A complete diallel cross of four broiler breeds was made to investigate whether there are breed differences in the combining abilities for the traits, body weight, weight gain and feed efficiency, measured during the growing period from 4 to 12 weeks of age. Data collected from male and female birds were analysed separately. General combining ability (GCA) was found to be the largest and most significant source of variation contributing to differences between crosses for all the traits, in both male and female birds. Specific combining ability (SCA) was important for body weight in both sexes and for weight gain in females. Feed efficiency in both sexes did not appear to be influenced by SCA effects. Reciprocal effects (RE) were generally absent in both sexes for all the traits, except possibly for feed efficiency.
The characteristics of normal labour in 977 Malay, Chinese and Indian parturients were established from a retrospective study. Indian babies were found to be significantly smaller than Malay babies which were significantly smaller than Chinese babies (P less than 0-05, P less than 0-05). The mean duration of the first stage of labour taken from the time of admission to the labour ward was 3-4 hours in primiparae and 2-7 hours in multiparae. The mean durations of the second stage of labour were 23-7 minutes and 13-1 minutes respectively. Curves of mean dilatation of cervix and probit analysis at 80% revealed significant differences in the progress of normal labour in primiparae among the three racial groups. The Indian primiparae not only had a slower rate of cervical dilatation but seemed to reach the accelerated phase of dilatation later. No significant differences were noticed in the labours of multiparae.
The menstrual patterns of 281 women undergoing laparoscopic sterilization with silastic rings were studied prospectively. A significant increase in dysmenorrhea and irregular periods was seen soon after sterilization but this was transient, returning to presterilization levels by 12 months. Menorrhagia was not observed and the amount of menstrual blood loss showed a trend towards normal following sterilization. No permanent adverse effects on menstrual patterns were seen in the 1st year after sterilization. It is suggested that factors other than the sterilization procedure may be responsible for the high prevalence of menstrual dysfunction that has been reported following sterilization.
A 23 year old Indian lady, gravida 1 para 0, with Clomid induced pregnancy was admitted to the University Hospital on 29 August 1981 with signs and symptoms of pregnancy and intraperitoneal bleed. Period ofamenorrhoea at time of admission was eight weeks. Emergency laparotomy revealed a right leaking ectopic pregnancy and an enlarged gravid uterus. Ultrasound done on the 7th post operative day confirmed concurrent intrauterine pregnancy which progressed normally to term, ending with a normal healthy baby at 39 weeks through an assisted breech delivery.
A survey of 61 canine and 26 feline fractures diagnosed between January 1980 and June 1983 at a veterinary teaching hospital was conducted. More than 80 per cent of the fractures occurred in animals less than two years old. Male animals were more frequently involved. In the dog, the femur, tibia, pelvis, radius and ulna were most often affected while in the cat, the femur, mandible, pelvis and spine were more often involved. All the findings were consistent with other reports in the literature.
A first case of Chlamydia pneumoniae pneumonia in Malaysia is reported. The diagnosis was made by a significant change in C. pneumoniae antibody titre. The infection responded well to a course of erythromycin.
A case of true enteric myiasis in a 7-year-old girl is reported. Two larvae were obtained from the vomitus of the patient. After processing and identification, the larvae were found to be those of Hermetia illucens (Soldier Fly). This is the first case of true enteric myiasis due to these larvae in Malaysia.
Streptomyces sp. strain g10 exhibited strong antagonism towards Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense (Foc) races 1, 2 and 4 in plate assays by producing extracellular antifungal metabolites. Treating the planting hole and roots of 4-week-old tissue-culture-derived 'Novaria' banana plantlets with strain g10 suspension (10(8) cfu/ml), significantly (P < 0.05) reduced wilt severity when the plantlets were inoculated with 10(4) spores/ml Foc race 4. The final disease severity index for leaf symptom (LSI) and rhizome discoloration (RDI) was reduced about 47 and 53%, respectively, in strain g10-treated plantlets compared to untreated plantlets. Reduction in disease incidence was not significant (P < 0.05) when plantlets were inoculated with a higher concentration (10(6) spores/ml) of Foc race 4. Rhizosphere population of strain g10 showed significant (P = 0.05) increase of more than 2-fold at the end of the 3rd week compared to the 2nd week after soil amendment with the antagonist. Although the level dropped, the rhizosphere population at the end of the 6th week was still nearly 2-fold higher than the level detected after 2 weeks. In contrast, the root-free population declined significantly (P = 0.05), nearly 4-fold after 6 weeks when compared to the level detected after 2 weeks. Neither growth-inhibiting nor growth-stimulating effects were observed in plantlets grown in strain g10-amended soil.
The objective of this survey was to obtain a self-reported assessment of the use of information technology (IT) by final year medical students. Two hundred and sixty five students responded to a questionnaire survey. 81.5% of students considered their computer skills adequate, while 87.9% had access to computers outside the campus. Most students reported adequate skills at word processing, e-mailing and surfing the Internet. Fifty three percent of students spent three hours or more each week on the computer. While students indicated a general willingness to access Internet-based materials, further steps need to be taken to increase the use of this method of instruction.
Anaesthetizing patients with Long QT Syndrome is a major challenge, as the potential for sudden catastrophic cardiovascular collapse is well known. We present a 15-year-old boy with Long QT Syndrome who presented for an elective renal transplant. All electrolyte concentration abnormalities were corrected preoperative and adequate beta-blockade was maintained. The patient was given a target controlled infusion of propofol, together with opioids and atracurium. Anaesthesia was uneventful and the patient was extubated at the end of the surgical procedure.
A study of the anterior adhesive apparatus (head organs) of Bravohollisia gussevi Lim, 1995 was carried out using light and electron microscopy. The anterior adhesive apparatus or head organs in B. gussevi comprise 6 circular openings or apertures in the antero-lateral region, associated pits lined with specialized microvillous tegument that differ from the general body tegument, a bundle of ducts, and uninucleate gland cells located lateral to the pharynx. The uninucleate glands of the anterior adhesive apparatus (head organs) comprise 2 types of cells, one kind of cell producing rod-like bodies (S1) and the other oval bodies (S2). The S1 bodies are filled with numerous, less electron-dense vesicles in an electron-dense matrix, while S2 bodies have no vesicles but contain a more homogeneous electron-dense matrix. Interlinking band-like structures were observed between S1 bodies. Similar band-like structures were found between S2 bodies. The formation of S1 bodies was followed by transmission electron microscopy. However, the formation of S2 bodies was unclear and could not be resolved. Uniciliated structures were also observed around the openings of the anterior adhesive apparatus. Each uniciliated structure is usually associated with an opening of a gland cell producing granular, electron-dense, secretory bodies, which differ from the secretions produced by the lateral gland cells of the anterior adhesive apparatus.
Hard structures of helminths have often been used for taxonomic identification but are usually not clearly defined when treated with conventional methods such as ammonium picrate-glycerin for monogeneans and glycerin for nematodes. The present study reports a rapid and simple technique to better resolve the hard parts of selected monogeneans and nematodes using 5-10% alkaline sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS). In comparison with established methods, SDS-treated worms become more transparent. In monogeneans treated with SDS, clear details of the hooks, hook filaments, anchors, bars and the sclerotized copulatory organs could be observed. In SDS-treated nematodes, spicules and ornamentations of the buccal capsules could be clearly seen.
The screening for anti-amoebic antibody among a group of donors was to obtain negative control serum samples for an on-going antigen development assay in diagnosis of amoebic liver abscess. Out of 200 samples, 125 (62.5%) were negative, whereas 44 (21.5%) had IHA titer of less than 1:128 and 31 (16.0%) of the samples had significant IHA titers of 1:128 or more, in which 2 serum samples gave titers of 1:4096.
Entamoeba histolytica causes about 50 million infections worldwide with a death rate of over 100,000 annually. In endemic developing countries where resources are limited, microscopic examinations based on Wheatley trichrome staining is commonly used for diagnosis of intestinal amoebiasis. Other than being a time-consuming method, it must be performed promptly after stool collection as trophozoites disintegrate rapidly in faeces. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacies of Eosin-Y, Wheatley trichrome and Iodine stains in delineating the diagnostic features of the parasite, and subsequently to determine the suitable microscopy observation period for detection of erythrophagocytic and non-erythrophagocytic trophozoites spiked in semi-solid stool sample. Wheatley trichrome staining technique was performed using the standard method while the other two techniques were performed on the slides by mixing the respective staining solution with the spiked stool sample. One million of axenically cultured non-erythrophagocytic E. histolytica and erythrophagocytic E. histolytica were separately spiked into 2 g of fresh semisolid faeces. Percentage viability of the trophozoites in the spiked stool sample was determined at 30 minute intervals for eight hours using the 0.4% Trypan blue exclusion method. The results showed that Eosin-Y and Wheatley trichrome stained the karyosome and chromatin granules better as compared to Iodine stain. The percentage viability of non-erythrophagocytic trophozoites decreased faster than the erythrophagocytic form in the first 5 hours and both dropped to ~10% in the 6th hour spiked sample. In conclusion, Eosin-Y staining technique was found to be the easiest to perform, most rapid and as accurate as the commonly used Wheatley trichrome technique; Eosin-Y stained slide sealed with DPX could also be kept as a permanent record. A period not exceeding 6 hours after stool collection was found to be the most suitable in order to obtain good microscopy results of viable trophozoites.