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  1. Fulltext Population genetic structure of Aedes albopictus in Penang, Malaysia
    Zawani MK, Abu HA, Sazaly AB, Zary SY, Darlina MN
    Genet. Mol. Res., 2014;13(4):8184-96.
    PMID: 25299203 DOI: 10.4238/2014.October.7.13
    The mosquito Aedes albopictus is indigenous to Southeast Asian and is a vector for arbovirus diseases. Studies examining the population genetics structure of A. albopictus have been conducted worldwide; however, there are no documented reports on the population genetic structure of A. albopictus in Malaysia, particularly in Penang. We examined the population genetics of A. albopictus based on a 445-base pair segment of the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase 1 gene among 77 individuals from 9 localities representing 4 regions (Seberang Perai Utara, Seberang Perai Tengah, Northeast, and Southwest) of Penang. A total of 37 haplotypes were detected, including 28 unique haplotypes. The other 9 haplotypes were shared among various populations. These shared haplotypes reflect the weak population genetic structure of A. albopictus. The phylogenetic tree showed a low bootstrap value with no genetic structure, which was supported by minimum spanning network analysis. Analysis of mismatch distribution showed poor fit of equilibrium distribution. The genetic distance showed low genetic variation, while pairwise FST values showed no significant difference between all regions in Penang except for some localities. High haplotype diversity and low nucleotide diversity was observed for cytochrome oxidase 1 mtDNA. We conclude that there is no population genetic structure of A. albopictus mosquitoes in the Penang area.
  2. Fulltext Emergency lung-sparing surgical repair of a complete transection of the right mainstem bronchus due to blunt chest trauma
    Sachithanandan A, Tan YS, Abdul Muis J, Rapi AR, Mohd Arif MN, Badmanaban B, et al.
    Med J Malaysia, 2014 Apr;69(2):92-4.
    PMID: 25241820 MyJurnal
    Traumatic chest injury with complete tracheo- bronchial disruption is uncommon and occurs in approximately 1% of motor vehicle accidents (MVA) (1,2). Such injuries carry a high mortality and patients rarely survive transfer to hospital. A high index of suspicion facilitates early diagnosis. Early operative intervention is vital for survival. We describe a rare case of traumatic complete disruption of the right mainstem bronchus (RMB) due to blunt chest trauma. The transected airway was reanastomosed emergently avoiding a lung resection.
  3. Fulltext Fire propagation performance of intumescent fire protective coatings using eggshells as a novel biofiller
    Yew MC, Ramli Sulong NH, Yew MK, Amalina MA, Johan MR
    ScientificWorldJournal, 2014;2014:805094.
    PMID: 25136687 DOI: 10.1155/2014/805094
    This paper aims to synthesize and characterize an effective intumescent fire protective coating that incorporates eggshell powder as a novel biofiller. The performances of thermal stability, char formation, fire propagation, water resistance, and adhesion strength of coatings have been evaluated. A few intumescent flame-retardant coatings based on these three ecofriendly fire retardant additives ammonium polyphosphate phase II, pentaerythritol and melamine mixed together with flame-retardant fillers, and acrylic binder have been prepared and designed for steel. The fire performance of the coatings has conducted employing BS 476: Part 6-Fire propagation test. The foam structures of the intumescent coatings have been observed using field emission scanning electron microscopy. On exposure, the coated specimens' B, C, and D had been certified to be Class 0 due to the fact that their fire propagation indexes were less than 12. Incorporation of ecofriendly eggshell, biofiller into formulation D led to excellent performance in fire stopping (index value, (I) = 4.3) and antioxidation of intumescent coating. The coating is also found to be quite effective in water repellency, uniform foam structure, and adhesion strength.
  4. The evolutionary origins of Southeast Asian Ovalocytosis
    Paquette AM, Harahap A, Laosombat V, Patnode JM, Satyagraha A, Sudoyo H, et al.
    Infect Genet Evol, 2015 Aug;34:153-9.
    PMID: 26047685 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2015.06.002
    Southeast Asian Ovalocytosis (SAO) is a common red blood cell disorder that is maintained as a balanced polymorphism in human populations. In individuals heterozygous for the SAO-causing mutation there are minimal detrimental effects and well-documented protection from severe malaria caused by Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum; however, the SAO-causing mutation is fully lethal in utero when homozygous. The present-day high frequency of SAO in Island Southeast Asia indicates the trait is maintained by strong heterozygote advantage. Our study elucidates the evolutionary origin of SAO by characterizing DNA sequence variation in a 9.5 kilobase region surrounding the causal mutation in the SLC4A1 gene. We find substantial haplotype diversity among SAO chromosomes and estimate the age of the trait to be approximately 10,005 years (95% CI: 4930-23,200 years). This date is far older than any other human malaria-resistance trait examined previously in Southeast Asia, and considerably pre-dates the widespread adoption of agriculture associated with the spread of speakers of Austronesian languages some 4000 years ago. Using a genealogy-based method we find no evidence of historical positive selection acting on SAO (s=0.0, 95% CI: 0.0-0.03), in sharp contrast to the strong present-day selection coefficient (e.g., 0.09) estimated from the frequency of this recessively lethal trait. This discrepancy may be due to a recent increase in malaria-driven selection pressure following the spread of agriculture, with SAO targeted as a standing variant by positive selection in malarial populations.
  5. Fulltext Integration of agronomic practices with herbicides for sustainable weed management in aerobic rice
    Anwar MP, Juraimi AS, Mohamed MT, Uddin MK, Samedani B, Puteh A, et al.
    ScientificWorldJournal, 2013;2013:916408.
    PMID: 24223513 DOI: 10.1155/2013/916408
    Till now, herbicide seems to be a cost effective tool from an agronomic view point to control weeds. But long term efficacy and sustainability issues are the driving forces behind the reconsideration of herbicide dependent weed management strategy in rice. This demands reappearance of physical and cultural management options combined with judicious herbicide application in a more comprehensive and integrated way. Keeping those in mind, some agronomic tools along with different manual weeding and herbicides combinations were evaluated for their weed control efficacy in rice under aerobic soil conditions. Combination of competitive variety, higher seeding rate, and seed priming resulted in more competitive cropping system in favor of rice, which was reflected in lower weed pressure, higher weed control efficiency, and better yield. Most of the herbicides exhibited excellent weed control efficiency. Treatments comprising only herbicides required less cost involvement but produced higher net benefit. On the contrary, treatments comprising both herbicide and manual weeding required high cost involvement and thus produced lower net benefit. Therefore, adoption of competitive rice variety, higher seed rate, and seed priming along with spraying different early-postemergence herbicides in rotation at 10 days after seeding (DAS) followed by a manual weeding at 30 DAS may be recommended from sustainability view point.
  6. Properties of polylactic acid composites reinforced with oil palm biomass microcrystalline cellulose
    Haafiz MK, Hassan A, Zakaria Z, Inuwa IM, Islam MS, Jawaid M
    Carbohydr Polym, 2013 Oct 15;98(1):139-45.
    PMID: 23987327 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2013.05.069
    In this work, polylactic acid (PLA) composites filled with microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) from oil palm biomass were successfully prepared through solution casting. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy indicates that there are no significant changes in the peak positions, suggesting that incorporation of MCC in PLA did not result in any significant change in chemical structure of PLA. Thermogravimetric analysis was conducted on the samples. The T50 decomposition temperature improved with addition of MCC, showing increase in thermal stability of the composites. The synthesized composites were characterized in terms of tensile properties. The Young's modulus increased by about 30%, while the tensile strength and elongation at break for composites decreased with addition of MCC. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the composites fractured surface shows that the MCC remained as aggregates of crystalline cellulose. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) topographic image of the composite surfaces show clustering of MCC with uneven distribution.
  7. Fulltext Correction of severe thoracolumbar spondylolisthesis (grade 4) secondary to neurofibromatosis with posterior spinal instrumented fusion alone. A case report
    Muhammad MT, Kwan MK, Chan CY, Lim BS, Goh DW
    Med J Malaysia, 2012 Dec;67(6):633-5.
    PMID: 23770965 MyJurnal
    A 15-year-old teenager with Type 1 Neurofibromatosis presented with grade 4 spondylolisthesis over T12/L1 junction resulting paraparesis (Frankel D). Radiograph showed a Cobb angle of 88 degrees. Computed tomography scan showed dysplastic vertebral bodies, pedicles and facet joints of T11, T12 and L1 vertebra with complete T12/L1 facets dislocation. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed presence of spinal cord compression. He underwent posterior instrumentation and posterolateral fusion (T8 to L4) using hybrid instrumentation. Extensive corticotomy of the posterior elements was followed by the use of large amount of bone graft. Post operatively, his neurology improved markedly back to normal. Radiographs showed a good correction of the deformity. He was immobilized in a thoracolumbar orthosis for six months. A solid posterior fusion was achieved at six months follow up. At 36-month follow up, he remained asymptomatic. This case report illustrates a successful treatment of a grade 4 thoracolumbar spondylolisthesis secondary to neurofibromatosis with posterior spinal fusion alone.
  8. Transient Expression of Green Fluorescent Protein in Integrase-Defective Lentiviral Vector-Transduced 293T Cell Line
    Nordin F, Hamid ZA, Chan L, Farzaneh F, Hamid MK
    Methods Mol Biol, 2016;1448:159-73.
    PMID: 27317180 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3753-0_12
    Non-integrating lentiviral vectors or also known as integrase-defective lentiviral (IDLV) hold a great promise for gene therapy application. They retain high transduction efficiency for efficient gene transfer in various cell types both in vitro and in vivo. IDLV is produced via a combined mutations introduced on the HIV-based lentiviral to disable their integration potency. Therefore, IDLV is considered safer than the wild-type integrase-proficient lentiviral vector as they could avoid the potential insertional mutagenesis associated with the nonspecific integration of transgene into target cell genome afforded by the wild-type vectors.Here we describe the system of IDLV which is produced through mutation in the integrase enzymes at the position of D64 located within the catalytic core domain. The efficiency of the IDLV in expressing the enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter gene in transduced human monocyte (U937) cell lines was investigated. Expression of the transgene was driven by the spleen focus-forming virus (SFFV) LTRs. Transduction efficiency was studied using both the IDLV (ID-SFFV-GFP) and their wild-type counterparts (integrase-proficient SFFV-GFP). GFP expression was analyzed by fluorescence microscope and FACS analysis.Based on the results, the number of the GFP-positive cells in ID-SFFV-GFP-transduced U937 cells decreased rapidly over time. The percentage of GFP-positive cells decreased from ~50 % to almost 0, up to 10 days post-transduction. In wild-type SFFV-GFP-transduced cells, GFP expression is remained consistently at about 100 %. These data confirmed that the transgene expression in the ID-SFFV-GFP-transduced cells is transient in dividing cells. The lack of an origin of replication due to mutation of integrase enzymes in the ID-SFFV-GFP virus vector has caused the progressive loss of the GFP expression in dividing cells.Integrase-defective lentivirus will be a suitable choice for safer clinical applications. It preserves the advantages of the wild-type lentiviral vectors but with the benefit of transgene expression without stable integration into host genome, therefore reducing the potential risk of insertional mutagenesis.
  9. Reduction of microbial risk associated with greywater by disinfection processes for irrigation
    Al-Gheethi AA, Radin Mohamed RM, Efaq AN, Amir Hashim MK
    J Water Health, 2016 Jun;14(3):379-98.
    PMID: 27280605 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2015.220
    Greywater is one of the most important alternative sources for irrigation in arid and semi-arid countries. However, the health risk associated with the microbial contents of these waters limits their utilization. Many techniques have been developed and used to generate a high microbiological quality of greywater. The main problem in the treatment of greywater lies in the nature of pathogenic bacteria in terms of their ability to survive during/after the treatment process. The present review focused on the health risk associated with the presence of pathogenic bacteria in greywater and the treatment technologies used for the disinfection processes.
  10. Effect of hydrolysed cellulose nanowhiskers on properties of montmorillonite/polylactic acid nanocomposites
    Arjmandi R, Hassan A, Haafiz MK, Zakaria Z, Islam MS
    Int J Biol Macromol, 2016 Jan;82:998-1010.
    PMID: 26592699 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2015.11.028
    Polylactic acid (PLA) nanocomposites reinforced with hybrid montmorillonite/cellulose nanowhiskers [MMT/CNW(SO4)] were prepared by solution casting. The CNW(SO4) nanofiller was first isolated from microcrystalline cellulose using acid hydrolysis treatment. PLA/MMT/CNW(SO4) hybrid nanocomposites were prepared by the addition of various amounts of CNW(SO4) [1-9 parts per hundred parts of polymer (phr)] into PLA/MMT nanocomposite at 5 phr MMT content, based on highest tensile strength values as reported previously. The biodegradability, thermal, tensile, morphological, water absorption and transparency properties of PLA/MMT/CNW(SO4) hybrid nanocomposites were investigated. The Biodegradability, thermal stability and crystallinity of hybrid nanocomposites increased compared to PLA/MMT nanocomposite and neat PLA. The highest tensile strength of hybrid nanocomposites was obtained by incorporating 1 phr CNW(SO4) [∼ 36 MPa]. Interestingly, the ductility of hybrid nanocomposites increased significantly by 87% at this formulation. The Young's modulus increased linearly with increasing CNW(SO4) content. This is due to the relatively good dispersion of nanofillers in the hybrid nanocomposites, as revealed by transmission electron microscopy. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated the formation of some polar interactions. In addition, water resistance of the hybrid nanocomposites improved and the visual transparency of neat PLA film did not affect by addition of CNW(SO4).
  11. Ballistic Josephson junctions in edge-contacted graphene
    Calado VE, Goswami S, Nanda G, Diez M, Akhmerov AR, Watanabe K, et al.
    Nat Nanotechnol, 2015 Sep;10(9):761-4.
    PMID: 26214253 DOI: 10.1038/nnano.2015.156
    Hybrid graphene-superconductor devices have attracted much attention since the early days of graphene research. So far, these studies have been limited to the case of diffusive transport through graphene with poorly defined and modest-quality graphene/superconductor interfaces, usually combined with small critical magnetic fields of the superconducting electrodes. Here, we report graphene-based Josephson junctions with one-dimensional edge contacts of molybdenum rhenium. The contacts exhibit a well-defined, transparent interface to the graphene, have a critical magnetic field of 8 T at 4 K, and the graphene has a high quality due to its encapsulation in hexagonal boron nitride. This allows us to study and exploit graphene Josephson junctions in a new regime, characterized by ballistic transport. We find that the critical current oscillates with the carrier density due to phase-coherent interference of the electrons and holes that carry the supercurrent caused by the formation of a Fabry-Pérot cavity. Furthermore, relatively large supercurrents are observed over unprecedented long distances of up to 1.5 μm. Finally, in the quantum Hall regime we observe broken symmetry states while the contacts remain superconducting. These achievements open up new avenues to exploit the Dirac nature of graphene in interaction with the superconducting state.
  12. Fulltext A comprehensive photovoltaic study on tungsten disulfide (WS2) buffer layer based CdTe solar cell
    Emon EI, Islam AM, Sobayel MK, Islam S, Akhtaruzzaman M, Amin N, et al.
    Heliyon, 2023 Mar;9(3):e14438.
    PMID: 36950573 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14438
    Transition metal di-chalcogenides (TMCDs)-Tungsten disulfide (WS2) exhibit excellent optoelectronic properties such as suitable bandgap, high absorption coefficient, good conductivity, high carrier mobility, etc. to be used as a photovoltaic material for thin-film solar cells. In the present work, we have replaced the traditional buffer CdS and ITO/ZnO window layer in CdTe solar cells with the non-toxic, earth-abundant WS2 buffer and SnO2 window layer, respectively. The SCAPS-1D solar simulator is used to investigate the potentiality of WS2 as buffer material in CdTe solar cells. This numerical study provides a comparison of the performances between the proposed structure: SnO2/WS2/CdTe/Au and the baseline structure: ITO/ZnO/CdS/CdTe/Au. The impacts of the charge carrier generation rate, spectral response, current-voltage characteristics, bulk defect density, defect density at buffer/absorber interface, operating temperature, and capacitance-voltage characteristics on the solar cell performance parameters have also been analyzed. The tolerance level of defect density in WS2 bulk and WS2/CdTe interface are found to be 1017 cm-3 and 1012 cm-3, respectively. The temperature study reveals the poor structural robustness and thermal stability of the proposed cell. The conversion efficiency of the proposed cell has found to be 20.55% at the optimized device structure. Nevertheles, these findings may provide an insight to fabricate viable, environment friendly, and inexpensive CdTe thin-film solar cells.
  13. Effectiveness of Pamidronate Infusion in the Treatment of Charcot Arthropathy
    Bajuri MY, Md-Noorpi NH, Yin MK, Azman I, Adib-Adham NS
    Malays Orthop J, 2024 Mar;18(1):66-72.
    PMID: 38638656 DOI: 10.5704/MOJ.2403.009
    INTRODUCTION: The objective of this case series is to investigate the efficacy and safety of intravenous infusion of Pamidronate, a second generation bisphosphonate, in the treatment of active Charcot arthropathy.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients with active Charcot arthropathy treated at the medical centre from 1 January 2013 to 30 June 2020 were included in the study. Efficacy outcome was evaluated based on time to consolidate findings observed through radiographic examination, while safety outcome was evaluated based on the incidence of adverse event (AE) occurrence.

    RESULTS: A total of 81 patients (37 male, 44 female) diagnosed with active Charcot arthropathy were included. 64.2% of patients were at stage 1 of Charcot arthropathy whereas 35.8% were at stage 2. The mean time to consolidate for stage 1 and stage 2 was 6.50 ± 4.21 months and 3.63 ± 2.92 months respectively (p-value = 0.139). No significant association was observed between gender, ethnicity and disease stage with the consolidation time (p-value >0.05). The rate of AE incidence was 2.5%, observed in 2 patients who developed a fever during the treatment. No other serious AE was observed in the study.

    CONCLUSION: Intravenous Pamidronate infusion is a safe and effective treatment option for Charcot arthropathy.

  14. Oil palm frond-derived cellulose nanocrystals: Effect of pretreatment and elucidating its reinforcing potential in hydrogel beads
    Hamidon TS, Idris NN, Adnan R, Haafiz MKM, Zahari A, Hussin MH
    Int J Biol Macromol, 2024 Mar;262(Pt 2):130239.
    PMID: 38367788 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.130239
    Herein, cellulose nanocrystals were synthesized from oil palm fronds (CNC-OPF) involving two pretreatment approaches, viz. autohydrolysis and soda pulping. The pretreatments were applied individually to OPF fibers to assess their influence on CNCs' physicochemical and thermal properties. CNC-OPF samples were assessed using complementary characterization techniques, which confirmed their purity and characteristics. CP/MAS 13C NMR and TEM studies revealed that autohydrolysis pretreatment yielded CNCs with effective hemicellulose and extractives removal compared to that of soda pulping. XRD analysis demonstrated that autohydrolysis-treated CNC-OPF contained a much higher crystallinity index compared to soda pulping treatment. BET measurement disclosed a relatively higher surface area and wider pore diameter of autohydrolysis-treated CNC-OPF. Autohydrolysis-treated CNCs were applied as a reinforcement filler in alginate-based hydrogel beads for the removal of 4-chlorophenol from water, which attained a qmax of 19.168 mg g-1. BET analysis revealed the less porous nature of CNC-ALG hydrogel beads which could have contributed to hydrogel beads' relatively lower adsorption capacity. The point of zero charge of CNC-ALG hydrogel beads was 4.82, suggesting their applicability only within a short solution pH range. This study directs future studies to unveil the possibilities of functionalizing CNCs in order to enhance the adsorption performance of CNC-immobilized hydrogel beads towards 4-chlorophenol and other organic contaminants.
  15. Fulltext Predictive variables influencing intraoperative blood loss during single-stage posterior spinal fusion in severe idiopathic scoliosis: Analysis of 126 cases
    Mihara Y, Lee SY, Chan CYW, Chiu CK, Hasan MS, Kwan MK
    J Clin Orthop Trauma, 2025 Dec;71:103248.
    PMID: 41283166 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcot.2025.103248
    BACKGROUND: Despite the clinical importance, few studies have specifically addressed intraoperative blood loss in patients with severe idiopathic scoliosis undergoing posterior spinal fusion (PSF). Therefore, this study seeks to investigate independent predictors of intraoperative bleeding during single-stage PSF in this high-risk population.

    METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 126 patients with severe IS (defined as a major Cobb angle ≥90°) who underwent single-stage PSF without osteotomy procedures. Key parameters collected included preoperative Cobb angle (Pre Cobb), postoperative Cobb angle (Post Cobb), correction rate (CR), side-bending Cobb angle (SB Cobb), side-bending flexibility (SBF), side-bending correction index (SBCI), total number of fusion levels, number of pedicle screws utilized, and operative time (Op Time). The estimated total intraoperative blood loss (EBL) was quantified. Multiple regression analysis was employed to identify independent predictors of intraoperative blood loss.

    RESULTS: The mean pre Cobb was 103.0 + 12.4° and post Cobb was 45.1 + 14.0°. The mean CR was 56.1 + 12.8 %. The mean SB Cobb and flexibility were 65.0 + 19.4° and 37.7 + 13.7 %. Average SBCI was 1.8 + 1.2. The mean fusion levels and number of screws used were 13.3 + 1.3 and 16.3 + 1.6, respectively. The mean Op time in this study was 185.9 + 49.3 min. The mean EBL was 1493.0 + 841.0 mL, EBL/EBV ratio was 51.6 + 29.1 %, and EBL/level fused was 112.0 ± 62.0 mL. Multiple regression analysis identified Op time, gender, and pre Cobb as the independent predictors for EBL (R2 0.281; p 

  16. The opportunities in implementing assistive technology in oral health care for individuals with sensory impairments: a systematic review
    Khan AJ, Riyadh SR, Alam MK, Ahmad MS, Sabri BAM, Iqbal A
    Eur Arch Paediatr Dent, 2025 Apr;26(2):209-224.
    PMID: 39794657 DOI: 10.1007/s40368-024-00982-8
    PURPOSE: People with sensory impairments (SI) face unique challenges in out-of-home care, especially in oral health (OH) care, compared to the general population. Various assistive technologies (ATs) and media are used to influence OH behaviors and outcomes for individuals with SI. This systematic review (SR) aimed to identify the types of ATs and assess their effectiveness for individuals with SI.

    METHODS: A comprehensive search strategy was applied across Scopus, PubMed, Cochrane Library, ProQuest, and Scopus databases, using expert-validated keywords, with manual searches for relevant articles published from June 2013 to June 2023. The SR followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Eligible studies focused on the use of ATs as OH education tools for individuals with SI and assessed their impact on OH behavior and status.

    RESULTS: Eighteen of the 1298 identified studies were included in the data synthesis. ATs, such as images, software, multimedia, audio, video, audio-tactile performance, and combination methods, were effective for OH care in individuals with SI. However, this SR limitations include study heterogeneity in sample sizes, intervention types, and outcomes, as well as the exclusion of non-English studies.

    CONCLUSIONS: Oral health education using a combination of video training and audio-tactile performance is particularly effective for individuals with SI, engaging multiple senses for learning. Future research should focus on standardizing methodologies and incorporating larger sample sizes to enhance the efficacy of these technologies in improving OH care for individuals with SI. PROSPERO REG. NO.: CRD42023485523.

  17. Fulltext Training for rural general practice
    Strasser R, Rourke J, Anwar I, Naidoo N, Rabinowitz H, McLeod J, et al.
    ISBN: 0 7326 0961 5
    Citation: Strasser R, Rourke J, Anwar I, Naidoo N, Rabinowitz H, McLeod J, Newbery P, Aziz T, Rosenblatt R, Lee SH, Wynn-Jones J, Rajakumar MK, Yuan G, Chater B, Doolan T, Cowley J, Simpson C. Training for rural general practice. Traralgon , Victoria, Australia: Monash University School of Rural Health; World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA), 1995
  18. Fulltext Green Composites Made of Bamboo Fabric and Poly (Lactic) Acid for Packaging Applications-A Review
    Nurul Fazita MR, Jayaraman K, Bhattacharyya D, Mohamad Haafiz MK, Saurabh CK, Hussin MH, et al.
    Materials (Basel), 2016 Jun 01;9(6).
    PMID: 28773558 DOI: 10.3390/ma9060435
    Petroleum based thermoplastics are widely used in a range of applications, particularly in packaging. However, their usage has resulted in soaring pollutant emissions. Thus, researchers have been driven to seek environmentally friendly alternative packaging materials which are recyclable as well as biodegradable. Due to the excellent mechanical properties of natural fibres, they have been extensively used to reinforce biopolymers to produce biodegradable composites. A detailed understanding of the properties of such composite materials is vital for assessing their applicability to various products. The present review discusses several functional properties related to packaging applications in order to explore the potential of bamboo fibre fabric-poly (lactic) acid composites for packaging applications. Physical properties, heat deflection temperature, impact resistance, recyclability and biodegradability are important functional properties of packaging materials. In this review, we will also comprehensively discuss the chronological events and applications of natural fibre biopolymer composites.
  19. Influence of pathogenic bacterial activity on growth of Scenedesmus sp. and removal of nutrients from public market wastewater
    Al-Gheethi AA, Mohamed RM, Jais NM, Efaq AN, Abd Halid A, Wurochekke AA, et al.
    J Water Health, 2017 Oct;15(5):741-756.
    PMID: 29040077 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2017.080
    The present study aims to investigate the influence of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis in public market wastewater on the removal of nutrients in terms of ammonium (NH4-) and orthophosphate (PO43) using Scenedesmus sp. The removal rates of NH4- and orthophosphate PO43- and batch kinetic coefficient of Scenedesmus sp. were investigated. The phycoremediation process was carried out at ambient temperature for 6 days. The results revealed that the pathogenic bacteria exhibited survival potential in the presence of microalgae but they were reduced by 3-4 log at the end of the treatment process. The specific removal rates of NH4- and PO43- have a strong relationship with initial concentration in the public market wastewater (R2 = 0.86 and 0.80, respectively). The kinetic coefficient of NH4- removal by Scenedesmus sp. was determined as k = 4.28 mg NH4- 1 log10 cell mL-1 d-1 and km = 52.01 mg L-1 (R2 = 0.94) while the coefficient of PO43- removal was noted as k = 1.09 mg NH4- 1 log10 cell mL-1 d-1 and km = 85.56 mg L-1 (R2 = 0.92). It can be concluded that Scenedesmus sp. has high competition from indigenous bacteria in the public market wastewater to remove nutrients, with a higher coefficient of removal of NH4- than PO43.
  20. Implementation of problem-based learning in child and adolescent psychiatry: shared experiences of a special-interest study group
    Skokauskas N, Guerrero APS, Hanson MD, Coll X, Paul M, Szatmari P, et al.
    Acad Psychiatry, 2011 Jul-Aug;35(4):249-251.
    PMID: 21804045 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ap.35.4.249
    BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Problem-based learning (PBL) represents a major development and change in educational practice that continues to have a large impact across subjects and disciplines worldwide. It would seem that child and adolescent psychiatry, because of its inherently integrative, bio-psycho-social nature and emphasis on teamwork and collaboration, would be a specialty learned optimally through PBL. Thus, there was a need to establish an international group where experiences in implementing PBL in child and adolescent psychiatry could be shared. This article reports on the first meeting and plans of the Problem-Based Learning in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP) Special Interest Study Group (SISG), held at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

    METHODS: Through international collaboration and information-sharing, the SISG aims to promote knowledge among Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists on PBL, to explore evaluation methods of PBL in CAP, and to discuss development of PBL-based curricula.

    RESULTS: Problem-based learning (PBL) represents a major change in education that has had a large impact across disciplines worldwide.

    CONCLUSION: The core steps in PBL are the following: presentation of the initial problem; discussion of the problem, and development of learning objectives; independent learning focused on the objectives; and discussion, exploration of new ideas, and discovery of solutions in the reconvened group. Different from the traditional teacher's role, the PBL tutor is an active facilitator who guides learners to identify issues and ways to learn, rather than a "content expert" who provides facts.
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