MyMedR

Displaying all 7 publications

Abstract:

Sort:

Fulltext A clinical appraisal of patients with psoriasis treated in Seremban General Hospital, Malaysia

Siow KY, Mohd Safdar NA, Chong KH, Chua KB

Med J Malaysia, 2004 Aug;59(3):330-4.
PMID: 15727378 MyJurnal

A prospective clinical study of 181 patients with psoriasis seen in Seremban General Hospital showed the incidence of psoriasis among dermatology outpatients was 2.15%. A significantly higher proportion of male patients were affected, with a male to female ratio of 1.7:1. Within the racial groups; 63 were Malays, 37 Chinese, and 81 Indians. There was a significantly higher proportion of Indians affected as compared with the races. The mean age of patients in this study was 43.7 years old but the mean age of onset of psoriasis in these patients was 33.1 years old. Thirty-one (17.1%) patients gave a positive family history of psoriasis and the mean age of onset of psoriasis was lower (29.3 years old) for patients with a positive family history. Plaque psoriasis was the commonest type of clinical presentation with the scalp being the commonest site affected. Psoriatic arthropathy was seen in 35 (19.3%) patients. Ninety-five (52.5%) patients gave a positive history of factors exacerbating their pre-existing disease and stress was singled out as the most common exacerbating factor.
Study site: Skin clinic, Hospital Tuanku Jaafar, Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
Antibacterial evaluation of silver nanoparticles synthesized from lychee peel: individual versus antibiotic conjugated effects

Perveen S, Safdar N, Chaudhry GE, Yasmin A

World J Microbiol Biotechnol, 2018 Jul 14;34(8):118.
PMID: 30008019 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-018-2500-1

This paper describes the extracellular synthesis of silver nanoparticles from waste part of lychee fruit (peel) and their conjugation with selected antibiotics (amoxicillin, cefixim, and streptomycin). FTIR studies revealed the reduction of metallic silver and stabilization of silver nanoparticles and their conjugates due to the presence of CO (carboxyl), OH (hydroxyl) and CH (alkanes) groups. The size of conjugated nanoparticles varied ranging from 3 to 10 nm as shown by XRD. TEM image revealed the spherical shape of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles. Conjugates of amoxicillin and cefixim showed highest antibacterial activity (147.43 and 107.95%, respectively) against Gram-negative bacteria i.e. Alcaligenes faecalis in comparison with their control counterparts. The highest reduction in MIC was noted against Gram-positive strains i.e. Enterococcus faecium (75%) and Microbacterium oxydans (75%) for amoxicillin conjugates. Anova two factor followed by two-tailed t test showed non-significant results both in case of cell leakage and protein estimation between nanoparticles and conjugates of amoxicillin, cefixime and streptomycin. In case of MDA release, non-significant difference among the test samples against the selected strains. Our study found green-synthesized silver nanoparticles as effective antibacterial bullet against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria, but they showed a more promising effect on conjugation with selected antibiotics against Gram negative type.
Does foreign direct investment asymmetrically affect the mitigation of environmental degradation in Malaysia?

Faheem M, Hussain S, ArsalanTanveer, Safdar N, Anwer MA

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2022 Jan;29(5):7393-7405.
PMID: 34476703 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-16231-0

In this modern era, the global warming issue has been on the front burner of almost all countries including Malaysia. This study utilizing time series data spanning from 1970 to 2018. To this end, a linear and nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag model was conducted to reveal the foreign direct investment-growth-environment nexus. The conclusion validates the existence of the pollution haven hypothesis in Malaysia. Specifically, the empirical results of the linear autoregressive distributed lag model indicate that foreign direct investment and real gross domestic product have a significant positive impact on CO2 emission while carbon damage cost and the interaction term of foreign direct investment and carbon damage cost have a negative impact in the long run and short run. To find the asymmetric behavior of the foreign direct investment our study employed a nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag model. The findings confirmed the asymmetry association of foreign direct investment with CO2 emission. Interestingly, our results of the interaction term in both models are significant with a negative sign that shows the mediating effect of carbon damage cost that converts the positive effect of foreign direct investment on CO2 emission to negative. Thus, it is vital to reinforce the use of significant regulation as the Malaysian economy opens up to attract more foreign direct investment.
Fulltext Differential expression of the angiogenesis growth factors in psoriasis vulgaris

Liew SC, Das-Gupta E, Chakravarthi S, Wong SF, Lee N, Safdar N, et al.

BMC Res Notes, 2012;5:201.
PMID: 22537619 DOI: 10.1186/1756-0500-5-201

Angiogenesis has been reported to be one of the contributory factors to the pathogenesis of psoriasis vulgaris. This study aims to compare the expression of different angiogenesis growth factors namely (1) the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) subfamily: A, B, C, D and placenta growth factor (PlGF); (2) nerve growth factor (NGF) and (3) von Willebrand factor (vWFr) in the skins of patients with psoriasis vulgaris and non-psoriatic volunteers.

Study site: Dermatology Department of Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur and Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital, Seremban, Malaysia
Fulltext Understanding Hyaluronan Receptor (CD44) Interaction, HA-CD44 Activated Potential Targets in Cancer Therapeutics

Chaudhry GE, Akim A, Naveed Zafar M, Safdar N, Sung YY, Muhammad TST

Adv Pharm Bull, 2021 May;11(3):426-438.
PMID: 34513617 DOI: 10.34172/apb.2021.050

Cancer is a complex mechanism involving a series of cellular events. The glycoproteins such as hyaluronan (HA) are a significant element of extracellular matrix (ECM), involve in the onset of cancer developmental process. The pivotal roles of HA in cancer progression depend on dysregulated expression in various cancer. HA, also gain attention due to consideration as a primary ligand of CD44 receptor. The CD44, complex transmembrane receptor protein, due to alternative splicing in the transcription process, various CD44 isoforms predominantly exist. The overexpression of distinct CD44 isoforms (CD44v) standard (CD44s) depends on the tumour type and stage. The receptor proteins, CD44 engage in a variety of biological processes, including cell growth, apoptosis, migration, and angiogenesis. HA-CD44 interaction trigger survival pathways that result in cell proliferation, invasion ultimately complex metastasis. The interaction and binding of ligand-receptor HA-CD44 regulate the downstream cytoskeleton pathways involve in cell survival or cell death. Thus, targeting HA, CD44 (variant and standard) isoform, and HA-CD44 binding consider as an attractive and useful approach towards cancer therapeutics. The use of various inhibitors of HA, hyaluronidases (HYALs), and utilizing targeted Nano-delivery of anticancer agents and antibodies against CD44, peptides gives promising results in vitro and in vivo. However, they are in clinical trials with favourable and unfavourable outcomes, which reflects the need for various modifications in targeting agents and a better understanding of potential targets in tumour progression pathways.
Fulltext Association of methylentetraydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677 C > T gene polymorphism and homocysteine levels in psoriasis vulgaris patients from Malaysia: a case-control study

Liew SC, Das-Gupta E, Wong SF, Lee N, Safdar N, Jamil A

Nutr J, 2012 Jan 05;11:1.
PMID: 22217364 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2891-11-1

BACKGROUND: The methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) enzyme catalyzes the reduction of 5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate to 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and methyl donors. The methyl donors are required for the conversion of homocysteine to methionine. Mutation of MTHFR 677 C > T disrupts its thermostability therefore leads to defective enzyme activities and dysregulation of homocysteine levels.
METHODS: This case-control study (n = 367) was conducted to investigate the correlation of the MTHFR gene polymorphism [NM_005957] and psoriasis vulgaris amongst the Malaysian population. Overnight fasting blood samples were collected from a subgroup of consented psoriasis vulgaris patients and matched controls (n = 84) for the quantification of homocysteine, vitamin B12 and folic acid levels.
RESULTS: There was no significant increase of the MTHFR 677 C > T mutation in patients with psoriasis vulgaris compared with controls (χ(2) = 0.733, p = 0.392). No significant association between homocysteine levels and MTHFR gene polymorphism in cases and controls were observed (F = 0.91, df = 3, 80, p = 0.44). However, homocysteine levels in cases were negatively correlated with vitamin B12 (r = -0.173) and folic acid (r = -0.345) levels. Vitamin B12 and folic acid levels in cases were also negatively correlated (r = -0.164).
CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that there was no significant association between the MTHFR gene polymorphism and psoriasis vulgaris in the Malaysian population. There was no significant increase of the plasma homocysteine level in the psoriasis patients compared to the controls.
Fulltext Cancer and Disease Diagnosis - Biosensor as Potential Diagnostic Tool for Biomarker Detection

Chaudhry GE, Akim AM, Safdar N, Yasmin A, Begum S, Sung YY, et al.

J Adv Pharm Technol Res, 2022;13(4):243-247.
PMID: 36568055 DOI: 10.4103/japtr.japtr_106_22

Analysis of cancer biomarkers has enormous promise for advancing our molecular understanding of illness and facilitating more precise and timely diagnosis and follow-up care. MicroRNA, exosomes, ctDNA, CTCs, and proteins are only some of the circulating biomarkers that can be detected by liquid biopsy instead of the more intrusive and time-consuming process of doing a tissue biopsy. As the cancer diagnosis bio-markers reveal ultra-low levels in the early stages of the disease, highly sensitive approaches are urgently required. Researchers have taken an interest in a optical biosensor for detecting cancer biomarkers as a potential tool for early disease diagnosis. These techniques have the potential to aid in the development of effective treatments, ultimately leading to a higher rate of patient survival. This review briefly discuss the i) understanding of cancer and biomarkers for early diagonosis purpose ii) Molecular methods and ii) biosensor-based diagnostics. The reseach primary focus on advancement in biosensor design using various concepts ie., Electrochemical, Chemiluminescence and Colorimetric, Surface plasmons (SP), Surface plasmon resonance (SPR), localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), Fluorescence, Fiber-based sensors, Terahertz based biosensors, and Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). As a result of the local electric field amplification around plasmonic (usually gold and silver) nanostructures, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has emerged as a rapid, selective, and sensitive alternative to conventional laboratory analytical methods, making significant strides in a number of biosensing applications but still under developing stage to be used as diagnostic tool in clinical research.