Displaying publications 21 - 40 of 266 in total

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. Fulltext The Relationship amongst Intervertebral Disc Vertical Diameter, Lateral Foramen Diameter and Nerve Root Impingement in Lumbar Vertebra
    Yusof MI, Hassan MN, Abdullah MS
    Malays Orthop J, 2018 Mar;12(1):21-25.
    PMID: 29725508 MyJurnal DOI: 10.5704/MOJ.1803.004
    Introduction: The vertical diameter of the foramen is dependent upon the vertical diameter of the corresponding intervertebral disc. A decrease in disc vertical diameter has direct anatomic consequences to the foraminal diameter and area available for the nerve root passing through it. This study is to establish the relationship amongst the intervertebral disc vertical diameter, lateral foramen diameters and nerve root compression in the lumbar vertebra. Materials and Methods: Measurements of the study parameters were performed using sagittal MRI images. The parameters studied were: intervertebral disc vertical diameter (DVD), foraminal vertical diameter (FVD), foraminal transverse diameter (FTD) and nerve root diameter (NRD) of both sides. The relationship between the measured parameters were then analyzed. Results: A total of 62 MRI images were available for this study. Statistical analysis showed moderate to strong correlation between DVD and FVD at all the lumbar levels except at left L23 and L5S1 and right L3L4 and L4L5. Correlation between DVD and FTD were not significant at all lumbar levels. Regression analysis showed that a decrease of 1mm of DVD was associated with 1.3, 1.7, 3.3, 3.3 and 1.3mm reduction of FVD at L1L2, L2L3, L3L4, L4L5 and L5S1 respectively. Conclusion: Reduction of DVD was associated with reduction of FVD. However, FVD was relatively wide for the nerve root even with complete loss of DVD. FTD was much narrower than the FVD making it more likely to cause nerve root compression at the exit foramina. These anatomical details should be given consideration in treating patients with lateral canal stenosis.
  2. The NADI program and the JOICFP integrated project: partners in delivering primary health care
    Arshat H, Othman R, Kuan Lin Chee, Abdullah M
    JOICFP Rev, 1985 Oct;10:10-5.
    PMID: 12313881
    PIP:
    The NADI program (pulse in Malay) was initially launched as a pilot project in 1980 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It utilized an integrated approach involving both the government and the private sectors. By sharing resources and expertise, and by working together, the government and the people can achieve national development faster and with better results. The agencies work through a multi-level supportive structure, at the head of which is the steering committee. The NADI teams at the field level are the focal points of services from the various agencies. Members of NADI teams also work with urban poor families as well as health groups, parents-teachers associations, and other similar groups. The policy and planning functions are carried out by the steering committee, the 5 area action committees and the community action committees, while the implementation function is carried out by the area program managers and NADI teams. The chairman of each area action committee is the head of the branch office of city hall. Using intestinal parasite control as the entry point, the NADI Integrated Family Development Program has greatly helped in expanding inter-agency cooperation and exchange of experiences by a coordinated, effective and efficient resource-mobilization. The program was later expanded to other parts of the country including the industrial and estate sectors. Services provided by NADI include: comprehensive health services to promote maternal and child health; adequate water supply, proper waste disposal, construction of latrines and providing electricity; and initiating community and family development such as community education, preschool education, vocational training, family counseling and building special facilities for recreational and educational purposes.
  3. The Morphometric Study of Degenerative Lateral Canal Stenosis at L4-L5 and L5-S1 Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): Feasibility Analysis for Posterior Surgical Decompression
    Yusof MI, Shif M, Abdullah MS
    Malays Orthop J, 2015 Mar;9(1):4-10.
    PMID: 28435587 MyJurnal DOI: 10.5704/MOJ.1503.015
    This study was to evaluate the morphological features of degenerative spinal stenosis and adequacy of lateral canal stenosis decompression via unilateral and bilateral laminectomy. Measurements of facet joint angulation (FJA), mid facet point (MFP), mid facet point distance (MFPD), the narrowest point of the lateral spinal canal (NPLC) and the narrowest point of the lateral spinal canal distance (NPLCD) were performed. At L4L5 of the right and left side, the mean distance between the lateral border of the dura and MFP was 1.0 ± 0.2 cm and 1.0 ± 0.3cm respectively. The mean NPLC was seen at 0.7 ± 0.3 and 0.7 ± 0.3 cm cm from the dura. At L5S1 of the right and left side, the mean distance between the lateral border of the dura and MFP was 1.2± 0.2 and 1.3 ± 0.2 cm respectively. The mean NPLC was seen at 0.8 ± 0.4 and 0.9 ± 0.5 cm from the dura. Unilateral laminectomy may result in incomplete decompression.
  4. The Association between risk factors and low back pain among commercial vehicle drivers in peninsular Malaysia: a preliminary result
    Tamrin SB, Yokoyama K, Jalaludin J, Aziz NA, Jemoin N, Nordin R, et al.
    Ind Health, 2007 Apr;45(2):268-78.
    PMID: 17485871
    To determine the risk factors associated with complain of low back pain. A cross sectional study was done from June 2004 until August 2005. Seven hundred and sixty commercial vehicle drivers from 11 bus companies in central, northern and eastern regions in Malaysia participated in this study. Modified Nordic questionnaire was used to determine the prevalence of low back pain; Maestro human vibration meter was used to measure the personal R.M.S values of lateral, anterior-posterior and vertical axes. Modified Owas was used to assess the awkward posture of the driver torso namely, bending forward movement, leaning, sitting straight and twisting. Profile of Mood States (POMS) was used to evaluate the mood states of bus drivers with complain of low back pain. A high prevalence of low back pain (60.4%) among Malaysian commercial vehicle drivers was found. Logistic regression analysis controlling for age, income, education level and non occupational activities revealed that the following factors were related to low back pain: Tension-anxiety [1.080, 95% CI 1.041-1.121], depression dejection [1.047, 95% CI 1.023-1.072], anger-hostility [1.053, 95% CI 1.027-1.081], fatigue [1.132, 95% CI 1.089-1.177] and confusion [1.114, 95% CI 1.061-1.169] of POMS, length of employment [1.001, 95% CI 1.0-1.003], steering wheel adjustment [1.521, 95% CI 1.101-2.101], perception of exposing to vibration [1.943, 95% CI 1.389-2.719]. In conclusion, combinations of risks lead to high increase of low back pain complain among Malaysian bus drivers.
  5. Fulltext Tear Samples for Protein Extraction: Comparative Analysis of Schirmer's Test Strip and Microcapillary Tube Methods
    Tham ML, Mahmud A, Abdullah M, Md Saleh R, Mohammad Razali A, Cheah YK, et al.
    Cureus, 2023 Dec;15(12):e50972.
    PMID: 38259376 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.50972
    INTRODUCTION: Tear sampling is an attractive option for collecting biological samples in ophthalmology clinics, as it offers a non-invasive alternative to other invasive techniques. However, there are many tear sampling methods still in consideration. This study explores the suitability of Schirmer's test strip and microcapillary tube as reliable and satisfactory methods for tear sampling.

    METHODS: Tear samples were collected from eight healthy volunteers using the standard Schirmer's test strip method with or without anesthesia and microcapillary tubes. The total tear protein concentrations were analyzed via spectrophotometry and bicinchoninic acid (BCA) protein assay. The protein profile was determined by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The optimal wetting length of Schirmer's strip and suitable buffer solutions were compared. Discomfort levels reported by participants and the ease of execution for ophthalmologists were also evaluated.

    RESULTS: Tear samples exhibited typical protein profiles as shown by SDS-PAGE. The mean total protein obtained from an optimum wetting length of 20 mm using Schirmer's strip without anesthesia in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) yielded substantial quantities of protein as measured by nanophotometer (220.20 ± 67.43 µg) and the BCA protein assay (210.34 ± 59.46 µg). This method collected a significantly higher quantity of protein compared to the microcapillary tube method (p=0.004) which was much more difficult to standardize. The clinician found it harder to utilize microcapillary tubes, while participants experienced higher insecurity and less discomfort with the microcapillary tube method. PBS used during the tear protein extraction process eluted higher tear protein concentration than ammonium bicarbonate, although the difference was not statistically significant. Using anaesthesia did not ease the sampling procedure substantially and protein quantity was maintained.

    CONCLUSION: Good quality and quantity of protein from tear samples were extracted with the optimized procedure. Schirmer's strip test in the absence of local anesthesia provided a standard, convenient, and non-invasive method for tear collection.

  6. Fulltext Targeting LIN28: a new hope in prostate cancer theranostics
    Shrivastava G, Aljabali AA, Shahcheraghi SH, Lotfi M, Shastri MD, Shukla SD, et al.
    Future Oncol, 2021 Oct;17(29):3873-3880.
    PMID: 34263659 DOI: 10.2217/fon-2021-0247
    The mortality and morbidity rates for prostate cancer have recently increased to alarming levels, rising higher than lung cancer. Due to a lack of drug targets and molecular probes, existing theranostic techniques are limited. Human LIN28A and its paralog LIN28B overexpression are associated with a number of tumors resulting in a remarkable increase in cancer aggression and poor prognoses. The current review aims to highlight recent work identifying the key roles of LIN28A and LIN28B in prostate cancer, and to instigate further preclinical and clinical research in this important area.
  7. Synthesis, characterization and in-vitro cytotoxic potential of sitagliptin phosphate nanoparticles against advanced breast cancer cell line - MCF-7
    Abdullah M, Rafiq A, Shahid N, Nasir Kalam M, Munir Y, Daoud Butt M, et al.
    Pak J Pharm Sci, 2023 Nov;36(6(Special)):1849-1858.
    PMID: 38264890
    Pharmaceutical substance sitagliptin has long been used to treat diabetes. However, subsequent researches have shown that sitagliptin has additional therapeutic effects. Anti-inflammatory effects are observed. Combining sitagliptin with biodegradable polymers like nanoparticles for chemotherapy may be effective. This method enhances therapeutic agent pharmacokinetics. This study tests sitagliptin (SIT) chitosan base nanoparticles against MCF-7 cancer cell lines for anti-cancer effects. Sitagliptin chitosan-based nanoparticles are tested for their ability to suppress MCF-7 cancer cell proliferation. Ionic gelation, a typical nanoparticle manufacturing method, was used. A detailed examination of the nanoparticles followed, using particle-size measurement, FTIR and SEM. Entrapment efficiency, drug-loading, and in-vitro drug release were assessed. Loaded with chitosan and sitagliptin, the nanoparticles averaged 500nm and 534nm in diameter. Sitagliptin has little effect on particle size. Chitosan-based Sitagliptin nanoparticles grew slightly, suggesting Sitagliptin is present. SIT-SC-NPs had 32% encapsulation efficiency and 30% drug content due to their high polymer-to-drug ratio. SEM analysis showed that both drug-free and sitagliptin-loaded nanoparticles are spherical, as shown by the different bands in the photos. The SIT-CS-NPs had a 120-hour release efficiency of up to 80%. This suggests that these nanoparticles could cure hepatocellular carcinoma, specifically MCF-7 cell lines.
  8. Synthesis, X-ray crystal and monoamine oxidase inhibitory activity of 4,6-dihydrobenzo[c]pyrano[2,3-e][1,2]thiazine 5,5-dioxides: In vitro studies and docking analysis
    Ahmad S, Jalil S, Zaib S, Aslam S, Ahmad M, Rasul A, et al.
    Eur J Pharm Sci, 2019 Apr 01;131:9-22.
    PMID: 30735822 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2019.02.007
    We report the synthesis and biological evaluation of two new series of 2-amino-6-benzyl-4-phenyl-4,6-dihydrobenzo[c]pyrano[2,3-e][1,2]thiazine-3‑carbonitrile 5,5-dioxides and 2-amino-6-methyl-4-phenyl-4,6-dihydrobenzo[c]pyrano[2,3-e][1,2]thiazine-3‑carbonitrile 5,5-dioxides. The synthetic methodology involves a multistep reaction starting with methyl anthranilate which was coupled with methane sulfonyl chloride. The product of the reaction was subjected to N-benzylation and N-methylation reactions followed by ring closure with sodium hydride resulting in the formation of respective 2,1-benzothiazine 2,2-dioxides. These 2,1-benzothiazine precursors were subjected to multicomponent reaction with malononitrile and substituted benzaldehydes for the synthesis of two new series of pyranobenzothiazines (6a-r and 7a-r). The synthesized compounds were screened as selective inhibitors of monoamine oxidase A and monoamine oxidase B. The in vitro results suggested that compound 6d and 7q are the selective inhibitors of monoamine oxidase A, however, the selective and potent inhibitors of monoamine oxidase B included compounds 6h and 7r. Moreover, some dual inhibitors were noticed like 7l having more inhibitory activity towards both the isozymes. Moreover, the binding modes of the selective and potent inhibitors of monoamine oxidase A and B were investigated by molecular docking analysis. The results suggested that the synthetic derivatives may be potential towards the monoamine oxidase isozymes.
  9. Fulltext Sustainable and fast saliva-based COVID-19 virus diagnosis kit using a novel GO-decorated Au/FBG sensor
    Samavati A, Samavati Z, Velashjerdi M, Fauzi Ismail A, Othman MHD, Eisaabadi B G, et al.
    Chem Eng J, 2021 Sep 15;420:127655.
    PMID: 33199974 DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2020.127655
    Monitoring the COVID-19 virus through patients' saliva is a favorable non-invasive specimen for diagnosis and infection control. In this study, salivary samples of COVID-19 patients collected from 6 patients with the median age of 58.5 years, ranging from 34 to 72 years (2 females and 4 males) were analyzed using an Au/fiber Bragg grating (FBG) probe decorated with GO. The probe measures the prevalence of positivity in saliva and the association between the virus density and changes to sensing elements. When the probe is immersed in patients' saliva, deviation of the detected light wavelength and intensity from healthy saliva indicate the presence of the virus and confirms infection. For a patient in the hyperinflammatory phase of desease, who has virus density of 1.2 × 108 copies/mL in saliva, the maximum wavelength shift and intensity changes after 1600 s were shown to be 1.12 nm and 2.01 dB, respectively. While for a patient in the early infection phase with 1.6 × 103 copies/mL, these values were 0.98 nm and 1.32 dB. The precise and highly sensitive FBG probe proposed in this study was found a reliable tool for quick detection of the COVID-19 virus within 10 s after exposure to patients' saliva in any stage of the disease.
  10. Susceptibility of Enterococcus faecalis biofilm to antibiotics and calcium hydroxide
    Chai WL, Hamimah H, Cheng SC, Sallam AA, Abdullah M
    J Oral Sci, 2007 Jun;49(2):161-6.
    PMID: 17634730
    The purpose of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial efficacy of six groups of antibiotics and calcium hydroxide against Enterococcus faecalis biofilm in a membrane filter model. Two-day-old E. faecalis (ATCC 29212) biofilm was exposed to ampicillin, co-trimoxazole, erythr omycin, oxytetracycline, vancomycin, vancomycin followed by gentamicin, Ca(OH)(2), and phosphate-buffered saline (control). After 1 h of exposure, the antimicrobial activity was neutralized by washing each disc five times in PBS, and then the colony-forming units of the remaining viable bacteria on each disc were counted. The results revealed that only erythromycin, oxytetracycline and Ca(OH)2 showed 100% biofilm kill. An ANOVA with a Bonferroni post hoc test (P < 0.05) detected significant differences among the test agents, except in the ampicillin group versus the co-trimoxazole group. It is concluded that erythromycin, oxytetracycline and Ca(OH)2 are 100% effective in eliminating E. faecalis biofilm, whereas ampicillin, co-trimoxazole, vancomycin, and vancomycin followed by gentamicin are ineffective.
  11. Fulltext Suitability of Parkinson's patients for surgery in the north East coast of peninsular malaysia: a prospective analysis
    Abdullah J, Abdullah MR
    Malays J Med Sci, 2003 Jan;10(1):74-7.
    PMID: 23365504 MyJurnal
    There is no report in the English literature on the criteria for neuroablation or neuroaugmentation for the treatment of Parkinson's disease in a developing country like Malaysia. A prospective study of patients with Parkinson's disease from the north-eastern peninsular Malaysia was done to assess their suitability of surgery. Age, race, duration of illness and dementia were considered important factors towards the success of such surgical procedures. A mathematical model is suggested for future cases deemed to be suitable for neuroaugmentative or ablative surgery.
  12. Fulltext Structural changes and band gap tunability with incorporation of n-butylammonium iodide in perovskite thin film
    Rebecca LWX, Burhanudin ZA, Abdullah M, Saheed MSM
    Heliyon, 2020 Feb;6(2):e03364.
    PMID: 32072054 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e03364
    The current work presents structural change and band gap tunability using hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite with the incorporation of long chain ammonium halide. Thin films of MAPbI3 with different ratio of n-butylammonium iodide (BAI) have been successfully deposited on the substrate using a single step coating technique. X-ray diffraction scans revealed the transition of the 3D structure of MAPbI3 to quasi-2D perovskite structure when BAI loading increase with a crystallite size range approximately 16 nm. This structural changeis reflected in the band gap as it increased from 1.59 eV for bulk crystal MAPbI3 to 2.13 eV for BAI and MAPbI3 ratio of 1:1. Correspondingly, photoluminescence measurement showed a blue shift in perovskite emission due to the transition of 3D to 2D layered structure perovskite. Raman spectra confirm that all fabricated films are of pristine quality and no corresponding degradation peaks of PbI2 is observed. These characteristics are important to address the single step deposition method of hybrid perovskite for perovskite solar cells application.
  13. Fulltext Smart Home Privacy Protection Methods against a Passive Wireless Snooping Side-Channel Attack
    Nassiri Abrishamchi MA, Zainal A, Ghaleb FA, Qasem SN, Albarrak AM
    Sensors (Basel), 2022 Nov 07;22(21).
    PMID: 36366261 DOI: 10.3390/s22218564
    Smart home technologies have attracted more users in recent years due to significant advancements in their underlying enabler components, such as sensors, actuators, and processors, which are spreading in various domains and have become more affordable. However, these IoT-based solutions are prone to data leakage; this privacy issue has motivated researchers to seek a secure solution to overcome this challenge. In this regard, wireless signal eavesdropping is one of the most severe threats that enables attackers to obtain residents' sensitive information. Even if the system encrypts all communications, some cyber attacks can still steal information by interpreting the contextual data related to the transmitted signals. For example, a "fingerprint and timing-based snooping (FATS)" attack is a side-channel attack (SCA) developed to infer in-home activities passively from a remote location near the targeted house. An SCA is a sort of cyber attack that extracts valuable information from smart systems without accessing the content of data packets. This paper reviews the SCAs associated with cyber-physical systems, focusing on the proposed solutions to protect the privacy of smart homes against FATS attacks in detail. Moreover, this work clarifies shortcomings and future opportunities by analyzing the existing gaps in the reviewed methods.
  14. Small interfering RNA silencing of interleukin-6 in mesenchymal stromal cells inhibits multiple myeloma cell growth
    Teoh HK, Chong PP, Abdullah M, Sekawi Z, Tan GC, Leong CF, et al.
    Leuk. Res., 2016 Jan;40:44-53.
    PMID: 26626206 DOI: 10.1016/j.leukres.2015.10.004
    Studies demonstrated that mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) from bone marrow stroma produced high concentration of interleukin-6 (IL-6) that promoted multiple myeloma cell growth. In view of the failure of IL-6 monoclonal antibody therapy to demonstrate substantial clinical responses in early clinical trials, more effective methods are needed in order to disrupt the favourable microenvironment provided by the bone marrow stroma. In this study, we evaluated the short interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated silencing of IL-6 in MSC and the efficacy of these genetically modified MSC, with IL-6 suppression, on inhibition of U266 multiple myeloma cell growth. IL-6 mRNA and protein were significantly suppressed by 72h post IL-6 siRNA transfection without affecting the biological properties of MSC. Here we show significant inhibition of cell growth and IL-6 production in U266 cells co-cultured with MSC transfected with IL-6 siRNA when compared to U266 cells co-cultured with control MSC. We also show that the tumour volume and mitotic index of tumours in nude mice co-injected with U266 and MSC transfected with IL-6 siRNA were significantly reduced compared to tumours of mice co-injected with control MSC. Our results suggest potential use of RNA interference mediated therapy for multiple myeloma.
  15. Small RNAs and Karma methylation in Elaeis guineensis mother palms are linked to high clonal mantling
    Ooi SE, Sarpan N, Taranenko E, Feshah I, Nuraziyan A, Roowi SH, et al.
    Plant Mol Biol, 2023 Mar;111(4-5):345-363.
    PMID: 36609897 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-022-01330-4
    The mantled phenotype is an abnormal somaclonal variant arising from the oil palm cloning process and severe phenotypes lead to oil yield losses. Hypomethylation of the Karma retrotransposon within the B-type MADS-box EgDEF1 gene has been associated with this phenotype. While abnormal Karma-EgDEF1 hypomethylation was detected in mantled clones, we examined the methylation state of Karma in ortets that gave rise to high mantling rates in their clones. Small RNAs (sRNAs) were proposed to play a role in Karma hypomethylation as part of the RNA-directed DNA methylation process, hence differential expression analysis of sRNAs between the ortet groups was conducted. While no sRNA was differentially expressed at the Karma-EgDEF1 region, three sRNA clusters were differentially regulated in high-mantling ortets. The first two down-regulated clusters were possibly derived from long non-coding RNAs while the third up-regulated cluster was derived from the intron of a DnaJ chaperone gene. Several predicted mRNA targets for the first two sRNA clusters conversely displayed increased expression in high-mantling relative to low-mantling ortets. These predicted mRNA targets may be associated with defense or pathogenesis response. In addition, several differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were identified in Karma and its surrounding regions, mainly comprising subtle CHH hypomethylation in high-mantling ortets. Four of the 12 DMRs were located in a region corresponding to hypomethylated areas at the 3'end of Karma previously reported in mantled clones. Further investigations on these sRNAs and DMRs may indicate the predisposition of certain ortets towards mantled somaclonal variation.
  16. Fulltext Simultaneous Adsorption of Cationic Dyes from Binary Solutions by Thiourea-Modified Poly(acrylonitrile-co-acrylic acid): Detailed Isotherm and Kinetic Studies
    Adeyi AA, Jamil SNAM, Abdullah LC, Choong TSY, Lau KL, Abdullah M
    Materials (Basel), 2019 Sep 08;12(18).
    PMID: 31500398 DOI: 10.3390/ma12182903
    In this study, simultaneous adsorption of cationic dyes was investigated by using binary component solutions. Thiourea-modified poly(acrylonitrile-co-acrylic acid) (TMPAA) polymer was used as an adsorbent for uptake of cationic dyes (malachite green, MG and methylene blue, MB) from aqueous solution in a binary system. Adsorption tests revealed that TMPAA presented high adsorption of MG and MB at higher pH and higher dye concentrations. It suggested that there are strong electrostatic attractions between the surface functional groups of the adsorbent and cationic dyes. The equilibrium analyses explain that both extended Langmuir and extended models are suitable for the description of adsorption data in the binary system. An antagonistic effect was found, probably due to triangular (MG) and linear (MB) molecular structures that mutually hinder the adsorption of both dyes on TMPAA. Besides, the kinetic studies for sorption of MG and MB dyes onto adsorbent were better represented by a pseudo-second-order model, which demonstrates chemisorption between the polymeric TMPAA adsorbent and dye molecules. According to experimental findings, TMPAA is an attractive adsorbent for treatment of wastewater containing multiple cationic dyes.
  17. Significant Clinical Presentation of Leptospirosis in Relation to Sociodemographic and Risk Factors in a Tertiary Hospital, Malaysia
    Mohd Taib N, Ahmad H, Soh KL, Md Shah A, Amin Nordin S, Than Thian Lung L, et al.
    Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis, 2020 04;20(4):268-274.
    PMID: 32013800 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2018.2417
    Introduction:
    Incidence of leptospirosis has increased within the past few years in many countries. Its clinical presentations were generally nonspecific, making it difficult to assist in the diagnosis. Besides the determination of the common clinical features, the sociodemographic background is essential to identify high-risk populations to assist in prevention.
    Methods:
    Data for this study were obtained from electronic medical records among patients clinically diagnosed with leptospirosis at a tertiary hospital in Malaysia from the years 2011 to 2015 and were recorded using standard pro forma. Associations between clinical features and sociodemographics were performed using bivariate analysis and logistic regression.
    Results:
    Data were collected from 283 patients. Their mean age was 30.71 years old. Out of 283 patients, 206 (72.8%) were male. Involvement in outdoor events and water activities was the highest risk factor of acquiring leptospirosis in 64 (22.7%) patients followed by 59 (20.8%) patients who were staying in crowded housing areas with poor sanitation. Although fever was the main clinical presentation in 274 (96.8%) patients with leptospirosis, gastrointestinal (GIT) symptoms were the second most frequent in 159 (56.2%) patients followed by pulmonary symptoms, myalgia, headache, and jaundice. From the total number of 283 patients, only 21 (92.6%) presented with severe leptospirosis. GIT symptoms were a significant predictor for leptospirosis severity, while the age group was the significant sociodemographic factor toward GIT presentation in leptospirosis. The relationship between GIT symptoms and crowded housing areas with poor sanitation was also significant. Multivariable logistic regression showed that crowded housing areas with poor sanitation (odds ratio [OR] = 3.570, p 
  18. Short report: differences in dihydrofolate reductase but not dihydropteroate synthase alleles in Plasmodium falciparum isolates from geographically distinct areas in Malaysia
    Cox-Singh J, Zakaria R, Abdullah MS, Rahman HA, Nagappan S, Singh B
    Am J Trop Med Hyg, 2001 6 27;64(1-2):28-31.
    PMID: 11425158
    Dihydropteroate synthase (dhps) and dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr) alleles were typed in 67 Malaysian Plasmodium falciparum isolates. The isolates were collected from two geographically distinct locations: 51 from Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, where sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine (SDX/PYR) is used to treat uncomplicated malaria and 16 from Peninsular Malaysia where in vivo resistance to SDX/PYR has been reported. A total of seven dhps alleles were identified with no significant difference in allele frequency between the 2 populations. Two of the dhps alleles described here have not been previously reported. Four dhfr alleles were detected in 67 P. falciparum isolates. Eighty-seven percent of the isolates from the Peninsula, where clinical SDX/PYR failure has been reported, had dhfr alleles with triple point mutations while all of the isolates from Sabah had dhfr alleles with 2 or less point mutations. The difference in dhfr allele frequency between the two populations was highly significant. There was no correlation between in vitro PYR response and accumulation of dhfr point mutations.
  19. Short hairpin RNA silencing of interleukin-6 in human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells inhibits multiple myeloma cell growth
    Teoh HK, Chong PP, Abdullah M, Sekawi Z, Tan GC, Leong CF, et al.
    Pathology, 2016 Feb;48 Suppl 1:S99.
    PMID: 27773219 DOI: 10.1016/j.pathol.2015.12.283
  20. Fulltext Shockproof Deformable Infrared Radiation Sensors Based on a Polymeric Rubber and Organic Semiconductor H2Pc-CNT Composite
    Chani MTS, Karimov KS, Kamal T, Fatima N, Rahman MM, Asiri AM
    Polymers (Basel), 2023 Jun 15;15(12).
    PMID: 37376337 DOI: 10.3390/polym15122691
    Polymeric rubber and organic semiconductor H2Pc-CNT-composite-based surface- and sandwich-type shockproof deformable infrared radiation (IR) sensors were fabricated using a rubbing-in technique. CNT and CNT-H2Pc (30:70 wt.%) composite layers were deposited on a polymeric rubber substrate as electrodes and active layers, respectively. Under the effect of IR irradiation (0 to 3700 W/m2), the resistance and the impedance of the surface-type sensors decreased up to 1.49 and 1.36 times, respectively. In the same conditions, the resistance and the impedance of the sandwich-type sensors decreased up to 1.46 and 1.35 times, respectively. The temperature coefficients of resistance (TCR) of the surface- and sandwich-type sensors are 1.2 and 1.1, respectively. The novel ratio of the H2Pc-CNT composite ingredients and comparably high value of the TCR make the devices attractive for bolometric applications meant to measure the intensity of infrared radiation. Moreover, given their easy fabrication and low-cost materials, the fabricated devices have great potential for commercialization.
Related Terms
Filters
Contact Us

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

External Links