1.Genotypic Detection of rpoB and katG Gene Mutations Associated with Rifampicin and Isoniazid Resistance in Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Isolates: A Local Scenario (Kelantan)
Nurul-Ain Ismail ; Mohd Fazli Ismaill ; Siti Suraiya Md Noor ; Siti Nazrina Camalxaman
Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences 2016;23(1):22-26
Background: Drug resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) remains a public health issue that is of major concern on a global scale. The characterisation of clinical isolates may provide key information regarding the underlying mechanisms of drug resistance, and helps to augment therapeutic options. This study aims to evaluate the frequency of gene mutations associated with Rifampicin (RIF) and Isoniazid (INH) resistance among nine clinical isolates. Methods: A total of nine drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates were screened for genetic mutations in rpoB and katG using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and DNA sequencing. Genotypic analysis was performed to detect the mutations in the sequence of the target genes. Results: Our findings reveal that 80% of the isolates possess mutations at codon 119 (His119Tyr) and 135 (Arg135Trp and Ser135Leu) within the rpoB gene; and 70% possess mutations in the katG gene at codon 238 with amino acid change (Leu238Arg). Conclusion: Findings from this study provide an overview of the current situation of RIF and INH resistance in a hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM) located in Kelantan, Malaysia, which could facilitate molecular-based detection methods of drug-resistant strains. Further information regarding the molecular mechanisms involved in resistance in RR-/MDR-TB should be addressed in the near future.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
2.The Positive Impact of Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) Utilisation in Cancer Treatment: A Scoping Review of Published Articles From the Perspective of the in Vitro Studies
Nurul Ain Mohammad Hamdi ; Muhammad Salahuddin Haris ; Ahmad Fahmi Harun Ismail
Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences 2021;17(No.4):275-284
Survival benefit of patients with advanced cancer was reported with intravenous vitamin C administration. Nevertheless, a recent systematic review failed to support the clinically use of vitamin C in cancer patients due to the
diversity of interventions and cancer type. This study aimed to provide a scoping review of vitamin C utilisation and
its impact on cancer treatment from the perspective of in vitro studies. The review was conducted using predefined
search terms in three scientific databases. 44 articles were retrieved with a total of 15 cancer types being studied from
2015 to 2020. The findings were classified into primary and secondary outcome. The primary outcome refers to chief
consequences of vitamin C treatment, while the secondary outcome denotes the additional advantages generated as
a result of the primary outcome, which occurs both in monotherapy and combination therapy. This review discussed
the major mechanism of vitamin C as anti-cancer and its relation with the outcomes.
3.Assessment of Daytime and Nighttime Ground Level Ozone Pollution in Malaysian Urban Areas
Aimi Nursyahirah Ahmad ; Samsuri Abdullah ; Amalina Abu Mansor ; Nazri Che Dom ; Ali Najah Ahmed ; Nurul Ain Ismail ; Marzuki Ismail
Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences 2023;19(No.6):242-248
Introduction: Ozone (O3
) is a significant component of photochemical smog as a typical secondary which is formed
via nitrogen oxide photochemical interactions with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This research discerns the
complex influence of meteorological parameters and air pollutants influencing O3
concentrations. Methods: Data
were acquired from 1 January 2018 until 31 December 2020 that including ozone (O3
), nitrogen oxide (NOx), nitric
oxide (NO), sulphur dioxide (SO2
), nitrogen dioxide (NO2
), carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5),
wind speed, solar radiation, temperature, and relative humidity (RH). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics
in terms of line graphs. Results: The results demonstrate that the O3
concentration peaked around 14:00 hours and
dropped at night (20:00 hours) owing to the lack of sunshine and redox processes. Conclusion: In conclusion, ozone
precursors played an important role in ozone formation and the findings of this research are valuable for policymakers and other interested parties
4.Discordance between Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) and HbA1c in Diagnosing Diabetes and Pre-diabetes in The Malaysian Cohort
Nor Azian Abdul Murad ; Noraidatulakma Abdullah ; Mohd Arman Kamaruddin ; Nazihah Abd Jalal ; Norliza Ismail ; Nurul Ain Mhd Yusof ; Norlaila Mustafa ; Rahman Jamal
Journal of the ASEAN Federation of Endocrine Societies 2021;36(2):127-132
Objective:
In this present study, we aim to evaluate the accuracy of the HbA1c relative to fasting plasma glucose (FPG) in the diagnosis of diabetes and pre-diabetes among The Malaysian Cohort (TMC) participants.
Methodology:
FPG and HbA1c were taken from 40,667 eligible TMC participants that have no previous history of diabetes, aged between 35-70 years and were recruited from 2006 – 2012. Participants were classified as normal, diabetes and pre-diabetes based on the 2006 World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. Statistical analyses were performed using ANOVA and Chi-square test, while Pearson correlation and Cohen’s kappa were used to examine the concordance rate between FPG and HbA1c.
Results:
The study samples consisted of 16,224 men and 24,443 women. The prevalence of diabetes among the participants was 5.7% and 7.5% according to the FPG and HbA1c level, respectively. Based on FPG, 10.6% of the participants had pre-diabetes but this increased to 14.2% based on HbA1c (r=0.86; P<0.001). HbA1c had a sensitivity of 58.20 (95% CI: 56.43, 59.96) and a specificity of 98.59 (95% CI: 98.46, 98.70).
Conclusion
A higher prevalence of pre-diabetes and diabetes was observed when using HbA1c as a diagnosis tool, suggesting that it could possibly be more useful for early detection. However, given that HbA1c may also have lower sensitivity and higher false positive rate, several diagnostic criteria should be used to diagnose diabetes accurately.
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2
;
Diagnosis
5.Knowledge of Special Nutrition for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Parents and Special Educators in Malaysia (Pengetahuan Tentang Pemakanan Khas bagi Kanak-kanak yang Mengalami Gangguan Spektrum Autisme dalam Kalangan Ibu Bapa dan Pendidik Khas di Malaysia)
DURRATUL AIN SHOHAIMI ; SITI FARWIZAH IZZATI SAHIDAN ; MUHAMAD AFIQ ZULKIFLY ; NABILAH TAGOR HASIBUAN ; NOOR AKMAL SHAREELA ISMAIL ; NUR HANA HAMZAID ; NURUL IZZATY HASSAN
Malaysian Journal of Health Sciences 2021;19(No.1):127-135
Sufficient intake of macronutrients and micronutrients are essential for child growth. Many children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) however are reported to be picky eaters which may lead to malnourishment. As diet and behaviour are importantly interconnected, this study aims to determine the level of knowledge on nutrition among parents and special educators of children with ASD. A cross-sectional study was conducted at a National Autism Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from May to August 2018. A 37-item questionnaire was self-administered to the respondents who attended series of training of trainers’ sessions. The data was the collected and analysed descriptively. A total of 209 respondents participated with 153 parents and 56 special educators of children with ASD. Only 37.9% of the parents agreed that their children’s diet contain balanced nutrition. Majority of the parents and special educators had the perception that sugar, junk food and gluten are bad for the children but they were still given due to the accessibility and convenience. The low level of knowledge among parents and special educators about the nutrition of children with ASD indicates that a measure should be taken to increase the awareness and to overcome the malnutrition among ASD children.