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@#Bats are flying mammals with unique immune systems that allow them to hold many pathogens. Hence, they are recognised as the reservoir of many zoonotic pathogens. In this study, we performed molecular detection to detect coronaviruses, paramyxoviruses, pteropine orthoreoviruses and dengue viruses from samples collected from insectivorous bats in Krau Reserve Forest. One faecal sample from Rhinolophus spp. was detected positive for coronavirus. Based on BLASTN, phylogenetic analysis and pairwise alignment-based sequence identity calculation, the detected bat coronavirus is most likely to be a bat betacoronavirus lineage slightly different from coronavirus from China, Philippines, Thailand and Luxembourg. In summary, continuous surveillance of bat virome should be encouraged, as Krau Reserve Forest reported a wide spectrum of biodiversity of insectivorous and fruit bats. Moreover, the usage of primers for the broad detection of viruses should be reconsidered because geographical variations might possibly affect the sensitivity of primers in a molecular approach.
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To evaluate the effectiveness of a new patient flow system, 'The Red Box' on the quality of patient care in respect of the time taken for the care to be delivered to the patient. A pre-post study was conducted looking at the door-to-doctor [DTD] and door-to-analgesia [DTA] times for cases presenting to the Emergency Department [ED] of a tertiary teaching hospital 'The National University of Malaysia Medical Center' between the periods of July and September 2005 against July and September 2008. Demographic data, ED presentation time, time seen by first doctor, and time first analgesia given were collected in both periods and analyzed. A total of 1,000 cases were enrolled. Group A [pre-Red Box] and group B [post-Red Box] comprised 500 cases each. The mean DTD time for group A was 29 minutes [SD +/- 3 minutes] and for group B was 3 minutes [SD +/- 1 minute], with a 98.8% reduction [p<0.001]. For DTA time, group A recorded a mean of 46 minutes [SD +/- 3 minutes], and group B recorded a mean of 9 minutes [SD +/- 2 minutes], an 80.4% reduction [p<0.001]. The implementation of a red box system improved the quality of emergency patient care in the ED of a tertiary teaching hospital as evidenced by significant reductions in DTD and DTA time
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We report a case of dual nontuberculous mycobacterial infections complicating an open distal radius and ulna fracture after polytrauma in a 35-year-old man. There was persistent wound discharge after definitive fixation of this fracture, but microbiological cultures did not yield any organism. The patient underwent multiple debridement, and subsequent tissue grew Mycobacterium chelonae and Mycobacterium fortuitum. Despite appropriate chemotherapy and surgical debridement the infection persisted until radical bone excision and tissue debridement were done. This case indicates that nontuberculous mycobacterial infections should be considered when conventional microbiological assays fail to identify the infecting agent in suspected osteomyelitis following open fracture. A combination of radical debridement, including removal of infected bone, and prolonged antimicrobial therapy are required to eradicate the infection completely.
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Sharps injury among health care workers in HUKM has received serious attention lately due to the possible transmission of diseases like HIV, Hepatits B and Hepatitis C, which can cause serious consequences for the victim. The aim of the study was to gain a deeper understanding of the emotional problems experienced by health care workers who had incurred a sharps injury and the coping strategies adopted by them to overcome the problem. A 28 item semi-structured questionnaire was designed by the supervisors and the researcher as there was no existing questionnaire to be adopted, as no research had been carried out in this area prior to this. The target group consisted of 64 health care workers of different categories working in HUKM. Data was collected over a period of five months from November 2000 to March 2001. The results of the study revealed that the most frequently injured were the staff nurses, nearly 90% of whom were emotionally upset and were worried that they might contract a disease. There was no significant difference in the emotional stress experienced by the different categories of the health care workers, all were equally upset about the injury but each category of staff adopted different methods to overcome the tragedy. Open comments and opinions about prevention and the management of the sharps injury in HUKM as given by the respondents here are taken into account. Several views given by the participants were explored and discussed. Finally, several implications for nursing and recommendations have been presented.
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Background: Aging is associated with oxidative stress results in damage to cellular structures. Oxidative stress has been linked to many diseases, including prostate diseases. The rat prostate is composed of several distinct lobes: the ventral lobe [VL], lateral lobe [LL], and dorsal lobe [DL]. Each prostatic lobe is different in its morphology, secretions, and response to hormones. The aim of this study is to determine the mRNA expression of three major antioxidant enzymes, glutathione peroxidase [GPx], glutathione reductase [GR], and superoxide dismutase [SOD], in aged rat prostate
Methods: The present study characterized and compared the mRNA expression of three antioxidant enzymes in the prostatic lobes of young and old Noble rats by RT-PCR
Results: The results indicate that different prostatic lobes in aged animals express decreased mRNA levels of the antioxidant enzymes
Conclusion: The present studs' has established for the first time at the molecular level the expression patterns of sonic antioxidant enzymes in the prostatic lobes of Noble rats and showed that there is a lobe-specific differential expression of mRNA of antioxidant enzymes. The modulations of antioxidant enzymatic defenses in the prostate of senescent rats suggest that reactive oxygen species may play a role in age-induced prostatic diseases
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the effects of dust exposure and smoking on mortality.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Based on the Guangzhou Occupational Health Surveillance Record System established in 1989-1992, 80 987 factory workers, aged > or = 30, occupationally exposed to dust and non-exposure to dust, were included in a prospective cohort study.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) The mean age of the cohort was 43.5. Most subjects were workers, with secondary education, and married. Out of them 16.3% having ever exposed to dust, 43.7% ever smoked and 33.5% drank alcohol. (2) The cohort were traced for 8 years on average, but 35 were lost for follow-up. Malignant neoplasm was most commonly seen among 1539 deaths. (3) The adjusted relative risk (RRs) of death of all causes, malignant neoplasm and cerebro-cardiovascular diseases for dust exposed workers were close to those for smokers. However, the adjusted RRs of death of nasopharynx cancer and respiratory system diseases for dust exposed workers were higher than those for smokers. The adjusted RRs of death of lung cancer and stomach cancer for smokers were 2.2 times and 1.5 times of that for dust exposed workers respectively. Dust exposure combined with smoking caused significantly higher death RR. (4) In males, the adjusted RRs of death of all causes, malignant neoplasm and respiratory system diseases for silica dust exposed workers and the adjusted RR of death of cerebro-cardiovascular diseases for wood dust exposed workers were higher those in smokers. (5) The population attributable risk percentage (PARP) of all causes of death for smokers was 2.5 times of that for dust exposed workers. (6) In males, the risks of death for all causes, malignant neoplasm, lung cancer and stomach cancer increased with the amount of smoking per day and the duration of smoking. The risks of death caused by coronary heart disease and respiratory system diseases were increasing with the amount of smoking per day and the duration of smoking respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The adjusted RRs for dust exposed workers were close to those for smokers with dust exposure and smoking having synergistic effects. Some of the adjusted RRs for smokers were higher than those for dust exposed workers PARP for smokers was higher than that for dust exposed workers. Our findings suggested that there was a significant dose-effect between smoking and risk of deaths.</p>
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Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Cause of Death , China , Epidemiology , Coal , Cohort Studies , Dust , Occupational Exposure , Prospective Studies , Risk Factors , Silicon Dioxide , SmokingABSTRACT
Emulsifiable concentrates of DursbanR (chlorpyrifos) and Dowco 214 (chlorpyrifos-methyl) were tested as mosquito larvicides using Hudson knapsack sprayers on small plots of rice-fields on Penang Island. The mosquitoes found in these rice-fields are predominantly Anopheles campestris and Culex tritaeniorhynchus. At dosages of 14, 28 and 56 gm hectare-1, Dursban is effective in maintaining the rice-fields free of Anopheles larvae for at least 2, 3 and 7 days respectively. Dowco 214 at 56 gm hectare-1 is able to keep the fields free of all mosquito larvae for at least 2 days.