Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 402 in total

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  1. [On the palm-prints of the Indians in Goa and Penang]
    Nakamura S, Higashi Y
    Kumamoto Igakkai Zasshi, 1966 Jan 25;40(1):105-11.
    PMID: 5953548
    Matched MeSH terms: Indian Ocean Islands
  2. [On the finger-prints of the Indians in Goa and Penang]
    Higashi Y, Nakamura S
    Kumamoto Igakkai Zasshi, 1966 Jan 25;40(1):112-8.
    PMID: 5953614
    Matched MeSH terms: Indian Ocean Islands
  3. [Current trends of NASH/NAFLD in Asia-Pacific region]
    Ishii H
    Nippon Rinsho, 2006 Jun;64(6):1017-9.
    PMID: 16768103
    In Japan, much attention has been paid to NASH and NAFLD for the past several years and the prevalence of this disease entity has been estimated, and NASH is thought to be present in 10% of those who have fatty liver diseases. Other points out the prevalence of NASH in Japan as 6 to 8 hundred thousand patients. The last two or three decades have seen the evolution of Western-style life of near complete inactivity, energy-dense food choices and liberal fiscal resources to obtain them and other means to avoid physical activity. Moreover, what is increasingly apparent is that NASH and NAFLD is not a Western disease and many population groups in the Asia-Pacific region are particularly prone to type 2 diabetes. Thus, it is not surprising that NASH has increasingly been diagnosed in several regions in Asia including Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and India.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Islands/epidemiology
  4. Fulltext Whole-genome comparative analysis of Malaysian Burkholderia pseudomallei clinical isolates
    Ghazali AK, Eng SA, Khoo JS, Teoh S, Hoh CC, Nathan S
    Microb Genom, 2021 02;7(2).
    PMID: 33565959 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000527
    Burkholderia pseudomallei, a soil-dwelling Gram-negative bacterium, is the causative agent of the endemic tropical disease melioidosis. Clinical manifestations of B. pseudomallei infection range from acute or chronic localized infection in a single organ to fulminant septicaemia in multiple organs. The diverse clinical manifestations are attributed to various factors, including the genome plasticity across B. pseudomallei strains. We previously characterized B. pseudomallei strains isolated in Malaysia and noted different levels of virulence in model hosts. We hypothesized that the difference in virulence might be a result of variance at the genome level. In this study, we sequenced and assembled four Malaysian clinical B. pseudomallei isolates, UKMR15, UKMPMC2000, UKMD286 and UKMH10. Phylogenomic analysis showed that Malaysian subclades emerged from the Asian subclade, suggesting that the Malaysian strains originated from the Asian region. Interestingly, the low-virulence strain, UKMH10, was the most distantly related compared to the other Malaysian isolates. Genomic island (GI) prediction analysis identified a new island of 23 kb, GI9c, which is present in B. pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei, but not Burkholderia thailandensis. Genes encoding known B. pseudomallei virulence factors were present across all four genomes, but comparative analysis of the total gene content across the Malaysian strains identified 104 genes that are absent in UKMH10. We propose that these genes may encode novel virulence factors, which may explain the reduced virulence of this strain. Further investigation on the identity and role of these 104 proteins may aid in understanding B. pseudomallei pathogenicity to guide the design of new therapeutics for treating melioidosis.
    Matched MeSH terms: Genomic Islands
  5. Virulotyping of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica isolated from indigenous vegetables and poultry meat in Malaysia using multiplex-PCR
    Khoo CH, Cheah YK, Lee LH, Sim JH, Salleh NA, Sidik SM, et al.
    Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 2009 Nov;96(4):441-57.
    PMID: 19565351 DOI: 10.1007/s10482-009-9358-z
    The increased occurrence of Salmonella occurrence in local indigenous vegetables and poultry meat can be a potential health hazards. This study is aimed to detect the prevalence of twenty different virulence factors among Salmonella enterica strains isolated from poultry and local indigenous vegetables in Malaysia via an optimized, rapid and specific multiplex PCR assay. The assay encompasses a total of 19 Salmonella pathogenicity islands genes and a quorum sensing gene (sdiA) in three multiplex reaction sets. A total of 114 Salmonella enterica isolates belonging to 38 different serovars were tested. Each isolate in under this study was found to possess up to 70% of the virulence genes tested and exhibited variable pathogenicity gene patterns. Reproducibility of the multiplex PCR assay was found to be 100% and the detection limit of the optimized multiplex PCR was tested with lowest detectable concentration of DNA 0.8 pg microl(-1). This study demonstrated various Salmonella pathogenicity island virulence gene patterns even within the same serovar. This sets of multiplex PCR system provide a fast and reliable typing approach based on Salmonella pathogenicity islands, thus enabling an effective monitoring of emerging pathogenic Salmonella strains as an additional tool in Salmonella surveillance studies.
    Matched MeSH terms: Genomic Islands
  6. Fulltext Viral Determinants and Vector Competence of Zika Virus Transmission
    Tham HW, Balasubramaniam V, Ooi MK, Chew MF
    Front Microbiol, 2018;9:1040.
    PMID: 29875751 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01040
    Zika virus (ZIKV) has emerged as a new global health threat. Since its first discovery in Zika forest in Uganda, this virus has been isolated from several mosquito species, including Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. The geographical distribution of these mosquito species across tropical and subtropical regions has led to several outbreaks, including the recent pandemic in Brazil, followed by the Pacific islands and other areas of North and South America. This has gained attention of the scientific community to elucidate the epidemiology and transmission of ZIKV. Despite its strong attention on clinical aspects for healthcare professionals, the relationships between ZIKV and its principal vectors, A. aegypti and A. albopictus, have not gained substantial interest in the scientific research community. As such, this review aims to summarize the current knowledge on ZIKV tropism and some important mechanisms which may be employed by the virus for effective strategies on viral survival in mosquitoes. In addition, this review identifies the areas of research that should be placed attention to, for which to be exploited for novel mosquito control strategies.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Islands
  7. Using reference nutrient density goals with food balance sheet data to identify likely micronutrient deficits for fortification planning in countries in the Western Pacific region
    Gibson RS, Cavalli-Sforza T
    Food Nutr Bull, 2012 Sep;33(3 Suppl):S214-20.
    PMID: 23193773
    Collection of nationwide food consumption data at the individual level is the preferred option for planning fortification programs. However, such data are seldom collected in low-income countries. In contrast, Food Balance Sheets (FBS), published annually for approximately 180 countries, may provide a source of national data for program planning.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Islands
  8. Fulltext Unusual spawning behaviour of the horseshoe crab (tachypleus gigas, müller) after the tsunami along Orissa coast, India
    Chatterji, Ani, Faizah Shaharom
    Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology, 2009;17(2):-.
    MyJurnal
    The central coast of Tamil Nadu, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, along with other regions, was severely hit by the tsunami on 26 December 2004. A strange spawning behaviour of the Indian horseshoe crabs (Tachypleus gigas, Müller) was observed after the tsunami disturbance. Along the northeast coast of India, the horseshoe crabs normally migrate towards the shore in large numbers coinciding with the tidal height and grain size of the sediment and spawn in nests made in sand. The spawning behaviour was normal until November 2004 and throughout that period about 35 to 45 nests in 200 m2 of area of the breeding beach were examined. However, no nesting was observed from December 2004 to March 2005, i.e. after the occurrence of tsunami. The number of nests per 200 m2 of area (~82) and the number of eggs per nest (750-1000 eggs) were increased considerably when the normal conditions were restored in April 2005. The absence of spawning migration, from December 2004 to March 2005, is totally an unusual behaviour and this happened for the first time during the past several years of the study period.
    Matched MeSH terms: Islands
  9. Unmet treatment needs of gastroesophageal reflux disease in Asia: gastroesophageal reflux disease in Asia Pacific survey
    Goh KL, Choi MG, Hsu WP, Chun HJ, Mahachai V, Kachintorn U, et al.
    J Gastroenterol Hepatol, 2014 Dec;29(12):1969-75.
    PMID: 24990817 DOI: 10.1111/jgh.12655
    Data on patient satisfaction with proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are scarce in Asia. The perspectives of Asian patients with GERD and their satisfaction with PPI therapy were investigated.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Islands/epidemiology
  10. Uncovering karst endemism within Borneo: two new Cyrtodactylus species from Sarawak, Malaysia
    Davis HR, Bauer AM, Jackman TR, Nashriq I, DAS I
    Zootaxa, 2019 Jun 10;4614(2):zootaxa.4614.2.4.
    PMID: 31716380 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4614.2.4
    The island of Borneo lies within one of the most biodiverse regions in the world. Despite this, its documented gekkonid diversity is not commensurate with other areas of Southeast Asia. The megadiverse genus Cyrtodactylus is especially underrepresented. Limestone-karst ecosystems, in particular, harbor many endemic Cyrtodactylus species, but only one karst-dwelling species is currently recognized from Borneo. This paper adds two additional karst-dwelling Cyrtodactylus species-C. muluensis sp. nov. and C. limajalur sp. nov.-from Sarawak, Malaysia. Cyrtodactylus muluensis sp. nov. is endemic to Gunung Mulu and is distinguished from its congeners by having a precloacal groove, 31-38 ventral scales, a maximum SVL of at least 88 mm, enlarged subcaudals, 19-20 subdigital lamellae, and a banded dorsal body pattern. Cyrtodactylus limajalur sp. nov. is endemic to the Serian region and is distinguished from its congeners by having 33-42 ventral scales, enlarged subcaudals, a precloacal pit, a maximum SVL of at least 94 mm, 5-6 enlarged femoral scales, 19-22 subdigital lamellae, and five distinct bands on the dorsum. Both species are phylogenetically distinct and deeply divergent from all other congeners. The description of two new karst-dwelling species highlights the need to conserve karst habitats and the endemic species they harbor.
    Matched MeSH terms: Islands
  11. Two reads to rule them all: Nanopore long read-guided assembly of the iconic Christmas Island red crab, Gecarcoidea natalis (Pocock, 1888), mitochondrial genome and the challenges of AT-rich mitogenomes
    Gan HM, Linton SM, Austin CM
    Mar Genomics, 2019 Jun;45:64-71.
    PMID: 30928201 DOI: 10.1016/j.margen.2019.02.002
    Despite recent advances in sequencing technology, a complete mitogenome assembly is still unavailable for the gecarcinid land crabs that include the iconic Christmas Island red crab (Gecarcoidea natalis) which is known for its high population density, annual mass breeding migration and ecological significance in maintaining rainforest structure. Using sequences generated from Nanopore and Illumina platforms, we assembled the complete mitogenome for G. natalis, the first for the genus and only second for the family Gecarcinidae. Nine Nanopore long reads representing 0.15% of the sequencing output from an overnight MinION Nanopore run were aligned to the mitogenome. Two of them were >10 kb and combined are sufficient to span the entire G. natalis mitogenome. The use of Illumina genome skimming data only resulted in a fragmented assembly that can be attributed to low to zero sequencing coverage in multiple high AT-regions including the mitochondrial protein-coding genes (NAD4 and NAD5), 16S ribosomal rRNA and non-coding control region. Supplementing the mitogenome assembly with previously acquired transcriptome dataset containing high abundance of mitochondrial transcripts improved mitogenome sequence coverage and assembly reliability. We then inferred the phylogeny of the Eubrachyura using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian approaches, confirming the phylogenetic placement of G. natalis within the family Gecarcinidae based on whole mitogenome alignment. Given the substantial impact of AT-content on mitogenome assembly and the value of complete mitogenomes in phylogenetic and comparative studies, we recommend that future mitogenome sequencing projects consider generating a modest amount of Nanopore long reads to facilitate the closing of problematic and fragmented mitogenome assemblies.
    Matched MeSH terms: Indian Ocean Islands
  12. Two new Tytthoscincus Linkem, Diesmos, Brown (Squamata; Scincidae) from Peninsular Malaysia and another case of microsyntopy between ecologically specialized, unrelated, leaf-litter species
    Grismer LL, Wood PLJ, Ahmad AB, Baizul-Hafsyam BS, Afiq-Shuhaimi M, Rizal SA, et al.
    Zootaxa, 2018 May 29;4425(1):87-107.
    PMID: 30313468 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4425.1.5
    Two new species of diminutive, sympatric, lowland, leaf-litter skinks of the genus Tytthoscincus Linkem, Diesmos Brown from the Sekayu region of Hulu Terengganu, Terengganu State in northeastern Peninsular Malaysia are described on the basis genetic and morphological data. One of the new species, T. monticolus sp. nov., was collected in a hilly riparian area along Sungai (=river) Bubu and is most closely related to an undescribed species from the Tembak Reservoir area. The other, T. keciktuek sp. nov. collected along Sungai Peres, is most closely related to T. perhentianensis Grismer, Wood, Grismer from Pulau (=island) Perhentian Besar. Sympatry and syntopy of multiple, specialized, unrelated, leaf-litter species of Tytthoscincus was previously only known from upland areas and these new species represent the first example of lowland of sympatry. More importantly, however, these endemic species add to a growing body of research and discoveries that continue to underscore the unrealized biodiversity of the riparian systems of Hulu Terengganu and the Sekayu region and their need for protection and continued study.
    Matched MeSH terms: Islands
  13. Fulltext Two New Nepenthes Species from the Philippines and an Emended Description of Nepenthes ramos
    Gronemeyer T, Suarez W, Nuytemans H, Calaramo M, Wistuba A, Mey FS, et al.
    Plants (Basel), 2016;5(2).
    PMID: 27164153 DOI: 10.3390/plants5020023
    With 50 species of the genus Nepenthes L. currently described from the Philippines, it is without doubt that the country, along with the islands of Sumatra (Indonesia) and Borneo (Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei), should be considered the center of diversity of the genus. In this work, we describe two new species. One species, N. aenigma sp. nov., is from Ilocos Norte province on Luzon Island and has the-for Nepenthes-unusual ecological preference to grow in dense vegetation in deep shade. The other new species is from Mount Hamiguitan in Davao Oriental province on Mindanao Island. With this new entry, Mount Hamiguitan is now home to four endemic species (N. peltata, N. micramphora, N. hamiguitanensis, N. justinae sp. nov.). Furthermore, we provide an emended description of N. ramos based on field data. Nepenthes kurata is synonymized here with N. ramos.
    Matched MeSH terms: Islands
  14. Trend of meiobenthos density and composition in Karah Island, South China Sea
    Zaleha K, Nasiratul_shahida MN, Siang HY, Kamaruzzaman BY
    Sains Malaysiana, 2016;45:1019-1024.
    Meiobenthos in Bidong Archipelago in coastal water of the South China Sea is hypothesised to have a certain trend of
    distribution particularly in the island ecosystem where it is usually having different type of sea bottom. Nonetheless, since
    it is located in a tropical area, the trend at the sub-tidal could be less obvious due to absent of clear season. Meiobenthic
    sampling was carried out in Karah Island, an island in Bidong Archipelago, from the intertidal, towards the sub-tidal
    zone covering the coral and non-coral area to see the trend in the density and composition. A transparent hand core
    was used to collect benthos samples. Nematoda and harpacticoid copepods dominated the intertidal and sub-tidal zone
    respectively. Harpacticoid copepods were higher in density in the non-coral sediment than the coral area. This could be
    due to the high content of silt and clay in the coral area (2.98% of silt and clay). The 2-dimension MDS analysis on the
    density data indicated the highest degree of scattering and an over-lapping condition for those intertidal and sub-tidal
    samples respectively. ANOSIM result showed that the degree of similarity was lower at the intertidal (70%) than the subtidal
    (reaching 90%) in the first sampling before both became no significant different in the second sampling. It could
    indicate the stable condition in the subtidal than the intertidal ecosystem. The comparatively low density of meiobenthos
    could indicate their response towards the environmental condition in the area which will only be confirmed by long term
    ecological study.
    Matched MeSH terms: Islands
  15. Treating pulmonary embolism in Pacific Asia with direct oral anticoagulants
    Cohen A, Jeyaindran S, Kim JY, Park K, Sompradeekul S, Tambunan KL, et al.
    Thromb Res, 2015 Aug;136(2):196-207.
    PMID: 26139085 DOI: 10.1016/j.thromres.2015.05.024
    Pulmonary embolism (PE) is the principal preventable cause of in-hospital deaths. Prevalence of PE in Asians is uncertain but undoubtedly underestimated. Asians and Caucasians have similar non-genetic risk factors for PE, and there is mounting evidence that PE affects Asians much more commonly than previously supposed; incidence, especially among high-risk patients, may approach that in Caucasians. Furthermore, PE incidence in Asia is increasing, due to both increased ascertainment, and also population ageing and growing numbers of patients with predisposing risk factors. Despite being warranted, thromboprophylaxis for high-risk patients is not routine in Pacific Asian countries/regions. There also appears to be scope to implement venous thromboembolism (VTE) management guidelines more assiduously. Anticoagulants, primarily heparins and warfarin, have been the mainstays of VTE management for years; however, these agents have limitations that complicate routine use. The complexity of current guidelines has been another barrier to applying evidence-based recommendations in everyday practice. Updated management approaches have considerable potential to improve outcomes. New oral anticoagulants that are easier to administer, require no, or much less, monitoring or dose-adjustment and have a favourable risk/benefit profile compared with conventional modalities, may offer an alternative with the potential to simplify VTE management. However, more information is required on practical management and the occurrence and treatment of bleeding complications. Increasing recognition of the burden of PE and new therapeutic modalities are altering the VTE management landscape in Pacific Asia. Consequently, there is a need to further raise awareness and bridge gaps between the latest evidence and clinical practice.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Islands
  16. Fulltext Transposable Elements Adaptive Role in Genome Plasticity, Pathogenicity and Evolution in Fungal Phytopathogens
    Mat Razali N, Cheah BH, Nadarajah K
    Int J Mol Sci, 2019 Jul 23;20(14).
    PMID: 31340492 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20143597
    Transposable elements (TEs) are agents of genetic variability in phytopathogens as they are a source of adaptive evolution through genome diversification. Although many studies have uncovered information on TEs, the exact mechanism behind TE-induced changes within the genome remains poorly understood. Furthermore, convergent trends towards bigger genomes, emergence of novel genes and gain or loss of genes implicate a TE-regulated genome plasticity of fungal phytopathogens. TEs are able to alter gene expression by revamping the cis-regulatory elements or recruiting epigenetic control. Recent findings show that TEs recruit epigenetic control on the expression of effector genes as part of the coordinated infection strategy. In addition to genome plasticity and diversity, fungal pathogenicity is an area of economic concern. A survey of TE distribution suggests that their proximity to pathogenicity genes TEs may act as sites for emergence of novel pathogenicity factors via nucleotide changes and expansion or reduction of the gene family. Through a systematic survey of literature, we were able to conclude that the role of TEs in fungi is wide: ranging from genome plasticity, pathogenicity to adaptive behavior in evolution. This review also identifies the gaps in knowledge that requires further elucidation for a better understanding of TEs' contribution to genome architecture and versatility.
    Matched MeSH terms: Genomic Islands
  17. Transgene expression from CpG-reduced lentiviral gene delivery vectors in vitro
    Low PT, Lai MI, Ngai SC, Abdullah S
    Gene, 2014 Jan 1;533(1):451-5.
    PMID: 24120896 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2013.09.075
    Current viral gene delivery vectors for gene therapy are inefficient due to short-lived transgene expression attributed to the cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) motifs in the transgene. Here we assessed the effects of CpG motif reduction in lentiviral (LV) gene delivery context on the level and duration of reporter gene expression in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells, Human Immortalized Myelogenous Leukemia (K562) cells and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). The cells were transduced with LV carrying Zero-CpG green fluorescent protein (ZGFP) reporter gene, LV/CMV/ZGFP. The GFP expression was compared to its non CpG-depleted GFP reporter gene LV (LV/CMV/GFP) counterpart. The LV/CMV/ZGFP exhibited prolonged transgene expression in CHO cells and HSCs up to 10 days and 14 days, in the respective cells. This effect was not seen in the transduced K562 cells, which may be due to the DNA hypomethylation status of the cancer cell line. Transgene copy number analysis verified that the GFP expression was not from pseudo-transduction and the transgene remained in the genome of the cells throughout the period of the study. The modest positive effects from the LV/CMV/ZGFP suggest that the reduction of CpG in the LV construct was not substantial to generate higher and more prolonged transgene expression.
    Matched MeSH terms: CpG Islands*
  18. Fulltext Total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of Basil (Ocimum Basilicum L.) leaves from different locations
    Aburigal, Y.A.A., Mirghani, M.E.S., Elmogtaba, E.Y., Sirible, A.A.M., Hamza, N.B., Hussein, I.H.
    International Food Research Journal, 2017;24(101):0-0.
    MyJurnal
    The present study was carried out to determine the antioxidant activity and total phenolic content of Ocimum basilicum collected from different regions of the world. The accession V1 is from Sudan, V2 from Iraq, V3 from Germany, V4 from Thailand, V5 from Russia and V6 from Maldives. The extracts from six basil accessions were analysed for their DPPH free radical scavenging activity and their total phenolic content (TPC). The results suggest that the highest antioxidant activity was found in V6 (from Maldives) and the lowest antioxidant activity was found in V4 (from Thailand). The highest amount of phenolic content was found in V6 (from Maldives) and the lowest phenolic content was found inV4 (from Thailand). This study shows that basil is a good source of free-radical scavenging compounds that have their traditional medicinal applications.
    Matched MeSH terms: Indian Ocean Islands
  19. Fulltext Tobacco smoking-associated genome-wide DNA methylation changes in the EPIC study
    Ambatipudi S, Cuenin C, Hernandez-Vargas H, Ghantous A, Le Calvez-Kelm F, Kaaks R, et al.
    Epigenomics, 2016 May;8(5):599-618.
    PMID: 26864933 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2016-0001
    AIM: Epigenetic changes may occur in response to environmental stressors, and an altered epigenome pattern may represent a stable signature of environmental exposure.

    MATERIALS & METHODS: Here, we examined the potential of DNA methylation changes in 910 prediagnostic peripheral blood samples as a marker of exposure to tobacco smoke in a large multinational cohort.

    RESULTS: We identified 748 CpG sites that were differentially methylated between smokers and nonsmokers, among which we identified novel regionally clustered CpGs associated with active smoking. Importantly, we found a marked reversibility of methylation changes after smoking cessation, although specific genes remained differentially methylated up to 22 years after cessation.

    CONCLUSION: Our study has comprehensively cataloged the smoking-associated DNA methylation alterations and showed that these alterations are reversible after smoking cessation.

    Matched MeSH terms: CpG Islands
  20. Tobacco consumption: the Asia-Pacific Region's major public health problem
    Low WY, Binns C
    Asia Pac J Public Health, 2013 Sep;25(5 Suppl):7S-9S.
    PMID: 24092814 DOI: 10.1177/1010539513489501
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Islands/epidemiology
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