Stroke is among the main cause of death and loss of work capability in Malaysia. Government hospitals statistic shows drastic increase of stroke cases and deaths resulting from it. Hospital Kuala Lumpur's statistic recorded about 30% to 35% fatality in cases of stroke. The study was carried out to identify the level of stroke recovery and its associated factors. The study was carried out at University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center (UKMMC), Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) and National Stroke Association of Malaysia (NASAM). The sampling method was universal sampling and respondents were interviewed using guided questionnaire. The stroke recovery was studied to identify the relationshiP with social support, age, coping, stroke severity and lifestyle. The response rate of this study was 50.3%. A total of 47.0% ofstroke patient received high stroke recovery. Among five factors studied, three factors have shown the significant relationship with stroke recovery; coping style OR 0.293 (95% Confidence Interval (CI), 0.129·0.668, P "0.004); lifestyle, OR 0.347 (95% Confidence Interval (CI), 0.154· 0.782, p" 0.01) dan social support OR 0.291 (95% Confidence Interval (CI), 0.128· 0.664, P"0.004), Establish significant relationshiP of stroke recovery with three studied factors which were social support, coping style and lifestyle. Most of the stroke patients in this study are retirees and housewives. These three factors are required further attention to ensure stroke patients recover.
Key words: Recovery, stroke, social support, coping, lifestyle
In the area of sustainable development, construction waste is an important issue that must be tackled responsibly. It is an assortment of waste, at the stage of construction. This paper assesses waste minimisation or reduction measures and such practices in the Kuala Lumpur construction industry. A structured questionnaire survey was conducted to obtain contractors’ views on 25 waste minimisation measures discussed in literature. Data was analysed using frequency analysis method and average index analysis method. The results showed that adoption of proper site management techniques is widely practised. The adoption of these waste minimisation measures could lead cost savings to the construction industry and prevent environmental degradation.
Kajian anatomi dan mikromorfologi daun telah dijalankan ke atas lima takson dalam genus Schoutenia Korth. (Malvaceae subfam. Brownlowioideae). Lima takson yang dipilih dalam kajian ini ialah S. kunstleri, S. leprosula, S. accrescens subsp. accrescens, S. accrescens subsp. borneensis dan S. accrescens subsp. stellata. Kajian anatomi melibatkan kaedah hirisan dengan mikrotom gelongsor pada bahagian petiol, lamina, tulang daun dan tepi daun, kaedah penjernihan lamina dan kaedah siatan epidermis daun, penjernihan dengan larutan peluntur, pewarnaan dengan Safranin dan Alcian Blue, pelekapan Canada Balsam dan cerapan bawah mikroskop cahaya. Kajian mikromorfologi melibatkan kaedah pendehidratan, titik pengeringan kritikal, saduran emas dan cerapan bawah mikroskop imbasan elektron. Objektif kajian ialah untuk melihat nilai taksonomi ciri anatomi dan mikromorfologi daun dalam genus yang dikaji. Hasil kajian menunjukkan terdapat sembilan ciri sepunya, tujuh ciri variasi yang boleh digunakan untuk pembezaan spesies dan dua ciri diagnostik yang boleh digunakan untuk pengecaman spesies. Ciri tersebut ialah corak hiasan kutikel pada S. kunstleri dan juga kehadiran sel kolenkima lamela pada S. accrescens subsp. stellata. Hasil kajian menunjukkan ciri anatomi serta mikromorfologi daun dalam genus Schoutenia mempunyai nilai taksonomi terutama dalam pembezaan dan pengecaman pada peringkat spesies dan subspesies.
Acanthaceae merupakan famili tumbuhan angiosperma di bawah order Lamiales yang terdiri daripada sekurang-kurangnya 4000 spesies sama ada spesies tropika atau subtropika. Spesies daripada famili ini ditemui di pelbagai habitat dan mempunyai pelbagai morfologi serta corak taburan geografi. Walau bagaimanapun, maklumat mengenai ciri anatomi bagi Acanthaceae masih dangkal sehingga ke hari ini. Objektif kajian ini ialah untuk mengenal pasti jenis trikom yang hadir pada permukaan epidermis adaksial dan abaksial sepal dan juga petal bunga bagi beberapa spesies terpilih daripada Acanthaceae di Semenanjung Malaysia. Kajian ini melibatkan pengumpulan sampel di lapangan, penyediaan spesimen baucer, teknik kajian epidermis petal, cerapan di bawah mikroskop cahaya dan juga cerapan di bawah mikroskop imbasan elektron. Tiga puluh jenis trikom dicerap dalam kajian ini dan daripada jumlah tersebut, 23 jenis trikom dicerap hadir pada permukaan epidermis petal manakala 17 jenis trikom dicerap hadir pada permukaan epidermis sepal. Jenis trikom yang direkodkan ialah trikom ringkas unisel dan ringkas multisel, trikom kelenjar kapitat dan kelenjar peltat serta juga trikom berlengan. Keputusan kajian ini menunjukkan kehadiran dan jenis trikom pada permukaan sepal dan petal mempunyai nilai taksonomi yang berguna untuk tujuan pembezaan dan pengecaman spesies. Maklumat ciri morfologi trikom yang diperoleh daripada kajian ini merupakan maklumat baharu ciri anatomi bunga bagi Acanthaceae.
Spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae causes a number of diseases in humans worldwide, which can range from mild to highly lethal. Since the clinical presentations of rickettsioses caused by SFG rickettsiae are variable and may be similar to the diseases caused by other rickettsiae, such as Orientia tsutsugamushi (agent for scrub typhus), Coxiella burnetii (agent for Q fever) and the typhus group rickettsiae (agents for epidemic and murine typhus), the accurate diagnosis of infections caused by SFG Rickettsia remains challenging especially in resource-poor settings in developing countries. This review summarizes the various diagnostic and detection tools that are currently available for the confirmation of infections by SFG rickettsiae. The advantages and challenges pertaining to the different serological and molecular detections methods, as well as new assays in development, are discussed. The utility of the detection tools contributing to the surveillance of SFG rickettsiae in arthropods and animals are reviewed.
Famili Rhizophoraceae ialah famili tumbuhan utama di hutan paya bakau dengan 16 genus dan 120 spesies dan di Semenanjung Malaysia terdapat tujuh genus dan 17 spesies. Kajian palinologi masih kurang dijalankan di hutan paya bakau untuk melihat kepentingan ciri morfologi debunga dan adaptasinya terhadap persekitaran. Objektif kajian ini ialah untuk menyenaraikan ciri umum, variasi dan ciri diagnosis morfologi debunga antara spesies dan genus dalam famili Rhizophoraceae di Semenanjung Malaysia. Kaedah kajian melibatkan teknik asetolisis, pencerapan di bawah mikroskop cahaya dan mikroskop imbasan elektron. Keputusan kajian menunjukkan terdapat dua kelas debunga iaitu tri-zono-kolpat dan tri-zono-kolporat. Kesemua spesies kajian mempunyai debunga bersaiz kecil (10-25 μm) dan mempunyai debunga bentuk sferoid kecuali Rhizophora x lamarckiidengan bentuk subprolat. Dua corak hiasan eksin ditemui pada genus Bruguiera iaitu skabrat-perforat (B. cylindrica, B. parviflora. B. hainesii dan B. sexangula) dan psilat-skabrat (B. gymnorhiza). Genus Ceriops dan Rhizophora stylosa mempunyai hiasan eksin perforat manakalaR. apiculata dan R. mucronata mempunyai corak eksin perforat-retikulat. Kekunci dikotomi pengecaman spesies dan genus telah dibina berdasarkan keputusan kajian. Secara kesimpulan, ciri morfologi debunga mempunyai nilai taksonomi terutamanya untuk pembezaan dan pengecaman spesies dan genus bagi famili Rhizophoraceae.
In this study, the antioxidant activity of the Convolvulus arvensis Linn (CA) ethanol extract has been evaluated by different ways. The antioxidant activity of the extract assessed by 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) radical cation, the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) was 1.62 mmol Trolox equivalents (TE)/g DW, 1.71 mmol TE/g DW and 2.11 mmol TE/g DW, respectively. CA ethanol extract exhibited scavenging activity against the methoxy radical initiated by the Fenton reaction and measured by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR). The antioxidant effects of lyophilised CA measured in beef patties containing 0.1% and 0.3% (w/w) CA stored in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) (80% O₂ and 20% CO₂) was determined. A preliminary study of gelatine based film containing CA showed a strong antioxidant effect in preventing the degradation of lipid in muscle food. Thus, the present results indicate that CA extract can be used as a natural food antioxidant.
Oil and grease remain the dominant contaminants in the palm oil mill effluent (POME) despite the conventional treatment of POME. The removal of residual oil from palm oil-water mixture (POME model) using the progressive freezing process was investigated. An optimization technique called response surface methodology (RSM) with the design of rotatable central composite design was applied to figure out the optimum experimental variables generated by Design-Expert software (version 6.0.4. Stat-Ease, trial version). Besides, RSM also helps to investigate the interactive effects among the independent variables compared to one factor at a time. The variables involved are coolant temperature, XA (4-12 °C), freezing time, XB (20-60 min), and circulation flow, XC (200-600 rpm). The statistical analysis showed that a two-factor interaction model was developed using the obtained experimental data with a coefficient of determination (R2) value of 0.9582. From the RSM-generated model, the optimum conditions for extraction of oil from the POME model were a coolant temperature of 6 °C in 50 min freezing time with a circulation flowrate of 500 rpm. The validation of the model showed that the predicted oil yield and experimental oil yield were 92.56 and 93.20%, respectively.
Durio zibethinus L. is known as the "king of fruit" in Malaysia. Meanwhile, Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan has always become the top choice district to visit for durian lover for its Durian Kampung Jelebu, which possessed good quality on par with top D. zibethinus clones such as D197 Musang King and D24. However, there is still lacking in taxonomic data of D. zibethinus especially from Jelebu. This study aimed to analyse the leaf architecture and genome size variations of selected D. zibethinus accessions from Jelebu. Five D. zibethinus accessions from Jelebu were examined. Thirty-seven parameters of gross leaf morphological characteristics and leaf venation pattern were observed and recorded for identification and classification of D. zibethinus accessions from Jelebu. Seven parameters have been recorded which are petiole length, petiole features, leaf size, leaf shape, leaf base shape, lower leaf surface colour and areolation could be used in differentiating between accessions. Results of this study showed the intraspecific variations existed among D. zibethinus accessions from Jelebu with a genome size varying between 1.7433 pg and 1.800 pg. In conclusion, data on leaf architecture and genome size variations from D. zibethinus accessions are beneficial for early plant identification and classification.
Comparative leaf anatomy study were conducted in three taxa of Acanthaceae from peninsular Malaysia. Three chosen taxa were Acanthus ebracreatus(Vahl), Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Wall. exNees and Chroesthes longifolia(Wight) B. Hansen which is commonly used as traditional medicine especially in peninsular Malaysia. The main objective is to identify the leaf anatomical characteristics that can be used in plant identification and also for supportive data in plant classification. The procedures involved such as cross section using sliding microtome on the petiole, lamina, midribs and marginal, leaf clearing and observation under light microscope. Results have shown the similarities and variations in leaf anatomical characteristics. The anatomical characteristics observed include petiole and midrib outlines, patterns of petiole and midrib vascular bundles, presence of cystolith cells, presence of hypodermis layers in lamina and presence and types of trichomes. In conclusion, results showed that anatomical characteristics have taxonomic significance that can be used in classification especially at species level.
Two hundred and sixty four samples of ready -to-eat foods (RTE) were obtained over a period of six months (April to September 2005) from 33 school hostel kitchens and canteens previously implicated in food poisoning outbreaks from 2000 to 2004. Sampling was done by food technologists and assistant environmental health ofhcers from various districts in Pahang while microbiological analysis was carried out at the Mentakab Food Quality Control Laboratory. The objective of the study was to obtain a comprehensive picture on the microbiological status of the foods that may have accounted for food poisoning outbreaks at school hostels and canteens in Pahang. Each food sample was analyzed for Total Plate Count (TPC), Salmonella, Coliform, Escheria coli, Staphylococcus aerus and Bacillus cereus. lt was found that none of the ready-to-eat foods sampled contained Salmonella although hve samples contained Bacillus cereus , four samples contained Staphylococcus aerus. High Coliform Counts were found in 15 food samples while Escheria coli was detected in two samples. Overall, it was found that 10.2 % of the samples had unsatisfactory counts.
Awareness of recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption has increased substantially over the last 20 years. In addition, fruits and vegetables such as pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata Duchesne) are good sources of many important nutrients, including potassium, vitamin C, folate, fibre, and numerous phytochemicals. Malaysia produces pumpkinits own, with considerably large areas of production comparable to its high global demand. However, in reality, there is a limitation in the commercial production as the local pumpkinis very much dependent on the market demand as the utilization has been limited to the consumption of fresh product. Thus, the objective of the study first initiative to provide the information about the pumpkinand second to investigatesthe opportunities on commercialized local pumpkinin Malaysia as by products despite various nutritious it is also listed as prophetic foods. The scientific research that covered a broad range of in vitro to in vivo studies on the by-products potentials of these fruits is also discussed in detail.The current review is an update for researchers to have a better understanding of the pumpkin, which simultaneously can provide awareness to enhance their commercial value and promote their utilization.Malaysia have potential to growth pumpkin instead of continuously importing. The daily consumption of pumpkins may provide various health benefits to human. Future investigation is needed to explore the potential of pumpkin as by products in order to increase its competitiveness and self-sufficiency.
Acanthaceae merupakan famili tumbuhan berbunga di bawah order Lamiales dan terdiri daripada sekurang-kurangnya 4,000 spesies di kawasan tropika dan juga kawasan subtropika dengan genus Justicia merupakan genus terbesar. Kajian mikromorfologi petal dan sepal telah dijalankan ke atas ke atas enam spesies iaitu Justicia betonica L., J. carnea Lindl., J. comata (L.) Lam., J. gendarussa Burm.f., J. procumbens L. dan J. ptychostoma Nees. Kaedah kajian termasuklah penetapan bunga di dalam larutan penetap, siri dehidrasi, titik pengeringan genting dan cerapan di bawah mikroskop imbasan elektron. Hasil kajian menunjukkan kesemua enam spesies mempunyai variasi dan perbezaan mikromorfologi pada permukaan epidermis petal dan sepal. Kutikel lilin boleh ditemui pada kedua-dua permukaan epidermis petal dan sepal kesemua spesies yang dikaji. Kutikel lilin butir merupakan satu-satunya jenis kutikel lilin yang ditemui pada kesemua permukaan petal dan sepal spesies kajian. Terdapat lapan jenis trikom ditemui pada permukaan epidermis sepal dan juga lapan jenis trikom pada permukaan epidermis petal. Justicia betonica boleh dibezakan secara langsung dengan kehadiran stomata amfidiasitik pada permukaan epidermis petal dan stomata tidak hadir pada permukaan petal spesies yang lain. Kesimpulannya, hasil kajian ini membuktikan ciri mikromorfologi petal dan sepal mempunyai kesignifikan sistematik dan boleh digunakan sebagai data sokongan bagi pembezaan dan pengenalpastian spesies dalam genus Justicia.
Gentiana Lutea root (G. Lutea) is a medicinal herb, traditionally used as a bitter tonic in gastrointestinal ailments for improving the digestive system. The active principles of G. Lutea were found to be secoiridoid bitter compounds as well as many other active compounds causing the pharmacological effects. No study to date has yet determined the potential of G. Lutea antioxidant activity on lipid oxidation. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of an extract of G. Lutea on lipid oxidation during storage of an emulsion. G. Lutea extracts showed excellent antioxidant activity measured by DPPH scavenging assay and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assays. An amount of 0.5% w/w G. Lutea lyophilise was able to inhibit lipid oxidation throughout storage (p < 0.05). A mixture of G. Lutea with 0.1% (w/w) BSA showed a good synergic effect and better antioxidant activity in the emulsion. Quantitative results of HPLC showed that G. Lutea contained secoiridoid-glycosides (gentiopiocroside and sweroside) and post column analysis displayed radical scavenging activity of G. Lutea extract towards the ABTS radical. The results from this study highlight the potential of G. Lutea as a food ingredient in the design of healthier food commodities.
The common bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi L. Sprengel) is a ubiquitous procumbent evergreen shrub located throughout North America, Asia, and Europe. The fruits are almost tasteless but the plant contains a high concentration of active ingredients. The antioxidant activity of bearberry leaf extract in the 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) radical cation assay was 90.42 mmol Trolox equivalents/g dry weight (DW). The scavenging ability of the methanol extract of bearberry leaves against methoxy radicals generated in the Fenton reaction was measured via electron paramagnetic resonance. Lipid oxidation was retarded in an oil-water emulsion by adding 1 g/kg lyophilised bearberry leaf extract. Also, 1 g/kg of lyophilised bearberry leaf extract incorporated into a gelatin-based film displayed high antioxidant activity to retard the degradation of lipids in muscle foods. The present results indicate the potential of bearberry leaf extract for use as a natural food antioxidant.
In high-voltage (HV) insulation, electrical trees are an important degradation phenomenon strongly linked to partial discharge (PD) activity. Their initiation and development have attracted the attention of the research community and better understanding and characterization of the phenomenon are needed. They are very damaging and develop through the insulation material forming a discharge conduction path. Therefore, it is important to adequately measure and characterize tree growth before it can lead to complete failure of the system. In this paper, the Gaussian mixture model (GMM) has been applied to cluster and classify the different growth stages of electrical trees in epoxy resin insulation. First, tree growth experiments were conducted, and PD data captured from the initial to breakdown stage of the tree growth in epoxy resin insulation. Second, the GMM was applied to categorize the different electrical tree stages into clusters. The results show that PD dynamics vary with different stress voltages and tree growth stages. The electrical tree patterns with shorter breakdown times had identical clusters throughout the degradation stages. The breakdown time can be a key factor in determining the degradation levels of PD patterns emanating from trees in epoxy resin. This is important in order to determine the severity of electrical treeing degradation, and, therefore, to perform efficient asset management. The novelty of the work presented in this paper is that for the first time the GMM has been applied for electrical tree growth classification and the optimal values for the hyperparameters, i.e., the number of clusters and the appropriate covariance structure, have been determined for the different electrical tree clusters.
This study aimed at determining the effects of propagation medium and cutting types on the early growth performance of fig (Ficus carica L.) root and shoot. The experiment was conducted at the Glasshouse and Nursery Complex (GNC), International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). The split-plot design was employed with the main plot (propagation medium) and sub-plot (types of cutting). The propagation medium were sand:topsoil (1:3) (M1), topsoil:peat:sawdust (1:1:1) (M2) and peat:perlite (1:1) (M3). Two types of cutting were semi-hardwood (C1) and hardwood (C2). As a result, there were a significant effect of propagation medium on measured parameters. This study revealed that the most effective propagation medium and cutting types for the propagation of fig were a combination of peat and perlite at 1:1 ratio (M3) and hardwood cutting (C2), respectively as evidenced by significantly higher root and shoot growth quality as compared to other treatments.
Rickettsia raoultii is one of the causative agents of tick-borne lymphadenopathy in humans. This bacterium was previously isolated and propagated in tick cell lines; however, the growth characteristics have not been investigated. Here, we present the replication kinetics of R. raoultii in cell lines derived from different tick genera (BME/CTVM23, RSE/PILS35, and IDE8). Tick cell cultures were infected in duplicate with cryopreserved R. raoultii prepared from homologous cell lines. By 12-14 days post infection, 100% of the cells were infected, as visualized in Giemsa-stained cytocentrifuge smears. R. raoultii growth curves, determined by rickettsiae-specific gltA qPCR, exhibited lag, exponential, stationary and death phases. Exponential phases of 4-12 days and generation times of 0.9-2.6 days were observed. R. raoultii in BME/CTVM23 and RSE/PILS35 cultures showed, respectively, 39.5- and 37.1-fold increases compared to the inoculum. In contrast, multiplication of R. raoultii in the IDE8 cultures was 110.1-fold greater than the inoculum with a 7-day stationary phase. These findings suggest variation in the growth kinetics of R. raoultii in the different tick cell lines tested, amongst which IDE8 cells could tolerate the highest levels of R. raoultii replication. Further studies of R. raoultii are needed for a better understanding of its persistence within tick populations.
Block freeze concentration (BFC) is considered an emerging technology which allows the acquiring of high quality organoleptic products, due to the low temperatures employed. In this study we have outlined how the vacuum-assisted BFC of whey was investigated. The effects of vacuum time, vacuum pressure, and the initial solids concentration in whey were studied. The results obtained show that the three variables significantly affect each of the following parameters analysed: solute yield (Y) and concentration index (CI). The best Y results were obtained at a pressure of 10 kPa, 7.5 °Bx, and 60 min. For CI parameter, the highest values were given at 10 kPa, 7.5 °Bx, and 20 min, respectively. In a second phase, by applying the conditions that provide higher solute yield to three different types of dairy whey, Y values of 70% or higher are reached in a single step, while that the CI of lactose are higher than those of soluble solids. Therefore, it is possible to recover, in a single step, at least 70% of the lactose contained in the initial whey samples. This suggests that vacuum-assisted BFC technology may be an interesting alternative for the recovery of lactose contained in whey.