MyMedR

Displaying publications 41 - 60 of 66 in total

Abstract:

Sort:

Fulltext 4-[(1E)-({[(Benzyl-sulfan-yl)methane-thio-yl]amino}-imino)-meth-yl]benzene-1,3-diol chloro-form hemisolvate: crystal structure, Hirshfeld surface analysis and computational study

Khairuanuar NL, Crouse KA, Kwong HC, Tan SL, Tiekink ERT

Acta Crystallogr E Crystallogr Commun, 2020 Jul 01;76(Pt 7):990-997.
PMID: 32695439 DOI: 10.1107/S2056989020007070

The title hydrazine carbodi-thio-ate chloro-form hemisolvate, 2C15H14N2O2S2·CHCl3, comprises two independent hydrazine carbodi-thio-ate mol-ecules, A and B, and a chloro-form mol-ecule; the latter is statistically disordered about its mol-ecular threefold axis. The common features of the organic mol-ecules include an almost planar, central CN2S2 chromophore [r.m.s. deviation = 0.0203 Å (A) and 0.0080 Å (B)], an E configuration about the imine bond and an intra-molecular hydroxyl-O-H⋯N(imine) hydrogen bond. The major conformational difference between the mol-ecules is seen in the relative dispositions of the phenyl rings as indicated by the values of the dihedral angles between the central plane and phenyl ring of 71.21 (6)° (A) and 54.73 (7)° (B). Finally, a difference is seen in the disposition of the outer hydroxyl-H atoms, having opposite relative orientations. In the calculated gas-phase structure, the entire mol-ecule is planar with the exception of the perpendicular phenyl ring. In the mol-ecular packing, the A and B mol-ecules assemble into a two-mol-ecule aggregate via N-H⋯S hydrogen bonds and eight-membered {⋯HNCS}2 synthons. The dimeric assemblies are connected into supra-molecular chains via hydroxyl-O-H⋯O(hydrox-yl) hydrogen bonds and these are linked into a double-chain through hy-droxy-O-H⋯π(phen-yl) inter-actions. The double-chains are connected into a three-dimensional architecture through phenyl-C-H⋯O(hydrox-yl) and phenyl-C-H⋯π(phen-yl) inter-actions. The overall assembly defines columns along the a-axis direction in which reside the chloro-form mol-ecules, which are stabilized by chloro-form-methine-C-H⋯S(thione) and phenyl-C-H⋯Cl contacts. The analysis of the calculated Hirshfeld surfaces, non-covalent inter-action plots and inter-action energies confirm the importance of the above-mentioned inter-actions, but also of cooperative, non-standard inter-actions such as π(benzene)⋯π(hydrogen-bond-mediated-ring) contacts.
Fulltext 2,2'-(Disulfanedi-yl)di-benzoic acid N,N-di-methyl-formamide monosolvate: crystal structure, Hirshfeld surface analysis and computational study

Tan SL, Tiekink ERT

Acta Crystallogr E Crystallogr Commun, 2020 Jul 01;76(Pt 7):1150-1157.
PMID: 32695471 DOI: 10.1107/S2056989020008257

The title 1:1 solvate, C14H10O4S2·C3H7NO, features a twisted mol-ecule of 2,2'-di-thiodi-benzoic acid (DTBA), with the central C-S-S-C torsion angle being -88.57 (6)°, and a mol-ecule of di-methyl-formamide (DMF). The carb-oxy-lic acid groups are, respectively, close to co-planar and twisted with respect to the benzene rings to which they are connected as seen in the CO2/C6 torsion angles of 1.03 (19) and 7.4 (2)°. Intra-molecular, hypervalent S←O inter-actions are noted [S⋯O = 2.6140 (9) and 2.6827 (9) Å]. In the crystal, four-mol-ecule aggregates are formed via DTBA-O-H⋯O(DMF) and DTBA-O-H⋯O(DTBA) hydrogen bonding, the latter via an eight-membered {⋯OHCO}2 homosynthon. These are linked into supra-molecular layers parallel to (011) via benzene-C-H⋯O(DTBA) and DTBA-C=O⋯π(benzene) inter-actions, with the connections between these, giving rise to a three-dimensional architecture, being of the type benzene-C-H⋯π(benzene). An analysis of the calculated Hirshfeld surfaces indicates, in addition to the aforementioned inter-molecular contacts, the presence of stabilizing inter-actions between a benzene ring and a quasi-π-system defined by O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds between a DTBA dimer, i.e. the eight-membered {⋯OCOH}2 ring system, and between a benzene ring and a quasi-π(OCOH⋯OCH) system arising from the DTBA-O-H⋯O(DMF) hydrogen bond. The inter-centroid separations are 3.65 and 3.49 Å, respectively.
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.
Modulation of the mechanical responses of synovial fibroblasts by osteoarthritis-associated inflammatory stressors

Jamal J, Roebuck MM, Lee SY, Frostick SP, Abbas AA, Merican AM, et al.

Int J Biochem Cell Biol, 2020 09;126:105800.
PMID: 32673644 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2020.105800

OBJECTIVES: To compare mechanobiological response of synovial fibroblasts (SFb) from OA patient cohorts under mechanical load and inflammatory stressors for better understanding of SFb homeostatic functions.
METHODS: Primary SFb isolated from knee synovium of OA obese (OA-ob:SFb), OA-pre-obese (OA-Pob:SFb), non-OA arthroscopic (scope:SFb), and non-OA arthroscopic with cartilage damage (scope-CD:SFb) were exposed to OA-conditioned media (OACM), derived from OA obese (OA-ob:CM), OA-pre-obese (OA-Pob:CM), and mechanical stretch at either 0 %, 6 % or 10 % for 24 h. Differences in the mRNA levels of genes involved in extracellular matrix production, inflammation and secretory activity were measured.
RESULTS: Despite the significant BMI differences between the OA-ob and OA-Pob groups, OA-Pob has more patients with underlying dyslipidaemia, and low-grade synovitis with higher levels of secreted proteins, CXCL8, COL4A1, CCL4, SPARC and FGF2 in OA-Pob:CM. All primary SFb exhibited anti-proliferative activity with both OA-CM. Mechanical stretch stimulated lubricin production in scope:SFb, higher TGFβ1 and COL1A1 expressions in scope-CD:SFb. OA-Pob:CM stimulated greater detrimental effects than the OA-ob:CM, with higher pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL1β, IL6, COX2 and proteases such as aggrecanases, ADAMTS4 and ADAMTS5, and lower ECM matrix, COL1A1 expressions in all SFb. OA-ob:SFb were unresponsive but expressed higher pro-inflammatory cytokines under OA-Pob:CM treatment.
CONCLUSION: Both mechanical and inflammatory stressors regulate SFb molecular functions with heterogeneity in responses that are dependent on their pathological tissue of origins. While mechanical stretch promotes a favorable effect with enhanced lubricin production in scope:SFb and TGFβ1 and COL1A1 in scope-CD:SFb, the presence of excessively high OA-associated inflammatory mediators in OA-Pob:CM, predominantly SPARC, CXCL8 and FGF2 drive all SFb regardless of pathology, towards greater pro-inflammatory activities.
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.
Fulltext Development of a novel in vitro insulin resistance model in primary human tenocytes for diabetic tendinopathy research

Tan HY, Tan SL, Teo SH, Roebuck MM, Frostick SP, Kamarul T

PeerJ, 2020;8:e8740.
PMID: 32587790 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8740

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) had been reported to be associated with tendinopathy. However, the underlying mechanisms of diabetic tendinopathy still remain largely to be discovered. The purpose of this study was to develop insulin resistance (IR) model on primary human tenocytes (hTeno) culture with tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) treatment to study tenocytes homeostasis as an implication for diabetic tendinopathy.
Methods: hTenowere isolated from human hamstring tendon. Presence of insulin receptor beta (INSR-β) on normal tendon tissues and the hTeno monolayer culture were analyzed by immunofluorescence staining. The presence of Glucose Transporter Type 1 (GLUT1) and Glucose Transporter Type 4 (GLUT4) on the hTeno monolayer culture were also analyzed by immunofluorescence staining. Primary hTeno were treated with 0.008, 0.08, 0.8 and 8.0 µM of TNF-α, with and without insulin supplement. Outcome measures include 2-[N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl) amino]-2-deoxy-d-glucose (2-NBDG) assay to determine the glucose uptake activity; colourimetric total collagen assay to quantify the total collagen expression levels; COL-I ELISA assay to measure the COL-I expression levels and real-time qPCR to analyze the mRNA gene expressions levels of Scleraxis (SCX), Mohawk (MKX), type I collagen (COL1A1), type III collagen (COL3A1), matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-9 and MMP-13 in hTeno when treated with TNF-α. Apoptosis assay for hTeno induced with TNF-α was conducted using Annexin-V FITC flow cytometry analysis.
Results: Immunofluorescence imaging showed the presence of INSR-β on the hTeno in the human Achilles tendon tissues and in the hTeno in monolayer culture. GLUT1 and GLUT4 were both positively expressed in the hTeno. TNF-α significantly reduced the insulin-mediated 2-NBDG uptake in all the tested concentrations, especially at 0.008 µM. Total collagen expression levels and COL-I expression levels in hTeno were also significantly reduced in hTeno treated with 0.008 µM of TNF-α. The SCX, MKX and COL1A1 mRNA expression levels were significantly downregulated in all TNF-α treated hTeno, whereas the COL3A1, MMP-9 and MMP-13 were significantly upregulated in the TNF-α treated cells. TNF-α progressively increased the apoptotic cells at 48 and 72 h.
Conclusion: At 0.008 µM of TNF-α, an IR condition was induced in hTeno, supported with the significant reduction in glucose uptake, as well as significantly reduced total collagen, specifically COL-I expression levels, downregulation of candidate tenogenic markers genes (SCX and MKX), and upregulation of ECM catabolic genes (MMP-9 and MMP-13). Development of novel IR model in hTeno provides an insight on how tendon homeostasis could be affected and can be used as a tool for further discovering the effects on downstream molecular pathways, as the implication for diabetic tendinopathy.
Fulltext Synthesis, characterization and evaluation of antidengue activity of enantiomeric Schiff bases derived from S-substituted dithiocarbazate

Maryam M, Tan SL, Crouse KA, Mohamed Tahir MI, Chee HY

Turk J Chem, 2020;44(5):1395-1409.
PMID: 33488239 DOI: 10.3906/kim-2006-22

A series of Schiff bases have been successfully synthesized through the acid-catalyzed condensation of S-substituted dithiocarbazates and three enantiomerically pure monoterpenes, (1 R )-(+)-camphor, (1 S )-(-)-camphor, (1 R )-(-)-camphorquinone, (1 S )-(+)-camphorquinone, ( R )-(-)-carvone and ( S )-(+)-carvone. Spectroscopic results revealed that the Schiff bases containing camphor or carvone likely adopted an E -configuration along the characteristic imine bond while those containing camphorquinone assumed a Z -configuration. The antidengue potential of these compounds was evaluated based on DENV 2 caused cytopathic effect (CPE) reduction-based in vitro evaluation. The compounds were validated through secondary foci forming unit reduction assay (FFURA). Compounds were also tested for their cytotoxicity against Vero cells. The compounds showed variable degrees of antiviral activity with the camphor compounds displaying the highest antidengue potential. The enantiomers of the compounds behaved almost similarly during the antiviral evaluation.
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.
Fulltext Understanding the Slow COVID-19 Trajectory of Cambodia

Nit B, Samy AL, Tan SL, Vory S, Lim Y, Nugraha RR, et al.

Public Health Pract (Oxf), 2021 Nov;2:100073.
PMID: 33521738 DOI: 10.1016/j.puhip.2020.100073

COVID-19 has resulted in large number of mortalities across the globe. However, Cambodia has recorded low number of COVID-19 cases with no death. A number of factors buttress the accuracy of this phenomenon such as significant support from international health partners, culture of wearing a face mask when sick, timely response of Cambodia's neighbouring countries, and the compliance of the general public to the restrictions. Cambodia started to take stringent measures and augmented efforts to initiate policies and plans to curb the spread of the virus, including but not limited to: closure of inbound and outbound borders, shutting down of schools, and banning religious activities, gatherings and meetings, with more than 50 people. Another source of success of Cambodia is extensive mass testing, complemented with contact tracing. A strategy called "box in" the virus was introduced. Healthcare workers were trained to help in contact tracing and detection at the community level. Measures enacted so far has helped Cambodia control the pandemic. Other countries could adopt and adapt to the policies and best practices of Cambodia. However, possibilities of new waves of the pandemic may affect the country, thus, the Cambodian government needs to be cautious when lifting restrictions to avoid explosion of new cases.
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
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
Editorial for the Special Issue: Revolutionizing Regenerative Research Strategies Toward Precision Medicine-Asia-Pacific Region

Ramasamy R, Yahaya BH, Tan SL

Tissue Eng Part C Methods, 2022 10;28(10):499-500.
PMID: 36326783 DOI: 10.1089/ten.tec.2022.29035.editorial
TGF-β1 and -β3 for Mesenchymal Stem Cells Chondrogenic Differentiation on Poly (Vinyl Alcohol)-Chitosan-Poly (Ethylene Glycol) Scaffold

Wee AS, Lim CK, Tan SL, Ahmad TS, Kamarul T

Tissue Eng Part C Methods, 2022 10;28(10):501-510.
PMID: 36082992 DOI: 10.1089/ten.TEC.2022.0112

Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) has been reported to promote chondrogenic differentiation and proliferation in the multipotent stromal cell (MSCs), and the transforming growth factor-beta 3 (TGF-β3) tends to be exclusively in promoting cell differentiation alone. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of TGF-β1 and -β3 on the MSCs chondrogenic differentiation on the poly (vinyl alcohol)-chitosan-poly (ethylene glycol) (PVA-NOCC-PEG) scaffold, compared with that of monolayer and pellet cultures. In this study, P2 rabbit bone marrow-derived MSCs were seeded either on the untreated six-well plate (for monolayer culture) or onto the PVA-NOCC-PEG scaffold or cultured as a pellet culture. The cultures were maintained in a chemically defined serum-free medium supplemented with 10 ng/mL of either TGF-β1 or TGF-β3. Cell viability assay, biochemical assay, and real-time polymerase chain reaction were performed to determine the net effect of cell proliferation and chondrogenic differentiation of each of the growth factors. The results showed that the PVA-NOCC-PEG scaffold enhanced MSCs cell proliferation from day 12 to 30 (p 0.05). In terms of chondrogenic differentiation, the PVA-NOCC-PEG scaffold augmented the GAGs secretion in MSCs and the mRNA expression levels of Sox9, Col2a1, Acan, and Comp were elevated (p 0.05). In conclusion, TGF-β1 and TGF-β3 enhanced the chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs seeded on the PVA-NOCC-PEG scaffold; however, there was no significant difference between the effect of TGF-β1 and TGF-β3. Impact statement Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) superfamily members is a key requirement for the in vitro chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). In this study, the effects of TGF-β1 and -β3 on MSC chondrogenic differentiation and proliferation on a novel three-dimensional scaffold, the poly(vinyl alcohol)-chitosan-poly(ethylene glycol) (PVA-NOCC-PEG) scaffold, was evaluated. In this study, the results showed both TGF-β1 and TGF-β3 can enhance the chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs seeded on the PVA-NOCC-PEG scaffold.
A Systematic Review of Extracellular Vesicle-Derived Piwi-Interacting RNA in Human Body Fluid and Its Role in Disease Progression

Goh TX, Tan SL, Roebuck MM, Teo SH, Kamarul T

Tissue Eng Part C Methods, 2022 10;28(10):511-528.
PMID: 35959742 DOI: 10.1089/ten.TEC.2022.0092

The state of host cells is reflected in the cargo carried by their extracellular vesicles (EVs). This makes EV a potential source of biomarkers for human diseases. Piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) regulates gene expression through epigenetic regulation and post-transcriptional gene silencing. Thus, piRNA profiling in EVs derived from human clinical samples could identify markers that characterize disease stages and unveil their roles in disease pathology. This review aimed to report the expression profiles of EV-derived piRNA (EV-piRNA) in various human samples, as well as their role in each pathology. A systematic review was conducted to collate the findings of human EV-piRNA from original research articles published in indexed scientific journals up to February 16, 2022. Article searches were performed in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases, using a combination of keywords, including "EV" and "piRNA." A total of 775 nonredundant original articles were identified. After subjecting articles to inclusion and exclusion criteria, 34 articles were accepted for this review. The piRNA expression levels among the small RNA profiles of human-derived EVs range from 0.09% to 43.84%, with the lowest expression level reported in urine-derived EVs and the highest percentage in plasma-derived EVs. Differentially expressed EV-piRNAs have been identified in patients with specific disease conditions compared to their counterparts (healthy control), suggesting an association between piRNA and progression in various diseases. Seven articles identified piRNA putative target genes and/or the pathway enrichment of piRNA target genes, and one study demonstrated a direct role of piRNA candidates in disease pathology. In conclusion, EV-piRNA has been isolated successfully from various human body fluids. EV-piRNA is a new research niche in human disease pathology. The expression profiles of EV-piRNA in various tissue types and disease conditions remain largely unexplored. Furthermore, there is currently a lack of guidelines on piRNA bioinformatics analysis, which could lead to inconsistent results and thus hinder the progression of piRNA discoveries. Finally, the lack of published scientific evidence on the role of EV-piRNA supports the need for future research to focus on the functional analysis of EV-piRNA as part of the route in piRNA discoveries.
An Exploration of Death Anxiety of Family Members of Silent Mentor Body Donation Program

Wong LP, Alias H, Tan SL, Sia TE, Saw A

Omega (Westport), 2022 Oct 10.
PMID: 36217612 DOI: 10.1177/00302228221132902

Background: This study assesses the level of death anxiety among the family members of the Silent Mentor Programme (SMP) and determines whether their participation in various ceremonies during the training session impacted their death anxiety. Methods: The revised Collett-Lester Fear of Death Scale (CL-FODS) was administered to the study participants before the opening ceremony and after the sending-off ceremony of the programme. Results: All the four subscales that measure fear of one's own death, fear of the process of one's own dying, fear of the death of others and fear of the process of others dying in the CL-FODS showed significant reduction after the sending-off ceremony compared with before the opening ceremony. Younger family members reported significantly higher mean total death anxiety scores compared to the older members. Conclusion: The SMP not only nurtures doctors with humanity but also helps the family members to cope with grief and loss.
Prevalence of COVID-19 among healthcare workers in the paediatric department: Estimates from a multicenter cross-sectional survey in Negeri Sembilan

David NCE, Juliana H, Chok M, Gan YZ, Tan YC, Nur Adlina MN, et al.

Med J Malaysia, 2023 Jan;78(1):80-86.
PMID: 36715196

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has reached a phase where many have been infected at least once. Healthcare workers were not spared from being infected. This study aimed to determine the period prevalence of COVID-19 among the paediatric healthcare workers in Negeri Sembilan as the country transitioned into an endemic phase of the pandemic. Additionally, we investigate potential sociodemographic and occupational characteristics associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection among healthcare workers.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the healthcare workers in the paediatric department at three public specialist hospitals in Negeri Sembilan between 15 and 21 April 2022. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire.
RESULTS: Out of the 504 eligible healthcare workers, 493 participated in this study (response rate 97.8%). The overall prevalence of COVID-19 (11 March 2020-15 April 2022) among healthcare workers was 50.9%. The majority (80.1%) were infected during the Omicron wave two months before the survey. Household contacts accounted for 35.9% of infection sources. The proportion of non-doctors in the COVID-19-infected group was significantly higher compared to the non-infected group (74.1% vs 64.0%, p=0.016). The COVID-19-infected group had a higher proportion of schoolgoing children (44.6% vs 30.6%, p=0.001) and children who attended pre-school/sent to the babysitter (49.0% vs 24.4%, p<0.001). There were no significant differences between infection rates among the healthcare workers working in the tertiary hospital and the district hospitals. There were also no significant differences in the proportion of COVID-19- infected doctors and nurses when analysed by seniority.
CONCLUSION: Our study provided an estimate on the prevalence of COVID-19 among paediatric healthcare workers in Negeri Sembilan and the factors associated with infection, which captures the extent and magnitude of this pandemic on the state's paediatric department. Most infections resulted from household contact, with a higher proportion of infected healthcare workers having young children.
Psychological Consequences of the Delay in the Silent Mentor Programme During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspectives From Family Members of Silent Mentors

Wong LP, Tan SL, Alias H, Sia TE, Saw A

Omega (Westport), 2023 Mar;86(4):1176-1189.
PMID: 33818157 DOI: 10.1177/00302228211000952

The COVID-19 pandemic has put a hold on the Silent Mentor Programme (SMP); this pause has not only caused unprecedented challenges for the delivery of medical education but has forced changes in the programme ceremony sessions. We aimed to describe the psychological impact and experiences of family members of silent mentors during the COVID-19 pandemic using qualitative interviews. Many expressed feelings of remorse and unrest about the unprecedented delay of the SMP. The delay increased negative emotions particularly among some elderly family members; however, there was no prominent negative effect on their functional health and well-being. Several participants relayed the belief that the soul cannot rest until the body receives a proper burial while some worried about the deterioration of the physical condition of the mentors. In conclusion, findings provide insights into the importance of not overlooking the mental health implications of delaying the SMP in future outbreaks or crises.
Fulltext Tranexamic Acid in Non-Traumatic Intracerebral Haemorrhage (TANICH II): Introducing the Potential Role of 3 g Tranexamic Acid in Haematoma Reduction

Arumugam A, Tan SE, Tan SL, Tan JE, Hussin FH, Zenian MS, et al.

Malays J Med Sci, 2023 Jun;30(3):93-102.
PMID: 37425386 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2023.30.3.8

BACKGROUND: Intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) can be devastating, particularly if haematoma expansion occurs. The efficacy of tranexamic acid (TXA), an anti-fibrinolytic agent, in reducing haematoma expansion is now being studied worldwide. However, the optimal dosage of TXA has yet to be determined. This study was designed to further establish the potential of different doses of TXA.
METHODS: A double-blinded, randomised, placebo-controlled study was carried out among adults with non-traumatic ICH. Eligible study subjects were randomly assigned to receive placebo, 2-g TXA treatment or 3-g TXA treatment. Haematoma volumes before and after intervention were measured using the planimetric method.
RESULTS: A total of 60 subjects with 20 subjects in each treatment group were recruited for this study. Among the 60 subjects, the majority were male (n = 36, 60%), had known cases of hypertension (n = 43, 71.7%) and presented with full Glasgow coma scale (GCS) (n = 41, 68.3%). The results showed that there was no statistically significant difference (P = 0.315) in the mean changes of haematoma volume when compared with three study groups using ANCOVA, although the 3-g TXA group was the only group that showed haematoma volume reduction (mean reduction of 0.2 cm3) instead of expansion as in placebo (mean expansion 1.8 cm3) and 2-g TXA (mean expansion 0.3 cm3) groups. Good recovery was observed in all study groups, with only three subjects being moderately disabled. No adverse effects were reported in any of the study groups.
CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first clinical study using 3 g of TXA in the management of non-traumatic ICH. From our study, 3 g of TXA may potentially be helpful in reducing haematoma volume. Nonetheless, a larger-scale randomised controlled trial should be carried out to further establish the role of 3 g of TXA in non-traumatic ICH.
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.
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.

Filters

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

External Links