Masyarakat pribumi, infrastruktur sosial dan pembangunan terancang di Malaysia: kajian penglibatan masyarakat Orang Asli di RPS Air Banun, Belum-Temengor, Perak

Kemudahan infrastruktur sosial melibatkan penyediaan kemudahan, perkhidmatan dan rangkaian perhubungan yang penting bagi memenuhi keperluan asas manusia. Kemudahan infrastuktur yang sempurna yang disediakan untuk masyarakat menjadi lambang kemodenan, pembangunan dan perubahan. Penyediaan infrastruktur sosial di Malaysia adalah membanggakan semenjak negara mencapai kemerdekaan. Walaubagaimanapun, masih terdapat sesetengah masyarakat yang masih belum menerima kemudahan infrastruktur sosial yang sewajarnya. Kajian ini menilai keperluan infrastrukutur sosial yang disediakan kepada masyarakat Orang Asli di Malaysia. Data primer diperolehi daripada kajian di sembilan daripada 18 buah perkampungan Orang Asli di RPS Air Banun, Perak . Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa kesan pembangunan kemudahan sosial yang terdapat di kawasan penempatan komuniti Orang Asli di RPS Air Banun masih tidak mencukupi. Kerjasama dan perhatian daripada pihak berkepentingan amat diperlukan untuk memastikan mereka berupaya menerima kemudahan sosial asas sama seperti masyarakat Malaysia yang lain, terutama dalam konteks pembangunan terancang seperti terrungkap di dalam Pelan Induk Bersepadu bagi kawasan Hutan Tropikal Belum Temengor (IMP BTTR)

Pelancongan dan pembangunan setempat di Malaysia: satu analisis SWOT Royal Belum sebagai produk ekopelancongan

Pelancongan menjadi salah satu industri terpenting kerana bukan saja berupaya mengembangkan dimensi fizikal dan ekonomi negara tetapi juga sektor sosial, budaya, politik dan teknologi. Kajian ini meneliti produk ekopelancongan Kajian ini meneliti produk ekopelancongan di Taman Royal Belum dalam pelbagai aspek sejak diwartakan sebagai Taman Negeri dari segi kekuatan,kelemahan, peluang dan ancaman dalam model perancangan dan pembangunan pelancongan wilayah. Pendekatan kajian adalah secara kualitatif dan analisis SWOT (strengths, weakness, opportunity and threats) telah digunakan. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa Taman Royal Belum sebagai salah sebuah tarikan destinasi pelancongan banyak menawarkan pelbagai keistimewaan seperti flora dan fauna, masyarakat, tanih, pemandangan dan sebagainya. Namun terdapat kelemahan di sebalik kelebihan ini seperti pembalakan di sekeliling, ketidakseimbangan alam sekitar, pencemaran dan kekurangan infrastruktur asas. Permasalahan ini telah melahirkan pelbagai cabaran yang perlu dihadapi oleh pihak berkuasa dan masyarakat secara umumnya untuk merealisasikan hasrat bagi memelihara Royal Belum sebagai salah sebuah aset pelancongan negara

An update of the general health status in the indigenous populations of Malaysia

Objective. Health scenarios are constantly evolving, particularly in developing countries but little is known regarding the health status of indigenous groups in Malaysia. This study aims to elucidate the current health status in four indigenous populations in the country, who by and large been left out of mainstream healthcare developments. Methods. Participants were recruited from the Temuan, Jehai, Kensiu and Bidayuh indigenous groups throughout Peninsula Malaysia and Sarawak. Health parameters including body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, casual blood glucose and, total cholesterol levels were measured using established methods. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) levels were measured to assess oxidative stress status. Blood films were screened for evidence of microbial or parasitic infections and leukocyte differential counting was performed. Results. The Temuan and Bidayuh who are more urbanized, had significantly higher mean body weight, BMI, total cholesterol (pB0.05) and higher prevalence of obesity and hypercholesterolemia. Low cholesterol levels, elevated eosinophil counts and increased total IgE, indicative of immune responses to infection or allergy, were recorded in the rural Kensiu and Jehai. The Kensiu had higher levels of FRAP and lower levels of MDA, whereas the reverse was found in the Temuan. This suggests reduced oxidative stress in the Kensiu compared to the Temuan. Expected correlations between FRAP and MDA levels with age, were evident in Jehai. Conclusions. Our findings reflect a shifting health burden and an epidemiological transition, particularly in the Temuan and Bidayuh. These changes could be attributed to dietary habits, lifestyles and socio-economic factors brought about by urbanization

Evolutionary history of continental South East Asians: “early train” hypothesis based on genetic analysis of mitochondrial and autosomal DNA data

The population history of the indigenous populations in island Southeast Asia is generally accepted to have been shaped by two major migrations: the ancient “Out of Africa” migration 50,000 years before present (YBP) and the relatively recent “Out of Taiwan” expansion of Austronesian agriculturalists approximately 5,000 YBP. The Negritos are believed to have originated from the ancient migration, whereas the majority of island Southeast Asians are associated with the Austronesian expansion. We determined 86 mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) complete genome sequences in four indigenous Malaysian populations, together with a reanalysis of published autosomal single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data of Southeast Asians to test the plausibility and impact of those migration models. The three Austronesian groups (Bidayuh, Selatar, and Temuan) showed high frequencies of mtDNA haplogroups, which originated from the Asian mainland 30,000–10,000 YBP, but low frequencies of “Out of Taiwan” markers. Principal component analysis and phylogenetic analysis using autosomal SNP data indicate a dichotomy between continental and island Austronesian groups. We argue that both the mtDNA and autosomal data suggest an “Early Train” migration originating from Indochina or South China around the late-Pleistocene to early-Holocene period, which predates, but may not necessarily exclude, the Austronesian expansion

Identification of Close Relatives in the HUGO Pan-Asian SNP Database

The HUGO Pan-Asian SNP Consortium has recently released a genome-wide dataset, which consists of 1,719 DNA samples collected from 71 Asian populations. For studies of human population genetics such as genetic structure and migration history, this provided the most comprehensive large-scale survey of genetic variation to date in East and Southeast Asia. However, although considered in the analysis, close relatives were not clearly reported in the original paper. Here we performed a systematic analysis of genetic relationships among individuals from the Pan-Asian SNP (PASNP) database and identified 3 pairs of monozygotic twins or duplicate samples, 100 pairs of first-degree and 161 second-degree of relationships. Three standardized subsets with different levels of unrelated individuals were suggested here for future applications of the samples in most types of population-genetics studies (denoted by PASNP1716, PASNP1640 and PASNP1583 respectively) based on the relationships inferred in this study. In addition, we provided gender information for PASNP samples, which were not included in the original dataset, based on analysis of X chromosome data

Population Genetic Structure of Peninsular Malaysia Malay Sub-Ethnic Groups

Patterns of modern human population structure are helpful in understanding the history of human migration and admixture. We conducted a study on genetic structure of the Malay population in Malaysia, using 54,794 genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism genotype data generated in four Malay sub-ethnic groups in peninsular Malaysia (Melayu Kelantan, Melayu Minang, Melayu Jawa and Melayu Bugis). To the best of our knowledge this is the first study conducted on these four Malay sub-ethnic groups and the analysis of genotype data of these four groups were compiled together with 11 other populations' genotype data from Indonesia, China, India, Africa and indigenous populations in Peninsular Malaysia obtained from the Pan-Asian SNP database. The phylogeny of populations showed that all of the four Malay sub-ethnic groups are separated into at least three different clusters. The Melayu Jawa, Melayu Bugis and Melayu Minang have a very close genetic relationship with Indonesian populations indicating a common ancestral history, while the Melayu Kelantan formed a distinct group on the tree indicating that they are genetically different from the other Malay sub-ethnic groups. We have detected genetic structuring among the Malay populations and this could possibly be accounted for by their different historical origins. Our results provide information of the genetic differentiation between these populations and a valuable insight into the origins of the Malay sub-ethnic groups in Peninsular Malaysia

The Changing Landscape for Stroke\ua0Prevention in AF: Findings From the GLORIA-AF Registry Phase 2

Background GLORIA-AF (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation) is a prospective, global registry program describing antithrombotic treatment patterns in patients with newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation at risk of stroke. Phase 2 began when dabigatran, the first non\u2013vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC), became available. Objectives This study sought to describe phase 2 baseline data and compare these with the pre-NOAC era collected during phase 1. Methods During phase 2, 15,641 consenting patients were enrolled (November 2011 to December 2014); 15,092 were eligible. This pre-specified cross-sectional analysis describes eligible patients\u2019 baseline characteristics. Atrial fibrillation disease characteristics, medical outcomes, and concomitant diseases and medications were collected. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results Of the total patients, 45.5% were female; median age was 71 (interquartile range: 64, 78) years. Patients were from Europe (47.1%), North America (22.5%), Asia (20.3%), Latin America (6.0%), and the Middle East/Africa (4.0%). Most had high stroke risk (CHA2DS2-VASc [Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age  6575 years, Diabetes mellitus, previous Stroke, Vascular disease, Age 65 to 74 years, Sex category] score  652; 86.1%); 13.9% had moderate risk (CHA2DS2-VASc = 1). Overall, 79.9% received oral anticoagulants, of whom 47.6% received NOAC and 32.3% vitamin K antagonists (VKA); 12.1% received antiplatelet agents; 7.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. For comparison, the proportion of phase 1 patients (of N = 1,063 all eligible) prescribed VKA was 32.8%, acetylsalicylic acid 41.7%, and no therapy 20.2%. In Europe in phase 2, treatment with NOAC was more common than VKA (52.3% and 37.8%, respectively); 6.0% of patients received antiplatelet treatment; and 3.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. In North America, 52.1%, 26.2%, and 14.0% of patients received NOAC, VKA, and antiplatelet drugs, respectively; 7.5% received no antithrombotic treatment. NOAC use was less common in Asia (27.7%), where 27.5% of patients received VKA, 25.0% antiplatelet drugs, and 19.8% no antithrombotic treatment. Conclusions The baseline data from GLORIA-AF phase 2 demonstrate that in newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients, NOAC have been highly adopted into practice, becoming more frequently prescribed than VKA in Europe and North America. Worldwide, however, a large proportion of patients remain undertreated, particularly in Asia and North America. (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation [GLORIA-AF]; NCT01468701