Browse publications by year: 2021

Fulltext Effect of climate factors on the incidence of hand, foot, and mouth disease in Malaysia: A generalized additive mixed model

Abdul Wahid NA, Suhaila J, Rahman HA

Infect Dis Model, 2021;6:997-1008.
PMID: 34466760 DOI: 10.1016/j.idm.2021.08.003

Climate change is one of the critical determinants affecting life cycles and transmission of most infectious agents, including malaria, cholera, dengue fever, hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), and the recent Corona-virus pandemic. HFMD has been associated with a growing number of outbreaks resulting in fatal complications since the late 1990s. The outbreaks may result from a combination of rapid population growth, climate change, socioeconomic changes, and other lifestyle changes. However, the modeling of climate variability and HFMD remains unclear, particularly in statistical theory development. The statistical relationship between HFMD and climate factors has been widely studied using generalized linear and additive modeling. When dealing with time-series data with clustered variables such as HFMD with clustered states, the independence principle of both modeling approaches may be violated. Thus, a Generalized Additive Mixed Model (GAMM) is used to investigate the relationship between HFMD and climate factors in Malaysia. The model is improved by using a first-order autoregressive term and treating all Malaysian states as a random effect. This method is preferred as it allows states to be modeled as random effects and accounts for time series data autocorrelation. The findings indicate that climate variables such as rainfall and wind speed affect HFMD cases in Malaysia. The risk of HFMD increased in the subsequent two weeks with rainfall below 60 mm and decreased with rainfall exceeding 60 mm. Besides, a two-week lag in wind speeds between 2 and 5 m/s reduced HFMD's chances. The results also show that HFMD cases rose in Malaysia during the inter-monsoon and southwest monsoon seasons but fell during the northeast monsoon. The study's outcomes can be used by public health officials and the general public to raise awareness, and thus, implement effective preventive measures.
Fulltext Variations in seasonal solar insolation are associated with a history of suicide attempts in bipolar I disorder

Bauer M, Glenn T, Achtyes ED, Alda M, Agaoglu E, Altınbaş K, et al.

Int J Bipolar Disord, 2021 Sep 01;9(1):26.
PMID: 34467430 DOI: 10.1186/s40345-021-00231-7

BACKGROUND: Bipolar disorder is associated with circadian disruption and a high risk of suicidal behavior. In a previous exploratory study of patients with bipolar I disorder, we found that a history of suicide attempts was associated with differences between winter and summer levels of solar insolation. The purpose of this study was to confirm this finding using international data from 42% more collection sites and 25% more countries.
METHODS: Data analyzed were from 71 prior and new collection sites in 40 countries at a wide range of latitudes. The analysis included 4876 patients with bipolar I disorder, 45% more data than previously analyzed. Of the patients, 1496 (30.7%) had a history of suicide attempt. Solar insolation data, the amount of the sun's electromagnetic energy striking the surface of the earth, was obtained for each onset location (479 locations in 64 countries).
RESULTS: This analysis confirmed the results of the exploratory study with the same best model and slightly better statistical significance. There was a significant inverse association between a history of suicide attempts and the ratio of mean winter insolation to mean summer insolation (mean winter insolation/mean summer insolation). This ratio is largest near the equator which has little change in solar insolation over the year, and smallest near the poles where the winter insolation is very small compared to the summer insolation. Other variables in the model associated with an increased risk of suicide attempts were a history of alcohol or substance abuse, female gender, and younger birth cohort. The winter/summer insolation ratio was also replaced with the ratio of minimum mean monthly insolation to the maximum mean monthly insolation to accommodate insolation patterns in the tropics, and nearly identical results were found. All estimated coefficients were significant at p
Potential of Phage Display Antibody Technology for Cardiovascular Disease Immunotherapy

Yeoh SG, Sum JS, Lai JY, W Isa WYH, Lim TS

J Cardiovasc Transl Res, 2021 Aug 31.
PMID: 34467463 DOI: 10.1007/s12265-021-10169-x

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. CVD includes coronary artery diseases such as angina, myocardial infarction, and stroke. "Lipid hypothesis" which is also known as the cholesterol hypothesis proposes the linkage of plasma cholesterol level with the risk of developing CVD. Conventional management involves the use of statins to reduce the serum cholesterol levels as means for CVD prevention or treatment. The regulation of serum cholesterol levels can potentially be regulated with biological interventions like monoclonal antibodies. Phage display is a powerful tool for the development of therapeutic antibodies with successes over the recent decade. Although mainly for oncology, the application of monoclonal antibodies as immunotherapeutic agents could potentially be expanded to CVD. This review focuses on the concept of phage display for antibody development and discusses the potential target antigens that could potentially be beneficial for serum cholesterol management.
Validation of the Malay, English, and Chinese Translations of the 9-Item Shared Decision Making Questionnaire (SDM-Q-9) in Breast Cancer Patients Making Treatment Decisions

Shunnmugam B, Ng CJ, Aishah Mohd Taib N, Chinna K

Asia Pac J Public Health, 2021 11;33(8):914-922.
PMID: 34467767 DOI: 10.1177/10105395211036625

This study aims to test the psychometric properties of the Malay, English, and Chinese 9-Item Shared Decision Making Questionnaire (SDM-Q-9) in breast cancer patients making treatment decisions. The original German SDM-Q-9 was translated to Malay using the back-translation method. A total of 222 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients making treatment decisions were sampled conveniently from three breast clinics between August 2015 and February 2016. A total of 66 patients answered the SDM-Q-9 in Malay, 87 in English, and 69 in Chinese. Data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software. SDM-Q-9 demonstrated good reliability in the three translations. All the items correlated well except for Item 1 in English. The factor loadings were within acceptable range except for Item 1 in Malay, Items 1 and 2 in English, and Items 7 and 9 in Chinese SDM-Q-9. However, no items were deleted in accordance with experts' opinions and the previous SDM-Q-9 validation studies. The Malay, English, and Chinese SDM-Q-9 demonstrated good reliability and validity.

MeSH terms: Aminoacridines; China; Decision Making; Female; Humans; Malaysia; Surveys and Questionnaires; Reproducibility of Results
Trade-related water scarcity risk under the Belt and Road Initiative

Wang L, Li Y, Liang S, Xu M, Qu S

Sci Total Environ, 2021 Dec 20;801:149781.
PMID: 34467898 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149781

Increasing trade cooperation under the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative has promoted economic development and intensified the water scarcity risk transmission between China and countries along the route (B&R countries). Local water scarcity risk (LWSR, the potential direct production losses induced by local water scarcity) can transcend geographical boundaries through global supply chains and influence production activities in downstream economies. To understand the vulnerability of the Initiative to water scarcity, we investigated the impacts of LWSR in China and B&R countries on each other's economies during 2001-2013, using a global environmentally extended multi-regional input-output model. Results reveal that more than 80% of China's trade-related water scarcity risk imports (TWSR imports, the vulnerability to foreign water scarcity risk through imports) originates from B&R countries. The share of TWSR from China in total imports of B&R countries has steadily increased. In particular, India, Thailand, Iran, Pakistan and Kazakhstan have the largest TWSR exports (LWSR in each nation transmitted to other nations through its exports) to China, while South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia have the largest imports from China. Water scarcity to their Agriculture sectors is responsible for TWSR transmission between them. Our study can contribute to the policy-making of governments and firms involved in mitigating the supply chain wide water scarcity risk. It also reveals the need for nations to collectively manage water resources to achieve sustainable development.

MeSH terms: Agriculture; China; India; Water Supply; Internationality*
Interpretable and explainable AI (XAI) model for spatial drought prediction

Dikshit A, Pradhan B

Sci Total Environ, 2021 Dec 20;801:149797.
PMID: 34467917 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149797

Accurate prediction of any type of natural hazard is a challenging task. Of all the various hazards, drought prediction is challenging as it lacks a universal definition and is getting adverse with climate change impacting drought events both spatially and temporally. The problem becomes more complex as drought occurrence is dependent on a multitude of factors ranging from hydro-meteorological to climatic variables. A paradigm shift happened in this field when it was found that the inclusion of climatic variables in the data-driven prediction model improves the accuracy. However, this understanding has been primarily using statistical metrics used to measure the model accuracy. The present work tries to explore this finding using an explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) model. The explainable deep learning model development and comparative analysis were performed using known understandings drawn from physical-based models. The work also tries to explore how the model achieves specific results at different spatio-temporal intervals, enabling us to understand the local interactions among the predictors for different drought conditions and drought periods. The drought index used in the study is Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) at 12 month scales applied for five different regions in New South Wales, Australia, with the explainable algorithm being SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP). The conclusions drawn from SHAP plots depict the importance of climatic variables at a monthly scale and varying ranges of annual scale. We observe that the results obtained from SHAP align with the physical model interpretations, thus suggesting the need to add climatic variables as predictors in the prediction model.

MeSH terms: Algorithms; Artificial Intelligence*; Droughts*; Meteorology; Climate Change
Human health risk assessment of selected pharmaceuticals in the five major river basins, China

Dai C, Li S, Duan Y, Leong KH, Tu Y, Zhou L

Sci Total Environ, 2021 Dec 20;801:149730.
PMID: 34467938 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149730

Pharmaceuticals in aquatic environment have raised wide attention in recent years due to their potential adverse effects and bioaccumulation in biota. China has been a major producer and consumer of pharmaceuticals, however, the potential human health risk of these chemicals is yet to be determined in China. In this study, we evaluated available exposure data for twenty pharmaceuticals in surface waters from Chinese five major river basins (the Yangtze, Haihe, Pearl, Songliao, and Yellow River Basins), and human health risk assessment was performed. Based on the concentration data and risk data, we conducted research on the source, cause, and control measures of the pharmaceuticals. The twenty pharmaceuticals were found to be ubiquitous in China with median concentrations between 0.09 and 304 ng/L. The estimated daily intake of pharmaceuticals from drinking water and eating fish was calculated. The intake via drinking water was significantly lower than that via eating fish. The risk quotients via water intake and fish consumption ranged from 0 to 17.2, with estrogen and sulfapyridine highest among the twenty pharmaceuticals. High risks of exposure were mainly in North China, including the Haihe and Songliao River Basins. This is the first analysis in Chinese major river basins that has filled the gaps in the research on the human health risks of pharmaceuticals. The results of the study provide basic information of pharmaceutical intake from drinking water and eating fish in China and provide insights into the risk management guidance of pharmaceuticals, and will facilitate the optimization of health advisories and policy making.

MeSH terms: Animals; China; Pharmaceutical Preparations*; Environmental Monitoring; Humans; Risk Assessment; Rivers
The Jasmonic Acid Signaling Pathway is Associated with Terpinen-4-ol-Induced Disease Resistance against Botrytis cinerea in Strawberry Fruit

Li Z, Wei Y, Cao Z, Jiang S, Chen Y, Shao X

J Agric Food Chem, 2021 Sep 15;69(36):10678-10687.
PMID: 34468130 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.1c04608

Terpinen-4-ol, the main component of tea tree oil, markedly increases the disease resistance of postharvest strawberry fruit. To understand the mechanism underlying the enhancement of disease resistance, a high-throughput RNA-seq was used to analyze gene transcription in terpinen-4-ol-treated and untreated fruit. The results show that terpinen-4-ol induces the expression of genes in the jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis pathway, secondary metabolic pathways such as phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and pathways involved in plant-pathogen interactions. Terpinen-4-ol treatment reduced disease incidence and lesion diameter in strawberry fruit inoculated with Botrytis cinerea. Terpinen-4-ol treatment enhanced the expression of genes involved in JA synthesis (FaLOX, FaAOC, and FaOPR3) and signaling (FaCOI1), as well as genes related to disease defense (FaPAL, FaCHI, and FaGLU). In contrast, treatment with the JA biosynthesis inhibitor salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM) accelerated disease development and inhibited the induction of gene expressions by terpinen-4-ol. We conclude that the JA pathway participates in the induction of disease resistance by terpinen-4-ol in strawberry fruit. More generally, the results illuminate the mechanisms by which disease resistance is enhanced by essential oils.
QUIT!

Binns C, Low WY

Asia Pac J Public Health, 2021 07;33(5):477-478.
PMID: 34468241 DOI: 10.1177/10105395211034654
MeSH terms: Humans; Smoking Cessation*
Disruption of the biological activity of protease-activated receptors2/4 in adults rather than children in SARS CoV-2 virus-mediated mortality in COVID-19 infection

Singh Y, Fuloria NK, Fuloria S, Subramaniyan V, Almalki WH, Gupta G, et al.

Drug Dev Res, 2021 Dec;82(8):1075-1078.
PMID: 34469011 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.21874

One of the most remarkable results in 2019 is the reduced prevalence and death of children from coronavirus infection (COVID-19). In 2019, a worldwide pandemic impacted around 0.1 billion individuals, with over 3.5 million mortality reported in the literature. There is minimal knowledge on SARS-CoV-2 infection immunological responses in kids. Studies have been focused mostly on adults and children since the course of pediatric sickness is often short. In adults, severe COVID-19 is related to an excessive inflammatory reaction. Macrophages and monocytes are well known to contribute to this systemic response, although numerous lines are indicative of the importance of neutrophils. An increased number of neutrophils and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratios are early signs of SARS-CoV-2 and a worse prognosis. In this study that it is crucial to monitor PAR2 and PAR4 expression and function (since nursing children have elevated levels) and the inhibiting the normal physiology through the use of anticoagulants may exacerbate the problem in adults. Thus, in COVID-19 infection, we propose the use of antiplatelet (thromboxane A2 inhibitors), if required rather than anticoagulants (FXa and thrombin Inhibitors).
Transcriptomic Responses to Coaggregation between Streptococcus gordonii and Streptococcus oralis

Choo SW, Mohammed WK, Mutha NVR, Rostami N, Ahmed H, Krasnogor N, et al.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 2021 10 28;87(22):e0155821.
PMID: 34469191 DOI: 10.1128/AEM.01558-21

Cell-cell adhesion between oral bacteria plays a key role in the development of polymicrobial communities such as dental plaque. Oral streptococci such as Streptococcus gordonii and Streptococcus oralis are important early colonizers of dental plaque and bind to a wide range of different oral microorganisms, forming multispecies clumps or "coaggregates." S. gordonii actively responds to coaggregation by regulating gene expression. To further understand these responses, we assessed gene regulation in S. gordonii and S. oralis following coaggregation in 25% human saliva. Coaggregates were formed by mixing, and after 30 min, RNA was extracted for dual transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis. In S. oralis, 18 genes (6 upregulated and 12 downregulated) were regulated by coaggregation. Significantly downregulated genes encoded functions such as amino acid and antibiotic biosynthesis, ribosome, and central carbon metabolism. In total, 28 genes were differentially regulated in Streptococcus gordonii (25 upregulated and 3 downregulated). Many genes associated with transporters and a two-component (NisK/SpaK) regulatory system were upregulated following coaggregation. Our comparative analyses of S. gordonii-S. oralis with different previously published S. gordonii pairings (S. gordonii-Fusobacterium nucleatum and S. gordonii-Veillonella parvula) suggest that the gene regulation is specific to each pairing, and responses do not appear to be conserved. This ability to distinguish between neighboring bacteria may be important for S. gordonii to adapt appropriately during the development of complex biofilms such as dental plaque. IMPORTANCE Dental plaque is responsible for two of the most prevalent diseases in humans, dental caries and periodontitis. Controlling the formation of dental plaque and preventing the transition from oral health to disease requires a detailed understanding of microbial colonization and biofilm development. Streptococci are among the most common colonizers of dental plaque. This study identifies key genes that are regulated when oral streptococci bind to one another, as they do in the early stages of dental plaque formation. We show that specific genes are regulated in two different oral streptococci following the formation of mixed-species aggregates. The specific responses of S. gordonii to coaggregation with S. oralis are different from those to coaggregation with other oral bacteria. Targeting the key genes that are upregulated during interspecies interactions may be a powerful approach to control the development of biofilm and maintain oral health.
Viral Characteristics of the Warm Atlantic and Cold Arctic Water Masses in the Nordic Seas

Gao C, Xia J, Zhou X, Liang Y, Jiang Y, Wang M, et al.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 2021 10 28;87(22):e0116021.
PMID: 34469192 DOI: 10.1128/AEM.01160-21

Nordic Seas are the subarctic seas connecting the Arctic Ocean and North Atlantic Ocean with complex water masses, experiencing an abrupt climate change. Though knowledge of the marine virosphere has expanded rapidly, the diversity of viruses and their relationships with host cells and water masses in the Nordic Seas remain to be fully revealed. Here, we establish the Nordic Sea DNA virome (NSV) data set of 55,315 viral contigs including 1,478 unique viral populations from seven stations influenced by both the warm Atlantic and cold Arctic water masses. Caudovirales dominated in the seven NSVs, especially in the warm Atlantic waters. The major giant nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDVs) contributed a significant proportion of the classified viral contigs in the NSVs (32.2%), especially in the cold Arctic waters (44.9%). The distribution patterns of Caudovirales and NCLDVs were a reflection of the community structure of their hosts in the corresponding water masses and currents. Latitude, pH, and flow speed were found to be key factors influencing the microbial communities and coinfluencing the variation of viral communities. Network analysis illustrated the tight coupling between the variation of viral communities and microbial communities in the Nordic Seas. This study suggests a probable linkage between viromes, host cells, and surface water masses from both the cool Arctic and warm Atlantic Oceans. IMPORTANCE This is a systematic study of Nordic Sea viromes using metagenomic analysis. The viral diversity, community structure, and their relationships with host cells and the complex water masses from both the cool Arctic and the warm Atlantic oceans were illustrated. The NCLDVs and Caudovirales are proposed as the viral characteristics of the cold Arctic and warm Atlantic waters, respectively. This study provides an important background for the viromes in the subarctic seas connecting the Arctic Ocean and North Atlantic Ocean and sheds light on their responses to abrupt climate change in the future.
Fulltext Effect of Covid-19 pandemic on tourist travel risk and management perceptions

Rahman MK, Gazi MAI, Bhuiyan MA, Rahaman MA

PLoS One, 2021;16(9):e0256486.
PMID: 34469468 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256486

This study aims to explore the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on tourists' travel risk and management perceptions. Driven on the effect of the pandemic, we investigate tourists' travel risk and management perceptions and its effect on society using a sample of 716 respondents. The data was collected through social media platforms using a representative sampling method and analyzed applying the PLS-SEM tool. The findings reveal that Covid-19 pandemic has greatly affected travel risk and management perceptions. Travel risk and management perception had a significant association with risk management, service delivery, transportation patterns, distribution channels, avoidance of overpopulated destinations, and hygiene and safety. The results also identified the mediating effect of travel risk and management perceptions. The finding of this study contributes to tourism crises and provides future research insights in the travel and tourism sector and response to change tourists' travel risk and management perceptions in the post-covid recovery period.

MeSH terms: Female; Humans; Male; Pandemics*
Fulltext Measuring customer satisfaction on the cleanliness of food premises using fuzzy conjoint analysis: A pilot test

Lim SY, Harun UB, Gobil AR, Mustafa NA, Zahid NA, Amin-Nordin S, et al.

PLoS One, 2021;16(9):e0256896.
PMID: 34469489 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256896

Determining the level of customer satisfaction in cleanliness regarding a product or service is a significant aspect of businesses. However, the availability of feedback tools for consumers to evaluate the cleanliness of a restaurant is a crucial issue as several aspects of cleanliness need to be evaluated collectively. To overcome this issue, this study designed a survey instrument based on the standard form used for grading the food premises and transformed it into a seven Likert scale questionnaire and consists of seven questions. This study employed fuzzy conjoint analysis to measure the level of satisfaction in cleanliness in food premises. This pilot study recruited 30 students in Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Seremban 3. The student's perception was represented by the scores calculated based on their degree of similarities and corresponding levels of satisfaction, whereby, only scores with the highest degree of similarity were selected. Furthermore, this study identified the aspects of hygiene that assessed based on the customers' satisfaction upon visiting the premises. The results indicated that the fuzzy conjoint analysis produced a similar outcome as the statistical mean, thus, was useful for the evaluation of customer satisfaction on the cleanliness of food premises.

MeSH terms: Adolescent; Consumer Behavior/statistics & numerical data*; Feedback*; Female; Humans; Male; Personal Satisfaction*; Pilot Projects; Quality Control*; Restaurants/statistics & numerical data; Students/psychology; Students/statistics & numerical data; Fuzzy Logic; Young Adult
Association of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels with gastric cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Liu H, Gu H, Kutbi EH, Tan SC, Low TY, Zhang C

Int J Clin Pract, 2021 Nov;75(11):e14764.
PMID: 34469629 DOI: 10.1111/ijcp.14764

PURPOSE: Many studies have investigated the association between serum IGF-1 and IGFBP levels with gastric cancer (GC), but the results remained inconclusive. In this work, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the precise association of serum levels of IGF-1 and IGFBP with GC.
METHODS: A comprehensive systematic search was carried out in PubMed/MEDLINE, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases for (nested) case-control studies that reported the levels of IGF-1 and IGFBP in GC cases and healthy controls, from inception until October 2020. Weighted mean difference (WMD) was calculated for estimating combined effect size. Subgroup analysis was performed to identify the source of heterogeneity among studies.
RESULTS: We found eight and five eligible studies (with 1541 participants) which provided data for IGF-1 and IGFBP, respectively. All studies on IGFBP reported the IGFBP-3 isoform. The pooled results indicate that GC patients had significantly lower serum IGF-1 [WMD = -26.21 ng/mL (95% CI, -45.58 to -6.85; P = .008)] and IGFBP-3 [WMD = -0.41 ng/mL (95% CI, -0.80 to -0.01; P = .04; I2 = 89.9%; P

MeSH terms: Humans; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I/metabolism; Stomach Neoplasms*; Case-Control Studies; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3*; Healthy Volunteers
Fulltext Bayesian brain in tinnitus: Computational modeling of three perceptual phenomena using a modified Hierarchical Gaussian Filter

Hu S, Hall DA, Zubler F, Sznitman R, Anschuetz L, Caversaccio M, et al.

Hear Res, 2021 10;410:108338.
PMID: 34469780 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2021.108338

Recently, Bayesian brain-based models emerged as a possible composite of existing theories, providing an universal explanation of tinnitus phenomena. Yet, the involvement of multiple synergistic mechanisms complicates the identification of behavioral and physiological evidence. To overcome this, an empirically tested computational model could support the evaluation of theoretical hypotheses by intrinsically encompassing different mechanisms. The aim of this work was to develop a generative computational tinnitus perception model based on the Bayesian brain concept. The behavioral responses of 46 tinnitus subjects who underwent ten consecutive residual inhibition assessments were used for model fitting. Our model was able to replicate the behavioral responses during residual inhibition in our cohort (median linear correlation coefficient of 0.79). Using the same model, we simulated two additional tinnitus phenomena: residual excitation and occurrence of tinnitus in non-tinnitus subjects after sensory deprivation. In the simulations, the trajectories of the model were consistent with previously obtained behavioral and physiological observations. Our work introduces generative computational modeling to the research field of tinnitus. It has the potential to quantitatively link experimental observations to theoretical hypotheses and to support the search for neural signatures of tinnitus by finding correlates between the latent variables of the model and measured physiological data.

MeSH terms: Bayes Theorem; Brain; Computer Simulation; Humans; Normal Distribution
Fulltext A polyphenol, pyrogallol changes the acidic pH of the digestive vacuole of Plasmodium falciparum

Nur Saidatul Aqilah Ja’afar, Nik Nor Imam Nik Mat Zin, Fatin Sofia Mohamad, Nurhidanatasha Abu-Bakar

Life Sciences, Medicine and Biomedicine, 2021;5(1):0-0.
MyJurnal

Pyrogallol has a capability of generating free radicals like other antimalarial drugs such as artemisinin, which is thought to inhibit the proton pump located in the membrane of the Plasmodium falciparum digestive vacuole, thus alkalinising this acidic organelle. This study aimed to determine pH changes of the malaria parasite’s digestive vacuole following treatment with pyrogallol. The antimalarial activity of this compound was evaluated by a malarial SYBR Green 1 fluorescence-based assay to determine the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50). Based on the IC50 value, different concentrations of pyrogallol were selected to ensure changes of the digestive vacuole pH were not due to parasite death. This was measured by flow cytometry after 4-hour pyrogallol treatment on the fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran-accumulated digestive vacuole of the mid-trophozoite stage parasites. Pyrogallol showed a moderate antimalarial activity with the IC50 of 2.84 ± 9.40 µM. The treatment of 1.42, 2.84 and 5.67 µM pyrogallol increased 2.9, 3.0 and 3.1 units of the digestive vacuole pH, respectively as compared with the untreated parasite (pH 5.6 ± 0.78). The proton pump, V-type H+-ATPase might be inhibited by pyrogallol, hence causing the digestive vacuole pH alteration, which is similar with the result shown by a standard V-type H+-ATPase inhibitor, concanamycin A. This study provides a fundamental understanding on the antimalarial activity and mechanism of action of pyrogallol that has a potential to be the antimalarial drug candidate.
Fulltext Health-related quality of life profiles and their dimension-specific associated factors among Malaysian stroke survivors: a cross sectional study

Wong HJ, Lua PL, Harith S, Ibrahim KA

Health Qual Life Outcomes, 2021 Aug 30;19(1):210.
PMID: 34461920 DOI: 10.1186/s12955-021-01847-0

BACKGROUND: Apart from maximizing functional abilities and independence after stroke, improving overall health-related quality of life (HRQoL) should also become part of the stroke treatment and rehabilitation process goals. This study aimed to assess the HRQoL profiles and explore the dimension-specific associated factors of HRQoL among stroke survivors.
METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of stroke survivors attending post-stroke care clinics in three public hospitals in the states of Pahang and Terengganu, Malaysia. The HRQoL was assessed by EuroQol-5 dimension-5 levels. Data on socio-demographic, clinical profiles, malnutrition risk, and physical activity level were collected through an interviewer-administered survey. Descriptive analyses for HRQoL profiles and multiple logistic regression analyses for its associated factors were performed. Crude and adjusted odds ratios were reported.
RESULTS: A total of 366 stroke survivors were recruited with a mean age of 59 ± 11 years. The most -commonly reported health problems were mobility (85%), followed by usual activities (82%), pain/discomfort (63%), anxiety/depression (51%) and self-care (41%). The mean of the EQ visual analogue scale and the median of the EQ5D summary index was reported at 60.3 ± 14.2 and 0.67 ± 0.37, respectively. Malnutrition risk (mobility, usual activities, and self-care), wheelchair users (self-care and usual activities), speech impairment (usual activities and pain/discomfort), number of stroke episodes (self-care and pain/discomfort), body mass index, physical activity level and types of strokes (usual activities), age and use of a proxy (anxiety/depression), working and smoking status (mobility), were factors associated with either single or multiple dimensions of HRQoL.
CONCLUSION: Routine malnutrition screening, tailored program for speech therapy, prevention of recurrent stroke, and physical activity promotion should be addressed and further reinforced in current rehabilitation interventions to improve the HRQoL among stroke survivors in Malaysia.

MeSH terms: Adult; Aged; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Health Status; Humans; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Quality of Life/psychology*; Surveys and Questionnaires; Survivors/psychology*; Stroke/psychology*; Stroke Rehabilitation/methods*
Fulltext Impact of timely BCR-ABL1 monitoring before allogeneic stem cell transplantation among patients with BCR-ABL1-positive B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Chong SL, Asnawi AWA, Leong TS, Tan JT, Law KB, Hon SL, et al.

Blood Res, 2021 Sep 30;56(3):175-183.
PMID: 34462403 DOI: 10.5045/br.2021.2021045

Background: With the emergence of tyrosine kinase inhibitors and the incorporation of stringent measurable residual disease (MRD) monitoring, risk stratification for BCR-ABL1-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients has changed significantly. However, whether this monitoring can replace conventional risk factors in determining whether patients need allogeneic stem cell transplantation is still unclear. This study aimed to determine the impact of BCR-ABL1 monitoring on the outcome of patients with BCR-ABL1-positive ALL after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the survival outcome of patients with BCR-ABL1-positive ALL based on the quantification of BCR-ABL1 at 3 timepoints: the end of induction (timepoint 1), post-consolidation week 16 (timepoint 2), and the end of treatment for patients who were either transplant-eligible or non-transplant eligible (timepoint 3).
Results: From 2006 to 2018, a total of 96 patients newly diagnosed with BCR-ABL1-positive ALL were treated with chemotherapy and tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Thirty-eight (41.3%) patients achieved complete remission, and 33 patients underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Our data showed that pre-transplant MRD monitoring by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction had the highest correlation with survival in patients with BCR-ABL1-positive ALL, especially for those who underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
Conclusion: Patients without MRD pre-transplantation had superior survival compared with those who had MRD, and they had excellent long-term outcomes after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
Fulltext Overview of Legal Measures for Managing Workplace COVID-19 Infection Risk in Several Asia-Pacific Countries

Derek M, Tsai FJ, Kim J, Tejamaya M, Putri V, Muto G, et al.

Saf Health Work, 2021 Dec;12(4):530-535.
PMID: 34462672 DOI: 10.1016/j.shaw.2021.08.003

Background: Despite the lack of official COVID-19 statistics, various workplaces and occupations have been at the center of COVID-19 outbreaks. We aimed to compare legal measures and governance established for managing COVID-19 infection risks at workplaces in nine Asia and Pacific countries and to recommend key administrative measures.
Methods: We collected information on legal measures and governance from both general citizens and workers regarding infection risks such as COVID-19 from industrial hygiene professionals in nine countries (Indonesia, India, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Republic of the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand) using a structured questionnaire.
Results: A governmental body overseeing public health and welfare was in charge of containing the spread and occurrence of infectious diseases under an infectious disease control and prevention act or another special act, although the name of the pertinent organizations and legislation vary among countries. Unlike in the case of other traditional hazards, there have been no specific articles or clauses describing the means of mitigating virus risk in the workplace that are legally required of employers, making it difficult to define the responsibilities of the employer. Each country maintains own legal systems regarding access to the duration, administration, and financing of paid sick leave. Many workers may not have access to paid sick leave even if it is legally guaranteed.
Conclusion: Specific legal measures to manage infectious disease risks, such as providing proper personal protective equipment, education, engineering control measures, and paid sick leave are recommended to be stipulated in Industrial safety and health-related acts.

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