Displaying publications 41 - 60 of 341 in total

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  1. Fulltext Effects of alcohol towards quality of life in the indigenous groups of the West Coast Division, Sabah, Malaysia
    Asong Joseph
    Borneo Journal of Medical Sciences, 2020;14(2):19-30.
    MyJurnal
    Alcohol consumption has consequences for the health and quality of life of individuals and communities. It is a problem among some of the Indigenous groups of Sabah and Sarawak with some of the highest prevalence of risky drinking in Malaysia. Alcohol is considered to be part of the culture of some of these Indigenous groups and a way to maintain the connection to their culture and traditions. However, drinking too much on a single occasion and drinking regularly over time is not a part of the culture. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the positive and negative effects of alcohol on quality of life (QoL) of an Indigenous community of Sabah. A total of 56 villagers from the West Coast Division of Sabah were interviewed in focus group discussions using the diamond dialogue tool. Data were analysed using thematic analysis and revealed that alcohol consumption has both beneficial and adverse effects on health, behavioural, social, economic and psychological factors, depending on the drinking patterns. These harmful results suggest that awareness and harm-reduction programmes may help to empower the Indigenous groups of Sabah to reduce alcohol-related harm
    Matched MeSH terms: Alcohol Drinking
  2. Fulltext Optimised neural network model for river-nitrogen prediction utilizing a new training approach
    Kumar P, Lai SH, Mohd NS, Kamal MR, Afan HA, Ahmed AN, et al.
    PLoS One, 2020;15(9):e0239509.
    PMID: 32986717 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239509
    In the past few decades, there has been a rapid growth in the concentration of nitrogenous compounds such as nitrate-nitrogen and ammonia-nitrogen in rivers, primarily due to increasing agricultural and industrial activities. These nitrogenous compounds are mainly responsible for eutrophication when present in river water, and for 'blue baby syndrome' when present in drinking water. High concentrations of these compounds in rivers may eventually lead to the closure of treatment plants. This study presents a training and a selection approach to develop an optimum artificial neural network model for predicting monthly average nitrate-N and monthly average ammonia-N. Several studies have predicted these compounds, but most of the proposed procedures do not involve testing various model architectures in order to achieve the optimum predicting model. Additionally, none of the models have been trained for hydrological conditions such as the case of Malaysia. This study presents models trained on the hydrological data from 1981 to 2017 for the Langat River in Selangor, Malaysia. The model architectures used for training are General Regression Neural Network (GRNN), Multilayer Neural Network and Radial Basis Function Neural Network (RBFNN). These models were trained for various combinations of internal parameters, input variables and model architectures. Post-training, the optimum performing model was selected based on the regression and error values and plot of predicted versus observed values. Optimum models provide promising results with a minimum overall regression value of 0.92.
    Matched MeSH terms: Drinking Water
  3. Fulltext Application of Aquatic Insects (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera And Trichoptera) In Water Quality Assessment of Malaysian Headwater
    Ab Hamid S, Md Rawi CS
    Trop Life Sci Res, 2017 Jul;28(2):143-162.
    PMID: 28890767 MyJurnal DOI: 10.21315/tlsr2017.28.2.11
    The Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT) community structure and the specific sensitivity of certain EPT genera were found to be influenced by water parameters in the rivers of Gunung Jerai Forest Reserve (GJFR) in the north of peninsular Malaysia. The scores of EPT taxa richness of >10 in all rivers indicated all rivers' habitats were non-impacted, having good water quality coinciding with Class I and Class II of Malaysian water quality index (WQI) classification of potable water. The abundance of EPT was very high in Teroi River (9,661 individuals) but diversity was lower (22 genera) than Tupah River which was highly diverse (28 genera) but lower in abundance (4,263 individuals). The lowest abundance and moderate diversity was recorded from Batu Hampar River (25 genera). Baetis spp. and Thalerosphyrus spp., Neoperla spp. and Cheumatopsyche spp. were the most common genera found. Classification for all rivers using EPT taxa Richness Index and WQI gave different category of water quality, respectively. The WQI classified Tupah and Batu Hampar rivers into Class II and Teroi River (Class I) was two classes above the classification of the EPT taxa Richness Index.
    Matched MeSH terms: Drinking Water
  4. Fulltext Alcohol harm in Malaysia: always the right time to discuss
    Mohd Fadzli, M.I., Amer Nordin, A.S.
    Malaysian Journal of Psychiatry, 2014;23(1):101-104.
    MyJurnal
    Introduction: Alcohol is a major risk factor for various non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular related illnesses, liver cirrhosis and cancer. Despite the dangers of alcohol use, there is limited local research available to assist policy and advocacy. This commentary attempts to highlight what is presently available and suggestions to move forward in this field of research and services provision. Methods: A brief report of recent updates is provided for this article. Results and Conclusion: A number of recommendations are provided to assist in deliberating discussions to shape future policies which will improve current available practice and clinical service in the field of alcohol addiction.
    Matched MeSH terms: Alcohol Drinking
  5. Fulltext Design and development of processing apparatus for young coconuts
    Muhamad Hellmy Hussin
    Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology, 2018;26(4):2031-2044.
    MyJurnal
    As we know, drinking young coconut water and eating the tender meat give many benefit
    to the body for its nutritious value rather than its taste; but do we realize that it requires a
    dangerous tasks in processing it. The process of trimming requires skills which only can
    be obtained by those who run the work daily. Thus, a portable apparatus which has the
    capabilities of reducing the hazardous tasks and fasten the time consumed for processing
    the young coconut fruit has been proposed and developed. The development of the product
    begins with collecting and analyzing the data of 30 young coconut fruits. Then, it is followed
    by designing the whole product at main and component level. The conceptual design is
    done initially using freehand sketching technique. Next, the 3D solid modeling relies
    totally on the CATIA V5R19 software. Finally, a complete details drawing is produced
    using CAD software. In this work, the design focuses on the blade slicing and punch bit
    head to reduce the hazardous tasks during processing of the young coconut. The blade is
    designed to allow the slicing movement to be maneuvered during the husk removal process.
    Meanwhile, the puncher has replaced the usage of chopper in creating an opening at the top
    of the endocarp. Thus, the device developed will reduce the hazardous task by eliminating
    the chopping process and replacing it with the slicing process. Therefore, the tendency to
    get caught in accidental injury during the chopping process can be significantly reduced.
    Matched MeSH terms: Alcohol Drinking
  6. Fulltext Unrecorded acohol and acohol-related harm in rural Sabah, Malaysia: a socio-economically deprived region with expensive beer and cheap local spirits
    Shoesmith WD, Oo Tha N, Naing KS, Abbas RB, Abdullah AF
    Alcohol Alcohol, 2016 Nov;51(6):741-746.
    PMID: 26903070
    Aims: To identify the characteristics of current drinker and risky alcohol-drinking pattern by profiles in Malaysia.
    Methods: We analyzed data from the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2011. It was a cross-sectional population-based with two stages stratified random sampling design. A validated Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test Malay questionnaire was used to assess the alcohol consumption and its alcohol related harms. Analysis of complex survey data using Stata Version 12 was done for descriptive analysis on alcohol use and risky drinking by socio-demography profiles. Logistic regression analysis was used to measure the association of risky drinking status with the socio- demography characteristics.
    Results: The prevalence of current alcohol use was 11.6% [95% confidence interval (CI): 10.5, 12.7], among them 23.6% (95% CI: 21.0, 26.4) practiced risky drinking. The onset for alcohol drinking was 21 years old (standard deviation 7.44) and majority preferred Beer. Males significantly consumed more alcohol and practiced risky drinking. Current alcohol use was more prevalent among urbanites, Chinese, those with high household income, and high education. Conversely, risky drinking was more prevalent among rural drinkers, Bumiputera Sabah and Sarawak, low education and low household income. The estimated odds of risky drinking increased by a factor of 3.5 among Males while a factor of 2.7 among Bumiputera Sabah and Sarawak. Education status and household income was not a significant predictor to risky drinking.
    Conclusion: There was an inverse drinking pattern between current drinker and risky drinking by the socio-demography profiles. Initiating early screening and focused intervention might avert further alcohol related harms and dependence among the risky drinkers.
    Study name: National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS-2011)
    Matched MeSH terms: Alcohol Drinking/adverse effects; Alcohol Drinking/economics; Alcohol Drinking/epidemiology
  7. Fulltext A review on EEG-based methods for screening and diagnosing alcohol use disorder
    Mumtaz W, Vuong PL, Malik AS, Rashid RBA
    Cogn Neurodyn, 2018 Apr;12(2):141-156.
    PMID: 29564024 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-017-9465-x
    The screening test for alcohol use disorder (AUD) patients has been of subjective nature and could be misleading in particular cases such as a misreporting the actual quantity of alcohol intake. Although the neuroimaging modality such as electroencephalography (EEG) has shown promising research results in achieving objectivity during the screening and diagnosis of AUD patients. However, the translation of these findings for clinical applications has been largely understudied and hence less clear. This study advocates the use of EEG as a diagnostic and screening tool for AUD patients that may help the clinicians during clinical decision making. In this context, a comprehensive review on EEG-based methods is provided including related electrophysiological techniques reported in the literature. More specifically, the EEG abnormalities associated with the conditions of AUD patients are summarized. The aim is to explore the potentials of objective techniques involving quantities/features derived from resting EEG, event-related potentials or event-related oscillations data.
    Matched MeSH terms: Alcohol Drinking
  8. Fulltext Self-management with alcohol over lifespan: psychological mechanisms, neurobiological underpinnings, and risk assessment
    Müller CP, Schumann G, Rehm J, Kornhuber J, Lenz B
    Mol Psychiatry, 2023 Jul;28(7):2683-2696.
    PMID: 37117460 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02074-3
    Self-management includes all behavioural measures and cognitive activities aimed at coping with challenges arising throughout the lifespan. While virtually all of these challenges can be met without pharmacological means, alcohol consumption has long been instrumentalized as a supporting tool to help coping with problems arising selectively at adolescence, adulthood, and ageing. Here, we present, to our knowledge, the first systematic review of alcohol instrumentalization throughout lifespan. We searched MEDLINE, Google Scholar, PsycINFO and CINAHL (from Jan, 1990, to Dec, 2022) and analysed consumption patterns, goals and potential neurobiological mechanisms. Evidence shows a regular non-addictive use of alcohol to self-manage developmental issues during adolescence, adulthood, and ageing. Alcohol is selectively used to overcome problems arising from dysfunctional personality traits, which manifest in adolescence. A large range of psychiatric disorders gives rise to alcohol use for the self-management of distinct symptoms starting mainly in adulthood. We identify those neuropharmacological effects of alcohol that selectively serve self-management under specific conditions. Finally, we discuss the adverse effects and associated risks that arise from the use of alcohol for self-management. Even well-controlled alcohol use adversely impacts health. Based on these findings, we suggest the implementation of an entirely new view. Health policy action may actively embrace both sides of the phenomenon through a personalized informed use that allows for harm-controlled self-management with alcohol.
    Matched MeSH terms: Alcohol Drinking
  9. Fulltext Sex differences in dementia risk and risk factors: Individual-participant data analysis using 21 cohorts across six continents from the COSMIC consortium
    Gong J, Harris K, Lipnicki DM, Castro-Costa E, Lima-Costa MF, Diniz BS, et al.
    Alzheimers Dement, 2023 Aug;19(8):3365-3378.
    PMID: 36790027 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12962
    INTRODUCTION: Sex differences in dementia risk, and risk factor (RF) associations with dementia, remain uncertain across diverse ethno-regional groups.

    METHODS: A total of 29,850 participants (58% women) from 21 cohorts across six continents were included in an individual participant data meta-analysis. Sex-specific hazard ratios (HRs), and women-to-men ratio of hazard ratios (RHRs) for associations between RFs and all-cause dementia were derived from mixed-effect Cox models.

    RESULTS: Incident dementia occurred in 2089 (66% women) participants over 4.6 years (median). Women had higher dementia risk (HR, 1.12 [1.02, 1.23]) than men, particularly in low- and lower-middle-income economies. Associations between longer education and former alcohol use with dementia risk (RHR, 1.01 [1.00, 1.03] per year, and 0.55 [0.38, 0.79], respectively) were stronger for men than women; otherwise, there were no discernible sex differences in other RFs.

    DISCUSSION: Dementia risk was higher in women than men, with possible variations by country-level income settings, but most RFs appear to work similarly in women and men.

    Matched MeSH terms: Alcohol Drinking
  10. Fulltext Mediation analysis of the alcohol-postmenopausal breast cancer relationship by sex hormones in the EPIC cohort
    Assi N, Rinaldi S, Viallon V, Dashti SG, Dossus L, Fournier A, et al.
    Int J Cancer, 2020 Feb 01;146(3):759-768.
    PMID: 30968961 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.32324
    Alcohol consumption is associated with higher risk of breast cancer (BC); however, the biological mechanisms underlying this association are not fully elucidated, particularly the extent to which this relationship is mediated by sex hormone levels. Circulating concentrations of estradiol, testosterone, their free fractions and sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG), were examined in 430 incident BC cases and 645 matched controls among alcohol-consuming postmenopausal women nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Mediation analysis was applied to assess whether individual hormone levels mediated the relationship between alcohol intake and BC risk. An alcohol-related hormonal signature, obtained by partial least square (PLS) regression, was evaluated as a potential mediator. Total (TE), natural direct and natural indirect effects (NIE) were estimated. Alcohol intake was positively associated with overall BC risk and specifically with estrogen receptor-positive tumors with respectively TE = 1.17(95%CI: 1.01,1.35) and 1.36(1.08,1.70) for a 1-standard deviation (1-SD) increase of intake. There was no evidence of mediation by sex steroids or SHBG separately except for a weak indirect effect through free estradiol where NIE = 1.03(1.00,1.06). However, an alcohol-related hormonal signature negatively associated with SHBG and positively with estradiol and testosterone was associated with BC risk (odds ratio [OR] = 1.25 [1.07,1.47]) for a 1-SD higher PLS score, and had a statistically significant NIE accounting for a mediated proportion of 24%. There was limited evidence of mediation of the alcohol-BC association by individual sex hormones. However, a hormonal signature, reflecting lower levels of SHBG and higher levels of sex steroids, mediated a substantial proportion of the association.
    Matched MeSH terms: Alcohol Drinking/adverse effects; Alcohol Drinking/blood*; Alcohol Drinking/epidemiology
  11. Fulltext Microplastic Pollution and Health and Relevance to the Malaysia's Roadmap to Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018-2030
    Ma ZF, Ibrahim YS, Lee YY
    Malays J Med Sci, 2020 May;27(3):1-6.
    PMID: 32684801 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2020.27.3.1
    Microplastic pollution is an emerging environmental and public health threat worldwide including Malaysia. Microplastics are widespread in drinking water, but also food products especially seafood, an important dietary source for the Malaysians. Potential health hazards may be a result of chemicals, physical properties and microbial disturbance associated with microplastic exposure. However, most studies were performed in animals rather than in human. Nevertheless, in recognition of rising threat from microplastics, in 2018, the Malaysia's Roadmap to Zero Single-use Plastics 2018-2030 has been released. In this editorial, we firstly discussed the potential impact of microplastics on human health, followed by the strategies or limitations highlighted in the Malaysia's Roadmap.
    Matched MeSH terms: Drinking Water
  12. Quality of Kelantan drinking water and knowledge, attitude and practice among the population of Pasir Mas, Malaysia
    Ab Razak NH, Praveena SM, Aris AZ, Hashim Z
    Public Health, 2016 Feb;131:103-11.
    PMID: 26715317 DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2015.11.006
    Information about the quality of drinking water, together with analysis of knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) analysis and health risk assessment (HRA) remain limited. The aims of this study were: (1) to ascertain the level of KAP regarding heavy metal contamination of drinking water in Pasir Mas; (2) to determine the concentration of heavy metals (Al, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Zn and Cd) in drinking water in Pasir Mas; and (3) to estimate the health risks (non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic) caused by heavy metal exposure through drinking water using hazard quotient and lifetime cancer risk.
    Matched MeSH terms: Drinking Water/standards*; Drinking Water/chemistry*
  13. Validation of the drinking refusal self-efficacy questionnaire in Arab and Asian samples
    AlMarri TS, Oei TP, AbRahman RM
    Addict Behav, 2009 Sep;34(9):776-8.
    PMID: 19481874 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2009.05.009
    The influence of an individuals' belief in their ability to resist drinking alcohol has recognised importance in understanding the pattern of drinking behaviours among Caucasian samples. Measures used to investigate this construct, such as the drinking refusal self-efficacy questionnaire-revised (DRSEQ-R; [Oei, T. P. S., Hasking, P. A., & Young, R. M. (2005). Drinking refusal self-efficacy questionnaire-revised (DRSEQ-R): A new factor structure with confirmatory factor analysis. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 78, 297-307.]) have been widely used and have established psychometric properties. However, the exploration of the utility of this questionnaire with samples of different ethnicity, religion and living in different countries remains scarce. In the current study, Arab Muslim samples living in the United Arab Emirates and Oman (n=356) and Asian predominately Muslim samples living in Malaysia and Indonesia (n=256) were used. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that the DRSEQ-R has a three factor structure. Internal consistency ranged from alpha .96 to alpha .86 and validity was good. This study offers evidence of the utility of this measure with Arab and Asian samples.
    Matched MeSH terms: Alcohol Drinking/prevention & control; Alcohol Drinking/psychology*
  14. Private troubles to public issue: empowering communities to reduce alcohol-related harm in Sabah, Malaysia
    Lasimbang HB, Shoesmith W, Mohd Daud MN, Kaur N, Jin MC, Singh J, et al.
    Health Promot Int, 2017 02 01;32(1):122-129.
    PMID: 28180267 DOI: 10.1093/heapro/dav090
    Summary: Alcohol is the number three contributor to the burden of disease worldwide so must remain a priority health promotion issue internationally. Malaysia is a Muslim country and alcohol-related harm was not seen as a priority until recently, because it only affects a minority of the population. Sabah has more than 30 different ethnic groups, and alcohol has a traditional role in the cultural practices of many of these groups. In 2009, the Intervention Group for Alcohol Misuse (IGAM) was formed, under the umbrella of Mercy Malaysia by a group of healthcare workers, academics, members of the Clergy and people who were previously alcohol-dependent concerned about the harmful effects of excessive alcohol consumption. IGAM in collaboration with other bodies have organized public seminars, visited villages and schools, encouraged the formation of a support group and trained healthcare professionals in health promotion intervention. The focus later changed to empowering communities to find solutions to alcohol-related harm in their community in a way which is sensitive to their culture. A standard tool-kit was developed using WHO materials as a guide. Village committees were formed and adapted the toolkit according to their needs. This strategy has been shown to be effective, in that 90% of the 20 committees formed are actively and successfully involved in health promotion to reduce alcohol-related harm in their communities.
    Matched MeSH terms: Alcohol Drinking/adverse effects; Alcohol Drinking/prevention & control*
  15. Gambling, Drinking and Quality of Life: Evidence from Macao and Australia
    Loo JM, Shi Y, Pu X
    J Gambl Stud, 2016 Jun;32(2):391-407.
    PMID: 26337063 DOI: 10.1007/s10899-015-9569-3
    The investigation of the interface between psychological constructs, compulsive consumption of alcohol and pathological gambling is an important avenue for development of future initiatives in social marketing or prevention programs. This cross-cultural study attempts to bridge the gap in literature by providing an evaluation of the predictive ability of psychological variables such as gambling urge, gambling-related erroneous cognitions and comorbid alcohol consumption on pathological gambling behaviour and its impact on overall quality of life indicators. Participants consist of 445 Macao and Australian young adults (Mean age = 23 years). Results indicate that probable pathological gamblers as compared with non-gamblers reported significantly lower quality of life in all domains-physical health, psychological well-being, social relationships and environment. Adults who drank more alcohol and have stronger erroneous cognitions evidenced higher pathological gambling behavior. Our research model fits both cohorts and interestingly, erroneous gambling-related cognitions serve as a full mediator for the predictive relationship between gambling urge and pathological gambling in the Macao sample, but serve as a partial mediator in the Australian sample. Targeting erroneous cognitions in future social marketing or preventive campaigns should demonstrate to be an important strategy in reducing the effects of urge to gamble among at-risk individuals. Further implications for the industry, marketing and governmental strategies are discussed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Alcohol Drinking/epidemiology; Alcohol Drinking/psychology*
  16. Fulltext Drinking water studies: a review on heavy metal, application of biomarker and health risk assessment (a special focus in Malaysia)
    Ab Razak NH, Praveena SM, Aris AZ, Hashim Z
    J Epidemiol Glob Health, 2015 Dec;5(4):297-310.
    PMID: 25944153 DOI: 10.1016/j.jegh.2015.04.003
    Malaysia has abundant sources of drinking water from river and groundwater. However, rapid developments have deteriorated quality of drinking water sources in Malaysia. Heavy metal studies in terms of drinking water, applications of health risk assessment and bio-monitoring in Malaysia were reviewed from 2003 to 2013. Studies on heavy metal in drinking water showed the levels are under the permissible limits as suggested by World Health Organization and Malaysian Ministry of Health. Future studies on the applications of health risk assessment are crucial in order to understand the risk of heavy metal exposure through drinking water to Malaysian population. Among the biomarkers that have been reviewed, toenail is the most useful tool to evaluate body burden of heavy metal. Toenails are easy to collect, store, transport and analysed. This review will give a clear guidance for future studies of Malaysian drinking water. In this way, it will help risk managers to minimize the exposure at optimum level as well as the government to formulate policies in safe guarding the population.
    Matched MeSH terms: Drinking Water/standards; Drinking Water/chemistry*
  17. Fulltext Pattern of alcoholism in the General Hospital, Kuala Lumpur
    Saroja KI, Kyaw O
    Med J Malaysia, 1993 Jun;48(2):129-34.
    PMID: 8350787
    This study establishes the prevalence rate for alcoholism among the inpatients of the General Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, as 11%, but as 25% among the drinking population. It also describes the demographic profile of the alcoholic as compared to the non-alcoholic drinker and the non-drinker and suggests that certain vulnerability factors could contribute to the development of alcoholism. A trend noted is also the changing racial trends in the use of alcohol.
    Matched MeSH terms: Alcohol Drinking/ethnology; Alcohol Drinking/epidemiology
  18. Public awareness level and occurrence of pharmaceutical residues in drinking water with potential health risk: A study from Kajang (Malaysia)
    Mohd Nasir FA, Praveena SM, Aris AZ
    Ecotoxicol Environ Saf, 2019 Dec 15;185:109681.
    PMID: 31561079 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.109681
    Studies on the occurrence of pharmaceutical residues in drinking water were conducted especially in developed countries. However, limited studies reported the occurrence of pharmaceutical residues in developing countries. Thus, this study is conducted to fill the knowledge gap of pharmaceutical residue occurrences in developing countries, particularly in Malaysia, along with public awareness level and its potential human health risk. This study investigates public awareness level of drinking water quality and pharmaceutical handling, the occurrence of nine pharmaceutical residues (amoxicillin, caffeine, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, dexamethasone, diclofenac, nitrofurazone, sulfamethoxazole, and triclosan) and potential human health risks in drinking water from Kajang (Malaysia) using commercially competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. In general, the public awareness level of Kajang population showed poor knowledge (82.02%), and less positive attitude (98.88%) with a good practice score (57.3%). Ciprofloxacin was detected at the highest concentration (0.667 ng/L) while amoxicillin was at the lowest concentration (0.001 ng/L) in drinking water from Kajang (Malaysia). Nevertheless, all the reported occurrences were lower than previous studies conducted elsewhere. There was no appreciable potential human health risk for all the pharmaceutical residues as the risk quotient (RQ) values were less than 1 (RQ 
    Matched MeSH terms: Drinking Water/standards; Drinking Water/chemistry*
  19. Toxic trade: the impact of preferential trade agreements on alcohol imports from Australia in partner countries
    Schram A, Aisbett E, Townsend B, Labonté R, Baum F, Friel S
    Addiction, 2020 07;115(7):1277-1284.
    PMID: 31808205 DOI: 10.1111/add.14925
    BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Trade liberalization is hypothesized to increase the availability of imported alcoholic beverages in importing countries. This study provides the first longitudinal analysis of the impact of preferential trade agreements (PTAs) on alcohol imports.

    DESIGN: Panel data comprising alcohol-product (n = 15) by importing country (n = 16) observations from 1988 to 2016 constructed from global databases. The relationship between PTA status, tariff level and alcohol imports were assessed using a log-linear model. Unobserved heterogeneity was addressed through a combination of differencing and product-year fixed-effects.

    SETTING: Australia and its 16 free trade partners (PTA year in parentheses), classified by low [ 50%: Chile (2009), China (2015), Japan (2015), Korea (2014), Laos (2010), New Zealand (1983, 2010), Philippines (2010), Singapore (2003, 2010) and United States (2005)] percentage of alcohol consumers in the population.

    MEASUREMENTS: Independent variables were the existence of a PTA with Australia and tariff (border tax) rate on Australian products. Outcomes were (log) Australian imports; and a binary indicator of any imports from Australia.

    FINDINGS: Introducing a PTA has been associated with a statistically significant increase in the share of Australian alcoholic beverage imports in its partner country's total alcoholic beverage import supply, mainly from trade in new alcoholic beverage categories (0.067, P 

    Matched MeSH terms: Alcohol Drinking/economics*; Alcohol Drinking/trends*
  20. Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risk of arsenic ingestion via drinking water in Langat River Basin, Malaysia
    Ahmed MF, Mokhtar MB, Alam L
    Environ Geochem Health, 2021 Feb;43(2):897-914.
    PMID: 32372251 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-020-00571-w
    The prolonged persistence of toxic arsenic (As) in environment is due to its non-biodegradable characteristic. Meanwhile, several studies have reported higher concentrations of As in Langat River. However, it is the first study in Langat River Basin, Malaysia, that As concentrations in drinking water supply chain were determined simultaneously to predict the health risks of As ingestion. Water samples collected in 2015 from the four stages of drinking water supply chain were analysed for As concentration by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Determined As concentrations along with the time series data (2004-2015) were significantly within the maximum limit 0.01 mg/L of drinking water quality standard set by World Health Organization. The predicted As concentration by auto-regression moving average was 3.45E-03 mg/L in 2020 at 95% level based on time series data including climatic control variables. Long-term As ingestion via household filtration water at Langat Basin showed no potential lifetime cancer risk (LCR) 9.7E-06 (t = 6.68; p = 3.37E-08) as well as non-carcinogenic hazard quotient (HQ) 4.8E-02 (t = 6.68; p = 3.37E-08) risk at 95% level. However, the changing landscape, ex-mining ponds and extensive use of pesticides for palm oil plantation at Langat Basin are considered as the major sources of increased As concentration in Langat River. Therefore, a two-layer water filtration system at Langat Basin should be introduced to accelerate the achievement of sustainable development goal of getting safe drinking water supply.
    Matched MeSH terms: Drinking Water/analysis*; Drinking Water/standards
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