Kemalangan jalanraya

Kemalangan jalanraya adalah disebabkan oleh beberapa faktor yang merupakan isu serius pada masa ini. Di antara sebab-sebab utama meningkatnya jumlah kemalangan jalanraya di Malaysia adalah kerana jumlah isipadu lalulintas yang tinggi. pada tahun 1983 didapati bilangan kemalangan jalanraya telah meningkat sebanyak 8%. Jumlah kematian adalah 3,220 orang dari jumlah keseluruhan 72,634 kes kemalangan. There are numerous factors responsible for road accidents, which are now causing serious issue. Among the reasons giving rise to the road accident in Malaysia are high traffic volume. It has been revealed that the number of accidents that is 72,634 cases, the death toll is 3,220 cases

Anatomical structures of the limb of white-nest swiftlet (Aerodramus fuciphagus) and white-headed munia (Lonchura maja)

This study was conducted with the aim to examine the anatomical structures of the limb of white-nest swiftlet (Aerodramus fuciphagus) to determine the reason why the birds are not able to walk, stand and perch while standing. In addition, an attempt was made to compare the results with the white-headed munia (Lonchura maja), which has similar body weight and appearance. Four left limbs from each species were examined macroscopically using stereomicroscope. The bone and muscles of both species were measured and compared. The limb muscles of white-nest swiftlet were twice smaller than the white-headed munia. The tibial bone was approximately similar in length, but the tarsometatarsal bone of the white-nest swiftlet was shorter than the white-headed munia. The digits of the white-nest swiftlet were also shorter than the white-headed munia. The tibial bones for both species were taken for histological examination and the results revealed no significance difference between the two species. Four groups of muscles namely the biceps femoris, semimembranous, semitendinosus and gastrocnemius from each bird were also taken for histological examination. The muscle sections were stained with H&E and Masson’s Trichome. Histologically, the white-nest swiftlet had smaller sized limb muscles compared to the white-headed munia. Similarly, the muscle bundles of the white-nest swiftlet were also less than the white-headed munia. In conclusion, the short tarsometatarsal bone and digits, and small limb muscles could be the reason why the white-nest swiftlets are not able to use their limbs for walking, standing and perching

MYTHOLOGY IN SULALATUS SALATIN: A MORAL RESPONSIBILITY IN FULFULLING THE KING’S VISION

The Sulalatus Salatin is clearly a form of historical literature that contained a lot of stories, myth, especially during the period pre-Melaka until the existence of Melaka itself.The objective of this study is to identify the mythological aspect and its kinship with the king’s authority. The research will use cultural theories. Mythology has always been connected with the tales of gods which always have a kinship with the constituents of faith.This element usually associated with the beginning of a race or ancestral root of an individual, especially royalties which were invariably tied to the extraordinary & peculiar tales.In the essence, mythology is the tale of the origins which encompasses the roots of blood line, the name of a place, the arrival of Islam, etc. In the context of societal belief, mythology is not just something respectable, but the mythical event was thought to actually took place and studied as something sacred.This clearly proves that myth has already existed even before the emergence of Tun Seri Lanang as the author of Sulalatus Salatin. Therefore, this research is produced with the aim to observe the mythological elements in the text of Sulalatus Salatin and the role of its story as a moral duty in fulfilling the King’s wishes.

Characterization of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus isolates from broilers in Selangor, Malaysia.

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) is an emerging nosocomial pathogen in humans. The use of antibiotics in human therapy and in the production of food animals has been incriminated in the emergence of this organism. The present study describes the distribution of VRE species, the vancomycin-resistant genes detected, the vancomycin resistance pattern observed, and the genetic diversity of the isolates found in live broiler chickens in Malaysia. Overall 140 VRE were isolated with species comprising Enterococcus faecalis (48%), Enterococcus faecium (25.7%), Enterococcus gallinarum (12.1%), Enterococcus casseliflavus (1.4%) and other Enterococcus species (12.8%). Vancomycin resistance gene vanA and intrinsic genes vanC1 and vanC2/3 were detected in the study population. VanA was detected in 15 (63.9%) of E. faecium, 23 (22.4%) of E. faecalis and in 3 (17.6%) E. gallinarum isolates. E-test was conducted on randomly selected 41 of the isolates and the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) of vancomycin for five (11.9%) of tested isolates is more than 256µg/ml. Genotypic analysis using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) showed genetic diversity within the Enterococcus species

Sistem klasifikasi pintar untuk mikrokalsifikasi barah payudara / Siti Noraini Sulaiman … [et al.]

Barah payudara telah dikenalpasti sebagai satu penyakit yang boleh mengakibatkan maut. Pengesanan dari peringkat awal dapat membantu mengurangkan kadar kematian. Mammografi dan ultrabunyi adalah dua kaedah yang sering digunakan untuk mengesan barah payudara. Namun masalah yang timbul ialah para doktor tidak dapat membuat keputusan dengan tepat kerana imej kabur, tidak jelas atau bercampur hingar. Oleh itu satu teknik pemprosesan imej dibangunkan sebagai satu perantara berguna bagi para doktor menentukan keputusan mereka. Dalam penyelidikan ini, satu sistem pemprosesan imej secara berkomputer telah dibangunkan bagi memproses imej-imej mammogram bertujuan mengesan mikrokalsifikasi, petanda paling umum kehadiran barah payudara. Tiga teknik prapemprosesan digunakan iaitu peningkatan imej, penurasan, dan peruasan mikrokalsifikasi. Dalam peruasan mikrokalsifikasi, teknik pengesanan pinggir digunakan bertujuan untuk meningkatkan ciri-ciri diagnostiknya dan seterusnya mengira bilangan mikrokalsifikasi di dalam imej mammogram tersebut. Dalam penyelidikan ini teknik terbaik dipilih dan dibangunkan satu sistem di mana bintik-bintik mikrokalsifikasi yang wujud di dalam imej mammogram di kesan dan bilangan mikrokalsifikasi dikira secara automatik. Selain itu, teknik pemprosesan imej konvensional turut diaplikasikan. Sistem ini juga menekankan aspek mesra pengguna, sesuai bagi para doktor untuk membuat keputusan yang tepat dalam menentukan rawatan lanjutan yang perlu diberikan kepada pesakit

Optimization and characterization studies of bio-oil production from Jathropa curcas L. husk by pyrolysis using response surface methodology / Salamiah Zakaria et al.

Biomass is one of the energy resources that can be exploited to replace fossil fuel. Combustion, pyrolysis and gasification are the main process to convert biomass into valuable fuel materials. In this study, Jathropa curcas L. husk was pyrolyzed to produce bio-oil. The effect of several parameters on the pyrolysis efficiency were tested to identify the optimal condition for the bio-oil production. The tested parameters include temperature, heating rate and gas flow rate. The experiments were conducted using vertical fixed-bed reactor. The response surface methodology (RSM) with a central composite design (CCD), were used for optimization the process parameters. From the study, the optimal conditions were obtained at pyrolysis temperature of 400oC, heating rate of 60oC/min and gas flow rate of 100ml/min with the amount of bio-oil produced was 28.9%. Furthermore, the bio –oil produced under optimum condition was characterized by using elemental analyser, bomb calorimeter, Fourier Transform Infra-red (FT-IR) spectroscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GCMS)

Anatomical structures of the limb of white-nest swiftlet (Aerodramus fuciphagus) and white-headed munia (Lonchura maja)

The main aims of this study were to examine the anatomical structures of the pelvic limb of white-nest swiftlet and to find the reason why the birds are not able to walk, stand and perch while standing. The findings were compared with the white-headed munia which has almost similar body weight and appearance, and the above-mentioned abilities. Four left limbs from each type of the birds were examined macroscopically under the stereomicroscope, whereas the bones and muscles of both the species were measured and compared. The lengths of the femur and tibial bones of the two species were not significantly different, although the metatarsal bone and digits of the white-nest swiftlet were found to be shorter than those of the white-headed munia. In particular, the digits of the white-nest swiftlet were shorter and curvy as compared to the white-headed munia which has longer digits with straight and sharp claws. The limb muscles of white-nest swiftlets were smaller and thinner than the white-headed munia. Four muscle groups, namely, bicep femoris, semimembranous, semitendinosus and gastrocnemius, were also taken from each bird for histological examination. The muscle sections were stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin. Histologically, the white-nest swiftlets have relatively smaller muscle groups and muscle bundles as compared to the white-headed munia. Thus, the limb is weak and unable to support its body weight. In conclusion, apart from the short metatarsal bone and digits, the small muscles of the limb could be the main reason for the inability of the white-nest swiftlets to use their limbs for walking, standing and perching while standing

Draft genome sequence of Pasteurella multocida subsp. multocida strain PMTB, isolated from a buffalo

Pasteurella multocida serotypes B:2 and E:2 are the main causative agents of ruminant hemorrhagic septicemia in Asia and Africa, respectively. Pasteurella multocida strain PMTB was isolated from a buffalo with hemorrhagic septicemia and has been determined to be serotype B:2. Here we report the draft genome sequence of strain PMTB

DEVELOPMENT OF HUMANITARIAN SUPPLY CHAIN PERFORMANCE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK IN CREATING RESILIENT LOGISTICS NETWORK

Humanitarian logistics which is precisely known as humanitarian supply chain (HSC) plays a major role in reducing the impact of disaster on human life and livelihood by providing humanitarian aid in the forms of food, water, medicine, shelter and other supplies. Unfortunately, anecdotal evidences indicated that relief chain tends to be unstable, unpredictable and unresponsive to the needs of disaster victims. The 2004 Asian tsunami highlighted the lack of coordination between the relief chain linkages that hampered effective supply of aid. This phenomenon was further evident in our own context during the 2014 flood devastation in Peninsular Malaysia. Floodwaters and subsequent landslides blocked major roads, limiting access to evacuation centres and impeding the delivery of emergency relief supplies. Hence, an effective humanitarian supply chain management (HSCM) should be able to be deployed rapidly enabling provision of aid to beneficiaries. Notwithstanding the frequency and impact of disasters, humanitarian organizations today are under continuous pressure of improving their logistics performance. Departing from this need, this study aims to examine the criteria that influence the humanitarian aid actors in their decision making while increasing transparency and accountability of relief operations. Therefore, it is imperative for humanitarian sector to quantify the efficiency and effectiveness of a particular relief operation using set of performance metrics. A mixed methods approach comprising qualitative and quantitative survey will be used. The study intended to identify and define the metrics that would determine successful operational performance of disaster relief. This research will contribute mainly in the development of a HSCM performance model that (i) informs decision makers at the strategic, tactical and operational level in tracking progress, (ii) facilitate a more open and transparent communication and cooperation between humanitarian actors, and (iii) improve the logistics of disaster management both at the government and at non-governmental level

The antioxidant activity and induction of apoptotic cell death by Musa paradisiaca and Trigona sp. honey jelly in ORL115 and ORL188 cells

Background: Head and neck cancer patients usually need nutritional support due to difficulties in swallowing and chewing. Therefore, this study aimed to formulate Musa paradisiaca and Trigona sp. honey jelly (MTJ) as a convenient functional food. Methods: The antioxidant properties were analysed using 2,2′-diphenyl-1 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) and 2,2′-azinodi 3-ethylbenthiazolinesulfonate (ABTS) assays. Cytotoxicity was assayed using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) test and the induction of apoptosis was observed via caspase-3/7 activity assay. The identification of phenolic compounds was done via ultra-high-performance-liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometer (UHPLC-MS/MS). Results: The antioxidant analysis exhibited: the half inhibitory concentration (IC50) of DPPH inhibition, 54.10 (SD = 4.51) µg/mL; the FRAP value, 30.07 (SD = 0.93) mM TEQ/100 g; and the ABTS value, 131.79 (SD = 8.73) mg TEQ/100 g. Cinnamic acid was the most abundant phenolic compound, followed by maleic acid and salicylic acid. The IC50 for ORL115 and ORL188 were 35.51 mg/mL and 43.54 mg/mL, respectively. The cells became rounded and dissymmetrical which reduced in number and size. The apoptotic cell death in ORL115 and ORL188 was deduced as caspase-3/7 activities that significantly increased (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The study evidenced that the antioxidant activity of MTJ could influence the induction of apoptosis in ORL115 and ORL188 in future investigations and verifications