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Enhancement of the cervical cancer screening program in Malaysia: a qualitative study

Abdullah F, Su TT

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2010;11(5):1359-66.
PMID: 21198293

INTRODUCTION: Cervical cancer has long been known as a preventable disease. Yet it still is a prime women's health issue globally. In Malaysia, the current cervical cancer screening program, introduced in the 1960s, has been found to be unsuccessful in terms of Pap smear coverage. The aim of this study is to determine providers perceptives on the program and the feasibility of practicing an organized cervical screening program in Malaysia.
METHODS: 11 key informant interviews were conducted with policy makers and health care providers from the Ministry of Health in Malaysia from October 2009 to May 2010. Interviewees' perceptions were explored on current and organized cervical screening program based on their expertise and experience.
RESULTS: The results highlighted that the existing cervical screening program in Malaysia faced flaws at all levels that failed to reduce cervical cancer morbidity and mortality. The identified weaknesses were poor acceptance by women, lack of commitment by health care providers, nature of the program, an improper follow-up system, limited resources and other competing needs. Complementarily, all interviewees perceived an organized cervical screening program as an alternative approach both feasible and acceptable by women and government to practice in Malaysia.
CONCLUSION: Better screening coverage depends on an effective screening program that incorporates a behaviour-based strategy. A new program should be focused in the policy-making context to improve screening coverage and to effectively combat cervical cancer.
Applying the Transtheoretical Model to evaluate the effect of a call-recall program in enhancing Pap smear practice: a cluster randomized trial

Abdullah F, Su TT

Prev Med, 2013;57 Suppl:S83-6.
PMID: 23415623 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2013.02.001

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a call-recall approach in enhancing Pap smear practice by changes of motivation stage among non-compliant women.
Superior vena cava obstruction bypass - an alternative technique using bovine pericardial conduit: a case report

Abdullah F, Adeeb S

Heart Surg Forum, 2003;6(3):E50-1.
PMID: 12821439

An alternative technique of superior vena cava obstruction bypass using bovine pericardial conduit is described. The patient in this case had recurrent bilateral thrombophlebitis and thrombosed saphenous veins. Most of the surgical techniques reported in the literature so far have described the use of polyethylene terephthalate (Dacron) graft, polytetrafluoroethylene graft, autologous pericardial patch, and spiral vein graft. The use of synthetic grafts has been plagued with high rates of thrombosis. The pathology, clinical presentation, surgical technique, and outcome are discussed.
An incidental finding of thymic carcinoid during urgent CABG operation

Abdullah F, Loon LG

Heart Surg Forum, 2002;5(4):E35-6.
PMID: 12538128

We present a case report of a 60-year-old Malay man who was undergoing an urgent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) operation when a well encapsulated thymoma-like tumor was found incidentally. Total thymectomy was performed together with the CABG. Histopathological report of the tumor, however, confirmed a rare thymic carcinoid. The clinical features, management, and outcome of surgery are discussed.
Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting in a high-risk dextrocardia patient: a case report

Abdullah F, Mazalan SL

Heart Surg Forum, 2004;7(3):E186-8.
PMID: 15262598

We present an interesting but high-risk case of an obese male patient aged 56 years with dextrocardia and a left diaphragmatic hernia. Anterior myocardial infarction was diagnosed in 1994, and the patient later presented with a history of unstable angina. The diagnosis for this chronic smoker was triple-vessel disease, impaired left ventricular function, chronic renal failure, chronic bronchitis, impaired lung function, pulmonary hypertension, hypertension, diabetes, and chronic active gastritis (EuroSCORE of 10). The patient underwent successful off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting with 3 saphenous vein grafts to the left anterior descending, obtuse marginal, and right posterior descending arteries. He was discharged home 8 days later.
Fulltext Predicting sexual intention to engage in premarital sex among late adolescent in Kuantan government secondary schools: an application of theory of planned behaviour

Abdullah F, Draman S, Abd. Aziz KH, Zainuddin NA, Muhammad NA

IIUM Medical Journal Malaysia, 2020;19(1):109-116.
MyJurnal

Introduction: Based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), sexual intention is determined by three main
socio-cognitive factors which are permissive attitudes, social-norms and self-efficacy in performing
premarital sexual activity. Premarital sex associated with increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases and
detrimental social implications. The aim of this study was to explore the correlation of the socio-cognitive
factors in predicting intention to engage in premarital sex amongst late adolescents in Kuantan government
secondary schools. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 466 pre-university students aged
18-19 years from nine government secondary schools in Kuantan district. A self-administered validated Youth
Sexual Intention Questionnaire (YSI-Q) was used. Statistical analyses were done using IBM SPSS version 22.0.
Results: Permissive attitude (r=0.579, p
Fulltext Predicting sexual intention to engage in premarital sex among late adolescent in kuantan government secondary schools: an application of theory of planned behaviour.

Abdullah F, Draman S, Zainuddin NA, Abd. Aziz KH, Muhammad NA

IIUM Medical Journal Malaysia, 2020;19(1):109-116.
MyJurnal

Based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), sexual intention is determined by three main socio-cognitive factors which are permissive attitudes, social-norms and self-efficacy in performing premarital sexual activity. Premarital sex associated with increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases and detrimental social implications. The aim of this study was to explore the correlation of the socio-cognitive factors in predicting intention to engage in premarital sex amongst late adolescents in Kuantan government secondary schools. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 466 pre-university students aged 18-19 years from nine government secondary schools in Kuantan district. A self-administered validated Youth Sexual Intention Questionnaire (YSI-Q) was used. Statistical analyses were done using IBM SPSS version 22.0. Results: Permissive attitude (r=0.579, p
Fulltext Prevalence Of Developmental Defects Of Enamel Among 16-Year-Old Children In Malaysia

Nik Hussien, N.N., Majid, Z.A., Mutalib, K.A., Abdullah, F., Abang, A., Wan, M.N.

Ann Dent, 1999;6(1):-.
MyJurnal

The prevalence of developmental defects of enamel was assessed in 4805 16-year-old schoolchildren in fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas in Malaysia. In this sample, the mouth prevalence was 56.0%; tooth prevalence was 21.8%. There were significant differences between children in fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas, urban and rural areas as well as between the ethnic groups. However, there was no significant gender difference. Prevalences were lower than those reported in most other Asiancountries. However, direct comparisons could not be madedue to differences in indices and methodology used.
Identification of differentially expressed genes in oil palms (Elaeis guineensis) related to infections by Ganoderma boninense

Mohamad Arif, A.M., Zetty Norhana, B.Y., Abdullah, F., Tan, Su.G., Ismail, S.

Buletin Persatuan Genetik Malaysia, 2005;11(2):0-0.
MyJurnal

Basal stem rot (BSR) caused by species Ganoderma, is one of the most serious disease of oil palm in Malaysia. As far as the disease problem to oil palm in Malaysia is concerned, BSR is the only disease requiring urgent solution. The BSR is not new to Malaysia, it has been known to attack oil palm since the early years when the crop was introduced into this country. There is an indication that there are differences in susceptibility to basal stem rot between germplasm materials from different genetic origin [2]. This provides hope in generating oil palm varieties with reduced level of susceptibility using existing genetic materials. There is also interest in developing diagnostic tools such as using PCR primers for detection of the pathogen in oil palms [1]. Altered expression of several classes of genes was observed in plants in response to fungal infection. These include genes associated with cell maintenance and development, genes involved in biosynthesis of lignin and phenolics and genes implicated in oxidative burst, programmed cell death or hypersensitive response [5].
The ground beetle fauna (Coleoptera: Carabidae) of Kenyir water catchment, Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia

Abdullah F, Sina I, Fauzee F

Pak J Biol Sci, 2008 Nov 01;11(21):2478-83.
PMID: 19205267

An assemblage of beetle specimens from family Carabidae (ground beetles) was carried out at Kenyir water catchment as an indicator to measure disturbance. The samplings were conducted from 30th July to 1st August 2007 at limestone forest of Teluk Bewah and the dipterocarp forest of Sungai Cicir. 28 individuals from 13 species were collected from Teluk Bewah whereas 54 individuals from ten species was sampled from Sungai Cicir. The carabids were more specious (Simpson Diversity index: 0.97) and more abundant (Margalef index: 5.35) at Teluk Bewah compared to Sungai Cicir (Simpson Diversity index, 0.72: Margalefindex, 2.22). Light trapping was most efficient assembling 97.56% of ground beetles compared to Malaise trap, pitfall and net sweeping. This is the first record of beetle assemblage at Kenyir water catchment, Malaysia. New records for Kenyir, Terengganu, Malaysia are Abacetus sp. 1, Abacetus sp. 2, Acupalpus rectifrotis, Aephnidius adelioides, Dischissus notulatus, Dolichoctis sp., Dolichoctis sp. 2, Dolichoctis straitus, Ophinoea bimaculata, Perigona sp., Pheropsophus piciccollis, Pheropsophus occipitalis, Stenolophus quinquepustulatus, Stenolophus smaragdulus, Stenolophus sp., Tachys coracinus, Casnoidea sp., Orthogonius sp. Seven species coded as Cara C, Cara J, Cara M, Cara N, Cara O, Cara R and Cara S were unidentified and are probably new species to be described in another report. There is moderately high diversity (Simpson Diversity index: 0.846) of Carabidae indicating that ecotourism does not affect diversity of ground beetle at Kenyir Lake.
The yield of flexible airway endoscopy in infants and children with severe airway problems under a physician-surgeon combined-care setting: our experience from 121 procedures

Asha'ari ZA, Abdullah F, Yusof S, Yusof RA

Clin Otolaryngol, 2015 Feb;40(1):52-6.
PMID: 25311812 DOI: 10.1111/coa.12328
Fulltext Factors related to poor practice of Pap smear screening among secondary school teachers in Malaysia

Abdullah F, Aziz NA, Su TT

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2011;12(5):1347-52.
PMID: 21875295

INTRODUCTION: The Pap smear test has been regarded as a promising cervical screening tool since 1940s. Yet its importance has been overlooked by beneficiaries in Malaysia. This underlines the need to identify the prevalence of Pap smear practice and influencing factors towards the practice among educated working women.

METHODS: A survey was conducted with 403 female teachers from 40 public secondary schools in Malaysia selected by cluster random sampling. Data were collected from January to March 2010 using a self-administered questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify the factors related to the Pap smear practice.

RESULTS: The rate for participants who ever had Pap test was only 38% and poor practice of was significantly higher among: those with aged less than 35 years; those practicing hormonal contraceptive method; and individuals perceiving barriers to the Pap smear screening test. In contrast, the findings were significantly lower in women with longer duration of teaching service; higher income groups; ever pregnant; having chronic diseases; health insurance coverage; and who had perceived benefit of Pap smear screening.

CONCLUSION: Barriers towards practicing Pap smear exist even among educated career women. Tailor-made health promotion and education on cervical cancer and the benefit of Pap smear screening are essential to change the behavior of the study population.
Gc subtyping in Malaysians and in Indonesians from north Sumatra

Tan SG, Gan YY, Asuan K, Abdullah F

Hum Genet, 1981;59(1):75-6.
PMID: 10819027

Malays, Chinese and Indians from peninsular Malaysia; Ibans and Bidayuh from Sarawak state, Northern Borneo; and Bataks, Minangkabau and Javanese from North Sumatra, Indonesia, were subtyped for Gc (group-specific component) by polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing. All eight populations investigated were found to be polymorphic for three common alleles, Gc1F, Gc1S and Gc2.
Comparative study of chemically synthesized and low temperature bio-inspired Musa acuminata peel extract mediated zinc oxide nanoparticles for enhanced visible-photocatalytic degradation of organic contaminants in wastewater treatment

Abdullah FH, Abu Bakar NHH, Abu Bakar M

J Hazard Mater, 2021 03 15;406:124779.
PMID: 33338763 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124779

Zinc oxide (ZnO) photocatalysts were successfully synthesized via chemical and green, environmentally-benign methods. The work highlights the valorization of banana peel (BP) waste extract as the reducing and capping agents to produce pure, low temperature, highly crystalline, and effective ZnO nanoparticles with superior photocatalytic activities for the removal of hazardous Basic Blue 9 (BB9), crystal violet (CV), and cresol red (CR) dyes in comparison to chemically synthesized ZnO. Their formation and morphologies were verified by various optical spectroscopic and electron microscopic techniques. XRD results revealed that the biosynthesized ZnO exhibited 15.3 nm crystallite size when determined by Scherrer equation, which was smaller than the chemically synthesized ZnO. The FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of biomolecules in the green-mediated catalyst. EDX and XPS analyses verified the purity and chemical composition of ZnO. Nitrogen sorption analysis affirmed the high surface area of bio-inspired ZnO. Maximum removal efficiencies were achieved with 30 mg green ZnO catalyst, 2.0 × 10-5 M BB9 solution, alkaline pH 12, and irradiation time 90 min. Green-mediated ZnO showed superior photodegradation efficiency and reusability than chemically synthesized ZnO. Therefore, this economical, environment-friendly photocatalyst is applicable for the removal of organic contaminants in wastewater treatment under visible light irradiation.
Evaluation of ACTH reserve in pituitary-hypothalamic disease

De Witt GF, Abdullah F, Eravelly J, Selby R

Med J Malaya, 1966 Jun;20(4):276-80.
PMID: 4288690
Genetic markers in a Malaysian population: variants of uridine monophosphate kinase (UMPK), phosphoglycolate phosphatase (PGP) and pancreatic amylase (AMY2)

Zarinah KH, Abdullah F, Tan SG

Ann Hum Biol, 1984 11 1;11(6):533-6.
PMID: 6084457

Three genetic markers, red-cell UMPK, PGP and serum AMY2 were investigated in Malaysians of Malay, Chinese and Indian ancestries using starch-gel and agarose-gel electrophoresis. UMPK was found to be polymorphic in all three races. Variants were observed for PGP in Malays; in Indians it is a polymorphic marker whereas it is monomorphic in Chinese. AMY2 was polymorphic only in Indians. The UMPK1 frequencies in Malays, Chinese and Indians, respectively, are 0.851, 0.880 and 0.942. The PGP1 frequencies are 0.991, 1.000, 0.962, and the AMY1(2) frequencies are 1.000, 1.000 and 0.983.
Fulltext The functioning of different beetle (Coleoptera) sampling methods across altitudinal gradients in Peninsular Malaysia

Musthafa MM, Abdullah F, Koivula MJ

PLoS One, 2022;17(3):e0266076.
PMID: 35358260 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266076

Biodiversity research relies largely on knowledge about species responses to environmental gradients, assessed using some commonly applied sampling method. However, the consistency of detected responses using different sampling methods, and thus the generality of findings, has seldom been assessed in tropical ecosystems. Hence, we studied the response consistency and indicator functioning of beetle assemblages in altitudinal gradients from two mountains in Malaysia, using Malaise, light, and pitfall traps. The data were analyzed using generalized linear mixed-effects models (GLMM), non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS), multivariate regression trees (MRT), and indicator species analysis (IndVal). We collected 198 morpho-species of beetles representing 32 families, with a total number of 3,052 individual beetles. The richness measures generally declined with increasing altitude. The mountains differed little in terms of light and Malaise trap data but differed remarkably in pitfall-trap data. Only light traps (but not the other trap types) distinguished high from middle or low altitudes in terms of beetle richness and assemblage composition. The lower altitudes hosted about twice as many indicators as middle or high altitudes, and many species were trap-type specific in our data. These results suggest that the three sampling methods reflected the altitudinal gradient in different ways and the detection of community variation in the environment thus depends on the chosen sampling method. However, also the analytical approach appeared important, further underlining the need to use multiple methods in environmental assessments.
Immunoinformatics-based potential multi-peptide vaccine designing against Jamestown Canyon Virus (JCV) capable of eliciting cellular and humoral immune responses

Shahab M, Aiman S, Alshammari A, Alasmari AF, Alharbi M, Khan A, et al.

Int J Biol Macromol, 2023 Dec 31;253(Pt 2):126678.
PMID: 37666399 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.126678

Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV) is a deadly viral infection transmitted by various mosquito species. This mosquito-borne virus belongs to Bunyaviridae family, posing a high public health threat in the in tropical regions of the United States causing encephalitis in humans. Common symptoms of JCV include fever, headache, stiff neck, photophobia, nausea, vomiting, and seizures. Despite the availability of resources, there is currently no vaccine or drug available to combat JCV. The purpose of this study was to develop an epitope-based vaccine using immunoinformatics approaches. The vaccine aimed to be secure, efficient, bio-compatible, and capable of stimulating both innate and adaptive immune responses. In this study, the protein sequence of JCV was obtained from the NCBI database. Various bioinformatics methods, including toxicity evaluation, antigenicity testing, conservancy analysis, and allergenicity assessment were utilized to identify the most promising epitopes. Suitable linkers and adjuvant sequences were used in the design of vaccine construct. 50s ribosomal protein sequence was used as an adjuvant at the N-terminus of the construct. A total of 5 CTL, 5 HTL, and 5 linear B cell epitopes were selected based on non-allergenicity, immunological potential, and antigenicity scores to design a highly immunogenic multi-peptide vaccine construct. Strong interactions between the proposed vaccine and human immune receptors, i.e., TLR-2 and TLR-4, were revealed in a docking study using ClusPro software, suggesting their possible relevance in the immunological response to the vaccine. Immunological and physicochemical properties assessment ensured that the proposed vaccine demonstrated high immunogenicity, solubility and thermostability. Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed the strong binding affinities, as well as dynamic and structural stability of the proposed vaccine. Immune simulation suggest that the vaccine has the potential to effectively stimulate cellular and humoral immune responses to combat JCV infection. Experimental and clinical assays are required to validate the results of this study.
Fulltext Evaluation of a worksite cervical screening initiative to increase Pap smear uptake in Malaysia: a cluster randomized controlled trial

Abdullah F, O'Rorke M, Murray L, Su TT

Biomed Res Int, 2013;2013:572126.
PMID: 24073411 DOI: 10.1155/2013/572126

BACKGROUND: Despite the significant burden of cervical cancer, Malaysia like many middle-income countries relies on opportunistic cervical screening as opposed to a more organized population-based program. The aim of this study was to ascertain the effectiveness of a worksite screening initiative upon Papanicolaou smear test (Pap test) uptake among educated working women in Malaysia.
METHODS: 403 female teachers who never or infrequently attended for a Pap test from 40 public secondary schools in Kuala Lumpur were recruited into a cluster randomized trial conducted between January and November 2010. The intervention group participated in a worksite cervical screening initiative whilst the control group received usual care from the existing cervical screening program. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine the impact of the intervention program on Pap smear uptake after 24 weeks of followup.
RESULTS: The proportion of women attending for a Pap test was significantly higher in the intervention than in the control group (18.1% versus 10.1%, P value < 0.05) with the worksite screening initiative doubling the Pap smear uptake, adjusted odds ratio 2.44 (95% CI: 1.29-4.62).
CONCLUSION: Worksite health promotion interventions can effectively increase cervical smear uptake rates among eligible workers in middle-income countries. Policy makers and health care providers in these countries should include such interventions in strategies for reducing cervical cancer burden. This trial is registered with IRCT201103186088N1.
Sequence analysis and gene expression of putative oil palm chitinase and chitinase-like proteins in response to colonization of Ganoderma boninense and Trichoderma harzianum

Yeoh KA, Othman A, Meon S, Abdullah F, Ho CL

Mol Biol Rep, 2013 Jan;40(1):147-58.
PMID: 23065213 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-012-2043-8

Chitinases are glycosyl hydrolases that cleave the β-1,4-glycosidic linkages between N-acetylglucosamine residues in chitin which is a major component of fungal cell wall. Plant chitinases hydrolyze fungal chitin to chitin oligosaccharides that serve as elicitors of plant defense system against fungal pathogens. However, plants synthesize many chitinase isozymes and some of them are not pathogenesis-related. In this study, three full-length cDNA sequences encoding a putative chitinase (EgChit3-1) and two chitinase-like proteins (EgChit1-1 and EgChit5-1) have been cloned from oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The abundance of these transcripts in the roots and leaves of oil palm seedlings treated with Ganoderma boninense (a fungal pathogen) or Trichoderma harzianum (an avirulent symbiont), and a combination of both fungi at 3, 6 and 12 weeks post infection were profiled by real time quantitative reverse-transcription (qRT)-PCR. Our findings showed that the gene expression of EgChit3-1 increased significantly in the roots of oil palm seedlings treated with either G. boninense or T. harzianum and a combination of both; whereas the gene expression of EgChit1-1 in the treated roots of oil palm seedlings was not significantly higher compared to those of the untreated oil palm roots. The gene expression of EgChit5-1 was only higher in the roots of oil palm seedlings treated with T. harzianum compared to those of the untreated oil palm roots. In addition, the gene expression of EgChit1-1 and EgChit3-1 showed a significantly higher gene expression in the leaf samples of oil palm seedlings treated with either G. boninense or T. harzianum.

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