H1N1 flu OR SWINE Flu

From Mexico to China, people around the world have worn face masks to protect against swine flu, also known as the H1N1 virus. The problem? Experts could never say for sure whether such masks actually help you stay healthy.
Now, the largest study to date on the subject suggests they do. When sick people and their families wear surgical face masks and wash their hands within the first 36 hours of symptoms, healthy family members are indeed less likely to get seasonal flu, researchers say. They think the results may apply to H1N1 as well.
So far, 94,512 people around the world have been infected with swine flu, and there have been 429 deaths in 122 countries.
"Many people believe that coughs and colds are so infectious that there is really no stopping them, however hard we try," says Benjamin Cowling, Ph.D., the lead author of the study published this week in Annals of Internal Medicine. "Our results suggest that is not the case, and, in fact, transmission can be effectively stopped with just some simple precautions."

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The H1N1 flu virus could cause up to 90,000 U.S. deaths, mainly among children and young adults, if it resurges this fall as expected, according to a report released Monday by a presidential advisory panel. The H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu virus, could infect between 30 percent and 50 percent of the American population during the fall and winter and lead to as many as 1.8 million U.S. hospital admissions, the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology reported.
The report says 30,000 to 90,000 deaths are projected as part of a "plausible scenario" involving large outbreaks at schools, inadequate antiviral supplies and the virus peaking before vaccinations have time to be effective.
Up to 40,000 U.S. deaths are linked to seasonal flu each year, with most of the fatalities occurring among people over 65. With seasonal flu and H1N1, this fall is expected to bring more influenza deaths and place "enormous stress" on intensive care units nationwide, which normally operate near capacity, the report says.
An H1N1 resurgence may happen as early as September, at the beginning of the school year, and infections may peak in mid-October, according to the report. However, the H1N1 vaccine isn't expected to be available until mid-October, and even then it will take several weeks for vaccinated individuals to develop immunity, the report says.

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Am I immune to H1N1 flu if I've already had it?


Expert answer
A person who gets a specific influenza and recovers generally has immunity to that specific virus for some period, usually a decade or two. After time the immune system may have a lapse in memory and the person can get re-infected. A very few individuals with compromised immune systems may be susceptible to it earlier.
Some viruses have been known to mutate or change just enough that people who had the virus just a short time earlier technically can be re-infected with the mutated or changed virus. We are still learning about the H1N1 and do not know if it will change so quickly.
This is a long-winded way of saying everyone should be vigilant. Even if you have had the H1N1, you should practice flu prevention. There are other germs out there that can be easily spread to include the seasonal flu. Wash hands frequently, and cough or sneeze into the upper arm. If sick with a fever or flu-like symptoms, stay home. Do not go to work or school if sick. Most flu viruses are spread when people start congregating indoors.

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Where are our experts on this issue?
What is our research direction with our limited resources?
Young generation should look at this basic research, especially related to our health, food, environment, social and culture.

Perlanggaran membabitkan dua buah kapal di perairan Selat Melaka, kira-kira 37 kilometer dari pantai peranginan Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan kelmarin menyebabkan berlaku tumpahan minyak dalam lingkungan 5 kilometer di perairan terbabit.
Kejadian pukul 9.15 malam itu membabitkan sebuah kapal tangki MT Formosa Product Brick dari Liberia membawa muatan minyak mentah yang dipercayai dilanggar dari belakang oleh sebuah kapal kargo Ostende Max dari Britain yang membawa arang batu.
Berikutan insiden tersebut, kapal tangki yang membawa 25 orang krew itu terbakar manakala sembilan anak kapalnya masih hilang. Kapal kargo terbabit pula kini berlabuh di perairan Port Dickson setelah tiga anak kapalnya cedera. Sehingga pukul 6 petang semalam, usaha memadamkan kebakaran kapal masih dilakukan semua agensi terlibat. – UTUSAN/MD. SHAHJEHAN MAAMIN.

Whats next?

We need to be aware at all time. Monitoring and maintaining biodiversity and the effects of hazardous chemicals on fisheries activities and protected ecosystems in the coastal areas. We know that the Straits of Malacca is the bussiest shipping routes in the world.

So, what we suppose to do? More research and monitoring activities? Develop more scientists! and more money!

Kerjalapang membuka minat dan kefahaman kepada kursus yang dipelajari

Mereka terlampau gembira apabila ada kebebasan. Remaja mahukan

kebebasan dan keseronokan!!

Di Lapangan lebih mesra, lebih berani dan lebih memahami. Hilang rasa kaku di bilik darjah dan ingin mengetahui lebih mendalam tentang ekologi hidupan liar. Minat dan kepakaran sebenar diukur semasa di lapangan.

Kerjalapangan pelajar BGY4402 (Wildlife Ecology) 14-16 Ogos lepas di Kuala Gula Perak, Santuari Burung Laut memberikan pendedahan dan praktikal kepada tiori yang dipelajari dalam bilik kuliah. Pelajar akan merasa lebih memahami dan nampak apa sebenarnya berlaku dilapangan. Dalam kerjalapangan kali ini pelajar mendapatkan maklumat sebenar tentang kesedaran dan sokongan kepada program pelepasan burung upeh di Kuala Gula. Dari pengalaman singkat ini mereka tahu kenapa konservasi hidupan liar di Malaysia tidak pernah berjaya dan kepentingan ekologi dan hidupan liar tidak mendapat sambutan majoriti rakyat Malaysia. Bagaimana nak lakukannya? Mereka akan laksanakan apabila bergraduat nanti atau melalui aktiviti ko-kurikulum mahasiswa Jabatan Biologi.

More Collaboration with Japanese Scientists

Prof Sato and Prof Ichikawa of Kagoshima University discussed on the future collaboration and sampling activities and MoU between UPM and Kagoshima University.

Photo by Prof Ahmad Ismail.

Last May UPM has signed MoU with Ocean Research Institute The University of Tokyo, Japan. The MoU will involve academic exchange between two universities. Soon another MoU will be signed between UPM and Kagoshima University, Japan. MoU draft is now in progress. UPM will strengthen the coastal marine studies including pollution and biodiversity in order to be the world leader in tropical agriculture. All faculties must prepare towards these fields especially scientists in the Department of Biology, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Forestry and Faculty of Environmental Studies. More new staff need to be recruited in the missing fields. Biodiversity and Pollution are two important fields in developed Malaysia.

Priority Research

Daryoush (Iranian) and Tijjani Buhari (Nigerian) both are doing basic research on medaka fish and mudskippers respectively, from coastal marine environment of Peninsular Malaysia.

Why monitoring and basic researches are important?
Why we need Research University?
Who suppose to do applied research and its application or industrilisation?
What is the function of research university?
H1N1. is it a surprise?
New species (or intruder species) of algae, molluscs, fishes, etc. in our environment. How do we know? How far we understand our biodiversity of flora and fauna as a top 12th mega biodiversity in the world? What are our strategies for our policy on biodiversity?
Many more questions we can ask, but what is our research priority and who suppose to do basic, monitoring or applied research? What is the function of our universities, research institutions and professors, research officers, post graduate students, teachers in schools etc.? How the grants were allocated or distributed according research priority?
Many ideas but sometimes proposed at the wrong place and implemented at the wrong fields or tested at the wrong laboratory and the worse thing is the money or research grant allocated for research was distributed wrongly.
Lets we think, coordinate and implement it for future ONE Malaysia. Be practical an futuristic.

Kitar Semula: Fikir Dahulu Sebelum Buang

Apa kita boleh buat untuk mengurangkan perbelanjaan pengutipan sampah, pengangkutan sampah ke tapak pelupusan sampah dan pengurusan tapak pelupusan. Dengan pengetahuan masyarakat, kemahiran pekerja dan kualiti tapak pelupusan sampah kita, masyarakat akan terdedah kepada kualiti persekitaran yang tidak sihat. Telah lama kita berbincang tentang sisa pepejal, kertas, kaca, plastik, logam, kayu dan sebagainya. Sekarang bahan kimia merbahaya telah dibincang dan sedang mencari penyelesaian kepada pencemaran di alam sekitar dan kesihatan manusia sejak peringkat embrio hingga dewasa. Kini isu e-waste pula menjadi isu besar. Semua orang menggunakan bateri, telefon, radio, komputer dan barangan elektronik berkaitan. Apakah semua masyarakat sedar ke manakah barangan elektronik ini dibuang selepas tamat tempoh penggunaannya atau tidak dipakai lagi. Apakah kesan pembuangan e-waste ini kepada alam sekitar, hidupan di persekitaran akuatik dam manusia. Fikirlah Sebelum Buang.

Which one is implementing now in our country? Bussiness or solid waste management for environmental health? Is this RECYCLE campaign really for environmental friendly or bussiness monopoly? Landfill site management, solid waste collection, schedules waste/industrial wastes management and transportation? Do we need alternative solid maste management? public awareness, recycle/solid waste sorting and disposal centre, e-waste management, landfill sites (big scales/local small and effective landfill management systems/small incinerator OR how to reduce waste or not to bring waste home. THINK ABOOUT IT!!!

SEKOLAH RAKAN ALAM SEKITAR (SERASI)

Semua sekolah di seluruh negara patut menyambut seruan ini dan mengambil kesempatan untuk menggunakan alam sekitar dalam pembelajaran sains dan alam semulajadi. Alam sekitar boleh dijadikan makmal di luar bilik darjah. Seruan TPM patut di ambil tindakan segera. Satu program khas perludiadak bagi melatih semua guru-guru dengan menggunakan modul yang systematik dan berkesan sesuai dengan sekolah berkaitan.

SEKOLAH RAKAN ALAM SEKITAR (SERASI)

Pendidikan dan penghayatan alam sekitar bermula sejak di sekolah bagi membentuk generasi masa hadapan yang menghargai alam sekitar. Justeru itu aktiviti yang berkaitan pendidikan alam sekitar perlu dilaksanakan di sekolah. Keberkesanan perlaksanaan aktiviti akan lebih baik lagi sekiranya ada penglibatan guru, ibubapa dan komuniti. Aktiviti boleh bermula dengan mempertingkatkan kesedaran terhadap kepentingan memelihara dan memulihara alam sekitar di sekolah, memupuk sikap positif dan cintakan alam sekitar di kalangan warga sekolah khasnya dan masyarakat setempat amnya, membentuk persekitaran sekolah yang menitikberatkan pemeliharaan dan pemuliharaan alam sekitar. dan mengiktiraf usaha berterusan sekolah dalam program Pendidikan Alam Sekitar. Penglibatan mahasiswa universiti, alumni sekolah dan komuniti akan lebih memantapkan perancangan, aktiviti dan kesinambungan aktiviti. Banyak isu dapat dibincangkan bermula dengan biodiversiti, konservasi, kesihatan alam sekitar, pemanasan global dan perubahan cuaca. Banyak juga aktiviti dapat dijalankan seperti kem ekologi, penanaman pokok, ceramah, ekspedisi alam semulajadi, membersih tempat pembiakan nyamok di sekolah, program kitar semula dan banyak lagi.