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Selvarajoo S, Liew JWK, Chua TH, Tan W, Zaki RA, Ngui R, Sulaiman WYW, Ong PS, Vythilingam I. Dengue surveillance using gravid oviposition sticky (GOS) trap and dengue non-structural 1 (NS1) antigen test in Malaysia: randomized controlled trial. Sci Rep 2022; 12:571. [PMID: 35022501 PMCID: PMC8755775 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04643-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Dengue remains a major public threat and existing dengue control/surveillance programs lack sensitivity and proactivity. More efficient methods are needed. A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted for 18 months to determine the efficacy of using a combination of gravid oviposition sticky (GOS) traps and dengue non-structural 1 (NS1) antigen for early surveillance of dengue among Aedes mosquito. Eight residential apartments were randomly assigned into intervention and control groups. GOS traps were placed at the intervention apartments weekly to trap Aedes mosquitoes and these tested for dengue NS1 antigen. When dengue-positive pool was detected, the community were notified and advised to execute protective measures. Fewer dengue cases were recorded in the intervention group than the control. Detection of NS1-positive mosquitoes was significantly associated with GOS Aedes index (rs = 0.68, P < 0.01) and occurrence of dengue cases (rs = 0.31, P < 0.01). Participants' knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) toward dengue control indicated significant improvement for knowledge (P < 0.01), practice (P < 0.01) and total scores (P < 0.01). Most respondents thought this surveillance method is good (81.2%) and supported its use nationwide. Thus, GOS trap and dengue NS1 antigen test can supplement the current dengue surveillance/control, in alignment with the advocated integrated vector management for reducing Aedes-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sivaneswari Selvarajoo
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Jonathan Wee Kent Liew
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.,Enviromental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore, 569874, Singapore
| | - Tock H Chua
- Department of Pathobiology and Medical Diagnostics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, 88400, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Wing Tan
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Rafdzah Ahmad Zaki
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence Based Practice, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Romano Ngui
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Wan Yusoff Wan Sulaiman
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Poo Soon Ong
- Petaling Jaya City Council, 46675, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Indra Vythilingam
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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Garrity GM, Thompson LM, Ussery DW, Paskin N, Baker D, Desmeth P, Schindel DE, Ong PS. Studies on monitoring and tracking genetic resources: an executive summary. Stand Genomic Sci 2009; 1:78-86. [PMID: 21304641 PMCID: PMC3035216 DOI: 10.4056/sigs.1491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The principles underlying fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from the utilization of genetic resources are set out in Article 15 of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, which stipulate that access to genetic resources is subject to the prior informed consent of the country where such resources are located and to mutually agreed terms regarding the sharing of benefits that could be derived from such access. One issue of particular concern for provider countries is how to monitor and track genetic resources once they have left the provider country and enter into use in a variety of forms. This report was commissioned to provide a detailed review of advances in DNA sequencing technologies, as those methods apply to identification of genetic resources, and the use of globally unique persistent identifiers for persistently linking to data and other forms of digital documentation that is linked to individual genetic resources. While the report was written for an audience with a mixture of technical, legal, and policy backgrounds it is relevant to the genomics community as it is an example of downstream application of genomics information.
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Chiam PC, Ng TP, Tan LL, Ong PS, Ang A, Kua EH. Prevalence of dementia in Singapore--results of the National Mental Health Survey of the Elderly 2003. Ann Acad Med Singap 2004; 33:S14-5. [PMID: 15651186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- P C Chiam
- Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore
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Ong PS. Late-life depression: current issues and new challenges. Ann Acad Med Singap 2003; 32:764-70. [PMID: 14716944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Depression is a common psychiatric disorder in older people but tends to be underrecognised and undertreated, leading to impaired functioning, increased morbidity and mortality including suicide, and greater service utilisation. METHODS A Medline search of journal articles on depression in older people, which highlighted specific and pertinent issues of prevalence, classification, screening instruments, elderly suicide and various treatment modalities, was done. RESULTS Late-life depression represents a heterogenous group of mood disturbances that may present with atypical features and occur in a complex medical psychosocial context. Appropriate screening and assessment procedures and holistic, multidisciplinary treatment approaches are discussed. Future challenges lie in areas of early detection and intervention, advances in treatment strategies, training and service developments and effective prevention programmes. CONCLUSION By raising awareness and understanding of depression among primary healthcare and other healthcare practitioners, more depressed elderly with comorbid medical problems can be successfully identified and helped.
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Affiliation(s)
- P S Ong
- Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health & Woodbridge Hospital, 10 Buangkok View, Singapore 539747.
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Abstract
The study aimed to establish the diagnostic accuracy of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), the Even Briefer Assessment Scale for Depression (EBAS DEP), and the single question test for depression in our elderly Chinese population, and to determine if any one instrument was to be preferred. Ninety-eight community-living, socially active and non-depressed elderly and 75 patients diagnosed with depression were administered the three depression scales. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) were employed to determine the optimal cut-off scores for the GDS and EBAS DEP, and the diagnostic performance of all three instruments were then compared. ROC analysis indicated an optimal cut-off score of 4 and above for the 15-item GDS, with a sensitivity of 84.0% and a specificity of 85.7%, while the EBAS DEP had 77.3% sensitivity and 89.8% specificity at the optimal cut-off score of 3 and above. The sensitivity and specificity of the single question were 64.0% and 94.9%, respectively. The non-parametric test of the areas-under-the-curve showed no significant difference between the diagnostic performances of the GDS and the EBAS DEP; visually, however, the ROC plot of the GDS was superior. The GDS, the EBAS DEP, and the single question were all valid screening tools for depression in the elderly Chinese population. For busy physicians, there is rationale to first use the single-question test, supplemented where necessary with either the GDS or the EBAS DEP, as an efficient diagnostic strategy for identifying depression amongst older Chinese patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- P P Lim
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore.
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Ifaturoti O, Lockwood S, Etheridge M, Ong PS, Rashid F, Jones MH. An alternative approach to the management dilemma of the mildly dyskaryotic smear based on audit of outcome. Cytopathology 2000; 11:268-74. [PMID: 10983727 DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2303.2000.00252.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
We describe a study which takes an alternative approach to the management dilemma of the mildly dyskaryotic cervical smear. Two hundred and fifty women with a smear showing mild dyskaryosis were studied by auditing the clinical outcome as well as the cost. The cost of providing the colposcopy services during the index year was approximately pounds sterling 70000 for an average size district general Hospital. The proportion of women managed by the current guidelines and avoiding colposcopy after a first mildly dyskaryotic smear was only 30%. The majority of patients will eventually have colposcopy despite a policy of cytological surveillance. The alternative approach, to offer colposcopy immediately after the first mildly dyskaryotic smear, would result in a small increase in cost for our unit, equivalent to one extra colposcopy patient per week.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Ifaturoti
- Department of Gynaecology, Gravesend and North Kent Hospital, Gravesend, Kent, UK
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Eltumi MA, Ong PS, Francis ND, Brueton MJ. A comparison of endoscopic and capsule small intestinal biopsy techniques in children with upper gastrointestinal disorders. J Paediatr Child Health 1996; 32:255-6. [PMID: 8827546 DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1754.1996.tb01565.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare the adequacy for histological diagnosis and morphometric analysis of small intestinal biopsies obtained by either endoscopic forceps or a capsule technique. METHODOLOGY Small intestinal biopsies from 176 children were reviewed, 92 obtained by endoscopy and 84 by capsule. RESULTS The adequacy for making a histological diagnosis was 96 and 81% for endoscopic and capsule biopsies, respectively, and for morphometric analysis it was 86 and 71%. There were more tissue specimens from children who had endoscopic compared with capsule biopsies (2.3 vs 1.8 specimens per patient). CONCLUSIONS Endoscopic biopsies provide better specimens for histological diagnosis and endoscopy has the advantage of allowing macroscopic assessment of the upper gastrointestinal tract which can be of value in recognizing unexpected pathology and in identifying patchy mucosal changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Eltumi
- Academic Department of Child Health, Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, London, UK
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Abstract
We report an unusual case of thrombosis of a dilated external jugular vein presenting as a hard neck mass of sudden onset. The lesion's presentation, investigation, treatment and pathology are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- S J Quinn
- Department of Otolaryngology, Royal London Hospital, UK
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Abstract
Many problems may arise within the gastrointestinal tract of patients with cystic fibrosis. We report a new cause of subacute intestinal obstruction due to a fibrotic stricture of the ascending colon in a child with cystic fibrosis. Treatment was with a right hemicolectomy. There has been no recurrence after nine months follow-up. Recent similar cases suggest that this new pathology is linked to the use of enteric-coated high-strength pancreatin microspheres.
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Affiliation(s)
- P S Ong
- Department of Histopathology, Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, London, UK
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Abstract
A pilot study was carried out to determine the prevalence of ophthalmic disease in the Indian community of Southall and to ascertain the best methods applicable for a larger formal study. Three sites were chosen for the study, a Sikh gurdwara, a mosque and a Hindu temple. The subjects were volunteers aged 30 years and over who had visited the appropriate place of worship at least twice in the previous month. A total of 184 subjects were examined. The prevalence of blindness was 2.7% by the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria, while 9.8% had uniocular blindness. The prevalence of glaucoma and ocular hypertension was 2.7% and 7%, respectively. Of the 184 subjects examined, 58% had cataract and 3.8% had age-related maculopathy. The prevalence of visually disabling trachomatous eye disease was 9.7%. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus was 17.9%, and that of hypertension 22.8%. This small study suggests that people with origins from the Indian subcontinent have a higher prevalence of ophthalmic disease than the Caucasian population.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Rauf
- Department of Ophthalmology, Oldchurch Hospital, Romford, Essex, UK
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Oades PJ, Bush A, Ong PS, Brereton RJ. High-strength pancreatic enzyme supplements and large-bowel stricture in cystic fibrosis. Lancet 1994; 343:109. [PMID: 7505872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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Abstract
A line-focusing x-ray monochromator has been designed and developed to be used with an energy dispersive detection system for the quantitative analysis of trace elements in biological specimens. This instrument uses a cylindrically curved Johansson-type crystal to monochromatize and focus the excitation radiation into a line 0.5 mm wide and 40 mm long. The excitation radiation chosen for these experiments was Mo Kalpha and the total intensity of the line-focused beam was estimated to be 2 X 10(7) cps. Because of the narrow width and high power density of the excitation between beam, small tissue specimens 1 X 1 X 12 mm in size along with a single strand of hair were analyzed for trace elements from Al through Sr. For the transition elements, concentrations of a few parts per million were easily detected with this analyzer.
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Ong PS, Gaucher GM. Production, purification and characterization of thermomycolase, the extracellular serine protease of the thermophilic fungus Malbranchea pulchella var. sulfurea. Can J Microbiol 1976; 22:165-76. [PMID: 4209 DOI: 10.1139/m76-023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The thermophilic fungus Malbranchea pulchella produces a single extracellular, alkaline, serine protease when grown at 45 degrees C, on 2% casein as sole carbon source. The growth-associated production of protease in submerged cultures was inhibited by addition of glucose, amino acids, or yeast extract. A simple four-step purification which yields homogeneous protease in 78% yield is described. The protease has an isoelectric point of 6.0, a pH optimum of 8.5, and is completely inhibited by serine protease inhibitors. A specificity study with small synthetic ester substrates indicated that the protease preferentially hydrolyzed bonds situated on the carboxyl side of aromatic or apolar amino acid residues which are not beta-branched, positively charged or of the D configuration. Peptidase substrates and others such as N-acetyl-L-tyrosine-ethyl ester were not hydrolyzed. The protease was stable over a broad range of pH (6.5-9.5 at 30 degrees C, 20 h), and was particularly thermostable (t1/2 = 110 min at 73 degrees C, pH 7.4) in the presence of Ca2+ (10 mM). Macromolecules and Ca2+ also provide protection against the significant autolysis which occurs at pure protease concentrations greater than 0.01 mg/mo, as well as against surface denaturation which is enhanced by the presence of a silicone antifoam agent. Hence the stability of protease in submerged cultures is rationalized.
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Hrgovcic MJ, Tessmer CF, Mumford DM, Ong PS, Gamble JF, Shullenberger CC. Interpreting serum copper levels in Hodgkin's disease. Tex Med 1975; 71:53-63. [PMID: 1111152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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Wheeler RM, Liebert RB, Zabel T, Chaturvedi RP, Valković V, Phillips GC, Ong PS, Cheng EL, Hrgovcic M. Techniques for trace element analysis: x-ray fluorescence, x-ray excitation with protons, and flame atomic absorption. Med Phys 1974; 1:68-71. [PMID: 4437508 DOI: 10.1118/1.1637281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
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Abstract
Submerged cultures of 10 thermophilic fungi, grown at 45° in a medium containing 4% casein, 0.4% glucose, 0.3% yeast extract and salts, were surveyed for extra- and intra-cellular protease production. The yield, thermostability, pH optimum, and inhibitor sensitivity of the crude proteases were determined in each case. The inhibitors used were diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP), ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), and p-chloromercuribenzoate (pCMB).Seven of the thermophiles produced a substantial quantity of protease, particularly extracellular protease. In comparison to mesophilic fungi most proteases appeared to be unusually thermostable. Neutral and alkaline proteases were most common, as were proteases inhibited by DFP and pCMB. Finally in most of the cases a sensitivity to more than one inhibitor indicated the existence of more than one type of protease.
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