Bloodstream infections are an important cause of morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients and the surveillance of etiological agents in these infections is important for their prevention and treatment. Data on common organisms isolated from blood cultures from Malaysia are limited, and our aim was to identify the common bloodstream isolates in hospitalized patients at the University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Hands of Health Care Personnel (HCP) are one of the most common vehicles for the transmission of infection. Microorganisms can survive well on the hands of HCP for a certain duration. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to bring awareness to HCP that their hands can actually be contaminated with many microorganisms. These microbes on the hands of HCP can potentially infect their patients if they do not comply with the proper hand hygiene practice. This cross-sectional study was conducted at a randomly selected Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and general ward in a hospital. Twenty five HCP from each ward were randomly selected and their hands were imprinted on blood culture plates. Microorganism growth were quantified and identified. Data were analyzed and presented as descriptive analysis. One hundred blood agar plates were processed and analyzed. Majority (71%) of the samples had more than 50 colony-forming units (CFU) and only 17% of the samples had less than 25 CFU. Microorganisms identified include Staphylococcus spp., Acinetobacter spp., Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas spp., Moraxella, Delftiaacidovorans and fungi. All isolated microorganisms were antibiotic sensitive strain. This study showed that the hands of HCP were contaminated with many microorganisms. Therefore, it is imperative that HCP must practice proper hand hygiene when taking care of their patients in the wards.
Filamentous fungi are able to accumulate significant amount of metals from their environment. The potential of fungal biomass as agents for biosorption of heavy metals from contaminated sediments is currently receiving attention. In the present study, a total of 41 isolates of filamentous fungi obtained from the sediment of the Langat River, Selangor, Malaysia were screened for their tolerance and uptake capability of copper (Cu) and lead (Pb). The isolates were identified as Aspergillus niger, A. fumigatus, Trichoderma asperellum, Penicillium simplicissimum and P. janthinellum. A. niger and P. simplicissimum, were able to survive at 1000 mg/L of Cu(II) concentration on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) while for Pb, only A. niger survived at 5000 mg/L concentration. The results showed that A. niger, P. simplicissimum and T. asperellum have a better uptake capacity for Pb compared to Cu and the findings indicated promising biosorption of Cu and Pb by these filamentous fungi from aqueous solution. The present study was also determined the maximum removal of Cu(II) and Pb(II) that was performed by A. niger. The metal removal which occurred at Cu(II) 200 mg/L was (20.910 +/- 0.581) mg/g and at 250 mg/L of Pb(II) was (54.046 +/- 0.328) mg/g.
Andrographis paniculata Nees. (Acanthaceae) is an annual herbaceous plant widely cultivated in southern Asia, China, and Europe. It is used in the treatment of skin infections in India, China, and Malaysia by folk medicine practitioners.
The rhizome of Alpinia conchigerahas been used as a condiment in the northern states of Peninsular Malaysia and occasionally in folk medicine in the east coast to treat fungal infections. In some states of Peninsular Malaysia, the rhizomes are consumed as a post-partum medicine and the young shoots are prepared into a vegetable dish. This study aimed to investigate the chemical constituents of the pseudostems and rhizomes of Malaysian Alpinia conchigera and to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the dichloromethane (DCM) extracts of the pseudostems, rhizomes and the isolated compounds against three selected fungi and five strains of Staphylococcus aureus.
Matched MeSH terms: Fungi/drug effects; Fungi/growth & development
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising cancer treatment which involves activation of a photosensitizing drug with light to produce reactive oxygen species that kill tumors without causing damage to unirradiated normal tissues. To date, only Photofrin, Foscan and Levulan have been approved for clinical treatment of cancer. Tropical habitats such as those found in Malaysia are attractive sources of new therapeutic compounds as tremendous chemical diversity is found in a large number of plants, animals, marine- and micro-organisms. In our screening program for novel photosensitizers from nature, colorful strains of fungi (from Aspergillus and Penicillium genus) and bacteria (including actinomycetes and photosynthetic bacteria) were collected from various habitats in Peninsular Malaysia, such as coastal soil, peat soil, marine sponges and wastewater ponds. Methanolic extracts from a total of 85 different species were evaluated with a short-term cell viability assay for photo-cytotoxicity, where a promyelocytic leukemia cell-line, HL60 incubated with 20 microg/ml of extracts was irradiated with 9.6 J/cm(2) of a broad spectrum light. Two of these extracts, one from Rhodobacter sphaeroides (PBUM003) and one from Rhodopseudomonas palustris (PBUM001) showed moderate to strong photo-cytotoxicity. Subsequent bioassay guided isolation of the PBUM001 extract yielded known photosensitisers that are based on bacteriochlorophyll-a by comparing their molecular weight data, HPLC profiles and UV-vis absorption spectra with literature values, thereby demonstrating the validity of our screening approach.
Consecutive chloroform, ethanol, and ethyl acetate partitions of extracts from winged bean [Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.) DC] root, stem, leaf, and pod extracts were tested for their antimicrobial activity against 19 microbial species, including 11 bacterial pathogens, four yeasts, and four molds using the disk diffusion assay technique. The pod extract was found to be most effective against all of the tested organisms, followed by the stem, root, and leaf extracts, and the ethanol fraction showed the most significant (p < 0.05) antimicrobial activity against all of the tests among three soluble fractions of extract, followed by the ethyl acetate and chloroform fractions. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of extracts determined by the broth dilution method ranged from 1.25 to 10.0 mg/mL. The MIC of ethanol fraction of pod extracts was the lowest by comparison with the other two extracts. The MIC for fungi was at or below 2.5 mg/mL and for bacteria was at or above 2.5 mg/mL.
Matched MeSH terms: Fungi/drug effects*; Fungi/growth & development
The objective of this study was to determine the level of preservatives and microbiological loads in various brands of commercially available chili bo (paste). Fifteen different brands of chili bo obtained from the local market and hypermarkets were analyzed for pH, moisture and benzoic acid content, microbiological loads (aerobic, anaerobic, aerobic spores, and fungi), and thermophilic microorganisms. Results showed that both moisture content and pH vary among samples. The concentrations of benzoic acid detected in chili bo were found to be in the range of 537 to 5,435 mg/kg. Nine of fifteen brands were found to exceed the maximum level permitted by the Malaysian Food Law in accordance with the Codex Alimentarius (1,000 mg/kg for benzoic acid). An apparent correlation between benzoic acid concentration and microbiological loads present in the chili bo was observed. The microbiological loads were found to be relatively low in the end products containing high amounts of benzoic acid. The heat-resistant (70 to 80 degrees C) microorganisms present in chili bo were identified as Ochrobacterum tritici, Stenotrophomonas rhizophila, Microbacterium maritypicum, Roseomonas spp., CDC group II-E subgroup A, Flavimonas oryzihabitans, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with M. maritypicum being the most frequently found (in 9 of 15 samples) microorganism. Most of these identified microorganisms were not known to cause foodborne illnesses.
Large areas of rainforest in Asia have been converted to plantations, with uncertain effects on soil biodiversity. Using standard metagenetic methods, we compared the soil biota of bacteria, fungi, and nematodes at three rainforest sites in Malaysia with two rubber plantation sites with similar soils and geology. We predicted the following: (1) that the rubber sites would have a lower α- and β-diversity than the rainforest sites, due to the monospecific canopy cover and intensive management with herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers, and (2) that due to differences in the physical and biotic environment associated with cultivation, there would be distinct communities of bacteria, fungi, and nematodes. However, regarding (1), the results showed no consistent difference in α- and β-diversity of bacteria, fungi, or nematodes between rainforest and rubber plantation sites. It appears that conversion of rainforest to rubber plantations does not necessarily result in a decrease in diversity of soil biota. It may be that heterogeneity associated with the cultivation regimen compensates for loss of biotically imposed heterogeneity of the original rainforest. Regarding (2), as predicted there were statistically significant differences in community composition between rainforest and rubber plantation for bacteria, fungi, and nematodes. These differences could be related to a range of factors including light level, litter fall composition, pH, C and N, selecting a distinct set of soil taxa, and it is possible that this in itself would affect long-term soil function.
The effects of alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ) and zinc borate (ZB) on the resistance of corn stalk fiber (CSF)-reinforced high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites to biodegradation were examined. Both biocides could inhibit termites, mold fungi, and wood-decay fungi, even at high CSF formulations (i.e., 60%). Additionally, ACQ enhanced the resistance of the composite materials to certain biotic stresses better than ZB. The CSF/HDPE composites treated with ACQ at the 3.0% level exhibited a superior performance against termites, white rot fungi, and brown rot fungi. ACQ treatment at the 1% level was optimal for inhibiting soft rot fungi. Furthermore, mold growth was not observed on ACQ-treated CSF/HDPE samples. The untreated CSF/HDPE composites were more susceptible to mold infections and decay than the untreated poplar/HDPE composites, likely because of an incomplete removal of the pith. The chemical features of the corn stalk may also have influenced these differences, but this possibility will need to be explored in future investigations. Furthermore, the CSF component of CSF/HDPE composites is highly susceptible to fungal attacks, with the soft rot fungus inducing the largest mass losses, followed by the white rot fungus, and then the brown rot fungus.
A 36-year-old man with underlying chronic lymphocytic leukemia had left arm swelling for a duration of 3 months. Clinically, the affected arm was swollen, erythematous and tender. Epicoccum nigrum was isolated from the culture of the tissue that was obtained intraoperatively. He was treated and responded to voriconazole therapy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of intramuscular abscess as a result of E. nigrum infection in an immunocompromised patient.
Indoor air quality is a term which refers to the air quality in and around buildings and structures, in which it
is related to the health and comfort of those who are in the building. The study aims to identify the relationship
between environmental factors with microbe growth by investigating the concentration of airborne bacteria and
fungi at National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and to determine whether indoor bacteria and
fungi concentration were associated with environmental factors such as temperature relative humidity and carbon
dioxide concentration. This research was conducted concurrently with indoor air quality sampling as per requirement
under the Malaysian Code of Practice of Indoor Air Quality (COP IAQ). The COP IAQ requires minimum of one
sample to be taken from each area. If an area consists of a few separated rooms, each room is sampled and measured
independently. Also this approach was used to determine whether there is a difference of indoor bacteria and fungi
in different microenvironments. Results show that there is a significant correlation between humidity and bacteria
concentration and fungi concentration; and between temperature and bacteria concentration. However, there is no
significant correlation between temperature and fungi concentration. This study has also established significant
difference on bacteria concentration and fungi concentration between microenvironments.
Herbicides are inevitable inputs to control excessive weed in crop land, particularly where modern agricultural practices such as conservation tillage, are opted. Intensive farming has increased the market value of herbicides among the other pesticides. Although herbicides are effective in controlling weed population, administration of this synthetic chemicals may alter the soil microbial community causing potential increase of plant pathogens. Moreover, herbicides may also have nontarget effects on the cultivated crops making them more susceptible to diseases. Actions of herbicides in soil that either stimulate microbial growth or wipe out some microbial population may create space for the thrivial of opportunistic fungi. Previous studies showed that white rot fungi are more tolerant to herbicides as they produce lignin degrading enzymes that are highly oxidative, non-specific and are able to transform a wide range of herbicides. Besides that, this group of fungi can grow on agricultural waste substrates. Influence of these herbicides on soil microbial ecosystem and interactions of plants and pathogenic white rot fungi modulate disease development in plant hosts.
Although one of the major users of flocculants are water and wastewater treatment industries, flocculants are also used in various food industries. The chemical flocculants are preferred widely in these industries due to low production cost and fast production ability. However, the negative effects of the chemical flocculants should not be neglected to gain the economic benefits only. Therefore, the researchers are working to discover efficient and economical flocculants from biological sources. Several attempts have been made and are still being made to extract or produce bioflocculants from natural sources such as plants, bacteria, fungi, yeast, algae, etc. The review revealed that significant amount of work have been done in the past, in search of bioflocculant. However, commercially viable bioflocculants are yet to be marketed widely. With the advent of new biotechnologies and advances in genetic engineering, the researchers are hopeful to discover or develop commercially viable, safe and environmentfriendly bioflocculants.
The research on radiation induced mutation has been conducted as one of the promising method of plant breeding in Malaysia since 1980s. Nuclear Malaysia is leading research institute inMalaysia conducting plant mutationbreeding research. Gamma Greenhousefacility located in Nuclear Malaysiais one of the irradiation facilitiesto serve as a chronic irradiation facility for inducing mutation in various organisms including plants, fungi and microbes.Chronic irradiation refers to the exposure of materials at a lower dose rate over a long period of time. Previous studies have shown that this type of irradiation can minimize radiation damages to living materials and produces a wider mutation spectrum, therefore is very useful for trait improvements in irradiated organisms. Experiments on induce mutation using Gamma Greenhouse facility for crop improvement program have been conducted since its first operation in 2009. Various plant species including ornamental and herbal plants, food crops and industrial crops have been irradiated to improve their traits such as higher yield and biomass, pest and disease tolerance, higher bioactive compounds, longer bloom time and many others. Most of these crop improvement programs were done through collaborations with other agencies in Malaysia such as universities, research institutes and government departments. A number of publications on crop improvement using Gamma Greenhouse have been published inlocal and international journals as well as seminar presentations at national and international levels. The outputs from induced mutation via chronic radiation using Gamma Greenhouse could be of great interest for plant breeders dealing with improvement and development of new cultivars. This paper discusses the activities and achievement in plant breeding and improvement using Gamma Greenhouse Facility in Malaysia.
The influence of different medium components (glucose, sucrose, and fructose) on the growth of different Ganoderma isolates and species was investigated using mixture design. Ten sugar combinations based on three simple sugars were generated with two different concentrations, namely 3.3% and 16.7%, which represented low and high sugar levels, respectively. The media were adjusted to either pH 5 or 8. Ganoderma isolates (two G. boninense from oil palm, one Ganoderma species from coconut palm, G. lingzhi, and G. australe from tower tree) grew faster at pH 8. Ganoderma lingzhi proliferated at the slowest rate compared to all other tested Ganoderma species in all the media studied. However, G. boninense isolates grew the fastest. Different Ganoderma species were found to have different sugar preferences. This study illustrated that the mixture design can be used to determine the optimal combinations of sugar or other nutrient/chemical components of media for fungal growth.
Biopesticides are collective pest control harnessing the knowledge of the target pest and its natural enemies that minimize the risks of synthetic pesticides. A subset of biopesticides; bioinsecticides, are specifically used in controlling insect pests. Entomopathogens (EPMs) are micro-organisms sought after as subject for bioinsecticide development. However, lack of understanding of EPM mechanism of toxicity and pathogenicity slowed the progress of bioinsecticide development. Proteomics is a useful tool in elucidating the interaction of entomopathogenic fungi, entomopathogenic bacteria, and entomopathogenic virus with their target host. Collectively, proteomics shed light onto insect host response to EPM infection, mechanism of action of EPM's toxic proteins and secondary metabolites besides characterizing secreted and membrane-bound proteins of EPM that more precisely describe relevant proteins for host recognition and mediating pathogenesis. However, proteomics requires optimized protein extraction methods to maximize the number of proteins for analysis and availability of organism's genome for a more precise protein identification.
In this study, injection molding parameters, including green strength, surface quality and green part density, were optimized using the L18 Taguchi orthogonal array. The L25 Taguchi method was used to optimize the green density of solvent debinding parameters. The feedstock consisted of stainless steel powder (SS316L), with powder loading fractions of 63, 63.5 and 64 v/o. The binder compositions used in the study were polyethelene glycol (PEG-73 wt. %), polymethyl methacrilate (PMMA-25 wt. %) and stearic acid (2 wt. %). The Taguchi method was used to optimize the injection parameters. The obtained optimum parameters were as follows: mold temperature of 65oC, injection temperature of 145oC, injection pressure of 650 bar, injection flow rate of 20 m3/s, holding time of 5 s and powder loading of 64% v/o. Analysis of variance results showed that mold temperature has the greatest influence in the production of good green part surface quality and that powder loading gave the best green part strength. Immersion time and temperature were used to optimize for solvent debinding parameters. By optimizing the solvent debinding parameters, an immersion temperature of 61oC and immersion time of 5 h produced the highest density which is the optimum value gain in this study.
A 36-year-old man with underlying chronic lymphocytic leukemia had left arm swelling for a duration of 3 months. Clinically, the affected arm was swollen, erythematous and tender. Epicoccum nigrum was isolated from the culture of the tissue that was obtained intraoperatively. He was treated and responded to voriconazole therapy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of intramuscular abscess as a result of E. nigrum infection in an immunocompromised patient.
The physical properties and structural stability of the Quad Flat No-Leads (QFN) package with different gamma radiation doses have been investigated. The packages were irradiated with Co-60 gamma radiation with varying doses of 5 Gy, 50 Gy, 500 Gy, 5 kGy and 50 kGy with operating dose of 2.54 kGylh at room temperature. The infinite focus microscope (IFM) was used to measure the dimensional change and slantinglwarpage behaviour, while the 3D CT Scan X-ray machine was used to determine the occurrence of deflection on a wire in package due to exposure. It is believed that radiation effect on ceramic filler in the epoxy mold compound (EMC) plays an important role to induce the defects and resulted in swelling of the package. The slantinglwarpage behaviour is believed to be caused by the swelling behaviour of ceramic filler and further induced structural stability. The induced stress on the EMC structural after the dimensional change and slantinglwarpage failure leads to the occurrence of wire sweep. The finding suggests that defect production in swelled ceramic filler leads to the occurrence of dimensional and structure instability.