Human Interaction In Urban Open Spaces

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the multi-dimensional human interaction experienced in the open spaces and develop the ranking of human interaction in relation to the typological of open spaces. The analysis in this paper addresses human-human interaction and human-nature interaction in five selected open spaces of Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. The findings show that all four research domains namely socio-demographic domain, the human-human interactions in open spaces domain, the human-nature interactions in open spaces domain and perceived benefits domain significantly influence the human interactions in the Shah Alam open spaces area.Keywords: open spaces; sustainability; human interaction; landscapeeISSN: 2398-4287 © 2019. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v4i10.159

Evaluating Multi-dimensional Human Needs in Open Spaces: Taman Tasik Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

The paper aims to provide valuable insight of the various dimensions of human needs’ and their perceived benefits towards open spaces. This study employed a mixed method research design involving both quantitative and qualitative methods that were utilised to identify and evaluate the human-human interaction and human-nature interaction in the area of study. Primary data was gathered by using questionnaire survey that administered to 428 respondents as visitors to a public park. The finding of this study is intended to show the main domains that reflect human needs’ toward open spaces together with perceived benefits to the open spaces users.© 2016. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.Keywords: Open spaces; physical health; outdoor urban environment; human interactio

A prevalence of elevated ARR in rural Selangor

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of elevated Aldosterone Renin Ratio (ARR) in Rural Selangor. Methods This was a cross sectional study involving subjects in Kuala Selangor and Tanjung Karang. The World Health Survey Kish tables were used to select eligible subjects (≥18 years old) from each household. Their social demography, past medical history, anthropometric measurement and blood pressure were recorded. Blood were withdrawn for Aldosterone (ALD), Plasma Renin Activity (PRA), Creatinine (creat) and potassium (K). Raised ARR is defined as aldosterone/renin ratio of more than 20. Results A total of 392 subjects (age 55 +/- 14.1) were enrolled. Fourty three (11%) subjects showed an ARR > 20. Out of those with raised ARR, 16 (38%) were hypertensive, 2 of which were not taking any anti-hypertensive drugs and 27 subjects (62.8%) were normotensive. Only 2 (4.7%) of them were hypokalemic, one of them being hypertensive. Conclusion The prevalence of raised ARR in Rural Selangor was 11%, and only 4.7% of them were hypokalemic

Prevalence of thyroid disorders and thyroid autoantibodies among coastal communities of Malaysia (part of nationwide study of thyroid disorders in Malaysia)

Objectives To determine the prevalence of thyroid disorders and thyroid autoantibodies in the coastal communities of Malaysia. This study is part of a nationwide study looking into the prevalence of thyroid disorders. Methods A cross sectional study was performed in two coastal districts of rural Selangor. A village from each district was chosen where a participant from each household from the village was selected using KISH tables. Sociodemographic data, medical history, anthropometric measurement and thyroid examination were performed. The presence of goiter was recorded according to the World Health Organization (WHO) goiter grading system. Blood withdrawn was tested for thyroid function and thyroid autoantibodies. Thyroid antibodies analyses were done using Immulite 2000 system. Lowest detectable limit for anti-thyroperoxidase (antiTPO) and antithyroglobulin (antiTG) are 10 IU/mL and 20 IU/mL respectively. Low, moderate and high titre is defined 40 - 100 IU/mL, 101-1000 IU/mL and >1000 IU/mL respectively. Results A total of 418 subjects were recruited with a mean age of 54.1 ± 14.2 years. Majority were Malays (86.8%), followed by Indians (11.7%) and Chinese (1.4%). Among respondents, 2.9% had Grade 1 and 8.9% had Grade 2 goitre. A mere 3.4% had clinically palpable thyroid nodules. A total of 411 blood samples were available for thyroid level assessment, with 1.9% of respondents were found to have hypothyroidism while 85.6% had TSH in the range of 0.32-2.5 mIU/L. The prevalence of overt and subclinical hypothyroidism was 0.2% and 1.7% AFES 2015 10 – 13 December 2015 respectively. On the otherhand, 3.4% of respondents were hyperthyroid (TSH < 0.32 mIU/L) with prevalence of overt and subclinical hyperthyroidism being 0.5% and 2.9% respectively. Among 417 samples which were available for antiTPO analysis, 8.9% has detectable antiTPO titre (>40.0 IU/mL), with 4.3% had moderate and 2.4% had high antiTPO titres. One respondent (10%) from among those with high antiTPO titres was found to have T3 thyrotoxicosis. Fourty percent of euthyroid respondents with high titre and 38.9% with moderate titre had high normal TSH, in the range of 2.51 – 5.00 mIU/L (p<0.001). Among 417 samples which are available for antiTG analysis, 3.4% and 5.3% had low detectable and moderate antiTG titres respectively. Only 0.5% (2 respondents) had high antiTG titre (>1000 IU/mL) and found to be hypothyroid. Among those with moderately positive titre, 9.1% were hyperthyroid and majority (63.6%), although euthyroid, had TSH levels between 0.32 – 2.50 mIU/L (p<0.001). Conclusion The low prevalence of thyroid antibodies and thyroid disorders in coastal communities could be attributed to the iodine sufficient status in those areas. Euthyroid respondents with moderate and high antiTPO titres tend to have higher TSH levels, while those with moderate and high antiTG titres had lower TSH levels

Prevalence, awareness and control of hypertension in rural areas in Selangor and Perak

Abstract The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence, awareness and control of hypertension in the rural population of Perak and Selangor. Methods This was a population based cross-sectional study involving subjects in Kuala Selangor, Tanjung Karang and Bidor. The World Health Survey Kish tables were used to select eligible subject (≥18 years old) from each selected household. A Case Report Form (CRF) was used to record their social demography, past medical history, anthropometry measurement and blood pressure (BP). Hypertension was defined as a blood pressure > 140/90 mmHg. Hypertension controlled was defined as a blood pressure of < 140/90 mmHg. Results A total of 761 people participated in this study. Of which 287 (37.8%) were males and 473 (62.2%) were females. Out of this, 271 (35.6%) were hypertensive. The study showed 36 (4.7%) subjects were not aware that they have hypertension. Only 76% of hypertensive subjects were on HPT medication. One hundred and five (51%) subjects were on monotherapy, 66 (32%) were on dual therapy, 27 (13.1%) on triple therapy, 8 (3.9%) were on more than 3 medications. 73 (26.9%) of the hypertensive subjects were not on any HPT medications having a SBP of 133.9 +/- 17 and DBP of 86.2 +/- 49.3

Chemical constituents of Phoebe grandis (NEES) Merr, Phoebe tavoyana (MEISSN.) HK.F., and Actinodaphne sesquipedalis Hook. F. Var. glabra and their biological activities / Hanita Omar

Chemical Constituents of Phoebe grandis (Nees) Merr, Phoebe tavoyana (Meissn.) Hk.F., and Actinodaphne sesquipedalis Hook. F. var. glabra And Their Biological Activities Twenty extracts of Phoebe grandis and Phoebe tavoyana; and Actinodaphne sesquipedalis were underwent preliminary screening for their cytotoxicity, antioxidant, antibacterial and antiplasmodial activities. The potential extracts were chosen for detailed phytochemical investigation involving isolation of compounds by chromatographic methods, structural elucidation by means of spectroscopic methods such as UV, IR, MS, 1D and 2D NMR (COSY, HMQC, HMBC, NOESY) and also by comparison with the literature. Further bioassay screenings for some of the identified compounds were also carried out. These techniques have led to the isolation and identification of several isoquinoline type such as aporphine, proaporphine, oxoaporphine, benzylisoquinolines; morphinandienone and sterols. The crude extracts and some of the isolated compounds were screened for cytotoxic, antioxidant and antibacterial activity, using MTT (Microculture Tetrazolium salt), DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl), FRAP (ferric reducing ability of plasma) and disc diffusion methods, respectively. The cell lines used in the cytotoxic assay were MCF-7 (human estrogen receptor (ER+) positive breast cancer), Caov-3 (Human Ovarian cancer cell line) and HepG2 (Human Liver cancer). The antibacterial activity was tested against selected pathogenic bacteria Bacillus subtilis (gram-positive), Staphylococcus aureus S1434 (gram-positive), Staphylococcus epidermidis (grampositive), Escherichia coli (gram-negative), Salmonella typhi (gram-negative), Pasteurella multocida (gram-negative), Enterobacter cloacae (gram-negative) and Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (gram-positive). Phytochemical study on P. grandis leaves has led to the isolation of two new proaporphine alkaloids litsericinone (55) and 8,9,11,12-tetrahydromecambrine (56) along with two known oxoaporphine lysicamine (54) and dicentrinone (58); one known proaporphine hexahydromecambrine A (57). Interestingly, all of compounds were reported for the first time present in the leaves of P. grandis. Phytochemical work of P. grandis bark yielded β-sitosterol (59), stigmasterol (60), boldine (5), Nmethyllaurotetanine (51), reticuline (61) and laurolitsine (6). However, investigation of the leaves of P. tavoyana afforded seven alkaloids of which two were new compounds; tavoyanine A (63) and tavoyanine B (64) along with four known aporphines; laetanine (62), roemerine (20), laurolitsine (6) and boldine (5); and one morphinandienone, sebiferine (22). Phytochemical study has also been performed on A. sesquipedalis leaves and has yielded eight compounds, β-sitosterol (59), dicentrine (52), Nmethyllaurotetanine (51), stigmasterol (60), dicentrinone (58), boldine (5), norisocorydine (65) and laurolitsine (6); and another five compounds have been isolated from the fruits which consists of three alkaloids were dicentrine (52), liriodenine (19) and dicentrinone (58) and two sterols were β-sitosterol (59) and stigmasterol (60). All compounds, except dicentrine (52) have been isolated for the first time from A. sesquipedalis. Lysicamine (54) and litsericinone (55), exhibited cytotoxic activity against MCF7 and HepG2 cell lines. While, 8,9,11,12-tetrahydromecambrine (56) and hexahydromecambrine A (57) exhibited cytotoxic activity against the HepG2 cell line. 8,9,11,12-tetrahydromecambrine (56) and hexahydromecambrine A (57) were not toxic towards the MCF7 cell line. Lysicamine (54) also displayed a strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus with inhibition zones of 13.33 ± 0.57 mm. While, roemerine (20), laurolitsine (6), boldine (5) and sebiferine (22) displayed significant inhibition activity against P. falciparum (3D7)

Evaluating Multi-dimensional Human Needs in Open Spaces: Taman Tasik Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

The paper aims to provide valuable insight of the various dimensions of human needs’ and their perceived benefits towards open spaces. This study employed a mixed method research design involving both quantitative and qualitative methods that were utilised to identify and evaluate the human-human interaction and human-nature interaction in the area of study. Primary data was gathered by using questionnaire survey that administered to 428 respondents as visitors to a public park. The finding of this study is intended to show the main domains that reflect human needs’ toward open spaces together with perceived benefits to the open spaces users. © 2016. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. Keywords: Open spaces; physical health; outdoor urban environment; human interactio

Antibacterial activity against bacillus subtilis and antioxidant properties of methanol extracts from garcinia latissima miq. Leaves

Objective: The objective of this study was to identify fractions with the highest antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis and to determine antioxidant activities and establish the chromatographic fractions as candidate antibacterial and antioxidant agents. Methods: Extracts were fractionated using column chromatography, and antibacterial activities were assayed by the analyses of inhibition zones and bioautography, as well as by broth microdilution techniques. Antioxidant activities were evaluated using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. Results: The strongest antibacterial activity against B. subtilis (ATCC 6633) was observed with fractions B and C obtained in this research, with a minimum inhibitory concentration value of 312.5 μg/mL. The effective percentage (EP) value of crude extract at 10 μg/mL was 29.47±2.01%. Fractions C and D had greater EP values than the crude extract, whereas fraction D had the highest scavenging activity against DPPH free radicals (37.73±1.44%) when used at 10 μg/mL. The half effective concentration of the extract was 23.40 μg/mL, whereas that of the most active fraction D was 19.38 μg/mL and quercetin as positive control was 3.72 μg/mL. Conclusion: The present data confirm that fractions of methanol extract from Garcinia latissima Miq. leaves possess antibacterial and antioxidant activities. These observations may facilitate the development of antimicrobial phytomedicines with a wide spectrum of activities and standardized antioxidant properties