Aged ; Brain Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Central Nervous System Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Fatal Outcome ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphoma ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Meningeal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; secondary

The life history of the male and female of the indoor forensic fly, Synthesiomyia nudiseta was studied under fluctuating temperature of indoor environments and analysed based on the age-stage and two sex life table. The life cycle of S. nudiseta was 14.0±1.0 days from the egg stage to adult emergence. The population parameters calculated were; net reproduction rate (Ro= 108.6), mean generation time (To= 12.2), intrinsic rate of increase (rm= 0.38), and finite rate of increase (λ= 1.46). The pre-oviposition period (APOP) was 6.0± 0.1 days. All population parameters suggested that S. nudiseta exhibits the r-strategist characteristics.

Introduction: Suspicious adnexal masses need to be investigated thoroughly as it may represent ovarian cancer, which is the fourth most common gynaecological cancer in Malaysia. Conventional cross sectional imaging may reveal non-specific findings, thus lead to unnecessary biopsies. 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/ computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) has emerged as a useful tool, for characterization of indeterminate adnexal masses. Most studies have been conducted in Western population, and little information is available in Asian population in general and Malaysian population in particular. Methods: Prospective study of women with suspicious adnexal masses, referred to the Centre for Nuclear Diagnostic Imaging, Universiti Putra Malaysia to undergo preoperative whole-body contrast-enhanced 18F-FDG PET/CT scans from January 2014 to January 2016. Subjects underwent Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography (CECT) scans followed by positron emission tomography (PET) scans using a hybrid scanner. Two radiologists analyzed the CECT and PET/CT images by consensus; blinded to the HPE results. Then the PET/CT findings were correlated with HPE results as the gold standard. Results: 11 wholebody PET/CT scans and 18 adnexal masses (12 HPE-proven malignant lesions and 6 benign lesions) were analyzed. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of CECT alone compared to PET/CT was 91.7%, 50.0%, 78.6%, and 75.0% vs. 91.7%, 100%, 100% and 85.7% respectively. Conclusions: Improved diagnostic accuracy for characterizing benign and malignant adnexal masses can be achieved using contrast-enhanced 18F-FDG PET/CT, making it a potential investigation of choice which can help in treatment planning.

Abstract. A burned human remain was found outdoor (5º 27’ N, 100º 16’ E) in Penang Island. The deceased was last seen alive on 23 April 2010 at 2230 h and was found burned on 24 April 2010 at 1920 h. Larval aggregation of second instar Chrysomya megacephala was observed on the chest of the deceased.

Introduction: Managing adolescent pregnancy in the primary care setting is complex, as it requires doctors to navigate through a combination of medical, social, financial and legal needs. Objective: This study explores the perspectives of private general practitioners on their roles and challenges in managing adolescent pregnancy in Malaysia. Methods: Nineteen private general practitioners in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur participated in in-depth interviews in 2015. A topic guide was used for interview navigation. Participants were asked to discuss their experiences and approaches in managing pregnant adolescents. We used purposive sampling to recruit consenting private general practitioners who had experience in managing adolescent pregnancy. The verbatim transcripts of the audio-recorded interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Data reached saturation at the nineteenth in-depth interview. Results: Two themes emerged. Under the theme ‘inadvertent advocator,’ participants described their tasks with regards to building trust, calming angry parents and delivering comprehensive counseling and care related to the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents, including requests for abortions. Theme two, ‘challenges of private general practitioners,’ refers mainly to personal and religious conflicts arising from a request for an abortion and deficiencies in support and multidisciplinary integration within their practice settings. Conclusion: General practitioners practicing in the private sector identify themselves as active players in supporting pregnant adolescents but face many challenges arising from the personal, religious, professional and community levels. Addressing these challenges is important for optimal care delivery to pregnant adolescents in this community

Objective: To determine abundance, distribution and diversity of potential breeding container habitats of the dengue vectors in public places including schools, restaurants, mosques and parks in southwest areas of Penang Island, Malaysia. Methods: Premises at restaurants, schools, parks and mosques were surveyed simulta-neously and inspected visually for container habitats and production of immature mosquitoes from March 2015 to March 2016. Abundance (mean ± SE) of breeding containers between sites was compared using One-way ANOVA. Independent sample t-test was used to compare total number of Aedes albopictus (Ae. albopictus) and Aedes aegypti (Ae. aegypti) surveyed. Results: The surveyed locations yielded a total of 3741 breeding containers and 19537 immature mosquitoes from four areas. Concurrent artificial and natural containers pro-duced 78.4%immature Ae. albopictus and 6.3%Ae. aegypti mosquitoes in wet season, with 14.2% Ae. albopictus and 1.1% Ae. aegypti mosquitoes in dry season. Artificial containers accounted for 98.1% of the total containers recorded, with restaurants being the most productive locations (8012) and schools being the least productive (2234). Conclusions: It was concluded that public places are good sources of potential container habitats of Aedes mosquitoes in Penang Island, Malaysia and Ae. albopictus has exclu-sively replaced the home-grown Ae. aegypti even in urban areas. Therefore, treatment of artificial containers in such locations is critical in Aedes mosquito control campaigns during dengue outbreaks.

This study was conducted to examine the effect of malathion on the development of Chrysomya megacephala. A total of 12 adult Sprague-Dawley rats was divided into 4 groups. Each animal in the 4 groups was given orally 0 (control), 10, 25 and 50ml/kg body weight of malathion, respectively. Chrysomya megacephala larvae were then allowed to grow on the liver of carcass. Larvae development was estimated by means of weight and length, time of adult emergence and survival rate. Results indicated that for the first 6 to 30 hours, larvae from control group developed more rapidly than larvae feeding on tissue containing malathion. However, the 3 doses of malathion did not exhibit significant impact on larvae length and weight. The time required for adult emergence was significantly greater for malathion-treated colony which was 10 days compared to 7 days in control colony. Control larvae of C. megacephala had higher survival rate compared to larvae exposed to the three different doses of malathion. Analysis of the tissues indicated that all rats and fly samples were positive for malathion. Malathion concentration was highest in liver. It was concluded that the presence of malathion altered the development rate of C. megacephala and thus disrupted normal postmortem interval estimation.
Malathion ; Chrysomya megacephala ; development aspects ; Adult ; Carbon ion

A semi laboratory experiment using 3 cohorts of Aedes albopictus adults was performed to obtain age-specific mortality and fecundity information and to derive statistical estimates of some population growth parameters. Life expectancy was calculated for both males and females. The following population parameters were estimated: intrinsic rate of increase (rm= 0.21), net reproductive (replacement) rate (Ro= 68.70), age at mean cohort reproduction (To=10.55 days), birth rate (B=0.23), death rate (D=0.02) and generation time (G=20.14 days). The high rm/B (0.91) and B/D (11.50) ratios indicated the high colonizing ability of Ae. albopictus in nature.
Upper case Bee ; Aedes albopictus ; Upper case dee ; Population ; Culicidae

Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus activity is an important cause of viral encephalitis in Southeast Asia. In Malaysia, JEV activity has been first detected in Culex gelidus in 1976. Since then, no study has fully addressed the seasonal dynamics of this mosquito. As irrigated rice production expands, the incidence of JEV vectors, particularly Cx. gelidus is expected to increase. We surveyed Penang Island to determine the breeding patterns of Cx. gelidus and their potential insect predators, in relation to habitat/niche and rice growing period. Six rice fields proper (RFP) and related drainage canals (DC) were visited through three cultivation cycles (CCs) over 17 months. Weekly visits were performed to each of the 36 sites and mosquito larvae and aquatic insects were sampled from RFP and DCs using dippers. Culex gelidus was abundant in RFP and almost absent in DCs. Its densities usually were high during the first and 3rd CC and when the RFs were in Fp, Pp and Gp. In DCs, the mosquito was abundant during Mp, e.g., 2nd CC. Predators, especially those belonging to the families Corixidae, Coenagrionidae and Dytiscidae, were more present in RFP. Predator numbers usually were high during the first CC; in some cases predator abundance peaked during other CCs, e.g., corixids and dysticids. In RFP, neither corixids nor coenagrionids showed any positive correlation with densities of Cx. gelidus. However, dytiscids' population peaked when the mosquito densities were on the rise. These observations suggest that Cx. gelidus is active during the period of rice cultivation. Operational vector control through bio-control or with insecticides near the end of the rice cultivation season in RFP may prove beneficial in reducing the density of Cx. gelidus, but also the amount of bio-agent or insecticide applied on riceland.

Colon ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peritonitis ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed