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Establishing transducers-dependent sensorineural acuity level normative data among young Malaysian adults

Zakaria MN, Ensin EG, Awang MA, Salim R, Nik Othman NA, Rashid MFN

Med J Malaysia, 2023 Dec;78(7):901-906.
PMID: 38159926

INTRODUCTION: The sensorineural acuity level (SAL) test was developed as an alternative assessment to estimate bone conduction (BC) thresholds in cases where masking problems occur in pure tone audiometry (PTA). Nevertheless, prior to its clinical application, the respective SAL normative data must be made available. As such, the present study was carried out to establish SAL normative data using an insert earphone and two different commercially available bone transducers. Additionally, to determine the effect of earphone type on SAL test results, it was also of interest to compare the present study's findings with those of a previous study (that used a headphone to derive SAL normative data).
MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this repeated-measures study, 40 Malaysian adults (aged 19-26 years) with normal hearing bilaterally (based on PTA results) were enrolled. They then underwent the SAL test based on the recommended protocol by Jerger and Tillman (1960). The SAL normative data for each ear were obtained by calculating the differences between air conduction (AC) thresholds in quiet and AC thresholds in noise by means of insert earphone, B71 and B81 bone vibrators.
RESULTS: The SAL normative values were comparable between the ears (p > 0.05), and the data were pooled for subsequent analyses (n = 80 ears). Relative to B81 bone transducer, B71 bone vibrator produced statistically higher SAL normative data at all frequencies (p < 0.05). The SAL normative values established by the present study were statistically lower than those of the previous study (that utilised headphones) at most of frequencies tested (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: The SAL normative data produced by the two bone vibrators were significantly different. The SAL normative values were also affected by the type of earphone used. While conducting the SAL test on Malaysian patients, the information provided by this study can be useful to guide the respective clinicians in choosing the appropriate normative data.
Removal of copper from water using limestone filtration technique. Determination of mechanism of removal

Aziz HA, Othman N, Yusuff MS, Basri DR, Ashaari FA, Adlan MN, et al.

Environ Int, 2001 May;26(5-6):395-9.
PMID: 11392757

This paper discusses heavy metal removal from wastewater by batch study and filtration technique through low-cost coarse media. Batch study has indicated that more than 90% copper (Cu) with concentration up to 50 mg/l could be removed from the solution with limestone quantity above 20 ml (equivalent to 56 g), which indicates the importance of limestone media in the removal process. This indicates that the removal of Cu is influenced by the media and not solely by the pH. Batch experiments using limestone and activated carbon indicate that both limestone and activated carbon had similar metal-removal efficiency (about 95%). Results of the laboratory-scale filtration technique using limestone particles indicated that above 90% removal of Cu was achieved at retention time of 2.31 h, surface-loading rate of 4.07 m3/m2 per day and Cu loading of 0.02 kg/m3 per day. Analyses of the limestone media after filtration indicated that adsorption and absorption processes were among the mechanisms involved in the removal processes. This study indicated that limestone can be used as an alternative to replace activated carbon.
Fulltext Identification and characterization of lignin depolymerization enzymes in Bacillus subtilis strain S11Y isolated from a tropical environment in Malaysia

Riyadi FA, Azman NF, Nadia Md Akhir F, Othman N, Hara H

J Gen Appl Microbiol, 2024 Mar 07;69(5):278-286.
PMID: 37612074 DOI: 10.2323/jgam.2023.08.003

Biological pretreatment using microbial enzymes appears to be the most promising pre-treatment technology for the breakdown of recalcitrant lignin structure. This research focuses on the identification and characterization of lignin-depolymerizing enzymes in Bacillus subtilis strain S11Y, previously isolated from palm oil wastes in Malaysia. The draft genome sequences of this highly lignin-depolymerizing strain revealed that the genome lacked any of the well-known dye-decolorizing peroxidase or catalase-peroxidase that are commonly reported to be involved in lignin depolymerization by bacteria, indicating that strain S11Y has distinct sets of potential lignin depolymerization genes. The oxidative stress-related enzymes Cu/Zn type-superoxide dismutase (Sod2) and a heme-containing monofunctional catalase (Kat2) were identified in the genome sequences that are of interest. Their lignin-depolymerizing ability were evaluated by treating Alkali lignin (AL) with each enzyme and their degradation ability were evaluated using gel-permeation chromatography (GPC), ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC/MS), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS), which successfully proved lignin depolymerizing ability. Successful evaluation of lignin depolymerizing enzymes can be applicable for lignin pretreatment process in green energy production and generation of valuable chemicals in bio-refinery.
Fulltext Utilizing medical thoracoscopy for the diagnosis of myelomatous pleural effusion: 2 case reports

Ng KL, Tan SN, Huan NC, Nasaruddin MZ, Othman N, Rahaman JAA

Respirol Case Rep, 2024 Mar;12(3):e01333.
PMID: 38528948 DOI: 10.1002/rcr2.1333

Multiple myeloma (MM) is characterized by neoplastic proliferation of monoclonal antibody producing plasma cells. In clinical practice, pleural effusion is seen in up to 6% of MM patients, with many causative factors. Nevertheless, true myelomatous pleural effusion, defined as infiltration of the pleura by myeloma cells, is very rare. In this case report, we present two patients with biopsy proven myelomatous pleural effusion. The first patient developed myelomatous pleural effusion as initial presentation while the second patient's pleural effusion occurred during disease relapse. In both cases, prompt diagnosis via medical thoracoscopy (MT) followed by early commencement of myeloma specific chemotherapy led to clinical, biochemical, and radiological resolution and therefore were crucial steps in the management of myelomatous pleural effusion.
Fulltext Genetic analyses favour an ancient and natural origin of elephants on Borneo

Sharma R, Goossens B, Heller R, Rasteiro R, Othman N, Bruford MW, et al.

Sci Rep, 2018 01 17;8(1):880.
PMID: 29343863 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-17042-5

The origin of the elephant on the island of Borneo remains elusive. Research has suggested two alternative hypotheses: the Bornean elephant stems either from a recent introduction in the 17th century or from an ancient colonization several hundreds of thousands years ago. Lack of elephant fossils has been interpreted as evidence for a very recent introduction, whereas mtDNA divergence from other Asian elephants has been argued to favor an ancient colonization. We investigated the demographic history of Bornean elephants using full-likelihood and approximate Bayesian computation analyses. Our results are at odds with both the recent and ancient colonization hypotheses, and favour a third intermediate scenario. We find that genetic data favour a scenario in which Bornean elephants experienced a bottleneck during the last glacial period, possibly as a consequence of the colonization of Borneo, and from which it has slowly recovered since. Altogether the data support a natural colonization of Bornean elephants at a time when large terrestrial mammals could colonise from the Sunda shelf when sea levels were much lower. Our results are important not only in understanding the unique history of the colonization of Borneo by elephants, but also for their long-term conservation.
Pharyngeal Lipoma-A Potentially Life Threatening Presentation

Mohd Nor SNA, Ng BHK, Othman N, Tang IP

Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 2022 Dec;74(Suppl 3):5478-5481.
PMID: 36742515 DOI: 10.1007/s12070-021-02803-6

Pharyngeal lipoma of the upper aero-digestive system is extremely rare. It is typically benign, slow growing and symptoms would depend on its size and location. Surgical intervention is often needed especially for large tumour with impending airway obstruction. Here we present a case of potentially life threatening presentation of pharyngeal lipoma.
Fulltext Analysis of Entamoeba histolytica excretory-secretory antigen and identification of a new potential diagnostic marker

Wong WK, Tan ZN, Othman N, Lim BH, Mohamed Z, Olivos Garcia A, et al.

Clin Vaccine Immunol, 2011 Nov;18(11):1913-7.
PMID: 21918120 DOI: 10.1128/CVI.05356-11

Serodiagnosis of amoebiasis remains the preferred method for diagnosis of amoebic liver abscess (ALA). However, the commercially available kits are problematic in areas of endemicity due to the persistently high background antibody titers. Human serum samples (n = 38) from patients with ALA who live in areas of endemicity were collected from Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia during the period of 2008 to 2010. Western blots using excretory-secretory antigen (ESA) collected from axenically grown Entamoeba histolytica were probed with the above serum samples. Seven antigenic proteins of ESA with various reactivities were identified, i.e., 152 kDa, 131 kDa, 123 kDa, 110 kDa, 100 kDa, 82 kDa, and 76 kDa. However, only the 152-kDa and 110-kDa proteins showed sensitivities above 80% in the Western blot analysis. All the antigenic proteins showed undetectable cross-reactivity when probed with healthy human serum samples (n = 30) and serum samples from other infections (n = 33). From the matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-two-stage time of flight (MALDI-TOF/TOF) analysis, the proteins were identified as heavy subunits of E. histolytica lectin and E. histolytica pyruvate phosphate dikinase, respectively. Use of the E. histolytica lectin for diagnosis of ALA has been well reported by researchers and is being used in commercialized kits. However, this is the first report on the potential use of pyruvate phosphate dikinase for diagnosis of ALA; thus, this molecule merits further evaluation on its diagnostic value using a larger panel of serum samples.
Fulltext Production of recombinant Entamoeba histolytica pyruvate phosphate dikinase and its application in a lateral flow dipstick test for amoebic liver abscess

Saidin S, Yunus MH, Zakaria ND, Razak KA, Huat LB, Othman N, et al.

BMC Infect Dis, 2014 Apr 04;14:182.
PMID: 24708664 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2334-14-182

BACKGROUND: Amoebic liver abscess (ALA) is the most common clinical manifestation of extraintestinal amoebiasis especially in developing countries, causing up to 100 000 fatal cases annually. Accurate and early diagnosis is important to prevent the disease complications, however its diagnosis still poses many challenges due to the limitations of the available detection tools. Pyruvate phosphate dikinase (PPDK), an excretory-secretory protein of E. histolytica, has been reported as a potential diagnostic marker for ALA, hence it may be exploited in the development of a new test for ALA.
METHODS: Recombinant PPDK (rPPDK) was expressed, purified and evaluated by Western blot. In parallel, recombinant galactose-and-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine inhibitable lectin (Gal/GalNAc lectin) was produced and tested similarly. The protein identity was confirmed by analysis using MALDI-TOF/TOF. A lateral flow dipstick (LFD) test using rPPDK was subsequently developed (rPPDK-LFD) and evaluated for serodiagnosis of ALA.
RESULTS: rPPDK was expressed as soluble protein after 4 hours of induction with 1 mM isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) at 30°C. Purification using nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid (Ni-NTA) resin yielded 1.5 mg of rPPDK from 1 L of culture with estimated molecular mass of 98 kDa on SDS-PAGE. Western blots using sera from patients with ALA, healthy individuals and other diseases probed with anti-human IgG4-HRP showed the highest sensitivity (93.3%) and specificity (100%); as compared to blots using IgG and IgG1 as secondary antibodies. Moreover, rPPDK showed better specificity when compared to rGal/GalNAc lectin. In the development of the LFD test, the optimum amount of rPPDK was 0.625 μg per dipstick and the optimum working concentration of colloidal gold conjugated anti-human IgG4 was optical density (OD) 5 (1.7 μg of anti-human IgG4). Evaluation of rPPDK-LFD using ALA patients and controls serum samples showed 87% diagnostic sensitivity and 100% specificity.
CONCLUSION: The developed rPPDK-LFD showed good potential for rapid diagnosis of ALA, and merit further multicentre validation using larger number of serum samples.
Fulltext Diversity of respiratory viruses detected among hospitalized children with acute lower respiratory tract infections at Hospital Serdang, Malaysia

Etemadi MR, Jalilian FA, Othman N, Lye MS, Ansari S, Yubbu P, et al.

J Virol Methods, 2019 07;269:1-6.
PMID: 30910688 DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2019.03.013

BACKGROUND: The role of respiratory viruses as the major cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRTIs) in children is becoming increasingly evident due to the use of sensitive molecular detection methods. The aim of this study was to use conventional and molecular detection methods to assess the epidemiology of respiratory viral infections in children less than five years of age that were hospitalized with ALRTIs.
METHODS: The cross-sectional study was designed to investigate the occurrence of respiratory viruses including respiratory syncytisl virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus (HMPV), influenza virus A and B (IFV-A and B), parainfluenzavirus 1, 2, 3 and 4 (PIV 1, 2, 3 and 4), human rhinoviruses (HRV), human enterovirus (HEV), human coronaviruses (HCoV) 229E and OC43, human bocavirus (HBoV) and human adenovirus (HAdV) in hospitalized children with ALRTIs, at Hospital Serdang, Malaysia, from June 16 to December 21, 2009. The study was also designed in part to assess the performance of the conventional methods against molecular methods.
RESULTS: Viral pathogens were detected in 158 (95.8%) of the patients. Single virus infections were detected in 114 (67.9%) patients; 46 (27.9%) were co-infected with different viruses including double-virus infections in 37 (22.4%) and triple-virus infections in 9 (5.5%) cases. Approximately 70% of samples were found to be positive using conventional methods compared with 96% using molecular methods. A wide range of respiratory viruses were detected in the study. There was a high prevalence of RSV (50.3%) infections, particularly group B viruses. Other etiological agents including HAdV, HMPV, IFV-A, PIV 1-3, HBoV, HCoV-OC43 and HEV were detected in 14.5, 9.6, 9.1, 4.8, 3.6, 2.4 and 1.8 percent of the samples, respectively.
CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated the increased sensitivity of molecular detection methods compared with conventional methods for the diagnosis of ARTIs in hospitalized children. This is the first report of HMPV infections in Malaysia.
Synthesis and characterization of etherified cationic starch flocculant derived from Manihot esculenta peel with varying degrees of substitution

Rahmat S, Othman N, Asharuddin SM, Ahmad SN, Din MFM, Sarani NA

Int J Biol Macromol, 2024 Sep 08;279(Pt 3):135499.
PMID: 39255888 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.135499

Cationic Manihot esculenta (ME) peel starch was synthesized through etherification method using 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl trimethylammonium chloride (CHPTAC) as cationizing monomer. The optimization of the main factors influencing the degree of substitution (DS) was conducted using central composite design (CCD) and response surface methodology (RSM). The factors assessed include CHPTAC concentration, catalyst sodium hydroxide (NaOH) concentration, and reaction time. The DS values of the cationic starches were obtained between 0.39 and 0.99. The maximum DS value was up to 0.99 at 0.615 mol/L of CHPTAC, 30 % (w/v) NaOH, and a reaction time of 5 h. The finding based on the optimization using RSM reflected that CHPTAC and NaOH concentrations are the key variables determining the DS value, while reaction time has a negligible impact on the etherification process. Furthermore, the chemical composition, morphology, and structure of the cationic ME peel starch were characterized by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR). It was confirmed that the modifying monomers penetrated the surface layer of the starch granules and attached to the starch backbone.
Fulltext A Review of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Pollution in the Air: Where and How Much Are We Exposed to?

Othman N, Ismail Z, Selamat MI, Sheikh Abdul Kadir SH, Shibraumalisi NA

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2022 Oct 26;19(21).
PMID: 36360801 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192113923

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were widely used in industrial and commercial applications, until they were banned in the late 1970s as a result of their significant environmental pollution. PCBs in the environment gained scientific interest because of their persistence and the potential threats they pose to humans. Traditionally, human exposure to PCBs was linked to dietary ingestion. Inhalational exposure to these contaminants is often overlooked. This review discusses the occurrence and distribution of PCBs in environmental matrices and their associated health impacts. Severe PCB contamination levels have been reported in e-waste recycling areas. The occurrence of high PCB levels, notably in urban and industrial areas, might result from extensive PCB use and intensive human activity. Furthermore, PCB contamination in the indoor environment is ten-fold higher than outdoors, which may present expose risk for humans through the inhalation of contaminated air or through the ingestion of dust. In such settings, the inhalation route may contribute significantly to PCB exposure. The data on human health effects due to PCB inhalation are scarce. More epidemiological studies should be performed to investigate the inhalation dose and response mechanism and to evaluate the health risks. Further studies should also evaluate the health impact of prolonged low-concentration PCB exposure.
Prevalence and Risk Factors for Cardiac and Liver Iron Overload in Adults with Thalassemia in Malaysia

Ngim CF, Lee MY, Othman N, Lim SM, Ng CS, Ramadas A

Hemoglobin, 2019 Mar;43(2):95-100.
PMID: 31179787 DOI: 10.1080/03630269.2019.1599906

We explored the severity and risk factors for cardiac and liver iron overload (IOL) in 69 thalassemia patients who underwent T2* magnetic resonance imaging (T2* MRI) in a Malaysian tertiary hospital from 2011 to 2015. Fifty-three patients (76.8%) had transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT) and 16 (23.2%) had non transfusion-dependent thalassemia (NTDT). Median serum ferritin prior to T2* MRI was 3848.0 μg/L (TDT) and 3971.0 μg/L (NTDT). Cardiac IOL was present in 16 (30.2%) TDT patients and two (12.5%) NTDT patients, in whom severe cardiac IOL defined as T2* <10 ms affected six (11.3%) TDT patients. Liver IOL was present in 51 (96.2%) TDT and 16 (100%) NTDT patients, 37 (69.8%) TDT and 13 (81.3%) NTDT patients were in the most severe category (>15 mgFe/gm dry weight). Serum ferritin showed a significantly strong negative correlation with liver T2* in both TDT (rs = -0.507, p = 0.001) and NTDT (r = -0.762, p = 0.002) but no correlation to cardiac T2* in TDT (r = -0.252, p = 0.099) as well as NTDT (r = -0.457, p = 0.100). For the TDT group, regression analysis showed that cardiac IOL was more severe in males (p = 0.022) and liver IOL was more severe in the Malay ethnic group (p = 0.028) and those with higher serum ferritin levels (p = 0.030). The high prevalence of IOL in our study and the poor correlation between serum ferritin and cardiac T2* underline the need to routinely screen thalassemia patients using T2* MRI to enable the early detection of cardiac IOL.
Fulltext Adequacy of Empiric Antibiotics Therapy and Its Impact on Outcomes in Adult Critically Ill Sepsis Patients: A Review

Al-Ani AHHDA, Othman N, Hassali MA, Ibrahim B

Malays J Med Sci, 2022 Oct;29(5):17-23.
PMID: 36474531 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2022.29.5.3

Sepsis is a medical emergency that involves a systemic immunological response due to an infection, resulting in the end-stage-organs malfunction and death. It is associated with high mortality rate despite a better understanding of the disease pathology and the mechanism involved. This review was designed to summarise the available evidences regarding the adequacy of the empiric antimicrobial therapy (EAMT), its predictors and its impact on the outcomes in intensive care unit (ICU) sepsis patients. Providing an adequate EAMT is considered one of the cornerstones of sepsis management as it has been found to be associated with better survival and is a good predictor for shorter ICU-length-of-stay. In contrast, inadequate EAMT in sepsis patients is associated with poor clinical outcomes including increased mortality and prolonged hospital stay. Evidence from this review suggest that it is important to identify determinants of inadequate EAMT to optimise the antimicrobial therapy provided to sepsis patients. Predictors of inadequate EAMT included co-morbidities (cancer), source and type of infection, higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHI-II) score and long hospital stay prior to the infection. As EAMT is considered as one of the effective treatment strategies to prevent sepsis associated death, healthcare providers should ensure the adequate antimicrobial therapy is provided for sepsis patients to improve and optimise their management.
Fulltext Prevalence and Genetic Characterization of Carbapenem- and Polymyxin-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Isolated from a Tertiary Hospital in Terengganu, Malaysia

Lean SS, Suhaili Z, Ismail S, Rahman NI, Othman N, Abdullah FH, et al.

ISRN Microbiol, 2014;2014:953417.
PMID: 25006521 DOI: 10.1155/2014/953417

Nosocomial infection caused by Acinetobacter baumannii is of great concern due to its increasing resistance to most antimicrobials. In this study, 54 nonrepeat isolates of A. baumannii from the main tertiary hospital in Terengganu, Malaysia, were analyzed for their antibiograms and genotypes. Out of the 54 isolates, 39 (72.2%) were multidrug resistant (MDR) and resistant to carbapenems whereas 14 (25.9%) were categorized as extensive drug resistant (XDR) with additional resistance to polymyxin B, the drug of "last resort." Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analyses showed that the polymyxin-resistant isolates were genetically diverse while the carbapenem-resistant isolates were clonally related. The 14 XDR isolates were further investigated for mutations in genes known to mediate polymyxin resistance, namely, pmrCAB, and the lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis genes, lpxA, lpxC, lpxD, and lpsB. All 14 isolates had a P102H mutation in pmrA with no mutation detected in pmrC and pmrB. No mutation was detected in lpxA but each polymyxin-resistant isolate had 2-4 amino acid substitutions in lpxD and 1-2 substitutions in lpxC. Eight resistant isolates also displayed a unique H181Y mutation in lpsB. The extent of polymyxin resistance is of concern and the novel mutations discovered here warrant further investigations.
Cyclopenta[b]benzofuran and Secodammarane Derivatives from the Stems of Aglaia stellatopilosa

Othman N, Pan L, Mejin M, Voong JC, Chai HB, Pannell CM, et al.

J Nat Prod, 2016 Apr 22;79(4):784-91.
PMID: 26974604 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.5b00810

Four new 2,3-secodammarane triterpenoids, stellatonins A-D (3-6), together with a new 3,4-secodammarane triterpenoid, stellatonin E (7), and the known silvestrol (1), 5‴-episilvestrol (2), and β-sitosterol, were isolated from a methanol extract of the stems of Aglaia stellatopilosa through bioassay-guided fractionation. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated using spectroscopic and chemical methods. The compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against three human cancer cell lines and for their antimicrobial activity using a microtiter plate assay against a panel of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi.
Fulltext The use of psychotropic substances among students: The prevalence, factor association, and abuse

Mamat CF, Jamshed SQ, El Syed T, Khan TM, Othman N, Al-Shami AK, et al.

J Pharm Bioallied Sci, 2015 Jul-Sep;7(3):181-7.
PMID: 26229351 DOI: 10.4103/0975-7406.160011

This detailed review analyzed the previously published studies related to the prevalence of psychotropic substances use, associated factors, and the misuse of the psychotropics among students. A comprehensive literature search covering six databases was performed. References from published articles and reports were extracted. This helped in identifying the available information on the use of psychotropic drugs. A total of 16 articles were included in this review. There is an upsurge of using psychotropics with the preceding years. More students are exposed to the risk of using psychotropic substances due to the multiple factors like stress, increased academic workload, etc. The misuse is found to be common with prescribed psychotropic substances. Students need to be aware of the bad outcomes of using psychotropic substances. Participation of every stakeholder to curb this menace needs to be emphasized. More extensive studies are required to know about the increasing prevalence, factors, and misuse of psychotropics.
Prevalence of BCR-ABL T315I Mutation in Malaysian Patients with Imatinib-Resistant Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Mat Yusoff Y, Abu Seman Z, Othman N, Kamaluddin NR, Esa E, Zulkiply NA, et al.

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2018 Dec 25;19(12):3317-3320.
PMID: 30583336

Objective: Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) is caused by a reciprocal translocation between chromosomes 9
and 22, t(9;22) (q34;q11) which encodes for the BCR-ABL fusion protein. Discovery of Imatinib Mesylate (IM) as
first line therapy has brought tremendous improvement in the management of CML. However, emergence of point
mutations within the BCR-ABL gene particularly T315I mutation, affects a common BCR-ABL kinase contact residue
which impairs drug binding thus contribute to treatment resistance. This study aims to investigate the BCR-ABL T315I
mutation in Malaysian patients with CML. Methods: A total of 285 patients diagnosed with CML were included in this
study. Mutation detection was performed using qualitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Results: Fifteen out of 285 samples
(5.26%) were positive for T315I mutations after amplification with real-time PCR assay. From the total number of
positive samples, six patients were in accelerated phase (AP), four in chronic phase (CP) and five in blast crisis (BC).
Conclusion: Mutation testing is recommended for choosing various tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) to optimize
outcomes for both cases of treatment failure or suboptimal response to imatinib. Therefore, detection of T315I mutation
in CML patients are clinically useful in the selection of appropriate treatment strategies to prevent disease progression.
Fulltext Whole gene transcriptomic analysis of PCB/biphenyl degrading Rhodococcus jostii RHA1

Sha'arani S, Hara H, Araie H, Suzuki I, Mohd Noor MJM, Akhir FNM, et al.

J Gen Appl Microbiol, 2019 Sep 14;65(4):173-179.
PMID: 30686798 DOI: 10.2323/jgam.2018.08.003

This study gives the first picture of whole RNA-Sequencing analysis of a PCB-degrading microbe, Rhodococcus jostii RHA1. Genes that were highly expressed in biphenyl-grown cells, compared with pyruvate-grown cells, were chosen based on the Reads Per Kilobase Million (RPKM) value and were summarized based on the criteria of RPKM ≥100 and fold change ≥2.0. Consequently, 266 total genes were identified as genes expressed particularly for the degradation of biphenyl. After comparison with previous microarray data that identified highly-expressed genes, based on a fold change ≥2.0 and p-value ≤0.05, 62 highly-expressed genes from biphenyl-grown cells were determined from both analytical platforms. As these 62 genes involve known PCB degradation genes, such as bph, etb, and ebd, the genes identified in this study can be considered as essential genes for PCB/biphenyl degradation. In the 62 genes, eleven genes encoding hypothetical proteins were highly expressed in the biphenyl-grown cells. Meanwhile, we identified several highly-expressed unannotated DNA regions on the opposite strand. In order to verify the encoded proteins, two regions were cloned into an expression vector. A protein was successfully obtained from one region at approximately 25 kDa from the unannotated strand. Thus, the genome sequence with transcriptomic analysis gives new insight, considering re-annotation of the genome of R. jostii RHA1, and provides a clearer picture of PCB/biphenyl degradation in this strain.
Fulltext Elucidation of prazosin biodegradation by isolated Bacillus spp. from the tropical environment

Mohd Mohsi NF, Apandi A, Megat Mohd Noor MJ, Md Akhir FN, Sugiura N, Utsumi M, et al.

J Gen Appl Microbiol, 2020 Apr 13;66(1):8-14.
PMID: 31281138 DOI: 10.2323/jgam.2019.04.001

Prazosin (PRZ), a drug used to treat hypertensive patients, is an emergent contaminant in water systems. PRZ is an alpha-adrenergic receptor blocker used to treat anxiety, and is believed to reach the environment through human excretion, irresponsible disposal of unused medicine, and waste products from manufacturing plants. The purpose of this research was to isolate and characterize potential microbes for PRZ biodegradation and to identify the degradation pathway. After screening, isolated strain STP3 showed a capability for PRZ degradation and was chosen for further analysis. Resting cell assays with PRZ were conducted to identify the intermediate metabolites formed from biodegradation by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (FT-ICR MS) analysis. Two metabolites degraded from PRZ by STP3 were successfully found, and as these metabolites are derived from the main structure of PRZ, their presence proved PRZ degradation. Draft genome sequencing analysis of STP3 was performed to identify potential enzymes for PRZ biodegradation based on the metabolites found.
Extracellular Vesicles Derived From Colorectal Cancer Affects CD8 T Cells: An Analysis Based on Body Mass Index

Abu N, Othman N, Ab Razak NS, Bakarurraini NAAR, Nasir SN, Soh JEC, et al.

Front Cell Dev Biol, 2020;8:564648.
PMID: 33324632 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.564648

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most widely diagnosed cancers worldwide. It has been shown that the body-mass index (BMI) of the patients could influence the tumor microenvironment, treatment response, and overall survival rates. Nevertheless, the mechanism on how BMI affects the tumorigenesis process, particularly the tumor microenvironment is still elusive. Herein, we postulate that extracellular vesicles (EVs) from CRC patients and non-CRC volunteers with different BMI could affect immune cells differently, in CD8 T cells particularly. We isolated the EVs from the archived serum of CRC patients with high and low BMI, as well as healthy controls with similar BMI status. The EVs were further characterized via electron microscopy, western blot and dynamic light scattering. Then, functional analysis was performed on CD8 T cells including apoptosis, cell proliferation, gene expression profiling and cytokine release upon co-incubation with the different EVs. Our results suggest that CRC-derived EVs were able to regulate the CD8 T cells. In some assays, low BMI EVs were functionally different than high BMI EVs. This study highlights the possible difference in the regulatory mechanism of cancer patients-derived EVs, especially on CD8 T cells.

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