PesTrapp mobile app: A trap setting application for real-time entomological field and laboratory study

@#Diseases such as malaria, dengue, Zika and chikungunya remain endemic in many countries. Setting and deploying traps to capture the host/vector species are fundamental to understand their density and distributions. Human effort to manage the trap data accurately and timely is an exhaustive endeavour when the study area expands and period prolongs. One stop mobile app to manage and monitor the process of targeted species trapping, from field to laboratory level is still scarce. Toward this end, we developed a new mobile app named “PesTrapp” to acquire the vector density index based on the mobile updates of ovitraps and species information in field and laboratory. This study aimed to highlight the mobile app’s development and design, elucidate the practical user experiences of using the app and evaluate the preliminary user assessment of the mobile app. The mobile app was developed using mobile framework and database. User evaluation of the mobile app was based on the adjusted Mobile App Rating Scale and Standardized User Experience Percentile Rank Questionnaire. The process flows of system design and detailed screen layouts were described. The user experiences with and without the app in a project to study Aedes surveillance in six study sites in Selangor, Malaysia were elucidated. The overall mean user evaluation score of the mobile app was 4.0 out of 5 (SD=0.6), reflects its acceptability of the users. The PesTrapp, a one-stop solution, is anticipated to improve the entomological surveillance work processes. This new mobile app can contribute as a tool in the vector control countermeasure strategies.

Hypercholesterolemia Prevalence, Awareness, Treatment and Control among the Elderly: The 2011 National Health and Morbidity Survey, Malaysia.

Aims: This study provides population-based estimates on the prevalence, awareness, treatment and control rates of hypercholesterolemia among the elderly in Malaysia. Study Design: Analysis of secondary data from a cross sectional population-based survey was done. Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted throughout Malaysia in 2011. Methodology: A total of 2764 respondents (15.5%) were selected in this study; the elderly subjects are from the secondary data analysis of 60 years and older. Results: The overall prevalence of hypercholesterolemia was 55.4%. The awareness rate for hypercholesterolemia was 39.5%. Out of those who were aware, treatment with medication was conferred to 77.7%. Control rate for hypercholesterolemia was 53.8%. Utilising multiple logistic regression analysis, factors associated with higher awareness rate of hypercholesterolemia were urban residents, secondary education level and Indian ethnicity; the factor associated with higher treatment rates was government/semi government employees; factors associated with higher control rate were males and Indian ethnicity. Conclusion: The overall prevalence, treatment and control rate of hypercholesterolemia among the elderly in Malaysia were high in comparison to awareness rate in this population.

Relationship between symptoms and objective measures of airway obstruction in asthmatic patients.

The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between asthma symptoms and the degree of airway obstruction as measured by the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) in a group of 64 asthmatic patients with clinically stable disease attending a university-based urban asthma clinic. Asthma symptoms did not correlate with the degree of airway obstruction as measured by prebronchodilator PEFR (total asthma symptom score vs PEFR: r = -0.214, p = 0.104, n = 59) and only correlated poorly with prebronchodilator FEV1 (total asthma symptom score vs FEV1: r = -0.256, p = 0.041, n = 64). These results lend support to the recommendation that airway obstruction should be measured objectively when assessing patients with chronic persistent asthma.

Acceptance of the Accuhaler, a multi-dose powder inhaler, among asthmatic patients: a comparison with the pressurized metered-dose inhaler.

This study aimed to evaluate dry powder inhaler naive asthmatic patients' perception and preference of the Accuhaler, a multidose dry powder inhaler and the pressurized metered dose inhaler (pMDI). After the first instruction, 66.7% of 48 patients enrolled in the study could demonstrate the correct use of the Accuhaler. When the patients were asked to compare the pMDI and the Accuhaler after using the Accuhaler to administer salmeterol for 4 weeks, the Accuhaler scored significantly better than the pMDI for the following features: knowing how many doses are left, presence of an attached cover, taste, instruction for use, attractiveness, ease of use, ease of holding, shape, and comfortable mouthpiece. The pMDI scored better to the Accuhaler in terms of size. More patients preferred the Accuhaler than the pMDI; the presence of a dose counter and perceived ease of use were the main reasons cited for their preference for the Accuhaler.

A coxsackievirus type A24 epidemic of acute conjunctivitis.

The 1975 epidemic of acute conjunctivitis was caused by the return of S.E.C. 1970 virus (CA24). The clinical manifestations of cases seen in the recent epidemic were similar to those seen during the 1970 epidemic caused by S.E.C. 1970 virus (CA24) and the 1971 epidemic caused by S.E.C. 1971 virus (entero-virus type 70). In our opinion, both the S.E.C. 1970 VIRUS (CA24) and S.E.C. 1971 virus (enterovirus type 70) are equally important causes of epidemics of acute conjunctivitis more commonly known as the "Acute Haemorrhagic Conjunctivitis". Although these two enteroviruses affect mainly the eye, apart from conjunctival secretions, they could be transmitted in respiratory droplets and faeces. The authors would prefer to retain the term "Picornavirus Epidemic Conjunctivitis" to denote infection by S.E.C. 1970 virus (CA24) and S.E.C. 1971 virus (enterovirus type 70).