Observed Trends in Extreme Temperature over the Klang Valley, Malaysia

This study investigates the recent extreme temperature trends across 19 stations in the Klang Valley, Malaysia, over the period 2006^-16. Fourteen extreme index trends were analyzed using the Mann-Kendall non-parametric test, with Sen’s slope as a magnitude estimator. Generally, the annual daily mean temperature, daily mean maximum temperature, and daily mean minimum temperature in the Klang Valley increased significantly, by 0.07°C yr^-1, 0.07°C yr^-1 and 0.08°C yr^-1, respectively. For the warm temperature indices, the results indicated a significant upward trend for the annual maximum of maximum temperature, by 0.09°C yr^-1, and the annual maximum of minimum temperature, by 0.11°C yr^-1. The results for the total number of warm days and warm nights showed significant increasing trends of 5.02 d yr^-1 and 6.92 d yr^-1, respectively. For the cold temperature indices, there were upward trends for the annual minimum of maximum temperature, by 0.09°C yr^-1, and the annual minimum of minimum temperature, by 0.03°C yr^-1, concurrent with the decreases in the total number cold days (TX10P), with -3.80 d yr^-1, and cold nights (TN10P), with -4.33 d yr^-1. The 34°C and 37°C summer days results showed significant upward trends of 4.10 d yr^-1 and 0.25 d yr^-1, respectively. Overall, these findings showed upward warming trends in the Klang Valley, with the minimum temperature rate increasing more than that of the maximum temperature, especially in urban areas.

Ambient Air Pollution and Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Malaysia

Introduction: The possible impact of ambient air pollution exposure on the development of active tuberculosis (TB) remains obscure. This study investigated the potential role of ambient air pollution in activating pulmonary TB (PTB) compared to extrapulmonary TB (EPTB). Materials and Methods: Data on TB cases were obtained from national surveillance data in Malaysia during 2013 and air pollution data were obtained from 52 air-monitoring stations around the country for the 3-year period of 2011-2013. Analyses were performed to estimate the odds of PTB vs. EPTB with changes in the 3-year (2011-2013) average Air Pollutant Index (API) and specific ambient air pollutants. Results: Results showed that the 95th-percentile of API levels during 2011-2013 was moderate and it was not associated with PTB. However, the odds of active PTB compared to EPTB was significantly elevated with the 95th-percentile levels for particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 μm or less (aOR = 1.006, 95% CI: 1.002, 1.011), p-value Conclusions: These results provide suggestive evidence of the effects of ambient air pollution on development of active pulmonary TB compared to extrapulmonary TB. Additional research on the impacts of ambient air pollution on TB is warranted.

Lichens reveal the quality of indoor air in Selangor, Malaysia

Background:Indoor air quality(IAQ)is a concern in kindergartens as children spend much of their time there.Yet,there is a shortage of biological indicators needed for assessing IAQ.Thus,this study evaluated IAQ using transplanted lichen Usnea misaminensis as a biological indicator.Methods:Lichen samples,collected from Bukit Larut,Perak,Malaysia,were exposed to indoor and outdoor environments in an urban area(Ummi Aiman Kindergarten)and a rural area(Ummi Qaseh Pelangi Kindergarten)for 2 months during August 15 to October 14,2019.The concentrations of 12 selected elements and the vitality of the lichens were then evaluated.Results:Increased concentrations of eleven of the twelve elements deposited in the lichen samples in both urban and rural areas were observed.For both areas,the element concentrations in the samples from the indoor environment was lower than those from the outdoor environment,and those in the rural area were lower than those from in the urban area,suggesting the impacts of traffic emissions.The vitality of the lichens showed no significant change in indoor environment,compared to that in outdoor environment,indicating that even exposed to indoor environment,the lichens remained effective biological indicators as same as they were in the outdoor environment.Conclusions:Lichens are effective biological indicators for both outdoor and indoor environments.Furthermore,outdoor emissions could influence IAQ,which could be problematic in densely populated areas such as kindergartens.Mitigation measures should be taken.