Browse publications by year: 1993

  1. Familial Behçet's syndrome with intestinal involvement--case reports and a review of the literature
    Chong VF, Pathmanathan R
    Ann Acad Med Singap, 1993 Sep;22(5):807-10.
    PMID: 8267366
    Behçet's syndrome is a rare multisystem disorder. The occurrence in families although well recognised is uncommon. The mode of inheritance, however, has not been elucidated. Sixty-one cases of familial disease have been documented to date. There was only one previous report on familial Behçet's syndrome with gastrointestinal involvement. This paper reports two cases of Behçet's syndrome with gastrointestinal involvement in a Malaysian woman of Chinese ethnic origin and her child. The mother satisfied three major criteria (oral ulcers, genital ulcers and erythema nodosum) and one minor criterion (gastrointestinal involvement). Her son satisfied two major criteria (oral and genital ulcers) and three minor criteria (intestinal involvement, central nervous manifestation and a positive family history). The radiological and pathological features of the gastrointestinal lesions in both patients resembled those of Crohn's disease. The literature on Behçet's syndrome is reviewed.
    MeSH terms: Adult; Behcet Syndrome/complications; Behcet Syndrome/genetics*; Child, Preschool; Female; Gastrointestinal Diseases/complications; Gastrointestinal Diseases/genetics*; Humans; Male; Radiography
  2. Antiribosomal P protein antibodies in different populations of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
    Teh LS, Lee MK, Wang F, Manivasagar M, Charles PJ, Nicholson GD, et al.
    Br J Rheumatol, 1993 Aug;32(8):663-5.
    PMID: 8348266
    We report a significantly increased prevalence of antiribosomal P protein antibodies in Malaysian Chinese patients (38%) with SLE compared to white Caucasian (13%) and Afro-Caribbean (20%) patients. The increased prevalence was not due to a generalized increase in autoantibody production because anti-dsDNA and anti-SSA antibodies were present in comparable frequencies in the three ethnic groups while anti-Sm and anti-SSB antibodies were rarely found in the Malaysian Chinese patients.
    MeSH terms: Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic/analysis*; Antibodies, Antinuclear/analysis*; Humans; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/blood; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/genetics; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/immunology*; Ribosomal Proteins/immunology*; Protozoan Proteins*; African Continental Ancestry Group*; European Continental Ancestry Group*; Asian Continental Ancestry Group*
  3. Using tracers to link health services to training through evaluation
    Bandaranayake RC, Singh PJ
    Med Educ, 1993 Nov;27(6):509-17.
    PMID: 8208159
    The tracer concept was applied to evaluate the delivery of family health care and the training of family health workers. A retrospective evaluation permitted linking the products of care to process, input and context, by isolating and analysing potential factors contributing to a limited number of representative concerns. Contributory learning deficiencies identified in health workers, one input to health care as well as a product of training, enabled the evaluation of training programmes to be focused on related segments of the courses. The latter were evaluated through a pathway analysis which followed the same deficiency model as the evaluation of health care. Links were thus established between the traditionally compartmentalized training and service sectors in health.
    MeSH terms: Australia; Delivery of Health Care; Family Health*; Health Personnel/education*; Inservice Training; Retrospective Studies
  4. A preliminary report on open tip rhinoplasty at the time of lip repair in unilateral cleft lip and palate: the Alor Setar experience
    Trott JA, Mohan N
    Br J Plast Surg, 1993 Jul;46(5):363-70.
    PMID: 8369872
    A method of open-tip rhinoplasty using nostril and columella rim incisions at the time of unilateral cleft lip repair is described. This preliminary report details experience gained using this technique in the Malaysian centre of Alor Setar following its introduction in September, 1991.
    MeSH terms: Adolescent; Child; Child, Preschool; Cleft Lip/surgery*; Cleft Palate/surgery*; Female; Humans; Infant; Male; Nose/abnormalities*; Rhinoplasty/methods*; Suture Techniques
  5. Characterization of a monoclonal antibody against latex protein associated with latex allergy
    Kurup VP, Kumar A, Kelly KJ, Fink JN
    J Allergy Clin Immunol, 1993 Nov;92(5):638-43.
    PMID: 8227854 DOI: 10.1016/0091-6749(93)90005-z
    Several hybridomas were produced against antigens extracted from the latex sap of Hevea brasiliensis. One of the monoclonal antibodies (LA-E3) reacted with antigens demonstrating binding to patient sera on crossed enzyme immunoelectrophoresis. This monoclonal antibody reacted with 2 of 10 glove extracts studied and with both Malaysian and Indian latex plant extracts. The antigens purified with monoclonal antibody affinity chromatography demonstrated specific IgE in the sera of patients with latex allergy as determined by ELISA. This monoclonal antibody can thus be utilized to obtain reliable antigens useful in the diagnosis of latex sensitivity, although additional antigens will likely be necessary to enhance sensitivity and specificity.
    MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adult; Anaphylaxis/immunology; Animals; Antibodies, Monoclonal/chemistry*; Antibody Specificity; Drug Hypersensitivity/etiology*; Female; Humans; Immunoglobulin E/immunology; Latex/adverse effects*; Male; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Plant Proteins/immunology*; Mice
  6. The rubber elongation factor of rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis) is the major allergen in latex
    Czuppon AB, Chen Z, Rennert S, Engelke T, Meyer HE, Heber M, et al.
    J Allergy Clin Immunol, 1993 Nov;92(5):690-7.
    PMID: 8227860
    BACKGROUND: Allergy to latex-containing articles is becoming more and more important because it can result in unexpected life-threatening anaphylactic reactions in sensitized individuals.

    METHODS: A protein of 58 kd with an isoelectric point of 8.45 was purified from raw latex and from latex gloves and identified as the major allergen, completely blocking specific IgE antibodies in the serum of latex-sensitized subjects. The allergen is a noncovalent homotetramer molecule, in which the 14.6 kd monomer was identified, by amino acid composition and sequence homologies of tryptic peptides, to be the rubber elongation factor found in natural latex of the Malaysian rubber tree.

    RESULTS: Competitive immunoinhibition tests showed that the starch powder covering the finished gloves is the airborne carrier of the allergen, resulting in bronchial asthma on inhalation. The purified allergen can induce allergic reactions in the nanogram range.

    CONCLUSION: The identification of the allergen (Hev b I) may help to eliminate it during the production of latex-based articles in the future.

    MeSH terms: Allergens/analysis; Allergens/immunology*; Amino Acid Sequence; Blood Proteins/analysis; Chromatography, Ion Exchange; Drug Hypersensitivity/etiology; Drug Hypersensitivity/immunology*; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Humans; Latex/adverse effects*; Molecular Sequence Data; Plant Proteins*; Proteins/immunology*; Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate; Antigens, Plant
  7. The inophyllums, novel inhibitors of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase isolated from the Malaysian tree, Calophyllum inophyllum Linn
    Patil AD, Freyer AJ, Eggleston DS, Haltiwanger RC, Bean MF, Taylor PB, et al.
    J Med Chem, 1993 Dec 24;36(26):4131-8.
    PMID: 7506311
    As part of a search for novel inhibitors of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, the acetone extract of the giant African snail, Achatina fulica, was shown to be active. Fractionation of the extract yielded inophyllums A, B, C, and E and calophyllolide (1a, 2a, 3a, 3b, and 6), previously isolated from Calophyllum inophyllum Linn., a known source of nutrition for A. fulica. From a methanol/methylene chloride extract of C. inophyllum, the same natural products in considerably greater yield were isolated in addition to a novel enantiomer of soulattrolide (4), inophyllum P (2b), and two other novel compounds, inophyllums G-1 (7) and G-2 (8). The absolute stereochemistry of inophyllum A (1a) was determined to be 10(R), 11(S), 12(S) from a single-crystal X-ray analysis of its 4-bromobenzoate derivative, and the relative stereochemistries of the other inophyllums isolated from C. inophyllum were established by a comparison of their 1H NMR NOE values and coupling constants to those of inophyllum A (1a). Inophyllums B and P (2a and 2b) inhibited HIV reverse transcriptase with IC50 values of 38 and 130 nM, respectively, and both were active against HIV-1 in cell culture (IC50 of 1.4 and 1.6 microM). Closely related inophyllums A, C, D, and E, including calophyllic acids, were significantly less active or totally inactive, indicating certain structural requirements in the chromanol ring. Altogether, 11 compounds of the inophyllum class were isolated from C. inophyllum and are described together with the SAR of these novel anti-HIV compounds.
    MeSH terms: Acetylation; Animals; Chromans/isolation & purification*; Chromans/pharmacology; Chromans/chemistry; Crystallization; Molecular Conformation; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Snails/chemistry; Structure-Activity Relationship; Trees*; Molecular Structure; Crystallography, X-Ray; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors*; HIV Reverse Transcriptase
  8. Psychiatric morbidity in the first-degree relatives of schizophrenic patients
    Varma SL, Sharma I
    Br J Psychiatry, 1993 May;162:672-8.
    PMID: 8149120
    First-degree relatives (FDRs) of 162 schizophrenic and 106 control probands were investigated [corrected]. Psychiatric morbidity was present in 34.8% of FDRs of schizophrenic probands and in 9.2% of FDRs of controls. There was significantly more psychiatric illness in the siblings and parents than in the offspring of both schizophrenic and control subjects. The morbidity risks for schizoid-schizotypal personality disorders, cannabis-use disorder and paranoid personality disorder were significantly higher in the FDRs of schizophrenic patients than in those of controls, suggesting a biological relationship.
    MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adult; Cannabis; Heroin; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Schizophrenia/complications; Schizophrenia/diagnosis; Schizophrenia/genetics*; Schizophrenic Psychology*; Sex Factors; Prevalence; Substance-Related Disorders/complications; Substance-Related Disorders/psychology
  9. Bacteriological Safety of a Fermented Weaning Food Containing L-lactate and Nisin
    Yusof RM, Morgan JB, Adams MR
    J Food Prot, 1993 May;56(5):414-417.
    PMID: 31084147 DOI: 10.4315/0362-028X-56.5.414
    Using a rice-based model weaning food, the effect of Lactococcus lactis on the growth and survival of a range of enteric pathogens has been investigated. The starter organism used produces the bacteriocin nisin and the physiological L-lactate isomer, thus avoiding the risk of D-lactate acidosis when consumed by infants. L. lactis was a less effective antagonist than stronger acid producers such as the DL lactate producer, Lactobacillus plantarum , and only produced a potentially useful inhibition of pathogens when present in a large numerical superiority (>105:1). Prefermentation of the weaning food with L. lactis for 24 h produced a product with a pH of 3.7-3.8 containing ≈ 0.25% lactate (>96% L-lactate). The prefermented product was bactericidal for pathogens introduced subsequently. Despite the production of 100-150 international units nisin per g during fermentation, the inhibition of pathogens could be ascribed to acid production alone.
  10. Extracellular calcium modulates insulin's action on enzymes controlling cyclic AMP metabolism in intact hepatocytes
    Irvine F, Wallace AV, Sarawak SR, Houslay MD
    Biochem. J., 1993 Jul 01;293 ( Pt 1):249-53.
    PMID: 8392336
    Absence of physiological concentrations of extracellular Ca2+ in the Krebs-Henseleit incubation buffer did not affect the ability of 10 nM glucagon (< 5%) to increase hepatocyte intracellular cyclic AMP concentrations, but severely ablated (by approximately 70%) the ability of 10 nM insulin to decrease these elevated concentrations. Cyclic AMP metabolism is determined by production by adenylate cyclase and degradation by cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase (PDE). In the absence of added extracellular Ca2+ (2.5 mM), insulin's ability to activate PDE activity was selectively compromised, showing a failure of insulin to activate two of the three insulin-stimulated activities, namely the 'dense-vesicle' and peripheral plasma-membrane (PPM) PDEs. In the absence of added Ca2+, insulin's ability to inhibit adenylate cyclase activity in intact hepatocytes was decreased dramatically. Vasopressin and adrenaline (+ propranolol) failed to elicit the activation of either the 'dense-vesicle' or the PPM-PDEs. The presence of physiological concentrations of extracellular Ca2+ in the incubation medium is shown to be important for the appropriate generation of insulin's actions on cyclic AMP metabolism.
    MeSH terms: Cyclic AMP/metabolism*; Adenylyl Cyclases/metabolism; Animals; Calcium/physiology*; Glucagon/pharmacology*; Insulin/pharmacology*; Liver/cytology; Liver/drug effects; Liver/metabolism*; Male; 3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases/metabolism; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Rats; In Vitro Techniques
  11. Trends in diagnosis of tuberculosis
    Soshila R
    Family Physician, 1993;5:14-17.
    MeSH terms: Diagnosis; Malaysia; Tuberculosis
  12. Management problems of insomnia in primary care
    Sidek Nontak MA, Hamzah N, Salleh MO
    Family Physician, 1993;5:28-34.
    There is increasing evidence that insomnia is a common complaint. Furthermore, physicians tend to institute treatment without adequate assessment of the patients with insomnia. For the purpose of management, cases are presented on the basis of classification. A survey of doctor's knowledge and practice in the primary care department is discussed. Management principles and problems are outlined.
    MeSH terms: Ambulatory Care Facilities; Cross-Sectional Studies; Humans; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Malaysia; Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; Primary Health Care; Physicians, Primary Care
  13. Overview of HIV infection: A focus on Malaysia
    Rokiah I
    Family Physician, 1993;5:5-13.
    MeSH terms: Malaysia; HIV Infections
  14. Management of HIV infection
    Rokiah I
    Family Physician, 1993;5:14-22.
    MeSH terms: HIV Infections
  15. Cervical dysplasia - A follow-up study of 118 cases by cytologic smears
    Pillay B, Gregory ARA, Subbiah M, Yap SK
    Family Physician, 1993;5:34-36.
    118 cases of cervical dysplasia were followed up by cytological smears for over 9 years to determine their biologic outcome. All grades of dysplasia showed evidence of regression and progression to more severe lesions, including carcinoma. Severe dysplasia however did not regress to normalcy and had the maximum conversion rates to malignancy. The period taken for transition to malignancy was found to be shorter than that generally described. Since even mild dysplasia carries with it a malignant potential, all patients with cervical dysplasia, irrespective of the grade, have to be followed up by repeated clinical and cytological examinations.
    MeSH terms: Carcinoma; Follow-Up Studies; Head; Malaysia
  16. Fulltext Malnutrition among children in a traditional village, vegetable farm and urban flats dwellers. [Malpemakanan di kalangan kanak-kanak perkampongan tradisional kebun sayur dan rumah pangsa di bandar.]
    Osman A, Johari M, Abalos M, Banjong O, Dheerasawad C, Sanchez I, et al.
    Family Physician, 1993;5(2):26-30.
    Analysis of the nutritional status and its related factors of three different geographic areas was conducted. The areas were Kampong Sungai Gulang-Gulang, a traditional village in Kuala Selangor, vegetable farming area in Kuala Terla, Cameron Highland and housing flats in Kuala Lumpur. Assessment of nutritional status was done using anthropometric, clinical, biochemical, dietary and stool examination. The results show that 13% of the children in traditional village were stunted, 8% were wasted and 17% were underweight. In vegetable farming area the prevalence were 16.5%, 10.2% and 20.2% respectively. The prevalence of anaemia among toddler was 81.0% in traditional village, 77.2% in vegetable farming area and 55.3% in urban flats. Anaemia in the three areas was strongly associated with inadequate intake of iron.
    MeSH terms: Anemia; Child; Humans; Malaysia; Nutritional Status; Prevalence; Malnutrition
  17. HIV testing and counselling
    Md Shajahan MY, Yen BYW
    Family Physician, 1993;5:23-27.
    MeSH terms: HIV; HIV Infections
  18. Questions commonly asked about asthma
    Md Shajahan MY, Liam CK
    Family Physician, 1993;5:16-21.
    MeSH terms: Asthma; Malaysia; Primary Health Care
  19. Editorial [FPv5n1]
    Md Shajahan MY
    Family Physician, 1993;5:3-3.
    MeSH terms: Editorial
  20. Editorial. Tuberculosis
    Md Shajahan MY
    Family Physician, 1993;5:3-3.
    MeSH terms: Tuberculosis; Editorial
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