Plastic waste constitutes the third largest waste volume in Malaysian municipal solid waste (MSW), next to putrescible waste and paper. The plastic component in MSW from Kuala Lumpur averages 24% (by weight), whereas the national mean is about 15%. The 144 waste dumps in the country receive about 95% of the MSW, including plastic waste. The useful life of the landfills is fast diminishing as the plastic waste stays un-degraded for more than 50 years. In this study the compostability of polyethylene and pro-oxidant additive-based environmentally degradable plastics (EDP) was investigated. Linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) samples exposed hydrolytically or oxidatively at 60 degrees C showed that the abiotic degradation path was oxidative rather than hydrolytic. There was a weight loss of 8% and the plastic has been oxidized as shown by the additional carbonyl group exhibited in the Fourier transform infra red (FTIR) Spectrum. Oxidation rate seemed to be influenced by the amount of pro-oxidant additive, the chemical structure and morphology of the plastic samples, and the surface area. Composting studies during a 45-day experiment showed that the percentage elongation (reduction) was 20% for McD samples [high-density polyethylene, (HDPE) with 3% additive] and LL samples (LLDPE with 7% additive) and 18% reduction for totally degradable plastic (TDP) samples (HDPE with 3% additive). Lastly, microbial experiments using Pseudomonas aeroginosa on carbon-free media with degradable plastic samples as the sole carbon source, showed confirmatory results. A positive bacterial growth and a weight loss of 2.2% for degraded polyethylene samples were evident to show that the degradable plastic is biodegradable.
The complexity of residual toxic organics from biologically treated effluents of pulp and paper mills is a serious concern. To date, it has been difficult to choose the best treatment technique because each of the available options has advantages and drawbacks. In this study, two different treatment techniques using laboratory-scale aerobic sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) were tested with the same real recycled paper mill effluent to evaluate their treatment efficiencies. Two attached-growth SBRs using granular activated carbon (GAC) with and without additional biomass and a suspended-growth SBR were used in the treatment of real recycled paper mill effluent at a chemical oxygen demand (COD) level in the range of 800-1300 mg/L, a fixed hydraulic retention time of 24 h and a COD:N:P ratio of approximately 100:5:1. The efficiency of this biological treatment process was studied over a 300-day period. The six most important wastewater quality parameters, namely, chemical oxygen demand (COD), turbidity, ammonia (expressed as NH3-N), phosphorus (expressed as PO4(3)-P), colour, and suspended solids (SS), were measured to compare the different treatment techniques. It was determined that these processes were able to almost completely and simultaneously eliminate COD (99%) and turbidity (99%); the removals of NH3-N (90-100%), PO4(3)-P (66-78%), colour (63-91%), and SS (97-99%) were also sufficient. The overall performance results confirmed that an attached-growth SBR system using additional biomass on GAC is a promising configuration for wastewater treatment in terms of performance efficiency and process stability under fluctuations of organic load. Hence, this hybrid system is recommended for the treatment of pulp and paper mill effluents.
In this work, the potential of CO₂ mineral carbonation of brucite (Mg(OH)2) derived from the Mount Tawai peridotite (forsterite based (Mg)₂SiO4) to produce thermodynamically stable magnesium carbonate (MgCO3) was evaluated. The effect of three main factors (reaction temperature, particle size, and water vapor) were investigated in a sequence of experiments consisting of aqueous acid leaching, evaporation to dryness of the slurry mass, and then gas-solid carbonation under pressurized CO2. The maximum amount of Mg converted to MgCO₃ is ~99%, which occurred at temperatures between 150 and 175 °C. It was also found that the reduction of particle size range from >200 to <75 µm enhanced the leaching rate significantly. In addition, the results showed the essential role of water vapor in promoting effective carbonation. By increasing water vapor concentration from 5 to 10 vol %, the mineral carbonation rate increased by 30%. This work has also numerically modeled the process by which CO₂ gas may be sequestered, by reaction with forsterite in the presence of moisture. In both experimental analysis and geochemical modeling, the results showed that the reaction is favored and of high yield; going almost to completion (within about one year) with the bulk of the carbon partitioning into magnesite and that very little remains in solution.
Freshwater mussels of the family Unionidae exhibit a particular form of mitochondria inheritance called double uniparental inheritance (DUI), in which the mitochondria are inherited by both male and female parents. The (M)ale and (F)emale mitogenomes are highly divergent within species. In the present study, we determine and describe the complete M and F mitogenomes of the Endangered freshwater mussel Potomida littoralis (Cuvier, 1798). The complete M and F mitogenomes sequences are 16 451 bp and 15 787 bp in length, respectively. Both F and M have the same gene content: 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA (trn) and 2 ribosomal RNA (rrn) genes. Bayesian analyses based on the concatenated nucleotide sequences of 12 PCGs and 2 rrn genes of both genomes, including mitogenome sequences available from related species, were performed. Male and Female lineages are monophyletic within the family, but reveal distinct phylogenetic relationships.
Climatic differences across a taxon's range may be associated with specific bioenergetic demands and may result in genetics-based metabolic adaptation, particularly in aquatic ectothermic organisms that rely on heat exchange with the environment to regulate key physiological processes. Extending down the east coast of Australia, the Great Dividing Range (GDR) has a strong influence on climate and the evolutionary history of freshwater fish species. Despite the GDR acting as a strong contemporary barrier to fish movement, many species, and species with shared ancestries, are found on both sides of the GDR, indicative of historical dispersal events. We sequenced complete mitogenomes from the four extant species of the freshwater cod genus Maccullochella, two of which occur on the semi-arid, inland side of the GDR, and two on the mesic coastal side. We constructed a dated phylogeny and explored the relative influences of purifying and positive selection in the evolution of mitogenome divergence among species. Results supported mid- to late-Pleistocene divergence of Maccullochella across the GDR (220-710 thousand years ago), bringing forward previously reported dates. Against a background of pervasive purifying selection, we detected potentially functionally relevant fixed amino acid differences across the GDR. Although many amino acid differences between inland and coastal species may have become fixed under relaxed purifying selection in coastal environments rather than positive selection, there was evidence of episodic positive selection acting on specific codons in the Mary River coastal lineage, which has consistently experienced the warmest and least extreme climate in the genus.
The MOSkin is a MOSFET detector designed especially for skin dose measurements. This detector has been characterized for various factors affecting its response for megavoltage photon beams and has been used for patient dose measurements during radiotherapy procedures. However, the characteristics of this detector in kilovoltage photon beams and low dose ranges have not been studied. The purpose of this study was to characterize the MOSkin detector to determine its suitability for in vivo entrance skin dose measurements during interventional radiology procedures.
Magnocellular neurons (MCNs) in the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system (HNS) are highly specialized to release large amounts of arginine vasopressin (Avp) or oxytocin (Oxt) into the blood stream and play critical roles in the regulation of body fluid homeostasis. The MCNs are osmosensory neurons and are excited by exposure to hypertonic solutions and inhibited by hypotonic solutions. The MCNs respond to systemic hypertonic and hypotonic stimulation with large changes in the expression of their Avp and Oxt genes, and microarray studies have shown that these osmotic perturbations also cause large changes in global gene expression in the HNS. In this paper, we examine gene expression in the rat supraoptic nucleus (SON) under normosmotic and chronic salt-loading SL) conditions by the first time using "new-generation", RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) methods. We reliably detect 9,709 genes as present in the SON by RNA-Seq, and 552 of these genes were changed in expression as a result of chronic SL. These genes reflect diverse functions, and 42 of these are involved in either transcriptional or translational processes. In addition, we compare the SON transcriptomes resolved by RNA-Seq methods with the SON transcriptomes determined by Affymetrix microarray methods in rats under the same osmotic conditions, and find that there are 6,466 genes present in the SON that are represented in both data sets, although 1,040 of the expressed genes were found only in the microarray data, and 2,762 of the expressed genes are selectively found in the RNA-Seq data and not the microarray data. These data provide the research community a comprehensive view of the transcriptome in the SON under normosmotic conditions and the changes in specific gene expression evoked by salt loading.
Low aqueous solubility is a major problem faced during formulation development of new drug molecules. Lurasidone HCl (LRD) is an antipsychotic agent specially used in the treatments of schizophrenia and is a good example of the problems associated with low aqueous solubility. Lurasidone is practically insoluble in water, has poor bioavailability and slow onset of action and therefore cannot be given in emergency clinical situations like schizophrenia. Hence, purpose of this research was to provide a fast dissolving oral dosage form of Lurasidone. This dosage form can provide quick onset of action by using the concept of mixed hydrotropy. Initially, solubility of LRD was determined individually in nicotinamide, sodium citrate, urea and sodium benzoate at concentration of 10, 20, 30 and 40% w/v solutions using purified water as a solvent. Highest solubility was obtained in 40% sodium benzoate solution. In order to decrease the individual hydrotrope concentration mixed hydrotropic agents were used. Highest solubility was obtained in 15:20:5 ratio of Nicotinamide + sodium benzoate + sodium citrate. This optimized combination was utilized in the preparation of solid dispersions by using distilled water as a solvent. Solid dispersions were evaluated for X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier-transform infrared to show no drug-hydrotropes interaction has occurred. This solid dispersion was compressed to form fast dissolving tablets. Dissolution studies of prepared tablets were done using USP Type II apparatus. The batch L3 tablets show 88% cumulative drug release within 14 min and in vitro dispersion time was 32 min. It was concluded that the concept of mixed hydrotropic solid dispersion is novel, safe and cost-effective technique for enhancing the bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs. The miraculous enhancement in solubility and bioavailability of Lurasidone is clear indication of the potential of mixed hydrotropy to be used in future for other poorly water-soluble drugs in which low bioavailability is a major concern.
Industrial wastewater minimization can be conducted using four main strategies: (i) reuse; (ii) regeneration-reuse; (iii) regeneration-recycling; and (iv) process changes. This study is concerned with (i) and (ii) to investigate the most suitable approach to wastewater minimization for an old textile industry plant. A systematic water networks design using water pinch analysis (WPA) was developed to minimize the water usage and wastewater generation for the textile plant. COD was chosen as the main parameter. An integrated design method has been applied, which brings the engineering insight using WPA that can determine the minimum flowrate of the water usage and then minimize the water consumption and wastewater generation as well. The overall result of this study shows that WPA has been effectively applied using both reuse and regeneration-reuse strategies for the old textile industry plant, and reduced the operating cost by 16% and 50% respectively.
Ninety-five specimens of 14 freshwater fish species from small streams in the Kuala Terengganu district and the Lake Kenyir Reservoir, Malaysia, were surveyed for coccidian infections. Six fish species proved to be infected with apicomplexans belonging to the genus Goussia. In all of these fishes Goussia species were found in unsporulated and semisporulated stages. Oöcysts of four species inhabiting the intestinal epithelium became sporulated in tap-water within 24 hours. In two fish species sporulation failed and only unsporulated oöcysts were recorded in the intestine. Three of the intestinal species finishing sporulation proved to be new to science and were described as Goussia malayensis n. sp., G. bettae n. sp. and G. pogonognathi n. sp. from Apocheilus panchax, Betta splendens and Hemirhamphodon pogonognatus, respectively. The fourth species, found in Trichogaster pectoralis, was identified as G. trichogasteri Székely & Molnár, 1992, a species known from aquarium-cultured T. trichopterus.
The purpose of the present study was to develop a hydration strategy for use by female English field hockey players at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Malaysia. An additional aim was to initiate the process of acclimation. Fifteen elite players, mean age (+/-SEM) 24.1 +/- 1.19 years, height 1.67 +/- 0.01 m, and body mass 62.8 +/- 1.76 kg, took part in a 5-day training camp immediately prior to departure for the Games. In order to develop the hydration strategy, training took place under similar environmental conditions to those to be experienced in Malaysia (i.e., 32 degrees C, 80% humidity). Acclimation training consisted of 30-50 min of either continuous, low intensity cycling or high intensity intermittent cycling, which more closely replicated the pattern of activity in field hockey. Body mass measures taken each morning, and pre and post training, together with urine color measures, were used to assess hydration status. Pre-loading with up to 1 L of a 3% carbohydrate-electrolyte solution or water immediately prior to acclimation training, as well as regular drinks throughout, ensured that players avoided significant dehydration, with percent body mass changes ranging from -0.34% to +4.24% post training. Furthermore, the protocol used was sufficient to initiate the process of acclimation as demonstrated by a significant reduction in exercising heart rate and core temperature at all time points by days 4 and 5. In conclusion, although labor intensive and time consuming, the camp was successful in developing a hydration strategy that players were able to utilize once at the Games.
Malaysia is essentially an agricultural country and her major polluting effluents have been from agro-based industries of which palm oil and rubber industries together contribute about 80% of the industrial pollution. Palm oil sludge, commonly referred to, as palm oil mill effluent (POME) is brown slurry composed of 4-5% solids, mainly organic, 0.5-1% residual oil, and about 95% water. The effluent also contains high concentrations of organic nitrogen. The technique for the treatment of POME is basically biological, consisting of pond systems, where the organic nitrogen is converted to ammonia, which is subsequently transformed to nitrate, in a process called nitrification. A 15-month monitoring program of a pond system (combined anaerobic, facultative, and aerobic ponds in series) confirmed studies by other authors and POME operators that nitrification in a pond system demands relatively long hydraulic retention time (HRT), which is not easily achieved, due to high production capacity of most factories. Bioaugmentation of POME with mixed culture of nitrifiers (ammonia and nitrite oxidizers) has been identified as an effective tool not only for enhancing nitrification of POME but also for improving quality of POME as source of liquid nitrogen fertilizer for use in the agricultural sector, especially in oil palm plantations. Nitrate is readily absorbable by most plants, although some plants are able to absorb nitrogen in the form of ammoniun. In this study, up to 60% reduction in HRT (or up to 20% reduction in potential land requirement) was achieved when bioaugmentation of POME was carried out with the aim of achieving full nitrification.
Continuous hydrolysis of palm oil triglyceride in organic solvent using immobilized Candida rugosa on the Amberlite MB-1 as a source of immobilized lipase was studied in packed bed reactor. The enzymatic kinetics of hydrolysis reaction was studied by changing the substrate concentration, reaction temperature and residence time(tau) in the reactor. At 55 degrees C, the optimum water concentration was found to be 15 % weight per volume of solution (%w/v). The Michaelis-Menten kinetic model was used to obtain the reaction parameters, Km(app) and V max(app). The activation energies were found to be quite low indicating that the lipase-catalyzed process is controlled by diffusion of substrates. The Michaelis-Menten kinetic model was found to be suitable at low water concentration 10-15 %w/v of solution. At higher water concentration, substrate inhibition model was used for data analysis. Reactor operation was found to play an important role in the palm oil hydrolysis kinetic.
For the specific absorbed dose constant for 60Co photons, three values quoted directly in the literature and two derived indirectly from published information are reported. The three publications giving the direct values mentioned no medium of absorption, whereas the other two specify tissue. A database of the specific absorbed dose constant is generated for each of 14 media namely air, water, bone and 11 types of soft tissue. These values are consistent with the three directly quoted values plus one of the indirectly obtained values. Air is found to be unlikely as the medium for the first three; and appropriate media for these are suggested. For the other two values, the generated database suggests that one is too small to be accurate; while the other is correct for tissue (as stated in the publication). An apparent error of 10(3) is identified in one of the values directly quoted.
Carbide sludge (10.4-11.5 tonnes day(-1)) is generated from the reaction of calcium carbide (900 kg) and water (6,000 L) in the production of acetylene (2,400 m3), in three selected acetylene manufacturing plants. The sludge (of pH 12.2 and containing Cu, Pb, Fe, Mn, Ni and Zn ions whose concentrations exceed the Department of Environment limits for industrial wastewater) was treated by vacuum filtration as a substitute for the ponding system, which is environmentally less acceptable. A similar system by flocculation was also developed. The filtration system represents an improvement over the ponding method, as shown by a pH of 7 for the clear filtrate; the solid cake, which contains 98% of the metals, can be conveniently disposed at an integrated scheduled waste treatment centre.
A body recovered from the water does not necessarily imply that death was due to drowning. The diagnosis of drowning is discussed together with the significance of the "diatom" and biochemical tests.
In response to a recorded increasing incidence of diarrhoea in Tumpat District, Malaysia, a case-control study was performed to identify modifiable risk factors for the transmission of diarrhoea, in children aged 4-59 months. Ninety-eight pairs of children, matched on age and sex, were recruited prospectively from health centres. Exposure status was determined during a home visit. Interviewers were 'blinded' as to the disease status of each child. Odds ratios were measured through matched pair analysis and conditional logistic regression. Risk factors for diarrhoea identified were: reported--drinking of unboiled water, storage of cooked food before consumption and bottle feeding; and observations--animals inside the house and absence of washing water in latrines. Water quality, source of drinking water, reported hand washing behaviour, indiscriminate defecation by children, cup use and the absence of a functional latrine were not associated with diarrhoea. Nonsignificant associations were found for: accessibility of washing water source, type of water storage container and use of fly covers for food.
Live eels and processed fish products from Malaysia are routinely checked for microbial pathogens before export to Japan. The eels and water from the ponds are screened for Vibrio cholerae and Salmonella spp, whereas the processed fish products are tested for microbial contamination (aerobic plate count), coliforms, E. coil and Vibrio cholerae. Results showed that live eels and water samples were negative for Vibrio cholerae but Salmonella spp were isolated occasionally. Various types of processed fish products had counts below 1.0 x 10(5) whilst coliforms, E. coli and Vibrio cholerae were absent. Records available showed that procedures involved in the production and transportation of live eel, preparation and processing of fish products have resulted in relatively safe food products.
Persistent organochlorines in air, river water and sediment samples were analysed from eastern and southern Asia (India, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia) and Oceania (Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands) to elucidate their geographical distribution in tropical environment. The concentrations of organochlorines in these abiotic samples collected from Taiwan, Japan and Australia were also monitored for comparison. Atmospheric and hydrospheric concentrations of HCHs (hexachlorocyclohexanes) and DDTs (DDT and its metabolites) in the tropical developing countries were apparently higher than those observed in the developed nations, suggesting extensive usage of these chemicals in the lower latitudes. CHLs (chlordane compounds) and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) were also occasionally observed at higher levels in the tropics, implying that their usage area is also expanding southward. Distribution patterns of organochlorines in sediments showed smaller spatial variations on global terms, indicating that the chemicals released in the tropical environment are dispersed rapidly through air and water and retained less in sediments. The ratios of organochlorine concentrations in sediment and water phases were positively correlated with the latitude of sampling, suggesting that persistent and semivolatile compounds discharged in the tropics tend to be redistributed on a global scale.