Displaying publications 21 - 40 of 61 in total

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  1. Phylogenetic Diversity of Burkholderia pseudomallei isolated from veterinary cases and the environments in Peninsular Malaysia
    Sadiq MA, Hassan L, Aziz SA, Zakaria Z, Musa HI, Amin MM, et al.
    Vet Anim Sci, 2018 Dec;6:21-28.
    PMID: 32734049 DOI: 10.1016/j.vas.2018.07.004
    This study was designed to determine the genotype and the phylogeny of Burkholderia pseudomallei isolated from veterinary cases and from the animal environments in Peninsular Malaysia. The Malaysian B. pseudomallei population were then compared to those found elsewhere. A total of 113 isolates from veterinary cases (35) and the environment (56 from soil and 22 from water) were characterized using multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Two novel alleles, allele 97 and 69 of the gene locus ace and lepA respectively were recovered. Isolates were resolved into 12 distinct sequence types (STs) out of which five were novel, namely ST1130, ST1131, ST1338, ST1339 and ST1367. The isolates from veterinary cases co-clustered with those from the environment. B. pseudomallei isolates in this study were highly clonal and have descended from a common ancestor clonal complex (CC) 48 found in Southeast Asia. This study shows that veterinary case isolates are often caused by similar STs, with similar populations found in the direct animal environment and those previously reported to cause human infections in Malaysia and elsewhere. Isolates of B. pseudomallei from human infections have been given more attention, with a comparatively lower focus on isolates from animals and the farm environment. This study highlighted the genotype and phylogeny of B. pseudomallei isolated from animals and the environment and their relations to the isolates from human cases reported in Malaysia and elsewhere. Most STs reported in this study, from veterinary cases and animal environment are similar to those previously reported as causing human infections in Malaysia and elsewhere. Therefore, even though direct zoonosis is uncommon, monitoring melioidosis occurrences in animals can provide insights on the bacterial strains infecting humans.
  2. Fulltext Use of Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy Among Post-Menopausal Breast Cancer Patients in Malaysia
    Saiful Bahri A, Tuan Mahmood TM, Abdul-Aziz SA, Makmor-Bakry M, Mohamed Shah N
    Patient Prefer Adherence, 2021;15:227-235.
    PMID: 33568899 DOI: 10.2147/PPA.S293029
    Context: Globally, breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women, and adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) is part of its treatment modality, which improves patients' outcome. However, there are concerns on side effects related to its use, which may affect treatment adherence.

    Purpose: This study was conducted to explore attitude and practice on using AET among breast cancer patients in Malaysia.

    Patients and Methods: Postmenopausal breast cancer patients on at least 3 months of AET attending the outpatient oncology clinic at a tertiary care hospital were interviewed. Patients underwent in-depth interviews exploring their attitude and practices while on AET using a semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis.

    Results: There were four main themes for attitude toward the use of AET: 1) benefits of using AET, 2) concerns on taking AET, 3) beliefs on alternative treatment, and 4) beliefs toward the doctor. For practice, six themes were obtained: 1) correct use of AET, 2) appointment adherence, 3) information-seeking behavior, 4) counseling services obtained, 5) experienced side effects of AET, and 6) usage of complementary and alternative medicines.

    Conclusion: Several themes concerning attitude and practice of breast cancer patients receiving AET were identified, which may be addressed during treatment consultations in clinical practice.

  3. Fulltext Spatial pattern of dengue cases: An analysis in Bangi District, Selangor, Malaysia
    Abd Majid N, Rainis R, Sahani M, Mohamed AF, Abdul Ghani Aziz SA, Muhamad Nazi N
    Geospat Health, 2021 03 11;16(1).
    PMID: 33706498 DOI: 10.4081/gh.2021.915
    In recent decades, dengue outbreaks have become increasingly common around the developing countries, including Malaysia. Thus, it is essential for rural as well as urbanised livelihood to understand the distribution pattern of this infection. The objective of this study is to determine the trend of dengue cases reported from the year 2014 to 2018 and the spatial pattern for this spread. Spatial statistical analyses conducted found that the distribution pattern and spatial mean centre for dengue cases were clustered in the eastern part of the Bangi region. Directional distribution observed that the elongated polygon of dengue cluster stretched from the Northeast to the Southwest of Bangi District. The standard distance observed for dengue cases was smallest in the year 2014 (0.017 m), and largest in 2016 (0.019 m), whereas in the year 2015, 2017 and 2018, it measured 0.018 m. The average nearest neighbour analysis also displayed clustered patterns for dengue cases in the Bangi District. The three spatial statistical analyses (spatial mean centre, standard distance and directional distribution) findings illustrate that the dengue cases from the year 2014 to 2018 are clustered in the Northeast to the Southwest of the study region.
  4. Fulltext Elucidating the diet of the island flying fox (Pteropus hypomelanus) in Peninsular Malaysia through Illumina Next-Generation Sequencing
    Aziz SA, Clements GR, Peng LY, Campos-Arceiz A, McConkey KR, Forget PM, et al.
    PeerJ, 2017;5:e3176.
    PMID: 28413729 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3176
    There is an urgent need to identify and understand the ecosystem services of pollination and seed dispersal provided by threatened mammals such as flying foxes. The first step towards this is to obtain comprehensive data on their diet. However, the volant and nocturnal nature of bats presents a particularly challenging situation, and conventional microhistological approaches to studying their diet can be laborious and time-consuming, and provide incomplete information. We used Illumina Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) as a novel, non-invasive method for analysing the diet of the island flying fox (Pteropus hypomelanus) on Tioman Island, Peninsular Malaysia. Through DNA metabarcoding of plants in flying fox droppings, using primers targeting the rbcL gene, we identified at least 29 Operationally Taxonomic Units (OTUs) comprising the diet of this giant pteropodid. OTU sequences matched at least four genera and 14 plant families from online reference databases based on a conservative Least Common Ancestor approach, and eight species from our site-specific plant reference collection. NGS was just as successful as conventional microhistological analysis in detecting plant taxa from droppings, but also uncovered six additional plant taxa. The island flying fox's diet appeared to be dominated by figs (Ficus sp.), which was the most abundant plant taxon detected in the droppings every single month. Our study has shown that NGS can add value to the conventional microhistological approach in identifying food plant species from flying fox droppings. At this point in time, more accurate genus- and species-level identification of OTUs not only requires support from databases with more representative sequences of relevant plant DNA, but probably necessitates in situ collection of plant specimens to create a reference collection. Although this method cannot be used to quantify true abundance or proportion of plant species, nor plant parts consumed, it ultimately provides a very important first step towards identifying plant taxa and spatio-temporal patterns in flying fox diets.
  5. Fulltext Physicochemical properties associated with the presence of Burkholderia pseudomallei in small ruminant farm water supplies in Peninsular Malaysia
    Musa HI, Hassan L, Shamsuddin ZH, Panchadcharam C, Zakaria Z, Aziz SA
    Environ Monit Assess, 2018 Mar 22;190(4):241.
    PMID: 29569066 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-018-6613-7
    Burkholderia pseudomallei causes melioidosis, a life-threatening infection in both humans and animals. Water is an important reservoir of the bacteria and may serve as a source of environmental contamination leading to infection. B. pseudomallei has an unusual ability to survive in water for a long period. This paper investigates physicochemical properties of water associated with the presence of B. pseudomallei in water supply in small ruminant farms in Peninsular Malaysia. Physicochemical properties of water samples taken from small ruminant farms that included temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO2), optical density (OD), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were measured after which the samples were cultured for B. pseudomallei. Multivariable logistic regression model revealed that slightly acidic water pH and higher COD level were significantly associated with the likelihood of the B. pseudomallei presence in the water.
  6. Fulltext The Effect of Particle Shapes on the Field-Dependent Rheological Properties of Magnetorheological Greases
    Mohamad N, Ubaidillah, Mazlan SA, Choi SB, Abdul Aziz SA, Sugimoto M
    Int J Mol Sci, 2019 Mar 27;20(7).
    PMID: 30934679 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20071525
    The transient response of magnetorheological (MR) materials, in general, is very important for design consideration in MR-based devices. Better response to magnetic fields is beneficial for a better response rate to the electrical current applied in the electromagnetic coil. As a result, MR-based devices would have a high response to external stimuli. In this work, the principal characteristics of magnetorheological greases (MRGs) which have two different particle shapes are experimentally investigated. One type of particle distributed in the grease medium is conventional spherical-shaped carbonyl iron (CI) particles, while the other is plate-like CI particles made using a high-energy rotary ball mill from spherical CI particles. A set of bidisperse MRG samples are firstly prepared by adjusting the weight percentage of the plate-like CI particles and mixing with the spherical CI particles. Subsequently, three important properties of MRGs in terms of their practical application are measured and compared between the two different particle shapes. The field-dependent apparent viscoelastic properties of the prepared MRG samples are measured, followed by the field-dependent storage and loss moduli using an oscillatory shear rheometer. In addition, the transient response time, which indicates the speed in the actuating period of MRGs, is measured by changing the strain amplitude. Then, a comparative assessment on the three properties are undertaken between two different particle shapes by presenting the corresponding results in the same plot. It is shown that the bidisperse MRG with plate-like CI particles exhibits an increase in the initial apparent viscosity as well as stiffness property compared to the MRG with spherical particles only.
  7. Fulltext Thermal Stability and Rheological Properties of Epoxidized Natural Rubber-Based Magnetorheological Elastomer
    Yunus NA, Mazlan SA, Ubaidillah, Abdul Aziz SA, Tan Shilan S, Abdul Wahab NA
    Int J Mol Sci, 2019 Feb 10;20(3).
    PMID: 30744210 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20030746
    Determination of the thermal characteristics and temperature-dependent rheological properties of the magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) is of paramount importance particularly with regards to MRE applications. Hitherto, a paucity of temperature dependent analysis has been conducted by MRE researchers. In this study, an investigation on the thermal and rheological properties of epoxidized natural rubber (ENR)-based MREs was performed. Various percentages of carbonyl iron particles (CIPs) were blended with the ENR compound using a two roll-mill for the preparation of the ENR-based MRE samples. The morphological, elemental, and thermal analyses were performed before the rheological test. Several characterizations, as well as the effects of the strain amplitude, temperature, and magnetic field on the rheological properties of ENR-based MRE samples, were evaluated. The micrographs and elemental results were well-correlated regarding the CIP and Fe contents, and a uniform distribution of CIPs was achieved. The results of the thermal test indicated that the incorporation of CIPs enhanced the thermal stability of the ENR-based MREs. Based on the rheological analysis, the storage modulus and loss factor were dependent on the CIP content and strain amplitude. The effect of temperature on the rheological properties revealed that the stiffness of the ENR-based MREs was considered stable, and they were appropriate to be employed in the MRE devices exposed to high temperatures above 45 °C.
  8. Occurrence of Campylobacter species from broiler chickens and chicken meat in Malaysia
    Sinulingga TS, Aziz SA, Bitrus AA, Zunita Z, Abu J
    Trop Anim Health Prod, 2020 Jan;52(1):151-157.
    PMID: 31273582 DOI: 10.1007/s11250-019-01995-y
    Campylobacter is reported as a major cause of foodborne illness worldwide. Consumption of contaminated chicken meat is considered a significant risk factor of Campylobacter infection in humans. This study investigated the occurrence of non-Campylobacter jejuni-Campylobacter coli, in broiler chickens (n = 210) and chicken meat (n = 109). The samples were collected from seven broiler chicken farms (n = 210 cloacal swabs), 11 markets (n = 84 chicken meat), and 5 supermarkets (n = 25 chicken meat) located in different districts of Selangor State. Campylobacter were isolated from cloacal swabs using the Cape Town Protocol and from meat samples using the method of Duffy et al. (2007) with some modifications for Campylobacter isolations which were reported effective in the isolation of non-C. jejuni-C. coli Campylobacter species. The isolates were identified by Gram staining for cellular morphology, wet mount for motility and biochemical tests. Confirmation of presumed Campylobacter isolates was carried out using multiplex PCR (mPCR). One hundred seven (107/210) or 50.9% and twenty-nine (29/109) or 26.6% of chickens and chicken meat samples respectively were positive for Campylobacter species. Among the Campylobacter isolates from chickens, C. jejuni was the most predominantly isolated species (69.5%), followed by C. coli (16.2%). Campylobacter fetus and C. upsaliensis were the non-C. jejuni-C. coli Campylobacter species isolated in this study, at 9.3% and 2.5% respectively. Overall, the findings indicated broiler chickens were colonized not only by the common Campylobacter species but also by other Campylobacter species. We found the Cape Town Protocol useful to detect the occurrence of non-C. jejuni-C. coli isolates in chickens.
  9. Fulltext Metabolic Syndrome in First Episode Schizophrenia, Based on the National Mental Health Registry of Schizophrenia (NMHR) in a General Hospital in Malaysia: A 10-Year Retrospective Cohort Study
    Lee AMH, Ng CG, Koh OH, Gill JS, Aziz SA
    Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2018 05 07;15(5).
    PMID: 29735938 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15050933
    Schizophrenia has been linked with various medical comorbidities, particularly metabolic syndrome. The number of studies on this aspect is lacking in Malaysia. (1) Objective: To investigate metabolic syndrome rates and its associated factors. (2) Method: This is the first 10-year retrospective-outcome study of patients with first episode schizophrenia in Malaysia. Out of 394 patients diagnosed with first episode schizophrenia and registered with the National Mental Health Registry of Schizophrenia (NMHR) in the General Hospital Kuala Lumpur (GHKL) in 2004⁻2005, 174 patients consented to participate in the study. They were interviewed using a Schizophrenia outcome questionnaire and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). The diagnosis of metabolic syndrome was made using the National Cholesterol Education Program—Third Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP ATP III). (3) Results: All patients’ weight, body mass index, fasting blood sugar, and blood pressure are significantly increased. Sixty-three subjects (36.2%) developed metabolic syndrome while 36 (23.2%) were hypertensive, and 41 (28.1%) were diabetic. Use of fluphenthixol depot (CI = 1.05⁻5.09, OR: 0.84, p = 0.039), reduced physical activity (CI = 0.13⁻1.00, OR: −1.04, p = 0.049), and substance use disorder (CI = 1.40, 13.89, OR: 1.48, p = 0.012) were significantly associated with metabolic syndrome based on univariate analysis. In further multivariate analysis, comorbid substance abuse was the only significant factor associated with metabolic syndrome after adjusting for physical activity and intramuscular depot. (4) Conclusion: Patients with schizophrenia are at high risk of metabolic syndrome. It is important to address substance use problems as an important risk factor of this comorbidity.
  10. Fulltext Effects of Petroleum-Based Oils as Dispersing Aids on Physicochemical Characteristics of Magnetorheological Elastomers
    Muhammad Zaki N, Yunus NA, Yusoff MS, Mazlan SA, Abdul Aziz SA, Izni NA, et al.
    Materials (Basel), 2021 Nov 19;14(22).
    PMID: 34832425 DOI: 10.3390/ma14227026
    This paper investigated the effects of petroleum-based oils (PBOs) as a dispersing aid on the physicochemical characteristics of natural rubber (NR)-based magnetorheological elastomers (MREs). The addition of PBOs was expected to overcome the low performance of magnetorheological (MR) elastomers due to their inhomogeneous dispersion and the mobility of magnetic particles within the elastomer matrix. The NR-based MREs were firstly fabricated by mixing the NR compounds homogeneously with different ratios of naphthenic oil (NO), light mineral oil (LMO), and paraffin oil (PO) to aromatic oil (AO), with weight percentage ratios of 100:0, 70:30, 50:50, and 30:70, respectively. From the obtained results, the ratios of NO mixed with low amounts of AO improved the material physicochemical characteristics, such as thermal properties. Meanwhile, LMO mixed the AO led to the best results for curing characteristics, microstructure observation, and magnetic properties of the MREs. We found that the LMO mixed with a high content of AO could provide good compatibility between the rubber molecular and magnetic particles due to similar chemical structures, which apparently enhance the physicochemical characteristics of MREs. In conclusion, the 30:70 ratio of LMO:AO is considered the preferable dispersing aid for MREs due to structural compounds present in the oil that enhance the physicochemical characteristics of the NR-based MREs.
  11. Immobilized lipase-catalyzed transesterification for synthesis of biolubricant from palm oil methyl ester and trimethylolpropane
    Wafti NSA, Yunus R, Lau HLN, Yaw TCS, Aziz SA
    Bioprocess Biosyst Eng, 2021 Nov;44(11):2429-2444.
    PMID: 34269888 DOI: 10.1007/s00449-021-02615-6
    The present study reports the effects of three commercial immobilized lipases namely Novozyme 435 from Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB), Lipozyme TL IM from Thermomyces lanuginosus and Lipozyme RM IM from Rhizomucor miehei on the production of trimethylolpropane (TMP) ester from high oleic palm methyl ester (HO-PME) and TMP. The TMP ester is a promising base oil for biolubricants that are easily biodegradable and non-toxic to humans and the environment. Enzymatic catalysts are insensitive to free fatty acid (FFA) content, hence able to mitigate the side reactions and consequently reduce product separation cost. The potential of these enzymes to produce TMP ester in a solvent-free medium was screened at various reaction time (8, 23, 30 and 48 h), operating pressure (0.1, 0.3 and 1.0 mbar) and enzyme dosage (1, 3, 5 and 10% w/w). The reaction was conducted at a constant temperature of 70 °C and a molar ratio of 3.9:1 (HO-PME: TMP). Novozyme 435 produced the highest yield of TMP ester of 95.68 ± 3.60% under the following conditions: 23 h reaction time, 0.1 mbar operating pressure and 5% w/w of enzyme dosage. The key lubrication properties of the produced TMP ester are viscosity index (208 ± 2), pour point (- 30 ± - 2 °C), cloud point (- 15 ± - 2 °C), onset thermal degradation temperature (427.8 °C), and oxidation stability, RPVOT (42 ± 4 min). The properties of the TMP ester produced from the enzymatic transesterification are comparable to other vegetable oil-based biolubricants produced by chemical transesterification.
  12. Evaluation of Methadone Treatment in Malaysia: Findings from the Malaysian Methadone Treatment Outcome Study (MyTOS)
    Ali N, Aziz SA, Nordin S, Mi NC, Abdullah N, Paranthaman V, et al.
    Subst Use Misuse, 2018 01 28;53(2):239-248.
    PMID: 29116878 DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2017.1385630
    BACKGROUND: Opioid misuse and dependence is a global issue with a huge negative impact. In Malaysia, heroin is still the main illicit drug used, and methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) has been used since 2005.
    OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of MMT.
    METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in 103 treatment centers between October and December 2014 using a set of standard questionnaires. Data were analyzed using SPSS Statistics 20.
    RESULTS: There were 3254 respondents (93.6% response rate); of these 17.5% (n = 570) transferred to another treatment center, 8.6% (n = 280) died, 29.2% (n = 950) defaulted, and 7.6% (n = 247) were terminated for various reasons. Hence, 1233 (37%) respondents' baseline and follow-up data were further analyzed. Respondents had a mean age of 39.2 years old and were mainly male, Malay, Muslim, married (51.1%, n = 617), and currently employed. Few showed viral seroconversion after they started MMT (HIV: 0.5%, n = 6; Hepatitis B: 0.3%, n = 4; Hepatitis C: 2.7%, n = 29). There were significant reductions in opioid use, HIV risk-taking score (p < 0.01), social functioning (p < 0.01), crime (p < 0.01), and health (p < 0.01). However, there were significant improvements in quality of life in the physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains. Factors associated with change were being married, employed, consuming alcohol, and high criminality at baseline. Lower methadone dosage was significantly associated with improvements in the physical, psychological, and environmental domains.
    Conclusion/Importance: The MMT program was found to be successful; hence, it should be expanded.
  13. Understanding bat ecosystem services on a global scale requires caution and wider collaboration: a critical evaluation of Ramírez-Fráncel et al. (2022)
    Tanalgo KC, McConkey K, Racey P, Aziz SA, Sritongchuay T, Hughes AC, et al.
    Integr Zool, 2023 Mar;18(2):385-390.
    PMID: 35262285 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12646
  14. Evaluation of radiological risks due to natural radioactivity around Lynas Advanced Material Plant environment, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
    Kolo MT, Aziz SA, Khandaker MU, Asaduzzaman K, Amin YM
    Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2015 Sep;22(17):13127-36.
    PMID: 25925148 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-015-4577-5
    Understanding the public awareness concerning the Lynas Advanced Material Plant (LAMP), an Australian rare earths processing plant located in Malaysia, a radiological study in soil and water samples collected at random surrounding the LAMP environment was undertaken using HPGe gamma-ray spectrometry. The mean soil activities for (226)Ra, (232)Th, and (40)K were found to be 6.56 ± 0.20, 10.62 ± 0.42, and 41.02 ± 0.67 Bq/kg, respectively, while for water samples were 0.33 ± 0.05, 0.18 ± 0.04, and 4.72 ± 0.29 Bq/l, respectively. The studied areas show typical local level of radioactivity from natural background radiation. The mean gamma absorbed dose rate in soils at 1 m above the ground was found to be 11.16 nGy/h. Assuming a 20 % outdoor occupancy factor, the corresponding annual effective dose showed a mean value of 0.014 mSv year(-1), significantly lower than the worldwide average value of 0.07 mSv year(-1) for the annual outdoor effective dose as reported by UNSCEAR (2000). Some other representative radiation indices such as activity utilization index (AUI), H ex, H in, excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR), and annual gonadal dose equivalent (AGDE) were derived and also compared with the world average values. Statistical analysis performed on the obtained data showed a strong positive correlation between the radiological variables and (226)Ra and (232)Th.
  15. Fulltext Factors Influencing Professional Help-Seeking Behavior During First Episode Psychosis in Schizophrenia: An Exploratory Study on Caregivers' Perspective
    Wong DTL, Tong SF, Daud TIM, Aziz SA, Midin M
    Front Psychiatry, 2019;10:962.
    PMID: 32116809 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00962
    Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that leads to significant productivity loss and is listed in the top 15 global burdens of disease. One important contributor to the high disease burden is duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) which can be shortened with promotion of professional help-seeking behavior. This study explored caregivers' perspective on factors influencing professional help-seeking behavior during first episode psychosis (FEP) in schizophrenia in Malaysia. The results of this study would inform the development of intervention strategies targeted at promoting professional help-seeking behavior in caregivers of individuals experiencing first episode psychosis (FEP). This is a thematic exploratory study which employed purposive sampling using focus group discussion (FGD). These interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Basic thematic approach was used in analyzing the transcribed interviews. Two main themes identified were adequacy of knowledge and stigma. These two factors were found to co-influence each other. Stigma undermined the impact of knowledge on professional help-seeking; likewise, the reverse was also observed. Intervention strategies for promoting help-seeking behavior during FEP should simultaneously focus on improving knowledge about schizophrenia and reducing the stigma attached to it.
  16. Fulltext Solvent Dependence of the Rheological Properties in Hydrogel Magnetorheological Plastomer
    Hapipi NM, Mazlan SA, Ubaidillah U, Abdul Aziz SA, Ahmad Khairi MH, Nordin NA, et al.
    Int J Mol Sci, 2020 Mar 05;21(5).
    PMID: 32151055 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21051793
    Chemically crosslinked hydrogel magnetorheological (MR) plastomer (MRP) embedded with carbonyl iron particles (CIPs) exhibits excellent magnetic performance (MR effect) in the presence of external stimuli especially magnetic field. However, oxidation and desiccation in hydrogel MRP due to a large amount of water content as a dispersing phase would limit its usage for long-term applications, especially in industrial engineering. In this study, different solvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) are also used to prepare polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel MRP. Thus, to understand the dynamic viscoelastic properties of hydrogel MRP, three different samples with different solvents: water, DMSO, and their binary mixtures (DMSO/water) were prepared and systematically carried out using the oscillatory shear. The outcomes demonstrate that the PVA hydrogel MRP prepared from precursor gel with water shows the highest MR effect of 15,544% among the PVA hydrogel MRPs. However, the samples exhibit less stability and tend to oxidise after a month. Meanwhile, the samples with binary mixtures (DMSO/water) show an acceptable MR effect of 11,024% with good stability and no CIPs oxidation. Otherwise, the sample with DMSO has the lowest MR effect of 7049% and less stable compared to the binary solvent samples. This confirms that the utilisation of DMSO as a new solvent affects the rheological properties and stability of the samples.
  17. Fulltext Coexistence and Conflict between the Island Flying fox (Pteropus hypomelanus) and Humans on Tioman Island, Peninsular Malaysia
    Aziz SA, Clements GR, Giam X, Forget PM, Campos-Arceiz A
    Hum Ecol Interdiscip J, 2017;45(3):377-389.
    PMID: 28680192 DOI: 10.1007/s10745-017-9905-6
    As tropical landscapes become increasingly human-dominated, conflicts between people and wildlife threaten ecological processes. Old World fruit bats such as flying foxes are especially susceptible to extinction risk because there is low interest in their conservation, particularly when they are considered pests. In order to arrest fruit bat declines, there is an urgent need to understand human-bat conflict and its implications. On a tropical island in Peninsular Malaysia, we conducted a questionnaire survey to investigate coexistence between people and the island flying fox (Pteropus hypomelanus). Among 119 respondents, knowledge of ecosystem services provided by flying foxes was extremely low. Most respondents held negative attitudes towards the bats, and older male locals were more likely to support killing them. This was also true for older owners of fruit trees who derived income from selling fruit, and experienced flying fox raids. Our results can be used to design appropriate interventions to support conservation efforts, and has important implications for managing conflicts between humans and synanthropic wildlife.
  18. Expression of Epsin3 and its interaction with Notch signalling in oral epithelial dysplasia and oral squamous cell carcinoma
    Ahmed H, Paterson I, Aziz SA, Cremona O, Robinson M, Carrozzo M, et al.
    J Oral Pathol Med, 2023 Sep;52(8):710-717.
    PMID: 37339783 DOI: 10.1111/jop.13460
    BACKGROUND: Most oral squamous cell carcinoma patients present with late-stage disease. Early detection of the disease is considered to be the most effective way of improving patient outcomes. Several biomarkers have been identified as indicators of oral cancer development and progression; however, none have been translated into clinical practice. In this study, we have investigated the role of Epsin3, an endocytic adaptor protein, and Notch1, a transmembrane signalling protein, in oral carcinogenesis with a view to explore their potential as biomarkers.

    METHODS: Oral cancer cell lines and a normal oral keratinocyte cell line were used together with tissue samples of normal oral mucosa (n = 21), oral epithelial dysplasia (n = 74) and early stage (Stages I and II) oral squamous cell carcinoma (n = 31). Immunocytochemical staining, immunoblotting and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were performed to assess protein as well as gene expression levels.

    RESULTS: The expression levels of Epsin3 and Notch1 mRNA and protein are variable across different oral squamous cell carcinoma derived cell lines. Epsin3 was upregulated in oral epithelial dysplasia and oral squamous cell carcinoma tissues compared with normal epithelium. Overexpression of Epsin3 resulted in a significant reduction of Notch1 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Notch1 was generally downregulated in the dysplasia and oral squamous cell carcinoma samples.

    CONCLUSION: Epsin3 is upregulated in oral epithelial dysplasia and oral squamous cell carcinoma and has the potential to be used as a biomarker for oral epithelial dysplasia. Notch signalling is downregulated in oral squamous cell carcinoma, possibly through an Epsin3-induced de-activation pathway.

  19. Fulltext In vitro effects of plantago major extract on urolithiasis
    Aziz SA, See TL, Khuay LY, Osman K, Abu Bakar MA
    Malays J Med Sci, 2005 Jul;12(2):22-6.
    PMID: 22605954
    The study was carried out to determine the in vitro effect of Plantago major extract on calcium oxalate crystals and to compare the effects of Plantago major extract with clinically used drugs like allopurinol and potassium citrate (positive controls). Modified Schneider slide gel method was used for the in vitro study and the crystals formed were measured by Image Analyser system KS 300, 3.0 Carl Zeiss. The concentrations of Plantago major extract used were from 100ppm to 350ppm. Plantago major extract at concentrations in the range of (100ppm-350ppm) significantly inhibited the size of calcium oxate crystals (dihydrate variety) against negative control (p<0.05) and against positive controls (p<0.05). However the inhibition concentration 50 (IC(50)) values on the size of calcium oxalate crystal for the extract, potassium citrate and allopurinol were 300ppm, 350ppm and 450ppm respectively. Extract of Plantago major also has inhibition effect on the number of crystals but it was not significant. In conclusion extract of Plantago major was better than allopurinol and potassium citrate in inhibiting the size of the calcium oxalate crystal in-vitro.
  20. Estimating the population density of the Asian tapir (Tapirus indicus) in a selectively logged forest in Peninsular Malaysia
    Rayan DM, Mohamad SW, Dorward L, Aziz SA, Clements GR, Christopher WCT, et al.
    Integr Zool, 2012 Dec;7(4):373-380.
    PMID: 23253368 DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-4877.2012.00321.x
    The endangered Asian tapir (Tapirus indicus) is threatened by large-scale habitat loss, forest fragmentation and increased hunting pressure. Conservation planning for this species, however, is hampered by a severe paucity of information on its ecology and population status. We present the first Asian tapir population density estimate from a camera trapping study targeting tigers in a selectively logged forest within Peninsular Malaysia using a spatially explicit capture-recapture maximum likelihood based framework. With a trap effort of 2496 nights, 17 individuals were identified corresponding to a density (standard error) estimate of 9.49 (2.55) adult tapirs/100 km(2) . Although our results include several caveats, we believe that our density estimate still serves as an important baseline to facilitate the monitoring of tapir population trends in Peninsular Malaysia. Our study also highlights the potential of extracting vital ecological and population information for other cryptic individually identifiable animals from tiger-centric studies, especially with the use of a spatially explicit capture-recapture maximum likelihood based framework.
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