Vertical distribution of Aedes mosquitoes in multiple storey buildings in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The aim of the present study was to determine the vertical distribution and abundance of Aedes mosquitoes in multiple storey buildings in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Ovitrap surveillance was conducted for 4 continuous weeks in multiple storey buildings in 4 residential areas located in Selangor [Kg. Baiduri (KB)] and Kuala Lumpur [Student Hostel of University of Malaya (UM), Kg. Kerinchi (KK) and Hang Tuah (HT)]. The results implied that Aedes mosquitoes could be found from ground floor to highest floor of multiple storey buildings and data from different elevation did not show significant difference. Ovitrap index for UM, KB, HT and KK ranged from 0 – 29.17%, 0 – 55.56%, 8.33 – 83.33% and 0 – 91.17% respectively. Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus were found breeding in HT, KK and KB; while only Ae. albopictus was obtained from UM. The results indicate that the invasion of Aedes mosquitoes in high-rise apartments could facilitate the transmission of dengue virus and new approaches to vector control in this type of residential area should be developed.

Some socio-demographic features of mood disorders presented by patients attending a northern Nigerian tertiary health institution clinic.

The aim of this study was to document some socio-demographic features of mood disorders in a Northern Nigerian tertiary health institution clinic. A retrospective evaluation of patients’ hospital records from1st January to 31st December 2006, using structured data forms which were analyzed with SPSS. All patients diagnosed of mood disorders (n=145) were included in the study sample. Mood disorders accounted for 26.0% of all patients who attended the Psychiatry clinic during the 1-year period, second only to schizophrenia (39.8%). Depression was the most prevalent sub-type of mood disorders (54.5%) followed by bipolar affective disorders (32.4%), hypomania (9.0%) and mania (4.1%). Majority of the patients with mood disorders were female (62.1%), below thirty years of age (57.2%), married (57.2%), had tertiary education (41.8%) and were unemployed (60.7%). Other features seen were: family history of psychiatry disorders in (29.0%) and substance abuse (13.1%), non-psychiatry co-morbid physical conditions (38.0%) were more prevalent than psychiatry co-morbid disorders (27.6%). These known features of mood disorders in this tertiary health institution clinic form valuable baseline data and would contribute to the pharmacological and other managements of the patients.

Distúrbios da hemostasia em crianças portadoras de cardiopatias congênitas: [revisão] / Hemostatic defects in children with congenital heart disease: [review]

As cardiopatias congênitas apresentam elevada prevalência no Brasil, sendo responsáveis por morbi-mortalidade importante, principalmente em menores de 5 anos de idade. Relacionam-se a um perfil complexo de alterações hemostáticas, predispondo tanto a eventos trombóticos como hemorrágicos, e cujo conhecimento é fundamental para o manejo adequado de cada paciente. O presente artigo objetiva descrever as alterações da coagulação relacionadas às cardiopatias congênitas, cianogênicas ou não, em menores de 18 anos de idade, submetidos ou não a procedimentos cirúrgicos.

There is a high prevalence of congenital heart diseases in Brazil, which are responsible for high morbidity and mortality, mainly in under 5-year-old children. They are related to a complex profile of hemostatic disorders that lead to thrombotic and hemorrhagic events. Thus knowledge of the diseases is imperative for the adequate management of each patient. The objective of this article is to describe coagulation abnormalities related to congenital cyanotic and non-cyanotic heart diseases, in children, undergoing surgical procedures or not.

Drug resistance profile of human Mycobacterium avium complex strains from India.

PURPOSE: To determine minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of various anti-tuberculosis drugs for Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) strains isolated from clinical samples. METHODS: Forty-nine human isolates of MAC were tested for susceptibility to nine chemotherapeutic agents. All isolates were from Indian patients suffering from chronic pulmonary mycobacteriosis. Drug susceptibility was performed both by agar dilution and MIC method. MIC values were analysed, both visually and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay reader. RESULTS: More than 40% of the MAC isolates were sensitive to ciprofloxacine (48.98%), amikacin (46.94%) and roxithromycin (42.86%) by the MIC method. In contrast, the isolates showed high degree of resistance to the first line antituberculosis drugs: only 28.6% were sensitive to rifampicine, 22.85% to isoniazid and ethambutol each and 36.7% were sensitive to streptomycin. In addition, 22.85% of the strains were sensitive to clofazimine and 34.7% to kanamycin. CONCLUSIONS: Results of the study confirm the suitability of the rapid broth micro dilution (MIC) method as a simple yet reliable method to assay for the drug susceptibility of nontuberculosis mycobacterium.

Performance of a powdered activated carbon [PAC] augmented activated sludge process treating semi- aerobic leachate

Semi-aerobic leachate is characterized by organic matter [COD, BOD] which is relatively low in concentration and difficult to biodegrade. In conventional treatment systems, the low biodegradability is attributed to partial stabilization of leachate at the landfill. Biological treatment of leachate in Malaysia is not well established and any important data for the treatment process is not available. The behavior of microbes is unknown for semi aerobic leachate. This research was conducted to establish some of the important data in the biological treatment of semi-aerobic leachate with and without the influence of powdered activated carbon [PAC]. For the present study, semi aerobic leachate was collected from Pulau Burung andfill Site [PBLS], Nibong Tebal, Penang, Malaysia. The experiment involved operating two 16 L laboratory-scale activated sludge reactors in parallel at room temperature and adjusted to pH of 6.5 +/- 0.5. One of the reactors was supplemented with powdered activated carbon [PAC] of 75-150 micro m size to observe its effect on leachate biodegradation. The results showed enhanced reactor performance due to PAC addition COD, NH[4]- N, NO[3]-N, TKN, BOD and colour removals was higher

Malignant glioma: the involvement of loss of allelic heterozygosity and PTEN mutations in a group of Malay patients.

Frequent loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and mutations of the tumor suppressor gene PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted from chromosome 10) have been found in sporadic gliomas. The most documented regions of allelic losses include 9p21, 10q23-25 and 17p1 3 whereas PTEN aberrations are preferentially found in glioblastoma multiformes. This research aimed to detect the incidence of allelic losses on chromosomes 10q, 9p, 17p and 13q and mutations on exons 5, 6 and 8 of PTEN in malignant gliomas. Malignant glioma specimens obtained were classified histopathologically according to the WHO criteria. Each tumor was then subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-LOH analysis using microsatellite markers and single-stranded conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis. Twelve of 23 (52%) malignant glioma cases showed allelic losses whereas 7 of 23 (30%) samples showed aberrant band patterns and mutations of PTEN. Four of these cases showed LOH in 10q23 and mutations of PTEN. The data on LOH indicated the involvement of different genes in the genesis of glioma whereas mutations of PTEN indicated the role of PTEN tumor suppressor gene in the progression of glioma in Malay population.

Resurgimiento de sarampión en ia provincia de Córdoba, Argentina, en 2000 / [Resurgence of measles in the province of Cordoba, Argentina, in 2000]

Since 1993, ministers of health of countries of America established as a goal the eradication of measles by the year 2000. As a consequence of measles eradication vaccination strategy there has been a reduction in the incidence of reported cases. Despite that, measles has continued occurring in epidemic outbreaks in many Argentinian provinces. This paper describes and analyzes the outbreak which occurred at Córdoba province, in 2000. Out of 46 serum samples analyzed from suspected cases, 6 (13.3

) were confirmed as measles by indirect immunofluorescence and enzyme immunoassays. All of them were detected in Cordoba city among both without vaccination data and unvaccinated individuals. The epidemiological links among the measles cases could be established although the geographic source of measles importation as well as the primary infection source remain unknown. The highest measles incidence was observed in the group > or = 20 year old (50

), followed by the pre-school age group (< or = 4 year old, 33.3

). The active vaccination data directed against the suspected case contacts along with a high measles population immunity probably contributed to restrict the 2000 outbreak.

Brote de sarampión en la provincia de Córdoba, Argentina, en 1998 / Measles outbreak in the province of Córdoba, Argentina, in 1998

The World Health Organization had the global target of reducing reported measles incidence from pre-vaccination era in American countries by 1995, to later eliminate indigenous measles transmission. The countries that have given priority to measles control have substantially reduced morbidity and mortality. Despite that, measles has continued occurring in epidemic outbreaks. This paper describes and analyses the outbreak occurred in Cordoba province, Argentina, in 1998. Out of 195 serum samples analysed from suspected cases, 28 (14.4) were confirmed as measles by laboratory diagnosis. Of them, 25.0 occurred among vaccinated persons, 39.3 among unvaccinated ones, and 35.7 in individuals without reported vaccine status. The highest measles incidence was in the group aged 20-29 years old (60.7), followed by the pre-school age group (1-4 years old) (21.4), the infants under one year of age (14.3) and finally 3.5 in the group older than 30 years old. These findings suggest a change in measles epidemiology with respect to the pre-vaccine era. The ability to prevent the next epidemic outbreaks will depend on the efficacy to prevent the accumulation of susceptible individuals and the maintenance of high measles vaccine coverage levels.

Identification of chromosome 21 materials using the whole chromosome 21 specific library.

The chromosome in situ suppression hybridization or chromosome painting technic was applied to confirm and eliminate the markers involving chromosome 21 segments using a chromosome 21 DNA library. The library ATCCLL21SNO2 was amplified, directly biotinylated using the polymerase chain reaction. The results demonstrated a translocation of chromosome 21 material on chromosome 2 and X and eliminate the origin of the marker. Thus, the technique provides an important tool to complement the conventional G-banding technic.