Fish has been known as a source of nonoccupational mercury exposure to fish-consuming population groups. In this study, hair samples collected from fishermen and their families residing in an industrialized area in Penang and a nonindustrialized area in Terengganu were analyzed for mercury by neutron activation. The range, arithmetic mean, geometric mean, and median of the mercury concentrations for the groups in Penang and in Terengganu were 0.45-16.68, 3.61, 3.49, and 2.96 and 6.79-18.31, 12.08, 11.69, and 12.05 mg/kg, respectively. Somewhat lower values than from the Penang group were found in a group from Selangor consisting mainly of office workers. The group in Penang took about 40-100 g of fish/d, whereas the group in Terengganu consumed twice as much. This shows that hair mercury levels depend on a fish consumption pattern, and not on the location of the population. The levels of mercury found in this study were similar to those reported by other workers for fish-consuming population groups worldwide.
Although long acting, glibenclamide is frequently given in split doses for type 2 diabetes mellitus. This may discourage compliance. It is thus appropriate to consider dosing it less frequently. We therefore studied glibenclamide effects when used once daily and when used in split doses. Our objective was to assess the feasibility of using once daily dosing as a regimen of choice. We measured plasma glucose, insulin, glibenclamide, lipids, HbAl and body mass index associated with the regimens. We also compared the number of hypoglycemic episodes occurring with them. Thirty type 2 diabetics on multiple daily glibenclamide were enrolled. Their regimens were changed over to once daily. Blood for glucose, insulin, lipids, HbAl and glibenclamide and body weight measurements were determined before and after the crossover period. We found no major difference in the sugar and insulin profiles with the two regimens. Fasting total cholesterol and triglyceride were also similar and so were plasma glibenclamide. The HbAl levels and body mass index and number of minor and major hypoglycemic episodes and hospital admissions for hypoglycemia also did not differ. We conclude that single daily dosing of glibenclamide was equivalent to multiple daily dose regimens. It can be used to an advantage to improve patient's compliance.
This study is aimed to investigate the understanding of antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance and its correlate factors among final-year medical and pharmacy students at International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).