The bioefficacy of nine commercial formulations of temephos against Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus larvae were evaluated in the laboratory. WHO larval bioassay with operational dosage of temephos at 1 mg/L was performed. The larval mortality was recorded every 5 minutes until complete mortality was achieved. All formulations of temephos exhibited various toxicity level against Ae. aegypti, Ae. albopictus and Cx. quinquefasciatus. Generally, larvae of Cx. quinquefasciatus was susceptible to all formulations of temephos, followed by Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus.

A forensic entomological study was conducted using monkey carcasses (Macaca fascicularis Raffles) that were placed in either an outdoor or indoor environment at a coastal area in Tanjung Sepat, Selangor, Malaysia during May until August 2008. We collected pupae of Chrysomya rufifacies (Marquart) from the carcasses and kept them individually. The emergence of 13 parasitic microhymenopteran, from one of the pupae occurring within a week were identified as Exoristobia philippinensis Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae). Another observation was made whereby a pupa of C. rufifacies was predated by a muscid larva, Ophyra spinigera (Stein). The larva squeezed into the pupa and consumed the contents. This paper report C. rufifacies as a new host record for E. philippinensis in Malaysia and highlighted the predatory behavior of O. spinigera larva in natural environment.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of botulinum toxin A (BT) dilution volume and post- injection exercise with electrical stimulation on muscle paralysis. METHOD: Eighteen New Zealand white rabbits are randomly assigned to 0.1 ml dilution group, 0.5 ml dilution group or control group. Control group did not receive any injection and 10 units of BT was diluted with 0.1 ml (B1) or 0.5 ml (B5) normal saline and injected to the both gastrocnemius muscles. The right lower limbs of experimental groups did not have any treatment after botulinum toxin A injection (B1C, B5C) and left lower limbs had stretching exercise after injection (B1S, B5S) for 2 hours using the pneumatic kicking machine. Electrical stimulation was also applied to the gastrocnemius muscle with the intensity of 20 mA to 30 mA to evoke plantar flexion of ankle joint. Muscle paralysis effect of BT was evaluated with compound muscle action potential (CMAP) amplitude of gastrocnemius muscle with the sciatic nerve stimulation before and 1 week after injection. RESULTS: There were significant CMAP amplitude decreases in all animals after BT injection. There were significant decreases of CMAP amplitudes in B5 group compared with that of B1 group (p<0.001). Left limbs with stretching exercise and electrical stimulation showed lower CMAP amplitude (p=0.01) compared with right limbs which did not have any treatment after BT injection. CONCLUSION: To maximize muscle paralysis effect of the botulinum toxin A, increasing dilution volume and performing post-injection stretching exercise with electrical stimulation are considered a good strategy.
Action Potentials ; Animals ; Ankle Joint ; Botulinum Toxins* ; Electric Stimulation ; Extremities ; Lower Extremity ; Muscle, Skeletal* ; Muscles ; Paralysis* ; Rabbits ; Sciatic Nerve ; Stroke ; Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction

This review discusses human thermoregulation during exercise and the measurement of body temperature in clinical and exercise settings. The thermoregulatory mechanisms play important roles in maintaining physiological homeostasis during rest and physical exercise. Physical exertion poses a challenge to thermoregulation by causing a substantial increase in metabolic heat production. However, within a non-thermolytic range, the thermoregulatory mechanisms are capable of adapting to sustain physiological functions under these conditions. The central nervous system may also rely on hyperthermia to protect the body from "overheating." Hyperthermia may serve as a self-limiting signal that triggers central inhibition of exercise performance when a temperature threshold is achieved. Exposure to sub-lethal heat stress may also confer tolerance against higher doses of heat stress by inducing the production of heat shock proteins, which protect cells against the thermolytic effects of heat. Advances in body temperature measurement also contribute to research in thermoregulation. Current evidence supports the use of oral temperature measurement in the clinical setting, although it may not be as convenient as tympanic temperature measurement using the infrared temperature scanner. Rectal and oesophagus temperatures are widely accepted surrogate measurements of core temperature (Tc), but they cause discomfort and are less likely to be accepted by users. Gastrointestinal temperature measurement using the ingestible temperature sensor provides an acceptable level of accuracy as a surrogate measure of Tc without causing discomfort to the user. This form of Tc measurement also allows Tc to be measured continuously in the field and has gained wider acceptance in the last decade.
Body Temperature ; physiology ; Body Temperature Regulation ; physiology ; Exercise ; physiology ; Humans ; Monitoring, Physiologic ; methods

Nonaka myopathy (NM) or distal myopathy with rimmed vacuoles was an autosomal recessive muscle disease with preferential involvement of the tibialis anterior and sparing quadriceps muscles in young adulthood. Patients with NM usually showed slightly elevated serum creatine kinase (CK) levels and characteristic rimmed vacuoles in muscle biopsy. Recently, the UDP-N-acetylglucosamine-2-epimerase/N-ace-tylmannosamine kinase (GNE) gene was identified as the identified as the causative gene for NM. Here we reported a NM patient carrying homozygous mutations (V572L) of the GNE gene. To the best of our knowledge, this was the first report of genetically confirmed NM in Korea and NM should be included in the differential diagnosis of slowly progressive weakness of distal legs.
Biopsy ; Creatine Kinase ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Distal Myopathies ; Humans ; Korea ; Leg ; Muscular Diseases* ; Phosphotransferases ; Quadriceps Muscle ; Vacuoles

OBJECTIVE: To determine stability parameters in clinical balance tests and posturography that can assess age-related changes in posture control sensitively METHOD: Thirty nine healthy elderly people over 60 years old and twenty young controls were recruited. Elderly people were subdivided into 3 groups by age (aged 60~69, 70~79, over 80). Subjects were evaluated with clinical balance tests and posturography. In posturography, center of pressure (COP) parameters were obtained as total path distance, sway area, mean frequency of sway in comfortable standing. Visual feedback system (VFS) was added to posturography and then subjects were asked to move their COP into the target circle on monitor with active movement on force plate. In VFS, time to get in the circle, total path of deviation, time in the circle were measured. RESULTS: Time in the circle assessed by posturography with VFS showed significant difference between age groups (p<0.05). Significant correlations between time in the circle and clinical balance tests were also found (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: A posturography with VFS was considered to have clinical usefulness in sensitive evaluation of age-related change of balance control in healthy elderly people.
Aged* ; Feedback, Sensory ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Postural Balance ; Posture

Gabapentin, a novel anti-convulsant, is recently used to manage symptomatic treatment of neuropathic pain. Gabapentin is known to have few side effect profiles such as drowsiness, dizziness, somnolence, and nausea. We experienced a case of neutropenia associated with gabapentin. A 74-year-old man was hospitalized because of left side weakness caused by acute thalamocortical infarction. He complained of tingling sen- sation, aching pain, and dysesthesia on his left side. We prescribed gabapentin to manage his symptoms. Fever developed at 22 days of gabapentin therapy and peripheral blood examination revealed neutropenia. At 2 days after stopping gabapentin, neutrophil counts started to revert.
Aged ; Dizziness ; Fever ; Humans ; Infarction ; Nausea ; Neuralgia ; Neutropenia* ; Neutrophils ; Paresthesia ; Sleep Stages

Ambulatory Care ; COVID-19 ; Health Facility Planning ; Hospital Bed Capacity ; Hospitals, Rehabilitation ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Rehabilitation ; Remote Consultation ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Singapore ; Telerehabilitation ; Triage

The prevalence of allergic diseases is increasing globally, most particularly in middle- to low-income countries. This article examines the burden of allergic rhinitis and chronic urticaria in the Asia-Pacific region, unmet clinical needs, and the potential role of bilastine in the management of these conditions. An International Advisory Group meeting was convened in association with the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology Annual Congress in November 2014, followed by a literature review, and consensus-based outcomes from the meeting and literature review are described. Regional estimates of the prevalence of allergic rhinitis range from 10% to 50%, while little is known regarding the burden of urticaria in the Asia-Pacific region. A survey of allergy patients in the region identified fast, complete, and long-lasting symptom relief as the medication attributes most important to patients. International treatment guidelines for allergic rhinitis and urticaria advocate the first-line use of second-generation, no-sedating H1-antihistamines, such as bilastine, over their first-generation counterparts and a range of these agents are available to Asia-Pacific patients. The newer agents possess many of the properties of an "ideal" antihistamine (once daily administration, rapid and complete symptom relief, limited potential for drug-drug interactions, minimal side effects). The burgeoning prevalence of allergic diseases in the Asia-Pacific region and the uncontrolled symptoms that these patients experience demand a new antihistamine that offers the highest number of positive features according to the international guidelines.
Asia ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Consensus ; Group Processes ; Histamine Antagonists ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Prevalence ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; Urticaria