Displaying publications 21 - 40 of 66 in total

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  1. Fulltext [(Z)-N-(3-Fluoro-phen-yl)-O-methyl-thio-carbamato-κS](tri-phenyl-phosphane-κP)gold(I): crystal structure, Hirshfeld surface analysis and computational study
    Yeo CI, Tan SL, Kwong HC, Tiekink ERT
    Acta Crystallogr E Crystallogr Commun, 2020 Aug 01;76(Pt 8):1284-1290.
    PMID: 32844015 DOI: 10.1107/S2056989020009469
    The title phosphanegold(I) thiol-ate, C26H22AuFNOPS or [Au(C8H7FNOS)(C18H15P)], has the AuI centre coordinated by phosphane-P [2.2494 (8) Å] and thiol-ate-S [2.3007 (8) Å] atoms to define a close to linear geometry [P-Au-S = 176.10 (3)°]. The thiol-ate ligand is orientated so that the meth-oxy-O atom is directed towards the Au atom, forming an Au⋯O close contact of 2.986 (2) Å. In the crystal, a variety of inter-molecular contacts are discerned with fluoro-benzene-C-H⋯O(meth-oxy) and phenyl-C-H⋯F inter-actions leading to dimeric aggregates. These are assembled into a three-dimensional architecture by phenyl-C-H⋯S(thiol-ate) and phenyl-C-H⋯π(fluorobenzene, phen-yl) inter-actions. Accordingly, the analysis of the calculated Hirshfeld surface shows 30.8% of all contacts are of the type C⋯H/H⋯C but this is less than the H⋯H contacts, at 44.9%. Other significant contributions to the surface come from H⋯F/F⋯H [8.1%], H⋯S/S⋯H [6.9%] and H⋯O/O⋯H [3.2%] contacts. Two major stabilization energies have contributions from the phenyl-C-H⋯π(fluoro-benzene) and fluoro-benzene-C-H⋯C(imine) inter-actions (-37.2 kcal mol-1), and from the fluoro-benzene-C-H⋯F and phenyl-C-H⋯O inter-actions (-34.9 kcal mol-1), the latter leading to the dimeric aggregate.
  2. Fulltext A 1:2 co-crystal of 2,2'-thiodi-benzoic acid and tri-phenyl-phosphane oxide: crystal structure, Hirshfeld surface analysis and computational study
    Tan SL, Tiekink ERT
    Acta Crystallogr E Crystallogr Commun, 2018 Dec 01;74(Pt 12):1764-1771.
    PMID: 30574371 DOI: 10.1107/S205698901801544X
    The asymmetric unit of the title co-crystal, 2,2'-thiodi-benzoic acid-tri-phenyl-phosphane oxide (1/2), C14H10O4S·2C18H15OP, comprises two mol-ecules of 2,2'-thiodi-benzoic acid [TDBA; systematic name: 2-[(2-carb-oxy-phen-yl)sulfan-yl]benzoic acid] and four mol-ecules of tri-phenyl-phosphane oxide [TPPO; systematic name: (di-phenyl-phosphor-yl)benzene]. The two TDBA mol-ecules are twisted about their di-sulfide bonds and exhibit dihedral angles of 74.40 (5) and 72.58 (5)° between the planes through the two SC6H4 residues. The carb-oxy-lic acid groups are tilted out of the planes of the rings to which they are attached forming a range of CO2/C6 dihedral angles of 19.87 (6)-60.43 (8)°. Minor conformational changes are exhibited in the TPPO mol-ecules with the range of dihedral angles between phenyl rings being -2.1 (1) to -62.8 (1)°. In the mol-ecular packing, each TDBA acid mol-ecule bridges two TPPO mol-ecules via hy-droxy-O-H⋯O(oxide) hydrogen bonds to form two three-mol-ecule aggregates. These are connected into a three-dimensional architecture by TPPO-C-H⋯O(oxide, carbon-yl) and TDBA-C-H⋯(oxide, carbon-yl) inter-actions. The importance of H⋯H, O⋯H/H⋯O and C⋯H/H⋯C contacts to the calculated Hirshfeld surfaces has been demonstrated. In terms of individual mol-ecules, O⋯H/H⋯O contacts are more important for the TDBA (ca 28%) than for the TPPO mol-ecules (ca 13%), as expected from the chemical composition of these species. Computational chemistry indicates the four independent hy-droxy-O-H⋯O(oxide) hydrogen bonds in the crystal impart about the same energy (ca 52 kJ mol-1), with DTBA-phenyl-C-H⋯O(oxide) inter-actions being next most stabilizing (ca 40 kJ mol-1).
  3. Fulltext Conduct of body donation and cadaveric dissection training during the COVID-19 pandemic: challenges, impacts and mitigation
    Wong LP, Alias H, Tan SL, Saw A
    Anat Sci Int, 2023 Sep;98(4):558-565.
    PMID: 37072599 DOI: 10.1007/s12565-023-00723-9
    The new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has had a substantial impact on the Silent Mentor Programme (SMP), a programme in which members of the public may pledge their bodies to be used for medical training and research after their death. This study aimed to explore the conduct of body donations and simulation surgery training during the COVID-19 pandemic from the viewpoints of the committee members of the SMP and the next-of-kin of body donor pledgers. This study utilised a qualitative exploration method to seek an in-depth understanding of this phenomenon. In-depth individual interviews were carried out. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns of themes. The COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test is compulsory before accepting a body donation, and this resulted in the turning down of several donations. Being a donor is the final wish of pledgers and this turning down led to a negative emotional remorseful feeling in the next-of-kin of pledgers. From the perspective of students, it is feared that the conduct of the programme, particularly the home visit session being held online, has impeded teaching of humanistic values, compassion, and empathy, which is the prime philosophy of the programme. Previous to the pandemic, the programme ceremonies were well-attended, denoting the utmost respect and recognition of the mentors; however, travel restrictions due to the pandemic limiting in-person attendance resulted in ceremonies becoming less impactful. Continuous postponements of cadaveric dissection training also resulted in students missing training opportunities, hence potentially impairing their professional practice and humanistic values in the medical profession. Counselling interventions should be directed at easing the negative psychological impact on the next-of-kin of pledgers. As the COVID-19 pandemic may pose a significant impediment to achieving the educational outcomes of cadaveric dissection training, efforts to make up for these gaps are essential.
  4. Fulltext Translation and Validation of the Malay Version of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment Questionnaire for Older Adults in Malaysia
    Harith S, Tan SL
    Ann Geriatr Med Res, 2020 Jun;24(2):115-124.
    PMID: 32743332 DOI: 10.4235/agmr.20.0005
    Background: This study aimed to translate and validate the comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) questionnaire among older adult patients in Malaysia in the Malay language.

    Methods: The questionnaire contained items on the socio-demographic characteristics, medical condition, quality of life (QOL), nutritional status, functional capacity, and depression status. The forward and backward translation processes of the original English language version of the questionnaire were undertaken by three independent linguistic translators, while its content was validated by an expert team consisting of seven geriatricians, physicians, dietitian, and lecturers. The Malay version of the questionnaire was tested for face validity in 10 older adult patients over 65 years of age. The internal consistency reliability and construct validity were evaluated among 166 older adult patients (mean age, 71.0 years; 73.5% male). The questionnaire was administered through face-to-face interviews with the patients. Minor amendments were made after the content and face validity tests.

    Results: The internal consistency reliability was good, as the Cronbach's alpha for most of the scales surpassed 0.70, ranging from 0.70 to 0.98, with only one exception (Mini Nutritional Assessment Short-Form, Cronbach's alpha=0.62). The factor loadings for all scales were satisfactory (>0.40), ranging from 0.45 to 0.90.

    Conclusion: The Malay-version CGA showed evidence of satisfactory internal consistency reliability and construct validity in Malaysian geriatric patients.

  5. Drug allergy knowledge, attitude, and practice: A survey among doctors and pharmacists in public health facilities of Sabah, Malaysia
    Kwan MSK, Tan SL, Keowmani T, Goh SL, Voo JYH, Tan HS, et al.
    Asia Pac Allergy, 2023 Sep;13(3):121-126.
    PMID: 37744958 DOI: 10.5415/apallergy.0000000000000115
    BACKGROUND: Given the deficits in allergists and testing capacity, the diagnosis of drug allergy is largely dependent on the clinician's and pharmacist's judgment. The ability to recognize drug allergies and respond appropriately is crucial to patient safety. Currently, there is a void in the evidence that limits the ability to recommend comprehensive and swift improvements on this front.

    OBJECTIVE: This study thus aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice toward drug allergy among doctors and pharmacists working in public healthcare facilities in Sabah, Malaysia.

    METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 24 hospitals and 11 clinics in Sabah. A validated Drug Allergy Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Questionnaire was adapted from a published study and developed on an online survey platform. The questionnaire was distributed to all listed eligible respondents via email and personal messenger service.

    RESULTS: A total of 549 doctors and pharmacists responded, with an overall response rate of 18.2%. The total mean knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were 8.3 (SD, 1.98), 18.9 (SD, 2.55), and 17.3 (SD, 4.4), respectively. It was found that pharmacists performed significantly poorer than both medical officers (mean score difference = -0.5; P = 0.006) and specialists (mean score difference = -0.9; P = 0.020) in the knowledge domain. As the time in service doubles, the knowledge score increases significantly by 0.3 (P = 0.015).

    CONCLUSION: Knowledge, attitude, and practice on drug allergy among doctors and pharmacists in Sabah were poor. It is thus timely for advanced educational programs on drug allergy to be formalized and implemented.

  6. Mental Health and COVID-19: Policies, Guidelines, and Initiatives from the Asia-Pacific Region
    Samy AL, Awang Bono S, Tan SL, Low WY
    Asia Pac J Public Health, 2021 11;33(8):839-846.
    PMID: 34308673 DOI: 10.1177/10105395211025901
    The COVID-19 outbreak was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020 due to rapid intercontinental spread and high morbidity and mortality. Globally, the disease has had a major impact on human lives, including health, economic, employment, psychological, and overall well-being. The COVID-19, besides causing respiratory, neurological, and cardiovascular diseases, has had significant impact on mental health. Major mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, and stress, have risen in parallel with increasing prevalence of COVID-19. Many population groups, including children, the elderly, those with chronic illnesses, and health care workers, have been affected. This review gives an overall assessment of the prevalence of COVID-19-associated psychological morbidity. In countries in the Asia-Pacific region, prevalence of depression ranged between 4.9% and 43.1%, anxiety from 7.0% to 43.0%, and stress from 3.4% to 35.7%. As COVID-19 continues to severely affect the psychosocial well-being of the population at large, countries have developed and revised policies, guidelines, and introduced new initiatives to curb mental health issues among their citizens. In the long run, pre-disaster preparedness is important to alleviate long-term post-pandemic psychiatric morbidity and to develop psychological resilience toward disasters and pandemic, alongside investment for better mental health coverage.
  7. An unexpected presentation of very severe hypertriglyceridemia in a boy with Coffin-Lowry syndrome: a case report
    Tan SL, Ahmad Narihan MGB, Koa AJ
    BMC Pediatr, 2023 Oct 28;23(1):541.
    PMID: 37898736 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-023-04376-5
    BACKGROUND: Coffin-Lowry syndrome (CLS) is a rare X-linked condition with intellectual disability, growth retardation, characteristic facies and skeletal anomalies. To date, hypertriglyceridemia has not been reported in literature to be associated with CLS.

    CASE PRESENTATION: Herein, we report a case of very severe hypertriglyceridemia 32 mmol/L (2834 mg/dL) detected incidentally at three months old in an otherwise well boy born late preterm with intrauterine growth restriction, when he presented with lipaemic plasma. He was later diagnosed with CLS. No pathogenic mutations were found for hypertriglyceridemia, and no secondary causes could explain his very severe hypertriglyceridemia.

    CONCLUSIONS: The very severe hypertriglyceridemia in this case may appear to be a serious presentation of an unrecognised clinical feature of CLS, further expanding its phenotype.

  8. Human amnion as a novel cell delivery vehicle for chondrogenic mesenchymal stem cells
    Tan SL, Sulaiman S, Pingguan-Murphy B, Selvaratnam L, Tai CC, Kamarul T
    Cell Tissue Bank, 2011 Feb;12(1):59-70.
    PMID: 19953328 DOI: 10.1007/s10561-009-9164-x
    This study investigates the feasibility of processed human amnion (HAM) as a substrate for chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). HAM preparations processed by air drying (AD) and freeze drying (FD) underwent histological examination and MSC seeding in chondrogenic medium for 15 days. Monolayer cultures were used as control for chondrogenic differentiation and HAMs without cell seeding were used as negative control. Qualitative observations were made using scanning electron microscopy analysis and quantitative analyses were based on the sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAG) assays performed on day 1 and day 15. Histological examination of HAM substrates before seeding revealed a smooth surface in AD substrates, while the FD substrates exhibited a porous surface. Cell attachment to AD and FD substrates on day 15 was qualitatively comparable. GAG were significantly highly expressed in cells seeded on FD HAM substrates. This study indicates that processed HAM is a potentially valuable material as a cell-carrier for MSC differentiation.
  9. Effect of growth differentiation factor 5 on the proliferation and tenogenic differentiation potential of human mesenchymal stem cells in vitro
    Tan SL, Ahmad RE, Ahmad TS, Merican AM, Abbas AA, Ng WM, et al.
    Cells Tissues Organs (Print), 2012;196(4):325-38.
    PMID: 22653337
    The use of growth differentiation factor 5 (GDF-5) in damaged tendons has been shown to improve tendon repair. It has been hypothesized that further improvements may be achieved when GDF-5 is used to promote cell proliferation and induce tenogenic differentiation in human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). However, the optimal conditions required to produce these effects on hMSCs have not been demonstrated in previous studies. A study to determine cell proliferation and tenogenic differentiation in hMSCs exposed to different concentrations of GDF-5 (0, 5, 25, 50, 100 and 500 ng/ml) was thus conducted. No significant changes were observed in the cell proliferation rate in hMSCs treated at different concentrations of GDF-5. GDF-5 appeared to induce tenogenic differentiation at 100 ng/ml, as reflected by (1) a significant increase in total collagen expression, similar to that of the primary native human tenocyte culture; (2) a significant upregulation in candidate tenogenic marker gene expression, i.e. scleraxis, tenascin-C and type-I collagen; (3) the ratio of type-I collagen to type-III collagen expression was elevated to levels similar to that of human tenocyte cultures, and (4) a significant downregulation of the non-tenogenic marker genes runt-related transcription factor 2 and sex determining region Y (SRY)-box 9 at day 7 of GDF-5 induction, further excluding hMSC differentiation into other lineages. In conclusion, GDF-5 does not alter the proliferation rates of hMSCs, but, instead, induces an optimal tenogenic differentiation response at 100 ng/ml.
  10. Investigation of putative arene-C-H···π(quasi-chelate ring) interactions in copper(I) crystal structures
    Yeo CI, Halim SN, Ng SW, Tan SL, Zukerman-Schpector J, Ferreira MA, et al.
    Chem Commun (Camb), 2014 Jun 7;50(45):5984-6.
    PMID: 24763907 DOI: 10.1039/c4cc02040e
    Evidence for C-H···π(CuCl···HNCS) interactions, i.e. C-H···π(quasi-chelate ring) where a six-membered quasi-chelate ring is closed by an N-H···Cl hydrogen bond, is presented based on crystal structure analyses of (Ph3P)2Cu[ROC(=S)N(H)Ph]Cl. Similar intramolecular interactions are identified in related literature structures. Calculations suggest that the energy of attraction provided by such interactions approximates 3.5 kcal mol(-1).
  11. Differentiation between benign and malignant breast lesions using quantitative diffusion-weighted sequence on 3 T MRI
    Tan SL, Rahmat K, Rozalli FI, Mohd-Shah MN, Aziz YF, Yip CH, et al.
    Clin Radiol, 2014 Jan;69(1):63-71.
    PMID: 24156797 DOI: 10.1016/j.crad.2013.08.007
    To investigate the capability and diagnostic accuracy of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in differentiating benign from malignant breast lesions using 3 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
  12. Nanoemulsion-based Parenteral Drug Delivery System of Carbamazepine: Preparation, Characterization, Stability Evaluation and Blood-Brain Pharmacokinetics
    Tan SL, Stanslas J, Basri M, Abedi Karjiban RA, Kirby BP, Sani D, et al.
    Curr Drug Deliv, 2015;12(6):795-804.
    PMID: 26324229
    Carbamzepine (CBZ) was encapsulated in a parenteral oil-in-water nanoemulsion, in an attempt to improve its bioavailability. The particle size, polydispersity index and zeta potential were measured using dynamic light scattering. Other parameters such as pH, osmolality, viscosity, drug loading efficiency and entrapment efficiency were also recorded. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that emulsion droplets were almost spherical in shape and in the nano-range. The in vitro release profile was best characterized by Higuchi's equation. The parenteral nanoemulsion of CBZ showed significantly higher AUC0→5, AUC0→∞, AUMC0→5, AUMC0→∞, Cmax and lower clearance than that of CBZ solution in plasma. Additionally, parenteral nanoemulsion of CBZ showed significantly higher AUC0→∞, AUMC0→∞ and Cmaxthan that of CBZ solution in brain. The parenteral nanoemulsion of CBZ could therefore use as a carrier, worth exploring further for brain targeting.
  13. Fulltext Floods Amidst COVID-19 in Malaysia: Implications on the Pandemic Responses
    Ng YJ, Samy AL, Tan SL, Ramesh P, Hung WP, Ahmadi A, et al.
    Disaster Med Public Health Prep, 2021 Dec 23.
    PMID: 34937606 DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2021.371
  14. Fulltext Real-time acquisition of transendothelial electrical resistance in an all-human, in vitro, 3-dimensional, blood-brain barrier model exemplifies tight-junction integrity
    Maherally Z, Fillmore HL, Tan SL, Tan SF, Jassam SA, Quack FI, et al.
    FASEB J, 2018 01;32(1):168-182.
    PMID: 28883042 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201700162R
    The blood-brain barrier (BBB) consists of endothelial cells, astrocytes, and pericytes embedded in basal lamina (BL). Most in vitro models use nonhuman, monolayer cultures for therapeutic-delivery studies, relying on transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) measurements without other tight-junction (TJ) formation parameters. We aimed to develop reliable, reproducible, in vitro 3-dimensional (3D) models incorporating relevant human, in vivo cell types and BL proteins. The 3D BBB models were constructed with human brain endothelial cells, human astrocytes, and human brain pericytes in mono-, co-, and tricultures. TEER was measured in 3D models using a volt/ohmmeter and cellZscope. Influence of BL proteins-laminin, fibronectin, collagen type IV, agrin, and perlecan-on adhesion and TEER was assessed using an electric cell-substrate impedance-sensing system. TJ protein expression was assessed by Western blotting (WB) and immunocytochemistry (ICC). Perlecan (10 µg/ml) evoked unreportedly high, in vitro TEER values (1200 Ω) and the strongest adhesion. Coculturing endothelial cells with astrocytes yielded the greatest resistance over time. ICC and WB results correlated with resistance levels, with evidence of prominent occludin expression in cocultures. BL proteins exerted differential effects on TEER, whereas astrocytes in contact yielded higher TEER values and TJ expression.-Maherally, Z., Fillmore, H. L., Tan, S. L., Tan, S. F., Jassam, S. A., Quack, F. I., Hatherell, K. E., Pilkington, G. J. Real-time acquisition of transendothelial electrical resistance in an all-human, in vitro, 3-dimensional, blood-brain barrier model exemplifies tight-junction integrity.
  15. Identification and analysis of a prepro-chicken gonadotropin releasing hormone II (preprocGnRH-II) precursor in the Asian seabass, Lates calcarifer, based on an EST-based assessment of its brain transcriptome
    Tan SL, Mohd-Adnan A, Mohd-Yusof NY, Forstner MR, Wan KL
    Gene, 2008 Mar 31;411(1-2):77-86.
    PMID: 18280674 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2008.01.008
    Using a novel library of 5637 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from the brain tissue of the Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer), we first characterized the brain transcriptome for this economically important species. The ESTs generated from the brain of L. calcarifer yielded 2410 unique transcripts (UTs) which comprise of 982 consensi and 1428 singletons. Based on database similarity, 1005 UTs (41.7%) can be assigned putative functions and were grouped into 12 functional categories related to the brain function. Amongst others, we have identified genes that are putatively involved in energy metabolism, ion pumps and channels, synapse related genes, neurotransmitter and its receptors, stress induced genes and hormone related genes. Subsequently we selected a putative preprocGnRH-II precursor for further characterization. The complete cDNA sequence of the gene obtained was found to code for an 85-amino acid polypeptide that significantly matched preprocGnRH-II precursor sequences from other vertebrates, and possesses structural characteristics that are similar to that of other species, consisting of a signal peptide (23 residues), a GnRH decapeptide (10 residues), an amidation/proteolytic-processing signal (glycine-lysine-argine) and a GnRH associated peptide (GAP) (49 residues). Phylogenetic analysis showed that this putative L. calcarifer preprocGnRH-II sequence is a member of the subcohort Euteleostei and divergent from the sequences of the subcohort Otocephalan. These findings provide compelling evidence that the putative L. calcarifer preprocGnRH-II precursor obtained in this study is orthologous to that of other vertebrates. The functional prediction of this preprocGnRH-II precursor sequence through in silico analyses emphasizes the effectiveness of the EST approach in gene identification in L. calcarifer.
  16. Third-degree burn mouse treatment using recombinant human fibroblast growth factor 2
    Tran-Nguyen TM, Le KT, Nguyen LT, Tran TT, Hoang-Thai PC, Tran TL, et al.
    Growth Factors, 2020 12;38(5-6):282-290.
    PMID: 34415815 DOI: 10.1080/08977194.2021.1967342
    Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) is a multifunctional protein that has major roles in wound healing, tissue repair, and regeneration. This therapeutic protein is widely used for burn treatment because it can stimulate cell proliferation and differentiation, angiogenesis, and extracellular matrix remodeling. In this study, we developed a simple method using a controlled heated brass rod to create a homogenous third-degree burn murine model and evaluated the treatment using recombinant human FGF-2 (rhFGF-2). The results indicated that the wound area was 0.83 ± 0.05 cm2 and wound depth was 573.42 ± 147.82 μm. Mice treated with rhFGF-2 showed higher rates of wound closure, granulation tissue formation, angiogenesis, and re-epithelialization than that of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)-treated group. In conclusion, our lab-made rhFGF-2 could be a potentially therapeutic protein for burn treatment as well as a bioequivalent drug for other commercial applications using FGF-2.
  17. Fulltext Cervical Cancer Classification From Pap Smear Images Using Deep Convolutional Neural Network Models
    Tan SL, Selvachandran G, Ding W, Paramesran R, Kotecha K
    Interdiscip Sci, 2024 Mar;16(1):16-38.
    PMID: 37962777 DOI: 10.1007/s12539-023-00589-5
    As one of the most common female cancers, cervical cancer often develops years after a prolonged and reversible pre-cancerous stage. Traditional classification algorithms used for detection of cervical cancer often require cell segmentation and feature extraction techniques, while convolutional neural network (CNN) models demand a large dataset to mitigate over-fitting and poor generalization problems. To this end, this study aims to develop deep learning models for automated cervical cancer detection that do not rely on segmentation methods or custom features. Due to limited data availability, transfer learning was employed with pre-trained CNN models to directly operate on Pap smear images for a seven-class classification task. Thorough evaluation and comparison of 13 pre-trained deep CNN models were performed using the publicly available Herlev dataset and the Keras package in Google Collaboratory. In terms of accuracy and performance, DenseNet-201 is the best-performing model. The pre-trained CNN models studied in this paper produced good experimental results and required little computing time.
  18. Development and in vitro assessment of alginate bilayer films containing the olive compound hydroxytyrosol as an alternative for topical chemotherapy
    Ng SF, Tan SL
    Int J Pharm, 2015 Nov 30;495(2):798-806.
    PMID: 26434999 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2015.09.057
    Topical chemotherapy is the application of cancer drugs directly onto the skin, which has become a standard treatment for basal cell carcinoma. Due to the promising results in the treatment of skin cancer, topical chemotherapy has recently been applied to breast cancer patients because some breast cancer tissues are only superficial. Hydroxytyrosol, a phenolic compound from olives that is present in high amounts in Hidrox(®) olive extract, has been shown to have a protective effect on normal cells and selective antitumor activities on cancerous cells. The aims of the present study were to develop an alginate bilayer film containing Hidrox(®) and to investigate its potential use as a topical chemotherapeutic agent. Alginate films were characterized for swelling and for physical, thermal, rheological, and mechanical properties. Drug content uniformity and in vitro drug release tests were also investigated. The alginate bilayer films containing Hidrox(®), HB2, showed controlled release of hydroxytyrosol at a flux of 0.094±0.009 mg/cm(2)/h. The results of the cytotoxic assay showed that the HB2 films were dose-dependent and could significantly reduce the growth of breast cancer cells (MCF-7) at 150 μg/mL for a cell viability of 29.34±4.64%. In conclusion, an alginate bilayer film containing Hidrox(®) can be a potential alternative for topical chemotherapeutic agent for skin and breast cancer treatment.
  19. Fulltext Isolation, characterization and the multi-lineage differentiation potential of rabbit bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells
    Tan SL, Ahmad TS, Selvaratnam L, Kamarul T
    J Anat, 2013 Apr;222(4):437-50.
    PMID: 23510053 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12032
    Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are recognized by their plastic adherent ability, fibroblastic-like appearance, expression of specific surface protein markers, and are defined by their ability to undergo multi-lineage differentiation. Although rabbit bone marrow-derived MSCs (rbMSCs) have been used extensively in previous studies especially in translational research, these cells have neither been defined morphologically and ultrastructurally, nor been compared with their counterparts in humans in their multi-lineage differentiation ability. A study was therefore conducted to define the morphology, surface marker proteins, ultrastructure and multi-lineage differentiation ability of rbMSCs. Herein, the primary rbMSC cultures of three adult New Zealand white rabbits (at least 4 months old) were used for three independent experiments. rbMSCs were isolated using the gradient-centrifugation method, an established technique for human MSCs (hMSCs) isolation. Cells were characterized by phase contrast microscopy observation, transmission electron microscopy analysis, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis, immunocytochemistry staining, flow cytometry, alamarBlue(®) assay, histological staining and quantitative (q)PCR analysis. The isolated plastic adherent cells were in fibroblastic spindle-shape and possessed eccentric, irregular-shaped nuclei as well as rich inner cytoplasmic zones similar to that of hMSCs. The rbMSCs expressed CD29, CD44, CD73, CD81, CD90 and CD166, but were negative (or dim positive) for CD34, CD45, CD117 and HLD-DR. Despite having similar morphology and phenotypic expression, rbMSCs possessed significantly larger cell size but had a lower proliferation rate as compared with hMSCs. Using established protocols to differentiate hMSCs, rbMSCs underwent osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic differentiation. Interestingly, differentiated rbMSCs demonstrated higher levels of osteogenic (Runx2) and chondrogenic (Sox9) gene expressions than that of hMSCs (P  0.05). rbMSCs possess similar morphological characteristics to hMSCs, but have a higher potential for osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation, despite having a lower cell proliferation rate than hMSCs. The characteristics reported here may be used as a comprehensive set of criteria to define or characterize rbMSCs.
  20. How confident are pharmacists in providing pharmaceutical care on anticoagulants? A cross-sectional, self-administered questionnaire study in Borneo, Malaysia
    Tan SL, Yong ZY, Liew JES, Zainal H, Siddiqui S
    J Pharm Policy Pract, 2021 Nov 09;14(1):97.
    PMID: 34753518 DOI: 10.1186/s40545-021-00377-w
    BACKGROUND: Anticoagulants are the cornerstone therapy for the management of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and atrial fibrillation (AF). Pharmacists should be confident and equipped with the skill and updated knowledge in managing anticoagulation therapy.

    OBJECTIVE: To explore self-reported confidence level of pharmacists, perceived reasons influencing their confidence and socio-demographic associated with high confidence level in the area of anticoagulation.

    METHODS: A cross-sectional, self-administered questionnaire survey was carried out among fully registered pharmacists who work in selected government hospitals and clinics in Borneo, Malaysia, from January 2019 to February 2020.

    RESULTS: Overall, responses from 542 fully registered pharmacists were obtained. Proportion of respondents who claimed confident in providing necessary information to patient receiving warfarin (n = 479, 88.3%) was significantly higher (p 

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