Psychosocial Profiles among Persons with Substance Use Disorder Undergoing Islamic-Based Inabah Program in Kelantan,Malaysia

Psychosocial profiles among a convenience sample of 37 Malay Muslim participants of Inabah program were measured using the Psychological Measure of Islamic Religiousness (PMIR). Data were analysed using SPSS 23.0. Positive relations with others emerged as the best-scored subscale whereas anger trait and depressed mood were minimal. Single and divorced respondents demonstrated significantly higher score for purpose in life. More favorable social desirability was reported by participants with no previous treatment. Less anger and depression were expressed by those not detained before. Essentially, psychosocial status of persons with substance use disorder undergoing Inabah program was moderate with some influences of sociodemographic factors.     

Biomethane generation from biogas upgrading by means of thin-film composite membrane comprising Linde T and fluorinated polyimide: optimization of fabrication parameters

Generation of biogas from organic substances is an attractive evolution of energy generation from fossil-based energy supply to renewable resources. In order to exhibit viability in terms of technical execution while being economically feasible, successful purification strategies for biomethane formation must be applicable to industrial gas streams at realistic pressures and temperatures. Membrane-based upgrading technologies have great potential to promote biogas processes because they involve less energy and low maintenance. However, the development of membranes with good polymer-filler contact and minimum defects remains a great challenge. Hitherto, researchers have been making many attempts at developing an established route to fabricate thin-film composite membranes. In the present work, an innovative coupling between Linde T and fluorinated polyimide was employed for biogas upgrading. A facile technique for membrane fabrication was proposed via optimization of the fabrication parameters. The results indicated that composite membrane fabricated with 2 hours of total dispersion duration demonstrated a homogeneous distribution of Linde T particles in the fluorinated polyimide matrix and improved the separation characteristics by up to 172% in upgrading biomethane quality. Thus, the fabricated membrane is feasible to be employed for large-scale and lucrative production with enhanced performance in biogas purification via the feasible fabrication method employed in this work.

Generation of biogas from organic substances is an attractive evolution of energy generation from fossil-based energy supply to renewable resources.     

Relapsed and late-onset Nipah encephalitis

An outbreak of infection with the Nipah virus, a novel paramyxovirus, occurred among pig farmers between September 1998 and June 1999 in Malaysia, involving 265 patients with 105 fatalities. This is a follow-up study 24 months after the outbreak. Twelve survivors (7.5%) of acute encephalitis had recurrent neurological disease (relapsed encephalitis). Of those who initially had acute nonencephalitic or asymptomatic infection, 10 patients (3.4%) had late-onset encephalitis. The mean interval between the first neurological episode and the time of initial infection was 8.4 months. Three patients had a second neurological episode. The onset of the relapsed or late-onset encephalitis was usually acute. Common clinical features were fever, headache, seizures, and focal neurological signs. Four of the 22 relapsed and late-onset encephalitis patients (18%) died. Magnetic resonance imaging typically showed patchy areas of confluent cortical lesions. Serial single-photon emission computed tomography showed the evolution of focal hyperperfusion to hypoperfusion in the corresponding areas. Necropsy of 2 patients showed changes of focal encephalitis with positive immunolocalization for Nipah virus antigens but no evidence of perivenous demyelination. We concluded that a unique relapsing and remitting encephalitis or late-onset encephalitis may result as a complication of persistent Nipah virus infection in the central nervous system.     

Comparison of safety and immunogenicity of a Vi polysaccharide typhoid vaccine with a whole-cell killed vaccine in Malaysian Air Force recruits

OBJECTIVE: To carry out a comparative study of the safety and immunogenicity of Vi polysaccharide vaccine against whole-cell killed (WCK) typhoid vaccine. METHODS: The study was carried out on young adult recruits (aged 18-25 years) of the Malaysian Air Force. A total of 125 subjects received the Vi polysaccharide vaccine and 114 received the WCK vaccine. FINDINGS: The Vi vaccine was significantly less reactogenic than the WCK vaccine with regard to systemic and local reactions. Following administration of the Vi vaccine, seroconversion rates (defined as the percentage of subjects with a 4-fold rise of baseline antibody level) of 75.5% and 67% were observed at 2 weeks and 6 weeks, respectively, after immunization, compared with 25% and 31.3% among recipients of the WCK vaccine. Of the 110 Vi vaccinees with serological data, 21 (19%) had high, seroprotective, pre-immunization levels of anti-Vi antibodies (> or = 1 microgram/ml). The majority of subjects in this group came from a region in Malaysia which is known to have high typhoid endemicity. Interestingly, these antibody levels were boosted considerably following administration of vaccine at a level that was 5-fold higher than in subjects with low pre-immunization levels. In contrast, the seroconversion rates in those receiving the Vi vaccine were higher in subjects with low pre-immunization levels of anti-Vi antibodies (76-84%), compared to those with protective levels of > or = 1 microgram/ml prior to immunization (48-57%). CONCLUSIONS: The study reaffirms the safety and efficacy of the Vi polysaccharide vaccine and identifies a hitherto unrecognized advantage in its use, i.e. it is a potent immunogen that boosted considerably the protective antibody levels among a significant number of immunologically sensitized individuals living in typhoid-endemic regions.     

Respiratory diphtheria in three paediatric patients

From August till November 1998, the Paediatric and Anaesthetic Units of Hospital Kuala Terengganu managed three patients from Kuala Terengganu District who were ventilated for respiratory diphtheria. Their ages were 5, 4 and 7 years old and their immunisation for diphtheria were not complete. All three patients presented with respiratory distress and were ventilated for upper airway obstruction. Their treatment included intravenous penicillin and diphtheria antitoxin. One patient died of cardiogenic shock with secondary pneumonia. Pharyngeal and tonsillar swabs of all three patients grew toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae biotype mitis. There were 765 throat cultures taken from contacts. The confirmed positive cultures grew 2 toxigenic and 3 non-toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae biotype mitis and surprisingly, 10 non-toxigenic biotype gravis. A prevalence study is needed to document the endemicity of diphtheria in Kuala Terengganu and to determine the carrier rate of both biotypes. Steps have been taken to increase the immunisation coverage in children. The giving of regular booster doses of diphtheria toxoid to the adult population should be considered.     

表现为眼眶(炎性)假瘤的视神经束膜炎(英文)

目的:报道1例罕见的临床上表现为眼眶炎性假瘤形式的视神经束膜炎,并且强调区分视神经束膜炎和脱髓鞘的球后视神经炎。方法:病例报道。结果:一个54岁的健康的马来西亚女性,主诉右侧持续性头痛3d伴有复视。疼痛与眼球活动相关联。脑部和眼眶MRI显示右侧视神经鞘和眶内脂肪条纹异常增强,未有异常的增强提示脱髓鞘疾病。这名患者诊断为右眼视神经束膜炎。从开始使用全身性的类固醇激素,维持并逐渐减量超过6mo。她的症状得到缓解并且直到最近的随访都没有复发。结论:所有的眼眶炎性假瘤病例都应该考虑存在视神经束膜炎的可能,在开始治疗前必须与球后视神经炎相鉴别。因为这两种疾病有不同的治疗原则和预后。     

免疫功能正常青年女性脓毒性关节炎并发双侧内源性眼内炎

收治1例患右膝脓毒性关节炎的20岁女性患者。关节疼痛发作2wk后,主诉两眼视力逐步模糊。裂隙灯检查发现前、后段炎症。双眼底多发脉络膜视网膜病变。右膝关节液抽吸和血培养有金黄色葡萄球菌生长。患者对局部和全身抗生素反应良好。双眼的最终视力为6/6。这一病例显示了并发脓毒性关节炎的免疫功能正常的年轻患者呈现双侧内源性眼内炎的罕见表现。早期诊断和及时治疗带来良好的预后视力。