Having children with congenital anomalies, particularly congenital talipes
equinovarus (CTEV) may impact the psychological wellbeing of the parents. This study
is to assess the psychological impact of CTEV, the related factors, and the coping
strategies used by the parents in Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan (HTAA), Kuantan,
Pahang. (Copied from article).
Despite advances in the management of diabetes, the rate of control of
diabetes in the population remains modest. Perception of diabetes control is a key to
patient empowerment. The aim of this study was to describe the perception of diabetes
control among patient with poorly controlled diabetes. (Copied from article).
MeSH terms: Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Humans; Patient Participation; Perception
Clinical scoring methods such as the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment
(SOFA) score are frequently used to predict outcome in sepsis, with limited capacity.
Further tools for risk assessment of septic critically ill patients would thus be useful.
Our purpose was to derive a scoring method i.e. Sepsis Mortality Score using multimarker
approach for the prediction of 30-day mortality in septic critically ill patients,
and compare its performance to the SOFA score (Copied from article).
MeSH terms: Humans; Research Design; Critical Illness; Risk Assessment; Sepsis; Organ Dysfunction Scores
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction has evolved during past
decade. All inside technique is introduced aiming for less invasive procedure, bone stock
preservation, preservation of tendon at its donor site, better graft positioning and
fixation technique. This study is conducted to compare the outcomes of this new
technique to the previous biotransfix screw. (Copied from article).
Premature ejaculation (PE) reduces sexual satisfaction and quality of life.
Both SSRI Fluoxetine and Dapoxetine have been used in the treatment of PE. Fluoxetine
is used as off-label treatment meanwhile Dapoxetine is the first SSRI specifically
designed for PE with short half-life and few side effects. (Copied from article).
Burkholderia pseudomallei is the causative agent of melioidosis, an
infectious disease endemic in Southeast Asia and northern Australia. Cases have been
reported in Pahang, Johor Bahru and Kedah. The disease is difficult to combat as B.
pseudomallei has shown resistance to various antibiotics and much is still not understood
about its pathogenicity. It is suggested that investigating the bacterium hypothetical
proteins may provide potential new targets for the development of antimicrobials. The
gene of interest in this study, BPSL2774, encoding BPSL2774 hypothetical protein, is a
target gene that was predicted as essential using transposon-directed insertion site
sequencing technique (TraDIS). We aimed to express and purify soluble GST-tagged
BPSL2774 protein at sufficient concentration for future functional assays. (Copied from article).
Quorum sensing controls a wide spectrum of processes and phenotypic
behaviours including biofilm formation that helps in the survival and virulence of
bacteria in hosts. Thus, anti-quorum sensing is suggested to combat bacterial infections.
This study aimed to evaluate the anti-biofilm forming and anti-quorum sensing activities
which may contribute to the anti-bacterial effect of ethanol and aqueous extracts of
Orthosiphon stamineus and Andrographis paniculata leaves and stems. (Copied from article).
Introduction: Hypertension related morbidities and mortalities around the world show a gradual increase and early detection and prevention are advocated. The Database of Genomic Variants (DGV) has associated variation in DNA sequences called copy number variation (CNV) with susceptibility to common diseases. However, little is known about CNV role in essential hypertension. Thus, this study aimed to characterize the CNV esv27061 among prehypertensive and hypertensive young adults in Malaysia. Materials and method: In this comparative cross-sectional study, 104 subjects living in Kuantan who gave voluntary consent to participate are recruited and divided into three groups; control (43 subjects), prehypertensive (38 subjects) and mild hypertensive (23 subjects). An optimized droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) was used in the determination of CNV esv27061 in this study. Results: All subjects in the control (n=38; 88.4% gain), prehypertensive (n=33; 86.8% gain) and mild hypertensive (n=21; 91.3% gain) groups had CNV gain (copy number > 2) while 11.6% of control, 13.2% of prehypertensive and 8.7% of mild hypertensive subjects exhibited normal copies (copy number = 2). Conclusion: The present preliminary finding was consistent with the Database of Genomic Variants (DGV) which stated that CNV esv27061 showed more gain than loss.
MeSH terms: Adult; Disease Susceptibility; DNA; Humans; Hypertension; Malaysia; Genomics; DNA Copy Number Variations
The great potential of biodegradable polymers in orthopaedic surgery is
gradually being recognized. PLGA is one of the common polymers used. However, long
term outcomes, with regards to PLGA, are still not well documented. Hence, we
attempted to study the outcome of PLGA and also its combination with fibrin. (Copied from article).
Copy number variation (CNV) caused by changes in DNA sequences of 1000
or more bases is implicated with susceptibility to common diseases. A study on CNV
esv27061 among hypertensive Australian adults reported association with high blood
pressure (BP). In Malaysia, no study on CNV among hypertensive young adults is
available. Thus, this investigation aimed to assess the CNV esv27061 of young Malaysian
adults with high blood pressure using optimized ddPCR. (Copied from article).
MeSH terms: Adult; Australia; Disease Susceptibility; DNA; Humans; Hypertension; Malaysia; Young Adult; DNA Copy Number Variations
Rat large intestine is an established model to study the effect of
carcinogens. There are several distinctive features among mammalian gastrointestinal
tracts in gross anatomy but they share some basic similar structures. The variety in
digestive system relies on its physiology. Rats rarely eat high fatty diets, thus the
function of gall bladder become less significant in their digestive system and this is
justified by the fact that rats have none. Rats have large caecum designated for their
fermentation chamber to digest cellulose. Another notable difference is the size and
length of colon itself, in which human colon is significantly bigger and longer. We aimed
to demonstrate the gross anatomy and histology of rat digestive system particularly the
large intestine. (Copied from article).
Liver perfusion has been the standard method to digest and isolate liver
cells including liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC). Poor cannulating skills through
portal vein results in a waste of animal resource. Familiarization of both liver perfusion
technique and adhering strictly to aseptic technique during cell handling ensure high
cell yield, minimum morphology disruption and cell contamination. We aimed to present
a method of liver perfusion procedure followed by the isolation of LSEC. (Copied from article).
Although there is a growing insight into the causes and mechanisms of
kidney diseases, preventive and therapeutic measures are still few. The aim of this study
was therefore to determine the renoprotective effect of tualang honey against high
cholesterol diet induced acute kidney disease in an animal model. (Copied from article).
Snakebite has been categorised as a ‘neglected tropical disease’ by WHO
in 2009 and it affects mainly the poorer countries like Africa and Asia. The standard
treatment for snake envenomation is the anti-snake venom medication which can be
very expensive, not readily available and specific against a snake species. This study
was conducted to screen the phytochemical compounds of Tamarindus indica seed
extract (TSE) and its in-vitro effects on snake venom of three snake species; namely
Daboia russelli, Naja kaouthia and Ophiophagus hannah. (Copied from article).
MeSH terms: Africa; Animals; Antivenins; Asia; Seeds; Snake Bites; Snake Venoms; World Health Organization; Viperidae; Tamarindus; Phytochemicals
A novel injectable calcium phosphate bone cement (osteopaste) has been
developed. Its potential application in orthopaedics as a filler of bone defects has been
studied. The biomaterial was composed of tetra-calcium phosphate (TTCP) and tricalcium
phosphate (TCP) powder. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the
healing process of osteopaste in rabbit tibia.(Copied from article).
The existence of new entity called occult hepatitis C virus (HCV) has
become a raising and escalating concern among healthcare professionals worldwide. It
is defined by the presence of viral RNA in liver and/or peripheral blood mononuclear
cells (PBMCs) within non HCV-infected patients. Previous study had shown the occult
HCV is infectious and capable of transmitting the virus to another host. Till today, HCV
infection remains common among hemodialysis patients despite having the best
preventive plans. Because of this, there is a significant concern about the source of viral
transmission. The aim of the study was to identify and characterize occult HCV infection
in PBMC sample of hemodialysis patients. This was an observational and cross sectional
study. (Copied from article).
Accidental injuries are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality
worldwide. Approximately 1.25 million lives are cut short because of road traffic
accident every year. As the incidences of emergencies is steadily increasing in recent
years, it is important to ensure that individuals are adequately trained to deal with such
events including university students. First aid is given to preserve life and minimize the
consequences of injury and illness until help is obtained from health care practitioners.
This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge, awareness and attitude related to
first aid among IIUM Kuantan campus students. (Copied from article).
Previous studies have proven the existence of a complex association
between progressive kidney damage and hypercholesterolemia. Most studies focused on
the impact of chronic high blood cholesterol levels on the kidney. Information on the
early effect of hypercholesterolemia on the kidney is still lacking. The aim of this study
was therefore to determine early effect of high cholesterol diet on the kidney in an
animal model. (Copied from article).
The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia is based on the fact that hyperdopaminergic
state is involved in causing psychosis and antipsychotic drugs block the
dopamine receptor. COMT regulates the homeostatic levels of neurotransmitter
dopamine in the synapses and plays a role in the neurocognitive function. The
dysregulation of dopamine in the prefrontal cortex influences the cognitive function and
the severity of the psychotic symptoms in schizophrenia. During epigenetic event,
methylated COMT gene may cause reduction in its expression and contribute to the
clinical presentation of schizophrenia. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the
feasibility of using COMT DNA methylation for the prediction of specific psychotic
presentation of schizophrenia. (Copied from article).