Browse publications by year: 2018

Fulltext Influences of nutrition information on fast food consumption among undergraduates

Vijayakumaran, R.K., Nur Amalina, S.

Food Research, 2018;2(3):228-233.
MyJurnal

This study was carried out to determine the influences of providing nutrition information
on fast food restaurant menus, especially among Malaysian undergraduates, who often eat
outside the campus during the semester. A validated questionnaire, adapted from previous
studies was used to determine the general perception of nutrition information and nutrient
intake when eating at fast food restaurants. A total of 185 undergraduates from three
different schools participated - medical sciences (n=54, 29.2%), dentistry, (n=54, 29.2%),
health sciences (n= 77, 41.6%) in a university. In general, the majority of the
undergraduates ate fast food at least once a week (n= 105, 56.8%) and most of them
preferred to eat outside on weekends (n=156, 84.3%). Majority perceived that it was
important to provide nutrition information at fast food restaurant (n=183, 98.9%). The
mean for calorie, fat and sodium composition of their food choices were significantly
different between before and after providing nutrition information of food items that they
intended to purchase (p

MeSH terms: Energy Intake; Dentistry; Eating; Food Preferences; Surveys and Questionnaires; Restaurants; Sodium; Universities; Fast Foods
Fulltext Effect of sodium dodecyl sulphate and polyoxyethylene dodecyl ether on the rheological behaviour and stability of natural rubber latex

Lim, H.M., Misni, M.

ASM Science Journal, 2018;11(1):44-55.
MyJurnal

Surfactants are important class of material used in latexes to impart stability at the
solid/liquid interface. Ionic surfactants and nonionic surfactants are known to provide electrostatic
and steric stabilisation. In this study, two surfactants having chain length of twelve
hydrocarbons were added to the natural rubber latex (NRL) respectively to determine its zeta
potential values, adsorption isotherm and rheological properties. Previous study has shown
that optimum stability was observed when the alkyl chain of surfactant contains twelve carbon
atoms. The zeta potential magnitude of NRL in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate
increased as the surfactant concentration increases, while polyoxyethylene dodecyl ether did
not show a significant change in zeta potential. The isotherms were of Langmuir Type 1, the
amount of surfactant adsorbed per unit area at the plateau region was 6.0 × 10−6 mol m−2
for sodium dodecyl sulphate and 2.1 × 10−6 mol m−2
for polyoxyethylene dodecyl ether.
The elastic modulus and relative viscosity of the NRL suspensions increased significantly
in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate and also with polyoxyethylene dodecyl ether as
compared to the NRL system due to stronger colloidal forces. The maximum packing volume
fractions of the NRL stabilised with sodium dodecyl sulphate and polyoxyethylene dodecyl
ether were found to be lower than NRL itself.
Fulltext Basic-SiM train-the-trainer: a model to prepare aviation educators for simulation based-first aid learning

Muhamad Nur Fariduddin, Wee, Lei Hum, Lilia Halim, Mohd Johar Jaafar

ASM Science Journal, 2018;11(1):32-44.
MyJurnal

Medical emergency on board is a new phenomenon that lack of attention. Despite the
presence of cabin crew who is certified to provide medical care to the passenger, failure to
acquire the non-technical skills and low level of knowledge and technical skills retention is
reported to be major challenges in developing a highly competent cabin crew in providing
effective medical care. Having the ability to design simulations, implement it into teaching,
and effectively evaluate simulated performance is starting to become a key role for educators
in health care. For most educators, a practical knowledge and skills gap resides between
the need for simulation learning and proficiencies in designing and utilising simulation. The
purpose of this model was to develop a ‘trained educators’ from the aviation industry with
the knowledge and skills to utilise simulation effectively. The steps involve identification,
development, and integration with a follow-up assessment. The implementation of the program
yielded a significant improvement on the participants’ knowledge, t (129) = -6.27, p
< .001 together with a total DASH-SV score of 6.32. The barriers, including difficulties
encountered executing the model, are discussed combined with the implication for future application.
This model is an effective approach for developing a trained educator in first aid
for aviation incorporated with simulation learning. The trained educator will then become
a pioneer and train another organisation.
Fulltext The study of the shoreline change of Bengkalis Cape, Indonesia

Rifardi, Chairunisa Rachmani, Elizal

ASM Science Journal, 2018;11(1):23-31.
MyJurnal

The main purpose of this study is to determine shoreline change in Bengkalis Cape, Riau Province, Indonesia using sediment samples analysis, satellite images, and oceanographic parameters. The samples were collected at five stations by using sediment grab and oceanographic observation was also carried out at each station in November 2015. The southern part of Bengkalis Cape is characterised by fine-grain sediments (mud) and high rate of accretion that reaches 29.77 metre/year, and is influenced by weak tidal currents with a velocity of less than 0.06 m/s and low wave energy. In contrast, the northern part is occupied by coarse-grain sediments (sand) which is characterised by high rate of abrasion as shown in the image data for 20 years; 1995-2015 reaches 38.02 metre/year, and is under the influence of strong tidal current (0.16 m/s) and high wave energy. The major contributing factor for the shoreline change is the current system which flowing from Malacca strait to the shore area and sediments deposition in the area.

MeSH terms: Indonesia; Oceanography; Physical Phenomena; Satellite Imagery
Fulltext Characterisation of oil palm frond for bio-oil production

Omar, N.N., Abdullah, N., Mustafa, I.S., Sulaiman, F.

ASM Science Journal, 2018;11(1):9-22.
MyJurnal

Oil palm frond is known to be the largest contributor to the oil palm residues, providing
up to 50.3% of the total residues. Since it has a very limited utility, an initiative was taken
by this study to investigate its suitability for bio-oil production. Hence, slow pyrolysis was
conducted in an experimental setup equipped with a fixed bed reactor and a liquid collection
system. From the experiments, the effect of reaction temperature on the bio-oil yield was
examined. The characteristics of the obtained bio-oil were also investigated to study its
potential as a substitute of phenol. It was found that at reaction temperature of 375oC,
highest yield of bio-oil was obtained at 38.4 wt%. Meanwhile, the characteristics of oil palm
frond and its bio-oil were found to be approximately similar to the characteristics of typical
softwoods and their bio-oil. Most softwood biomass has been successfully used as a phenol
substitute. Therefore, the potential of this bio-oil to be used as a phenol substitute was
enhanced.

MeSH terms: Phenols; Plant Oils; Temperature; Biomass; Phenol; Polyphenols
Fulltext Evaluation on thoracic trunk shift and coronal balance in post-operative scoliosis patients

Mohankumar, P., Leong, Wai Yie

ASM Science Journal, 2018;11(1):1-8.
MyJurnal

Thoracic trunk shift and Coronal balance are main features to be considered while planning
treatment for scoliosis patients. Thoracic trunk shift refers to deviation of trunk from its
normal position. Coronal balance refers to deviation of seventh cervical bone from sacrum
in coronal plane. After undergoing scoliosis correction surgery, these two parameters are
measured by surgeons using radiograph images to make sure the scoliosis curve progression
is stopped and whether vertebral alignment is back to normal. Since the relationship
between thoracic trunk shift and coronal balance in the post-operated scoliotic patients is
questionable, this study is done to find the correlation between thoracic trunk shift and
coronal balance in the thoracic scoliosis patients who underwent correction surgery at least a
year before from the date of taking radiographs. Radiographs of 24 patients were collected.
Statistical analysis was done using paired sample ‘t’ test, with ‘p’ value of 0.05 as the level of
significance. The mean millimetre measurement of thoracic trunk shift and coronal balance
was found to be 27.62 mm and 10.50 mm. Results of our study showed that there is a 10.18%
of relation in between the post thoracic trunk shift and coronal balance of those 24 patients.
Fulltext Low Free Testosterone and Prostate Cancer Risk: A Collaborative Analysis of 20 Prospective Studies

Watts EL, Appleby PN, Perez-Cornago A, Bueno-de-Mesquita HB, Chan JM, Chen C, et al.

Eur Urol, 2018 Nov;74(5):585-594.
PMID: 30077399 DOI: 10.1016/j.eururo.2018.07.024

BACKGROUND: Experimental and clinical evidence implicates testosterone in the aetiology of prostate cancer. Variation across the normal range of circulating free testosterone concentrations may not lead to changes in prostate biology, unless circulating concentrations are low. This may also apply to prostate cancer risk, but this has not been investigated in an epidemiological setting.
OBJECTIVE: To examine whether men with low concentrations of circulating free testosterone have a reduced risk of prostate cancer.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Analysis of individual participant data from 20 prospective studies including 6933 prostate cancer cases, diagnosed on average 6.8 yr after blood collection, and 12 088 controls in the Endogenous Hormones, Nutritional Biomarkers and Prostate Cancer Collaborative Group.
OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Odds ratios (ORs) of incident overall prostate cancer and subtypes by stage and grade, using conditional logistic regression, based on study-specific tenths of calculated free testosterone concentration.
RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Men in the lowest tenth of free testosterone concentration had a lower risk of overall prostate cancer (OR=0.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.69-0.86; p<0.001) compared with men with higher concentrations (2nd-10th tenths of the distribution). Heterogeneity was present by tumour grade (phet=0.01), with a lower risk of low-grade disease (OR=0.76, 95% CI 0.67-0.88) and a nonsignificantly higher risk of high-grade disease (OR=1.56, 95% CI 0.95-2.57). There was no evidence of heterogeneity by tumour stage. The observational design is a limitation.
CONCLUSIONS: Men with low circulating free testosterone may have a lower risk of overall prostate cancer; this may be due to a direct biological effect, or detection bias. Further research is needed to explore the apparent differential association by tumour grade.
PATIENT SUMMARY: In this study, we looked at circulating testosterone levels and risk of developing prostate cancer, finding that men with low testosterone had a lower risk of prostate cancer.

MeSH terms: Adult; Aged; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Prostatic Neoplasms/blood*; Prostatic Neoplasms/epidemiology; Prostatic Neoplasms/pathology; Prostatic Neoplasms/prevention & control; Risk Factors; Testosterone/blood; Testosterone/deficiency*; Time Factors; Biomarkers/blood; Down-Regulation; Case-Control Studies; Risk Assessment; Neoplasm Grading; Protective Factors
Fulltext Predictive factors for contrast-induced acute kidney injury in high-risk patients given N-acetylcysteine prophylaxis

Poh WY, Omar MS, Tan HP

Ann Saudi Med, 2018 8 6;38(4):269-276.
PMID: 30078025 DOI: 10.5144/0256-4947.2018.269

BACKGROUND: Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is rec.ognized as a common complication of radiographic contrast-enhanced procedures. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is commonly prescribed, but CI-AKI can still develop despite NAC administration as prophylaxis.
OBJECTIVE: Identify the predictive factors for development of CI-AKI in patients prescribed NAC.
DESIGN: Prospective, cross-sectional.
SETTING: A tertiary hospital in Malaysia.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: All adult patients who were prescribed NAC for prevention of CI-AKI were identified through an NAC drug us.age monitoring card maintained by the inpatient pharmacy. The study was conducted from March to July 2017.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Statistically significant predictive fac.tors for development of CI-AKI despite NAC administration.
SAMPLE SIZE: 152 RESULTS: The most commonly recognized risk factors for CI-AKI present in the study population were renal impairment (n=131, 86.2%), anemia (n=107, 70.4%), and diabetes mellitus (n=90, 59.2%). Hydration therapy was initiated in 128 patients (84.2%) prior to the contrast-enhanced procedure. Sixty-one (40.1%) were treated with nephrotoxic medications concomitantly with NAC. Fifteen (9.9%) patients developed AKI. Hypotension (OR: 6.02; 95% CI 1.25-28.97) and use of high contrast volume (OR: 6.56; 95% CI: 1.41-30.64) significantly increased the odds for AKI. Prior hydration therapy (OR: 0.13; 95% CI 0.03-0.59) showed protective effects.
CONCLUSION: The risk predictors identified for CI-AKI were hypotension, high contrast volume and prior hydration therapy.
LIMITATION: May not have identified other confounding factors for development of CI-AKI.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None.

MeSH terms: Acetylcysteine/pharmacology*; Aged; Contrast Media/adverse effects*; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Inpatients*; Malaysia/epidemiology; Male; Middle Aged; Prognosis; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors; Incidence; Free Radical Scavengers/pharmacology; Risk Assessment*; Acute Kidney Injury/chemically induced; Acute Kidney Injury/epidemiology; Acute Kidney Injury/prevention & control*
A practical approach toward teaching ethics to community pharmacists

Saw PS, Chuah LH, Lee SWH

Int J Clin Pharm, 2018 Oct;40(5):1131-1136.
PMID: 30078173 DOI: 10.1007/s11096-018-0707-8

Background Pharmacists as highly qualified professionals face ethical dilemmas and conflicts in their daily practice. These issues manifest themselves in the daily practice of pharmacists, which require pharmacists to have the competencies to manage these dilemmas but there is limited formal training in ethical decision making during undergraduate pharmacy education. Objective To describe the implementation and evaluation of a methodological approach to managing ethical dilemma workshop for community pharmacists in Malaysia. Setting Community pharmacists in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Method During the workshop, pharmacists were provided insights into how they could use and apply a methodological approach towards managing a dilemma, followed by a case study and panel discussion. All participants were invited to complete a pre- and post-workshop questionnaire Main outcome measure Number and proportion of respondents answering questions related to practice of ethics and workshop effectiveness Results A total of 37 participants attended the workshop. Most of the participants reported that they had no formal training in professional ethics and often used their own approach to solve an ethical issue. Some of the most common issues mentioned include changing medication to generic. More than three quarter of participants agreed and strongly agreed the content was relevant to their job and they will be able to use what they learned in the program. Conclusion The evidence suggests that a module in ethical decision making should be introduced to community pharmacists in Malaysia. This module can be easily adapted for use in other countries and will help ensure that pharmacist can make a good professional judgement and deliver the deeds of beneficence to all their patients.

MeSH terms: Adult; Attitude of Health Personnel; Community Pharmacy Services/ethics*; Decision Making/ethics; Education, Pharmacy, Continuing/methods*; Ethics, Pharmacy/education*; Female; Humans; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Pharmacists/ethics*; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult
Fulltext Prevalence and classification of high antimicrobial resistant Staphylococcus aureus in wastewater eluted from poultry slaughterhouse

Abidatul, A.A., Nur Farhanah, N.M.J., Noramirah, R., Ling, S., Son, R., New, C.Y.

Food Research, 2018;2(2):201-207.
MyJurnal

The continued and increasing development of antimicrobial resistant bacteria among the
foodborne pathogens had caused worldwide to be alarmed. Being the earliest to develop
antimicrobial resistance, Staphylococcus aureus is constantly monitored for any new
resistance development. The resistance development is often linked to wastewater and the
treatment plants where the pressure of antibiotic is the highest. Hence, this study
investigated on the prevalence of high antimicrobial resistant S. aureus in the wastewater
eluted from a poultry slaughterhouse. A total of thirty wastewater samples were collected
from a poultry slaughterhouse in Semenyih, Selangor. Most probable number (MPN)-
plating method was employed to enumerate the S. aureus count in the wastewater. The
results indicated that S. aureus was highly present whereby all samples (100%) were
positive and the concentration ranged between 11 – 2.1 x 104 MPN/ml. Isolated S. aureus
strains were screened for their antimicrobial susceptibility using the Kirby-Bauer Disk
Diffusion Test method to classify their antimicrobial resistance eleven antibiotics. The
MAR index measured was between 0.18 and 0.91, inferring that the strains are highly
antimicrobial resistance. All S. aureus strains were 100% resistant to ampicillin (25 µg)
and cefazolin (30 µg). 94.1% of the strains were resistant to penicillin (10 µg) which
phenotypically indicated these strains are Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA).
Notably, 17.6% of the strains developed resistance to vancomycin and was categorized as
Vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA). There is a need to take drastic preventive
measures to control the resistance development in S. aureus to conserve public health.
Fulltext Antioxidant activities of Barringtonia racemosa leaves

Nurul Syafizan, R., Rabeta, M.S.

Food Research, 2018;2(2):194-200.
MyJurnal

Proximate analysis of Barringtonia racemosa (putat) leaves was carried out and total
phenolic content (TPC) was measured using total phenolic assay, also known as the Folin
Ciocalteu (FC) assay. Antioxidant activities of the methanolic and aqueous extracts were
evaluated by ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay; the free radical scavenging
capacity was determined by 1,1-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging capacity
(DPPH) assay. Proximate analysis showed that the leaves contained 70.52% moisture,
0.96% ash, 2.54% protein, 0.26% fat, 1.38% crude fiber, and 25.71% carbohydrates. The
TPC amount exhibited by the methanolic extract was 1585.20±25.54 mg GAE/100 g
sample, which was higher compared with the aqueous plant extract with 1314.12±66.19
mg GAE/100 g (p
Fulltext Ambit determination method in estimating rice plant population density

Abu Bakar, B., Abdul Rahman, M.S., Teoh, C.C., Abdullah, M.Z.K., Ismail, R.

Food Research, 2018;2(2):177-182.
MyJurnal

Rice plant population density is a key indicator in determining the crop setting and fertilizer application rate. It is therefore essential that the population density is monitored to ensure that a correct crop management decision is taken. The conventional method of determining plant population is by manually counting the total number of rice plant tillers in a 25 cm x 25 cm square frame. Sampling is done by randomly choosing several different locations within a plot to perform tiller counting. This sampling method is time consuming, labour intensive and costly. An alternative fast estimating method was developed to overcome this issue. The method relies on measuring the outer circumference
or ambit of the contained rice plants in a 25 cm x 25 cm square frame to determine the number of tillers within that square frame. Data samples of rice variety MR219 were collected from rice plots in the Muda granary area, Sungai Limau Dalam, Kedah. The data were taken at 50 days and 70 days after seeding (DAS). A total of 100 data samples were collected for each sampling day. A good correlation was obtained for the variety of 50 DAS and 70 DAS. The model was then verified by taking 100 samples with the latching strap for 50 DAS and 70 DAS. As a result, this technique can be used as a fast, economical and practical alternative to manual tiller counting. The technique can potentially be used in the development of an electronic sensing system to estimate paddy plant population density.

MeSH terms: Female; Fertilizers; Labor, Obstetric; Malaysia; Monitoring, Physiologic; Population Density; Oryza; Soil; Reading Frames
Fulltext Development of functional beverage from Sapodilla (Manilkara Zapota L.) fruit

Lim, W.S., Uthumporn, U., Rabeta, M.S.

Food Research, 2018;2(2):163-170.
MyJurnal

This study started with the development of juice from sapodilla (Manilkara zapota L.) fruit.
Among three formulations, sapodilla juice with the combination of 50% pure sapodilla
juice, 25oBrix, and 0.40% of titratable acidity have gained the highest score in the hedonic
sensory test, with overall acceptability ranging from “like slightly” to “like moderately”.
Formulated sapodilla juice and pure sapodilla juice were analysed for their total phenolic
and ascorbic acid contents, pH, total soluble solid and titratable acidity. The formulated
sapodilla juice has lower pH (3.35), higher titratable acidity content (0.40%) and total
soluble solid (25oBrix) than pure sapodilla juice. The total phenolic (469.82 mg GAE/L)
and ascorbic acid contents (3.60 mg/100 mL) of formulated sapodilla juice which consists
only 50% of sapodilla juice showed the lower value than the pure sapodilla juice.
Formulated sapodilla juice with lower pH will be less susceptible to enzymatic browning.
In microbiology total plate count, no colony formed on the formulated juice, whereas the
mean number of colony forming units (CFU) in pure juice was 169318.18 CFU/ml juice
stored in room temperature (28°C) for a week. These results revealed that the formulated
juice had better microbial stability than pure juice.
Fulltext The anticancer effect of Ocimum tenuiflorum leaves

Lam, S.N., Neda, G.D., Rabeta, M.S.

Food Research, 2018;2(2):154-162.
MyJurnal

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among females in Malaysia. Ocimum
tenuiflorum L., (O. tenuiflorum) commonly known as ruku in Malaysia, is usually
cultivated as a garden ornamental plant because of its small purplish and some yellowish
flower. The specific objective of this research is to investigate the anticancer of O.
tenuiflorum against human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) and
human fibroblast cell line (HS-27). In addition, another objective is to determine the
mineral and heavy metal determination of O. tenuiflorum. O. tenuiflorum exhibited
anticancer activity against MCF-7 (a hormone-dependent breast cancer cell line). The
viability of MCF-7 cells decreased significantly after treatment with various
concentrations of methanolic plant extracts (25 and 100 µg/mL), as shown via 3-(4,5-
dimethylthiazol-2-yl)2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The crude extracts
show the lower IC50 (less than 100 µg/mL) value against the cancer cell lines and show no
effect on HS-27. The high content of calcium in the leaves of O. tenuiflorum may play a
role in decreasing the risk of certain cancer. The concentrations of heavy metals (Pb and
As) detected in O. tenuiflorum are safe for consumption.
Fulltext Trichosanthes cucumerina extracts enhance glucose uptake and regulate adiponectin and leptin concentrations in 3T3-L1 adipocytes model

Sassi, A., Khattak, M.M.A.K., Taher, M.

Food Research, 2018;2(2):146-153.
MyJurnal

Trichosanthes cucumerina (Cucurbitaceae) commonly known as Snake gourd or Labu
Ular is considered the largest genre in the Cucurbitaceae family and is mainly found in the
southeast areas of Asia. It has been used in Ayurvedic medicine as a treatment for certain
diseases such as Diabetes mellitus, but these acclaims lack scientific-based evidence. In
this study, water and ethanol extracts of three parts of Trichosanthes cucumerina namely;
whole vegetable, peels, and seeds, were assessed for toxicity through a cell viability assay
using 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes model which revealed a maximum toleration concentration
of 0.063 mg/mL. The extracts were further tested on adipocytes’ differentiation and
positively showed a stimulation of lipid droplets formation during adipogenesis and
significantly (p
Fulltext Stingless bee honey and its potential value: a systematic review

Yaacob, M., Rajab N.F., Shahar, S., Sharif, R.

Food Research, 2018;2(2):124-133.
MyJurnal

Modern science has found that most traditional practice of using stingless bee honey has
great potential as an added value in modern medicine and considered to have a higher
medicinal value than other bee species. However, due to the relatively low output of honey
compared to other honey so, focus on this honey is limited. Hence, this systematic review
provides the updated result on the potential value of stingless bee honey as an antioxidant,
anti-inflammatory, cytotoxicity and antimicrobial. The search strategy was developed in
four databases (Scopus, Medline and Ovid, EMBASE and PubMed) with the search terms
"("honey" and "Kelulut", "honey" and "stingless bee", "honey" and "Trigona", "honey"
and "pot honey", and "honey" and "Melipon")". The merged data was assessed using
PRISMA guidelines and after the duplicates were removed, 1271 articles were segregated.
Afterwards, 1232 articles were eliminated because they do not meet the inclusion criteria
and 39 articles were reevaluated again for eligibility. Finally, after the evaluation process,
only 26 of the articles were chosen for this review. The data of 26 articles of stingless bee
honey were deliberated based on antioxidant properties, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxicity
and analysis of antimicrobial activity. Three articles reported on antioxidant properties,
one article on anti-inflammatory analysis, two articles on cytotoxicity analysis, and twenty
articles on analysis of antimicrobial activity. Based on the feasible affirmation from the
literature, stingless bee honey has an antioxidant capacity that able to decrease the ROS.
ROS able to lead a variety of health problems thus stingless bee honey can be a dietary
supplement to overcome this problem.

MeSH terms: Animals; Anti-Infective Agents; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antioxidants; Bees; Honey; MEDLINE; Reactive Oxygen Species; PubMed
Fulltext Efficient production of succinic acid in immobilized fermentation with crude glycerol from Escherichia coli

Nik Nor Aziati, A.A., Mimi Sakinah, A.M.

Food Research, 2018;2(1):110-118.
MyJurnal

The increase in the price of commercial succinic acid has necessitated the need for its
synthesis from waste materials such as glycerol. Glycerol residue is a waste product of
Oleochemical production which is cheaply available and a very good source of carbon.
The use of immobilized cells can further reduce the overall cost of the production process.
This study primarily aims to produce succinic acid from glycerol residue through the use
of immobilized Escherichia coli in a batch fermentation process. The parameters which
affect bacterial fermentation process such as the mass substrate, temperature, inoculum
size and duration of fermentation were screened using One-Factor-At-a-Time (OFAT)
method. The result of the screening process shows that a substrate (glycerol) concentration
of 30 g, inoculum size 20% v/v, and time 4 h produced the maximum succinic acid
concentration of 117.99 g/L. The immobilized cells were found to be stable as well as
retain their fermentative ability up to the 6th cycle of recycling, thereby presenting as an
advantage over the free cell system. Therefore, conclude that using immobilized cells can
contribute immensely to the cost-effective production of succinic acid from glycerol
residue.

MeSH terms: Carbon; Cell-Free System; Escherichia coli; Fermentation; Glycerol; Molecular Weight; Temperature; Waste Products; Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; Cells, Immobilized; Succinic Acid; Recycling
Fulltext A randomized controlled trial for effectiveness of zolpidem versus acupressure on sleep in hemodialysis patients having chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus

Rehman IU, Wu DB, Ahmed R, Khan NA, Rahman AU, Munib S, et al.

Medicine (Baltimore), 2018 08;97(31):e10764.
PMID: 30075491 DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000010764

BACKGROUND: Pruritus adds to the complications of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patient and a well-recognized complication among the CKD patients. Majority of the patients on hemodialysis experience a generalized pruritus and patients reported being moderately to extremely disturbed by at least one of the sleep-related condition. This study aim to investigate the effectiveness of zolpidem 10 mg and acupressure therapy on foot acupoints to improve the sleep quality and overall quality of life among hemodialysis patients suffering from CKD-associated pruritus.
METHODS: A multicentered, open-label, parallel group, prospective randomized controlled trial among patients suffering from CKD-associated pruritus with sleep disturbance, after randomization into control, and intervention group to be held at North West General Hospital and Research Center Peshawar, Pakistan and Institute of Kidney Diseases Peshawar, Pakistan.
RESULTS: The primary outcome is to investigate the effectiveness of zolpidem 10 mg and acupressure therapy on foot acupoints to improve the sleep quality and overall quality of life among hemodialysis patients suffering from CKD-associated pruritus. After baseline assessment by Urdu version of 5D itch scale and Urdu version of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Urdu EQ-5D 3L, the intervention group will be given zolpidem 10 mg oral tablets and control group with acupressure on both foots on KI-1 acupoints for total of 6 minutes. Assessment will be done at weeks 4 and 8 from baseline by using Urdu version of 5D itch scale and Urdu version of PSQI and Urdu EQ-5D 3L, whereas safety profiling of zolpidem 10 mg tablet at week 6 from baseline and acupressure acceptability at week 6 from baseline. Analysis of covariance will be used to examine the differences in treatment effects between the intervention and control groups.
CONCLUSION: Improvement of sleep quality and quality of life among patients with CKD-associated pruritus requires great importance. This study aims to improve the quality of sleep and quality of life among patients with hemodialysis suffering from CKD-associated pruritus.

MeSH terms: Adult; Female; Renal Dialysis; Humans; Hypnotics and Sedatives/therapeutic use*; Male; Pakistan; Prospective Studies; Pruritus/etiology*; Pyridines/therapeutic use*; Quality of Life; Sleep Wake Disorders/etiology; Sleep Wake Disorders/therapy*; Acupuncture Points; Treatment Outcome; Acupressure*; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/complications*; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/therapy
Fulltext Radiopathological characteristics and outcomes of phyllodes tumor of the breast in Malaysian women

Abdul Hamid S, Rahmat K, Ramli MT, Fadzli F, Jamaris S, See MH, et al.

Medicine (Baltimore), 2018 Aug;97(31):e11412.
PMID: 30075507 DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000011412

Phyllodes tumor or cystosarcoma phyllodes is a rare fibroepithelial neoplasm which arises from the periductal stroma of the breast. They are classified as benign, borderline, and malignant based on the histologic features. However, all phyllodes tumor (PT) subtypes are regarded as having malignant potential and correct diagnosis is important for surgical management and optimal care. This study is a retrospective review of 76 women diagnosed as PT with highlights on the imaging characteristics, pathology, and surgical treatment over a 7-year period in a tertiary medical center of urban population in Malaysia. There were 45 benign, 16 borderline, and 15 malignant PT. The median age for benign PT was 43, borderline 48.5, and malignant 42 years. The Malay ethnic group constitute 52.6% of cases, with 27.6% and 18.4% in Chinese and Indian ethnic groups, respectively. On mammograms, most benign (64.3%) and 33.3% of malignant PT showed high-density lesions. Calcifications were only seen in 2 benign PT. On ultrasound, 86% of benign PT was well-circumscribed whilst 50.0% of malignant PT had irregular outline. Cystic spaces were seen in 40.0% of malignant and 9.5% of benign PT. 80% of malignant PT lesions were heterogenous. Malignant PT demonstrates tumor heterogeneity, cystic spaces, and posterior acoustic enhancement on ultrasound. Half of malignant PT showed regular borders on ultrasound and appear well circumscribed on mammogram. A total of 46 patients had wide local excision or excision biopsy whilst 30 underwent mastectomy as primary treatment. The majority of the borderline and malignant PTs in our study (75.0% and 85.7% respectively) and only 5 out of the 43 (11.6%) benign PT underwent mastectomy. There were 2 tumor recurrence in the benign PT group and 1 case in the borderline and malignant group respectively.

MeSH terms: Adult; Breast Neoplasms/diagnosis*; Breast Neoplasms/ethnology; Breast Neoplasms/surgery*; Phyllodes Tumor/diagnosis*; Phyllodes Tumor/ethnology; Phyllodes Tumor/surgery*; Female; Humans; Malaysia; Mammography; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Treatment Outcome; Asian Continental Ancestry Group*
Orthodontic appliances and oral hygiene: Are we asking the right questions?

Arunachalam S, Sharan J, Sivakumar I, Jena AK

Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop, 2018 08;154(2):155-156.
PMID: 30075912 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajodo.2018.04.019
MeSH terms: Dental Plaque Index; Oral Hygiene*; Orthodontic Appliances*

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