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Schiff base complex/TiO2 chemosensor for visual detection of food freshness level

Sahudin MA, Su'ait MS, Tan LL, Abd Karim NH

Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc, 2021 Mar 05;248:119129.
PMID: 33281086 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2020.119129

Histamine is one of the important biomarkers for food spoilage in the food sectors. In the present study, a rapid and simple analytical tool has been developed to detect histamine as an indirect strategy to monitor food freshness level. Optical histamine sensor with carboxyl-substituted Schiff base zinc(II) complex with hydroxypropoxy side chain deposited onto titanium dioxide nanoparticles was fabricated and was found to respond successfully to histamine. The Schiff base zinc(II) complex-histamine binding generated an enhancement of the fluorescent signal. Under the optimal reaction condition, the developed sensor can detect down to 2.53 × 10-10 M in the range of between 1.0 × 10-9 and 1.0 × 10-5 M (R2 = 0.9868). Selectivity performance of the sensor towards histamine over other amines was confirmed. The sensor also displayed good reproducibility performances with low relative standard deviation values (1.45%-4.95%). Shelf-life studies suggested that the developed sensor remains stable after 60 days in histamine detection. More importantly, the proposed sensor has been successfully applied to determine histamine in salmon fillet with good recoveries. This strategy has a promising potential in the food quality assurance sectors, especially in controlling the food safety for healthy consumption among consumers.
Microplastic pollution in tropical estuary gastropods: Abundance, distribution and potential sources of Klang River estuary, Malaysia

Zaki MRM, Zaid SHM, Zainuddin AH, Aris AZ

Mar Pollut Bull, 2021 Jan;162:111866.
PMID: 33256966 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111866

Microplastics receive global attention due to its strong presence in marine and freshwater organisms. Yet, there are few studies on estuarine organisms. This baseline study evaluates the abundance and distribution of microplastics in the gastropods of a tropical estuary in Selangor, Malaysia. The abundance of microplastics ranged from 0.50 to 1.75 particles/g or from 0.25 to 0.88 particles/individual. The variation in microplastic distribution between the upper and lower estuary indicates that the microplastics originated from the urbanised area of the Klang River estuary. Microplastic sizes varied from 30 to 1850 μm, with the majority being between 300 and 1000 μm (57%). Characteristics of microplastics were dominant for fibres (91%) with black colour (50%). Polyethylene-propylene-diene (PE-PDM) and polyester were the main polymer materials. Assessing the contamination of gastropods by microplastics provides insight into the possibility of utilising gastropods as bioindicators that could be used for monitoring and baseline studies.
Ketogenesis and SIRT1 as a tool in managing obesity

Abduraman MA, Azizan NA, Teoh SH, Tan ML

Obes Res Clin Pract, 2020 12 25;15(1):10-18.
PMID: 33371997 DOI: 10.1016/j.orcp.2020.12.001

Obesity is a serious chronic disease and a public health concern in both developing and developed countries. Managing obesity has been a great challenge for both health care professionals and patients alike. Among the various diet programs aimed at promoting weight loss, the ketogenic diet, a diet high in fat and low in carbohydrates, has been at the forefront recently and its mechanism in weight loss is much debated. Activation of Sirtuin 1 or SIRT1 is able to circumvent various diseases, including metabolic syndrome and obesity and is thought to be a potentially reliable treatment target for both of them. Augmentation of SIRT1 may be carried out using dietary means such as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) supplementation and/or ketogenic diet. Although ketogenic diet may augment SIRT1 activation in people affected by obesity, recent studies have indicated that the relationship between SIRT1 and ketogenesis is unpredictable. The exact circumstances and mechanisms of SIRT1, NAD and ketogenesis in the clinical setting as an intervention tool in managing obesity remained uncertain. Although several recent literatures have documented significant weight-loss following ketogenic diet interventions, there were limitations with regards to duration of trial, choice and the number of trial subjects. Studies investigating the safety of ketogenic diet in the long term, beyond 46 weeks and related mechanism and pathways are still lacking and the sustainability of this diet remains to be determined. This review explores the recent progress on ketogenic diet and its relationships with SIRT1 as a tool in managing obesity and relevant clinical implications.
Fulltext An Evaluation on Deep Caries Removal Method and Management Performed by Undergraduate Dental Students: A Malaysia Experience

Othman NI, Ismail HU, Mohammad N, Ghazali N, Alauddin MS

Eur J Dent, 2021 May;15(2):281-289.
PMID: 33368068 DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1721546

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the current knowledge and attitude of deep caries removal method among dental students in Malaysia.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 303 students (n = 303) responded to the online questionnaire. The first part of questionnaire was to evaluate the demographic data of the respondents and focused on the technique and management approach used for deep caries lesion. The second part investigated the preferred treatment used for deep caries based on the designated clinical case, while the third part assessed the factors that affected the decision on deep caries management.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Independent t-test was used to compare difference between the two groups.
RESULTS: Seventy four percent of the students have the knowledge of the different methods of caries removal, while 25.8% were only familiar with complete caries removal. The preferred method for deep caries removal in permanent teeth was partial caries removal (53%). For primary dentition, 45.6% of the students prefer to perform pulpotomy as compared with other techniques. There was no significant difference in caries removal method for permanent teeth between undergraduate year of study (p > 0.05), which was partial caries removal at 52.7 and 53.5%, respectively. For primary dentition, the preferred caries removal method was pulpotomy for year 4 (39.8%) and year 5 (52%) students. The popular material to restore deep caries was resin composite (42%) followed by glass ionomer cement (23.3%).
CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that partial caries removal was the preferred method despite partial understanding on the identification of the clinical indicators of the technique.
Fulltext The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Chengal (Neobalanocarpus heimii, Dipterocarpaceae), a durable tropical hardwood

Lee SY, Ng WL, Hishamuddin MS, Mohamed R

Mitochondrial DNA B Resour, 2019;4(1):19-20.
PMID: 33365402 DOI: 10.1080/23802359.2018.1535848

Known for its durable timber quality, Neobalanocarpus heimii (King) Ashton is a highly sought after tree species endemic to the Malay Peninsula. Due to its scarcity and high value, the tree is classified under the IUCN Red List categories of Vulnerable. In this study, we assembled the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of N. heimii using data from high-throughput Illumina sequencing. The Chengal cp genome is 151,191 bp in size and includes two inverted repeat regions of 23,721 bp each, which is separated by a large single copy region of 83,801 bp and a small single copy region of 19,948 bp. A total of 130 genes were predicted, including 37 tRNA, 8 rRNA, and 85 protein-coding genes. Phylogenetic analysis placed N. heimii within the order Malvales.
Fulltext Ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm with ventricular septal defect complicated by preoperative cardiogenic shock, cardiac arrest, and multiple organ dysfunction: a rare survivor and review of contemporary literature

Furui M, Dillon J, Akhtar KMA, Bin Ja'apar AN

J Surg Case Rep, 2020 Dec;2020(12):rjaa567.
PMID: 33425326 DOI: 10.1093/jscr/rjaa567

Sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (SVA) is a relatively rare cardiac condition, in which the patient is usually asymptomatic. However, once this aneurysm ruptures, patients present with acute symptoms of heart failure. Timely surgical intervention is essential. We present the case of a 27-year-old woman, who had a ruptured SVA with a ventricular septal defect (VSD). The patient collapsed before the emergency operation and needed cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The patient required preoperative high inotoropic support and postoperative management was difficult because of multiple organ dysfunction. However, the patient recovered after using inhaled nitric oxide and veno-venous hemofiltration and tracheostomy, and was discharged with no further complications. To the best of our knowledge, no such case of a ruptured SVA with VSD, complicated by preoperative cardiac arrest and multiple organ dysfunction that culminated in a successful recovery, has been reported to date.
Fulltext Self-Efficacy Levels Regarding Interprofessional Learning Skills Among Undergraduate Healthcare Students in Malaysia

Nurumal MS, Diyono NQH, Che Hasan MK

Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J, 2020 Nov;20(4):e374-e379.
PMID: 33414944 DOI: 10.18295/squmj.2020.20.04.015

Objectives: Self-efficacy is an important factor in determining the ability of students to execute tasks or skills needed in the implementation of interprofessional learning (IPL). This study aimed to identify levels of self-efficacy with regards to IPL skills among undergraduate healthcare students and to investigate differences according to gender, programme of study and year of study.
Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between January and March 2018 at the International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan, Malaysia. The Self-Efficacy for Interprofessional Experiential Learning scale was used to evaluate the self-efficacy of 336 students from five faculties including nursing, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and allied health sciences.
Results: Significant differences in self-efficacy scores for the interprofessional interaction subscale were identified according to programme of study, with pharmacy students scoring significantly lower than allied health students (mean score: 54.1 ± 10.4 versus 57.4 ± 10.1; P = 0.014). In addition, there was a significant difference in self-efficacy scores for the interprofessional interaction subscale according to year of study, with first-year students scoring significantly lower compared to fifth-year students (mean score: 52.8 ± 10.4 versus 59.9 ± 11.9; P = 0.018). No statistically significant differences in self-efficacy scores were identified with regards to gender or for the interprofessional team evaluation and feedback subscale.
Conclusion: These findings may contribute to the effective implementation of IPL education in healthcare faculties. Acknowledging the influence of self-efficacy on the execution of IPL skills is crucial to ensure healthcare students are able to adequately prepare for future interprofessional collaboration in real clinical settings.
Fulltext FKBP22 from the psychrophilic bacterium Shewanella sp. SIB1 selectively binds to the reduced state of insulin to prevent its aggregation

Budiman C, Goh CKW, Arief II, Yusuf M

Cell Stress Chaperones, 2021 Mar;26(2):377-386.
PMID: 33247372 DOI: 10.1007/s12192-020-01183-0

FKBP22 of a psychrophilic bacterium, Shewanella sp. SIB1 (SIB1 FKBP22), is a member of peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase) and consists of N- and C-domains responsible for chaperone-like and PPIase catalytic activities, respectively. The chaperone-like activity of SIB1 FKBP22 was previously evidenced by its ability to prevent dithiothreitol (DTT)-induced insulin aggregation. Nevertheless, the mechanism by which this protein inhibits the aggregation remains unclear. To address this, the binding affinity of SIB1 FKBP22 to the native or reduced states of insulin was examined using surface plasmon resonance (SPR). The native and reduced states refer to insulin in the absence or DTT presence, respectively. The SPR sensorgram showed that SIB1 FKBP22 binds specifically to the reduced state of insulin, with a KD value of 37.31 ± 3.20 μM. This binding was facilitated by the N-domain, as indicated by the comparable KD values of the N-domain and SIB1 FKBP22. Meanwhile, the reduced state of insulin was found to have no affinity towards the C-domain. The KD value of SIB1 FKBP22 was slightly decreased by NaCl but was not severely affected by FK506, a specific FKBP inhibitor. Similarly, the prevention of DTT-induced aggregation by SIB1 FKBP22 was also modulated by the N-domain and was not affected by FK506. Further, the reduced and native states of insulin had no effect on the catalytic efficiency (kcat/KM) of SIB1 FKBP22 towards a peptide substrate. Nevertheless, the reduced state of insulin slightly reduced the catalytic efficiency towards refolding RNase T1, at up to 1.5-fold lower than in the absence of insulin. These results suggested that the binding event was mainly facilitated by hydrophobic interaction and was independent from its PPIase activity. Altogether, a possible mechanism by which SIB1 FKBP22 prevents DTT-induced insulin aggregation was proposed.
Fulltext Biodegradable Gloves for Waste Management Post-COVID-19 Outbreak: A Shelf-Life Prediction

Ab Rahman MF, Rusli A, Misman MA, Rashid AA

ACS Omega, 2020 Nov 24;5(46):30329-30335.
PMID: 33251468 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c04964

With increased awareness on the importance of gloves arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, people are expected to continue using them even after the pandemic recedes. This scenario in a way increased the rubber solid waste disposal problem; therefore, the production of biodegradable gloves may be an option to overcome this problem. However, the need to study the shelf life of biodegradable gloves is crucial before commercialization. There are well-established models to address the failure properties of gloves as stated in the American Society for Testing and Material (ASTM) D7160. In this study, polysaccharide-based material-filled natural rubber latex (PFNRL) gloves, which are biodegradable gloves, were subjected to an accelerated aging process at different temperatures of 50-80 °C for 1-120 days. Prediction models based on Arrhenius and shift factors were used to estimate the shelf life of the PFNRL gloves. Based on the results obtained, the estimated time for the PFNRL gloves to retain 75% of their tensile strength at shelf temperature (30 °C) based on Arrhenius and shift factor models was 2.8 years. Verification on the activation energy based on the shift factor model indicated that the shelf life of PFNRL gloves is 2.9 years, which is only a 3.6% difference. The value obtained is aligned with the requirement in accordance with ASTM D7160, which states that only up to a maximum of 3 years' shelf life is allowed for the gloves under accelerated aging conditions.
Fulltext Relationship between sleeping quality and behavioural outcomes of UiTM Seremban 3 students

Abdullah NDT, Radzuwan R, Ab Dini MN

Journal of Academia Universiti Teknologi MARA Negeri Sembilan, 2020;8(2):67-75.
MyJurnal DOI: 10.24191/joa.v8i2.10107

Purpose: To examine the relationship between sleeping quality and behavioural outcomes of UiTM Seremban 3 students.
Methods and sample: A quantitative approach using a modified questionnaire of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Score was employed to examine the sleeping quality and modified version of the Adolescent Behavioral Checklist was used to obtain the response on the behavioural of UiTM Seremban 3, students. 428 respondents from three (3) faculties in the Seremban campus
participated in this study.
Findings: The result shows that there is a significant relationship between sleeping quality and behavioural outcomes of the students (r=.118, p<0.05).
Discussion and Conclusion: This study revealed that there is no significant relationship between sleeping quality and positive behavioural outcomes. However, the result indicated that there is a weak relationship between sleep quality and negative behavioural outcomes. The behaviours of the respondents tend to become
more negative if they were having poor quality of sleep. The results also suggest that poor sleep quality is not only prevalent among college students but are also associated with negative behavioural outcomes. Therefore, sleeping quality should be considered in the management of students’ health and there is a need for an investigation for possible intervention on sleeping quality of the college students.
Keywords: sleeping quality, behavioural outcomes, college students
Study site: University Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Seremban 3, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
Agricultural drought risk assessment of Northern New South Wales, Australia using geospatial techniques

Hoque MA, Pradhan B, Ahmed N, Sohel MSI

Sci Total Environ, 2020 Nov 17.
PMID: 33248778 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143600

Droughts are recurring events in Australia and cause a severe effect on agricultural and water resources. However, the studies about agricultural drought risk mapping are very limited in Australia. Therefore, a comprehensive agricultural drought risk assessment approach that incorporates all the risk components with their influencing criteria is essential to generate detailed drought risk information for operational drought management. A comprehensive agricultural drought risk assessment approach was prepared in this work incorporating all components of risk (hazard, vulnerability, exposure, and mitigation capacity) with their relevant criteria using geospatial techniques. The prepared approach is then applied to identify the spatial pattern of agricultural drought risk for Northern New South Wales region of Australia. A total of 16 relevant criteria under each risk component were considered, and fuzzy logic aided geospatial techniques were used to prepare vulnerability, exposure, hazard, and mitigation capacity indices. These indices were then incorporated to quantify agricultural drought risk comprehensively in the study area. The outputs depicted that about 19.2% and 41.7% areas are under very-high and moderate to high risk to agricultural droughts, respectively. The efficiency of the results is successfully evaluated using a drought inventory map. The generated spatial drought risk information produced by this study can assist relevant authorities in formulating proactive agricultural drought mitigation strategies.
Fulltext Aberrant Methylation of Tumour Suppressor Gene ADAM12 in Chronic Lympocytic Leukemia Patients: Application of Methylation Specific-PCR Technique

Mohamad A, Hassan R, Husin A, Johan MF, Sulong S

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2021 Jan 01;22(1):85-91.
PMID: 33507683 DOI: 10.31557/APJCP.2021.22.1.85

OBJECTIVE: Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is a common leukemia among Caucasians but rare in Asians population. We postulated that aberrant methylation either hypermethylation or partial methylation might be one of the silencing mechanisms that inactivates the tumour suppressor genes in CLL. This study aimed to compare the methylation status of tumour suppressor gene, ADAM12, among CLL patients and normal individuals. We also evaluated the association between methylation of ADAM12 and clinical and demographic characteristics of the participants.
METHODS: A total of 25 CLL patients and 25 normal individuals were recruited in this study. The methylation status of ADAM12 was determined using Methylation-Specific PCR (MSP); whereas, DNA sequencing method was applied for validation of the MSP results.
RESULTS: Among CLL patients, 12 (48%) were partially methylated and 13 (52%) were unmethylated. Meanwhile, 5 (20%) and 20 (80.6%) of healthy individuals were partially methylated and unmethylated, respectively. There was a statistically significant association between the status of methylation at ADAM12 and the presence of CLL (p=0.037).
CONCLUSION: The aberrant methylation of ADAM12 found in this study using MSP assay may provide new exposure to CLL that may improve the gaps involved in genetic epigenetic study in CLL.
Fulltext Home Hazards With Fear of Falling: Findings From the Baseline Study of the Malaysian Elders Longitudinal Research (MELoR)

Romli MH, Mackenzie L, Lovarini M, Clemson L, Tan MP

Front Public Health, 2020;8:612599.
PMID: 33511098 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.612599

Background: Fear of falling (FoF) is a common issue among older people, impacting on psychological health, functional performance and mortality. Many factors associated with fear of falling have been investigated but little is known about the role of home hazards. Home hazards can be due to unsafe environmental and functional features. This study is aims to evaluate the association between home hazards with fear of falling among community-dwelling individuals aged 55 years and over. Methods: Baseline data with 1,489 older individuals from the Malaysian Elders Longitudinal Research (MELoR) study were analyzed. Home visits for interview and observations in the home were conducted with the participants. FoF was established with a single-item question and home hazards with the Home Falls and Accidents Screening Tool (HOME FAST). Results: The majority (76.4%) of older participants experienced FoF. The history of falls was not associated with FoF (p = 0.868), but FoF was associated with participants limiting their daily activities (p < 0.001). Home hazards were less likely (p = 0.023) and functional issues were more likely (p < 0.001) to be associated with a high degree of FoF. However, both home hazards domains were not associated with activity restriction due to FoF. Conclusions: Education about home hazards from the perspective of person-environment interaction may encourage home hazards management and reduce FoF which should be evaluated in future studies.
Fulltext The Modern and Digital Transformation of Oral Health Care: A Mini Review

Alauddin MS, Baharuddin AS, Mohd Ghazali MI

Healthcare (Basel), 2021 Jan 25;9(2).
PMID: 33503807 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare9020118

Dentistry is a part of the field of medicine which is advocated in this digital revolution. The increasing trend in dentistry digitalization has led to the advancement in computer-derived data processing and manufacturing. This progress has been exponentially supported by the Internet of medical things (IoMT), big data and analytical algorithm, internet and communication technologies (ICT) including digital social media, augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR), and artificial intelligence (AI). The interplay between these sophisticated digital aspects has dramatically changed the healthcare and biomedical sectors, especially for dentistry. This myriad of applications of technologies will not only be able to streamline oral health care, facilitate workflow, increase oral health at a fraction of the current conventional cost, relieve dentist and dental auxiliary staff from routine and laborious tasks, but also ignite participatory in personalized oral health care. This narrative article review highlights recent dentistry digitalization encompassing technological advancement, limitations, challenges, and conceptual theoretical modern approaches in oral health prevention and care, particularly in ensuring the quality, efficiency, and strategic dental care in the modern era of dentistry.
Fulltext An analysis of a nonlinear susceptible-exposed-infected-quarantine-recovered pandemic model of a novel coronavirus with delay effect

Raza A, Ahmadian A, Rafiq M, Salahshour S, Ferrara M

Results Phys, 2021 Feb;21:103771.
PMID: 33391985 DOI: 10.1016/j.rinp.2020.103771

In the present study, a nonlinear delayed coronavirus pandemic model is investigated in the human population. For study, we find the equilibria of susceptible-exposed-infected-quarantine-recovered model with delay term. The stability of the model is investigated using well-posedness, Routh Hurwitz criterion, Volterra Lyapunov function, and Lasalle invariance principle. The effect of the reproduction number on dynamics of disease is analyzed. If the reproduction number is less than one then the disease has been controlled. On the other hand, if the reproduction number is greater than one then the disease has become endemic in the population. The effect of the quarantine component on the reproduction number is also investigated. In the delayed analysis of the model, we investigated that transmission dynamics of the disease is dependent on delay terms which is also reflected in basic reproduction number. At the end, to depict the strength of the theoretical analysis of the model, computer simulations are presented.
Fulltext A Survey on Medical, Dental, and Pharmacy Students' Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice about Hepatitis B Infection in a Private Medical University of Malaysia

Upadhyay DK, Manirajan Y, Iqbal MZ, Paliwal N, Pandey S

J Res Pharm Pract, 2020 10 08;9(3):128-134.
PMID: 33489980 DOI: 10.4103/jrpp.JRPP_20_8

Objective: The present study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of 3rd- and 4th-year medical, dental, and pharmacy students about hepatitis B (HB) infection at a private medical university, Malaysia.
Methods: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted among 482 medical, dental, and pharmacy students of 3rd- and 4th-year degree program of Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology University to assess their KAP about HB infection using 34 prevalidated questions by convenient sampling method. A questionnaire was administered to the students, and their responses were measured at "yes" and "no" scale. Students' responses were entered in SPSS version 22, and quantitative analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and nonparametric tests at P < 0.05.
Findings: The medical, dental, and pharmacy students had good knowledge and practice with positive attitude about HB infection. Mann-Whitney U-test determined a significant difference in knowledge (P < 0.001) and practice (P < 0.001) scores between medical and pharmacy, attitude (P < 0.001) scores between medical and dental, and attitude (P < 0.001) and practice (P < 0.001) scores between pharmacy and dental students. Students' age was correlated with their attitude, practice, and KAP scores and family income with their knowledge, attitude, practice, and KAP scores.
Conclusion: Although students' knowledge and practice were good with positive attitude, all the students did not participate in health education program, screening, and vaccination of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection which makes them more vulnerable to occupational HBV infection. Hence, it is recommended to organize a regular health education program for the students on screening and vaccination against HBV to prevent its infection.
Real-time signal processing for fetal heart rate monitoring

Ibrahimy MI, Ahmed F, Mohd Ali MA, Zahedi E

IEEE Trans Biomed Eng, 2003 Feb;50(2):258-62.
PMID: 12665042

An algorithm based on digital filtering, adaptive thresholding, statistical properties in the time domain, and differencing of local maxima and minima has been developed for the simultaneous measurement of the fetal and maternal heart rates from the maternal abdominal electrocardiogram during pregnancy and labor for ambulatory monitoring. A microcontroller-based system has been used to implement the algorithm in real-time. A Doppler ultrasound fetal monitor was used for statistical comparison on five volunteers with low risk pregnancies, between 35 and 40 weeks of gestation. Results showed an average percent root mean square difference of 5.32% and linear correlation coefficient from 0.84 to 0.93. The fetal heart rate curves remained inside a +/- 5-beats-per-minute limit relative to the reference ultrasound method for 84.1% of the time.
In vitro inhibitory effect of rubraxanthone isolated from Garcinia parvifolia on platelet-activating factor receptor binding

Jantan I, Pisar MM, Idris MS, Taher M, Ali RM

Planta Med, 2002 Dec;68(12):1133-4.
PMID: 12494345

Rubraxanthone and isocowanol isolated from Garcinia parvifolia Miq. were investigated for their inhibitory effects on platelet-activating factor (PAF) binding to rabbit platelets using 3H-PAF as a ligand. Rubraxanthone showed a strong inhibition with IC 50 value of 18.2 microM. The IC 50 values of macluraxanthone, 6-deoxyjacareubin, 2-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-1,3,5-trihydroxyxanthone, 2-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-1,3,5,6-tetrahydroxyxanthone and 1,3,5-trihydroxy-6,6'-dimethylpyrano(2',3':6,7)-4-(1,1-dimethylprop-2-enyl)-xanthone were also determined for comparison. In the course of our study on structure-activity relationship of xanthones, the results revealed that a geranyl group substituted at C-8 was beneficial to the binding while a hydroxylated prenyl group at C-4 resulted in a significant loss in binding to the PAF receptor.
Role of teleconsultation in moving the healthcare system forward

Yusof K, Neoh KH, bin Hashim MA, Ibrahim I

Asia Pac J Public Health, 2002;14(1):29-34.
PMID: 12597515

The equitable access to quality healthcare by Malaysians has consistently been the primary objective of the Ministry of Health (MOH). The epidemiological transition to chronic illnesses, advances in medical technology, escalating healthcare costs and rising patient expectations has necessitated the strategic use of information systems in healthcare delivery. Malaysia has broken new ground by implementing a nationwide network to address inadequate access to healthcare, as well as to lower costs and achieve better health outcomes. Teleconsultation refers to the electronic transmission of medical information and services from one site to another using telecommunication technologies. This technology transforms the healthcare system by rapidly matching patient needs with the appropriate level of care however geographically remote they may be. Our findings suggest that even in these early stages of implementation, teleconsultation has led to cost savings, a more efficient allocation of resources, enhanced diagnostic options and better health outcomes.
Fulltext Pilot study to investigate the feasibility of the Home Falls and Accidents Screening Tool (HOME FAST) to identify older Malaysian people at risk of falls

Romli MH, Mackenzie L, Lovarini M, Tan MP

BMJ Open, 2016 08 16;6(8):e012048.
PMID: 27531736 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-012048

OBJECTIVE: The relationship between home hazards and falls in older Malaysian people is not yet fully understood. No tools to evaluate the Malaysian home environment currently exist. Therefore, this study aimed to pilot the Home Falls and Accidents Screening Tool (HOME FAST) to identify hazards in Malaysian homes, to evaluate the feasibility of using the HOME FAST in the Malaysian Elders Longitudinal Research (MELoR) study and to gather preliminary data about the experience of falls among a small sample of Malaysian older people.
DESIGN: A cross-sectional pilot study was conducted.
SETTING: An urban setting in Kuala Lumpur.
PARTICIPANTS: 26 older people aged 60 and over were recruited from the control group of a related research project in Malaysia, in addition to older people known to the researchers.
PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE: The HOME FAST was applied with the baseline survey for the MELoR study via a face-to-face interview and observation of the home by research staff.
RESULTS: The majority of the participants were female, of Malay or Chinese ethnicity and living with others in a double-storeyed house. Falls were reported in the previous year by 19% and 80% of falls occurred at home. Gender and fear of falling had the strongest associations with home hazards. Most hazards were detected in the bathroom area. A small number of errors were detected in the HOME FAST ratings by researchers.
CONCLUSIONS: The HOME FAST is feasible as a research and clinical tool for the Malaysian context and is appropriate for use in the MELoR study. Home hazards were prevalent in the homes of older people and further research with the larger MELoR sample is needed to confirm the validity of using the HOME FAST in Malaysia. Training in the use of the HOME FAST is needed to ensure accurate use by researchers.

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