ABSTRACT
@#Introduction: Various phantom with varied materials has been proposed to replace the human body. Besides, there is always a demand to use the local material as a phantom material, which is readily available and inexpensive. Wood is usually preferred because it is multifunction, environmentally friendly, low in toxic, inexpensive, as well as easy to use and prepare. Previous studies have found that Rhizophora spp. is a suitable natural source material and has been suggested due to its comparable dosimetric properties to commercial phantom. Methods: In this study, fabricated Rhizophora spp. particleboards phantom was opted as a solid-equivalent phantom medium at low energy photon beams using Gafchromic film x-ray quality assurance 2 (XRQA2). Additionally, the characteristics of XRQA2 film in the diagnostic energy range were generated. Results: Interestingly, the density of the fabricated Rhizophora spp particleboards was observed to have the same density with the water equivalent material (ρ= 1.00 g.cm-3) and has shown to have loosened agreement with PDD of water phantom at approximately 25% of the dose error. Also, further analysis using XRQA 2 film showed that energy was independent at different ranges. Conclusion: The analysis of fabricated Rhizophora spp particleboards undertaken here has extended our knowledge of the possibility of manufacturing cost-effective water equivalent phantom by using binder-less particleboard from Rhizophora spp. Therefore, a definite need for smaller interspacing particles should be considered to elevate the potential of Rhizophora spp particle boards as water equivalent materials.
ABSTRACT
Objectives: Macroprolactinaemia is a known benign cause of hyperprolactinaemia [hyperPRL]. Differentiating macroprolactinaemia and hyperPRL is important, as macroprolactinaemia does not require treatment. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of macroprolactinaemia among hyperPRL patients through the use of polyethylene glycol 8000
Methods: From 2011 to 2013, a cross-sectional study was conducted on patients diagnosed with hyperPRL in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia [HUSM]. Sera from these patients were measured for PRL using cobas e411 [Roche Diagnostics, Indianapolis, USA] [sandwich principle] and the same sera were treated with polyethylene glycol [PEG] 8000 to differentiate true hyperPRL from macroprolactinaemia. PRL recovery of less than 40% was used as an indicator of the presence of macroprolactin
Results: A total of 133 hyperPRL patients, 120 [90%] women and 13 [9.8%] men, aged 18e68 years, with mean [standard deviation] age 34.37 [11.75] years comprised this study cohort. Nine female patients were found to have macroprolactinaemia with an estimated prevalence of 6.8% [95% CI: 2.4%, 11.1%]
Conclusions: The prevalence of macroprolactinaemia detected using PEG 8000 among patients diagnosed as hyperPRL was low. Screening for macroprolactin using PEG 8000 indicated that the majority of patients who presented with hyperPRL in HUSM were true hyperPRL
ABSTRACT
The parasitoid mite, Rhynchopolipus rhynchophori was released against the red palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus stages. Released of this mite applied at four levels of treatment, A [30 parasitic mites: 1 prey], B [60 parasitic mites: 1 prey], C [90 parasitic mites: 1 prey] and D [120 parasitic mites: 1 prey]. The parasitoid mites successfully suppressed population density of the red palm weevil, R. ferrugineus stages within two weeks. The killing of different developmental stages of the red palm is due to sucking their body fluid by the parasitoid mite, Rh. rhynchphori. But, the pupal weight was significantly [P < 0.5] decreased by increasing numbers of parasitoid mites at the different treatment levels