Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 54 in total

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  1. Amir A, Lee YL
    Malays Fam Physician, 2013;8(3):34-6.
    PMID: 25893056 MyJurnal
    Acute kidney injury following immersion or near-drowning is rarely described and no data from Malaysia have been found. We report a case of acute kidney injury following a near-drowning event. A 20-year-old man who recovered from near-drowning in a swimming pool 5 days earlier presented to our clinic with abdominal pain, anorexia, nausea and polyuria. Dipstick urinalysis showed a trace of blood. The serum creatinine level was 10-fold higher than the normal range. A bedside ultrasound showed features suggestive of acute tubular necrosis. He is then referred to the hospital with the diagnosis of acute kidney injury with the possibility of acute tubular necrosis secondary to near-drowning. We suggest that any patient presenting after immersion or near-drowning to be should assessed for potential acute kidney injury.
  2. Ponnampalavanar S, Kukreja A, Amir A, Mahmud R
    Trop Biomed, 2020 Mar 01;37(1):24-28.
    PMID: 33612715
    Paragonimiasis is an infection caused by Paragonimus, a lung fluke and is acquired by eating raw or undercooked crustaceans containing the infective metacercariae. Herein, we report a case of paragonimiasis in a Malaysian man who presented with incidental findings from chest radiographs. Examination of his biopsied lung tissue and sputum specimen revealed Paragonimus sp. eggs, whereas stool examination showed the presence of Giardia cysts. Patient was succesfully treated with praziquantel and metronidazole respectively.
  3. Wan Mahmud WMR, Amir A, Mahmood NM
    Aim: To evaluate the psychometric performance of the Malay version of the Medical Outcome Study (MOS) Social Support Survey among a sample of postpartum Malay women in Kedah, North West of Peninsular Malaysia.
    Materials and methods: 354 women between 4 to 12 weeks postpartum were recruited for the validation study. They were given questionnaires on socio-demography, the Malay versions of the MOS Social Support Survey, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the 21-items Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). 30 of the participants, who were bilingual, were also given the original English version of the instrument. A week later, these women were again asked to complete the Malay version of MOS Social Support Survey.
    Results: The median number for item 1 (the single item measure of structural support) was 3 (inter-quartile range = 2 - 4). Extraction method of the remaining 19 items (item 2 to item 20) using principle component analyses with direct oblimin rotation converged into 3 dimensions of functional social support (informational support, affectionate support / positive social interaction and instrumental support) with reliability coefficients of 0.93, 0.74 and 0.72 respectively. Overall the scale displayed good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.93), parallel form reliability (0.98) and test-retest reliability (0.97) (Spearman's rho; p<0.01). Its validity was confirmed by the negative correlations between the overall support index (total social support score) and all the three dimensions of functional support with the Malay versions of EPDS and BDI-II. The overall support index also displayed low but significant correlations with the single measure structural social support in the instrument (Spearman's rho = 0.14; p <0.01).
    Conclusions: The MOS Social Support Survey demonstrated good psychometric properties in measuring social support among postpartum Malay women in Kedah, North West of Peninsular Malaysia and could potentially be used as a simple instrument in primary care settings.
  4. Pradisty NA, Amir AA, Zimmer M
    Oecologia, 2021 Apr;195(4):843-858.
    PMID: 33559746 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-04865-3
    Leaf litter and its breakdown products represent an important input of organic matter and nutrients to mangrove sediments and adjacent coastal ecosystems. It is commonly assumed that old-grown stands with mature trees contribute more to the permanent sediment organic matter pool than younger stands. However, neither are interspecific differences in leaf decay rates taken into account in this assumption nor is our understanding of the underlying mechanisms or drivers of differences in leaf chemistry sufficient. This study examines the influence of different plant species and ontogenetic stage on the microbial decay of mangrove leaf litter. A litterbag experiment was conducted in the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve, Malaysia, to monitor leaf litter mass loss, and changes in leaf litter chemistry and microbial enzyme activity. Four mangrove species of different morphologies were selected, namely the trees Rhizophora apiculata and Bruguiera parviflora, the fern Acrostichum aureum and the shrub Acanthus ilicifolius. Decay rates of mangrove leaf litter decreased from A. ilicifolius to R. apiculata to B. parviflora to A. aureum. Leaf litter mass, total phenolic content, protein precipitation capacity and phenol oxidase activity were found to decline rapidly during the early stage of decay. Leaf litter from immature plants differed from that of mature plants in total phenolic content, phenolic signature, protein precipitating capacity and protease activity. For R. apiculata, but not of the other species, leaf litter from immature plants decayed faster than the litter of mature plants. The findings of this study advance our understanding of the organic matter dynamics in mangrove stands of different compositions and ages and will, thus, prove useful in mangrove forest management.
  5. Kassim N, Hambali K, Amir A
    Trop Life Sci Res, 2017 Jan;28(1):91-101.
    PMID: 28228918 MyJurnal DOI: 10.21315/tlsr2017.28.1.6
    Proximate analysis of twelve species of fruits commonly consumed by long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis), i.e., Arenga pinnata, Areca catechu, Terminalia catappa, Elaeis guineensis, Lagerstroemia tomentosa, Mangifera indica, Cascabela thevetia, Muntingia calabura, Musa sp., Artocarpus heterophyllus, Ficus tinctoria ssp. gibbosa and Ficus microcarpa, was conducted with the specific objective to determine the nutritional composition of the foodstuffs of long-tailed macaques. The results showed the following order of nutrients: fibre, protein, fat and ash. Based on the results of the chemical analysis, the highest percentage of fibre content (52.7%), protein (9.9%), fat (77.2%) and ash (8.5%) were found in A. catechu, T. catappa, E. guineensis and C. thevetia, respectively. The nutrient composition of these twelve fruit species was found to differ (ANOVA test: crude protein, F (11,24) = 87.978, p < 0.05; crude fibre, F (11,24) = 28.886, p < 0.05; crude fat, F (11,24) = 2081.396, p < 0.05 and ash, F (11,24) = 41.011, p < 0.05). Fibre was found in the highest amount among the four types of nutrients studied. Here, A. catechu had the highest relative fibre content of all tested fruits, E. guineensis had the highest fat content, T. catappa had the highest protein content, and the total mineral content was highest in C. thevetia.
  6. Sheykhi-Dolagh R, Saeedi H, Farahmand B, Kamyab M, Kamali M, Gholizadeh H, et al.
    Prosthet Orthot Int, 2015 Jun;39(3):190-6.
    PMID: 24604086 DOI: 10.1177/0309364614521652
    BACKGROUND: Flexible flat foot is described as a reduction in the height of the medial longitudinal arch and may occur from abnormal foot pronation. A foot orthosis is thought to modify and control excessive pronation and improve arch height.
    OBJECTIVE: To compare the immediate effect of three types of orthoses on foot mobility and the arch height index in subjects with flexible flat feet.
    STUDY DESIGN: A quasi-experimental study.
    METHOD: The dorsal arch height, midfoot width, foot mobility and arch height index were assessed in 20 participants with flexible flat feet (mean age = 23.2 ± 3 years) for three different foot orthosis conditions: soft, semi-rigid and rigid University of California Biomechanics Laboratory (UCBL).
    RESULTS: Maximum midfoot width at 90% with arch mobility in the coronal plane was shown in the semi-rigid orthosis condition. The semi-rigid orthosis resulted in the highest mean foot mobility in 90% of weight bearing, and the rigid orthosis (UCBL) had the lowest mean foot mobility. The soft orthosis resulted in foot mobility between that of the rigid and the semi-rigid orthosis. UCBL orthosis showed the highest arch height index, and the semi-rigid orthosis showed the lowest mean arch height index.
    CONCLUSION: Due to its rigid structure and long medial-lateral walls, the UCBL orthosis appears to limit foot mobility. Therefore, it is necessary to make an orthosis that facilitates foot mobility in the normal range of the foot arch. Future studies should address the dynamic mobility of the foot with using various types of foot orthoses.
    CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although there are many studies focussed on flat foot and the use of foot orthoses, the mechanism of action is still unclear. This study explored foot mobility and the influence of foot orthoses and showed that a more rigid foot orthosis should be selected based on foot mobility.
    KEYWORDS: Foot orthosis; arch height index; foot mobility magnitude
  7. Rajaratnam V, Gan G, Ahmad AA, Kuruvilla TT, Shanmugam BM, Pueblos RCK, et al.
    J Hand Microsurg, 2022 Jan;14(1):58-63.
    PMID: 35256829 DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1710169
    Introduction  This study presents a design and developmental model with prospective validation. This study was aimed to design, develop, and validate a cadaveric model simulator of a ganglion cyst to train surgeons in its surgical excision. Materials and Methods  A novel "ganglion cyst" was designed using a latex powder-free glove and water-based, water-soluble lubricant (K-Y jelly). This "ganglion cyst" was then inserted subcutaneously into a cadaveric hand, positioned over the dorsum of the wrist to simulate a ganglion lesion. This simulation model was prospectively validated using postsimulation surveys conducted on novices and experts in hand surgery. The simulation was conducted during a basic hand surgery cadaveric workshop that included a practical station on ganglion excision. Results  Both the novices and experts had a concurrent agreement that the simulator provided relevance, realism, and value as a simulator for the teaching, excision and procedural assessment of ganglions in the hand. Conclusion  The role of high-fidelity simulation has been documented in the literature for surgical procedures. This simple and affordable model that we have developed and validated allows for the creation of a high-fidelity ganglion simulator in the cadaveric hand for teaching, excision, and procedural assessment among trainees.
  8. Hussein M, Yoneda K, Mohd-Zaki Z, Amir A, Othman N
    Chemosphere, 2021 Mar;267:128874.
    PMID: 33199110 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128874
    Landfills are a potential threat to human health and the environment, especially from the detrimental and toxic heavy metals. This study focuses on the assessment of heavy metals contamination in leachate and surface soils from different landfills in Malaysia. Maximum quality rating scale (QRS) values of As (787) and Cr (552) denotes progressive deterioration of leachate contamination in landfill. The impacted soils showed high heavy metal concentrations especially at non-sanitary unlined landfills, as compared to background values, and natural soil nearby the landfills. In addition, to examine the environmental impacts of the landfill area (soil) in more detail, specific indexes; geo-accumulation index (Igeo), pollution index (PI) and integrated pollution index (IPI) were determined. Maximum As (3.122) and Cd (2.633) for Igeo and As (34.037) and Cd (20.881) for PI revealed that the soil samples in non-sanitary landfills were moderate to strongly polluted. The difference in range of IPI values for sanitary (0.294-0.322) and non-sanitary landfill soils (1.263-1.956) confirmed advanced decline of the soil quality in non-sanitary landfills. Arsenic concentrations were found to be statistically significant (ANOVA) for leachate and impacted soil in landfills investigated. It is also important to realize that rise in metal contents in landfill environments were not only caused by anthropogenic sources such as from the waste disposed, but also some other factors such as redox conditions, anoxic environments, pH, oxidation state of metals and microbial activities. Those conditions will actively promotes leaching of metals from waste and also natural soils in the landfill.
  9. Lim KL, Amir A, Lau YL, Fong MY
    Malar J, 2017 08 11;16(1):331.
    PMID: 28800732 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-017-1984-8
    BACKGROUND: The zoonotic Plasmodium knowlesi is a major cause of human malaria in Malaysia. This parasite uses the Duffy binding protein (PkDBPαII) to interact with the Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC) receptor on human and macaque erythrocytes to initiate invasion. Previous studies on P. knowlesi have reported distinct Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo PkDBPαII haplotypes. In the present study, the differential binding activity of these haplotypes with human and macaque (Macaca fascicularis) erythrocytes was investigated.

    METHODS: The PkDBPαII of Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo were expressed on the surface of COS-7 cells and tested with human and monkey erythrocytes, with and without anti-Fy6 (anti-Duffy) monoclonal antibody treatment. Binding activity level was determined by counting the number of rosettes formed between the transfected COS-7 cells and the erythrocytes.

    RESULTS: Anti-Fy6 treatment was shown to completely block the binding of human erythrocytes with the transfected COS-7 cells, thus verifying the specific binding of human DARC with PkDBPαII. Interestingly, the PkDBPαII of Peninsular Malaysia displayed a higher binding activity with human erythrocytes when compared with the Malaysian Borneo PkDBPαII haplotype (mean number of rosettes formed = 156.89 ± 6.62 and 46.00 ± 3.57, respectively; P 

  10. Amir A, Cheong FW, De Silva JR, Lau YL
    Parasit Vectors, 2018 01 23;11(1):53.
    PMID: 29361963 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2617-y
    Every year, millions of people are burdened with malaria. An estimated 429,000 casualties were reported in 2015, with the majority made up of children under five years old. Early and accurate diagnosis of malaria is of paramount importance to ensure appropriate administration of treatment. This minimizes the risk of parasite resistance development, reduces drug wastage and unnecessary adverse reaction to antimalarial drugs. Malaria diagnostic tools have expanded beyond the conventional microscopic examination of Giemsa-stained blood films. Contemporary and innovative techniques have emerged, mainly the rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) and other molecular diagnostic methods such as PCR, qPCR and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). Even microscopic diagnosis has gone through a paradigm shift with the development of new techniques such as the quantitative buffy coat (QBC) method and the Partec rapid malaria test. This review explores the different diagnostic tools available for childhood malaria, each with their characteristic strengths and limitations. These tools play an important role in making an accurate malaria diagnosis to ensure that the use of anti-malaria are rationalized and that presumptive diagnosis would only be a thing of the past.
  11. Iftekar SF, Aabid A, Amir A, Baig M
    Polymers (Basel), 2023 May 30;15(11).
    PMID: 37299318 DOI: 10.3390/polym15112519
    3D printing has revolutionized various industries by enabling the production of complex designs and shapes. Recently, the potential of new materials in 3D printing has led to an exponential increase in the technology's applications. However, despite these advancements, the technology still faces significant challenges, including high costs, low printing speeds, limited part sizes, and strength. This paper critically reviews the recent trends in 3D printing technology, with a particular focus on the materials and their applications in the manufacturing industry. The paper highlights the need for further development of 3D printing technology to overcome its limitations. It also summarizes the research conducted by experts in this field, including their focuses, techniques, and limitations. By providing a comprehensive overview of the recent trends in 3D printing, this review aims to provide valuable insights into the technology's prospects.
  12. Noor NM, Than JC, Rijal OM, Kassim RM, Yunus A, Zeki AA, et al.
    J Med Syst, 2015 Mar;39(3):22.
    PMID: 25666926 DOI: 10.1007/s10916-015-0214-6
    Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) encompasses a wide array of diseases that share some common radiologic characteristics. When diagnosing such diseases, radiologists can be affected by heavy workload and fatigue thus decreasing diagnostic accuracy. Automatic segmentation is the first step in implementing a Computer Aided Diagnosis (CAD) that will help radiologists to improve diagnostic accuracy thereby reducing manual interpretation. Automatic segmentation proposed uses an initial thresholding and morphology based segmentation coupled with feedback that detects large deviations with a corrective segmentation. This feedback is analogous to a control system which allows detection of abnormal or severe lung disease and provides a feedback to an online segmentation improving the overall performance of the system. This feedback system encompasses a texture paradigm. In this study we studied 48 males and 48 female patients consisting of 15 normal and 81 abnormal patients. A senior radiologist chose the five levels needed for ILD diagnosis. The results of segmentation were displayed by showing the comparison of the automated and ground truth boundaries (courtesy of ImgTracer™ 1.0, AtheroPoint™ LLC, Roseville, CA, USA). The left lung's performance of segmentation was 96.52% for Jaccard Index and 98.21% for Dice Similarity, 0.61 mm for Polyline Distance Metric (PDM), -1.15% for Relative Area Error and 4.09% Area Overlap Error. The right lung's performance of segmentation was 97.24% for Jaccard Index, 98.58% for Dice Similarity, 0.61 mm for PDM, -0.03% for Relative Area Error and 3.53% for Area Overlap Error. The segmentation overall has an overall similarity of 98.4%. The segmentation proposed is an accurate and fully automated system.
  13. Ali RH, Alsaber AR, Mohanty AK, Alnajjar A, Mohammed EMA, Alateeqi M, et al.
    Cancers (Basel), 2024 Aug 21;16(16).
    PMID: 39199677 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16162907
    In gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), identifying prototypical mutations in the KIT/PDGFRA oncogenes, or in rare alternate genes, is essential for prognostication and predicting response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Conversely, wild-type GISTs (WT-GIST), which lack known mutations, have limited treatment options. Data on the mutational landscape of GISTs and their impact on disease progression are very limited in Kuwait. Using a targeted next-generation sequencing panel, we investigated the spectrum and frequency of KIT, PDGFRA, and RAS-pathway-related mutations in 95 out of 200 GISTs diagnosed at Kuwait Cancer Center from 2005 to 2023 and assessed their correlation with clinicopathological parameters. Among the 200 tumors (median age 55 years; 15-91), 54% originated in the stomach, 33% in the small bowel, 7% in the colorectum, 1.5% in the peritoneum, and 4.5% had an unknown primary site. Of the 95 molecularly profiled cases, 88% had a mutation: KIT (61%), PDGFRA (25%), NF1 (2%), and one NTRK1 rearrangement. Ten WT-GISTs were identified (stomach = 6, small bowel = 2, and colorectum = 2). WT-GISTs tended to be smaller (median 4.0 cm; 0.5-8.0) (p = 0.018), with mitosis ≤5/5 mm2, and were of lower risk (p = 0.019). KIT mutations were an adverse indicator of disease progression (p = 0.049), while wild-type status did not significantly impact progression (p = 0.934). The genetic landscape in this cohort mirrors that of global studies, but regional collaborations are needed to correlate outcomes with genetic variants.
  14. Amir A, Sum JS, Lau YL, Vythilingam I, Fong MY
    Parasit Vectors, 2013;6:81.
    PMID: 23537404 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-6-81
    Anopheles cracens has been incriminated as a vector for the simian malaria parasite, Plasmodium knowlesi, that is the fifth Plasmodium species infecting humans. Little experimental data exists on this mosquito species due to the lack of its availability in laboratories.
  15. Ng KF, Tan KK, Ngui R, Lim YA, Amir A, Rajoo Y, et al.
    Asian Pac J Trop Med, 2015 Oct;8(10):878-80.
    PMID: 26522307 DOI: 10.1016/j.apjtm.2015.09.018
    We reported a case of amoebic liver abscess (ALA) in a 6-year-old Malaysian boy who presented with fever, lethargy, diarrhoea and right hypochondriac pain. On admission he was diagnosed with perforated acute appendicitis and a laparotomy was done. After surgery he developed acute respiratory distress. Ultrasonography, chest X-Ray and CT scan revealed two ALAs in the posterior segment of right lobe of liver, pleural effusion and collapsed consolidation of lungs bilaterally. Percutaneous liver abscesses drainage was done and intravenous Metronidazole was started. PCR carried out on the pus from the abscess was positive for Entamoeba histolytica. Patient however succumbed to the infection one week after admission.
  16. Wan Mahmud WMR, Hayati MR, Bashah B, Amir A, Mahmood NM
    Background: Community based epidemiological data on postpartum depression in Malaysia is scarce. Aim: To determine the prevalence and risk factors for developing postpartum depression among Malay women from a rural area in Kedah, North West of Peninsular Malaysia. Method: We screened 185 women at 4-12 weeks postpartum attending the selected health centers using the Malay versions of Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-11). Those scoring 12 and / or 9/10 on BDI-11 were interviewed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) and the 17-items Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HDRS-17). All diagnoses were based on the Tenth Edition of the International Classification for Disease: Diagnostic Criteria for Research (ICD-I0: DCR-10). Results: The prevalence of postpartum depression was 21.08%. The condition was found to be significantly linked to polygamous marriages, high number of life events and financial problems over the last one year prior to delivery, and low scores on the Malay version of the MOS Social Support Survey and all its components (overall support index, informational support, affectionate support/ positive social interactions and instrumental support). Conclusions: Postpartum depression is indeed a reality among Malay women in rural areas In Kedah, North West of Peninsular Malaysia. These findings have implications for policies regarding maternal and childcare programs.
  17. de Silva JR, Amir A, Lau YL, Ooi CH, Fong MY
    PLoS One, 2019;14(9):e0222681.
    PMID: 31536563 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0222681
    The Duffy blood group plays a key role in Plasmodium knowlesi and Plasmodium vivax invasion into human erythrocytes. The geographical distribution of the Duffy alleles differs between regions with the FY*A allele having high frequencies in many Asian populations, the FY*B allele is found predominately in European populations and the FY*Bes allele found predominantly in African regions. A previous study in Peninsular Malaysia indicated high homogeneity of the dominant FY*A/FY*A genotype. However, the distribution of the Duffy genotypes in Malaysian Borneo is currently unknown. In the present study, the distribution of Duffy blood group genotypes and allelic frequencies among P. knowlesi infected patients as well as healthy individuals in Malaysian Borneo were determined. A total of 79 P. knowlesi patient blood samples and 76 healthy donor samples were genotyped using allele specific polymerase chain reaction (ASP-PCR). Subsequently a P. knowlesi invasion assay was carried out on FY*AB/ FY*A and FY*A/ FY*A Duffy genotype blood to investigate if either genotype conferred increased susceptibility to P. knowlesi invasion. Our results show almost equal distribution between the homozygous FY*A/FY*A and heterozygous FY*A/FY*B genotypes. This is in stark contrast to the Duffy distribution in Peninsular Malaysia and the surrounding Southeast Asian region which is dominantly FY*A/FY*A. The mean percent invasion of FY*A/FY*A and FY*A/FY*B blood was not significantly different indicating that neither blood group confers increased susceptibility to P. knowlesi invasion.
  18. Alias MIM, Hambali K, Amir A, Fauzi N, Hassin H, Yin SA
    Trop Life Sci Res, 2019 Jan;30(1):161-167.
    PMID: 30847039 MyJurnal DOI: 10.21315/tlsr2019.30.1.10
    A survey was conducted to determine the diversity of fish in Pergau Lake, Jeli, Kelantan, Malaysia from 2 September to 18 October of 2016. Fish samples were collected at seven random sampling stations around the lake by using setting trap method. The collected samples were preserved in 10% formalin solution and delivered to the laboratory for further identification process. Fourteen species, namely as Hemibagrus nemurus, Hampala macrolepidota, Clarias batrachus, Channa striata, Cyprinus carpio, Poropuntius smedleyi, Pangasius sp., Oreochromis niloticus, Oreochromis mossambicus, Leptobarbus hoevenii, Neolissochilus hexagonolepis, Tor tambroides, Osteochilus hasselti and Neolissochilus soroides, comprising of six families were collected during this study. From this study, family of Cyprinidae was the dominant species in Pergau Lake with exactly 50% of catch percentage, followed by family of Bagridae (29%), Cichlidae (10%), Clariidae (5%), Channidae (3%) and Pangasiidae (3%). This study shows that there is still a diversity of fish species in Pergau Lake, showing that the water and its environmental condition is very good.
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