Increasing prevalence of chronic diseases is a major contributor for rapid rise in healthcare cost in developing countries since the last decade. It was estimated that around 54% of deaths in developing countries are due to chronic non-communicable diseases which is predicted to rise by 65% by 2030. Diabetes mellitus is among the most prevalent chronic diseases suffered by more than 180 million people worldwide. By 2030 it is estimated that around 400 million people in the world will be afflicted with diabetes. Annual deaths attributable to diabetes are probably as high as 3 million with more than 80% occur in developing countries. India, China and Indonesia are three countries in the Asian region with most number of people with diabetes. The total number of cases in these three countries is expected to increase more than double from 61 million in 2000 to 163 million in 2030. China and India will suffer cumulative GDP loss of 13.8% and 16.7% respectively, over the next ten year period. Assessing economic burden of diabetes is a challenging task for researchers because identification of direct and indirect cost of the disease is often complex since patients with diabetes also suffers from other complications and co-morbidities. In conclusion, the heavy economic burden of diabetes pose major challenges to health policy makers in developing countries to assess the current approach in managing this chronic disease. Serious efforts should be made on focusing and up-scaling activities on health promotion and prevention of diabetes so that to provide a more cost-effective solution to this condition with huge and increasing economic loss.

A 21-year-old and an 11-year-old patients presented with severe,resistant shield ulcers failed to respond to medical treatments which included topical steroids,mast cell stabilizers and antihistamines. Both of them were treated with surgical debridement of the ulcer,supratarsal injection of triamcinolone acetonide,topical cyclosporine 0.5g/L and ketotifen fumerate 0.25g/L. The ulcers healed well after three weeks. Topical cyclosporine was discontinued after two months in both patients. They were symptom free with no recurrence for six months. Combination of surgical debridement of the ulcer,supratarsal injection of triamcinolone acetonide,topical cyclosporine 0.5g/L and ketotifen fumerate 0.25g/L are effective as the treatment option in managing patients with severe vernal shield ulcer.KEYWORDS: vernal shield ulcer; surgical debridement; supratarsal injection of triamcinolone acetonide; cyclosporine; ketotifen fumerate

Background: Weaning failure is common in mechanically ventilated patients, and if ultrasound can predict weaning outcome remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diaphragmatic function (thickness and excursion) measured by ultrasound as a predictor of the extubation outcome. Methods: We included 62 mechanically ventilated patients from the chest intensive care unit in this study. Sixty-two patients who successfully passed the spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) were enrolled. The transthoracic ultrasound of the diaphragm was performed during an SBT to the assess diaphragmatic function (excursion and thickness), and they were classified into the successful extubation group and the failed extubation group. Results: There was a statistically significant increase in the successful extubation group in the diaphragmatic excursion and thickness fraction (p<0.001), a statistically significant negative correlation between the diaphragmatic function and the duration of the mechanical ventilation, and a statistically significant negative correlation between the diaphragmatic excursion and the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II. The diaphragmatic excursion cutoff value predictive of weaning was 1.25 cm, with a specificity of 82.1% and a sensitivity of 97.1% respectively, and the diaphragmatic thickness cut-off value predictive of weaning was 21.5%, with a specificity of 60.7% and a sensitivity of 91.2%, respectively. Conclusion The diaphragmatic ultrasonography was found to be a promising tool for predicting the extubation outcome for mechanically ventilated patients.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) are common following laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). Dexamethasone has been reported to reduce PONV. However, there is insufficient evidence regarding the effect of dexmedetomidine in decreasing PONV. This study was designed to compare the effects of a single dose of dexmedetomidine to dexamethasone for reducing PONV after LC. METHODS: Eighty-six adult patients scheduled for LC were randomized to receive either single dose 1 microg/kg of dexmedetomidine (Dexmed group, N = 43) or 8 mg dexamethasone (Dexa group, N = 43) before skin incision. During the first 24 h postoperatively, the incidence and severity of PONV were assessed. Pain and sedation scores were assessed on arrival in the recovery room and early postoperatively. Analgesic and antiemetic consumption during the 24 h after surgery were calculated. Intra-operative and postoperative hemodynamics were recorded. RESULTS: Twenty-one percent of the patients in the Dexmed group developed PONV compared to 28% in the Dexa group (P = 0.6). Severity of PONV was similar between the two groups (P = 0.07). Early postoperatively, pain severity was significantly lower in the Dexmed group, but sedation scores were significantly higher. The first analgesic request was significantly delayed in the Dexmed group (P = 0.02). The total amounts of intraoperative fentanyl and postoperative tramadol administered were significantly lower in the Dexmed group. No difference in ondansetron was noted between the two groups. Mean arterial pressure and heart rate were significantly lower in the Dexmed group after administration of dexmedetomidine. No major side effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Dexmedetomidine reduces the incidence and severity of PONV, similar to dexamethasone. It is superior to dexamethasone in reducing postoperative pain and total analgesic consumption during the first 24 h after LC.
Adult ; Arterial Pressure ; Cholecystectomy ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic* ; Dexamethasone* ; Dexmedetomidine* ; Fentanyl ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Incidence ; Laparoscopy ; Ondansetron ; Pain, Postoperative ; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting* ; Recovery Room ; Skin ; Tramadol

The determination of HIV drug resistance mutations (DRMs) towards antiretroviral (ARV) drugs among HIV-1 treated patients with virological failure is crucial for further management of the patient. This study aimed to assess the most common genomic mutation and to analyse subtypes among the HIV-1 patients with viral load level > 1,000 copies/mL. A total of 101 virological failure HIV-1 patients from four different regions of Peninsular Malaysia with a viral load measurement facility were included in the study. Majority of patients (89.1%) have at least 1 mutation associated with clinical resistance to either protease inhibitors (PIs), nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) or nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs). Major resistance mutations among the patients towards NRTIs and NNRTIs were 70.3% and 18.8%, respectively. The most common mutation for NRTIs was M184V while K103N mutation was detected in the majority of patients who were treated with NNRTIs. The most commonly observed mutations for major PI and minor PI seen among the study population were V82A/T and L10V, respectively. In HIV-1 subtype analysis, CRF33_01B was the most predominant HIV-1 subtype in this study group. The vast detection of DRMs in this study emphasized the importance of genotypic resistance test in the management of HIV patients as DRMs can alter patient’s susceptibility towards ARV drugs. Further study on larger number of samples is essential for the development of a database on HIV-1 DRMs among patients that experience virological failure in Malaysia.

A 25-year man presented with symptom of photophobia and tearing in the right eye for 2 months duration. It was associated with painless gradual reduced vision. There was a history of hammering on a metal object prior to that. Ocular examination revealed signs of mild anterior uveitis due to a retained metallic intralenticular foreign body. Conjunctiva was white. Computed Tomography (CT) scan of the orbit confirmed presence of a single intraocular foreign body. The condition is misleading and can be easily overlooked. A detailed history and clinical examination are mandatory in this misleading situation.

·Acquired uniocular blindness in pediatric group deserves an urgent attention. The blindness usually results from mechanical injury to the globe. It is one of the leading causes of acquired blindness in this group. Most of the ocular injuries were accidental and resulted from mechanical trauma. Firecracker is one of the potential causes for acquired uniocular blindness. The nature of injury varies from mild to severe, penetrating or blunt trauma, chemical or thermal. The irreversible nature of the visual loss is preventable. Public awareness will be one of the main contributors in preventing the ocular morbidity.

Abstract This study aims to evaluate the effect of Fermented Rice After-wash Water (FRAW) on chilli growth and to isolate microorganism present in three brands of white rice FRAW. The study showed that FRAW treatment was comparable with NPK fertiliser. In addition, a number of plant growth-promoting microbes associated with FRAW were also isolated. Isolated bacteria and fungi were then characterised according to their morphology and biochemical analysis. Thus the positive effect of FRAW on the chilli was likely due to the plant growth promoting microorganism present in FRAW.

A 39 years old gentleman presented with red painful right eye.He had self-inflicted an injury to his right eye with a wooden stick and he saw a vision of an old man indicating him to do so.Clinically,the right eye was moderately proptosed,complete ophthalmoplegia and the periorbital skin was severely swollen.Imaging showed right orbital cellulitis with inferior ophthalmic vein thrombosis,bilateral cavernous sinus syndromeandimpending cavernous sinus thrombosis.No intraorbital or intraocular foreign body was reported.Despite aggressive intraven ous antimicrobials,the patient's condition was not improved.Exploration done under anesthesia exposed a huge wooden stick at the inferior fornix.Patient showed a remarkable recovery after the removal of the foreign body may occur in psychiatry patient that a possibility of selfinflicted injury.A detailhistory,examinationand appropriate investigations are mandatory to reveal the correlated clinical findings with imaging studies are the most helpful guide in managing intraorbital foreign body could potentially prevent further serious morbidity or

Purpose: The aim of the study was to compare the results of radiofrequency (RF) thermotherapy and transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) in patients who required benign prostatic obstruction (BPO) surgery and had storage symptoms. Methods: The results of patients who had undergone TURP and RF thermotherapy procedures between December 2019 and 2022 were compared before and after the procedure. Patients’ International Prostate Symptom Scores, maximum flow rate (Qmax), postvoiding residues, and overactive bladder validated 8 scores (OAB-V8) at 3 and 6 months were analyzed. Results: While the preprocedural OAB-V8 in the RF thermotherapy group was 25.85, this score decreased to 18.12 (P<0.001) at the postprocedural 3rd month and 16.42 (P<0.001) at the postprocedural 6th month. While the preprocedural OAB-V8 score in TURP group was 23.26, it decreased to 20.17 (P<0.001) at the postprocedural 3rd month and 19.84 at the postprocedural 6th month, and there was no significant difference between the 3rd-month and 6th-month values (P=0.328). The proportion of de crease in the OAB-V8 scores was 30% at the 3rd month and 36% at the 6th month in the RF thermotherapy group, whereas it was 13% at the 3rd month and 15% at the 6th month in TURP group. Conclusions It was determined that RF thermotherapy was 2.35 times more effective than TURP on OAB-V8 scores. In addition to its acceptable effect on Qmax, its continued effect on storage symptoms at 6 months may be a significant advantage over the TURP. As a minimally invasive method, RF thermotherapy can be offered as a suitable option for BPO patients with storage symptoms.