Browse publications by year: 2001

Fulltext The natural history of scoliosis: curve progression of untreated curves of different aetiology, with early (mean 2 year) follow up in surgically treated curves

Chuah SL, Kareem BA, Selvakumar K, Oh KS, Borhan Tan A, Harwant S

Med J Malaysia, 2001 Jun;56 Suppl C:37-40.
PMID: 11814247

We studied the curve progression of untreated curves presenting to the Scoliosis Service of Hospital Kuala Lumpur. One hundred and fifty-two (152) patients were included in this study. The median rate of curve progression of idiopathic scoliosis curves was 7.03 degrees per year, for neuromuscular scoliosis curves was 17.39 degrees per year; and congenital scoliosis curves were 3.67 degrees per year. These rates are similar to the reported rates in the literature. Data for sixty-one (61) surgically treated patients were reviewed to determine the early curve correction of the curves of different aetiology. The mean age of surgery was 14.15 years old, the mean preoperative curve size was 71.61 degrees; and the mean postoperative curve size was 43.78 degrees. The mean duration of follow up after surgery was 2.44 years. The revision and removal of instrumentation rate was 8.3%.

MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adult; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Malaysia; Male; Scoliosis/physiopathology*; Scoliosis/radiography; Scoliosis/surgery*; Spine/physiopathology; Spine/radiography; Spine/surgery; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome
Fulltext Dynamic measurement of axial vertebral rotation and rotational flexibility in scoliosis by flouroscopic method

Lim HH, Ong CH

Med J Malaysia, 2001 Jun;56 Suppl C:41-5.
PMID: 11814248

The Pedriolle torsion meter is an established method of vertebral rotation assessment in scoliosis. However, the assessment of scoliosis by this method is static and indirect. The objective of this study is to compare the accuracy of a direct method of assessing scoliosis rotation by fluoroscopy compared to the Pedriolle torsion meter. Secondly, to determine that vertebral body rotation changes with supine posture compared to erect position. Eight volunteers with idiopathic scoliosis were assessed for the apical vertebral rotation with this method and the Pedriolle torsion meter. These patients were also assessed in the supine and erect position with the fluoroscopic method to determine if the apical vertebral rotation would change with posture. The mean Cobb angle of the curves was 62.8 degrees (range 45 degrees to 86 degrees). The mean apical vertebral rotation in a standing position was assessed to be 21.5 degrees by Pedriolle torsion meter and 29 degrees by the fluoroscopic method. This difference was not statistically significant by the student t-test. In most patient, the rotation of vertebrae improved by a varying degree ranging from none to 24 degrees in the supine position. In conclusion, the fluoroscopic method is an alternate mean of measuring vertebrae rotation in idiopathic scoliosis, with comparable accuracy to the Pedriolle torsion meter method. The amount of vertebral rotation changes with posture of the patient.

MeSH terms: Adolescent; Child; Female; Fluoroscopy; Hospitals, University; Humans; Malaysia; Posture/physiology; Rotation*; Scoliosis/physiopathology*; Scoliosis/radiography*; Spine/physiopathology*; Spine/radiography*; Torsion Abnormality/physiopathology; Torsion Abnormality/radiography; Reproducibility of Results; Clinical Trial; Pliability
Fulltext Predictive factors in the evolution of neural deficit in tuberculosis of the spine

Tan SC, Harwant S, Selvakumar K, Kareem BA

Med J Malaysia, 2001 Jun;56 Suppl C:46-51.
PMID: 11814249 MyJurnal

This study was conducted to determine the factors involved in predicting the onset of paraplegia in tuberculosis of the spine. A cross-sectional, case control review of 85 cases of spinal tuberculosis was conducted at the National Tuberculosis Centre in Kuala Lumpur. Sixty-nine of these cases were normal neurologically, whilst 16 cases experienced neural deficit. The data was analysed using backward logistic regression and Fishers exact probability test. The factors studied included symptoms and signs of spinal tuberculosis, common investigations for tuberculosis, and physical factors of the disease. Only the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) showed a significant difference between the neural deficit and neurologically normal groups. This suggests that the ESR may be a factor in predicting evolution of paraplegia in spinal tuberculosis. In addition, it was noted that a low proportion of patients had positive sputum smear results and bacterial culture growth for mycobacterium tuberculosis suggesting these tests are of limited value for tuberculosis of the spine.

MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Child; Child, Preschool; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Infant; Male; Middle Aged; Paraplegia/etiology*; Predictive Value of Tests; Risk Factors; Tuberculosis, Spinal/complications*; Case-Control Studies
Fulltext Pattern of primary musculoskeletal sarcomas referred to Institute of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, 1995-1999

Tan LL, Ahmad K, Kareem BA, Harwant S

Med J Malaysia, 2001 Jun;56 Suppl C:52-6.
PMID: 11814250 MyJurnal

An epidemiological study of 101 consecutive musculoskeletal sarcomas seen at the Institute of Radiotherapy and Oncology between 1995 and 1999 inclusive was carried out. The commonest sarcomas seen were osteosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, Ewing's Sarcoma, liposarcoma, leimyosarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma and chondrosarcoma; which collectively accounted for 84.2% of the group. Thirty patients (29.7%) presented with metastases. The commonest site of occurrence was lower extremity with 47.5%, followed by 34.7% in the trunk and peritoneum/axial skeleton, 9.9% in the head and neck region; and 7.90 in the upper extremity. We found no apparent relationship between race and incidence osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma, as was reported by previous workers.

MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adult; Bone Neoplasms/epidemiology*; Bone Neoplasms/radiotherapy*; Child; Female; Humans; Malaysia/epidemiology; Male; Middle Aged; Referral and Consultation/statistics & numerical data*; Sarcoma/epidemiology*; Sarcoma/radiotherapy*; Oncology Service, Hospital/statistics & numerical data*; Muscle Neoplasms/epidemiology*; Muscle Neoplasms/radiotherapy*
Fulltext Risk factors for infection in total hip replacement surgery at Hospital Kuala Lumpur

Yong KS, Kareem BA, Ruslan GN, Harwant S

Med J Malaysia, 2001 Jun;56 Suppl C:57-60.
PMID: 11814251 MyJurnal

Sixty-seven primary THR surgeries in 57 patients between January 1992 and December 1998 were reviewed after a mean follow-up of 35.9 months. The rate of superficial and deep wound infections were 11.9% and 1.5% respectively. The most common organism in superficial wound infection was Staphylococcus aureus. The factors that were significantly associated with superficial wound infection were diabetes mellitus (p= 0.0230) obesity (p=0.0088). The patients who developed superficial wound infection have a significantly longer duration of surgery compared to patients without infection (p=0.014). However, there was no significant difference between the mean age among patients with and without superficial wound infection (p=0.814).

MeSH terms: Adult; Female; Hip Joint/surgery; Hospitals/statistics & numerical data*; Humans; Joint Diseases/surgery*; Malaysia/epidemiology; Male; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Surgical Wound Infection/etiology*; Surgical Wound Infection/epidemiology*; Case-Control Studies; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip/adverse effects*; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip/statistics & numerical data*
Fulltext Intercostal nerve neurotization of the femoral nerve in patients with paraplegia--an anatomical feasibility study

Lim HH, Baskaran

Med J Malaysia, 2001 Jun;56 Suppl C:61-5.
PMID: 11814252

Neurotization of the brachial plexus is an established procedure in the upper limb. However, neurotization of the lower limb remains experimental. Brunelli reported the use of the ulnar nerve to neurotize the lower limb. Zhao et al reported the use of intercostals nerve to neurotize the lower limb in rats. The aim of the study was to determine the feasibility of using intercostals nerve to neurotize the femoral nerve in human cadavers and to ascertain the ideal intercostals nerve that has the anatomical course that suit this role. Six fresh cadaveric dissection were performed through an extensile midline incision in the postmortem room and the lower six (T7-T12) were identified and traced from their origin. Their length and course identified and charted. T9 and T10 intercostal nerve was thought to be the most suitable nerve as the donor nerve, and the T11 and T12 intercostal nerve could not be free from its intra-muscular course sufficiently to be use as donor.

MeSH terms: Feasibility Studies; Female; Femoral Nerve/pathology*; Femoral Nerve/surgery*; Humans; Intercostal Nerves/pathology; Intercostal Nerves/surgery; Male; Middle Aged; Paraplegia/pathology*; Paraplegia/surgery*; Nerve Transfer*
Fulltext Compartment syndrome of the calf and foot following a displaced Salter-Harris type II fracture of the distal tibia: a review of the literature and a case report

Yeap JS, Fazir M, Ezlan S, Kareem BA, Harwant S

Med J Malaysia, 2001 Jun;56 Suppl C:66-9.
PMID: 11814253

A 14 year-old boy with an epiphyseal fracture of the distal right tibia and fibula developed compartment syndrome of the calf and foot. The diagnosis of compartment syndrome was delayed and a fasciotomy resulted in uncontrolled infection, which ultimately resulted in an above knee amputation. Constant vigilance is necessary in uncooperative or non-complaining patients to detect the signs and symptoms of compartment syndrome, even where the injury is not often associated with this complication. The difficulties in management, following a fasciotomy for delayed diagnosis of compartment syndrome, are discussed.

MeSH terms: Adolescent; Compartment Syndromes/etiology*; Foot Diseases/microbiology; Foot Diseases/surgery*; Humans; Leg/microbiology; Leg/surgery*; Male; Tibial Fractures/complications*
Fulltext Compartment syndrome of the foot in a child

Sharma AK, Sharaf I, Ajay S

Med J Malaysia, 2001 Jun;56 Suppl C:70-2.
PMID: 11814254

We report a case of a 12-year-old boy with acute compartment syndrome of the foot following a road-traffic accident. Due to the rarity of the injury, there was a delay in diagnosing the injury. An emergency fasciotomy was performed 19 hours after the injury. The foot healed with a mild extension contracture of the second toe.

MeSH terms: Child; Compartment Syndromes/pathology*; Compartment Syndromes/radiography*; Compartment Syndromes/surgery; Foot Diseases/pathology*; Foot Diseases/radiography*; Foot Diseases/surgery; Humans; Male
Fulltext Late reconstruction of the patellar tendon

Pan KL, Masbah O, Razak M

Med J Malaysia, 2001 Jun;56 Suppl C:73-5.
PMID: 11814255

A case of late reconstruction of the patellar tendon is reported. Besides partial loss of the tendon, the patient also had loss of the distal third of the patella. A rolled strip of fascia lata was used to reconstruct the tendon with tunnels through the patella. At the tenth month of follow-up, the result was deemed successful.

MeSH terms: Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Patella/injuries*; Patella/radiography; Patella/surgery*; Tendon Injuries/radiography; Tendon Injuries/surgery*; Time Factors; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures*; Fractures, Bone/radiography; Fractures, Bone/surgery*
Fulltext Delayed decompression of chronic C1C2 subluxation in a pediatric patient with tetraplegia--is recovery possible?

Razif M, Lim HH

Med J Malaysia, 2001 Jun;56 Suppl C:76-9.
PMID: 11814256

A 2 year-old Malay girl was admitted to our institution with a chesty cough and breathlessness but later found to have a chronic C1/C2 subluxation for one and half year with tetraplegia. Her cervical cord was decompressed and occipito-cervical fusion performed. Her neurological status improved significantly post-operatively and is able to care for her personal hygiene. The authors believe that the ability of the cervical cord to recover in the paediatric age group is remarkable that surgical option should be considered even when all seen lost. We believe that this is the first report in the literature to support this potential.

MeSH terms: Cervical Vertebrae/injuries*; Cervical Vertebrae/radiography; Cervical Vertebrae/surgery*; Child, Preschool; Dislocations/radiography; Dislocations/surgery*; Female; Humans; Quadriplegia/radiography; Quadriplegia/surgery*; Time Factors; Decompression, Surgical*; Recovery of Function*
Fulltext Plate osteosynthesis of the humerus shaft fracture an its association with radial nerve injury--a retrospective study in Melaka General Hospital

Lim KE, Yap CK, Ong SC, Aminuddin

Med J Malaysia, 2001 Jun;56 Suppl C:8-12.
PMID: 11814257

Over a seven-year period, 170 cases of humerus fractures were plated in Hospital Melaka. Of these, 131 cases were successfully traced for this study. Besides looking at fracture epidemiology, its relationship with radial nerve injury was examined. The incidence of post-traumatic wrist drop in closed and compound fractures were 14.9% and 35.3% respectively. In relation to the site of fracture, lower third fracture had the highest incidence of wrist drop (29%). The recovery from post-traumatic wrist drop was 83%. The average duration taken for recovery was 11.8 weeks. The incidence of post-operative wrist drop was high at 17.6% but all recovered during follow-up.

MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Fracture Fixation, Internal/adverse effects*; Fracture Fixation, Internal/statistics & numerical data; Hospitals, General/statistics & numerical data*; Humans; Humeral Fractures/complications*; Humeral Fractures/epidemiology; Humeral Fractures/surgery*; Infant; Malaysia/epidemiology; Male; Middle Aged; Radial Nerve/injuries*; Retrospective Studies
Fulltext Neurological deficit after surgery for spinal deformity--the value of normal intra operative wake-up tests in large sagitta curves. A report of two cases from an institution

Harwant S

Med J Malaysia, 2001 Jun;56 Suppl C:80-5.
PMID: 11814258

Neurological deficit after surgery for spinal deformity is a rare but devastating complication. Factors that have been associated with a post surgical deficit are congenital curves, large curves, kyphotic deformities, anterior and posterior surgery, ligation of multiple anterior vessels and hypotension; controlled or otherwise. Intra operative wake up tests have been used alone or in combination with spinal cord monitoring: to detect evolving neurological deficit in spinal deformity surgery. Despite these checks, major neurological deficits still occur post surgery. This is a report of two cases with normal intra operative wake up tests, but developed neurological deficit twelve hours after the end of surgery.

MeSH terms: Adolescent; Diagnostic Techniques, Neurological*; Female; Humans; Intraoperative Care*; Male; Nervous System Diseases/etiology*; Nervous System Diseases/radiography; Spine/abnormalities*; Spine/radiography; Spine/surgery*; Neurosurgical Procedures/adverse effects*
Fulltext Ewing's sarcoma of the talus in a four-year-old child

Rasit AH, Sharaf I, Rahman HA

Med J Malaysia, 2001 Jun;56 Suppl C:86-8.
PMID: 11814259

Ewing's sarcoma is a rare malignant tumor of the foot in children. We report a case of Ewing's sarcoma of the talus in a four-year-old Chinese girl to highlight the initial difficulty in diagnosis and the clinical course of the disease. She was initially diagnosed as osteomyelitis of the talus and died eight months after presentation with pleural and spinal metastases. To the best of our knowledge, Ewing's sarcoma of the talus in a young child has never been reported in Malaysia.

MeSH terms: Bone Neoplasms/pathology*; Bone Neoplasms/radiography*; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Sarcoma, Ewing/pathology*; Sarcoma, Ewing/radiography*; Talus/pathology*; Talus/radiography*; Fatal Outcome
Fulltext Peroneal nerve palsy secondary to proximal fibular osteochondroma--a case report

Hazmy W

Med J Malaysia, 2001 Jun;56 Suppl C:89-90.
PMID: 11814260

The author reports a case of a 11-year old child presented with peroneal nerve entrapment secondary to proximal fibular osteochondroma, with complete recovery of function following the excision of the tumor.

MeSH terms: Bone Neoplasms/complications*; Bone Neoplasms/radiography; Bone Neoplasms/surgery*; Child; Female; Fibula/radiography; Fibula/surgery*; Humans; Osteochondroma/complications*; Osteochondroma/radiography; Osteochondroma/surgery*; Recovery of Function; Peroneal Neuropathies/etiology*; Peroneal Neuropathies/radiography; Peroneal Neuropathies/surgery*
Histoplasmosis presenting with progressively worsening backache--a case report

Lachmanan SR, Haniza O, Hisham AN, Subramaniam J, Merican I

Ann Acad Med Singap, 2001 Nov;30(6):656-8.
PMID: 11817299

INTRODUCTION: Bilateral adrenal enlargement is often the result of disseminated malignant disease, and this diagnosis is particularly likely in a patient with severe weight loss. We describe a case with bilateral adrenal enlargement presenting with progressively worsening backache as a prominent symptom.
CLINICAL PICTURE: A 55-year-old man presented with intermittent low back pain which was progressively worsening, fever, anorexia, low back pain and a 10-kg weight loss. He had underlying diabetes mellitus and ischaemic heart disease. He gave a history of travel to caves for worship. Clinically, the most significant findings included nodular lesions in the anterior fauces and left palatoglossal region. Computed tomographic scan revealed bilateral adrenal masses. Biopsies were taken from the palatal nodules, which revealed histiocytes with numerous histoplasma organisms.
TREATMENT: He was commenced on itraconazole 200 mg daily for a period of 9 months. There was a dramatic initial response with settling of his fever and this was followed by subjective improvement in his well-being.
OUTCOME: He is presently on follow-up and has completed 9 months of itraconazole therapy with resolution of all his symptoms and has gained about 10 kg of weight.

MeSH terms: Antifungal Agents/therapeutic use; Histoplasmosis/complications*; Histoplasmosis/diagnosis; Histoplasmosis/drug therapy; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Low Back Pain/etiology*; Itraconazole/therapeutic use
South China Sea

Morton B, Blackmore G

Mar Pollut Bull, 2001 Dec;42(12):1236-63.
PMID: 11827109

The South China Sea is poorly understood in terms of its marine biota, ecology and the human impacts upon it. What is known is most often contained in reports and workshop and conference documents that are not available to the wider scientific community. The South China Sea has an area of some 3.3 million km2 and depths range from the shallowest coastal fringe to 5377 m in the Manila Trench. It is also studded with numerous islets, atolls and reefs many of which are just awash at low tide. It is largely confined within the Tropic of Cancer and, therefore, experiences a monsoonal climate being influenced by the Southwest Monsoon in summer and the Northeast Monsoon in winter. The South China Sea is a marginal sea and, therefore, largely surrounded by land. Countries that have a major influence on and claims to the sea include China, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, although Thailand, Indonesia and Taiwan have some too. The coastal fringes of the South China Sea are home to about 270 million people that have had some of the fastest developing and most vibrant economies on the globe. Consequently, anthropogenic impacts, such as over-exploitation of resources and pollution, are anticipated to be huge although, in reality, relatively little is known about them. The Indo-West Pacific biogeographic province, at the centre of which the South China Sea lies, is probably the world's most diverse shallow-water marine area. Of three major nearshore habitat types, i.e., coral reefs, mangroves and seagrasses, 45 mangrove species out of a global total of 51, most of the currently recognised 70 coral genera and 20 of 50 known seagrass species have been recorded from the South China Sea. The island groups of the South China Sea are all disputed and sovereignty is claimed over them by a number of countries. Conflicts have in recent decades arisen over them because of perceived national rights. It is perhaps because of this that so little research has been undertaken on the South China Sea. What data are available, however, and if Hong Kong is used, as it is herein, as an indicator of what the perturbations of other regional cities upon the South China Sea are like, then it is impacted grossly and an ecological disaster has probably already, but unknowingly, happened.

MeSH terms: Animals; Cnidaria; Conservation of Natural Resources*; Fisheries/methods; Humans; Oceans and Seas; Seasons; Water Pollutants/adverse effects*; Ecosystem
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) and hopanes in stranded tar-balls on the coasts of Peninsular Malaysia: applications of biomarkers for identifying sources of oil pollution

Zakaria MP, Okuda T, Takada H

Mar Pollut Bull, 2001 Dec;42(12):1357-66.
PMID: 11827123

Malaysian coasts are subjected to various threats of petroleum pollution including routine and accidental oil spill from tankers, spillage of crude oils from inland and off-shore oil fields, and run-off from land-based human activities. Due to its strategic location, the Straits of Malacca serves as a major shipping lane. This paper expands the utility of biomarker compounds, hopanes, in identifying the source of tar-balls stranded on Malaysian coasts. 20 tar-ball samples collected from the east and west coast were analyzed for hopanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Four of the 13 tar-ball samples collected from the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia were identified as the Middle East crude oil (MECO) based on their biomarker signatures, suggesting tanker-derived sources significantly contributing the petroleum pollution in the Straits of Malacca. The tar-balls found on the east coast seem to originate from the offshore oil platforms in the South China Sea. The presence of South East Asian crude oil (SEACO) tar-balls on the west coast carry several plausible explanations. Some of the tar-balls could have been transported via sea currents from the east coast. The tankers carrying SEACO to other countries could have accidentally spilt the oil as well. Furthermore, discharge of tank washings and ballast water from the tankers were suggested based on the abundance in higher molecular weight n-alkanes and the absence of unresolved complex mixture (UCM) in the tar-ball samples. The other possibilities are that the tar-balls may have been originated from the Sumatran oil fields and spillage of domestic oil from oil refineries in Port Dickson and Malacca. The results of PAHs analysis suggest that all the tar-ball samples have undergone various extent of weathering through evaporation, dissolution and photooxidation.

MeSH terms: Environmental Monitoring; Malaysia; Petroleum/analysis; Polycyclic Hydrocarbons, Aromatic/analysis*; Polycyclic Hydrocarbons, Aromatic/classification; Ships; Triterpenes/analysis*; Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis*; Water Pollutants, Chemical/classification; Biomarkers/analysis
Effect of transforming growth factor-beta1, insulin-like growth factor-I and insulin-like growth factor-II on cell growth and oestrogen metabolism in human breast cancer cell lines

Wong SF, Reimann K, Lai LC

Pathology, 2001 Nov;33(4):454-9.
PMID: 11827412

Oestrogens play an important role in the development of breast cancer. Oestrone sulphate (E1S) acts as a huge reservoir of oestrogens in the breast and is converted to oestrone (E1) by oestrone sulphatase (E1STS). E1 is then reversibly converted to the potent oestrogen, oestradiol (E2) by oestradiol-17beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (E2DH). The aim of this study was to assess the effects of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGFbeta1), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) on cell growth, E1STS and E2DH activities in the MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines. TGFbeta1, IGF-I and IGF-II alone or in combination inhibited cell growth of both cell lines but no additive or synergistic effects were observed. The treatments significantly stimulated E1STS activity in the MCF-7 cell line, except for TGFbeta1 alone and TGFbeta1 and IGF-I in combination, where no effects were seen. Only TGFbeta1 and IGF-II acted synergistically to stimulate E1STS activity in the MCF-7 cells. There was no significant effect on E1STS activity in the MDA-MB-231 cells with any of the treatments. In the MCF-7 cells, TGFbeta1 and IGF-I, IGF-I and IGF-II, and TGFbeta1, IGF-I and IGF-II acted synergistically to stimulate the reductive E2DH activity, while only TGFbeta1, IGF-I and IGF-II synergistically stimulated the oxidative E2DH activity. There were no additive or synergistic effects on both oxidative and reductive E2DH activities in the MDA-MB-231 cells. In conclusion, TGFbeta1, IGF-I and IGF-II may have effects on oestrogen metabolism, especially in the MCF-7 cell line where they stimulated the conversion of E1S to E1 and E1 to E2 and, thus, may have roles to play in the development of breast cancer.

MeSH terms: Breast Neoplasms/enzymology; Breast Neoplasms/pathology; Cell Count; Cell Division/drug effects; Drug Combinations; Drug Synergism; Estradiol Dehydrogenases/metabolism; Estrogens/metabolism*; Female; Humans; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I/pharmacology*; Insulin-Like Growth Factor II/pharmacology*; Sulfatases/metabolism; Tumor Cells, Cultured/drug effects*; Tumor Cells, Cultured/enzymology; Tumor Cells, Cultured/pathology; Transforming Growth Factor beta/pharmacology*; Transforming Growth Factor beta1
Current status of imported parasitic infection among foreign workers in northern Taiwan (1999-2000)

Fan PC, Chung WC, Chen ER

Kaohsiung J. Med. Sci., 2001 Oct;17(10):503-8.
PMID: 11831113 DOI: 10.6452/KJMS.200110.0503

In the present study, a simple, economic and practical technique was employed for stool examination. Of a total of 6,146 fecal samples from foreign workers in Northern Taiwan between 1999 and 2000 were examined, 615 were found to be positive for parasitic infection and the overall infection rate was 10%. Newly arriving foreign workers had a significantly higher infection rate (15%) than those who had worked in Taiwan for 6-12 months (8%). The foreign workers came from Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Except for the small number of workers from Malaysia which was not included, the infection rate order by nationality was Vietnamese (21%) > Indonesian (13%) > Philippino (10%) > Thai (4%). The female examined workers were about 3-fold of males and their infection rate (11%) was also significantly higher than the males (5%). The order of rates by age was 20-30 years (11%) > 31-40 years (8%) > 41-50 years (5%). According to the species of parasites, 569 foreign workers were infected with 1 species (9%) > with 2 species (0.7%) > with 3 species (0.1%). Totally, 14 species (10 helminths including 1 plant nematode, Heterodera and 4 protozoa; hookworm might include 2 or 3 species, but counted as one species here) were found, of which 10 species were pathogenic (9 helminths and 1 protozoa) and 4 non-pathogenic. Foreign workers from Indonesia harbored 12 species of parasites > from the Philippines, 9 species > from Thailand, 8 species > from Vietnam, 7 species.

MeSH terms: Adult; Age Factors; Emigration and Immigration*; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Parasitic Diseases/epidemiology*; Sex Factors; Taiwan/epidemiology; Time Factors; Incidence
Minor methylated pyranoamentoflavones from Calophyllum venulosum

Cao SG, Sim KY, Goh SH

Nat Prod Lett, 2001;15(5):291-7.
PMID: 11841112

Two new biflavonoids, pyranoamentoflavone 7-methyl ether (1) and pyranoamentoflavone 4'-methyl ether (2), have been isolated from the leaves of Calophyllum venulosum. The structures of these two new compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic data.

MeSH terms: Chemistry, Physical; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Flavonoids/isolation & purification*; Flavonoids/chemistry; Malaysia; Plants, Medicinal/chemistry*; Spectrophotometry, Infrared; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; Molecular Structure; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Plant Leaves/chemistry; Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; Calophyllum/chemistry*; Physicochemical Phenomena

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