Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 402 in total

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  1. Fulltext Natural bioactive compounds targeting DNA methyltransferase enzymes in cancer: Mechanisms insights and efficiencies
    Aanniz T, Bouyahya A, Balahbib A, El Kadri K, Khalid A, Makeen HA, et al.
    Chem Biol Interact, 2024 Apr 01;392:110907.
    PMID: 38395253 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2024.110907
    The regulation of gene expression is fundamental to health and life and is essentially carried out at the promoter region of the DNA of each gene. Depending on the molecular context, this region may be accessible or non-accessible (possibility of integration of RNA polymerase or not at this region). Among enzymes that control this process, DNA methyltransferase enzymes (DNMTs), are responsible for DNA demethylation at the CpG islands, particularly at the promoter regions, to regulate transcription. The aberrant activity of these enzymes, i.e. their abnormal expression or activity, can result in the repression or overactivation of gene expression. Consequently, this can generate cellular dysregulation leading to instability and tumor development. Several reports highlighted the involvement of DNMTs in human cancers. The inhibition or activation of DNMTs is a promising therapeutic approach in many human cancers. In the present work, we provide a comprehensive and critical summary of natural bioactive molecules as primary inhibitors of DNMTs in human cancers. The active compounds hold the potential to be developed as anti-cancer epidrugs targeting DNMTs.
    Matched MeSH terms: CpG Islands
  2. Fulltext Organizational Update From the Asia Pacific Stroke Organization
    Yoon BW, Toyoda K, Tan KS, Fong WC, Suwanwela NC, Venketasubramanian N
    Stroke, 2024 Jan;55(1):e8-e9.
    PMID: 37982241 DOI: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.123.044175
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Islands/epidemiology
  3. Fixing the leaky pipeline: gender imbalance in gastroenterology in Asia-Pacific region
    Devi J, Chan TT, Lui R, Ali RAR, Women in GI Focus Group, Emerging Leaders Committee, Asian Pacific Association of Gastroenterology
    J Gastroenterol Hepatol, 2023 Dec;38(12):2047-2049.
    PMID: 37743674 DOI: 10.1111/jgh.16353
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Islands/epidemiology
  4. First evidence of microplastic pollution in the surface water of Malaysian Marine Park islands, South China Sea during COVID-19
    Yusof KMKK, Anuar ST, Mohamad Y, Jaafar M, Mohamad N, Bachok Z, et al.
    Mar Pollut Bull, 2023 Sep;194(Pt B):115268.
    PMID: 37451046 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115268
    Malaysia is bounded by the South China Sea with many islands that support species megadiversity and coral reef ecosystems. This study investigates the distribution of microplastics (MPs) in the surface water around the four marine park islands (Perhentian, Redang, Kapas, and Tenggol) during COVID-19. The global pandemic has reset human activities, impacting the environment while possibly reducing anthropogenic contributions of microplastic pollution near the South China Sea islands. It was found that Pulau Perhentian recorded the most abundance of MPs (588.33 ± 111.77 items/L), followed by Pulau Redang (314.67 ± 58.08 items/L), Pulau Kapas (359.8 ± 87.70 items/L) and Pulau Tenggol (294.33 ± 101.64 items/L). Kruskal-Wallis analysis indicates a significant difference in total MPs abundance between islands. There are moderate correlations between salinity, pH, temperature and MPs variability. Among these parameters, only temperature is significant (p 
    Matched MeSH terms: Islands
  5. Fulltext Public Health Awards for the Asia-Pacific Region From the World Health Organization
    Binns C, Yun Low W
    Asia Pac J Public Health, 2023 Jul;35(5):333-334.
    PMID: 37403755 DOI: 10.1177/10105395231184676
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Islands
  6. Maternal lineage of Nicobari pig (Sus scrofa nicobaricus) correlated with migration of Nicobarese, a native tribal population of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
    De AK, Sawhney S, Ponraj P, Muthiyan R, Muniswamy K, Ravi SK, et al.
    Anim Biotechnol, 2023 Apr;34(2):156-165.
    PMID: 34310265 DOI: 10.1080/10495398.2021.1950742
    Nicobari pig is reared by Nicobarese, a native tribal population of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Nicobari pig has maintained its genetic identity due to geographical isolation. This communication is the first report on maternal inheritance of Nicobari pigs. DNA polymorphism data showed seven haplotypes. D-loop sequence information and mitogenome analysis were able to earmark Nicobari pigs to Asian clade. The domestication process of pigs and its expansion pattern help to understand human migration pattern. Based on this hypothesis, this communication elucidates the probable origin of Nicobarese. Earlier studies indicated that Nicobarese had genetic affinities to races distributed in China, Malaysia and Thailand. Our data on maternal inheritance of Nicobari pig correlates with the data on migration of Nicobarese. Moreover, we could establish a novel connection of Nicobarese with people of Northeastern parts of India, Philippines and Vietnam through phylogenetic signal and geographical provenance of Nicobari pig. We further concluded that migration of Nicobarese happened during Western route of migration (WRM) ∼4000 years before present. Therefore, we propose one wave hypothesis of peopling of Nicobar based on our study and existence of Ausrtroasiatic language, Mon-Khmer in these islands.
    Matched MeSH terms: Islands
  7. Morphological and genetic analyses of Simulium (Gomphostilbia) okinawense Takaoka and S. (G.) tokarense Takaoka (Diptera: Simuliidae) from the Nansei Islands, Japan: redescription and transfer from the S. ceylonicum species-group to the S. asakoae species-group
    Takaoka H, Otsuka Y, Fukuda M, Low VL, Ya'cob Z
    Trop Biomed, 2023 Mar 01;40(1):88-100.
    PMID: 37356008 DOI: 10.47665/tb.40.1.007
    Simulium (Gomphostilbia) okinawense Takaoka and S. (G.) tokarense Takaoka, both from the Nansei Islands, Japan, were morphologically reexamined and genetically analysed by using the COI gene sequences. The female, male, pupa and mature larva of the two species are redescribed. Morphological reexamination shows that both species are more similar to species in the S. asakoae species-group than to those in the S. ceylonicum species-group, by having a medium-long female sensory vesicle, yellow tuft hairs (S. (G.) okinawense) or yellow tuft hairs mixed with a few to several dark hairs (S. (G.) tokarense) at the base of the radial vein in the female and male, and medium-long larval postgenal cleft. However, the body of the male ventral plate (viewed ventrally) is parallel-sided (S. (G.) okinawense) or parallelsided or slightly narrowed (S. (G.) tokarense) and not emarginated basally, differing from those of most species in the S. asakoae species-group. Our genetic analysis shows that S. (G.) tokarense is in the S. asakoae species-group, and S. (G.) okinawense formed a separate sister clade with other members of the S. asakoae species-group with high bootstrap support. From the results of morphological and genetic analysis combined, S. (G.) okinawense and S. (G.) tokarense are transferred from the S. ceylonicum species-group to the S. asakoae species-group.
    Matched MeSH terms: Islands
  8. Gymnothorax poikilospilus, a new moray eel (Teleostei: Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) from Penghu Islands, western Taiwan
    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.
    Matched MeSH terms: Islands
  9. End compulsory drug treatment in the Asia-Pacific region
    Stoicescu C, Lataire Q, Peters K, Amon JJ, Kamarulzaman A, Ali R, et al.
    Lancet, 2022 01 29;399(10323):419-421.
    PMID: 35032436 DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00003-4
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Islands
  10. Fulltext Island Biogeography Revisited: Museomics Reveals Affinities of Shelf Island Birds Determined by Bathymetry and Paleo-Rivers, Not by Distance to Mainland
    Garg KM, Chattopadhyay B, Cros E, Tomassi S, Benedick S, Edwards DP, et al.
    Mol Biol Evol, 2022 Jan 07;39(1).
    PMID: 34893875 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab340
    Island biogeography is one of the most powerful subdisciplines of ecology: its mathematical predictions that island size and distance to mainland determine diversity have withstood the test of time. A key question is whether these predictions follow at a population-genomic level. Using rigorous ancient-DNA protocols, we retrieved approximately 1,000 genomic markers from approximately 100 historic specimens of two Southeast Asian songbird complexes from across the Sunda Shelf archipelago collected 1893-1957. We show that the genetic affinities of populations on small shelf islands defy the predictions of geographic distance and appear governed by Earth-historic factors including the position of terrestrial barriers (paleo-rivers) and persistence of corridors (Quaternary land bridges). Our analyses suggest that classic island-biogeographic predictors may not hold well for population-genomic dynamics on the thousands of shelf islands across the globe, which are exposed to dynamic changes in land distribution during Quaternary climate change.
    Matched MeSH terms: Islands
  11. Morphological and genetic revision of cytoform 'L' of the Simulium (Simulium) tani complex from Taiwan, and cytoform 'D' of the S. (S.) suzukii complex (Diptera: Simuliidae) from the Nansei Islands, Japan
    Takaoka H, Otsuka Y, Low VL, Adler PH, Fukuda M, Huang YT, et al.
    Acta Trop, 2021 Dec;224:106124.
    PMID: 34508715 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106124
    The species status of two cytoforms of two species complexes in the Simulium (Simulium) tuberosum species-group, which are almost indistinguishable in the pupal stage, was morphologically and genetically evaluated. Cytoform 'L' of the S. (S.) tani Takaoka & Davies complex, previously recognized as S. (S.) suzukii Rubtsov in Taiwan, is described as a new species, S. (S.) jianshiense. It is morphologically distinguishable as adults from two members of the S. (S.) suzukii complex: cytoform 'C' from Hokkaido, selected to represent the type of S. (S.) suzukii sensu stricto, and cytoform 'D' from Okinawa Island and, based on our chromosomal analysis, also from Amami Island. This new species is genetically separated from both cytoforms of the S. (S.) suzukii complex with a genetic distance of 5.31-6.67%. Cytoform 'D' is distinguished from cytoform 'C' by the color of the male forecoxa and relative length of the female sensory vesicle to the third maxillary palpomere. Accordingly, the name S. (S.) ryukyuense Ogata, once regarded as a synonym of S. (S.) suzukii, is revalidated and applied to cytoform 'D'. The genetic distance between S. (S.) ryukyuense and S. (S.) suzukii sensu stricto is 1.24-1.60%.
    Matched MeSH terms: Islands
  12. Asia Pacific Stroke Organization
    Tan KS, Lin RT, Yoon BW, Suwanwela N, Mehndiratta MM, Venketasubramanian N
    Stroke, 2021 12;52(12):e844-e845.
    PMID: 34807747 DOI: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.121.035397
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Islands
  13. Soft ticks (Acari: Argasidae) in the island nations of Southeast Asia: A review on their distribution, associated hosts and potential pathogens
    Kazim AR, Houssaini J, Ehlers J, Tappe D, Heo CC
    Acta Trop, 2021 Nov;223:106085.
    PMID: 34389326 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106085
    Soft ticks (Acari: Argasidae) are the second major family of the blood feeding metastriates and vectors of a number of viral and bacterial pathogens for both humans and animals. Despite the growing effort on tick surveillance and studies worldwide, there is still limited information on the soft tick distribution in the island nations of Southeast Asia, especially species that are medically and veterinarily important. With the aim to provide an overview of the current status of knowledge on soft tick distribution in the island nations of Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines and Timor-Leste), this article reviews the species of soft ticks (Acari: Argasidae) and their associated hosts and pathogens, with the addition of a pictorial summary and list of tick species discovered in this region. The most prevalent soft tick genus is Carios, and the host species most associated with findings of soft ticks in this region are bats, particularly of the Pteropodidae and Vespertilionidae families. Furthermore, the only known pathogen originating from soft ticks in the island nations of Southeast Asia was the Keterah virus, which was isolated from Argas pusillus tick in Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Islands
  14. Red Alert: Climate Change and Public Health in the Asia Pacific Region
    Binns C, Low WY, Wai Hoe VC
    Asia Pac J Public Health, 2021 11;33(8):810-811.
    PMID: 34763537 DOI: 10.1177/10105395211051322
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Islands/epidemiology
  15. Fulltext Genome of a middle Holocene hunter-gatherer from Wallacea
    Carlhoff S, Duli A, Nägele K, Nur M, Skov L, Sumantri I, et al.
    Nature, 2021 Aug;596(7873):543-547.
    PMID: 34433944 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03823-6
    Much remains unknown about the population history of early modern humans in southeast Asia, where the archaeological record is sparse and the tropical climate is inimical to the preservation of ancient human DNA1. So far, only two low-coverage pre-Neolithic human genomes have been sequenced from this region. Both are from mainland Hòabìnhian hunter-gatherer sites: Pha Faen in Laos, dated to 7939-7751 calibrated years before present (yr cal BP; present taken as AD 1950), and Gua Cha in Malaysia (4.4-4.2 kyr cal BP)1. Here we report, to our knowledge, the first ancient human genome from Wallacea, the oceanic island zone between the Sunda Shelf (comprising mainland southeast Asia and the continental islands of western Indonesia) and Pleistocene Sahul (Australia-New Guinea). We extracted DNA from the petrous bone of a young female hunter-gatherer buried 7.3-7.2 kyr cal BP at the limestone cave of Leang Panninge2 in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Genetic analyses show that this pre-Neolithic forager, who is associated with the 'Toalean' technocomplex3,4, shares most genetic drift and morphological similarities with present-day Papuan and Indigenous Australian groups, yet represents a previously unknown divergent human lineage that branched off around the time of the split between these populations approximately 37,000 years ago5. We also describe Denisovan and deep Asian-related ancestries in the Leang Panninge genome, and infer their large-scale displacement from the region today.
    Matched MeSH terms: Islands/ethnology*
  16. Fulltext Needs, gaps and opportunities for standard and e-mental health care among at-risk populations in the Asia Pacific in the context of COVID-19: a rapid scoping review
    Murphy JK, Khan A, Sun Q, Minas H, Hatcher S, Ng CH, et al.
    Int J Equity Health, 2021 07 12;20(1):161.
    PMID: 34253198 DOI: 10.1186/s12939-021-01484-5
    BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to have profound mental health impact, including in the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) region. Some populations might be at higher risk of experiencing negative mental health impacts and may encounter increased barriers to accessing mental health care. The pandemic and related restrictions have led to changes in care delivery, including a rapid shift to the use of e-mental health and digital technologies. It is therefore essential to consider needs and opportunities for equitable mental health care delivery to the most at-risk populations. This rapid scoping review: 1) identifies populations in the APEC region that are at higher risk of the negative mental health impacts of COVID-19, 2) identifies needs and gaps in access to standard and e-mental health care among these populations, and 3) explores the potential of e-mental health to address these needs.

    METHODS: We conducted a rapid scoping review following the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). We searched Medline, Embase and PsychInfo databases and Google Scholar using a search strategy developed in consultation with a biomedical librarian. We included records related to mental health or psychosocial risk factors and COVID-19 among at-risk groups; that referred to one or more APEC member economies or had a global, thus generalizable, scope; English language papers, and papers with full text available.

    RESULTS: A total of 132 records published between December 2019 and August 2020 were included in the final analysis. Several priority at-risk populations, risk factors, challenges and recommendations for standard and e-mental health care were identified. Results demonstrate that e-mental health care can be a viable option for care delivery but that specific accessibility and acceptability considerations must be considered. Options for in-person, hybrid or "low-tech" care must also remain available.

    CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the urgent need for equitable standard and e-mental health care. It has also highlighted the persistent social and structural inequities that contribute to poor mental health. The APEC region is vast and diverse; findings from the region can guide policy and practice in the delivery of equitable mental health care in the region and beyond.

    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Islands/epidemiology
  17. Fulltext DNA Methylation of Human Choline Kinase Alpha Promoter-Associated CpG Islands in MCF-7 Cells
    Mohamed Sa'dom SAF, Raikundalia S, Shamsuddin S, See Too WC, Few LL
    Genes (Basel), 2021 06 01;12(6).
    PMID: 34205960 DOI: 10.3390/genes12060853
    Choline kinase (CK) is the enzyme catalyzing the first reaction in CDP-choline pathway for the biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine. Higher expression of the α isozyme of CK has been implicated in carcinogenesis, and inhibition or downregulation of CKα (CHKA) is a promising anticancer approach. This study aimed to investigate the regulation of CKα expression by DNA methylation of the CpG islands found on the promoter of this gene in MCF-7 cells. Four CpG islands have been predicted in the 2000 bp promoter region of ckα (chka) gene. Six CpG island deletion mutants were constructed using PCR site-directed mutagenesis method and cloned into pGL4.10 vectors for promoter activity assays. Deletion of CpG4C region located between -225 and -56 significantly increased the promoter activity by 4-fold, indicating the presence of important repressive transcription factor binding site. The promoter activity of methylated full-length promoter was significantly lower than the methylated CpG4C deletion mutant by 16-fold. The results show that DNA methylation of CpG4C promotes the binding of the transcription factor that suppresses the promoter activity. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay analysis showed that cytosine methylation at MZF1 binding site in CpG4C increased the binding of putative MZF1 in nuclear extract. In conclusion, the results suggest that DNA methylation decreased the promoter activity by promoting the binding of putative MZF1 transcription factor at CpG4C region of the ckα gene promoter.
    Matched MeSH terms: CpG Islands
  18. Public Health Research During the COVID-19 Epidemic
    Binns C, Low WY
    Asia Pac J Public Health, 2021 05;33(4):333-334.
    PMID: 33938291 DOI: 10.1177/10105395211012844
    Matched MeSH terms: Pacific Islands/epidemiology
  19. Fulltext Reef foraminifera as bioindicators of coral reef health in southern South China Sea
    A'ziz ANA, Minhat FI, Pan HJ, Shaari H, Saelan WNW, Azmi N, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2021 Apr 26;11(1):8890.
    PMID: 33903697 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88404-3
    Pulau Tioman is a famous tourist island off Peninsular Malaysia with beautiful coral reefs. This study aims to assess the health of the coral reefs surrounding Pulau Tioman based on the application of the Foraminifera in Reef Assessment and Monitoring Index (FI). Ten sampling sites around Pulau Tioman were studied with a total of 30 samples. Eight orders, 41 families, 80 genera, and 161 species of benthic foraminifera were identified. The agglutinated type of foraminifera constituted 2-8% of the total assemblages. Calcareous hyaline and porcelaneous groups represented 79% and 19% of the total assemblages, respectively. Symbiont-bearing taxa were the most common foraminifera. The results indicate that most of the sampling sites are conducive for coral reef growth with good recoverability from future stress to the ecosystem. However, several areas with higher coastal development and tourism have reduced water and sediment quality. Therefore, the limit on the number of visitors and tourists should be revised to enable coral growth and health. The FI values in this study showed a positive correlation with good water qualities and a negative correlation with organic matter enrichment. The FI is a good measure to assess the health of a coral reef and can be applied to other reef ecosystems around Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Islands
  20. Fulltext Assessment of Aqueous Extraction Methods on Extractable Organic Matter and Hydrophobic/Hydrophilic Fractions of Virgin Forest Soils
    Wan Mohd Zamri WMI, Sjahrir F, Yaacob NS, Dzulkafli NF, Ahmad MF, Abdullah H, et al.
    Molecules, 2021 Apr 23;26(9).
    PMID: 33922872 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26092480
    The assessment of water-extractable organic matter using an autoclave can provide useful information on physical, chemical, and biological changes within the soil. The present study used virgin forest soils from Chini Forest Reserve, Langkawi Island, and Kenyir Forest Reserve (Malaysia), extracted using different extraction methods. The dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), total dissolved phosphorus (TDP), and ammonium-nitrate content were higher in the autoclave treatments, up to 3.0, 1.3, 1.2, and 1.4 times more than by natural extraction (extracted for 24 h at room temperature). Overall, the highest extractable DOC, TDN, TDP, ammonium and nitrate could be seen under autoclaved conditions 121 °C 2×, up to 146.74 mg C/L, 8.97 mg N/L, 0.23 mg P/L, 5.43 mg N mg/L and 3.47 N mg/L, respectively. The soil extracts became slightly acidic with a higher temperature and longer duration. Similar trends were observed in the humic and nonhumic substances, where different types of soil extract treatments influenced the concentrations of the fractions. Different soil extraction methods can provide further details, thus widening the application of soil extracts, especially in microbes.
    Matched MeSH terms: Islands
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