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  1. Fulltext Normal vestibulo ocular reflex (vor) gain measured using the video head impulse test (vhit) in healthy young adults.
    Jamaluddin SA, Omar NA
    IIUM Medical Journal Malaysia, 2019;18(3):88-94.
    MyJurnal
    Many new objective tests to assess the function of specific structures of the vestibular organ are currently adopted in vestibular clinics. One of the objective assessments include the video head impulse test (vHIT) where gain & velocity responses of eye relative to the head movements are recorded using an infrared camera. Methods: Thirty normal hearing subjects age between 18 to 25 years old participated in this study. At least ten Lateral, Left Anterior Right Posterior (LARP), and Right Anterior Left Posterior (RALP) responses were recorded for each participant by making small and rapid unpredictable head movements. Results: The average velocity gain for Lateral responses at 40 ms, 60 ms and 80 ms were 1.05 ± 0.003, 1.03 ± 0.002 and 1.01 ± 0.003 respectively. The LARP average velocity regression were 1.01 ± 0.24 for Left Anterior and 1.05 ± 0.25 for Right Posterior, with an average gain asymmetry of 5.13%. The RALP average velocity regression were 1.08 ± 0.31 for Right Anterior and 1.12 ± 0.30 for Left Posterior, with an average gain asymmetry of 5.87%. One sample T-test were conducted to compare Lateral responses to a previous study by Mossman et al. (2015) where significant differences in velocity gain at 60 ms and 80 ms between studies were found where, t (59) = 5.56, p
  2. Heavy metal exposure from cooked rice grain ingestion and its potential health risks to humans from total and bioavailable forms analysis
    Praveena SM, Omar NA
    Food Chem, 2017 Nov 15;235:203-211.
    PMID: 28554627 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.05.049
    Heavy metal in rice studies has attracted a greater concern worldwide. However, there have been limited studies on marketed rice samples although it represents a vital ingestion portion for a real estimation of human health risk. This study was aimed to determine both total and bioaccessible of trace elements and heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Co, Al, Zn, As, Pb and Fe) in 22 varieties of cooked rice using an inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy. Both total and bioaccessible of trace elements and heavy metals were digested using closed-nitric acid digestion and Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (RIVM) in vitro digestion model, respectively. Human health risks via Health Risk Assessment (HRA) were conducted to understand exposure risks involving adults and children representing Malaysian population. Zinc was the highest while As was the lowest contents for total and in their bioavailable forms. Four clusters were identified: (1) Pb, As, Co, Cd and Cr; (2) Cu and Al; (3) Fe and (4) Zn. For HRA, there was no any risks found from single element exposure. While potential carcinogenic health risks present for both adult and children from single As exposure (Life time Cancer Risk, LCR>1×10(-4)). Total Hazard Quotient values for adult and children were 27.0 and 18.0, respectively while total LCR values for adult and children were 0.0049 and 0.0032, respectively.
  3. Neurotrophin-3 and neurotrophin-4: The unsung heroes that lies behind the meninges
    Omar NA, Kumar J, Teoh SL
    Neuropeptides, 2022 Jan 07;92:102226.
    PMID: 35030377 DOI: 10.1016/j.npep.2022.102226
    Neurotrophin is a growth factor that regulates the development and repair of the nervous system. From all factors, two pioneer groups, the nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), have been widely explored for their role in disease pathogenesis and potential use as therapeutic agents. Nonetheless, neurotrophin-3 (NT3) and neurotrophin-4 (NT4) also have promising potential, albeit less popular than their counterparts. This review focuses on the latter two factors and their roles in the pathogenesis of brain disorders and potential therapies. An extensive literature search of NT3 and NT4 with their receptors, the TrkB and TrkC on the nervous system were extracted and analyzed. We found that NT3 and NT4 are not only involved in the pathogenesis of some neurodegenerative diseases, but also have promising therapeutic potential on injury- and vascular-related nervous system disease, neuropsychiatry, neurodegeneration and peripheral nerve diseases. In conclusion, the role of NT3 and NT4 should be further emphasized, and more studies could be explored on the potential use of these neurotrophins in the human study.
  4. Fulltext Parkinson's disease model in zebrafish using intraperitoneal MPTP injection
    Omar NA, Kumar J, Teoh SL
    Front Neurosci, 2023;17:1236049.
    PMID: 37694115 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1236049
    INTRODUCTION: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease that severely affects the quality of life of patients and their family members. Exposure to 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) has been shown to reflect behavioral, molecular, and proteomic features of PD. This study aimed to assess the protocol for inducing PD following MPTP injection in adult zebrafish.

    METHODS: Fish were injected with 100 μg/g of MPTP intraperitoneally once or twice and then assessed on days 1 to 30 post-injection.

    RESULTS: Between one-time and two-time injections, there was no significant difference in most locomotor parameters, expressions of tyrosine hydroxylase-2 (th2) and dopamine transporter (dat) genes, and dopaminergic neurons (tyrosine hydroxylase positive, TH+ cells) counts. However, caspase-3 levels significantly differed between one- and two-time injections on the day 1 assessment.

    DISCUSSION: Over a 30-day period, the parameters showed significant differences in swimming speed, total distance traveled, tyrosine hydroxylase-1 (th1) and dat gene expressions, caspase-3 and glutathione protein levels, and TH+ cell counts. Days 3 and 5 showed the most changes compared to the control. In conclusion, a one-time injection of MPTP with delayed assessment on days 3 to 5 is a good PD model for animal studies.

  5. Health Risk Assessment using in vitro digestion model in assessing bioavailability of heavy metal in rice: A preliminary study
    Omar NA, Praveena SM, Aris AZ, Hashim Z
    Food Chem, 2015 Dec 1;188:46-50.
    PMID: 26041162 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.04.087
    Little is known about the bioavailability of heavy metal contamination and its health risks after rice ingestion. This study aimed to determine bioavailability of heavy metal (As, Cd, Cu, Cr, Co, Al, Fe, Zn and Pb) concentrations in cooked rice and human Health Risk Assessment (HRA). The results found Zn was the highest (4.3±0.1 mg/kg), whereas As showed the lowest (0.015±0.001 mg/kg) bioavailability of heavy metal concentration in 22 varieties of cooked rice. For single heavy metal exposure, no potential of non carcinogenic health risks was found, while carcinogenic health risks were found only for As. Combined heavy metal exposures found that total Hazard Quotient (HQtotal) values for adult were higher than the acceptable range (HQTotal<1), whereas total Lifetime Cancer Risk (LCRTotal) values were higher than the acceptable range (LCRTotal values >1×10(-4)) for both adult and children. This study is done to understand that the inclusion of bioavailability heavy metal into HRA produces a more realistic estimation of human heavy metal exposure.
  6. Atypical neuroleptic malignant syndrome and non-alcoholic Wernicke's encephalopathy
    Hor ESL, Singh GP, Omar NA, Russell V
    BMJ Case Rep, 2021 Aug 05;14(8).
    PMID: 34353834 DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2021-244082
    We report the case of a middle-aged woman with a history of bipolar disorder, in the absence of alcohol or substance misuse. The patient had been maintained on fluphenazine decanoate depot and now presented acutely with cognitive dysfunction and rigidity. Laboratory tests revealed elevated creatine kinase, acute kidney injury with metabolic acidosis and transaminitis, leading to a provisional diagnosis of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). Neuroleptics were withheld; dialysis was commenced; and blood biochemistry parameters improved in tandem. However, mental status changes persisted, and re-evaluation revealed multidirectional nystagmus with bilateral past-pointing. MRI confirmed the diagnosis of Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE). Prompt recovery followed treatment with high-dose intravenous thiamine. We discuss the co-occurrence of NMS and non-alcoholic WE-highlighting the need for a high index of suspicion for these relatively rare neuropsychiatric diagnoses which are often missed in those with atypical presentations.
  7. Fulltext Lentinus squarrosulus (Mont.) mycelium enhanced antioxidant status in rat model
    Mhd Omar NA, Abdullah S, Abdullah N, Kuppusamy UR, Abdulla MA, Sabaratnam V
    Drug Des Devel Ther, 2015;9:5957-64.
    PMID: 26604694 DOI: 10.2147/DDDT.S90746
    Lentinus squarrosulus is an edible wild mushroom commonly found in Asia. This species has several interesting features such as rapid mycelial growth, and hence has the potential to be used as food, functional food, and nutraceuticals. Our previous study shows that L. squarrosulus contains potent antioxidant compounds in vitro. This study aims to investigate the in vivo bioavailability of L. squarrosulus mycelium extract and its antioxidant effect on biomarkers of antioxidant defense and oxidative stress.
  8. Fulltext The usability evaluation on mobile learning apps with gamification for middle-aged women
    Mohtar S, Jomhari N, Omar NA, Mustafa MBP, Yusoff ZM
    Educ Inf Technol (Dordr), 2023;28(1):1189-1210.
    PMID: 35912038 DOI: 10.1007/s10639-022-11232-z
    Mobile learning and gamification are becoming increasingly popular, especially in education. Numerous researches suggest that mobile learning apps with gamification can improve student learning. However, there are fewer studies that analyze the gamification effects and usability of mobile apps for middle-aged women. The aim of this study is to propose a new mobile learning app with gamification aspects for the use of middle-aged women in memorizing Arabic words. In the preliminary study, pre and post-tests were conducted to determine the effect of the use of the gamification application on 61 middle-aged women using Kahoot! game. The results from the Kahoot! game shows that participants enjoy learning and can memorize Arabic words effectively, indicating that gamification can motivate learning among middle-aged women. Then the usability of a new mobile app prototype containing learning notes and quizzes for user self-learning purposes was evaluated using three (3) criteria namely effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction. The considered indicators to measure the application's effectiveness are (a) tapping behaviour (number of taps used to perform a specific task), (b) number of attempts (how many times users tried to complete the task successfully), and (c) quiz score (score obtained by user after self-learning using the mobile app). Two variables were used to measure the efficiency of the application: the duration of task completion and the number of requests for help. In order to evaluate the satisfaction, a questionnaire was used to determine how respondents rated the mobile app's usability. The usability evaluation results show that the proposed mobile app was effective as users could utilize all the modules provided and successfully answer the quiz questions.
  9. Fulltext Exploring food waste during the COVID-19 pandemic among Malaysian consumers: The effect of social media, neuroticism, and impulse buying on food waste
    Lahath A, Omar NA, Ali MH, Tseng ML, Yazid Z
    Sustain Prod Consum, 2021 Oct;28:519-531.
    PMID: 34722847 DOI: 10.1016/j.spc.2021.06.008
    The amount of food being thrown away despite being in an edible condition has become alarming in countries with populations with medium and high incomes. Changes in consumer behaviour, such as overbuying, are some of the major impetuses of food waste. This study aimed to examine the relationship between food waste and social media usage, neuroticism, and impulse buying. The mediating role of impulse buying and the moderating role of neuroticism on food waste during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic were also uncovered in this study. A self-administered online survey was distributed to a total of 274 consumers who had experienced a lockdown during the COVID-19 outbreak and were also regular buyers of food. Empirical findings supported the fact that social media usage, neuroticism, and impulse buying were positively related to food waste. Impulse buying mediates the relationship between social media usage and food waste, as well as between neuroticism and food waste. The study results also revealed that neuroticism positively moderates the relationship between social media usage and food waste. This paper offers new insights into efforts for sustainable food consumption to tackle the issue of food waste.
  10. Fulltext Nutritional Composition, Antioxidant Activities, and Antiulcer Potential of Lentinus squarrosulus (Mont.) Mycelia Extract
    Mhd Omar NA, Abdullah N, Kuppusamy UR, Abdulla MA, Sabaratnam V
    Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2011;2011:539356.
    PMID: 21423634 DOI: 10.1155/2011/539356
    Water extract of Lentinus squarrosulus mycelia was analysed for nutritional content, antioxidant capacity, and antiulcer ability. The extract contains high protein (57.6 g/100 g) and low total fat (0.5 g/100 g) and is rich in magnesium (0.4 g/100 g), potassium (3.8 g/100 g), vitamins B(1) (1.42 mg/100 g), and B(3) (194.29 mg/100 g) with total phenolic content of 39.16 mg/100 g. The cupric reducing antioxidant capacity and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity of the extract were A(450) of 0.20 ± 0.03 at 0.5 mg/ml and IC(50) of 14.29 mg/ml, respectively. Oral feeding of L. squarrosulus extract (250 mg/kg) offered significant gastric mucosal protection of Sprague-Dawley rats compared to cimetidine (50 mg/kg). The ulcer healing rate of ulcerated rats after 24, 48, and 72 hours of treatment was 82%, 90%, and 100%, respectively. The IL-1β level in the serum and the NF-κB level in the tissues indicate that the healing potential was associated with attenuation of proinflammatory cytokines.
  11. Fulltext Reheated palm oil consumption and risk of atherosclerosis: evidence at ultrastructural level
    Xian TK, Omar NA, Ying LW, Hamzah A, Raj S, Jaarin K, et al.
    Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2012;2012:828170.
    PMID: 23320039 DOI: 10.1155/2012/828170
    Background. Palm oil is commonly consumed in Asia. Repeatedly heating the oil is very common during food processing. Aim. This study is aimed to report on the risk of atherosclerosis due to the reheated oil consumption. Material and Methods. Twenty four male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into control, fresh-oil, 5 times heated-oil and 10 times heated-oil feeding groups. Heated palm oil was prepared by frying sweet potato at 180°C for 10 minutes. The ground standard rat chows were fortified with the heated oils and fed it to the rats for six months. Results. Tunica intima thickness in aorta was significantly increased in 10 times heated-oil feeding group (P < 0.05), revealing a huge atherosclerotic plaque with central necrosis projecting into the vessel lumen. Repeatedly heated oil feeding groups also revealed atherosclerotic changes including mononuclear cells infiltration, thickened subendothelial layer, disrupted internal elastic lamina and smooth muscle cells fragmentation in tunica media of the aorta. Conclusion. The usage of repeated heated oil is the predisposing factor of atherosclerosis leading to cardiovascular diseases. It is advisable to avoid the consumption of repeatedly heated palm oil.
  12. Ocular burns and related injuries due to fireworks during the Aidil Fitri celebration on the East Coast of the Peninsular Malaysia
    Rashid RA, Heidary F, Hussein A, Hitam WH, Rashid RA, Ghani ZA, et al.
    Burns, 2011 Feb;37(1):170-3.
    PMID: 20576358 DOI: 10.1016/j.burns.2010.05.019
    This study aims to describe the epidemiology of ocular burns and related injuries due to fireworks during the Aidil Fitri celebration on the East Coast of the Peninsular Malaysia. A prospective analysis of all patients with ocular burns and related injuries due to fireworks attended three tertiary hospitals in East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia during Aidil Fitri, which was from 10 September to 17 October 2008. We observed the demographic and injury characteristics, extent of the injuries and presenting visual symptoms. Thirty patients with 34 eyes with ocular burns and related injuries were identified. Patients ranged between 2 and 43 years of age. 70.00% of the patients were 12 years old and below. Of the 30 patients, 29 (96.67%) were male and the left eye was affected in 14 (46.70%). Thermal injuries accounted for 60.0% of the injuries whereas 40.0% were due to exploding firework. Burns to the eyelid and cornea (35.29%) were the most common injuries noted. Fifteen patients (50%) were bystanders whilst a majority of patients (96.67%) had no eye protection. At presentation, 15 (44.12%) eyes had a visual acuity of 6/6 to 6/9 in the injured eyes, while 3 out of 34 eyes (8.82%) had vision acuity 6/60 or worse. In conclusion, fireworks cause serious preventable ocular burns and related injuries especially in children who are the most affected age group. It affects mainly eyelid and anterior segment structures which result in moderate visual loss on presentation. Health education, public awareness and tighter legislation are essential preventive measures to limit the effect of fireworks to the public.
  13. Farmers' attitudes towards GM crops and their predictors
    Mustapa MAC, Batcha MFN, Amin L, Arham AF, Mahadi Z, Yusoff NAM, et al.
    J Sci Food Agric, 2021 Oct;101(13):5457-5468.
    PMID: 33709409 DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.11194
    BACKGROUND: Genetically modified (GM) crops have become a controversial global issue since their commercialization in 1996. However, despite technological advancements, only a few studies have investigated farmers' attitudes towards GM crops in Malaysia. Therefore, this study aims to analyse such attitudes and their determining factors. A validated questionnaire was distributed to farmers in the Cameron Highlands, Pahang (n = 176). SPSS software was used to analyse the descriptive statistics of the farmers' attitudes to GM crops, while SmartPLS software was used to determine the predictors.

    RESULTS: Descriptive analysis shows that the farmers claimed to have a high level of self-efficacy, and perceived GM crops as possessing high benefits which translate into a highly positive attitude towards GM crops. However, at the same time, they rated GM crops as involving moderate risks and would incur moderate costs to farm, as well as acknowledging a low level of support from the government. The structural equation model (SEM) analysis demonstrates that five factors have been identified as direct predictors of attitude to GM crops: government support (ß = 0.364, P 

  14. Fulltext People's Perceptions and Coping Strategies During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Phenomenological-Longitudinal Study in Bangladesh
    Jannat T, Omar NA, Che Senik Z, Ayob AH, Al Mamun A, Arefin MS, et al.
    Omega (Westport), 2023 Apr 27.
    PMID: 37106521 DOI: 10.1177/00302228231173605
    By emphasizing the Terror Management Theory, this study investigated the participants' perceptions, psychological experiences, coping strategies, and behavioral changes during the pandemic in Bangladesh in two phases: first, after the pandemic's immediate outbreak, and second, after 3 months of the pandemic (daily infection cases were very high). To perform the research, an empirical-phenomenological method was used. Findings indicate that at the first stage, participants' death phobia was extremely high, and poor medical facilities, religious struggles, imprudent behavior of others, concerns for family members, and a tendency to compare the socioeconomic status with other developed countries affected participants' emotions severely. Later on, participants' perceptions of the disease changed significantly. This study highlights that people's behavior varies depending on whether the thought of death is in the center or on the periphery of their attention. In both stages, religious faith and rituals played a crucial role in coping with the crisis situation.
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