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Preparation, characterisation and viability of encapsulated Trichoderma harzianum UPM40 in alginate-montmorillonite clay

Adzmi F, Meon S, Musa MH, Yusuf NA

J Microencapsul, 2012;29(3):205-10.
PMID: 22309479 DOI: 10.3109/02652048.2012.659286

Microencapsulation is a process by which tiny parcels of an active ingredient are packaged within a second material for the purpose of shielding the active ingredient from the surrounding environment. This study aims to determine the ability of the microencapsulation technique to improve the viability of Trichoderma harzianum UPM40 originally isolated from healthy groundnut roots as effective biological control agents (BCAs). Alginate was used as the carrier for controlled release, and montmorillonite clay (MMT) served as the filler. The encapsulated Ca-alginate-MMT beads were characterised using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The FTIR results showed the interaction between the functional groups of alginate and MMT in the Ca-alginate-MMT beads. Peaks at 1595, 1420 and 1020 cm(-1) characterised alginate, and peaks at 1028 and 453 cm(-1) characterised MMT; both sets of peaks appeared in the Ca-alginate-MMT FTIR spectrum. The TGA analysis showed an improvement in the thermal stability of the Ca-alginate-MMT beads compared with the alginate beads alone. SEM analysis revealed a homogeneous distribution of the MMT particles throughout the alginate matrix. T. harzianum UPM40 was successfully encapsulated in the Ca-alginate-MMT beads. Storage analysis of the encapsulated T. harzianum UPM40 showed that the low storage temperature of 5°C resulted in significantly (p
Fulltext Spinal tuberculosis: a five-year review of cases at the National Tuberculosis Centre

Jalleh RD, Kuppusamy I, Mahayiddin AA, Yaacob MF, Yusuf NA, Mokhtar A

Med J Malaysia, 1991 Sep;46(3):269-73.
PMID: 1839924

We reviewed 31 cases (19 males and 12 females) of spinal tuberculosis seen at the National Tuberculosis Centre from 1985 to 1989. The mean age was 35.4 years. The predominant clinical feature was backache (90.3%), while neurological features were found in 30.9%. An elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (in 80.0%) and a positive Mantoux test (in 70.9%) served as useful investigations. Spinal x-ray was abnormal in all cases, the lumbar spine being most commonly involved. Bacteriological or histopathological confirmation was obtained in only 29.0% of cases. The mainstay of treatment was anti-tuberculous chemotherapy with surgery being performed in 41.9% of patients.
Fulltext KASP: a genotyping method to rapid identification of resistance in Plasmodium falciparum

Alvarez-Fernandez A, Bernal MJ, Fradejas I, Martin Ramírez A, Md Yusuf NA, Lanza M, et al.

Malar J, 2021 Jan 06;20(1):16.
PMID: 33407529 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-020-03544-7

BACKGROUND: The emergence and spread of anti-malarial resistance continues to hinder malaria control. Plasmodium falciparum, the species that causes most human malaria cases and most deaths, has shown resistance to almost all known anti-malarials. This anti-malarial resistance arises from the development and subsequent expansion of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in specific parasite genes. A quick and cheap tool for the detection of drug resistance can be crucial and very useful for use in hospitals and in malaria control programmes. It has been demonstrated in different contexts that genotyping by Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP), is a simple, fast and economical method that allows a high-precision biallelic characterization of SNPs, hence its possible utility in the study of resistance in P. falciparum.
METHODS: Three SNPs involved in most cases of resistance to the most widespread anti-malarial treatments have been analysed by PCR plus sequencing and by KASP (C580Y of the Kelch13 gene, Y86N of the Pfmdr1 gene and M133I of the Pfcytb gene). A total of 113 P. falciparum positive samples and 24 negative samples, previously analysed by PCR and sequencing, were selected for this assay. Likewise, the samples were genotyped for the MSP-1 and MSP-2 genes, and the Multiplicity of Infection (MOI) and parasitaemia were measured to observe their possible influence on the KASP method.
RESULTS: The KASP results showed the same expected mutations and wild type genotypes as the reference method, with few exceptions that correlated with very low parasitaemia samples. In addition, two cases of heterozygotes that had not been detected by sequencing were found. No correlation was found between the MOI or parasitaemia and the KASP values of the sample. The reproducibility of the technique shows no oscillations between repetitions in any of the three SNPs analysed.
CONCLUSIONS: The KASP assays developed in this study were efficient and versatile for the determination of the Plasmodium genotypes related to resistance. The method is simple, fast, reproducible with low cost in personnel, material and equipment and scalable, being able to core KASP arrays, including numerous SNPs, to complete the main pattern of mutations associated to P. falciparum resistance.
Fulltext Normocyte-binding protein required for human erythrocyte invasion by the zoonotic malaria parasite Plasmodium knowlesi

Moon RW, Sharaf H, Hastings CH, Ho YS, Nair MB, Rchiad Z, et al.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2016 Jun 28;113(26):7231-6.
PMID: 27303038 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1522469113

The dominant cause of malaria in Malaysia is now Plasmodium knowlesi, a zoonotic parasite of cynomolgus macaque monkeys found throughout South East Asia. Comparative genomic analysis of parasites adapted to in vitro growth in either cynomolgus or human RBCs identified a genomic deletion that includes the gene encoding normocyte-binding protein Xa (NBPXa) in parasites growing in cynomolgus RBCs but not in human RBCs. Experimental deletion of the NBPXa gene in parasites adapted to growth in human RBCs (which retain the ability to grow in cynomolgus RBCs) restricted them to cynomolgus RBCs, demonstrating that this gene is selectively required for parasite multiplication and growth in human RBCs. NBPXa-null parasites could bind to human RBCs, but invasion of these cells was severely impaired. Therefore, NBPXa is identified as a key mediator of P. knowlesi human infection and may be a target for vaccine development against this emerging pathogen.
Fulltext Seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infection among Malaysian population

Muhamad NA, Ab Ghani RM, Abdul Mutalip MH, Muhammad EN, Mohamad Haris H, Mohd Zain R, et al.

Sci Rep, 2020 12 03;10(1):21009.
PMID: 33273475 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77813-5

Malaysia is a country with an intermediate endemicity for hepatitis B. As the country moves toward hepatitis B and C elimination, population-based estimates are necessary to understand the burden of hepatitis B and C for evidence-based policy-making. Hence, this study aims to estimate the prevalence of hepatitis B and C in Malaysia. A total of 1458 participants were randomly selected from The Malaysian Cohort (TMC) aged 35 to 70 years between 2006 and 2012. All blood samples were tested for hepatitis B and C markers including hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), anti-hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc), antibodies against hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV). Those reactive for hepatitis C were further tested for HCV RNA genotyping. The sociodemographic characteristics and comorbidities were used to evaluate their associated risk factors. Descriptive analysis and multivariable analysis were done using Stata 14. From the samples tested, 4% were positive for HBsAg (95% CI 2.7-4.7), 20% were positive for anti-HBc (95% CI 17.6-21.9) and 0.3% were positive for anti-HCV (95% CI 0.1-0.7). Two of the five participants who were reactive for anti-HCV had the HCV genotype 1a and 3a. The seroprevalence of HBV and HCV infection in Malaysia is low and intermediate, respectively. This population-based study could facilitate the planning and evaluation of the hepatitis B and C control program in Malaysia.
Study name: The Malaysian Cohort (TMC) project