Displaying publications 61 - 80 of 168 in total

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  1. Molecular targets in the discovery and development of novel antimetastatic agents: current progress and future prospects
    Wong MS, Sidik SM, Mahmud R, Stanslas J
    Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol, 2013 May;40(5):307-19.
    PMID: 23534409 DOI: 10.1111/1440-1681.12083
    Tumour invasion and metastasis have been recognized as major causal factors in the morbidity and mortality among cancer patients. Many advances in the knowledge of cancer metastasis have yielded an impressive array of attractive drug targets, including enzymes, receptors and multiple signalling pathways. The present review summarizes the molecular pathogenesis of metastasis and the identification of novel molecular targets used in the discovery of antimetastatic agents. Several promising targets have been highlighted, including receptor tyrosine kinases, effector molecules involved in angiogenesis, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), urokinase plasminogen activator, adhesion molecules and their receptors, signalling pathways (e.g. phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, phospholipase Cγ1, mitogen-activated protein kinases, c-Src kinase, c-Met kinases and heat shock protein. The discovery and development of potential novel therapeutics for each of the targets are also discussed in this review. Among these, the most promising agents that have shown remarkable clinical outcome are anti-angiogenic agents (e.g. bevacizumab). Newer agents, such as c-Met kinase inhibitors, are still undergoing preclinical studies and are yet to have their clinical efficacy proven. Some therapeutics, such as first-generation MMP inhibitors (MMPIs; e.g. marimastat) and more selective versions of them (e.g. prinomastat, tanomastat), have undergone clinical trials. Unfortunately, these drugs produced serious adverse effects that led to the premature termination of their development. In the future, third-generation MMPIs and inhibitors of signalling pathways and adhesion molecules could form valuable novel classes of drugs in the anticancer armamentarium to combat metastasis.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research/trends
  2. Fulltext Towards an HIV cure: science and debate from the International AIDS Society 2013 symposium
    Purcell DF, Elliott JH, Ross AL, Frater J
    Retrovirology, 2013 Nov 13;10:134.
    PMID: 24224983 DOI: 10.1186/1742-4690-10-134
    The International AIDS Society convened the multi-stakeholder "Towards an HIV Cure" symposium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2013 to address the significant research challenges posed by the search for a cure for HIV infection. Current antiretroviral regimens select for a small reservoir of cells that harbour latent HIV provirus, produce few or no HIV virions, and resist detection or clearance by host immunity. The symposium examined basic molecular science and animal model data, and emerging and ongoing clinical trial results to prioritise strategies and determine the viral and immune responses that could lead to HIV remission without ART. Here we review the presentations that scrutinized the molecular mechanisms controlling virus expression from proviral DNA, and the intrinsic cellular restriction and immune mechanisms preventing viral production. Insights from the basic science have translated into new therapeutic strategies seeking HIV remission without ongoing therapy, and much interest was focused on these ongoing trials. We also summarise the emerging ethical issues and patient expectations as concepts move into the clinic.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research/trends*
  3. Cure at IAS 2013
    Berry J
    Posit Aware, 2013 Sep-Oct;25(6):22-3.
    PMID: 24847583
    Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research
  4. Fulltext UKM-NIIGATA university medical undergraduate exchange program 2012
    Fadil Lokman ML
    Int J Public Health Res, 2013;3(1):232-235.
    MyJurnal
    It all started with a SSM research. SSM, which is an abbreviation for ‘Special Study Module’ is a unique module in the curriculum of the Medical Faculty National University of Malaysia (UKM), where each students were required to do a medical research in the field that we have interest in. Being interested in the field of public health, 3 of my friends and I did a research on the prevalence of tuberculosis in Cheras using the graphic informational system (GIS) to map each case of tuberculosis on the map of Kuala Lumpur. Our supervisor was Associate Professor Dr Shamsul Azhar, who is himself an expert on the field of GIS study and has been doing his PhD research using the same system in Niigata University, Japan for almost 4 years. During one of our SSM meetings, he mentions that the post-graduate students in UKM has done several visits to Niigata University and brought up the idea that maybe the undergraduate students like us could do the same. (Copied from article).
    Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research
  5. Fulltext Detection of enterotoxin targeted entFM and hblA genes by inoculating Bacillus cereus (Strain BC1) into ready-to-eat food (RTF) and drink samples using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
    Nooratiny, I., Sahilah, A.M.
    International Food Research Journal, 2013;20(4):1895-1899.
    MyJurnal
    Detection of enterotoxin by targeting entFM and hblA genes in Bacillus cereus BC1 strain inoculated into ready to eat food (RTF) and drink samples using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was conducted. The B. cereus BC1 strain was confirmed as a Bacillus diarrhoeal enterotoxin (BDE) when tested by a commercially available Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-BDE immunoassay (ELISA-BDE immunoassay, TECRA). In the specificity study, both enterotoxin genes were detected on chromosomal DNA of B. cereus BC1 strain by showing a specific band of 1269 bp (entFM) and 874 bp (hblA), respectively. However, none of the target genes were detected for the other 15 genomic DNA bacteria (B. cereus (ATCC 11779), B. subtilis (ATCC 6633), Campylobacter jejuni (ATCC 29428), C. coli (Jabatan Kimia Malaysia, JKM), Clostridium perfringen (ATCC 13124), Enterobacter sakazaki (ATCC 51329), Escherichia coli (ATCC 43888), E. coli (ATCC 11735), Legionella pneumophila (ATCC 33152), Listeria monocytogenes (ATCC 35967), Salmonella typhi (IMR), S. enteritidis (ATCC 13076), S. typhimurium (ATCC 14028), Shigella flexeneri (ATCC 12022) and Vibrio cholerae bengal (Institute Medical Research (IMR), Malaysia) examined. The detection limit of both genes was 0.1 ng of genomic DNA. Thus, in the presence study it is evidence that the PCR analysis targeting enterotoxin of entFM and hblA genes are suitable and useful in detecting enterotoxic B. cereus in RTFs and drinks contaminated sample.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research
  6. Fulltext Investment in pneumonia and pneumococcal research
    Head MG, Fitchett JR, Newell ML, Scott JAG, Clarke SC, Atun R
    Lancet Infect Dis, 2014 Nov;14(11):1037-1038.
    PMID: 25444398 DOI: 10.1016/S1473-3099(14)70949-1
    Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research/economics*; Biomedical Research/trends*
  7. Fulltext A bibliometric analysis of research productivity of Malaysian publications in leading toxicology journals during a 10-year period (2003-2012)
    Zyoud Sh, Al-Jabi S, Sweileh W, Awang R
    Hum Exp Toxicol, 2014 Dec;33(12):1284-93.
    PMID: 24505047 DOI: 10.1177/0960327113514101
    Toxicology in Malaysia has experienced rapid development and made great progress in education and research in conjunction with economic development in Malaysia over the past two decades.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research/trends; Biomedical Research/statistics & numerical data
  8. Fulltext Viral Aetiology of Acute Flaccid Paralysis Surveillance Cases, before and after Vaccine Policy Change from Oral Polio Vaccine to Inactivated Polio Vaccine
    Saraswathy Subramaniam TS, Apandi MA, Jahis R, Samsudin MS, Saat Z
    J Trop Med, 2014;2014:814908.
    PMID: 24772175 DOI: 10.1155/2014/814908
    Since 1992, surveillance for acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases was introduced in Malaysia along with the establishment of the National Poliovirus Laboratory at the Institute for Medical Research. In 2008, the Ministry of Health, Malaysia, approved a vaccine policy change from oral polio vaccine to inactivated polio vaccine (IPV). Eight states started using IPV in the Expanded Immunization Programme, followed by the remaining states in January 2010. The objective of this study was to determine the viral aetiology of AFP cases below 15 years of age, before and after vaccine policy change from oral polio vaccine to inactivated polio vaccine. One hundred and seventy-nine enteroviruses were isolated from the 3394 stool specimens investigated between 1992 and December 2012. Fifty-six out of 107 virus isolates were polioviruses and the remaining were non-polio enteroviruses. Since 2009 after the sequential introduction of IPV in the childhood immunization programme, no Sabin polioviruses were isolated from AFP cases. In 2012, the laboratory AFP surveillance was supplemented with environmental surveillance with sewage sampling. Thirteen Sabin polioviruses were also isolated from sewage in the same year, but no vaccine-derived poliovirus was detected during this period.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research
  9. Fulltext Conducting research that is both ethical and responsive to the health needs of a developing country
    Mak JW
    International e-Journal of Science, Medicine & Education, 2014;8(1):19-23.
    MyJurnal
    There is no substantial difference in conducting research that is both ethical and responsive to the health needs in developing and developed nations. Differences are in financial constraints, technological expertise in identification and addressing needs, and in the perception of equal partnership of all stakeholders. There will be differences in emphasis of research but this is slowly blurred due to globalisation. Public health emergencies in developing countries need timely and effective global collaborative research to implement control strategies. Research needs should be based on predictive models with learning from past emergencies, technological advances, strategic critical appraisal of local and global health information, and dialogue with all stakeholders. Adequate funding will be challenging and resources from national, international and aid
    foundations will be needed. Issues associated with such funding include deployment of international rapid response teams, collaborating researchers, transfer of technology, and intellectual property ownership. While all types of research ranging from basic, applied, clinical
    studies, meta-analysis, and translational research are relevant, the relative importance and specific allocation of resources to these may differ. Is the choice related to responsiveness or based on researchers’ perception of their contributions to evidence-based practice and research? Ethical issues relating to vulnerable groups, risk distribution, quality issues, research integrity and oversight are just as important. Internationally funded
    research including clinical trials must be sensitive to such issues to avoid allegations of exploitation. Thus the potential of utilisation and buy-in of research findings and recommendations must be considered.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research
  10. Fulltext Respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function among male steel workers in Terengganu, Malaysia
    Nurul, A.H., Shamsul Bahri, M.T., Noor Hassim, I.
    Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine, 2014;14(1):10-18.
    MyJurnal
    A cross sectional study was carried out to determine the relationship between dust exposure and pulmonary function in male steel workers in Terengganu, Malaysia. The investigation included spirometric testing and detailed personal interviews using a structured questionnaire adopted from British Medical Research Council (BRMC) Questionnaire on respiratory symptoms. Respiratory symptoms commonly reported by the male workers were morning phlegm (33.1%), shortness of breath (31.9%), chest tightness (30.4%), and morning cough (17.8%). Age and duration of employment were among the factors associated with respiratory symptoms (p
    Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research
  11. Worldwide research productivity of paracetamol (acetaminophen) poisoning: a bibliometric analysis (2003-2012)
    Zyoud SH, Al-Jabi SW, Sweileh WM
    Hum Exp Toxicol, 2015 Jan;34(1):12-23.
    PMID: 24758786 DOI: 10.1177/0960327114531993
    PURPOSE: There is a lack of data concerning the evaluation of scientific research productivity in paracetamol poisoning from the world. The purposes of this study were to analyse the worldwide research output related to paracetamol poisoning and to examine the authorship pattern and the citations retrieved from the Scopus database for over a decade.
    METHODS: Data were searched for documents with specific words regarding paracetamol poisoning as 'keywords' in the title or/and abstract. Scientific output was evaluated based on a methodology developed and used in other bibliometric studies. Research productivity was adjusted to the national population and nominal gross domestic product (GDP) per capita.
    RESULTS: There were 1721 publications that met the criteria during study period from the world. All retrieved documents were published from 72 countries. The largest number of articles related to paracetamol poisoning was from the United States (US; 30.39%), followed by India (10.75%) and the United Kingdom (UK; 9.36%). The total number of citations at the time of data analysis was 21,109, with an average of 12.3 citations per each documents and median (interquartile range) of 4 (1-14). The h-index of the retrieved documents was 57. After adjusting for economy and population power, India (124.2), Nigeria (18.6) and the US (10.5) had the highest research productivity. Countries with large economies, such as the UK, Australia, Japan, China and France, tended to rank relatively low after adjustment for GDP over the entire study period.
    CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates evidence that research productivity related to paracetamol poisoning has increased rapidly during the recent years. The US obviously dominated in research productivity. However, certain smaller country such as Nigeria has high scientific output relative to their population size and GDP. A highly noticeable increase in the contributions of Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions to scientific literature related to paracetamol poisoning was also observed.
    KEYWORDS: Bibliometric; Scopus; acetaminophen; citations; paracetamol; poisoning
    Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research/trends*; Biomedical Research/statistics & numerical data
  12. Fulltext Anticipating rotavirus vaccines--a pre-vaccine assessment of incidence and economic burden of rotavirus hospitalizations among children < 5 year of age in Libya, 2012-13
    Alkoshi S, Leshem E, Parashar UD, Dahlui M
    BMC Public Health, 2015;15:26.
    PMID: 25616973 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-015-1400-7
    Libya introduced rotavirus vaccine in October 2013. We examined pre-vaccine incidence of rotavirus hospitalizations and associated economic burden among children < 5 years in Libya to provide baseline data for future vaccine impact evaluations.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research/economics
  13. Fulltext A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Medical Students' Perspectives on the Engagement in Research
    Naing C, Wai VN, Durham J, Whittaker MA, Win NN, Aung K, et al.
    Medicine (Baltimore), 2015 Jul;94(28):e1089.
    PMID: 26181541 DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000001089
    Engaging students in active learning lies at the center of effective higher education. In medical schools, students' engagement in learning and research has come under increasing attention. The objective of this study was to synthesize evidence on medical students' perspectives on the engagement in research. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis. Relevant studies were searched in electronic databases. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed. Overall, 14 observational studies (with 17 data sets) were included. In general, many studies did not use the same questionnaires and the outcome measurements were not consistently reported; these presented some difficulties in pooling the results. Whenever data permitted, we performed pooled analysis for the 4 education outcomes. A Bayesian meta-analytical approach was supplemented as a measure of uncertainty. A pooled analysis showed that 74% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.57%-11.07%; I2: 95.2%) of those students who engaged in research (while at the medical school) had positive attitudes toward their research experiences, whereas 49.5% (95% CI: 36.4%-62.7%; I2: 93.4%) had positive attitudes toward the study of medical sciences, 62.3% (95% CI: 46.7%-77.9%; I2: 96.3%) had self-reported changes in their practices, and 64% (95% CI: 30.8%-96.6%; I2: 98.5%) could have published their work. There was substantial heterogeneity among studies. We acknowledged the caveats and the merit of the current review. Findings showed that engagement in research resulted in favorable reactions toward research and academic learning. Future well-designed studies using standardized research tools on how to engage students in research are recommended.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research*
  14. Fulltext Mapping pneumonia research: A systematic analysis of UK investments and published outputs 1997-2013
    Head MG, Fitchett JR, Newell ML, Scott JA, Harris JN, Clarke SC, et al.
    EBioMedicine, 2015 Sep;2(9):1193-9.
    PMID: 26501117 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2015.06.024
    BACKGROUND: The burden of pneumonia continues to be substantial, particularly among the poorest in global society. We describe here the trends for UK pneumonia R&D investment and published outputs, and correlate with 2013 global mortality.

    METHODS: Data related to awards to UK institutions for pneumonia research from 1997 to 2013 were systematically sourced and categorised by disease area and type of science. Investment was compared to mortality figures in 2010 and 2013 for pneumonia, tuberculosis and influenza. Investment was also compared to publication data.

    RESULTS: Of all infectious disease research between 2011 and 2013 (£917.0 million), £28.8 million (3.1%) was for pneumonia. This was an absolute and proportionate increase from previous time periods. Translational pneumonia research (33.3%) received increased funding compared with 1997-2010 where funding was almost entirely preclinical (87.5%, here 30.9%), but high-burden areas such as paediatrics, elderly care and antimicrobial resistance received little investment. Annual investment remains volatile; publication temporal trends show a consistent increase. When comparing investment to global burden with a novel 'investment by mortality observed' metric, tuberculosis (£48.36) and influenza (£484.21) receive relatively more funding than pneumonia (£43.08), despite investment for pneumonia greatly increasing in 2013 compared to 2010 (£7.39). Limitations include a lack of private sector data and the need for careful interpretation of the comparisons with burden, plus categorisation is subjective.

    CONCLUSIONS: There has been a welcome increase for pneumonia funding awarded to UK institutions in 2011-2013 compared with 1997-2010, along with increases for more translational research. Published outputs relating to pneumonia rose steadily from 1997 to 2013. Investment relative to mortality for pneumonia has increased, but it remains low compared to other respiratory infections and clear inequities remain. Analyses that measure investments in pneumonia can provide an insight into funding trends and research gaps.

    RESEARCH IN CONTEXT: Pneumonia continues to be a high-burden illness around the globe. This paper shows that although research funding is increasing in the UK (between 1997 and 2013), it remains poorly funded compared to other important respiratory infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and influenza. Publications about pneumonia have been steadily increasing over time, indicating continuing academic and clinical interest in the topic. Though global mortality of pneumonia is declining, it should still be an area of high priority for funders, policymakers and researchers.

    Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research/economics
  15. Towards a balanced approach to identifying conflicts of interest faced by institutional review boards
    Kaur S, Balan S
    Theor Med Bioeth, 2015 Oct;36(5):341-61.
    PMID: 26438122 DOI: 10.1007/s11017-015-9339-3
    The welfare and protection of human subjects is critical to the integrity of clinical investigation and research. Institutional review boards (IRBs) were thus set up to be impartial reviewers of research protocols in clinical research. Their main role is to stand between the investigator and her human subjects in order to ensure that the welfare of human subjects are protected. While there is much literature on the conflicts of interest (CIs) faced by investigators and researchers in clinical investigations, an area that is less explored is CIs that may affect members of IRBs during the institutional ethics review of clinical investigations. This article examines the notion of CIs in clinical research and attempts to develop a framework for a clearer and more balanced approach to identifying CIs that may influence members of IRBs and impede their independence. It will also apply the proposed framework to demonstrate how IRBs possess, or at least may appear to possess, forms of financial CIs and non-financial CIs. The proper identification and management of these CIs is critical to preserving the integrity of clinical investigations and achieving the primary aim of human subjects protection.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research/ethics*
  16. Challenges in mapping research investments for treatments against pneumonia
    Head MG, Fitchett JR, Clarke SC
    Lancet Infect Dis, 2015 Nov;15(11):1262.
    PMID: 26531036 DOI: 10.1016/S1473-3099(15)00351-5
    Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research/economics*; Biomedical Research/trends*
  17. Fulltext Review: an urgent need for research on factors impacting adherence to and retention in care among HIV-positive youth and adolescents from key populations
    Lall P, Lim SH, Khairuddin N, Kamarulzaman A
    J Int AIDS Soc, 2015;18(2 Suppl 1):19393.
    PMID: 25724503 DOI: 10.7448/IAS.18.2.19393
    The 50% increase in HIV-related deaths in youth and adolescents (aged 10-24) from 2005 to 2012 highlights the need to improve HIV treatment and care in this population, including treatment adherence and retention. Youth and adolescents from key populations or young key populations (YKP) in particular are highly stigmatized and may face additional barrier(s) in adhering to HIV treatment and services. We reviewed the current knowledge on treatment adherence and retention in HIV care among YKP to identify gaps in the literature and suggest future directions to improve HIV care for YKP.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research
  18. Fulltext Discordant identification of pediatric severe sepsis by research and clinical definitions in the SPROUT international point prevalence study
    Weiss SL, Fitzgerald JC, Maffei FA, Kane JM, Rodriguez-Nunez A, Hsing DD, et al.
    Crit Care, 2015;19:325.
    PMID: 26373923 DOI: 10.1186/s13054-015-1055-x
    Consensus criteria for pediatric severe sepsis have standardized enrollment for research studies. However, the extent to which critically ill children identified by consensus criteria reflect physician diagnosis of severe sepsis, which underlies external validity for pediatric sepsis research, is not known. We sought to determine the agreement between physician diagnosis and consensus criteria to identify pediatric patients with severe sepsis across a network of international pediatric intensive care units (PICUs).
    Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research/standards
  19. Fulltext Behaviour Change in Public Health: Evidence and Implications
    Pokhrel S, Anokye NK, Reidpath DD, Allotey P
    Biomed Res Int, 2015;2015:598672.
    PMID: 26380284 DOI: 10.1155/2015/598672
    Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research*
  20. Fulltext The impact of a faculty development programme for health professions educators in sub-Saharan Africa: an archival study
    Frantz JM, Bezuidenhout J, Burch VC, Mthembu S, Rowe M, Tan C, et al.
    BMC Med Educ, 2015;15:28.
    PMID: 25879491 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-015-0320-7
    In 2008 the sub-Saharan FAIMER Regional Institute launched a faculty development programme aimed at enhancing the academic and research capacity of health professions educators working in sub-Saharan Africa. This two-year programme, a combination of residential and distance learning activities, focuses on developing the leadership, project management and programme evaluation skills of participants as well as teaching the key principles of health professions education-curriculum design, teaching and learning and assessment. Participants also gain first-hand research experience by designing and conducting an education innovation project in their home institutions. This study was conducted to determine the perceptions of participants regarding the personal and professional impact of the SAFRI programme.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research/education*; Biomedical Research/methods; Biomedical Research/standards
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