National Mangrove Restoration Project in Malaysia

Mangrove forests are unique ecosystem in the world. The importance of mangrove forests in providing invaluable goods and services in economics, social and environmental terms are well understood. However, there is a trend that the mangrove forests were lost due to human activities such as direct conversion of mangroves to aquaculture, agriculture and urban land uses. In realizing the importance of mangrove and the threat towards mangrove forests, there is a need to restore and conserve mangrove areas. This paper highlights the overview, progress and challenges in the implementation of national mangrove restoration projects in Malaysia through “Tree Planting Program with Mangroves and Other Suitable Species Along National Coastlines”, which has been implemented since 2005 and involved a strategic integrated approach. As of December 2015, a total area of about 2,605 hectares had been planted with more than 6.3 million trees. To ensure the sustainability and success of this project, a continuous financial support is needed to help in implementing and maintaining the existing restoration areas. Realizing that this project will enhance the livelihood and socioeconomic well-being of the local communities, the paper recommends that the areas involved in mangrove restoration project to be gazette as a Permanent Reserve Forest. Keywords: mangrove forest, mangrove Malaysia, mangrove restoration project

Malay caregivers’ responses to depression among older adults

World Health Organization (WHO) have been identified older people as a vulnerable group that suffers from a range of different types of mental health problems particularly depression.Thus, providing caregiving for older people with depression has an impact on caregivers’ family life.This study sought to understand the Malay caregivers’ experiences of caregiving in the context of caring for older people with depression in Kelantan, Malaysia, as well as caregivers’ responses to them.In- depth interviews were conducted with eight Malay caregivers of older people with depression recruited from the outpatient psychiatric clinic.Data were digitally recorded and fully transcribed before being analyzed using thematic analysis.Participants reported that depression was particularly challenging, requiring a lot of attention and supervision because of the continuous distressed behaviour

Elderly women and mental health problems: A qualitative study in Kelantan, Malaysia

In the developing world, the disease burden of mental health problems of the aged is associated with demographic and economic change, education, urbanization, widowhood, war and displacement. In fact, data on non-organic disorders specifically among the aged in countries of the developing world are limited and varying in terms of type of mental illness.This situation is influenced by different cultural interpretations of psychiatric disorders.People ageing with mental illnesses present additional challenges which are not well understood. This includes the concern about their mental health status and the provision of geriatric services and facilities.These mental health problems among older adults suggest a need to understand the issues for individual and families in greater depth and to develop services and resources to support them.The paper will be discussed on how the caregivers conceptualised mental health problems and their perspectives on the trigger factors linked to mental illness among their older family members.Caregivers reported many different causes of mental illness.How they recognised the early signs of mental illness in older people and how they learned about the illness will be discussed further.Participants were recruited through a psychiatric hospital to ensure that a care recipient has a diagnosis of mental illness.Fourteen Malay caregivers of older people diagnosed with schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. All interviews were fully transcribed into the Malay language before being translated into English.All transcriptions were analysed using a thematic analysis supported by the qualitative software (NVivo8).Identifiable themes and patterns of history, symptoms and diagnoses of illness among Malay older people with a mental health problem were reviewed to develop an overall story.Quotations from all participants are presented accordingly in the analysis to maintain rigor and trustworthines

METODE KONSELOR DALAM MENINGKATKAN MOTIVASI HIDUP PENDERITA HIV/AIDS (STUDI PADA PROGRAM PEKERJA SEKS DI PT FOUNDATION KUALA LUMPUR MALAYSIA)

HIV/AIDS bukanlah suatu isu baru di dalam masyarakat masa kini, namun begitu tidak banyak yang mengetahui dengan jelas tentang apa dan bagaimana itu HIV/AIDS. Karena kurangnya pengetahuan mengenai hal tersebut, masyarakat dengan mudah menghukum dan menghakimi penderita yang dijangkiti HIV/AIDS dengan tanggapan-tanggapan buruk dan seterusnya mendiskriminasikan mereka. Ini menyebabkan penderita mengalami tekanan selepas mengetahui dirinya terinfeksi menjadi semakin terpuruk, pesimis, minder, malah menjadikan penderita semakin dipresi. PT Foundation didirikan atas kesadaran untuk menyampaikan informasi yang jelas dan benar tentang isu-isu HIV/AIDS. Bertujuan untuk menanggulagi penyebaran HIV/AIDS dan membela penderita dari diskriminasi masyarakat dan meningkatkan kembali mutu kehidupan mereka lewat program-program yang ada di sana antaranya Program Pekerja Seks. Rumusan masalah penelitian ini adalah bagaimana metode konselor pada program pekerja seks dalam meningkatkan motivasi hidup penderita HIV/AIDS, dan apasaja faktor pendukung dan penghambat dalam penerapan metode konselor tersebut. Hingga penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui apakah yang dilakukan konselor terhadap klien dalam usaha meningkatkan motivasi hidup mereka dan apa faktor pendukung serta penghambat dalam pelaksanaan tersebut melalui metode diskriptif kualitatif. Sedangkan jumlah informan sebanyak tujuh orang yang terdiri dari konselor, koordinator program, dua orang karyawan dan tiga orang klien. Dari penganalisaan data diperoleh kesimpulan bahwa metode yang digunakan adalah berpandukan modul dari Departemen Kesehatan Malaysia yaitu konseling HIV/AIDS. Namun modul tersebut telah diolah dan dikembangkan oleh konselor dalam lima bagian besar yaitu drop-in-center, konseling, bimbingan rakan sebaya, penyuluhan dan rujukan, dan dibagi dalam tempoh waktu tertentu agar pelaksanannya bisa tercakupi secara menyeluruh dan bersesuaian dengan kondisi klien. Yang menjadi faktor penghambat dalam pelaksanaan tersebut adalah terdapat kesenjangan dalam komunikasi antara konselor dan pihak pimpinan yang tidak sepaham dalam perjalanan konsep. Faktor pendukung adalah dengan banyaknya sukarelawan yang ada bisa membantu menyampaikan informasi yang benar tentang HIV/AIDS dan memberi kerjasama kepada komuniti tidak saja membantu meningkatkan motivasi dan rasa percaya diri klien, tetapi juga membantu konselor dalam menanggulangi permasalahan klien

Antioxidant properties and toxicity assessment of the Crescentia cujete extracts in brine shrimp (Artemia salina)

Crescentia cujete has traditionally been used to treat various ailments. The present study attempted to determine the antioxidant activities of 100% ethanol, 50% ethanol and aqueous extracts of the leaves, bark and fruit of the herb. Additionally, the toxicity of the extracts was investigated in brine shrimp. The results showed that 100% ethanol leaf extract had the highest antioxidant activity with an IC50 value of 261.97 ± 0.57 μg/mL according to the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazil (DPPH) radical scavenging assay. Estimation of the total phenolic content (TPC) using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent showed that the leaves extracted with 100% ethanol had the highest concentration of TPC compared to the extracts prepared with other solvents of all parts of the plant. Analysis of the minerals using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) showed that the parts of the plant primarily consist of high levels of phosphorus, magnesium and calcium. Titration analysis of vitamin C showed that the highest concentration of the vitamin is present in the bark. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of vitamin E indicated that the content is the highest in the fruit, and the content of vitamin A was the highest in the leaves. Brine shrimp lethality assay (BSLA) results showed that 50% ethanol extract of the leaves is the most toxic during a 24 h treatment. Thus, the leaves and bark exhibit excellent antioxidant effects and can be potentially developed as functional food ingredients. The findings of the present study suggest further research in cell lines and in vivo

Effect of oven and microwave drying on polyphenols content and antioxidant capacity of herbal tea from strobilanthes crispus leaves

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of oven and microwave drying on total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant capacity of unfermented and fermented tea developed from Strobilanthes crispus leaves

Septic arthritis of the knee and necrotizing fasciitis in a young immunocompetent adult: a case report / Hayatul Najaa Miptah … [et al.]

Septic arthritis is uncommon in immunocompetent young adults. It typically presents in individuals with underlying risk factors. Isolation of Group A Streptococcus (GAS) as the causative agent of septic arthritis is usually associated with autoimmune diseases, chronic skin infections or trauma. Here we report a case of a young lady who is immunocompetent without any prior history of trauma, who presented with an abrupt onset of left knee pain and swelling to the emergency department. An initial diagnosis of acute gout was made and she was treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). She presented again two days later to a primary care clinic with worsening knee pain and severe left calf pain. A clinical diagnosis of septic arthritis was suspected and the patient was urgently referred to the Orthopaedic team. Synovial fluid from the knee joint aspiration showed growth of GAS. A diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis was also made as the culture taken from the left calf during incision and drainage (I&D) procedure showed a mixed growth. She eventually underwent surgical debridement twice, together with the administration of several courses of intravenous antibiotics leading to her full recovery after 45 days. This case demonstrates the challenge in making a prompt diagnosis of septic arthritis and probable Type II necrotizing fasciitis in an immunocompetent adult without underlying risk factors. Any delay in diagnosis and treatment would have increased the risk of damage to her knee joint and this may be fatal even in a previously healthy young adult