Displaying publications 161 - 180 of 309 in total

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  1. The clandestine multiple graves in Malaysia: The first mass identification operation of human skeletal remains
    Mohd Noor MS, Khoo LS, Zamaliana Alias WZ, Hasmi AH, Ibrahim MA, Mahmood MS
    Forensic Sci Int, 2017 Sep;278:410.e1-410.e9.
    PMID: 28698062 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2017.05.014
    The first ever mass identification operation of skeletal remains conducted for the clandestine graves in Malaysia consisted of 165 individuals unearthed from 28 human trafficking transit camps located in Wang Kelian, along the Thai-Malaysia border. A DVI response was triggered in which expert teams comprising of pathologists, anthropologists, odontologists, radiologists and DNA experts were gathered at the identified operation centre. The Department of Forensic Medicine, Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah, Alor Star, Kedah, located approximately 75km away from Wang Kelian, was temporarily converted into a victim identification centre (VIC) as it is the nearest available forensic facility to the mass grave site. The mortuary operation was conducted over a period of 3 months from June to September 2015, and was divided into two phases; phase 1 involving the postmortem examination of the remains of 116 suspected individuals and for phase 2 the remains of 49 suspected individuals. The fact that the graves were of unknown individuals afforded the mass identification operation a sufficient duration of 2 weeks as preparatory phase enabling procedurals and daily victim identification workflow to be established, and the setting up of a temporary body storage for the designated mortuary. The temporary body storage has proven to be a significant factor in enabling the successful conclusion of the VIC operation to the final phase of temporary controlled burials. Recognition from two international observers, Mr. Andréas Patiño Umaña, from the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) and Prof. Noel Woodford from Victoria Institute of Forensic Medicine (VIFM) had proven the mortuary operation was in compliance to the international quality and standards. The overall victim identification and mortuary operation identified a number of significant challenges, in particular the management of commingled human remains as well as the compilation of postmortem data in the absence of antemortem data for future reconciliation. CF Index in this DVI operation is 9%, indicating the primary identifications in this operation were effective. Limitations and further improvements of the mass identification operation will be discussed. This paper details the planning, preparations and management of the mass identification operation on the exhumed human remains which was also a forensic humanitarian service for the dead with dignity and respect.
    Matched MeSH terms: Continental Population Groups/statistics & numerical data
  2. Fulltext Molecular epidemiology of blastocystosis in Malaysia: does seasonal variation play an important role in determining the distribution and risk factors of Blastocystis subtype infections in the Aboriginal community?
    Noradilah SA, Moktar N, Anuar TS, Lee IL, Salleh FM, Manap SNAA, et al.
    Parasit Vectors, 2017 Jul 31;10(1):360.
    PMID: 28760145 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2294-2
    BACKGROUND: Alternating wet and dry seasons may play an important role in the acquisition and distribution of Blastocystis subtype infection in the tropics. This cross-sectional study was therefore conducted to provide the prevalence of Blastocystis and to determine the potential risk factors associated with each subtype during the wet and dry seasons in the Aboriginal community, Pahang, Malaysia.

    METHODS: A total of 473 faecal samples were collected: 256 (54.1%) and 217 (45.9%) samples were obtained during the wet (October-November 2014) and the dry season (June 2015), respectively. All fresh faecal samples were subjected to molecular analysis for subtype and allele identification.

    RESULTS: Of the 473 samples, 42.6% and 37.8% were positive for Blastocystis ST1, ST2, ST3 and ST4 during wet and dry seasons, respectively. Prevalence of Blastocystis ST1 was significantly higher during the wet season compared to the dry season (Z = 2.146, P 

    Matched MeSH terms: Population Groups*
  3. Increasing the discrimination power of ancestry- and identity-informative SNP loci within the ForenSeq™ DNA Signature Prep Kit
    King JL, Churchill JD, Novroski NMM, Zeng X, Warshauer DH, Seah LH, et al.
    Forensic Sci Int Genet, 2018 09;36:60-76.
    PMID: 29935396 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2018.06.005
    The use of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in forensic genetics has been limited to challenged samples with low template and/or degraded DNA. The recent introduction of massively parallel sequencing (MPS) technologies has expanded the potential applications of these markers and increased the discrimination power of well-established loci by considering variation in the flanking regions of target loci. The ForenSeq Signature Preparation Kit contains 165 SNP amplicons for ancestry- (aiSNPs), identity- (iiSNPs), and phenotype-inference (piSNPs). In this study, 714 individuals from four major populations (African American, AFA; East Asian, ASN; US Caucasian, CAU; and Southwest US Hispanic, HIS) previously reported by Churchill et al. [Forensic Sci Int Genet. 30 (2017) 81-92; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsigen.2017.06.004] were assessed using STRait Razor v2s to determine the level of diversity in the flanking regions of these amplicons. The results show that nearly 70% of loci showed some level of flanking region variation with 22 iiSNPs and 8 aiSNPs categorized as microhaplotypes in this study. The heterozygosities of these microhaplotypes approached, and in one instance surpassed, those of some core STR loci. Also, the impact of the flanking region on other forensic parameters (e.g., power of exclusion and power of discrimination) was examined. Sixteen of the 94 iiSNPs had an effective allele number greater than 2.00 across the four populations. To assess what effect the flanking region information had on the ancestry inference, genotype probabilities and likelihood ratios were determined. Additionally, concordance with the ForenSeq UAS and Nextera Rapid Capture was evaluated, and patterns of heterozygote imbalance were identified. Pairwise comparison of the iiSNP diplotypes determined the probability of detecting a mixture (i.e., observing ≥ 3 haplotypes) using these loci alone was 0.9952. The improvement in random match probabilities for the full regions over the target iiSNPs was found to be significant. When combining the iiSNPs with the autosomal STRs, the combined match probabilities ranged from 6.40 × 10-73 (ASN) to 1.02 × 10-79 (AFA).
    Matched MeSH terms: Continental Population Groups/genetics*
  4. Fc gamma receptor IIIB-NA gene frequencies in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and healthy individuals of Malay and Chinese ethnicity
    Yap SN, Phipps ME, Manivasagar M, Bosco JJ
    Immunol Lett, 1999 Jun 01;68(2-3):295-300.
    PMID: 10424435
    The neutrophil antigen (NA)1 and 2 is coded by two recognized allelic forms of Fc gamma receptor IIIB (FcgammaRIIIB). FcgammaRIIIb is a low affinity receptor and preferentially removes immune complexes from the circulation. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune and polygenic disorder characterized by accumulation of autoimmune complexes. The majority of SLE patients in our medical center are of Chinese ethnicity, followed by Malay and Indian. Recently, studies have focussed on the Fc receptors in different ethnic groups and their relation to SLE. We chose to study the gene distribution of this receptor in the Chinese and Malays population in Malaysia. We designed a polymerase chain reaction allele specific primers (PCR-ASP) method to distinguish the two allelic forms. Genomic DNA was isolated from the peripheral blood of 183 Chinese and 55 Malays SLE patients as well as 100 Chinese and 50 Malays healthy controls. Genotyping of Chinese SLE patients revealed that the gene frequencies for FcgammaRIIIB-NA1 and FcgammaRIIIB-NA2 were 0.648 and 0.347, while in the ethnically matched healthy controls they were 0.68 and 0.32, respectively. One out of the 183 Chinese SLE patients was identified as a NA-null due to the absence of PCR product for both alleles. The FcgammaRIIIB-NA1 and FcgammaRIIIB-NA2 allele frequencies for both the Malays SLE and healthy controls were 0.62 and 0.38.
    Matched MeSH terms: Continental Population Groups/genetics*
  5. Fulltext Racial Differences in Rates of Change of Childhood Body Mass Index and Blood Pressure Percentiles
    Akhabue E, Perak AM, Chan C, Greenland P, Allen NB
    J Pediatr, 2018 Nov;202:98-105.e6.
    PMID: 30177351 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2018.07.023
    OBJECTIVE: To assess whether racial differences in rates of change in body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure (BP) percentiles emerge during distinct periods of childhood.

    STUDY DESIGN: In this retrospective cohort study, we included children aged 5-20 years who received regular outpatient care at a large academic medical center between January 1996 and April 2016. BMI was expressed as age- and sex-specific percentiles and BP as age-, sex-, and height-specific percentiles. Linear mixed models incorporating linear spline functions with 2 breakpoints at 9 and 12 years of age were used to estimate the changes in BMI and BP percentiles over time during age periods: <9, 9-<12, and >12 years of age.

    RESULTS: Among 5703 children (24.8% black, 10.1% Hispanic), Hispanic females had an increased rate of change in BMI percentile per year relative to white females during ages 5-9 years (+2.94%; 95% CI, 0.24-5.64; P = .033). Black and Hispanic males also had an increased rate of change in BMI percentile per year relative to white males that occurred from ages 5-9 (+2.35% [95% CI, 0.76-3.94; P = .004]; +2.63% [95% CI, 0.31-4.95; P = .026], respectively). There were no significant racial differences in the rate of change of BP percentiles, although black females had higher hypertension rates compared with white females (10.0% vs 5.7%; P 

    Matched MeSH terms: Continental Population Groups/statistics & numerical data*
  6. Fulltext Latent tuberculosis infection screening in foreign-born populations: a successful mobile clinic outreach model
    Morano JP, Zelenev A, Walton MR, Bruce RD, Altice FL
    Am J Public Health, 2014 Aug;104(8):1508-15.
    PMID: 24922157 DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.301897
    OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the efficacy of a mobile medical clinic (MMC) screening program for detecting latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and active tuberculosis.
    METHODS: A LTBI screening program in a MMC in New Haven, Connecticut, used medical surveys to examine risk factors and tuberculin skin test (TST) screening eligibility. We assessed clinically relevant correlates of total (prevalent; n = 4650) and newly diagnosed (incident; n = 4159) LTBI from 2003 to 2011.
    RESULTS: Among 8322 individuals, 4159 (55.6%) met TST screening eligibility criteria, of which 1325 (31.9%) had TST assessed. Similar to LTBI prevalence (16.8%; 779 of 4650), newly diagnosed LTBI (25.6%; 339 of 1325) was independently correlated with being foreign-born (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 8.49; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 5.54, 13.02), Hispanic (AOR = 3.12; 95% CI = 1.88, 5.20), Black (AOR = 2.16; 95% CI = 1.31, 3.55), employed (AOR = 1.61; 95% CI = 1.14, 2.28), and of increased age (AOR = 1.04; 95% CI = 1.02, 1.05). Unstable housing (AOR = 4.95; 95% CI = 3.43, 7.14) and marijuana use (AOR = 1.57; 95% CI = 1.05, 2.37) were significantly correlated with incident LTBI, and being male, heroin use, interpersonal violence, employment, not having health insurance, and not completing high school were significantly correlated with prevalent LTBI.
    CONCLUSIONS: Screening for TST in MMCs successfully identifies high-risk foreign-born, Hispanic, working, and uninsured populations and innovatively identifies LTBI in urban settings.
    Study site: Mobile clinic, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
    Matched MeSH terms: Continental Population Groups/statistics & numerical data
  7. Ultrasonography-diagnosed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is not associated with prevalent ischemic heart disease among diabetics in a multiracial Asian hospital clinic population
    Chan WK, Tan AT, Vethakkan SR, Tah PC, Vijayananthan A, Goh KL
    Clin Res Hepatol Gastroenterol, 2014 Jun;38(3):284-91.
    PMID: 24736032 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinre.2014.02.009
    BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and cardiovascular diseases are both common among patients with diabetes mellitus.
    OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to determine if ultrasonography-diagnosed NAFLD is associated with prevalent ischemic heart disease (IHD) among patients with diabetes mellitus.
    METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study on consecutive patients seen at the Diabetic Clinic, University of Malaya Medical Centre. The medical record for each patient was reviewed for documented IHD. Patients without documented IHD but had symptoms and/or electrocardiographic changes suggestive of IHD were referred for cardiac evaluation.
    RESULTS: Data for 399 patients were analyzed. Mean age was 62.8±10.5 years with 43.1% male. NAFLD and IHD were present in 49.6 and 26.6%, respectively. The prevalence of IHD among patients with and without NAFLD was 24.7 and 28.4%, respectively (P=0.414). The prevalence of IHD was highest among the Indians (34.1%) followed by the Malays (29.2%) and the Chinese (20.1%). No association was found between NAFLD and IHD when analyzed according to ethnicity. On multivariate analysis, independent factors associated with IHD were older age, lower levels of physical activity, greater waist circumference and higher serum glycated hemoglobin level.
    CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasonography-diagnosed NAFLD was not associated with prevalent IHD among patients with diabetes mellitus in a multiracial Asian hospital clinic population.

    Study site: Diabetic clinc, University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC)
    Matched MeSH terms: Continental Population Groups/statistics & numerical data
  8. Colour detection thresholds in faces and colour patches
    Tan KW, Stephen ID
    Perception, 2013;42(7):733-41.
    PMID: 24344549
    Human facial skin colour reflects individuals' underlying health (Stephen et al 2011 Evolution & Human Behavior 32 216-227); and enhanced facial skin CIELab b* (yellowness), a* (redness), and L* (lightness) are perceived as healthy (also Stephen et al 2009a International Journal of Primatology 30 845-857). Here, we examine Malaysian Chinese participants' detection thresholds for CIELab L* (lightness), a* (redness), and b* (yellowness) colour changes in Asian, African, and Caucasian faces and skin coloured patches. Twelve face photos and three skin coloured patches were transformed to produce four pairs of images of each individual face and colour patch with different amounts of red, yellow, or lightness, from very subtle (deltaE = 1.2) to quite large differences (deltaE = 9.6). Participants were asked to decide which of sequentially displayed, paired same-face images or colour patches were lighter, redder, or yellower. Changes in facial redness, followed by changes in yellowness, were more easily discriminated than changes in luminance. However, visual sensitivity was not greater for redness and yellowness in nonface stimuli, suggesting red facial skin colour special salience. Participants were also significantly better at recognizing colour differences in own-race (Asian) and Caucasian faces than in African faces, suggesting the existence of cross-race effect in discriminating facial colours. Humans' colour vision may have been selected for skin colour signalling (Changizi et al 2006 Biology Letters 2 217-221), enabling individuals to perceive subtle changes in skin colour, reflecting health and emotional status.
    Matched MeSH terms: Continental Population Groups/psychology*
  9. Fulltext Plasma adiponectin concentrations are associated with dietary glycemic index in Malaysian patients with type 2 diabetes
    Loh BI, Sathyasuryan DR, Mohamed HJ
    Asia Pac J Clin Nutr, 2013;22(2):241-8.
    PMID: 23635368 DOI: 10.6133/apjcn.2013.22.2.04
    Adiponectin, an adipocyte-derived hormone has been implicated in the control of blood glucose and chronic inflammation in type 2 diabetes. However, limited studies have evaluated dietary factors on plasma adiponectin levels, especially among type 2 diabetic patients in Malaysia. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of dietary glycemic index on plasma adiponectin concentrations in patients with type 2 diabetes. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 305 type 2 diabetic patients aged 19-75 years from the Penang General Hospital, Malaysia. Socio-demographic information was collected using a standard questionnaire while dietary details were determined by using a pre-validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Anthropometry measurement included weight, height, BMI and waist circumference. Plasma adiponectin concentrations were measured using a commercial ELISA kit. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression. After multivariate adjustment, dietary glycemic index was inversely associated with plasma adiponectin concentrations (β =-0.272, 95% CI -0.262, - 0.094; p<0.001). It was found that in individuals who consumed 1 unit of foods containing high dietary glycemic index that plasma adiponectin level reduced by 0.3 μg/mL. Thirty two percent (31.9%) of the variation in adiponectin concentrations was explained by age, sex, race, smoking status, BMI, waist circumference, HDL-C, triglycerides, magnesium, fiber and dietary glycemic index according to the multiple linear regression model (R2=0.319). These results support the hypothesis that dietary glycemic index influences plasma adiponectin concentrations in patients with type 2 diabetes. Controlled clinical trials are required to confirm our findings and to elucidate the underlying mechanism.
    Matched MeSH terms: Continental Population Groups/statistics & numerical data
  10. Molecular analysis of HLA Class I and Class II genes in four indigenous Malaysian populations
    Jinam TA, Saitou N, Edo J, Mahmood A, Phipps ME
    Tissue Antigens, 2010 Feb;75(2):151-8.
    PMID: 20003135 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-0039.2009.01417.x
    This is the first report of high-resolution human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing in four indigenous groups in Malaysia. A total of 99 normal, healthy participants representing the Negrito (Jehai and Kensiu), Proto-Malay (Temuan) and a native group of Borneo (Bidayuh) were typed for HLA-A, -B, -DRB1 and -DQB1 genes using sequence-based typing. Eleven HLA-A, 26 HLA-B, 16 HLA-DRB1 and 14 HLA-DQB1 alleles were detected, including a new allele, HLA-B*3589 in the Jehai. Highly frequent alleles were A*2407, B*1513, B*1801, DRB1*0901, DRB1*1202, DRB1*1502, DQB1*0303 and DQB1*0502. Principal component analysis based on high-resolution HLA-A, -B and -DRB1 allele frequencies showed close affinities among all four groups, including the Negritos, with other Southeast Asian populations. These results showed the scope of HLA diversity in these indigenous minority groups and may prove beneficial for future disease association, anthropological and forensic studies.
    Matched MeSH terms: Population Groups/genetics*
  11. An assessment of the knowledge, attitudes, and risk perceptions of pharmacy students regarding HIV/AIDS
    Ahmed SI, Hassali MA, Aziz NA
    Am J Pharm Educ, 2009 Feb 19;73(1):15.
    PMID: 19513153
    OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the level of knowledge, attitudes, and risk perceptions of University Sains Malaysia final-year pharmacy students regarding human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunity deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

    METHOD: A cross-sectional study among pharmacy students. Data were analyzed with Chi-square to find difference at p value < 0.05.

    RESULTS: The majority of students (83.07%) responded showing a difference in gender and race. Students showed low willingness (9.2%) to assist patients and low confidence (36.1%) in their education about HIV/AIDS patients. Students recommended HIV testing for health care professionals (69.4%) and patients (75.9%) before surgical procedures. Students knew little about Post Exposure Prophylaxis (18.5%) or about the time for HIV to develop into AIDS (57.4%). About 40% of students were unaware of the inability of antivirals to treat HIV/AIDS. Students had low awareness for opportunistic infections (18.5%), and low agreement on competency to treat and counsel HIV patients (12.9%).

    CONCLUSION: The study highlighted students' misconceptions, negative attitudes, and risk perceptions towards HIV/AIDS.

    Matched MeSH terms: Continental Population Groups/psychology
  12. Beliefs about schizophrenia and its treatment in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
    Swami V, Furnham A, Kannan K, Sinniah D
    Int J Soc Psychiatry, 2008 Mar;54(2):164-79.
    PMID: 18488409
    Lay beliefs about schizophrenia have been extensively studied in cross-cultural settings, but research on ethnic differences are currently lacking.
    Matched MeSH terms: Population Groups/psychology
  13. Fulltext Diagnostic delay among pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Sarawak, Malaysia: a cross-sectional study
    Chang CT, Esterman A
    Rural Remote Health, 2007 Apr-Jun;7(2):667.
    PMID: 17511524
    Delayed diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) can lead to an increased period of infectivity in the community, a delay in treatment and a severe form of the disease. The objective of this study was to determine the length of delay, and factors linking the delay from the onset of symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) until the commencement of treatment in Sarawak, Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Continental Population Groups/statistics & numerical data
  14. Anaemia and folate status in late pregnancy in a mixed Asiatic population
    Hibbard BM, Hibbard ED
    J Obstet Gynaecol Br Commonw, 1972 Jul;79(7):584-91.
    PMID: 5043421
    Matched MeSH terms: Continental Population Groups*
  15. Alpha-Fetoprotein levels in normal males from seven ethnic groups with different hepatocellular carcinoma risks
    Sizaret P, Tuyns A, Martel N, Jouvenceaux A, Levin A, Ong YW, et al.
    Ann N Y Acad Sci, 1975 Aug 22;259:136-55.
    PMID: 54017
    Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) levels of 1,335 males (15 years and older) of seven ethnic groups (Chinese, Indians, and Malays from Singapore, Caucasians from Lyon, and Blacks from Nairobi, forest, and the savanna region of the Ivory Coast) were determined by radioimmunoassay. A few elevated levels (up to 30 nanounits/ml) were detected in some normal individuals, especially in the older age-groups. In addition, there was a systematic age-dependency of AFP levels particularly evident in the groups from Singapore-Lyon, in which there was a 50% AFP increase between the ages of 20 and 40. Comparison between Africans on the one hand and people from Singapore-Lyon on the other hand revealed highly significant differences (p less than 0.001), especially in the younger groups, whereas Chinese, Malays, and Indians from Singapore had very similar AFP pattern; this suggests an important role for environmental factors in the regulation of AFP levels. The age dependency of the presumed effect of environmental factors is in keeping with experimental data showing that young animals respond more vigorously to AFP-stimulating factors. Although the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) differs in the three Singapore groups (the highest in Chinese and the lowest in Indians), no relationship was observed in this study between mean AFP level and HCC incidence in Singapore.
    Matched MeSH terms: Continental Population Groups*
  16. Differential positive selection of malaria resistance genes in three indigenous populations of Peninsular Malaysia
    Liu X, Yunus Y, Lu D, Aghakhanian F, Saw WY, Deng L, et al.
    Hum Genet, 2015 Apr;134(4):375-92.
    PMID: 25634076 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-014-1525-2
    The indigenous populations from Peninsular Malaysia, locally known as Orang Asli, continue to adopt an agro-subsistence nomadic lifestyle, residing primarily within natural jungle habitats. Leading a hunter-gatherer lifestyle in a tropical jungle environment, the Orang Asli are routinely exposed to malaria. Here we surveyed the genetic architecture of individuals from four Orang Asli tribes with high-density genotyping across more than 2.5 million polymorphisms. These tribes reside in different geographical locations in Peninsular Malaysia and belong to three main ethno-linguistic groups, where there is minimal interaction between the tribes. We first dissect the genetic diversity and admixture between the tribes and with neighboring urban populations. Later, by implementing five metrics, we investigated the genome-wide signatures for positive natural selection of these Orang Asli, respectively. Finally, we searched for evidence of genomic adaptation to the pressure of malaria infection. We observed that different evolutionary responses might have emerged in the different Orang Asli communities to mitigate malaria infection.
    Matched MeSH terms: Population Groups/genetics*
  17. Fulltext Rickettsial seropositivity in the indigenous community and animal farm workers, and vector surveillance in Peninsular Malaysia
    Kho KL, Koh FX, Hasan LI, Wong LP, Kisomi MG, Bulgiba A, et al.
    Emerg Microbes Infect, 2017 Apr 12;6(4):e18.
    PMID: 28400593 DOI: 10.1038/emi.2017.4
    Rickettsioses are emerging zoonotic diseases that are often neglected in many countries in Southeast Asia. Rickettsial agents are transmitted to humans through exposure to infected arthropods. Limited data are available on the exposure of indigenous community and animal farm workers to the aetiological agents and arthropod vectors of rickettsioses in Peninsular Malaysia. Serological analysis of Rickettsia conorii and Rickettsia felis was performed for 102 individuals from the indigenous community at six rural villages and 87 workers from eight animal farms in Peninsular Malaysia in a cross-sectional study. The indigenous community had significantly higher seropositivity rates for R. conorii (P<0.001) and R. felis (P<0.001), as compared to blood donors from urban (n=61). Similarly, higher seropositivity rates for R. conorii (P=0.046) and R. felis (P<0.001) were noted for animal farm workers, as compared to urban blood donors. On the basis of the sequence analysis of gltA, ompA and ompB, various spotted fever group rickettsiae closely related to R. raoultii, R. heilongjiangensis, R. felis-like organisms, R. tamurae, Rickettsia sp. TCM1, R. felis, Rickettsia sp. LON13 and R. hulinensis were identified from tick/flea samples in animal farms, indigenous villages and urban areas. This study describes rickettsial seropositivity of the Malaysian indigenous community and animal farm workers, and provides molecular evidence regarding the presence of rickettsial agents in ticks/fleas infesting domestic animals in Peninsular Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Population Groups*
  18. Fulltext Fine-scale mapping of the 5q11.2 breast cancer locus reveals at least three independent risk variants regulating MAP3K1
    Glubb DM, Maranian MJ, Michailidou K, Pooley KA, Meyer KB, Kar S, et al.
    Am J Hum Genet, 2015 Jan 08;96(1):5-20.
    PMID: 25529635 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2014.11.009
    Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have revealed SNP rs889312 on 5q11.2 to be associated with breast cancer risk in women of European ancestry. In an attempt to identify the biologically relevant variants, we analyzed 909 genetic variants across 5q11.2 in 103,991 breast cancer individuals and control individuals from 52 studies in the Breast Cancer Association Consortium. Multiple logistic regression analyses identified three independent risk signals: the strongest associations were with 15 correlated variants (iCHAV1), where the minor allele of the best candidate, rs62355902, associated with significantly increased risks of both estrogen-receptor-positive (ER(+): odds ratio [OR] = 1.24, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.21-1.27, ptrend = 5.7 × 10(-44)) and estrogen-receptor-negative (ER(-): OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.05-1.15, ptrend = 3.0 × 10(-4)) tumors. After adjustment for rs62355902, we found evidence of association of a further 173 variants (iCHAV2) containing three subsets with a range of effects (the strongest was rs113317823 [pcond = 1.61 × 10(-5)]) and five variants composing iCHAV3 (lead rs11949391; ER(+): OR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.87-0.93, pcond = 1.4 × 10(-4)). Twenty-six percent of the prioritized candidate variants coincided with four putative regulatory elements that interact with the MAP3K1 promoter through chromatin looping and affect MAP3K1 promoter activity. Functional analysis indicated that the cancer risk alleles of four candidates (rs74345699 and rs62355900 [iCHAV1], rs16886397 [iCHAV2a], and rs17432750 [iCHAV3]) increased MAP3K1 transcriptional activity. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis revealed diminished GATA3 binding to the minor (cancer-protective) allele of rs17432750, indicating a mechanism for its action. We propose that the cancer risk alleles act to increase MAP3K1 expression in vivo and might promote breast cancer cell survival.
    Matched MeSH terms: Continental Population Groups/genetics
  19. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in a young multiracial Asian population: a worrying ethnic predilection in Malay and Indian males
    Chan WK, Bahar N, Razlan H, Vijayananthan A, Sithaneshwar P, Goh KL
    Hepatol Int, 2014 Jan;8(1):121-7.
    PMID: 26202413 DOI: 10.1007/s12072-013-9510-8
    PURPOSE: Previous studies on multiracial Malaysian populations found inordinately high prevalence of NAFLD among Malays and Indians. Whether the prevalence of NAFLD is different among young adults of different ethnic origins is not known. We aimed to determine racial differences in NAFLD in a young multiracial Malaysian population and associated factors.

    METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study on medical students from the University of Malaya. Diagnosis of NAFLD was by transabdominal ultrasonography and following exclusion of significant alcohol intake and other causes of chronic liver disease.

    RESULTS: Data of 469 subjects were analyzed (mean age 23.2 ± 2.4 years, 40.3 % male). The racial distribution was: Chinese 53.9 %, Malay 30.5 % and Indian 15.6 %. The overall prevalence of NAFLD was 7.9 %. Subjects with NAFLD were older, had greater BMI and WC, higher SBP and DBP, higher FBS, serum TG and LDL levels, and lower serum HDL level. The prevalence of NAFLD was higher among males compared to females (17.9 % vs. 3.3 %, p 

    Matched MeSH terms: Continental Population Groups
  20. Fulltext Perception of quality of life among people with diabetes
    Cheah WL, Lee PY, Lim PY, Fatin Nabila AA, Luk KJ, Nur Iwana AT
    Malays Fam Physician, 2012;7(2-3):21-30.
    PMID: 25606252 MyJurnal
    Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects a patient's quality of life. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the socio-demographic and disease profile factors associated with poor quality of life among patients with diabetes. The study was conducted at a primary health care clinic in Kuching between August to November 2010. Short Form - 36 (SF - 36) questionnaire was used to assess the quality of life of diabetic patients aged ≥ 18. A total of 142 respondents participated in the survey. After adjusting for age, those with no education scored lower at vitality (p=0.043) and emotional health (p=0.033) compared with those who have tertiary education. Those working in the private sector scored better for physical functioning (p=0.042) compared with pensioners and the unemployed. Patients with uncontrolled diabetes scored lower in the role-emotional domain (p=0.003). Participants who were on <3 (p=0.014) and ≥3 (p=0.024) oral medications had better score for role-physical than those on insulin. Those on insulin had worse score for bodily pain than those on oral medication only (vs <3 oral drugs, p=0.026; vs ≥3 oral drugs, p=0.001). Various socio-demographic factors, uncontrolled diabetes and insulin usage were found to have negative impact on a diabetic patient's quality of life. Programmes addressing the physical and emotional needs of diabetic patients at the primary health care setting are essential to help improve their quality of life.
    Matched MeSH terms: Continental Population Groups
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