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  1. Harun Z, Ghazali AR
    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2012;13(12):6403-7.
    PMID: 23464466
    Detoxifying enzymes are present in most epithelial cells of the human gastrointestinal tract where they protect against xenobiotics which may cause cancer. Induction of examples such as glutathione S-transferase (GST) and its thiol conjugate, glutathione (GSH) as well as NAD(P)H: quinoneoxidoreductase (NQO1) facilitate the excretion of carcinogens and thus preventing colon carcinogenesis. Pterostilbene, an analogue of resveratrol, has demonstrated numerous pharmacological activities linked with chemoprevention. This study was conducted to investigate the potential of pterostilbene as a chemopreventive agent using the HT-29 colon cancer cell line to study the modulation of GST and NQO1 activities as well as the GSH level. Initially, our group, established the optimum dose of 24 hours pterostilbene treatment using MTT assays. Then, effects of pterostilbene (0-50 μM) on GST and NQO1 activity and GSH levels were determined using GST, NQO1 and Ellman assays, respectively. MTT assay of pterostilbene (0-100 μM) showed no cytotoxicity toward the HT-29 cell line. Treatment increased GST activity in the cell line significantly (p<0.05) at 12.5 and 25.0 μM. In addition, treatment at 50 μM increased the GSH level significantly (p<0.05). Pterostilbene also enhanced NQO1 activity significantly (p<0.05) at 12.5 μM and 50 μM. Hence, pterostilbene is a potential chemopreventive agent capable of modulation of detoxifiying enzyme levels in HT-29 cells.
  2. Harun Z, Ahmad S
    Int J Public Health Res, 2018;8(1):878-874.
    MyJurnal
    Introduction: Premature ejaculation (PE) is an important sexual problem among men attending health clinic. Impacts of this condition towards quality of life still require further exploration. Aims of the study is to determine the proportion and determinants for PE and its impact on Quality of Life (QOL) among men attending a public health clinic in Kuantan
    Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 290 respondents was conducted at a public health clinic over the period of five months (Nov 2015-March 2016). A validated self-administrated questionnaire that consisted of sociodemographic questionnaire, clinical characteristics, premature ejaculation diagnostic tool (PEDT) and WHO quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF) were used.
    Results: The proportion of PE was 33.9% with PE 18.1% (49/271) and probable PE 15.8% (43/271). Multivariate analysis showed that level of education (p=0.002, OR 3.281/95% CI 1.183, 9.101) and hypertension (p=0.047, OR 1.788/95% CI 1.008, 3.170) were the only significant predictors for PE after controlling self-reported erectile dysfunction, pulmonary and neurological disorder. PE patients had lower median scores QOL in all four domain namely physical health, psychological, social relationship, environment (all domains with p<0.001).
    Conclusions: The proportion of men diagnosed with premature ejaculation in this study is high and possibly associated with level of education and hypertension. Men with PE had lower quality of life in domains of physical health, psychological, social relationship and environment. Hence, it is
    recommended for PE screening among male attendees to primary health clinic especially those with hypertension and moderate level of education.
    Keywords Premature ejaculation - Quality of life - Sexual dysfunction.
    Study site: Klinik Kesihatan Jaya Gading, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
  3. Yaacob I, Harun Z, Ahmad Z
    Singapore Med J, 1991 Feb;32(1):26-8.
    PMID: 2017700
    Two hundred and ninety-three bronchoscopies were done for 285 patients (78% males, 22% females) at Hospital University Sains Malaysia between 1984 and 1988. The mean age was 56.4 years (range 13 to 90 years). 70.2% of patients underwent bronchoscopies to confirm or exclude the diagnosis of carcinoma of the bronchus, out of which 58% were confirmed to have bronchial carcinoma. 77% of the 98 patients with visible endobronchial tumours had biopsy specimens diagnostic of malignancy. Brushing and washing cytology increased the positive yield to 92%. The commonest histological type of bronchial carcinoma identified was squamous cell carcinoma (48.1%), followed by small cell carcinoma (27.1%), anaplastic/undifferentiated carcinoma (12.9%), adenocarcinoma (9.4%) and large cell carcinoma (2.4%). Bronchoscopy for the investigation of haemoptysis identified the commonest cause as 'bronchitis'. There were no complications noted in our series. Notable differences of our experience compared to that of the western series were the high percentage of bronchoscopy done for infective respiratory disorders and the younger age of our patients.
  4. Yaacob I, Ahmad Z, Harun Z
    Med J Malaysia, 1990 Sep;45(3):220-4.
    PMID: 1966930
    A review of 119 patients (88 males and 31 females) with carcinoma of the lung seen at the Hospital University Sains Malaysia (HUSM) from 1984 to 1989 was done. The mean age of the patients was 60.3 years with a high proportion (76.6%) of them were between 41 and 70 years. Seventy five percent of patients (84% of men and 26% of women) were smokers. The Chinese have a significantly higher preponderance to carcinoma of the lung. The commonest histological type found was squamous cell carcinoma in men and adenocarcinoma in women. Small cell carcinoma was uncommon. Squamous cell and large cell/undifferentiated type of carcinoma were significantly associated with smoking behaviour of the patients.
  5. Shalihin SE, Harun Z, Osman IF
    Malays Fam Physician, 2018;13(2):39-41.
    PMID: 30302184 MyJurnal
    Essential thrombocythemia is one of the myeloproliferative neoplasms. Palpable purpura is a rare manifestation that may delay diagnosis and treatment. We report a case of essential thrombocythemia in a 50-year-old man, who presented with recurrent thigh pain for the past one year with nonspecific localized purpura. His full blood count revealed isolated thrombocytosis of 880,000/µL with an impression of myeloproliferative disorder from peripheral blood film. He was referred urgently to the hematology team, which proceeded with a venesection. His condition improved with hydroxyurea. This was a rare case of chronic presentation of myeloproliferative neoplasm detected at a primary care clinic.
  6. Rasli NI, Basri H, Harun Z
    Heliyon, 2020 Jan;6(1):e03156.
    PMID: 32042952 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e03156
    Zinc oxide (ZnO) was biosynthesised from aloe vera plant extract. The aloe vera plant extract was used as a reducing agent in biosynthesis process. Green synthesis method was proposed because it is cost effective and environmentally friendly. ZnO was characterised using SEM, EDX, FTIR, and XRD analyses. The antibacterial property was tested against Escherichia coli. The effects of aloe vera volume (2-50) mL, precursor concentration (0.001-0.300) M, reaction time (20 min-48 h), and temperature of the reaction (26-200) °C on ZnO characteristics were investigated and screened using a two-level factorial method. Based on the observation and ANOVA analysis result, precursor concentration was the only significant parameter that affected the production of the ZnO nanoparticles (NPs). The EDX analysis proved the presence of ZnO while the SEM analysis confirmed the average size of ZnO particle size was in the range of (18-618) μm with a rod-shape appearance. The XRD analysis showed that the average crystallite size was 0.452 μm and it was in the hexagonal phase. It was also proven to have antibacterial property against E. coli.
  7. Shalihin SE, Osman IF, Harun Z, Mukhali HB, Gnathimin B
    Malays Fam Physician, 2020;15(1):68-70.
    PMID: 32284811 MyJurnal
    In primary care, chest X-rays are commonly performed to assess patients presenting with a prolonged
    cough. However, the extent to which the flms are accurately interpreted depends on the skill of the
    doctors. Doctors with insufcient experience may miss an exact diagnosis when evaluating a flm,
    especially in patients with nonspecifc symptoms, such as in the case discussed in this paper.
    ( Copied from article ).
  8. Tan ML, Foong SC, Ho JJ, Foong WC, Mohd R, Harun Z
    Int Breastfeed J, 2020 10 14;15(1):85.
    PMID: 33054789 DOI: 10.1186/s13006-020-00328-2
    BACKGROUND: Antenatal breastfeeding education (ANBE) is provided to all pregnant women attending Ministry of Health (MOH) clinics and some private health facilities in Malaysia, in line with the WHO/UNICEF Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI). However, the 6 month exclusive breastfeeding prevalence remains relatively low in Malaysia, suggesting that there may be a gap between what is currently taught and what is received by the women.

    OBJECTIVES: To determine how women perceived their ANBE experience in the first 8 weeks postpartum including what was useful and what they would like to have been included, sources of ANBE and infant feeding practices at the time of survey.

    METHODS: Women during their first 8 weeks postpartum who attended MOH clinics in Penang State, Malaysia were surveyed using a self-administered questionnaire in April and May 2015. Categorical responses were presented as numbers and proportions while free text responses were compiled verbatim and categorised into themes. The perceptions of primiparous and multiparous women were compared. Multivariate logistic regression adjusted to known confounders was used to determine if ANBE was associated with exclusive breastfeeding at the time of survey.

    RESULTS: A total of 421 women completed the 15-item questionnaire (84% response rate) of which 282 were complete and available for analysis. Of these, 95% had received ANBE, majority (88%) from MOH clinics. Almost all women found it useful. However, there were areas both in the delivery (e.g. too short) and the content (e.g. nothing new) that were described as not useful; and areas they would like more coverage (e.g. milk expression, storage and overcoming low milk supply). The exclusive breastfeeding prevalence at the time of survey was 61%. ANBE was significantly associated with exclusive breastfeeding even after adjusting for confounders (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 8.1, 95% confidence interval 1.7, 38.3).

    CONCLUSIONS: ANBE is widely implemented and perceived as useful and may be associated with exclusive breastfeeding. Our findings give insight into content that women would like more of and how delivery of ANBE could be improved, including individualized sessions and communicating at a suitable level and language. Future studies could focus on the quality of ANBE delivery.

  9. Rosman N, Salleh WNW, Mohamed MA, Jaafar J, Ismail AF, Harun Z
    J Colloid Interface Sci, 2018 Dec 15;532:236-260.
    PMID: 30092507 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2018.07.118
    Reports of pharmaceuticals exist in surface water and drinking water around the world, indicate they are ineffectively remove from water and wastewater using conventional treatment technologies. The potential of adverse effect of these pharmaceuticals on public health and aquatic life, also their continuos accumulation have raised the development of water treatment technologies. Hybrid treatment processes like membrane filtration and advance oxidation processes (AOPs) are likely to give rise to efficient simultaneous degradation and separation mechanisms. Conventional membrane filtration techniques can remove the majority of contaminants, but the smallest, undegraded, and stabilized pharmaceutical wastes persist in the treated water. After some 20 years, researchers have recognized the important role of AOPs in the treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater because these technologies are capable of oxidizing recalcitrant, toxic, and non-biodigradable compounds into numerous by-products and finally, inert end-products via the intermediacy of hydroxyl and other radicals. Evidently, membranes are subjected to the fouling phenomenon by the contaminants in wastewater, hence resulting in a reduction of clean water flux and increase in energy demand. In such situations, these membrane hybrid AOPs exert a complementary effect in the elimination of membrane fouling, thus enhancing the performance of the membrane. Therefore, in this review, we describe the basic aspects of the removal and transformation of certain pharmaceuticals via membranes and AOPs. In addition, information and evidences on membrane hybrid AOPs in the field of pharmaceutical wastewater treatment is also presented.
  10. Molla AH, Shams H, Harun Z, Kasim ANC, Nallapaneni MK, Rahman MNA
    Sci Rep, 2023 Mar 13;13(1):4169.
    PMID: 36914813 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30964-7
    The growing number of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) engenders a genuine concern for achieving sustainable development. Properly recycling ELV is paramount to checking pollution, reducing landfills, and conserving natural resources. The present study evaluates the sustainability of India's ELV recycling system from techno-socio-economic and environmental aspects as an instrumental step for assessing performance and progress. This investigation has performed the Strength-Weakness-Opportunity-Threat (SWOT) analysis to evaluate ELV recycling in the long-term viability and examine the critical factors and potential. This research makes practical recommendations for effectively encountering persistent challenges in the ELV recycling system based on Indian values. This research adopts an explorative and Integrated bottom-up mixed approach; it interfaces qualitative and quantitative data and secondary research. This study reveals that the social, economic, technological, and environmental aspects of the sustainability of India's ELV recycling system are comparatively limited. The SWOT analysis demonstrates that potential market size and resource recovery are more significant strengths, whereas lack of an appropriate framework and limited technology are major challenges in the recycling of ELVs in India. Sustainable development and economic viability have emerged as great opportunities, while informality and environmental impact have surfaced as primary potential threats to ELV recycling in India. This paper offers insights and yields critical real-world data that may assist in rational decision-making and developing and implementing any subsequent framework.
  11. Abdalkarem AAM, Ansaf R, Muzammil WK, Ibrahim A, Harun Z, Fazlizan A
    Heliyon, 2023 Nov;9(11):e21193.
    PMID: 37942161 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21193
    The airfoil blade is the primary component of a wind turbine, and its aerodynamic properties play a crucial role in determining the energy conversion efficiency of these blades. Many researchers have proposed different airfoil modifications intending to enhance the aerodynamic characteristics and limit the unsteady interaction with the atmospheric boundary layer. This study evaluates the benefits of mounting wedge tails (WTs) on the trailing edge of an airfoil. The aerodynamic characteristics of a 2-D, steady-state NACA 0021 airfoil featuring the wedge tails (WT) and fish wedge tails (FWT) were studied computationally by employing the shear stress transport (SST) k-ω turbulence model. Different WT and FWT configurations were studied at various wedge length (L) to wedge height (H) ratios, L/H, at the airfoil's trailing edge. The effects of different L/H ratios, including L/H > 1, L/H = 1, and L/H 
  12. Hussain S, Ghopa WAW, Singh SSK, Azman AH, Abdullah S, Harun Z, et al.
    Materials (Basel), 2022 Jul 14;15(14).
    PMID: 35888355 DOI: 10.3390/ma15144888
    Vibration fatigue characteristics are critical for rotating machinery components such as turbine rotor blades. Lattice structures are gaining popularity in engineering applications due to their unique ability to reduce weight and improve the mechanical properties. This study is an experimental investigation of octet-truss lattice structure utilization in turbine rotor blades for weight reduction and to improve vibration fatigue characteristics. One completely solid and three lattice infilled blades with variable strut thickness were manufactured via additive manufacturing. Both free and forced experimental vibration analyses were performed on the blades to investigate their modal and vibration fatigue characteristics. The blades were subjected to random vibration using a vibration shaker. The response was measured using a triaxial accelerometer in terms of vibration acceleration time histories in the X, Y, and Z directions. Results indicate a weight reduction of up to 24.91% and enhancement in the first natural frequency of up to 5.29% were achieved using lattice infilled blades. The fatigue life of the blades was investigated using three frequency domain approaches, namely, Lalanne, Dirlik and narrow band. The fatigue life results indicate that the 0.25 mm lattice blade exhibits the highest fatigue life, while the solid blade exhibits the lowest fatigue life of all four blades. The fatigue life of the 0.25 mm lattice blade was 1822-, 1802-, and 1819- fold higher compared to that of the solid blade, using the Lalanne, Dirlik, and narrow-band approaches, respectively. These results can serve as the first step towards the utilization of lattice structures in turbine blades, with thermal analysis as the next step. Therefore, apart from being light weight, the octet-truss lattice infilled blades exhibited superior vibration fatigue characteristics to vibration loads, thereby making them a potential replacement for solid blades in turbine rotors.
  13. Ghazali AR, Abdul Razak NE, Othman MS, Othman H, Ishak I, Lubis SH, et al.
    J Environ Public Health, 2012;2012:758349.
    PMID: 22536276 DOI: 10.1155/2012/758349
    Heavy metals, particularly cadmium, lead, and arsenic, constitute a significant potential threat to human health. This study was conducted to determine the levels of cadmium, lead, and arsenic in nail samples from farmers at Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA), Kedah, Malaysia, and evaluate factors that can contribute to their accumulations. A total of 116 farmers participated in this study. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to analyze concentration of heavy metals in the nail samples and questionnaires were given to participants to get demographic, health status, and their agricultural activities data. In this paper, the level of heavy metals was within the normal range and varies according to demographic factors. We found that there were significant correlations between working period with level of lead and arsenic (r=0.315 and r=0.242, resp., P<0.01) and age with lead level (r=0.175, P<0.05). Our findings suggested that agricultural activities could contribute to the accumulation of heavy metals in farmers. Hence, the control of environmental levels of and human exposure to these metals to prevent adverse health effects is still an important public health issue.
  14. Zainal Arifen ZN, Haron H, Shahar S, Harun Z, Michael V, You YX, et al.
    Public Health Nutr, 2023 Dec 15;27(1):e12.
    PMID: 38098442 DOI: 10.1017/S136898002300277X
    OBJECTIVE: To explore the perspectives, barriers and enablers on salt reduction in out-of-home sectors in Malaysia among street food vendors, caterers and consumers.

    DESIGN: A qualitative study involving twenty-two focus group discussions and six in-depth interviews was conducted, recorded and transcribed verbatim. An inductive thematic analysis approach was employed to analyse the data.

    SETTING: Two in-depth interviews and twenty-two focus group discussions were conducted face-to-face. Four in-depth interviews were conducted online.

    PARTICIPANTS: Focus group discussions were conducted among twenty-three street food vendors, twenty-one caterers and seventy-six consumers of various eateries. In-depth interviews were conducted among two street food vendors and four caterers, individually.

    RESULTS: Consumers and food operators perceived a high-salt intake within Malaysia's out-of-home food sectors. Food operators emphasised the necessity for a comprehensive salt reduction policy in the out-of-home sector involving all stakeholders. Consumers faced limited awareness and knowledge, counterproductive practices among food operators and challenges in accessing affordable low-Na food products, whereas food operators faced the lack of standardised guidelines and effective enforcement mechanisms and uncooperative consumer practices. Both groups expressed that food quality and price of salt were also the barriers, and they advocated for awareness promotion, enhanced regulation of manufactured food products and stricter enforcement targeting vendors. Consumers also suggested promoting and recognising health-conscious food premises, whereas food operators suggested on knowledge enhancement tailored to them, strategies for gaining consumers acceptance and maintaining food quality.

    CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide valuable insights that serve as foundational evidence for developing and implementing salt reduction policies within Malaysia's out-of-home sectors.

  15. Harun Z, Shahar S, You YX, Abdul Manaf Z, Abdul Majid H, Chin CY, et al.
    Health Res Policy Syst, 2024 Apr 18;22(1):49.
    PMID: 38637888 DOI: 10.1186/s12961-024-01124-8
    Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the major cause of death among Malaysians. Reduction of salt intake in populations is one of the most cost-effective strategies in the prevention of CVDs. It is very feasible as it requires low cost for implementation and yet could produce a positive impact on health. Thus, salt reduction initiatives have been initiated since 2010, and two series of strategies have been launched. However, there are issues on its delivery and outreach to the target audience. Further, strategies targeting out of home sectors are yet to be emphasized. Our recent findings on the perceptions, barriers and enablers towards salt reduction among various stakeholders including policy-makers, food industries, food operators, consumers and schools showed that eating outside of the home contributed to high salt intake. Foods sold outside the home generally contain a high amount of salt. Thus, this supplementary document is being proposed to strengthen the Salt Reduction Strategy to Prevent and Control Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) for Malaysia 2021-2025 by focussing on the strategy for the out-of-home sectors. In this supplementary document, the Monitoring, Awareness and Product (M-A-P) strategies being used by the Ministry of Health (MOH) are adopted with a defined outline of the plan of action and indicators to ensure that targets could be achieved. The strategies will involve inter-sectoral and multi-disciplinary approaches, including monitoring of salt intake and educating consumers, strengthening the current enforcement of legislation on salt/sodium labelling and promoting research on reformulation. Other strategies included in this supplementary document included reformulation through proposing maximum salt targets for 14 food categories. It is hoped that this supplementary document could strengthen the current the Salt Reduction Strategy to Prevent and Control NCDs for Malaysia 2021-2025 particularly, for the out-of-home sector, to achieve a reduction in mean salt intake of the population to 6.0 g per day by 2025.
  16. Mak WY, Leong CT, Ong LM, Bavanandan S, Mushahar L, Goh BL, et al.
    Perit Dial Int, 2021 05;41(3):273-283.
    PMID: 33733911 DOI: 10.1177/0896860821993954
    BACKGROUND: We compared the clinical effectiveness of a new peritoneal dialysis (PD) product with polyvinyl chloride-containing tubing (Stay Safe Link®, SSL) with the plastic-free alternative (Stay Safe®, STS) in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD).

    METHOD: A multicentre, parallel, randomised, controlled, open-label, non-inferiority trial was conducted. Adult patients receiving CAPD were randomised in a 1:1 ratio to SSL or STS. The primary outcome was the rate of peritonitis after 1 year of follow-up.

    RESULTS: A total of 472 subjects were randomised (SSL, n = 233; STS, n = 239). One subject in each group was excluded from the analysis as they withdrew consent before the first dialysis dose. Four hundred and seventy subjects (SSL, n = 232; STS, n = 238) were included in the modified intention-to-treat analysis. Non-inferiority between two groups was established as no significant difference was found in peritonitis rate (incident rate ratio: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.65-1.28). No significant difference was detected in weekly Kt/V (p = 0.58) and creatinine clearance (p = 0.55). However, the average ultrafiltration volume was significantly lower in SSL, with a mean difference of 93 ml (p < 0.01). SSL also demonstrated a 2.57-times higher risk of device defect than STS (95% CI: 1.77-3.75).

    CONCLUSION: SSL was non-inferior in peritonitis rate compared to plastic-free STS over 1 year in patients requiring CAPD. There was no difference in the delivered dialysis dose, but there was a higher rate of device defects with SSL.

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