Displaying publications 661 - 680 of 1048 in total

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  1. Fulltext Ultrasound exposure during pregnancy affects rabbit foetal parathyroid hormone (PTH) level
    Md Dom S, Abdul Razak HR, Ahmad Zaiki FW, Saat NH, Abd Manan K, Che Isa IN, et al.
    Quant Imaging Med Surg, 2013 Feb;3(1):49-53.
    PMID: 23483040 DOI: 10.3978/j.issn.2223-4292.2013.02.06
    The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in parathyroid hormone (PTH) level of rabbit foetal bodies exposed to ultrasound at different gestational stages. A total of 9 pregnant rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were insonated for 60 minutes at the middle of 1(st), 2(nd) and 3(rd) gestational stages for group A (n=14 newborns), group B (n=7 newborns) and group C (n=24 newborns) respectively. Seven pregnant rabbits with 41 newborns severed as negative control group. Blood samples were withdrawn from each newborn rabbits for Parathyroid Hormone-Intact (PTH-I) test. Results of the independent samples t-test implied statistically significant differences (P<0.05) between the control group and the 1(st) stage (P=0.001), the 2(nd) stage (P<0.001) and the 3(rd) stage group (P<0.001). This in-vivo study revealed diagnostic ultrasound heating has the potential of affecting foetal PTH level. This study observed significantly low PTH level for all the treated groups. A further study should be instituted to determine whether this finding in rabbit may also occur in human by means of clinical trials.
  2. Fulltext Seroprevalence and Risk Factors of Toxoplasma gondii in Ruminant Meats from Wet Markets in Klang Valley and Abattoirs in Selangor, Malaysia
    Abdul Hamid N, Sadiq MB, Ramanoon SZ, Mansor R, Watanabe M, Md Isa NM, et al.
    Animals (Basel), 2020 Jul 06;10(7).
    PMID: 32640507 DOI: 10.3390/ani10071139
    (1) Background: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of T. gondii in meats of cattle, goat and sheep from wet markets in Klang Valley, and abattoirs in Selangor, Malaysia; (2) Methods: A total of 192 meat samples were purchased from 51 wet markets in six districts in Klang Valley (Gombak, Klang, Kuala Lumpur, Hulu Langat, Petaling and Putrajaya). Meanwhile, a total of 200 diaphragm samples were collected from two government abattoirs located in Shah Alam and Banting, Selangor. All meat juices from samples were subjected to an indirect-ELISA kit for the presence of T. gondii IgG antibodies. Furthermore, all 184 meat samples of goat and sheep were subjected to conventional nested PCR (B1 genes) for the detection of T. gondii DNA; (3) Results: T. gondii antibodies were detected in 25% (n = 98/392) of the samples with seroprevalence of 9.1% (19/208, CI: 5.9%-13.8%) in cattle meat; 54.7% (41/75, 95% CI: 43.5%-65.4%) in goat meat and 34.9% (38/109, CI: 26.6%-44.2%) in sheep meat. No T. gondii DNA was detected in any of the meat samples of goat and sheep. T. gondii seropositivity in wet market samples was higher in goat (OR = 37.1 CI 12.4-110.3) and sheep meat (OR 9.03 CI: 3.28-24.8) compared to cattle meat (OR = 1.0) At univariate level, meat from non-licensed abattoirs (OR = 6.0 CI: 2.9-12.3) and female animals (OR = 6.7; CI 1.9-22.6) had higher risks of being seropositive for T. gondii antibodies than licensed abattoirs and male animals, respectively. (4) Conclusions: This is the first report of seroprevalence of T. gondii in ruminant meats for human consumption in Malaysia. The findings signified high exposure of meat samples from wet markets to T. gondii and the need for control measures to reduce the likelihood of infection when such raw or undercooked meats are consumed.
  3. Fulltext Remote Heparin-Induced Haemorrhagic Bullae Occurring in a Patient Treated for Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Rare Entity
    Mohd Parid R, Wan Ahmad Kammal WSL, Jamil A, Wan Ahmad Kammal WSE, Md Isa N, Md Nor N
    Acta Cardiol Sin, 2021 Jan;37(1):111-113.
    PMID: 33488036 DOI: 10.6515/ACS.202101_37(1).20201014A
  4. Fulltext Genomic analyses of two novel biofilm-degrading methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus phages
    Dakheel KH, Rahim RA, Neela VK, Al-Obaidi JR, Hun TG, Isa MNM, et al.
    BMC Microbiol, 2019 05 28;19(1):114.
    PMID: 31138130 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-019-1484-9
    BACKGROUND: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) biofilm producers represent an important etiological agent of many chronic human infections. Antibiotics and host immune responses are largely ineffective against bacteria within biofilms. Alternative actions and novel antimicrobials should be considered. In this context, the use of phages to destroy MRSA biofilms presents an innovative alternative mechanism.

    RESULTS: Twenty-five MRSA biofilm producers were used as substrates to isolate MRSA-specific phages. Despite the difficulties in obtaining an isolate of this phage, two phages (UPMK_1 and UPMK_2) were isolated. Both phages varied in their ability to produce halos around their plaques, host infectivity, one-step growth curves, and electron microscopy features. Furthermore, both phages demonstrated antagonistic infectivity on planktonic cultures. This was validated in an in vitro static biofilm assay (in microtiter-plates), followed by the visualization of the biofilm architecture in situ via confocal laser scanning microscopy before and after phage infection, and further supported by phages genome analysis. The UPMK_1 genome comprised 152,788 bp coding for 155 putative open reading frames (ORFs), and its genome characteristics were between the Myoviridae and Siphoviridae family, though the morphological features confined it more to the Siphoviridae family. The UPMK_2 has 40,955 bp with 62 putative ORFs; morphologically, it presented the features of the Podoviridae though its genome did not show similarity with any of the S. aureus in the Podoviridae family. Both phages possess lytic enzymes that were associated with a high ability to degrade biofilms as shown in the microtiter plate and CLSM analyses.

    CONCLUSIONS: The present work addressed the possibility of using phages as potential biocontrol agents for biofilm-producing MRSA.

  5. Multiple crystallization as a potential strategy for efficient recovery of succinic acid following fermentation with immobilized cells
    Luthfi AAI, Tan JP, Isa NFAM, Bukhari NA, Shah SSM, Mahmod SS, et al.
    Bioprocess Biosyst Eng, 2020 Jul;43(7):1153-1169.
    PMID: 32095989 DOI: 10.1007/s00449-020-02311-x
    This study aimed to enhance the crystallizability of bio-based succinic acid for its efficient recovery while maintaining the end product at the highest purity. Immobilization of Actinobacillus succinogenes was initially evaluated based on three different carriers: volcanic glass, clay pebbles, and silica particles. The adsorption capacity of metabolites with a low concentration (10 g/L) and a high concentration (40 g/L) was investigated. It was demonstrated that clay pebbles adsorbed the least succinic acid (
  6. Effect of miscentering and low-dose protocols on contrast resolution in computed tomography head examination
    Shaffiq Said Rahmat SM, Abdul Karim MK, Che Isa IN, Abd Rahman MA, Noor NM, Hoong NK
    Comput Biol Med, 2020 08;123:103840.
    PMID: 32658782 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2020.103840
    BACKGROUND: Unoptimized protocols, including a miscentered position, might affect the outcome of diagnostic in CT examinations. In this study, we investigate the effects of miscentering position during CT head examination on the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR).

    METHOD: We simulate the CT head examination using a water phantom with a standard protocol (120 kVp/180 mAs) and a low dose protocol (100 kVp/142 mAs). The table height was adjusted to simulate miscentering by 5 cm from the isocenter, where the height was miscentered superiorly (MCS) at 109, 114, 119, and 124 cm, and miscentered inferiorly (MCI) at 99, 94, 89, and 84 cm. Seven circular regions of interest were used, with one drawn at the center, four at the peripheral area of the phantom, and two at the background area of the image.

    RESULTS: For the standard protocol, the mean CNR decreased uniformly as table height increased and significantly differed (p 

  7. Fulltext Metagenomic datasets of air samples collected during episodes of severe smoke-haze in Malaysia
    James GL, Latif MT, Isa MNM, Bakar MFA, Yusuf NYM, Broughton W, et al.
    Data Brief, 2021 Jun;36:107124.
    PMID: 34095374 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2021.107124
    Transboundary emissions of smoke-haze from land and forest fires have recurred annually during the dry period (June to October, over the past few decades) in South East Asia. Hazardous air quality has been recorded in Malaysia during these episodes. Agricultural practices such as slash-and-burn of biomass and peat fires particularly in Sumatera and Kalimantan, Indonesia, have been implicated as the major causes of the haze. Past findings have shown that a diversity of microbes can thrive in air including in smoke-haze polluted air. In this study, metagenomic data were generated to reveal the diversity of microorganisms in air during days with and without haze. Air samples were collected during non-haze (2013A01) and two haze (2013A04 and 2013A05) periods in the month of June 2013. DNA was extracted from the samples, subjected to Multiple Displacement Amplification and whole genome sequencing (Next Generation Sequencing) using the HiSeq 2000 Platform. Extensive bio-informatic analyses of the raw sequence data then followed. Raw reads from these six air samples were deposited in the NCBI SRA databases under Bioproject PRJNA662021 with accession numbers SRX9087478, SRX9087479 and SRX9087480.
  8. Fulltext Factors Associated with High Patient Activation Level among Individuals with Metabolic Syndrome at a Primary Care Teaching Clinic
    Bahrom NH, Ramli AS, Isa MR, Abdul-Hamid H, Badlishah-Sham SF, Baharudin N, et al.
    J Prim Care Community Health, 2020 6 9;11:2150132720931301.
    PMID: 32507012 DOI: 10.1177/2150132720931301
    Background: High activation level has been associated with higher education background, better self-rated health status, and having adequate health literacy. However, there is a gap in the literature regarding the level of activation and the factors associated with it among patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) in the Malaysian primary care setting. Objectives: This study aims to determine activation levels and the factors associated with high activation among individuals with MetS in primary care. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a university primary care clinic. Patient activation was measured using the Patient Activation Measure®-13 Malay version. Activation levels were dichotomized into "low activation" (levels 1 and 2) and "high activation" (levels 3 and 4). To determine the factors associated with high activation, simple logistic regressions (SLogR) followed by multiple logistic regressions (MLogR) were performed. Results: Of 333 participants, 280 (84.1%) were included in the final analysis. The mean activation score was 59.4 (SD ±10.20) and 61.8% had high activation level. Two variables were found to be significant on MLogR. Those who were employed have the odds of 3.135 (95% CI 1.442-6.816) of having high activation compared with those who were unemployed. Those with good self-reported health status have the odds of 6.482 (95% CI 1.243-33.792) of having high activation compared to those with poor self-reported health status. Conclusions: The majority of participants had high activation levels. Those who were employed and those who had good self-reported health status were more likely to have high activation levels. Findings of this study could be used to develop patient activation interventions to improve self-management skills among individuals with MetS in primary care. These may include problem solving support, individualized care plans, peer or family support, and skill building. Those in high activation group can be trained to become mentors to support their peers who have low activation level.
  9. Responses of testosterone hormone and important inflammatory cytokines in bucks after challenge with Mannheimia haemolytica A2 and its LPS endotoxin
    Azhar NA, Paul BT, Jesse FFA, Chung ELT, Isa KM, Lila MAM, et al.
    Trop Anim Health Prod, 2021 Apr 03;53(2):242.
    PMID: 33811523 DOI: 10.1007/s11250-021-02683-6
    Previous studies have shown that Mannheimia haemolytica A2 is the principal microorganism causing pneumonic mannheimiosis, a major bacterial respiratory disease among sheep and goats. The effect of this bacteria on the respiratory system is well-established. However, its effect on the reproductive physiology remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the alterations in the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines and testosterone hormone post-inoculation with M. haemolytica serotype A2 and its lipopolysaccharide (LPS) endotoxin which were hypothesized to affect the reproductive functions of bucks. Twelve clinically healthy adult male goats were divided equally into three groups. Goats in group 1 were treated with 2 ml of sterile phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) pH 7.0 intranasally (negative control), group 2 with 2 ml of 109 colony-forming unit (CFU) of M. haemolytica serotype A2 intranasally (positive control), and group 3 were treated with 2 ml of lipopolysaccharide extracted from 109 CFU of M. haemolytica serotype A2 intravenously. Following inoculation, blood samples were collected via jugular venipuncture into plain tubes at pre-determined intervals for serum collection to determine the concentration of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and testosterone hormone by using commercial ELISA test kits. Results from this study demonstrated that the inoculation of M. haemolytica A2 and its LPS increases the concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokines but decreases the concentration of testosterone hormone in challenged animals at most time points throughout the 56 days experimental period (p < 0.05). This study suggests that the M. haemolytica A2 and its LPS could alter the concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokines and testosterone hormone, which in turn, may negatively affect the reproductive functions of bucks.
  10. Carboxymethyl Cellulose Hydrogel Based Formulations of Zinc Hydroxide Nitrate-Sodium Dodecylsulphate-Bispyribac Nanocomposite: Advancements in Controlled Release Formulation of Herbicide
    Mohd Sharif SN, Hashim N, Md Isa I, Abu Bakar S, Idris Saidin M, Syahrizal Ahmad M, et al.
    J Nanosci Nanotechnol, 2021 12 01;21(12):5867-5880.
    PMID: 34229781 DOI: 10.1166/jnn.2021.19499
    The usefulness of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as a matrix material in enhancing the controlled release formulations of bispyribac (BP) herbicide from the interlayer gallery of zinc hydroxide nitratesodium dodecylsulphate-bispyribac (ZHN-SDS-BP) nanocomposite was investigated. The CMC coated nanocomposite, ZHN-SDS-BP-CMC was characterised using several instruments for the determination of its physicochemical properties. The release rates of the BP were measured using a UV spectrophotometer, and the aqueous solutions containing PO3-₄ , SO2-₄ and Cl- were selected as release media in the release studies so as to mimic the real conditions of environmental soil. Significant release time delays, triggered by the gelation forming ability and hygroscopic nature of CMC, were observed in all release media, and the release processes were found to behave in a concentration-dependent manner in all release media. Fitting the release data into several kinetic models demonstrated that release in aqueous solutions of Na₃PO₄ and Na₂SO₄ was governed by pseudo second order processes, whereas the release in an aqueous NaCl solution was governed by the parabolic diffusion kinetic model. The potential of CMC in prolonging the release of BP from ZHN-SDS-BP-CMC can potentially help in reducing the pollution resulting from the overuse of pesticides.
  11. Fulltext Spatial Analysis of Groundwater Hydrochemistry through Integrated Multivariate Analysis: A Case Study in the Urbanized Langat Basin, Malaysia
    Zainol NFM, Zainuddin AH, Looi LJ, Aris AZ, Isa NM, Sefie A, et al.
    Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2021 05 27;18(11).
    PMID: 34071804 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18115733
    Rapid urbanization and industrial development in the Langat Basin has disturbed the groundwater quality. The populations' reliance on groundwater sources may induce possible risks to human health such as cancer and endocrine dysfunction. This study aims to determine the groundwater quality of an urbanized basin through 24 studied hydrochemical parameters from 45 groundwater samples obtained from 15 different sampling stations by employing integrated multivariate analysis. The abundance of the major ions was in the following order: bicarbonate (HCO3-) > chloride (Cl-) > sodium (Na+) > sulphate (SO42-) > calcium (Ca2+) > potassium (K+) > magnesium (Mg2+). Heavy metal dominance was in the following order: Fe > Mn > Zn > As > Hg > Pb > Ni > Cu > Cd > Se > Sr. Classification of the groundwater facies indicated that the studied groundwater belongs to the Na-Cl with saline water type and Na-HCO3 with mix water type characteristics. The saline water type characteristics are derived from agricultural activities, while the mixed water types occur from water-rock interaction. Multivariate analysis performance suggests that industrial, agricultural, and weathering activities have contributed to groundwater contamination. The study will help in the understanding of the groundwater quality issue and serve as a reference for other basins with similar characteristics.
  12. Fulltext Metagenomic characterization of indoor dust fungal associated with allergy and lung inflammation among school children
    Isa KNM, Jalaludin J, Elias SM, Than LTL, Jabbar MA, Saudi ASM, et al.
    Ecotoxicol Environ Saf, 2021 Sep 15;221:112430.
    PMID: 34147866 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112430
    The exposure of school children to indoor air pollutants has increased allergy and respiratory diseases. The objective of this study were to determine the toxicodynamic interaction of indoor pollutants exposure, biological and chemical with expression of adhesion molecules on eosinophil and neutrophil. A self-administered questionnaire, allergy skin test, and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) analyser were used to collect information on health status, sensitization to allergens and respiratory inflammation, respectively among school children at age of 14 years. The sputum induced were analysed to determine the expression of CD11b, CD35, CD63 and CD66b on eosinophil and neutrophil by using flow cytometry technique. The particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), NO2, CO2, and formaldehyde, temperature, and relative humidity were measured inside the classrooms. The fungal DNA were extracted from settled dust collected from classrooms and evaluated using metagenomic techniques. We applied chemometric and regression in statistical analysis. A total of 1869 unique of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of fungi were identified with dominated at genus level by Aspergillus (15.8%), Verrucoconiothyrium (5.5%), and Ganoderma (4.6%). Chemometric and regression results revealed that relative abundance of T. asahii were associated with down regulation of CD66b expressed on eosinophil, and elevation of FeNO levels in predicting asthmatic children with model accuracy of 63.6%. Meanwhile, upregulation of CD11b expressed on eosinophil were associated with relative abundance of A. clavatus and regulated by PM2.5. There were significant association of P. bandonii with upregulation of CD63 expressed on neutrophil and exposure to NO2. Our findings indicate that exposure to PM2.5, NO2, T. asahii, P.bandonii and A.clavatus are likely interrelated with upregulation of activation and degranulation markers on both eosinophil and neutrophil.
  13. Fulltext High Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor to Interleukin 10 Ratio and Marked Antioxidant Enzyme Activities Predominate in Symptomatic Cattle Naturally Infected with Candidatus Mycoplasma haemobos, Theileria orientalis, Theileria sinensis and Trypanosoma evansi
    Agina OA, Cheah KT, Sayuti NSA, Shaari MR, Isa NMM, Ajat M, et al.
    Animals (Basel), 2021 Jul 29;11(8).
    PMID: 34438696 DOI: 10.3390/ani11082235
    The aim of this study was to measure the serum proinflammatory (IL-12, GM-CSF & IFN-γ) to anti-inflammatory (IL-10, IL-4) cytokine ratio, oxidant (MDA) level and antioxidant enzyme (SOD; GPx) activities after blood parasite infections. The blood and serum samples were obtained from 130 cattle and screened for identity of the infecting blood parasites by conventional PCR. The following blood parasite species were detected: Candidatus Mycoplasma haemobos (70/130); Theileria orientalis (65/130); Theileria sinensis (32/130); Anaplasma marginale (49/130); Anaplasma platys (7/130); and Trypanosoma evansi (4/130). The GM-CSF/IL-10 ratio showed significantly higher values in all the symptomatic blood parasite infected cattle groups except for symptomatic A. platys infected cattle groups. Anti-inflammatory cytokine immune responses were notable findings in symptomatic and asymptomatic cattle infected with C. M. haemobos and T. orientalis characterized by low serum IL-12:IL-10, IFN-γ:IL-10, IL-12:IL-4 and IFN-γ:IL-4 (p < 0.05). Therefore, high serum GM-CSF:IL:10 in the symptomatic blood parasite infected cattle, low serum IL-12:IL-10, IFN-γ:IL-10, IL-12:IL-4 and IFN-γ:IL-4 ratios in asymptomatic cattle, high MDA level, and increased antioxidant enzyme activities could be useful predictive tools for outcome of natural blood parasite infections in cattle.
  14. Fulltext Association between elevated carotid intima-media thickness and serum uric acid levels among patients with essential hypertension in primary care setting in Sungai Buloh, Malaysia
    Mohd Nasir MZ, Malek KA, Isa MR, Hamdan MF, Abdul Kadir RF, Ahmad F, et al.
    Int J Clin Pract, 2021 Sep;75(9):e14445.
    PMID: 34105862 DOI: 10.1111/ijcp.14445
    AIMS: Our study aimed to investigate the association between elevated carotid-intima media thickness (CIMT) and serum uric acid (SUA) levels in hypertensive patients attending primary care clinics in Sungai Buloh, Malaysia.

    METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study on 140 hypertensive patients attending outpatient follow-up in two primary care clinics in Sungai Buloh, Malaysia, using a convenient sampling method. SUA levels were measured and divided into four quartiles. Two radiologist specialists performed B mode ultrasonography to assess the thickness of the right and left carotid intima media in all participants.

    RESULTS: Participants' mean SUA level was 355.75 ± 0.13. Their mean age was 53.44 (± 9.90), with a blood pressure control of 137.09 ± 13.22/81.89 ± 8.95. Elevated CIMT taken at ≥75th percentile was 0.666 for the left and 0.633 for the right common carotid arteries. By using a hierarchical method of multiple logistic regression, compared with the first quartile of the SUA level as reference group, the odd of elevated CIMT in quartile 4 in the common carotid artery was (OR = 2.00; 95% CI = 0.64-6.27, P = .576) for the right and (OR = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.20-2.00, P = .594) for the left. Waist circumference (P = .001), body mass index (P = .013), triglycerides (P 

  15. Fulltext RNA-seq data from different developmental stages of Rafflesia cantleyi floral buds
    Amini S, Alias H, Aizat-Juhari MA, Mat-Isa MN, Adam JH, Goh HH, et al.
    Genom Data, 2017 Dec;14:5-6.
    PMID: 28761813 DOI: 10.1016/j.gdata.2017.07.008
    Rafflesia cantleyi, known as one of the world's largest flowers, is a specialised holoparasite due to dramatic morphological modifications. It possesses highly reduced vegetative structure and only appears as a flower for sexual reproduction. Moreover, it has an unusual life cycle in that its floral bud development takes up to nine months. In order to fully understand the highly modified floral organ structure and long life cycle of R. cantleyi, we used Illumina sequencing technology (HiSeq) for sequence generation followed by de novo assembly of sequence reads. We obtained the RNA-seq data from three different stages of floral bud, representing the early, mid and advanced developmental stages. These data are available via BioProject accession number PRJNA378435. More than 10.3 Gb raw sequence data were generated, corresponding to 102,203,042 raw reads. Following removal of low-quality reads and trimming of adapter sequences, a total of 91,638,836 reads were obtained. De novo assembly of these sequences using Trinity resulted in 89,690 unique transcripts with an N50 of 1653 bp. The obtained transcriptomic data will be useful for further study to understand the molecular interactions that result in R. cantleyi floral development.
  16. Fulltext Safety assessments of subcutaneous doses of aragonite calcium carbonate nanocrystals in rats
    Jaji AZ, Zakaria ZAB, Mahmud R, Loqman MY, Hezmee MNM, Abba Y, et al.
    J Nanopart Res, 2017;19(5):175.
    PMID: 28553160 DOI: 10.1007/s11051-017-3849-z
    Calcium carbonate nanoparticles have shown promising potentials in the delivery of drugs and metabolites. There is however, a paucity of information on the safety of their intentional or accidental over exposures to biological systems and general health safety. To this end, this study aims at documenting information on the safety of subcutaneous doses of biogenic nanocrystals of aragonite polymorph of calcium carbonate derived from cockle shells (ANC) in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. ANC was synthesized using the top-down method, characterized using the transmission electron microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscope and its acute and repeated dose 28-day trial toxicities were evaluated in SD rats. The results showed that the homogenous 30 ± 5 nm-sized spherical pure aragonite nanocrystals were not associated with mortality in the rats. Severe clinical signs and gross and histopathological lesions, indicating organ toxicities, were recorded in the acute toxicity (29,500 mg/m2) group and the high dose (5900 mg/m2) group of the repeated dose 28-day trial. However, the medium- (590 mg/m2 body weight) and low (59 mg/m2)-dose groups showed moderate to mild lesions. The relatively mild lesions observed in the low toxicity dosage group marked the safety margin of ANC in SD rats. It was concluded from this study that the toxicity of CaCO3 was dependent on the particulate size (30 ± 5 nm) and concentration and the route of administration used.
  17. Analysis of the genetic structure of the Malay population: Ancestry-informative marker SNPs in the Malay of Peninsular Malaysia
    Yahya P, Sulong S, Harun A, Wan Isa H, Ab Rajab NS, Wangkumhang P, et al.
    Forensic Sci Int Genet, 2017 09;30:152-159.
    PMID: 28743033 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2017.07.005
    Malay, the main ethnic group in Peninsular Malaysia, is represented by various sub-ethnic groups such as Melayu Banjar, Melayu Bugis, Melayu Champa, Melayu Java, Melayu Kedah Melayu Kelantan, Melayu Minang and Melayu Patani. Using data retrieved from the MyHVP (Malaysian Human Variome Project) database, a total of 135 individuals from these sub-ethnic groups were profiled using the Affymetrix GeneChip Mapping Xba 50-K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array to identify SNPs that were ancestry-informative markers (AIMs) for Malays of Peninsular Malaysia. Prior to selecting the AIMs, the genetic structure of Malays was explored with reference to 11 other populations obtained from the Pan-Asian SNP Consortium database using principal component analysis (PCA) and ADMIXTURE. Iterative pruning principal component analysis (ipPCA) was further used to identify sub-groups of Malays. Subsequently, we constructed an AIMs panel for Malays using the informativeness for assignment (In) of genetic markers, and the K-nearest neighbor classifier (KNN) was used to teach the classification models. A model of 250 SNPs ranked by In, correctly classified Malay individuals with an accuracy of up to 90%. The identified panel of SNPs could be utilized as a panel of AIMs to ascertain the specific ancestry of Malays, which may be useful in disease association studies, biomedical research or forensic investigation purposes.
  18. Fulltext Synthesis, characterization, and cytocompatibility of potential cockle shell aragonite nanocrystals for osteoporosis therapy and hormonal delivery
    Jaji AZ, Bakar MZ, Mahmud R, Loqman MY, Hezmee MN, Isa T, et al.
    Nanotechnol Sci Appl, 2017;10:23-33.
    PMID: 28176933 DOI: 10.2147/NSA.S113030
    Calcium carbonate is a porous inorganic nanomaterial with huge potential in biomedical applications and controlled drug delivery. This study aimed at evaluating the physicochemical properties and in vitro efficacy and safety of cockle shell aragonite calcium carbonate nanocrystals (ANC) as a potential therapeutic and hormonal delivery vehicle for osteoporosis management. Free and human recombinant parathyroid hormone 1-34 (PTH 1-34)-loaded cockle shell aragonite calcium carbonate nanocrystals (PTH-ANC) were synthesized and evaluated using standard procedures. Transmission electron microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy results demonstrated highly homogenized spherical-shaped aragonite nanocrystals of 30±5 nm diameter. PTH-ANC had a zeta potential of -27.6±8.9 mV. The encapsulation efficiency of the formulation was found to be directly proportional to the concentrations of the drug fed. The X-ray diffraction patterns revealed strong crystallizations with no positional change of peaks before and after PTH-ANC synthesis. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy demonstrated no detectable interactions between micron-sized aragonite and surfactant at molecular level. PTH-ANC formulation was stabilized at pH 7.5, enabling sustained slow release of PTH 1-34 for 168 h (1 week). A 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide cytocompatibility assay in Human Foetal Osteoblast Cell Line hFOB 1.19 showed that ANC can safely support osteoblast proliferation up to 48 h whereas PTH-ANC can safely support the proliferation at 72 h and beyond due to the sustained slow release of PTH 1-34. It was concluded that due to its biogenic nature, ANC is a cytocompatible antiosteoporotic agent. It doubles as a nanocarrier for the enhancement of efficacy and safety of the bone anabolic PTH 1-34. ANC is expected to reduce the cost, dosage, and dose frequency associated with the use of PTH 1-34 management of primary and secondary forms of osteoporosis.
  19. Health and quality of life among the caregivers of children with disabilities: A review of literature
    Isa SN, Ishak I, Ab Rahman A, Mohd Saat NZ, Che Din N, Lubis SH, et al.
    Asian J Psychiatr, 2016 Oct;23:71-77.
    PMID: 27969083 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2016.07.007
    Families caring for children with disabilities face particular challenges and demands compared to those caring for children without disabilities. Evidence suggests that there is considerable variation in how caregivers of children with disabilities adapt to their caregiving demands and stressors. The different adaptations to the children with disabilities may cause different impacts on the health and well-being of caregivers. This paper provides a brief overview of the literature on the impact of caring for children with disabilities on the health and quality of life of caregivers and the factors related to the health outcomes and quality of life. A literature search was conducted by using various electronic databases, including PsychINFO, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, and MEDLINE using specific key terms. Thirty-one articles published in peer-review journals from the last six years (2009-2014) were reviewed. Most of the studies were quantitative studies. Factors discussed that impact on caregivers' health and quality of life include the caregivers' sociodemographic background and child's disability-related factors. Several mediators and moderators including coping strategies, social support, parental stress, self-esteem and self-efficacy are described in this paper. This review highlighted the importance of these factors to better understand the complex nature of stress processes and the caregivers' adaptations to their children's disabilities.
  20. Fulltext Complete genome sequence of fowl adenovirus-8b UPM04217 isolate associated with the inclusion body hepatitis disease in commercial broiler chickens in Malaysia reveals intermediate evolution
    Mat Isa N, Mohd Ayob J, Ravi S, Mustapha NA, Ashari KS, Bejo MH, et al.
    Virusdisease, 2019 Sep;30(3):426-432.
    PMID: 31803810 DOI: 10.1007/s13337-019-00530-9
    The main aim of our study was to explore the genome sequence of the inclusion body hepatitis associated Fowl adenovirus serotype 8b (FAdV-8b) UPM04217 and to study its genomic organisation. The nucleotide sequence of the whole genome of FAdV-8b UPM04217 was determined by using the 454 Pyrosequencing platform and the Sanger sequencing method. The complete genome was found to be 44,059 bp long with 57.9% G + C content and shared 97.5% genome identity with the reference FAdV-E genome (HG isolate). Interestingly, the genome analysis using ORF Finder, Glimmer3 and FGENESV predicted a total of 39 open reading frames (ORFs) compared to the FAdV-E HG that possessed 46 ORFs. Fourteen ORFs located within the central genomic region and 16 ORFs located within the left and right ends of the genome were assigned as being the high protein-coding regions. The fusion of the small ORFs at the right end terminal specifically in ORF22 and ORF33 could be the result of gene truncation in the FAdV-E HG. The frame shift mutation in ORF25 and other mutations in ORF13 and ORF17 might have lead to the emergence of genes that could have different functions. Besides, one of the minor capsid components, pVI, in FAdV-8b UPM04217 shared the highest similarity of 93% with that of FAdV-D, while only 47% similarity was found with FAdV-E. From the gene arrangement layout of the FAdV genome, FAdV-8b UPM04217 showed intermediate evolution between the FAdV-E HG and the FAdV-D although it was apparently more similar to the FAdV-E HG.
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