Brain-immune-gut benefits with early life supplementation of milk fat globule membrane.

The milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) has been recognized as a milk component for more than 60 years, but its exact benefits remain unknown. Research on human MFGM has revealed that the membrane holds a host of bioactive components with potential benefits for the brain-immune-gut (BiG) axis in early life. Gangliosides and sphingomyelin, components within the MFGM, have been included in infant formulas for many years.

Epilepsy Surgery in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia: Our Experiences since 2004.

Epilepsy surgery has been performed by a few centres in Malaysia, including Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM). To date, a total of 15 patients have undergone epilepsy surgery in HUSM. The epilepsy surgery included anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) with amygdalohippocampectomy (AH) and Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS).

Permissibility of prenatal diagnosis and abortion for fetuses with severe genetic disorder: type 1 spinal muscular atrophy.

Abortion has been largely avoided in Muslim communities. However, Islamic jurists have established rigorous parameters enabling abortion of fetuses with severe congenital abnormalities. This decision-making process has been hindered by an inability to predict the severity of such prenatally-diagnosed conditions, especially in genetic disorders with clinical heterogeneity, such as spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

Factors associated with undernutrition among children in a rural district of Kelantan, Malaysia.

The aim of the study was to identify the factors associated with undernutrition indicators in children 5 years and younger in a rural community in Malaysia. A total of 295 children and their carers were selected from community clinics based on a multistage sampling method. Pretested questionnaire, anthropometric measurement, and dietary assessment were used for data collection.

Piloting a psycho-education program for parents of pediatric cancer patients in Malaysia.

Objective: To evaluate a psycho-educational program (PeP) for parents of children with cancer (PoCwC) in Malaysia.

Methods: Seventy-nine parents were invited to be either in an intervention (n=41) or a control group (n=38). Baseline assessment took place upon agreement of participation.

NAIP-deletion analysis in Malaysian patients with spinal muscular atrophy.

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive disease, which is characterized by degeneration of the anterior horn cells of the spinal cord. SMA is classified into 3 clinical subtypes, type I (severe), type II (intermediate), and type III (mild). Two genes, SMN1 and NAIP, have been identified as SMA-related genes.

National response to neurological diseases in Malaysia: planning for the future.

The number of cases of neurological disease is expected to rise in the next 10 years, making this the second leading cause of morbidity and mortality after heart disease in Malaysia. The lack of human resources in the neurological field currently serving the Malaysian population may cause a deficiency in specialized care, especially in rural areas where neurological and neurosurgical care may be lacking. Thus, a resolve was made to increase the numbers of specialists by the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) with the help of the Ministry of Health of Malaysia.