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The risk of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) outbreak based on vector density in Kurau, Riau province, Indonesia

Mangara SG, Sukmono, Kusumadiharja J, Suroso T, Sutjipto H

Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 2000;31 Suppl 1:134-9.
PMID: 11414442

It is known that in Padang, Rantau, Rangsang, Merbau and Bengkalis islands, Riau Province, the deposit of oil was found in a huge quantity. The drilling concession belongs to Kondur Petroleum Company. To operate an exploitation, hundreds of workers not only Indonesian but also the workers from foreign countries come and go to that area. It was recorded that the workers from foreign countries come from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, The Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, Korea. United States of America and from France, Britain, Australia and Germany. These workers have a close interaction with about 50,00 local population distributed with a high concentration in some places. The high risk of DHF was determined since the significant density of Aedes aregypti larvae, the main vector of DHF, were found in Lukit, Mengkikip and Melibur, three locations of survey. Of 104 (53.3%) of 195 houses in these three survey locations were found positive for the larvae. Even though there were no positive of larvae in 65 houses in Lukit, in Melibur and Mengkikip, the House Index (HI) was 61.7% and 95.7%. Outside the houses 521 containers were examined in three locations of survey and 329 (63.1%) were positive for Ae. aegypti larvae. The highest number of containers positive for Ae. aegypti larvae were 213 (94.7%) out of 225 and found in Mengkikip. In Melibur, 114 (68.3%) out of 167 of containers were positive and in Lukit only 2 (1.56%) out of 129 containers were positive of Ae. aegypti larvae. These larvae density constitute a high risk of DHF outbreak, and unfortunately is supported by the rainfall situation recorded in Kurau and BZ Climatology Stations. It was recorded that all along the year, at least one day in a month there was the rain which the rainfall volume was 30 ml.

Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
The rise or fall of neglected tropical diseases in East Asia Pacific

Hotez PJ

Acta Trop, 2020 Feb;202:105182.
PMID: 31550453 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.105182

While the East Asia Pacific (EAP) region has experienced tremendous economic growth and development, the resulting public health gains from reductions in its neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) have been less than expected due to opposing forces of urbanization, political instability, food insecurity, and climate change, together with co-morbidities with non-communicable diseases, including diabetes and hypertension. To be sure there's been progress towards the elimination of lymphatic filariasis and trachoma through mass drug administration, and there are opportunities to extend MDA to yaws and scabies, but for most of the other NTDs we'll require new biotechnologies. So far, EAP's major technology hubs in China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan have mostly failed to shift their attention towards new innovations for the NTDs, including new drugs, diagnostics, and vaccines, and vector control. Unless this situation changes the EAP could be facing a new grim reality of unhealthy megacities beset by emerging arbovirus infections, widespread antimicrobial resistance, and urban helminth infections.

Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
The ongoing cut-down of the Amazon rainforest threatens the climate and requires global tree planting projects: A short review

Peng W, Sonne C, Lam SS, Ok YS, Alstrup AKO

Environ Res, 2020 02;181:108887.
PMID: 31732170 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108887

The Amazon rainforest has sustained human existence for more than 10,000 years. Part of this has been the way that the forest controls regional climate including precipitation important for the ecosystem as well as agroforestry and farming. In addition, the Amazon also affects the global weather systems, so cutting down the rainforest significantly increases the effects of climate change, threatening the world's biodiversity and causing local desertification and soil erosion. The current fire activities and deforestation in the Amazon rainforest therefore have consequences for global sustainability. In the light of this, the current decisions made in Brazil regarding an increase in Amazon deforestation require policy changes if the global ecosystems and biodiversity are not to be set to collapse. There is only one way to move forward and that is to increase efforts in sustainable development of the region including limitation in deforestation and to continuously measure and monitor the development. The G7 countries have offered Brazil financial support for at least 20 million euros for fighting the forest fires but the president denies receiving such financial support and says that it is more relevant to raise new forests in Europe. In fact, this is exactly what is happening in Denmark and China in order to reduce climate change. Such activities should be global and include South America, Europe, Africa and Asia where deforestation is important issue. Forest restoration reduces climate change, desertification, and preserves both the regional tropical and global environment if the wood is not burned at a later stage but instead used in e.g. roads as filling material. Changes are therefore needed through improved international understanding and agreements to better avoid the global climate changes, from cutting down the precious rainforest before it is too late as rainforest cannot be re-planted.

Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
The nutrition of Malaysian aboriginal children

Robson P, Bolton JM, Dugdale AE

Am J Clin Nutr, 1973 Jan;26(1):95-100.
PMID: 4682820
Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
Fulltext The modelled raindrop size distribution of Skudai, Peninsular Malaysia, using exponential and lognormal distributions

Yakubu ML, Yusop Z, Yusof F

ScientificWorldJournal, 2014;2014:361703.
PMID: 25126597 DOI: 10.1155/2014/361703

This paper presents the modelled raindrop size parameters in Skudai region of the Johor Bahru, western Malaysia. Presently, there is no model to forecast the characteristics of DSD in Malaysia, and this has an underpinning implication on wet weather pollution predictions. The climate of Skudai exhibits local variability in regional scale. This study established five different parametric expressions describing the rain rate of Skudai; these models are idiosyncratic to the climate of the region. Sophisticated equipment that converts sound to a relevant raindrop diameter is often too expensive and its cost sometimes overrides its attractiveness. In this study, a physical low-cost method was used to record the DSD of the study area. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to test the aptness of the data to exponential and lognormal distributions, which were subsequently used to formulate the parameterisation of the distributions. This research abrogates the concept of exclusive occurrence of convective storm in tropical regions and presented a new insight into their concurrence appearance.

Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
The interspecific growth-mortality trade-off is not a general framework for tropical forest community structure

Russo SE, McMahon SM, Detto M, Ledder G, Wright SJ, Condit RS, et al.

Nat Ecol Evol, 2021 Feb;5(2):174-183.
PMID: 33199870 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-020-01340-9

Resource allocation within trees is a zero-sum game. Unavoidable trade-offs dictate that allocation to growth-promoting functions curtails other functions, generating a gradient of investment in growth versus survival along which tree species align, known as the interspecific growth-mortality trade-off. This paradigm is widely accepted but not well established. Using demographic data for 1,111 tree species across ten tropical forests, we tested the generality of the growth-mortality trade-off and evaluated its underlying drivers using two species-specific parameters describing resource allocation strategies: tolerance of resource limitation and responsiveness of allocation to resource access. Globally, a canonical growth-mortality trade-off emerged, but the trade-off was strongly observed only in less disturbance-prone forests, which contained diverse resource allocation strategies. Only half of disturbance-prone forests, which lacked tolerant species, exhibited the trade-off. Supported by a theoretical model, our findings raise questions about whether the growth-mortality trade-off is a universally applicable organizing framework for understanding tropical forest community structure.

Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate*
Fulltext The infestation of Dermestes ater (De Geer) on a human corpse in Malaysia

Kumara TK, Abu Hassan A, Che Salmah MR, Bhupinder S

Trop Biomed, 2009 Apr;26(1):73-9.
PMID: 19696730 MyJurnal

A human corpse at an advanced stage of decomposition was found in a house in the residential area of Bukit Mertajam, Penang, Malaysia. Entomological specimens were collected during the post-mortem and the live specimens were subsequently reared at room temperature. The time of death was estimated to have been 14 days previous to the discovery of the body based on the police investigation. Both adult and larvae of the beetle Dermestes ater (De Geer) were found to be infesting the corpse and from the stage of decomposition of the body and the estimated time of death it would appear that infestation may have begun at a relatively early stage of decomposition.

Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
Fulltext The impact of local surface changes in Borneo on atmospheric composition at wider spatial scales: coastal processes, land-use change and air quality

Pyle JA, Warwick NJ, Harris NR, Abas MR, Archibald AT, Ashfold MJ, et al.

Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci, 2011 Nov 27;366(1582):3210-24.
PMID: 22006963 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2011.0060

We present results from the OP3 campaign in Sabah during 2008 that allow us to study the impact of local emission changes over Borneo on atmospheric composition at the regional and wider scale. OP3 constituent data provide an important constraint on model performance. Treatment of boundary layer processes is highlighted as an important area of model uncertainty. Model studies of land-use change confirm earlier work, indicating that further changes to intensive oil palm agriculture in South East Asia, and the tropics in general, could have important impacts on air quality, with the biggest factor being the concomitant changes in NO(x) emissions. With the model scenarios used here, local increases in ozone of around 50 per cent could occur. We also report measurements of short-lived brominated compounds around Sabah suggesting that oceanic (and, especially, coastal) emission sources dominate locally. The concentration of bromine in short-lived halocarbons measured at the surface during OP3 amounted to about 7 ppt, setting an upper limit on the amount of these species that can reach the lower stratosphere.

Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
The geographical distribution of endomyocardial fibrosis

Shaper AG

Pathol Microbiol (Basel), 1970;35(1):26-35.
PMID: 5472024
Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
Fulltext The future of South East Asian rainforests in a changing landscape and climate

Hector A, Fowler D, Nussbaum R, Weilenmann M, Walsh RP

Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci, 2011 Nov 27;366(1582):3165-7.
PMID: 22006959 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2011.0174

With a focus on the Danum Valley area of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, this special issue has as its theme the future of tropical rainforests in a changing landscape and climate. The global environmental context to the issue is briefly given before the contents and rationale of the issue are summarized. Most of the papers are based on research carried out as part of the Royal Society South East Asia Rainforest Research Programme. The issue is divided into five sections: (i) the historical land-use and land management context; (ii) implications of land-use change for atmospheric chemistry and climate change; (iii) impacts of logging, forest fragmentation (particularly within an oil palm plantation landscape) and forest restoration on ecosystems and their functioning; (iv) the response and resilience of rainforest systems to climatic and land-use change; and (v) the scientific messages and policy implications arising from the research findings presented in the issue.

Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate*
The effects of selective logging on the distribution of moths in a Bornean rainforest

Willott SJ

Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci, 1999 Nov 29;354(1391):1783-90.
PMID: 11605621

The effects of selective logging on the diversity and species composition of moths were investigated by sampling from multiple sites in primary forest, both understorey and canopy, and logged forest at Danum Valley, Sabah, Malaysia. The diversity of individual sites was similar, although rarefied species richness of logged forest was 17% lower than for primary forest (understorey and canopy combined). There was significant heterogeneity in faunal composition and measures of similarity (NESS index) among primary forest understorey sites which may be as great as those between primary understorey and logged forest. The lowest similarity values were between primary forest understorey and canopy, indicating a distinct canopy fauna. A number of species encountered in the logged forest were confined to, or more abundant in, the canopy of primary forest. Approximately 10% of species were confined to primary forest across a range of species' abundances, suggesting this is a minimum estimate for the number of species lost following logging. The importance of accounting for heterogeneity within primary forest and sampling in the canopy when measuring the effects of disturbance on tropical forest communities are emphasized.

Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
Fulltext The effects of intermittent fasting during the month of Ramadan in chronic haemodialysis patients in a tropical climate country

Wan Md Adnan WA, Zaharan NL, Wong MH, Lim SK

PLoS One, 2014;9(12):e114262.
PMID: 25546434 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114262

Chronic kidney disease is an emerging problem in the majority Muslim countries. Despite the uncertainties of the risks involved, some Muslim patients undergoing chronic haemodialysis choose to observe intermittent fasting during the month of Ramadan. This study aims to investigate the effect of Ramadan fasting in haemodialysis patients residing in a tropical climate country.

Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
The ecoclimatology of Danum, Sabah, in the context of the world's rainforest regions, with particular reference to dry periods and their impact

Walsh RP, Newbery DM

Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci, 1999 Nov 29;354(1391):1869-83.
PMID: 11605629

Climatic records for Danum for 1985-1998, elsewhere in Sabah since 1879, and long monthly rainfall series from other rainforest locations are used to place the climate, and particularly the dry period climatology, of Danum into a world rainforest context. The magnitude frequency and seasonality of dry periods are shown to vary greatly within the world's rainforest zone. The climate of Danum, which is aseasonal but subject, as in 1997-1998, to occasional drought, is intermediate between less drought-prone north-western Borneo and the more drought-prone east coast. Changes through time in drought magnitude frequency in Sabah and rainforest locations elsewhere in South-East Asia and in the Neotropics are compared. The 1997-1998 ENSO-related drought event in Sabah is placed into a historical context. The effects of drought on tree growth and mortality in the tropics are assessed and a model relating intensity and frequency of drought disturbance to forest structure and composition is discussed.

Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
Fulltext The distribution of anacardiaceae in teluk bahang forest reserve, pulau pinang

Juperi S, Zakaria R, Mansor A

Trop Life Sci Res, 2012 May;23(1):35-44.
PMID: 24575224 MyJurnal

To investigate the distribution of Anacardiaceae in Teluk Bahang Permanent Forest Reserve (TBPFR) in Pulau Pinang, all trees with a diameter at breast high (DBH) ≥ 5 cm were enumerated in a study site constituting 0.4 ha of the reserve. Seventy five individuals of Anacardiaceae (14% of all trees) are recorded. These individuals represent 4 genera and 5 species, namely, Mangifera pentandra, Mangifera macrocarpa, Gluta elegans, Campnosperma auriculatum and Swintonia floribunda. The mean density of Anacardiaceae within the study plots is 7.50±8.14 (mean±S.D.) per ha whereas the basal area (BA) calculated is 0.97 m(2)/0.40 ha. The importance value (IVi) for Anacardiaceae is 81%. The estimated total aboveground biomass (TAGB) for Anacardiaceae is 24.24 ton/0.40 ha. A total of 333 Anacardiaceae saplings with a DBH < 5 cm are recorded. These saplings have been identified as juveniles of the genera Gluta (9.99%), Swintonia (84.90%) and Mangifera (5.11%).

Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
The comparison of basal physiological values in racial groups. Part 1. Metabolism, pulse rate and blood pressure

Macgregor RGS, Loh GL

Journal of the Malaya Branch of the British Medical Association, 1940;4:217-60.

Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
Fulltext The colonization of carrion by soldier fly, Ptecticus melanurus (Walker) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) in a tropical forest in Malaysia: a new potential species for minimum PMI estimation

Azwandi A, Omar B

Trop Biomed, 2012 Dec;29(4):638-41.
PMID: 23202610

This paper discusses the colonization of the stratiomyid species Ptecticus melanurus (Walker) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) in monkey carrion and its potential for the determination of the minimum time since death (PMI). A study was conducted in a tropical forest at Bangi, Malaysia from 13 November 2009 to 8 June 2011. Twelve monkey carcasses (Macaca fascicularis Raffles) were used and divided in equal number into three different field trials. Adults of P. melanurus were first observed on monkey carrions on the second day the carcasses were placed in the field while their penultimate instar larvae were found in the wet soil under and beside carcass from day 8 to 31 days postmortem.

Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
The clinical features of hand-arm vibration syndrome in a warm environment--a review of the literature

Su AT, Darus A, Bulgiba A, Maeda S, Miyashita K

J Occup Health, 2012;54(5):349-60.
PMID: 22863899

The internationally accepted limit values and the health effects of hand-transmitted vibration exposure have been described extensively in the literature from temperate climate countries but not from a tropical climate environment.
OBJECTIVES: We conducted a systematic review of the health effects of hand-transmitted vibration exposure in tropical countries to determine the characteristics of hand-arm vibration syndrome in a warm environment and compared the findings with the results of the systematic reviews published by the US NIOSH.
METHODS: We searched major medical databases including MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Ovid and Cochrane based on the terms "hand arm vibration syndrome," "hand transmitted vibration," "vibration white finger" and "Raynaud" up to January 2011. Only studies conducted in a tropical or subtropical environment were selected for the review. The quality of the selected papers was assessed independently by two investigators using predefined criteria. A standard set of information was abstracted from the papers for review.
RESULTS: Only six papers from tropical countries and three papers from subtropical countries were available in the literature. No vibration white finger was reported in the tropical countries. Neurological symptoms were prevalent in the vibration-exposed workers. Finger coldness seems to be an important surrogate for vascular disorder in a tropical environment. Meta-analysis could not be performed due to inadequacy of the information reported in these papers.
CONCLUSIONS: The current dose-response relationship in ISO5349-1 for hand-transmitted vibration exposure is not applicable to a tropical environment. Further studies on hand-arm vibration syndromes in tropical countries are needed.

Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate*
The characteristics of vibrotactile perception threshold among shipyard workers in a tropical environment

Tamrin SB, Jamalohdin MN, Ng YG, Maeda S, Ali NA

Ind Health, 2012;50(2):156-63.
PMID: 22293728

The objectives of this study are to determine the prevalence of hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) and the characteristics of the vibrotactile perception threshold (VPT) among users of hand-held vibrating tools working in a tropical environment. A cross sectional study was done among 47 shipyard workers using instruments and a questionnaire to determine HAVS related symptoms. The vibration acceleration magnitude was determined using a Human Vibration Meter (Maestro). A P8 Pallesthesiometer (EMSON-MAT, Poland) was used to determine the VPT of index and little finger at frequencies of 31.5 Hz and 125 Hz. The mean reference threshold shift was determined from the reference threshold shift derived from the VPT value. The results show a moderate prevalence of HAVS (49%) among the shipyard workers. They were exposed to the same high intensity level of HAVS (mean = 4.19 ± 1.94 m/s(2)) from the use of vibrating hand-held tools. The VPT values were found to be higher for both fingers and both frequencies (index, 31.5 Hz = 110.91 ± 7.36 dB, 125 Hz = 117.0 ± 10.25 dB; little, 31.5 Hz = 110.70 ± 6.75 dB, 125 Hz = 117.71 ± 10.25 dB) compared to the normal healthy population with a mean threshold shift of between 9.20 to 10.61 decibels. The frequency of 31.5 Hz had a higher percentage of positive mean reference threshold shift (index finger=93.6%, little finger=100%) compared to 125 Hz (index finger=85.1%, little finger=78.7%). In conclusion, the prevalence of HAVS was lower than those working in a cold environment; however, all workers had a higher mean VPT value compared to the normal population with all those reported as having HAVS showing a positive mean reference threshold shift of VPT value.

Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate*
The ameliorative effect of ascorbic acid on the oxidative status, live weight and recovery rate in road transport stressed goats in a hot humid tropical environment

Nwunuji TP, Mayowa OO, Yusoff SM, Bejo SK, Salisi S, Mohd EA

Anim Sci J, 2014 May;85(5):611-6.
PMID: 24612236 DOI: 10.1111/asj.12174

The ameliorative effect of ascorbic acid (AA) on live weight following transportation is vital in animal husbandry. This study investigated the influence of AA on live weight, rectal temperature (rt), and oxidative status of transport stressed goats in a hot humid tropical environment. Twenty-four goats were divided into four groups, A, B, C and D of six animals each. Group A were administered AA 100 mg/kg intramuscularly 30 min prior to 3.5 h transportation. Group B was administered AA following transportation. Group C were transported but not administered AA as positive controls while group D were not transported but were administered normal saline as negative controls. Live weight, rt and blood samples were collected before, immediately post-transport (pt), 24 h, 3 days, 7 days and 10 days pt. Plasma was used for malondialdehyde (MDA) analysis while hemolysates were used for superoxide dismutase (SOD) analysis. There was minimal live weight loss in group A compared to groups B and C. Group A recorded reduced MDA activities and increased SOD activities compared to groups B and C which recorded significantly high MDA activities. This study revealed that AA administration ameliorated the stress responses induced by transportation in animals in hot humid tropical environments. The administration of AA to goats prior to transportation could ameliorate stress and enhance productivity.

Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate*
Fulltext The allometry of coarse root biomass: log-transformed linear regression or nonlinear regression?

Lai J, Yang B, Lin D, Kerkhoff AJ, Ma K

PLoS One, 2013;8(10):e77007.
PMID: 24116197 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0077007

Precise estimation of root biomass is important for understanding carbon stocks and dynamics in forests. Traditionally, biomass estimates are based on allometric scaling relationships between stem diameter and coarse root biomass calculated using linear regression (LR) on log-transformed data. Recently, it has been suggested that nonlinear regression (NLR) is a preferable fitting method for scaling relationships. But while this claim has been contested on both theoretical and empirical grounds, and statistical methods have been developed to aid in choosing between the two methods in particular cases, few studies have examined the ramifications of erroneously applying NLR. Here, we use direct measurements of 159 trees belonging to three locally dominant species in east China to compare the LR and NLR models of diameter-root biomass allometry. We then contrast model predictions by estimating stand coarse root biomass based on census data from the nearby 24-ha Gutianshan forest plot and by testing the ability of the models to predict known root biomass values measured on multiple tropical species at the Pasoh Forest Reserve in Malaysia. Based on likelihood estimates for model error distributions, as well as the accuracy of extrapolative predictions, we find that LR on log-transformed data is superior to NLR for fitting diameter-root biomass scaling models. More importantly, inappropriately using NLR leads to grossly inaccurate stand biomass estimates, especially for stands dominated by smaller trees.

Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate

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