The cord blood glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) enzyme activity of 262 normal term Malaysian neonates (92 Malays, 96 Chinese and 74 Indians) was quantitatively determined by the World Health Organisation method. Analysis of variance for the levels of G6PD enzyme activity by ethnic origin and sex showed that there was a significant difference between mean levels of enzyme activity in the three ethnic groups (P = 0.03) but no difference between the sexes (P = 0.36). Multiple range analysis showed that Malays had significantly higher mean levels of G6PD enzyme activity than those of Chinese (P = 0.01). There was no significant difference between the mean levels of G6PD enzyme activity of Chinese and Indians (P = 0.52), nor was there any difference between those of Malays and Indians (P = 0.08). The difference in levels of G6PD enzyme activity among the different ethnic groups could be due to the existence of different G6PD variants.
X linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) is rarely reported from developing countries especially from South East Asia. It appears that X linked agammaglobulinemia is less common in certain ethnic groups. It is very uncommon in black people in USA and South Africa. In multiracial Malaysia we have documented five XLA in Malays and Indians but not in the Chinese that constitute about 31% of the population. First degree relatives afflicted with XLA or other primary immunodeficiencies occurred more often in our study. All showed lung involvement although the etiologic organisms involved were atypical, being Gram negative.
PIP: The benefits of various-sized families in Malaysia were discussed by several women and supplemented with official statements on family planning (FP). The Director of the National Population and Family Development, Dr. Raj Karim, advised that maternal health is jeopardized when women have more than five children. About 30% of reproductive age women in Malaysia have five or more children. A Federation of FP Associations spokesperson agreed that women should be advised of the dangers of bearing over five children, of the importance of spacing births two to four years apart, and of the ideal age of childbearing (21-39 years). The government lacks an official policy on family size. The government position is, however, compatible with Islamic teachings on spacing in order to protect the health of the mother and child. Islamic law does not permit sterilization or abortion. The "fatwas" of Islamic teaching may have been misconstrued by those not using any form of contraception. Dr. Karim, who has five children, reported that having a large family can be difficult for a woman with a job, a career, and a husband or when both parents work. Most Malays desire large families. The average Malay family size was 4.1 children in 1990; Malaysian Chinese have fertility of 2.3 children and Malaysian Indians have 2.6 children. People say that the benefits outweigh the hardships of a large family.
This article attempts to review the criteria for the amok phenomenon since the late 15th century and how its meaning has evolved into its present day usage.
One hundred and two Southern Thai-Muslims (STM) from Nakhon Si Thammarat province were studied for HLA class I and II by SSP ARMS-PCR and PCR-SSO, respectively. The allele frequencies, haplotype frequencies, delta value and linkage disequilibrium between alleles were expressed. The most frequent alleles for HLA-A, HLA-B and HLA-C were A*24(02,03), A*11 (01,02), A*02(01,03,05-07,11): B*15(01,04-07,12,19,20), B*07(02-05), B*51(01-05)/B*52 (011,012); and Cw*07(01-03), Cw*04(01,02), Cw*08(01-03), respectively. The HLA class II alleles frequently found were DRB1*1202, DRB1*15021, DRB1*0701; DRB3*0301; DRB5* 0101; DQA1*0101, DQA1*0103, DQA1*0601; DQB1*0301, DQB1*0501, DQB1*0201; and DPB1*1301, DPB1*2301 and DPB1*0501. Two common HLA class I and II haplotypes with significant linkage disequilibrium were A*24 (02,03)-Cw*08 (01-03)-B*15 (01,04-07,12,19,20) -DRB1*1202 and A*33 (01,02)-Cw*0302-B*5801-DQB1*0201. The absence of B*27 and DRB1 *1401, the presence of A*2301 and high frequency of A*68 were observed in STM.
The HLA-A*02 subtyping in Thais was conducted and included in the 12th International Histocompatibility Workshop (12WS). A total of 81 randomized individuals previously serologically or DNA typed as A2 were studied for A2 subtypings. The subjects consisted of 32 Southern Thai-Muslims (STM) and 49 Central Thais (CT). The 12WS HLA-A*02 subtyping DNA typing kit was employed. The most common A*02 subtypes in STM were A*0203,*0201 and *0207 while they were A*0203, *0207 and *0201 in CT. A*0202, *0204, *0208, *0209, *0212, *0213, *0214, *0215, *0216 and *0217 were not found in both STM and CT. The 12WS data indicated that A*0201 was also the most frequent allele of A*2 among North-East Asians. A2 subtype study in 32 STM revealed that 2 in 8 of A*0201 showed the absence of bands at 813 bp and 705 bp with primer mix number 03A and 517A and weak reaction band with primer mix number 33A. In addition, 3 subjects with A*0201 variations have one nucleotide difference in exon 2 by sequence base typing (by MGJ. Tilanus) which will be reported separately.
The focus of this study is on urbanization in Malaysia. "This paper is divided into three parts. The first part examines the trend of uneven urban development in West Malaysia. The second part discusses the change [in] ethnic composition of urban population between 1970 and 1980 intercensal period. The third part analyses the impact of the urbanization process on the Malays in the context of housing problems of the lower income groups." (SUMMARY IN THA)
Glutathione S-transferases (GST; E.C.2.5.1.18) were phenotyped by starch gel electrophoresis in post-mortem liver samples from 683 unrelated subjects of both sexes. 305 were Chinese, 185 Indians, 147 Malays and 46 from other racial groups of South-East Asia. GST1 and GST2 were found to be polymorphic in these populations. Additional alleles (GST1*3 and GST2*O) were observed at low frequency in all the ethnic groups. The frequency of GST1*1 was lower and that of GST1*2 was higher in Indians and Malays as compared to Chinese. GST1*0 and GST1*3 frequencies were similar in all these ethnic groups. The gene frequencies of the alleles of the GST2 locus varied significantly in the population studied. GST2*0 frequency was significantly higher in Indians than in Chinese and Malays, while the lowest frequency of GST2*1 was found in the Indians. GST2*2 frequency was higher in the Malays than in Chinese and Indians. GST1 and GST2 phenotype distributions were in agreement with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in all the ethnic groups studied. Sex made no significant difference in the phenotype distribution.
Out of 14,841 women who were serologically examined for syphilis at the antenatal booking clinic, University Hospital, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, 1.78% were VDRL positive and 1.05% TPHA positive with significant differences between the Malays, Indians and Chinese. These rates are higher than published series and were attributed to childhood yaws infection among the Malays. As differentiation between yaws and syphilitic infection in the clinic is difficult, all TPHA-reactive women were treated as for syphilis. Congenital syphilis was not diagnosed in those women who had been effectively treated before delivery.
The transcutaneous (Tc) bilirubinometer was evaluated in 105 jaundiced neonates, comprising 38 Malays, 37 Chinese and 30 Indians, who had not been treated with phototherapy or exchange transfusion. Tc bilirubin index and serum bilirubin concentration correlated at statistically significant levels in all the three racial groups. Unlike the Chinese and Malay babies, the action levels, using Tc bilirubin index, in the Indian babies are not reliable due to the wide variation of skin pigmentation. Neonatal jaundice is conventionally monitored by estimation of serum bilirubin level. This involves blood sampling. The transcutaneous (Tc) bilirubinometer, however, is non-invasive, small and portable. In this study, the use of the Tc bilirubinometer in the management of neonatal jaundice' in the three racial groups was evaluated.
Ninety-five cases of suicide and 134 cases of parasuicide that occurred between October 1973 and September 1984 in the hill resort district of Cameron Highlands in Malaysia were analysed. Eighty-one per cent of suicides and 78% of parasuicides were of Indians, although they only form 25% of the population. The average annual suicide rate for Indians (over 10 years of age) was 157 per 100,000. About 94% of suicides and 66% of parasuicides were by ingesting agricultural poisons. The age- and sex-specific suicide rates for women were highest in the 20-24-year-old age group. Some possible reasons for high suicide rates among Indians are discussed.
"This paper estimates a proportional hazards model for the timing of age at marriage of women in Malaysia. We hypothesize that age at marriage responds significantly to differences in male and female occupations, race, and age. We find considerable empirical support for the relevance of economic variables in determining age at marriage as well as evidence of strong differences in marriage patterns across races."
All singleton live births occurring in Singapore in the three years 1981-3 were computed, and birthweight was examined in the different ethnic groups (Chinese, Malay, and Indian). Overall the proportions of babies of very low birthweight (less than 1500 g) and low birthweight (less than 2500 g) were: Chinese 0.3% and 6.1%, Malays 0.4% and 8.5%, and Indians 0.5% and 10.0%. The important finding was that in all gestational periods and virtually all maternal age and live birth order groups Indians had the highest proportion of very low and low birthweight babies. However for prematurity Indians at 6.7% had a higher rate than Chinese (5.1%) but lower than Malays (9.9%). Likewise for neonatal mortality Indians at 8.7 per 1000 live births were between Chinese (7.1) and Malays (9.1). The evidence seems to indicate that the reason for Indians having a higher proportion of low birthweight babies is partly ethnic/genetic, and the cut-off point of 2500 g should perhaps be lowered for babies from the Indian subcontinent when international comparisons are being made.
Hereditary haemolytic anaemias have been found to be a significant cause of haemolytic disease in West Malaysia. This paper reports a micromapping study of 916 healthy Malay males from June to August 1983 to determine the distribution of the relevant thalassaemia genes in West Malaysia. Beta thalassaemia trait was found in 2.18%, HbE 3.49% and alpha thal2 (alpha+) trait in 26%. Of the sixteen transfusion dependant Malay thalassaemic patients at the Paediatric Unit, National University of Malaysia, eight patients had HbE beta thalassaemia and the rest are beta thalassaemia major; these patients who are transfusion dependant receive inadequate treatment. Prevention is the only resort.