Kerja baikpulih bangunan komersial yang terbengkalai di kawasan Melaka Tengah

Industri pembinaan merupakan satu sektor yang menjadi pemangkin kepada pertumbuhan sosio-ekonomi dan sebahagian besar sumbernya digunakan kearah pembangunan yang pesat dalam pentadbiran negara. Projek-projek mega seperti Kuala lumpur internationa airport (KLIA), Pusat pentadbiran kerajaan di putrjaya dan banyak lagi pembinaan bangunan komersial yang menjadi tanda aras perkembangan yang memberangsangkan. Selain dari itu, pembangunan bagi sesuatu kawasan menyebabkan pertambahan penduduk. Ini menunjuk industri binaan merupakan salah satu sektor yang menyumbang dalam pembangunan dari aspek sosial dan ekonomi kepada sesuatu kawasan. Walaupun banyak teknologi dalam industri pembinaan telah digunakan pada masa kini, ia masih lagi tidak dapat mengawal kehadiran bangunan yang terbiar di Malaysia dan kesan kewujudan bangunan terbiar itu mengakibatkan kerugian kepada pelbagai pihak dan mengancam keselamatan penduduk sekitarnya

Inter-and intraspecific variation in fern mating systems after long-distance colonization: the importance of selfing

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Previous studies on the reproductive biology of ferns showed that mating strategies vary among species, and that polyploid species often show higher capacity for self-fertilization than diploid species. However, the amount of intraspecific variation in mating strategy and selfing capacity has only been assessed for a few species. Yet, such variation may have important consequences during colonization, as the establishment of any selfing genotypes may be favoured after long-distance dispersal (an idea known as Baker's law).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We examined intra-and interspecific variation in potential for self-fertilization among four rare fern species, of which two were diploids and two were tetraploids: <it>Asplenium scolopendrium </it>(2n), <it>Asplenium trichomanes </it>subsp. <it>quadrivalens </it>(4n), <it>Polystichum setiferum </it>(2n) and <it>Polystichum aculeatum </it>(4n). Sporophyte production was tested at different levels of inbreeding, by culturing gametophytes in isolation, as well as in paired cultures with a genetically different gametophyte. We tested gametophytes derived from various genetically different sporophytes from populations in a recently planted forest colonized through long-distance dispersal (Kuinderbos, the Netherlands), as well as from older, less disjunct populations.</p> <p>Sporophyte production in isolation was high for Kuinderbos genotypes of all four species. Selfing capacity did not differ significantly between diploids and polyploids, nor between species in general. Rather selfing capacity differed between genotypes within species. Intraspecific variation in mating system was found in all four species. In two species one genotype from the Kuinderbos showed enhanced sporophyte production in paired cultures. For the other species, including a renowned out crosser, selfing capacity was consistently high.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results for four different species suggest that intraspecific variation in mating system may be common, at least among temperate calcicole ferns, and that genotypes with high selfing capacity may be present among polyploid as well as diploid ferns. The surprisingly high selfing capacity of all genotypes obtained from the Kuinderbos populations might be due to the isolated position of these populations. These populations may have established through single-spore colonization, which is only possible for genotypes capable of self-fertilization. Our results therewith support the idea that selection for selfing genotypes may occur during long-distance colonization, even in normally outcrossing, diploid ferns.</p

Nasal fibroblast conditioned medium promotes cell attachment and migration of human respiratory epithelium

Endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) is a well-known surgical treatment for chronic rhinosinusitis disease after failed medical and antibiotics treatment. However, improper wound healing might induce synechiae or adhesion. Conditioned medium from cultured cells is known to promote wound healing and potentially able to accelerate wound healing in ESS and other airway epithelial injuries. This study was to investigate the effect of human nasal fibroblast conditioned medium on the attachment, proliferation and migration of respiratory epithelial cells (RECs) in an in vitro model. RECs and fibroblasts were co-cultured in Defined Keratinocytes Medium and F-12 and Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle’s Medium. Once confluent, the fibroblasts were removed, leaving the colonies of RECs to reach confluency. RECs and fibroblasts were cultured separately and the conditioned medium was acquired by culturing fibroblast either in DKSFM or F12: DMEM, denoted as NFCM_DKSFM and NFCM_FD, respectively. RECs were supplemented with 20% conditioned medium for attachment, proliferation and migration assay. The results showed significantly higher cell attachment in NFCM_DKSFM (3452.77±588.1 cell/cm2) compared to NFCM_FD (2336.1±440.4 cell/cm2) and DKSFM alone (2819.8±509.5 cell/cm2). After 7 days, the specific growth rate was higher in DKSFM (0.019±5.16×10-4 h-1) compared to NFCM_DKSFM (0.015±8.94×10-4 h-1) and NFCM_FD (0.013±1.03×10-3 h-1). The mean of migration rate was significantly higher in NFCM_DKSFM (4341.81±385.7 μm2/hr) compared to NFCM_FD (1803.38±408.1 μm2/hr) and DKSFM (1933.48±271.9 μm2/hr). Hence, NFCM_DKSFM supplementation provides suitable culture conditions for RECs through increased cell attachment and migration, which suggest that the factors secreted in conditioned medium may play a major role in enhancing airway epithelial wound healing

The incidence of liver injury in Uyghur patients treated for TB in Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region, China, and its association with hepatic enzyme polymorphisms nat2, cyp2e1, gstm1 and gstt1.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Of three first-line anti-tuberculosis (anti-TB) drugs, isoniazid is most commonly associated with hepatotoxicity. Differences in INH-induced toxicity have been attributed to genetic variability at several loci, NAT2, CYP2E1, GSTM1and GSTT1, that code for drug-metabolizing enzymes. This study evaluated whether the polymorphisms in these enzymes were associated with an increased risk of anti-TB drug-induced hepatitis in patients and could potentially be used to identify patients at risk of liver injury. METHODS AND DESIGN: In a cross-sectional study, 2244 tuberculosis patients were assessed two months after the start of treatment. Anti-TB drug-induced liver injury (ATLI) was defined as an ALT, AST or bilirubin value more than twice the upper limit of normal. NAT2, CYP2E1, GSTM1 and GSTT1 genotypes were determined using the PCR/ligase detection reaction assays. RESULTS: 2244 patients were evaluated, there were 89 cases of ATLI, a prevalence of 4% 9 patients (0.4%) had ALT levels more than 5 times the upper limit of normal. The prevalence of ATLI was greater among men than women, and there was a weak association with NAT2*5 genotypes, with ATLI more common among patients with the NAT2*5*CT genotype. The sensitivity of the CT genotype for identifying patients with ATLI was 42% and the positive predictive value 5.9%. CT ATLI was more common among slow acetylators (prevalence ratio 2.0 (95% CI 0.95,4.20) )compared to rapid acetylators. There was no evidence that ATLI was associated with CYP2E1 RsaIc1/c1genotype, CYP2E1 RsaIc1/c2 or c2/c2 genotypes, or GSTM1/GSTT1 null genotypes. CONCLUSIONS: In Xinjiang Uyghur TB patients, liver injury was associated with the genetic variant NAT2*5, however the genetic markers studied are unlikely to be useful for screening patients due to the low sensitivity and low positive predictive values for identifying persons at risk of liver injury

Using Mitochondrial and Nuclear Sequence Data for Disentangling Population Structure in Complex Pest Species: A Case Study with Dermanyssus gallinae

Among global changes induced by human activities, association of breakdown of geographical barriers and impoverishered biodiversity of agroecosystems may have a strong evolutionary impact on pest species. As a consequence of trade networks' expansion, secondary contacts between incipient species, if hybrid incompatibility is not yet reached, may result in hybrid swarms, even more when empty niches are available as usual in crop fields and farms. By providing important sources of genetic novelty for organisms to adapt in changing environments, hybridization may be strongly involved in the emergence of invasive populations

Lifshitz-like space-time from intersecting branes in string/M theory

We construct 1/4 BPS, threshold F-D$p$ bound states (with $0\leq p \leq 5$) of type II string theories by applying S- and T-dualities to the D1-D5 system of type IIB string theory. These are different from the known 1/2 BPS, non-threshold F-D$p$ bound states. The near horizon limits of these solutions yield Lifshitz-like space-times with varying dynamical critical exponent $z=2(5-p)/(4-p)$, for $p\neq 4$, along with the hyperscaling violation exponent $\theta = p - (p-2)/(4-p)$, showing how Lifshitz-like space-time can be obtained from string theory. The dilatons are in general non-constant (except for $p=1$). We discuss the holographic RG flows and the phase structures of these solutions. For $p=4$, we do not get a Lifshitz-like space-time, but the near horizon limit in this case leads to an AdS$_2$ space.Comment: 20 pages, no figure, v2: proper identification of hyperscaling violation exponent has been made, abstract and the text has been changed accordingly, note added, v3: minor changes, refs added, version to appear in JHE

Can We Really Prevent Suicide?

Every year, suicide is among the top 20 leading causes of death globally for all ages. Unfortunately, suicide is difficult to prevent, in large part because the prevalence of risk factors is high among the general population. In this review, clinical and psychological risk factors are examined and methods for suicide prevention are discussed. Prevention strategies found to be effective in suicide prevention include means restriction, responsible media coverage, and general public education, as well identification methods such as screening, gatekeeper training, and primary care physician education. Although the treatment for preventing suicide is difficult, follow-up that includes pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, or both may be useful. However, prevention methods cannot be restricted to the individual. Community, social, and policy interventions will also be essentia

Interstellar Turbulence II: Implications and Effects

Interstellar turbulence has implications for the dispersal and mixing of the elements, cloud chemistry, cosmic ray scattering, and radio wave propagation through the ionized medium. This review discusses the observations and theory of these effects. Metallicity fluctuations are summarized, and the theory of turbulent transport of passive tracers is reviewed. Modeling methods, turbulent concentration of dust grains, and the turbulent washout of radial abundance gradients are discussed. Interstellar chemistry is affected by turbulent transport of various species between environments with different physical properties and by turbulent heating in shocks, vortical dissipation regions, and local regions of enhanced ambipolar diffusion. Cosmic rays are scattered and accelerated in turbulent magnetic waves and shocks, and they generate turbulence on the scale of their gyroradii. Radio wave scintillation is an important diagnostic for small scale turbulence in the ionized medium, giving information about the power spectrum and amplitude of fluctuations. The theory of diffraction and refraction is reviewed, as are the main observations and scintillation regions.Comment: 46 pages, 2 figures, submitted to Annual Reviews of Astronomy and Astrophysic

Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of sublingual immunotherapy in children with house dust mite allergy in primary care: study design and recruitment

Background. For respiratory allergic disorders in children, sublingual immunotherapy has been developed as an alternative to subcutaneous immunotherapy. Sublingual immunotherapy is more convenient, has a good safety profile and might be an attractive option for use in primary care. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study was designed to establish the ef

Application of adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) infusions in palliative home care: design of a randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND: Palliative care in cancer aims at alleviating the suffering of patients. A previous study in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer showed that adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) infusions had a favourable effect on fatigue, appetite, body weight, muscle strength, functional status and quality of life. The present study was designed 1. To evaluate whether ATP has favourable effects in terminally ill cancer patients, 2. To evaluate whether ATP infusions may reduce family caregiver burden and reduce the use of professional health care services, and 3. To test the feasibility of application of ATP infusions in a home care setting. METHODS/DESIGN: The study can be characterized as an open-labelled randomized controlled trial with two parallel groups. The intervention group received usual palliative care, two visits by an experienced dietician for advice, and regular ATP infusions over a period of 8 weeks. The control group received palliative care as usual and dietetic advice, but no ATP. This paper gives a description of the study design, selection of patients, interventions and outcome measures. DISCUSSION: From April 2002 through October 2006, a total of 100 patients have been randomized. Follow-up of patients will be completed in December 2006. At the time of writing, five patients are still in follow up. Of the 95 patients who have completed the study, 69 (73%) have completed four weeks of follow-up, and 53 (56%) have completed the full eight-week study period. The first results are expected in 2007