MyMedR

Development of a control system for artificially rehabilitated limbs: a review

Bhuiyan MS, Choudhury IA, Dahari M

Biol Cybern, 2015 Apr;109(2):141-62.

PMID: 25491411 DOI: 10.1007/s00422-014-0635-1

Development of an advanced control system for prostheses (artificial limbs) is necessary to provide functionality, effectiveness, and preferably the feeling of a sound living limb. The development of the control system has introduced varieties of control strategies depending on the application. This paper reviews some control systems used for prosthetics, orthotics, and exoskeletons. The advantages and limitations of different control systems for particular applications have been discussed and presented in a comparative manner to help in deciding the appropriate method for pertinent application.

Special needs dentistry: perception, attitudes and educational experience of Malaysian dental students

Ahmad MS, Razak IA, Borromeo GL

Eur J Dent Educ, 2015 Feb;19(1):44-52.

PMID: 24779684 DOI: 10.1111/eje.12101

A compromised oral health condition amongst patients with special health care needs (SHCN) has been associated with the reluctance and shortage of skills of dental professionals in managing such patients. Lack of training and experience at the undergraduate level are reported barriers to the provision of care for this patient cohort. Undergraduate education therefore, plays an important role in producing professionals with the knowledge, skills and positive attitude in treating patients with SHCN. This study aims to determine the level of knowledge, comfort and attitudes of Malaysian undergraduate dental students towards caring for patients with SHCN, as well as their perception on education in this field. A self-administered questionnaire was administered in the classroom style to final year undergraduate dental students in Malaysian public dental schools. Most students were aware of Special Needs Dentistry (SND) as a specialty after being informed by academic staff. The majority of the students demonstrated poor knowledge in defining SND and felt uncomfortable providing care for such patients. They perceived their undergraduate training in SND as inadequate with most students agreeing that they should receive didactic and clinical training at undergraduate level. A high percentage of students also expressed interest in pursuing postgraduate education in this area of dentistry despite the lack of educational exposure during undergraduate years. The study supports a need for educational reform to formulate a curriculum that is more patient-centred, with earlier clinical exposure in various clinical settings for students to treat patients with special health care needs, applying the concept of holistic care in a variable clinical condition.

Fulltext 1-[(Bromo-meth-yl)(phen-yl)meth-ylene]-2-(2,4-dinitro-phen-yl)hydrazine

Salhin A, Abdul Razak N, Rahman IA

Acta Crystallogr Sect E Struct Rep Online, 2009;65(Pt 6):o1221-2.

PMID: 21583090 DOI: 10.1107/S1600536809016225

The title compound, C(14)H(11)BrN(4)O(4), comprises two crystallographically independent mol-ecules (A and B) in the asymmetric unit. In mol-ecule B, intra-molecular bifurcated N-H⋯O and N-H⋯Br hydrogen bonds and in mol-ecule A, an intra-molecular N-H⋯O hydrogen bond generate S(6) ring motifs. The dihedral angle between the phenyl and benzene rings is 5.44 (6) in mol-ecule A and 7.63 (6)° in mol-ecule B. The ortho- and meta-nitro substituents make dihedral angles of 6.67 (15) and 2.26 (15)° to the attached benzene ring in mol-ecule A and 6.37 (17) and 5.81 (16)° in mol-ecule B. The Br atom in mol-ecule B is disordered over two positions with a refined site-occupancy ratio of 0.61 (3):0.39 (3). Inter-esting features of the crystal structure are the short Br⋯N [3.257 (3)-3.294 (4) Å], Br⋯O [3.279 (3)-3.307 (4) Å] and O⋯O [2.9319 (16)-2.9995 (16) Å] contacts, which are shorter than the sum of the van der Waals radii of these atoms. The crystal structure is further stabilized by inter-molecular C-H⋯O and π-π inter-actions [centroid-centroid distances = 3.6643 (8)-3.8514 (8) Å].

Fulltext 4-(Dimethyl-amino)benzaldehyde 4-ethyl-thio-semicarbazone

Salhin A, Razak NA, Rahman IA

Acta Crystallogr Sect E Struct Rep Online, 2008;64(Pt 12):o2353.

PMID: 21581327 DOI: 10.1107/S1600536808037148

The title thio-semicarbazone derivative, C(12)H(18)N(4)S, features intra-molecular N-H⋯N and C-H⋯S hydrogen bonds which generate S(5) ring motifs. The dihedral angle between the benzene ring and the thio-urea unit is 6.30 (6)° indicating planarity in the mol-ecule. Inter-molecular N-H⋯S hydrogen bonds generate dimers with an R(2) (2)(8) ring motif. The methyl group of the N-ethyl residue is disordered and was refined with site occupancies of 0.521 (5) and 0.479 (5).

Fulltext The pudendal thigh fasciocutaneous flap for vaginal atresia reconstruction

Azman WS, Halim AS, Samad IA

Med J Malaysia, 2005 Oct;60(4):505-7.

PMID: 16570718

Vaginal defects can either be congenital or acquired due to tumor or trauma. The reconstructions are aimed in producing a good physical and functional result with the least donor site morbidity. The pudendal thigh flap is a sensate fasciocutaneous flap based on the terminal branch of the superficial perineal artery, the continuation of the internal pudendal artery. Although various flaps have been described for vaginal reconstruction, the pudendal thigh flap offers a very attractive alternative.

Fluorosis prevalence among schoolchildren in a fluoridated community in Malaysia

Tan BS, Razak IA, Foo LC

Community Dent Health, 2005 Mar;22(1):35-9.

PMID: 15819114

This study aims to assess the magnitude of the problem of fluorosis among 10-11 year old schoolchildren in a fluoridated area in Malaysia.

Plastic debris in the coastal environment: The invincible threat? Abundance of buried plastic debris on Malaysian beaches

Fauziah SH, Liyana IA, Agamuthu P

Waste Manag Res, 2015 Sep;33(9):812-21.

PMID: 26092255 DOI: 10.1177/0734242X15588587

Studies on marine debris have gained worldwide attention since many types of debris have found their way into the food chain of higher organisms. Thus, it is crucial that more focus is given to this area in order to curb contaminations in sea food. This study was conducted to quantify plastic debris buried in sand at selected beaches in Malaysia. Marine debris was identified according to size range and distribution, and this information was related to preventive actions to improve marine waste issues. For the purpose of this study, comparison of plastic waste abundance between a recreational beach and fish-landing beaches was also carried out, since the different beach types represent different activities that produce debris. Six beaches along the Malaysian coastline were selected for this study. The plastic types in this study were related to the functions of the beach. While recreational beaches have abundant quantities of plastic film, foamed plastic including polystyrene, and plastic fragment, fish-landing beaches accumulated line and foamed plastic. A total of 2542 pieces (265.30 g m(-2)) of small plastic debris were collected from all six beaches, with the highest number from Kuala Terengganu, at 879 items m(-2) on Seberang Takir Beach, followed by Batu Burok Beach with 780 items m(-2). Findings from studies of Malaysian beaches have provided a clearer understanding of the distribution of plastic debris. This demonstrates that commitments and actions, such as practices of the 'reduce, reuse, recycle' (3R) approach, supporting public awareness programmes and beach clean-up activities, are essential in order to reduce and prevent plastic debris pollution.

Epidemiology of malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need of 12-13-year-old Malaysian schoolchildren

Esa R, Razak IA, Allister JH

Community Dent Health, 2001 Mar;18(1):31-6.

PMID: 11421403

Data on malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need in Malaysia are limited. The purpose of this study was to evaluate malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need in a sample of 12-13-year-old schoolchildren using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI), and to assess the relationship between malocclusion and socio-demographic variables, perceptions of need for orthodontic treatment, aesthetic perception and social functioning.

Investigation of delay in utilization of government dental services in Malaysia

Jaafar N, Jalalluddin RL, Razak IA, Esa R

Community Dent Oral Epidemiol, 1992 Jun;20(3):144-7.

PMID: 1623706

Although delays in seeking dental care among patients are frequently observed in daily practice, this problem has never been investigated in other utilization studies. This study attempts to establish the magnitude and severity of the problem of delay in a delivery system where cost is not a major barrier to utilization. 555 users of Government dental services were interviewed. Only 37% of them came promptly within 6 days of perceiving a dental need. The majority (63%) had delayed their dental visit for more than 1 week. In fact, the highest frequency of delay was for more than 1 month. Prompt attendance was found to be associated with people who regularly came for asymptomatic check-ups. In contrast, more than 50% of those who thought they needed fillings and extractions had delayed their visit for more than a month. The main causes of delays were attributed to work commitments and the lack of perceived need for urgent care. Barriers related to transport or financial problems were ranked very low. The implications of these findings are discussed.

A survey on oral hygiene practices among Malaysian adults

Esa R, Razak IA, Jallaudin RL, Jaafar N

Clin Prev Dent, 1992 Jan-Feb;14(1):23-7.

PMID: 1499238

A survey on oral hygiene practices was conducted on 537 dentate adult patients aged 15 years and over. The aim of this study was to investigate the variation in dental behavior with regards to socio-demographic factors, namely age, sex, ethnicity, income, education and occupational status. Patients attending nine randomly selected government dental clinics were interviewed on their daily oral hygiene practices. The majority (89.7%) of the subjects reported that they brushed their teeth, 68% used toothpaste containing fluoride, but only 8.4% flossed their teeth. Generally the younger group had better oral hygiene habits. The higher the socioeconomic status of the adults, the better their toothcleaning practices. Awareness concerning dental floss was low regardless of all the socio-demographic variables. It was concluded that there is a need to improve the dental health practices of adults in Malaysia.

Cross-cultural variations in dental knowledge among antenatal mothers

Esa R, Razak IA, Jalalludin RL

Odontostomatol Trop, 1992 Mar;15(1):19-23.

PMID: 1287607

This study evaluates the level of dental knowledge among 328 antenatal mothers from different ethnic groups and ascertains the importance of the various sources of dental information. The mothers were interviewed based on a structured questionnaire. Most mothers knew about the number of sets of teeth they possessed throughout their life. This was most evident among the Chinese and least among the Malays. Only 42.7% of the mothers interviewed were positive about the preservation of their teeth throughout life. This belief was highest among the Chinese followed by the Indians. However about 40% of the Chinese believed that tooth decay is hereditary. Generally the principal sources of dental information cited by most mothers were television or radio followed by dentists, school and family. This order of importance was similarly observed among the Malays and Chinese. However, among Indians, family members represent the second most important source of dental information. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Survivorship approaches to measuring and comparing cull rates for dairies

Karuppanan P, Thurmond MC, Gardner IA

Prev Vet Med, 1997 May;30(2):171-9.

PMID: 9234420

A study was undertaken to develop the use of survivorship methods in characterizing the magnitude of culling and in testing for differences in culling among dairy herds. A prospective observational study was conducted on nine herds representing 19482 cows. The cull rate derived from survivorship data was estimated as the weighted slope of the cumulative proportion of cows remaining in a herd after first parturition, where cumulative proportion was computed using a cohort life-table with intervals of 1 month. Cull rates ranged from 9.0-13.8% per 12 months of age, compared with culling density rates of 22.2-39.7 culled per 100 cow-years. Comparison of ranks of density rates, weighted-slope rates and median ages at culling among the herds illustrated that the measures were not interchangeable. An advantage of a survivorship approach to measuring culling was illustrated by the use of the Cox proportional hazards model that tested for differences in cull rates among herds. Results suggested that variation in culling among herds during the first lactation, and particularly during the first part of the first lactation, may be an important consideration in future studies of optimal culling practices. In addition to being able to compare culling among herds, a survivorship approach to measuring culling provides an estimate of the rate of removal that is not biased by age, in contrast to currently used methods.

Fulltext Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the cranial vault mimicking a meningioma: a case report

Muin IA, Saffari HM, Hasimah YN

Med J Malaysia, 1997 Mar;52(1):86-8.

PMID: 10968060

Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the brain is rare. Majority of the lesions are intraaxial, multicentric and involve the leptomeninges. We report a case of malignant primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma arising from the cranial vault. Computed tomography of the brain showed an extraaxial lesion in the right parietal region mimicking a meningioma.

Age, sex and ethnic trends in tooth loss due to caries

Razak IA, Jaafar N, Nor GM

Odontostomatol Trop, 1989 Dec;12(4):143-5.

PMID: 2638746

Trends in tooth loss due to caries and periodontal disease by tooth type

Jaafar N, Razak IA, Nor GM

Singapore Dent J, 1989 Dec;14(1):39-41.

PMID: 2487474

Although the patterns of dental disease is gradually changing, caries and periodontal disease still account for the most important reason for extractions in most countries. However their relative contributions towards overall tooth mortality figures varies. The aim of this study is to investigate the types of teeth usually associated with extractions due to caries or periodontal disease and its relation to the age at which the tooth was lost. The highest proportion of extractions due to caries occurred between 21 to 30 years of age while that for periodontal disease occurred between 41 to 50 years. For caries, the greatest proportion of extractions involved the posterior teeth. The most frequently extracted teeth due to caries are the molars, in particular the first permanent molar. However, for periodontal disease a slightly greater proportion of anterior teeth were lost than the posteriors. This trend is more marked in the lower jaw than the upper. Overall, extractions related to caries tend to increase posteriorly, while that for periodontal disease tend to increase anteriorly.

Awareness and attitudes toward hepatitis B among Malaysian dentists

Razak IA, Latifah RJ, Nasruddin J, Esa R

Clin Prev Dent, 1991 Jul-Aug;13(4):22-4.

PMID: 1884572

A questionnaire was mailed to 1217 dentists whose names appear in the Dentist Register of 1987 in order to assess their awareness and acceptance of hepatitis B vaccine and their pattern of glove usage. Almost all the respondents (99.6%) were aware of the availability of the hepatitis B vaccine yet only 44.8% have received the vaccine. This is in spite of the fact that the majority (61.2%) of the vaccine non-acceptors have no reservations concerning the vaccine. About 71% and 63% of the vaccine-acceptors and non-acceptors respectively believed that the risk of their contracting hepatitis B was high or very high. About 22% of the vaccine non-acceptors never used gloves when treating patients as compared to 9% among vaccine acceptors. Overall, about 78% of the respondents have experienced needleprick injuries in the 3 years preceding the survey.

Patients' preference for exodontia versus preservation in Malaysia

Razak IA, Jaafar N, Jalalludin RL, Esa R

Community Dent Oral Epidemiol, 1990 Jun;18(3):131-2.

PMID: 2350948

A total of 537 dentate adults from nine randomly selected government dental centers in three states in Malaysia were interviewed to assess their preference for either exodontia or preservation of teeth when they experience toothache, or have carious anterior or posterior teeth. The assumptions tested were i) patients prefer exodontia rather than preservation when they have toothache, and ii) patients are more willing to have posterior teeth extracted than anterior teeth for caries. Both these assumptions were rejected. Even though the majority of the subjects preferred preservation (59%) when having toothache, exodontia was the treatment of choice in a large proportion of subjects (41%). Significant differences in preference were found among the various ethnic, educational, income, and age groups. However, when ethnicity was held constant, binary regression indicated that the variations observed were determined by education, income, and age groups and not by ethnicity.

The prevalence and distribution of enamel defects in 11-12 year old Malaysian schoolchildren

Nik-Hussein NN, Razak IA

Ann Acad Med Singap, 1989 Sep;18(5):591-3.

PMID: 2619248

The prevalence and symmetrical distribution of enamel defects were studied in 218 Malaysian school children aged 11-12 years old. The tooth prevalence of enamel defect was 40.3 per cent. The first permanent molars were the most severely affected, whereas the lower incisors were the least severely affected. Overall there was no sex difference. Distribution of symmetry was assessed between the right and left tooth pairs as well as for upper and lower teeth. A higher proportion of symmetry was observed for the right and left tooth pairs and the lingual surfaces showed a greater percentage of bilateral distribution.

The social impact of oral and facial pain in an industrial population

Jaafar N, Razak IA, Zain RB

Ann Acad Med Singap, 1989 Sep;18(5):553-5.

PMID: 2619246

The aim of this study is to determine the social impact of oral and facial pain in a sample involving an industrial population. Out of a total of 355 subjects interviewed, nearly one-half claimed to have oral and facial pain in the previous one month prior to the survey. The most common type of pain was that related to hot or cold fluids or sweet things followed by toothache. On the average, the pain lasted for 4.2 days (SD = 4.9) per person in the past one-month. About one in five persons with pain reported that it was severe enough to disrupt sleep. About one in ten persons reporting pain had to take sick leave because of the pain. However, only one in four persons with pain consulted a doctor or dentist. More than one-third tried to cope with the pain and did nothing while the rest tried various means of self-cure. It is therefore postulated that in this population, pain per se is a poor predictor of utilisation of dental services. Further research into pain coping behaviour and how this affects of pattern of utilisation of dental services is indicated in order to formulate a strategy to encourage the habit of seeking prompt dental care by the target population.

An epidemiological study of syphilis and predictors of treatment failure in University Malaya Medical Centre

Mohamed AK, Raja IA, Rukumani DV

Med J Malaysia, 2020 05;75(3):199-203.

PMID: 32467532

INTRODUCTION: There are limited studies on the epidemiology of syphilis in Malaysia. In this study we describe the clinical features and treatment outcomes of patients with syphilis attending a tertiary referral university hospital.

METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the case records of patients with positive serology findings for syphilis in University Malaya Medical Center (UMMC) from January 2010 to December 2015. Serological positivity was defined as having a positive rapid plasma reagin (RPR) or Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) with a confirmatory positive Treponema pallidum particle agglutination assay (TPPA). Treatment outcomes were divided into two, success or failure. Demographic and clinical characteristics associated with predictors of treatment failure were assessed using statistical package for the social science (SPSS). This study also included a neurosyphilis descriptive sub-study.

RESULTS: There were 637 patients identified with positive syphilis serology, but 258 patients were excluded as they did not meet the inclusion criteria. 379 patients were then taken for the demographic study; 14 patients (3.7%) were treated for neurosyphilis; 170 patients with complete data were included. In all 42/170 (24.7%) failed treatment, 12/170 (7.1%) had reinfection and 116/170 (68.2%) had treatment success. A final number of 158 patients were then taken and analyzed for predictors of treatment failure after excluding the 12 reinfection patients. Only low baseline RPR (<1:16) was found to be significant on multivariate logistic regression analysis (p value: 0.007, 95% CI: 1.42, 9.21).

CONCLUSION: Most of the patients were HIV positive and from the MSM (Men who have sex with Men) population. Low baseline RPR titre is a predictor of treatment failure.

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