MyMedR

Displaying publications 3101 - 3120 of 8501 in total

Abstract:

Sort:

Validation of Multi-epitope Peptides Encapsulated in PLGA Nanoparticles Against Influenza A Virus

Heng WT, Lim HX, Tan KO, Poh CL

Pharm Res, 2023 Aug;40(8):1999-2025.
PMID: 37344603 DOI: 10.1007/s11095-023-03540-x

BACKGROUND: Influenza is a highly contagious respiratory disease which poses a serious threat to public health globally, causing severe diseases in 3-5 million humans and resulting in 650,000 deaths annually. The current licensed seasonal influenza vaccines lacked cross-reactivity against novel emerging influenza strains as they conferred limited neutralising capabilities. To address the issue, we designed a multi-epitope peptide-based vaccine delivered by the self-adjuvanting PLGA nanoparticles against influenza infections.
METHODS: A total of six conserved peptides representing B- and T-cell epitopes of Influenza A were identified and they were formulated in either incomplete Freund's adjuvant containing CpG ODN 1826 or being encapsulated in PLGA nanoparticles for the evaluation of immunogenicity in BALB/c mice.
RESULTS: The self-adjuvanting PLGA nanoparticles encapsulating the six conserved peptides were capable of eliciting the highest levels of IgG and IFN- γ producing cells. In addition, the immunogenicity of the six peptides encapsulated in PLGA nanoparticles showed greater humoral and cellular mediated immune responses elicited by the mixture of six naked peptides formulated in incomplete Freund's adjuvant containing CpG ODN 1826 in the immunized mice. Peptide 3 from the mixture of six peptides was found to exert necrotic effect on CD3+ T-cells and this finding indicated that peptide 3 should be removed from the nanovaccine formulation.
CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated the self-adjuvanting properties of the PLGA nanoparticles as a delivery system without the need for incorporation of toxic and costly conventional adjuvants in multi-epitope peptide-based vaccines.
Central effects of mouth rinses on endurance and strength performance

Tan SH, Khong TK, Selvanayagam VS, Yusof A

Eur J Appl Physiol, 2024 Feb;124(2):403-415.
PMID: 38038740 DOI: 10.1007/s00421-023-05350-w

Rinsing the mouth with a carbohydrate (CHO) solution has been shown to enhance exercise performance while reducing neuromuscular fatigue. This effect is thought to be mediated through the stimulation of oral receptors, which activate brain areas associated with reward, motivation, and motor control. Consequently, corticomotor responsiveness is increased, leading to sustained levels of neuromuscular activity prior to fatigue. In the context of endurance performance, the evidence regarding the central involvement of mouth rinse (MR) in performance improvement is not conclusive. Peripheral mechanisms should not be disregarded, particularly considering factors such as low exercise volume, the participant's fasting state, and the frequency of rinsing. These factors may influence central activations. On the other hand, for strength-related activities, changes in motor evoked potential (MEP) and electromyography (EMG) have been observed, indicating increased corticospinal responsiveness and neuromuscular drive during isometric and isokinetic contractions in both fresh and fatigued muscles. However, it is important to note that in many studies, MEP data were not normalised, making it difficult to exclude peripheral contributions. Voluntary activation (VA), another central measure, often exhibits a lack of changes, mainly due to its high variability, particularly in fatigued muscles. Based on the evidence, MR can attenuate neuromuscular fatigue and improve endurance and strength performance via similar underlying mechanisms. However, the evidence supporting central contribution is weak due to the lack of neurophysiological measures, inaccurate data treatment (normalisation), limited generalisation between exercise modes, methodological biases (ignoring peripheral contribution), and high measurement variability.Trial registration: PROSPERO ID: CRD42021261714.
Fulltext Retrograde axonal transport of poliovirus and EV71 in motor neurons

Ohka S, Hao Tan S, Kaneda S, Fujii T, Schiavo G

Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 2022 Oct 20;626:72-78.
PMID: 35973377 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.08.015

Poliovirus (PV) can spread through neural pathway to the central nervous system and replicates in motor neurons, which leads to poliomyelitis. Enterovirus 71 (EV71), which is closely related to PV, is one of the causative agents of hand-foot-and-mouth disease and can cause severe neurological diseases similar to poliomyelitis. Since PV is similar to EV71 in its motor neurotoxicity, we tried to understand if the results obtained with PV are of general applicability to EV71 and other viruses with similar characteristics. Using microfluidic devices, we demonstrated that both PV capsid and the PV genome undergo axonal retrograde transport with human PV receptor (hPVR), and the transported virus replicated in the soma of hPVR-expressing motor neurons. Similar to PV in hPVR-transgenic (Tg) mice, neural pathway ensuring spreading of EV71 has been shown in adult human scavenger receptor class B, member 2 (hSCARB2)-Tg mice. We have validated this finding in microfluidic devices by showing that EV71 is retrogradely transported together with hSCARB2 to the cell body where it replicates in an hSCARB2-dependent manner.
Spatio-temporal changes in fractional vegetation cover and the driving forces during 2001-2020 in the northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains, China

He X, Zhang F, Cai Y, Tan ML, Chan NW

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2023 Jun;30(30):75511-75531.
PMID: 37222898 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-27702-x

This study aims to understand the factors and mechanisms influencing the spatio-temporal changes of fractional vegetation cover (FVC) in the northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains. The MOD13Q1 product data between June and September (peak of plants growing) during the 2001-2020 period was incorporated into the pixel dichotomy model to calculate the vegetation cover changes. Then, the principal component analysis method was used to identify the primary driving factors affecting the change in vegetation cover from the natural, human, and economic perspectives. Finally, the partial correlation coefficients of FVC with temperature and precipitation were further calculated based on the pixel scale. The findings indicate that (1) FVC in the northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains ranged from 0.37 to 0.47 during the 2001-2020 period, with an obvious inter-annual variation and an overall upward trend of about 0.4484/10 a. Although the vegetation cover had some changes over time, it was generally stable, and the area of strong variation only accounted for 0.58% of the total. (2) The five grades of vegetation cover were distributed spatially similarly, but the area-weighted gravity center for each vegetation class shifted significantly. The FVC under different land use/land cover types and elevations was obviously different, and as elevation increased, vegetation coverage presented a trend of a "∩"-shape change. (3) According to the results of principal component analysis, human activities, economic growth, and natural climate were the main driving factors that caused the changes in vegetation cover, and the cumulative contribution of the three reached 89.278%. In addition, when it came to climatic factors, precipitation had a greater driving force on the vegetation cover change, followed by temperature and sunshine hours. (4) Overall, precipitation and temperature were correlated positively with FVC, with the average correlation coefficient values of 0.089 and 0.135, respectively. Locally, the correlations vary greatly under different LULC and altitudes. This research can provide some scientific basis and reference for the vegetation evolution pattern and ecological civilization construction in the region.
Behavioural Effects and RNA-seq Analysis of Aβ42-Mediated Toxicity in a Drosophila Alzheimer's Disease Model

Tan FHP, Azzam G, Najimudin N, Shamsuddin S, Zainuddin A

Mol Neurobiol, 2023 Aug;60(8):4716-4730.
PMID: 37145377 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03368-x

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurological ailment worldwide. Its process comprises the unique aggregation of extracellular senile plaques composed of amyloid-beta (Aβ) in the brain. Aβ42 is the most neurotoxic and aggressive of the Aβ42 isomers released in the brain. Despite much research on AD, the complete pathophysiology of this disease remains unknown. Technical and ethical constraints place limits on experiments utilizing human subjects. Thus, animal models were used to replicate human diseases. The Drosophila melanogaster is an excellent model for studying both physiological and behavioural aspects of human neurodegenerative illnesses. Here, the negative effects of Aβ42-expression on a Drosophila AD model were investigated through three behavioural assays followed by RNA-seq. The RNA-seq data was verified using qPCR. AD Drosophila expressing human Aβ42 exhibited degenerated eye structures, shortened lifespan, and declined mobility function compared to the wild-type Control. RNA-seq revealed 1496 genes that were differentially expressed from the Aβ42-expressing samples against the control. Among the pathways that were identified from the differentially expressed genes include carbon metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, antimicrobial peptides, and longevity-regulating pathways. While AD is a complicated neurological condition whose aetiology is influenced by a number of factors, it is hoped that the current data will be sufficient to give a general picture of how Aβ42 influences the disease pathology. The discovery of molecular connections from the current Drosophila AD model offers fresh perspectives on the usage of this Drosophila which could aid in the discovery of new anti-AD medications.
Studying the cellular efficacy and tolerability of using CRISPR-gRNA ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex for in-vitro knockdown of TRIB2 in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) cells as preliminary clinical evaluations

Tan JYP, Thevendran R, Quek YS, Maheswaran S

Mol Biol Rep, 2025 Apr 09;52(1):379.
PMID: 40205014 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-025-10487-2

BACKGROUND: Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a complex, genetically driven cancer disease with several mutations that complicate therapy regimes. The Tribbles gene family, specifically the TRIB2 gene, has garnered substantial interest as a crucial oncogenic factor of AML progression. Studying cancer through gene expression studies and focusing on the primary oncogenes provide accurate information for future therapies. Here, CRISPR stands as the most exceptional tool used to explore both oncogene functionalities and therapeutic utilities. The ribonucleoprotein (RNP) mode of CRISPR formation and usage are preferred compared to plasmid-mediated CRISPR systems, however, it can lead to complications post-transfection to sensitive cellular entities such as human cancer cells in-vitro, transcribing to similar outcomes in-vivo as well. Therefore, this study describes the use of in-house designed CRISPR-RNP systems targeting the TRIB2 oncogene and evaluates their post-transfection cellular safety and efficacy aspects for future clinical applications.
METHODS: This study uses a designed guide RNA targeting the TRIB2 gene assembled via In-vitro synthesis. The gRNA with Cas9 protein leads to the formation of CRISPR-RNP structures, which target and cleave the TRIB2 gene. The assembled CRISPR-RNP system is transfected into target AML cell and control cell lines (i.e. HEK cells), and the subsequent gene cleavage and resulting changes to the AML cells in terms of cellular safety/tolerability and gene knockdown efficacy were studied via RT-qPCR, flow cytometry, and cell viability analysis.
RESULTS: The outcome demonstrates the well-tolerated transfection of the in-vitro assembled CRISPR RNP system with no signs of cellular toxicity and disruptions towards the AML cell's metabolic activities, promoting the safety aspects of CRISPR RNP post-transfection to human cells. The study further highlights the in-vitro efficacy of the CRISPR RNP in targeting the TRIB2 oncogene, where a statistically significant gene knockdown of more than 80% was detected via qPCR analysis of TRIB2 gene expression with minimal to no background effects from individual RNP components, equating to their targeted gene cleavage effects. In addition, the CRISPR TRIB2 gene knockdown also indicated the possibilities of induced AML cell death measured via flow cytometry markers, translating to favourable outcomes in eliminating cancerous growths.
CONCLUSIONS: This study research contributes to the refinement of the CRISPR-RNP strategy and preliminary evaluation for future clinical uses.
Fulltext A Practical Update on Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) for the General Physician, Answering Questions of Patient Type, Timing, and Device Choice

Ong HT, Tan CYA, Zhu ZW, Zhou S

Int J Gen Med, 2026;19:602972.
PMID: 42967142 DOI: 10.2147/IJGM.S602972

BACKGROUND: Since its inception in the 1970s, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has undergone significant advances. This review provides an updated perspective on PCI to assist general physicians in navigating various clinical presentations, determining the appropriate patient and optimal timing for intervention, as well as selecting appropriate devices for different populations.
METHODS: Clinical trials from a targeted three-stage PubMed search, focusing on PCI indications, procedural timing, and device selection, were analyzed and integrated with consensus guidelines from leading cardiology organizations.
RESULTS: For patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), PCI is recommended within 12 h of the onset of symptoms, ideally achieving a door-to-balloon time of 90-120 min from the first medical contact. Beyond the 12 h mark, the procedure remains indicated for those exhibiting persistent ischemia, clinical symptoms, or complications such as shock, arrhythmia, or heart failure. In cases of non-STEMI (NSTEMI), patients generally benefit from PCI during their initial hospital stay, although an early invasive approach may not provide clinical advantages for frail elderly individuals. Complete revascularization is typically favored over treating only the culprit lesion, except in instances of cardiogenic shock. For those with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS), while PCI enhances quality of life and improves symptom management, most clinical trials report that it does not significantly reduce mortality or major cardiovascular incidents. The initial plain old balloon angioplasty faced complications of restenosis and acute vessel closure. While bare metal stents addressed acute closure, the problem of restenosis persisted and stent thrombosis was noted. Current drug-eluting stents (DESs) are the preferred choice owing to superior clinical outcomes, with lower restenosis and stent thrombosis rates. Although theoretically ideal, bioresorbable scaffolds (BRSs) are still undergoing further research since they have yet to prove superior to DESs in clinical trials. In addition, drug-coated balloons (DCBs) have become a specialized treatment, especially for managing in-stent restenosis.
CONCLUSION: The necessity for and timing of PCI are dictated by the patient's specific clinical presentation. Immediate intervention is critical for STEMI patients, within 12 h of onset, or those with complications, while NSTEMI cases should be treated during the hospital admission. For CCS, PCI serves as an elective option to alleviate symptoms without altering long-term survival. The DES remains the primary tool in modern PCI, with BRS still undergoing research trials and DCBs serving specialized roles.
Intrapericardial Administration to Achieve Localized and Targeted Treatment for Cardiac Disease

Xu Y, Chen Y, Tan JJ, Ooi JP, Guo Z

J Cardiovasc Transl Res, 2025 Feb;18(1):28-39.
PMID: 39164600 DOI: 10.1007/s12265-024-10553-3

Intrapericardial administration has been proposed as an alternative delivery route of pharmacological agents via the bilaminar sac of pericardium surrounding the heart. To date, intrapericardial administration has entailed the localized administration of a broad spectrum of therapeutic agents. These agents include stem cells, extracellular matrix, growth factor, drugs, bioactive materials, and genetic materials, to the heart and coronary arteries. The route not only overcomes the limitations associated with traditional systemic administration methods, but also presents multiple intrinsic advantages over the other approaches, allowing greater therapeutic actions. Intrapericardial administration exhibits versatility in addressing certain cardiac conditions and ongoing research in this field certainly holds promise for further innovations and advancements to improve cardiac treatment. Thus, this review discusses the anatomy and physiology of the pericardium, the intrapericardial administration access routes, the recent application of intrapericardial delivery in the context of cardiac repair as well as the challenges associated with the approach.
Fulltext Refining weak supervision for robust lung cavity segmentation: A graph-affinity method with boundary constraints

Ding Z, Tan Z, Madzin H, Li Z, Liu J

PLoS One, 2026;21(2):e0341717.
PMID: 41666257 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0341717

Pixel-level annotation of lung cavities (LCs) in computed tomography (CT) images is challenging due to their morphological diversity and complexity. Weakly supervised semantic segmentation (WSSS) methods, which utilize sparse annotations (e.g., image-level labels), offer a promising solution. However, existing WSSS approaches often generate coarse pseudo-labels and lack sufficient spatial supervision, resulting in under- or over-segmentation of irregular lesions. To address these limitations, we introduce several key innovations. First, we propose a novel Graph-based Affinity Network (GA-Net) that, unlike conventional methods relying on low-level pixel features, models long-range contextual relationships and structural dependencies using a superpixel graph and learned edge inference kernel, enabling structure-aware pseudo-label refinement for complex lesion morphology. Second, we introduce region-wise affinity propagation, which refines segmentation by propagating activations within semantically coherent 3D regions, offering more precise control over under-/over-segmentation compared to global affinity methods. Additionally, we incorporate Exponential Moving Average (EMA) ensembling for training stability and a scribble-based segmentation module that utilizes pseudo-label contours to provide direct boundary supervision. Extensive experiments on three benchmark datasets demonstrate that our method outperforms existing state-of-the-art medical WSSS techniques, achieving precise and reliable segmentation of complex LCs in CT scans.
Lanjan virus, a new agent isolated from Dermacentor auratus in Malaya

Tan DS, Smith CE, McMahon DA, Bowen ET

Nature, 1967 Jun 10;214(5093):1154-5.
PMID: 4964058
Elucidation of Foraging Strategies of Ganoderma lucidum and Ganoderma neo-japonicum on Different Nutrients Composition Using Fractal Morphology

Ravi K, Tan YS, Kamali MZM, Muniandy SV

Curr Microbiol, 2025 Apr 03;82(5):229.
PMID: 40178632 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-025-04207-z

Ganoderma species are major wood-decaying fungus found everywhere due to its nutritional benefits. Challenges include connecting 2D imaging of mycelium growth morphology analysis to fractal morphology and determining optimum nutrient composition to increase production yield on a larger scale in mushroom industries. In this research, a comparative study of the growth dynamics of Ganoderma lucidum and Ganoderma neo-japonicum was conducted on different nutrients including potato dextrose agar (PDA), half-strength PDA and agarose using agar plate method. Macroscopic images were used to determine average growth front length, isotropy, area and perimeter fractal dimensions, and allometric scaling exponents. The result showed that G.lucidum mycelium recorded the fastest growth rate (10.51 ± 0.018 cm on 5th day) in PDA compared to other media. Dextrose (carbon source) is necessary for mycelial growth. Meanwhile, G.neo-japonicum mycelium showed similar growth rate on PDA and half-strength PDA. G.neo-japonicum was more aggressive and could thrive even on low nutrient concentration media. Box-counting approach is used to calculate perimeter fractal dimension DP and area fractal dimension DA. Mycelium with weak branching has fractal dimension closer to 1.0 (sparse line-like), while dense branching has fractal dimension closer to 2.0 (area filling). The allometry scaling exponent (σ) defined as the ratio of perimeter fractal dimension to area fractal dimension is used to describe mycelium morphology. Therefore, fractal and image analysis are crucial in studying evolving complex patterns within mycelium networks. The significance of the study contributes to the large-scale mushroom industry, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG2).
Deep learning for retinal vessel segmentation: a systematic review of techniques and applications

Liu Z, Sunar MS, Tan TS, Hitam WHW

Med Biol Eng Comput, 2025 Aug;63(8):2191-2208.
PMID: 39964659 DOI: 10.1007/s11517-025-03324-y

Ophthalmic diseases are a leading cause of vision loss, with retinal damage being irreversible. Retinal blood vessels are vital for diagnosing eye conditions, as even subtle changes in their structure can signal underlying issues. Retinal vessel segmentation is key for early detection and treatment of eye diseases. Traditionally, ophthalmologists manually segmented vessels, a time-consuming process based on clinical and geometric features. However, deep learning advancements have led to automated methods with impressive results. This systematic review, following PRISMA guidelines, examines 79 studies on deep learning-based retinal vessel segmentation published between 2020 and 2024 from four databases: Web of Science, Scopus, IEEE Xplore, and PubMed. The review focuses on datasets, segmentation models, evaluation metrics, and emerging trends. U-Net and Transformer architectures have shown success, with U-Net's encoder-decoder structure preserving details and Transformers capturing global context through self-attention mechanisms. Despite their effectiveness, challenges remain, suggesting future research should explore hybrid models combining U-Net, Transformers, and GANs to improve segmentation accuracy. This review offers a comprehensive look at the current landscape and future directions in retinal vessel segmentation.
Developing a WELL building model for office environments

Tan CYM, Rahman RA, Lee YS

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2025 May;32(22):13120-13139.
PMID: 38236568 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-31923-z

Many reported cases of occupants in modern office buildings suffer from severe health risks, negative impacts on well-being, and productivity loss. Existing building standards often prioritize energy performance and green environments over human sustainability. Moreover, office buildings have a distinct group of occupants that require extra attention. Hence, the study aims to develop a WELL building model specifically for office buildings to support occupants' well-being, health, and productivity (i.e., WELL). To achieve that objective, this study developed a list of physical indoor building features through a systematic literature review and semi-structured interviews. Then, the features were inserted into a survey and sent to office building occupants and built environment professionals. The collected data was analyzed using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The findings suggest twelve new features applicable for supporting WELL in office buildings: workspace privacy, sufficient space, office layout, cleanliness, efficiency in building services, individual control, building automation system, Information Technology (IT) infrastructure, Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) risk, security system, safety at parking lots, and safe design. Also, three new concepts for supporting WELL in office buildings were established: office space, building services and maintenance, and smart systems. The new concepts and features lay a foundation for designing office buildings that comprehensively target occupants' WELL. Finally, this study is unique as it accentuates the development of a WELL building model specifically for office buildings.
Fulltext Predictors of self-reported practice in ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) prevention among critical care nurses in Sarawak public hospitals

Tan JH, Che CC, Tang LY, Chong MC

PLoS One, 2025;20(12):e0325637.
PMID: 41401170 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0325637

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), a leading cause of ICU mortality, remains prevalent in Southeast Asia, with limited data on critical care nurses' knowledge and prevention practices in Malaysia. The purpose of this study was to assess knowledge, self-reported practices, barriers, and predictors of VAP prevention among critical care nurses in Sarawak, Malaysia.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted from July to August 2023 at four public hospitals in Sarawak, Malaysia. Universal sampling was used to recruit nurses from various critical care units managing patients requiring ventilator support. A self-administered questionnaire, consisting of four sections, was employed to gather background information from nurses, assess their knowledge, self-reported practices, and identify barriers related to VAP prevention.
RESULTS: A total of 298 critical care nurses participated in the study. Of these, 66.8% demonstrated poor knowledge of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) prevention; however, self-reported practices with VAP prevention were significantly high at 76.5%. A Pearson's correlation test revealed a significant association between the nurses' knowledge and their self-reported practices related to VAP prevention (p
Integrative Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Analyses on the Mechanisms of San-Zhong-Kui-Jian-Tang in Treating Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Tan CH, Sivakumar H, Luo DG, Cen YX

Curr Med Sci, 2025 Aug;45(4):755-774.
PMID: 40526272 DOI: 10.1007/s11596-025-00067-7

OBJECTIVE: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is an aggressive cancer with a high mortality rate. San-Zhong-Kui-Jian-Tang (SZKJT), a Chinese herbal formula, has long been used as an adjuvant therapy in cancer clinical practice. Although its therapeutic effects and molecular mechanisms in OSCC have been previously elucidated, the potential interactions and mechanisms between the active phytochemicals and their therapeutic targets are still lacking.
METHODS: The present study employed network pharmacology and topology approaches to establish a "herbal ingredients-active phytochemicals-target interaction" network to explore the potential therapeutic targets of SZKJT-active phytochemicals in the treatment of OSCC. The role of the target proteins in oncogenesis was assessed via GO and KEGG enrichment analyses, and their interactions with the active phytochemicals of SZKJT were calculated via molecular docking and dynamic simulations. The pharmacokinetic properties and toxicity of the active phytochemicals were also predicted. RESULTS: A total of 171 active phytochemicals of SZKJT fulfilled the bioavailability and drug-likeness screening criteria, with the flavonoids quercetin, kaempferol, and naringenin having the greatest potential. The 4 crucial targets of these active phytochemicals are PTGS2, TNF, BCL2, and CASP3, which encode cyclooxygenase-2, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), BCL-2 apoptosis regulator, and caspase-3, respectively. The interactions between phytochemicals and target proteins were predicted to be thermodynamically feasible and stable via molecular docking and dynamics simulations. Finally, the results revealed that the IL-6/JAK/STAT3 pathway and TNF signaling via NF-κB are the two prominent pathways targeted by SZKJT.
CONCLUSION: In summary, this study provides computational data for in-depth exploration of the mechanism by which SZKJT activates phytochemicals to treat OSCC.
Evaluation of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) contamination in seawater, sediment, and sea snails (Nerita articulata and Cerithidea obtusa) from Kukup Fishing Village, Johor, Malaysia

Tan RH, Ng CC, Gu T, Tek PPY

Environ Monit Assess, 2025 Apr 21;197(5):565.
PMID: 40257465 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-025-14007-4

Molluscs, being highly susceptible to potentially toxic elements (PTEs) and easily accessible for human consumption, play a critical role in research on PTE pollution. This study focuses on Kukup Fishing Village in Johor, Malaysia, to investigate the levels of Cd, Cu, and Pb in seawater, sediment, and the soft tissues and shells of the gastropods Nerita articulata (lined nerite snail) and Cerithidea obtusa (obtuse horn shell). All collected samples were chemically digested before being analysed using the flame atomic absorption spectrometer (F-AAS). It is found that the PTEs are mostly accumulated in soft tissues and shells, followed by sediments and seawater, respectively. Besides, the results revealed that all study locations exhibited moderate to severe pollution, and the PTE concentrations in sea snails exceeded the thresholds set by the Malaysian Food Regulations (1985). The mean concentrations of the studied elements in the seawater, soft tissues, and shells of two studied species were found to be in the order of Pb > Cu > Cd. Additionally, Pb was heavily accumulated in the soft tissues of both species: N. articulata (712.587-723.242 ppm) and C. obtusa (705.935-708.626 ppm). Compared to N. articulata, C. obtusa showed a higher capacity to accumulate Cd (3.702-4.350 ppm) and Cu (92.687-157.445 ppm), particularly in the soft tissues. The shell of N. articulata and the soft tissue of C. obtusa were identified as potential biomonitoring indicators for Cd and Cu, respectively. It is recommended that the local Malaysian authorities could strengthen environmental management, implement regular monitoring, and raise public awareness to minimise seafood consumption from polluted areas as these measures could aid to reduce pollution, protect marine ecosystems, and safeguard public health.
Immunoinformatics-based design of a multi-epitope vaccine against Fusobacterium nucleatum-associated colorectal cancer

Tan CH, Ching JJ, Shuib AS, Sim KS

Hum Immunol, 2026 Nov 04;87(12):112124.
PMID: 42981743 DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2026.112124

A multi-epitope vaccine candidate, A-20EFγ, was rationally designed against Fusobacterium nucleatum using proteomic and genomic information. The construct comprises a B-cell epitope (epitope 20) derived from the ABC transporter permease, along with cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) and helper T-lymphocyte (HTL) epitopes (epitopes E, F, and γ) selected from the nickel ABC transporter permease. All epitopes demonstrated favorable immunological properties, including high antigenicity, surface accessibility, and the absence of allergenicity and toxicity. These epitopes were assembled using suitable linkers, and outer membrane protein A was incorporated as an adjuvant to enhance immunogenicity. Additionally, the PADRE sequence was included to improve immune stimulation and population coverage, resulting in a remarkable increase in predicted MHC class II and combined population coverage to 99.98%. The three-dimensional structure of the finalized vaccine was modeled using multiple computational approaches and validated through structural quality assessments and molecular dynamics simulations, with the RoseTTAFold model showing superior stability. Molecular docking, network normal mode, and binding free energy analyses revealed stable interactions between the vaccine and Toll-like receptors 2 and 4. Immune simulations further suggested that A-20EFγ could elicit a robust and long-lasting humoral immune response, characterized by high IgG and IgM levels and enhanced memory B-cell activity. Lastly, codon optimization and in silico cloning were conducted to facilitate in vitro synthesis and predict efficient expression in E. coli using the pET-28a (+) vector. Overall, these preliminary findings suggest A-20EFγ as a potential prophylactic vaccine candidate for the prevention of F. nucleatum-associated colorectal cancer.
Long-Term Weight Loss and Metabolic Outcomes After Bariatric Surgery in a Large Asian Cohort: A Real-World Cohort Study

Tan WL, Loo GH, Muthkumaran G, Kosai NR

Obes Surg, 2026 Jul;36(7):3736-3744.
PMID: 42240798 DOI: 10.1007/s11695-026-08770-7

BACKGROUND: Metabolic-bariatric surgery (MBS) is the most effective treatment for obesity and its associated metabolic complications. Long-term real-world outcome data from Asian populations remain limited, particularly for procedural comparisons and longitudinal metabolic trajectories.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate weight loss outcomes, metabolic outcomes, and clinical predictors of treatment response following bariatric surgery in a large Asian cohort, with longitudinal follow-up up to five years in a selected subgroup of completers.
METHODS: This retrospective cohort study analyzed 1,478 adult patients who underwent primary bariatric surgery (laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy [LSG], Roux-en-Y gastric bypass [RYGB], or one-anastomosis gastric bypass [OAGB]) between 2012 and 2022 at a single tertiary academic center in Malaysia. The primary outcome was percentage total weight loss (%TWL) at 1, 3, and 5 years, analyzed using an available-case approach. Pre-specified attrition analysis compared the characteristics of 5-year completers with non-completers. Secondary outcomes included longitudinal changes in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), blood pressure, and LDL cholesterol, with paired and cross-sectional analyses reported separately. Glycaemic outcome thresholds (HbA1c
Smartphone-controlled patch electro-acupuncture versus conventional pain relief during colonoscopy: a randomized controlled trial

Joan Gan CY, Chan KK, Tan JH, Tan Chor Lip H, Louis Ling LL, Mohd Azman ZA

ANZ J Surg, 2021 06;91(6):E375-E381.
PMID: 33876547 DOI: 10.1111/ans.16870

BACKGROUND: Smartphone-controlled patch electro-acupuncture (SCEA) is a novel device which gives the same analgesic effect as with conventional acupuncture. There are no published articles in the English literature on the use of this device as a primary mode of pain relief during colonoscopy. Primary aims of this study were to investigate the efficacy of SCEA as a substitute for pain relief during colonoscopy.
METHODS: Thirty-seven patients were randomized to receive SCEA (n = 19) or placebo (n = 18) during colonoscopy. Additional rescue sedation was administered to patients if they had pain or discomfort during the procedure. Visual analogue scale was used to quantify the intensity of pain from the beginning to end of the procedure. Other variables analysed were the amount of sedation used, duration from start to caecal intubation, length of time for completion of colonoscopy and recovery time to home discharge.
RESULTS: Patients who received SCEA had a lower median pain score of 4.6 (interquartile range 5.7) compared to the placebo group of 6.0 (interquartile range 3.2). Statistical analysis comparing the groups revealed a non-significant P-value of 0.12, although more than 90% of the patients indicated willingness for SCEA as the primary analgesia if they were to repeat the procedure. Throughout the study, there were no adverse complications that occurred during the use of SCEA.
CONCLUSIONS: Even though this study did not demonstrate, a significance in pain reduction, SCEA remains a safe modality which, more than 90% of patients favoured as a substitute for pain relief during colonoscopy.
Fulltext E-Cigarette Markets and Policy Responses in Southeast Asia: A Scoping Review

van der Eijk Y, Tan Ping Ping G, Ong SE, Tan Li Xin G, Li D, Zhang D, et al.

Int J Health Policy Manag, 2022 Sep 01;11(9):1616-1624.
PMID: 33906338 DOI: 10.34172/ijhpm.2021.25

BACKGROUND: The global e-cigarette market has proliferated and is increasingly dominated by transnational tobacco companies. While Southeast Asian countries have received relatively little attention in e-cigarette research, the region represents an area of potentially untapped growth for the industry. We review the e-cigarette situation in Southeast Asia in terms of the e-cigarette markets, advertising and promotion of e-cigarettes, reported health impacts of e-cigarette use, and policy responses in the region.
METHODS: We examined e-cigarette market data from the Euromonitor Global Market Information Database (GMID) Passport database, searched in the academic literature, grey literature and news archives for any reports or studies of e-cigarette related diseases or injuries, e-cigarette marketing, and e-cigarette policy responses in Southeast Asian countries, and browsed the websites of online e-cigarette retailers catering to the region's active e-cigarette markets.
RESULTS: In 2019, e-cigarettes were sold in six Southeast Asian markets with a total market value of $595 million, projected to grow to $766 million by 2023. E-commerce is a significant and growing sales channel in the region, with most of the popular or featured brands in online shops originating from China. Southeast Asian youth are targeted with a wide variety of flavours, trendy designs and point of sale promotions, and several e-cigarette related injuries and diseases have been reported in the region. Policy responses vary considerably between countries, ranging from strict bans to no or partial regulations.
CONCLUSION: Although Southeast Asia's e-cigarette market is relatively nascent, this is likely to change if transnationals invest more heavily in the region. Populous countries with weak e-cigarette regulations, notably Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines, are desirable targets for the transnationals. Regulatory action is needed to prevent e-cigarette use from becoming entrenched into these societies, especially among young people.

Filters

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links