Correction Of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) Viangchan Mutation In Monocytes Using CRISPR/CAS9

G6PD deficiency is one of the most common enzymopathy in human with approximately 400 million people affected worldwide. Two hundred seventeen types of mutations have been described so far with some mutations are life threating. G6PD deficiency has also been linked to various types of cancers, tumours and metabolic diseases. This study aimed to correct G6PD deficiency by using CRISPR/Cas9 system. In this study, G6PD Viangchan as used; a type of mutation which is common in Malaysian Malays. G6PD Viangchan has cloned into pET26b (+) expression plasmid and expressed in BL21 (DE3) system

Psychological health and wellbeing of primary healthcare workers during COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia:a longitudinal qualitative study

BACKGROUND: Primary healthcare workers (PHCWs) are at the frontline of dealing with viral pandemics. They may experience significant psychological stresses, which have hitherto not been examined in depth. We aimed to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological health and wellbeing of frontline PHCWs in Malaysia. METHOD: We purposively recruited PHCWs with diverse backgrounds in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Using longitudinal qualitative methods, we conducted two sequential semi-structured telephone interviews, 3 to 4 weeks apart, to capture different stages of the pandemic. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed thematically. RESULT: Twenty-one PHCWs participated yielding a total of forty-two interviews. Themes clustered around stressors associated with work, home, and leisure activities, emotional changes, and modifying factors. In the first interviews, COVID-19 had just started in Malaysia. Participants expressed fear about the actual and perceived personal risk of COVID-19 infection. Most were worried about transmitting COVID-19 to their family members. Some felt stigmatized because of this perceived risk of infection. By the second interviews, participants felt safer, but instead focused on the need to keep other people safe. Participants’ emotions were influenced by their perceived risk of contracting COVID-19 infection. Internal factors such as religion enabled them to manage their concerns and develop personal coping strategies. Support from family members, colleagues, and employers promoted wellbeing during the pandemic. Training sessions, daily roll calls, and psychological support services were important in maintaining their psychological health and wellbeing. Many participants were hopeful and believed normalcy would return by the end of 2020. CONCLUSION: PHCW’s psychological health and wellbeing evolved throughout the early stages of the pandemic and were influenced by their perceived risk of contracting the disease and personal belief structures. Clear updates on the disease and strategies for keeping safe at work and socially are essential to maintaining PHCWs’ psychological health and wellbeing. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12875-022-01870-0

TERF2 gene expression in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia / Lelamekala Vengidasan

Advances in the understanding of cell biology in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (cALL) have led to sophisticated risk-stratification based therapeutic interventions targeting individual patients. Despite these advances, approximately 10-20% of children with ALL still relapse. Thus, identification of new prognostic indicators will allow for better targeted treatment. TERF2, one of the main components of the shelterin complex (telosome), has been found to be over-expressed in a variety of epithelial malignancies, including lung, skin and breast cancer. This study aims to investigate the level of expression of TERF2 in pediatric ALL and in different cALL patient subgroups and its potential as a prognostic marker in such patients. Diagnostic bone marrow samples were obtained from 72 paediatric patients treated at the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) under the Malaysia-Singapore ALL 2003 study protocol. Expression of TERF2 was measured via real time quantitative PCR using cDNA synthesized from the samples described above. Results were standardized using Β2M transcripts as the internal control and HL60 as the calibrator. Relative quantification of gene expression was calculated by using the delta delta Ct method