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Need and demand for dental care in a group of Malaysian elderly

Razak IA, Ali MM

Gerodontics, 1988 Oct;4(5):265-7.
PMID: 3271724
Ethnic and sex variations in dental care utilization patterns in a group of Malaysian elderly

Razak IA, Ali MM

Gerodontology, 1988;7(2):77-80.
PMID: 3273286
Unperceived dental needs in a group of Malaysian elderly patients

Razak IA, Ali MM

Ann Acad Med Singap, 1989 Sep;18(5):516-8.
PMID: 2619242

The present study analysed the records of 342 elderly subjects aged 55 years and above of different ethnic groups to ascertain the types and level of their unperceived dental needs. The overall percentage of unperceived needs was highest among the Malays (96.1% or 74/77 subjects) and among the men (88.5% or 139/157 subjects). The unperceived need for prosthetic treatment was highest among the Malays and Chinese as well as among women, whereas the unperceived need for treatment for periodontal disease was highest among the Indians. The data for unperceived needs for prosthetic treatment as well as for treatment for caries and periodontal disease were somewhat similar among men. Within each ethnic group, variations among sex in the unperceived needs for the various dental symptoms were also noticeable. Further research is indicated to ascertain the role of traditional and cultural concepts and dogmas in determining the importance attached to the various dental health symptoms within each ethnic group.
Fulltext Posterior Capsule Rupture With/Without Vitreous Loss During Phacoemulsification in a Hospital in Malaysia

Thanigasalam T, Sahoo S, Ali MM

Asia Pac J Ophthalmol (Phila), 2015;4(3):166-70.
PMID: 26065504 DOI: 10.1097/APO.0000000000000056

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to determine the risk factors and the point at which posterior capsule rupture (PCR) with/without vitreous loss occurred after cataract surgery and the precautions to be taken to avoid it in the future.
DESIGN: A retrospective study.
METHODS: Patients who underwent cataract surgery from January 2011 to December 2012 in a hospital in Malaysia were studied. The data were obtained from the National Eye Database of Malaysia.
RESULTS: Of 80.4% eyes (2519) that had undergone phacoemulsification, it was found that 3.06% (77) of the cases had PCR as one of the complications. The largest number of PCRs happened during cortical removal (35.2%), followed by segment removal (25.4%), cracking (8.5%), and aspiration of the oculoviscodevice (8.5%). It has been found that the rupture most often occurred during cortex removal by consultants, whereas most PCRs occurred during segment removal by specialists.
CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals that around 3% of patients had PCR during phacoemulsification. It is important to recognize PCR and presence of vitreous loss intraoperatively to prevent further complications of cystoid macular edema and endophthalmitis.
Faecal sterols as sewage markers in the Langat River, Malaysia: integration of biomarker and multivariate statistical approaches

Adnan NH, Zakaria MP, Juahir H, Ali MM

J Environ Sci (China), 2012;24(9):1600-8.
PMID: 23520867

The Langat River in Malaysia has been experiencing anthropogenic input from urban, rural and industrial activities for many years. Sewage contamination, possibly originating from the greater than three million inhabitants of the Langat River Basin, were examined. Sediment samples from 22 stations (SL01-SL22) along the Langat River were collected, extracted and analysed by GC-MS. Six different sterols were identified and quantified. The highest sterol concentration was found at station SL02 (618.29 ng/g dry weight), which situated in the Balak River whereas the other sediment samples ranged between 11.60 and 446.52 ng/g dry weight. Sterol ratios were used to identify sources, occurrence and partitioning of faecal matter in sediments and majority of the ratios clearly demonstrated that sewage contamination was occurring at most stations in the Langat River. A multivariate statistical analysis was used in conjunction with a combination of biomarkers to better understand the data that clearly separated the compounds. Most sediments of the Langat River were found to contain low to mid-range sewage contamination with some containing 'significant' levels of contamination. This is the first report on sewage pollution in the Langat River based on a combination of biomarker and multivariate statistical approaches that will establish a new standard for sewage detection using faecal sterols.
Assessment of toxic metals in water and sediment of Pasur River in Bangladesh

Ali MM, Ali ML, Islam MS, Rahman MZ

Water Sci Technol, 2018 Mar;77(5-6):1418-1430.
PMID: 29528329 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2018.016

This study was conducted to assess the levels of toxic metals like arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) in water and sediments of the Pasur River in Bangladesh. The ranges of Cr, As, Cd, Pb in water were 25.76-77.39, 2.76-16.73, 0.42-2.98 and 12.69-42.67 μg/L and in sediments were 20.67-83.70, 3.15-19.97, 0.39-3.17 and 7.34-55.32 mg/kg. The level of studied metals in water samples exceeded the safe limits of drinking water, indicating that water from this river is not safe for drinking and cooking. Certain indices, including pollution load index (PLI) and contamination factor (Cif) were used to assess the ecological risk. The PLI indicated progressive deterioration of sediments by the studied metals. Potential ecological risks of metals in sediment indicated low to considerable risk. However, the Cif values of Cd ranged from 0.86 to 8.37 revealed that the examined sediments were strongly impacted by Cd. Considering the severity of potential ecological risk (PER) for single metal (Eir), the descending order of contaminants was Cd > Pb > As > Cr. According the results, some treatment scheme must formulate and implement by the researchers and related management organizations to save the Pasur River from metals contamination.
Source apportionment of surfactants in marine aerosols at different locations along the Malacca Straits

Mustaffa NI, Latif MT, Ali MM, Khan MF

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2014 May;21(10):6590-602.
PMID: 24532245 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-014-2562-z

This study aims to determine the source apportionment of surfactants in marine aerosols at two selected stations along the Malacca Straits. The aerosol samples were collected using a high volume sampler equipped with an impactor to separate coarse- and fine-mode aerosols. The concentrations of surfactants, as methylene blue active substance and disulphine blue active substance, were analysed using colorimetric method. Ion chromatography was employed to determine the ionic compositions. Principal component analysis combined with multiple linear regression was used to identify and quantify the sources of atmospheric surfactants. The results showed that the surfactants in tropical coastal environments are actively generated from natural and anthropogenic origins. Sea spray (generated from sea-surface microlayers) was found to be a major contributor to surfactants in both aerosol sizes. Meanwhile, the anthropogenic sources (motor vehicles/biomass burning) were predominant contributors to atmospheric surfactants in fine-mode aerosols.
Fulltext Chronology of Fabry-Perot interferometer fiber-optic sensors and their applications: a review

Islam MR, Ali MM, Lai MH, Lim KS, Ahmad H

Sensors (Basel), 2014;14(4):7451-88.
PMID: 24763250 DOI: 10.3390/s140407451

Optical fibers have been involved in the area of sensing applications for more than four decades. Moreover, interferometric optical fiber sensors have attracted broad interest for their prospective applications in sensing temperature, refractive index, strain measurement, pressure, acoustic wave, vibration, magnetic field, and voltage. During this time, numerous types of interferometers have been developed such as Fabry-Perot, Michelson, Mach-Zehnder, Sagnac Fiber, and Common-path interferometers. Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) fiber-optic sensors have been extensively investigated for their exceedingly effective, simple fabrication as well as low cost aspects. In this study, a wide variety of FPI sensors are reviewed in terms of fabrication methods, principle of operation and their sensing applications. The chronology of the development of FPI sensors and their implementation in various applications are discussed.
Distribution of surfactants along the estuarine area of Selangor River, Malaysia

Alsalahi MA, Latif MT, Ali MM, Magam SM, Wahid NB, Khan MF, et al.

Mar Pollut Bull, 2014 Mar 15;80(1-2):344-50.
PMID: 24373668 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.12.019

This study aims to determine the levels of methylene blue active substances (MBAS) and ethyl violet active substances (EVAS) as anionic surfactants and of disulphine blue active substances (DBAS) as cationic surfactants in the surface microlayer (SML) around an estuarine area using colorimetric methods. The results show that the concentrations of surfactants around the estuarine area were dominated by anionic surfactants (MBAS and EVAS) with average concentrations of 0.39 and 0.51 μmol L⁻¹, respectively. There were significant between-station differences in surfactant concentrations (p<0.05) with higher concentrations found at the stations near the sea. The concentration of surfactants was higher during the rainy season than the dry season due to the influence of runoff water. Further investigation using total organic carbon (TOC) and total organic nitrogen (TON) shows that there is a significant correlation (p<0.05) between both anionic and cationic surfactants and the TON concentration.
Direct period measurement for fiber Bragg grating using an optical imaging technique

Ali MM, Lim KS, Yang HZ, Chong WY, Lim WS, Ahmad H

Appl Opt, 2013 Aug 1;52(22):5393-7.
PMID: 23913056 DOI: 10.1364/AO.52.005393

This paper proposes an approach based on an optical imaging technique for the period measurement of fiber Bragg gratings (FBG). The simple, direct technique involves a differential interface contrast (DIC) microscope and a high-resolution CCD camera. Image processing is performed on the microscope images to obtain low-noise grating profiles and then the grating periods. Adopting a large image sample size in the image processing can reduce uncertainty. During the investigation, FBGs of different grating periods are fabricated by prestraining the photosensitive fibers during the UV-writing process. A good linearity between the measured Bragg wavelengths and grating periods is observed and the measured strain-optics coefficient was found to be in agreement with reported literature.
Composition and distribution of surfactants around Lake Chini, Malaysia

Latif MT, Wanfi L, Hanif NM, Roslan RN, Ali MM, Mushrifah I

Environ Monit Assess, 2012 Mar;184(3):1325-34.
PMID: 21472384 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-011-2043-5

This study aims to determine the composition of surfactants in the lake surface microlayer, rainwater, and atmospheric aerosols in the area surrounding Lake Chini, Pahang. Surfactants in the lake surface microlayer were taken from seven different stations around the lake, while samples of rainwater were taken from five different sampling stations. The samples of atmospheric aerosols were collected from the Lake Chini Research Centre which is in close proximity to the lake. The colorimetric analysis method was used to determine the composition and concentration of anionic surfactants as methylene blue active substances (MBAS) and cationic surfactants as disulphine blue active substances (DBAS). The concentration of anionic surfactants, as MBAS, in the surface microlayer ranged between 0.08 to 0.23 μmol L(-1), while the range of concentration of cationic surfactants as DBAS ranged from 0.09 to 0.11 μmol L(-1). The concentration of MBAS was higher in rainwater when compared to surfactants in the lake surface microlayer. The high concentration of surfactants in the fine mode of atmospheric aerosols suggests that natural and anthropogenic sources of surfactants contribute to the atmospheric surfactants.
Quality of life among breast cancer patients in Yemen

Al-Naggar RA, Nagi NM, Ali MM, Almuasli M

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2011;12(9):2335-41.
PMID: 22296380

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to determine the quality of life among breast cancer patients in Yemen based on socio-demographic and clinical characteristics.

METHODOLOGY: This study was designed as a cross-sectional study. The data collected from 106 female breast cancer patients who were chosen for recruitment from the outpatient in National Oncology Centre (NOC), Sana'a, Yemen from November 2008 to June 2011. Questionnaires were distributed to the patients during their visit to the outpatient clinics in the center. The instrument of this study consists of two parts: Socio-demographic and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B) questionnaire. Regarding data analysis, means and SD of subscales were evaluated for descriptive purpose. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to compare the three groups regarding QOL subscales. Whereas, independent t-test was performed for comparing two groups regarding QOL subscales. Multiple linear regression using backward analysis was performed to obtain the final model for each domain. The final model was chosen depending on R2 and the p value of the model. A p value less than 0.05 is considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: A total number of 106 breast cancer patients were participated in this study. The majority of them were uneducated, unemployed with normal weight and had middle income (60.4%; 95.3%; 59.4%, 46.2%; respectively). As for clinical characteristics of the study participants; the majority of them had had no family history of breast cancer, have been diagnosed at least 2 years, were diagnosed at grade 3 and size of tumor greater than 2 cm (88.7%, 66.0%, 35.8%, 73.6%; respectively). The majority of them underwent mastectomy, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and tamoxifen therapy (85.8%, 63.2%, 94.3% and 62.3%; respectively). For univariate analysis, the present study has identified several factors includes family monthly income, BMI, educational status, years after diagnosis, histological grade radiotherapy and surgery that influence the QOL of breast cancer patients in Yemen. For multivariate analysis, years after diagnosis, family monthly income and radiotherapy were significantly associated with total QOL of the breast cancer patients (p=0.01, p=0.023, p=0.039; respectively).

CONCLUSION: Family monthly income, BMI, educational status, years after diagnosis, histological grade radiotherapy and surgery were significantly influence the QOL of breast cancer patients in Yemen, in univariate analysis. For multivariate analysis, years after diagnosis, family monthly income and radiotherapy were significantly associated with total QOL of the breast cancer patients.
Levels of thyroxine, TSH, thyroid volume and mental performance among Orang Asli in selected settlements in Malaysia

Osman A, Zaleha MI, Iskandar ZA, Tan TT, Ali MM, Roslan I, et al.

East Afr Med J, 1996 Apr;73(4):259-63.
PMID: 8706612

A significant difference in the levels of thyroxine (T4), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroid volume among settlements at various selected Orang Asli locations is reported. The levels improved according to the level of socio-economic development. No significant difference was found in mental performance by location.
The supplementation of levothyroxine among indigenous people in endemic goitre areas: The impact of therapy

Zaleha MI, Osman A, Iskandar ZA, Sazali S, Ali MM, Roslan I, et al.

Asia Pac J Clin Nutr, 1998 Jun;7(2):138-50.
PMID: 24393641

In order to study the effect of levothyroxine in the treatment of endemic goitre, a longitudinal study was conducted among the Aborigines in Lanai Post and Sinderut Post, situated in an iodine-deficient area located in the district of Kuala Lipis, Pahang. All subjects in the treatment group (Lanai Post) were given 100 µg of levothyroxine per day and were followed for 1 1/2 years. A total of 311 subjects were examined at baseline, 323 on the first, 256 on the second, 239 on the third and 184 on the fourth visit following levothyroxine supplementation. Goitre prevalence, thyroid hormones, thyroid volume, nutritional status, urinary iodine levels, arterial blood pressure and mental performance were determined. Following the intervention, goitre prevalence was significantly reduced in the treatment group (baseline 42.8% vs final visit 13.0%, p<0.0001); however, no significant difference was noted in the control group. Total T4 levels were increased in the treatment group (p<0.0001), while a significant reduction was noted in the control group (p<0.0001). Thyroid-stimulating hormone levels increased significantly in the treatment group following 1 year of intervention, while no significant changes were observed in the control group. As for the thyroid volume, both groups showed a significant increment following the intervention (p<0.0001). With respect to the nutritional status, the treatment group showed a significant increase in body weight following the intervention (p<0.05). In addition, the mid-arm circumference and body mass index also increased after 1 year of intervention. However, the control group showed a reduction in the waist-hip ratio (p<0.0001). Although there was no statistical difference in the waist-hip ratio in the treatment group, there has been a significant reduction observed after 1 year of intervention. At 1 year, a reduction in skinfold thickness was noted in the treatment group while only the triceps and subscapular were increased in the control group. The body fat was decreased in the treatment group following 1 year of intervention (p<0.0001). No particular trend was noted in the urinary iodine excretion in the treatment group, but surprisingly, the levels were increased in the control group (p<0.0001). A significant increase in both systolic and diastolic blood pressures was observed in the treatment group following 1 year of intervention, but the controls showed a reduction in the systolic blood pressure (p<0.0001). Both groups showed a remarkable increase in mental performance, with a more pronounced effect in the treatment group (p<0.05). The correction of iodine deficiency by levothyroxine supplementation has a short-term beneficial effect in reducing the prevalence of goitre and improving the mental ability among the Aborigines in endemic areas; however, proper monitoring and close supervision are needed to maintain compliance.
Fulltext Elliptical metallic rings-shaped fractal metamaterial absorber in the visible regime

Bilal RMH, Saeed MA, Choudhury PK, Baqir MA, Kamal W, Ali MM, et al.

Sci Rep, 2020 Aug 20;10(1):14035.
PMID: 32820192 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71032-8

Achieving the broadband response of metamaterial absorbers has been quite challenging due to the inherent bandwidth limitations. Herein, the investigation was made of a unique kind of visible light metamaterial absorber comprising elliptical rings-shaped fractal metasurface using tungsten metal. It was found that the proposed absorber exhibits average absorption of over 90% in the visible wavelength span of 400-750 nm. The features of perfect absorption could be observed because of the localized surface plasmon resonance that causes impedance matching. Moreover, in the context of optoelectronic applications, the absorber yields absorbance up to ~ 70% even with the incidence obliquity in the range of 0°-60° for transverse electric polarization. The theory of multiple reflections was employed to further verify the performance of the absorber. The obtained theoretical results were found to be in close agreement with the simulation results. In order to optimize the results, the performance was analyzed in terms of the figure of merit and operating bandwidth. Significant amount of absorption in the entire visible span, wide-angle stability, and utilization of low-cost metal make the proposed absorber suitable in varieties of photonics applications, in particular photovoltaics, thermal emitters and sensors.
Carbon stores from a tropical seagrass meadow in the midst of anthropogenic disturbance

Rozaimi M, Fairoz M, Hakimi TM, Hamdan NH, Omar R, Ali MM, et al.

Mar Pollut Bull, 2017 Jun 30;119(2):253-260.
PMID: 28460878 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.03.073

Seagrass meadows provide important carbon sequestration services but anthropogenic activities modify the natural ecosystem and inevitably lower carbon storage capacity. The tropical mixed-species meadows in the Sungai Pulai Estuary (Johor, Malaysia) are impacted by such activities. In this study, we provide baseline estimates for carbon stores analysed from sediment cores. In sediment depths up to 100cm, organic (OC) and inorganic carbon (IC) stores were 43-101MgCha-1 and 46-83MgCha-1, respectively, and are in the lower end of global average values. The bulk of OC (53-98%) originated from seston suggesting that the meadows had low capacity to retain seagrass-derived organic matter. The species factor resulted in some variability in OC stores but did not appear to influence IC values. The low carbon stores in the meadow may be a direct result of sediment disturbances but natural biogeochemical processes are not discounted as possible causal factors.
Sterols as biomarkers in the surface microlayer of the estuarine areas

Alsalahi MA, Latif MT, Ali MM, Dominick D, Khan MF, Mustaffa NI, et al.

Mar Pollut Bull, 2015 Apr 15;93(1-2):278-83.
PMID: 25682566 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.01.011

This study aims to determine the concentration of sterols used as biomarkers in the surface microlayer (SML) in estuarine areas of the Selangor River, Malaysia. Samples were collected during different seasons through the use of a rotation drum. The analysis of sterols was performed using gas chromatography equipped with a flame ionisation detector (GC-FID). The results showed that the concentrations of total sterols in the SML ranged from 107.06 to 505.55 ng L(-1). The total sterol concentration was found to be higher in the wet season. Cholesterol was found to be the most abundant sterols component in the SML. The diagnostic ratios of sterols show the influence of natural sources and waste on the contribution of sterols in the SML. Further analysis, using principal component analysis (PCA), showed distinct inputs of sterols derived from human activity (40.58%), terrigenous and plant inputs (22.59%) as well as phytoplankton and marine inputs (17.35%).
Surfactants in the sea-surface microlayer and their contribution to atmospheric aerosols around coastal areas of the Malaysian peninsula

Roslan RN, Hanif NM, Othman MR, Azmi WN, Yan XX, Ali MM, et al.

Mar Pollut Bull, 2010 Sep;60(9):1584-90.
PMID: 20451220 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2010.04.004

A study was done to determine the concentrations of surfactants on the sea-surface microlayer and in atmospheric aerosols in several coastal areas around the Malaysian peninsula. The concentrations of surfactants from the sea-surface microlayer (collected using rotation drum) and from aerosols (collected using HVS) were analyzed as methylene blue active substances and disulphine blue active substances through the colorimetric method using a UV-vis spectrophotometer. The results of this study showed that the average concentrations of surfactants in the sea-surface microlayer ranged between undetected and 0.36+/-0.34 micromol L(-1) for MBAS and between 0.11+/-0.02 and 0.21+/-0.13 micromol L(-1) for DBAS. The contribution of surfactants from the sea-surface microlayer to the composition of surfactants in atmospheric aerosols appears to be very minimal and more dominant in fine mode aerosols.
Spatiotemporal nexus between vegetation change and extreme climatic indices and their possible causes of change

Islam ARMT, Islam HMT, Shahid S, Khatun MK, Ali MM, Rahman MS, et al.

J Environ Manage, 2021 Jul 01;289:112505.
PMID: 33819656 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112505

Climate extremes have a significant impact on vegetation. However, little is known about vegetation response to climatic extremes in Bangladesh. The association of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) with nine extreme precipitation and temperature indices was evaluated to identify the nexus between vegetation and climatic extremes and their associations in Bangladesh for the period 1986-2017. Moreover, detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) and Morlet wavelet analysis (MWA) were employed to evaluate the possible future trends and decipher the existing periodic cycles, respectively in the time series of NDVI and climate extremes. Besides, atmospheric variables of ECMWF ERA5 were used to examine the casual circulation mechanism responsible for climatic extremes of Bangladesh. The results revealed that the monthly NDVI is positively associated with extreme rainfall with spatiotemporal heterogeneity. Warm temperature indices showed a significant negative association with NDVI on the seasonal scale, while precipitation and cold temperature extremes showed a positive association with yearly NDVI. The DEA revealed a continuous increase in temperature extreme in the future, while no change in precipitation extremes. NDVI also revealed a significant association with extreme temperature indices with a time lag of one month and with precipitation extreme without time lag. Spatial analysis indicated insensitivity of marshy vegetation type to climate extremes in winter. The study revealed that elevated summer geopotential height, no visible anticyclonic center, reduced high cloud cover, and low solar radiation with higher humidity contributed to climatic extremes in Bangladesh. The nexus between NDVI and climatic extremes established in this study indicated that increasing warm temperature extremes due to global warming might have severe implications on Bangladesh's ecology and the environment in the future.
Fulltext Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of children with COVID-19 in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

Ng DC, Tan KK, Chin L, Ali MM, Lee ML, Mahmood FM, et al.

Int J Infect Dis, 2021 Jul;108:347-352.
PMID: 34087485 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.05.073

OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the state of Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia in the setting of mandatory hospital isolation and quarantine for all confirmed cases.
METHODS: A multi-centre, retrospective observational study was performed among children aged ≤12 years with laboratory-proven COVID-19 between 1 February and 31 December 2020.
RESULTS: In total, 261 children (48.7% males, 51.3% females) were included in this study. The median age was 6 years [interquartile range (IQR) 3-10 years]. One hundred and fifty-one children (57.9%) were asymptomatic on presentation. Among the symptomatic cases, fever was the most common presenting symptom. Two hundred and forty-one (92.3%) cases were close contacts of infected household or extended family members. Twenty-one (8.4%) cases had abnormal radiological findings. All cases were discharged alive without requiring supplemental oxygen therapy or any specific treatment during hospitalization. The median duration of hospitalization was 7 days (IQR 6-10 days). One (2.1%) of the uninfected guardians accompanying a child in quarantine tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) upon discharge.
CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 in children was associated with mild symptoms and a good prognosis. Familial clustering was an important epidemiologic feature in the outbreak in Negeri Sembilan. The risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from children to guardians in hospital isolation was minimal despite close proximity.

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