Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 46 in total

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  1. Karim NA, Mydenkather H
    Malays J Nutr, 2003 Sep;9(2):125-36.
    PMID: 22691733 MyJurnal
    A food habits and health status study was carried out among 100 Malay adults aged 40 years and above. The study protocol incorporated anthropometric measurements, evaluation of food habits and determination of blood glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure. Mean body mass index (BMI) for men and women were 27.2 ± 4.2 kg/m2 and 27.0 ± 5.2 kg/m2 respectively, which on average showed that the subjects were overweight. Food habits evaluation indicated that rice, fish and vegetables were the foods consumed almost everyday by the majority of the subjects. Meat, dairy products and fruits were eaten once to three times per week. Food intake score for sugar and salt demonstrated that a majority of men and women consumed moderate amounts of these foods. Most subjects exercised twice to three times a week for 15 min per session. Blood glucose tests revealed a mean of 5.04 ± 1.60 mmol/l in men and 4.86 ± 2.10 mmol/l for women. Mean cholesterol for men was 5.06 ± 1.22 mmol/l while it was 4.90 ± 1.34 mmol/l in women. Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure in men was normal of 127.69 ± 13.60 mm Hg dan 85.87 ± 7.97 mm Hg, while in women it was 127.42 ± 17.54 mm Hg, 83.53 ± 9.50 mm Hg. The mean value for glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure increased with age. The food habits of these adults were satisfactory; however blood test for the nutrients of interest exhibited an increasing trend towards blood pressure, blood cholesterol and glucose with age. Middle-aged adults should adapt to a more active lifestyle and be more cautious of their food habits. This is to ensure a healthy well being throughout their life span.
  2. Karim NA, Lau K
    Malays J Nutr, 2000 Mar;6(1):45-53.
    PMID: 22692391 MyJurnal
    A nutritional status study was carried out among Chinese preschoolers (4- 6 years old) residing in Subang Jaya, Selangor. 91 preschoolers (48 boys and 43 girls) of Chinese descent participated in the study. Anthropometric measurements such as weight and height were taken and compared with the NCHS reference. Food habits and demographic background were also evaluated. The results indicated that the prevalence of underweight, wasting and stunting was 2% respectively, while the prevalence of overweight was 3%. Food habits data showed that most preschoolers consumed the daily main meals and snack once a day. Fruits were consumed between three to four times per week. Food items preferred by these preschoolers were milk, fish and fruits. In general, preschoolers in this study favoured foods, which were deep fried rather than steamed or roasted. Correlation analysis showed that there was no significant relationship between income, education of parents and anthropometric index (weight for age, height for age and weight for height). The nutritional status of these preschool children in Subang Jaya was satisfactory.
  3. Karim NA, Razak NA
    PMID: 30865965 DOI: 10.1159/000493704
    Two nationwide studies, namely the South East Asian Nutrition Survey (SEANUTS Malaysia) and MyBreakfast study showed that 13-17% of children aged between 6 and 12 years were either overweight or obese. From dietary assessment, the majority of children achieved the Malaysian recommended nutrient intake (RNI) for energy and protein, but more than 50% did not fulfill the RNI for calcium and vitamin D. The majority of children consumed breakfast regularly; however, 20-30% of children skipped breakfast. The MyBreakfast study showed that 17.7% of the children consumed ready-to-eat cereal (RTEC) at breakfast, while among non-RTEC consumers, bread (44.2%), eggs (31.8%), and nasi lemak (23.9%) were the most common foods consumed. RTEC was the major contributor of whole grain (68.6%), followed by hot cereal (18.6%), biscuits (8.7%), and bread (1.8%). In the SEANUTS Malaysia, among children aged 7-9 years, 13.4 and 9.5% met the Malaysian Dietary Guideline (MDG) for fruits and vegetables while among children aged 10-12 years, only 19.6 and 16.1%, respectively, met the MDG for fruits and vegetables. For the milk group, only 5.5% of 7- to 9-year-old children and 3.7% of those 10-12 years old met the MDG for milk/dairy products per day.
  4. Aziz H, Adam NL, Karim NA
    BMJ Case Rep, 2021 Dec 08;14(12).
    PMID: 34880036 DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2021-245025
    We report an elderly man who presented with giddiness and right-sided weakness, constipation and constitutional symptoms for 6 months duration. Blood investigations indicated hypercalcaemia with normal serum phosphate and acute kidney injury. Serum intact parathyroid hormone was suppressed. CT revealed bilateral tiny lung nodules with right upper lobe tree in bud appearance and incidental findings of bilateral adrenal lesion. Tuberculosis was ruled out. CT adrenal showed multiseptated hypodense rim enhancement adrenal lesion bilaterally. Adrenal function tests were normal except for low dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Right-sided cervical lymph node biopsy confirmed fungal infection with the presence of intracellular and extracellular fungal yeast. Serum cryptococcus antigen titre was positive. Our final diagnosis was disseminated cryptococcosis with lungs, bilateral adrenal gland and lymph nodes involvement. The patient was then treated with antifungal treatment. Serum calcium was normalised after 1 month with marked clinical improvement.
  5. Ibrahim S, Karim NA, Oon NL, Ngah WZ
    BMC Public Health, 2013;13:275.
    PMID: 23530696 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-275
    Physical inactivity has been acknowledged as a public health issue and has received increasing attention in recent years. This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the barriers to physical activity among Malaysian men. These barriers were analyzed with regards to sociodemographic factors, physical activity level, BMI and waist circumference.
  6. Karim NA, Noor AM, Lee YY, Lai OM
    J Food Sci, 2015 Dec;80(12):C2678-85.
    PMID: 26523850 DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.13119
    The oxidative and thermal stability of low diglycerides palm oil produced via silica treatment (sPO) and enzymatic treatment (ePO) compared with standard quality palm oil (SQ) and premium quality palm oil (PQ) was investigated. Both of the oils displayed better oxidative stability compared with SQ as well as significantly higher (P < 0.05) thermal resistance and oxidative strength than SQ and PQ due to lower amounts of partial glycerides. Although the initial induction periods (IPs) of sPO and ePO were significantly lower compared with SQ and PQ, both the oils showed slower drops in their IP values. The darkening effect after frying was significantly (P < 0.05) slower in sPO compared with SQ, PQ, and ePO. Besides, there is no difference p > 0.05 in the rate of FFA formation between sPO and PQ. The anisidine value and peroxide values were lowest in sPO, followed by ePO, PQ, and SQ.
  7. Mohammadi S, Karim NA, Talib RA, Amani R
    Asia Pac J Clin Nutr, 2018 5 9;27(3):546-555.
    PMID: 29737801 DOI: 10.6133/apjcn.072017.07
    BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Type 2 diabetes is a chronic illness which can be managed by patients' commitment to self-care and self-efficacy behaviors.

    METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: A randomized controlled intervention study was carried out to determine the impact of self-efficacy education based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) in 240 patients with type 2 diabetes at the Golestan Hospital, Ahvaz, Iran between October 2014 and August 2015. The education duration was three months followed by a 24-week follow-up visit to determine the progress of the subjects. In this study, reliable and validated diabetes educational booklet and questionnaires based on knowledge, health beliefs and quality of life were used. The participants were randomly allocated to either the intervention group (n=120) or to the conventional dietary counseling group as controls (n=120), and assessed at the baseline, week 12 and week 36. The study was divided into primary outcome measurements consisting of glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting blood glucose, lipid profile, and anthropometric levels. Secondary outcome measures were related to nutrition knowledge, health beliefs and quality of life.

    RESULTS: The results showed that subjects in the intervention group had significantly better metabolic and glycemic profiles compared with those in the control group. It also showed that knowledge, health belief and quality of life significantly increased in the intervention group.

    CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that through tailored self-efficacy education, the quality of life and metabolic profile of diabetes patients can be improved.

  8. Yahya N, Kamarudin SK, Karim NA, Basri S, Zanoodin AM
    Nanoscale Res Lett, 2019 Feb 11;14(1):52.
    PMID: 30742238 DOI: 10.1186/s11671-019-2871-8
    The aim of this study was to synthesize, characterize, and observe the catalytic activity of Pd1Au1 supported by vapor-grown carbon nanofiber (VGCNF) anode catalyst prepared via the chemical reduction method. The formation of the single-phase compounds was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rietveld refinement analysis, which showed single peaks corresponding to the (111) plane of the cubic crystal structure. Further analysis was carried out by field emission scanning emission microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), nitrogen adsorption/desorption measurements, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The electrochemical performance was examined by cyclic voltammetry tests. The presence of mesoporous VGCNF as support enables the use of a relatively small amount of metal catalyst that still produces an excellent current density (66.33 mA cm-2). Furthermore, the assessment of the kinetic activity of the nanocatalyst using the Tafel plot suggests that Pd1Au1/VGCNF exerts a strong electrocatalytic effect in glycerol oxidation reactions. The engineering challenges are apparent from the fact that the application of the homemade anode catalyst to the passive direct glycerol fuel cell shows the power density of only 3.9 mW cm-2. To understand the low performance, FESEM observation of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) was carried out, examining several morphological defects that play a crucial role and affect the performance of the direct glycerol fuel cell.
  9. Hassan H, Zakaria F, Makpol S, Karim NA
    Curr Issues Mol Biol, 2021 Dec 16;43(3):2238-2252.
    PMID: 34940131 DOI: 10.3390/cimb43030157
    Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological disorder triggered by various factors through complex mechanisms. Research has been done to elucidate the potential etiologic mechanisms in ASD, but no single cause has been confirmed. The involvement of oxidative stress is correlated with ASD and possibly affects mitochondrial function. This study aimed to elucidate the link between mitochondrial dysregulation and idiopathic ASD by focusing on mitochondrial respiratory capacity and membrane potential. Our findings showed that mitochondrial function in the energy metabolism pathway was significantly dysregulated in a lymphoblastoid cell line (LCL) derived from an autistic child (ALCL). Respiratory capacities of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), electron transfer of the Complex I and Complex II linked pathways, membrane potential, and Complex IV activity of the ALCL were analyzed and compared with control cell lines derived from a developmentally normal non-autistic sibling (NALCL). All experiments were performed using high-resolution respirometry. Respiratory capacities of OXPHOS, electron transfer of the Complex I- and Complex II-linked pathways, and Complex IV activity of the ALCL were significantly higher compared to healthy controls. Mitochondrial membrane potential was also significantly higher, measured in the Complex II-linked pathway during LEAK respiration and OXPHOS. These results indicate the abnormalities in mitochondrial respiratory control linking mitochondrial function with autism. Correlating mitochondrial dysfunction and autism is important for a better understanding of ASD pathogenesis in order to produce effective interventions.
  10. Noradina AT, Karim NA, Hamidon BB, Norlinah I, Raymond AA
    Singapore Med J, 2010 Jan;51(1):60-4.
    PMID: 20200778
    Retraction notice: Following investigations of duplicate publication in Parkinsonism and Related Disorders 2009; 15: 670–674, we have determined that there is indeed a substantial overlap between the two articles. As such, we fully retract this paper from the published record of the Singapore Medical Journal.
    Professor Teo Eng Kiong, Editor, Singapore Medical Journal
    http://smj.sma.org.sg/5201/5201rec1.pdf

    There are limited studies reporting the frequency of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in Parkinson's disease (PD), and the figures quoted are variable, ranging from 2.5 to 66 percent. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and types of SBD in PD patients attending the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre neurology clinic, and the correlation between the subjective sleep symptoms using the Parkinson's disease sleep scale (PDSS) and the objective measurements using polysomnography (PSG).
    METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study involving 46 PD patients over a period of six months. The patients' demographic data, Hoehn and Yahr staging and PDSS scores were collected. The patients were then subjected to overnight PSG using the Somnomedic system.
    RESULTS: There were 27 male and 19 female patients with a mean age of 64.0+/-9.7 years. 29 were Chinese, 15 Malay and 2 Indian. The mean duration of illness was 5.8+/-4.3 years. The mean PDSS score was 120.3+/-13.5. SDB was found in 54.6 percent of the patients (apnoeahypopnoea index [AHI] 5 and above), with 27.3 percent having moderate and severe SDB (AHI 15 and above). The median AHI was 6.7 (range 0-40.4). The prevalence of SDB in PD patients based on the AHI cutoffs were 27.3 percent for mild, 18.2 percent for moderate and 9.1 percent for severe. There were statistically significant positive correlations between the AHI and the neck circumference and between the AHI and the waist-hip ratio. There was no significant correlation between the AHI and PDSS, or the AHI and disease severity.
    CONCLUSION: There was a high prevalence of SBD in our PD patients, which was comparable to other studies. Obstructive sleep apnoea was the dominant type of SBD. There was no correlation between the subjective sleep symptoms using the PDSS and the objective measurements using PSG.

    Study site: Neurology clinic, Pusat Perubatan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (PPUKM)
  11. Jalambo MO, Karim NA, Naser IA, Sharif R
    Public Health Nutr, 2018 Oct;21(15):2793-2802.
    PMID: 29911513 DOI: 10.1017/S1368980018001568
    OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of anaemia, iron deficiency (ID) and iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA) among female adolescents in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, as well as the risk factors involved in these conditions.

    DESIGN: The study was conducted using the quantitative descriptive method with a cross-sectional design. Data were collected using an FFQ and sociodemographic, sedentary behaviour and physical activity questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements and blood analyses were also conducted.

    SETTING: The study population included all Palestinian female adolescents enrolled in secondary schools in the academic years 2015-2016. Five female secondary schools were selected randomly from five governorates of the Gaza Strip.

    SUBJECTS: Female adolescents (n 330) aged 15-19 years in the selected secondary schools were enrolled randomly.

    RESULTS: Prevalence of anaemia, ID and IDA among female adolescents in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, was 35·8, 40·3 and 26·0 %, respectively. A significant association (P<0·05) existed between ID, anaemia and IDA and dietary habits, including skipping breakfast and amount of junk food intake. Also, low consumption of fruits and vegetables was associated with IDA in the female adolescents. A statistically significant association was found between mother's education and ID but not with the other sociodemographic factors.

    CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that there is an alarming problem of anaemia and IDA in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. This may indicate that there are insufficient nutrition education programmes, particularly inside schools or by the mass media.

  12. Aan GJ, Zainudin MS, Karim NA, Ngah WZ
    Clinics (Sao Paulo), 2013 May;68(5):599-604.
    PMID: 23778402 DOI: 10.6061/clinics/2013(05)04
    OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to determine the effect of the tocotrienol-rich fraction on the lifespan and oxidative status of C. elegans under oxidative stress.

    METHOD: Lifespan was determined by counting the number of surviving nematodes daily under a dissecting microscope after treatment with hydrogen peroxide and the tocotrienol-rich fraction. The evaluated oxidative markers included lipofuscin, which was measured using a fluorescent microscope, and protein carbonyl and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, which were measured using commercially available kits.

    RESULTS: Hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress significantly decreased the mean lifespan of C. elegans, which was restored to that of the control by the tocotrienol-rich fraction when administered before or both before and after the hydrogen peroxide. The accumulation of the age marker lipofuscin, which increased with hydrogen peroxide exposure, was decreased with upon treatment with the tocotrienol-rich fraction (p<0.05). The level of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine significantly increased in the hydrogen peroxide-induced group relative to the control. Treatment with the tocotrienol-rich fraction before or after hydrogen peroxide induction also increased the level of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine relative to the control. However, neither hydrogen peroxide nor the tocotrienol-rich fraction treatment affected the protein carbonyl content of the nematodes.

    CONCLUSION: The tocotrienol-rich fraction restored the lifespan of oxidative stress-induced C. elegans and reduced the accumulation of lipofuscin but did not affect protein damage. In addition, DNA oxidation was increased.

  13. Yahya N, Kamarudin SK, Karim NA, Masdar MS, Loh KS
    Nanoscale Res Lett, 2017 Nov 25;12(1):605.
    PMID: 29177577 DOI: 10.1186/s11671-017-2360-x
    This study presents a novel anodic PdAu/VGCNF catalyst for electro-oxidation in a glycerol fuel cell. The reaction conditions are critical issues affecting the glycerol electro-oxidation performance. This study presents the effects of catalyst loading, temperature, and electrolyte concentration. The glycerol oxidation performance of the PdAu/VGCNF catalyst on the anode side is tested via cyclic voltammetry with a 3 mm2 active area. The morphology and physical properties of the catalyst are examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. Then, optimization is carried out using the response surface method with central composite experimental design. The current density is experimentally obtained as a response variable from a set of experimental laboratory tests. The catalyst loading, temperature, and NaOH concentration are taken as independent parameters, which were evaluated previously in the screening experiments. The highest current density of 158.34 mAcm-2 is obtained under the optimal conditions of 3.0 M NaOH concentration, 60 °C temperature and 12 wt.% catalyst loading. These results prove that PdAu-VGCNF is a potential anodic catalyst for glycerol fuel cells.
  14. Abdullah N, Kamarudin SK, Shyuan LK, Karim NA
    Nanoscale Res Lett, 2017 Dec 06;12(1):613.
    PMID: 29214597 DOI: 10.1186/s11671-017-2379-z
    Platinum (Pt) is the common catalyst used in a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). However, Pt can lead towards catalyst poisoning by carbonaceous species, thus reduces the performance of DMFC. Thus, this study focuses on the fabrication of a new composite TiO2 carbon nanofiber anodic catalyst support for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) via electrospinning technique. The distance between the tip and the collector (DTC) and the flow rate were examined as influencing parameters in the electrospinning technique. To ensure that the best catalytic material is fabricated, the nanofiber underwent several characterizations and electrochemical tests, including FTIR, XRD, FESEM, TEM, and cyclic voltammetry. The results show that D18, fabricated with a flow rate of 0.1 mLhr-1 and DTC of 18 cm, is an ultrafine nanofiber with the smallest average diameter, 136.73 ± 39.56 nm. It presented the highest catalyst activity and electrochemical active surface area value as 274.72 mAmg-1 and 226.75m2 g-1PtRu, respectively, compared with the other samples.
  15. Lee YY, Tang TK, Phuah ET, Karim NA, Alwi SM, Lai OM
    J Food Sci Technol, 2015 Feb;52(2):685-96.
    PMID: 25694677 DOI: 10.1007/s13197-013-1065-0
    Structured lipid such as medium-and long-chain triacylglycerol (MLCT) is claimed to be able to suppress body fat accumulation and be used to manage obesity. Response surface methodology (RSM) with four factors and three levels (+1,0,-1) faced centered composite design (FCCD) was employed for optimization of the enzymatic interesterification conditions of palm-based MLCT (P-MLCT) production. The effect of the four variables namely: substrate ratio palm kernel oil: palm oil, PKO:PO (40:60-100:0 w/w), temperature (50-70 °C), reaction time (0.5-7.5 h) and enzyme load (5-15 % w/w) on the P-MLCT yield (%) and by products (%) produced were investigated. The responses were determined via acylglycerol composition obtained from high performance liquid chromatography. Well-fitted models were successfully established for both responses: P-MLCT yield (R (2) = 0.9979) and by-products (R (2) = 0.9892). The P-MLCT yield was significantly (P  0.05). Substrate ratio PKO: PO (100:0 w/w) gave the highest yield of P-MLCT (61 %). Nonetheless, substrate ratio of PKO: PO (90:10w/w) was chosen to improve the fatty acid composition of the P-MLCT. The optimized conditions for substrate ratio PKO: PO (90:10 w/w) was 7.26 h, 50 °C and 5 % (w/w) Lipozyme TLIM lipase, which managed to give 60 % yields of P-MLCT. Up scaled results in stirred tank batch reactor gave similar yields as lab scale. A 20 % increase in P-MLCT yield was obtained via RSM. The effect of enzymatic interesterification on the physicochemical properties of PKO:PO (90:10 w/w) were also studied. Thermoprofile showed that the P-MLCT oil melted below body temperature of 37 °C.
  16. Lee YY, Tang TK, Ab Karim NA, Alitheen NB, Lai OM
    Food Funct, 2014 Jan;5(1):57-64.
    PMID: 24247642 DOI: 10.1039/c3fo60358j
    Structured lipid medium- and long-chain triacylglycerols (MLCT) are claimed to be able to manage obesity. The present study investigated the body fat influence of enzymatically interesterifed palm-based medium- and long-chain triacylglycerols (P-MLCT) on diet-induced obesity (DIO) C57BL/6J mice compared with commercial MLCT oil (C-MLCT) and a control, which was the non enzymatically modified palm kernel and palm oil blend (PKO-PO blend). It also investigated the low fat and high fat effects of P-MLCT. DIO C57BL/6J mice were fed ad libitum with low fat (7%) and high fat (30%) experimental diets for 8 weeks before being sacrificed to obtain blood serum for analysis. From the results, there is a trend that P-MLCT fed mice were found to have the lowest body weight, body weight gain, total fat pad accumulation (perirenal, retroperitoneal, epididymal and mesenteric), total triglyceride levels and efficiency in controlling blood glucose level, compared with C-MLCT and the PKO-PO blend in both low fat and high fat diets. Nevertheless, the PKO-PO blend and P-MLCT caused significantly (P < 0.05) higher total cholesterol levels compared to C-MLCT. P-MLCT present in low fat and high fat dosage were shown to be able to suppress body fat accumulation. This effect is more prominent with the low fat dosage.
  17. Wen CT, Hussein SZ, Abdullah S, Karim NA, Makpol S, Mohd Yusof YA
    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2012;13(4):1605-10.
    PMID: 22799375
    Gelam and Nenas monofloral honeys were investigated in this study for their chemopreventive effects against HT 29 colon cancer cells. MTS (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H- tetrazolim) assays showed more effective inhibition of colon cancer cells proliferation by Gelam honey with IC₅₀ values of 39.0 mg/ml and 85.5 mg/ml respectively after 24 hours of treatment. Alkali comet assays revealed both honeys increased DNA damage significantly in a dose dependent manner. In addition, annexin V-FITC/PI flow cytometry demonstrated that at IC₅₀ concentrations and above, both Gelam and Nenas honeys induced apoptosis significantlyat values higher than for necrosis (p<0.05). Measurement of prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) confirmed that Gelam and Nenas honeys reduced its production in H₂O₂ inflammation-induced colon cancer cells. In conclusion, our study indicated and confirmed that both Gelam and Nenas honeys are capable of suppressing the growth of HT 29 colon cancer cells by inducing apoptosis and suppressing inflammation.
  18. Zakaria ZA, Ahmad WA, Zakaria Z, Razali F, Karim NA, Sum MM, et al.
    Appl Biochem Biotechnol, 2012 Jul;167(6):1641-52.
    PMID: 22350941 DOI: 10.1007/s12010-012-9608-9
    The bacterial reduction of Cr(VI) from industrial wastewater was evaluated using a 2.0-m(3) bioreactor. Liquid pineapple waste was used as a nutrient for the biofilm community formed inside the bioreactor. The use of rubber wood sawdust as packing material was able to immobilize more than 10(6) CFU mL(-1) of Acinetobacter haemolyticus cells after 3 days of contact time. Complete reduction of 15-240 mg L(-1) of Cr(VI) was achieved even after 3 months of bioreactor operation. Cr(VI) was not detected in the final effluent fraction indicating complete removal of Cr from solution from the flocculation/coagulation step and the unlikely re-oxidation of Cr(III) into Cr(VI). Impatiens balsamina L. and Gomphrena globosa L. showed better growth in the presence of soil-sludge mixture compared to Coleus scutellarioides (L.) Benth. Significant amounts of Cr accumulated at different sections of the plants indicate its potential application in Cr phytoremediation effort. The bacterial-based system was also determined not to be detrimental to human health based on the low levels of Cr detected in the hair and nail samples of the plant operators. Thus, it can be said that bacterial-based Cr(VI) treatment system is a feasible alternative to the conventional system especially for lower Cr(VI) concentrations, where sludge generated can be used as growth supplement for ornamental plant as well as not detrimental to the health of the workers.
  19. Yusof BN, Talib RA, Kamaruddin NA, Karim NA, Chinna K, Gilbertson H
    Diabetes Obes Metab, 2009 Apr;11(4):387-96.
    PMID: 19175374 DOI: 10.1111/j.1463-1326.2008.00984.x
    AIMS: The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy of low glycaemic index (GI) vs. conventional carbohydrate exchange (CCE) dietary advice on glycaemic control and metabolic parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes.
    METHODS: A total of 104 patients with type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned to either a low GI (GI) or CCE dietary advice over a 12-week period. The primary end-point was glycaemic control as assessed by glycated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fructosamine level and plasma glucose. The secondary end-points were anthropometric measurements and metabolic parameters that include blood pressure, lipid profile and insulin levels. The oral antidiabetic medications remained unchanged throughout the duration of the study.
    RESULTS: A low-GI diet was associated with significant changes in the fructosamine level (DeltaGI = -0.20 +/- 0.03; DeltaCCE = -0.08 +/- 0.03 mmol/l, p < 0.01) and waist circumference (DeltaGI group = -1.88 +/- 0.30 cm; DeltaCCE group: -0.36 +/- 0.4 cm, p < 0.05) at week 4. At week 12, the changes in fasting glucose (DeltaGI = -0.03 +/- 0.3; DeltaCCE = 0.7 +/- 0.3 mmol/l; p < 0.05) and waist circumference (DeltaGI = -2.35 +/- 0.47 cm; DeltaCCE group = -0.66 +/- 0.46 cm; p < 0.05) in the GI group was significantly lower than the CCE group. With the low-GI diet, the changes in postprandial glycaemia at time 0, 60, 150 and 180 min after consuming the standard test meal was lower than with the CCE diet (p < 0.05). No significant differences were found between the groups for the remaining parameters that were measured.
    CONCLUSIONS: Use of a low-GI diet resulted in significant changes of serum fructosamine level, plasma glucose and waist circumference in Asian patients with type 2 diabetes over a 12-week period compared with those following a CCE diet. The effect on HbA1c and other metabolic parameters was not significantly different between the two study groups but the improvement within the GI group was more pronounced and of clinical benefit.
  20. Yusof BN, Abd Talib R, Karim NA, Kamarudin NA, Arshad F
    Int J Food Sci Nutr, 2009 Sep;60(6):487-96.
    PMID: 18785052 DOI: 10.1080/09637480701804268
    This study was carried out to determine the blood glucose response and glycaemic index (GI) values of four types of commercially available breads in Malaysia. Twelve healthy volunteers (six men, six women; body mass index, 21.9±1.6 kg/m(2); age, 22.9±1.7 years) participated in this study. The breads tested were multi-grains bread (M-Grains), wholemeal bread (WM), wholemeal bread with oatmeal (WM-Oat) and white bread (WB). The subjects were studied on seven different occasions (four tests for the tested breads and three repeated tests of the reference food) after an overnight fast. Capillary blood samples were taken immediately before (0 min) and 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 min after consumption of the test foods. The blood glucose response was obtained by calculating the incremental area under the curve. The GI values were determined according to the standardized methodology. Our results showed that the M-Grains and WM-Oat could be categorized as intermediate GI while the WM and WB breads were high GI foods, respectively. The GI of M-Grains (56±6.2) and WM-Oat (67±6.9) were significantly lower than the reference food (glucose; GI = 100) (P < 0.05). No significant difference in GI value was seen between the reference food and the GI of WM (85±5.9) and WB (82±6.5) (P > 0.05). Among the tested breads, the GI values of M-Grains and WM-Oat were significantly lower (P < 0.05) than those of WM and WB. There was no relationship between the dietary fibre content of the bread with the incremental area under the curve (r = 0.15, P = 0.15) or their GI values (r = 0.17, P = 0.12), indicating that the GI value of the test breads were unaffected by the fibre content of the breads. The result of this study will provide useful nutritional information for dieticians and the public alike who may prefer low-GI over high-GI foods.
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