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Fulltext Comparison on testability of visual acuity, stereo acuity and colour vision tests between children with learning disabilities and children without learning disabilities in government primary schools

Abu Bakar NF, Chen AH

Indian J Ophthalmol, 2014 Feb;62(2):141-4.
PMID: 24008790 DOI: 10.4103/0301-4738.116481

Children with learning disabilities might have difficulties to communicate effectively and give reliable responses as required in various visual function testing procedures.
Fulltext Comparison of the pediatric vision screening program in 18 countries across five continents

Chen AH, Abu Bakar NF, Arthur P

J Curr Ophthalmol, 2019 Dec;31(4):357-365.
PMID: 31844783 DOI: 10.1016/j.joco.2019.07.006

Purpose: Incorporating mass pediatric vision screening programs as part of a national agenda can be challenging. This review assessed the implementation strategy of the existing pediatric vision screening program.
Methods: A search was performed on PubMed, EBSCO host MEDLINE Complete, and Scopus databases encompassing the past ten years for mass pediatric screening practice patterns that met the selection criteria regarding their objectives and implementation. Results were analyzed from 18 countries across five continents.
Results: Eight countries (44%) offered screening for distance visual acuity only, where the majority of the countries (88%) used either Snellen or Tumbling E chart. High-income countries initiated screening earlier and applied a more comprehensive approach, targeting conditions other than reduced vision only, compared with middle-income countries. Chart-based testing was most commonly performed, with only three countries incorporating an instrument-based approach. Lack of eyecare and healthcare practitioners frequently necessitated the involvement of non-eyecare personnel (94%) as a vision screener including parent, trained staff, and nurse.
Conclusions: Implementation of a vision screening program was diverse within countries preceded by limited resources issues. Lack of professional eyecare practitioners implied the need to engage a lay screener. The limitation of existing tests to detect a broader range of visual problems at affordable cost advocated the urgent need for the development of an inexpensive and comprehensive screening tool.
Fulltext Reply to Letter - Comparison of the Pediatric Vision Screening Program in 18 Countries across Five Continents

Chen AH, Abu Bakar NF, Arthur P

J Curr Ophthalmol, 2020 03 23;32(1):120-121.
PMID: 32510026 DOI: 10.4103/JOCO.JOCO_52_20
Fulltext Microbiological Safety of Street-Vended Beverages in Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur

Mohd Nawawee NS, Abu Bakar NF, Zulfakar SS

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2019 11 13;16(22).
PMID: 31766289 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16224463

Improper handling, poor hygienic practices, and lack of environmental control affect the safety of street-vended beverages. The objective of this study is to determine the bacterial contamination level of three types of beverages (cordial-based drinks, milk-based drinks, fruit juices) sold by street vendors at Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur. A total of 31 samples of beverages were analyzed to determine total viable count (TVC), total coliform, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus counts via the standard plate count method. The results showed that only 9.7% of the total samples were not contaminated with the tested microorganisms. All milk-based drink samples were positive for TVC and also had the highest average bacterial counts at 5.30 ± 1.11 log Colony Forming Unit/mL (CFU/mL). About 71% of the samples were contaminated with total coliform with the average readings ranging between 4.30 and 4.75 log CFU/mL, whereas 58.1% of the samples were positive with S. aureus, with fruit juices having the highest average reading (3.42 ± 1.15 log CFU/mL). Only one sample (milk-based drink) was E. coli positive. This study showed that the microbiological safety level of street-vended beverages in Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur was average and needs to be improved. Provision of food safety education and adequate sanitary facilities at vending sites are suggested to increase the safety of food products.
Fulltext Comparison of selected metals content in Cambodian striped snakehead fish (Channa striata) using solar drying system and open sun drying

Basri DF, Abu Bakar NF, Fudholi A, Ruslan MH, Saroeun I

J Environ Public Health, 2015;2015:470968.
PMID: 25688274 DOI: 10.1155/2015/470968

The content of 12 elements in Cambodian dried striped snakehead fish was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The present study compares the level of the trace toxic metals and nutritional trace elements in the fish processed using solar drying system (SDS) and open sun drying (OSD). The skin of SDS fish has lower level of As, Pb, and Cd compared to the OSD sample. As such, the flesh of the fish accumulated higher amount of toxic metals during OSD compared to SDS. However, arsenic was detected in both samples within the safe limit. The nutritional elements (Fe, Mn, Mg, Se, Mo, Cu, Ni, and Cr) were higher in the skin sample SDS fish compared to OSD fish. These beneficial metals were not accumulated in the flesh sample SDS fish demonstrating lower level compared to drying under conventional system. The reddish coloration of the SDS fish was due to the presence of high Cu content in both the skin and flesh samples which possibly account for no mold formation 5 days after packaging. As conclusion, drying of Cambodian C. striata using solar-assisted system has proven higher content of the nutritious elements compared to using the conventional system despite only slight difference in the toxic metals level between the two systems.
Association between trace element and heavy metal levels in hair and nail with prostate cancer

Karimi G, Shahar S, Homayouni N, Rajikan R, Abu Bakar NF, Othman MS

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2012;13(9):4249-53.
PMID: 23167323

While associations between trace elements and heavy metals with prostate cancer are still debatable, they have been considered as risk factors for prostate cancer. Thus, this study aimed to detect any links between selected minerals and heavy metals including Se, Zn, Cu, Mn and Fe with prostate cancer. A case control study was carried out among 100 subjects (case n=50, control n=50), matched for age and ethnicity. Trace elements and heavy metals level in hair and nail samples were determined by ICP-MS. Mean selenium levels in hair and nail of the cases were significantly lower as compared to controls. A similar trend was noted for zinc in both hair and nail samples, whereas the mean level of copper was significantly higher in cases than controls. Similar elevation was noted for iron and manganese (p<0.05 for all parameters). Low levels of selenium and zinc and high levels of copper, iron and manganese appear to be associated with the risk of prostate cancer. Further studies to elucidate the causal mechanisms and appropriate chemopreventive measures are needed.
Fulltext Immobilisation of cyclodextrin glucanotransferase into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofibres via electrospinning

Saallah S, Naim MN, Lenggoro IW, Mokhtar MN, Abu Bakar NF, Gen M

Biotechnol Rep (Amst), 2016 Jun;10:44-48.
PMID: 28352523 DOI: 10.1016/j.btre.2016.03.003

Immobilisation of cyclodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase) on nanofibres was demonstrated. CGTase solution (1% v/v) and PVA (8 wt%) solution were mixed followed by electrospinning (-9 kV, 3 h). CGTase/PVA nanofibres with an average diameter of 176 ± 46 nm were successfully produced. The nanofibres that consist of immobilised CGTase were crosslinked with glutaraldehyde vapour. A CGTase/PVA film made up from the same mixture and treated the same way was used as a control experiment. The immobilised CGTase on nanofibres showed superior performance with nearly a 2.5 fold higher enzyme loading and 31% higher enzyme activity in comparison with the film.
Fulltext Synthesis of Various Size Gold Nanoparticles by Chemical Reduction Method with Different Solvent Polarity

Hussain MH, Abu Bakar NF, Mustapa AN, Low KF, Othman NH, Adam F

Nanoscale Res Lett, 2020 Jul 02;15(1):140.
PMID: 32617698 DOI: 10.1186/s11671-020-03370-5

Complicated and strict protocols are followed to tune the size of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) in chemical synthesis methods. In this study, we address the polarity of solvents as a tool for tailoring the size of GNPs in the chemical reduction method. The effects of varying polarity index of the reaction medium on synthesizing gold nanoparticles by chemical reduction method have been investigated. Ethanol as a polar solvent, ethanol-water mixture as reaction medium, L-ascorbic acid as reducing agent, and polyvinylpyrrolidone as stabilizer were used to synthesize GNPs. The polarity index of the reaction medium was adjusted by changing the volume ratio of ethanol to water. UV-Vis, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterizations reveal that the growth of nanoparticles was gradually increased (~ 22 to 219 nm hydrodynamic diameter) with decreasing value of polarity index of the reaction medium (~ 8.2 to 5.2). Furthermore, the high polarity index of the reaction medium produced smaller and spherical nanoparticles, whereas lower polarity index of reaction medium results in bigger size of GNPs with different shapes. These results imply that the mechanistic of the growth, assembly, and aggregation phenomena of ligand or stabilizer-capped GNPs strongly rely on the polarity of solvent molecules. Using the proposed methodology, wide size range of GNPs with different morphology sizes can be synthesized by simply modulating the volume percentage of organic solvent in the reaction medium.
Transformation of cyclodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase) from aqueous suspension to fine solid particles via electrospraying

Saallah S, Naim MN, Mokhtar MN, Abu Bakar NF, Gen M, Lenggoro IW

Enzyme Microb Technol, 2014 Oct;64-65:52-9.
PMID: 25152417 DOI: 10.1016/j.enzmictec.2014.06.002

In this study, the potential of electrohydrodynamic atomization or electrospraying to produce nanometer-order CGTase particles from aqueous suspension was demonstrated. CGTase enzyme was prepared in acetate buffer solution (1% v/v), followed by electrospraying in stable Taylor cone-jet mode. The deposits were collected on aluminium foil (collector) at variable distances from the tip of spraying needle, ranging from 10 to 25 cm. The Coulomb fission that occurs during electrospraying process successfully transformed the enzyme to the solid state without any functional group deterioration. The functional group verification was conducted by FTIR analysis. Comparison between the deposit and the as-received enzyme in dry state indicates almost identical spectra. By increasing the distance of the collector from the needle tip, the average particle size of the solidified enzyme was reduced from 200±117 nm to 75±34 nm. The average particle sizes produced from the droplet fission were in agreement with the scaling law models. Enzyme activity analysis showed that the enzyme retained its initial activity after the electrospraying process. The enzyme particles collected at the longest distance (25 cm) demonstrated the highest enzyme activity, which indicates that the activity was controlled by the enzyme particle size.
Fulltext Comparison of vision disorders between children in mainstream and special education classes in government primary schools in Malaysia

Abu Bakar NF, Chen AH, Md Noor AR, Goh PP

Singapore Med J, 2012 Aug;53(8):541-4.
PMID: 22941133

The visual status of children with learning disabilities has not been extensively studied. This study aimed to compare vision disorders between children in mainstream classes and those with learning disabilities attending special education classes in government primary schools in Malaysia.
Fulltext Unveiling the noxious effect of polystyrene microplastics in aquatic ecosystems and their toxicological behavior on fishes and microalgae

Jalaudin Basha NN, Adzuan Hafiz NB, Osman MS, Abu Bakar NF

Front Toxicol, 2023;5:1135081.
PMID: 37215383 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2023.1135081

Microplastic (MP) particles are considered noxious pollutants due to their presence in aquatic habitats at almost every level of the food chain. Thus, the entry of MP particles into marine waterbodies has triggered a common research interest. Until recently, the toxicity of polystyrene towards aquatic creatures in comparison to other polymers has not been widely investigated. This article provides an extensive overview of the occurrence of microplastic particles, the route of polystyrene (PS) in the aquatic ecosystem, the PS properties characterization, and its noxious effects on the aquatic biota, particularly fishes and microalgae. Alarming high levels of polystyrene were found in urban, coastal, and rural surface waters and sediments. The fast-screening technique began with a stereoscope to determine the polystyrene particles' shape, size, and color on the organism. SEM and complemented by micro FTIR or Raman spectroscopy were used to evaluate MP's polymer structures. The findings present evidence suggesting that polystyrene buildup in fish can have long-term and unknown consequences. Meanwhile, the presence of polystyrene on microalgae causes a decrease in chlorophyll concentration and photosynthetic activity, which may disrupt photosynthesis by interfering with the electron characters and leading to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS).
A voltammetric immunosensor based on a nanoporous alumina millirod for detection of porcine serum albumin

Mahmud AH, Salahuddin NM, Md Jani AM, Abu Bakar NF, Zainal Abidin SAS, Mohd Zain Z, et al.

Food Chem, 2023 Jun 15;411:135493.
PMID: 36689871 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.135493

A voltammetric immunosensor was developed for detection of porcine serum albumin (PSA) to identify raw meat products adulterated with pork. A novel strategy to fabricate multiple individual nanoporous alumina (NPA) millirods (length, 5.0 mm; diameter, 1.0 mm) as the biorecognition platform is described. Each NPA millirod was covalently bioconjugated with anti-PSA capturing antibodies (α-PSAC). Following immunocapture, the PSA bound to the α-PSAC/NPA millirod bioconjugate were tagged with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) functionalized with anti-PSA detection antibodies as the signaling probe. Subsequently, the AuNPs were voltammetrically analyzed to quantify the target PSA. The immunosensor exhibited 100 % specificity and high sensitivity to PSA with a limit of detection (LoD) of 50 (range, 0-1000) pg/mL (R2 = 0.9907). Real-world applicability was successfully validated using pork/beef adulterated mixtures with a LoD of 0.05 % (w/w). Overall, the detection performance of the proposed immunosensor was excellent and, thus, is suitable for surveillance of food safety and quality.
Fulltext Cellulosic fiber nanocomposite application review with zinc oxide antimicrobial agent nanoparticle: an opt for COVID-19 purpose

Azizan A, Samsudin AA, Shamshul Baharin MB, Dzulkiflee MH, Rosli NR, Abu Bakar NF, et al.

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2023 Feb;30(7):16779-16796.
PMID: 35084685 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-18515-5

Cellulosic fiber (CF) in nanoform is emergingly finding its way for COVID-19 solution for instance via nanocomposite/nanoparticle from various abundant biopolymeric waste materials, which may not be widely commercialized when the pandemic strikes recently. The possibility is wide open but needs proper collection of knowledge and research data. Thus, this article firstly reviews CF produced from various lignocellulosic or biomass feedstocks' pretreatment methods in various nanoforms or nanocomposites, also serving together with metal oxide (MeO) antimicrobial agents having certain analytical reporting. CF-MeO hybrid product can be a great option for COVID-19 antimicrobial resistant environment to be proposed considering the long-established CF and MeO laboratory investigations. Secondly, a preliminary pH investigation of 7 to 12 on zinc oxide synthesis discussing on Fouriertransform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) functional groups and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images are also presented, justifying the knowledge requirement for future stable nanocomposite formulation. In addition to that, recent precursors suitable for zinc oxide nanoparticle synthesis with emergingly prediction to serve as COVID-19 purposes via different products, aligning with CFs or nanocellulose for industrial applications are also reviewed.
Fulltext Impacts of climate change and environmental degradation on children in Malaysia

Sahani M, Othman H, Kwan SC, Juneng L, Ibrahim MF, Hod R, et al.

Front Public Health, 2022;10:909779.
PMID: 36311578 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.909779

The impacts of climate change and degradation are increasingly felt in Malaysia. While everyone is vulnerable to these impacts, the health and wellbeing of children are disproportionately affected. We carried out a study composed of two major components. The first component is an environmental epidemiology study comprised of three sub-studies: (i) a global climate model (GCM) simulating specific health-sector climate indices; (ii) a time-series study to estimate the risk of childhood respiratory disease attributable to ambient air pollution; and (iii) a case-crossover study to identify the association between haze and under-five mortality in Malaysia. The GCM found that Malaysia has been experiencing increasing rainfall intensity over the years, leading to increased incidences of other weather-related events. The time-series study revealed that air quality has worsened, while air pollution and haze have been linked to an increased risk of hospitalization for respiratory diseases among children. Although no clear association between haze and under-five mortality was found in the case-crossover study, the lag patterns suggested that health effects could be more acute if haze occurred over a longer duration and at a higher intensity. The second component consists of three community surveys on marginalized children conducted (i) among the island community of Pulau Gaya, Sabah; (ii) among the indigenous Temiar tribe in Pos Kuala Mu, Perak; and (iii) among an urban poor community (B40) in PPR Sg. Bonus, Kuala Lumpur. The community surveys are cross-sectional studies employing a socio-ecological approach using a standardized questionnaire. The community surveys revealed how children adapt to climate change and environmental degradation. An integrated model was established that consolidates our overall research processes and demonstrates the crucial interconnections between environmental challenges exacerbated by climate change. It is recommended that Malaysian schools adopt a climate-smart approach to education to instill awareness of the impending climate change and its cascading impact on children's health from early school age.
Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Environment: Current Surveillance and Effective Data Management of COVID-19

Nadzirah S, Mohamad Zin N, Khalid A, Abu Bakar NF, Kamarudin SS, Zulfakar SS, et al.

Crit Rev Anal Chem, 2023 Jun 26.
PMID: 37358486 DOI: 10.1080/10408347.2023.2224433

Since diagnostic laboratories handle large COVID-19 samples, researchers have established laboratory-based assays and developed biosensor prototypes. Both share the same purpose; to ascertain the occurrence of air and surface contaminations by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, the biosensors further utilize internet-of-things (IoT) technology to monitor COVID-19 virus contamination, specifically in the diagnostic laboratory setting. The IoT-capable biosensors have great potential to monitor for possible virus contamination. Numerous studies have been done on COVID-19 virus air and surface contamination in the hospital setting. Through reviews, there are abundant reports on the viral transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through droplet infections, person-to-person close contact and fecal-oral transmission. However, studies on environmental conditions need to be better reported. Therefore, this review covers the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in airborne and wastewater samples using biosensors with comprehensive studies in methods and techniques of sampling and sensing (2020 until 2023). Furthermore, the review exposes sensing cases in public health settings. Then, the integration of data management together with biosensors is well explained. Last, the review ended with challenges to having a practical COVID-19 biosensor applied for environmental surveillance samples.

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