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Fragmented population structure of plasmodium falciparum in a region of declining endemicity

Anthony TG, Conway DJ, Cox-Singh J, Matusop A, Ratnam S, Shamsul S, et al.

J Infect Dis, 2005 May 1;191(9):1558-64.
PMID: 15809916

The population genetic structure of Plasmodium falciparum differs between endemic regions, but the characteristics of a population recently fragmented by effective malaria control have been unknown.

Matched MeSH terms: Population Density
Fulltext The critical role of natural forest as refugium for generalist species in oil palm-dominated landscapes

Guerrero-Sanchez S, Goossens B, Saimin S, Orozco-terWengel P

PLoS One, 2021;16(10):e0257814.
PMID: 34614000 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257814

In Borneo, oil palm plantations have replaced much of natural resources, where generalist species tend to be the principal beneficiaries, due to the abundant food provided by oil palm plantations. Here, we analyse the distribution of the Asian water monitor lizard (Varanus salvator) population within an oil palm-dominated landscape in the Kinabatangan floodplain, Malaysian Borneo. By using mark-recapture methods we estimated its population size, survival, and growth in forest and plantation habitats. We compared body measurements (i.e. body weight and body length) of individuals living in forest and oil palm habitats as proxy for the population's health status, and used general least squares estimation models to evaluate its response to highly fragmented landscapes in the absence of intensive hunting pressures. Contrary to previous studies, the abundance of lizards was higher in the forest than in oil palm plantations. Recruitment rates were also higher in the forest, suggesting that these areas may function as a source of new individuals into the landscape. While there were no morphometric differences among plantation sites, we found significant differences among forested areas, where larger lizards were found inhabiting forest adjacent to oil palm plantations. Although abundant in food resources, the limited availability of refugia in oil palm plantations may intensify intra-specific encounters and competition, altering the body size distribution in plantation populations, contrary to what happens in the forest. We conclude that large patches of forest, around and within oil palm plantations, are essential for the dynamics of the monitor lizard population in the Kinabatangan floodplain, as well as a potential source of individuals to the landscape. We recommend assessing this effect in other generalist species, as well as the impact on the prey communities, especially to reinforce the establishment of buffer zones and corridors as a conservation strategy within plantations.

Matched MeSH terms: Population Density
Fulltext Breast Cancer Screening in Semi-Rural Malaysia: Utilisation and Barriers

Mohan D, Su TT, Donnelly M, Hoe WMK, Schliemann D, Tan MM, et al.

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2021 11 23;18(23).
PMID: 34886015 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182312293

Breast cancer (BC) is the commonest cancer in Malaysia. Delayed diagnosis is a significant cause of BC mortality in the country. Early diagnosis and screening are vital strategies in mortality reduction. This study assessed the level of utilisation and barriers for breast self-examination (BSE), clinical breast examination (CBE) and mammogram in a semi-rural population in Malaysia and compared these across the different ethnic groups. This cross-sectional study was conducted among women aged 40 years and above, embedded within a health and demographic surveillance site (HDSS) in Segamat, Malaysia. Trained data collectors collected data on screening and barriers during home visits. Study participants (n = 250) were aged 59.4 ± 10.9 years and represented Malaysia's three major ethnic groups. Practice of regular BSE, CBE uptake (ever) and mammogram (ever) was 23.2%, 36% and 22.4%, respectively. Regular BSE practice was highest in the Malay ethnic group and least among the Chinese. Regular CBE was very low in all ethnic groups (<5%). Mammogram uptake was highest among Chinese (34.4%), followed by Indians (30.4%) and Malays (16.6%). After adjusting for other socio-demographic variables, Malay ethnicity was positively associated with regular BSE (adjusted OR = 5.26, 95% CI 2.05, 13.50) and negatively associated with having had a mammogram (adjusted OR = 0.3, 95% CI 0.15, 0.57). Lower education was negatively associated (adjusted OR = 0.36, 95% CI 0.17, 0.74) with mammogram attendance (ever). Emotional and financial barriers were the most reported types of barriers, specifically, fear of diagnosis (74.8%), cost of diagnosis (69.6%) and fear of losing a breast (66.4%). Malay women more commonly reported most barriers compared to other ethnic groups. Screening uptake was low among semi-rural women in Malaysia. Implementing culturally appropriate interventions that consider ethnic differences is crucial to empowering women to engage in BC screening initiatives in these communities.

Matched MeSH terms: Rural Population
Fulltext Projecting range-wide sun bear population trends using tree cover and camera-trap bycatch data

Scotson L, Fredriksson G, Ngoprasert D, Wong WM, Fieberg J

PLoS One, 2017;12(9):e0185336.
PMID: 28961243 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185336

Monitoring population trends of threatened species requires standardized techniques that can be applied over broad areas and repeated through time. Sun bears Helarctos malayanus are a forest dependent tropical bear found throughout most of Southeast Asia. Previous estimates of global population trends have relied on expert opinion and cannot be systematically replicated. We combined data from 1,463 camera traps within 31 field sites across sun bear range to model the relationship between photo catch rates of sun bears and tree cover. Sun bears were detected in all levels of tree cover above 20%, and the probability of presence was positively associated with the amount of tree cover within a 6-km2 buffer of the camera traps. We used the relationship between catch rates and tree cover across space to infer temporal trends in sun bear abundance in response to tree cover loss at country and global-scales. Our model-based projections based on this "space for time" substitution suggested that sun bear population declines associated with tree cover loss between 2000-2014 in mainland southeast Asia were ~9%, with declines highest in Cambodia and lowest in Myanmar. During the same period, sun bear populations in insular southeast Asia (Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei) were projected to have declined at a much higher rate (22%). Cast forward over 30-years, from the year 2000, by assuming a constant rate of change in tree cover, we projected population declines in the insular region that surpassed 50%, meeting the IUCN criteria for endangered if sun bears were listed on the population level. Although this approach requires several assumptions, most notably that trends in abundance across space can be used to infer temporal trends, population projections using remotely sensed tree cover data may serve as a useful alternative (or supplement) to expert opinion. The advantages of this approach is that it is objective, data-driven, repeatable, and it requires that all assumptions be clearly stated.

Matched MeSH terms: Population Density
Performance of Willem's dental age estimation method in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Mohd Yusof MYP, Wan Mokhtar I, Rajasekharan S, Overholser R, Martens L

Forensic Sci Int, 2017 Nov;280:245.e1-245.e10.
PMID: 28958768 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2017.08.032

Through numerous validation and method comparison studies on different populations, the Willems method exhibited a superior accuracy. This article aims to systematically examine how accurate the application of Willems dental age method on children of different age groups and its performance based on various populations and regions. A strategic literature search of PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, EMBASE and hand searching were used to identify the studies published up to September 2014 that estimated the dental age using the Willems method (modified Demirjian), with a populations, intervention, comparisons and outcomes (PICO) search strategy using MeSH keywords, focusing on the question: How much Willems method deviates from the chronological age in estimating age in children? Standardized mean differences were calculated for difference of dental age to chronological age by using random effects model. Subgroup analyses were performed to evaluate potential heterogeneity. Of 116 titles retrieved based on the standardized search strategy, only 19 articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria for quantitative analysis. The pooled estimates were separately kept as underestimation (n=7) and overestimation (n=12) of chronological age groups for both genders according to primary studies. On absolute values, females (underestimated by 0.13; 95% CI: 0.09-0.18 and overestimated by 0.27; 95% CI: 0.17-0.36) exhibited better accuracy than males (underestimated by 0.28; 95% CI: 0.14-0.42 and overestimated by 0.33; 95% CI: 0.22-0.44). For comparison purposes, the overall pooled estimate overestimated the age by 0.10 (95% CI: -0.06 to 0.26) and 0.09 (95% CI: -0.09 to 0.19) for males and females, respectively. There was no significant difference between the young and older child in subgroup analysis using omnibus test. The mean age between different regions exhibited no statistically significant. The use of Willems method is appropriate to estimate age in children considering its accuracy among different populations, investigators and age groups.

Matched MeSH terms: Continental Population Groups
Temporal changes in arthropod activity in tropical anthropogenic forests

Brandon-Mong GJ, Littlefair JE, Sing KW, Lee YP, Gan HM, Clare EL, et al.

Bull. Entomol. Res., 2018 Dec;108(6):792-799.
PMID: 29441836 DOI: 10.1017/S000748531800010X

Arthropod communities in the tropics are increasingly impacted by rapid changes in land use. Because species showing distinct seasonal patterns of activity are thought to be at higher risk of climate-related extirpation, global warming is generally considered a lower threat to arthropod biodiversity in the tropics than in temperate regions. To examine changes associated with land use and weather variables in tropical arthropod communities, we deployed Malaise traps at three major anthropogenic forests (secondary reserve forest, oil palm forest, and urban ornamental forest (UOF)) in Peninsular Malaysia and collected arthropods continuously for 12 months. We used metabarcoding protocols to characterize the diversity within weekly samples. We found that changes in the composition of arthropod communities were significantly associated with maximum temperature in all the three forests, but shifts were reversed in the UOF compared with the other forests. This suggests arthropods in forests in Peninsular Malaysia face a double threat: community shifts and biodiversity loss due to exploitation and disturbance of forests which consequently put species at further risk related to global warming. We highlight the positive feedback mechanism of land use and temperature, which pose threats to the arthropod communities and further implicates ecosystem functioning and human well-being. Consequently, conservation and mitigation plans are urgently needed.

Matched MeSH terms: Population Dynamics
Access to pathology and laboratory medicine services: a crucial gap

Wilson ML, Fleming KA, Kuti MA, Looi LM, Lago N, Ru K

Lancet, 2018 05 12;391(10133):1927-1938.
PMID: 29550029 DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30458-6

As global efforts accelerate to implement the Sustainable Development Goals and, in particular, universal health coverage, access to high-quality and timely pathology and laboratory medicine (PALM) services will be needed to support health-care systems that are tasked with achieving these goals. This access will be most challenging to achieve in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), which have a disproportionately large share of the global burden of disease but a disproportionately low share of global health-care resources, particularly PALM services. In this first in a Series of three papers on PALM in LMICs, we describe the crucial and central roles of PALM services in the accurate diagnosis and detection of disease, informing prognosis and guiding treatment, contributing to disease screening, public health surveillance and disease registries, and supporting medical-legal systems. We also describe how, even though data are sparse, these services are of both insufficient scope and inadequate quality to play their key role in health-care systems in LMICs. Lastly, we identify four key barriers to the provision of optimal PALM services in resource-limited settings: insufficient human resources or workforce capacity, inadequate education and training, inadequate infrastructure, and insufficient quality, standards, and accreditation.

Matched MeSH terms: Population Surveillance
Fulltext Neuroleptic drug utilisation for acute schizophrenia

Razali MS, Hasanah CI

Singapore Med J, 1996 Dec;37(6):611-3.
PMID: 9104062

The aim of this study was to find the dosage and pattern of neuroleptic drug utilisation for the treatment of acute schizophrenia in a general psychiatry ward. This is an uncontrolled study involving 112 schizophrenic inpatients. Patients' socio-demographic variables, the type and peak daily doses of neuroleptics prescribed to them were analysed. Chlorpromazine was the most commonly prescribed drug. The peak mean daily dose required by the patients was equivalent to 537 mg of chlorpromazine; and 400 to 600 mg/ day of chlorpromazine or its equivalent was generally sufficient to treat acute psychosis. The majority of the patients received neuroleptics within this dose range. Low potency drugs were prescribed in lower doses than high potency drugs. Patients treated with depot preparation tended to receive higher doses of medication than those prescribed oral medication alone. The doses of neuroleptics were significantly correlated with duration of admission.

Matched MeSH terms: Continental Population Groups
Fulltext Pilomatrixoma (calcifying epithelioma) in Sarawak

Kothare SN

Singapore Med J, 1981 Apr;22(2):96-8.
PMID: 7268457

This is a report of 9 cases of Pilomatrixoma (Calcifying Epithelioma) recorded in 188 benign tumours of the skin and adnexa in Sarawak during 1976 and 1977, with an incidence of 4.7 per cent. Out of the seven Chinese patients four were females. One more female was a Kayan and the race of another female patient was not recorded. Except one, all were below the age of 20 years; the youngest being only 6 months old. In one lesion ossification was also detected.

Matched MeSH terms: Continental Population Groups
Fulltext Parasuicides in Kuala Lumpur reasons for the attempt

Orr JW

Singapore Med J, 1985 Jun;26(3):253-8.
PMID: 4048985

This study examines the primary reasons for attempting suicide as described by the 271 parasuicidal patients assessed at the Psychiatric Clinic, General Hospital, Kuala Lumpur during 1982. The reasons in order of frequency were: marital problems; family problems; boyfriend, girlfriend problems; a medical illness; a psychiatric illness; and others, The types of marriage, family, and love problems experienced by each of the three major Malaysian racial groups are discussed. Indians presented with family problems more frequently than the other racial groups and Indian females were more frequently battered before the suicidal attempt. Suggested treatment measures based on the findings include employing a crisis intervention model for suitable patients, interviewing the patients on the Medical Wards, and involving more Psychiatric Social Workers in their management.

Study site: Psychiatric Clinic, General Hospital

Matched MeSH terms: Continental Population Groups
Fulltext Association of Genetic Ancestry With the Molecular Subtypes and Prognosis of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Lee SHR, Antillon-Klussmann F, Pei D, Yang W, Roberts KG, Li Z, et al.

JAMA Oncol, 2022 Mar 01;8(3):354-363.
PMID: 35084434 DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2021.6826

IMPORTANCE: Racial and ethnic disparities persist in the incidence and treatment outcomes of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). However, there is a paucity of data describing the genetic basis of these disparities, especially in association with modern ALL molecular taxonomy and in the context of contemporary treatment regimens.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of genetic ancestry with childhood ALL molecular subtypes and outcomes of modern ALL therapy.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This multinational, multicenter genetic association study was conducted from March 1, 2000, to November 20, 2020, among 2428 children and adolescents with ALL enrolled in frontline trials from the United States, South East Asia (Singapore and Malaysia), and Latin America (Guatemala), representing diverse populations of European, African, Native American, East Asian, and South Asian descent. Statistical analysis was conducted from February 3, 2020, to April 19, 2021.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Molecular subtypes of ALL and genetic ancestry were comprehensively characterized by performing RNA sequencing. Associations of genetic ancestries with ALL molecular subtypes and treatment outcomes were then evaluated.
RESULTS: Among the participants in the study, 1340 of 2318 (57.8%) were male, and the mean (SD) age was 7.8 (5.3) years. Of 21 ALL subtypes identified, 8 were associated with ancestry. East Asian ancestry was positively associated with the frequency of somatic DUX4 (odds ratio [OR], 1.30 [95% CI, 1.16-1.45]; P

Matched MeSH terms: Continental Population Groups
Understanding knowledge of hypertension among affected individuals in low-Income (B40) communities in Malaysia: The RESPOND study

Ariffin F, Isa MR, Nafiza MN, Mazapuspavina MY, Fadhlina AM, Palafox B, et al.

Med J Malaysia, 2022 Sep;77(5):542-551.
PMID: 36169064

INTRODUCTION: Achieving optimal control of blood pressure is easier when those affected understand the risks and consequences of hypertension and the principles of management. It is particularly important in disadvantaged groups among whom blood pressure control is often poor. However, effective responses require evidence of the knowledge and beliefs of those affected. This was undertaken as part of a larger study of the therapeutic journeys followed by individuals living in B40 (bottom 40% by income) households in Malaysia, the Responsive and Equitable Health Systems-Partnership on Non- Communicable Diseases (RESPOND).This paper describes their reported knowledge of hypertension, health, and measures that can improve hypertensive control.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The communities were selected from rural and urban populations in four peninsular states (Selangor, Kelantan, Perak, and Johor). Following a multistage sampling approach, communities in each stratum were selected according to probability proportional to the size and identified based on national census data by the community and administrative registers. Households were randomly selected. Eligible individuals were those aged between 35 and 70 years old, self-reported or identified as hypertensive at screening. Informed consent was taken. A survey using validated questionnaires was conducted.
RESULTS: The total number of respondents was 579. The mean age was 59.0 (95%: 58.4, 59.7) and more were women (71.5%) than men (28.5%). Regarding respondents selfreported level of hypertension knowledge, 2.9% reported having no knowledge at all, 80.1% had little knowledge, and 17.9% were very familiar. Among all respondents, 56.2% (95% CI: 50.7, 61.6) correctly answered at least four out of five objective knowledge questions.Almost all (91.5%) were aware that hypertension could cause a stroke. However, one-fifth believed it could cause cancer. Almost threequarters said that people with high blood pressure generally felt well (72.1%) and recognized that they should not stop taking their medication (70.7%). Most of the respondents knew that people should take their medication even if they feel well (73.6%). Although more than half (66.0%) of the respondents rated their health as poor. Interestingly, most did not perceive themselves as having a long-term illness (95.0%).
CONCLUSION: This study provides reassurance that individuals with hypertension in disadvantaged communities in Malaysia have a relatively good understanding of hypertension. Further research should explore the challenges they face on their therapeutic journeys.

Matched MeSH terms: Rural Population
EU28 region's water security and the effect of bioenergy industry sustainability

Alsaleh M, Abdul-Rahim AS, Abdulwakil MM

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2020 Nov 03.
PMID: 33141381 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-11425-4

Water is an essential component of agriculture-food production. As the biomass and biofuel are known excellent sources of renewable and sustainable energy, cultivating process consumes significant quantities of water. Without sufficient, good-quality and easily accessible water, the European agriculture-food production could thus be under threat. This research analyses the impact of the water supply on the bioenergy production in the 28 European Union countries, for the 1990-2018 period within the pathway of the European Union 2030 agenda for sustainable development. The findings using the generalised least squares (GLS) technique show that bioenergy production and population density appear to decrease water supply. Precisely, the magnitude of the effects is - 0.224 and - 0.136 for developing countries and developed countries in the EU, respectively. This indicates that a serious reduction of water security is more likely to happen in developed countries than in developing countries as a result of the increase in bioenergy consumption. In the meantime, fossil fuel, income generation activities and institutional quality have already positively affected water supply. Thus, these findings implied that water scarcity is becoming one of the main obstacles for bioenergy expansion and growth. The results were also further verified by the random effect and pooled oriented least squares method. This study recommends that the Member of the European Union States should continue to increase bioenergy production in the energy mix efforts without any strenuous water security issues. Notwithstanding, there are several situations where a developing bioenergy industry is unlikely to be constrained by water shortage, and with the drive of bioenergy demand, the efforts might unlock new opportunities to adapt to water-related challenges and to improve water usage efficiencies. The authorities should illustrate organised water security and sustainable bioenergy policy by way of developing alternative strategies in reducing fossil fuel power and related CO2 emissions, accordingly to the unique characteristics of both developed and developing countries in the EU.

Matched MeSH terms: Population Density
Fulltext Soils on exposed Sunda shelf shaped biogeographic patterns in the equatorial forests of Southeast Asia

Slik JW, Aiba S, Bastian M, Brearley FQ, Cannon CH, Eichhorn KA, et al.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2011 Jul 26;108(30):12343-7.
PMID: 21746913 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1103353108

The marked biogeographic difference between western (Malay Peninsula and Sumatra) and eastern (Borneo) Sundaland is surprising given the long time that these areas have formed a single landmass. A dispersal barrier in the form of a dry savanna corridor during glacial maxima has been proposed to explain this disparity. However, the short duration of these dry savanna conditions make it an unlikely sole cause for the biogeographic pattern. An additional explanation might be related to the coarse sandy soils of central Sundaland. To test these two nonexclusive hypotheses, we performed a floristic cluster analysis based on 111 tree inventories from Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo. We then identified the indicator genera for clusters that crossed the central Sundaland biogeographic boundary and those that did not cross and tested whether drought and coarse-soil tolerance of the indicator genera differed between them. We found 11 terminal floristic clusters, 10 occurring in Borneo, 5 in Sumatra, and 3 in Peninsular Malaysia. Indicator taxa of clusters that occurred across Sundaland had significantly higher coarse-soil tolerance than did those from clusters that occurred east or west of central Sundaland. For drought tolerance, no such pattern was detected. These results strongly suggest that exposed sandy sea-bed soils acted as a dispersal barrier in central Sundaland. However, we could not confirm the presence of a savanna corridor. This finding makes it clear that proposed biogeographic explanations for plant and animal distributions within Sundaland, including possible migration routes for early humans, need to be reevaluated.

Matched MeSH terms: Population Dynamics
Fulltext Population genomic structure and adaptation in the zoonotic malaria parasite Plasmodium knowlesi

Assefa S, Lim C, Preston MD, Duffy CW, Nair MB, Adroub SA, et al.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2015 Oct 20;112(42):13027-32.
PMID: 26438871 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1509534112

Malaria cases caused by the zoonotic parasite Plasmodium knowlesi are being increasingly reported throughout Southeast Asia and in travelers returning from the region. To test for evidence of signatures of selection or unusual population structure in this parasite, we surveyed genome sequence diversity in 48 clinical isolates recently sampled from Malaysian Borneo and in five lines maintained in laboratory rhesus macaques after isolation in the 1960s from Peninsular Malaysia and the Philippines. Overall genomewide nucleotide diversity (π = 6.03 × 10(-3)) was much higher than has been seen in worldwide samples of either of the major endemic malaria parasite species Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. A remarkable substructure is revealed within P. knowlesi, consisting of two major sympatric clusters of the clinical isolates and a third cluster comprising the laboratory isolates. There was deep differentiation between the two clusters of clinical isolates [mean genomewide fixation index (FST) = 0.21, with 9,293 SNPs having fixed differences of FST = 1.0]. This differentiation showed marked heterogeneity across the genome, with mean FST values of different chromosomes ranging from 0.08 to 0.34 and with further significant variation across regions within several chromosomes. Analysis of the largest cluster (cluster 1, 38 isolates) indicated long-term population growth, with negatively skewed allele frequency distributions (genomewide average Tajima's D = -1.35). Against this background there was evidence of balancing selection on particular genes, including the circumsporozoite protein (csp) gene, which had the top Tajima's D value (1.57), and scans of haplotype homozygosity implicate several genomic regions as being under recent positive selection.

Matched MeSH terms: Genetics, Population
Renal disease in Kuala Lumpur. A study of 100 patients with renal biopsy

Mukherjee AP, Yuen TK

Med J Aust, 1971 Jan 30;1(5):257-60.
PMID: 5545973
Matched MeSH terms: Continental Population Groups
Seroprevalence of dengue and chikungunya viruses among urban refugees in Klang Valley, Malaysia

Sahimin N, Low ZX, Hassandarvish P, Mohd Hanapi IR, Mohd Zain SN, Yahaya H, et al.

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 2024 May 01;118(5):328-335.
PMID: 38226501 DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/trad097

BACKGROUND: Mosquito-borne diseases pose a significant global public health threat, with Malaysia's Klang Valley experiencing numerous outbreaks in densely populated urban areas.
METHODS: This study aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of anti-dengue and anti-chikungunya antibodies among urban refugees in the Klang Valley, Malaysia, and identify associated risk factors.
RESULTS: High seroprevalence of anti-dengue immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM (60.0% [confidence interval {CI} 55.39 to 64.48] and 9.2% [CI 6.77 to 12.25], respectively) were observed among refugees >18 years of age (χ22=11.720, p=0.003), Kachin ethnicity (χ28=72.253, p<0.001), without formal education (χ21=3.856, p=0.050), homes near waste disposal sites (χ21=10.378, p=0.001) and refugees who have experienced flooding (χ21=5.460, p=0.019). Meanwhile, the overall seroprevalence of anti-chikungunya IgG and IgM was 9.7% (CI 7.15 to 12.73) and 10.8% (CI 8.09 to 13.93), respectively, with ages 12-18 years (χ22=6.075, p=0.048), Rohingya ethnicity (χ28=31.631, p<0.001) and homes close to waste disposal sites (χ21=3.912, p=0.048) being significant risk factors. Results showed a link to poor environmental living conditions, with an increase in the vector population with higher availability of breeding sites and thus exposure to dengue and chikungunya virus.
CONCLUSIONS: Health education among the community is the key to disease prevention, as there are no specific antiviral drugs for treatment and limited vaccine availability.

Matched MeSH terms: Urban Population
Population genetic analysis of Plasmodium knowlesi reveals differential selection and exchange events between Borneo and Peninsular sub-populations

Turkiewicz A, Manko E, Oresegun DR, Nolder D, Spadar A, Sutherland CJ, et al.

Sci Rep, 2023 Feb 07;13(1):2142.
PMID: 36750737 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29368-4

The zoonotic Plasmodium knowlesi parasite is a growing public health concern in Southeast Asia, especially in Malaysia, where elimination of P. falciparum and P. vivax malaria has been the focus of control efforts. Understanding of the genetic diversity of P. knowlesi parasites can provide insights into its evolution, population structure, diagnostics, transmission dynamics, and the emergence of drug resistance. Previous work has revealed that P. knowlesi fall into three main sub-populations distinguished by a combination of geographical location and macaque host (Macaca fascicularis and M. nemestrina). It has been shown that Malaysian Borneo groups display profound heterogeneity with long regions of high or low divergence resulting in mosaic patterns between sub-populations, with some evidence of chromosomal-segment exchanges. However, the genetic structure of non-Borneo sub-populations is less clear. By gathering one of the largest collections of P. knowlesi whole-genome sequencing data, we studied structural genomic changes across sub-populations, with the analysis revealing differences in Borneo clusters linked to mosquito-related stages of the parasite cycle, in contrast to differences in host-related stages for the Peninsular group. Our work identifies new genetic exchange events, including introgressions between Malaysian Peninsular and M. nemestrina-associated clusters on various chromosomes, including in parasite invasion genes (DBP[Formula: see text], NBPX[Formula: see text] and NBPX[Formula: see text]), and important proteins expressed in the vertebrate parasite stages. Recombination events appear to have occurred between the Peninsular and M. fascicularis-associated groups, including in the DBP[Formula: see text] and DBP[Formula: see text] invasion associated genes. Overall, our work finds that genetic exchange events have occurred among the recognised contemporary groups of P. knowlesi parasites during their evolutionary history, leading to apparent mosaicism between these sub-populations. These findings generate new hypotheses relevant to parasite evolutionary biology and P. knowlesi epidemiology, which can inform malaria control approaches to containing the impact of zoonotic malaria on human communities.

Matched MeSH terms: Genetics, Population
Fulltext The marital and fertility sentiment orientation of Chinese women and its influencing factors - An analysis based on natural language processing

He Y, Tom Abdul Wahab NE, Muhamad H, Liu D

PLoS One, 2024;19(2):e0296910.
PMID: 38381720 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296910

BACKGROUND: With the evolution of China's social structure and values, there has been a shift in attitudes towards marriage and fertility, with an increasing number of women holding diverse perspectives on these matters. In order to better comprehend the fundamental reasons behind these attitude changes and to provide a basis for targeted policymaking, this study employs natural language processing techniques to analyze the discourse of Chinese women.
METHODS: The study focused on analyzing 3,200 comments from Weibo, concentrating on six prominent topics linked to women's marriage and fertility. These topics were treated as research cases. The research employed natural language processing techniques, such as sentiment orientation analysis, Word2Vec, and TextRank.
RESULTS: Firstly, the overall sentiment orientation of Chinese women toward marriage and fertility was largely pessimistic. Secondly, the factors contributing to this negative sentiment were categorized into four dimensions: social policies and rights protection, concerns related to parenting, values and beliefs associated with marriage and fertility, and family and societal culture.
CONCLUSION: Based on these outcomes, the study proposed a range of mechanisms and pathways to enhance women's sentiment orientation towards marriage and fertility. These mechanisms encompass safeguarding women and children's rights, promoting parenting education, providing positive guidance on social media, and cultivating a diverse and inclusive social and cultural environment. The objective is to offer precise and comprehensive reference points for the formulation of policies that align more effectively with practical needs.

Matched MeSH terms: Population Dynamics
Fulltext Biodiversity, seasonal abundance, and distribution of blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) in six different regions of Thailand

Srisuka W, Takaoka H, Otsuka Y, Fukuda M, Thongsahuan S, Taai K, et al.

Parasit Vectors, 2017 Nov 21;10(1):574.
PMID: 29157269 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2492-y

BACKGROUND: Blackflies are an important medical and veterinary group of small blood-sucking insects. Ninety-three blackfly species have been reported in Thailand. However, information on their biodiversity and population dynamics in each region is lacking. The main aim of this study was to assess the regional biodiversity, seasonal abundance and distribution of blackflies in six eco-geographically different regions in the country.
METHODS: Blackfly larvae and pupae were sampled monthly from 58 sites between May 2011 and April 2013. Diversity parameters, seasonal abundance, regional distribution and frequency of species occurrence in stream sites were analyzed.
RESULTS: A total of 19,456 mature larvae representing 57 species, and belonging to six subgenera in the genus Simulium Latreille (s.l.), were found. The five predominant taxa were S. fenestratum (8.6%), the S. asakoae complex (8.3%), S. nakhonense (7.5%), the S. siamense complex (7.4%) and the S. doipuiense complex (6.7%). The most frequent taxa at all sites were the S. asakoae complex (84.5%), followed by S. fenestratum (82.8%), the S. siamense complex (75.9%), S. decuplum (60.3%), S. nakhonense (58.6%) and the S. tani complex (48.3%). The richness of regional species was highest (40 species) in the north and predominated in the cold season. However, blackflies in the south predominated during the hot season. The highest numbers of blackflies collected from central, northeastern, eastern and western regions of the country were observed in the rainy season. Overall, the mean number of blackflies collected across the six regions during the rainy and cold season had no statistically significant difference, but it differed significantly in the hot season.
CONCLUSIONS: Blackflies in Thailand were surveyed in all three seasons across six geographical regions. These findings demonstrated that blackfly communities at each stream site varied with seasonality, and the regional relative abundance of blackflies differed markedly in the hot season. It was also found that the occurrence and distribution of blackflies in each region were associated strongly with elevation.

Matched MeSH terms: Population Dynamics

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