A Case Study of TNB Network Solution & Support (NSS) Inventory Information System: A Quick Printable and Non-redundancy Web-based Application

This system is proposed to develop a web-based inventory information system for Network Solution & Support (NSS) department of Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), Perak. The purpose of this study is to replace the conventional method which is the manual file system for managing inventory to online system where it can help to save the time especially in the process of updating the new inventory information. Besides that, the conventional method also contains the risk of duplicated files and leads to data redundancy and cost the memory wastage. NSS Inventory Information System is an alternative way to replace the manual file system so that multiple users can access the same data simultaneously at different stations. In addition, NSS Inventory Information System is based on Rapid Application Development (RAD) as the methodology where it involves the process of Requirement Planning, User Design, Construction and Cutover. Furthermore, it is developed by using Java programming language based on Vaadin Framework and MySQL as a database. Based on the testing and usability study, the result is very satisfying based on the staffs from NSS department and the contribution is able to help NSS department from TNB to update the inventory list by replacing the manual file system to a proper information system

Virtual Ethology: Simulation of Aquatic Animal Heterogeneous Behaviours as Particle-Based Autonomous Agents

In the virtual world, the simulation of flocking behaviour has been actively investigated since the 1980 through the boid models. However, ethology is a niche study of animal behaviour from the biological perspective that is rarely instil in the interest of the younger learners nowadays. The keystone of the research is to be able to disseminate the study of animal behaviours through the boid model with the aid of technology. Through the simulation, complex movement of animal behaviours are reproduced based on the extension of basic behaviours of boid algorithm. The techniques here are to (i) Analyse a high-level behavioural framework of motion in the animal behaviours and (ii) Evolves particles to other animal representations to portray more real-time examples of steering behaviours. Although the generality of the results is limited by the number of case study, it also supports the hypothesis that interactive simulation system of virtual ethology can aid the improvement of animal studie

A Proposed Guideline with Building Information Modelling (BIM) for Virtual Transformation of Traditional Housing to Green Housing

Generally speaking, in search of alternative ways that is meant to prevent environment pollution and its sub hazard consequences, developers and planners as well as the masses nowadays are encouraged to use what is call a green home when building their houses. These types of houses typically use resources that are environmentally responsive. However, this new approach to house developments lacks clearly defined and globally accepted standards on what constitutes a green model. Thus, this research aims to educate the public about sustainable transformations from traditional homes to green homes by modelling the 3D model virtually to illustrate the differences between the conventional homes and green homes and its impact on the environment, and demonstrate the types of green alternatives available in Malaysia in order to construct the green homes. The ultimate goal is to create digitally a 3D model of the green homes through Building Information Modelling (BIM). BIM allows the public to run computer simulations that help to understand and visualise the evolutions of the traditional homes to green homes. The digital 3D model is effective in influencing and educating the residents about the benefits of green housing practices and ways to incorporate green building technologies

LSound: An L-System Framework for Score Generation

Visual language or visual representation has been used in the past few years in order to express the knowledge in graphics. One of the important graphical elements is fractal and L-Systems is a mathematics-based grammatical model for modelling cell development and plant topology. From the plant model, L-Systems can be interpreted as music sound and score. In this paper, LSound which is a Visual Language Programming (VLP) framework has been developed as a tool that can model plant to music sound and generate music score and vice versa. The objectives of this research have three folds: (i) To expand the grammar dictionary of L-Systems music based on visual programming, (ii) To design and produce a user-friendly and icon-based visual language framework typically for L-Systems musical score generation which helps the basic learners in musical field and (iii) To generate music score from plant models and vice versa using L-Systems method. This research undergoes four phases methodology where the plant is first modeled, then the music is interpreted, followed by the output of music sound through MIDI and a score is generated. Technically, LSound was compared to other existing applications in the aspects of the capability of modelling the plant, rendering the music and generating the sound. LSound is a flexible framework in which the plant can be easily altered through arrow-based programming and the music score can be altered through the music symbols and notes which encourages non-experts to work with L-Systems and music

Supervised and Unsupervised Learning in Data Mining for Employment Prediction of Fresh Graduate Students

Data mining techniques are widely used in engineering, medicine, industry, agriculture and even used in education to predict a future situation. In this paper, the used of data mining techniques applied in features selection and determine the best model that can be used to predict the employment status of fresh graduate Public Institutions either employed or unemployed, six months after graduation. In CRISP-DM methodology, six phases were adopted. The algorithm in supervised and unsupervised learning; K-Nearest Neighbor, Naive Bayes, Decision Tree, Neural Network, Logistic Regression and Support Vector Machines were compared using the training data set from Tracer Study to determine the highest accuracy in turn is used as a predictive model. Rapid Miner as a data mining tool was used for data analysis algorith

In vitro and in vivo anti-tumour effects of coconut water vinegar on 4T1 breast cancer cells

Background: Coconut water and vinegars have been reported to possess potential anti-tumour and immunostimulatory effects. However, the anti-tumour, anti-inflammatory and immunostimulatory effects of coconut water vinegar have yet to be tested. Objective: This study investigated the in vitro and in vivo anti-tumour effects of coconut water vinegar on 4T1 breast cancer cells. Methods: The 4T1 cells were treated with freeze-dried coconut water vinegar and subjected to MTT cell viability, BrdU, annexin V/PI apoptosis, cell cycle and wound healing assays for the in vitro analysis. For the in vivo chemopreventive evaluation, mice challenged with 4T1 cells were treated with 0.08or 2.00 mL/kg body weight of fresh coconut water vinegar for 28 days. Tumour weight, apoptosis of tumour cells, metastasis and immunity of untreated mice and coconut water vinegar-treated 4T1 challenged mice were compared. Results Freeze-dried coconut water vinegar reduced the cell viability, induced apoptosis and delayed the wound healing effect of 4T1 cells in vitro. In vivo, coconut water vinegar delayed 4T1 breast cancer progression in mice by inducing apoptosis and delaying the metastasis. Furthermore, coconut water vinegar also promoted immune cell cytotoxicity and production of anticancer cytokines. The results indicate that coconut water vinegar delays breast cancer progression by inducing apoptosis in breast cancer cells, suppressing metastasis and activating anti-tumour immunity. Conclusion: Coconut water vinegar is a potential health food ingredient with a chemopreventive effect

Apoptosis and metastasis inhibitory potential of pineapple vinegar against mouse mammary gland cells in vitro and in vivo

Background: Plant-based food medicine and functional foods have been consumed extensively due to their bioactive substances and health-beneficial effects. Vinegar is one of them due to its bioactivities, which confers benefits on human body. Our previous study has produced pineapple vinegar that is rich in gallic acid and caffeic acid via 2 steps fermentation. There are many evidences that show the effectiveness of these resources in inhibiting the proliferation and metastasis of the cancer cells through several mechanisms. Methods: Freeze-dried pineapple vinegar was evaluated for its in vitro apoptosis and metastasis inhibitory potential using MTT, cell cycle, Annexin V and scratch assays. The in vivo test using BALB/c mice challenged with 4 T1 cells was further investigated by pre-treating the mice with 0.08 or 2 ml/kg body weight of freshly-prepared pineapple vinegar for 28 days. The tumor weight, apoptotic state of cells in tumor, metastasis and immune response of the untreated and pineapple vinegar treatment group were evaluated and compared. Results: From the in vitro study, an IC50 value of 0.25 mg/mL after 48 h of treatment was established. Annexin V/PI and scratch closure assays showed that pineapple vinegar induced 70% of cell population to undergo apoptosis and inhibited 30% of wound closure of 4 T1 cells. High concentration of pineapple vinegar (2 ml/kg body weight) led to the reduction of tumor weight and volume by 45%as compared to the untreated 4 T1-challenged mice. This effect might have been contributed by the increase of T cell and NK cells population associated with the overexpression of IL-2 andIFN-γ cytokines and splenocyte cytotoxicity. Furthermore, fewer instances of metastasis events were recorded in the pineapple vinegar treatment group and this could be explained by the downregulation of inflammation related genes (iNOS, NF-kB and COX2), metastasis related genes (iCAM, VEGF and MMP9) and angeogenesis related genes (CD26, TIMP1, HGF, MMP3, IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-2). Conclusion: The ability of pineapple vinegar to delay cancer progression portrayed its potential as chemopreventive dietry intervention for cancer therapy

Antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of the food seasoning curry leaves Murraya koenigii (L.) Spreng. (Rutaceae)

Murraya koenigii (L.) Spreng. (Rutaceae), a common spice, has been traditionally used to reduce inflammation and hepatitis. The present study aimed to reveal the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity as well as the regulation of cytochrome P450 levels elicited by aqueous extracts of M. koenigii leaves in response to paracetamol-induced liver toxicity in BALB/c mice. Liver toxicity was induced by an overdose of paracetamol followed by treatment with a M. koenigii leaf aqueous extract. The levels of serum liver markers, liver antioxidants, inflammatory markers and liver cytochrome P450 2E1 were quantified after 14 days of treatment. Histopathological analysis of the liver was also carried out. In vitro antioxidant levels and phenolic acid characterization were also performed. The extracts (50 and 200 mg kg-1 body weight) effectively restored the serum liver profiles (alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase and alkaline phosphatase), liver antioxidant levels (superoxide dismutase, glutathione and ferric reducing ability of plasma) and inflammatory markers (tumor necrosis factor alpha, inducible nitric oxide synthase, nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells and nitric oxide) to healthy levels in a dosage dependent manner. The level of liver cytochrome P450 2E1 was also lowered in the extract treated groups. Histopathological assessment showed that treatment with 200 mg kg-1 of the M. koenigii aqueous extract was able to reduce liver necrosis in mice fed paracetamol. Gallic acid concentration was the highest among all the phenolic acids detected in the extract. These results suggested that the M. koenigii aqueous extract, which possessed antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, can be used as a potential treatment for liver diseases caused by oxidative stress

Artonin E induces p53-independent g1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis through ROS-mediated mitochondrial pathway and livin suppression in MCF-7 cell

Artonin E is a prenylated flavonoid compound isolated from the stem bark of Artocarpus elasticus. This phytochemical has been previously reported to be drug-like with full compliance to Lipinski's rule of five and good physicochemical properties when compared with 95% of orally available drugs. It has also been shown to possess unique medicinal properties that can be utilized in view of alleviating most human disease conditions. In this study, we investigated the cytotoxic mechanism of Artonin E in MCF-7 breast cancer cells, which has so far not been reported. In this context, Artonin E significantly suppressed the breast cancer cell's viability while inducing apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. This apoptosis induction was caspase dependent, and it is mediated mainly through the intrinsic pathway with the elevation of total reactive oxygen species. Gene and protein expression studies revealed significant upregulation of cytochrome c, Bax, caspases 7 and 9, and p21 in Artonin E-treated MCF-7 cells, while MAPK and cyclin D were downregulated. Livin, a member of the inhibitors of apoptosis, whose upregulation has been noted to precede chemotherapeutic resistance and apoptosis evasion was remarkably repressed. In all, Artonin E stood high as a potential agent in the treatment of breast cancer

Coconut water vinegar ameliorates recovery of acetaminophen induced liver damage in mice

Background: Coconut water has been commonly consumed as a beverage for its multiple health benefits while vinegar has been used as common seasoning and a traditional Chinese medicine. The present study investigates the potential of coconut water vinegar in promoting recovery on acetaminophen induced liver damage. Methods: Mice were injected with 250 mg/kg body weight acetaminophen for 7 days and were treated with distilled water (untreated), Silybin (positive control) and coconut water vinegar (0.08 mL/kg and 2 mL/kg body weight). Level of oxidation stress and inflammation among treated and untreated mice were compared. Results: Untreated mice oral administrated with acetaminophen were observed with elevation of serum liver profiles, liver histological changes, high level of cytochrome P450 2E1, reduced level of liver antioxidant and increased level of inflammatory related markers indicating liver damage. On the other hand, acetaminophen challenged mice treated with 14 days of coconut water vinegar were recorded with reduction of serum liver profiles, improved liver histology, restored liver antioxidant, reduction of liver inflammation and decreased level of liver cytochrome P450 2E1 in dosage dependent level. Conclusion: Coconut water vinegar has helped to attenuate acetaminophen-induced liver damage by restoring antioxidant activity and suppression of inflammation