Browse publications by year: 2012

  1. Self-management of chronic pain in Malaysian patients: effectiveness trial with 1-year follow-up
    Cardosa M, Osman ZJ, Nicholas M, Tonkin L, Williams A, Abd Aziz K, et al.
    Transl Behav Med, 2012 Mar;2(1):30-37.
    PMID: 22448204
    Self-management of chronic illnesses has been widely recognised as an important goal on quality of life, health service utilisation and cost grounds. This study describes the first published account on the application of this approach to people suffering from chronic pain conditions in a Southeast Asian country, Malaysia. A heterogeneous sample of chronic pain patients in Malaysia attended a 2-week cognitive-behavioural pain management programme (PMP) aimed at improving daily functional activities and general psychological well-being. Complete datasets from 70 patients out of 102 patients who attended 11 programmes conducted from 2002 to 2007, as well as the 1-month and 1-year follow-up sessions at the hospital clinic, are reported. The pre- to post-treatment results on self-report measures indicate that significant gains were achieved on the dimensions of pain, disability and psychological well-being. These gains were maintained at both 1-month and 1-year follow-ups. The results mirror those reported from similar interventions in Europe and North America and indicate the concept of self-management of a chronic illness is acceptable and meaningful to Asian patients. Importantly, the achieved outcomes were independent of gender and ethnic group status.
    MeSH terms: Chronic Disease; Cognition; Ethnic Groups; Follow-Up Studies; Goals; Disabled Persons; Hospitals; Humans; Malaysia; Motivation; Quality of Life; Treatment Outcome; Self Report; Chronic Pain; Pain Management
  2. Impact of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography on diagnosis and antimicrobial utilization in patients with high-risk febrile neutropenia
    Koh KC, Slavin MA, Thursky KA, Lau E, Hicks RJ, Drummond E, et al.
    Leuk Lymphoma, 2012 Oct;53(10):1889-95.
    PMID: 22448920 DOI: 10.3109/10428194.2012.677533
    Early and targeted antimicrobial therapy improves outcomes in patients with febrile neutropenia (FN). We evaluated the impact of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) on antimicrobial utilization in the management of FN. A cohort of patients with FN and hematological malignancy was identified. Cases (in whom FDG-PET was performed, n = 37) were compared with controls (in whom conventional investigations excluding FDG-PET were performed, n = 76). An underlying cause for FN was determined in 94.6% of cases, compared to 69.7% of controls. FDG-PET had a significant impact on antimicrobial utilization compared to conventional imaging (35.1% vs. 11.8%; p = 0.003), and was associated with shorter duration of liposomal amphotericin-B therapy for systemic fungal infection (median 4.0 days cases vs. 10.0 days controls; p = 0.001). Cases had a longer length of hospitalization (p = 0.016). In the management of patients with high-risk FN, FDG-PET improves diagnostic yield and allows rationalization of antifungal therapy. The impact upon healthcare costs associated with antimicrobial therapy for FN requires further evaluation.
    MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anti-Infective Agents/therapeutic use; Female; Fever/etiology; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Staging; Neutropenia/diagnosis*; Neutropenia/etiology; Risk; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Case-Control Studies; Antibiotic Prophylaxis; Hematologic Neoplasms/complications; Hematologic Neoplasms/diagnosis; Hematologic Neoplasms/drug therapy; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18*; Positron-Emission Tomography*; Young Adult; Induction Chemotherapy; Multimodal Imaging
  3. Estimating the number of the people who inject drugs in Bali, 2010
    Sawitri AA, Blogg J, Angela R
    Drug Alcohol Rev, 2012 Sep;31(6):813-7.
    PMID: 22449011 DOI: 10.1111/j.1465-3362.2012.00428.x
    A population estimation study was performed in 2009-2010 to understand the apparent decrease in people who inject drugs (PWID) attending needle syringe programs (NSPs) and to calculate the number of PWID in Bali for service planning.
    MeSH terms: Health Surveys/methods*; Health Surveys/trends*; Humans; Malaysia/epidemiology; Substance Abuse, Intravenous/diagnosis*; Substance Abuse, Intravenous/epidemiology*; Needle-Exchange Programs/trends*
  4. Fulltext Antioxidant and antiangiogenic activities of the essential oils of Myristica fragrans and Morinda citrifolia
    Piaru SP, Mahmud R, Abdul Majid AM, Mahmoud Nassar ZD
    Asian Pac J Trop Med, 2012 Apr;5(4):294-8.
    PMID: 22449521 DOI: 10.1016/S1995-7645(12)60042-X
    OBJECTIVE: Toinvestigate the anti-angiogenic activity and antioxidant properties of Myristica fragrans (M. fragrans) (nutmeg) and Morinda citrifolia (M. citrifolia)(mengkudu) oils.

    METHODS: The nutmeg and megkudu essential oils were obtained by steam distillation. The antioxidant activities of both essential oils were determined by beta-carotene/linoleic acid bleaching assay and reducing power while the anti-angiogenic activity was investigated using rat aortic ring assay using various concentrations.

    RESULTS: The results showed that nutmeg oil has higher antioxidant activity than mengkudu oil. The nutmeg oil effectively inhibited the oxidation of linoleic acid with (88.68±0.1)% while the inhibition percentage of oxidation of linoleic acid of the mengkudu oil is (69.44±0.4)%. The nutmeg oil and mengkudu oil showed reducing power with an EC(50) value of 181.4 μg/mL and 3 043.0 μg/mL, respectively. The antiangiogenic activity of nutmeg oil showed significant antiangiogenic activity with IC(50) of 77.64 μg/mL comparing to mengkudu oil which exhibits IC(50) of 109.30 μg/mL.

    CONCLUSIONS: Bioactive compound(s) will be isolated from the nutmeg essential oil to be developed as antiangiogenic drugs.

    MeSH terms: Analysis of Variance; Animals; Antioxidants/pharmacology*; Aorta/drug effects; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Oils, Volatile/pharmacology*; Seeds; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Angiogenesis Inhibitors/pharmacology*; Myristica fragrans*; Morinda*; Rats
  5. Copper extraction by fatty hydroxamic acids derivatives synthesized based on palm kernel oil
    Haron J, Jahangirian H, Silong S, Yusof NA, Kassim A, Moghaddam RR, et al.
    J Oleo Sci, 2012;61(4):189-95.
    PMID: 22450120
    Fatty hydroxamic acids derivatives based on palm kernel oil which are phenyl fatty hydroxamic acids (PFHAs), methyl fatty hydroxamic acids (MFHAs), isopropyl fatty hydroxamic acids (IPFHAs) and benzyl fatty hydroxamic acids (BFHAs) were applied as chelating agent for copper liquid-liquid extraction. The extraction of copper from aqueous solution by MFHAs, PFHAs, BFHAs or IPFHAs were carried out in hexane as an organic phase through the formation of copper methyl fatty hydroxamate (Cu-MFHs), copper phenyl fatty hydroxamate (Cu-PFHs), copper benzyl fatty hydroxamate (Cu-BFHs) and copper isopropyl fatty hydroxamate (Cu-IPFHs). The results showed that the fatty hydroxamic acid derivatives could extract copper at pH 6.2 effectively with high percentage of extraction (the percentages of copper extraction by MFHAs, PFHAs, IPFHs and BFHAs were found to be 99.3, 87.5, 82.3 and 90.2%, respectively). The extracted copper could be quantitatively stripped back into sulphuric acid (3M) aqueous solution. The obtained results showed that the copper recovery percentages from Cu-MFHs, Cu-PFHs, Cu-BFHs and Cu-IPFHs are 99.1, 99.4, 99.6 and 99.9 respectively. The copper extraction was not affected by the presence of a large amount of Mg (II), Ni (II), Al (III), Mn (II) and Co (II) ions in the aqueous solution.
    MeSH terms: Copper/isolation & purification; Copper/chemistry*; Fatty Acids/chemical synthesis; Fatty Acids/chemistry*; Hydroxamic Acids/chemical synthesis; Hydroxamic Acids/chemistry*; Plant Oils/chemistry*
  6. Fulltext The anti-proliferative effects of a palm oil-derived product and its mode of actions in human malignant melanoma MeWo cells
    Komarasamy TV, Sekaran SD
    J Oleo Sci, 2012;61(4):227-39.
    PMID: 22450124
    Melanoma incidence and mortality have risen dramatically in recent years. No effective treatment for metastatic melanoma exists; hence currently, an intense effort for new drug evaluation is being carried out. In this study, we investigated the effects of a palm oil-derived nanopolymer called Bio-12 against human malignant melanoma. The nanopolymers of Bio-12 are lipid esters derived from a range of fatty acids of palm oil. Our study aims to identify the anti-proliferative properties of Bio-12 against human malignant melanoma cell line (MeWo) and to elucidate the mode of actions whereby Bio-12 brings about cell death. Bio-12 significantly inhibited the growth of MeWo cells in a concentration- and time- dependent manner with a median inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) value of 1/25 dilution after 72 h but was ineffective on human normal skin fibroblasts (CCD-1059sk). We further investigated the mode of actions of Bio-12 on MeWo cells. Cell cycle flow cytometry demonstrated that MeWo cells treated with increasing concentrations of Bio-12 resulted in S-phase arrest, accompanied by the detection of sub-G1 content, indicative of apoptotic cell death. Induction of apoptosis was further confirmed via caspase (substrate) cleavage assay which showed induction of early apoptosis in MeWo cells. In addition, DNA strand breaks which are terminal event in apoptosis were evident through increase of TUNEL positive cells and formation of a characteristic DNA ladder on agarose gel electrophoresis. Moreover, treatment of MeWo cells with Bio-12 induced significant increase in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity. These results show that Bio-12 possesses the ability to suppress proliferation of human malignant melanoma MeWo cells and this suppression is at least partly attributed to the initiation of the S-phase arrest, apoptosis and necrosis, suggesting that it is indeed worth for further investigations.
    MeSH terms: Antineoplastic Agents/chemical synthesis; Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology*; Antineoplastic Agents/chemistry; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; Enzyme Activation/drug effects; Humans; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase/metabolism; Melanoma/drug therapy*; Melanoma/metabolism; Plant Oils/chemistry*; Polymers/chemical synthesis; Polymers/pharmacology*; Polymers/chemistry; Time Factors; G1 Phase/drug effects; S Phase/drug effects; Cell Death/drug effects; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Cell Cycle Checkpoints/drug effects*
  7. Fulltext Cat flea infestation in a hospital: a case report
    Muthupalaniappen L, Norhayati M, Lee YY
    Korean J Parasitol, 2012 Mar;50(1):79-82.
    PMID: 22451739 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2012.50.1.79
    Cat flea bite in humans results in extremely pruritic skin lesions. It has been reported to occur among those living in domiciliary accommodation. However, nosocomial infestation with cat flea has not been reported. We hereby report a case of nosocomial infestation of cat flea in a hospital facility. Identification of the parasite, its appropriate eradication, and adequate medical management of the patients resulted in a satisfactory outcome.
    MeSH terms: Adult; Animals; Bites and Stings/diagnosis; Bites and Stings/parasitology*; Cross Infection/diagnosis; Cross Infection/parasitology*; Female; Humans; Ctenocephalides/physiology*; Flea Infestations/diagnosis; Flea Infestations/parasitology*
  8. Fulltext Importance of social pharmacy education in Libyan pharmacy schools: perspectives from pharmacy practitioners
    Abrika OS, Hassali MA, Abduelkarem AR
    J Educ Eval Health Prof, 2012;9:6.
    PMID: 22451860 DOI: 10.3352/jeehp.2012.9.6
    The present study aims to explore the perceptions among pharmacy practitioners in Libya on the importance of social pharmacy education. A qualitative methodology was employed to conduct this study. Using a purposive sampling technique, a total of ten Libyan registered pharmacists were interviewed. Based on the content analysis of the interviews, two major themes emerged, namely the understanding of social pharmacy education and the need for incorporating social pharmacy courses into the pharmacy education curriculum. The majority of the respondents knew about the concept. Of those that had no prior knowledge of this term, half of them expressed interest in knowing more about it. There was a positive perception of introducing social pharmacy into the undergraduate curricula among the respondents, and they believed that it is necessary for future pharmacists to know about social pharmacy components. The findings from the pharmacy practitioners' evaluation suggest the need to incorporate social pharmacy courses into the curricula of all pharmacy schools in Libya.
  9. Antagonizing IL-6 in ankylosing spondylitis: a short review
    Rajalingham S, Das S
    Inflamm Allergy Drug Targets, 2012 Aug 1;11(4):262-5.
    PMID: 22452603
    Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disorder with predilection for the axial skeleton, leading to progressive restricted mobility and deformity of the spine. The fundamental mechanism involves autoimmunity orchestrated by T cells. Similar to other rheumatic diseases, the complex interplay of cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-6 (IL 6) and interleukin-10 (IL 10) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of the disease. Despite extensive research over the past decades, the treatment options for AS, are limited. Non steroidal antiinflammatory drugs are the first line of therapy, whereas anti TNF drugs are administered for refractory cases which fail to respond to the treatment. There have been conflicting views on the correlation of IL 6 with disease activity in AS. As such, the debate on the role of anti IL6 in AS is still ongoing. Anti IL 6 such as tocilizumab and siltuximab have proven efficacy based on the large randomized controlled trials. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved these drugs for treating rheumatoid arthritis and systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Researchers have adventurously experimented anti IL 6 therapy in AS but the conclusions made were not consolidated into international guidelines or consensus statement for clinical practice. In the present review, we explore the role of anti IL6 in the treatment of AS based on the cumulative evidence over recent years.
    MeSH terms: Humans; Spondylitis, Ankylosing/drug therapy*; Spondylitis, Ankylosing/immunology; Interleukin-6/antagonists & inhibitors*; Interleukin-6/immunology; Antirheumatic Agents/therapeutic use*
  10. Habenular Kiss1 neurons modulate the serotonergic system in the brain of zebrafish
    Ogawa S, Ng KW, Ramadasan PN, Nathan FM, Parhar IS
    Endocrinology, 2012 May;153(5):2398-407.
    PMID: 22454151 DOI: 10.1210/en.2012-1062
    The Kiss1/KISS1 gene has recently been implicated as a potent hypothalamic regulator of reproductive functions, in particular, the onset of puberty in mammals. In zebrafish (Danio rerio), there are two kiss1 homologues (kiss1 and kiss2) expressed in the brain: Kiss2-expressing neurons in the hypothalamic nuclei are considered potent regulators of reproduction, whereas the role of Kiss1-expressing neurons in the habenula remains unknown. We first analyzed the expression of kiss1 mRNA in a transgenic zebrafish, in which the habenula-interpeduncular nucleus (IPN) pathway is labelled with green fluorescent protein, and our application of a biocytin neural tracer into the habenula showed the presence of neuronal projections of Kiss1 neurons to the ventral IPN. Therefore, we speculated that kiss1 neurons might regulate the serotonergic system in the raphe. However, laser microdissection followed by real-time PCR revealed the expression of Kiss1 receptor (kissr1) mRNA in the habenula and the ventral IPN but not in the dorsal IPN or the serotonergic neurons in the raphe nuclei. Dual-fluorescent in situ hybridization revealed the coexpression of kiss1 and kissr1 mRNA in the habenula. Administration of Kiss1 significantly decreased the level of kiss1 mRNA (0.3- to 0.5-fold, P < 0.001), but the level of c-fos mRNA was increased (≈ 3-fold, P < 0.05) in the ventral habenula, suggesting that there is autocrine regulation of the kiss1 gene. Kiss1 administration significantly increased the c-fos mRNA levels in the raphe nuclei (2.5-fold, P < 0.001) and genes involved in the regulation of serotonin levels (pet1 and slc6a4a; 3.3- and 2.2-fold, P < 0.01). These findings suggest that the autocrine-regulated habenular Kiss1 neurons indirectly regulate the serotonergic system in the raphe nuclei through the IPN in the zebrafish.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Brain/drug effects; Brain/metabolism*; Female; Raphe Nuclei/drug effects; Raphe Nuclei/metabolism; Zebrafish; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos/metabolism; Habenula/drug effects; Habenula/metabolism*; Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism*; Zebrafish Proteins/pharmacology; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/metabolism*; Serotonergic Neurons/drug effects; Serotonergic Neurons/metabolism*; Kisspeptins/metabolism*; Kisspeptins/pharmacology
  11. Fulltext Cytotoxic and Antifungal Activities of 5-Hydroxyramulosin, a Compound Produced by an Endophytic Fungus Isolated from Cinnamomum mollisimum
    Santiago C, Fitchett C, Munro MH, Jalil J, Santhanam J
    Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2012;2012:689310.
    PMID: 22454674 DOI: 10.1155/2012/689310
    An endophytic fungus isolated from the plant Cinnamomum mollissimum was investigated for the bioactivity of its metabolites. The fungus, similar to a Phoma sp., was cultured in potato dextrose broth for two weeks, followed by extraction with ethyl acetate. The crude extract obtained was fractionated by high-performance liquid chromatography. Both crude extract and fractions were assayed for cytotoxicity against P388 murine leukemic cells and inhibition of bacterial and fungal pathogens. The bioactive extract fraction was purified further and characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectral and X-ray crystallography analysis. A polyketide compound, 5-hydroxyramulosin, was identified as the constituent of the bioactive fungal extract fraction. This compound inhibited the fungal pathogen Aspergillus niger (IC(50) 1.56 μg/mL) and was cytotoxic against murine leukemia cells (IC(50) 2.10 μg/mL). 5-Hydroxyramulosin was the major compound produced by the endophytic fungus. This research suggests that fungal endophytes are a good source of bioactive metabolites which have potential applications in medicine.
    MeSH terms: Acetates; Animals; Aspergillus niger; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Coumarins; Glucose; Leukemia; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Solanum tuberosum; Crystallography, X-Ray; Cinnamomum; Complex Mixtures; Mice; Endophytes; Polyketides
  12. Fulltext The Antiproliferative Activity of Sclerotia of Lignosus rhinocerus (Tiger Milk Mushroom)
    Lee ML, Tan NH, Fung SY, Tan CS, Ng ST
    Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2012;2012:697603.
    PMID: 22454675 DOI: 10.1155/2012/697603
    Lignosus rhinocerus, the tiger milk mushroom, is one of the most important medicinal mushrooms used by the indigenous people of Southeast Asia and China. It has been used to treat breast cancer. A cold water extract (LR-CW) prepared from the sclerotia of L. rhinocerus cultivar was found to exhibit antiproliferative activity against human breast carcinoma (MCF-7) and human lung carcinoma (A549), with IC(50) of 96.7 μg/mL and 466.7 μg/mL, respectively. In comparison, LR-CW did not show significant cytotoxicity against the two corresponding human normal cells, 184B5 (human breast cell) and NL 20 (human lung cell). DNA fragmentation studies suggested that the cytotoxic action of LR-CW against cancer cells is mediated by apoptosis. Sephadex G-50 gel filtration fractionation of LR-CW yielded a high-molecular-weight and a low-molecular-weight fraction. The high-molecular-weight fraction contains mainly carbohydrate (68.7%) and small amount of protein (3.6%), whereas the low-molecular-weight fraction contains 31% carbohydrate and was devoid of protein. Only the high-molecular-weight fraction exhibited antiproliferative activity against cancer cells, with IC(50) of 70.0 μg/mL and 76.7 μg/mL, respectively. Thus, the cytotoxic action of the LR-CW is due to the high-molecular-weight fraction, either the proteins or protein-carbohydrate complex.
    MeSH terms: Agaricales; Asia, Southeastern; Breast; Breast Neoplasms; Carbohydrates; China; Chromatography, Gel; Humans; Polyporaceae; Apoptosis; DNA Fragmentation; MCF-7 Cells
  13. Fulltext Retinal vasculitis in systemic lupus erythematosus: an indication of active disease
    Md Noh UK, Zahidin AZ, Yong TK
    Clin Pract, 2012 Mar 30;2(2):e54.
    PMID: 24765453 DOI: 10.4081/cp.2012.e54
    A 26-year-old woman with a recent flare-up of systemic lupus erythematosus presented with peripheral retinal hemorrhages at a routine check-up. She is on a tapering dose of immunosuppressive agents. Her visual acuity was good. Fluorescein angiogram revealed vasculitic changes with capillary non-perfusion areas. A few weeks later, she developed cerebral lupus with advanced lupus nephritis. Immunosuppressive therapy was restarted and panretinal photocoagulation was delivered. Her visual acuity remained stable, despite development of a cataract from prednisolone therapy.
    MeSH terms: Adult; Cataract; Female; Fluorescein Angiography; Fluoresceins; Hospitals, University; Humans; Immunosuppression; Immunosuppressive Agents; Light Coagulation; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic; Lupus Nephritis; Malaysia; Prednisolone; Retinal Hemorrhage; Visual Acuity; Lupus Vasculitis, Central Nervous System
  14. Malaysian undergraduates' knowledge and opinions on Early Childhood oral health
    Mani SA, Burhanudin NA, John J
    Eur J Paediatr Dent, 2012 Mar;13(1):64-8.
    PMID: 22455531
    AIM: In Malaysia, Early Childhood Caries (ECC) was found to affect 76.2% of 5-year-olds (2005). General practitioners are more likely to encounter preschool children and are in a better position to educate parents and caretakers about ECC and make appropriate referrals. This study assessed the knowledge and opinions on early childhood oral health among medical and dental undergraduates.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross sectional study involved 245 students enrolled in the first year medical (M1) and dental (D1) course and fourth year medical (M4) and dental (D4) course. The students completed a self-administered questionnaire which included knowledge and opinions on early childhood oral health. Comparisons between the groups were done using chi-square test.

    RESULTS: Dental students showed significantly better knowledge than medical students. D1 students showed significantly better knowledge of age of first tooth eruption over M1. Knowledge of recommended age for bottle weaning was higher among D4 students but not significantly more than M4 students.

    CONCLUSION: The majority of medical students showed inadequate knowledge indicating that medical curriculum should emphasise on oral health topics of public health relevance like ECC and its prevention. Dental students had better knowledge regarding early childhood oral health, but lacked knowledge on its preventive aspects.

    MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adult; Attitude of Health Personnel*; Attitude to Health*; Bottle Feeding; Child, Preschool; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dental Caries/prevention & control; Dental Caries/psychology; Education, Dental*; Education, Medical*; Female; Humans; Malaysia; Male; Oral Health*; Surveys and Questionnaires; Students, Dental/psychology*; Students, Medical/psychology*; Tooth Eruption/physiology; Weaning; Dental Care for Children*; Young Adult; Self Report
  15. In vitro activity of neem (Azadirachta indica) and cassava (Manihot esculenta) on three pre-parasitic stages of susceptible and resistant strains of Teladorsagia (Ostertagia) circumcincta
    Al-Rofaai A, Rahman WA, Sulaiman SF, Yahaya ZS
    Vet Parasitol, 2012 Aug 13;188(1-2):85-92.
    PMID: 22455724 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2012.03.002
    Anthelmintic resistance of gastrointestinal nematodes is considered as one of the main limiting factors causing significant economic losses to the small ruminant industry. The anthelmintic properties of some plants are among the suggested alternative solutions to control these parasitic worms. The present study investigated the anthelmintic activity of neem (Azadirachta indica) and cassava (Manihot esculenta) leaf extracts against the susceptible and resistant strains of one of the most important nematodes in small ruminants, Teladorsagia (Ostertagia) circumcincta. Three different in vitro tests: egg hatch test, larval development assay, and larval paralysis assay were used to determine the efficiency of neem and cassava extracts on three pre-parasitic stages of T. circumcincta. The LC(50) was determined for the most potent extract in each plant as well as the phytochemical tests, total tannin quantification and cytotoxicity on peripheral blood mononuclear cells of goats. The results revealed a high anthelmintic activity of neem methanol extract (NME) and cassava methanol extract (CME) on both strains of T. circumcincta without significant differences between the strains. The first stage larvae were more sensitive with the lowest LC(50) at 7.15 mg/ml and 10.72 mg/ml for NME and CME, respectively, compared with 44.20mg/ml and 56.68 mg/ml on eggs and 24.91 mg/ml and 71.96 mg/ml on infective stage larvae.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Anthelmintics/pharmacology*; Manihot/chemistry*; Drug Resistance; Larva/drug effects; Ostertagia/drug effects*; Ostertagia/genetics; Plant Extracts/pharmacology*; Plant Extracts/chemistry; Albendazole/pharmacology; Azadirachta/chemistry*
  16. Trends in sustainable landfilling in Malaysia, a developing country
    Fauziah SH, Agamuthu P
    Waste Manag Res, 2012 Jul;30(7):656-63.
    PMID: 22455994 DOI: 10.1177/0734242X12437564
    In Malaysia, landfills are being filled up rapidly due to the current daily generation of approximately 30,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste. This situation creates the crucial need for improved landfilling practices, as sustainable landfilling technology is yet to be achieved here. The objective of this paper is to identify and evaluate the development and trends in landfilling practices in Malaysia. In 1970, the disposal sites in Malaysia were small and prevailing waste disposal practices was mere open-dumping. This network of relatively small dumps, typically located close to population centres, was considered acceptable for a relatively low population of 10 million in Malaysia. In the 1980s, a national programme was developed to manage municipal and industrial wastes more systematically and to reduce adverse environmental impacts. The early 1990s saw the privatization of waste management in many parts of Malaysia, and the establishment of the first sanitary landfills for MSW and an engineered landfill (called 'secure landfill' in Malaysia) for hazardous waste. A public uproar in 2007 due to contamination of a drinking water source from improper landfilling practices led to some significant changes in the government's policy regarding the country's waste management strategy. Parliament passed the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management (SWPCM) Act 2007 in August 2007. Even though the Act is yet to be implemented, the government has taken big steps to improve waste management system further. The future of the waste management in Malaysia seems somewhat brighter with a clear waste management policy in place. There is now a foundation upon which to build a sound and sustainble waste management and disposal system in Malaysia.
    MeSH terms: Developing Countries; Environment*; Forecasting; Industrial Waste; Malaysia; Privatization; Refuse Disposal/legislation & jurisprudence; Refuse Disposal/methods*; Refuse Disposal/statistics & numerical data; Water Pollution/prevention & control; Waste Management/methods; Government Regulation; Drinking Water
  17. Landfill leachate treatment using sub-surface flow constructed wetland by Cyperus haspan
    Akinbile CO, Yusoff MS, Ahmad Zuki AZ
    Waste Manag, 2012 Jul;32(7):1387-93.
    PMID: 22456086 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2012.03.002
    Performance evaluation of pilot scale sub-surface constructed wetlands was carried out in treating leachate from Pulau Burung Sanitary Landfill (PBSL). The constructed wetland was planted with Cyperus haspan with sand and gravel used as substrate media. The experiment was operated for three weeks retention time and during the experimentation, the influent and effluent samples were tested for its pH, turbidity, color, total suspended solid (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD(5)), ammonia nitrogen (NH(3)-N), Total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN) and also for heavy metals such as iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) concentrations. The results showed that the constructed wetlands with C. haspan were capable of removing 7.2-12.4% of pH, 39.3-86.6% of turbidity, 63.5-86.6% of color, 59.7-98.8% of TSS, 39.2-91.8% of COD, 60.8-78.7% of BOD(5), 29.8-53.8% of NH(3)-N, 59.8-99.7% of TP, 33.8-67.0% of TN, 34.9-59.0% of Fe, 29.0-75.0% of Mg, 51.2-70.5% of Mn, and 75.9-89.4% of Zn. The significance of removal was manifested in the quality of the effluent obtained at the end of the study. High removal efficiencies in the study proved that leachate could be treated effectively using subsurface constructed wetlands with C. haspan plant.
    MeSH terms: Color; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Malaysia; Nitrogen/analysis; Phosphorus/analysis; Pilot Projects; Waste Disposal, Fluid/methods; Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical/chemistry*; Metals, Heavy/analysis; Metals, Heavy/isolation & purification; Metals, Heavy/chemistry; Cyperus*; Wetlands*; Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis
  18. Phenotype variations in Lafora progressive myoclonus epilepsy: possible involvement of genetic modifiers?
    Singh S, Ganesh S
    J Hum Genet, 2012 May;57(5):283-5.
    PMID: 22456482 DOI: 10.1038/jhg.2012.29
    Lafora progressive myoclonus epilepsy, also known as Lafora disease (LD), is the most severe and fatal form of progressive myoclonus epilepsy with its typical onset during the late childhood or early adolescence. LD is characterized by recurrent epileptic seizures and progressive decline in intellectual function. LD can be caused by defects in any of the two known genes and the clinical features of these two genetic groups are almost identical. The past one decade has witnessed considerable success in identifying the LD genes, their mutations, the cellular functions of gene products and on molecular basis of LD. Here, we briefly review the current literature on the phenotype variations, on possible presence of genetic modifiers, and candidate modifiers as targets for therapeutic interventions in LD.
    MeSH terms: Adolescent; Carrier Proteins/genetics*; Carrier Proteins/metabolism; Child; Humans; Mutation*; Phenotype; Lafora Disease/genetics*; Lafora Disease/physiopathology*; Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases, Non-Receptor/genetics*; Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases, Non-Receptor/metabolism
  19. Fulltext Optimization of a heterologous signal peptide by site-directed mutagenesis for improved secretion of recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli
    Jonet MA, Mahadi NM, Murad AM, Rabu A, Bakar FD, Rahim RA, et al.
    J. Mol. Microbiol. Biotechnol., 2012;22(1):48-58.
    PMID: 22456489 DOI: 10.1159/000336524
    A heterologous signal peptide (SP) from Bacillus sp. G1 was optimized for secretion of recombinant cyclodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase) to the periplasmic and, eventually, extracellular space of Escherichia coli. Eight mutant SPs were constructed using site-directed mutagenesis to improve the secretion of recombinant CGTase. M5 is a mutated SP in which replacement of an isoleucine residue in the h-region to glycine created a helix-breaking or G-turn motif with decreased hydrophobicity. The mutant SP resulted in 110 and 94% increases in periplasmic and extracellular recombinant CGTase, respectively, compared to the wild-type SP at a similar level of cell lysis. The formation of intracellular inclusion bodies was also reduced, as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamyde gel electrophoresis, when this mutated SP was used. The addition of as low as 0.08% glycine at the beginning of cell growth improved cell viability of the E. coli host. Secretory production of other proteins, such as mannosidase, also showed similar improvement, as demonstrated by CGTase production, suggesting that the combination of an optimized SP and a suitable chemical additive leads to significant improvements of extracellular recombinant protein production and cell viability. These findings will be valuable for the extracellular production of recombinant proteins in E. coli.
    MeSH terms: Bacillus/genetics*; DNA, Bacterial/genetics; DNA, Bacterial/chemistry; Escherichia coli/genetics; Escherichia coli/metabolism*; Glucosyltransferases/genetics; Glucosyltransferases/secretion*; Molecular Sequence Data; Recombinant Proteins/genetics; Recombinant Proteins/secretion; Mutagenesis, Site-Directed*; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Protein Sorting Signals*; Mutant Proteins/genetics; Mutant Proteins/secretion
  20. Fulltext Optic neuritis in a child with biotinidase deficiency: case report and literature review
    Hayati AA, Wan-Hitam WH, Cheong MT, Yunus R, Shatriah I
    Clin Ophthalmol, 2012;6:389-95.
    PMID: 22457589 DOI: 10.2147/OPTH.S29048
    Optic atrophy has often been reported in children with biotinidase deficiency. The visual prognosis is usually poor. This report is of a 6-year-old boy with an early onset of biotinidase deficiency who presented with acute profound visual loss in both eyes. Fundoscopy revealed swollen discs in both eyes, and the imaging was consistent with bilateral optic neuritis. He was treated with systemic corticosteroid, and commenced on oral biotin. The final visual outcome was promising.
    MeSH terms: Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Biotin; Child; Eye; Humans; Male; Ophthalmoscopy; Optic Atrophy; Optic Neuritis; Prognosis; Biotinidase Deficiency
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