Latest news with #TheStar
The Star
15 minutes ago
- Sport
- The Star
Aaron-Wooi Yik advance, Soon Huat-Shevon out of China Open
National men's doubles shuttlers Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik in action against Taiwan's Liu Kuang-heng-Yang Po-han in the second round match of Malaysian Masters at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil on Thursday. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star PETALING JAYA: Men's doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik redeemed themselves from last week's early exit in Tokyo by clearing the first round of the China Open in Changzhou on Wednesday (July 23). Aaron-Wooi Yik, who crashed out early at the Japan Open, made no such mistake this time as they ousted Denmark's Rasmus Kjaer-Frederik Sogaard 21-19, 21-15 in just 41 minutes at the Changzhou Olympic Sports Centre. The world No. 2 pair will now wait for the outcome of the match between French brothers Christo and Toma Junior Popov and Canada's Kevin Lee-Ty Alexander Lindeman to find out their second-round opponents on Thursday (July 24). Meanwhile, mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie were shown the exit after falling to Indonesia's Jafar Hidayatullah-Felisha Pasaribu. Despite coming in as last year's runners-up, Soon Huat-Shevon were unable to repeat their strong showing and went down 21-18, 22-24, 15-21.
Toronto Star
2 hours ago
- Automotive
- Toronto Star
Formula 1: How to watch the Belgian Grand Prix on TV and what to know
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium (AP) — Here's a guide that tells you what you need to know about the Belgian Grand Prix. It's the 13th round of the 2025 Formula 1 season. More from The Star & partners
The Star
3 hours ago
- Business
- The Star
Public Bank says PB Engage mobile app will be inaccessible from August 15 onward
For more information on switching to the new MyPB app, Public Bank customers can visit the bank's website. — CHRISTOPHER FAM/The Star PETALING JAYA: Public Bank has announced that its PB Engage mobile app will cease to function after Aug 15, with customers advised to switch to the new MyPB app to continue accessing mobile banking services. The move to discontinue the older PB Engage app was originally announced back in February of this year. Customers who are not yet on the MyPB app can install it from the Google Play Store, App Store or Huawei AppGallery. They will then be able to login using their existing PBe login credentials, before transferring their SecureSign registration. It is worth noting that they will still need the PB Engage app installed in order to accept the PB SecureSign on the MyPB app. SecureSign will then need to be activated in person at a Public Bank branch or ATM. Upon SecureSign activation in the app, a 12-hour cooling-off period will be in effect, meaning that customers will not be able to approve transactions using the device during that period. For more information on switching to the new MyPB app, Public Bank customers can visit the bank's website.
AsiaOne
4 hours ago
- AsiaOne
Robber drops gun and misfires after failed clinic robbery in JB, Malaysia News
A gunshot was heard after a failed armed robbery attempt in Johor Bahru last Saturday (July 19), according to Malaysian media outlets. It occurred at around 7pm in the Seri Alam area, Malay Mail reported. Initial investigations suggest that the male suspect had entered the clinic and allegedly pointed a pistol at the victims, demanding cash, Seri Alam district police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Sohaimi Ishak said. There were no patients in the clinic at the time, and only the doctor and her family were present, The Star reported on Monday. "During the incident, the suspect fired a single shot outside the premises before fleeing the scene on a motorcycle," ACP Sohaimi said, adding that no injuries to the victims were reported. In security camera footage shared on social media, the purported gunman can be seen taking a tumble off his motorcycle outside the clinic. The weapon then falls out of his hands, reportedly discharging a round, New Straits Times reported. He then scrambles to his feet, cocking his weapon before holstering it, gets on his motorcycle and flees. Police are still looking for the suspect, according to The Star. The case is also being investigated for the use or possession of firearms during a robbery, Harian Metro reported. If found guilty, the suspect may receive the death penalty, life imprisonment or whipping. [[nid:719200]] khooyihang@
The Star
5 hours ago
- Health
- The Star
Children with SCID are born defenceless against infections
As a parent, you'd probably never guess that if your child repeatedly gets an infection, it could be due to a genetic disorder. Even medical practitioners may not be aware of this. Primary immunodeficiencies – now often referred to as inborn errors of immunity (IEI) – are a group of more than 500 rare, inherited conditions where a part of the immune system is missing or severely impaired. These genetic flaws can affect anyone regardless of age, gender or race, leading to an increased susceptibility to infections, autoimmune diseases or other immune problems. The infections may show up in the skin, sinuses, throat, ears, lungs, brain, spinal cord, or in the urinary or intestinal tracts. IEI patients often have repeated infections, infections that won't clear up, or unusually severe infections. They can also present with tumours, severe allergies, multiple enlarged lymph nodes or an enlarged liver. Researchers are discovering more and more IEI, with the most common one being antibody deficiency. Antibodies are proteins that protect you when unwanted substances such as bacteria, viruses and toxins enter your body. 'Some people may have mild IEI, but do not display any symptoms. 'Perhaps those with recurrent episodes of upper respiratory tract infection [URTI] could have it, but they don't know because they have never done a blood test to check if there is a problem with the function of antibodies,' says Hospital Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah (HSAAS) consultant paediatrician and clinical immunologist and allergist Associate Professor Dr Intan Hakimah Ismail. An emergency situation Prof Intan says babies with SCID seldom live past a year old without a bone marrow transplant due to the frequent infections they get. — Photos: GLENN GUAN/The Star Out of all the IEI, severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) is the most critical one. This condition impacts the T cells, as well as the B cells and natural killer cells – all immune cells that originate from the bone marrow and are crucial for fighting off infections. Infants with SCID appear healthy at birth, but are highly vulnerable to severe and potentially fatal infections. Usually, the prognosis is poor, as babies don't live past a year unless they get a bone marrow transplant. Says Assoc Prof Intan: 'We consider SCID as a paediatric emergency, so we have to go all out to get them a transplant as quickly as possible. 'With other IEI, there is time to discuss a transplant, but here, there is no time – they will die. 'The majority of SCID babies will have an infection within the first few weeks of life. 'This can include URTI, pneumonia, diarrhoea, gastroenteritis, fungal infection, oral thrush, pus at the BCG vaccination site, etc.' If the baby has had only one episode of infection, it may be hard for the paediatrician to make the right diagnosis. Only after repeated infections may the doctor suspect something amiss and order further blood tests to check. Possible to cure While breastfeeding is generally beneficial for infants, it can pose risks for babies with SCID due to the potential transmission of cytomegalovirus through breast milk. Treatment for SCID includes intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) replacement therapy, enzyme replacement therapy and gene therapy, but the latter two are not available in Malaysia. ALSO READ: New gene therapy shows promise against 'bubble boy' disease At HSAAS, once a SCID child is diagnosed or referred from other hospitals, they are started on IVIG immediately, along with antibiotics, antifungals and anti-tuberculosis drugs to prevent infection. 'If they have recurrent viral infections, we also start them on antiviral medications – all these are temporary solutions while waiting for a bone marrow transplant for a cure. 'The ideal donors are usually the siblings [without SCID] as they are likely to have a 100% genetic match. 'If not, the parents come next or someone unrelated with a 100% genetic match. 'Thankfully, we can now get the donor's stem cells from the peripheral blood instead of the bone marrow directly, which is a less invasive procedure. 'The child has to be infection-free as much as possible before the transplant, but in some situations, this is not possible, so if the infection is minimal, the transplant can proceed,' explains Assoc Prof Intan. In most instances, only one transplant is required for a cure. Inaccurate numbers Currently, like most rare diseases, there is no national registry for IEI or SCID. Jaasritha is not out of the woods yet and still needs IVIG treatment monthly, but Manonmani is happy that her baby's smile has returned. The prevalence of SCID worldwide is estimated to be one in 50,000 to 100,000 live births. Based on that statistic, Malaysia should have 60-100 cases annually. However, this number might be an underestimate, as some cases may be missed due to death before diagnosis. 'In UPM [Universiti Putra Malaysia], I have my own data in our centre and we are only picking up three to four cases a year. 'Although we are the leading IEI referral centre in the country, not all cases are referred to us. 'Our data from 2012 shows we have more than 1,000 IEI cases, but for SCID alone, it's 44, so we're definitely missing out on the actual numbers,' says Assoc Prof Intan. That's why she is fighting hard to get newborns screened for SCID, She says: 'We had two cases where the first child was born and died within three or four months. 'It was the same story with the second child, and only when the couple had their third child, we diagnosed the infant with SCID. 'The treating doctor didn't think of SCID as a possibility, or maybe he wasn't aware of the disease. 'Sometimes, the child may be too sick to travel to HSAAS, so we ask the hospitals to send us their blood sample first, as we have labs here that can deliver the results within 24 hours.' ALSO READ: Doctors essential in driving access for rare disease treatment 'Blessed child' When Jaasritha Sai was born in 2023, she weighed 2.1kg – a low birth weight – but she was otherwise healthy. A beautiful, smiley baby, she gained weight quickly, but at three months old, started developing flu symptoms and skin issues. 'We thought her rashes were due to the diapers and we changed the brand, but it didn't help. 'And despite her phlegm, she could drink the whole bottle of milk at one go. 'But suddenly, at six months, Jaasritha would become breathless after drinking two ounces, vomit and purge. 'She became considerably weak and we took her to the hospital's emergency department where she was warded after being diagnosed with pneumonia,' recalls her mother Manonmani Suparamany, 42. Upon discharge, the diarrhoea didn't stop and Jaasritha's weight dropped drastically. Manonmani sensed something was wrong and consulted multiple specialists from various hospitals before she was referred to Assoc Prof Intan, who confirmed a SCID diagnosis. That was in November 2023 when Jaasritha was nine months old. The single mother from Klang, Selangor, says: 'I didn't even know there was such a condition where both parents carry the mutated gene – my world came crumbling down. 'She was immediately started on treatment and had to stay in an isolated room for nine months. 'Everyone who came in had to wear PPE [personal protective equipment] and mask up because she caught a major infection three times.' Manonmani's employer agreed to let her go on unpaid leave to look after her sick child. It was tough being confined to a room for so long and when there was no one watching, the anxiety-ridden Manonmani would cry buckets. As Jaasritha has no siblings, her mother was the next best bone marrow donor. (Her father is not involved with the family.) Alas, Manonmani was only a 50% match – not ideal – and was rejected by Hospital Kuala Lumpur, where Jaasritha was on the wait list for a transplant. Because time was crucial to save Jaasritha's life, Assoc Prof Intan pooled her resources and found an opportunity at the Apollo Cancer Specialty Hospital in Chennai, India. They accepted Manonmani as a donor, but the transplant cost was high at RM200,000. She says: 'Still, it was cheaper than the RM1mil quoted in one local private hospital. 'Since I was utilising my employer's insurance, it did not cover overseas medical expenses, so with the help of the non-profit Malaysian Patients Organisation for Primary Immunodeficiencies (Mypopi), we crowdfunded to raise RM300,000 in a week. 'But the final cost came up to RM415,000 as Jaasritha had to do the transplant thrice due to some complications. 'She didn't do well after the first transplant and lost her smile along the way. "She refused to say any words – that frightened me as I didn't know how I would handle losing her.' It was also a painful process for Manonmani, as she had to be in bed for five hours without moving while her stem cells were being extracted. Finally, Jaasritha was given the green light to fly home after five months. 'In total, we spent 14 months in hospital. 'She's still not out of the woods yet and needs IVIG every month at HSAAS until her antibodies stabilise. 'Since her transplant, she has not caught any infections except Covid-19, but she managed to fight it off, which is a good sign. 'I'm still traumatised and don't like to expose her too much, although I take her to the park when it's not crowded,' says Manonmani. More importantly, Jaasritha's smile has returned and she can now walk, climb stairs and baby talk again at 28 months. Assoc Prof Intan concludes: 'Jaasritha is a blessed child and a fighter indeed.'
