Displaying publications 2861 - 2880 of 8501 in total

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. Using pictograms to assist caregivers in liquid medication administration: a systematic review
    Chan HK, Hassali MA, Lim CJ, Saleem F, Tan WL
    J Clin Pharm Ther, 2015 Jun;40(3):266-72.
    PMID: 25865563 DOI: 10.1111/jcpt.12272
    WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: It has been reported that more than 80% of out-of-hospital medication errors among the young children involve liquid formulations. The usefulness of pictorial aids to improve communication of medication instructions has not been extensively investigated for child health. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of pictorial aids used to assist caregivers in the administration of liquid medications.
    METHODS: MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ScienceDirect, Scopus and the Cochrane Library were searched for articles published up to February 2015. Studies that used pictorial aids with liquid medications and measured at least one of the following outcomes were included: dosing accuracy, comprehension of medication instructions, recall of information and adherence of caregivers. Two authors independently selected studies, extracted data and assessed methodological quality of studies using the Cochrane Collaboration's tool.
    RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Five experimental studies (four hospital based and one community based) with a total of 962 participants were included. A wide range of liquid formulations were studied, including both prescription and over-the-counter medications. The existing findings suggest that pictographic interventions reduced dosing errors, enhanced comprehension and recall of medication instructions and improved adherence of caregivers. Incorporating pictorial aids into verbal medication counselling or text-based instructions was more beneficial than using the single approach alone. Mixed results were identified for the relationship between health literacy of caregivers and effectiveness of pictorial aids.
    WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: The evidence remains limited due to the small number of studies found and variations in methodological quality. This review suggests that pictorial aids might be potential interventions, but more high-quality studies are needed to support the routine use of any pictogram-based materials with liquid medications in the clinical settings.
    KEYWORDS: caregivers; graphics; health literacy; medication adherence; medication errors; paediatrics
  2. Feasibility study of biodiesel production using lipids of Hermetia illucens larva fed with organic waste
    Leong SY, Kutty SR, Malakahmad A, Tan CK
    Waste Manag, 2016 Jan;47(Pt A):84-90.
    PMID: 25872864 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2015.03.030
    Hermetia illucens larvae by nature are a decomposer which fed on organic wastes. This study explores the potential of producing biodiesel using lipids from H. illucens larvae. Three types of organic wastes (sewage sludge, fruit waste and palm decanter cake from oil palm mill) were selected based on considerable generation and disposal concern in the area of study as well as lack of investigations as feed for Hermetia illucens larvae in current literatures. Growth rate of the larvae was determined with studying the changes in the biomass per day. H. illucens larvae fed with fruit waste and palm decanter cake have shown growth rates of 0.52±0.02 and 0.23±0.09 g d(-1), respectively. No positive sign of growth were observed in the larvae fed with treated sewage sludge (-0.04±0.01 g d(-1)). Biodiesel as fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) was synthesized by transesterification of the larvae lipid using sulphuric acid as catalyst in methanol. FAME produced was ascertained using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and GC-MS. The main compositions of fatty acid were found to be C12:0, C16:0 and C18:1n9c. Fatty acid composition of C12:0 fed with fruit waste, sewage sludge and palm decanter was found to be most abundant in the larvae lipid. The amount of C12:0 obtained was 76.13%, 58.31% and 48.06%, respectively. In addition, fatty acid of C16:0 was attained at 16.48% and 25.48% fed with sewage sludge and palm decanter, respectively. Based on the findings, FAME derived from larvae lipids is feasible to be used for biodiesel production.
  3. Fulltext Crystal structure of benzyl (E)-2-(3,4-di-meth-oxy-benzyl-idene)hydrazine-1-carbodi-thio-ate
    Tan YF, Break MK, Tahir MI, Khoo TJ
    Acta Crystallogr E Crystallogr Commun, 2015 Feb 1;71(Pt 2):238-40.
    PMID: 25878829 DOI: 10.1107/S205698901500095X
    The title compound, C17H18N2O2S2, synthesized via a condensation reaction between S-benzyl di-thio-carbazate and 3,4-di-meth-oxy-benzaldehyde, crystallized with two independent mol-ecules (A and B) in the asymmetric unit. Both mol-ecules have an L-shape but differ in the orientation of the benzyl ring with respect to the 3,4-di-meth-oxy-benzyl-idine ring, this dihedral angle is 65.59 (8)° in mol-ecule A and 73.10 (8)° in mol-ecule B. In the crystal, the A and B mol-ecules are linked via pairs of N-H⋯S hydrogen bonds, forming dimers with an R 2 (2)(8) ring motif. The dimers are linked via pairs of C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, giving inversion dimers of dimers. These units are linked by C-H⋯π inter-actions, forming ribbons propagating in the [100] direction.
  4. Meningitis Caused by Rhodotorula mucilaginosa in HIV-Infected Patient: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
    Mohd Nor F, Tan LH, Na SL, Ng KP
    Mycopathologia, 2015 Aug;180(1-2):95-8.
    PMID: 25739670 DOI: 10.1007/s11046-015-9879-0
    Rhodotorula species are increasingly being identified as a cause of fungal infection in the central nervous system, especially in patients with compromised immunity. The diagnosis could easily be missed due to low index of suspicion, as cryptococcus meningitis and cerebral toxoplasmosis are more common amongst immunocompromised hosts. To date, there are six cases of Rhodotorula-related meningitis reported, and three are associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection. In this report, a case of a Malaysian male with underlying human immunodeficiency virus infection who developed Rhodotorula mucilaginosa meningitis is presented. High-grade fever and severe headaches were the complaints presented in three previous case reports. India ink and nigrosin stainings were performed in the two previous reports and both revealed positive results. R. mucilaginosa were isolated from the culture of the patient's cerebrospinal fluid in all three previous reports. Predominant lymphocyte infiltration in the cerebrospinal fluid examination was documented in two reports. CD4 counts were above 100/µl in two previously published reports, while another report documented CD4 count as 56/µl. Amphotericin B and itraconazole are identified to be the first line of antifungal used and as the maintenance therapy, respectively. The possibility of relapse cannot be excluded as it was reported in the first report. It was also revealed that the current case has almost similar clinical presentation and therapeutic outcome as compared to the published reports, but some differences in diagnostic details were to be highlighted.
  5. Fulltext Remarkably Few Sputum Cultures from People with Parkinson's Disease during Hospital In-Patient Admission
    Walker RW, English J, Tan G, Fisher A, Gray WK
    Parkinsons Dis, 2015;2015:378967.
    PMID: 25734020 DOI: 10.1155/2015/378967
    Although respiratory tract infections can be a common complication in people with Parkinson's disease (PD), there is little published data on the nature of such infections in this patient group. We wished to investigate whether sputum samples were being taken from PD patients in order to establish whether an infection was present and if so which bacteria were responsible for the infection. We recorded the number of positive sputum samples taken from admission to North Tyneside General Hospital in North-East England across a ten-year period from June 2001 to June 2011. Of 643 in-patient episodes involving people with PD, positive sputum samples were recorded for only 12 episodes (1.9%) in eight patients. All patients were in early stage disease. In all admissions to the NHS Trust running the hospital, there were 23,069 sputum cultures from 1,056,693 in-patient episodes (2.2%). Our findings may reflect the difficultly of expectorating in many people with PD, particularly in late-stage disease. Since people with PD are especially vulnerable to respiratory tract infections, clinicians need to ensure that, where possible, a sputum sample is obtained from people with PD when clinically indicated.
  6. Fulltext Effects of Selected Physicochemical Parameters on Zerumbone Production of Zingiber zerumbet Smith Cell Suspension Culture
    Jalil M, Annuar MS, Tan BC, Khalid N
    Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2015;2015:757514.
    PMID: 25767555 DOI: 10.1155/2015/757514
    Zingiber zerumbet Smith is an important herb that contains bioactive phytomedicinal compound, zerumbone. To enhance cell growth and production of this useful compound, we investigated the growth conditions of cell suspension culture. Embryogenic callus generated from shoot bud was used to initiate cell suspension culture. The highest specific growth rate of cells was recorded when it was cultured in liquid Murashige and Skoog basal medium containing 3% sucrose with pH 5.7 and incubated under continuous shaking condition of 70 rpm for 16 h light and 8 h dark cycle at 24°C. Our results also revealed that the type of carbohydrate substrate, light regime, agitation speed, and incubation temperature could affect the production of zerumbone. Although the zerumbone produced in this study was not abundant compared to rhizome of Z. zerumbet, the possibility of producing zerumbone during early stage could serve as a model for subsequent improvement.
  7. Antibacterial alkaloids from Artabotrys crassifolius Hook.f. & Thomson
    Tan KK, Khoo TJ, Rajagopal M, Wiart C
    Nat Prod Res, 2015;29(24):2346-9.
    PMID: 25738993 DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2015.1013954
    Chloroform extract of bark of Artabotrys crassifolius Hook.f. & Thomson exhibited antibacterial activities against both American Type Culture Collection and clinical bacterial strains in vitro with zones of inhibition ranging from 7 to 14 mm. Further analysis of this extract yielded artabotrine, liridine, lysicamine and atherospermidine. Artabotrine displayed a broad array of antibacterial activity mostly against Gram-positive bacteria with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 1.25 μg/mL to 5 μg/mL. Of note, artabotrine, liridine and lysicamine are bactericidal against Gram-negative extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella with MIC values equal 2.5, 2.5 and 10 μg/mL, respectively, and minimum bactericidal concentrations values equal to 2.5, 5 and 20 μg/mL.
  8. Fulltext Chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM): an alternative predictive model in acute toxicological studies for anti-cancer drugs
    Kue CS, Tan KY, Lam ML, Lee HB
    Exp Anim, 2015;64(2):129-38.
    PMID: 25736707 DOI: 10.1538/expanim.14-0059
    The chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) is a preclinical model widely used for vascular and anti-vascular effects of therapeutic agents in vivo. In this study, we examine the suitability of CAM as a predictive model for acute toxicology studies of drugs by comparing it to conventional mouse and rat models for 10 FDA-approved anticancer drugs (paclitaxel, carmustine, camptothecin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, cisplatin, aloin, mitomycin C, actinomycin-D, melphalan). Suitable formulations for intravenous administration were determined before the average of median lethal dose (LD50) and median survival dose (SD(50)) in the CAM were measured and calculated for these drugs. The resultant ideal LD(50) values were correlated to those reported in the literature using Pearson's correlation test for both intravenous and intraperitoneal routes of injection in rodents. Our results showed moderate correlations (r(2)=0.42 - 0.68, P<0.005-0.05) between the ideal LD(50) values obtained using the CAM model with LD(50) values from mice and rats models for both intravenous and intraperitoneal administrations, suggesting that the chick embryo may be a suitable alternative model for acute drug toxicity screening before embarking on full toxicological investigations in rodents in development of anticancer drugs.
  9. Fulltext The Use of the Self-Standing Turning Transfer Device to Perform Bed-To-Chair Transfers Reduces Physical Stress among Caregivers of Older Patients in a Middle-Income Developing Country
    Goh CH, Muslimah Y, Ng SC, Subramanian P, Tan MP
    Front Med (Lausanne), 2014;1:32.
    PMID: 25593906 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2014.00032
    Manual transfer of elderly patients remains commonplace in many developing countries because the use of lifting equipment, such as hoists, is often considered unaffordable luxuries. The aim of this study was, therefore, to evaluate the usage and potential benefits of a low-cost, mechanical turning transfer device among elderly patients and their caregivers on a geriatric ward in a developing country in South East Asia. Fifty-six inpatients, aged 66-92 years, on a geriatric ward, and their caregivers were recruited. Participants were asked to transfer from bed-to-chair transfer with manual assistance, and the task was repeated using the Self-standing Turning Transfer Device (STurDi). The time taken to perform manual transfers and STurDi-assisted transfers was recorded. Physical strain was assessed using the perceived physical stress-rating tool for caregivers with and without the use of the device. User satisfaction was evaluated using the usefulness, satisfaction, and ease of use questionnaire. There was a significant reduction in transfer-time with manual transfers compared to STurDi-assisted transfers [mean (SD) = 48.39 (13.98) vs. 36.23 (10.96); p ≤ 0.001]. The physical stress rating was significantly lower in STurDi-aided transfers compared to manual transfers, shoulder [median (interquartile range) = 0 (1) vs. 4 (3); p = 0.001], upper back [0 (0) vs. 5 (4); p = 0.001], lower back [0 (1) vs. 5 (3), p = 0.001], whole body [1 (2) vs. 4 (3), p = 0.001], and knee [0 (1) vs. 1 (4), p = 0.001]. In addition, majority of patients and caregivers definitely or strongly agreed that the device was useful, saved time, and was easy to use. We have therefore demonstrated in a setting where manual handling was commonly performed that a low-cost mechanical transfer device reduced caregiver strain and was well received by older patients and caregivers.
  10. The complete mitogenome of the endangered freshwater crayfish Cherax tenuimanus (Smith 1912) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Parastacidae)
    Austin CM, Tan MH, Gan HY, Gan HM
    Mitochondrial DNA A DNA Mapp Seq Anal, 2016 11;27(6):4176-4177.
    PMID: 25630729
    Next-Gen sequencing was used to recover the complete mitochondrial genome of Cherax tenuimanus. The mitogenome consists of 15,797 base pairs (68.14% A + T content) containing 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and a 779 bp non-coding AT-rich region. Mitogenomes have now been recovered for all six species of Cherax native to Western Australia.
  11. Fulltext Understanding the Quorum-Sensing Bacterium Pantoea stewartii Strain M009 with Whole-Genome Sequencing Analysis
    Tan WS, Chang CY, Yin WF, Chan KG
    Genome Announc, 2015;3(1).
    PMID: 25635007 DOI: 10.1128/genomeA.01509-14
    Pantoea stewartii is known to be the causative agent of Stewart's wilt, which usually affects sweet corn (Zea mays) with the corn flea beetle as the transmission vector. In this work, we present the whole-genome sequence of Pantoea stewartii strain M009, isolated from a Malaysian tropical rainforest waterfall.
  12. Fulltext Quality of life and migraine disability among female migraine patients in a tertiary hospital in Malaysia
    Shaik MM, Hassan NB, Tan HL, Gan SH
    Biomed Res Int, 2015;2015:523717.
    PMID: 25632394 DOI: 10.1155/2015/523717
    Disability caused by migraine may be one of the main causes of burden contributing to poor quality of life (QOL) among migraine patients. Thus, this study aimed to measure QOL among migraine sufferers in comparison with healthy controls.
  13. Fulltext An overview of the characteristics of the novel avian influenza A H7N9 virus in humans
    Tan KX, Jacob SA, Chan KG, Lee LH
    Front Microbiol, 2015;6:140.
    PMID: 25798131 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00140
    The novel avian influenza A H7N9 virus which caused the first human infection in Shanghai, China; was reported on the 31st of March 2013 before spreading rapidly to other Chinese provinces and municipal cities. This is the first time the low pathogenic avian influenza A virus has caused human infections and deaths; with cases of severe respiratory disease with pneumonia being reported. There were 440 confirmed cases with 122 fatalities by 16 May 2014; with a fatality risk of ∼28%. The median age of patients was 61 years with a male-to-female ratio of 2.4:1. The main source of infection was identified as exposure to poultry and there is so far no definitive evidence of sustained person-to-person transmission. The neuraminidase inhibitors, namely oseltamivir, zanamivir, and peramivir; have shown good efficacy in the management of the novel H7N9 virus. Treatment is recommended for all hospitalized patients, and for confirmed and probable outpatient cases; and should ideally be initiated within 48 h of the onset of illness for the best outcome. Phylogenetic analysis found that the novel H7N9 virus is avian in origin and evolved from multiple reassortments of at least four origins. Indeed the novel H7N9 virus acquired human adaptation via mutations in its eight RNA gene segments. Enhanced surveillance and effective global control are essential to prevent pandemic outbreaks of the novel H7N9 virus.
  14. Optimization of conditions for the single step IMAC purification of miraculin from Synsepalum dulcificum
    He Z, Tan JS, Lai OM, Ariff AB
    Food Chem, 2015 Aug 15;181:19-24.
    PMID: 25794715 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.11.166
    In this study, the methods for extraction and purification of miraculin from Synsepalum dulcificum were investigated. For extraction, the effect of different extraction buffers (phosphate buffer saline, Tris-HCl and NaCl) on the extraction efficiency of total protein was evaluated. Immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography (IMAC) with nickel-NTA was used for the purification of the extracted protein, where the influence of binding buffer pH, crude extract pH and imidazole concentration in elution buffer upon the purification performance was explored. The total amount of protein extracted from miracle fruit was found to be 4 times higher using 0.5M NaCl as compared to Tris-HCl and phosphate buffer saline. On the other hand, the use of Tris-HCl as binding buffer gave higher purification performance than sodium phosphate and citrate-phosphate buffers in IMAC system. The optimum purification condition of miraculin using IMAC was achieved with crude extract at pH 7, Tris-HCl binding buffer at pH 7 and the use of 300 mM imidazole as elution buffer, which gave the overall yield of 80.3% and purity of 97.5%. IMAC with nickel-NTA was successfully used as a single step process for the purification of miraculin from crude extract of S. dulcificum.
  15. Employability among people with uncontrolled seizures: An interpretative phenomenological approach
    Wo MC, Lim KS, Choo WY, Tan CT
    Epilepsy Behav, 2015 Apr;45:21-30.
    PMID: 25794681 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2015.02.016
    This study aimed to explore positive and negative factors affecting the employability in patients with uncontrolled seizures.
  16. Fulltext Prevalence and correlates of latent tuberculosis infection among employees of a high security prison in Malaysia
    Al-Darraji HA, Tan C, Kamarulzaman A, Altice FL
    Occup Environ Med, 2015 Jun;72(6):442-7.
    PMID: 25794506 DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2014-102695
    OBJECTIVES: Although prison employees share the same tuberculosis (TB) risk environment with prisoners, the magnitude of TB problems among prison employees is unknown in most resource-limited prisons. This survey was conducted to investigate the prevalence and correlates of tuberculin skin test (TST) positivity among employees in Malaysia's largest prison.

    METHODS: Consented, full-time prison employees were interviewed using a structured questionnaire that included sociodemographic data, history of working in the correctional system and TB-related risk. TST was placed intradermally and read after 48-72 h. Induration size of ≥10 mm was considered positive. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to explore associations with TST positivity.

    RESULTS: Of the 445 recruited prison employees, 420 (94.4%) had complete data. Most were young (median=30.0 years) men (88.8%) who had only worked at this prison (76.4%) for a median total employment period of 60 months (IQR 34.5-132.0). The majority were correctional officers, while civilian employees represented only 7.6% of the sample. Only 26 (6.2%) reported having ever been screened for TB since employment. Prevalence of TST positivity was 81% and was independently associated with longer (≥12 months) prison employment (AOR 4.9; 95% CI 1.5 to 15.9) and current tobacco smoking (AOR=1.9, 95% CI 1.2 to 3.2).

    CONCLUSIONS: Latent TB prevalence was high in this sample, approximating that of prisoners in this setting, perhaps suggesting within prison TB transmission in this facility. Formal TB control programmes for personnel and prisoners alike are urgently needed within the Malaysian correctional system.

  17. Fulltext A case report of 3-level degenerative spondylolisthesis with spinal canal stenosis
    Moo IH, Tan SW, Kasat N, Thng LK
    Int J Surg Case Rep, 2015;8C:120-3.
    PMID: 25666306 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijscr.2014.10.018
    Lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis is a major cause of impaired quality of life and diminished functional capacity in the elderly. Degenerative spondylolisthesis often involves only one or two level and tend to present with one or two level spinal canal stenosis.
  18. Fulltext The significance of tubular and glomerular proteinuria in critically ill patients with severe acute kidney injury
    Lim CT, Tan HK, Lau YK
    Pak J Med Sci, 2014 Nov-Dec;30(6):1186-90.
    PMID: 25674105 DOI: 10.12669/pjms.306.5684
    Critically ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) frequently need acute renal replacement therapy (aRRT). We evaluated an inexpensive, rapid quantitative and qualitative analysis of proteinuria on the course of AKI patients requiring aRRT in intensive care.
  19. Fulltext Release behaviour and toxicity evaluation of levodopa from carboxylated single-walled carbon nanotubes
    Tan JM, Foo JB, Fakurazi S, Hussein MZ
    Beilstein J Nanotechnol, 2015;6:243-53.
    PMID: 25671168 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.6.23
    This work explores the potential use of commercially obtained, carboxylated, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT-COOH) as nanocarriers for the antiparkinson drug, levodopa (LD). The resulting nanohybrid was characterized using materials characterization methods including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, elemental analysis, UV-vis spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that SWCNT-COOH were able to form supramolecular complexes with LD via a π-π stacking interaction and exhibited favourable, slow, sustained-release characteristics as a drug carrier with a release period over more than 20 h. The results obtained from the drug release studies of LD at different pH values showed that the LD-loaded nanohybrid is pH activated. The release kinetics of LD from SWCNT-COOH were well-described by a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. A cytotoxicity assay of the synthesized nanohybrid was also carried out in PC12 cell lines (a widely used, in vitro Parkinson's model for neurotoxicity studies) using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay in order to investigate their possible effects on normal neuronal cells in vitro. It was found that the synthesized nanohybrid did not compromise the cell viability and the PC12 cells remained stable throughout the experiments up to 72 h after treatment.
  20. Water extract of brewers' rice induces antiproliferation of human colorectal cancer (HT-29) cell lines via the induction of apoptosis
    Tan BL, Norhaizan ME, Yeap SK, Roselina K
    Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci, 2015;19(6):1022-9.
    PMID: 25855928
    Brewers' rice, a mixture of broken rice, rice bran, and rice germ, is a rice by-product in the rice industry. The present study was designed to investigate the in vitro cytotoxicity of the water extract of brewers' rice (WBR) against colorectal cancer (HT-29) cells.
Related Terms
Filters
Contact Us

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links