The objective of this study was to determine the efficiency of UV blocking monomers in contact lenses in providing eye protection from UV radiation. The spectral transmission of 8 contact lenses (7 soft contact lenses: Precision UV, Acuvue 2, Surevue, Omega, Encore UV, Durasoft 3 and Lunelle UV and 1 rigid gas permeable contact lens: Boston 7) was evaluated by using a dual beam spectrophotometer. Durasoft 3, a non UV absorbent contact lens was used as the control. The results showed that Precision UV contact lens absorbed UV light up to wavelength of 380 nm, whereas Acuvue 2 and Surevue absorbed up to 360 nm only. Omega, Encore UV and Lunelle UV lenses absorbed UV light up to 335 nm with spectral transmission of Lunelle UV being the highest among all soft contact lenses tested, which was 17%. Boston 7 could absorb UV light up to 385 nm, but the amount of UV light transmitted was higher than soft lenses, which was 30%. Durasoft 3 only blocked UV light at 200-245 nm. Precision UV lens had better UV blocker characteristics than the other contact lenses tested. UV blocking soft contact lenses could be an alternative for spectacles in protecting internal ocular structures from UV radiation.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and ammonio methacrylate copolymer (Eudragit RS 100) were used as models in binary mixture tablets of direct compression study. Eudragit RS 100 is a copolymer synthesized from acrylic and methacrylic acid esters with a low content of quaternary ammonium groups. Combination of PVC and Eudragit RS 100 of different polarities and knowing the surface free energy values allow the possibility of predicting the tensile strength of the tablets. Specimens of 500 mg in the form of thin plates (25 mm x 12.5 mm), were made by compressing each powder at 20 000 MP a compression pressure using a special punch and die set. A Howden Universal Testing Machine was used to compress the powder. Contact angle measurements of the samples were carried out using a Wilhelmy balance, ran by a Cahn Dynamic Contact Angle Machine while different test liquids media such as water, glycerol, formamide and PEG 200 were used in the study. The surface free energy values of the solid materials were calculated using Wu's equation. The results showed large differences between the advancing and receding contact angle values for both materials when tested with glycerol: PVC (0) and PVC (0,) were 93.2 and 65.24 while Eudragit RS 100 (0) and Eudragit RS 100 (0) were 94.56 and 68.18 respectively. The surface free energy values for PVC using PEG 200-glycerol liquid pair were Is: 38.01, ysci: 33.42, ysP: 4.59 and for Eudragit RS 100 using formamide-glycerol liquid pair were ys: 75.03, yd: 51.66, ysP : 23.37, respectively. The results showed harder solid material like Eudragit RS 100 had higher surface free energy compared to elastic material like PVC.
Kajian ini dilakukan untuk menentukan prevalens jangkitan Trichomonas vaginalis, di kalangan wanita yang berumur 20 hingga 59 tahun di Hospital Umum Sarawak melalui pemeriksaan ke atas lumuran Pap lazim. Prevalens jangkitan ini dikaji di kalangan lima kumpulan etnik utama iaitu kaum Iban, Cina, Melayu, Bidayuh dan Orang Ulu. Penyaringan dijalankan pada lumuran Pap lazim ke atas 300 sampel slaid yang telah diproses dan dicelup menggunakan pencelup Papanicolaou. Berdasarkan maklumat pada borang permohonan penyaringan lumuran Pap, tanda dan gejala jangkitan diambil kira sebagai petunjuk penting semasa penyaringan kerana melalui tanda dan gejala jangkitan, lumuran Pap mempunyai hubungan yang rapat kepada ciri-ciri gambaran sitomorfologi jangkitan yang berlaku ke atas sel epitelial sekiranya ianya mengalami jangkitan. Kategori umur untuk setiap golongan etnik juga dijadikan sebagai salah satu faktor pengukur bagi menilai tahap kekerapan jangkitan. Hasil kajian menunjukkan trikomoniasis mencatatkan jangkitan sebanyak 7.7% kes. Jangkitan berlaku pada kesemua kumpulan etnik dan lebih kerap ditemui pada golongan umur 20 hingga 29 tahun. Kesemua kes turut menunjukkan tanda dan gejala jangkitan. Hasil kajian ini menunjukkan kepentingan menjalani ujian lumuran Pap sebagai ujian mengesan jangkitan Trikomonas vaginalis selain saringan awal pengesanan kanser serviks.
Kajian Morbiditi Kesihatan Kebangsaan 2006 menunjukkan amalan Pemeriksaan Sendiri Payudara (PSP) masih rendah di kalangan wanita Malaysia walaupun berbagai program kesedaran telah dilakukan. Kajian ini dilakukan dari bulan Mei hingga Disember 2008, untuk mengkaji perubahan tahap pengetahuan, amalan dan sikap jururawat di Hospital Kuala Krai, Kelantan terhadap amalan PSP setelah program intervensi pendidikan kesihatan diadakan. Objektif kajian ialah untuk meningkatkan amalan PSP di kalangan jururawat di hospital tersebut. Kajian dilakukan secara intervensi pra dan pasca uji tanpa perbandingan. Responden terdiri daripada 43 orang yang dipilih melalui persampelan rawak mudah. Alat kajian yang digunakan ialah borang soal selidik melalui sesi temu ramah bersemuka dengan responden. Program intervensi pendidikan kesihatan termasuk ceramah, demontrasi PSP, kaunseling dan pameran diadakan untuk mengajar jururawat tentang masa yang sesuai, kekerapan dan teknik melakukan PSP dengan betul. Hasil menunjukkan terdapat perubahan yang signifikan bagi tahap pengetahuan (p < 0.001)sebelum dan selepas intervensi. Namun, analisis amalan pula menunjukkan tidak terdapat perubahan yang signifikan terhadap amalan PSP yang betul (p = 0.083). Analisis sikap menunjukkan kesemua 43 orang atau 100% responden telah berubah dari negatif menjadi positif terhadap persepsi-persepsi kerentanan, halangan dan faedah melakukan PSP. Tidak terdapat hubungan di antara sosio-demografik responden dengan tingkah laku PSP (p = 0.63). Walaupun dalam aspek amalan, perubahan sebelum dan selepas intervensi masih rendah dan tidak signifikan, perlaksanaan intervensi pendidikan kesihatan ini telah dapat mencetuskan sedikit perubahan di kalangan jururawat dari Hospital Kuala Kerai walaupun tidak secara menyeluruh.
Individual identification is an important and challenging task in forensic investigation. Lip print on drinking glass or cigarette butt found at crime scenes may link to a suspect. The aim of this study was to determine the differences in lip print between sexes or races, differences in lip measurement between sexes or races and determine a way to estimate sex and race by using lip print or lip measurements for main races in Malaysia. A total of 134 subjects (67 males and 67 females) of Malay, Chinese and India were recruited from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Campus Kuala Lumpur (UKMKKL), Malaysia. Lip prints were taken by using a lipstick and a transparent cellophane tape. Lip measurements were taken by using electronic digital callipers. Lip prints were classified according to Tsuchihashi classification. Statistical analysis indicated that there was a significant difference in lip print between sexes (p < 0.001) but not in races (p > 0.05). Width of oral opening and the height of lower lip both indicated significant differences between sexes (p < 0.001) while the height of upper lip and lower lip each indicated significant differences between races (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant interaction between sexes and races for all lip measurements. Formulae for sex and race determination were calculated with Classification Tree when there was significant difference between every comparison. Tables of accuracy percentage and performance evaluation for method in categorizing sex or race by using lip print or lip measurement were made. For validation of method in sex determination based on the formulae formed, accuracy in females is 90% and 65% in males. Therefore, overall percentage of accuracy in sex determination was 77.5%. This study can provide a preliminary idea about the use of lip prints in sex or race determination among Malaysian population.
This study aimed to develop and examine the validity and reliability of a pregnancy symptoms questionnaire. A total of 214 pregnant women aged 19 to 40 years old were purposive randomly recruited from December 2009 to January 2010 in Antenatal Clinic, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia. Pregnant mothers at second and third trimesters were interviewed to complete the Pregnancy Symptoms Questionnaire (PSQ). The PSQ was developed by experts in nutrition, obstetrics and statistics. The PSQ consists of 38 items on frequency and severity of pregnancy symptoms. Factor analysis was done using Promax rotation method to check for construct validity. A total of 16 items which had poor correlation (<0.3) and less important content were removed during the final revise. The 22 remaining items were found to be loaded on the three components (general, constitutional and somatic pain). The overall Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.93 and for each three components ranges from 0.70–0.87. The results suggest that the final PSQ consisting of 22 items is valid and reliable for measuring the frequency and severity of the symptoms experienced during pregnancy. It can be used in nutritional studies related to pregnancy and its outcome.
Keywords: Pregnant mothers; Pregnancy symptoms; Questionnaire; Validation
Study site: Antenatal Clinic, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM), Kelantan, Malaysia
Kajian ini dijalankan untuk membentuk formula demi menganggar ketinggian tubuh badan dan menentukan jantina dengan menggunakan panjang dan lebar kaki. Seramai 150 orang subjek yang berumur 20-30 tahun diambil dari Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Kampus Kuala Lumpur (UKMKKL). Subjek tersebut adalah Melayu (45 lelaki dan 45 perempuan) dan Cina (30 lelaki dan 30 perempuan). Ketinggian, panjang dan lebar kaki diukur menggunakan alatan antropometrik dalam ukuran milimeter. Hasil statistik menunjukkan bahawa pelbagai ukuran kaki kanan dan kiri tidak mempunyai perbezaan yang signifikan (Panjang kaki/FL: t(298) = -0.235, p = 0.815; Lebar kaki/FW: t(298) = 0.932, p = 0.352). Perbezaan yang signifikan pada semua ukuran pula dapat dilihat pada jantina (Tinggi/S: t(148) = 12.550, p < 0.05; FL:t(148) = 11.692, p < 0.05; FW:t(148) = 8.321, p < 0.05). Bagi kaum, ketinggian tubuh badan kaum Cina adalah lebih tinggi berbanding kaum Melayu secara signifikan (t(148) = -3.103, p < 0.05) tetapi tiada perbezaan yang signifikan diperhatikan pada ukuran kaki (FL: t(148) = 0.002, p = 0.999; FW:t(148) = 1.362, p = 0.175). Korelasi yang paling tinggi telah ditunjukkan antara ketinggian tubuh badan dengan panjang kaki pada semua kumpulan. Analisis Regresi Garis Lurus dan Regresi Berganda telah digunakan untuk membentuk formula menganggar ketinggian tubuh badan. Walau bagaimanapun, didapati formula yang dibentuk dari Regresi Berganda adalah lebih tepat kerana kombinasi panjang dan lebar kaki menghasilkan korelasi koefisen yang lebih tinggi dalam semua formula (S = 585.298+(4.898xFL)-(1.453xFW), F(2,149 = 149.324, p < 0.01, R2 = 0.670). Formula untuk penentuan jantina juga telah dibina menggunakan Analisis Pokok Klasifikasi. Keputusan menunjukkan ketepatan untuk menentukan jantina seseorang adalah di antara 86.3-87.5% bagi perempuan dan 85.2-85.7% bagi lelaki dengan menggunakan panjang kaki manakala di antara 68.4-76.8% bagi perempuan dan 77.8-81.0% bagi lelaki dengan menggunakan lebar kaki.
A cross-sectional study was conducted in February 2006 to determine the prevalence of Trichuris trichiura infection among Orang Asli (Aborigine) children at Pos Lenjang, Pahang. A total of 71 faecal samples were collected from the children (40 girls and 31 boys) aged between 1-12 years. The samples were examined for the presence of Trichuris trichiura ova using direct smear and formalin-ether concentration techniques. The result revealed that the overall prevalence of Trichuris trichiura infection was 43.7%. The infection was higher in males (51.6%) compared to females (37.5%), though not statistically significant (p > 0.05). According to age group, the school-aged children had higher prevalence of infection (56.8%) than preschool children (29.4%) (p < 0.05). Low socioeconomic status, large family size, poor environmental sanitation and poor personal hygiene are possible contributing factors that increase the prevalence of infection among the Orang Asli children at Pos Lenjang. In 31 samples positive for Trichuris trichiura, a detection rate of 100% was obtained using formalin-ether concentration, compared to 25.8% with direct smear technique. Thus, it is recommended that both techniques be performed in routine faecal examination for a more accurate diagnosis.
Mamografi adalah cara paling efektif untuk mengesan keabnormalan payudara di kalangan wanita. Namun, mamografi dipercayai boleh menyebabkan karsinogenesis aruhan sinaran. Justeru pengukuran dos adalah penting untuk menganggar risiko dan mengawal kualiti imej. Kajian ini dijalankan untuk membandingkan dos glandular purata (AGD) yang diperolehi fantom payudara berdasarkan dua kombinasi anod/penuras yang berbeza iaitu tungsten/rhodium (W/Rh) dan tungsten/argentum (W/Ag). Fantom payudara CIRS 012A didedahkan pada projeksi kraniokaudal (CC) menggunakan sistem mamografi digital Hologic Selenia. Kerma udara kemasukan permukaan (ESAK) diukur menggunakan dosimeter pendar cahaya terma (TLD). AGD diperolehi daripada pengiraan asas ESAK dengan faktor penukaran berdasarkan formula Euref. Ujian t tak bersandar menunjukkan perbezaan bererti dalam purata AGD yang diperolehi. Purata AGD W/Rh adalah lebih tinggi berbanding purata AGD W/Ag (p = 0.002, 95% CI: 0.22, 0.53). Kesimpulannya, penggunaan W/Ag menyumbang kepada pengurangan dos semasa pemeriksaan mamografi.
Phorid flies play an important role in forensic cases and can cause myiasis in humans. Studies on phorid flies species diversity are still limited in Malaysia. This research was carried out to collect information about species and frequency distribution of phorid flies as to provide more information on their roles in forensic and medical entomology. Bait trap was used with 100 g beef liver as baits. The species of the flies were identified using identification keys from Disney as well as Brown and Oliver. There were 449 phorid flies found in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur including Megaselia scalaris, Megaselia spiracularis, Megaselia sp. and phorid flies of genus X. Female phorid flies (98.89%) were found more prone to be trapped compared to male phorid flies (1.11%). Most phorid flies trapped in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur were from genus Megaselia and consisted of female flies. A total of five species of phorid flies probably new to science were also discovered. This study showed that Megaselia flies were found indoors rather than in open spaces. This was corresponding to their discoveries among the decomposing corpse found inside premises.
Acanthamoeba is a free living protozoa that can cause keratitis and granulomatous amoebic encephalitis. Physiological characteristics of this amoeba are found to have a medical importance in which it can be related to the pathogenicity potential of the organism. This study was carried out to investigate the physiological characteristics of survivability during axenization. Six Acanthamoeba strains from three clinical isolates (HSB 1, HKL 48 and HKL 95) and three environmental isolates (PHS 2, PHS 11 and PHS 15) were used in this study. Axenization test was done by treating cysts with hydrochloric acid (3%) and Page saline containing Gentamicin (100 μg/ml). Cysts were then cultured into PYG enrich media, incubated at 30oC and the presence and proliferation of trophozoites of Acanthamoeba were observed. This study showed that PHS 15, HSB 1, HKL 48 and HKL 95 could be axenized but they have poor proliferation rate in PYG enrich media. The result showed that the difference between both clinical and environmental isolates was observed in two strains; PHS 2 and PHS 11. This indicates that there is a possibility that the physiological traits of strains from both isolates are the same and strains from the environment are able to show the pathogenic potential and capable of causing infection to human.
Keywords: Axenization, Survivability, Acanthamoeba, Clinical and environmental strains
Dichloromethane and methanolic extracts of each plant were tested for their antiplasmodial activity on chloroquineresistant strain of Plasmodium falciparum (FCB strain), based on lactate dehydrogenase activity. Cytotoxicity was assessed with the MTT test on MRC-5 human diploid embryonic lung cells. Most extracts of ten selected plants used in Malay traditional medicine in Malaysia had activity in vitro. This supports continued investigations of traditional medicine in the search for new antimalarial agent. The compounds responsible for the observed antiplasmodial effects are under investigation.
The effect of low power 0.95 mW He-Ne laser irradiation (? = 632.8 nm) on the subpopulations of human blood parameters such as hemoglobin concentration (HGB), mean cellular volume of red blood cell (MCV), and mean cellular hemoglobin (MCH) were investigated by electronic sizing at the Wellness Centre of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). These parameters were correlated with human characteristics such as age, gender, ethnic, and blood types. The correlations were obtained by finding patterns in changes of blood parameters after radiation, non-parametric tests using SPSS version 11.5, centroid and peak positions, and flux variations. The analysis revealed significant changes according to human characteristics, for age (p = 0.067), gender (p = 0.044), ethnic (p = 0.094), and blood types (p = 0.099). This finding shows that the centroid and peak positions, flux peak and total flux, were highly correlated with human characteristics and can become a significant indicator for blood analysis. Furthermore, the encircled flux analysis demonstrated a good future prospect in blood research, thus leading the way as a vibrant diagnosis tool to clarify diseases associated with blood.
Bakteria endofit adalah berpotensi untuk menghasilkan antibiotik dan metabolit sekunder yang lain. Penghasilan metabolit sekunder dapat ditingkatkan melalui pengoptimuman kandungan nutrien seperti sumber nitrogen. Dalam kajian ini kandungan sumber nitrogen iaitu ammonium sulfat, ammonium dihidrogen fosfat, kalium nitrat dan natrum nitrat telah diubahsuai di dalam kaldu International Streptomyces Project 4 (ISP4) untuk pertumbuhan Streptomyces SUK 02. Pengekstrakan dilakukan dengan menggunakan etil asetat dan aktiviti antifungus ditentukan dengan menggunakan teknik serapan agar. Fungus ujian yang digunakan adalah Aspergillus fumigatus dan Fusarium solani. Hasil kajian menunjukkan peratusan berat (w/v) ekstrak kasar maksima didapati daripada kaldu yang mengandungi natrium nitrat (3.30%), diikuti oleh ammonium dihidrogen fosfat (2.24%), ammonium sulfat (1.46%) dan kalium nitrat (1.20%). Aktiviti antifungus dikesan daripada ekstrak bersumberkan nitrogen ammonium sulfat.Peratus perencatan ekstrak tersebut terhadap Aspergillus fumigatus dan Fusarium solani adalah 33.0-35.0% dan 17.4-30.0%, masing-masing. Manakala nilai MIC terhadap Aspergillus fumigatus adalah 1.5 mg/ml. Sebagai kesimpulan, natrium nitrat merupakan sumber nitrogen yang sesuai bagi partumbuhan optimum Streptomyces SUK 02 manakala kehadiran ammonium sulfat boleh meningkatkan aktiviti antifungus.
Kanta sentuh merupakan alat optikal yang sepatutnya selamat digunakan untuk pembetulan ralat refraksi atau kosmetik. Namun demikian terdapat permasalahan berkaitan kesihatan mata yang timbul akibat sikap pemakai yang tidak patuh kepada garis panduan penjagaan kanta yang disaran oleh pengamal kesihatan mata. Justeru itu satu soal selidik berkaitan penjagaan kanta sentuh dilakukan di kalangan pemakai kanta sentuh di sekitar Kuala Lumpur. Ia berdasarkan 22 set soalan terfokus kepada penjagaan kanta sentuh termasuklah tatacara pembersihan dan disifeksi, rawatan enzim, penggunaan agen pembasah dan kekerapan menghadiri pemeriksaan lanjutan. Di samping itu, terdapat enam soalan yang diaju untuk meninjau pengetahuan pemakai berkaitan penjagaan kanta sentuh yang selamat. Seramai 104 pemakai kanta sentuh mengambil bahagian dalam kajian ini. Lebih kurang 86% daripada mereka adalah wanita dengan min umur 24 ± 6 tahun. Lebih setengah daripada mereka memakai kanta sentuh jenis pakai buang. Hampir kesemuanya (98%) menggunakan sistem disinfeksi kimia. Hanya 68% pemakai yang dikaji mencuci kanta mereka setiap kali sebelum memakai dan selepas menanggalkannya. Tiga puluh peratus (30%) pemakai kanta sentuh menggunakan agen pembasah dan 40% menggunakan tablet protein. Enam puluh satu peratus (61%) daripada mereka menyatakan tidak membuat temu janji untuk pemeriksaan lanjutan. Enam soalan tertumpu kepada pengetahuan pemakai mengenai penjagaan kanta yang selamat dan min jawapan yang betul ialah 61.4%. Sebahagian pemakai kanta sentuh tidak mengikut arahan penjagaan kanta sentuh seperti yang disaran oleh pengamal kesihatan mata. Ramai yang tidak faham akan garis panduan pemakaian kanta yang selamat. Kajian ini menunjukkan sebahagian daripada pemakai kanta sentuh tidak mempunyai pengetahuan yang cukup mengenai risiko dan bahaya ke atas mata mereka kerana ketidakpatuhan pada arahan yang disaran oleh pengamal kesihatan mata. Pengamal kanta sentuh perlu memikirkan semula strategi untuk memastikan pemakai patuh kepada arahan berkaitan penjagaan kanta sentuh supaya komplikasi dapat dikurangkan.
Myogenic tone is the response of the vascular smooth muscle to an increase in intraluminal pressure with vasoconstriction and with vasodilation when the pressure is decreased. Such myogenic tone contributes a level of physiological basal tone in response to neurohumoral stimuli. In spite of myogenic tone discovery by Sir William Bayliss 100 years ago, questions still remain regarding the underlying signaling mechanism of the myogenic response. Studies have shown that increased intraluminal pressure or wall tension leads to membrane depolarization, voltage-operated calcium channel (VOCC), stretch-activated cation (SAC) channels, extracelullar matrix (ECM) and actin cytoskeleton. Recently, evidence has shown a potential role for reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a key signalling mediator in the genesis of myogenic tone. The identification of the primary mechanosensors in the initiation of pressure-dependent myogenic tone is essential as these components could be potential therapeutical targets in the future.
It is possible that different techniques used to measure axial length (AL) and anterior chamber depth (ACD) is the cause of discrepancy in refractive outcomes of cataract surgery. This study evaluated the agreement and repeatability of AL and ACD measurements using immersion and contact A-scan biometry techniques and compared the refractive outcomes from both techniques. Twenty four patients were evaluated for agreement and repeatability of AL and ACD measurements using the two different methods. The results were analyzed using Bland and Altman plots. Another 60 patients with age-related cataract were selected to compare the refractive outcomes between both methods. The IOL power was calculated using Sanders- Retzlaff- Kraff- Theoretical (SRK-T) equation. Refraction was determined between four to six weeks postoperatively and the results were analyzed using paired t-test. The results of this study showed good agreement between both techniques was noted with no significant difference detected between measurements (p > 0.05). Significant correlation was found in all parameters (AL: r = 0.99; p < 0.01, r = 0.99; p < 0.01) ACD: r = 0.91; p < 0.01, r = 0.97; p < 0.01). No significant difference in refractive outcomes of post cataract surgery was detected between the two techniques (p = 0.07). This study concludes that contact A-scan biometry and immersion techniques provide reliable results and should not be the cause of discrepancy in the refractive planned and outcome of cataract surgery.
Family planning is an important practice for women as it can help to improve financial and social status. Unwanted pregnancy has negative effects for husband and financial. However, couples married at a late age may not practice family planning because they want to have kids. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence, factors associated with
husband’s socio demography and decision making in family planning practices among women in reproductive age who attended a polyclinic in Serdang, Malaysia. A cross sectional study was conducted on 245 women with a systematic random sampling. Descriptive analysis, Fisher exact and Chi-square tests were conducted to identify the influence of husband’s socio demographic factors and decision making in family planning practices. The prevalence of family planning practices among married women was moderate (53.9%). Family planning practices among women showed significant relationship with the husband’s socio demography which were husband’s race (p = 0.018), religion (p = 0.008) and making decision in family planning (p = 0.002). The husband’s socio demography showed a significant relationship with the prevalence of the wife practicing family planning. This clearly indicates that the husband is the individual that influence the wife to use contraceptive method. Decision making in family planning by both the husband and wife is important in choosing to use contraceptive method. Health promotion in the concept of health education for male contraceptive method such as pamphlet and booklet is important to promote husband involvement in family planning.
Study site: Klinik Kesihatan Seri Kembangan, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
Stress is a common problem among university students and studies showed that involvement in exercise could help in reducing stress. However, information regarding the effect of high intensity progressive resistance training (PRT) using a resistant tube on stress among inactive and moderate active young male university students is limited. Hence, the aim of this study is to examine the effect of high intensity PRT using a resistant tube on psychological stress level, cortisol, DHEA and physical fitness in this population. A total of 30 male university students were participated in this quasi-experiment study. Intervention group (n = 14, age: 21.50 ± 1.37 yr) was participaned to carry out high intensity PRT by using resistant tube 3 times per week for 10 weeks; control group (n = 16, age: 21.29 ± 1.86 yr) was asked to continue their current lifestyle as usual. Before and after 10 weeks of intervention, psychological stress was measured by using PSS and SLSI questionnaires; cortisol and DHEA level were measured by using ELISA method. Timed up-and-go (TUG) used to examine dynamic balance and handgrip strength test used to measure muscle strength. Findings showed that the increased of DHEA level after 10 weeks of intervention was significantly difference between control and intervention groups (p < 0.05). There was no significant group difference in changes over time in anthropometric and body composition measurements, stress scores, cortisol level and physical fitness. High intensity PRT using resistant tube may be beneficial in increasing DHEA level among young male adults, which can act as a stress biochemical indicator.
“Following the child’s lead” and “collaborative consultation with parents” are solidly grounded in the best practice of
early language intervention. However, the success of these two practices are based on assumptions that they are valued by
families and that they can be feasibly implemented by the attending speech-language pathologist (SLP). Such assumptions
can be unjustified in cultures that value the use of “adult-guided instructions” over following the child’s lead and when
the work setting of the SLP does not readily accommodate those practices. This article takes the form of a position paper.
Through review of the literature, the paper (1) identifies the research-cultural practice gap in early language intervention
in Malaysia; (2) positions the two research-informed practices – following the child’s lead and collaborative consultation
with parents, on the continuum of intrusiveness in early language intervention; and (3) proposes the techniques of Milieu
Teaching as an approach to bridge the research-cultural practice gap in Malaysia.