Performance evaluation of two multiplex qualitative RT-PCR assays for detection of respiratory infection in paediatric population.

INTRODUCTION: Acute respiratory infection (ARI) contributes to significant mortality and morbidity worldwide and is usually caused by a wide range of respiratory pathogens. This study aims to describe the performance of QIAstat-Dx® Respiratory Panel V2 (RP) and RespiFinder® 2SMART assays for respiratory pathogens detection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 110 nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) were collected from children aged one month to 12 years old who were admitted with ARI in UKMMC during a one-year period. The two qPCR assays were conducted in parallel. RESULTS: Ninety-seven samples (88.2%) were positive by QIAstat-Dx RP and 86 (78.2%) by RespiFinder assay. The overall agreement on both assays was substantial (kappa value: 0.769) with excellent concordance rate of 96.95%. Using both assays, hRV/EV, INF A/H1N1 and RSV were the most common pathogens detected. Influenza A/H1N1 infection was significantly seen higher in older children (age group > 60 months old) (53.3%, p-value < 0.05). Meanwhile, RSV and hRV/EV infection were seen among below one-year-old children. Co-infections by two to four pathogens were detected in 17 (17.5%) samples by QIAstat-Dx RP and 12 (14%) samples by RespiFinder, mainly involving hRV/EV. Bacterial detection was observed only in 5 (4.5%) and 6 (5.4%) samples by QIAstat-Dx RP and RespiFinder, respectively, with Mycoplasma pneumoniae the most common detected. CONCLUSION: The overall performance of the two qPCR assays was comparable and showed excellent agreement. Both detected various clinically important respiratory pathogens in a single test with simultaneous multiple infection detection. The use of qPCR as a routine diagnostic test can improve diagnosis and management.

Frequency-controlled wireless shape memory polymer microactuator for drug delivery application.

This paper reports the wireless Shape-Memory-Polymer actuator operated by external radio frequency magnetic fields and its application in a drug delivery device. The actuator is driven by a frequency-sensitive wireless resonant heater which is bonded directly to the Shape-Memory-Polymer and is activated only when the field frequency is tuned to the resonant frequency of heater. The heater is fabricated using a double-sided Cu-clad Polyimide with much simpler fabrication steps compared to previously reported methods. The actuation range of 140 µm as the tip opening distance is achieved at device temperature 44 °C in 30 s using 0.05 W RF power. A repeatability test shows that the actuator's average maximum displacement is 110 µm and standard deviation of 12 µm. An experiment is conducted to demonstrate drug release with 5 µL of an acidic solution loaded in the reservoir and the device is immersed in DI water. The actuator is successfully operated in water through wireless activation. The acidic solution is released and diffused in water with an average release rate of 0.172 µL/min.

Training the next generation of invasive cardiologists: Feasibility of implementing a trans-radial access program at an academic hospital.

BACKGROUND: Slow adoption of trans-radial access (TRA) for left heart catheterization (LHC) in the U.S. may be related to concerns about procedural complexity and a steep learning curve. However, TRA acceptance among novice operators remains poorly characterized. METHODS: We initiated a 1-year TRA learning period among lower-risk outpatients, followed by a "radial-first" policy for all LHC patients beginning year 2. By year 3, all fellows prospectively collected diagnostic LHC data as part of a quality improvement study. TRA procedural characteristics were compared with patients undergoing trans-femoral access for the 3months prior to the TRA program, and trends over time were evaluated. RESULTS: Between 7/2009 and 6/2012, we identified 960 patients undergoing LHC via TRA by 23 rotating cardiology fellows supervised by 5 interventional cardiologists. When evaluated against the 160 trans-femoral comparator patients, TRA patients had lower procedural success through the initial access site (88% vs. 99%, p<0.001) and longer fluoroscopy times (9.5 [5.8-15.9] vs. 6.5 [3.1-12.7] min, p<0.001), with similar contrast volumes and fewer catheters used. Despite tackling more complex patients during years 2-3, there were improvements in fluoroscopy times, catheter utilization, contrast volumes, and procedural success rates over time (all p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The dedicated adoption of TRA by an academic catheterization laboratory demonstrated improvements in efficiency and resource utilization over a relatively short period of time. Additional exposure to TRA during training may help facilitate acceptance of this approach among the next generation of invasive cardiologists. SHORT SUMMARY (FOR ANNOTATED TABLE OF CONTENTS): When initiating a trans-radial access program for cardiac catheterization at an academic training hospital, procedural success rates were lower and fluoroscopy times were higher than traditional trans-femoral access. Nonetheless, other procedural variables were similar between the 2 approaches, and improvements over time were consistent with the learning curves reported among experienced cardiologists in prior studies. Exposure to trans-radial access during training may help facilitate acceptance of this approach among the next generation of invasive cardiologists.

Prevalence of blindness and low vision in Malaysian population: results from the National Eye Survey 1996.

BACKGROUND: A national eye survey was conducted in 1996 to determine the prevalence of blindness and low vision and their major causes among the Malaysian population of all ages. METHODS: A stratified two stage cluster sampling design was used to randomly select primary and secondary sampling units. Interviews, visual acuity tests, and eye examinations on all individuals in the sampled households were performed. Estimates were weighted by factors adjusting for selection probability, non-response, and sampling coverage. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 69% (that is, living quarters response rate was 72.8% and household response rate was 95.1%). The age adjusted prevalence of bilateral blindness and low vision was 0.29% (95% CI 0.19 to 0.39%), and 2.44% (95% CI 2.18 to 2.69%) respectively. Females had a higher age adjusted prevalence of low vision compared to males. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of bilateral low vision and blindness among the four ethnic groups, and urban and rural residents. Cataract was the leading cause of blindness (39%) followed by retinal diseases (24%). Uncorrected refractive errors (48%) and cataract (36%) were the major causes of low vision. CONCLUSION: Malaysia has blindness and visual impairment rates that are comparable with other countries in the South East Asia region. However, cataract and uncorrected refractive errors, though readily treatable, are still the leading causes of blindness, suggesting the need for an evaluation on accessibility and availability of eye care services and barriers to eye care utilisation in the country.

Systolic hypertension and duration of diabetes mellitus are important determinants of retinopathy and microalbuminuria in young diabetics.

This cross-sectional study looked at the prevalence of microalbuminuria and retinopathy in a cohort of 926 young, Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients, and determined the factors which were associated with these microvascular complications. The prevalence of microalbuminuria, defined as the albumin:creatinine ratio > or = 2.5 (for males) or > or = 3.5 mg/mmol (for females), was 13.4% in Type 1 DM, 69.5% in insulin-requiring Type 2 DM and 16% in Type 2 DM treated only with oral hypoglycemic agents. Compared to those with normal renal functions, these patients were older (P < or = 0.01), had significantly elevated blood pressures (P < 0.01 or P = 0.0001), and in the case of Type 1 DM, with a higher body mass index (P = 0.0001) and waist-hip ratio (P < 0.01). The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy in Type 1 DM was found to increase with the duration of diabetes, from 1.4% in the newly-onset (< 5 years), to 9.9% in those with 5-10 years disease, to 35% among patients with more than 10 years of diabetes (P < 0.0001). In this study, it was also observed that 10% of the Type 2 DM patients already had retinopathy within 5 years of diagnosis, and the prevalence increased significantly to 42.9% (P < 0.0001) among patients who had been diabetics for more than 10 years. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that besides the disease duration, systolic blood pressure was the most common and significant determinant for both microalbuminuria and retinopathy in both types of DM, thus implying that in order to reduce the risk of microvascular complications in diabetes mellitus, systolic and not just the diastolic blood pressure, should be effectively controlled.

The dimensions of ocular morbidity amongst the nursing home geriatrics population.

A cross-sectional prevalence study amongst a nursing home elderly population was carried out at Rumah Sri Kenangan, Seremban, Negeri Sembilan between June 1995 until June 1996. A total of 204 cases of 60 years and older were examined in order to determine the ocular morbidity amongst them. It was found that 47.5% had low vision and 19.1% were legally blind. Cataract was found to be the leading cause of low vision and blindness occurring in 81.4% and 74.3% respectively. Glaucoma occurred in 1% of those who had low vision and none due to macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy. The magnitude of visual impairment and blindness in this nursing home is high but is preventable and avoidable.

Central serous choroidopathy in pregnancy.

Central serous choroidopathy is a spontaneous serous detachment of the sensory retina, usually affecting adults between 20 to 50 years of age but is also found in patients older than 60 years of age. This disease usually affects males with a male to female ratio of 8-10 to 1. Many aetiological or associated factors have been described. Here we report a 39-year-old pregnant lady presented with left central serous chorioretinopathy preceded by an unusual emotional disturbance. She was not given any photocoagulative treatment to avoid possible photocoagulative complications. Post delivery, she presented with resolution of the CSC.

A study of perforating eye injuries at the Ophthalmology Department, National University of Malaysia.

One hundred and sixty seven (167) perforating eye injuries involving 159 patients were analyzed in a retrospective study over a three-year period. The degree of blindness and their associated factors were determined. Most patients were in the first three decades of life and were males. One hundred and seven (64%) eyes had vision of 3/60 or worse at initial assessment. Of these only 45% of eyes had improved vision to 6/36 or better at six months of follow-up. Fifty-five per cent of eyes were blind. The only significant associated factor identified was the extent of injury. Age, time interval and mechanism of injury were not significant factors.

Blindness and visual impairment amongst rural Malays in Kuala Selangor, Selangor.

A population-based cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence of visual impairment and blindness and its causes amongst the adult rural Malay population in the district of Kuala Selangor, Selangor. By simple random sampling 330 samples were selected for the study. All samples underwent complete ophthalmological examination. The crude prevalence of visual impairment and blindness were 0.7% and 5.6% respectively. Age was the most important factor associated with the prevalence; gender, level of education and level of income was not significantly related. Cataract was the commonest cause of visual impairment and blindness while diabetic retinopathy was the second important cause.

Cost analysis of cataract surgery with intraocular lens implantation: a single blind randomised clinical trial comparing extracapsular cataract extraction and phacoemulsification.

A randomised single blinded clinical trial to compare the cost of cataract surgery between extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) and phacoemulsification (PEA) was conducted at Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM) between March and December 2000. A total of 60 patients were included in this study. The cost of a cataract surgery incurred by hospital, patients and households up to two months after discharge were included. The costs of training, loss of patients' income after discharge and intangible costs were excluded. Results showed that the average cost for one ECCE operation is RM1,664.46 (RM1,233.04-RM2,377.64) and for PEA is RM1,978.00 (RM1,557.87-RM3,334.50). During this short period of follow up, it can be concluded that ECCE is significantly cheaper than PEA by an average difference of RM 313.54 per patient (p < 0.001). Cost of equipment and low frequency of PEA technique done in HUKM were the two main reasons for the high unit cost of PEA as compared to ECCE.

Dietary protein influences on regulation of Haemonchus contortus populations in Dorsimal lambs.

The influence of dietary protein supplementation upon resistance to haemonchosis was examined in Dorsimal (Polled Dorset x Malin) lambs offered two levels of protein. Lambs were offered either a complete basal ruminant diet (15% crude protein (CP)) or the same diet supplemented with fish meal as a source of rumen bypass protein (19% CP). Lambs from each dietary treatment group were given either a 7-week trickle infection with Haemonchus contortus infective larvae (L3) or remained uninfected. All lambs were drenched with anthelmintic at week 8 post-infection (PI), challenged with a single dose of 5000 H. contortus L3 one week later, and killed 14 days post-challenge (PC). Lambs on the supplemented diet that were trickle infected showed a significant reduction in egg output. Supplementation and previous infection did not affect either growth rate, worm burden, worm development or haematological parameters. There was a trend for enhanced growth among supplemented non-infected lambs in comparison to lambs which received the basal ration.