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  1. Nani Harlina ML, Naqiyah I, Shahrun Niza AS, Jasmi AY, Rohaizak M
    Med J Malaysia, 2012 Apr;67(2):177-80.
    PMID: 22822639 MyJurnal
  2. Sule A, Ahmed QU, Latip J, Samah OA, Omar MN, Umar A, et al.
    Pharm Biol, 2012 Jul;50(7):850-6.
    PMID: 22587518 DOI: 10.3109/13880209.2011.641021
    Andrographis paniculata Nees. (Acanthaceae) is an annual herbaceous plant widely cultivated in southern Asia, China, and Europe. It is used in the treatment of skin infections in India, China, and Malaysia by folk medicine practitioners.
  3. Ahmad N, Hassan Y, Tangiisuran B, Meng OL, Abd Aziz N, Ahmad FU, et al.
    J Eval Clin Pract, 2013 Oct;19(5):798-804.
    PMID: 22583820 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2753.2012.01852.x
    RATIONALE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Existing literature suggests that doctors' poor adherence with guidelines is one of the major contributing factors to suboptimal control of hypertension. This study aims to evaluate doctors' adherence with Malaysian clinical practice guideline (CPG 2008) in a tertiary care hospital, and factors associated with guideline adherence and hypertension control.
    METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at Hospital Pulau Pinang, Penang, Malaysia. Prescriptions written by 26 enrolled doctors to 650 established hypertensive outpatients (25 prescriptions per enrolled doctor) were noted on visit 1 along with patients' demographic and clinical data. The noted prescriptions were classified either as compliant or non-compliant to CPG (2008). Five hundred twenty (80%) of the enrolled patients (20 patients per enrolled doctor) were followed for one more visit. Blood pressure (BP) noted on visit 2 was related to the prescription written on visit 1. SPSS 16 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) was used for data analysis.
    RESULTS: Three hundred forty-nine (67.1%) patients received guidelines compliant pharmacotherapy. In multivariate analysis, hypertension clinic had significant negative association with guidelines adherence. Two hundred sixty-five patients (51%) were at goal BP on visit 2. In multivariate analysis, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and guidelines adherence had significant positive, while renal disease, diabetes mellitus and diabetic clinic had significant negative association with hypertension control.
    CONCLUSIONS: An overall fair level of adherence with guidelines and better control of hypertension was observed. Guidelines compliant practices resulted in better control of hypertension. The gaps between what guidelines recommend and clinical practice were especially seen in the pharmacotherapy of uncomplicated hypertension and hypertension with diabetes mellitus and renal disease.
    KEYWORDS: Malaysia; adherence; guidelines; hypertension
    Study site: Cardiology, nephrology, diabetic and hypertension clinics, Hospital Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
  4. Hassali MA, Al-Haddad M, Shafie AA, Tangiisuran B, Saleem F, Atif M, et al.
    J Patient Saf, 2012 Jun;8(2):76-80.
    PMID: 22561848 DOI: 10.1097/PTS.0b013e31824aba86
    OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore the perceptions of general practitioners (GPs) from the state of Penang toward the feasibility of implementing the medication reconciliation program in Malaysia.
    METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study using a validated, self-completed anonymous 18-item questionnaire was undertaken over a period of 2 months in 2010. The study was conducted in the state of Penang, Malaysia. A letter consisting of survey questionnaires and prepaid return envelope were mailed to 429 GPs identified from the Private Medical Practice Control Department Registry.
    RESULTS: A total of 86 responses were received with response rate of 20.1%. Majority (90.1%) of the respondents agreed that medication reconciliation can be a feasible strategy to improve medication safety, and 97.7% confirmed that having an accurate up-to-date list of the patient's previous medication will be useful in the rational prescribing process. However, about half (56.9%) of them felt that standardization of the medication reconciliation process in all clinics will be difficult to achieve. Three quarters (73.2%) of the respondents believed that the involvement of GPs alone is insufficient, and 74.5% agreed that this program should be expanded to community pharmacy setting. More than 90% of the respondents agreed upon the medication reconciliation card proposed by the researchers.
    CONCLUSIONS: General practitioners in Penang are generally in favor of the implementation of medication reconciliation program in their practice. Because medication reconciliation has been shown to reduce many medicine-related problems, it is thus worth considering the feasibility of nationwide implementation of such program.
  5. Kamazeri TS, Samah OA, Taher M, Susanti D, Qaralleh H
    Asian Pac J Trop Med, 2012 Mar;5(3):202-9.
    PMID: 22305785 DOI: 10.1016/S1995-7645(12)60025-X
    OBJECTIVE: To analyze the chemical composition of the essential oils of Curcuma aeruginosa (C. aeruginosa), Curcuma mangga (C. mangga), and Zingiber cassumunar (Z. cassumunar), and study their antimicrobial activity.

    METHODS: Essential oils obtained by steam distillation were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The antimicrobial activity of the essential oils was evaluated against four bacteria: Bacillus cereus (B. cereus), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Escherichia coli (E. coli), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa); and two fungi: Candida albicans (C. albicans) and Cyptococcus neoformans (C. neoformans), using disc-diffusion and broth microdilution methods.

    RESULTS: Cycloisolongifolene, 8,9-dehydro formyl (35.29%) and dihydrocostunolide (22.51%) were the major compounds in C. aeruginosa oil; whereas caryophyllene oxide (18.71%) and caryophyllene (12.69%) were the major compounds in C. mangga oil; and 2,6,9,9-tetramethyl-2,6,10-cycloundecatrien-1-one (60.77%) and α-caryophyllene (23.92%) were abundant in Z. cassumunar oil. The essential oils displayed varying degrees of antimicrobial activity against all tested microorganisms. C. mangga oil had the highest and most broad-spectrum activity by inhibiting all microorganisms tested, with C. neoformans being the most sensitive microorganism by having the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) values of 0.1 μL/mL. C. aeruginosa oil showed mild antimicrobial activity, whereas Z. cassumunar had very low or weak activity against the tested microorganisms.

    CONCLUSIONS: The preliminary results suggest promising antimicrobial properties of C. mangga and C. aeruginosa, which may be useful for food preservation, pharmaceutical treatment and natural therapies.

  6. Mohd Jaafar MN, Eldrainy YA, Mat Ali MF, Wan Omar WZ, Mohd Hizam MF
    Environ Sci Technol, 2012 Feb 21;46(4):2445-50.
    PMID: 22296110 DOI: 10.1021/es2025005
    The problems of global warming and the unstable price of petroleum oils have led to a race to develop environmentally friendly biofuels, such as palm oil or ethanol derived from corn and sugar cane. Biofuels are a potential replacement for fossil fuel, since they are renewable and environmentally friendly. This paper evaluates the combustion performance and emission characteristics of Refined, Bleached, and Deodorized Palm Oil (RBDPO)/diesel blends B5, B10, B15, B20, and B25 by volume, using an industrial oil burner with and without secondary air. Wall temperature profiles along the combustion chamber axis were measured using a series of thermocouples fitted axially on the combustion chamber wall, and emissions released were measured using a gas analyzer. The results show that RBDPO blend B25 produced the maximum emission reduction of 56.9% of CO, 74.7% of NOx, 68.5% of SO(2), and 77.5% of UHC compared to petroleum diesel, while air staging (secondary air) in most cases reduces the emissions further. However, increasing concentrations of RBDPO in the blends also reduced the energy released from the combustion. The maximum wall temperature reduction was 62.7% for B25 at the exit of the combustion chamber.
  7. Fong MY, Noordin R, Lau YL, Cheong FW, Yunus MH, Idris ZM
    Parasitology, 2013 Jan;140(1):39-45.
    PMID: 22917270 DOI: 10.1017/S0031182012001242
    Brugia malayi is one of the parasitic worms which causes lymphatic filariasis in humans. Its geographical distribution includes a large part of Asia. Despite its wide distribution, very little is known about the genetic variation and molecular epidemiology of this species. In this study, the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) nucleotide sequences of B. malayi from microfilaria-positive human blood samples in Northeast Borneo Island were determined, and compared with published ITS1 sequences of B. malayi isolated from cats and humans in Thailand. Multiple alignment analysis revealed that B. malayi ITS1 sequences from Northeast Borneo were more similar to each other than to those from Thailand. Phylogenetic trees inferred using Neighbour-Joining and Maximum Parsimony methods showed similar topology, with 2 distinct B. malayi clusters. The first cluster consisted of Northeast Borneo B. malayi isolates, whereas the second consisted of the Thailand isolates. The findings of this study suggest that B. malayi in Borneo Island has diverged significantly from those of mainland Asia, and this has implications for the diagnosis of B. malayi infection across the region using ITS1-based molecular techniques.
  8. Hussein Al Ali SH, Al-Qubaisi M, Hussein MZ, Ismail M, Zainal Z, Hakim MN
    Int J Nanomedicine, 2012;7:4251-62.
    PMID: 22904631 DOI: 10.2147/IJN.S32267
    The intercalation of a drug active, perindopril, into Mg/Al-layered double hydroxide for the formation of a new nanocomposite, PMAE, was accomplished using a simple ion exchange technique. A relatively high loading percentage of perindopril of about 36.5% (w/w) indicates that intercalation of the active took place in the Mg/Al inorganic interlayer. Intercalation was further supported by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermal analysis shows markedly enhanced thermal stability of the active. The release of perindopril from the nanocomposite occurred in a controlled manner governed by pseudo-second order kinetics. MTT assay showed no cytotoxicity effects from either Mg/Al-layered double hydroxide or its nanocomposite, PMAE. Mg/Al-layered double hydroxide showed angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activity, with 5.6% inhibition after 90 minutes of incubation. On incubation of angiotensin-converting enzyme with 0.5 μg/mL of the PMAE nanocomposite, inhibition of the enzyme increased from 56.6% to 70.6% at 30 and 90 minutes, respectively. These results are comparable with data reported in the literature for Zn/Al-perindopril.
  9. Hussein Al Ali SH, Al-Qubaisi M, Hussein MZ, Ismail M, Zainal Z, Hakim MN
    Int J Nanomedicine, 2012;7:2129-41.
    PMID: 22619549 DOI: 10.2147/IJN.S30461
    The intercalation of perindopril erbumine into Zn/Al-NO(3)-layered double hydroxide resulted in the formation of a host-guest type of material. By virtue of the ion-exchange properties of layered double hydroxide, perindopril erbumine was released in a sustained manner. Therefore, this intercalated material can be used as a controlled-release formulation.
  10. Riaz N, Bustam MA, Chong FK, Man ZB, Khan MS, Shariff AM
    ScientificWorldJournal, 2014;2014:342020.
    PMID: 25105158 DOI: 10.1155/2014/342020
    Bimetallic Cu-Ni/TiO2 photocatalysts were synthesized using wet impregnation (WI) method with TiO2 (Degussa-P25) as support and calcined at different temperatures (180, 200, and 300°C) for the photodegradation of DIPA under visible light. The photocatalysts were characterized using TGA, FESEM, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and temperature programmed reduction (TPR). The results from the photodegradation experiments revealed that the Cu-Ni/TiO2 photocatalysts exhibited much higher photocatalytic activities compared to bare TiO2. It was found that photocatalyst calcined at 200°C had the highest photocatalyst activities with highest chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal (86.82%). According to the structural and surface analysis, the enhanced photocatalytic activity could be attributed to its strong absorption into the visible region and high metal dispersion.
  11. Bukhari SA, Shamshari WA, Ur-Rahman M, Zia-Ul-Haq M, Jaafar HZ
    Molecules, 2014 Jul 11;19(7):10129-36.
    PMID: 25019556 DOI: 10.3390/molecules190710129
    Diabetes mellitus is a life threatening disease and scientists are doing their best to find a cost effective and permanent treatment of this malady. The recent trend is to control the disease by target base inhibiting of enzymes or proteins. Secreted frizzled-related protein 4 (SFRP4) is found to cause five times more risk of diabetes when expressed above average levels. This study was therefore designed to analyze the SFRP4 and to find its potential inhibitors. SFRP4 was analyzed by bio-informatics tools of sequence tool and structure tool. A total of three potential inhibitors of SFRP4 were found, namely cyclothiazide, clopamide and perindopril. These inhibitors showed significant interactions with SFRP4 as compared to other inhibitors as well as control (acetohexamide). The findings suggest the possible treatment of diabetes mellitus type 2 by inhibiting the SFRP4 using the inhibitors cyclothiazide, clopamide and perindopril.
  12. Grismer LL, Ismail LH, Awang MT, Rizal SA, Ahmad AB
    Zootaxa, 2014;3821(4):457-64.
    PMID: 24989758 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3821.4.4
    A new species of scincid lizard, Lipinia sekayuensis sp. nov. from Hutan Lipur Sekayu, Terengganu State in northeastern Peninsular Malaysia is most similar to L. surda (Boulenger) but differentiated from it and all other species of Lipinia by having the combination of an adult SVL of 42.3 mm; six supralabials; five infralabials; four supraoculars; prefrontals widely separated; two loreals; fused frontoparietals; lower eyelids bearing a large, transparent disc; 21 midbody scale rows; 56 paravertertebral scale rows; 65 ventral scale rows; enlarged, precloacal scales; 10 subdigital lamellae on the third finger; 11, 15, and seven lamellae on the third, fourth, and fifth toes, respectively; distal subdigital lamellae keeled; a median row of slightly enlarged, subcaudal scales present; a generally unicolor, dark-brown dorsum bearing nine very faint, diffuse, darker stripes; and an external ear opening replaced by a scaly, auditory depression.
  13. Baharuddin MY, Salleh ShH, Zulkifly AH, Lee MH, Mohd Noor A
    Biomed Res Int, 2014;2014:692328.
    PMID: 25025068 DOI: 10.1155/2014/692328
    A morphology study was essential to the development of the cementless femoral stem because accurate dimensions for both the periosteal and endosteal canal ensure primary fixation stability for the stem, bone interface, and prevent stress shielding at the calcar region. This paper focused on a three-dimensional femoral model for Asian patients that applied preoperative planning and femoral stem design. We measured various femoral parameters such as the femoral head offset, collodiaphyseal angle, bowing angle, anteversion, and medullary canal diameters from the osteotomy level to 150 mm below the osteotomy level to determine the position of the isthmus. Other indices and ratios for the endosteal canal, metaphyseal, and flares were computed and examined. The results showed that Asian femurs are smaller than Western femurs, except in the metaphyseal region. The canal flare index (CFI) was poorly correlated (r < 0.50) to the metaphyseal canal flare index (MCFI), but correlated well (r = 0.66) with the corticomedullary index (CMI). The diversity of the femoral size, particularly in the metaphyseal region, allows for proper femoral stem design for Asian patients, improves osseointegration, and prolongs the life of the implant.
  14. Shah SA, Tan HL, Sultan S, Faridz MA, Shah MA, Nurfazilah S, et al.
    Int J Mol Sci, 2014;15(7):12027-60.
    PMID: 25003642 DOI: 10.3390/ijms150712027
    Microbial-catalyzed biotransformations have considerable potential for the generation of an enormous variety of structurally diversified organic compounds, especially natural products with complex structures like triterpenoids. They offer efficient and economical ways to produce semi-synthetic analogues and novel lead molecules. Microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi could catalyze chemo-, regio- and stereospecific hydroxylations of diverse triterpenoid substrates that are extremely difficult to produce by chemical routes. During recent years, considerable research has been performed on the microbial transformation of bioactive triterpenoids, in order to obtain biologically active molecules with diverse structures features. This article reviews the microbial modifications of tetranortriterpenoids, tetracyclic triterpenoids and pentacyclic triterpenoids.
  15. Shiraz M, Gani A, Ahmad RW, Adeel Ali Shah S, Karim A, Rahman ZA
    PLoS One, 2014;9(8):e102270.
    PMID: 25127245 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0102270
    The latest developments in mobile computing technology have enabled intensive applications on the modern Smartphones. However, such applications are still constrained by limitations in processing potentials, storage capacity and battery lifetime of the Smart Mobile Devices (SMDs). Therefore, Mobile Cloud Computing (MCC) leverages the application processing services of computational clouds for mitigating resources limitations in SMDs. Currently, a number of computational offloading frameworks are proposed for MCC wherein the intensive components of the application are outsourced to computational clouds. Nevertheless, such frameworks focus on runtime partitioning of the application for computational offloading, which is time consuming and resources intensive. The resource constraint nature of SMDs require lightweight procedures for leveraging computational clouds. Therefore, this paper presents a lightweight framework which focuses on minimizing additional resources utilization in computational offloading for MCC. The framework employs features of centralized monitoring, high availability and on demand access services of computational clouds for computational offloading. As a result, the turnaround time and execution cost of the application are reduced. The framework is evaluated by testing prototype application in the real MCC environment. The lightweight nature of the proposed framework is validated by employing computational offloading for the proposed framework and the latest existing frameworks. Analysis shows that by employing the proposed framework for computational offloading, the size of data transmission is reduced by 91%, energy consumption cost is minimized by 81% and turnaround time of the application is decreased by 83.5% as compared to the existing offloading frameworks. Hence, the proposed framework minimizes additional resources utilization and therefore offers lightweight solution for computational offloading in MCC.
  16. Khan S, Shiraz M, Wahab AW, Gani A, Han Q, Rahman ZB
    ScientificWorldJournal, 2014;2014:547062.
    PMID: 25097880 DOI: 10.1155/2014/547062
    Network forensics enables investigation and identification of network attacks through the retrieved digital content. The proliferation of smartphones and the cost-effective universal data access through cloud has made Mobile Cloud Computing (MCC) a congenital target for network attacks. However, confines in carrying out forensics in MCC is interrelated with the autonomous cloud hosting companies and their policies for restricted access to the digital content in the back-end cloud platforms. It implies that existing Network Forensic Frameworks (NFFs) have limited impact in the MCC paradigm. To this end, we qualitatively analyze the adaptability of existing NFFs when applied to the MCC. Explicitly, the fundamental mechanisms of NFFs are highlighted and then analyzed using the most relevant parameters. A classification is proposed to help understand the anatomy of existing NFFs. Subsequently, a comparison is given that explores the functional similarities and deviations among NFFs. The paper concludes by discussing research challenges for progressive network forensics in MCC.
  17. Imran S, Taha M, Ismail NH, Khan KM, Naz F, Hussain M, et al.
    Molecules, 2014;19(8):11722-40.
    PMID: 25102118 DOI: 10.3390/molecules190811722
    In an effort to develop new antibacterial drugs, some novel bisindolylmethane derivatives containing Schiff base moieties were prepared and screened for their antibacterial activity. The synthesis of the bisindolylmethane Schiff base derivatives 3-26 was carried out in three steps. First, the nitro group of 3,3'-((4-nitrophenyl)-methylene)bis(1H-indole) (1) was reduced to give the amino substituted bisindolylmethane 2 without affecting the unsaturation of the bisindolylmethane moiety using nickel boride in situ generated. Reduction of compound 1 using various catalysts showed that combination of sodium borohydride and nickel acetate provides the highest yield for compound 2. Bisindolylmethane Schiff base derivatives were synthesized by coupling various benzaldehydes with amino substituted bisindolylmethane 2. All synthesized compounds were characterized by various spectroscopic methods. The bisindolylmethane Schiff base derivatives were evaluated against selected Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. Derivatives having halogen and nitro substituent display weak to moderate antibacterial activity against Salmonella typhi, S. paratyphi A and S. paratyphi B.
  18. Ahmed S, Gul S, Idris F, Hussain A, Zia-Ul-Haq M, Jaafar HZ, et al.
    Molecules, 2014;19(8):11385-94.
    PMID: 25090125 DOI: 10.3390/molecules190811385
    Human plasma inhibits arachidonic acid metabolism and platelet aggregation. This helps human form a haemostatic control system that prevents the progress of certain aggregatory or inflammatory reactions. Whether this property of plasma is unique to human or extends to other species is not well known. It is speculated that this protective ability of plasma remains evolutionarily conserved in different mammals. In order to confirm this, the effect of plasma from 12 different mammalian species was investigated for its inhibitory potential against arachidonic acid metabolism and platelet aggregation. Metabolism of arachidonic acid by cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways was studies using radio-immuno assay and thin layer chromatography while platelet aggregation in the plasma of various mammals was monitored following turbedmetric method in a dual channel aggregometer. Results indicate that inhibition of AA metabolism and platelet aggregation is a common feature of plasma obtained from different mammalian species, although there exists large interspecies variation. This shows that besides human, other mammals also possess general protective mechanisms against various aggregatory and inflammatory conditions and this anti-inflammatory property of the plasma is evolutionarily conserved in mammalian species. The most likely candidates responsible for these properties of plasma include haptoglobin, albumin and lipoproteins.
  19. Mutalip SS, Yunos NM, Abdul-Rahman PS, Jauri MH, Osman A, Adenan MI
    Anticancer Res, 2014 Aug;34(8):4141-51.
    PMID: 25075041
    AIM: Abnormalities in apoptotic signalling pathways often occur in cancer cells and limit the successful chemotherapy outcomes in cancers. Therefore, there is an urgent need to discover new anticancer agents with novel mechanisms of action to overcome the resistance effect in chemotherapy.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present study, the anticancer effects and the mechanisms of action of 17βH-neriifolin (cardiac glycoside) were evaluated by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay and a proteomic approach in treated and non-treated SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells.

    RESULTS: 17βH-neriifolin was found to be active with IC50 values of 0.01 ± 0.001 in SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cell line, as evaluated by the sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. RESULTS from TUNEL assay indicated that 17βH-neriifolin caused apoptosis in SKOV-3 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Based on differential analysis of treated and non-treated SKOV-3 two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) profiles, four proteins, namely vimentin (VIM), pyruvate kinase, muscle (PKM), heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (HNRNPA1) and transgelin (TAGLN1) were identified to be involved in apoptosis. Other proteins including piggybac transposable element derived 5 (PGBD5), DENN/MADD domain containing 2D (DENND2D) and formin-like 1(FMNL) have also been identified to be associated in SKOV-3 cell death induced by 17βH-neriifolin.

    CONCLUSION: These findings may provide new insights on the potential of 17βH-neriifolin's mechanism of action in killing ovarian cancer cells.

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