MyMedR

Fulltext What is the Quality of Life of Transtibial Amputees in Brunei Darussalam?

Ng SS, Naing L, Idris FI, Pande K

Malays Orthop J, 2020 Jul;14(2):39-46.

PMID: 32983376 DOI: 10.5704/MOJ.2007.009

Introduction: Lower limb amputations have a profound impact on the quality of life (QoL) of the patients. This study was done to assess the QoL of patients with transtibial (below-the-knee) amputations (TTA) and transtibial amputees fitted with prosthesis.

Material and Methods: A case-control study of patients who had undergone TTA from 2015 to 2018 was conducted in Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital (RIPAS). Complete data was available for 30 subjects and it was compared with 30 diabetic, non-amputee patients matched for age and gender. QoL was assessed using the RAND 36-Item Health Survey (SF-36) and the functional outcome of prosthesis-fitted transtibial amputees was assessed using the Houghton Scale.

Results: Almost all cases of TTA were a result of vascular problems related to diabetes and chronic renal disease (n=29; 97%). Eighteen (60%) participants were fitted with prosthesis and 15 (50%) reported having phantom pain. QoL of participants was found to be significantly lower than that of age and sex-matched diabetic non-amputees with regards to physical functioning, role limitation due to physical health, emotional well-being, social functioning, and bodily pain. The mean Houghton Score for participants fitted with prosthesis was 4.89 (SD= 2.83) suggesting low functional outcome.

Conclusion: TTA has a negative impact on the QoL of patients, especially in terms of functionality. The availability of prosthesis does not significantly improve the quality of life except in the physical functioning domain. Emotional well-being should be emphasised more in the rehabilitation process as this study found poor emotional well-being among participants.

Fulltext What Do Mothers know about Neonatal Jaundice? Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Mothers in Malaysia

Ng SY, Chong SY

Med J Malaysia, 2014 Dec;69(6):252-6.

PMID: 25934954 MyJurnal

Study site: Hospital Teluk Intan, Perak, Malaysia

Fulltext Unbalanced chromosomal translocation: a cause of recurrent spontaneous abortion

Zarina AL, Jamil MA, Ng SP, Rohana J, Yong SC, Salwati S, et al.

Med J Malaysia, 2006 Jun;61(2):260-2.

PMID: 16898328 MyJurnal

Recurrent spontaneous abortion, defined as three consecutive abortions, occurs in approximately 1% to 2% of couples. Although the cause is unknown in up to 50% of cases, about 5% of these couples are found to be a balanced translocation carrier. We report a case in which the mother was identified to be a translocation carrier following the birth of a baby with multiple congenital abnormalities.

Type 3 diabetes (Alzheimer's disease): new insight for promising therapeutic avenues

Candasamy M, Mohamed Elhassan SA, Kumar Bhattamisra S, Hua WY, Sern LM, Binti Busthamin NA, et al.

Panminerva Med, 2020 Sep;62(3):155-163.

PMID: 32208408 DOI: 10.23736/S0031-0808.20.03879-3

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) are two of the most commonly occurring diseases worldwide, especially among the elderly population. In particular, the increased prevalence of AD has imposed tremendous psychological and financial burdens on society. Growing evidence suggests both AD and T2D share many similar pathological traits. AD is characterized as a metabolic disorder whereby the glucose metabolism in the brain is impaired. This closely resembles the state of insulin resistance in T2D. Insulin resistance of the brain has been heavily implicated two prominent pathological features of AD, Aβ plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Brain insulin resistance is known to elicit a positive feed-forward loop towards the formation of AD pathology in which they affect each other in a synergistic manner. Other physiological traits shared between the two diseases include inflammation, oxidative stress and autophagic dysfunction, which are also closely associated with brain insulin resistance. In this review and depending on these underlying pathways that link these two diseases, we have discussed the potential therapeutic implications of AD. By expanding our knowledge of the overlapping pathophysiology involved, we hope to provide scientific basis to the discovery of novel therapeutic strategies to improve the clinical outcomes of AD in terms of diagnosis and treatment.

Fulltext Tracking Progress from Policy Development to Implementation: A Case Study on Adoption of Mandatory Regulation for Nutrition Labelling in Malaysia

Ng S, Kelly B, Yeatman H, Swinburn B, Karupaiah T

Nutrients, 2021 Jan 29;13(2).

PMID: 33573100 DOI: 10.3390/nu13020457

Mandatory nutrition labelling, introduced in Malaysia in 2003, received a "medium implementation" rating from public health experts when previously benchmarked against international best practices by our group. The rating prompted this qualitative case study to explore barriers and facilitators during the policy process. Methods incorporated semi-structured interviews supplemented with cited documents and historical mapping of local and international directions up to 2017. Case participants held senior positions in the Federal government (n = 6), food industry (n = 3) and civil society representations (n = 3). Historical mapping revealed that international directions stimulated policy processes in Malaysia but policy inertia caused implementation gaps. Barriers hindering policy processes included lack of resources, governance complexity, lack of monitoring, technical challenges, policy characteristics linked to costing, lack of sustained efforts in policy advocacy, implementer characteristics and/or industry resistance, including corporate political activities (e.g., lobbying, policy substitution). Facilitators to the policy processes were resource maximization, leadership, stakeholder partnerships or support, policy windows and industry engagement or support. Progressing policy implementation required stronger leadership, resources, inter-ministerial coordination, advocacy partnerships and an accountability monitoring system. This study provides insights for national and global policy entrepreneurs when formulating strategies towards fostering healthy food environments.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura with terminal pancytopenia

Ng SC, Adam BA

Postgrad Med J, 1990 Nov;66(781):955-7.

PMID: 2267212

A 27 year old housewife developed thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura during the twelfth week of pregnancy. She had partial response to initial plasma infusion and subsequent plasmapheresis. However, her clinical course was complicated by the development of severe pancytopenia the consequence of a hypocellular marrow. She succumbed to septicaemic shock one month after diagnosis. The development of hypocellular marrow in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura has not been reported before.

Therapeutic and reproductive cloning--implications and recommendations

Ng SC, Ng Y, Liow SL, Chen N

Med J Malaysia, 2003 Mar;58 Suppl A:102-10.

PMID: 14556357

The announcement of Dolly's birth took the world by storm, mainly because what was thought impossible has become possible. Optimism that new approaches in agriculture and medicine abound, as much as fear and imagination leading to Frankenstein-like scenarios. Scientifically, cloning refers to replicating an animal with the same nuclear genetic material; whilst it may refer to embryos as the source material, the current storm refers to differentiated ("somatic") cells. Cloning technology is useful in the following areas: agriculture, to produce animals of superior or specific qualities; endangered animals, to increase genetic diversity through widening the gene pool; understanding fundamental questions in developmental embryology, through the use of laboratory animals; and in human therapy, to produce cells and possibly tissues for repair and regeneration. In the first 2 instances, it is reproductive cloning. In the last instance, it is therapeutic cloning, as no individuals are "produced". Human reproductive cloning is not allowed by all governments that have deliberated on it, and therapeutic cloning is allowed by some under certain circumstances. As therapeutic cloning has great potential in cures of many diseases, it should be allowed but with safeguards to prevent abuse and reproductive cloning in the human.

Fulltext The spectrum of elderly myopathies in an Asian population

Ng S, Wong, KT, Goh KJ

Neurology Asia, 2013;18(2):177-181.

MyJurnal

Myopathies, although presenting more commonly in the younger age group, can occur and contribute significantly to disability in the elderly. To describe the spectrum of elderly myopathies, we reviewed 52 elderly patients (> 65 years) from the University of Malaya Medical Centre muscle biopsy databank, constituting 6.8% of 759 adult patients (> 18 years) who underwent muscle biopsy between 1992 and 2012. Commonest were the inflammatory myopathies (41/52, 78.8%), of which 43.9% had dermatomyositis; 23.9% polymyositis; 14.6% sporadic inclusion body myositis; 9.8% undifferentiated myositis and 2.4% overlap myositis. Seven patients (13.4%) had genetic myopathy; 2 muscular dystrophy and 5 chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia, while 4 patients (7.7%) had drug-associated myopathy, 3 with statins. Malignancies were seen in 9.8% of inflammatory myopathies at diagnosis. Both acquired and genetic myopathies are seen in elderly Malaysians of all ethnicities and should not be misdiagnosed as some are potentially treatable and/or associated with malignancy.

Fulltext The leopard (multiple lentigines) syndrome: a case report

Ting HC, Ng SC

Med J Malaysia, 1983 Jun;38(2):98-101.

PMID: 6621454

A case of the leopard (multiple lentigines) syndrome is described. To our knowledge this is the first documented case of this rare but interesting syndrome to be reported in this country.

Fulltext The first frozen embryo donation pregnancy for hypergonadotrophic hypogonadism in Singapore--hormonal profile and obstetric outcome

Chan CLK, Kumar J, Ong ML, Ng SC, Bongso TA, Ratnam SS

Med J Malaysia, 1996 Dec;51(4):482-4.

PMID: 10968039

This is the first report in South East Asia of a singleton frozen embryo donation pregnancy for hypergonadotrophic hypogonadism. The hormonal profile was compared with that of a control group of normal uncomplicated singleton pregnancies in Singapore. The plasma beta hCG levels were lower compared to those of our normal uncomplicated singleton pregnancies at 2 to 3 weeks after the embryo transfer but became comparable at 4 to 5 weeks after embryo transfer. The successful vaginal delivery and the obstetric complications developed in this case are discussed.

Fulltext The empty follicle syndrome

Ng SP, Jamil MA, Nurshaireen A, Zainul MR

Med J Malaysia, 2006 Oct;61(4):499-500.

PMID: 17243533 MyJurnal

The empty follicle syndrome (EFS) is a rare complication of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment, leading to cycle cancellation. Low human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) bioavailability and ovarian dysfunction have been implicated with this condition. This case report illustrates a typical case of EFS and several strategies suggested to overcome this problem.

The effects of nickel(II) and chromium(VI) on oxygen demand, nitrogen and metal removal in a sequencing batch reactor

Khor SM, Ng SL, Lim PE, Seng CE

Environ Technol, 2011 Dec;33(15-16):1903-14.

PMID: 22439579

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects ofNi(II) and Cr(VI) individually and in combination on the simultaneous removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrogen and metals under a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) operation. Three identical laboratory-scale SBRs were operated with FILL, REACT, SETTLE, DRAW and IDLE periods in a ratio of 1:12:1:2:8 for a cycle time of 24 h until the steady state was achieved. Nickel(II) at increasing concentrations up to 35 mg/L was added to one of the reactors; Cr(VI) at increasing concentrations up to 25 mg/L was added to a second reactor; while a combination of Ni(II) and Cr(VI) in equal concentrations up to 10 mg/L was added to a third reactor. The results demonstrate that both Ni(II) and Cr(VI) exerted a more pronounced inhibitory effect on the removal of ammonia nitrogen (AN) than on COD removal. Synergistic and antagonistic inhibitory effects on the rates of COD and AN removal, respectively, were observed for the 50% Ni(II) and 50% Cr(VI) (w/w) mixture in the concentration range between 10 and 20 mg/L. The simultaneous presence of 50% Ni(II) and 50% Cr(VI) at a concentration of 20 mg/L resulted in system failure.

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.

Fulltext Temporal bone squamous cell carcinoma - Penang experience

Ng SY, Pua KC, Zahirrudin Z

Med J Malaysia, 2015 Dec;70(6):367-8.

PMID: 26988214 MyJurnal

Temporal bone squamous cell carcinoma (TBSCC) is rare and poses difficulties in diagnosing, staging and management. We describe a case series with six patients who were diagnosed TBSCC, from January 2009 to June 2014, with median age of 62 years old. All patients presented with blood-stain discharge and external auditory canal mass, showing that these findings should highly alert the diagnosis of TBSCC. Three patients staged T3 and another three with T4 disease. High-resolution CT (HRCT) temporal findings were noted to be different from intraoperative findings and therefore we conclude that MRI should be done to look for middle ear involvement or other soft tissue invasion for more accurate staging. Lateral temporal bone resection (LTBR) and parotidectomy was done for four patients with or without neck dissection. Patients with positive margin, perineural invasion or parotid and glenoid involvement carry poorer prognosis and postoperative radiotherapy may improve the survival rate. One patient had successful tumor resection via piecemeal removal approach in contrast with the recommended en bloc resection shows that with negative margin achieved, piecemeal removal approach can be a good option for patients with T2-3 disease. In general, T4 tumor has dismal outcome regardless of surgery or radiotherapy given.

Symmetry-Driven Assembly of a Penta-Shell Keplerate Cuprofullerene for Metallofullerene Frameworks

Liu YL, Zhan SZ, Sun JX, Cai H, Yuan ZL, Zhang HF, et al.

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl, 2023 Aug 14;62(33):e202306748.

PMID: 37366116 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202306748

Two metallofullerene frameworks (MFFs) constructed from a penta-shell Keplerate cuprofullerene chloride, C60 @Cu24 @Cl44 @Cu12 @Cl12 , have been successfully prepared via a C60 -templated symmetry-driven strategy. The icosahedral cuprofullerene chloride is assembled on a C60 molecule through [η2 -(C=C)]-CuI and CuI -Cl coordination bonds, resulting in the penta-shell Keplerate with the C60 core canopied by 24 Cu, 44 Cl, 12 Cu and 12 Cl atoms that fulfill the tic@rco@oae@ico@ico penta-shell polyhedral configuration. By sharing the outmost-shell Cl atoms, the cuprofullerene chlorides are connected into 2D or 3D (snf net) frameworks. TD-DFT calculations reveal that the charge transfer from the outmost CuI and Cl to C60 core is responsible for their light absorption expansion to near-infrared region, implying anionic halogenation may be an effective strategy to tune the light absorption properties of metallofullerene materials.

Surface phonon polariton characteristics of In(0.04)Al(0.06)Ga(0.90)N/AlN/Al(2)O(3) heterostructure

Ng SS, Lee SC, Bakhori SK, Hassan Z, Abu Hassan H, Yakovlev VA, et al.

Opt Express, 2010 May 10;18(10):10354-9.

PMID: 20588890 DOI: 10.1364/OE.18.010354

Surface phonon polariton (SPP) characteristics of In(0.04)Al(0.06)Ga(0.90)N/AlN/Al(2)O(3) heterostructure are investigated by means of p-polarized infrared (IR) attenuated total reflection spectroscopy. Two absorption dips corresponding to In(0.04)Al(0.06)Ga(0.90)N SPP modes are observed. In addition, two prominent dips and one relatively weak and broad dip corresponding to the Al(2)O(3) SPP mode, In(0.04)Al(0.06)Ga(0.90)N/Al(2)O(3) interface mode, and Al(2)O(3) bulk polariton mode, respectively, are clearly seen. No surface mode feature originating from the AlN layer is observed because it is too thin. Overall, the observations are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions.

Sunitinib-paracetamol sex-divergent pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution drug-drug interaction in mice

Liew MH, Ng S, Chew CC, Koo TW, Chee YL, Chee EL, et al.

Invest New Drugs, 2017 04;35(2):145-157.

PMID: 28070719 DOI: 10.1007/s10637-016-0415-y

The sex-divergent pharmacokinetics and interaction of tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib with paracetamol was evaluated in male and female mice. Mice (control groups) were administered 60 mg/kg PO sunitinib alone or with 200 mg/kg PO paracetamol (study groups). Sunitinib concentration in plasma, brain, kidney and liver were determined and non-compartmental pharmacokinetic analysis performed. Female control mice showed 36% higher plasma sunitinib AUC0→∞, 31% and 27% lower liver and kidney AUC0→∞ and 2.2-fold higher AUC0→∞ in brain (all p

Fulltext Splenic lymphoma with hypersplenism--a case report

Ng SC, Kuperan P, Jayalakshmi P, Chua CT

Singapore Med J, 1990 Feb;31(1):80-2.

PMID: 2185555

A 47-year old man had hypersplenism from massive splenomegaly, the cause of which was undetermined for 2 years. He was initially asymptomatic though there was mild pancytopenia. However, 18 months after presentation he manifested both clinical and haematological deterioration, almost succumbing to sepsis. Splenectomy finally provided a definite diagnosis of follicular lymphoma and also restored his blood counts to within normal range.

Fulltext Recombinant factor VII

Ng SC

Med J Malaysia, 1995 Dec;50(4):425.

PMID: 8668070

Recognition of pernicious syndromes in malaria infections

Sidhu PS, Ng SC

Ann Acad Med Singap, 1991 May;20(3):324-7.

PMID: 1929172

The case records of 64 patients with malaria over a five year period admitted to the University Hospital, Kuala Lumpur were examined. There were 32 cases of P. falciparum, 26 cases of P. vivax and two cases of mixed infections. Four cases of P. malariae were recorded. The clinical findings, biochemical and haematological parameters were examined for any indication of a pernicious syndrome. A high index of suspicion of a malarial infection may be based on the findings of anaemia, thrombocytopaenia, hyponatraemia, renal failure and abnormal liver function tests in the face of a negative blood film. These pernicious syndromes occur more often in malignant tertian malaria (anaemia 50%, hyponatraemia 39.1%) but a high percentage of the other malarial species show these abnormalities (P. vivax anaemia 57.7%, hyponatraemia 19.2%). When these abnormalities are present but blood films for malaria parasites are negative, repeat blood films are warranted until a parasitological diagnosis is achieved and correct treatment may be started.

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