Forty-eight strains of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Agona and 33 strains of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Weltevreden were characterized by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fingerprinting using 3 different arbitrary primer, Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus-Polymerase Chain Reaction (ERIC-PCR) and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. By using RAPD, 81 strains (44 strains of S. Agona and 33 strains of S. Weltevreden) can be clustered into 14 groups and 6 single isolates whereas ERIC-PCR produced 7 clusters and 3 single isolates. Thirteen antimicrobial agents were used and all the isolates were resistant to erythromycin and showed Multiple Antimicrobial Resistance indexes, ranging from 0.08 to 0.62. Poultry still remain as the common reservoir for multi-drug-resistant Salmonella. On the other hand, vegetables contaminated with S. Weltevreden showed a gain in antimicrobial resistance. Besides that, consistent antibiograms were observed from S. Weltevreden isolated at Kajang wet market on 2000/08/02.
MeSH terms: Animals; Base Sequence; DNA, Bacterial/genetics; Food Microbiology; Humans; Malaysia; Phylogeny; Poultry/microbiology; Salmonella Food Poisoning/microbiology; Serotyping; Species Specificity; Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods; DNA Fingerprinting; DNA Primers/genetics; Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique; Salmonella enterica/classification; Salmonella enterica/drug effects; Salmonella enterica/genetics*; Salmonella enterica/pathogenicity; Drug Resistance, Bacterial/genetics
To develop a Malay-language version of the Axis II Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) through a formal translation/back-translation process and to summarize available data about the psychometric properties of the translated scales.
There are reports suggesting that sensitivity to and tolerance of both clinical and experimental pain differ among ethnic groups. We examined self-rated pain score and morphine usage in 1034 women who underwent elective lower cesarian section (LSCS) for their deliveries. Data on pain scores and amount of total morphine use according to patient-controlled analgesia were collected every 4 hours. Overall, lowest pain scores were recorded 12 hours after surgery and highest at 24 hours. Morphine consumption was highest within the first 4 hours and lowest between 12 and 16 hours. There were statistically significant ethnic group differences in pain scores (P = 1.7 x 10(-7)) and morphine usage (P = 2.8 x 10(-15)) between ethnic groups, with Indians having the highest mean pain score and using the highest amount of morphine. The ethnic differences in pain score and morphine self-administration persisted after controlling for age, body mass index, and duration of operation.
Recombinant human epidermal growth factor (EGF) was successfully expressed as a fusion protein in Escherichia coli system. This system was used OmpA signal sequence to produce soluble protein into the periplasm of E. coli. Human EGF (hEGF) synthesized in bacterial cell was found to be similar in size with the original protein and molecular weight approximately at 6.8 kDa. Cell proliferation assay was conducted to characterize the biological activity of hEGF on human dermal fibroblasts. The synthesized hEGF was found to be functional as compared with authentic hEGF in stimulating cell proliferation and promoting growth of cell. In comparison of biological activity between synthesized and commercial hEGF on cell proliferation, the results showed there was no significant different. This finding indicates the synthesized hEGF in E. coli system is fully bioactive in vitro.
A heavy-metal assay has been developed using bromelain, a protease. The enzyme is assayed using casein as a substrate with Coomassie dye to track completion of hydrolysis of casein. In the absence of inhibitors, casein is hydrolysed to completion, and the solution is brown. In the presence of metal ions such as Hg2+ and Cu2+, the hydrolysis of casein is inhibited, and the solution remains blue. Exclusion of sulfhydryl protective agent and ethylenediaminetetraacetic in the original assay improved sensitivity to heavy metals several fold. The assay is sensitive to Hg2+ and Cu2+, exhibiting a dose-response curve with an IC50 of 0.15 mg 1(-1) for Hg2+ and a one-phase binding curve with an IC50 of 0.23 mg 1(-1) for Cu2+. The IC50 value for Hg2+ is found to be lower to several other assays such as immobilized urease and papain assay, whilst the IC50 value for Cu2+ is lower than immobilized urease, 15-min Microtox, and rainbow trout.
Molybdenum-reducing activity in the heterotrophic bacteria is a phenomenon that has been reported for more than 100 years. In the presence of molybdenum in the growth media, bacterial colonies turn to blue. The enzyme(s) responsible for the reduction of molybdenum to molybdenum blue in these bacteria has never been purified. In our quest to purify the molybdenum-reducing enzyme, we have devised a better substrate for the enzyme activity using laboratory-prepared phosphomolybdate instead of the commercial 12-phosphomolybdate we developed previously. Using laboratory-prepared phosphomolybdate, the highest activity is given by 10:4-phosphomolybdate. The apparent Michaelis constant, Km for the laboratory-prepared 10:4-phosphomolybdate is 2.56 +/- 0.25 mM (arbitrary concentration), whereas the apparent V(max) is 99.4 +/- 2.85 nmol Mo-blue min(-1) mg(-1) protein. The apparent Michaelis constant or Km for NADH as the electron donor is 1.38 +/- 0.09 mM, whereas the apparent V(max) is 102.6 +/- 1.73 nmol Mo-blue min(-1) mg(-l) protein. The apparent Km and V(max) for another electron donor, NADPH, is 1.43 +/- 0.10 mM and 57.16 +/- 1.01 nmol Mo-blue min(-1) mg(-1) protein, respectively, using the same batch of molybdenum-reducing enzyme. The apparent V(max) obtained for NADH and 10:4-phosphomolybdate is approximately 13 times better than 12-phoshomolybdate using the same batch of enzyme, and hence, the laboratory-prepared phosphomolybdate is a much better substrate than 12-phoshomolybdate. In addition, 10:4-phosphomolybdate can be routinely prepared from phosphate and molybdate, two common chemicals in the laboratory.
The subset of data on southern Thai InterAsia study conducted in 2000 was revisited in order to document gender and ethnic breakdown of prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Three hundred and seventy-five men and 630 women with overall mean +/- SD age of 53.2 +/- 11.7 years were recruited. Combined gender prevalences were: 21.1% for smoking, 15.5% for drinking, 21.8% for hypertension (systemic blood pressure > or = 140/90 mmHg), 49.8% for impaired fasting plasma glucose (FPG 110-125 mg/dl), 9.9% for diabetes mellitus (FPG > or = 126 mg/dl), 10% for body mass index > or = 30 kg/m2, 43.5% for large waist circumference (WC > or = 90 cm in men and > or = 80 in women), 62.8% for total serum cholesterol (TC), > 200 mg/dl, 38.5% for TC divided by high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) > or = 5 and 61.6% for low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), > or = 130 mg/dl. After using logistic regression, adjusting the effects of age and community of residence, women were less likely than men to be smokers, drinkers, or showed impaired FPG but significantly more likely to have large WC, TC > or = 200 mg/dl and LDL-C > or = 130 mg/dl. Muslims showed significantly lower risk for drinking and large WC but higher risk for low HDL-C. The differences require further research. In conclusion, gender and age have stronger association with various risk factors than ethnicity in this selected population.
MeSH terms: Adult; Age Factors; Cardiovascular Diseases/ethnology*; Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology; China/ethnology; Ethnic Groups*; Female; Health Status Indicators; Humans; Malaysia/ethnology; Male; Middle Aged; Risk Factors; Sex Factors; Thailand/epidemiology; Prevalence
Fifty-six contact lens-related corneal ulcers (central in 32; hypopyon in 24 and stromal abscess in 6) were studied. Culture was positive in 78.9%. Corneal ulcers healed with intense antibiotic therapy in nearly all patients. Increased awareness of lens care/disinfection and frequent replacement of storage cases and solution, and early detection of pathogens and intensive appropriate antibiotic therapy are key points in management.
Natural autoantibodies are normal components of the humoral arm of the immune system found in clinically healthy individuals. There are two subpopulations of natural antibodies, including an overt group of antibodies that are readily detected in unfractionated normal human sera. The other natural antibody subgroup is revealed by physico or biochemical treatment of normal human sera in vitro. Unmasking of this latter cryptic natural autoantibodies (cNA) may occur in vivo by local factors in the tissue environment of disease states. The masking cryptic factors may be immunoglobulin (Ig) or non-Ig in nature. These factors may either be co-inhibitors or co-enhancers of cNA. In the heat-potentiated binding of natural anti-phospholipid antibodies, apolipoprotein H (beta 2-glycoprotein I) appears to act as a co-enhancer. The immuno-relationship between the in vitro and in vivo cNA phenomenon remains to be elucidated.
The previously identified female sex pheromone of cocoa pod borer, Conopomorpha cramerella, was re-evaluated for its attractive activity in different field conditions. It was found that lures containing 100-mug of synthetic sex pheromone blend, (E,Z,Z)- and (E,E,Z)-4,6,10-hexadecatrienyl acetates, and the corresponding alcohols in a ratio of 40:60:4:6 in a polyethylene vial attracted male C. cramerella moths in Sabah and peninsular Malaysia and in Sumatra and Sulawesi, Indonesia, suggesting that the same pheromone strain existed in a wide stretch of the Indo-Malayan archipelago. Of the three kinds of trap designs tested, the Delta traps were more effective than Pherocon V scale traps. Male captures were not significantly different among traps baited with 100-, 300-, or 1,000-mug doses of sex pheromone. A release rate study of pheromone formulation conducted in the laboratory showed that volatile active ingredients were desorbed from polyethylene vials following first-order kinetics, which indicates a satisfactory "half-life time" of a 100-mug loading is approximately 6 wk under laboratory conditions. A satisfactory attractiveness of the lure with a 100-mug loading was approximately 1-2 mo in the fields.
The promoter of the oil palm metallothionein-like gene (MT3-A) demonstrated mesocarp-specific activity in functional analysis using transient expression assay of reporter gene in bombarded oil palm tissue slices. In order to investigate the tissue-specific expression of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) biosynthetic pathway genes, a multi-gene construct carrying PHB genes fused to the oil palm MT3-A promoter was co-transferred with a construct carrying GFP reporter gene using microprojectile bombardment targeting the mesocarp and leaf tissues of the oil palm. Transcriptional analysis using RT-PCR revealed successful transcription of all the three phbA, phbB, and phbC genes in transiently transformed mesocarp but not in transiently transformed leaf tissues. Furthermore, all the three expected sizes of PHB-encoded protein products were only detected in transiently transformed mesocarp tissues on a silver stained polyacrylamide gel. Western blot analysis using polyclonal antibody specific for phbB product confirmed successful translation of phbB mRNA transcript into protein product. This study provided valuable information, supporting the future engineering of PHB-producing transgenic palms.
Malaysian infants would have to receive nine injections during the first few months of life in order to be protected against disease caused by hepatitis B (HBV), diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) if single HBV and Hib vaccines were used. We evaluated a combined DTPw-HBV/Hib vaccine administered at 1.5, 3 and 5 months after a birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine (HBV). One month after completion of the primary vaccination, 99% of subjects had seroprotective anti-HBV antibody levels, and at least 98% had seroprotective antibodies against diphtheria, tetanus, and Hib, and were seropositive for pertussis antibodies. The immune response to the combined vaccine was comparable to that induced by separate injections with DTPw, HBV and Hib vaccines. Overall, the DTPw-HBV/Hib vaccine was as well tolerated as separate administration of DTPw, HBV and Hib vaccines. The combined DTPw-HBV/Hib vaccine induces protection against five diseases as recommended in the Malaysian routine vaccination schedule. Use of the combined DTPw-HBV/Hib vaccine can reduce the required number of injections from nine to four in the first few months of life.
A survey of ticks and other ectoparasites was carried out during a national biodiversity scientific expedition at Ulu Muda Forest Reserve, Kedah, Malaysia from 23-29 March 2003. A total of 161 animals comprising 20 species of birds, 16 species of bats, six species of non-volant small mammals and 12 species of reptiles were examined for ticks and other ectoparasites. From these animals, nine species in five genera of ticks, 10 species in two families of Mesostigmatid mites and five species of chiggers were collected. Three of the ectoparasitic species found, Dermacentor auratus, Ixodes granulatus and Leptotrombidium deliense are of known public health importance. This survey produced the first list of ticks and other ectoparasites in the forest reserve and the third study of ectoparasites in Kedah. Fourteen species of these ectoparasites are new locality records.
The residual effect of a commercial spray containing 2.0% benzyl benzoate against Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus was evaluated in the laboratory. Filter papers treated with benzyl benzoate were dried for 2 hours and placed in Petri dishes. Adult mites were then added and mortality was assessed following 24 hour contact and at succeeding 4 weeks intervals up to week 28 post-treatment using the same treated filter papers. There was 100% mortality at 24 hours post-treatment, declining progressively to 71% by week 28. Probit analysis estimated a median lethal time (LT50) of 59 weeks.
This cross-sectional study determined the prevalence of cryptosporidiosis in HIV-infected patients using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Stool specimens were collected from HIV infected patients who were admitted to Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II, Kota Bharu, Malaysia, for various indications from December 2004 to December 2005. A modified acid-fast stain was performed on the direct stool smears, then the stool specimens were further tested using nested PCR targeting the 18S rRNA gene of Cryptosporidium parvum, with a built-in internal control (IC). Out of 59 samples, 11 were positives. Nested PCR identified a total of nine samples (16%) compared to microscopy, which identified only three samples. All PCR negative results showed IC amplicons, suggesting that these samples were true negatives and were not due to inhibition of PCR. This study highlights the importance of molecular diagnosis in determining the true prevalence and epidemiology of C. parvum.
Blood donor selection contributes to the safety of both the donor and the recipient. The objective of this study was to identify the number and causes of blood pre-donation deferrals at the Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM). A retrospective study was carried out to retrieve data regarding deferred blood donors at the HUSM in the year 2006. A total of 4,138 blood donors donated blood at the Transfusion Medicine Unit, of whom 231 were deferred or rejected as donors. The percentage of deferred donors was 5.6%. The main reason for deferral was a low hemoglobin (40.7%), with females constituting the majority of those deferred. This was followed by high blood pressure (29.4%) and male donors were predominant in this group. Medical illness caused 15.6% of donor deferrals. The majority of deferred donors were regular donors (64.1%). We recommend setting new hemoglobin criteria for donor deferral according to the reference range obtained for the particular population. Most of the other deferrals were preventable by proper health care education and awareness.
A study was conducted to determine the helminthes in dog's feces and soil samples from urban and rural areas. Six species of nematodes (Toxocara sp, an undetermined nematode larvae, Strongyloides sp larvae, Ascaris sp ova, hookworm ova, Trichuris sp ova) and one species of Cestode (Taenia sp) were found in 175 stool samples. Seventy-eight point nine percent of stool samples were positive for helminthes. Mixed infection with at least one parasite was found in 32.6% of the samples. The prevalence of helminth infection ranged from 1.1% to 45.1%. The prevalence of hookworm sp was the highest with 45.1%. The highest prevalence in urban dogs was hookworm sp in 76.7% and in rural areas was Ascaris sp in 48.7%. Soil samples were also examined to determine contamination of the environment, especially due to Toxocara canis, as a potential source of infection. Urban soil samples showed a higher contamination rate with 26.7% compared to rural areas with 4.9%. Toxocara ova were the most prevalent helminthes contaminating the soil with 12.1%. This study showed that humans from both urban and rural areas are at risk of acquiring helminth infection from contaminated soil.