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  1. Travel itinerary uncertainty and the pre-travel consultation--a pilot study
    Flaherty G, Md Nor MN
    J Travel Med, 2016 Jan;23(1).
    PMID: 26782127 DOI: 10.1093/jtm/tav010
    Risk assessment relies on the accuracy of the information provided by the traveller. A questionnaire was administered to 83 consecutive travellers attending a travel medicine clinic. The majority of travellers was uncertain about destinations within countries, transportation or type of accommodation. Most travellers were uncertain if they would be visiting malaria regions. The degree of uncertainty about itinerary potentially impacts on the ability of the travel medicine specialist to perform an adequate risk assessment, select appropriate vaccinations and prescribe malaria prophylaxis. This study reveals high levels of traveller uncertainty about their itinerary which may potentially reduce the effectiveness of their pre-travel consultation.
  2. Nipah virus infection of pigs in peninsular Malaysia
    Mohd Nor MN, Gan CH, Ong BL
    Rev. - Off. Int. Epizoot., 2000 Apr;19(1):160-5.
    PMID: 11189713
    Between late 1998 and 1999, the spread of a new disease of pigs, characterized by a pronounced respiratory and neurological syndrome, sometimes accompanied by the sudden death of sows and boars, was recorded in pig farms in peninsular Malaysia. The disease appeared to have a close association with an epidemic of viral encephalitis among workers on pig farms. A previously unrecognised paramyxovirus was later identified from this outbreak; this virus was related to, but distinct from, the Hendra virus discovered in Australia in 1994. The new virus was named 'Nipah' and was confirmed by molecular characterization to be the agent responsible for the disease in both humans and pigs. The name proposed for the new pig disease was 'porcine respiratory and neurological syndrome' (also known as 'porcine respiratory and encephalitis syndrome'), or, in peninsular Malaysia, 'barking pig syndrome'. The authors describe the new disease and provide the epidemiological findings recorded among infected pigs. In addition, the control programmes which were instituted to contain the virus in the national swine herd are outlined.
  3. Fulltext Differential Action of Connexin Hemichannel and Pannexin Channel Therapeutics for Potential Treatment of Retinal Diseases
    Mat Nor MN, Rupenthal ID, Green CR, Acosta ML
    Int J Mol Sci, 2021 Feb 10;22(4).
    PMID: 33578721 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041755
    Dysregulation of retinal function in the early stages of light-induced retinal degeneration involves pannexins and connexins. These two types of proteins may contribute to channels that release ATP, leading to activation of the inflammasome pathway, spread of inflammation and retinal dysfunction. However, the effect of pannexin channel block alone or block of both pannexin channels and connexin hemichannels in parallel on retinal activity in vivo is unknown. In this study, the pannexin channel blocker probenecid and the connexin hemichannel blocker tonabersat were used in the light-damaged rat retina. Retinal function was evaluated using electroretinography (ERG), retinal structure was analyzed using optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging and the tissue response to light-induced injury was assessed immunohistochemically with antibodies against glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), Ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba-1) and Connexin43 (Cx43). Probenecid did not further enhance the therapeutic effect of connexin hemichannel block in this model, but on its own improved activity of certain inner retina neurons. The therapeutic benefit of blocking connexin hemichannels was further evaluated by comparing these data against results from our previously published studies that also used the light-damaged rat retina model. The analysis showed that treatment with tonabersat alone was better than probenecid alone at restoring retinal function in the light-damaged retina model. The results assist in the interpretation of the differential action of connexin hemichannel and pannexin channel therapeutics for potential treatment of retinal diseases.
  4. Fulltext No Differences in Energy Cost of a Predetermined Exercise among Young Overweight/Obese and Undernourished Individuals
    Muralidhara DV, Mat Nor MN, Zubaidi AL
    Int J Yoga, 2018 5 15;11(2):148-151.
    PMID: 29755224 DOI: 10.4103/ijoy.IJOY_78_16
    Background: Physical activity is an integral part of one's daily life. Obese (Ob) and undernourished (UN) persons are known to underperform physically as compared to normal weight (N) individuals. In this study, we have measured the energy spent to perform a prefixed exercise on treadmill walking and basal heart rate and blood pressure. Body mass index (BMI) and body fat of participating individuals were assessed. Fasting blood sugar and lipid profile were also evaluated.

    Materials and Methods: Eighty-three young individuals (male: 41; female: 42) of medical faculty, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, who volunteered for the study, were recruited. The mean age of the individuals was 19.8 ± 0 years (P < 1.08). The individuals were grouped as N, UN/underweight, and overweight (Ow)/Ob based on BMI.

    Results: The results of the study revealed that there were no differences in the energy spent on performing the predetermined treadmill walking of 20 min duration among the three groups (a mean of 78 and 70 calories in all male and female subgroups, respectively). The distance covered by the males was 1.6 km while the females covered 1.4 km on treadmill walking in 20 min time. Basal blood pressure and heart rate and fasting blood sugar did not reveal any significant difference among the groups. However, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were marginally higher in the Ow/Ob groups of male and female individuals as compared to other groups.

    Conclusion: Since the study individuals were very young and competitive by nature and possibly had no major metabolic disturbances, the differences in physical activity performances were not obvious. Possibly, such differences would become apparent only at later stages of life as age advances or when the intensity and duration of exercise are set at higher levels.

  5. Devosia elaeis sp. nov., isolated from oil palm rhizospheric soil
    Mohd Nor MN, Sabaratnam V, Tan GYA
    Int J Syst Evol Microbiol, 2017 Apr;67(4):851-855.
    PMID: 27902276 DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.001683
    A bacterial isolate, designated strain S37T, was isolated from the rhizosphere of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis). Strain S37T was found to be Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, motile and rod shaped. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain S37T was most closely related to Devosia albogilva IPL15T (97.3 %), Devosia chinhatensis IPL18T (96.8 %) and Devosia subaequoris HST3-14T (96.5 %). The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 63.0 mol%, and dominant cellular fatty acids were summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c), 11-methyl C18 : 1ω7c and C16 : 0. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was ubiquinone-10 (Q-10), and the major polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, glycolipid and phospholipids. Based on the polyphasic taxonomic data, it is clear that strain S37T represents a novel species of the genus Devosia within the family Hyphomicrobiaceae, for which we propose the name Devosia elaeis sp. nov., with strain S37T (=TBRC 5145T=LMG 29420T) as the type strain.
  6. Fulltext Connexin Hemichannel Block Using Orally Delivered Tonabersat Improves Outcomes in Animal Models of Retinal Disease
    Mat Nor MN, Rupenthal ID, Green CR, Acosta ML
    Neurotherapeutics, 2020 Jan;17(1):371-387.
    PMID: 31637594 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-019-00786-5
    Increased Connexin43 hemichannel opening is associated with inflammasome pathway activation and inflammation in a range of pathologies including ocular disorders, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR). In this study, the effect on retinal function and morphology of clinically safe doses of orally delivered tonabersat, a small molecule connexin hemichannel blocker, was investigated in the light-damaged retina animal model of dry AMD and in a spontaneous rat model of DR. Clinical parameters (fundus imaging, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and electroretinography) and inflammatory markers (immunohistochemistry for Iba-1 microglial marker, astrocyte marker glial fibrillary acidic protein, and Connexin43 protein expression) were assessed. Tonabersat treatment reduced inflammation in the retina in parallel with preservation of retinal photoreceptor function when assessed up to 3 months post light damage in the dry AMD model. In the DR model, clinical signs, including the presence of aneurysms confirmed using Evans blue dye perfusion, were reduced after daily tonabersat treatment for 2 weeks. Inflammation was also reduced and retinal electrical function restored. Tonabersat regulates assembly of the inflammasome (NLRP3) through Connexin43 hemichannel block, with the potential to reduce inflammation, restore vascular integrity and improve anatomical along with some functional outcomes in retinal disease.
  7. Fulltext Anthropometry and body composition status during Ramadan among higher institution learning centre staffs with different body weight status
    Rohin MA, Rozano N, Abd Hadi N, Mat Nor MN, Abdullah S, Dandinasivara Venkateshaiah M
    ScientificWorldJournal, 2013;2013:308041.
    PMID: 24311975 DOI: 10.1155/2013/308041
    This study was done to observe the anthropometry and body composition changes before, during, and after the holy month of Ramadan. This study was carried out on 46 staff from one of the local universities, which comprised of 14 males and 32 females ranging in age from 25 to 40 years old. There were four sessions done to complete this study, namely, a week before Ramadan (T1), 1st week of Ramadan (T2), 3rd week of Ramadan (T3), and a month after Ramadan (T4). All subjects were assessed according to weight, body circumference, and body composition status. It was found that subjects with different weight status showed a significant reduction in weight (P < 0.01) but no significant reduction in body fat percentage (P < 0.05). The findings suggest that weight reduction does not promise a reduction in body fat. Changes in neck circumference were only found in normal subjects. Hence, it can be said that overweight and obese subjects showed no changes in anthropometry status during Ramadan. No changes in body composition were reported in all three weight groups except for trunk body fat. In conclusion, normal subjects showed significant changes in various anthropometry parameters, but overweight and obese subjects showed no obvious difference.
  8. The organisation of the Department of Veterinary Services in Malaysia
    Mohd Nor MN, Abu Mustapa AJ, Abu Hassan MA, Chang KW
    Rev. - Off. Int. Epizoot., 2003 Aug;22(2):485-97.
    PMID: 15884584
    The Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) in Malaysia was established in 1888 as an agency to control exotic and domestic animal diseases. Over the years, the structure and functions of the organisation have evolved to meet the growing demand for veterinary services. The responsibilities of the Veterinary Services are enshrined in the Constitution of Malaysia. The current organisation of the DVS is structured to achieve the following objectives:---to prevent, control and eradicate animal and zoonotic diseases--to facilitate the growth and development of a strong animal industry--to ensure that animal products for human consumption are wholesome, clean, safe and suitable to be consumed--to facilitate the growth and development of the animal feed industry--to ensure the welfare and well-being of all animals. To meet these objectives the DVS has nine different divisions, as follows: Planning and Evaluation, Epidemiology and Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Public Health, Research and Development, Industry Development, Production and Development of Genetic Resources, Human Resource Development (HRD), Enforcement, and Administration. The development of the animal industry is managed through national development policies, including the Third National Agriculture Policy. The basis for current programmes for disease control and animal industry development is the Eighth Development Plan (2001-2005). Over the period of this Plan, Malaysia will address the need for sanitary and phytosanitary measures by developing specific programmes covering all fields of the animal industry. This is just one way in which Malaysia is meeting the challenges of the increased liberalisation of trade created by the World Trade Organization and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Free Trade Area. The development of the industry is focused on the major commodities, namely, beef, mutton, poultry meat, eggs, pork and milk. Other commodities receive support if it is considered economically viable. All support services are being strengthened, particularly the HRD division. The organisation and functions of the DVS are constantly being reviewed in accordance with changes in the animal industry and the nature of the services in demand.
  9. Menangle and Nipah virus infections of pigs
    Kirkland PD, Daniels PW, Nor MN, Love RJ, Philbey AW, Ross AD
    Vet. Clin. North Am. Food Anim. Pract., 2002 Nov;18(3):557-71, ix.
    PMID: 12442583
    Viruses belonging to the family Paramyxoviridae generally have not been recognized as a significant cause of disease in pigs until recently. Between 1997 and 1999, there were large outbreaks of disease in pigs in Australia and Malaysia due to infection with viruses that have been shown to be new members of the Paramyxoviridae family. This article reviews current knowledge of Menangle and Nipah virus infections in pigs, the only major species of domestic animals to experience serious disease after infection with these viruses.
  10. Fulltext Growth and metal uptake of spinach with application of co-compost of cat manure and spent coffee ground
    Mohd Noor Keeflee SNK, Wan Mohd Zain WNA, Mohd Nor MN, Jamion NA, Yong SK
    Heliyon, 2020 Sep;6(9):e05086.
    PMID: 33015401 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05086
    Cat manure (CM) possesses high level of nutrients for growing food crop. However, animal manure may contain toxic elements that may contaminate food crop. Spent coffee ground (SCG) may be used to reduce mobility of heavy metals and reduce crop uptake. In this study, SCG was composted with CM for 31 days to produce a co-compost (SCG-CM) for growing spinach (Spinacia oleracea). The growth rate of spinach was assessed until its maturity, and the metal uptake of spinach shoot was determined thereafter using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The effect of soil treatment with SCG-CM on the height and elemental composition of spinach were compared with that of chicken manure compost (CMC). The prepared composts were primarily organic matter (72.9-81.4 % w/w) with the rest are ash (13.3-23.4 % w/w) and moisture (1.2-2.6 % w/w). Zinc content in SCG-CM (1261 ± 0.1 mg/kg) is significantly higher than that of soil and CMC (p < 0.05) and has exceeded the maximum permissible limit set by European Union Standard (2002) and the Malaysian Compost Quality Standard and Guidelines (2000). Matured spinach reached maximum plant height after 33 days. The amendment of SCG-CM significantly increased the height of spinach (32 ± 6 cm) compared to that of CMC (13 ± 1 cm) (p < 0.05). However, contents of Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd were not increased for spinach grown in the SCG-CM-amended soil, and the level of those elements are below permissible limit set by the Malaysian Food Act 1983 and Food Regulations 1985. This study shows that SCG-CM is effective in improving yield without causing accumulation of toxic trace elements in spinach.
  11. Fulltext Hyper-reflective dots in optical coherence tomography imaging and inflammation markers in diabetic retinopathy
    Mat Nor MN, Guo CX, Green CR, Squirrell D, Acosta ML
    J Anat, 2023 Oct;243(4):697-705.
    PMID: 37222261 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13889
    The aim of this study is to correlate small dot hyper-reflective foci (HRF) observed in spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) scans of an animal model of hyperglycaemia with focal electroretinography (fERG) response and immunolabelling of retinal markers. The eyes of an animal model of hyperglycaemia showing signs of diabetic retinopathy (DR) were imaged using SD-OCT. Areas showing dot HRF were further evaluated using fERG. Retinal areas enclosing the HRF were dissected and serially sectioned, stained and labelled for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and a microglial marker (Iba-1). Small dot HRF were frequently seen in OCT scans in all retinal quadrants in the inner nuclear layer or outer nuclear layer in the DR rat model. Retinal function in the HRF and adjacent areas was reduced compared with normal control rats. Microglial activation was detected by Iba-1 labelling and retinal stress identified by GFAP expression in Müller cells observed in discrete areas around small dot HRF. Small dot HRF seen in OCT images of the retina are associated with a local microglial response. This study provides the first evidence of dot HRF correlating with microglial activation, which may allow clinicians to better evaluate the microglia-mediated inflammatory component of progressive diseases showing HRF.
  12. High-performance integrated field-effect transistor-based sensors
    Adzhri R, Md Arshad MK, Gopinath SC, Ruslinda AR, Fathil MF, Ayub RM, et al.
    Anal Chim Acta, 2016 Apr 21;917:1-18.
    PMID: 27026595 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2016.02.042
    Field-effect transistors (FETs) have succeeded in modern electronics in an era of computers and hand-held applications. Currently, considerable attention has been paid to direct electrical measurements, which work by monitoring changes in intrinsic electrical properties. Further, FET-based sensing systems drastically reduce cost, are compatible with CMOS technology, and ease down-stream applications. Current technologies for sensing applications rely on time-consuming strategies and processes and can only be performed under recommended conditions. To overcome these obstacles, an overview is presented here in which we specifically focus on high-performance FET-based sensor integration with nano-sized materials, which requires understanding the interaction of surface materials with the surrounding environment. Therefore, we present strategies, material depositions, device structures and other characteristics involved in FET-based devices. Special attention was given to silicon and polyaniline nanowires and graphene, which have attracted much interest due to their remarkable properties in sensing applications.
  13. Fulltext Connexin therapeutics: blocking connexin hemichannel pores is distinct from blocking pannexin channels or gap junctions
    Acosta ML, Mat Nor MN, Guo CX, Mugisho OO, Coutinho FP, Rupenthal ID, et al.
    Neural Regen Res, 2021 Mar;16(3):482-488.
    PMID: 32985469 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.290097
    Compounds that block the function of connexin and pannexin protein channels have been suggested to be valuable therapeutics for a range of diseases. Some of these compounds are now in clinical trials, but for many of them, the literature is inconclusive about the molecular effect on the tissue, despite evidence of functional recovery. Blocking the different channel types has distinct physiological and pathological implications and this review describes current knowledge of connexin and pannexin protein channels, their function as channels and possible mechanisms of the channel block effect for the latest therapeutic compounds. We summarize the evidence implicating pannexins and connexins in disease, considering their homeostatic versus pathological roles, their contribution to excesive ATP release linked to disease onset and progression.
  14. Cardiac Biomarkers: Invasive to Non-invasive Assessments
    Arshad MK, Bin Mohamad Fathil MF, Gopinath SC, Ruslinda AR, Md Nor MN, Lam HY, et al.
    Curr Med Chem, 2016;23(37):4270-4284.
    PMID: 27719655
    Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major threat to global health, estimated to be the cause 30 % (17.3 million in 2008) of deaths every year, and the number of deaths caused by CVD is expected to increase further, reaching 23.3 million by 2030. Hence, there is a growing demand for simpler sample extraction, rapid screening results, and intervention of the subsequent analysis in emergency units. In this paper, we reviewed CVD biomarkers in blood- and saliva-based specimens. The history of cardiac biomarkers indicates that in the beginning, cardiac troponin I (cTnI) was a widely accepted 'gold standard' marker due to its high specificity and selectivity. Considering the advantages of salivary-based cardiac biomarkers, we examined correlations between non-invasive (salivary) and invasive (blood) diagnoses, and it was found that C-reactive protein (CRP) provides a better correlation. Despite the low abundance of salivary CRP, several reports displayed the detection limit down to pg/ml using existing technologies. Thus, salivary CRP has the potential to be used for future forefront diagnostics for the early assessment of cardiac risks.
  15. Mixed cations tin-germanium perovskite: A promising approach for enhanced solar cell applications
    Adli Azizman MS, Azhari AW, Ibrahim N, Che Halin DS, Sepeai S, Ludin NA, et al.
    Heliyon, 2024 Apr 30;10(8):e29676.
    PMID: 38665575 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29676
    Significant progress has been made over the years to improve the stability and efficiency of rapidly evolving tin-based perovskite solar cells (PSCs). One powerful approach to enhance the performance of these PSCs is through compositional engineering techniques, specifically by incorporating a mixed cation system at the A-site and B-site structure of the tin perovskite. These approaches will pave the way for unlocking the full potential of tin-based PSCs. Therefore, in this study, a theoretical investigation of mixed A-cations (FA, MA, EA, Cs) with a tin-germanium-based PSC was presented. The crystal structure distortion and optoelectronic properties were estimated. SCAPS 1-D simulations were employed to predict the photovoltaic performance of the optimized tin-germanium material using different electron transport layers (ETLs), hole transport layers (HTLs), active layer thicknesses, and cell temperatures. Our findings reveal that EA0.5Cs0.5Sn0.5Ge0.5I3 has a nearly cubic structure (t = 0.99) and a theoretical bandgap within the maximum Shockley-Queisser limit (1.34 eV). The overall cell performance is also improved by optimizing the perovskite layer thickness to 1200 nm, and it exhibits remarkable stability as the temperature increases. The short-circuit current density (Jsc) remains consistent around 33.7 mA/cm2, and the open-circuit voltage (Voc) is well-maintained above 1 V by utilizing FTO as the conductive layer, ZnO as the ETL, Cu2O as the HTL, and Au as the metal back contact. This configuration also achieves a high fill factor ranging from 87 % to 88 %, with the highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 31.49 % at 293 K. This research contributes to the advancement of tin-germanium perovskite materials for a wide range of optoelectronic applications.
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