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Fulltext Inhibition of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation by anthocyanins from defatted Canarium odontophyllum pericarp and peel using in vitro bioassays

Khoo HE, Azlan A, Ismail A, Abas F, Hamid M

PLoS One, 2014;9(1):e81447.
PMID: 24416130 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0081447

Canarium odontophyllum, also known as CO, is a highly nutritious fruit. Defatted parts of CO fruit are potent sources of nutraceutical. This study aimed to determine oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation effects of defatted CO pericarp and peel extracts using in vitro bioassays. Cell cytotoxic effect of the CO pericarp and peel extracts were also evaluated using HUVEC and Chang liver cell lines. The crude extracts of defatted CO peel and pericarp showed cytoprotective effects in t-BHP and 40% methanol-induced cell death. The crude extracts also showed no toxic effect to Chang liver cell line. Using CD36 ELISA, NAD(+) and LDL inhibition assays, inhibition of oxidative stress were found higher in the crude extract of defatted CO peel compared to the pericarp extract. Hemoglobin and LDL oxidation assays revealed both crude extracts had significantly reduced lipid peroxidation as compared to control. TBARS values among defatted CO pericarp, peel, and cyanidin-3-glucoside showed no significant differences for hemoglobin and LDL oxidation assays. The protective effects of defatted CO parts, especially its peel is related to the presence of high anthocyanin that potentially offers as a pharmaceutical ingredient for cardioprotection.
Fulltext National Drug Formulary review of statin therapeutic group using the multiattribute scoring tool

Ramli A, Aljunid SM, Sulong S, Md Yusof FA

Ther Clin Risk Manag, 2013;9:491-504.
PMID: 24353428 DOI: 10.2147/TCRM.S52078

PURPOSE: HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) are extensively used in treating hypercholesterolemia. The statins available in Malaysia include atorvastatin, lovastatin, pravastatin, rosuvastatin, simvastatin, and fluvastatin. Over the years, they have accumulated in the National Drug Formulary; hence, the need for review. Effective selection of the best drugs to remain in the formulary can become complex due to the multiple drug attributes involved, and is made worse by the limited time and resources available. The multiattribute scoring tool (MAST) systematizes the evaluation of the drug attributes to facilitate the drug selection process. In this study, a MAST framework was developed to rank the statins based on their utilities or benefits.
METHODS: Published literature on multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) were studied and five sessions of expert group discussions were conducted to build the MAST framework and to review the evidence. The attributes identified and selected for analysis were efficacy (clinical efficacy, clinical endpoints), safety (drug interactions, serious side effects and documentation), drug applicability (drug strength/formulation, indications, dose frequency, side effects, food-drug interactions, and dose adjustments), and cost. The average weights assigned by the members for efficacy, safety, drug applicability and cost were 32.6%, 26.2%, 24.1%, and 17.1%, respectively. The utility values of the attributes were scored based on the published evidence or/and agreements during the group discussions. The attribute scores were added up to provide the total utility score.
RESULTS: Using the MAST, the six statins under review were successfully scored and ranked. Atorvastatin scored the highest total utility score (TUS) of 84.48, followed by simvastatin (83.11). Atorvastatin and simvastatin scored consistently high, even before drug costs were included. The low scores on the side effects for atorvastatin were compensated for by the higher scores on the clinical endpoints resulting in a higher TUS for atorvastatin. Fluvastatin recorded the lowest TUS.
CONCLUSION: The multiattribute scoring tool was successfully applied to organize decision variables in reviewing statins for the formulary. Based on the TUS, atorvastatin is recommended to remain in the formulary and be considered as first-line in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia.
Fulltext Effects of Different Drying Methods and Storage Time on Free Radical Scavenging Activity and Total Phenolic Content of Cosmos Caudatus

Mediani A, Abas F, Tan CP, Khatib A

Antioxidants (Basel), 2014 May 07;3(2):358-70.
PMID: 26784876 DOI: 10.3390/antiox3020358

The present study was conducted to determine the effect of air (AD), oven (OD) and freeze drying (FD) on the free radical scavenging activity and total phenolic content (TPC) of Cosmos caudatus and the effect of storage time by the comparison with a fresh sample (FS). Among the three drying methods that were used, AD resulted in the highest free radical scavenging activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (IC50 = 0.0223 mg/mL) and total phenolic content (27.4 g GAE/100 g), whereas OD produced the lowest scavenging activity and TPC value. After three months of storage, the dried samples showed a high and consistent free radical scavenging activity when compared to stored fresh material. The drying methods could preserve the quality of C. caudatus during storage and the stability of its bioactive components can be maintained.
Fulltext Anti- and pro-lipase activity of selected medicinal, herbal and aquatic plants, and structure elucidation of an anti-lipase compound

Ado MA, Abas F, Mohammed AS, Ghazali HM

Molecules, 2013;18(12):14651-69.
PMID: 24287996 DOI: 10.3390/molecules181214651

Plants that help in slowing down the digestion of triacylglycerols (TAGs) in the pancreas and small intestine of humans play an important role in the reduction of obesity. On the other hand, there may be plants or plant parts that stimulate intestinal lipolytic activity, thus contributing to greater TAG assimilation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the aqueous methanolic extracts of ninety eight (98) medicinal, herbal and aquatic plant materials from Malaysia for their effect on porcine pancreatic lipase (PPL) activity and to identify the structure of an anti-lipase compound from one of the sources. The degree of inhibition was also quantified as relative to orlistat activity against PPL (orlistat equivalents). Results revealed that while 19.4% of the extracts were found to have anti-lipase activity ≥80%, 12% were actually found to promote PPL activity. Twenty two percent (22.4%) exhibited moderate inhibition (41%-80%) and 2% were neutral toward PPL activity. The ripe fruit of Averrhoa carambola and the leaves of Archidendron jiringa (Jack) I.C Nielsen L. (jering), Cynometra cauliflora (nam-nam) and Aleurites moluccana (L.) Willd (candle nut/buah keras) had the highest (100%) anti-lipase activity and are equivalent to 0.11 µg orlistat/mL. Plants that stimulated lipase activity included Pimpinella anisum L. (aniseed/jintan manis), activating the enzyme by 186.5%. Kaempferol 3-O-rhamnoside was isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of C. cauliflora leaves and found to be an active lipase inhibitor. The structure was elucidated using 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and 2D-NMR analyses.
Fulltext Cosmos caudatus as a potential source of polyphenolic compounds: optimisation of oven drying conditions and characterisation of its functional properties

Mediani A, Abas F, Khatib A, Tan CP

Molecules, 2013 Aug 29;18(9):10452-64.
PMID: 23994970 DOI: 10.3390/molecules180910452

The aim of the study was to analyze the influence of oven thermal processing of Cosmos caudatus on the total polyphenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity (DPPH) of two different solvent extracts (80% methanol, and 80% ethanol). Sonication was used to extract bioactive compounds from this herb. The results showed that the optimised conditions for the oven drying method for 80% methanol and 80% ethanol were 44.5 °C for 4 h with an IC₅₀ of 0.045 mg/mL and 43.12 °C for 4.05 h with an IC₅₀ of 0.055 mg/mL, respectively. The predicted values for TPC under the optimised conditions for 80% methanol and 80% ethanol were 16.5 and 15.8 mg GAE/100 g DW, respectively. The results obtained from this study demonstrate that Cosmos caudatus can be used as a potential source of antioxidants for food and medicinal applications.
Identification of bioactive candidate compounds responsible for oxidative challenge from hydro-ethanolic extract of Moringa oleifera leaves

Karthivashan G, Tangestani Fard M, Arulselvan P, Abas F, Fakurazi S

J Food Sci, 2013 Sep;78(9):C1368-75.
PMID: 24024688 DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.12233

Free radicals trigger chain reaction and inflict damage to the cells and its components, which in turn ultimately interrupts their biological activities. To prevent free radical damage, together with an endogenous antioxidant system, an exogenous supply of antioxidant components to the body in the form of functional food or nutritional diet helps undeniably. Research conducted by the Natl. Inst. of Health claimed that Moringa oleifera Lam possess the highest antioxidant content among various natural food sources based on an oxygen radical absorbent capacity assay. In this study, a 90% (ethanol:distilled water--90:10) gradient solvent was identified as one of the best gradient solvents for the effectual extraction of bioactive components from M. oleifera leaves. This finding was confirmed by various antioxidant assays, including radical scavenging activity (that is, 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, H(2)O(2), and NO radical scavenging assay) and total antioxidant capacity (that is, ferric reducing antioxidant power and molybdenum assay). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprints of the 90% gradient extract visually showed few specific peaks, which on further analysis, using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS, were identified as flavonoids and their derivatives. Despite commonly reported flavonoids, that is, kaempferol and quercetin, we report here for the 1st time the presence of multiflorin-B and apigenin in M. oleifera leaves. These findings might help researchers to further scrutinize this high activity exhibiting gradient extract and its bio-active candidates for fruitful clinical/translational investigations.
Cocoa pod husk: A new source of CLEA-lipase for preparation of low-cost biodiesel: An optimized process

Khanahmadi S, Yusof F, Chyuan Ong H, Amid A, Shah H

J Biotechnol, 2016 Aug 10;231:95-105.
PMID: 27184429 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2016.05.015

Enzymatic reactions involving lipases as catalyst in transesterification can be an excellent alternative to produce environmental-friendly biodiesel. In this study, lipase extracted from Cocoa Pod Husk (CPH) and immobilized through cross linked enzyme aggregate (CLEA) technology catalysed the transesterification of Jatropha curcas oil successfully. Face centered central composite design (FCCCD) under response surface methodology (RSM) was used to get the optimal conditions of 3% (w/w) enzyme loading, 4h reaction time and 1:6 oil/ethanol ratio to achieve the highest conversion of free fatty acid and glycerides into biodiesel (93%). The reusability of CLEA-lipase was tested and after seven cycles, the conversion percentage reduced to 58%. The results revealed that CLEA lipase from CPH is a potential catalyst for biodiesel production.
Fulltext Cocoa pod husk, a new source of hydrolase enzymes for preparation of cross-linked enzyme aggregate

Yusof F, Khanahmadi S, Amid A, Mahmod SS

Springerplus, 2016;5:57.
PMID: 26904389 DOI: 10.1186/s40064-015-1621-3

Cocoa pod husk (CPH) is a by-product of cocoa production obtained after removing the beans from the fruit. The analysis of CPH has shown that it contains high amounts of protein. This study is aimed to utilize this protein source in hydrolase enzyme production. In this study, seven hydrolase enzymes (amylase, fructosyltransferase, mannanase, glucosidase, glucanase, lipase and protease) were screened from CPH for the first time for feasible industrial production. Among these hydrolases, lipase was chosen for the next steps of experiments as it has a lot of applications in different industries. The extraction of high active lipase from CPH has been done under optimum conditions. The condition that was optimum for the three major factors was achieved using Face centered central composite design (FCCCD) with response surface methodology (RSM) to obtain the highest enzyme activity of crude lipase from CPH. The optimum condition of extraction is used for preparation of cross-linked enzyme aggregate (CLEA). For the production of immobilized biocatalyst, the technique of CLEA is considered as an effective technique for its industrially attractive advantages. Referring to the results of OFAT, CLEA-lipase was prepared in the best condition at the presence of 30 mM ammonium sulphate, 70 mM glutaraldehyde with 0.23 mM Bovine serum albumin as an additive. Immobilization effectively improved the stability of lipase against various organic solvents.
Reconstructing gene regulatory networks from knock-out data using Gaussian Noise Model and Pearson Correlation Coefficient

Mohamed Salleh FH, Arif SM, Zainudin S, Firdaus-Raih M

Comput Biol Chem, 2015 Dec;59 Pt B:3-14.
PMID: 26278974 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2015.04.012

A gene regulatory network (GRN) is a large and complex network consisting of interacting elements that, over time, affect each other's state. The dynamics of complex gene regulatory processes are difficult to understand using intuitive approaches alone. To overcome this problem, we propose an algorithm for inferring the regulatory interactions from knock-out data using a Gaussian model combines with Pearson Correlation Coefficient (PCC). There are several problems relating to GRN construction that have been outlined in this paper. We demonstrated the ability of our proposed method to (1) predict the presence of regulatory interactions between genes, (2) their directionality and (3) their states (activation or suppression). The algorithm was applied to network sizes of 10 and 50 genes from DREAM3 datasets and network sizes of 10 from DREAM4 datasets. The predicted networks were evaluated based on AUROC and AUPR. We discovered that high false positive values were generated by our GRN prediction methods because the indirect regulations have been wrongly predicted as true relationships. We achieved satisfactory results as the majority of sub-networks achieved AUROC values above 0.5.
CD26: A Prognostic Marker of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Children in the Post Remission Induction Phase

Mehde AA, Yusof F, Adel Mehdi W, Zainulabdeen JA

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2015;16(12):5059-62.
PMID: 26163641

BACKGROUND: ALL is an irredeemable disease due to the resistance to treatment. There are several influences which are involved in such resistance to chemotherapy, including oxidative stress as a result of the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and presence of hypodiploid cells. Cluster of differentiation 26 (CD26), also known as dipeptidyl peptidase-4, is a 110 kDa, multifunctional, membrane-bound glycoprotein.
AIM AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of serum CD26 in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia patients in the post remission induction phase, as well as the relationship between CD26 activity and the oxidative stress status.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: CD26, total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), and oxidative stress index (OSI), in addition to activity of related enzymes myeloperoxidase, glutathione- s-transferase and xanthine oxidase, were analysed in sixty children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in the post remission induction phase.
RESULTS: The study showed significant elevation in CD26, TOS and OSI levels in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in the post remission induction phase in comparison to healthy control samples. In contrast, myeloperoxidase, glutathione-s-transferase and xanthine oxidase activities were decreased significantly. A significant correlation between CD26 concentration and some oxidative stress parameters was evident in ALL patients.
CONCLUSIONS: Serum levels of CD26 appear to be useful as a new biomarker of oxidative stress in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in the post remission induction phase, and levels of antioxidants must be regularly estimated during the treatment of children with ALL.
Fulltext Structure and Principal Components Analyses Reveal an Intervarietal Fusion in Malaysian Mistletoe Fig (Ficus deltoidea Jack) Populations

Zimisuhara B, Valdiani A, Shaharuddin NA, Qamaruzzaman F, Maziah M

Int J Mol Sci, 2015 Jun 24;16(7):14369-94.
PMID: 26114389 DOI: 10.3390/ijms160714369

Genetic structure and biodiversity of the medicinal plant Ficus deltoidea have rarely been scrutinized. To fill these lacunae, five varieties, consisting of 30 F. deltoidea accessions were collected across the country and studied on the basis of molecular and morphological data. Molecular analysis of the accessions was performed using nine Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers, seven of which were detected as polymorphic markers. ISSR-based clustering generated four clusters supporting the geographical distribution of the accessions to some extent. The Jaccard's similarity coefficient implied the existence of low diversity (0.50-0.75) in the studied population. STRUCTURE analysis showed a low differentiation among the sampling sites, while a moderate varietal differentiation was unveiled with two main populations of F. deltoidea. Our observations confirmed the occurrence of gene flow among the accessions; however, the highest degree of this genetic interference was related to the three accessions of FDDJ10, FDTT16 and FDKT25. These three accessions may be the genetic intervarietal fusion points of the plant's population. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) relying on quantitative morphological characteristics resulted in two principal components with Eigenvalue >1 which made up 89.96% of the total variation. The cluster analysis performed by the eight quantitative characteristics led to grouping the accessions into four clusters with a Euclidean distance ranged between 0.06 and 1.10. Similarly, a four-cluster dendrogram was generated using qualitative traits. The qualitative characteristics were found to be more discriminating in the cluster and PCA analyses, while ISSRs were more informative on the evolution and genetic structure of the population.
Fulltext Quality of Life and Its Associated Factors among Patients with Psoriasis in a Semi-Urban Northeast Malaysia

Ahmad Fuat MS, Mat Yudin Z, Muhammad J, Mohd Zin F

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2022 Sep 14;19(18).
PMID: 36141851 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191811578

Psoriasis is a chronic relapsing dermatological disorder that significantly affects the patients' psychosocial well-being and quality of life (QOL). This study aimed to determine the proportion of severely impaired QOL, the factors associated with severely impaired QOL, and its correlation with depression among semi-urban populations on the Northeast Coast of the Peninsular Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 257 patients with psoriasis at the Dermatology Clinic of Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah via a self-administered questionnaire that included sociodemographic profiles, the validated Malay version of the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and the Malay version of the Beck depression scale. The data were analysed using logistic and linear regression models. About 20.5% of the patients had severely impaired QOL quality of life, while 79.5% of the patients had non-impaired QOL. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the psoriatic severity [Adjusted OR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.76, 9.93; p < 0.001] and exposed area [Adjusted OR 2.93, 95% CI: 0.38, 2.29; p = 0.050] had a significant association with severely impaired QOL. Among the patients, 18.7% had a positive result in the screening for depression, which revealed a significant association between QOL and depression scores [r = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.35, 0.56, p < 0.001]. Psoriasis can impair QOL and have a relation with mental health. Regular screening for depression among patients with psoriasis is a beneficial strategy for the early detection of depression, especially in semi-urban areas.
Fulltext Challenge-Hindrance Stressors and Academic Engagement Among Medical Postgraduates in China: A Moderated Mediation Model

Bao D, Mydin F, Surat S, Lyu Y, Pan D, Cheng Y

Psychol Res Behav Manag, 2024;17:1115-1128.
PMID: 38505350 DOI: 10.2147/PRBM.S448844

BACKGROUND: Improving academic engagement of medical postgraduates is crucial for enhancing the quality of learning and the development of medical education. Due to medical postgraduates face high levels of stress and rigorous demands, yet the mechanisms linking challenge-hindrance stressors to academic engagement in this context remain largely unexplored. This study aims to explore the comprehensive relationship between challenge-hindrance stressors and academic engagement among medical postgraduates in China.
METHODS: Data were collected from 437 medical postgraduates in China, to investigate their challenge-hindrance stressors, emotional exhaustion, learning, relaxation and academic engagement. Among these postgraduates, 40.3% were male and 59.7% were female, with the mean age of the participants being 25.71 years. Statistical procedures were conducted using Mplus 8.3, ensuring a robust analysis of the data collected.
RESULTS: Our study showed that both challenge and hindrance stressors are significantly positively correlated with emotional exhaustion among Chinese medical postgraduates, and emotional exhaustion is negatively associated with academic engagement. Emotional exhaustion mediates the relationship between challenge-hindrance stressors and academic engagement. Learning plays a protective role, moderating the challenge stressors and emotional exhaustion relationship and its indirect effect on academic engagement. However, relaxation was not identified as a significant moderating factor in this context.
CONCLUSION: Our findings not only revealed emotional exhaustion as a potential mechanism underlying the relationship between challenge-hindrance stressors and academic engagement but also validated the moderating role of learning in mitigating the adverse effects of challenge stressors on emotional exhaustion and academic engagement among Chinese medical postgraduates. This comprehensive insight into the complex dynamics between different stressors and academic engagement provides both theoretical and empirical evidence for medical universities. It underscores the importance of interventions to enhance academic engagement in stressful environments and serves as a valuable reference for the development of reasonable assessment systems. These contributions are crucial for fostering a supportive educational atmosphere and promoting the well-being of medical postgraduates.
The relationship between challenge-hindrance stressors and innovative behavior among medical postgraduates in China: the mediation role of academic engagement and the moderating effect of relaxation

Bao D, Mydin F, Surat S, Lyu Y, Pan D, Cheng Y

Med Educ Online, 2024 Dec 31;29(1):2379110.
PMID: 39016967 DOI: 10.1080/10872981.2024.2379110

This study investigated the relationship between challenge-hindrance stressors and innovative behavior of medical postgraduates in China, examining the mediating role of academic engagement and the moderating effect of relaxation. Drawing from a sample of 437 medical postgraduates from three Chinese universities, our findings revealed that challenge stressors positively correlated with innovative behavior, while the direct relationship between hindrance stressors and innovative behavior was not statistically significant. Furthermore, academic engagement mediated the relationship between two types of stressors and innovative behavior. Challenge stressors enhanced academic engagement, which in turn fostered innovative behavior. Conversely, hindrance stressors were found to diminish academic engagement, which in turn indirectly limited innovative behavior. Additionally, relaxation was identified as a moderating factor that helped mitigate the negative effects of hindrance stressors on academic engagement and indirectly on innovative behavior. These results suggested that academic engagement as a mechanism played a pivotal role in determining how different stressors influenced innovative behavior, underscoring the need for stress management, particularly through relaxation techniques, to maintain high levels of academic engagement and innovative behavior. This study offers practical insights for medical education policymakers and educators in China, emphasizing the importance of balancing stressors and incorporating relaxation practices to enhance the innovative capabilities of medical postgraduates in demanding academic environments.
Long-term frozen storage affects the volatile compound profile, physicochemical and antioxidant content of vacuum-packed Musang King durian fruit

Sospeter E, Ding P, Fang TH, Misran A, Abas F

J Food Sci, 2025 Mar;90(3):e70118.
PMID: 40111020 DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.70118

Musang King (MK) durian is a valued Malaysian fruit, marketed at full ripeness for its characteristic sensory profile but has a short shelf life. Frozen storage and vacuum packaging extend its shelf life, yet their effect on quality remains unclear. This study investigated the impact of vacuum packaging on the volatile compounds (VOCs), physicochemical characteristics, and antioxidant content of MK durian fruits stored for 12 months at -20°C using biochemical and physiochemical approaches. Results showed that vacuum packaging and storage duration affect the MK durian VOC profiles. Twenty-seven VOCs were affected by both packaging condition and storage durations and identified as key VOC markers for MK durian storage stability and quality. Ester compounds were significantly reduced by vacuum packaging, while sulfur compounds exhibited a higher steady increase in non-vacuum-packed durian compared to vacuum-packed durian during storage. Additionally, vacuum packaging resulted in higher reducing sugars, b* values, and antioxidant content compared to non-vacuum packaging during fruit storage. In short, vacuum packaging better retains the post-harvest quality of MK durian fruit during long-term frozen storage than non-vacuum packaging.
Study on the correlation of neutronic and thermal hydraulic of TRIGA MARK II PUSPATI reactor core

Nurin Irdina Binti Mohd Anuar, Asyraf Arif, Abdul Aziz Mohamed, Mohamad Hairie Rabir, Faridah Mohamad Idris, Muhammad Rawi Md Zin

Journal of Nuclear and Related Technologies, 2016;13(2):7-14.
MyJurnal

In order to prepare Malaysia to be nuclear ready, the Malaysian 1 MW TRIGA MARK II research
reactor (RTP) located at the Malaysian Nuclear Agency was premeditated with the aim to effectually
actualize the multitude areas of basic nuclear research, labor training and education. To meet the
modern safety standards, analyses of a strong interaction between the thermal-hydraulic system
behavior and the space-dependent neutron kinetics are needed as mere thermal-hydraulics codes are
said to be incapable to succeed the present safety standards. This could be achieved through the
coupling of neutronic and thermal-hydraulic codes of the reactor. Previous studies had shown that the
coupled codes are able to successfully be employed for the correlation between thermal-hydraulic
analysis and neutron kinetics at transient and steady state. In this study, the coupling was achieved
through MCNP and TRIGLAV codes for neutronic and thermal-hydraulic respectively. Core-15 of
RTP was modeled for both of the codes; hence calculating the criticality, analysis of power and
neutron flux distribution. The consistency and accuracy of the developed Core-15 MCNP model was
established by comparing calculations to the experimental results and TRIGLAV code. The criticality
predictions for both codes are in very good agreement with the experimental results. The core reached
its criticality after 66 fuels. The highest hot rod power peaking factor was found to be 1.28. The
results are conservative and can be applied to show the reliability of MCNP and TRIGLAV codes.
Determination of neturon thermal and epithermal at reactor TRIGA PUSPATI thermal column beam port exit using neutron spectrometry technique

Mohamad Awais, A. Syafiq Ramli, Abdul Aziz Mohamed, Megat Harun M.A., Azraf Azman, M. Rawi Md Zin, et al.

Journal of Nuclear and Related Technologies, 2016;13(2):15-23.
MyJurnal

This work main aim is to study the analysis of slow neutrons which include thermal and
epithermal neutrons and also analysis on fast neutrons. The outcome from this work showed that
the comparison result between fast and slow neutrons. The safety assessment at reactor TRIGA
FUSFATI (RTF) is one of the main objectives of the work and there is a detailed discussion on it
which helped in accomplishing the task. Gamma Rays produced in this experiment was high and in
the experiment and it is realized that the shielding plays a vital role in the success of this
experiment which prevents all the radiations. From the results of the experiment it is realized that
these gamma rays are not suitable for the application of Boron Neutron Capture Therapy
(BNCT). However, these radiations are suitable for the application of Neutron Radiography (NR).
The study on this work will help in study of nuclear applications such as BNCT, NR, SANS etc.
These applications are using in medical and nuclear fields. The electronic device used in the
experiment to detect neutron is Neutron Spectrometer. The results from Neutron Spectrometer
and TLDs are very similar which showed that the experiment is a success. Numerical results were
compared with those available in literature for validation.
Fulltext Effect of diarylpentanoid analogues on lipopolysaccharide- induced interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 gene expression in airway inflammation

Kong Yen Liew, Nur A’dilah Rosly, Faridah Abas, Sze Wei Leong, Daud Ahmad Israf, Chau Ling Tham

Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2019;15(202):10-17.
MyJurnal

Introduction: Airway inflammation is the pathological hallmark of chronic inflammatory airway diseases, especially asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Airway epithelium plays an indispensable role in these diseases by secreting inflammatory mediators and cytokines in response to foreign substances, such as lipopolysac- charide (LPS). Previous studies have shown that diarylpentanoid analogues, especially 5-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3-hy- droxy-1-(2-hydroxyphenyl)penta-2,4-dien-1-one (DHHPD) and 2-benzoyl-6-(3,4-dihydroxybenzylidene)cyclohex- en-1-ol (BDHBC), significantly inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production; suggesting their anti-inflammatory property. However, the therapeutic potential of DHHPD and BDHBC in airway inflammation has not been explored. Thus, this study aims to investigate their effects on interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 gene expression in LPS-induced Calu-3 cells, a cellular model of human airway epithelium. Methods: MTT cytotoxicity assay was carried out to identify non-cy- totoxic concentrations of DHHPD and BDHBC on Calu-3 cells. RT-PCR was done to determine IL-6 and IL-8 gene expression levels. Results: DHHPD and BDHBC were not cytotoxic on Calu-3 cells up to 200µM. Four non-cyto- toxic concentrations were chosen – 6.25, 12.5, 25 and 50µM to determine the effect of both compounds on gene expression. All four concentrations of DHHPD and BDHBC significantly inhibited LPS-induced mRNA expression of IL-6 while all concentrations of BDHBC, except 6.25µM, significantly reduced IL-8 mRNA expression. Similar find- ing was obtained for DHHPD, except that at 50µM, there was no inhibition of IL-8 mRNA expression. Conclusion: Diarylpentanoid analogues, DHHPD and BDHBC, are proven to be effective in suppressing LPS-induced IL-6 and IL-8 gene expression. However, further studies are required to confirm their inhibitory effects on the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines.
Fulltext Effectiveness of cataract surgery with intraocular lens implantation: a comparative study between extracapsular cataract extraction and phacoemulsification

Rizal, A.M., Muhammad, M., Aljunid, S.M., Normalina, M., Faridah Hanom, A., Chuah, K.L., et al.

Malaysian Journal of Community Health, 2007;13(1):32-37.
MyJurnal

Background: A randomised single blinded clinical trial comparing the effectiveness of two methods of cataract surgery with intraocular lens implantation: extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) and phacoemulsification (PEA) was carried out at Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM) between March 2000 and August 2001. Methods: The effectiveness of cataract surgery was assessed from the quality of life specifically for vision via Visual Function 14 (VF-14) preoperatively, one week, two months and six months after surgery. Results: The result showed that there was a significant increased in VF-14 scores after a week, two months and six months postoperation compared to the score before surgery for both techniques. However there was no significant difference in VF-14 scores when compared between ECCE and PEA. Conclusions: This study indicated that both techniques give equal benefit to cataract patients. Since effectiveness of cataract surgery with intraocular lens implantation is unrelated to operative procedures, less costly technique should be promoted.
Fulltext Dengue infections and circulating serotypes in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

Ahmad Nizal, M.G., Rozita, H., Mazrura, S., Zainudin, M.A., Hidayatulfathi, O., Faridah, M.A, et al.

Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine, 2012;12(1):21-30.
MyJurnal

This study observed the pattern of reported dengue infections, clinical manifestations, and circulating dengue serotypes in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. The aim of this study was to determine the co-circulation of the four different dengue virus serotypes in Negeri Sembilan. We analyzed the surveillance data (VEKPRO) from Negeri Sembilan State Health Department and National Public Health Laboratory, Malaysia on reported dengue infections from 1st January 2010 to 31st December 2010. There were 1466 reported dengue infections, 1342 (91.5%) cases were dengue fever (DF) and 124 (8.5%) were dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). The mean age was 32.2± 15.8 years old and most were young adults, aged 15 years old and older. Males (p < 0.05), and those residing in Seremban district (p < 0.05) were more likely to get dengue infections. Symptoms presented upon admission were fever (100%), headache (99.9%), myalgia and arthralgia (98.8%), rash(24.2%), petechiae (16.0%),bleeding tendencies (7.0%) and neurological deficits(1.2%). All four dengue serotypes (DEN 1 – 4) were present, the pre-dominant serotype was DEN-3, noted in January, then existed together with DEN-2 until around May. DEN-1 was the most pre-dominant circulating dengue serotype afterwards, reaching a peak in December 2010. Dengue affected all age groups particularly young adults and males. Most cases reported were in urban areas and Seremban district. Most of the dengue infections occurred in the first half of the year, with the DEN-2 and DEN-3 serotypes being the most predominant.

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