The co-use of conventional drug and herbal medicines may lead to herb-drug interaction via modulation of drug-metabolizing enzymes (DMEs) by herbal constituents. UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) catalyzing glucuronidation are the major metabolic enzymes of Phase II DMEs. The in vitro inhibitory effect of several herbal constituents on one of the most important UGT isoforms, UGT2B7, in human liver microsomes (HLM) and rat liver microsomes (RLM) was investigated. Zidovudine (ZDV) was used as the probe substrate to determine UGT2B7 activity. The intrinsic clearance (Vmax/Km) of ZDV in HLM is 1.65 µL/mg/min which is ten times greater than in RLM, which is 0.16 µL/mg/min. Andrographolide, kaempferol-3-rutinoside, mitragynine and zerumbone inhibited ZDV glucuronidation in HLM with IC50 values of 6.18 ± 1.27, 18.56 ± 8.62, 8.11 ± 4.48 and 4.57 ± 0.23 µM, respectively, hence, herb-drug interactions are possible if andrographolide, kaempferol-3-rutinoside, mitragynine and zerumbone are taken together with drugs that are highly metabolized by UGT2B7. Meanwhile, only mitragynine and zerumbone inhibited ZDV glucuronidation in RLM with IC50 values of 51.20 ± 5.95 μM and 8.14 ± 2.12 µM, respectively, indicating a difference between the human and rat microsomal model so caution must be exercised when extrapolating inhibitory metabolic data from rats to humans.

We reported a case of a woman with no past medical illness who presented with a few days’ history of fever, myalgia, arthralgia, hypochromic microcytic anaemia and thrombocytopaenia and who was nonstructural protein 1 antigen (NS1Ag)-positive. Haemolytic anaemia including full blood picture work-up revealed high reticulocyte count and haemolysis with positive direct Coombs test. She was started on prednisolone and was discharged well.

No abstract

No abstract

The aim of this paper is to develop empirical models based on laboratory experimental works using a number of rock samples using seismic velocity parameters and deformation properties. Furthermore, it is very important to express the relationship between elastic properties and seismic velocity of tropical sedimentary rocks which can be used for construction of foundation building. Ultrasonic pulse velocity test (UPV) is used worldwide to measure ultrasonic wave velocity which able to penetrate through intact rock and the wave travel time is depending on the particle arrangement of rock microstructure. Elastic properties of rock such as Young modulus, shear modulus and bulk modulus can be determined by conducting uniaxial compressive strength test (UCS) with deformation measurement. The results between the P-wave velocity were correlated and regression equations were established to present the correlation between them. Regression analysis (R2) shows that the correlation values of P-wave and Young modulus, shear modulus and bulk modulus at 0.63, 0.61 and 0.60, respectively. It can be concluded that from the relationship of P-wave and elastic properties parameters, the result of allowable soil bearing pressure can be used for design foundation building and the laboratory analysis of samples is used to predict P-wave velocity.

A combination of seismic refraction survey, electrical resistivity method and integration with borehole method has been used for ground exploration to study the slope surface failure along the study area at Kayangan Height, Selangor. This study focuses on investigating the possible cause of the slope failure at the area. By necessity, non-destructive method like electrical resistivity test is the most suitable method as this method can determine the subsurface water conditions. Meanwhile, seismic refraction test is able to determine the type of subsurface layers and level of bedrock. Seismic refraction test can guide the borehole drilling works which can provide borelog data. Based on the study, seismic tomogram and 2D resistivity imaging results provide complementary information to each other. The existing geotechnical borehole logs refined both seismic and 2D resistivity results. Therefore, the study shows that the electrical resistivity test, seismic refraction test and borelog data in combination, could be an effective tool and cost effective for slope failure investigation.

No abstract

Rainfall is very important elements in slope failure. Rainfall infiltrating into the slope is the main factor that triggers slope failure. The infiltration of the surface water affects both resisting and disturbing components of the slope which in turn decrease the slope stability factor. Shear strength parameters are very important for design slope and foundation. In this study, Consolidated Drained (CD) triaxial test were conducted on granitic residual soil specimens, both under saturated and unsaturated conditions with different moisture content at 16%, 17% and 18%. While, the Soil Water Characteristic Curve (SWCC) were developed using the pressure plate extractor apparatus and gives a result of residual suction, 148 kPa which equivalent to maximum apparent cohesion, 17 kPa. Therefore the shear strength variation with respect to suction was found to be non-linear for the entire test in accordance to the curved surface envelope soil shear strength model (CSESSM).