Phylogenetic relationships and morphological variation of gymnures (Galericidae: Hylomys) from Genting Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia

Gymnures from the genus Hylomys are widely distributed across Sundaland and the Indochinese region. However, the relationships among its members in Peninsular Malaysia especially from Genting Highlands are still lacking. This study aims to examine the morphology and genetically analyse of the Hylomys specimens collected from the new isolated population of Genting Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia. Morphometric analyses showed that morphological variation exists among the Hylomys lineage. The external morphology and the skull measurements of the taxa studied coincide with those of Hylomys maxi from Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra based on descriptive statistics and principal component analysis (PCA). The differences within the Hylomys taxa are also evident in the phylogenetic tree and K2P genetic distances analyses inferred from cyt b. Hylomys samples from Genting Highlands formed a clade with H. maxi from Cameron Highlands and Fraser’s Hill, Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra. However, they were separated from Hylomys parvus (Sumatra), Hylomys suillus (Java) and Hylomys dorsalis (Borneo). Relatively, low genetic distances were detected among the studied taxa with other H. maxi (<6% K2P distance) while high genetic distances were observed when compared to other Hylomys taxa (>18.0% K2P distance). Based on these facts, we confirm that the gymnures from Genting Highlands belong to a valid species, Hylomys maxi along with other Peninsular Malaysia samples based on genetics and morphological data which probably originated from Sumatra a long time ago

Pengenalpastian bakteria tanah yang mempunyai aktiviti antikulat terhadap patogen kelapa sawit, Ganoderma boninense

Penyakit reput pangkal batang (BSR) yang berpunca daripada kulat fitopatogen Ganoderma boninense merupakan ancaman terbesar kepada tanaman kelapa sawit di Malaysia. BSR menyebabkan pengurangan hasil tandan sawit dan kematian terhadap pokok kelapa sawit terjangkit, seterusnya menyebabkan kerugian yang besar kepada ekonomi negara pengeluar. Penggunaan racun kimia juga telah diaplikasikan bagi menangani BSR, namun begitu, kaedah ini tidak mampu mengatasi serangan kulat ini. Beberapa kajian telah dilakukan untuk mengenal pasti potensi penggunaan agen kawalan biologi seperti mikroorganisma antagonis dalam mengawal penyakit BSR. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengenal pasti mikroorganisma pencilan tempatan yang mempunyai kesan antagonistik terhadap G. boninense. Sebanyak 49 kultur bakteria tulen telah dipencilkan dari kawasan sekitar Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia. Tiga pencilan iaitu masing-masing dua strain daripada genus Burkholderia dan satu daripada Streptomyces menunjukkan aktiviti antagonistik yang kuat terhadap miselia dwikarion G. boninense strain PER71 dengan nilai Peratusan Perencatan Pertumbuhan Radius (PIRG) melebihi 70% dalam dua asai antikulat yang berbeza. Analisis jujukan DNA bagi semua pencilan telah menunjukkan spesies bakteria tersebut mempunyai kesamaan yang tinggi dengan jujukan nukleotida 16S rRNA daripada Burkholderia stagnalis, B. cepacia dan Streptomyces gelaticus. Bakteria yang digunakan di dalam kajian ini mempunyai potensi yang tinggi untuk digunakan sebagai agen kawalan biologi dalam menghalang penyebaran G. boninense terutamanya di dalam ladang kelapa sawit di Malaysia

Silvered Langur (Trachypithecus cristatus) Survey in Sibuti Wildlife Sanctuary, Miri, Sarawak

A rapid and passive primate survey using a scanning technique was conducted in Sibuti Wildlife Sanctuary (Sibuti WS) from 11th to 16th July, 2018. This study provided the first confirmed record of the presence and the diet of silvered langur in the wildlife sanctuary. A group of silvered langur that comprise 20 to 30 individuals were observed in the vicinity of the sanctuary. The diurnal langur feeds on fig plants (Ficus sp.), simpoh air (Dillenia suffruticosa) and tree from the family Leguminosae. However, this langur population appears to be isolated and is probably decreasing due to limited food sources, intra- and interspecific competition, and hunting pressure by local people

Review Update on the Life Cycle, Plant&ndash;Microbe Interaction, Genomics, Detection and Control Strategies of the Oil Palm Pathogen Ganoderma boninense

Plant pathogens are key threats to agriculture and global food security, causing various crop diseases that lead to massive economic losses. Palm oil is a commodity export of economic importance in Southeast Asia, especially in Malaysia and Indonesia. However, the sustainability of oil palm plantations and production is threatened by basal stem rot (BSR), a devastating disease predominantly caused by the fungus Ganoderma boninense Pat. In Malaysia, infected trees have been reported in nearly 60% of plantation areas, and economic losses are estimated to reach up to ~USD500 million a year. This review covers the current knowledge of the mechanisms utilized by G. boninense during infection and the methods used in the disease management to reduce BSR, including cultural practices, chemical treatments and antagonistic microorganism manipulations. Newer developments arising from multi-omics technologies such as whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) are also reviewed. Future directions are proposed to increase the understanding of G. boninense invasion mechanisms against oil palm. It is hoped that this review can contribute towards an improved disease management and a sustainable oil palm production in this region

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially