Info about SSM!!

Salam & hi...

I've a few announcement to make about SSM...once you've read this post,kindly spread it around so that most of us will know about it!

1. On wednesday (6/5/09), there'll be a photoshoot session.. The photos taken during this photoshoot will be put in the abstract book (will be given to all during the SSM seminar a.k.a scientific meeting). It will be done by Iyas & Yu Jun so if anyone have problem regarding attending this photoshoot session, please contact them! The details are as follows:

Time & Place: 10am - 11am @ Galeri infront Auditorium PPUKM
9pm - 10pm @ Ibnu Sina
Attire: Formal with tie, NO JEANS please!

2. We are also looking for informal photos (e.g. during data collection, lab) for each group. If possible we want 10 for each group and you can pass it to either Iyas or Yu Jun anytime before the SSM seminar (Dateline on 20/5/09!!)

3. This is the official info about ABSTRACT writing & submission from the SSM coordinator (I believed all supervisor obtained this email already):
*you can go to the MJM website by clicking here

"...It was decided that the abstract would be prepared in the lines of the local journal MJM (Medical Journal of M'sia, indexed in Medline)....Please note that the word limit for the abstract is 250 words (not 100 words which is a criteria for MJM)....The dateline for abstract submission is on 13/5/09 before 12 midnight...."

This is from the MJM website:

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NOTICE TO CONTRIBUTORS

Manuscripts should be typed on one side of A4 paper and double-spaced throughout (including tables, legends and references) with wide margins.
An electric typewriter, letter quality or laser printer should be used. Do not use dot-matrix printer. 'San Serif' typefaces/fonts such as Helvetica are preferred.
The title page should state the title of the paper, initials and name(s) of the author(s), degrees (limited to one degree or diploma) and address(es). The name and address of the author for correspondence should be clearly indicated.
Names of authors should be written in style of initials followed by the surname or preferred name e.g., B.A.K. Khalid, K. Suresh, C.C. Chan or J. Brown.
Summary, Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, Acknowledgment and References should follow each section beginning on a fresh page.

Papers may be submitted in Bahasa Malaysia but must be accompanied by a short summary in English.

Scientific names, foreign words and Greek symbols should be clearly indicated and underlined.

Case Reports

Papers on case reports (one to five cases) must follow these rules : maximum of 1,000 words; only one table is allowed; maximum of two photographs; only up to three references quoted.

Short Communications
Short communications should not exceed 1,000 words and shall consist of a Summary and the Main Text. The number of figures and tables should be limited to three and the number of references to five.

Letters to the Editor
Such correspondence must not exceed 450 words.

Summary and Key Words
A summary of not more than 250 words should be provided immediately after the title page. Below the summary, provide and identify 3 to 10 key words or short phrases that will assist indexers in cross-indexing your article. Use terms from all the medical subject headings list from Index Medicus where possible.

Introduction
Clearly state the purpose of the article. Summarise the rationale for the study or observation. Give only strictly pertinent references, and do not review the subject extensively.

Materials and Methods
Describe your selection of the observational or experimental subjects (patients or experimental animals, including controls) clearly, identify the methods, apparatus (manufacturer's name and address in parenthesis), and procedures in sufficient detail to allow other workers to reproduce the results. Give references to established methods, including statistical methods; provide references and brief descriptions of methods that have been published but are not well-known; describe new or substantially modified methods, give reasons for using them and evaluate their limitations.

Identify precisely all drugs and chemicals used, including generic name(s), dosage(s) and route(s) of administration. Do not use patients' names, initials or hospital numbers. Include numbers of observation and the statistical significance of the findings when appropriate.

When appropriate, particularly in the case of clinical trials, state clearly that the experimental design has received the approval of the relevant ethical committee.

Results
Present your results in logical sequence in the text, tables and illustrations. Do not repeat in the text all the data in the tables or illustrations, or both : emphasise or summarise only important observations.

Discussion
Emphasise the new and important aspects of the study and conclusions that follow from them. Do not repeat in detail data given in the 'Results' section. Include in the 'Discussion' the implications of the findings and their limitations and relate the observations to other relevant studies.

Conclusion
Link the conclusions with the goals of the study but avoid unqualified statements and conclusions not completely supported by your data. Avoid claiming priority and alluding to work that has not been completed. State new hypotheses when warranted, but clearly label them as such. Recommendations, when appropriate, may be included.

Acknowledgements
Acknowledge grants awarded in aid of the study (state the number of grant, name and location of the institution or organisation), as well as persons who have contributed significantly to the study.

Authors are responsible for obtaining written permission from everyone acknowledged by name, as readers may infer their endorsement of the data.

References
Number references consecutively in the order in which they are first mentioned in the text. Identify references in text, tables and legends by Arabic numerals (in parenthesis). References cited only in tables or legends to figures should be numbered in accordance with a sequence established by the first identification in the text of the particular table or illustration. Use the form of references adopted by the US National Library of Medicine and used in the Index Medicus. Use the style of the examples cited at the end of this section, which have been approved by the National Library of Medicine.

The titles of journals should be abbreviated according to the style used in the Index Medicus.

Try to avoid using abstracts as references; "unpublished observations" and "personal communications" may not be used as references, although references to written, not verbal, communication may be inserted (in parenthesis) in the text.
Include among the references manuscripts accepted but not yet published; designate the journal followed by "in press" (in parenthesis). Information from manuscripts should be cited in the text as "unpublished observations" (in parenthesis).

The references must be verified by the author(s) against the original documents. List all authors when six or less; when seven or more list only three and add et al. Examples of correct forms of references are given below :

Journals


1. Standard Journal Article
   Soter, NA, Wasserman SI, Austen KF et al. Cold uticaria : release into the circulation of histamine and eosinophil chemotaxic factor of anaphylaxis during cold challenge. New Engl J Med 1976; 294 : 687-90.
2. Corporate Author
   The Committee on Enzymes of the Scandinavian Society of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Physiology. Recommended method for the determination of gammaglutamyltransferase in blood. Scand J Clin Lab Invest 1976; 36 : 119-125.

   
   Books and Other Monographs

3. Personal Author(s)
   Osler AG. Complement : mechanisms and functions. Englewood Cliffs : Prentice-Hall, 1976.
4. Corporate Author
   American Medical Association Department of Drugs. AMA drug evaluation (3rd ed.). Littleton : Publishing Sciences Group, 1977.
5. Editor, Compiler, Chairman as Author
   Rhodes, AJ, Van Rooyen CE (comps). Textbook of virology : For students and practitioners of medicine and the other health sciences (5th ed). Baltimore : Williams & Wilkins, 1968.
6. Chapter in Book
   Weinstein L, Swartz MN. Pathogenic properties of invading micro-organisms. In : Sodeman WAJr, Sodeman WA (eds). Pathogenic physiology : mechanisms of disease. Philadelphia : WB Saunders, 1974 : 457-72.
7. Agency Publication
   National Care for Health Statistics. Acute conditions : incidence and associated disability, United States, July 1968 - June 1969. Rockville, Me : National Centre for Health Statistics, 1972. (Vital and health statistics). Series 10 : data from the National Health Survey, No 69). (DHEW Publication No [HSM] 72-1036).

   
   Other Articles

8. Newspaper Article
   Shaffer RA. Advances in chemistry are starting to unlock mysteries of the brain : discoveries could help cure alcoholism and insomnia, explain mental illness. However, the messengers work. Wall Street Journal 1977; Aug 12 : 1 (col 1), 10 (col 1).
9. Magazine Article
   Roucehe B. Annals of Medicine : the santa claus culture. The New Yorker 1971; Sep 4 : 66-81.

Tables and Illustrations
Roman numerals should be used for numbering tables. Arabic numerals should be used when numbering illustrations and diagrams. Illustrations and tables should be kept to a minimum.

All tables, illustrations and diagrams should be fully labelled so that each is comprehensible without reference to the text. All measurements should be reported using the metric system.

Each table should be typed on a separate sheet of paper, double-spaced and numbered consecutively. Omit the internal horizontal and vertical rules. The contents of all tables should be carefully checked to ensure that all totals and subtotals tally.

All illustrations and diagrams should be in Indian ink on separate sheets of thick, smooth, white paper of Bristol board or in the form of photographs printed on glossy paper and should be 12.7 cm x 17.3 cm but not larger than 20.3 cm x 25.4 cm. They should bear, on the reverse side, the author's name, short title of the paper, the figure number and an arrow indicating the top of each illustration.
All illustrations and diagrams should be referred to as "Figures" and numbered consecutively. Their approximate position in the text should be indicated. Legends and captions should be typed on separate sheets and numbered correspondingly.

Whenever possible, please include all data used for construction of graphs in order to ensure clarity or reproduction.

Colour Reproduction
Illustrations and diagrams are normally reproduced in black and white only. Colour reproductions can be included if so required and upon request. However, a nominal charge must be paid by the authors for this additional service; the charges to be determined as and when on a per article basis.

Colour illustrations and diagrams should be supplied in the form of colour positive photographic prints or slides. All other specifications should be as for normal illustrations and diagrams, as noted above.

If possible please save the photographs in JPEG or TIFF file.

Abbreviations
Use only standard abbreviations. The full term for which an abbreviation stands should precede its first use in the text, unless it is a standard unit of measurement.

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.:: The abstract from MJM, click on it for larger view ::.

*i have the Word file for the abstract format & also the Dec 08 edition (pdf version) of MJM,whoever wants it can msg me your email & i'll send it to you..(i'll try to sort it out so that you can download it)

i guess that's all the announcement about SSM, please pass it around ok? :)
Thanks!!

-XD-

Updates & Announcements!

Salam & hi...

How's your holiday going on guys (and girls)?
First of all, i just want to say congratulation to Dina (and Farhan) for a wedding reception well-done (on 21st March 09), i pray so that both of you will be happy till the end (and hope you get the first baby in our batch,haha). I wonder who will end their bachelor days next...hm...

.:: The happy couple! ::.

.:: Post-wedding activities; Ikan bakar time! ::.

Going on the announcement:

1. On 11 - 12 April 09, there'll be a thyroid surgery symposium jointly organized by Surgical Dept. PPUKM and Asian Association of Endocrine Surgeon. You can find more detail in the buletin that i posted in Friendster and in my note that i posted in Facebook.

2. To all reseaters, good luck for your exam! All of us will always pray for your success so that we can graduate at the same time.

3. We will officially start our 5th year on 13th April 09. Suppossedly there will be the usual meeting with the dean that morning at 8am but still no news bout that..I'll keep you posted nevertheless.

4. Please photostat your result slip and pass it to me or Erida or Zairi as soon as possible. I'll be in KTDI starting from 6th April 09 (InsyaAllah). We want to settle about the JPA scholarship quickly.

5. As all of you had known, at the end of our 7 weeks of SSM, we will have a Seminar where we have to present our findings and all. A few days ago, Prof. Ruszymah called me and actually want us to organize it ourself (they will help in term of the money, so no need to worry there). So for those that is interested to be inside the organizing committee, please tell me.

I guess that's all the announcement. Enjoy your holiday! (and to those doing SSM, good luck)

-XD-

Elective posting Part 4: Back to nature

Salam & hi...

Finally got some time to post up the last part. So, this'll be the last enrty for the events or places that I went to during my elective weeks.

+----- Picnic at Lata Meraung -----+

According to locals, in Jerantut there's one interesting recreation spot called Lata Meraung. So, we decided that we want to go there and have a little picnic. We wanted to do so ever since the first week here however, time really is not on our side. Luckily, after finishing our visit to the PDK (dunno what this is?please refer to part 1), we have lots of free time that evening so, we went to the hypermarket and bought some stuffs so that we can prepare something for the picnic.

1st dish was roti sardin wrap in popia skin, this is azuwa's and nisa's recipe. The 2nd one was bergedel and this was prepared by me & roy! (it taste good too,haha...). The 3rd was the durian that we bought earlier.

.:: in the making of bergedel,haha... ::.

So, after we finished all the cooking we head to Lata Meraung at around 5pm or so. It's around 1 hour drive from bandar Jerantut in the direction to Kuala Lipis (and the road there is kinda creepy and dark because we have to traverse through a rubber plantation). So, we arrived around 6+ pm.

.:: very bad looking signboard... ::.

.:: nice.... ::.

.:: the foods ::.

.:: durian~~ my feveret ::.

The best part about it was there's only 4 of us there at that time. And truly it is beautiful and the water is crystal clear (but no fishes,aiya...). We only played at the bottom because to get to the waterfall we need another 1 hour or so hike into the forest (clearly not a good idea as it was already 6pm).

.:: before we got wet ::.

.:: roy paling bersemangat main air ::.

.:: all wet ::.

.:: drying up ::.

+----- Taman Negara Pahang (National Park) -----+

The trip to Jerantut wouldn't be complete if we failed to visit Taman Negara. So, we decided to go there on saturday of the last week. That morning the girls prepared some ration (roti telur,french fries,roti ngn mayonis) to bring over during our trip.

Taman Negara is accessible via two route, either land or water (by boat and the jetty is located at Bandar Jerantut itself). We decided to access it via land and to go there, there's actually a signboard so you wouldn't get lost (you can either follow the signboard to Taman Negara or Kuala Tahan; from Jerantut, go on the direction of Kuantan or Jengka and you should find it or you can just take a bus from Jerantut). Either way the time taken would be close to 1 hour to arrive there.

We departed at 9am and the road is not a straight one and there's lots of 'chocolate cake' (as the locals called it) lying on the ground,haha...and sometimes either cows, birds, dogs or monkeys cross the road (actually we found one dead cow lying on the center of the road, almost hit it again though).

.:: Taman Negara! ::.

Arriving there, 1st thing is to get an entry permit and a camera permit each cost rm1 and rm5 respectively (both can be bought at the information counter and they'll provide you with a map as well). After obtaining that, we started our hike and went to two places. The 1st one was the Canopy Walkway (located 1.5km from the entrance).

.:: must cross the river first to get to the entrance ::.

.:: I wonder what's over there.... ::.

.:: what's up there? ::.

.:: a very large tree back there ::.

The canopy walkway is very thrilling and according to the staff, the highest point is 70 metres (walao,must be very painful if you were to fall down). And during our turn to go on the walkway, there's actually a bunch of Singaporean boy scouts (aged less than 12 y/o i guess). They blatantly ignore the rules and literally jump up and down on the walkway causing it to shake very bad. Other than that, it was an awesome experience.

.:: the canopy walkway ::.

.:: oh yeah! ::.

.:: terkejut ke roy? ::.

.:: jalan bukan menari la... ::.

.:: cool je ::.

After that, we decided to climb up to Bukit Teresek. The peak is located 1.5km from the end of the canopy walkway. After getting some rest, we started the climb. It was tiring and halfway, nisa started complaining feeling dizzy and all and we were like afraid in case if she will suddenly get an asthmatic attack (middle of the forest + asthma attack + no inhaler = ....not good) but alhamdulillah everything went ok and we managed to achieved the peak (oh yeah!) and the view was amazing.

.:: en route; this pic looks nice ::.

.:: at the peak ::.

.:: nice view ::.

Then, we return back to the entrance because everyone is tired and the closest interesting place after that is more than 3km away! In total, to-and-fro, the hike was around 6km.

.:: See you again! ::.

+---------- The End -----------+

I guess this wraps up our elective weeks at Jerantut. Overall, our elective posting experience in Jerantut was awesome and really mind-opening as it allow us to meet the unfortunate people in the community and also learnt the process involved in aiding them (not to mention the vacation part,haha).

*suddenly i got a feeling something bad is happening... (Ya Allah, please removed this bad feeling from my heart)
1 more thing; i would like to remind, Dina's wedding reception is this saturday so, let's go there everyone! do anyone have any plans to make a convoy?

-XD-