Acanthamoeba is a free living protozoa that can cause keratitis and granulomatous amoebic encephalitis. Physiological characteristics of this amoeba are found to have a medical importance in which it can be related to the pathogenicity potential of the organism. This study was carried out to investigate the physiological characteristics of survivability during axenization. Six Acanthamoeba strains from three clinical isolates (HSB 1, HKL 48 and HKL 95) and three environmental isolates (PHS 2, PHS 11 and PHS 15) were used in this study. Axenization test was done by treating cysts with hydrochloric acid (3%) and Page saline containing Gentamicin (100 μg/ml). Cysts were then cultured into PYG enrich media, incubated at 30oC and the presence and proliferation of trophozoites of Acanthamoeba were observed. This study showed that PHS 15, HSB 1, HKL 48 and HKL 95 could be axenized but they have poor proliferation rate in PYG enrich media. The result showed that the difference between both clinical and environmental isolates was observed in two strains; PHS 2 and PHS 11. This indicates that there is a possibility that the physiological traits of strains from both isolates are the same and strains from the environment are able to show the pathogenic potential and capable of causing infection to human.

Acanthamoeba is a free-living amoeba that has been identified to cause Acanthamoeba keratitis and granulomatous amoebic encephalitis. Their physiological characteristics can be related to pathogenic potential which have a medical importance. This study was carried out to investigate the value of minimum cysticidal concentration of chlorine against them. Acanthamoeba strains tested were from clinical isolates from hospitals (HSB 1, HKL 48 and HKL 95) and environmental isolates (PHS 2, PHS 11 and PHS 15). The minimum cysticidal concentration of chlorine was determined by dilution process using 12 wells microtitre plate starting with 2500 ppm. 100 μl cyst suspensions standardized at 105/ml were pipetted into all wells and incubated overnight at 30°C. Cysts were then washed using Page saline and cultured on non nutrient agar overlaid with Escherichia coli. The presence of trophozoites was then observed. The lowest concentration able to prevent trophozoites formation was noted as the minimum cysticidal concentration. Minimum cysticidal concentration test showed the same concentration of 156 ppm (156 μg/ml) chlorine solution was needed to kill all cysts of Acanthamoeba isolates. This indicates that the physiological traits of environmental and clinical isolates are the same. Isolates from the environmental specimens are also able to show the pathogenic potential similar to clinical specimens, thus capable of causing disease to human.

Acanthamoeba is a free living protozoa that can cause keratitis and granulomatous amoebic encephalitis. Physiological characteristics of this amoeba are found to have a medical importance and related to the pathogenic potential of the organism. This study was carried out to investigate the physiological characteristic from the aspect of temperature tolerance. Six Acanthamoeba strains from three clinical isolates (HSB 1, HKL 48 and HKL 95) and three environmental isolates (PHS 2, PHS 11 and PHS 15) were used in this study. Test was done by culturing cysts at 30°C, 37°C and 42oC for two weeks and the ability of cysts to change to trophozoites were observed. The result showed all strain was able to change to trophozoites at 30°C and 37oC. However, no trophozoites were observed at 42oC. This indicate that there is a similarity in the physiological trait of strains from both isolates are the same and strains from the environment are able to show the pathogenic potential thus capable of causing infection to human.

This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis among women of age 20 to 59 years at Sarawak General Hospital by examining the conventional Pap smear. The prevalence of this infection was studied among the five main ethnic groups comprising the Iban, Chinese, Malay, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu. Microscopic screening of 300 conventional Pap smears which had been processed and stained with the Papanicolaou staining method was conducted. Based on the information provided in the Pap smear screening form, the clinical manifestations were observed which may provide some indications on the kind of infection. The details of the clinical manifestations were very important because in an infection or inflammation, Pap smears would usually demonstrate changes on the cyto-morphology of the epithelial cells. The age factor among the different ethnics also played important role in the assessment of the infection frequency. Trichomonas vaginalis was detected in 7.7% (23/300) of the specimens. This infection occurred in all ethnic groups and the infections were more frequently seen among 20 to 29 years age group. All the cases presented with clinical signs and symptoms. The results of this study revealed the importance of undergoing Pap smear screening for Trichomonas vaginalis infection detection besides screening for the early detection of cervical cancer.

Background: Zerumbone (ZER) is a major bioactive compound of Zingiber zerumbet,a wild ginger plant that has been documented to have anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory andanti-oxidant properties. To investigate its hepatoprotective potential, this study was designed todetermine the treatment effects of ZER on acute hepatotoxicity induced by paracetamol (PCM) inrats.Methods: The control group was administered with phosphate buffer solution (PBS) whilethe other two groups received PCM alone (1000 mg/kg) and PCM + 25 mg/kg ZER, respectively,at 0 h and 4 h after PCM injection. After 24 h, the blood and liver were collected for differentialwhite blood cell count, liver histological observation and biochemical analysis including alanineaminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and total protein concentration inserum and liver.Results: Treatment with ZER was found to significantly reduce ALT (P = 0.041), AST (P =0.044) and total hepatic protein (P = 0.045) in comparison to PCM-induced rats. Rats treated withZER exhibited the normal structure of hepatocytes with no vacuolisation or necrosis and showedsignificantly reduced neutrophil count (P = 0.037). This finding suggests its ability to suppress theinflammatory processes caused by PCM overdosage and decrease the hepatocytes tendency to gothrough necrotic processes.Conclusion: ZER possessed protective activity against PCM-induced acute hepatotoxicityin a rat model.

Motivation camp is one of the learning interventions to assist underperform students in improving their academicperformances in term of GPA (Grade Point Average). An intervention study was carried out to know the effectiveness ofa motivation camp in improving the academic performances among the biomedical science students at the UniversitiKebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. Total of 44 respondents were involved in this study from year 2 and year 3 and hadbeen categorized into control and intervention groups (n = 22 per group). The intervention group was given motivationaltalks followed by a group discussion and self-reflection. The students in the intervention group were also assigned withacademicians to facilitate and guide them throughout the motivational camp. The students were interested in motivationaltalks activity the most. The average GPA showed a significant improvement after the motivation camp with 3.01 ± 0.30(p < 0.05) for the intervention group. Yet, control group also displayed a significant increment in the average GPA, 3.24± 0.06 (p < 0.05). In conclusion, motivation camp is one of the many learning intervention tools that strategize to helpstudents in improving their academic performances but it should be complemented with other intervention methods.Keyword

Hypertension and estrogen deficiency in women have been identified as significant risk factors for cerebrovasculardiseases. Hypertension causes excessive vascular stretch and contributes to the initiation of cellular injury in bloodvessels while estrogen has been demonstrated to exert beneficial protective effects on the vascular system. Although thespecific biological outcomes exerted by either excessive stretch or estrogen exposure are well established, the combinedbiochemical effects of both stimuli remain unclear. Therefore, this study was conducted for quantitative proteomics studyon human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells (HCMECs) subjected to 20% “pathological” cyclic stretch for aperiod of 18 hour in the presence or absence of 17β-estradiol by isobaric Taqs for Relative and Absolute Quantification.The results showed that only some proteins responded to 17β-estradiol (e.g., thioredoxin reductase-1), stretch (e.g., 14-3-3 protein epsilon or acidic leucine-rich nuclear phosphoprotein 32 family member B) and interestingly, some proteinsreturned to control pre-treatment levels when exposed to both (e.g., d-dopachrome decarboxylase, thrombospondin-1). Inaddition, HCMECs that exposed only to estrogen had a very similar proteomic profile (i.e., up-regulation of structural,cellular adhesion and proliferation proteins) as to those exposed to estrogen with 20% stretching for 18 hour, suggestingthat estrogen ablated the detrimental effects by the stretch alone. These findings sheds light on the molecular mechanismsby which the cerebrovascular protective actions of estrogen on HCMEC exposed to pathological levels of cyclic stretchwhich could provide a platform for future research in therapeutic approach.