The tropics cover a large section of the world in which both developed and developing countries are situated. Rapid socioeconomic development, modernization, urbanization, and globalization have affected both the food market and physical activity (PA), which in turn have propelled the obesity epidemic in the tropics. There is growing concern that overweight and obesity are emerging as major health problems among children and adolescents in the tropics, despite the fact that undernutrition still exists in many of these countries. Physical inactivity, a low metabolic rate, and lack of physical fitness (PF) have been linked to overweight and obesity. Moreover, PF in several tropical countries is declining, and these changes may be a threat to future health, as low PA and PF levels are important risk factors for noncommunicable chronic diseases. Previous studies have reported that the relationships among PA, PF, overweight, and obesity are inconsistent and inconclusive. There is no indication that variances in the energy cost of physical activities lead to obesity. Despite a lack of definite evidence to prove a causal relationship, there is enough certainty that physical inactivity and low fitness levels are linked to overweight and obesity. Hence, people living in tropical countries need to be encouraged to lead a healthier lifestyle by increasing their PA levels and reducing sedentary behaviors to prevent overweight or obesity.
This cross-sectional study of age matched (10-11 years), pre-menarcheal girls in England and Malaysia investigated the effect of ethnicity on resting metabolic rate (RMR). The children were recruited from schools in Oxford, England, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and all measurements were conducted in the schools. The Malaysian girls were shorter (143.7 +/- 6.5 cm and 140.1 +/- 5.3 cm (mean +/- SD) for the English and Malaysian girls respectively) and lighter (32.5 +/- 5.3 kg compared with 38.0 +/- 8.7 kg for the English girls) with a smaller fat mass and fat free mass (FFM) than the English girls. Energy expenditure was lower in the Malaysian girls (4555 +/- 531 kJ/day compared with 5178 +/- 688 kJ/day for the English girls). Although a difference in RMR was observed between the two groups, when corrected for body composition the difference was no longer significant. No effect of ethnicity on the relationship of FFM and RMR was shown when the data were analyzed using analysis of covariance.
Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is a persistent inflammation of the sinonasal mucosa. CRSwNP treatments are associated with inconsistent efficacy and recurrence of symptoms. Dynorphin 1-17 (DYN 1-17) and its fragments have been shown to modulate the immune response in various inflammatory conditions. This study aimed to investigate the effect of different pH and degrees of inflammation on DYN 1-17 metabolism in human CRSwNP tissues. DYN 1-17 was incubated with grade 3 and grade 4 inflamed tissues of CRSwNP patients at pH 5.5 and pH 7.4 over a range of incubation periods. The resulting fragments were identified using an ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) system coupled to quadrupole-time of flight (QTOF) mass spectrometry based on their accurate mass. The rate of DYN 1-17 fragmentation was slower at pH 5.5 in comparison to pH 7.4. The extent and rate of metabolism of DYN 1-17 were much lower in grade 3 inflamed tissue (31-32 fragments) than in grade 4 (34-41 fragments). N-Terminal fragments (DYN 1-15, 1-11, 1-10, and 1-6) were metabolized slower at pH 5.5 as compared to pH 7.4. DYN 1-12, 1-8, 2-10, 4-10, 5-10, and 8-14 were only observed under the inflammatory pH while DYN 5-17 and 6-17 were only identified upon incubation with grade 4 CRSwNP tissues. DYN 1-17 metabolism was significantly affected by the pH level and the severity of the inflammation of CRSwNP tissues, indicating the potential roles of DYN 1-17 and its fragments in modulating the inflammatory response and their avenue as therapeutics in future studies.
The Malaysian society is experiencing and coping with a fast modernization process, which is characterized by a rapid urbanization and rural exodus, an important reduction of the size of households, and the emergence of a new middle class. The Malaysian Food Barometer launched in 2013 has provided better understanding how these macro issues have affected the lifestyles and especially the food habits of the Malaysians. The country has indeed undergone a transition period from under-nutrition to over-nutrition in a few decades, with the prevalence of overweight and obesity having markedly and rapidly increased. A quantitative survey (n = 2000), elaborated from a qualitative preliminary phase, was carried out with the aim of analyzing the transformation of food habits at the national level. The present article focuses on the BMI issue in Malaysia, and investigates its relationships with the socio-demographic variables of the population, as well as their eating patterns. The mean BMI is 23.64 kg/m2, with 9.5% of the sample being obese, and 22% overweight. Strong statistical associations have been identified between BMI and independent variables such as size of the living area, ethnicity, level of education, gender, and age. Contrary to general believe, overweight and obesity were neither associated with the number of food intakes taken per day (including snacks) nor with the frequency of eating out. Nonetheless, obesity is over-represented in people who have dissonant eating behaviors, i.e. who declare having fewer food intakes a day (food norms) than they do actually (food practices). This process testifies that the Malaysians are experiencing a "food transition", which is linked with socio-economic development.
Sacha Inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) is a plant native in the Amazon rainforest in South America known for its edible seeds, which are rich in lipids, proteins, vitamin E, polyphenols, minerals, and amino acids. Rural communities in developing nations have been using this plant for its health benefits, including as a topical cream for rejuvenating and revitalising skin and as a treatment for muscle pain and rheumatism. Although Sacha Inchi oil has been applied topically to soften skin, treat skin diseases, and heal wounds, its protein-rich seeds have not yet received proper attention for extensive investigation. Proteins in Sacha Inchi seeds are generally known to have antioxidant and antifungal activities and are extensively used nowadays in making protein-rich food alternatives worldwide. Notably, large-scale use of seed proteins has begun in nanoparticle and biofusion technologies related to the human health-benefitting sector. To extract and identify their proteins, the current study examined Sacha Inchi seeds collected from the Malaysian state of Kedah. Our analysis revealed a protein concentration of 73.8 ± 0.002 mg/g of freeze-dried seed flour. Employing liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and PEAKS studio analysis, we identified 217 proteins in the seed extract, including 152 with known proteins and 65 unknown proteins. This study marks a significant step towards comprehensively investigating the protein composition of Sacha Inchi seeds and elucidating their potential applications in the food and biopharmaceutical sectors. Our discoveries not only enhance our knowledge of Sacha Inchi's nutritional characteristics but also pave the way for prospective research and innovative advancements in the realms of functional food and health-related domains.
Mutation in the Drosophila melanogaster lethal giant larvae (lgl), a tumor suppressor gene with a well-established role in cellular polarity, is known to results in massive cellular proliferation and neoplastic outgrowths. Although the tumorigenic properties of lgl mutant have been previously studied, however, little is known about its consequences on the proteome. In this study, mass spectrometry-based label-free quantitative proteomics was employed to investigate the changes in the head and intestinal tissues proteins of Drosophila melanogaster, due to lgl mutation and following treatment with melatonin. Additionally, to uncover the time-influenced variations in the proteome during tumorigenesis and melatonin treatment, the rhythmic expression of proteins was also investigated at 6-h intervals within 24-h clock. Together, the present study has identified 434 proteins of altered expressions (p
Sleep deficiency is becoming widespread in both adults and adolescents and is accompanied by certain behaviors that can lead to obesity. This study aims to investigate differences in sleep duration of overweight/obese and normal weight groups, and the association between sleep deprivation and obesity, dietary intake and physical activity. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 226 Iranian working adults (109 men and 117 women) aged 20 to 55 years old who live in Tehran. Body weight, height, waist and hip circumferences were measured, and BMI was calculated. Questionnaires, including the Sleep Habit Heart Questionnaire (SHHQ), International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and 24-hour dietary recall, were interview-administered. Subjects were categorized as normal weight (36.3%) or overweight/obese (63.7%) based on WHO standards (2000). Overweight/ obese subjects slept significantly (p<0.001) later (00:32±00:62 AM) and had shorter sleep duration (5.37±1.1 hours) than normal weight subjects (23:30±00:47 PM and 6.54±1.06 hours, respectively). Sleep duration showed significant (p<0.05) direct correlations to energy (r = 0.174), carbohydrate (r = 0.154) and fat intake (r = 0.141). This study revealed that each hour later in bedtime (going to bed later) increased the odds of being overweight or obese by 2.59-fold (95% CI: 1.61-4.16). The findings in this study confirm that people with shorter sleep duration are more likely to be overweight or obese; hence, strategies for the management of obesity should incorporate a consideration of sleep patterns.
This study aims to validate skinfold (SKF) and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) against dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in determining body fat percentage (BF%) of Malay children aged 7 to 11 years. A total of 160 children had their BF% assessed using SKF and BIA, with DXA as the criterion method. Four SKF equations (SKFBray, SKFJohnston, SKFSlaughter, and SKFGoran) and 4 BIA equations (BIAManufacturer, BIAHoutkooper, BIARush, and BIAKushner) were used to estimate BF%. Mean age, weight, and height were 9.4 ± 1.1years, 30.5 ± 9.9 kg, and 131.3 ± 8.4 cm. All equations significantly underestimated BF% (P < .05). BIA equations had reasonable agreement with DXA and were independent of BF% with BIAManufacturer being the best equation. Although BIA underestimates BF% as compared with DXA, BIA was more suitable to measure BF% in a population that is similar to this study sample than SKF, suggesting a need to develop new SKF equations that are population specific.
Children's physical activity has been correlated with child characteristics and social or physical environment. This study aimed to compare preschoolers' physical activity among various sociodemographic characteristics and to determine barriers, motivators, and environmental factors for active play. A total of 835 preschoolers were included in this analysis. Time spent on active play, quiet play, and screen time was reported by parents. Boys spent significantly more time on active play and screen time than girls. Time spent on quiet play was highest in East Coast Peninsular Malaysia and lowest in Sarawak. Some 40% of children achieved active play recommendation while 27% exceeded daily screen time recommendation. Most parents reported that their child played actively in the house area; and that the main barrier and motivator to active play were safety and child's enjoyment, respectively. These findings demonstrate that sociodemographic characteristics and environment should be considered in designing physical activity intervention programs.
MESH: screen time
Ethnic differences in body fat distribution contribute to ethnic differences in cardiovascular morbidities and diabetes. However few data are available on differences in fat distribution in Asian children from various backgrounds. Therefore, the current study aimed to explore ethnic differences in body fat distribution among Asian children from four countries.
With the increasing prevalence of childhood obesity, the metabolic syndrome has been studied among children in many countries but not in Malaysia. Hence, this study aimed to compare metabolic risk factors between overweight/obese and normal weight children and to determine the influence of gender and ethnicity on the metabolic syndrome among school children aged 9-12 years in Kuala Lumpur and its metropolitan suburbs.
Primary cardiac valve tumours are rare. This is a case report of a 32-year-old non-smoker man with a history of stroke 1 year prior and no other cardiovascular risk factors. The patient was admitted to our acute stroke ward for recurrent left hemiparesis, slurring of speech, facial asymmetry and central retinal artery occlusion. Initial laboratory investigations and ECG were normal. An urgent CT brain showed a large hypodense area at the right frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital region with effaced sulci and right lateral ventricle with midline shift and cerebral oedema in keeping with acute infarction. We proceeded with CT angiography of the cerebral and carotid on the following day, which revealed no evidence of thrombosis, aneurysm or arteriovenous malformation. There were no abnormal beaded vessels to suggest vasculitis. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a large mobile mass in the left atrium. Meanwhile, MRI cardiac confirmed a large ill-defined mobile solid mass attached to the mitral valve's inferoseptal component suggestive of mitral valve myxoma. This case report highlights the significance of considering a cardiogenic source of emboli in patients with large cerebral infarcts and other cardiac embolic phenomena. Imaging modalities such as echocardiography and cardiac MRI will help detect treatable conditions, such as valvular myxoma and prevent further complications.
The natural rubber latex extracted from the bark of Hevea brasiliensis plays various important roles in modern society. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of the latex proteins are important for the stability and functionality of the proteins. In this study, latex proteins were acquired from the C-serum, lutoids, and rubber particle layers of latex without using prior enrichment steps; they were fragmented using collision-induced dissociation (CID), higher-energy collisional dissociation (HCD), and electron-transfer dissociation (ETD) activation methods. PEAKS 7 were used to search for unspecified PTMs, followed by analysis through PTM prediction tools to crosscheck both results. There were 73 peptides in 47 proteins from H. brasiliensis protein sequences derived from UniProtKB were identified and predicted to be post-translationally modified. The peptides with PTMs identified include phosphorylation, lysine acetylation, N-terminal acetylation, hydroxylation, and ubiquitination. Most of the PTMs discovered have yet to be reported in UniProt, which would provide great assistance in the research of the functional properties of H. brasiliensis latex proteins, as well as being useful biomarkers. The data are available via the MassIVE repository with identifier MSV000082419.
The natural rubber latex extracted from the bark of Hevea brasiliensis plays various important roles in today's modern society. Following ultracentrifugation, the latex can be separated into 3 layers: C-serum, lutoids, and rubber particles. Previous studies have shown that a large number of proteins are present in these 3 layers. However, a complete proteome for this important plant is still unavailable. Protein sequences have been recently translated from the completed draft genome database of H. brasiliensis, leading to the creation of annotated protein databases of the following H. brasiliensis biosynthetic pathways: photosynthesis, latex allergens, rubberwood formation, latex biosynthesis, and disease resistance. This research was conducted to identify the proteins contained within the latex by way of de novo sequencing from mass spectral data obtained from the 3 layers of the latex. Peptides from these proteins were fragmented using collision-induced dissociation, higher-energy collisional dissociation, and electron-transfer dissociation activation methods. A large percentage of proteins from the biosynthetic pathways (63% to 100%) were successfully identified. In addition, a total of 1839 unique proteins were identified from the whole translated draft genome database (AnnHBM).
Researchers frequently use two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) prior to mass spectrometric analysis in a proteomics approach. The i2D-PAGE method, which 'inverts' the dimension of protein separation of the conventional 2D-PAGE, is presented in this publication. Protein lysate of Channa striata, a freshwater snakehead fish, was separated based on its molecular weight in the first dimension and its isoelectric point in the second dimension. The first-dimension separation was conducted on a gel-free separation device, and the protein mixture was fractionated into 12 fractions in chronological order of increasing molecular weight. The second-dimension separation featured isoelectric focusing, which further separated the proteins within the same fraction according to their respective isoelectric point. Advantages of i2D-PAGE include better visualisation of the isolated protein, easy identification on protein isoforms, shorter running time, customisability and reproducibility. Erythropoietin standard was applied to i2D-PAGE to show its effectiveness for separating protein isoforms. Various staining methods such as Coomassie blue staining and silver staining are also applicable to i2D-PAGE. Overall, the i2D-PAGE separation method effectively separates protein lysate and is suitable for application in proteomics research.
Vaccination is crucial in controlling the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that triggered the pandemic, but herd immunity can only work with high vaccination coverage in the population. This study aims to measure the COVID-19 knowledge level and determine the factors influencing COVID-19 vaccination intention among university students in Malaysia. A cross-sectional online survey was carried out with 1,274 Malaysian university students in July 2021. Univariate and multivariate analyses were employed to examine the relationships between the study variables. Results showed that the majority of university students had an acceptable level of knowledge of COVID-19. The knowledge, risk perception of COVID-19, social norms, and perceived benefit of COVID-19 vaccination were positively associated with vaccination intention. However, perceived trust in information sources of COVID-19 vaccination and the government's response to COVID-19 did not affect the university students' desire to receive the vaccination. These findings are essential for health policymakers and healthcare providers to implement evidence-based interventions to increase COVID-19 vaccination uptake among university students.
High-fat diet (HFD) interferes with the dietary plan of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, many diabetes patients consume food with higher fat content for a better taste bud experience. In this study, we examined the effect of HFD on rats at the early onset of diabetes and prediabetes by supplementing their feed with palm olein oil to provide a fat content representing 39% of total calorie intake. Urinary profile generated from liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis was used to construct the orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) score plots. The data provide insights into the physiological state of an organism. Healthy rats fed with normal chow (NC) and HFD cannot be distinguished by their urinary metabolite profiles, whereas diabetic and prediabetic rats showed a clear separation in OPLS-DA profile between the two diets, indicating a change in their physiological state. Metformin treatment altered the metabolomics profiles of diabetic rats and lowered their blood sugar levels. For prediabetic rats, metformin treatment on both NC- and HFD-fed rats not only reduced their blood sugar levels to normal but also altered the urinary metabolite profile to be more like healthy rats. The use of metformin is therefore beneficial at the prediabetes stage.
Nearly 90% of cervical cancers are linked to human papillomavirus (HPV). Uncovering the protein signatures in each histological phase of cervical oncogenesis provides a path to biomarker discovery. The proteomes extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues of the normal cervix, HPV16/18-associated squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL), and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) were compared using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). A total of 3597 proteins were identified, with 589, 550, and 1570 proteins unique to the normal cervix, SIL, and SCC groups, respectively, while 332 proteins overlapped between the three groups. In the transition from normal cervix to SIL, all 39 differentially expressed proteins were downregulated, while all 51 proteins discovered were upregulated in SIL to SCC. The binding process was the top molecular function, while chromatin silencing in the SIL vs. normal group, and nucleosome assembly in SCC vs. SIL groups was the top biological process. The PI3 kinase pathway appears crucial in initiating neoplastic transformation, while viral carcinogenesis and necroptosis are important for cell proliferation, migration, and metastasis in cervical cancer development. Annexin A2 and cornulin were selected for validation based on LC-MS results. The former was downregulated in the SIL vs. normal cervix and upregulated in the progression from SIL to SCC. In contrast, cornulin exhibited the highest expression in the normal cervix and lowest in SCC. Although other proteins, such as histones, collagen, and vimentin, were differentially expressed, their ubiquitous expression in most cells precluded further analysis. Immunohistochemical analysis of tissue microarrays found no significant difference in Annexin A2 expression between the groups. Conversely, cornulin exhibited the strongest expression in the normal cervix and lowest in SCC, supporting its role as a tumor suppressor and potential biomarker for disease progression.
The coral health of Pulau Anak Datai (PAD), located off the northwest of Langkawi, Malaysia, was assessed using the Coral Health Index (CHI) method. Three ecological parameters, namely, benthic cover, fish biomass, and microbes (Vibrio) were determined at four sites around the island in 2019. In addition, community parameters such as coral mortality index, coral richness, relative abundance, diversity index, Evenness tests, and reef morphology were measured for each site. The results revealed that the benthic cover consists of less than 40% of scleractinian corals at all sites. A total of 25 genera of hard corals comprising of 11 families and 1 scleractinian Incertae sedis were observed, with the most dominant corals belong to the genera Porites, Favites, and Diploastrea. The average fish biomass of PAD was low (16.76 g/m2), with only 19 non-cryptic fish species observed. The abundance of Vibrio around the island was within the average range of 29.58 cfu/ml. Based on the benthos, fish, and Vibrio values, the Coral Health Index (CHI) of PAD was classified on the low side of the fair status. All sites tended toward high values of the mortality index (MI > 0.33). Reef morphology was strongly influenced by stress-tolerant corals, dominated by massive and sub-massive corals. The data presented here suggested that the reefs of PAD could be rated as stressed and becoming unhealthy and disturbed. However, in view of the rarity of coral reef ecosystems in the Straits of Malacca, this island deserves increased attention for conservation planning and coral reef protection.