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On-line CO, CO2 emissions evaluation and (benzene, toluene, xylene) determination from experimental burn of tropical biomass

Tawfiq MF, Aroua MK, Sulaiman NM

J Environ Sci (China), 2015 Jul 1;33:239-44.
PMID: 26141898 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2015.01.015

Atmospheric pollution and global warming issues are increasingly becoming major environmental concerns. Fire is one of the significant sources of pollutant gases released into the atmosphere; and tropical biomass fires, which are of particular interest in this study, contribute greatly to the global budget of CO and CO2. This pioneer research simulates the natural biomass burning strategy in Malaysia using an experimental burning facility. The investigation was conducted on the emissions (CO2, CO, and Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylenes (BTEX)) from ten tropical biomass species. The selected species represent the major tropical forests that are frequently subjected to dry forest fire incidents. An experimental burning facility equipped with an on-line gas analyzer was employed to determine the burning emissions. The major emission factors were found to vary among the species, and the specific results were as follows. The moisture content of a particular biomass greatly influenced its emission pattern. The smoke analysis results revealed the existence of BTEX, which were sampled from a combustion chamber by enrichment traps aided with a universal gas sampler. The BTEX were determined by organic solvent extraction followed by GC/MS quantification, the results of which suggested that the biomass burning emission factor contributed significant amounts of benzene, toluene, and m,p-xylene. The modified combustion efficiency (MCE) changed in response to changes in the sample moisture content. Therefore, this study concluded that the emission of some pollutants mainly depends on the burning phase and sample moisture content of the biomass.

Matched MeSH terms: Air Pollutants/chemistry
Enhancing the indoor air quality in an urban apartment as in the case of Chennai using native plants

Madhusudanan S, Venkatesan R, Babu S, Nallusamy S, Sathiyanarayanan M, Mortka MZ, et al.

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2026 Feb;33(5):1652-1665.
PMID: 41580491 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-026-37410-x

Land being a major constrain in metro cities like Chennai has contributed to the development of closely spaced high-rise apartment complexes which lead to poor indoor air quality. Native indoor plants serve as a natural medium in absorbing air pollution entering indoors mainly through balcony spaces and also enhance the aromatic and visual quality of indoor space. This research has been carried out as a pilot study with an aim to explore the effectiveness of a planting palette comprising native flowering, air-purifying medicinal and vertical wall plants in absorbing the air pollutants in the context of an urban apartment balcony space in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The level of absorption of pollutants such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, total volatile organic compounds, benzene, and formaldehyde was monitored in two scenarios one planted and another non-planted balcony using Internet of Things sensors for a period of 1 month. The results observed on a Thursday for carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and total volatile organic compounds for non-planted balcony are 984 ppm, 392 µg/m3, and 75 µg/m3 (highest due to STP activities) when compared to planted balcony with the values 919 ppm, 335 µg/m3, and 71 µg/m3. The selected plant palette has displayed minimal absorption of formaldehyde and benzene. But both the pollutants are found to reduce gradually within 2 h in the planted balcony and 3 h in the non-planted balcony after the floor mopping activity which contributes to formaldehyde and benzene. Hence, the study proves that plants as a natural medium are inexpensive and best in absorbing air pollutants thereby improving the quality of the indoor environment.

Matched MeSH terms: Air Pollutants/analysis
Short communication: Diagnosis of lung cancer increases during the annual southeast Asian haze periods

Hassan A, Latif MT, Soo CI, Faisal AH, Roslina AM, Andrea YLB, et al.

Lung Cancer, 2017 11;113:1-3.
PMID: 29110834 DOI: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2017.08.025

There have been few but timely studies examining the role of air pollution in lung cancer and survival. The Southeast Asia haze is a geopolitical problem that has occurred annually since 1997 in countries such as Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. To date, there has been no study examining the impact of the annual haze in the presentation of lung cancer. Data on all lung cancers and respiratory admissions to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC) from 1st January 2010 to 31th October 2015 were retrospectively collected and categorized as presentation during the haze and non-haze periods defined by the Department of Environment Malaysia. We report a lung cancer incidence rate per week of 4.5 cases during the haze compared to 1.8 cases during the non-haze period (p<0.01). The median survival for subjects presenting during the haze was 5.2 months compared to 8.1 months for the non-haze period (p<0.05). The majority of subjects diagnosed during the haze period initially presented with acute symptoms. Although this study could not suggest a cause and effect relationship of the annual haze with the incidence of lung cancer, this is the first study reporting a local air pollution-related modifiable determinant contributing to the increase in presentation of lung cancer in Southeast Asia.

Matched MeSH terms: Air Pollution/adverse effects; Air Pollution/analysis*
Fulltext A case of cardiac arrest due to air embolism during scoliosis surgery

Haji Mohd Amin MZ, Beng JTB, Young BTY, Faruk Seman NA, Ching TS, Chek WC

J Orthop Surg (Hong Kong), 2019 4 9;27(2):2309499019840083.
PMID: 30955449 DOI: 10.1177/2309499019840083

Cardiac arrest during scoliosis surgery is rare in idiopathic scoliosis. We present a case of cardiorespiratory collapse during corrective surgery in a young patient with idiopathic scoliosis. A diagnosis of venous air embolism was made by exclusion. A cardiorespiratory resuscitation was performed in supine position. Patient recovered without any sequelae and had operation completed 6 weeks later.

Matched MeSH terms: Embolism, Air/complications*; Embolism, Air/diagnosis
Fulltext Interventions to reduce contaminated aerosols produced during dental procedures for preventing infectious diseases

Kumbargere Nagraj S, Eachempati P, Paisi M, Nasser M, Sivaramakrishnan G, Verbeek JH

Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2020 Oct 12;10(10):CD013686.
PMID: 33047816 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD013686.pub2

BACKGROUND: Many dental procedures produce aerosols (droplets, droplet nuclei and splatter) that harbour various pathogenic micro-organisms and may pose a risk for the spread of infections between dentist and patient. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to greater concern about this risk.
OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of methods used during dental treatment procedures to minimize aerosol production and reduce or neutralize contamination in aerosols.
SEARCH METHODS: Cochrane Oral Health's Information Specialist searched the following databases on 17 September 2020: Cochrane Oral Health's Trials Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (in the Cochrane Library, 2020, Issue 8), MEDLINE Ovid (from 1946); Embase Ovid (from 1980); the WHO COVID-19 Global literature on coronavirus disease; the US National Institutes of Health Trials Registry (ClinicalTrials.gov); and the Cochrane COVID-19 Study Register. We placed no restrictions on the language or date of publication.
SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and controlled clinical trials (CCTs) on aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) performed by dental healthcare providers that evaluated methods to reduce contaminated aerosols in dental clinics (excluding preprocedural mouthrinses). The primary outcomes were incidence of infection in dental staff or patients, and reduction in volume and level of contaminated aerosols in the operative environment. The secondary outcomes were cost, accessibility and feasibility.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors screened search results, extracted data from the included studies, assessed the risk of bias in the studies, and judged the certainty of the available evidence. We used mean differences (MDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) as the effect estimate for continuous outcomes, and random-effects meta-analysis to combine data. We assessed heterogeneity.
MAIN RESULTS: We included 16 studies with 425 participants aged 5 to 69 years. Eight studies had high risk of bias; eight had unclear risk of bias. No studies measured infection. All studies measured bacterial contamination using the surrogate outcome of colony-forming units (CFU). Two studies measured contamination per volume of air sampled at different distances from the patient's mouth, and 14 studies sampled particles on agar plates at specific distances from the patient's mouth. The results presented below should be interpreted with caution as the evidence is very low certainty due to heterogeneity, risk of bias, small sample sizes and wide confidence intervals. Moreover, we do not know the 'minimal clinically important difference' in CFU. High-volume evacuator Use of a high-volume evacuator (HVE) may reduce bacterial contamination in aerosols less than one foot (~ 30 cm) from a patient's mouth (MD -47.41, 95% CI -92.76 to -2.06; 3 RCTs, 122 participants (two studies had split-mouth design); very high heterogeneity I² = 95%), but not at longer distances (MD -1.00, -2.56 to 0.56; 1 RCT, 80 participants). One split-mouth RCT (six participants) found that HVE may not be more effective than conventional dental suction (saliva ejector or low-volume evacuator) at 40 cm (MD CFU -2.30, 95% CI -5.32 to 0.72) or 150 cm (MD -2.20, 95% CI -14.01 to 9.61). Dental isolation combination system One RCT (50 participants) found that there may be no difference in CFU between a combination system (Isolite) and a saliva ejector (low-volume evacuator) during AGPs (MD -0.31, 95% CI -0.82 to 0.20) or after AGPs (MD -0.35, -0.99 to 0.29). However, an 'n of 1' design study showed that the combination system may reduce CFU compared with rubber dam plus HVE (MD -125.20, 95% CI -174.02 to -76.38) or HVE (MD -109.30, 95% CI -153.01 to -65.59). Rubber dam One split-mouth RCT (10 participants) receiving dental treatment, found that there may be a reduction in CFU with rubber dam at one-metre (MD -16.20, 95% CI -19.36 to -13.04) and two-metre distance (MD -11.70, 95% CI -15.82 to -7.58). One RCT of 47 dental students found use of rubber dam may make no difference in CFU at the forehead (MD 0.98, 95% CI -0.73 to 2.70) and occipital region of the operator (MD 0.77, 95% CI -0.46 to 2.00). One split-mouth RCT (21 participants) found that rubber dam plus HVE may reduce CFU more than cotton roll plus HVE on the patient's chest (MD -251.00, 95% CI -267.95 to -234.05) and dental unit light (MD -12.70, 95% CI -12.85 to -12.55). Air cleaning systems One split-mouth CCT (two participants) used a local stand-alone air cleaning system (ACS), which may reduce aerosol contamination during cavity preparation (MD -66.70 CFU, 95% CI -120.15 to -13.25 per cubic metre) or ultrasonic scaling (MD -32.40, 95% CI - 51.55 to -13.25). Another CCT (50 participants) found that laminar flow in the dental clinic combined with a HEPA filter may reduce contamination approximately 76 cm from the floor (MD -483.56 CFU, 95% CI -550.02 to -417.10 per cubic feet per minute per patient) and 20 cm to 30 cm from the patient's mouth (MD -319.14 CFU, 95% CI - 385.60 to -252.68). Disinfectants ‒ antimicrobial coolants Two RCTs evaluated use of antimicrobial coolants during ultrasonic scaling. Compared with distilled water, coolant containing chlorhexidine (CHX), cinnamon extract coolant or povidone iodine may reduce CFU: CHX (MD -124.00, 95% CI -135.78 to -112.22; 20 participants), povidone iodine (MD -656.45, 95% CI -672.74 to -640.16; 40 participants), cinnamon (MD -644.55, 95% CI -668.70 to -620.40; 40 participants). CHX coolant may reduce CFU more than povidone iodine (MD -59.30, 95% CI -64.16 to -54.44; 20 participants), but not more than cinnamon extract (MD -11.90, 95% CI -35.88 to 12.08; 40 participants).
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: We found no studies that evaluated disease transmission via aerosols in a dental setting; and no evidence about viral contamination in aerosols. All of the included studies measured bacterial contamination using colony-forming units. There appeared to be some benefit from the interventions evaluated but the available evidence is very low certainty so we are unable to draw reliable conclusions. We did not find any studies on methods such as ventilation, ionization, ozonisation, UV light and fogging. Studies are needed that measure contamination in aerosols, size distribution of aerosols and infection transmission risk for respiratory diseases such as COVID-19 in dental patients and staff.

Matched MeSH terms: Air Microbiology*; Air Filters
Induced expression of the antimicrobial peptide melittin inhibits experimental infection by Mycoplasma gallisepticum in chickens

Lazarev VN, Stipkovits L, Biro J, Miklodi D, Shkarupeta MM, Titova GA, et al.

Microbes Infect., 2004 May;6(6):536-41.
PMID: 15158186

The in vivo action of the antimicrobial peptide melittin, expressed from a recombinant plasmid vector, on chickens experimentally infected with Mycoplasma gallisepticum was studied. The plasmid vector pBI/mel2/rtTA includes the melittin gene under the control of an inducible tetracycline-dependent human cytomegalovirus promoter and the gene coding for the trans-activation protein rtTA. Aerosol administration of the vector, followed by infecting the chickens with M. gallisepticum 1226, is shown to inhibit development of infection. The inhibitory action was confirmed by a complex of clinical, pathomorphological, histological and serological studies, and also by comparing the M. gallisepticum reisolation frequency from the respiratory tract and internal organs. The data suggest that plasmid vectors expressing genes of antimicrobial peptides can be considered as potential agents for the prevention and treatment of mycoplasma infections in poultry farming.

Matched MeSH terms: Air Sacs/microbiology; Air Sacs/pathology
Fulltext Effects of Air Pollution and the Introduction of the London Low Emission Zone on the Prevalence of Respiratory and Allergic Symptoms in Schoolchildren in East London: A Sequential Cross-Sectional Study

Wood HE, Marlin N, Mudway IS, Bremner SA, Cross L, Dundas I, et al.

PLoS One, 2015;10(8):e0109121.
PMID: 26295579 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109121

The adverse effects of traffic-related air pollution on children's respiratory health have been widely reported, but few studies have evaluated the impact of traffic-control policies designed to reduce urban air pollution. We assessed associations between traffic-related air pollutants and respiratory/allergic symptoms amongst 8-9 year-old schoolchildren living within the London Low Emission Zone (LEZ). Information on respiratory/allergic symptoms was obtained using a parent-completed questionnaire and linked to modelled annual air pollutant concentrations based on the residential address of each child, using a multivariable mixed effects logistic regression analysis. Exposure to traffic-related air pollutants was associated with current rhinitis: NOx (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1.00-1.02), NO2 (1.03, 1.00-1.06), PM10 (1.16, 1.04-1.28) and PM2.5 (1.38, 1.08-1.78), all per μg/m3 of pollutant, but not with other respiratory/allergic symptoms. The LEZ did not reduce ambient air pollution levels, or affect the prevalence of respiratory/allergic symptoms over the period studied. These data confirm the previous association between traffic-related air pollutant exposures and symptoms of current rhinitis. Importantly, the London LEZ has not significantly improved air quality within the city, or the respiratory health of the resident population in its first three years of operation. This highlights the need for more robust measures to reduce traffic emissions.

Matched MeSH terms: Air Pollution/analysis*; Air Pollution/prevention & control
Local and transboundary factors' impacts on trace gases and aerosol during haze episode in 2015 El Niño in Malaysia

Samsuddin NAC, Khan MF, Maulud KNA, Hamid AH, Munna FT, Rahim MAA, et al.

Sci Total Environ, 2018 Jul 15;630:1502-1514.
PMID: 29554768 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.02.289

Southeast Asian haze is a semi-natural phenomenon that chokes the region each year during the dry monsoon season. Smoke-haze episodes caused by the vegetation and peat fires in Indonesia severely affected large parts of Malaysia during the 2015 El Niño phenomenon. This study aimed to evaluate the factors that influenced the concentrations of aerosol and trace gases during the 2015 haze and non-haze period on a semi-urban site in the southern part of Malaysian peninsula that facing Sumatra (Muar, Site A), and on an urban site near to Kuala Lumpur, influenced by the city centre (Cheras, Site B). Local land use data and the cluster of air mass weighted backward trajectory were used to identify the potential factors from local sources and the transboundary region, respectively. The annual median concentrations of PM10 for semi-urban and urban sites were 45.0μg/m3 and 47.0μg/m3, respectively for the study period (Jan-Dec 2015) from the hourly observation dataset. The highest PM10 concentrations during the haze were 358μg/m3 and 415μg/m3 for the two sites, respectively, representing absolutely unhealthy air. However, the trace gases were within the safe threshold. The average concentrations of PM10 and carbon monoxide were two fold higher during the haze than the non-haze episodes on both sites. Nitrogen dioxide was more influenced by haze compared with sulphur dioxide and ozone. The results of the land use change suggest that the local factor can also partially affect the air pollution on the urban area (Site B) but more visible in 2015. The results of the backward trajectory and the wildfire radiative power showed that the smoke-haze episodes that affected Malaysia in 2015 were mainly initiated in the Indonesian Sumatra and Kalimantan regions. This study provides a very useful information towards the impacted region during El Niño haze episode.

Matched MeSH terms: Air Pollution
Fulltext Development of physical workload and heat stress questionnaire for construction industry in Malaysia

Solehan Imran Shariffudin, Jafri Mohd. Rohani, Mohd Firdaus Mohd Taib, Roseni Abd. Aziz

Journal of Occupational Safety and Health, 2016;13(2):93-97.
MyJurnal

Geographically, Malaysia is situated in the equatorial region, thus having a climate of hot and humid throughout the
year. Effect of heat stress and physical work load at construction industry need to be investigated because of the high number of
accidents. Thus, perception of physical workload and heat stress by the construction workers in Malaysia needed to be investigated
and documented. The aim of this paper is to establish a set of questionnaires containing the item generation regarding on physical
workload and the heat stress perception of construction workers. Physical workload factors such as fatigue, risks, concentration,
work rhythm, responsibility, satisfaction, and autonomy are inserted as the items in assessing the physical workload. While heat
stress are assessed using heat risk factors such as temperature, humidity, heat radiation, air movement, workload, clothing and
acclimatisation. A questionnaire has been developed resulted from various reviewing of literatures on physical workload and heat
stress and better suited to the Malaysia working environment.

Matched MeSH terms: Air Movements
Fulltext De novo transcriptome resources of the lichens, Dirinaria sp. UKM-J1 and UKM-K1 collected from Jerantut and Klang, Malaysia

Bharudin I, Abdul Rahim SN, Abu Bakar MF, Ibrahim SN, Kamaruddin S, Latif MT, et al.

Data Brief, 2018 Aug;19:2416-2419.
PMID: 30229114 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2018.07.020

Lichen is a symbiotic organism that exists as a single composite body consisting of a mycobiont (fungus) and a photobiont (algae or a cyanobacterium). Many lichen species are considered as extremophiles due to their tolerance to radiation, desiccation, temperature and pollution. However, not all lichen species are tolerant to harsh environmental conditions as several species are sensitive for example to nitrogen, sulphur, acidity, heavy metals, halogens (e.g. fluoride) and ozone. Thus, to better understand why some lichens can withstand exposure to pollutants as opposed to those that are susceptible, we focused on the lichen species of Dirinaria known for their wide distribution in the tropics, subtropics and pantropical, and moderate tolerance to air pollution. Their moderate tolerance to air pollution affords them to thrive in good air quality environments as well as polluted air environments. Lichen samples of Dirinaria sp., UKM-J1 and UKM-K1, were respectively collected from two areas with different levels of air quality based on Air Pollutant Index or API (with index pollutant criteria of PM10, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide) in the outskirt of Jerantut (UKM-J1), a rural area in the middle of Peninsular Malaysia and the township of Klang (UKM-K1), in a busy area of the Klang Valley, Malaysia. API was monitored throughout 2012-2013 whereby the sample collection site in Klang showed markedly higher concentrations of pollutants in all the index pollutant criteria as compared to that of Jerantut. We performed transcriptome sequencing using Illumina RNA-seq technology and de novo assembly of the transcripts from the lichen samples. Raw reads from both libraries were deposited in the NCBI database with the accession number SRP138994.

Matched MeSH terms: Air Pollutants
Fatal penetrating neck injury due to defective airbag inflator

Jothee S, Shafie MS, Mohd Nor F

Forensic Sci Int, 2018 Aug 31.
PMID: 30217665 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.08.038

We present a case of a fatal motor vehicle collision of a 22-year-old car driver, who died at the scene after losing control of his car, and subsequently collided with a tree by the roadside. The subsequent autopsy revealed penetrating injuries on the neck, severing the larynx, carotid artery, jugular vein and fracturing the cervical vertebrae. Internal examination showed the offending material to be a semi-cylindrical metal fragment, which had lodged within the paravertebral muscle. Examination of the car with the authorities found that the metal fragment originated from a defective airbag booster cannister, which shattered upon deployment.

Matched MeSH terms: Air Bags
Fulltext Cervical Aerocele: A Rare Delayed Complication of Tracheostomy

Arepen SAM, Mohamad H, Nik Hassan NFH

Oman Med J, 2018 Nov;33(6):520-522.
PMID: 30410695 DOI: 10.5001/omj.2018.94

Acquired cervical aerocele in adults is a rare condition and its delay development after tracheostomy decannulation is reported rarely. Our patient presented eight years after tracheostomy decannulation with a compressible anterior neck mass that only appeared when she coughed and could be deflated using manual compression. The mass was situated suprasternal at the previous tracheostomy scar. Computed tomography scan showed a paratracheal air sac without significant defect at the tracheal wall. Surgical intervention is the best treatment for symptomatic patients. As in this patient, we advise direct laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in such cases. However, our patient refused any surgical intervention.

Matched MeSH terms: Air Sacs
Fulltext A descriptive study of decompression illness among scuba divers treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy at a military hospital-based recompression facility in Peninsular Malaysia

Fazriyati Jamharee, Abu Yazid Md Noh, Tuan Hairulnizam Tuan Kamauzaman, Ariff Arithra Abdullah, Junainah Nor

Malaysian Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2016;1(1):11-23.
MyJurnal

Background: Diving related illness has become a public health concern, as there isan increasing number of diversworldwide. However, the incidence of Decompression Illness (DCI), a medical disorder as a result of sudden reduction of ambient pressure, remainsgenerallylow. This paper describes the patternsof decompression illness treated in a military hospital-based recompression chamber facility in Peninsular Malaysiafrom year 2000 until 2010.Objective:The objective ofthis study is to determine the patternsof decompression illnesspatientstreated withHyperbaric Oxygen Therapy(HBOT)in a military hospital-based recompression chamber facility inPeninsular Malaysia.
Methodology:A retrospective descriptive study was carried out to utilizesecondary data from Hospital Angkatan Tentera Lumut, Perakfrom 1stJanuary 2000 to 31stDecember 2010. A total of 96 caseswere included in thisstudy.
Results:Most of the patients were male (94.8%), recreational divers (43.0%), non-smokers (56.3%),with no previous medical illness(85.4%), who had dived with compressed air (78.0%), had lessthan 5years divingexperience (56.3%), were non-instructors(75.0%),and had body mass index between 18.5 to 24.9kg/m2(59.4%). Interestingly,25% of the patients developing DCI dived to less than 10 meters depth, 35.4% of them went for a single dive and 71.9% performed safety stops.The majority of the patients had symptoms startingwithin 12 hours after surfacing (85.4%),mainly within the first 3 hours and many had neurological manifestation (61.5%).Only 16.7% of the patients treated withHBOThad therapycommenced within 6 hours from the onset of symptomsand 93.8% from this group had complete recovery. Overall,76.0% of patients had fullrecovery after HBOT.
Conclusion:Diving activities must be closely monitored. Medical surveillance as well as legislations related to diving activities in Malaysia areessential to improve SCUBA discipline and to reduce mortality and morbidity ofDCI in the future.

Matched MeSH terms: Compressed Air
Fulltext Preservation of phytase enzyme produced by anaerobic rumen bacteria, Mitsuokella jalaludinii

Tang, Hooi Chia, Sieo, Chin Chin, Ho, Yin Wan, Norhani Abdullah, Chong, Chun Wie

Journal of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2017;5(1):13-17.
MyJurnal

Poultry feed consists of feed ingredients like soybean meal and corn, which contain high levels of
phytate that is poorly utilised especially by the monogastric animals that lack of phytase. Hence,
phytase has been extensively applied as a feed supplement in poultry production due to the
efficiency of this enzyme in improving phosphorous (P) availability, thus reducing P excretion to
the environment as well as reducing the feed cost by reducing inorganic P supplementation.
Mitsuokella jalaludinii, an obligate anaerobe, Gram-negative rumen bacterium, produces high
phytase activity. Birds supplemented with bacterial preparation of M. jalaludinii showed
comparable performance to that of commercial phytase. However, the anaerobic nature of this
bacterium renders difficulty in the use of live cells as feed supplement in commercial poultry
production. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine a suitable method to preserve
phytase activity of M. jalaludinii regardless of cells viability. Mitsuokella jalaludinii was grown
in MF medium under anaerobic condition and the cells were subjected to various treatments to
preserve the enzyme, including bead beating, compressed air, moist heat, dry heat and freezedrying
under aerobic condition. The results showed that the total number of viable cells were
significantly (p

Matched MeSH terms: Compressed Air
Generic and police-specific occupational risk factors of mental health and well-being among urban and sub-urban Malaysian Traffic Police Officers

Irniza Rasdi

Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2018;14(102):1-8.
MyJurnal

Mental health in policing has been widely studied but incidence of mental health illnesses among them keep increasing. This study aimed to analyse generic and specific work stressors among police officers and their differences between urban and sub-urban police population. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in Kuala Lumpur and in nine sub-urban provinces in Pahang and Negeri Sembilan which involved 328 traffic police officers recruited by universal sampling. Data was collected by using self-administered questionnaire consisted of Police Stress Questionnaire (PSQ), the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ), the Work Family Conflicts (WFC), the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD), and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Results: The response rate was 71.30%. Majority of respondents were male (86.59%) with average age of 38.84 years old. The prevalence of probable mental health illnesses was 29.80% in sub-urban and 44.30% in urban. Job demand, role ambiguity, family to work conflicts and almost all specific works stressors were significantly higher among urban respondents. For urban, results showed that the most significant stressor was perceived air pollution (p

Matched MeSH terms: Air Pollution
Fulltext Respiratory symptons prevalence among traffic policemen in Malaysia

Putri Anis Syahira Mohamad Jamil, Karmegam Karuppiah, Irniza Rasdi, Shamsul Bahri Mohd Tamrin, Sivasankar Sambasivam, Nur Athirah Diyana Mohammad Yusof, et al.

Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2018;14(102):1-5.
MyJurnal

Traffic policemen are exposed to polluted air for a long time in high concentrations since they are working outside for most of the time which is bad for their health. Hence, this study was to determine the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function among traffic police in Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru. Methods: A pulmonary function test using spirometer was used to measure the pulmonary function of subjects. A questionnaire on respiratory symptoms translated version from IUALTD was used. The questionnaire includes background data, occupational and health history. Results: The traffic policemen were determined as having lower lung function parameters; low FVC% predicted (89.6%) and low FEV1% predicted (94%) due to their nature of work and the environment. Coughing was present at the highest (33.6%) among them, whereas wheezing was found the least (15.7%) of the workers. Conclusions: Findings from this study, indicated that there is a development of respiratory diseases and deterioration of lung function among traffic policemen. These baseline data can serve as a reference to the top management of traffic police officers in order to develop an occupational safety and health guideline for police officers as they are not covered by Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA, Act 514 1994).

Matched MeSH terms: Air Pollution
Fulltext Assessment of radon emanation rate from various building materials in Malaysia using tight chamber method

Siti Fatimah Saipuddin, Ahmad Saat

Science Letters, 2018;12(2):11-18.
MyJurnal

Radon gas has been known as one of the main factors that cause breathing complications which lead to lung cancer, second only after smoking habit. As one of the most commonly found Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM), its contribution to background radiation is immense, and its contributors, Uranium and Thorium are widely available on Earth and have been in existence for such a long time with long half-lives. Indoor radon exposure contributed by building materials worsens the effects. The probability of inhaling radon-polluted air and being surrounded by it in any buildings is very high. This research is focused on the detection of radon emanation rate from various building materials which are commonly being used in Malaysia. Throughout this research, common building materials used in constructions in Malaysia were collected and indoor radon exposure from each material was measured individually using Tight Chamber Method coupled to a Continuous Radon Monitor, CRM 1029. It has been shown that sand brick is the biggest contributor to indoor radon compared to other samples such as sand, soil, black cement, white cement, and clay brick. From the results, materials which have high radon emanation could be reconsidered as building materials and mitigation action can be chosen, suitable to its application.

Matched MeSH terms: Air Pollution
Distribution and temporal behaviour of O3 and NO2 near selected schools in Seberang Perai, Pulau Pinang and Parit Buntar, Perak, Malaysia

Nazatul Syadia Zainordin, Nor Azam Ramli, Maher Elbayoumi

Sains Malaysiana, 2017;46:197-207.

ir quality has deteriorated in urban areas as a result of increased anthropogenic activities. Quantitative information on the influence of meteorological conditions on several pollutants in a tropical climate is still lacking. Real-time ozone (O3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels were measured nearby selected schools in Malaysia to examine the impact of meteorological factors on monitoring pollutants. The results showed the overall 10 min average concentrations of the main parameters during school holiday were 24 ppb (O3) and 33 ppb (NO2) while during school day the overall 10 min average concentrations were 26 ppb (O3) and 51 ppb (NO2). Although there are no minimum requirements for short-term exposure by MAAQG, if compared to 1 h average requirements, all concentrations were still below the suggested values. Regarding spatial distribution, a different trend in pollutant concentration among the schools was observed because of the influence of temperature (AT) and wind speed (WS). The results were verified by Pearson correlation, where significant correlations (p<0.01) were determined between air pollutants and meteorological factors, which were temperature, wind speed and relative humidity. Meanwhile, the distribution of O3 was moderately correlated with NO2. However, the results of multivariate analysis indicate that temperature and relative humidity had the most significant influence on the formation of O3. In summary, the results of this study showed that all precursors and meteorological parameters contribute to the production of O3. Hence, reducing O3 precursors, which are emitted by vehicles, is essential to lessening the exposure to O3

Matched MeSH terms: Air Pollutants
A life saved at the cost of hand injury - A case of hand burn due to airbag deployment

Fadzullah NA, Kasthuri S, Basiron N

Med J Malaysia, 2019 Oct;74(5):452-453.
PMID: 31649230

According to the Malaysian Department of Statistics motor vehicle accidents are the third leading cause of death in Malaysia and accounts for 7.4% of premature deaths in 2016. With the invention of the airbag, the number of serious injuries and fatalities have been reduced significantly. However, there has also been a corresponding increase in the number of injuries attributable to these devices. The patient narrated in this case report sustained a mixed dermal thickness burn over the upper limb as a result of an airbag deployment. She recovered without other life threatening injuries.

Matched MeSH terms: Air Bags
Countries at risk of importation of chikungunya virus cases from Southern Thailand: A modeling study

Tuite AR, Watts AG, Khan K, Bogoch II

Infect Dis Model, 2019;4:251-256.
PMID: 31667444 DOI: 10.1016/j.idm.2019.09.001

Southern Thailand has been experiencing a large chikungunya virus (CHIKV) outbreak since October 2018. Given the magnitude and duration of the outbreak and its location in a popular tourist destination, we sought to determine international case exportation risk and identify countries at greatest risk of receiving travel-associated imported CHIKV cases. We used a probabilistic model to estimate the expected number of exported cases from Southern Thailand between October 2018 and April 2019. The model incorporated data on CHIKV natural history, infection rates in Southern Thailand, average length of stay for tourists, and international outbound air passenger numbers from the outbreak area. For countries highly connected to Southern Thailand by air travel, we ran 1000 simulations to estimate the expected number of imported cases. We also identified destination countries with conditions suitable for autochthonous CHIKV transmission. Over the outbreak period, we estimated that an average of 125 (95% credible interval (CrI): 102-149) cases would be exported from Southern Thailand to international destinations via air travel. China was projected to receive the most cases (43, 95% CrI: 30-56), followed by Singapore (7, 95% CrI: 2-12) and Malaysia (5, 95% CrI: 1-10). Twenty-three countries were projected to receive at least one imported case, and 64% of these countries had one or more regions that could potentially support autochthonous CHIKV transmission. The overall risk of international exportation of CHIKV cases associated with the outbreak is Southern Thailand is high. Our model projections are consistent with recent reports of CHIKV in travelers returning from the region. Countries should be alert to the possibility of CHIKV infection in returning travelers, particularly in regions where autochthonous transmission is possible.

Matched MeSH terms: Air Travel

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