Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 122 in total

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  1. Lim SM, Yim HS
    Int J Med Mushrooms, 2012;14(6):593-602.
    PMID: 23510253
    A central composite design of response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize the extraction time (X1: 266.4-393.6 min) and temperature (X2: 42.9-57.1°C) of Pleurotus ostreatus aqueous extract with high antioxidant activities, namely DPPH radical-scavenging activity, ABTS radical cation inhibition, and ferric reducing/antioxidant power, as well as total phenolic content (TPC). Results showed that the data were adequately fitted into four second-order polynomial models developed by RSM. The extraction time and temperature were found to have significant quadratic effects on antioxidant activities and TPC. The optimal extraction time and temperature were 282.3 min and 42.9°C (DPPH), 393.6 min and 42.9°C (ABTS), 340.4 min and 49.8°C (FRAP), and 347.6 min, 49.7°C (TPC), with corresponding yields of 53.32%, 73.20%, 37.14 mM Fe2+ equivalents/100 g, and 826.33 mg gallic acid equivalents/100 g, respectively. These experimental data were close to their predicted values. The establishment of such a model provides a good experimental basis for employing RSM to optimize the extraction time and temperature for high antioxidant activities from P. ostreatus.
  2. Lim SM, Law BP
    J Hum Nutr Diet, 2023 Oct;36(5):2073-2084.
    PMID: 37475527 DOI: 10.1111/jhn.13213
    BACKGROUND: Children are vulnerable, and they may experience their first serious food allergy reaction at school, where they spend much of their time. The present study aims to determine the level of food allergy knowledge, attitude and management (KAM) among preschool personnel in Klang Valley, Malaysia.

    METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 292 personnel working in Klang Valley preschools. The participants completed an online questionnaire asking about sociodemographic information and food allergy KAM. Mann-Whitney U and chi-squared tests were used to compare the KAM level between public and private preschool personnel and examine the association of KAM of food allergy with various sociodemographic factors, respectively.

    RESULTS: Some 86.3% of the participants demonstrated a low level of food allergy knowledge, 64.7% showed a negative food allergy attitude and 57.9% indicated fair food allergy management. The total mean score for food allergy knowledge was higher (p 

  3. Baharin J, Sahari NS, Lim SM
    Electron Physician, 2014;6(3):863-7.
    PMID: 25763159 DOI: 10.14661/2014.863-867
    Rhabdomyolysis is a serious but rare side effect of Lamivudine treatment. Therefore, appropriate biochemical monitoring should be undertaken when it is used in the treatment of hepatitis B. This paper presents a case of Lamivudine-associated rhabdomyolysis in a 31-year-old man with congenital heart disease and hepatitis B. Three days after starting Lamivudine, the patient developed myalgia. Significant muscle tenderness and swelling of the upper and lower limbs was discovered during a physical examination. Creatine kinase was markedly raised. Lamivudine-induced rhabdomyolysis was suspected and the drug was discontinued. Symptoms and creatine kinase activity improved within four days of Lamivudine cessation and hydration. Early identification of Lamivudine-induced rhabdomyolysis is key in preventing this potentially fatal drug reaction; withdrawal of Lamivudine may contribute to complete remission of rhabdomyolysis.
  4. Lim S, Yeap E, Lim Y, Yazid M
    Malays Orthop J, 2012 Jun;6(SupplA):28-34.
    PMID: 25279071 MyJurnal DOI: 10.5704/MOJ.1211.007
    BACKGROUND:
    Research is an essential activity required for the advancement of science and improvement of human existence. To carry out a research, a proposal is mandatory. However, in spite of the widespread demand for research proposals, experience has shown that a number of them are so poorly written that they rejected by assessors. This article aims at assisting researchers develop acceptable research proposals by reviewing the different components of a research proposal.
    METHOD:
    A review of relevant literature on research proposal writing sourced from manual library and internet search was used for this review
    RESULT:
    A research proposal is a formal and detailed statement of intent to carry out a research. It presents and justifies a plan of action and shows how the investigator thinks. A research protocol on the other hand is a plan written to seek approval for research from a supervisor or an organization. It is developed as a guide for a study and helps to keep the researcher focused on the topic and scope of the research. A research proposal has the following components: The Title page; The Abstract/Executive Summary; The Introduction/Statement of the Problem; Literature Review; Information on the applicant's centre; The Objectives/Research Questions/Hypotheses; The Study Design; Methods; Plans for Analysis; Data Analysis; Plans for Data Interpretation; Plans to report. Thus, although proposals and protocols are sometimes used interchangeably, a proposal precedes a protocol.
    CONCLUSION:
    To reduce the time wastage and frustration faced by intending researchers and their assessors it is essential that good proposals be written at all times.
  5. Lim FT, Lim SM, Ramasamy K
    Benef Microbes, 2017 Feb 07;8(1):97-109.
    PMID: 27903090 DOI: 10.3920/BM2016.0048
    There is growing interest in the use of probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) for prevention of hypercholesterolaemia. This study assessed the cholesterol lowering ability of Pediococcus acidilactici LAB4 and Lactobacillus plantarum LAB12 in growth media. Both LAB yielded >98% (39.2 μg/ml) cholesterol lowering in growth media. Nile Red staining indicated direct assimilation of cholesterol by the LAB. The LAB were then explored for their prophylactic (pre-treatment of HT29 cells with LAB prior to cholesterol exposure) and biotherapeutic (treatment of HT29 cells with LAB after exposure to cholesterol) use against short and prolonged exposure of HT29 cells to cholesterol, respectively. For HT29 cells pre-treated with LAB, cholesterol lowering was accompanied by down-regulation of ATP-binding cassette family transporter-type A1 (ABCA1), cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) and scavenger receptor class B member 1 (SCARB1). HT29 cells treated with LAB after prolonged exposure to cholesterol source, on the other hand, was associated with up-regulation of ABCA1, restoration of CD36 to basal level and down-regulation of Neimann-Pick C1-Like 1 (NPC1L1). The present findings implied the potential use of LAB4 and LAB12 as part of the strategies in prevention and management of hypercholesterolaemia.
  6. Lim FT, Lim SM, Ramasamy K
    Food Funct, 2017 Aug 01;8(8):2817-2828.
    PMID: 28725889 DOI: 10.1039/c7fo00764g
    This study assessed the cholesterol lowering effect of Pediococcus acidilactici LAB4 and Lactobacillus plantarum LAB12 using adult zebrafish. Animals were fed with a high cholesterol diet (HCD) with/without LAB for seven weeks. Serum and liver cholesterol was quantified using colorimetric and dye staining methods. Expressions of npc1l1 and abca1 in the liver and intestine and appa in the brain were quantified using RT-PCR. Serum and liver cholesterol was significantly lowered in LAB4- and LAB12-fed zebrafish (≤64% and ≤71%, respectively), with reduced liver cholesterol deposition. The cholesterol lowering effect was accompanied by down-regulation of npc1l1 in intestines (≤28.7%), up-regulation of abca1 in the liver (≥30.5%) and down-regulation of appa in the brain (≤24.5%). A moderately strong positive Pearson correlation (r = 0.617, p < 0.01) was found between appa and serum cholesterol. LAB-fed zebrafish exhibited improved spatial learning and memory. LAB4 and LAB12 can be potentially used in preventing hypercholesterolaemia and Alzheimer's diseases.
  7. Fareez IM, Lim SM, Ramasamy K
    Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins, 2019 06;11(2):447-459.
    PMID: 30003409 DOI: 10.1007/s12602-018-9442-7
    Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with probiotic properties are useful options for prophylactic and therapeutic applications against gastrointestinal diseases. The safety of probiotics should, however, be verified before incorporation into food or drinks. The present study had encapsulated Lactobacillus plantarum LAB12 within microcapsules that could withstand extremely high temperature (up to 100 °C) during pelletisation. The microencapsulated LAB12 were then tested for their acute (single dosing) and sub-chronic (a 90-day feeding) toxicity. For acute toxicity study, six male Sprague-Dawley rats were being administered with a single dose of freeze-dried microencapsulated LAB12 at 11 log CFU/kg BW through oral gavage. No clear treatment-related effects were observed after 14 days. For sub-chronic toxicity study, rodents were randomly divided into four groups (6 rats/sex/group) and treated with 0, 8, 9 and 10 log CFU/kg BW of microencapsulated LAB12 in pellet form. No mortality or treatment-related findings were observed in terms of clinical body weight, water intake, or food consumption. No treatment-related adverse effects were observed in blood and tissue samples. The no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) for microencapsulated LAB12 was 2.5 × 1010 CFU/kg BW for both genders. These results imply that LAB12 are likely non-pathogenic and non-toxic.
  8. Lim SM, Chua GG, Asrul F, Yazid M
    Malays Orthop J, 2017 Nov;11(3):63-65.
    PMID: 29326772 MyJurnal DOI: 10.5704/MOJ.1711.008
    The brachial artery is rarely injured in closed posterior dislocation of the elbow, unlike the high rate of vascular injury seen after dislocation of the knee. Despite the anatomical proximity of the brachial artery to the elbow joint, most cases of brachial artery injury after dislocation of the elbow are related to an associated fracture, an open injury or high-energy trauma. A high index of suspicion should be maintained as well as a thorough neurovascular examination with regards this potentially disastrous complication. We describe an unusual case of complete thrombosis of the brachial artery presenting with a posterior elbow dislocation following a fall (low energy trauma) that was treated nonoperatively. At three months follow-up, patient had good circulation over the affected limb, no complaints of ischemic pain or cold intolerance, no signs of Volkmann's ischemic contracture, and a range of motion that was comparable to the contralateral limb.
  9. Wong R, Lim SM, Pang G
    Malays Orthop J, 2023 Mar;17(1):184-187.
    PMID: 37064630 DOI: 10.5704/MOJ.2303.022
    Fracture-dislocations of the hip is the result of high-energy trauma which necessitates urgent reduction. Closed reduction is usually attempted first and if failed, open reduction is indicated and may require more than one surgical approach. However, there is also the option of managing it with vector traction. This case report details the treatment of a middle-aged gentleman who sustained a left hip central dislocation which was gradually reduced with vector traction prior to surgery and in doing so, diminished the risk of him developing several potentially debilitating complications known to be associated with surgical fixation of such injuries.
  10. Lim SM, Law H, Lee SS
    Foods, 2023 Jul 25;12(15).
    PMID: 37569092 DOI: 10.3390/foods12152824
    Suboptimal food is defined as physically imperfect food that deviates from the norm in terms of appearance without compromising its intrinsic quality or safety. Consumers' quality perception and acceptance of suboptimal food contribute to food waste. Therefore, this study aims to explore consumers' quality perception and acceptance of suboptimal food and the factors associated with the acceptance of suboptimal food. An online survey was conducted among 414 consumers residing in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, through convenience sampling. They completed an online questionnaire asking for sociodemographic information, quality perception and acceptance of suboptimal food, and information related to food waste. Only 11.4% of consumers chose suboptimal foods, with visually deviated suboptimal foods (apples with brown spots) having the lowest acceptance (9.9%). Consumers perceived suboptimal foods as unattractive and that they should be consumed quickly. Malays were less likely to accept suboptimal foods, while middle-income households were more likely to accept suboptimal foods at home. In conclusion, consumers have a low acceptance of suboptimal food, and suboptimal food was perceived as unappealing and that it should be consumed quickly. Notwithstanding the findings that emerge from this, the results may lack generalisability to the wider population as only a convenience sample was used.
  11. Fareez IM, Lim SM, Ramasamy K
    Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins, 2024 Feb;16(1):99-112.
    PMID: 36508139 DOI: 10.1007/s12602-022-10020-y
    The pathogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC) is associated with gut dysbiosis that is attributed to unhealthy lifestyles and dietary habits. Consumption of microencapsulated probiotics may potentially restore the gut microbiota in favour of prevention against CRC. This study determined the fate of microencapsulated Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (formerly known as Lactobacillus plantarum) LAB12 in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and assessed the chemopreventive effect of microencapsulated L. plantarum LAB12 in vivo. The targeted release of L. plantarum LAB12 from Alg-based microcapsules at the stomach, ileum, caecum and colon of Sprague-Dawley rats was examined by confocal microscopy and qPCR. Microcapsules loaded with L. plantarum LAB12 remained intact in the stomach. Free L. plantarum LAB12 were present in abundance (> 7 log CFU) only in the intestines. Subsequently, the chemopreventive properties of microencapsulated L. plantarum LAB12 were validated against NU/NU nude mice bearing orthotopic transplanted CT-26 CRC (12 female mice; 4-6 weeks old; 20-22 g; n = 6/group). Orthotopic mice pre-supplemented with microencapsulated L. plantarum LAB12 (10 log CFU kg-1 BW for 11 weeks) were presented with significantly (p 
  12. Saniasiaya J, Lim SM, Kulasegarah J
    Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 2023 Jun;75(2):1274-1276.
    PMID: 37276073 DOI: 10.1007/s12070-022-03411-8
    BACKGROUND: Airway obstruction in a child requires expedite management in addition to comprehensive discussion between the Otolaryngology and Anaesthesiology team to formulate a treatment plan to ensure safe airway. Juvenile-onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (JORRP) is an exophytic benign laryngeal lesion which poses a great challenge when presented with respiratory distress.

    OBJECTIVE: This paper presents a novel, safe and cost-effective approach to temporary tracheal ventilation of the obstructed airway in a child with juvenile-onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis using the laryngeal suction tube connected to general anaesthetic (GA) machine.

    RESULT AND CONCLUSION: Rigid laryngeal suction tube is placed through the side-port of Lindholm laryngoscope and connected to breathing circuit of GA machine. Manual bagging ventilation with 100% FiO2 achieved good oxygenation throughout the debulking of the papilloma without hindering the surgical field. Our technique utilizes the readily available equipment whilst enabling safe anaesthesia and providing good surgical field during excision of obstructive papillomatous airway lesion.

  13. Fareez IM, Lim SM, Mishra RK, Ramasamy K
    Int J Biol Macromol, 2015 Jan;72:1419-28.
    PMID: 25450046 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2014.10.054
    The vulnerability of probiotics at low pH and high temperature has limited their optimal use as nutraceuticals. This study addressed these issues by adopting a physicochemical driven approach of incorporating Lactobacillus plantarum LAB12 into chitosan (Ch) coated alginate-xanthan gum (Alg-XG) beads. Characterisation of Alg-XG-Ch, which elicited little effect on bead size and polydispersity, demonstrated good miscibility with improved bead surface smoothness and L. plantarum LAB12 entrapment when compared to Alg, Alg-Ch and Alg-XG. Sequential incubation of Alg-XG-Ch in simulated gastric juice and intestinal fluid yielded high survival rate of L. plantarum LAB12 (95%) at pH 1.8 which in turn facilitated sufficient release of probiotics (>7 log CFU/g) at pH 6.8 in both time- and pH-dependent manner. Whilst minimising viability loss at 75 and 90 °C, Alg-XG-Ch improved storage durability of L. plantarum LAB12 at 4 °C. The present results implied the possible use of L. plantarum LAB12 incorporated in Alg-XG-Ch as new functional food ingredient with health claims.
  14. Boo NY, Lim SM, Koh KT, Lau KF, Ravindran J
    Med J Malaysia, 2008 Oct;63(4):306-10.
    PMID: 19385490 MyJurnal
    This study aimed to identify the risk factors which were significantly associated with low birth weight (LBW, <2500 g) infants among the Malaysian population. This was a case-control study carried out at the Tuanku Jaafar Hospital, Seremban, Malaysia over a five-month period. Cases were all infants born with birth weight less than 2500 g. Control infant were selected with the help a random sampling table from among infants with birth weight of > or =2500 g born on the same day in the hospital. Of 3341 livebirths delivered in the hospital, 422 (12.6%) were LBW infants. Logistic regression analysis showed that, after controlling for various potential confounders, the only significant risk factors associated with infants of LBW were gestational age (adjusted odds ratio (OR)=0.6, 95% C.I.: 0.5, 0.6; < 0.0001), maternal pre-pregnancy weight (adjusted OR = 0.97, 95% C.I.: 0.95, 0.99; p < 0.0001), nulliparity (adjusted OR = 3.4, 95% C.I.: 2.2, 5.1; p < 0.0001), previous history of LBW infants (adjusted OR = 2.3, 95% C.I.: 1.4, 3.8; p=0.001) and PIH during current pregnancy (adjusted OR=3.3, 95% C.I.: 1.6, 6.6; p = 0.001). A number of potentially preventable or treatable risk factors were identified to be associated with LBW infants in Malaysia.
  15. Hashim H, Sahari NS, Sazlly Lim SM, Hoo FK
    Iran Red Crescent Med J, 2015 Oct;17(10):e19546.
    PMID: 26568856 DOI: 10.5812/ircmj.19546
    INTRODUCTION: The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), in 1996, has resulted in marked reductions in the rate of illness and death, due to HIV infection. The HAART has transformed HIV infection into a manageable chronic disease. However, although many regimens lower plasma viral load, to below the limit of detection, in most patients, maintaining viral load suppression remains challenging, because of adverse effects and toxicity in the long term, which can lead to non-adherence, virologic failure and drug resistance. Although rare, lactic acidosis often develops fatal complications, as reported in several human immunodeficiency virus infected patients treated with nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). The purpose of this paper is to report a case of tenofovir induced lactic acidosis and review the literature.

    CASE PRESENTATION: A 52-year-old Malay gentleman, with hepatitis C virus and HIV infection was admitted to the intensive care unit for severe lactic acidosis, with concurrent Escherichia coli bacteremia with multiorgan dysfunction. The patient was started on highly active antiretroviral therapy, which included tenofovir, 5 weeks before presentation. Antimicrobial therapy, continuous veno-venous hemofiltration, and other supportive treatments were instituted. However, the patient eventually succumbed to his illness.

    CONCLUSIONS: It is essential for clinicians to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of lactic acidosis in NRTIs treated HIV patients, as an early diagnosis is important to institute treatment.

  16. Lim SM, Goh YM, Mohtarrudin N, Loh SP
    BMC Complement Altern Med, 2016 May 23;16:140.
    PMID: 27216718 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-016-1116-y
    Germinated brown rice (GBR) is a novel functional food that is high in fiber and bioactive compounds with health-promoting properties. This study aims to evaluate anti-obesity effects of GBR in obese rats fed high-fat diet (HFD).
  17. Lim SM, Mohamad Hanif EA, Chin SF
    Cell Biosci, 2021 Mar 20;11(1):56.
    PMID: 33743781 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-021-00570-z
    Autophagy is a conserved cellular process required to maintain homeostasis. The hallmark of autophagy is the formation of a phagophore that engulfs cytosolic materials for degradation and recycling to synthesize essential components. Basal autophagy is constitutively active under normal conditions and it could be further induced by physiological stimuli such as hypoxia, nutrient starvation, endoplasmic reticulum stress,energy depletion, hormonal stimulation and pharmacological treatment. In cancer, autophagy is highly context-specific depending on the cell type, tumour microenvironment, disease stage and external stimuli. Recently, the emerging role of autophagy as a double-edged sword in cancer has gained much attention. On one hand, autophagy suppresses malignant transformation by limiting the production of reactive oxygen species and DNA damage during tumour development. Subsequently, autophagy evolved to support the survival of cancer cells and promotes the tumourigenicity of cancer stem cells at established sites. Hence, autophagy is an attractive target for cancer therapeutics and researchers have been exploiting the use of autophagy modulators as adjuvant therapy. In this review, we present a summary of autophagy mechanism and controlling pathways, with emphasis on the dual-role of autophagy (double-edged sword) in cancer. This is followed by an overview of the autophagy modulation for cancer treatment and is concluded by a discussion on the current perspectives and future outlook of autophagy exploitation for precision medicine.
  18. Lim SM, Agatonovic-Kustrin S, Lim FT, Ramasamy K
    J Pharm Biomed Anal, 2021 Jan 30;193:113702.
    PMID: 33160220 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2020.113702
    Bioactive compounds from endophytic fungi exhibit diverse biological activities which include anticancer effect. Capitalising on the abundance of unexplored endophytes that reside within marine plants, this study assessed the anticancer potential of ethyl acetate endophytic fungal extracts (i.e. MBFT Tip 2.1, MBL 1.2, MBS 3.2, MKS 3 and MKS 3.1) derived from leaves, stem and fruits of marine plants that grow along Morib Beach, Malaysia. For identification of endophytic fungi, EF 4/ EF 3 and ITS 1/ ITS 4 PCR primer pairs were used to amplify the fungal 18S rDNA sequence and ITS region sequence, respectively. The resultant sequences were subjected to similarity search via the NCBI GenBank database. High-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) hyphenated with bioassays was used to characterise the extracts in terms of their phytochemical profiles and bioactivity. Microchemical derivatisation was used to assess polyphenolic and phytosterol/ terpenoid content whereas biochemical derivatisation was used to establish antioxidant activities and α-amylase enzyme inhibition. The sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay was used to assess the anticancer effect of the extracts against HCT116 (a human colorectal cancer cell line). The present results indicated MBS 3.2 (Penicillium decumbens) as the most potent extract against HCT116 (IC50 = 0.16 μg/mL), approximately 3-times more potent than 5-flurouracil (IC50 = 0.46 μg/mL). Stepwise multiple regression method suggests that the anticancer effect of MBS 3.2 could be associated with high polyphenolic content and antioxidant potential. Nonlinear regression analysis confirmed that low to moderate α-amylase inhibition exhibits maximum anticancer activity. Current findings warrant further in-depth mechanistic studies.
  19. Umirah F, Neoh CF, Ramasamy K, Lim SM
    Diabetes Res Clin Pract, 2021 Mar;173:108689.
    PMID: 33549678 DOI: 10.1016/j.diabres.2021.108689
    AIMS: This systematic review summarised the latest findings on differential composition of gut microbiota in T2DM.

    METHODS: Literature search was performed using electronic databases. Relevant studies were identified, extracted and assessed for risk of bias. The primary outcome of this systematic review was the composition of gut microbiota in healthy controls and T2DM while the secondary outcomes included the correlation of gut microbiota with metabolic parameters.

    RESULTS: Thirteen case-control studies involving 575 T2DM and 840 healthy controls were included. T2DM patients exhibited a marked increase in lactobacilli. Six studies found lactobacilli to predominate the gut of T2DM patients; however, this could be confounded by the types of antihyperglyacemic medications. Conversely, butyrate producers dominate the gut of healthy controls. In T2DM patients, butyrate producers were surprisingly higher in those taking metformin intake than those not taking the drug. Whilst lactobacilli were found to be higher with increased plasma glucose, conflicting correlations were observed between various genera and anthropometric measurements, dietary intake, lipid profiles and inflammatory markers. There were moderate to strong significant positive correlations between the class Clostridia and phylum Firmicutes with pro-inflammatory IFN-γ as well as between Negativicutes and IL-6.

    CONCLUSIONS: Altogether, butyrate-producing bacteria are negatively correlated to glycaemic parameters. Lactobacilli are higher in T2DM patients and Firmicutes is correlated with inflammation.

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