Dementia detection practice among primary care practitioners: A cross-sectional study in Hulu Langat District, Selangor.

Introduction: Dementia is a global challenge for healthcare systems, including Malaysia. Despite evidence-based Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) for dementia management in primary care, detection is poor. Improving detection rates requires understanding current practice and influencing factors.

The enduring legacy of Marie Curie: impacts of radium in 21st century radiological and medical sciences.

Purpose: This review is focused on radium and radionuclides in its decay chain in honor of Marie Curie, who discovered this element.

Materials And Methods: We conglomerated current knowledge regarding radium and its history predating our present understanding of this radionuclide.

Results: An overview of the properties of radium and its dose assessment is shown followed by discussions about both the negative detrimental and positive therapeutic applications of radium with this history and its evolution reflecting current innovations in medical science.

Factors Associated With Colorectal Cancer Screening Via Immunochemical Fecal Occult Blood Test in an Average-Risk Population From a Multiethnic, Middle-Income Setting.

Purpose: The Malaysian Ministry of Health had launched free opportunistic screening for colorectal cancer using immunochemical fecal occult blood test (iFOBT) targeting the average-risk individuals since 2014. This study aims to determine factors associated with colorectal cancer screening using iFOBT among the average-risk Malaysian population.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at five government-run health clinics in the state of Selangor.

Anaemia among primary care patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and chronic kidney disease (CKD): a multicentred cross-sectional study.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of anaemia among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) at primary care settings and its associated factors.

Design, Setting And Participants: This cross-sectional study involved 808 adult patients with T2DM and CKD who were recruited via systematic sampling from 20 public primary care clinics in Peninsular Malaysia. Their sociodemographic, clinical and biomedical profiles were collected through interviews, examination of medical records and blood testing.

A moonlighting metabolic protein influences repair at DNA double-stranded breaks.

Catalytically active proteins with divergent dual functions are often described as 'moonlighting'. In this work we characterize a new, chromatin-based function of Lys20, a moonlighting protein that is well known for its role in metabolism. Lys20 was initially described as homocitrate synthase (HCS), the first enzyme in the lysine biosynthetic pathway in yeast.

Autophagy and leucine promote chronological longevity and respiration proficiency during calorie restriction in yeast.

We have previously shown that autophagy is required for chronological longevity in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here we examine the requirements for autophagy during extension of chronological life span (CLS) by calorie restriction (CR). We find that autophagy is upregulated by two CR interventions that extend CLS: water wash CR and low glucose CR.

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy.

In 2008 we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, research on this topic has continued to accelerate, and many new scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding.

Amino acid homeostasis and chronological longevity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Understanding how non-dividing cells remain viable over long periods of time, which may be decades in humans, is of central importance in understanding mechanisms of aging and longevity. The long-term viability of non-dividing cells, known as chronological longevity, relies on cellular processes that degrade old components and replace them with new ones. Key among these processes is amino acid homeostasis.

The UF family of hybrid phantoms of the developing human fetus for computational radiation dosimetry.

Historically, the development of computational phantoms for radiation dosimetry has primarily been directed at capturing and representing adult and pediatric anatomy, with less emphasis devoted to models of the human fetus. As concern grows over possible radiation-induced cancers from medical and non-medical exposures of the pregnant female, the need to better quantify fetal radiation doses, particularly at the organ-level, also increases. Studies such as the European Union's SOLO (Epidemiological Studies of Exposed Southern Urals Populations) hope to improve our understanding of cancer risks following chronic in utero radiation exposure.

New insights into the role of mitochondria in aging: mitochondrial dynamics and more.

A decline in mitochondrial function plays a key role in the aging process and increases the incidence of age-related disorders. A deeper understanding of the intricate nature of mitochondrial dynamics, which is described as the balance between mitochondrial fusion and fission, has revealed that functional and structural alterations in mitochondrial morphology are important factors in several key pathologies associated with aging. Indeed, a recent wave of studies has demonstrated the pleiotropic role of fusion and fission proteins in numerous cellular processes, including mitochondrial metabolism, redox signaling, the maintenance of mitochondrial DNA and cell death.

Gingival RAGE expression in calorie-restricted versus ad libitum-fed rats.

Background: The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is a multiligand receptor expressed in a number of cell types, including gingival epithelia. RAGE mediates inflammation and induces cellular oxidative stress. Upregulation of RAGE is associated with various diseases, such as periodontal and cardiovascular diseases.

Acetyl-coenzyme A synthetase 2 is a nuclear protein required for replicative longevity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Acs2p is one of two acetyl-coenzyme A synthetases in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We have prepared and characterized a monoclonal antibody specific for Acs2p and find that Acs2p is localized primarily to the nucleus, including the nucleolus, with a minor amount in the cytosol. We find that Acs2p is required for replicative longevity: an acs2 Delta strain has a reduced replicative life span compared to wild-type and acs1 Delta strains.

An image-based skeletal tissue model for the ICRP reference newborn.

Hybrid phantoms represent a third generation of computational models of human anatomy needed for dose assessment in both external and internal radiation exposures. Recently, we presented the first whole-body hybrid phantom of the ICRP reference newborn with a skeleton constructed from both non-uniform rational B-spline and polygon-mesh surfaces (Lee et al 2007 Phys. Med.

Autophagy is required for extension of yeast chronological life span by rapamycin.

Rapamycin is an antibiotic that stimulates autophagy in a wide variety of eukaryotes, including the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Low concentrations of rapamycin extend yeast chronological life span (CLS). We have recently shown that autophagy is required for chronological longevity in yeast, which is attributable in part to a role for autophagy in amino acid homeostasis.

Autophagy and amino acid homeostasis are required for chronological longevity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Following cessation of growth, yeast cells remain viable in a nondividing state for a period of time known as the chronological lifespan (CLS). Autophagy is a degradative process responsible for amino acid recycling in response to nitrogen starvation and amino acid limitation. We have investigated the role of autophagy during chronological aging of yeast grown in glucose minimal media containing different supplemental essential and nonessential amino acids.

Impaired ribosome biogenesis disrupts the integration between morphogenesis and nuclear duplication during the germination of Aspergillus fumigatus.

Aspergillus fumigatus is an important opportunistic fungal pathogen that is responsible for high mortality rates in the immunosuppressed population. CgrA, the A. fumigatus ortholog of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae nucleolar protein involved in ribosome biogenesis, contributes to the virulence of this fungus by supporting rapid growth at 37 degrees C.

Loc1p is required for efficient assembly and nuclear export of the 60S ribosomal subunit.

Loc1p is an exclusively nuclear dsRNA-binding protein that affects the asymmetric sorting of ASH1 mRNA to daughter cells in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In addition to the role in cytoplasmic RNA localization, Loc1p is a constituent of pre-60S ribosomes. Cells devoid of Loc1p display a defect in the synthesis of 60S ribosomal subunits, resulting in "half-mer" polyribosomes.

Role of histone deacetylase Rpd3 in regulating rRNA gene transcription and nucleolar structure in yeast.

The 35S rRNA genes at the RDN1 locus in Saccharomyces cerevisiae can be transcribed by RNA polymerase (Pol) II in addition to Pol I, but Pol II transcription is usually silenced. The deletion of RRN9 encoding an essential subunit of the Pol I transcription factor, upstream activation factor, is known to abolish Pol I transcription and derepress Pol II transcription of rRNA genes, giving rise to polymerase switched (PSW) variants. We found that deletion of histone deacetylase gene RPD3 inhibits the appearance of PSW variants in rrn9 deletion mutants.

2-micron circle plasmids do not reduce yeast life span.

Extrachromosomal rDNA circles (ERCs) and recombinant origin-containing plasmids (ARS-plasmids) are thought to reduce replicative life span in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae due to their accumulation in yeast cells by an asymmetric inheritance process known as mother cell bias. Most commonly used laboratory yeast strains contain the naturally occurring, high copy number 2-micron circle plasmid. 2-micron plasmids are known to exhibit stable mitotic inheritance, unlike ARS-plasmids and ERCs, but the fidelity of inheritance during replicative aging and cell senescence has not been studied.

Resurrecting ancestral alcohol dehydrogenases from yeast.

Modern yeast living in fleshy fruits rapidly convert sugars into bulk ethanol through pyruvate. Pyruvate loses carbon dioxide to produce acetaldehyde, which is reduced by alcohol dehydrogenase 1 (Adh1) to ethanol, which accumulates. Yeast later consumes the accumulated ethanol, exploiting Adh2, an Adh1 homolog differing by 24 (of 348) amino acids.

Plasmid accumulation reduces life span in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Aging in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is under the control of multiple pathways. The production and accumulation of extrachromosomal rDNA circles (ERCs) is one pathway that has been proposed to bring about aging in yeast. To test this proposal, we have developed a plasmid-based model system to study the role of DNA episomes in reduction of yeast life span.

The amino-terminal domain of the E subunit of vacuolar H(+)-ATPase (V-ATPase) interacts with the H subunit and is required for V-ATPase function.

Vacuolar H(+)-ATPases (V-ATPases) are highly conserved proton pumps that couple hydrolysis of cytosolic ATP to proton transport out of the cytosol. Although it is generally believed that V-ATPases transport protons by a rotary catalytic mechanism analogous to that used by F(1)F(0)-ATPases, the structure and subunit composition of the central or peripheral stalk of the multisubunit complex are not well understood. We searched for proteins that bind to the E subunit of V-ATPase using the yeast two-hybrid assay and identified the H subunit as an interacting partner.

Nucleolar protein Nop12p participates in synthesis of 25S rRNA in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

A genetic screen for mutations synthetically lethal with temperature sensitive alleles of nop2 led to the identification of the nucleolar proteins Nop12p and Nop13p in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. NOP12 was identified by complementation of a synthetic lethal growth phenotype in strain YKW35, which contains a single nonsense mutation at codon 359 in an allele termed nop12-1. Database mining revealed that Nop12p was similar to a related protein, Nop13p.