European polygenic risk score for prediction of breast cancer shows similar performance in Asian women

Abstract: Polygenic risk scores (PRS) have been shown to predict breast cancer risk in European women, but their utility in Asian women is unclear. Here we evaluate the best performing PRSs for European-ancestry women using data from 17,262 breast cancer cases and 17,695 controls of Asian ancestry from 13 case-control studies, and 10,255 Chinese women from a prospective cohort (413 incident breast cancers). Compared to women in the middle quintile of the risk distribution, women in the highest 1% of PRS distribution have a ~2.7-fold risk and women in the lowest 1% of PRS distribution has ~0.4-fold risk of developing breast cancer. There is no evidence of heterogeneity in PRS performance in Chinese, Malay and Indian women. A PRS developed for European-ancestry women is also predictive of breast cancer risk in Asian women and can help in developing risk-stratified screening programmes in Asia

The Developmental State: Understanding State-Society Relations in Asia

Theorizing the developmental state as having risen above the clamour of society (and thus attained considerable autonomy), imbues it with too much power, and thus exaggerates its transformative role. This panel, convened at the Association of Asian Studies Conference in March 2012, an fielded by Vincent Chua (National University of Singapore), Su- Mei Ooi (Butler University), Surain Subramaniam (University of North Carolina, Asheville) and Yeow Tong Chia (University of Sydney), interrogates the power and limits of the developmental state, drawing upon four pieces of original analyses in the East Asian context

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SOOT REMOVAL TECHNIQUES FOR THE RECOVERY OF FINGERPRINTS ON GLASS FIRE DEBRIS IN PETROL BOMB CASES

Abstract The increased use of petrol bombs as an act of vengence in Malaysia has heightened awareness for the need of research relating physical evidence found at the crime scene to the perpetrator of the crime. A study was therefore carried out to assess the effectiveness of soot removal techniques on glass fire debris without affecting the fingerprints found on the evidence. Soot was removed using three methods which were brushing, 2% NaOH solution and tape lifting. Depending on the visibility of prints recovered, prints which were visible after soot removal were lifted directly while prints that were not visible were subjected to enhancement. Glass microscope slides were used in laboratory experiment and subjected to control burn for the formation of soot. Soot was later removed following enhancement of the prints over time (within 1 day, within 2 days and after 2 days). While in simulated petrol bomb ground experiment, petrol bombs were hurled in glass bottles and the fragments were collected. Favorable results were obtained in varying degrees using each soot removal methods. In laboratory testing, brushing and 2 % NaOH solution revealed fingerprints that were visible after removal of excess soot and were lifted directly. As for tape lifting technique, some prints were visible and were successfully lifted while those that were not visible were subjected to superglue fuming for effective fingerprint identification. Keywords: Soot removal, Glass, Petrol bomb, Brushing, NaOH wash solution (2%), Tape lifting Abstrak Penggunaan bom petrol sebagai alat untuk membalas dendam yang semakin meningkat di Malaysia telah menimbulkan kesedaran untuk kajian mengenai bahan bukti fizikal di tempat kejadian yang dapat dikaitkan dengan penjenayah. Maka, satu kajian telah dilakukan untuk menilai keberkesanan teknik penyingkiran jelaga pada kaca tanpa merosakkan cap jari yang berada pada bahan bukti. Jelaga disingkirkan dengan menggunakan tiga kaedah, iaitu memberus, larutan NaOH 2 % dan pengangkat pita. Bergantung kepada ketampakan cap jari yang ditimbulkan, cap jari yang tampak selepas penyingkiran jelaga akan diangkat terus manakala cap jari yang tidak tampak akan ditimbulkan. Sisip kaca mikroskop telah digunakan dalam uji kaji makmal dan dibakar dalam pembakaran terkawal untuk pembentukan jelaga. Jelaga disingkirkan dan diikuti dengan penimbulan cap jari dalam tempoh tertentu (dalam masa 1 hari, dalam masa 2 hari dan selepas 2 hari). Manakala dalam simulasi bom petrol, bom petrol yang terisi dalam botol kaca telah dilontar dan fragmen-fragmennya dikutip. Keputusan yang memuaskan diperoleh pada tahap yang berbeza menggunakan setiap jenis kaedah penyingkiran jelaga. Dalam uji kaji makmal, kaedah memberus dan larutan NaOH 2 % telah menimbulkan cap jari yang tampak selepas menyingkirkan jelaga yang berlebihan dan direkod terus. Dalam kaedah pengangkat pita, sebahagian cap jari adalah tampak dan berjaya direkod manakala sebahagian cap jari yang tidak tampak diproses dengan kaedah pewasapan superglue untuk penimbulan cap jari

A five-year survey of dematiaceous fungi in a tropical hospital reveals potential opportunistic species.

Dematiaceous fungi (black fungi) are a heterogeneous group of fungi present in diverse environments worldwide. Many species in this group are known to cause allergic reactions and potentially fatal diseases in humans and animals, especially in tropical and subtropical climates. This study represents the first survey of dematiaceous fungi in Malaysia and provides observations on their diversity as well as in vitro response to antifungal drugs. Seventy-five strains isolated from various clinical specimens were identified by morphology as well as an internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-based phylogenetic analysis. The combined molecular and conventional approach enabled the identification of three classes of the Ascomycota phylum and 16 genera, the most common being Cladosporium, Cochliobolus and Neoscytalidium. Several of the species identified have not been associated before with human infections. Among 8 antifungal agents tested, the azoles posaconazole (96%), voriconazole (90.7%), ketoconazole (86.7%) and itraconazole (85.3%) showed in vitro activity (MIC ≤ 1 µg/mL) to the largest number of strains, followed by anidulafungin (89.3%), caspofungin (74.7%) and amphotericin B (70.7%). Fluconazole appeared to be the least effective with only 10.7% of isolates showing in vitro susceptibility. Overall, almost half (45.3%) of the isolates showed reduced susceptibility (MIC >1 µg/mL) to at least one antifungal agent, and three strains (one Pyrenochaeta unguis-hominis and two Nigrospora oryzae) showed potential multidrug resistance

Identification and Characterization of a Rare Fungus, Quambalaria cyanescens, Isolated from the Peritoneal Fluid of a Patient after Nocturnal Intermittent Peritoneal Dialysis.

Peritonitis is the leading complication of peritoneal dialysis, which is primarily caused by bacteria rather than fungi. Peritonitis is responsible for approximately 18% of the infection-related mortality in peritoneal dialysis patients. In this paper, we report the isolation of a rare fungus, Quambalaria cyanescens, from the peritoneal fluid of a man after he switched from continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis to nocturnal intermittent peritoneal dialysis. Based on the morphological examination and multigene phylogeny, the clinical isolate was confirmed as Q. cyanescens. This pathogen exhibited low sensitivity to all tested echinocandins and 5-flucytosine. Interestingly, morphological characterization revealed that Q. cyanescens UM 1095 produced different pigments at low temperatures (25°C and 30°C) on various culture media. It is important to monitor the emergence of this rare fungus as a potential human pathogen in the tropics. This study provides insight into Q. cyanescens UM 1095 phenotype profiles using a Biolog phenotypic microarray (PM). Of the 760 nutrient sources tested, Q. cyanescens UM 1095 utilized 42 compounds, and the fungus can adapt to a broad range of osmotic and acidic environments. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the isolation of Q. cyanescens from peritoneal fluid, revealing this rare fungus as a potential human pathogen that may be misidentified using conventional methods. The detailed morphological, molecular and phenotypic characterization of Q. cyanescens UM 1095 provides the basis for future studies on its biology, lifestyle, and potential pathogenicity

Identification and characterization of Daldinia eschscholtzii isolated from skin scrapings, nails, and blood

Background Daldinia eschscholtzii is a filamentous wood-inhabiting endophyte commonly found in woody plants. Here, we report the identification and characterization of nine D. eschscholtzii isolates from skin scrapings, nail clippings, and blood. Methods The nine isolates were identified based on colony morphology, light microscopy, and internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-based phylogeny. In vitro antifungal susceptibility of the fungal isolates was evaluated by the Etest to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Results The nine isolates examined were confirmed as D. eschscholtzii. They exhibited typical features of Daldinia sp. on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar, with white felty colonies and black-gray coloration on the reverse side. Septate hyphae, branching conidiophore with conidiogenous cells budding from its terminus, and nodulisporium-like conidiophores were observed under the microscope. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the nine isolates were clustered within the D. eschscholtzii species complex. All the isolates exhibited low MICs against azole agents (voriconazole, posaconazole, itraconazole, and ketoconazole), as well as amphotericin B, with MIC of less than 1 µg/ml. Discussion Early and definitive identification of D. eschscholtzii is vital to reducing misuse of antimicrobial agents. Detailed morphological and molecular characterization as well as antifungal profiling of D. eschscholtzii provide the basis for future studies on its biology, pathogenicity, and medicinal potential