Greywater traditionally receives the least attention compared to other aspects of environmental sanitation. In Malaysia, most of village houses discharged lots of significant portion of greywater into stream without any treatment. Laundry Greywater (LGW) is one of the largest portion of greywater that has been directly discharged to the stream. The aim of this study was to identify the physical and chemical characteristic of laundry greywater quality from the houses and also to evaluate the efficiency of using ceramic waste coarse aggregate filtration for LGW treatment. The effectiveness of the treatment systems was optimized with different Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) and volume of samples by using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The samples were taken from the direct discharge point of the laundry greywater at two houses. The results revealed that the efficiency of designed filtration system depended on HRT and volume of samples. The highest Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) removal from 1 L of LGW and after 3 hrs was 43.31%, while the highest removal of orthophosphate (PO4) (100%) and sodium (Na) (27.48%) were recorded with 2 L and after 2 hrs. It can be concluded that the ceramic waste coarse aggregate filtration was effective in reducing the pollutants in the LGW before the final disposal into the environment.
Diuron has been substantially used in different parts of the world as an herbicide and as a bioactive ingredient in antifouling paint. However, knowledge on the toxicity of Diuron that could adversely affect non-targeted aquatic organisms, especially fish; is still deficient. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the possible sublethal effects of phenylurea herbicide Diuron at the cellular level of the liver and kidneys of an adult Javanese medaka (Oryzias javanicus), which has been used as the novel model organism. In the present study, histological assessment was carried out using the hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining protocol where the samples were preserved in 10% buffered formalin and sectioned into 5 μm thickness. The 210 samples used contained a range of Diuron concentrations comprising 1 μg/L, 50μg/L, 100 μg/L, 500 μg/L and 1000 μg/L; which also included the control treatments. Semi quantitative analysis revealed that liver and kidney tissues exposed at higher concentrations (500 μg/L and 1000 μg/L) showed significantly moderate to severe deformities and mild lesion alterations were already shown even at a lower concentration of Diuron exposure (1.0 μg/L), as compared to the control treatment of dechlorinated water (p
Oil spill introduces hydrocarbons into the marine environment and forms oil slicks, which aggregate with other debris to form tarballs. Tarballs are composed of toxic hydrocarbons, which persist in the environment, causing economic and ecological damages. This work studied the isolation and optimization of diesel-oil biodegradation by an indigenous bacterium, identified by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, in tarball. An experimental methodology using a Taguchi orthogonal array was applied to optimize the effects of diesel concentration, salinity, nitrate concentration, pH, temperature, agitation speed and time. An isolated bacterium identified as Cellulosimicrobium cellulans removed 88.4% of diesel oil under optimized conditions, where initial diesel-oil concentration was 5% (v/v), NaCl concentration was 20 gL-1 and NH4NO3 concentration was 2 gL-1 in Minimal Salt Media at pH 7, 40oC and 100 revolutions per minute for 5 days. Tarballs harbor hydrocarbon-degrading C. cellulans that can be used under optimized conditions to design an effective oil spill bioremediation technique for mitigating oil pollution.
Mining is one of the anthropogenic activities that can negatively affect the environment especially the waterways. Discharges from mining activities are usually in acidic state and containing elevated concentrations of metals. The exposure to these contaminants may cause several harmful effects not only to aquatic organisms but also to human health. The Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) test was applied to evaluate the toxic effects of tin mining effluents to aquatic organisms. An acute toxicity test with zebrafish (Danio rerio) was conducted where fish was exposed to 3.13%, 6.25%, 12.5%, 25% and 50% effluent for 96 hours under static renewal test system. Effects of effluent exposure were determined using endpoints with mortality of median lethal concentration (LC50) value. Results indicated that the LC50 value of zebrafish when exposed, was 14.21% effluent. The physicochemical properties of the effluent were also evaluated in order to assess the cause-effect relationships of the effluent. The low pH values of the mine effluent might be the main reason contributing to the fish mortality. This approach provides additional information of tin mining effect on freshwater fishes as well as to human health.
Field surveys of the 2011 Tohoku Tsunami reported massive failures of many seawalls and coastal barriers. The massive damages are vivid evidence that there are flaws in the design of seawalls and barriers. With this as the background, a sequence of laboratory experiments using dam-break waves was performed to simulate the interactions between the tsunami-like bore flow and vertical seawall as well as to measure the bore-induced pressures and to estimate forces exerted on the vertical seawall model. The experimental result revealed that the maximum pressure (approximately 8 kPa) exerted on the vertical seawall was measured at the lowest pressure sensor location. Experimental data were used to re-examine the relevant empirical formulae found in the literature. The obtained results could be useful for calibrating mathematical and numerical models as well as for future research concerning the design of tsunami barriers.
Waste rocks are a non-economical by-product of mining operations, which can lock up carbon dioxide into a carbonate form and thereby help reduce greenhouse gases emissions. The aims of this research are to determine the mineral and chemical composition of the sedimentary waste rocks of gold mines and to classify the potential of silicate minerals to be a feedstock for carbonation mineralization. The sampling was undertaken at the Selinsing gold mine, where waste rocks were collected from the waste dump, stockpiles, the borrow pit, and the main pit. The mineralogical and chemical component of the sedimentary waste rocks were explored using X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The findings indicated that the presence of divalent cations, of 55.12% for CaO, 9.09% for MgO, and 16.24% for Fe2O3 from gold mine waste, capable of sequestering carbon dioxide into calcium, magnesium and iron carbonates, respectively, through carbonation of mineral. The domination of silicate minerals such as quartz, muscovite, kaolinite, chlorite, albite, and carbonate minerals such as calcite, have been found to be widespread in sedimentary waste rocks. However, the natural silicates (chlorite, muscovite) and carbonates (calcite) are potential minerals which can be consumed as feedstock for carbonation processes because they contain the magnesium, iron, and calcium elements which can form stable carbonates in the presence of carbon dioxide. The mineralogy and chemical composition of sedimentary waste rocks from the Selinsing gold mine provides a better understanding of the future carbonation reaction to sequester more carbon dioxide in response to climate change.
Introduction: Caregivers of children with speech-language pathology experience psychological distress as speech impedes communication and interferes children’s development. This study aimed to determine the effects of a one- day mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) in reducing depression, anxiety, and stress for caregivers of children with speech-language pathology in a Malaysian hospital. Methods: Caregivers (n = 62) who fulfilled the selection criteria were recruited and randomly assigned to either MBI or treatment-as-usual control groups. The caregivers completed self-rated questionnaires, namely the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21 (DASS 21) and Mindful Attention Aware- ness Scale (MAAS) before and at one-month post-intervention. Results: Hierarchical multiple regression analyses demonstrated significant improvement in DASS 21 and MAAS scores in the intervention group compared to control group. There were significant improvements at one-month post-intervention in all outcome measures: depression (β = 4.20, ΔR2 = 0.09, p = 0.008, f2 = 0.10); anxiety (β = 5.12, ΔR2 = 0.13, p = 0.001, f2 = 0.15); stress (β = 5.36, ΔR2 = 0.14, p
Introduction: Total restriction on smoking in the home is an effective tool to reduce Second-hand smoke (SHS) expo- sure in private dwellings. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of total smoking restrictions in Malay- sian homes and factors associated with its adoption. Methods: We analyzed data from a cross-sectional, household study – the Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2011, which involved a representative sample of Malaysian adults. Factors associated with the adoption of a totally smoke free home policy was determined by multivariable logistic regression. Results: Out of the 4250 respondents studied, 40.9% (95% CI 38.1-43.8) adopted a total smoking restriction within their homes. Adoption of total smoke-free home policy was significantly higher among Chinese and Indians, those without smokers in the house, non-smokers and government employees. The likelihood of adopting the total smok- ing restriction at home was lower among current smokers, of Malay ethnicity, low education attainment, having at least one house member who smoked, residing in rural areas, single or widow/widower/divorcee, those working in the private sector or self-employed. Conclusions: Less than half of Malaysian households implemented a total smok- ing restriction in their residence. Targeted activities to encourage the adoption of voluntary smoke-free rules among groups least likely to implement 100% smoking restrictions in the home are urgently needed with participation of all stakeholders to ensure its success.
Introduction: Methadone maintenance treatment is effective in reducing opiate use, related crime and HIV risk be- haviors. However, the number of patients dropping out of treatment or continue misusing drugs are significant. Pri- mary screening of such patients could be useful in the development of guidelines targeted to prevent such incident. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of good treatment responders and whether socio-demographic factors and methadone dosage are associated with good responses. Methods: Respondents were studied from No- vember 2009 until April 2010 and involved all patients that had undergone methadone therapy from November 2005 to November 2009. Data was obtained from medical and pharmacy records. Missing data was obtained directly from patients via direct interviewing. Patients were considered to have a good response if they stay in the programme and have negative urinalysis result within 6 months of enrolment. Results: 66 out of 104 patients have a good response in methadone therapy. There is an association between good response in methadone therapy and educational level (p=0.045) and district of origin (p=0.041). However, there were no associations with methadone dosage. Conclusion: Higher educational level of at least secondary school education was found to be a good predic- tor of good response to methadone therapy. Patients who originated from nearby areas have better outcomes. This could be due to the direct observation therapy which could have an effect on non-compliance of patients who lived far away. This suggests the need to provide methadone therapy in local areas for better accessibility and compliance.
Introduction: Children in pre-schools are at high risk of getting infections due to overcrowding, minimal awareness of basic hygiene and lack of immunity against microorganisms. Hand hygiene practice should be started at home where parents set good example, followed by formal education in pre- schools, primary and secondary school. This study aimed to develop a comprehensive program on hand hygiene practice in pre-schools. This paper presents the developmental aspects of the program material and the results of its evaluation process in a selected pre-school. Methods: Stage of development involved preparation of song, lyric, video clip, infographic and tablet application. The module was introduced during an intervention day called ‘Healthy Hands’ day. The acceptance of the module was evaluated before and after the intervention day. Evaluation was done by assessing pre-school children by face- to-face interview about knowledge on hand hygiene techniques and routine, such as before or after certain activities. Results: We managed to compose a song in three languages (Malay, English & Arabic), produced a video clip, an infographic and tablet application. A total of 227 children participated. Post intervention evaluation showed signif- icant (p
Introduction: Kratom which is a tropical plant use as traditional remedy in rural areas of Malaysia and Thailand has recently been a research focus worldwide due to its potential as substitution therapy for opioid addiction. However, data on its effect on the quality of life of kratom users is scarce. This study aimed to describe the socio-demographic and history of kratom use as well as assessing the quality of life and its associated factors in Malaysian kratom users. Methods: This cross-sectional survey recruited 150 kratom users and they were administered with socio-demograph- ic and substance history questionnaires, the World Health Organization Quality of Life- BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) to assess quality of life and the Kratom Dependence Scale (KDS) to assess severity of kratom dependence. Results: Respondents were all males with mean age of 34.4 years old (SD= 11.2). Sixty-percent of respondents use kratom
> 6 years (mean duration = 8.5 years, SD= 5.3) while 55% (n=83/150) used >3 glasses of kratom daily. Duration of kratom use, quantity of kratom use and severity of kratom dependence were not associated with all the domains of quality of life except severe kratom dependence users had significant lower physical quality of life score when compared to that of users with mild to moderately severe kratom dependence. Conclusion: Based on our study, kra- tom consumption does not cause impairment in quality of life of kratom users except for severe kratom dependence which may cause deterioration in physical well-being of users.
Blunt traumatic aortic injury (BTAI) is a crucial diagnosis to be made early in the management of trauma patients with aims to improve survival outcome. The objective of this case report is to highlight and explore the role of imaging especially Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) thorax to diagnose a focal traumatic aortic isthmus pseudoan- eurysm in a young gentleman sustaining high impact thoracic trauma.
Childhood- and adolescent-onset schizophrenia are rare. Along with positive, negative, affective and cognitive symptoms, eye-tracking dysfunction characterized by a disturbance in the smooth pursuit system has been the only associated visual impairment found in schizophrenia. This case report highlights a case of a child with persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous who had gradual onset of psychosis over two years duration. A final diagnosis of schizophrenia was considered and she was started on antipsychotics, to which she showed gradual response with mild extrapyramidal side effects.
Myeloid sarcoma (MS) is an uncommon type of malignancy, and its diagnosis is comparable to acute myeloid leu- kaemia (AML). In the rare circumstances in which MS does present without AML, it is known as MS de novo. We report a case of a 10-month old child who presented with bilateral proptosis and a pelvic mass due to synchronous primary MS de novo. She was initially misdiagnosed with neuroblastoma, which has this typical presentation. The histopathological result from the biopsy of the orbital mass also showed a small blue round cell tumour (SBRCT) as seen in cases of neuroblastoma. However, the diagnosis of MS was confirmed using immunohistochemistry (IHC) from the orbital biopsy specimen, which usually plays a major role in the diagnosis of orbital tumours and as a prog- nostic indicator. Our patient remains in clinical remission two years after antileukemic treatment, with no relapse or progression to AML.
Dengue fever infection is common in many parts of the world and may result in serious complications such as den- gue haemorrhagic fever, dengue shock syndrome, pleural effusion, pericardial effusion and multi-organ failure if not diagnosed early or treated adequately. This is more so in the so called susceptible group that includes children, pregnant mother, elderly patients, patients with heart, liver or kidney co-morbidity, obese patients as well as immu- nocompromised patient such as those with transplanted organs or human immune-deficiency infection. However in certain cases, severe dengue fever may mimic the presentation of septic shock which needs urgent and decisive man- agement actions to be taken. This case report will look at a 7-year-old child who survived despite developing septic shock which was thought to be initially dengue fever with warning signs. Early referral and aggressive treatment in hospital prevented a direr consequence for this child.
Nasopharyngeal amyloidosis is an extremely rare benign tumour. It is divided into localized or systemic amyloidosis. It is more common in men. Clinical presentation includes nasal blockage, epistaxis and reduced hearing. Classical positive Congo red stain and appearance of apple green birefringence on polarized microscopy confirms the diag- nosis of amyloidosis. We present a case of nasopharyngeal amyloidosis in a 44-year old lady who presented with acute hearing loss for 1 week with epistaxis mimicking nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Clinical examination showed a nasopharyngeal mass with biopsy proven AA amyloidosis. She is now cured of amyloidosis following endoscopic transnasal excision of tumour. We discuss on the similarity of presentation between nasopharyngeal carcinoma; the commonest malignant tumour in our region and the much rarer nasopharyngeal amyloidosis as well as highlighting the importance in early recognition of the latter in view of its known risk of systemic involvement.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is known to cause acute and chronic active hepatitis. In addition, HCV also has systemic disorder involvement that links to various extra-hepatic complications. We report a case of a patient which has been diagnosed to have Hepatitis C Genotype 3A who has been started on antiviral. He achieved end treatment response and sustained virologic response. During routine follow up, he experienced acute kidney injury. Renal biopsy showed type III membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. His proteinuria improved greatly with the addi- tion of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor. This case highlights the possibility of appearance of HCV related glomerulonephritis in patient who has sustained virological response.
Bronchial asthma causes great morbidity and mortality worldwide. Certain occupations especially those exposed to known triggers of asthma such as animal fur, dusts or solvents may trigger asthma attacks in a previously undiagnosed individual or worsen its’ control in a known asthmatic. This is especially true for adult-onset asthma. This may in turn the health of the affected workers and affect their productivity. Affected workers may be given job reassignment and eligible for medical compensation from Social Security Organisation (SOSCO). This case report will look at how two individuals in very distinct occupation were diagnosed with suspected occupational asthma.
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is the most severe form of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). It impacts the lives and productivity of women worldwide. The literature review found eight studies conducted on PMS and menstruation in Malaysia. However, none of these studies focused on PMDD and reported the utilization of psychometrically valid and reliable tools in assessing it. One of the common measures used to assess PMDD is Daily Record of Severity of Problems (DRSP). Items in DRSP are based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth edition. Currently, there are two published studies on the validation of DRSP and its psychometric properties which will be discussed in this paper. The review shows that an ongoing adaptation and validation study of DRSP among Malaysian is being conducted. This will contribute to the body of knowledge regarding PMDD in local settings.
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a heterogeneous endocrine disorder characterised by elevated levels of male hormones, acne and hirsutism. Hormonal imbalances in PCOS women can lead to immature eggs, anovulation and infertility. Plant extracts have been shown to improve PCOS however, there was a lack of systematic review on this topic. The aim of this paper was to review the plant extracts claimed to improve PCOS in the literature. In depth searches of the literature was carried out based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Me- ta-analyses (PRISMA) guideline. A bibliographic search was performed on MEDLINE, Science Direct, Web of Science and Cochrane library databases using the following search terms; [‘Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome’ or ‘PCOS’] and [‘plant extracts’]. A total of 38 studies were included in the final review. 15 plant extracts hypothesised to reduce PCOS were identified; Chinese herbal medicine (n=22), Black Cohosh (n=2), Jatamansi (n=1), Tribulus (n=1), Kacip Fatimah (n=1), Fenugreek seed (n=2), Coconut tree flower (n=1), Maitake mushroom (n=1), Wood Betony (n=1), Cinnamon (n=2), Marjoran (n=1), Korean Red Ginseng (n=1), Hazelnut (n=1), Adlay (n=1) and Northern White Ce- dar (n=1). Three different models were used; randomised control trials (n=23), animal models (n=14) and non-ran- domised surveillance study (n=1). PCOS characteristics were improved with the used of plant extracts by improving insulin resistance, pregnancy outcomes and ovarian morphology. However, most of these researches are at the early stages. Further researches are needed to elucidate the mechanisms of these plant extracts in treating PCOS.