Displaying all 7 publications

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. Winnie FYM, Siddiqui R, Sagathevan K, Khan NA
    Curr Pharm Biotechnol, 2020;21(5):425-437.
    PMID: 31577204 DOI: 10.2174/1389201020666191002153435
    BACKGROUND: Snakes feed on germ-infested rodents, while water monitor lizards thrive on rotten matter in unhygienic conditions. We hypothesize that such creatures survive the assault of superbugs and are able to fend off disease by producing antimicrobial substances. In this study, we investigated the potential antibacterial activity of sera/lysates of animals living in polluted environments.

    METHODS: Snake (Reticulatus malayanus), rats (Rattus rattus), water monitor lizard (Varanus salvator), frog (Lithobates catesbeianus), fish (Oreochromis mossambicus), chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus), and pigeon (Columba livia) were dissected and their organ lysates/sera were collected. Crude extracts were tested for bactericidal effects against neuropathogenic E. coli K1, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Streptococcus pyogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus cereus and Klebsiella pneumoniae. To determine whether lysates/sera protect human cells against bacterialmediated damage, cytotoxicity assays were performed by measuring lactate dehydrogenase release as an indicator of cell death. Lysates/sera were partially characterized using heat-treatment and pronasetreatment and peptide sequences were determined using the Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS).

    RESULTS: Snake and water monitor lizard sera exhibited potent broad-spectrum bactericidal effects against all bacteria tested. Heat inactivation and pronase-treatment inhibited bactericidal effects indicating that activity is heat-labile and pronase-sensitive suggesting that active molecules are proteinaceous in nature. LCMS analyses revealed the molecular identities of peptides.

    CONCLUSION: The results revealed that python that feeds on germ-infested rodents and water monitor lizards that feed on rotten organic waste possess antibacterial activity in a heat-sensitive manner and several peptides were identified. We hope that the discovery of antibacterial activity in the sera of animals living in polluted environments will stimulate research in finding antibacterial agents from unusual sources as this has the potential for the development of novel strategies in the control of infectious diseases.

  2. Aishah AB, Foo YN
    Malays J Pathol, 1995 Jun;17(1):43-5.
    PMID: 8907005
    Results of serum lithium performed in the Chemical Pathology Laboratory, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, over a years' period (June 1991 till May 1992) formed the subject of study. A total of 277 tests were carried out on 148 patients, giving a frequency of about 23.1 tests per month. Complete data regarding age, sex and ethnic group was available for 140 subjects. There were 74 males and 66 females. Racial distribution was 72 Malays, 42 Chinese and 26 Indians. Their ages ranged from 15 to 80 years. One hundred and twenty-three subjects (87.6%) were within the 3rd to 5th decade of life. 136/277 (49.1%) of serum lithium levels were less than 0.6 mmol/l and 24/277 (8.7%) gave results greater than 1.0 mmol/l. Only 6 tests gave values which exceeded 2 mmol/l. This study reveals the need to conduct a prospective study to determine the underlying cause of the high incidence of low serum lithium levels and whether this situation is associated with a satisfactory treatment response in the said population.
  3. Aishah AB, Foo YN
    Med J Malaysia, 1995 Sep;50(3):246-9.
    PMID: 8926903
    A retrospective six-month study of serum calcium and albumin in patients treated at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital was carried out. There were 19,291 subjects, of which the prevalences of hypocalcemia (corrected serum calcium of < or = 2.1 mmol/l) and hypercalcemia (corrected serum calcium of > 2.7 mmol/l) were 18.0% (3460 subjects) and 2.4% (468 subjects) respectively. Persistent hypocalcemia (a minimum of first two consecutive corrected serum calcium of < or = 2.1 mmol/l) was found in 408/19,291 subjects 2.1%). Serum calcium values of < 2.00 mmol/l were found in 98.5% of this group. Persistent hypercalcemia (a minimum of first two consecutive corrected serum calcium of > 2.7 mmol/l) was found in 108/19,291 subjects (0.5%) and 52/108 subjects (48.1%) had serum calcium values of > or = 3.0 mmol/l. 2902/3460 subjects (83.8%) and 313/468 subjects (66.9%) the hypocalcemia and hypercalcemia groups respectively failed to be retested (singletons). In the hypocalcemia group, 1115/2902 (38.4%) showed corrected serum calcium values of < 2.00 mmol/l), whilst 100/313 subjects (31.9%) of the hypercalcemia group had corrected serum calcium values of > or = 3.00 mmol/l. There were no significant differences between the mean corrected serum calcium between 3 age groups of the test population, namely in childhood ( < or = 65 years).
  4. Tam CL, Foo YC, Lee TH
    East Asian Arch Psychiatry, 2011 Jun;21(2):73-8.
    PMID: 21838210
    Objectives: To examine gender differences in mental health and perceived social support, relationship between parents’ income and mental health, and differences in mental health across education levels.
    Methods: A total of 303 students aged 16 to 26 years were recruited from Selangor, Malaysia. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and General Health Questionnaire were used to measure the level of perceived social support and the mental health status. Demographic data, including education level and parents’ income, were also obtained.
    Results: Females perceived significantly higher levels f overall social support than males (t = –2.7; p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in mental health status between males and females (t = –1.8; p > 0.05), as well as mental health status among different parental income groups (χ2 = 5.0; p > 0.05) and the education levels of the subjects (χ2 = 0.7; p > 0.05). A more favourable mental health status of the subjects was associated with higher parental incomes (r = –0.1; p < 0.05).
    Conclusions: There were gender differences for perceived social support, but not for mental health status in older adolescents and young adults. There was also a relationship between parental income and an individual’s mental health status, but mental health was not related to their education level.
    Key words: Mental health; Social class; Social support
  5. Siti, N. I., Kavireshna, K., Zafirah, M. R., Foo, Y. I. W., Rabiatul Adawiyah, R., Salina, H., et al.
    Medicine & Health, 2017;12(2):259-274.
    MyJurnal
    Model tiga dimensi (3D) menyerupai ciri-ciri persekitaran tisu asli, justeru
    morfologi dan isyarat-isyarat sel daripada kultur 3D selalunya lebih menyerupai
    fisiologi asal berbanding sel kultur dua dimensi (2D). Diketahui juga, rembesan
    sel mempunyai kesan parakrin kepada pertumbuhan sel-sel lain. Dalam kajian
    ini, pengkulturan fibroblast hidung menggunakan system kultur sel 3D telah
    dioptimumkan dan kesan bahan rembesan (BR) daripada kultur 3D terhadap kadar
    pertumbuhan dan perlindungan sel telah dikaji. Fibroblas hidung dipencilkan
    daripada turbinate hidung manusia. Mikrosfera yang sesuai telah dipilih melalui
    pengkulturan fibroblast pemindahan ke-3 pada pelbagai jenis mikro sferapolisterin
    PolyGEM™. Kemudian, sel-sel telah dikulturkan pada mikrosfera yang terpilih
    menggunakan system kultur 3D dan media terkondisi (MT) telah dikumpulkan.
    Media terkondisi tiga dimensi (MT3D) telah ditambah kepada fibroblast untuk
    mengkaji kadar perlekatan sel, kadar proliferasi, dan perlindungan sel terhadap
    kesitotoksikan Centella asiatica. Asai protein asid bicinchonic dijalankan untuk
    mengetahui kuantiti protein di dalam BR. Elektroforesis gel poliakrilamida-Sodium
    Dodesil Sulfat (SDS-PAGE) telah dilakukan untuk memperoleh profil awal protein
    dan membandingkan profil MT3D dengan protein media terkondisi dua dimensi
    (MT2D). Kajian ini menunujukkan MT3D tidak menggalakkan perlekatan dan
    proliferasi sel secara signifikan. BR didapati memberikan perlindungan sel yang
    signifikan pada fibroblast hidung terhadap kesitotoksikan Centella asiatica. MT3D
    mempunyai kepekatan protein yang lebih tinggi berbanding MT2D. SDS-PAGE
    menunjukkan MT3D mempunyai 3 jalur ekslusif manakala MT2D mempunyai 4 jalur eksklusif. Kajian masa depan harus dijalankan keatas penggunaan BR
    fibroblast hidung untuk perlindungan sel terhadap agen-agen yang memudaratkan
    di alam sekitar dan produk herba yang sitotoksik.
  6. Yip Ch, Bhoo-Pathy N, Daniel J, Foo Y, Mohamed A, Abdullah M, et al.
    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2016;17(3):1077-82.
    PMID: 27039727
    BACKGROUND: The three standard biomarkers used in breast cancer are the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). The Ki-67 index, a proliferative marker, has been shown to be associated with a poorer outcome, and despite absence of standardization of pathological assessment, is widely used for therapy decision making. We aim to study the role of the Ki-67 index in a group of Asian women with breast cancer.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 450 women newly diagnosed with Stage 1 to 3 invasive breast cancer in a single centre from July 2013 to Dec 2014 were included in this study. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the association between Ki-67 (positive defined as 14% and above) and age, ethnicity, grade, mitotic index, ER, PR, HER2, lymph node status and size. All analyses were performed using SPSS Version 22.

    RESULTS: In univariable analysis, Ki -67 index was associated with younger age, higher grade, ER and PR negativity, HER2 positivity, high mitotic index and positive lymph nodes. However on multivariable analysis only tumour size, grade, PR and HER2 remained significant. Out of 102 stage 1 patients who had ER positive/PR positive/HER2 negative tumours and non-grade 3, only 5 (4.9%) had a positive Ki-67 index and may have been offered chemotherapy. However, it is interesting to note that none of these patients received chemotherapy.

    CONCLUSIONS: Information on Ki67 would have potentially changed management in an insignificant proportion of patients with stage 1 breast cancer.

  7. Ching SM, Hamidin A, Vasudevan R, Sazlyna MS, Wan Aliaa WS, Foo YL, et al.
    Med J Malaysia, 2017 02;72(1):7-11.
    PMID: 28255133 MyJurnal
    INTRODUCTION: Internet is important to university students, especially for medical students who use it to search for literature and relevant information. However, some of the users are experiencing a gradual loss of the ability to reduce the duration and frequency of their internet activities, despite the negative consequences. The literature on internet usage among Malaysian medical students is limited. This study aims to determine the prevalence and factors associated with internet usage among medical students in a public university in Malaysia.

    METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed among all the medical students (Year 1-5). Students were assessed on their internet activities using the internet addiction questionnaires (IAT). A Multiple Logistic Regression was used for data analysis.

    RESULTS: The study was conducted among 426 students. The study population consisted of 156 males (36.6%) and 270 females (63.4%). The mean age was 21.6 ±1.5 years. Ethnicity distribution among the students was: Malays (55.6%), Chinese (34.7%), Indians (7.3%) and others (2.3%). According to the IAT, 36.9% of the study sample was addicted to the internet. Using the multivariate logistic regression analysis, we have found that the use of internet access for entertainment purposes (odds ratio [OR] 3.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05-12.00), male students (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.01-3.21) and increasing frequency of internet usage were associated with internet addiction (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.09- 1.67).

    CONCLUSION: Internet addiction is a relatively frequent phenomenon among medical students. The predictors of internet addiction were male students using it for surfing and entertainment purposes.

Related Terms
Filters
Contact Us

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links