Determination of races in the analysis of hair on scalp is one of the challenges faced in forensic analysis to identify victims, suspects and crime scene. This study aimed to determine the differences among the two main races in Malaysia which included Malay and Chinese, through the examination of the characteristics of hair. These includes general features of the hair, patterns of cuticle, colors, cortex pigment distribution and characteristics of medulla - types, thickness and medulla index. This study was carried out by using a light microscope and consisted of five steps, which were sample preparation, examination of common features of hair, preparation and examination of cuticle scales matrix, cortex and medulla. Result showed that most of the Malay have dark brown pigments while Chinese have pigments of light brown color. We also noted that thickness of medulla can also be used to differentiate between Malay and Chinese where average values for Malay and Chinese are 7.59 ± 1.45 μm and 9.12 ± 1.85 μm, respectively. The average values of medulla index for Malay and Chinese were noticeably different at 0.17 ± 0.02 μm and 0.18 ± 0.02 μm, respectively. However, textures, thickness of hair, patterns of cuticle scales, and types of medulla do not show any significant difference between Malay and Chinese. In conclusion, this study has shown that pigment colors, thickness of medulla and medulla index are important characteristics that can be used to determine race

Background: The prevalence of teenage smoking has decreased over the past decade following the implementation of the national tobacco control programme. However, the effect of the programme on smoking cessation in teenagers has not been determined. Methods: Twenty-eight participants (12 teenagers, 8 teachers, and 8 doctors) were interviewed using 5 in-depth interviews and 3 group discussions. Social cognitive theory (SCT) was applied as the theoretical framework. Semi-structured interview protocols were used, and thematic analysis and analytic generalisation utilising SCT were performed. Results: The current national tobacco control programme was found to be ineffective in promoting smoking cessation among teenagers. The participants attributed the ineffective campaign to the followings: inadequacy of message content, lack of exposure to the programme, and poor presentation and execution. In addition, the participants perceived the developed tobacco control policies to be a failure based on poor law enforcement, failure of retailers to comply with the law, social availability of cigarettes to teenagers, and easy availability of cheap, smuggled cigarettes. This study highlighted that the programme-related problems (environmental factors) were not the only factors contributing to its perceived ineffectiveness. The cunning behaviour of the teenagers (personal factor) and poor self-efficacy to overcome nicotine addiction (behavioural factor) were also found to hinder cessation. Conclusion: Tobacco control programmes should include strategies beyond educating teenagers about smoking and restricting their access to cigarettes. Strategies to manage the cunning behaviour of teenagers and strategies to improve their self-efficacy should also be implemented. These comprehensive programmes should have a foundation in SCT, as this theory demonstrates the complex interactions among the environmental, personal, and behavioural factors that influence teenage smoking.

One of the most frequent complaints of individuals with hearing impairment is listening comfort in noisy environments. In order to improve listening comforts in background noise, digital noise reduction (DNR) systems are incorporated into hearing aids (HAs). Each hearing aid manufacturer has its proprietary algorithm for the DNR system. The amount of attenuation (dB) provided by the DNR system can be quantified using the hearing aid analyser. However, the standard test signals in the hearing aid analyser could not quantify the attenuation of DNR for speech mixed with noise signals. Therefore, this study aimed to (i) develop speech-plus-noise test signals that incorporate Malay sentences and (ii) quantify the efficacy of DNR systems in commercial hearing aids using the newly developed test signals. Six different brands of hearing aids with identical technology but from different manufacturers were subjected to electroacoustic testing utilising newly created Malay speech-in-noise test signals with and without DNR enabled. The total root-meansquare (RMS) gain reduction for each HA was calculated. The results show that the types of noise, the signal-to-noise ratio and the gender of the speaker have a significant effect (p<0.05) on the amount of gain reduction in the HA output as a result of the DNR system in each HA . In conclusion, the newly developed Malay speech-in-noise test signals can be used to verify the efficacy of DNR system in commercial hearing aids.

Pesticides and chemical fertilizers are widely used in agriculture to increase crop productivity among farmers.However, exposure to pesticides will give potential risk to human health. The aim of this study was to analyze thefrequency of micronucleus (MN) and binucleus (BNu) formation in buccal cells from farmers who were exposedto pesticides using the MN assay. Buccal swabs were collected from the farmers in Tanjung Karang (n = 32) andKelantan (n = 43) using wooden tongue depressor. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain demographic dataof the farmers. Cytogenetic analysis was carried out by Acridin Orange (AO) staining 0.0025% (w/v). The frequencyof MN and BNu as the biomarkers for cytogenetic damage was observed by using a fluorescence microscope.Comparison of frequency of MN and BNu is conducted in two areas namely Tanjung Karang, Selangor and Kelantanbecause of the agricultural activity and the type of pesticides used are different. Results showed that the frequencies of bothMN and BNu among farmers in Tanjung Karang were significantly higher (p < 0.05) compared to farmers in Kelantan.Meanwhile, for the socio-demographic factors (age, smoking status, working period), MN and BNu frequencies amongfarmers in Tanjung Karang were also significantly higher (p < 0.05) as compared to farmers in Kelantan. While in theaspect of pesticide exposure, the frequencies of MN and BNu showed no significant difference between the frequency ofpesticide spraying (p > 0.05) and the practices of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) (p > 0.05). This may suggeststhat cytogenetic changes were not influenced by these factors. In addition, correlation study shows positive correlationbetween the frequency of MN with the pesticide exposure of farmers in Tanjung Karang (p > 0.05, r = 0.015) and Kelantan(p > 0.05, r = 0.0158). Besides, the frequency of BNu also has a positive correlation with the pesticide exposure amongfarmers in Tanjung Karang (p > 0.05, r = 0.036) and farmers in Kelantan (p > 0.05, r = 0.013). Hence, this present study demonstrated that exposure to pesticides increasedthe formation of MN and BNu among farmers and theprolonged use of pesticides may induce genotoxicity andDNA damage to human.

Background: Menopause signifies the beginning of a non-reproductive phase from the reproductive period. Although it is considered a natural life transition, recent studies have indicated that a woman’s menopausal experience may impact her quality of life. While studies have examined Malaysian women’s knowledge and awareness of menopause, they have focused on the prevalence of menopausal symptoms and sociocultural aspects. These investigations also used a quantitative design that may have limited the information regarding the nature and experience of menopause. Objectives: This study explores women’s perceptions and understanding of their menopausal experience. Methods: A total of 20 menopausal women were recruited using purposive sampling through social media in the state of Pahang, Malaysia. In-depth semi-structured interviews were used to explore how they perceived their menopausal experience. The data were then analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Three themes that emerged from the findings included perceptions of menopause, biopsychosocial changes and help-seeking behavior. For many Muslim women, menopause was perceived as a time for them to engage in religious commitment more than they had before. Conclusion: The study findings uncovered a knowledge gap and a lack of support for women impacted by menopause. Muslim women regarded their menopause phase as a time for them to engage in religious duty fully. These results indicate the need for a psychosocial intervention and educational program to ensure women a better transition throughout their menopausal phase

Introduction: Adequate daily intake of fruits and vegetables is crucial for the prevention of chronic diseases. This study aimed to determine the effects of My Body is Fit and Fabulous at School (MyBFF@school) with nutrition education intervention (NEI) on the stages of change for fruit and vegetable intake among overweight and obese secondary school children based on the trans-theoretical model (TTM). Methods: This was a cluster randomised controlled trial involving 15 out of 415 eligible government secondary schools in central Peninsular Malaysia, which were randomly assigned into intervention (six schools; 579 school children) and control (nine schools; 462 school children). The intervention group was given NEI for 24 weeks, while the control group followed the existing school programme by the Ministry of Education. Results: There was no significant difference between the intervention and control groups for the stages of change, with majority at the maintenance stage after six months (intervention: 34.9%; control: 39.0%). The within group analysis showed a significant reduction after six months for those at the action stage (action and maintenance stage) from 68.0% to 60.4% in the intervention group and from 71.4% to 65.6% in the control group. However, there was a significant increase among those with adequate fruit and vegetable intake in the intervention group and no significant increase in the control group. Conclusion: MyBFF@school with NEI based on TTM provided acceptable changes in fruit and vegetable intake among overweight and obese secondary school children.

Tumour protein 53 (p53) plays an important role in the instruction of the cell cycle. In a variety of transformed cell lines, tumour protein is expressed in high amounts, and it is believed to contribute to transformation and malignancy. This research aimed to detect the anti-p53 antibodies in sera of patients with various malignant tumours and to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A case-control study was conducted on samples from 49 patients with various types of malignant tumours at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital, Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia, and 32 healthy control cases with non‐malignant disease collected from Universiti Sains Malaysia clinic, Penang, Malaysia. The antibodies against p53 protein in the serum samples were analysed using the commercial ELISA kit, Calbiochem® p53- ELISAPLUS. The results showed that the rate of anti-p53 antibodies in patients with various malignant tumours was 13 out of 49 (26.5 %), compared with only 2 out of 32 (6.25%) in healthy controls (p < 0.001). The sensitivity of this kit reached 28.6% and the specificity was 93.8%. In conclusion, these results suggest that the anti-p53 antibodies can be detected in different sera of malignant tumour patients and the ELISA kit is highly specific; nevertheless, its discrimination power is not perfect because of its low sensitivity to determine the anti-p53 antibodies.