MyMedR

Displaying publications 441 - 460 of 461 in total

Abstract:

Sort:

Fulltext Low serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration is an independent predictor for enhanced inflammation and endothelial activation

Wan Ahmad WN, Sakri F, Mokhsin A, Rahman T, Mohd Nasir N, Abdul-Razak S, et al.

PLoS One, 2015;10(1):e0116867.
PMID: 25614985 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0116867

BACKGROUND: Inflammation, endothelial activation and oxidative stress have been established as key events in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) is protective against atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease, but its association with inflammation, endothelial activation and oxidative stress is not well established.
OBJECTIVES: (1) To compare the concentrations of biomarkers of inflammation, endothelial activation and oxidative stress in subjects with low HDL-c compared to normal HDL-c; (2) To examine the association and correlation between HDL-c and these biomarkers and (3) To determine whether HDL-c is an independent predictor of these biomarkers.
METHODS: 422 subjects (mean age±SD = 43.2±11.9 years) of whom 207 had low HDL-c concentrations (HDL-c <1.0 mmol/L and <1.3 mmol/L for males and females respectively) and 215 normal controls (HDL-c ≥1.0 and ≥1.3 mmol/L for males and females respectively) were recruited in this study. The groups were matched for age, gender, ethnicity, smoking status, diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Fasting blood samples were collected for analysis of biomarkers of inflammation [high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6)], endothelial activation [soluble Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), soluble Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and E-selectin)] and oxidative stress [F2-Isoprostanes, oxidized Low Density Lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and Malondialdehyde (MDA)].
RESULTS: Subjects with low HDL-c had greater concentrations of inflammation, endothelial activation and oxidative stress biomarkers compared to controls. There were negative correlations between HDL-c concentration and biomarkers of inflammation (IL-6, p = 0.02), endothelial activation (sVCAM-1 and E-selectin, p = 0.029 and 0.002, respectively), and oxidative stress (MDA and F2-isoprostane, p = 0.036 and <0.0001, respectively). Multiple linear regression analysis showed HDL-c as an independent predictor of IL-6 (p = 0.02) and sVCAM-1 (p<0.03) after correcting for various confounding factors.
CONCLUSION: Low serum HDL-c concentration is strongly correlated with enhanced status of inflammation, endothelial activation and oxidative stress. It is also an independent predictor for enhanced inflammation and endothelial activation, which are pivotal in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and atherosclerosis-related complications.
Fulltext Metabolomics and partial least square discriminant analysis to predict history of myocardial infarction of self-claimed healthy subjects: validity and feasibility for clinical practice

Mohamad N, Ismet RI, Rofiee M, Bannur Z, Hennessy T, Selvaraj M, et al.

J Clin Bioinforma, 2015;5:3.
PMID: 25806102 DOI: 10.1186/s13336-015-0018-4

The dynamics of metabolomics in establishing a prediction model using partial least square discriminant analysis have enabled better disease diagnosis; with emphasis on early detection of diseases. We attempted to translate the metabolomics model to predict the health status of the Orang Asli community whom we have little information. The metabolite expressions of the healthy vs. diseased patients (cardiovascular) were compared. A metabotype model was developed and validated using partial least square discriminant analysis (PLSDA). Cardiovascular risks of the Orang Asli were predicted and confirmed by biochemistry profiles conducted concurrently.
Hair arsenic levels and prevalence of arsenicosis in three Cambodian provinces

Hashim JH, Radzi RS, Aljunid SM, Nur AM, Ismail A, Baguma D, et al.

Sci Total Environ, 2013 Oct 1;463-464:1210-6.
PMID: 23759330 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.04.084

Natural, inorganic arsenic contamination of groundwater threatens the health of more than 100 million people worldwide, including residents of the densely populated river deltas of South and Southeast Asia. Contaminated groundwater from tube wells in Cambodia was discovered in 2001 leading to the detection of the first cases of arsenicosis in 2006. The most affected area was the Kandal Province. The main objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of arsenicosis in Cambodia based on acceptable criteria, and to investigate the use of hair arsenic as a biomarker not only for arsenicosis-related signs but also for associated symptoms. A cross-sectional epidemiological study of 616 respondents from 3 purposely selected provinces within the Mekong River basin of Cambodia was conducted. The Kandal Province was chosen as a high arsenic-contaminated area, while the Kratie Province and Kampong Cham Province were chosen as moderate and low arsenic-contaminated areas, respectively. The most prevalent sign of arsenicosis was hypomelanosis with a prevalence of 14.5% among all respondents and 32.4% among respondents with a hair arsenic level of ≥1 μg/g. This was followed by hyperkeratosis, hyperpigmentation and mee's lines. Results also suggest a 1.0 μg/g hair arsenic level to be a practical cut off point for an indication of an arsenic contaminated individual. This hair arsenic level, together with the presence of one or more of the classical signs of arsenicosis, seems to be a practical criteria for a confirmed diagnosis. Based on these criteria, the overall prevalence of arsenicosis for all provinces was found to be 16.1%, with Kandal Province recording the highest prevalence of 35.5%. This prevalence is comparatively high when compared to that of other affected countries. The association between arsenicosis and the use of Chinese traditional medicine also needs further investigation.
Fulltext Investigating the Mechanical Properties and Durability of Asphalt Mixture Modified with Epoxidized Natural Rubber (ENR) under Short and Long-Term Aging Conditions

Safaeldeen GI, Al-Mansob RA, Al-Sabaeei AM, Yusoff NIM, Ismail A, Tey WY, et al.

Polymers (Basel), 2022 Nov 04;14(21).
PMID: 36365719 DOI: 10.3390/polym14214726

Modifiers such as fibers, fillers, natural and synthetic polymer extenders, oxidants and anti-oxidants, and anti-stripping agents are added to produce modified asphalt. However, polymers are the most widely utilized modifiers to enhance the function of asphalt mixtures. The objective of this research was to evaluate the mechanical properties and durability of epoxidized natural rubber (ENR)-modified asphalt mix under short- and long-term aging conditions. The physical and rheological characteristics of the base asphalt and ENR-modified asphalt (ENRMA) were tested. In order to evaluate the mechanical properties and durability of the modified mixtures, the resilient modulus of the ENR-asphalt mixtures under unaged, and short- and long-term aging conditions at various temperatures and frequencies was obtained. Furthermore, the resistance to moisture damage of asphalt mixtures was investigated. The findings showed that the stiffness of the ENR-asphalt mixes increased because of the mutual influence of short- and long-term aging on the mixes. In addition, ENR reduced the susceptibility to moisture damage. The stiffness of the mixes was influenced by the temperature and frequencies. By using mathematical modelling via the multivariable power least squares method, it was found that temperature was the dominant factor among all other factors. The results suggested that the durability of asphalt pavements is improved by using ENR.
Fulltext Strategies, challenges and opportunities in the implementation of COVID-19 field hospitals: a scoping review

Hamis AA, Md Bukhori AB, Heng PP, Jane Ling MY, Shaharuddin MA, A Fauzi NAF, et al.

BMJ Open, 2023 Mar 14;13(3):e067227.
PMID: 36918252 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-067227

OBJECTIVES: COVID-19 has strained healthcare systems, requiring the redesign of their structure, human resource management and clinical approach. Countries have adopted implementation strategies and maximise field hospital functionality to address the issue of overflow of patients with COVID-19. This scoping review was based on the main research question, 'What are the implementation strategies, challenges and opportunities in managing the field hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic?', and aimed to consolidate all recent evidence on COVID-19 field hospital implementation approaches, challenges and potentialities.
DESIGN: Scoping review, following the Arksey and O'Malley's framework, and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines.
DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus were searched from 1 January 2020 through 31 December 2021.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Original articles, reviews, case studies and reports written in English were included. Works without full article and articles that did not answer the research questions were excluded.
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Data were extracted using a standardised data extraction form in Microsoft Excel. The findings of all included articles were synthesised narratively.
RESULTS: Eighty-five records were reviewed and 25 studies were included. For the field hospital implementation strategies, 'surge capacity', namely space, human resource, supply and system, was discussed in addition to the preparation and workflow of other services such as pharmacy, rehabilitation, food and nutrition. The management of COVID-19 field hospitals is challenging with respect to staff and resource shortages, inability to anticipate patient load and poor communication. The opportunities and recommendations for improvement of management were also highlighted.
CONCLUSIONS: The compilation of lessons learnt may help improve the future management of field hospitals, administratively and clinically.
Fulltext Development of DNA-Based Lateral Flow Assay for Detection of LDLR Gene Mutation for Familial Hypercholesterolemia

Saidi LK, Md Rani ZZ, Sulaiman SA, Jamal R, Ismail A, Alim AA, et al.

Malays J Med Sci, 2024 Jun;31(3):92-106.
PMID: 38984253 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2024.31.3.6

BACKGROUND: The techniques for detecting single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) require lengthy and complex experimental procedures and expensive instruments that may only be available in some laboratories. Thus, a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-based lateral flow assay (LFA) was developed as a point-of-care test (POCT) diagnostic tool for genotyping. In this study, single nucleotide variation (E101K) in the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) gene leading to familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) was chosen as a model.
METHODS: Hypercholesterolemic individuals (n = 103) were selected from the Malaysian Cohort project (UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute) while the control samples were selected from the Biobank (UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute). The DNA samples were isolated from whole blood. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification process was performed using bifunctional labelled primers specifically designed to correspond to the variant that differentiates wild-type and mutant DNA for visual detection on LFA. The variant was confirmed using Sanger sequencing, and the sensitivity and specificity of the LFA detection method were validated using the Agena MassARRAY® technique.
RESULTS: Out of 103 hypercholesterolemic individuals, 5 individuals (4.8%) tested positive for E101K, LDLR mutation and the rest, including healthy control individuals, tested negative. This result was concordant with Sanger sequencing and Agena MassARRAY®. These five individuals could be classified as Definite FH, as the DNA diagnosis was confirmed. The sensitivity and specificity of the variant detection by LFA is 100% compared to results using the genotyping method using Agena MassARRAY®.
CONCLUSION: The developed LFA can potentially be used in the POC setting for detecting the E101K variant in the LDLR gene. This LFA can also be used to screen family members with E101K variant in the LDLR gene and is applicable for other SNP's detection.
Impact of WhatsApp on improving denture care knowledge and the awareness of the relationship between edentulism and general health

Wan Abd Manan WNH, Abg Abd Mohd Rizal DNS, Borhan FW, Lestari W, Ismail A, Che Musa MF, et al.

J Prosthet Dent, 2024 Nov 29.
PMID: 39616100 DOI: 10.1016/j.prosdent.2024.11.004

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Denture wearers are susceptible to diseases related to denture hygiene and are more prone to develop systemic disease because of poor understanding and awareness of the impact of edentulism on general health.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this clinical study was to evaluate the effectiveness of traditional chairside practice and WhatsApp in improving patient knowledge of denture care and their awareness of the impact of edentulism on general health.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty-two participants who attended the Polyclinic Kulliyyah of Dentistry, IIUM Kuantan in 2022 for removable prosthesis fabrication were recruited. The participants were randomized into 2 groups: control (traditional chairside) and intervention (WhatsApp) group. Video intervention was sent via WhatsApp to the participants. Pretreatment and posttreatment questionnaires were distributed from March to September 2022 to survey their sociodemographic data, knowledge of denture care, and awareness of the effect of edentulism on general health. Data were obtained and checked for normality using the Shapiro-Wilk test. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon-Paired Signed-Rank tests (α=.05).
RESULTS: Eighty-two percent of participants favored WhatsApp as a tool for receiving information and used it daily (66.1%). The level of overall knowledge and awareness increased in groups after denture insertion instruction. Participants' knowledge of denture care (P=.001) and awareness of the effect of edentulism on general health (P=.001) improved significantly in the WhatsApp intervention group compared with the control group.
CONCLUSIONS: WhatsApp can be used as an alternative tool for improving denture care knowledge among denture wearers; increased awareness was observed with WhatsApp compared with the traditional chairside approach.
Genomic landscape of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Malaysia: insights from array-CGH

Ismail A, Ahid F, Moi WN, Kamaluddin NR, Esa E, Yusoff YM, et al.

Mol Cytogenet, 2025 Mar 28;18(1):7.
PMID: 40155977 DOI: 10.1186/s13039-025-00709-4

BACKGROUND: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood cancer, comprising approximately 25% of pediatric malignancies. Notably, chromosomal aberrations and genetic alterations play a central role in the pathogenesis of ALL, serving as critical diagnostic and prognostic markers. In this study, we use array-based comparative genomic hybridization (array-CGH) to explore the landscape of copy number variations (CNVs) and variants of uncertain significance (VUS) in 67 Malaysian childhood ALL patients with normal karyotype.
RESULTS: A total of 36 pathogenic CNVs (26 gains, 10 losses) were identified in 19 (28.4%) patients which harbor genes related to the development of ALL. The genes include the MLLT3 (9p21.3), ETV6 (12p13.2), RUNX1 (21q22.12), ERG (21q22.2) and DMD (Xp21.1). On the other hand, a total of 46 variants of uncertain significance (VUS) was observed in 34 (50.7%) patients.
CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that array-CGH is able to identify and characterize the CNVs responsible for the pathogenesis of childhood ALL. However, further studies are required to determine the pathogenic implications of VUS in the development of childhood ALL.
Real-world clinical experience of biological disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs in Malaysia rheumatoid arthritis patients

Tan BE, Lim AL, Kan SL, Lim CH, Tsang EEL, Ch'ng SS, et al.

Rheumatol Int, 2017 Oct;37(10):1719-1725.
PMID: 28695274 DOI: 10.1007/s00296-017-3772-8

The effect of biologic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) in treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in real-world clinical practice remains unknown in Southeast Asia. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of bDMARDs among Malaysian RA patients treated in routine clinical practice. A retrospective medical chart review of RA patients from 11 government hospitals were conducted from January 2003 to January 2014. A standardized questionnaire was used to abstract patient's demographic, clinical and treatment data. Level of disease activity was measured by DAS28 collected at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months. Three hundred and one patients were available for analysis, mean age 41 (SD, 10.8) years, mean RA duration 12.3 (SD, 6.9) years and 98% had history of two or more conventional-synthetic DMARDs. There were 467 bDMARD courses prescribed with mean bDMARDs duration use of 12.9 months (SD 14.7). Tumour necrosis factor alpha inhibitors were the most common prescribed bDMARDs (77.1%), followed by Tocilizumab (14.6%) and Rituximab (8.4%). We observed significant improvement in mean DAS28 values from baseline to 3, 6 and 12 months (p
Fulltext Multicentre survey of rheumatoid arthritis patients from ministry of health rheumatology centers in Malaysia

Shahrir M, Shahdan M, Shahid M, Sulaiman W, Mokhtar AM, Othman M, et al.

Int J Rheum Dis, 2008;11(3):287-292.
DOI: 10.1111/j.1756-185X.2008.00379.x

Aim: This is a rheumatoid arthritis (RA) descriptive study, the first of its kind carried out in Malaysia.
Methods: This descriptive study involved 1084 RA patients' epidemiological and clinical data taken from Selayang, Putrajaya, Taiping and Seremban hospitals from June 2004 to December 2005.
Results: One thousand and eighty-four RA patients'data were analysed; 960 (88.6%) patients were female and 124 (11.4%) were male, approximately 8 : 1 M : F ratio. The majority of the patients were Indian (591; 54.5%), followed by the Malays (340; 31.4%), Chinese (126; 11.6%), indigenous (13; 1.2%) and others (14; 1.3%). Mean age was 49.6 ± 11.8 years with the youngest being 15 years and the oldest 88 years of age. Mean age for males was 52.0 ± 12.0 and females 49.3 ± 11.7 years (P =; 0.017). Most of these patients were housewives (565; 52.1%), followed by paid workers (266; 24.5%), retired patients (80; 7.4%), unemployed (76; 7.0%) and others (97; 8.9%). Mean duration of illness was 8.4 ± 6.7 years; 805 (74.3%) patients were relatively new patients (≤ 2 years illness duration) and 279 (25.7%) patients had illness duration > 2 years. Eight hundred and six (74.4%) were seropositive RA patients and 385 (35.5%) had presence of deformity. The majority of patients were treated with methotrexate (178; 16.4%), followed by combination of methotrexate, sulfasalazine and hydroxychloroquine (143; 13.2%), leflunomide (140; 12.9%), sulfasalazine (133; 12.3%) and combination of methotrexate and sulfasalazine (108; 10%).
Conclusion: In the above study, the majority of patients were female (960; 88.6%), Indian (591; 54.5%), had a mean age of 49.6 ± 11.8 years, most were housewives with a mean duration of illness of 8.4 ± 6.7 years and were treated with methotrexate (178; 16.4%). The results of the study may help Malaysian rheumaologists to understand their patients better and treat RA holistically.
Comment in: Yeap SS. Comment on: Multicentre survey of rheumatoid arthritis patients from Ministry of Health rheumatology centres in Malaysia. Int J Rheum Dis. 2009 Jul;12(2):177-8; author reply 179. doi: 10.1111/j.1756-185X.2009.01403.x. PubMed PMID: 20374340.
Individuals in urban dwelling primate species face unequal benefits associated with living in an anthropogenic environment

Marty PR, Balasubramaniam KN, Kaburu SSK, Hubbard J, Beisner B, Bliss-Moreau E, et al.

Primates, 2020 Mar;61(2):249-255.
PMID: 31773350 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-019-00775-4

In primates, living in an anthropogenic environment can significantly improve an individual's fitness, which is likely attributed to access to anthropogenic food resources. However, in non-professionally provisioned groups, few studies have examined whether individual attributes, such as dominance rank and sex, affect primates' ability to access anthropogenic food. Here, we investigated whether rank and sex explain individual differences in the proportion of anthropogenic food consumed by macaques. We observed 319 individuals living in nine urban groups across three macaque species. We used proportion of anthropogenic food in the diet as a proxy of access to those food resources. Males and high-ranking individuals in both sexes had significantly higher proportions of anthropogenic food in their diets than other individuals. We speculate that unequal access to anthropogenic food resources further increases within-group competition, and may limit fitness benefits in an anthropogenic environment to certain individuals.
Personalised management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): Malaysian consensus algorithm for appropriate use of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) in COPD patients

Marzuki NM, Jaeb MZM, Ban A, Ismail AI, Ali IAH, Razali NM, et al.

Med J Malaysia, 2020 11;75(6):717-721.
PMID: 33219183

BACKGROUND: Regarding the long-term safety issues with the use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and the clinical predominance of dual bronchodilators in enhancing treatment outcomes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), ICS is no longer a "preferred therapy" according to the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease except on top of a dual bronchodilator. This has necessitated a change in the current therapy for many COPD patients.
OBJECTIVE: To determine a standardised algorithm to reassess and personalise the treatment COPD patients based on the available evidence.
METHODS: A consensus statement was agreed upon by a panel of pulmonologists in from 11 institutes in Malaysia whose members formed this consensus group.
RESULTS: According to the consensus, which was unanimously adopted, all COPD patients who are currently receiving an ICS-based treatment should be reassessed based on the presence of co-existence of asthma or high eosinophil counts and frequency of moderate or severe exacerbations in the previous 12 months. When that the patients meet any of the aforementioned criteria, then the patient can continue taking ICS-based therapy. However, if the patients do not meet the criteria, then the treatment of patients need to be personalised based on whether the patient is currently receiving long-acting beta-agonists (LABA)/ICS or triple therapy.
CONCLUSION: A flowchart of the consensus providing a guidance to Malaysian clinicians was elucidated based on evidences and international guidelines that identifies the right patients who should receive inhaled corticosteroids and enable to switch non ICS based therapies in patients less likely to benefit from such treatments.
Fulltext Impact of individual demographic and social factors on human-wildlife interactions: a comparative study of three macaque species

Balasubramaniam KN, Marty PR, Samartino S, Sobrino A, Gill T, Ismail M, et al.

Sci Rep, 2020 12 15;10(1):21991.
PMID: 33319843 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78881-3

Despite increasing conflict at human-wildlife interfaces, there exists little research on how the attributes and behavior of individual wild animals may influence human-wildlife interactions. Adopting a comparative approach, we examined the impact of animals' life-history and social attributes on interactions between humans and (peri)urban macaques in Asia. For 10 groups of rhesus, long-tailed, and bonnet macaques, we collected social behavior, spatial data, and human-interaction data for 11-20 months on pre-identified individuals. Mixed-model analysis revealed that, across all species, males and spatially peripheral individuals interacted with humans the most, and that high-ranking individuals initiated more interactions with humans than low-rankers. Among bonnet macaques, but not rhesus or long-tailed macaques, individuals who were more well-connected in their grooming network interacted more frequently with humans than less well-connected individuals. From an evolutionary perspective, our results suggest that individuals incurring lower costs related to their life-history (males) and resource-access (high rank; strong social connections within a socially tolerant macaque species), but also higher costs on account of compromising the advantages of being in the core of their group (spatial periphery), are the most likely to take risks by interacting with humans in anthropogenic environments. From a conservation perspective, evaluating individual behavior will better inform efforts to minimize conflict-related costs and zoonotic-risk.
Asia-Pacific mussel watch: monitoring contamination of persistent organochlorine compounds in coastal waters of Asian countries

Monirith I, Ueno D, Takahashi S, Nakata H, Sudaryanto A, Subramanian A, et al.

Mar Pollut Bull, 2003 Mar;46(3):281-300.
PMID: 12604061

Contamination of persistent organochlorines (OCs) such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), DDT and its metabolites (DDTs), HCH (hexachlorocyclohexane) isomers (HCHs), chlordane compounds (CHLs), and HCB (hexachlorobenzene) were examined in mussels collected from coastal waters of Asian countries such as Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Far East Russia, Singapore, and Vietnam in 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2001 to elucidate the contamination status, distribution and possible pollution sources and to assess the risks on aquatic organisms and human. OCs were detected in all mussels collected from all the sampling sites investigated. Considerable residue levels of p,p(')-DDT and alpha-HCH were found in mussels and the concentrations of DDTs and HCHs found in mussels from Asian developing countries were higher than those in developed nations suggesting present usage of DDTs and HCHs along the coastal waters of Asian developing countries. On the other hand, lower concentrations of PCBs detected in mussels from Asian developing countries than those in developed countries indicate that PCBs contamination in mussels is strongly related to industrial and activities. To our knowledge, this is a first comprehensive report on monitoring OCs pollution in the Asia-Pacific region.
Fulltext Molecular pathology quality control in Southeast Asia: Results of a multiregional quality assurance study from MASTER KEY Asia

Okuma HS, Yoshida H, Kobayashi Y, Arakaki M, Mizoguchi C, Inagaki L, et al.

Cancer Sci, 2023 Jun;114(6):2664-2673.
PMID: 36919757 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15790

Tissue specimen quality assurance is a major issue of precision medicine for rare cancers. However, the laboratory standards and quality of pathological specimens prepared in Asian hospitals remain unknown. To understand the methods in Southeast Asian oncology hospitals and to clarify how pre-analytics affect the quality of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens, a questionnaire surveying pre-analytical procedures (Part I) was administered, quality assessment of immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining and DNA/RNA extracted from the representative FFPE specimens from each hospital (Part II) was conducted, and the quality of DNA/RNA extracted from FFPE of rare-cancer patients for genomic sequencing (Part III) was examined. Quality measurements for DNA/RNA included ΔΔCt, DV200, and cDNA yield. Six major cancer hospitals from Malaysia, Philippines, and Vietnam participated. One hospital showed unacceptable quality for the DNA/RNA assessment, but improved by revising laboratory procedures. Only 57% (n = 73) of the 128 rare-cancer patients' specimens met both DNA and RNA quality criteria for next-generation sequencing. Median DV200 was 80.7% and 64.3% for qualified and failed RNA, respectively. Median ΔΔCt was 1.25 for qualified and 4.89 for failed DNA. Longer storage period was significantly associated with poor DNA (fail to qualify ratio = 1579:321 days, p
Fulltext Persistent low-density infection in areas at risk of malaria reintroduction in Malaysia

Jiram AI, Hisam S, Abdul Hamid MH, Jelip J, Noordin R, Musa KI, et al.

PLoS One, 2025;20(11):e0329219.
PMID: 41264599 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0329219

Malaysia successfully achieved zero indigenous human malaria cases since 2018. However, challenges persist from Plasmodium knowlesi (zoonotic malaria) and low-density infections, posing reintroduction risks in previously malaria-free areas. Addressing these hidden infections is critical for sustaining Malaysia's elimination gains. This study investigated the persistence of low-density malaria transmission in high-risk localities declared malaria-free for at least three consecutive years. A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted from June to October 2020 in 23 high-receptivity localities across Sabah, Perak, Kelantan, and Johor. Blood samples from asymptomatic residents were screened via conventional microscopy and nested PCR (nPCR) targeting the Plasmodium 18S rRNA gene, with positive nPCR products species-determined. Sociodemographic and geospatial data were analyzed for associations with infection status. Of 3,322 asymptomatic individuals, no infections were detected by microscopy, whereas nPCR revealed a low-density malaria prevalence of 1.86% (62/3,322). Infections comprised P. malariae (40.3%), P. vivax (29.0%), P. knowlesi (24.2%), P. falciparum (1.6%), P. cynomolgi (1.6%), and mixed P. vivax/P. knowlesi (3.2%). All PCR-positive cases originated from Sabah and an Orang Asli settlement in Perak. Adults (≥17 years) constituted the majority (~68%), with no significant difference in prevalence by gender or previous malaria history (p > 0.05). Asymptomatic low-density malaria infections persist in purportedly malaria-free communities, remaining undetectable by routine microscopy. These hidden parasite reservoirs pose a risk for malaria reintroduction, especially in receptive areas. Malaria surveillance programs must thus incorporate highly sensitive diagnostic tools to detect low-density infections and safeguard elimination gains. Intensified, targeted interventions in identified "malaria hotspots", including community engagement and vector control, are crucial to eliminate residual foci and prevent disease resurgence.
Fulltext A partially randomised trial of pretomanid, moxifloxacin and pyrazinamide for pulmonary TB

Tweed CD, Wills GH, Crook AM, Amukoye E, Balanag V, Ban AYL, et al.

Int J Tuberc Lung Dis, 2021 Apr 01;25(4):305-314.
PMID: 33762075 DOI: 10.5588/ijtld.20.0513

BACKGROUND: Treatment for TB is lengthy and toxic, and new regimens are needed.METHODS: Participants with pulmonary drug-susceptible TB (DS-TB) were randomised to receive: 200 mg pretomanid (Pa, PMD) daily, 400 mg moxifloxacin (M) and 1500 mg pyrazinamide (Z) for 6 months (6Pa200MZ) or 4 months (4Pa200MZ); 100 mg pretomanid daily for 4 months in the same combination (4Pa100MZ); or standard DS-TB treatment for 6 months. The primary outcome was treatment failure or relapse at 12 months post-randomisation. The non-inferiority margin for between-group differences was 12.0%. Recruitment was paused following three deaths and not resumed.RESULTS: Respectively 4/47 (8.5%), 11/57 (19.3%), 14/52 (26.9%) and 1/53 (1.9%) DS-TB outcomes were unfavourable in patients on 6Pa200MZ, 4Pa200MZ, 4Pa100MZ and controls. There was a 6.6% (95% CI -2.2% to 15.4%) difference per protocol and 9.9% (95%CI -4.1% to 23.9%) modified intention-to-treat difference in unfavourable responses between the control and 6Pa200MZ arms. Grade 3+ adverse events affected 68/203 (33.5%) receiving experimental regimens, and 19/68 (27.9%) on control. Ten of 203 (4.9%) participants on experimental arms and 2/68 (2.9%) controls died.CONCLUSION: PaMZ regimens did not achieve non-inferiority in this under-powered trial. An ongoing evaluation of PMD remains a priority.
Fulltext Multidomain Intervention for Reversal of Cognitive Frailty, Towards a Personalized Approach (AGELESS Trial): Study Design

Ponvel P, Shahar S, Singh DKA, Ludin AFM, Rajikan R, Rajab NF, et al.

J Alzheimers Dis, 2021;82(2):673-687.
PMID: 34092633 DOI: 10.3233/JAD-201607

BACKGROUND: Cognitive frailty (CF) is identified as one of the main precursors of dementia. Multidomain intervention has been found to delay or prevent the onset of CF.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of our present study is to determine the effectiveness of a comprehensive, multidomain intervention on CF; to evaluate its cost effectiveness and the factors influencing adherence toward this intensive intervention.
METHODS: A total of 1,000 community dwelling older adults, aged 60 years and above will be screened for CF. This randomized controlled trial involves recruitment of 330 older adults with CF from urban, semi-urban, and rural areas in Malaysia. Multidomain intervention comprised of physical, nutritional, cognitive, and psychosocial aspects will be provided to participants in the experimental group (n = 165). The control group (n = 165) will continue their usual care with their physician. Primary outcomes include CF status, physical function, psychosocial and nutritional status as well as cognitive performance. Vascular health and gut microbiome will be assessed using blood and stool samples. A 24-month intensive intervention will be prescribed to the participants and its sustainability will be assessed for the following 12 months. The effective intervention strategies will be integrated as a personalized telerehabilitation package for the reversal of CF for future use.
RESULTS: The multidomain intervention developed from this trial is expected to be cost effective compared to usual care as well as able is to reverse CF.
CONCLUSION: This project will be part of the World-Wide FINGERS (Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability) Network, of which common identifiable data will be shared and harmonized among the consortia.
Fulltext Assessing disparities in medical students' knowledge and attitude about monkeypox: a cross-sectional study of 27 countries across three continents

Abd ElHafeez S, Gebreal A, Khalil MA, Youssef N, Sallam M, Elshabrawy A, et al.

Front Public Health, 2023;11:1192542.
PMID: 37575128 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1192542

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The recent monkeypox (Mpox) outbreak confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO) underscores the importance of evaluating the knowledge and attitude of medical students toward emerging diseases, given their potential roles as healthcare professionals and sources of public information during outbreaks. This study aimed to assess medical students' knowledge and attitude about Mpox and to identify factors affecting their level of knowledge and attitude in low-income and high-income countries.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 11,919 medical students from 27 countries. A newly-developed validated questionnaire was used to collect data on knowledge (14 items), attitude (12 items), and baseline criteria. The relationship between a range of factors with knowledge and attitude was studied using univariate and multivariate analyses.
RESULTS: 46% of the study participants were males; 10.7% were in their sixth year; 54.6% knew about smallpox; 84% received the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine; and 12.5% had training on Mpox. 55.3% had good knowledge of Mpox and 51.7% had a positive attitude towards it. Medical students in their third, fifth, or sixth year high- income countries who obtained information on Mpox from friends, research articles, social media and scientific websites were positive predictors for good knowledge. Conversely, being male or coming from high-income countries showed a negative relation with good knowledge about Mpox. Additionally, a positive attitude was directly influenced by residing in urban areas, being in the fifth year of medical education, having knowledge about smallpox and a history of receiving the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine. Receiving information about Mpox from social media or scientific websites and possessing good knowledge about Mpox were also predictors of a positive attitude. On the other hand, being male, employed, or receiving a training program about Mpox were inversely predicting positive attitude about Mpox.
CONCLUSION: There were differences in knowledge and attitude towards Mpox between medical students in low and high-income countries, emphasizing the need for incorporating epidemiology of re-emerging diseases like Mpox into the medical curriculum to improve disease prevention and control.
Fulltext Fungal Planet description sheets: 1550-1613

Crous PW, Costa MM, Kandemir H, Vermaas M, Vu D, Zhao L, et al.

Persoonia, 2023 Jun;51:280-417.
PMID: 38665977 DOI: 10.3767/persoonia.2023.51.08

Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Argentina, Neocamarosporium halophilum in leaf spots of Atriplex undulata. Australia, Aschersonia merianiae on scale insect (Coccoidea), Curvularia huamulaniae isolated from air, Hevansia mainiae on dead spider, Ophiocordyceps poecilometigena on Poecilometis sp. Bolivia, Lecanora menthoides on sandstone, in open semi-desert montane areas, Sticta monlueckiorum corticolous in a forest, Trichonectria epimegalosporae on apothecia of corticolous Megalospora sulphurata var. sulphurata, Trichonectria puncteliae on the thallus of Punctelia borreri. Brazil, Catenomargarita pseudocercosporicola (incl. Catenomargarita gen. nov.) hyperparasitic on Pseudocercospora fijiensis on leaves of Musa acuminata, Tulasnella restingae on protocorms and roots of Epidendrum fulgens. Bulgaria, Anthracoidea umbrosae on Carex spp. Croatia, Hymenoscyphus radicis from surface-sterilised, asymptomatic roots of Microthlaspi erraticum, Orbilia multiserpentina on wood of decorticated branches of Quercus pubescens. France, Calosporella punctatispora on dead corticated twigs of Aceropalus. French West Indies (Martinique), Eutypella lechatii on dead corticated palm stem. Germany, Arrhenia alcalinophila on loamy soil. Iceland, Cistella blauvikensis on dead grass (Poaceae). India, Fulvifomes maritimus on living Peltophorum pterocarpum, Fulvifomes natarajanii on dead wood of Prosopis juliflora, Fulvifomes subazonatus on trunk of Azadirachta indica, Macrolepiota bharadwajii on moist soil near the forest, Narcissea delicata on decaying elephant dung, Paramyrothecium indicum on living leaves of Hibiscus hispidissimus, Trichoglossum syamviswanathii on moist soil near the base of a bamboo plantation. Iran, Vacuiphoma astragalicola from stem canker of Astragalus sarcocolla. Malaysia, Neoeriomycopsis fissistigmae (incl. Neoeriomycopsidaceae fam. nov.) on leaf spots on flower Fissistigma sp. Namibia, Exophiala lichenicola lichenicolous on Acarospora cf. luederitzensis. Netherlands, Entoloma occultatum on soil, Extremus caricis on dead leaves of Carex sp., Inocybe pseudomytiliodora on loamy soil. Norway, Inocybe guldeniae on calcareous soil, Inocybe rupestroides on gravelly soil. Pakistan, Hymenagaricus brunneodiscus on soil. Philippines, Ophiocordyceps philippinensis parasitic on Asilus sp. Poland, Hawksworthiomyces ciconiae isolated from Ciconia ciconia nest, Plectosphaerella vigrensis from leaf spots on Impatiens noli-tangere, Xenoramularia epitaxicola from sooty mould community on Taxus baccata. Portugal, Inocybe dagamae on clay soil. Saudi Arabia, Diaporthe jazanensis on branches of Coffea arabica. South Africa, Alternaria moraeae on dead leaves of Moraea sp., Bonitomyces buffels-kloofinus (incl. Bonitomyces gen. nov.) on dead twigs of unknown tree, Constrictochalara koukolii on living leaves of Itea rhamnoides colonised by a Meliola sp., Cylindromonium lichenophilum on Parmelina tiliacea, Gamszarella buffelskloofina (incl. Gamszarella gen. nov.) on dead insect, Isthmosporiella africana (incl. Isthmosporiella gen. nov.) on dead twigs of unknown tree, Nothoeucasphaeria buffelskloofina (incl. Nothoeucasphaeria gen. nov.), on dead twigs of unknown tree, Nothomicrothyrium beaucarneae (incl. Nothomicrothyrium gen. nov.) on dead leaves of Beaucarnea stricta, Paramycosphaerella proteae on living leaves of Protea caffra, Querciphoma foliicola on leaf litter, Rachicladosporium conostomii on dead twigs of Conostomium natalense var. glabrum, Rhamphoriopsis synnematosa on dead twig of unknown tree, Waltergamsia mpumalanga on dead leaves of unknown tree. Spain, Amanita fulvogrisea on limestone soil, in mixed forest, Amanita herculis in open Quercus forest, Vuilleminia beltraniae on Cistus symphytifolius. Sweden, Pachyella pulchella on decaying wood on sand-silt riverbank. Thailand, Deniquelata cassiae on dead stem of Cassia fistula, Stomiopeltis thailandica on dead twigs of Magnolia champaca. Ukraine, Circinaria podoliana on natural limestone outcrops, Neonematogonum carpinicola (incl. Neonematogonum gen. nov.) on dead branches of Carpinus betulus. USA, Exophiala wilsonii water from cooling tower, Hygrophorus aesculeticola on soil in mixed forest, and Neocelosporium aereum from air in a house attic. Morphological and culture characteristics are supported by DNA barcodes. Citation: Crous PW, Costa MM, Kandemir H, et al. 2023. Fungal Planet description sheets: 1550-1613. Persoonia 51: 280-417. doi: 10.3767/persoonia.2023.51.08.

Filters

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

External Links