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Displaying publications 201 - 220 of 306 in total

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Improvement and screening of astaxanthin producing mutants of newly isolated Coelastrum sp. using ethyl methane sulfonate induced mutagenesis technique

Tharek A, Yahya A, Salleh MM, Jamaluddin H, Yoshizaki S, Hara H, et al.

Biotechnol Rep (Amst), 2021 Dec;32:e00673.
PMID: 34621628 DOI: 10.1016/j.btre.2021.e00673

Natural astaxanthin is known to be produced by green microalgae, a potent producer of the most powerful antioxidant. To increase the productivity of astaxanthin in microalgae, random mutagenesis has been extensively used to improve the yield of valuable substances. In the presented work, a newly isolated Coelastrum sp. was randomly mutagenized by exposure to ethyl methane sulfonate and further screened using two approaches; an approach for high growth mutant and an approach for high astaxanthin producing mutant with a high-throughput screening method using glufosinate. Among these, mutant G1-C1 that was selected using glufosinate showed the highest of total carotenoids (45.48±1.5 mg/L) and astaxanthin (28.32±2.5 mg/L) production, which was almost 2-fold higher than that of wild type. This study indicates that random mutagenesis via chemical mutation strategy and screening using glufosinate successfully expedited astaxanthin production in a mutated strain of a Coelastrum sp.
Fulltext Association between prehospital field to emergency department delta shock index and in-hospital mortality in patients with torso and extremity trauma: A multinational, observational study

Kim DK, Jeong J, Shin SD, Song KJ, Hong KJ, Ro YS, et al.

PLoS One, 2021;16(10):e0258811.
PMID: 34695147 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258811

Hemorrhage, a main cause of mortality in patients with trauma, affects vital signs such as blood pressure and heart rate. Shock index (SI), calculated as heart rate divided by systolic blood pressure, is widely used to estimate the shock status of patients with hemorrhage. The difference in SI between the emergency department and prehospital field can indirectly reflect urgency after trauma. We aimed to determine the association between delta SI (DSI) and in-hospital mortality in patients with torso or extremity trauma. Patients with DSI >0.1 are expected to be associated with high mortality. This retrospective, observational study used data from the Pan-Asian Trauma Outcomes Study. Patients aged 18-85 years with abdomen, chest, upper extremity, lower extremity, or external injury location were included. Patients from China, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam; those who were transferred from another facility; those who were transferred without the use of emergency medical service; those with prehospital cardiac arrest; those with unknown exposure and outcomes were excluded. The exposure and primary outcome were DSI and in-hospital mortality, respectively. The secondary and tertiary outcome was intensive care unit (ICU) admission and massive transfusion, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to test the association between DSI and outcome. In total, 21,534 patients were enrolled according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. There were 3,033 patients with DSI >0.1. The in-hospital mortality rate in the DSI >0.1 and ≤0.1 groups was 2.0% and 0.8%, respectively. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the DSI ≤0.1 group was considered the reference group. The unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios of in-hospital mortality in the DSI >0.1 group were 2.54 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.88-3.42) and 2.82 (95% CI 2.08-3.84), respectively. The urgency of traumatic hemorrhage can be determined using DSI, which can help hospital staff to provide proper trauma management, such as early trauma surgery or embolization.
Fulltext A retrospective review of paediatric head injuries in Asia - a Pan Asian Trauma Outcomes Study (PATOS) collaboration

Chong SL, Khan UR, Santhanam I, Seo JS, Wang Q, Jamaluddin SF, et al.

BMJ Open, 2017 Aug 18;7(8):e015759.
PMID: 28821516 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-015759

OBJECTIVE: We aim to examine the mechanisms of head-injured children presenting to participating centres in the Pan Asian Trauma Outcomes Study (PATOS) and to evaluate the association between mechanism of injury and severe outcomes.
DESIGN AND SETTING: We performed a retrospective review of medical records among emergency departments (EDs) of eight PATOS centres, from September 2014 - August 2015.
PARTICIPANTS: We included children <16 years old who presented within 24 hours of head injury and were admitted for observation or required a computed tomography (CT) of the brain from the ED. We excluded children with known coagulopathies, neurological co-morbidities or prior neurosurgery. We reviewed the mechanism, intent, location and object involved in each injury, and the patients' physical findings on presentation.
OUTCOMES: Primary outcomes were death, endotracheal intubation or neurosurgical intervention. Secondary outcomes included hospital and ED length of stay.
RESULTS: 1438 children were analysed. 953 children (66.3%) were male and the median age was 5.0 years (IQR 1.0-10.0). Falls predominated especially among children younger than 2 years (82.9%), while road traffic injuries were more likely to occur among children 2 years and above compared with younger children (25.8% vs 11.1%). Centres from upper and lower middle-income countries were more likely to receive head injured children from road traffic collisions compared with those from high-income countries (51.4% and 40.9%, vs 10.9%, p<0.0001) and attended to a greater proportion of children with severe outcomes (58.2% and 28.4%, vs 3.6%, p<0.0001). After adjusting for age, gender, intent of injury and gross national income, traffic injuries (adjusted OR 2.183, 95% CI 1.448 to 3.293) were associated with severe outcomes, as compared with falls.
CONCLUSIONS: Among children with head injuries, traffic injuries are independently associated with death, endotracheal intubation and neurosurgery. This collaboration among Asian centres holds potential for future prospective childhood injury surveillance.
Fulltext Characterization of detergent compatible protease from halophilic Virgibacillus sp. CD6

Lam MQ, Nik Mut NN, Thevarajoo S, Chen SJ, Selvaratnam C, Hussin H, et al.

3 Biotech, 2018 Feb;8(2):104.
PMID: 29404232 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-018-1133-2

A halophilic bacterium, Virgibacillus sp. strain CD6, was isolated from salted fish and its extracellular protease was characterized. Protease production was found to be highest when yeast extract was used as nitrogen source for growth. The protease exhibited stability at wide range of salt concentration (0-12.5%, w/v), temperatures (20-60 °C), and pH (4-10) with maximum activity at 10.0% (w/v) NaCl, 60 °C, pH 7 and 10, indicating its polyextremophilicity. The protease activity was enhanced in the presence of Mg2+, Mn2+, Cd2+, and Al3+ (107-122% relative activity), and with retention of activity > 80% for all of other metal ions examined (K+, Ca2+, Cu2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, and Fe3+). Both PMSF and EDTA inhibited protease activity, denoting serine protease and metalloprotease properties, respectively. High stability (> 70%) was demonstrated in the presence of organic solvents and detergent constituents, and the extracellular protease from strain CD6 was also found to be compatible in commercial detergents. Proteinaceous stain removal efficacy revealed that crude protease of strain CD6 could significantly enhance the performance of commercial detergent. The protease from Virgibacillus sp. strain CD6 could serve as a promising alternative for various applications, especially in detergent industry.
Fulltext Role of Nanomaterials in the Fabrication of bioNEMS/MEMS for Biomedical Applications and towards Pioneering Food Waste Utilisation

Dahlan NA, Thiha A, Ibrahim F, Milić L, Muniandy S, Jamaluddin NF, et al.

Nanomaterials (Basel), 2022 Nov 16;12(22).
PMID: 36432311 DOI: 10.3390/nano12224025

bioNEMS/MEMS has emerged as an innovative technology for the miniaturisation of biomedical devices with high precision and rapid processing since its first R&D breakthrough in the 1980s. To date, several organic including food waste derived nanomaterials and inorganic nanomaterials (e.g., carbon nanotubes, graphene, silica, gold, and magnetic nanoparticles) have steered the development of high-throughput and sensitive bioNEMS/MEMS-based biosensors, actuator systems, drug delivery systems and implantable/wearable sensors with desirable biomedical properties. Turning food waste into valuable nanomaterials is potential groundbreaking research in this growing field of bioMEMS/NEMS. This review aspires to communicate recent progress in organic and inorganic nanomaterials based bioNEMS/MEMS for biomedical applications, comprehensively discussing nanomaterials criteria and their prospects as ideal tools for biomedical devices. We discuss clinical applications for diagnostic, monitoring, and therapeutic applications as well as the technological potential for cell manipulation (i.e., sorting, separation, and patterning technology). In addition, current in vitro and in vivo assessments of promising nanomaterials-based biomedical devices will be discussed in this review. Finally, this review also looked at the most recent state-of-the-art knowledge on Internet of Things (IoT) applications such as nanosensors, nanoantennas, nanoprocessors, and nanobattery.
Fulltext Allred Scoring of ER-IHC Stained Whole-Slide Images for Hormone Receptor Status in Breast Carcinoma

Ahmad Fauzi MF, Wan Ahmad WSHM, Jamaluddin MF, Lee JTH, Khor SY, Looi LM, et al.

Diagnostics (Basel), 2022 Dec 08;12(12).
PMID: 36553102 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12123093

Hormone receptor status is determined primarily to identify breast cancer patients who may benefit from hormonal therapy. The current clinical practice for the testing using either Allred score or H-score is still based on laborious manual counting and estimation of the amount and intensity of positively stained cancer cells in immunohistochemistry (IHC)-stained slides. This work integrates cell detection and classification workflow for breast carcinoma estrogen receptor (ER)-IHC-stained images and presents an automated evaluation system. The system first detects all cells within the specific regions and classifies them into negatively, weakly, moderately, and strongly stained, followed by Allred scoring for ER status evaluation. The generated Allred score relies heavily on accurate cell detection and classification and is compared against pathologists' manual estimation. Experiments on 40 whole-slide images show 82.5% agreement on hormonal treatment recommendation, which we believe could be further improved with an advanced learning model and enhancement to address the cases with 0% ER status. This promising system can automate the exhaustive exercise to provide fast and reliable assistance to pathologists and medical personnel. The system has the potential to improve the overall standards of prognostic reporting for cancer patients, benefiting pathologists, patients, and also the public at large.
Fulltext A Logical Framework (MYGERYFS) for Hospital Foodservice to Prevent Malnutrition Among Geriatric Patients in Hospitals, Malaysia: Protocol for a Feasibility Study

Omar N, Shafiee SI, Nor'hisham SH, Ibrahim Z, Jamaluddin R, Rahamat S, et al.

JMIR Res Protoc, 2023 Jan 31;12:e42496.
PMID: 36719732 DOI: 10.2196/42496

BACKGROUND: Geriatric malnutrition in hospitals is common and can be affected by many things, including poor satisfaction toward hospital foodservice. Hospital foodservice plays an important role in a patient's recovery process by providing adequate nutrients. On top of that, patients' foodservice satisfaction can easily be afflicted by the quality of food served and the overall foodservice experience. Furthermore, malnutrition can occur from poor foodservice quality, especially among geriatric patients.
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the effectiveness of the Malaysian Geriatric Patients' Hospital Foodservice Protocol (MYGERYFS).
METHODS: The protocol comprises 3 phases. Phase One is a cross-sectional study that took place at public hospitals with geriatric wards in the Klang Valley. Univariate data from Phase One were analyzed descriptively. Pearson correlation and chi-square were conducted to find factors associated with foodservice satisfaction. Phase Two involves the collaboration of health care professionals in the geriatric field. In Phase Three, a feasibility study will be conducted to determine the feasibility of the MYGERYFS protocol in a hospital among 60 geriatric patients. These patients will be randomized into control and intervention groups, respectively. Intervention care will be done to ensure the safety of the protocol.
RESULTS: Data collection for Phase One of the study has been completed. A total of 233 geriatric respondents with the mean age of 71.39 (SD 7.99) years were gathered. Approximately 51.5% (n=120) of the respondents were female, while 48.5% (n=113) were male, with a mean BMI of 24.84 (SD 6.05) kg/m2. Their mean energy and protein intakes were 1006.20 kcal (SD 462.03 kcal) and 42.60 (SD 22.20) grams, respectively. Based on the Mini Nutritional Assessment, older patients who scored 12-14 (normal) were 27.9% (n=65), those who scored 8-11 (at risk) were 54.9% (n=128), and those who scored 0-7, which is the lowest (malnutrition), were 17.2% (n=40) of the study population. Hence, most patients were at risk of malnutrition. Although a majority of the patients claimed to have good foodservice satisfaction 26.2% (n=61), they also experienced at least 3 barriers during mealtimes. It was found that dietary intake and mealtime barriers were significantly associated with the respondent's foodservice satisfaction. Data for Phase Two and Phase Three are yet to be collected and analyzed.
CONCLUSIONS: This study protocol could potentially benefit the hospital foodservice system and aid in improving geriatric nutritional status.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04858165; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04858165.
INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR1-10.2196/42496.
Fulltext Mitochondrial marker implies fishery separate management units for spotted sardinella, Amblygaster sirm (Walbaum, 1792) populations in the South China Sea and the Andaman Sea

Jamaludin NA, Jamaluddin JAF, Rahim MA, Mohammed Akib NA, Ratmuangkhwang S, Mohd Arshaad W, et al.

PeerJ, 2022;10:e13706.
PMID: 35860045 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13706

The spotted sardinella, Amblygaster sirm (Walbaum, 1792), is a commercial sardine commonly caught in Malaysia. Lack of management of these marine species in Malaysian waters could lead to overfishing and potentially declining fish stock populations. Therefore, sustainable management of this species is of paramount importance to ensure its longevity. As such, molecular information is vital in determining the A. sirm population structure and management strategy. In the present study, mitochondrial DNA Cytochrome b was sequenced from 10 A. sirm populations: the Andaman Sea (AS) (two), South China Sea (SCS) (six), Sulu Sea (SS) (one), and Celebes Sea (CS) (one). Accordingly, the intra-population haplotype diversity (Hd) was high (0.91-1.00), and nucleotide diversity (π) was low (0.002-0.009), which suggests a population bottleneck followed by rapid population growth. Based on the phylogenetic trees, minimum spanning network (MSN), population pairwise comparison, and F ST,and supported by analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) and spatial analysis of molecular variance (SAMOVA) tests, distinct genetic structures were observed (7.2% to 7.6% genetic divergence) between populations in the SCS and its neighboring waters, versus those in the AS. Furthermore, the results defined A. sirm stock boundaries and evolutionary between the west and east coast (which shares the same waters as western Borneo) of Peninsular Malaysia. In addition, genetic homogeneity was revealed throughout the SCS, SS, and CS based on the non-significant F STpairwise comparisons. Based on the molecular evidence, separate management strategies may be required for A. sirm of the AS and the SCS, including its neighboring waters.
Fulltext Comparing the appropriateness of antimicrobial prescribing among medical patients in two tertiary hospitals in Malaysia

Loong LS, Siew Mei Lai P, Jamaluddin NAH, Naina-Mohamed I, Periyasamy P, Lau CL, et al.

J Infect Dev Ctries, 2022 Dec 31;16(12):1877-1886.
PMID: 36753656 DOI: 10.3855/jidc.15925

INTRODUCTION: Malaysia is an upper-middle-income country with national antimicrobial stewardship programs in place. However, hospitals in this country are faced with a high incidence of multidrug-resistant organisms and high usage of broad-spectrum antibiotics. Therefore, this study aimed to use a standardized audit tool to assess clinical appropriateness, guideline compliance, and prescribing patterns of antimicrobial use among medical patients in two tertiary hospitals in Malaysia to benchmark practice.
METHODOLOGY: A prospective hospital-wide point prevalence survey was carried out by a multidisciplinary team in April 2019 at the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) and the Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz (HCTM), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Data was collected from the patient's electronic medical records and recorded using the Hospital National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey toolkit developed by the National Centre for Antimicrobial Stewardship, Australia.
RESULTS: The appropriateness of prescriptions was 60.1% (UMMC) and 67% (HCTM), with no significant difference between the two hospitals. Compliance with guidelines was 60.0% (UMMC) and 61.5% (HCTM). Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid was the most commonly prescribed antimicrobial (UMMC = 16.9%; HCTM = 11.9%).
CONCLUSIONS: The appropriateness of antimicrobial prescribing in medical wards, compliance with guidelines, and prescribing patterns were similar between the two hospitals in Malaysia. The survey identified several areas of prescribing that would need targeted AMS interventions.
Fulltext A novel microfluidic compact disc to investigate electrochemical property changes between artificial and real salivary samples mixed with mouthwashes using electrical impedance analysis

Thiha A, Ibrahim F, Joseph K, Petrović B, Kojić S, Dahlan NA, et al.

PLoS One, 2023;18(2):e0280381.
PMID: 36795661 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280381

Diagnosing oral diseases at an early stage may lead to better preventive treatments, thus reducing treatment burden and costs. This paper introduces a systematic design of a microfluidic compact disc (CD) consisting of six unique chambers that run simultaneously from sample loading, holding, mixing and analysis. In this study, the electrochemical property changes between real saliva and artificial saliva mixed with three different types of mouthwashes (i.e. chlorhexidine-, fluoride- and essential oil (Listerine)-based mouthwashes) were investigated using electrical impedance analysis. Given the diversity and complexity of patient's salivary samples, we investigated the electrochemical impedance property of healthy real saliva mixed with different types of mouthwashes to understand the different electrochemical property which could be a foundation for diagnosis and monitoring of oral diseases. On the other hand, electrochemical impedance property of artificial saliva, a commonly used moisturizing agent and lubricant for the treatment of xerostomia or dry mouth syndrome was also studied. The findings indicate that artificial saliva and fluoride-based mouthwash showed higher conductance values compared to real saliva and two other different types of mouthwashes. The ability of our new microfluidic CD platform to perform multiplex processes and detection of electrochemical property of different types of saliva and mouthwashes is a fundamental concept for future research on salivary theranostics using point-of-care microfluidic CD platform.
Biochemical and gene expression studies reveal the potential of Aspergillus oryzae-fermented broken rice and brewers' rice water extracts as anti-photoageing agents

Jamaluddin A, Mohd Abd Rahman SM, Abd Manan M, Abd Razak DL, Abd Rashid NY, Abd Ghani A, et al.

Cell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-grand), 2023 Nov 15;69(11):9-16.
PMID: 38015547 DOI: 10.14715/cmb/2023.69.11.2

In this study, UVA- and UVB-irradiated human fibroblasts were used to investigate the anti-photoaging efficacy of two aqueous extracts from Aspergillus oryzae-fermented broken rice (FBR) and brewers' rice (FBrR). As UVA and UVB can damage the dermal and epidermal layers, respectively, two UV radiation approaches were utilised: i) direct UVA irradiation on fibroblasts, and ii) UVB-irradiated keratinocytes indirectly co-cultured with fibroblasts to observe their epithelial-mesenchymal interaction during UVB-induced photoaging. The anti-photoaging properties were tested utilising biochemical tests and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The treatment of UV-irradiated human fibroblasts with FBR and FBrR dramatically downregulates MMP-1 and SFE gene expression. Nonetheless, MMP-1 secretion was inhibited by FBR and FBrR, with more substantial decreases in UVB-treated co-cultures, ranging from 0.76- to 1.89-fold relative to the untreated control. In UVA-treated fibroblasts, however, the elastase-inhibiting activity of FBR and FBrR is up to 1.63-fold and 2.13-fold more potent, respectively. In addition, post-UV irradiation treatment with FBR and FBrR was able to repair and enhance collagen formation in UVA-irradiated fibroblasts. Both FBR and FBrR were able to upregulate elastin gene expression in fibroblasts under both culture conditions, especially at 50 µg/mL. The pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-, IL-1ß, and IL-6 were likewise lowered by FBR and FBrR, which may have contributed to the anti-photoaging effect of the UVB-treated co-culture. These results reveal that FBR and FBrR inhibit photoaging in human fibroblasts under both UV induction conditions. In conclusion, FBR and FBrR may be attractive bio-ingredients for usage in the cosmetic sector as cosmeceuticals.
Epidemiology of multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae infection in clinical setting in South-Eastern Asia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Salawudeen A, Raji YE, Jibo GG, Desa MNM, Neoh HM, Masri SN, et al.

Antimicrob Resist Infect Control, 2023 Dec 07;12(1):142.
PMID: 38062531 DOI: 10.1186/s13756-023-01346-5

The rising prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extended-spectrum beta lactamase-resistant (ESBL) Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) is an important global public health challenge. This threat is even more pertinent in clinical settings. Morbidity and mortality associated with this condition are alarming particularly in the developing regions of the world. A comprehensive evaluation of the epidemiology of this phenomenon will assist towards the global effort of reducing its burden. So, this systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the epidemiology of MDR K. pneumoniae in South-Eastern Asia (SEA). The study was done under the PRISMA guidelines and was preceded by the development of a priori protocol. The protocol was then registered in PROSPERO-the public registry for systematic reviews. Seven important outcomes which include the assessment of the overall MDR K. pneumoniae prevalence were designed to be evaluated. A literature search was carried out in five selected electronic databases and 4389 were screened. Of these articles, 21 studies that met the eligibility criteria were included in the review. Relevant data were extracted from the included studies. By conducting a quality effect meta-analysis, the pooled prevalence for MDR and ESBL K. pneumoniae in SEA was estimated at 55% (CI 9-96) and 27% (CI 32-100) respectively. The review also identified ESBL genes types of allodemic situations occurring mostly in respiratory tract infections. The high prevalence of MDR and ESBL K. pneumoniae in this subregion is highly significant and of both public health and clinical relevance. Overall, the findings of this review will assist in the effective prevention and control of this threat in SEA.
Fulltext Recent Mitigation Strategies on Membrane Fouling for Oily Wastewater Treatment

Zulkefli NF, Alias NH, Jamaluddin NS, Abdullah N, Abdul Manaf SF, Othman NH, et al.

Membranes (Basel), 2021 Dec 25;12(1).
PMID: 35054552 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12010026

The discharge of massive amounts of oily wastewater has become one of the major concerns among the scientific community. Membrane filtration has been one of the most used methods of treating oily wastewater due to its stability, convenience handling, and durability. However, the continuous occurrence of membrane fouling aggravates the membrane's performance efficiency. Membrane fouling can be defined as the accumulation of various materials in the pores or surface of the membrane that affect the permeate's quantity and quality. Many aspects of fouling have been reviewed, but recent methods for fouling reduction in oily wastewater have not been explored and discussed sufficiently. This review highlights the mitigation strategies to reduce membrane fouling from oily wastewater. We first review the membrane technology principle for oily wastewater treatment, followed by a discussion on different fouling mechanisms of inorganic fouling, organic fouling, biological fouling, and colloidal fouling for better understanding and prevention of membrane fouling. Recent mitigation strategies to reduce fouling caused by oily wastewater treatment are also discussed.
Fulltext Potential health detriment from fruit-induced immunomodulation

Pei-Shin, Chai, Siti Zuleha Idris, Norfarazieda Hassan, Nur Ramziahrazana Jumat, Zainina Seman, Sharmili Vidyadaran, et al.

Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2019;15(108):11-11.
MyJurnal

The immune system responds to stimulus by activation/increase or inhibition/decrease in activities. These immu-nomodulatory effects may be triggered by various factors in the environment including cytokines, hormones and growth factors, as well as flavonoids, antioxidants and various antigens in food and the environment. Immunosup-pression has a direct effect on the capacity of the immune system to fight against infection and cancer formation. A pro-inflammatory response, however, may induce further progression of tumours that had formed. Inflammation is also associated with many chronic illnesses including pain. The suppressive effects from phytochemicals have been shown in the potential to reduce T-lymphocyte proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Studies have demonstrated inhibi-tion of pro-inflammatory cytokines from flavonoid such as naringenin, green tea polyphenol extract, encapsulated fruit and vegetable juice powder concentrate. Feijoa sellowiana Berg var. coolidge fruit juice consumption exerted anti-inflammatory activity on edema-induced mice within first hour of treatment while agipenin, a natural flavonoid reduced neuroinflammation by protection against damage from dendritic cells stimulated T cells in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mouse models. Dietary polyphenols were found to exert a regulatory role on den-dritic cell function. Our own study showed immunosuppressive effect from increased T regulatory cells from papaya consumption. Increased regulatory cells are associated with cancer conditions. On the other hand, grape juice con-sumption mobilized gamma–delta T cells. Ginseng berry extract increased pro-inflammatory molecules in dendritic cells in the spleen while polysaccharide fractions from Momorica charantia, an edible medicinal vegetable increased various immune indexes. Fruits may also have endo-immunomodulatory function causing differential effects in male and female. Sex hormones can influence immune changes based on sex as seen in increased NK cells in males and antibodies in females. We observed a population of CD4-CD45RA-CD69+CD25- cells was significantly lower in males. However, none of these studies have been directly conducted on cancers. Investigation into this area may help improve decision making in cancer management.
Fulltext A single institutional audit of setup errors for 3DCRT rectal cancers

Chew, Wei Zhuen, Jong,Wei Loong, Zulaikha Jamaluddin, Haiza Fasha Zakaraiah, Atiqah Kadri, Mohamad Afandi Azman, et al.

JUMMEC, 2020;23(1):6-10.
MyJurnal

Background: Set-up errors are errors which are inevitable in radiotherapy. However, they should be kept to a minimum to achieve the maximum radiation dose to a tumour as to maximise treatment efficacy. This study aims to quantify those errors and assess if they remain within the tolerance limit of 5 mm in all directions. This study will also determine the adequacy of the margins for set up error for 3DCRT of rectal cancers at University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC).
Methods: A total of 20 rectal cancer patients (July 2018 to May 2019) who were treated with radiotherapy amounting to a total of 119 CBCT images were included in the study. Population systematic errors and random setup errors were calculated.
Results: Population systematic errors and random setup errors in the vertical, longitudinal and lateral direction were tabulated in Table 1. There is a large deviation (>5 mm) noted in some patients’ setup between the first 3 days and the next successive day of imaging. Clinical target volume (CTV) to planning target volume (PTV) margin were calculated using Van Herk’s margin recipe (M=2.5Σ+0.7σ). The margins were 5.0 mm, 6.2 mm, and 4.0 mm for vertical, longitudinal and lateral directions, respectively. The systematic error for the population was 1.1 mm, 0.9 mm, 0.9 mm in the vertical, longitudinal and lateral directions respectively, while the random error is 3.2 mm, 5.7 mm and 2.5 mm in the vertical, longitudinal and lateral directions respectively.
Conclusion: All of the patients involved in the study were within tolerance limits at some point in their treatment. The results demonstrated that a larger margin is needed in the longitudinal direction. Weekly CBCT is also necessary after the initial 3-day imaging to ensure that patients are kept within the tolerance limits.
Fulltext Delivery of post-dental extraction care instructions with the aid of a novel educational kit: the UiTM dental students’ perspective

Nurkhalidah Sabrina Ikmalhisam, Nur Syakirah Abdul Aziz, Michelle Clare Mah, Tengku Intan Baizura Tengku Jamaluddin, Hazmyr Abdul Wahab, Mohd Shawal Firdaus Mohammad, et al.

ESTEEM Academic Journal, 2021;17(2):135-146.
MyJurnal

The objective of this study is to assess Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)
dental students’ perspective on a novel patient educational kit in helping them
to deliver post-dental extraction care instructions. All undergraduate clinical
year dental students of the Faculty of Dentistry, UiTM were recruited for this
cross-sectional study. 87.8% of these students have volunteered to participate
in this study. An 8-minutes introductory video of the Post-Dental Extraction
Care kit (PDEC-kit) was played when simultaneously showcasing the tools in
the PDEC-kit to the participants. The participants then answered a set of
validated self-administered questionnaires online on their perception and
suggestions for improvement of the PDEC-kit, which comprises of 20 items that
are rated by a 7-point Likert scale along with 7 open-ended questions. A total
of 216 students participated voluntarily in this study. A vast majority of
participants agreed that the PDEC-kit is useful (99.1%), easy to use (98.7%),
and can improve patient’s understanding regarding post-dental extraction care
instructions (99.1%). The information provided in the kit was also found to be
appropriate for the patients (97.2%). Interestingly, students who had clinical
experience in performing dental extractions have rated significantly higher
scores for half of the questions (p
Fulltext Knowledge, attitude and practice of the use of antibiotics among students and staff at a local university in Malaysia

Adlina Suleiman, Hanisah N., Nurul Syazana M. Z .C, Sughashini S., Nur Farah Zulaikha M. F., Lugovaa, Halyna, et al.

ZULFAQAR International Journal of Defence Science, Engineering & Technology, 2019;2(2):83-89.
MyJurnal

Inappropriate use of antibiotics (AB) is a significant public health problem. Understanding the patterns of AB-taking behaviour helps in designing educational campaigns to curb the overuse of AB. The objective of this study was to determine the levels of knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of AB usage among students and staff at the National Defence University of Malaysia. This cross-sectional study was conducted in July 2018. A self-administered questionnaire was used. Data were described by frequencies and percentages. Chi-square test was used to compare KAP levels between students and staff. The level of significance was established as p ≤ 0.05. This study revealed that fair level of knowledge about AB usage did not translate into positive attitudes and high levels of practices. Overall, students demonstrated poorer KAP regarding indiscriminate usage of AB than staff. Specifically, students had poorer knowledge about its role in ineffectiveness of treatment (p=0.013) and additional burden of medical cost to the patient (p=0.001). Additionally, students were more likely than staff to give the leftover AB to their friends if they become sick (p=0.024). The findings of this study may serve as a preliminary insight on the development of an effective intervention to improve attitudes and practices regarding AB usage.
Genetic variation in the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase gene in Kelantan Malays with neonatal jaundice

Mohd Yusoff, N., Choo, K.E., Ghazali, S., Ibrahim, I., Mohd Hussin, Z.A., Mohd Yunus, et al.

Malaysian Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 2000;12(1):11-15.
MyJurnal

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is an X-linked red blood cell enzymopathy common in malaria endemic areas. Individuals affected by this disease show a wide variety of clinical signs including neonatal jaundice. In this preliminary report we describe the heterogeneity of G6PD deficient gene in neonatal jaundice in the Malay population in Kelantan. Thirteen G6PD deficient Malay neonates with hyperbilirubinemia were subjected to mutation analysis of the G6PD gene for known candidate mutations. Molecular defects were identified in the 13 patients studied. Though all of these were mis-sense mutations, identified nucleotide changes were heterogeneous. Six patients were found to have a C to T nucleotide change at nucleotide 563 of the G6PD gene (C563T), corresponding to G6PD Mediterranean; three cases had a single nucleotide change at T383C (G6PD Vanua Lava), two cases had G487A (G6PD Mahidol) and two cases had G1376T (G6PD Canton). These findings suggest that there are heterogeneous mutations of the G6PD gene associated with neonatal jaundice in the Malay population in Kelantan.
Fulltext Construction of Novel Yeast Strains from Candida tropicalis KBKTI 10.5.1 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae DBY1 to Improve the Performance of Ethanol Production Using Lignocellulosic Hydrolysate

Jamaluddin, Riyanti EI, Mubarik NR, Listanto E

Trop Life Sci Res, 2023 Jun;34(2):81-107.
PMID: 38144374 DOI: 10.21315/tlsr2023.34.2.5

Increased consumption of xylose-glucose and yeast tolerance to lignocellulosic hydrolysate are the keys to the success of second-generation bioethanol production. Candida tropicalis KBKTI 10.5.1 is a new isolated strain that has the ability to ferment xylose. In contrast to Saccharomyces cerevisiae DBY1 which only can produce ethanol from glucose fermentation. The research objective is the application of the genome shuffling method to increase the performance of ethanol production using lignocellulosic hydrolysate. Mutants were selected on xylose and glucose substrates separately and using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. The ethanol production using lignocellulosic hydrolysate by parents and mutants was evaluated using a batch fermentation system. Concentrations of ethanol, residual sugars, and by-products such as glycerol, lactate and acetate were measured using HPLC machine equipped with Hiplex H for carbohydrate column and a refraction index detector (RID). Ethanol produced by Fcs1 and Fcs4 mutants on acid hydrolysate increased by 26.58% and 24.17% from parent DBY1, by 14.94% and 21.84% from parent KBKTI 10.5.1. In contrast to the increase in ethanol production on alkaline hydrolysate, Fcs1 and Fcs4 mutants only experienced an increase in ethanol production by 1.35% from the parent KBKTI 10.5.1. Ethanol productivity by Fcs1 and Fcs4 mutants on acid hydrolysate reached 0.042 g/L/h and 0.044 g/L/h. The recombination of the genomes of different yeast species resulted in novel yeast strains that improved resistance performance and ethanol production on lignocellulosic hydrolysates.
Detection of serum AFB1-lysine adduct in Malaysia and its association with liver and kidney functions

Mohd Redzwan S, Rosita J, Mohd Sokhini AM, Nurul 'Aqilah AR, Wang JS, Kang MS, et al.

Int J Hyg Environ Health, 2014 Apr-May;217(4-5):443-51.
PMID: 24095591 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2013.08.007

Aflatoxin is ubiquitously found in many foodstuffs and produced by Aspergillus species of fungi. Of many aflatoxin metabolites, AFB1 is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as group one carcinogen and linked to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The study on molecular biomarker of aflatoxin provides a better assessment on the extent of human exposure to aflatoxin. In Malaysia, the occurrences of aflatoxin-contaminated foods have been documented, but there is a lack of data on human exposure to aflatoxin. Hence, this study investigated the occurrence of AFB1-lysine adduct in serum samples and its association with liver and kidney functions. 5ml fasting blood samples were collected from seventy-one subjects (n=71) for the measurement of AFB1-lysine adduct, albumin, total bilirubin, AST (aspartate aminotransferase), ALT (alanine transaminase), ALP (alkaline phosphatase), GGT (gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase), creatinine and BUN (blood urea nitrogen). The AFB1-lysine adduct was detected in all serum samples (100% detection rate) with a mean of 6.85±3.20pg/mg albumin (range: 1.13-18.85pg/mg albumin). Male subjects (mean: 8.03±3.41pg/mg albumin) had significantly higher adduct levels than female subjects (mean: 5.64±2.46pg/mg albumin) (p<0.01). It was noteworthy that subjects with adduct levels greater than average (>6.85pg/mg albumin) had significantly elevated level of total bilirubin (p<0.01), GGT (p<0.05) and creatinine (p<0.01). Nevertheless, only the level of total bilirubin, (r=0.347, p-value=0.003) and creatinine (r=0.318, p-value=0.007) showed significant and positive correlation with the level of AFB1-lysine adduct. This study provides a valuable insight on human exposure to aflatoxin in Malaysia. Given that aflatoxin can pose serious problem to the health, intervention strategies should be implemented to limit/reduce human exposure to aflatoxin. Besides, a study with a big sample size should be warranted in order to assess aflatoxin exposure in the general population of Malaysia.

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