The present systematic review explores the most sexually dimorphic parameters by using geometric morphometric analysis of human skull. An extended search was conducted in Google Scholars and PubMed (published between 2005 and 2017). The main inclusion criteria were research articles published in English, and studies that used geometric morphometric analysis for classification of human skull. The literature search identified 54 potential relevant articles whereby, five had met the inclusion criteria. Most studies reported positive contribution of geometric morphometric as an alternative and accurate tool for classification of unknown human crania. Geometric morphometric method resulted in a high classification accuracy of sexual dimorphism among different populations. Further studies are required to approach the best method used for varied types of postcranial bones equipped with a more advanced meta-analysis of the results.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a group of proteinases that are involved with the enzymatic breakdown of the extracellular matrix and basement membrane components. These enzymes are important in regulating vital physiological functions such as embryonic development, wound healing and tissue remodelling. However, several disorders may result from the exaggerated function of these enzymes such as ulcers, rheumatoid arthritis and invasive tumours. In tumours, the effect of these enzymes is not limited to invasion as it was traditionally believed but it also extends to the other oncogenic hallmark processes such as proliferation, angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and evasion from apoptosis. Therefore, it is essential to thoroughly understand the molecular mechanisms involved in these enzymes in cancerous tissue based on recent literature. Several reviews have highlighted the function of these enzymes in malignancies however the aim of this was to provide more recent overview to their role in malignant transformation and progression and in a briefer approach summarizing the complex molecular pathways. Online databases such as PubMed, Google scholar, Web of Science and MEDLINE were used to identify relevant articles. This approach would assist researchers by providing a list of the potential molecular targets in the sequence of changes related to these enzymes. This might help in designing a safer and a more specific targeted treatment for patients with cancer.

The aims of the present study were to determine the prevalence of dental abfraction among a sample of adult Sudanese patients and to investigate the possible association between abfraction and different etiological factors. The diagnosis of abfraction included both clinical examination and laboratory work. All attended patients were examined for presence of cervical lesion. Complete clinical history was obtained from the examined cases by using self report questionnaire. Impression was taken for cases with suspected abfraction by using additional silicon impression material; a study cast was evaluated for every case. Analysis of the study was conducted by applying an inlay wax over the lesion to produce wax pattern. The wax pattern was evaluated; any pattern that had a wedge shape was considered as an abfraction lesion. Prevalence of dental abfraction was found to be about 9.4%. Males and females were equally affected, mandibular and maxillary premolars are the most frequently affected teeth. There was a direct correlation between abfraction and parafunctional habits.

To extract the bioactive compound from Enteromorpha intestinalis (E. intestinalis) and determine its in vitro antimicrobial activity. Methods: E. intestinalis was extracted by methanol and subjected to antimicrobial screening. The antimicrobial activity was studied by using disc diffusion and broth dilution method. The effect of the extract on the growth profile of the bacterial was also examined via time-kill assay. Microscopy observations using SEM was done to determine the major alterations in the microstructure of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Results: The results showed methanolic extract of E. intestinalis exhibited a favourable antimicrobial activity against tested bacteria with produced inhibition zone ranging from 8.0-19.0 mm. However, all the tested fungi and yeast were resistant to the extract treatment. Time kill assay suggested that methanolic extract of E. intestinalis had completely inhibited MRSA growth and also exhibited prolonged antibacterial activity. The main abnormalities noted from the microscopic observations were the structural deterioration in the normal morphology and complete collapsed of the bacteria cells after 36 h of treatment. Conclusions: The significant antibacterial activity shown by crude extract suggested its potential against MRSA infection. The extract may have potential to develop as antibacterial agent in pharmaceutical use.

Patients with Falciparum malaria may present with peripheral gangrene as a rare complication. In this report we describe two adult Sudanese patients with high grade fever for 10 days, jaundice, alteration consciousness and hypovolaemic shock. Both patients had blackish discolouration of the fore foot and the toes, bilaterally. Blood smears showed hyperparacitaemia with Plasmodium falciparum. They were diagnosed as having severe malaria with peripheral gangrene; they were treated with quinine infusion and the foot lesions recovered spontaneously without surgical intervention.

Refractory ascites is difficult to treat by restriction of salt and repeated paracentesis which have been the mainstay of treating it for a long time. Sapheno-peritoneal shunts have been performed in patients with refractory ascites . Here, we evaluated the use of saphenous vein to be anastomosed to the peritoneam to drain the refractory ascites. Nine patients (7 male, median age 45 years, range 17 - 69) with tense refractory ascites associated with liver cirrhosis, perioprtal fibrosis and end stage renal diseases underwent sapheno-peritoneal anastomosis by mobilizing and rotating the proximal vein in order to be anastomosed to peritoneum in the lower abdomen . All procedures were performed under local anaesthesia. Thirty-day mortality was 22% (2) patient. Morbidity included fluid leakage in 1 (11%), and wound infection in 1 (11%). Hospital stay (median) was 16 days (range 11 to 23). In the short term (median of 2 months) significant reduction in body weight and abdominal girth was seen in 9 (90%), 6 (60%) were not on diuretics while 3 (30%) continued to remain on reduced doses of diuretic. Furthermore, 7 (70%) did not require paracentesis. At 2-year follow-up, 5 (45%) patients died and 3 succumbed during follow-up. The remaining 3 were all in active employment, 1 was off diuretics, and 2 were on reduced doses. All 3 patients maintained reduced body weights and abdominal girths compared with preoperative values. Saphenous-peritoneal shunt appears a simple, safe, and cost effective method of achieving long-term control of refractory ascites. The use of autogenous shunt is an added advantage over prosthetic shunts for drainage of ascitic fluid.

We report a case of a broken K wire migrating to the cervical spine from the right clavicle in a 9 year old child. The initial diagnosis, fracture of the clavicle with an acromioclavicular joint dislocation, was treated by open reduction and K wiring. One K wire broke and migrated to the neck, posterolateral to the C6 vertebra. The K wire was removed percutaneously under image intensification. Acromioclavicular joint dislocation in children is rare since the distal clavicle does not ossify until the age o

Introduction: Stress in the work place is a global major risk factor to worker’s health, which triggers the workers to be poorly motivated and less productive. Objectives: The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of job stress and its associated factors among Universiti Putra Malaysia staff. Methods: This is a cross sectional study involving 511 academic and non-academic staff of Universiti Putra Malaysia in Serdang. Probability proportionate to size was used for calculating the required sample size. Results: The overall prevalence of stress was 21.7% (21.0% among male and 23.0% among female). The variables found to be significantly associated with stress were: Job demand, coworker support, depression, anxiety, focus and venting of emotion and self-blame (p<0.05). The findings revealed that UPM staffs are exposed to a range of specific stressors such as work stressor: job demand, lack of social support such as co-worker support and supervisor support, psychological stressors such as depression and anxiety, coping such as focus and venting of emotion and self-blame. Work stressor such as job demand was the main predictor of stress (p value = 0.001). Conclusion: The overall prevalence of job stress was 21.7%. The predictors job stress were job demand, lack of support from co-worker and supervisor, depression, anxiety and use of avoidance focused coping.
Quality of Life ; Stress, Physiological

Aims: A local fungal isolate, Aspergillus niger USM F4 produced high level of mannanase activity when cultivated in a shallow tray system (45 x 40 x 7 cm3) using palm kernel cake (PKC), an easily available cheap agricultural waste which are found abundantly in Malaysia. Methodology and Results: A range of 0.25 to 1.5 cm bed heights were investigated in tracking in the most suitable condition and maximum production of mannanase. The highest mannanase production of 918.68 U/g substrate was obtained on the fifth day of cultivation after using all the optimised cultural conditions that consisted of 400 g of PKC that equivalent to 0.50 cm of substrate thickness with the particle size of ≤ 0.5 mm, moisture content of 80% (w/w) with the addition of 2% (w/w) molasses as a carbon source and 4% (w/w) ammonium nitrate as a nitrogen source, inoculums size of 1x107 spores/ml, with once at every 24 h of mixing frequency and cultivation temperature at room temperature 30±2 °C. Conclusion, significance and impact of study: The results obtained from this study showed that a shallow tray system was suitable to be used for getting highest enzyme production in SSF. Besides using a bigger volume of substrate, the correct substrate bed height is also important.