Abstrak: Analisis proximat dua belas jenis buah-buahan yang biasa dimakan oleh kera ekor panjang seperti Arenga pinnata, Areca catechu, Terminalia catappa, Elaies guineensis, Lagerstroemia tomentosa, Mangifera indica, Cascabela thevetia, Muntingia calabura, Musa spp., Artocarpus heterophyllus, Ficus tinctonia ssp. gibbosa dan Ficus microcarpa telah dijalankan dengan objektif khusus untuk menentukan kandungan nutrien makanan kera ekor panjang. Hasil kajian menunjukkan susunan nutrien yang berikut; serat, protein, lemak dan abu. Berdasarkan keputusan daripada analisis kimia, peratusan tertinggi kandungan serat (52.7%), protein (9.9%), lemak (77.2%) dan abu (8.5%) terdapat dalam A. catechu, T. catappa, E. guineensis dan C. thevetia. Kandungan nutrient daripada dua belas jenis buah-buahan ini didapati berbeza antara satu sama lain (Analisis ANOVA: serat, F (11, 24) = 87.978, p < 0.05; fiber, F (11,24) = 28.886, p < 0.05; lemak, F (11,24) = 2081.396, p < 0.05 and abu, F (11,24) = 41.011, p < 0.05). Kandungan serat adalah yang paling tinggi di antara keempat-empat jenis nutrien yang dikaji. Maka, A. catechu mempunyai kandungan serat tertinggi di antara buah-buahan yang diuji, E. guineensis mempunyai kandungan lemak tertinggi, T. catappa mempunyai kandungan protein tertinggi dan kandungan mineral yang paling tinggi terdapat dalam C. thevetia.Kata kunci: Analisis proximat, Kera Ekor Panjang, Nutrisi, Buah-buahan Abstract: Proximate analysis of twelve species of fruits commonly consumed by longtailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis), i.e., Arenga pinnata, Areca catechu, Terminalia catappa, Elaeis guineensis, Lagerstroemia tomentosa, Mangifera indica, Cascabela thevetia, Muntingia calabura, Musa sp., Artocarpus heterophyllus, Ficus tinctoria ssp. gibbosa and Ficus microcarpa, was conducted with the specific objective to determine the nutritional composition of the foodstuffs of long-tailed macaques. The results showed the following order of nutrients: fibre, protein, fat and ash. Based on the results of the chemical analysis, the highest percentage of fibre content (52.7%), protein (9.9%), fat (77.2%) and ash (8.5%) were found in A. catechu, T. catappa, E. guineensis and C. thevetia, respectively. The nutrient composition of these twelve fruit species was found to differ (ANOVA test: crude protein, F (11,24) = 87.978, p < 0.05; crude fibre, F (11,24) = 28.886, p < 0.05; crude fat, F (11,24) = 2081.396, p < 0.05 and ash, F (11,24) = 41.011, p < 0.05). Fibre was found in the highest amount among the four types of nutrients studied. Here, A. catechu had the highest relative fibre content of all tested fruits, E. guineensis had the highest fat content, T. catappa had the highest protein content, and the total mineral content was highest in C. thevetia. *

In Malaysia rural area, the fixed-rate method is the waste charging approach adopted by the local authorities because of low administration cost, but it is ineffective and has caused many environmental issues. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore the public willingness to pay on better solid waste management services at rural area of Kelantan. A total of 911 respondents from three (3) districts (Jeli, Kuala Krai, Gua Musang) participated in this study. The results showed that most respondents (±75%) expressed their satisfaction on current solid waste management services provided. This study indicated that nearly 62% of respondents were willing to pay more for better solid waste management services. This study revealed that the estimated mean willingness to pay (WTP) for better solid waste management service is RM12.05 per household. Logistic regression model suggested that satisfaction on solid waste management services affected the WTP amount, apart from socio-economic factors such as educational level, type of houses, occupation and household income. The results can be useful for understanding the rural resident’s attitudes and WTP for solid waste management services.

Globally, rapid urban expansion has caused green spaces in urban areas to decline considerably. In this study, the rapid expansion of three Southeast Asia cities were considered, namely, Kuala Lumpur City, Malaysia; Jakarta, Indonesia; and Metro Manila, Philippines. This study evaluates the changes in spatial and temporal patterns of urban areas and green space structure in the three cities over the last two decades. Land use land cover (LULC) maps of the cities (1988/1989, 1999 and 2014) were developed based on 30-m resolution satellite images. The changes in the landscape and spatial structure were analysed using change detection, landscape metrics and statistical analysis. The percentage of green space in the three cities reduced in size from 45% to 20% with the rapid expansion of urban areas over the 25-year period. In Metro Manila and Jakarta, the proportion of green space converted to urban areas was higher in the initial 1989 to 1999 period than over the latter 1999 to 2014 period. Significant changes in green space structure were observed in Jakarta and Metro Manila. Green space gradually fragmented and became less connected and more unevenly distributed. These changes were not seen in Kuala Lumpur City. Overall, the impact of spatial structure of urban areas and population density on green space is higher in Jakarta and Metro Manila when this is compared to Kuala Lumpur. Thus, the results have the potential to clarify the relative contribution of green space structure especially for cities in Southeast Asia where only a few studies in urban areas have taken place.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia and is considered a major health problem in the world. It is associated with endothelial dysfunction which causes progressive vascular damage. DM is a known risk factor for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular complications such as peripheral artery disease, coronary artery disease, and stroke. Medicinal plants may act as an alternative resource or adjunctive treatment option in the treatment of diabetes and its cardiovascular complications. Parkia speciosa (Fabaceae) is a plant found abundantly in the Southeast Asian region. Its seeds, with or without pods, and roots have long been used as a traditional medicine in this region to treat hypertension and diabetes. Studies have shown its numerous beneficial pharmacological properties. Extracts of P. speciosa, particularly from its seeds and empty pods, show the presence of polyphenols. They also exhibit potent antioxidant, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, and antihypertensive properties. Its hypoglycemic properties are reported to be associated with the presence of β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, and stigmat-4-en-3-one. The current review aimed to provide an overview of the current status of P. speciosa, its pharmacological potential, and its phytochemical content in attenuating diabetic vasculopathy. Glycemic status, oxidative stress, inflammation, and hyperlipidemia are known to play pivotal roles in the initiation and severity of diabetic cardiovascular diseases; thus, targeting these factors might be beneficial for preventing and/or treating diabetic vasculopathy.

This work investigates the metals concentration in the tissues of Asian swamp eel, Monopterus albus . Five selected tissues, including liver, gill, bone, skin, and muscle were examined for the concentration of Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, and Ni. The concentrations of Cd and Pb were found high in the muscle tissues of the eels. Additionally, high amounts of Zn and Cu metals were observed in the liver, whereas the Cd, Pb, and Ni metals were highly detected in gill. The accumulation of Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, and Ni in both skin and bone of the eel seems to vary between seasons. Low levels of Zn, Cu, and Ni were identified in the muscle tissues of the eels. This study revealed that the concentration of Cd and Pb in the muscle tissues of Asian swamp eels exceeded the permissible limits by the US EPA, suggesting the consumption of the muscle may be hazardous and can severely affect one’s health.

Particleboard is not entirely a wood replacement but a particular material with its properties, making it more effective at different times than heavy or solid wood. The world’s biggest concern is environmental problems with formaldehyde as a particulate board binder that can lead to human carcinogenic agents. A cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) of particleboard production was performed using openLCA software. The impact assessment was carried out according to the software’s features. This preliminary investigation aims to analyze the chemical composition of particleboard and identify its environmental impact. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) system was used to track the functional group of aliphatic hydrocarbons, inorganic phosphates, and main aliphatic alcohols found in particleboards made in Malaysia. Based on the FTIR results, aliphatic groups were found in numerous aggravates that the spectroscopic infrared was likely to experience. The most important vibrational modes were C–H, at approximately 3000 cm−1, and –CH deformations around 1460 cm−1 and 1380 cm−1. Eight effect groups demonstrated that 100% of the input and all analyses produced the same relative outcome. The life cycle of a product is determined by pollution of the air, water, and soil. Thus, particleboard has a minimal impact on the environment, except for global warming.

This study is focusing on Pondok community participation in a sustainable solid waste management programme. Besides that, the factors that influence Pondok community participation, such as knowledge and awareness, were explored. This study adopted a stratified sampling technique with 99 respondents from Pondok Pasir Tumboh, Kota Bharu, Kelantan were participating in this study. The data was processed SPSS software with descriptive and inferential analysis. This study revealed that Pondok community has excellent knowledge and awareness regarding sustainable solid waste management practices. However, the exercise of Pondok community in sustainable solid waste management is still moderate. Besides that, this study also found out that the different groups of age, marital status, and education level significantly influence Pondok community’s participation in sustainable solid waste management practices. The findings of this study are crucial in providing the preliminary data of Pondok community readiness and willingness to practice sustainable solid waste management like recycling and composting.

Gelam Forest significantly has a unique biodiversity composition that is not found in other areas. This unique biodiversity has high potential for ecotourism that has yet to be explored and promoted in Malaysia. The purpose of this study is to estimate the economic value of Gelam (Mellaleuca spp.) forest for being developed as one of the potential ecotourism attractions in Kelantan. The primary data were collected through face to face surveys with the local community in districts of Bachok. A total of 200 respondents were participated in this study which consists of nearby locals that have different demographics. Contingent valuation method (CVM) was applied in this study to determine the local community’s willingness to pay for ecotourism resources conservation at Gelam Forest. The result from logit regression indicates that the bid amount (price), income and education of respondents were significant predictors that influenced the level of willingness to pay for ecotourism resources conservation of Gelam Forest nearby to Universiti Malaysia Kelantan Bachok Campus. The estimated mean for public’s willingness to pay is found to be RM 4.20 per head per year. It was concluded that Gelam Forest conservation initiatives were feasible for ecotourism development in future. The financial resources obtained from the amount of WTP might be used for conservation and as a fund for maintenances purposed.