Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 158 in total

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  1. Vythilingam I
    Front Physiol, 2012;3:115.
    PMID: 22557977 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2012.00115
    Malaria and filariasis still continue to pose public health problems in developing countries of the tropics. Although plans are in progress for the elimination of both these parasitic vector borne diseases, we are now faced with a daunting challenge as we have a fifth species, Plasmodium knowlesi a simian malaria parasite affecting humans. Similarly in peninsular Malaysia, filariasis was mainly due to Brugia malayi. However, we now see cases of Wuchereria bancrofti in immigrant workers coming into the country. In order to successfully eliminate both these diseases we need to know the vectors involved and introduce appropriate control measures to prevent the diseases occurring in the future. As for knowlesi malaria it is still uncertain if human to human transmission through mosquito bites is occurring. However, P. knowlesi in human is not a rare occurrence anymore and has all the characteristics of a pathogen spreading due to changes in the ecosystem, international travel, and cross border migration. This has created a more complex situation. In order to overcome these challenges we need to revamp our control measures. This paper reviews the vectors of malaria and filariasis in Southeast Asia with special emphasis on P. knowlesi and W. bancrofti in Malaysia and their control strategies.
  2. Vythilingam I
    Trop Biomed, 2010 Apr;27(1):1-12.
    PMID: 20562807 MyJurnal
    Plasmodium knowlesi in humans is life threatening, is on the increase and has been reported from most states in Malaysia. Anopheles latens and Anopheles cracens have been incriminated as vectors. Malaria is now a zoonoses and is occurring in malaria free areas of Malaysia. It is also a threat to eco-tourism. The importance of the vectors and possible control measures is reviewed here.
  3. Shanmuganathan R, Subramaniam ID
    Glob J Health Sci, 2015;7(4):110-20.
    PMID: 25946947 DOI: 10.5539/gjhs.v7n4p110
    INTRODUCTION: The main aim of this study was to describe the clinical manifestation of tuberculosis infection cases in Malaysia and to determine the individual risk factors for their occurrence.
    METHODOLOGY: The study adopted a quantitative research approach with use of descriptive statistical approach. The study setting was a community clinic which treats walk in patients who are mainly living and working in the surrounding areas. The study was conducted for a period of one year. All tuberculosis patients who sought treatment in the clinic during the time were included in this study. The total number of cases was 40. Data was collected from the medical records of the tuberculosis patients. The risk factors selected for investigation were demographic characteristics of age and sex, personal habits such as smoking, drug use and alcohol and presence of diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus positive (HIV+), diabetes mellitus, cancer, cyanotic heart disease, renal failure and steroid use.
    RESULTS: Patients in the age group ranging from 41 to 50 years had the highest incidence of the infection. Smoking appears to be the most important risk factor for contracting followed by drug abuse, HIV+ infection and diabetes mellitus.
    CONCLUSIONS: People with diseases such as diabetes mellitus and HIV that are high risk factors for TB should be screened for TB so that early detection and intervention is possible. Educational programs should be carried out to create awareness among the at risk groups.
  4. Ganesan I, Rajah S
    Pediatr Nephrol, 2012 Jul;27(7):1125-30.
    PMID: 22382467 DOI: 10.1007/s00467-012-2128-6
    BACKGROUND: This study aims to predict risk factors for urological anomalies in children with anorectal malformations (ARM) and describes the clinical features of patients who have developed chronic kidney disease.

    METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed infants with ARM who received surgery and were followed at the Sabah Women and Children's Hospital, Malaysia, from 1986 to 2010.

    RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-two children with anorectal malformations were studied, after excluding 24 children with incomplete data. Three factors were significant as predictors of the presence of a urological anomaly: high ARM lesion (OR 3.12, 95%CI 1.1-8.9), the presence of genital abnormality (OR 2.95, 95%CI 1.10-7.91) and cloacal anomaly in girls (OR 8.27, 95% CI 1.91-35.6). The most common anomalies were vesicoureteric reflux, single kidney and neurogenic bladder. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) was noted in 5.7%, in children who had recurrent urinary tract infections, neurogenic bladder or complex renal tract pathology; end-stage renal failure was seen in only 0.8% of children with ARM.

    CONCLUSION: Urological anomalies were seen in 23% of patients, but the overall incidence of CKD and end-stage renal disease is low. Early identification of infants with ARM at risk of renal failure may be important for renal survival.

  5. Liljestrand J, Pathmanathan I
    J Public Health Policy, 2004;25(3-4):299-314.
    PMID: 15683067 DOI: 10.1057/palgrave.jphp.3190030
    Developing countries are floundering in their efforts to meet the Millennium Development Goal of reducing maternal mortality by 75% by 2015. Two issues are being debated. Is it doable within this time frame? And is it affordable? Malaysia and Sri Lanka have in the past 50 years repeatedly halved their maternal mortality ratio (MMR) every 7-10 years to reduce MMR from over 500 to below 50. Experience from four other developing countries--Bolivia, Yunan in China, Egypt, and Jamaica-confirms that each was able to halve MMR in less than 10 years beginning from levels of 200-300. Malaysia and Sri Lanka, invested modestly (but wisely)--less than 0.4% of GDP--on maternal health throughout the period of decline, although the large majority of women depended on publicly funded maternal health care. Analysis of their experience suggests that provision of access to and removal of barriers for the use of skilled birth attendance has been the key. This included professionalization of midwifery and phasing out of traditional birth attendants; monitoring births and maternal deaths and use of such information for high profile advocacy on the importance of reducing maternal death; and addressing critical gaps in the health system; and reducing disparities between different groups through special attention to the poor and disadvantaged populations.
  6. Vythilingam I, Jeyaprakasam NK
    Acta Trop, 2024 Sep;257:107280.
    PMID: 38908421 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107280
    Malaria continues to be a global public health problem although it has been eliminated from many countries. Sri Lanka and China are two countries that recently achieved malaria elimination status, and many countries in Southeast Asia are currently in the pipeline for achieving the same goal by 2030. However, Plasmodium knowlesi, a non-human primate malaria parasite continues to pose a threat to public health in this region, infecting many humans in all countries in Southeast Asia except for Timor-Leste. Besides, other non-human primate malaria parasite such as Plasmodium cynomolgi and Plasmodium inui are infecting humans in the region. The non-human primates, the long-tailed and pig-tailed macaques which harbour these parasites are now increasingly prevalent in farms and forest fringes close by to the villages. Additionally, the Anopheles mosquitoes belonging to the Lecuosphyrus Group are also present in these areas which makes them ideal for transmitting the non-human primate malaria parasites. With changing landscape and deforestation, non-human primate malaria parasites will affect more humans in the coming years with the elimination of human malaria. Perhaps due to loss of immunity, more humans will be infected as currently being demonstrated in Malaysia. Thus, control measures need to be instituted rapidly to achieve the malaria elimination status by 2030. However, the zoonotic origin of the parasite and the changes of the vectors behaviour to early biting seems to be the stumbling block to the malaria elimination efforts in this region. In this review, we discuss the challenges faced in malaria elimination due to deforestation and the serious threat posed by non-human primate malaria parasites.
  7. Zakerian SA, Subramaniam ID
    Int J Occup Saf Ergon, 2009;15(4):425-34.
    PMID: 20003776
    Increasing numbers of workers use computer for work. So, especially among office workers, there is a high risk of musculoskeletal discomforts. This study examined the associations among 3 factors, psychosocial work factors, work stress and musculoskeletal discomforts. These associations were examined via a questionnaire survey on 30 office workers (at a university in Malaysia), whose jobs required an extensive use of computers. The questionnaire was distributed and collected daily for 20 days. While the results indicated a significant relationship among psychosocial work factors, work stress and musculoskeletal discomfort, 3 psychosocial work factors were found to be more important than others in both work stress and musculoskeletal discomfort: job demands, negative social interaction and computer-related problems. To further develop study design, it is necessary to investigate industrial and other workers who have experienced musculoskeletal discomforts and work stress.
  8. Prahasta Bin Didi Indra FI, Bin Ibrahim AR, Bin Mohd Amin MZ
    Med J Armed Forces India, 2024;80(2):227-233.
    PMID: 38525453 DOI: 10.1016/j.mjafi.2022.04.008
    Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is commonly associated with fragility fractures. It is due to abnormality in the quantity and quality of collagen type 1 caused by mutations in COL1A1 and COL1A2 genes. Patients with OI would also have blue sclera, ligament hyperlaxity, dentinogenesis imperfecta, hearing abnormality, and short stature. Surgical management is preferred to conservative treatment in long bone fractures. For malunited fractures, Sofield-Millar or multiple osteotomies at different sites of deformities are performed with additional intramedullary device to stabilize the bone. This is a case of femur fracture with multilevel CORAs in an adolescent patient with post-trauma OI in which z-osteotomies were performed and stabilized with titanium elastic nails resulting in good outcomes clinically and radiologically.
  9. Prakash I, Chaturvedula VS, Markosyan A
    Nat Prod Commun, 2013 Nov;8(11):1523-6.
    PMID: 24427932
    From the extract of the leaves of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, a diterpene glycoside was isolated which was identified as 13-[(2-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyl)oxy] ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid-(2-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-D-glucopyranosyl) ester (1). The complete 1H and 13C NMR assignment of 1 is reported for the first time, from extensive NMR (1H and 13C, COSY, HSQC, and HMBC) and mass spectral data. Also, we report the sensory evaluation of 1 against sucrose for the sweetness property of this molecule.
  10. Ekman B, Pathmanathan I, Liljestrand J
    Lancet, 2008 Sep 13;372(9642):990-1000.
    PMID: 18790321 DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(08)61408-7
    For women and children, especially those who are poor and disadvantaged, to benefit from primary health care, they need to access and use cost-effective interventions for maternal, newborn, and child health. The challenge facing weak health systems is how to deliver such packages. Experiences from countries such as Iran, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and China, and from projects in countries like Tanzania and India, show that outcomes in maternal, newborn, and child health can be improved through integrated packages of cost-effective health-care interventions that are implemented incrementally in accordance with the capacity of health systems. Such packages should include community-based interventions that act in combination with social protection and intersectoral action in education, infrastructure, and poverty reduction. Interventions need to be planned and implemented at the district level, which requires strengthening of district planning and management skills. Furthermore, districts need to be supported by national strategies and policies, and, in the case of the least developed countries, also by international donors and other partners. If packages for maternal, newborn and child health care can be integrated within a gradually strengthened primary health-care system, continuity of care will be improved, including access to basic referral care before and during pregnancy, birth, the postpartum period, and throughout childhood.
  11. Prakash I, Markosyan A, Bunders C
    Foods, 2014 Feb 27;3(1):162-175.
    PMID: 28234311 DOI: 10.3390/foods3010162
    This work aims to review and showcase the unique properties of rebaudioside M as a natural non-caloric potential sweetener in food and beverage products. To determine the potential of rebaudioside M, isolated from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, as a high potency sweetener, we examined it with the Beidler Model. This model estimated that rebaudioside M is 200-350 times more potent than sucrose. Numerous sensory evaluations of rebaudioside M's taste attributes illustrated that this steviol glycoside possesses a clean, sweet taste with a slightly bitter or licorice aftertaste. The major reaction pathways in aqueous solutions (pH 2-8) for rebaudioside M are similar to rebaudioside A. Herein we demonstrate that rebaudioside M could be of great interest to the global food industry because it is well-suited for blending and is functional in a wide variety of food and beverage products.
  12. Wijaya MI, Mohamad AR, Hafizurrachman M
    Int J Health Care Qual Assur, 2019 Feb 11;32(1):296-306.
    PMID: 30859877 DOI: 10.1108/IJHCQA-01-2018-0014
    PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to improve the Siloam Hospitals' (SHs) patient satisfaction index (PSI) and overcome Indonesia's geographical barriers.

    DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The topic was selected for reasons guided by the Institute of Healthcare Improvement virtual breakthrough series collaborative (VBSC). Subject matter experts came from existing global quality development in collaboration with sales and marketing, and talent management agencies/departments. Patient satisfaction (PS) was measured using the SH Customer Feedback Form. Data were analysed using Friedman's test.

    FINDINGS: The in-patient (IP) department PSI repeated measures comparison during VBSC, performed using Friedman's test, showed a statistically significant increase in the PSI, χ2 = 44.00, p<0.001. Post hoc analysis with Wilcoxon signed-rank test was conducted with a Bonferroni correction applied, which resulted in a significant increase between the baseline and action phases ( Z=3.317, p=0.003) between the baseline and continuous improvement phases ( Z=6.633, p<0.001), and between the action and continuous improvement phases ( Z=3.317, p=0.003), suggesting that IP PSI was continuously increasing during all VBSC phases. Like IP PSI, the out-patient department PSI was also continuously increasing during all VBSC phases.

    RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS: The VBSC was not implemented using a control group. Factors other than the VBSC may have contributed to increased PS.

    PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The VBSC was conducted using virtual telecommunication. Although conventional breakthrough series might result in better cohesiveness and commitment, Indonesian geographical barriers forced an alternative strategy, which is much more cost-effective.

    ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The VBSC, designed to improve PS, has never been implemented in any Indonesian private hospital group. Other hospital groups might also appreciate knowing about the VBSC to improve their PSI.

  13. Priyadharshini KI, Ambika M, Sekar B, Mohanbabu V, Sabarinath B, Pavithra I
    J Forensic Dent Sci, 2019 2 13;10(2):88-91.
    PMID: 30745784 DOI: 10.4103/jfo.jfds_102_17
    Background: The "gender determination" which is an important human identification procedure not only helps in establishing the biological profile from skeletal and dental remains but also in facial reconstruction of unidentified victims.

    Aim: The aim of this study is to analyze predominant types of lip prints (cheiloscopy), accuracy of mandibular canine index (MCI) (odontometric), and facial index in the study population and to identify whether any correlation among the above parameters could help forensic dentistry in solving crimes.

    Materials and Methods: A pilot study was conducted in 100 individuals, 50 males and 50 females aged between 20 and 25 years. For each individual, the lip prints, MCI, and facial index measurements were recorded on the same day analyzed by two observers. All the analysis was done using SPSS version 14 assessed using t-test and Chi-square test.

    Results: Type II pattern of lip prints is observed as common pattern among male and female. There is no significant difference in Odontometric analysis. The mean value of facial index analysis in both genders shows highly significant.

    Conclusion: A large-scale study is required in order to validate our results to arrive at definitive results and value.

  14. Wijaya MI, Mohamad AR, Hafizurrachman M
    Int J Health Care Qual Assur, 2020 Jan 15;ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print).
    PMID: 32012498 DOI: 10.1108/IJHCQA-04-2019-0080
    PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to assess the association between shift schedule realignment and patient safety culture.

    DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Using difference in differences model, BIMC Hospitals and Siloam Hospital Bali were compared before and after shift schedule realignment to test the association between shift schedule realignment and patient safety culture.

    FINDINGS: Shift schedule realignment was associated with a significant improvement in staffing (coefficient 1.272; 95% CI 0.842 - 1.702; p<0.001), teamwork within units (coefficient 1.689; 95% CI 1.206 - 2.171; p<0.001), teamwork across units (coefficient 1.862; 95% CI 1.415 - 2.308; p<0.001), handoffs and transitions (coefficient 0.999; 95% CI 0.616 - 1.382; p<0.001), frequency of error reported (coefficient 1.037; 95% CI 0.581 - 1.493; p<0.001), feedback and communication about error (coefficient 1.412; 95% CI 0.982 - 1.841; p<0.001) and communication openness (coefficient 1.393; 95% CI 0.968 - 1.818; p<0.001).

    PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: With positive impact on patient safety culture, shift schedule realignment should be considered as quality improvement initiative. It stretches the compressed workload suffered by staff while maintaining 40 h per week in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

    ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Shift schedule realignment, designed to improve patient safety culture, has never been implemented in any Indonesian private hospital. Other hospital managers might also appreciate knowing about the shift schedule realignment to improve the patient safety culture.

  15. Hayeemasae N, Masa A, Othman N, Surya I
    Polymers (Basel), 2022 Dec 21;15(1).
    PMID: 36616378 DOI: 10.3390/polym15010029
    Natural rubber (NR) is incompatible with hydrophilic additives like halloysite nanotubes (HNT) due to their different polarity. The silane coupling agent is the ideal component to include in such a compound to solve this problem. Many types of silane are available for polymer composites depending on their functionalities. This work aimed to tune it to the composite based on NR and HNT. Four different silanes, namely Bis[3- (Triethoxysilyl)Propyl]Tetrasulfide (TESPT), 3-Aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTES), N-[3-(Trimethoxysilyl)Propyl] Ethylenediamine (AEAPTMS), and Vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMS) were used. Here, the mechanical properties were used to assess the properties, paying close attention to how their reinforcement influenced their crystallization behavior after stretching. It was revealed that adding silane coupling agents greatly improved the composites' modulus, tensile strength, and tear strength. From the overall findings, AEAPTMS was viable for NR/HNT composites. This was in direct agreement with the interactions between NR and HNT that silanes had encouraged. The findings from stress-strain curves describing the crystallization of the composites are in good agreement with the findings from synchrotron wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS). The corresponding silanes have substantially aided the strain-induced crystallization (SIC) of composites.
  16. Xiaoyu M, Musib AF, Selvarajah IV
    Front Psychol, 2024;15:1303046.
    PMID: 38716275 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1303046
    BACKGROUND: The literature suggests that the medical community needs musicians to provide an insider's perspective to understand the physical and psychological dimensions of playing an instrument, and healthcare providers need to understand musicians' experiences in order to develop coping strategies. Compared with professional pianists, student pianists are a neglected group. However, student and professional pianists both want to maintain their playing careers and have the experience of giving up playing because of playing-related musculoskeletal disorder (PRMD). There are a few studies conducted on student pianists' experiences with PRMD, but none have been conducted in the Chinese context. Given the distinctive characteristics of higher music education in China and Chinese piano students, this study aims to investigate the lived experiences of tertiary student pianists with PRMD.

    METHODS: Phenomenology is the most suitable qualitative method for investigating lived experiences. This study employed a transcendental phenomenological approach to investigate the experiences of student pianists, collecting data through one-on-one interviews and focus group discussions. Since phenomenological research emphasizes the homogeneity of research subjects, all 25 participants in this study are tertiary student pianists from seven Chinese higher education institutions.

    RESULTS: Four themes and ten sub-themes were identified in this study. They are as follows: Theme one, Perceptions of PRMD, with sub-themes of body perceptions, negative thought, and emotional changes; Theme two, Complex Identity, with sub-themes of future pianists' identity, nuanced identity of student pianists, and the dual identity between student pianist and patient; Theme three, Coping Strategies, with sub-themes of self-regulation and actively seek help from social relations; Theme four, Influences and Meanings, with sub-themes of negative influences of PRMD and positive meanings of PRMD.

    CONCLUSION: This study explores the experiences of tertiary student pianists with PRMD, including their subjective thoughts and feelings. It also highlights the importance of understanding tertiary student pianists' experiences in developing health education and healthcare measures tailored to them.

  17. Hussain J, Sundaraj K, Subramaniam ID
    PLoS One, 2020;15(1):e0228089.
    PMID: 31999750 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228089
    INTRODUCTION: Cognitive stress (CS) changes the peripheral attributes of a muscle, but its effect on multi-head muscles has not been investigated. The objective of the current research was to investigate the impact of CS on the three heads of the triceps brachii (TB) muscle.

    METHODS: Twenty-five young and healthy university students performed a triceps push-down exercise at 45% one repetition maximum (1RM) with and without CS until task failure, and the rate of fatigue (ROF), endurance time (ET) and number of repetitions (NR) for both exercises were analyzed. In addition, the first and last six repetitions of each exercise were considered non-fatiguing (NF) and fatiguing (Fa), respectively, and the root mean square (RMS), mean power frequency (MPF) and median frequency (MDF) for each exercise repetition were evaluated.

    RESULTS: The lateral and long head showed significant differences (P<0.05) in the ROF between the two exercises, and all the heads showed significant (P<0.05) differences in the RMS between the two exercises under NF conditions. Only the long head showed a significant difference (P<0.05) in the MPF and MDF between the two exercises. CS increases the ET (24.74%) and NR (27%) of the exercise. The three heads showed significant differences (P<0.05) in the RMS, MPF and MDF under all exercise conditions.

    CONCLUSION: A lower ROF was obtained with CS. In addition, the RMS was found to be better approximator of CS, whereas MPF and MDF were more resistant to the effect of CS. The results showed that the three heads worked independently under all conditions, and the non-synergist and synergist head pairs showed similar behavior under Fa conditions. The findings from this study provide additional insights regarding the functioning of each TB head.

  18. Uwamahoro R, Sundaraj K, Subramaniam ID
    Biomed Eng Online, 2021 Jan 03;20(1):1.
    PMID: 33390158 DOI: 10.1186/s12938-020-00840-w
    This research has proved that mechanomyographic (MMG) signals can be used for evaluating muscle performance. Stimulation of the lost physiological functions of a muscle using an electrical signal has been determined crucial in clinical and experimental settings in which voluntary contraction fails in stimulating specific muscles. Previous studies have already indicated that characterizing contractile properties of muscles using MMG through neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) showed excellent reliability. Thus, this review highlights the use of MMG signals on evaluating skeletal muscles under electrical stimulation. In total, 336 original articles were identified from the Scopus and SpringerLink electronic databases using search keywords for studies published between 2000 and 2020, and their eligibility for inclusion in this review has been screened using various inclusion criteria. After screening, 62 studies remained for analysis, with two additional articles from the bibliography, were categorized into the following: (1) fatigue, (2) torque, (3) force, (4) stiffness, (5) electrode development, (6) reliability of MMG and NMES approaches, and (7) validation of these techniques in clinical monitoring. This review has found that MMG through NMES provides feature factors for muscle activity assessment, highlighting standardized electromyostimulation and MMG parameters from different experimental protocols. Despite the evidence of mathematical computations in quantifying MMG along with NMES, the requirement of the processing speed, and fluctuation of MMG signals influence the technique to be prone to errors. Interestingly, although this review does not focus on machine learning, there are only few studies that have adopted it as an alternative to statistical analysis in the assessment of muscle fatigue, torque, and force. The results confirm the need for further investigation on the use of sophisticated computations of features of MMG signals from electrically stimulated muscles in muscle function assessment and assistive technology such as prosthetics control.
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