IIUM Medical Journal Malaysia (IMJM)
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Salvodara Persica As An Oral Aids For Edentulous Patients
Get PDFIntroduction: Salvadora percisa (popularly known as miswak) has been widely used as an aid for oral hygiene in dentate patient. There is no side effect of using miswak stick. A new approach introduced the role of miswak stick in edentulous patient. It may prevent the incidence of denture stomatitis among denture wearer. This study assessed the effectiveness of the miswak stick as an oral aid in edentulous patients as an alternative treatment for denture stomatitis. Materials and Methods: A clinical case control study included patients affected by denture stomatitis. The Miswak stick was introduced to the subjects to use as the oral device to clean the denture and oral mucosal area everyday. Pre- and postoperative assessment (clinical and photographic) were evaluated within 8 to 12 weeks and analysed by comparing the mapping of denture stomatitis inflammation. Results: A total of 11 subjects with denture stomatitis comprised as type 1; n=5 (46%), type 2; n=4 (36%) and type 3; n=2 (18%). 54.5% of subjects showed more than 50% reduction in the mapping of denture stomatitis inflammation (p<0.05) after the use of miswak stick. This study also showed that the use of miswak stick for more than 3 weeks to Type I and II denture stomatitis (54.6%) has successfully reduce the inflammation for more than 50%. 54.5% of the subjects with good denture hygiene has 50% more reduction of denture stomatitis. Conclusion(s): The miswak stick was significantly effective to reduce the denture stomatitis with a regular use and maintenance of good denture hygiene
Standard Versus Real Versus Fake Braces: Design And Microstructure Comparison
Get PDFIntroduction: The growing demand for orthodontic braces among Malaysian community has led to the development of "fake" and "real" braces. "Fake" braces refer to braces that are worn as costume and are not bonded to teeth hence unable to produce movement of teeth. "Real" braces refer to braces that are bonded to tooth structure and are able to produce tooth movement. The braces are bonded by unqualified practitioners with no formal dental education and they provide braces treatment in unlicensed premises such as hotel rooms or patients' own homes. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted to investigate the design and microstructure of several types of "fake", "real" and standard braces. A total of 9 upper right central incisor brackets were scanned using high resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with magnifications of 65x, 500x and 1000x. Brackets slot heights and depths were also measured to compare slot dimensions between "fake", "real" and standard braces. Results: The surface textures of "fake" and "real" braces were noticeably more granular and unpolished as compared to conventional brackets. Furthermore, all "fake" and some "real" braces upper right central incisor bracket designs were distinctly different from the standard braces. The slot dimensions of "fake" and "real" braces were also significantly larger that standard braces. Conclusion(s): In conclusion, the surface texture and morphology of "fake" and "real" braces were crude and different when compared to conventional brackets
A Study of Factors Influencing Eye Screening: Descriptive Findings
Get PDFIntroduction: Individuals with Diabetes Mellitus (DM) are at increased risk for developing diabetic ocular complications. This study was carried out to determine factors influencing eye screening among Diabetes Mellitus patients. The descriptive findings of participants’ sociodemographic data will be discussed. Materials and method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted at the few selective Primary Health Centers and endocrine clinics, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan (HTAA) in Kuantan, Pahang. A total number of 170 diabetic patients were recruited for the purpose of this study. Questionnaire for this survey was adapted and modified from Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP 2008) with the overall Cronbach Alpha score was 0.5. Descriptive statistics was referred to evaluate the data. Results: Participants’ mean age was 55.5 years old (SD ± 11.22), with age range between 20 years and 79 years old. From 170 participants, 51 male (30%) and 119 female (70%) were involved in this study. Majority of 139 participants (81.8%) were Malay. For educational level, 74 participants (43.5%) have the secondary education, only 12 participants (7.1%) have tertiary education and the rest of 43 participants (25.3%) have no formal education. The majority of participants (71.2%) have the monthly income less than RM 1000 and only 7 (4.1%) have monthly income of RM 4000 and above. Almost all patients (168 participants or 98.8%) have type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM). The majority of 65 patients (38.2%) were first diagnosed to have diabetes between 1 to 5 years duration, and only 10 patients (5.9%) diagnosed to have diabetes of 15 years and above. Most of the participants (109 or 64.1%) have a family history of DM. As for current treatment, the majority of them are taking oral medication 136 (80.0%). Conclusion: The main background characteristics of DM patients in current study were female, Malay, low household income and family trait with DM
Characterization of Occult Hepatitis C Virus (Hcv) Infection among Hemodialysis Patient
Get PDFIntroduction: The existence of new entity called occult hepatitis C virus (HCV) has become a raising and escalating concern among healthcare professionals worldwide. It is defined by the presence of viral RNA in liver and/or peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) within non HCV-infected patients. Previous study had shown the occult HCV is infectious and capable of transmitting the virus to another host. Till today, HCV infection remains common among hemodialysis patients despite having the best preventive plans. Because of this, there is a significant concern about the source of viral transmission. The aim of the study was to identify and characterize occult HCV infection in PBMC sample of hemodialysis patients. This was an observational and cross sectional study. Materials and method: PBMCs were isolated from the whole blood using Ficoll-gradient centrifugation technique. The PBMCs were then subjected for cell counting and stored in -70O C until further used. HCV RNA were extracted from these cells and viral RNA were subjected for molecular assays, immune cells analysis and cells culture. Results: PBMCs were isolated from eleven (11) study patients and five (5) anti-HCV positive (control) patients. By using automated flow cytometry, PBMCs of each sample were counted and the average number of cells obtained range from 2x104 to 5x106 cells/ ml. Viral RNAs were extracted and quantitatively measured by using NanoDrop Spectrophotometers. The viral RNAs concentration obtained were between 24.7 and 258.9 ng/ml. The RNAs would be subjected for purification (ethanol precipitation) and further assays. Conclusion: The final findings might contribute to the clinical management of dialysis patients
Comparison of Biocompatibility and Biodegradability of Poly(Lactic-Co-Glycolic Acid) (Plga) Combined with Autologous Fibrin Versus Plga for Intra-Articular Screw Fixation; An Invivo Study with New Zealand White Rabbits- The Microradiograph Outcome
Get PDFIntroduction: The great potential of biodegradable polymers in orthopaedic surgery is gradually being recognized. PLGA is one of the common polymers used. However, long term outcomes, with regards to PLGA, are still not well documented. Hence, we attempted to study the outcome of PLGA and also its combination with fibrin. Materials and method: Objectives : 1) To compare biocompatibility and biodegradability of polymer (PLGA + fibrin) with PLGA for intra-articular screw fixation 2) to study the imaging microradiograph) features. We used fabricated PLGA scaffolds in combination with autologous fibrin for an in-vivo prospective research. Total of nine New Zealand White Rabbits (NZWR) were operated and the scaffolds were placed at both medial and lateral femoral condyles of the right knee and those with fibrin at the left knee. Post implantation, evaluation was done at 6,12 and 24 weeks (three NZWR in each group). For microradiological assessment, micro CT (Skyscan 1176) was used. Results: The combination of PLGA and fibrin has better biocompatibility, showed faster biodegradation and more quantitative integration of osseous tissues. Conclusion: Biodegradable polymer PLGA with incorporation of fibrin resulted in superior outcome compared to usage of other current biodegradable polymers
Early Effects of High Cholesterol Diet on the Kidney of an Animal Model
Get PDFIntroduction: Previous studies have proven the existence of a complex association between progressive kidney damage and hypercholesterolemia. Most studies focused on the impact of chronic high blood cholesterol levels on the kidney. Information on the early effect of hypercholesterolemia on the kidney is still lacking. The aim of this study was therefore to determine early effect of high cholesterol diet on the kidney in an animal model. Materials and method: Ten female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups. The control group was fed with commercial rat pellet while the high cholesterol diet (HCD) group was fed with 12% cholesterol diet and 0.3% cholic acid. Biochemical analysis (lipid profile and renal function) was performed at 48 hours, 7 days and 6 weeks of the experiment. The animals were sacrificed at 6 weeks and the kidneys were harvested for histological examination. Results: The HCD group rats had significantly higher levels of serum total cholesterol (at 7 days and 6 weeks). The HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels were however lower at 6 weeks. The mean serum creatinine level of the HCD group were increased after 48 hours and 7 days compared to the control group. Histological examination of the kidney tissue of the HCD group at 6 weeks revealed segmental mesangial hypercellularity and mesangial matrix expansion of the glomeruli. Conclusion: The 12% cholesterol diet induced dyslipidaemia in the animal model. It resulted in acute kidney injury based on the serum creatinine at 48 hours and 7 days. Kidney tissues examined at 6 weeks revealed changes confined to mesangial cells of the renal glomeruli
Knowledge, Awareness and Attitude Related to First Aid among Iium Kuantan Campus Students
Get PDFIntroduction: Accidental injuries are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Approximately 1.25 million lives are cut short because of road traffic accident every year. As the incidences of emergencies is steadily increasing in recent years, it is important to ensure that individuals are adequately trained to deal with such events including university students. First aid is given to preserve life and minimize the consequences of injury and illness until help is obtained from health care practitioners. This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge, awareness and attitude related to first aid among IIUM Kuantan campus students. Materials and method: A quantitative cross-sectional survey with stratified random sampling was conducted among 348 IIUM Kuantan undergraduate students who met the study inclusion criteria. Data were collected by using the self-administered questionnaire which was adapted from Hong Kong Red Cross. Results: A total of 316 participants had positive awareness and attitude towards first aid knowledge. Nevertheless, 149 participants had moderate level of first aid knowledge. There were significant associations (p value of 0.05) between gender, faculty, year of study, and first aid training experience and their level of first aid knowledge. However, 55.4% of study participants did not have experience in taking first aid course and they have little knowledge on first aid. Conclusion: Although the majority of participants had positive awareness and attitude towards first aid, their knowledge and experience in taking first aid course were unsatisfactory. Therefore, there is a need of proper and regular educational programs to raise awareness in the student community about the importance of first aid
The Identification of Copy Number Variation of Cnv Esv27061 among Young Adults with Hypertension: Preliminary Findings
Get PDFIntroduction: Hypertension related morbidities and mortalities around the world show a gradual increase and early detection and prevention are advocated. The Database of Genomic Variants (DGV) has associated variation in DNA sequences called copy number variation (CNV) with susceptibility to common diseases. However, little is known about CNV role in essential hypertension. Thus, this study aimed to characterize the CNV esv27061 among prehypertensive and hypertensive young adults in Malaysia. Materials and method: In this comparative cross-sectional study, 104 subjects living in Kuantan who gave voluntary consent to participate are recruited and divided into three groups; control (43 subjects), prehypertensive (38 subjects) and mild hypertensive (23 subjects). An optimized droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) was used in the determination of CNV esv27061 in this study. Results: All subjects in the control (n=38; 88.4% gain), prehypertensive (n=33; 86.8% gain) and mild hypertensive (n=21; 91.3% gain) groups had CNV gain (copy number > 2) while 11.6% of control, 13.2% of prehypertensive and 8.7% of mild hypertensive subjects exhibited normal copies (copy number = 2). Conclusion: The present preliminary finding was consistent with the Database of Genomic Variants (DGV) which stated that CNV esv27061 showed more gain than loss
The Relationship between Symptomatic Assessment and Clinical Signs of Dryness in Dry Eye Subjects
Get PDFIntroduction: There was no previous study to assess relationship between dry eye symptoms and signs in the local population. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship of symptomatic assessment and clinical signs of dryness in dry eye subjects. Materials and method: A Cross-sectional study with convenient sampling involving 321 subjects with 642 eyes was done. Subjects were divided into non-dry eye (NDE) and dry eye (DE) groups. The division of NDE and DE groups were done using two types of classification. In Classification 1(symptoms-based), DE was defined if the score of Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) score was more than 33. The value of tear film break-up time (TFBUT) less than 5 seconds and Schirmer test with anaesthesia (STA) less than 5mm/5 minutes were considered as DE for Classification 2 (signs based). Results: There were poor correlations between OSDI and clinical signs of dryness in all subjects involved (p > 0.05). Similar findings were also noted within NDE subjects in Classification 1 and Classification 2. OSDI score was also not significantly correlated with the signs of dryness within DE subjects except with ocular protection index (OPI) (r = - 0.14, p = 0.047) in Classification 1 and with conjunctival lissamine green staining (CLGS) (r = 0.23, p = 0.040) in Classification 2. Conclusion: There were no significant correlation between the symptoms of dry eye and the clinical signs of dry eye. Therefore, the clinical diagnosis of dry eye can be made based on either just on the symptoms or the signs
Voxel-Based Morphometry Analysis of Gray Matter on Quran Memorizers
Get PDFIntroduction: The brain is the most complex organ in the human body. Robust and vigorous daily activities may cause changes to the brain structure. Huffaz, individuals who memorise the Quran undergo intensive memorization training which may lead to structural changes in specific regions of the brain. Materials and method: This study looked at possible change that occurred on gray matter by characterising the textual memorization of brain structure using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). It involves voxel-by-voxel comparison of gray matter intensity of the MRI images. Forty-seven subjects (23 huffaz, 24 non-huffaz) aged between 21-25 years were voluntarily recruited. Subjects were scanned by 3 Tesla MRI system. Images were then re-aligned according to standardised Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) coordinates. The MRIs were then segmented into gray matter, white matter and cerebrospinal fluid. Independent sample t-test was performed between the two groups. Results: No significant difference was found between the brain region of the huffaz and non-huffaz with appropriate corrections for family-wise error (FWE) at a threshold of p = 0.05. However, with a more lenient criteria (p = 0.001, uncorrected, cluster size = 50 mm3 ), we found that gray matter volume in Brodmann Area 6 and Brodmann Area 7 of the huffaz were significantly higher than the non-huffaz group. Conclusion: VBM is not sensitive enough to detect complex anatomical differences between huffaz and non-huffaz with the current sample size. Future study to explore possible image processing tools that can measure subtle structural change in human brain is warranted