Methionine aminopeptidase 2 as a potential target in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is an aggressive metastatic cancer with a very low survival rate. This tumor is hypovascularized and characterized by severe hypoxic regions, yet these regions are not impeded by the oxidative stress in their microenvironment. PDA's high resilience raises the need to find new effective therapeutic targets.

Newly synthesized methionine aminopeptidase 2 inhibitor hinders tumor growth.

Methionine aminopeptidase 2 (MetAp2) inhibition has been recognized as a promising approach for suppressing angiogenesis and cancer progression. Small molecule fumagillol derivatives with adamantane side groups were synthesized and evaluated for MetAp2 inhibition activity, and a lead molecule with superior abilities to inhibit the enzymatic activity of MetAp2 was identified. The compound, referred to as AD-3281, effectively suppressed proliferation of cancer and endothelial cells and impaired tube formation of endothelial cells in vitro.

Impact of the special care dentistry education on Malaysian students' attitudes, self-efficacy and intention to treat people with learning disability.

Introduction: Special Care Dentistry (SCD) education has been introduced in Malaysia, but there are limited number of studies about its impact to students. Thus, this study aimed to explore the level of students' readiness to treat people with learning disability (PWLD) based on their attitudes, self-efficacy and intention to treat.

Methods: A questionnaire was developed based on the Dental Student Attitude to the Handicapped Scale, Scale of Attitudes to the Disabled Persons and Health Action Process Approach.

Impact of maternal and child dental anxiety on oral health-related quality of life of 5-6-year-old preschool children.

Background: There is a lack of evidence with regards to the association between both maternal and child dental anxiety and the mother's perception of her child's oral health-related quality of life (COHRQoL). The aim of this study was to investigate the association of maternal and child dental anxiety with COHRQoL and the effect of demographic factors as moderators in this relationship. In addition, the association between child's dental caries experience and the COHRQoL was also assessed.

The Role of Methionine Aminopeptidase 2 in Lymphangiogenesis.

During the metastasis process, tumor cells invade the blood circulatory system directly from venous capillaries or indirectly via lymphatic vessels. Understanding the relative contribution of each pathway and identifying the molecular targets that affect both processes is critical for reducing cancer spread. Methionine aminopeptidase 2 (MetAp2) is an intracellular enzyme known to modulate angiogenesis.

General and erosive tooth wear of 16-year-old adolescents in Kuantan, Malaysia: prevalence and association with dental caries.

Background: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and severity of general tooth wear (GTW), i.e. tooth wear irrespective of etiology and erosive tooth wear (ETW), i.

The Malay version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (Malay-ECOHIS)--assessing validity and reliability.

Background: The Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) is used to assess oral impacts on the quality of life of preschool aged children and their families. The objective of this study was to perform a cross-cultural adaptation of the ECOHIS into Malay and assess its psychometric properties.

Methods: The cross-cultural adaptation of ECOHIS into Malay comprised of translating the ECOHIS into the Malay language (Malay-ECOHIS) by experts followed by face validation of the Malay-ECOHIS by a group of mothers.

Psychometric properties of the faces version of the Malay-modified child dental anxiety scale.

Background: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the faces version of the Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale (MCDASf) Malay version in 5-6 and 9-12 year-old children.

Methods: The MCDASf was cross culturally adapted from English into Malay. The Malay version was tested for reliability and validity in 3 studies.

Is the burden of oral diseases higher in urban disadvantaged community compared to the national prevalence?

Background: The urban low income has often been assumed to have the greatest dental treatment needs compared to the general population. However, no studies have been carried out to verify these assumptions. This study was conducted to assess whether there was any difference between the treatment needs of an urban poor population as compared to the general population in order to design an intervention programme for this community.

The relationship of dental caries and dental fear in Malaysian adolescents: a latent variable approach.

Background: To investigate the role of geography (place of residence) as a moderator in the relationship between dental caries disease and treatment experience and dental fear in 16-year-olds living in Malaysia.

Methods: A multi-stage-stratified sampling method was employed. Five hundred and three, 16-year-olds from 6 government secondary schools participated in this study.

A school-based fluoride mouth rinsing programme in Sarawak: a 3-year field study.

Background: This study was undertaken to assess the impact of fluoride mouth rinsing on caries experience in a cohort of schoolchildren 3 years after implementation.

Methods: 270 children aged 8-9 years from four schools in Sarawak were selected at baseline. Baseline data was collected to ensure that the selected schools did not differ significantly.

The relationship between dental anxiety and dental decay experience in antenatal mothers.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between dental anxiety and dental decay experience among antenatal mothers attending Maternal and Child Health clinics in Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a consecutive sample of 407 antenatal mothers in Seremban, Malaysia. The questionnaire consisted of participants' demographic profile and the Dental Fear Survey.

Satisfaction with the oral health services. A qualitative study among Non-Commissioned Officers in the Malaysian Armed Forces.

Introduction: Patient satisfaction is critical for the growth and prosperity of any oral health service or practice. The success of any oral health service can be assessed by an evaluation of the degree of satisfaction/dissatisfaction of its patients.

Objective: The aim of this study is to assess satisfaction/dissatisfaction with the oral health services among Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) in the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF).

Epidemiology of malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need of 12-13-year-old Malaysian schoolchildren.

Objective: Data on malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need in Malaysia are limited. The purpose of this study was to evaluate malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need in a sample of 12-13-year-old schoolchildren using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI), and to assess the relationship between malocclusion and socio-demographic variables, perceptions of need for orthodontic treatment, aesthetic perception and social functioning.

Method: The sampling procedure involved a multistage, clustered and stratified random sampling.

Health beliefs in oral cancer: Malaysian estate Indian scenario.

This is a study to describe the health beliefs related to oral cancer (OC) in a high-risk group in Malaysia, a predominantly Indian community living in an agricultural setting called an estate. The study population was a convenient sample of 112 adults, above 20 years of age, attending oral cancer screening in two estates. The subjects consisted of 106 (94.

Hearing loss in diving--a study amongst Navy divers.

Despite the commonly observed condition of middle and inner ear barotrauma among divers, there is little evidence of insidious and permanent development of sensorineural hearing loss associated with diving. An audiometric survey was performed on a group of 120 divers and 166 non divers from the Royal Malaysian Naval Base in Lumut, West Malaysia between July to December 1991. The results of this survey revealed that insidious development of high frequency sensorineural hearing loss may be associated with diving.

Auricular sinus.

A total of 56 subjects with auricular sinuses were investigated at the ENT clinic of University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) from April 1986 to April 1987. Infection was the main complaint, accounting for 60% of the cases. Chinese formed the majority of the patients (51%) and the commonest age group was between 1 to 10 years.

Investigation of delay in utilization of government dental services in Malaysia.

Although delays in seeking dental care among patients are frequently observed in daily practice, this problem has never been investigated in other utilization studies. This study attempts to establish the magnitude and severity of the problem of delay in a delivery system where cost is not a major barrier to utilization. 555 users of Government dental services were interviewed.

Cross-cultural variations in dental knowledge among antenatal mothers.

This study evaluates the level of dental knowledge among 328 antenatal mothers from different ethnic groups and ascertains the importance of the various sources of dental information. The mothers were interviewed based on a structured questionnaire. Most mothers knew about the number of sets of teeth they possessed throughout their life.

A survey on oral hygiene practices among Malaysian adults.

A survey on oral hygiene practices was conducted on 537 dentate adult patients aged 15 years and over. The aim of this study was to investigate the variation in dental behavior with regards to socio-demographic factors, namely age, sex, ethnicity, income, education and occupational status. Patients attending nine randomly selected government dental clinics were interviewed on their daily oral hygiene practices.

Impeded eruption of a permanent maxillary incisor by a denticle and a cyst.

Cysts and tumors, including odontomas, can delay the eruption of teeth. In this case the delay was due to a denticle and a cyst.

Awareness and attitudes toward hepatitis B among Malaysian dentists.

A questionnaire was mailed to 1217 dentists whose names appear in the Dentist Register of 1987 in order to assess their awareness and acceptance of hepatitis B vaccine and their pattern of glove usage. Almost all the respondents (99.6%) were aware of the availability of the hepatitis B vaccine yet only 44.

Patients' preference for exodontia versus preservation in Malaysia.

A total of 537 dentate adults from nine randomly selected government dental centers in three states in Malaysia were interviewed to assess their preference for either exodontia or preservation of teeth when they experience toothache, or have carious anterior or posterior teeth. The assumptions tested were i) patients prefer exodontia rather than preservation when they have toothache, and ii) patients are more willing to have posterior teeth extracted than anterior teeth for caries. Both these assumptions were rejected.

Utilization, knowledge and attitudes concerning sealants among Malaysian dentists: a national survey.

The aim of this postal survey was to assess the utilization, knowledge and attitude concerning sealants among Malaysian dentists. A pretested questionnaire was sent to all dentists (1217) who were on the Dentist Register of Malaysia of 1987. A response rate of 61.

A 5-year longitudinal study of caries development in first permanent molars in children.

The present study analysed the development of caries in 653 first permanent molars annually over a period of 5 years in children who were 7 years-old at baseline. The cumulative caries experience increased from 6.0% at baseline to 35.