Simulation and analysis for harvesting Dioscorea hispida tubers

This study discussed an analysis and simulation of fixture stand structure that will use for data collection of force required for harvesting the tubers of Dioscorea hispida. The tubers were surrounded by roots which were well gripped to the soil which made harvesting process difficult. Therefore, a new tool fixture equipped with digital force gauge device to gripped stem dioscorea hispida is required. Imada digital force measurement gauges are state-of-the-art, instruments capable of the highly accurate measurements required in quality testing to determine the strength or functionality of a part or product. The information from the experiments is used to model and simulate the tool in Computer Aided Design (CAD) environment. The solid modelling software Solidworks was used for the design, modelling and simulation of the equipment and the finite element analysis to determine the stress affected on various fixture designs

The effects of dietary supplementation of methanolic extracts of herbal medicine on haematological variable of red hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis sp.)

The most common strategy to treat in aquaculture disease is the use of antibiotics, however, such utilization has been accounted to have antagonistic impacts like accumulation of drugs in tissues, development of drug resistance and immunosuppression. One of the most promising methods of controlling diseases in aquaculture is strengthening the defence mechanisms through therapeutic administration. Vitex trifolia, Strobilanthes crispus, and Aloe vera have been reported to have better antimicrobial activity in vitro against Streptococcus agalactiae. However, there is no report on the application of the extracts on the treatment of Oreochromis sp. The objective of the study was to assess the effectiveness of diet supplementation of selected plant extract for 14 days as disease treatment. In red blood cell (RBC), haemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), white blood cell (WBC), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) showed significant differences between treatment and control. RBC, Hb and WBC levels of the infected group were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of the control group indicating improve defence system in the fish fed with V. trifolia, S. crispus, and A. vera. These results suggested that of methanolic mixed herbal to applying S. agalactiae infected Oreochromis sp had a synergistic restorative effect on the haematological variables

A whole genome analyses of genetic variants in two Kelantan Malay individuals

The sequencing of two members of the Royal Kelantan Malay family genomes will provide insights on the Kelantan Malay whole genome sequences. The two Kelantan Malay genomes were analyzed for the SNP markers associated with thalassemia and Helicobacter pylori infection. Helicobacter pylori infection was reported to be low prevalence in the north-east as compared to the west coast of the Peninsular Malaysia and beta-thalassemia was known to be one of the most common inherited and genetic disorder in Malaysia.By combining SNP information from literatures, GWAS study and NCBI ClinVar, 18 unique SNPs were selected for further analysis. From these 18 SNPs, 10 SNPs came from previous study of Helicobacter pylori infection among Malay patients, 6 SNPs were from NCBI ClinVar and 2 SNPs from GWAS studies. The analysis reveals that both Royal Kelantan Malay genomes shared all the 10 SNPs identified by Maran (Single Nucleotide Polymorphims (SNPs) genotypic profiling of Malay patients with and without Helicobacter pylori infection in Kelantan, 2011) and one SNP from GWAS study. In addition, the analysis also reveals that both Royal Kelantan Malay genomes shared 3 SNP markers; HBG1 (rs1061234), HBB (rs1609812) and BCL11A (rs766432) where all three markers were associated with beta-thalassemia.Our findings suggest that the Royal Kelantan Malays carry the SNPs which are associated with protection to Helicobacter pylori infection. In addition they also carry SNPs which are associated with beta-thalassemia. These findings are in line with the findings by other researchers who conducted studies on thalassemia and Helicobacter pylori infection in the non-royal Malay population.Wan Khairunnisa Wan Juhari, Nur Aida Md Tamrin, Mohd Hanif Ridzuan Mat Daud, Hatin Wan Isa, Nurfazreen Mohd Nasir, Sathiya Maran, Nur Shafawati Abdul Rajab, Khairul Bariah Ahmad Amin Noordin, Nik Norliza Nik Hassan, Rick Tearle, Rozaimi Razali, Amir Feisal Merican and Bin Alwi Zilfali

First report of decompression sickness (DCS) in a sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis) stranded in southern Peninsular Malaysia

Decompression sickness, a condition in whales caused by bubble formation in certain body tissues from dissolved inert gases. It occurs during transition from a high pressure environment to one of lower pressure, resulting in a range of conditions from itching to joint pain, convulsions, and death. A carcass of a stranded Sei Whale, Balaenoptera borealis, found on the shores of southern coast of Peninsular Malaysia was presented for postmortem. Investigation results showed that the male Sei Whale, named Si Corner showed pathologic lesions as seen from histology with the formation of fibrosis, emphysema and edema in the lungs and hepatic atrophy which indicated chronic starvation. It believed that he also suffering from “Barotrauma or decompression sickness” which affected the ear or lungs which lead to unbalanced movement due to changes in air pressure. This may have caused the whale to beach and consequent mortality. The pathologic lesions found give an insight into possible causes of death of beached whales in Malaysia

Socio-demographic determinants of Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in migrant workers of Peninsular Malaysia

Background The number of migrants working in Malaysia has increased sharply since the 1970’s and there is concern that infectious diseases endemic in other (e.g. neighbouring) countries may be inadvertently imported. Compulsory medical screening prior to entering the workforce does not include parasitic infections such as toxoplasmosis. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection among migrant workers in Peninsular Malaysia by means of serosurveys conducted on a voluntary basis among low-skilled and semi-skilled workers from five working sectors, namely, manufacturing, food service, agriculture and plantation, construction and domestic work. Methods A total of 484 migrant workers originating from rural locations in neighbouring countries, namely, Indonesia (n = 247, 51.0%), Nepal (n = 99, 20.5%), Bangladesh (n = 72, 14.9%), India (n = 52, 10.7%) and Myanmar (n = 14, 2.9%) were included in this study. Results The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii was 57.4% (n = 278; 95% CI: 52.7–61.8%) with 52.9% (n = 256; 95% CI: 48.4–57.2%) seropositive for anti-Toxoplasma IgG only, 0.8% (n = 4; 95% CI: 0.2–1.7%) seropositive for anti-Toxoplasma IgM only and 3.7% (n = 18; 95% CI: 2.1–5.4%) seropositive with both IgG and IgM antibodies. All positive samples with both IgG and IgM antibodies showed high avidity (> 40%), suggesting latent infection. Age (being older than 45 years), Nepalese nationality, manufacturing occupation, and being a newcomer in Malaysia (excepting domestic work) were positively and statistically significantly associated with seroprevalence (P < 0.05). Conclusions The results of this study suggest that better promotion of knowledge about parasite transmission is required for both migrant workers and permanent residents in Malaysia. Efforts should be made to encourage improved personal hygiene before consumption of food and fluids, thorough cooking of meat and better disposal of feline excreta from domestic pets

Development of auditing in Malaysia: Legal, political and historical influences

This work investigates the role and contribution of external auditing as practised in the Malaysian society during the forty year period from independence in 1957 to just before the onset of the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997.It applies the political economic theory introduced by Tinker (1980) and refined by Cooper & Sherer (1984), which focuses on the social relations aspects of professional activity rather than economic forces alone.In a case study format where qualitative data was gathered mainly from primary and secondary source materials, the study found that the function of auditing in the Malaysian society in most cases is devoid of any essence of mission; instead it is created, shaped and transformed by the pressures which give rise to its development over time.The largely insignificant role that it serves is intertwined within the contexts in which it operates

Socializing One Health: an innovative strategy to investigate social and behavioral risks of emerging viral threats

In an effort to strengthen global capacity to prevent, detect, and control infectious diseases in animals and people, the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Emerging Pandemic Threats (EPT) PREDICT project funded development of regional, national, and local One Health capacities for early disease detection, rapid response, disease control, and risk reduction. From the outset, the EPT approach was inclusive of social science research methods designed to understand the contexts and behaviors of communities living and working at human-animal-environment interfaces considered high-risk for virus emergence. Using qualitative and quantitative approaches, PREDICT behavioral research aimed to identify and assess a range of socio-cultural behaviors that could be influential in zoonotic disease emergence, amplification, and transmission. This broad approach to behavioral risk characterization enabled us to identify and characterize human activities that could be linked to the transmission dynamics of new and emerging viruses. This paper provides a discussion of implementation of a social science approach within a zoonotic surveillance framework. We conducted in-depth ethnographic interviews and focus groups to better understand the individual- and community-level knowledge, attitudes, and practices that potentially put participants at risk for zoonotic disease transmission from the animals they live and work with, across 6 interface domains. When we asked highly-exposed individuals (ie. bushmeat hunters, wildlife or guano farmers) about the risk they perceived in their occupational activities, most did not perceive it to be risky, whether because it was normalized by years (or generations) of doing such an activity, or due to lack of information about potential risks. Integrating the social sciences allows investigations of the specific human activities that are hypothesized to drive disease emergence, amplification, and transmission, in order to better substantiate behavioral disease drivers, along with the social dimensions of infection and transmission dynamics. Understanding these dynamics is critical to achieving health security--the protection from threats to health-- which requires investments in both collective and individual health security. Involving behavioral sciences into zoonotic disease surveillance allowed us to push toward fuller community integration and engagement and toward dialogue and implementation of recommendations for disease prevention and improved health security

Performance of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Engine with Pre Chamber

Pre chamber is use to extend lean limit of mixture and improve combustion efficiency. Pre chamber used in this study was pre chamber without auxiliary fuel. Then, this pre chamber was applied to single cylinder compressed natural gas engine. The effects of pre chamber on CNG performance are increase in power and torque starting at engine speed 3000 rpm. However, disadvantage by the pre chamber had been discovered on the brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC). It caused the BSFC by CNG was higher than a CNG without pre chamber

Nutritional composition and mineral analysis of the by-products from tropical marine fish, purple-spotted bigeye (priacanthus tayenus richardson, 1846) and barracuda (sphyraena obtusata cuvier, 1829)

The aim of this study is to evaluate the nutritional composition, macro- and micro-elements from purple-spotted bigeye (Priacanthus tayenus) and barracuda (Sphyraena obtusata) by product which are extensively used for surimi. The proximate composition showed significant differences (p < 0.05) for all parameters. The moisture, protein, fat, ash and carbohydrate contents of purple-spotted bigeye sample ranged from 56.22-79.26%, 12.46-31.14%, 0.24-1.29%, 1.27-22.86% and 0.42-0.98%, respectively. Meanwhile, barracuda recorded 55.76-79.86% moisture, 18.46-27.29% protein, fat 0.05-2.55% fat, 1.22-24.36% ash and 0.41-0.88% carbohydrate contents. For macro-elements analysis, both fish species contained high concentration of calcium, especially in fins, bone and skin. For other macro-elements, all samples recorded lower than 4.5 mg/g. Although the concentration of micro-element zinc and copper were dominant in all samples examined, their levels were still below the permissible limits recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) and the Malaysian Food Regulations (MFR). More importantly, chromium, cadmium and lead were far below the toxic levels regulated by the FAO/WHO and the MFR. Thus, the by-products used may be applied for potential food ingredients and for baseline information in the further experimentation