Displaying publications 61 - 80 of 100 in total

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. Fulltext Isolation of Acanthamoeba sp. from conjunctival sac of healthy individuals using swab
    Anisah N, Amal H, Kamel AG, Yusof S, Noraina AR, Norhayati M
    Trop Biomed, 2005 Jun;22(1):11-4.
    PMID: 16880749 MyJurnal
    Is Acanthamoeba sp. normally found in the eyes? A study was carried out to establish the possibility of Acanthamoeba sp. as a part of the normal conjunctival flora. Conjunctiva swabbing were carried out in 286 healthy Orang Asli school children using sterile cotton swab. The swab was then inoculated onto non-nutrient agar (NN-A). Heat killed Escherichia coli that was used as food source for the growth of the amoebae was pipetted onto and away from the smear. The plates were incubated at 30 degrees C and examined daily using an inverted microscope for 14 days. Morphology of the trophozoites and cysts of the amoebae were used as the taxonomic criteria for identification. Positive-controls and negative-controls were done to check for the consistency of the technique used and monitoring of contamination respectively. None of the conjunctiva swab cultured was positive for Acanthamoeba sp. This finding may indicate that Acanthamoeba sp. is not part of normal conjunctival flora or conjunctiva swab is an insensitive technique to isolate the organism. However, a more extensive research is needed to investigate these possibilities.
    Matched MeSH terms: Specimen Handling/instrumentation
  2. Upper respiratory tract sampling in COVID-19
    Mawaddah A, Gendeh HS, Lum SG, Marina MB
    Malays J Pathol, 2020 Apr;42(1):23-35.
    PMID: 32342928
    INTRODUCTION: To review the present literature on upper respiratory tract sampling in COVID-19 and provide recommendations to improve healthcare practices and directions in future studies.

    METHODS: Twelve relevant manuscripts were sourced from a total of 7288 search results obtained using PubMed, Medline and Google Scholar. The search keywords used were COVID-19, nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal, swabs, SARS and CoV2. Original manuscripts were obtained and analysed by all authors. The review included manuscripts which have not undergone rigorous peer-review process in view of the magnitude of the topic discussed.

    RESULTS: The viral load of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the upper respiratory tract was significantly higher during the first week and peaked at 4-6 days after onset of symptoms, during which it can be potentially sampled. Nasopharyngeal swab has demonstrated higher viral load than oropharyngeal swab, where the difference in paired samples is best seen at 0-9 days after the onset of illness. Sensitivity of nasopharyngeal swab was higher than oropharyngeal swabs in COVID-19 patients. Patient self-collected throat washing has been shown to contain higher viral load than nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swab, with significantly higher sensitivity when compared with paired nasopharyngeal swab.

    RECOMMENDATIONS: Routine nasopharyngeal swab of suspected COVID-19 infection should take anatomy of the nasal cavity into consideration to increase patient comfort and diagnostic yield. Routine oropharyngeal swab should be replaced by throat washing which has demonstrated better diagnostic accuracy, and it is safe towards others.

    Matched MeSH terms: Specimen Handling*
  3. Evaluation of the whole blood lymphocyte transformation assay for scrub typhus exposure: adaptability to field sample collection
    Lim TS, LaBarre DD, Lewis GE
    Jpn. J. Med. Sci. Biol., 1988 Apr;41(2):57-68.
    PMID: 3149355 DOI: 10.7883/yoken1952.41.57
    The optimal conditions for the determination of exposure to scrub typhus by the whole blood lymphocyte transformation assay was 7 days culture of 10% blood in RPMI 1640 medium supplemented with 10% human AB-negative serum and L-glutamine with 50-200 micrograms protein/ml of Karp, Kato, or Gilliam strain membrane antigen. A simple exponentially decaying linear model shows the decrease in lymphocyte viability, the ability of sensitized cells to be stimulated with PHA mitogen, and the corresponding decrease in stimulation by scrub typhus antigens with increasing time of preincubation on ice. The lower limit of stimulation index for the detection of scrub typhus by whole blood lymphocyte transformation assay was 4.0 with a type I error of 1%.
    Matched MeSH terms: Specimen Handling*
  4. Fulltext COVID-19 screening test by using random oropharyngeal saliva
    Rao M, Rashid FA, Sabri FSAH, Jamil NN, Seradja V, Abdullah NA, et al.
    J Med Virol, 2021 Apr;93(4):2461-2466.
    PMID: 33393672 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.26773
    An optimal clinical specimen for accurate detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by minimizing the usage of consumables and reduce hazard exposure to healthcare workers is an urgent priority. The diagnostic performance of SARS-CoV-2 detection between healthcare worker-collected nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal (NP + OP) swabs and patient performed self-collected random saliva was assessed. Paired NP + OP swabs and random saliva were collected and processed within 48 h of specimen collection from two cohort studies which recruited 562 asymptomatic adult candidates. Real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction targeting Open reading frame 1a (ORF1a) and nucleocapsid (N) genes was performed and the results were compared. Overall, 65 of 562 (28.1%) candidates tested positive for COVID-19 based on random saliva, NP + OP swabs, or both testing techniques. The detection rate of SARS-CoV-2 was higher in random saliva compared to NP + OP testing (92.3%; 60/65 vs. 73.8%; 48/65; p specimens. Our findings demonstrate that random saliva is an alternative diagnostic specimen for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. Self-collected random oropharyngeal saliva is a valuable specimen that provides accurate SARS-CoV-2 surveillance testing of a community.
    Matched MeSH terms: Specimen Handling/methods
  5. Fulltext Advancing stem cell therapy from bench to bedside: lessons from drug therapies
    Srijaya TC, Ramasamy TS, Kasim NH
    J Transl Med, 2014;12:243.
    PMID: 25182194 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-014-0243-9
    The inadequacy of existing therapeutic tools together with the paucity of organ donors have always led medical researchers to innovate the current treatment methods or to discover new ways to cure disease. Emergence of cell-based therapies has provided a new framework through which it has given the human world a new hope. Though relatively a new concept, the pace of advancement clearly reveals the significant role that stem cells will ultimately play in the near future. However, there are numerous uncertainties that are prevailing against the present setting of clinical trials related to stem cells: like the best route of cell administration, appropriate dosage, duration and several other applications. A better knowledge of these factors can substantially improve the effectiveness of disease cure or organ repair using this latest therapeutic tool. From a certain perspective, it could be argued that by considering certain proven clinical concepts and experience from synthetic drug system, we could improve the overall efficacy of cell-based therapies. In the past, studies on synthetic drug therapies and their clinical trials have shown that all the aforementioned factors have critical ascendancy over its therapeutic outcomes. Therefore, based on the knowledge gained from synthetic drug delivery systems, we hypothesize that by employing many of the clinical approaches from synthetic drug therapies to this new regenerative therapeutic tool, the efficacy of stem cell-based therapies can also be improved.
    Matched MeSH terms: Specimen Handling/methods
  6. Tests on the centrifugal flotation technique and its use in estimating the prevalence of Toxocara in soil samples from urban and suburban areas of Malaysia
    Loh AG, Israf DA
    J Helminthol, 1998 Mar;72(1):39-42.
    PMID: 9639899
    The influence of soil texture (silt, sand and laterite) and flotation solutions (saturated NaCl, sucrose, NaNO3, and ZnSO4) upon the recovery of Toxocara ova from seeded soil samples with the centrifugal flotation technique was investigated. Soil samples of different texture were artificially seeded with Toxocara spp. ova and subjected to a centrifugal flotation technique which used various flotation solutions. The results showed significant (P < 0.001) interactions between the soil types and the flotation solutions. The highest percentage of ova recovery was obtained with silty soil (34.9-100.8%) with saturated NaCl as the flotation solution (45.3-100.8%). A combination of washing of soil samples with 0.1% Tween 80, and flotation using saturated NaCl and a 30 min coverslip recovery period was used to study the prevalence of contamination of soil samples. Forty-six soil samples were collected from up to 24 public parks/playgrounds in urban areas of Petaling Jaya and suburban areas of Serdang. The prevalence of Toxocara species in the urban and suburban areas was 54.5% and 45.8% respectively.
    Matched MeSH terms: Specimen Handling/methods
  7. Annotated checklist of eels (orders Anguilliformes and Saccopharyngiformes) from Taiwan
    Ho HC, Smith DG, Mccosker JE, Hibino Y, Loh KH, Tighe KA, et al.
    Zootaxa, 2015;4060:140-89.
    PMID: 26701598 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4060.1.16
    An annotated checklist of eels, orders Anguilliformes and Saccopharyngiformes, occurring in Taiwanese waters is presented. The checklist is the result of a series of systematic studies conducted by the authors in the past few years. The eel fauna of Taiwan is one of the richest in the world with a total of 206 species in 74 genera and 13 families in Anguilliformes and a single species in Saccopharyngiformes. The most species-rich families are the Muraenidae with 71 species, followed by the Ophichthidae with 60 species, the Congridae with 29 species, and the Synaphobranchidae with 17 species. Moreover, three genera and 42 species have been described based on at least one type specimen collected from Taiwan. Of these, 36 species are recognized as valid and 23 species are known only from Taiwanese waters at present. Historical records of all Taiwanese eel species are reviewed by examining the original descriptions and figures, vouchers, as well as the recently collected specimens, where available. This represents the first detailed checklist of eels from Taiwanese waters.
    Matched MeSH terms: Specimen Handling
  8. Activities of 210Po and 210Pb in the water column at Kuala Selangor, Malaysia
    Theng TL, Mohamed CA
    J Environ Radioact, 2005;80(3):273-86.
    PMID: 15725503
    Natural radionuclides, such as (210)Po and (210)Pb were measured in the water samples collected from six stations at Kuala Selangor, Malaysia. Results for (210)Po and (210)Pb in dissolved and particulate phases have showed the difference in distribution and chemical behavior. The fluctuation activities of (210)Po and (210)Pb depend on wave action, geology and degree of fresh water input occurring at study areas and probably due to different sampling dates. The distribution coefficient, K(d), values of (210)Po and (210)Pb ranged from 2.0 x 10(3)lg(-1) to 265.15 x 10(5)lg(-1), and from 3.0 x 10(3)lg(-1) to 558.16 x 10(5)lg(-1), respectively. High K(d) values of (210)Po and (210)Pb indicated that a strong adsorption of (210)Po and (210)Pb onto suspended particles, and the sinking of both nuclides on the seabed at study locations were controlled by the characteristics of suspended particles.
    Matched MeSH terms: Specimen Handling
  9. Revision of the Simulium (Simulium) melanopus species-group (Diptera: Simuliidae) in Sabah, Malaysia
    Takaoka H, Sofian-Azirun M, Ya'cob Z, Chen CD, Lau KW, Fernandez K, et al.
    Zootaxa, 2015;3985(1):1-30.
    PMID: 26250021 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3985.1.1
    Species of the Simulium (Simulium) melanopus species-group in Sabah are taxonomically revised by examining type specimens of S. (S.) crassimanum S. (S.) laterale, and S. (S.) nigripilosum, all described from females by Edwards in 1933, and newly collected samples from the vicinity of Mt. Kinabalu. The females of these three species are redescribed, and their males and pupae are described for the first time based on adults reared from pupae. Simulium (S.) liewi Takaoka, 2007 and S. (S.) kinabaluense Smart & Clifford, 1969 are synonymized with S. (S.) crassimanum and S. (S.) laterale, respectively. Simulium (S.) cheedhangi Takaoka, Sofian-Azirun & Ya'cob, 2015 is newly recorded from Sabah. Two new related species, S. (S.) lardizabalae and S. (S.) timpohonense, are described from males reared from pupae. Keys to identify eight species of the S. melanopus species-group in Sabah are provided for females, males, pupae and mature larvae.
    Matched MeSH terms: Specimen Handling
  10. Fulltext Kehadiran Acanthamoeba spp. pada bekas penyimpanan kanta sentuh pengguna asimptomatik
    Putri Noradyani Megat Hashim, Mohamed Kamel Abdul Ghani, Norhayati Moktar, Anisah Nordin, Yusof Suboh, Mimi Fazah Zainudin, et al.
    Jurnal Sains Kesihatan Malaysia, 2007;5(2):53-61.
    MyJurnal
    Keratitis Acanthamoeba merupakan sejenis inflamasi kornea yang dikaitkan dengan penggunaan kanta sentuh. la disebabkan oleh Acanthamoeba spp., ameba hidup bebas yang tersebar luas di pelbagai persekitaran manusia. Kontaminasi Acanthamoeba spp. pada bekas penyimpanan kanta sentuh merupakan faktor kehadiran ameba pada kanta seterusnya menjangkiti mata. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk melihat kehadiran Acanthamoeba spp. pada bekas penyimpanan kanta sentuh pengguna asimptomatik. Seramai 90 orang pengguna kanta sentuh asimptomatik terlibat dalam kajian ini. Sampel diambil secara swab pada bekas kanta sentuh dan dikulturkan ke atas agar bukan nutrien yang dilapisi Escherichia coli. Plat agar diperiksa setiap hart bagi mengesan kehadiran ameba. Kultur positif seterusnya disahkan di bawah 'Image Analysis with Video TesT 4.0'. Acanthamoeba spp. didapati positif pada lapan daripada 90 sampel (8. 7%) dan kesemua strain adalah kumpulan II (polyphagids). Penemuan ini membuktikan Acanthamoeba spp. boleh Nadir pada bekas penyimpanan kanta sentuh pengguna asimptomatik dan boleh menjadi risiko jangkitan keratitis Acanthamoeba.
    Matched MeSH terms: Specimen Handling
  11. Fulltext A new species of Clavicornaltica (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), discovered and described on a field course to Kuala Belalong, Brunei
    Schilthuizen M, Berenyi AEA, Limin A, Brahim A, Cicuzza D, Eales AJ, et al.
    Biodivers Data J, 2019.
    PMID: 30740026 DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.7.e32555
    Background: Clavicornaltica is a genus of very small flea beetles living in the leaf litter layer of Asian forests, easily sampled with Winkler extraction. The genus is presumably very rich in species, but their taxonomy is hampered by their small size and morphological uniformity.

    New information: On a 'taxon expedition'-style field course at Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre in Brunei Darussalam (Borneo), a new species, Clavicornaltica belalongensis n. sp., was discovered and taxonomically treated by the course participants. We also present the first DNA barcodes for the genus.

    Matched MeSH terms: Specimen Handling
  12. Fulltext A cybertaxonomic revision of the micro-landsnail genus Plectostoma Adam (Mollusca, Caenogastropoda, Diplommatinidae), from Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and Indochina
    Liew TS, Vermeulen JJ, Marzuki ME, Schilthuizen M
    Zookeys, 2014.
    PMID: 24715783 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.393.6717
    Plectostoma is a micro land snail restricted to limestone outcrops in Southeast Asia. Plectostoma was previously classified as a subgenus of Opisthostoma because of the deviation from regular coiling in many species in both taxa. This paper is the first of a two-part revision of the genus Plectostoma, and includes all non-Borneo species. In the present paper, we examined 214 collection samples of 31 species, and obtained 62 references, 290 pictures, and 155 3D-models of 29 Plectostoma species and 51 COI sequences of 19 species. To work with such a variety of taxonomic data, and then to represent it in an integrated, scaleable and accessible manner, we adopted up-to-date cybertaxonomic tools. All the taxonomic information, such as references, classification, species descriptions, specimen images, genetic data, and distribution data, were tagged and linked with cyber tools and web servers (e.g. Lifedesks, Google Earth, and Barcoding of Life Database). We elevated Plectostoma from subgenus to genus level based on morphological, ecological and genetic evidence. We revised the existing 21 Plectostoma species and described 10 new species, namely, P. dindingensis sp. n., P. mengaburensis sp. n., P. whitteni sp. n., P. kayiani sp. n., P. davisoni sp. n., P. relauensis sp. n., P. kubuensis sp. n., P. tohchinyawi sp. n., P. tenggekensis sp. n., and P. ikanensis sp. n. All the synthesised, semantic-tagged, and linked taxonomic information is made freely and publicly available online.
    Matched MeSH terms: Specimen Handling
  13. The authorship of Neolissochilus soro (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae): a correction to Khaironizam et al. (2015)
    Scharpf C
    Zootaxa, 2015;3986(4):499-500.
    PMID: 26250205 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3986.4.10
    In a meristic, morphometric and distributional study of Neolissochilus from Peninsular Malaysia, Khaironizam et al. (2015) subsumed Lissochilus tweediei Herre in Herre & Myers 1937 and a taxon they called "Tor soro Bishop 1973" into the synonymy of N. soroides (Duncker 1904) based on data collected from museum specimens. However, "Bishop 1973" is not the correct author citation for Tor soro. Instead, Tor (now placed in Neolissochilus) soro was originally described as Barbus soro by Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes (1842:191). Since "Tor soro Bishop 1973" is not a valid name/author combination, Neolissochilus soro, as treated by Khaironizam et al. (2015), cannot be considered a junior synonym of N. soroides.
    Matched MeSH terms: Specimen Handling
  14. Quantification of atovaquone from amorphous solid dispersion formulation using HPLC: An in vitro and ex vivo investigation
    Teoh XY, Goh CF, Aminu N, Chan SY
    J Pharm Biomed Anal, 2021 Jan 05;192:113631.
    PMID: 33011581 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2020.113631
    Atovaquone (ATQ) is a poorly soluble drug. Therefore, formulating ATQ into its supersaturated state through solid dispersion for bioavailability enhancement can be of great value. However, due to fast crystallising properties of ATQ, the quantification of ATQ in a supersaturated solid dispersion system can be complicated. Therefore, in pursuit of accurate quantification of such sample, a simple HPLC analytical method utilising a C18 column (250 × 4.6 mm ID, 5 μm) for the quantitation of ATQ has been developed and validated. Atovaquone elution using the proposed method demonstrated a retention time around 7.6 min with good linearity (R2 > 0.999). The system suitability is also detailed with the tailing factor at 1.365 ± 0.002. The addition of solubilising agent as sample treatment step aided in ensuring the accurate quantitation of the fast crystallising ATQ. The developed HPLC quantitation method has been successfully employed in the analysis of ATQ from solid dispersion samples in in vitro dissolution as well as ex vivo permeation studies for formulation development.
    Matched MeSH terms: Specimen Handling
  15. Fulltext Parasitic Gregarine blattarum Found Infecting American Cockroaches, Periplaneta americana, in a Population in Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
    Yahaya ZS, Izzaudin NA, Razak AF
    Trop Life Sci Res, 2017 Jan;28(1):145-149.
    PMID: 28228922 MyJurnal DOI: 10.21315/tlsr2017.28.1.10
    A study on the prevalence of a common endoparasite in the wild population of the American cockroach was conducted in Penang Island using a trapping method at several sampling sites on the island. Gregarine blattarum was found in the digestive tract in 5 out of 115, or 4.35%, of the wild American cockroaches, Periplaneta americana, that were sampled. This is the first report in Malaysia of Gregarine blattarum in local American cockroaches.
    Matched MeSH terms: Specimen Handling
  16. Fulltext Checklist of Gastropods from the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Sarawak, Malaysia
    Morni WZ, Rahim SA, Rumpet R, Musel J, Hassan R
    Trop Life Sci Res, 2017 Jan;28(1):117-129.
    PMID: 28228920 MyJurnal DOI: 10.21315/tlsr2017.28.1.8
    This study provides the first marine gastropod checklist from the Sarawak Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Gastropod samples were collected from selected stations in the Sarawak EEZ using an otter trawl net with a stretched mesh size of 38 mm at the cod end. The trawling operations were conducted more than 12 nautical miles from the coast, and the area was divided into three depth strata: I) 20-50 m, II) 50-100 m and III) 100-200 m. A total of 23 gastropod species were identified during the two-month sampling period from 16 August until 6 October 2015, representing 8 superfamilies, 15 families and 20 genera. Superfamily Tonnoidea was represented by 7 species, followed by Muricoidea (5 species), Cypraeoidea (4 species), and Buccinoidea and Conoidea (both with 2 species). Other superfamilies were represented by a single species. Only 3 species were obtained in 2 depth strata, namely Melo melo, Murex aduncospinosus and Tonna galea. In addition, 9, 13 and 4 species of gastropods were found in strata I, II and III, respectively. The information on gastropod distributions at different depth strata in the Sarawak EEZ could be useful in updating the Malaysian species diversity database.
    Matched MeSH terms: Specimen Handling
  17. Fulltext Reducing matrix effect error in EDXRF: comparative study of using standard and standardless methods for stainless steel samples
    Meor Yusoff, M.S., Masliana, M., Wilfred, P.
    Journal of Nuclear and Related Technologies, 2013;2013(2):53-58.
    MyJurnal
    Even though EDXRF analysis has major advantages in the analysis of stainless steel samples such as simultaneous determination of the minor elements, analysis can be done without sample preparation and non-destructive analysis, the matrix issue arised from the inter element interaction can make the the final quantitative result to be in accurate. The paper relates a comparative quantitative analysis using standard and standardless methods in the determination of these elements. Standard method was done by plotting regression calibration graphs of the interested elements using BCS certified stainless steel standards. Different calibration plots were developed based on the available certified standards and these stainless steel grades include low alloy steel, austentic, ferritic and high speed. The standardless method on the other hand uses a mathematical modelling with matrix effect correction derived from Lucas-Tooth and Price model. Further
    improvement on the accuracy of the standardless method was done by inclusion of pure elements into the development of the model. Discrepancy tests were then carried out for these quantitative methods on different certified samples and the results show that the high speed method is most reliable for determining of Ni and the standardless method for Mn.
    Matched MeSH terms: Specimen Handling
  18. Human papillomavirus assay design is a crucial consideration for self-collection based cervical screening
    Hawkes D
    Med J Malaysia, 2021 09;76(5):718.
    PMID: 34508380
    No abstract provided.
    Matched MeSH terms: Specimen Handling
  19. Fulltext The outcome of the seminal fluid parameters collected via coitus interruptus versus masturbation
    Bahyah MK, Murad ZA, Ghazali I, Roszaman R, Noraziana AW, Mokhtar A, et al.
    Med J Malaysia, 2010 Mar;65(1):23-6.
    PMID: 21265243 MyJurnal
    A one year study was carried out to determine the outcome of the seminal fluid parameters collected via masturbation and coitus interruptus in 151 patients who were undergoing intrauterine insemination (IUI) and patients who came for seminal analysis. There were no statistically significant differences in terms of volume, concentration, progressive motility and normal morphology from specimens collected via coitus interruptus compared to specimens collected via masturbation. Pregnancy outcomes were also comparable.
    Matched MeSH terms: Specimen Handling/methods*
  20. A novel approach for collecting samples from fruit bats for isolation of infectious agents
    Chua KB
    Microbes Infect., 2003 May;5(6):487-90.
    PMID: 12758277
    During the outbreak of Nipah virus encephalitis involving pigs and humans in peninsular Malaysia in 1998/1999, a conventional approach was initially undertaken to collect specimens from fruit bats by mist-netting and shooting, as an integral part of wildlife surveillance of the natural reservoir host of Nipah virus. This study describes a novel method of collecting fruit bats' urine samples using plastic sheets for isolation of Nipah virus. This novel approach resulted in the isolation of several other known and unidentified infectious agents besides Nipah virus.
    Matched MeSH terms: Specimen Handling/methods*
Related Terms
Filters
Contact Us

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links