Digital Repository for Department of Biology

Data on the microplastic abundance in sea turtle nesting beaches of Southeast Asia are limited. We sampled four sea turtle nesting beaches in the northern and southern coastal areas of Terengganu, Malaysia between October and November 2018, to investigate microplastic abundance, shape, and colour at both high tide swash zone and dry dunes. Using optical observation, we isolated 2,489 microplastic items, belong to four types: Fibres, fragments, foam, and films. We found more microplastics at the high tide swash zone (58%) compared to the dune zone. Fibres were the most common shape (96.18%). Of the nine recognised colours found, black was the most abundant (35.64%) followed by transparent (24.53%). Of the sites investigated, those on the northern beaches had a higher abundance of microplastics. The causes of this difference were discussed. This study provides baseline data on microplastic contamination in Terengganu turtle nesting beaches. It highlights the need for further research to identify the effects on sea turtle nesting in this region
Abdulmaula Hamza(9-2020)

Background: Libya has been malaria-free since 1973. The risk of malaria re-introduction to Libya is increasing because of the increase in imported malaria cases due to immigration to Libya from countries where malaria is endemic. Cases are mainly due to P. falciparum and Sub-Saharan Africa is the most common origin. This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of malaria positive cases among illegal immigrants in the southern region of Libya. Methods: A prospective, observational, multi-center study was conducted. Three hundred and three illegal immigrants from 12 different countries were included. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the presence of serum malaria antibodies. Results: A total of 303 immigrants were included in the study with mean age of 25.78±5.92 years. Of them, 195 tested positive for malaria antibodies. Two hundred and sixty nine of the participants came from Brak Al-Shati, 16 from Sebha and 18 from Bergan centers, with 175, 15 and 5 positive cases, respectively. Most of the positive cases (172) arrived in Libya within 1-10 months. The highest number of positive cases (70) came from Ghana followed by (40) from Niger and (39) from Bangladesh. Conclusions: Illegal immigration is a major malaria re-introduction route. The issue of illegal immigration have to be treated urgently to stop the huge influx of illegal immigrants and increase the surveillance activities of infectious diseases in order to keep Libyan territories as a malaria-free lands. Key words: Illegal immigration, Malaria, Libya.
Fadwa Jamaledden Mustafa Kamel Mahanay, Badereddin Bashir K. Annajar, Asma A Ali Oun(11-2021)

This study was primarily conducted to investigate the prevalence of imported malaria in a sample of foreign workers (n-1038) in Tripoli during the period from May 2006 to June 2007. A comprehensive review of malaria epidemiology in Libya in the last two decades was also given. All samples were tested serologically using Malaria Rapid Diagnostic test and then examined using blood film technique. Results showed that only 10 samples (1%) were tested positive for both malaria rapid diagnostic test and blood film. Nine of those infected were identified as Plasmodium falciparum and one as Plasmodium vivax. This study confirms that the prevalence of malaria in legal foreign workers is low and the risk of re-introducing or transmitting malaria in the northern areas of the country is remote. It also gives no good reason for including malaria test among those requested for issuing health certificates to foreign workers. The use of malaria Rapid Diagnostic test for malaria detection in this study was proved to be practical and reliable. Although, the situation of imported malaria in Libya imposes no immediate threat to re-emerging of malaria in the country however, continuous surveillance and monitoring particularly to the southern regions and populations have to be taken in a great consideration. An updated new map of malaria vectors distribution in Libya is urgently needed to be able to outline areas of high risk of malaria transmission.
Fadwa Jamaledden Mustafa Kamel Mahanay, Badereddin Bashir K. Annajar(5-2009)

Study discusses the genetic basis for familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) in some Libyan patients at Tripoli city, examining the distribution of variants that associated with mutations in exon 12 of low density lipoprotein receptor (LDL-R) gene on chromosome 19. Genetic analysis were done using polymerases chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) based on DNA technique, to detect splicing defects of the LDL-R gene in exon 12 on chromosome 19, among some Libyans patients probably have heterozygous familial hypercholesterol-emia (HeFH). The patient’svolunteer’s participants in this study were from Tajjora National Cardiac Center, Endocrine and Diabetic Hospital in Tripoli. The study showed the presence of the splicing defects (1845 +11 C>G)in the exon 12 of the LDL-R gene on chromosome 19 in patients with hyperchol-esterolemia and ischemic heart disease, as they have family history in hypercholesterolemia and other secondary causes to heart disease such as diabetic, hypertension, chest pain, and obesity. Frequency of HeFH Libyan patients was (0.86%), and the significant of statistical analysis were{p-value>0.05}, which considered high according to clinical diagnostic criteria for HeFH. As well as detection the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) (1773C>T) that alter the exon splicing efficiency, because it is associated with an emerging of the functional genetic variants for mutations in exon-12, where results of molecular diagnosis confirmed that occurrence the mutation of (LDL-R gene) relates to premature coronary artery diseases(P-CAD). arabic 35 English 137
Soomia Ahmed Ali Al-Haddad(1-2016)

تهدف هذه الدراسة الي تقييم نسبة الأصابة بداء المقوسات القندية مابين النساء الحوامل بمدينة مسلاته وهي تقع في شمال غرب ليبيا نسبة السكان فيها 24,000 وتوجد عوامل خطورة في أصابة السكان بداء المقوسات القندية . لاتوجد اي معلومات حاليا عن نسبة انتشار هذا المرض في المدينة . تم جمع عينات دم من النساء الحوامل اللاتي يترددن بانتظام علي المستشفي المركزي بمسلاته لمتابعة فترة الحمل حيث تمت عملية المسح لتحديد مدي انتشار المرض ؛ وذلك بتجميع 170 عينة عشوائيا في المرحلة العمرية مابين 17_ 49 عاما ، وقد تم أخضاع كل العينات لإختبار التراص السريع Latex agglutination test والعينات الموجبة تم تاكيد الاصابة وذلك باستخدام اختبار الاليزا (اختبار الامتصاص المناعي لمادة مرتبطة مع انزيم ) ELISA (Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay) وقد اظهرت النتائج ان النسبة المئوية لي انتشار المرض باستخدام اختبار التراص المناعي (40.59 %) بحيث كانت النسبة المئوية لوجود الأجسام المضادة IgG (25.88% ) بينما كانت نسبة تواجد الأجسام المضادة IgM والتي تعبر عن الحالة الحادة للمرض هي (34.71%) تدل نتائج هذه الدراسة على أن هناك نسبة لا بأس بها من الإصابة بداء المقوسات القندية بين النساء الحوامل بمسلاتة و هو ما يدعم الاعتقاد بأن النساء بالمنطقة أصبحن معرضات للإصابة بهذا الطفيل،مما يحث على البدء في برامج للتثقيف الصحي للنساء الحوامل لمنع الإصابة الأولية بطفيل التوكسوبلازما أثناء فترة الحمل والتي قد تؤدى إلى مضاعفات وخيمة على الجنين . arabic 159 English 0
سارة عبد العزيز بن زقلام (1-2017)

شملت الدراسة مجموعة من تلاميذ إحدى المدارس الابتدائية في منطقة سوق الجمعة\ طرابلس في الفترة مابين شهري (يناير- فبراير)، وتم استهداف91 عينة تعود لـ 46 تلميذ من الذكور و45 تلميذة من الإناث تراوحت أعمارهم ما بين 7-10 سنوات، وذلك لغرض التعرف على الفطريات المصاحبة لشعر(فروة) الرأس، وتم التعرف على أربعة عشر من الفطريات التي تنتمي إلى تحت الأقسام (Sub Divisions) الآتية: Zygomycotina(1)، Ascomycotina(2)، Deuteromycotina(11)، وكانت أكثر الفطريات شيوعاً عند الأطفال (التلاميذ) هو فطر Candida albicans ( 37.36%) ثم يليه كلاً من فطر P.chrysogenum و A. alternate وCladosporium sp. ( 24.18%) لكل منهم. كان أكثر الفطريات شيوعاً عند الأطفال (التلاميذ) من الإناث فطرA. Alternate (35.56%) يليه فطر P.chrysogenum (26.67%)، بينما في الأطفال (التلاميذ) من الذكور فكان الفطر الأكثر شيوعاً فطر Candida albicans (54.35%) ويليه فطر Cladosporium sp. (30.43%). arabic 80 English 0
هدى ميلاد محمد بن زائد, أمال مصطفي ميلاد انبيه(3-2017)