This is a report of a cross sectional study involving 3 groups of children, moderately malnourished (BMI < 15), mildly malnourished (BMI 15-18) and well nourished (BMI > 18) to determine the differences in hormonal and biochemical parameters between the groups. The children were of age range from 7-17 years old. The children were from the same area with exposure to the same food, drinking water and environment. There were significant differences in the nutritional indices between the three groups. No differences were observed in levels of triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4) and T3:T4 ratio. Significant difference however was found in the TSH levels using highly sensitive IRMA TSH assays. Moderately malnourished children had higher TSH levels (p < 0.05) compared to mildly malnourished and well-nourished children. No difference was found between the mildly malnourished and well-nourished groups. There were no significant differences in serum cortisols done at similar times, fasting growth hormone and calcium. Serum alanine transminase (ALT) however was higher in moderately malnourished than in well-nourished children. Thus using highly sensitive IRMA TSH assays, we were able to detect differences in TSH levels even though T3, T4 and T3:T4 ratio, cortisol, growth hormone and calcium were normal, implying in moderately malnourished children, a higher TSH drive to maintain euthyroid state.
Fasting growth hormone (GH) level is an important reference level in dynamic tests of GH secretion. Other studies have demonstrated sex and age variation in the rate of GH secretion. We analysed fasting serum samples from 377 normal subjects (193 males and 184 females, age range 6 to 81 years old), using our in-house enzyme immunoassay. We found sex differences in fasting GH levels to be only significant in the prepubertal children (Tanner stage I), being higher in girls than in age-matched boys (p < 0.05). Both sexes showed age-dependent changes in fasting GH levels (p < 0.001); highest levels were achieved at puberty and subsequently declined with advancing age. Hence, the physiological sex difference and age-dependency in GH secretion can also be demonstrated in single fasting samples.
Collections of anopheline mosquitos were made twice monthly for 13 months from a cow-baited trap in two villages, Kampung Permatang Rawa and Sungai Udang Kecil, on mainland coastal Penang, Malaysia. Each collection period was six hours from sunset. Unquantified larval collections were made regularly in each area. Although the villages were only about 50km apart, and each had extensive, irrigated rice-fields in its vicinity, the species abundance and the seasonal fluctuations differed significantly. In Kampung Permatang Rawa Anopheles sinensis and An. peditaeniatus were dominant in prevalence, whereas in Sungai Udang Kecil An. indefinitus and An. lesteri paraliae were most common and An. peditaeniatus was relatively rare. The rice growing schedules in the two areas differed, but there was a moderate correlation between the abundance of several species and the rice-growing pattern. There was no correlation at either site with rainfall.
A post-dated intra-uterine growth retarded male Malay baby was born to a 30-year-old mother gravida II by Caesarean section. Her previous pregnancy ended in still-birth. The baby was severely asphyxiated at birth. He was intubated and immediately admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. He had anasarca, anaemia, purpura and firm, massive hepatosplenomegaly. X-rays revealed ascites and bilateral metaphysiitis of the long bones. The haemoglobin level was 5.0 gm/dl and PCV 18.3%. Coombs' test was negative. Prothrombin time (PT) and partial thromboplastin time (PTT) were prolonged. The baby and mother were positive for Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) and the treponema pallidum haemagglutination assay (TPHA) tests. The baby was actively resuscitated but expired at three and a half hours of life due to overwhelming sepsis associated with severe anaemia and disseminated intravascular coagulation.
Fasting serum growth hormone (GH) levels of different groups of diabetic patients were measured and compared to age-matched normal subjects. Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) children (aged 12-17 years) were found to have significantly lower fasting GH levels than age-matched normal children (p < 0.001). In the adult age groups of 18-44 and 45-76 years, the IDDM patients showed increased fasting GH levels compared to age-matched normal subjects (p < 0.06 and p < 0.001 respectively) and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001 respectively). The fasting GH levels of IDDM patients of the age group 18-44 years also showed significant correlations with glycated haemoglobin (r = 0.510, p = 0.002) and fasting blood sugar levels (r = 0.571, p = 0.01).
The genus Mansonia is divided into two subgenera, Mansonia and Mansonioides. The subgenus Mansonioides includes the important vectors of lymphatic filariasis caused by Brugia malayi in South and Southeast Asia. Six species of this subgenus are vectors of two types of brugian filariasis, periodic and subperiodic. All six species, viz Mansonia bonneae, Ma. dives, Ma. uniformis, Ma. annulifera, Ma. annulata and Ma. indiana are present in this country. The ecological factors governing the larval and adult biology and their control measures are discussed.
Zooplankton samples were collected from the indigenous tropical brackish water lagoon during the wet monsoon (January and February 1990) and the dry monsoon (April and May 1990). The dominant copepod species in the zooplankton community comprising of Oithona sp (especially O. nana and O. robusta) accounted for more than 70% of the zooplankton in January and was gradually replaced by other zooplanktonic species later in the dry season. The lipid contents in zooplankton varied from 0.18 to 1.04% wet weight or 1.14 to 5.92% dry weight respectively. The major fatty acid contents of the zooplankton showed high concentration of 14:0, 16:0, 18:1, 20:5 omega 3 and 22:6 omega 3 especially in the wet season. It also contained high omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid series necessary for the growth of commercial fish larvae. It has a better food value than the normally use food organism, brine shrimp; thus reflecting its potential use as food organism for fish larval rearing.
Matched MeSH terms: Fishes/growth & development*; Larva/growth & development
In Armigeres subalbatus, 60% and 3% of the ingested Brugia pahangi microfilariae (mf) respectively migrated into the haemocoel and the thorax within 5 minutes post ingestion (p.i.). Most of the mf had migrated from the gut into the haemocoel within the first 10 minutes p.i. There was no correlation between the number of mf ingested and the migration rate though those in mosquitoes with a low mf burden tend to migrate earlier. At 24 hours p.i., 5-30% of the mf were still in the gut; 19% of these mf were immobile. At 48 hours p.i. only 2% of the mf were mobile. B. pahangi mf isolated from blood meals at 24 hours p.i., failed to develop when inoculated into Armigeres subalbatus. 54% and 73% of the mf isolated from a 24 hour old clotted blood of a B. pahangi-infected cat and fresh peripheral cat blood respectively developed into stage-1 larva. Probably mf left in the midgut at 24 hours p.i. are the young and immature worms and are physiologically incapable of penetrating the gut.
The filaria vector competence of Anopheles stephensi was compared with Brugia-susceptible Aedes aegypti Liverpool strain, An. gambiae Badagry Lagos strain and An. dirus Perlis Malaysia strain. An. stephensi ingested more Brugia pahangi microfilariae, had the highest infectivity rate and yielded more infective mosquitoes than the other two anopheline species. The overall vector competence of An. stephensi was 0.13 times that of Ae. aegypti, 0.62 times that of An. gambiae and 2.17 times that of An. dirus. However, heavy mortality among infected An. stephensi in the present investigation indicates that the filaria vectorial capacity of the mosquito might be limited epidemiologically. The relationship between filaria vector competence and mosquito foregut armature is discussed. It was observed that the relative vector competence of the three anopheline species tested was in the same order as their relative degrees of armature elaboration. The converse would be expected if foregut armatures really give partial protection to the mosquitoes against filarial infection. It is suggested that high host microfilariae density favours larval survival proportional to the degree of armature development in Anopheles (Cellia) species.
A cross-sectional study was carried out on 8,478 consecutive normal singleton Malaysian neonates born in the Maternity Hospital, Kuala Lumpur. The objectives were to compare the mean birth-weights, crown-heel lengths and head circumferences of Malay, Chinese and Indian infants at gestation age from 28 to 42 weeks, and to construct the Malaysian growth charts. Above the gestation age of 34 weeks, the birthweights were significantly influenced by maternal gravida status (p < 0.03), ethnic origin (p < 0.001) and/or sex of the neonates (p < 0.026). Above this gestation age, neonates of multigravida mothers were significantly heavier than those of primigravida mothers; Indians were significantly lighter than Malays and Chinese; and males were significantly heavier than females. The head circumferences and body lengths of neonates were significantly influenced by ethnic origin, sex and/or maternal gravida status at gestation above 35 and 36 weeks respectively (p < 0.05). It was most likely due to the small sample size which explained our inability to detect statistically significant difference in all measurements (birthweight, length and head circumference) by sex, ethnicity and maternal gravida status at gestation below 35 weeks. Based on the measurements obtained in this study, percentile charts for the Malaysian population were constructed and made available for the first time. These charts will be useful for the assessment of Malaysian neonates during the perinatal period.
Fifty-nine cases of tuberculous cervical lymphadenitis were analysed histologically. Characteristic epithelioid cell granulomas were seen in all the cases with central areas of caseation necrosis in 96.6% (57/59) of these cases. The diagnosis of tuberculosis was further established by the demonstration of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) in the tissue sections in 29 cases. These AFB, although occasional, were found more frequently within the epithelioid cells as compared with other zones of the granuloma. There was no significant association between necrosis and bacillary content. We conclude that light microscopical assessment is still a useful screening method to diagnose tuberculosis in cases of cervical lymphadenopathy.
Matched MeSH terms: Mycobacterium/growth & development
Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease and is still a public health problem in Malaysia. In 1926, the Leper Enactment Act was established which required compulsory notification and isolation of leprosy patients. As a result, the National Leprosy Control Centre (NLCC) was built in Sungai Buloh, Selangor. In 1969, the National Leprosy Control programme was launched with the objective of early case finding and decentralisation of treatment of leprosy. The treatment of leprosy patients is integrated with basic Medical and Health services in Malaysia. With the implementation of multiple drug therapy in 1985, the National prevalence rate of leprosy has reduced from 5.7 per 10,000 in 1983 to 1.7 per 10,000 in 1992. The Research Unit in NLCC was established in 1950, where cultivation of Mycobacterium leprae using mouse foot-pad technique is done. This technique is used for assessment of efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents in leprosy. Research activites are also done in collaboration with the Institute for Medical Research in Kuala Lumpur such as isolation of Mycobacterium leprae antigen using T cell clones and phenolic glycolipid antigen.
Matched MeSH terms: Mycobacterium leprae/growth & development
Developmental and morphological characteristics of 3 isolates of Taenia taeniaeformis isolated from Clethrionomys rufocanus bedfordiae in Abuta (70 km southwest of Sapporo), Japan (isolate ACR), and from Rattus norvegicus in Sapporo, Japan (isolate SRN) and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (isolate KRN) were compared. Eggs of 3 isolates were administered to several species of rodents. Isolate ACR infected C. rufocanus bedfordiae, Apodemus speciosus, and Apodemus argenteus, but not rats or mice, whereas isolate SRN and isolate KRN were infective to rats, mice, A. speciosus, and A. argenteus, but not to C. rufocanus bedfordiae. The increase in cyst size of isolate ACR continued during the experimental period, whereas that of the other 2 isolates had ceased growing after 30 days postinfection. However, significant differences were observed in the length of the small rostellar hooks, number and distribution of testes, and the length of the cirrus sac between isolate ACR and the other 2 isolates. Thus it is suggested that isolate ACR is a distinct strain or even a new species.
Between April 1987 and March 1988, populations of immature Aedes albopictus and Toxorhynchites spp. in bamboo pots were sampled weekly. Populations of Ae. albopictus and rainfall varied from month to month. During the heavy rainfall months of September and October 1987, larval counts of Ae. albopictus were high, between 30.8 and 49.2 larvae per week compared to 16 larvae per week during the low rainfall month of January 1988. A higher population of Toxorhynchites spp. was associated with a low population of the vector.
The effect of Mycoplasma gallinarum isolated from village chickens on embryonated village chicken eggs was investigated. Seven-, 10-, 12- and 18-day-old embryos were inoculated with medium containing 10(6) colony forming units of M gallinarum or with uninfected medium and incubated at 37 degrees C until they hatched. There was no significant difference between the infected embryos which failed to hatch and those which hatched or between them and the group inoculated with medium only. A much higher percentage of the eggs inoculated as 18-day-old embryos hatched than of those inoculated at seven, 10 and 12 days old. The hatchability of the uninoculated village chicken eggs used in the four trials ranged from 60 to 100 per cent. Mycoplasmas were isolated from the oesophagus, trachea and yolk of the infected chicks and from the dead-in-shell embryos.
Matched MeSH terms: Chick Embryo/growth & development
Toxin production of a Malaysian isolate of the toxic red tide dinoflagellate Pyrodinium bahamense var. compressum was investigated at various stages of the batch culture growth cycle and under growth conditions affected by temperature, salinity, and light intensity variations. In all the experiments conducted, only 5 toxins were ever detected. Neosaxitoxin (NEO) and gonyautoxin V (GTX5) made up 80 mole percent or more of the cellular toxin content and saxitoxin (STX), GTX6 and decarbamoylsaxitoxin (dcSTX) made up the remainder. No gonyautoxins I-IV or C toxins were ever detected. In nutrient-replete batch cultures, toxin content rapidly peaked during early exponential phase and just as rapidly declined prior to the onset of plateau phase. Temperature had a marked effect on toxin content, which increased 3-fold as the temperature decreased from the optimum of 28 degrees C to 22 degrees C. Toxin content was constant at salinities of 24% or higher, but increased 3-fold at 20%. Toxin content decreased 2-fold and chlorophyll content increased 3-fold when light intensity was reduced from 90 to 15 microE m-2 s-1. This accompanied a 30% decrease in growth rate. Toxin composition (mole % individual toxin cell-1) remained constant throughout the course of the nutrient-replete culture and during growth at various salinities, but varied significantly with temperature and light intensity changes. At 22 degrees C, GTX5 was 25 mole % and NEO was 65 mole %, while at 34 degrees C, GTX5 increased to 55 mole % and NEO decreased proportionally to 40 mole %. When light intensity was reduced from 90 to 15 microE m-2 s-1, NEO decreased from 55 to 38 mole %, while GTX5 increased from 40 to 58 mole %. These data suggest that low light and high temperature both somehow enhance sulfo-transferase activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)