Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 405 in total

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  1. de Manuel M, Barnett R, Sandoval-Velasco M, Yamaguchi N, Garrett Vieira F, Zepeda Mendoza ML, et al.
    Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2020 May 19;117(20):10927-10934.
    PMID: 32366643 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1919423117
    Lions are one of the world's most iconic megafauna, yet little is known about their temporal and spatial demographic history and population differentiation. We analyzed a genomic dataset of 20 specimens: two ca. 30,000-y-old cave lions (Panthera leo spelaea), 12 historic lions (Panthera leo leo/Panthera leo melanochaita) that lived between the 15th and 20th centuries outside the current geographic distribution of lions, and 6 present-day lions from Africa and India. We found that cave and modern lions shared an ancestor ca. 500,000 y ago and that the 2 lineages likely did not hybridize following their divergence. Within modern lions, we found 2 main lineages that diverged ca. 70,000 y ago, with clear evidence of subsequent gene flow. Our data also reveal a nearly complete absence of genetic diversity within Indian lions, probably due to well-documented extremely low effective population sizes in the recent past. Our results contribute toward the understanding of the evolutionary history of lions and complement conservation efforts to protect the diversity of this vulnerable species.
    Matched MeSH terms: Africa
  2. de Bruyn J, Wesana J, Bunting SW, Thilsted SH, Cohen PJ
    Nutrients, 2021 Jul 14;13(7).
    PMID: 34371918 DOI: 10.3390/nu13072408
    Effective actions for the fishery and aquaculture sectors to contribute toward improving nutrition rely on an understanding of the factors influencing fish intake, particularly amongst vulnerable populations. This scoping review synthesises evidence from 33 studies in the African Great Lakes Region to examine the influence of food environments on fish acquisition and consumption. We identified only two studies that explicitly applied a food environment framework and none that linked policy conditions with the contribution of fish to diets. Economic access to fish was represented in the largest number of included studies (21 studies), followed by preferences, acceptability and desirability of fish (17 studies) and availability and physical access (14 studies). Positive perceptions of taste and low cost, relative to other animal-source foods, were drivers of fish purchases in many settings; however, limited physical and economic access were frequently identified as preventing optimal intake. In lakeside communities, fish were increasingly directed toward external markets which reduced the availability and affordability of fish for local households. Few studies considered intra-household variations in fish access according to age, gender or physiological status, which represents an important knowledge gap. There is also scope for future research on seasonal influences on fish access and the design and rigorous evaluation of programmes and policies that address one or more constraints of availability, cost, convenience and preferences.
    Matched MeSH terms: Africa South of the Sahara
  3. da Silva Voorham JM
    Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd, 2014;158:A7946.
    PMID: 25227888
    Sylvatic dengue viruses are both evolutionarily and ecologically distinguishable from the human dengue virus (DENV). Sporadic episodes of sylvatic human infections in West Africa and Southeast Asia suggest that sylvatic DENV regularly come into contact with human beings. Following a study on the sylvatic transmission cycle in Malaysia in 2007, researchers announced that a new DENV serotype, DENV-5, had been discovered. Scientists are still sceptical about these new findings, and indicate that more data is necessary to determine whether this 'new' virus really is a different serotype or whether it is a variant of one of the four DENV serotypes already known. The good news is that this new variant has not yet established itself in the human transmission cycle. However, if it really is a new serotype this will have implications for the long-term control of dengue using vaccines currently under development.
    Matched MeSH terms: Africa, Western
  4. Zyoud SH, Al-Jabi SW, Sweileh WM
    PMID: 26341635 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-015-0840-z
    BACKGROUND: Bibliometric analysis is increasingly employed as a useful tool to assess the quantity and quality of research performance. The specific goal of the current study was to evaluate the performance of research output originating from Arab world and published in international Integrative and Complementary Medicine (ICM) journals.
    METHODS: Original scientific publications and reviews from the 22 Arab countries that were published in 22 international peer-reviewed ICM journals during all previous years up to December 31(st) 2013, were screened using the Web of Science databases.
    RESULTS: Five hundred and ninety-one documents were retrieved from 19 ICM journals. The h-index of the set of papers under study was 47. The highest h-index was 27 for Morocco, 21 for Jordan, followed by 19 for each Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), and Egypt, and the lowest h-index was 1 for each of Comoros, Qatar, and Syrian Arab Republic. No data related to ICM were published from Djibouti, and Mauritania. After adjusting for economy and population power, Somalia (89), Morocco (32.5), Egypt (31.1), Yemen (21.4), and Palestine (21.2) had the highest research productivity. The total number of citations was 9,466, with an average citation of 16 per document. The study identified 262 (44.3 %) documents with 39 countries in Arab-foreign country collaborations. Arab authors collaborated most with countries in Europe (24.2 %), followed by countries in the Asia-Pacific region (9.8 %).
    CONCLUSION: Scientific research output in the ICM field in the Arab world region is increasing. Most of publications from Arab world in ICM filed were driven by societal use of medicinal plants and herbs. Search for new therapies from available low cost medicinal plants in Arab world has motivated many researchers in academia and pharmaceutical industry. Further investigation is required to support these findings in a wider journal as well as to improve research output in the field of ICM from Arab world region by investing in more national and international collaborative research project.
    Matched MeSH terms: Africa, Northern
  5. Zhao S, Ching CK, Huang D, Liu YB, Rodriguez-Guerrero DA, Hussin A, et al.
    BMC Med, 2024 Mar 22;22(1):130.
    PMID: 38519982 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03310-5
    BACKGROUND: Comprehensive data on patients at high risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in emerging countries are lacking. The aim was to deepen our understanding of the SCD phenotype and identify risk factors for death among patients at high risk of SCD in emerging countries.

    METHODS: Patients who met the class I indication for implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation according to guideline recommendations in 17 countries and regions underrepresented in previous trials were enrolled. Countries were stratified by the WHO regional classification. Patients were or were not implanted with an ICD at their discretion. The outcomes were all-cause mortality and SCD.

    RESULTS: We enrolled 4222 patients, and 3889 patients were included in the analysis. The mean follow-up period was 21.6 ± 10.2 months. There were 433 (11.1%) instances of all-cause mortality and 117 (3.0%) cases of SCD. All-cause mortality was highest in primary prevention (PP) patients from Southeast Asia and secondary prevention (SP) patients from the Middle East and Africa. The SCD rates among PP and SP patients were both highest in South Asia. Multivariate Cox regression modelling demonstrated that in addition to the independent predictors identified in previous studies, both geographic region and ICD use were associated with all-cause mortality in patients with high SCD risk. Primary prophylactic ICD implantation was associated with a 36% (HR = 0.64, 95% CI 0.531-0.802, p 

    Matched MeSH terms: Africa
  6. Zhao K, Ishida Y, Green CE, Davidson AG, Sitam FAT, Donnelly CL, et al.
    J Hered, 2019 12 17;110(7):761-768.
    PMID: 31674643 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esz058
    Illegal hunting is a major threat to the elephants of Africa, with more elephants killed by poachers than die from natural causes. DNA from tusks has been used to infer the source populations for confiscated ivory, relying on nuclear genetic markers. However, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences can also provide information on the geographic origins of elephants due to female elephant philopatry. Here, we introduce the Loxodonta Localizer (LL; www.loxodontalocalizer.org), an interactive software tool that uses a database of mtDNA sequences compiled from previously published studies to provide information on the potential provenance of confiscated ivory. A 316 bp control region sequence, which can be readily generated from DNA extracted from ivory, is used as a query. The software generates a listing of haplotypes reported among 1917 African elephants in 24 range countries, sorted in order of similarity to the query sequence. The African locations from which haplotype sequences have been previously reported are shown on a map. We demonstrate examples of haplotypes reported from only a single locality or country, examine the utility of the program in identifying elephants from countries with varying degrees of sampling, and analyze batches of confiscated ivory. The LL allows for the source of confiscated ivory to be assessed within days, using widely available molecular methods that do not depend on a particular platform or laboratory. The program enables identification of potential regions or localities from which elephants are being poached, with capacity for rapid identification of populations newly or consistently targeted by poachers.
    Matched MeSH terms: Africa
  7. Zhang Q, Zhao JJ, Xu J, Feng F, Qu W
    J Ethnopharmacol, 2015 Sep 15;173:48-80.
    PMID: 26091967 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2015.06.011
    The genus Uncaria belongs to the family Rubiaceae, which mainly distributed in tropical regions, such as Southeast Asia, Africa and Southeast America. Their leaves and hooks have long been thought to have healing powers and are already being tested as a treatment for asthma, cancer, cirrhosis, diabetes, hypertension, stroke and rheumatism. The present review aims to provide systematically reorganized information on the ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and pharmacology of the genus Uncaria to support for further therapeutic potential of this genus. To better understanding this genus, information on the stereo-chemistry and structure-activity relationships in indole alkaloids is also represented.
    Matched MeSH terms: Africa
  8. Zhang J, Lei F
    Integr Zool, 2010 Sep;5(3):264-71.
    PMID: 21392344 DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-4877.2010.00212.x
    In the present study, we used nucleotide and protein sequences of avian influenza virus H5N1, which were obtained in Asia and Africa, analyzed HA proteins using ClustalX1.83 and MEGA4.0, and built a genetic evolutionary tree of HA nucleotides. The analysis revealed that the receptor specificity amino acid of A/HK/213/2003, A/Turkey/65596/2006 and etc mutated into QNG, which could bind with á-2, 3 galactose and á-2, 6 galactose. A mutation might thus take place and lead to an outbreak of human infections of avian influenza virus. The mutations of HA protein amino acids from 2004 to 2009 coincided with human infections provided by the World Health Organization, indicating a "low-high-highest-high-low" pattern. We also found out that virus strains in Asia are from different origins: strains from Southeast Asia and East Asia are of the same origin, whereas those from West Asia, South Asia and Africa descend from one ancestor. The composition of the phylogenetic tree and mutations of key site amino acids in HA proteins reflected the fact that the majority of strains are regional and long term, and virus diffusions exist between China, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iraq. We would advise that pertinent vaccines be developed and due attention be paid to the spread of viruses between neighboring countries and the dangers of virus mutation and evolution.
    Matched MeSH terms: Africa/epidemiology
  9. Zaw MT, Lin Z, Emran NA
    J Microbiol Immunol Infect, 2020 Oct;53(5):676-681.
    PMID: 31563454 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmii.2019.07.006
    The mortality caused by Plasmodium falciparum was reduced by Artemisinin (ART) and ART combination therapy (ACT). However, Artemisinin resistance (ART-R) emerge during 2008 in Cambodia and spread to Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). ART-R was confirmed not to spread to India, a gateway to whole Africa. The whole genome sequencing approach of P. falciparum assumed the k13 gene encoded Kelch protein was discovered to be associated with ART-R. Of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of k13 gene, C580Y mutant was commonly dominant in Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam and assumed to be one of strong molecular markers for ART-R in P. falciparum isolates in GMS. Literatures published between 2017 and 2018 were reviewed in this work. F446I is observed to be doubtful molecular marker as ART-R marker. Transgenic experiment showed that parasite with F446I mutation displayed prolonged clearance in respond to ART while C580Y was applied as positive control mutant. Furthermore, study of C580Y allele in four countries Cambodia, Thailand, Laos resulted in single origin whereas the parasite with this allele showed multi-origin in three Provinces of Vietnam. As artemisinin was short acting drug, the role of long acting partner drug was studied by using transgenic C580Y mutant and C580 to leave recrudescent P. falciparum. Recently, there was treatment failure with ACT in some countries in GMS. In this review, the importance of C580Y mutation in the study of ART-R was discussed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Africa
  10. Zaw MT, Emran NA, Lin Z
    J Microbiol Immunol Infect, 2018 Apr;51(2):159-165.
    PMID: 28711439 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmii.2017.06.009
    BACKGROUND: In the fight against malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum, the successes achieved by artemisinin were endangered by resistance of the parasites to the drug. Whole genome sequencing approach on artemisinin resistant parasite line discovered k13 gene associated with drug resistance. In vitro and in vivo studies indicated mutations in the k13 gene were linked to the artemisinin resistance.

    METHODOLOGY: The literatures published after April, 2015 up to December, 2016 on k13 mutant alleles for artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum and relevant literatures were comprehensively reviewed.

    RESULTS: To date, 13 non-synonymous mutations of k13 gene have been observed to have slow parasite clearance. Worldwide mapping of k13 mutant alleles have shown mutants associated with artemisinin resistance were confined to southeast Asia and China and did not invade to African countries. Although in vitro ring stage survival assay of 0-3 h was a recently developed assay, it was useful for rapid detection of artemisinin resistance associated k13 allelic marker in the parasite. Recently, dissemination of k13 mutant alleles was recommended to be investigated by identity of haplotypes. Significant characteristics of well described alleles in the reports were mentioned in this review for the benefit of future studies.

    CONCLUSION: According to the updates in the review, it can be concluded artemisinin resistance does not disseminate to India and African countries within short period whereas regular tracking of these mutants is necessary.

    Matched MeSH terms: Africa/epidemiology
  11. Zarnowski R, Jaromin A, Certik M, Czabany T, Fontaine J, Jakubik T, et al.
    Z Naturforsch C J Biosci, 2008 11 13;59(5-6):321-6.
    PMID: 18998394
    The oil of Adenanthera pavonina L. seeds was analysed by chromatographic and instrumental means. The oil was found to be rich in neutral lipids (86.2%), and low in polar lipids (13.8%). The neutral lipids consisted mainly of triacylglycerols (64.2%). Unsaturated fatty acids were found as high as 71%, while the percentage of saturated fatty acids was only 29%. GC and GC/MS analyses revealed linoleic, oleic and lignocerotic acid to be predominant among all fatty acids in the A. pavonina oil, whereas stigmasterol was the major steroid identified within this study. Subsequently, the oil was used for preparation of submicron oil-in-water (o/w) lipid emulsions. Lipid emulsions were formulated by using soybean lecithin (SL) to investigate their particle size, Zeta potential and stability at the different oil and SL ratios. The results obtained indicate possible applications of the tested oil in pharmaceutical and medical fields as drug and cosmetic active ingredient carriers.
    Matched MeSH terms: Africa
  12. Yun K, Matheson J, Payton C, Scott KC, Stone BL, Song L, et al.
    Am J Public Health, 2016 Jan;106(1):128-35.
    PMID: 26562126 DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2015.302873
    OBJECTIVES: We conducted a large-scale study of newly arrived refugee children in the United States with data from 2006 to 2012 domestic medical examinations in 4 sites: Colorado; Minnesota; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Washington State.

    METHODS: Blood lead level, anemia, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, tuberculosis infection or disease, and Strongyloides seropositivity data were available for 8148 refugee children (aged < 19 years) from Bhutan, Burma, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Iraq, and Somalia.

    RESULTS: We identified distinct health profiles for each country of origin, as well as for Burmese children who arrived in the United States from Thailand compared with Burmese children who arrived from Malaysia. Hepatitis B was more prevalent among male children than female children and among children aged 5 years and older. The odds of HBV, tuberculosis, and Strongyloides decreased over the study period.

    CONCLUSIONS: Medical screening remains an important part of health care for newly arrived refugee children in the United States, and disease risk varies by population.

    Matched MeSH terms: Africa South of the Sahara/ethnology
  13. Yuan YM, Wohlhauser S, Möller M, Klackenberg J, Callmander M, Küpfer P
    Syst Biol, 2005 Feb;54(1):21-34.
    PMID: 15805008
    Disjunctive distributions across paleotropical regions in the Indian Ocean Basin (IOB) often invoke dispersal/vicariance debates. Exacum (Gentianaceae, tribe Exaceae) species are spread around the IOB, in Africa, Madagascar, Socotra, the Arabian peninsula, Sri Lanka, India, the Himalayas, mainland Southeast Asia including southern China and Malaysia, and northern Australia. The distribution of this genus was suggested to be a typical example of vicariance resulting from the breakup of the Gondwanan supercontinent. The molecular phylogeny of Exacum is in principle congruent with morphological conclusions and shows a pattern that resembles a vicariance scenario with rapid divergence among lineages, but our molecular dating analysis demonstrates that the radiation is too recent to be associated with the Gondwanan continental breakup. We used our dating analysis to test the results of DIVA and found that the program predicted impossible vicariance events. Ancestral area reconstruction suggests that Exacum originated in Madagascar, and divergence dating suggests its origin was not before the Eocene. The Madagascan progenitor, the most recent common ancestor of Exacum, colonized Sri Lanka and southern India via long-distance dispersals. This colonizer underwent an extensive range expansion and spread to Socotra-Arabia, northern India, and mainland Southeast Asia in the northern IOB when it was warm and humid in these regions. This widespread common ancestor retreated subsequently from most parts of these regions and survived in isolation in Socotra-Arabia, southern India-Sri Lanka, and perhaps mainland Southeast Asia, possibly as a consequence of drastic climatic changes, particularly the spreading drought during the Neogene. Secondary diversification from these surviving centers and Madagascar resulted in the extant main lineages of the genus. The vicariance-like pattern shown by the phylogeny appears to have resulted from long-distance dispersals followed by extensive range expansion and subsequent fragmentation. The extant African species E. oldenlandioides is confirmed to be recently dispersed from Madagascar.
    Matched MeSH terms: Africa
  14. Yousuf A, Arifin SRM, Musa R, Isa MLM
    One Health, 2020 Dec 20;11:100181.
    PMID: 33072837 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2020.100181
    The vast majority of its population being a pastoralist community, the Somali region in Ethiopia shares the longest border with its neighboring east African countries. These communities face a high risk for transmission of imported COVID-19 cases and remain vulnerable due to lack of access to health delivery and low utilisation of services. Valuable lessons from other countries, has placed the One Health Approach as an appropriate, feasible and applicable preventive and control measure for COVID-19. This paper discusses the epidemiological and social susceptibility of pastoral communities in the transmission of COVID-19 and the introduction of One Health Approach as an effective inter-disciplinary response and management.
    Matched MeSH terms: Africa, Eastern
  15. Yokogawa M
    Adv Parasitol, 1969;7:375-87.
    PMID: 4935271
    Matched MeSH terms: Africa
  16. Yap HY, Ghazali K, Wan Mohamad Nazarie WF, Mat Isa MN, Zakaria Z, Omar AR
    Genome Announc, 2013;1(5).
    PMID: 24136854 DOI: 10.1128/genomeA.00872-13
    Pasteurella multocida serotypes B:2 and E:2 are the main causative agents of ruminant hemorrhagic septicemia in Asia and Africa, respectively. Pasteurella multocida strain PMTB was isolated from a buffalo with hemorrhagic septicemia and has been determined to be serotype B:2. Here we report the draft genome sequence of strain PMTB.
    Matched MeSH terms: Africa
  17. Xing J, Watkins WS, Witherspoon DJ, Zhang Y, Guthery SL, Thara R, et al.
    Genome Res, 2009 May;19(5):815-25.
    PMID: 19411602 DOI: 10.1101/gr.085589.108
    We report an analysis of more than 240,000 loci genotyped using the Affymetrix SNP microarray in 554 individuals from 27 worldwide populations in Africa, Asia, and Europe. To provide a more extensive and complete sampling of human genetic variation, we have included caste and tribal samples from two states in South India, Daghestanis from eastern Europe, and the Iban from Malaysia. Consistent with observations made by Charles Darwin, our results highlight shared variation among human populations and demonstrate that much genetic variation is geographically continuous. At the same time, principal components analyses reveal discernible genetic differentiation among almost all identified populations in our sample, and in most cases, individuals can be clearly assigned to defined populations on the basis of SNP genotypes. All individuals are accurately classified into continental groups using a model-based clustering algorithm, but between closely related populations, genetic and self-classifications conflict for some individuals. The 250K data permitted high-level resolution of genetic variation among Indian caste and tribal populations and between highland and lowland Daghestani populations. In particular, upper-caste individuals from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh form one defined group, lower-caste individuals from these two states form another, and the tribal Irula samples form a third. Our results emphasize the correlation of genetic and geographic distances and highlight other elements, including social factors that have contributed to population structure.
    Matched MeSH terms: Africa
  18. Wolfe N
    Sci. Am., 2009 Apr;300(4):76-81.
    PMID: 19363924
    Matched MeSH terms: Africa/epidemiology
  19. Wireko AA, Ohenewaa Tenkorang P, Fosuah Debrah A, Akin-Olugbemi T, Yarlagadda R, Mehta A, et al.
    Int J Surg, 2023 Mar 01;109(3):534-535.
    PMID: 36928287 DOI: 10.1097/JS9.0000000000000011
    Matched MeSH terms: Africa
  20. Wireko AA, Ohenewaa Tenkorang P, Tope Adebusoye F, Mehta A, Cheng Ng J, Yaa Asieduwaa O, et al.
    Int J Surg, 2023 Feb 01;109(2):91-93.
    PMID: 36799813 DOI: 10.1097/JS9.0000000000000216
    Matched MeSH terms: Africa
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