The comparison between betaglucuronidase (BG) with plasma butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) as biomarker of low-level organophosphate insecticide among vector control operators / Muhamad Ashraf Rostam

This study aims to compare two detection methods of organophosphate poisoning using plasma butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and β-glucuronidase (BG) assay, their relationship with insecticide exposure characteristics, as well as comparing the differences of both biomarkers between the exposed group (vector control operators) with the non-exposed control group (normal Malaysian). A total of 96 vector control operators from four centres; Pejabat Kesihatan Daerah (PKD) Petaling, PKD Kuala Langat, PKD Kuala Selangor and Majlis Bandaraya Shah Alam were the subject group while 49 healthy blood donors from Pusat Darah Negara were recruited as the negative control group. Occupational insecticide poisoning characteristics of the subject group (employment period, lapse time between insecticide use and blood collection, type of insecticide used, types of Personal Protective Equipments (PPE) and compliance with use) were obtained through questionnaire. The association of BChE and BG level with age, race, employment year, compliance to PPE use, and lapse time between insecticide use and blood collection were evaluated. Both assays showed similar results where both were not influenced by the mentioned variables. A comparison between the methods of both the assays provides insight into suitability of each biomarker for different situations. BChE assay is recommended as a suitable assay for acute exposure to insecticides due to its rapid test turnaround time. Meanwhile BG assay is suitable for continuous biomonitoring of organophosphate poisoning among occupationally exposed workers due to its low cost and minimal laboratory requirement. A correlation test between BChE and BG level showed significant positive correlation (r=0.301, p=0.003). Comparison of the results of BChE and BG level among the control and subject group showed no significant difference (/?>0.05). In conclusion, findings of this study show that assaying for the BG enzyme can be an alternative or additional method to determine organophosphate poisoning alongside the BChE assay. The reference value established for BG assay from this study is between the range of 40- 720 U/dL and mean of 204.19±136.88 U/dL. Results of both assays had also shown that vector control operators in these four areas in Selangor are not exposed to harmful level of organophosphate

The effect of chrononutrition on mental well-being among IIUM students

Introduction: Chrononutrition, also referred to as the circadian timing of meals, has been found to have an impact on health outcomes, particularly on metabolic health. However, limited evidence exists regarding the influence of chrononutrition on mental well-being. Given the increasing concern about the mental well-being of university students due to various factors affecting their overall health, this study aimed to explore the association between chrononutrition behavior and mental well-being among students. Method: An online questionnaire was administered to 336 IIUM students from the Gombak, Kuantan, and Pagoh campuses. The participants completed the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS21) questionnaire and the Chrononutrition Profile Questionnaire (CP-Q).The CP-Q assessed six components of chrononutrition that are likely to influence health, namely breakfast skipping, largest meal, evening eating, evening latency, night eating, and eating window. This is a cross sectional study and the source of the population was selected through convenient sampling. A chi-square test of independence was conducted to study the association between chrononutrition behavior and mental well-being among IIUM students. Results: The findings revealed a significant correlation between specific chrononutrition behaviors, particularly evening latency, and evening eating on all states of mental well-being, namely stress, anxiety, and depression. The results suggest that engaging in poor evening latency and evening eating behaviors are associated with increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. There is a significant association between the eating window and skipping breakfast with stress although there are no significant associations found with anxiety or depression. No significant associations were found between night eating and stress or anxiety, whilst a significant association was identified between night eating and depression. The largest meal shows a significant association with stress and depression with no significant association found with anxiety. Conclusion: These findings emphasize that chrononutrition behaviors impact not only physical health but also mental health and overall well-being. It also highlights the significance of considering chrononutrition in interventions aimed at promoting better mental health outcomes

The anti-cancer properties of artocarpus heterophyllus (jackfruit): a systematic review

Using natural resources to drive Malaysia’s innovation and research would create a sustainable impact on the economy. Artocarpus heterophyllus, locally known as jackfruit, is widely cultivated in Malaysia due to its suitability for growing in warm and moist climates. Artocarpus heterophyllus is well known for its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-diabetic, anti- inflammatory, and antioxidant activities. However, its potential to exhibit chemoprevention effects against the development of various types of cancer is less described. Therefore, this study aimed to review the present literature on the role of Artocarpus heterophyllus in preventing or suppressing cancer growth. Relevant articles were identified through seven electronic databases based on six keywords and were included if they met the following criteria: published in English in the year 2010 onwards, described the interventions using Artocarpus heterophyllus towards human cancer cells in vitro, and compared the growth of cancer cells between treated and untreated control groups. In total, 755 relevant abstracts were screened, and 32 full-text articles were evaluated, and 10 eligible papers were further reviewed. All ten studies showed positive effects of Artocarpus heterophyllus on human cancer cells and acted dose-dependently. The most valuable part of Artocarpus heterophyllus, which contained the highest amount of anti-cancer compounds, was its seeds. Jacalin, artocarpin, and artinM were the major compounds of Artocarpus heterophyllus, associated with anti-cancer activity. Breast, lung, and colon cancer were the types of cancer cells primarily used to investigate the chemopreventive activity of Artocarpus heterophyllus. This review compiles evidence of the potential cancer chemoprevention properties of Artocarpus heterophyllus. The findings on the specific type of active compound and targeted cancer cells are beneficial to promote the utilization of Artocarpus heterophyllus as a reliable source for cancer treatment

The effect of educational video intervention on the knowledge of folic acid supplementation among International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) female undergraduates

Knowledge regarding folic acid supplementation remains unsatisfactory among women of child-bearing age in Malaysia. Despite official recommendations to begin supplementation prior to conception to prevent Neural Tube Defects (NTD), many women remain unaware until the first antenatal check-up, losing the crucial time window of prevention. Educational videos could be a promising tool to address this issue. The objective of this pilot study was to assess the effectiveness of an educational video in increasing knowledge regarding folic acid supplementation among IIUM female undergraduates. This pilot intervention study was carried out in the IIUM Kuantan campus. IIUM female undergraduates (n=31) were recruited through convenient sampling. Inclusion criteria included being actively enrolled and of childbearing age. Participants were excluded if they were under the age of 18, married, pregnant, or have had experience of pregnancy. The educational video developed for the study was content validated by 6 experts (CVI > 0.83). Participants were first requested to complete a questionnaire to assess baseline knowledge, after which they were shown the educational video. Participants were then requested to complete the same questionnaire one week later to observe changes in knowledge scores post-intervention. Data was analysed in SPSS Version 12.0.1 using descriptive analysis, ANOVA, and Paired t-test (p<0.05). Mean baseline knowledge was found to be poor. Participants’ main source of knowledge was found to be the internet, and no significant difference was found in baseline knowledge between different study backgrounds. The mean knowledge scores significantly increased from 6.61 preintervention to 12.77 post-intervention (p<0.001). The educational video was found to be effective in increasing knowledge regarding folic acid supplementation among IIUM female undergraduates. Our findings point towards the need for intervention among this demography and greater investment in public education regarding folic acid supplementation through online video platforms

Psychological impact of pornography exposure among university students in Kuantan

Pornography is a medium for sexual pleasure obtained from sources like pictures, videos, audios and written materials. Pornography can cause addiction to the users by stimulating the reward system that will cause significant brain changes similarly seen indrug addiction. Pornographic addiction has become a serious concern in the community worldwide which involves multiple age groups from children, teenagers until adults. This concern is becoming serious as the sources of the pornographic materials are easily available via the internet. Pornography addiction is also shown to give psychological impact to its users. This study was conducted to investigate the psychological impact of pornography usage among university students in Kuantan, Pahang and the comparisons between gender. A descriptive quantitative study was conducted involving 114 college students in Kuantan. An online questionnaire was administered to assess the psychological impact of pornography exposure on anxiety and depression among the respondents. The study showed that more men are significantly involved with pornography compared to women. The common age of first exposure to pornography was between 13 to 17 years old in both genders. Anxiety was higher among those involved with pornography with no differences between gender. Depression was higher among those who consume pornography with a slightly higher percentage of women having moderate to severe depression. This study provides evidence that college students particularly in Kuantan are exposedto pornographic materials. The findings of higher anxiety and depression amongst those who were exposed to pornography suggest that this behavior could negatively affect the wellbeing of students and potentially influence their academic performance

Covid-19 cluster management in educational institution : challenges in field & digital epidemiology

With students returning to campus in accordance to the national recovery plan, efficient covid-19 management in educational institutions remains paramount. Here we illustrate an outbreak investigation that has been carried out involving students living in hostel setting

Signalling pathways regulating galactosaminoglycan synthesis and structure in vascular smooth muscle: implications for lipoprotein binding and atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis commences with the trapping of low density lipoproteins (LDLs) in blood vessels by modified proteoglycans (PGs) with hyperelongated glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains. GAG chain synthesis and growth factor mediated hyperelongation regulates the composition and size of PGs in a manner that would cause low density lipoprotein (LDLs) retention in vessel wall. Galactosaminoglycans are a class of GAGs, commonly observed on PGs. Multiple enzymes are involved in galactosaminoglycan biosynthesis. Galactosaminoglycan synthesis is regulated by various signalling pathways which are amenable to pharmacological manipulation to treat atherosclerosis. Receptor mediated signalling pathways including protein tyrosine kinase receptors (PTKRs), serine/threonine kinase receptors (S/TKRs) and G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) pathways regulate galactosaminoglycan synthesizing enzyme expression. Increased expression of these enzymes modify galactosaminoglycan chain structure by making them hyperelongated. This review focuses on the signalling pathways regulating the expression of genes involved in galactosaminoglycan synthesis and modification. Furthemore, there are multiple other processes for inhibiting the interactions between LDL and galactosaminoglycans such as peptide mimetics of ApoB100 and anti-galactosaminoglycan antibodies and the therapeutic potential of these strategies is also addressed

IIUM Kuantan Campus COVID-19 Guidelines

COVID-19 has brought substantial morbidity and mortality to the world, Malaysia and the state of Pahang. The recent surge in the number of brought-in-dead cases and overburdened healthcare has made the condition worse. The current spread of the variant of concern, the delta variant, has become a threat to the campus. Thus, the IIUM Kuantan Campus Operation Room (OpRoom) has been continued in service since the previous tenure. The main function of OpRoom is to become the coordination centre of matters related to COVID-19 in IIUM Kuantan community and to communicate with Kuantan District Health Office on regular basis. With the establishment of Kulliyyah Taskforce (KTF), the handling of issues pertaining to COVID-19 can become smoother through the process of empowerment. This guideline is published to facilitate the management of COVID-19 in IIUM Kuantan Campus

A systematic review of maternal dietary intake and its association with childhood stunting

The first 1,000 days of a child’s life is a critical period of development in preventing childhood stunting. Despite various intervention programs, the global prevalence remains high. Maternal nutrition during pregnancy and exclusive breastfeeding plays an important role in infant development; thus, a systematic review of the relationship between maternal dietary intake and childhood stunting was conducted. The Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar electronic databases were used. Articles related to maternal nutrition and supplement intake with children's anthropometry data were included. Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria and seven were included after quality assessment. The studies were reviewed thematically as the statistical analysis was not possible due to data heterogeneity. The Appraisal Tool for Cross-Sectional Studies (AXIS) and Critical Appraisal Skills Program tools were used to assess the quality of the included studies. The findings demonstrated that pregnant women need to eat a diverse diet with the inclusion of at least five food groups to fulfill the nutritional requirement. Daily protein intake between 0.8 and 1.1g/kg body weight is recommended for positive birth weight and height outcomes. Supplementation of vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, zinc, vitamin D, and calcium, was also shown to improve pregnancy outcomes. However, future studies should consider confounding factors such as hygiene level and clean water availability to determine the transparent effect of nutrition on childhood stunting. More longitudinal studies are required to ascertain the relationship between maternal dietary intake and childhood stunting, especially in Malaysi