted tap water at pH 8.0 as extraction medium at 25+/-2 degrees C compared to laccase recovery of 7.46 U/g substrate using sodium acetate buffer at pH 4.8 at 4 degrees C. Further optimization showed that laccase recovery was increased by 50% with a value of 46.5 U/g substrate on day 10 of SSF when the extraction medium was tap water adjusted to pH 5.0 at 25+/-2 degrees C.
    MeSH terms: Fermentation; Polyporaceae/metabolism*; Wood; Plant Leaves; Arecaceae; Hevea; Laccase/biosynthesis*; Laccase/isolation & purification
  6. Optimizing the specific surface area of fly ash-based sorbents for flue gas desulfurization
    Lee KT, Bhatia S, Mohamed AR, Chu KH
    Chemosphere, 2006 Jan;62(1):89-96.
    PMID: 15996711
    High performance sorbents for flue gas desulfurization can be synthesized by hydration of coal fly ash, calcium sulfate, and calcium oxide. In general, higher desulfurization activity correlates with higher sorbent surface area. Consequently, a major aim in sorbent synthesis is to maximize the sorbent surface area by optimizing the hydration conditions. This work presents an integrated modeling and optimization approach to sorbent synthesis based on statistical experimental design and two artificial intelligence techniques: neural network and genetic algorithm. In the first step of the approach, the main and interactive effects of three hydration variables on sorbent surface area were evaluated using a full factorial design. The hydration variables of interest to this study were hydration time, amount of coal fly ash, and amount of calcium sulfate and the levels investigated were 4-32 h, 5-15 g, and 0-12 g, respectively. In the second step, a neural network was used to model the relationship between the three hydration variables and the sorbent surface area. A genetic algorithm was used in the last step to optimize the input space of the resulting neural network model. According to this integrated modeling and optimization approach, an optimum sorbent surface area of 62.2m(2)g(-1) could be obtained by mixing 13.1g of coal fly ash and 5.5 g of calcium sulfate in a hydration process containing 100ml of water and 5 g of calcium oxide for a fixed hydration time of 10 h.
    MeSH terms: Adsorption; Air Pollutants/analysis*; Algorithms; Calcium Sulfate/chemistry*; Carbon/chemistry*; Gases; Oxides/chemistry*; Sulfur Dioxide/analysis*; Surface Properties; Neural Networks (Computer); Calcium Compounds/chemistry*; Particulate Matter; Coal Ash
  7. Fasciolosis (liver fluke) of the breast in a male patient: a case report
    Naresh G, Gomez PA, Salmah B, Suryati MY
    Breast, 2006 Feb;15(1):103-5.
    PMID: 16024249
    Fasciolosis is an uncommon disease in this region, as are parasitic infections of the breast. This report describes a 56-year-old man with a previous history of liver abscess presenting with a painful breast mass. He underwent a mastectomy and is well. The pathological findings revealed chronic granulomatous mastitis with Fasciola spp. ova. The literature on this very rare condition is reviewed.
    MeSH terms: Fascioliasis/pathology; Fascioliasis/surgery*; Granuloma/parasitology*; Granuloma/pathology; Granuloma/surgery*; Humans; Male; Mastectomy; Mastitis/parasitology*; Mastitis/pathology; Mastitis/surgery*; Middle Aged
  8. Medical image compression using 3-D Hartley transform
    Shyam Sunder R, Eswaran C, Sriraam N
    Comput Biol Med, 2006 Sep;36(9):958-73.
    PMID: 16026779
    In this paper, 3-D discrete Hartley transform is applied for the compression of two medical modalities, namely, magnetic resonance images and X-ray angiograms and the performance results are compared with those of 3-D discrete cosine and Fourier transforms using the parameters such as PSNR and bit rate. It is shown that the 3-D discrete Hartley transform is better than the other two transforms for magnetic resonance brain images whereas for the X-ray angiograms, the 3-D discrete cosine transform is found to be superior.
    MeSH terms: Algorithms; Angiography*; Brain/anatomy & histology; Fourier Analysis; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methods*; Magnetic Resonance Imaging*; Imaging, Three-Dimensional; Data Compression/methods*
  9. Inhaled endotoxin in healthy human subjects: a dose-related study on systemic effects and peripheral CD4+ and CD8+ T cells
    Loh LC, Vyas B, Kanabar V, Kemeny DM, O'Connor BJ
    Respir Med, 2006 Mar;100(3):519-28.
    PMID: 16039108
    Inhaled endotoxin or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is implicated in the pathogenesis of pulmonary diseases. We investigated the inhalation effects of two different doses of LPS in healthy human subjects.
    MeSH terms: Administration, Inhalation; Adult; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Humans; Lipopolysaccharides/administration & dosage; Lipopolysaccharides/adverse effects*; Male; Sputum/cytology; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/drug effects*; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/metabolism; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/drug effects*; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/metabolism; Lymphocyte Count
  10. A comparative study of the expression of Wnt-1, WISP-1, survivin and cyclin-D1 in colorectal carcinoma
    Khor TO, Gul YA, Ithnin H, Seow HF
    Int J Colorectal Dis, 2006 May;21(4):291-300.
    PMID: 16041507
    BACKGROUND AND AIMS: It is well accepted that activation of Wnt signalling occurs in colorectal carcinoma (CRC), but the correlation amongst the various proteins involved in primary tumours are still unclear. The expression of the inducer of this pathway, Wnt-1, and the downstream effectors, WISP-1, cyclin-D1 and survivin proteins, was compared in a series of CRC tissues with the apparently normal adjacent tissues to determine the relationship of these proteins.

    PATIENTS AND METHODS: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue samples of 47 CRCs surgically resected at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (KLH) between 1999 and 2000 were used. Immunohistochemical staining with monoclonal antibodies against cyclin-D1 and survivin and polyclonal antibodies against Wnt-1 and WISP-1 was performed. Results of immunohistochemistry were analysed for correlation between biomolecules and histopathological data of the patients.

    RESULTS: Of the 47 CRCs, 26 (55.3%), 15 (31.9%), 5 (10.6%) and 28 (59.6%) of the tumours exhibited positivity for Wnt-1, WISP-1, cyclin D1 and survivin, respectively. A lower percentage of the 40 apparently normal adjacent tissues were found to be positive for Wnt-1 (7, 17.5%), WISP-1 (+/-5, 12.5%) and survivin (13, 32.5%), but cyclin D1 was not detected in any of them. Interestingly, the total scores of Wnt-1, WISP-1 and survivin were significantly higher in CRC tissues (p=0.001, 0.034 and 0.044, respectively). Using the Spearman rank correlation test, a positive linear relationship was found between total Wnt-1 score with total WISP-1 score (rho=0.319, p=0.003) and total survivin score (rho=0.609, p=or<0.001). The expression of WISP-1 in the CRC tissues was found to be positively correlated with patients older than 60 years old (p=0.011). In addition, nuclear cyclin-D1 expression was found to be associated with poorly differentiated CRC tissues (p<0.001, Table 5) and right-sided CRC tumour (p=0.019, Table 6). Total WISP-1 score was associated with well-differentiated CRC tissues (p=0.029).

    CONCLUSIONS: Overexpression and interplay between Wnt-1, WISP-1, survivin and cyclin-D1 may play a role in tumorigenesis, possibly by promoting cell cycle checkpoint progression, accelerating cell growth and inhibiting apoptosis. Our data may provide useful information towards the search for potent therapeutic targets towards the development of novel treatment strategies for CRC.

    MeSH terms: Age Factors; Female; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Intestinal Mucosa/metabolism; Male; Microtubule-Associated Proteins/metabolism*; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Proteins/metabolism*; Proto-Oncogene Proteins/metabolism*; Colorectal Neoplasms/metabolism*; Colorectal Neoplasms/pathology; Cyclins/metabolism*; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/metabolism*; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; Wnt1 Protein/metabolism*; CCN Intercellular Signaling Proteins; Cyclin D
  11. Accumulation of chromium (VI) from aqueous solutions using water lilies (Nymphaea spontanea)
    Choo TP, Lee CK, Low KS, Hishamuddin O
    Chemosphere, 2006 Feb;62(6):961-7.
    PMID: 16081131
    This study describes an investigation using tropical water lilies (Nymphaea spontanea) to remove hexavalent chromium from aqueous solutions and electroplating waste. The results show that water lilies are capable of accumulating substantial amount of Cr(VI), up to 2.119 mg g(-1) from a 10 mg l(-1) solution. The roots of the plant accumulated the highest amount of Cr(VI) followed by leaves and petioles, indicating that roots play an important role in the bioremediation process. The maturity of the plant exerts a great effect on the removal and accumulation of Cr(VI). Plants of 9 weeks old accumulated the most Cr(VI) followed by those of 6 and 3 weeks old. The results also show that removal of Cr(VI) by water lilies is more efficient when the metal is present singly than in the presence of Cu(II) or in waste solution. This may be largely associated with more pronounced phytotoxicity effect on the biochemical changes in the plants and saturation of binding sites. Significant toxicity effect on the plant was evident as shown in the reduction of chlorophyll, protein and sugar contents in plants exposed to Cr(VI) in this investigation.
    MeSH terms: Biodegradation, Environmental; Chlorophyll/metabolism; Chromium/isolation & purification; Chromium/metabolism*; Chromium/toxicity; Copper; Electroplating; Industrial Waste; Proteins/metabolism; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Water Pollutants, Chemical/isolation & purification; Water Pollutants, Chemical/metabolism*; Water Pollutants, Chemical/toxicity; Plant Leaves/drug effects; Plant Leaves/metabolism; Plant Roots/drug effects; Plant Roots/metabolism; Nymphaea/drug effects; Nymphaea/metabolism*; Carbohydrate Metabolism
  12. Construction and evaluation of a O139 Vibrio cholerae vaccine candidate based on a hemA gene mutation
    Ravichandran M, Ali SA, Rashid NH, Kurunathan S, Yean CY, Ting LC, et al.
    Vaccine, 2006 May 1;24(18):3750-61.
    PMID: 16102875
    In this paper, we describe the development of VCUSM2, a live metabolic auxotroph of Vibrio cholerae O139. Auxotrophy was achieved by mutating a house keeping gene, hemA, that encodes for glutamyl-tRNA reductase, an important enzyme in the C5 pathway for delta-aminolevulenic acid (ALA) biosynthesis, which renders this strain dependent on exogenous ALA for survival. Experiments using the infant mouse and adult rabbit models show that VCUSM2 is a good colonizer of the small intestine and elicits greater than a four-fold rise in vibriocidal antibodies in vaccinated rabbits. Rabbits vaccinated with VCUSM2 were fully protected against subsequent challenge with 1 x 10(11) CFU of the virulent wild type (WT) strain. Experiments using ligated ileal loops of rabbits show that VCUSM2 is 2.5-fold less toxic at the dose of 1 x 10(6) CFU compared to the WT strain. Shedding of VCUSM2 in rabbits were found to occur for no longer than 4 days and its maximum survival rate in environmental waters is 8 days compared to the greater than 20 days for the WT strain. VCUSM2 is thus a potential vaccine candidate against infection by V. cholerae O139.
    MeSH terms: Aldehyde Oxidoreductases/genetics*; Animals; Antibodies, Bacterial/blood; Cholera/prevention & control*; Cholera Toxin/immunology; Disease Models, Animal; Immunoglobulin A/blood; Immunoglobulin G/blood; Intestine, Small/microbiology; Lipopolysaccharides/immunology; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mutation; Rabbits; Vaccines, Attenuated/administration & dosage; Vaccines, Attenuated/genetics; Vaccines, Attenuated/immunology*; Virulence; Colony Count, Microbial; Cholera Vaccines/administration & dosage; Cholera Vaccines/genetics; Cholera Vaccines/immunology*; Vibrio cholerae O139/genetics; Vibrio cholerae O139/growth & development; Vibrio cholerae O139/immunology*; Mice
  13. Baseline study of methane emission from anaerobic ponds of palm oil mill effluent treatment
    Yacob S, Ali Hassan M, Shirai Y, Wakisaka M, Subash S
    Sci Total Environ, 2006 Jul 31;366(1):187-96.
    PMID: 16125215
    The world currently obtains its energy from the fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal. However, the international crisis in the Middle East, rapid depletion of fossil fuel reserves as well as climate change have driven the world towards renewable energy sources which are abundant, untapped and environmentally friendly. Malaysia has abundant biomass resources generated from the agricultural industry particularly the large commodity, palm oil. This paper will focus on palm oil mill effluent (POME) as the source of renewable energy from the generation of methane and establish the current methane emission from the anaerobic treatment facility. The emission was measured from two anaerobic ponds in Felda Serting Palm Oil Mill for 52 weeks. The results showed that the methane content was between 35.0% and 70.0% and biogas flow rate ranged between 0.5 and 2.4 L/min/m(2). Total methane emission per anaerobic pond was 1043.1 kg/day. The total methane emission calculated from the two equations derived from relationships between methane emission and total carbon removal and POME discharged were comparable with field measurement. This study also revealed that anaerobic pond system is more efficient than open digesting tank system for POME treatment. Two main factors affecting the methane emission were mill activities and oil palm seasonal cropping.
    MeSH terms: Anaerobiosis*; Carbon/isolation & purification; Climate; Conservation of Natural Resources; Industry; Malaysia; Methane/analysis*; Methane/metabolism; Plant Oils/metabolism*; Seasons; Sewage/microbiology; Sewage/chemistry; Time Factors; Waste Disposal, Fluid*; Biomass; Bioreactors*
  14. Molecular identification of Anopheles (Cellia) sundaicus from the Andaman and Nicobar islands of India
    Alam MT, Das MK, Ansari MA, Sharma YD
    Acta Trop, 2006 Jan;97(1):10-8.
    PMID: 16125659
    Anopheles (Cellia) sundaicus (Rodenwaldt) is an important malaria vector in the Andaman and Nicobar islands of India where it breeds in freshwater as well as in brackish water. To establish the molecular identity of An. sundaicus on these islands we analyzed samples from four geographically isolated areas-Teressa, Nancowry, Car Nicobar and Katchal islands. PCR-amplification and nucleotide sequence analysis were performed for internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) and domain-3 (D3) of 28S rRNA. The ITS2 region of An. sundaicus from all four islands was identical but different from An. sundaicus A of Vietnam and An. sundaicus s.s of Malaysia. Furthermore, freshwater and brackish water forms of An. sundaicus did not reveal any sequence variation. Similarly, the D3 sequences were identical among all An. sundaicus samples from the four islands. D3 sequences for a species of the Sundaicus Complex are reported here for the first time and thus could not be compared with other regional isolates of this species. In conclusion, probably only one member of the Sundaicus Complex exists on the Andaman and Nicobar islands, which breeds in freshwater as well as in brackish water and is different from the An. sundaicus A and Malaysian An. sundaicus s.s. The identification of a new sibling species of the Sundaicus Complex in these islands is significant from the viewpoint of vector control strategies.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Anopheles/classification*; Anopheles/genetics; Base Sequence; India; Insect Vectors/classification; Insect Vectors/genetics; Malaria/transmission*; Molecular Sequence Data; RNA, Ribosomal, 28S/genetics; Species Specificity; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Sequence Analysis, DNA; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer/analysis
  15. Purification of recombinant nucleocapsid protein of Newcastle disease virus from unclarified feedstock using expanded bed adsorption chromatography
    Tan YP, Ling TC, Tan WS, Yusoff K, Tey BT
    Protein Expr Purif, 2006 Mar;46(1):114-21.
    PMID: 16139513
    In the present work, a single-step purification of recombinant nucleocapsid protein (NP) of the Newcastle disease virus (NDV) directly from unclarified feedstock using an expanded bed adsorption chromatography (EBAC) was developed. Streamline 25 column (ID = 25 mm) was used as a contactor and Streamline chelating adsorbent immobilized with Ni2+ ion was used as affinity adsorbent. The dynamic binding capacity of Ni2+ -loaded Streamline chelating adsorbent for the NP protein in unclarified feedstock was found to be 2.94 mg ml(-1) adsorbent at a superficial velocity of 200 cm h(-1). The direct purification of NP protein from unclarified feedstock using expanded bed adsorption has resulted in a 31% adsorption and 9.6% recovery of NP protein. The purity of the NP protein recovered was about 70% and the volume of processing fluid was reduced by a factor of 10. The results of the present study show that the IMA-EBAC developed could be used to combine the clarification, concentration and initial purification steps into a single-step operation.
    MeSH terms: Adsorption; Animals; Animal Feed/microbiology; Escherichia coli/genetics; Newcastle disease virus/enzymology*; Newcastle disease virus/isolation & purification; Recombinant Proteins/isolation & purification; Thermodynamics; Biomass; Nucleocapsid Proteins/genetics; Nucleocapsid Proteins/isolation & purification*
  16. FT-IR studies on interactions among components in hexanoyl chitosan-based polymer electrolytes
    Winie T, Arof AK
    Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc, 2006 Mar 1;63(3):677-84.
    PMID: 16157506
    Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopic studies have been undertaken to investigate the interactions among components in a system of hexanoyl chitosan-lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate (LiCF(3)SO(3))-diethyl carbonate (DEC)/ethylene carbonate (EC). LiCF(3)SO(3) interacts with the hexanoyl chitosan to form a hexanoyl chitosan-salt complex that results in the shifting of the N(COR)(2), CONHR and OCOR bands to lower wavenumbers. Interactions between EC and DEC with LiCF(3)SO(3) has been noted and discussed. Evidence of interaction between EC and DEC has been obtained experimentally. Studies on polymer-plasticizer spectra suggested that there is no interaction between the polymer host and plasticizers. Competition between plasticizer and polymer on associating with Li(+) ions was observed from the spectral data for gel polymer electrolytes. The obtained spectroscopic data has been correlated with the conductivity performance of hexanoyl chitosan-based polymer electrolytes.
    MeSH terms: Carbonates/chemistry; Chitin; Dioxolanes/chemistry; Electric Conductivity; Electrodes*; Electrolytes; Ions; Lithium/chemistry; Membranes, Artificial; Molecular Conformation; Plasticizers/chemistry; Polyesters; Polymers/chemistry*; Spectrophotometry; Molecular Structure; Drug Delivery Systems; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared/methods*; Lithium Chloride/chemistry; Chitosan/chemistry*
  17. Controlling water pollution in developing and transition countries--lessons from three successful cases
    Kathuria V
    J Environ Manage, 2006 Mar;78(4):405-26.
    PMID: 16171929
    The policy prescription for solving environmental problems of developing countries and countries-in-transition (CIT) is slowly getting polarized into two viewpoints. One group of researchers and policy advocates including multilateral organizations upholds extensive use of market based instruments (MBIs) in these countries. The other group argues that institutions need to be built first or the policy makers should select the incremental or tiered approach taking into account the existing capabilities. The group also insists that the financial, institutional and political constraints make environmental regulation in these countries more problematic than in industrialized countries. In the short-run, the immediate needs of the developing countries can be addressed effectively by learning lessons from the difficulties encountered by a few successful cases and accordingly evolving an appropriate policy instrument. In this paper an attempt has been made to highlight three such cases from three different parts of the world--Malaysia (Asia-pacific), Poland (Eastern Europe) and Colombia (Latin America). The paper looks into what policy instruments led to a fall in water pollution levels in these countries and what role did MBIs play in this pollution mitigation? The case studies suggest that it is a combination of instruments--license fee, standards, charge and subsidies--reinforced by active enforcement that led to an overall improvement in environment compliance.
    MeSH terms: Colombia; Developing Countries*; Environment*; Humans; Industrial Waste; Malaysia; Poland; Policy Making; Politics; Taxes; Water Pollution/economics; Water Pollution/prevention & control*; Guideline Adherence
  18. Fulltext Identification of psychosocial factors of noncompliance in hypertensive patients
    Hassan NB, Hasanah CI, Foong K, Naing L, Awang R, Ismail SB, et al.
    J Hum Hypertens, 2006 Jan;20(1):23-9.
    PMID: 16177812 DOI: 10.1038/sj.jhh.1001930
    This cross-sectional study was aimed to identify the predictors of medication noncompliance in hypertensive patients. The study was conducted at the Family Medicine Clinic, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia, which is a university-based teaching hospital. All hypertensive patients aged 40 or over-registered from January to June 2004, who had been on treatment for at least 3 months, were screened. Previously validated self-administered questionnaires were used to assess the compliance and psychosocial factors. A total of 240 hypertensive patients were recruited in the study. Of these, 55.8% were noncompliant to medication. Logistic regression showed that age (adjusted odds ratio (OR): 0.96; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.92-0.997; P: 0.035), patient satisfaction (adjusted OR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.93-0.998; P: 0.036) and medication barrier (adjusted OR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.91-0.987; P: 0.009) were significant predictors of medication noncompliance. Therefore, younger age, poor patient satisfaction and medication barrier were identified as independent psychosocial predictors of medication noncompliant in hypertensive patients.
    MeSH terms: Adult; Ambulatory Care Facilities; Antihypertensive Agents/therapeutic use*; China/ethnology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Hospitals, University; Humans; Hypertension/drug therapy; Hypertension/psychology*; Malaysia; Malaysia/ethnology; Male; Middle Aged; Prognosis; Surveys and Questionnaires; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Odds Ratio; Treatment Refusal/psychology*; Patient Satisfaction
  19. Pulau virus; a new member of the Nelson Bay orthoreovirus species isolated from fruit bats in Malaysia
    Pritchard LI, Chua KB, Cummins D, Hyatt A, Crameri G, Eaton BT, et al.
    Arch Virol, 2006 Feb;151(2):229-39.
    PMID: 16205863
    After the outbreak of Nipah virus (NiV) in 1998-99, which resulted in 105 human deaths and the culling of more than one million pigs, a search was initiated for the natural host reservoir of NiV on Tioman Island off the east coast of Malaysia. Three different syncytia-forming viruses were isolated from fruit bats on the island. They were Nipah virus, Tioman virus (a novel paramyxovirus related to Menangle virus), and a reovirus, named Pulau virus (PuV), which is the subject of this study. PuV displayed the typical ultra structural morphology of a reovirus and was neutralised by serum against Nelson Bay reovirus (NBV), a reovirus isolated from a fruit bat (Pteropus poliocephalus) in Australia over 30 years ago. PuV was fusogenic and formed large syncytia in Vero cells. Comparison of dsRNA segments between PuV and NBV showed distinct mobility differences for the S1 and S2 segments. Complete sequence analysis of all four S segments revealed a close relationship between PuV and NBV, with nucleotide sequence identity varying from 88% for S3 segment to 56% for the S1 segment. Similarly phylogenetic analysis of deduced protein sequences confirmed that PuV is closely related to NBV. In this paper we discuss the similarities and differences between PuV and NBV which support the classification of PuV as a novel mammalian, fusogenic reovirus within the Nelson Bay orthoreovirus species, in the genus Orthoreovirus, family Reoviridae.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Chiroptera/virology*; Malaysia; RNA, Viral/genetics; Genome, Viral; Orthoreovirus, Mammalian/classification*; Orthoreovirus, Mammalian/genetics; Orthoreovirus, Mammalian/isolation & purification*
  20. Frequencies of A(TA)7TAA, G71R, and G493R mutations of the UGT1A1 gene in the Malaysian population
    Yusoff S, Van Rostenberghe H, Yusoff NM, Talib NA, Ramli N, Ismail NZ, et al.
    Biol. Neonate, 2006;89(3):171-6.
    PMID: 16210851
    Gilbert syndrome is caused by defects in the uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) gene. These mutations differ among different populations and many of them have been found to be genetic risk factors for the development of neonatal jaundice.
    MeSH terms: Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Gene Frequency*; Gilbert Disease/genetics; Heterozygote; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Malaysia/epidemiology; Mutation*; Promoter Regions, Genetic/genetics; Glucuronosyltransferase/genetics*; Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal/genetics
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