Rusli Nordin

Assessment of Urinary Cotinine as a Marker of Nicotine Absorption from Tobacco Leaves: A Study on Tobacco Farmers in Malaysia

Assessment of Urinary Cotinine as a Marker of Nicotine Absorption from Tobacco Leaves: A Study on Tobacco Farmers in Malaysia: Mayumi Onuki, et al. Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo—To assess dermal absorption of nicotine from tobacco leaves in relation to Green Tobacco Sickness (GTS), urinary cotinine concentrations were measured in 80 male tobacco‐growing farmers and in 40 healthy males (controls) who did not handle wet tobacco leaves in Kelantan, Malaysia. Among non‐smokers, urinary cotinine levels in farmers were significantly higher than those of controls; farmers with urinary cotinine of 50 ng/ml/m2 or above showed eye symptoms more frequently than those below this level (p<0.05). Farmers who did not wear protective equipment had subjective symptoms more frequently than those who used the equipment (p<0.05); some of these symptoms were seen more frequently in organophosphate (Tamaron) users than in non‐users. As tobacco farmers evidence a risk of nicotine poisoning from tobacco leaves, assessment including GTS together with effects of pesticides will be necessary.

Ethics of surrogacy: a comparative study of Western secular and islamic bioethics.

The comparative approach regarding the ethics of surrogacy from the Western secular and Islamic bioethical view reveals both commensurable and incommensurable relationship. Both are eager to achieve the welfare of the mother, child and society as a whole but the approaches are not always the same. Islamic bioethics is straightforward in prohibiting surrogacy by highlighting the lineage problem and also other social chaos and anarchy. Western secular bioethics is relative and mostly follows a utilitarian approach.

Assessment of Indoor Air Quality and Heat Stress Exposure in an Automotive Assembly Plant

Aziah Daud1, Edimansyah Abdin2*, Azwan Aziz1, Lin Naing3 and Rusli Nordin4 1. Division of Occupational Medicine, Department of Community Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, 16150 Malaysia 2. (Correspondence author) Institute of Mental Health, Buangkok Green Medical Park, 10 Buangkok View, Singapore 539747 3. Institute of Medicine, National University of Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Tungku Link, Gadong BE 1410, Brunei Darussalam 4. Clinical School Johor Bahru, Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University, Johor Bahru, Johor, 80100 Malaysia

Follow-up study on occupational exposure to organic solvents and neurobehavioral performances of automotive painters.

Background/Aims: This study assessed occupational exposure to organic solvents and neurobehavioral performance of exposed automotive painters. The mean personal air toluene concentration (PATC), urinary hippuric acid concentration, and standard score (SS) of the modified WHO Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery (NCTB) of exposed workers in 2008 were compared with those obtained in 2004. Methods: The study subjects consisted of 48 automotive painters who had participated in the 2004 study. They were re-examined in 2008 using PATC, urinary hippuric acid concentration, and 7 test items of the NCTB. A questionnaire was used to obtain sociodemographic information. Results: The mean PATC in 2008 was 0.403 ppm, which was significantly lower (P < 0.001). The mean SS for the Digit Span Test, Benton Visual Retention Test, Pursuit Aiming Test, and Total NCTB were significantly higher in 2008 compared to those in 2004 with the exception of the Santa Ana Manual Dexterity Test that showed significantly lower mean SS in 2008 compared to those in 2004. Conclusion: The lower concentration of solvents in the workplace and a shorter duration of exposure have contributed toward an improvement in the neurobehavioral performance of automotive painters in 2008 as compared to those in 2004 with the exception of manual dexterity.

Ethics of Artificial Insemination: An Islamic Perspective

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5915/39-1-5264 This paper aims to address ethical issues related to the assisted reproductive technology method of artificial insemination (AI) from the Islamic perspective. Our evaluation suggests that the Islamic ethical viewpoint of AI is rational, comprehensive, and aims at the greatest good of mankind.