DESIGN: Cross-sectional study, analysing baseline findings of a cohort of older adults.
SETTING: Kuala Pilah district, Negeri Sembilan state, Malaysia.
OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of elder abuse among community dwelling older adults and its associated factors.
PARTICIPANTS: A total of 2112 community dwelling older adults aged 60 years and above were recruited employing a multistage sampling using the national census.
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Elder abuse, measured using a validated instrument derived from previous literature and the modified Conflict Tactic Scales, similar to the Irish national prevalence survey on elder abuse with modification to local context. Factors associated with abuse and profiles of respondents were also examined.
RESULTS: The prevalence of overall abuse was reported to be 4.5% in the past 12 months. Psychological abuse was most common, followed by financial, physical, neglect and sexual abuse. Two or more occurrences of abusive acts were common, while clustering of various types of abuse was experienced by one-third of abused elders. Being male (adjusted OR (aOR) 2.15, 95% CI 1.23 to 3.78), being at risk of social isolation (aOR 1.96, 95% CI 1.07 to 3.58), a prior history of abuse (aOR 3.28, 95% CI 1.40 to 7.68) and depressive symptomatology (aOR 7.83, 95% CI 2.88 to 21.27) were independently associated with overall abuse.
CONCLUSION: Elder abuse occurred among one in every 20 elders. The findings on elder abuse indicate the need to enhance elder protection in Malaysia, with both screening of and interventions for elder abuse.
METHODS: Adult specimens of G. affinis measuring 5-6 cm in length were obtained from a commercial fish breeding facility. A total of 8 fish with a 1 : 1 ratio of 4 pairs of broodstock were placed in an 8-liter aquarium. Following the adaptation phase, the broodstock underwent a spawning process that lasted for a duration of 7 days. Throughout the spawning process, assessments were conducted on the progression of the abdominal growth of the broodstock. Eggs ready to hatch and Gambusia larvae were taken and exposed to 0.1 mg/L PbCl2, 1 mg/L PbCl2, and control (without PbCl2) for 24 hours, with three replications. At the end of the experiment, histopathological analysis was conducted using the hematoxylin Ehrlich-eosin staining method and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) observation. The levels of Pb in gills were determined by employing atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The cortisol concentration in organ samples of fish was determined through the utilization of a cortisol ELISA Kit.
RESULTS: The findings of this investigation demonstrated an important bioaccumulation occurrence of Pb within the gills of Gambusia fish that were specifically subjected to 0.1 and 1 mg/L PbCl2. The histological structures of eggs and larvae that were subjected to PbCl2 exhibited impairment in comparison to the control group. The present study observed a significant elevation in cortisol levels among fish specimens that were subjected to PbCl2 exposure.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this investigation suggest that the occurrence of Pb is linked to a rise in cortisol concentrations in various organs of G. affinis larvae. Furthermore, the research indicates that the exposure to Pb has a notable impact on the histological alterations in the eggs and larvae of Gambusia fish, implying that they are undergoing stress as a result of the Pb exposure.
METHODS: This descriptive study comprised 5 patients of KCOT associated with NBCCS and 8 patients of nonsyndromic type treated in the Department of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre between years 1998 and 2011. The clinical features (site, size, treatment, and recurrence), demographic characteristics, and immunohistochemistry results using antibodies of bcl-2, cyclin D1, p53, and PCNA were examined. The association of the antibody expression and the type of KCOT was analyzed using Fisher exact test.
RESULTS: Altogether there were 13 patients, 5 with syndromic KCOT (1 patient met 3 major criteria of NBCCS) and 8 with sporadic KCOT. The age range for syndromic KCT was 11 to 21 years (mean 16.00 years, SD 4.36) and 10 to 54 years (median 24.50 years, interquartile range 19.00) for the nonsyndromic KCOT. Tumor recurrence occurred in 3 patients (7.7%); 1 patient from the syndromic and 2 patients from the nonsyndromic. The most positive expression was observed in PCNA for both the syndromic and nonsyndromic samples and the least positive expression involved the p53.
CONCLUSION: PCNA, bcl-2 protein, and cyclin D1 expressions could be useful in evaluating the proliferative activity of the tumor and the aggressiveness of the clinical presentation; however, the authors would propose for larger sample size research for more definitive results.