This paper presents a design process of workstation with ergonomic features for University Kuala Lumpur MIDI Classroom. The workstation is expected to support body posture, with the aim to increase comfortability of a user usage for long periods in a class. Besides that, the workstation will ensure a conducive and responsive learning environment. Discomfort and an improper position can negatively affect overall health and productivity. A new design of workstation, which allows user to sit in ideal sitting position suggested by ergonomist and easy transition from one teaching mode to the next. The researcher has designed and developed a new workstation which has ideal ergonomic sitting working position and capable accommodate 50th percentile human size. These positions were used to evaluate the comfort of the workstation. Subjective evaluations, including comparison of the prototype and standard workstation setup, were carried out using human subjects and ergonomic principles. Result showed that the new workstation is much more comfortable, supporting the body in a balanced way. Users have the freedom to stretch and relax in different working positions before they feel any noticeable discomfort. As a result, it lets user sit for a longer period without strain, thus resulting in higher productivity and concentration in classroom.

Because falls occur not only in the forward direction, but also in the lateral direction, lateral postural instability may contribute to the risk of fall accidents of community-dwelling elderly adults. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between lateral reach (LR) and the lateral excursion of the center of pressure (COP), and their association with self-reported fall incidences.The COP stability limits in LR were recorded using a force plate for 83 community-dwelling elderly people aged 70 years and over with reduced physical functions, who answered a questionnaire for fall incidences in the previous six months. LR was significantly correlated with bi-directional COP stability limits (r=0.57～0.70, p<0.0001). The sum of bi-directional LR was significantly correlated with that of bi-directional COP stability limits (r=0.62, p<0.0001). In the full sample (n=83), people whose LR was equal to or less than 30.1 cm are about 4 times more likely to fall (odds ratio [OR] of fall incidence = 4.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.31～15.95) than people whose LR was more than 30.1 cm. After adjustments for age, sex, and height, the OR =4.08, 95 %CI =1.11～18.05,(p<0.05).The LR test was found to be a simple and easy evaluation method for lateral balance. LR is associated with fall incidence. Thus, the LR test may be a useful clinical measure for detecting the fall risk of elderly adults.

Objective: To report and compare the hematological and serum biochemical profile of goat and sheep from Rahim Yar Khan district in Southern Punjab. Methods: One hundred and twenty blood samples (98 goat and 22 sheep) were collected and their blood glucose, hemoglobin and serum biochemical parameters, cholesterol, aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were determined by using spectrophotometer. Parameters were compared between goat and sheep. Results: It was observed that glucose (P=0.001), LDH (P=0.001) and ALT (P=0.001) concentrations differed significantly between sheep and goats. The studied parameters were compared between buck and goats and also between young goats (less than 12 months old) and adults (more than 12 months old). It was found that age and gender did not affect these hematological and serum biochemical parameters.Conclusions: It can be concluded that sheep have overall higher values than goats for studied hematological and serum biochemical parameters.

BACKGROUND: Pakistan has been hugely struck with massive bomb explosions (car and suicide bombs) resulting in multiple casualties in the past few years. The aim of this study is to present the patterns of skeletal and soft tissue injuries and to review the outcome of the victims who presented to our hospital. METHODS: This is a retrospective chart review from January 2008 to December 2012. The medical record numbers of patients were obtained from the hospital Health Information and Management Sciences (HIMS) as per the ICD-9 coding. RESULTS: During the study period, more than 100 suicide and implanted bomb blast attacks took place in the public proceedings, government offices, residential areas and other places of the city. Altogether 262 patients were enrolled in the study. The mean age of the patients was 31±14 years. The shrapnel inflicted wounds were present on to the upper limb in 24 patients and the lower limb in 50. CONCLUSION: Long bone fractures were the most common skeletal injuries. The fractures were complicated by penetrating fragments and nails which result in post operative infections and prolonged hospital stay.

BACKGROUND: Workers in pesticide manufacturing industries are constantly exposed to pesticides. Genetic biomonitoring provides an early identification of potential cancer and genetic diseases in exposed populations. The objectives of this biomonitoring study were to assess DNA damage through comet assay in blood samples collected from industry workers and compare these results with those of classical analytical techniques used for complete blood count analysis. METHODS: Samples from controls (n = 20) and exposed workers (n = 38) from an industrial area in Multan, Pakistan, were subjected to various tests. Malathion residues in blood samples were measured by gas chromatography. RESULTS: The exposed workers who were employed in the pesticide manufacturing industry for a longer period (i.e., 13-25 years) had significantly higher DNA tail length (7.04 μm) than the controls (0.94 μm). Workers in the exposed group also had higher white blood cell and red blood cell counts, and lower levels of mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), MCH concentration, and mean corpuscular volume in comparison with normal levels for these parameters. Malathion was not detected in the control group. However, in the exposed group, 72% of whole blood samples had malathion with a mean value of 0.14 mg/L (range 0.01-0.31 mg/L). CONCLUSION: We found a strong correlation (R2 = 0.91) between DNA damage in terms of tail length and malathion concentration in blood. Intensive efforts and trainings are thus required to build awareness about safety practices and to change industrial workers' attitude to prevent harmful environmental and anthropogenic effects.
Blood Cell Count ; Chromatography, Gas ; Comet Assay ; DNA ; DNA Damage ; Environmental Monitoring* ; Erythrocyte Count ; Erythrocyte Indices ; Hematologic Tests ; Leukocytes ; Malathion ; Occupations* ; Pakistan ; Pesticides* ; Tail

OBJECTIVETo determine the presence of Babesia bovis (B. bovis) in large ruminants in southern Punjab and its effect on hematological and serum biochemical profile of host animals.

METHODSBlood samples were collected from 144 large ruminants, including 105 cattle and 39 buffaloes, from six districts in southern Punjab including Multan, Layyah, Muzaffar Garh, Bhakar, Bahawalnagar and Vehari. Data on the characteristics of animals and herds were collected through questionnaires. Different blood (hemoglobin, glucose) and serum (ALT, AST, LDH, cholesterol) parameters of calves and cattle were measured and compared between parasite positive and negative samples to demonstrate the effect of B. bovis on the blood and serological profile of infected animals.

RESULTS27 out of 144 animals, from 5 out of 6 sampling districts, produced the 541-bp fragment specific for B. bovis. Age of animals (P=0.02), presence of ticks on animals (P=0.04) and presence of ticks on dogs associated with herds (P=0.5) were among the major risk factors involved in the spread of bovine babesiosis in the study area. ALT concentrations were the only serum biochemical values that significantly varied between parasite positive and negative cattle.

CONCLUSIONS: This study has reported for the first time the presence of B. bovis in large ruminant and the results can lead to the prevention of babesiosis in the region to increase the livestock output.

Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Babesia bovis ; genetics ; Babesiosis ; blood ; epidemiology ; parasitology ; Blood Glucose ; analysis ; Buffaloes ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases ; blood ; epidemiology ; parasitology ; Cholesterol ; blood ; India ; epidemiology ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; blood ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Protozoan ; blood ; RNA, Ribosomal ; blood ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) following cardiac surgery is well established but the reported incidence is variable due to varying definitions and criteria. Furthermore there is a paucity of such data from Southeast Asia. Objectives: To determine the incidence of AKI, the associated risk factors, and its impact on early mortality and intensive care unit/hospital stay. Method: This is a single centre retrospective observational study to evaluate outcomes on 1260 consecutive patients from a multi-ethnic Southeast Asian population who underwent a primary isolated coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) operation. Data was collected from the hospital’s electronic database and analysed using basic descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Results: Overall incidence was 36.2% including 5.5% of patients who required renal replacement therapy (RRT). Multivariate analysis identified age, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), baseline serum creatinine level (SCr), recent myocardial infarction (MI), cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time and intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) use as independent risk factors for AKI. For patients who required RRT, the SCr and IDDM remained independent predictors. Early 30-day mortality (11.5% vs 0.9%) was significantly higher in patients who developed AKI following CABG. Similarly, AKI was associated with a slight but statistically significant increase in intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stay. Conclusion: Better prognostication and preventative strategies are required to better risk stratify patients undergoing CABG and optimise utilisation of limited healthcare resources.
Acute Kidney Injury

Dogs are considered to be the best companions of human beings due to their loyalty, obedience and pleasant disposition. Jejunum is the largest part of small intestine mainly involved in absorption of nutrients. Jejunal resection up to 80% allows normal weight gain while resection up to 90% increased morbidity and mortality. In the present study, 20 dogs were divided into 4 groups based on the degree of jejunal resection i.e. A (70% resection), B (80% resection) and C (100% resection) while group D served as control. Dogs in the 70% and 80% jejunal resection group showed normal growth and function while 100% jejunal resection resulted in weight loss and alteration of hematological and biochemical parameters.
Absorption ; Animals ; Dogs ; Friends ; Humans ; Intestine, Small ; Jejunum ; Weight Gain ; Weight Loss

A multi-centred study was designed to collect dengue epidemiologic data from government and registered private hospitals/clinics and maintained archive of frozen specimens in bio-bank to be used for future dengue epidemic control program, and assess the epidemiology of dengue fever (DF) by evaluating biochemical and oxidative status of patients. ELISA IgM antibodies test was done to confirm DF. From August 2010 to December 2011, 101 confirmed blood samples of DF patients referred to pathology lab of Jinnah Hospital Lahore were subjected to the epidemiologic assessment by evaluating the biochemical and physiological indices and alterations of circulating antioxidants. Clinical features of DF patients and effect of fever on blood components and serum proteins of liver were recorded. The hospital stay in DF, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS) showed significant difference. Significant increases in serum alanine amino transferase (ALT) (P=0.000), aspartate amino transferase (AST) (P=0.000), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (P=0.000), malondialdehyde (MDA) along with significant decreases in total protein (TP) (P=0.000), reduced glutathione (GSH) (P=0.000), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) (P=0.000), and sialic acid contents (P=0.016) were observed. A positive correlation existed between bound sialic acid levels, liver enzymes and circulating antioxidants (r=0.656, P=0.016). In the present study, alterations of circulating antioxidants in DF suggest that DF might be a metabolic response to an acute, self-limiting tropical viral infection, and a consequence of the viral inflammatory process.
Adult ; Antioxidants ; metabolism ; Biomarkers ; blood ; China ; Dengue ; classification ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Cleft treatment is frequently performed in Indonesia, mostly in charity missions, but without a postoperative protocol it is difficult to establish the risks and complications of cleft treatment. The present study was designed to give an overview of current cleft lip and palate treatment strategies in Indonesia and to assess the complication rates during and after surgery. METHODS: This prospective study evaluated anesthetic, intraoperative surgical, and short-term postoperative complications in patients undergoing primary, secondary, or corrective surgery for cleft lip and palate deformities. The population consisted of 98 non-syndromic cleft patients. The main anesthetic complication that occurred during general anesthesia was high blood pressure, whereas the main intraoperative surgical complication was excessive bleeding and the main early postoperative complication was extremely poor wound hygiene. RESULTS: In this study, there were no cases of perioperative or postoperative mortality. However, in 23 (23.4%) of the 98 operations performed, at least one perioperative complication related to anesthesia occurred. The intraoperative and early postoperative complications following cleft lip and/or palate were assessed. There was a significant difference in the complication rate between procedure types (χ²=0.02; P<0.05). However, no relationship was found between perioperative complications related to anesthesia and the occurrence of postoperative complications (χ²=1.00; P>0.05). Nonetheless, a significant difference was found between procedure types regarding perioperative complications and the occurrence of postoperative complications (χ²=0.031; P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Further evaluation of these outcomes would help direct patient management toward decreasing the complication rate.