Prevalence and correlates of physical disability and functional limitation among community dwelling older people in rural Malaysia, a middle income country

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The prevalence and correlates of physical disability and functional limitation among older people have been studied in many developed countries but not in a middle income country such as Malaysia. The present study investigated the epidemiology of physical disability and functional limitation among older people in Malaysia and compares findings to other countries.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A population-based cross sectional study was conducted in Alor Gajah, Malacca. Seven hundred and sixty five older people aged 60 years and above underwent tests of functional limitation (Tinetti Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment Tool). Data were also collected for self reported activities of daily living (ADL) using the Barthel Index (ten items). To compare prevalence with other studies, ADL disability was also defined using six basic ADL's (eating, bathing, dressing, transferring, toileting and walking) and five basic ADL's (eating, bathing, dressing, transferring and toileting).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Ten, six and five basic ADL disability was reported by 24.7% (95% CI 21.6-27.9), 14.4% (95% CI 11.9-17.2) and 10.6% (95% CI 8.5-13.1), respectively. Functional limitation was found in 19.5% (95% CI 16.8-22.5) of participants. Variables independently associated with 10 item ADL disability physical disability, were advanced age (≥ 75 years: prevalence ratio (PR) 7.9; 95% CI 4.8-12.9), presence of diabetes (PR 1.8; 95% CI 1.4-2.3), stroke (PR 1.5; 95% CI 1.1-2.2), depressive symptomology (PR 1.3; 95% CI 1.1-1.8) and visual impairment (blind: PR 2.0; 95% CI 1.1-3.6). Advancing age (≥ 75 years: PR 3.0; 95% CI 1.7-5.2) being female (PR 2.7; 95% CI 1.2-6.1), presence of arthritis (PR 1.6; 95% CI 1.2-2.1) and depressive symptomology (PR 2.0; 95% CI 1.5-2.7) were significantly associated with functional limitation.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The prevalence of physical disability and functional limitation among older Malaysians appears to be much higher than in developed countries but is comparable to developing countries. Associations with socio-demographic and other health related variables were consistent with other studies.</p

A Review on the Fascinating World of Insect Resources: Reason for Thoughts

Insect resources are vast and diverse due to their enormous diversity. The exploitation and utilization of insect resources is broadly classified into four different categories. The first category is the insects of industrial resources. This level includes the utilization of silk worm, honeybee, lac insect, dye insect, and aesthetic insect. The second category is the utilization of insects for edible and therapeutic purposes. Insects are high in protein and many are rich sources of vitamins and minerals. The third category is the use of insects in forensic investigation. By analyzing the stages of succession of insects at first, rough estimation of the postmortem intervals can be done. The fourth category is the insects of ecological importance. Many insect species act as potential predators and parasites of destructive pests of insect order Lepidoptera, Diptera, and Orthoptera. Insects are also used as bioindicator to assess the cumulative effects of environmental stressors such as pollutants. Despites these fascinating benefits, insect resources are often neglected in India due to lack of proper documentation, less expertise, and advance enterprises in these fields. Hence, the paper reviews the different fascinating facets of insect resources in order to explore and utilize it in a sustainable way with reference to Indian region

INSECT PEST COMPLEX OF PEACROP (PISUM SATIVUM LINN.) AND THEIR SUCCESSION IN AGRO-ECOSYSTEM OF MANIPUR

The studies on insect pest complex and their succession conducted under the prevailing agro-climatic conditions of Manipur during 2004-2005 revealed that 19 insect pests belonging to 6 orders and 13 families were recorded to infest the pea crop. Jassid, (Empoasca sp.), aphid (Myzus persicae Sulzer) and semiloopers (Plusia signata Fabr., Thysanoplusia Orichalcea Fabr.) appeared first while pea pod borer (Lampides boeticus Linn.), thrip (Megaleurothrip distalis (Karny)) and pea aphid (Acrythosiphon pisum (Harris)) started infestation in the third and first week of December and January, respectively. Pea pod borer, thrip and pea aphid were recorded as the serious pest while M. persicae, semilooper and pea leaf miner, Phytomyza horticola Glover noticed as the moderate pests of pea

Synthesis, characterization and DNA binding investigations on 1D polymeric copper(II) complexes of 1-amidino-O-alkylurea (alkyl = methyl, ethyl or propyl) having both dicyanamido and chloro bridges

<p>Three new copper(II) complexes, [(CuL)₂Cl{N(CN)₂}₃]_n, where L = 1-amidino-O-methylurea (<b>1</b>), 1-amidino-O-ethylurea (<b>2</b>), or 1-amidino-O-propylurea (<b>3</b>), have been synthesized and characterized. The single crystal X-ray structure of <b>2</b> and X-ray powder diffraction analysis on <b>1</b> and <b>3</b> show that they crystallize in the monoclinic system. The neutral dinuclear entity of <b>2</b> contains a crystallographic 2-fold axis passing through the amido nitrogen of a bridging dicyanamido ligand. The dinuclear units are bridged by weak Cu … Cl interactions through the axial position of both copper ions to form a 1D polymer. The interaction of <b>1</b>–<b>3</b> with calf-thymus DNA (CT-DNA) has been explored by using absorption, emission, thermal denaturation, cyclic voltammetric studies, and viscosity experiments. The complexes bind to CT-DNA by non-intercalative mode and the order of binding ability is <b>1</b> > <b>2</b> > <b>3</b>.</p