Displaying publications 21 - 36 of 36 in total

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  1. Fulltext Anti-inflammatory effect of the sclerotium of Lignosus rhinocerotis (Cooke) Ryvarden, the Tiger Milk mushroom
    Lee SS, Tan NH, Fung SY, Sim SM, Tan CS, Ng ST
    BMC Complement Altern Med, 2014;14:359.
    PMID: 25256382 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6882-14-359
    The sclerotium of Lignosus rhinocerotis (Cooke) Ryvarden (Tiger Milk mushroom) is used as a traditional medicine to relieve cough, asthma and chronic hepatitis. The traditional uses of the sclerotium are presumably related to its anti-inflammatory effect. The present study was carried out to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of the sclerotial powder of L. rhinocerotis (Cooke) Ryvarden (Tiger Milk mushroom) cultivar TM02.
  2. Preclinical toxicological evaluations of the sclerotium of Lignosus rhinocerus (Cooke), the Tiger Milk mushroom
    Lee SS, Enchang FK, Tan NH, Fung SY, Pailoor J
    J Ethnopharmacol, 2013 May 2;147(1):157-63.
    PMID: 23458920 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2013.02.027
    Lignosus rhinocerus (Tiger Milk mushroom) is distributed in South China, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and Papua New Guinea. In Malaysia, it is the most popular medicinal mushroom used by the indigenous communities to relieve fever, cough, asthma, cancer, food poisoning and as a general tonic. In China, this mushroom is an expensive traditional medicine used to treat liver cancer, chronic hepatitis and gastric ulcers. The sclerotium of the mushroom is the part with medicinal value. This rare mushroom has recently been successfully cultivated making it possible to be fully exploited for its medicinal and functional benefits. The present study was carried out to evaluate the chronic toxicity of the sclerotial powder of Lignosus rhinocerus cultivar (termed TM02), its anti-fertility and teratogenic effects as well as genotoxicity.
  3. Safety assessment of cultivated fruiting body of Ophiocordyceps sinensis evaluated through subacute toxicity in rats
    Fung SY, Lee SS, Tan NH, Pailoor J
    J Ethnopharmacol, 2017 Jul 12;206:236-244.
    PMID: 28587826 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2017.05.037
    ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Berk.) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora is one of the most renowned traditional Chinese medicine used as tonic, renal, respiratory and reproductive health, promote longevity and overall improvement in quality of life. Natural production of O. sinensis is limited due to its extreme specificity in host range and confined geographic distribution. Therefore, cultivation of the fungus was developed to meet high demand for commercialization as nutraceutical. O. sinensis fruiting body has recently been successfully cultivated in large scale using rice based solid medium, providing wider source options for consumers and scientific researchers.

    AIMS OF THE STUDY: The present study aims to establish safety profile for the consumption of cultivated fruiting body of O. sinensis (FBOS) by 28-days sub-acute toxicity study in Sprague Dawley rats.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rats were orally administered with cultivated FBOS at three graded doses (250, 500 and 1000mg/kg), once daily for 28 consecutive days. Control group received distilled water. General observations (gross behavioral changes and toxic symptoms) and body weight of each animal were monitored daily. Haematological, serum biochemical and histopathological analysis were carried out at the end of the experiment (Day 29).

    RESULTS: No behavioral changes, toxic symptoms or death was observed in rats throughout the dosing period. Cultivated FBOS treatment up to 1000mg/kg did not cause any adverse effect on the growth of the animals. Results from haematology and serum biochemistry revealed no toxic effect following cultivated FBOS treatment at three graded doses for 28 days. In addition, no treatment related histopathological changes were noted in heart, spleen, kidney, lung and liver of the animals.

    CONCLUSION: The present study revealed that oral administration of cultivated FBOS for 28 days, at dosage up to 1000mg/kg did not pose toxicological concern in rats. Therefore, the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) dose of cultivated FBOS in 28-days subacute toxicity study is higher than 1000mg/kg.

  4. Fulltext Admission policies and methods at crossroads: a review of medical school admission policies and methods in seven Asian countries
    Soemantri D, Karunathilake I, Yang JH, Chang SC, Lin CH, Nadarajah VD, et al.
    Korean J Med Educ, 2020 Sep;32(3):243-256.
    PMID: 32723988 DOI: 10.3946/kjme.2020.169
    Selecting the right applicants is an important part of medical student admission. While one universally accepted selection criterion is academic capacity, there are other criteria such as communication skills and local criteria (e.g., socio-cultural values) that are no less important. This article reviews the policies and methods of selection to medical schools in seven countries with varying socio-economic conditions and healthcare systems. Senior academics involved in medical education in Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Taiwan completed a pre-agreed pro-forma per each country to describe the country's admission policies and methods. The details were then compared and contrasted. This review identifies tension between many of the policies and methods used in medical school admissions, such as between the need to assess non-cognitive abilities and widen access, and between the need for more medical professionals and the requirement to set high entry standards. Finding the right balance requires careful consideration of all variables, including the country's human resource needs; socio-economic status; graduates' expected competencies; and the school's vision, mission, and availability of resources.
  5. Substitution treatment in Malaysia
    Noordin NM, Merican MI, Rahman HA, Lee SS, Ramly R
    Lancet, 2008 Sep 27;372(9644):1149-50.
    PMID: 18926274 DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(08)61479-8
  6. Acute Toxicity Study and the In Vitro Cytotoxicity of a Black Lingzhi Medicinal Mushroom, Amauroderma rugosum (Agaricomycetes), from Malaysia
    Fung SY, Tan NH, Kong BH, Lee SS, Tan YS, Sabaratnam V
    Int J Med Mushrooms, 2017;19(12):1093-1099.
    PMID: 29431070 DOI: 10.1615/IntJMedMushrooms.2017024550
    Amauroderma rugosum is a wild medicinal mushroom also known as budak cendawan sawan. Members of the indigenous Malaysian Temuan community wear the fresh stipes as a necklace to prevent epileptic seizure and unremitting crying by babies. In our previous studies, A. rugosum exhibited significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The aim of this study was to determine the toxicity (in the event that a stipe is accidentally bitten) and cytotoxicity of this mushroom on Sprague-Dawley rats and selected cell lines. A. rugosum was orally administered to test chemicals according to Organisation for Economic and Co-operation and Development guidelines (TG 425, adopted October 3, 2008). Blood samples were hematologically and biochemically analyzed and multiple tissue sections from each organ were examined using light microscopy. Cytotoxicity of various A. rugosum extracts was also determined against MCF-7 and A-549 cell lines. Our results showed that oral administration of a single dose of mycelial powder (2000 mg/kg) had no adverse effect on the growth rate or hematological and clinical biochemical parameters. Histological studies showed that the treatments did not induce any pathological changes in the organs of the tested animals. All the treated rats survived beyond the 14-day observation period. Methanol and cold and hot water extracts of the freeze-dried mycelial culture of A. rugosum exhibited no or little cytotoxic effect against the MCF-7 and A-549 cell lines.
  7. Evaluation of the sub-acute toxicity of the sclerotium of Lignosus rhinocerus (Cooke), the Tiger Milk mushroom
    Lee SS, Tan NH, Fung SY, Pailoor J, Sim SM
    J Ethnopharmacol, 2011 Oct 31;138(1):192-200.
    PMID: 21930194 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2011.09.004
    Lignosus rhinocerus (known locally as 'Tiger Milk mushroom') is the most important medicinal mushroom used by the indigenous communities of Malaysia to treat fever, cough, asthma, cancer, food poisoning and as a general tonic. The sclerotium of the mushroom is the part with medicinal value. Lignosus rhinocerus was hitherto unexploited commercially because of limited supply. Recently, the mushroom was successfully cultivated.
  8. Mean target intraocular pressure and progression rates in chronic angle-closure glaucoma
    Sharmini AT, Yin NY, Lee SS, Jackson AL, Stewart WC
    J Ocul Pharmacol Ther, 2009 Feb;25(1):71-5.
    PMID: 19232007 DOI: 10.1089/jop.2008.0061
    The aim of this study was to evaluate risk factors for progression in chronic angle-closure glaucoma (CACG) patients.
  9. Fulltext Notes on Amanita section Validae in Hainan Island, China
    Huang T, Su LJ, Zeng NK, Lee SML, Lee SS, Thi BK, et al.
    Front Microbiol, 2022;13:1087756.
    PMID: 36741898 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1087756
    Hainan is the second largest island in China with the most extensive and well-preserved tropical forests and is also the largest island of the Indo Burma Biodiversity Hotspot. It provides in situ conservation for the unique ecosystem of the island. Recent studies have shown that there are diverse fungal species in Hainan. In this study, about 40 collections of the genus Amanita have been studied based on the morphology and molecular systematics, including 35 Chinese specimens (24 from Hainan, and eleven from other regions) and three specimens from other countries (Singapore and Malaysia). In total, five new species belonging to Amanita section Validae are described: A. cacaina, A. parvigrisea, A. pseudofritillaria, A. pseudosculpta, and A. yangii. Amanita parvifritillaria is recorded for the first time in Hainan. It is also the first report of this fungus occurring, outside Yunnan Province, China. Among the five new species, two are unique in this section because of the appendiculate pileus margin and the absence of an annulus. Based on these new findings, the diagnosis of the section Validae should be slightly modified to include a few species with appendiculate margin and the lack of annulus.
  10. Fulltext BRCA1 and BRCA2 germline mutations in Malaysian women with early-onset breast cancer without a family history
    Toh GT, Kang P, Lee SS, Lee DS, Lee SY, Selamat S, et al.
    PLoS One, 2008;3(4):e2024.
    PMID: 18431501 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0002024
    BACKGROUND: In Asia, breast cancer is characterised by an early age of onset: In Malaysia, approximately 50% of cases occur in women under the age of 50 years. A proportion of these cases may be attributable, at least in part, to genetic components, but to date, the contribution of genetic components to breast cancer in many of Malaysia's ethnic groups has not been well-characterised.
    METHODOLOGY: Given that hereditary breast carcinoma is primarily due to germline mutations in one of two breast cancer susceptibility genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, we have characterised the spectrum of BRCA mutations in a cohort of 37 individuals with early-onset disease (
  11. Fulltext Exploring the Cultivation of Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) Strategies Among Pre-Clinical Medical Students in Two Medical Schools
    Lee SS, Samarasekera DD, Sim JH, Hong WH, Foong CC, Pallath V, et al.
    Med Sci Educ, 2020 Mar;30(1):271-280.
    PMID: 34457667 DOI: 10.1007/s40670-019-00894-z
    Purpose: Research has shown that many undergraduate students struggle with self-regulated learning (SRL) in clinical year as they are insufficiently supported by the staff in the early year to prepare them for the transition. Hence, this study aims to find out the SRL strategies and the approaches that could promote SRL among pre-clinical students in two medical schools.

    Method: This is a mixed-method study. The Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) was used to collect student SRL strategies while semi-structured interviews with faculty members and focus group discussions with students were used to gather data on the approaches that promote SRL. Student MSLQ was analysed using descriptive statistics while interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed.

    Results: A pilot using MSLQ with 413 students recorded a Cronbach's alpha of 0.928 for the questionnaire. The actual study involved 457 Years 1 & 2 students. Students from both institutions are motivated by the Task Value, and they use Elaboration and Organisation strategies the most in their pre-clinical year. Three themes emerged from the qualitative analysis of this study: characteristics of strategies that promote SRL, hindrance in promoting SRL, and opportunities in promoting SRL.

    Conclusions: Our findings indicate that students' intrinsic motivation is generally high in pre-clinical year. However, metacognition and critical thinking strategies will need to be enhanced among students. Despite knowing teaching and learning approaches could promote these strategies, many teachers are still not confident in doing so and hence training dang sharing best practices might be helpful in promoting SRL.

  12. Differential capacity of phragmites ecotypes in remediation of inorganic contaminants in coastal ecosystems: Implications for climate change
    Akhter N, Aqeel M, Shazia, Irshad MK, Shehnaz MM, Lee SS, et al.
    Environ Res, 2024 Apr 15;247:118127.
    PMID: 38220075 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118127
    Remediating inorganic pollutants is an important part of protecting coastal ecosystems, which are especially at risk from the effects of climate change. Different Phragmites karka (Retz) Trin. ex Steud ecotypes were gathered from a variety of environments, and their abilities to remove inorganic contaminants from coastal wetlands were assessed. The goal is to learn how these ecotypes process innovation might help reduce the negative impacts of climate change on coastal environments. The Phragmites karka ecotype E1, found in a coastal environment in Ichkera that was impacted by residential wastewater, has higher biomass production and photosynthetic pigment content than the Phragmites karka ecotypes E2 (Kalsh) and E3 (Gatwala). Osmoprotectant accumulation was similar across ecotypes, suggesting that all were able to successfully adapt to polluted marine environments. The levels of both total soluble sugars and proteins were highest in E2. The amount of glycine betaine (GB) rose across the board, with the highest levels being found in the E3 ecotype. The study also demonstrated that differing coastal habitats significantly influenced the antioxidant activity of all ecotypes, with E1 displaying the lowest superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, while E2 exhibited the lowest peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) activities. Significant morphological changes were evident in E3, such as an expansion of the phloem, vascular bundle, and metaxylem cell areas. When compared to the E3 ecotype, the E1 and E2 ecotypes showed striking improvements across the board in leaf anatomy. Mechanistic links between architectural and physio-biochemical alterations are crucial to the ecological survival of different ecotypes of Phragmites karka in coastal environments affected by climate change. Their robustness and capacity to reduce pollution can help coastal ecosystems endure in the face of persistent climate change.
  13. Notes on Amanita section Caesareae from Malaysia
    Tang LP, Lee SS, Zeng NK, Cai Q, Zhang P, Yang ZL
    Mycologia, 2017 12 04;109(4):557-567.
    PMID: 29200380 DOI: 10.1080/00275514.2017.1394789
    Some Amanita specimens collected from Malaysia are critically investigated by morphological examination and molecular analysis of two gene fragments, the nuc rDNA partial 28S (28S) gene and the internal transcriber spacer (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 = ITS) regions. Six phylogenetic species of Amanita section Caesareae are recognized among the studied collections. One of them is described as new, A. malayensis. Four of the phylogenetic species correspond with existing morphology-based taxa: A. aporema, A. javanica, A. princeps, and A. similis. The remaining species is not described because of the paucity of material. Detailed descriptions and the distribution of these southeastern Asian species are provided, along with a key to the species of section Caesareae from Malaysia.
  14. Fulltext Multilocus phylogenetic analyses reveal unexpected abundant diversity and significant disjunct distribution pattern of the Hedgehog Mushrooms (Hydnum L.)
    Feng B, Wang XH, Ratkowsky D, Gates G, Lee SS, Grebenc T, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2016 May 06;6:25586.
    PMID: 27151256 DOI: 10.1038/srep25586
    Hydnum is a fungal genus proposed by Linnaeus in the early time of modern taxonomy. It contains several ectomycorrhizal species which are commonly consumed worldwide. However, Hydnum is one of the most understudied fungal genera, especially from a molecular phylogenetic view. In this study, we extensively gathered specimens of Hydnum from Asia, Europe, America and Australasia, and analyzed them by using sequences of four gene fragments (ITS, nrLSU, tef1α and rpb1). Our phylogenetic analyses recognized at least 31 phylogenetic species within Hydnum, 15 of which were reported for the first time. Most Australasian species were recognized as strongly divergent old relics, but recent migration between Australasia and the Northern Hemisphere was also detected. Within the Northern Hemisphere, frequent historical biota exchanges between the Old World and the New World via both the North Atlantic Land Bridge and the Bering Land Bridge could be elucidated. Our study also revealed that most Hydnum species found in subalpine areas of the Hengduan Mountains in southwestern China occur in northeastern/northern China and Europe, indicating that the composition of the mycobiota in the Hengduan Mountains reigion is more complicated than what we have known before.
  15. Precessing jet nozzle connecting to a spinning black hole in M87
    Cui Y, Hada K, Kawashima T, Kino M, Lin W, Mizuno Y, et al.
    Nature, 2023 Sep;621(7980):711-715.
    PMID: 37758892 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06479-6
    The nearby radio galaxy M87 offers a unique opportunity to explore the connections between the central supermassive black hole and relativistic jets. Previous studies of the inner region of M87 revealed a wide opening angle for the jet originating near the black hole1-4. The Event Horizon Telescope resolved the central radio source and found an asymmetric ring structure consistent with expectations from general relativity5. With a baseline of 17 years of observations, there was a shift in the jet's transverse position, possibly arising from an 8- to 10-year quasi-periodicity3. However, the origin of this sideways shift remains unclear. Here we report an analysis of radio observations over 22 years that suggests a period of about 11 years for the variation in the position angle of the jet. We infer that we are seeing a spinning black hole that induces the Lense-Thirring precession of a misaligned accretion disk. Similar jet precession may commonly occur in other active galactic nuclei but has been challenging to detect owing to the small magnitude and long period of the variation.
  16. Fulltext Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (3rd edition)
    Klionsky DJ, Abdelmohsen K, Abe A, Abedin MJ, Abeliovich H, Acevedo Arozena A, et al.
    Autophagy, 2016;12(1):1-222.
    PMID: 26799652 DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2015.1100356
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