Thermal comfort study for classroom in urban and rural schools in Selangor

Optimum comfort factors help in enhancing effective learning process in a classroom. The aim of this research is to study thermal comfort in school classroom for a more desirable learning process. Four schools consist of urban and rural schools in Selangor were selected for this study. Field measurement and questionnaires was used to measure the level of comfort and satisfaction of school teacher and student in classroom. Data was collected using Temperature data-loggers (SD500 Humidity/Temperature Data logger). The questionnaire was analysed based on Likert's scale rating. Result from both on-field measurement and questionnaire survey suggests that thermal comfort have greater importance to focus. All the schools tested higher temperature than the recommended value. This study also outlines several improvement suggestions actions for better comfort level such as better air ventilation system and smaller class size

mTOR Controls Ovarian Follicle Growth by Regulating Granulosa Cell Proliferation

We have shown that inhibition of mTOR in granulosa cells and ovarian follicles results in compromised granulosa proliferation and reduced follicle growth. Further analysis here using spontaneously immortalized rat granulosa cells has revealed that mTOR pathway activity is enhanced during M-phase of the cell cycle. mTOR specific phosphorylation of p70S6 kinase and 4E-BP, and expression of Raptor are all enhanced during M-phase. The predominant effect of mTOR inhibition by the specific inhibitor Rapamycin (RAP) was a dose-responsive arrest in the G1 cell cycle stage. The fraction of granulosa cells that continued to divide in the presence of RAP exhibited a dose-dependent increase in aberrant mitotic figures known as anaphase bridges. Strikingly, estradiol consistently decreased the incidence of aberrant mitotic figures. In mice treated with RAP, the mitotic index was reduced compared to controls, and a similar increase in aberrant mitotic events was noted. RAP injected during a superovulation regime resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in the numbers of eggs ovulated. Implications for the real-time regulation of follicle growth and dominance, including the consequences of increased numbers of aneuploid granulosa cells, are discussed

Use of vitamin supplements and risk of total cancer and cardiovascular disease among the Japanese general population: A population-based survey

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite the popular use of vitamin supplements and several prospective cohort studies investigating their effect on cancer incidence and cardiovascular disease (CVD), scientific data supporting their benefits remain controversial. Inconsistent results may be partly explained by the fact that use of supplements is an inconsistent behavior in individuals. We examined whether vitamin supplement use patterns affect cancer and CVD risk in a population-based cohort study in Japan.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 28,903 men and 33,726 women in the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study cohort, who answered questions about vitamin supplement use in the first survey from 1990-1994 and the second survey from 1995-1998, were categorized into four groups (never use, past use, recent use, and consistent use) and followed to the end of 2006 for cancer and 2005 for CVD. Sex-specific hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were used to describe the relative risks of cancer and CVD associated with vitamin supplement use.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During follow-up, 4501 cancer and 1858 CVD cases were identified. Multivariate adjusted analysis revealed no association of any pattern of vitamin supplement use with the risk of cancer and CVD in men. In women, consistent use was associated with lower risk of CVD (HR 0.60, 95% CI 0.41-0.89), whereas past (HR 1.17, 95% CI 1.02-1.33) and recent use (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.01-1.52) were associated with higher risk of cancer.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>To our knowledge, this is the first prospective cohort study to examine simultaneously the associations between vitamin supplement use patterns and risk of cancer and CVD. This prospective cohort study demonstrated that vitamin supplement use has little effect on the risk of cancer or CVD in men. In women, however, consistent vitamin supplement use might reduce the risk of CVD. Elevated risk of cancer associated with past and recent use of vitamin supplements in women may be partly explained by preexisting diseases or unhealthy background, but we could not totally control for this in our study.</p

DNA mismatch repair gene MSH6 implicated in determining age at natural menopause

The length of female reproductive lifespan is associated with multiple adverse outcomes, including breast cancer, cardiovascular disease and infertility. The biological processes that govern the timing of the beginning and end of reproductive life are not well understood. Genetic variants are known to contribute to ∼50% of the variation in both age at menarche and menopause, but to date the known genes explain <15% of the genetic component. We have used genome-wide association in a bivariate meta-analysis of both traits to identify genes involved in determining reproductive lifespan. We observed significant genetic correlation between the two traits using genome-wide complex trait analysis. However, we found no robust statistical evidence for individual variants with an effect on both traits. A novel association with age at menopause was detected for a variant rs1800932 in the mismatch repair gene MSH6 (P = 1.9 × 10−9), which was also associated with altered expression levels of MSH6 mRNA in multiple tissues. This study contributes to the growing evidence that DNA repair processes play a key role in ovarian ageing and could be an important therapeutic target for infertilit

DNA mismatch repair gene MSH6 implicated in determining age at natural menopause

notes: PMCID: PMC3976329This is a freely-available open access publication. Please cite the published version which is available via the DOI link in this record.The length of female reproductive lifespan is associated with multiple adverse outcomes, including breast cancer, cardiovascular disease and infertility. The biological processes that govern the timing of the beginning and end of reproductive life are not well understood. Genetic variants are known to contribute to ∼50% of the variation in both age at menarche and menopause, but to date the known genes explain <15% of the genetic component. We have used genome-wide association in a bivariate meta-analysis of both traits to identify genes involved in determining reproductive lifespan. We observed significant genetic correlation between the two traits using genome-wide complex trait analysis. However, we found no robust statistical evidence for individual variants with an effect on both traits. A novel association with age at menopause was detected for a variant rs1800932 in the mismatch repair gene MSH6 (P = 1.9 × 10(-9)), which was also associated with altered expression levels of MSH6 mRNA in multiple tissues. This study contributes to the growing evidence that DNA repair processes play a key role in ovarian ageing and could be an important therapeutic target for infertility.UK Medical Research CouncilWellcome Trus

Effect of sea level rise on oil spill model drift using TELEMAC-2D

Sea level rise (SLR) is a serious issue around the world that affects the hydrodynamic behaviour of river and coastal waters. This work presents the hydrodynamic pattern modelled for the region and prediction of oil spill spreading at Pulai River estuary and southwest Johor Strait before and after SLR phenomenon using TELEMAC-2D. The hydrodynamic calibration and validation were in good agreement between measured and modelled values. The mean absolute error (MAE) of water level is less than 3% and average difference in speed and direction of current is less than 10% and 30°, respectively. These values meet the impact evaluation assessment by the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), which is less than 10% for water level and less than 30% and 45° for current speed and direction, respectively. Permanent service for mean sea level (PSMSL) analysis shows an increased water level of 0.35 m after SLR rise by year 2100. Currents also increase with the effect of SLR. At the Pulai River, the observed spill trajectory remains the same before and after SLR but in open seas, the affected oil spillage area at the anchorage zone is estimated to increase 28% after SLR compared to 2015. It is predicted that SLR increases water level, currents and oil spill spreading at open seas

Familial effects on ischemic stroke the role of sibling kinship, sex, and age of onset

10.1161/CIRCGENETICS.111.962241Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics52226-23

Meshless point interpolation formulation of kinematic wave equation for flood routing

This study presents the meshless Point Interpolation Method (PIM) formulation to solve kinematic wave equation for flood routing. It details on Galerkin residual method employing PIM shape functions in discretizing the unsteady partial differential equation. Two nonlinear solvers are considered; Picard and Newton-Raphson. The formulation are verified against both hypothetical data obtained from conventional numerical methods (finite difference and finite element method) and gauged data obtained from an actual river. Close agreements are obtained between the proposed PIM formulation and the conventional methods thus highlight the potential of PIM as an alternative numerical method in the field of hydrologic modelling

Is uric acid protective or deleterious in acute ischemic stroke? A prospective cohort study

10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2009.08.012Atherosclerosis2091215-219ATHS