Evaluation of anti-tuberculosis potentials of selected medicinal plants in Endau Rompin, Johor, Malaysia

Tuberculosis (TB) remains an escalating health crisis globally which prompts new approaches to find more effective therapeutic strategies. Medicinal plants of Malaysia have a significant role to play in being able to provide new therapeutic remedies. The local people of Kampung Peta (Jakun tribe), Endau Rompin claimed that local preparations of some plants are used to treat symptoms of tuberculosis. There is a need to validate the claim by tradition healers scientifically. The aim of this research is to search for anti-TB from plants of Taman Negara Johor Endau-Rompin, exploiting the traditional medical practices of the Jakun people. Aqueous and organic extracts of these plant species were screened for their antimycobacterial activity using agar disk diffusion assay, Tetrazolium Microplate Assay and agar plate assay against Mycobacterium smegmatis. The effect of the extract on mycobacterial cell at the cellular level was investigated upon treatment with the crude extracts via time-kill analysis, leakage of compound absorbing at 280nm, and field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The findings revealed that methanol extract of Nepenthes ampularia displayed the largest zone of inhibition (DIZ=18.67 ± 0.58 mm). Ethyl acetate extract of Musa gracilis and hexane extract of N. ampularia exhibited the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC=0.39 mg/mL). Hexane extract of N. ampularia showed the lowest minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC= 1.56 mg/mL). At 3-fold of MIC, hexane extract of N. ampularia, ethyl acetate extract of M. gracilis and ethyl acetate extract of N. ampularia killed the entire bacterial cell within 8 h of exposure by causing the cell lysis. The GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of phytoconstituents that might contribute to the antimycobacterial effect. The study scientifically justified the use of the selected medicinal plant species by Jakun people. Further studies on N. ampularia and M. gracilis could lead to the development of new anti-TB drugs

Epidemiological and awareness study of tuberculosis in Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the serious infectious diseases and has been characterized worldwide as an epidemic by World Health Organization (WHO). TB is still a public health problem in Malaysia. Baseline information on the disease situation is one of the prerequisites for the development of appropriate control measures. The cornerstone in proper management of TB patients is ensuring high awareness in communities about TB. Thus the current research is directed to investigate the epidemiology of TB, determined the level of public awareness of TB and some factors that are responsible for the emergence of TB. Retrospective method was used for collecting epidemiological data from the Batu Pahat chest clinic. All registered TB patients (total of 1213 patients) from 2008 to 2013 in Batu Pahat Chest Clinic were included in the study. On the other hand, the awareness study was carried out by the use of questionnaires. A two-stage cluster sampling method was used. 600 respondents were targeted which form the study sample. However, 498 questionnaires were returned. Descriptive data analysis was employed to describe the results in frequency and percentage distribution. It was discovered that there was an annually increase in TB incidence with pulmonary TB the most common infection in Batu Pahat. Almost all (92.7%) the TB cases were new. On the other hand, majority (87.0%) of respondents have heard about TB. Common symptoms identified by respondents were coughing for over 2 weeks (51.8%), hemoptysis (49.2%) and difficulty in breathing (50.2%). Smoking cigarette (74.3%), living with individual having chronic cough (71.5%) and HIV/AIDS (65.7%) were the common risk factors of TB identified by respondents. Most of the respondents (83.5%) were aware of the existence of TB drugs. However, the standard DOTs treatment duration of 6-9 months was identified by few (12.4%) respondents. This research provided information regarding TB status in Batu Pahat. The level of awareness among Batu Pahat general public about TB is fairly good. Meanwhile, more need to be done especially on diabetes as the risk factors of TB and treatment duration

CHARACTER EDUCATION IN THE ACEHNESE IDIOMS OF KUALA BATEE COMMUNITY OF SOUTHWEST ACEH

This study is entitled "Character Education in the Acehnese Idiom in the Kuala Batee Community of Southwest Aceh”. The Acehnese idiom was used as a support in advising and as a means of maintaining existing norms in the society. A Society is one of the most influential molders of character education because of its interactions. The values of traditional culture are recognized by all levels of the society in the regions and nationalities that become national identities. Not only culture, local languages also need to be used in daily interactions in society so that they do not experience a serious decline, which will eventually disappear over the time. In this case, the Acehnese Idiom became a medium to spread the value of character education to the next generation. The purpose of this study is to describe the Acehnese expressions that contain the values of character education in the community of Kuala Batee Southwest Aceh. The method of this research is a descriptive qualitative. Interview was used as an instrument. In this study, 8 subjects are chosen using purposive sampling that consist of tuhapheut and village elders in the community. The location of this study is in Kuala Batee District, Southwest Aceh.  There are 18 character values in the Acehnese Idiom in the community of Kuala Batee, Southwest Aceh which consists of; religious, honest, tolerance, discipline, hard work, creative, independent, democratic, curiosity, national spirit, love of the homeland, respect for achievement, friendly/communicative, love peace, love to read, care for the environment, social care and responsibility. The expressions found in the Kuala Batee community are in the form of one line, two lines, three lines and four lines. The Acehnese idiom in the community of Kuala Batee Southwest Aceh is in the oral form which has its own meaning and use as an advice relating to divinity, self, others and the environment. Based on the above conclusions, the author suggests the community to preserve the Acehnese idiom so that it becomes a legacy for the next generation. To the government, it is hoped that they will support to publish references related to Acehnese idioms and other types of folklore related to Acehnese culture so that they can add references to other studies.

LEGAL PROTECTION OF THE CREDITOR ON FIDUCIARY GUARANTEE OBJECTS UNLISTED IN THE FIDUCIARY REGISTRATION OFFICE

The aim of this study was to analyze the legal protection of the creditor and their weaknesses on the fiduciary guarantee objects unlisted in the current Fiduciary Registration Office. This study is a normative legal research or also called doctrinal legal research. This research will use facts that describe the legal protection of the creditor on the fiduciary guarantee objects unlisted in the current fiduciary registration office, the weaknesses of legal protection of the creditor on the fiduciary guarantee objects unlisted in the current fiduciary registration office, and the reconstruction of the legal protection of the creditor on the fiduciary guarantee unlisted in the fiduciary registration office based on the value of justice. The result of the research is that the Government should immediately establish the Supervisory Agency and Execution of Fiduciary Guarantee Objects based on Government Regulation in Lieu of Law and other legislation

Lessons from the foreign exchange market reforms in Ghana: 1983-2006

This paper critically examines the trade and exchange reforms that paved way for the implementation of the current flexible, market-based exchange rate regime in Ghana. Using descriptive method, the paper argues that Ghana has succeeded in unifying its exchange rates without the inflationary consequences, as Pinto (1988, 1990) predicts, partly because of the strategy used. The strategy involved a gradual, rather than overnight, exit from the rigidly fixed exchange rate regime. It therefore enabled the development of a relatively more liquid and deeper foreign exchange market as well as the development of monetary authorities’ capacity to monitor and supervise the operations of the market. In addition, the IMF/World Bank’s support with foreign exchange (loans and aid) enabled an orderly and gradual exit to a flexible regime in Ghana. The paper then examines the macroeconomic response to the reforms by analysing the trends in some major economic aggregates during the reform process. One major policy lesson from the Ghanaian exchange rate reforms is that unless there is a reliable source of foreign exchange, liberalising trade could cause policy reversals by causing substantial and sudden exchange rate depreciations that are politically risky.Economic Reform, Trade Reforms, Parallel Market, Exchange Rates Unification, Ghana

Openness and growth in Sub-Saharan Africa: Time series and cross-country analysis

This paper presents empirical evidence from a cross-section sample of thirty six Sub-Saharan African countries and time-series sample of selected seven. The evidence suggests that countries in the region that open generally tend to grow faster than those that are closed. However, the country-case study suggests that whether a particular country experiences higher output growth as it “opens up” is contingent upon its own peculiaritiesOpenness, FDI, Africa, Growth, Sub-Sharan Africa

WATER, SANITATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IN URBAN FRINGE SETTLEMENTS IN NIGERIA

The importance of water and sanitation facilities has been reflected in the measurement of human development and in their inclusion in Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Water and sanitation facilities attain a unique situation at the urban fringe. This study is focused on the investigation of the supply of water and sanitation facilities in the fringe settlements along a development corridor of Minna, Nigeria. This corridor is attracting development from both federal and state institutions including large scale housing development. The settlements are outside the limits of water mains for the city of Minna and have received little attention in the provision of water and sanitation facilities. The present state of water and sanitation in these settlements connote low human development and stand at risk to the health of the people. The danger of serious impact on health with current urbanization of these settlements calls for re-evaluation of a laissez-faire approach that leaves the residents to informal adjustment. Against these backgrounds, the objectives of this paper are to investigate access to water and sanitation facilities in the urban fringe settlements, to determine the adequacy of these facilities; to investigate coping mechanisms by the people, to understand the burden of water search and how these are likely to affect health and human development and to discuss how integrated community-based efforts could improve water and sanitation facilities in the settlements.water, sanitation, deprivation, poverty, human development.