ATG16L1 rs2241880/T300A increases susceptibility to perianal Crohn's disease: An updated meta-analysis on inflammatory bowel disease risk and clinical outcomes.

Background: ATG16L1 plays a fundamental role in the degradative intracellular pathway known as autophagy, being a mediator of inflammation and microbial homeostasis. The variant rs2241880 can diminish these capabilities, potentially contributing to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) pathogenesis.

Objectives: To perform an updated meta-analysis on the association between ATG16L1 rs2241880 and IBD susceptibility by exploring the impact of age, ethnicity, and geography.

Etiology, outcome and prognostic indicators of acute liver failure in Asian children.

Objective: Outcome of pediatric acute liver failure (PALF) in countries with limited availability of LT is not well described. We evaluated the outcome and prognostic indicators of PALF in Malaysia where emergency LT for ALF is limited.

Methods: In this retrospective review on children < 18 years with PALF, we compared clinical and laboratory parameters between survival after supportive treatment and after LT or succumbed without LT.

Nudix Hydroxylase 15 Mutations Strongly Predict Thiopurine-Induced Leukopenia Across Different Asian Ethnicities: Implications for Screening in a Diverse Population.

Background And Aims: Thiopurines, which are immunosuppressive drugs for maintaining remission for inflammatory bowel disease, are known to cause myelotoxicity in patients with Nudix Hydroxylase 15 () genetic variants in some Asian countries with monoethnic populations. We aimed to investigate the association of variants with leukopenia in a multiethnic population in Southeast Asia.

Methods: Patients with a confirmed diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease were recruited.

Prevalence of respiratory viruses among paediatric patients in acute respiratory illnesses in Malaysia.

Objectives: Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are one of the leading causes of childhood morbidity and mortality worldwide. However, there is limited surveillance data on the epidemiological burden of respiratory pathogens in tropical countries like Malaysia. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of respiratory pathogens causing ARIs among children aged <18 years old in Malaysia and their epidemiological characteristics.

Genetic variants involved in innate immunity modulate the risk of inflammatory bowel diseases in an understudied Malaysian population.

Background And Aim: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic gastrointestinal inflammatory conditions comprising two major subtypes: Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). The incidence of IBD is increasing in Asian countries including Malaysia. The aim of this study was to determine whether 32 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) strongly associated with IBD from genome-wide association studies, performed mainly in Caucasian populations, are associated with IBD in a Malaysian population, correlating these findings with local and systemic inflammation.

Parental concern of feeding difficulty predicts poor growth status in their child.

Background: Parents often express concerns about feeding difficulties in their child. We hypothesized that these parental concerns were associated with adverse growth status in early childhood. We aimed to determine the prevalence of such concerns and whether these concerns were associated with adverse growth status in early childhood.

Vitamin D non-sufficiency is prevalent in children with chronic liver disease in a tropical country.

Background: To determine vitamin D status in children with chronic liver disease (CLD) in a tropical country.

Methods: Cross-sectional study in Malaysian children with CLD. Factors affecting serum vitamin D level (definition: deficient < 30 nmol/L; insufficient 30-50 nmol/L; sufficient ≥ 50 nmol/L) was analyzed.

Quality indicators in pediatric colonoscopy in a low-volume center: Implications for training.

Aim: To study implications of measuring quality indicators on training and trainees' performance in pediatric colonoscopy in a low-volume training center.

Methods: We reviewed retrospectively the performance of pediatric colonoscopies in a training center in Malaysia over 5 years (January 2010-December 2015), benchmarked against five quality indicators: appropriateness of indications, bowel preparations, cecum and ileal examination rates, and complications. The European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy guideline for pediatric endoscopy and North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition training guidelines were used as benchmarks.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices and dietary patterns in children with inflammatory bowel disease in Singapore and Malaysia.

Background: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been associated with adverse effects and self-imposed dietary restrictions. The prevalence of its use in Asian children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is unknown. We aimed to determine the prevalence, types, and factors associated with the use of CAM among children with IBD from Singapore and Malaysia, and to ascertain if dietary restriction was prevalent in patients who used CAM.

Chronic liver disease is universal in children with biliary atresia living with native liver.

Aim: To examine the medical status of children with biliary atresia (BA) surviving with native livers.

Methods: In this cross-sectional review, data collected included complications of chronic liver disease (CLD) (cholangitis in the preceding 12 mo, portal hypertension, variceal bleeding, fractures, hepatopulmonary syndrome, portopulmonary hypertension) and laboratory indices (white cell and platelet counts, total bilirubin, albumin, international normalized ratio, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase). Ideal medical outcome was defined as absence of clinical evidence of CLD or abnormal laboratory indices.

On-demand continuous-flow production of pharmaceuticals in a compact, reconfigurable system.

Pharmaceutical manufacturing typically uses batch processing at multiple locations. Disadvantages of this approach include long production times and the potential for supply chain disruptions. As a preliminary demonstration of an alternative approach, we report here the continuous-flow synthesis and formulation of active pharmaceutical ingredients in a compact, reconfigurable manufacturing platform.

Prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility of bacteria from acute and chronic wounds in Malaysian subjects.

Introduction: Chronic wounds represent a major health burden worldwide. It has been hypothesized that the polymicrobial nature of wounds plays an important role in their healing process. Thus, a review of pathogen frequency and susceptibility patterns in wounds is necessary to provide appropriate guidelines for antimicrobial usage.

Separation and enrichment of enantiopure from racemic compounds using magnetic levitation.

Crystallization of a solution with high enantiomeric excess can generate a mixture of crystals of the desired enantiomer and the racemic compound. Using a mixture of S-/RS-ibuprofen crystals as a model, we demonstrated that magnetic levitation (MagLev) is a useful technique for analysis, separation and enantioenrichment of chiral/racemic products.

Crystallization in lactose refining-a review.

In the dairy industry, crystallization is an important separation process used in the refining of lactose from whey solutions. In the refining operation, lactose crystals are separated from the whey solution through nucleation, growth, and/or aggregation. The rate of crystallization is determined by the combined effect of crystallizer design, processing parameters, and impurities on the kinetics of the process.