Approaches to Construction Waste Management in Malaysia

The concept of construction waste management was introduced a long time ago but the effort of waste minimization has, for the most part, merely been observed and not practiced. Additionally, an increasing allocation of landfills has indicated a growing production of waste. However, the allocation of funding or skills for the prevention of waste has been scarce as waste minimization has not been given enough attention. One such example is the undertaking of different stages of construction, which often does not account for future problems in construction waste. Hence, this study is intended to investigate common waste management practices on construction sites in Malaysia. As part of this investigation, site observations and questionnaires were conducted to collect information from the respondents. Comprehensive literature reviews also helped to understand the latest norms as well as previous practices in waste management. The results reflected that certain areas of knowledge and implementation showed great gaps with the same mistakes appearing frequently, pointing to the conclusion that known causes of excess waste are often not rectified and suggestions for improvement are not fully incorporated in standard practices

Megaoesophagus secondary to oesophagitis and oesophageal stricture associated with doxycycline therapy in a domestic shorthair kitten

Oesophageal strictures associated with doxycycline therapy in cats are a rare occurrence but several cases have been reported. A 3-month-old kitten was presented to University Veterinary Hospital, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UVH-UPM) with the primary complaint of persistent vomiting. The kitten was prescribed with doxycycline two weeks prior to presentation. Regurgitation was observed during hospitalisation. Radiographs and endoscopy performed revealed findings consistent with a megaesophagus cranial to an oesophageal stricture located at the region of the second thoracic vertebrae

Serological prevalence and haematological profile of Feline Immunodeficiency virus (FIV) in semi-roamer and outdoor cats

Feline Immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is among the most common infectious diseases diagnosed in cats. In this study, 55 client-owned cats presented to the University Veterinary Hospital, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UVH-UPM) were sampled. Inclusion criteria were semi-roamer and outdoor cats aged more than 6 mont hs old. Blood samples were collected for serological testing us ing commercial immunochromatographic test kits and haematological an alysis. Of the 55 cats tested, 13 cats (23.6%) tested positive for FIV antibodies. There was a significant association (P<0.05) between neuter and health status to FIV seropositivity. FIV infect ions were more likely occured in intact cats compared to neutered cat s, and in sick cats compared to healthy cats. Erythrocytes, hemoglobin and packed cell volume (PCV) were significantly redu ced (P<0.05) in FIV cats compared to FIV-seronegative cats, however these parameters were within the normal range

Morphology, carbohydrate distribution, gene expression, and enzymatic activities related to cell wall hydrolysis in four barley varieties during simulated malting

Many biological processes, such as cell wall hydrolysis and the mobilisation of nutrient reserves from the starchy endosperm, require stringent regulation to successfully malt barley (Hordeum vulgare) grain in an industrial context. Much of the accumulated knowledge defining these events has been collected from individual, unrelated experiments, and data have often been extrapolated from Petri dish germination, rather than malting, experiments. Here, we present comprehensive morphological, biochemical, and transcript data from a simulated malt batch of the three elite malting cultivars Admiral, Navigator, and Flagship, and the feed cultivar Keel. Activities of lytic enzymes implicated in cell wall and starch depolymerisation in germinated grain have been measured, and transcript data for published cell wall hydrolytic genes have been provided. It was notable that Flagship and Keel exhibited generally similar patterns of enzyme and transcript expression, but exhibited a few key differences that may partially explain Flagship's superior malting qualities. Admiral and Navigator also showed matching expression patterns for these genes and enzymes, but the patterns differed from those of Flagship and Keel, despite Admiral and Navigator having Keel as a common ancestor. Overall (1,3;1,4)-β-glucanase activity differed between cultivars, with lower enzyme levels and concomitantly higher amounts of (1,3;1,4)-β-glucan in the feed variety, Keel, at the end of malting. Transcript levels of the gene encoding (1,3;1,4)-β-glucanase isoenzyme EI were almost three times higher than those encoding isoenzyme EII, suggesting a previously unrecognised importance for isoenzyme EI during malting. Careful morphological examination showed that scutellum epithelial cells in mature dry grain are elongated but expand no further as malting progresses, in contrast to equivalent cells in other cereals, perhaps demonstrating a morphological change in this critical organ over generations of breeding selection. Fluorescent immuno-histochemical labelling revealed the presence of pectin in the nucellus and, for the first time, significant amounts of callose throughout the starchy endosperm of mature grain.Natalie S. Betts, Laura G. Wilkinson, Shi F. Khor, Neil J. Shirley, Finn Lok, Birgitte Skadhauge, Rachel A. Burton, Geoffrey B. Fincher and Helen M. Collin

Anatomical structures and fiber morphology of new kenaf varieties

Kenaf plant is claimed as one of the fast-growing herbaceous plants with the high potential as a fiber material or lignocellulosic material. Nine kenaf varieties i.e., Q-Ping, KK60, V12, V19, V36, V132 and NS V133 and TK were introduced recently by Taman Pertanian Universiti, Universiti Putra Malaysia as one of the potential plant to replace tobacco plantation. Since, these nine kenaf varieties are new to Malaysia, therefore, there is a need to study their anatomical structures and fiber morphology as well as microscopic appearances to understand their different and similarity. Cell morphology and anatomical appearances were observed and evaluated under the image analysis system (Leitz DMRB). From the results, V19 and V12 had the wider ray among the nine varieties, whereas other varieties in their microscopic appearance were almost similar to those observed in many diffuse-porous hardwoods. The longest fiber length was observed in variety TK (2.96 mm) followed by V36. Q-ping showed the widest fiber diameter and lumen diameter amongst the nine varieties, with value of 28.64 μm in bast fiber and 28.06 μm in core diameter. However, Q-ping had the thinnest core cell wall with the thickness of 3.34 μm. In term of fiber length, all the kenaf varieties bast fiber has longer fiber than core fiber. The kenaf core of nine varieties has wider fiber diameter and fiber lumen diameter than the bast fiber. Conclusively, although kenaf exhibit similarity in some fiber morphology and anatomical structures, however, there still some distinction that can be used to differentiate these kenaf variety

Congenital biliary anomaly with secondary cholangiohepatitis in a Siamese cross kitten

A 5-month-old Siamese cross kitten was presented with jaundice and a palpable abdominal mass at the right cranial quadrant. The extra-hepatic biliary system was markedly distended upon abdominal ultrasonography. Complete bile duct obstruction was ruled out due to the presence of urobilinogen, light brown stool, and consistently normal alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels. Head tremors developed on the second day of hospitalization. Tentative diagnoses of congenital biliary anomaly and hepatic encephalopathy were derived and exploratory laparotomy revealed a severely distended and tortuous bile duct indistinguishable from the gallbladder with negative duodenal filling. Modified cholechoduodenostomy was performed however the kitten did not recover from general anaesthesia. Secondary cholangiohepatitis and hepatic encephalopathy were confirmed upon histopathologic examination.Primary congenital biliary atresia or choledochal cyst with secondary cholangiohepatitis was suspected. Biliary anomalies are rare in cats with only two cases reported in the literature. These conditions are often challenging to diagnose and due to the limited treatment options, have a poor prognosis

Differences in glycosyltransferase family 61 accompany variation in seed coat mucilage composition in Plantago spp.

Xylans are the most abundant non-cellulosic polysaccharide found in plant cell walls. A diverse range of xylan structures influence tissue function during growth and development. Despite the abundance of xylans in nature, details of the genes and biochemical pathways controlling their biosynthesis are lacking. In this study we have utilized natural variation within the Plantago genus to examine variation in heteroxylan composition and structure in seed coat mucilage. Compositional assays were combined with analysis of the glycosyltransferase family 61 (GT61) family during seed coat development, with the aim of identifying GT61 sequences participating in xylan backbone substitution. The results reveal natural variation in heteroxylan content and structure, particularly in P. ovata and P. cunninghamii, species which show a similar amount of heteroxylan but different backbone substitution profiles. Analysis of the GT61 family identified specific sequences co-expressed with IRREGULAR XYLEM 10 genes, which encode putative xylan synthases, revealing a close temporal association between xylan synthesis and substitution. Moreover, in P. ovata, several abundant GT61 sequences appear to lack orthologues in P. cunninghamii. Our results indicate that natural variation in Plantago species can be exploited to reveal novel details of seed coat development and polysaccharide biosynthetic pathways.Jana L. Phan, Matthew R. Tucker, Shi Fang Khor, Neil Shirley, Jelle Lahnstein, Cherie Beahan, Antony Bacic and Rachel A. Burto

Comparison of 68Ga-DOTANOC with 18F-FDG using PET/MRI imaging in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis

We compared the somatostatin analog radioligand, DOTANOC, with FDG, to determine whether there was increased detection of active or sub-clinical lesions in pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) with DOTANOC. Three groups were recruited: (1) active pulmonary TB; (2) IGRA-positive household TB contacts; (3) pneumonia (non-TB). DOTANOC PET/MRI followed by FDG PET/MRI was performed in active TB and pneumonia groups. TB contacts underwent FDG PET/MRI, then DOTANOC PET/MRI if abnormalities were detected. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed for total lung and individual lesions. Eight active TB participants, three TB contacts and three pneumonia patients had paired PET/MRI scans. In the active TB group, median SUVmax[FDG] for parenchymal lesions was 7.69 (range 3.00–15.88); median SUVmax[DOTANOC] was 2.59 (1.48–6.40). Regions of tracer uptake were fairly similar for both radioligands, albeit more diffusely distributed in the FDG scans. In TB contacts, two PET/MRIs had parenchymal lesions detected with FDG (SUVmax 5.50 and 1.82), with corresponding DOTANOC uptake < 1. FDG and DOTANOC uptake was similar in pneumonia patients (SUVmax[FDG] 4.17–6.18; SUVmax[DOTANOC] 2.92–4.78). DOTANOC can detect pulmonary TB lesions, but FDG is more sensitive for both active and sub-clinical lesions. FDG remains the preferred ligand for clinical studies, although DOTANOC may provide additional value for pathogenesis studies