Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 120 in total

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  1. An Analysis of the Distribution of Glasgow Coma Scale Scores across Pan-Asian Trauma Outcomes Study (PATOS) Regions
    Capuano B, Cone DC
    Prehosp Disaster Med, 2022 Feb 14.
    PMID: 35156605 DOI: 10.1017/S1049023X2200019X
    BACKGROUND: The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) was devised in 1974 as a way of tracking the progress of neurosurgical coma patients. It is comprised of three components: eye movement, response to verbal commands, and motor function. Since then, it has become the primary tool in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and emergency departments for assessing cognitive function and triaging patients in the setting of acute trauma. However, the GCS was never intended to be used in such a way. It has been demonstrated that there is a high degree of inter-rater variability when assigning GCS scores for trauma patients. Potential differences in GCS score assignments between different countries were examined. It was hypothesized there would be differences in mean total and component scores.

    METHODS: Using de-identified data from the Pan-Asian Trauma Outcomes Study (PATOS), the distributions of GCS scores from six countries were assessed: Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Using SPSS data analysis, a one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests were performed to compare the means of the three GCS components and the total GCS scores reported by EMS personnel caring for trauma patients.

    RESULTS: Data from 15,173 cases showed significant differences in mean total GCS score between countries (P

  2. The cost-effectiveness of boceprevir for hepatitis C
    Neoh CF, Kong DC
    Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res, 2014 Jun;14(3):319-34.
    PMID: 24708054 DOI: 10.1586/14737167.2014.906306
    Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is costly to treat and, has high morbidity and mortality. The addition of new protease inhibitors (i.e., boceprevir, telaprevir), to the standard dual therapy with pegylated interferon-α and ribavirin, for the treatment of HCV infection has demonstrated superior efficacy with shorter treatment duration, but at higher drug acquisition costs and incidence of adverse events. Robust economic data are required to inform healthcare decision for the optimal use of these expensive antiviral agents. Accordingly, this review will explore the clinical and economic aspects of boceprevir-based treatment strategies. Important considerations, challenges and gaps for future pharmacoeconomic research in this setting are highlighted.
  3. Techniques of extracorporeal cytokine removal: a systematic review of human studies
    Atan R, Crosbie DC, Bellomo R
    Ren Fail, 2013 Sep;35(8):1061-70.
    PMID: 23866032 DOI: 10.3109/0886022X.2013.815089
    Hypercytokinemia is believed to be harmful and reducing cytokine levels is considered beneficial. Extracorporeal blood purification (EBP) techniques have been studied for the purpose of cytokine reduction. We aimed to study the efficacy of various EBP techniques for cytokine removal as defined by technical measures.
  4. A comparison between senior medical students' and pharmacy pre-registrants' knowledge and perceptions of generic medicines
    Hassali MA, Kong DC, Stewart K
    Med Educ, 2007 Jul;41(7):703-10.
    PMID: 17614892
    To ascertain any differences in knowledge and perceptions of generic medicines between senior (final year) medical students and pharmacy pre-registrants in Australia.
  5. Unilateral periorbital swelling with vesicular golden crust forehead rash
    Khoo EJ, Vijayakulasingam T, Ng DC
    J Paediatr Child Health, 2018 Dec;54(12):1397.
    PMID: 30506775 DOI: 10.1111/jpc.2_14277
  6. Unilateral periorbital swelling with vesicular golden crust forehead rash
    Khoo EJ, Vijayakulasingam T, Ng DC
    J Paediatr Child Health, 2018 Dec;54(12):1394.
    PMID: 30506773 DOI: 10.1111/jpc.1_14277
  7. Fulltext Actinomycosis of the spine: two case reports
    David CV, Jayalakshmi P
    Med J Malaysia, 1983 Jun;38(2):161-3.
    PMID: 6621449
    Two cases of Actinomycosis of the spine with paraparesis are reported. The characteristic radiological features involving both the vertebral bodies and the ribs are seen. Confirmation by means of histopathology and culture was necessary and both patients responded well to penicillin.
  8. Fulltext Determining the effectiveness of the different preparation protocols for platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in yielding higher concentrations of platelets
    Kavitha, G., Sangeetha, V.N., Shani, S., Murali, M.R., Raja, E.A., Rukmanikanthan, S., et al.
    JUMMEC, 2011;14(2):1-6.
    MyJurnal
    INTRODUCTION: Despite the various methods described in producing platelet-rich plasma (PRP), it is well established that this biological product in its many preparations have been proven to enhance wound healing. However, very little have been known about the efficacy of these methods hence there is a lack of evidence in the superiority of one method over another. Thus, a study was conducted to compare these different protocols to determine which produces the highest concentration of platelets.
    METHODS: Peripheral blood was obtained from 24 healthy volunteers. Four different protocols using similar 2 step centrifugation methods of preparing PRP were applied to an equal number of samples in this study. Platelet counts were performed on whole blood (without processing), PRP preparations and platelet-poor plasma (PPP).
    RESULTS: All protocols produced higher amounts of platelet concentrates in PRP preparations than plasma. However, centrifugation at 150g for 10 minutes followed by another at 450g at 10 minutes produces significantly higher amount of platelets concentration (p<0.05)
    CONCLUSION: Optimizing the protocols to produce PRP appears to be important in obtaining a maximal yield of platelet concentrate. Here the protocol described has shown to provide significant concentration yield over all others.
    Keywords: platelet-rich-plasma, growth factors, centrifugal forces
  9. Random multispace quantization as an analytic mechanism for BioHashing of biometric and random identity inputs
    Teoh AB, Goh A, Ngo DC
    IEEE Trans Pattern Anal Mach Intell, 2006 Dec;28(12):1892-901.
    PMID: 17108365
    Biometric analysis for identity verification is becoming a widespread reality. Such implementations necessitate large-scale capture and storage of biometric data, which raises serious issues in terms of data privacy and (if such data is compromised) identity theft. These problems stem from the essential permanence of biometric data, which (unlike secret passwords or physical tokens) cannot be refreshed or reissued if compromised. Our previously presented biometric-hash framework prescribes the integration of external (password or token-derived) randomness with user-specific biometrics, resulting in bitstring outputs with security characteristics (i.e., noninvertibility) comparable to cryptographic ciphers or hashes. The resultant BioHashes are hence cancellable, i.e., straightforwardly revoked and reissued (via refreshed password or reissued token) if compromised. BioHashing furthermore enhances recognition effectiveness, which is explained in this paper as arising from the Random Multispace Quantization (RMQ) of biometric and external random inputs.
  10. Fulltext Antibiotic use in residential aged care facilities
    Lim CJ, Stuart RL, Kong DC
    Aust Fam Physician, 2015 Apr;44(4):192-6.
    PMID: 25901402
    BACKGROUND: High infection burden among the residential aged care facility (RACF) population has long been recognised; however, existing infection prevention effort is often limited to infection surveillance activity. There is a scarcity of evidence to guide antimicrobial stewardship in the Australian RACF setting.
    OBJECTIVE: This review summarises the current trends in antibiotic use and multi-drug resistant (MDR) organisms, challenges related to antibiotic prescribing and areas of suboptimal antibiotic prescribing for further improvement, particularly in the Australian RACF setting.
    DISCUSSION: There is widespread antibiotic prescribing in RACF, which may lead to the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Accordingly, there is an immediate need for judicious antibiotic use in this high-risk population to curb the rapid emergence of MDR organisms and other adverse consequences associated with inappropriate antibiotic use, as well as to reduce healthcare costs.
  11. Intermittent Treatment with the Psychodynamic Psychiatrist: A Patient-Centered Approach
    Olarte SW, Teo DCL, Alfonso CA
    Psychodyn Psychiatry, 2020;48(3):314-336.
    PMID: 32996848 DOI: 10.1521/pdps.2020.48.3.314
    This study examines the experiences of patients in treatment with psychodynamic psychiatrists on an intermittent basis following an initial brief period of intensive psychotherapy and stabilization. Patients with non-psychotic disorders who received intermittent treatment answered a web-based questionnaire describing the usefulness of various supportive, cognitive-behavioral, and psychodynamic interventions. Forty-eight out of 58 patients invited to participate completed the survey (83% response rate). The majority (75%) of respondents welcomed the intermittent treatment frame. Therapeutic factors deemed to be most helpful included supportive interventions such as ability to relate to the clinician, ability of clinician to listen empathically, and feeling supported by a non-judgemental therapist when talking about private matters. The majority of respondents also endorsed as highly beneficial various cognitive-behavioral interventions such as understanding how thinking patterns impact behavior and feelings and discussing alternative coping skills. Also highly rated were psychodynamic interventions, including understanding how the present is modeled from past experiences and expression and regulation of affect. In the open-ended qualitative feedback, therapeutic factors including collaboration, forming an alliance, and empathic attunement emerged as important. Our preliminary findings suggest that the intermittent psychodynamic treatment frame is well received by patients. Patients welcome integration of different psychotherapeutic approaches to individualize treatment. The common factors in psychotherapy are important patient-reported therapeutic factors in the intermittent treatment approach.
  12. Downstream protein separation by surfactant precipitation: a review
    Wong FWF, Ariff AB, Stuckey DC
    Crit Rev Biotechnol, 2018 Feb;38(1):31-46.
    PMID: 28427287 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2017.1312266
    In a conventional protein downstream processing (DSP) scheme, chromatography is the single most expensive step. Despite being highly effective, it often has a low process throughput due to its semibatch nature, sometimes with nonreproducible results and relatively complex process development. Hence, more work is required to develop alternative purification methods that are more cost-effective, but exhibiting nearly comparable performance. In recent years, surfactant precipitation has been heralded as a promising new method for primary protein recovery that meets these criteria and is a simple and cost-effective method that purifies and concentrates. The method requires the direct addition of a surfactant to a complex solution (e.g. a fermentation broth) containing the protein of interest, where the final surfactant concentration is maintained below its critical micelle concentration (CMC) in order to allow for electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions between the surfactant and the target protein. An insoluble (hydrophobic) protein-surfactant complex is formed and backextraction of the target protein from the precipitate into a new aqueous phase is then carried out using either solvent extraction, or addition of a counter-ionic surfactant. Importantly, as highlighted by past researchers, the recovered proteins maintain their activity and structural integrity, as determined by circular dichroism (CD). In this review, various aspects of surfactant precipitation with respect to its general methodology and process mechanism, system parameters influencing performance, protein recovery, process selectivity and process advantages will be highlighted. Moreover, comparisons will be made to reverse micellar extraction, and the current drawbacks/challenges of surfactant precipitation will also be discussed. Finally, promising directions of future work with this separation technique will be highlighted.
  13. Novel approaches to purifying bacteriocin: A review
    Jamaluddin N, Stuckey DC, Ariff AB, Faizal Wong FW
    Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2018;58(14):2453-2465.
    PMID: 28609113 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2017.1328658
    Bacteriocin is a proteinaceous biomolecule produced by bacteria (both Gram-positive and Gram-negative) that exhibits antimicrobial activity against closely related species, and food-borne pathogens. It has recently gained importance and attracted the attention of several researchers looking to produce it from various substrates and bacterial strains. This ushers in a new era of food preservation where the use of bacteriocin in food products will be an alternative to chemical preservatives, and heat treatment which are understood to cause unwanted side effects, and reduce sensory and nutritional quality. However, this new market depends on the success of novel downstream separation schemes from various types of crude feedstocks which are both effective and economic. This review focuses on the downstream separation of bacteriocin from various sources using both conventional and novel techniques. Finally, recommendations for future interesting areas of research that need to be pursued are highlighted.
  14. Recovery of a bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance from Pediococcus acidilactici Kp10 using surfactant precipitation
    Wong FWF, Ariff AB, Abbasiliasi S, Stuckey DC
    Food Chem, 2017 Oct 01;232:245-252.
    PMID: 28490071 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.03.102
    Bacteriocin is an important peptide which can be used as an anti-microbial agent in food. However, simpler and more cost-effective purification methods need to be developed compared to chromatography to enhance its commercial viability. Surfactant precipitation was employed for the first time to purify bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance (BLIS) from a fermentation broth of Pediococcus acidilactici Kp10, and the amount precipitated was investigated as a function of anionic surfactant (AOT) concentration, and pH. Protein recovery from the precipitate was accomplished using solvent extraction, and solvent type, NaCl concentration, and ionic strength of the final solution were optimised. Optimal conditions were; 1.05mM of AOT at pH 4 for precipitation, and acetone extraction (with 1mM NaCl), which resulted in an 86.3% yield, and 53.8 purification factor. This study highlighted the fact that surfactant precipitation can be used as a primary recovery method for BLIS from a complex fermentation broth.
  15. More than a Bump on the Head
    Ling C, Ng DCE, A/P Bag Amiya Kumar T
    J Pediatr, 2021 Nov;238:331.
    PMID: 34181984 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.06.052
  16. The first reported case of mycetoma caused by Streptomyces somaliensis in Malaysia
    Soo-Hoo TS, David CV
    Australas J Dermatol, 1982 Aug;23(2):87-9.
    PMID: 7181789
  17. The initial kinetics of NH3/NH4(+) efflux from L3 Teladorsagia circumcincta
    Muhamad N, Walker LR, Pedley KC, Simcock DC, Brown S
    Parasitol Int, 2012 Sep;61(3):487-92.
    PMID: 22562002 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2012.04.003
    The initial rate of NH(3)/NH(4)(+) accumulation in a medium containing L(3) Teladorsagia circumcincta was 0.18-0.6 pmol h(-1) larva(-1), which increased linearly with larval density. However it appeared that the larva-generated external concentration of NH(3)/NH(4)(+) did not exceed about 130 μM. The rate of NH(3)/NH(4)(+) accumulation increased with temperature between 4 °C and 37 °C, declined with increasing pH or increasing external NH(3)/NH(4)(+) concentration and was not significantly affected by the concentration of the phosphate buffer or by exsheathing the larvae. We infer from these data that the efflux of NH(3)/NH(4)(+) is a diffusive process and that the secreted or excreted NH(3)/NH(4)(+) is generated enzymatically rather than dissociating from the surface of the nematode. The enzymatic source of the NH(3)/NH(4)(+) is yet to be identified. Since the concentration of NH(3)/NH(4)(+) in the rumen and abomasum is higher than 130 μM, it is unlikely that T. circumcincta contributes to it, but NH(3)/NH(4)(+) may be accumulated from the rumen fluid by the nematode.
  18. Entrance surface dose and image quality: comparison of adult chest and abdominal X-ray examinations in general practitioner clinics, public and private hospitals in Malaysia
    Hambali AS, Ng KH, Abdullah BJ, Wang HB, Jamal N, Spelic DC, et al.
    Radiat Prot Dosimetry, 2009 Jan;133(1):25-34.
    PMID: 19223292 DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncp007
    This study was undertaken to compare the entrance surface dose (ESD) and image quality of adult chest and abdominal X-ray examinations conducted at general practitioner (GP) clinics, and public and private hospitals in Malaysia. The surveyed facilities were randomly selected within a given category (28 GP clinics, 20 public hospitals and 15 private hospitals). Only departmental X-ray units were involved in the survey. Chest examinations were done at all facilities, while only hospitals performed abdominal examinations. This study used the x-ray attenuation phantoms and protocols developed for the Nationwide Evaluation of X-ray Trends (NEXT) survey program in the United States. The ESD was calculated from measurements of exposure and clinical geometry. An image quality test tool was used to evaluate the low-contrast detectability and high-contrast detail performance under typical clinical conditions. The median ESD value for the adult chest X-ray examination was the highest (0.25 mGy) at GP clinics, followed by private hospitals (0.22 mGy) and public hospitals (0.17 mGy). The median ESD for the adult abdominal X-ray examination at public hospitals (3.35 mGy) was higher than that for private hospitals (2.81 mGy). Results of image quality assessment for the chest X-ray examination show that all facility types have a similar median spatial resolution and low-contrast detectability. For the abdominal X-ray examination, public hospitals have a similar median spatial resolution but larger low-contrast detectability compared with private hospitals. The results of this survey clearly show that there is room for further improvement in performing chest and abdominal X-ray examinations in Malaysia.
  19. Fulltext Farming fish in the sea will not nourish the world
    Belton B, Little DC, Zhang W, Edwards P, Skladany M, Thilsted SH
    Nat Commun, 2020 11 16;11(1):5804.
    PMID: 33199697 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19679-9
    Recent literature on marine fish farming brands it as potentially compatible with sustainable resource use, conservation, and human nutrition goals, and aligns with the emerging policy discourse of 'blue growth'. We advance a two-pronged critique. First, contemporary narratives tend to overstate marine finfish aquaculture's potential to deliver food security and environmental sustainability. Second, they often align with efforts to enclose maritime space that could facilitate its allocation to extractive industries and conservation interests and exclude fishers. Policies and investments that seek to increase the availability and accessibility of affordable and sustainable farmed aquatic foods should focus on freshwater aquaculture.
  20. The kinetic properties of the glutamate dehydrogenase of Teladorsagia circumcincta and their significance for the lifestyle of the parasite
    Muhamad N, Simcock DC, Pedley KC, Simpson HV, Brown S
    Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol, 2011 Jun;159(2):71-7.
    PMID: 21296180 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2011.01.008
    Like other nematodes, both L(3) and adult Teladosagia circumcincta secrete or excrete NH(3)/NH(4)(+), but the reactions involved in the production are unclear. Glutamate dehydrogenase is a significant source NH(3)/NH(4)(+) in some species, but previous reports indicate that the enzyme is absent from L(3)Haemonchus contortus. We show that glutamate dehydrogenase was active in both L(3) and adult T. circumcincta. The apparent K(m)s of the L(3) enzyme differed from those of the adult enzyme, the most significant of these being the increase in the K(m) for NH(4)(+) from 18mM in L(3) to 49mM in adults. The apparent V(max) of the oxidative deamination reaction was greater than that of the reductive reaction in L(3), but this was reversed in adults. The activity of the oxidative reaction of the L(3) enzyme was not affected by adenine nucleotides, but that of the reductive reaction was stimulated significantly by either ADP or ATP. The L(3) enzyme was more active with NAD(+) than it was with NADP(+), although the activities supported by NADH and NADPH were similar at saturating concentrations. While the activity of the oxidative reaction was sufficient to account for the NH(3)/NH(4)(+) efflux we have previously reported, the reductive amination reaction was likely to be more active.
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