Browse publications by year: 2012

  1. Fulltext Carbon stocks and fluxes in tropical lowland dipterocarp rainforests in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo
    Saner P, Loh YY, Ong RC, Hector A
    PLoS One, 2012;7(1):e29642.
    PMID: 22235319 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0029642
    Deforestation in the tropics is an important source of carbon C release to the atmosphere. To provide a sound scientific base for efforts taken to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD+) good estimates of C stocks and fluxes are important. We present components of the C balance for selectively logged lowland tropical dipterocarp rainforest in the Malua Forest Reserve of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Total organic C in this area was 167.9 Mg C ha⁻¹±3.8 (SD), including: Total aboveground (TAGC: 55%; 91.9 Mg C ha⁻¹±2.9 SEM) and belowground carbon in trees (TBGC: 10%; 16.5 Mg C ha⁻¹±0.5 SEM), deadwood (8%; 13.2 Mg C ha⁻¹±3.5 SEM) and soil organic matter (SOM: 24%; 39.6 Mg C ha⁻¹±0.9 SEM), understory vegetation (3%; 5.1 Mg C ha⁻¹±1.7 SEM), standing litter (<1%; 0.7 Mg C ha⁻¹±0.1 SEM) and fine root biomass (<1%; 0.9 Mg C ha⁻¹±0.1 SEM). Fluxes included litterfall, a proxy for leaf net primary productivity (4.9 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹±0.1 SEM), and soil respiration, a measure for heterotrophic ecosystem respiration (28.6 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹±1.2 SEM). The missing estimates necessary to close the C balance are wood net primary productivity and autotrophic respiration.Twenty-two years after logging TAGC stocks were 28% lower compared to unlogged forest (128 Mg C ha⁻¹±13.4 SEM); a combined weighted average mean reduction due to selective logging of -57.8 Mg C ha⁻¹ (with 95% CI -75.5 to -40.2). Based on the findings we conclude that selective logging decreased the dipterocarp stock by 55-66%. Silvicultural treatments may have the potential to accelerate the recovery of dipterocarp C stocks to pre-logging levels.
    MeSH terms: Borneo; Carbon/analysis*; Malaysia; Rain*; Soil/chemistry; Trees/chemistry*; Tropical Climate*; Biomass; Seedlings/chemistry; Biodiversity; Dipterocarpaceae/chemistry*
  2. Fulltext Urut Melayu for poststroke patients: a qualitative study
    Anuar HM, Fadzil F, Ahmad N, Abd Ghani N
    J Altern Complement Med, 2012 Jan;18(1):61-4.
    PMID: 22236030 DOI: 10.1089/acm.2010.0797
    BACKGROUND: Urut Melayu, the traditional Malay massage, had been introduced into three pioneer hospitals in Malaysia, as part of the integrated hospital program. It was introduced primarily for the rehabilitation of poststroke patients. After almost 3 years since it was first implemented, there are currently plans to extend it to other hospitals in the country. Information from this study will contribute toward a better future implementation plan.

    OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to gain an insight into the experiences and views of poststroke patients and their urut Melayu practitioners.

    METHODS: A qualitative study design was adopted. A total of 17 semistructured in-depth interviews were carried out with poststroke patients who were undergoing urut Melayu treatment at one of the three integrated hospitals. Information was solicited from their accompanying caregivers whenever necessary. The 2 urut Melayu practitioners at the hospital were also interviewed. All the interviews were carried out in Malay by the authors, at the Traditional and Complementary Medicine unit of the relevant hospital. The interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and coded into categories through a constant-comparison method of data analysis. Illustrative quotations were identified to supplement the narrative descriptions of the themes.

    RESULTS: It was found that urut Melayu was sought by patients who had experienced stroke brought about by hypertension and postdelivery complications. They reported the unique characteristics of urut Melayu and their positive experiences with it.

    CONCLUSIONS: Urut Melayu has potential as a complementary therapy for poststroke patients. It is recommended that the number of practitioners at the Traditional and Complementary Medicine unit be increased to provide the optimum care for poststroke patients.

    MeSH terms: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Female; Humans; Malaysia; Male; Massage*; Middle Aged; Surveys and Questionnaires; Treatment Outcome; Stroke Rehabilitation*
  3. Stereophotogrammetric analysis of nasolabial morphology among Asian Malays: influence of age and sex
    Al-Khatib AR, Rajion ZA, Masudi SM, Hassan R, Anderson PJ, Townsend GC
    Cleft Palate Craniofac J, 2012 Jul;49(4):463-71.
    PMID: 22236217 DOI: 10.1597/11-151
    It is clear that population-specific norms should be used when planning plastic and reconstructive surgery for selected patients. In this study, we aimed to generate nasal and labial reference values by applying a stereophotogrammetric technique. A further aim was to investigate the effect of sexual dimorphism, age-related changes, and the interrelation between nasal and labial morphology.
    MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Lip/anatomy & histology*; Malaysia; Male; Nose/anatomy & histology*; Photogrammetry*; Sex Factors; Asian Continental Ancestry Group*
  4. Enterovirus 71 encephalomyelitis and Japanese encephalitis can be distinguished by topographic distribution of inflammation and specific intraneuronal detection of viral antigen and RNA
    Wong KT, Ng KY, Ong KC, Ng WF, Shankar SK, Mahadevan A, et al.
    Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol, 2012 Aug;38(5):443-53.
    PMID: 22236252 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2990.2011.01247.x
    To investigate if two important epidemic viral encephalitis in children, Enterovirus 71 (EV71) encephalomyelitis and Japanese encephalitis (JE) whose clinical and pathological features may be nonspecific and overlapping, could be distinguished.
    MeSH terms: Adolescent; Antigens, Viral/analysis*; Asia; Central Nervous System/pathology*; Central Nervous System/virology; Child; Child, Preschool; Encephalitis, Japanese/pathology*; Encephalitis, Japanese/virology; Enterovirus Infections/pathology*; Enterovirus Infections/virology; Female; France; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Male; RNA, Viral/analysis*; Young Adult
  5. Fulltext Etanercept in the treatment of recalcitrant enteropathic arthritis: a case report
    Mohamed Said MS, Shaharir S, Rajalingham S, Abdullah SA, Bin Hassanudin A, Soon NC, et al.
    J Med Case Rep, 2012;6:10.
    PMID: 22236863 DOI: 10.1186/1752-1947-6-10
    Enteropathic arthritis is one of the recognized extraintestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease and affects up to 25% of patients. The treatment options for refractory disease were rather limited and ineffective until the arrival of biologic therapy in the last few years. The use of etanercept was unique for this disease.
    MeSH terms: Etanercept*; Adult; Colitis, Ulcerative; Female; Humans; Malaysia; Malaysia/ethnology
  6. Serial testing of Malaysian health care workers with QuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-Tube
    Rafiza S, Rampal KG
    Int J Tuberc Lung Dis, 2012 Feb;16(2):163-8.
    PMID: 22236915 DOI: 10.5588/ijtld.11.0364
    BACKGROUND: Serial testing for tuberculosis (TB) exposure has been advocated among health care workers (HCWs) at risk of nosocomial infection.
    OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence and factors associated with TB infection among selected HCWs in Malaysia and to determine interferon-gamma response in serial testing.
    DESIGN: A cohort of 769 HCWs were retested after 1 year using QuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-Tube. Incidence of TB infection was determined among HCWs who previously tested negative. Conversion and reversion rates using several definitions were explored.
    RESULTS: Incidence of TB infection was 9.9 per 100 workers per year (95%CI 7.9-12.3). Working in the Emergency Department (ED; RR 2.18, 95%CI 1.07-4.43) was significantly associated with risk of TB infection. Reversion and conversion occurred frequently, with 46.7% reversion among HCWs with baseline interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) levels of 0.35-0.70 international units (IU)/ml, and 23.8% conversion among HCWs with baseline IFN-γ levels of 0.20-0.34 IU/ml.
    CONCLUSIONS: TB infection control measures need to be strengthened, particularly in the ED, as the incidence of TB was high. Conversion and reversion rates in serial testing were high, and further studies are needed to facilitate its interpretation.
    MeSH terms: Adult; Cross Infection/blood; Cross Infection/diagnosis; Cross Infection/epidemiology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Health Personnel/statistics & numerical data*; Humans; Interferon-gamma/blood*; Malaysia/epidemiology; Male; Mass Screening/methods*; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic*; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Time Factors; Tuberculin Test/instrumentation*; Tuberculosis/blood; Tuberculosis/diagnosis; Tuberculosis/epidemiology*; Incidence
  7. A large exposure to Brucella melitensis in a diagnostic laboratory
    Sam IC, Karunakaran R, Kamarulzaman A, Ponnampalavanar S, Syed Omar SF, Ng KP, et al.
    J Hosp Infect, 2012 Apr;80(4):321-5.
    PMID: 22237130 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2011.12.004
    Brucella species are easily transmitted by aerosols and can be acquired in the laboratory.
    MeSH terms: Adolescent; Antibodies, Bacterial/blood; Attitude of Health Personnel; Brucellosis/prevention & control*; Female; Humans; Laboratories, Hospital*; Malaysia; Occupational Exposure*; Brucella melitensis/isolation & purification*; Post-Exposure Prophylaxis/methods
  8. Mutation spectrum of and founder effects affecting the PTS gene in East Asian populations
    Chiu YH, Chang YC, Chang YH, Niu DM, Yang YL, Ye J, et al.
    J Hum Genet, 2012 Feb;57(2):145-52.
    PMID: 22237589 DOI: 10.1038/jhg.2011.146
    The enzyme 6-pyruvoyl-tetrahydropterin synthase (PTPS, gene symbol: PTS) is involved in the second step of the de novo biosynthesis of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), which is a vital cofactor of nitric oxide synthases and three types of aromatic amino acid hydroxylases; the latter are important enzymes in the production of neurotransmitters. We conducted a study of PTS mutations in East Asia, including Taiwan, Mainland China, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia. A total of 43 mutations were identified, comprising 22 previously reported mutations and 21 new discovered mutations. Among these, the c.155A>G, c.259C>T, c. 272A>G, c.286G>A and c.84-291A>G mutations were the most common PTS mutations in East Asia, while the c.58T>C and c.243G>A mutations were, respectively, specific to Filipinos and Japanese originating from Okinawa. Further studies demonstrated that each of the mutations listed above was in linkage disequilibrium to a specific allele of polymorphic microsatellite marker, D11S1347. These results suggest the presence of founder effects that have affected these frequent mutations in East Asia populations. In this context, D11S1347 should become one of the most reliable polymorphic markers for use in prenatal diagnosis among PTPS deficient families, especially where mutations are yet to be identified.
    MeSH terms: Base Sequence; DNA Mutational Analysis*; Far East; Gene Frequency; Haplotypes; Humans; Molecular Sequence Data; Prenatal Diagnosis; Linkage Disequilibrium; Point Mutation; Alternative Splicing; Founder Effect*; Microsatellite Repeats; Phosphorus-Oxygen Lyases/deficiency; Phosphorus-Oxygen Lyases/genetics*; Mutation, Missense; Asian Continental Ancestry Group*
  9. Fulltext Gamma irradiation increases the antioxidant properties of Tualang honey stored under different conditions
    Khalil MI, Sulaiman SA, Alam N, Moniruzzaman M, Bai'e S, Man CN, et al.
    Molecules, 2012 Jan 11;17(1):674-87.
    PMID: 22237682 DOI: 10.3390/molecules17010674
    This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of evaporation, gamma irradiation and temperature on the total polyphenols, flavonoids and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activities of Tualang honey samples (n = 14) following storage over three, six or twelve months. The mean polyphenol concentrations of the six gamma irradiated honey samples at three, six and twelve months, respectively, were 96.13%, 98.01% and 102.03% higher than the corresponding values of the eight non-gamma irradiated samples. Similarly, the mean values for flavonoids at three, six and twelve months were 111.52%, 114.81% and 110.04% higher, respectively, for the gamma irradiated samples. The mean values for DPPH radical-scavenging activities at three, six and twelve months were also 67.09%, 65.26% and 44.65% higher, respectively, for the gamma irradiated samples. These data indicate that all gamma irradiated honey samples had higher antioxidant potential following gamma irradiation, while evaporation and temperature had minor effects on antioxidant potential.
    MeSH terms: Antioxidants/radiation effects; Antioxidants/chemistry; Biphenyl Compounds/chemistry; Desiccation; Flavonoids/chemistry; Gamma Rays*; Honey/analysis; Honey/radiation effects*; Picrates/chemistry; Free Radical Scavengers/radiation effects*; Free Radical Scavengers/chemistry; Polyphenols/chemistry; Food Storage*
  10. Nocistatin and nociceptin modulate c-Fos expression in the mice thalamus
    Kazi JA
    Neurol Sci, 2012 Dec;33(6):1233-7.
    PMID: 22240716 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-012-0933-0
    Nocistatin and nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) are two neuropeptides which may have opposite effects in several biological functions but their neuro-anatomical sites of interaction are not fully clear. We investigated interaction between the effect of intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of nocistatin and N/OFQ, on c-Fos expression in the mouse thalamus, using c-Fos immunohistochemistry. We found that co-injection of nocistatin with N/OFQ significantly modulates c-Fos expression in the thalamus. The present study strongly suggests that "Nocistatin-Nociceptin" interaction system in the thalamus may be the promising neuromodulatory sites in the investigation of unlocking their possible therapeutic circuit in nociception, memory and anxiety.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Gene Expression Regulation*; Humans; Injections, Intraventricular; Thalamus/drug effects; Thalamus/metabolism*; Genes, fos/drug effects; Genes, fos/physiology*; Opioid Peptides/administration & dosage*; Opioid Peptides/physiology; Mice
  11. Fulltext Melastoma malabathricum (L.) Smith Ethnomedicinal Uses, Chemical Constituents, and Pharmacological Properties: A Review
    Joffry SM, Yob NJ, Rofiee MS, Affandi MM, Suhaili Z, Othman F, et al.
    Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2012;2012:258434.
    PMID: 22242040 DOI: 10.1155/2012/258434
    Melastoma malabathricum L. (Melastomataceae) is one of the 22 species found in the Southeast Asian region, including Malaysia. Considered as native to tropical and temperate Asia and the Pacific Islands, this commonly found small shrub has gained herbal status in the Malay folklore belief as well as the Indian, Chinese, and Indonesian folk medicines. Ethnopharmacologically, the leaves, shoots, barks, seeds, and roots of M. malabathricum have been used to treat diarrhoea, dysentery, hemorrhoids, cuts and wounds, toothache, and stomachache. Scientific findings also revealed the wide pharmacological actions of various parts of M. malabthricum, such as antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, antidiarrheal, cytotoxic, and antioxidant activities. Various types of phytochemical constituents have also been isolated and identifed from different parts of M. malabathricum. Thus, the aim of the present review is to present comprehensive information on ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemical constituents, and pharmacological activities of M. malabathricum.
    MeSH terms: Analgesics; Antidiarrheals; Asia; Diarrhea; Dysentery; Folklore; Hemorrhoids; Indonesia; Malaysia; Medicine, Traditional; Pacific Islands; Seeds; Toothache; Wound Healing; Plant Leaves; Melastomataceae; Phytochemicals
  12. Fundamental frequency and perturbation measures of sustained vowels in Malaysian Malay children between 7 and 12 years old
    Ting HN, Chia SY, Manap HH, Ho AH, Tiu KY, Abdul Hamid B
    J Voice, 2012 Jul;26(4):425-30.
    PMID: 22243972 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2011.07.001
    The study is going to investigate the fundamental frequency (F(0)) and perturbation measures of sustained vowels in 360 native Malaysian Malay children aged between 7 and 12 years using acoustical analysis.
    MeSH terms: Age Factors; Child; Female; Humans; Language; Malaysia; Male; Sex Factors; Speech Acoustics*
  13. Fulltext Characterisation of full-length cDNA sequences provides insights into the Eimeria tenella transcriptome
    Amiruddin N, Lee XW, Blake DP, Suzuki Y, Tay YL, Lim LS, et al.
    BMC Genomics, 2012 Jan 13;13:21.
    PMID: 22244352 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-13-21
    BACKGROUND: Eimeria tenella is an apicomplexan parasite that causes coccidiosis in the domestic fowl. Infection with this parasite is diagnosed frequently in intensively reared poultry and its control is usually accorded a high priority, especially in chickens raised for meat. Prophylactic chemotherapy has been the primary method used for the control of coccidiosis. However, drug efficacy can be compromised by drug-resistant parasites and the lack of new drugs highlights demands for alternative control strategies including vaccination. In the long term, sustainable control of coccidiosis will most likely be achieved through integrated drug and vaccination programmes. Characterisation of the E. tenella transcriptome may provide a better understanding of the biology of the parasite and aid in the development of a more effective control for coccidiosis.

    RESULTS: More than 15,000 partial sequences were generated from the 5' and 3' ends of clones randomly selected from an E. tenella second generation merozoite full-length cDNA library. Clustering of these sequences produced 1,529 unique transcripts (UTs). Based on the transcript assembly and subsequently primer walking, 433 full-length cDNA sequences were successfully generated. These sequences varied in length, ranging from 441 bp to 3,083 bp, with an average size of 1,647 bp. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) analysis identified CAG as the most abundant trinucleotide motif, while codon usage analysis revealed that the ten most infrequently used codons in E. tenella are UAU, UGU, GUA, CAU, AUA, CGA, UUA, CUA, CGU and AGU. Subsequent analysis of the E. tenella complete coding sequences identified 25 putative secretory and 60 putative surface proteins, all of which are now rational candidates for development as recombinant vaccines or drug targets in the effort to control avian coccidiosis.

    CONCLUSIONS: This paper describes the generation and characterisation of full-length cDNA sequences from E. tenella second generation merozoites and provides new insights into the E. tenella transcriptome. The data generated will be useful for the development and validation of diagnostic and control strategies for coccidiosis and will be of value in annotation of the E. tenella genome sequence.

    MeSH terms: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Base Sequence; Chromosome Mapping; Codon; Molecular Sequence Data; Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; Protozoan Proteins/chemistry; Open Reading Frames; Consensus Sequence; Sequence Alignment; Eimeria tenella/genetics*; Sequence Analysis, DNA; DNA, Complementary/chemistry*; Genome, Protozoan; Untranslated Regions; Transcription Initiation Site; Molecular Sequence Annotation; Nucleotide Motifs; Transcriptome*
  14. Fulltext Screening of anti-dengue activity in methanolic extracts of medicinal plants
    Tang LI, Ling AP, Koh RY, Chye SM, Voon KG
    BMC Complement Altern Med, 2012;12:3.
    PMID: 22244370 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6882-12-3
    Dengue fever regardless of its serotypes has been the most prevalent arthropod-borne viral diseases among the world population. The development of a dengue vaccine is complicated by the antibody-dependent enhancement effect. Thus, the development of a plant-based antiviral preparation promises a more potential alternative in combating dengue disease.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Haplorhini; Antiviral Agents/pharmacology*; Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use; Cell Line; Citrus/chemistry; Dengue/drug therapy*; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Flavonoids/pharmacology*; Flavonoids/therapeutic use; Phytotherapy*; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Plant Extracts/pharmacology*; Plant Extracts/therapeutic use; Plants, Medicinal/chemistry*; Momordica/chemistry; Pelargonium/chemistry; Ocimum/chemistry; Cymbopogon/chemistry; Andrographis/chemistry
  15. Microbial biodiversity in a Malaysian oil field and a systematic comparison with oil reservoirs worldwide
    Li D, Midgley DJ, Ross JP, Oytam Y, Abell GC, Volk H, et al.
    Arch Microbiol, 2012 Jun;194(6):513-23.
    PMID: 22245906 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-012-0788-z
    Microbial diversity within formation water and oil from two compartments in Bokor oil reservoir from a Malaysian petroleum oil field was examined. A total of 1,056 16S rRNA gene clones were screened from each location by amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis. All samples were dominated by clones affiliated with Marinobacter, some novel Deferribacteraceae genera and various clones allied to the Methanococci. In addition, either Marinobacterium- or Pseudomonas-like operational taxonomic units were detected from either compartment. A systematic comparison with the existing pertinent studies was undertaken by analysing the microbial amplicons detected and the PCR primers used. The analyses demonstrated that bacterial communities were site specific, while Archaea co-occurred more frequently. Amplicons related to Marinobacter, Marinobacterium and Pseudomonas were detected in a number of the studies examined, suggesting they may be ubiquitous members in oil reservoirs. Further analysis of primers used in those studies suggested that most primer pairs had fairly broad but low matches across the bacterial and archaeal domains, while a minority had selective matches to certain taxa or low matches to all the microbial taxa tested. Thus, it indicated that primers may play an important role in determining which taxa would be detected.
    MeSH terms: Archaea/classification*; Archaea/genetics; DNA, Bacterial/genetics; DNA, Ribosomal/genetics; Malaysia; Phylogeny; Pseudomonas/classification*; Pseudomonas/genetics; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics; Polymerase Chain Reaction; DNA Primers; Computational Biology; DNA, Archaeal/genetics; Biodiversity*; Marinobacter/classification*; Marinobacter/genetics; Oil and Gas Fields/microbiology*
  16. Cloning and characterization of two new thermostable and alkalitolerant α-amylases from the Anoxybacillus species that produce high levels of maltose
    Chai YY, Rahman RN, Illias RM, Goh KM
    J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol, 2012 May;39(5):731-41.
    PMID: 22246222 DOI: 10.1007/s10295-011-1074-9
    Two genes that encode α-amylases from two Anoxybacillus species were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The genes are 1,518 bp long and encode 506 amino acids. Both sequences are 98% similar but are distinct from other well-known α-amylases. Both of the recombinant enzymes, ASKA and ADTA, were purified using an α-CD-Sepharose column. They exhibited an optimum activity at 60°C and pH 8. Both amylases were stable at pH 6-10. At 60°C in the absence of Ca²⁺, negligible reduction in activity for up to 48 h was observed. The activity half-life at 65°C was 48 and 3 h for ASKA and ADTA, respectively. In the presence of Ca²⁺ ions, both amylases were highly stable for at least 48 h and had less than a 10% decrease in activity at 70°C. Both enzymes exhibited similar end-product profiles, and the predominant yield was maltose (69%) from starch hydrolysis. To the best of our knowledge, most α-amylases that produce high levels of maltose are active at an acidic to neutral pH. This is the first report of two thermostable, alkalitolerant recombinant α-amylases from Anoxybacillus that produce high levels of maltose and have an atypical protein sequence compared with known α-amylases.
    MeSH terms: alpha-Amylases/genetics; alpha-Amylases/metabolism*; Amino Acid Sequence; Base Sequence; Cloning, Molecular; Enzyme Stability; Escherichia coli/genetics; Escherichia coli/metabolism; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Hydrolysis; Maltose/metabolism*; Starch/metabolism; Substrate Specificity; Temperature; Anoxybacillus/enzymology*
  17. Prevalence and risk factors of epiretinal membrane in Asian Indians
    Koh V, Cheung CY, Wong WL, Cheung CM, Wang JJ, Mitchell P, et al.
    Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 2012 Feb;53(2):1018-22.
    PMID: 22247478 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.11-8557
    To describe the prevalence of epiretinal membrane (ERM) and its risk factors in an Indian population and compare the findings with other populations.
    MeSH terms: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Australia/epidemiology; Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; Female; Humans; India/ethnology; Malaysia/ethnology; Male; Middle Aged; Risk Factors; Singapore/epidemiology; Prevalence; Epiretinal Membrane/ethnology; Epiretinal Membrane/epidemiology*; European Continental Ancestry Group; Asian Continental Ancestry Group
  18. Fatigue-related crashes involving express buses in Malaysia: will the proposed policy of banning the early-hour operation reduce fatigue-related crashes and benefit overall road safety?
    Mohamed N, Mohd-Yusoff MF, Othman I, Zulkipli ZH, Osman MR, Voon WS
    Accid Anal Prev, 2012 Mar;45 Suppl:45-9.
    PMID: 22239931 DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2011.09.025
    Fatigue-related crashes have long been the topic of discussion and study worldwide. The relationship between fatigue-related crashes and time of day is well documented. In Malaysia, the possibility of banning express buses from operating during the early-hours of the morning has emerged as an important consideration for passenger safety. This paper highlights the findings of an impact assessment study. The study was conducted to determine all possible impacts prior to the government making any decision on the proposed banning. This study is an example of a simple and inexpensive approach that may influence future policy-making process. The impact assessment comprised two major steps. The first step involved profiling existing operation scenarios, gathering information on crashes involving public express buses and stakeholders' views. The second step involved a qualitative impact assessment analysis using all information gathered during the profiling stage to describe the possible impacts. Based on the assessment, the move to ban early-hour operations could possibly result in further negative impacts on the overall road safety agenda. These negative impacts may occur if the fundamental issues, such as driving and working hours, and the need for rest and sleep facilities for drivers, are not addressed. In addition, a safer and more accessible public transportation system as an alternative for those who choose to travel at night would be required. The proposed banning of early-hour operations is also not a feasible solution for sustainability of express bus operations in Malaysia, especially for those operating long journeys. The paper concludes by highlighting the need to design a more holistic approach for preventing fatigue-related crashes involving express buses in Malaysia.
    MeSH terms: Accidents, Traffic/legislation & jurisprudence; Accidents, Traffic/prevention & control*; Accidents, Traffic/statistics & numerical data; Adult; Automobile Driving/legislation & jurisprudence*; Decision Making; Fatigue/complications; Fatigue/prevention & control*; Humans; Malaysia; Middle Aged; Sleep; Sleep Deprivation; Work Schedule Tolerance; Safety Management/legislation & jurisprudence; Safety Management/methods; Motor Vehicles*; Policy
  19. Ligand expansion in ligand-based virtual screening using relevance feedback
    Abdo A, Saeed F, Hamza H, Ahmed A, Salim N
    J Comput Aided Mol Des, 2012 Mar;26(3):279-87.
    PMID: 22249773 DOI: 10.1007/s10822-012-9543-4
    Query expansion is the process of reformulating an original query to improve retrieval performance in information retrieval systems. Relevance feedback is one of the most useful query modification techniques in information retrieval systems. In this paper, we introduce query expansion into ligand-based virtual screening (LBVS) using the relevance feedback technique. In this approach, a few high-ranking molecules of unknown activity are filtered from the outputs of a Bayesian inference network based on a single ligand molecule to form a set of ligand molecules. This set of ligand molecules is used to form a new ligand molecule. Simulated virtual screening experiments with the MDL Drug Data Report and maximum unbiased validation data sets show that the use of ligand expansion provides a very simple way of improving the LBVS, especially when the active molecules being sought have a high degree of structural heterogeneity. However, the effectiveness of the ligand expansion is slightly less when structurally-homogeneous sets of actives are being sought.
    MeSH terms: Bayes Theorem; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical/methods*; Ligands
  20. Quality of life among Malaysian patients with vitiligo
    Wong SM, Baba R
    Int J Dermatol, 2012 Feb;51(2):158-61.
    PMID: 22250623 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2011.04932.x
    Vitiligo is a chronic disease and can have significant impairment on patients' quality of life (QoL). Studies have shown that limitations in QoL are similar in magnitude to patients with other chronic skin diseases like psoriasis. The objective of this study was to assess the quality of life (QoL) of patients with vitiligo attending the dermatology clinic of a tertiary hospital in Malaysia.
    Study site: Dermatology clinic, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
    MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; China/ethnology; Female; Hospitals, General; Humans; India/ethnology; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; Prospective Studies; Quality of Life*; Surveys and Questionnaires; Vitiligo/ethnology; Vitiligo/psychology*; Vitiligo/therapy; Young Adult
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