In Malaysia, inexpensive toys are sold in various urban and rural shops. Although safety regulations for toys are available in Malaysia there are limited reports about the chemicals in toys. Thus, this study aimed to assess the levels of phthalates (bis-[2-ethylhexyl] phthalate [DEHP], diethyl phthalate [DEP], diisobutyl phthalate [DiBP] and dibutyl phthalate [DBP]) in inexpensive toys sold at local markets in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and its health risks to children. All 30 toys analysed exceeded the European Union limit (0.1 % by mass) indicating that the phthalate used as plasticizers is still prominent in toys. Bis-[2-ethylhexyl] phthalate (DEHP) was the highest detected phthalate in toy sample which was manufactured in Malaysia and sold without Malaysian Conformity Mark. Significant association was found between phthalate levels and country, indicating a need to monitor and raise public awareness about potential toxic chemicals in inexpensive toys and children's products. There are few inexpensive toys that have a hazard index value of more than one, which is associated with developmental toxicity and causes developmental effects in children. Given the severity and complexity of these toys to children health, there is a need for regular monitoring and effective enforcements to develop an acceptable baseline level of children toys products manufactured in or imported to Malaysia. Furthermore, risk management efforts should also include all the stakeholders involved in toy production, policy makers as well as consumers to ensure only toy products with proper labels being sole and purchased.
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive intrinsic breast cancer subtype characterized by the lack of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and low levels of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). The complex nature of TNBC has resulted in little therapeutic progress for the past several decades. The standard of care remains the FEC cocktail (5-fluorouracil (5-FU), epirubicin and cyclophosphamide). However, early relapse and metastasis in TNBC patients persists in causing dismal clinical outcomes. Due to complex heterogeneity features of TNBC, identifying the biomarker associated to the chemoresistance remains a challenge. The emergence of the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) as a potential signature may have proven to be a new deterrent to diagnostic and treatment options. Previous studies unveiled the associations of lncRNA in the development of TNBCs whereby the aggressiveness and response to therapies may be associated by the abrogation of the molecular mechanism lncRNA. Terminal differentiation induced ncRNA (TINCR) is a lncRNA which have been linked with many cancers including TNBC. The expression and behavior of TINCR may exert unfavorable outcome in TNBCs. Nevertheless, the underlying molecular mechanism of TINCR in driving chemoresistance in TNBC is not well understood. This review will highlight the potential molecular mechanisms of TINCR in TNBC chemoresistance and how it can serve as a future potential prognostic and therapeutic target for a better treatment intervention.