A comparative study of heavy metal concentrations in the clam Corbicula javanica and surface sediments collected from clean and polluted sites of Langat River, Selangor.

Previously, anthropogenic activities in Langat River had been reported to have negative impact on the riverine water quality (Sarmani, 1989; Azrina et al., 2006). This involved a wide range of macrobenthic invertebrates. Since the Langat River serves as one of the major sources of drinking water for the citizens of Kuala Lumpur (Sarmani, 1989), pollution due to domestic and industrial wastes from rubber mills which can be found at the south of Hulu Langat town and palm oil refineries close to Banting (Sarmani, 1989). This has raised concern on the need to conduct continuous monitoring of hazardous materials at Langat River, particularly heavy metals. There are several monitoring approaches to quantify and investigate heavy metal contamination, such as, by analyses of concentrations in water, sediments and biota. Sarmani (1989) had reported arsenic concentrations was slightly higher than that of natural level, particularly water of downstream of the river. In respect of sediment analysis, Shazili et al. (2006) have reported sediments of Langat River were confronted with Pb and Zn. In current study, the quantification of heavy metal concentrations in the surface sediments and the measurement of metal concentrations in indigenous biomonitor clam Corbicula javanica were conducted. The metal concentrations found in the biomonitor have high relevant from ecotoxicological point of view because they reflect the metal bioavailabilities to the biomonitor from the ecosystem (Rainbow, 1995)

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Public Awareness and Practices Towards Self-Medication with Antibiotics Among Malaysian Population: Questionnaire Development and Pilot Testing

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Twelve-month observational study of children with cancer in 41 countries during the COVID-19 pandemic

Childhood cancer is a leading cause of death. It is unclear whether the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted childhood cancer mortality. In this study, we aimed to establish all-cause mortality rates for childhood cancers during the COVID-19 pandemic and determine the factors associated with mortality