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Abstract Background Autosomal‐recessive mutations in SPEG (striated muscle preferentially expressed protein kinase) have been linked to centronuclear myopathy with or without dilated cardiomyopathy (CNM5). Loss of SPEG is associated with defective triad formation, abnormal excitation–contraction coupling, calcium mishandling and disruption of the focal adhesion complex in skeletal muscles. To elucidate the underlying molecular pathways, we have utilized multi‐omics tools and analysis to obtain a comprehensive view of the complex biological processes and molecular functions. Methods Skeletal muscles from 2‐month‐old SPEG‐deficient (Speg‐CKO) and wild‐type (WT) mice were used for RNA sequencing (n = 4 per genotype) to profile transcriptomics and mass spectrometry (n = 4 for WT; n = 3 for Speg‐CKO mice) to profile proteomics and phosphoproteomics. In addition, interactomics was performed using the SPEG antibody on pooled muscle lysates (quadriceps, gastrocnemius and triceps) from WT and Speg‐CKO mice. Based on the multi‐omics results, we performed quantitative real‐time PCR, co‐immunoprecipitation and immunoblot to verify the findings. Results We identified that SPEG interacts with myospryn complex proteins CMYA5, FSD2 and RyR1, which are critical for triad formation, and that SPEG deficiency results in myospryn complex abnormalities (protein levels decreased to 22 ± 3% for CMYA5 [P

Abstract Sacred forests offer co‐benefits of protecting both cultural traditions and forested areas. However, sacred forests' contribution to biodiversity conservation is often undervalued. Several reviews discuss biodiversity conservation in sacred forests, but large‐scale studies that quantify the effect of sacred forests on biodiversity conservation are scarce. Many studies on the effectiveness of sacred forests in protecting biodiversity are limited to single‐location censuses or lack comparisons against non‐sacred forests that serve as controls. To quantify the impact of sacred forests on biodiversity conservation, we conducted a global meta‐analysis that compares sacred forests with nearby non‐sacred forests (i.e., control areas). Using 35 studies from 17 different countries, we found that sacred forests harbored similar levels of biodiversity as nearby forested areas. When comparing taxonomic groups, we found that the positive benefits to biodiversity in sacred forests compared to non‐sacred forests were higher for plants compared to non‐plant taxa. Our meta‐analysis provides quantitative evidence that sacred forests can be effective areas of biodiversity conservation. Based on our results, we suggest that researchers interested in sacred forest biodiversity compare sacred forests with other land use types, collect standardized metadata from sacred forests and nearby areas that serve as comparisons, and extend monitoring to include more non‐plant taxa. Sacred forests can preserve ecosystem function, provide social benefits, and play a role in fighting against climate change, and should not be overlooked.

Abstract Prostate cancer is the third most common cancer in Malaysia with the lifetime risk of 1 in 117 men. Here, we initiated a longitudinal Malaysia Prostate Cancer (M‐CaP) Study to investigate the clinical and tumour characteristics, treatment patterns as well as disease outcomes of multi‐ethnic Asian men at real‐world setting. The M‐CaP database consisted of 1839 new patients with prostate cancer diagnosed between 2016 and 2018 from nine public urology referral centres across Malaysia. Basic demographic and clinical parameters, tumour characteristics, primary treatment, follow‐up and vital status data were retrieved prospectively from the hospital‐based patients’ case notes or electronic medical records. Primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and biochemical progression‐free survival (bPFS). The median age at diagnosis of M‐CaP patients was 70 years (interquartile range, IQR 65–75). Majority of patients were Chinese (831, 45.2%), followed by Malays (704, 38.3%), Indians (124, 6.7%) and other races (181, 9.8%). The median follow‐up for all patients was 23.5 months (IQR 15.9–33.6). Although 58.1% presented with late‐stage cancer, we observed ethnic and geographic disparities in late‐stage prostate cancer diagnosis. Curative radiotherapy and primary androgen deprivation therapy were the most common treatment for stage III and stage IV diseases, respectively. The median OS and bPFS of stage IV patients were 40.1 months and 19.2 months (95% CI 17.6–20.8), respectively. Late stage at presentation remains a challenge in multi‐ethnic Asian men. Early detection is imperative to improve treatment outcome and survival of patients with prostate cancer.

Abstract It is of much interest to understand the efficacy of abiraterone acetate (AA) in routine clinical practice. We assessed the clinical outcome of AA in patients with metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and determined clinical factors associated with AA treatment duration in real‐world setting. This real‐world cohort consisted of 93 patients with mCRPC treated with AA in Thailand (58.1%) and Malaysia (41.9%). Primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and biochemical progression‐free survival (bPFS). Secondary endpoints were predictors associated with AA treatment duration evaluated with Cox proportional hazards regression. Around 74% were chemotherapy‐naïve. The median AA treatment duration was 10 months (IQR 5.6‐17.1). Malaysians had a relatively lower median OS and bPFS (OS 17.8 months; 95% CI 6.4‐29.1, bPFS 10.4 months; 95% CI 8.8‐12.0) compared to Thais (OS 27.0 months; 95% CI 11.3‐42.7, bPFS 14.0 months; 95% CI 5.8‐22.2), although it did not achieve statistical significance (P > .05). Patients with longer AA treatment duration (>10 months) had lower risk of death and longer bPFS, compared to those with shorter AA treatment duration (≤10 months) (hazard ratio [HR] 0.10, 95% CI 0.05‐0.22 and HR 0.13, 95% CI 0.06‐0.25, respectively). Multivariable analysis showed that PSA at AA initiation, presence of PSA response and chemotherapy‐naive were independently associated with AA duration (P