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  1. Irfan, M., Baharuddin, A., Ananda Dorai, A.
    MyJurnal
    Patient with thyroid mass rarely presents in emergency situation. It is because the nature of the mass is that it usually increases slowly in size. Thus, any surgical intervention can be planned electively. The most common condition that necessitates urgent intervention, is upper airway compromise due to sudden rapid increase in size of the swelling. This can be due to intralesional bleeding or superimposed infection on the enlarged gland. We report a case of urgent completion thyroidectomy performed to a patient with fungating recurrent papillary carcinoma who present with bleeding from the mass externally.
  2. Fatimah Mohamad Z, Idris N, Baharuddin A
    Waste Manag, 2011 Sep-Oct;31(9-10):1905-6.
    PMID: 21763121 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2011.06.013
  3. Abdul Razak, S. Z., Abd. Rahman, N. A., Baharuddin, A. S., Mohd Amin, N. A., Mat Johari, A., Mohammad Parid, D.
    MyJurnal
    The present work aimed at obtaining the optimum combination of stabilisers used in an
    instant ice cream formulation. Instant ice cream mixes were formulated using milk protein,
    fat, sucrose, stabilisers, emulsifiers and water. A basic formulation for ice cream mix was
    prepared according to the process flow of instant ice cream. Three different stabilisers
    mixtures, which were carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), carrageenan, and sodium alginate
    used in 14 formulations were studied using mixture design methodology. Physical analyses on
    meltdown rate, hardness, melted ice cream viscosity, and overrun were performed. The results
    were compared with those of commercial instant ice cream to determine the acceptability and
    quality of the final products. From the optimisation study, the recommended combination of
    stabilisers was found to be 0.151% CMC and 0.149% sodium alginate. The optimised sample
    had a higher viscosity of 0.17 Pa.s than the commercial one (0.16 Pa.s), which corresponded to
    higher hardness thus indicating slower melting rate, which is a good texture for ice cream. The
    overrun of the optimised sample was 108.33%, which is considered high. The high amount of
    air, viscosity, and hardness resulted in a low melting rate of 0.22 g/min, which is desirable for
    ice cream consumption. Based on sensory evaluation, the optimised instant ice cream was the
    most preferred by panellists as compared to commercial sample.
  4. Baharuddin A, Musa MN, Salleh SS
    Malays J Med Sci, 2016 Jan;23(1):1-3.
    PMID: 27540319 MyJurnal
    Muslim relies on the structure or guideline of shari'ah or the maqasid al-shariah, which consist of five essential values, namely preservation/protection of faith, life, intellect, property, and dignity/lineage - to guide them in discovering guiding principles for new concerns such as posed by neuroscience. Like in the case of brain imaging technology, there is in need for proper explanation within Islamic and among the Muslim scientists/scholars on how Islamic beliefs, values, and practices might cumulatively provide 'different' meanings to the practice and application of this technology, or whether it is in line with the shari'ah - in the context of preservation of health and protection of disease. This paper highlights the Islamic mechanism for neuroethics as basis for a holistic ethical framework of neuroscience to cope with its new, modern, and emerging technologies in the globalised world, and how Muslim should response to such changes.
  5. Isa NM, Baharuddin A, Man S, Chang LW
    Dev World Bioeth, 2015 Dec;15(3):143-51.
    PMID: 24750562 DOI: 10.1111/dewb.12057
    The field of bioethics aims to ensure that modern scientific and technological advancements have been primarily developed for the benefits of humankind. This field is deeply rooted in the traditions of Western moral philosophy and socio-political theory. With respect to the view that the practice of bioethics in certain community should incorporate religious and cultural elements, this paper attempts to expound bioethical tradition of the Malay-Muslim community in Malaysia, with shedding light on the mechanism used by the National Fatwa Council to evaluate whether an application of biological sciences is ethical or not. By using the application of the genetically modified food as a case study, this study has found that the council had reviewed the basic guidelines in the main references of shari'ah in order to make decision on the permissibility of the application. The fatwa is made after having consultation with the experts in science field. The council has taken all factors into consideration and given priority to the general aim of shari'ah which to serve the interests of mankind and to save them from harm.
  6. Saifuddeen SM, Rahman NN, Isa NM, Baharuddin A
    Sci Eng Ethics, 2014 Jun;20(2):317-27.
    PMID: 23836155 DOI: 10.1007/s11948-013-9457-0
    With the rapid advancements made in biotechnology, bioethical discourse has become increasingly important. Bioethics is a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary field that goes beyond the realm of natural sciences, and has involved fields in the domain of the social sciences. One of the important areas in bioethical discourse is religion. In a country like Malaysia, where Muslims make up the majority of the population, Islam plays a crucial role in providing the essential guidelines on the permissibility and acceptability of biotechnological applications in various fields such as medicine, agriculture, and food processing. This article looks at the framework of a complementary model of bioethics derived from the perspective of Islam. The framework is based on 'maqasid al-shariah' (purposes or objectives of Islamic law) which aims to protect and preserve mankind's faith, life, intellect, progeny, and property. It is proposed that 'maqasid al-shariah' be used as a pragmatic checklist that can be utilized in tackling bioethical issues and dilemmas.
  7. Xiang LY, P Mohammed MA, Samsu Baharuddin A
    Carbohydr Polym, 2016 09 05;148:11-20.
    PMID: 27185110 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2016.04.055
    Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) extracted from empty fruit bunches (EFB), stalk and spikelet were characterised through physicochemical and microstructure analyses. Raw stalk fibres yielded the highest cellulose content (42.43%), followed by EFB (32.33%) and spikelet (18.83%). Likewise, lowest lignin and residual oil content was reported in raw stalk fibres compared to EFB and spikelet. SEM revealed significant changes on fibres' surface morphology throughout the extraction process. FTIR analysis showed that main characteristic peaks of hemicellulose and lignin was absent on the extracted MCC. The crystallinity index for MCC extracted from EFB (82.5%), stalk (82.2%) and spikelet (86.5%) was comparable to commercial MCC (81.9%). Results suggested stalk fibres is more preferable for the production of MCC compared to EFB and spikelet. Further rheological studies showed viscoelastic behaviour with no significant differences between commercial and stalk-based MCC, while modelling work showed ability to simulate complex deformation of the MCC-hydrogel/food mixture during processing/handling stage.
  8. Abdul-Manan AF, Baharuddin A, Chang LW
    Eval Program Plann, 2015 Oct;52:39-49.
    PMID: 25898073 DOI: 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2015.03.007
    Theory-based evaluation (TBE) is an effectiveness assessment technique that critically analyses the theory underlying an intervention. Whilst its use has been widely reported in the area of social programmes, it is less applied in the field of energy and climate change policy evaluations. This paper reports a recent study that has evaluated the effectiveness of the national biofuel policy (NBP) for the transport sector in Malaysia by adapting a TBE approach. Three evaluation criteria were derived from the official goals of the NBP, those are (i) improve sustainability and environmental friendliness, (ii) reduce fossil fuel dependency, and (iii) enhance stakeholders' welfare. The policy theory underlying the NBP has been reconstructed through critical examination of the policy and regulatory documents followed by a rigorous appraisal of the causal link within the policy theory through the application of scientific knowledge. This study has identified several weaknesses in the policy framework that may engender the policy to be ineffective. Experiences with the use of a TBE approach for policy evaluations are also shared in this report.
  9. Baharuddin A, Go BT, Firdaus MN, Abdullah J
    Clin Neurol Neurosurg, 2002 Sep;104(4):342-4.
    PMID: 12140102
    Bovine pericardium has widely been used for grafts in cardiac surgery and seems to have suitable properties for use as a dural graft. We report our experience of using locally processed bovine pericardium for dural grafts in 22 patients undergoing cranial operations.
  10. Baharuddin A, Hassan AA, Sheng GC, Nasir SB, Othman S, Yusof R, et al.
    Curr Pharm Des, 2014;20(21):3428-44.
    PMID: 24001228
    Viruses belonging to the Flaviviridae family primarily spread through arthropod vectors, and are the major causes of illness and death around the globe. The Flaviviridae family consists of 3 genera which include the Flavivirus genus (type species, yellow fever virus) as the largest genus, the Hepacivirus (type species, hepatitis C virus) and the Pestivirus (type species, bovine virus diarrhea). The flaviviruses (Flavivirus genus) are small RNA viruses transmitted by mosquitoes and ticks that take over host cell machinery in order to propagate. However, hepaciviruses and pestiviruses are not antropod-borne. Despite the extensive research and public health concern associated with flavivirus diseases, to date, there is no specific treatment available for any flavivirus infections, though commercially available vaccines for yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis and tick-born encephalitis exist. Due to the global threat of viral pandemics, there is an urgent need for new drugs. In many countries, patients with severe cases of flavivirus infections are treated only by supportive care, which includes intravenous fluids, hospitalization, respiratory support, and prevention of secondary infections. This review discusses the strategies used towards the discovery of antiviral drugs, focusing on rational drug design against Dengue virus (DENV), West Nile virus (WNV), Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), Yellow Fever virus (YFV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV). Only modified peptidic, nonpeptidic, natural compounds and fragment-based inhibitors (typically of mass less than 300 Da) against structural and non-structural proteins are discussed.
  11. Omar FN, Hafid HS, Samsu Baharuddin A, Mohammed MAP, Abdullah J
    Planta, 2017 Sep;246(3):567-577.
    PMID: 28620814 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-017-2717-5
    MAIN CONCLUSION: X-ray microtomography results revealed that delignification process damaged the oil palm fibers, which correlated well with reduction of lignin components and increase of the phenolic content. Biodegradation investigation of natural fibers normally focuses on physico-chemical analysis, with less emphasis on physical aspect like fiber structures affect from microbial activity. In this work, the performance of Pycnoporus sanguineus to delignify oil palm empty fruit bunch fibers through solid-state fermentation utilizing various ratio of POME sludge was reported. In addition to tensile testing, physico-chemical and X-ray microtomography (µ-CT) analyses on the oil palm fibers were conducted to determine the effectiveness of the degradation process. The best ratio of fiber to fungi (60:40) was chosen based on the highest lignin loss and total phenolic content values and further investigation was performed to obtain fermentation kinetics data of both laccase and manganese peroxidase. µ-CT results revealed that delignification process damaged the pre-treated and untreated fibers structure, as evident from volume reduction after degradation process. This is correlated with reduction of lignin component and increase of the phenolic content, as well as lower stress-strain curves of the pre-treated fibers compared to the untreated ones (from tensile testing). It is suggested that P. sanguineus preferred to consume the outer layer of the fiber, before it penetrates through the cellular structure of the inner fiber.
  12. Ng BW, Tan JA, Sabri S, Baharuddin A, Muhamad Ariffin MH
    Cureus, 2023 Mar;15(3):e36517.
    PMID: 37090402 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.36517
    Introduction Managing patients who present with symptoms of cervical myelopathy secondary to cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) is challenging. Various factors such as the number of levels involved with OPLL, types of OPLL, canal occupying ratio, K-line characteristics, and C2-C7 lordosis angle were found to guide decision-making and surgical approaches in managing this condition. However, no clear treatment algorithm has been published. This study aims to investigate the outcome of the management of cervical OPLL using a treatment algorithm used in a tertiary university hospital. Methods This is a retrospective cross-sectional study. Patients with cervical myelopathy secondary to cervical OPLL who were treated surgically in our center from 2014 to 2020 were included in this study. Demographic data and preoperative parameters that determined the treatment given according to our treatment algorithm were analyzed. Result A total of 24 patients fit the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the study. The mean recovery rate for all groups is 61.8[Formula: see text]21.9% and the mean postoperative neck disability index (NDI) is 17.83[Formula: see text]16.67%. There was a statistically significant difference between preoperative and postoperative Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores for both anterior and posterior surgery subgroups. Conclusion We believe that the treatment algorithm used in our center could benefit other surgeons as a guide in managing patients who suffer from cervical myelopathy secondary to cervical OPLL. Further study including newer techniques would increase the surgeon's arsenal in providing the best outcome in managing this condition.
  13. Baharuddin A, Amir Hassan A, Othman R, Xu Y, Huang M, Ario Tejo B, et al.
    Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo), 2014;62(10):947-55.
    PMID: 25273053
    In the efforts to find an anti-viral treatment for dengue, a simple tryptophan fluorescence-screening assay aimed at identifying dengue domain III envelope (EIII) protein inhibitors was developed. Residue Trp391 of EIII was used as an intrinsic probe to monitor the change in fluorescence of the tryptophan residue upon binding to a peptide. The analysis was based on the electron excitation at 280 nm and fluorescence emission at 300-400 nm of EIII, followed by quenching of fluorescence in the presence of potential peptidic inhibitors coded DS36wt, DS36opt, DN58wt and DN58opt. The present study found that the fluorescence of the recombinant EIII was quenched following the binding of DS36opt, DN58wt and DN58opt in a concentration-dependent manner. Since the λmax for emission remained unchanged, the effect was not due to a change in the environment of the tryptophan side chain. In contrast, a minimal fluorescence-quenching effect of DS36wt at 20 and 40 µM suggested that the DS36wt does not have any binding ability to EIII. This was supported by a simple native-page gel retardation assay that showed a band shift of EIII domain when incubated with DS36opt, DN58wt and DN58opt but not with DS36wt. We thus developed a low-cost and convenient spectrophotometric binding assay for the analysis of EIII-peptide interactions in a drug screening application.
  14. Amir-Hassan A, Lee VS, Baharuddin A, Othman S, Xu Y, Huang M, et al.
    J Mol Graph Model, 2017 06;74:273-287.
    PMID: 28458006 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2017.03.010
    Effective novel peptide inhibitors which targeted the domain III of the dengue envelope (E) protein by blocking dengue virus (DENV) entry into target cells, were identified. The binding affinities of these peptides towards E-protein were evaluated by using a combination of docking and explicit solvent molecular dynamics (MD) simulation methods. The interactions of these complexes were further investigated by using the Molecular Mechanics-Poisson Boltzmann Surface Area (MMPBSA) and Molecular Mechanics Generalized Born Surface Area (MMGBSA) methods. Free energy calculations of the peptides interacting with the E-protein demonstrated that van der Waals (vdW) and electrostatic interactions were the main driving forces stabilizing the complexes. Interestingly, calculated binding free energies showed good agreement with the experimental dissociation constant (Kd) values. Our results also demonstrated that specific residues might play a crucial role in the effective binding interactions. Thus, this study has demonstrated that a combination of docking and molecular dynamics simulations can accelerate the identification process of peptides as potential inhibitors of dengue virus entry into host cells.
  15. Othman F, Ambak R, Siew Man C, Mohd Zaki NA, Ahmad MH, Abdul Aziz NS, et al.
    J Nutr Metab, 2019;2019:6781597.
    PMID: 31192010 DOI: 10.1155/2019/6781597
    Dietary consumption and other environmental factors are known factors associated with sodium intake. However, little is known about the influence of energy intake on this relationship. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors associated with high sodium intake assessed from urine sodium excretion and the influence of energy intake. A nationwide, cross-sectional study was conducted from 2015 to 2016 among Malaysian health staff (MySalt 2015). A total of 1027 participants from 1568 targeted participants aged 18 years and older that were randomly selected were included in this study. Sodium intake was determined by measuring sodium excretion in the 24 hr urine test. Dietary, sociodemography, and anthropometry variables as associated risk factors were assessed. Multiple logistic regression models were used to determine the association between high sodium intake (≥2000 mg/day urinary sodium) and potential risk factors. The prevalence of high sodium intake in this study was 70.1% (n=733). High sodium intake was associated with male (OR 1.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.41, 2.64), Bumiputera Sarawak ethnicity (OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.09, 0.62), and energy-adjusted sodium intake (mg/d) (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.03-1.39). Our results suggested that sex, ethnicity, and energy-adjusted sodium consumption were strong risk factors associated with high sodium intake independent from energy and other potential confounding factors.
  16. Ahmad MH, Salleh R, Mohamad Nor NS, Baharuddin A, Rodzlan Hasani WS, Omar A, et al.
    BMC Womens Health, 2018 07 19;18(Suppl 1):100.
    PMID: 30066635 DOI: 10.1186/s12905-018-0599-8
    BACKGROUND: Several methods have been developed to determine a person's physical activity level. However, there is limited evidence in determining whether someone is physically active or not. This study aims to determine the level of physical activity and to compare the usage of short version International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF) and pedometer among overweight and obese women who were involved in the My Body is Fit and Fabulous at home (MyBFF@home) study.

    METHODS: Baseline and sixth month data from the MyBFF@home study were used for this purpose. A total of 169 of overweight and obese respondents answered the IPAQ-SF and were asked to use a pedometer for 7 days. Data from IPAQ-SF were categorised as inactive and active while data from pedometer were categorised as insufficiently active and sufficiently active by standard classification. Data on sociodemographic and anthropometry were also obtained. Cohen's kappa was applied to measure the agreement of IPAQ-SF and pedometer in determining the physical activity level. Pre-post cross tabulation table was created to evaluate the changes in physical activity over 6 months.

    RESULTS: From 169 available respondents, 167 (98.8%) completed the IPAQ-SF and 107 (63.3%) utilised the pedometer. A total of 102 (61.1%) respondents were categorised as active from the IPAQ-SF. Meanwhile, only 9 (8.4%) respondents were categorised as sufficiently active via pedometer. Cohen's κ found there was a poor agreement between the two methods, κ = 0.055, p > 0.05. After sixth months, there was + 9.4% increment in respondents who were active when assessed by IPAQ-SF but - 1.3% reductions for respondents being sufficiently active when assessed by pedometer. McNemar's test determined that there was no significant difference in the proportion of inactive and active respondents by IPAQ-SF or sufficiently active and insufficiently active by pedometer from the baseline and sixth month of intervention.

    CONCLUSION: The IPAQ-SF and pedometer were both able to measure physical activity. However, poor agreement between these two methods were observed among overweight and obese women.

  17. Teh AH, Saito JA, Baharuddin A, Tuckerman JR, Newhouse JS, Kanbe M, et al.
    FEBS Lett., 2011 Oct 20;585(20):3250-8.
    PMID: 21925500 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2011.09.002
    Hell's Gate globin I (HGbI), a heme-containing protein structurally homologous to mammalian neuroglobins, has been identified from an acidophilic and thermophilic obligate methanotroph, Methylacidiphilum infernorum. HGbI has very high affinity for O(2) and shows barely detectable autoxidation in the pH range of 5.2-8.6 and temperature range of 25-50°C. Examination of the heme pocket by X-ray crystallography and molecular dynamics showed that conformational movements of Tyr29(B10) and Gln50(E7), as well as structural flexibility of the GH loop and H-helix, may play a role in modulating its ligand binding behavior. Bacterial HGbI's unique resistance to the sort of extreme acidity that would extract heme from any other hemoglobin makes it an ideal candidate for comparative structure-function studies of the expanding globin superfamily.
  18. Ramli K, Aminath Gasim I, Ahmad AA, Hassan S, Law ZK, Tan GC, et al.
    Cell Biol Int, 2019 Mar;43(3):233-252.
    PMID: 30362196 DOI: 10.1002/cbin.11067
    In peripheral nerve injuries, Schwann cells (SC) play pivotal roles in regenerating damaged nerve. However, the use of SC in clinical cell-based therapy is hampered due to its limited availability. In this study, we aim to evaluate the effectiveness of using an established induction protocol for human bone marrow derived-MSC (hBM-MSCs) transdifferentiation into a SC lineage. A relatively homogenous culture of hBM-MSCs was first established after serial passaging (P3), with profiles conforming to the minimal criteria set by International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT). The cultures (n = 3) were then subjected to a series of induction media containing β-mercaptoethanol, retinoic acid, and growth factors. Quantitative RT-PCR, flow cytometry, and immunocytochemistry analyses were performed to quantify the expression of specific SC markers, that is, S100, GFAP, MPZ and p75 NGFR, in both undifferentiated and transdifferentiated hBM-MSCs. Based on these analyses, all markers were expressed in undifferentiated hBM-MSCs and MPZ expression (mRNA transcripts) was consistently detected before and after transdifferentiation across all samples. There was upregulation at the transcript level of more than twofolds for NGF, MPB, GDNF, p75 NGFR post-transdifferentiation. This study highlights the existence of spontaneous expression of specific SC markers in cultured hBM-MSCs, inter-donor variability and that MSC transdifferentiation is a heterogenous process. These findings strongly oppose the use of a single marker to indicate SC fate. The heterogenous nature of MSC may influence the efficiency of SC transdifferentiation protocols. Therefore, there is an urgent need to re-define the MSC subpopulations and revise the minimal criteria for MSC identification.
  19. Mohamad Nor NS, Ambak R, Mohd Zaki N, Abdul Aziz NS, Cheong SM, Abd Razak MA, et al.
    BMC Womens Health, 2018 07 19;18(Suppl 1):114.
    PMID: 30066661 DOI: 10.1186/s12905-018-0590-4
    BACKGROUND: Obesity is a global health burden in the non-communicable diseases and much efforts have been implemented in the past decade in response to the rise of obesity prevalence among the Malaysian population. These include the development of the national policies, health programmes and research activities. The main aim of the scoping review was to identify obesity research pattern among adults in Malaysia in terms of the scopes, topics and the research designs.

    METHODS: The scoping review was conducted based on the framework by Arksey and O'Malley. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analysis (PRISMA) diagram was used as a guide to record the review process. Articles from year 2008 until 2017 on overweight and obesity among adults aged 18 years and above were retrieved based on the keywords using electronic databases (Embase/Ovid, Pubmed, Cochrane library and Google Scholar). Local journals, Nutrition Research in Malaysia Biblography (2011 and 2016), online local theses databases, virtual library databases were also included in the searches. Consultations with relevant key informants from the National Institutes of Health and local universities were also conducted. Search activities were managed using Endnote software and MS Excelsheet.

    RESULTS: The characteristics of the results were described based on the objectives of the review. A total of 2004 articles and reports were retrieved, and 188 articles related to obesity in Malaysia were included in the final review. Scopes and topics of obesity research based on the Nutrition Research Priorities in Malaysia (NRPM) for 11th Malaysia Plan were obesity prevalence, weight loss intervention, association of physical activities and dietary factors with obesity. The majority of obesity research among adults in Malaysia was cross sectional studies and only a small number of intervention studies, qualitative studies and systematic review were indentified. Research gaps were identified in order to make useful recommendations to the stakeholders.

    CONCLUSIONS: In the past decade, there has been an emerging evidence on obesity research among adults in Malaysia. More obesity research needs to be conducted particularly on obesity intervention among specific gender, qualitative studies, economic cost and genetic factors of obesity.

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