Kajian ini memberi tumpuan terhadap salah satu kategori lakuan bahasa yang diperkenalkan oleh Searle (1969), iaitu lakuan ekspresi. Lakuan ekspresi ialah ujaran-ujaran yang menunjukkan pernyataan psikologi yang memberi gambaran tentang sikap dan perasaan penutur. Analisis kajian ini dilakukan terhadap ujaran-ujaran yang terdapat dalam 40 artikel kritikan Tun Dr. Mahathir dalam isu 1MDB. Melalui kajian ini, sebanyak lima kategori telah dikenal pasti, iaitu lakuan pernyataan, lakuan kritikan, lakuan rujukan, lakuan arahan, dan lakuan ekspresi. Namun demikian, kajian ini hanya memberi tumpuan terhadap lakuan bahasa ekspresi. Analisis mendapati lakuan ekspresi menunjukkan bilangan ujaran paling sedikit berbanding dengan kategori lakuan bahasa yang lain, iaitu sebanyak 20 kekerapan. Lakuan pernyataan mencatatkan kekerapan tertinggi, dengan jumlah kekerapan sebanyak 1302 ujaran, diikuti oleh lakuan kritikan di tempat kedua dengan kekerapan sebanyak 828. Lakuan rujukan dan lakuan arahan masing-masing dengan kekerapan sebanyak 297 dan 128. Hal ini menunjukkan bahawa Tun Dr. Mahathir melakukan kritikan tanpa mengutamakan ekspresi perasaan atau emosi. Sebanyak tujuh sublakuan ekspresi yang ditemui, iaitu lakuan bimbang, hairan, ucapan selamat, kehendak, enggan, minta maaf, dan ucapan terima kasih. Hal ini merumuskan bahawa dalam kritikan, khususnya kritikan bertulis, Tun Dr. Mahathir tidak menunjukkan ekspresi emosi yang berlebihan.
Relationships between six calcifying plankton groups and pH are explored in a highly biologically productive and data-rich area of the central North Sea using time-series datasets. The long-term trends show that abundances of foraminiferans, coccolithophores, and echinoderm larvae have risen over the last few decades while the abundances of bivalves and pteropods have declined. Despite good coverage of pH data for the study area there is uncertainty over the quality of this historical dataset; pH appears to have been declining since the mid 1990s but there was no statistical connection between the abundance of the calcifying plankton and the pH trends. If there are any effects of pH on calcifying plankton in the North Sea they appear to be masked by the combined effects of other climatic (e.g. temperature), chemical (nutrient concentrations) and biotic (predation) drivers. Certain calcified plankton have proliferated in the central North Sea, and are tolerant of changes in pH that have occurred since the 1950s but bivalve larvae and pteropods have declined. An improved monitoring programme is required as ocean acidification may be occurring at a rate that will exceed the environmental niches of numerous planktonic taxa, testing their capacities for acclimation and genetic adaptation.
Molecular typing methods have been widely applied for many purposes. In this study, such methods were adopted as DNA fingerprinting tools to determine the origin and divergence of virulent Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains found in local seafood. Although not all strain carry virulent tdh and trh gene, increasing prevalence demands an effective fingerprinting scheme which can constantly monitor and trace the sources of such emerging food pathogens. By using ERIC-, RAPD-, and BOX-PCR methods, 33 Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates from local Malaysia bloody clam (Anadara granosa) and Lala (Orbicularia orbiculata) with confirmed presence of tdh and trh gene were characterised, followed by determination of clonal relatedness among virulent strains using cluster analysis and discriminatory index. This study also involved application of Immunomagnetic Separation (IMS) Method which significantly improved the specificity of strain isolation. Cluster analysis using Unweighted Pair Group Mathematical Averaging (UPGMA) and Dice Coefficient shown clustering according to isolation food source, IMS level and haemolysin gene possessed. Nevertheless, different DNA fingerprinting methods generated different clustering at different similarity cut-off percentage, regardless as individual or as composite dendrograms. ERIC- and RAPD-PCR composite fingerprinting relatively shown the highest discriminatory index at following similarity cutoff percentage: 0.68 at 50%; 0.83 at 65%; and 0.93 at 75%. Discriminatory power increased with similarity cut-off percentage. However, result also suggested that BOX-PCR might be an effective fingerprinting tool, as it generated three clusters with no single-colony isolate at 70% similarity cut-off. This study not only achieved its objective to determine clonal relatedness among virulent strains from local seafood via characterisation, but also speculated the best possible combination of molecular typing methods to effectively do so.
Red seaweed Gracilaria, one of the largest genus in Division Rhodophyta inhabits Sarawak coastal water. This study was designed to identify the species of Gracilaria using morphological approach and to assess selected water quality parameters in Gracilaria habitats. Three field samplings were carried out in Santubong and Asajaya, Sarawak from November 2013 to December 2014. Overall, three species were identified namely Gracilaria changii, G. blodgettii and G. coronopifolia, attached to net of cage culture in Santubong and root of mangrove trees in Asajaya. In addition, three different taxa of aquatic macroinvertebrates (polychaete, small crab, bivalve) and single species of red seaweed (Acanthophora sp.) were observed in Gracilaria assemblages. An estimate of 37% to 40% of the upper part of the cage net in Santubong was covered by seaweeds and only 16% to 20% in Asajaya's mangrove. The study had provided better information on identification of Gracilaria and their habitat in Sarawak. Future work involving DNA barcoding of each species is in progress.
The pinnotherid crab, Pinnothera obesa Dana, 1852, was originally described on the basis of material from Fiji, but its taxonomic status has long been obscure because the original description and figures are too brief and schematic by modern standards and the types are also lost. Examination of newly collected material from Fiji revealed the presence of two intertidal pinnotherid species assignable to the genus Arcotheres Manning, 1993, one of which is herein identified with Dana's taxon. A neotype is designated for Arcotheres obesus n. comb. in the interest of nomenclatural stability, and a detailed redescription is given. Arcotheres obesus is morphologically similar to A. exiguus (Bürger, 1895) and A. rotundatus (Bürger, 1895), and differentiating characters are discussed. The species is also reported from Peninsular Malaysia. The second species is new to science, here described as Arcotheres ocularius, and is most similar to A. palaensis (Bürger, 1895) and A. arcophilus (Bürger, 1895). The new species is also recorded from Lombok, Indonesia. Arcotheres obesus and A. ocularius n. sp. are associated with bivalve mollusks of the genera Gafrarium spp. (Veneridae) and Anadara spp. (Arcidae), respectively.
Cockle (Anadara granosa) meat wash water precipitate was hydrolyzed using bromelain. Experiments were carried out to determine optimum conditions for temperature, enzyme concentration and hydrolysis time using response surface methodology (RSM) based on a central composite rotatable design (CCRD) to obtain the highest value of nitrogen content (NC) and degree of hydrolysis (DH). Results revealed that the optimum conditions for temperature, enzyme concentration and hydrolysis time were 33.7°C, 1.45% (E/S) and 28.42 hrs, respectively. At the optimum condition, hydrolysis of cockle meat wash water precipitate using bromelain resulted in a NC of 0.6% and DH of 48%. The NC and DH were significantly influenced by temperature, enzyme concentration and hydrolysis time. When the bromelain concentration, hydrolysis time and temperature were increased, the values of NC and DH also increased. The hydrolysate produced contained flavor compounds found in clam and oyster which were 3-methylbutanol and 1-pentanol. The compound 3-MCPD was not found in the hydrolysate.
Ujian teks bacaan Bahasa Melayu telah dibangunkan untuk menilai prestasi membaca kanak-kanak sekolah rendah.
Seramai 120 pelajar Tahap 1 (purata umur 8.5 ± 0.5 tahun) dan Tahap 2 (purata umur 10.5 ± 0.5 tahun) berpenglihatan
normal telah dipilih secara rawak. Subjek diminta membaca lima teks bacaan secara rawak dengan kuat. Masa selesai
membaca setiap teks bacaan diukur dan sebarang kesalahan menyebut perkataan direkodkan. Purata kelajuan membaca
dan kadar membaca diukur sebagai perkataan per minit (ppm). Kelajuan membaca Tahap 1 adalah 88.81 ± 1.95 {ralat
piawai (RP)} ppm dan kadar membaca pula adalah 87.20 ± 1.98 (RP) ppm. Bagi Tahap 2, kelajuan membaca adalah
108.12 ± 1.66 (RP) ppm manakala kadar membaca adalah 107.22 ± 1.67 (RP) ppm. Kelajuan dan kadar membaca di
antara subjek bagi setiap teks bacaan menunjukkan tiada perbezaan yang signifi kan (p > 0.05) dengan nilai p bagi
kedua-duanya adalah 0.91 manakala bagi tahap 2 pula nilai p adalah 0.57. Perbandingan di antara teks bacaan juga
menunjukkan tiada perbezaan yang signifi kan (p > 0.05). Semua teks bacaan adalah homogen secara statistik maka teks
bacaan yang dibangunkan boleh dipilih secara rawak semasa ujian dan tidak akan memberi kesan kepada penilaian
prestasi membaca di kalangan kanak-kanak sekolah rendah.
Tumbuhan yang mempunyai kelimpahan tinggi dan boleh mengumpul logam berat dengan banyak boleh digunakan sebagai bio-penunjuk. Tujuan kajian ini adalah untuk melihat kesesuaian Melastoma malabathricum sebagai bio-penunjuk bagi pencemar logam berat dalam tanih bekas lombong. Dalam kajian ini, lima belas sampel Melastoma malabathricum dan tanih telah diambil di tapak bekas lombong besi dan timah Pelepah Kanan Kota Tinggi, Johor. Tiga bahagian tumbuhan (akar, batang, daun) telah dianalisis untuk mengkaji penyerapan kandungan logam berat Cu, Fe dan Mn. Parameter tanih yang dikaji meliputi parameter fizikal dan kimia. Hasil kajian taburan saiz partikel tanih menunjukkan kebanyakan tanih di kawasan kajian adalah jenis berpasir dan bertekstur pasir berlom. Kandungan bahan organik adalah sekitar 1.45 hingga 5.91%. Nilai pH bagi tanih di kawasan kajian adalah sekitar 3.55 hingga 5.68 iaitu bersifat sangat asid ke asid. Kekonduksian elektrik tanih adalah antara 2.14 hingga 2.58 mS/cm. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa, kepekatan logam-logam berat dalam tanih ialah 12070 hingga 65545 mg/kg bagi Fe, 1070.3 hingga 11956.3 mg/kg bagi Mn dan 386.5 hingga 4753.2 mg/kg bagi Cu. Kandungan logam-logam berat dalam bahagian-bahagian tumbuhan pula adalah mengikut turutan seperti berikut; Fe>Mn>Cu. Didapati bahawa spesies tumbuhan Melastoma malabathricurn adalah sesuai sebagai penunjuk biologi logam berat Fe dan Mn.
Kajian ini telah dijalankan di kawasan tanih ultrabes di Felda Rokan Barat, Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan. Sebanyak lima belas sampel tumbuhan dan substratnya telah diambil dari kawasan kajian dengan kaedah berkelompok. Tujuan kajian ini adalah untuk menentukan kandungan logam berat Fe, Ni, Cr, Mn, Co, Zn, Cu, Cd dan Pb di dalam tanih dan bahagian akar, batang dan daun tumbuhan. Koefisien penyerapan biologi (BAC) ditentukan secara perkiraan. Kandungan logam berat di dalam tumbuhan diekstrak secara penghadaman basah manakala kandungan di dalam tanih diekstrak dengan kaedah pengekstrakan berjujukan. Kandungan logam berat di dalam larutan ekstrak tanih dan tumbuhan ditentukan menggunakan spektrofotometer penyerapan atom kaedah nyalaan (FAAS). Hasil kajian menunjukkan kepekatan logam berat paling tinggi dalam substrat pokok daun kari Murraya koenigi adalah Fe, diikuti oleh Mn, Cr, Co, Ni, Zn, Cu, Cd dan Pb dengan purata kepekatan masing-masing sebanyak 1699.64 mg/kg, 532.59 mg/kg, 212.43 mg/kg, 195.02 mg/kg, 174.97 mg/kg, 48.11 mg/kg, 43.86 mg/kg, 3.65 mg/kg dan 0.48 mg/kg. Kepekatan logam berat tersedia bagi Mn dan Pb
adalah lebih tinggi berbanding logam berat tersedia yang lain berdasarkan peratus. Kandungan Fe dan Mn adalah tinggi di dalam semua bahagian tumbuhan. Walau bagaimanapun, berdasarkan nilai purata kumulatif BAC, hanya logam Pb menunjukkan nilai penimbunan yang agak tinggi dalam tumbuhan. Kajian ini menunjukkan pokok daun kari (Murraya koenigi) bukan tumbuhan penumpuk logam berat berdasarkan kepada nilai BACnya yang rendah.
Pengecaman senjata api semakin serius dan amat penting di dalam bidang penyiasatan jenayah khususnya untuk tempoh dua dekad ini. Dalam makalah ini, suatu sistem untuk pengecaman senjata api berasaskan tapak kelongsong peluru telah diperkenalkan. Tapak kelongsong peluru adalah satu daripada penunjuk yang amat penting dalam membantu menyelesaikan masalah pengecaman pistol. Peluru yang telah digunakan akan meninggalkan lebih daripada 30 ciri yang amat berharga pada tapak kelongsong bagi membantu pihak tertentu mengecam pistol yang telah diguna. Ciri-ciri tersebut sebagai suatu gabungan membentuk apa yang dikenali sebagai kesan cap jari bagi pistol. Lantaran itu, kajian ini adalah untuk mendapatkan fitur yang sesuai bagi pengecaman senjata api. Terlebih dahulu imej tapak kelongsong peluru ini telah ditemberengkan kepada tiga bahagian, membentuk tiga set imej yang berlainan. Imej-imej ini juga dilakukan prapemprosesan untuk membentuk tiga set imej lagi. Fitur-fitur seterusnya disaring daripada imej asal tapak kelongsong peluru dan imej yang telah melalui prapemprosesan. Dua puluh fitur yang berbeza secara signifikan telah diperoleh dan dikirakan untuk imej-imej asal dan yang telah dilakukan prapemprosesan. Kesemua pemprosesan telah dilakukan menggunakan pengaturcaraan MATLAB. Suatu skim berdasarkan analisis korelasi seterusnya telah diperkenalkan untuk pencarian fitur berdasarkan konsep meminimumkan lewahan data tetapi memastikan ciri-ciri unik tersimpan. Fitur-fitur yang berkorelasi tinggi akan digugurkan pasangannya dan hasilnya tinggal cuma tujuh fitur sahaja. Ketujuh-tujuh fitur ini telah diuji sebagai suatu vektor fitur untuk mengelaskan lima pistol daripada model yang sama menggunakan analisis diskriminan. Hasil pengelasan menunjukkan lebih 80% daripada imej-imej tapak kelongsong peluru itu telah dikelaskan dengan jayanya.
Freshwater mussels of the order Unionida are key elements of freshwater habitats and are responsible for important ecological functions and services. Unfortunately, these bivalves are among the most threatened freshwater taxa in the world. However, conservation planning and management are hindered by taxonomic problems and a lack of detailed ecological data. This highlights the urgent need for advances in the areas of systematics and evolutionary relationships within the Unionida. This study presents the most comprehensive phylogeny to date of the larger Unionida family, i.e., the Unionidae. The phylogeny is based on a combined dataset of 1032bp (COI+28S) of 70 species in 46 genera, with 7 of this genera being sequenced for the first time. The resulting phylogeny divided the Unionidae into 6 supported subfamilies and 18 tribes, three of which are here named for the first time (i.e., Chamberlainiini nomen novum, Cristariini nomen novum and Lanceolariini nomen novum). Molecular analyses were complemented by investigations of selected morphological, anatomical and behavioral characters used in traditional phylogenetic studies. No single morphological, anatomical or behavioral character was diagnostic at the subfamily level and few were useful at the tribe level. However, within subfamilies, many tribes can be recognized based on a subset of these characters. The geographical distribution of each of the subfamilies and tribes is also presented. The present study provides important advances in the systematics of these extraordinary taxa with implications for future ecological and conservation studies.
Physicochemical properties of mud clam (Polymesoda erosa) hydrolysate produced using two microbial enzymes; alcalase and flavourzyme were determined. Hydrolysis using alcalase at 20.28% degree of hydrolysis (DH) resulted in 25.06 % yield and 45.37% protein while flavourzyme hydrolysis showed 22.93 % DH, 46.67 % protein and 30.68 % yield. Both hydrolysates were yellowish. Better emulsifying properties, foaming properties and water and oil holding capacity were exhibited by flavourzyme hydrolysate compared to the alcalase hydrolysate. However, in terms of amino acid composition, alcalase hydrolysate contained higher amino acid composition (75.06%) than flavourzyme hydrolysate (62.37%). The study suggested that mud clam hydrolysate had the potential to be used in food formulations for human consumption.
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a foodborne bacterial pathogen that may cause gastroenteritis in humans through the consumption of seafood contaminated with this microorganism. The emergence of antimicrobial and multidrug-resistant bacteria is another serious public health threat worldwide. In this study, the prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility test of V. parahaemolyticus in blood clams, shrimps, surf clams, and squids were determined. The overall prevalence of V. parahaemolyticus in seafood was 85.71% (120/140), consisting of 91.43% (32/35) in blood clam, 88.57% (31/35) in shrimps, 82.86% (29/35) in surf clams, and 80% (28/35) in squids. The majority of V. parahaemolyticus isolates from the seafood samples were found to be susceptible to most antibiotics except ampicillin, cefazolin, and penicillin. The MAR indices of V. parahaemolyticus isolates ranged from 0.04 to 0.71 and about 90.83% of isolates were found resistant to more than one antibiotic. The high prevalence of V. parahaemolyticus in seafood and multidrug-resistant isolates detected in this study could pose a potential risk to human health and hence appropriate control methods should be in place to minimize the potential contamination and prevent the emergence of antibiotic resistance.
Detection of diatom frustules in bone marrow (diatom test) is used for diagnosing ante-mortem drowning where the usual signs of drowning are not present in dead bodies recovered from water. However, controversies over the reliability of diatom test results are continuing. There have been indications on the possibilities of diatoms entering into systemic circulation from atmospheric air, food and drink. While diatoms have been demonstrated in the gut content of edible marine forms such as shrimps and clams, the present study, for the first time, provides empirical evidence on the prevalence as well as abundance of diatom frustules in the samples of cooked non-vegetarian foodstuffs that impend human consumption in Kelantan, Malaysia. It is found that 50 g each of cleaned and cooked prawns and of clams impending human consumption contain about 8360 and 29,054 diatom frustules, respectively. A person accustomed to prawn and clam food would be ingesting an estimated 2 million diatoms in a single year. Considering the suggestion that detection of five diatom frustules in 10 g of bone marrow would suffice for concluding drowning as mode of death, and the fact that there is yet no proof that diatom frustules do not enter into the human systemic circulation through the digestive tract, the estimated number of diatom frustules routinely ingested acquires significance since entry of a few of such ingested frustules into the systemic circulation can lead to false positive test results. The findings of this research raise two important issues: first, population based routine food related diatom ingestion requires to be estimated, and, second, studies have to be initiated to categorically prove or disprove the possibility of entry of diatom frustules into the systemic circulation via the digestive tract.
Fosil radiolaria berusia Perm Awal telah ditemui daripada batuan silika-rijang di Pos Blau, baratdaya Kelantan,
Semenanjung Malaysia. Sebanyak empat puluh spesies radiolaria tergolong dalam lima belas genera dan tujuh famili
telah dikenal pasti. Fauna radiolaria yang diperoleh termasuklah spesies penunjuk usia seperti Pseudoalbaillella
lomentaria, Ps. sakmarensis, Ps. scalprata scalprata, Ps. scalprata postscalprata dan Ps. scalprata rhombothoracata.
Kesemua radiolaria ini mewakili usia Perm awal merujuk kepada Zon Himpunan Pseudoalbaillella lomentaria
(Sakmarian Awal) dan Zon Himpunan Pseudoalbaillella scalprata m. rhombothoracata (Sakmarian Akhir). Keputusan
ini dapat menambah baik maklumat biostratigrafi radiolaria dan usia batuan bersilika-rijang di kawasan Pos Blau
dan di dalam Zon Sutura Bentong-Raub.
The objective of the present study was to develop a rapid, reliable and yet inexpensive protocol for genomic DNA extraction from frozen and ethanol-preserved Asian green-lipped mussels for random amplified microsatelite (RAM) analysis. The procedure comprised of three major steps: (1) Tissue degradation by boiling in 6% Chelex 100 resin in TE buffer; (2) Protein digestion by Proteinase K; and (3) DNA precipitation by adding 2 volumes of cold absolute ethanol. The entire procedure can be completed within two hours. The resulting RAM profiles were clear and reproducible. Our results demonstrate that the combined protocol of Chelex 100-Proteinase K-ethanol precipitation is a powerful yet economical DNA isolation method for population genetic studies involving a large sample size.
Recruitment constraints on Singapore's dwindling fluted giant clam, Tridacna squamosa, population were studied by modelling fertilisation, larval transport, and settlement using real-time hydrodynamic forcing combined with knowledge of spawning characteristics, larval development, behaviour, and settlement cues. Larval transport was simulated using a finite-volume advection-diffusion model coupled to a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model. Three recruitment constraint hypotheses were tested: 1) there is limited connectivity between Singapore's reefs and other reefs in the region, 2) there is limited exchange within Singapore's Southern Islands, and 3) there exist low-density constraints to fertilisation efficacy (component Allee effects). Results showed that connectivity among giant clam populations was primarily determined by residual hydrodynamic flows and spawning time, with greatest chances of successful settlement occurring when spawning and subsequent larval dispersal coincided with the period of lowest residual flow. Simulations suggested poor larval transport from reefs located along the Peninsular Malaysia to Singapore, probably due to strong surface currents between the Andaman Sea and South China Sea combined with a major land barrier disrupting larval movement among reefs. The model, however, predicted offshore coral reefs to the southeast of Singapore (Bintan and Batam) may represent a significant source of larvae. Larval exchange within Singapore's Southern Islands varied substantially depending on the locations of source and sink reefs as well as spawning time; but all simulations resulted in low settler densities (2.1-68.6 settled individuals per 10,000 m(2)). Poor fertilisation rates predicted by the model indicate that the low density and scattered distribution of the remaining T. squamosa in Singapore are likely to significantly inhibit any natural recovery of local stocks.
Landfill leachate is a liquid generated due to rainwater percolation through the waste in a landfill or dumping site that may contain high levels of organic matter, both biodegradable and non-biodegradable, which are the major sources of water pollution. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) and Ammoniacal Nitrogen (NH3-N) contents have been relevant indicators of severity and pollution potential of landfill leachate. The reductions of COD and NH3-N were investigated in this study using different combinations of media ratios of green mussel (GM) and zeolite (ZEO). Generally, ZEO is considered as a renowned adsorbent but with a relatively high in cost. In Malaysia, mussel shell is abundantly available as a by-product from the seafood industry, is regarded as waste, and is mostly left at the dumpsite to naturally deteriorate. Its quality and availability make GMs a cost-effective material. In this research study, leachate samples were characterized and found to contain high concentrations of COD and NH3-N. The adsorption process was conducted to find out the best combination media ratio between GM and ZEO. The removing efficiency was determined at different amounts of composite media ratios. The optimal adsorbent mixture ratios between (GM: ZEO) of 1.0:3.0 and 1.5:2.5 were considered as a more efficient technique in removing COD and NH3-N compared to exploiting these adsorbents individually. The optimal extenuation removal reduction was found at an approximately 65% of COD and 78% of NH3-N. The adsorption Isotherm Langmuir model exhibited a better fit with high regression coefficient for COD (R2 = 0.9998) and NH3-N (R2 = 0.9875), respectively. This means that the combination of GM: ZEO adsorption of landfill leachate in this analysis is homogeneous with the monolayer. The mixture of GMs and ZEO was observed to provide an alternative medium for the reduction of COD and NH3-N with comparatively lower cost.Implications: The concentration of organic constituents (COD) and ammoniacal nitrogen in stabilized landfill leachate have significantly strong influences of human health and the environment. The combination of mixing media green mussel and zeolite adsorbent enhancing organic constituents (COD) and ammoniacal nitrogen reduction efficiency from leachate. This would be greatly applicable in future research as well as conventionally minimizing high cost materials like zeolite, thereby lowering the operating cost of leachate treatment.