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Fulltext Effect of aerobic exercises on physical fitness and mental wellbeing in older adults: a scoping review of published systematic reviews

Ng, S. S., Rasheeqa, S., Zulkiply, H., Lai, N. M., Lim, Yi Heng

Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2019;15(102):36-36.
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Introduction: There has been growing interest in recent decades in the effect of physical activity in older people as it was believed to play an important role in maintaining functional independence while reducing health care burden at a low cost. Recent reviews showed aerobic exercises were correlated with healthy ageing outcomes, however between- study variance and variation in study population and outcome measurements warrant a more comprehensive assessment of the current evidence. This scoping review of systematic reviews aimed to evaluate and synthesize review evidence on the effect of aerobic exercises on physical and mental well-being in older adults. Methods: Electronic databases, including Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL were searched from inception to 31 December 2018 to identify systematic reviews, with or without meta-analyses that examined the effectiveness of aerobic exercises in older adults. Methodological quality was assessed using Risk of Bias in Systematic reviews (ROBIS) tool. Results: Two hundred and thirteen reviews met the inclusion criteria. In this scoping review, we included 56 reviews that evaluated the effect of aerobic exercises: 24 examined the effect of aerobic exercises on physical outcomes, 26 examined mental outcomes, 5 examined both physical and mental outcomes and 2 examined the effect on quality of life (QoL). Most reviews showed positive effect of aerobic exercises on physical fitness (18 out of 23), mental well-being (15 out of 26) and quality of life (2 out of 2), while others showed inconsistent or negative results. Majority of the reviews reported low to moderate quality with moderate to high risk of bias. Conclusion: Overall, current evidence showed that aerobic exercises appear to be beneficial for physical fitness and QoL in elderly. The effectiveness of aerobic exercises to improve or maintain cognitive function is inconclusive hence would require further evidence prior to recommendation.
Package plant of extended aeration membrane bioreactors: a study on aeration intensity and biofouling control

Ujang Z, Ng SS, Nagaoka H

Water Sci Technol, 2005;51(10):335-42.
PMID: 16104438

Biofouling control is important for effective process of membrane bioreactor (MBR). In this study, phenomena of biofouling for immersed type extended aeration MBR with two different anti-fouling aeration intensities were studied through a laboratory set up. The objectives of this study were (a) to observe biofouling phenomena of MBR that operates under different anti-fouling bubbling intensity, and simultaneously monitors performance of the MBR in organic carbon and nutrients removal; (b) to compare effectiveness of detergent and detergent-enzyme cleaning solutions in recovering biofouled membranes that operated in the extended aeration MBR. For MBR, which operated under continuous anti-fouling aeration, deposition and accumulation of suspended biomass on membrane surface were prohibited. However, flux loss was inescapable that biofilm layer was the main problem. Membrane cleaning was successfully carried out with detergent-enzyme mixture solutions and its effectiveness was compared with result from cleaning with just detergent solution.
Fulltext Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of sural nerve graft donor site

Ng SS, Kwan MK, Ahmad TS

Med J Malaysia, 2006 Dec;61 Suppl B:13-7.
PMID: 17600987

This study is designed to evaluate twenty patients after sural nerve harvest using the single longitudinal incision method. The area of sensory loss to pin prick was assessed by the authors at different intervals. Donor site factors, scar cosmesis, functional status and complications were assessed using a questionnaire. The mean area of anaesthesia at one month was 65 cm2 and it had reduced by 77% to 15 cm2 at one and a half years. The mean area of reduced sensation was 49 cm2 at one month and it increased by 18% to 58 cm2 over the same period. Therefore, the total area of sensory deficit was reduced by 36% from 114 cm2 at one month to 73 cm2 at one and a half years. Subjective patient evaluation indicated moderate level of pain during immediate post surgical period, which reduced significantly at one month. A low level of neuroma symptoms was recorded throughout the study period. At a mean follow-up period of two years, there was no area of anaesthesia in 50% of the patients. Mean area of anaesthesia for all patients was 12 cm2 and mean area of reduced sensation was 55 cm2. Subjective patient evaluation indicated a low level of pain, neuroma symptoms and numbness over the sural nerve sensory distribution. Twenty five percent of the patients were not satisfied with the scar appearance. Function and daily activities were not affected significantly. No surgical complications were observed.
Fulltext What is the Quality of Life of Transtibial Amputees in Brunei Darussalam?

Ng SS, Naing L, Idris FI, Pande K

Malays Orthop J, 2020 Jul;14(2):39-46.
PMID: 32983376 DOI: 10.5704/MOJ.2007.009

Introduction: Lower limb amputations have a profound impact on the quality of life (QoL) of the patients. This study was done to assess the QoL of patients with transtibial (below-the-knee) amputations (TTA) and transtibial amputees fitted with prosthesis.
Material and Methods: A case-control study of patients who had undergone TTA from 2015 to 2018 was conducted in Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital (RIPAS). Complete data was available for 30 subjects and it was compared with 30 diabetic, non-amputee patients matched for age and gender. QoL was assessed using the RAND 36-Item Health Survey (SF-36) and the functional outcome of prosthesis-fitted transtibial amputees was assessed using the Houghton Scale.
Results: Almost all cases of TTA were a result of vascular problems related to diabetes and chronic renal disease (n=29; 97%). Eighteen (60%) participants were fitted with prosthesis and 15 (50%) reported having phantom pain. QoL of participants was found to be significantly lower than that of age and sex-matched diabetic non-amputees with regards to physical functioning, role limitation due to physical health, emotional well-being, social functioning, and bodily pain. The mean Houghton Score for participants fitted with prosthesis was 4.89 (SD= 2.83) suggesting low functional outcome.
Conclusion: TTA has a negative impact on the QoL of patients, especially in terms of functionality. The availability of prosthesis does not significantly improve the quality of life except in the physical functioning domain. Emotional well-being should be emphasised more in the rehabilitation process as this study found poor emotional well-being among participants.
Fulltext New Insights on the Burstein-Moss Shift and Band Gap Narrowing in Indium-Doped Zinc Oxide Thin Films

Saw KG, Aznan NM, Yam FK, Ng SS, Pung SY

PLoS One, 2015;10(10):e0141180.
PMID: 26517364 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0141180

The Burstein-Moss shift and band gap narrowing of sputtered indium-doped zinc oxide (IZO) thin films are investigated as a function of carrier concentrations. The optical band gap shifts below the carrier concentration of 5.61 × 1019 cm-3 are well-described by the Burstein-Moss model. For carrier concentrations higher than 8.71 × 1019 cm-3 the shift decreases, indicating that band gap narrowing mechanisms are increasingly significant and are competing with the Burstein-Moss effect. The incorporation of In causes the resistivity to decrease three orders of magnitude. As the mean-free path of carriers is less than the crystallite size, the resistivity is probably affected by ionized impurities as well as defect scattering mechanisms, but not grain boundary scattering. The c lattice constant as well as film stress is observed to increase in stages with increasing carrier concentration. The asymmetric XPS Zn 2p3/2 peak in the film with the highest carrier concentration of 7.02 × 1020 cm-3 suggests the presence of stacking defects in the ZnO lattice. The Raman peak at 274 cm-1 is attributed to lattice defects introduced by In dopants.
Surface phonon polariton characteristics of In(0.04)Al(0.06)Ga(0.90)N/AlN/Al(2)O(3) heterostructure

Ng SS, Lee SC, Bakhori SK, Hassan Z, Abu Hassan H, Yakovlev VA, et al.

Opt Express, 2010 May 10;18(10):10354-9.
PMID: 20588890 DOI: 10.1364/OE.18.010354

Surface phonon polariton (SPP) characteristics of In(0.04)Al(0.06)Ga(0.90)N/AlN/Al(2)O(3) heterostructure are investigated by means of p-polarized infrared (IR) attenuated total reflection spectroscopy. Two absorption dips corresponding to In(0.04)Al(0.06)Ga(0.90)N SPP modes are observed. In addition, two prominent dips and one relatively weak and broad dip corresponding to the Al(2)O(3) SPP mode, In(0.04)Al(0.06)Ga(0.90)N/Al(2)O(3) interface mode, and Al(2)O(3) bulk polariton mode, respectively, are clearly seen. No surface mode feature originating from the AlN layer is observed because it is too thin. Overall, the observations are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions.
An updated Asia Pacific Consensus Recommendations on colorectal cancer screening

Sung JJ, Ng SC, Chan FK, Chiu HM, Kim HS, Matsuda T, et al.

Gut, 2015 Jan;64(1):121-32.
PMID: 24647008 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2013-306503

OBJECTIVE: Since the publication of the first Asia Pacific Consensus on Colorectal Cancer (CRC) in 2008, there are substantial advancements in the science and experience of implementing CRC screening. The Asia Pacific Working Group aimed to provide an updated set of consensus recommendations.
DESIGN: Members from 14 Asian regions gathered to seek consensus using other national and international guidelines, and recent relevant literature published from 2008 to 2013. A modified Delphi process was adopted to develop the statements.
RESULTS: Age range for CRC screening is defined as 50-75 years. Advancing age, male, family history of CRC, smoking and obesity are confirmed risk factors for CRC and advanced neoplasia. A risk-stratified scoring system is recommended for selecting high-risk patients for colonoscopy. Quantitative faecal immunochemical test (FIT) instead of guaiac-based faecal occult blood test (gFOBT) is preferred for average-risk subjects. Ancillary methods in colonoscopy, with the exception of chromoendoscopy, have not proven to be superior to high-definition white light endoscopy in identifying adenoma. Quality of colonoscopy should be upheld and quality assurance programme should be in place to audit every aspects of CRC screening. Serrated adenoma is recognised as a risk for interval cancer. There is no consensus on the recruitment of trained endoscopy nurses for CRC screening.
CONCLUSIONS: Based on recent data on CRC screening, an updated list of recommendations on CRC screening is prepared. These consensus statements will further enhance the implementation of CRC screening in the Asia Pacific region.