Characterisation of protein-truncating and missense variants in in 15 768 women from Malaysia and Singapore.

Background: Rare protein-truncating variants (PTVs) in partner and localiser of BRCA2 () confer increased risk to breast cancer, but relatively few studies have reported the prevalence in South-East Asian populations. Here, we describe the prevalence of rare variants in in a population-based study of 7840 breast cancer cases and 7928 healthy Chinese, Malay and Indian women from Malaysia and Singapore, and describe the functional impact of germline missense variants identified in this population.

Methods: Mutation testing was performed on germline DNA (n=15 768) using targeted sequencing panels.

Reference Frame Unification of IMU-Based Joint Angle Estimation: The Experimental Investigation and a Novel Method.

Inertial measurement unit (IMU)-based joint angle estimation is an increasingly mature technique that has a broad range of applications in clinics, biomechanics and robotics. However, the deviations of different IMUs' reference frames, referring to IMUs' individual orientations estimating errors, is still a challenge for improving the angle estimation accuracy due to conceptual confusion, relatively simple metrics and the lack of systematical investigation. In this paper, we clarify the determination of reference frame unification, experimentally study the time-varying characteristics of reference frames' deviations and accordingly propose a novel method with a comprehensive metric to unify reference frames.

How far have we explored fungi to fight cancer?

The use of fungal cultures have been well documented in human history. Although its used in healthcare, like penicillin and statins, have saved countless of lives, but there is still no fungal products that are specifically indicated for cancers. Research into fungal-derived materials to curb cancers in the recent decades have made a considerable progress in terms of drug delivery vehicles, anticancer active ingredients and cancer immunotherapy.

Transcription Factor ChbZIP1 from Alkaliphilic Microalgae sp. BLD Enhancing Alkaline Tolerance in Transgenic .

Saline-alkali soil has become an important environmental problem for crop productivity. One of the most effective approaches is to cultivate new stress-tolerant plants through genetic engineering. Through RNA-seq analysis and RT-PCR validation, a novel bZIP transcription factor ChbZIP1, which is significantly upregulated at alkali conditions, was obtained from alkaliphilic microalgae sp.

Impact of Microplastics and Nanoplastics on Human Health.

Plastics have enormous impacts to every aspect of daily life including technology, medicine and treatments, and domestic appliances. Most of the used plastics are thrown away by consumers after a single use, which has become a huge environmental problem as they will end up in landfill, oceans and other waterways. These plastics are discarded in vast numbers each day, and the breaking down of the plastics from micro- to nano-sizes has led to worries about how toxic these plastics are to the environment and humans.

Induction of Apoptosis and Regulation of MicroRNA Expression by (2,6)-2,6--(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene)-cyclohexanone (BHMC) Treatment on MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells.

(2,6)-2,6--(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene)-cyclohexanone (BHMC) is a synthetic curcumin analogue, which has been reported to possess anti-tumor, anti-metastatic, and anti-invasion properties on estrogen receptor (ER) negative breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. However, the cytotoxic effects of BHMC on ER positive breast cancer cells were not widely reported. This study was aimed to investigate the cytotoxic potential of BHMC on MCF-7 cells using cell viability, cell cycle, and apoptotic assays.

Historical and current distribution ranges and loss of mega-herbivores and carnivores of Asia.

Ecosystem functioning is dependent a lot on large mammals, which are, however, vulnerable and facing extinction risks due to human impacts mainly. Megafauna of Asia has been declining for a long, not only in numbers but also in their distribution ranges. In the current study, we collected information on past and current occurrence and distribution records of Asia's megafauna species.

Loss-of-function HSD17B13 variants, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and adverse liver outcomes: Results from a multi-ethnic Asian cohort.

Background/aims: 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 13 (HSD17B13) variants were recently reported to have significantly lower odds of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This is a two-part study that aimed to evaluate the association of HSD17B13 variants with NAFLD and its histological severity, and to identify the association of the variants with clinical outcomes in a cohort of biopsy-proven NAFLD patients.

Methods: Consecutive biopsy-proven NAFLD patients and controls without fatty liver were recruited for this study between 2009 and 2014.

Immunogenicity and protection efficacy of enhanced fitness recombinant Typhi monovalent and bivalent vaccine strains against acute toxoplasmosis.

The proficiency of Typhi to induce cell-mediated immunity has allowed its exploitation as a live vector against the obligate intracellular protozoan . vaccine research is of great medical value due to the lack of a suitable toxoplasmosis vaccine. In the present work, we integrated antigen into a growth-dependent chromosome locus of .

Associations between self-reported and objective face recognition abilities are only evident in above- and below-average recognisers.

The 20-Item Prosopagnosia Items (PI-20) was recently introduced as a self-report measure of face recognition abilities and as an instrument to help the diagnosis of prosopagnosia. In general, studies using this questionnaire have shown that observers have moderate to strong insights into their face recognition abilities. However, it remains unknown whether these insights are equivalent for the whole range of face recognition abilities.

Can pictorial narration offer a solution to teacher training on the effective inclusion of students with autism spectrum disorder in low-resource settings? Investigation on knowledge and stigma change.

In this study, we explored whether pictorial narration could offer a solution to teacher training on effective inclusion of students with autism spectrum disorder in the Lao People's Democratic Republic. For this purpose, pre- and post-training knowledge data were collected from 87 Laotian teachers who participated in teacher training using a pictorial narrative e-module called The Story of Khamdy. The teachers' knowledge test results and feedback were analyzed.

Functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes and hydroxyapatite nanorods reinforced with polypropylene for biomedical application.

Modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNTs) and hydroxyapatite nanorods (n-HA) were reinforced into polypropylene (PP) with the support of a melt compounding approach. Varying composition of f-MWCNTs (0.1-0.

Adipose MSCs Suppress MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Metastasis and EMT Pathways Leading to Dormancy via Exosomal-miRNAs Following Co-Culture Interaction.

Globally, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women, and it remains a substantial clinical challenge due to cancer relapse. The presence of a subpopulation of dormant breast cancer cells that survived chemotherapy and metastasized to distant organs may contribute to relapse. Tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a significant role as a niche in inducing cancer cells into dormancy as well as involves in the reversible epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) into aggressive phenotype responsible for cancer-related mortality in patients.

First report of postharvest stem end rot disease on MD2 pineapple fruits caused by in Malaysia.

Repeated sampling conducted from December 2019 to March 2020, and fruit of pineapple () var MD2 showing early stem end rot symptoms including brown and rotten fruit skin near the stem end region (Fig.1Aa) or darker skin with black discoloration (Fig.1Ab) indicated a consistent fungal infection.

Curcuma longa rhizome extract and Curcumin reduce the adhesion of Acanthamoeba triangularis trophozoites and cysts in polystyrene plastic surface and contact lens.

Curcuma longa and Curcumin have been documented to have a wide spectrum of pharmacological effects, including anti-Acanthamoeba activity. Hence, this study sought to explore the anti-adhesion activity of C. longa extract and Curcumin against Acanthamoeba triangularis trophozoites and cysts in plastic and contact lenses.

Higher mortality rates for large- and medium-sized mammals on plantation roads compared to highways in Peninsular Malaysia.

The fragmentation of forests by agricultural expansion, urbanization, and road networks is an ongoing global biodiversity crisis. In Southeast Asia and other tropical regions, wildlife populations are being isolated into pockets of natural habitat surrounded by road networks and monoculture plantations. Mortality from wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs) is contributing to a decline in many species of conservation priority in human-modified landscapes.

Purification of lysozyme from chicken egg white by high-density cation exchange adsorbents in stirred fluidized bed adsorption system.

Lysozyme from crude chicken egg white (CEW) feedstock was successfully purified using a stirred fluidized bed adsorption system ion exchange chromatography where STREAMLINE SP and SP-XL high density adsorbents were selected as the adsorption carrier. The thermodynamic and kinetic studies were carried out to understand the characteristics of lysozyme adsorption by adsorbents under various conditions, including adsorption pH, temperature, lysozyme concentration and salt concentrations. Results showed that SP and SP-XL adsorbents achieved optimum lysozyme adsorption at pH 9 with capacity of ~139.

Progress in waste valorization using advanced pyrolysis techniques for hydrogen and gaseous fuel production.

Hydrogen and gaseous fuel derived from wastes have opened up promising alternative pathways for the production of renewable and sustainable fuels to substitute classical fossil energy resources that cause global warming and pollution. Existing review articles focus mostly on gasification, reforming and pyrolysis processes, with limited information on particularly gaseous fuel production via pyrolysis of various waste products. This review provides an overview on the recent advanced pyrolysis technology used in hydrogen and gaseous fuel production.

Removal of soluble microbial products and dyes using heavy metal wastes decorated on eggshell.

This work studied the potential of using eggshell (ES) (200-300 μm) waste as adsorbent for sequential removal of heavy metals, soluble microbial products, and dye wastes. In this study, among soluble microbial products, chicken egg white (CEW) proteins were selected as simulated contaminants. ES was applied to capture heavy metal ions (e.

Highly efficient dye removal and lysozyme purification using strong and weak cation-exchange nanofiber membranes.

Electrospinning technology was applied for the preparation of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofiber membrane in this work. After hot pressing, alkaline hydrolysis and neutralization treatment, a weak acid cation exchange membrane (P-COOH) was prepared. By the covalent coupling reaction between the acidic membrane and aminomethane sulfonic acid (AMSA), a strong acidic nanofiber membrane (P-SOH) was obtained.

Acceptability of pharmacist-led interventions to resolve drug-related problems in patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia.

Purpose: Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) patients on long-term tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy are susceptible to drug-related problems (DRPs). This study aimed to evaluate the acceptability and outcomes of pharmacist-led interventions on DRPs encountered by CML patients.

Methods: This study included participants from the intervention arm of a randomised controlled trial which was conducted to evaluate the effects of pharmacist-led interventions on CML patients treated with TKIs.

Expression of fatty acid and triacylglycerol synthesis genes in interspecific hybrids of oil palm.

Evaluation of transcriptome data in combination with QTL information has been applied in many crops to study the expression of genes responsible for specific phenotypes. In oil palm, the mesocarp oil extracted from E. oleifera × E.

YouTube Video Comments on Healthy Eating: Descriptive and Predictive Analysis.

Background: Poor nutrition and food selection lead to health issues such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. This study of YouTube comments aims to uncover patterns of food choices and the factors driving them, in addition to exploring the sentiments of healthy eating in networked communities.

Objective: The objectives of the study are to explore the determinants, motives, and barriers to healthy eating behaviors in online communities and provide insight into YouTube video commenters' perceptions and sentiments of healthy eating through text mining techniques.