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Fulltext Optimisation of stabiliser combinations in instant ice cream mix powder formulation via mixture design methodology

Abdul Razak, S. Z., Abd. Rahman, N. A., Baharuddin, A. S., Mohd Amin, N. A., Mat Johari, A., Mohammad Parid, D.

International Food Research Journal, 2019;26(6):1689-1698.
MyJurnal

The present work aimed at obtaining the optimum combination of stabilisers used in an
instant ice cream formulation. Instant ice cream mixes were formulated using milk protein,
fat, sucrose, stabilisers, emulsifiers and water. A basic formulation for ice cream mix was
prepared according to the process flow of instant ice cream. Three different stabilisers
mixtures, which were carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), carrageenan, and sodium alginate
used in 14 formulations were studied using mixture design methodology. Physical analyses on
meltdown rate, hardness, melted ice cream viscosity, and overrun were performed. The results
were compared with those of commercial instant ice cream to determine the acceptability and
quality of the final products. From the optimisation study, the recommended combination of
stabilisers was found to be 0.151% CMC and 0.149% sodium alginate. The optimised sample
had a higher viscosity of 0.17 Pa.s than the commercial one (0.16 Pa.s), which corresponded to
higher hardness thus indicating slower melting rate, which is a good texture for ice cream. The
overrun of the optimised sample was 108.33%, which is considered high. The high amount of
air, viscosity, and hardness resulted in a low melting rate of 0.22 g/min, which is desirable for
ice cream consumption. Based on sensory evaluation, the optimised instant ice cream was the
most preferred by panellists as compared to commercial sample.
Imported Falciparum Malaria: A case series in a tertiary hospital

Mohamed NA, Mansur FAF, Abdul Rahman N

Malays J Pathol, 2020 Apr;42(1):107-110.
PMID: 32342938

INTRODUCTION: Malaysia declared its intent to eliminate malaria by 2020, with a phased goal of achieving zero local transmission. Nonetheless, Malaysia is highl susceptible to malaria importation due to geographical proximity to high-burden countries e.g. Thailand, Myanmar and high influx of foreign workers and students from Asia and Africa.
CASE SERIES: We accumulated all malaria cases diagnosed in a tertiary hospital within a period of two years. Three cases were reported, where all of the patients were foreigners with recent travel history to African countries. All of them were infected by P. falciparum, responded to treatment and discharged well.
DISCUSSION: This case series highlighted the importance of acquiring recent travel history during history taking and having a high index of suspicions on malaria when dealing with feverish patients originated particularly from African countries.
Fulltext Electrospun Polyacrylonitrile/Lignin/Poly(Ethylene Glycol)-Based Porous Activated Carbon Nanofiber for Removal of Nickel(II) Ion from Aqueous Solution

Zakaria AF, Kamaruzaman S, Abdul Rahman N

Polymers (Basel), 2021 Oct 19;13(20).
PMID: 34685349 DOI: 10.3390/polym13203590

The issue of heavy metal contamination has caused a great deal of concern among water quality experts today, as it contributes to water pollution. Activated carbon nanofibers (ACNFs) showed a significant ability in removing heavy metals from the wastewater. In this study, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) was blended and electrospun with an abundant and inexpensive biopolymer, lignin and a water soluble polymer, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), by using an electrospinning technique to form nanofibers. The electrospun nanofibers were then investigated as a precursor for the production of porous ACNFs to study the removal of nickel(II) ions by adsorption technique. PEG was added to act as a porogen and to create the porous structure of carbon nanofibers (CNFs). CNFs were prepared by thermal treatment of the electrospun nanofibers and followed by activation of CNFs by thermal and acid treatment on CNFs. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) spectral analysis of the ACNFs showed a strong absorption peak of the C-O functional group, indicating the increase in the oxygenated compound. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images concluded that the ACNFs have more porous and compact fibers with a smaller fiber diameter of 263 ± 11 nm, while the CNFs are less compact and have slightly larger fiber diameter of 323 ± 6 nm. The adsorption study showed that the ACNFs possessed a much higher adsorption capacity of 18.09 mg/g compared with the CNFs, which the amount adsorbed was achieved only at 2.7 mg/g. The optimum adsorption conditions that gave the highest percentage of 60% for nickel(II) ions removal were 50 mg of adsorbent dosage, 100 ppm of nickel(II) solution, pH 3, and a contact time of 60 min. The study demonstrated that the fabrication of ACNFs from PAN/lignin/PEG electrospun nanofibers have potential as adsorbents for the removal of heavy metal contaminants.
Fulltext Preparation and Characterization of Highly Porous Polyacrylonitrile Electrospun Nanofibers Using Lignin as Soft Template via Selective Chemical Dissolution Technique

Ahmad MAT, Abdul Rahman N

Polymers (Basel), 2021 Nov 15;13(22).
PMID: 34833237 DOI: 10.3390/polym13223938

In this study, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) was mixed with a renewable polymer, lignin, to produce electrospun nanofibers by using an electrospinning technique. Lignin was utilized as a soft template that was removed from the nanofibers by using a selective dissolution technique to create porous PAN nanofibers. These nanofibers were characterized with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) to study their properties and morphology. The results showed that lignin can be homogeneously mixed into the PAN solution and successfully electrospun into nanofibers. FESEM results showed a strong relationship between the PAN: lignin ratio and the diameter of the electrospun fibers. Lignin was successfully removed from electrospun nanofibers by a selective chemical dissolution technique, which resulted in roughness and porousness on the surface of the nanofibers. Based on the BET result, the specific surface area of the PAN/lignin nanofibers was more than doubled following the removal of lignin compared to PAN nanofibers. The highest specific surface area of nanofibers after selective chemical dissolution was found at an 8:2 ratio of PAN/lignin, which was 32.42 m2g-1 with an average pore diameter of 5.02 nm. The diameter of electrospun nanofibers was also slightly reduced after selective chemical dissolution. Porous PAN nanofibers can be seen as the precursors to the production of highly porous carbon nanofibers.
Fulltext Gigantism of the lower limb in Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome: anatomy of the lateral marginal vein

Abdul-Rahman NR, Mohammad KF, Ibrahim S

Singapore Med J, 2009 Jun;50(6):e223-5.
PMID: 19551303

The Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome is a combination of venous and capillary malformations associated with soft tissue and/or bony limb hypertrophy, with or without lymphatic malformations. Although persistent foetal veins are rare, the persistence of the lateral marginal vein is a common association in this syndrome. It results in venous hypertension, which gives rise to venous varicosities, which are commonly seen in this syndrome. This is a case report of a 28-year-old man with Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome, with persistence of the lateral marginal vein, affecting his right lower limb. He was treated with an above-knee amputation. The amputated limb was dissected to demonstrate the anatomy of the lateral marginal vein. To the best of the authors' knowledge, the gross anatomy of the lateral marginal vein has not been previously reported.
Fulltext Why does maxillary skeletal expansion work with some adults and fail with Others?: A narrative review

Allam A, Ahmed B, Ab Rahman N

Saudi Dent J, 2024 Jul;36(7):984-989.
PMID: 39035558 DOI: 10.1016/j.sdentj.2024.04.008

Maxillary skeletal expansion is considered a challenging treatment modality in adult ages. Mini-screw-assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) is considered a pioneer in providing a solution for maxillary deficiency in adults away from any surgical interventions. If we consider patient cooperation and motivation, together with operator skills, as constant factors during MARPE, and exclude all hygiene and soft tissue complications that jeopardise the appliance's stability, there is a percentage of expansion failure recorded in different studies with no emphasis on what makes mid-facial diastema appear in some, rather than others. Electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science, were searched for literature published in English till 2023. Failure was related in some literature to different criteria, as of yet, no verifiable indicators would allow us to determine success or failure in advance. This review highlighted the most common reasons for failure discussed in different literature: Chronological Age, Mid-palatal suture maturation, Bone density, Sex, Race, Appliance design, and Expansion technique used. This study could be considered an attempt to make candidate selection for non-surgical maxillary skeletal expansion at this old age easier, time-saving, and cost less.
Fulltext Health profiles of foreigners attending primary care clinics in Malaysia

Ab Rahman N, Sivasampu S, Mohamad Noh K, Khoo EM

BMC Health Serv Res, 2016 06 14;16:197.
PMID: 27301972 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-016-1444-0

BACKGROUND: The world population has become more globalised with increasing number of people residing in another country for work or other reasons. Little is known about the health profiles of foreign population in Malaysia. The aim of this study was to provide a detailed description of the health problems presented by foreigners attending primary care clinics in Malaysia.

METHODS: Data were derived from the 2012 National Medical Care Survey (NMCS), a cross sectional survey of primary care encounters from public and private primary care clinics sampled from five regions in Malaysia. Patients with foreign nationality were identified and analysed for demographic profiles, reasons for encounter (RFEs), diagnosis, and provision of care.

RESULTS: Foreigners accounted for 7.7 % (10,830) of all patient encounters from NMCS. Most encounters were from private clinics (90.2 %). Median age was 28 years (IQR: 24.0, 34.8) and 69.9 % were male. Most visits to the primary care clinics were for symptom-based complaints (69.5 %), followed by procedures (23.0 %) and follow-up visit (7.4 %). The commonest diagnosis in public clinics was antenatal care (21.8 %), followed by high risk pregnancies (7.5 %) and upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) (6.8 %). Private clinics had more cases for general medical examination (13.5 %), URTI (13.1 %) and fever (3.9 %). Medications were prescribed to 76.5 % of these encounters.

CONCLUSIONS: More foreigners were seeking primary medical care from private clinics and the encounters were for general medical examinations and acute minor ailments. Those who sought care from public clinics were for obstetric problems and chronic diseases. Medications were prescribed to two-thirds of the encounters while other interventions: laboratory investigations, medical procedures and follow-up appointment had lower rates in private clinics. Foreigners are generally of young working group and are expected to have mandatory medical checks. The preponderance of obstetrics seen in public clinics suggests a need for improved access to maternal care and pregnancy related care. This has implication on policy and health care provision and access for foreigners and future studies are needed to look into strategies to solve these problems.
Food waste and food processing waste for biohydrogen production: a review

Yasin NH, Mumtaz T, Hassan MA, Abd Rahman N

J Environ Manage, 2013 Nov 30;130:375-85.
PMID: 24121591 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2013.09.009

Food waste and food processing wastes which are abundant in nature and rich in carbon content can be attractive renewable substrates for sustainable biohydrogen production due to wide economic prospects in industries. Many studies utilizing common food wastes such as dining hall or restaurant waste and wastes generated from food processing industries have shown good percentages of hydrogen in gas composition, production yield and rate. The carbon composition in food waste also plays a crucial role in determining high biohydrogen yield. Physicochemical factors such as pre-treatment to seed culture, pH, temperature (mesophilic/thermophilic) and etc. are also important to ensure the dominance of hydrogen-producing bacteria in dark fermentation. This review demonstrates the potential of food waste and food processing waste for biohydrogen production and provides a brief overview of several physicochemical factors that affect biohydrogen production in dark fermentation. The economic viability of biohydrogen production from food waste is also discussed.
Plant proteins, minerals and trace elements of Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat Ali)

Chua LS, Abdul-Rahman N, Rosidi B, Lee CT

Nat Prod Res, 2013 Mar;27(4-5):314-8.
PMID: 22468741 DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2012.676552

A water extraction method has been used to extract plant proteins from the roots of Eurycoma longifolia harvested from Perak and Pahang, Malaysia. On the basis of the spectroscopic Bradford assay, Tongkat Ali Perak and Pahang contained 0.3868 and 0.9573 mg mL(-1) of crude protein, respectively. The crude proteins were separated by one dimensional 15% sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis into two (49.8 and 5.5 kD) and four (49.8, 24.7, 21.1 and 5.5 kD) protein spots for Tongkat Ali Perak and Pahang, respectively. Isoleucine was present in the highest concentration significantly. Both plant samples showed differences in the mineral and trace element profiles, but the minerals calcium, magnesium and potassium were present in the highest concentration. The highly concerned toxic metals such as arsenic and lead were not detected.
Fulltext 3-(2-Amino-phenyl-sulfanyl)-1,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one

Yaeghoobi M, Khaledi H, Abdullah Z, Abd Rahman N

Acta Crystallogr Sect E Struct Rep Online, 2011 Jul 1;67(Pt 7):o1693.
PMID: 21837090 DOI: 10.1107/S1600536811022112

In the title compound, C(21)H(19)NOS, the three aromatic rings are not coplanar, the dihedral angles between them being 84.75 (7), 88.01 (8) and 8.36 (16)°. In the crystal, two types of C-H⋯ π inter-actions, one of which is weak, and N-H⋯π inter-actions link the mol-ecules into layers parallel to the ab plane.
Fulltext Tropospheric Ozone Formation Estimation in Urban City, Bangi, Using Artificial Neural Network (ANN)

Abdul Aziz FAB, Abd Rahman N, Mohd Ali J

Comput Intell Neurosci, 2019;2019:6252983.
PMID: 31239836 DOI: 10.1155/2019/6252983

Due to the rapid development of economy and society around the world, the most urban city is experiencing tropospheric ozone or commonly known as ground-level air pollutants. The concentration of air pollutants must be identified as an early precaution step by the local environmental or health agencies. This work aims to apply the artificial neural network (ANN) in estimating the ozone concentration forecast in Bangi. It consists of input variables such as temperature, relative humidity, concentration of nitrogen dioxide, time, UVA and UVB rays obtained from routine monitoring, and data recorded. Ten hidden layer is utilized to obtain the optimized ozone concentration, which is the output layer of the ANN framework. The finding showed that the meteorology condition and emission patterns play an important part in influencing the ozone concentration. However, a single network is sufficient enough to estimate the concentration despite any circumstances. Thus, it can be concluded that ANN is able to give reliable and satisfactory estimations of ozone concentration for the following day.
Identification of Copy Number Variation Among Nonsyndromic Cleft Lip and or Without Cleft Palate With Hypodontia: A Genome-Wide Association Study

Ghazali N, Abd Rahman N, Ahmad A, Sulong S, Kannan TP

Front Physiol, 2021;12:637306.
PMID: 33732167 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.637306

Nonsyndromic cleft lip and or without cleft palate (NSCL/P) with the hypodontia is a common developmental abnormality in humans and animals. This study identified the genetic aberration involved in both NSCL/P and hypodontia pathogenesis. A cross-sectional study using genome-wide study copy number variation-targeted CytoScan 750K array carried out on salivary samples from 61 NSCL/P and 20 noncleft with and without hypodontia Malay subjects aged 7-13 years old. Copy number variations (CNVs) of SKI and fragile histidine triad (FHIT) were identified in NSCL/P and noncleft children using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) as a validation analysis. Copy number calculated (CNC) for each gene determined with Applied Biosystems CopyCaller Software v2.0. The six significant CNVs included gains (12q14.3, 15q26.3, 1p36.32, and 1p36.33) and losses (3p14.2 and 4q13.2) in NSCL/P with hypodontia patients compared with the NSCL/P only. The genes located in these regions encoded LEMD3, IGF1R, TP73, SKI, FHIT, and UGT2β15. There were a significant gain and loss of both SKI and FHIT copy number in NSCL/P with hypodontia compared with the noncleft group (p < 0.05). The results supported that CNVs significantly furnish to the development of NSCL/P with hypodontia.
Fulltext Extraction and Characterization of Cellulose Nanocrystals from Tea Leaf Waste Fibers

Abdul Rahman NH, Chieng BW, Ibrahim NA, Abdul Rahman N

Polymers (Basel), 2017 Nov 07;9(11).
PMID: 30965890 DOI: 10.3390/polym9110588

The aim was to explore the utilization of tea leaf waste fibers (TLWF) as a source for the production of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC). TLWF was first treated with alkaline, followed by bleaching before being hydrolyzed with concentrated sulfuric acid. The materials attained after each step of chemical treatments were characterized and their chemical compositions were studied. The structure analysis was examined by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). From FTIR analysis, two peaks at 1716 and 1207 cm-1-which represent C=O stretching and C⁻O stretching, respectively-disappeared in the spectra after the alkaline and bleaching treatments indicated that hemicellulose and lignin were almost entirely discarded from the fiber. The surface morphology of TLWF before and after chemical treatments was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) while the dimension of CNC was determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The extraction of CNC increased the surface roughness and the crystallinity index of fiber from 41.5% to 83.1%. Morphological characterization from TEM revealed the appearance of needle-like shaped CNCs with average diameter of 7.97 nm. The promising results from all the analyses justify TLWF as a principal source of natural materials which can produce CNC.
Fulltext Optimization of Protective Agents for The Freeze-Drying of Paenibacillus polymyxa Kp10 as a Potential Biofungicide

Nasran HS, Mohd Yusof H, Halim M, Abdul Rahman N

Molecules, 2020 Jun 04;25(11).
PMID: 32512825 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25112618

Anthracnose is a fungal disease causing major losses in crop production. Chemical fungicides widely used in crop plantations to combat fungal infections can be a threat to the environment and humans in the long term. Recently, biofungicides have gained much interest as an alternative to chemical fungicides due to their environmentally friendly nature. Biofungicide products in powder form can be formulated using the freeze-drying technique to provide convenient storage. Protective agent formulation is needed in maintaining the optimal viable cells of biofungicide products. In this study, 8.10 log colony-forming unit (CFU)/mL was the highest cell viability of Paenibacillus polymyxa Kp10 at 22 h during incubation. The effects of several selected protective agents on the viability of P. polymyxa Kp10 after freeze-drying were studied. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used for optimizing formulation for the protective agents. The combination of lactose (10% w/v), skim milk (20% w/v), and sucrose (27.5% w/v) was found to be suitable for preserving P. polymyxa Kp10 during freeze-drying. Further, P. polymyxa Kp10 demonstrated the ability to inhibit fungal pathogens, Colletotrichum truncatum and C. gloeosporioides, at 60.18% and 66.52% of inhibition of radial growth, respectively.
A retrospective analysis of the relationship between facial injury and mild traumatic brain injury

Abdul Razak N, Nordin R, Abd Rahman N, Ramli R

Dent Traumatol, 2017 Oct;33(5):400-405.
PMID: 28649703 DOI: 10.1111/edt.12355

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The association between facial injury characteristics and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the association between facial injury characteristics and mTBI.
METHODS: A retrospective review utilizing patients' medical records at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was performed. Records of subjects with a history of facial trauma from 1 April 2012 to 31 December 2012 were selected. Various levels and surgical speciality records were reviewed to ascertain the diagnoses of facial injuries and mTBI.
RESULTS: A total of 348 medical records with the diagnosis of facial injuries were included. The prevalence of mTBI among these patients was 41.4% (95% CI 36.2-46.6). The majority of the patients with mTBI were in the age group of 18-25 years old. Patients with or without facial lacerations that were located on the lower face had a significant association with mTBI, P=.001, compared to other types of soft tissue injury. In addition, a statistically significant association was observed between facial fractures occurring to the middle face and mTBI, P=.018. Pearson chi-square test also showed statistically significant association between the severity of facial injuries and mTBI, P=.018.
CONCLUSIONS: Mild traumatic brain injury should be suspected in patients with facial injuries and particularly those with lower face lacerations, midface fractures, moderate to severe facial injury and presence of multiple injuries.
Fulltext Effects of osmotic dehydration treatment on volatile compound (Myristicin) content and antioxidants property of nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) pericarp

Rahman N, Xin TB, Kamilah H, Ariffin F

J Food Sci Technol, 2018 Jan;55(1):183-189.
PMID: 29358809 DOI: 10.1007/s13197-017-2883-2

The effects of osmotic dehydration (OD) treatment on volatile compound (myristicin) content and the antioxidant capacity of nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) were studied. Fresh nutmeg pericarps were treated with varying sugar concentrations (60, 70, 80%) with different soaking periods at ambient temperature. The OD-treated nutmeg extracts were analyzed for myristicin content via Gas Chromatography Flame Ionization Detector. The phenolic content and antioxidant capacity were analyzed using Follin-Ciocalteu and a free radical scavenging activity assay. The myristicin content was highest (1.69 mg/100 mg) at 80% sugar concentration after 3 h of soaking. Total phenolic content and free radical scavenging activity were highest at 3 h of 80% sugar solution treatment with values of 76.90% and 1.75 mg GAE/g, respectively. OD treatment at varying sugar concentration levels and durations affects the production of myristicin and antioxidant composition. Treatment of nutmeg with OD at 80% sugar concentration for 3 h is preferable, resulting in an acceptable level of myristicin and high antioxidants.
Fulltext Sodium Alginate/β-Cyclodextrin Reinforced Carbon Nanotubes Hydrogel as Alternative Adsorbent for Nickel(II) Metal Ion Removal

Zakaria AF, Kamaruzaman S, Abdul Rahman N, Yahaya N

Polymers (Basel), 2022 Dec 16;14(24).
PMID: 36559892 DOI: 10.3390/polym14245524

Water pollution issues, particularly those caused by heavy metal ions, have been significantly growing. This paper combined biopolymers such as sodium alginate (SA) and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) to improve adsorption performance with the help of calcium ion as the cross-linked agent. Moreover, the addition of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into the hybrid hydrogel matrix was examined. The adsorption of nickel(II) was thoroughly compared between pristine sodium alginate/β-cyclodextrin (SA-β-CD) and sodium alginate/β-cyclodextrin immobilized carbon nanotubes (SA-β-CD/CNTs) hydrogel. Both hydrogels were characterized by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) spectral analysis, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), electron dispersive spectroscopy (EDX), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis. The results showed SA-β-CD/CNTs hydrogel exhibits excellent thermal stability, high specific surface area and large porosity compared with SA-β-CD hydrogel. Batch experiments were performed to study the effect of several adsorptive variables such as initial concentration, pH, contact time and temperature. The adsorption performance of the prepared SA-β-CD/CNTs hydrogel was comprehensively reported with maximum percentage removal of up to 79.86% for SA-β-CD/CNTs and 69.54% for SA-β-CD. The optimum adsorption conditions were reported when the concentration of Ni(II) solution was maintained at 100 ppm, pH 5, 303 K, and contacted for 120 min with a 1000 mg dosage. The Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second order kinetic model are the best fits to describe the adsorption behavior. A thermodynamic study was also performed. The probable interaction mechanisms that enable the successful binding of Ni(II) on hydrogels, including electrostatic attraction, ion exchange, surface complexation, coordination binding and host-guest interaction between the cationic sites of Ni(II) on both SA-β-CD and SA-β-CD/CNTs hydrogel during the adsorption process, were discussed. The regeneration study also revealed the high efficiency of SA-β-CD/CNTs hydrogel on four successive cycles compared with SA-β-CD hydrogel. Therefore, this work signifies SA-β-CD/CNTs hydrogel has great potential to remove Ni(II) from an aqueous environment compared with SA-β-CD hydrogel.
Implementing primary eye care in private practises in Malaysia: the challenges faced by optometrists

Yahaya NA, Musa A, Azemin MZC, Rahman NAA

Med J Malaysia, 2023 May;78(3):357-363.
PMID: 37271846

OBJECTIVE: In Malaysia, optometrists' role in the private sector is limited compared to their counterparts elsewhere. Primary eye care (PEC) is still not widely offered in private practises despite its demand to reduce the public's eye morbidity. This study aims to explore the challenges perceived by the private sector optometrists in implementing PEC in Malaysia.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: In-depth interview using semistructured open-ended questions were designed to explore the challenges of implementing PEC. Fifteen private optometrists across Malaysian were interviewed via purposive sampling until the data were saturated. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed.
RESULTS: Four major themes emerged: working environment, support and recognition, self-sufficiency and customer influence. The first major theme identified a lack of time and equipment in the workplace as a barrier to PEC implementation. The second major theme acknowledges the lack of support and recognition for PEC practise from financial bodies, the government, Malaysian Optical Council (MOC) and other eye professionals. Meanwhile, some practising optometrists faced significant challenges due to their lack of self-sufficiency regarding skills, knowledge and confidence. The final major theme, customer influence, reflects the customer's role in shaping eye care delivery through their perception and acceptance of PEC.
CONCLUSION: Each of the issues identified played a significant impact in impeding PEC implementation in Malaysia. This study is the first step toward developing tailored interventions to improve eye care delivery in Malaysia.
Fulltext Fusion of protegrin-1 and plectasin to MAP30 shows significant inhibition activity against dengue virus replication

Rothan HA, Bahrani H, Mohamed Z, Abd Rahman N, Yusof R

PLoS One, 2014;9(4):e94561.
PMID: 24722532 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0094561

Dengue virus (DENV) broadly disseminates in tropical and sub-tropical countries and there are no vaccine or anti-dengue drugs available. DENV outbreaks cause serious economic burden due to infection complications that requires special medical care and hospitalization. This study presents a new strategy for inexpensive production of anti-DENV peptide-fusion protein to prevent and/or treat DENV infection. Antiviral cationic peptides protegrin-1 (PG1) and plectasin (PLSN) were fused with MAP30 protein to produce recombinant antiviral peptide-fusion protein (PG1-MAP30-PLSN) as inclusion bodies in E. coli. High yield production of PG1-MAP30-PLSN protein was achieved by solubilization of inclusion bodies in alkaline buffer followed by the application of appropriate refolding techniques. Antiviral PG1-MAP30-PLSN protein considerably inhibited DENV protease (NS2B-NS3pro) with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) 0.5±0.1 μM. The real-time proliferation assay (RTCA) and the end-point proliferation assay (MTT assay) showed that the maximal-nontoxic dose of the peptide-fusion protein against Vero cells is approximately 0.67±0.2 μM. The cell-based assays showed considerable inhibition of the peptide-fusion protein against binding and proliferating stages of DENV2 into the target cells. The peptide-fusion protein protected DENV2-challeged mice with 100% of survival at the dose of 50 mg/kg. In conclusion, producing recombinant antiviral peptide-fusion protein by combining short antiviral peptide with a central protein owning similar activity could be useful to minimize the overall cost of short peptide production and take advantage of its synergistic antiviral activities.
Nutritional value and therapeutic potential of Moringa oleifera: a short overview of current research

Bibi N, Rahman N, Ali MQ, Ahmad N, Sarwar F

Nat Prod Res, 2023 Dec 03.
PMID: 38043118 DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2023.2284862

A member of the Moringaceae family, Moringa Oleifera Lam is a perennial deciduous tropical tree known as the 'Miracle Tree' for its medicinal and nutritional benefits. Food and nutrition are crucial aspects of the development and maintenance of healthy health. Moringa oleifera is a multi-purpose herbal bush that is used as both human food and a medical alternative all over the world. Various parts of the tree are used to treat chronic diseases such as hypertension, heart disease, inflammation, oxidative stress, diabetes, and cancer. Moringa is an excellent source of essential nutrients and has been found to have a significant impact on improving nutritional deficiencies in populations with limited access to food. Moringa oleifera contains essential amino acids, carotenoids, minerals, fats, carbohydrates, proteins, phytochemicals, vitamins, and fibre. Moringa offers nutritional and economic advantages, medicinal and therapeutic uses, and future biological potential for human well-being.

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