Oral cancer and precancer research in Malaysia - the database and tissue resource bank

Introduction: Uncoordinated data collection by different research groups prompted the initiation of Malaysian oral cancer Research Initiative (MOCRI) group. Objectives: To coordinate and standardize data and tissue collection and storage, develop a minimum dataset on risk factors, intervention techniques and quality of life of oral cancer patients. Materials and Methods: A computer software programme is currently being developed to accommodate multi-centre data collection and research activities in eight hospitals. The complete dataset includes parameters on sociodemographic, clinical, pathological, quality of life measures, details of treatment methods, vital status and dietary intake. Tissues are being collected, stored and catalogued as fresh and formalin-fixed tissues for future use in satellite researches. The networking in tissue and data collection includes the establishment of oral cancer cell-lines. These tissues are being planned for studies on genetic profile, genetic polymorphism, diagnostic and prognostic markers. Results: Tissues and data on 115 oral cancers, 9 leukoplakia and 13 lichen planus has been collected since 2003. Preliminary data from 2004 were analysed for 58 cancer patients. Majority of them are more than 60 years old (65.5%) with a mean age of 63.3. Twenty-four (41.4%) were males, 34 (58.6%) females with the majority of them being Indians (56.9%) followed by Chinese and Malays (15.5% each), Indigenous people of Sabah and Sarawak (12.1%). Eighteen (31%) respondents were smokers, 17 (29.3%) alcohol drinkers and 31 (53.4%) betel quid chewers. Five patients have had histories of family cancers where 3 included immediate family members with head and neck cancers. For the quality of life measure, only 30.2% felt that their daily activities were disrupted despite having advanced cancers. Satellite researches are in progress on genetic polymorphism and tumour markers. One oral cancer cell-line has been established. Conclusion: The establishment of oral cancer database and tissue bank in encouraging and supports on-going satellite researches. This record was migrated from the OpenDepot repository service in June, 2017 before shutting down

Seasonal Patterns of Leaf Photosynthetic Capacity in Successional Northern Hardwood Tree Species

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/142244/1/ajb209688.pd

Occupancy implications on Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in selected primary school classrooms around Kuantan, Pahang

The effects of children’s exposure on high concentration of airborne pollutants at schools often associated with increased rate of absenteeism, low productivities and learning performances, and development of respiratory problems. Recent studies have found that the presence of occupants in the classroom seems to give major effect towards the elevation of concentration of airborne pollutants in indoors. In order to evaluate and further understand on the significance of occupancy factor on IAQ, this study has been designed to determine and compare the level of selected physical (particulate matter (PM)) and chemical (carbon dioxide (CO2) and temperature) IAQ parameters and biological contaminants via colony forming unit (CFUm-3 ) for bacteria and fungi inside the selected classrooms during occupied and non-occupied period (first objective). The second objective is to describe the possible sources of airborne pollutants inside the classrooms at the selected primary schools around Kuantan, Pahang. Assessments of physical and chemical IAQ were done by using instruments known as DustMate Environmental Dust Detector and VelociCalc® MultiFunction Ventilation Meter 9565.The data were recorded every 30 minutes for 8 hours during schooldays and weekend at the selected sampling point in the classrooms. For microbial sampling, Surface Air System Indoor Air Quality (SAS IAQ) was used to capture the bacteria and fungi. The data obtained were compared with the established standard reference known as the Industrial Code of Practice on Indoor Air Quality (2010) constructed by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), Malaysia. This study has found that some of the IAQ parameters in the selected classrooms were exceeding the established standards during occupied period in schooldays compared to non-occupied period during weekend. Findings of this study provide the insights for future research including the site selection of school, arrangement of the classrooms and numbers of students per class

Occupancy implications on indoor air quality (IAQ) in selected primary school classrooms around Kuantan, Pahang

The effects of children’s exposure on high concentration of airborne pollutants at schools often associated with increased rate of absenteeism, low productivities and learning performances, and development of respiratory problems. Recent studies have found that the presence of occupants in the classroom seems to give major effect towards the elevation of concentration of airborne pollutants in indoors. In order to evaluate and further understand on the significance of occupancy factor on IAQ, this study has been designed to determine and compare the level of selected physical (particulate matter (PM)) and chemical (carbon dioxide (CO2) and temperature) IAQ parameters and biological contaminants via colony forming unit (CFUm-3) for bacteria and fungi inside the selected classrooms during occupied and non-occupied period (first objective). The second objective is to describe the possible sources of airborne pollutants inside the classrooms at the selected primary schools around Kuantan, Pahang. Assessments of physical and chemical IAQ were done by using instruments known as DustMate Environmental Dust Detector and VelociCalc® Multi-Function Ventilation Meter 9565.The data were recorded every 30 minutes for 8 hours during schooldays and weekend at the selected sampling point in the classrooms. For microbial sampling, Surface Air System Indoor Air Quality (SAS IAQ) was used to capture the bacteria and fungi. The data obtained were compared with the established standard reference known as the Industrial Code of Practice on Indoor Air Quality (2010) constructed by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), Malaysia. This study has found that some of the IAQ parameters in the selected classrooms were exceeding the established standards during occupied period in schooldays compared to non-occupied period during weekend. Findings of this study provide the insights for future research including the site selection of school, arrangement of the classrooms and numbers of students per class

Analysis on monopole antenna for moisture determination in oil palm fruit using finite difference method

Finite difference analysis were applied to study the principle operation of monopole antenna for moisture determination in oil palm fruit at 2 GHz. The electromagnetic field interact with oil palm fruit on the interface between the antenna and oil palm fruit and cause a reflection. The reflection measurement is based on mismatch impedance or dielectric properties between two media. Reflection coefficient is used to quantify the level of reflection. The monopole antenna was made of RG405/U semi-rigid coaxial cable with an inner and outer diameter of 0.45 mm and 1.50 mm, respectively with 2.23 mm length of protruding conductor over 5.66 cm length of monopole antenna. This monopole antenna for moisture detection was compared with induced EMF method in terms of reflection coefficient at 2 GHz. The results show that the complex reflection coefficient measured using monopole antenna provides significant results to predict moisture content in oil palm fruit

Oral mucosal lesions in Malay quid and non-quid chewers in Kelantan

The Malaysian nationwide survey on oral mucosal lesions (OML) in 1993/94 showed a low prevalence of OML in particular oral cancer and precancer (OPC) among Malays as compared to the Indians and the Indigenous people of Sabah and Sarawak. A low prevalence of quid chewing habit was also noted in the Malays in that survey. The present study was conducted to investigate whether the low prevalence of OPC in the Malays was attributed to the low prevalence of quid users among the Malays and/or whether the quid contents used were different. Two examiners were trained prior to the survey. The interexaminer consistency of diagnosing the presence or absence of lesions was 91.3%. An interview on their oral habits was also done. The mean age of 276 subjects examined was 61.1± 10.1 years. There were 23.6% men and 76.4% women. Among the subjects interviewed, 41.7% were smokers and 37.7% were quid chewers. The prevalence of OML was 20.3% while OPC was found in only 1.4% of the subjects examined. Among the quid chewers and non-quid chewers, the prevalence of OML was found to be 35.6% and 11% respectively. However the prevalence of OPC (only leukoplakia and lichen planus were detected; cancer, erythroplakia and oral submucous fibrosis were absent) was equally low in both groups (1.9% among quid chewers and 1.2% among non-quid chewers). Such low prevalence of OPC among Malay quid chewers differed from reported higher prevalences of OPC in the Malaysian Indians and the Indigenous people of Sarawak. A further analysis of the quid contents showed a low usage of tobacco (3.8%) in the quid mixtures chewed by these subjects as compared to the quid mixtures reportedly used by the Indian and the Indigenous people Sarawak. It is concluded that the lack of tobacco in the quid mixtures used by the Malays may be related to the low prevalence of OPC in Malay quid chewers. This record was migrated from the OpenDepot repository service in June, 2017 before shutting down