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Fulltext Assessment of the efficacy of CBCT referral forms at Faculty of Dentistry, International Islamic University Malaysia

Abu Bakar, N.

Malaysian Dental Journal, 2015;37(1):30-38.
MyJurnal

Introduction: Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) has gained interest for improving diagnosis, treatment planning and facilitating better patient’s management in various dental fields. This study is part of the quality assurance programme in Dental Faculty, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). This center offers dental radiography service not only for internal clinics but also act as a referral center for the eastern areas, Pahang, Malaysia. Aims: The aims of this study were; 1) to assess referral pattern for CBCT scans at the Dental Faculty, IIUM, Kuantan, and 2) to evaluate the completeness of the current referral form used by clinicians (for both internal and external referrals). Methods: An audit looking at both the external and internal referral CBCT forms of a four year period of examination (2010-2013) at the Radiology Unit, Dental Faculty, IIUM. Source of referrals, indications for CBCT and the referral forms were examined and analysed. Results: Total CBCT scans taken within the four-year period were 171, in which 96 were referred from internal sources whilst 75 were external referrals. External referrals were mainly from Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic clinics (59%), while other referrals were from implant clinic (20%), Paediatrics and Special Needs clinic (15%), Oral MaxilloFacial Surgery clinic (4%) and Periodontic clinic (1%) and Oral Medicine Oral Pathology (OMOP) clinics (1%). All forms from external sources are completely filled. In the Internal referral form, 41% of them came with no indication of why CBCT need to be taken. Out of 59% of cases with indications, 33% came from Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic department, followed by Oral Surgery department (10%). Implant treatment planning accounted for 7% of cases, Periodontics 4%, Temporo-Mandibular Joint assessment 2%, 1% for Conservative dentistry and Prosthodontic cases respectively and 1% cleft case. Further analysis of the internal referral forms revealed that only 14% of the forms were filled with complete patients’ details, 40% specified pregnancy status and 67% clearly stated patients’ medical status. Area of interest was not specified in 69% of cases and clinicians’ names were not stated in 94% of the cases. Majority of the forms were completed with clinicians’ signature (99%) and also radiographers’ details (97%). Conclusions: This study indicated that the majority of IIUM CBCT referrals were from internal sources. However, most of the referral forms were not completely filled. The internal form used, therefore, need to be improved and a much firmer referral framework should be in place.
Fulltext Measuring pH of the Plasmodium falciparum digestive vacuole by flow cytometry

Abu Bakar N

Trop Biomed, 2015 Sep;32(3):485-93.
PMID: 26695209 MyJurnal

Studies show that the pH of the malaria parasite's digestive vacuole (DV) plays a key role in the physiological functions of this organelle and antimalarial drug accumulation, and yet is technically difficult to measure. In this study, a flow cytometry-based technique was developed to measure the DV pH using a ratiometric pH indicator, FITC-dextran loaded into the DV of saponin-permeabilized parasites. To calculate the DV pH, a standard pH calibration curve was generated by incubating the saponin-permeabilized cells in buffers with different pH in the presence of an ionophore, CCCP. The measured average pH of the DV was 5.27 ± 0.03 that is approximately the same in the parasites observed microscopically by Hayward et al. (2006) (5.50 ± 0.14) using the same probe. The removal of glucose from the medium, causing a rapid depletion of parasite ATP, resulted in an alkalization of the DV. The DV was reacidified upon restoration of glucose to the medium. This technique provides a rapid, simple and quantitative measurement of the DV pH on a large number of cells. It will also be useful in future attempts to evaluate the effect of antimalarial drugs (i.e. chloroquine and artemisinin-based drugs) in pH changes of the DV.
Fulltext Demographics characteristics and analysis of malocclusions of orthodontic patients seen at IIUM Dental Specialist Clinic, Kuantan, Pahang

Ismail, K., Ghazali@Suhaimi, S.S., Abu Bakar, N., Mokhtar, K.I., Kharuddin, A.F.

International Medical Journal Malaysia, 2017;16(2):107-111.
MyJurnal

Introduction: Malocclusion is one of the most common dental problems observed. Limited data is currently
available regarding the demographics of malocclusion observed locally.

Materials And Methods: This is a
retrospective study where 770 patients were recruited from May 2009 till December 2014. 560 orthodontic
study models that met the inclusion criteria were examined and the malocclusions were classified according
to the British Standard Institute (BSI) incisor classification. Demographic pattern and their relationship were
analysed by structural equation modelling using SPSS (version 23.0).

Results: From 560 study models
analysed, 72% were female. The age of the patients ranges from 7-12 years old (17.1%), 13-17 years old
(55.9%) and >18 years old (27.0%). Majority of the patients were Malay followed by Chinese (5.7%), Indian
(1.8%) and other races (1.8%) Treatments received were fixed appliances (FA) (60.0%), removable appliances
(RA) (12.5%), functional appliances (FnA) (1.1%), combination of RA and FA (16.1%), combination of FnA and
FA (2.1%) and consultation (8.2%). Types of malocclusions observed were Class I (25.7%), Class II/1(32.7%),
Class II/2 (7.5%) and Class III (34.1%). There was significant association (p
Fulltext Electrophoretic mobility of Tween 80-encapsulated agarwood oil in aqueous

Boon, Y. T., Naim, M. N., Zakaria, R., Abu Bakar, N. F., Ahmad, N.

International Food Research Journal, 2016;23(101):133-140.
MyJurnal

A study on the feasibility of using gel electrophoresis technique in grading the agarwood oil
quality was investigated. Prior to electrophoresis, the emulsified agarwood oil droplets were
screened by a diffuse layer of ions that have equal absolute charge to that of the droplets surface
charge in aqueous phase. The condition was obtained by varying the concentrations of nonionic
surfactant; Tween 80 until the critical aggregation concentration (CAC) value of 0.0167%
(v/v) was achieved. The prepared droplets suspended in the aqueous within nano-metre size and
had ability to migrate through the agarose gel with its own specific electrophoretic mobility.
However, due to the limitation of gel pore size, only large oil droplets (>200 nm) indicated
visible bands. Overall, a novel work for grading the emulsified agarwood oil droplet with its
own electrical properties was feasible.
Fulltext Imaging of Osteo-odontokeratoprosthesis(OOKP) Using Multidetector Computed Tomography: A UKMMC Experience

Abu Bakar N, Lee CL

Med J Malaysia, 2013;68(1):73-5.
PMID: 23466774

Osteo-odontokeratoprosthesis (OOKP) surgery is a technique used to replace damaged cornea in blind patients for whom cadaveric transplantation is not feasible. OOKP surgery is a complex procedure requiring lifetime follow-up. The preservation of the osteo-odontolamina is the vital feature in maintaining the stability of the OOKP. Early detection of lamina resorption enables early prophylactic measures to be taken and prevent resorption-related complications. This case illustrates the radiological findings of the first OOKP surgery in Malaysia and the role of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in postoperative management of OOKP surgery.
Sub-lethal concentrations of artemisinin alter pH of the digestive vacuole of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum

Ibrahim N, Roslee A, Azlan M, Abu-Bakar N

Trop Biomed, 2020 Mar 01;37(1):1-14.
PMID: 33612713

An appropriate pH maintenance within a membrane-enclosed organelle is vital for the occurrence of biological processes. Artemisinin (ART), a potent antimalarial drug has been reported to target the digestive vacuole (DV) of Plasmodium falciparum, which might alter the pH of the organelle, thereby impairing the hemoglobin degradation and subsequent heme detoxification. Hence, a flow cytometry-based technique using fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (FITC-dextran) as a ratiometric pH probe was employed to measure the pH of the DV of the malaria parasite treated with ART. Based on the pH calibration curve generated, the steady-state pH of the acidic DV of the non-treated parasites was 5.42 ± 0.11, indicating that FITC-dextran is suitable for detection of physiological pH of the organelle. The alteration of the DV pH occurred when the parasites were treated with ART even at the sub-lethal concentrations (15 and 30 nM) used. The similar effect was shown by the parasites treated with a standard proton pump inhibitor, concanamycin A. This suggests that ART might have altered the DV pH at lower levels than the level needed to kill the parasite. This study has important implications in designing new ART treatment strategies and in generating new endoperoxide-based antimalarial drugs pertaining to the interruption of the pH regulation of the malaria parasite's DV.
Fulltext Silver nanostar films for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) of the pesticide imidacloprid

Abu Bakar N, Shapter JG

Heliyon, 2023 Mar;9(3):e14686.
PMID: 36994401 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14686

Strategies for synthetic control of anisotropic metal nanostructures have grown in recent years in part due to their great potential for application as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensing substrates. It has been shown that SERS using silver substrates is a powerful tool for identification and qualification of trace chemical analysis on the basis of their unique molecular vibrations. In this work, we synthesized star-shaped silver nanostructures and fabricated SERS substrates to use the SERS enhancement of the Raman signal to detect neonicotinoid pesticides. These silver nanostar substrates were prepared by assembling the nanostar particles on a glass substrate surface using a self-assembly technique with various layers of silver nanostars film. The silver nanostar distribution on the solid substrate surface was found to have good reproducibility, reusability and were a stable SERS substrate giving SERS enhancements for pesticide detection at concentrations as low as 10-6 mg/ml. The distribution of these silver nanostars on the surface allowed excellent reproducibility of the detection with a low relative standard derivation (RSD) of SERS intensity of 8%. This work potentially builds a platform for an ultrasensitive detector where samples can be probed with little to no pre-processing and a range of pollutants can be detected at very low levels.
Primary follicular lymphoma of the pancreas: A rare tumour mimicking pancreatic carcinoma

Sallapan S, Abu Bakar NZ, Jarmin R, Masir N, Mohammed F

Malays J Pathol, 2018 Dec;40(3):359-371.
PMID: 30580370

INTRODUCTION: Primary pancreatic lymphomas are extremely rare. Clinically, primary pancreatic lymphoma mimics symptoms of carcinoma of the pancreatic head. Clinical and radiological features may overlap with other pancreatic conditions such as carcinoma, neuroendocrine tumours and autoimmune pancreatitis.
CASE REPORT: We report a case of a 75-year-old man who presented with symptoms of obstructive jaundice. Ultrasonography and computed tomography (CT) showed an ill-defined lobulated soft tissue lesion at the head/uncinate process of the pancreas measuring 4.5 x 4.9 x 5.8 cm. The patient underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for suspected pancreatic head/uncinate process carcinoma. Histopathology and immunohistochemical assessment of the pancreatic lesion established the diagnosis of a low-grade follicular lymphoma.
DISCUSSION: Clinical and imaging features of primary pancreatic lymphoma may often overlap with pancreatic carcinoma. There is a value of obtaining preoperative tissue diagnosis such as tissue biopsy and fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology with or without flow cytometry to make an accurate diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and alleviate the need of more radical surgery in pancreatic lymphoma.
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.
Fulltext Fungal survival under temperature stress: a proteomic perspective

Abu Bakar N, Karsani SA, Alias SA

PeerJ, 2020;8:e10423.
PMID: 33362961 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10423

BACKGROUND: Increases in knowledge of climate change generally, and its impact on agricultural industries specifically, have led to a greater research effort aimed at improving understanding of the role of fungi in various fields. Fungi play a key role in soil ecosystems as the primary agent of decomposition, recycling of organic nutrients. Fungi also include important pathogens of plants, insects, bacteria, domestic animals and humans, thus highlighting their importance in many contexts. Temperature directly affects fungal growth and protein dynamics, which ultimately will cascade through to affect crop performance. To study changes in the global protein complement of fungi, proteomic approaches have been used to examine links between temperature stress and fungal proteomic profiles.
SURVEY METHODOLOGY AND OBJECTIVES: A traditional rather than a systematic review approach was taken to focus on fungal responses to temperature stress elucidated using proteomic approaches. The effects of temperature stress on fungal metabolic pathways and, in particular, heat shock proteins (HSPs) are discussed. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of the effects of temperature stress on fungal proteomes.
CONCLUDING REMARKS: Elucidating fungal proteomic response under temperature stress is useful in the context of increasing understanding of fungal sensitivity and resilience to the challenges posed by contemporary climate change processes. Although useful, a more thorough work is needed such as combining data from multiple -omics platforms in order to develop deeper understanding of the factor influencing and controlling cell physiology. This information can be beneficial to identify potential biomarkers for monitoring environmental changes in soil, including the agricultural ecosystems vital to human society and economy.
Fulltext Dataset on the conceptualization of institutional trust on intention to participate in family takaful products

Muhammad Zuki MF, Abu Bakar N

Data Brief, 2023 Dec;51:109808.
PMID: 38075603 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2023.109808

The dataset was obtained from a time cross-sectional empirical survey to determine the intention to participate in Family Takaful (Solidarity) products. The survey was collected from 277 academicians in private Islamic Higher Education Institutions in Malaysia, with 272 valid cases. The academicians were chosen because of the various education levels, as education is an influential factor in many previous behavioural studies. The questionnaire was developed using scales based on the previous literature, such as intention, attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioural intention and institutional trust. The reliability and validity of all variables indicated that the measurement items were appropriate. This dataset brought a novelty by conceptualizing the institutional trust construct to predict the customers' intention to participate in Family Takaful (Solidarity) products. Results indicated that the data is suitable for performing replication studies.
Fulltext Camurati-engelmann disease association with hypogonadism and primary hypothyroidism

Low SF, Abu Bakar N, Ngiu CS

Iran Red Crescent Med J, 2014 Aug;16(8):e9481.
PMID: 25389497 DOI: 10.5812/ircmj.9481

INTRODUCTION: Camurati-Engelmann disease (CED) is a rare autosomal dominant disease with various phenotypic expressions. The symptoms usually develop during childhood. The hallmark of the disease is bilateral symmetric diaphyseal hyperostosis of the long bones with progressive involvement of the metaphysis. The epiphysis is strictly spared. The common clinical symptoms are pain of the extremities, muscle wasting, waddling gait, and lethargy. CED is rarely seen in conjunction with hypogonadism. CED-associated hypothyroidism has not been reported yet. Clinical assessment and skeletal survey are important to make the diagnosis.
CASE PRESENTATION: Hereby we reported a case of CED with concomitant hypogonadism and hypothyroidism. Serial plain radiographs of the patient showed classic and progressive diaphyseal cortical hyperostosis of the long bone.
CONCLUSIONS: Hyperostosis of the skull was observed in the present case. The characteristic osseous changes of CED were highlighted and the differential diagnoses were discussed.
Fulltext Draft Genome Sequence of Erwinia mallotivora BT-MARDI, Causative Agent of Papaya Dieback Disease

Redzuan RA, Abu Bakar N, Rozano L, Badrun R, Mat Amin N, Mohd Raih MF

Genome Announc, 2014;2(3).
PMID: 24812220 DOI: 10.1128/genomeA.00375-14

Erwinia mallotivora was isolated from papaya trees infected with dieback disease, which were planted at the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI), Malaysia. Here, we report a draft genome sequence of E. mallotivora BT-MARDI, which offers an important source of information for understanding pathogen and host interaction during papaya dieback development.
Optimization of a greener method for removal phenol species by cloud point extraction and spectrophotometry

Zain NN, Abu Bakar NK, Mohamad S, Saleh NM

Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc, 2014 Jan 24;118:1121-8.
PMID: 24161875 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2013.09.129

A greener method based on cloud point extraction was developed for removing phenol species including 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP) and 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) in water samples by using the UV-Vis spectrophotometric method. The non-ionic surfactant DC193C was chosen as an extraction solvent due to its low water content in a surfactant rich phase and it is well-known as an environmentally-friendly solvent. The parameters affecting the extraction efficiency such as pH, temperature and incubation time, concentration of surfactant and salt, amount of surfactant and water content were evaluated and optimized. The proposed method was successfully applied for removing phenol species in real water samples.
Fulltext Intestinal nematode infections and efficacy study of oxantel-pyrantel pamoate among plantation workers

Zahedi M, Oothuman P, Sabapathy NN, Abu Bakar N

Med J Malaysia, 1980 Sep;35(1):31-7.
PMID: 7253995
The effect of oleic acid stabilizer on the surface properties of bimetallic PtNi catalysts

Abu Bakar NH, Abu Bakar M, Bettahar MM, Ismail J, Monteverdi S

J Nanosci Nanotechnol, 2013 Jul;13(7):5034-43.
PMID: 23901527

A detailed study on the surface properties of oleic acid-stabilized PtNi nanoparticles supported on silica is reported. The oleic acid-stabilized PtNi nanoparticles were synthesized using NaBH4 as the reducing agent at various temperatures and oleic acid concentrations, prior to incorporation onto the silica support. X-ray diffraction studies of the unsupported oleic acid-stabilized PtNi particles revealed that the PtNi existed as alloys. Upon incorporation onto silica support, surface properties of the catalysts were investigated using H2-temperature reduction (H2-TPR), H2-temperature desorption (H2-TPD) and H2-chemisorption techniques. It was found that for the bimetallic catalysts, no oxides or very little oxidation occurred. Furthermore, these catalysts exhibited both Pt and Ni active sites on its surface though the availability of Ni active sites was dominant. A comparison of the surface properties of these materials with those prepared without oleic acid in our previous work [N. H. H. Abu Bakar et al., J. Catal. 265, 63 (2009)] and how they affect the hydrogenation of benzene is also discussed.
Influence of various Cu/Fe ratios on the surface properties of green synthesized Cu-Fe-BTC and it`s relation to methylene blue adsorption

Siew WY, Abu Bakar NHH, Abu Bakar M, Zainal Abidin A

J Hazard Mater, 2021 Aug 15;416:125846.
PMID: 34492799 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125846

The incorporation of different percentages of Fe2+ into copper benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate (CuBTC) was successfully carried out at room-temperature synthesis with water as the only solvent. The XRD and XPS analysis shows that the Fe2+ were substituted into the paddlewheel structure. The incorporation of 18% Fe2+ into CuBTC can increase the surface area and porosity of the framework. The BET surface area of Cu82Fe18BTC (1240 m2/g) was significantly higher than CuBTC (708 m2/g). Further increase in the Fe2+ percentage will reduce the surface area of the compound. The presence of Fe2+ in the framework successfully disturbs the pore formation and widens the pore size on the surface of these compounds. This as well as the pHpzc, which is related to the surface acidity of the resulting bimetallic organic framework (BMOF), play an important role in the adsorption process. Cu53Fe47BTC with an adsorption capacity of 94.42 mg/g shows approximately 6 times greater adsorption capacity against MB compared to CuBTC. This shows that by utilizing a different ratio of Cu and a second metal, it is possible to effectively design the surface morphology of BMOF for specific applications.
Fulltext Draft Genome Sequence of Blood Disease Bacterium A2 HR-MARDI, a Pathogen Causing Banana Bacterial Wilt

Badrun R, Abu Bakar N, Laboh R, Redzuan R, Bala Jaganath I

Genome Announc, 2017 Jun 01;5(22).
PMID: 28572313 DOI: 10.1128/genomeA.00408-17

Blood disease bacterium A2 HR-MARDI was isolated from banana plants infected with banana blood disease and which were planted in Kuala Kangsar, Malaysia. Here, we report a draft genome sequence of blood disease bacterium A2 HR-MARDI, which could provide important information on the virulence mechanism of this pathogen.
Fulltext Evaluation of Salivary Leptin Levels and Its Correlation with Class I, Class II, and Class III Facial Skeletal Pattern: A Prefatory Study

Siva Dharma D, Abu Bakar N, Mustafa BE

Eur J Dent, 2021 Oct;15(4):647-652.
PMID: 34428845 DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1727552

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess and compare the salivary leptin hormone levels between different classes of facial skeletal pattern (Class I, II, and III).
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A sample of 62 patients were selected prior to the orthodontic treatment from a population that attended the International Islamic University Malaysia Specialist Orthodontic Clinic. Based on the lateral cephalometric analysis, the subjects were grouped into Class I, Class II, and Class III facial skeletal patterns, according to Eastman and Wits appraisal. Subsequently, unstimulated saliva samples were taken and purified to undergo leptin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analysis to determine the levels of leptin hormone. Statistical analysis using the Kruskal-Wallis test was used to analyze the data obtained.
RESULTS: The results showed that there was a significant difference between the levels of leptin hormone between Class I and Class II skeletal patterns and between Class I and Class III facial skeletal patterns. No statistical difference was noted between the levels of leptin of Class II and Class III facial skeletal patterns.
CONCLUSION: Salivary leptin hormone levels are higher in patients with Class II and Class III facial skeletal patterns compared with Class I.
Fulltext The comprehension and production of Wh- questions among Malay children with developmental language disorders: Climbing the syntactic tree

Abu Bakar N, Smith G, Razak RA, Garraffa M

Front Psychol, 2022;13:948992.
PMID: 36389519 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.948992

This study is an investigation of both comprehension and production of Wh- questions in Malay-speaking children with a developmental language disorder (DLD). A total of 15 Malay children with DLD (ages 7;0-9;11 years) were tested on a set of Wh- questions (who subject and object, which subject and object), comparing their performance with two control groups [15 age-matched typically developing (TD) children and 15 younger TD language-matched children]. Malay children with DLD showed a clear asymmetry in comprehension of Wh- questions, with a selective impairment for which NP questions compared with who questions. Age-matched controls performed at ceiling in all Wh- questions, while the language-matched group reported a subject/object asymmetry selective for the which NP, as reported in other languages. In production, both children with DLD and younger children showed a preference for questions with in situ Wh- elements, a structure that is allowed in colloquial Malay, but which is not produced by the age-matched TD group. Several non-adult-like strategies were adopted particularly by the children with DLD to avoid complex sentences, including substitution with yes/no echo questions, production of the wrong Wh- question, and use of a generic Wh- element. The study provides an insight on the mastery of Wh- questions in both typical Malay children and children with DLD. Implications for the definition of a clinical marker for DLD in a free word order language with Wh- in situ option will be discussed.

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