Genome Studies in Four Species of Calendula L. (Asteraceae) Using Satellite DNAs as Chromosome Markers.

The taxonomically challenging genus Calendula L. (Asteraceae) includes lots of medicinal species characterized by their high morphological and karyological variability. For the first time, a repeatome analysis of a valuable medicinal plant Calendula officinalis L. was carried out using high-throughput genome DNA sequencing and RepeatExplorer/TAREAN pipelines. The FISH-based visualization of the 45S rDNA, 5S rDNA, and satellite DNAs of C. officinalis was performed on the chromosomes of C. officinalis, C. stellata Cav., C. tripterocarpa Rupr., and C. arvensis L. Three satellite DNAs were demonstrated to be new molecular chromosome markers to study the karyotype structure. Karyograms of the studied species were constructed, their ploidy status was specified, and their relationships were clarified. Our results showed that the C. officinalis karyotype differed from the karyotypes of the other three species, indicating its separate position in the Calendula phylogeny. However, the presence of common repeats revealed in the genomes of all the studied species could be related to their common origin. Our findings demonstrated that C. stellata contributed its genome to allotetraploid C. tripterocarpa, and C. arvensis is an allohexaploid hybrid between C. stellata and C. tripterocarpa. At the same time, further karyotype studies of various Calendula species are required to clarify the pathways of chromosomal reorganization that occurred during speciation.

Venous thromboembolism and pregnancy: A review of the literature.

This review aims to provide the mother carers with the most recent evidence-based guidelines in the context of managing of pregnancy-associated VTE, where an extensive search through the medical journals addressing the topic including the medical database such as Pubmed, Medline, Sience direct,Embase and others using the title and key-words in order to gather the most concerned as well as the up-to-date publications concerned with the problem under research, the search resulted in recognising pregnancy as a significant risk factor for the development of VTE, both during the prenatal and postnatal periods, with an estimated increased likelihood risk of five and sixty times, respectively and concluded that venous thromboembolism (VTE) is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality hence, all pregnant women should be assessed for the risk of developing the condition as early as possible (when scheduling a booking antenatal appointment) or even in the pre-pregnancy clinic.

Rapid Probing of Self-Cleaning Activity on Polyester Coated by Titania-Natural Silica Nanocomposite Using Digital Image-Based Colorimetry.

Titania-silica nanocomposites (TiO2-SiO2) show outstanding performance and is very well applied in photocatalysis. In this research, SiO2 extracted from Bengkulu beach sand will be used as a supporting material of the TiO2 photocatalyst for application to polyester fabrics. TiO2-SiO2 nanocomposite photocatalysts were synthesized using the sonochemical method. The coating of the TiO2-SiO2 material on polyester was carried out using the sol-gel-assisted sonochemistry method. The method of determining self-cleaning activity uses a digital image-based colorimetric (DIC) method, which is much simpler than using an analytical instrument. The scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy results showed that the sample particles adhered to the fabric surface and the best particle distribution was shown in pure SiO2 and 1:0.5 TiO2-SiO2 nanocomposites. Analysis of Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy proved the presence of Ti-O and Si-O bonds as well as the typical spectrum of polyester, which indicated that the fabric had been successfully coated with nanocomposite particles. The analysis of the contact angle of the liquid on the polyester surface showed a significant change in the properties of the TiO2 and SiO2 pure coated fabrics, but changes occur only slightly in the other samples. Self-cleaning activity against the degradation of methylene blue dye has been successfully carried out using DIC measurement. The test results showed that the best self-cleaning activity was shown by TiO2-SiO2 nanocomposite with a ratio of 1:0.5 with the degradation ratio reaching 96.8%. Furthermore, the self-cleaning property remains after the washing process, which shows excellent washing resistance.

Agro-Morphological and Cytogenetic Characterization of Colchicine-Induced Tetraploid Plants of Polemonium caeruleum L. (Polemoniaceae).

Polemonium caeruleum L. (Polemoniaceae) is a valuable medicinal herb with a wide spectrum of biological activities. Under natural conditions, the productivity of this species is rather low. In this study, colchicine-induced tetraploid plants (2n = 4x = 36) of P. caeruleum were obtained, and for the first time, their morphological and cytogenetic characterization was performed. In the tetraploid plants, raw material productivity and also the content of triterpene saponins were significantly higher than in the control diploids. The analysis of chromosome behavior at meiosis and FISH chromosome mapping of 45S and 5S rDNA generally demonstrated stability of both genomes in the tetraploid plants. Based on chromosome morphology and distribution patterns of the studied molecular cytogenetic markers, all chromosome pairs in karyotypes were identified, and chromosome karyograms and idiograms of P. caeruleum were constructed. The revealed specific microdiagnostic characteristics of P. caeruleum (strongly sinuous cells and anomocytic stomata of the leaf epidermis, and also glandular hairs along the veins) could be useful for raw material identification. In the obtained tetraploids, the predominance of large stomata on the lower leaf epidermis was determined. The studied tetraploids can be used in various breeding programs to obtain high-quality pharmaceutical raw materials of P. caeruleum.

An exposed Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Device (CIED) complicated with infection: A case report of unconventional experience with 'Sealed CIED'.

The rate of infected Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Device is alarming and causes substantial socio-economic burden. A common approach involves immediate extraction of the infected device. Here, we report an unorthodox approach to this problem by 'sealing' the generator inside a sterile container as a temporary permanent pacemaker while waiting for implantation of another device. We report a 66 years old emaciated lady with underlying Sick Sinus Syndrome, who had an implanted single chamber pacemaker and presented with partial protrusion of her device. She underwent sub-pectoral implantation of the new device but subsequently re-presented with pocket site infection after a month. A decision was made to extract the infected generator from the sub-pectoral pocket and it was sealed inside a sterile container as 'bridging therapy' while awaiting arrival of a leadless pacemaker for implantation together with total extraction of the old infected device. Our clinical vignette demonstrated the difficulties we encountered and influenced on our decision for this unconventional approach despite limited supporting evidence.

Haemorrhagic transformation: A serious complication of massive ischemic stroke.

Acute ischaemic stroke is a debilitating disease and may lead to haemorrhagic transformation associated with few factors such as high National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), low Modified Rankin Score (MRS), cardio-embolic clot and others.1 We report herein a 61 years old man whom presented with left sided weakness and diagnosed with acute right middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction. Thrombolytic therapy was not offered due to low Alberta Stroke Program Early CT (ASPECT) score and hence managed conservatively. However, within 24 hours, his Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) reduced by 4 points and urgent Computed Tomography (CT) brain confirmed haemorrhagic transformation with midline shift. He underwent emergency surgical decompression and subsequently had prolonged hospital stay complicated by ventilated acquired pneumonia. He recovered after a course of antibiotic and discharged to a nursing home with MRS of 5.

Photocatalysis of nanocomposite titania-natural silica as antibacterial against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The entries of pathogenic bacteria into the human body remain a severe problem to health that can be prevented using antibacterial agents. Meanwhile, the photocatalytic technique using semiconductor nanocomposite TiO2-SiO2 has great potential as an antibacterial method. In order to utilize natural resources, SiO2 supporting materials are obtained from the extraction of beach sand due to the high silica content. Therefore, this study aims to synthesize a nanocomposite of TiO2 with SiO2 extracted from beach sand as an antibacterial agent against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The antibacterial activity test used the dilution and optical density method. Based on XRD analysis, the crystals of TiO2 in the synthesized composites showed a more dominant anatase structure. Furthermore, Ti-O-Si bonds were identified from the IR spectrum, which showed the interaction between TiO2 and SiO2. In addition, SEM-EDX results showed agglomerated spherical particles with a TiO2-SiO2 nanocomposite particle size of 40-107 nm. The best antibacterial activity was demonstrated by the 1 : 0.5 TiO2-SiO2 nanocomposite, with inactivation percentages of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa of 98.69% and 97.44%, respectively.

Aggressive diuretic therapy for a large solitary lung lesion.

Pseudotumour of the lung is a rare chest x-ray finding among patients who present with fluid overload. It is caused by loculated pleural effusion in the lung fissures. Unfortunately, the occurrence of pseudotumour can be misleading and sometimes can lead to unnecessary investigation and emotional stress to the patient. We present here a case of a 61-year-old gentleman with a known history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia who presented at University Malaya Medical Centre with symptoms of fluid overload and a right middle lobe mass on chest x-ray. The right middle lobe mass disappeared entirely after being treated with aggressive diuretic therapy. A diagnosis of pseudotumour was made and described in this case report.

Agro-Morphological, Microanatomical and Molecular Cytogenetic Characterization of the Medicinal Plant Chelidonium majus L.

Chelidonium majus L. is a medicinal plant well-known as a valuable source of isoquinoline alkaloids, which has a variety of pharmacological properties including anti-viral and anti-bacterial effects. However, considerable intraspecific bio-morphological variability in C. majus complicates raw material identification and verification. For the first time, we have brought into cultivation five populations of C. majus subsp. majus originated from different regions, and performed their agro-morphological, microanatomical and molecular cytogenetic characterization. All examined populations produced high seed (18.6-19.9 kg/ha) and raw material (0.84-1.08 t/ha) yields; total alkaloid contents were within 0.30-0.38%. Nevertheless, significant differences in plant morphology and yield-contributing traits were observed. The performed microanatomical analysis of leaves and flowers in double- and normal-flowered plants revealed micro-diagnostic features (including tissue topography, types of stomata, laticifers, structure of leaf mesophyll, hairs, sepals and petals) important for identification of C. majus raw materials. The analysis of chromosome morphology, DAPI-banding patterns, FISH mapping of 45S and 5S rDNA and also chromosome behavior in meiosis allowed us to identify for the first time all chromosomes in karyotypes and confirm relative genotype stability of the studied plants. Our findings indicate that the examined C. majus populations can be used in further breeding programs.

Phenotypic and molecular cytogenetic variability in calendula (Calendula officinalis L.) cultivars and mutant lines obtained via chemical mutagenesis.

The morphological, meiotic and chromosomal variability were studied in two cultivars of Calendula officinalis L. and their mutant lines obtained though chemical mutagenesis using diethyl sulphate (DES) (0.04%, 0.08%) and dimethyl sulphate (DMS) (0.025%, 0.05%). The studied cultivars displayed different sensitivity to DMS and DES mutagens. More M1 plants with morphological changes were observed in C. officinalis cv. 'Zolotoe more' than in cv. 'Rajskij sad'. DMS and DES at low concentrations had positive effects on main agro-metrical traits in both cultivars including plant height, inflorescence diameter and number of inflorescences per plant. Dose-dependent increase in number of various meiotic abnormalities was revealed in both mutant lines. Comparative karyotype analysis and FISH-based visualization of 45S and 5S rDNA indicated a high level of karyotype stability in M1 and M2 plants. Seed treatments with DMS and DES at certain concentrations resulted in higher yields of inflorescences in M1 plants compared to the control. In M2 generation, dose-dependent reduction in the yields of inflorescences was observed. Our findings demonstrate that DMS and DES at low concentrations have great potential in calendula mutation breeding.

A comparison of different types of ovitraps for outdoor monitoring of Aedes mosquitoes in Kuala Lumpur.

Dengue is a significant public health problem in Malaysia and vector surveillance is one of the important components in a vector control program. Routinely vector surveillance in Malaysia is performed through larval surveys. However, larval surveys have several limitations. Thus ovitraps are used as an alternative method for monitoring dengue vectors. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of Standard Ovitrap (SO), Mosquito larvae Trapping Device (MLTD), Double Sticky Ovitrap (DST) and NPK Fertiliser Trap to monitor the abundance of Aedes mosquitoes. Each ovitrap was placed at four different sampling points and rotated to the next position every one week. Larvae and adult mosquitoes were collected and identified in the laboratory. All four trapping methods successfully collected larvae of Aedes mosquitoes. The mean number of larvae per ovitrap in DST was significantly higher (p < 0.05) compared to SO and MLTD. DST and NPK Fertiliser Trap were capable of capturing adult mosquitoes. Ovitrap Index and the mean number of adults per ovitrap in NPK Fertiliser trap were significantly higher (p < 0.05) as compared to DST. Another set of experiments were conducted to compare NPK Fertiliser traps containing fresh NPK fertiliser solution with those containing stock NPK Fertiliser solution. The fresh solution was prepared fresh while the stock solution was stored for a month before being used in the field. Result shows no significant differences (p > 0.05) between these solutions. Findings from this study conclude that DST is the most effective ovitrap to monitor Aedes larvae, while NPK Fertiliser trap is the most effective ovitrap to trap Aedes adult mosquitoes in the study area.

A comparison of different types of ovitraps for outdoor monitoring of Aedes mosquitoes in Kuala Lumpur

@#Dengue is a significant public health problem in Malaysia and vector surveillance is one of the important components in a vector control program. Routinely vector surveillance in Malaysia is performed through larval surveys. However, larval surveys have several limitations. Thus ovitraps are used as an alternative method for monitoring dengue vectors. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of Standard Ovitrap (SO), Mosquito larvae Trapping Device (MLTD), Double Sticky Ovitrap (DST) and NPK Fertiliser Trap to monitor the abundance of Aedes mosquitoes. Each ovitrap was placed at four different sampling points and rotated to the next position every one week. Larvae and adult mosquitoes were collected and identified in the laboratory. All four trapping methods successfully collected larvae of Aedes mosquitoes. The mean number of larvae per ovitrap in DST was significantly higher (p < 0.05) compared to SO and MLTD. DST and NPK Fertiliser Trap were capable of capturing adult mosquitoes. Ovitrap Index and the mean number of adults per ovitrap in NPK Fertiliser trap were significantly higher (p < 0.05) as compared to DST. Another set of experiments were conducted to compare NPK Fertiliser traps containing fresh NPK fertiliser solution with those containing stock NPK Fertiliser solution. The fresh solution was prepared fresh while the stock solution was stored for a month before being used in the field. Result shows no significant differences (p > 0.05) between these solutions. Findings from this study conclude that DST is the most effective ovitrap to monitor Aedes larvae, while NPK Fertiliser trap is the most effective ovitrap to trap Aedes adult mosquitoes in the study area.

Detection of Wolbachia in wild mosquito populations from selected areas in Peninsular Malaysia by loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique.

Wolbachia, a naturally endosymbiotic bacteria, has shown its potential as one of biological control agents for vector borne diseases. Due to large number of mosquitoes involved in Wolbachia screening, Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is recommended as a convenient and time-saving technique. This study aimed to evaluate a newly developed LAMP assay for detection of Wolbachia by targeting 16S rDNA gene in samples of wild mosquito populations. The LAMP products were confirmed by colorimetric detection using hydroxy naphthol blue (HNB), digestion with RsaI restriction enzyme and gel electrophoresis. The restriction enzyme digestion of PCR products was performed to differentiate between Wolbachia supergroups A and B. Out of 765 mosquito samples tested, 349 (45.6%) and 237 (31%) of the samples were positive for LAMP and PCR techniques respectively. The prevalence of Wolbachia detected in mosquitoes was significantly higher using LAMP as compared to PCR. There is significant association between numbers of mosquitoes positive with Wolbachia detected using LAMP and PCR (χ2=61.31; df=1; p < 0.05) with a kappa (κ) value of 0.27 and Phi value, 0.283. This study highlighted the potential of LAMP as a sensitive, specific and rapid tool for screening of Wolbachia in mosquitoes, thus it presents as an alternative to PCR-based assays.

Colorimetric Detection of Mercury(II) Ion in Aqueous Solution Using Silver Nanoparticles.

Novel green-chemistry synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is introduced as a low-cost, rapid and easy-to-use analytical method for mercury ion detection. Aqueous fruit extract of water apple (Syzygium aqueum) was used for the first time as bioreductant to synthesize stable AgNPs. The prepared AgNPs have a yellowish-brown color with a surface plasmon resonance peak at 420 nm. The addition of Hg(II) ions then changes the AgNPs color to colorless. The color change was in proportion to the concentration of Hg(II) ions. The presence of other metal ions in the system was also evaluated. The proposed method shows good selectivity and sensitivity towards Hg(II) ions. Using UV-visible spectrophotometry, the detection limit of the developed method was 8.5 × 10-7 M. The proposed method has been successfully applied for determination of Hg(II) ions in tap and lake water samples with precision better than 5%.

Cytotoxic evaluation of biomechanically improved crosslinked ovine collagen on human dermal fibroblasts.

Earlier studies in our laboratory demonstrated that collagen extracted from ovine tendon is biocompatible towards human dermal fibroblast. To be able to use this collagen as a scaffold in skin tissue engineering, a mechanically stronger scaffold is required that can withstand manipulation before transplantation. This study was conducted to improve the mechanical strength of this collagen sponge using chemical crosslinkers, and evaluate their effect on physical, chemical and biocompatible properties. Collagen sponge was crosslinked with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) and glutaraldehyde (GA). Tensile test, FTIR study and mercury porosimetry were used to evaluate mechanical properties, chemical property and porosity, respectively. MTT assay was performed to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of crosslinked collagen sponge on human dermal fibroblasts. The FTIR study confirmed the successful crosslinking of collagen sponge. Crosslinking with EDC and GA significantly increased the mechanical strength of collagen sponge, with GA being more superior. Crosslinking of collagen sponge significantly reduced the porosity and the effect was predominant in GA-crosslinked collagen sponge. The GA-crosslinked collagen showed significantly lower, 60% cell viability towards human dermal fibroblasts compared to that of EDC-crosslinked collagen, 80% and non-crosslinked collagen, 100%. Although the mechanical strength was better when using GA but the more toxic effect on dermal fibroblast makes EDC a more suitable crosslinker for future skin tissue engineering.

Risk factors for suicidal ideation, plans and attempts in Malaysia--results of an epidemiological survey.

OBJECTIVE: This is an epidemiological study to determine the prevalence of suicidal behavior and its association with generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) in a nationally representative sample. METHOD: Suicidal ideation, plans and attempts were assessed in face-to-face interviews of respondents selected by a multistage probability sampling using items on suicidality from the WHO SUPRE-MISS questionnaire. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) was used to generate DSM-IV diagnoses of GAD and MDD. A total of 19309 subjects were studied. Multivariate regression analysis was conducted controlling for demographic characteristics such as age, gender and ethnicity. RESULTS: The prevalence estimates for suicide ideation, plans and attempts were 1.7% (95% CI: 1.4-1.9), 0.9% (CI: 0.7-1.1) and 0.5% (CI: 0.4-0.7) respectively. Younger people (16-24 years) had higher risk of suicidal behavior (OR: 2.6, CI: 1.08-6.2). Females (OR: 1.6, CI: 1.2-2.1) and Indians (OR: 3.3, CI: 2.2-4.9) also had higher risk. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of suicidal behavior in Malaysia is low, but it broadly corresponds to the pattern described in other countries. This national study confirms that Malaysians of Indian descent have much higher rates of suicidal behavior than other groups. The younger age group, females and the Indian ethnic group would need focused preventive efforts.

Planting Jatropha curcas on constrained land: emission and effects from land use change.

A study was carried out to assess carbon emission and carbon loss caused from land use change (LUC) of converting a wasteland into a Jatropha curcas plantation. The study was conducted for 12 months at a newly established Jatropha curcas plantation in Port Dickson, Malaysia. Assessments of soil carbon dioxide (CO(2)) flux, changes of soil total carbon and plant biomass loss and growth were made on the wasteland and on the established plantation to determine the effects of land preparation (i.e., tilling) and removal of the wasteland's native vegetation. Overall soil CO(2) flux showed no significant difference (P < 0.05) between the two plots while no significant changes (P < 0.05) on soil total carbon at both plots were detected. It took 1.5 years for the growth of Jatropha curcas to recover the biomass carbon stock lost during land conversion. As far as the present study is concerned, converting wasteland to Jatropha curcas showed no adverse effects on the loss of carbon from soil and biomass and did not exacerbate soil respiration.

Morphological descriptions of second and third instar larvae of Hypopygiopsis violacea Macquart (Diptera:Calliphoridae), a forensically important fly in Malaysia.

Hypopygiopsis violacea, a species of fly of forensic importance, was recovered from a corpse and described for the first time. The morphological structures of the second and third instar larvae of four specimens were examined using light microscope. Observations were focused on three main morphological characters: cephalopharyngeal skeleton, anterior and posterior spiracles. Cephalopharyngeal skeleton of second instar larva is darkly pigmented and without accessory sclerite below the mouth hook. The anterior spiracles of second and third instar larvae have 8-9 papillae each, arranged in a single row. The posterior spiracle of second instar larva has two spiracular slits with no thickening of peritreme. This differentiates it from the third instar, whereby the latter has three slits for each posterior spiracle. Cephalopharyngeal skeleton of third instar larva is heavily pigmented. An accessory sclerite is found below the hook part of third instar larva but is absent in second instar. Peritreme of the posterior spiracle of third instar larva is thick almost complete encircling a button. The intersegmental spines of the cuticular surface are dome-shaped and unicuspid. Third instar larva of this species is large with size approximately 15 mm long. These findings provide important identification features of immature stages of Hy. violacea which could be useful in forensic entomology.

Morphological descriptions of second and third instar larvae of Hypopygiopsis violacea Macquart (Diptera:Calliphoridae), a forensically important fly in Malaysia

Hypopygiopsis violacea, a species of fly of forensic importance, was recovered from a corpse and described for the first time. The morphological structures of the second and third instar larvae of four specimens were examined using light microscope. Observations were focused on three main morphological characters: cephalopharyngeal skeleton, anterior and posterior spiracles. Cephalopharyngeal skeleton of second instar larva is darkly pigmented and without accessory sclerite below the mouth hook. The anterior spiracles of second and third instar larvae have 8-9 papillae each, arranged in a single row. The posterior spiracle of second instar larva has two spiracular slits with no thickening of peritreme. This differentiates it from the third instar, whereby the latter has three slits for each posterior spiracle. Cephalopharyngeal skeleton of third instar larva is heavily pigmented. An accessory sclerite is found below the hook part of third instar larva but is absent in second instar. Peritreme of the posterior spiracle of third instar larva is thick almost complete encircling a button. The intersegmental spines of the cuticular surface are dome-shaped and unicuspid. Third instar larva of this species is large with size approximately 15 mm long. These findings provide important identification features of immature stages of Hy. violacea which could be useful in forensic entomology.

New development in processing pendant droplet tensiometry data.

A database linking the dimensionless volume of pendant droplets Vpen and the dimensionless volume of the spherical caps at the apex of the droplets Vcap has been constructed from the governing equations of pendant droplet tensiometry. The Bond number Bo that relates surface tension to gravitational body force appears as an independent parameter in this database. Computing Vpen and Vcap from the measured profile of a droplet and making use of the database allow the prevailing Bo to be determined and surface tension to be calculated. This new way of converting measured profiles into surface tension has a number of advantages, such as reliability and simplicity, compared to existing methods. These are demonstrated by applying the new method to a number of measured profile data taken from the literature.