The liquid crystal display (LCD) panel is designed to project on-screen information of a microcomputer onto a larger screen with the aid of a standard overhead projector, so that large audiences may view on-screen information without having to crowd around the TV monitor. As little has been written about its use as a visual aid in medical teaching, the present report documents its use in a series of pathology lectures delivered, over a 2-year period, to two classes of about 150 medical students each. Some advantages of the LCD panel over the 35mm slide include the flexibility of last-minute text changes and less lead time needed for text preparation. It eliminates the problems of messy last-minute changes in, and improves legibility of, handwritten overhead projector transparencies. The disadvantages of using an LCD panel include the relatively bulky equipment which may pose transport problems, image clarity that is inferior to the 35mm slide, and equipment costs.
Correlation analysis of mid-arm circumference (MAC), weight-for-age and weight-for-height obtained from 807 Malay preschool children aged 12-71 months show that MAC had a relatively low correlation with weight-for-age (r = 0.59, P <0.001) and weight-for-height (r = 0.63, P<0.001). MAC percentiles and sensitivity-specificity analysis indicate that when weight-for-age and weight-for-height were used separately to define 'true' malnutrition, MAC was not sensitive enough to detect Malaysian children with only mild to moderate protein-energy malnutrition (PEM). The value of MAC as a screening measure in malnutrition is only limited to identifying the more severe forms of PEM in young children and the present study indicates that a MAC of 13.0-13.7 cm may be used for identifying moderate to severe PEM and under 13.0 cm for severe PEM.
The University Science Malaysia, Penang, the third medical school in Malaysia, is following an integrated curriculum. In this curriculum, the students are taught the subject of otolaryngology from the second year of their course unlike the traditional schools where they are taught in the fourth or fifth year. This paper describes how otolaryngology is introduced in this integrated, problem-based curriculum.
Comparative laboratory bioassays of Tolypocladium cylindrosporum, California strain (Kal) was conducted against third instar larvae of four species of mosquito, viz. Aedes aegypti, Anopheles balabacensis, Culex quinquefasciatus and Mansonia uniformis in Malaysia. Of the four mosquito species tested, Ma. uniformis was found to be the most susceptible, followed by Cx. quinquefasciatus, An. balabacensis and Ae. aegypti, in a decreasing order. The LC50 values for Ma. uniformis, Cx. quinquefasciatus, An. balabacensis and Ae. aegypti after four days of exposure were 1.18 X 10(4), 2.02 X 10(5), 4.76 X 10(5) and 1.84 X 10(7) spores per ml test media, respectively. The high sensitivity of Ma. uniformis and its longer life cycle seems to indicate that T. cylindrosporum Kal has good potential as a biocontrol agent for this species of mosquito. But, for Ae. aegypti, this fungus appears to be less effective.
Matched MeSH terms: Pest Control, Biological/methods*
The design of family studies to estimate the value of an intraclass correlation coefficient p is considered when ni individuals are to be selected from each of k families, i = 1, 2, ..., k. In particular, the accuracy of a balance design (ni = n, i = 1, 2, ..., k) for estimating p is compared with the accuracy of an unbalanced "natural" design, in which the ni are sampled at random from family size distributions that tend to occur in practice. It is found for two different estimators of p that the balanced design is usually preferable, but only to a small degree if the number of families sampled is greater than 50.
Recent studies of drug promotion and labeling in Third World countries since 1972 have observed important changes in the policies of multinational corporations. Earlier studies found that multinational and national drug companies often grossly exaggerated the indications for the drugs and minimized or ignored the hazards. In the latest study, initiated in 1987, considerable improvement in promotional practices of the multinational corporations has been found, but little or no improvement on the part of the national companies. As a result, physicians are still provided with grossly exaggerated claims and the hazards of prescription drugs are covered up or glossed over. A very serious problem--the marketing of fraudulent drug products--has been identified in a number of Third World countries. Drug products are shaped and colored to resemble the original multinational company product, but contain only a small percentage of the active ingredient stated on the label, or perhaps none at all. In Indonesia fraudulent drug products may represent 20-30% of all drug products in the market. Similar fraudulent products have been reported in Brazil, Thailand, Bangladesh and Malaysia.
Matched MeSH terms: Marketing of Health Services/methods*
Twenty patients undergoing various surgical procedures were anaesthetised using hypotensive anaesthesia using labetalol and halothane. The technique is safe, predictable and cheap. This technique also offers the advantage of usage of less blood, thus minimising the complications of transfusion induced diseases like hepatitis and AIDS.
An important relationship should exist between the periodontist and restorative dentist. Periodontics and restorative dentistry should not be divisible and all forms of restorations, from a simple filling to a complex precision-retained bridge, should be performed with the health and biology of the periodontium in mind. A very crucial concept which should be borne in the mind of every restorative dentist is the concept of biologic width.
A rapid method of assay, using a monoclonal antibody linked to alkaline phosphatase, was used for the detection of the Pontiac subgroup of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1. It was tested for its specificity against 53 strains of Legionella recently isolated from the environment in Singapore and Malaysia. The specificity and sensitivity of this method of assay was confirmed, though there is some concern that the specificity was too narrow, and there are reservations about the criteria suggested for interpreting the results.
Several new concepts are used to describe contraceptive use histories for nearly 1200 women in Peninsular Malaysia. These histories are summarized by 81 episode histories. Transition matrices provide useful summaries of the changes women make in their contraceptive practice from one pregnancy interval to the next. Data from the mid-1940s to mid-1970s, during which period there was a dramatic increase in contraceptive use, reveal considerable inertia in individual couples' contraceptive practice. Persistence with a method was greater the less effective the method: while 86% of couples using no method in one interval used no method in the next, only 56% of couples using the pill in one interval also used it in the next. Virtually all transitions are of three types: continuation with the same method, a change from no method to some method, or a change from some method to no method. For only 1% of all pregnancies did couples use one contraceptive method before a pregnancy and a different method after the pregnancy. Differences are examined by calendar year and education.
In this project, a retrospective study regarding the anaesthetic techniques, complications and the relevant monitoring aids needed during the procedure, is made from analysis of the 100 available anaesthetic records of cases done during the five years at the Urology Department, General Hospital, Kuala Lumpur. The total number of cases done during 1979-1984 was 112 but 12 anaesthetic record sheets were missing. The patients requiring renal transplant operation were representative of the end-stage chronic renal failure population of Malaysia with the usual high incidence of cardiovascular and biochemical abnormalities. Except for two cases of epidural anaesthesia, all the other patients received general anaesthesia. Induction was with intravenous barbiturate followed by muscle relaxant, neurolept or narcotic and halothane supplement for maintenance. There were no intraoperative or postoperative deaths due to anaesthetic complications. There were five cases of anaesthetic morbidity of which three cases had inadequate reversal of neuromuscular blocking agents and required postoperative ventilation and two cases had poor respiratory effort and required naloxone supplement. Less serious complications such as allergic manifestations were seen in three cases with use of the new muscle relaxant atracurium. The conclusion was that general anaesthesia using thiopentone for induction, pancuronium bromide for intubation and maintenance of muscle relaxation and neurolept fentanyl/droperidol and halothane supplement, all in doses tailored to the requirements ofa renal failure patient, is a suitable technique of anaesthesia for renal transplant operation. Atracurium, the new muscle relaxant, seems to be a favourable alternative to pancuronium bromide. However, as only five cases in our study received atracurium, further studies would have to be done to support it.
This paper discusses the feasibility of using a free pericardial patch in repairing defects of the esophagus. The experimental model used is the dog. A piece of the side wall of the esophagus is first excised. This defect in the esophagus is then covered
with a free patch of pericardium. The animals are then sacrificed at sequential dates and the grafted site submitted for microscopic examination. The results show that a free graft of pericardium when used as a patch can prevent leakage of esophageal contents and allow healing of the defect without gross narrowing of the lumen.
Field trials were conducted in two residential areas of Petaling Jaya Municipality to test the adulticidal and larvicidal effects of malathion 96% TG and Resigen on Aedes aegypti. Malathion is the currently used insecticide in Malaysia for the control of dengue. The Leco HD ULV machine was used throught the trials. For malathion the flow rate was 90 ml/minute at a vehicle speed of 8kph and for Resigen the flow rate was 200 ml/minute at the same vechicle speed. Malathion was more effective giving higher mortality rates when compared with Resigen. The mortality rate of adult Ae. aegypti outdoor was higher than in the living room and kitchen. Both insecticides did not show promising larvicidal effects.
The routine study of bone marrow trephine biopsies involves fixation, decalcification, paraffin-embedment, sectioning and staining. However, this process creates artifacts, produces shrinkage of tissue, consumes time and can result in sections of unsatisfactory cytological quality. It also renders the tissue unsuitable for enzyme-histochemical and immunohistochemical analyses. Frozen section of bone marrow without decalcification was evaluated as an alternative method for the study of bone marrow. This method was found to give sections with comparable cytological quality to that of paraffin-embedment, yielded sections for interpretation within 24 hours, and allowed enzyme-histochemical and immunohistochemical analyses to be applied successfully.
The 'Dextran' and the 'Buffy-coat' methods for isolation of human leucocytes for DNA extraction were compared on the basis of DNA yield from the same amounts (10 ml) of blood. Human leucocytes from a total of 11 samples were isolated using both methods for each sample after which DNA was extracted. Extracted DNA samples were treated with ribonucleases and proteinase K after which the yields were quantitated by measuring absorbance at 260 nm. The 'Buffy-coat' method yielded a mean concentration of DNA of 476.7 micrograms/ml (range: 212 to 700 micrograms/ml) while the 'Dextran' method yielded 188.4 micrograms/ml (range: 64 to 340 micrograms/ml). The difference was confirmed by subjecting the extracted DNA samples to agarose gel electrophoresis.
Monitoring systems are useful epidemiological instruments for assessing the problem of drug abuse. The rapid growth of the drug dependence problem in Malaysia led to increased awareness of the need for a system for continuous monitoring of the situation. Preliminary work on the design of an appropriate monitoring system was initiated in 1976. A fully integrated national reporting system was established in 1978, linking all public services and agencies coming into contact with drug-dependent persons, including law enforcement agencies, drug abuse treatment and rehabilitation centres, and social and welfare institutions. The information system included a mechanism for systematic gathering, processing, analysing and presenting essential data on the prevention, control and management of drug abuse problems. It also included reporting on drug-related events, such as hospitalizations and arrests, as well as data on known drug-dependent persons and new cases of dependence. The system has been used for routine monitoring of the extent, trends, patterns and other characteristics of drug abuse problems in Malaysia, providing basic information for policy-making and programme planning. On the basis of data generated by the system, it was estimated that the prevalence rate of drug-dependent persons per 100,000 population increased from 84.3 in 1976 to 754.6 in 1986. It was estimated that there were 119,001 drug-dependent persons in Malaysia in 1986.
Matched MeSH terms: Drug and Narcotic Control/methods
The diagnosis of mullerian duct or utricular cyst should be considered in a child with urinary difficulties and a palpable midline, anterior rectal mass. Endoscopic cannulation of the cyst has been found to be the most useful diagnostic test. Infection should be treated with the appropriate antibiotics before definitive treatment. Surgical excision offers the best result. The transperitoneal and posterior parasacral approaches have been described but we favour the transvesical, transtrigonal approach which we find highly satisfactory. The risk of malignancy at a later age is an added indication for surgery.
Using seven methods of surveillance, 58 species of mosquitoes from nine genera were in Pantai and the two neighbouring villages during two visits in 1982. Ma. bonneae was the most prevalent species attracted to man. In the forest shade Ma. bonneae and Ma. dives showed activity throughout the 24 hours with peak biting during 1900-2100 hours. An. balabacensis exhibited peak activity shortly after midnight. Inside and outside house, Ma. bonneae showed similar activity except that it ceased during the day. Mansonia was only mildly zoophilic. CDC light traps gave poor yields of mosquitoes. Pyrethrum spray catch inside houses early morning did not include any Mansonia. Outdoor day resting catch included Ma. bonneae fed on man. Transmission of Brugia, probably human filariasis, by Ma. bonneae occurred in Pantai and in the two neighbouring villages. One infection in Ma. dives was found in Pantai. The monthly infective biting rate and monthly transmission potential for Ma. bonneae were estimated at the forest shade and outside the house in Pantai.