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The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that Malaysia has the highest rate of obesity and overweight among Asian countries. There is an increasing trend in obesity from 11.9% (2015) to 14.8% (2019), according to the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS). This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, bodyweight perception, and associated factors of overweight and obesity among rural communities in Northern Borneo. This cross-sectional study was conducted in one village in Northern Borneo. Adults from 18 to 69 years of age (n = 165) were included in the survey, and data were collected by interview or self-administered questionnaires. Measurements of weight and height were done for body-mass-index (BMI) calculation. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in the village was 71.5%. Kappa statistic indicated only a slight agreement between perceived and actual body weight status (k = 0.163, 95% CI = −0.156 to 0.482, p < 0.000). There were higher odds of being overweight and obese among the middle-aged group (35 – 55 years old) than the younger group (

Acne vulgaris is one of the recognized skin issues among adolescents, though occasionally it may persist through adulthood. Though being popularly known to the communities, its impact on the patients is often less recognized, minimized or worse neglected. Acne vulgaris can cause an ample amount of psychological stress among the affected individuals which may increase the likelihood of psychiatric comorbidity. Depression is one of the psychiatric burdens associated with acne vulgaris. Therefore, it is considered more than a skin disorder. Instead of perceiving it as normal, it should be recognized as one of the most prevalent skin disorders which need early treatment to prevent exacerbation and also avoid permanent scarring.

The purpose of this study is to examine the antecedents of behavioural intention to adopt mobile payment among working adults in Malaysia. The variables of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 (UTAUT2) with perceived security were adopted as a theoretical base. The gathered data through a questionnaire were examined by using multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis. The study revealed that performance expectancy, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, and perceived security are significant in mobile payment adoption. However, effort expectancy and social influence are not significant. The findings of this study contributed to a simple UTAUT2 model with perceived security as an additional construct in explaining the adoption intention of mobile payment. The findings of this study are applicable to the mobile payment service providers in Malaysia to improve their mobile payment quality by improving the facilitating conditions.

In this study, acetic acid bacteria (AAB) strains Ha5 T , Ta1 and Jb2 that constitute the core microbiota of weaver ant Oecophylla smaragdina were isolated from multiple ant colonies and were distinguished as different strains by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry and distinctive random-amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fingerprints. These strains showed similar phenotypic characteristics and were considered a single species by multiple delineation indexes. 16S rRNA gene sequence-based phylogenetic analysis and phylogenomic analysis based on 96 core genes placed the strains in a distinct lineage in family Acetobacteraceae . Compared to Acetobacteraceae type members, these strains demonstrate average nucleotide identity (ANI), in-silico DNA-DNA hybridization (DDH) and average amino acid identity (AAI) values lower than proposed species-level cut-off values which indicated that they represent a novel genus of the family. Currently, strains Ha5 T , Ta1 and Jb2 possess the smallest genomes (1.92-1.95 Mb) with significantly lower gene and protein numbers among family Acetobacteraceae . Intriguingly, the sole rrn operon in their genomes is plasmid-borne instead of chromosomally located. Furthermore, these strains harbour biosynthetic genes for various amino acids, cofactors and vitamins which supported a nutritional symbiotic interaction with the host O. smaragdina . Various phenotypic differences also distinguished the strains from closest relative genera in family Acetobacteraceae . Based on these results, these strains represent a novel species of a novel genus of family Acetobacteraceae , for which we propose the name Oecophyllibacter saccharovorans gen. nov. sp. nov., and strain Ha5 T as the type strain. Importance Acetic acid bacteria (AAB) of the family Acetobacteraceae are increasingly reported as symbionts of a wide range of insects but cultivation-based study to explore their functional role in the host remains limited. The weaver ant Oecophylla smaragdina is an effective biological control agent in pest management which harbours AAB as their core microbiota members. In this study, the cultivation and physiological characterization of Oecophyllibacter saccharovorans gen. nov. sp. nov. strains from the guts of O. smaragdina revealed the free-living capability of insect-associated AAB. These strains possess the smallest genomes with significantly lesser genes and proteins among Acetobacteraceae type members, which could be attributed to genome reduction. They also represent one of the rare examples with plasmid-borne sole rrn operon in their genome that might serve to compensate their low gene and protein number. Biosynthetic genes in the genomes provide insight into their biological function as symbiont of O. smaragdina .

This paper utilized the Auto Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) technique to forecast the near future rainfall using the long-term satellite rainfall data. At present, many of the future rainfall and climate forecast was conducted for a long-term period (>10 years) at the macroscale (∼1000 km and above) level. Those forecasts are inappropriate to meet the demand for the short-term action (1–3 years). In addition, the macroscale information is unsuitable and too general for the local administrative council and water resources stakeholders to make the adaptation plan, mitigation action, and preventive measures at smaller scale (10–50 km). Many developing countries were facing hydrological data conflict (scarcity, sparse, etc.) and utilizing the publicly accessed satellite data could be useful alternatives. Therefore, sound evidence is required to validate the hypothesis where the use of ARIMA and the long-term satellite rainfall data could provide near future rainfall forecast. Prior to that, the southern part of Johor in Malaysia is selected as the experimental site for this study. To perform the task, 204 of monthly gridded of satellite rainfall from 1998 to 2014 is utilized. In implementing the ARIMA, the standard seasonal lag based on local monsoon period is chosen. The auto-regression co-efficient is computed for each individual grid based on the time series of monthly rainfall, as well as the forecasted rainfall. To determine the ideal duration of historical rainfall for the best near-future forecasted rainfall, the rainfall datasets are divided into decadal and semi-decadal (epoch is every 5 years). The results showed that the satellite-based forecasted rainfall based on ARIMA (SAFORA) using half-decadal datasets able to forecast the 2015 rainfall at average temporal correlation of 0.703. Measurement biases range from 5 to 70%, depending on monsoon season. The SAFORA tends to overestimate low rainfall months. The output of this experiment proved that SAFORA able to forecast the monthly-scale rainfall at reliable accuracy and could be useful for hydrological data conflict situation catchment or location in the humid tropics.

Obesity has become a global health issue, not to mention Malaysia, which topped over the list of countries in Asia. On World Health Day in 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that 64% of the male population and 65% of the female population in Malaysia are either obese or overweight1. The ringing of alarm is tremendously loud in the silence. Depending on each of us, this can be an issue that we laugh over or a kind but severe urge for us to take a step backwards, observe, and self-reflect.

DESCRIPTION OF PLANOCOCCUS VERSUTUS SP. NOV. Planococcus versutus (ver.su��� tus. L. masc. adj. versutus adroit, shrewd, ingenious). Cells are aerobic, Gram-stain-positive, motile and nonsporulating cocci. Colonies on LB agar are orange, circular, entire, smooth, convex and 1.0���2.0 mm in diameter. Grows at between 4 �� C and 30 �� C (optimum, 25 �� C) and at pH 6.0��� 11.0 (optimum, pH 7.0���8.0). Growth is observed between 0% and 14 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 6 %). Positive for catalase but negative for amylase. Positive for assimilation of N -acetyl- D- glucosamine, N -acetyl neuraminic acid, Oi -D- glucose, inosine, D- mannitol, glycerol, D- fructose 6-phosphate, glycyl L- proline, L- alanine, L- aspartic acid, L- glutamic acid, L- pyroglutamic acid, L- serine, L- galactonic acid lactone, D- gluconic acid, D- glucuronic acid, mucic acid, D- saccharic acid, D- lactic acid methyl ester, Oi -ketoglutaric acid, D- malic acid, L- malic acid, Tween 40, �� -hydroxy-DL- butyric acid, acetoacetic acid, acetic acid, formic acid, dextrin, D- fructose, D- glucose 6-phosphate, L- alanine, L- glutamic acid, pectin, D- galacturonic acid, glucuronamide and dextrin. Negative for assimilation of turanose, stachyose, D- mannose, 3- methyl glucose, D- sorbitol, citric acid, bromosuccinic acid, N -acetyl- �� -D- mannosamine, N -acetyl-D- galactosamine, D- galactose, D- fucose, L- fucose, L- rhamnose, D- arabitol, myo - inositol, D- aspartic acid, D- serine, gelatin, L- arginine, L- histidine, quinic acid, p -hydroxy-phenylacetic acid, methyl pyruvate, L- lactic acid, �� -aminobutryric acid, Oi - hydroxybutyric acid, Oi -ketobutyric acid and propionic acid. In chemical sensitivity tests, resistant to D- serine, lincomycin, guanidine HCl, tetrazolium blue, potassium tellurite, 1 % sodium lactate, aztreonam and sodium butyrate, slightly resistant to tetrazolium violet and sodium bromate, and sensitive to fusidic acid, nalidixic acid, lithium chloride, vancomycin, niaproof 4, troleandomycin, rifamycin SV and minocycline. The respiratory menaquinones are MK-5, MK-6 and MK-7. Major fatty acids are anteiso-C, C 16: 1 �� 7 c and anteiso-C. The predominant polar lipids are phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol and aminophospholipids. 15: 0 17: 0 The type strain, L10.15 T (= DSM 101994 T = KACC 18918 T), was isolated from a soil sample collected from an elephant seal wallow in Lagoon Island (close to Adelaide Island, western Antarctic Peninsula). The DNA G+C content of the type strain is 39.4 mol%., Published as part of See-Too, Wah-Seng, Ee, Robson, Madhaiyan, Munusamy, Kwon, Soon-Wo, Tan, Jia Yi, Lim, Yan Lue, Convey, Peter, Pearce, David A., Yin, Wai Fong & Chan, Kok-Gan, 2017, Planococcus versutus sp. nov., isolated from soil, pp. 944-950 in International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology 67 (4) on pages 949-950, DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.001721, http://zenodo.org/record/6223682

Human platelet antigens (HPA) are determinant in several platelet-specific alloimmune disorders, such as neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia, post-transfusion purpura and platelet transfusion refractoriness. The distribution of HPA systems in the Malaysian population is not known. Defining the patterns of HPA systems provides a basis for risk assessment and management of the above complications.The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of HPA -1 to -6 and -15 in the three major ethnic groups (Malay, Chinese and Indian) in the Malaysian population. A total of 600 random donor samples, 200 from each of the three ethnic groups, were genotyped by means of real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with hydrolysis probes and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).The most common genotype observed in this study was HPA-1a/1a-2a/2a-3a/3b-4a/4a-5a/5a-6a/6a-15a/15b (17%) followed by HPA-1a/1a-2a/2a-3a/3a-4a/4a-5a/5a-6a/6a-15a/15b (14.33%). The allele frequencies of HPA in Malays and Chinese were found to be similar those of other East and South-East Asian populations, while those of Indians were comparable to the frequencies found in Europeans.The results of this study have been useful for determining the distribution of HPA polymorphisms in this region and for potential clinical implications.