The suitability of physiology topics taught in the first-year dental curriculum needs to be investigated in the light of the view of the present generation of clinical and preclinical teachers, and students. This was studied in the University of Malaya in order to propose a rational physiology curriculum with proper identification of priority topics. Oral physiology, blood and the cardiovascular system were found to be the most relevant for dental students. Among the systems, high and low priority topics were identified and their relative importance is discussed.
1. Anthropometric variables, resting heart rate and respiratory gas exchange were measured in twelve male and nine female Asiatic adult Moslems during the month of Ramadan, the week before and the month after Ramadan. 2. Energy intakes were estimated from dietary recall during fasting and non-fasting conditions. 3. Both male and female subjects experienced a decrease in body mass with the reduction in energy intake during fasting. Males experienced a greater reduction than females in resting heart rate; females lost more body-weight and subcutaneous fat than males. 4. Urine output and fluid intake were measured in twelve male subjects for 1 d during each week of fasting and 1 d during the pre-fasting control period. Among the subjects examined, the Ramadan regimen did not result in changes in the pattern of fluid exchange.
The effect of alteration of eating pattern during Ramadan on body mass index (BMI), serum fructosamine: total protein ratio (F/TP), and glucose level in 18 healthy male Asiatic Moslems were studied. The results showed a significant decrease (p less than 0.025) in F/TP at the second week of Ramadan in 11 subjects who experienced continuous decrease in BMI throughout Ramadan. The remaining 7 subjects showed no significant changes in BMI and F/TP. No evidence of hypoglycaemia was observed in the subjects during the study. Serum fructosamine: total protein ratio in subjects with altered eating pattern preferably should be interpreted along with the change in body mass index.
Urine analysis was conducted on male Muslims before, during and after Ramadan. Various changes in urine volume, osmolality, total solute, sodium, potassium, titratable acidity and urea in response to altered feeding and activity regimens were found. There were no detectable levels of ketones, protein, glucose, urobilinogen and haemoglobin. It was concluded that the body adapted to fasting during Ramadan and that there were no adverse effects on renal function.
Pulmonary function parameters were examined in a Malay Muslim population during normal activity and Ramadan fasting conditions. The validity of employing various lung function prediction formulae for the subjects was also assessed. Present findings indicate that the water deprivation regime and resultant dehydration during Ramadan did not cause significant changes in ventilatory functions. Although pulmonary prediction formulae based on Caucasian and African populations were inapplicable to the subjects examined, the equations derived from the neighbouring populations in Singapore could be employed.
The investigation examined the possibility that observance of Ramadan by Moslems in Malaysia is associated with modification of circulatory parameters. Cardiovascular reactivity was investigated employing the cold hand immersion test as the stressor stimulus. Resultant data showed increased blood pressures and vascular resistance during Ramadan in the absence of cold stimulus while the magnitude of the maximal cardiac and vascular response to the applied stressor which served as indicators of reactivity was not affected by the Ramadan situation.
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the correlations and agreements between the solute/creatinine ratios from the 24-hour and early morning spot urine samples for metabolic evaluation in stone-formers given the various pitfalls with the 24-hour urinary metabolic evaluation in stone-formers.
METHODS: 30 urinary stone-formers out of an initial 62 recruited provided a complete 24-hour urine and early morning spot urine samples for metabolic evaluation. Pearson correlation and Bland and Altman Test were used to assess the correlations and agreements.
RESULTS: Significant correlations were established between the 24-hour urinary solute excretions and the corresponding early morning spot urine solute/creatinine ratios for calcium, magnesium, urate, potassium, oxalate, citrate, and the Differential Gibb's free energy value of calcium oxalate DG(CaOx) values. However, all these solute/creatinine measurements between the 24-hour and early morning spot urine samples were judged to be not within the acceptable limits based on the estimated "limit of agreement" by the Bland and Altman Test of Agreement. Diurnal circadian rhythm and postprandial excretion surge are thought to be responsible for the disagreements.
CONCLUSIONS: Thus, the early morning spot urine is not suitable to be used interchangeably to replace the 24-hour urine collection in the evaluation of urinary metabolic abnormalities in stone-formers. A good correlation does not translate to an agreement between the 2 measurements.
Educators in medical schools around the world are presently experimenting with innovative ways of using web-based learning to supplement the existing teaching and learning process. We have recently used a popular open-source course management system (CMS) called the modular object-oriented dynamic learning environment (Moodle) to construct an online site (DPhysiol) to facilitate our face-to-face teaching of physiology to a group of first-year students in the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery program. The integration of the Moodle site into our teaching was assessed using online log activity, student examination marks, and feedback from students. The freely available Moodle platform was simple to use, helped to effectively deliver course materials, and has features that allowed cooperative learning. Students who used the CMS throughout their academic year and commented favorably regarding its use as a complement to the face-to-face classroom sessions. The group of students used the CMS obtained significantly higher scores in the final examination compared with the previous class that did not use the CMS. In addition, there was a significant correlation between student participation and performance in online quizzes and their final examination marks. However, students' overall online usage of the CMS did not correlate with their examination marks. We recommend Moodle as a useful tool for physiology educators who are interested in integrating web-based learning into their existing teaching curriculum.
To investigate the urinary metabolic excretion pattern among local stone formers given the great differences in the intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors as well as the urinary metabolic excretions compared with other populations.
Proteins that are associated with hypertension may be identified by comparing the 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) profiles of the sera of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) with those generated from normotensive Spraque-Dawley rats (SDR).
Although sound exposure from personal listening devices (PLDs) could potentially lead to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), the actual hearing risk associated with the use of these devices is still unclear. In this study, early hearing effects related to PLD usage were evaluated in 35 young adult PLD users (listening for >1 h/day, at >50% of the maximum volume setting of their devices) and their age- and sex-matched controls using a combination of conventional and extended high-frequency audiometry as well as transient-evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) and distortion product of otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) measurements. The mean listening duration of the PLD users was 2.7 ± 1.0 h/day while their estimated average listening volume was 81.3 ± 9.0 dBA (free-field corrected). Typical signs of NIHL were not detected in the audiogram of PLD users and their audiometric thresholds at most of the conventional test frequencies (0.25-8 kHz) were comparable with those obtained from controls. However, compared with the controls, mean hearing thresholds of PLD users at many of the extended high-frequencies (9-16 kHz) were significantly higher. In addition, TEOAE and DPOAE amplitudes in users were reduced compared with controls. The deterioration of extended high-frequency thresholds and the decrease in DPOAE amplitudes were more evident in the users' right ears. These results indicate the presence of an early stage of hearing damage in the PLD user group. Preventive steps should be taken as the initial hearing damage in these users could eventually progress into permanent NIHL after many years of PLD use.
During preeclampsia (PE), the excessive circulation of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFLT1) hinders the vasodilatory effect of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). This effect has been proven in vitro in the renal artery of rats. The endothelium of the blood vessels is also said to be dysfunctional in PE. Genistein has shown the ability to antagonize the vascular contractions caused by a wide range of contractile agents. We conducted vascular reactivity studies to demonstrate the effect of: (i) sFLT1 on the vasodilatory effect of VEGF; and (ii) genistein on the vasodilatory effect of VEGF and its effects on denuded blood vessels (dysfunctional endothelium).
Primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), a major cause of blindness worldwide, is a complex disease with a significant genetic contribution. We performed Exome Array (Illumina) analysis on 3504 POAG cases and 9746 controls with replication of the most significant findings in 9173 POAG cases and 26 780 controls across 18 collections of Asian, African and European descent. Apart from confirming strong evidence of association at CDKN2B-AS1 (rs2157719 [G], odds ratio [OR] = 0.71, P = 2.81 × 10(-33)), we observed one SNP showing significant association to POAG (CDC7-TGFBR3 rs1192415, ORG-allele = 1.13, Pmeta = 1.60 × 10(-8)). This particular SNP has previously been shown to be strongly associated with optic disc area and vertical cup-to-disc ratio, which are regarded as glaucoma-related quantitative traits. Our study now extends this by directly implicating it in POAG disease pathogenesis.
The usage of personal listening devices (PLDs) is associated with risks of hearing loss. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of music exposure from these devices on high-frequency hearing thresholds of PLD users.
Primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) is a major cause of blindness worldwide. We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) followed by replication in a combined total of 10,503 PACG cases and 29,567 controls drawn from 24 countries across Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America. We observed significant evidence of disease association at five new genetic loci upon meta-analysis of all patient collections. These loci are at EPDR1 rs3816415 (odds ratio (OR) = 1.24, P = 5.94 × 10(-15)), CHAT rs1258267 (OR = 1.22, P = 2.85 × 10(-16)), GLIS3 rs736893 (OR = 1.18, P = 1.43 × 10(-14)), FERMT2 rs7494379 (OR = 1.14, P = 3.43 × 10(-11)), and DPM2-FAM102A rs3739821 (OR = 1.15, P = 8.32 × 10(-12)). We also confirmed significant association at three previously described loci (P < 5 × 10(-8) for each sentinel SNP at PLEKHA7, COL11A1, and PCMTD1-ST18), providing new insights into the biology of PACG.
An equitable and positive learning environment fosters deep self-directed learning in students and, consequently, good practice in their profession. Although demotivating weaknesses may lead to repeated day-to-day stress with a cascade of deleterious consequences at both personal and professional levels, a possible relationship between these parameters has not been reported. This study was undertaken to determine the relationship between students' perceptions of their educational environment and their stress levels.