Browse publications by year: 2022

  1. Taylor A, Mortimer K, Jimi N
    Zootaxa, 2022 Oct 21;5196(4):451-491.
    PMID: 37045067 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5196.4.1
    Whilst seven species of magelonids have been originally described from the North-Western Pacific Ocean, only two have been from Japanese waters. Given the often high diversity of magelonid species within relatively small regions, the number of Japanese Magelona species is likely to be higher. The validity of several recorded species from the region has been additionally called into question, and the urgent need for a review of magelonids of Japan highlighted. Newly collected samples of magelonids have emphasised the presence of three species new to science occurring off Japan, herein described: Magelona alba sp. nov., Magelona armatis sp. nov., and Magelona boninensis sp. nov. A redescription of Magelona japonica is additionally provided, along with notes on a fifth species, which approaches Magelona cornuta. A dichotomous identification key to magelonid species of the North-Western Pacific Ocean, along with a table of characters for all five observed species is provided.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Annelida; Japan; Oceans and Seas; Polychaeta*
  2. Huang WC, Loh KH, Chen HM
    Zootaxa, 2022 Sep 23;5189(1):87-102.
    PMID: 37045199 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5189.1.11
    Gymnothorax poikilospilus sp. nov. is described based on two specimens collected from Penghu Islands, western Taiwan. It is a medium-sized brown moray that body covered with several rows of inconspicuous large dark brown patches on the back of body and dorsal fin. It has slightly elongated and arched jaws similar to the common characteristic of the genus Enchelycore Kaup, but the dentition supports it belongs to typical morays of the genus Gymnothorax Bloch. The new species can be distinguished from other similar Indo-Pacific brown morays by the combination of dentition, vertebral formula, and morphometric measurements. Molecular analyses based on 612 bp of mitochondrial COI gene also support it as a distinct species.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Taiwan; Islands
  3. Kazim AR, Houssaini J, Tappe D, Heo CC
    Zootaxa, 2022 Sep 30;5190(4):485-530.
    PMID: 37045359 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5190.4.2
    Studies of ticks in Malaysia from past articles were reviewed, resulting in a list of 47 species belonging to seven genera (Argas, Ornithodoros, Amblyomma, Dermacentor, Haemaphysalis, Ixodes, and Rhipicephalus). The most prevalent genus in Malaysia is Haemaphysalis (20 species), followed by Amblyomma (eight species) and Dermacentor (seven species). Out of 47 species, only 28 have bitten humans, mostly belonging to Haemaphysalis. The most researched tick-borne pathogens in Malaysia are Rickettsia and Anaplasma, and most research was focused on the tropical-lineage brown dog ticks, R. sanguineus sensu lato, and the cattle ticks, Haemaphysalis bispinosa and Rhipicephalus microplus. 18 species were excluded from the list due to lack of definite records or dubious findings: Ornithodoros mimon, O. turicata, Amblyomma breviscutatum, A. clypeolatum, A. integrum, A. maculatum, Dermacentor marginatum, D. taiwanensis, Haemaphysalis birmaniae, H. flava, H. humerosa, H. longicornis, H. punctata, H. sulcata, Ixodes holocyclus, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, R. annulatus and R. bursa. This paper presents the first complete and updated list for Dermacentor and Ixodes tick species in Malaysia since Kohls (1957).
    MeSH terms: Animals; Humans; Malaysia; Ixodes*; Argasidae*; Ixodidae*; Rhipicephalus*
  4. Cao HX, Dale-Skey N, Burwell CJ, Zhu CD
    Zootaxa, 2022 Sep 30;5190(4):451-484.
    PMID: 37045360 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5190.4.1
    This study is dedicated to the late Dr. John LaSalle, and reviews the world species of Pleurotroppopsis Girault (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae); fourteen species are treated, of which two are newly described: P. dactylispae Cao & Zhu sp. nov. from China and P. peukscutella Cao & Zhu sp. nov. from Malaysia. On the basis of morphological characters, tentative relationships among genera allied to Pleurotroppopsis are discussed. A revised definition of Pleurotroppopsis is presented based on study of type specimens of all species and a critical review of previous studies on the genus. In addition, parsimony analyses were conducted to infer a phylogeny of Pleurotroppopsis species based on a unique data matrix of morphological characters. Keys to genera allied to Pleurotroppopsis and to known species of Pleurotroppopsis are provided.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Hymenoptera*; Phylogeny
  5. Tan MK, Jin X, Wang H, Japir R, Chung AYC
    Zootaxa, 2022 Nov 18;5209(4):463-475.
    PMID: 37045377 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5209.4.5
    A new species of Meconematini is described from Tabin Wildlife Reserve in eastern Sabah: Cercoteratura repens sp. nov. This is the first report of the genus Cercoteratura in Sabah. Two species of Phisidini, Carliphisis acutipennis (Carl, 1908) and Neophisis (Indophisis) longipennis Jin, 1992, are reported in eastern Sabah for the first time. The calling song of Neophisis (Indophisis) longipennis with a near-complete ultrasonic spectrum is also described.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Animals, Wild; Malaysia; Orthoptera*; Animal Distribution
  6. Smith SM, Beaver RA, Pham TH, Cognato AI
    Zootaxa, 2022 Nov 15;5209(1):1-33.
    PMID: 37045407 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5209.1.1
    Eighteen xyleborine ambrosia beetles are described and illustrated: Anisandrus proscissus Smith, Beaver, Pham & Cognato sp. nov. (Vietnam), Anisandrus simplex Smith, Beaver & Cognato sp. nov. (Nepal), Arixyleborus belalongi Smith, Beaver & Cognato sp. nov. (Brunei Darussalam), Beaverium brevicaudatus Smith, Beaver & Cognato sp. nov. (Indonesia), Cnestus luculentus Smith, Beaver & Cognato sp. nov. (India), Cyclorhipidion achlys Smith, Beaver, Pham & Cognato sp. nov. (Vietnam), Cyclorhipidion conidentatus Smith, Beaver & Cognato sp. nov. (Indonesia), Cyclorhipidion gladigerum Smith, Beaver & Cognato sp. nov. (Thailand), Cyclorhipidion lapilliferum Smith, Beaver, Pham & Cognato sp. nov. (Vietnam), Cyclorhipidion nepalense Smith, Beaver & Cognato sp. nov. (Nepal), Cyclorhipidion taedulum Smith, Beaver, Pham & Cognato sp. nov. (Vietnam), Cyclorhipidion titorum Smith, Beaver, Pham & Cognato sp. nov. (Vietnam), Euwallacea alastos Smith, Beaver & Cognato sp. nov. (Japan), Leptoxyleborus regina Smith, Beaver & Cognato sp. nov. (Papua New Guinea), Tricosa hipparion Smith, Beaver & Cognato sp. nov. (Malaysia), Xyleborinus acanthopteron Smith, Beaver & Cognato sp. nov. (Thailand), Xyleborinus dumosus Smith, Beaver, Pham & Cognato sp. nov. (Vietnam), Xyleborinus nobuchii Smith, Beaver & Cognato sp. nov. (Japan). New distribution records are reported for 67 Asian species. Cyclorhipidion nemesis Smith & Cognato, described from U. S. A., is reported from Asia (China), its hypothesized native continent, for the first time. Its identity is confirmed with COI and CAD DNA within a phylogenetic analysis including other Cyclorhipidion species.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Beetles*; Japan; Papua New Guinea; Phylogeny; Weevils*
  7. Farooq H, Monowar T, V Chinni S, Swe Latt S, Hasliza Zainol N, Shankar Sabesan G
    Curr Med Mycol, 2022 Sep;8(3):35-38.
    PMID: 37051557 DOI: 10.18502/cmm.8.3.11209
    BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Invasive candidiasis is one of the most common systemic mycoses, and studies have shown mixed yeast infections. Malaysia lacks mixed yeast culture data.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: Yeast isolates were collected in Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital, North Malaysia, from October 2020 to October 2021. Chromogenic Candida differential agar media and PCR-RFLP were used to identify yeast species.

    RESULTS: A total of 206 yeast isolates were collected from different body sites of patients. The majority of the yeast isolates (n=104) were obtained from the urine. Other isolates were extracted from blood (n=52), vaginal swabs (n=45), ear discharge (n=2), tracheal aspirate (n=2), tissue (n=2), skin (n=1), nail (n=1), sputum (n=1), and cerebrospinal fluid (n=1). In total, 200 yeast samples were identified as single species, and six isolates were a mixture of Candida species.

    CONCLUSION: Malaysia lacks accurate epidemiological data on mixed yeast infections. We identified all samples to the species level, including mixed yeast cultures, using the MspI enzyme and PCR-RFLP.

  8. Adegbusi HS, Ismail A, Mohd Esa N, Mat Daud ZA
    J Sci Food Agric, 2022 Dec;102(15):6961-6973.
    PMID: 35672266 DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.12057
    BACKGROUND: Plant-based complementary foods (CFs) supply insufficient amount of nutrients to meet recommended nutrient intakes for 6-23-month-old children. The present study determined the nutritional quality of CFs formulated from blends of Nigerian yellow maize (Zea mays), soybean (Glycine max) and crayfish (Procambarus clarkii). Three CFs were formulated; namely, maize flour (MF, 100:0% w/w), blends of maize and soybean flour (MSF, 72:28% w/w), and maize, soybean and crayfish flour (MSCF, 80:10:10% w/w). Nutritional quality was evaluated using analyses of chemical composition of CFs and of protein quality of complementary food diets. Data were compared by multivariate analysis of variance and significantly differentiated. Nine selected nutritional criteria were used to decide the CF that had best nutritional characteristics compared to MF and fortified wheat flour (FWMF).

    RESULTS: Total scores obtained from the selected nutritional criteria ranked MSCF, with total score of 15, as the lowest and thus it was considered to have the most desirable nutritional characteristics compared to MF, MSF and FWMF, which had respective total scores of 31, 22 and 20.

    CONCLUSION: Conclusively, MSCF may serve as a better alternative CF for MF, MSC and FWMF. The present study has produced a potential alternative cost-effective and adequate CF, formulated from crayfish (P. clarkii) supplementation of locally available blend of yellow maize (Z. mays) and soybean (G. max), for the poor human population, aiming to encourage the consumption of animal-sourced CF for alleviating the prevalence of childhood undernutrition. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

    MeSH terms: Animals; Child; Child, Preschool; Zea mays/chemistry; Astacoidea; Flour/analysis; Food, Fortified; Humans; Infant; Fabaceae*; Nigeria; Nutritive Value; Soybeans; Triticum
  9. Marmor MT, Grimm B, Hanflik AM, Richter PH, Sivananthan S, Yarboro SR, et al.
    Indian J Orthop, 2022 Jul;56(7):1112-1122.
    PMID: 35813536 DOI: 10.1007/s43465-022-00629-0
    BACKGROUND: Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) are widely used for measurement of functional outcomes after orthopaedic trauma. However, PROMs rely on patient collaboration and suffer from various types of bias. Wearable Activity Monitors (WAMs) are increasingly used to objectify functional assessment. The objectives of this systematic review were to identify and characterise the WAMs technology and metrics currently used for orthopaedic trauma research.

    METHODS: PubMed and Embase biomedical literature search engines were queried. Eligibility criteria included: Human clinical studies published in the English language between 2010 and 2019 involving fracture management and WAMs. Variables collected from each article included: Technology used, vendor/product, WAM body location, metrics measured, measurement time period, year of publication, study geographic location, phase of treatment studied, fractures studied, number of patients studied, sex and age of the study subjects, and study level of evidence. Six investigators reviewed the resulting papers. Descriptive statistics of variables of interest were used to analyse the data.

    RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-six papers were available for analysis, showing an increasing trend of publications per year. Accelerometry followed by plantar pressure insoles were the most commonly employed technologies. The most common location for WAM placement was insoles, followed by the waist. The most commonly studied fracture type was hip fractures followed by fragility fractures in general, ankle, "lower extremity", and tibial fractures. The rehabilitation phase following surgery was the most commonly studied period. Sleep duration, activity time or step counts were the most commonly reported WAM metrics. A preferred, clinically validated WAM metric was not identified.

    CONCLUSIONS: WAMs have an increasing presence in the orthopaedic trauma literature. The optimal implementation of this technology and its use to understand patients' pre-injury and post-injury functions is currently insufficiently explored and represents an area that will benefit from future study.

    SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER: PROSPERO ID:210344.

    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43465-022-00629-0.

  10. Mohd-Zubri NS, Ramasamy K, Abdul-Rahman NZ
    Arch Oral Biol, 2022 Nov;143:105515.
    PMID: 36084351 DOI: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2022.105515
    OBJECTIVE: This study aims to characterise the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from local Malaysian fermented foods with oral probiotics properties.

    DESIGN: The LAB strains isolated from Malaysian fermented foods, Lactobacillus brevis FT 6 and Lactobacillus plantarum FT 12, were assessed for their antimicrobial properties against Porphyromonas gingivalis ATCC 33277 via disc diffusion assay. Anti-biofilm properties were determined by treating the overnight P. gingivalis ATCC 33277 biofilm with different concentrations of LAB cell-free supernatant (LAB CFS). Quantification of biofilm was carried out by measuring the optical density of stained biofilm. The ability of L. brevis FT 6 and L. plantarum FT 12 to tolerate salivary amylase was also investigated. Acid production with different sugars was carried out by pH measurement and screening for potential antimicrobial organic acid by disc diffusion assay of neutralised probiotics CFS samples. In this study, L. rhamnosus ATCC 7469, a commercial strain was used to compare the efficacy of the isolated strain with the commercial strain.

    RESULTS: Lactobacillus brevis FT 6 and L. plantarum FT 12 possess antimicrobial activity against P. gingivalis with inhibition diameters of more than 10 mm, and the results were comparable with L. rhamnosus ATCC 7469. The MIC and MBC assay results for all tested strains were recorded to be 25 µl/µl concentration. All LAB CFS reduced biofilm formation proportionally to the CFS concentration and tolerated salivary amylase with more than 50% viability. Overnight cultures of all lactic acid bacteria strains showed a pH reduction and neutralised CFS of all lactic acid bacteria strains did not show any inhibition towards P. gingivalis.

    CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the isolated probiotics have the potential as probiotics to be used as a supportive oral health treatment, especially against a periodontal pathogen, P. gingivalis.

    MeSH terms: Amylases; Anti-Infective Agents*; Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  11. Spr CR, Yong HNA, Kalhoro M, Dahari KBM, Shaikh FB
    Front Psychol, 2022;13:1056098.
    PMID: 37035510 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1056098
    The hospitality and tourist industries depend on homestays and accommodations. Different factors, i.e., promotion strategies, service quality, cleanliness, and perceived health risks, influence tourists' repeat purchase intention for accommodation. This study highlights different variables influencing domestic tourists' accommodation repurchase decisions in Malaysia. Around 304 respondents from this quantitative survey are tourists who have already experienced choosing their accommodations during travel. Statistical Packages of Social science software (SPSS-23.0) were used to examine the data through multiple regression and descriptive approaches. The finding suggests that promotion, and services, can positively affect visitors' purchasing decisions. However, there is a negative but statistically significant link between perceived health risk and repurchase decisions. Furthermore, the result revealed that the predictors of purchase decisions significantly influence selection. This study observed the undervalued quality of services and facilities provided by the hotel industry. The results identified that sustainable practices could enhance the impressive recovery of the tourism industry during and after the pandemic. Furthermore, cleanliness and cost are vital to be considered a primary quality service factor, reducing the perceived health risk, even if there is a pandemic. The study suggested that lodging providers could upgrade on-site facilities and acquire better promotion strategies. The study's conclusions can increase satisfaction to avoid health risks in any circumstance and promote tourism.
  12. Prabhakar S, Beauchamp RL, Cheah PS, Yoshinaga A, Haidar EA, Lule S, et al.
    Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev, 2022 Sep 08;26:169-180.
    PMID: 35846573 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2022.06.012
    Loss of function of the neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) tumor suppressor gene leads to the formation of schwannomas, meningiomas, and ependymomas, comprising ∼50% of all sporadic cases of primary nervous system tumors. NF2 syndrome is an autosomal dominant condition, with bi-allelic inactivation of germline and somatic alleles resulting in loss of function of the encoded protein merlin and activation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway signaling in NF2-deficient cells. Here we describe a gene replacement approach through direct intratumoral injection of an adeno-associated virus vector expressing merlin in a novel human schwannoma model in nude mice. In culture, the introduction of an AAV1 vector encoding merlin into CRISPR-modified human NF2-null arachnoidal cells (ACs) or Schwann cells (SCs) was associated with decreased size and mTORC1 pathway activation consistent with restored merlin activity. In vivo, a single injection of AAV1-merlin directly into human NF2-null SC-derived tumors growing in the sciatic nerve of nude mice led to regression of tumors over a 10-week period, associated with a decrease in dividing cells and an increase in apoptosis, in comparison with vehicle. These studies establish that merlin re-expression via gene replacement in NF2-null schwannomas is sufficient to cause tumor regression, thereby potentially providing an effective treatment for NF2.
  13. Jamee M, Azizi G, Baris S, Karakoc-Aydiner E, Ozen A, Kiliç SŞ, et al.
    Clin Immunol, 2022 Nov;244:109131.
    PMID: 36179983 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2022.109131
    Monogenic immune dysregulation diseases (MIDD) are caused by defective immunotolerance. This study was designed to increase knowledge on the prevalence and spectrum of MIDDs, genetic patterns, and outcomes in Middle East and North Africa (MENA). MIDD patients from 11 MENA countries (Iran, Turkey, Kuwait, Oman, Algeria, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, Jordan, Qatar, and Azerbaijan) were retrospectively evaluated. 343 MIDD patients (58% males and 42% female) at a median (IQR) age of 101 (42-192) months were enrolled. The most common defective genes were LRBA (23.9%), LYST (8.2%), and RAB27A (7.9%). The most prevalent initial and overall manifestations were infections (32.2% and 75.1%), autoimmunity (18.6% and 41%), and organomegaly (13.3% and 53.8%), respectively. Treatments included immunoglobulin replacement therapy (53%), hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) (14.3%), immunosuppressives (36.7%), and surgery (3.5%). Twenty-nine (59.2%) patients survived HSCT. Along with infectious complications, autoimmunity and organomegaly may be the initial or predominant manifestations of MIDD.
    MeSH terms: Adolescent; Child; Child, Preschool; Egypt; Female; Humans; Male; Registries; Retrospective Studies; Tunisia; Turkey; Vesicular Transport Proteins/genetics; Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/genetics
  14. van der Ent A, Mesjasz-Przybyłowicz J, Przybyłowicz WJ, Barnabas AD, de Jonge MD, Harris HH
    Metallomics, 2022 May 13;14(5).
    PMID: 35556136 DOI: 10.1093/mtomcs/mfac020
    Globally, the majority of Ni hyperaccumulator plants occur on ultramafic soils in tropical regions, and the genus Phyllanthus, from the Phyllanthaceae family, is globally the most represented taxonomical group. Two species from Sabah (Malaysia) are remarkable because Phyllanthus balgooyi can attain >16 wt% of Ni in its phloem exudate, while Phyllanthus rufuschaneyi reaches foliar concentrations of up to 3.5 wt% Ni, which are amongst the most extreme concentrations of Ni in any plant tissue. Synchrotron X-ray fluorescence microscopy, nuclear microbe (micro-PIXE+BS) and (cryo) scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy were used to spatially resolve the elemental distribution in the plant organs of P. balgooyi and P. rufuschaneyi. The results show that P. balgooyi has extraordinary enrichment of Ni in the (secondary) veins of the leaves, whereas in contrast, in P. rufuschaneyi Ni occurs in interveinal areas. In the roots and stems, Ni is localized mainly in the cortex and phloem but is much lower in the xylem. The findings of this study show that, even within the same genus, the distribution of nickel and other elements, and inferred processes involved with metal hyperaccumulation, can differ substantially between species.
    MeSH terms: Borneo; Soil; Phyllanthus*; Phloem
  15. Mohammed MA, Abdulhasan MJ, Kumar NM, Abdulkareem KH, Mostafa SA, Maashi MS, et al.
    Multimed Tools Appl, 2022 Jul 28.
    PMID: 35915808 DOI: 10.1007/s11042-021-11537-0
    Waste generation in smart cities is a critical issue, and the interim steps towards its management were not that effective. But at present, the challenge of meeting recycling requirements due to the practical difficulty involved in waste sorting decelerates smart city CE vision. In this paper, a digital model that automatically sorts the generated waste and classifies the type of waste as per the recycling requirements based on an artificial neural network (ANN) and features fusion techniques is proposed. In the proposed model, various features extracted using image processing are combined to develop a sophisticated classifier. Based on the different features, different models are built, and each model produces a single decision. Besides, the kind of class is determined using machine learning. The model is validated by extracting relevant information from the dataset containing 2400 images of possible waste types recycled across three categories. Based on the analysis, it is observed that the proposed model achieved an accuracy of 91.7%, proving its ability to sort and classify the waste as per the recycling requirements automatically. Overall, this analysis suggests that a digital-enabled CE vision could improve the waste sorting services and recycling decisions across the value chain in smart cities.
  16. Montero-Odasso M, van der Velde N, Martin FC, Petrovic M, Tan MP, Ryg J, et al.
    Age Ageing, 2022 Sep 02;51(9).
    PMID: 36178003 DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afac205
    BACKGROUND: falls and fall-related injuries are common in older adults, have negative effects on functional independence and quality of life and are associated with increased morbidity, mortality and health related costs. Current guidelines are inconsistent, with no up-to-date, globally applicable ones present.

    OBJECTIVES: to create a set of evidence- and expert consensus-based falls prevention and management recommendations applicable to older adults for use by healthcare and other professionals that consider: (i) a person-centred approach that includes the perspectives of older adults with lived experience, caregivers and other stakeholders; (ii) gaps in previous guidelines; (iii) recent developments in e-health and (iv) implementation across locations with limited access to resources such as low- and middle-income countries.

    METHODS: a steering committee and a worldwide multidisciplinary group of experts and stakeholders, including older adults, were assembled. Geriatrics and gerontological societies were represented. Using a modified Delphi process, recommendations from 11 topic-specific working groups (WGs), 10 ad-hoc WGs and a WG dealing with the perspectives of older adults were reviewed and refined. The final recommendations were determined by voting.

    RECOMMENDATIONS: all older adults should be advised on falls prevention and physical activity. Opportunistic case finding for falls risk is recommended for community-dwelling older adults. Those considered at high risk should be offered a comprehensive multifactorial falls risk assessment with a view to co-design and implement personalised multidomain interventions. Other recommendations cover details of assessment and intervention components and combinations, and recommendations for specific settings and populations.

    CONCLUSIONS: the core set of recommendations provided will require flexible implementation strategies that consider both local context and resources.

    MeSH terms: Aged; Humans; Quality of Life*; Caregivers; Risk Assessment; Independent Living*
  17. Khalid K, Ooi YT, Abdul Rashid Q, Mohammad Yusoff MZA, Jamaluddin R
    East Asian Arch Psychiatry, 2022 Sep;32(3):47-50.
    PMID: 36172721 DOI: 10.12809/eaap2214
    OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of continued illicit drug use among people enrolled in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT), the association between hepatitis C status and methadone dosage, and the predictors for illicit drug abstinence during MMT.

    METHODS: Clinical records of active opioid dependents who underwent MMT between 1 January 2007 and 31 March 2021 in Hospital Tuanku Fauziah, Perlis, Malaysia were retrospectively reviewed. Data collected included baseline demographics, history of illicit drug use, temporal trend in methadone dosage modulation, and co-use of illicit drugs during the MMT.

    RESULTS: A total of 87 patients (mean age, 43.9 ± 8.33 years) were included. Their mean duration of involvement in MMT was 7.8 ± 3.69 years. The most commonly used drug was heroin (88.5%), followed by kratom (51.7%). Between 2019 and 2021, 61 (70.1%) patients had ceased abusing opioid, but 51 (58.6%) patients continued using any of the illicit drugs. Methamphetamine and amphetamine co-use was most common (n = 12, 37.5%). Hepatitis C status was not associated with the current methadone dose (U = 539.5, p = 0.186) or the highest dose required (t = -0.291, df = 74, p = 0.772). No predictor for illicit drug abstinence during MMT was identified. Methadone dose positively correlated with frequency of defaulting treatments (r = 0.22, p = 0.042).

    CONCLUSION: Among our patients, MMT for opioid dependents cannot sufficiently curb illicit drug use, and there is a shift toward stimulants abuse.

    MeSH terms: Adult; Analgesics, Opioid/therapeutic use; Heroin; Humans; Methadone/therapeutic use; Methamphetamine*; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Street Drugs*
  18. Ng SM, Malene IV, Nilar M, Rassavong K, Dung Vu C, Hui Sieng Tan F, et al.
    Diabetes Res Clin Pract, 2022 May;187:109868.
    PMID: 35395247 DOI: 10.1016/j.diabres.2022.109868
    This will be the first publication of Type 1 diabetes(T1D) outcomes in five low-middle-income countries (LMICs)-Laos, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar in the Southeast Asia (SEA) region. The information obtained has been possible due to partnership programmes of non-government organisationAction4Diabetes (A4D) with defined local hospitalsthrough a Memorandum of Understandingsigned with the governments in SEAthat guarantees ongoing supplies of free insulin, blood glucose meter supplies, HbA1c tests and hospital emergency funds.

    PARTICIPANTS: Between 2020 and 2021, 383 children and young people with T1D who were active in the A4D supported programmes were reviewed including information on health coverage, multidisciplinary team management, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) on admission and insulin regimen.

    RESULTS: Mean HbA1c between 2020 and 2021 for patients in these LMICs arereported for the first time. The average glycaemic index in the five SEAcountries reviewed between 2020 and 2021 were high at 83 mmol/mol (9.7%).

    CONCLUSIONS: Government partnership working with non-government organisationsto support T1D from diagnosis to adulthood are the first steps to closing thegaps in many LMICs. Further epidemiological studies are needed to identify the glycaemic outcomes and DKA rates on admission for many of these countries.

    MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adult; Asia, Southeastern/epidemiology; Child; Far East; Government; Hemoglobin A, Glycosylated/analysis; Humans; Insulin/therapeutic use
  19. Ghani NSA, Emrizal R, Moffit SM, Hamdani HY, Ramlan EI, Firdaus-Raih M
    Nucleic Acids Res, 2022 Jul 05;50(W1):W375-W383.
    PMID: 35639505 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac402
    The GrAfSS (Graph theoretical Applications for Substructure Searching) webserver is a platform to search for three-dimensional substructures of: (i) amino acid side chains in protein structures; and (ii) base arrangements in RNA structures. The webserver interfaces the functions of five different graph theoretical algorithms - ASSAM, SPRITE, IMAAAGINE, NASSAM and COGNAC - into a single substructure searching suite. Users will be able to identify whether a three-dimensional (3D) arrangement of interest, such as a ligand binding site or 3D motif, observed in a protein or RNA structure can be found in other structures available in the Protein Data Bank (PDB). The webserver also allows users to determine whether a protein or RNA structure of interest contains substructural arrangements that are similar to known motifs or 3D arrangements. These capabilities allow for the functional annotation of new structures that were either experimentally determined or computationally generated (such as the coordinates generated by AlphaFold2) and can provide further insights into the diversity or conservation of functional mechanisms of structures in the PDB. The computed substructural superpositions are visualized using integrated NGL viewers. The GrAfSS server is available at http://mfrlab.org/grafss/.
    MeSH terms: Algorithms; Amino Acids/chemistry; Nucleic Acid Conformation; Protein Conformation; Software*; Internet
  20. Høie MH, Kiehl EN, Petersen B, Nielsen M, Winther O, Nielsen H, et al.
    Nucleic Acids Res, 2022 Jul 05;50(W1):W510-W515.
    PMID: 35648435 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac439
    Recent advances in machine learning and natural language processing have made it possible to profoundly advance our ability to accurately predict protein structures and their functions. While such improvements are significantly impacting the fields of biology and biotechnology at large, such methods have the downside of high demands in terms of computing power and runtime, hampering their applicability to large datasets. Here, we present NetSurfP-3.0, a tool for predicting solvent accessibility, secondary structure, structural disorder and backbone dihedral angles for each residue of an amino acid sequence. This NetSurfP update exploits recent advances in pre-trained protein language models to drastically improve the runtime of its predecessor by two orders of magnitude, while displaying similar prediction performance. We assessed the accuracy of NetSurfP-3.0 on several independent test datasets and found it to consistently produce state-of-the-art predictions for each of its output features, with a runtime that is up to to 600 times faster than the most commonly available methods performing the same tasks. The tool is freely available as a web server with a user-friendly interface to navigate the results, as well as a standalone downloadable package.
    MeSH terms: Machine Learning; Amino Acid Sequence; Proteins/genetics; Proteins/chemistry; Protein Structure, Secondary; Computational Biology/methods
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